#6 Weeks Summer Training in Python

[manicpixiefelix]

at the other end of the leash

{ One-Shot for head, heart, hand. }

@vannyangelxoxo asked: can you write Felix beating someone’s ass for reader? Summary: You convince Felix to go with you to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in one of the last weeks of Summer before you begin your first year at Oxford University. While out on the town during the Festival, Felix finds himself enchanted with one of the performers, an avant-guarde acrobat named Magnus. The perfect night quickly goes south, however, as Felix discovers someone trying to take advantage of you, and he immediately steps in. Of course.

Need to Know: They/Them. Explicitly NB Reader. FWB!Reader/Felix. Reader is from a well off family but has pretty much been adopted by the Cattons. Set at the end of Summer before Felix and Reader start their first year of university at Oxford. Established Bi Felix.

Warnings: heavy themes; reader is slipped a roofie at a club and a stranger attempts to take them home, and it's heavily implied that he plans to assault them. felix gets there in time, which leads to the second warning of VIOLENCE. felix beats that motherfucker to a bloody mess. it doesn't get super gorey/explicit but there is a lot of blood. also there is discussions of nudity, non explicit sex, and recreational drug use in the club.

A/N: 6053 words. well, would you look at that. another request that got outrageously out of hand. this is also a personal homage to Edinbugh Fringe Festival, my beloved, my home for 6 weeks of the year. id also like to state that it's a wonderful place to be; the roofie plot is 100% fictionalised. the rest of it is a pastiche of real things that i have actually experienced. i cannot stress enough the raw animal attraction of a man named magnus who can and will flirt with anyone and everyone while getting drinks after his shows, who performs several times a week with his dick out, wearing eyeliner, heavily tattooed, who smokes and has pretty eyes. that's all i have to say about that.

TAGLIST IN COMMENTS!! // TAGLIST ALWAYS OPEN ! (just message or comment to be added)

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"Come on Fi, it's the last weeks of Summer before we start uni," you'd been rather desperately imploring, as if Felix had ever known how to refuse you when you actually wanted something, "you know Monty Python started there before they were even Monty Python," you told him knowingly, which was certainly interesting, though not particularly relevant. Finally you sighed, splaying yourself out over the sofa you'd been sitting, looking up at him from as he entered the room. Now you were spread out foolishly, childishly, looking up at him with imploring eyes, "Fi we've spent a month lazing around the house and I know your parents have no other events planned before we go back, except for the party on the second last night; we'll be back before then, I promise! I want to spend time watching strange show, meeting people I'd never imagine, and drinking cocktails named after famous poets from rustic bars!"

It had been your suggestion to go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a few days, and despite the exhaustingly long train ride and the hotel prices that would probably cripple anyone less well off than you - Felix had agreed. Of course he'd agreed; you sounded so hopeful.

Which is how you'd found yourself in an underground club on a Friday night, dancefloor packed with more bodies than sense, and a twenty minute line for drinks. Tonight he'd been feeling especially bold, forgoing a jacket altogether, spending time in the mirror with you before heading out to see the show you'd chosen for the evening - a compelling one-man show about being gay in Australia, in a less compelling, cramped venue. So now here he was, in one of his more fetching dark, silk, button-down t-shirts, eyeliner on his waterline, mascara even though he claimed to not need it, a touch of glitter by his temples, and his favourite brown lipstick that he'd agonised over.

Not long after you'd come out, you'd tried wearing eyeliner with the male, private school uniform - I can- I should be allowed to do whatever I want, right? - and the minute after Felix had gotten out of suspension for smacking a kid who called you a slur, he went out and bought his own eyeliner. His collection had only grown from there. It really was a shame that people seemed to think it was reserved for femininity. Well, as it turned out, people who weren't part of things like Fringe Festivals.

Felix fit right in tonight.

It's a little thrilling; these people, in neon underwear and wigs and makeup that would forever outshine his own efforts, they look at him differently. Drugs passed around him - oh darling, would you like some? But once he'd ask what they were and the kind soul goes to check, they're pulled away by some other shiny thing to focus on. Always too close, tits out with nipple pasties being sweated off, he's sure he saw someone's dick out on the dance floor, the most beautiful, feminine, sculpted faces on the hairiest male bodies sporting only a gold speedo. Confusing and foreign and everyone smiling at him.

Felix wasn't quite sure where you'd gotten too, especially not since he'd found himself caught in the blue-eyed gaze of a stocky punk with a face tattoo and carefully loose hair pulled back into a low bun. Nose piercings and ears with stretched holes that Felix could see all the way through, black silicone bordering the void almost like it was intended to match the black makeup around his eyes, though it looks worn, half sweated through. Still, Felix can't help but be enchanted by the way it made his blue eyes peak so brightly through. Felix didn't think he had much of a type when it came to guys, but he'd always found something very charming about dark hair and blue, mischievous eyes.

"Magnus," he'd introduced himself as with much confidence and yelling over the music, and when Felix introduced himself, asked if he was here for the festival, Magnus smiles wider. Felix thinks very distinctly of biting. "Actually here blowing off steam after a show," a performer then, "part of an avant guarde acrobatics troupe," a very flexible performer.

"How... long have you been doing that?"

"About three years now," Magnus squints into the distance as he tried to recall, "since I was nineteen."

"Oh," Felix brightens up, adding without thinking, "I'm nineteen." And immediately hangs his head with embarrassment. Thankfully, instead of calling him a kid - despite only being twenty-two; everyone in their twenties seemed to like calling him a baby, even if they'd turned twenty yesterday - and laughs.

"Oh thank god," he claps Felix on the shoulder, "because I was definitely going to ask."

"It's a pub," Felix points out, as if no-one underage has ever snuck into a pub ever. Magnus gives him a sidelong smile.

"With no security in sight, mate," he snorted. Felix had noticed that drugs were being passed around like candy, but he hadn't really considered it beyond that. Magnus, however, points to a couple that have been grinding on each other on a bar stool several feet away, "he's been fucking her like that for the past fifteen minutes." Felix's brows shot up.

"Really?!" He gasped; Magnus grinned like the Cheshire cat, mentioning in a far too offhand way that they were also friends of his, "should we move?"

"It's the furthest you're going to be from some kind of sex act unless you want to go outside," he gave a loud, pleased sigh at the environment, seeming entirely at home. Felix is struck with the immediate and vivid image of Magnus in his beautiful leather jacket pressing him up against this very wall, hand slipping beneath the waistband of Felix's pants; the freedom of everyone seeing and nobody caring and -

"What's avant guarde about it-" Felix clears his throat awkwardly, "the acrobatics, I mean, if I may ask?" Felix tries to remain polite while he knows he's blushing all over. All he hopes is that this man beside him that he's just met can't tell how loudly he's thinking holy shit have I met someone who could throw me around the room with ease? Is that something I want? He's never really thought about it before -

"You ever seen three people stand on each other's shoulders all at once in the full monty?" As if that's a real question Felix is supposed to have a real answer to, but Magnus stood just a little taller, just a little prouder, "I'm the lad at the bottom, holding us all secure, cock out for the world to see." What a fucking mental image.

Magnus also informs Felix that the tattoo on his face, the delicate dagger, has its match somewhere else on his body. It's with a staggering amount of confidence that immediately flusters Felix that Magnus tells him he can either buy a ticket to the show, or buy him a drink if he'd like to see it. He's pretty sure he's never been so directly and effectively hit on before in his entire life. Yes, counting the trips you, he, Farleigh, and Venetia took to France that Summer in high school.

Standing in line, thinking about beautiful, punk, acrobat Magnus and what Felix can only assume is his tattooed cock, it takes him a long while to realise that he's nearing the bar and has been staring at some guy's drinks for a full minute. Something colourful and fizzing, something with vodka he's pretty sure. It takes another moment to register something falling into one of the drinks from between the man's fingers as he goes to take them away -

"Hey!" It could have been an accident, it could have been nothing, but Felix wouldn't be able to forgive himself if it wasn't, "dude, hey!" He tries to snatch at the guy's denim jacket, but he slips into the crowd. Trying to jam himself up to the bar, despite everyone else's annoyance, he tries to tell the bartender, but the man's already disappeared too far.

Vaguely distressed, but mostly dejected, he steps back to his place, and waiting another few long moments for his turn at the bar. Even as his gaze roams the crowd for the potential bastard, he can't seem to see him. But he looses track of his thoughts on the matter when he gets back to Magnus, leaning against the wall with half a cigarette tucked behind his ear, and those gorgeous blue eyes drinking in Felix as he approaches.

"Was almost worried I'd lost you there," he slings an arm around Felix's waist, drawing him in close, accepting the drink with a grin, and all Felix can think about is how warm he is, how he smells sweet and like rich herbs and smoke. He asks what Felix does, and Felix tries his very best not to sound as young as he suddenly feels -

"Remains to be seen," he leans into speak into Magnus's ear, musting the confidence he knows he usually has in spades, wrapping his own arm around Magnus's shoulders, "about to start at Oxford in a few days -"

"Oxford!" Felix isn't sure if Magnus is teasing him or not. He's also not sure that he minds, he kind of wants the man to keep looking at him- keep smiling at him like that.

He's so enraptured by the company he's found for himself that it almost startles him when you come stumbling out of the crowd, off of the dance floor, beaming and sweating, holding a half-finished drink.

"Fi, there you are- oh my, hi, hello!" You're already giving Magnus a million watt smile, clearly quite drunk. Felix catches you with his free hand, having finished his own drink not too long ago.

"Hello, sweetheart," Magnus greets you warmly, but with an unmistakable hint of reservation, gaze momentarily flicking between yourself and Felix, trying to reassess the situation in the blink of an eye. You don't seem to notice that, however, simply standing a little taller, subtly preening at the pet name.

"Y/N is my best mate," Felix leans in close to Magnus to explain, voice fond in his ear, "the reason I'm here at all." And there's that smile again, all warm and amused and Magnus' eyes shining in a way that makes Felix want to let him do terrible, unspeakable things to him.

"Lucky for us both then, that you have such a darling friend."

Performers are a different fucking breed of people, Felix can't help but think to himself, even as Magnus turns - arm never leaving it's place around Felix - to properly introduce himself to you. He thinks it again watching Magnus charm you just as easily, even if he wasn't trying to outright hit on you the way he had been with Felix.

"I was just- I was just-" you stumble over your words, taking another sip of your drink - something colourful and fizzing, vodka something, you'd said with an offhand frown, a lovely guy I've been dancing with bought it for me - while you take Magnus' offered free hand to steady yourself, "I was thinking of heading back to the hotel pretty shortly, I'm a bit -" you make a vague hand gesture. Before you can even finish the sentiment, however, the next song begins and you light up. Finishing your drink, you grab Felix's free hand with your own, tugging them both towards the dance floor, begging them for one dance.

"How could I say no to a face like that?" Magnus teases, letting himself be dragged onto the dancefloor, Felix adding with a fond smile.

"Trust me, I wouldn't know."

Glad for the company, you gleefully let loose amongst the crush of bodies, and there's something both endearing, and endlessly attractive, about how happy Magnus seems to match your energy. The three of you jumping around to The Sex Pistols, Magnus shouting along with all of the lyrics and seemingly impressed that you and Felix at the very least seem to know some of them.

After the song, however, you seem to slip back into the crowd on the dancefloor, as if once more transfixed by the lights and movement and heat of the night. Magnus, however, leans in and asks if Felix smokes.

Outside it's far easier to breathe. It's cooler too. Still, Magnus pulls off his leather jacket, ties it around his hips, leaving him in a tight, white t-shirt. Felix has known in a roundabout way that he wasn't straight for quite some time, but damn did reminders like this not feel like being hit by a truck. Covered in tattoos and with the kind of arms and shoulders the Greeks could model statues of gods from, Felix knows he's staring but quite literally does not know how to stop.

Except then Magnus is pulling out an actual, metal cigarette deck, offering it to Felix for him to take one, and Felix is pretty sure this is the coolest person he's ever met in his life.

"I love these," Magnus takes Felix's hand in his free one, clicking the cigarette deck closed and sliding it smoothly back into his pocket, "these are cute," he's looking at the silly, little collection of stars tattooed on his hand. They look like nothing compared to the ink all over Magnus, but he seems genuine in his interest.

"Surprise gift for my sister," Felix hears himself say, cigarette between his lips as he fumbles in his pockets for a lighter.

"For your sister?"

"Well it was a surprise to me too," Felix chuckles at the memory, "Y/N and I organised for me and Venetia to get matching tattoos of her choice for her birthday."

"You... didn't know?" Magnus snorts, dropping Felix's hand to take the half-cigarette out from behind his ear, holding it out for Felix to light.

"Well I'm not opposed, I've got a couple of tattoos - nothing like yours," he grins, and Magnus's gaze meets his, flashing with that same amusement and attraction as in the club that had so captivated Felix in the first place, "but I'm kind of surprised that that's what Y/N gifted her?"

"Did your sister not like it?"

"No, that's the thing, I've actually never seen Ven react like that to a gift before," Felix muses; smiling at the memory, "of course she was a menace about it at first; I was worried she'd been given too much power," he snorted, tipping his head to look at Magnus, only to see those blue eyes gazing back, as if hanging on Felix's every word, "do you know how close I came to having a tramp stamp?"

"As if you wouldn't look fantastic with a tramp stamp," Magnus snorted.

However before the story can even be finished, the door to the club opens and both turn at the sound of your voice.

"No, I need some water first -" you sound very wrong. The person beside you, a man who looks vaguely familiar, though Felix is sure it's not his face, is setting almost too brisk of a pace.

"Come on, there's water back at my place, remember?"

"I need to go back to the hotel," you tried to insist, "and water- 'm gonna throw up in the taxi."

"You'll be fine, I promise, I've got you." The man's hailing at taxi, while you're swaying on your feet, looking even more out of it than you had when they'd last seen you.

Felix is moving on instinct, without hesitation, without even thinking.

"The fuck are you doing?" His voice raises, and the man turns right as a taxi is pulling up, looking at Felix with blatant irritation, not appearing to be intimidated in the slightest.

"Back off man, my friend isn't feeling well-" the bastard lies through his teeth, even as you of course recognise Felix, and take his arm, mumbling that you felt sick, "see?" He actually tries to pry you away from Felix, "I'm taking care of them, no need to worry -" but Felix puts his hand on yours, secure. Just as well, since you start to list and lean and lose your balance.

"Fi," you mutter weakly, pitifully, "help."

And that's when Felix realises what he recognises about the man; the jacket that slipped through his fingers at the bar. The man he'd seen dose your drink, as it turned out.

Felix has never seen red in his life the way he has in this moment.

Fury simmers white-hot just beneath his skin, though he keeps himself calm and collected as he gently walks you over to the wall of the club, easing you into a sitting position. All the while the bastard that was with you is berating him, saying you just needed to get somewhere to lie down. Magnus, however, seems to understand what's happening, and sits himself down beside you at the wall, quietly asking one of the many onlooker to go inside and grab some water for you.

"Fine, sit 'em on the filthy fucking pavement in the middle of the city instead of letting them lie down in a bed to sleep it off; you feel good? You feel like a hero for not letting me take my friend home -?"

There is an audible crack when Felix's fist makes impact with the bastard's nose. He knows once his adrenaline wears off it's going to hurt like a motherfucker, but it's worth it. More blood splatters across them both than Felix was anticipating from his wonky uppercut, but he doesn't care. The man half recovers, unsteady, but he gets a hit on Felix's cheeks with a fist full of rings, but he seems almost disorientated. Felix goes for the throat this time, satisfaction being the sound of the man choking on his gurgle of pain.

Felix isn't quite sure what it was that sent the bastard crashing to the ground, but he does know that he's tearing through that man's coat pockets like a feral beast before he finds the bottle of pills like the one he saw fall into your drink.

It's like the entire world stops for this one second.

His knuckles ache, covered in blood that isn't his own, clutching the same roofies that were now coursing through your blood, making you weak and vulnerable and prey to bastards like this. His head spins, fury spitting in his veins, blood singing to tear this man apart. There were on lookers, a gasping crowd, but for some reason no bouncer in sight, no-one stopping this.

And you, sitting against the wall of the pub, tucked up against Magnus who had a protective arm around you and was looking at the man beneath you with something cold in his eyes. His other hand was balancing a glass of water on his leg next to you, for you, but you didn't move, just looked at your hands, helpless. Magnus's cold gaze slides to meet Felix's, and there's something approving in his eyes. He gives the faintest nod.

Felix kind of blacks out after that.

The next thing he remembers is being shoved into a taxi rather frantically, hearing Magnus shout - well get him on his side so he doesn't choke on his blood before the ambulance arrives. You're already in, leaning against the window seat, gazing vacantly out of it. Felix gently touches your shoulder once the door shuts behind him- fuck that seems like a lot of blood? When did that happen? You make a vague hum of acknowledgement, so Felix shuffles over to the middle seat and coaxes you to rest against him.

"Fi?"

"Of course," he cradles you against him.

"Fi," your voice is weak, he can hear you beginning to sniffle. Your words come out awkwardly, slurred terribly, "feels wrong, c'nt.. m've."

"I know, I'm sorry," Felix feels the tears in his own eyes, "you'll be okay, I'm here, you'll be okay." He can't believe he let this happen. The front door opens, and Magnus's voice greets the driver.

"Sorry about the state of them in the back -"

"'s Friday, laddie," the terribly aged, terribly Scottish taxi driver says blithely, "where shall I be takin' yas?"

Magnus looks over the back to you both, expression concerned, but genuine, and asks for the address of your hotel. Felix takes a moment to compose himself, but finally gives it, and the drive commences in silence.

It seems only natural for Magnus to also get out once you've all arrived, easily sliding into step with Felix as they both wrapped one of your arms around their shoulders and helped get you back through the hotel and up to your room.

"Thank you, Magnus," Felix says softly as he fishes the key from his pocket, "I'm so sorry about how the night turned out." Magnus actually laughed at that, and Felix opened the door.

"Felix, if the context weren't so dramatically, disgustingly awful, this would be the most fun night I've had all Fringe." And you all shuffle inside, Felix guiding you all towards the bedroom to lay you down, "nice room by the way," Magnus looks around as he passes through, "who's cock did you have to suck to afford it in the middle of the Fringe?"

"I..." Felix hesitates, "don't know if that's a first meeting kind of question."

"Well played, Oxford boy," Magnus says, but there's no malice behind the nickname, "I have my theories, though." Part of Felix is glad Magnus is there, to help lighten the load, lighten the mood, even a little.

They lay you gently on the bed, and Felix is just glad that you seemed to finally have fully passed out. He can't begin to imagine the horrors that were going on inside your head. Then it's just the two of them. And the built in wardrobe across the room with it's floor to ceiling mirror.

And all that blood on Felix.

"I look the fucking American Psycho," it's fucking horrific! What did he do? Magnus, sitting on the end of the bed with one knee crossed over the other gives an amused smile.

"You actually kind of do."

"It's not good!" Felix approaches the mirror like he's in a damn horror movie, scrubbing at his cheeks with little success, but with a surprising amount of sharp pain, "the fuck did I do? Is this all his?" Magnus, in the mirror, is looking at him curiously, "Magnus, seriously, the fuck did I do?"

"You were fucking beautiful, Felix," Magnus says, sounding almost awed. Felix stopped; there was nothing flirty, nothing about it that wasn't genuine. Wait holy shit, Felix realises, are these fucking butterflies in his chest? Now of all times?

Then, in the next moment, Magnus blinks, clearing his throat loudly, like he hadn't meant to say that. For the first time all night he looks genuinely flustered, dropping his gaze.

"You hospitalised a fucking rapist, is what you did," he said matter-of-factly with a nod - he'd nodded before, it's the last thing Felix really remembers - "proved your point to everyone there finding those fucking pills; that was a good move. I mean, I had to explain what the fuck was happening to our little audience while I was dragging you off him - didn't think you wanted to kill him."

"Thanks," Felix says weakly. Then, softly, looking down at his shaking hands, "should I go to the police?"

"For doing a public service?" Magnus snorts, shaking his head, "no, there's at least a dozen girls who will attest to him acting threatening, and to Y/N's behaviour - who was thankfully taken away by an actual kind friend - and that he admitted in a fit of rage to spiking the drinks. He'll be the one in jail if anything." It's so... easy. So nonchalant.

When Felix asks, confusion, disbelief, innocence in his voice, Magnus just smiles like the easiest thing in the world, and says he's an actor, it's his job.

"You don't have to be doing all of this," Felix covers the room in a few short steps, knowing he'll never have the words to thank this stranger for all he's done tonight.

"Are you kidding me? I'm going to be telling this story for the rest of my life," Magnus grins brightly, and his eyes shine just like that had hours ago, before everything went to hell. He leans in conspiratorially, "you broke his fucking ribs."

"I think I broke more than his ribs," Felix says with a tentatively proud smile. Magnus nodded in absolute agreement. Then, after a moment.

"Have a shower, Felix," he said, "I'm going to go downstairs to the petrol station, see what they have there, and be back in a bit; is it okay with you if I crash on the sofa -?"

"You don't have to do all this, seriously, it's late, please go home," Felix implores, taking Magnus's face in his hands. Magnus, however, looks at him like he's a fool.

"I'm going to make sure you're both okay," he pets Felix's hand on his cheek, smiling so sincerely, "and besides, if I'm down getting stuff, that way you can have a shower and know I'm not using that time to be a creep towards Y/N while you're busy."

After a moment of deliberation, Felix pulls Magnus in to press several kisses to his forehead, calling him an absolute Godsend, while Magnus laughs to hide how flustered it makes him.

The shower is where the adrenaline really starts to wear off and the ache of the fight sets into his muscles and bones. The mirror mists over and the droplets still cling where he wipes his hand over. His knuckles are bruised, as is his face, scratches and split lip and gashes where the rings had punctures his cheek. The makeup and eyeliner that he didn't think to properly remove before his shower probably makes it look a little worse than it is.

There's scratches on his throat, his collar, shallower on his chest where the bastard had tried to get him through his shirt while he was trapped beneath Felix on the ground. Scratches up his arms as the man fought a losing battle.

He takes one of the makeup wipes from the pack and cleans up his face as best he can as the first step. It helps, but not by a lot. Back in the bedroom, once he's dry, he searches his suitcase for pyjamas, getting himself dressed.

In there, there is a long few moments where he watches you sleep, watches the steady rise and fall of your breathing and sees the dried tear tracks on your cheeks.

"Fi, help."

God, he's tearing up at the memory. He should have stopped that cunt at the bar when he'd had the chance, when he first saw it happen. Never in his life has he heard you sound genuinely weak until tonight; his hands shake.

Before he gets you cleaned up, however, he feels like he needs to check... Magnus really didn't have to come back. Yeah, sure, he said he would, but if he got tired, if he needed to call it a night, Felix would not blame him in the slightest. He really was surprisingly lovely, and part of Felix would probably regret not getting his number, but it was understandable -

Magnus is sitting cross-legged in the hall, across from his door, eating a slice of white bread from a grocery bag by his side. In his other hand, he's texting.

"Give us a second, just letting the troupe know I'm fine."

Felix blinks at him. Felix waits. Magnus's thumb works the digits of the Nokia he's focusing on, before he must hit send, satisfied. Then, tucking the phone back into one of the inner pockets of his jacket, he looks up, eyes still that same, bright blue. He looks genuinely pleased to see Felix. Felix, for his part, is genuinely pleased to see him too. Surprised as well, if he was being honest, but pleased.

"You look much better," Magnus comments, and pushes himself to his feet. Bag looped in his arm, Felix sees it's a few basic supplies, bread, maybe some spread, something he can't identify, and something bright red. He offers to pay; Magnus tries to shrug it off, but Felix finally gives a self deprecating smile, gesturing around to the rather luxury hotel room they were in. Magnus gives himself a moment to take it all in again, and finally sighs, smiles, gives in.

He does, however, insist on making them both food.

Grilled cheese; all he could find on short notice since it was getting to the early hours of the morning. Felix watches for a few long moments, the way Magnus moves around the kitchenette with practiced ease, like a man used to these spaces, to life on the road. Felix finds he enjoys just watching Magnus; perhaps this is how people have often felt about him. Magnus doesn't watch him, he feels rather free.

"Do you want to take off your makeup," Felix pipes up just as Magnus reaches for the stove. Magnus freezes, "if you're staying, and being so kind as to make me food, the least I can offer is for you to make yourself comfortable."

"Should have suspected you'd be a good host," Magnus grins over his shoulder, and gently puts the pan down, leaving the stove off for the time being. So Felix directs him to the bathroom and tells him to take all the time he needs, and himself heads to the bedroom. Fishing his wallet from the jeans he'd discarded for the night, he pulls out two fifty pound notes. It's far more than the contents of the grocery bag, but Felix definitely doesn't care. It's so little for how kind he's been.

Opening the bedroom door, however, and he almost runs into Magnus, startling the both of them. Even with the remnants of his makeup still clinging around his eyes, the faintest traces of stubborn eyeliner and mascara, he looks fresh-faced and beautiful. Startled, both by the abruptness, and the fact that he might be even more taken with this man without his makeup on, all Felix can do is hold out the money. Magnus seems to thaw first, chuckles, shakes his head, and calls Felix incredibly generous. Unsurprisingly, Felix insists that it's not generous, it's simply fair compensation for his kindness.

After a moment, Magnus peers around Felix, asking how you were. Felix finally relaxes, assures him that for now you're fine. Magnus's expression is understanding, but still very knowing, as his gaze flicks between Felix and you.

"You take care of them, I'll take care of food," he insists gently. Before Felix can even ask how Magnus knew what that he still wanted to make sure you were comfortable, Magnus pats his chest fondly, "you beat a man half to death for them, I assume you want them to sleep in comfort."

Yeah. Fair. Good assessment of the night, and of Felix.

So Felix smiles, thanks him, and trusts him in the kitchen.

Felix treats you with such reverence in these moments, wiping off your makeup with such care, changing you into your pyjamas while he made sure there were no bruises, no scratches, no sign of this bastard anywhere on you. But no, thankfully not. He could have killed that bastard. Sounds like he almost did.

You frown in your sleep. Felix's heart hurts. But there's nothing more to be done for now.

Magnus is humming softly in the kitchen, a gentle sound amid the comforting sizzle of butter in a pan. Felix watches from the doorway for a long moment, the gentle, neutral expression, the focus on the food, the way he's retied his hair to catch all the hair that had so casually been hanging around his face back at the bar. There's something else different about him, however, and it's not the lack of leather jacket or makeup, it's something Felix can't put his finger on for a good few moments.

"Did you get shorter?"

Magnus stops humming. His gaze slides to Felix out of the corner of his eyes, expression unreadable. Then his gaze drops to the ground, and Felix follows; Magnus is wearing Christmas socks on the cold tiles. After a beat, Felix puts two and two together, and Magnus gives a vaguely sheepish laugh the minute he stalks around the kitchen island to the door. There's a pair of gigantic, black boots sitting primly by the door.

The absurdity of this, on top of everything else, finally has Felix laughing, collapsing against the kitchen island, face in his hands, as Magnus cackles quietly by the stove.

"What even is this night?" Felix groans through his fingers.

"One to remember," Magnus responds sagely as he served the first of the grilled cheeses onto a waiting plate, "the good parts, at least, and the good in the bad," immediately he puts another blob of butter in the pan, "and when you look back, you won't see the rage or the fear," he puts the second set of bread and cheese in the pan before picking up the plate with the first, finished dish, "you'll simply recall the love that inspired it all."

"You're so wise," Felix sighs fingers curling down so he could rest his chin on his fists, glad for the man he'd met by chance just a few hours before, "how'd you get so wise doing backflips in your birthday suit, Magnus?" He can feel himself growing tired, finally, as a yawn hits him, "is that something I should try?" Magnus laughs once again, putting the plate of food in front of Felix. He settles across from him, mirroring with his chin on his hand over the kitchen island.

"I take chances on people who intrigue me."

Somehow this terrible night has come full circle; you're comfortable and safe, there's nothing to worry about, and Felix desperately wants to kiss this damn acrobat who's in his hotel room making him grilled cheese at three in the morning.

"Magnus?"

"Yes, Felix," he murmurs back, smiling softly.

"Is that why you're still here, being so... lovely?"

But there's something in Magnus's eyes that dims at the question, just a little. Taking a deep, hesitant breath, his smile turns a touch awkward as he pushes off of the counter to check on the stove. Felix follows him with his eyes, confused, unsure of what he could have said that was wrong.

"I suppose that could be the short answer," Magnus offers, idly. Felix is quiet, crosses his arms on the bench and sinks down to rest his head there, almost childishly, waiting, "don't know if this is a first-meeting discussion either." Magnus finally comes to, though his tone is thankfully lighter.

Silence. Slowly, Felix sits himself back up and starts on the grilled cheese in front of him, quietly thanking Magnus who once again assures him it's no trouble. They sit and eat in silence together; it's not awkward, but Felix is growing more tired with each moment that passes.

"I'm five-seven," Magnus offers without prompting, halfway through the impromptu meal. Felix snorts so hard he starts almost choking on a lump of cheese. Magnus claps him on the back, snickering to himself. Felix, while trying to blink away the way his eyes are watering, peers over to the boots by the door once more, "six inch platforms."

"Fucking hell, how do you walk around in them?" Felix says between thankfully clearing coughs, "you don't perform in them, do you?"

"Fuck no," Magnus grins, "it's not that hard -"

"They'd make me near about seven foot!" Felix crows.

"Maybe next time you can try them on."

Next time.

Even as Magnus spends the next half hour tending to Felix's wounds, advising on how to take care of his muscles, Felix can't stop grinning to himself. Then Magnus says it again, wearing a grin of his own;

"I'm not kidding, I'm going to make sure you're taking care of yourself next time I see you."

"You promise?" Felix wears a wide, goofy grin, clearly giddy at the prospect, enough so that Magnus can't help but finally pull him in for a kiss.

"Promise, Felix."

[iamrcollege12121]

MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee Structure

In today's digitally driven world, a Master of Computer Applications (MCA) has become one of the most sought-after postgraduate degrees for students aspiring to build a successful career in the IT industry. When looking for MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure, one institution that consistently stands out for its academic excellence, modern facilities, and affordability is IAMR College (Institute of Advanced Management and Research).

Located in Ghaziabad, part of the National Capital Region (NCR), IAMR has emerged as a preferred destination for MCA aspirants seeking a balance between quality education and reasonable costs. The college is affiliated with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) and approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), making it a credible and reliable institution for higher education.

 

Why IAMR Stands Out Among MCA Colleges in Ghaziabad with Fee Structure

1. Affordable Fee Structure

One of the most important factors for students and parents while selecting an institution is affordability. IAMR College provides a cost-effective MCA program, ensuring that quality education is within reach for a wide range of students.

As of the academic year 2025-26, the MCA fee structure at IAMR College is approximately:

Tuition Fee: ₹55,000 – ₹60,000 per year

Registration and Miscellaneous Fees: ₹5,000 – ₹10,000

Hostel Charges (Optional): ₹60,000 – ₹70,000 per annum (including food and accommodation)

This transparent and reasonable fee structure positions IAMR among the top MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure clarity.

Moreover, IAMR offers scholarships for meritorious students and financial aid for economically weaker sections, making it even more accessible.

2. Future-Ready Curriculum

IAMR's MCA program is designed to meet the needs of modern IT and software industries. The curriculum includes:

Programming Languages (Java, Python, C++)

Web and Mobile Application Development

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Data Science and Analytics

Cloud Computing and Cybersecurity

Software Engineering and Database Management

With a combination of core concepts and elective specialization areas, students are trained to adapt to evolving technological landscapes. This holistic curriculum is aligned with industry expectations, making IAMR a smart choice among MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure that justifies its value.

3. Highly Qualified Faculty

IAMR boasts a team of experienced faculty members with strong academic backgrounds and industry exposure. The professors not only teach theory but also mentor students in practical applications, project development, and problem-solving.

Faculty members regularly conduct coding workshops, tech talks, and industry seminars to ensure students stay updated with the latest trends in technology.

4. State-of-the-Art Infrastructure

IAMR provides students with access to cutting-edge infrastructure that includes:

Modern computer labs with high-speed internet

Digital library with online journal subscriptions

Smart classrooms with interactive learning tools

Project labs and innovation centers

On-campus hostel facilities for boys and girls

This top-notch infrastructure contributes to an enriching academic environment, further justifying IAMR's inclusion in top MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure transparency and quality offerings.

5. Industry Exposure and Internship Opportunities

IAMR has strong ties with industry leaders, helping students gain real-world exposure through internships, industrial visits, and live projects. Collaborations with companies like Infosys, Wipro, TCS, HCL, and NIIT give students the opportunity to work on live business cases and develop industry-relevant skills.

Additionally, IAMR conducts:

Summer internships (6–8 weeks)

Guest lectures from IT professionals

Career counseling and resume-building workshops

This focus on employability makes IAMR a standout option for students seeking value-for-money among MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure details readily available.

6. Strong Placement Record

The dedicated Training and Placement Cell at IAMR plays a crucial role in guiding students toward successful careers. Through campus drives, job fairs, and pre-placement training, students are well-prepared for corporate life.

Top recruiters include:

Infosys

Tech Mahindra

Capgemini

TCS

Cognizant

Genpact

Average salary packages for MCA graduates from IAMR range from ₹4 LPA to ₹7 LPA, with some top performers securing even higher offers.

7. Scholarships and Financial Support

IAMR believes in inclusive education and offers various scholarships to deserving candidates:

Merit-based scholarships for high academic performers

Need-based financial aid for students from low-income families

Discounts for early applicants and girl students in select categories

These initiatives make IAMR a financially viable option for families researching MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure options and support plans.

8. Vibrant Campus Life

IAMR is more than just academics. The college promotes holistic development through:

Tech Fests and Hackathons

Cultural events and Sports tournaments

Student clubs for coding, robotics, and entrepreneurship

Community service and social outreach programs

This all-round development contributes to the confidence and soft skills of MCA students, preparing them for leadership roles in the IT world.

Conclusion

Choosing the right college for your MCA journey involves evaluating academic quality, industry exposure, placement success, and affordability. IAMR College checks all these boxes and more. With a well-balanced curriculum, experienced faculty, robust infrastructure, and a clear, affordable fee structure, IAMR ranks among the top MCA colleges in Ghaziabad with fee structure transparency and career-focused learning.

If you're an aspiring tech professional looking for a dynamic and supportive learning environment without burning a hole in your pocket, IAMR College should be high on your list.

Visit:- https://www.mba.iamr.ac.in/mca

[limat321]

Get Industry-Ready with a Summer Training Course for Engineering Students

Summer break is often seen as a time to relax — but for engineering students with big dreams, it's also a golden opportunity to grow. A Summer Training Course is more than just a short-term program — it’s a career investment that bridges the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application.

In today’s fast-paced tech-driven world, employers look for more than degrees. They want skills, hands-on experience, and innovative thinking — exactly what a quality summer training course offers.

What is a Summer Training Course?

A Summer Training Course is a specialized, practical program designed to help engineering students gain exposure to real-time projects, tools, and technologies. Conducted during the summer break, these courses usually run for 4–6 weeks and are focused on skill-building, project development, and industry orientation.

Whether you're from mechanical, computer science, electronics, or civil engineering — there's a summer course tailored just for your domain.

Why Choose a Summer Training Course?

🌟 Skill Development That Matters

Courses are designed to teach job-ready skills — like coding, designing, simulation, automation, and analytics — in a structured and easy-to-follow way.

🌟 Project-Based Learning

You won’t just learn — you’ll build. Most summer training courses include hands-on projects that let you apply what you've learned to solve real-world problems.

🌟 Get Certified

After successful completion, students receive a certificate that adds value to their resume and improves placement opportunities.

🌟 Explore Career Paths

A Summer Training Course allows you to explore different technical domains — so you can discover what truly excites you before making long-term career decisions.

Top Domains Covered in Summer Training Courses

Python Programming & Machine Learning

Full-Stack Web Development

Internet of Things (IoT)

Robotics and Embedded Systems

AutoCAD, SolidWorks for Mechanical Engineers

Cloud Computing & Cybersecurity

Mobile App Development

Data Science & Big Data Analytics

Who Should Enroll in a Summer Training Course?

1st to final-year engineering students

Diploma holders in technical fields

Students preparing for internships and placements

Anyone eager to enhance technical skills in a short span

Final Thoughts

If you're serious about shaping your engineering career, don’t let this summer go to waste. A Summer Training Course can help you transform from a student into a skilled professional — ready to face real-world challenges with confidence.

So this summer, swap your break for a breakthrough — enroll in a summer training course and take the first step toward a brighter, smarter future.

[hollowedskin]

Not to detract from your point that most dangerous stuff isn't in cities, but I used to do snake collection and relocation in Brisbane and would get at least one a week (in spring and summer) in my collection area where I'd have to remove an eastern brown from people's homes. I wouldn't go more than half an hour's drive away from my house and there were at least 6 other people in the city who did it.

I also kept an eye on local populations of redbellies at my local bushwalk park because they were neat and I knew where they liked to sunbathe.

There are snakes in the cities, there are venomous snakes in the cities. Snakes are not evil or aggressive (though brown snakes will tend to get defensive instead of flee), and they're not out to get you.

But there are very definitely snakes in cities and that's why you need to keep junk like dead cars and tin sheets out of your yard, keep the grass mowed, and wear appropriate footwear if you're going walking off a path.

Sometimes they get into your house and you call a guy who comes and puts it in a bag, but you're only allowed to release them within 2km of where they were collected, they are not driven multiple hours away or anything. Usually they go to the first patch of scrub nearby, because they live here and are supposed to be here.

Snake safety is basically if it's outside, keep your kids and pets inside and it will eventually fuck off. Don't try and attack or kill them, that's when people get bitten. Most bites are people trying to attack the snake. If you're super worried call a snake guy.

If it's inside, leave the doors open, keep an eye on it from a safe distance, keep your kids and pets away, and call a snake guy to come remove it. Do not try and catch it yourself, even if you have experience with pythons. You should have training to catch venomous snakes.

(if you don't know how to handle pythons, same rules apply. If you do, use your judgement but know that it's still illegal to harm, trap, or kill them without the proper paperwork and its something like a 75k fine)

As an Australian I love the whole "Australia is a death trap full of vicious deadly animals" cultural myth. Every place has some deadly animals in it who will fuck you over if you don't understand them; we're not more dangerous than anywhere else. BUT we get to look badarse by existing when people pretend we are. No downsides.

[brillica-design]

Looking for an enriching summer training experience? Look no further than Brillica Services in Dehradun! Our summer training program offers a comprehensive blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, making it the perfect platform to kickstart your career journey. Whether you're a student seeking industrial training, internship training, or simply looking to enhance your skills during the summer break, we've got you covered.

At Brillica Services, we understand the importance of practical exposure, which is why our summer training curriculum is meticulously designed to align with industry standards. From IT to management and beyond, we offer summer training in a variety of courses, ensuring that you find the perfect fit for your career aspirations. Our experienced trainers provide personalized guidance and mentorship, helping you gain valuable insights and sharpen your skills in your chosen field.

We Offer Summer Internship Training In Dehradun For A Variety Of Courses.

We provide Summer internship training in Dehradun in Data analytics using Power BI, Data Analytics using Python, data science, backend development, front-end development, cyber security, digital marketing, and more offering a wide range of opportunities for prospects for individuals. Internship For BCA Students, Internship for MCA Students, Internship For IT Graduates, BCA Industrial training In Dehradun/Uttarakhand, MCA Industrial training in Dehradun, 6 weeks internship training for IT Graduates.

.What sets Brillica Services apart is our commitment to excellence and innovation. We believe in nurturing talent and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Through our summer training program, you'll have the opportunity to work on real-world projects, collaborate with industry experts, and build a strong foundation for future success.

So why wait? Join Brillica Services for an unforgettable summer training experience in Dehradun and take the first step towards a rewarding career. Unlock your potential, explore new horizons, and make this summer one to remember with Brillica Services.

[trainingbasketblog-blog]

Learn the Skills of #Digital Marketing to keep testing the necessary thing for your career growth.https://trainingbasket.in/digital-marketing-course-noida/ #SeoTraining #Smo #DigitalMarketing #Certification

[solitaireinfosysit]

Best Industrial , Summer training in Mohali. Both coding and non-coding technologies with best in class IT Professionals and Experts with excellent IT Knowledge.

[slimeyslimeyballsack]

Hey snake owners. Specifically ball python owners. I'm looking into getting a ball python this summer. I've been doing some research and I'm going to put some of the information I've gathered here and If anyone wants to correct me or add anything to what I have that would be awesome. I really want to give the snake the best home it can possibly have

General

Royal pythons, better known as ball pythons are a species of constrictor snake from West Africa. Ball pythons are known for rolling up into a ball. They come in hundreds of different morphs (patterns and colors) with thousands of different morph combinations. Ball pythons range from 3-5 feet with females tending to be larger. They live about 20-30 years. They tend to be incredibly docile snakes that don't mind being handled.

Husbandry

Ball pythons have very specific husbandry needs. One end of the tank needs to be a warm basking area and one needs to be cooler, so all heat sources should be placed at one end of the tank. The required temperatures are about

Basking surface temperature: 95-104°F (35-40°C)

Warm hide temperature: 86-90°F (30-32°C)

Cool hide temperature: 72-80°F (22-27°C)

Nighttime temperature: 70-78°F (21-26°C)

Fahrenheit is a more suitable measurement because of the smaller increments. The air temperature should never reach more than 95°F.

Ball pythons need plenty of hiding spaces, at least one hide on each end of the tank, preferably more depending on the size of the snake. Along with hides, they should have plenty of rocks, leaves, and branches to feel comfortable. While ball pythons are not arboreal (living in trees) many will climb if given the opportunity, so climbing space is also useful. A basking rock or branch in the hot end of the tank is also important. They need at least 6 inches of substrate that retains moisture well. Pythons are diggers and the depth is important. Coconut fiber and sphagnum moss are a good mixture to help retain humidity. Ball pythons require 60% humidity to thrive and so a water-retaining substrate is helpful, along with a large water bowl, daily mistings, and a humid hide. The snake also needs a heavy water bowl large enough for the snake to lie in but shallow enough to avoid drowning.

Growing ball pythons can be fed rodents no larger than the thickest part of the snake once every 7-10 days. Adult ball pythons can be fed once every other week. They should always be fed with tongs. Do not feed your snake if they are in shed. You will know they are in shed by a blue coating over their eyes.

Handling

Ball pythons almost always take well to handling and depending on the temperament of the snake can even enjoy it. It's best to tap train them which involves taking a paper towel roll or something extended from the hand beside the feeding tongs and tapping the snake every time it's taken out to be handled. This helps let the snake know that it is not being fed. It is important to pay attention to the snake's body language. If it seems stressed (tensing, bucking, heavy breathing) you should return it to its enclosure. A happy snake will have slow tongue flicks. A ball python (this depends on the snake but as a rule) should only be handled once daily for about an hour. You should not handle the snake for a few days before or after feeding it as this can cause it to go off food or regurgitate respectively. You should not handle your snake if they are in shed unless they have stuck shed. There are multiple ways to remove stuck shed including placing the snake in warm water or placing a warm wet towel on the snake.

Difficulties

Ball pythons are an incredibly popular snake. This unfortunately leads to a lot of mishandling. Snakes are kept in enclosures much too small with much too few hiding spaces. An adult ball python requires an enclosure that's at least 4x2x2 feet. Ball pythons tend to be very picky eaters. There are many reasons that they may go off food including improper enclosure conditions, handling before meal time, shed, and you look at them wrong. Feeding live is a controversial topic in snake keeping though I'm personally against it as it can be incredibly dangerous for the snake.

In snake breeding, there are several morphs associated with neurological issues including any spider, bee, champagne, spotnose, and woma morphs. These morphs are intrinsically linked with what is known as the wobble. The wobble is a neurological condition that can cause a snake to have difficulty keeping itself upright. It may lift its upper body so far that it falls back on itself (stargazing) and it may also turn its head in circles multiple times (corkscrewing). These behaviors create an incredibly stressful life for the snake.

Common conditions include:

Mouth Rot: an infection of the mouth that can be noticed by white or red puss in the mouth

Parasites: Internal parasites are often hard to spot but general unwellness (regurgitation, diarrhea, infection) in the snake should warrant a visit to the vet

Ticks and Mites: They can be hard to spot sometimes, especially with a dark or spotted snake but lifting up the snake's scales can reveal them attached to the skin

Skin Infection: It can be caused by an enclosure that is dirty or too moist and is noticed by red skin and blisters

Respiratory Infections: They can be noticed if a snake is blowing bubbles with their nose, yawning frequently not after a meal, wheezing, and gurgling sounds Inclusion

Body Disease: This is a viral disease that affects the nervous system. It demonstrates itself through the snake being unable to right itself and often paralyzation. This condition is usually fatal.

[lost-in-the-80s]

You Don’t Want My Love - Chapter 5

Pairing: Duff McKagan x reader

Words: 3,115k

Summary: Guns n Roses hires a new tour assistant, but nobody thought that Duff would fall for her.

In this Chapter: Y/N is back on the road with Guns n Roses. Will things with Duff remain awkward?

A/N: Hello, my friends! This chapter is very cute. I have a little spoiler about the next chapter: It’s going to be Duff's pov.  Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Tag list: @roger-taylors-car @ladieswttda @teasid @metalheartofgold  @slashscowboyboots @ginny-rose-sixx @rumoured-whispers @vinylvintage​ add yourself to my tag list :)

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

It was a bright sunny day in Los Angeles when Y/N got inside a taxi to go back on tour with Guns n Roses.

The so-called one-month pause became two as soon as Nikki Sixx, the bassist of Mötley Crüe, overdosed and the whole band had to go to rehab, leaving Guns hanging without a band to open for.

She still remembered when Tom called her telling her that they had lost the contract and that the band was feeling very down. However, Aerosmith showed up with a golden opportunity, they wanted Guns to open for them on the European leg of the tour. 

So here she was, on her way to the airport to meet with five crazy rockers who, as much as she disliked to admit, she had missed a lot.

These two months out of the road were great for her. She spent the holidays with her family in North Dakota and visited her friends in L. A and finally helped Rose with a part of the rent for the apartment.

She also enjoyed her time doing one of the things she loved the most: go to the beach and get a good old suntan. That was the best part about living in L.A in her opinion, the whole year felt like summer, completely different from the snowy and cold winter in North Dakota.

One week before going back on tour she attended an appointment at her favorite hairstylist, renovating its locks that were now quite long. Giving herself a spa day before going back to the bus’ couch, as Tom would go with them on tour again.

These two months also allowed her to think a lot about Duff. In the first days she was feeling blue, the way he spoke to her during that afternoon and how he didn’t talk to her after that hurt. He even switched places with Steven on the plane back to L.A, just so he didn’t need to sit beside her.

During December she questioned herself about what had she done that could’ve let him so angry at her, but after spending two weeks away from Los Angeles, she got to focus on other things, and following her mom’s advice she decided to give time to time and see how things would.

Izzy helped her with that process too, they crossed paths one day at a park, she went there with her friend’s nephew as she was babysitting and he was skating there. The two of them talked for a few hours and he told her that Duff was just in a bad week, that she shouldn’t take it personally, which made her lose that guilty feeling she was having.

Guilty and Sad, that’s how she was feeling in the beginning. But now she had convinced herself that whatever she had felt for Duff was over. She told herself plenty of times she just felt like that because she was feeling lonely and he had been nice to her.

So now, arriving at the airport, she was 100% sure that she’d look at Duff and her heart wouldn’t skip a bit. They’d talk and she wouldn’t stutter or blush and things would go as they were meant to be.

Walking through the crowd of people inside the airport she finally spotted a tall fuzzy blonde head. Duff. They were just a few meters away from her, making a smile appear on her face.

“Y/N!” Steven shouted waving, not sure if she had seen them.

She raised her hand waving back at him.

“Hello, fellas.” She placed her bags on the ground stopping in front of them.

“Wow, look at you, all tanned!” Slash exclaimed, opening his arms and walking towards the girl to get a hug.

“You know, every time I was about to put a shirt on, I listened to your voice saying that they were the biggest expression of my bad taste.” He said when they let go of each other, smiling at her.

“So you stopped wearing them?” She tilted her head while smiling.

“Nope.” He turned around showing the back of this t-shirt, where “Fuck off I’m out” could be read.

She shook her head, giggling a little.

“I want a hug too!” Steven popped up beside her, involving her in a bear hug, lifting off the ground. “I missed you!”

“I missed you too, Stevie.” She giggled.

“Do you want a hug too?” She looked at Izzy, smirking.

“No.” He said and the two of them laughed. 

“Well, I want one.” Duff showed up in front of her, opening his arms.

She hesitated for a second, but moved forward and wrapped her arms around his body. 

When he involved her, a certain electricity ran through her body and she wanted to never let go of him. He smelled of cigarettes and cologne though she could smell a small hint of vodka, as if it had stayed in his jacket after he washed it. 

He lowered his head to hers and said close to her left ear. “I’m sorry for being an asshole with you.” His voice was low, as if he was sharing a secret that only she could know about.

The sound caused goosebumps on her body, as she answered in almost a whisper. “It’s okay.”

They let go of each other and suddenly she realized that they had been hugging each other for quite a while, since Tom had arrived and they didn’t even notice.

Duff moved away rubbing the back of his neck, starting some conversation with Slash.

“Hey, Tom! How were your holidays?” She gave him a quick embrace before stopping beside Steven, who hugged her from beside and rested his face on her shoulder.

“It was good, I was missing the kids already.” He smiled tenderly.

“You have kids? I didn’t know that.” She moved one arm away from Steven's grip so she could hug him back.

She looked down and thought that he looked just like a child when they’re bored and start to get sleepy.

“Yes, I do. Here,” He took his wallet out of the blazer’s pocket, showing her some small pictures he had in it. “this is Jenna, she’s 10,” He pointed to a ginger girl with lots of freckles. “and this is Brian, he’s 6.” He showed a boy wearing a baseball hat.

“They’re adorable, Tom! I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for you to be away from them all the time.” Y/N smiled at him seeing that he truly loved the kids.

“Yeah, it’s difficult, but it’s a part of the job. It’s thanks to my absence that they’ll be able to go to college.” He put his wallet back in the pocket and adjusted his glasses.

“You’re a good father, Tom.”

He grinned at her words.

“You really are. Can I meet the kids someday?” Steven asked, lifting his head off of her shoulder. 

“When the tour is over, let’s have dinner together. I’ll take them and Martha along.” He grabbed his bags from the ground.

“Sure! That’d be cool.” Steven smiled, letting go of Y/N.

“Anyway. Where’s Axl? We need to be on the plane line in 15 minutes.”

“He’s late.” Izzy showed up lighting up a cigarette.

“Not so late,” Duff said, pointing towards the other side of the airport. 

Y/N looked and at first, she couldn’t see anything, but then some ginger locks in a flannel shirt showed up. 

“You’re late.” Tom said, starting to walk towards the line. 

“Sorry, Erin was keeping me busy… if you know what I mean.” He smirked.

“Jesus.” Y/N made a disgusted face while following Tom.

Inside the plane, she found herself in a seat between Steven and Slash. Duff, Izzy and Axl on the other side of the corridor while Tom was sitting one line ahead, beside an old lady.

“Oh man, I wish I could bring Ana with me.” Slash complained.

“Who’s Ana?” Y/N asked smirking.

“My python. I bought her last month.” He smiled turning towards her.

“You mean a snake?” She widened her eyes. 

He nodded.

“You have a snake as a pet?” She shivered under the thought, she was terrified of snakes.

“Yes, they are lovely creatures.”

“I’m scared to death of them.”

“No way! But they’re nice!” He turned his body towards her a little, ready to start an argumentation.

“I grew up on a farm, Slash. One of them passed right in front of my feet when we were plowing the land.”

“Did it bite you?” He moved his hair away from his face, lifting an eyebrow at her.

“Well...no.”

“Then why are you scared? They aren’t violent animals. They just attack if you scare them. Dogs kill more people per year than snakes.” 

She paused for a second. “Yeah, you’re right. But still, I don’t think I’ll ever visit your house now.”

He giggled. “Do you have any pets?”

“We always had lots of dogs. They’re easy to train and help you with some chores.” He nodded at her. “I have a cat. Though I don’t know if I could call him mine yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“I left him in ND when I moved to L.A. I just see him when I visit my parents now.”

“What’s his name?”

“Thomas.”

Slash laughed. 

“What?”

“Thomas, you know?” He laughed harder.

Y/N frowned at him, not understanding.

Then Slash pointed to the seat in front of him, where Tom was sitting. 

She looked at Tom, then at Slash, then at Tom again and finally understood. Her cat had the same name as Tom. 

Y/N laughed, she had never stopped to realize that until now.

Out in the distance, she didn’t see Duff looking at her and smiling when she laughed. 

----

Arriving in London, they followed up with their normal activities. Did the soundcheck, had an interview and went backstage to get ready.

“Do you think I should tease my hair?” Axl asked Izzy who simply shook his head as a response.

“God, I’m nervous,” Duff said walking back and forth inside the room. “I need more vodka.”

“No more drinking, you need to calm down.” Y/N pointed at him, then pointing to a black couch at the end of the room, meaning that he should sit down.

“That’s why I need vodka, love.” He walked past her, going after more booze.

The nickname made her cheeks burn and she tried her best not to smile.

“Fuck, I’m nervous too.” Slash said.

“Why are you guys so nervous? You’ve done lots of gigs like this before.” She asked, frowning.

“No, we haven’t, Y/N,” Izzy said, sitting on the couch while looking for his cigarettes. “We’re in another country, a whole different crowd.”

“It’s our first time outside from home.” Duff said, reappearing in the room and sitting beside Izzy.

“Plus, It’s Aerosmith, fuck! We can’t fuck this up.” Steven added, while trying to choose a t-shirt. “Y/N. The black or the white one?” He showed her the two blouses.

“The black one.” She pointed with her pen. “You guys just need to breathe, everything will go fine. I’m sure about it.” She smiled at them, trying to calm their nerves. 

“Shit, I think I’m gonna freak out.” Duff exclaimed, drinking almost half the bottle down. 

“Not now. I need you good okay?” Axl crouched in front of him. “Just take long breaths, it’s no big deal.”

Axl started breathing slowly, soon being followed by Duff, that seemed to get calmer.

“Guys, you have to go. You’re in in five minutes.”  She said looking at her wristwatch.

“Fuck! I’m not ready yet!” Axl complained, rushing towards their bags looking for his clothes as he was still in his travel clothing. 

“Oh, God, not today!” Izzy rolled his eyes, starting to smoke the third cigarette.

“What do you want to wear tonight?” She asked, sitting on the floor beside him. 

“My leather pants and the leather waistcoat.” He looked at her. “Find them and I’ll find the shoes and my bandana.” 

Moving to Axl’s second bag she started looking inside, throwing some of the clothes on the ground. “Got the pants!” She yelled, throwing them in his direction. 

“Not this one! I want the cowboy leather pants.” Axl complained.

“Axl!” Izzy interjected. 

“Fine, fine!” He lifted his hands in surrender.

After a few minutes, he was ready, running down the corridors while putting his sneakers on. 

“You should watch the gig,” Steven said. “You’ve never watched one.”

“That’s because I always have to organize your mess.” She giggled a little.

“No, seriously, I think you’d like it.” 

Thinking for a second she answered shrugging. “Why not?” 

“Yeas!” He smiled before getting onstage. 

Finding some equipment boxes on the side-door of the stage, she climbed on a big one, sitting on it and placing her agenda on her side. 

The gig started and she understood why everybody was getting crazy about them. 

Axl moved around as if he had eaten batteries for breakfast, jumping, running, screaming and singing. His voice was incredible and he was fierce, just what you need for a frontman.

Slash had lost all his shyness. Dancing, jumping and playing like a god. Every note that left his guitar sounded magical, precisely right. And even though she couldn’t see his face, she could tell that he loved doing that.

Izzy was like a black cat in the night, that you just notice if you pay attention. He moved around calmly, playing his guitar and singing the backing vocals so peacefully, as if he was born to do that. 

Steven, well, now she understood why they called him popcorn. His hair bounced up and down as his head accompanied the drums he was playing. He smiled and sang along and if he could, she was sure he’d get up and dance to the songs.

But nobody caught her eyes like Duff did. The velocity with which he moved his fingers, the way his head kept up with the beat of the song. The way he walked so majestically with his long legs crossing the stage in a few seconds.

He was beautiful, a masterpiece in her opinion. And she knew that there was no use in trying to fight, she was already in love with him. 

----

After the gig, they did the check-in in the hotel, taking a quick shower before stopping in a restaurant for dinner. 

Joining two tables together, they sat down. Tom and Izzy taking the borders, Axl, Slash and Steven taking one side while Y/N and Duff took the other.

It was a simple restaurant, nothing fancy, and as they talked and ate Y/N couldn’t help but feeling like she was having dinner with old friends of hers.

“So I get home and grandma is complaining that Axl was sleeping on her couch and that she wants him out of the house.” Slash was telling a story about when Axl used to sleep in his basement.  

“I go downstairs and say ‘Axl, you have to find somewhere else to stay, bro’ and he’s like furiously throwing his things inside this backpack while giving me an angry look.”

Axl was laughing at this point.

“We got in my mom’s car and I started driving him towards the place where Izzy was crashing and I was like ‘Why did you sleep on her couch, dude? I had told you not to do that!’ and he looks at me with that ‘I’m gonna kill you look’, he opens the door and jumps out of the car!”

“What?” Y/N asked.

They were all laughing.

“I was pissed.” Axl answered.

“Pissed? None of us saw you for three days!” Slash added while Duff wiped some tears away from his eyes. 

“I needed time to calm down.” Axl replied calmly, still smiling as he lifted his glass to drink from it. 

“This is the best story you guys ever told me!” She said after she stopped laughing.

----

Leaving the restaurant they started walking towards the hotel, they all went in front, leaving Duff and her behind.

It was a cold night in London and Y/N had definitely forgotten that their winter was actually cold.

A cold breeze got her when she turned a corner and she shivered, hugging herself. Her sweater was definitely not enough for a night like that. 

“Here.” She looked to her side and saw Duff taking off his leather jacket and handing it to her.

“You don’t have to.” 

“Y/N. Take the jacket.” He smiled at her.

She took it, her cold fingers touching his warm hand slightly. 

Putting the jacket on she realized it was big on her, the smell of his cologne mixed with Marlboro hit her nostrils and she hugged the jacket closer to her body, wishing that it was him who was involving her. 

A few minutes passed by and they finally reached the hotel. Entering the lobby the warmth welcomed them in and she smiled. 

“On which floor are you?” Duff asked.

“Fourth.” She started to take the jacket off. 

“I’m on the sixth.” 

“Yeah, I know.” She smiled. “Thanks for the jacket, Duff.”

“It’s ok.”

They stopped for a second, looking at each other almost as if they were in trance. 

Duff put a lock of her hair behind her ear and licked his lips.

“Y/N.” Tom’s voice cut the atmosphere, making her jump slightly and look in his direction. “Are you coming?” He pointed to the elevator.

“Yeah, just a sec.” 

Looking at Duff again, she gave him a small smile. “Good night, Duff.”

He leaned down, lightly kissing her cheek. “Good night, Y/N.” 

Getting in her room she quickly changed into some comfy pajamas. She stopped in front of the bathroom mirror when brushing her teeth and soon realized that she was smiling.

Her face seemed to be tickling where his fingers had brushed ever so delicately over. And she could still feel the warmth of his lips against her skin.

“Oh, Y/N. You are so fucked now.” She said to herself, walking towards the bed and jumping on it. 

She laid there, but she couldn’t sleep, his face and voice filling her mind along with the memories of him playing onstage. 

Her hair, which had stayed inside the jacket during the walk to the hotel, was smelling like him.

She turned around, facing the illuminated building in front of the hotel while smiling.

Yes, she was fucked. But she was feeling so happy that she couldn’t even get mad at herself for feeling like this. 

[anuradha-us]

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[zooophagous]

What do you do when a ball pythons feeding response is TOO good?

Jorgen lately has gone from the model of good snake behavior (able to be safely picked up barehanded by anyone) to a total monster.

He thinks hands are food and will try to bite and constrict anything he senses close to his cage. I can tell it's a prey response and not a fear one because he will track movement and go after it, not recoil or hide- and he will come out of his hide to watch you if you're near.

He will follow your hand to the cage lid and wait for it to open so he can lunge out. He eats ravenously, and is fed a medium rat once a week. He will assume a prey response and try to bite WHILE he is being held. I can't open his cage even to change his water anymore because he is RIGHT THERE trying to eat my hand.

It's a recent thing, probably just this past summer. He has gotten slowly worse and worse and now he can't be safely handled at all because any piece of your body that could feasibly fit inside his mouth is now "a rat" to him.

He is hook trained- or at least he was. He bit me today while on the hook while I was trying to change his water. He didn't even get water because by the time I got him off me and back into his cage he was zooming back out to try and fuckin bite me again.

Hes already fed once a week and hes 6 years old. His ambient temps are about 75 and his hot spot is about 89 (F) he has 3 hides to choose from and lives in a modified sterilite tub with fake plants and some climbing branches.

What do???

[foxyninjabear]

A Hacker’s Tale - Chapter 6

[CHAPTER 1] [PREVIOUS CHAPTER]

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!: This fic is rated as PG-14+, so read at your own risk! There’s swearsies, suggestive references, and LOTS of blood and gore! Be aware!

_________________________________________

Nix

It took Nix a bit to remember what had happened, at first.

He remembered wandering through the bunker alongside Grey and Angel. That was clear as day. The two had broken him out of his cell, all according to what the byte had planned. Then they were sneaking around the maze of hallways to try and meet up with the others.

The events following that were blurry. At some point, he had ended up all alone and was running blindly through the hallways. He had no clue where he was, or where he was headed. Eventually he had formed so much tunnel vision that he didn’t even notice the flight of stairs in front of him until it was too late. He ended up taking a painful tumble down the steps, before ultimately being knocked out cold as he hit his head at the bottom.

And then he had woken up in the infirmary weaponless and alone, Cub wrapping up his several cuts and injuries with gauze.

Since his recapture, Nix hadn’t seen Grey or Angel. Or anyone else, for that matter. But it made sense. If the others had also been apprehended, having them see each other left in the possibility of another scheme being created.

He didn’t even know how long had it been since he had initially escaped from his cell. An hour? Two? Maybe even more than that? He could never tell time for the life of him.

The teen shifted where he sat on the bed and cringed a bit. He knew he needed a shower. And a change of clothes, for that matter; his torn up uniform was caked with dirt, mud, sweat, and who knows what else from the past week. He felt absolutely disgusting. 

It didn’t exactly help that his jumpsuit was mostly white, either. He could see so many stains and splatters of all kinds. And he didn’t want to know what they were.

Even if he could easily recognize what the several reddish brown splotches consisted of.

He lifted his gaze up from his lap and took in more of his surroundings. Nothing much had changed since he had last looked. Cub had stepped away and was now scurrying around the room, tending to the many wounded. His main focus was primarily on Python, who seemed to be on the brink of death from the extent of his injuries. The man with grey hair was also treating another man with dirty blonde hair and a red shirt, who appeared to have suffered from a gunshot wound to his side. It must have been either Coda or Lucky that shot him; they were the only ones in the byte with guns at that point.

However, there was one primary difference. There was someone new in the infirmary, a new patient for Cub to tend to. A tall man with ghostly pale skin and black hair was sitting on one of the beds, his brown eyes wide, almost fearful. It was Mumbo Jumbo, the redstone child prodigy turned multimillionaire.

From what Nix could see, Mumbo wasn't in the best of shape, to say the least. He had several bruises, the worst being a massive black eye, all swollen and purple. A nasty, open gash was also right next to the injury, blood steadily dripping down his cheek. It was obvious that he was going to need stitches, and it was highly possible that he had a concussion.

At least Nix knew Coda had landed a few good hits on him. Made sure that he would be out of commission for awhile.

The Shadowbyte soldier continued to keep his dark brown gaze on the former redstone engineer. Mumbo was definitely nervous and scared, due to how he was seemingly trying to distance his mind from everything going on by bouncing his knee up and down, his eyes wide and staring off into empty space. He appeared to not have noticed Cub had come up to him and had begun to attempt to patch up the massive gash on his face.

Nix was convinced of his last assumption when Mumbo suddenly winced and cried out in pain as his wound was touched, and he reeled back from the man in the lab coat. Everyone around him had some sort of physical reaction; they flinched, jumped where they stood or sat, snapped their gazes towards him. The only one who stayed still was Nix himself.

After all, he couldn’t hear Mumbo. Or anything, for that matter.

Nix was able to hear at some point in his life. Up until the time he was about nine or ten years old. But he could never figure out why he had gone deaf. One day he could hear fine, and the next his whole world was silent except for the voice in his own head.

The best explanation he (and many others) could presume was that he had come in contact with some sort of glitch and had his code altered by accident. And the fact that he couldn't remember what happened to him further supported that theory; memory loss was a common side effect of one's code being messed with, in addition to other forms of trauma.

Like going deaf, for example.

Thankfully, he wasn't completely unable to interact with his peers. His hacks were his main method of communication. He would use telepathic hacks in order to 'talk' and 'listen'. They were essentially an equivalent of hearing aids, even if they only allowed him to hear voices. 

On the rare occasion he couldn’t use his hacks due to fatigue or any other reason (or if someone was just plain lazy and didn't want to use telepathic hacks to speak to him), he could rely on his ability to read lips in order to figure out what people are saying. But unfortunately, doing that wasn’t exactly easy; most of the time he had to fill in a few words on his own. 

However, getting his message across without his hacks was a much bigger challenge. He knew how to sign pretty well, which was a plus. But he knew that not a lot of people could sign fluently, especially if they weren't deaf on some level themselves. So more often than not, he had to resort to pen and paper, which he didn't always have access to.

But right there, in that very moment, Nix had nothing. No hacks, no pen and paper. Nothing. He had been completely cut off, save for his signing and lip reading. But that was helpful only if others knew how to sign as well.

And he assumed someone was trying to get his attention, for he felt a hand rest upon his shoulder.

The teen blinked and shifted his gaze away from Mumbo. Looking up, he saw that a new person had entered the room and approached him. A familiar man with dark brown hair and glasses, a set of grey elytra strapped to his back. He recognized him as the W.E.S. associate assigned to him. Joe.

Nix saw Joe's lips start to move, and he tried his best to read them. It frustrated him greatly that he couldn't use his hacks anymore; if he could then the man's phrases would be understood to their full extent. All the teen could make out were three words.

"Time to go."

He let out a soft sigh, and sat up off the bed to stand next to Joe. Of course he had to go.

The teen didn't pay any mind to the man as he escorted him out of the room and into the expanse of hallways. He had other things on his mind. Where the rest of the byte was, if they were okay.

And the possible repercussions of trying to escape.

Joe continued to lead Nix down the hallway, and before Nix knew it, he was already back at his cell. And he was more than exhausted at that point. The moment his escort opened the door, he stumbled into his room and fell face first onto his cot.

Now if he could only sleep without the constant wondering of where Grey was buzzing in his head.

~~~~~

Nix must have fallen asleep at some point, for he felt himself begin to wake up at the feeling of his shoulder being gently shaken.

He knew it had to be Joe; who else would it have been? Nobody came into his cell besides Joe, after all.

The teen rolled over to face the person and cracked open his eyes. Sure enough, he could make out a blurry shape of someone, and as he blinked to clear his vision, it was indeed Joe.

Joe adjusted his glasses and began to speak, which Nix of course couldn’t understand; he was such a quick talker it was frustrating. It was a miracle if he could even make out a single word. Let alone a full sentence.

The man then gently grasped the teen's shoulder again. He wanted him to get out of bed. Of course he had to interrupt his sleep.

But Nix complied anyway, swinging his legs over the bed and standing up, and allowing Joe to walk him out of his cell.

At first, he thought he knew where Joe was taking him; the meeting room he and the rest of the byte would be escorted to. He vaguely recognized the route they were taking. However, just as they were about to round a corner that led to the familiar chamber, Joe just passed it and continued walking.

Where were they even going?

He thought Joe must have read his look of confusion quite well, for the man responded quickly. Too quick for him to understand most of it. But there was one single word that he could make out from his phrases; funeral.

Funeral.

Nix blinked as soon as he saw Joe say the word. A funeral? At first, he was almost at a loss for who the funeral was for. Did somebody else in the byte die?! 

However, after a moment of his panicked thoughts racing through his head, he began to realize who the funeral must have been for. The only one who had been confirmed deceased thus far, and had been for quite some time.

Jazz. They were giving him a proper burial. A proper goodbye...

But why? The only one who was close to him was Lucky. They didn't know who he was, or what he was like.

Then again… as dark as thinking about it was, it had been a whole week since Jazz had been killed. And bodies… didn’t last that long after death, to say the least. Not to mention it was the middle of summer. The high temperatures and humidity would only speed up the process of decay. They probably wanted to get rid of him sooner rather than later.

He wished he hadn't paid so much attention during his medical training.

The pair rounded another corner, and Nix saw a familiar sight. The grand staircase leading up towards the surface, towards the outside world. 

His eyes widened, and he almost broke out into a run as Joe walked him up the stairs. With every step, the air got warmer and warmer, brighter and brighter-

And then they burst through the doors, into the compound. Into the summer sunlight.

It had been so long since the last time he felt the warm sun on his skin. Too long. The sensation almost made his knees weak, and he had to resist the temptation to sprawl out onto the grass and stay there.

But Joe continued to lead Nix along before he could.

The pair passed by the several buildings in the compound, as well as quite a few of the W.E.S. operatives. Jevin, Doc, False, several others Nix didn't recognize. They all threw disapproving and angry glances towards the teen. A few of them started to speak, but he couldn't hear them in the first place.

He didn't give a single damn about what they had to say, anyway.

Nix and Joe finally passed the gates of the compound and emerged into the massive field where the gruesome battle took place just a single week prior. It was pretty much the same as it was before. But this time, a massive crater blackened the grass and earth, massive pieces of shrapnel scattered about and sticking out of the ground. A shiver went down his spine at the sight; it was almost like there was the feeling of death lingering in the summer air.

But he did notice something different. In a less charred part of the field, he saw what appeared to be a group of people in the distance. And as he and Joe approached, he could start to make out a few familiar faces. Synth, Sakura, Angel.

And then there was the casket, sat on top of a stone platform. To his surprise, it actually looked quite nice. It definitely wasn’t thrown together in a hurry; time had obviously been put into creating it. Although simplistic and lacking intricate detail, the dark oak wood making up the coffin was polished to a shine, and the metal handles appeared quite sturdy.

However, Nix still wondered how they were able to throw something that nice that quickly together. But then again, as far as he knew, with the information Lucky had provided before the byte had actually been deployed, basically every single one of the members of HermitCraft was extremely talented, in some form or another. From engineers and scientists, to soldiers and artists, there were people from all walks of life.

Nix had never been to a funeral before. Not that it was on his bucket list of things to do, of course. It was due to him being such a new recruit; he had only been enlisted since the middle of spring, just a month or so prior. He never had the chance to properly mingle and get to know other soldiers, and, as a result, know them well enough to actually have a reason to go to their funeral, if they were to pass away or be killed in battle.

The only thing close to a funeral service Nix had been to was an execution. 

Although gruesome, horrifying, and almost scarring, he understood that executions were necessary. Traitors, as rare as they were in the Shadowbyte ranks, existed, and once they were found, they had to be promptly dealt with. And to add insult to injury, their fellow soldiers were called in to watch them have their hacks leeched, followed by death.

It was the ultimate form of shame and humiliation. Having their greatest gift taken away from them, and having their friends, family, and colleagues observe like it was entertainment.

And now he knew what that felt like.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as he and Joe had finally reached the small gathering of people. The teen looked over at Joe out of instinct, and felt somewhat annoyed as he said something that Nix couldn’t interpret. The man then gave a sympathetic smile and patted his shoulder a couple times, before turning around and walking off back towards the compound, his elytra softly fluttering in the breeze.

The teen glanced back over at his group, and he made his way over to stand in an open spot in the line. Leaning his head forward and glancing left and right, he began to do a mental headcount.

Angel was at the end of the row, standing tall and strong. She must have done this a hundred times before in her career. Her straight face and almost calm demeanor further supported that theory.

Synth stood on Nix's right. He also seemed quite collected, but not as much as his superior. While she had zero visible expressions or emotions, the redhead was obviously worried. What he was worried about, however, was unknown.

On Nix's left was Sakura. To his surprise and concern, she had a cast on her ankle that he couldn't help but mentally nitpick for how sloppy the work was. A pair of worn, rickety crutches helped her stay on her feet. Maybe she got injured during the escape.

But those were all of his colleagues that he could see. No Grey or Coda. Or Lucky, either. Where were they? Especially Lucky… he should have been showing up, right? It was his own brother’s funeral, after all…

… and then a single thought crossed Nix’s mind. It almost made him nervous to think about, and his heart began to pound:

Had they actually managed to escape? 

As much as he wanted to go home, Nix desperately hoped that they didn’t succeed. He knew what was waiting out there. Monsters that spawned in the darkest hours of the night, wild animals that were hungry for a fresh kill or two, not to mention just good old nature, with her storms and ruthless weather. And with how the World was so young, there were bound to be some glitches occuring. Glitches that could possibly kill them-

No. They were going to be fine. They could both hold their own out there. Grey had the brains, and Coda had the strength. Everything was going to turn out alright.

There were a few other people there at the funeral, aside from Nix’s colleagues. Not surprisingly, Xisuma was among them. Nix presumed that most of the others were there to help keep an eye on what was going on. He was further convinced of that fact when he saw that almost all of them had some sort of weapon. And he could easily recognize that the entire arsenal was from the Shadowbyte soldiers’ personal setup.

The teen could recognize most of the ones standing guard. Firstly, there was the cyborg he had helped heal just about a week prior, Biffa. He had Jazz’s shotgun gripped in his mechanical hands, eyes scanning the small crowd like a hawk. And the sight of it made Nix grind his teeth in anger; that man had no respect for the dead. No respect for Lucky’s brother. He could have taken another weapon and left the gun alone, but no.

Next, there was Wels, a man with blonde hair and wearing what almost appeared to be a medieval set of armor, Synth’s longsword holstered to a belt around his waist. Nix thought the man’s choice in armor was a bit odd, but Nix just accepted that people from HermitCraft were a bit out there already.

However, then there was the wild card. A man with sunglasses and long brown hair tied in a ponytail stood on Xisuma’s left. He carried no weapon, and, to Nix’s surprise, appeared very solemn. Almost sad. He obviously wasn’t standing guard, and he didn’t look very threatening. So what was he doing there?

But then Nix saw there was someone standing next to the brunette, almost out of his line of sight; Lucky. And saying that he looked terrible would have been an understatement. Dark bags hung under his puffy, bloodshot eyes, his blonde hair needed to be combed and washed, his blue-accented uniform was covered in dust and dirt. Trails of dried up tears stained his freckled cheeks.

He couldn’t even imagine how Lucky was feeling. Nix didn’t have any family to lose; he had never lost somebody close to him. The only person who he was remotely close with was Grey.

But now he might have been on the verge of losing someone.

Nix was pulled out of his thoughts when he caught a glimpse of someone moving up the casket. A familiar man, one that Nix could recognize without hesitation, at this point. The green body armor and grey helmet covering his face made it easy.

Xisumavoid. The son of a bitch that leeched the hacks of him and his colleagues.

The man's helmeted gaze lingered on the wooden coffin, before he turned to face the crowd. Nix easily presumed that Xisuma was now talking. It would have been a bit odd if he were just standing there gazing over the crowd.

After a long and somewhat awkward moment of Xisuma's silent speech, Nix then saw Lucky's figure stiffen out of the corner of his eye. But instead of shrinking back, he shuffled away from where he was to step up onto the platform next to Xisuma, facing the small crowd. 

If he was making a speech, then Nix would have to try his best to understand his words.

He saw the short blonde cough after a moment. “H...hello,” His lips read. Not too hard of a word. At least he was speaking quite slowly; it made his phrases easier to piece together. “Umm… I-I guess we all know why we’re here right now…” He glanced over his shoulder at the casket for a second, before returning his gaze back to the group.

"I...I want to say sorry…" Lucky swallowed. "T-to you guys. About everything…" His shoulders started to sag as his lips ceased to move. “I’ve been a failure as a soldier… a hacker… a-and a brother."

Nix could see the tears flowing down the blonde's face as he continued to speak. "U-uh…A-anyway…" He cleared his throat. "I-I'm not good at this sort of thing, but… but I should probably get to what I'm here for. Wh-what we're all here for. Ja-" He cut himself off. "R-riff."

“My brother was…” His lips stopped moving for a moment. He wiped the tears off his face with his sleeve. “Was the strongest guy I ever knew. He… put up with a lot. With his position in the Army, the missions he was sent out on…” A sad smile made its way onto his face, and he gave a sheepish laugh. “And especially me.”

Nix couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. He could see a few others around him laugh as well. Although he didn't know Jazz for long, it was blatantly obvious how much he had on his plate.

"But… He was always there for me." Lucky continued. "Even when he was only a kid himself… H-He protected me, stood up for me… He was the best brother anyone could ask for."

The blonde's figure began to visibly shake, and his lip trembled. "I-I…" He wiped more tears that had fallen down his face. “I’m so sorry, Jazz…”

And then, like a house of cards, Lucky collapsed to his knees, burying his face in his hands. His body shook with his supposed cries, and before long, he turned around to rest his arms and head on the casket. As if trying to say goodbye to his brother one last time.

It didn’t exactly help that Nix couldn’t hear his sobs. Or that fact that Lucky had revealed his brother’s actual name.

Not that he could blame him.

But he felt a small sense of relief and comfort as he saw the mystery man in the red shirt and sunglasses quickly make his way up to the stone platform to kneel at Lucky’s side. He slowly helped the shaking blonde up to his feet, and led Lucky away from the casket and off of the stone platform, letting him cry as much as he needed to. As surprised as he was at the sudden act of kindness, he was glad that at least one person appeared to actually gave a damn about the situation.

Not to mention Xisuma. Once Nix shifted his dark gaze to the hacker, he saw that he almost appeared sympathetic. Like he knew exactly what Lucky was feeling. Not just the obvious sadness and sorrow of losing someone close; it was more than that. But Nix couldn’t put his finger on it.

And then out of nowhere, Lucky stopped in his tracks. His tear filled eyes were wide, fixated on something, and he began to speak. Nix raised an eyebrow, and followed his gaze to where the blonde had his locked on…

Biffa. Specifically, Jazz's shotgun gripped in his robotic hands.

Oh shit.

Before he could even blink, Lucky had charged towards the cyborg and attempted to tackle him. In reality, he more ended up knocking himself back as he ran into him, but he scurried to his feet and wrapped his hands around the gun.

Several of the W.E.S. members rushed to the pair, hastily trying to tear the blonde soldier away from Biffa. It didn't take that long for them to break Lucky's grip and drag him away towards the rest of the Shadowbyte soldiers, towards where Nix was.

So many people were moving and talking all at once, so much so that Nix couldn't even piece together a full sentence. The fray was too much for him to try and understand any of their words.

However, he could make out once sentence. One sentence from Lucky, and as far as he could tell, he was screaming it at the top of his lungs. And that sentence, as soon as he realized what had been said, sent a stabbing pain through his heart.

"You don't deserve to hold it."

Just as soon as he latched himself onto Biffa, Lucky was torn away from the object of his sorrowful anger by Wels, and dragged over towards Nix and the rest of the byte. The blonde visibly struggled for a moment, thrashing and kicking. But it wasn't long before his violent movements ceased, and he went limp as he continued to be dragged across the dirt.

Nix didn't know how much more he could witness before breaking completely.

Wels stood the blonde up next to the rest of the byte and, seemingly satisfied that he had given up trying to fight, let go and muttered something, before making his way back to his guarding position. All Nix could focus on was Synth's sword strapped to his belt, the sharp blade glinting in the summer sun. 

If only he could snatch it quick enough to take that son of a bitch down with one strike. 

He knew where to hit, how to make a quick and efficient kill. Knowledge of anatomy made that easy. But his lack of combat training held him back, in that regard. 

So Nix could only be tempted by revenge as Wels walked away.

He removed his angered gaze and put them back on Lucky. His teary eyes were wide, his body shook and shivered. He appeared to be on the verge of collapsing to the ground.

Thankfully, someone immediately went to his aid; Sakura. She hobbled over to him on her crutches, saying something that Nix couldn't understand. As soon as she got close enough, the brunette woman brought Lucky into a hug, which he promptly accepted, his figure shaking as he began to let out another series of sobs.

At least he had her to lean on as he went through the grief. She seemed like she was willing to help anyone at any time.

Nix's dark brown eyes shifted away from his colleagues and back to the W.E.S. operatives who had brought them to the funeral in the first place. Specifically, his eyes landed on Xisuma, still standing next to Jazz’s casket. 

The man still had his helmeted gaze on Lucky, but now a glare was cast over his purple visor from the sun. No expression could be seen, which made him appear more intimidating than he normally was. Just the fact that Nix could no longer see his face set him on edge.

After a moment of Nix keeping his nervous gaze on the hacker, however, Xisuma turned back towards the casket, and held out his hand. A faint flicker of pixels could then be seen radiating from Xisuma's palm as he threw his hand to the sky...

And right before his eyes, the casket was then consumed in a great ball of fire, sending sparks and thick smoke into the clear blue sky. A blast of immense heat washed over him, but he stood his ground.

Nix saw a few people jump back in surprise, all of whom were Xisuma's colleagues. He could presume they weren't expecting him to do that.

Although he had never been to a Shadowbyte funeral in the past, he knew the basic gist of how one would be carried out. Like a traditional funeral from just about anywhere, close family, friends, and colleagues would attend. They would pay their respects, give condolences to the ones closest to the deceased, and many people would make a small speech or two about the one who passed, before their casket would be burned. If the soldier was in a high enough rank and well respected, sometimes Ecrytpos himself would show up to say a word or two.

Nix knew that most of those events wouldn't occur, given the situation. The only family present was Lucky, and a majority of the people attending didn't know Jazz for more than a full day. And from what he could tell, Jazz deserved some of the highest honors a Shadowbyte soldier should receive.

It was a shame that it was never going to happen now. To any of them. Not to Angel, not to Synth, not to-

And then the smell of the smoke finally hit. Not just the wood from the casket… It was the scent of charred flesh. Burning hair. Metallic blood.

Jazz.

Nix felt his mouth and eyes water as his stomach twisted and churned. He wanted to vomit so badly at the horrid smell. But he knew he had to hold back the strong urge. Now wasn't the time. He needed to give Jazz the respect he deserved. The respect that nobody but the remaining members of the byte would give him.

So he lifted his hand up in a salute, not caring about the tears from his watering eyes flowing down his face, and mentally repeated the phrase a Shadowbyte soldier knew so well...

Glorious in life, eternal in death.

~~~~~

As disrespectful as it sounded, Nix was more than happy that Joe was bringing him back down into the bunker. He didn't know how much longer he could bear the smell of Jazz's burning remains. The temptation to walk faster was unbearable.

Nix had no clue if Joe was speaking to him. He just kept his eyes forward, trying to focus on settling his stomach. He could still faintly smell the awful smoke from the funeral pyre.

Now he really wanted a shower and a change of clothes.

The moment he and Joe had arrived at his cell, Nix didn’t hesitate to lumber in. He collapsed onto his bed and sighed, dark brown eyes shifting up towards the ceiling.

He never thought a single event would wear him out so much. But then again, he presumed funerals were supposed to be mentally and emotionally exhausting. At least he was back in his room-

He then saw Joe begin to flail his arms out of the corner of his eye. He must have been trying to get his attention.

Of course he couldn't be left alone.

The teen sat up in his bed and shifted his gaze onto the man in the elytra. His lips began to move, only this time, Nix could actually make out the sentence he had said.

“Why don’t you ever talk?”

Nix remained still for a moment, before letting out a sigh. He pointed to his ear, before shaking his head.

Joe blinked, frowned, and adjusted his glasses. “So… you can’t hear anything, huh?” 

Nix pressed his lips into a firm line, and held up his hands. It took someone that long to wonder about it and ask? A whole entire week?

The older man quickly said something that Nix couldn't make out and raised his hands a bit in a defensive manner.

After a short moment, the man began to speak again, much more slowly than his usual pace. Maybe he was trying to make it easier for Nix to understand him. “But why did you lie about your names? We already know who y'all work for.”

Nix furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, glaring at Joe. He had some dignity left. He could give up everything else, but his name wasn’t one of those things.

But as soon as Joe finished his last sentence, the teen felt his stomach drop. What did he mean that he 'knew who they all worked for'? Somebody from the byte must have been forced to say something, but who?

Joe opened his mouth to speak again, but as quickly his lips started to move, they stopped. As he shifted his eyes over to the door, Nix followed them with his own-

And there he stood in the doorframe, tall and strong in his emerald green armor. Xisumavoid.

Nix felt chills run down his spine the moment he caught sight of the hacker, and he had the urge to try and scoot away as he walked into the room. He knew what Xisuma could do. What he was capable of. And he did not want to be the one on the other end of his weaponry and power.

Joe was looking at Xisuma intently, as if he were listening to him speak. But not like Nix could tell. Due to the helmet covering his mouth, the medic couldn't figure out what Xisuma was saying. Only bits and pieces of Joe's sentences.

"But I can’t… Zero’s deaf. He can't hear." Joe’s lips read. Nix figured that the hacker had asked if the man had gotten any information out of him that could be useful.

And he could tell that Xisuma wasn’t expecting that sort of answer from Joe. His eyebrows raised, as if surprised, and he could see slight wrinkles form and fade on the upper half of his face. He must have been speaking then.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Joe responded. He glanced over at Nix for a moment, before shifting his focus back to his colleague. “Uhh… y’know how to sign? Can any of the others?” He asked.

Xisuma raised an eyebrow, but shook his head.

Nix blinked, and then pressed his lips into a firm line. Nobody knew how to sign? Sure, he didn’t expect anyone to be perfect at it, but he expected at least one person would have a basic idea of what he was trying to say.

He watched the two men continue to converse. Even if he could only read Xisuma’s gestures and facial expressions. Seeing the guy crossing his arms, tapping his chin, and furrowing his brows didn’t exactly reveal a lot. Just that he was most likely thinking about something.

And then out of nowhere, Xisuma's eyes shifted onto Nix. The teen froze where he sat, a deer in the headlights, and his heart began to pound as Xisuma took a step towards him. Why did Xisuma do that? What did he want-

"Zero? Zero, can you hear me?"

The sudden voice in his head nearly made him jump up from where he sat. His ears almost started to ring. At first, he thought he might have been going crazy…

And then he realized what it was. It wasn't his conscience, or a new imaginary friend that his mind formed to try and keep himself sane. It was Xisuma using telepathic hacks in order to communicate better.

“Can you hear me?” The hacker repeated his sentence, taking another step towards the teenager. "Is this working?"

Nix kept his dark eyes locked on Xisuma. As hesitant as he was, he gave him a nod.

He saw Xisuma let out a visible sigh of relief. "Alright, good," He answered. “Now, just one moment.”

The teen was taken by surprise when the hacker then disappeared in a burst of green and blue pixels for a moment. However, he wasn't gone for long. Before Nix knew it, another flash of colored static filled the room, and when it faded, Xisuma was now standing there, a black pen, a small notebook, and a stack of familiar photographs in his hands.

Nix immediately knew what the hacker wanted him to do.

Xisuma put the pen and notebook in the tennager's hands. "Now, what's your name?" He asked. "Your real name."

Nix remained quiet, but looked at the notepad and pen in his hands. Should he really do this? What were the consequences going to be?

...then again, the chances of actually going back home to the Hive were slim to none. The odds of the Army actually finding them were even less. He was essentially down to nothing. Nothing to lose, nothing that could be taken away from him.

So he pressed the pen to the page, and scribbled out his message.

Nix. My name is Nix.

The teen tore the small slip of paper out of the notebook and handed it to Joe.

After a second of his eyes darting across the paper, Nix could see the man let out a small chuckle. "So it's Nix, huh?" Joe's lips read. "Fitting."

Nix looked up at Joe and frowned a bit, giving him an annoyed expression. Like he hadn't heard that before. He knew his name literally meant ‘none’, and that it did seem like it was perfect for him, given he could both hear nothing, and chose to say nothing.

"Are you a medic, by chance?" Xisuma then asked. The teen blinked in confusion, wondering how he could know his role as a Shadowbyte soldier, but then the hacker pointed to his shoulder. "The patches on your shoulders."

Nix shifted and glanced down at one of his shoulders, and he saw what Xisuma was talking about. A worn cloth patch of a red plus sign. The insignia of the Army's Medical Division, and a common mark of a medic anywhere. Now Xisuma made sense. Understanding, Nix nodded.

“Ah, I see,” Xisuma replied, and cleared his throat. “Alright… how about this person?” The hacker then held up a picture of a tired Lucky, eyes bloodshot and blonde hair disheveled. 

Nix hesitated for a moment, remembering the fiasco that had happened earlier that day. But he soon began to write his answer down on his notepad anyway. As guilty as he felt selling his teammates out of the one secret they had left, somebody had presumably leaked much more sensitive information than just names.

That one is Lucky. He has-

He paused, and then scribbled over the ‘has’.

-had an older brother, Jazz. He was the one from the funeral today.

As Nix handed the paper off and Xisuma read it, he saw wrinkles form on his face. He must have been frowning. He could easily presume why.

But after a moment, the man blinked and shook his head a bit, before holding up another photograph. It was Sakura, curled up on her bed and shying away from the flash of the camera. 

She's Sakura. She's a mechanic, from what I've been able to tell. Really sweet, once you get to know her.

He ripped off the slip of paper and handed it over. Xisuma had read it, and seemingly let out a small chuckle.

"I will admit, she's one the most tame out of you all." The hacker's voice echoed as he put away Sakura's picture and pulled out another. "Now, who's this man?"

Nix shifted his dark brown eyes onto the photograph, and felt his heart sink a bit. An older man with faded blue eyes and silver hair stared back at him, eyebrows furrowed. And despite his disheveled look, Nix could recognize him immediately.

Grey.

Nix hesitated for a moment as he recognized the man in the photograph. He had to snap himself out of his trance before he began to scribble down his message.

Greydroid. My mentor.

“A fellow medic, I presume?” Xisuma’s echoing voice asked after Nix had handed him the slip of paper.

Nix gave the hacker a small nod. His mind was starting to drift back off to other thoughts and questions he had that he knew couldn’t be answered. Specifically where his teacher was, and if he was okay.

Xisuma pulled him out of his thoughts as he pulled out another photo. A familiar shot of an angry Coda flipping off the camera. "What about her?" He asked. "What's her name?"

Nix's gaze lingered on the picture for a moment. He still couldn't help but wonder where she and Grey were. But he forced himself to shake away the thought, and he started writing again.

Her name is Coda. Don’t know much about her other than that Grey was also her mentor at some point. She also has a short temper, if you haven’t already noticed.

As the medic ripped off the slip of paper and handed it to the two men, he saw Joe starting to speak again as his eyes shifted onto him. "Wait, wasn't she the one that broke Iskall's nose?" His lips read.

Nix blinked, but he shrugged. It didn't surprise him that Coda had managed to do that. He knew that even with as immature as she seemed, she was highly skilled in close quarters combat. During the initial fight the week before, she was taking down people left and right. He was shocked that she hadn't killed anyone, with how brutal she was.

Maybe she was restraining herself from doing so. Following Angel’s orders.

Nix shifted his attention back to Xisuma as he held up another photograph, a tall and handsome man with fiery red hair and striking grey eyes. Synth.

He clicked his pen and began to write.

That's Synth. He and Coda are really close friends, but I don't know if they're more than that.

Tearing off the paper and handing it over, Nix started to wonder how Synth and Coda even became friends. Synth was prim, proper, patient. Definitely a gentleman. Coda, on the other hand, was impulsive, loud, and very reckless. The two couldn't be any more different.

But he didn't have time to wonder about the relationship between the two Infantry soldiers. If his math was right he had one more person to identify.

And he was correct. Because Xisuma pulled out a picture of a woman he could name on sight. Ebony skin, black curly hair, an eyepatch over one of her dark eyes. He immediately began to write his answer.

She's our leader. Her name is A-

And then the ink stopped mid sentence, leaving only indents on the paper.

Of course that had to happen. Of all times, it had to happen when he was almost done.

Nix scribbled off to the side to try and get the ink to flow again. Nothing happened. He huffed and made another mark. Still nothing.

Now that was just great. The pen just had to go dry at that moment, didn’t it? Now what was he going to do?

...And then he had an idea. It seemed quite foolish, but he didn't care.

Nix suddenly sprang up and grasped one of the wings of the silver elytra strapped to Joe's back, tugging a couple of times.

The man was taken slightly aback by the sudden action. He jumped back a bit as the teen let go of the wing he had snatched. His lips started to move and say a sentence, that the teen unfortunately couldn't make out.

Nix then reached a hand over his own shoulder and patted his back a few times. Hopefully he could get his message across without the use of words.

Xisuma tilted his head slightly, visibly confused. "Nix, what are you trying to say?" His voice echoed.

The teen became slightly discouraged. Maybe a little game old charades wasn't going to work after all… but he knew he had to try more than once. So he tugged on Joe's set of wings and tapped his back once again.

Joe's next words were easier to understand. “Wings? Back?" He started. "Wings on her back-” His lips suddenly stopped moving, and Nix could assume he went quiet. But a small smile soon formed on his face. “Angel? Is her name Angel?”

Nix couldn’t help but smile back, and gave a single nod. They understood him!

“Thank you, Nix.”

Xisuma’s voice sounded in his head again. He glanced over at the hacker, who was now conversing with Joe, and handed over all of the photographs and slips of paper to him. Of course, he couldn't decipher what they were actually saying, but at this point, he didn't exactly care.

Joe then began to walk towards the door, stack of photos and notebook paper in hand. He said something to Xisuma and waved, presumably a goodbye, before ultimately exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

But then instead of following his colleague out, Xisuma remained where he stood. There was a moment where he did not move, did not appear to have said anything. What was he doing?

"I have one more question for you," His voice then echoed in Nix's head, catching him off guard. He turned around to face him, and took a step forward.

The teen tilted his head a bit, and unconsciously leaned closer. He almost wanted to know what his captor had to say. It gave him something to do, allowed him to fight back the boredom and ease the anxiety.

"Who leads the Army?"

Nix raised an eyebrow at Xisuma's statement. He wasn't expecting that sort of question. Sure, he knew that the members of HermitCraft had somehow figured out who he and the rest of the byte worked for, but why would he want to know? Perhaps he wanted to determine who the biggest enemy of the Shadowbyte Army was. The head of the whole beast.

At least Nix had an easy answer to the question. It had always been the same exact person, ever since the Shadowbyte Army was founded; Ecryptos. It may have been years and years since he had created it, but the general was still alive and kicking. He had grown so powerful that he had essentially become ageless. Immortal, even.

It made sense why nobody ever tried to overthrow him. And even if he wasn’t as powerful as he was, it wasn’t likely that anybody would want to take his title for the sake of others. Ecryptos wasn't anything close to a tyrant. If anything, he was a savior. A guardian. He treated any other person he took under his wing like they were his own family.

Including Nix.

He was still quite young when he was first taken in, about nine or ten years old. As fate would have it, it was at that time he had lost his hearing, and it didn’t take long for someone to notice and figure it out. And that person was none other than Ecryptos himself.

Every now and then, Ecryptos would visit the floors where the children who hadn’t begun their training would stay. Usually it was to check up on how the newer ones were doing; more often than not, they would come from a bad situation. He always wanted to make sure that each one had the opportunity to have the best childhood possible, no matter where they came from or what they were dealing with.

Nix had caught the general's attention with how distant he was being. He never interacted with the other children, or any of the adults. Due to the obvious communication barrier that was suddenly thrown upon him by the loss of his hearing, Nix had decided to shut himself off out of frustration and sadness. He would just sit in a cramped corner for hours on end.

And he didn't expect Ecryptos, this seemingly terrifying man who he had never met before in his life, try to get through to him and provide accommodations for his condition.

When Nix first saw him, he couldn't help but feel scared; Ecryptos didn't exactly appear friendly, to say the least. He was freakishly tall, had a sickly, almost rotten tone to his skin. Not to mention the countless scars scattered across his body. And what made him even more scary was the fact that Nix couldn’t see his face behind the helmet he wore; it was the unknown that frightened him.

Yet the first thing Ecryptos did when he met the boy was anything but cruel. He approached, sat down a few feet away from him, and, to Nix’s surprise, rolled a small rubber ball over. As if Nix were a shy dog that didn’t want to play.

At the time, Nix thought it was extremely silly and strange. Yet the man had continued to patiently wait for Nix to feel comfortable, to feel like he could talk to him. And after hours of the two rolling the small toy back and forth, Nix finally did try to speak (which he couldn’t hear). It was at that moment Ecryptos realized why Nix had shut himself off. He didn’t know how to communicate anymore.

And so, from that day forward, Ecryptos taught Nix as much as he could, in terms of communication. He was the one that had made sure Nix would be able to socialize in any circumstances, whether via hacks or by signing or lip reading. 

So, in summary, Nix was very grateful to the legendary general. If he were to reveal his identity, the repercussions would be terrifying!

...but then again, Ecryptos couldn't exactly die. He had been alive for years, and could go for centuries more. There was no way, even with how powerful Xisuma was, that if he were to try and take him down, Ecryptos could not be killed or overthrown.

So he pressed his pen to the paper and scribbled down his answer.

His name is Ecryptos.

He stopped for a moment, pursed his lips, and added another two sentences. 

And I wouldn't try going after him, if I were you. You WILL die.

He had to try and hold back the grin that wanted to form on his lips as he tore the paper out of his notepad and handed it to Xisuma. Maybe he could have a little fun with this.

But once the hacker's eyes landed on the paper, Nix noticed his behavior change right away. His grip on the message tightened, his brows furrowed, his posture stiffened. Most of all, something sparked in his eyes.

Burning hatred.

And before Nix knew it, Xisuma had sprung to his feet, spun around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

That was certainly unexpected.

He had no idea that the hacker would have a reaction as volatile and sudden as that. But it did reveal something, something that gave Nix more questions than actual answers.

Xisuma was obviously angry and resentful at something, so much so that it took every fiber of his being to not let it all out.

Because the steel handle of his door had molded to the shape of his grip like a ball of clay.

~~~~~

After another bland couple of meals and another sleepless night, Nix didn't think twice about Joe waking him up and leading him out of his cell. He was too tired to care about anything the members of HermitCraft had to say, and too worried about Grey to focus on anything else.

Not to mention his last interaction with Xisuma. Why would he have a reaction that intense? He didn’t know Ecryptos; nobody outside the Army did. Once someone was taken in by the Army, they served for life. And even if they wanted to leave, where would they go? The reason they joined in the first place was because they had nobody else to turn to. Not family, friends. All of their bridges had been burned, intentionally or not.

He knew it was raining outside. Or at the very least, it had been. He could see the countless trails of muddy shoe prints and small puddles of water along the tile he passed by. He also felt the rubber soles of his boots squeaking against the floor as he walked.

At least he couldn't hear that. Leave that for everyone else to deal with. It was one of the only sounds he was glad he was missing.

But Nix started to notice something. The route he and Joe were taking through the maze of hallways was familiar. Even if he had only been in that World for about a week, he had been on a strict daily routine before the attempted breakout. And he realized the path that he was taking.

He and Joe were headed towards the byte’s meeting room.

But why? Had something happened to prompt a meeting? Maybe Grey and Coda had returned-

No. There was no possibility of that. Coda was the most stubborn person Nix had ever met, and there was no way she would want to come back after a successful escape. And she probably wouldn't let Grey out of her sight.

...but he couldn't help but start to hope.

Joe and Nix rounded a final corner, and the single door to the meeting room came into view. The teen's heart began to pound harder and harder with every step closer. He could see figures moving inside through the small barred window on the iron door-

The moment Joe opened the door, Nix broke away from his grip and dashed inside. Darting his eyes around, he saw every member of the that was at the funeral the day before; Angel, Lucky, Sakura, Synth. Even Xisuma.

But still no Grey or Coda.

The teen's heart sank as his hope crumbled. He couldn't help but let his shoulders sag a bit. Even if it was just a slim chance, the idea of knowing his mentor was okay was one he was desperate to make come true.

He lifted his eyes from the floor and glanced around at the people around him, before his eyes landed on the one person he didn't expect to be there. Xisuma.

Xisuma stood at the front of the room, all by himself. For a second, Nix was wondering why he had no armed colleagues at his side. But then he remembered that the man could probably wipe them out of existence with a single flick of his hand.

He could more than easily take care of himself.

"Hello everyone," Xisuma's voice echoed inside of Nix’s head, and he saw his fellow soldiers shift their gazes towards him. He must have been using his hacks and speaking simultaneously. "As many of you know, during your attempted breakout, a couple of you had actually managed to escape. You all may be part of a...faction of hackers, but we know that you all are very loyal to both your cause and your colleagues."

"We are forming a search party for the two who have escaped," Xisuma continued, making Nix's eyes widen with interest. The man then held up his palm, and two images of two people he knew all too well appeared on a holographic display, similar to Lucky's. "Coda and Grey."

Nix saw a few of the byte members beside him have a visible reaction to the real names of their missing colleagues being said. A slight feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach; it would only be a matter of time before they found out what he had done.

At least Coda wasn't there to beat the shit out of him.

Xisuma made a fist, and the holographic display disappeared in a flash of pixels. “We are willing to bring some of you along," The hacker continued, catching Nix's attention. "However, you will be under strict supervision. If you try anything, there will be consequences." The hacker glanced around the crowd one last time. "Anyone who is willing to go, just step up."

At first, everybody was still. Not a single person twitched or moved; all stood their ground. But to Nix’s surprise, he then saw someone step forward from the group of five and approach the hacker.

Synth.

The teen saw confusion arise from the others around him. Angel reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder. Her lips moved wildly, too quick for Nix to make anything out.

However, after a short moment, Synth's lips moved for a second, before he gently removed the woman's hand and walked off towards Xisuma. The two men began to converse, but Nix didn't know what the redhead was saying; his back was facing him.

However, Synth’s body language revealed quite a lot. His shoulders were tense, he was standing up straight, his arms were crossed. He was definitely very serious about what he was doing. This wasn't something he was doing on a whim.

And the teen could only come up with one reason why he would be that way.

As far as he knew, Synth barely knew Grey. The way they interacted with one another was very professional, not exactly personal.

But with Coda, on the other hand, the two were practically attached at the hip. The way they interacted gave the obvious hint that they were very close. And the way Synth was acting now implied that he cared about Coda deeply.

And Nix didn't need to know what he was saying to understand that.

[tabloidtoc]

TV Guide, August 5-18

Cover: BH90210 reboot

Page 2: Contents, Jared Padalecki 

Page 4: Ask Matt -- Emmy nominations -- D’Arcy Carden of The Good Place, Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones of The Handmaid’s Tale, Your Freedback, Coming Next Issue -- Poldark starring Aidan Turner 

Page 6: New season scoop -- Star Trek: Picard, The Flash, Supernatural 

Page 7: Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Superstore, TV Guide Magazine’s 10th Annual Fan Favorites panel -- Damian Holbrook, Yetide Badaki of American Gods, Brittany Curan of The Magicians, Matt Davis of Legacies, Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor of The 100, Lauren Ash and Ben Feldman of Superstore, Caity Lotz of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Clark Gregg of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Candice Patton of The Flash, William Jackson Harper of The Good Place 

Page 8: Insider Know-How -- Ann Curry on Chasing the Cure, First Look -- Inside the Actors Studio with James Burrows and Kelsey Grammer

Page 10: The Roush Review -- The Terror: Infamy 

Page 11: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Our Boys, My Life Is Murder 

Page 12: Cover Story -- The whole cast gets together again for the first time in BH90210 and pays tribute to Luke Perry 

Page 16: Catch Up On All Your Fall Favorites -- The Good Place, The Man in the High Castle, The Resident 

Page 17: NCIS, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Doctor, This Is Us 

Page 18: What’s Worth Watching -- Week 1 -- Succession 

Page 19: Monday, August 5 -- Hot in Cleveland, Bachelor in Paradise, Mystic Britain, Aaron Needs a Job 

Page 20: Tuesday, August 6 -- Woodstock: Three Days That Defined a Generation, Animal Kingdom, Intervention, Code of the Wild, Undercover Billionaire, Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Oakland Raiders 

Page 21: Wednesday, August 7 -- Bulletproof, Love Island, Queen of the Pythons, Hypnotize Me 

Page 22: Thursday, August 8 -- The Young and the Restless, Chasing the Cure, Contact, Two Sentence Horror Stories, Friday, August 9 -- Good Morning America with Keith Urban, Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2019, Ghosts of Morgan City, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, Jett 

Page 23: Saturday, August 10 -- Aquaman, The Zoo: San Diego, Kids’ Choice Sports 2019, Mountain Mamas 

Page 24: Sunday, August 11 -- The Food That Built America, Star Trek marathon Scotty Saves the Day, Art of Falling in Love, Teen Choice 2019, Grantchester, Jamestown 

Page 40: Streaming Guide -- Netflix -- The Family, Sextuplets, Glow, Russian Doll 

Page 41: Friends -- Our five favorite story lines, Diagnosis, House 

Page 42: Prime Video -- This Is Football, Jim Gaffigan: Quality Time, Ellen DeGeneres: Here and Now, Robin Williams: Weapons of Mass Destruction, Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles 

Page 43: Hulu -- Pure, Into the Dark, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary 

Page 44: New Movie Releases 

Page 45: Series, Specials and Documentaries 

Page 46: What’s Worth Watching -- Week 2 -- The Terror: Infamy 

Page 47: Monday, August 12 -- Straight Up Steve Austin, Jerry O, Family Pictures USA, Lodge 49 

Page 48: Tuesday, August 13 -- America’s Got Talent -- Sophie Pecora and Luke Islam and Kodi Lee, Mysteries Decoded, Supermarket Stakeout, The Disappearance 

Page 49: Wednesday, August 14 -- Phylicia Rashad on David Makes Man, Turquoise Fever, Suits 

Page 50: Thursday, August 15 -- Elementary, Hollywood Game Night, NASCAR, Friday, August 16 -- Blaze, The Bob Newhart Show, Love After Lockup 

Page 51: Saturday, August 17 -- Ryan Paevey on A Summer Romance, Cook With Your Kids, Welcome Back, Kotter, Zombie Tidal Wave 

Page 52: Sunday, August 18 -- John Goodman on The Righteous Gemstones, Good Witch, I Am Patrick Swayze, Major League Baseball 

Page 76: Cheers & Jeers -- Cheers to Veronica Mars, Conan O’Brien, Fear the Walking Dead, Pearson, Jeers to Veronica Mars, the Emmy voters, The Orville 

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