Tumgik
#(i think his luck is the only one not yet confirmed to be tied to his being a hero of the horn)
markantonys · 1 year
Text
i've seen some talk about how it's out of character for mat to react positively to being a hero of the horn. you have to remember that show!mat is in a VASTLY different emotional place than book!mat, due in large part to the changes necessitated by barney leaving. if mat had gone with them all to fal dara, participated in the battle there, gone on the hunt, and not had a whole arc of thinking he's a shit friend and person, then sure, maybe he would be in a position to go "ugh! i don't want to be a hero of the horn! this sucks!"
but instead, mat's been beaten down and had his self-worth completely crushed. he thinks he's a worthless piece of shit who was a worthless piece of shit in all his past lives and will be a worthless piece of shit in all his future lives. so when he finds out he's actually a hero of the horn? yeah, he reacts positively! it's a much-needed moment of validation for him, a realization that maybe he CAN be a good person (and it's also a much-needed moment of positive catharsis for the audience, after a pretty heavy season). book!mat was never in an emotional position like that, and so he would never have had a reaction like that.
so yeah, show!mat IS quite emotionally different than book!mat at this point. some of the change was pre-planned (the backstory they gave him) and some really, really wasn't. but they've rolled with the changes to show!mat and are keeping him an emotionally realistic character in his own right, rather than trying to shove a square peg into a round hole by giving him book!mat behavior that wouldn't fit with the development he's had in this version.
they're keeping the "hero who says he's not a hero" vibes, but where the books leaned on "he doesn't WANT to be a hero (because it's too much work and too dangerous)", the show is leaning on "he doesn't think he CAN be a hero (because his self-worth is so low)". there's no denying this is a change, and i can see why that bothers people (especially longtime readers; *i* met show!mat first), but i for one think it's actually a good change that makes mat, to me, a more realistic and grounded character and a more likable and mature person.
plus, this is only season 2 and so much of the season was spent on getting mat back on track to where he needs to be for season 3 after season 1 forced a complete rewrite of his season 2 story. there's every possibility he might develop a more complex relationship with heroism later on as the story gets darker and the stakes get higher.
93 notes · View notes
dizzybizz · 1 year
Text
you have unleashed a demon. i warned you.
i don't think this is going to have any structure whatsoever but i will pretend it does for my own sanity.
i want to start with some behind the scenes stuff bc obviously i do
like i only named guy that because i didn't want to think too hard about names and he has always been a silly little guy. his farms name is sail away farm,,, like the enya song. that's where it came from but really it's a SSS reference cus i will bring other SIs into this somehow. (it was from one of the ai dungeon streams... when julia wrapped up yet another accidental psychological horror story by sailing away whilst listening "to the tunes of enya")
and with remy i had already planned on romancing harvey so i wanted a name i could make a funny shipname of. their shipname is harmy (ironic isn't it ^^). stowaway farm came from some thoughts i had about remy's life before moving to pelican town. where he didn't feel welcome and like the people around him weren't keen on being seen with him. and i just liked the ring it has to it :) the two of them both having farms with "away" in the name was accidental and didn't hit me until after it was too late to change it.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
here they are at the character creation screen !!!!
GUY IS MY SILLIEST LITTLE GUY. he's like a hamster or a chipmunk or other small rodents
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
him asf ^^^^
he's also like ponyo to me, he is very ponyocoded. his theme song would be the full version of ponyo on the cliff by the sea.
he is a biter, a chewer. he's kirby, a chainchomper... he would snack on rocks if he could. he's the breakdancing sims cat. he has bad volume control. he is an octopus, a koala, a monkey. he names a lot of his farm animals after fictional characters. but his hens are named hip, hop, cherry and pop after the lemon demon song. he would take a sip of a joja cola and go "oh, that is vile" and keep taking sips like he needs to confirm it multiple times.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
him and elliott are so silly..... their shipname is gull which worked out so well it almost seems intentional. they both got ties to the ocean and beach... we love to see it. they got together the day after elliott's birthday, not only that but it was also right before elliott's 8 heart event. so it was really like guy came in before his book reading, asked him out and then was all "THAT'S MY BF EVERYONE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH" during the reading... he is his biggest cheerleader
he is best friends with emily and shane. and when emily mentioned that she would make a good clown during the stardew fair, he said "this is why we're best friends. we would be the best clowns." and he ate three burgers in a row that day. one day during blackberry season he collected 93 blackberries and was just running around the town with them on his person. him and gus have history together which i will make a whole comic about some day. whilst gaming with abigail he ran into enemies twice and got himself killed. he accidentally bought a pirate sword from marlon. he has died once. he is trying to goad alex into actually shaving his hair off because of that one throwaway comment. HE HAS TWO GARBAGE HATS. (tootsies is SO getting the other one once 1.6 is out)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
^ this is what he wore for spirit's eve, called it "farmer in a rush" (he literally just took off his shorts)
i have way less on remy cus he isn't as far along and has had a mostly average time in pelican town so far.
remy is just a big dog who is scared of most things. he is a baby giraffe trying to walk for the first time. he feels very out of place in social interactions. his limbs are too long for him. he is trying his best.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
he can come off as very... displeased... his resting face just looks slightly ticked off. really he's a big softie. he has some real unfortunate luck too.. except the night of the egg hunt when he had a fairy visit. he holds onto that little bit of luck there. a glimmer of hope. he had a meteor crash in the middle of his farm, luckily his crops were safe and sound tho, small mercies. weeds damaged his farm the same night the scripted earthquake hit. one day in the mines he got so lost in the dark he had to give up for the day and head up to the surface again, he was one level away from an elevator. he is financially struggling. he names his animals after food. his theme song would probably be cave in by margaux or something.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
harmy is a slow-burn, strangers to friends to lovers scenario. they're delightful, i can't wait to see their relationship develop. remy kinda wanted to ask harvey to dance during the flower dance but chickened out (totally not because i only had 3 hearts with him stfu) (also those two pages aren't canon in my headcanon cus i think both of them would be oblivious and dumb as a rock. i just wanted to draw it lol. i think it takes a whileeee for either of them to ever catch feelings.)
he doesn't know many of the villagers too well. he is taking his time settling in fully and is so busy with the farm and mines and fishing and whatnot. oh y'know when sam asks you what his next song should be about?? yeah, remy said trains which has planted the idea that he is a former train kid in my head. and that's something he and harvey can bond over- i think it's really sweet :'). train and plane autism couple. remy has a sweet tooth. he feels intimidated by most villagers. i have a whole hair arc planned for him where he ends up growing his hair out once he really settles in. it's gonna be so epic. he went through 3 of emily's heart events in a row which was wild.
Tumblr media
his chest lineup >>>>>
Tumblr media
here's an expression sheet i started and will hopefully finish one day
i think that's all for now- I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO BE A LONG POST NO?? ARE YOU HAPPY??? I AM. INFODUMPING IS AWESOME.
i ain't proofreading this are you kidding me.
Tumblr media
y'all summoned this. my mutuals summoning my infodump demon with their summoning triangle. feeding my hyperfixation.
33 notes · View notes
If You Could Have Any Overlord From The Hazbin Hotel Universe Own Your Soul, Who Would It Be...? (The Choice You Make Shows Which One Of Them Is The Most Popular In This Poll And Wins The Title Supreme-Overlord)
[what I wrote on August 19, 2024 when I edited this in...]
Rosie and Carmella tied and are both Co-Supreme Overlords...
I will make another post that talks about it maybe either tomorrow or in a few days...as well as the numbers each Overlord got and why Rosie and Carmella had tied...and yeah, anyway hope some like that those two tied...it was rather surprising those two ended up in a tie.
so yeah, once again those two are The Supreme Overlords.
or like The Supreme Overlord Queens...
---------
[what I wrote on August 2, 2024 at the start of the poll...]
well technically the poll I made that has to do with Adam and Lilith that I made a few days ago, still has a few days left to go.
so it might not hurt to make another one, even when the other one isn't fully done yet...but by the looks of it, it seems a certain someone is gonna win, and it might end up surprising some...
and it is nice that we can vote on our own polls, and yeah I'm going to pick a options as well.
and even though Husk is a former Overlord, and I have no idea the name of that Flaming Headed Deer-Man, but those two still count.
I'm not 100% sure if Niffty is a former Overlord or if she is still a Overlord...guess we will have to wait and see if it is confirmed or not.
but I'm leaving her out of the poll, cause I'm not sure if she is a Overlord or former Overlord in the canon or not.
the Overlord with the most votes in this poll, will be dub "The Most Popular & Hottest Overlord That Rules Over All Other Overlords"
or maybe just the Popular Title "The Supreme Overlord" for short.
have fun with picking in this poll, but also make sure to check out the one that has to do with Adam and Lilith, of course it has Three Options in that one, but hope some enjoy choosing between the three options in that other poll.
I'm going to pick Zestial in this poll...
reasons why, well I like him, I mean yeah he scares almost everyone in the universe he's in...but he is still interesting.
he's apparently Ancient, and well my blood type is what is known as "Ancient" because O RH D Negative blood is one of The Most Ancient Blood Types...well that and blood type O RH D Positive.
but I'm not a "Positive" blood type, I'm a "Negative" blood type...
so yeah, this Weird Defective Earth Angel "Eveningstar Princess"
is choosing Overlord Zestial, he might not end up winning the most votes, but good luck to him and the other Overlords.
and whoever gets the most votes in this poll, will once again be given the title of "The Supreme-Overlord", even if it isn't canon and fanon only...it will be the title the winner of this poll gets.
cause whoever gets the most "Soul Contracts" and seems to be the most popular, will be called by that Title...so not really like with Sans The Skeleton's Title, and this will not be anywhere close to that one...
The Overlord you pick to own your Soul Contract (not really own, but like hypothetically own your soul contract...), is also the one you pick to get the title of The Supreme-Overlord, so please choose wisely and carefully.
4 notes · View notes
sketching-shark · 1 year
Note
I really don't feel like the show did much to redeem Wukong in Macaque's eyes. Up to the S4 Special, Macaque has now risked his life twice to save Wukong. But we don't really see Wukong do much of anything for Macaque. Which is so weird because the show confirmed that Wukong is basically the sole reason for their friendship crumbling in the first place. Yet Macaque is doing all the work to repair it? I wanted to see Wukong take that first step towards reconciliation, but instead, it's Macaque. Overall, I think this relationship is just so poorly executed.
Monkie Kid spoilers & mini-rant below, so skip if you don't want to read:
SIGH yeah anon I did see someone else comment that they thought forcing this relationship between the two was a major detriment to both Sun Wukong and the Six-Eared Macaque and well I fully agree. Because at this stage not only has the Monkey King been revealed to have been and in many ways still be just as stupid and selfish and thoughtless as Macaque repeatedly said he was, not only did it turn out that he was never a king either loving or otherwise in the first place because the monkey yaoguai of Mt. Huaguoshan seem to have never existed (major L to Azure Lion for pinning all his hopes and dreams on an eccentric park ranger), not only did he either kill or trap each and every one of his sworn brothers and then apparently did literally nothing about that for centuries if not millennia afterwards, but this revelation completely re-contextualizes all of the previous interactions between LEMH and SWK into making the Monkey King quite frankly extremely cruel.
While I know people often balk at the mention of Xiyouji itself when talking about Monkie Kid, I still think it worth bringing up that all of SWK's dismissive jabs against LEMH, along with him clearly not caring about the shadow simian like at all up until the very end of season 3 when the plot suddenly decided he did, made a lot of sense because in the og classic LEMH is the guy who literally hurt both SWK's monkey family and pilgrim family and tried to murder-replace him. But now that it turns out LEMH never did anything wrong ever (well he did but good luck getting the plot to acknowledge that now lmao), we're now dealing with a SWK who's major response to seeing his apparent bestest of besties has been to insult him, go for the throat almost immediately, and oh yeah not give af that said bestie literally exploded right in front of him. And yes yes I know that a lot of season 4 was about SWK regretting basically his entire past but ultimately going forward with hope and something of the reality that he can be better (at least in terms of working as a team), but all of this is intermingled with the sense that he's already done this whole song and dance before on account of the pilgrimage and still ended up causing so much destruction and pain to so many people during the show's timeline, even if he is trying to do the right thing. So here's our Monkey King as he was and still in many ways is everyone! A genuinely terrible leader, a genuinely terrible teacher, and a genuinely terrible friend. And for what.
Honestly, it is kind of morbidly funny at this stage to think that even at his very worst the murder monkey himself Xiyouji SWK never did anything as bad, either deliberately or inadvertently, as play a big part in the near-destruction of all reality :[
So all of that does leave Macaque in this position that frankly sucks because from what's been shown his entire first life was hinted to in large part be him just going along with SWK's selfish and dangerous whims, and then his second chance at life was defined by nothing but his violent obsession with getting revenge against SWK to the point where he has no friends, family, or even hobbies that aren't in some way or another tied to the Monkey King, i.e. the guy he hates so much that he thrashed and threatened MK repeatedly for the crime of being associated with SWK (another thing that makes his whole "yeah I thought SWK was pure evil but then on the journey west he got better ahaha" kind of hilarious in its hypocrisy). I've said before that fully and explicitly leaning into a plot about just how much Macaque defines himself through someone he hates could be a very interesting story line, whether he eventually becomes completely lost to his obsession like potentially with Xiyouji LEMH or learns to stand as his own person, but as it is as you said anon it just feels like he's been left not forging his own path but only offering the umpteenth chance to a guy who literally killed him, or at least who he fully believes killed him. Because yeah, speaking of other morbidly funny things it's still wild that even in a cursed hell scroll that constantly replays your worst memories AND even when Qi Xiaotian explicitly asks LEMH what the hell even happened between him and SWK, his only response was "..." and looking sad before that subject got completely dropped. idk if that was Flying Bark being like "we need more time to figure out how to make the murder-replace plot of the True and False Monkey King arc all SWK's fault!" or if they're saving that bit of story to spend even MORE screen time dragging out this ever-more tedious drama between SWK and LEMH, but you would think that this "I hate the Monkey King because he murked me" plot would at least be mentioned as one of the things that either SWK or LEMH would feel needed to be addressed??? Instead of just going right to "it's okay if you killed me I'll trust you again because reasons :)"???
So yes as always need to note that I'm likely being to harsh on a silly lego show and/or letting my typical negative nancying detract for more positive points, but if I had any advice for Macaque and his evil twin as it currently stands, for Sun Wukong it would be "atonement is an active process" & for LEMH it would be "if it sucks hit da bricks."
12 notes · View notes
lorei-writes · 2 years
Text
Beast Vs Heart
Chevalier Gen Fic
Written for @the12thnightproject 's Slumber Party REVERSE ask game.
Impromptu! Damn it! It had to be Enemies to lovers, my luck, haha. Not only a prompt that I feel needs a solid build up to be executed in a convincing way, also a prompt I personally struggle with.
Well, well, well. First, you need to squint very hard, so that my approach is somewhat in alignment with the prompt. Then you need to squint harder, so it is convincing enough. But it is something! I tried! (Honestly, I still think it is something that can be sold quite okay, accents would just need to be laid out a little differently to highlight the moments where it all ties with the prompt... But I liked this little drabble enough as is, so here it is).
Content Warnings: blood / death mention
--
Ever since he was born, Chevalier’s only liability was his heart. After all, it is hard for a mother to love a child that does not care about her back – so it was a rather desolate time in his life, be it for the perceived loneliness others attributed to him, or the genuine fright his presence seemed to attract. Pity does not march well along a great mind. He forgot to truly feel… Not that he minded much.
If something is worthless, one ought to discard it. What good would be there to half-measures? Could one achieve something by merely hoping for it to happen? Chevalier got his confirmation when he was still a child – be it blood or the death of those who brought him into this existence, his heart would not startle. He had no use for such heart… For humanity, if that was the price.
Life of a beast suited him. Even if he had to wash his path in blood, to inlay it with bones of those he sacrificed, he never wavered. That was the correct choice, Chevalier was certain of that much. Logic was absolute; logic did not lie. He had defined the greater good, and if worthless emotion prevented others from understanding him, well… So be it. Agree to disagree, and step forward, trample over those who interfere. Not out of hatred, really. Beasts do not act based on feelings.
It is hard to call him the enemy of all emotion. It is only that their paths never aligned, and somehow, they ended up on the opposite sides of the barricade. He, and his heart, technically one being, but not quite. His mind struggled, it fought, it knew better, but… Somehow, something changed inside of him, and the beast that he was grew a useless desire to dull its claws – or somebody had set him up to change, through little more than foolishness and brazen claims, defying logic and any provided evidence. Through… seeing past his outer shell, awakening hopes he had long buried himself.
Perhaps Chevalier didn’t love it just yet. Perhaps he merely needed his heart to love back. Be it a half-measure, it was enough.
--
Tag List: @violettduchess @pathogenic @fang-and-feather
20 notes · View notes
cloudbattrolls · 6 months
Text
The Art of Knowing
This drabble is preceded by Apprehended and followed by Last Call.
Here is when I become more than an observer. 
I, too, am part of my own story.
Within a few nights Hovend asks Ullane to come to the station.
Well, it took a lot, he says with a grimace, but they did get something. Yuruli does have ties to a counterfeiting ring involving jeans, and they admitted to being aware of Calcit. Which would be hard to deny, given the evidence they were in his hive. 
But they refuse to divulge what exactly was in the notes they purloined, other than it being 'personal business'.
Ullane puts a hand over her face. She expected something like this, but it’s still frustrating.
What’s the problem with getting them to divulge it? Do they say they’ll be killed if they do? It seems paltry compared to the other things they confessed, odd that this in particular would be an issue.
A bit of being killed, a lot of being tortured for nights on end, then killed.
She sighs. Of course. Probably no way to get it out of them, then. No even slightly decent way, anyway. 
She grimaces, not wanting to do what she did again.
Unfortunately not, confirms the tealblood, but that won't stop the resident interrogator from trying anyway, he says with another wince. But since they broke into and stole things from Calcit's hive, it makes them relevant to his death. If tangentially. So it's at least something to bring up in court, maybe even try to cross-examine them.
Ullane sighs. How long will the interrogator keep trying?
As long as it takes, Hovend sighs, he really likes his job.
She grimaces. She can probably imagine, but what are his methods?
Boring people to death at first, then he tries using emotional manipulation. Also lying, trying to befriend the person. You'd really expect him to be a fingernail puller, but no, says the tealblood, shaking his head.
She blinks, then sigh-laughs. No, it makes sense. Pain will just make people say whatever will make the pain stop.
Hopefully it works to get something out of them. If they had a mind reader it'd be a lot easier, but good luck finding any of those who haven't flipped their lid.
She pauses. Hm. There’s no way they’d do a deal with them, would they?
What, with the grey mob? Eh... Depends on how much information they flip. If they have to drag it out with telepathy and a whole verification process, then probably not.
She thinks. If only she knew what they wanted; her dead or simply her losing the clinic and her medical license. She would surrender it if they left the clinic alone and she didn’t have to die.
She sounds, as usual, calculating and thoughtful rather than personally invested in her own life.
Hovend thinks all of those are pretty bad choices.
Ullane snorts. She’s a realist, and it’s not like she doesn’t deserve it. It’s a miracle the Grey Mob did this little; they could have tried to kill or torture her instead of merely disgrace her and make it possible she’d get executed.
The worst of it is that Calcit died because of it, she says sadly. 
They could still very much do that, if they ever figure out she was behind the capture of one of their lieutenants. So don't push her luck!
She smiles grimly. Oh, she knows. If she lives, she knows she needs to leave, or they’ll probably be after her.
Leave? Leave where, the planet? He asks, baffled. Okay, actually, they don't have reach that far yet. But definitely out of the city.
Yes, exactly. She should go anonymous herself, change up her symbol and stop dying her hair.
He shrugs, he's never been one for undercover work. He's just sorry she's forbidden to leave the city until after the trial and sentencing.
She shrugs. She knows that and wouldn’t expect different.
Anyway, she asks, what would it take for the Grey Mob to do a deal and not just try to kill them all.
He has no idea, they all work in little enclaves. What might be good enough for one cell leader might be a spit in the eye for another. She'd have to figure out where that leader even is and how to talk to them without getting a bullet through the eye.
She snorts. Never mind that, then. She just…she doesn’t want to do anything like what she did again. But the interrogator seems unlikely to get anything else out of Yuruli.
Sadly they've yet to invent a proper truth serum, all they have is this stuff that make you delirious. So half of what you say ends up being nonsense, he adds. 
But she works at a clinic for lowbloods, right? if any of them can pull out memories, maybe he can get them in to work on Yuruli, he notes. Because, not for lack of trying, the legislacerator's office does not get a whole lot of takers in the 'voluntary narcing' program.
She goes still. Wait. She knows someone whose powers might work for this.
She can’t do memories, she just…knows things sometimes.
Sure, that makes sense, he says while shaking his head.
She laughs a little and waves a hand. Sorry, she’s not trying to be cryptic on purpose; the woman in question refuses to explain almost anything about her powers. But if Priori agrees and can be taken to see Yuruli, she might be able to learn something.
Plus, she’s olive, not lowblooded. That might help a little. And she has a perfectly clean record.
Okay...? It's not like they have anything to lose here, he can try to get some paperwork started about bringing in a civilian contractor. Anything to put actual criminals behind bars.
Oh. Yes, that too, thank you. But whatever happens, she wants the clinic’s reputation in the clear.
She's welcome, he just hopes it actually helps her.
She forgot an origami animal this time, she’ll have to bring one next time.
Back at the clinic, Ullane opens her mouth and I look at her, smiling. 
Of course, I’ll help. I already know what she wants. She looks at me, wary and discomfited, but thanks me. 
I know so much already, yet going forward, I will act as if I am but another player in this game. 
Hovend gets Priori approved to come in. 
Priori’s power depends on perceiving what she wants to know about, not that she tells anyone else. All she’d have to do was look at Yuruli and she’d start picking up information.
The more she knows about something the more there is possible for her to know, though sometimes she has to wait to receive the information she wants; her power is potential omniscience.
Anything she is aware of, she can learn about, even something she doesn’t realize she’s consciously aware of.
She’d have even more of an advantage after reading their files. Armed with both this and seeing Yuruli in person, Priori waits some fifteen minutes, information flowing into her mind, before she has what she came for.
She knows now that they were indeed onto Calcit, who was drawing closer to uncovering the whole ring. A plan was drafted to deal with him permanently. Yuruli knew it had to do with some clinic, but beyond that it was a subordinate's idea. 
They cleaned up the mess afterwards and handed payment to the patsy they used on the night of the murder. The notes are a series of seemingly paranoid connections that link multiple mob members to an extensive ring of counterfeiting. 
One note mentions one of the people seems to have dropped off the face of the planet, theorizing they went undercover somewhere.
Priori writes this down as it comes to her, and gives it to Hovend. Unlike most psiionics, there is no glow or crackle when she uses her power.
Hovend internally wonders if they allow dreams as evidence.
Priori says out loud that his lusus is a woodpecker and he loves anime.
She smiles at the legislacerator as he looks distinctly uncomfortable.
Well, he can at least... somewhat look into the ring of mob members, he mentions. This wouldn't clear Ullane's name given the obvious conflict of interest and lack of substantial proof, but at least she has somewhat partial proof it wasn't her fault.
The olive will then take her leave, unless he wants to question her further or wants her to find out more.
Unless she can definitely say how Calcit died, he's got nothing, Hovend says with a shake of his head.
Priori casually mentions that he died of hacked nanotech. Ask miss Wistim for the evidence.
She is very paranoid and fears it will be used against her somehow, but she has it. Though it isn’t very incriminating. 
Even I don’t know exactly how it was done, she remarks. Only that it was.
Oh, that's bad. He looks up at the devices recording everything. Very bad.
Priori, unconcerned, merely says she thought he should know.
Hovend, very concerned, says uncertainly that he appreciates the help…?
Priori remarks that he’s very worried. He probably should be. But he seems nice, and he doesn’t hurt people very much.
Later, the legislacerator informs Ullane that the prosecutor will have a field day with it, clearly she's negligent.
Ullane puts hand to her face after she’s turned it over, because it’s a cell phone she’d never seen before that night. She explains what Xrumon discovered about how it was used to hack the nanotech.
The phone is tagged and bagged, swept for finger prints, and sent to forensics for analysis.
Priori hovers nearby and confirms that this is everything, smiling all the while.
Ullane is not smiling. Priori has a hand over her mouth to cover her soft laughter.
The medic reflects that perhaps she should have expected this from the woman who emotionally blackmailed her into paying for Xrumon’s wheelchair improvements.
It certainly is suspicious, Hovend agrees. Too bad the prints on it are wiped clean, and the chain of custody is tampered with since it passed through untold hands before it got to him.
Ullane sighs. Only hers and Xrumon’s.
He might believe her, but the law says that since it wasn't in his sight from the moment it was left in the trash and on camera, it's suspect, he explains.
Ullane understands if dislikes this fact. She could get him the footage of her investigating it if he’d like.
Sure, but she does know that the prosecution is going to crucify her for this, right? Unless she has solid, damning proof someone used it near the victim, he supposes.
Ullane looks at him. Of course she knew. That’s why she was trying to figure it out herself so she had better evidence and not just this, but someone felt differently.
Priori chides her to not be so glum. Is she forgetting they could investigate Halvir?
Ullane mutters that who’s ‘they’. Louder and more grudgingly, she supposes they could. But if he’s grey mob too they won’t get far.
Halvir? Who the heck is that? Asks the tealblood.
Ullane looks weary as she explains that he is her employee whom she suspects is grey mob but has no proof. He likely used this phone to kill Calcit by hacking Friday’s nanotech.
Oh. Okay, Hovend says. Good luck with that? It's a real pain to prove anyone's involved with them. 
Wait, couldn't she - he points at Priori - just look at him and know for sure?
Priori, amused, remarks that she could, but she might not be able to learn more than that, and may have to wait to confirm it.
Ullane, hand over her face. She is not fond of dealing with the oliveblood, most times. It is why she hasn’t asked her for help until now.
Priori mentions that right now she only knows his favorite candy and that he likes golf.
Ullane, deadpan, says that they’re saved.
Priori replies they’re more saved than they were before because Ullane is paranoid and self-destructive.
The medic looks extremely done.
Regardless, they agree Priori should quietly pass by him a few times to see what she can learn.
Hovend cautions them to not tip Halvir off, because if she does and he is grey mob…he makes a pained face.
Priori, peaceable, mentions that the grey mob can’t touch her, but she agrees.
Ullane deadpans that she has such overconfidence.
A bold statement that he thinks shouldn't be ever said aloud again, agrees the legislacerator.
She has seen far worse than these little gangs, she comments. But thanks for the concern. 
Then she leaves.
Ullane looks at the ceiling.
Hovend looks at Ullane. What did she mean by this
Ullane looks at him dead-eyed, and confesses she doesn’t know. All she knows is that her boss, who’s over four hundred, mentioned knowing Priori for sweeps. She’s definitely not what she seems.
On paper she’s a regular olive with psiionics. The medic has never found anything out of order with her past. She does good mechanical work.
But something isn’t right. Everyone can tell. She’s always got her own agenda.
Hovend wishes he hadn't asked.
Ullane snorts. And he thought she was disturbing, she says with a rare wry smile.
He's finding new things to fear every night...
Ullane chuckles. Priori isn’t violent, at least. In fact, she’s not sure she’s ever heard her so much as raise her voice.
That is almost scarier than yelling, the teal says.
Ullane sigh-laughs. Well. She tried.
Why am I telling you all this, you might ask. What is my motive?
You could say I have several.
Most importantly: I want you to see what happens.
2 notes · View notes
melodic-melovin · 10 months
Text
Mélovin Health Update: What We Know So Far (11/13/2023)
Okay so normally I'd just reblog the last post I made, but after trawling through countless news/tabloids sites, Reddit, and the cesspool that is Twitter and sorting through the various information available, it seemed more important to make a separate post entirely so people could see.
HERE IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED/WHAT WE KNOW:
-Mel has been diagnosed with a serious illness.
-I cannot *personally* confirm for sure what illness, HOWEVER, most sources are reporting that it is steatohepatitis, a liver condition, sometimes also known as "Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease"
-In essence: this is essentially an inflammation of the liver caused by fat cells building up in said liver, not brought on by drinking alcohol.
-It is considered a metabolic disorder. There are several potential causes, most of which are tied to type 2 diabetes and obesity complications, hormone imbalances such as with the thyroid, but it can also just be bad luck of the genetic draw.
-This is NOT the same condition as viral hepatitis (aka Hepatitis C, etc.) I mention this specifically because some sites are incorrectly reporting this claim and people are already using that misinformation as ammo to be homophobic and claim that he got this condition as a result of his "orientation". Do not do this. Do not be these people.
-Is it terminal or is it incurable? Well, that's the muddied part of this. Even Mel used the term 'terminal' in his Instagram post about this, however many sources seem to point to 'incurable' as a more accurate term. It could be that the words are very similar in Ukrainian and thus the confusion there.
-Note that steatohepatitis *is* incurable, however it *may* or *may not* be terminal/fatal. We don't know how long he's had it, if there was liver damage already present before his being officially diagnosed, and to what extent. The main complications that can lead to death if no treatment is administered are cirrhosis and scarring, even liver cancer, which the only treatment at that point would be a full liver transplant. Without treatment, expectancy is anywhere between 3-5 years in severe cases, or 10-15 in lesser ones. Again, this is not proof of anything yet, this is only the general knowledge I have gained from researching this condition.
-This diagnosis came about as a result of bloodwork when he intended to get some kind of cosmetic procedure.
-(Before anyone asks what cosmetic surgery was he getting - that I don't know, and I don't think anyone else does either. He hasn't said, and cosmetic is a very broad term and can range from anything like traditionally thought-of plastic surgeries to something less intensive like a mole removal or getting his teeth worked on. Personally I think he's too young to be getting cosmetic work done, but that's not important right now.)
-He is seeking/undergoing treatment and currently resting and recovering at home with his family.
-His Instagram is currently private to non-followers, probably to prevent harassment. I have downloaded the video regarding this apparent diagnosis announcement and will try to upload it.
-He is still apparently on the longlist for competing in Vidbir, as announced by Suspilne.
-It is not known if this will impact the release of his newest song or further music going forward.
= o = o = o = o = o = o =
If more develops, I will try to let you all know. Right now, please just try to be supportive, don't harass him or his friends/family for more info (he will no doubt tell us when he is ready), and don't spread wild misinformation. We can only imagine what he must be going through right now. Even if this ends up not being nearly as bad as it sounds, getting a lifelong illness diagnosis is not easy for anyone to handle.
5 notes · View notes
khalixascorner · 2 years
Text
Say it Loud(er) Pt 2
Tumblr media
Summary: When Tony goes before the Senate to protest an inhumane amendment to the Superhero Accountability Act, he doesn't mean to admit he loves Spider-Man on live CSPAN. Rather than recant his statement, Tony rolls with the punches and declares them married too. Now he just has to let Peter know before the press gets their hands on him.
Tags: Accidental Marriage, Public Confessions, no literally, it's mostly fluff with a little bit of spice right at the end.
Fill for Marvel Trumps Hate 2022
Read on AO3 Here Part 1
Peter was surprised when he felt his watch discreetly buzz with the emergency signal from Tony. In his three years at MIT, Tony had never once used it during one of Peter’s classes. The man had always said that short of the end of the world, school came first, and the grown ups could handle it. With that thought in mind, Peter was making his excuses and darting out of his class within seconds.
“Karen, what’s the situation?” Peter asked as he pulled out his phone to check the news. Before the AI could respond, his phone was ringing. Peter ducked into a quiet corner of the courtyard and answered it.
“There’s not a lot of time so I need you to listen closely, kid,” Tony said before Peter could even greet him. “If anyone asks if you’re my husband, you say no comment. Don’t deny it, don’t confirm it, just no comment. Also, just so you know, we’re officially married as of May 4th last year. It was in Wakanda, May and Rhodey were our witnesses, and as soon as you message Shuri that you’re on board -and make sure you say that specifically, nothing else- then King Kitty was our officiant.”
“Wha-Tony-” Peter barely got a word out before Tony was talking again.
“Head to the normal airport, take the plane waiting there. Do not stop back at your dorm or anywhere else. I’ll send Happy or a drone for your stuff later, just get back to the tower,” Tony said so quickly that Peter felt a bit dazed. “Call May from the plane, let her know what’s happening. It’s all tied to that amendment. Just– For the love of Thor, Peter, go with it, don’t argue. Get home to the tower and we’ll go over everything there. Can you do that for me?”
“Yea-yeah, Tony, I got it. No comment, text Shuri I’m on board, head straight for the plane, and call May, then meet you at the tower,” Peter said, trying to sound more sure than he felt.
“There’s a private car en route. It will meet you at the normal place. Don’t talk to the driver either. Gotta go, see you soon.”
The line went dead before Peter could even say goodbye. He took a minute to take a few deep breaths even as his mind picked apart their conversation. Tony was worried, that much was clear. He only barked orders like that when things were critical. 
With one last deep breath, Peter squared his shoulders and made his way quickly to the pick up point. Classes were in session for a bit yet so the courtyards were empty but he still clung to the fringes just in case. Even as he did that, he texted Shuri exactly what he’d been told. She sent a single emoji in reply, and his fingers itched to reply again but then the car arrived and he didn’t dare risk it.
The ride to the airport was uncomfortably silent. Peter didn’t do well with silence, and he longed to fill it so that he could avoid thinking. However Tony’s warning hung about him like a dark cloud, so he forced himself to stay silent even as his mind ran faster and faster.
Peter’s mind circled back to what Tony had said. Married. They were married, or very soon would be with it backdated to nearly a year ago. A near hysterical laugh broke free before he could smother it completely. Only Parker luck would give him the thing he wanted most in the most ridiculously twisted way possible. He wasn’t ready to be married, and hadn’t even told Tony how he felt. And now he was going to have to act like a husband when he didn’t even know how husbands were supposed to act. 
His chest grew tight and for a minute it felt like he couldn’t breathe. How was he supposed to do this without messing it up? How could anyone even think it was true? Karen vibrated his phone hard, shocking him out of his introspection in time to see a message informing him to calm down or she would call Tony back. The mere thought of that mortified Peter enough to help calm himself down for the tail end of the drive.
He quietly thanked the driver when he got there, only to be ushered through the private security portion of the airfield the minute he was out of the car. It was only once he was on the plane that he was able to relax slightly.
“Peter, Mr. Stark would like to remind you to call your aunt if you have not already,” Karen said a few minutes into the flight. “He says it’s urgent that you be the one to tell her what he told you.”
“Alright, alright, call Aunt May for me, Karen,” Peter said with a sigh. She was going to be as confused as he was no doubt.
“Peter, what the fuck?” May said as soon as she answered, startling him. “How could you?”
“What? Aunt May, what are you talking about?” Peter asked, confused and a little worried.
“When did you have time to fly off and get married to TONY STARK?” she all but yelled.
“May- May, please listen. Are you alone?” Peter asked, and when the woman confirmed that she had gone up to the roof to get away from the stares and whispers, Peter sighed. “May, I’m not- well, I mean, not officially married to Tony.”
Before he could continue, Karen chimed in.
“That is incorrect, Peter. You and Mr. Stark have been married since May 4th of last year. Anyone looking into your documentation will find such. Friday ensured it.”
“Ok, ok, well, I guess I am married officially to Tony,” Peter said, feeling even more confused. “He called me like thirty minutes ago, said we’re married, and to meet him back at the tower and he’d explain everything. I think it had to do with the amendment to the superhero act.”
“You don’t even know, do you?” May asked, her voice suddenly soft.
“Know what?”
“Google Tony after we get off the phone,” May said, and Peter could hear the weariness in her voice. “What a mess.”
“Ok, well, Tony said to call you and let you know, and that you were the other witness in Wakanda with Rhodey and King T’Challa officiated,” Peter said, feeling a bit like Alice must have felt when she tried to tell people about Wonderland.
“Of course I was, and I’m sure my records will show I wasn’t at work that day too,” May said sarcastically. Karen heard though and Peter groaned as the AI said she’d get right on it.
“You can probably go to the tower if you want to lay low there,” Peter offered, sure that Tony wouldn’t mind. “Otherwise, I think the plan is no comment to any questions, or at least that’s what he told me.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll head there right after my shift. I only have a few hours left,” May said with a sigh.
“I’ll ask Tony to send someone to get you,” Peter said, his hands already a blur as he sent the message. “I’m not sure if it will be Happy or not, but we’ll get you there safely.”
“I know, baby, just– focus on getting you there safely, ok? I don’t like this one bit,” May said and Peter frowned.
“I’m sure Tony has a plan,” Peter said, confident that his mentor turned friend had things well in hand.
“Yeah, I just don’t know how I feel about it, that’s all,” May said with a harsh laugh. “I have to get back to work, but I’ll see you soon.”
“Alright, larb you, May,” Peter said.
“Larb you too.”
Peter put his head back for just a moment before having Karen google the news about Tony. The first link contained his entire speech to congress, and Peter watched with pride as his mentor landed hit after hit. And then, for the first time since Peter had met Tony, he watched his mentor fumble verbally. When saying that he loved Peter.
Peter’s hands shook as he listened to it again, trying to hear something, anything that would confirm if it was true. It had been so spontaneous and his mentor had actually looked shocked for a moment.
“Karen, if you analyze that clip, can you tell if Tony was lying when he said he loved me,” Peter finally asked. The need to know was eating away at him.
Karen beeped a confirmation and began running the analysis while Peter watched for a third time.
“Based on the data points available, Mr. Stark was being truthful when he said he loved you,” Karen reported a few minutes later. “I do not understand why you would need that confirmed though. Mr. Stark has indicated many times that he cares a great deal about you and is invested in your health and happiness.”
“That’s- that’s different, Karen,” Peter tried to explain. “You can love a friend and want them to be happy, and then there’s loving someone more than that.”
“You love Mr. Stark more than that,” Karen pointed out and Peter grimaced.
“Karen, I said you couldn’t ever tell anyone that,” Peter complained.
“And I haven’t, though I do not understand why.”
“I just, you can’t- Tony was my mentor, and sure, now I’m older but he still sees me as a kid and if I told him how I feel, he’d probably do the whole ‘I’m honored you still think so highly of me but you’ll outgrow the hero worship and it’s just a crush, so this is for your own good’ thing that he always does,” Peter said with a groan. “I’m not a kid anymore.”
“Mr. Stark will always be concerned with your welfare, however, I do not believe he still sees you as a child either,” Karen said, and Peter just sighed again.
“Based on what, Karen?”
“The baby gate and other protocols have either been loosened or removed entirely after you began attending MIT. You also have discretionary funds and unsupervised access to things you didn’t have before,” Karen replied. “So it is clear that Mr. Stark does not see you as needing such a close watch as you did when you were younger.”
“Even if that’s true, I don’t think he would trust me to know my own heart when it comes to this, Karen,” Peter said softly. “I’ve looked up to him for so long, but I didn’t realize I loved him until I moved away for MIT and realized all I wanted was to go home to him again. May kept saying he was such a good mentor, and that it was like having a dad again, but it’s never felt that way to me.”
“I think you should talk to him about it, Peter,” Karen said gently but Peter just shook his head and sighed. 
He doubted he’d ever find the courage to tell his mentor how he really felt. Their history with his mentorship and meeting Tony so young left him feeling unable to ask the older man to look at him now and see him as an adult. And yet, as he watched Tony defend him so passionately, he briefly let himself daydream about what it could be like, to be Dr. and Mr. Stark. Or Parker-Stark rather, according to the article he’d found that had a copy of their marriage documentation released by Wakanda as proof.
He already loved spending time with Tony, whether in the lab or movie night, and Peter always felt comfortable with the older man. They just fit, no rough edges to smooth out or anything.
Peter snorted at himself with that. There had been plenty of rough edges in the beginning, when Tony would hover or not trust Peter, and Peter was so desperate to prove himself. But all of that had settled eventually, until they just moved around each other, bodies aware even when their brains were busy.
Peter groaned again. Whatever Tony’s plan was, it was probably going to be a long con, which meant they were going to have to keep up the charade for a time before they could finally come clean. Peter didn’t know how he was going to survive it.
17 notes · View notes
kiigan · 4 months
Text
settling dust prompts @hatredcurse/Kisame requested: [ CARRY ]:     having found the receiver in an injured/weak/unconscious state, the sender carries them in their arms to safety.
ㅤHis own fault, he can own up to this much. That, to every caring question about how he was doing and every mindful offer to stop for a small break, he always [very stubbornly/very unsurprisingly; what's a poor shark gotta do to catch a break/your luck is that you are as pretty as you are insufferable] chose to answer with the most generic I'm fine. Seriously, sometimes he has to wonder how is it that his partner hasn't yet decided to just chuck him into a passing-by river and be done with the hassle. For his poor life decisions, karma at its finest, Itachi is left with a bruise on his cheek from the very undignified manner in which he went for a face-dive, once his body decided that, nope, nothing is fine, time to collapse again. That and the fever that'd been brewing all morning and peaked under the stifled noon sun.
ㅤOn the bright side... well, there's the free ride? There's Kisame's endless amount of patience, yet again, in offering to carry him along until they find a suitable area to camp for the day - whilst offering occasional glances that, despite silent, scream volumes about how, if the little Uchiha menace dares to say he's fine one more time, the river-tossing might become a real option. So Itachi listens and obeys, for once, because he's still far too exhausted and far too dazed to try and rekindle the argument; never one to be happy over not having the final word on literally everything. Also, because Kisame's free hand on his feverish cheek feels so soothing and so gods-damn relieving, Itachi's own resting on top of it to keep it close. And to enjoy the contact. Matching rings glistening under the sun in their respective matching finger.
«If all else fails, you could become rich in renting your chest as a pillow.»
ㅤWhether it's delirious non-sense or something to be taken seriously remains up in the air; both equally plausible. Said chest just as soothing against his other cheek, the bruised one, broad and strong and firm and safer than any other place Itachi can think of. Home. Kisame's heartbeat a perfect lullaby and, along with the rhythm of determined strides, won't need much longer to have Itachi falling asleep to it. Everything he needs, never mind the decaying body and the failing eyes and the past with everything terrible and cruel; confirmation that his lover is alive, well, healthy, right beside him. And, hopefully, happy to be there.
ㅤ«Don't you dare do it, though.» Tied to the previous comment, though at this point Itachi can't tell if it happened ten seconds ago or ten hours. Doesn't really matter, as the smile takes over his lips and his heavy eyelids fall shut. «I want you for myself only.»
1 note · View note
p5x-theories · 1 year
Note
(Sorry for sending so many asks dhdjd)
While we dont know yet if they will be plot relevant, something tells me that either Leo or Kii are gonna be the "Akechi" of the game, since it seems to mirror a lot the original game
Leo, well, his costume and persona looks so much like a power ranger/super hero, just like Princekechi. Maybe instead of a detective he is more of an actor working in some fetherman-like show.
Kii, we dont know a lot about him, but from his nickname (im pretty sure it means gold) and from the sticker he is dressed like some rich boy i feel like he will be a pain in the ass. Plus his persona has a lot of tree immaginery going on, thing that is usually connected with viking myths.
Also if someone can correct me: from what i know in asia, expecially China, freckles are a symbol of bad luck
(No worries!! I love getting asks, it's fun to have other people to talk to about this game and get ideas going!)
I think I might've pointed out something similar about Leo's superhero vibe reminding me of Crow back when we first saw him? That was months ago, so I might never actually have gotten it into a post, haha. But I absolutely agree! One of his datamined voice lines from the first beta mentions it being like a tokusatsu drama, so that's absolutely the vibe he's trying to go for, too. Admittedly, I do think he's more likely another Phantom Idol than a story character- I think he would've gotten as much focus as Soy in the trailer and promo info released, otherwise- but I suppose there's still hope for at least another few hours, haha!
If he is a Phantom Idol, I suspect he's not intended to parallel a P5 character, but he may still end up having similarities even if he isn't. I kind of got the vibe (again, from the teeny handful of voice lines we got in the first beta's data) that he might be a bit more outwardly nerdy/excitable than Akechi? Maybe "earnest" is the word I'm looking for? I'd totally believe that out of the mask/the real Leo at least has dreams of being an actor or something along those lines, especially in that kind of production.
For Kii, I think you're thinking of 金 (kin) for gold? Which doesn't necessarily mean it couldn't be tied to that, but as I'm sorta suspecting he'll also be a Phantom Idol (just with a story counterpart, like Tomoko), I'm similarly suspecting his Merope-given codename'll just be a shortening of, or joke on, his real name, much like all the confirmed Phantom Idols have been.
(For the record, my Japanese dictionary returns the following definitions for Kii (different words based on different kanji that "kii" could be written with): "odd; strange; queer; peculiar", "displeasure; offense; offence; disliking", "your will; your wishes; your request", "position of aircraft", and "Kii (former province located in present-day Wakayama and southern Mie prefectures)".)
I had originally only really noticed the top of his Persona was kinda like fire (kind of like Yosuke's Takehaya Susano-o in P4), but looking at it again, you are so right about the tree imagery going on! Maybe you're right about the viking thing, too (admittedly I've never gone too deep into Norse mythology, haha).
From his glasses + expression in the sticker (and disappearance of glasses in his All Out Attack cut-in), and how he seems more serious/cold as a Phantom Thief, my take on him had sort of been, up to this point, that he'd be more of a nerd that's perhaps trying very hard as a Thief/trying to look cool/trying to be taken seriously, or something along that line, and his real-world counterpart is the Mishima parallel (going by a guess from there that maybe Kii's a Phantom Idol, so it's like Kotomo). But I do agree that what we can see of his sock and shoe in the image does sort of have a "rich kid" vibe to it, haha. It could just be related to whatever his thief theme is?
I did a really quick search about freckles in China, and while I'm not sure if they're bad luck (again, quick search, maybe I missed something/didn't go deep enough) it seems like they do tend to be considered unattractive/ugly, which I believe was also the case even here in the US in the past. But that's a good angle to come at this from- personally I think the freckles are cute, but the developers probably had a different intention...
2 notes · View notes
memryse · 3 years
Text
many thoughts about Scar in Last Life
We all know Scar is one of the standouts of Last Life; he’s always been one of the key players ever since 3rd Life, driving conflicts and shaping the course of the server. His chaotic nature lends itself perfectly to 3rd/Last Life, and he seems to have only refined it in the hiatus between seasons.
In 3rd Life, Scar was more of a subjective villain. From his own perspective and Grian’s perspective, he wasn’t scary at all! The two of them were just having fun and causing problems – sure, they threatened people, but their dumb antics together made them just feel like two friends messing around; their POV was lighthearted until the final session, really. From other perspectives, however (particularly Dogwarts’ POVs), that was not how the two of them came across. They felt malicious, scary in how casually they approached such a bloodthirsty game. They’d laugh as they took lives, showing no care for anybody but themselves – they’d betray their allies in a heartbeat without an ounce of remorse, and the rest of the players knew it. Scar wasn’t someone to fear from his own POV.
Since Last Life began, however, Scar has become very openly malicious. Even watching his own POV, it’s hard to see him as anything but a villain – his own comment section is full of people commenting on how scary he suddenly seems. I want to expand on some of these villainous moments, because holy fuck, Scar.
In session 1, Scar is certainly a prominent figure, but we mostly get to see his classic silly Scar antics. Sure, he plans on “selling souls”, but it feels like the equivalent of his reputation points in S1. We still don’t get the sense of him going full villain arc yet. He allies with Joel and commits a crime, and we all expect another lighthearted Scar scam which definitely does not go to plan.
And that is what happened… sort of. He’s immediately caught by Scott and Pearl, etc etc etc. The two of them cheerfully agree a scheme to try and kill Jimmy, but that casual discussion of murder is as bad as they get.
Session 2, Scar is chosen as one of the two boogeymen, alongside Joel.
Things go decidedly not to plan immediately. The two of them had agreed last session to try and kill Jimmy, and were supposed to be trusting enough to tell each other if they’re the boogeyman – and yet what does Scar do? Immediately try and push Joel into lava. He’d betray Joel without a second thought – already a contrast to 3rdLife, where upon turning red Scar threw flowers at Grian and asked if they could still be friends. He doesn’t succeed, of course, and Scar and Joel realise they’re both boogeymen, before parting ways.
Scar heads to the nether, where he immediately decides to deceive Etho and Bdubs into thinking he’s weak and has no food, so that he can get close to them nonthreateningly or something. I’ll talk about this more later, but here we get to see what a good liar Scar actually is. People want to assume that he’s all bark and no bite, that he’s a schemer who poses no real threat – when Scar plays into this, he can be reallyconvincing.
The next big moment I want to talk about is, of course, Joel’s trap. The first thing to comment on here is that Scar cries “Joel, are you trying to kill your best buddy?!”, and I can’t work out whether this is Scar acting to diffuse suspicion, or genuine surprise that he’d pull the trap when Scar was right there, but either way it definitely has the former effect. None of the Southlanders suspect Scar in the slightest. Until Scar murders Mumbo in a matter of seconds.
What’s really horrifying about this is that Scar had been begging Mumbo to ally with him just last session. And yet here… not only does he go for Mumbo without hesitation, his reaction afterwards is downright chilling. He just laughs, and tells the others “Welcome to Magical Mountain!” – it’s really quite like a movie villain in how little he seems to care. He doesn’t actually say a word about killing Mumbo; again, despite having desperately wanted to ally with him. To Scar, this was nothing more than an opportunity. Or maybe it’s all a show to him. Maybe it’s both. Scar doesn’t actually care about winning this game – to him, it’s more fun to put on as good a show as possible, and drag as many people down with him as possible (which is definitely a “cc!Scar being a good entertainer” thing, but it translates very well into being a LL!Scar character trait too).
He then hands Joel some supplies, and with the exact same level of nonchalance, tells him to go burn Scott and Pearl’s house down. I’m… getting the sense he enjoyed burning down Etho’s castle in 3rdLife.
Not much of note happens during his subsequent conversation with the Southlanders beyond him failing an initiation spectacularly – after this, he heads back to Joel. They chat from opposite ends of a broken bridge, which is quite a poetic scene honestly, representing the gap between their lives, the destruction of their alliance, etc. I’m just here to talk about Scar’s villainous moments, though, so let me point out one specific line from this conversation.
“I did avenge you, to be fair - Mumbo, I burned him to death, which was enjoyable. I heard him cry, so it was- yeah, that was a thing.”
Just… what the fuck, Scar? What? I know he tried to push the “red lives are psychopathic and feel nothing except a small sense of happiness when people die” in 3rd Life, but this was definitely a lie or at least an exaggeration, because 3l!Scar definitely had a much wider range of emotions than that. Either way, here he doesn’t even have the excuse of being a red life; this is just active malice, pure and simple. Bdubs had a similar level of pride in his boogeyman kill, but I never got the sense that he enjoyed it like Scar did.
Scar goes off to visit Scott and Pearl, and figure out whether they have the enchanting table or not. Note the emphasis on simply figuring it out, not actually getting the enchanting table. Here’s where I want to talk about Scar being a great liar: he fully convinces them into thinking that he was willing to trade lives for the enchanting table, and then he convinces them that he’s so desperate to get the table that he’ll lie about Joel burning their house down. The thing is, Scar had no intention of ever getting the table at that moment – he wasn’t going to trade lives for it to begin with. He’d try his luck at threatening them, but nothing more. He got exactly what he wanted out of that situation: proof. Meanwhile, Scott and Pearl were left believing they’d outwitted him, that they’d called his bluff and bullied him into leaving. They never saw his true intentions, never saw him as an actual threat. Scar is much smarter than people believe, which only makes him all the more threatening.
And finally, he goes on to prove this intelligence even further. He figures out that Scott and Pearl planned to trade for the enchanting table simply by seeing Scott ask Lizzie if she’s home in chat. He then goes to visit Lizzie, and she tells him she declined their offer. What’s notable about this scene is how much less belligerent Scar is than usual: he readily accepts what Lizzie says for once in his life and leaves without being too annoying about it. He later talks about lulling the others into a false sense of security, letting them think he’s not after the enchanting table anymore; that makes me think his visit to Lizzie was purely to confirm that the offer was even made, and he’s now certain that she accepted it. It’s not hard to work out, especially if he noticed her life count.
So, all in all, if you’re not scared of Scar in Last Life, you most definitely should be.
Did I forget to mention he’s currently tied for the highest life count on the server?
930 notes · View notes
bakugosbratx · 4 years
Note
Hiiii! CONGRATS on your milestone! You really deserve them and many more! I saw that request were open and would like to request some noncon/yandere Bakugou where if the reader doesn't cum in said time he will let her go and if she does he claims every single hole? Feel free to sprinkle in bdsm I like it all and I'm a masochist ^^
Tumblr media
Warning: 18+ content. Sexual intercourse, masturbation, sex toy(s), cursing, yandere tendencies, abuse, noncon, dubcon, degrading, punishment, overstimulation, breeding kink, etc.
Check out my other works here
Tumblr media
A/N: Hello! Thank you so much. I love this idea. Yandere is one of my favorite things to write along with bdsm. I’ve actually been thinking of doing a personal one shot like this so I’m happy you requested it. Hopefully it meets what you’re looking for.
Words: 2,605
Tumblr media
You thought you were so slick, masturbating while the pro-hero was at work. You thought you were so clever buying that vibrator online. It was hidden inside a stuffed animal so when Katsuki glanced over your purchase before hitting submit, he never noticed. He thought it was just another stupid stuffed animal you wanted for your collection.
You kept the toy hidden inside the bear, but once Katsuki left, you unzipped the back to pull out the pleasure device. The amount of orgasms and cum you produced was more than you have in months. This was going to be your little secret and Katsuki will never even think to look. Except, you seem to not have noticed Katsuki had cameras. They are hidden, of course, but they are there.
They saw everything and so did Katsuki.
You’re used to Katsuki coming home in a mood when he had a long day at work and honestly, Katsuki could expect the same out of you. So, when Katsuki arrived home with his usual attitude, you didn’t notice.
“Y/N,” he called as he closed the front door behind him. His work boots were already off and resting by the couch along with his gauntlets, mask, gloves, and any other armor. You jogged over to him, a smile on your face as you approached the man.
“Welcome home, Katsuki!” You greet with enthusiasm, wrapping your arms around his neck and a soft kiss on the cheek. This was no different than your normal act you put on. Katsuki trained you to act this way, after all.
Katsuki’s hands rested on your plump ass, his red eyes clearly not showing the same amount of enthusiasm you held. When your irises met his, your smile dropped into a concern frown.
“Been good while I was away?” He asked as usual.
You nodded, “yes, sir.”
“Is that a lie?” Katsuki interrogated, raising an eyebrow. You started to sweat and tremble within his hold. Sadly, he noticed.
“No, not at all.” You managed to utter out. A little too quick for your own good.
Katsuki chuckled scornfully. “Really? Because,” his fingers reached into the front of your pants to swipe your delicate pussy. You started to become flustered as he pulled out his slick covered fingers, clicking his tongue at his confirmed suspicion. “You’re one wet little girl.”
“I-I,” you stammered, tears welling in your scared eyes. You mentally cursed yourself for not keeping track of the time. You were enjoying time with your new toy when you heard the door unlock and Katsuki call your name. Your whole core is a slick covered mess and Katsuki knows about it.
“Bedroom,” he delivers a hard slap to your ass with one hand while pointing towards the hall with the other, “Now.”
Not pushing your luck, you did as your told. Katsuki was closely behind you, his dark crimson eyes glaring at the back of your skull. You should have known better than to think you were going to get away with this. Now, you have to suffer through whatever punishment Katsuki feelings like handing out tonight.
Walking inside the bedroom, Katsuki examined the room. The only thing out of place was the soaked gray towel laying on the wooden bed frame. You did not have time to hide it. You could lie about the towel, the vibrator? Not so much.
“I-I’m sorry, K-Katsuki.” You whined as he grabbed the towel. He shook his head.
“I’m sure you are. Strip.” He ordered. You did exactly that.
You stood still, the air hitting your soaked cunt. Goosebumps arises on your arms and you shiver slightly. Katsuki eyes your slick covered pussy and thighs.
“Bend over the bed, slut.” Katsuki demands, pointing towards the bed. Tears are streaming down your face as you do as your told. He spreads your legs apart more so your cunt can weep some more. Using the soaked towel, he cleans you up. You let out pathetic apologies and whimpers, but this did not make Katsuki any less angry.
“I’m sorry, Katsuki.” You repeat with a sniffle, hoping he will show you some mercy when he punishes you. You both know he is a merciless man, though. Your apologies are useless.
Giving your ass another hard slap like earlier, you let out a yelp. “Stand up.” Katsuki orders. As expected, you listen. Katsuki retrieves a dry towel from the bathroom and lay it down on the bed. Your heart is racing and you are clearly nervous.
“Lay down on your back.”
You lay down on your back. Katsuki grabbed your wrist and tied rope around it then proceed to attach it to the bedpost. He did the same action with each limb so you are spread eagle on the bed. So many questions raced through your mind. You didn’t dare ask what his cruel mind wanted to do to your exposed body, but his devious smirk and invading gaze did not help you draw good conclusions.
You were too busy in your thoughts that you didn’t notice Katsuki retrieving your teal vibrator. Your eyes grew wide as he shake it in front of your face. All the dots are connecting and now you understand why he is so mad.
“Look familiar?” He chuckled. “Thought you would really get away with it, didn’t you? I’ve done told you I see everything.”
“Katsuki—“
“Shut the fuck up, Y/N. I don’t want to hear your bullshit excuses and pathetic apologies for the rest of the night. You’ve done lied to me more than once. I need to teach your lying ass a lesson.” Katsuki scolds.
Turning the sex toy on the highest setting possible, he lays the vibrator on your sensitive clit. You automatically moan and sob. Katsuki snickers.
“Such a selfish whore. Always want your pussy pleased, but never want to pleasure me in return.” He growls them walks closer to you and grabs your chin so you are forced to meet his gaze. “That changes today. I’ll make you a deal. You don’t cum within,” he gazed at his Rolex then back at you,” ten minutes, I’ll let your ass go. If you cum, though, you are stuck with me for good and I’m going to stuff every hole you got. Deal?”
Not giving you much of an option, you nod. You so desperately want to escape Katsuki. You miss normalcy. You miss your friends and family. You miss the freedoms of being a normal human being. This is your ticket out, you better take it.
Gently slapping your cheek, he smirks. “I’ll come back to check on you in a bit. Have fun, cum loving slut. I’ll have fun stuffing you later.”
You watched as Katsuki left the room. Your moans filled the empty space and your pulsating cunt is already begging for dear release. You struggle against the restraints, panting and whining. You wanted out. Katsuki did not tie the rope gently at all. Even if you were strong, these restraints would be hard to escape from.
What was once enjoyable is now being used as punishment. Regrets seep in. You have already overstimulated your poor pussy today. You are exhausted and all you wanted to do is rest, but the loud vibrations are preventing you from doing so. You attempted to withhold your cum. You wanted to so badly. Not only for a chance of freedom, but you will be dammed if Katsuki fills your holes. You did not want that man’s filthy hands anywhere near you let alone his erected cock.
You did your best to wiggle the device off of your clit, but it was no use as an orgasm arise. Gasp escaped your lips as your pussy cried. Your cum covered your cunt, vibratory, and even squirted onto the bed. You began to feel flustered, but your punishment was not over with. You have several more minutes left and Katsuki does not plan on coming in a minute too early. You will be covered in your own arousal by the time he arrives.
Just like he wanted.
You reached your climax again and again, leaving the towel, sex toy, cunt, and thighs soaked. You’re sweating, panting, and out of moans to release. Another orgasm overcame you when Katsuki walked in. A smug grin was plastered on his face as he leaned against the doorframe, watching you meet your next high. This made it even worse.
“I came just in time. I get to see you be a filthy slut in person.” Katsuki teased. You wanted to glare at him, but your eyes are rolling back and any insult came out as incoherent babbles. Your pussy released more cum much to your dismay and Katsuki’s enjoyment. Embarrassment washed over you as Katsuki came over to pick on you some more.
“You done squirtin’ yet?” He snickered. “You soaked the whole damn bed.”
“Katsuki, please,” you whine and struggle against the restraints, “make it stop.”
“Aw, is someone going to cum again, isn’t she?” Katsuki coo’s, faux sympathy clear in his tone. You shake your head no, but by your lewd faces, he can tell your close again. He glances at your whimpering pussy then back at you. “Yeah, you are. Go ‘head and cum for me. I know you got plenty in there.”
You don’t even have the energy to protest anymore. Any fight you have left has vanished as you release, closing your eyes in the process. Katsuki was sure to watch every moment of it, too.
Katsuki removed the vibrator, turning it off. You let out a sigh of relief, but that relief is short lived once you remember the deal. Katsuki is not going to wait until you are ready to be quote-on-quote ‘stuffed.’ No, he is a man with needs that you agreed to meet if you failed your part. You were doomed from the start, in all honesty. There was no way you were going to succeed and you both knew that.
You were untied, sitting up on the towel. You did not enjoy sitting in your pool of cum, but as usual, you have no say in the matter. Your eyes never left Katsuki as he put back the items. Before putting the sex toy away, he looked at you with the slick covered device in his hand.
“We’re keeping this for future use.” Katsuki smirked. You sigh, regretting even buying the damn thing to begin with. It was only a matter of time until Katsuki got his greedy calloused fingers onto it.
Katsuki returned over to you, looking down at you with disgust. That almost felt worse than the punishment itself. Yes, you hated Katsuki, but somehow, you still craved his approval. You did not like making him unhappy. Your body and bones depended on you making him happy.
“Like sitting in your own filth?” He arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms.
“No.” You answer, bowing your head down in shame.
“Why? Don’t like being reminded how much of a disgusting whore you are?” Katsuki tsk. He has always been the degrading type, but when he is angry and trying to prove a point, he is much worse.
“No.” You replied, whimpering slightly. You refused to look at him, but you know he is enjoying this. He enjoys putting you in your place. He enjoys winning.
Katsuki began taking off the rest of his work clothes. His erected cock is already throbbing from watching you bust everywhere. He may not have been in the room physically, but he sure did enjoy watching you downstairs on the flat screen. He didn’t even need to turn on the sound because your moans traveled down to the living room.
“Get in the position I like you in.” Katsuki instructed. Tears stream down your face. You didn’t want to do it. You’re tired and just the thought of Katsuki putting his length deep within you disturbed you emotionally.
“You deaf or somethin’?” Katsuki growls as he grabs you by your hair and gets close to your face. “I said get in the fuckin’ position.”
You scurry to do as your told, Katsuki letting go of your hair so you can do so. Face down, ass up is Katsuki’s favorite position to fuck you in. He loves seeing all of your exposed holes to please and toy with. Call him greedy, but he knows you secretly enjoy it too. At least, that is what he tells himself as he makes you moan out his name.
“Yeah, that’s it.” Katsuki praises as you get into position. He spreads you open more so he can get a nice view of all of you. Your cunt is damp and ready for Katsuki’s length, but he is deciding to be nice. “Which hole you want me to fuck first?”
Neither, you thought.
“Any.” You huffed out, wanting this over with already. Your annoyed tone bought you a hard slap to your ass. You wince in pain.
“I’m sorry, Katsuki.” You cry, instinctively. “My pussy, please.”
Katsuki rubs your ass cheek in approval. His hands hold onto your hips, positioning you the perfect angle to take all of his dick. The tip rest at your weeping entrance then proceeds to slide inside. You cry out in pleasure and pain. No matter how wet you are, no matter how many times Katsuki has sex with you, your cunt will never be able to handle all of his girth. Your tight walls will always hug his length to his enjoyment. Katsuki just can’t get enough.
Katsuki continued his constant rough rhythm, delivering a few slaps to your ass and thighs in the process. He loves seeing your ass bounce as he thrust deep into you. The way you sing him beautiful melodies of moans, groans, and whines just encourages his behavior.
“Katsuki—“ You cry, incoherently, as he hits your ass again.
“What’s the matter? Too much dick for ya?” Katsuki mocks. “Bet that stupid little toy of yours can’t make you feel this good. Look at you, can’t even make coherent sentences. Such a,” he grunts as his dick twitches deep inside you, “dumb fuckin’ slut.”
You grip the bedsheets as Katsuki pushes down on your tailbone to move a slightly different angle. Your breast still bounced though they were pressed against the soaked cotton beneath you. You tried to muffle your moans, but Katsuki will not allow that to happen. He wants to hear you stroke his ego. He wants to be reassured he is making you feel this amazing.
Katsuki continued pumping into your sore cunt until he met his goal. You have no choice but to milk every single drop he has to offer. Once you are nice and full of his cum, he taps your putter thigh.
“Sit up.”
As commanded, you sit up. Your back is pressed against Katsuki’s chest. His hand hugs your neck, squeezing it nicely. You cough slightly, looking up at him.
“Think I better take care of this mouth of yours next. Seems to get you in the most trouble.”
“Please no.” You whisper, more tears falling. Katsuki releases your throat, now holding your chin, and brushes them away with his thumb.
“Don’t want me to stuff your dirty little mouth, hm?”
“I’ll be good, Katsuki.” You swallow the lump that formed in your throat, doing your best to sound small. He liked when you sound weak. “I promise.”
“Y’know better than to make promises you can’t keep. You’ve broken several of them already. Be a good girl for me and get on your knees.”
“Yes, Katsuki.”
©bakugosbratx
All Rights Reserved
878 notes · View notes
thepowerofhornyness · 2 years
Text
I’m gonna babble really hard here ‘cause I just finished the ep, so let me start by saying that I obviously don’t hate the people on the table or whatever, because by the end of the post you will see that I’m thrilled to see the ramifications of c3ep34 and how they will affect the rest of the campaign and because I have more to do than to be mad at real people because of a make believe game lmao
I’m really sad that Laudna was chosen instead of Oryn. That is a deep tragedy on this when you look at her story until now and the fact that, to me, it would feel much satisfying storywise for Oryn to go(even if I love him).
For Laudna, who heard Delilah say, as a pure means of manipulation that her friends would abandon her a couple of episodes ago not be chosen by them hurts. For her, who struggled with the question “did I ever live in the first place?” be put in second place thanks to her undead nature by the woman she loves most, almost looks like a cosmic confirmation of her insecurities and past tragedies because the decision was not made with this ramifications in mind
Even if it came from a place of logic or luck, even if I like the way it worked out, even when it came down to good sounding arguments, those points make this even more painful when looking at a character with a tragic backstorie like Laudna because it really does feel like the universe is siding against her at all costs. That the best choice the world gives to the people around her IS to make her a second choice, if not an instrument, even when the situation around her change and she finds people at her side. And I really like this direction too storywise!
Emotionally, I wanted them to bring her back because of her positive outlook on life! And the way she sees Imogen and Is seen by her and all their new friends! And because I hate the idea that she is somehow passing time with her undead-patron-abuser-murderer. To Laudna who was used since early in her life as a means to hurt someone else, as an weapon for other powers, to not only suffer the same fate but be(in theory) in the hands again of the women who did this is the first place, makes me real sad lol
And now all I’m thinking about is: “How will they react to it from now on?” Because I really want to see how this affects them!!! And I don’t think Oryn dying would have the same effect!!
Like, Ashton was really stressed on that fight, I think he was the person most conected to Laudna outside of Imogen, will he snap more now? Willl the revelations of his family factor into that? One of FCG’s last interaction with her was the murderbot thing! And Imogen. Who even is her without Laudna as a factor? How will she react to her own powers in the next episodes? And Oryn
Oryn would be the perfect death. Tis’ there I said it. I love him BUT he would be the best of the 3 to pass on storywise(to me), would be even more perfect than Molly was in c2 actually. You see, he would be a great martyr, something that he already see himself as in some capacity I think. He would stay with his husband in the afterlife for eternity after trying, and being really successful honestly, at doing good whenever he goes, at making new friends and being special to them, at finding the people responsible for that tragedy and be sure in Elysum or whenever he finds himself in that the friends he did would sure as hell avenge him. He would unite more the bells and bla bla bla.
But we didn’t get that, now he’s back and I concur with FCG/Sam when he says that Oryn would choose her, and I think the little guy see this too. BUT, The way things ended is much more fun to me. CR is a slow ass burn in its story telling and I think the least “predictable” situation is the best, even if it doesn’t looks like the most satisfying right away(not to me I’m loving it already lol), because they have time to work this trough.
Yet I still feel really sad about Laudna, I wish her life wasn’t the quasi-classical tragedy it is. But I’m excited about what the future brings ahead!!! I like to toy with the idea of Marisha making Laudna salty about what happened but realistically I think she would be ok with how it played out, which adds again to the pile of tragedy she’s in but that’s part of the charm of her character, lmao
15 notes · View notes
fanmoose12 · 3 years
Text
friday, i’m in love
“Before becoming an official member of our gang, though, you need to do those four things."
"Alright," Hange nods, listening intently.
"First!" Isabel raises her index finger. "You need to punch Zeke in a face, but I'm sure it's bound to happen."
Hange giggles, getting excited. "What's next?"
"Second, you need to skip a class, and you've already done it, so!" Isabel clasps her shoulder. "Congratulations on that one."
Farlan pats her knee too, and Hange shows them a proud smile.
"Third, you need to smoke at least one cigarette."
"I can't," her smile falls, as Hange briefly shakes her head. "I have asthma."
"I'll do it for you then," Farlan offers, walking to the other side of the rooftop to do just that.
"And the last thing! The most important one!" Isabel makes a dramatic pause, shifting her gaze to Levi just for a second, before looking back on Hange with a mischievous smile. She winks and lowers her voice, making sure that Levi doesn’t hear her.
"The last condition - you have to kiss one of us."
For the most kids her age, moving to a different town and changing schools is a fate worth than death. And, while Hange is a little saddened to say goodbye to the friends she made at her old school and more than a little saddened to leave her dad behind, she is also excited at the prospect of starting a new life.
Changing schools means she can meet new people, and meeting new people means she can make new friends.
And Hange, unlike most of her peers, isn't afraid of change. She welcomes it actually, preferring new experiences over dull and repetitive routine.
They move to a new town and to a small two-story house in the quiet suburbs. It’s a little different from the house they used to live before, a little quieter too, but it’s lovely. Hange likes it instantly. She’s ready to call it a new home.
The first couple of weeks are awfully busy. Hange and her mother unpack their things and buy new furniture. They meet their neighbors and her mother starts making new friends.
Hange can’t wait to meet her new friends at school too.
And so very soon, the long-awaited day comes.
***
When it finally does, Hange is brimming with excitement.
She puts on her glasses and dresses in her favorite clothes that was washed and ironed by her mother the evening before, ties her hair in a ponytail, grabs a lunch box that was waiting for her on a kitchen counter, kisses her mother's cheek, yells "love you!" right into her ear, making her wince and push laughing Hange away, hurries to hop on her bike and makes her way to the school.
She makes a new friend in a face of one Moblit Berner approximately three minutes and forty six seconds later after crossing a threshold and passing below a banner that read Sina High School.
Moblit is a nice and friendly boy, even if a bit quiet and timid, compared to her. Although, Hange also has to admit that compared to her, almost everyone seems to be quiet and timid.
Moblit is incredibly kind and he offers to show Hange around the school. He agrees to walk her to every class and even draws a small, but very detailed map for her.
During lunch, Moblit remains by her side. As they slowly eat their food, Hange points at random students who pique her interest and Moblit shares with her his opinion of them.
"That's Erwin and Mike," Moblit says, when Hange asks him about two blondes that sit in the very middle of the cafeteria. "Erwin is president of a debate club, also his father works at our school, he's a history teacher. Mike is a captain of a football team. They're nice guys, and Erwin is always ready to help, if you struggle with a class. Although, he's not that good at math..."
Hange nods, absorbing the information and committing it to memory. Her gaze lingers at Erwin and Mike for a few more seconds, before it moves on to a next target, this time two petite redheads.
"Ah, Nifa and Petra," Moblit fondly smiles. "They're both cheerleaders. Petra is also a member of a drama club, and Nifa helps me manage a biology club."
"Biology club?" Hange lights up, carelessly tossing her sandwich onto the table. She can’t believe her luck. She loves science and was the president of a chemistry club back in her old school. She didn’t dare to hope that the new school would give her an opportunity to continue pursuing her passions. "Can I join?"
"You really want to?" Moblit asks, biting his lip. Doubt is written all over his face. "We don't have a lot of members..."
"Of course, I want to!" Hange exclaims much louder than she intended to. As a result, she attracts attention of some students who turn to look at her. Some seem curious, others - annoyed. Hange pays no mind to either. She grabs Moblit by the shoulders and stares deep into his eyes. "I'm so excited already! When is your next meeting?"
"This Friday..."
"Awesome! Expect me to be here!" she clasps Moblit's back, almost making him choke, and then sweeps her gaze across the cafeteria, looking for someone interesting.
"There!" she points at the girl with long, dark hair that sits in the far corner of the room with a blonde boy by her side. "Who is that?"
"That's Pieck," Moblit answers. "She's involved in a drama club too, although she mostly just helps with painting the backgrounds for the scenes. And that's... all I know about her. She's nice, and I think she's dating Porco, or, maybe, Porco is dating Reiner, or, maybe, Reiner is dating Berthold... sorry," he rubs his neck in embarrassment. "I don't really pay attention to that kind of stuff, and their relationship is pretty complicated."
"Don't worry," Hange pats his arm. "I get confused with that kind of stuff all the time. Now! Who is that?"
Her finger points at a bespectacled guy with blonde hair.
Moblit's face twists in disgust. "That's Zeke Yeager. He's the biggest jerk and bully of our school. Try to stay away from him, and—" he nods at the redheaded boy sitting next to him. "And his pal Floch. He's even worth than Zeke."
Hange wants to ask more about them, but then she notices a boy, who sits in the furthest corner of the cafeteria.
Hange is sure that wearing leather jackets is prohibited in this school, but this boy doesn't seem to care. He is dressed in a white t-shirt and a big, black leather jacket. His hair is black too and the longer strands of it obscure his eyes. But even that can’t hide the fact that the boy is wearing a displeased, irritated expression. Hange wonders about the reason for the sour face.
"Hey!" she points her finger at him. "Who is that shorty?"
"Shh!" Moblit hurriedly lowers her hand, his eyes widening in panic. "Don't point your finger at him! And, for the love of god, don't call him shorty, Hange! Better yet, try not to talk or even look at him."
"Eh?" Hange frowns. "What do you mean? What's wrong with that guy?"
"That's Levi Ackerman," Moblit says, lowering voice to a hushed whisper. “Those two are his best friends – Isabel and Farlan,” he shows Hange a small redheaded girl and a tall guy with white hair that sit next to Levi. “And you should never mess with them."
"So they’re worse than Zeke and his friend?"
"Much worse," Moblit confirms, his eyes grim and serious. "Everyone says they’re a part of some gang. They say that Isabel is a thief, and Farlan is an arsonist. And Levi Ackerman…” Moblit purses his lips, a shadow of fear flushing across his face. “Once he broke Mike's jaw for calling him a midget, and some say that he had killed a man with his bare hands just for pouring out coffee on him. Whatever happens, try to stay away from the three of them, Hange."
"If you say so..." Hange murmurs. She takes a bite of her sandwich, continuing to stare at the dark-haired boy. Suddenly he looks up, and Hange almost chokes.
His eyes bore into hers with a surprising intensity. They are cold and grey, like the edge of a knife.
Hange lifts her lips in what she hopes is a friendly smile.
Levi Ackerman scoffs and looks away.
Hange continues watching him, waiting for their eyes to meet again. They don’t.
But as Hange leaves the cafeteria, trailing after Moblit like a little lost duckling, she can't get the look he had given her out of her mind.
Levi Ackerman... What an enigma.
  ***
It is Friday afternoon, and the sun is gently passing through the already yellowing leafs. The warm light paints the world in golden colors, making it seem more warm and welcoming.
Hange, however, has no time to enjoy the beauty around her. It is Friday afternoon, and she is running late.
She was so excited for the first biology club meeting, that’s the only thing she could think about for the whole week. She gathered all the science projects she had done at the old school and she prepared a small presentation for other club members and she even thought of a few suggestions to expand the club, which, as she understood from Moblit’s words, was quite small.
All this work, all these preparations and now she is running late, because she stayed after class to talk with Mr. Smith and forgot about the time.
And, to make matters worse, she is lost. The part of school she finds herself in is completely unfamiliar to her, and she can’t quite understand how she got here in the first place.
Cursing herself, Hange takes out a map Moblit made for her, tracing the drawing with her index finger and muttering Moblit’s instructions under her breath.
“Go to the second floor, take the first turn to the left and then walk to the end of the hallway…”
A second later it dawns at her – she is in the wrong wing and on the wrong floor.
Muttering another curse, Hange turns around and rushes to the stairs. Holding the research notes she wrote the night before to her chest with one hand, she keeps Moblit’s map in front of her eyes, checking it after each turn she takes.
She is just about to enter a hallway that leads to the biology classroom, when she collides with something. Stumbling, she falls down, her papers flying around.
She blinks a few times, trying to get a sense of her surroundings. Moblit didn’t draw anything that would prepare her for the obstacle that caused her fall.
She slowly looks up. In front of her, seemingly larger than life is a pair of steely grey eyes.
Levi Ackerman, Hange realizes immediately. He is on the floor too, right next to her. And he doesn’t seem too pleased about it.
She gulps. For the first time in her life, Hange doesn’t know what to say.
“The hell you’re wearing those glasses for?” the boy growls, getting up. “Watch where you’re going, four-eyes.”
“Ah, sorry!” Hange exclaims. His rude, throaty voice does a great job of pushing her out of stupor. “I’m just new at this school, and so I got little lost, but, thankfully, my friend Moblit drew me a map, and that’s why I didn’t look where I was—”
“Jesus,” Levi groans. “Shut the fuck up. Give me that shit.”
Before Hange can protest, he snatches the map out of her hands. His eyebrows form a line as he studies the small drawing.
And suddenly Hange remembers what Moblit had said about Levi Ackerman and his warnings to stay away from him.
Once he broke Mike's jaw.
These words ring loudly inside her mind. She had seen Mike in the hallways, he is quite a large guy. And Hange, despite being quite tall for her age, isn’t nearly as big as him. If Levi is able to break Mike’s jaw, what can he do to her?
Hange never had her jaw broken before, so by all accounts it should be a new experience for her. She likes new experiences. But she also likes her jaw and the prospect of having it broken… isn’t all that exciting.
Still sitting on a floor, Hange watches the boy warily.
“You’re looking for a biology class, right?” he asks after he finished studying the map.
“Yes,” Hange nods cautiously.
Suddenly she remembers a girl she used to play with at the playground near her old house. The girl had broken an arm once, after falling off a swing. She screamed and cried and then her mother took her to the doctor, and when she came back, she couldn’t play with little Hange anymore, because her arm was in a sling and she couldn’t move it for almost a whole month.
And that was just an arm. Hange can only imagine how much a broken jaw would hurt. She really isn’t that keen on finding out.
“Of course, you’re a nerd, how I didn’t guess it before,” Levi mutters, as he starts to walk away.
Hange stares at his back, wondering if the storm had passed.
Evidently, it hadn’t – Levi turns around. He arches his eyebrow, looking at Hange quizzically.
“Did you hit your head or something, four-eyes? Get up, I’ll lead you to the class. You’re in the wrong wing, idiot.”
Hange is still confused – wasn’t he going to beat her up? But then she remembers the reason for this whole mess.
“The meeting!” she cries out, hurriedly gathering the papers that are scattered across the floor.
As she kneels on the wooden floor, picking up the papers, Levi’s words finally register in her mind.
“Wait!” she looks up at him. “You said I’m in a wrong wing again?”
“Well, aren’t you slow,” he deadpans. “Here,” he hands her the last one of her papers. For a second, their fingers brush against each other, and Hange finds out that in contrast to his eyes, Levi’s hands are warm. But before she can decide if his skin is soft or not, Levi pulls away, turning around. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”
“You’re… going to lead me to the class?” Hange clarifies, cautiousness returning to her face.
“That’s what I said, right?” Levi starts to walk, not looking back at her. “Or is your hearing as shitty as your eyesight?”
“Not really,” Hange chuckles, following after him.
Levi Ackerman isn’t going to beat her up. She is almost certain.
  ***
“Hange, you’re here!” as soon as she enters the classroom, Moblit is beside her. “I thought you forgot about our meeting!”
“How could I?” Hange grins, easing his worry. “I was preparing the whole week for this! I just got a bit lost on my way here, sorry for being late.”
“You got lost? How did you find us then?” the petite redhead walks up to her too. 
Not the redhead – Nifa, cheerleader and Moblit’s friend, Hange remembers.  
“You used my map, right?” Moblit asks.
“Eh, no,” Hange rubs her neck, feeling a little shy. “Levi helped me get here.”
“Levi?” Nifa’s eyes widen in surprise. “As in the Levi Ackerman? The scariest guy of our school?”
“I guess?” Hange answers. “He was right there—” she opens the door to show Levi to Nifa and Moblit, he couldn’t have left far away, he had walked her to the door, after all, but unfortunately – the hallway is empty. She turns back to Moblit and Nifa with a helpless chuckle. “And he already left…”
“Are you sure that was Levi?” Moblit narrows his eyes a fraction, looking doubtful.
“I…” before she can reply, Hange remembers that she didn’t actually ask for his name. But those grey eyes… they can’t belong to anyone else. At the same time, Hange senses that no matter what she is going to say, neither Moblit nor Nifa would believe her.
And it doesn’t matter, not really. After all, they have a more pressing matter on their hands right now.
The vast and enigmatic world of molecular biology.
She clasps her hands together, attracting attention of the two boys, who stand at the other side of the classroom. They look up and Hange smiles, making a mental note to introduce herself to them later.
She unzips her bag, taking out her laptop and gathering her notes. “I’ve prepared a small report!” she announces, opening the first slide of her forty minutes long presentation.
   ***
It is a nice day. Despite the calendar showing that it is already October, the weather is warm enough to mistake it for the end of May.
The sky is clear and blue, the apple Hange is eating is juicy and sweet and her conversation with Moblit is engaging and fun.
With a bright smile on her lips, Hange lifts her face up to the sky, squinting against the blinding light. The sunbeams dance across her skin, kissing her cheeks and nose with their gentle warmth.
It is a nice day. But then a shadow obscures her view of the sun.
Hange opens her eyes, frowning at the sudden intrusion.
Next to her, Moblit falls silent. In front of her, Floch and two of his friends smirk, looking down on them.
"Get lost, Zoe," Floch tells flippantly, sparring her no more than a single glance. "Your boyfriend and I need to have a little chat."
Hange feels her chest fill with rage.
"Like hell I would!" she raises to her feet, fists clenching in anger.
In a month she spent at Sina High, she learnt a lot about Floch. She learnt that he is stupid and simpleminded, cruel and cowardly. Most of all, he is a bully.
Hange hates bullies with all the fierceness of her heart.
She had her fair share of taunting and mockery before. The kids made fun of her for wearing glasses, for having a large nose, for being too loud or too weird. Hange knows that the only one way to deal with endless jabs and sneers is to fight back. And over the course of her sixteen years of life she got amazingly good at it.
"Hange—" Moblit whispers, grasping her sleeve desperately. "Hange, please, do as he says."
"No!" Hange declares, glaring fiercely at Floch. "I'll stay with you, Moblit."
"Your mistake," Floch huffs, the smirk on his face growing wider. Behind his back, his friends flex their fists. "One nerd or two, what does it matter? I'll easily deal with both of you."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Hange warns, narrowing her eyes at him.
Getting into a fight isn't anything new for her. Unfortunately, having her ass kicked isn't anything new for her either. Even so, she isn't going to back down.
Hange braces herself, raising her fists and putting her left leg behind her for support. Watching Floch closely, she wonders where he would hit first. Her left or right cheek? Her nose or jaw? Or maybe, he'd go to the legs first? Hange doubts it, Floch doesn't seem to be that smart.
He raises his fist and Hange closes her eyes, preparing herself for the sharp sting of pain.
It never comes. Instead, a shadow appears in front of her again, this one much darker.
A second passes, and nothing happens. And then she hears Floch's feeble whimper.
Hange gingerly opens her eyes.
Holding Floch's fist in his hand, Levi Ackerman is standing before her, his wide back, as always, clad in black leather jacket.
"What's the matter, Floch?" he speaks in a low voice. "Got tired of picking fights with middle schoolers?"
Floch doesn't answer, his eyes turning wide, and Levi twists his arm, throwing him on the ground.
"Get the fuck out of here," he spits out, turning away as though just the sight of Floch disgusts him.
Not needing him to tell twice, Floch shoots to his feet and runs, his friends following after him.
Hange watches them with deep sense of satisfaction. She would prefer to make Floch leave with the use of her own fists, but that— that is nice too. And totally painless.
"We should go as well, Hange," Moblit mumbles, tugging insistently at her shirt.
"You go first," Hange answers, not taking her eyes off Levi. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"Hange..." Moblit's quiet voice is disapproving, and Hange turns to look at him, curving her lips in a smile. "I'll be right behind you, don't worry."
"Just be careful," he instructs at last, before grabbing his bag and walking away.
With Floch and Moblit gone, Hange is left alone with Levi.
Or... not.
As Hange looks around, she realizes that Levi had left too. By now, his dark figure is nothing more than a small dot on a horizon. Hange hurries after him.
"Hey, hey, Levi! Wait!" she desperately tries to catch up with him. Levi doesn't slow down.
"Go away, four-eyes," he mutters without even looking at her.
Like hell she would.
Hange speeds up and in a matter of seconds, she reaches Levi. Huffing and painting, she struggles to keep up with his confident stride. But she doesn’t give up.
"Hey— hey, I just—" she inhales, then swiftly exhales. "I just wanted to ask," another deep breath, this one's much shakier. "Why did you help me?"
Levi stops long enough to turn around and throw her a dark look. "I didn't."
"You did!" Hange persists. "For the second time!"
"Leave me alone," he scoffs and starts to walk again.
Naturally, Hange follows after him. Levi passes the main entrance to school and heads to the side door.
He's going to skip a class, Hange realizes.
She has never skipped a class before. How exciting!
"It makes me think," she continues talking as though she didn't hear his last words. "Maybe, you're a bit misunderstood. I don't think you're as scary as everyone thinks you are."
"I'm much scarier," Levi mutters, moving up the stairs.
He is going up on a rooftop, Hange guesses. Again, she has never been on a rooftop before. Double excitement!
"And if you don't wish me to show you how scary I can be, I advise you to leave me alone."
"Nope," Hange smiles, not moved by his threat. She almost has him figured out. Levi Ackerman, the presumable gangster and the most fearsome student of Sina High isn't quite as terrible as he appears to be. "You won't hurt me."
"And why the fuck not?" Levi grunts, pushing the door to the rooftop open. He tries to shove it in her face, but Hange is faster, and she passes the threshold before he can push the door closed.
"Because you're nice," Hange easily answers.
"I'm really not."
Pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Levi walks up to edge of rooftop and plops down on the floor. Hange sits next to him. She turns her head around and watches the grand blue sky above her. At the sight of it all, breath catches in her throat.
Paying her no mind, Levi takes out a pack of cigarettes and puts a stick into his mouth.
He lifts a lighter, when Hange speaks.
"Can you smoke later?" she asks carefully. "You see, I have asthma..."
Levi curses under his breath. He sighs and puts the cigarette down. Hange beams.
"I was right after all," she bumps her shoulder against his. "You are a nice."
"I'm going to push you off the edge," he promises darkly. Hange's smile doesn't falter.
"Don't you have to be in class?" Levi questions. "Why are you bothering me?"
"You're nice," Hange repeats. "I want to be your friend."
"I don't."
Hange snickers. As if she would give him a choice.
They don't speak after that. Hange, still smiling, returns to gazing up at the sky, lazily watching the movements of clouds.
Levi seems to be slowly coming with the grips that to get rid of her he most probably would have to act on his threat and push her off the edge. With a sour expression, he braces his hands against the railing and stares at the ground below.
The silence, surprisingly, is pleasant and comfortable. It is broken by the sound of the door opening. Hange turns around, and sees Levi's friends - Farlan and Isabel - climb on a rooftop.
As they notice her, their faces brighten up.
"Levi!" Isabel runs up to him. "So you finally gathered enough courage? I'm so proud of you!"
"Izzy," Farlan takes her by the elbow, just before she can latch herself onto Levi. "I don't think he has."
"Eh?" Hange shifts her gaze from Farlan and Isabel to Levi. Something is going on, but she can't pinpoint what exactly.
"Shut up," Levi barks at his friends. "Four-eyes just decided to follow me up here, and now I can’t get rid of her."
"I just wanted to thank you," Hange grumbles, crossing hands on her chest and pursuing her lips in a pout. "For saving me from Floch and his friends."
"Oh!" Isabel's eyes lighten up. She jumps to Hange's side. "Big brother saved you?" she asks with a dreamy smile. "Levi, that's so—"
"Shut up, Isabel," he growls. "I'm not joking."
"Killjoy," Isabel whispers, throwing him a dark look.
Farlan takes a sit next to Hange, offering her his hand. "I'm Farlan," he says with a friendly smile. "And that’s," he gestures to the girl. "As you may have gathered, is our friend Isabel. Nice to finally meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Hange answers, shaking his hand. "I'm—"
"Hange," Farlan interrupts. "Yes," he briefly glances at Levi, his eyes alight with amusement. "We know."
"We should be friends!" Isabel announces, throwing her arm around her shoulders.
"I would like to," Hange replies. "But Levi doesn't seem to agree."
"Pay him no mind," Isabel waves her hand. "He’s just naturally that grumpy. As for Farlan and me, we’re ready to accept you in our ranks. Before becoming an official member of our gang, though, you need to do those four things."
"Alright," Hange nods, listening intently.
"First!" Isabel raises her index finger. "You need to punch Zeke in a face, but I'm sure it's bound to happen."
Hange giggles, getting excited. "What's next?"
"Second, you need to skip a class, and you've already done it, so!" Isabel clasps her shoulder. "Congratulations on that one."
Farlan pats her knee too, and Hange shows them a proud smile.
"Third, you need to smoke at least one cigarette."
"I can't," her smile falls, as Hange briefly shakes her head. "I have asthma."
"I'll do it for you then," Farlan offers, walking to the other side of the rooftop to do just that. Levi, who still holds a pack in his palm, doesn't join him, not moving from his place next to Hange.
"And the last thing! The most important one!" Isabel makes a dramatic pause, shifting her gaze to Levi just for a second, before looking back on Hange with a mischievous smile. She winks and lowers her voice, making sure that Levi doesn’t hear her.
"The last condition - you have to kiss one of us."
   ***
After that first time on the roof, their friendship progresses rapidly. Hange starts hanging out in the mall with Isabel, playing basketball with Farlan, skipping classes and walking home with Levi.
And very soon she finds out the truth about her new friends. Isabel isn't actually a thief, Farlan isn't an arsonist and Levi, obviously, has never murdered anyone.
Those rumors are just that - rumors.
"But what about Mike?" Hange asks.
The four of them are sitting side by side on what Hange likes to call their place - up on a rooftop of the school. Their shoulders are pressed tightly against each other, and their feet are dangling off the edge. The light from a setting sun reflects in her glasses, making her squint. On a scale of perfect days, this one is pretty close to the top.
In response to her question, Levi groans. Isabel and Farlan start laughing.
"I'm afraid that's another rumor," Farlan explains to the confused Hange.
"Although, Mike did break a jaw once," Isabel notes with a crooked grin.
"But not by me." Levi grits through his teeth. "That giant idiot got drunk and fell down the stairs. And because he was too embarrassed to tell the truth, he blamed it on me."
"So, you just let him do it?" Hange stares at Levi with raised eyebrows. "Didn't do anything even though he lied about you?” Levi nods and Hange smiles. “I stand corrected then, you're nice."
"I'm serious, four-eyes," Levi growls, sending her one of his meanest looks. "One day, I'll push you off this roof."
Hange throws her head back and laughs. Isabel and Farlan join her.
 ***
"Well, let's start our meeting, shall we?" Hange rubs her hands in anticipation, excited to tell her fellow club members about a study she recently found.
But before she can turn on her laptop and put on a new presentation, Nifa grips her elbow.
"It's all very thrilling," she smiles.
"It really is," Moblit nods eagerly.
"But we wanted to know something else."
Hange blinks a few times, and then feels color rise to her cheek. She suddenly realizes that in the past two months she was always the one to lead the meetings. It is quite understandable that Nifa wants her turn.
"Of course, if there's something you wish to share, we all gladly listen, Nifa."
"Oh no, I don't wish to share anything. On the contrary, there is so something I want to ask you."
The bright, enthusiastic look in her eyes is intriguing. Hange wonders what is it that Nifa wants to know - is it about a thesis she made last week? Or a week before that?
"I'm all ears," Hange promises, taking Nifa's hands into hers.
"So how does it feel," Nifa begins. "To date the most dangerous boy of our school?"
It takes Hange an embarrassingly long amount of time to realize who Nifa is talking about.
"Levi?" she breathes finally. "But we aren't— we aren’t dating! We’re just friends!"
Nifa plucks her lips and looks at Hange with suspicion and disbelief.
"But you're always together," she notes, staring at Hange through narrowed eyes.
"We're really not," Hange counters easily. "We just hang out sometimes."
"You skip classes with him. And he walks you home."
"And he saved you from Floch that one time," Moblit, the goddamn traitor, adds.
"And you're the only one he talks to, beside his two best friends." Nifa concludes with a confident smirk.
Hange looks from Moblit to Nifa, feeling at a loss of words.
It's not that she has never thought about it, she did sometimes, when Levi walked her home, and their hands brushed against each other, or when they sat on the roof together, their shoulders touching. Levi is handsome, even Hange - as bad as her eyesight is - knows that. But she also knows that Levi thinks she's messy and annoying. The hell would freeze sooner than he'd look at her like that.
So despite her frequent heart palpitations and leaps in breathing levels, Hange ignores her little crush, putting it to the furthest shelf of her mind.
Being friends with Levi is good enough. She doesn't wish for more.
And that's exactly what she tells to Moblit and Nifa.
"You're reading into things," she chuckles, dismissing their claims. "And now, it's time to read into something else!" she turns on the first slight of her presentation.
Moblit smiles and takes out his notebook. Nifa groans.
***
It's one of those days, when the world is bleak and grey, and the heavy clouds reign across the sky.
Looking out of the window, Hange feels an infinite sadness that isn't entirely caused by gloomy weather. For a second, she even debates skipping school at all, her mother probably wouldn't be against it, but Hange gets rid of that thought fairly quickly. It's not who she is, and wallowing in self-pity was never the way she dealt with her problems. Besides, the classes will provide an excellent distraction for her unhappy thoughts.
So Hange gets dressed, puts her hair in the usual ponytail and leaves her room. She greets her mother, who doesn't look quite as lively as she usually does, and kisses her cheek.
"I'll be home at five," Hange says quietly and walks outside.
The wind ruffles her hair, messing it up even more. It gets in her face and Hange pushes it away with a jerky movement of her wrist. She moves past her bike, deciding to walk to the school on her feet.
There are lots of things on her mind, and a lengthy stroll presents a perfect opportunity to think all of it through.
Hange walks through the grey, foggy streets with her head cast down. She stares at the ground, but not even an occasional sight of a sleazy worm is enough to lift her mood.
She reaches the gates of a school, when someone grabs her elbow.
Startled, she looks up. Levi is standing beside her.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, his frown more prominent than usual.
“Nothing,” Hange lies, avoiding his sharp eyes.
Today they don’t remind her of the knife’s edge. Today, Hange thinks, they look just like a sky before a storm.
“What’s your first class?”
Levi stands close to her, too close. People are going to talk, Hange can’t help but think. But Levi doesn’t seem to care about it.
“English,” she answers, staring at her feet.
“Let’s go then,” moving his hand from her elbow, Levi grabs her by the sleeve of her hoodie. He starts walking, dragging Hange along. And because her eyes are still cast down, Hange doesn’t notice that they aren’t headed to a classroom until it’s a little too late.
Of course, Levi leads her to the roof.
He sits her down and looks at her expectantly. Hange shifts her gaze to a side. Under Levi's intense stare, something stirs inside her. There is worry in his eyes, Hange realizes. This revelation makes butterflies in her stomach slowly come to life.
Hange tries her best to ignore them.
"I'm fine, really," she repeats. She doesn't know who she's trying to fool - Levi or herself. She doesn’t achieve success with either of them.
The harsh wind is stronger on the roof, it blows through her hair, gets under her hoodie and sips deep in her bones. Hange suppresses a shiver.
"Idiot," Levi mutters, following it with an irritated tsk. He unzips his jacket, takes it off and drapes it around her shoulders.
Heat rises to her cheeks instantly. She feels incredibly warm and she knows that the jacket isn't the reason for it. The butterflies, despite her best efforts, happily flutter their wings.
"You'll catch a cold..." she whispers weakly. Levi is wearing a thin grey pullover and Hange can only imagine how cold he must be.
"Ackermans don't get sick," he says confidently, making Hange snicker. The corners of his lips twitch and he gently nudges her. "So what happened, four-eyes?"
Hange looks up, staring at the horizon. The skies seem even darker up there, and she briefly wonders how much time they can spend here until the rain starts and a need to hide from it forces them inside.
She wraps the jacket tighter around herself, and the sharp scent enters her nostrils. It smells like soap and cigarette smoke. It smells just like Levi.
Hange glances at him, and his stare is unwavering as he waits for her to start talking.
Hange sighs and begins.
"It's my dad," she confesses softly. "He's... getting married next week. And—" she chuckles, meaning for it to sound easy and cheerful. It comes out bitter and hollow instead. "I found out about that from his post on Facebook. He didn't invite me, didn't even tell me about this. I know— I know that he has a new family now. And I know that I probably remind him of the time when he was married to my mom, and I guess it wasn't a great experience for either of them, but still... he threw me out of his life so easily. It makes me sad, I guess."
"It's his loss," Levi says. "If he doesn't realize it, then he doesn't deserve you."
"Levi..." Hange whispers, aghast. She expected him to ignore her whining, or call her pathetic, but this… Hange doesn’t what to think. The warm feeling inside her is almost too much to bear.
"I know I'm not the best with words," Levi admits, while Hange is still busy processing his last ones and how good they made her feel. "But I can call Isabel, if you wish. Or that Berner boy," he adds with a tight-lipped expression.
Hange smiles, touched by his offer. But she talked it through already, last night with her mother. Today, she needs something else.
"Can we stay like this, please?" she asks, looking at him beneath her eyelashes.
"Sure," he agrees easily. And then— Levi does the unexpected again. He wraps his arm around her, pulling her closer. Her nose is pressed against his collarbone, and the butterflies go wild.
Hange pays them no mind. Levi is warm and he smells nice. She hides a smile into his shirt.
The sadness she felt throughout the morning disappears. With Levi's arms around her, Hange feels impossibly happy.
***
 It's almost seven in the evening, and the streets are already dark when Hange leaves the school after another biology club meeting.
The alleyway next to the school is dimly lit, so Hange almost misses a figure that sits on one of the benches. She stops as soon as she sees that dark silhouette, though. Despite the poor street lighting and her own imperfect eyesight, Hange recognizes him instantly. And wonders what is he doing there.
Levi walks her home every day, except Fridays. Fridays are club meeting days, and Hange often leaves the school late in the evening.
Levi never waits for her on Fridays.
So why is he here now?
Hange silently walks up to him, approaching him with a bit of caution. Levi sits weirdly, his shoulders seem too stiff. Her stomach churns with worry.
"Levi?" she softly calls. "Levi, what are you doing here?"
"Hange," he keeps his eyes trained on the ground, and Hange's worry increases. She doesn't like the hollowness of his voice.
Then she lowers her gaze, and the worry skyrockets. Levi's hands— they are covered in blood. She gasps and grabs his chin, turning his face to the light. A bloodied lip, a bruise on a cheek - Hange swears when she sees them.
"What happened?" she is instantly by his side, taking his hands into hers. She brings them closer to her face, looking for injuries.
"Zeke." Levi says.
"He's the one who did all of this to you?"
"Of course not," Levi throws her a sharp, offended look. "He just brought more friends than I could deal with."
"What a fucker," Hange mutters, anger warming up inside her. "Let's go to my place, I'll clean your wounds."
"And what about your mother?" Levi bites his lip. "Won't you get in trouble with her, if you bring me home, looking like this?"
"She has a night shift," Hange stands up, outstretching her hand to Levi. "And besides," she continues. "I’m sure my mom would adore you,” she winks at Levi, grinning. “Just like I do.”
***
Hange brings Levi home and tends to his wounds. She cleans his skinned knuckles and wipes the blood from his lip.  She tries to be gentle, apologizing over and over each time Levi winces. Every time he hisses or grits his teeth, the anger inside Hange grows bigger and bigger. She swears to herself that she won’t let Zeke get away with it.
When she starts wrapping bandages around his knuckles, her hands shake and tremble.
She wants to think that her inexperience is to blame, but she knows that the reason for her nervousness is Levi's warm breath on her cheek and his eyes that follow her every move.
Hange stares into them for a second. They look nothing like a knife's edge right now. They don't remind her of a sky before storm either. They're the color of a full moon. They're shining just as brightly.
"You're wrapping them too tight," Levi complains, breaking Hange out of her reverie.
"Oh, sorry!" Hange giggles, embarrassed. She hurries to rectify her mistake, but ends up making even a bigger mess, tangling up the bandages.
Levi sighs and snatches them out of her hands.
"You're shit at this," he says, bandaging his knuckles himself.
Hange snickers and watches him, committing each move to memory. She hopes she won’t need this knowledge in the future. But in case she does, next time she wants to be able to help.
“You can stay for the night,” Hange offers when his injuries are cared for. “We can put on a movie, make some popcorn…”
“Maybe, some other time,” Levi gently declines. “My mom probably worries like crazy. I should get home, before she sends Kenny after me.”
His refusal disappoints Hange a bit, but she doesn’t take it personally. She knows how much Levi cares about his mother. And she knows how much he hates causing her worry.
So she makes him promise to hang out tomorrow and walks him to the door.
"Thank you," Levi tells her, standing in the doorway.
"I didn't do anything..." she tries to protest.
"You did more than enough,” he says, the grey of his eyes softening. “Goodnight, Hange.”
“Goodnight,” she echoes, watching him go with a heavy heart.
  ***
After that Friday, Hange lets her anger brew for a whole weekend.
On Monday, she comes to school and seeks out Zeke. His friends stand around him, as she approaches, but Hange pays them no mind. She marches up to Zeke, grabs him by the collar and punches him in the face.
His loud shriek and a pathetic whimper that follows are absolutely priceless.
"That's for Levi," she glowers, before walking away, a smirk on her lips and her head held up high.
She gets sent to detention for that, but Levi calls her an idiot with a fond smile on his face, and Hange thinks it was all worth it.
He gets into a fight with Floch the very same day, and during detention they sit side by side, exchanging silly notes and making funny faces at each other.
"Just one condition left," Isabel tells her the next day, winking suggestively.
  ***
It is another Friday night, and Hange is engaged in a losing battle with her calculus homework. No matter what she does, what formula uses, nothing seems to work.
Her eyes are getting tired from glaring at her notebook, and Hange rubs at them, suppressing a yawn. It’s a little past ten, but she already feels exhausted, drained to the bone.
She thinks of just abandoning it all and going to sleep, when a small rock lands on her desk. Hange blinks a few times, utterly confused.
How did it get here?
She scratches her head, trying to make sense of it. A second later, another rock appears.
Hange looks up, turns to the window— and smile breaks on her face. She squeals in delight, jumping to her feet and coming to grip the windowsill.
Levi is sitting on a branch of a tree that grows near her house. He wears his signature jacket, and he’s looking at Hange with the expression of fond annoyance that he reserves exclusively for her.
“Took you long enough to notice me,” he grumbles. “I was thinking of aiming the next rock at your stupid head.”
Hange laughs, not taking his words to heart. She knows Levi well enough by now to see through his insults and sarcasm.
“Are you free right now?” he asks, before Hange gets her chance to question what is he doing up on a tree.
“It’s Friday night and I’m sick of doing my homework, so…” she shrugs. “I am as free as I can be.”
“Alright. And your mom? Is she at home?”
“She is, but she’s already asleep.”
“Get out then.”
“Eh? What does that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said,” Levi scoffs. The confused expression doesn’t leave her face, so he rolls his eyes and adds, “I stole the keys to Kenny’s bike. Do you want to take a ride on it or not?”
Hange feels her lips twitching. She wants to say ‘yes’ so badly, but for the sake of messing with Levi, she puts on a doubtful frown.
“Won’t you get in trouble with your uncle?”
“Only if he finds out.”
“Will he be able to find out?”
“Most certainly.”
"And you still wanna do it?" she asks, just to see the exasperated look Levi throws her.
"Of course," he answers through his teeth, his patience starting to run thin.
"Alright!" she finally agrees. She jumps and clasps her hands together, unable to contain her excitement. "Just wait a sec, I need to change my clothes!"
Levi nods, throws ‘don’t take too long’ and starts climbing off a tree.
Just as she promised, Hange gets ready in record time. She jumps out of the window, landing next to Levi with a pained huff.
"Are you alright?" he steadies her, his eyes shadowed with worry.
"Sure!" Hange assures him with a smile. "The landing was just a bit rougher than I expected."
"You could have left through the front door, like a normal person." Levi notes.
"But where is the fun in that?" Hange counters.
Levi shakes his head and curses her idiocy under his breath. Hange claps his shoulder and chuckles.
"Shall we go?" she raises her arms to tie up her hair.
"Don't." Levi blurts out suddenly.
Hange stops in her tracks, gawking at him. "Eh?"
"Leave it like that," his voice is rough and breathy as he speaks. Levi turns his face away, and Hange desperately wishes to know what it looks like right now. She bets it’s all red and flustered. "When you wear your hair down... It’s not a bad look on you."
Hange can't believe it. Did she mishear? Misunderstood something? Or did Levi really just pay her a compliment?
Now it’s her turn to be flustered. She feels her face redden. Her heart starts to hummer in her chest.
Levi doesn’t give her enough time to process, and, of course, to retaliate. 
"I parked the bike near your house," he walks away so briskly, it's hard for Hange to catch up.
When she does, Levi is already standing next to a shining black motorcycle. Hange knows next to nothing about motorcycles, but, in her opinion, the thing looks cool. She runs a hand over it, and her excitement almost makes her feel dizzy.
She has never ridden a motorcycle. But she is sure it's quite a thrilling experience.
"Put that on," Levi instructs, handing her a helmet. "And hold on to me, alright?"
"Of course!" Hange mockingly salutes.
"Don't do anything stupid, four-eyes," he glowers before putting a helmet on his own head and getting onto the bike.
Hange waits for him to sit down and then she follows his suit. She wraps her arms around Levi, fisting her hands into the lapels of his leather jacket.
"Ready?" he asks, his voice muffled by a helmet.
Hange nods, pressing her head to his shoulder.
Levi starts the motorcycle and carefully rides onto the street. He maneuvers out of the narrow path and onto the broad road. He speeds up after that and Hange can't hold in a delighted chuckle. She raises her head and looks around.
The streets they pass by are nothing more than a blur of bright lights and vivid colors, and Hange can't stop staring at it all. To make the experience even more electrifying, she's pressed so close to Levi that she can feel his heartbeat. Or, maybe, that's an echo of her own. Their proximity makes it hard to tell. She also feels incredibly warm, having her arms wrapped around him makes Hange forget about the harsh wind that seems even stronger as they ride through the night city.
Levi obviously has a final destination in mind, but Hange doesn't care, not right now, when she is filled with so much joy and elation.
She feels so free, she feels so good, so happy, she is so—
"I swear to god, Hange!" Levi shouts over the wind. "If you're thinking of dangling your arms in the air or some equally dumb shit, I'm going to throw you off this thing myself!"
Hange laughs, wild and unbridled.
She is so in love.
*** Levi brings them to the beach.
As soon as he stops the engine, Hange gets off the bike and runs to the sea, kicking away her shoes as she goes. She steps into the water and yells, instantly jumping out of it. The water is freezing, but Hange is stubborn. She wants to try again, hoping that her body would adjust. Before she can take a single step in that direction, though, she is roughly yanked back.
She turns around and meets Levi's sizzling gaze.
"Sit the fuck down," he growls. "Or you wish to get pneumonia?"
Hange can't help it - her heart swells and her stomach tingles.
Levi, despite his dark, scary eyes and scowling face, is surprisingly endearing. He's so cute Hange wants pinch his cheek. Desperately so.
And because she's still filled with adrenaline after their ride, or, maybe, the dark sea and quiet night have an effect on her, Hange does just that.
Levi slaps her hand away a second too late. She laughs, and, to placate him, finally sits down, burying her feet in the sand.
Levi takes a seat next to her. A second later, something heavy and warm falls over her shoulders. Hange touches it with her fingers - it's Levi's jacket.
"It's cold," he explains gruffly, answering the silent question in her eyes.
"Thanks," Hange smiles, and, because she still feels inexplicably bold, she puts her head on his lap.
Levi startles, his whole body goes rigid, but he doesn't push her away, doesn't even complain. After a moment, he relaxes - his hand falls on her shoulder and his fingers starts playing with her hair.
It's nice, Hange thinks. She wishes to stay in this moment forever.
She turns to look at the sea - the stars and moon are reflecting in the darkness of the water, illuminating a narrow path. She points her finger at it.
"I once believed that if you follow that path during full moon, you'll become a mermaid," she tells Levi.
Levi snorts. "You believed in something so stupid? Why am I not surprised?"
"What ridiculous thing did you believe in?"
Levi is silent for a long moment, and Hange thinks he's not going to answer. She opens her mouth to change the topic, but then—
"I believed in Santa until I was thirteen years old."
"What?!" Hange shrieks, rising up from her position to gawk at Levi. "You're serious?"
"Unfortunately," he grunts, pushing her back on his lap. "Kenny put a very convincing show. It's not until I caught my mom hiding presents under a Christmas tree that I finally realized the truth."
Hange really, really tries to keep it in, but she imagines the disappointment on Levi's face and absolutely loses it. Laughter bubbles out of her throat, and Hange curls in on herself, laughing without abandon. Her stomach starts to hurt, tears well up in the corners of her eyes, and Hange still continues to giggle, expressing her mirth until she can't breathe anymore.
"Oh god, Levi," she wipes the tears away. "This is the best thing I've heard in weeks."
"Glad you are having fun on my account," he says dryly.
Hange starts laughing again.
When she finally calms down, the silence falls over them.
It's so quiet there, the only sounds are faraway noises of the city and the loud roar of the sea that accompanies the crashing of waves against the shore.
All of it makes Hange feel at peace in a way she rarely does.
After minutes of staring at the seemingly endless sea and basking in the atmosphere of it all, she tears her gaze away from the it, shifting her eyes to Levi. And finds out - he is looking at her too.
His stare is intense, charged with something she can't quite name, something that makes it impossible to look away.
As their eyes meet, Levi swallows. His hand in her hair stills, and he starts to slowly lower his face to hers. Hange lifts her head too. The tension around them is growing, and Hange forgets how to breathe until— until it hits her.
"Of course!" she cries out, jumping up. She hits Levi's jaw with her forehead, but doesn't pause long enough to fully register it. She can't spare her attention to anything else, the math problem she tried to solve for so long— she finally found the solution.
"Levi!" she seizes his shoulders, staring at him with wide, feverish eyes. "We need to go back, quick!"
"What—"
"I realized how to solve it!" she gets to her feet, pacing around and impatiently waiting for Levi to stand up as well.
"Solve what?" Levi grimaces, looking like he has eaten a sour lemon.
Unfortunately, Hange is too preoccupied with her sudden revelation to notice his expression or even answer his question.
"Way to ruin the moment," he mutters before standing up and walking back to the bike, his face as dark as the sea. ***
It's the last Friday before St. Valentine's Day, and everyone at their school starts going crazy.
Hange is spending lunch with Nifa and Moblit, but their sandwiches lay forgotten, as the three of them curiously watch Porco's pathetic attempt to ask Pieck out. He keeps stuttering and his face is so red, Hange is worried he might pass out, but then Pieck smiles and kisses him on a cheek. Cheers and congratulations are heard from all sides of school cafeteria.
"So it's settled then?" Hange turns to Moblit. "Porco and Pieck are actually dating?"
"I guess..." Moblit tentatively agrees.
"I saw Reiner and Porco kissing the other day," Nifa interrupts.
"And I saw Reiner and Berthold hold hands on their way home," Hange mutters, taking a bite from her sandwich.
"I'm not sure," Moblit rubs his neck. "But I think I caught Pieck making out with Yelena the other day."
"So it's still complicated," Nifa mournfully concludes. "At least, their love life is more interesting than mine..."
"Speaking of love," Moblit quietly begins. Both Hange and Nifa whip their heads to stare at him. Moblit's cheeks turn pink, but he stubbornly continues to look at Hange. "I wanted to ask if..."
Whatever he wanted to ask, Hange doesn't get a chance to find out. Because in the next second, a shadow flashes past them. It appears by her side and drapes a leather jacket over her shoulders.
"It's too cold today," Levi explains, as he sits down next to her, inserting himself between Hange and Moblit.
It's not cold at all, and, besides Hange is wearing a warm pullover.
But that's not the only thing that confuses her. What is Levi doing here? Why is he sitting so close to her? And why is he glaring at Moblit?
"Why are you here, Levi?" Hange decides to start with the easiest question.
"Can't find Farlan and Isabel," he answers flippantly, not taking his eyes from Moblit.
Now that's most certainly a lie. Hange can clearly see Isabel and Farlan sitting in their usual spot, in the furthest corner of cafeteria. And even if she didn't turn around to locate them, Isabel's delighted cackling is heard even from a distance.
"It's best if I go," Moblit says, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead.
"I'll go with you," Nifa offers, taking her trail.
"We are just friends, my ass," she angrily mutters, throwing another exasperated look at Hange and Levi.
Hange turns to Levi as soon as her friends leave, she really, really wants to know what the fuck had just happened, but she opens her mouth in the exact moment that a bell rings.
Levi wordlessly gets up and disappears in the crowd of students. He forgets to take back his jacket.
  ***
As Hange moves from class to class, everyone keeps staring at her. It’s not bad kind of attention, no one whispers insults behind her back, Erwin actually approaches, offering sincere congratulations, and when she meets Zeke’s gaze in the hallway, she sees a spark of fear there, and it fills her with a deep sense of satisfaction, but— it also makes her confused.
Why did Levi give his jacket to her? Why did he give her his jacket so many times before? Why has she never seen Isabel or Farlan wear it? What makes her special?
Hange always enjoyed solving riddles. She is determined to find a solution to this one as well.
  ***
After her last class, Hange rushes to the rooftop. Just as she expected, Levi is there. And, luckily, he’s all alone.
He’s smoking, but as soon as he notices her presence, he puts the cigarette out and waves his hand, getting rid of the smoke.
Sitting beside him, Hange shoots him a grateful smile.
“So did you know about the dance they’re organizing this weekend?” she begins, skipping the pleasentries and small talk. As she speaks, she tilts her head to the side to stare at Levi’s profile. In the light of a setting sun, he looks even more handsome. Her heart picks up its speed. She ignores it and forces words out of her throat. “Do you wish to go?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Hange wonders, not saddened by his answer at all. She was expecting nothing else, after all.  “Just imagine – me in a dress and with shitty, smeared lipstick and you in a shirt and tie… We’ll be dancing in a stuffy auditorium, drinking spiced punch and having fun with our peers…”
Levi visibly shudders at her words. “I’d rather jump off this roof.”
Hange snickers in her palm. “And if I go with Moblit?” she asks, watching Levi with a sly smile.
“I’ll throw him off this roof.”
That’s exactly the answer Hange was expecting. Even so, her heart does a flip and her breathing speeds up. Her cheeks feel hot and a wide grin is pulling on her lips. The scariest part is over, but the nerves don’t die out. There are still a few questions she needs answers to.
“And if I asked you out to the movies…”
“That’s not a bad idea…” Levi mumbles, keeping his eyes trained on his feet.
Hange gathers the last of her courage.
“And if I kissed you right now?”
Her heart stops, as she nervously waits for a reply. Millennia pass before she hears Levi’s gruff voice.
“That’s… a very good idea.”
He turns to her, staring at her and the intensity of his piercing gaze makes Hange weak in the knees. There is a moment, where nothing happens, but it lasts for no longer than a heartbeat. Then Levi cups her cheek and moves closer, his lips hovering above hers.
Hange closes her eyes and shortens the small distance that separates them.
The kiss is short, chaste and more than a little bit awkward. Even so, it’s the first kiss in her life and Hange lets her lips linger on Levi’s for a little longer, savoring that moment and committing it to her memory.
When they pull apart, Levi doesn’t let her go. If anything he brings her even closer, bumping their foreheads together.
His eyes are warm and soft, and Hange isn’t sure if she had seen anything more beautiful. But then she lets her eyes wander, slipping lower, and she sees a smile that blooms on his face. She can’t decide what she likes to stare at more – his eyes or his smile. After a second of intense debating, Hange comes to conclusion that both his eyes and his smile are equally breathtaking.
She thinks of asking for another kiss, when she remembers something just as important.
“I finally did it, Levi!” she loudly announces, throwing her hands in the air. “I fulfilled the fourth condition!”
Levi pushes her away with a groan. “Why must you always ruin the atmosphere…” he wonders with a deep scowl on his face.
To be honest, Hange liked it better when he smiled. But, luckily, now she knows a sure way to placate him.
With a gentle smile on her lips, she pulls him closer for another kiss.
246 notes · View notes
bxllafanficc · 3 years
Text
Lady of mischief- Part five
Pairing: Loki x Greek!goddess f!reader
Summary: Asgard is having a change of power so there are several events Loki has to get right before he can announce victory against his brother as the next king. But one lady’s approval will change the whole outcome if the stakes are right. That lady is you, intended heir to the throne of Olympus but tied down to a marriage of convenience with one of the princes of Asgard. The prince you choose to marry will be the next king but you refuse to let yourself be a pawn in this game for power. Loki, with his intentions to take you as his queen has far greater reason to marry you than just for the reason of being king. You however, would rather cut off your left arm than exposing yourself for the fact that there’s another purpose besides Loki getting a throne to sit on.
Tumblr media
One week later and you found yourself at a sea cliff on Asgard’s largest known bay. You’d brought Henna with you, just like every other day since you got officially banished. Now you couldn’t stand being in the castle and spent almost every waking hour in the city, avoiding the royal family at all cost. Odin even demanded you ate breakfast with them since you were an honored guest but of course you never showed.
Zeus left the day after the banquet and not a word from your parents. They probably didn’t even blink the second he told them their daughter had been locked in with an entire castle of self-centered gods.
“Gods are assholes!” You threw a rock at the size of a basketball into the water and glared at the splash, secretly hoping your father Poseidon would sense it and feel guilt. That was impossible, of course. A Greek god holds no power at the realm of Norse gods.
“My lady, you’re a god.” Henna stayed seated at a comfy rock she found the first day coming to the cliff. She said it was the perfect fit for her to relax her always perfect posture without sloping. You always told her you don’t care if she sloped at non-formal occasions.
“Yes, Henna. Me included.” You were just surprised she didn’t faint because you used such a mundane word, a thing you picked up from the humans on a visit once.
“I can’t stop thinking about what I said to the prince. It was a decade ago, yes, but he still remembers it. Probably thinks about it every time he sees me!” You tried to concentrate on the real reason you were here. To practice. You’d never win anyone’s respect if you couldn’t control your powers. You started with the hardest, the sea; a force that doesn’t want to be tamed.
A pulsing body of water drove up from the sea and flew in front of you. The goal was to force it into a perfect shaped globe, forcing the sea to obey so thoroughly. To your luck the liquid started obeying your wish when you put all your concentration to use. Almost a solid globe. You’d only need a few more seconds to-
“And I’ve already said you should apologize to him. Who knows, you two might hug it out and the next thing you know you wake up naked in his chambers the next day.”
The almost globe burst into millions of droplets and salt burned in your eyes at the shock. Your vision blurred out and you coughed on the water that went down your airways. Heat went to your cheeks and you looked down at your soaked clothes.
“Goodness, Henna! You’ve spent too much time with the Asgardian maids.
You can’t say stuff like that!” Your voice was still faint from the couching as you scolded her. You had to put your focus to use once again to extract the water into fine droplets hanging midair in front of you. The dress was far too pretty to get stained with saltwater. The jewelry looked surreal in the light the dress radiated. Every thread of the fabric seemed to be created of pure shining starlight or liquid diamond. The dress held the beauty of a thousand stars.
No one knew where it appeared from, however. You had your own guess, of course. It laid neatly folded on your work desk one afternoon and if it was the first born prince, he would’ve left some grand note with it as well. The dress just laid there in absence of anyone claiming the rights. An apology for sure.
“Well, you said asshole if I’m not mistaken.” There it was. Henna cleared her throat as a sign to drop the subject but you knew she had a big smirk on her lips. You didn’t want to turn around to confirm it.
“Let’s try again, my lady. Why don’t you try claiming the entire wave coming right there?”
You analyzed the wave and realized what Henna was asking. The size of it was huge and it would surely crash into the cliff side underneath you. Your job was to stop that impact and lift it up to your level.
It was dead silent as you waited for the wave to arrive. With a last big engaging try you felt the power of the sea surging through you. Blocking the impact of the wave lashing itself forwards was similar feeling to getting that same wave right in the face like a wall of bricks. But it was not in vain. The water started to rise to the cliff you stood on and you had to replace your feet for a better stance. Every second the sea threatened to leash out of your hold.
“How mighty.” A soothing voice, yet laced with viciousness, appeared only a hot breath away from your ear and you screamed.
The scent of new books hit you too late and the wave had already been unleashed on the threat behind you. The water had devided around your frame, covering Henna and Loki from head to toe in seawater without showing mercy. The sea held no mercy. Right…
A moment of silence and Loki still had his eyes tightly shut, his entire body frozen in place. He’d been less than an inch from you and you hadn’t noticed. He was still less than an inch from your bodies touching.
He slowly went to wipe one of his eyes clean of water and tasted the layer of salt glancing his lips. You cursed yourself for noticing the shameful way his tongue swiped across his bottom lip. Did he take the warm weather with him somehow or why was it suddenly growing hot again? And why did he look so different with the drenched clothes hugging his frame, hair slicked back. The dripping from the each strand fell and caressed the heavy outline of his collarbones.
What were you even thinking about. He must’ve done something. A spell of some sort.
“That was unnecessary.” He said it as simple as ever and it made you grit your teeth.
Stop staring at his abs, dammit!, you thought.
It had to be a spell. This couldn’t be real.
“Why are you here?” You weren’t prepared for this. He was supposed to be on a mandatory meeting right now. Did he just right up ditch that?
“You’re no fun… I came with a proposition.”
“Of what sorts?” You eyed him with careful detail, trying to sense a trick of some sort. His gaze lingered on your appearance a little too long from what seemed appropriate. It was a thorough scan up and down and the soul behind the eyes held a strange glow. Of course he was shocked you wore the dress he bought.
“We can teach each other things. You tell me stories and history of the Ancient Greece, your kind’s gracious era and I teach you illusion magic.” He could tell your raised eyebrow was a sense of confusion. “Like, combining water and light into something entirely new. I’ll teach you how to conjure spells-“
“Like the one you’re doing now?” It just slipped out of you and it was too late to ignore. It was now his turn to look confused. The tip of his tongue came out once again to wipe off some salt and you looked away.
“What?” He asked.
“Whaaat?” You repeated along with a dumb giggle you had no idea where it came from. The already tight fabric of Loki’s shirt was riding up from the wet fabric rolling itself up. You really did try not to think about how the pearls of droplets looked like glitter in the sun on his toned stomach, but realized that you already failed. You swallowed a hot lump of dryness that caught in your throat.
So no spell then?
Loki sighed and cracked a tense muscle in his neck, a green light drying him and his clothes from bottom and up in a matter of a second (Henna remained drenched).
“Just say no quickly, there’s no reason to drag it out. I’ll leave you be when you’ve answered.” You bit your bottom lip and actually took a moment to think about it.
“Actually, it doesn’t sound too awful. But don’t you already know everything about my realm there is to know?” That earned a genuine smile from him and you thought about how that was a rare sight.
“You’d be surprised of how understocked Asgard’s library is when it comes to your history, your highness.”
“And stop calling me that! It’s weird. You never did it before so why do it now?”
“I thought you disliked me being informal.”
“Oh do shut up!”
Loki laughed and nodded in agreement. It was just then you realized how you were still inappropriately close to him and how his breath smelled of something sweet. Something brushed past your hand and Loki retracted his own with a flinch and an apologetic look.
“I’m s-“ Loki started but Henna’s loud cough and pointed glare.
“Wait!”
“Yes?”
“I don’t… I don’t find you disgusting.” You watched his expression and expected him to get upset but nothing in his body language seemed tense. If anything, his jaw and shoulders seemingly dropped.
“That’s like the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” His chuckle was bright but your gut still twisted in shame.
“No but like, I don’t find your touch disgusting. I never did, actually-“ The amount of truth you entrusted this man with was almost too much. The words were so tense on the way out that you started coughing.
“Then why did you-“
“I don’t know! No more questions though. All I know is that it was far from unpleasant and that’s all you need to know for now.” Loki raised his eyebrow, lips slightly parted. You understood you’d talked before your brain caught up with you again.
“No, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean!” Your hands fiddled on the edges of the dress, only to flatten out the fabric right after. The dry lump just couldn’t seem to go down.
“Oh I sure do… And I agree with you on how we speak to each other. I hate speaking to you formally! It doesn’t sit right for me especially. Then I wouldn’t be able to say the stuff I actually want.”
“Like what?” You regretted asking immediately but couldn’t bring yourself to step back as he leaned in.
Lips brushed against your earlobe and his scent was all up in your world, along with the surreal warmth that always seemed to follow him.
“That dress looks absolutely ravishing on you, (Y/n). I never thought you’d wear it to be honest. We’re you really planning on fleeing the castle on such an occasion and not letting me see any of the beauty?” His voice turned low again and the always present rasp seemed extra present today.
The dry lump finally went down.
“You could’ve gifted it to someone else if you wanted to see the dress on an actual body instead of a hanger.”
A low rumbling came from his chest and erupted in his throat. It took you a moment to realize that the sound was a chuckle.
“See, I don’t think that’s true. Yes, any person could wear it, but I can’t think of anyone else who could wear one of the most beautiful things crafted ever and the most beautiful thing in the room would still remain the person in it.”
You couldn’t move your body. It was frozen in place even though the blood in your veins was literally boiling. You were almost thankful that he was so close. That way he wouldn’t see your red cheeks.
“You don’t mean that.”
“Why would I lie about it? Meet me in the library tomorrow after breakfast. I look forward to our time together.”
(A/N: Hi! Don’t hesitate to comment on each chapter what you thought about it/if you liked it since that keeps me motivated to keep writing. Also reblog so my story reaches a wider audience, if you really liked it! Your support is much appreciated. Also let me know if you want to be added to the tag list for this series. Have a good day, lovelies!)
Find the other parts in my MASTERLIST
Tag list: @liffydaze
@queen-of-mischief
@girl-obsessed-with-things
@obsessivelysearching
@reverse-iak
@perpetually-exhausted-and-tired
60 notes · View notes
thoughts-on-bangtan · 3 years
Text
Let’s talk: Vlive Asks and comment/chat discussions
From @cottoncandykings​: Hello! As u probably know jimin just went live recently and again he mentioned mandaggo and discussing about doing it with tae. I just find it so weird though. I mean jimin keeps constantly mentioning it and its not like vminnies were begging or dying for a vmin live everyday even before jimin mentioned it last year. Even now most including myself dont really care that much ofc i m happy if they do one together. But the way jimin keeps mentioning it is so weird. Like surely if he wanted to do it so badly he could have talked to tae privately and arranged it by now. And if tae is the one that doesnt want to do it then idk why jimin is pushing it. But what was really weird to me this time was that he said there were lots of comments about mandaggo yesterday in zoom call and yet they didnt mention it yesterday but suddenly today without prompting he talks about it. I also hope no one spammed the zoom call chat or the vlive chat with requests for vmin live (i didnt see any) bcoz thats just unnecessary and demanding. I hope vminnies wont demand/ ask for another memeber when one of them is live. Its just disrespectful. This turned into a rant sorry. Do you think it was weird too?
Since Admin 2 can’t type their thoughts themselves, I’ll relay their thoughts to you instead, since they had more thoughts/opinions/ideas in regard to this than I do, to be honest.
Admin 2 is sure that there is a good chance that we will get a vmin vlive sometime soon, which I know contradicts their original opinion and post from a few months ago, but there’s a reason for it. During the zoom meeting between BTS and ARMY they noticed something I don’t think anyone else noticed, or at least neither of us has seen any vminnies mention it anywhere, which in conjunction with Jimin’s vlive today and saying how he’d talk to Tae about doing a mandaggo vlive again, as well as another observation a little while ago, leads them to this conclusion.
So, the observation from the zoom meeting. Basically at one point when the question of Jimin doing a vlive arose Tae looks at Jimin and then he nods while smiling which in turn makes Jimin smile as he turns away from Tae and back to face toward the camera before answering the question and saying how he’ll come visit us the next day. Which he did.
Tumblr media
Then the other observation from a while ago, this one being from their OT7 vlive celebrating their BBH100 #1 on June 29th where at one point Jimin says something but slips into satoori after which Tae encourages him to say that again but this time in the Seoul accent, so the way they actually should speak, which Jimin says isn’t difficult but he doesn’t actually end up repeating what he said.
Tumblr media
And lastly in today’s vlive Jimin mentioned how he’s using satoori quite often but that he isn’t all that good at doing it on command or at teaching it to others, which is something he’d have to do for mandaggo but I’m sure he’d manage just fine if the time came for it.
Tumblr media
Based on that Admin 2′s thoughts are basically that Jimin really meant it when he said, last year, that he’ll bring Tae around for a vlive, that it wasn’t a joke or a way to tease us with something he knew he wouldn’t be able to deliver, but rather that up until this point they weren’t quite sure how to do it. Which sounds a bit odd, I know, but what they mean is that if vmin were to just sit down in front of the camera and were supposed to just talk based on what the chat would give them, it would likely just turn out awkward and weird and no one, including them, would really have fun. Even more so when we take into account how idiotic the chat is during regular vlives so now imagine if those two were to do one together that’s just a casual chat. It would likely end up in disaster and honestly I wouldn’t wish it upon them to read all those awful comments that they would likely get, even worse ones than they already get normally, to be honest.
But now that the whole satoori thing was brought up, and Jimin actually mentioned mandaggo and wanting to bring it back after so many years, Admin 2 thinks that they must’ve finally figured out a solution to their problem, if you can call it that. Doing mandaggo would basically mean they would have an activity, something to do similar to how they did those ASMR videos for the Japanese Fan Club which were fun and cute, and so Admin 2 thinks that perhaps chances are we will finally get the vlive we’ve waited for so long (though like many others I’ve long given up the idea).
Another confirmation is that during his vlive today Jimin basically said that he only came by for a little while since they are quite busy and had to soon get ready for work with the other members but that he’ll return in two or three weeks for a more proper, longer, vlive. So, he could’ve treated today’s vlive as the promised one but instead he saw it more as a bridging one between the zoom meeting and the proper vlive he wants to do, so is it the farfetched to think that he had proper plans for a vlive, like doing mandaggo, but it just wouldn’t have worked out time wise today so he moved the actual vlive he wanted to make to a later date?
One last thing (well two actually) that has nothing to do with this question but Admin 2 wanted me to include it anyway is that one, have you noticed how Tae and Jimin were both on weverse around 3 am (until almost 4am (also both of them posting a comment to some post at 03:41 am KST)) one after the other (though with one day of a break in between them) recently and then also two, that Jimin was up until like 6 am (since he posted on weverse around that time) on the 8th and then during the zoom meeting Tae answered a question by saying that he’d been awake until 6 am the previous day (also the 8th) since he wanted to see the sunrise? Which is also something an anon mentioned to us. Curious, isn’t it?
Tumblr media
From anon: I request both admins to please post this ask. So jimin wwnt live today and one of the accounts on twt posted a screen cap of them commenting 'touch your hair if vmin is real' in the live chat and jimin's reaction to it. Now idk if it is an edit or real. No matter i just want to say its not ok to bring up ships in front of the members no matter which ship it is. We dont know the reality of their relationship so lets not make them uncomfortable. Its not a joke. Its not funny. Be respectful the members are real people.
(Admin 1 taking over from this point onward) This ask nicely ties into the last one that’ll be further down in this post since they cover a similar issue of sorts. But let’s start with this one asking about, essentially, vlive comments and the things fans ask/comment, which also ties in with the above ask as well.
The thing with the vlive chat, and especially comments/questions that are like anon said, questions or “commands/requests” about touch your hair if XYZ ship is real or cough twice if you love XYZ member or, likewise, comments such as where is XYZ member or what are the other members doing, unfortunately those have been a steady and unchanging part of the vlive chat since basically forever. It’s been an issue on and off with different intensities though I feel like it’s gotten worse again this year. Particularly if we look back at the vlive Tae did with Hobi and Yoongi and how essentially the entire chat was filled with comments related to Xkook and not much else.
If my memory doesn’t fail me we once even had a situation some years ago (2016) where the chat during Hobi’s vlive was so bad, as in so full of questions about that other members instead of him, that you could see he was upset about it and eventually he handed over the vlive to Jimin, whom the chat had requested Hobi to visit, and Hobi just left. And I can’t blame him for it since the chat must’ve made him feel like basically no one cared about him so what was even the point of him being there, right?
Tumblr media
Personally I’ve long given up looking at the comments during vlive because they just make me cringe and feel bad for the members, especially when I think back to vlives such as Yoongi’s D2 one last year where he was so excited to talk about the songs and the process of making the mixtape and yet so many of the comments were just unrelated nonsense and annoying request like speak english or can you say my name or say hello in XYZ language. If it makes me question why the people posting those questions are in the chat, why they are fans to begin with, imagine what the members must feel like, how discouraging that must feel like. After all they are musicians and yet so rarely do they get questions about that. Or rather they do get them but they are just drowned out by nonsense. Which is a shame. And also very disrespectful but any attempts that were made to remind people to be respectful, to remember their place as fans, to focus on the member that’s doing the vlive instead of asking about the others, and to keep ships away from the members have failed because some don’t care and will continue to not care.
From anon: what are your opinions on the Qs that were asked during that zoom meeting thing between BTS and ARMY?
Now I’d like to preface my answer to this last question by saying that by no means do my grievances come from a place of jealousy or anything. I’m very happy for all the ARMYs that won their spot, that they got to participate in the event and that BTS got to see ARMYs again even if only on screens and not in person still. No, my issue stems from something completely different, and I don’t want to say that the system chose the wrong people, because that would be mean and also who even knows how the winners were chosen, if it was pure luck or there were some actual criteria that went into the process, but the fact is that only a select 200 ARMYs got that spot out of however many that applied, so basically for some this was a once in a lifetime chance, right, even just getting this close to asking Bangtan a question and have really great chances of having them give you an answer while acknowledging you somewhat instead of just seeing pure words on a screen, you know what I mean?
Now imagine you are one of those 200 ARMYs and you get the chance to fill the chat with questions along with the other 49 participants of your session and you decide that asking questions such as what it’s like for Jimin to work as angel, if Namjoon ever broke a bicycle, or why JK smells the crowns of the other members heads? Or even worse, you decide to ask about JKs shower routine and in which order he washes his body? And sure, the “fault” doesn’t fall completely on the ARMYs alone, after all it’s the members who read out those questions and not some magical off screen entity, and since I wasn’t part of the event I can’t say with a hundred percent certainty that no one asked any “proper” questions, but if those were the questions that ended up being read out loud, is it that hard to guess that likely all the questions looked similarly? 
Which brings me to my main grievance of it all: have you forgotten that you are fans of musicians and not reality TV stars or vloggers/influencers? I know there were likely no rules for what questions you could or couldn’t ask (except for probably ones that were 100% about shipping or far too personal), but really, you get to ask your favorite band a question, something you might never, ever get the chance to do again, and your first thought isn’t to ask about their music but instead about some unimportant nonsense like the angel question or if they differentiate between the clothes they wear at home and those they sleep in? Like sure the angel one was kinda funny, maybe, and Jimin handled it in a cute way, I applaud him for it, but was that really necessary?
I know someone asked JK about Decalcomania, as well as Tae about his mixtape, and Yoongi/Jimin about Tony Montana (season 2), but other than that were there any other questions about their music? Perhaps I’m overthinking things, maybe I’m exaggerating and maybe I’m the only one who sees an issue with this, but if I would’ve won a spot, I’d rather have asked something about their process when writing lyrics or creating beats or how they prepare when learning new choreographies, what it’s like to be on tour (though perhaps that would be a mean question seeing as tours aren’t really something that’ll continue being possible for a while still), you get the point.
It makes me wonder if it was just bad luck or if it had something to do with how old the participants were (I saw some being as young as fifteen), which isn’t to say that teens can’t ask smart questions because they definitely can just like adults can ask stupid ones as well, but somewhere something, in my opinion, just went weirdly. And maybe that was the point of it all, for the event to be casual, funny, lighthearted, but my question then is when is the time for music discussions? For fans to ask those types of questions that actually have something to do with the boys careers? When even journalists aren’t asking them proper questions, ARMYs aren’t either, so what is the point of it all then?
Then again, after the event concluded and Seokjin came onto vlive he seemed so happy and excited, so maybe they had fun (I mean they seemed to have fun) and didn’t mind at all that the questions were lighthearted and silly, maybe I’m the one making mountains out of molehills. I don’t know, but anon wanted to know my thoughts/opinions, and this is them. Once again, I don’t mean to be mean toward the ARMYs that got rightfully in, that won, and I don’t want to insult them for the questions they asked, perhaps I just expected/hoped for something a little different? And perhaps I’m the only one. I don’t know. 
66 notes · View notes