#<- I wonder how many people caught onto that the first time I drew 'em

[otiksimr]

Love bir- bugs- B- WYVERNS

[mrsalwayswrite]

Filthy Tease (Eugene Roe x f!reader)

I meant for this to be a spicy Roe piece but it kinda of took a different route than anticipated... oops? Anyway, i wanna dedicate this to @saritanotserena for giving me the idea but also cuz she is amazing! (sorry if this is awful, i still think i’m terrible at smut) also, not super edited cuz we die like men, alright?

Warning: sexual content- teasing & fingering & my poor attempts at dirty talk

Words:3700

Tag list: @happyveday @saritanotserena @sydney-m @evelynshelby

 There were many things most people were not aware of in regards to Easy Company's Eugene Roe. For example, he was terrified of bees. But instead of running away screaming, he would freeze and not move, barely breathing until he felt safe enough to move. Also, the man was obsessed with strawberries. He would pick them any day over chocolate or any other kind of dessert. When alone, he enjoyed quietly quoting poetry. He never did it in front of the men, for fear they would mock him. The biggest secret that would surprise people though?

 Eugene Roe was a filthy tease whose lips dripped sin and hands brought you to heaven with their touch. 

 And you were well acquainted with this side of him. 

 In Albourne, the replacements had begun calling you 'mama bear' shortly after you punched a Sergeant from a different company, who was picking on one of Easy's replacements. You also had the habit of checking up on them and trying to teach them extra things that training left out. You did not mind the nickname. Honestly, you thought it was sweet how all the boys took to you so. Since most of the Toccoa guys did not want anything to do with the replacements, you stepped up. 

 Unfortunately, all this extra attention from the replacements seemed to spark unnecessary jealousy from Roe. In the quiet moments you two managed to sneak away, you always tried to remind and show him how he was the only man who caught your eye. You would shower him with words of affection, hold him close and kiss him until he forgot his worries. You both hated that you had to keep your relationship a secret. You tried to remind him that this was only temporary. One day you could kiss and hold hands in public. One day you could stand before him in a white dress. One day you would make others jealous with the overwhelming love you had for each other. 

 But that was not today. Or in any sense of the foreseeable future. So you kept your relationship secret and tried to keep your affections on a slow simmer as to not alert the rest of the company. 

 After you started gaining more attention from the replacements, after you started spending more time with them…. Roe changed his tactics in reminding you of who always stole your breath and made you feel like a goddess on earth. 

 And that was how you learned he was a filthy tease. 

 It started off with simple things. He would walk past you and let his hand caress your ass for a fleeting moment before moving on to avoid drawing notice to the pair of you. Or if you sat next to one another to eat, he would place his hand on your knee or thigh underneath the table, giving you an occasional squeeze. If your hair got in your face, he would tenderly tuck it behind your ear or adjust your cap if your hands were full. It was sweet how tactical he was. Always seeking for a way to subtly touch you. 

 Then one day, you were walking with a couple of replacements back from the firing range, having been helping them with their accuracy. You saw Roe approaching, hands in his pockets, his eyes focused on you. He commented how he needed your advice for something and so you innocently followed him towards the small aid station set up in Albourne, having waved goodbye to the replacements. 

 As you passed a huge stack of empty boxes next to a brick building, he pushed you off the road and behind the boxes. You slammed against the brick wall, shock making you unable to cry out or demand about his actions. He had never been rough with you before. Concern and anger warned in you, unsure if something was wrong with him or he was being an asshole. When you leaned back, ready to demand what was going on, your words were cut off by his mouth covering yours and his tongue slipping between your lips. His body pressed against you, pinning you between him and the brick wall behind you. His mouth and touch dominated you, bringing you to the brink and turning you into a puddle of desire. Just as a whine left your throat, desperate for him to touch you where you needed him most, he pulled back. Through the haze of lust, you could see his lips swollen, eyes dilated, and chest rising and falling rapidly, matching your own. 

 "What…?" You stumbled out, your mind and body quaking with need. 

 "That's so ya don't forget." Even his voice was affected, more husky than normal. God, it sounded delicious and you wanted to taste it from the source again. 

 "Forget… forget what?"

 "Who makes ya feel good. Who can please ya… and who always wants ya." He stepped back, a smug smirk tugging on his lips. "See ya later, chéri." Then he walked away, back onto the road, hands in his pockets as if nothing had happened. As if he had not left you aching in need and obscenely wet. 

 You stayed there against the brick wall for longer than you would ever care to admit. Your heart hammered in your chest, the ache in your belly at an almost painful level, your breathing heavy in anticipation for what you thought was to come. But now you stood there… alone… and horny. 

 You thought maybe this was just a one-time thing. He had never done anything like this before. 

 Oh, how wrong you were. 

 A couple days later you sat in the back of a lecture room, Nixon at the front talking about something very important. But you could not hear a word he was saying. Oh no, because Eugene Roe was sitting next to you, whispering in your ear about all the dirty things he wanted to do to you in quite explicit terms. Half the stuff he whispered, you wondered where he even got the ideas. Soon enough, his words seeped into your mind as he painted such lewd images of the two of you. You had to press your thighs tightly together to deal with the growing ache. Something you were positive he noticed and delighted in. At one point, he even drew his finger slowly up from your knee to your hip as he whispered about sneaking into Sink's office and letting him fuck you over the man's desk. Once the lecture was over, Roe just gave you a wink and easily got up to walk away with the others heading out. You had to sit there for several minutes, taking long, deep breaths to try and will away the flush over your skin and suppress the pooling desire in your belly. 

 You could not decide if you loved or hated this new side of Roe. 

 Another time he asked for your help, that he might practice a new technique he read about in one of his medical books. You laid down on one of the beds in the aid station. The quiet chatting of a couple of the other medics behind the half-wall curtain filled the otherwise silent air from the other side of the station. Roe snuck a quick kiss to your lips making you giggle quietly and the two of you easily fell into a light-hearted conversation about a party being set up for the enlisted. Though as you two kept talking and he practiced wrapping and unwrapping various parts of your body, his hands began to…. wander. His fingers skimmed up your thighs, moving teasingly close to your groin then darting away. 

 At first you thought it was an accident and paid no mind, but after a couple times, you realized he was doing it on purpose. When you called him out on it, he pretended to have no idea what you were talking about. Then he told you he needed to practice working on a chest wound. Next thing you knew, he had the top several buttons of your army-issued jacket open, and he was laying a bandage on your exposed skin. His hands roamed across your chest, brushing your breasts with firm strokes. At one point he murmured something about giving you morphine and pretended to jab a syringe into your thigh; but as his hand moved back up, it grazed over your sex, leaving a fiery trail up your torso and back to your chest in its wake.  

 "Gene…" you moaned, unable to take it anymore, wriggling underneath his touch seeking friction. 

 He hushed you, wicked eyes glancing towards where the others were in the aid station. "Ya gotta keep quiet, pretty lady. Can ya do that for me?"

 You nodded but it was only half-hearted, your mind already drawing in the euphoric hunger he induced in you. His hands worked you- skimming, fondling, cupping and teasing- in all the ways that soon left you a quivering mess, biting down on your hand to keep the lascivious moans at bay. 

 The whole time he complimented and whispered to you, saying things that only seemed to heighten the experience. "Doin' so good, mon chéri, look at ya. Beautiful." Or "gotta keep quiet, pretty lady." Or "just imagine when I do this to ya, but with my tongue… I know ya taste so damn good. How's that feel, darlin'?"

 Finally, you were toeing the edge, body desperate to fall off that cliff. Your body vibrated with maddening want. "Gene, please…." You begged without shame; the desire, the need too great for you to care. 

 "Shhh...can't let 'em see ya like this." He cooed, one hand cupping your cheek while the other fondled your breast. "This is for me only, yeah? Say it, chéri."

 "Just you… just you, Gene."

 "Mmm… good girl." Then he finally slipped his skilled hand into your pants and pushed you off the edge. Your body drowned in bliss, mind hazy with pleasure. 

 This went on for weeks. Any opportunity he could pull you into a dark corner, push you against a wall, touch you, or drive you wild… he took full advantage of. 

 To everyone else, he still remained the quiet, slightly reclusive medic with a heart of gold and healing hands. 

 But to you… he was a fallen angel with the sole purpose to tempt you with that delightful Cajun accent and take control of you with those sinful lips and magical hands. 

 ***

 The atmosphere in the pub was jovial. Glenn Miller played in the background from the radio. The many voices of the paratroopers filled the pub, overshadowing the famous artist. The place reeked of beer, cigarette smoke and testosterone.  

 Buck, Luz, Toye and Heffron played darts in the corner. A few of the other Toccoa men heckled them and laughed at their own jokes, ignoring the replacements scattered about. The divide between Toccoa men and replacements felt like a terrible chasm. You tried to bridge it though. Floating between both parties, you laughed and cracked jokes with everyone while sipping on your beer. 

 This was the first time you had worn your WAAC uniform in months, reviving fond memories at its feel and look. You had started in the WAAC but then threw a series of unexpected encounters and circumstances, you eventually found yourself at Camp Toccoa training to be a paratrooper. Now, it felt odd to be wearing a skirt, stockings and kitten heels. You had become so used to your dirty ODs. Tonight though, you donned your skirt and heels, even going so far to put on some red lipstick. Who knew when the next chance you would have to dress up would be?

 "Come on, just one dance." Simmons was begging from the seat beside you, his boyish charm on full display, enhanced by the dimples in his cheeks. 

 You laughed, more amused than annoyed by his persistence. "No, if I dance with you then everyone else will expect a dance too."

 "Give it up, Peter." Burkle chuckled. "Mama bear ain't going out there."

 You pointed a finger at the dark-haired replacement across the table. "I knew there was a reason I liked you, Frank."

 "Ya hear 'bout the man who got caught joy-ridin' the other day?" Ralph Nestor changed the topic thankfully, leaning forward against the table, ready to spread the latest gossip. 

 Taking another sip of your beer, you listened but scanned the crowd around you. It was about time for you to move on to the next group. 

 As if sensing a pair of eyes burning into you, you swiveled your head trying to locate the gaze. It did not take long for you to meet the eyes of Eugene Roe. He sat with Spina and a few others at a table on the other side of the bar. He subtly tapped the empty spot next to him after he caught your eye. A warmth filled you. It was stupid since you knew he loved you but even here amongst a crowd, he wanted you by his side. 

 "Well, I'm off, fellas. Don't get too drunk tonight please… and if you do, make sure to keep all your clothes on. I'm looking at you, Private Burkle." You teased, watching the young man's face redden at the reminder, while the others laughed. Standing up, you brushed your skirt down, still unused to the feeling after so long. 

 "Yes, mama bear." A couple of them chorused. 

 You smiled. As you reached forward to grab your half-full beer glass, a hand slipped into yours and spun you around into a solid chest. "What?"

 Simmons held your hand as he placed his other on your waist. "Come on, one dance. I'll even keep my hands to myself."

 "Your hands wander at all, there's at least thirty men here who will rip your hands off for me if I ask."

 "Oh believe me, I know." He squeezed your hand, a cheeky smile on his face. "Please?"

 "Simmons, give it up!" Nestor said. "I see your platoon Sergeant looking over here."

 That got Simmons to freeze, glancing over his shoulder to see Guarnere with eyes narrowed at the two of you. 

 You laughed, pushing away from the replacement. "Better not piss your platoon Sergeant off. I'll be back for my glass." Swiftly, you moved in the direction of the bathroom, sending a wink Guarnere's way and receiving one in return. 

 The women's bathroom was small and cramped with two stalls, barely room to move, and a small counter with a sink. Either women did not frequent this pub much or this was awkwardly small to discourage women from lounging and socializing in here away from men. In your mind, it could go either way honestly. 

 After you finished your business, you stood at the sink washing your hands. The cool water soothed your skin after the heat in the pub. Looking up in the mirror, you saw your lipstick had faded and was slightly smudged. Most likely from the beer glass. Carefully, you tried to fix it using the tip of your finger. It seemed absurd, with everything you had been through- the training and combat you had seen- for you to be standing here worried about your smudged lipstick. Perhaps it would not have felt so odd if you stayed in the WAAC instead of joining the paratroopers. 

 Behind you, the bathroom door opened which surprised you. You thought you had been the only woman at the pub tonight. Maybe a few local women showed up? You looked up into the mirror, prepared to greet the woman. After the person stepped through, your jaw dropped and eyes widened. For it was not a local woman in a pretty dress that stepped in.  

 It was Eugene Roe. 

 "What are you doing in here, Gene?" You looked at him through the mirror. "Is the men's bathroom full?"

 Instead of verbally responding, you watched him latch the simple lock over the door. Your movements stilled as you realized what he just did. 

 "Gene?"

 In a single stride, he came up behind you, putting his arms out on either side of you, caging you between the sink and his body. 

 "Darlin'," he crooned in your ear as his lips left a trail of sweet heat along your neck. "Ya look too damn sexy out there. I see ya legs in those heels and skirt and all I can think about is how good they feel wrapped around me as I pound into ya."

 Your skin felt feverish as the heat radiated off his body. Even through all the layers between you two, your body soaked it in like the parched ground after a thunderstorm. With the warmth of his breath ghosting over your skin and his filthy words, your womb clenched from that alone. 

 "Then I see that boy with his hands on ya… shit, it took everythin' for me to not rip him off ya."

 "He didn't mean anything, Gene. I promise."

 "Don't matter. I hate it." His hands gripped the hem of your skirt, slowly pulling it up and bunching it around your hips. He began laying open-mouth kisses along your neck, the whole time his eyes holding yours, as you watched him in the mirror. "I need to 'ear ya sing, pretty lady, I need to 'ear ya gorgeous sounds."

 "Gene…" you moaned out, your eyelids fluttering. That delicious warmth, that only he could fuel, began growing in your belly. "We can't right here." 

 "Shall we find out?"

 Without preamble, one of his hands slipped under your skirt, the other still bunching the fabric up around you and out of the way. You hissed slightly as he touched your bare core, unable to completely hide the smirk on your face as he gave a slight groan. 

 "Mon chéri, where ya skivvies at? Ya been out there this whole time with no underwear on?" 

 "I wanted to surprise you… I thought you might try something."

 "Fuck!" He bit your earlobe and ground his hardening cock against your ass. "Ya tryin' to tease me? Mmm?"

 Before you could retort something smart back at him, you gasped as he slipped a finger into you, finding you already wet for him. 

 "Look at ya, sweetheart, so fuckin' beautiful right now." He murmured, eyes not having left yours in the mirror this whole time, pining you even more so than his body still caging you. 

 With one hand, you grabbed the sink to anchor yourself, your legs turning into jelly beneath you from the onslaught of pleasure coursing through your veins. "Gene, please." You begged. 

 Eyes boring into yours, he pulled his finger out of you, drawing a whiny whimper from your lips. With a salacious smirk, he opened his mouth and placed his pointer and middle fingers in his mouth, making sure to swirl his tongue around them then pulled them slowly out. 

 "Holy fuck…"

 Still smirking, he reached down and slipped both fingers into you. They plunged in and out of you, the wet sounds lewdly echoed in the small bathroom. Roe continued to grind against you from behind, timing it to match with the thrusts of his fingers. You wanted to close your eyes, to sink into the heat bubbling in you. But you were unable to for Roe watched you with a heated, heavy gaze in the mirror. Your gazes locked as he brought you closer and closer to your climax, moans and sighs slipping from your lips. 

 "Good girl, mon chérie, so beautiful. Look at ya."

 He continued to whisper in your ear in between leaving open-mouth kisses and bites on your neck and jaw. 

 "Ya close, sweetheart? I can feel it, so close."

 "Oh God, please, Gene…. Don't stop. Please."

 With a dark chuckle, he gave one last flick to your clit and pushed you over the edge. As you opened your mouth, he slammed his mouth over yours, greedily swallowing your cry of bliss. You floated on waves of ecstasy; your eyes closed to soak in the sensations. Eventually you opened your eyes, even if the movement felt sluggish and your body limp. 

 "There's those gorgeous eyes." Roe nuzzle your temple. "Ya back with me?"

 "Mmm… I think so."

 He chuckled. "Think ya can stand?"

 That was when you noticed he was practically holding you up between an arm now wrapped around your waist and you still pinned between him and the sink. 

 "Sorry." You mumbled, standing up on shaky legs. When you noticed his cocky smirk, you languidly swatted at him. "Shut up." Slowly you turned around to look at him. It did not escape your notice his… um… large problem he was sporting in his trousers. 

 "You know… the couple I am billeted with, they left this afternoon for a weekend in London visiting family."

 "Oh? Well, that is interestin' news."

 "Uh huh. What's the likelihood we can sneak out of here unnoticed?"

 He leaned down to press his lips against yours, drawing a soft sigh from you at the sweetness in the kiss. "Very likely… Guess we'll find out though."

 "And what's the likelihood we'll actually make it to the house before you try to get under my skirt again?"

 "Less likely."

 You laughed, pressing a hand to his chest to push him back. Running a hand over your skirt, you tried to smooth it out as much as possible and hide any evidence of your tryst. 

 "Ready?"

 "Always."

 The two of you somehow managed to sneak out of the bathroom and out of the pub without drawing notice to yourselves. As you stepped out into the night, walking quickly down the street, you both were giggling like teenagers having snuck out of your parents' homes. He snagged your hand and pulled you along, almost jogging down the silent road in Albourne. 

 Before you even made it halfway to your billeted house, Roe pulled you into a dark corner, just off the road. You laughed before his mouth covered yours, silencing you and turning your laughter into moans. 

 You did not mind too much. 

[ficforce]

Running Scared Part 1

Sagamiya Konro x Reader

SFW

No set timeline

Mutual Pining

Humming quietly to herself Y/N put the fresh batch of steamed mochi onto a tray and placed into the display cabinet on the counter, then she made sure that the pans were ready for making dorayaki before bringing the water to boil for the dango. She smiled as she saw everything she had made, it was far more than usual but it was a festival day and she wanted to close up before things got busy in the evening. Two very distinct giggles caught her attention and Y/N headed to the counter at the side of her kitchen, it took a moment to unlatch the locks and push open the hatch door - her home doubled as her sweet shop. “Good Morning Hikage, Hinata.”

“Y/N! That’s a lot of food!” Hinata tiptoed to scan the counter whilst her sister pressed her hands on the glass of the cabinet, “Did you make candy apples?”

“I did,” She smiled and handed the girls a box each so that they could pick what they wanted, “They’re not set yet so they’ll be a little gooey.”

“I don’t like when they’re slimy,” Hikage pouted but didn’t complain more than that, “Add it to the bill and Konro will pay, he can carry it til they’re hard.”

Y/N’s eyes widened a little at the mention of the Lieutenant and she glanced up and down the street until she saw him chatting with one of the other vendors. It was hard to miss him; Konro had always been taller than most and broad, he had a presence that was hard to ignore. She watched him rub the side of his bandaged neck and then he smiled at the other person - how did he always look so handsome?

Y/N jumped a little when the twins called for her attention, they wanted some of the items from the cabinet and she quickly got their order ready. The oven gave a ‘ping’ and she grabbed the cheesecake she had been baking, “Do you girls want me to add some cake too?”

Hikage nodded, her mouth was full as she chewed on a pink coloured mochi, Hinata’s cheeks were puffed out and she ate her own treat. The woman liked to think her little business was popular, it was rare someone complained about her cooking and recently she had started baking savoury treats again, leaning on the counter she smiled at the two whilst they chattered away to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Konro approaching and her heart squeezed inside her chest, she stood back up straight and took a breath to calm her nerves.

The man towered over the two, he reached out to thumb off a bit of sugary powder on Hinata’s cheek then smiled in Y/N’s direction, “Good Morning - you’ve made a lot for so early.” He had to guess that she had probably been up since before the sun to cook so much, “You trying to close early for the festi-”

“Konro, you’re paying, got it!” Hikage interrupted and pulled at his pant leg, “We’re gonna go see the old biddy!” With that, the two ran off down the street without even a glance backwards.

“They’re so mouthy… Even when I was planning to treat them already.” He was certain Benimaru was teaching them these bad habits and figured he’d need to mother the Captain into teaching them better manners. Benimaru would deny it was his fault regardless of the evidence.

Y/N kept herself busy with cutting the cheesecake into portions for sale, very carefully avoiding looking at him as she wondered how such a tall, intimidating man could be so soft with children, the twins weren’t even a little bit nervous of him. Konro didn’t miss the way she seemed to try and ignore he was there and tried not to let it get to him - Y/N always seemed too jittery in his presence. Did he frighten her or had he insulted her in the past? They had been friends once…

He knew she could be shy, it was one of the reasons they had crossed paths in the first place, people would target her shop way back in the day. Konro paid her what was owed and picked up the boxes for the twins; just as he made to leave she slipped an envelope on top of them, “Y/N, What’s this?”

“It’s… well, I just…” She caught his gaze by mistake and tensed up, “When the roof got damaged… y-your guys fixed it. So they’re tokens for- well, you know.”

She was uncomfortable even looking at him and he had to admit that hurt a little, “We appreciate it, Y/N.” Konro stood for a moment longer before turning to follow after the girls. As he walked he went through his memory as far back as he could with Y/N - they used to get along just fine and at one time he thought they might become a couple. He used to visit her almost every lunchtime with Benimaru up until the Fires two years ago. She had always had a soft spot for Benimaru and never got upset when he complained that everything she made was too sweet, instead, she made savoury treats just for him and told him he needed to eat more to get bigger; not that Benimaru had ever been scrawny… just short.

Everything had changed overnight.

He had heard that after the Fires she had made food for anyone who needed it, bringing it to the builders, the people unable to cook and to everyone staying at the Guardhouse. Glancing back at her home he realised that all of the houses opposite were built over the hole his Akatsuki had bored into the ground. She had had to look at it every day until it was filled - no wonder she was afraid of him.

“Konro! Hurry up or we’ll go without you!” He shook his head as the girls yelled for him and he put Y/N to the back of his thoughts but not out of them.

x - -

Sales were so busy that Y/N had to make several orders even after she had closed the shop, a little earlier than usual so that she could cook. Once the last box of treats had been collected she locked the hatch and hung up her apron; she looked at the extra food she had made and bit her bottom lip anxiously. Most of the day Y/N had hoped that a Hikeshi might pass by so she could have them deliver it to the Guardhouse, some of them would have to stay on duty whilst everyone else celebrated at the festival, she thought it would be nice to give them some of the treats they would miss out on.

Looking outside at the dimming sky she also noticed more people coming out, the women looked so pretty in their new yukatas and the kanzashi in their hair were so beautiful; she couldn’t remember the last time she had celebrated or dressed up like that…

Y/N shook it from her head and grabbed the boxes, if she was fast she could get back before the crowds got too thick and then she would watch from the window.

By the time she reached the Guardhouse, the first few stars had started to appear in the sky and the lamps had been lit in the streets. “Hello?” The woman pushed past the noren and stopped at the genkan step so that she could try to peer further inside. There was plenty of movement, likely people getting ready for an evening of celebrating, “He- oh, Benimaru. I brought some food for the nightshift.”

“Sweets?” Benimaru took the boxes from her, glowering at them almost.

“Actually, the middle one has those salty snacks you used to like inside.”

His eyebrows drew together, “Used to?” After a second a memory seemed to come to him and he made an interested sound, “You haven’t made those in forever - I probably still like them, thanks, Y/N.” He set the boxes down so that he could hunt down the snack she had mentioned and took a bite, “Still like ‘em.”

The Captain then began to separate them into a separate section, “You know they’re to share, right?”

“Tch.” Ignoring her amused laugh at him stealing what he wanted Benimaru glanced her way, “I’m not sharing these. Are you going to the festival tonight?”

“…No,” she wanted to but at the same time, the whole idea scared her, “Maybe next time. I’m going to head back, please don’t eat all of it at once.” With that, she waved and left.

Barely a minute later Konro came out and watched the young man reorganise the boxes, “Y/N was here?” He recognised the boxes and looked toward the noren, “I guess she’s rushing home to get ready?” Maybe he would see her during the night? Adjusting the belt on the navy blue yukata he had put on, Konro glanced past the noren again like she might still be there and then his fingers skimmed the pouch tied to his belt unconsciously.

“She’s not going,” Benimaru said around a mouthful of food, “Crowds scare her.”

“Crowds?”

Benimaru looked at him blankly for a second, was Konro being stupid on purpose or was he getting old? “Yeah, remember when she had that panic atta- Wait, you weren’t there, scratch that.” It was one of those rare times that Konro was out of town that Benimaru had come across Y/N huddled in a corner crying into her knees on the ground. “Y/N barely ever leaves her house unless it’s unavoidable, Konro, it’s been like that since the fires.”

The Captain had been shocked when she told him through terrified sobs, he had had to pick her up to get her home because her legs were shaking so much and then he had spent almost an hour getting her to calm down. Benimaru had always seen her as a kind of older sister, she had always fussed over him as he grew up and even now she made him snacks he would like; it had been strange to take care of her for a change. He could see that Konro looked a little put out to be learning the information secondhand, “It’s pretty busy out there already…” Benimaru sighed, “You should go make sure she gets home safe.”

Konro smile was a little self-pitying as he sighed, “She’s scared of me, Waka, I make her uncomfortable…”

“Did I stutter, Konro?” The young man turned his mismatched gaze on the man, “Go after her.” It was all the encouragement the man needed to put on his sandals and rush out after Y/N. Benimaru clicked his tongue and shook his head, “Scared? And he says I’m an idiot.”

The Lieutenant wasn’t all that surprised with how many people were already out, groups of friends laughed and walked together as they headed for the stalls in the centre of Town, he searched the sea of colourful clothing and lanterns - using his height to his advantage - until he spotted the back of Y/N head and jogged to catch up with her. He weaved past a few groups and reached out to catch her wrist, “Y/N!”

Straight away Konro could tell something was wrong, she hadn’t been walking when he caught up to her and he could feel the tendons in her wrist sticking out with how tense she was, “Hey… Are you-?” All of a sudden the noise of people around them seemed to become muffled and everything outside of their little bubble slowed down as he saw her face. She was frozen in place and her eyes were wide and frightened, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. Konro stood closer to Y/N to shield her from being bumped, “Please breathe, Y/N.” She kept holding her breath and then taking in small gasps of air, her whole body was trembling too and the Lieutenant guided her to the doorway of the nearest house, “It’s okay, I got you, Y/N…”

Y/N’s hands gripped the fabric at his chest, her breath still uneven as she pressed her face to his shoulder and tried to listen to his calming words, she tried to let the warm hand on her back rub soothe her but knowing it was Konro only made her feel worse. Somehow he got her to move, his hands on the base of her spine and her shoulder as he guided her through the people, using his larger body to shield her until she was back on her own doorstep. The bubble she had felt trapped in popped a little too rudely and the noise of the Town came back, the world rushing past, “D-Don’t go…” she could barely breathe and she wanted to feel safe again, contained and protected in Konro’s arms.

“I thought I scared you?” It was out of his mouth before he could stop it and Konro looked away from her, heat rushing to his face as he silently told himself to be quiet. Her hands wrapped around his hand and wrist, gently applying pressure to the bandaged limb and then she gave him a small tug. When Konro looked at her again she had the door open and was asking him to come inside with her.

He couldn’t have been more wrong.

Y/N had always felt safer with him around but over the last two years her anxiety about going outside had grown, “I’m so pathetic…” Asakusa had been her home her whole life, its people were colourful and kind, very loud and rowdy but they were like family; she had no reason to be frightened by the crowds, why couldn’t she just enjoy the festival like everyone else could?

What was wrong with her?

“You’re not pathetic,” his free hand lifted to catch her chin and make her look at him, “I’d never hurt you… I know what I did, the way I ripped the ground up, must make you think I’m some sort of dangerous lunatic but I did that to save my Town and it’s not like I can even call up a flame now.” They used to be such good friends, they used to talk all the time and he missed her so much; his heart ached that she couldn’t stand to look at him anymore. Was she reminded of the destruction he had caused when she looked at him? Or maybe it was that she thought he was weak now?

She squeezed his hand again and swallowed down the lump in her throat, “I-I’m not scared of you, Konro… I tried to avoid you so that I wouldn’t lose you.” Y/N saw the confusion on his expression from her statement and she took a deep breath, “Two years ago…”

Watching her struggle to form words and then watching her close her eyes as if defeated, Konro sighed and closed the door behind them, “What happened, Y/N? Don’t run away from me anymore.”

[darkestfable]

Safe Haven

Oribos

Raetos groaned as he found his way back to the waking world. He knew he was alive by how much his body ached. His head, most of all, felt like someone was hammering multiple nails in place. Only one luminous eye opened, the other still swollen shut under bandages wrapped around his head. His abdomen was also strapped tightly. He could feel the pressure of the wrappings limiting his movement, as to not aggravate what he assumed was broken ribs. The wound on his arm had been well cleaned and bandaged. Someone had been talking very good care of him.

He smiled, not having to wonder who, feeling the body curled up against his own. Tilting his head down, he caught a glimpse of the top of Fable’s head… there was no mistaking those lovely indigo locks. 

“How long have I been out?” He asked.

For just a moment, Fable grumbled and curled more tightly against Raetos. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up. The hellscape that had been The Maw was no longer ringing in his ears, and his lover was by his side again. This had to be a dream. It was never this good.

Or was it?

The blood hunter finally peeled open his eyes, sitting up after a moment to look over the large lightforged next to him. His heart fluttered at the sight of his lover’s smile, and he reached over to lay a gentle hand onto his bandaged chest. This had been no small feat, what Raetos and the others had pulled off.

“Days, love. Take as long as you need, yeah? I ain’t goin’ nowhere,” Fable’s expression softened as he curled his fingers against the bandages on Raetos. Yep, still there. Still real.

The Draenei’s smile only grew wider as he reached up with his good hand to cup the side of his lover’s face. Raetos didn’t understand much of anything about death and spirits. But Fable looked well. Looked healthy. Better than he had in the Maw, for certain. 

“Careful what you say, Babe. I might ask to stay here forever,” he said, flashing his signature grin, “...wherever here is.” 

It suddenly dawned on him that they couldn’t be on Azeroth. They still had to find the soul dagger to get Fable his body back… and they obviously weren’t in the Maw anymore. Last thing he remembered was a very pissed off Avehi.

“Uh… where are we?”

“Oribos. Think that’s what they call it, anyway. Kinda a hub for uh...all sorts ‘a people,” Fable glanced at the door, as if the answer would be there. Truthfully, he’d been more worried about Raetos than asking about the name of the establishment.

He leaned over Raetos carefully to kiss him. Tender, sweet, and like he’d been afraid he’d never see him again. Everything had culminated to this point, and truthfully Fable wasn’t sure what he was doing. Getting out of The Maw had been his first task, but the blood hunter wasn’t sure if he could retrieve the dagger by himself. Wasn’t sure he’d want to do it alone. Doubt weighed heavily on him, tied down by the guilt of what he’d done to get here in the first place.

“Hey, love… You got my body, yeah? I’m gonna have somethin’ t’ go back home t’ when this shit is figured out? ‘n th’ animals are taken care of?” his voice was quiet, almost unsure. Fable loved their little life that they’d built, and still worried that he’d ruined it all.

“Mhm,” the Draenei managed a nod, thumb stroking his lover’s cheek, “The tree elf dude you got to take care of the animals while we were away agreed to stay as long as needed. I think we owe him a really REALLY big tip. Obligation and Responsibility really seems to like him, though, so don’t have to worry about them. Did you know he lived in that big ass tree that the Horde burned down? That’s where he got all the scars. Poor guy… Anyway, I was able to find your body at the dig site after going through your maps and stuff. Brought it to the healer chick that was deployed to Darkshire with me. You’re in a coma-like state back on Azeroth, and she’s keeping you nourished and stable until we manage to destroy that dagger.”

He paused in his rambling for a moment, knowing the next part was a bit touchy.

“Hey… uh… on that subject. Bad memories, I know. But like… anything you can tell me about the lady that stabbed you… physical description or name… if she gave you one…”

Another pause before adding.

“Was she hot? She must be hot.”

“Well, yeah… I mean it ain’t like I got bad taste,” Fable smirked, then paused a moment. “Wait, tree… They’re called Kal’dorei.”

The news of his body being taken care of was something of a relief, though the blood hunter still didn’t like the situation at all. Cebina had royally screwed him, and now he had to go find that dagger too? This was just getting more and more complicated…

“She uh… I’d know her if I saw her, yeah? While you were restin’ tho, I asked ‘round ‘bout the dagger ‘n souls ‘n shit ‘n this creepy lookin’ dude called a Venthyr told me ‘bout this place called Revandreth. Said a lady was there ‘n might have a dagger kinda like it?” Fable scratched at his chin in thought.

“Sounds like our next destination,” Raetos nodded, a cheerful smile on his face, “I know it’s not the best of situations, but we get to explore this whole new place together, and I’m sure we can get supplies so that you can map it all out.”

Obviously it would have been much more ideal to have Fable whole for the adventure, but there was no harm in seeing the bright side of the situation.

“Soon as moving doesn’t hurt anymore…” he winced as he shifted, “So... what’s a Venty. Not another type of elf, is it?—Not that there’s anything wrong with elves! There’s just so many different kinds and I can barely keep up with the ones I know.”

“Venthyr, luv. They’re like uh...anima vampires? Ain’t too clear on ‘em yet but I was watchin’ ‘em wander through Oribos while you were restin’,” Fable pulled out a notebook he’d obviously obtained here in the Shadowlands. A keen eye would notice that its leather bindings were a bit unlike any leather on Azeroth.

The first few pages were sloppy, slightly disproportionate sketches of the various different types of people he’d seen wandering through, along with notes of things he’d either overheard or asked them flat out. The page with the Venthyr man had no notes, however. Clearly, the hunter hadn’t approached him.

“They got fangs ‘n glowin’ eyes kinda, most of ‘em are real skinny. Nice clothes though, ‘n some of ‘em wear thigh high boots. Thinkin’ maybe I should get a pair?” the elf chuckled, leaning to stretch his leg out as far as he could, toes pointed.

“Babe, you would look hella amazing in those boots,” the Lightforged agreed, “Are there any with heels? If so, you should avoid them, because then, your already sexy ass will just look too good for me to resist. Afraid you won’t get anything done in that case.”

 His hand slipped down to give his partner’s behind a little squeeze, before he attempted to sit up. It was a more daunting task than anticipated with his injuries, but he managed. 

“Fashion sense aside, are these Venthyr people safe? The one you drew has like… an evil look to him. Or are they all that withered looking and ugly? Also, what’s anima? And what are the lampshades with legs that you drew in there?”

A smirk spread on his lips at the squeeze, but his attentions to the affections were pulled away when Raetos was trying to sit up. Fable assisted, but his brow furrowed in worry. Had his lover been hurt worse than initially thought? Damn it all, now he was fretting like a mother hen. The lampshades comment pulled the hunter out of his head though, and he just blinked for a moment before tilting the book towards him.

“The lampshades with legs? Oh, those?” Fable pointed at one of the doodles of a Broker. “They call themselves Brokers. They help facilitate trade of goods and services. Information too, ‘m sure. Ain’t got a chance to really chat jus’ yet.”

The concern crept up onto the elf’s face again, and he leaned over to kiss Raetos’ cheek.

“You doin’ okay? If you gotta rest…”

Raetos shook his head.

“Nah, just sore is all. The headache is the worst part, probably. Dude, Avehi hits -hard-! Did you see how pissed she was? Ha! Good times!” 

He smiled brightly to his lover, bringing his hand up to cup the side of his face again.

“Honestly, I’ve rested plenty. I just want to look at you,” he admitted, “I missed you so much, Bae… so don’t mind if all I want to do is cuddle and make out for a while.”

He paused, before adding with a wink.

“Wouldn’t hate a blow job either.”

The elf just smiled. That sappy, sweet, completely enraptured smile as he nuzzled into Raetos’ hand. It had felt like an eternity, fighting for his life. Being reunited had been on his mind the whole time, but even now Fable’s heart ached for the life they’d had before. Though, in the middle of his thoughts, a smirk broke through. That was the Raetos he knew.

“Oh, I’m sure you wouldn’t…” Fable turned his head to place a kiss in the palm of Raetos’ hand. “If it won’t hurt you, I’m gonna swallow you whole…”

“I mean… not like I can move much in these bandages,” he grinned, running his thumb along Fable’s bottom lip, “Doubt I’d be able to find a way to hurt myself.”

He paused as he  thought about that a moment.

“—Okay, so I would -probably-  find a way to hurt myself. But it would be hella worth it, though.”

Fable caught Raetos’ thumb between his lips, cerulean eyes closing as he pressed the barbell through his tongue against the calloused pad. A promise. As his lover spoke, the elf savored the taste of his flesh, finally opening his eyes to look up at him with a smirk. He released the thumb after a moment only to place a kiss into Raetos’ palm.

“Jus’ sit back ‘n enjoy then. You deserve t’ be worshipped,” he mumbled against the blue skin, continuing to kiss down from his hand to his wrist. Of course, he’d wait for permission.

It felt like lifetimes since he’d been away from Raetos, and only minutes that they’d been back together again. Fable felt that familiar skin hunger, but it had only gotten stronger after they were in safety, and he could touch and smell his lover again. The blood hunter had to remember to pace himself; Raetos was still recovering, and they were still in a strange place. But tomorrow could wait. Tonight belonged to them.

(Raetos is @raetos / @kidcatgemini )

[drabbles-of-writing]

Your Turn

This is part of my Uncursed AU

AO3

Masterpost

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Lilith, as of recently, had been training Amity far more often. She wasn’t sure when it started happening, but it always made her feel better when she knew Amity was out of that forlorn mansion.

Which worked out wonderfully for her, since Amity loved training. She was always one to be on time, and rarely did she ever miss a lesson.

So, needless to say, Lilith was rather concerned when, one day, Amity was over ten minutes late.

,

They trained in many spots across Bonesborough, so to be prepared for any kind of terrain. Today, she decided to be a little easier and train in a clearing in the woods, opposite of the Owl House.

She would rather not run into Hooty, if she could avoid it.

Lilith tapped her foot impatiently, each minute feeling like an hour. The witch was about to pull out her scroll to call the young witch when a sound from the foliage caught her attention.

“I’m here! I’m here!” Amity called, rushing into the clearing and nearly tripping over herself.

“Amity! There you are.” Lilith said, hurrying over to the young witch. “Are you alright? Normally you would inform me if there’s to be a delay.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Amity apologized, ears pressed back. “I, uh...slept in…” She mumbled refusing to meet the coven leader's eyes.

“Slept in?” Lilith repeated. “It’s...late afternoon?”

Amity lightly kicked at the ground beneath her and held her hands behind her back, refusing to meet the witches eyes.

“Amity,” Lilith said, crouching down so as to be eye-level with the girl. “Did something happen?” She asked, concerned.

Call her a worrywart, but a million bad ideas ran through her head. Amity being late and sleeping in was very unlike her. Did something keep her up? Was there an issue at the mansion? Was it stress? Was she being too hard on her?

Amity sighed and her shoulders sagged.

“You remember the human, Luz?” Amity asked.

“Of course,” Lilith blinked, surprised at this. “Why?”

“So, I was in the library to, erm, grab something I left,” Amity stuttered, fiddling with her hands. “And it was the night of the Wailing Star, so I knew Ed and Em were going to be there. But turns out they also...brought Luz…” She trailed off.

Lilith tilted her head, slowly processing the words Amity had said.

“Oh, I see.” Lilith chuckled. “Let me guess, she pulled you into some far too chaotic adventure last night?”

“Yeah,” Amity sighed, looking relieved. “It was crazy! We had to fight the character Otabin, and Luz actually didn’t have that bad of an idea, and we almost got sewn into a book, and turns out Luz is, like, a huge nerd.” Amity rambled on.

Lilith only smiled and listened. She shouldn’t have been all that surprised. The residents of the Owl House had always been a troublesome bunch, it was to be expected Luz would be the same.

And Lilith knew from a lot of experience that once you’ve met the people of the Owl House, you're never completely free of them.

“I take it you're a bit too tired for training today, then?” Lilith inquired.

“Oh, no, no, I can train!” Amity insisted. “I’ll be totally fine.”

“Amity, I can see the bags under your eyes,” Lilith pointed out. “You’d do best to spend more time on your concealer.”

Amity poked at the makeup under her eyes and grumbled under her breath, embarrassed.

“Don’t worry, we can do something else today.” Lilith said, standing up again. “I heard that new merchants came to the marketplace today. We could go browse. If you’d like.” She added the last part quickly.

“Are you sure?” Amity asked, looking up at Lilith with such a shy hopeful look that she had to mentally reign herself back in.

“Yes, of course I am.” Lilith said with a smile. “So long you can keep yourself upright, that is.”

“Obviously, I’m a Blight.” Amity said, standing up straighter. “I can handle a few hours of walking.”

“If you insist.”

,

Lilith pulled up the hood of her cloak, obscuring her face from anyone passing by. Obviously, if they looked closer they could see who she really was, but it was better than walking out in the open.

“As much as I admire the attention,” Lilith said to Amity. “I doubt you want us to be swarmed today.”

“Definitely not,” Amity agreed, almost shyly. “Where did you say the merchants should be?”

“Somewhere near the middle of the marketplace,” Lilith said, unconsciously side-eyeing any stand they passed that was selling junk. “Come along.”

The two had a more of a vague wander towards the middle, as Amity, and sometimes Lilith, would get distracted by the odd objects being sold. Ranging from baked goods to knick-knacks that looked like they’d been scrounged up from someone's basement.

There were a few moments she had to stop herself from impulse-buying raven sculptures. What was she, Eda? The lady who bases her entire theme around one type of bird?

A sudden crash tore her out of her line of thought.

,

She and Amity looked towards the noise, and a part of Lilith wanted to be surprised at the sight...but she really wasn’t.

A worm the width of a human and triple the length had its head stuck underneath the rubble of a broken stand. It was thrashing about and knocking into other stands, causing what was, to the people of Bonesborough, no more than an annoyance.

King, of course, was clutching onto the worm's tail with his claws and mouth, trying to tug it back. Luz herself was pulling on the relentless demon.

“King! Te lo ruego, let go!” Luz demanded, digging her heels into the dirt.

King mumbled something back, but it was inaudible from the fact he was still biting the worm.

Lilith and Amity glanced at each other. Lilith’s face reflected that of someone who had seen this many times before, and was tired. Amity’s showing pure unease and confusion as to what to do.

Luz yanked on King, hard. The worm finally popped free of the rubble and spun around, revealing wide, circle jaws filled to the brim with spinning razor sharp teeth.

Yeah, that was more of a problem.

Luz yelped and scooped up King, stepping back as the worm lunged at them with a hiss.

Lilith had barely summoned her staff to help the two before Amity threw a handful of magenta fire at the beasts face.

The beast snarled and whirled towards them, opening its jaws wide.

“Amity?” Luz blinked, now noticing the two.

The worm shot at them, arching itself and whirring its teeth around.

Lilith raised her staff and the beast froze, enveloped in blue magic. Lilith drew a circle in the air and the monster shrunk back to the size this species was supposed to be at; barely bigger than a finger.

The worm fell to the ground, now as small as it once was. Upon realizing this, it dug back into the ground and vanished.

The surrounding shopkeepers breathed a sigh of relief and began fixing up their stands again.

“Are you two alright?” Lilith asked, walking over to the two.

“Yeah, we’re fine--” Luz’s relieved face turned to that of pleasant surprise when she looked up at the woman. “Oh! Hey, Lilith!”

“Lilith!” King exclaimed at the same time, happily bounding up onto a wooden poll that had been cut in half by the chaos.

“How in the world did you get a razorworm that big?” Amity wondered, hovering behind the coven leader.

“Oh man, long story.” Luz said, taking Lilith’s offered hand and brushing herself off. “See, first I was just helping Eda around the house, and then King wandered off to go dig, you know? And then--”

Lilith tuned Luz out as she rambled on her explanation to Amity, who was looking a little overwhelmed, but not like she needed immediate help.

“How’s you?” Lilith asked King.

“Great! Well, almost great. Then that razorworm got away.” King grumbled. “Oh, oh! I got Eda’s message! And I say hi back!” King said happily, tail wagging.

“That’s good to hear,” Lilith smiled, scratching the demon's chin. “It seems you’ve infected another one with whatever bad luck you’ve got.” She said, glancing over at Luz, who was still babbling on and gesturing wildly.

Amity looked less overwhelmed, and now was just politely confused, but still listening. Luz seemed calmer and happier at explaining now, whereas originally she had seemed nervous, like Amity was going to tell her to shut up.

Lilith didn’t realize she had been watching a bit too long until she felt King grab her hand and hug it, getting her attention.

“Do you still make those green cookie things?” King asked. “Those were the best!”

“Mm, not as much anymore.” Lilith shook her head. “But I can send a few to the Owl House if you miss them.”

“Yes!” King pumped a fist in the air. “Luz is gonna love those!”

“I have a feeling that if Eda is hesitant to eat something, Luz won’t be much better.” Lilith said, sounding uncertain. “Where is Eda, anyway?”

“Back at her shop,” King said casually. “She made Luz help me with the worm while she cleaned up the mess we made of her stand.”

“Of course,” Lilith chuckled.

“And then the worm broke some stand selling pottery, and then you showed up!” Luz finished at last.

“...you’re not used to having normal days here, are you?” Amity said after a moment, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

“Nope!” Luz shook her head, still giddy off of excitement and adrenaline. “I’m still all wound up from last night, so Eda said I should spend all my energy now so I can crash later.”

“You haven’t slept?” Amity gasped.

“I think I had a thirty-minute nap when I got home?” Luz squinted her eyes in thought. “But other than that? Not really.”

“You really are Eda’s apprentice,” Lilith sighed with a shake of her head, causing both girls to look towards her. “Let’s get you back to her, then.” She said, her staff vanishing in a small flash of blue.

“Best not to cause more trouble than you already have.”

“That’s fair,” King shrugged, hopping off the pole and onto the ground.

“Oh, no, we don’t want to cause--er, inconvenience you further.” Luz quickly corrected. “Aren’t you here to buy something?”

“Just browse,” Amity shrugged, crossing her arms. “We decided not to train today, so it’s no big deal.” She said politely.

“You’re still training?” Luz blinked.

“Always are,” Lilith said. “Though you’re recent... adventure, lets say, put a bit of a halt on today's lesson.”

“Oh,” Luz winced. “Sorry, Amity.”

“It's...fine,” Amity said after a moment. “Let’s just find wherever that witch’s stand is.”

“Agreed,” Lilith nodded, gesturing down the marketplace road and looking down at King. “Demons first.”

“Ha, ha, very funny.”

,

“There you two are!” Eda exclaimed, looking up from her stand. “How’d the worm go?”

“Almost got eaten by it,” Luz said casually. “Oh, but we met Lilith and Amity!” She added, gesturing to the two behind her.

“...wonderful,” Eda grumbled, pushing aside whatever gadgets she had gathered. “Whadda want?”

“We just wanted to make sure Luz made it back safely.” Lilith said calmly, occasionally glancing over at Amity, who was being shown human relics by a gleeful Luz. “I don’t even want to know how you made a worm that large.”

“Long story, Luz could probably recite it to you.” Eda waved her hand. “Sure you don’t want to buy anything?” She inquired, pulling her best con-artist look.

“Positive.” Lilith said firmly. “I take it you already heard the disaster Luz got my protégé into last night?” She said. “Do you often let your human do that?”

“Luz is her own person and can make her own near-death experiences,” Eda huffed, crossing her arms, though she seemed far from offended. “And yes, I did hear about it. Luz talked about it non-stop when I woke up.” She muttered.

“It was sweet, but she kept going on and on about ‘befriending ones rivals’ or something like that.”

“She wishes to befriend Amity?” Lilith blinked, turning her head to where the girls were now.

Luz was showing off a strange colorful cube to Amity while King, much to both of their dismay, kept trying to eat it.

“My kid likes yours, for some reason.” Eda shrugged. “Hope that won’t get in the way of your perfect image.” She taunted.

“Amity can make her own image, thank you very much.” Lilith huffed. “And if that image means becoming friends with a human…” She glanced at the girls again.

Amity smiled and tried to smother a laugh as Luz got her fingers stuck in a strange paper contraption.

“Then so be it.” Lilith said simply.

“Couldn’t agree more, Sis.” Eda grinned. “And if I’m lucky, she might start feeling generous if she befriends Luz.” She added thoughtfully.

“You are not going to scam a child, Edalyn.” Lilith said strictly.

“Of course not! I have standards, Lilith.” Eda snorted. “I’m just saying that if it ever comes up, or she has an offer, it’d be rude of me to say no.” She said simply. “Kids rich, you expect me to ignore that?”

“I shouldn’t have expected more from you.” Lilith sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You really shouldn’t have.”

“Uh, Eda?”

The two sisters turned, seeing that Luz, Amity and King had been cornered by some strange gray almost dog-like creature with a ringed tail. Luz had a stick in front of her to poke at the creature before it hissed and recoiled.

King was standing behind Luz, as was Amity. Although Amity looked ready to chuck a ball of fire at the animal.

“A raccoon snuck in with your stash!” Luz called, poking at the beast again before it suddenly bit down on the stick and began thrashing about.

Luz screamed and dropped the stick, jumping back. She tripped over King and fell over, crushing him beneath her as she scuttled back. At the same time, Amity threw a handful of magenta fire at the animal. It missed and instead set fire to the torn-up carpet it was perched on.

The sisters glanced at each other with a tired look as the three began yelling and shouting at each other, trying to herd the gray demon-thing as it ran about.

“Don’t look at me. I just dealt with the worm.” Lilith said, crossing her arms. “It’s your turn now.”

“Ugh, fine.” Eda sighed, summoning her staff and stepping out from around the table. “Nice to know you’re still the same, even with disasters.”

“Likewise,”

[danielcooperrp]

We Two Boys Together Clinging

Halfway through 19th Century American Poetry and Drew has a sensation with which he is all too familiar: eyes boring into the back of head. It doesn't matter how many times he's been gawked at in a restaurant or in the allergy aisle of CVS (hay fever is a bitch), the feeling of the little hairs on the back of his neck standing up never fails to make him want to slink into a hole and die. He tries to ignore it, tries to focus all of his attention on the professor, who is droning on about the difference between various editions of Leaves of Grass, but that only lasts so long. Eventually, he caves, and he turns to look. 

He's not shocked when the dark eyes watching him quickly dart away—people are often abashed when they get caught staring—but it is a surprise when, a few moments later, they return to meet his. The face they belong to is handsome, warm, dark skin, a strong jaw, a slightly crooked nose that suggests some kind of trouble, and—oh. Two rows of perfect white teeth that he sees now because the face is grinning at him, an inviting, dangerous grin, and now Drew's the one looking away, his own cheeks glowing red. His eyes burn holes in his notebook—he hasn't written a word in so long, he'll have to research this edition issue on his own later—and the other guy's eyes burn holes in his skull. 

Why is he looking at him like that? Drew hasn't said a thing all class, not that any of them would be able to get a word in edgewise. His eyes dart down to check his outfit; a little schnerdy, sure, but nothing that stands out in a Harvard classroom. He risks it again; a quick look back, and that smile is still waiting for him, this time a little softer, like he's happy he keeps getting caught. 

By the time class ends, Drew is a sweaty mess. He has no idea what the professor said for the last half of that lecture, but he's not going to stick around to ask. He tosses his notebook and his copy of Whitman into his satchel and slides into the mass exodus from the room. He lets himself be carried toward the building exit by the river of hungry undergrads, hoping that he avoids whatever situation was brewing behind him in class, but the river comes to a screeching halt when everyone notices that it's pouring buckets outside. Those smart enough to plan ahead whip out their umbrellas and leave, and some who don't have any other choice lower their heads and shoulders as though preparing to take a charging bull head on and foray bravely into the downpour. 

Drew doesn't have another class for forty-five minutes, and even though he was planning on getting lunch in the interim, he really doesn't want to get this sweater wet, so he decides to duck into an alcove and wait it out. He pulls out his phone, Googles the information he thinks he missed in class, and is halfway through an Encyclopedia Britannica article when someone clears their throat. He looks up and blinks owlishly. It's the teeth. 

"Hi," the teeth say. "I'm Xander." 

Drew stares. He doesn't know what to do with this information. During the rare instances someone deigns to talk to him, an introduction like "I'm Xander" is almost always followed by a request like "Can I get an picture?" or "Do you know where the bathroom is?", depending on if he's been recognized or not. But this...this is just warm brown eyes and a big shiny smile that he doesn't know what to with. 

"Drew Cooper," he eventually blurts out, remembering that he is in fact a human person with a name. "Um. Hi." 

Xander leans casually against the wall adjacent to Drew, the fabric of his shirt pulling tight over the bulk of his arms as he crosses them over his very muscular chest. "You know, I really liked what you had to say last week about the em dashes in Emily Dickinson's poems. How they're meant to give you space to breath but really end up making you feel breathless. Professor didn't know what do with that, but...I liked it."

What is happening what is happening what is hap— Drew swallows thickly. "Oh. Thanks. I, uh, visited the house in Amherst a lot growing up. School field trips, family weekends...I'm...familiar with her work."

Xander nods toward the corner of Leaves of Grass sticking out of Drew's satchel. "What about Whitman? He a favorite too?"

Drew shrugs. "Sure. Mostly 'Song of Myself' and 'Drum-Taps,' but generally...yeah, his language is...unparalleled." Drew pauses, unsure, and then continues. "Reading Whitman always reminds me that I need to look around more. That everything is beautiful if I let it be."

The smile grows bigger. "I really like the way you talk about poetry, Drew Cooper." Xander reaches into the JanSport he's got slung over one shoulder and pulls out an umbrella. "Want to talk about it over lunch?"

—————

It’s not until their third post-poetry class lunch that Drew finds out something interesting about his new friend. “Wait...you’re on the football team?”

Xander laughs, a loud, warm sound that makes Drew feel like he’s part of the joke instead of the butt of it. “Yeah, yeah, I’m on the football team.” Drew makes a face. “What?”

“Well...don’t take this the wrong way, but...” Drew swirls his spoon in his cup of clam chowder. “...is Harvard’s team any good?”

This earns a longer, louder laugh from Xander, who takes a bite of his grilled chicken when he’s done. “In the grand scheme of things? No. We go up against Auburn or Clemson and we’re getting our asses kicked, no questions asked. But against the teams we actually play? We’re not half-bad.” 

“So what position do you play?”

“Tight end.”

“Oh, I know that one. That’s...an important one.”

Xander suppresses the laugh this time. “It’s okay, Cooper. You don’t have to pretend to like football.”

Drew scrunches his nose. “I’m sorry. I come from a sports family. My dad and my older sister, in particular, they’ll talk for hours about football or baseball or hockey...it all goes over my head.”

With a shrug, Xander says, “Well, you’ve got enough good stuff going on in that head. No need to waste brain space on stuff that doesn’t matter.”

Drew feels himself starting to flush, so he quickly tries to shift the focus. “Well what about you? If football doesn’t matter, why risk CTE for it?”

“Scholarships, Cooper! You think Harvard pays for itself? I got in on test scores, but test scores don’t get you out of loans. Football does.”

And doesn’t that make Drew feel so silly. He knows how unbelievably lucky he is, that he had every semester of higher education he could ever want at whatever university would take him paid for before he was even born. If he had the mind to, he could keep taking classes at Harvard or Yale or Oxford until he died and he’d never have to think about the cost. Xander actually has to work for his education, and Drew feels like a little kid in comparison. 

—————

They’ve been in a little back corner of Lamont Library for a few hours now, bent over their respective texts as they work on assignments for different classes. Drew’s nose-deep in an anthology of Helen Hunt Jackson, while Xander’s scribbling away at equations for one of his insanely complicated math classes. They work in comfortable silence, and every once in a while Drew wonder how strange it is, the easy way they spend their days together. 

At one point, Xander throws down his pencil in disgust. “That’s it. Cooper, I’m dropping out.”

Drew makes a face. “You’re not dropping out, Xander.” 

“I am. No economics degree is worth this.” He gestures vaguely to his chicken-scratch math homework. 

“I mean, you’re not going to hear an argument from me, the guy studying History and Literature.” Drew peeks at the equations. “Would it help if you explained it to me?”

Xander furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”

“I mean...my sisters always head more of a head for the STEM subjects, while I’ve always been better at...” He waves a hand over his poetry book. “...softer stuff. But when I was a kid, my dad, who’s, like, an insane science nerd to the max, would tell me to pretend that I was the science teacher and I had to teach him the homework. It really helped. Explaining out loud, going over each problem piece by piece, helped me understand it better.” He flushes. “It’s just a thought, though. You don’t have to...”

“On one condition.” Xander smirks. “You have to tell me all of your thoughts on Thoreau afterward.”

Drew can’t fight his grin. “Deal.”

—————

Drew’s schedule is light on Tuesdays, so he’s back in the apartment he shares with Aidan, about halfway between Harvard and MIT’s campuses. She’s here, too, ditching a class she claims is “beneath the mathematical sensibilities of a first-grader.” She and some friend Drew is sure he should know the name of are on their little balcony, sipping wine coolers and people-watching while Drew reads for his early Wednesday class. Mostly, really, he’s listening to them gossip.

“See her?” 

“Blond ponytail?”

“No, by the crosswalk, with the dog. Don’t tell her you have a fake ID, she’ll narc on you in a heartbeat.”

“Get out!”

“Dead serious. Freshman down the hall got busted because of her.”

“What a bitch. Over there, those two: dating or siblings?”

“They’re practically identical, so I’m hoping siblings....Oh god, please let me be wrong...”

“Who’s that?”

“Where?” 

“Coming down the sidewalk here.”

“He’s hot, whoever he is.”

“I’ll say.”

“Wait...why does he look familiar....”

“Wasn’t he at that party two weekends ago? The one on Banks Street?”

“Oh my god, that’s it, he’s on the Harvard football team!”

Drew’s head snaps up. 

“Tell you what, he could score a touchdown any day. Look at those arms...Drew?” 

Drew scrambles off of the couch and flings himself onto the balcony. Aidan gives him a wild look. “What the hell?”

Peering over the edge, Drew spies Xander just as he gets to the front door of their building. He doesn’t need to use the buzzer, because someone’s coming out. “Oh.”

“Drew?”

Ignoring his sister, Drew rushes back to the couch, where he grabs all of his books and notebooks and tosses them into his backpack. Then he races into his bedroom to grab shoes. “I, uh, have to go! Study thing!”

Aidan looks down to the street and back to her panicked twin. “Drew...are you friends with a football player?”

“No!” Drew squeaks. “Yes! I mean, yes, we are friends. We have a class together. I have to go!”

Aidan squints in suspicion as Drew charges out the door. When it slams shut behind him, her friend says, “Does he know his sweater is on backward?”

Aidan shrugs. “Not my business.”

—————

“Why do you hang out with me?”

It’s a hazy October afternoon, and Drew and Xander are hanging out in Flagstaff Park, studying. People call out to Xander as they walk by, and Xander gives them a friendly wave or a “Hey man!” but makes no move to get up and socialize. Drew knows he’s quiet, not the best conversationalist in the world, so he wonders. 

“What do you mean?” Xander looks at him like he always does, like Drew is about to say something absolutely revelatory. 

“I mean...shouldn’t you be hanging out with the rest of the football team? Is that what you’re supposed to do?”

Xander seems amused. “Is that what you want me to do?”

“No,” Drew answers too quickly. “I just...I don’t know. I’ve never had someone spend so much time with me who wasn’t a blood relative, that’s all. And it seems like you have a lot of friends so...I don’t know...forget it...” Embarrassed, he turns back to his history textbook. 

A wide hand, fingers splayed, plops down over the pages, and Drew looks up to see Xander rolling his eyes. “I hang out with you so much, Cooper, because I like spending time with you, and also, I’m hoping that if I earn enough goodwill you’ll let me take you out to dinner at some point.” 

Drew freezes. “I—what?”

“I mean, if you’re not into me, that’s fine. I’m a big boy, I can handle it. But the thing is, I think you are into me, which is great, because I’m into you too, but I don’t mind biding my time until you’re ready.”

Every single neuron in Drew’s brain is misfiring. “You’re—into me?”

“Man got himself into Harvard just to outshine the professors and he still can’t read what’s right in front of him.” Xander sighs. “Yes, Cooper, I am into you, and would like to start seeing you socially in a romantic capacity.”

“But...you’re on the football team!” 

“I—what?” Drew just gapes at him. “Cooper...” Xander starts to laugh, slow at first, and then harder.

“Wait, why are you laughing at me?”

“It’s just...really refreshing to talk to someone as woefully out of touch as you are.”

“Hey!”

“Cooper, I dated a guy on the swim team for like two months last year. My being gay is...not news. To anyone.”

“Apparently not my sister,” Drew grumbles. 

“What?”

“Nothing.” Drew shakes his head. Nothing is making sense. “Do you know...who I am?”

“...We’ve met, yeah.”

“No, I mean...my family.”

“Oh.” Xander shrugs. “Yeah. Did some light Googling. I mean, c’mon, a white boy as quiet and smart as you? I had to be sure you weren’t secretly a neo-Nazi or some shit.”

“I’m Jewish,” Drew mumbles, “but that’s not the point. You know...who I’m related to.”

“Yeah. Am I supposed to care?” Xander reaches out and takes Drew’s hand, interlaces their fingers together. Drew’s heart is pounding so hard in his ears he can barely hear Xander speak. “Cooper, I am an economics major. I don’t want to date you because your grandpa was a billionaire. I want to date you in spite of the fact that your grandpa was a billionaire.”

Drew chokes out a laugh. “Fair enough.” 

“I mean, you’re cute and all, but don’t think I won’t eat you for sustenance when the class war starts.”

His laugh is louder this time. “Stop.” 

“So what do you say?” A squeeze of the fingers, and a squeeze to his heart. “Drew Cooper, will you go on a date with me?”

Drew chews on his lip, and then he nods. “Yeah. Yeah I will.” 

Then Xander grins his perfect white grin, and Drew knows he’s a goner.

[margoshansons]

Desperate Measures: 13/?

Masterlist

Summary: the hundred stands their ground and tries to save what little population they have left. Bellamy and Reader get separated.

Notes: this is the finale! if you want season 2 let me know but I’m gonna take a break for a while until the new year. 

“You know the first thing I'm gonna do when I get to the beach?" Miller's voice wove itself through her ears, having moved up to the middle of the pack.

"No, what?" Y/N asked, letting out a hiss of pain as she dragged her foot over a tree root, turning to face her friend.

A smile burst across his face, "I'm gonna go surfing,"

She let out a laugh at the silly goal, wondering if it was a viable option on this hell planet. She had given up on those small dreams the moment Jasper was speared. She had so many. She wanted to climb a tree, go swimming, hike until her feet got sore. Instead, she was running from murderers with spears. The camp halted, and she caught a glimpse of Octavia's hand near the front of the pack

"What is it?" Y/N asked, pulling herself upward and releasing her grip on Miller's shoulder.

Jasper wondered the same thing, lowering his gun before asking, "Why are we stopping?"

"I don't know."

"I don't see anything."

Silence blanketed the group, soon broken as silver flew their way, a blade lodging itself down the middle of Drew's face, their position given away. Miller and Y/N shared a look before looking forward again, the crowd beginning to stir.

Jasper readied his gun, "GROUNDERS!" He bellowed, joining the rest of the gunners in protecting the camp as they scrambled back toward the dropship, back toward their safety net. Miller picked up Y/N in his arms, handing her off to Bellamy as the stampede persisted, taking his place next to Jasper as a protector of the delinquents.

The gate shut behind the last of the group, Drew's dead body collapsing to the ground as his eyes stared blankly upward, fear the last emotion he had felt.

"Where are they?" Bellamy asked, placing her down on the wall next to him, "Why aren’t they attacking?"

"Because we're doing exactly what they want us to." Clarke joined them, shooting Y/N a confused look at the closeness the two shared. She rolled her eyes, making sure Clarke understood that now was not the right time for this. They turned back to Bellamy, "Lincoln said the scouts would be the first to arrive."

Octavia piped up, "If it's just scouts we can fight our way out." She was ready for a fight, whether it was inside these walls or out, she wanted to fight something.

"I agree with Octavia," Finn commented, breathless from the run back "For all we know there's one scout out there."

Y/N rolled her eyes, "They’re grounders, do you really think they'd only send one?" Her words came out harsher than she meant to. She was tired of running. She was tired of hiding.

"Clarke, we can still do this." Octavia interjected, a pleading look on her face."

"Looking to you princess," Bellamy chimed in, sending an expectant look Clarke's way, "What’s it gonna be?"

Clarke locked her gaze with Y/N's, heart pulling at the sight of her injury. It was doubtful she and Raven would make it in the first place, but now? They needed rest, they needed to survive. She dropped from the wall.

"Lincoln said scouts, more than one," She reminded Finn, "He said 'get home before the scouts arrive' they're already here."

She sent a harsh look at Bellamy and Y/N before walking away to help Raven into the dropship. Y/N shared a smile with Bellamy, pulling herself up as they met each other's gazes.

"Looks like you've got your fight." She told him. He nodded, shouting orders at the gunners while Y/N hissed in pain, trying to ignore the bleeding coming from her leg. Just because it was good to walk on, didn't mean she should do it.

"Come on" Bellamy gestured forward, "We gotta get you to the dropship."

"Wait!" She stopped, tearing herself out of Bellamy's arms to approach Miller, pulling him into an embrace. "Don't die. Please."

"I won't" He promised before pulling away, playing lieutenant to the gunners of the camp.

"Come on," Bellamy told her, hitching his arm around her once more before dragging her into their new metal coffin.

***

"We've got 25 rifles with 20 rounds each, give or take." Bellamy explained, his eyes shifting back and forth between the table and Y/N, making sure she was okay, "Roughly 500 rounds of ammo." He explained to Clarke and Finn, placing his hands on the table, "While you two were gone we made some improvements, thanks to Raven and Y/N, the gully's mined."

"Partially mined," Raven spoke up, her voice cracking in pain, "thanks to murphy."

Anger stirred in his chest as he remembered the events of the morning, the asshole holding a gun to Y/N's head and forcing her to say things she probably didn't even mean. He shook his head forcing that thought out of his head as he returned to the problem at hand.

"it’s the main route in so if the grounders use it, we'll know." Bellamy explained, "They also built grenades."

"Not many," Y/N spoke up this time, hissing in pain, "Again thank you murphy." She gestured to her leg when she said that.

"We'll make 'em count." he promised her, "If the grounders get through the gate guns and grenades should hold them back."

"And then?" Clarke asked, as if there was any other plan.

"Then we close the door and pray." Y/N leaned against the table, finally able to walk on her injury. "It's the only choice we have."

"The ship won't keep them out." Clarke continued to protest, looking between the two leaders, as if there was some secret they refused to share. Instead, Bellamy locked eyes with Y/N, catching the determination swirling in her own while he contemplated the smirk that crossed her face.

"So we won't let them get through the gate." She told Clarke. Her confidence was almost enough to transfer over to Bellamy. Almost.

"You said there's fuel in those rockets right?" Clarke turned to Raven, ignoring the promise Y/N had just made. "Enough to build 100 bombs."

Raven shrugged, "I also said there's no gunpowder left."

Clarke shook her head, sending a blazing gaze toward the mechanic "I don't want to build a bomb. I wanna blast off." Bellamy furrowed his brow in confusion, watching the three women discuss their new plan.

"Draw them in close, fire the rockets," Raven muttered, a smile tugging at her lips.

 "A ring of fire." Y/N whispered excitedly, her eyes lighting up at the prospect.

"Barbecued grounders, I like it."

"Can you do it?" Finn asked.

Raven and Y/N shared a look, speaking a different language than the others before turning back to the group, "You give us enough time, we'll cook em real good."

***

"Hey" Bellamy caught her by the arm as she moved to push herself into the bottom half of the dropship, "Be careful okay?"

"I will" She nodded, glancing at the gun he held at his side. "You too. You need to stay alive you hear me?" She pressed, her tone urgent. "I need you to stay alive."

He nodded, eyes flickering downward before his lips graced her cheek, the soft touch pressing against her, releasing unknown endorphins in her brain as she closed her eyes, leaning into the gesture. The two leaders stared at each other, unable to grasp exactly what that meant for each other. 

"I had to do that." He whispered softly, eyes scanning her face as his throat moved up and down. "Just once."

"You're coming back." She assured him, both of her hands intertwining with his as their foreheads touched, eyes closed in prayer. "I won't let you die. I promise. I'll run down to hell myself and pull you back to the living if I have to."

Bellamy chuckled, meeting her gaze as the two broke apart, "Well, I'm glad to know I have my very own Orpheus ready to fight against Hades for me."

She playfully pushed his shoulder at the reference. "Shut up, you're such a nerd."

Their hands intertwined, the laughter died down as the sound of war drums was heard through the camp. She swallowed, her nervous gaze never leaving his own as he curled her hand against his face, pressing his lips to her palm before marching off to war.

The plan was going about as well as she expected it to. Raven couldn't move, so it left only her and Clarke to find the igntition system and get everything hooked up.

"You have to find the wire that connects the manual override--"

"To the electromagnet, I know" Y/N yelled up for the third time, finishing Raven's sentence.

"I thought engineers were supposed to know this." Raven joked, and Y/N cracked a smile at the attempt at banter.

"Just because we know the theory doesn't mean we know how to apply it." She admitted, searching the bottom half for the wires.

Raven paused before continuing, the silence lasting unusually long as she struggled to find the right words to say to the engineer. "I'm sorry Y/N." She spoke into the air, causing the other girl to freeze. Y/N sat on her knees, biting her cheek as Raven continued to rant. "I'm sorry I got your mom floated, I'm sorry I slept with Bellamy, I'm sorry I've been an ass since I got down to the ground. I'm sorry I didn't try harder back on the Ark, I'm just--I really need you Y/N, more than you know."

Silence filled the dropship, Clarke refusing to look at any of the girls participating in the conversation.

"You have so many people down here supporting you, and I just--"

A beat passed over the three girls. Y/N glanced upward, eyes locking onto the woman she had known since birth.

"Hey Raven?" She gulped.

"Yeah?"

"I forgive you."

Laughter floated down to the hull of the dropship as Clarke and Y/N continued, a smile tugging on their lips as Raven spoke up again. "That's a relief, I thought I had to let you sleep with Finn to even things out."

Clarke turned away at the comment, sending a shy smile to her friend before stripping another wire, the bright color a beacon of hope, "I found it!" She shouted upward.

"Now follow it to-"

"The override panel." Y/N finished examining the wire, her smile dropping into a frown, "I would except it’s fried. Totally useless." She let the wire drop down, hanging her head as her hands rubbed themselves on her knees in disappointment.

"You know how to splice a wire?" Raven asked, her voice seeming further and further away. Before any of them could respond Jasper's voice came over the radio, telling the gunners to hold their fire.

Raven's voice became reinvigorated as realization struck her, "Jasper can splice!"

Y/N grasped the radio from Clarke, pushing the button to call him, "jasper, we need you in the dropship now."

"Negative," Bellamy replied, "we can’t give up the west woods."

Y/N rolled her eyes, "The woods are mined Bellamy," She reminded him wondering why she fell for such a lovable idiot, "Now Jasper get in here."

It didn't take him long to splice the wire, and Y/N was almost impressed with the record time it took.

"Okay, got the good wire ready to graft on what’s next?" He asked, being met with silence. Y/N creased her brow as she turned her gaze upward, shouting through the hole in the ship.

"Raven?" She called still not getting a response. Worry panged against her chest, sending her heartbeat skyrocketing as she scrambled up, pushing herself on the edge, facing Clarke as she took the pulse of the now unconscious girl.

"Is she?"

"Not yet," Clarke assured her, worry still lingering behind her eyes, "but soon."

Y/N felt her breathing quicken, heart crushing itself at the thought of losing Raven. She couldn't. Not when she had just gotten her back. She pushed herself back down, looking Jasper directly in the eye.

"Finish it." She ordered before pulling herself up, scooting her legs out of the hole to stand up and face the grounders with Clarke.

"Current to magnet to valve to barbecue" Jasper repeated to himself over and over, the words fading as she met Miller at the front of the dropship.

He called out to the gunners, "They're gonna blow the gate everyone inside!"

"No" Y/N urged, knowing they needed more time, "gunners stay at your post," She shared a concerned look with Clarke before the blonde called out to the unarmed delinquents.

"the rest of you inside, now" She ordered, everyone following suit, their footsteps trampling against the silver protective metal. Everything halted as a boom rang from the sky, causing everyone, even the grounders to gaze up at the inky sky, multiple ships burning up from entering the Earth's atmosphere.

"Is that from the Ark?" Fox asked, her eyes wide.

Y/N stared up in awe, finally recognizing the shower of ships for what it was. "That is the Ark" She murmured, before heading back into the dropship, her hope restored. They weren't alone. They never were.

Marcus could be alive.

Vera could be alive.

Sinclair could be alive.

She joined Jasper down in the hull, helping him connect the wires to the necessary inputs and outputs while the grounder army grew closer. Miller's voice tore her from the now finished job.

"Clarke, Y/N, they’re taking down the gate." He warned, his gun clicking.

"Good," She pushed herself upward, carrying the remote with her, "cause we did it. We think."

She shared a hopeful look with Jasper before standing back up on the floor of the dropship, the pain in her leg nothing but a dull annoyance.

"I'm closing that door," Miller told her, as he walked toward the lever.

"Wait!" She called, pulling him back, an incredulous look crossing her face, chest tighetening as she realized Bellamy hadn’t returned yet. "We’ve still got people out there, Bellamy isn't back yet."

She and Clarke ran outside, yelling for everyone to get inside. The camp had erupted into full on chaos, the last of the gunners running into the ship as she scanned the horizon, almost missing him as he ducked back in from the bushes.

"Bellamy!" She called, running forward before being stopped by a charging grounder, Miller's rifle ending his charge and saving her. He grasped her arm, pulling her down next to Finn and Clarke. Their eyes met across the battlefield as Bellamy tried to race toward the dropship.

Toward Y/N.

"Bellamy run!" She called out in a panic, hoping her voice was loud enough to be heard over the raging battlefield. She couldn't lose him. Not after everything they'd been through. She needed him alive. She needed him.

Only one thought rang in her head as she forced herself to watch Bellamy's trek back to the dropship, mowing down any grounder that got in his way.

I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you, I need you.

He was her reason for living. He was her reason for surviving. He was the only reason she cared enough to stay alive anymore.

She sat there helplessly as Bellamy pulled out his gun on the leader of the grounder army, his gun clicking and Y/N's stomach dropped, her blood running cold as realized that Bellamy was out of bullets.

"NO!" She shrieked at the sight of the leader pounding Bellamy's face with the hilt of his sword. Bellamy stood helplessly as the leader continued throwing punch after punch, until eventually, he collapsed, "He's killing him" Her voice quivered, unable to stop the tears from gathering in the corners of her eyes.

Finn grasped a gun from the nearest delinquent, firing off a round as he ran forward to try and save Bellamy, Clarke's voice calling after him. "No Finn no!"

The two women watched as Finn tackled the grounder, giving Bellamy an open shot to lunge at the leader and land a few punches in.

Miller broke them out of their reverie, "Clarke, Y/N you can’t save everybody let's go." He pulled the two of them backward, scrambling to the dropship as Y/N sat there, Bellamy's gaze latching onto hers. Her eyes pleaded with him, told him he could make it. But his gaze was urgent, reminding her of the promise he had made before he left. 

He wouldn't die.

 And she would make sure of it. 

He nodded toward the door, eyes softening as if to let her know it's okay. That he'd be fine. They will see each other again. Her heart thudded against her chest, the battle forgotten as she continued to focus on the fact that Bellamy wasn't going to make it.

"Now!" Miller fired his gun at the hive of grounders running through the almost empty camp, Clarke and Y/N pulling each other back into the dropship, the latter running toward Jasper to set up the ring of fire, while Clarke stood by the door, pulling the lever to close the door. It was official. Bellamy and Finn weren't going to make it. Something in her snapped, sending an uncomfortable numbness coursing through her veins, heart groaning in pain.

She had no time to focus on that though, because she was staring directly into the painted eyes of Anya, who had somehow managed to board the dropship at the last second.

"Y/N, now" Clarke ordered, never taking her eyes off the grounder. Y/N nodded, flipping the switch, reeling backward in shock as nothing happened. Jasper repeated the order out loud one more time and Y/N caught one word they had forgotten about.

"We need current." She spoke aloud, grasping onto the magnet as the rest of the delinquents turned their anger toward Anya, beating whatever strength she had left out of her.

Miller grasped a gun, pointing the barrel at the grounder, "She deserves to die" He yelled, malice lacing his voice. Clarke tore the gun away, four words dripping from her mouth, reminding them of who they were in the first place.

"We are not grounders"

Y/N connected the wires to the magnet, the ground rumbling underneath them as flames spewed out from every direction, burning every living thing in its path. She breathed a sigh of relief as the dropship fell on the ground once again, her leg pain returning as she drew in a sharp inhale. The doors fell open and she settled in next to Raven, unable to stand from the effort of the night.

Red smoke clouded her vision and her alarm bells went off. Unable to run anywhere, she pulled herself back underneath the dropship, placing the panel above her head as she ignored the burnt smell of rocket fuel filling her lungs, the smoke seeping through the cracks as she pulled Bellamy's jacket closer to her, snuggling into the warmth as her consciousness slowly faded away.

and we’re done!! I’m so happy to have finished this before the end of the year! Please remember that I am a human with a life and I cannot respond to people’s requests all the time. If you want me to do that, then you’d have to pay me and I want to keep this free.

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[clarosowrites]

Reunited

After years of fighting the Crows and missing his Warden, Zevran returns to Vigil's Keep. The reunion he looked forward to, however, doesn't go exactly as he planned.

The next installment in my Clara Amell series, set sometime in Awakening.

Zevran slunk along the wall, his footsteps quietly pressing into the fresh snow. His slender ears pricked up at the sound of metal clinking against metal and he pressed himself into the long shadows. A solitary guard walked past him, spear resting idly on his shoulder.

He briefly considered knocking the man out--it would certainly make his job easier--but decided against it. His Warden took the safety of her men seriously and harming a guard, even an inattentive one, would upset her. Though he would still have a talk with her about their training.

He peered up at the stone walls of Vigil's Keep. Icicles hung off the parapets and windows, reflecting the pale moonlight. The old fort looked exactly the same--solid and ugly and thoroughly Fereldan.

He grinned. Against all reason, he'd missed this damn miserable country. Or at least the company he had left behind.

Taking the grappling hook and line from his belt, he widened his stance. It had been quite some time since he'd had to infiltrate a keep the old-fashioned way, but the motions came back to him quickly. He swung the hook once, twice, then sent it sailing up. It latched onto the edge of the roof and he quickly hauled himself up to the windowsill.

He could just see the bed inside. That bundle underneath the covers must be Clara. Slipping a dagger under the latch, he slid the window open, already imagining the welcome his Warden would give him. She would be surprised, of course, but happy to see him. She'd light up with that smile she saved just for him and-

Zevran froze, half in and half out the window, as a sudden clatter drew his attention. Next to the bed, a boy stood, mouth agape. A cup lay at his feet, water spreading quickly on the wood floor.

He screamed.

With a flash of pale skin, Clara shot up from the bed. Fire rushed towards him. Scorching heat enveloped him and his vision went black.

The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back and looking up at a very familiar, red-bearded face. He squinted as his vision blurred.

"Oghren?"

"Elf." The dwarf grinned, showing his cracked and blackened teeth.

Something was soaking into his clothes. Maker, he hoped it was snow.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice strained. He tried to life his head and groaned as pain echoed through his back.

A blonde human appeared behind Oghren. A mage, by the look of his robes. "You know him?" He exclaimed.

"You got caught, elf."  He laughed. "Thought we trained you outta that!"

"Well," Zevran grinned, pushing himself up to his elbows. "You can take the assassin out of the Crows, but you can't take the Crow out of..." He coughed, spitting blood into the snow. He sighed. "...you get the picture."

Oghren elbowed the mage. "Anders, heal 'em."

"He tried to kill the Commander!" He shouted.

"Just do it, sparklefingers." He grunted, glaring.

Zevran chuckled. Ah, the dwarf had been his usual charming self, then.

He closed his eyes as a healing spell washed over him, like a warm ocean wave. He sighed. That was something he missed--he had no mage friends in Antiva and had to be content with his own sloppy stitches for too long.

"Thank you." He said to the nervous-looking mage.

"C'mon." Oghren said, pulling him to his feet. "She'll want to see you."

Zevran stumbled into him, his legs weak, and leaned against his friend.

He looked up to his most recent perch, two stories up. The window was blown outwards, the surrounding wall blackened and scorched. Bits of glass and wood littered the ground between him and the wall, a good twenty meters away.

Braska, his perfect plan all gone to shit. What had happened? Who was that child?

"The hell where you thinking, anyway?" Oghren asked. "Commander don't like surprises."

"Maker forgive me for trying to be romantic." Zevran sighed dramatically.

Using his short friend as a rather smelly crutch, he limped toward the keep, leaving a sputtering human in their wake.

Oghren pounded on the doors to the main hall. "Open up!"

The doors swung inward. A dozen people were scattered throughout, some in sleep clothes, some in full armor, and a few in odd mixtures of both. All of them held weapons.

To his surprise, he recognized a man in the crowd--the blood mage from Redcliffe. This night was just getting stranger and stranger.

And then he saw her. His lover stood on a dais, a few steps above him, in front of a carved wooden throne. Her short blonde hair was tousled madly and she wore her golden dragon scale mail over a robe and trousers, the clothing sticking awkwardly from beneath her armor. Her silverite sword shimmered with electricity, held loosely at her side.

And behind her, the same child hid. Small hands grasped at her pant leg as he peaked out at him.

Zevran looked back up at her, his brow knitting. It couldn't be him, could it?

He saw the moment that she recognized him. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. But instead of smiling and running toward him and any of the number of things he'd dreamed of in their months apart, her expression hardened.

"Everybody out!" Clara call out sternly.

A dark haired man stepped forward. "Commander, you can't be serious, he--"

"That wasn't a suggestion, Howe." She snarled, sheathing her sword. "You're all dismissed!"

Zevran found himself frozen as the other Wardens filed out of the room, shooting curious glances at him. As he watched, Clara knelt down to speak to the boy, smoothing a hand over his blonde curls. He nodded and ran over to the blood mage, who swung him up on his hip as he left.

"Don't let her kill ya." Oghren said gruffly as he left. "Nobody else 'round here is any fun."

Then, he was finally alone with his Warden. His lover, his love, that he hadn't seen for over a year, and now she was looking at him with such empty eyes.

"Well, this isn't exactly the welcome I hoped for." He said, aiming for levity and falling short. "I imagined candlelight, some chocolates, and... rather less clothing."

Her expression didn't change. "You should've sent a letter ahead."

"I could say much the same of you, my Warden. I was beginning to think you had forgotten me." He said coldly. He hadn't had a response from her in months. At first, he excused it--she was busy, running the Wardens and fighting darkspawn--but now he knew it was something else.

"No. I didn't... I didn't know what to say." Clara said shortly. She took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the floor. "My son. His name is Lolan. He lives here now and I know this...that you never agreed to this. I understand if you leave."

"Leave?" His heart dropped. "Am I to be turned away so callously, then?"

"I don't want you to go, Zev." She looked up and he was startled to see tears in her eyes. He crossed the room to her, his hands coming up to cradle her elbows, wanting to embrace her but not willing to force it. "But a child--that was never part of our arrangement."

"Arrangement?" He asked.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do." He said softly. "But to spend so many months away from you, dreaming of you, and to hear you speak of it so callously..."

"I don't know what else to call it." She sighed. "I'm sorry."

Zevran could feel her trembling in his arms. "You look almost afraid of me, mi amora."

"Oh, Zev." She pushed her forehead against his, closing her eyes. She reached up to him and carded her fingers through his hair. "I'm not, I promise. I'm just terrified of what you might say."

"I can say it in a funny voice if you like." He murmured. "I do a wonderful Neverran accent."

She laughed.

"Ah, there she is." He said, brushing a tear off her cheek. "You worry too much, Clara. Haven't I stuck around this long? Tell me what's frightened you and we can work from there."

"I don't know how this will change things. Being a mother." She whispered. "I want both of you in my life, but you might not want him around."

He sighed, not knowing how to respond. He'd never taken care of a child--and he thanked the Maker for that, knowing how the Crows treated their new recruits. Maybe he wouldn't like this one. Maybe Lolan wouldn't like him. Maybe Clara had outgrown him while they were apart. She was a mother now, as well as Warden-Commander, she surely had better prospects than him.

But as she melted into his arms, he felt his worries fading.

"Are you happy?" Zevran asked.

She nodded, her eyes shining. "I love him so much."

"Good. I won't ask you to give that up." He said. His Warden had spent so much of her life alone and he would never dream of taking any happiness away from her. "Do you really want me to be around him?"

"What? I'm not asking you to be his father, Zev."

"I know, I know." He shrugged. "But I hardly think I'm a good influence on anyone, much less a child."

"Let me worry about that." Clara pulled him in and kissed him quickly. "So you're staying?"

"At this point, mi amora, you couldn't chase me away." He smiled. "Why don't you introduce us?"

She took his hand, lighting up with that smile that she saved just for him, and led him away. And Zevran followed her, like he always did.

[avionvadion]

Forest Deep: a fanfic mixing Secret of the Cursed Mask and the actual Inuyasha anime itself. https://archiveofourown.org/works/24115702/chapters/58056064

Summary: Naraku had one goal- to destroy Inuyasha. Now with his new companion he has an idea how to make that happen. Brought to the Feudal Era by an unwanted Summoning, Irene's in search of her older sister and the one who brought them there. With the help of her new friends she might just find them, but it's hard getting through battles- nonetheless the day- with her lung problems. Why is this Naraku so cruel? What does he gain from hurting people? Who is his new friend- and what's underneath that mask she wears? Irene doesn't know. But she'll find out- one way or another. She just wished she had her sister beside her as she did it.

The first drawing is basically the story cover. I drew it back before Irene’s hair had a consistency and I had a better grasp of the art style XD The second image is from the end of chapter 20 and the last one is for chapter 15. 

Story: 

"I-It's��" Oh gods. "It's a saying where I'm from. Just- Just ignore it. I speak nonsense. Um. Look. You don't want to stay here, right? I don't want to stay here either. I have a sister I gotta make sure ain't dead, some friends to get back- granted… they probably don't want anything to do with me anymore, and an evil half-demon to stop, so~!" I huffed and stood, brushing some dirt off my pale blue jeans. I walked over, holding a shaky hand out to her with a grin. "You can come with or you can stay here and go crazy! Your choice."

Her eyebrows knit together. "For what reason did you desire the Magatama fruit? Most here are… filled with greed. They want its power for themselves. I, too, was selfish and… it brought me here."

"It…" I hesitated. Memories of the villagers falling came to mind. "I… I need the fruit to break a barrier. If the barrier doesn't break then… more people are gonna die. And… I don't want to see that happen."

"That's sounds awful…" Shizuno said, bringing a hand up to her mouth. "A-Are you certain that it's not another lie someone told? You could have fallen into a trap."

"I mean, probably?" I made a face, moving my head to the side and shaking it, shrugging my shoulders. "Buuut I have no reason to distrust him, you know? I-It's weird. Like, yeah he can be pretty shady when he wants to be, but he's helped me out this far and it's because of him I can talk to Shikigami spirits and heal people. So! I think he's nice. He did mention that this would be really dangerous and I was a firm believer I wouldn't survive. Was that a lie? Nope. Here we are! In a magical space surrounded by a bunch of crazy people."

"You are…" She frowned. "...strange. You speak of dire circumstances, yet you smile so brightly. Why do you behave so casually?"

"I just do." I was still so tired. "Life just sucks. That's how it works. No use mopin' about."

Unless of course several people had died. Damn it. I can still hear their screams, the children calling out for their parents as they ran for their lives. The blood splattering onto the ground… and staining Kohaku's kusarigama.

"Anyway! You never answered my question. You comin' with me?" I stretched out my fingers and wiggled them at her, staring at her expectantly. "You know you waaaant tooooo~! Far over the misty mountains cold~ to dungeons deep and caverns old!" My voice cracked and I coughed, hacking into my sleeve. My voice really could not go low. It was so distressing. The woman gave me such a strange look, but she reached out and took my hand. I felt so lightheaded. "Oh? Yay!"

She shook her head at me, folding her hands close to her chest. "We could be trapped here in eternal suffering," Shizuno told me, "yet you sing? Why?"

"Because if we're gonna be suffering eternally," I declared, holding an index finger up wisely, "we might as well have fun with it. Sadly I don't remember all the lyrics, but! It's a good song." I approached the mountain wall, staring up and squinting my eyes as I tried to gauge how far up we would have to climb before we reached the next ledge. My hands were all scraped up. "Okay… calm down. We can do this. You up for the climb?"

"Y-Yes, I suppose… what about you?" She stared at me, frowning. "Your skin is quite pale…"

"I'll be fine." I had to be. "My… My friends are waiting for me."

If they even still thought of me as one.

"And… your sister?"

I didn't answer. I wasn't even sure she was alive. "If I don't get that Magatama fruit… more people are gonna die. I… I don't want her to be one of them." I looked back at Shizuno, forcing another closed-eye grin, ignoring the lump forming in my throat. I had to be strong- for her. She was in pain as well. Her entire village was destroyed. "So we gotta keep going. Up and at 'em!"

I cracked my knuckles and reached up, grabbing onto a root sticking out from one of the rocks. This part of the wall was covered with vines, but there was no telling if they could all hold. Shizuno followed behind me uncertainly, grabbing onto a rock and climbing. "Th-This is very dangerous!"

Well, obviously. But I was convinced that we couldn't quite… die here? I've seen so many people wandering around and not one skeleton. At least there weren't any demons nearby in this spirit realm that could eat us. I don't think I'd taste very good. Ick. My mind flashed back to the mansion and I cringed, temporarily halting in my climb. Don't freak out. I had to stay calm. This is fine.

I'm fine. Always. Always fine.

I may be slowly breaking apart, but I'm fine. It's how I am.

This is just life.

It's my fault those villagers are dead, so I have to avenge them. Don't I?

Suddenly the vines I was climbing broke and I let out a small shriek, falling back towards the ledge below. The wind around me picked up pace and suddenly my descent slowed, causing me to blink. Then once I was close enough to the ground it stopped and I hit my head, crashing hard onto my back. "O-Ow! Frick!" I cringed and curled onto my side, bringing my hands up to the back of my aching skull. It was being put through so much abuse today. "Dude, that hurt!"

"A-Are you alright!?" Shizuno called down. She was at least thirty feet above me, clinging tight to some vines. "The wind just- how on earth-!?"

"Spirits." I hissed, wincing at the bump that was definitely going to be there for a while. The wind helped enough for me not to die, but wasn't completely forgiving to leave me free of injury. "Eugh…" That seriously hurt, but at least it wasn't fatal. This proved that one of my theories were right. Kazumi would have us wander forever in insanity, but she would not have us kill ourselves. "Frick."

I stumbled, wobbling over to the wall and leaning against it for a moment until my vision cleared. The world was trying to spin on me.

"Need to… keep going." I wheezed. This air spirit guardian person was such a sadist. "Have to… save them…"

My fingers gripped weakly at the roots. I wouldn't be able to climb in this state.

"Naraku… must be… stopped…"

I'm so dizzy. My forehead pressed against the rocky mountain side, eyes closing as I waited to catch my breath. That scared the crap out of me- falling like that. I hated it. After a few long minutes I grabbed at the vines again, fingers feeling numb and tingly, and I kicked at the wall with my bare feet. Being weak is one thing, but being stubborn was another. I was determined.

"I will… defeat him…" I wheezed, reaching up and grasping tiredly at a rock jutting out. It crumbled and I had to go for one higher up, stretching my arm painfully. "Barrier… it will break…"

Naraku sent Kohaku and Kanna after me, and why? Because Anastasia wanted my soul for some god awful reason that still wasn't explained. He made them attack the villagers that were helping me, and if Kagome didn't crack the mirror and force the souls to be freed so many more would already be dead. They tried to help me and Naraku forced Kohaku to kill them because of that. He was awful.

He was more of a madman than anyone else in this place.

The air around me seemed to grow gentler, my body becoming lighter and moving a bit faster. It was almost as if it was giving me a boost, but I knew that couldn't be the case. It was so aggressive earlier. After what surely must have been an hour I reached the ledge I fell from, reuniting with Shizuno who watched as I fell onto my front, eyes closed and breath heavy. "You are not the most healthy person, are you?" She asked.

"I wonder what… gave you that idea?" I wheezed, the sarcasm dripping off my tongue. "I told you… sickly human… didn't I?"

She gave a small smile, almost amused by my weird ways. "You did. Will you be able to make it to the top? There is still quite a ways to go."

"Yeah, just… need to… rest a bit first. Is that okay… with you?"

Shizuno nodded. "Yes… we have all of eternity, after all. Time does not seem to pass in this place. I have seen many arrive here, yet… they never aged. It is rather concerning, but there is nothing we can do. I fear many years have already passed since I was first brought here."

Wait, what? Oh no. My eyes widened and I sat up, looking at her in alarm and ignoring the rapid pounding of my heart. "N-No way… no, no, no! We… We have to hurry! I-I can't-!" I can't be trapped here forever. I have to get that fruit as fast as possible. If Maria was still alive then I can't be left behind. "The mountain! W-We have to… to climb…!"

I stumbled over, dazed and desperate, grabbing at the roots and struggling to climb. Shizuno dashed over and caught me when I fell, startled when she felt the heat radiating from my body. "I-Irene! You are feverish!"

"M'fine." I mumbled. "Have to get… to Sango…"

She, Miroku, Shippō, and Kirara are all up there dealing with the air spirit alone.

"Don't wanna see 'em hurt…"

I'm so sleepy. I want to take a nap.

"Gotta beat Naraku… and his dumb barrier thing…"

"Rest first. We have time." She said softly, voice so soothing. Shizuno carefully moved me away from the wall, keeping her arms around my waist, setting me down on the ground beside her. My head fell against her chest and my eyes closed, giving in to the comfort she gave. A hug felt so nice right now… yet her body was so cold. Her fingers ran gently along my hair, fiddling with the short strands. "You are fighting so strongly right now, are you not? It must be hard…"

"S'not… just… hurts."

"Why do you want to fight this Naraku so bad?"

"He hurts… people." I told her quietly, finding myself being lulled to sleep by her gentle touch. "They… helped me a-and he… killed them."

"He did?"

I nodded, making a small noise of confirmation. "He had… Sango's younger brother… attack. H-He's controlled by him, so he can't… fight back. She's always crying when she… has to face him. I don't like it. She's so much better… when she's happy…"

"I see. So Naraku is the one to blame."

Yes. He made Kohaku hurt them. It was all that evil half-demon's fault that the villagers are dead. "Naraku… killed them…"

"If that is so… then you should be able to climb the mountain now."

"...What?" My eyes slowly opened and I blinked, turning my head to look tiredly at Shizuno.

Her features seemed to change as the wind around us blew stronger, her long black hair shifting into something shorter and more white in color. I yanked myself off of her lap, watching as her colorful kimono become a pale blue, a white cloth draped over her shoulders and wrapped around her arms. As I stumbled into an upright stance, standing and backing away slowly, her dark eyes became an icy blue, lips dark and almost purple in color. I hadn't seen her entire appearance before, but I was certain now as to why Shizuno looked so familiar.

"K-Kazumi?"

…

"Where did she go!?" Sango demanded, whirling around to try and locate where the air spirit disappeared to. They were just talking when the mist became stronger, the entire area around them being covered in fog. The demon slayer couldn't see five feet in front of her. "Miroku! Shippō!"

"Here!" The fox demon informed, about ten feet back.

"I'm over here!" The monk shouted somewhere from her left side, sweeping at the area around him with his staff. "I'd use my Wind Tunnel to suck in this mess, but I might anger the spirits further if I did and cost Irene her life! Sango, what should we do!?"

"I-I don't know!" For once the demon slayer was at a loss. There was no enemy to fight, no goddess to appease. Only a spirit set on challenging their friend to a test of truth. "I… never realized she felt so guilty for what had happened…" Sango said after a moment, looking down at the hiraikotsu in her hand, closing her eyes with a pained expression. "I was only focused on myself. Miroku, I…" She rested a hand over her face, ashamed. "I'm a terrible friend."

"No, Sango, don't blame yourself." The monk shook his head. "I, too, did not notice. I was believing us to finally be able to close the gap and become proper allies, and yet…"

"She's always blaming herself!" Shippō stated, frowning deeply. He appeared greatly bothered. "Irene has such a guilt-complex for some reason! I don't get it! She's always apologizing for every little thing, no matter how small it is! Inuyasha was always yelling at her for it!"

"I-I thought she was just shy." Sango admitted. "But… I guess there's more to it. What do you think, Miroku?"

"Anything could have caused it." He informed them, something unsettling forming in his stomach. The monk always had been unable to refuse helping a young woman in need and the one in trouble now was a friend. Yet how could they protect her if they didn't even know what was wrong? If they couldn't even reach her where she was now? Why did Irene feel the need to place the blame on herself? "I'm afraid we'll just have to ask and pray she will tell us when she returns."

"I hope so…"

…

"H-How did you-!?" I pointed at her, dumbfounded, then gestured to where the brunette used to be. "Sh-She was just- hah? Gah! Shapeshifter!"

I took several more steps back. The woman's expression became blank once more, resembling more of the air spirit I had met earlier. "She was nothing more than an illusion. I created her as a guide, just as I have done time-and-again for those who come up this mountain. A rare few have ever been able to accept their truth and continue forth up the mountain. They were always too trapped in their greed, their selfishness… and would never think twice about abandoning someone else if it meant reaching their own goal."

What is she saying? I don't understand. My head hurts so much from this; I was still so dazed.

Kazumi closed her eyes, opening them only when her purple lips tilted upwards into a smile. "You have passed my test, Irene. You have accepted that Naraku was the one to blame for the villagers deaths. The children did not die because of you. I have seen into your mind… I know what you saw. I know how you felt. With this test I was able to attune your heart and I have come to the decision that you are indeed worthy… of a Magatama fruit."

"But… I literally didn't do anything?" I don't get it. I'm too dizzy for all this. "I just climbed a mountain…"

The air spirit looked amused by this and went on to explain. "Though they scared you, you tried to approach those wandering souls and save them. When you saw the apparition I created… you tried to give her the courage to go on. Though… unorthodox in the way it was done… you remained strong for her for as long as you could. But you are only human- and one who is prone to illness cannot keep on for long." She glanced up at the mountain, icy eyes following the path up. "The wind will help you on your climb up the rest of the mountain. You need not fear falling; now that your mind is clear of guilt… the roots and rocks along the cliff will not break."

I'm still so confused, but alright. "Um, thank you…?"

"Do not thank me just yet." She warned. "If you so much as waver in your thoughts you will fall once more down to the bottom, and your soul will wander here for all eternity like the rest." Kazumi waved her arm and then she was gone, replaced by nothing but more fog.

My eyebrows raised and I shook my head incredulously, unable to believe the audacity some spirits could have. Like, seriously? Jeez. Crazy lady. She was so much nicer as Shizuno. At least she was giving me some advice… kind of. Was this all because I blamed myself for what happened with Kohaku?

That's what I'm getting from that conversation anyway. Ugh, I have such a migraine. I want to go home.

I need another hug.

I walked over and grabbed at the roots, hands shaking. They didn't feel as weak and numb as before, but they were bleeding. I had scraped them up quite badly during my climb. That strange feeling appeared again as I tried to move up the mountain, like the wind was giving me a boost. I supposed it actually was doing that, as it was helping me move a lot faster than before. I reached the next ledge in record time.

I tried not to think too much, focusing on the task at hand, determined not to fall below.

My heart wanted to waver, to believe that the children's deaths were my fault, that everyone who died should have blamed me, but… Shizuno's words stuck. They may have been protecting me, but it was by Naraku ordering Kohaku that they were killed. I had no control over the boy's actions. It was not my fault.

It was his.

The fog slowly cleared away the closer I got to the top and the people wandering around had vanished. I huffed and trembled, feet and hands scratched up and blistered, legs and arms sore. If not for the wind pushing me up- as if trying to say hurry up, stupid human like an irritable spirit- I would have collapsed long ago. I dragged myself up to the top ledge where I had been thrown off when I first met the guardian spirit Kazumi, struggling to push myself forward, and wound up clawing at the ground.

My poor fingertips were all bloody.

"I-Irene!?" I recognized that voice. I fell on the ground and rolled onto my back, wheezing and letting out a few coughs. I was so exhausted. "Oh, thank god! Miroku, Shippō, look!"

"Irene is back!"

"She passed the test!"

I could see the group dash over to me, Sango quickly kneeling by my side and helping me sit up. I began to tear up at the sight of her. Wasn't she mad at me? "Irene, you're burning up again! How badly did you stress yourself out!?" She asked, voice almost going into a sisterly scolding tone before relief crossed her face. "I'm so glad you're back…"

She surprised me by leaning down, wrapping her arms around me tightly."I should have paid more attention to your feelings. I'm so sorry."

"I-It's okay." I choked out, awkwardly hugging her with my arms so not to get blood on her armor. I'm such an idiot. They didn't hate me after all. "I-I'm fine. You're the one who was upset, so…"

"But so were you!" She pulled away, gripping my shoulders tightly with her hands. "All this time you've been festering hate and guilt inside of you- and for yourself no less! Ever since I've met you you've been apologizing left-and-right for things you had no control over! Irene, it's okay to be selfish! Not everything is your fault!"

I couldn't speak, too stunned by what was happening. This day was so dizzying. "I-I just… want to help." I finally got out, stuttering on my words. Her eyes were so intense; it felt like they were boring into my soul. "I-I can't do anything useful, so…"

"What do you mean by that?" Miroku demanded, stepping up. Kazumi was still nowhere in sight. "You've helped us countless times; we've told you before. Just who told you that you were useless? That made you believe you could guilt yourself for everything?"

[jocazep]

In the Whole Wide Train | Chapter 1

Pairing: Curtis Everett x Reader (Jo, OFC), slight Edgar x Reader 

Warnings: Major spoilers for SNOWPIERCER, dystopian society and its countless problems, mentions of forced abortions, language, violence, deaths, slow burn, eventual smut

Synopsis: Having grown up in the Front Sections of the Snowpiercer, you venture down the train when a rare opportunity presents itself, but the excursion quickly changes flavor when you arrive in the Tail Section.

Author’s notes: In a pure coincidence, I am starting my Snowpiercer Fanfic on the same day as Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar win. Congratulations to BJH! 

The story takes place before and during Curtis’ revolt, and will mostly follow the progression of the film with slight deviations.

I’m very new at this, but my goal is to post two chapters a week. Please send me your thoughts, comments, and reactions! 

Chapter One - Doing Right

**Word Count: **1,939

You sniffed your new clothes--a little lived in, but isn’t that the point? The shirt must have been white once upon a time, but the collar poking out from beneath a itchy sweater vest was stained a distinct yellow. The thick cargo pants were a little too short, revealing fraying socks. And hanging limply on the wall next to you was a coat, heavy, long and grey, but with numerous suspicious slits on the back. You glanced at your watch before taking it off. Just about on schedule, if not a little early.

Your thoughts drifted towards the front of the train, where you came and go among the School, Dining, Beauty Salon, and when you finally turned 21, the Club sections. So many years wasted in luxury, when the past week had taught her more about the Snowpiercer than the past 16 years combined.

“Are you OK in there?“ Someone knocked on the door to the cramped bathroom you currently occupied. You shook off your reverie and opened the door.

You handed a pile of cleaner clothes to a man wearing oily factory overalls. He took them and stuffed them into a shelf near his bunk.

“Thank you again.”

“Oh don’t thank me. I’m never going to use these anyway.” The man said as he walked you out of the living quarters into the churning and chopping noises of the Protein Block section. The stench hit you like a one-two punch, but the man seemed used to it. He pointed to the monster of a cooking cauldron in the center of the section.

“That’s where all the magic happens. And I always keep it running on time.“

You beelined for the assembly line churning out protein blocks. The thick, gelatinous, dark brown blocks were still steaming hot as they moved lazily down towards the stainless steel cart. Looks uninviting.

The man climbed up a flight of steps along the cauldron, calling down to you, ”Do you want to take a gander?”

Just then, the tail gates buzzed open, and a handful of guards flooded in.

“Chow time--“ the leader noticed you, “You the surveyor?“

“Jo, pleased to meet you,” You extended your hand.

“I see you already changed. Drew the short straw, huh?” The leader’s shake was half-hearted.

“Actually it’s been pretty illuminating.”

The leader snorted, “Hah, well your outlook’s pretty fucking bleak from here on out.”

Curtis couldn’t remember the last time someone was exiled all the way back to the Tail section. Maybe in the early days of the train, but back then he was too busy doing other things to notice.

Today, as the loud buzz sounded and everyone lined up for their usual head-check, the guards dragged a woman in with them and threw her onto the ground. The people in the first row scrambled to get away from her, naturally a little wary.

And then entered Mason. She gave her usual harangue about Willford’s benevolence and the importance of order, before moving onto the important part, ”This woman here could not fulfill what is required to her for the good of the whole train, so she has lost the privilege of being useful to Mr. Willford.”

A few rows back, Edgar muttered indignantly, “Of course, toss ‘em back to the Tail once you’ve worked them to near death...”

”So, look to her as an example.” The guards pulled her up--

“She looks younger than you, Curtis! Do you think she can help us get to the front?“

“Shut up, Edgar.” Curtis cut Edgar off, but he was intrigued. He wondered where she worked, if she’s been conscious enough on her way down the train to be useful, and most importantly, what she did to get herself exiled...

It wasn’t until everyone has taken their protein block that Tanya, bless her heart, ventured out to speak to the newcomer while Curtis observed from close by. She still looked a little shellshocked, not that he would blame her. The Tail section took some getting used to.

After a while, the young woman finally spoke and said her name was Jo. Tanya beckoned Curtis over and introduced him.

Jo looked up at him for a long beat. Curtis was suddenly very aware of the grime on his face, his unkept beard, and his hair running wild beneath that beanie.

“Hello,” Jo finally said. Her voice sounded almost calm if Curtis didn’t know better.

“Jo, right? Where did you work before?”

Jo faltered.Curtis noticed how clean Jo’s face was compared with everyone else around her. There was a small cut just beneath her cheekbone that looked suspiciously like someone slapped her while wearing rings. _She must have only been in grade school when she boarded..._His eyes lost focus as he pondered this newcomer.

“It’s OK sweetheart, you can tell us.” Tanya encouraged.

“I worked a while in the Medical section after finishing school.”

“Those wankers have a Medical section?” Edgar had appeared out of nowhere. But he bit his tongue after Curtis shot him a look.

“Why did they throw you out?”

“I refused to perform a forced abortion.”

Holy fuck. Curtis thought as a gasp escaped Tanya.

“A married couple found themselves pregnant with their third child, but they wanted to keep it. When Mason found out, she dragged the mother-to-be to me, but I wouldn’t do it. So...here I am.”

A beat of silence went by as everyone searched for something to say. Until finally--

“Did they keep the baby then?” Edgar asked, his eyes round.

Jo shook her head. Didn’t say another word, as if the mere memory haunted her.

Curtis felt anger rising within him. Was he angry at Mason for the abortion? Was he angry that Jo had to be punished for doing the right thing? Or was he maybe angry that the front sections have the luxury to raise multiple children? He didn’t know for sure.

Curtis would have stuck around to hear more, but somewhere towards the end of the section, someone found something in their protein block, and Curtis took Edgar to find out what.

Before the week was out, Tanya had introduced you to almost everyone in the Tail section, her boy Timmy, Timmy’s best friend, the Painter who drew everything, an old couple who both played the violin--it was impossible to remember all the names. There was much more diversity and interesting lives than you imagined, and you made a point to learn as much about everyone’s story as you could.

“Nighttime” was one of the few occasions when the Tail Section was quiet. You couldn’t really tell if it really is nighttime, because there were no windows for you to look outside. But there were these four to five magical hours of the day, when everyone  stopped their bickering, bargaining and general wantonness and returned to their bunk to sleep. And everything just felt...peaceful. You would scribble down your notes and observations in your small notebook, and tuck it back into your waist, between your yellowed shirt and your bare skin.

This night, after you finished taking down notes for the day, you sat on your cramped bunk, just above Tanya and Timmy, and took up your own protein block. Pinching your nose, you took a cautious bite. You should be used to it by now, but the slightly salty taste and the jell-o texture still made you gag.  You shivered as you forced it down. How can anyone keep eating this?

You broke the block apart with your hands, checking for something. Only a handful of people knew about the empty bullet casing inside the protein block. You would not have known about it either, if you hadn’t caught Curtis, Edgar and Tanya trying to coax the second block containing a bullet casing from Tanya’s son Timmy the day before.

You were sitting in the exact same place. Somewhere down the aisle, Edgar was munching on his block and obsessing with the taste of steak which he half forgot, when Tanya called out to Curtis.

“Curtis, here!” She signaled to Timmy, who’s licking his block on the edge of his bunk.

“Timbo...” Curtis’s low voice hummed from his chest as he strut up to Timmy and crouched down,”How’s it hanging buddy? Gimme a pound, blow it up.“

Timmy was surprisingly a hard bargain, and Edgar made to grab the block from the child. But Curtis was more patient.

“Hey, hey, hey, relax, relax,” he cooed.

He would have made a good politician up front, You thought,Persuasive, charming, photogenic...

A fit of clamoring broke your train of thought--Timmy has climbed all the way up to the catwalk between the top level of the bunks.

You crept out from your bunk and ventured closer to watch Curtis traded for Timmy’s block with an hour’s time with the ball.

“What do you want in this whole wide train?“ Curtis asked. You couldn’t help but smile at this sweet exchange.

Taking the block from Timmy, Curtis turned around, and before you realized, your eyes caught each other. A chill ran down your spine as the sea-blue eyes bore into you. Not wanting to maintain eye contact, you quickly cast your eyes down and hurried past him.

As you hid yourself from view, you hear Tanya ask, “Curtis, is it time?”

“Not yet, Tanya. Soon.“

Beneath you, Tanya has started to snore lightly. You peered down to check on the mother and son. Timmy was fast asleep in the arms of his mother. You spent a few minutes watching their chests rise and fall, wondering if you shouldn’t have lied to Tanya. Can they ever truly trust me?

Then, pushing the guilt from your mind, you dangled your legs out from your bed, and pushed yourself off the bunk. Plop--your feet hit the deck in a muffled sound. Making sure you hadn’t woken anyone, you tip-toed towards the end of the Tail section, where a curtain made of tattered fabric hung. You still hadn’t seen anyone come in and out of there in your whole time here, except for Curtis and Edgar. The curiosity had been eating you alive.

When you finally heard the low murmurs of conversation drifting out from behind the curtains, it was already too late. You looked down at the ground, your shadow had already cascaded through the tattered curtains. _Shit, someone’s there. _The murmurs stopped. Shit, shit, shit.

“Who’s there?” The curtains parted and out came Curtis. You had to step back to take in the towering man, seeming even bigger in the shadow.

“Jo what’s the matter? Is everything OK?” His voice was hushed, soft, and--concerned?

“I just couldn’t sleep...”

“Look, it wasn’t your fault. You did the right thing.” Curtis gave your shoulder a quick squeeze.

All of a sudden, there’s that creeping guilt again, nagging at you for lying to him about why you were here. Not all of it was a lie. You did work two years at the Medical section after you finished your college courses at age 20. This much was true. But you never had been forced to perform abortion on anyone. That was, of course, the prepared narrative so that you would be accepted into the Tail Section.

You forced yourself to look him in the eyes. His eyes shimmered beneath the sweat and grime.

”I just wish there was something I could do to change...” you signaled around yourself, “all this for the better.”

You’re doing the right thing, right?

[jadekitty777]

What a Wonderful World

Some of you may read this and say “shouldn’t this have been for Day 3, Family?” And, okay so, hear me out... I ended up using that prompt too for tomorrow’s entry so, yes these stories could have gone either way (kind of like Qrow).

Day 2: Domestic

Dedicated to: @evebun/@evebun-primary

Rating: K+

Pairing: Qrow/Clover

Word Count: 6000

Ao3 Link: What a Wonderful World

Summary: After Salem's attack leaves Mantle and Atlas scrambling for an emergency evacuation, all of its former citizens are left misplaced and homeless, including 5-year-old Citrus and 6-month-old Mint. With no where else to go, the two are placed in Clover and Qrow's care, and Clover soon finds that the future he once envisioned him having with Qrow was changing in a way he could never of imagined... but could never regret.

~

The heat was stifling. Even aura had its limits, leaving his skin stinging and slick with sweat. The smoke that hung in the air choked at his throat and burned at his eyes until they watered. So, it was by pure luck he spotted her, wedged in the space between the wall and the couch.

“Found another!” Clover pulled his arm band down from his mouth long enough to shout over the roar of the fire. He gripped the leg of the heavy furniture, muscles straining as he lifted it up and angled it away from the wall so he could get to her.

As he gathered her limp form in his arms, he realized how small she was. Perhaps only 4 or 5. The youngest they’d found. Her face and little white dress with orange slices patterned across it were both covered in ash. Shakily, he looked for a pulse.

“Is she okay?!” Qrow hurried over, eyes bloodshot from the fire and cape tied around his face like a bandanna. Elm or Harriet must have gotten out the twins he had found trapped in the laundry room.

There it was, weak but steady. Tiny little beats under his fingertips.

He pulled his arm band over her own mouth, giving a relieved nod. Nearby, the stairs to the second floor collapsed, sending up sparks and the couch he’d just moved caught fire. The structure was creaking dangerously around them.

“I-” He started to say, only to start coughing as the smoke invaded his lungs.

Qrow lifted up one edge of his cape over his mouth to help him filter, his other hand encircling his bicep. “Time to go lucky.”

Too woozy to argue – and that probably wasn’t a good sign – he allowed the other huntsmen to guide him back to the front door. Elm came into view as they got close, gaze falling to the bundle in his arms.

Before Clover could hand her off, he felt the grip on his arm turn painful, Qrow’s nails digging in like claws. He gave a hiss, looking towards him – could only see his wide, terrified eyes – and then suddenly he was ripping away from him, running back into the firestorm with an order of, “Get them out of here!” yelled over his shoulder.

“Qrow-!” Clover turned around, trying to follow him, only to feel his own teammate’s arms encircle his waist, lifting him up effortlessly.

“You heard him captain!” He didn’t have it in him to struggle as the powerful woman dragged him out of the complex and set him down on the snow-covered streets of Mantle. His heat-burned skin begged for him to sink into the ground’s icy embrace, but he fought against the urge, eyes darting over the sea of little faces crowded on the other side of the street, Harriet zipping between them at an alarming rate as she tried to check and re-check each child for injury or signs of smoke inhalation.

He turned back to the burning building, the blaze lighting the area in a fiery orange and covering the sky in thick, black clouds. The past few minutes came back in a rush.

It had been awful. They had just been trying to clear the streets, looking for more survivors to bring back to the underground, when a stray shot from a manticore caught one of the building’s ablaze. They hadn’t expected it to be occupied. With no ice dust, they had to go in the old-fashioned way, quickly realizing by the number of toys and kids inside that the caretaker of the orphanage must have sheltered down with them while waiting for help.

They stumbled upon her and three of the kids dead in the kitchen where the blast had exploded the fire-dust infused oven.

Part of the roof collapsing yanked him back into the present and Clover found himself desperately staring at the front door and willing Qrow to walk out of it.

Elm’s hand clutched onto his shoulder. “Cap’n, you need to sit down. You’re swaying.”

“M’fine.” He declined, gritting his teeth as a window on the second floor exploded. They couldn’t wait for Qrow any longer. “Harriet-!”

The rest of his command fell away when the man himself came leaping out of the same window. He landed hard, falling to the snow on his knees. He curled around the bundle he held in his arms swathed in his cape.

Clover’s heart leapt to his throat – No. No way. – before he tore from Elm’s grip, crying out hoarsely, “Qrow!”

He stumbled just as he reached him, collapsing beside him, his grasp on the girl he still held tightening so the fall didn’t jostle her.

“S’okay. It’s okay.” Qrow gasped, pulling back one of the folds of the red cape.

Watery eyes the same shade as Clover’s own blinked back up at them both, before the little infant began to cry.

It was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard.

He fell against his boyfriend’s shoulder, feeling like he could cry himself. He checked on his own charge, testing her pulse and breathing again. Still there, but the unconsciousness worried him. “Elm, what’s the status of our back-up?” He croaked out as she came over, probably intending to assist them to the other side of the road.

“May’s on her way with a transport truck now. Jaune’s with her.”

Good. That was good.

He shut his eyes a moment.

When he opened them again, he was in the truck, silvery white aura dancing across his vision. He focused on the young man hovering above him.

Jaune sighed in relief. “Oh good, you’re awake. I was beginning to think I needed to perform CPR.”

“I appreciate you sparing me.” He voiced roughly. He swallowed, flinching at the pain. His throat had never been so sore.

It felt like a smack in the face when he remembered how it got that way.

“Wait, the kids! You should be helping them.”

Jaune didn’t move, smiling reassuringly. “Only two people were in need of immediate care, yourself included. So, I’m multi-tasking.”

Clover furrowed his brow, about to question how that was possible, when a small tug on his lapel has him glancing down.

Years from now, Clover would tell Citrus this story – that the very first time he looked into her smiling face and honey brown eyes, he knew he loved her.

“Hey mister!” The little girl he’d rescued pulled at the badge on his chest once more. “I like your pin.”

“Oh yeah?” Admittedly, he hadn’t interacted much with really young kids, so he dd his best to mimic the way Elm would talk whenever her cousins came to visit. “I like it too. It’s my lucky charm.”

Her eyes went extra wide. “Is it really lucky?”

Clover couldn’t help his grin. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

A snort drew his attention to the left, the sight that greeted him warming his heart. Qrow was against the wall, looking run down yet calm as he rocked the slumbering infant. He looked so… natural, like that. As if he’d done it many times before.

Upon catching his gaze, Qrow offered him a smile, one Clover tiredly returned.

~

That night had been their last search-and-rescue mission. Not because the work was done, there had certainly been several zones in both Mantle and Atlas still left to cover, but because…

Well…

“Daddy, catch me!”

Clover felt all the air in his lungs leave him as Citrus divebombed him from the wardrobe he’d told her a thousand times not to climb. “What do you think you’re doing you little rascal?”

“I told you, I’ma kitty!” She said, making little claw movements with her hands.

“Well, that sounds bad for dad’s health.” He walked her over to her bed, setting her down on the plush duvet sporting happy faces of various cartoon dinosaurs.

“Daddy, you’re silly! Dad’s not an actual bird.” She explained patiently.

Clover snickered. One day, they’d tell her.

But that day was certainly not today. “Alright, what would the kitty cat like to wear this morning?”

“Plaid!”

“Again?” He asked, quirking a smile as she prowled around her bed like a tiny lion.  

“Uh-huh. Mint likes to trace the lines.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you Trissy.”

As she hissed and bat her stuffed animals to the floor, he searched through her dresser for the requested pattern. A lot of what filled it were merely hand-me-downs of Ruby and Yang’s that’d been hiding up in Tai’s attic. The same was true for everything from her furniture and toys right down to the very room they stood in.

He had never considered kids as part of his future. It didn’t seem a possible concept when factoring in his particular interest in male-only lovers. So, to suddenly have two practically dropped into his lap, Clover had no issue accepting any help the more experienced father had to give, to say nothing of the paragraphs of advice he had to hand out at any given moment. He and Qrow certainly couldn’t thank him enough.

Well. He certainly couldn’t. Qrow, on the other hand, was all off-handed comments about how this was all ‘only fair payback’. Which, if Tai overheard, resulted in the two bickering like teenagers. It never got heated and no one ever stormed off upset, but it still baffled Clover that they couldn’t just talk it out.

But, puzzling out their seemingly crooked foundation of a friendship was just one thing too many for Clover to add to his ever-weighted plate of things to worry about.

Like how to convince Citrus to wear her shoes today. “Come on Trissy, you’re going to rip up your leggings again. How about just the left one?”

“No.” She plopped down on her rear, scooting away from him. “Don’t like ‘em. They make my feet hurt.”

“You haven’t even tried these ones before. And look! They have little stars on them.” He tried to cajole.

A picture of defiance, Citrus crossed her legs and held onto her feet, repeating firmly. “No!”

If his former subordinates ever found out he could be so effortlessly taken down by a child, they would never let him live it down. With a conceding sigh, he placed the sneakers back under her bed. “Alright, no shoes for now. Would you like to do your hair instead?”

“I want dad to do it.”

The gentle reminder that this was dad’s morning to help Mint get ready was right on the tip of his tongue – when another voice beat him to the punch.

“Good call squirt. I’m the one with all the fashion sense.” Qrow was standing in the doorway, somehow still able to look incredibly smug despite the fact he was a forty-four-year-old man currently rocking an infant.

Citrus raced over to him, clinging onto his leg. “Dad!”

“Need something?” He lifted his foot off the ground held it up high, letting her dangle from his shin – it was still a wonder to Clover how he managed to keep his balance.

She started to swing back and forth like a monkey. “Can you do my hair up in cherries like before?”

“Hmm, I don’t know.” Qrow made a big show of thinking it over really hard. “I believe there’s a magic word I need to hear first.”

“Please? Please, please, pleaaaase?” She stretched out the last one.

He chuckled, lowering her back to the floor. “Alright already squirt. No need to pull my leg.”

Clover turned away just so Qrow couldn’t see how that awful joke made him smile.

Thankfully, he was too preoccupied to notice. “Go sit at your spot for me.” As she hurried over to the little vanity desk with its nail-polish stained top, missing drawers and cracked mirror, Qrow approached him, handing off their son. “He’s not too fussy today.”

That had about a 60% chance of changing the moment Qrow left Mint’s line of sight.

A month into their not-quite official parenthood, Clover started to collect parenting guide books and every night, he would read a chapter or two before bed. One evening when he was thumbing through Infant Milestones and What to Look Out For, he came across the term “separation anxiety”. Apparently, it was a common in babies of Mint’s age – which they’d guesstimated to be 6 or 7 months. Despite the worrisome name, it was defined as a developmental period in which a child understood that things and people could leave and return, and they responded to this by wailing. The chapter went on to assure it was a temporary issue that would crop up in small bursts over time.

Eight months and some mild improvement later, it was still an issue laser-focused on Qrow.

But, if he were honest, it was one that went both ways. With such sudden unconditional love being given to him on a daily basis, Qrow had formed a paternal bond with the boy that became unshakable as the months went on. In fact, Clover suspected the other huntsman had decided on adoption well before he had.

For Clover, that moment came several months in.

Originally, Citrus and Mint’s care was to be temporary. Unlike the rest of the kids they’d saved from that fire, the two were much too young for Patch’s already over-crowded shelter to feel comfortable taking charge of them during the crisis. Not wanting the two to be lost to a hectic system or to just dump them on Tai who was already the lynchpin of the evacuation efforts’ portaling system, Clover and Qrow had unanimously agreed to foster the two children until things could calm and better arrangements for the two could be made.

At the time, they had just shrugged it off. How long could it possibly take, really? A few days? A week, at most?

When they passed the first month and the first groups of Atlesians were only just being ferried across to Vale to further the relief program, they realized they may have been just a little off on their prediction.

After the second, Mint had his name bestowed upon him accidentally when Qrow realized his eyes matched the mint chocolate chip ice cream the boy was trying to take out of his hand.

By the third, Clover had grown pretty used to reading Citrus fairytales before bed. He was just picking through an anthology for something new when it happened:

“So, are you my new daddy?”

The book almost fell out his grasp. He met the little girl’s unwavering gaze and felt more effortlessly pinned by it than any glare his superiors ever managed to dish out. “What makes you ask?”

“’Cause you do all the things a daddy is supposed to.” She picked up a stuffed rabbit. “You give me Mr. Cuddlesworth. And you read me stories. And make me brush my teeth before I go to bed. Which is yucky and we should have a vote on that.”

He may have laughed had his mind not been going a mile a minute.

It came to a complete stop when she looked at him and asked again. “So, are you?”

He didn’t end up giving her a definitive answer that night. Later, Clover found himself lying awake and staring at the ceiling until it eventually annoyed Qrow into rolling over.

“Alright, I can hear those cogs in your head struggling to turn. What’s wrong?”

He answered the question with one of his own. “Have you… ever wanted kids?”

“Always.” No pause, no doubt.

He looked at him. “Really?”

Qrow propped his head up in one hand. “That so hard to believe?”

“A little, yeah.” He admitted, suddenly feeling guilty over his own thoughts. There was still so much that was new between them – why was he trying to throw a wrench into that?

Even in the dark, he could tell Qrow was studying him. “You’ve been thinking about them too, eh?”

“It’s just – Citrus is starting to ask questions. She’s thinking this place is permanent. And Light knows Mint can’t go anywhere without you.” Clover rubbed a hand over his eyes. “What are we going to do?”

“Guess we just got to keep ‘em.” Over his incredulous spluttering, Qrow added, “What? That’s what you were trying to ask, right?”

“But it’s crazy. And stupid! And-And-”

“It’s far from the craziest or stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”

He turned onto his side, facing him fully. “What about us? We haven’t even been together for half a year yet, Qrow. And this is a lifetime commitment.”

“Yeah, and?”

Did someone in this house have a personality switching semblance? Where was all this confidence coming from? “I kind of figured you’d be more concerned about this.”

Qrow hummed, resting his head. “Did I ever tell you I used to teach at Signal?”

“No.” He’d been in the primary combat school dozens of times by now. With the facility shutdown due to the disaster in Atlas, the classrooms had been repurposed for sleeping space for the thousands who’d been relocated. He had to wonder which of the many classrooms had been Qrow’s. “Seems an unusual choice for you.”

“Heh, you’re telling me. That’s because I didn’t take the position because I wanted to.” He swept a hand above them, as if encompassing the room around them. “I took it because I had to help out here. When Ruby’s mom died, Tai was a wreck and needed help with the girls. And I just, shelved everything else in my life to be here for them.”

“That’s an incredible thing to do.” The sentiment was genuine, but he couldn’t help the grin as Qrow tried to hide in his pillow.

“Point is, I’ve already had to make a decision like this before. Making it again isn’t so hard for me.” He reached out, tapping his chest. “Sounds to me it’s just you having doubts.”

He wasn’t wrong. Clover was feeling uncertain – but he couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t until the next day, when he mentioned his and Qrow’s conversation to Tai and shared his own confused misgivings, that he finally figured out why.

“Give me your scroll.”

Confused, he dropped the device into his hand, watching Tai pull something up, before handing it back. Clover looked down. His heart fell at the ‘Decommission of Huntsman Duty Request’ staring back at him. It seemed obvious when presented like that.

“Being a father means it comes first.” Tai clapped him on the shoulder. “When you can submit that, then you know it’s what you really want.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then you can’t.” He echoed. “Starting a family isn’t about sacrificing happiness, it’s about creating it. There’s no shame in admitting that it’s not something you want.”

Clover sighed, running a hand through his hair. Laughter from outside had him looking up, seeing Qrow holding Citrus above his head as he strolled around the property. She had her arms held out in front of her, mimicking a superhero flying through the sky. What really captivated him was Qrow himself. The other man was not known for smiling big, if much at all – but right then, it had enough brightness to it to power the sun. The sight made his chest swell so much, it could burst.

“And if I can?” He whispered, like a secret that shouldn’t be told.

“Then you can.” Having been watching the two outside as well, Tai’s smile and eyes were distant. Perhaps his own girls on his mind. “And one day, you’ll look back at that moment and realize that even though you never saw your life going this way, it was the best decision you ever made.”

All his life, Clover had been certain he would die a huntsman. That he would fight and protect and fight some more until something finally got the better of him. If he was lucky, he’d go out heroically, sacrificing his own life to save even one last person. He never thought he needed anything else.

But as he watched the two play, filling the backyard with such innocent, simple joy, he wondered if he could truly leave this behind without regret.

“What do you think Qrow’ll do?” He asked.

“I think that’s a question you should ask him yourself.”

So, he did.

And now, five months later, here he was playing peek-a-boo with Mint while Qrow put hair ties with little red bobbles on them up in Citrus’ hair.

He hadn’t yet regretted a single day.

~

Raven was in the kitchen when they got downstairs.

Mint started to fuss immediately, and Clover didn’t put up a fight when Qrow reached out to take him.

“Brother.” She said around a sip of tea.

“Raven.” He returned, expression thunderous on their intruder.

If Tai and Qrow’s relationship was one that Clover didn’t have time to figure out, he didn’t even try to touch Qrow and Raven’s. It just had bad blood written all over it.

“Auntie Rae!” Citrus, still too young to really understand all the hostility in the air, skipped over to the woman with no hesitation.

Despite the fact there were three other huntsmen in the room, Qrow tensed up every time. Clover placed a hand on his back.

“Dad did my hair, isn’t it pretty?” The girl lowered her head, pointing to the ties.

“It’s, fine.” In an instant, Raven’s mask broke into something lost and confused. It was hilarious how one child could make her go from borderline threatening to uselessly awkward. “Why don’t you show Tai, I’m sure he’ll love it.”

“’Kay!” She chirped, running over to the counter where the man was preparing a stew that would be left to shimmer until supper.

The taunt muscles under his hand started to unwind. Clover rubbed the rest of the tension away, giving Qrow a kiss on the cheek. “Sit down. I got breakfast.”

Shooting him a grateful look, the other man did just that, addressing his sister, “I assume if you’re here, you’ve got news?”

“Do I come for any other reason?”

“Thankfully, no.”

Clover listened with one ear as he went about the motions. Warmed a bottle for Mint. Poured a cup of coffee for Qrow. Popped on the top of the sippy cup filled with apple juice for Citrus. As he lifted the fresh tea kettle for himself, he paused, giving Tai a suspicious glance when he realized it wasn’t filled with the usual Jasmine, but a dark, bitter Darjeeling.

The blond pointedly pretended to not notice, as if he hadn’t made his ex’s favorite tea despite the fact his relationship with the woman across the room was arguably worse than Qrow’s.

He was never going to understand this family, was he?

Clover set the kettle back, deciding to opt for coffee as well but drowned it in sugar. Delivered three of the four drinks to the table. Took sips of his own while he got down Citrus’ favorite cereal and made a few slices of buttered toast for himself and Qrow. Sliced some grapes into small pieces for Mint. On his second return to the table, the conversation had delved into an argument.

“I just don’t see why you can’t stay closer to them.”

“I’m staying as close as I need to. It’s bad enough they have one maiden in their group – what good would it do for me to be there?”

“You could train Penny, for one.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Raven snorted, reaching for her tea.

Clover spotted Citrus imitating her with her juice. He wasn’t sure if he liked her odd admiration of the older woman.

His own feelings on her were… mixed, at best. On one hand, it was obvious her stuck-up, selfish attitude and harsh nature had soured the relationships with the people around her. Most notably the one with her own daughter, who would either ignore her or leave the room entirely. If such a thing bothered Raven, she was too stubborn to admit it and too concerned with keeping up appearances to show it.

On the other, it was Raven they owed Atlas’ evacuation to. If not for her semblance, allowing for them to quickly and safely transport people by the hundreds from Mantle’s belly of underground mines to the safe island of Patch, he was positive the death count would have been much more severe. If not, a near total genocide. Salem’s seize had been all encompassing, entrapping the citizens of both cities within their own walls. With nowhere to go and no chance of surviving the tundra, the people had bunkered down in their homes and prayed for a miracle.

So, when Raven heeded her brother’s call and agreed to help, it felt like that prayer was being answered.

Qrow told him not to be fooled by her act of kindness – because that was exactly what it was. An act. He was positive his sister only stepped in to put herself in their good graces, so that when it was her life that was in danger, they would all but leap at her feet to protect her. While Clover couldn’t precisely refute that, it was certainly possible that was her aim, he also couldn’t help but point out that she already had the leverage she needed for that. After all, it wasn’t exactly like they’d allow Salem to just add another maiden’s powers to her growing entourage of followers.

It also didn’t explain why she was sticking around to be a glorified messenger bird, transporting information between their little family in Patch to Vale where the remaining members of the Aceops and the Beacon teachers were stationed, to Vacuo where Ruby and the various teams following her were keeping guard on the other relic.

Qrow blew that explanation off, just as he blew off Raven now, “How is it ridiculous to give our very important key player in this a fighting chance?”

“Oh please, don’t give me that drivel.” She snarled nastily. “You just want me to babysit those brats like you were doing.”

Before more could be said, Tai smacked the top cover of the pot down firmly and said, “If you two are going to go at each other’s throats, do it outside.”

The twins glared at one another, but Qrow was the first to back down, focusing back on Mint. “I’ve got better things to do.”

“As do I.” Raven got to her feet, setting her cup down on the table. “At least the tea was lovely. Can’t say the same for the company.”

Tai rolled his eyes. “Well thanks for coming.”

Like the tornado she was, the woman went sweeping out the back door, leaving everything behind in a disarray.

Clover exhaled slowly, studying the room. Tai had turned away to fetch a mug of tea for himself. If not for his brother-in-law’s sobriety, he may have looked for something stronger. What concerned him more was Qrow. His boyfriend was fighting a scowl, jaw locked like iron and lips pressed in a hard line of anger that seemed ready to explode out of him.

“Hey,” He started to say, reaching out towards the man beside him.

So preoccupied, none of them noticed until the back door shut a second time.

Head snapping around, Clover took one look at his daughter’s empty chair, before he was leaping up to chase after her. He was out the door and in the yard in seconds, the shout tearing out from his throat.

“CITRUS!”

The sight that awaited him had his heart turning to ice cold dread. Raven stood in front of one of her vortexes, awash with the bloody glow and sword poised above her like a guillotine. Underneath it, hanging helplessly by the back of her dress, was his daughter.

“Raven. Put her down. Now.” He said firmly, shaking fingers going for Kingfisher – only to find it wasn’t there. Red eyes met his, the surprise in them confusing him.

“I-” She started.

Vaguely, he recognized the sound of footsteps on the porch behind him, but his attention didn’t waver from the situation in front of him. So, he didn’t miss the way her expression steeled over once more.

“What are you doing?!” Qrow bellowed.

“Just making a point.” Raven tossed the girl through the air, right into Clover’s waiting arms. “Would have been a tragedy if I’d been an enemy, wouldn’t it of?”

With that parting gift, she walking through her portal and vanished in a blink.

~

The first lesson ever taught to him at the academy was no amount of preparation could plan for the unplannable.

With a snap, the book was closed, Clover tossing it onto the table in front of him with a scoff. He fell back against the couch cushions, raking agitated hands through his hair. With Tai having gone to town and Qrow and the kids upstairs, there was a rare bit of stillness to the home. Yet, the quiet only seemed to invite the echoes of his own shouts until they were the loudest thing in the room again.

“What were you thinking? You can’t just run after people with swords!”

“But, but dad has a sword!”

“I don’t care! You could have gotten hurt!”

“I-I just wanted to-”

“I don’t want to hear it! Go to your room, right now!”

Citrus’ tear-stained face as she ran up the stairs plagued him like an illness. He groaned miserably, pressing his palms against his eyes hard enough to see stars. Even with the many years leading the Aceops under his belt, he was never really a man known to shout. What had happened?

The stairs creaking had him looking up, seeing Qrow descending them. “Mint’s down for his nap.”

“And Trissy?”

“Still doesn’t want to come down.”

Who could blame her? Clover heaved a sigh. “I made an awful display of myself, huh?”

“Wouldn’t say that.” The other man joined him on the couch. “When Yang was about the same age, she took herself and Ruby out into the woods.” He paused, before snorting. “Trying to find Raven actually.”

Did this woman just attract danger by merely being in someone’s thoughts?

“So, of course they got attacked by Grimm out there. I barely got there in time.” Qrow ran a hand over the back of his head, smile sheepish. “You should have seen how I lost my head that day. And I was nothing compared to Tai. A volcano erupting would have been calmer.”

That managed to wretch a chuckle from him.

Qrow bumped their shoulders together with no more force than a pat. “Sometimes, kids are frustrating little tyrants that’ll make terrible decisions and drive you up a wall. Getting mad about it doesn’t mean the world ended, just means you care.”

“I know. I just,” He gestured to the forgotten book, Disciplining Positively, he’d tossed aside on the table, “I want to do things the right way for them.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me there was a ‘How to do everything right’ guide? Coulda sold that to me ages ago.” He drawled sarcastically.

Clover curled an arm around him, pulling him closer. “Very funny. You know what I mean.”

“I do. And I’ll admit, you do better than most, but even you can mess up lucky charm. All you can do when that happens is roll with those punches. Citrus’ll come around. And if that fails,” His grin was downright devious, “Bribery always works.”

“Oh, stop!”

Qrow only laughed, not fighting the kisses Clover attacked his face with. He had almost made it to his mouth, when a pitter-patter from upstairs interrupted. A moment later, a small shadow stretched down the stairwell. Testing, a foot came into view, landing on the first step. When nothing ill happened, the other foot followed.

When she made it to the first landing, Qrow spoke, “Whatcha doing there, squirt?”

She had brought Mr. Cuddlesworth with her and was hugging him. “Can I come down now?”

“I think that one’s up to daddy.”

Clover gave the other an appreciative look, before smiling up at their daughter. “Of course you can, sweetheart.”

She came down the rest of the stairs, only to pause once she got to the carpet. “Are you still mad?”

He chose his next words carefully, “No, I’m not. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I was scared that Aunt Raven was going to hurt you, because she was holding her sword.”

She tugged idly on one of the rabbit’s long, floppy ears. “I think I scared her too.”

That had Qrow leaning forward, asking. “What do you mean?”

“She said a no-no word when I tried to run into her portal thing. That’s why she grabbed me. Then she snapped at me like daddy did.”

Clover frowned. He had a feeling he had another apology to give. “Trissy, why did you do that?”

“Because,” She twisted and untwisted the ear, tapping her little feet, “If I went with her, then she would have to bring me back.”

Oh. “You wanted to spend more time with her, huh?”

“Uh-huh.”

He eyed his boyfriend carefully, seeing the confliction all over his face. He dropped a hand over his, giving it a small squeeze. This had to be hard for him. “Well sweetie, next time, we can just ask her if she can stay longer okay?”

“Okay.”

“I’m also sorry I made you upset and sad. Can you forgive me?”

Citrus nibbled on the end of the rabbit’s ear as she thought, before giving a slow nod.

Relief pushed out of him in a soft sigh. “Thank you.” He shifted back, sinking into the cushions more. “Hey, since Mint’s asleep, why don’t we all watch a Gleamworks movie?”

“Sounds good to me.” Qrow got to his feet. After all that, he was probably eager to just veg out for the next hour and a half. He lent down in front of the media center, pulling out one of the drawers. “Your pick squirt.”

“I like the one with the funny panda!”

“Funny panda it is.”

While Qrow got things set up Citrus came over and, to Clover’s surprise, climbed up right next to him. She held her bunny up at him, reporting matter-of-factly, “Mr. Cuddlesworth needs to be able to see too.”

“Okay.” He picked up the stuffed toy, setting it on her head. “What about here?”

“No, daddy! Somewhere higher!”

“Oh, got it.” He turned the rabbit around, setting it on the back of the couch. “How about this?”

She giggled behind her hands. “Noooo. That’s the wrong way. He can’t see out of his butt!”

“Are you sure?”

She gave him a look. “Can you see out of your butt?”

He winked. “Maybe that’s my semblance.”

“No, it’s not! Now do it right!”

He chuckled but did as asked, righting the toy. As Citrus snuggled up to him, he wrapped an arm around her. A moment later, he did the same with Qrow when he plopped back down beside him.

While the movie played, Clover had to wonder how his life had both become congruently simpler and harder at the same time. Sure, he no longer faced anything more dangerous than bruised knees from tripping over Mint’s toys and the most terrifying thing he had to confront was not a crazed Grimm Queen but Citrus trying to run after her criminal of an aunt. But now he had to contend with new difficulties, like learning how to deal with sleepless nights when Mint was teething, or adapting to the new developments and understanding as the kids grew, or just having long talks with Qrow about their plans for their future together and the one they hope to give to their children. Every new decision they made wasn’t the same as facing the end of the world, but at the same time it was.

Because, somewhere along the way, this family had become his new world.

In that, there was something that hadn’t changed – his resolve to protect that world with everything he had.

So that tomorrow, it could flourish and grow.

To his right, Citrus laughed as the panda went flying across the sky. To his left, Qrow yawned and rested his head against his shoulder for a nap of his own. Clover only smiled, arms still holding on, never intending to let go.

So that tomorrow, they all had something wonderful to wake up to.

[the-magic-lava-lamp]

Strange Magic

Summary: ‘The Talisman’ was a shop owned by one Mrs. Sharp who believed in a world much more mystical than others were willing to admit. Her beliefs set the tone for her career path and led her to buying the place several years ago. It was to be run by herself & others who believed in the enchantment of magic that others were blind to.

Ships: Loki/Theo 

(Loki, Theo, Mantis & Wanda are in a cute little friendship group & don’t ask me why but this was NEEDED!!) 

(Modern AU BUT Loki & his mystical gang have something very similar to the Shining™. ) 

Word Count: 3,415

‘Psychic Readings

Metaphysical & Holistic goods ’

The tiny blinking neon sign buzzed as it hung against the window to the tiniest brick building. It shared it’s residence with no one else’s business these days, no longer a part of a strip but standing on it’s own. 

The Talisman was owned by one Mrs. Sharp who believed in a world much more mystical than others were willing to admit. Her beliefs set the tone for her career path and led her to buying the place several years ago. It was to be run by herself & others who believed in the enchantment of magic that others were blind to. 

In the beginning, she’d found herself in the company of one Theo Bell. He’d wandered in as an unsure but elated young man. The allure of the shop & what it stood for was the driving force for his job application. He was just plain interested in having a charmed experience to drown out any skepticism lingering inside of him. 

He was Mrs. Sharp’s first hire. He built up most of the antique shop aspect of the store. And he’d accompanied her on her quest to find a round-table of psychics & clairvoyants dedicated to their talents. 

Their first and biggest mistake as a team, was hiring the breath of spring air which was Amora. A young woman who possessed many natural abilities & enchanted those in her presence. What she lacked was a sense of her own worth. Her enriched version of what her talents warranted was beyond even her conscious mind. 

With her participation, the Talisman became something else entirely...a project for her to build herself (& herself alone) up. 

Their first and greatest choice as a team though was also hiring Amora. 

Because with the her came another little witch who’d kiss the ground she walked on if Amora asked. Loki was only comparable to a setting-moon. Doe eyes that were far more suspicious than they looked. His glances were fond and fervently unsettling. 

That was exactly why Theo fell for the mischievous boy. Mrs. Sharp knew that from the moment they were introduced. 

Loki had picked up every single one of Theo’s little gadgets laying around the store during his interview. Tossing & turning each interesting piece of equipment as if he didn’t care much for them...but his warm eyes gave him away. 

These days, Theo was having an affair of the heart (as Mrs. Sharp called it) over Loki. He watched day-in-and-day-out as the slick confident young man was reduced to a weaker version of himself whenever Amora came round for her shifts. 

: : : : : : : : : : :

It was clear to Loki, while he was sitting at the counter for his early morning shift, that Theo was sucking on his pinkie-finger. 

It was a simple little action the smaller boy did when he was off on his own world of thought or trying to clean hot tea off his skin. Loki turned his head, fluttering his eyelashes slightly as he glanced at him. It was a habit that Theo could stand to get rid of, it's not like Loki adored hearing the sound of his spit while he was attempting to wake himself up, but it was sort of endearing.

Theo popped the finger from between his wet lips and lifted the mug up to blow steam. 

“That’s a pretty face.” Loki remarked with snarky amusement as his friend hissed from the heat. He clasped his hands together and eagerly rested his chin atop them. 

Theo stuck his tongue out in his special little juvenile way and licked at a droplet that sped down the side of the cup. “Nice of you to say.” He winked and turned to fidget with some of the shelves. “Get your darling self over by the books and dust em’ some, will you?” He was now speaking over his shoulder because it drove Loki bonkers. 

His witchy little friend remained stationary at the counter and flicked through pages of inventory. Theo playfully rolled his eyes. 

“Oh great one?” Theo batted his eyes sarcastically and giggled a little when Loki responded. “Do me the honor?” He picked up the duster and flung it at Loki’s chest. 

Loki breezed over to him with a smirk. “With pleasure...” He drew closer and purposefully bumped their arms. “You missed a spot over there.” He leaned over him to point at one of the glass shelves. 

Theo held out his palm. “Talk to the hand, Loki.” He said in a poor attempt of an american accent. 

“Gladly.” Loki took Theo’s hand and began to trace the lines of his hand gently and with great pleasure. 

Theo sucked in some air and tried not to tingle all over as Loki swirled his touch all around the bend of his hand. For a moment, he was confused before he sadly caught on to the joke. “You’re not the palm reader kind. You’ve told me that yourself a million times.” 

Loki just hummed and continued to trace every dip in the skin. “That’s true. I'm more of a-”

“Clairvoyant Psychic.” 

Theo spoke the identification at the same time, having heard Loki refer to himself that way about a million times now. His friend looked up to smirk again and smacked Theo’s palm. 

“I see something interesting though.” Loki raised a thin brow and looked down at Theo’s hand. 

“What?” 

He attempted to pull-back with interest but Loki was much quicker. He smacked Theo’s hand up to gently smack it against his cheek. Instantly falling into laughter when Theo tried to smack him back. 

Loki just clicked away though, the heels of his boots tapping the floor as he picked up the duster to actually start the work. 

He had that simple and carefree grin on his face. It was no wonder all of Theo’s attention was right back onto the young man. Loki dipped his chin down like he was being shy before running his tongue across his lips. It almost played off as if it were a move. His moistened lips parted just slightly and the air conditioned breeze ricocheted throughout his body which just had to make him tilt his chin to the ceiling. The smooth skin of his neck now exposed to the suggestive chill-

“Hello.” 

The bell over the door rang out as Amora swayed inside the building with the prettiest little smile over her face. Theo jumped as if stung and looked far from Loki. 

Amora glided over and tucked her arm into Loki’s, taking him back behind the counter with her. She didn’t pay much of a greeting to Theo who was trying his best not to insist Loki get back to work. He leaned on his cane and frowned. 

: : : : : : : : : :

“Hey Trickster.” Amora pulled Loki’s sleeve and leaned her body against his as they entered the back room. He tried not to burst from her delicate touch and allowed himself to be led. 

She put him to a stop and draped herself on the tiny couch and when he sank down beside her, a tiny electric shiver shot down his spine. Their knees brushed together and the wonderful woman didn’t pull away. “I had a vision.” She spoke and flicked a piece of his black hair behind his ear. 

She pursed her lips in thought and he found himself wishing desperately for her to touch him again. Just one more speck of something; a passing graze of her fingers would do. 

Loki creased his brows. “What do you mean?” 

Amora smoothed her hands down her pants. “There’s no telling how far I can go, Loki.” She grinned. “I saw myself last night in my visions...” Amora shook her head, blonde hair pooling around her shoulders “I was finally somewhere where there’s magic in the air, Loki. Away from here.” 

Loki hadn’t realized the depths of admiration he truly had for her until she blinked up at him again. 

“Away from people who don’t believe in us, Trickster.” She didn’t yet touch him again but pressed on with her stunning looks. 

“And you were alone in this?” He couldn’t believe he’d allowed himself to ask such a pathetic sounding question but he had to know just as badly as he ached to be appreciated by her. 

For a brief second, her shiny eyes resembled a stained glass. “I looked across the cosmos, Loki.” She looked at him as if he were being a ridiculous child. “Of course you were with me. You set the dream off, after-all.”

Loki’s heart flipped with the purest form of...love.  

“We were made to use our gift for more than just...” She scrunched up her nose and glanced around the room in a way that unsettled Loki. “Parlor tricks for the blind.” 

“There are no parlor tricks here, Amora.” He felt an odd defensiveness steam up from his body like Theo’s earlier cup of tea. Protecting a job he’d once seen as cheap himself, only interviewing for the sake of sticking with the one person in the world who he could speak to. “I-” He paused. 

She raised a blonde brow. “You help these people?” She finished for him with a seed of doubt in her tone. “Loki...they don’t truly care for your abilities. They come to get a supernatural taste, tell all their friends about it and then it just becomes a funny story. No one that comes into this cheap mock-store actually believes in us the way they should. Don’t you see that?” 

Amora tried to take his hands and for the first time in his life, Loki denied her of a touch. 

The woman looked a bit shocked at the action. “You really want to be like your Mother? Or Mrs. Sharp? Holding out the flame for those with no visions just so they can see a tiny bit of what we can always see & feel?” She shook her head. 

Loki blinked, thinking of his mothers words. She’d always called it the Shine...their little gift. And he supposed Amora was right. He had been holding out his flames to others without the ability so they could take a quick peek. 

Mrs. Sharp thought it to be good work and maybe somewhere along the way...she convinced Loki of that too. He thought briefly of Theo, who never ceased to be amazed by Loki but always kept him humble. 

“That sounds like a burden to me.” She frowned. 

Loki pursed his lips. “If so, I’m ‘burdened' with a glorious purpose in life.” He shrugged. 

Amora stared at him for a while longer before she silently strutted out of the room and out of the building. 

: : : : : : : : : :

The rest of the week went as normal, until a tiny distraction flew by the workers on a Tuesday. That wasn't to say the distraction wasn't welcomed. In fact, Loki desperately needed something to get his mind elsewhere. 

Though, it wasn't very fun to be stuck holding a tissue under Theo’s pinched nose to keep blood from trickling down his sweater. 

Gem was working the register and attempting to shuffle chaotically through papers at the same time when he'd accidentally elbowed poor Theo right in the nose.

 And in the blink of the eye, Loki was collecting tissues for his friend and proceeding to hold them for the dazed boy. It was strangely intimate.

“Good Morning.” Mrs. Sharp chuckled as she strutted inside, hanging up her scarf and trying to catch Theo’s eyes. 

Loki wiped at some dried blood just above Theo’s cupids bow, feeling the weak tissue crumbling a little. A tingle set off in the back of his mind when his friend blinked up at him with appreciative eyes. He hummed which he’d always found to be a way to harmonize his thoughts with his...visions of sorts. 

Mrs. Sharp came over and took Theo’s chin in her hand, subtly tugging him out of Loki’s grasp. 

Loki found his hand empty and his chest stung. 

“You’ll live.” She chuckled. “Big day ahead of us. I scheduled some interviews to add to our round-table and we’ll need to rush em’ since Amora quit.”  

Heat blasted through Loki’s hard chest as he clenched the rusted tissue in his fist. Amora had left? Without so much as a goodbye?

Theo fluttered his gaze back to Loki and his sprinkling of freckles looked much like a connect-the-dots game. What was unsettling was how they mixed with the dried splatters of blood droplets lingering under the soft boys nose. “You alright?” He asked which was unintentionally amusing since it was coming from the boy who was screaming in pain not five minutes ago. 

That fact pulled at Loki’s heart slightly. “Just fine.” 

: : : : : : : : : :

“Loki?”

The delicate sound of Theo’s voice came from the corner of the shop just a few short hours later. They were the only two left to manage the front while Gem & Mrs. Sharp ran some interviews in the back. 

He walked round the corner and slouched against the counter and instead of leaning his cane onto the counter, like usual, he swung it up and laid it across the top. Teasingly acting like he might thump Loki’s head which earned him the slightest grin. “You’re going to ask about Amora.” 

Theo wasn’t surprised that Loki knew that to be true. Not only was the man always able to predict shit but Theo was also sort of obvious. “Maybe.” He shrugged. 

Loki smiled & shoved some papers around the counter. His slender fingers effortlessly pushed them into a fine & thin stack as he seemed to debate his next move. “She’s moved on.” He blinked. 

“You’re not quitting too, are you?” Theo’s tone was uncharacteristically wobbly as he fiddled with the head of his cane. 

Loki thought of Amora once more asking him to join her and found no regret in his answer for her. He only found the pain that came from rejecting her.  

“You’d miss me too much.” Loki chuckled, not even thinking about his answer before saying it in a sarcastic tone. 

“I would.” Theo surprised him with a genuine answer. Not playing by their usual rules of teasing each other. Loki looked up in a sort of alarm which made Theo feel a bit cheekier about it. “Don’t let it  get to your head, Loki but I am...fond of you.” 

Theo grinned, some freckles falling into the dips of his dimples. “But you knew that, don’t you?” 

Loki pulled his lips together and felt the tingle in the back of his mind because...of course, he did know that. He knew things about people. Just another part of his gift. But he had yet to face that fact about Theo. “I did.” He found the amusement within himself to smile. 

With the admission actually out there between them, Theo lost some of his confidence fairly quickly. Like the sea running over sand, the man did his best to cover it up. 

But of course, Loki knew. “It may not be a secret, Theo-” He started, hoping for eye contact. “But... it’s an idea you can pursue.” He leaned onto the counter and enjoyed it a bit when he blushed. 

“How will that turn out for me?” 

Loki hummed. “If you want an answer before you try...maybe check your palm cause I'm not your fortune teller, Theo.” He sarcastically gestured to his hand with a bit of a bitter tone. “Give me a quarter will you’re at it & maybe I’ll print your fortune on a cheesy card to show your friends.” 

Theo picked up his cane and shook his head. “Not all of us know things like you do, Loki.” He frowned. “I’m not counting on everything but could you just tell me if you’re interested in a guy like me? I’d like to be sure before I try to...impress you. Cause I’ve been wrong about that kind of thing before.” 

Loki pulled back slightly. “Impress me? How?” He playfully smirked. 

Theo gave him one back. “Oh, can’t tell you everything now can I?” He leaned on his cane and nearly tumbled to the floor. Loki grinned, leaning over the counter again. 

“I’m eager to find out then.” Loki fluttered his eyelashes and looked away from Theo for the first time in this long shift. 

: : : : : : : : : :

A ruby-lipped young woman who looked as if she might be some devil in disguise was operating the register the next time Loki came to work. Her long dark-toned hair pillowed at her shoulders and framed her peaceful looking face well. 

He knew this to be one of the new psychics Mrs. Sharp brought to their now slim round-table. He felt her energy just the same as he guessed she felt his. 

She glanced up, knowing his thoughts, and the devil flew from her when she smiled. “I’m Wanda.” 

Loki strolled over and shook the hand she offered. “Loki.” 

He spent most of his day showing her the ropes of working the Talisman and found her presence quite nice. Wanda was rather serious concerning her abilities and seemed to genuinely appreciate the business. 

She had a real sense of devotion to the clairvoyant skills she possessed and got a fond little grin on her face when she talked of it. Loki recognized the expression well considering he couldn’t be more passionate about something in his life than his skills. 

: : : : : :

With Wanda, came another young hire who was affectionately known as Mantis. Loki had no idea why that was but he didn’t ask.

Theo seemed pretty happy with the two girls. Relieved to have found more help for the business he absolutely adored. He was impressed with them just the same but Loki knew somewhere deep in his mind that Theo thought they couldn’t hold a candle to Loki. 

Which was ridiculously & unbelievably appreciated by him. He couldn’t bluntly read thoughts at all moments but...a lot of the time...he could. Sometimes he could hear them in his own mind if he was close enough both psychically and mentally. Which, was how he ran his appointments. 

The group was sitting round the table in the backroom where they took their individual appointments & attempting to explain their skills to the room. Mrs. S, Gem & Theo listened intently. 

Mantis was speaking very shyly with her hands folded delicately in her lap. “I have emphatic abilities.” She smiled, eyes taking turns focusing on each person in the room. 

Theo brightened. “How do they work?” 

The girl’s big eyes grew impossibly wider as she smiled again. “If I touch someone, I feel their feelings. Telepaths know thoughts-” She looked to Wanda and Loki. “Empaths feel feelings...emotions.” She grinned to herself then. 

Theo looked positively amazed, his mouth hung a bit open with wonder.

“May I?” Mantis held out a gentle hand to the lovely man. Theo gladly reached out and took her grasp. 

Loki watched as the girl was seemingly overcome with something large and...warm. Her cheeks dusted in pink and the grandest smile took over her face. “You feel love. Romantic love.” 

Theo chuckled, opening his mouth. 

“For him.” Mantis pointed at Loki with no hesitation, looking quite pleased and eager when she did so. 

Loki smirked and attempted to hide his blush when Theo pulled from Mantis’s hand. Sure, they’d come to the conclusion that they both knew Theo harbored feelings & was maybe going to pursue them...but that was now open to the whole room. 

Mrs. Sharp watched him slowly from over Theo’s head. There was a great sense of protection and hopefulness in her eyes which told Loki that not everyone needed abilities to see Theo’s feelings.

Loki slowly held out his hand for Mantis to take and felt the watchful eyes of his co-workers...his friends. It was odd for him to be on the other end of this sort of thing but...the way Theo was looking at him was what made it worth it. 

Mantis giggled. “He feels the romantic love too. For Theo.” She was about the purest little thing in the world when she laid Loki’s hand atop Theo’s for him. “Love for us as well.” She added just before letting Loki go. 

The group simultaneously broke into a mocking sort of ‘Awwww’

But Loki was far too focused on Theo to really care that much.  “Seems she did all the work.” He laughed. “Guess I didn’t get the chance to impress you, huh?” 

Loki grinned. “You’ll have that chance everyday for the rest of our lives, Theo.” 

[acnhplayertwo]

Player Two's Diary.

Entry 1.

Dear diary,

Thanks Bobness I have this phone with me. Not gonna lie, I'd totally be going cuckoo without an outlet by now.

Why, you ask? Well, it's simple! Let me explain.

This utter mess began something short of one week ago, when my partner, let's call 'em S, presented me with an idea.

"Let's go away, buddy. Let's just toss this boring life behind and go somewhere new. New and fresh. Like... like the Outskirts, or-- or an island. A deserted one, maybe. Somewhere nobody knows us and none of our problems would ever be able and find us. Come on, buddy. Let's do it."

And, pal, I know not whether it was their enthusiasm, or the fact I was starting to resent my life as mayor of a lethargic town, or that we both had a glass too many of Wolfgang's homemade apple wine, but... I accepted.

I said yes.

Actually, I may have said something more than that. In my drunken haze, I remember yelling something like "OH MY BOB, THAT'S AN AWESOME IDEA AND I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO TOLD ME HE'D TAKE ON A DEAERTED ISLAND BUSINESS AND CAN YOU BELIEVE THE COINCIDENCE HAHA, LET ME CALL THAT OL' RASCAL NOOK!"

And that was it, dear diary. In the span of an our we had traded our entire life's savings for a couple tickets to Nowhere.

But it wasn't that bad at first. I was actually psyched. "You go first, S!", I said. "You go and prepare a cozy spot for us. I'll reach you in three days tops."

And so we did. The next day, S kissed me goodbye, nothing but a backpack on their shoulders and hope in their eyes. "Plane's departing soon. I'll be waiting for you in our lives' next chapter, buddy."

So they went, while I stayed. I had too much stuff to do still, what with signing my temporary resignment as town mayor, packing up, saying goodbye to my citizens.

Then, 48 hours later, there I was, waiting to hop aboard on one of Dodo Airlines' rickety machines.

"Oh my, you won't believe how perfect it is here!" S' voice crackled assaulted my ears with a mix of squawking happiness and bad reception through my phone's speaker. "Weather is marvellous, and Sakura's are bloomin' and and and everything is just SO PERFECT!! There's so much stuff to do, and things to craft, and everyone is just SO DEAR!! They even threw a welcome party for the first residents, and there were confetti, and juice, and even a BONFIRE!!"

I found myself smiling as I left my old life behind and flew through the skies that would lead me to a brand new one. But my smile soon faltered as I stepped off the plane and onto Sleepwalk Island's wooden dock.

"Oh, you here. Finally. Fearless Leader's waiting for you."

"Allright," I thought as I followed Tim ad Tommy’s fuzzy shadows across the island and into a green tent, “they have never been the friendly type, but... is a hug really too much to ask?” I ignored my disappointment, telling myself that they must have been busy, like they always are, and let my face melt in a huge smile as I breathed in the familiar musk of wood and tanuki fur. 

“PT!! Such a pleasure to see you here, yes yes!“ Tom rushed towards me, paws extended, his eyes nothing more than a couple happy slits. “I heard of your arrival and boy, I couldn’t wait! Here, drink something and make yourself at home...“ He slapped a can of soda in my open hand and began explaining me the hows and whys of his new business venture, nodding with his usual verve. “... and from this terminal here you can order anything you want and have it shipped right at your door-- ahem, tent step! Isnt’ it great??“

I smiled, knowing full well there was nothing I could say or do to stop his tirade. “And look! This is my new workbench! You can use it anytime, and-- let me show you how it’s done!“

Twenty minutes later, I stepped back out into the morning sun, arms heavy with Nook’s patented survival bundle, head buzzing with info. 

“Awesome! I will repay this trifle of a loan by nighttime, and after that, this island will be mine! Oh boy, I can’t wait! It’s gonna be so rad!“ 

Or so I thought. 

Reality, in fact, was soon to smack me in the face. Hard.

You see, S had told me all about how they had been able to trade bugs and fish for much-needed DiY recipes. “And you’ll be able to craft lotsa useful stuff, like axes, and you’ll need those to find wood and get stones and iron from rocks and build so much amazing objects-- I just can’t even!!“

So, understandably, I was all set to seize the occasion and do the same. 

That afternoon, I stepped into Nook’s headquarters with a bucket of fish, looking forward to my bright future as Sleepwalk’s craftmaster, when...

“Oh. I see. well, buddy, I’m afraid I can’t help you at this time,“ Tom said, avoiding my gaze and preferring to stare at one of my flapping mackerels instead.

“What d’you mean?,“ I asked, wiping the sweat from my surprised face.

“Well, it’s kinda embarrassing, but...“ Tom scratched his head before continuing. “You see, every other person no this island came in here, trading their critters for recipes, and... there were more people than I expected and I didn’t take into account this possibility and...“ He sighed. “...I’m all out. I have no more recipes to give you, buddy. Sorry ‘bout that.“

I blinked more times than needed. 

“But... what am I supposed to do now?“

Tom shrugged. 

“You can still sell your catch to scrounge up a few bells, I suppose. Or you could keep some fish as pet, I dunno.“

“Yes, no, what I mean is...“ I looked around and gestured to the outside world.

“What am I supposed to do?!“

Tom cocked his head and bit his lip. Then, unexpectedly, he flashed me the biggest smile in the universe.

“It’s simple! ENJOY LIFE!“

He slid an arm around my shoulders and began dragging me towards the exit.

“You can fish some more, gather branches and craft a bug net, or-- or or, ehm, take pictures! Yes yes, pictures are nice, you can post them on Twitter and make all your friends jealous, and then Ireallyhavenoideaso GOODBYE FOR NOW!“

And just like that, he shoved me and my broken heart out of his tent and back into Sleepwalk Island’s untamed wilderness. 

Needless to say, I was dumbfounded. 

Still, I couldn’t stop now. I still had a debt to repay.

So, I took a deep breath and lunged into my activities. 

I spent the entire day fishing, and fishing, and catching bugs, and picking fruit, until the sun set, and the fresh night breeze began freezing the sweat on my skin.

I was beyond exhausted, dirty and disheartened. But I was ready, and, most importantly, furious.

The moon was high in the sky when I stepped into Tom’s tent, and found him alone, beer in hand, a stack of paperwork under his muzzle.

“Nook,“ I announced, voice low and gravelly with rage, “check your phone.“

“Oh, PT! I didn’t see you the--“

“Check. Your. Phone.“

I stared at him as he obeyed.

“Ah. Your debt is settled, I see! Now we can think about building you a home proper, yes yes!“ He was trying to hide his embarrassment behind a thin layer of businesslike enthusiasm, but I wasn’t having it.

“Yes, I want my roof blue, thank you. But that is not why I am here.“

I sat on a stool beside him and spread my fingers on his desk.

“Now listen closely, Nook. I did everything you told me. I spent the entire day chasing bugs and I caught so much fish I will stink like one for a month. Then, I took pictures. I took so many my thumbs are sore, and people are wondering wether I am planning to become a professional photographer. And now, here I am, same as when I started, doing ZERO progress cause guess what?!“ I could hear my voice raising in volume, but could do nothing to stop it. “There is nothing to do on this island. Nothing. I can’t craft anything, cause there’s no recipes. And even if I did, I couldn’t craft, or build anything, cause there are no materials for me to gather. But tell me the truth, Tom. This isn’t the same for everybody, is it? No... these things are happening to me and me only. Cause there is nothing for me to do on this island. Ain’t it the truth, Tom?“

When the raccoon looked at me, he did it with his saddest eyes.

“Alright, PT, yes. You want the truth, you shall have it.“

He drew a long, shaky breath and tossed me a beer.

“You see, bud, Sleepwalk is an island. And until not long ago, a deserted one at that.“ He cleared his voice before resuming.

“So, yeah. There isn’t much here. Literally. Resources are awfully scarce. And in order to thrive, you need as much as you can get your paws on, and at times, even that isn’t enough. Sure, people here might seem kind and friendly. But truth is, we’re all locked in a constant fight for survival. Every single one of us. Never forget that.“

“But... But I...“

But I am the mayor, I wanted to yell.

“You are the second human relocator, my friend. It’s a first come first served world, buddy... and you, I’m afraid, arrived a bit late.“

I do not remember walking out of that tent and into the darkness. 

I don’t even remember how I ended up on the beach.

All I know, is that I did not sleep last night, busy as I was hugging my tear-soaked knees, wrestling with that crushing realization. 

The realization that, on this island, I will never be anything more than... Player Two.

[tendertenebrosity]

Scars

I can’t find it now, but I’m pretty sure there was a prompt about people seeing a whumpee’s scars? Here is part of why Emry and Ben broke up.  

Emry pulled his mouth away from Ben’s for a moment to snatch a breath of air, and found himself grinning uncontrollably. Ben was undoing the buttons on his shirt, and his heart was hammering and he had a feeling he should put a stop to it but he didn’t want to, he wanted to keep going.

Maybe Ben wouldn’t notice anything. He never had before. 

Emry shrugged his shirt off one shoulder and pressed closer, kissing the line of Ben’s jaw. Ben made a soft appreciative noise, tipping his head, and his hand drifted down towards Emry’s waist.

Emry pressed his face into Ben’s neck to steady himself. Ben felt nice, to Emry’s Sight as well as his hands and his mouth, soap and strong hands and drifts of golden sawdust and swirling woodgrain and hot sweet tea…

“Wow, Em, that’s impressive,” Ben remarked, and Emry’s heart dropped like a stone out of the giddy excitement of a few moments earlier.

Ben’s hand had fallen on the scar from the corpse-bird, the one that stretched across Emry’s belly.

Oh no.

“How did you get this?”

“Um. Oh. That. It’s a wound from defence training. Kind of a stupid story, really,” Emry said, desperately trying to sound casual. Ben still smelt nice. Emry still wanted to kiss down the slope of his neck. It was so distracting. How could he come up with a good lie when his mind was still half occupied by the kiss that had just been interrupted?

“Really? How?” Ben’s finger traced the scar, playing over the ridges where it got untidy near Emry’s navel. The gentle touch sent a shiver down Emry’s spine and would have been pleasant under another circumstance.

“Oh, just – I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, first time with real swords,” Emry said. “It was my own fault.” He tried to smile, although his stomach was tying itself in knots. Not the pleasant kind. “You’ll notice I don’t carry one. Wonder why, huh?”

“Maker, must have been a hell of a cut,” Ben said, smoothing his fingers over the scar again. “This is like half a foot long, Em!” He laughed.

Emry chuckled nervously. “Yeah, it was. I, um, don’t feel like going into it.”

He suddenly felt stupid, sitting here half out of his shirt, flushed and breathing hard and almost in Ben’s lap. What was he doing?

He moved Ben’s hand off the scar and tried to inch closer to block it from view.

Ben kissed him enthusiastically, and he responded, but it didn’t sweep him away like it had a minute ago. He was too busy trying to tamp down the guilt in the pit of his stomach. Lies, lies, lies. Emry should have known better than to think he could keep any interaction free of lies.

Ben drew back and smiled at him fondly, and then cocked his head, attention caught by something on Emry’s shoulder. “Is that another scar, Em? How many do you have?”

Which one did he… oh, it was the one from last winter. The burn from the fire spirit.

Emry caught his breath, covering the mark with his hand. “A few. I, um, I guess I scar kind of easily, it’s not a big deal.”

“Where did that one come from?”  

You can’t do this, Emry, you can’t do this, he found himself thinking. He’s paying attention now and he’s going to find them all and ask you where they all came from and you’ll keep on lying to him and even if you can come up with something he’s going to think it’s weird, it is weird, how the hell would you get these things leading the sort of life I’m supposed to be leading…

“Mm. It’s a burn,” he said miserably. “Can we please… um - ” He leaned forward to kiss Ben on the mouth, hoping to distract him.

It worked. A few intense seconds later, Ben was pulling Emry over onto him, his hand cradling the back of Emry’s head, mouth hot and soft and passionate against Emry’s. His other hand pressed against the small of Emry’s back, then shifted to get under his waistband.

“Mmm. Uh,” Emry mumbled, catching a breath. His heart was still pounding, his stomach fluttering, but it wasn’t a good feeling anymore. Suddenly he found Ben’s groping hand uncomfortable, awkward. His shirt was twisted and putting pressure on his arm and it kind of hurt. All he could think was that he was doing something very wrong.

Ben would not want to kiss him like this if he knew what Emry was.  

“Are you okay?” Ben said, pausing. His hand moved away, letting Emry pull back, and his eyes searched Emry’s face. “You’ve gone all tense. Is everything alright?”

“I – no,” Emry said, filled with shame and relief and gratitude that Ben had asked. This was wrong. He shouldn’t be doing this. “It’s not. Sorry. Sorry. Can we… I don’t know if I want…”

He pulled away, violently, and Ben let him, looking confused. “What’s wrong? Did I hurt you? What did I do?”

“Nothing,” Emry said, sitting back, his legs still entangled with Ben’s. “Sorry. Sorry. You didn’t do anything, I just – I don’t want to do this anymore, I’m sorry...”

“You don’t want to – Emry, what’s wrong? Why?”

“It’s – nothing,” Emry said miserably, disentangling himself, shifting backwards. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I just – I changed my mind, okay, I don’t want to.” You didn’t do anything wrong. I did. He tried to smooth his hair back with his hands and found it hopelessly mussed. He pulled his shirt straight instead.

Ben looked bewildered. “That – that’s okay, Em, you don’t have to. Hey. Relax.” He sat up, put his hand out and rested it on Emry’s knee.

“I’m sorry,” Emry said, his face burning. He didn’t want Ben to comfort him. He didn’t deserve reassurance. This was all his own fault. He realised the corpse-bird scar was still visible through his undone shirt, and had an overwhelming urge to hide it even though Ben had already seen.

“It’s fine,” Ben said. “Really, it is – I mean – obviously I’m kind of – but it’s fine. But what happened? Did I hurt you?” He watched Emry buttoning his shirt back up, confused and worried.

“No,” Emry said fervently. “Of course you didn’t. I just… I’m not ready yet.”

“But you were…” Ben trailed off, and suddenly looked appalled.  He smacked his forehead with an open palm. “Oh… hell… I am such an idiot! I didn’t mean… you’re beautiful, Em. I should’ve said that, I didn’t say it, I’m sorry.”

“I –” Emry froze, his fingers midway through doing up a button.

“I’m such an idiot, going on about – about scars, I didn’t even think,” Ben went on. His eyes shone with sincerity. “They aren’t bad or anything, sweetheart, you’re… you’re lovely. You are.”

“I – thank – thank you,” Emry stammered. Ben thought he was shy about the scars because of their appearance? That was so… it didn’t even scratch the surface of what was going on here. His first instinct was to deny it, but it made a good excuse.

Ben got up, reached out to caress Emry’s shoulder. Emry pulled away reflexively, and Ben stepped back, looking distressed.

“Okay,” Ben said. “I get it. I messed up. I ruined it. I was just trying to make conversation, Em, they aren’t really very noticeable at all. I mean, they look good, even. I certainly don’t mind them. You’re gorgeous anyway.”

“You didn’t ruin it,” Emry said, wincing. How could he stop Ben from showering him with unwarranted compliments on his looks? “It wasn’t anything you did, I just changed my mind.”

“Oh, come on, you were so keen on this right up until I saw them,” Ben said, looking wretched. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and visibly tried to bring himself back to equilibrium. “Look, whatever the reason… the mood’s kind of gone. Isn’t it?”

Emry looked up. He managed a smile. “I… I guess it is.”

“Maybe we just call it there for the night, then,” Ben said. “I should be getting back to my part of camp soon, anyway.” He smiled fondly at Emry. “We can talk again tomorrow. And we can just go for a walk or something. What do you think?”

Emry nodded. “Sounds good,” he agreed, quietly relieved.

He needed some time to think. About whether this was an ethical thing for Emry to even be trying to do. 

[eludin-realm]

A Tragedy in Solerin Pt. 1 (by yours truly)

Note: This is LONG. Long piece. One of my longer pieces. TL;DR - LONG PIECE. Okay. OKIE. DOKIE. Like I said, this one is going to be all about a sudden and mysterious large monster invasion of Solerin. There will obviously be angst so don’t read if you’re sensitive to that, and of course, there will be battles and fights in the next few parts, so I’m sure you’ll know what to expect with that. With that aside, here we go. Read under the cut:

Reykja’s City Center, Aeredale, Realm of Eludin. Always bustling. Always crowded... DV let out a sigh of irritation as he and Sector attempted to shove through the large crowds to their destination: the smithy, so Dark could get one of Solerin Palace’s blades sharpened. He knew how to do it himself, but sometimes he’d just like to go to a smithy to watch the process & look at the weapons. There were always people huddled around in certain areas to get pictures, look around, and perhaps glance at displays in stores. No matter how many times DV visited Aeredale’s capital, he was never truly used to this.  “For Pete’s sake! Move, please,” Sector tried to reason. “You’re blocking peoples’ way. What about the people who are trying to get to work?” At this, DV scoffed a laugh. “Yeah. But most of them are probably just mindless tourists. And the large holographic screen display over there is like a television. They’re like statues, won’t move.” Sector only frowned, slipping his hands into his pockets. “So basically, they don’t care.” “What, you expect they would? I mean, ‘course, there are some people who would, but a lot of people probably wouldn’t. Think of other big touristy destinations in Aeredale...” DV ran a hand through his black locks. “This is my home. It sucks to know people are like this. I guess it just depends where you are and who you speak to... Now, the futuristic section of Reykja is a lot more crowded than this.”  The dark-clad only groaned. “Makes me wish the smithy here was in the medieval part of the city, and not in this part...” He took a turn into luckily, a less crowded area and took a breath of relief - and, after his red eyes took a glance around, he spotted the smithy’s sign up ahead and pointed. “There. C’mon.” With a surprisingly loud creak, DV opened the door and stepped aside for Sector, before going in himself and taking a gaze around at all the different weapons. Swords. Axes. Maces. Lances. Spears. As well as war hammers, among others. There were also forged armours hung, which caught his eye for a brief moment before he placed his sword atop the counter. “You mind sharpenin’ this real quick?” The smithy only gave him a brief grunt for a response, before preparing the correct things needed. Sector took a seat, stretching and placing his arms behind his head. “I wonder if Idelle needs her cutlass sharpened, or buffed up... probably should of asked before I met up with you. Forgot.”  “If she did, she’d be here, or at least somewhere else,” DV responded. “You know, speakin’ of her, I never really did get to meet your siblings yet. Are they cool?” The other’s steel grey eyes redirected his attention to the smithy, a small smile falling upon his lips. “Idelle worries about me and Sylas way too much. She’s like an overprotective mother, but a sibling instead. My brother is really awesome. He’s pretty tough, and will spar with me every now and then. He even helps me with my gadgets and the like. Trust me, you’ll know when you meet him. I look up to him and aim to be as strong as him one day.” “Reminds me of PV and... well-” “-What’s his name? Oh yeah, this Vitas dude.” “Mmm,” the dark-clad hummed in an affirmative. He happened to notice that the smithy was almost finished, and with his eyebrows shot up, he whipped out his wallet and placed a few hundred valued bills of Aeredalian currency down in advance “You do stuff fast. I like that.” The smithy turned his head to look out the window for a brief moment, and froze dead in his tracks suddenly, staring ahead. “What? What is it?” Sector asked, standing up. When he pointed, DV leaned in to look, flummoxed. “Ain’t that the royal of Solerin on the hologram over there?” That surprised the dark clad, red eyes wide. He stepped forward, trying to see past the large crowd gathered in front of the hologram. “Wha...” “Oh God, it is! What’s he doing?” Sector wondered aloud.  “Makin’ an announcement, it looks like...” The smithy then opened the window to try and let the others listen. DV then squinted his eyes a little, trying to get a closer look at the hologram. It was indeed his royal brother; standing straight with his arms behind his back - a solemn yet serious look on his features. “What the hell...?” “Something’s wrong,” Sector fretted, standing next to DV. “Very wrong,” agreed the smithy. “I don’t see this happen very often.” The loud chatter and cacophony stopped shortly after - and it seemed the entire city turned silent...for once. “People of Aeredale. And most of all, the people of Solerin, I have very grave news,” PV began, as professionally as he could. “Solerin is in danger. We are in danger.” At this, DV gasped out loud, clamping a hand to his mouth. “There’s been a sudden large influx in monster activity, and...” The royal hesitated for what seemed for hours, before continuing.  “We... We’re under attack.” Dark’s red eyes darted to Sector, who reciprocated the fearful gaze.  “We need to go,” demanded DV. “Now.”  The dark-clad took the sword from the blacksmith, inspected the blade for a minute and hurried toward the door. “I’m not done with it,” the smithy warned. “I wasn’t done-” “Take the money! It’ll do! We don’t have time!” Before the smithy could say anything else, their patrons were gone and the door was frantically shut behind them. DV raced across the area as fast as he could to reach the holographic broadcast, braving the large crowds before finding a good spot to pay good attention. Sector caught up with him not long after, adrenaline pumping. “I am safe,” assured PV to the citizens. “I am still in Solerin, but I have been escorted to a more fortified area. I don’t know how many monsters there are, or where they are. What I do know is that they are everywhere...” “Oh Geez,” Sector panted, clasping his hands behind his head in a panic. “What could of caused this?” “I don’t know,” DV fretted, his mind racing. “What are we going to do? If there’s so many in an immeasurable scale, how are we gonna...?” “What I am more concerned about is my people, the citizens of Solerin. Many are defenseless...” PV gazed down for a minute, before redirecting his attention to back in front of him. “However, there are shelters that are available. If you are in Solerin, you need to evacuate immediately to your nearest shelter. Do NOT, and I REPEAT, do NOT wait. This is serious. I have also contacted an air fleet from a few ways away in Corbourne in an attempt to evacuate others by airship-but I am still waiting on a response...” That’s when DV decided...  “Sector? I’m hopping on to my bike and racing back to Solerin. If we want to keep ‘em safe, we need’a fight. And fight I will.” His friend nodded his head in understanding. “I’ll catch up to you as quick as I can. Be careful.” And with that, the two ran, splitting up. The dark-clad reached his motorcycle after a while of running and quickly swung his leg over it, igniting the engine and revving it up. He took a glance toward the hologram once again, trying to listen throughout the motorcycle’s exhaust rumbling. “This message is being broadcast in Solerin, and other areas, like Olisby, Yukip, Antawell, Reykja, and so on. It may also be shown on the news not long after in other areas farther way in Aeredale as well,” PV informed. “I know things are tragic at the moment, but we can figure this out. We can save Solerin. Just please, trust me.”

As DV was slipping his leather gloves on, he felt extreme sympathy for PV and how helpless he sounded. “And please, try to stay calm and listen to officials, they will assist you to the best of their ability. I will speak again when I hear from the Corbourne Airfleet. Thank you for listening. We will make it through this. I swear. As the prince of Solerin, this I promise you. It is my duty to keep my people safe, and thus I shall.” Dark then grabbed his helmet and slipped it onto his head, revving his motorcycle one last time. “I’ll be damned if I ain’t helpin’.” And with that, he raced off toward Solerin, mind focused on heading toward the city and helping clear out areas there, first. After a bike ride that lasted for hours despite his speed, upon making it to Solerin’s city, DV found a safe place to store his motorcycle for the time being. Shutting off the ignition and taking the key out, he placed it into his pocket before getting off and taking his helmet off his head-putting it on top of the motorcycle... It was then in which he heard disaster unfolding: The unmistakable noises of monsters crying out, citizens fleeing and fearing for their lives. Red eyes wide, he sprinted out in to the open, shocked by what he saw... PV wasn’t kidding. There was a large, avian-like monster up in the air, and several different types of creatures on the ground: some he’d fought in the past: Zombie like monsters, wolf-like creatures, bearlike creatures, large-scorpion type monsters, and many he’d never seen in Aeredale beforehand.  Without hesitation, the dark-clad drew his sword and prepared himself for battle, but paused at a familiar voice above him: “OVER HERE, UGLY!” Wait a second...  That was AV, taking to the sky! What the HELL was he thinking!? “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” cried DV as loud as he could through the chaos. “YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FIGHTIN’!” “Maybe not,” shouted AV back down toward Dark, before getting a good distance, then barrel rolling to narrowly evade the avian’s large beak from snatching him. “But I’m not letting my home go down!” There was suddenly a large, mysterious blast that caught onto the large bird’s wing, encasing it completely in ice... “...And neither is he! He’s been helping me, too!” cried AV from above. This caused the dark-clad to spin around and stand in shock at what he saw. A tall blonde with dark-blue mage’s garb and a spellbook in tow... “Wulfric...? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE GOING TO BE HERE WITH HIM? WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE!? You’re going to get hurt!” “Hello to you too, friend,” replied Wulfric. “We’re doing what is right - saving lives like you. Now then - stop staring like an idiot and get to work!! And besides, I’m more capable of fighting than you think!” “What the f-Argh, I hate you. At least TELL ME YOU WERE HERE! You didn’t say a WORD!” DV only snipped back, planting the balls of his feet onto the pavement before breaking into a sprint. “Sure you do. We helped you save your brother, didn’t we? You like us. And I couldn’t really TELL you we were here. I was busy fighting these guys off with the angel!” Wulfric shouted back, before casting another ice spell after a brief incantation - sending another blast and encasing the avian’s wing - causing it to slowly lose air and go down as a result. And DV went in for a swing on one of the wolf-like creatures, landing a pretty good hit on one of its back legs. He then looked to his side, just in time to see another monster swiping at him - to which he flipped to evade. The young angel in the skies then swooped down for a landing - not clean, but pretty gosh darn near it. Rushing forward, his green eyes transitioned to blue for a moment as he thrusted his fist at the creature trying to attack DV, knocking it back some distance. “Whoa...” “You okay?” “Yeah,” responded the dark-clad. “Looks like you’ve gotten stronger.” “I’ve told you I’d been practicing recently! Tell you what,” AV straightened up, gazing down the road. “I’ll work on leading the people to shelters and evacuations?” DV glanced to the blonde mage before him, who nodded his head at the idea. ”That should help others who’re doing the same.” “Wulfric’s right. And, on top of that, there’s one not too far ahead as well so you don’t have that far to go,” DV agreed. “Plus, since you have healing powers you could try and help the wounded... but don’t overdo it.” The angel only gave the other a dorky salute, grinning ear-to-ear in an attempt to lighten the situation. “Roger that!” And with that, he hurried away. DV’s red eyes then gazed at the amount of monsters in the area. Still a hell of a lot... He was surprised they weren’t surrounding them to a point they were cornered. With an exhale, he gripped his sword pommel and took a few steps back.  “Guess it’s just you and me,” DV told Wulfric, assuming his stance. “It’ll have to do until Sector gets here... and whoever else is comin’. Which I pray more people are coming.” “We’ve got backup on the way? Good,” the other responded, using magic to cause his spellbook to levitate in the air in front of him for easy access to the text. “OK, DV. You ready to do this?” “As ready as I’ll ever be, what, with this amount of ‘em...”  “Alrighty,” replied Wulfric, his hands sparking with electric magic. “Let’s go.” Come on, Sector... Hurry up. It’s much more worse than I thought it’d be... pleaded Dark internally. ~PT. 1 END~

[fallintosanity]

i don’t often write noctis’s spoiled-brat arrogant prince side

it’s surprisingly fun

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

Cloud spent the weekend in the First Class break room dozing against Kunsel’s shoulder, so he was almost rested by the time Monday morning rolled around. The same was not apparently true for Noctis Lucis Caelum, who showed up nearly ten minutes late to the Briefing Room, yawning and sleepy-eyed. “Sorry,” he mumbled. If he was bothered by the annoyed look on Lazard’s face, he didn’t show it. “Slept through my alarm.”

“Perhaps we can get you a louder one,” Lazard said dryly. He sat at the far end of the room’s long glass table, the mission briefing on the table before him.

“Won’t help,” Noctis said blearily. He blinked, making what appeared to be a valiant effort to look more alert. “Director,” he said belatedly, then, to Cloud, “Commander.”

Cloud folded his arms. “You’re lucky. If I was any of the other commanders, you’d be in trouble.”

“Why?” Noctis asked around another yawn. “‘S’not like this mission is urgent. The system assigned it to me Friday but told me not to leave until Monday. Pretty sure another ten minutes won’t matter.”

“Perhaps not,” Lazard admitted. “However, discipline is still important. SOLDIER is a military organization.”

“But ShinRa is an electric power company,” Noctis said mildly.

“So it is,” Lazard agreed, equally mild, though his eyes were sharp behind his glasses.

Cloud shot Noctis a warning glance. Noctis wasn’t wrong, exactly, but it wasn’t something he ought to bring up in the Briefing Room with Lazard. Fortunately, Noctis seemed to get the hint, and just said, “So, what now?”

Lazard slid the mission briefing packet to Noctis. “The mission details are in here. Normally, you’ll be assigned missions via the automated system over your PHS, but I like to be present for a new SOLDIER’s first day of missions when possible.”

Noctis blinked at him. “PHS?”

“Didn’t you get one?” Lazard asked. He pulled his own out of his pocket and held it up. “If you haven’t, you should stop by the Equipment Room before leaving on your mission.”

“Oh, that thing,” Noctis said. “Yeah, they gave me one when they gave me the uniforms and stuff.”

“Good,” Lazard said. “Your PHS is how you’ll handle most mission assignments and other bookkeeping tasks. Keep it on you at all times.”

Noctis grunted acknowledgement, his attention already on the mission packet. “What’s a cripshay?” he asked.

“Annoying, mostly,” Cloud said. “I’ve only ever seen them in the train graveyard in the slums, but a group of them was spotted in Sector Six near the Wall Market.”

“...Right,” Noctis said, in the tone of one who had no idea what that meant. “Let’s go.”

Lazard gave them a nod. “Report back to me when you’ve finished.”

Noctis returned the nod, as easy and authoritative as though he was the director of SOLDIER instead of Lazard, then seemed to remember himself and tossed a quick salute as he turned toward the door. Cloud met Lazard’s eyes for a moment, seeing his own confusion reflected there. Noctis’s behavior was definitely strange for a SOLDIER, almost as though he was used to being the one in charge instead of the one following orders.

Well, that was part of the mystery Cloud and the other Firsts - and for that matter, Lazard and Tseng and the Turks - were hoping to solve. Observing Noctis on his missions was the first step.

Cloud let Noctis take the lead as they left ShinRa HQ, but as they crossed the Sector Six plate, Noctis fell back to walk beside Cloud. “There’s a bunch of girls following us,” he murmured.

Glancing around, Cloud spotted the girls in question gathered on the sidewalk across the street, huddled in a group and staring at Cloud. When they saw him look their way, several of them waved, and one lifted a camera. Cloud turned away again, feeling his face turn red. “Fan club,” he said to Noctis. “Ignore them.”

“Fan club?” Noctis repeated. “For you?” Then he winced. “Sorry. I just mean—”

“It’s fine,” Cloud said. He knew what Noctis meant. Cloud himself still had trouble with the idea that he had a fan club. “All the Firsts have them. So do a lot of Seconds and some of the Thirds.”

Noctis frowned. “Who controls them? ShinRa?”

“Nobody,” Cloud said. “They form on their own.” Remembering how Noctis hadn’t understood who Genesis and Sephiroth were, he added, “A lot of people in Midgar admire SOLDIER. For the ones who can’t or don’t want to join, fan clubs are a way to be part of it.”   

Noctis made a noncommittal noise and let the subject drop, though Cloud noticed he was careful to stay on Cloud’s other side, away from the ogling girls. At least they didn’t have to stay on the streets of the upper plate long; within a few minutes they’d reached the long stairs down to the Sector Six slums. Cloud took the lead there. Noctis was gawking at the Wall Market like the most naive tourist in Midgar, and Cloud had to glare away more than one ambitious pickpocket before they reached the outer edge of the Market where the cripshays had been spotted.

At least finding their targets was easy. They’d barely left the relatively well-lit alleys of the Market when Cloud heard skittering in the shadows. Noctis stilled, one hand stretching out to his side and his fingers flexing as though reaching for a weapon other than the broadsword on his back. Cloud said, “This is your mission. If you need me to step in, say something, but otherwise I’ll stay back and let you handle it.”

“Right,” Noctis agreed. Cloud retreated to perch on top of the rusted shell of a truck wedged against a pillar, leaving Noctis alone in the open. His fingers flexed one more time, then he drew his broadsword just as a pair of long sharp pincers poked out from beneath a tumbled trash bin. “Eurgh,” Noctis muttered. “It’s a bug.” Then he took several quick steps backward as the rest of the cripshays emerged, nearly a dozen of the things creeping from the shadows to surround him.

“Don’t like bugs?” Cloud asked.

“Hate ‘em,” Noctis answered, then lunged, sword swinging at the nearest cripshay.

Watching him fight, Cloud couldn’t help but admire how lightly Noctis moved. His first strike flipped his target into the air; Noctis leaped up to follow and his feet barely touched the ground again as he tore through the rest, until he landed on the final cripshay and skewered it with his sword. He was fast, too - dispatching the entire group in under a minute, his strikes with the broadsword precise and sure.

When he’d finished, Noctis made as if to throw his broadsword to the ground, catching himself only at the last second and shooting a guilty glance at Cloud. It was the same motion he’d made last week in the Training Room, and Cloud found himself wondering about it. What kind of a warrior just tossed away his weapon after a fight?

Before he could ask about it, though, Noctis swung his sword onto his back, the guilty expression fading beneath his usual mask of indifference. “That’s it, right?”

Cloud nodded.

“Easy enough,” Noctis said. He turned toward the lights of the Wall Market. “Let’s get out of here. This place stinks.”

Cloud couldn’t help the faint smile that curled his lips as he followed Noctis back to ShinRa HQ. He hadn’t learned much about Noctis yet, but it was clear the guy was soft, unused to the realities of life in the slums. How he’d survived months on his own in the wilds of the Western Continent, Cloud had no idea. Though, to be fair, neither the cold windswept peaks of the Nibel mountains nor the open plains of Corel had anything like the concentrated filth of the worst parts of the Midgar slums.

When they arrived back at the Briefing Room, Lazard was still there, speaking with a pair of Seconds whose names Cloud couldn’t remember. Lazard handed the Seconds a mission briefing packet and they hurried out, saluting Cloud as they passed.

“That was fast,” Lazard said to Noctis when they were gone. “I take it you had no trouble?”

“Easy peasy,” Noctis said. “So… how many of these hunts am I supposed to do?”

“Third Class SOLDIERs have a quota of five missions per five-day period, with at least one day off in between,” Lazard said. He looked like he was about to say more - probably to give Noctis the same lecture he’d given Cloud almost a year ago about taking downtime in between missions - but Noctis cut him off.

“So I just go out and squash some bugs once a day?” He sounded vaguely disbelieving. “That’s it?”

Lazard folded his arms. “Not all missions will be so easy,” he said. “The quota/limit system is in place to ensure full utilization of SOLDIERS while avoiding overextension. You’re expected to spend the rest of your time improving your skills, recuperating from more difficult missions, and in the event of injury, recovering.”

“Recuperation sounds good,” Noctis said, and yawned. “Gonna go take a nap.” To Cloud he added, “Meet you here tomorrow?”

Caught off-guard, Cloud didn’t respond immediately, but Noctis didn’t wait for him. He gave Cloud and Lazard a sloppy salute and sauntered out of the room.

When the door had closed behind him, Lazard chuckled. “Given the circumstances of Caelum’s recruitment, I’d rather expected to have to slow him down as I did you. It appears that’s not going to be a problem.”

Cloud shook his head in agreement. Before he could make his own escape, though, Lazard added, “What do you think, Commander? How was his first mission?”

Cloud shrugged. “Uneventful.”

“I suppose we shouldn’t expect to uncover all his mysteries his first week in SOLDIER,” Lazard said ruefully. The overhead lights gleamed off his glasses as he added, “It took considerably longer to uncover yours, after all.”

Cloud met his stare levelly, though his stomach churned. Lazard didn’t know the whole truth - or at least, Cloud sincerely hoped not. Only six people - the other Firsts and Vincent - knew about the time travel. The Turks who’d investigated the Nibelheim incident had managed to infer that it wasn’t the first time Cloud had been held prisoner and experimented on by Hojo, and had said as much in their official report on the matter, but Hojo had been unmonitored for so long that it wasn’t odd to anyone that he might have kept a secret captive. If Lazard ever figured out the whole truth, that Cloud was a time-traveler from nearly a decade in the future… Best not to even think about it.

Lazard broke the stare first, deliberately looking down to the pile of papers on the table in front of him. “Sephiroth volunteered you to shadow Caelum because he believes the two of you have something of a rapport already. See what you can do to lean into that rapport while you continue to monitor his missions.”

“Yes, sir,” Cloud answered neutrally. “Will that be all?”

“Yes, Strife. Thank you.” Lazard picked up the paper on top of his pile, the motion a clear dismissal.

But as Cloud left the Briefing Room, the back of his neck prickled under the director’s thoughtful gaze.