#BLACK OWES MUTT BIG TIME

[maiuoart]

A dare for Gillby to kiss Black on the cheek-....

Turns into this.

...I’m... Laughing too hard, Fuku, you PRECIOUS GEM OF A BEAN, YOU SLAY ME. NKDFJGHDFLKH

Anyways, a Payback? From this comic here where Mutt was dared to Lick Gillby.

Fuku’s train of thought; “Kisses are shared with those you like... Daddy got kissed by Uncle Pappy, who got a kiss in return. 

...New Pappy?” 

I just. I’m dying so hard, folks. I really can’t help this. Thank you guys and I hope my cringe worthy shit is funny to you too; EVERYTHING IS MORE HILARIOUS WITH KIDS! 

[levworship]

Okay but I just read what the other anon requested and that was so good?? I didn’t think I had a thing for receiving oral but wtf 😭🤚could I maybe request smth if you got time?? Could it be a reunion between volleyball teams from miyagi and tokyo? So nekoma, fukorodani, seijoh, Johzenji (terushima’s tongue piercing PLS), karasuno, itachiyama You were the old manager of nekoma and was friends with literally everyone, during the talk kuroo somehow mentioned that in the nekoma reunion like 2 years ago it somehow ended with the main guys all taking turns eating you out and that pisses off the rest of the guys because that was their fantasy?? This ends up with you (with consent ofc) being sat down on kuroo’s lap as the guys also take turns eating you out (inspired by the other anon because 😩) I understand if you obviously can’t mention everyone, but pls mention terurshima, sakusa (who would only let you make a mess on his face) and bokuto if you could <3 ALSO the idea of two people eating you out at the same time, maybe bokuto and terushima?? IM NASTY OKAY BUT PLS DO THAT

Ty in advanceeee

i’m usually pretty fast but this took me a whole two days to write smh i’m sorry anon. hope you enjoy tho <3 i wanted it to be a lil longer but i’m so tired and i rlly wanted to get this out for you.

cw: group sex (like.. big group), hella sub reader, also fem reader, anal lol, oral (fem reviving), kuroo is the ringleader, humiliation ig, reader kinda into it doe, dirty talk, degrading + praise, squirting, overstimulation

summary: basically everyone wants to eat out/fuck y/n. explicitly written in here is kuroo, oikawa, sakusa, bokuto, and terushima. the rest is implied.

word count: about 1.9k

your face was buried into kenma’s stiff shoulder, your whole body feeling hot as your group of friends continued to talk about you as if you weren’t even there. but clearly they hadn’t forgotten about you too much considering the way their eyes burned holes into you from all around so indiscreetly that you couldn’t even sit your ass still.

you weren’t quite sure how the previous conversation had shifted so suddenly, but kuroo seemed more than happy with the subject change as his signature asshole smirk never left his features. “- yeah, ‘bout two years ago i’d say. she was a good fuck too. poor thing was so eager to make us feel good that she passed out.” kuroo continued to drag his story as if to intentionally provoke the others, and the staring at you only got worse. your nerves were shot.

you looked and felt like a precious bunny being stared down by a bunch of wolves. and honestly? it was hot as fuck.

which is why you didn’t bother to argue when you were practically dragged into the locker room of the old gym, daichi hurriedly locking the door behind all of you. you couldn’t help but feel bad for just a second. ‘didnt some of these guys have girlfriends? couldve sworn i saw terushima enter with some girl.’ but how could you possibly focus on that when your clothes were being literally ripped off of you and disregarded to who knows where?

your legs felt weak, both out of shock and nervousness from being handled so roughly. “bring her here, bo. sit her down on my lap.” bokuto (for perhaps the first time in his life) was silent as he dragged you over to the other ex-captain, setting you down in his lap on his spot on the bench just as he’d requested. kuroo snickered and raised a hand to cup your cheeks, squeezing them together like you were a little baby before releasing.

“ease up, will ya? so damn tense i can feel it from here. you know we’ll take good care of you.” he spoke so lowly and reassuringly that you couldn’t help but to nod like a fool as he turned you around in his lap to fit the others. he tapped your thigh once, twice, and you quickly picked up on the hint and opened your legs for their viewing pleasure. you tried to put your face down as you were smothered in shame from just how quickly you got wet from their rough handling, but kuroo gripped onto your face once again and forced you to look up.

“look up, baby. so many big strong men dying to make you cum so fucking hard. be a little more thankful, yeah? say it.” “thank you.” he shook his head with a small laugh before releasing your face, but not before lightly tapping your face twice with soft slaps. still, you remained out of it even as oikawa settled himself between your legs, looking up at you with the same lazy smile you frequently saw him wearing around you.

“smells so damn good. finally gonna let me get a taste, cutie?” he spoke lowly as if he were to himself before diving in and holy shit. you figured he’d be pretty experienced. the guy was a literal chick magnet. but damn, this exceeded your expectations by far. your body threatened to curl over itself if it hadn’t been for kuroo’s sturdy grip on your twitching thighs. the way he sucked vigorously at your clit while swiping his tongue along your folds to capture more of your essence had you drawing nothing but blanks up there.

“haven’t even cum yet for us and already going dumb?” kuroo teased, planting a kiss just behind your ear, a shocking contrast to the way oikawa’s tongue worked against you just right.

the air around you was so thick you felt as if it could be cut with a knife. some of the guys surrounding you couldn’t figure out what to do with themselves, nervously shuffling their feet without taking your eyes off of you. others had clearly overcome any former shame, already slowly pumping their cocks in their hands as they hoped and prayed that they would get a turn soon. the whole scene made you feel so dirty— so wanted. the desire that leaked from their looks on you had your orgasm approaching faster than ever.

oikawa seemed to have noticed this, using his thumbs to spread your folds apart to make sure you felt him deep, muttering a quick “cum on my fucking mouth, princess.” the simple phrase alone made your orgasm crash down on you finally. your fingers tangled in his soft hair, which was now messy and tossed thanks to you.

you nearly passed out right there when he continued to lick you clean even as you violently shook in kuroo’s grasp, the black haired boy having to shove the other away forcefully just to separate his mouth from you. “that’s enough of that. did he make you feel good baby?” your eyes are still shut as you cling onto the leftover bliss, only offering a quiet “mhm.” “good girl. think you can give us another?” the question was clearly rhetorical, which should’ve been clear by the was he was already gesturing someone else forward. but still, you shook your little fucked out head ‘no’ and prayed upon some god that he’d have mercy on your poor quivering cunt.

but you knew better than to expect mercy from kuroo of all people. especially when it came to your body, when he kept whispering to you about how you were such a “perfect little toy,” and his “favorite doll to use.” before you knew it sakusa was diving into your pussy quickly without giving you time to do so much as muster up the energy to open your eyes again. his mouth was quick and desperate to get you off, moving with a sense of urgency as his hands busied themselves palming at his covered dick. he wasn’t nearly as precise or experienced as oikawa was, but his eagerness made up for it as he ate you out like a starved man.

your hips threatened to buck against his face wildly, cries of “please, please, please” falling from your mouth even though you didn’t even know what you were begging for. all you knew was that you needed more than what he was giving you right now. the man above you seemed to have read you like an open book once again as he released one of your thoughts to reach a hand around to your sensitive bud, pressing down on it softly. “see this?” he murmured, only receiving a small “hm.” in acknowledgement as omi continued his assault on your little hole. greedy fuck. “try touching her here. she loves that shit.” you cried out for more again, clenching tightly at the way he spoke of your body as if you weren’t even there.

the second sakusa tore himself away from your folds to wrap his lips around your clit, you were a goner for sure. there was a distant scream that you didn’t even recognize as your own until kuroo muffled them with his hand, body twitching and jerking more than it had the previous time. the room fell to a sudden silence even as you came down from your high, causing you to let out a confused hum.

kuroo’s chuckle broke the quietness, his large hand slapping your wet overstimulated mound and making you yelp. “didn’t know you were a squirter, baby. how come you didn’t do this for us the first time hm?” another rhetorical question. his hand trailed down lower, collecting some of your juices before he began to prod a finger at your other hole. “fuck- gonna let me bury myself in here again? want both of your holes fucked out?” and you couldn’t help but cry out because fuck yes! you couldn’t think of anything you’d want more. you nodded your head and panted like a sex craved mutt, and perhaps you would’ve been as humiliated as you were before if you weren’t so damn thirsty for it. every inch of you was begging to be ravished and destroyed, and you couldn’t help but grow more and more impatient as the time passed.

kuroo didn’t take his eyes off of you as he nodded towards the crowd once again, sakusa taking the hint and reluctantly scurrying off to palm at himself through his sweatpants just as he previously had. kuroo’s command must’ve been unclear though, as both of you were pulled away from your eye contact at the sound of a comical bonk followed by two grunts of “ow.” perhaps you would’ve laughed if the two aforementioned fools weren’t kneeling in front of your drenched pussy, ready to service you eagerly just as the other two had.

a chill ran up your spine as you surveyed each of their features. while both of them shared the same underlying expressions of lust and desperation, you couldn’t help but note how bokuto’s face resembled one of an excited puppy dog that perhaps would’ve been adorable in another circumstance while terushima’s was much more primal. “look at that” kuroo’s voice in your ear dragged you back out of your own head as he slowly sunk another finger into your tight ass. just because he was going to treat you like a whore didn’t mean you didn’t deserve prep. “making a fool out of themselves, all because they’re so desperate to get a taste of that perfect pussy. doesn’t that make you feel filthy?”

kuroo couldn’t do anything but shake his head at your lack of response, finally releasing your thighs for a moment to grab at both of their napes, silently demanding for you to hold them open yourself. “well? since you’re both so impatient, think you two can work together as a team? if i hear her complain even one time, i’m not letting either of you touch again.”

the two of them nodded obediently, and your eyes nearly rolled back at how demanding kuroo was being right now. it was clear that everyone knew who was truly holding the ropes here, and yet no one was complaining about the arrangement. seemingly satisfied with their responses, kuroo released their necks and his hands smacked yours away so he could replace them and hold up your thighs himself once again. “think you’re ready to take my cock now in here, y/n?” he smirked as he lined himself up. “gonna let me fuck this ass while you let both of them eat that slutty pussy? such a dirty girl. so fuckin’ good for us” he continued to spew filth at you as he lined himself up at your entrance, allowing you to sink down slowly.

you hissed at the stretch, but of course didn’t have much time to focus on the sensation because bokuto and terushima had finally decided that they’d been waiting for long enough. they worked diligently, the cool metal of teru’s tongue piercing flicking against your bud while bokuto slurped on your juices so loudly that the sound filled the room in the most embarrassing way possible.

yeah. you were in for it tonight.

sorry for mistakes or inconsistencie. requests for bnha and haikyuu are open.

[ohnococo]

Titan Warriors and their Pets HCs

Porco

He’d have a dog like a pit bull or a staffy, it would 100% have a mean name like Crusher, and it would 100% be an absolute and total big dumb sweet baby. Porco’s social media will be 90% videos of the dog napping, giving him cute eyes, rolling in the grass, with a flower on it’s ear - this is his BABY, and he talks to it in that goofy baby-talk voice. He lets his dog lick his face too, smh. If his apartment has the space and it will because he’ll just get rid of some of his own furniture Porco would buy one of those mini couches for the dog to chill on. You’ll see him on a jog or in the dog park with his dog every day, running it around in circles, or playing tug of war. They’re both relentless at tug of war, Porco will be getting dragged around by the bit of rope toy they’re playing with having the time of his life. 

Overall 100% the type to baby his dog, giving it lots of treats and always being ready to play, and he’ll even cover the dog’s eyes during scary parts in movies. You can also catch them napping together on the couch, both on their backs, both drooling and snoring. Birds of a feather, Porco and his pup!

Zeke

Has a tortoiseshell cat, and I can see it with a name like Maeve or Xanthe (something do to with mythology or some kind of historical thing he’s read books on in his free time). The cat will be largely independent, with Zeke leaving a window open in both his home and office for her to come and go as she pleases, but more often than not she’ll be lurking in the background staring at any visitors. 

She can be seen on Zeke’s lap sometimes, as he loves to pet her absentmindedly when he’s deep in thought, but she does tend to end her cuddle time with her claws in his hand. It won’t be uncommon to pass by Zeke’s office as he mulls over some report while stroking the cat’s tummy and then as you walk away you’ll just hear “Maeve let go... Maeve... ow, shit, why?!” She’s overall sweet to him and him alone though, and will often wake him up at 3 am by rubbing her face on his beard and purring.

Pieck

Pieck could have many types of pets, I see her being one of those people animals seem to always like - it’s not uncommon for her to be late getting somewhere because she’s stopped to pet a stray for 15 minutes. I see her with something like a Bombay though - a handsome little black cat that almost has the playfulness of a dog. She’d give it a strange but sweet name, carefully chosen after she’d had time to get a feel for their personality or something sentimental to do with how she’d found them. Maybe something like Müll (German word for “trash”) because “I found her in the dumpster behind a pub!” or Rigatoni because a bit of uncooked pasta Pieck dropped was it’s favorite thing to bat around. Either way she would be so loving with this cat, and it would be stuck to her side from the minute she got home -  and Pieck always has a cat toy near her to play with her lil friend. She would be the type to have a framed picture of her and her cat in her house too for SURE.

Reiner

I’m not strong enough to resist the joy of Big Man with Little Dog, so... he’d have something on the smaller side. Reiner can be active and Reiner can be patient, so he’d be pretty open to a lot of different breeds. I see him going to a shelter and picking up whichever dog gave him the saddest eyes, maybe it was a dog with a disability or an older dog - Reiner won’t care, they all need a companion. So i’ll say he’d end up with a tiny formerly stray mutt, a little fella that is some kind of mystery mix, but he’s wiry with floppy ears and sweet eyes and Reiner is absolutely smitten. He’ll take all the time he needs to gain the dog’s trust, and once the pup is happy in his home they’ll be inseparable. 

You’ll catch Reiner in the outdoor market to pick up produce with a grocery bag in one hand and his little dog in the other, or in the winter he’ll be walking the dog with little shoes on it’s paws so it’s feet don’t get cold. He’d give it a people name if it didn’t already have one when he adopted it - something like Julie or Rich - and with the way that he talks about it people would think he was talking about his kid or something at first lol. This dog 100% has a spot next to Reiner in his bed, all cuddled up to him. Reiner will end up sleeping in some uncomfortable position so the lil fella can have the center of the bed too.

[anneimaginesundertale]

Expanded Mob AUs

The Mobtale and Mafiafell boys are permanent fixtures in The Best of All Timelines. This past March (March 2021), I expanded the mob AUs to include the rest of the boys. These fellas are not in The Best of All Timelines, but they're fun to think about. I'll write drabbles about them, but they're not really available for questions or RP right now. (Maybe a future RP could be set in a dedicated Mob AU world?)

I'll leave their names here and put the rest of the details under the cut.

Mobswap -- Indigo (Sans) and Honey (Papyrus)

Mafiaswapfell -- Sable (Sans) and Slim (Papyrus)

Horrormob -- Axe (Sans) and Crooks (Papyrus)

G!Mob -- G (Sans) and Aster (Papyrus)

Outermob -- Cosmo (Sans) and Gizmo (Papyrus)

Dancemob -- Rhyme (Sans) and Rhythm (Papyrus)

Mobswap–Indigo (Sans) and Honey (Papyrus)

The MobSwap boys have an interesting relationship. Basically, they’re where Blue and Stretch were before they got to the surface, where they’re not all that good at communicating with each other and they both keep secrets.

Indigo is in the mob, working with Alphys and Toriel as kind of a messenger/delivery boy. He is doing this because his dad owed the mob a debt and died before he could pay it off. Indigo is paying it off, and he’s doing it alone, because he doesn’t want Honey involved. This Indigo keeps a lot more secrets from his brother. As far as Honey knows, his brother works as a courier for a legitimate business and is only doing it until he can get into the police academy. He secretly keeps a record of all the illegal deliveries he’s made so he can one day turn it in.

Honey is a newspaper reporter. He’s typically put on the little fluff pieces, nothing important, but he’s interested in crime and the mob. He wants to find out what happened to his dad. Indigo tries to discourage him from digging into it, saying it was just an accident and there’s no need to bring up the pain of the past, but Honey is determined to find out and get some justice.

Mafiaswapfell–Sable (Sans) and Slim (Papyrus)

Sable and Slim are in charge of a counterfeiting operation for the monster mob. Well, technically Sable is in charge and Slim does the artsy stuff. They’re a bit less dependent on each other than Black and Mutt, mostly because they’re both more outgoing.

Sable likes wine and he’s very charming. He’s definitely looking to rise higher than counterfeit arts dealer, but if it’s a slow climb to the top, then he can be patient. His cover business is that he’s an art dealer and he sets up private viewings for his clients. The king and queen of monsters are still big and important, even if everyone knows about the mob stuff, and having Queen Toriel at a viewing of your famous painting would be an honor. Sable gets all the necessary permissions and keys and such and he claims he has to “prepare the room” for the viewing IN PRIVATE and then he switches the item in question.

Slim makes his money by creating counterfeit paintings for the mob to sell. Slim is also more of the flirtatious SF Paps than my shy, awkward Mutt. He is kind of indifferent to all the mob stuff. The counterfeit business is just like commissions, and that pays for him to be able to do the art he actually wants to do. Sable sometimes slips one of his originals in with a lot of fakes and sells them, and he’ll pull the “I’m supporting my brother’s art” thing when appropriate. Slim spends his spare time in Muffet’s and enjoys a good flirt.

Horrormob -- Axe (Sans) and Crooks (Papyrus)

Axe and Crooks are Bones and Lucky if things went Wrong. And things did go Wrong. Something happened that caused humans in their world to wall up the monster sections of the city, trapping the monsters in there. With limited resources, Axe turned his business from selling magic on the downlow to selling food from the other side of the wall. Since he could teleport, he was one of the few monsters who could leave. Crooks helped him smuggle food in to help the monsters in their section of the city (screw the legality of it–when the humans are not following the law and monsters are dying, there is a Right and a Wrong thing to do and it doesn’t matter if it’s legal).

It was all going fine…until it wasn’t. Until there was demand for other things. Until they were bringing back more than just food. Until other things became food. They don’t talk about it. Axe got hurt and Crooks got hurt and they were both just trying to do the right thing. And it didn’t work.

Eventually, times changed. New laws were made. Monsters gained rights and the walls came down. Now Axe and Crooks are trying to find a way to make it in this new world.

Axe is much more cynical than Bones (or Sansy for that matter). He doesn’t trust anyone easily. He has a lot of memory problems and can’t really hold down a job. He mostly stays home now. He hates feeling useless, but doesn’t know what he can do.

Crooks is trying very hard to hold onto his good nature and optimistic outlook on life, even after all he’s been through. He’s given up on his old dream of being a lawyer. It’s hard to him to stay on his feet for long hours. He uses a cane to get around. He does have a job working at the hall of records. It’s mostly a desk job, so he can sit.

Some old acquaintances of theirs try to pull them back into smuggling again. Some of them still can’t forgive what humans did to ‘em so they try to get them to smuggle more illegal things. The boys want nothing to do with it, but it could complicate things…

G!Mob -- G (Sans) and Aster (Papyrus)

These two are the only ones who haven’t got different nicknames. G and Aster are three people in two bodies. Dr. Gaster was working on slightly illegal experiments for Don Asgore, trying to find a way to bring the don’s lost children back to him. The good doctor’s own children, Sans and Papyrus, were helping him when an experiment went terribly, terribly wrong. Suddenly there were two skeletons instead of three. Each of them had the whole consciousness of one of the sons and half of their father’s consciousness as well. Both boys have sworn off any further science work and any connections with the mob, going into hiding so that Asgore doesn’t find them.

G is now your standard hard-boiled 1940s detective type. He’s done things he’s not proud of, but that life is behind him now and he’s not gonna let some dame pull him back in. Even if it’s his old work that’s causing all these issues. He don’t do that kinda thing any more, kitten. Not even for someone like you.

Aster is…a mess. He remembers a lot more of the things Gaster did for Asgore than G does and it horrifies him. (The doctor kept a lot of it from his sons…) He’s found a quiet office job, just filling out and filing paperwork. Mindless work, with no connection to the mafia. He just wants to be left in peace.G!Mob

Outermob -- Cosmo (Sans) and Gizmo (Papyrus)

Monsters came to earth looking for a peaceful home. The humans let them settle in Ebott City, but they were very wary about the new technology monsters brought with them. Eventually a politician proposed that monster tech and magic be banned and it was. Humans will pay big money for either, or both! The monster mob is happy to provide.

Cosmo (Sans) is really, really trying to just stay out of the whole thing, but his brother’s connections with the mob mean that his quaint little flower shop is a front for moving magical tech. He wants to be supportive, but he worries…

Gizmo (Papyrus) is completely unworried about his less-than-legal job! He is doing a service! Banning magic and technology was wrong, so really he is protesting the unfair laws. He would like to find a legal solution to this too, but right now, this works! (Mostly.)

Dancemob -- Rhyme (Sans) and Rhythm (Papyrus)

It’s not just magic that’s prohibited in this world—it’s dancing too! The monster mob provides safe places for monsters and humans to dance…for a fee.

After a lot of begging, Rhythm (Papyrus) is in charge of his very own speakeasy! Well, the dancing bit anyway. Technically Grillby (Flash?) owns it and does all the magic food and drink. But Tango teaches dancing, which is his true passion! Sometimes he even dances at home. He just can’t help it!

Rhyme (Sans) is the lookout for the club. Everybody knows he don’t dance no more. He just sits there at the bar like a bum, nursin’ a bottle of ketchup all day long. Nobody suspects that when he says, “Hey, can I get some mustard over here?” that that’s the signal! It’s a pretty good gig! He just wishes his brother would be more careful!

[zeoumren]

Sooo...I cant write properly right now (because hand.) So I figured I could type up a lil short of my skeleton leaf fic (on my phone) and just...have that be as it is. So if you like fellswap pap and a whole lot of comfort enjoy this really short snippet!

Not much plot, very little hurt and a big ole blanket of comfort. Cause sometimes you just need the hug.

It's okay to be a little broken

There was something about having a nice mug of tea on a cold evening after baking that really made everything feel right.

You had slipped into the woods between the snow covered firs and evergreens to find a quiet place to meditate, just to gently reflect on everything. It was nice, quiet.

So when you came back to a silent house you were a little unnerved.

Normally there was always something happening but tonight everything was still, that might be nice, you could read a book or finish up on some chores-

Until, of course you heard Black bellowing in his deep baritone that held all the delicacy of a drill Sergeant.

"You went out and did WHAT!! get back here! That behavior is unacceptable and you know it!!"

The air had become oppressive in seconds and you wondered if you had time to run and hide.

Only to get smacked into by Puppy retreating from his shouting brother.

You both fell in a clattering pile of bones and you reached out only to brush against something wet.

You followed your hand to where Puppy was frozen. Deep eggplant purple tears coating your fingers.

Well, so much for a quiet evening.

You could smell something on him...alcohol? Maybe you were not so sure, you never really drank at all anyway.

Still, If Puppy was just drunk and came back home why was Black so upset?

Gently you wiped away his tears.

"Okay sweetie, let's get you up and get something warm in you."

He looked shocked but nodded, wiping the back of his sleeve along his nasal apature.

"'Kay."

You set him up in your room as usual, wrapping him up in your blankets and getting some tea and cookies. Extra honey in an ice maple tea. No cream. The shortbread you had made would have to do. A little more dry than what Puppy liked but…

You walked in on him buried in the blankets shaking with quiet sobs, you put the tray down on the dresser and hurried over sitting yourself nearby on the bed but not touching him, just in case.

"May I hug you?"

Your answer was instant. Arms flew around you and his skull pressed against your lap.

You both sat like that for quite some time. Just you gently strobing the back of his skull and easing his sobs down to nothing but the occasional hiccup.

"I...messed up. I w...was 't work...y'know? An...an t'is one...guy he s'arts sayin' all this racist shi' an I…"

Now, you don't know what Mutt did...not really, only that it was stressful and made him have really bad mood swings.

You do know what you can do though…

The right thing is always the hardest.

"I can't say what you did was right or wrong...I feel like I may be missing context. But I Do know you, Puppy. I know that hurting others eats you up inside. I remember you were so worried when I first got here. You were stressing over me being upset at you for something that was not your fault."

You gently cupped his skull in your phalanges and smiled. Leaning down to bump forehead with him.

"Right now. You need to let it go. You can address this when you are in the right headspace to, there is no point trying to talk about it when you feel you can't. And there is no point reliving something you can't change."

He whined at that. But you had to shake your head.

"You don't owe me an explanation for the things you have done. If you want to tell me that is wonderful. But don't force yourself when it only hurts you."

He let out another low pitiful whine before pressing his skull against you with a shuddering breath. You gently stroked his back and let the night carry the both of you.

Sometimes hurt can't be explained or mended...but sometimes it is okay, it is okay to be a little broken.

[concussed-to-pieces]

The Mettle Of A Man; Part Eleven

Fandom: Fallout (4)

Pairing: Eventual Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: Enjoy!

Part One: ArcJet

Part Two: The Prydwen

Part Three: Orders

Part Four: Finding Brandis

Part Five: Weston Water And Oberland

Part Six: Meeting Preston And Matthew

Part Seven: Radstag And Radstorm

Part Eight: The Return To Sanctuary Hills

Part Nine: Domestic Ruminations

Part Ten: Institutionalized

[!TRIGGER WARNING!: This installment contains brief mentions of pregnancy (relating to bodily changes and a C-section) and a graphic depiction of an emotional/nervous breakdown. Stay safe!]

Two weeks and three days. 

  Danse wasn't exactly certain of what to do. It had taken his squadron nearly three weeks to track down Cutler, so three weeks had become his hard limit almost unconsciously. The paladin had never been overly good at resting on his laurels, but it wasn't like he could single-handedly lay siege to the damn Institute for a retrieval mission.

  Returning to the Prydwen without his charge might prove divisive , regardless of how many technical documents Codsworth had procured from the cul-de-sac's abodes. 

  Speaking of Codsworth…

  "Aw, cheer up man." Sturges comforted the robot, who (unless Danse was imagining it) was hovering a bit lower today. "I bet she'll be back any second now!"

  "Mister Sturges, as much as I appreciate your optimistic outlook," the robot sniffed dramatically. "I'm afraid that you cannot begin to understand the sadness I feel. I believed for two hundred years that I had lost Miss Vega, and to have lost her once again is...well, it is unbearable , Mister Sturges."

  Danse grimaced. Did he actually feel bad for a robot? He was, at the very least, sympathizing with it. What the hell was his world coming to?

  Knight Vega certainly kept some interesting company. Aside from the seemingly permanent presence of the elderly Mama Murphy, Sturges, Codsworth, and the married couple of Jun and Marcy Long, numerous colorful individuals had drifted through the settlement over the course of the weeks.

  First there was Cait, a woman with hair red enough to put Proctor Ingram's to shame. She blew into town, provisioner in tow, speaking with a thick, caustic brogue and toting a sawed-off shotgun. "I owe Backhand my life." She said shortly when Danse enquired as to what her business was with Vega. "She got me off the chems, so now I keep her goddamn caravans free from pests."

  She only stayed for a night, but she insisted that Danse join her for a sparring match. He wasn't afraid to admit that she put him through the ringer , his whole body sore the following morning.

  "Tell Handy Cait sends her love!" The woman had called before she departed, giving him a small smile. Danse had ruefully promised to do so, trying not to visibly wince as he waved farewell.

  One Robert MacCready followed shortly thereafter, who had acted like Danse being there would raze the town to the ground on nothing but principle. "I dealt with you ass--er, you jerks in the Capital Wasteland." The lithe man scowled up at Danse, pushing the bill of his hat back. He had a sniper rifle slung around his body with a barrel that was almost as long as he was tall, bearing an ornate, quick-slide scope.

  "I assume you are used to the charity of former Elder Lyons. The eastern chapter is no longer so benevolent, civilian." Danse growled, pricked by MacCready's blatant disdain for the Brotherhood.

  He could tell MacCready wasn't a bad sort, just overly suspicious and prickly. After serving with Knight Rhys for so long, Danse was almost tempted to tell the younger man that he would need to try harder to keep people away from him.

  "Backhand saved my kid." Robert admitted one night after he had been drinking by the fire with Sturges. "She...She helped me get the medicine I needed. Helped cure my little boy." 

  Danse knew he shouldn't be surprised that someone who seemed as young as MacCready had managed to procreate. But as he watched the other man toy idly with a tiny, battered tin soldier that he had pulled from his pocket, Danse felt that perhaps...perhaps Robert had the right to be a bit suspicious and prickly.

  The next visitor was a petite, dark-haired woman named Curie who had an incredibly strange accent. She was of the medical persuasion and curious about everything . Danse was a little taken aback by how blunt some of her inquiries were, but he did his best to humor her. 

  She seemed harmless enough, even if she was hellbent on learning the inner machinations of his entire existence. She asked everything in such a clinical manner, Danse didn't even have the presence of mind to be uncomfortable or embarrassed. 

  That is, until she asked whether he was sexually active and " when was zee last time you stimulated yourself, Monsieur Danse? " Then he clammed right up, loathing that he could feel his face going hot as he remembered exactly when the last time he had stimulated himself was.

  "I will not be answering any more of your questions about my personal matters, civilian." The paladin informed her curtly, caught off-guard by her plaintive cry of dismay at his refusal. 

  "But Monsieur Danse, I must learn zee secret of your overgrown size! You are so very tall and muscular compared to your contemporaries, my research could result in a breakthrough for your whole species! If you are a genetic throwback, zis could mean-" Sturges finally came to his rescue, ushering the wailing doctor away and shooting Danse a wink that made the paladin huff out an irritated grunt.

  Genetic throwback . Dogmeat was a genetic throwback. Danse just...maybe he had good genes. Both of his parents must have possessed more robust constitutions. That was the clear answer. 

  An elaborately-dressed ghoul had marched down the main road like he owned the joint a few days after Curie had come and gone, only stopping when he realized there was a fully-armored paladin aiming a laser rifle at him. "Whoa! Easy crewcut, you'll harsh my mellow." He exclaimed, taking off his tricorn hat and fanning himself with it. "The name's John Hancock," he continued with a showy little bow. "I'm lookin' for General Vega. She around?"

  "Knight Vega is indisposed at the moment, but you're welcome to leave a message, ghoul." Danse gritted out, oddly keen on attempting civility.

  Hancock whistled and Dogmeat came running over, immediately flopping onto his back for a belly rub. "Ah, there he is. My favorite of the general's mutts. Sorry, you say somethin'?" The ghoul asked lazily, the pitch-black void of his eyes boring pointedly into Danse's. 

  The paladin threw his hands up in the air after a moment and stormed off. God damn it, Vega, you could have warned me that you kept such diverse company! he ranted inwardly.

  The visitor that had nearly sent him into a conniption was an old synth, its skin ragged and tattered enough to show its inner workings. Sturges chatted away with the damn thing (and its traveling companion, a self-styled reporter apparently named Piper Wright) and Danse just floundered . Backhand made friends with synths?

  Ticking mentally over everyone else he had met during his stay at Sanctuary, Danse reluctantly admitted that yes, Backhand would absolutely make friends with synths. Perhaps he should have come to terms with that before everything that had occurred, but now here he was, fully kitted and watching this synth narrowly. 

  "Come on over and introduce yourself, big fella'. No need to glare from afar." The synth commented wryly. "From what I understand we're all on the same team."

  "If it's all the same to you, synth , I'll keep my distance." Danse could tolerate a lot of things. Ghouls, specifically. He had met numerous in his travels and while it was unsettling to converse with them, he knew they weren't all diseased, mindless shamblers despite what the Brotherhood had beaten into him. But synths …

  They were the embodiment of mankind's arrogance. Monstrous, uncanny, a mockery of bodily functions. They made Danse's skin crawl.

  Piper huffed indignantly, rolling her eyes and pointing a finger at Danse as she remarked loudly to Sturges, "I wasn't aware that Blue had rechristened this place Bigotry Hills."

  The synth inclined its head in the meantime, somehow giving off an air of mechanical resignation. "Alright, I'll go first I suppose, since you've forgotten your manners. Name's Nick Valentine. I'm a detective operating out of Diamond City."

  Nick Valentine . Danse's mouth became a desert. This , this was the detective Vega sang the praises of when it came to tracking down the man who had stolen her son? "Knight Vega failed to mention that you were a synth." He muttered.

  "She probably figured it wasn't relevant. After all, the Institute left me at the curb with another man's memories in my head. Miss Vega did me a good turn after I helped her out with that Kellogg fella'." The synth shrugged. "Let an old bot put a few more ghosts to rest." He dusted off the raggedy fedora he wore, those unnerving golden eyes focused on Danse. "I caught wind that something might have gone a little sour with her infiltration, so Piper and I thought we'd drop by and see if we could offer any sort of assistance."

  "And can you?" Danse asked, concern and suspicion making his tone even sharper as he glanced at the woman. Piper stuck her tongue out at him, to his chagrin.

  The synth looked regretful for a second and Danse pondered that its face could even convey such a complex emotion. "Probably not, but at least now I know I'm not the only one worrying about our doll Vega." It remarked shrewdly. 

  Danse blushed guiltily, dropping his gaze from that calculating stare. It felt like the synth could see every damn thing he had ever done wrong in his life and Danse loathed the idea of this machine being able to help where he couldn't. "I'll be watching you, synth ," he blustered. "If you step out of line-"

  The synth actually interrupted him, waving a spindly, metallic hand. "You'll what, melt me into slag? I'd be careful, I might do something nefarious like trap you in an intelligent conversation."

  …

  Danse's sleep schedule had never been anything even bordering on concrete, but now the worry kept him up more than the nightmares. A thousand scenarios ran through his mind, each one worse than the last. His fatalistic tendencies would be the death of him one of these days, and wouldn't that be a poetic end. Death by apoplexy, his heart just exploding under the stress of his own imagination.

  No one commented when he ended up abandoning that soft mattress in the front room of Vega's house in favor of planting his bedroll on the floor at the foot of her bed. He spent long hours there every night, disassembling his gun, cleaning it thoroughly and checking over his mods. 

  When he inevitably gave up on sleep, he would patrol the perimeter. Jun joined him fairly often, the soft spoken man having taken it upon himself to manage the security around the settlement.

  "At first, I think Backhand just wanted me to have something to do." Jun mentioned out of the blue one evening, his haggard expression illuminated in the faint light of the moon. "So she told me to uh, walk the property line. Marcy didn't know what to do with me. Hell, she didn't even know what to do with herself . Losing Kyle was…" the man swallowed hard. "Well, the general understood, on account of her own little one. She knew I needed to be kept busy, especially after that close call in Concord. I'm just glad Marcy didn't give up on me." He admitted.

  "Why would she have given up on you?" Danse asked, a bit confused that this conversation was even occurring. He didn't do this sort of thing. "Whatever transpired with your child wasn't your fault." He had never asked for the specifics and Jun hadn't volunteered them.

  Jun shrugged. "Being married is...full of ups and downs. And sometimes the downs are really, really hard. Too hard. It's terrible, seeing the person you love turn into some kind of...angry husk because of grief and you're grieving too, and you know you can't fix it because-" the man's eyes welled up, his voice hitching. "-b-because you're not strong enough."

  Danse's breath caught in his lungs because oh God , that had been him after Cutler. Frustrated, hollow, newly promoted and warming Arthur's bed out of duty as he tried to privately grieve the man he had lost.

  It had been Haylen and Rhys who pried him from his depressive, wrathful tendencies. Brandis had suggested that Danse consider sponsoring his own initiates, and recommended him two candidates. The young woman, barely into adulthood, so full of life and eager to learn, and Rhys had been angry like him. 

  More followed after those two, but they had been his first. He sponsored Dawes, Brach, Keane, Worwick...squire or initiate to aspirant, aspirant to scribe or knight. All the while keeping them at arm's length, reluctant to open himself up again to the suffering that had wreaked its havoc upon him after the loss of Cutler.

  Learning about Paladin Krieg's passing during the assault on Adams Air Force Base was a blade twisting in his back. Danse had felt like his entire body was on fire, raw with agony once more as everything he had tried so hard to keep under control collapsed beneath him. He emerged from that particular rubble stoic and grim, and it was shortly after that incident that Recon Squadron Artemis went dark in the Commonwealth. 

  Brandis was sent to die and you know it! That evening in the barracks had been one of the hardest in his entire military career. Danse had known he was lying, lying to every single man, woman and child in that room that he would pass along any information he learned about Paladin Brandis.

  But what else could he do?

  "You can't fix everything and every one, Mr. Long." The paladin murmured finally. "You'll only burn yourself out with the effort. All you can do is let time do its work."

  "Oh, I know." The other man said calmly, having clearly mastered himself while Danse mulled over his response. "Marcy and I had a long talk about...our son, and even though it still hurts to talk about him, I know someday it won't." He smiled at Danse. "Thanks for listening, Mr. Paladin. I can see why the general likes you."

  Danse may or may not have tucked that precious information away, deep down in his heart.

  ...

  Backhand had no idea how many days had passed since she had departed. The Commonwealth was relatively quiet all around the settlement as she took a few steadying breaths after relaying back, bent nearly double with her hands on her knees. Overhead in the night sky, the moon beamed weakly between the thick clouds.

  Staggering down the steps that were still attached to the bare foundation, a wave of exhaustion threatened to cripple her. Away from the artificial lighting and brilliant whiteness of the Institute, she abruptly felt like she hadn't slept in weeks. How long had she been awake for?

  Bed , Vega decided with a nod. Bed before anything else . With slow, trudging footsteps, the young woman made her way to the house where she had lived before the bombs fell. Whatever time it was, it was obviously late. There wasn't a light on across the whole settlement, and she was incredibly grateful that she would be afforded a few moments of reprieve before she was plied with questions.

  Backhand closed the front door behind her, doing her best to be quiet. Danse must be asleep. Either that or he had returned to the Prydwen. Vega was a little startled at how distraught that made her feel, like she had lost somehow. 

  She stifled a yawn as she jiggled the sticky doorknob to her room and, too impatient to ease the door open, she put her shoulder to it.

  The door flew open and she immediately found herself on the business end of a very familiar laser rifle. Vega couldn't help her shriek of surprise and in her haste to retreat, she toppled into the hall and landed hard on her back. "Wait, wait! " She pleaded, throwing up her hands in surrender. "Don't shoot, Danse!"

  The paladin just stared down at her for a moment, his brow slowly unfurrowing in recognition as he lowered his gun. "Elizabeth?" He asked, his voice rasping hoarsely.

  "Y-Yeah. Hi." Backhand replied, her voice shaky. "It's me." Danse extended his hand, easily pulling her upright off the ground. She half-fell against his body, the large man accepting the weight without a word. "Why are you sleeping in here?" Backhand blurted out the first question she could think of, noticing the disturbed bedroll on the floor at the foot of her bed. 

  "I assumed that should you return, you would most likely head to your room first." The paladin answered quickly, too quickly for it to be the truth.

  Backhand raised an eyebrow. "And the armed greeting?"

  "A reflex."

  Vega's hands curled into fists on his chest, taking handfuls of his shirt between her fingers. I missed you , she wanted to say, I missed you so much . "How long was I gone for?" She asked instead.

  "Seventeen days." Danse replied in a no-nonsense manner. "It appears your infiltration of the Institute was a success." He was watching her closely. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Knight."

  Vega wanted to kiss him, not missing the warmth of relief in his eyes despite his neutral tone. She hurriedly peeled herself off of his chest, awkwardly clearing her throat and casting her brain around for an excuse to leave. "I'm...I need to shower." She lied, grimacing. "I was going to go right to bed, but…"

  "Take your time. I'll remove my personal effects and return to my quarters." The paladin intoned stiffly.

  Backhand grabbed a random assortment of clothing from atop her rickety dresser and fled to the bathroom without another word. 

  She slid down the door once she had shut it firmly, closing her eyes and hanging her head. What the hell were you expecting, Vega? she chastised herself, starting to unlace her boots. Some kind of fairytale reunion where he sweeps you up into his arms and professes his undying love? And we ride into the sunset? Backhand scoffed, bringing her fist down on the side of the salvaged water heater to get it to function.

  Vega stared down at her body as she showered, feeling oddly like a spectator. The faint scar at the bottom of her stomach mocked her, taunting her with the memory of the hospital room, the swaddled Shaun being pressed into her arms…

  This was all so wrong. 

  She pushed the heels of her palms into her eyes hard enough to blind her for a moment, fending off the tears that threatened to close her throat. The scar was placed low enough on her body that the waistband of her underwear concealed it. She didn't have to think about it too often. Usually she avoided looking at it while she bathed, the surgical leftover making complex feelings of grief and resentment war inside her.

  Her fingers drew over the faded scar, then rose to brush the stretch marks that striped over her belly from where her body had changed to accommodate Shaun's growing form. And still her eyes were dry.

  Backhand emerged from the lukewarm shower and simply sat on the side of the tub, watching the water slowly swirl down the drain. She thought of the Institute, where clean water was just a faucet turn away. Free of parasites and radiation, bearing a faint reek of chlorine that had clung to her hair and skin after bathing.

  Her brow furrowed and she toweled herself off briskly, donning the clothing she had grabbed at random. The shirt was too big, unfamiliar, and she realized with a sharp pang of a strange emotion that it must be one of Danse's. Had he done her laundry while she was gone?

  The young woman hung her towel up to dry, scooped all her dirty clothes off the floor and padded back across the hall to her room. 

  Danse, true to his word, had removed his bedroll and pack from the room, leaving no trace of his previous occupancy. Vega dropped her ball of clothes in the corner and sank down on the edge of her mattress, putting her head into her hands. 

  I believe you will do great things for the Institute.

  Her fingers dug into her hair, raking through it in a nervous gesture. She didn't want to do great things. She had never wanted to do great things. All she had wanted was a family.

  A child, a husband, a modest house in a quiet neighborhood…

  The bombs had taken so much from everyone else, did she even have the right to mourn the life she wished she had? It seemed so selfish, so...petty.

  Shaun's crib sat empty by the door like always, but now its vacancy mocked her. Had she ever truly believed she would find her son? Or had she been lying to herself the whole time, trying to convince herself that she could have been a good mother and that it wasn't all her fault Shaun had been taken. Rage bathed her in a comforting blanket of numbness and Backhand clenched her fists, rising from the bed. 

  With a stilted, furious cry of, " fuck you! " she heaved the empty crib against the wall.

  It was a simple enough task to snap the rungs in it, blowing through them one after the other. Next the flimsy headboard, torn from the sides with a shriek of abused screws. Backhand broke it over her knee, pitching the pieces off to land somewhere as the crib teetered on two legs. She grabbed those last two legs, picked the remains of the crib up, and smashed it against the floor with all her might. 

  It exploded in a cloud of chipped blue pieces, effectively destroyed. Backhand screamed in frustrated anguish, sinking to her knees and wrapping her arms around herself. She hadn't even noticed she was crying, but the tears were hot enough to burn on her cheeks.

  She felt running footsteps vibrate through the floor, but she didn't so much as raise her head. 

  Danse, Danse , those brown eyes so warm and concerned, knelt in front of her. " Easy , Knight." He soothed. Backhand sobbed hysterically, her whole body shaking with each inhale. "Elizabeth." Danse said her name calmly, quietly, his arms falling open.

  The woman flung herself into his embrace, gripping his back tightly. Danse held her close, like she was small and fragile and needed to be protected, one hand on the back of her head stroking her still-damp hair. Vega just went limp, weeping pitifully into his shirt.

  "By Jove…" Codsworth breathed from the door. "Oh mum, I'm so sorry." She felt a metal pincer rest gingerly on her shoulder and Backhand knocked her forehead against Danse's clavicle when she turned her face to look at Codsworth. "You should have told us, mum. Whatever it is, it's all too much to carry alone." The robot scolded her kindly. "I helped you raise the little tyke, if you recall. We will always have those fond memories, you and I."

  "It hurts." Backhand said thickly. "It h-hurts so much. I just wanted him back."

  "I'm sorry, Elizabeth." Danse murmured, words laden with sorrow. And he didn't even know what had happened yet!

  "I don't want anyone else to be sorry. I-I want to take every one of that smug f- fuck's toys and break them. If he wasn't already on his way out, I would-" Backhand dissolved into seething, nonsensical muttering. "There's good people in the Institute." She said finally. "People who wanted to help. People who need to get out."

  "And the Brotherhood will do everything we can to save them." Danse promised solemnly, taking her hands in his own and making a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat as he examined the battered skin. "Christ Vega, you're full of splinters."

  "I just...I don't know, I shouldn't have done that." Backhand mumbled, feeling idiotic for letting herself get so out of control.

  "Not to worry, mum!" Codsworth cheerily clicked his pincers. "I'll have you squared away in a jiffy!"

  Danse didn't let her go as Codsworth painstakingly worked over her abused hands to remove every last sliver. The paladin even assisted when the robot asked, holding her skin taut or flattening her palm out on his own to keep her steady so Codsworth could get a better grip.

  Piper appeared in the doorway in the midst of the procedure, wearing a raggedy robe and carrying a steaming mug. "And there's our gal." The reporter said softly. "Heya' Blue."

  "H-Hey Piper." Backhand sniffled. 

  The other woman tipped her head. "Nicky's on his way. You want tea or coffee?" 

  "Coffee, please. Please." Backhand begged, feeling Danse's hold on her tighten slightly. She was sitting in his lap still, his arms around her while Codsworth worked. She hated herself for enjoying the comfort his proximity provided, hated herself for being too weak to deal with this on her own. 

  As if he could sense her thoughts, the paladin settled her back more firmly against his chest.

  …

  She was back. She had come back. Harried and haggard but alive . Danse could feel the tension radiating from her and he wanted to kick himself for greeting her with a weapon at the door. His brain hadn't even registered that it might be her , he had awoken from his uneasy half-doze to someone breaching the door and his body reacted.

  Danse wanted to question her. He wanted to grip her to his chest and never let her out of his sight again. He wanted to berate her for being gone for so long. He wanted to lay her down on her bed and--

  He shoved that thought away. She was obviously exhausted and worn from whatever it was that she had gone through. Now was absolutely not the time to voice the pesky, budding emotions that warred in his chest.

  He could sense the impending explosion hanging heavy in the air like the changing pressure of an approaching storm, but he hadn't expected the rupture to happen so soon. Vega was barely out of the shower when he heard the first crash , her yell of " fuck you! ". 

  Danse wrestled momentarily with himself, his hands clenching in the fabric of his sleeping bag. Expressing anger could be therapeutic in it's own right, and her getting everything out now might be miles healthier than bottling it all up until she imploded.

  But her sobbing cries effectively wiped his plan of inaction. She sounded like she was in agony and Danse didn't even remember tearing the door open. One second he was in his own room and then the next he was on his knees in front of her, " easy , Knight," his voice gone soft and tender in a manner wholly uncharacteristic of the usually stoic man.

  He couldn't help saying her name, her first name, even though he felt wrong for doing so. But she pitched forward into his embrace just like Haylen had, weeping as though her heart was fit to break. And all Danse could do, all anyone could have done, he assured himself, was hold her close.

  She had no care for the safety and wellbeing of her hands, he realized wryly as he checked them over for broken bones. This was the second time patching up her poor fingers, the first time feeling like a distant memory. Her shredding her knuckles to ribbons on the manual release of his suit, her complete disregard for her own comfort…

  Danse didn't move, even when the synth arrived on Piper's heels. Everyone crowded into the room and he knew he ought to feel self-conscious, but now Vega was the one refusing to release him . So there he sat on the floor with her secure in his arms, listening to the entire sordid tale as Codsworth quietly tidied up the mess that had been Shaun's crib. 

  The Institute was real , and it wound for miles underneath the Commonwealth. They had access to safe food and pure drinking water, all made possible by unimaginable technology. Her son wasn't dead or even a child, but instead old and frail. The years had stretched on longer than anyone could have anticipated between his removal from the Vault and Vega's own awakening. 

  The advances that made the generation three synths possible had been brought about by utilizing infant Shaun's pre-war DNA, and he was known as Father to all the synths. But he wasn't a father at all, at least not one that anybody would want to have.

  "Synths are like lower class citizens to these scientists. Expendable. Seen and not heard." Backhand explained, and Nick muttered something uncharitable under his breath. "They're not people, they're tools. Shit, Shaun even listed them off like that, he called the coursers hammers ." Vega spat. "But they think . They dream. Hell, they grieve even though they don't know that's what they're doing."

  She spoke of the courser mourning the loss of his friend, forced to grieve without understanding the feelings he suffered through and Danse was somehow full of sympathy for a damn killing machine. It must just be Vega's compassionate nature transferring to him. There was no way he could actually believe anything like that was even possible.

  Spinal recalibration .

  Danse wasn't sure why , but he felt a blunt stab of pain at the nape of his neck when she explained the procedure. It was probably psychosomatic, he reasoned. The process sounded gruesome.

  Nick flipped back and forth through his notepad, scratching at the side of his head with his pencil. "I'll need some time to look all of this over, sweetheart." He said to Backhand, glancing at Piper. "And you need time to recover," he continued in a gently-chiding tone. "You seem half-dead, doll."

  Danse realized with a barely-hidden start that he had begun to refer to the synth as Nick in his mind. What was happening to him? Had he been away from the Brotherhood for so long that he was going soft? Was his moral integrity being compromised?

  Or was he just coming to terms with something that he couldn't bring himself to label yet? 

  Backhand nodded, tugging the paladin out of his reverie. "I really want to sleep." She mumbled. She must have been truly exhausted, because in spite of downing the mug of coffee Piper had procured for her, she was slumped in Danse's arms. 

  Piper patted Vega's knee, giving Danse a stern glare. The paladin wanted to laugh at her attempt to intimidate him. "You get some rest, Blue. Nicky and I will do our best to compile what you've given us." She assured her.

  After the duo from Diamond City had left, Codsworth made a noise like he was clearing his throat. "I'm just so glad you're back, mum." He said, his words weirdly heartfelt for coming from a machine.

  Vega reached out and caught one of Codsworth's arms before the bot could leave, the young woman smiling wearily up at the Mister Handy. "I'm glad to be back, Codsworth." 

  Danse managed to usher her into her bed just as the sun was rising, but she grabbed his hand when he turned to depart. "Wait." Backhand whispered, her eyelids drooping. "Please...please stay? I don't want to be alone, Danse." A lone tear wound its way down her cheek. "Please don't leave me alone." 

  Danse planted himself in the chair beside the bed, laying his laser rifle across his knees. "I'm not going anywhere, Knight Vega." He promised her solemnly, taking a greedy, selfish moment to push the hair back from her face. "Sleep."

Part Twelve

[andieperrie18]

BLACK SEA (p. lahote)

SO THIS IS MY ATTEMPT ON WRITING THE PROMPT I POSTED A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT.

Freya had been with the Cullens for quite and they were the only who ones who know of her real nature. After escaping the terror of Ragnarok by some miracle, she is sent to Midgard or also known as Earth in human tongue.

inspired by Natasha Blume's Black Sea

Paul Lahote x Oc

Malina Weissman as Freya Cullen

She is taken under by Carlisle and Esme as their first child. The couple had nothing but kind parental figures that Freya’s real parents can’t be and not wanting to destroy the bond between these two immortal beings, she revealed herself as the Nordic Hound, Fenris. She Who Dwells in the Marshes.

Freya told them how she only wanted to be accepted and love. She told them that she had thought the gods loved her for they took care of her for all her childhood but because of their fear of her overpowering them, they bounded her down and stuck a sword to her mouth, forever leaving her grieving and hurting as the days of Ragnarok came. The day she vowed to swallow the bastard god Odin. But upon the arrival of the said day, she wasn’t prepared for the consequences of her world’s end. She was left alone. With no one else to care for her.

The Cullens, whom were thoroughly captured by her melancholic life decided to take her in as their own and will forever call her as their own no matter what kind of being she was. They vowed that they will take her secret to the grave. And in them she found what her heart desired for eons.

Their family grew bigger and bigger as witnesses of her primordial existence grew but only within her family. Unlike the shape shifter, she didn’t reek any kind of dog mutt smell that any vampire’s strong sense of smell can breathe. Her scent is composed of fresh bloomed roses and pine. She lived among the most dangerous predator as another monster.

For thousands of years she and Cullens roamed, living country after country, life after life. They didn’t need to worry of feeling of belongingness as Freya gave her whole heart to them and loved them enough to allow themselves to never linger in the darkness of their damnation by feeding on blood. Her appearance may trick any person that she is the youngest of the Cullens but she is actually the eldest of all the foster siblings. She adapts to each of them in their first years of vampirism. Making sure to keep them bay and providing them the emotional help that they need. She had adapted her human form to almost match their skin tone that she would almost look like a vampire herself but when their eyes glowed in crimson, hers glowed in green as it mirrored her abilities in her other form.

In human, they are dull green but sparked the light in the family but when in tap with her lycanthrope, they are a yellow green that always glared at murderous intent. No one but her family can tame her monstrosity.

Her life with them is simple and quiet but that was until they transferred to small town called Forks. Where they encounter a Quileute tribe forming a treaty with them and showing them Freya’s true nature to show that they can live in piece with them. For years, from that they on she never showed her true form as she believes that this wolf nature of hers can only be called upon to only serious occasion like the Volturi, just in case as Freya didn’t like them at all. But she did manage to cloak her true self from their judging and immoral eyes. She knew that if they found out about her origin, it could mean danger for both humans and creatures.

And then came Bella Swan. Which brings us to this day.

- Midgard, Forks -

Newborns were threatening the lives in Forks and Bella’s that caused two mystical creatures to be gathered in the middle of a clearing. Freya had hung herself dangling from a thick branch with her legs out of boredom. Today was the day where she and family would meet the wolf pack to train under Jasper.

This would probably her first time encountering a pack as she had been a lone wolf all her life well before she met Cullens. They were her pack. Her home. And she will not stop at nothing to keep the safe. Bella included.

“Hey sweetie, can you come down for a bit?” Esme called to her. Freya looked down to meet her mother’s face before catapulting off the branch and landing smoothly in a crouch position.

Esme smiled a bit, ‘old habits die hard I guess’ she thought as her daughter stood straight. The girl may have been raised by them for a long while and tried to teach her human etiquettes as much as possible but they cannot change the fact that Freya is still a wolf and her k9 idiosyncrasies will always been intact as habit. But they all still love her anyway.

“What is it mom?” Esme caressed her head, “This is your first time meeting wolf pack. Any last minute comments?” her daughter retorted as they walked side by side towards where her other siblings were.

“Well I am curious since I’ve been a lone wolf for quite a while. Besides, I know I can handle them. I’m the Alpha of Alphas.” Freya grinned, “Yep, and I know big sis can show those whose the real boss.”

The green-eyed girl phased her head to meet her buff younger brothers and blonde sister. Smiling at them, she transferred herself from her mother’s embrace to the buff male. “Please don’t get to rowdy Em. You’re ass might end up on the floor of you keep being sassy.” With an eye-roll he replied with his wife sighing-ly smiled at her husband, “Yes sister, you know still don’t get why we let you be our elder sister when you are distinctively in a body of a sixteen year old. If you ever had a boyfriend, people might sue him for pedophilia.” Freya’s mouth shot open as her face contorted into disbelief as she was clearly offended. Rosalie and Esme stared at each other, eyes wide and awkward echoing the same thought in their minds.

‘Oohh he’s gonna get it.’

Carlisle and Edward stood in good approximate from where Sam Uley’s pack gathered. He was just in the middle of explaining about the difference of the New Borns when…

“*BLAGHH*”

Emmette’s figure flew above them and hitting a tree before falling to the ground. Everyone’s attention turned to his groaning figure trying to stand and then came a, “YOU LITTLE SHIT! I’LL PUT GARLIC OIL IN YOUR CESAR SALAD FOR A WEEK!!” from the clearing came an angry Freya, stomping her way to where Emmette stood.

Esme and Rosalie had arrived, the former being the making way beside her husband to report the sudden commotion while the latter stood from a few steps, trying to keep herself from bursting out laughing and feeling a tinge of guilt for laughing at her soulmate.

“Emmette called her little indirectly.” As much as Carlisle wanted to laugh, he held himself as he was in the middle of a serious meeting.

“Ow! Ow! Ow! Come on Freya! I was just kidding! I’m sorry!” Not yet noticing her crowd, Freya grabbed his neck and had him on his feet. Her seemingly fragile and petite figure dragged him away from where landed.

Jacob had never seen this girl around the Cullens. Sam and his packed eyed in disbelief with this scene. But one thing came to their attention. Her scent, it didn’t match the Cullens not one bit.

“That’s the three hundred and twelveth time you called me out! I am older than you Emmette now you better respect me or I’ll ground you from watching any baseball game and dad won’t be able to—” “Um, Freya sweetheart.”

Her father’s smooth voice called her, breaking her plundering anger. She turned to meet his face to see him and her mother giving her an awkward smile, ‘you can kill him later sweetie.’ Their face said.

Like Rosalie. Alice, Jasper and Edward tried to hold themselves back from laughing as they were in really serious meeting. Bella was confused but had a ridiculous smile secretly etched on her lips with the way the eldest held the muscled man by the neck.

Freya turned to a swift to the pack of wolves across her. Staring at her.

“Oh..uh.. s-sorry. I’ll-I I’ll just go back here. Please continue.” Clearly embarassed she continued to scolded Emmette this time about confounding in the middle of a war meeting.

“Alright, returning back to topic. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first several months in this life.” Carlisle continued before turning to Jasper to continue.

The blonde male proceed his lecture about the Newborns. This time noticing Freya clearly attentive at this time of need. Not that he hadn’t told about her about the natures of Newborns before but because she knew when to take tings seriously. That’s was why she can substitute herself as head in their family, similar to an Alpha as Carlisle had entrusted her with keeping all of them safe since she is a force a lot stronger to be reckon with. The sparring began. All came in pairs showing their four-legged temporary allies how Newborns. Then came her turn.

Turning to Emmette, to Jasper and Edward. Indicating a quick nod.

“One more note, I believe this would be rather useful to all of you since you are a pack and share a connection with each other.” She trailed as they eyed her yet her eyes remained to the black wolf as if trying to emphasize something.

“Never.” Emmette appeared behind him and locked her in a headlock with no sense of holding back, “Ever. Try.” Edward and Jasper neared her immobilized figure, “To Be Alone. In a Swarm.”

Her eyes flashed the poison green glow. Making every fur in their bodies stand as if they were slashed by a blade like a samurai right before their eyes.

Her feet lifted from the ground as her momentum in a cartwheel bringing Emmette on her life causing him break his choke hold and for her hook her own arm around his neck to a choke hold and slamming him down to the dirt ground.

“Not unless your like me.” She smirked before turning with both her arms extended as she ran towards Jasper and Edward and grabbing their necks and swiftly slamming them down to the ground as well before they could even fight back.

“Remember this little Alpha.”

Recomposing herself, she turned back to Sam and began to eye all of the wolves. Making sure to meet her glowing green eyes. Staring up at her. Even the Alpha himself gazed upon her as if she was the highest being that ever existed. It was as if she was his leader, his sovereign and ruler.

“A lone wolf may die but a pack always survives.”

To the Cullens, it may sound like a reminder but to the wolves, it was more of warning especially to Sam.

It was almost like an instinct as after her warning, all of their heads lowered and whimpers dripped from their snouts. In their minds, it was if they were beneath the gaze of the beast with the fear that if they meet her glowing poisonous green orbs, it could be interpret as disrespect and cause them their damnation.

Peering to each tamed heads one by one, Freya stared down at them as she didn’t speak of the warning as a type of threat but as an advice if they want to last a night. She could sense their hatred and egotism towards their mortal enemies.

But a sound of growling caught her attention. Sam took notice of this as well and it take long before found out that its source is the grey wolf beside him.

‘Paul stop!!’

‘Paul Calm down!!!’

But the male didn’t budge. This bloodsucker had no right to order. She wasn’t his alpha and he doesn’t take orders from a girl.

Her feet crunch the forest floor with every step until it reached Paul’s lowered vision. It was moments like this that Freya liked her primordial hierarchy among the children of the moon. Her love on putting people to place gives her sense of satisfaction.

“Gaze upon me mortal creature.” Her hand hovered under his snout and my a unknown force, his head was lifted to meet her piercing eyes. But what came next was the last thing Paul Lahote would ever expect with a goddess.

[brisfanfictions]

Chapter Two: Seto’s Succeeded Attempt [Seto Kaiba]

-At the Kaiba Estate-

When Seto got home that day, he went to his home office to figure out how to "woo" Rose.

He opened his laptop, clicking on the internet and went to the Google website. He absolutely despised BING.

This is exactly what he typed: how to woo a girl. Then clicked a random link. It took him to wikihow.com.

"Twelve steps to woo her," he mumbled to himself. He was curious to see if it'll work.

"Step One: Get to know her," he continued to read aloud. "Talk to her and listen to her. Ask her about her family and where she grew up, her religion and politics, and what she likes to do for fun. Don't be critical or rude about her answers: they are hers, not yours! Respect her ideas, her opinions, and her beliefs. Girls like it when you treat them like people. If you want girls to find you attractive, respecting them as people is a great place to start. Sounds a bit complicated..."

"Seto!" Mokuba said as he opened the door. Then tilted his head in confusion. "What're you doing?"

The older male looked up from his laptop. "I'm learning," he answered. "What do you need?"

Mokuba looked a bit cautious. "What are you learning about?"

"How to Attract Girls."

"Why?"

"Because there's this girl in class—"

Mokuba smiled, putting a hand over his heart. "Seto has a crush!" Which he chanted that for awhile.

"But I called her a ‘bitch,’ without actually meaning it. So now she's beyond pissed at me..."

Mokuba came over to slap him upside his head. "She has every right to be!"

Seto winced at his little brother's harsh tone and muttered a tiny "ow" from being slapped. "She's giving me a chance to redeem myself by wooing her."

Mokuba looked at the screen, raising an eyebrow. "Uh... There's warnings on here..."

"Screw the warnings, I'm Seto Fucking Kaiba," was his response while he bookmarked the page. Then he left his office to plan. What his mistake was that he left his laptop open to the page.

Mokuba clicked the Tips and Warnings tab, watching it scroll down to the bottom. He began to read all the tips and sighed.

"He really should've read this," he mumbled to himself as he sat down. Thinking it will take awhile.

Once he was done reading the tips, he went ahead to read the warnings. Then grumbled to himself.

"He's never going to win her heart..."

With that said, he shut the laptop and went downstairs to eat dinner with his brother. And then ask if he could spend the night at Yugi's place.

-At the Watson's Residence-

Rose was busy cooking dinner while she looked over her math homework. She would start off small, like math, then work her way up to the hardest subject, which would be science and history.

Her brother was spending the night at a friend's house.

She gave a lonely sigh, frowning at her food. "I wish to love someone," she quietly said. "And then be loved back..." She put her food on a plate and went to sit on a windowsill, just as a shooting star come across the sky, to stare out the window. Missing the shooting star.

Then smirked. "He'll totally fail." She began to eat her dinner, which was just rice. She doesn't eat all that much. Mainly because she wasn't all that fond of eating all that much.

Once done, she tossed them in the trash and got ready for bed. Setting up her alarm, and curled up under the blankets. Yawning, she whispered, "I just hope he's not like the rest..."

She fell asleep. Not really knowing what she mumbled to herself.

-Next Morning-

Rose was talking to Joey when a sleak black limo, same as yesterday, pulled up beside them. She groaned as she saw the window being rolled down.

"What do you want, Kaiba?" She hissed at him.

He just gave her a small smile. "Want a lift?" He asked. "I'll listen to whatever you want to talk about."

Her and Joey were both stunned. He recovered faster.

"Why'd she wanta ride from a bast'rd like ya?!" Joey asked, snarling in reply.

Seto looked at the younger male with a cold glare. "What's it to you? And was I asking you, Mutt?"

Joey growled at him before Rose interrupted.

"On one condition," she responded.

Both boys looked shocked. However, Joey recovered faster, again. Seto soon following after.

"What'da ya doin', Rose?!" He hysterically asked her, worried.

She held up a hand, silencing the other blond. Her face was serious as she gazed into Seto's blue eyes. His eyes being a darker blue than her own.

"What's the condition?" Seto carefully asked her.

"Take my younger brother, my brother's friends, my three small kid neighbors across the hall from me and all my friends to Kaiba Land on Saturday," was her answer. Keeping her tone serious. As well as her stance, which is calm and relaxed.

Seto thought about it cautiously. Then nodded. "Alright," he said as he slid over in the seat. "Deal."

She turned to Joey, giving him an innocent smile as she hugged him. Opening the limo door, she climbed in and closed it.

"What made you want to be nice?" She icily asked him. Her backpack at her feet.

He raised an eyebrow. "I can't be nice to you?" He questioned her back. "Why do you think I have an ulterior motive?"

"Because you're an asshole to everyone. So, what makes me different?"

He shrugged his shoulders. He really had no answer to that. An answer that he could admit, anyways.

Then she smirked. "Didn't think you'd actually take me up on my offer."

He turned toward her, smirking back. "You did perk my interest."

She gave him a slightly harsh laugh. "No guarantees that you'll win my heart."

After all, she thought to herself. I have a bunch of locks around my heart. The only one who's able to show my true self is my brother and my cute little neighbors across the hall.

He was about to reply when she hopped out of the limo, her head held high as his fan-club began to glare at her.

However, she immediately begun to smile as she went to greet her new friends.

Atem threw Seto a jealous look.

"What were you doing in Kaiba's limo?!" Téa hollered.

Rose covered her ears after that, feeling like she was going deaf. "He offered and I accepted. End of story." She shrugged it off like it wasn't a big deal.

But, Téa proved her wrong.

"Why?!" She screeched.

Rose glared at the brunette. "Will you stop sounding like a damn jealous girlfriend?!" Then she stomped into the school. Her good mood had switched to a bad one.

"What's wrong, Rosalie?" Atem quietly asked, standing next to her. Easily keeping up with the blonde.

"I think Téa has a crush on Seto," she answered. "To be honest, he's handsome but his mind and soul are completely corrupted... As well as his heart being so cold."

"And why do you say this?"

"Because Téa was yelling at me. All the while, glaring."

He chuckled, smiling at her. "Not that."

She blushed a light red color. "Because I believe that he'll turn nicer and begin to learn that having feelings isn't a weakness. I can see the guarded look in his eyes. Like, he's unsure of himself." Then she sighed.

"Why would you help him?"

She shied away from that question, quickly walking to homeroom.

Seto was already in his seat, reading until she entered the room. Seeing the unhappy expression, he put his book down.

She sat in her seat, her head in her hands.

"What's wrong?" He questioned her, turning slightly to face her. He showed that he was worried about her. Even if he wouldn't admit it.

She jumped a bit, glaring at him. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I—" He was at a loss for words.

She relaxed a bit, giving him a tiny smile. "I'm sorry... I'm just a bit worried, is all..."

"Your younger sibling?"

"Yeah... He means a lot to me and I can only worry if he got to school on time or if he ate dinner last night." She sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"Where did he go?"

Her head snapped forward, surprising the brunet that she didn't break her neck. Then turned a sharp glare on him. "What's it to you?!" She harshly whisper-yelled.

"Miss—" Miss Chono, the evil teacher, said. While looking at her seating chart. Then looked at her again, an evil smirk on her face. "—Watson, would you like to add something to my lesson?"

Rose froze, turning to the teacher with her eyes wide. She couldn't speak because she heard the rumors about her homeroom teacher. 

I can't get expelled. She thought. Without a diploma, then I can't get a job... And without that, then I'll be forced back into Dad's care... I wouldn't be able to follow my dreams… I’d be forced to go through even worse pain than before for running away...

That's where her thoughts went.

"Cat got your tongue?" Miss Chono sneered. Then, with her yard stick, points to the door. "To the principal."

Rose, with a sad sigh, got up. She began to head for the door but stopped in front of her, an angry scowl on her face. 

Might as well go out with a bang. She thought, smirking.

"Miss Chono," she said with false sweetness in her voice. "Nice mask..." Giving her a fake examination. "Wait... My bad. That's just your face. Which is covered in Crayola crayons... Never mind. That's your makeup."

Miss Chono's face was priceless. While the whole class laughed.

Rose gave a satisfied smile, leaving the room with an air of defiance.

Seto got up to follow her, looking curious. "Why'd you say that?"

She turned around and glared. "Will you stop following me?!" She hissed at him. "You're worse than my fanboys!"

Then she stormed into the principal's office.

Seto stood, shell-shocked before he exited the school, planning on going to Kaiba Corp. to work away his annoyance. Even though he had no reason to feel it, which was located deep within his icy heart.

It was about lunch time when Rose was finished at the principal's office, slightly surprised that she got off with a warning (thanks to Seto). She looked around and saw that she was the only one in the hallway.

She shrugged her shoulders, happily walking to her locker. Opening up her locker and humming as she got her afternoon books.

Then her locker door slammed shut, with her back against it. The air was knocked out of her.

"How's about we ditch school and go out tonight?" A gruffy voice whispered in her ear. He smelled of cigarettes and alcohol, which made her want to gag. The smell reminded her of her annoying father.

"Why would I go out with a loser like you?" She asked while trying to struggle out of his grasp. But she couldn't, not really showing that she couldn't free herself.

"Because, if you don't," he said, his voice taking on a dark tone. "I'll hurt you... A slow and painful torture will be in session." He lightly pressed a knife into her side, drawing a tiny bit of blood.

She was terrified. This was Dad all over again, she thought. She didn't know what to do, since she froze up.

When she thought that no one will come to her rescue, Duke came out of a nearby bathroom. She knew it was him by his theme song, playing in the background. He noticed her and her assailant.

"What're you doing to her?!" He questioned, angry. Then he stormed over, punching the guy in his face.

Her harasser swung the knife at him.

She watched. Horrified yet joyful.

When someone lightly tapped her shoulder, making her jump. After she turned around, Atem smiled at her.

"Let's go," he whispered. His smile was kind and sweet.

She blushed a bright pink when Atem picked her books up from the floor and took her hand. Walking away from the fighting boys.

When they were far enough away, she spoke up. "Wh-why'd Duke save me?" She asked. Her voice shaking a bit. "I-I—" She didn't know what to say. She does, but she doesn't know how to word it.

"I think he could feel how uncomfortable you were," he answered. "Or because he likes you more than a friend."

Her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"I hate to disappoint him," she replied. "But, I have no interest in dating him."

"Why is that?" Atem looked curious.

"Anyways, wanna come to Kaiba Land on Saturday? Kaiba promised in exchange that I let him take me to school."

Atem chuckled, smiling in return. He noticed how uncomfortable that topic was for her so she changed it. "Who else will be there?"

Rose smiled at him going along with the topic change. "Neo, Daedalus, Akiko, my brother, his friends and the others."

"Who are 'Neo,' 'Daedalus' and 'Akiko?' Aren't the first two names of your favorite card?"

"Yeah... they're my neighbors' foster children. I call them that. However, they only let me call them that and no one else. Their real names are Nicholas, or Nick, and Daniel, or Dan, Maurer, twin boys, and their little sister, Samantha, or Sammy, Smith." A small and loving look came into her eyes as she thought of the three little children.

"What happened to make them go into foster care?"

"I asked them that." Her loving look disappeared, turning into a hard one. "But, Nick refuses to talk, Dan just changes the topic and Sammy gives me a confusing look. Nick and Dan never talks about what happened so I stopped trying. I suggest that you don't, or the others." With that said, she took her books and got her lunch. Then went outside to the tree, where she first met everyone.

Sighing, she glanced up at the sky.

"Ra, help me..." She begun to pick at her lunch now. Not really noticing that someone was talking about her just around the corner.

"I don't see how she could hate me," a voice quietly said. Not really knowing that said girl was on the other side of the tree. "But, I wish I could really talk to her about it... She'd probably just brush me off if I did..."

Rose remained quiet, looking past the tree a bit to see a brunet-haired male. She was curious to hear who he was talking about.

Then smirked when she saw the "KC" logo on his gravity-defying coat.

Hmm... She thought. Wonder who the unlucky girl that haunts his mind...

Seto groaned in annoyance. "Why can't she see that she would be treated like a queen?!" He angrily shouted. Absolutely not getting any work done, like he had hoped. After awhile at Kaiba Corp. yesterday, he couldn't focus at all either.

Her eyes glanced over to the laptop, frowning. Because she can see a picture of her.

With an inner sigh, she moved to sit next to him.

"You could've gave me your number instead of asking me questions," she suggested him, giving him a teasing smile. "And, if I had a house or a cell phone, I probably would've spoken to you. Also, you could've asked me for my horrible past instead of doing a background check." Her smile faltered a bit, pushing away the past and tears that threatened to flow.

"You're not exactly the only one who was abused," Seto softly spoke to her. Showing the rare bit of kindness at her. "I was, too. Gozoburo, my stepfather and the horrible man that adopted me and my brother because I beat him in a chess match, abused me to push me to my limit."

She looked into his eyes, seeing how much his stepfather abused him. Then gave a gentle smile, letting the tears flow as her hand gently caressed his cheek. Listening to his horrible past, much like her own.

And, in that moment, she could see that he was a broken man inside.

"Alright," she softly said, letting him wipe away her tears. "When Saturday comes around, I'll be in your company instead of my friends."

He looked confused, wondering why she would say that.

She giggled at his reaction, watching him smile afterwards. "But, you would have to prove to me that you wouldn't treat me the same."

"How?"

"You'll find out on Friday. And it's nothing too bad. I promise."

She got up, dusting herself off her hideous school skirt. Then leaned over to kiss his cheek, smiling as she went to toss out her untouched lunch. There was a small skip in her step, and she was humming to herself as she passed through the doors of the school.

He, on the other hand, was a bright red, staring at her disappearing form. A hand slowly went up to cup the cheek that she kissed and touched.

"I can't wait until Friday," he mumbled, smiling once more that day. "And I think I'll carry her books tomorrow, chatting with her."

True to his word, he carried her books to class and spoke to her about, what he thought was, trivial things. He drove to her house to pick her and her brother up, dropping Mokuba and Ash off at Domino Middle. Everyone, but Rose, was shocked at what he was doing. Only proving further that he didn't care what other people thought of him. Her opinion is all that mattered to him.

On Thursday, he did what he did yesterday. He picked her and Ash up and dropped off him and Mokuba at Domino Middle. He took her books again and walked her to class. He glanced at her as she spoke. When she looked at him, she was curious.

"Something wrong?" She questioned him. "Am I boring you?" She tried to hide the hurt on her face, but failed to hide it in her eyes.

"No, of course not," he quickly replied, looking a bit nervous. "I was just thinking how beautiful you are." He gave her a nervous smile. Something that nobody else could see, though.

She blushed a bright pink at his compliment, giggling. "Thank you, Kaiba."

"Please call me 'Seto.'" He gave her one of his special, small smiles that are reserved for Mokuba and her.

She gave him a warm smile. "Thank you, Seto," she whispered. "You can call me 'Rose.'"

He fought back a shiver at hearing his given name roll off her tongue. Almost as if she was meant to say it.

"What kind of test do you have for me?" He was even more curious about tomorrow.

"Today is Thursday, no?" She gave him a mischievous smile. "You will find out tomorrow morning in the car. I don't back down on my word."

"Alright," was his response, but he was still eager to know.

As soon as they got to their homeroom, she took her books from him. And, something to do differently that day, she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek again. Then she skipped into the classroom, humming a random song that popped into her head.

Seto hurried to class, shooting Atem a smug smile. Then sat at his seat, next to Rose.

Just as the bell rung to start class.

Atem was jealous that Seto was able to catch her attention. However, he was sure to win her over on Saturday. Since he would treat Rose better than Seto Kaiba.

When the lunch bell rang, Atem hurried over to the blonde girl. "Do you want to have lunch with the gang today? You haven't all week." He fought back a blush after asking.

"Maybe tomorrow," she promised him, smiling. "Seto has brought lunch for me. Since he saw my cooking abilities, which isn't that great..." She looked sheepish now. "Anyways, I will have lunch with you and the gang tomorrow." She got up from her chair, leaving her books on the desk for Seto to pick up and take with him.

Seto did what she expected, picking up her books while glaring at Atem. Atem returned the look.

"She will be mine," Seto quietly stated, smirking with total confidence. "I'll prove to her, and everyone else, that she's different and that I'm a perfect match for her."

"You'll just fail," Atem replied, giving him his own confident smirk. "Since Rose is a delicate little flower and needs to be treated as such."

"You don't know about her past," the brunet young man declared. "She told me hers and I told her mine. She is the only other person who knows of my true past, and who I really am underneath. You only want to get with her because you don't know her on the inside. And she's stronger than you think."

"Seto?" Rose questioned, poking her head into the room. "Aren't you coming? I don't want to skip lunch again." She was implying that he shouldn't skip lunch.

"Coming, Rose," said boy replied, giving her a small smile. Which only she could see.

Rose smiled brightly, waiting for him at the door.

"See you at lunch tomorrow, cousin," Seto responded. His voice dripping with sarcasm at the last word. He purposely bumped Atem's shoulder as he walked by him.

Rose's eyes lit up in excitement and joy. All week they hung out during lunch, she was making sure that he was getting the necessary nutrients and that he's properly eating his meals.

He met up with her at the door.

They left the classroom together, as usual. Rose happily skipping next to Seto as they walked out the front doors to the fall atmosphere.

Atem just got an evil smirk from inside the classroom. Since he found a way to win Rose. It required hurting her through Seto to get her.

Besides, he's tired of being "Mr. Nice-Guy." And Rose is one girl who hasn't fallen for him... Yet.

=========

Previously

Next

[lonestarbabe]

Dog’s Best Friend

(AKA my rendition of the T.K. and the dog scenario) (AO3)

T.K. really isn’t jealous of a dog. He’s not, but he’s also not going to fall for the dog’s cuteness like everyone else. Read on for a puppy versus puppy face off.

The second Owen had brought the dog into the station a few days before, the whole team had rushed over to pet the pup and call him a good boy. T.K. couldn’t understand it because what was so special about that mutt, anyway? He crossed his arms over his chest, feeling like the odd man out, standing distantly as everyone else was enamored with the lively creature.

Owen had found the dog wandering on the streets when they’d been out on a call. He’d been abandoned by his owners, and when Owen found out that the dog had cancer, he couldn’t help but bring him back to the station and announce that the 126 had a new four-legged pal. The 126 acted like the scraggly dog with floppy ears was the greatest thing they’d ever seen, but T.K. didn’t get it. The dog couldn’t even do any tricks.

Worst of all, the dog wouldn’t stop trailing T.K. He’s like the little brother I never wanted, T.K. thought as he felt the dog just inches from his feet. He could barely get any work done with the way the dog constantly wanted to be by his side. Everyone thought it was hilarious that T.K. had a new shadow, but T.K. dreaded it every time he heard those little paws pattering across the floor.

Paul had smiled wryly at the sight of the dog leaping and chasing T.K. He flipped through his book, but couldn’t resist teasing his friend. “Look who’s got a new best friend.”

Marjan shook her head disbelievingly, “I can’t believe he picked T.K. of all people.”

Paul agreed. “I know. It’s shocking that he chose a basic white guy.”

“He won’t leave me alone,” T.K. complained.

“Using your sixth sense, do you think T.K. is heartless?” Marjan asked Paul with a laugh. “Because I can’t think of any other reason for hating that dog.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure, but I was so certain he was a dog person.”

“Yeah, that’s because he’s such a puppy himself,” Judd added.

T.K. ignored them, grumbling to himself as he walked away from the rec area. He snatched the dog’s leash from a hook on the wall where they had cleared some space for the dog. They’d put a bed, food and water bowls, and some toys to make him comfortable. T.K. stomped over to the dog, kneeling to get him ready. He attached a leash to the dog’s basic black collar. Arthur was inscribed in a little metal bone that jangled as he bounced around looking for attention. Arthur, who would name a dog that?

“Have fun with the puppy!” Paul called after him.

“The vet said he’s at least six years old!” T.K. disputed.  But he sure acts like a puppy. You’d think that old age or his cancer would have slowed him down a little bit, but nothing stops this dumb dog. “He’s like forty in dog years.”

“What kind of dog name is Arthur, anyways?” T.K. asked as Arthur ate his dinner. “What does he think he is? An Aardvark?” It was nearly the end of their shift, and the whole station was hanging out and taking turns playing with Arthur.

“What kinda name is T.K.?” Judd countered, petting behind the dog’s ears. He spoke to the dog in a coo reserved for animals and babies. “You’re such a good boy, aren’t ya? Such a good boy.”

“He hasn’t even done anything!”

Marjan stood up from her chair to go over to Arthur, eyes gleaming in realization. “You’re jealous of a dog!”

“No way,” he said. “Why would I be jealous of that mutt?” I’m not jealous. I just don’t want to have that dog around. Just because he’s won over every other person in this room doesn’t mean he’ll win over me.

Mateo looked confused. “Wait. Why do you think he’s jealous of Arthur?”

“Why else would he be so bitter about a puppy, Probie?”

“He’s too old to be a puppy! And I’m not jealous. I just don’t see why everyone loves him so much. There’s nothing special about him. He’s just a dog.”

“He’s our dog,” Judd commented like that should be enough to change T.K.’s mind.

“You haven’t even known him for a week!”

Owen gave Arthur a treat, looking satisfied with the licks he got as a thank you. Of all the 126, Owen was the most attached. He’d seen Arthur and couldn’t resist bringing him home and buying him heaps of toys, treats, and other doggie luxuries. “T.K. is used to being an only child, Arthur. He’ll come around. I know he’s your special buddy.” Owen looked up to T.K. “You never used to have an issue with dogs. Why can’t you love this one?” He squeezed Arthur’s face, “look how sweet he is? And he has such nice hair.” Who cares about his fur? It may be soft but that won’t win me over.

“I like dogs. I just don’t like this dog. There’s something off about him.”

Marjan scoffed, “Yeah, there’s something suspicious about brown eyes and floppy ears.”

T.K. glared through the room, rolling his eyes. “I better go. I have actual work to do,” and as he went to leave, he cursed as the dog trotted behind him. “Damn dog,” he muttered. “Don’t you have someone nicer to bother?”

Somehow, Owen had decided that T.K. should take Arthur home for the night while Owen finished up some paperwork. He reasoned that Arthur would feel safest with T.K. and hadn’t let much space for argument.  “Take care of your brother,” Owen said as T.K. pulled the dog forward by his leash.

“I don’t have a brother.”

Owen raised his eyebrows, the corners of his lips upturning. “I was talking to Arthur, son.”

“Arthur is annoying,” T.K. replied.

“Be nice.”

“Yeah, whatever. See you later, Dad. You owe me for this.”

“Just give him a chance. It never hurts to have a four-legged friend on your side.”

“I don’t know about that,” T.K. said before giving one last wave and leaving his father’s office.

The dog’s energy had slowed since the morning and he whined as he walked through the station. He sat down, refusing to move, looking at T.K. with sad, tired eyes. “Come on, we’re almost there.”

“Get up.”

“Arthur, move those little legs.”

Arthur didn’t budge, and with some irritation, but not as much as he might’ve had earlier in the day, T.K. picked the dog and carried him from the firehouse. “I’m tired too, you know.”

Eventually, he arrived at home and brought Arthur into the house. He laid the dog on a cushion and then went to his own bedroom, closing the door behind him. Exhaustedly, he got ready for the night and flopped into his bed to catch up on texts and relax a little before he went to sleep.

Ten minutes later, he heard a scratching in the hallway. What is he doing now? The dog can’t let me live in peace. He rolled off his bed and opened the door half expecting to see the whole hallway destroyed. Annoying, troublemaking dog.  When the door swung open, the hallway was fortunately not torn to pieces. Arthur calmed at the sight of T.K. and immediately slipped into the bedroom. Arthur leaped onto the bed, laying down on the side opposite of where T.K. always slept. “No, get down, Arthur.” Arthur looked at him puzzledly, head leaned to one side and tongue out. He curled into the blankets, putting his head down unto the bed.

“This isn’t your bed.”

Arthur didn’t respond.

“You’re a stubborn mutt.” T.K. said before settling into his side of the bed. The second his body touched the bed, Arthur closed his eyes contentedly and drifted back to sleep. “You’re such a diva,” T.K. said to the sleeping dog.

He unlocked his phone, smiling as he read a text from Carlos. They were taking things slow, but it was nice to have a friend… or a more than friend… whatever it was that they were.  

Stuck with an obnoxious dog. His name’s Arthur. He’s in my bed rn. U jealous?

I’m jealous you have a dog and a cuddly one at that. Don’t you like dogs?

They’re alright. This one’s annoying. He follows me around.

Awe but you love cuddling. Sounds like your type.

This one is clingy more like.

Look how annoying he is.

Shut up. How can you find that cute face annoying? 

You didn’t have him around you all day. 

Come on, Tiger, at least you can never be lonely with him around.

You sound like my dad.Sorry, that’s a boner killer.

*eyeroll* Yeah, because I was getting so turned on by you insulting cute puppies. 

He’s old!! Why is everyone calling him a puppy? 

He’s cute, Tiger. 

He’s not. 

Anyways, I have to go. Need sleep before he wakes me up at 5 am when he needs to piss. 

Goodnight, scrooge. I hope you wake up with a heart. 

I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Goodnight.

T.K. had no choice but to fall asleep with Arthur snoring quietly beside him, and as he watched the rise and fall of Arthur’s chest, he had to remind himself that he wasn’t going to get attached.

“Stop looking at me like that,” T.K. told the dog the next day when he found Arthur in his bed at the station. “How did you even know this is where I sleep? Go find someone who wants to play with you. I’m tired.”

T.K. just wanted to get some shut-eye before a call came in or at least meditate a little while to burn off the tension that had been bubbling in his body all day. He was trying to use the techniques his therapist was teaching him even if he thought most of them were silly.

Arthur, whose big watery eyes looked to T.K. expectantly and whose tongue hung sloppily out of his mouth, was clearly not exhausted. His tail wagged wildly, and he spun on the bed chasing it. “You think you’re real cute, huh? Maybe you have everyone else tricked, but not me. I know your games. I’m not going to fall for it, pal.” I need to stop talking to this dog. T.K. couldn’t help but smile as Arthur kept chasing his tail stubbornly. Finally, Arthur slowed to a stop when he felt T.K. sit on the bed.

The dog put his paws on T.K.’s legs, huffing happily, tail pattering against the headboard. “Come on, Arthur, stop. I’d like to rest.” Arthur wouldn’t leave. “At least lay down and calm down.”

T.K. gave Arthur a tentative pat on the back, pushing him down to the bed. “You can’t stand on the bed. You’ll fall off.” He looked the dog in the eyes. “What do I have to do to make you go away.” He pouted at the puppy and took Arthur’s face in his hands. “Do I have to scratch behind your ears?” T.K. gave ear scratching a try, and Arthur nuzzled T.K.’s neck in return. “You like that, don’t you, Arthur? Now can you go bother someone else? Have I given you enough?” Arthur snuggled closer. What did I do to make him like me so much and how do I stop doing it?

Absently, T.K. began to rub Arthur’s tummy. T.K. laid next to the dog, letting his head fall next to Arthur’s. He hated how nice it felt when Arthur flipped over and a little head rested on T.K.’s stomach. “You’re dangerous,” he whispered in Arthur’s ear, running a hand through the dark fur on Arthur’s head. “If I’m not careful, I might fall in love with you, and the problem is that I might not get a lot of time with you. You’re sick. My Dad’s sick too, but I’m already attached to him, so all I can do is be there for him and hope for the best. You’re making it impossible not to get attached to you too.

Arthur lifted his head to give T.K.’s face a reassuring lick. “Yeah, I guess that’s right, Arthur. Sometimes love sneaks up on you. It follows you around, and you try to resist it, but it’s always there with its brown eyes and floppy ears. It hangs around even when you say you don’t want it. It stays beside you until you stop trying to fight it. It snuggles close when you’re feeling down. ”

“It’s pretty silly that I’m talking to you like you understand, but you’re an awfully good listener.”

Arthur barked in response despite being a quiet dog. He placed a paw gently on T.K.’s chest. “Loving you will be hard, but you’re not giving me much of a choice, dumb dog.”

“You’ll have a hard time with this cancer. They may have to put you down so that you don’t hurt anymore, but I guess now that we’re friends, I’ll have to be here for you. I can be your emotional support human, puppy.” And maybe you can help heal me too.

[finalcreacher]

Chapter One - That Summer, And Many More

It was that summer that Richie confessed, and time froze for me, and we spent the day together talking and holding hands. And that one where the clown came, and the one the year after- where Beverly left. Worst of all, not when IT came back- but 1992. The day they left.

A series of vignettes of Loser's club member, Y/n L/n, and all the summers that went right, that went wrong, and went the worst.

T/W - Homophobic Slurs (Enter At Your Own Risk)

13 years old

It was 1987, and we had just gotten out of school. Already the heat of the sun souring my mood. I must have been twelve, maybe thirteen? It was the least of my worries how old I was- Richie was late today. He and I had made a commitment to meet just outside of school every day of the working week. Often times, he'd be a few minutes late, not a whopping twenty minutes. This had me worried. I had a large, silver watch from my father; he thought it was essential to keep track of the time. With Richie, the hour hand never moved before he got there. Imagine how frantic I was, my heart beating quick, quick, quick! It was dizzying how many times I looked back and forth. Finally, I had had enough. It was back into the school for me.

We also made a promise not to go back into the school, in fear of the Bowers gang. I figured it was dire enough a situation to go back and check. It would be easy enough to avoid those meaner big kids unless they were with Richie(which you hoped he wouldn't be stuck with them, he was smart enough to avoid them, I thought), or they had moved from their usual stalking ground. To my great horror, it was not the latter. When I turned the corner, I was face to face with a leering Henry Bowers. We were so close, I could see every inch of dirt and grime on his face- it nearly made me gag(I didn't, that would have sent me to an early grave).

"Is this fag yours? Lose him on your way here?" Henry taunts, giving me an open grin with lots of teeth. It was then I noticed Richie, cowering between the bully's other friends. I chose not to say anything, as to not aggravate Bowers- it was clearly the wrong choice.

He grabbed me by the tuft of my hair, yanking me down. "Ow!" I seethe, "Let go a' me!"

There wasn't much for him to grab onto, my hair was short. Too short for what was coming to me. Really, it's Richie's fault. He had stuck gum in my hair, he chewed it really loud all of class time, then slapped it on as we were leaving. He thought it was hilarious, as did I before my mother saw. She made me wear a hat to school because she was so embarrassed.

"What you gonna do, ya' little dyke? Tryin'a rescue this fucking animal? He's filthy."

This is where the Richie in me came out, he says a lot of things he shouldn't. "You got that wrong, your absolutely stinking! Maybe you should take a bath."

Remember, he's still got a fist clenched around my hair, practically holding me by the neck. He pulls it- real hard- and I nearly screamed. "Yer' gonna 'pologize, or have to face that mangy mutt." He turns my head to face this tall, skinny boy, his black hair in tangles. He's smiling, something big and mischievous. "Eee-tha deal with me, or whateva he's got. What's it gonna be?"

Then he removes his hand from my neck and yanks my wrist up, my watch wrist! "Ooh, this yours?" I whimpered, a noise I didn't want to come out. What I wanted was to disappear into the background. I still needed to get my ass and Richie's, out of this mess, though. "Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick..." he mimicked a clock sound, tapped my watch, and waited for an answer.

I didn't know what to say, he was going to do something terrible to my watch, and my father was gonna kill me for that! But the way Patrick looked at me, made my skin crawl. Every time I looked at my second option, Richie would shake his head, very adamantly, no. No, no, no. Suppose what my father had in store for me, would be less than that creepy asshole. "F-fine! You can have it! Just leave Rich alone!"

Bowers' grin practically widens, and focuses his attention on the watch, fumbles with it, and then slides it off easy. "I'm gonna break it!" He announced. My face, to anyone else, would look pure white, like a ghost. He couldn't really...could he?

"I can twist it," he fakes twisting it, "or I could stomp it against my foot!" He throws the watch down, playing around like he's about to step on it, but he doesn't. A teacher, rushing out from one of her later classes(detention, probably, or a club), and had stopped mid-step to stare at us. She looked appalled at the scene before her.

"What's going on here? Bowers, Hockstter, Huggins, and Criss, I think I made it very clear to you boys that you would be serving your detention in my class today, it was disappointing not to see you there." Oh, so it was detention. "You boys, especially you, Bowers, should be attending summer school. Now, run along, leave these poor kids alone."

I looked back at Bowers, his face flushed bright red. "Come on, these kids ain't worth our time." With that, he was gone.

"If these boys ever give you trouble again, I'm just down the hall."

"He-he had me by the scruff of my neck!"

"Well, I'll see to it that they get to detention next time, sound alright?" She pays no mind to the assault- but Richie and I nodded in agreement nonetheless. Of course, she wouldn't, she was just as scared of the Bowers as all the little kids running around were. She continued on, making her way out of school- as we should have done nearly half an hour ago. We both let out a sigh of relief when we were finally alone.

"Gee, Rich, how'd you get into this trouble?" I smile, kneeling down to pick up my watch, there was only a scratch or two, father wouldn't be too mad- as long as he didn't stare at it too close. I figured as long as it works, it should be fine. I place it back on my wrist. "It's nearly time to meet Eddie an' everyone else!"

"Oh, we'll catch up just fine. I finally got my bike fixed, after last time, and it's faster than ever!"

"Woah! Really? I forgot my bike at home today, my mother claimed I'd get a stroke riding out in this weather. She made me leave it."

"Well, I have room on my bike for another person..." he fidgets with his thumbs, looking outright abashed(a look no one ever- really- saw on him).

"I don't know, Rich. Might be dangerous." I pipe up- while he leans over, and checks the time.

"Only if you want to get there on time," I look down again. Christ, we were going to be late- again!

"Sure, but you're going in back!" I tease, running down the halls.

"Oh no, you aren't! That's my bike!" He chased after me.

"Last one there sits in back!" I hollered.

[anneimaginesundertale]

Mobswap and Mafiaswapfell

Mobswap--Indigo (Sans) and Honey (Papyrus)

The MobSwap boys have an interesting relationship. Basically, they’re where Blue and Stretch were before they got to the surface, where they’re not all that good at communicating with each other and they both keep secrets.

Indigo is in the mob, working with Alphys and Toriel as kind of a messenger/delivery boy. He is doing this because his dad owed the mob a debt and died before he could pay it off. Indigo is paying it off, and he’s doing it alone, because he doesn’t want Honey involved. This Indigo keeps a lot more secrets from his brother. As far as Honey knows, his brother works as a courier for a legitimate business and is only doing it until he can get into the police academy. He secretly keeps a record of all the illegal deliveries he's made so he can one day turn it in.

Honey is a newspaper reporter. He’s typically put on the little fluff pieces, nothing important, but he’s interested in crime and the mob. He wants to find out what happened to his dad. Indigo tries to discourage him from digging into it, saying it was just an accident and there’s no need to bring up the pain of the past, but Honey is determined to find out and get some justice.

Mafiaswapfell--Sable (Sans) and Slim (Papyrus)

Sable and Slim are in charge of a counterfeiting operation for the monster mob. Well, technically Sable is in charge and Slim does the artsy stuff. They're a bit less dependent on each other than Black and Mutt, mostly because they're both more outgoing.

Sable likes wine and he’s very charming. He’s definitely looking to rise higher than counterfeit arts dealer, but if it’s a slow climb to the top, then he can be patient. His cover business is that he's an art dealer and he sets up private viewings for his clients. The king and queen of monsters are still big and important, even if everyone knows about the mob stuff, and having Queen Toriel at a viewing of your famous painting would be an honor. Sable gets all the necessary permissions and keys and such and he claims he has to "prepare the room" for the viewing IN PRIVATE and then he switches the item in question.

Slim makes his money by creating counterfeit paintings for the mob to sell. Slim is also more of the flirtatious SF Paps than my shy, awkward Mutt. He is kind of indifferent to all the mob stuff. The counterfeit business is just like commissions, and that pays for him to be able to do the art he actually wants to do. Sable sometimes slips one of his originals in with a lot of fakes and sells them, and he’ll pull the “I’m supporting my brother’s art” thing when appropriate. Slim spends his spare time in Muffet’s and enjoys a good flirt.

[willow-salix]

My contribution to the random writing prompt with @soniabigcheese I present the tag team that is Scott and WereVirgil.

It was always nice to spend some time together, especially after a long day. After a warm up they had hit the paths hard. Scott's arms pumped out a regular rhythm, matching his legs as his feet pounded the ground. The faster and longer they run the clearer his head became. 

They began to slow, having done three laps of the park. They geared down to a jog for their last lap and that was when he saw her. 

A pretty redhead, curvy enough to want to map out all those bends with your hands and from the animated way she was talking into her phone, she seemed like fun. 

He slowed to a stop, pausing by a bench to stretch. Partly good cool down, partly because he'd been told his ass looked good in these pants…

And she walked right on by. How was that even possible? His eyes followed her in disbelief as she veered around them as if they weren't even there and continued on her way. 

Scott looked at Virgil, who had the biggest grin on his face, tongue hanging out as he panted. 

Huh, he could use that. 

"Virg…"

The massive wolf shook its head. No way, no how, not again, it was degrading. 

"It's not like I ask you to do this all the time, besides, you owe me one for not telling Alan that you were the one that broke his games tablet by sitting on it."

Virgil gave him a look that said he was planning to cock his leg in his cockpit very soon. If they weren't in public and he hadn't had to stay silent, acting the part of the huge friendly dog, he would have sworn a blue streak. 

"Come on, it worked so well last time, just this once, I promise. I'll never ask you again."

Virgil snorted, clearly not believing his brother for a second but turned tail and took off at a run. 

Scott grinned. Honestly, he had the best brothers in the world. 

Virgil lifted his head, scenting the air… Huh, she smelt interesting. Like bacon. Bacon was always a good indication as to the quality of a person. 

She was easy on the eyes too, a buxom redhead of middle height with an easy smile on her face. She looked like she'd know how to give a good belly scratch. 

He glanced at Scott, who nodded from his hiding spot behind the trunk of a large tree, making a shooing motion with his hands. 

Virgil snorted, honestly, he was a highly skilled pilot and engineer and this was how he spent his evenings. He padded after the woman, who was just putting her phone away, and started to woof. 

She turned to look at him, watching as he trotted over and shoved his snout into her hand. 

She automatically began to stroke his head, fondling his ears when he sat down on her foot. 

"Wow, you're a big boy aren't you?" 

His tongue lolled proudly out of his mouth. Yeah, he heard that a lot. In both forms. 

"Soft though." She eased her foot out from under his bulk and sat down on a nearby bench. Virgil didn't let up for a second, following her and laying his head on her lap. 

Smiling, she kept petting him. She had long nails that managed to dig into his fur the way that his brothers just couldn't manage and hit just the right spot that had him sighing in ecstasy, one leg twitching its approval. 

"Where's your owner, huh?" 

Owner? What was she… Shit, Scott! He was on a mission and he'd completely forgotten. He lifted his head and barked loudly, giving the signal. 

The woman cupped his head in her hands. "You have such pretty eyes, such intelligence, almost human."

Lady, you have no idea. He gently butted against her chin, making her laugh. 

"Virgil?" Scott's voice was distant but getting closer. 

"Virgil, is that you, boy?" He swiped his tongue across her cheek in answer. "Ewww."

His brother rounded the corner at a fast jog, slowing down when he saw them. 

"Virgil, there you are. I thought I'd lost you." He bent to pet his brother's head, whispering in his ear. "Good job, buddy."

He straightened, giving the woman his most devastating smile, ruthlessly deploying his high impact dimples. Target is acquired. She smiled back. Direct hit. 

"Thank you so much for finding my dog, this isn't our usual haunt and I think he got distracted."

She laughed. "Well, I didn't exactly find him, he found me."

"Either way I'm very grateful. I'm Scott," he offered his hand. 

"Rachel," she stopped stroking Virgil's head to shake his hand. "And this fellow is named Virgil?" Bit of a strange name for a dog if you asked her. 

"Yeah, that's him."

"Named after the poet?" 

"Oh, sure, yeah, the poet." He could be deep, he could be an intellectual. 

She didn't look like she believed him and Virgil wanted to laugh. His brother always thought he was so smooth.

A cold gust of wind whipped past and Rachel shivered, pulling her coat tighter around her. She'd had a long day and just wanted to get home. 

"It's chilly out here," Scott announced as if they were all too stupid to realise. He glanced across the street for inspiration. Ah ha. "I was just about to grab a coffee to warm up, can I treat you to one, just to say thank you for keeping him company?" 

Rachel glanced at the dog, all big brown eyes and cute floppy tongued grin. How could anyone have let such a precious thing run around the park like that and risk him getting hurt? 

She looked over at the coffee stand, it wasn't that far and it was pretty cold. She could do with a hot drink right now. 

"Sure, coffee would be good."

Scott grinned, pulling out a leash which he clipped to the collar his brother was forced to wear any time they were in public after an unfortunate incident with a dog warden. 

This was humiliating, being towed around like a common mutt, and by his brother no less. The things he put up with for his family. Scott had better be extra grateful and do his chores for the next month to make up for this. 

They crossed the street where Scott ordered their coffees. A no nonsense black one sugar for him, a frothy hazelnut latte for her and a hotdog for Virgil who had begun to whine the second he'd seen the meaty goodness. 

The grumpy looking man behind the counter slapped the lids on their drinks and deposited them on the counter without a word. 

Pleasant guy, that one. Scott thanked him anyway and passed Rachel her drink. 

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

She took an experimental sip, slightly worried that the man behind the counter had infected it with his bad mood, but found it very pleasant. This was just what she needed to make it home. 

"Thanks again, make sure you keep that guy on his leash, you wouldn't want to lose him for real." She settled her bag on her shoulder and riffled through for her subway pass. She bent to pet Virgil again, unable to resist the lure of his soft fur. "It was nice meeting you, puppy."

"Wait? You're going?" 

She frowned. "Yeah."

Scott blinked. She was going, just like that? "Can I get your number, you know, in case we're ever in town again?" 

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I don't date people that can't look after their pets."

She left him spluttering a denial, sipping her coffee as she walked. 

Virgil howled with laughter, unable to look at his brother's shocked face. It was so funny to see his overly confident brother strike out in such a big way. Scott, the heroic guy who was always first on the scene and a hit with the ladies had been shot down in a ball of flames. 

Smooth, bro. Real smooth. Just wait until he told Gordon about this. 

Scott swiped at Virgil's nose, which just made him laugh harder, falling sideways to roll around on his back, all four paws in the air. 

"You know, I'm beginning to think I'm more of a cat person, next time I'll get John to be stuck up a tree."

[gyromitra-esculenta]

Sequellish to Fern Flower (it’s somewhere here either under totally not witcher au or murder-deer tag) - a bad Witcher AU but not because of the TV series. I just wanted to, originally, try my hand at semi-Slavic mythos and rituals. Kind of part 1 since the thread is ongoing, when I find time.

Warnings: Violence, giant bugs, and I think that’s it for the moment.

The woman in her chemise leaning over the brim of the wooden tub struggles to her feet with fright when Jack barges into the room.

"You didn't pay for the other one," she mutters and runs past Jack with the skirts under her arm as if hell itself is on her heels.

"She took off with the lace," Jack observes, stripping off his shirt and throwing it promptly on the ground, fingers undoing the strings of his pants.

"That's what I carry it for." Gabriel leans back in the water.

"Maybe I should try it myself, one day."

"Maybe you should."

"Tempting," Jack grins, slipping into the tub and sending water sloshing over the brim. For the briefest of moments, his eyes flash the black of bottomless desert wells and he leans forward brushing the tips of his fingers against the leather pouch Gabriel wears by his medallion.

"For all the wrong reasons." Gabriel mutters, and Jack snorts, spraying him idly with water with a flick of his wrist.

"While you were getting entertained, I'd been gathering information, now I don't know if I should tell you anything at all."

"Are you pouting?"

"Am not, little cub."

"You are," Gabriel laughs, throwing his head back.

"Hush. Or I'll bite you. And, am not."

"Whatever you say. What's the story?"

"So, it's a big bug, and I hate bugs," Jack rolls his eyes. "From the woods."

"Did it escape, or the dryads let it go?"

"Either way, I haggled up to three hundred, so you owe me." Jack rubs absentmindedly the scar on his neck. "You could wash my back."

"Does it still hurt?" Gabriel straightens and covers his fingers with his own, mindful of Jack's amused stare.

"This one is here to stay, cub."

"So you're saying."

"I'm also saying you could wash my back," Jack retorts, watching him get up and out of the tub. "It's a big centipede, as I gathered, so it's venomous, and so far it got cows, a dog, though I think the mutt just run away, and a horse from under a local guard."

"From under?"

"Well, it got the poor sod too, left him half-digested when it vomited on him, but first, it got the horse. According to the witnesses because there were some, apparently. They ran away with utmost bravery."

"Anything else?" Gabriel dries himself with the cloth.

"I think they were lying about the number of the cows, but that's to be expected," Jack stretches in the tub, getting more comfortable. "And also, wash my back," he adds when he hears Gabriel moving behind him, and for a moment Gabriel considers the request in the earnest.

At least, until he puts his palms on Jack's shoulders and pushes, dunking him under the surface of the water, cutting short the beginnings of a shrill shriek amidst flailing hands.

"Washed."

"You asshole!" Jack spits out the water, almost snorting. "Stop smirking!"

"No."

"I'm going to bite you, that's a promise!"

*

"You could help me," Gabriel mutters through gritted teeth while kneeling over the slightly bloated goat with a drawn dagger.

"No. Suffer. You're baiting the bug, and I'm going to stand here, upwind."

"Asshole."

"Only as much as you are." Jack flicks a fly off his sleeve. "Now, hurry up, I want this over so we can go talk with the dryads about keeping their pets on shorter leash. Besides, that was your idea."

"Because you're being an ass and refusing to find it."

"I hate bugs therefore I'm not going to talk to it."

"Sombra's rubbing off on you." Gabriel starts to carve the goat and the stench coming from its guts is nigh unbearable.

"I can feel my eyes watering from here. My condolences," Jack quips, too entertained by the whole ordeal.

"I'm far from being inclined to believe it's honest."

"It's not." Jack settles down in a spot under a tree trunk, sheltered from the side by brush and fallen branches. He rummages through his sack in search of something as Gabriel finishes preparing the bait. "Come here."

Gabriel wipes his hands on his pants ignoring Jack's empathetic sounds of disgust and slowly walks to him.

"Shit. You stink now," Jack extends his arms to pull him closer and let him nestle back between his legs. "Here," he presses a handkerchief to his nose and Gabriel inhales.

It's moss, resin, and musk, drowning out the reek of the carrion. Fingers in his hair trace whirling shapes and he closes his eyes, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword lying across his thighs - until his senses curl and fold in rhythm with the forest breathing.

Only the hand moving away from his eyes - fingertips brushing over his eyelids - and a small flask pressed to his lips bring him to the present. Jack indicates the direction with a slight shift of his shoulder and Gabriel nods, the liquid burning in his throat and veins.

There will be a price to pay. There is always a price to be paid, sometimes in advance.

The forest speaks as he raises with the hand on the hilt of his sword, listening to the sounds of the disturbed undergrowth. The bait had worked, too well even.

Gabriel leans back.

"Two."

"I noticed," Jack hisses back.

"You could've talked to them."

"Excuse me for not wanting to feel like something's crawling all over my thoughts for the next month or so."

"Tell me that after it eats me."

"Now I'm hoping one of them does eat you for real."

"You don't."

"Well, I'll settle for a nibble and a bite now."

Jack moves behind, and Gabriel takes off in the opposing direction while the both centipedes start to hiss and butt their carapaces over the goat's carcass. As long as they're busy, the odds are favorable.

Which, of course, means shit, because as soon as he moves into the position, the one closest to him starts to slowly back off, maneuvering its segmented body with meticulousness of something that cannot simply reverse. Even as he tries to still, it gives out another kind of hiss.

There is a certain pitch to the whizz of pressurized air, the pattern to the clicks, and the tone to chitin plates scraping against one another. A male, and that would make the other one, now moving over the bait in his direction, a female. A breeding pair, together.

"Distract the noisy one!" Gabriel, running, shouts over the hiss.

"Me and what army?" Jack screams back from the other side, actually managing to nail one of the creature's eyes twice with an improvised pinecone - and Gabriel would sympathize, if not for the fact it's a centipede

And Jack always had a penchant for throwing objects, especially at other sentient creatures, but that was a thought better left to explore when not being charged by a giant bug steadily gaining in speed. At least he managed to gain the attention of the male.

"I hate bugs!"

"I know, you don't have to repeat yourself all the time!" Gabriel forms Aard around the hilt - aiming at the ground, and giving himself more momentum for the jump as the female bears down on him - to land on its back just behind the head.

Also, to slip on the smooth carapace.

The centipede is slow to react but it still twists after him, leaving him thrusting the blade between the segments to keep himself from falling, not even upright but awkwardly leaning sideways, almost half-sitting with one leg curled up.

"You good?" Jack sounds breathless.

"Yes," Gabriel screams over the loud clacking and hissing, pushing the blade deeper into the tissues. He's missing all the vital organs at this angle, but with any luck he might nick one of the sacks holding the digestive acids. The centipede bucks and swings back under him.

He lowers himself - almost lying flat against the carapace - when the mandibles flap above him, the interlocking segments of hard chitin preventing the female from actually reaching him.

Until it does something seemingly too clever to be intentional.

Its whole body smashes against the tree trunks, and Gabriel barely avoids having his arm pulverized between the wood and the centipedes bulk - the impact itself sending waves of aftershocks along his nerves and loosening his grip on the sword.

He can only let go, pushing with his feet against the carapace to give himself more momentum and gain distance as he lands, rolling immediately away from the female's legs hitting the ground in a frenzied rage.

He's at disadvantage with his sword lost, the daggers useless now.

"Coming through!" Jack calls from much closer than before, and only a second later Gabriel feels another body crashing into him, sending both of them flying from the path of the male barreling straight into the other centipede as it fails to correct its course after its prey.

Gabriel spares a glance at Jack springing back to his feet. His chest heaves with the exertion and his lips are parted with the beginnings of an excited grin, the tongue slightly pushed forward and nostrils flaring, as if he is a wild animal scenting the forest air.

And it's captivating each and every time, this feral abandonment Reinhardt tried hard to subdue and extinguish with training even when Ana told him not to bother with it.

"I get your sword back, you wash my back for real this time?"

"Deal," Gabriel mutters under his breath.

"Deal." Jack smirks at him. Under the moonlight his eyes appear to run black but it's only the pupils blown as wide as the irises are, and Jack takes off towards the centipedes swiping and biting at each other as they fail to disentangle without becoming more and more aggravated.

Cautiously, Gabriel moves back, fingers ready to form a sign if it comes to this, and Jack weaves between the swinging legs, his palm finally curling around the hilt. He pulls hard, but the angle is wrong, and the female notices the tug, hissing in distress. The male reacts.

"Fuck!" Jack evades the first strike still keeping his grip on the sword, almost thrown over to the other side of the female but loses his balance and shrieks in pain when a mandible catches him in the face spraying blood on the bark. Gabriel finishes forming the sign.

The resulting blast of magic is enough to throw Jack back and confuse the centipedes. Still, the idiot refuses to let go of the hilt even when hurt, and, luckily, this time the blade dislodges. He hits the ground with a crunch of breaking branches and another shout of pain.

It doesn't stop him from getting up and lobbing the sword in an arc over the beasts. It embeds in the undergrowth in front of Gabriel.

"See, I got it," Jack calls from the other side. "We have a deal. So let's finish this."

"You're a goddamn fucking moron!"

[lost-tanuki-tales]

Overworked

Prompts: Exhaustion, Collapse. Cast: Unfair Lives (Jin and Reg) Word count: 2.2k

* * *

"Jin."

The teenager didn't move, head resting on top of his crossed arms over the keyboard of his computer. A string of f's was still growing across the screen because he'd fallen asleep while working and Reg hadn't had the heart to wake him earlier. Jin was usually so alert that it surprised Reg when he obtained no reaction from speaking aloud. Not a single strand of black hair moved and there wasn't even a tiny little twitch that indicated he was rousing.

"Jin, wake up..."

Still nothing. Unsure, the older man fruitlessly looked around before his gaze settled back on the sleeping shape and he cautiously reached out to nudge its thin shoulder. Jin immediately sprang back to life.

"I'm awake, fuck off," he snapped in Reg's general direction before his dark eyes had even come completely into focus.

Reg wasn't surprised by his instantaneous anger but he hastily retrieved his big hand and took a step back. "Sorry, you told me to wake you up if I had to."

Jin scowled at him and rubbed at his face and mussed-up hair. "I know what I said, you can still fuck off. God, I haven't slept in days. Do you even know what that's like?"

His words were blurred together which really wasn't like him at all. Jin's diction was supposed to be simultaneously sharp and easy, and even his voice which usually held the soft quality of velvet was a bit scratchy. Reg was worried. The boy really looked much too tired to go to the meeting he'd planned in an hour.

Jin glared at him and rolled his sunken eyes. "Of course you wouldn't, staying home all day and all."

Reg shrugged.

"Fait chier," groaned Jin.

He only reverted to his language when he was upset, which gave Reg a fair indication of how much Jin was done with all of this. The boy pushed himself up and wavered for just a second, features suddenly going slack and face paling. He blinked rapidly a few times and clenched the edge of the table to ground himself, and then finally stepped away from the table completely. Reg stood close in case he stumbled but didn't dare say or do anything that would annoy Jin even further when he was already so worked up.

Jin's steps were heavy instead of nimble. They'd become that way over the last week; his awareness and caution were waning under the weight of fatigue. Jin hadn't been sleeping enough and hadn't taken a single break ever since the prospects had started flooding in. Lack of rest wasn't the only thing wrong with him either judging from the way he held his stomach, but he hadn't spoken about that out loud and Reg knew not to pry when Jin wasn't willing to share. Reg watched him trudge across the room to get his things in another and thought again that it really was uncanny for Jin to have been so difficult to wake. Obviously his brain hadn't completely shut off for the nap since he'd woken up sparking like a live wire, but the needs of his body had definitely pulled him deeper into sleep than it usually did. Jin's arm suddenly shot out as he was about to walk through the door and he leaned against the frame. He was breathing fast and shallow.

"...Jin?" softly questioned Reg.

"Shut up," he muttered. "Spinning."

Reg decided he definitely couldn't just let Jin go to work like this and walked up to him, slowly enough that he wouldn't get hit for trying to tower over the boy. "Jin, I don't think you should go."

"I don't give a fuck what you think," retorted Jin, and he quickly pulled himself back together before walking off.

Reg hesitated, and then followed Jin around the house. "But you're really tired."

"You think I don't know that?"

Jin’s lithe frame was swaying. It was light and almost unnoticeable which meant it was probably pretty bad for him to be unable to hide it completely. He took a few steps down the hall on his own before he reached out for support again and held himself up against the wall.

"You can't even walk on your own, you know you can't show up like that," reasoned Reg. "They'll eat you alive."

"This is important," hissed Jin without looking at him, and when he turned to his right to enter the bedroom Reg saw that his fine features were taut. He knew Jin was perfectly aware of his limits and that as such he was also perfectly aware that he was really pushing them.

"I know, but you look like you might pass out."

"I do not."

"You do."

"Oh shut up, you big oaf. I've got to meet this Nicole girl and I've gotta meet her today-" Jin broke off mid-sentence to stifle a yawn- "or someone else will snatch her instead."

"Nikos," quietly said Reg.

"What?" snapped Jin.

"Her name is Nikos. Not Nicole."

Black eyes flickered towards him, gauging to see if the man was serious or not, and then Jin let out a short, dry snicker. "Where the fuck did I get Nicole from?"

"You're exhausted, Jin."

"It's fine, just make me coffee or something."

"You..." Reg frowned. "You don't drink coffee."

"Yeah, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It's at the top of the cupboard on the very left, trust me, it should still be there. It's the same as tea, just boil the water and add one dose."

Reg hesitated, but he ended up complying. He was always hesitating and complying. Hesitating because he cared for Jin and found that the boy often made unreasonable choices for his health. Complying because their relationship was very close to that of pet and master, and Reg didn't mind that hewas expected to obey the person he owed his life to. Reg went to prepare coffee the way Jin had instructed him to. There were a lot of things Jin had to tell him how to do because he'd either forgotten or never known them but although he'd shown annoyance about it, he'd never reproached it to Reg. The man tried to listen for the noises Jin was making while he rummaged in the cupboard for the rumored coffee but it was difficult to do over the sound of the water boiling, and his senses only told him what he already knew: that Jin was weary, dimmed, a flame that was flickering instead of blazing. It was very concerning.

The water finished boiling, Reg prepared a mug and dumped a dose inside, watched the powder dissolve with deep fascination and then supposed that it would probably be a good idea to mix it with a spoon before he went back out of the kitchen to give the drink to Jin. The boy had sat down on the bed with his head in his hands and was immobile again. Reg walked up to him.

"I have your coffee."

Jin just reached out a hand without a word. Reg went to give the mug but then stopped in his tracks when he saw the tremors on the thin fingers.

"You're shaking."

"Wow, Reg, thank you so much for sharing your incredible observation skills with me," snarkily said Jin. "Give me the damn coffee."

Reg didn't obey right away but he did, eventually, and Jin brought the mug to his pale lips with trembling hands. Reg crouched in front of him and insisted: "You can't go."

"Big guy, look, I like you, I do, but you're really getting on my last nerve and I don't have a lot of it to spare because as you so justly pointed out multiple times, I am tired. Get off my ass."

Reg watched Jin take another swig of coffee. He didn't know if he'd dare say what was on his mind, trepidation was rising inside of him, but if he made the right point maybe Jin would see reason.

"Would you even be able to defend yourself in your state?" he said in a whisper, daring but not quite.

Too late. The words were out in the air between them and Jin had a very sharp sense of hearing.

The boy's slanted eyes flashed and he warningly ground over the edge of his mug: "What."

Reg felt a shudder course along his spine but didn't back down. "You can't fight like this. You can't even hold a mug, how do you intend to hold a weapon?"

Jin's fingers tightened around the ear of the mug so hard that his knuckles whitened. His voice was deathly soft. "Are you implying that I'm weak, Reg?"

"You're human."

"Answer the question."

“Like this..." Reg cautiously nodded. "You are."

The black irises flashed like glittering onyx. Jin slowly lowered the steaming mug to the ground and then straightened again, and in a very even voice said: "Of all the things you'd have the balls to call me, Reg, weak is very high on the list of things that can get you fucked up."

"You need to acknowledge it," Reg insisted. "There's no way you can make it there safely, much less lead the-"

Jin moved in a blur. He'd always been fast and although Reg knew no one else but the boy he could tell that this speed was way above average. Even tired as Jin was his movement was too quick for Reg to dodge or block and the edge of the boy's slender hand caught the older man in the throat. Reg's trachea seized up and he doubled over to hack and wheeze.

"Weak, really?" smugly said Jin. "You know that would have easily killed you if I'd wanted it to."

Reg looked up at him through teary eyes. "You- You know that's not what I meant."

Jin raised a foot and shoved Reg’s shoulder, throwing him to the ground. "I think that's exactly what you meant, you ungrateful mutt."

"No," Reg managed between coughs as he pushed himself back up.

"Shut up. You're lucky I like you," muttered Jin. They both knew he'd killed for much less.

Having cleared the way in front of him, Jin picked up his mug and stood up to leave. Again, he wavered and paled at the change of position. Without warning, the mug slipped out of his fingers and crashed to the floor and Jin's knees buckled. Reg was still trying to breathe properly but he saw the fuzzy quality that overtook Jin's shape and he was up to his knees in a second to catch the falling body, heedless of the hot liquid that his pants soaked up at the knees. The boy was limp in his arms and his eyes were wide open.

"Jin? Jin," Reg quickly said, snapping his fingers over the white face.

Jin slowly blinked after a few seconds of utter stillness and squinted at Reg. "...Why the fuck are we on the floor?"

"You just fainted," bluntly stated Reg. Now he was feeling annoyed, not just concerned. "I know you hate listening to people but right now your ability to make decisions is definitely impaired so you should probably listen to me when I say you really need to sleep."

"I can't-"

Reg lowered a hand on top of his narrow chest to stop him from getting up. "Jin, no. You just fainted. You know you can't go like this, not when you could faint again."

Jin let his head fall back in the crook of Reg's elbow and muttered: "What the hell do I do, then?"

"Call it off. Say something came up."

Jin's lips pressed together in a tight line and his eyes narrowed. Reg stared back sternly. Then, exasperated, the teenager groaned: "Fine!"

He fished his phone out of his pocket and quickly looked through his most recent calls to quickly expedite a message to the recruit he'd had his eye on and then let his arm and the phone fall back to the ground.

"Done."

Reg nodded in approval. "Okay, let's get you to bed."

"Reg."

"Yes?"

Jin let go of his phone and grabbed the man's white shirt as he rolled over, pushing his face up against Reg's bicep. "I'm so fucking tired."

Reg smiled, taking advantage of the fact that Jin couldn't see him doing so and consequently couldn't snark him for it. "I can see that."

He gathered the slender body in his arms and turned far around enough to pull back the sheets on the bed behind him while disturbing Jin a minimal amount, and then he lifted up the boy and lowered him on the wide mattress. He almost pulled the blanket over Jin's shape but a thin hand sluggishly batted at his gray hair to make him go away, and so he let Jin do it himself. Reg kneeled next to the bed instead and asked: "Should I stay?"

"I'm cold," said Jin. "Get up here, big guy."

Reg diligently nodded. It wasn't that often Jin accepted his presence for comfort and he was more than happy to provide. The man walked around the bed and climbed over the sheets from the other side before lying down and settling curled around Jin's blanketed shape. Reg didn't reach out to hug him, wouldn't ever dare to allow physical contact between them that Jin hadn't asked for, but just laid next to him and waited for the warmth of his body to ebb towards the inside of the cotton coccoon. Jin was asleep in seconds.

[sweetness-pop]

Pilot: Crossover Sweets, Part 2

Hiya! 💗🍓🌟Sweetness*Pop🌈🍭🌸 here! Yay! I finally typed in part 2 of my 1st ever “sweets”. So here it is! Who did Sonic just encountered?! Plz read & enjoy: 

Sonic: Ughh…what the hell? What’s Eggman..plotting..this time? & Wait. What is this flat & soft bump my hand is touching?

(Sonic’s eyes are now open as he sees what he is grabbing. His emerald green eyes widen as he realizes what he’s still touching.)

Sonic: Uh-Oh…*gulps*

(Sonic then looks up to see the blonde odango girl in a sailor suit & her face is in a shadow………)

Girl: AAAAAHHHHH!

*SLAP*

Sonic: OW!

(The girl screamed and slapped Sonic across the face, and now the blue blur is rapidly rolling over on the grass.)

Girl: YOU BLUE SPIKY PERVERT! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! ONLY MAMO-CHAN CAN TOUCH ME LIKE THAT! WAAAHH! NOW HE’LL NEVER MARRY ME! AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING FLAT?! WAAAHH!

(The embarrassed girl with the blonde odango hair starts wailing nonstop)

(Sonic then stands up and walks to the bunhead crybaby, so that he can calm her down and try to clear up the misunderstanding.)

Sonic: Hey, excuse me miss, I’m sorry. But I really didn’t mean to…

(Sonic’s sentence gets cut off when he notices something coming to his and the girl’s way.)

(Sonic then rushes to the girl who stops crying and carries her out of the way)

Girl: Kya!

Sonic: Watch out! Something is heading our way!

Girl: What?!

Sonic: SHIT!

Girl: AAAAHH!!!

(Sonic carries the girl in bridal and runs out the way in fast speed)

*STOMP*

(A giant beast lands on the ground. It looks so shaggy with unruly black fur, has four legs resembling a dog and its face seems to resemble a bull’s skull.)

(Sonic and the girl who’s still being carried by the hedgehog, both stare at this hideous monster that almost killed them)

Girl: EW!

Sonic: What the hell is that thing?!

Girl: I know! He’s so gross and ugly!

Sonic & Girl: *gasps*

(Sonic and the girl are in shock as the creature seems to be glaring at them with a look of a predator who has spotted some prey)

(Sonic then puts down the girl he has saved)

Sonic: You, run and hide. I’m gonna go tame this mutt.

Girl: What?! No way! We are both in this together!

Sonic: Huh? Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!

(The girl walks in front of Sonic and stares at the big, gross and shaggy monster with a mad look on her face)

Girl: You! How dare you try to attack me and this fast, perverted blue hedgehog! (Sonic: Oh she’s still upset about that) For that, I cannot forgive you! You bad boy!

(The girl starts to pose, while Sonic watches)

Sonic: Who is this girl? *he says quietly*

Girl: I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for love and Justice! Sailor Moon! And now in the name of Moon I'll punish you!

(The girl with the long, blonde odango-shaped hair and in the blue/white/red sailor cosplay has just announced herself as…….Sailor Moon.)

Sonic: Sailor…Moon?

(Creature looks blankly for a moment, and………..)

*GROWLS!*

Sonic: WATCH OUT!

Sailor Moon: WOAH!

(Sonic was about to rush in to save Sailor Moon again, however she happened to jump high away from the creature that was about to stomp on her.)

Sonic: Woah, that was close! You ok?

Sailor Moon: I’m fine! Although, that was scary.

(Sonic and Sailor Moon both see the beast heading to their direction.)

Sonic: So, since it’s like you said, we’re both in this together, wanna try attacking him one by one?

Sailor Moon: Duh! I was about to ask you that!

Sonic: Cool! ‘Cause check this out!

(Sonic crouches down and curls into a concussive ball. He then starts charging up the Spin Dash from a stationary position by spinning rapidly on the spot and gaining potential energy. And now, Sonic takes off into a high-speed rolling attack, and aims at the shaggy foe.)

*Growl*

(The foe growls in pain and falls down on the grass.)

(Sailor Moon stares as she is amazed by this supersonic speed, blue hedgehog. Maybe this could have her forgive him for accidentally groping her earlier.)

Sailor Moon: Wow! That was super! (Wait a sec, isn’t he?)

(Sailor Moon’s thoughts get cut off by Sonic who says...)

Sonic: Thanks, you’re sweet and hot at the same time! But now it’s your turn to show and beat!

(Sonic smiles at Sailor Moon who returns it despite that he called her sweet and hot at the same time.)

(Sailor Moon now takes out her Spiral Heart Moon Rod)

Sailor Moon: Got it! Time to finish this!

(Sailor Moon raises the Spiral Heart Moon Rod. She then flips it around her body until finally striking on a pose.)

Sailor: MOON SPIRAL….

(After this, she spins around and once again hold the rod up again.)

Sailor Moon: HEART ATTACK!

(Finally, a powerful blast of heart smashes through the big, gross and ugly beast monster with the black shaggy fur, dog legs and bull-skulled face.)

Monster: LOVELY! (The monster unexpectedly shouts as it fades away.)

Sonic: Wow…that was lovely. (A flashback of Eggman using some magical girl wand on Sonic suddenly refreshes his memory.) Eggman! What the hell is he planning to do this time? (Sonic says silently)

Sailor Moon: Uh..excuse me.

(Sonic’s thoughts are brought back now as Sailor Moon speaks.)

Sonic: Oh, sorry ‘bout that. Just spaced out there.

Sailor Moon: *giggles* No it’s ok now. Anyways, we defeated that gross-looking monster. And we did it together!

(Sailor smiles at Sonic, and it’s his turn to return it.)

Sonic: Yeah you’re right.

Sailor Moon: Ya know, the way you attacked it, you started that so….. Cool!

(Sailor Moon winks)

Sonic: Well, you were the one who finished it….Lovely!

(Sonic gives a thumbs-up)

*Laughing*

Sailor Moon: Oh…and I’m sorry I overacted and slapped you earlier.  

Sonic: Oh no! It’s ok! I’m sorry that I touched you like that! It really was an accident too, I swear!

Sailor Moon: its ok, I know that it was an accident. But let’s forget about that already.

(Sailor Moon smiles and takes out her hand for Sonic to shake.)

Sailor Moon: By the way, I may be Sailor Moon, but my real name is Usagi Tsukino. It’s so nice to meet you!

(Sonic smiles and takes her hand to shake it.)

Sonic: And nice to meet you too. I’m Sonic…..Sonic the Hedgehog!

& That was part 2! Yay! Sailor Moon is in the story. My 1st anime ever! Sonic & Sailor Moon make a great team🦔👟🌙💗. Welp, I guess part 3 will be the conclusion of my “Pilot: Crossover Sweets”. Here is the link for part 1

See you all soon my sweets!💕💕💕💕

[lamesiscanon]

Ticklish Remus

Remus has never been tickled by his parents. It’s really not a big deal, they just didn’t tickle their baby, especially not after he was bitten. Remus was so skinny and frail looking after being bitten they were scared anything like that would hurt him. Besides, Remus really wasn’t a fan of touch. Hugs were nice, but that was it. Any other little touch, no matter how small or simple, made him jump. His skin would feel weird, he would shiver and then it was gone. He wasn’t really familiar with what ticklish meant until one of the neighborhood boys explained it to him while they were playing on the street. They were both young, and the boy couldn’t describe it very well, nor tried to tickle Remus. He just answered the odd question. 

By the time he got to Hogwarts, Remus knew what it meant, but still didn’t know what it felt like, or why people laughed when they were tickled. It just seemed like a silly thing. It wasn’t important, so he didn’t think about it.

One evening he sat on his bed in the boy’s room, listening to Peter and James laugh and joke while he also read the book his mum had sent him. 

“Pete, are you ticklish?” Remus didn’t even notice the scream of attack and the scream of terror this question then caused as James jumped towards Peter, and their tickle war broke out. At some point, Sirius had come in the room and joined their silly fight as well. Remus didn’t get it, what was so amusing about tickling each other? Why was it so funny to the person who was getting tickled? 

After a minute, the tickle war dies down and the boys sit up, laughing and out of breath. Sirius brushed his hair from his eyes, and James straightened his glasses. Remus arched an amused eyebrow before turning back to his book. 

Sirius looked towards Remus then, apparently noticing the boy for the first time since entering the room and repeated the same question James had asked Peter a few minutes ago. 

“Hey, Remus, are you ticklish?” Sirius asked, and Remus looked up from his book again, surprised by the question. James and Peter are looking at him now with faces Remus can guess show their wonder on why he didn’t join their fight. 

“I don’t know.” he admits, very simply. James laughs a bit, and after a while Peter and Sirius join in, thinking it was a joke. 

“You’re not getting out of this, Lupin. We’ll tickle you no matter the answer, just tell the truth.” James grinned in what was probably supposed to look falsely threatening, but still just looked like a delighted little kid. 

“I did.” Remus closed his book this time, putting it down beside him. The other boys looked at him in shock, apparently not expecting that answer. 

“What do you mean?” Peter asks, and Remus turns towards him. Both looked at each other with confused expressions.

“I’ve never been tickled before.” Remus shrugs, thinking that was it. The three continued to look at him in shock for a few seconds, before they are springing up form their spots on the floor and running after Remus, whose quick instincts already had him running out the door. They chase him all the way out onto the school grounds near the lake, Remus outrunning them easily. They didn’t find out if he was ticklish that day. 

Tickling seemed to be just a normal thing people do, but Remus just doesn’t notice it (he’s not exactly paying attention to that sort of thing anyway.) All friends do it when they’re teasing each other, play fighting, or just looking to have a laugh. Well, except Remus. He doesn’t even notice until one day when Sirius is begging him to go to the lake to do homework, even though it’s getting cold and the wind would blow their stuff everywhere. Sirius is so used to tickling James and Peter to get them to laugh themselves to agreeing that he forgets Remus doesn’t do tickles. 

“Come on, Rem.” Sirius whines, while reaching over to quickly tickle his stomach. Remus jumps and yelps, his homework sliding off of his lap and onto the floor. His eyes widen in horror, being tickled and letting out such an embarrassing noise in front of the common room, but the people around him just chuckle. Remus looks up at Sirius, whose grin is so mischievous a joyful, it scares Remus a bit. 

“Guess you are ticklish, Rem.” 

It’s a secret Remus never knew he had and desperately wished it would have stayed that way. 

The Gryffindor boys learn very soon not to tickle Remus, despite the newly discovered fact that he is extremely ticklish. They find out pretty quick that Remus cannot control the flail of his arms and legs when he is being tickled, and they will swing like the Whomping Willows branches, hurting you just as bad too. After a week Frank has two black eyes, James had four bloody noses, and Peter had very dark bruises on his arm. It was a ‘proceed at own risk’ situation if they decided to tickle him. 

Sirius, however, seemed to walk away from tickling Remus unscathed every time. Remus hated it. He had to be on alert now for the boy to come jumping out at him from nowhere and declare a sudden tickle fight that Remus could never win because Sirius wasn’t nearly as ticklish as Remus was. It only ever ended when Sirius was able to make the laughing boy say something stupid like “Sirius Black is the coolest Gryffindor.”

It continued like that for their first few years as friends. Tickling became a special marauder thing, like cuddling and kissing each other’s cheeks, it was another little sign of affection. 

But Sirius did it a bit too often. 

Remus’ laugh when he was being tickled was so beautiful and young, he kind of became obsessed with hearing it. It was one of the first signs to Sirius that he liked Remus. Like like, as in, a romantic sort of way. Soon their tickle wars became one of his favorite things. They could laugh and roll and wouldn’t quit until one boy got the other to say something stupid. 

One special night when the boys had started a tickle war out of boredom while James and Peter were serving a detention with McGonagall, Sirius had Remus pinned under him, the boy’s laughter so contagious and pretty. Fuck, part of Sirius never wanted to stop tickling his friend if it meant being able to hear that laugh forever. The other half of him, was an egotistical shit. 

“Admit you think I’m the hottest motherfucker on the planet and I’ll let you go!” Sirius said. Remus seemed to laugh harder, still trying to fight back but no luck as Sirius was literally straddling him. The thought brought a few unwanted images he quickly pushed out of his head. 

“I’m not saying that, you daft mutt, get off of me.” Remus tried tickling back, but Sirius’ hands were too quick. They both knew Remus could easily push him off, but it always felt unfair to both of them, so the only way to win a real tickle war was to get the opponent to say uncle. 

“Awww, why Moony? You don’t think I’m pretty?” Sirius pouted his lips, and for a second, stopped tickling his flailing friend. Remus calmed down a bit, still laughing and a bit out of breath. He looked up at the boy above him before smiling his crooked smile. 

“You know I think you’re really fit, actually.” Remus admitted. The words took a bit to process in Sirius’ brain, and in the second of surprise, Remus moved quickly and reversed their positions. 

“Ow, you cheating genius.” Sirius winced a little at the sudden whiplash. Remus was now the one who had his knees on Sirius’ hands, pinning them down.

“It’s not cheating, I really meant it.” he moved one hand to tickle him while the other knocked gently on his forehead. “Now name ten Honeydukes sweets.” It was the only way Remus would let Sirius go. 

Sirius squinted his eyes in concentration. 

“Pumpkin pasties... licorice wands... sugar quills...” 

For a second Sirius thought about it, trying to wriggle free. After adding chocolate frogs to the list, he was able to slip his wrists out and the boys were once again rolling on the floor of the dorm room. 

Sirius was able to gain control for the second time, and sat on Remus, but this time, didn’t tickle him. 

“Do you really think I’m hot?” Sirius smirked down at him. Remus rolled his eyes. 

“You really don’t need me to say anything else that will make your head swell even more, Black.” Remus tried to wriggle free, but Sirius kept a firm grip on his wrists. He just looked down at the boy, looking closely. 

He’s so beautiful

Remus noticed the playful atmosphere shift to a more serious one. 

“I think that it would take a blind idiot to not notice how attractive you are, Padfoot.” Remus looked so sincere, Sirius forgot to keep pinning Remus down. It didn’t matter, neither of them moved. 

“I...” Sirius really didn’t know what to say. “I think you’re cute too.”

Remus raised an eyebrow. 

“I admit you’re fit, and all I get is cute?” Sirius knows Remus is teasing, but he feels like he should still add something. 

“I think you’re laugh is one of the best things I’ve ever heard in my life and I love tickling you so I can make you laugh. I think you’re smarter than anyone I know, and when you come up with things to make me say to get out off the tickle wars you won, they’re always super clever.” Sirius spits out, because it’s the only thing he can think to say.

“Oh.” Remus breathes out. Sirius is really thinking that he has to get the hell out of here before he confesses everything. 

As if he could read his mind, Remus grabs Sirius hands, which had moved to rest on Remus’ chest. 

“I think you’re super smart. I think you’re loyal and you would do anything for your friends and I admire how quick your comebacks are and how easily you can defend someone like me.” Remus admits, and he’s having similar thoughts to Sirius. 

Stop, before you ruin your friendship

He doesn’t. 

“I think that right now, I really want to kiss you.” Remus adds.

This is it, you’ve ruined it. Way to go you bloody - 

“Then do it.” Sirius says. It interrupts his thoughts, sounding so certain, like he’s waited forever for this too. 

So Remus does.

It’s everything the boys have held in for the last few years. Soft and still at first, then getting deeper. At some point, Remus sits up and leans against his bed, Sirius still on his lap. 

When they break apart, they sprout equally lame grins on their faces. 

“I think you being ticklish is the best thing to ever happen.” Sirius says, playing with Remus’ hair. Remus strokes his thumb on the other boy’s back in response. 

“I can’t believe you didn’t notice how much I like you. I thought it was as obvious as how ticklish I am.” Remus said back. 

Sirius laughed, and put his mouth back on Remus’.