#(but I did cheat a bit with the blood sample)

[wolfjackle-creates]

Ghost!Robin Arc 2 Part 4

Here's everything I shared during the ask game event with some minor edits. Most of the edits are around the results of the scan, I more accurately described what I was trying to say.

Story Summary: Everything changed the evening Jason met Jazz's brother. Danny introduced him and his entire family to the ghost that is, apparently, haunting him. The ghost of the Robin he had been.

The ghost of the person everyone he's ever known wishes he still was.

All he wants is to make it go away.

Arc 1: First, Last

Arc 2: First, Previous

Word Count: 1.7k

-----

Frostbite looked between them and hummed. “I should like a blood sample from you”—he nodded to Jason—“and an ectoplasm sample from you”—he indicated the ghost—“please hold out one of your arms.”

Jason sighed and gave his left arm. The yeti took out a syringe, thankfully a normal sized one, though it looked tiny in his giant hands. He watched as Frostbite carefully pierced his vein and filled a vial with blood. It went as smoothly as any blood draw he’d ever received from Dr. Thompkins or Alfred.

“You’re good at that,” he commented.

The yeti gave him an amused look. “I should hope so. I have been a doctor for many times longer than you’ve been alive.”

Jason flushed. “Sorry, it’s just… I wasn’t sure how many living patients you’ve ever had.”

“Many ghosts come to us for healing. And of those who were once alive, their ghostly bodies often mimic the ones they had in life. It is not so different, drawing blood from a living body as it is drawing ectoplasm from a ghostly one.”

“Huh. I guess that makes sense. I didn’t realize.”

Frostbite ruffled his hair and it took every ounce of self control he had to not pull away. “That is quite all right. You will learn in time.”

Jason had to bite his tongue to keep from saying he didn’t want to learn.

But the doctor was already turning to the interloper and reaching for his arm. Jason couldn’t help but watch as they made more of those chirps and trills at each other. The ones from Frostbite were much deeper than the ones from Danny or the ghost, but they were unmistakably the same sort of noises.

When Frostbite took the ectoplasm sample, it really didn’t look any different than a normal blood draw. Except the resulting fluid was bright Lazarus-green. He shuddered and looked away.

Frostbite pulled out what looked like a transparent tablet and typed something on it. “A technician will be along shortly to collect the samples and run a few tests on them. Now, Prince Phantom said he scanned you and it showed the two of you are tied together. I should like to repeat the process but with our own scanners.”

“What do your scanners do?” asked Jason.

“I will show you. See this machine?” Frostbite indicated a machine that was positioned in the corner of the room. It looked like an old-fashioned x-ray machine you might find at a dentists’ office. It was about the size of a standing shower and was mostly open. “This part here”—he touched a piece of metal that reached from floor to ceiling—“will circle around the two of you and track your ectoplasm. It serves a similar purpose in ghost anatomy to an x-ray of a human. From the readings, I will be able to assess your core, young Robin, and your liminality, Sir Jason.”

“Just Jason, please.”

“Are you not a warrior of your people? And you are courting Princess Jasmine. No, to call you anything else would be improper.”

Jason flushed. “Then what should I call you? Aren’t you the leader here? Is it King Frostbite?”

“You may call me Doctor or Chief Frostbite should you wish.”

“You’ve got it, Dr. Frostbite. So will you have to scan us together? Doesn’t look like there’s a lot of room in there.”

Frostbite hummed. “I believe three full scans, one of each of you alone and one with both of you together. I apologize for the size; this is the first time we’ve had to scan two individuals together like this.”

Jason scowled, but didn’t comment. He would do anything to get rid of the interloper.

Before they could start, however, a knock sounded on the door. Frostbite opened it to reveal two more yetis.

“Ah, Silverclaw and Snowfur. Thank you for getting here so quickly.” He grabbed the vials of blood and ectoplasm. “These are the samples I want tested.”

“Of course, Chief. We’ll get to work on them right away.”

“I know you will. Thank you.” Frostbite nodded his farewell. Once the two yetis had left, he shut the door and turned back to Jason and the ghost. “Which of you would like to get scanned first?”

Before Jason could even think of volunteering, the ghost let out a trill and flew to the machine.

Frostbite chuckled. “Very well, young one. I shall begin the process shortly. Please remain still as the scan is in progress.”

Jason watched, curious, as Frostbite pressed a few buttons. The machine whirred to life, blue lines lighting up along the metal. Then the panel Frostbite had pointed out before slowly rotated around the ghost. Five times it completed the circuit before stopping in it’s original position by the wall.

A screen lit up on the wall, also transparent like the tablet, and on it images very much like a human x-ray appeared. Only instead of bones, it showed a ball of red-orange light. Tendrils spread out in the shape of a humanoid body. A thick cord of light extended off the screen. The cord was mostly gray and it’s tendrils wound around the red-orange ball and mixed in with the branches that made up the rest of the ghost’s body.

Frostbite hummed, but didn’t comment further, and Jason didn’t know him well enough to know if it was a good or bad hum. “Sir Jason, it is your turn.”

The ghost flew out of the scanner and Jason entered. “Will it feel like anything?”

The doctor shook his head. “Indeed not. You may hear a humming, but the scan itself will not affect you in any other way.”

“So I just need to stand here for a minute while it goes?”

“Indeed. Simply remain still. Are you ready?”

Jason took a deep breath and stood tall, arms by his side. “Go ahead.”

Frostbite hit a button and the device lit up with the same blue light he’d seen before. Then the scanner began rotating around him. As the yeti had promised, he didn’t feel anything but the hum of the machine.

And soon enough, it settled back into its rest position.

Jason didn’t wait for permission before stepping out and taking a look at the results of the scan. The same cord of light that had been coming off the ghost seemed to be stretching to him. Tendrils of it wrapped around the areas where his heart and brain would be if the scan showed human organs. Thinner tendrils stretched through the rest of his body, but the majority clustered around his heart and brain. His light was mostly gray with the red and orange bleeding in.

Chills ran down his spine. The ghost had integrated himself entirely into Jason’s body. Would it even be possible to get rid of him without killing himself? But could he go on living knowing that the interloper, no, the parasite was tied so closely to him? He’d finally started to move on from his death and the anger!

“Calm down, Sir Jason.” Frostbite’s steady voice cut through his thoughts. “We have one more scan and then I shall explain my theories as to what is going on and how we might address the situation.”

Jason gave a single nod and unclenched his fists. He closed his eyes and took a few seconds to go through a breathing exercise Jazz had taught him. “Fine,” he said when he was sure he wouldn’t start throwing out cursed.

Didn’t stop him from stomping over to the scanner.

Frostbite rested one giant paw on his head for a moment. “I understand this is a lot for you. But I will assist you to the best of my abilities.” He glanced away from Jason towards the interloper. “Both of you.”

Jason frowned but didn’t bother mentioning that that was what he was worried about.

“Now, young Robin. If you could come here as well.”

Frostbite took a moment arranging Jason and the ghost within the scanner. This was the closest Jason had been to the interloper since he learned about his existence and the proximity raised goosebumps on his arm. Why did things like this always have to happen to him? He hated it. He just wanted to go back to arguing with Bruce and trading insults with Tim and pranking Dick. But he couldn’t do that if the ghost of who he’d used to be was following him everywhere.

Jason closed his eyes so he wouldn’t have to see the creature’s stupid uniform or too-young face.

Then the humming started again and Jason could only assume he the scanner was running. He held entirely still, both because the scanner needed it and because he and the ghost were so close that if he moved, they might brush arms or touch.

He held back a shudder and didn’t open his eyes until the humming had stopped.

He couldn’t have said who evacuated the scanner first, they both rushed out quickly and set themselves up on either side of Frostbite while the image loaded.

As predicted, it was as if the two previous scans had been put together. The cord connecting Jason and the ghost was thick and strong. It originated from what Jason could only assume was the ghost’s core and spread out until it latched onto Jason’s brain and heart.

Frostbite hummed again. “I will need to ask both of you some questions that you may not want to answer. I apologize in advance for any discomfort my questions may cause. But let us get comfortable first. Afterwards, I shall explain my suspicions.”

Jason nodded and took a seat on the examination bed that Frostbite gestured to. Robin crossed his legs and appeared to sit in midair. The doctor pulled up a chair for himself and settled in.

Even sitting and with Jason on a high bed, they were roughly eye-to-eye due to the yeti’s large size.

“Young Robin, what do you remember of the time between your death and Sir Jason’s resurrection?”

The ghost, of course, only replied in the trilling language, leaving Jason out of the conversation. Asshole could’ve signed if he wanted to. Jason bit his tongue to keep from saying anything, though.

After a time, Frostbite nodded and turned to Jason. “And now, Sir Jason, I must know how you were brought back to life.”

-----

Ah, Jason really isn't going to like this conversation. None of it is fun, but this conversation will be his least favorite.

And look at Robin being just as petty back! Refusing to bring Jason in on the conversation.

How will they move forward from this?

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[coffee-and-geto]

“HEY, MISTER POLICEMAN I DON’T WANT NO TROUBLE !”

“Why you wanna holla at me?”

❖ pairing: policeman! suguru geto x f!reader

❖ summary: unfortunately for you, poor poor criminal, you’re getting arrested by a hot policeman. he’s about to handcuff you when your compliant good girl behaviour prompts him to be more lenient with you. fulfilling his duty as a peace officer, he must take you as quickly as possible to his office at the police precinct for a full interrogation about your crime — just as full as it will be with your pussy!

❖ warnings: +18, smut, nsfw, mention of murder/blood (there’s none), tying up, improper use of handcuffs, dirty talk, semi-public sex, semi-exhibitionism (kinda), countertop sex position, fingering (f!receiving), oral (f), sex (p in v), overstimulation, creampie, office sex, fanart by @/polariae.

❖ wc: 2,214

“Oh no…”

“You’ve committed a crime, tell me…”

“I killed my ex.” You grin with innocence, your teeth half-revealed, and wipe the blood on your pants.

The policeman with long raven hair tied in a half-bun twirls his silver handcuffs around his long, slender forefinger. His lips curl into a smile. “You’re under arrest, love.” His fingers cup your cute chin as you nearly purr, nodding your head, accepting your fate with a soft sigh.

“Alright.”

“Such a good girl,” he coos. “Officer Suguru Geto at your service. Suguru — or Sugu — to my close ones.” He winks at you, making your heart flutter. “Such a good girl deserves a bit more leniency, don’t you think?”

With an adorable pout on your lips, you nod. “Unless you’re a naughty girl?” Suguru adds, the roughness of his hands pressing you against his police car to cuff your wrists. You let him do it and giggle, admitting your guilt. “I’m taking you to the police precinct, love.”

°°°°

“Is cuffing me to a chair part of your usual interrogation process?” You glance back as the click of the door lock reaches your ears.

“Of course, sweetheart,” Suguru smiles and sits behind his desk. He calmly adjusts his computer screen and raises his fingers just above his keyboard. Turning his head towards you now, he wastes no time. “Alright, I need your identity: name, first name, date of birth, and address.” He carefully types your information and nods. “Very well. Was there a particular reason that led you to commit this crime?”

“My ex cheated on me a long time ago and I found out a few days ago,” you admit in a whisper, squirming in your chair from the discomfort caused by the handcuffs pinning you to your seat.

“Ah. An ex. I see.” Suguru purses his lips to stifle a smile. “Poor little heart. Did you have an alibi, perhaps?”

You blink. “You mean, someone who might have helped me kill my ex?”

“Exactly.”

“Well yes, my boyfriend.”

Suguru raises an eyebrow. “Your boyfriend? How kind of him.”

“Very. The best of all,” you assert with a proud look.

He chuckles softly, crossing his arms over his chest. “So did the fact that he helped you kill your ex heal your broken heart?”

“Yes, but my heart still aches and so do some places where we got a little rough…” You adopt a sad and troubled pout, and Suguru stands up to walk around his desk and fetch a cotton ball with tweezers.

“I have a few solutions for that,” he replies, kneeling in front of you, his hand armed with DNA collection tools.

“Will it hurt?” you can’t help but ask in a worried tone.

“No, princess,” Suguru breathes near your neck. He gently dabs the white, cottony ball on your multiple blood stains in silence. “There we go.” He goes to store the sample before returning to you. “So your boyfriend helped you kill your ex? Interesting.” His thumb glides over the soft flesh of your lower lip. “I can help finish healing what’s still hurt in your heart.”

“Can you?”

“If you agree, of course,” he murmurs, his hot breath brushing against your cheek. You give him enough of a signal for his thin lips to press slowly against yours. A growl escapes both of you, Suguru's lips moving against yours as you try your best to keep up. His tongue slips between your lips, seeking access to your mouth, which you part. With this simple gesture, Suguru elicits a small moan from you. “Taste good, baby,” he growls between kisses.

He then pulls his soft lips away from yours to attack your neck. Every inch is covered with sweet, wet kisses of shared saliva. “Suguru…” you sigh, your eyelids closed with fervent desire.

“Is that not enough to heal your heart? Maybe I need to push my interrogation further and deeper to find out what’s still troubling you, hmm? What do you think?”

You let out a yes and swallow hard as his hands slide down your waist and hips — his nails digging into your flesh. The smell of his cologne fills your now intoxicated nostrils. Fuck, he looks hot in his policeman uniform!

“Please,” you whimper. And his fingers are already tugging at your pants to remove them.

You obediently spread your legs, and his forefinger finds its way to the wet patch of your underwear. “Already worked up even though I haven’t done anything? I can even feel how swollen it is already.” The pad of his finger gently presses on your needy, puffy clit. His Adam's apple bobs, and Suguru looks up at you. “May I?”

You pathetically nod your head and a moment later, your panties are gone, and the sight of your glistening pussy right under his nose captures his attention. “I’m going to take care of it… for the sake of the interrogation and your heart, of course.” He buries his head between your plush thighs and a calloused finger slides between your wet folds. “Fuck, princess,” he hisses through his teeth, “I can feel it pulsing just at the entrance...” He inserts his finger and licks his lips eagerly. “So tight… Does your boyfriend truly take care of you?” His finger starts to pump slowly between your gummy walls, the latter clenching around it. “I think I need another to understand where it still hurts,” he grunts, making you whimper and squirm on your chair, handcuffs restricting your movements so you can’t do anything but moan when Suguru’s lips wrap around your bundle of nerves and suck it like it’s a lollipop. To ease the process, he puts one of his arms under your thigh to rest your calf on his shoulder and get better access to the sweet, swollen cunt he wants to eat out so badly.

“Sugu, it’s sensitive,” you whine, your breathing becoming heavy with gasps. And God, you’re so close, as he adds another finger to the first, stretching you out. Your pussy squelches, a warning for him that you’re going to cum soon. “Hnng… Please…”

“Nuh-uh, baby,” Suguru coos, his fingers continuing to finger-fuck you faster and relentlessly. “Use your words.”

“Make me cum, please.” And he obeys without objecting, his long, thin fingers curling up in that deep spot of yours that can make your toes curl so quickly. “So deep— ‘m close…” you sniffle, tightening when this knot in your stomach is on the verge of bursting. Suguru’s tongue darts out to drag teasing circles around your core. “Don’t be so loud, babe, my colleagues might hear you and ask what we’re doing — not complaining, though,” he chuckles, the resonance making you gasp. One more pump, and you squeal his name while reaching your climax on his fingers, walls spasming strongly.

Your breathing is now panting, Suguru winces. “Aw. You’re okay, sweetheart?” He waits for your nod and captures your lips with his. He hums, his lips stretching during the sloppy kiss. Your taste reaching your mouth, the fluid stretches like a rope between your lips when you break the kiss.

“I need more,” you whisper, biting your lower lip. “I’m sure it will help me heal my shattered heart.”

“I will, princess,” Suguru breathes out, his right hand cupping your cheek and stroking your rosy-skinned cheek. He stands up with a swift motion and unbuttons his blue shirt after pulling off his black bulletproof vest. His muscular torso and toned abs draw your attention and you almost salivate in anticipation. In the rustle of clothes, your eyes go down to the center of his body. Slow movements, carefully undoing his belt, he takes off his pants and lets them fall to the floor with a ragged sound. His grey boxers too. Then the sight of his long, aching cock rises towards you in a straight line.

“Like what you see?” he asks in a whisper.

You swallow thickly and nod. He steps closer to you and releases the handcuffs from your wrists, tossing them into a corner of the room. The sight of a naked Suguru standing next to you, his imposing height making your core ache. His abs — radiating warmth just inches from your face — twitch slightly in sync with his dick trickling with pre-cum. You remove your t-shirt and prepare to undo your lace bra, but Suguru’s large hand wraps around your wrist to stop you. “Let me, my beautiful girl.” Skillfully, his fingers unhook your bra, tossing it into the same pile of clothes as his.

“Gonna take care of you.” He nibbles on your earlobe and wraps his strong arms around your thighs, lifting you to place your ass on his cold, varnished wooden desk. Goosebumps travel across your soft skin, complemented by Suguru’s warm hands fondling your breasts while gently pushing you down on the desk to lay you back. “Make yourself comfortable.”

Effortlessly, your legs fly up to his shoulders, your heels catching just behind as his hands grab your ass and give it a loud smack. “Fuck…” he growls, and without needing to guide it, his cock finds its way to your dripping folds. The reddened, sensitive tip brushes against your warm, tight entrance.

Your patience wears thin, and you whine, “Suguru! Just fuck me alread—” And he splits your cunt suddenly, reaching your deepest point in a swift motion, with your sensitive walls gripping his shaft. “Ah— Sugu… s’deep…” He grins and patiently waits for you to adjust to him. Once you do, his hips begin to roll, thrusting in and out of you.

“Fuck, it’s like your pussy was molded f’me…” he hisses through his clenched jaw. He pulls out his dick to slam back in a bit harder, a desperate moan escaping your sweet lips. “Taking me so well…” His tip hits your g-spot again so easily thanks to his foreplay. Your insides are so wet that when Suguru starts to pick up the pace — his name repeated like an angelic prayer by your pretty tongue — his length slips out of your hole.

“Put it back…” you murmur with puppy eyes, shining with tears of pleasure.

“Can you beg for it, babe? Wanna hear ya cry for it.”

“Please, please, please— Ah! S-Sugu…” And he slips it back in to fuck you shamelessly. His hips meet yours harder and harder, and your hand pressed against your mouth no longer suffices to stifle your moans.

“Such a naughty—thrust—naughty—thrust—girl, aren’t you? Begging to be fucked when my cock slips out of your needy cunt, huh?” He growls, closing his eyes for a second to regain composure. He feels your walls tighten when he talks and a laugh shakes his chest. “You love dirty talk, huh?” His hands grip the curve of your hips and pull you back to him, hitting that deep spot inside you that blurs your vision with tears of ecstasy and forces your voice to sing his name like an opera singer. “You close, princess?” His balls slap your ass with a loud sound, matching the squelching sound of your fluids.

“So—So close…” you sob, your arms flailing to find anything to hold onto. You clench around Suguru’s dick so many times that he himself lets out a low groan of your name. The sound is like music to your ears and once again, the knot in your stomach is on the verge of bursting. “Gonna cum, gonna cum…”

Suguru's hand remains gripping your hips while the other grabs one of your breasts, pinching a swollen nipple and mercilessly rolling it between his forefinger and thumb. You even feel Suguru’s dick swell inside you — he’s just as close as you are. “Cum f’me, sweetheart… Let yourself go, I’ve got ya… Want me to cum inside your tight lil’ pussy? Yeah? Yeah?”

“Inside, please, inside,” you pant as your vision blurs with stars and your walls spasm around Suguru’s length. A groan and a moan escape both your mouths, and the next second, you both cum at the same time — him, painting your insides white with his hot spurt, and you, squirting your juices around his shaft. Unable to hold all of it in your womb, some of the mix of your fluids seeps out of your fucked hole.

Heavy and rough breaths fill the silent room. Your trembling legs can’t stay on Suguru’s shoulders and almost fall. He catches them just in time with both hands, bends them slightly, and plants a kiss on each of your knees, then smirks. “God, I’ll never get tired of this roleplay.”

Your own lips curl, and you turn your head towards the locked door. “Do you think anyone heard us?”

Suguru chuckles, eyes lightly squinting. “With your voice? If they haven’t already fled this wing of the police precinct…”

You glance at the fake blood on your arms. “Do you think they’ll go to Satoru to complain, saying, ‘your best friend is fucking his girlfriend a bit too loudly’?” And you both burst into laughter. “He’s the one who gave them the check to keep quiet and let us make all this whole… mess, after all.” You reach out and pinch Suguru’s cheeks.

He rolls his eyes. “Not with the amount he gave.”

“How much?”

“A little less than two million yen.”

❖ a/n: i think i’m ovulating guys 🫣

❖ tags: @ssetsuka @zara-zara11 @bearwithmoo @elliesndg @lymsfm

[natalieleif]

Happy Goretober-ween, everyone! I wasn't quite able to get through all the gruesome prompts this year, but I was able to pull off 22 of them, which is a solid haul.

It was a fun challenge to try and sketch a unique character for each prompt, including digging through my old tabletop archives and sketchbooks for concepts I haven't looked at in a few years. Gonna put em all in a compilation here, I hope y'all enjoy!

(CONTENT WARNINGS: since this is Goretober, trigger warnings for blood, vomit, and general squick in the sketches below the Read More.)

Credit to On.Going.Crisis for this year's prompt list!

TEETH. The zomboy Ian himself, discovering some new changes to his undead anatomy.

2. CANDY GORE. My magical girl Harper after getting into a rainbowy fistfight with the monster of the week.

3. NOSEBLEED. This one I did for the work whiteboard, so it was fun trying to figure out how to make it not too gross. :P

4. MUTATION. The new Biology teacher, Miles, doesn't look totally normal... weird.

5. AUTOPSY. Hey Andrew, what do an android's organs look like, anyway?

6. EYES. Initiation into the mob can be pretty strict, but Shift is nothing if not determined.

7. GUTS. Captain Eiche, pirate and deliveryman for the royal isles, knows that a captain always goes down with the ship.

8. CRYSTALS. Witch-in-training Noelle discovers some new crystals that are really starting to grow on her... maybe a bit too much?

9. POISONED. Tiefling charlatan Lucas discovers why you don't sample your own potion supply.

10. HANAHAKI DISEASE. Sad hipster musician Nico is not very good at getting over his ex-boyfriend.

11. INSECTS. Changeling magician Cybil is 99% goofball, 1% professional dreamweaver with a knack for the dramatic. Wouldn't recommend visiting her nightmare studio anytime soon.

12. BRUISED. Roller derby champion Zoey Explodey shows off her lumps from a recent brawl.

13. STITCHES. Practicing self-care in an abandoned zombie-filled West Virginia town isn't easy for someone already chronically ill, but Monica does her best with what she's got.

14. PARASITE. <pops Bubble pops Bubble pops Bubble pops>

15. FUNGI/MOSS. Okay, I slightly cheated on this one. TTRPG Warlock version of Ian struggles with a more magical sort of zombification.

16. HOOKS. 1930s archivist and curator of mystical wares, Roland Chatterjee, shows off his fine collection.

17. PLANT GROWTH. Nature elemental and changeling Elijah Bell wonders if his flowers and vines go all the way down. (They do.)

18. CANNIBALISM. Impulsive survivalist Angel tries a sip of her zombie friend's forbidden juice box.

19. BITES. A sequel to HANAHAKI DISEASE above--the feeling when your toxic vampiric ex Elliot tries to use chivalry on you.

20. VOMIT. Post-apocalyptic anarchist adventurer Snap Zapcannon eats a bad ration. Oops.

21. LACERATIONS. A fanart this time! @jeanne-de-valois 's boy Uriel getting some ghostly visions. It's probably fine, don't worry about it. (Also, preorder The Hundredth Voice if you haven't already, it's good.)

22. SILVER PLATTER. Trauma psychologist Dr. Gabriel Haller has made a lot of sacrifices to get where he is.

And that's the lot of 'em! Hope you enjoyed, and HAPPY SPOOKY MONTH.

[itsupermanti]

My Hero Superman AU; Reign of the Multiversal Supermen by @itsupermanti, Part 3 Supergirl; Girl of Steel, Feat. Young Justice

(Artwork from Supergirl Vol 6, #23)

(A day after the “Clash of Supermen” in Downtown Musutafu);

Supergirl(voiceover as UA High is seen from an aerial view): My name is Eri Uraraka Midoriya, aka “Eri-El”, the Princess of El.

Supergirl(voiceover as she is shown along with her parents and Principal Nezu viewing a screen): The Supergirl; Girl of Steel.

Supergirl(voiceover as her grandparents and the rest of the Justice League are shown on the screen, standing before the Cyborg Superman’s containment cell): And right now, we’re trying get answers as to who this guy really is…

Batman(eyes narrowed): Who are you really?

Cyborg Superman(smirking): I am Chikara Yotsubashi, the one formerly known as Destro.

Flash(glaring at the cyborg): Like hell you are!

Green Lantern(speaking up): Destro’s dead, his body was cremated.

Cyborg Superman(crossing his arms): And from my ashes, I have been reborn…

Cyborg Superman(uncrossing his arms and raising them above him): As a god!

Superman(looking at his cybernetic doppelgänger): Where’d you get the cybernetics?

Chikara(smirking): They were used by my followers to restore me.

Chikara(grinning as he looks upon Hisashi): Along with my ashes, a volunteer…

Chikara(pointing at Hisashi): And a sample of YOUR blood.

Everyone’s eyes widen in shock as they hear this last bit of news.

All Might(in his strengthened form, slamming a fist against the energy field separating them): HOW DID THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON HIS BLOOD?!?!?!

Chikara(smirking at Toshinori): The same way a certain enemy of yours got it for those experiments of his.

Chikara(turning back to face Hisashi): On the day you “died”.

Aquaman(eyes wide): You mean…

Wonder Woman(narrowing her eyes): The day he fought Doomsday.

Chikara(grinning): My descendant had gathered a great deal of your blood that day and kept it preserved for future use.

Chikara(continuing to monologue as he paces around his cell): When you revealed that you had actually survived that battle, he decided to use that blood, along with some alien technology provided by Intergang to restore me.

Chikara(as he stops his pacing): Now, my new powers have made me beyond a mere human.

Chikara(facing Hisashi once again): Unlike you, you alien being, I am a human who has evolved into a true Superman!

Batman(glaring at Destro, before turning around and walking away with a flourish of his cape): We’re done here.

All Might(turning to Enji in shock): What do you mean we’re done?

Batman(while still walking away from the smirking Cyborg): We obviously won’t be getting anything else out of him.

Batman(glancing at Toshi over his shoulder): Besides…

Batman(voiceover as the other “supermen” are shown in their cells, with Homelander cussing up a storm as he keeps trying to break out, to the others’ annoyance): We have other interrogations to conduct.

Eri(turning to her parents in the surveillance room, confused): Who’s Destro?

Izuku(addressing her): He WAS a quirk supremest who performed terrorist acts in an attempt to get the government to lessen the restrictions on quirk usage.

Ochaco(continuing): He believed that people with strong quirks deserved to be in charge…

Ochaco(glancing at Izuku with concern): He also believed that the quirkless had no place in today’s society.

Eri(voiceover as her eyes widen): He’s the reason so many people belittled Dad growing up!

Nezu(with his hand/paw on his chin): But Destro was arrested and given the death penalty for his crimes, with his body being cremated.

Eri(voiceover as she registers the principal’s words): If Destro died…

Eri(voiceover as she looks at the camera feed showing the Cyborg): Then did he really manage to cheat death?

(The Next Day);

Izuku is shown hovering in the air above UA, soaking in the sunlight from the clear sky, recharging his reserves of solar energy as Eri and her mother watch him along with her aunt Mina and uncle Denki.

Ethan(walking up to them while looking up at Izuku): What is he doing up there?

Ochaco(turning to the man known as Supreme): He’s recharging his solar reserves.

Ochaco(turning back towards Izuku): A Kryptonian’s powers are dependent on the amount of solar energy they have absorbed, he discharged his reserves to deal with another crazy visitor named “the Plutonian” before you all showed up.

Bob Reynolds(walking up as she explains Izuku’s ability, in his de powered form): So he uses the Sun as a battery, huh?

Ochaco(nodding her head): Pretty much.

Ethan(confused): But if he used up his reserves before I showed up, then how was he still able to use his powers?

Eri(answering him): Dad’s also telekinetic, when he’s de powered he uses his telekinesis to make up for it, same way I mimic his and grandpa’s powers.

Bob(wondering out loud): My powers let me discharge “the power of a million suns”, maybe he’d be able to stop me if I lose control?

Mina(confused): Why are you worried about losing control?

Bob(turning to her): Because when I got these powers, my psyche split into three.

Bob(explaining as everyone turns to him): There’s me, Bob Reynolds, the normal guy just trying to live his life.

Bob(continuing): Then there’s the Sentry, the superhero who could seemingly do anything, with the power of a million suns, created from my desires to help people.

Bob(looking downcast): Finally there’s the Void, created from my darker, impulsive thoughts, with the force of a million black holes.

Bob(looking back): The one time I went all out, it was against a friend of mine, Dr. Bruce Banner, the Incredible Hulk.

Bob(explaining): He gets stronger the angrier he gets, and at his angriest we fought and forced each other to turn back into our true forms, but he won out and overpowered me. We nearly broke the world in the process…

Denki(amazed): Sounds intense.

Bob(looking down): I have to make sure to never let the Void out, or I’ll end up destroying everything…

???: Hey Mr. Denki!

Everyone present look up towards the voice and see a young 8 year old boy with light brown hair and brown eyes wearing a blue variant of Denki’s costume floating down. This is Denki’s protege, Katsuma Shimano, aka Shazam Jr.!

And floating down behind him is an 11 year old girl with the same color hair and eyes wearing a black and green costume with the Green Lantern Corps symbol on it and a bulky gauntlet on her right arm. This Momo’s own protege and Katsuma’s older sister, Mahoro Shimano, aka Teen Lantern!

Denki(standing up with an apologetic look on his face): Sorry Katsuma, but we won’t be able to train with you two, something came up.

Katsuma(landing): That’s actually why we came.

As soon as his sister lands beside him, four different colored blurs fly down from the sky and land besides them without leaving a single crack in the ground.

Izuku(coming back down from recharging, with his hair black and eyes blue): More of them?

The blurs are revealed to be 3 young girls, wearing red, blue and green respectively, and an adult man with brown hair, wearing a black and yellow costume with a yellow cape and an atomic symbol on his belt. The man is immediately recognized by one the other visitors present.

Bob(eyes wide): Hyperion?

Hyperion(confused): Sentry?

Bob+Hyperion: You came here to?!

Blonde Girl wearing blue: You two know each other?

Hyperion(turning to her): I’ve heard of him Bubbles.

Bob(turning to Izuku): He’s from my Earth.

Hyperion: I’m actually from a different Earth that got destroyed, and ended up on his Earth, turns out a lot of alternate me’s end up on that Earth, most of them evil…

Hyperion: When the Avengers found me, they realized that I was different from my other selves and recruited me to join them for a time.

Bob(nodding his head): Thor told me about that, said you two were like brothers.

Hyperion: I left Earth after our team split up and started wandering space when that portal opened up and I ended up on a beach with these three.

Hyperion gestures to the three girls who are being introduced to Eri and her family by Katsuma.

Katsuma(excitedly): This is our friend Eri, Supergirl. She’s the one we said was just like you!

Katsuma(gesturing to Ochaco): This is her mom, Ochaco, Uravity.

Katsuma(pointing to Mina): Her Aunt Mina, Troy.

Katsuma(pointing to Denki): Her Uncle Denki, Shazam, my mentor.

Katsuma(grinning excitedly as he gestures to Izuku as his Solar suit reverts to its default appearance with his cape unraveling): This is her Dad, Izuku! The Man of Tomorrow, Superman!

Izuku(chuckling): It’s SuperBOY actually, my dad’s still Superman.

Izuku(turning to the three girls): And you three are?

Girl in red with strawberry blonde hair(waving politely): My name’s Blossom Plutoniam, nice to meet you all.

Blossom(gesturing to the other girls): These are my sisters.

Girl with black hair wearing green(smirking with her arms crossed): I’m Buttercup, gotta say, I don’t see what Katsuma finds so impressive about you yet.

Blonde Girl in Blue(smiling): I’m Bubbles!

Powerpuff Girls(together while holding hands): And we’re the Powerpuff Girls!

Bubbles(zipping up to Eri): Is it true that have powers like ours?

Eri(startled): Huh?!

Buttercup(annoyed): Give her some space Bubbles!

Izuku(putting a hand on Eri’s shoulder): What powers are you talking about?

Blossom(explaining): We were created in a lab accident by our Dad. We ended up with super-strength, super-speed, flight, laser eyes, super-breath, enhanced-durability, and we don’t need to breathe air.

Blossom: We also have our own unique powers that the others two don’t have, thanks to the Chemical X that got mixed in when we were being created.

As Blossom finishes detailing the abilities she and her sisters, she notices the wide eyes in their faces as Izuku speaks up.

Izuku(addressing her): Those powers are similar to a Kryptonian’s.

Buttercup(turning to him): A Krypto-what?

Izuku(explaining): Kryptonians, people from the long dead planet, Krypton. My Dad’s a Kryptonian who was sent to Earth as a baby by my grandparents to save him from the planet’s destruction.

Izuku(with the full attention of the girls and Hyperion as he walks over): Krypton had a red sun, so when a Kryptonian is exposed to radiation from a yellow star, we absorb it and gain incredible powers from it. The more sunlight we absorb, the stronger we get.

Bubbles(with stars in her eyes): So you’re an alien?

Izuku: Half-alien actually.

Hyperion(speaking up): I’m an alien to. Specifically, I’m an Eternal with the ability to absorb sunlight as well, and have the same powers, only I’ve never noticed my powers growing stronger over time.

Hyperion(with his hand on his chin): I’m strong enough to move or destroy a planet the size of Earth, but that’s about it.

Mina: We’ve actually been dealing with people like you all recently.

Mina(motioning to Ethan): This is Ethan Crane, on his Earth he’s the hero Supreme, and he has the same powers as our Dad.

Mina(explaining the situation): In fact, every person who’s come through the portals have had powers or strength comparable to Dad’s.

Ochaco(interjecting): We should probably go and introduce you all to the Justice League.

Hyperion(confused): Who?

Bob(turning to follow them): From what I’ve gathered, they’re like the Avengers.

Meanwhile;

Enji and Orin are seen interrogating Homelander in front of his cell, annoyed by the prisoner acting like an arrogantly man-child.

Homelander(eyes glowing): LET ME THE F*#% OUT!!!

Homelander(trying to cut through the energy barrier running though out his cell): DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!?!?!

Batman(eyes narrowed in annoyance): No and frankly, I don’t care…

Homelander stops his attempts to escape and turns to the Dark Detective in shock, which quickly turns into rage.

Homelander(snarling): WHAT DO YOU MEAN “NO”?!?!?!

Aquaman(slamming the bottom of his trident on the ground): He means that this isn’t your Earth, as far as we’re concerned, you’re just another psychopath with too much power.

Homelander(turning to him and laughing): Oh, so the fish man thinks he can intimidate the Homelander?

Homelander(grinning): My powers make me a god, what do you think you can do to me?!

Batman: The results of your blood work shows sign of a foreign chemical compound in your bloodstream, the source of your powers I assume?

Homelander(stunned): How?

Batman(smirking): So it IS the source of your powers.

Homelander(slamming his fists on the barrier): How did you get my blood!

Batman(smiling in amusement): You were owned by a teenager far stronger than you and blown up by a barrage of missiles and energy attacks, that’s how.

Batman(getting serious): It doesn’t matter who you are on your Earth, here you’re just a weaker, dark reflection of our friend.

Homelander(eyes burning in anger): WHY YOU-

Batman(turning around): Orin?

Homelander’s eyes stop glowing as he suddenly finds himself withering on the floor in agony!

Homelander(once the pain stops): H-how?

Aquaman(looking down at him with a smirk): I can telepathically control fish, but I can also slightly influence humans. Not as well as our Martian friend, but enough to give you a seizure.

Aquaman(as Homelander looks up in shock): I could also force ALL the water out of your body, leaving you a dried out dead husk, same with your blood.

Aquaman(turning around to follow Enji back to the meeting room): How’s that for a fish man?

As they walk away leaving the flag caped man in shock, we see Tensei and J’onn questioning and comforting the young and panicking Brightburn.

Brightburn(panicking with tears in his eyes as Tensei comforts him with a hug): What have I done?!

Flash(confused): Just calm down and explain everything you can remember.

Brightburn(looking up): But I DON’T remember anything!

Manhunter(gently): Let’s just start with your name.

Brightburn(still shivering but answering the question): My name is Brandon Breyer…

Brandon(starting to calm down): I remember discovering my powers and hearing a voice, after that, I would start blacking out and see my body doing things without my control and acting different then I usually do.

Brandon(looking down): Once I found the ship my parents found me in, it was like someone else was controlling my body against my will!

Brandon(eyes wide with fear): I saw myself kill so many people, including my own parents, with the voice I heard before shouting “TAKE THE WORLD”!!!

Brandon(as Tensei and J’onn’s eyes widen): Then that portal opened up and pulled me in, and the next thing I know, I see glimpses of myself fighting people with capes capable of matching me and the voice had gone silent, and I regained control when I woke up here.

Brandon(breaks down into tears): I DIDN’T WANT THIS!!! I WANT TO BE GOOD!!!

Tensei continues to comfort the boy while turning to his Martian friend.

Flash(with Brandon in his arms): What do you think, mental brainwashing?

Manhunter(scanning Brandon’s mind): I can detect another mental presence, akin to multiple personality disorder, but it is weak.

Manhunter(after finishing his mental scan): It appears that his ship was designed to transmit that voice he heard at a frequency only he could hear once his powers developed, causing this violent, second personality to emerge.

Manhunter: He was a hostage in his own body so long as he heard that signal.

Flash(eyes widening in realization as Brandon starts falling asleep): And with super-hearing, he wouldn’t be able to escape it.

Manhunter(standing up and beginning to walk out of the cell): Once we find a way back to his Earth, we’ll have to destroy the ship so that I can properly erase this artificial personality.

Brandon(half-asleep as Tensei starts leaving): Why…do you…want to help…me?

Flash(smiling at him): We’re the Justice League, we help everyone.

Flash(walking out the cell as Brandon is shown peacefully falling asleep with a smile on his face): Especially innocent children…

We then see Haruto, and Mark keeping an eye on Nolan.

Mark(speaking up to fill the silence): You know…

Mark(looking towards his father): This isn’t my first time encountering a younger version of you.

Mark: I was sent back in time into the body of a younger version of myself and I was able to stop you from killing the Guardians, and make you realize that there was another way sooner.

Nolan(grimacing in regret): You don’t understand…

Nolan(turning to his son with his restraints, if I don’t follow their orders, they’ll kill you and Debbie!

Nolan: I was only able to put off the mission for so long, but once you got your powers, Thragg insisted that I continue the mission…

Nolan: And NO ONE can stop Thragg.

Mark: In my time we did!

Mark(as Nolan looks at him in shock): We were able to negotiate with him to leave Earth alone, in exchange, we would allow some of his soldiers to live on Earth and start families as long as they didn’t interfere with superhero affairs or reveal their powers. Want to know what happened?

Mark(looking his father in the eyes): Most of the soldiers revealed their powers to save their families from being killed in the crossfire of various battles because they had come to love their lives on Earth and their families, just like you!

Green Lantern(chiming in): People can change, and caring for others doesn’t make you weak, it makes you stronger.

Green Lantern(turning to the bound Nolan with a smirk): You say that no one can stop this “Thragg” guy, well I bet the Justice League can.

Nolan(downcast): You would fail…

Green Lantern(determined): Then we’d get back up and keep trying! No one is truly unbeatable, look at Hisashi, he was defeated by a monster stronger than him was, but he took it down with him, and now he’s even stronger than he was before.

Green Lantern(holding up his ring as it glows): Because he knows that we’ll have his back just like we used to.

Green Lantern(as Nolan is shown deep in thought): We’re stronger together than we are apart.

As Mark and Haruto finish their discussion with Nolan, we then see Hisashi, Inko, Toshinori and Sheldon Sampson talking to Sheldon’s son, Brandon Sampson, Paragon.

Utopian(pleading with his son): Why are you acting like this Brandon?

Paragon(scowling at his father): Because Uncle Walter was right!

Paragon(pointing at his father from inside his cell): Your expectations are impossible to achieve!

Brandon(throwing his hands aside): You got mad at me for killing to save you, mom and countless others, but the moment I ask you what you would’ve done in that same situation, you stay silent!

Sheldon(fed up): WE DON’T KILL!!!

Brandon(just as fed up): I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE!!!

Sheldon: WE NEVER TAKE A LIFE, WE NEVER BREAK THE CODE!!!

Superman(interjecting): I’ve had to kill before.

Utopian(turning to him in shock): What?!

Wonder Woman(explaining): He’s only done it once, against a beast from space.

Wonder Woman: The monster who killed Superman, Doomsday…

Utopian(pointing at Hisashi): But he’s-

Superman(interrupting him): I recovered…We both did…

All Might(defending his friend): The monster had slaughter so many people before Superman confronted him. No one could slow him down, much less stop him.

Superman: He was physically adapting to everything being thrown at him, so I had to end him permanently, but even that didn’t stick.

Superman: I ended up imprisoning him in a pocket dimension called the Phantom Zone before he could fully recover.

Superman(motioning to Toshinori): Even All Might’s had to take a life before.

All Might: Even Superboy.

Utopian(stunned): What?!

Wonder Woman: He did so to protect his friends and the love of his life from a genetic abomination called a Nomu.

Utopian(upset): But goes against the code I made for how heroes should act!

Superman(eyes narrowing): What code?

Paragon(smirking): The ideal code he made for how HE thinks heroes should behave!

Paragon(mockingly): Hero’s should never govern or kill, never meddle in world affairs, and only inspire people to be better.

Paragon(sneering at his father): You’re too soft for today’s society!

Utopian(fed up): The code is our checks and balances, our way of never crossing the line!

Paragon(bangs his fist against the energy barrier): IT’S “YOUR” WAY OF NEVER CROSSING THE LINE!!!

Superman(eyes narrowed): That code means you only ever get involved when it comes to supervillains.

Wonder Woman(glaring at Sheldon): What about bullying and discrimination? You just ignore those as well?

Utopian(turning to them, annoyed): What?! You want to tell people what they should do?!

Superman(glaring back at Utopian): No, we SHOW them what they should do.

All Might: We meddle in situations that don’t involve us, because that’s the essence of being hero.

Wonder Woman(crossing her arms): Aquaman is the crown King of Atlantis, and Black Adam became the ruler of Khandaq, and they’ve helped their people become stronger than ever.

Paragon: Ha! Don’t bother, he’s too stubborn to admit that he’s wrong!

Utopian(getting in Hisashi’s face): What do you think you’re doing? Do you really think you’re all truly helping people like this?! WHY ARE YOU EVEN DOING THIS?!?!?!

Superman(honestly): To give them hope, show them HOW they can be better.

Superman(glaring right back at Utopian): My emblem stood for Hope on my birth planet, and that’s what I want to give the people of this one.

Superman(facing Brandon): We’re not gods, and we should never compare ourselves to such. We still bleed, we’re still human.

Superman(turning away from Sheldon and Brandon): You named yourselves “the Utopian”…

Superman(walking away with Inko and Toshinori): But the people of this Earth were the ones who chose to call me, “Superman”…

As the three heroes walk away, we can see both father and son left behind with looks of shocks on their faces, before we cut to the Cyborg Superman in his cell.

Cyborg Superman(as his cybernetic eyes flash): It’s time…

We then see Dr. Garaki’s hidden lab, as the villainous Doctor is shown opening a pod containing a figure. The figure emerges from the pod to reveal a man that looks much like Hisashi, but with scarred, pale, white skin and eyes with black sclera and glowing blue irises, wearing a costume similar to Hisashi’s own, but with the emblem backwards.

Dr. Garaki(ordering the clone): Subject BZ-AR0, your objective is to assist the forces of the Meta-Liberation Army in attacking UA High…

Dr. Garaki(as the clone turns to him): Do you understand?

BZ-AR0(turning to the Dr.): Bizarro…understand…

Bizarro(eyes glowing with…frost?): Me rip school apart!

Meanwhile;

The Justice League meet up in the meeting room to compare notes with the staff.

Enji(cowl off and his eyes narrowed): The blond idiot with a flag for a cape is named John, kept calling himself the “Homelander”, said that he worked for a company called “Vought”, and that he was the closest thing to an actual god.

Enji(smirking): Orin put him in his place easily enough.

Orin(smirking): He DEFINITELY won’t be a problem to handle.

Tensei(speaking up): The kid’s name is Brandon Breyer, when his powers started manifesting, he heard a voice coming from his spaceship.

J’onn(continuing): This voice caused a violent second personality to develop and take control of him, leaving him a hostage in his own body so long as he hears the broadcast.

Tensei(arms folded in front of his face): As soon as we find a way to his Earth, we have to destroy his ship so J’onn can free him from the programming.

Haruto: Nolan is just as Mark said he was at that point in time, stubborn and afraid of this “General Thragg”, apparently Thragg doesn’t like people disobeying his orders, and will even kill his own men to stay in charge.

Hisashi(grimacing): Sounds worse then Zod, at least Zod has honor and simply wants to establish a new world for Krypton.

Toshinori(confused): Who’s Zod?

Inko(answering him): A Kryptonian general who was imprisoned isn’t the Phantom Zone for staging a coup before Krypton’s destruction, we dealt with him before.

Haruto: Last I heard, he managed to establish a proper colony for his New Krypton, and actually treats the people who were there before fairly, kinda like Adam in Khandaq.

Hisashi: Brandon Sampson seems to resent his father for judging him to harshly. His Uncle, Walter Sampson seemed to have put the idea in his head that he should use his powers to govern over people like a god in order to get them to behave.

Inko(scowling): His father, Sheldon, the so called “Utopian”, is stubbornly old fashioned. He wrote up a code for the heroes in their world to follow, they basically only ever interact with civilians when it concerns dealing with villains. They ignore everything else, whether it by terrorists, global war, or simply speaking up against discrimination.

Nezu(with his hand on his chin): Then there’s the case of Ethan Crane, Supreme, and Bob Reynolds, the Sentry.

Nezu: They have been the only ones to properly cooperate with us, and there’s still this “Ultraman” out there, who knows where he is?

Before they can continue discussing things further, the open is pushed open by Izuku leading their newest guests into the room.

Izuku(gesturing to Hyperion and the Powerpuff Girls): We got four more.

Hyperion(offering his hand to Hisashi): Hi there, Marcus Milton, but you can call me Hyperion.

Blossom(waving politely while bowing): I’m Blossom!

Buttercup(arms crossed): I’m Buttercup!

Bubbles(smiling with her arms behind her back): I’m Bubbles!

Powerpuff Girl(holding hands as they pose): And we’re the Powerpuff Girls!

Denki(explaining as everyone is confused by the sisters’ introduction): Katsuma and Mahoro found them on the beach in their town and brought them here.

Mina(speaking up alongside her brothers): Hyperion is from the same Earth as Sentry.

Ochaco: Everyone that’s come through one of those portals seems to either have the same abilities as a Kryptonian, or have power that can rival them.

Hisashi(nodding his head): Good point, and most of them aren’t really on the “friendly” type.

Hisashi(walking over and shaking Hyperion’s hand with a smile): But it’s a good thing we have more heroes to help out, my name is Kal-El, the Superman, but you can call me Hisashi.

Marcus(smiling as well): Will do, now any idea how to fix this mess?

Before Superman can answer his new friend, they all feel the building shake, before the alarms start going off.

Blossom(worried): What’s going on?

Nezu: We’re under attack!

Kota(contacting Enji on his comm): Grandpa, it’s the Meta Liberation Army! They’re heading for the holding cells! We’re holding off as many as we can!

Superman, Superboy, Hyperion and Supreme use their x-ray visions to locate the intruders and see that the school is practically under siege.

Superboy(realizing what they’re after): They’re going for the Cyborg!

Hyperion+Powerpuff Girls+Shazam Jr+Teen Lantern(confused): What Cyborg?

Supergirl(already hovering as she locates the invaders via telekinetically sensing their footsteps): We have to help Robin and the others!

Before Hyperion or the Powerpuffs can even ask another question they are caught off.

Denki(with heroic intent as Mina clashes her bracelets together): SHAZAM!!!

Two lightning bolts strike down from the sky, hitting Denki and Mina as Bob glows and becomes the Sentry, while Denki and Mina have become Shazam and Troy respectively.

Batman(putting his cowl back on): GO!!!

All those with either super speed or flight take off towards the holding cells, while half of them head outside to help defend the school.

Robin is shown throwing exploding batarangs at a tree next to a group of invaders, causing it to fall upon them, trapping them.

He then takes out his Bo staff and begins taking down enemies in hand to hand combat, despite barely being 8 years old. Red Riot is shown tanking every attack thrown at him and knocking all of the enemies into unconsciousness.

Batman(Shouto) is seen fighting some invaders amongst the rooftops of the campus using two escrima batons enhanced by his fire and ice. Green Lantern(Momo) is seen holding back members with flying quirks using construct missiles and other weapons from her ring.

Sero uses his tapes to restrain the invaders that have been knocked to the ground to keep them from getting back up, while Green Arrow(Shinso) shoots various trick arrows from a perch made by Cementoss, Tenya is seen running around the, punching and kicking invaders as he runs past in a blur of lightning having been shown how to use the Speedforce by his brother, as Eraserhead, Vlad and the rest of the classes are helping defend the school.

Green Arrow(notching an arrow and releasing it into the air, causing the arrowhead to explode and emit a bright flash disorienting many of the fliers): There’s so many of them!

Eraserhead(grabbing a grunt with his scarf and throwing them into a wall, knocking them out): Keep fighting! It can’t get much worse!

Batman(landing on top of a large grunt with a durability quirk, knocking them out): You just had to say it?!

No sooner did the young Dark Knight finish his sentence, when an explosion is heard from the barriers Cementoss created to keep back most of the ground forces, reducing them to rubble.

The dust clears to reveal the clone known as Bizarro to have been the one who had destroyed the barrier. Besides him are three additional men along with more grunts.

The first of the three men has a rather bulky build, with red hair on his head and a scar on his right cheek and face paint that covers his mouth and extends over his yellow right eye, he is wearing metal plates all over his body like a makeshift armor, with an ominous green glow emitting from the seams of the armor. This is the villain known as Wolfram, sporting new armor.

Besides him is a man with long white hair and gray eyes, wearing a special breathing apparatus on his face that connects to a purple and white bodysuit. He appears to radiate an aura of hunger, despite his calm posture. This is Nine, wearing a new upgraded bodysuit.

The third and final man, who slightly resembles the Cyborg Superman, has with a longer nose and his orange hair pointing upwards in three spikes, wearing a green and purple armor, with an hexagonal pattern on the chest plate, glowing due to the power source protected underneath. This is the CEO of the Detnerat Company, Rikiya Yotsubashi, the Quirk supremest and terrorist, Re-Destro, descendent of the original Destro, wearing new armor that would augment his quirk(think Lex Luthor’s second armor from DC Universe Online) and make him a match for even Superman!

Re-Destro(smiling at the clone’s display of power): Well done BZ-AR0!

Bizarro(turning to him in annoyance): BIZARRO has name!

Wolfram(chuckling): I’d listen to him if I were you.

Re-Destro(turning towards the stunned heroes and students): Regardless, you have your objectives.

Re-Destro(as he uses his quirk to gain mass with his armor growing to match and it’s lights glowing brighter): FREE DESTRO!!! LET NO ONE STOP YOU!!!

Just as the new wave of enemies are about to advance towards the heroes, multiple blurs streak past and land facing the villains.

The Justice League(sans Batman) and their new arrivals stand before these invaders.

Superman: You’re not getting him!

Re-Destro(smirking): WE DIDN’T ASK!!!

Superboy(recognizing Wolfram and Nine): Wolfram?! Nine?! What are you two doing here?!

Wolfram(punching his fist into his palm): We’re here to get even with you Superbrat!

Wolfram(grinning menacingly): And call me “Metallo” now!

Nine(with his eyes glowing purple): I’m no longer “Nine”, you may call me the “Parasite”!

Bizarro(getting agitated): Enough talk!

Bizarro(flying towards Hisashi): BIZARRO SMASH “S-MAN”!!!

As Superman rushes forward to meet his scarred clone, the fighting starts back up again, with Uravity and Wonder Woman facing Metallo, Superboy and his siblings facing Parasite, and the rest help hold the invaders back.

Re-Destro uses all this fighting to revert back to his normal form and sneak past the heroes defending the entrance to the holding cells, and locates the electrical box connecting the building to the power grid.

Re-Destro(smirking as his right gauntlet starts emitting green colored electricity): Perfect…

He then placed his right hand on the box, causing the power in the building to go out!

Invincible(standing guard inside the building along with Sheldon, seeing all the lights go out and the energy barriers fluctuate before dissipating completely): THAT can’t be good…

Soon the young Viltrumite and the elder Utopian find themselves fending against the evil Supermen, minus Brightburn who just stays in his cell in the fetal position, afraid.

Satisfied with his completed task, Re-Destro begins heading towards the entrance to the building, before he is stopped by a batarang landing before his feet.

Re-Destro(amused, turning towards the thrower): You really think you’ll be able to stop me? In my new armor?

Batman(landing before Re-Destro): Yes…

Batman(glancing up to reveal a full black helmet with a red visor): I do.

Batman stands up to his full height and moves his cape aside to reveal that his wearing a heavily reinforced black armor with glowing red lines throughout that connect to the red bat on his chest, talons on his fingertips, and spikes at various spots around the body. This is the HellBat armor, Enji’s strongest batsuit that allows him to go against the might of Kryptonians!

Batman(speaking into his comms as he starts engaging Re-Destro): The holding cells have lost power! Someone needs to help Invincible and Utopian inside!

Superboy(after pushing Parasite back with a telekinetic blast): I’m on it!

However before Superboy can fly off towards the holding cells, he sees Parasite get back up and grabbing an invader by the shoulder. He watches stunned as the grunt screams in pain before collapsing to the ground, his energy drained from him as Parasite is rejuvenated.

Parasite(rolling his shoulders): Like that?

Parasite(gesturing towards his suit): I got new upgrades!

Superboy(as he starts firing his heat vision at Parasite): Don’t let him touch you! He can drain your energy!

However before Parasite could continue their battle, the Utopian is knocked through a wall and out into the open by Cyborg Superman.

Utopian(getting back up, pleading with the Cyborg): Just stand down, I don’t want to hurt you!

Cyborg SM(laughing as he points at the old hero): YOU COULDN’T EVEN IF YOU TRIED!!!

Before Utopian could go flying back at his opponent, he is grabbed on the shoulder by Parasite and screams as his energy is drained.

When Parasite stops draining his energy, Sheldon falls to his knees, before turning around to try and punch the villain away, only for his hand to break with a loud “crack”!

Sheldon(holding his hand in shock): My powers, they’re gone!

Parasite(laughing as his eyes start glowing orange): Hahaha, what a rush!

Parasite begins hovering in the air and fires a beam of heat vision at Superboy and his siblings.

Troy(shocked): He stole Utopian’s powers!

Parasite(grinning under his mask): It may not be permanent, but it’ll be enough to deal with you!

Superboy reinforces his personal force field to project it just above his skin, preventing Parasite from making direct contact with his skin, as they resume their battle.

Invincible is shown to have easily punched Homelander away and out of the building, but is starting to struggle against Paragon, before Omniman swoops in and knock the second Utopian off his son.

Omniman(helping his son up): You said we found a better way for our people to live, right?

Invincible(nodding with his ripped mask and shattered goggles): Yeah.

Omniman(turning towards Paragon): Then we have something to fight for till we get back!

As the father/son duo begin tag teaming Paragon, Homelander starts recovering from the punch he received from Invincible, before seeing Aquaman fighting some of the invaders and narrowing his eyes in anger.

Homelander(rushing towards Aquaman): YOU!!! I’LL SHOW YOU YOUR PLACE YOU PIECE OF-

Aquaman simply spins around and slams the side of his trident right into Homelander’s face, breaking his jaw and sending through three of Cementoss’ barriers, unconscious.

Aquaman(glaring at the unconscious idiot): Man, you need to learn when you’re outmatched…

Cyborg Superman looks to the side and spots Re-Destro locked in combat with Batman, but before he can move to assist his descendant, he is struck on the chest by a batarang that explodes shortly afterwards. He turns to the side and sees Robin with his arm outstretched, having just thrown the projectile.

Cyborg SM(amused): And what did you hope to achieve with that?

Robin(smirking): Distract you.

Suddenly the Cyborg finds himself hit by a high speed barrage of super strength punches before being rammed into a wall by a green construct train.

As the Cyborg recovers from the hit, he looks up and sees Supergirl, Shazam Jr., Teen Lantern and the Powerpuff Girls hovering above a smirking Robin.

Supergirl(eyes glowing): We’re stopping you from getting away!

Cyborg SM(annoyed): You’re welcome to try…

(Cue “Thunder Shroud” by Brandon Yates)

Flood!

Supergirl charges at the Cyborg and manages to land a devastating hit string enough to push him back.

Now the sky's raining blood!

The Powerpuff sisters fly after him and begin rain powerful blows upon the former Destro.

Everything that I love's falling away

They are forced to dodge back as he attempts to use his ice-breath to freeze them in place.

And there's no escape!

Suddenly Shazam Jr goes flying in and delivers a punch backed by magical lightning, shocking the Cyborg and his systems.

From shadows we rise

Superboy is then shown grappling with Parasite, using his telekinetic field to keep the villain from making contact with his skin.

The curse of a bloodline

Suddenly Parasite is tackled out of their grapple by a recovering Utopian.

Utopian(glaring at Izuku): Stay back! I’ll deal with him!

However as soon as Sheldon turns around, he is punched into the ground by Parasite, and just as he started getting up, he is grabbed by his throat by Parasite.

That's fated to fight just to survive (just to survive)

Parasite(smiling under his mask): Did you really think that you could handle me? When I can steal your powers?

Utopian(eyes glowing): I’M TAKING YOU DOW-

Parasite proceeds to punch him across the face.

Giving our hearts and minds

From the day we were born we knew this is how we might die (die)

Superboy then flies in and pushes Parasite back.

Superboy(addressing Utopian as he coughs up blood): Stay back, we can handle this!

Utopian(spitting out blood): Like hell I will, you’ll probably take the easy way out and kill him!

Utopian(getting in Izuku’s face): As far as I can tell, you’ll end up just like Brandon! Besides, with my powers, he’ll be too strong fo-

Flood!

Utopian(seeing Izuku catch a punch dead from Parasite before it could hit him, saving his life): -or you…

Superboy then proceeds to toss Parasite into the air where the villain is then smacked across the face by Troy’s shield and is then struck by Shazam’s lightning, until he is close to losing consciousness.

Now the sky's raining blood!

Superboy(looking at Sheldon over his shoulder as he walks towards Parasite): I’m nothing like you or your son…

Superboy(delivering a blow strong enough to leave Parasite in a crater): I hold back unless I know my enemy can take it.

Superboy(as his siblings come down and strike Parasite with their lightning, finally knocking him out): And I know when to let others help…

Everything that I love's falling away

Superman is seen fighting Bizarro with assistance from Hyperion. They see Bizarro’s eyes start glowing.

Bizarro(firing his beams): FREEZE!!!

They dodge the beam, but instead of burning whatever it hit, it instead FROZE everything it hit.

Superman+Hyperion(confused): What?

And there's no escape!

Bizarro then grabs Hyperion by the head and unleashes a torrent of flames from his mouth, directly into the Eternal’s face.

Superman(punching Bizarro away): He’s powers are the opposite of ours!

Hyperion(shaking his head to recover from the flames): Good to know!

Ringing so clear in my ears,

Supreme is seen assisting Uravity and Wonder Woman in dealing with Metallo, who proceeds to open up his chest plate to reveal the green glow from his armor to be…

Uravity(eyes wide): He has Kryptonite!

Supreme(confused): What?

Supreme is then hit by a blast coming the crystal in Metallo’s chest piece, pushing him back and actually doing damage!

The terror of voices that cry out in fear

Supreme(picking himself up with his wounds rapidly healing): How did that affect me?! Only Supremium can hurt me!

Wonder Woman(using her lasso to throw Metallo into a wall): Kryptonite is also radioactive rocks, looks like it’s radiation is able to bypass your invulnerability.

In this war! This endless war!

Uravity(waving her hand towards Metallo as he pulls himself out of the wall): GRAVITY PRISON!!!

Metallo(unable to move as the gravity around him has increased to the point he can’t move): DAMNIT!!!

Supreme(charging towards Metallo): Then I’ll just have to power through!

They gave you their lives and you still need more!

Supreme manages to land a hit across Metallo’s face strong enough to knock him out. He grunts as he feels the radiation burning his skin as proceeds to force the chest compartment with the rock closed and slumps as his body begins to heal.

You monsters are people

Sentry and Martian Manhunter are seen joining in Omniman and Invincible’s fight against Paragon, with Sentry simply shrugging off Paragon’s blows.

Paragon attempts to swipe at the charging Manhunter, only for his fists to phase through the Martian as J’onn proceeds to grab his head and enter his mind.

Manhunter(while scanning Brandon’s mind): Someone has already altered his mind, I can feel the mental imprint left behind.

Despite all the evil

Paragon(eyes glowing): GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

Paragon fires his beams causing J’onn to release him to avoid getting set on fire.

Sentry(charging energy into his fists as he punches Paragon across the face): JUST GO DOWN ALREADY!!!

You monsters are people

We then see Sir Nighteye arrive at the outskirts of UA with various other heroes, being greeted by the absolute carnage that is occurring.

He then spots Cyborg Superman being held back by the young children as everyone else is dealing with Re-Destro’s forces.

He then spots Mirio dealing with some of the grunts along with his friends of the UA Big Three and the rest of the Justice League.

Despite all the evil

Nighteye(getting Mirio’s attention): Lemillion focus! THE CYBORG’S GETTING AWAY!!!

Lemillion(turning to his FORMER mentor, annoyed): Supergirl and her friends have him handled, SIR.

Nighteye(with his eye twitching): THAT BRAT WON’T BE ABLE TO STO-

Flood!

Nighteye(as Cyborg Superman goes crashing into the ground due to a punch from Supergirl): -Op him?

Supergirl(floats down and sees Nighteye, giving him a glare): Oh great, him! What’s he doing here?

Nana(addressing her great granddaughter as a vestige of One for All that only she can see): He probably showed up due to the attack.

Now the sky's raining blood!

Nana(gasps in realization): This gives me an idea!

Supergirl(addressing her great grandmother as the Cyborg starts getting back up): What is it?

Nana(grinning deviously): Let’s show him just why you’re a better fit for One for All than anyone HE could chose!

Everything that I love's falling away

Supergirl(smiling at Nana’s suggestion): YES!!!

Supergirl then charges down into the Cyborg forcing him back into the ground, where she begins raining a series of blows onto him far faster than All Might ever could in his prime, leaving sizable dents in his chest plate, right in front of a stunned Nighteye.

And there's no escape!

Mt Lady(growing in size and grabbing one of the fallen slabs of Cementoss’s barriers): Hey kid! Batter up!

Supergirl then proceeds to lift the Cyborg by his dented chest plate and throws him upwards towards Mt Lady, who then proceeded to swing the cement slab in her arms like a baseball bat, hitting Cyborg Superman and sending him back towards the building he was originally held in.

Chikara recovers from the impact, only to hear a crash besides him.

Blood!

He turns to his side and sees his descendant, Rikiya, in a small crater besides him, with most of armor nicked and ripped apart with a scowl on his face as he glares at Batman, in an equally damaged HellBat armor, who was the one to have thrown him.

Raining down from above!

They then see that Metallo and Parasite had been taken care of and were being restrained.

Watch the sky open up, taking everything away

Bizarro soon lands in front of them, holding his sides and out of breath, due to withstanding the combined might of Superman, Hyperion, and the Powerpuff Girls.

Bizarro(after catching his breath): Bizarro think us leave now.

And there's still no escape!

Cyborg Superman looks up to see the army of arriving hero reinforcements approaching.

Nighteye(addressing them): STAND DOWN AND SURRENDER NOW!!!

You monsters are people

Cyborg Superman(grunting in annoyance): We’re leaving…

Cyborg Superman(as he uses his alien tech to open boomtubes to get their men out of UA): NOW!!!

Cyborg Superman(addressing Eri and gesturing to his chest plate as Nighteye angrily runs up to him in a vain attempt to stop him): DON’T THINK THAT I’LL FORGET ABOUT THIS SO EASILY!!!

Supergirl(copying her great grandmother’s words): DON’T EVER COME HERE AGAIN…

Supergirl(eyes glowing with power): OR YOU WON’T BE GOING BACK!!!

Despite all the evil

The Cyborg leaves through a portal, glaring at Eri as he does so, mere moments before Nighteye could reach him.

You monsters are people

Paragon is sent crashing into the ground as Superboy and his siblings helped deal with him, turning to the Utopian with a smug look on their faces.

Superboy(smirking): Told you we’re nothing like you and him.

Despite all the evil

(Song ends)

Homelander(sitting up from being knocked out): Wha happen-

The egotistical idiot finds himself immediately knocked back out by Aquaman slamming him across the face with his trident…Again…

Tensei makes his way into the holding cells and sees Brandon, still in the fetal position, afraid. The young boy looks up at the speedster as he approaches.

Brandon(fear in his eyes): Is it over?

Tensei(smiling as he kneels down with his cowl off): Yeah, it is.

Supergirl(voiceover as the damage done to UA is shown with everyone catching their breath): Looks like we were able to contain the damage and keep it to a minimum, but the Cyborg managed to get away.

Supergirl(voiceover as Nighteye walks over to her and her family): I just know that he’ll try to blame that last one on me.

Nighteye(angrily): What happened here?!

Nezu(from his place on All Might’s shoulder): That is on a need to know basis.

Supergirl(smirking as she sees Nighteye being denied by the principal, turning towards her friends who helped hold back the Cyborg Superman): But I think this may have been the start of a new team of heroes…

Iida runs past the remaining evil Supermen and places meta dampeners on them in a flash of lightning, before stopping in front of Nezu and All Might to reveal that his costume now had a yellow and red color scheme like his brother’s, but he’s was inverted above the waist, making it yellow from the waist up with a red lightning bolt in a white circle on his chest.

Kid Flash(taking off his helmet): The remaining prisoners have been secured sir.

Nezu(smiling): Good work Kid Flash!

J’onn: I glimpsed into Paragon’s mind during our fight.

J’onn(as Utopian walks up to them): He’s violent behavior is the result of mental tampering, and whoever did it made it so that only they have the “key” to undo it.

Sheldon(shocked): So his isn’t in control of himself?!

J’onn(turning to Sheldon): The tampering merely amplified his resentment towards you for neglecting to prioritize your own family, and removed the inhibitions he placed on himself to keep from snapping at you.

Sheldon(stunned): But the only person who could’ve done so…

Sheldon(eyes widening): Is my brother Walter!

Eri(having heard that revelation): Looks like we have more problems to solve…

Hisashi(turning to All Might some thought): Toshi, call David and Melissa, tell them to get ready for us, and Nezu tell Mei to pack her gear.

Hisashi(explaining): We’re going to rendezvous at I-island and head to the Fortress together.

Hisashi(turning towards the supermen): Maybe our own alien technology can help get them back to their Earth’s.

Nighteye(annoyed): What about that Cyborg?! Or that “Bizarro” you just fought?!

Hisashi(turning around to start helping with cleanup): We’ll deal with them in time.

Nana(as she watches her son-in-law walk off): I’m proud of him.

Nana(turning to Inko and Toshinori who join him in helping cleanup): All of them, they ended up becoming great heroes, I know they’ll accomplish great things together.

Nana(turning to her great granddaughter): Hopefully the technology in the fortress has what we need to get them back to their Earths?

Eri(answering Nana): All we can do is hope.

Eri(voiceover as we see the man with a “u” on his chest with his group, now known to be Ultraman and the Crime Syndicate, watching them from a distance): Because I have a feeling that there’s still a few obstacles in our way before we can resolve this mess…

To Be Continued…

Next time: Shazam; Earth’s Mightiest Mortal.

Author’s Note; I’d like to thank @chapelseed for giving me the idea to have Wolfram and Nine become this Universe’s Metallo and Parasite, and have the League of Villains be responsible for Bizzaro’s creation. He also came up with the for how to incorporate Cyborg Superman into a regular character. Just wait until you see what other ideas he helped me come up with.

[xsugarysweetsx]

Congrats on 2k mama sweet,,,!! :))

Since there is no sk8 requests yet how about option 2 - Kaoru x reader <3 Had this thought after reading ur arranged marriage fic... how about at the start of the marriage reader thinks that Kaoru is cheating on her when he sneaks out at night but after he tells her about S, reader feels kinda silly for thinking so.. next thing you know Kaoru is taking reader to all the beefs as his lucky charm. Reader even has a matching costume and the others start calling her "Lady Cherry" or smth,, teaches reader to skate (she's lowkey jealous of carla >.<) + some domestic fluff (what if reader finds out she's pregnant....) This doesn't have to be connected to the other fic & you can ignore the cheating part if u like... :-*

A/N: :0 Lady Cherry is a super smart name!

other fic here

Please enjoy~🍰

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

There he went again...

The sliding door of your shared room altered you from your sleep. This was the 6th night in a row that he left without a word in the middle of the night. The first 2 nights you thought he was simply tending to business and was just busy. After the 4th day, you were suspicious and a bit hurt. He did tell you he didn’t want to hurt you and treat you right....so where was he going?

This was another night he had gotten up, so instead of staying in bed you followed him. 

“Carla, make sure to lock the doors when I leave“ he said to his AI

“Yes, master“ you scoffed. You had to admit the stupid computer got on your nerves. He practically loved talking to her and every time she answered him, he gets all giddy. You were really jealous but you wish he’d get that way with you.  

Just as he was going to leave you called for him

“Kaoru?“ he froze and turned around “It’s late...“ you said coming closer to him. That’s when you noticed what he was wearing, he was in a sleeveless yukata with a black mask over his face, and a...skateboard?

“Y/N I...um...“ being that he can’t speak about S he was contemplating whether to tell you or not. But you were his wife and he wanted to be open with you on everything. However what you said next caught him off guard

“...if there’s someone else please just tell me...“ and the way you looked when you said it just broke his heart. Did you really think he was cheating? Even though this was arranged, he couldn’t ask for someone better to be his wife. You were smart, shy but bright, not to mention beautiful.

“Y/N“ he walked to you and rests his hand on your shoulder “I would never cheat on you and I assure you there is no one else.”

“Then why do you leave at night?“ you ask

“*Sigh*....I go skating.“ he said bluntly. There was nothing to hide from you and it was all true

“...huh“ he lifted his board for you to see

“Some friends and I go skateboarding in a secret location for races and such. We only go at night so we go unnoticed.“ he held up a small pin “It’s called S..now that you know you can’t tell anyone. Now go throw something on, we’re heading out.“

Just as he said you were heading out in the dead of night. And of course you had to ride on Carla, every time he spoke to her it was like he was talking to his crush. As you approach a gate with two guards he gives you a larger sticker of the letter ‘S’. You show them to security and make it inside where people had started screaming. You knew he was popular among women but this was more than you thought

“Lord Cherry!!” one screamed 

“Kao-”

“Cherry” he interrupted 

“What?”

Getting his bike to a stop he helps you off and says “we don’t use our real names here for security reasons. Here I’m Cherry blossom.” 

So what he was telling you was true. You honestly felt a bit silly for jumping to conclusions so quickly. Before he was off to what he called a ‘beef’ he introduced you to JOE. You were surprised to see the popular chef here as well, although you knew they had been friends for years. The large screen in the area showed you just how goof he was at this. 

He was fast but graceful, sharp an precise on corners. The crowd only cheered louder than before. 

“So, you’re the one he’s been talking about huh?“ Joe asked 

“He’s been...talking about me?“ you asked

He nodded “He was gone for like 3 days in a row not to mention he was brushing off more women now. That’s when he told us there was someone he wanted to be loyal to.” okay, now you felt really silly. After the race was done and over with Cherry had made his way back to you. He comes and embarrass you and whispers in your ear

“You brought me good luck.“ you felt your heart skip a beat from the feeling of being close to him

“oooo, look at Lord Cherry with his lady~“

“Shut up you big oaf!!“

<>

During the next few months you had gone with him to almost every beef. You had even gained a name for yourself, ‘Lady Cherry’. You had become quite popular among some men there and even cherry’s female fans. He would usually bring you as his ‘lucky charm’, it was cheesy but sweet at the same time. They also had a habit of saying 

“The Cherries have arrived“ 

On his free time he would actually taught you how to skate, well he tried anyway. Balance wasn’t exactly easy and being from a traditional family, this was unusual for you. You’d be holding on to his shoulders while his hands held your waist

“Don’t let me fall“

“You’re doing just fine dear. Why don’t we try some tricks“ he offered  

“Are you sure you’re the man I married?“ you ask with a smirk

“The one and only dear“ he kissed your cheek 

It was honestly so cute to him. You’d have a scared but excited look on your face. Your cheeks would turn pink and it just made his heart fluttered. On top of all that you were willing to indulge in something he has loved from a young age. He always took you with him to each beef he attended. Both for showing you off an he is in love with the idea of winning every race for not just himself but for you as well.  

Although tonight you wouldn’t make it to the beef. He was going to race Joe but that was put on hold. You had been feeling sick all day and you just finished emptying your stomach. As much as you told him to go, he refused to leave.

“You’re my wife and you’re clearly not okay“ he said helping you up off the floor “you come before any beef or competition. Now come on, let’s get you to the hospital and get you checked out.“

A short drive to the general hospital was taken that night. No, he would not wait until tomorrow morning. He wanted to know that you were okay and didn’t have anything terminal. After speaking with the nurse and giving some blood and urine samples you both patiently waited. You leaned against him playing with the digits of his fingers. 

*Knock knock* “Ma’am we have your results” the doctor says holding up a couple of papers and even some medicine. “well, you’re clear for any terminal conditions or diseases. although you have some hormonal imbalances and some new ones kicking in.”

“Meaning?“ Kaoru urged him on

“Congratulations, you’re 4 weeks pregnant.“

“....“ you both sat in shock at the news. You were pregnant? Well, you two were active, and maybe Kaoru has his own little rituals. Either after or before a beef he’d get frisky and was set on pleasing you both. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that this would have happened, still it was shocking news

“These are some prenatal vitamins you’ll need to take for the month. Make sure to make an appointment to check on the baby alright?” giving you the vile of pills he takes his leave leaving you both in silence. What were you supposed to say? How were you going to deal with this? Were you even ready?

“-together.“ you didn’t catch his whole sentence 

“I’m sorry what was that?” you ask him

“We’ll this together alright?“ he took your hand in his “believe me I’m as shocked as you are but, we’ll figure this out together okay?“

“Alright“ you smile back 

“We should probably start with a bigger house for the three of us“

<>

“Kaoru, come on it’s just paint I can-“

“You are not moving a muscle“ he cut you off “I want you to rest all you can. You’re making a baby and that’s enough.“

To say he was strict during your pregnancy was an understatement. As soon as your belly started showing you were no longer going to beefs with him. You were currently 6 months along, and expecting a girl! Kaoru was over the moon to know it was a girl. he would have been happy with a boy too, but a little copy of you was like a dream. He couldn't wait to see the little girl that would look like you and act like him.

Today was nursery day, which meant painting, building and organizing. Kaoru had you only fold and organizing the clothes and things while he painted. Of course being your idea you had called the boys over to help. Joe was building some stuff along with Shadow. Langa and Reki were actually helping to paint the walls. 

“I appreciate you guys coming to help“ you smile 

“Hey it’s no problem, at least you told us about it“ Joe commented. Oh yeah, he also wanted to keep it a secret so that 

‘the idiot wouldn’t ruin your pregnancy‘ which made you laugh for a good 5 minutes. But they were very good help and made the process easier 

“Hey so what are you naming the baby?“ Reki asked 

“Well, Kaoru kind of wanted to associate it with his skate name so we agreed on Sakura.“

“AAWWHH“ everyone said out load slightly teasing him. Without turning from the wall he said

“....I just wanted a beautiful name for her was all.“ although he was cold at times they knew he meant well especially for his family.  A while late Joe made a small dinner for you all to enjoy. You thanked them for coming over and you were done for the night. You were putting on some lotion over your rounded middle when Kaoru came behind you. He wrapped his arms around and over your own hands and rested there for a moment

“Who would have thought we’d be here huh?” You whisper

“In all honesty I was hoping for it” he admired “before we married you were described as a caring and sweet woman. But you were so much more once we were married. You’re compassionate, intelligent, stubborn, beautiful, and absolutely perfect” he said kissing the side of your head “and now, you’ve given me the gift of being a father. Thank you”

Turning in his hold you wipe away small tears “oh Kaoru , thank you too. You’ve treated me like I’m the only person you need. On top of that you take care of me but still give me my freedom. I love you..”

“And I love you” he rests his forehead against yours as his fingers trace over your baby bump.

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

I hope this was okay!❤️

[kaitycole]

dopamine and epinephrine, just don’t mix

Summary: Kuroo thinks back on his relationship with Y/N. How will those memories hold up to reality? 

Pairing: Kuroo x fem!reader, Bokuto x fem!reader (platonic)

Word Count: 5351

Warnings: Angst. Toxic behaviors. Cheating allegations. Adult language.

A/N: A special thank you to @twilightwrites​ for this prompt.

Side note: I know the drinking age in Japan is 20, I realized as I was writing the last paragraph of this that I messed up, so we are just gonna let it slide because my head hurts lol

September – 2013

“Kuroo-san, do you understand what I’ve just explained?” He just nods, the meaning of the words is known, it’s just the weight of them that just hasn’t hit him yet. It not until he’s walking across campus, his feet dragging against the sidewalk, that the weight of his advisor’s words land on his shoulders.

You failed to maintain proper grades to continue not just in this department, but in this university. Your enrollment has been terminated.

Kuroo shakes his head, how exactly would he explain this to his grandmother? She was so proud of him for getting into university in the first place. He really was great at disappointing those he cared for lately.

*                      * The sidewalks are busier than he’s used to, he was always in class at this time and he ends up brushing against a few people as he maneuvers his way to the nearest convenience store. The dinging of the welcome bell draws him from the jumble of thoughts he was having. The cool air from the refrigerated unit, grabbing several cans of lemon flavored chūhai. It was cheap, didn’t taste all that great, but he didn’t care.

There are three empty cans piled next to his foot, his hand tightens around the fourth one, it caves under his fingertips. The blend of alcohol on an empty stomach has Kuroo on the verge of tipsiness.

He hears a soft laugh and feels himself stiffen when he sees (h/c) hair as his mind blanks. It’s been almost a year since he’s seen her, a flash of the malice words exchanged and the sound the door made as it was slammed crosses his mind.

Suddenly he’s self-conscious of how he looks, quickly running his fingers through his unruly hair (not that that would help) and scrabbles to pick the cans up and cram them into his bag. He doesn’t fully hear the name, but enough to know it wasn’t her, making him feel a bit ridiculous.

Dopamine: hormone and neurotransmitter that's an important part of your brain's reward system; associated with happiness and pleasure.

June – 2010

“Can you tell me where Ko-chan is?”

Kuroo turned to see an unfamiliar face staring back up at him. She tucked a stray piece of her (h/c) hair behind her ear, nervously biting her bottom lip, and Kuroo instantly thought she was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen. So much, that instead of answering her, he just stood there, staring.

“Bokuto-san is this way, L/N-san.” Akaashi said as he walked up behind her.

She smiled at Kuroo, apologizing for bothering him before following Akaashi over to where the rowdy ace of Fukurōdani was. Once Bokuto’s eyes fell onto the girl, he ran towards her, wrapping her into a tight hug, thanking her repeatedly for bringing his extra gym bag all the way to the training camp.

Kuroo waited until Bokuto was alone before he made his way over, trying to figure out how to work in his question. “Bokuto, who is that?” Bo looked over to Akaashi who was talking to this mystery girl before looking back at Kuroo with a sloppy grin on his face. “Why? Interested?”

Kuroo felt his head getting fuzzy, like when he held it over the edge of his bed for too long, “I was…uhm…just wondering.”

“That’s Y/N. We grew up together, but in fifth grade she moved away, just recently moved back.”

That explained why Kuroo didn’t know her even though her and Bo came off extremely close.

“She’s single.”

Kuroo felt his face start to burn, embarrassment covering it as he tried to speak, but all that came out were broken parts of a sentence. “Oh, well…I don’t…bother…just…yeah.”

** Y/N was standing in the doorway of the gym, watching as Bokuto hit down each practice set Akaashi sent his way, he truly had gotten even more powerful since they were children. She rubbed her hands against her arms, trying to warm up, she tensed when she felt a slight bit of weight on her shoulders.

She turned around to see a messy raven-haired boy standing behind her, his oversized red jacket draped over her shoulders. “Rooster boy!”

“Huh?” Kuroo raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to really respond.

“Ko-chan told me to call you that.” She smiled up innocently at Kuroo and he felt himself get weak in the knees.

He mumbled something to the effect of ‘horned owl bastard’ underneath his breath which seemed to make her laugh just a little bit. He ran his fingers through his hair, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious about the state of his hair.

She turned back around, eyes wide in awe as Bokuto slammed another ball onto the other side of the court, Kuroo couldn’t help but wonder what it’d be like if she looked at him like that, but blocking wasn’t as flashy as spikes were and he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. He turned around on his heel, getting ready to head back to where the rest of his team is.

“Are you trying to play hard to get?” “Huh?” He looked back at her, she had spun around, a devilish smirk on her smirk.

“You gave me your jacket even though you only have a t-shirt on, but you don’t tell me your name or ask if I want go somewhere to talk.”

“Oh, I thought you wanted to watch Bo play, I…uh…didn’t want to bother you.”

She slipped her arms into his jacket, zipping it up, “nah, I can see Bo play at school.”

“Did you want to go talk somewhere?” “I don’t go places with strangers.” She tilted her head, giving him a knowing look.

He shook his head, “I’m Kuroo Tetsurō, nice to meet you…?” “L/N F/N. Likewise Tetsu-chan!” She grabbed his hand, “c’mon, let’s go!”

He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as his feet moved on their own, following this mystery girl and he already knew that he was gonna have his hands full, not that he really cared.

*                      * December – 2010

“Y/N?”

The two of them were in Kuroo’s room, something they did often on the weekends, sometimes working on school work, other times just enjoying each other’s company. She’s flipping through a magazine, her chin rested on her palms as she looked over her shoulder at the middle blocker, a smile on her face. Kuroo was leaning against his headboard and couldn’t help but forget what he was about to say.

“Tetsu-chan?”

“Are you a carbon sample?” He smirked when she gave him a puzzled look, “because I want to date you.” Her face lit up as she pushed herself up, sitting up while crossing her legs as she faced Kuroo. “Oh! Oh! Oh! I have one too!” She clapped her hands in excitement, “you look sweeter than 3.14!”

He laughed before he shook his head, “no, Y/N, I’m asking you out.”

“You’re asking me out using a science pun?” His face went completely red, cheek burned as he rubbed the back of his head. “…yeah.”

“You’re such a dork!” She started laughing, falling over to the side as her giggles filled the now empty room. When she finally composed her, wiping the tears that had fallen down her cheeks, she smiled up at him, “but I guess that means you’re my dork.” “That a yes?” Kuroo held his breath, worried that she was about to reject him because looking back on it, it was kinda lame, even for him.

She crawled up to Kuroo side, leaning into it as he wrapped his arm around her waist, “it’s a proton positive?”

*                      * September – 2013

Kuroo staggers up the stairs, thankful that he only lives on the second floor of his apartment building. He drops his bag near the door while he kicks off his shoes as he makes his way to the closet in his room.

The apartment is pretty bare for someone to be living there. The furniture that’s there is just what’s needed, the bare minimum through the apartment. A bed and night stand in the bedroom, couch and TV in the living room area and the only reason he had a TV stand was because Kenma almost had a heart attack when he saw Kuroo had it sitting on the floor.

Y/N was supposed to decorate it, that had been their deal when the subject of moving in together came up. The plan was to get an apartment between the universities they had planned to attend and she could decorate it however she wanted, all Kuroo cared about was getting to come home to her. But it was obvious that day never happened, they didn’t even make it searching for apartments together before things fell apart and Kuroo picked an apartment closest to his school.

He’s rummaging through the bedroom closet before pulling out an old tin box, the kind that trading cards come in. Wiping off the thin layer of dust that has accumulated on the top, he slowly opens it, a flood of emotions washes over him.

*                      * March – 2011

“Y/N seems really happy.” Bo said, the three of them had all met up to see a movie that recently released.

Kuroo was happy that his girlfriend and best friend were also close, it made things a lot easier and he didn’t have to worry about them getting along, even if they had technically known each other longer. “I hope she is, I’d do anything for her.”

“What are you two whispering about?” She snuck up behind them, popcorn in hand, placing her chin on Kuroo’s shoulder.

“Guy stuff.”

“Laaame!” She shook her head, walking towards the theatre where their movie was playing, “we’re gonna miss the trailers!”

** “Where to next?” She looked between the boys, eager to keep their night going. 

“I should probably head back, I don’t want to worry my grandparents.” Kuroo glanced at the time on his phone, he knew the movie might run late but he didn’t think they’d be out this late. He felt bad as he watched her face drop, clearly not the answer she was expecting.

“Yeah, it is getting a bit late.” Bokuto agreed with a slight shrug.

Y/N dragged her feet along the sidewalk, her shoulder dropped which caused both boys to share a look.

“Is this about what we talked about earlier?” Bokuto asked, pulling her into a side hug.

Kuroo looked between them, curiosity filling him as he tries to think if she told him anything that was bothering her, but he can’t. “What did you two talk about?” She shook her head, “it’s nothing.” She looked up at him, giving him a small straight smile.

Part of him wanted to ask her again, to get her to open up and talk to him about it because it was bothering her then it bothers him, but he didn’t. He tried to find comfort in the fact that at least she could tell Bo about it, at least she had someone, but it still hurt that that someone wasn’t him.

*                      * May – 2011

It had bothered Kuroo for weeks now that it seemed Y/N was confiding more and more into Bokuto that she was him. He was her boyfriend, he was the one she should be going to, right? Then why was she continuously going to their friend?

His irritation started to splinter into other aspects of his life, tests that he should’ve passed he didn’t, blocks he should’ve made he missed, but the boiling point came when Fukurōdani played Nekoma and she came decked out in Fukurōdani colors, cheerfully talking to Bo and his team. He knew it shouldn’t bug him like it was, she attended that school, but what still pissed him off were the comments he heard as they walked by the team.

Comments from other team members and what seemed like potential classmates of theirs repeatedly saying different variations of how cute her and Bo looked together, what a great couple they’d make and the way that she would hang onto Bo’s side.

The game was long, Kuroo spend half the game lost in his anger and the other half moving on auto-pilot as his body seemed to move on its own. Somehow Nekoma ended up winning, but that didn’t change the way he felt as he practically stormed off the court towards the locker room. He understood how important Bo was to her, that they were best friends and had been for longer than he knew either of them, but that didn’t alleviate the anger that radiated off of his shoulders nor did it stop him from slamming the doors he walked through.

“Tetsu-chan!”

He didn’t stop, just continued to walk down the hallway and toward the main entrance, acting as though he’s the only one there.

“Tetsu-chan!” She reached out, pulling his duffle bag’s strap back towards her.

He refused to turn around, having a feeling that he’d lash out and he didn’t want to do that. He needed space, time to cool down, he didn’t want to give her the ultimatum of him or Bo and he had a feeling if he opened his mouth, that’s what he’d say.

She looked at his back, unsure of why he was so upset, his team had just won, shouldn’t he be more excited? “For someone who just won, you’re acting like emo Bo.”

Kuroo’s eye twitched, just hearing her compare him to Bo so effortlessly was painful and caused his thoughts to spiral. Did she want to be with him? Would she rather be with Bo? He clenched his fist, hating the way he felt and hating himself more for feeling that way. He hated the ugly jealousy that wrapped around his chest, weaving around his lung, making it harder to breathe as it tightened. He yanked his bag strap away from her, leaving her standing there as he stormed out.

** A few weeks went by and communication between Kuroo and Y/N was awkward and basic, simple “hello’s” and “yeah, you?” filled most of their exchanges. It all came down to Bo inviting both of them over to his place and essentially locking them in his room, forcing them to talk to each other.

“Tetsu-chan.” She bit down on her lip, tears filled her eyes, the reality of how distant they had grown weighed down the atmosphere, “are we breaking up?” “What?” His head snapped up, finally looking her. He didn’t want to break-up, he wasn’t even mad anymore, he just didn’t know how to get back to where they were. It felt weird to just try to just back in as if nothing had ever happened.

She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as if creating a wall between them, an attempt to brace herself from the pain that seemed to be coming. She tried her hardest to keep her lip from quivering. “’Cause this is a very shitty way of doing that. You could’ve just called.”

He wasn’t sure what was going on, she didn’t look like she wanted to break up, but she sounded like she was ready for one. What sense did that make? The room almost felt hostile, “so I look like the guy that’d break up over the phone, is that what you think of me?” “Did I say that? No. But it’d be better than dumping me in Bo’s room!”

“I didn’t say I wanted to break up!”

“Then why have you been avoiding me?”

“You hurt my feelings!” Kuroo voice raised a bit louder than it had been, both of them pausing in their spot. The tension immediately disappeared and she slowly walked up to him, an adorable pout on her face.

She threw her arms around him, sobbing into his chest, “I’m so sorry!” “It’s fine, it’s stupid anyways.” He rubbed circles on her back, pulling her in closer to him.

She protested, claiming anything that bothered him couldn’t be stupid and demanded that he tell her and he did. That he knew it was rather silly to be jealous of her supporting her school, but it made him wonder if she was embarrassed to say she was with him. That he knew it was important for her to have friends and he was glad Bo was one, but she wanted her to see him as someone she could go to in the same she could to Bo because as lame as it sounded, he didn’t like feeling like the odd man out.

She reassured him that it was nothing like that and told him that she saw where he was coming from. She told him that if the roles had been reversed, she would’ve definitely felt the same way that he had and that they both needed to work on their communication skills because they both agreed neither of them wanted what they had to end.

They walked out of the room together, holding hands and Bo looked excited to see they worked things out, wrapping them both in a huge hug. Kuroo thought he felt confident in what she said to him, but then he saw how she seemed to just naturally gravitate towards Bo even when he was there and that sinking feeling he had weeks ago at their game came back, this time plowing into him like a wrecking ball.

*                      * September – 2013

Kuroo accidentally kicks the box as he staggers to stand up, the memories proving to be a bit too much for him. But something in him made him want to see the task through, to see everything that he was holding on to, but to do that he needed alcohol.

His phone starts to vibrate in his pocket, he takes it out immediately pressing the button on the side to silence it then presses it again to send it to voice mail. Kuroo knows who it is, it’s the only person who would be calling him: Kenma.

He opens the fridge, pulling out what few cans of beer he has before shuffling back to his room, flopping down in the stop that’s still warm from him sitting there just moments ago. He puts his phone on floor near him, glancing at the screen as it lights up from a text notification.

Kenma: Missed Call (4) Text Message (15)

Technically he had no reason to avoid his best friend, but he didn’t feel like he deserved Kenma’s kindness because all he had done lately was mess things up. He didn’t want Kenma to tell him everyone messes up and he can fix things since he knew that it was too late to do any of that now.

He pulls out a small pile of printed photographs, some printed out on the mini polaroid paper from the camera she wanted for her birthday. She was his first serious relationship, between school and volleyball he never really gave dating much thought, but it was different with her. She kept him on his toes, made him want to be better, he really could see a future with her, but he screwed it up and now all he had were these pictures.

Pictures that ranged from dates to study sessions, from volleyball games to random adventures through Tokyo. Looking at them made him wonder if she kept the matching ones? Did she have a box too?

A bit of beer splatters when he cracks open the tab and he frantically wiped the picture across his thigh, drying it but smearing the liquid across the photo. He wanted to believe that he tried hard enough to make things work, that he gave it his all, but when he thought back to that night, her words told him differently.

Epinephrine: surges at panic/emergency; provokes stress response— brings out arousal of extreme emotions like fear and anger.

January— 2012

“It’s really not that big of a deal!” She said for the fourth time within the last five minutes, but Kuroo wasn’t listening.

“It is!” He shook his head, pacing her bedroom, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to control what he said if he sat down, he needed to walk this anger out of him.

“He was the first person I saw, Tetsu.” She really didn’t mean anything by telling Bokuto she had been accepted into her top two choices for college, he literally happened to be the first person she saw after getting the news. They’d been dating for two years and he still got jealous when it came to Bo and she wasn’t sure why.

“You just don’t get it.” He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to even out his breathing, he really didn’t want to fight with her.

“You’re right, I don’t. I don’t get why my boyfriend gets so upset when I tell my best friend things.”

“Because you told him first! I should know first!”

She snorted, “this is stupid. I mean honestly you sound like a child.”

“A child, nice.” He grabbed his jacket from her desk chair, shoving passed her as he walked down the hall before slipping on his shoes and going right out the front door.

She followed him, yelling at him to stop, yanking on his arm when she finally catches up. “I’m sorry.”

He didn’t say anything at first, just stood there as she repeatedly apologized, tightly wrapping her arms around his torso.

“I don’t know why I get so jealous.” He sounded defeated and he was, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t place why he felt so threatened by Bo. Maybe it was because he knew her longer, knew parts of her that he didn’t or maybe it’s because deep down he just didn’t feel like he deserved her.

“I know.” She buried her face into his chest, still hugging him. She believed that he didn’t know why he felt that way, but she was still tired of dealing with it, regardless of how much she loved him.

*                      * April – 2012

It was the weird time between graduation and university getting ready to start, Y/N was over at Kuroo’s, his room now filled with boxes. Things didn’t bounce back to normal the way it did before when she thought they were breaking up, after their latest fight things were kinda awkward. They still hung out, but it was mostly just them sitting in the same room both engaged in something alone.

Kuroo looked over when he heard her giggle, raising an eyebrow before humming.

“Yukie sent the group chat some pictures from graduation.” She handed her phone to him, scooting a bit closer so they could look together.

Most of them were harmless, to be fair they were all harmless, but Kuroo started to question them as they went through them. There were ones of Y/N with Yukie and Kaori and some with various team members. Then they got to ones with Bo and both of them stiffened, neither had mentioned him unless they had to since their last fight. There were ones with Bo hanging on an unamused looking Akaashi, but the one that Kuroo hated was one of Bo next to Y/N, his hand “too low” on her hip for his liking.

He pushed himself off his bed, trying to calm down, but he knew this time he wouldn’t be able to.

“Tetsu, it was just a picture.”

He made an annoyed sound, something between a scoff and a laugh, as he shook his head. “He didn’t have to put his hand on your hip like that.”

She rolled her eyes, “it’s just a stupid pose. Everyone does it!” She flipped through the pictures, zooming in on Yukie’s arm that was wrapped around her waist, “see! Look! Her arm is around me, that make you mad too?” “It’d be different if you weren’t practically begging Bo to fuck you!”

The words hung heavy between them, for Kuroo it was a weight of his shoulders to get the words out but for Y/N, it knocked the wind out of her lungs. They were supposed to look at apartments today, find one to live in together while going to college, but a fight like this wasn’t in the plans. At least not for her, she was hoping that they could mend things and start over since they’d be moving away from Bo.

“W-w-what?” Her face was scrunched up in disbelief, the words still not being fully processed.

“I mean the way you flaunt yourself in front of him in that skirt!”

“Skirt?” Her face went deadpan, “you mean my fucking school uniform?”

28 months, they’d been together for over two years and she couldn’t he said that to her, couldn’t believe that he felt that way. Tears started to fill her eyes, for months she walked on pins and needles, carefully edited her words around him and now she had to hear the person she loved the most say the worse kind of words to her.

“You know what I mean! Don’t twist my words!”

“I’m not and I can’t believe you!” She wiped the tears from her face aggressively, “I have done nothing to cause you to feel this way!”

“I’m just making it up? It’s just in my head?” “YES! Bo is our best friend. Friends, that’s all we have ever been!” She started to look around the room, trying to find the sweatshirt she brought with her, she couldn’t have this fight again.

“Friends don’t act like you two do.”

“Boyfriends don’t act like you do!” She took three steps towards Kuroo to grab her sweatshirt before she turned and walked towards his door. She hesitated, thinking Kuroo would call out to her, but he doesn’t, instead he just let her leave.

*                      * July – 2012

They didn’t get a shared apartment like they had planned to. Kuroo stayed in Tokyo while YN moved to Kyoto, choosing a completely different university than she originally intended. For most of their first semester in university they barely spoke at all, neither really making it a point to reach out. Ironically, if it wasn’t Bokuto they wouldn’t have known how the other was doing, how the other was dealing with the upgrade from high school to college.

Then Bokuto mentioned a Fukurōdani vs Nekoma game, invited both of them and both eagerly accepted. Which lead to a very awkward game, each sitting on the opposite side of Bokuto, who was far too busy cheering on his old team to notice. Bokuto ran off after the game, Akaashi had called, leaving the two to awkwardly walk home.

They get close to her house, both lingering on the sidewalk, kicking imaginary rocks to act as if they had something keeping them outside.

“Y/N, I’m –“

“I think we should break up.”

“Y/N, I –”

“No. I don’t want to hear any excuses anymore. I tried so hard to make this work, but what you said to me hurt Kuroo, it really hurt.”

Kuroo. When was the last time she called him that?

“I never did anything to make you think those things, I wouldn’t do that. I really did love you, but I can’t keep doing this. It’s not healthy.”

*                      * September – 2013

It had been over a year and he stilled kicked himself for not saying anything to her that night, for letting her walk away without even trying to hold onto their relationship. But that night he discovered that everything he thought about them was a lie. He thought that he had been trying to keep them together, that he had been trying his hardest to be a good boyfriend, but he was the one who tore them apart. He was the one who got it in his head that she was acting a way that he knew she wasn’t, he knew that Bo was just her friend and what made it even worse was after their break-up, Bo and Akaashi announced their relationship.

Not only did he lose his girlfriend, the only girl he’d ever loved, but she eventually told Akaashi what happened and when Bo found out, he was livid. Even Akaashi hadn’t seem Bo as mad as he was when he called and told off Kuroo for ever thinking that about him and Y/N. Maybe all of this was what he deserved, he had been truly awful as a boyfriend and a friend, but even with that awareness, he still missed her. Still wanted her back, wanted to truly be able to fix things with her because he knew he could be better given one more chance.

*                      * October – 2013

Being back at home isn’t as bad as Kuroo built it up in his head to be. His grandparents weren’t thrilled that he wasn’t going to finish up this semester, but he promised them after some time, after he could clear his head, he would go back.

He picked up a part-time job at a convenient shop, just needing something to force him out of his thoughts because somehow being back at home was even worse than being alone in his apartment. Even though he knew she was hours away, it didn’t stop him from almost breaking his neck to see if every girl passing with (h/c) was her. He hadn’t seen her up close since their breakup, so he didn’t know if she had long, short, buzzed hair, hell he didn’t even know if she had colored it differently.

“You didn’t forget my (favorite flavor) tea, did you?”

Kuroo stops in the middle of ringing up a customer at the sound of a familiar voice. Over the last year and a half, he swore he had heard it several times, but this time he is positive that it’s her. He looks up just in time to see her smiling at someone that the aisle is preventing him from seeing and he feels his heart thump into his chest.

He wants to step away from the register, to tell them to just give him a moment, that’s all he needs with her to try to get her to just hear him out, but there’s a pretty long line and she disappears deeper into the store.

“Kuroo?”

He looks up from ringing up the few items that were placed on the counter and it was her. Her in person, not in his dreams or random memories that flooded his mind when was alone. He wanted to ask her to wait for him, to give him just a few minutes to talk to him, but the person next to her wrapped his arm around her and his heart sank.

“Are you on break from school?” She tilts her head to the side.

“Just thought I’d take some time off, clear my head.” He told them the total price, the mystery man handing him the amount. “What about you?” She clears her throat, shifting a bit awkwardly which isn’t missed on either man. “Bo invited us to celebrate him signing to a pro team.” “Ah. So this is…” The man quickly introduces himself, Kuroo doesn’t bother to catch his name, but the title he gives himself sticks in his mind: boyfriend. He wants to be mad, how could she just move on like that? How could she just forget everything they had and start over with this…guy?

“We should get going, Y/N.”

“It was nice seeing you.” She gives him a small polite smile, taking the man’s hand as they walked out of the store. But she pauses before going through the door and for a brief moment Kuroo holds his breath, hoping she’ll tell him she wants to talk. She doesn’t, instead she shakes her head with a small laugh and follows her boyfriend outside.

That’s the moment Kuroo realizes that he no longer has a place in her life to go back to, that no matter how hard and tightly he holds onto the memories they made, he would never get her back. And that realization shook Kuroo to his core.

Likes, comments and reblogs are always appreciated.

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[unholyhelbig]

Can you do something fluffy for Bechloe?

Read on AO3 here 

A/N: Me? Fluff? Are you sure... Did you ask the right person to do this? 

The test tube shattered before anyone could catch it. Not like their reflexes were perfect, or even adequate, but they were sharp enough to notice when the sample got too close to the edge of the counter- and cunning enough to know when it wasn’t good that glass splayed across the tile floor.

Because the truth of the matter was, they didn’t know what it was. It had been labeled by a resident the week before after a woman was wheeled into the ICU and died two days later after her symptoms reached a peak and she coded. And now… well now her blood was among the shards and the metallic scent that filled the air slowly bubbled in the room.

Beca had just taken a mouthful of sandwich and bit down hard on the mix of deli meat and mustard. She chewed slowly, meeting the eyes of the only other woman in the lab; a pediatrician from a few floors down that had been searching for a tiger topped tube.

She swallowed the bit of food on her tongue “Uh oh,”

“You shouldn’t say uh oh in medicine.” The woman glanced down at the sample that splattered the edges of her shoes. “What exactly was in that?”

The woman set down her lunch and stood from her seat before walking to the door and closing it. There was a contamination button right next to the side, and it would seal the base of the door and alert the security department to the fact that there may have been a possible quarantine situation in progress.

She pressed it and turned to face her counterpart. She had seen her in the hallways before, in passing and always found her captivating in a collective type of way. She was good with children, had to be, and had such striking eyes that were pooled with worry at this point. Beca crossed her arms over her chest.

“A blood sample from the woman they brought into the ICU a few days ago, it’s the only thing left of her.”

“Oh… the one that they couldn’t figure out in time?”

“The one that we still can’t figure out.”

Beca crossed the room and shoved the rest of her lunch into the little trashcan next to the lab table she most definitely wasn’t supposed to be eating at. Doctor Chloe Beale watched her all the while, paying most attention to the heavy sound of a deadbolt and the way the blood crept towards the drain.

She never had much trouble eating in the morgue before, and she certainly didn’t’ expect a fiery-haired peds physician to come down here rooting through the rest of the medical supplies that they shouldered off on the less desirable rooms in this place. Overcrowded, understaffed.

It was easy to stay among the dead; the rows of silver drawers and quiet tick of the sink that was broken in the corner. But now they had blood, exposed blood that she was supposed to examine for particulates because no one could figure out what had killed this woman.

“What does that mean for us?” She lifted her eyebrows, taking a tentative step from the slathered rustic color.

“Quarantine,” Beca said.

“Quarantine? I… I have to split an arm, and draw a blood sample from a two-year-old with gastrointestinal discomfort, she can’t even keep Pedialyte down and her parents are not patient.”

“A tiger on a two-year-old? Yikes. Don’t you have interns for that kind of thing?”

She scoffed and leaned against the metal counter. The wall phone started its rhythmic ring and Beca wasted no time picking it up. The security team had gotten back to them, and a dull buzz of activity started outside.

Beca was told not to touch the blood that had spilled on the floor. She was also told that it wouldn’t’ be too long before the CDC came in and checked their levels with their much fancier machines and important equipment, and quite honestly, they could have taken the sample and given the hospital a full answer before they passed it down to a coroner that had little to no knowledge on disease control.

She hung up the phone with a sigh “Do you want the good news or the bad news?”

“Hit me with both,” Doctor Beale held her hands up in surrender “I’m a big girl.”

“Bad news is, we have to stay in here until they figure out what exactly killed that woman, and if we’re also in danger of dying from said thing…” She sounded out carefully “Good news is, most of the company I have down here don’t talk back, so I have exactly three decks of cards, a stress ball, and a lot of snacks.”

“I’m a mean card shark, I have fantastic hand-eye coordination, and I can’t fathom how you eat down here.”

Beca smiled back and rooted around in the bottom drawer among the rubber bands and the paperclips, and a wrapped snack cake that had been there since before she started. One of the interns had even scrawled the date on the plastic wrapping but she couldn’t’ recall it, not with the pediatrician staring her down like this.

She pulled out the cards and gestured for the woman to pull her stool closer. There was nothing else they could do, not really unless they wanted to pull the body of Mr. Hodges from the bottom right tray and perform the county autopsy that she was putting off until the end of the day.

“It’s not that bad, I just can’t like… look at them or anything. Really the morgue is peaceful and it’s the only place in the hospital that legally has to stay at a cool temperature. So I get great air conditioning.”

“Touché. The peds floor is like a sauna this time of year, which really doesn’t’ help fussy kids. Nothing does unless it’s a popsicle or a toy… or superheroes- you know, air condition probably would be nice.”

She was rambling, flustered by either the scent of blood or being in the basement of the hospital with a strange and small doctor who held a pack of cards between her hands, dainty and steady. Beca found it cute, endearing, really.

“How do you fair at poker?” Beca asked, sparing her.

“Mm, not well. I’ve never played.”

“Cribbage?”

“No,”

“Rummy?”

“Yeah… no”

“Go fish?”

“That’s one I know,” She clapped her hands as if getting an answer right on jeopardy. “Quite good at that one, actually. Card Shark.”

Beca blew air out of her nose and had to stifle a smile. She could see why she chose the profession she did and could see even more why children liked her. Beca tended to not have the best wrap sheet with tiny humans, in fact, some would call her bad at it all together. But she still tried, and happily dealt the two of them even piles of playing cards.

They played for a few minutes, Chloe getting an accurate pile of cards because she was shockingly crushing this game. It took a bit for her to frown and set the fan of cards down on the silver-topped table. She leaned forward, onto her palms, and let out a sigh. There was an overwhelmingly comforting scent of lemon and mint that radiated from her.

“Do you have a will?” she asked.

“I don’t,” Beca frowned “Do you have any seven’s?”

She didn’t’ get an answer, just a hard glare that sent shivers down her spine so she set her own pile down and focused her full attention on the woman in front of her. It wasn’t’ that hard to do, not in the slightest. Not with the way, Chloe’s eyes shined under the lights and the ghost of a constellation moved across her dainty nose and sprawling cheeks.

“Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know I just… Even though this game of Go Fish is rousing, It has me thinking; if I died right now because of whatever is in that blood sample, I wouldn’t want my last memory to be of playing a children’s card game in a creepy basement.” She flushed then, glancing down “With a very beautiful hermit who practically lives in said small basement, but still.”

“No, I get it. Mortality is subjective and when you’re trapped in a room because said chance of survival just got cut in half… it’s not encouraging.” Beca leaned back in her chair and took in her surroundings.

“Right.” She nodded slowly “I work with children, I chose that specialty for a reason. It’s sadder when they die, but it’s rare that they do. Whereas you’re surrounded by it all day and- seriously I don’t know how you eat down here. Or how you’re staying so calm.”

“Doctor Beale,” She laughed, something soft and waning “someone down here opens up a test tube of smallpox or TB every other day down here. I have yet to draw up a will, and frankly… well frankly I don’t think we have anything to worry about.”

The phone rang again, this time it was loud enough to startle them both, neither breaking eye contact with one another until that very moment. Beca stood and pointed to the cards “Don’t you dare cheat, Doctor Beale, I have eyes on the back of my head.”

She answered and let out a stale sigh of relief because they were going to be fine, and that was something good. But she had also been right about the CDC and their ungodly speed. This was considerably better than being trapped in the room with the old man who trained her in the first place. She hung up the phone and turned to face the woman who was lifting up the edge of her cards.

“I didn’t do it,” She put both hands in the air once more. “What’d they say?”

“You’re off the hook this time. Whatever killed her has nothing to do with bloodwork, so it’s just blood. Not poison. Which means you get away with cheating this entire time at Go Fish.”

“The whole time? I didn’t cheat the whole time.”

She stood and crossed the room to where Beca was standing. She just noticed that the woman was a bit taller than her, and again that sharp scent of mint and lemon from tea coated her throat. It was better than the blood and the chemicals of the lab.

“I’ll uh, I’ll try to be down here the next time someone opens up a vile of consumption. We can have a rematch.”

“That would be nice, I’ll keep an eye on you, though. You’ve got sticky fingers.”

Doctor Beale smiled and grasped the tiger tube that she had come in to get in the first place. She slipped it into her pocket and kept her hand there before taking a small step back away from the spilled blood and the drain that it dripped into.

“I think you’re beautiful too, by the way,” Beca said as the woman reached for the door.

“What?”

“Earlier…  you said I was beautiful.”

“Huh,” She smiled coyly, lilting her head to the side “Did I?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m very observant. You called me a hermit too, but I’ll let that one slide.”

[alexandenigtscreations]

Chapters: ½ Fandom: The Penumbra Podcast Rating: Teen and up Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel Additional Tags: Poisoning, Poison, Heist gone wrong, Peter Nureyev has ADHD, Rita defiantly has ADHD, Nonbinary Juno Steel, Whump, Hurt/Comfort, TPP, Junoverse | Juno Steel Universe Summary:

After Nureyev get’s poisoned on a mission, he’s determined to see it to it’s completion. He and Juno make quite the team after all. Had many thoughts after reading @kaiserkorresponds​ 's fic ---> [The Celestial's Kiss https://archiveofourown.org/works/31409258 ]. Which apparently has been spinning round and round my head. I do love a good poisioning <3</p>

Chapter 1:

It should have been obvious from the moment the drink hit his lips.  The sour bitterness that the burn of poor quality alcohol failed to mask.  It should have been obvious.  But focused as he was on keeping a straight face; Nureyev found himself swallowing the vial fluid before he could begin to think better of it.  He paused, eyes flicking down to the odd shimmer he’d mistaken for ice melt.  

That- wasn’t ideal-

He filed deeper thoughts on the subject away in favor of assessing for further threats.  The facility crawled with them, from the myriad of security cameras to their flamboyantly garbed host.  They were watching a little too closely, a little too carefully.  A smile playing across their garish lips.

Nureyev sat back, glancing over at his goddess.  A vision in the scarlet A-cut dress.  There was a slit running up his thigh, revealing quite a bit of leg and a hint of a holster.  

Juno’s own drink, served neat, bore the same tell-tale signs of tampering.  The Detective swirled it about his glass, clearly about to throw it back in his usual no nonsense fashion.  

That would not due.

With all the coolness Nureyev could muster, he placed a gentle hand over Juno’s cup.  His Detective tensed, sending a soft, questioning gaze his way.  

“Not very hospitable, spiking a Lady’s drink.”

“What?” Juno pulled back, guard up.  

Nureyev’s fingers curled around the glass, taking a moment to weigh his options.  He had half a mind to fling it’s contents into the eyes of Jody, the large thuggish man directly across the table.  He might even have time to incapacitate Mx. Balsa and get Juno to cover him before reinforcements came.  They might even make it out in one piece-  

It was tempting, but ultimately would get them nowhere.

They were on a job, after all.  If there was any chance of salvaging the situation, that should be their first option.  One little computer virus, how hard could it be to plant?

He took the glasses and poured their contents on the floor, the ice shattered on impact.  

Mx. Balsa smiled.  “Very good Mr. Tillerson.  It seems you passed our test.”

“A test.  We came to have a civilized discussion, Mx. Balsa.” Nureyev said pointedly, he could still feel the burn of the alcohol in his throat “Not play childish games.”

Mx. Balsa shrugged their narrow shoulders “Childish or no, it’s effective.  We don’t let just anyone play with us.  I’m sure you understand.”

“Understand?” Juno bristled, “Understand my boot! You try to pull something like that-”

Juno came up short when Nureyev squeezed his thigh; nodding his head graciously, “Naturally.  Now are there any other- tests- we should be made aware of or are we free to get down to business.”  

Was he imagining it?  Or was his stomach already souring?  

File it away-

“Down to business!” Juno blurted, “They offered us a spiked cocktail and you want to get back to business?” he sat back, crossing arms over his chest “I say no way.  The only people that I know of who spike drinks are scoundrels and cheats.  How are we supposed to take them at their word?” At some point the moral outrage in his voice changed into a conversational tone.

Nureyev could have kissed him, if it weren’t for their cover- “My colleague has a point.  You’ve tested us, it seems only fair that we should test you.” he gave his best smile, “Perhaps a sample of your information for our technicians to verify.”

“I hardly believe that to be necessary-” said Mx. Balsa.  Nureyev knew that they were the sort of person that relied heavily on their reputation.  But deals weren’t made on reputation alone.  

“Oh?  But I do.  Unless you are unable to deliver what we discussed?” Nureyev stared into their pale eyes.  They didn’t flinch.  He waited a beat, then two and still nothing.  He stood with a heavy sigh “I believe our business here has concluded then.  Mr. Micah.” He offered a hand to Juno, who accepted it.  

“Sure Tillerson.”

The pair made to leave. Jody, Mx. Balsa’s companion moved to intercept.  Which was effective both for the fact he was so broad of shoulder as to eclipse the door behind him and so tall that even Nureyev felt as though he had to peer up into his face.  

Instinctively, Nureyev moved in front of Juno.  It was ridiculous, a man that large simply should not be allowed.  

“Like I said, there is no need to leave.” Mx. Balsa’s tone did not change, but there was a weight to it now, a tension.  

“And why should we stay?” Juno crossed his arms defiantly over his chest.

They surveyed him for a moment. “If it’s information you want, it’s information you will have.”  They slid a chip into their comms and made a fuss of downloading a sample.  It chirped upon completion and they offered it up with a flourish. “Please, a sample, if you will.”  

Nureyev’s eyes flicked from the chip to their host and back.  He smiled, accepting it in a cocky, gracious manor that was felt exclusively by his alias.

“Very well, I’ll have our team verify this information.  If you would excuse me.”  Jody made an intercept but this time Mx. Balsa intervened.  A small shake of their head, jewels shimmering in the light.  That was a relief.  With a nod to Juno, Nureyev slipped out the doors and made a beeline towards the restroom even as he sent the data to Rita.  

As much as he wanted to run, he didn’t.  He kept his gate easy and posture confident.  That changed as soon as he was in the privacy of the privy.  

Nureyev bolted to a stall, shoving two fingers down his throat.  He gagged and wretched till his eyes watered, jaw cramped and his skull pounded.  Bowing lower with each convulsion, clinging to the hope he’d retch up the vial cocktail.  

It wasn’t working.  

He reached deeper, spayed his fingers further, feeling the bite of his sharp teeth in his hand, nails scraping on the inside of his throat-  

Historically, he’d viewed being ill at will as a necessary evil of his trade.  A skill, as it were.  

One he’d never mastered.  

It had landed him in the hospital on an occasion or two.  

Try as he might, the only thing he succeeded in doing was ruining his makeup.  He gave up, of course he did, there wasn’t a point in driving himself into exhaustion.  Yet alone displaying that weakness for the world to see.  

There was nothing for it.  He would just have to bide his time until they returned to the Carte Blanche.  

In all probability, he had time.  Brahmese people were particularly resilient to a variety of toxins.  Not by some evolutionary fluke, but by design.  The planet had always been hostile to its human inhabitants.  In all its infinite wisdom, the government, rather than deal with the expensive venture of cleaning the pollutants from living zones, had instead chosen to subsidize gene editing.  That was before the war though.  

Mag had been so relieved to find Nureyev had inherited the genetic coding.  ‘First rule of thieving Pete’ he’d laughed ‘take any advantage you can get!’

Advantage- Nureyev snorted, more like a double edged sword.   While it afforded him some protection, it also marked him as distinctly Brahmese.

File it away-

The thought of the Carte Blanche again, of Vespa Ilkay.  She was the last person he wanted alerted to the genetic quirk.  

File that away too while you’re at it-

Nureyev turned his attention to the vanity.  He’d made quite the mess of himself.  Lipstick and eyeliner smeared, ropes of various… secretions clinging to his nose and mouth, eyes red and puffy.  He frowned at the fine dusting of red circling the tender flesh behind the spectacles.  Petechiae- apparently he’d burst a few blood vessels.  

Great, just great.  All the work he’d put into Tillerson’s visage for naught- file it away.  

All the same, he allowed himself a moment of discontent as he began the process of cooling the swelling, washing away the evidence and rework his appearance.  

The door swung open, and scarlet filled his periphery.  

“God Damnit , there you are- Tillerson-” bless him, they’d practiced using their aliases for a week before the job and Juno was still uncomfortable with them.  

“Mr. Micah.” Nureyev returned, blending the concealer under his eyes.  

“You were gone for a while-” Juno didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to.  Nureyev could tell when his Detective was worried.  He was fidgeting head to toe, poor thing.

“I decided to visit the powder room while waiting on our team to analyze the data.” he glanced at his comms “The information appeared to check out- And- oh my they seemed to have attempted to sneak in a trojan horse.  Rita assures it isn’t a problem but-”

Juno plainly wasn’t listening.  He was looking him over with that sharp eye, stepping into his space.  “You okay babe?” he breathed, reaching out to smooth a hair back into place and cupping his cheek “your eyes are red.”

Nureyev jumped in surprise.  Had Juno even bothered to check for surveillance devices or-  People slept with their co-workers all the time, he and Juno were no exception to that rule, but what if they were seen?  Found out?  Their cover blown!  What if-

But no- he trusted the Detective.  

He cleared his head gently kissing the lady’s palm.  He considered for a moment telling Juno about the poison, but what came out of his mouth instead was “Just some minor irritation, love.” He stepped away, Mr. Tillerson sliding back into place.  “I suppose we should return to our hosts.”

“Yeah-"he flashed an uncertain smile.  Just don’t go disappearing on me again.  Thought they were going to eat me alive or something-”

“We can not have that now, can we?” He returned the smile, trying to exude his usual confidence despite the weakness in his legs.  They would have to wrap this up quickly, if the dizziness was anything to go by.  Plant the virus and leave.

“You were gone for quite a while Mr. Tillerson.” greeted their host.

“Merely conversing with my associate.” he shrugged, “And you’re in luck, Mx. Balsa.  Your information appears to be- genuine.” Nureyev planted a firm hand on the table, as much for balance as it was to return the chip.  

“Of course it is, we went through great pains to ensure it to be so.”

“Indeed. I’m sure the origin story would be most interesting but we have a matter to settle.  The price.”

They had discussed this before.  Mx. Balsa wouldn’t deal with those who didn’t have something interesting to offer.  It had taken Buddy and Rita time to figure out their tastes, and even more to fabricate a program.  A hacking bot.  It wasn’t real of course, the only thing that made it halfway convincing at all was Rita piloting the thing remotely.  

“Yes, the price-” they drawled.  Nureyev did not take kindly to that tone.  “The price just went up.”

Nureyev’s eyebrows crept upwards while Juno bolted upright “Hey now!  We agreed to the terms before this even-”

“Micah, please”

“No!  So far they’ve tried to poison us and hid a goodie in their sample intel.  Now they want more .  Hell, they should be paying us for this-”

“Mr. Micah, please.  I merely desire to know what it is you hope to accomplish with the information.  And to get a taste for your program’s capabilities as you have of my intel.”

Nureyev pretended to consider it, placing a hand on Juno’s knee and tapping out a message, before saying “These appear to be fair terms, however, what I’m wondering is if there are any more hidden fees.”  

To say Mx. Balsa was slippery, was an understatement.  Nureyev had seen people like them before, knowledge brokers, able to root out and twist any grain of truth to their heart’s desire.  This was not someone he wanted to be investigated by.  Juno would be a veritable beacon.  Public employees were so easy to track-

Mx. Balsa took their time in testing the program.  Rita informed them when she’d gotten the virus set up in their system, it didn’t take her long at all.  Now they just had to play the wait game.  They fained interest in the intel, made up a story to satiate their curiosity and asked enough questions to avoid suspicion.  All the while Nureyev could feel his health take a steady trend downwards.  

Once or twice he thought they shot him a knowing look as his attention began to wonder, or that Jody was leaning in a little too closely.  He tugged at his collar absently, the sweat plastering his shirt to him under the corset.  It was hard to gauge if the pressure of the boning was having a positive or negative effect on the nausea.  If they knew he’d been poisoned, what would they do?  Would they try to revoke their deal?  Detain them?  Hurt them?  Hurt Juno?  

He could not let that happen, would not.  

Juno squeezed his thigh, startling him out of his thoughts.  Mx. Balsa was pushing a new chip towards them, the one with the information they’d spent the better part of a day mulling over.  It was encased in a silver embossed box, flashy and probably manufactured to ensure no one could scan its contents.

Nureyev took out his comms once more and clicked it into place.  It was all there, Rita checked for them.  Thank the stars it wasn’t another test.  After all, it would be suspicious if they left with only half the intel.  

“I believe that concludes our business.” he smiled, rising gratefully to his feet.  

“We’ve kept you so long, won’t you stay for dinner?”

“Dinner my ass.” Juno grumbled for only Nureyev’s ears.

“Didn’t quite catch that-” Mx. Balsa frowned.

“Ohh Sorry, we’ll pass, don’t feel like dying today.” Juno smiled, voice dripping in sarcasm.

“Ahh, Pity.”

Nureyev’s laugh was cut short from a stabbing pain in his abdomen.  He started again, swaying, hand pressed to his stomach.  Certain he’d find blood.

“Everything okay there Mr. Tillerson?”

Glancing down revealed only the pristine pearl embroidery of the corset.  No blade, no blood, he was…. fine-  

He released his death grip on the chair, quickly filing away that sensation best he could.  Their mission was nearly done after all, no need for theatrics now.

“Perfectly.” He smiled wider, displaying sharp teeth.  “We’ll show ourselves out.”

Jody made a big show of opening the doors for them so that the muscled chords of his biceps were on full display.  They’d just managed to step before slamming it shut at their backs.  

The smile Nureyev had been wearing, dissolved into a grimace. He set a brisk, if uneven, pace to the exit.  

“Hey- Ran-” Juno groaned “Tillerson!  Wait up!” Juno clacked to his side.  

“Apologies Micah, I merely-ah!” he stumbled over his feet, Juno caught him in his strong arms.

“Hey- are-are you alright?”

His head was still spinning and there was that question again.  He had no desire to deal with it at present. “I-”

“The truth this time.” Juno pressed, ever the persistent Lady.

“Just a tad under the weather-” he admitted.  

“Babe, why didn’t you say something-”

“Something I drank.  It’s fine love.”

Bone deep tiredness pulled him down.  He wanted nothing more than to surrender himself to the arms of his goddess.  It would be safe there, warm.

Juno looked like he was going to ask more questions but was interrupted.

A shrill cry tore through the hall.  It sounded like Mx. Balsa.

“What the hell?” Juno craned his neck to look.  "You don’t think they found it yet?“

"Let’s- not check.”  Nureyev entwined his arm with Juno’s, setting up a brisk pace towards the doors.  Relying on the Detective as one might a crutch.

There was a wash of hurried footsteps, people shouting, blasters charging- the only thing that made sense was security-

“I believe we’ve overstayed our welcome Detective!” Nureyev said.

“Ya Think!” Juno yelled back, voice cracking from the force of it.  Even so- he withdrew a fist full of blaster from the dress slit.

But Nureyev wasn’t focusing on Juno, wasn’t focusing on the escape.  Jody was barreling on through the guards, weapon raised and charging and trained on-

“Micah!”  He slammed into Juno just as the bolt whizzed past striking another employee.  They rotated so that he could serve as Juno’s shield while giving him time to line up a shot.  It might have worked too if he’d been a little quicker-  

The next thing he knew he was violently ripped from the Detective.  A strong, bulky arm wrapped about his throat, crushing it.

Jody-

It had to be, few could make Nureyev’s toes leave the ground.  His chest quaked with strain of forcing air in and out of his constricted windpipe.  He kicked for purchase, skiving off the panic by attempting to worm his forearm up through the choke hold; the other diving into a pocket for a blade.

“Tillerson!” Juno shouted.

“Important to you isn’t he.” Their voice was surprisingly soft and high for their bulk.

Juno fired two shots beyond them, he must have hit his mark because there was the sound of something hitting the floor.  

Jody jerked back, causing stars to burst in front of Nureyev’s vision.  Fear clouded his mind, making him claw at the bodyguard.  Even so he blindly groped for the familiar curvature of a handle-

“No more of that-” they warned “Or I will be forced to-” but what they’d be forced to do was lost.  

Nureyev found a knife amongst the stashed trinkets and baubles, he had just enough wherewithal to mouth ‘ ready- ’ before manically plunging the blade into the brute’s thigh.

They howled, dropping Nureyev.  Juno sent a stunner straight to their chest as soon as his partner was clear.  The lady darted forwards, catching the thief under arm and hauling farther along the passage.  Nureyev, for his part, gulped down air and forced his sluggish legs to take his weight.  

They had no choice but to run.  Nureyev readied fresh blades, easier to locate now his brain had a proper supply of oxygen.  Pressed for time as they were, he couldn’t help but notice he wasn’t recovering like he ought to.

They rounded a corner and “Damn it” Juno hissed, taking in the thick ring of guards round a door “There’s too many-”

Manny there were.  But they also appeared green, scared.  Nureyev didn’t need three decades of experience reading people to know they could be intimidated.  

“Perhaps-” he puffed, flashing a wiry smile.  "Let’s see what they are made of.“  It was all the warning he gave before sprinting towards the group.  

It was a foolish plan, a desperate one.  There were screams and shouts as Nureyev’s blades flashed.  He had to give them a little credit, they held ranks far longer than he’d imagined them capable.  That all changed with the first spray of blood.  Typically he’d aim to wound in Juno’s presence; but with the way his hands shook he was taking any opening that presented itself.

Distantly he could hear the bite of Juno’s words as he called out and could feel his presence joining at his side.  The two of them versus the small army of guards.  He allowed himself to get caught up in the simple rhythm of the moment.  

For the first time since the mission started, Nureyev’s mind cleared.  All there was was the ache of his breath, the burn in his limbs and the death defying dance with Juno Steel.  

They shot and sliced their way to an opening; clawed a path to the hall, the entrance way and the street beyond and-

Sweet escape-

This - this moment right here, was what Nureyev lived for.

The dizzying rush of the night air spurred the pair on until all sounds of pursuit faded.  Despite his long legs and penchant for running, Juno easily kept pace.  He could feel it now, the sickness worrying away at him from the inside.  He didn’t know how much more he could take before his legs would give out or lungs burst.  Still he pushed harder, dug deeper, counting his steps to drown out the complaints of the body.  

At long last they stumbled into an ally way; a narrow thing that reeked of misuse.  

"Okay- What the Hell!” Juno rounded on Nureyev, eye flashing in the dim light of the dome.

Nureyev swallowed, hardly able to keep his focus on the Detective.  The light cardio had left him feeling queasy and weak.  Wrong.  He supposed poison on an empty stomach would do that to you.  Not to mention how tender his throat was after Jody’s mistreatment.  

He put a hand to his clammy forehead, swaying a little.

“I thought I was the reckless one,” he lectured “the one that went off half co- babe?  Nureyev?!!!”

He’d doubled over, retching earnestly this time.  Just as before, there was nothing to bring up-  The cruel dry heaves cramped his core and set his eyes watering, legs folding under the crushing weight of it.  

“Babe, heyheyhey, hey~ I got you-” strong arms wrapped around him, propping him up, “I’ve got you.” Small circles worked into his back as they waited for it to end.

“S-sorry-” he gasped between convulsions.  They didn’t have time for this, they didn’t have time for any of this.  Yet here he was endangering Juno with his own ineptitude.  “I’m- ss-”

“Ugh-uh, no, you’re not doing that.” Juno cut him off.  “Hell, when you said you weren’t feeling good-”  Nureyev made to apologize again, but Juno gave a warning “hun”

He slumped against the brickwork, trembling and breathing heavily.  

“Done?”

Nureyev gave a non committal hum.  It was all he trusted himself to manage.  

All the same, a moment was afforded to him to clean up with a moist towelette.  Again his makeup was ruined, but he was far from caring.  The important thing at present was to leave this city behind.  

Juno seemed to be thinking along the same vein.  “Think you can stand?  Or should I contact Jet?”

“No need for that love.” Nureyev smiled weakly, nausea churning within “Just give me a hand.”  

The Detective obliged, neatly entangled their fingers and pulled him along using his comms to navigate.  He was mighty grateful for the assistance, between the stomach ache and the weight in his limbs, he was having difficulty remaining upright.  

Nureyev eyed the nooks and crannies of the back streets.  Had he been alone he’d likely of spent the night curled up in one of those charming locations.  Cold and cramped, but out of sight.  He sighed, surrendering himself to the guidance of his goddess.  

“Hello Ruby.” Nureyev greeted wirily.  It chirped in response alerting Jet to their presence.  The door swung open of the Ruby’s own volition and the pair slid in.  “Jet-”

“Ransom.”  Jet acknowledged.

“Hey big guy.”

“Are either of you injured?” he asked, glancing back in the rearview mirror.  “I ask because of the blood.”

“Don’t think so.  Had to get a little rough on the getaway.” Juno explained glancing down at his gore streaked dress and coat.  “Honestly, if we could move out, that would be great.  I don’t really fancy meeting up with those nut jobs again.”

Nureyev hummed in agreement.  Doing his level best to keep his expression neutral and his breathing measured.  He must look a mess judging by the way Jet kept eyeing him.  

Turbulence made him gasp as pain blossomed in his abdomen.  His composure slipping and rearranging like water.  He slouched lower, trying to get some relief-

Juno was talking with Jet, or talking at him more like.  Nureyev stopped listening after the first few moments, lulled instead by his Lady’s warm voice and the way it crackled at the edges when he became impassioned.  He was just so tired-

Before he knew it, the thief was leaning on the Detective’s shoulder, sinking into his side, bloodshot eyes fluttering shut.  Normally he’d be loathed to sleep at the end of a job like some worn out child.  But he couldn’t fight anymore.

[marvelsimp]

The New Kid: Friend or Foe

The New Kid Masterlist

Ch. 5

Genre: Fluff? Pairing: Peter & Lesbian!reader, Avengers & Reader, (eventual Wanda x Reader it’s a slow burn) Warnings: violence(training), blood, stabbed, strong language Description: Y/n is getting used to living in the tower and makes an unlikely friend Reader’s Powers: Healer, telepath, and empath. Word Count: 2278

“You can’t pull your punches, Y/n/n.  In a real fight, you’re gonna have to fight for your life.”

“You know my whole power set is pacifist.”

“That’s why I have to train you,” said the slightly annoyed red-haired woman. “Now get your head in the game and let’s go again.”

You scoffed; you were frustrated that you had to do this.  That you had to learn how to hurt people.  You took a moment to stretch and you both went back into your fighting stances to start again.

You went to punch her face, but she dodged, she then raised her leg and tried to kick but you caught her foot.  She quickly got her foot free before you could do anything with it.  This went on for a while, you both got some good punches and kicks.  You did land on your ass a few times, but you got up each time and went back to it.

“Time out”

Thank god.

Steve walked in. Oh god no. You knew what was coming, you were gonna have to fight Steve.  You very dramatically fell on the floor and spread out. “Come on, Nat. This is creeping up on child abuse,” you laugh.

You earned a chuckle out of both of them.  Steve stood above you and offered you his hand to which you accepted. Nat went onto showing you some simple moves to help you fight someone bigger than you after about an hour you finally got to go and get a shower and really start your day.

The last week and a half passed by quickly.  Peter stayed at the tower for the first few nights but went back home once school started.  But he would come after patrol and he still video called during homework, like usual.  

Most of your time was spent in one of the labs.  You have been helping Tony with one of his suits as a way for him to familiarize you with the machines and programs.  Bruce did less hands-on work he worked on calculations for his own projects and did some work for SHEILD.  You went down to the Med Lab a few times to give Dr. Cho some blood samples or some information about your powers.  She took a small sample of skin, fat, and muscle from your thigh, but it healed within a minute like nothing ever happened.  

You also spent some time in the gym, which you hated but the others made it a little more fun.  You were really only doing it to get ready for training with Nat.  When you first went in you had no clue what you were doing.  Sam, Bucky, and Steve were doing some training exercise when you entered but Sam quickly saw your very clueless face and walked over to help.

“Hey, kid.”

“Hi.”

“I’m assuming you have no clue what you’re doing?  You look as clueless as I would if I went up to the Tech Lab.”

“That obvious?”

He let out a chuckle.  Sam gave you some stretches to warm up and then showed you how to use some of the machines.  He gave you advice on how long to use each machine and told you that if you needed anything just yell.  The rest of your time in the gym you watched the three men do whatever they were doing.  Sam and Bucky’s bickering was very entertaining and so was Steve yelling at them to focus. You were there for around an hour every day until Nat started to train you.  You very quickly learned that you grew muscle faster than the average person and you weren’t sore for very long.  

When you weren’t in the lab or the gym you were probably in your room playing a game or you were talking to Wanda while she was making a meal. “So, are you the assigned cook?” you joked.  You’d only ever seen Wanda prepare meals since you got here.

Wanda just shook her head, “Not really.  I just enjoy it, so I usually am the one to cook.  But Bruce sometimes cooks and so do Steve and Bucky. When I first joined I helped Steve add a bit of flavor to his meals.  Thank god I didn’t live in the 40s.” She laughed a little, you love her laugh and smile, they seem to make the room a little brighter.

You weren’t a cook yourself so you didn’t help too much, but you would talk to her and get her something if she needed it but usually, she’d just use her powers.  

That’s really the only time that you see Wanda, most of her day is spent training.  She’s Strange’s apprentice.  You still haven’t met him, for someone who can make portals you’d think he’d pop in at some point.  You asked Wanda about seeing him, but she told you that you need to be invited or it needs to be something important.  She warned against pissing him off because it takes a while to get back on his good side.  But she told you she’d mention it to him.

You got into a rhythm of training, breakfast, tech lab, lunch, med lab, tech lab, supper, and Video games, the library, or more time in the tech lab.  It was rarely thrown off.  Every few days someone would go out for a mission or return from one.  Nat only missed two training sessions, so Bucky stood in.  You enjoyed training with Nat, but Bucky made sure to put some fun into it.   At first, he seemed so cold but after some warming up, he really was just a big Teddy Bear.  He can still be an ass though.

Your days stayed on this loop for another week until Thor returned with Loki.  No one fully trusted Loki so Stark ended up putting a tracker on him that Wanda enchanted so that Loki couldn’t remove or deactivate it… he was not impressed.  Well, he was, just not pleased.

“You must be Lady Y/n,” Loki smirked.

Thor whacked the back of Loki’s head. “Be good,” he whispered.

Loki just let out a mischievous laugh, “Don’t worry brother.”  Loki turned back to you, “So you’re the one who discovered me? I wouldn’t expect a mere mortal would be able to find me out... not even THE Scarlet Witch did.”

“You’re impressed?” you scoffed. “Or maybe a little jealous.” You knew that he’s the god of mischief and you aren’t gonna deal with any of his shit, you’ve got enough going on.

“No,” he defended, “Just interested.”

“I’m a telepath and empath,” you explained, “and a healer.”

“Oh! So, you cheated!”

“What do you mean cheat? Your thoughts were so loud you were giving me a headache!”

“I will get my revenge.”

He’s going to so annoying, isn’t he?

Loki was surprisingly quiet over the next week until you went to the tower’s library.  

The library itself is a whole floor, it has a copy of every book you could think of.  It even has a librarian who is almost constantly putting up new releases.  It’s a bookworm’s dream.  

You wanted to find a physics book or two and you weren’t against finding a new queer fantasy book.  You returned your books and asked Mx. Anderson where you could find what you were looking for and they quickly gave you directions and suggestions.

You found and picked out a few physics books and then made your way to the young adult section. The queer books have a rainbow sticker on the spine.  You picked out a few then headed to leave, you walked into the “classics” section and there was Loki on a couch reading with a pile of books next to him.

“Hey,” you smiled.

“Hello,” said the Asgardian who didn’t even look up from his book.

You bent down a little to sew the cover of the surprisingly thin book. “Oh, you’re reading Shakespeare!” He was reading Hamlet.  “My favorite is Romeo and Juliet. Have you read it yet?” He finally looked up from his book.  “No,” he seemed a little confused, “But I did read a few others of his work and I think that is in my stack.” He turned to find it. “It has such odd language compared to the rest of you.”

“They were written like four hundred years ago,” you explained, sitting next to him.

“Ah, language does change quite quickly.”

You nodded in agreement.

“What are you reading?” he said pointing at your stack of books.

“Oh, uh um. These big books are physics books, and these smaller ones are fantasy romance.”

“Hmm, you don’t seem to be one who reads romance.”

“Well, I’m really more into it for the fantasy elements but I do enjoy a good romance.”

He gave you a smirk,” Besides Romeo and Juliet and any of Shakespeare’s works. Do you have any recommendations for me?”

You went on to recommend some classics and some more recent books.  He listened to every word and asked a few questions.  You didn’t stay long; you were tired and just wanted to dive into one of your books.  You would usually be in the lab at this time, but it was nice to have a few hours to yourself before dinner.  

“Knock, knock,” said a voice at your door.

“Hm?” you looked up. “Peter!” you set down your book and ran to him for a hug.  It had been a while since Peter had come to the tower.  He hadn’t even been introduced to Loki, formally that is.  ‘How’s my favorite bug!”

Peter let out a laugh, “Good! You’re acting like we don’t talk every day.”

“Video calls and in-person are completely different things! Anyways what are you doing here?”

“It’s Thursday aka movie night.”

“Oh, yeah!”

You and Peter walked out of your room and went to the common space to eat dinner.

“Lady Y/n,” said a booming voice.

“Yes, Thor!”

“Would you and the Man of Spiders like to sit next to me and my brother?”

“Yes, we’d love that,” you laughed.

“So, you’re telling me that you’ve never had ice cream!” you practically yelled at Loki.

Everyone was surprised with how comfortable you and the trickster were with each other, especially Peter.  

“What’s with you and him?” Peter whispered.

“We bonded over books,” you whispered back. “Your girlfriend would like him.”

Peter smiled, he’s pleased that you’re getting along with everyone and most of all that you’re happy.  

The rest of the night was nice, it was just like the last two movie nights.  Dinner, talking, movie, and then Peter had to leave to finish his homework or go on patrol.  

The next week was just like you had gotten there but Loki had decided that it was a perfect time to really embrace his title.  He started to pull little pranks, nothing too bad or really anything that went beyond a little annoyance.  Or at least he didn’t until today.  

It was Saturday so you slept in because you thankfully did not have to go to training.  You were about to leave when you noticed a box on your desk.  It was about the size of a backpack.  So, you decided to open it and when you looked inside there was a black cat with emerald eyes.  Who got you a cat? You like cats and like…thanks?  But still, who would get you a cat out of nowhere? You picked up the cat and as soon as you did it started to transform, and you felt a sharp pain in your side.  The cat continued to transform into of course… Loki.  The raven hair man quickly sprinted out of your room to the common area.

You looked down and there was a fucking kitchen knife in your side.

“You bitch! I like this shirt!” you yelled while running out of your room.

When you entered the common room, Loki was nowhere to be seen.  But Nat, Bucky, and Steve were there.  “Where did he go?”

“Who?” Nat turned around and saw the knife in your side.  Her eyes widened, then she looked fucking pissed.  “What the fuck! Are you okay?”  The men's emotions followed the same track.

“Oh yeah,” you said nonchalantly.  You pulled the bloody knife out of your side.  Some blood soaked into your shirt’s fabric, but you weren’t worried.  But you do like this shirt… that bitch is gonna pay.

“Do you want me to kill him?” said the brunette man bluntly.

“Don’t worry, I got this.” You rushed into the elevator and told Friday to take you to Loki.

The elevator lowered to the Library. Of course.

“Sorry, Mx. Anderson!” you yelled while running by their desk. “There will be yelling and possibly blood shed!”  You already know where he is.  He’s in the classics.  

There he was sitting on the couch, nonchalantly reading the Iliad.

“You’re a fucking bitch you know?  I really like this shirt!” you waved the knife in your hand around.

“Oh please.  You’re a healer, you’ll be fine.”

You crossed your arms, “LOKI. My fucking shirt.”

He raised his arms in defense. “It just a blood and a slight rip.”

You walked up to Loki and took off your shirt, thankfully you were wearing an undershirt that you didn’t care about.  You handed the shirt to him.  “Fix it then.”

He accepted the shirt and scoffed. “Fine.” He waved his hand over the shirt and it was now good as new.

“See, that was easy.” You grabbed the shirt and started to walk away.  “And don’t stab me again! I think two assassins would very happily kill you!”

NEXT CHAPTER 

Ice Cream or Blood

[fvrxdrm]

I’ll See You Again (Jake Muller x Reader)

And here is @imgayforgaystuff​ ‘s request. This was longer than intended lmao. Hope you’ll like it :)

Pairing: Jake Muller x GN!Reader

Warning(s): None

*****

“Did you take your dose?”

 You along with your partner, Sherry, ran towards where you heard the faint commotion and saw the guy you’ve been looking for standing beside a body that already seemed lifeless.

 Jake Muller. He supposedly had the antibodies for the C-virus that’s been gradually spreading across the globe and you were tasked to locate him and bring him back to the United States in order for blood samples to be taken for vaccine research. If their hypothesis was correct, this guy could save the world even without handling a gun and transporting from one country to another or something.

 “Yeah, but if you want to take your hit, you gotta sign up with the lady downstairs...” Jake replied. You took a glance at your watch before averting your short gaze towards the body as it dissipated into the fire it created until it was just nothing but an invisible ghost. “... Wouldn’t recommend it, though.”

 “No, question, you’ve got the antibodies.” You rushed towards a rusty metal door where an opening should be and pulled the handle, stepping aside to let your partner and Jake first.

 “Thank you. Wait, what?”

 “You could be the key to saving the world, Jake Muller,” you said and upon hearing this, he just smirked in amusement and laughed it off in his mind. I mean, seriously? Key to saving the whole fucking world? That’s a funny fucking joke, man. His snarky smile was soon dropped though as soon as you heard groans fill the room and you immediately let your heads focus on the matter on hand.

 “Go! I’ll follow right behind you.” They obeyed without any second thoughts and when they finally got in, you gunned down those who got too close before jumping in yourself.

 Sewers. Great! Another day, another life in shitty water.

 You looked for your footing once you’d landed on trash, and shit, and grey fucking water or something, almost getting closer to falling on your ass and swallowing all those caca that had been dumped in there by different hoomans and animals.

 I would rather die if the gods gave me an opportunity to eat shit.

 “You two okay?” You asked.

 “Yeah, you?” Sherry replied.

 “I’m gucci.”

 Not really...

 Your boots would sink into the muck below the water and the smell… UGH! It didn’t help that your stomach was full when you got to your location. But hey, agents gotta do what they gotta do, right?

 Once you found yourself stable on the ground, you pulled out your badge from your pocket and opened it to introduce yourself to Jake but he just waved it off and disregarded it saying that it wasn’t the time right now. You and Sherry exchanged glances.

 “You comin’?

 “After you”

 This is going to be interesting...

*****

“Y/N? Y/N!”

 Your eyes carefully fluttered open at the mention of your name, trying your best to force your eyelids apart but it felt like bricks were weighing them down and all you could make out were two silhouettes rushing towards your side before the world blacked out again against your will.

*****

“Hey, hey, shh... It’s okay, just rest. You got hurt pretty bad.”

 A groan crept up your throat as your head hammered in pain, feeling as if a wrecking ball with Miley Cyrus riding it just repeatedly slammed against you.

 Talk about coming in like a wrecking ball...

 Your eyes cracked open for the second time that night, your E/C optics immediately catching sight of a round head hovering above you.

 “Jake?” You muttered under your breath.

 “Yeah, it’s me.” The said man carefully helped you sit up straight before leaning you against the firm fabric of a tent you were in, checking you again for any hidden injuries that he and Sherry managed to miss while you massaged your temples to ease the aching in your head. When you’d finally calmed down and everything that had happened began to congregate in your brain, your sight spun around and you immediately panicked when you noticed Sherry’s absence.

 “Where’s Sherry?”

 “She went out to get some wood for some fire. I told her to just stay here and I’ll get them instead but she insisted and told me to stay with you.”

 “Fucking hell, Sherry,” you quietly cursed. You stood up from where you were and started walking out the tent but Jake grabbed ahold of your arm before you could even step a foot out.

 “Where are you going?”

 “I’m going to find Sherry. She could get herself killed out there!”

 “I’m sure she’s going to be fine. She’s one hell of a super girl! I mean, have you seen how her wounds just close on their own?” Your eyes widened.

 “Oh, you saw her?”

 “Yeah, front row seat even. A piece of the plane stabbed her in the back and then when I pulled it out, she told me to by the way, the wound just closed on its own. I asked her about it but she just told me that it was a long story.” You sighed and just nodded your head in response. You let him lightly tug on your arm and guide you towards where you once sat and gazed vacantly at the ground below you, silence flooding the small shelter until your voice suddenly shooed it away.

 “Sherry and I survived Raccoon City together,” you began, abruptly catching Jake’s attention and pausing his obnoxious fiddling with a coin he got out of nowhere.

 “The city that was bombed in 1998?”

 “Yeah. It wasn’t just a bomb though, an outbreak happened, like, you know, this one.” You gestured to your surroundings to emphasize what you were implying. “I shouldn’t be telling you this but it might give you some answers. Sherry and I both got infected with the virus that caused the incident but thankfully, somebody injected us with a cure and now, we got the side effects, per se. Sherry’s got the healing thing and I’m...basically...a walking cure.”

 “Huh, so then why did you look for me if you have...you...to cure whatever the hell this is?”

 “They’ve performed tests on me before and all of them were successful except for the C-virus. I don’t know why it didn’t work but um...yeah. Apparently I’m not the cure for the recent virus.”

 “Oh.” He was speechless, he couldn’t of anything to reply with so he just averted his gaze to his lap and vacantly stared at his hand where his coin laid stiffly against his palm.

Finally. All his life he thought he was alone in this one. He thought he was this monster that just submerged in a trice out of nowhere. I mean, look at him. He’s got this superpower thing since birth and it felt weird. All those people around him were normal, no X-men shit isolating them from the other and he felt like a loner…until he met you and heard your story.

Jake looked at you as the thought of you crossed his mind and he instantaneously felt his face warm up at the sight of you finger-combing your hair and tying your locks with a band.

Wait, what the hell!?

“Hey, you okay?” Jake jumped a bit at the sound of your voice, his face redder in embarrassment, and he just waved his hand in response before looking somewhere else.

*****

So…yeah… I think you know what happened throughout the nights you were firing some bullets left and right.

Basically, you found yourselves in an undersea facility of Neo-Umbrella at the bottom of an ocean and then got rescued by Chris and Piers afterwards.

While you were trapped inside the premises you and Jake couldn’t help but create a small talk where you got to know each other with Sherry just listening in the background and feeling all giddy finally finding someone new for you. After you found out your ex cheated on you with your best friend, like, a year or two ago, you shut yourself off of the dating realm and just took time for yourself. And by that I mean drowning yourself in alcohol.

“Well, we’re trapped in here and we can’t really get out of these restraints, wanna chat?” Jake began.

“I was about to dose off but sure.”

“Let’s see…um…uh… What do people say when they meet each other?” Jake scratched his head using the metal behind him when he remembered he couldn’t get the shackles off of him and you giggled in mirth at the sight.

“I don’t know. I’m not really the type to start with name exchanges. I usually start with…yanking their arms off and getting the fuck out of a place or something.”

Jake chuckled in response and swayed his head side to side. “I see you’ve seen enough.”

“You have no idea.”

It went on like that for a moment, somehow finding peace in conversing casually amidst the chaos outside and it warmed your heart. It helped piece your brain cells together again and you collected a newfound strength after all the tiny grins and small cackles.

It was just tranquility that filled you, nothing else, until an alarm went off and you were suddenly released from your restraints… And then you were back on agent mode again.

 So, here you are now, already defeating this gigantic creature that had been following you around in China and gazing into the abyss of fire where déjà vu suddenly hit you like a truck.

This was like Raccoon City, that time where the train you rode on dashed towards the daylight as flames surged the tunnel. Ustanak represented Birkin.

“You saved me,” you heard Jake whisper beside you. “You know that, right?”

You looked at the surface you had been clinging on below and sniffed at the overwhelming feeling that bursted inside of you.

“Thank you.”

You placed your hand on top of his and smiled softly at him while the three of you darted towards the end of another long escape.

*****

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” You dusted your clothes and gripped on your bag, forcing your tears not to fall at the thought of not seeing each other again.

“No,” Jake replied firmly. Your eyebrows creased together at his odd response and couldn’t help but ask in confusion.

“What?”

“I’ll see you again, Y/N.” He brushed his palm against your cheek, his orbs burning through yours, before he placed his lips on your own ones. Boy, Sherry couldn’t be happier at the sight of you two. She’ll be sure to arrange your wedding once everything had settled down.

“I’ll see you again, I promise.”

[echoweaver]

Your thoughts on the Sims 1-4

Guess I’m in the mood to do these. Grabbing a tag from @mosneakers​.

Sims 1: The big thing I remember about this game is that it could take your sim hours to cross from one end of the house to the other. Thus, if the sim got up at the normal one-hour-before-work, they often wouldn’t have time to both pee and eat. I got obsessed with designing and efficient house, with the kitchen right outside the bedroom door, so that my sims could get to work with the best mood. 

Then I let the garden go bad, and it would destroy my sims’ mood on the way to the carpool, and it took me forever to figure out what was going on :-D

Sim 2: I remember being thrilled by how much easier it was for sims to get around their house. The introduction of lifespans intrigued me. However, I hadn’t really figured out what I wanted to DO with this sandbox game yet. Playing Sims gets boring if you don’t have some kind of a goal. I’d never heard of a generational challenge, much less rotational gameplay, and I hadn’t plugged into the fan community yet.

I did dabble in mods -- mostly the mod to drastically increase the chance of a sim being abducted when using the telescope so I could make alien babies. I built a household from two CAS-built sisters who were of different races. One of them married a man, and the other a woman, and then I got frustrated that the lesbian couple couldn’t make babies. They adopted, but I was annoyed by how genetically boring their adopted son was. Then I got obsessed with trying to get one of the lesbians to cheat on her spouse to make a baby without being discovered. Where is artificial insemination when you need it?

Later, I created a new sim who married into the Broke family. I got bored and tried to starve Dustin to death to make a ghost. when I removed the door to his bedroom and his needs got very low, he got down on his knees to beg the Watcher for his life. I felt so guilty that I actually turned off the game and never went back!

Sims 3:  This is where it happened for me. Open world and a town that aged with my active household just better matches the way I imagine playing. I even figured out generational play, at least somewhat, before really plugging into the fan community.

I didn’t realize until reading @mosneakers and @natolesims‘s memes that there was so much hate floating around for Sims 3 art style! I admit that I do dislike the child faces. I thought Sims 2 faces were too long and thin. Sims 3 faces seem to have overcompensated by being just a bit too round. Otherwise, I’m quite sure I don’t know what you guys are talking about. LOL.

I don’t think I’d still be playing if it weren’t for NRaas, though. Sims 3′s open world was pretty ambitious, and their data management was totally not up to the task. I spent years offering tech support on people’s blogs when they started to suffer data corruption in generation 2 or 3. You just can’t play without at least minimal mods to clean up save files. It’s unintuitive that a modded game is more stable than vanilla, but it’s just true. Sad, but true.

Sims 4: I have played this very little, not because I hate it but because I am stubbornly determined to finish my 10-generation legacy. A lot of folks just rebuilt their household in Sims 4 and continued to play. At the time Sims 4 came out, I was playing supernatural-heavy games with custom skintones, so I’d lose almost everything if I ported them over. It also turns out that it’s hard to face going from a heavily-modded, 11-expansion experience to a game with base or just one expansion. I have a lot more sympathy for Sims 2 players who skipped Sims 3 entirely.

I have a hard time facing the color presets and closed world, but the game in its current state really seems to have done great things with gameplay. If/when I get the Samples done, I’ll take a look at making the switch. Of course, by then Sims 5 will likely be out, so maybe I’ll skip....

What is your favorite Expansion pack

Generations and/or Seasons. But it’s really hard to choose.

Small pets or Horses?

I really,  really love Sims 3 horses. Since I’m modding pets, it can probably be guessed that I like the animals in general :).

What is your favorite active career?

Yes.

I have had a ton of fun with almost all active careers. If forced to choose, I might go for firefighter.

What is your favorite Lifetime Wish?

Buh. I really dug the Photography one I guess. I just like doing different ones.

Whims or Wants?

I’m sorry. I have no idea what this question even means (blush).

What is your favorite Occult?

I feel like all the occults in TS3 are kind of underdeveloped. That said, witches are pretty cool.

Cowplants, Bonehilda, or the Social Bunny?

Bonehilda

How do you pick your sims names?

I am absolutely OBSESSED with names. I’m sorry I only got to name one flesh-and-blood child, so I let it all out in naming my simmies. I get into the head of the parent(s) and come up with lists from whatever they would like. My saves are very gameplay-directed, and tend to randomize most traits, so I intentionally don’t build a sim to a name or try to make a sim’s name suit their personality at all. After all, when we name our children, we get no say over who they eventually become :).

Do you create a spouse for a sim, or do you go after a townie?

Townie! My gaming style is heavily gameplay-oriented. I want my sims to choose their partner using wishes and attraction and whatever else the game provides. However, I also am incredibly interested in genetic experimentation, so I do allow myself to change the physical appearance of some sims before making babies with them if they are too bland. I populated my Samples save from scratch, largely using downloaded simalikes of real people. I have NRaas set to use existing sims in the town or in my sim bin, to generate new ones. So basically I do my best to have the most interesting genetics pool I can so I don’t need to edit faces.

Do you prefer to follow storytelling Simblrs, or do your prefer gameplay Simblrs?

I’m not totally sure what this is asking either :-D. Are “storytelling” simblrs the ones that largely use the game as an artistic medium for screenshots using poses and whatnot? My play style is to play the game and build stories from it, so I’m not entirely sure what category I fall into myself.

I suppose it doesn’t matter because I follow both. I’m not terribly drawn to dressup challenges and lookbooks.

What year did you join Tumblr/Simblr?

I have absolutely no friggin idea. I tried to look back in my email archive to track notifications, and that failed. I came back after three years, so it has to be at least for years before I returned....?

[nade2308]

Whump drabbles — Separated for Mac & Jack ☺️

Hope this one is good ;) 

Alina Chernyshevsky was a Russian scientist working at a lab in LA, on a scholarship who was kidnapped by a rogue crime group almost a week ago. The Phoenix was tasked with recovering her and capturing any of the members of the group they could find. It turned out that the son of a banker, the daughter of a businessman and the brother and sister, the kids of one of the most powerful Romanian crime groups had one thing in common. They wanted to get out from under the shadow that their parents put them in. So they formed their own union, and thanks to the ties Andrei Bogdan, their leader, had from his father's world, they quickly made their way up in the underground dark world. Climbing up the ladders, they did the odd jobs here and there, hits on important people for hire, and it was based on their combined knowledge of the finances, the system and the law, that they stayed undetected and under the radar for so long. Until Alina discovered some sample or another in the lab that was brought for testing and she made herself a target and was kidnapped in broad daylight. 

When the search for her didn't yield results, the team stepped in to try and find her. And if their intel and the search that Riley did on the dark web was correct, they were on their way to rescue her. 

Mac and Jack split up to cover more ground while Riley provided tech support from the van as a TAC team was securing the place. 

It happened all of a sudden. Mac found Alina. She was locked in a room with a see-through door and there was someone inside the room with her. It looked a lot like Andrei and Mac had a split of the second to decide what to do before someone put a gun to his neck and punched the digits to the lock. The door opened with a whoosh, sliding to the left and Andrei approached Mac and whoever was pointing a gun at him. 

“Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in. Who are you and what are you doing on my premises?” 

Mac stared at Andrei. At 6'2'' he was taller than Mac and bulkier, so he towered easily over him. But Mac held his ground and the guy's look. He wasn't going to give in to the fear. 

“You must be here for our beautiful friend here, no? I doubt you got lost out here by yourself… Tell me, pretty boy, is there someone else with you here?” 

Mac tried not to flinch at the pretty boy comment, but was unsuccessful. 

Andrei noticed. 

“Aww, don't tell me no one has called you pretty before… because you are. Now, where were we. Ah, our friend. I assume you are here for her?” 

Mac still didn't say a word and watched with a bored look. At least he hoped it looked bored. 

“I've been into business since before you were born, boy, so I suggest you start talking. Or I'll make you talk.”

The suggestive once over Andrei gave him made Mac feel nauseated. The indication of how exactly Andrei planned to make him talk… 

“If you won't talk, I will continue talking with my friend Alina here. Sonja, take him to another holding cell.” 

Those last words were spoken on Romanian and thanks to Mac learning a brief and short course in Romanian he was able to understand. 

"Wait. Wait. I… I'm here to trade myself for her. Our government wants her. And they are willing to make the exchange. Me for her."

Mac could see Alina's surprise. It wasn't like she knew that he was bluffing, but if he could get her out… then maybe Jack was right behind him to help. Mac could do that. He could stall. 

Andrei seemed to consider the trade and then he nodded and motioned for the guy… or rather the woman who was holding him at gunpoint, to grab Alina. 

"Very well, you will get what you want. You in exchange for her. Now that she is out of our way… what are you offering in return?"

Mac gulped. This wasn't part of the plan. He was supposed to get her out and then… then what? 

Think, genius, think! 

Where was Jack? 

As if on cue there were sounds outside in the hall of flesh hitting flesh and Mac sighed in relief. But it was short lived because before he knew what was happening, Andrei was shoving a butterfly knife to his side. 

"As much as I like to have fun with you, I'm sure you'll prove yourself quite useful…" Andrei let his gaze linger on Mac's body, driving the knife deeper, "I must go. La revedere, dragul meu." 

In a flash, Andrei was gone and the door closed behind him. Mac realized what was going to happen when he saw Andrei use the same knife he stabbed him with, to jam the key code panel and thus effectively locking him inside. 

He looked at the wound in his side, it was deep and already soaked the side of his shirt and jeans. Wearing white shirt didn't work well with the blood, and Mac knew Jack would panic when he saw it. 

Mac pressed against the wound with both hands, as hard as he could. It stung and it hurt, making him yelp and twist in pain. 

He heard footsteps and could see that Riley and Jack were coming to him. 

Riley was the one who saw him first and she couldn't hold the gasp that escaped her lips. That in turn alerted Jack who was staring at the ruined panel. And then Jack saw him. 

…

There were so many times Jack got scared for his life early into getting in the Army and then the CIA. But as time went by and he saw close combat, came in touch with death and cheated it, he became sort of immune to all the talk about mortality and death and most of all fear. He made peace with himself that at one point he'd die, sooner rather than later. But that didn't make it any easier when he acquired the kids. He was in a desperate need to stay alive. He wanted to be there for them, and dying would defy that purpose. 

Right now the bone deep fear he felt was not for himself, but for Mac, who was bleeding from somewhere in the general direction of his left side. If Jack had to guess, it was from a stab wound. 

Currently he stared daggers at the little knife standing out of the ruined panel. Mac was locked in. And Jack didn't know how to get in. 

"Jack…" Mac gasped then and Jack's attention got diverted to Mac. 

"Hey, Mac." 

"I'm sorry…" 

"What are you sorry for?"

"For getting stabbed." 

Jack felt a stab of fear go through his heart at those words. 

"Oh kiddo, it's okay. Not your fault. We'll get you out." 

Jack could see that Mac wasn't convinced of it, but Jack had to make sure Mac didn't lose hope. They would find a way out. 

Jack already checked the door and while it looked like it was made of glass, Jack had seen enough to know it was reinforced, and he didn't want to risk putting a hole in Mac while trying to shoot at the glass. 

The panel was jammed, and even if Jack pulled the knife out, the circuit board was shot to hell. At least, Jack thought so. 

Riley was typing on her laptop furiously fast and Jack could see that she was just as worried for Mac as Jack was. With the corner of his eye, Jack noticed that Mac was now sitting on the floor, head leaned against the glass door. The shirt was soaked now and Jack wanted to scream. 

"Hey, Mac, talk to me buddy? How is it looking?" 

"I'll live. I hope." 

Jack cringed at the sound of those words, but Mac wasn't far off how it looked, so for him to say that… Jack figured that it must feel even worse than it looked. 

"It's going to be okay. We're working on getting you out. Ri?" 

"I can't hack this Jack. I am trying to access it remotely, but the knife must have hit the main motherboard. Sorry." 

Riley sounded dejected, but Jack refused to give up.

"How long till we get a team to get those guys into custody?" 

"Thirty minutes." 

"Get me the closest hospital and tell Matty to clear things with them. We need them to have someone on standby for when we get Mac out." 

"Jack…" 

"Yes, buddy." 

"It hurts…" 

Jack hated to see how Mac looked even paler than he was. What he hated even more was that greyish tint his skin was getting. They really had to get him out of there. 

"Look at me, bud. Mac?" 

Mac took a few seconds too long to look at Jack and Jack did the first thing his heart told him to. He put his palm up against the glass, and waited until Mac got his palm mimicking Jack's. 

"I know I'm not there with you, but I'm here, boss. I'm here. I ain't goin' anywhere until you get out of there, okay?" 

Mac nodded, getting weaker. 

Jack took a look around the room and except for two chairs and some ropes that were lying haphazardly Mac was the only thing or person inside. He was out of commission for the time being. Until something came to Jack. 

"Hey, Mac?" 

"Mhm?"

"Remember when Patty locked you in the interrogation room for your own safety. When Murdoc was hired to take you out?" 

"I do." 

"You think we can try and do the same thing here? With the code and the wires?"

Jack could see Mac lifting his head slowly. He had both his hands pressed against the wound now and Jack was left staring at the bloody imprint where Mac's hand was before. But Mac seemed to perk up at the mention of a possible plan. Nevermind how far-fetched it sounded or how it may not even work… Jack was desperate enough to try. 

"I… I don't know if there's enough circuit connected to the wires…  To the wires." 

Mac sounded winded, and that last part was whispered before he said it louder, and that was all the motivation Jack needed to go through with this plan.

"It's worth a try. Did you see the combination on your way in?" 

Mac nodded and as Jack worked around in trying to locate the wires and pry the cables off of the secured posts, Mac did that on his end as well. Thankfully they didn't take his SAK or paperclips, so with a little bit of a push, they both started working on the wires. 

When five minutes later the door opened with a whoosh and Jack rushed to get to Mac, it was all the relief he could feel before he had an armful of his kid, unconscious. 

Jack looked up and pleaded for one more miracle. 

…

Mac slowly came to the beeping of monitors and the standard hospital smell of disinfectant, meds and industrial bleach cleaner. Not to mention the scratchy gown and the crinkle of the pillow under his head. 

He slowly raised his hand that wasn't connected to an IV to touch his face and found he had a nasal cannula attached. There was something warm around his other hand and with a little bit of effort he turned his head and found Jack holding his hand, and sleeping with his head propped on his forearm. 

Mac was too tired to keep his eyes open so he gently squeezed Jack's hand and went back to sleep.

The next few times he woke up were a mix of doctors and nurses asking him questions, his vitals being taken, and after the third time he actually managed to stay awake for longer, they decided to transfer him to a regular room. 

Jack was there every step of the way, fussing over him, adjusting the pillows just as Mac wanted them, pulling the blanket higher, and generally just being a fussy parent. 

Mac took it because he knew how worried Jack was and Mac secretly loved when Jack fussed over him. 

Once the doctor left the room, Jack took his usual place at Mac's bedside and Mac relaxed more in the fluffed up pillows. 

"Hey, it's good to have you back, sleepy head." 

"It's good to be back." Mac grinned. 

"Oh, they've got you on the good drugs, huh? You are grinning." 

"Maybe I'm just a little bit high." 

"Only maybe a little?"

Mac burst in a fit of giggles and it took him a while to get himself under control. 

"You scared me, kid. Don't do this to me again, okay?" 

Mac solemnly nodded, fully knowing he'd do it again. But it was all he could offer to Jack now. And it was enough for them both. 

[blackdragonturds]

Mortal Kombat Storytime!

Happy ending to my previous “Reader x Revenant Kabal” Story. Enjoy!

Upon visiting Shang Tsung, my hands shook like leaves as I held Kabal’s cold unmoving one. Shang was feeding some kind of blood to a bat, only for the bat to turn to bloody slime in his hand. Wiping his hands clean he smiled for a second and began to frown seeing my boyfriend.

“Well that’s unfortunate…” He sighed. A chill ran down my spine as he walked towards Kano holding Kabal over his shoulder.

“A revenant with my amulet? You know what this will cost you, Kano.”

Kano’s gruff reply made me nervous. He shook Kabal a bit on his shoulder when he spoke. It ticked me off a little seeing Kano slap Kabal’s butt as a joke. But I don’t find it funny.

“I know Shang. This drongo needs his ass fixed and I have your money.”

The sorcerer shook his head with a smile, inspecting Kabal’s skin.

“I need not your filthy coin. How long has Kabal been…dead, by chance?” He asked, grasping the amulet around Kabal’s neck.

“Try a month and two days.” Kano answered with a huff.

Shang nodded as he tilted my boyfriend’s head up.

“His flesh isn’t too rotten thankfully, just a bit well as I call it, stale. He will need a long recovery for sure.”

I hung my head as Shang began to explain.

“I’ll need a small sample of his blood and or some tissue from him somewhere. Revenants aren’t as fragile as a live person so I may have a solution. Quan Chi has talent, I will give him credit. But this is extraordinary…”

I blurted out not thinking.

“Well, are you gonna help him?”

His bitter tone bit me, his eyes full of disdain,

“Impatient child. I will if you allow me to explain what needs to be done.”

Nodding I quietly apologize.

“I’m sorry…I…”

He silenced me placing his hand on my head. Was he mad at me? I hope not...

“Now, let us begin, shall we?”

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

He led us to a small room in the back with a small bed, some preserved limbs in jars on the shelves and some odd brown fluid in vials around the tall canisters of bones and chunky blood. Just the smell of this room was enough to make me want to puke. Kano placed Kabal onto the bed as I ran to his side. Shang started to carefully cut open my boyfriend’s shirt and took a small knife to his skin. I began to cringe as I felt bile rise in my throat as the horrible smell of rotting flesh came from the cut on Kabal’s shoulder. I shielded my nose from the stench as Shang bandages up the wound. Placing the chunk of flesh onto a small metal plate on the end table beside him.

“Is he gonna be okay?” I asked. Shang picks up Kabal’s chunk of flesh and sniffs it.

“He has been dead for a while…The smell of decay is certainly palpable. If there is one thing Quan Chi needs to practice is to keep a corpse from decay.”

Kano asked a question that made my anxiety worsen,

“So this bloody fool’s been rottin’ from the inside this whole time?”

Shang nodded,

“Precisely…Your friend here got lucky. He’s partially preserved by Quan’s magic. Revenants rot and turn to ashes once they truly die, which makes it harder to make them human again. I have yet to perfect my technique but I have experimented on Quan Chi’s failed test subjects he tosses out like trash. But so far I haven’t lost one, yet…”

I said nothing as Shang began some kind of spellwork. I began to feel justified hate towards this “Quan Chi” and what he did to Kabal.

“So Quan Chi’s a necromancer? That explains everything. But why did he take Kabal?” Kano asked, shaving off stubble from his chin with his knife.

“A necromancer and a cheat. I may have one theory. Your friend’s strength and speed being a factor.” Shang replied.

He takes the amulet and whispers something to it, making the jewel begin to glow yellow. He lets it drop from his palm, sliding his hands into each of his sleeves. 

“Your friend here should get some rest. I’ll take the sample and create a serum to reverse the effects of the magic in his body and heal him.”

Upon taking the plate and Kabal’s chunk of flesh, I began to feel tears in my eyes again.

“It’s okay, Y/N, I’m sure he’ll be fine.” Kano began, rubbing my back to comfort me.

I scooted closer on my chair to Kabal, who tilted his head to me slightly.

“Where am I?” he whispered. I nuzzled his gray skinned cheek,

“You’re safe now. A good friend of Erron’s is helping you to get better.” I told him. Kabal’s glowing red eyes were soft as he spoke quietly,

“I’m really weak and I’m tired but thanks for helping me.”

I pointed to the amulet and told him,

“I think that amulet is keeping you well, alive I guess.”

He sighed, his eyelids fluttering, stroking my cheek. 

“I’m gonna sleep, okay? If I don’t wake up, I love you.”

“Okay, I’ll be right here.”

Me and Kano waited for Shang to come back as I rested with Kabal. I don’t know how long I rested against his leg. My eyes closed when I finally succumb to sleeping when I couldn’t fight to be awake anymore. It wasn’t a restful sleep, but one of pure exhaustion.

In my dreams, I could see roses being drenched in blood, and hearing disembodied laughter. I saw my boyfriend’s shark tooth necklace being shattered to pieces and turning to dust. It was weird how random things flash through my dreams in succession. Does any of this mean anything?

I opened my eyes to find myself alone in this room with Kabal, sleeping in the bed with his arm over me. I sighed in relief as I saw Shang come with a bottle in his hand.

“I believe I have the right formula.” He began. “Wake him please.”

Shaking Kabal awake, I saw Shang approach the bed, uncorking the bottle.

“He will need to drink this and soon, he should come back to normal.”

Handing it to him, I helped my boyfriend drink the contents as suddenly he fell backwards onto the bed. He coughed a few times as the pale pink liquid fell out of his mouth.

“Kabal?!” I squeaked fearfully.

Shang reassured me,

“Its just part of the process my dear.”

I watched in amazement as his skin began to transform from a gross gray color of death to his regular living tissue. His eyes flickered and twitch a few times as he spasmed now and again. I began to feel afraid as I hoped he wouldn’t share the same fate as the bat I saw. Kabal coughed up blood as I began to worry.

“Oh dear god…” I muttered.

“It’s all right, its just part of the process.”

Shang watched from behind me as Kabal passed out again. I felt terrified as Shang reached into the end table and grabbed a tiny vial of what I think was water.

“Since alcohol is lighter than water this will be the ultimate test.” He explained.

Placing the small vial on Kabal’s chest, I saw it began to bounce up and down slightly. It didn’t move much but Shang went on.

“He’s alive thankfully. He needs rest however. And since I don’t want a success turning into a failure, I will monitor him.”

“Kabal doesn’t need a babysitter.” Kano hissed.

Shang chuckled,

“As you wish. but if he dies, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

He gave a respectful bow as he left the room.

Kano patted my back as he sat down on the corner of the bed.

“I’ll leave you and Kabal alone for now. Take this.”

He tossed me a small device as it looked like a walkie talkie but with a dragon on it.

“When he wakes up and you can take him home you can call me. I’ll be walking around here a while.” He said with a sigh.

I nodded as he walked outside the room closing the door.

“Well its just me and him now.” I said to myself. Placing the vial on the nightstand, I crawled into bed on top of my boyfriend as I snuggled him. I fell asleep again soon after.  But when I woke up again, I could feel Kabal’s hand rubbing my head. He felt warmer and I could feel his pulse again. 

“Thanks for getting me back to normal.” He muttered.

I sat up in his lap to study him. He seemed healthy as I could see he was breathing again. I was relieved yet pleasantly surprised that he was normal again. Despite his hair being longer now and almost like a mullet.

“Wanna feel something?” Kabal asked.

“Sure.” I reply.

Taking my hand, he placed it on his chest as he gave me a shy smile. His heart was beating strong against my hand as he kisses my forehead. I felt a smile stretch across my face as I hugged him tightly. My hand still on his chest I felt relief and determination to protect him. 

“I’m so glad you’re all right…” I cooed.

He nodded holding me close.

“I’ll think next time I try getting involved in sorcery next time baby.” 

“You better or I’ll kick your ass for sure!” I playfully warned him. 

He chuckled in response, kissing my nose. For many moments we held each other. I was grateful I had my boyfriend back. I don’t trust just anyone so this is at least proof to me that my logic is justified.  “I love you...” Kabal whispered,

“I know...”

[aethelflaedladyofmercia]

Infection - Good Omens Fic

My second fic for tonight for the @bingokisses prompts! This one fills my second “Wrist Kisses” square, which was paired with “Patching up a wound.” Get ready for some hurt/comfort, strong angst, and Crowley desperately trying to protect his angel. Promise: this one ends in soft bed cuddles.

This will be edited before going on AO3, so let me know if you notice anything is off.

CW: blood, not too graphic but definitely there.

Aziraphale spread his hands before him, still steaming lightly from the force of the holy blasts he had thrown at the demons. They were fleeing, finally, five dark shapes vanishing into the soil before him. He clenched his jaw, holding his cold expression, his pose, and his breath until the dark stain of their infernal presence had dissipated from his mind.

Then, slowly, he lowered his hands to the wound in his side.

“Oh,” he murmured, as his fingers slid through the rents in the fabric of his tunic to find the deep gashes slick with blood. “That’s…a bit worse than I thought…” He pressed harder, and suddenly the pain lanced through him, burning tearing. His power reserves were low, but he’d need to heal that quickly or face discorporation and likely some uncomfortable questions from his superiors.

Lifting his trembling hands, Aziraphlae looked at the deep red blood, and saw a thick black shadow already spreading through it like a cloud. “Oh, very bad, indeed…” Demonic corruption. Already, he could feel the pollution working its way into him – not his corporation, but his true angelic body on the astral plane – seeming in like a toxin, corroding the light of his soul. If he didn’t purge the befouling influence quickly, he would else face something far worse than discorporation.

But that would require focus, quiet, and a spot to work where the world wasn’t filled with fuzzy mist…the ground not tilting alarmingly back and forth…and…

“Blast.”

He toppled over, collapsing into the dew-speckled grass.

--

Crowley tore through the forest, ignoring the stinging slap of tree branches and snaring twists of undergrowth that tried to slow him down. “Aziraphale!”

Another little stream opened up suddenly just ahead of him, and, unable to stop in time, he attempted to leap straight over it. Nearly made it, too, but the soft earth on the far side shifted and slid as soon as his feet touched it, and he rolled back down the bank, hitting the cold water with a splash.

“Stupid bloody – Aziraphale!” Somewhere in this endless ancient forest, on one of the countless hills or ridges or hollows, the angel was fighting, injured, needed his help and Crowley had miles upon miles still to search and he didn’t have time for this.

He set about scrambling up the far side of the bank, digging his fingers deep into the muddy earth.

--

It had started, nearly a hundred years ago now, with a suggestion in a misty field in Wessex.

“Be easier if we both stayed home,” he’d proposed, metal sabatons sinking in the English mud. He could almost picture it already, a nice little cottage and a roaring fire, a few glasses of the local brews.

But Aziraphale hadn’t been interested. “Absolutely out of the question,” and he’d stormed off full of all the sanctimonious indignation an angel could carry. “We aren’t having this conversation” – but he’d certainly followed it up with a strongly-worded letter, ensuring Crowley in the strictest of terms that he would never consider such a scheme, that any cooperation on assignments was simply inconceivable, that he would henceforth devote all his efforts to thwarting any of Crowley’s infernal works that he caught wind of, and do his utmost to ensure that all hellish influences were wiped from this peaceful island, nay, this blessed world and all its inhabitants…

Crowley read the letter twice, then packed up his armor and camp and headed for London.

Once he was dressed in proper, comfortable clothes, there was no chance anyone would recognize the sophisticated red-haired traveler as the dreaded Black Knight, and before long he had settled into an alehouse with his feet resting comfortably on a bench by the fire and set to work telling stories of the immortal warrior dressed all in black, leading raids against unnamed villages somewhere to the north.

Within a few weeks, the rumors reached him of Sir Aziraphale of the Round Table and his band of holy knights, scouring Mercia and Northumbria for signs of the Black Knight. Crowley tossed in a few stories about the rebel band joining up with invaders from the south with just enough tantalizing details to keep the angel on a wild goose chase for months and congratulated himself on a job well done.

When next Hell checked in, he shrugged ruefully and explained that Heaven’s agent (a fierce and terrifying opponent) had effectively stopped him at every turn but also that Crowley (a cunning and devious force for evil who deserved a commendation and a promotion) had prevented the angel from pursuing Heaven’s larger agenda. He added in some gossip about the queen he’d picked up from travelers out of Camelot, broadly suggesting that was somehow his doing, and declared his mission to the island an overall success.

And, incredibly, they bought it.

A very neat solution, Crowley thought several decades later as he lounged by the Mediterranean, sunning himself on a rock and sampling the latest developments in viticulture and winemaking. He was already trying to work out the best way to include “convincing monks to sell wine to a demon” in his upcoming report. It sounded like an appropriately demonic activity.

The countryside was swirling with tales of a terrifying monster ravaging the villages, fighting endless battles against a glowing warrior of light, based solely on rumors he started and allowed to grow and expand in the retelling. Seven different noble warriors – three armed with holy weapons that could only have come from Aziraphale – had come searching for the beast, and Crowley had gleefully sent each to a different corner of the world.

Everybody won, really: Crowley’s reputation was surging Down Below as tales of his narrow escapes grew; Aziraphale and his agents got to parade around being self-righteous; and Heaven and Hell took credit for whatever developments they wished.

What could possibly go wrong?

--

“…which kept me from directly joining the emperor’s invasion of Armenia, as originally instructed, but I was able to stay behind in Constantinople and focus on the corruption of countless aristocrats.” As if wealthy humans had ever needed help becoming corrupt, but it was the sort of result Hell liked.

Beelzebub glared down through the cloud of flies, and as always Crowley wondered if ze believed a word he said. It was impossible to tell, really; the Prince of Hell’s expression never wavered. “Tell me where you were szupposed to go next.”

“Another king’s court, thousands of miles away.” Crowley furrowed his brow, trying to remember.

“Dagobert, king of Austrasia, heir to the throne of all the Franks,” Dagon interrupted, mouth perpetually stretched into a grin with far too many teeth.

“Yeah, that one. And, really, I was looking forward to it.” The Franks had some of the best grape wine in the world, but he’d discovered that the people of the north had done some interesting things with mead and fruit wines, and over in Bohemia they’d started experimenting with hops in their beer instead of gruit, and really Crowley needed to give these developments his full attention. “But, you know, turned out that angel was still on my tail.” At this point, dropping rumors of his devious activities for Aziraphale to chase had become a game, and he’d left a trail of breadcrumbs for the angel all up and down the continent. “We had a great battle in the northern forests, and I barely escaped with my skin intact, but he’ll have a hard time recovering from the wounds I left him with.” He’d not seen Aziraphale in-person since that field in Wessex, but there was always a local legend of warrior fighting beast he could co-opt, and Hell did almost nothing to verify his claims.

“Laszt time you claimed he’d never walk again,” Beelzebub pointed out, looking distinctly uninterested.

“Did I?” Crowley might have gotten carried away. “Right. Well. He healed more quickly than I could have expected. Blasted angel.”

“Why have you not infected him yet?” Dagon wondered. “That would put an end to all this.”

Crowley ran his tongue over his teeth. Every demon carried some toxin or venom, the remains of their Grace, twisted and tainted by the Fall, and most could spread it through their claws or nails. Infected humans became more susceptible to suggestion and temptation; but to other supernatural beings, it was far more dangerous. The strongest could eat away at an angel’s true self, as holy water did for demons, only slower and more painful.

Crowley, serpent that he was, carried it in his fangs, which made it difficult to administer; and he’d always found it cheating, and a little cruel. In four and a half millennia, he’d only ever used it in the most dire of emergencies. “Well, ah, I did. Only, as you know, Aziraphale is – is impossibly strong. He seems able to shrug off what I can give him.”

Dagon’s perpetual grin grew even wider. “Good thing we sent a team, then.”

“A…a team?”

“After hearing your reports, Hastur and Ligur volunteered to take on the angel themselves. We had them bring a few specialists along as back up.”

“Oh.” Crowley’s stomach dropped down to the ninth circle and kept falling. “And…and when did they leave?”

“Two daysz ago,” Beelzebub offered. “Ligur reported they’d tracked the angel down momentsz before you came in. They’re ambushing him asz we szpeak.” For once, the Prince of Hell shifted forward, studying Crowley’s reaction with unreadable eyes.

“Oh. Well. Good for them. Ngk. Glad they can…glad to see…” He clenched his jaw before his two superiors could see how his teeth chattered, how the panic threatened to overtake him. Swallowing it down, Crowley tried again. “I mean, Aziraphale is one of Heaven’s greatest warriors, as I’ve personally experienced many times. I’m glad he’ll finally get what’s coming to him.” He tossed his head and continued as casually as he could, “Any chance I can join up with them? I’d love to, to witness this glorious…victory for our side.”

Crowley stood for an eternity, pinned between the sadistic gleam of Dagon’s eyes and the inscrutable calm of Beelzebub’s. His fist tightened, nails digging into his palm as he struggled not to show a single sign of worry, no trembling knees, no sheen of sweat.

Although the game wouldn’t exist for another twelve centuries, Crowley had already perfected his poker face.

Finally, finally, Beelzebub nodded. “It might be too late. Catch up if you can.”

--

The Germanic forest that seemed to stretch on forever, rocky ledges giving way to soggy river land and back. Humans lived here – humans lived everywhere – but there seemed to be none for miles in every direction, not even as much as a road. The night was silent as the grave, completely still, even the stars shrouded in clouds.

At first, Crowley crept along quietly, looking for hints of the demons’ passing, listening for the sounds of battle. Trying to maintain his cover as an interested observer. He could sense them – somewhere – not close, but not far.

After an hour of this, his façade began to slip, the worry bubbling to the surface. Soon after, there was no longer even a trace of demonic presence in the forest, apart from his own. Which meant they’d done their work and left. And that meant…

As the sun began to rise, he flung all caution to the winds, racing through the forest like a hunted deer, calling the angel’s name again and again. Maybe it was a trick. Maybe they suspected, maybe they were just waiting for him to slip up.

Or maybe they’d already killed Aziraphale. And it would be all his fault.

As he pulled himself out of the muddy stream, he felt it – the faintest hint of angelic presence, ahead and to the left. “I’m coming,” he whispered, his voice too thick to shout.

It took another half-hour before he found the clearing, bursting out of the trees into ground burned black, twisted and churned in a ring as large as a basilica, and there in the center, in a circle of grass incongruously untouched, lay a motionless white figure.

“Aziraphale!”

The ruined ground was hot on his feet, like hallowed ground, but he raced across it without a second thought, collapsing onto the blood-soaked grass. It seeped into the ground, too much blood, red turning to black before his eyes.

“No, no, no, no.” When last he’d seen Aziraphale, they’d both been dressed in sixty pounds of armor, Aziraphale’s surely blessed for extra protection; but now he wore the simple clothes of a traveler, pale blue tunic shredded, four deep lines carved into the flesh of his side. A bag lay beside him, loaves of bread spilled across the grass, as well as ceramic jars of alcohol, oil and honey. “Aziraphale, please…”

“C…Crowley?” His eyes fluttered open just for a second. “Looking…for you…”

“Don’t try to talk, Angel.” He shifted, lifting Aziraphale’s head to his shoulder, cradling the angel in his arms. “I’ve got you now.”

“Certainly…” Aziraphale’s mouth worked for a moment. “Got me…Clever trap…”

“I…Aziraphale, I didn’t know…I swear, I never thought…” Oh, Satan, he was getting paler every second. “I’ve got you, alright? I’ve got you.” One hand braced the angel against his chest, the other wandered down to the deep cuts in his side. The bleeding had slowed. Because it was healing? Or because he was running out of blood? “This might hurt.”

“Hurts…already…”

Crowley rested his fingers against the cuts, trying to ignore the way Aziraphale gasped, sounding too weak to draw breath. “I know, I know.” He closed his eyes, looking instead to the astral plane, searching for the heat and glow of Aziraphale’s true form. It should have been blinding; instead he found an endless sea of dark energy, pulsing, growing.

It was devouring Aziraphale, smothering him, infiltrating his Grace and turning it…necrotic. Killing him.

“Crowley…I…I…”

“I told you, don’t talk.” Crowley’s face felt wet. Without thinking, he brought his hand up, wiping his cheeks, leaving smears of angel blood under both eyes. “I…I can do this.”

Bracing himself, Crowley grabbed Aziraphale’s side, digging his fingers into the cuts. He pressed Aziraphale against him as the angel arched his back, crying out in pain, voice breaking –

Crowley – in a shape loosely approximating his human form – waded into the black mass. It sucked at his feet like a bog, and smelled even worse; thickening around his legs with every step, trying to hold him, pull him down. It stung where it touched bare flesh, and he tried to keep his hands clear as he searched.

At last he saw it – there – at the center of the twisted mass of decay, a single ember, flickering fitfully, sinking into the morass. He struggled towards it, as the dark energy nearly solidified, tendrils forming to pluck at his tunic and belt.

He reached out his hands and, yes, he could reach it, cradle it in his hands, lift the tiny spark of power free from the sea of death. All that was left of Aziraphale, a single brilliant gemstone, not even strong enough to burn him. He lifted it to his face, even as more dark tendrils formed, angrily trying to snatch back the treasure he guarded.

“Angel, Aziraphale, please…” But at the touch of his breath, the light stuttered and nearly extinguished. Of course. Angel, demon – incompatible.

One black coil snagged his wrist, searching, crawling towards the light.

“No,” Crowley snarled, transferring Aziraphale’s light to his other hand, “I won’t let you have him!” Closing his fingers carefully around the last fragment of Grace, he held it above his head, as more lines and waves grabbed at him, trying to pull him under. “You messed with the wrong bloody demon.”

He grabbed the tendril that held his wrist, twisting it around his arm like an anchoring rope. Once it was secure, he relaxed his arm, letting it become insubstantial as mist. The dark coil sank into him.

He’d hoped that the demonic taint would be compatible with his body, allowing him to handle it as easily as Aziraphale did holy water. No such luck. It burned and sizzled, like solid potassium into water.

Crowley braced himself and pulled.

Somewhere back on the physical plane, he writhed and screamed, body convulsing as another demon’s toxins ran through it, filling his veins like fire and ice. He thought his corporation would burst, torn apart, that his true form would be shredded to pieces under the pressure. He almost lost his grip, on both planes, almost broke the connection, almost dropped the precious light of Aziraphale back into hungry black chaos.

But however much it hurt Crowley, Aziraphale must feel it tenfold. Which made his silence all the more terrifying.

Hang on, Angel. Just a little more…

His body strained against him, trying to fall away, contact only maintained through his grip on the dark energy, taut as a bowstring even as he pulled it into him until –

POP!

The last of the infection broke free of its connection to Aziraphale, snapped into Crowley. On the astral plane, he collapsed to his knees, skin swollen from the effort of holding it all in. Carefully, so carefully, he lowered the last glowing fleck of Aziraphale’s soul, setting it free. “You…” he sucked in a painful breath. “You’re alright now. Just rest…”

Crowley’s eyes fluttered open, back in reality, body clammy with sweat, every joint and every organ burning with pain. He scrambled away from the angel to the edge of the grass just in time to cough – heave – and retch out what felt like gallons of boiling black vapor, steaming out of him, swept away by the wind.

When he finally felt empty again, his arms and legs were trembling from the effort of holding him up. He could feel the blood coating his face, dry and flaking except two wet channels under his eyes.

Still coughing, he managed to crawl back to Aziraphale. The wound at his side was bright red, no sign of the dark corruption that had nearly killed him. But the angel still twitched and jerked fitfully, and his skin was fever-hot. The demonic infection was gone, but a mundane, earthly one had taken its place.

“D’n w’rry, Angel,” he muttered, mouth numb with exhaustion. “Just gotta…” He miracled up a length of cloth, almost as long as he was tall, but that was the last of his strength; healing would be impossible.

Reaching for Aziraphale’s bag, he found a jar of strong Roman-style wine, alcohol mixed with vinegar and salt water. He pulled at the seal, wax and cloth breaking free and a stream of wine spilled across the cuts, rinsing them clean. Aziraphale flinched and whimpered, but Crowley held him in place with one hand on his hip.

“Almost done.” Remembering something he’d seen a human do in Athens, centuries before, Crowley broke open the jar of honey and smeared it across the gashes, sealing them under a thick, sticky layer. He hoped it would work. You never really knew with human medicine. “Alrigh’ Angel. Time to…to sit…”

He slid an arm under Aziraphale’s shoulders and lifted him as far as he could, nearly collapsing under the angel’s boneless weight, until Aziraphale’s head was on his shoulder again. Crowley shook out the cloth and began wrapping it around his middle.

--

Aziraphale felt a burst of heat, sparking through every part of his body, like he was being boiled alive from the inside out.

Then, just as abruptly, it passed, and he was resting against something sturdy and warm.

His side still ached and burned, but in a distant, fuzzy way. He couldn’t focus on it, but he could feel the gentle pressure of fingers moving here and there.

Wasn’t he supposed to be worried about something? Something important. Of that he was certain. His eyes felt heavy as the weight of the world, but he forced them open.

A pair of hands, stained red and black, tied a knot in a cloth that seemed wrapped around his middle. They moved slowly, awkwardly, as if they didn’t know what they were doing. He could feel breath stirring his hair, and it sounded heavy, laden, tired.

Aziraphale tried to tip his head back to see who he leaned against, but all he managed was to turn slightly, his eyes finding a vast expanse of impossibly black fabric. “C…Crowley…?”

“Nh. Told you…” The body behind him shifted, and Aziraphale lost track of his surroundings. When they cleared again, he was lying on soft grass. One hand brushed across his forehead, pushing away the curls, and a cool breeze prickled across his skin. “Better?”

The face hovering above fuzzed in and out of focus. Yes, it had red hair, and a narrow face streaked with blood. “You…” Aziraphale tried to lift his heavy arm, reach for the already-fading form. “You’re hurt…”

“Nah.” The figure scrubbed at his face, not noticing the blood. Was Aziraphale dreaming it? Did he also imagine the eyes turned solid-gold with exhaustion? “’m fine. Jus’ rest now.”

“No…I was…” his hand managed to reach his side. “Toxin…bleeding…”

“Don’ worry. All better.”

Better? Every angel knew nothing in Heaven or Earth could heal demonic corruption. Well. Perhaps he’d dreamt that, too. Perhaps he was dreaming now.

He managed to roll onto his uninjured side. There was a frightful chill, but trying to curl up pulled at his wound painfully. “Nf,” he managed, without even the energy to cry out.

“Cold?”

“Y’s.”

A moment later, all the cold melted away, replaced by something warm pressed against his back, a light touch resting protectively on his hip. “Got you,” the voice whispered, a gentle brush of air across his ear. Then a sharp snap some sort of blanket draped over him, shielding him from the wind and the sun. “S’good. Sleep now.”

“Can’t,” Aziraphale objected. “I never…”

--

With a sharp breath, Aziraphale woke up. For a moment, he was disoriented – it was dark, everything tilted and strange – but, no: black sheets, grey walls, a few books resting on the bedside table near a mug of tea. The bedroom in Crowley’s flat. Which meant that the arms gently wrapped around his chest, the body pressed against his back, and the face nuzzling his shoulder…

“Mhf. ‘Wake already?”

“Sorry, my dear fellow. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“S’fine.” Crowley shifted, bringing his chin up to Aziraphale’s shoulder, wriggling his body into a more comfortable position.

“I’m still not used to sleeping.” He doubted he’d been out for more than an hour. “Not sure I’ll ever quite get the knack.”

“Told you. S’fine.” Crowley’s voice was still thick and heavy. He clearly had no intention of waking up so soon. “You wanna read now?”

“Not just yet.” He patted Crowley’s arm and leaned into his embrace, feeling lips brush absently against the back of his neck. “I think I dreamt this time.”

“Really?” He could hear the grin in Crowley’s voice, practically feel it against his skin. “Thassa first. Dream ‘bout me?”

“You know, I rather think I did. We were in a field…”

“Hmmm. Picnic?”

But Aziraphale’s smile faded as the details came back. “Your hands were…they were red. And I was in so much pain. Crowley, I think it was…” Without realizing it, his hand was pressed against the four scars on his side. “It was when I…”

In seconds he shifted from comfortably at rest to alert and awake, heart thundering as if it wanted to break free. He remembered the attack – fourteen hundred years ago now – the struggle for his life – the wound – and waking up, a week later, lying alone in a dying field, weak and hungry. He was never sure how much of what he remembered was a fever dream – but someone had bound his wounds…and then left. The cloth was soaked with blood; it had never been changed.

He hadn’t seen Crowley for another thirty years. Aziraphale only ever alluded to the attack once, and the demon had just growled learn to take better care of yourself. Never a hint of why the forces of Hell had ambushed Aziraphale, or why they never returned, or if Crowley had really been there to heal Aziraphale afterwards.

He hesitated to mention it now.

But Crowley’s fingers glided down his arm, twining with his, pressing lightly into the scars as if to ensure they were fully healed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I…I mean…it wasn’t the attack, though it felt as though it had happened only moments before.” Aziraphale shuddered at the memory of five demons, bursting out of the woods, claws and fangs and… “No, it was…surprisingly pleasant. I dreamt you were there. Afterwards. Taking care of me.”

“Oh.” Then, softer. “Oh.”

“You dressed my wound. Talked to me. And…and held me. Just like this.” He tugged Crowley’s arm across his chest again. “Stayed with me until I woke up.” His fingers played around Crowley’s, massaging knuckles. “I…ah…back then…I always wondered…”

“Yeah. That was…yeah. It was me.”

A lump formed in his throat, and all Aziraphale could do was nod, bringing Crowley’s fingers to his lips. How strange, to have confirmation after all this time. It shouldn’t have affected him, brought tears to his eyes, but, oh…

“Thank you,” he whispered, when he could speak again, and he pressed a kiss into Crowley’s palm. “I…I’m glad you were there.” More kisses, trailing to his wrist.

“Didn’t stay.” There was no mistaking the regret in his voice.

“Oh, no, I know you couldn’t.” Another kiss to the wrist. “It was a different time…we were different and…just that you stayed long enough to save me from an inconvenient discorporation…truly, thank you.” But when Crowley didn’t relax, Aziraphale switched to a teasing tone. “I used to think it couldn’t possibly be you. Why would a demon help an angel his own side had left for dead?” Ah. That wasn’t funny at all, was it? He continued, more serious. “I…I don’t wonder anymore. I know why.”

“Do you?”

“Oh, you silly old thing. Yes. I was quite fond of you back then, too, you know, though I didn’t trust you at all and very much wanted to throw you off a cliff for your…absurd pranks.” He smiled in memory. “And I would have helped you the same way, if you ever needed it.”

He lay there a moment longer, in the warm circle of Crowley’s arm. “I…don’t think I’ve ever told you…how very safe you make me feel.” Aziraphale turned over, just enough to meet Crowley’s eyes, expecting them to be warm and soft. Instead, he found them filled with pain. Aziraphale quickly reached up, cradling his demon’s face. “Darling, what is it? What’s wrong?”

“It…it was my fault.”

“What?” The words slid down his spine like ice, and Aziraphale scrambled to sit up. “No, it’s not your fault. It was Hastur and – and those other demons who attacked. I don’t know why they suddenly decided…Ah. You mentioned me?”

“More than that.” A tear ran down Crowley’s face, just one, and dropped unheeded between them. “I – I thought I was so clever. If I didn’t want to do a job, just say you stopped me. Told them how – how fierce you are. Fearless. Strong. And you are.” His eyes were pleading now. “I wanted them to…to think you were a-a-a worthy opponent.”

“And instead they decided to eliminate me.” He reached up to brush the tear track from Crowley’s cheek. “My love, no, it wasn’t your fault. I’m sure I gave Hell plenty of reasons on my own. You weren’t their only agent on earth in those days, and the rest were certainly not as fond of oyster dinners.”

“They wouldn’t have sent five demons if I hadn’t…”

“You don’t know that.” He kissed Crowley’s cheek. “And glad as I am for your help, I was fine. Really, my injury looked much worse than it was.”

But Crowley shook his head. “Angel…you almost died.”

“What? No, I…” He remembered hands, coated with red blood, and something black.

“I pulled all the toxin out of you. I…I held your soul in my hand. It was almost gone.” The tears started again. “You were almost gone. I…a few minutes later and…”

“Oh, Crowley.” Aziraphale pulled him into his arms, felt Crowley’s arms twist around him, tight as only a serpent’s embrace could be. “I didn’t know…”

“I stayed as long as I could, I swear. Two days.” Crowley shuddered. “Then they came back. Even more of them.”

Fear boiled through Aziraphale, as if Crowley’s words could summon the demons into their bedroom. Calm down. That happened fourteen hundred years ago. “What…what did you do?”

“Told you. I left.” His voice was strained, broken. “When I sensed them coming. I just…abandoned you. Led them on a chase. Told them you’d attacked me. Had reinforcements. Everything I could think of, until they gave up. And then I went back to Hell with them. Left you there.”

“Crowley. Look at me.” He pushed the demon back until he could see his eyes. “Thank you.” Crowley started to shake his head, and Aziraphale gripped his jaw firmly. “No. Don’t blame yourself. I was in no condition to fight, even if you could have woken me. And I would never ask you to fight a horde of demons. By leaving me, by leading them away, you saved me. And more importantly, you saved my best friend.” He leaned in and kissed Crowley lightly on the lips. “So. Thank you.”

“I wanted to stay.”

“I know. I…I wanted you too as well.” His fingers searched for Crowley’s, crept between them, and squeezed. “I hope, er, your former side didn’t do anything too bad when you returned.”

“Nah,” and there was that smile, the careless grin Aziraphale adored so much. “I was a legend. Only demon to ever face you and walk away unscathed. Even Hastur was afraid to face you again. Dagon had me develop a whole training course on angelic combat.”

Aziraphale threw back his head and laughed. “They thought you could beat me?”

“Oi! Mind who you’re mocking, I am the Serpent of Eden, Hell’s fiercest and most effective agent!”

“Only because you lie about everything.”

“You’re one to talk!” Crowley wrapped his arms around Aziraphale, pushing him back down into the pillow, laughing just as much. “You invented lying! To God!” His lips brushed against Aziraphale’s ear, but it was a serious voice that whispered, “I will protect you always, Angel.”

“I know.” He kissed Crowley’s jaw, then rested against his face, cheek to cheek. “Thank you.”

Eventually, they settled down to try sleeping again, Crowley pressed against his back, long fingers resting on the curve of his hip. With a snap, Crowley’s wing emerged, covering Aziraphale in a feathery cocoon. Just like in his dream.

There, in the embrace of his demon, Aziraphale felt safe, and warm, and welcome, and other things he’d never expected to feel. Whatever came next, they had each other. Forever.

[callmebrycelee]

Album Review: Confetti by Little Mix

During one of the bleakest years in human history, Little Mix has delivered us pure joy and happiness in the form of their sixth studio album: CONFETTI. I became a fan of Little Mix, a Mixer is what we’re called, a few years ago when I clicked on one of my coworker’s Spotify playlists. The first song of theirs I can recall listening to is “F.U.” from their fourth album Glory Days. After looking up their other albums I then ventured over to YouTube so I could watch a few of their music videos. I instantly fell in love with the choreo-heavy “Touch” and the slumber party-themed “Hair”. I then started looking at their live performances and I was blown away. For me, Little Mix is everything I ever wanted out of Fifth Harmony. Now before I get some hate, Fifth Harmony is/was a great pop group and without them we wouldn’t have Normani, but whereas some of the girls in Fifth Harmony are/were more vocally talented than others, each of the members of Little Mix - Jade, Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Perrie - have amazing voices and those voices blend together so perfectly.

I’m so glad I discovered Little Mix when I did because it gave me enough time to binge their albums, music videos and live performances just in time for their fifth studio album LM5 to drop. If I had to rank the albums prior to CONFETTI, LM5 would definitely be at the top of my list. Realistically-speaking, the album didn’t perform as well as their other albums but the album is damn near perfect in my opinion. I then later learned the girls were going through a separation with their then-record label Syco which is a major factor in why the album didn’t perform as well as it could. 

CONFETTI is Little Mix’s first album since leaving Syco so many of us were very much looking forward to what the girls were going to deliver without having Simon Cowell standing on their neck. Our first taste of a newly emancipated Little Mix came in the form of the 80′s-inspired “Break Up Song”. They released their second single “Holiday” in the middle of the summer and their third single “Sweet Melody” was released a few weeks ahead of the album’s November 6 release. Being in the United States, I stayed up past midnight so I can listen to the album and since it’s release it’s been in heavy rotation on Spotify. I thought it would be fun to review the album and rate each of the tracks. There are 13 tracks on CONFETTI and I will be giving my thoughts on each track as well as a score based on a scale of 10. For those of you reading this, keep in mind, I am one of way too many Little Mix fans to count so if there are tracks that you like that I do not rate as high, just remember this is my opinion so forgive me, HAHA. Without further ado, here’s my review of CONFETTI:

BREAK UP SONG: The first track on the album is also the album’s first single. Break Up Song is not only a total vibe, it’s a total 80s vibe. I was delightfully surprised when Little Mix released this song earlier this year. I love that this song is yet another reminder of just how freakin’ talented these ladies are. My favorite part of the track is Jade’s bridge towards the end of the song. The song is bright and fun and I simply cannot resist busting out some serious 80s dance moves every time the song comes on.  Rating: 10/10

HOLIDAY: While Break Up Song gives up 80s pop vibes, Holiday sticks its toes in the contemporary pop pool. It makes sense that this song was released smack dab in the middle of the summer because it is the perfect summer jam. I especially love the accompanying music video which features the girls luxuriating in a spa somewhere on the moon or maybe Mars. It’s sugary and sweet and just like Break Up Song it’s one of those songs you can’t resist dancing to. It should be noted Holiday is the second single off of CONFETTI and it is one of my top 3 favorite tracks off the album. Rating: 10/10

SWEET MELODY: When I first heard the reggaeton-infused Sweet Melody, my initial reaction was meh. Thank God I listened to the song again ... and again ... and again ... because on the second, third and fourth listening, I realized just how truly epic this song is. The lyrics are quite brilliant with my favorite being the Perrie-led second verse: “He would lie, he would cheat, over syncopated beats.” Not only is the song a banger, the music video is one of the best visuals Little Mix has ever released. The choreography is fire and you can tell they put their blood, sweat, tears and spinal cord into their dancing. Sweet Melody is my favorite track on CONFETTI. Rating: 10/10

CONFETTI: Prior to the release of CONFETTI, this track was made available. This song gives me late-90s/early-2000s R&B vibes and I quite enjoy it. It doesn’t hit as nearly as hard as Sweet Melody but this is yet another song I can picture being played in a club. If Little Mix releases any more singles from this album, which I believe they should, I think Confetti is a strong contender. I imagine the music video will be very heavy on the choreo.  Rating: 9/10

HAPPINESS: Category Is: Songs That Could Have Been Released By Britney Spears in the Early 2000s. Happiness is yet another track that was released ahead of the album. Unlike the first three tracks of the album which are very much songs about relationships, past and present, Happiness is the self-empowerment anthem we never knew we needed, especially in the year of our Lord 2020. Happiness is a splashy pop song but it doesn’t elicit the strong emotions I felt when listening to Break Up Song or Sweet Melody.  Rating: 9/10

NOT A PROP SONG: One of the things I like about Little Mix is every so often they’ll release an acoustic version of their popular songs, i.e., Black Magic, Touch, Holiday. This song is acoustic rock and it is not a sound I was ever expecting from Little Mix. If there was a sequel to National Manthem, it would be Not a Pop Song. I like to think of this as Little Mix’s emancipation proclamation after fleeing the clutches of one Simon Cowell. My favorite lyric from the song is in the chorus: “No more singing songs bout breaking my heart or my lonely nights dancing in the dark.” I absolutely adore this song and it gives me early Kelly Clarkson vibes.  Rating: 10/10

NOTHING BUT MY FEELINGS: This song from beginning to end is an absolute treat. I love how lowkey the song starts off and after the chorus, you assume the song is going to keep amping up but at the start of the second verse it goes back to being lowkey again. I love a song that keeps me guessing. I especially love the theme of the song, the struggle of wanting to keep things super casual with someone when deep down you are developing strong feelings for them even though you know you shouldn’t. If there was any doubt the ladies of Little Mix are not grown, this is proof. Rating: 9/10

GLOVES UP: One thing I like doing whenever a new album by one of my favorite artists is released is heading over to YouTube and watching people’s reaction the albums. It seem likes Gloves Up is a favorite off of this album and I just don’t get it. I don’t like to skip tracks, especially on Little Mix albums, but admittedly this is the one I’m tempted to skip when I’m listening to CONFETTI. I like the message but the song is a bit cliché. I hope that repeatedly listening of this track will make me like it, especially since I have a very strong feeling this is going to end up being a single. Rating: 6/10

A MESS (HAPPY 4 U): If Break Up Song had a sequel it would be this track. I love the lyrics and I love the instrumentation. It’s a gorgeous track and again something unexpected from Little Mix. I love Jade’s falsetto on this track.  Rating: 9/10

MY LOVE WON’T LET YOU DOWN: I feel like in addition to giving us great dance bops, Little Mix also delivers when it comes to ballads. The gospel-tinged My Love Won’t Let You Down is absolutely gorgeous and will be the perfect closing song on one of their tours. There are Little Mix songs where I think, wow, I’d love to see what the music video would look like and then there are Little Mix songs where I think, wow, I’d love to see how they’d perform this. This track is definitely of the latter variety. All four of our queen’s vocals are on point.  Rating: 10/10

RENDEZVOUS: Remember how I said there are three songs on this album that are my favorite? Sweet Melody is my fave track on the album and Rendezvous is my second-favorite. Rendezvous is sexy and sleek and reminds me of something Ciara would’ve released early on in her career. I also love that it samples the song Sway. I cannot wait to see how they perform this song on tour and I would love for this to be a future single because I would love to see Little Mix turn up the sex on one of their songs. This song reminds me of Notice for some reason from LM5. When Little Mix does sexy, the do sexy right! Rating: 10/10

IF YOU WANT MY LOVE: Like Gloves Up, If You Want My Love is another meh track on this album which sucks because it’s literally sandwiched between two perfect songs on the album. Perhaps this is another one I’ll have to keep listening to in hopes that it will grow on me. Right now I’m feeling pretty blasé about the track. Rating: 6/10

BREATHE: Yay! We get not just one ballad on CONFETTI but two! This is the perfect close to a pretty awesome Little Mix album. I’m happy to report the album ends as strong as it begins. Of the two ballads, I prefer My Love Won’t Let You Down but that shouldn’t suggest I don’t like this song. I love it and it’s another one I’d love to see performed live. Rating: 10/10

ALBUM OVERALL RATING: 9

[jeongyunhoed]

8 Stories, 8 Movies from the Golden Age (1930s to 1960s).

It’s the golden age and 8 men are the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Ateez, but make them Old Hollywood, basically. Lights, camera, action!

Member: Jongho

Genre: Murder mystery, a little bit of comedy, a little bit of romance

Warnings: Murder (as it is a murder mystery), mentions of it including suicide, death, blackmail

Things to note: Divorce then getting back together, infidelity (don’t cheat, it’s bad), horse racing, set in the 1930s.

Will have OCs

As with the rest of the stories in the AU, there will be other idols mentioned.

Masterlist

Prominent surgeon Choi Jongho is forced to team up with his murder mystery author ex-wife to investigate a murder at a racetrack.

The Ex-Mrs. Choi

tag list: @minervaaaaaaaa , @closer-stars

Part 2

Jongho was pacing back and forth in his office the next day. The rumbling and rummaging he could hear from Miyoung’s bedroom kept him awake half the night. She kept him and Yeosang awake the whole night trying to make herself comfortable in his apartment, which used to be theirs before she moved out after their divorce. On top of trying to get comfortable with the idea of living with his ex-wife again, he also had a mystery in his hands, one of which was the test tube with the sample of the substance he took from the jockey’s body at the morgue and where it was. He was supposed to analyze the substance when he saw it was gone. 

“There was a scalpel in a test tube,” He explained to Yeosang, who was busy looking through the chairs and under the tables. “It had a gummy substance on it and I left it on my desk here last night and now it’s gone.” 

“Yes sir, so far I’ve seen none,” The butler replied. “It must have disappeared.” 

“Alright, never mind, Yeosang I’ll need you to do something else,” Jongho said, and Yeosang stood back up. “Did Hongjoong call yet?” 

“No sir.” 

“Have you tried reaching Hongjoong?” 

“Yes sir, but no one’s been answering.” 

“Try again, maybe he’ll pick up today.” 

“Did you try all the numbers I gave you?” Jongho asked, remembering that Hongjoong had a few phone numbers where he answered. 

“Yes sir. No one’s seen Mr. Kim since early last evening, when he came here,” Yeosang replied, walking up to the phone to dial the list of numbers again. He paused when he heard one pick up. “Mr. Kim Hongjoong? One moment please,” He gestured for Jongho to pick up the receiver. 

“Hello, is this Kim Hongjoong?” 

“Yes, this is Kim Hongjoong,” said a low voice from the other line until it changed. “Who’s this?” 

Jongho exhaled sharply and closed his eyes. If his blood pressure didn’t shoot up before, it probably felt like it was now. “Oh, Kim Miyoung. What are you doing over there? Where’s Hongjoong?” 

“It’s Choi Miyoung to you, Jongho, I took your last name, get used to it,” Miyoung replied. “But I don’t know where he is. I do have clues though that might lead to him, it might take me the whole day but I’ll find him.” 

“Alright fine, when I see him I’ll tell him you’re looking for him too.” 

~ 

Evening had set in and Jongho returned from the hospital, still thinking of the day’s events and of the progress he, or well, Miyoung, somehow made in figuring out who killed the jockey. As he entered the front hall of his apartment, taking his hat and coat off to hang it on the side, Miyoung appeared. “Honey, you’re home,” She said. “Any luck today?” 

“Consider yourself bust,” Jongho followed her into the living room and sat down on the couch. Miyoung stood behind him, gently massaging his shoulders. 

“You look tired.” 

“I am, I had six operations in one day,” He closed his eyes, trying to relax as Miyoung’s hands were on his temples. Jongho opened his eyes when he felt her pull away. 

“You need to relax, put this on,” She handed him a familiar looking scarlet jacket.  

“Hey, that’s my smoking jacket, I was looking everywhere for that!” Jongho looked astounded as he took the piece of clothing from her, smoothing over the fabric. 

Miyoung leaned on the armrest of the couch next to him, helping him put the jacket on. “You’re going to dig into my girlish heart,” She chuckled. “That’s been to Honolulu, Bali, China, Japan, it went with me,” She admitted. “I missed you.” 

Jongho sighed. “Well, full disclosure between us, I missed you too,” He said. “Hey, we’re on the verge of getting sentimental here.” 

She chuckled, gently feeling the material of the jacket on his arm. “I thought so too,” She stood back up. “Well, how about some dinner?” 

“Dinner? It’s Yeosang’s day off,” Jongho replied. “If you were the right kind of ex-wife, you’d probably get dinner ready at home, as it is-” 

“As it is I am the right kind of ex-wife and I have dinner ready at home,” Miyoung grinned. 

“Really?” A smile formed on his lips. 

“Anytime I fix dinner at home, you know it’s serious,” She pointed out. “Don’t start acting like you don’t know me, silly.” 

A sigh of relief escaped him. “Miyoung, you’re terrific. It’s things like these that make a guy appreciate having a woman around the house. Coming home tired but to a warm meal at the end of the day?” He stood up. 

Miyoung took his hand and led him to the dining room, the table already laden with several platters of food, with champagne cooling in the ice bucket. As she brought Jongho closer to the table, he stepped back. “What?” She noticed his confused expression. 

“Everything looks like jelly,” He said. 

“No, it’s gelatin!” Miyoung pointed out. “Jellied consomme, aspic salad, chicken and jelly-” 

“Okay, okay, I get the idea,” Jongho sat down at one end of the table, and she sat at the other end. “It’s all gelatin.” 

“Stop complaining and try some of the jellied consomme,” Miyoung pointed to the bowl by Jongho’s plate. 

“Did you find Hongjoong?” He stuck his spoon into the soup, watching it wobble before eating it. 

“No, but let’s not talk about that for now, let’s have a nice quiet evening for once, the ex-Chois at home,” She said, watching him try more of the soup and cutting into her own. “How do you feel?” 

Jongho raised a brow. “I feel fine?” 

“That’s funny, I feel fine too,” She said. “Try the chicken in aspic and tell me what you think.” 

He obliged, cutting into the savory jelly that had pieces of chicken suspended inside. “It’s not bad, it’s...gelatinous.” 

“Feeling sleepy, darling?” She asked. 

“No, not particularly.”

“Me neither, I’m not even dizzy.” 

“Well that’s something,” Jongho was about to take another bite of the aspic when he noticed Miyoung stand up and take a handful of the jellied consomme to place on her arm. “Kim Miyoung! What on earth are you doing?” 

“I always rub gelatin on my arm,” She said, pushing the sleeve of her blouse back some more to rub the rest of the jelly on her skin. “Put some on your face, it feels good,” She broke off one part of the aspic and he ducked away before she could smother some on his cheek. “Do I look okay?” 

“You look silly, Miyoungie.” 

“Hold out your hand.” 

“What for?” 

“Just hold it out,” She insisted and he put his spoon down. Miyoung placed the aspic in his hand. “There, some gelatin on the hand does wonders for you.” 

Jongho watched her smother more jelly on her arm. “Thanks, thanks a lot.” 

“Hang on to it,” She glanced at him. 

“I can’t, it slips through my fingers, Miyoungie,” He exhaled sharply, staring at the bits of jelly falling on the table. Jongho knew Yeosang would have his hands full trying to get all of these washed. 

“How do you feel now?” Miyoung paused to look at him. 

“Kim Miyoung I feel fine, except I’m beginning to get pissed off. What’s the big idea?” Frustration was evident in his tone. 

Miyoung frowned and sat back down. “Well, we should be dead by now.” 

Now Jongho really couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What? What’s in this stuff?” He said, shaking the jelly out of his hand and onto the plate in front of him. 

“Just jelly, but it should’ve killed us!” 

“Miyoung, are you crazy? Babies eat this,” Jongho’s brows furrowed at her explanation as he wiped his hands with the table napkin.

“It might have been okay for babies, but it killed Lee Taeyong. That’s what was on the scalpel,” Miyoung explained. 

“The scalpel-” Jongho paused at the realization of why the test tube with the scalpel he took from the morgue was missing. “...What do you know about the scalpel?” 

“I took it, didn’t you know?” Miyoung said. 

“Heaven give me strength,” Jongho closed his eyes. If his hand wasn’t so sticky, it would’ve been at the back of his neck. “Oh, you took the scalpel? I was looking everywhere for that scalpel-” He muttered, trying to stay calm. 

“I took the scalpel to the laboratory last night and I had it analyzed already, it was just gelatin,” Miyoung explained, her voice turning into a whisper as she sensed how he was feeling. 

“Oh Miyoung, you’re sensational, just sensational,” Jongho was resisting the urge to curl his hands into fists. “For a moment I was already interested in this detecting business, if someone else had stolen the scalpel and oh-” He slowly got up from his chair. “You took the scalpel- Then it proves that there was no poison and it also ruins any help I could give Kim Hongjoong, except finding him,” He padded towards the telephone. “The police will do a better job with that.” 

Miyoung quickly followed him. “You’re being a party pooper trying to call the cops,” She pouted, watching him dial the number. 

“There’s something strange about Hongjoong though, I want to know what happened to him, he said he’d meet us last night and he never showed,” Jongho waited for the other line to pick up until they heard the doorbell ring. “Who could that be? Wait here,” He said, putting the phone down to approach the door. 

“No, no, I want to see-” 

“Get out of the way, Miyoung,” Jongho insisted, as the doorbell kept ringing. 

“Wait, Jongho, you notice the bell?” She said, following him. 

“Yes I did. Just a minute!” He called out the more he walked towards the door, only for Miyoung to hold him back. 

“Jongho, don’t open the door, just look in the peephole,” She said, her hold on his arm tightening. “You don’t know who’s behind the door, just look out the peephole.” 

“Alright I will. Move out of the way,” Jongho broke free from her grip. “Who is it?” He called out, looking through the peephole. 

“What do you see?” She whispered. 

Jongho leaned back. The bell kept ringing. “There’s someone against the door. Move, move away, Miyoung,” He said, gently pushing her back. 

“What are you going to do?” 

“I’m going to open the door,” Jongho said, turning the knob. 

Miyoung squealed in surprise as a suited man fell inside and at their feet, motionless. Jongho glanced down the hall before looking back at the body that fell inside. “Who is it? Why is he lying there like that?” She said, almost hiding her face. 

Jongho bent down and turned the body over. His eyes widened as he realized who it was. “It’s Hongjoong.” 

“Kim Hongjoong?” Miyoung gaped, watching him gently frisk the body, trying to feel for a pulse. 

“Yeah, he’s been shot,” Jongho lifted the jacket open to reveal a bullet wound in Hongjoong’s chest. 

“Jongho, there’s a note on his sleeve,” Miyoung pointed to the piece of paper pinned to the cuff. “What does it say?” 

Jongho gently removed the paper to look at what was scribbled onto it. “This guy wouldn’t turn over the money either,” He read out.

~ 

The police had arrived a little while later at Jongho’s call, sealing off the front hall as a crime scene as some officers took photos of the body. Other officers were dusting the outside of his door for fingerprints, some of them even analyzing the note that was found on Hongjoong’s sleeve. Jongho sat on the couch, trying to wrap his head around what he had just seen while Miyoung was in the kitchen, pouring herself a martini. He glanced over at the door upon hearing the chatter amongst the officers grow louder, realizing that the detective in charge had arrived, Lieutenant Jeong Yunho. 

“Alright, Dr. Choi, why did you kill him?” Yunho suddenly spoke. 

Jongho stopped to stare at him. “Why-” He paused. “That’s ridiculous. What would I kill him for?” He asked. 

“Well, if you didn’t, how did his body get here? Outside your door?” Yunho asked this time. 

“I don’t know. I just saw someone leaning against the door, I opened the door and his body fell in.” 

“Really? That’s pretty good for a man to walk up to the door and ring the doorbell after he’s dead?” Yunho narrowed his gaze at the surgeon. 

“Lieutenant, why would I kill Kim Hongjoong?” 

“I don’t know, but you’ve become a suspicious character in the last 24 hours, incredibly suspicious,” Yunho explained. “We got a report that you visited the morgue last night, and you found something on Lee Taeyong’s body and took it home with you. What was it?” 

“Well, it turned out to be gelatin.” 

“Gelatin-” Yunho paused and frowned. “Yeah, that makes as much sense as the coroner’s report. He did an autopsy on the body and said the left ventricle was completely collapsed.” 

“Left ventricle collapsed?” Jongho was even more confused. “That’s a symptom of drowning, or strangulation.” 

“Drowning, strangulation, gelatin,” Yunho recounted. “That’s a little absurd, don’t you think? Why did you go down there, Dr. Choi?”

“Because of Kim Hongjoong, he came to me-”

“Yeah, and that brings me to another point that, well, points to you being suspicious,” Yunho said. “We sent someone to Mr. Kim’s hotel and we found this,” He held up a bedazzled blue purse. “Do you recognize this?” 

Jongho shook his head. “No.” 

“That’s interesting, because it’s your wife’s,” Yunho showed him the detail on the bag. “Dr. Choi, there’s no sense for me to beat around the bush, but you’re in quite a spot.” 

Jongho was still staring at the bag. “I’m starting to think you’re right.” 

~ 

“Yeah, I’d have to agree that you’re in a tough spot, Jongho, you’re now public suspect number one,” Miyoung was sitting next to him on the couch later that night after everyone had gone, patting his hand. “You have to find the murderer to clear your name, darling.” 

“Which is exactly what I’m going to do,” Jongho nodded, suddenly realizing that he was holding her hand. 

“You won’t find him sitting here and staring at the fire, though.” 

Jongho let go of her hand. “Miyoung, I don’t want to tell you your business, but in most murders, the motive is money,” He pointed out. “Who stood to make the most out of yesterday’s race?” 

“The owner of the winning horse.” 

“Exactly,” He picked up the day’s newspaper and turned over to the sports section. Jongho pointed out the results of the horse races. “See here? Sixth race, winner Wave, the owner is Mr. Song Mingi, odds four to one,” He read. 

“Song Mingi? That’s the guy who called Hongjoong last night,” Miyoung sat up, taking a closer look at the paper. 

“What?” Jongho stared at her. 

“Yeah, I found slips of calls made to Hongjoong at his room last night. Song Mingi, Park Seonghwa, and Choi San,” Miyoung said. 

It was moments like these where Jongho felt like he could kiss her. “In case of fire, run, do not walk to the nearest exit,” He got up from the couch and rushed to the nearest closet to put his hat and coat on. 

“Where are you going?” Miyoung got up as well. 

“I am going to find who killed Lee Taeyong,” He said with a renewed enthusiasm.

“Jongho, you’re working on the wrong murder, it’s Kim Hongjoong they think you killed,” She called out, watching him. 

He stopped. “Miyoung, it should be obvious even to you that if Hongjoong was killed, it was because he confirmed his suspicions about yesterday’s race and was close to figuring out who killed the jockey,” He pointed out. “If I can follow Hongjoong’s trail last night-” 

“No, no, Jongho, wait a minute,” Miyoung went up to him. “If you find out what he did, you might get killed too!” 

“Maybe,” Jongho put on his hat and opened the door. “Tell Lt. Jeong I’ll be back soon!” He said and stepped out of his apartment. 

“Jongho!” Miyoung called out, hurriedly putting on her coat as well. “Jongho, come back! If you’re going to get killed, I want to be there!” 

~ 

With Miyoung’s insistence, Jongho waited for her to catch up as they arrived at Song Mingi’s home, also a penthouse unit in one of the buildings in the city. “You want to marry me now?” She glanced at him, looking playful. 

“You’re still on that?” 

Before she could answer the door opened, standing by was Song Mingi himself, wearing a maroon velvet suit and a robe. “Hello, who are you?” 

“I’m Dr. Choi Jongho, and this is-” 

“I’m Mrs. Choi,” Miyoung smiled. 

“Oh, Dr. Choi, yes, I’ve heard about you. You got involved in that inquest a few years ago regarding the death of a socialite, right? Come in, come in,” Mingi stepped aside to let them in. 

Jongho and Miyoung stepped inside, Mingi’s butler immediately approaching them to take their coats off. “Mr. Song, I’m investigating yesterday’s race,” He figured he had better be direct at this time. 

“Investigating for the track officials?” 

“Sorry, I can’t really say,” He shook his head. “Tell me, Mr. Song, what kind of a trainer was Kim Hongjoong?” 

“Well, one of the reasons why I wanted to buy Park Seonghwa’s stables was because I knew Hongjoong was included,” Mingi replied. 

“Oh, then the deal didn’t go through?” He asked this time. 

Mingi shook his head. “No. Park Seonghwa wanted an extra twenty million for Illusion and I couldn’t pay. Oh, and this is my wife, Jihye,” He gestured to the woman entering the room with a tray of what looked like cookies. “Jihye, this Dr. Choi Jongho, and Mrs. Choi.” 

“Have some cake, they’re very good,” Jihye set down the platter on the table. 

Jongho and Miyoung helped themselves to the small slices already cut out for them. “Thank you,” He ate a forkful and turned back to Mingi. “So, uh, is that what you called Hongjoong about last night?” 

“Oh, no, Dr. Choi. I saw him at Seonghwa’s house,” Mingi replied. 

The two of them nodded. “I see. These cakes are really good, Mrs. Song, what are they?” Jongho asked. 

“Just a little idea of my husband’s,” Jihye smiled. “A gelatin filling.” 

Jongho and Miyoung coughed in their seats in surprise. 

~ 

The journey to Park Seonghwa’s mansion took a little longer than Jongho expected, having fully convinced Miyoung to go back home after visiting Song Mingi took even longer. Agreeing to marry her again was the last thing on his mind, not that he had already said yes to her offer. As he arrived, he noticed the stables nearby, with the horses being tended to by the owner himself, his wife next to him. 

“That’s a very handsome horse there, Mr. Park,” Jongho said, after greetings and introductions were exchanged. “I can buy him from you right now.” 

“Sorry, I’ve never sold any horses, sick or well,” He waved a hand dismissively. 

“Oh, I thought you were considering selling your stables.” 

“I? Of course not,” Seonghwa stared at him. “I told my trainer Kim Hongjoong not to bother with any offers.” 

“Really?” 

“Won’t you come in, Dr. Choi?” Seonghwa’s wife suddenly suggested. 

“No thank you, I’m perfectly fine out here,” Jongho replied. “You see Mr. Park, I’m investigating yesterday’s race.” 

“You mean, Taeyong’s death?” Mrs. Park asked, her expression falling. Jongho nodded. “Oh, I’m sorry. Seonghwa, you explain, excuse me,” She looked crestfallen as she returned to the house. 

“We were both very fond of Taeyong, Dr. Choi,” Seonghwa said. “His death came as a great shock to us. To her most especially.” 

“I understand. I imagine Hongjoong was upset too.” 

“Very.” 

“Is that why he came here last night?” Jongho asked. 

“Last night? Oh yes, and to pay me some money he owed me.” 

“So, he made a lot of money at the track yesterday?” 

“Hongjoong couldn’t have done that if Illusion lost,” Seonghwa shook his head. 

“He might have placed a bet on Wave,” Jongho pointed out. 

Seonghwa’s expression stiffened. “Dr. Choi, I resent that implication. My trainer is an honest man.” 

“Sorry, but thank you for your help, Mr. Park.” 

~ 

“About time you came back,” Miyoung stood up when she saw Jongho appear in the hall looking defeated. “What did you find out from Mr. Park?” 

Jongho sighed, allowing her to put his hat and coat away for him. “That I’m not a detective. There are a lot of promising suspects from whom I’ve gathered a lot of misinformation. Which is true, which isn’t, I don’t know.” 

“Then, let’s turn that frown upside down because I have an idea,” Miyoung held his hands. 

“Which only means that I get into more trouble.” 

“Don’t start, but we’ve overlooked our most important clue so far, the note,” She said. 

He stared at her. “Miyoungie, you’re right, the note. The threatening note that was sent to Lee Taeyong.” 

“All we need to do is figure out who wrote it and we’ve got the murderer,” She said. They heard the doorbell ring again, making them stop and listen. “Who do you think that is?” She murmured. 

“There’s only one way to find out,” Jongho said just as softly. 

“How?” 

“I’ll open the door,” Jongho gave her a look before carefully opening the door. Standing behind was Seonghwa’s wife. 

“Oh, Dr. Choi, I’m so sorry to come here at a time like this-” She said, looking worried. 

“Hello! Hello again Mrs. Park, come in, come in,” Jongho stepped aside to let her enter, Miyoung standing by. 

“I hate to bother you at this hour but-” She stopped when she saw Miyoung. “Oh, excuse me.” 

“Not at all, Mrs. Park, this is Mrs. Choi,” Jongho introduced them and they exchanged nods in response. 

“Dr. Choi could you- I mean if I could speak to you alone for a moment?” Mrs. Park asked. 

“Of course,” Jongho nodded. “In my office?” 

“No! No, don’t bother, I’ll leave you two alone,” Miyoung offered, glancing at him as she walked off to the nearest room. 

Jongho led her to the living room. “Thank you Miyoungie. So Mrs. Park-” 

“Dr. Choi, where is Kim Hongjoong?” She suddenly asked. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t tell you.” 

“I’ve got to find him, Dr. Choi.” 

“Mrs. Park, you clearly want me to help you, but how about you help me first?” 

“How?” 

“Did you talk to Kim Hongjoong last night?” 

“Yes,” She nodded. “At my home.” 

“What did you talk to him about?” 

“A threatening note Taeyong received before the races began,” Mrs. Park replied. “Hongjoong told me he gave it to you and if you think that if Taeyong was killed you probably think that the person who wrote that note-” 

“Is the murderer?” Jongho asked. 

Mrs. Park nodded. “Yes. You see, Dr. Choi, I wrote that note.” 

He stared at her. “Mrs. Park, is this a confession of murder?” 

“No, no,” She shook her head. “I promise you that note had nothing to do with the murder.” 

“What did the note mean anyway, Mrs. Park?” 

Mrs. Park looked down, unable to look him in the eye. “This isn’t very easy for me to say Dr. Choi, but I’ve been a very stupid woman. Seonghwa was suspicious. Taeyong knew that there was someone else,” She sighed. “Taeyong thought of Seonghwa as a brother and out of loyalty to him threatened to tell him. I wrote Taeyong that note and then he died,” She looked up at him again. “So you see the note has to be destroyed, please give it to me, I promise you-” 

“Don’t be a sap, Jongho,” Miyoung appeared before he could answer, having overheard them. 

“Miyoungie, will you please-” 

“Give me the note,” She said. Jongho took out the piece of paper from the coat pocket and handed it over. 

“What do you want it for?” 

“Shush, darling,” She turned back to the other woman. “Mrs. Park, will you please write on this notepad, ‘you do as I tell you, keep your mouth shut’” Miyoung handed her a pen. Mrs. Park did as she was told and gave the notepad back. She held up both notes. “Mhmm, yes the handwriting’s the same. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t covering for someone else.” 

“Good girl,” He said, looking impressed. 

“Here’s your note,” She said, handing Mrs. Park the slip of paper. 

“Bless you both,” Mrs. Park looked relieved. “Thank you very much.” 

“Don’t mention it, Jongho was glad to do it” Miyoung glanced at him with a small smile. 

“Good night Dr. Choi, Mrs. Choi,” Mrs. Park said before closing the door behind her. 

Jongho and Miyoung turned to each other. “That got us a long way,” An exasperated sigh escaped him. “I can feel the noose around my neck already.”

Miyoung shook her head. “Jongho, what’s the name of that bookkeeper you used to know? His name was San, right?” 

“Choi San?” 

“That’s it, Choi San,” She said. 

“What does he have to do with this?” 

“Oh, nothing, it’s just that Mrs. Park mentioned something about her husband being suspicious,” Miyoung recalled. “Because this afternoon, I saw her and Choi San together at the Inception bar.” 

Jongho stared at her. “...You did?” He said. “Mrs. Park and Choi San?” 

“Mhmm,” Miyoung nodded. “They sat next to me, and San was yelling about losing a lot of money when Wave won.” 

“Which means someone placed a bet with him,” Jongho felt the wheels in his head turning. He turned to take his hat and coat off the rack to put it back on. “Bye, Miyoungie,” He said. 

“What? Wait, where are you going now?” Miyoung gaped at him. 

“I’m going to pay Mr. Choi San a visit and I hope he’s not around when I do,” He slipped on his coat. “I’d like to take a look at his records in his safe.” 

~ 

Just as he had hoped, Choi San wasn’t in his office. Jongho crept inside, keeping his steps as quiet as possible as he tried to look into his cabinets. Mrs. Park was cheating on Seonghwa with Choi San, he realized, making him just as suspicious. 

“Get away from that safe.” 

Jongho froze and slowly turned around, his hands immediately up. San was standing by the door, holding a gun. “Oh, hello, San. I didn’t expect to see you at this time.” 

“Yeah, I hardly thought you would,” San kept the gun pointed at him. “I didn’t think you were one for opening safes, Dr. Choi.” 

“Well, we surgeons open anything.” 

“Very funny,” San stared at him. “Keep your hands up. You really thought you’d find Kim Hongjoong in there, did you?” 

“I found him, San,” Jongho replied. “Not here. Hongjoong’s dead.” 

“Well, that figures. You start double crossing and you know what you’re going to get-” San threatened. “Did they find out who did it?” 

“The police think I killed him, San.” 

A chuckle escaped his lips, followed by a satisfied grin. “No kidding, you’ve found yourself between a rock and a hard place.” 

“Look, San, you know full well what happens to people charged with murder, and I have no intention of suffering that if I can avoid it,” Jongho said. “The only way out for me is if I can prove that someone else killed Hongjoong and I plan on doing just that.” 

“You can’t be faulted for trying.” 

“I can do better than try, San. I have an appointment with Lt. Jeong Yunho in the morning, and I can tell him a lot of interesting things.” 

“Funny, what makes you sure you’re going to see Lt. Jeong in the morning? Or anyone else?”

“Well yes, there’s that to consider,” Jongho replied. The phone on the desk suddenly rang, making the two men look. “Well, San? Should I answer the phone?” 

“Go over there,” San gestured to the other side of the room, keeping him at gunpoint while he picked up the receiver. “Hello? Oh yeah,” He glanced at Jongho. “Yeah, wait a minute,” San looked over at him, handing over the receiver. “It’s Lt. Jeong, for you.” 

“Lt. Jeong?” Jongho tried not to look surprised. 

“Yeah, and you tell him everything is fine, Dr. Choi,” San warned, stepping back to let him talk. 

“Is it?” 

“Yeah, tell Lt. Jeong that everything is alright.” 

Jongho calmly put the receiver to his ear. “Hello lieutenant?” 

“Hello Dr. Choi, I’ve got everything under control here,” He heard a cough on the other line until he realized who was really speaking. “How are you doing, darling?” 

“Damn-” Jongho cleared his throat. “Thanks, Lt. Jeong, everything is fine. Yes, I’ll be there,” and he hung up. 

“Alright Dr. Choi, you win, for the time being,” San put his gun down. “You can thank your friend Lt. Jeong over there, and now that you’ve seen my books you understand how I felt about Kim Hongjoong, rest in peace.” 

“Sure, sure, but I’m still a little puzzled about that.” 

“Can’t you read?” San flipped over one of the record books towards him. “Look, Kim Hongjoong, he bet twenty five million on Wave to win and paid off four to one. And I’m stuck for one hundred million, every single cent.” 

“That’s what I’m confused about, San,” Jongho looked over the record again. “You knew Hongjooong was betting on Wave, you must have known that Illusion would lose.” 

“Hongjoong didn’t make the bet himself, he was too smart for that. He had someone else place the bet instead.” 

“Who was he?” 

“Beats me, some guy with a mole under his eye,” San replied. “He was going to call me after the race to tell me where to send the winnings.” 

“And did he?” 

“Yeah, he said to send it to Kim Hongjoong. Apartment A, 1024 Powell street,” San recalled. 

Jongho raised a brow. “Hongjoong lived at the Treasure Hotel.” 

“Of course I knew that, he was using the other address as a decoy, and I wanted to give Hongjoong a piece of my mind, tell him what I thought of him, so I called him at his hotel and he came over here,” San explained. 

“What did Hongjoong say?” 

“What do you think? He said he never made the bet,” San frowned. 

“Why would he do that?” 

“Beats me, but when I told him about the guy with the mole under his eye, he came through. Took the money and left.” 

Jongho nodded. He picked up the phone again to dial a number. “Hello? Yes, I’d like to send a telegram,” He covered the receiver, turning back to San again. “Where were you supposed to send the money again?” 

“Apartment A, 1024 Powell street,” San answered. 

“Hello? Yes, to Dr. Choi Jongho, 1117 Arthur street,” Jongho said to the operator. “The message is, meet me at my apartment,” and he repeated the address San gave him. “Signed, Kim Hongjoong. Yes, charge it to Dr. Choi, thank you,” and he hung up. 

San looked confused. “What’s the deal?” 

“Oh, just in case I won’t be around in the morning. I want Lt. Jeong to know where I am.”