#Cloud Computing Exam

[vintagestarlight]

Subtle Acts of Love

Pairing: Garrick Tavis x fem!reader

Summary: Garrick shows you he loves you in small ways

Warnings: fluff

Word Count: 5.2k(this one got away from me haha)

A/N: Been a little MIA these last couple of weeks; I was on vacation and then last week was super busy. I've been wanting to write something for Garrick for a while now so I hope everyone enjoys this fic of Garrick and his sweetheart🥺

I'd love to write more for these two so send in any requests you might have about Garrick and Princess and I'll do my best to get to them! Not gonna lie I was listening to Alex Warren's song Ordinary and I felt like it fit perfectly! Hope you guys enjoy this!💕

Let me know who you'd like to read a fic about next :)

****Beware of typos lol(my computer is acting up) and constructive criticism is always helpful!

You had been studying for days, preparing for the upcoming Battle Brief exam that hung over you like a dark cloud. Your mind was drowning in the notes you had been taking during class containing outpost information, skirmishes, and other information that you swore was swimming around on the page in front of you. Despite your best efforts, the stress had started to seep into every facet of your life. If you weren't training or going to class, you were studying or eating in the dining hall and your friends had started to take notice. You noticed the sun's rays casting a warm glow over your room and you peeked out your window to see the sun setting in the distance. You sighed and rolled your shoulders to try and get rid of the tightness from being hunched over your materials. A knock sounded at your door and you jumped, the sound pulling you from your thoughts.

You got up to open it and saw your squad standing in front of you. "We're all heading to the dining hall, want to join?" Rhiannon asked. "I don't know," You hesitated, casting a glance behind you at the open textbooks on your desk, "I feel like I should keep going over the material for battle brief," You answered. "Oh come on," Ridoc groaned playfully. "You're going to ace the exam like always. I'm sure you could take a break to feed yourself," he went on. "Alright," You gave in with a small smile and Ridoc threw his arm around your shoulders pulling you into his side, jostling you.  "You know there's more to life than studying," He teased. You sat with your squad, munching on dinner as the boisterous energy around you reached its peak. You had to admit it was nice taking a small break but the upcoming exam still nagged at you at the back of your mind. I'll go back to studying after dinner. You decided.

A shadow loomed over you and you tilted your head up to see Garrick standing behind you and you smiled. Garrick had been your best friend since first year at Basgiath last year and the two of you had practically been inseparable since. "Hey you," He said, sliding his large frame on the bench beside you. His deep, raspy voice caused your heart to flutter. Just being near him, your body seemed to loosen and let go of some of the tension it had been keeping. Garrick must have noticed because his eyebrows furrowed. "Are you alright?" He asked. You nodded. "Just a bit stressed about the exam for Battle Brief," You replied. "You'll do great, I know you will. I know your studies are important to you but try not to stress too much," He said, rubbing his thumb along the back of your hand.

You nodded and though his words were comforting, the anxiety didn't leave completely. "I really should get back though," You replied, standing up. Your friends protested but you promised to spend more time with them once the exam was over tomorrow. "I'll walk you back," Garrick offered, rising to his full height. Admittedly, he had made you uneasy the first time you saw him because of how big he was; Violet had called him "the big one" the first time your squad watched him spar with Xaden and the moniker was fitting. But after you helped him the first time in math, you realized he wasn't always as scary as he seemed and now you couldn't imagine your life without him in it. You and Garrick strolled leisurely through the corridors-or rather Garrick strolled leisurely-and chatted a bit.

"Why are you so stressed about the exam?" He finally asked. "It's an important exam. I don't want to fail," You replied, as if it was obvious. The two of you had made it to the courtyard and the smell of honeysuckle amid the fresh air tickled your nose. "You always say that you're scared to fail but you never fail and you worry yourself too much about it. So why are you so stressed about passing school all the time if you're good at what you're doing?" He asked, leaning his back against a pillar as the two of you sat on the cobblestones. "I don't know....I guess I just don't want to disappoint my family. They were so proud of me when I got accepted to join the quadrant," You admitted. The swath of daylilies growing at the edge of the courtyard a few fingers length away caught your eye. You reached down and stroked the delicate petals and a soft smile graced your face; they were your favorite flowers with their showy and vibrant colors and they never failed to make you smile. "I just feel like if I fail, even an exam, I'll be letting them down somehow," You said, letting the petal slide along your fingers. "You're one of the best students I know, Y/n. I'm sure your parents would be proud of you no matter what," He said softly, watching you look at the flowers.

The next morning you woke up and the pit in your stomach about the exam was still there. Talking with Garrick helped but the anxiety wouldn't go away until the exam was over. You finished braiding your hair, strapped your daggers to your side, and grabbed your book bag. You sighed and opened the door and almost stepped on something laying on your doorstep before gasping softly. Laying on your doorstep bound together with twine was a bouquet of daylilies, the same ones you had stopped to admire yesterday. You picked up the bundle and admired the vibrant oranges, pinks, and yellows. You brought them to your nose and inhaled the sweet scent and noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the twine. "I know they're your favorite." It read and you noticed it was unsigned. I wonder who left them. You thought to yourself. It could've been any of your friends since they all knew you liked them. You stepped back inside, placed the flowers on your desk, and left for battle brief; and of course you passed the exam. 

"Oh, come on again?" You cried out, seeing the lack of your favorite dessert on the dessert table. "They have plenty of other good desserts," Violet offered, amused. "I know but I wanted the blackberry tartlets again," you said, craving the delicate little pastry. You settled for lemon squares and while they were delicious, they certainly weren't blackberry tartlets. "Want me to bribe the bakers to get some for you?" Garrick chuckled. "I know you're only teasing, but I'd love you forever," You laughed, and you missed the way the red crept up Garrick's neck as he smiled sheepishly. The conversation quickly turned, and you forgot about the missing dessert you had wanted.

"Don't overreach y/l/n!" Emetterio shouted over the noise in the sparring gym. "You open yourself up if you keep doing that," he continued. You had been partnered with a girl from third wing and although she was small, she was infuriatingly quick. She knocked your feet out from under you before you had time to register what had happened and pinned you to the mat forcing you to yield. Emetterio sighed but class had lapsed, and the girl got up and offered you a hand, giving you a small nod before rejoining her squad. You walked over to your own, undoing the wrappings on your hands. “Getting your ass kicked by a first year?” You heard behind you. You looked over your shoulder and saw Garrick standing beside your gym bag. “Oh, please like you never lost a fight,” You snorted. “Besides I was just distracted,” you said. It was true; you were still thinking about the flowers left anonymously a few weeks ago and... Garrick looked really good sparring with Xaden during your match. Garrick opened his mouth but before he could ask about it, your squad called for you. “I’ll see you later?” You looked at Garrick before grabbing your gym bag and he gave you a nod. You and the rest of your squad headed towards the showers to wash off the sweat and stink of sparring practice. Sawyer and Ridoc split from the group heading towards the male showers while you, Rhiannon, and Violet headed towards the female showers. 

The steam hit you in the face and suddenly you desperately wanted out of your gym clothes to feel the hot water wash everything away. "So still no idea who left those flowers?" Rhiannon asked, stripping off her shirt revealing a standard issue black sports bra. "No," You shook your head, setting your gym bag on the bench and taking a seat next to it. "I guess I should give up trying because it could be anyone." You slipped off your shoes and your shirt, leaving them in your locker to grab after your shower, before opening your gym bag to pull out fresh clothes. You scrunched your eyebrows in confusion. "What is it?" Violet asked, seeing the look on your face. "Not sure but it was sitting on top of my clothes," You murmured, pulling out a small but thick package wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. "Well open it I want to see what it is," Rhiannon said. You gingerly untied the twine and peeled back the butcher paper to find five...blackberry tartlets. You'd recognize the little pastries anywhere. The buttery crust held together a pastry cream layer, a blackberry compote layer, and topped with fresh blackberries dusted with powdered sugar. "Did one of you guys put this in my bag?" You asked but both of the girls shook their heads. "I love you but you know how the bakers are," Violet jokes, peeking out from behind the shower curtain. It was true the bakers were known to be a bit...difficult. It was common knowledge you didn't want to piss off the bakers who felt themselves to be superior and all important. "Someone must really like you," Rhinanon smiled before stepping into the shower. Yeah. you thought. But who?

Your squad, plus Xaden and Garrick were gathered in the common room studying or otherwise pouring over old books from the Archives. "So I heard you got another present from your secret admirer," Ridoc teased, looking up from his spot on the floor where he laid on his stomach, a textbook open but discarded. Everyone's head turned to look at you and you felt your face heat up. "Pastries in my gym bag," You murmured. "Not just any pastries...I heard they were the desserts you were wanting. Blackberry tartlets perhaps?" Ridoc wiggled his eyebrows, a huge grin plastered on his face. "Yes, they were," You said, a little uncomfortable about the attention focusing solely on you. "But they're not a secret admirer. I think they're just trying to be nice," You added, the weak defense clearly doing nothing to convince your companions. You happened to glance over at Garrick who was watching with an unreadable expression. Was he upset? You wondered. Did he care at all? Your little crush had bloomed over the last year and you knew you loved Garrick even if you never had the courage to say anything and you knew you wouldn't return the feelings your "secret admirer" had. You only wanted Garrick and you wished you could tell him.

"Please anyone who gets anonymous gifts has a secret admirer. Maybe you should try to find out who it is," Rhiannon joined the conversation. "If they found out who it was that would obviously defeat the point of the secret part," Ridoc snorted derisively. "Plus everyone knows two gifts is too early to attempt to discover a secret admirer's true identity," Ridoc added seriously. "Oh yeah who said that?" Sawyer laughed. "Everyone knows that!" Ridoc whined, shoving his friend's shoulder playfully.

"I don't but I wish I did know who it was so I could thank them and let them know how much I appreciate it," You replied. Even if you wouldn't return their feelings, it was still thoughtful what they were doing. "Maybe they already know," Garrick pointed out and you looked over. His hazel eyes always made you feel weak in the knees but there was something...different in them. "Maybe," You whispered. "Well, if they ever decide to stop being anonymous, tell them to send one my way too. I wouldn't mind tarts and a love confession," Ridoc smirked from his spot. A few laughed and the tension faded but garrick's look stayed with you.

The morning bell sounded, signaling classes were beginning soon. Your first class of the day was Dragonkind with Professor Kaori, and your steps were light but brisk, not wanting to be late. You rounded the corner and there he was- Garrick stood leaning against the wall, dwarfing the first years that passed by. "Cutting it a bit close today. Are you trying to make me late?" He joked, falling in step beside you. You rolled your eyes playfully. "I'm not the one making you late, you've got your own schedule," You laughed as you and Garrick made your way to Kaori's classroom. "I guess," He said with a lazy smile. "I can't just have you roaming the halls by yourself though," He added. You blinked in surprise. "I appreciate it but you don't have to always walk me to class," you replied. "I'd be fine." Garrick gazed down at you briefly. "I know you would be but I don't mind," he told you, his voice softer. A part of you wanted to argue but the warmth in his eyes made it hard so instead you gave him a small nod, letting the moment settle in. His presence beside you was comforting; like something you didn't realize you needed until it was already there. As the two of you walked a comfortable silence spread over the both of you- that was something you always liked about being around Garrick; you never had to fill the space with small talk if it wasn't needed- and you let your mind wander. 

It struck you how often he did this, walking you to your classes. How often he waited for you even though he didn't have to, seemingly always there. Most of his classes were on the other side of the academic wing so they weren't exactly close and yet, without fail, he always made a point to walk you to yours even if it meant he'd be late to his own. The two of you approached the crowded courtyard, students milling about as they gathered for their own classes. "So what do you think?" Garrick asked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "What?" You asked, shaking your head free from your thoughts. You followed his gaze and you realized- Garrick was close to his class but you were still a good several minutes from yours. You would make your class on time as always but he'd be late. Again. "Are you sure you don't mind risking detention just to walk me to my class?" You asked, a soft smile curling at the corner of your lips.

Garrick smirked at you, not breaking his stride. "It's worth it," he said, his voice unbothered. "Besides I've been late to worse things. A class won't kill me," He added. "And this...is more important than your class?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at him in bemusement. "Always," he quickly responded as if it was the most natural response in the world. "Besides you're stuck with me now whether you like it or not," He grinned. You chuckled and shook your head, knowing there was no arguing with Garrick once he made up his mind. By the time you reached your class Garrick was already glancing at the crowded hallway with slight frustration. "I should get going," He murmured but there was no real urgency behind his words. He was clearly in no rush to leave you, regardless if it meant he'd be late to his own obligations. "Thanks," You said softly. "I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have you walking to my classes everyday," You joked lightly. 

“I have no doubt you’d make it on your own but I’m in no hurry to let you,” He teased, giving you a wink. “Have a good class,” He said and with that he turned and started making his way through the crowd towards his own class. You stood there for a moment and watched him leave, your heart swelling a little. Walking you to class was one of those small things that amounted to something much more significant than what it seemed on the surface. It struck you and you realized that Garrick wasn’t doing these little gestures to simply pass the time; he was showing you in the only way he knew how that he cared. As you took your seat, you thought about the anonymous gifts that had been left for you and you wondered. Was Garrick leaving them for you?

You were tucked into a quiet corner of the library, your head hunched over the textbooks in front of you as you tried to get through some of your assignments that had piled up. It was late and the rest of your squad had already said goodnight and left. Garrick sat next to you and his warm presence filled the space. He didn't have anything to study and you told him he could leave with everyone else but he refused, remaining seated beside you. Your back ached with the hunched position you had been in the last few hours and your arms and legs felt stiff from sitting. You really should have taken a break hours ago, probably left with everyone else, but there was so much to do and you didn't want to fall behind. Your eyes crossed as you furiously scribbled down notes and you closed them, stifling a yawn. "I think it's time you stopped for the night," Garrick said, half amused, half serious but you shook your head. "I'll take a break in a few minutes," You said, cursing your voice for sounding weary. "You said that hours ago princess," he murmured. You looked up and noticed the fire had dimmed significantly and all but a few mage lights had gone out; maybe time had gotten away from you more than you wanted to admit. "Just a little longer and I'll leave," You protested weakly, but Garrick wasn't having it. "You won't be able to study efficiently if you're as tired as you are," He said and he had a point. You conceded and started packing up your things, putting your papers, notes, and pens in your book bag and closing your textbooks. You stood up, your body protesting from being in the same position for so long and you stretched. 

Garrick stood beside you and without missing a beat grabbed your stack of textbooks before you could even reach for them. "What are you doing?" You asked, wincing as you remembered the weight of them even though deep down you knew the weight barely bothered him. "Helping you," He said, nonchalantly. "But I can carry my own books," You replied. "I know you can but right now you're so tired you can barely stand," he pointed out. He grabbed your book bag from the chair and slung it over his shoulder, his body language effortless, as if carrying your things was nothing to him. Truth be told it wasn't and he did it often. "Just relax," He said, his voice gentle but firm. "You've been going at this for hours, I'll handle it now," He went on. "Let's get you out of there." He placed a hand on the small of your back, guiding you out of the library. Garrick's expression seemed soft, almost...protective, as though he were willing to take on your burdens for you. And that was just it- he wasn't just carrying your things he was carrying your stress. The weight you hadn't even realized you were carrying started to dissipate with every step you took, as though by carrying your things he was telling you it was okay to let go.

"I could've just taken a break," You pointed out, Garrick letting you lean against him slightly as you walked. "You could have," He agreed. "But we both know you wouldn't have. And I'm not going to give you the option of overworking yourself," his smirk returning, but warmer. You stayed quiet and your mind returned to the possibility of Garrick being your secret admirer. Could it be him? You wondered. The way he seemed to always be there when she needed him. The way the gifts had shown up seemed a little too coincidental to when Garrick had been around. You shook your head. Why would he do any of that? It felt a little ridiculous to think Garrick would be the one to be your secret admirer. Anyone could have left the gifts and you were sure Garrick also walked the rest of his friends to class and carried their things every once in a while. But deep down you knew he didn’t. You glanced up at him, catching his eye and he smiled at you like he always did but there was something different about him. Something... vulnerable and tender and you offered him a small smile in return. No, it couldn't be. Still, as Garrick helped you with your things you couldn't shake the feeling that your secret admirer was no longer as anonymous as they used to be. 

It was the kind of day that the exhaustion wasn't evident until you flopped down on your bed with a sigh. It had been a long day with classes and flying practices and your body ached from the drills. The sun had started to dip below the horizon, softly illuminating your room. You sat up and started to peel off your flight jacket and daggers, dropping them on your desk. You turned to undo your braid to shower and noticed something peeking out from under your pillow, your breath catching. Was it another gift? You wondered. You walked over and slid the package out realizing from the shape it was a book. You removed the soft cloth that contained the book and almost gasped out loud. It was your favorite novel since you had been a young teenager; you hadn't read it in years since you hadn't been able to bring it with you to Conscription Day. It was leather bound with the letters on the cover brushed with gold.

The leather showed signs of wear and the spine had a few cracks where the book had been opened too many times to count; it wasn't stiff like a new book, but had some give to it. The book was old and out of print now, nearly impossible to find in its original form. You opened the book and ran your fingers down the page; they were soft, the edges worn and slightly frayed from countless fingers flipping them. But this book contained something even more special and rare; marginalia. You thumbed through the pages and noticed notes, comments, and annotations from the author scribbled amongst many of the pages. You didn't even want to think about how someone could have gotten this, much less what it had to have cost. But who would even go through the trouble of getting this for you? And you realized, there was only one person it could have been.

Garrick.

The book was special to you as a kid, a gift from your parents, and you had only ever told Garrick about it. The novel was about a princess and her knight who conquered dangerous quests to prove his love, always bringing her something from his many fascinating travels across the land. You were afraid your friends would tease you for liking such material and although the teasing would have been good-natured, you wanted to keep it to yourself. You had only told Garrick about the book a while back. There was romance and danger and it had made teenage you swoon and daydream about one day having your own knight. You sat there, shocked that you hadn't realized it sooner; or rather believed it sooner. Garrick was your knight. He was the one who had left you the gifts. He was your secret admirer. The pieces were falling into place now. Garrick had been there to see you admire the daylilies and the next morning they were on your doorstep. Garrick heard you wanting the blackberry tartlets and the next day there they were in your gym bag. He always walked you places. Always carried your things. He never did this for anyone else. Now, a rare edition of your favorite book had appeared under your pillow.

These gestures and gifts weren't nothing to him; in his own way, Garrick was letting you know he cared about you and listened to you. In his own way, Garrick was trying to confess that he loved you. Not with big grand gestures but in subtle and deeply meaningful ways. Tears pricked your eyes because that meant more to you than anything. That he knew you wouldn't want him to admit he loved you in a big or public way. You asked your dragon along the bond to find out from Chradh where Garrick was before rushing out the door. You had to confront Garrick even if you were wrong-and you didn't think you were- and you had to tell him how you felt. Chradh and his rider are about to land in the flight field. Your dragon said through your bond. You ran towards the flight field passing the dining hall and academic wing before finally making it to the field just in time to see Garrick and Chradh touch down. 

You waited on the edge for Chradh to leave before approaching Garrick. "Is everything okay?" Garrick asked as you walked up to him. "Chradh said you were looking for me." "I'm fine but I need to ask you something," You said, your fingers curling protectively around the weathered spine of the book. Garrick tilted his head and something in his eyes shifted, becoming cautious. "Alright," he simply said. "This... this was under my pillow when I got back from drills," You told him, holding the book up for him to see. Something flickered across his gaze but it was so quick you couldn't even register what it was, and you continued on. "I told you about this book a long time ago. About how much it means to me. How no one else knew." your gaze searched his, watching carefully and your chest became tight but you pressed on. "And now it turns up. After the flowers, the pastries, always walking me to class, carrying my things, everything." Garrick's jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. The silence pressed around you two, thick and heavy with all the words being left unsaid. "You've been the one leaving me the gifts," You said, not as a question but a statement because you knew, but you wanted him to say it. "Haven't you?" You asked him. For a long beat, Garrick stood silently looking at you, something unreadable flickering in his expression. You began to grow uneasy. What if you had been wrong? Finally, Garrick let out a faint sigh and nodded. “Yeah I have,” he stated. The breath you had been holding in your lungs escaped and you stepped closer to him. “Why didn’t you just tell me?” You asked. He smiled a soft lopsided smile at you. 

“Because you deserve a knight,” He responded, echoing your words from so long ago. 

“You deserve someone who brings you things from his travels. You deserve someone who proves how much he loves you without ever having to say anything. You deserve everything you want Y/n,” He said. “I just wasn’t sure you’d want me to be him,” he confessed, sadness tinging his words. “Garrick…” You said, your heart thudding painfully in your chest. “I thought maybe if I could show you instead of telling you outright that you’d figure it out. Or even if you didn’t you’d at least smile a little more. I would’ve been fine with that much honestly,” He went on, anxiously running a hand through his hair and looking away for a split second. “But then every time I noticed you smiling and happy after I left something for you, it felt like I could breathe easier. Like maybe I actually had a shot,” He smiled. You closed the remaining distance between the two of you and looked up at him. “Garrick you always had a shot,” You whispered. “You just didn’t know it yet.” His hazel eyes, those stupidly beautiful hazel eyes, bore into you.  “Do you mean that?” he whispered back and you nodded. “I do. You’ve always been my knight haven’t you? Always watching out for me, always there,” You smiled. “I’m not really the best at this kind of thing,” His voice was low and earnest. “But I love you with everything I have. That much I’m sure of. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that you,” he promised.

The setting sun caught his eyes, making the hazel irises look like molten honey and it made you weak; you could stare at his eyes forever.  “Then you’re already doing everything right,” you smiled and it was big and bright and all you. That was all he needed to hear and he bent down slowly, giving you every chance to pull away but you didn’t. His lips met yours, moving slowly; it wasn’t a kiss filled with urgency or heat but a confession in itself. It was quiet and complete, brimming with everything he couldn’t put into words. You leaned into the kiss without hesitation, holding your knight as if you’d never let go. Garrick finally pulled back and smiled down at you, familiar and lopsided and you gazed at his face; it was perfect, even the scar running down one side. “I’ve wanted to do that since the first moment I saw in the Archives scowling at your reading list,” he said with a husky chuckle. “You mean the time when I dropped all my books and cursed the professor under my breath for assigning so many?” You laughed. “That’s the one,” he grinned. “I knew I was done for. Took me weeks just to speak to you the first time in math,” He grinned. 

You tilted your head. “You mean all those dumb questions about the equations were just your excuse to talk to me?” You teased. “They weren’t dumb! I stand by not knowing what the hell was going on in that class,” he laughed. “You had a better grade than me!” You said, shaking your head with a smile. “Yeah but only because I started studying after you helped me. I had to impress you somehow,” He flashed a grin. “Then you’ve just been trying to impress me this whole time?” You asked softly, looking up at the man who stole your heart. “Because you never needed to,” You whispered, wrapping your arms around his waist, still clutching the precious book. “I’d still do it all over again for you,” He said, leaning down and kissing you again. This time, you held your knight and didn’t let go. 

[freeluigihesbae]

𝓹𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓫𝓾𝓫𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓼 - 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽 1

(3,081) words

summary: you're mean. you're bad. but your smart enough to get grades and attention and yet, breaking luigi mangione to be the kind of person you are doesn't seem to work.

little do ya know, he's about to break you instead.

ᴛᴡ: ɴᴏɴᴇ, ꜱᴇxᴜᴀʟ ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴ, ɴᴏᴛ ꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴘʀᴏᴏꜰʀᴇᴀᴅ

~

Computer Science.

Now, hear me out would be the best phrase. Yeah, that's right. You're a woman in computer science at one of the snarkiest, headstrong universities in the country. Penn wasn't all that bad excluding the thousands of students that made it up. Normally, situations would push you be the bigger person and reserve some sense of decency. But in such a competitive market where you were paying to get paid, you had to be nasty.

It just so happened that what started out to be a guide now turned into you. You were and still are a snarky, irritating person that somehow turns heads every time you walk into the room. You've got the typical high-school style clique of girls fawning over you and everyone elevates your position because they are no better.

It does you good, this attitude, because it took you all but two whole semester to kick your grades up so high and absolute shatter the expectations of the degree that people didn't mind ignoring your arrogance to admire how smart you must've been.

Don't get it wrong, because you were and are smart. You're a student but better, you're the Kris Jenner of your year. You were good at marketing shallowness that somehow, was keeping you afloat with profit coming in the form of grades, internships, and attention.

In process, it became frustrating to see others who happened to be in a similar place. You wanted all the eyes on you so you went low with your actions and words to make sure it stayed that way but then, Intermediate Systems - COMPSCI 1570, rolls around and you're paired with Luigi Mangione.

Not paired with, actually, but put in a class with him. But paired in the sense of competition - who could get the most attention. You hate eo admit it, but the guy has got these ridiculously well-defined curls that are so tame yet alluring, it makes you want to rip his head off. You hate the way his smile is effortlessly charming and warms you heart. You hate the kindness that it makes bubble up inside of you.

On the more technical side, you hated how well-rounded the competition between you two was. He knew exactly who you were and you knew him, which meant he always played to get at you. You heard from everyone about how his nose was deep in the books and computer, trying his best to ace the exam only to quietly pass his grade to you. Sometimes, you did better. It made you feel like you're walking on Cloud 9, knowing this irritatingly handsome asshole could be squashed beneath your foot for this one moment, but other times? Oh, he decimated you. The professor would let his name escape from their lips, rather than yours.

It was an ultimate motivation, as you sit there, digging your nails into your palm and wondering why Luigi deserved it. How dare he step above you? How dare he pursue ambition rather than letting you have it all for yourself?

It was such a selfish notion and pursuit that had managed to seduce you with such blindness you never thought to question how you could be such a cruel, tasteless indivdual.

Yet he did. And he did so in all fairness. He, unlike you, was friends with everyone. With the bright-hair colored wimps in the corners and the sluttiest-for-him girls that applied themselves onto him with utter desire which he only combated with smiles and ultimate respect.

How frustrating, really, because even when you did beat him in an exam score, you could never beat him character wise. He would always stand above you and in truth, you were the bug. You were the dust beneath his feet so apart from your degree, you had another thing to acheive.

Him.

Not sleeping with him, no. Not fucking or kissing him throat deep. No.

Rather, being able to break his goody-two shoes act, you called. In reality, it was just him. Luigi Mangione just was a good person and that truth was so sour you only looked at him to arrogantly call him such a good boy and you hated it

You had to make him mean and nasty just like you.

That's exactly what you were going to do.

Or try to.

~

Luigi is sitting at his computer, working away on a new project the professor had assigned a few days ago. No matter where he was, he caught your eyes and this time was no different.

You walk over, swaying your hips a bit too seductively, biting your lip and wearing a stupidly sardonic smile. Your top is a low v-cut, exposing the rounds of your breasts that you were sure to apply body glitter on so everyone's eyes would stare like they were the prize. Your skirt was hiked up just enough to stir wonder and want, and as always, these were only ingredients for your experiment named Luigi Mangione.

"Hey Luigi." You wink before pulling a chair and sitting down next to him, tilting you head to the site with a pout while staring at the screen, scanning his code. It was habit, so your mind was translating the numbers and symbols into understandable language, hiding how impressed you are at all costs.

You're also relieved because you have the same answers, but we don't speak of that, now do we?

"You again." Luigi turns his head and you feel like clawing your heart out of your chest just to stop the butterflies you feel in your stomach. His lips are parted and puffy, the gap speaking a quiet invitation as if they're meant to be kissed. His nose bridge is screaming an intelligent form of dominance over the situation, as his facial curves the remainder of his gentle vice towering over you, soft yet present in all its overwhelming glory.

"Don't like me Lu? Am I too smart for you to admit?" You giggle, high pitched and bend forward, letting your biceps squeeze your breasts more as you bite your lip and look up at him with poisonously doe-y eyes, trying to make him fall. He takes a cursory glance, though, at your body before chuckling and typing away at his code.

"Are you too poor to figure that out for yourself?" His words cut at your ego and your expression instantly falls, sitting back in the chair and your loud, shocked exhales doesn't go un-missed by either of your. You curse at yourself quietly for letting it make a sound while Luigi only types away, as if he heard nothing.

He heard. Oh, yes, he did.

"Mangione is being an ass today? Code giving you a tough time Lu?" Your voice shakes at first, tears coming to your eyes in reaction to his demeaning question and he doesn't make that much better, ignoring you but smirking as if you're in desperate need of pity and attention.

Because you are and without saying it, he loves showing it to you time and time again.

The lack of answer enrages as you as you feel your heart rate shoot through your chest, prompting you to slam a few keys on his keyboard to which he only pauses, staring at your fingers. He watches how they shake, your acrylics getting stuck in the gaps between the board and keys. The way they wince from the tug of those pauses yet, there is an innocent and pitiable need that he sees and recognizes but staying silent.

Luigi turns his head toward you, cocking his neck down and to the side.

"You done? 'Cause I'm almost finished my code and seeing your excursions on Instagram makes me think your situation is otherwise." He smiles at you and you pant, removing your hands from his keyboard.

"You infuriate me Mangione." You dig your hands into your palm before continuing. "I'm finished dimwit. It's a one-part project and I submitted it yesterday because as always, I would never submit it the day its due, which is today and which is fairly typical for you." You twirl your hair between your fingers, uncaring if he admires you body as your get drunk in the expectance of hearing him sarcastically compliment you.

It's still something, even if he won't mean it.

But instead, his mouth parts and his eyes widen before contorting into a concerningly amused smile and before you know it, he's bending over the table and laughing into the table before looking back up at you.

Your expression is unchanged, but your body goes rigid with expectation.

He pulls his body away from the computer, shutting it down and putting it in his back before he places a hand on your knee.

A shiver makes its way from his fingers to your neck.

"Sweetheart," He starts talking, drawing out the pet name before his other hand slams a packet on the table.

You stare at the papers and back at Luigi.

"Is this a lecture for how I'm supposed to be a good girl?" You bite at him, words unforgiving. He raises his eyebrows before shaking his head and standing up. Your eyes follow, taking in the beauty of his height.

Heat seizes your comfort in the moment as he bends down and speaks into your ear, letting both arms cage you in the chair.

"It's a 3-part assignment. You forgot to scroll all the way down, sweetheart." You eyes widen and you turn your head up to look at him, nearly whimpering when you realize his lips are less than an inch away from yours. Suddenly, all your egotistic ideas and bubbles burst and melt away, leaving you naked as you fight the obligation to cross your eyes from how close he is. He stays in place, pushing himself back while staring into your eyes.

Your lips are parted, vulnerable in arousal and shock as a hand comes to push some loose threads behind your ear. You blink slowly, lips quivering as your realize your royally fucked because one part took four days and now, you had to complete two more in less than eight hours.

Luigi coos, watching how you break slowly in front of him, before his face is back the stoic yet kind approach he utilizes.

"See you at the submission deadline. Or not." He leaves after lifting a hand of yours and placing it on the flipped over directions packet, one that held a dirty, ugly, and devastating truth that you were lef tto fend with until 11:59pm.

~

"You look like you need a beer." Your roommate, Kate, pats your head as you're hunched over, posture despicable as you somehow manage to finish the second and half of the third part using some of your own ideas and resources.

Those resources... which aren't supposed to.

But you could care less.

"Right." You give a curt reply, ignoring the sound of a Coke popping open in Kate's hands, which you don't even need to see to realize.

"Why don't you just let loose for the evening?" Kate casually asks and you half slam your hands on the table.

"I've got this stupid project for my Systems class which I need to finish. Didn't read all the directions and now I'm cramming, so no thank you Kate." Kate raises her eyebrows before laughing.

"Hey, isn't that the class that Mangione guy is in?" She asks curiously and you freeze up.

Not him.

You rolls your eyes, ignoring how your breaths falter as you turn around and nod. "Yeah, what about 'm?" You furrow your eyebrows, licking your lips as they suddenly dry up. Kate gives you a suspicious look.

"I've heard he's one of the smartest guys. Maybe you should ask him at his frat party later." Kate supplies and before you can scream and shout in retaliation, she gets up and opens her closet.

"You can unshackle yourself and get that assignment done. Win-in to me." She rummages through her bling and glitter bodycon dresses, unbeknownst to your fuming.

You had to let her know that was out of question.

"Over my dead body." You spit the words out and Kate turns around, a dress in her hand but she barely reacts.

"And a shit GPA. Suit yourself hardass." She nudges your sitting figure with her hips before before leaving the room, leaving your to your thoughts.

This was, like any other, a crucial project and this was one of the most important classes because a stellar grade in this class meant a higher chance at a scholarship you were applying for. They liked you, but they wanted to see the grade you get in this class as a deal-breaker. If you aced, you got the scholarship.

It was everything, then, this class. You already were utilizing ChatGPT, your textbook, GitHub, and every source on the planet.

Just a half-part more.

But somehow, the last half was the hardest and it ate away two hours of your time already. Every late submission was docked 30% which would drop your grade into a B+ range, something you did not want to admit. Something that would happen because those few times Luigi beat you, he crushed you by over 20-30%.

You were not doing as well as you wanted to in the class.

You check the time, letting the 9:30pm flash into your eyes before the screen quietly goes black.

Maybe an hour wouldn't hurt.

But whatever you did, you were going to walk out finishing this project yourself and not asking Luigi.

~

"You came?" Kate is yelling over the music, dragging you by the arm as you stumbled through the people dancing over the music.

"The fuck? I didn't know Psi Kappa was this disgusting!" You nearly scream, letting Kate guide you through the place. You scan the crowd, trying to find familiar faces and friends so you can gain some footing in the place. The music is too loud, making your head pound.

The smell of alcohol, something you refused to drink, kicked around the nausea and for a second, you regret even stepping foot into this place.

Of course, that all melts away when your eyes land on Luigi Mangione.

He's wearing a white polo shirt, unbuttoned 3/4 of the way down as his pecs and defined abs scream for everyone's attention, detailed in their allure. His arms are deliciously toned and even, despite the flashy lights and revolving colors of the place. His head is craned to the side as you watch him talking up another girl, letting her feel him up.

You don't realize you're staring until his eyes suddenly swerve, directly piercing into yours. You physically feel yourself stutter, freezing as you let him hold the eye-contact. An ever-so teasing smile grace his lips before he's bending down and whispering something into the girl's ear.

You watch her pout, a face she quickly replaces with a flirty smile before letting her sight linger on Luigi and choosing to walk away. He chugs the rest of his drink down before, to your horror, he's walking in your direction.

Funny enough, the crows shifts to the start of a new song and the new gap in front of your confirms he's walking only towards you.

You instinctively take a step back against the soft strain of your own bodycon dress, feeling your legs shake as you hit the bar counter and reluctantly, you face a now towering Luigi smirking down at you.

"What happened to that attitude?" His question should sound a lot meaner, but instead, it comes out soft with a warning and hint of shame intertwined. Your head pounds as you force yourself to come up with some jumble of words to respond.

"It's there." You breath the statement out, but it's not too convincing. Luigi uses that to take a step closer and now, you're forced to stare up and into his eyes.

"Doesn't seem like it. How's that project comin' along?" He cages you in again, both arm circling around your already very limited space and you turn your head to the side, steeling yourself against his presence.

Something about the effect he has on you is so humiliating. This wasn't matching your brand - bitchy, arrogant, and perfect. Rather, this was a complete juxtaposition. You always keep control of the situation with your machinations or outright insults but now, that was not happening.

"Fine." You answers through your teeth, facing away from him still and suddenly you feel his mouth too close to your ear.

"Liar." He whispers it and you nearly moan, gulping down the sounds. He watches you shiver lightly, soaking in the helplessness that is starting to take over your figure.

"You need help baby?" He pushes the boundary, enjoying how you squirm more with every second he forces himself into your space. You're at a loss for words now, unable to distinguish between arousal, frustration, and utter confusion at your behavior right now.

So, you simply shake your head no.

It's an insufficient answers because Luigi's fingers are suddenly gripping either side of your face, making you gasp, before he forces you to look at him.

"Tell me the truth baby." Fuck, that name was really getting to you and his fuckable lips and hands were not helping right now.

Relinquishing the control you never had didn't seem like too bad of an option right now.

"I don't answer to you." You steel yourself, contorting your face and looking up at him with siren eyes which doesn't stand for long before his other hand is making it's way up your thigh and between your legs.

"I don't have a problem," He talks low and seductively in your ear, making your listen to the gravel in his voice, teasing his fingers upwards and watching you heave you chest up and down with increasing nervousness. You let your guard down, whimpering for a second before he retracts both hands.

"I'll get it out of you baby. We all need help sometimes and you..." he trails off, staring at your face that is lolling, lips parted and undoubtedly watery.

"You deserve to get the attitude fucked out of you." And with that, he pushes himself back and through the crowd, not even caring to give a glance back before leaving you alone and shaking, ready to cry.

You were such a weak, pathetic little girl and now, Luigi knew it.

~

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[judeslove]

as sweet as you

pairing - jude bellingham x gn!reader genre - fluff warnings - none summary - this req

jude knew that one of the things you loved was anything sweet. ranging from cakes, to candy, to ice cream, anything that made you squeal from happiness as a sweet taste took over you tongue.

today was a rough day. even the smallest details annoying you to the maximum. jude noticed. the way your brows were knitted together, the way your hands were in fists most of the time. everything went the bad route.

“you alright m’love?” jude smiled, looking at your frustrated figure.

“well obviously not” you said, rolling your eyes and letting out a groan. you didn’t intend to snap at him, it just happened. continuing with your work, you brushed off his face that looked sad.

eventually jude left. he said he want for a walk, needing some fresh air. you thought it was weird, since he almost never went out alone, always having someone with him. but you decided not to make a problem out of it and continued typing even though your fingers were hurting. well actually, everywhere in your body hurt. you muscles were tense and you ached as you started at the computer in front of you for multiple hours.

you wanted to take a break, but your thoughts told you otherwise. this essay was due tomorrow, and you had to submit it in the next 30 minutes. sighing in defeat, you started tapping again.

you weren’t sure how long ago jude left, but you were craving his touch. just only now you had realised you snapping at him, and wanted to apologise, but due to his absence, that wasn’t possible. the room felt empty, almost cold, like jude was warming the room when he was present.

suddenly, the craving of something sweet took over you. you started thinking about a fluffy, creamy cake you once saw in a mukbang video. sadly, that wasn’t on your kitchen’s menu, so you opted to watch mukbang videos.

then, the familiar sound of the door’s lock being opened echoed around the house.

“babe, i’m home” jude yelled, this time sounding more cheerful than earlier. closing your laptop, you ran the stairs down and ran into jude’s touch. he let out a light groan, feeling weight over him.

“wooaah, i missed you too” jude said. “bought you something sweet aswell” he giggled, while carrying a cake that you had daydreamed of earlier. you mouth was watering, as you grabbed the cake from his hands. the cake was full with whipped cream. it was like a cloud. when you took a bite of it, it felt like you were floating.

“mmm” you hummed while closing your eyes. this made jude chuckle, as he tasted some of it aswell.

“am i forgiven?” you asked jude while staring at him with your cheeks full of cake.

“huh? for what?” he looked confused, brows furrowing.

“for snapping at you” you admitted. jude’s frown turned into a smile as he forgave you. well, the exam is a problem tomorrow, you thought.

💌 judeslove on tumblr.

[sv5hive]

take a break | sv5

pairing: sebastian vettel x fem!reader

warning(s): unhealthy studying habits(?), self-doubt, academic failure etc, etc.

word count: 797

note: this is incredibly self indulgent bcos guess who failed their chemistry exam!!! hahahaha you guessed it it's me!! (if i don't laugh i'll cry.)

masterlist!

hours of staring at a bright computer screen in a pitch black room had clearly began taking its effects after the words began to warp and swirl around. a dozen empty cans of redbull sat at the bottom of your bin along with several scraps of paper you had torn apart in frustration.

you couldn't even remember when you sat down at your desk to study. all you knew was that you had an important exam the next day and you felt hopelessly unprepared. you tore your eyes away from the blinding screen to look outside your window. the moon shone through sparse clouds illuminating the desolate streets. usually, the roads were teeming with cars trying to get home but at this time of night you were the only one awake.

"schatz? what are you still doing up?"

in the midst of zoning out, you failed to hear your boyfriend entering through the door.

was it really that late?

"i'm almost done, seb. i just have to finish this little bit now."

"come on, how long have you been sat at that desk, hm? studying for hours on end does more bad than good."

"i know, i just- i'm almost finished i promise. this test is really important and i have to do well."

"hey, hey, what's wrong?"

he rushed over to you with furrowed brows and outstretched arms.

without even realising, tears had brimmed your eyes and began tumbling down your face at an alarming rate.

"nothing, it's nothing. uhm, i'll finish this and then i'll come to bed."

you hastily wiped away your tears with your sleeves but they seemed to be never ending.

"it's obviously not nothing, schatz. if it's making you cry like this it's something to talk about."

the seconds ticked by as you debated whether you were ready to reveal what had been plaguing your mind. clearly sensing your inner turmoil, sebastian tugged you out of the chair and towards the kitchen.

"come with me to the kitchen, i'll make us some tea so you can calm down."

after two cups of hot chamomile tea had been made and placed on the counter, sebastian sat opposite you and patiently waited for you to speak without pushing you. your tears slowed down to faint sniffles as you sipped on the tea silently. annoyingly, sebastian was right and it did help you compose yourself. you put down your half empty cup and cleared your throat.

"i've been struggling with my studies. there's just so much to remember and it just gets harder and harder to keep up but everyone else is fine and i don't understand why i'm the only one who can't do the simplest tasks."

at this point, it was difficult to see through your hot tears and your face was burning up with embarrassment. sebastian was quick to place his hand over yours to try and bring you some sense of comfort.

"schatz, you are the smartest person i know. if you're finding it difficult then you're probably not the only one. i'm sure everyone can see how much effort you're putting in and that's all anyone can ask of you. if you don't do well on the test tomorrow it's not the end of the world, ok? but i think you will be completely fine, im certain."

you nodded half-heartedly, not fully convinced despite his little pep talk. you rubbed any remaining tears away and attempted to put a smile on your face.

"yeah, sorry i just feel like an idiot dumping all this on you when you just got home from work. how was your day?"

he got up from his seat to encase you in his arms. he might not be able to help with your assignments but he could definitely be there to support you with anything and everything else.

"don't apologise for your feelings. i'm sorry i didn't realise you were having a hard time. i should've noticed you weren't coping well. and my day was good, thank you for asking."

you smiled into his chest at his heartfelt apology for something that was never his fault to begin with.

"don't be silly, seb. it's not your job to constantly watch me. i should be able to do that myself."

"i know you can take care of yourself but it doesn't hurt to ask for help sometimes. it might feel like you're alone but you're not. i'm always here for you, you know that right?"

he tightened his hold on you as if to reassure you further and peppered the crown of your head with soft kisses.

you leaned up to place a peck on his cheek to express your gratitude in a way you would never be able to do justice with words.

"yeah, i know."

[featheredclover]

Shab-e-intezaar

Oneshot inspired by this word prompt by @arshifiesta

The night of awaiting 

_________

The streetlight burned as dusk coiled around the city of Lucknow. Like a bunch of princes to their favourite courtesan, a flutter of moths were drawn to the light.

Khushi stifled a smile at the impish comparison, as she hurried along the narrow roads of Lakshmi Nagar. 

———

“Amma, I am home” , she said with flourish, dropping her handbag onto the chair and her jootis kicked off elegantly over the mat.

“Hmm”, came the buzz of mild acknowledgment from Garima Gupta.

Khushi huffed out a breath in mock exasperation. 

“What is there in this god forsaken serial that I can’t get you to give your eyes a break for a second? The same old rich man- poor girl nonsense!”

“Hush Khushi!”

She tied her hair into a quick knot, and left for her evening bath, leaving her mother with her precious LED box.

———

“You just have to cook the chapatis baccha, I have made the curry” Garima smiled fondly as Khushi stood bent over the stove.

“Aah! AD break I assume?” She smirked.

“Of course!” Garima laughed, “Love stories…..”

Khushi spun around at her mother’s change of tone.

“They remind me of what your father and I shared”, her eyes misty with memories.

“Lies” Khushi smiled , “Papa wasn’t rich”

“He was rich in his heart! Joke all you want, but one day you’ll realise what I am talking about Khushi. So many proposals have come your way, but I have rejected them for I know that you deserve to marry for love”

“What rubbish! I’ll marry someone who mints money!”

“We’ll see”

And with that Garima was off to the living room again.

If she had paused, she would have seen the tell tale signs of a lie on her daughter’s face. The flushing of cheeks, the biting of lip and the nervous gesture of hands.

Khushi Kumari Gupta was in love.

————

She laid the fresh bed sheet over her mattress, humming an old Bollywood tune. Her room was set in muted tones of pink. She was a magpie in all essence. Her nani’s jewellery, her papa’s books and all the gifts she had ever received, were all stored beautifully in this room.

Her parents had worked hard over the years to buy this flat in the heart of Lucknow. Her papa’s death in that fatal car accident years ago didn’t dim her mother’s will to work. And so Khushi grew up with her mother as the headmaster of a government school, with ambitions of being a teacher herself.

She placed the test papers she had taken pains to correct in a file, and pushed them away on her desk with a sigh of relief.

“Semester exams done!” She said out loud to herself.

Switching off the lamp, she stood up and plunged the room into dimness.

With the strategy of a woman in love, she grabbed a book from her bedside table and walked with measured leisure to the ornate window.

The moon hid behind the clouds as she searched for him. Her fingers flipped the pages, hoping its flutter would bring him to his window. The window framing the wall neighbouring hers.

And then like the bride waiting for the moon on her first fasting, she was assuaged as the clouds cleared and the moon lit up his handsome face, shining the harsh lines of him into light.

“Arnav”, she breathed out as if parched from his thirst. Thirst of the man who had stolen her dreams, her heart and her peace.

“How were the semester papers? By your expression I can guess you are glad to be rid of them”, he smirked wickedly.

“Laugh all you want, but at least I don’t sit hunched over a computer all day!”, she said tongue in cheek.

He smiled, hands lifted up in defeat.

“I am a verified corporate slave”

He took a sip from his cup, his eyes holding her captive.

“Beautiful night”

She shook her head, “You say that every night”

“And I mean it every night”, he insisted, his voice ringing against the dark.

She cleared her throat, “So the heroine and hero got stuck in a lift today”

He chuckled, “I am amused how Garima aunty suffers this everyday”

“Tell that to her,” she grinned.

“That her favourite show lacks originality? No way!”

“It’s cliche! But it works…”

Arnav set his cup aside, resting his forearm on the ledge, leaning over.

“They sell dreams don’t they? We wait all our lives. Some live and lose. But they sell our dreams to us..”

Khushi sighed, “Making the wait bearable?”

“Agonising” his whisper lit up her night.

—————

The staff room was not unaffected by the lazy afternoon. The fan whirred in the corner as the two friends sat hunched together.

“Her wedding was simply stunning! Her dad spent so much.”

She looked on, bored as Payal recounted their colleague’s wedding last week. She had missed it due to her cousin’s wedding the same day.

“Payal! What about the groom? Does he suit Sheetal?”

“Well….he is balding. And he has a paunch. But that won’t matter in America would it?”

“Sheetal had a poster of Salman on her wall”, Khushi mumbled.

“So what Khushi? Life is not a movie. No one is going to get a Salman or Shah rukh. We are going to get nice men with heavy pockets”

“Akash is certainly not just a nice man” she smirked.

Payal playfully smacked her hand, before settling down despondently.

“His mother doesn’t approve.”

“Does that matter? He is willing to fight anyone for you. He got that apartment near the junction-“

“Yes! But I didn’t want him to give up his family. I want him to have everything he wants”

Khushi closed her hand over Payal’s fist.

“He loves you. And if a few sacrifices are what life demands from him, that’s okay. Because how happy he’ll be with you matters the most!”

She smiled, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

“Thank you Khush”, she choked out.

————-

She stood by her window, gazing out at his closed one, her hand drying her waist length hair gently.

 Payal had texted her this morning, asking her to be one of the witnesses for their registered marriage. 

It was happening. After all the hardships, Akash was finally marrying Payal. She couldn’t be more happier for the two of them.

Raizadas were going to lose another son, she thought. Arnav had left the grandiose of Sheesh Mahal two years ago, to live in this humble settlement.

“Just exhausted, Khushi. They wanted to control everything. My life, my soul, my very breath”

She recalled his words with a pang. He had to suffer so much, before he could finally break free.

And now Akash…..

Walking over to her almirah, she looked for her favourite Anarkali. 

White. For purity. For innocence. For new beginnings. 

For Akash and Payal.

She was happy for them. Why wouldn’t she be? She had been a Cupid to their story, nonetheless.

But when her gaze settled on the neighbouring window, she felt a twinge of anxiety. She hadn’t revealed her own heart to Arnav, let alone expect him to return her love. 

She had her share of sleepless nights, worrying that any day now, he will bring home a woman. Her heart will break. And all those unplayed heartbreak CDs in her possession will finally get a chance to echo in her room.

Slipping on a pair of jhumkas, Khushi draped a dupatta over her and walked out to say goodbye to her mother.

———-

“Arnav!”

She couldn’t believe her eyes. Empty tea cups rested on the coffee table. Her mother greeted her with a soft, serene smile.

“Amma-“

“Isn’t it time? Payal will be waiting” , her mother interrupted.

“But-“ , she frowned.

“After all, you'll be late when you reach there”, she turned back to Arnav, “I think you should stay there tonight beta”

“The register office is fifteen minutes from here!”

“We are going to Agra. Did you think the Raizadas would let Akash get married here?”

She stared at him. Unsure of the change in plans, of this tea with her mother, unsure of him and the way he was looking at her.

“It’s a four hour car ride Khushi, you better leave now!” Her mother was now on her feet, almost pushing her daughter out of the door.

“Shall we?” 

Her hand slid into his.

Agra it is.

————

“Please sign here” the grumpy man mumbled.

She looked on as Akash’s two colleagues signed the paper.

“Khushi”, Arnav placed a hand on her waist, pushing her forward.

She took the pen in her hand, muttering a prayer under her breath before noting down her signature.

Joy and claps filled the air as the couple was pronounced husband and wife.

Khushi looked on with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, as Akash kissed Payal softly, ignoring the registrar’s gasp of outrage.

Love had won again.

————-

She was a romantic. She had always been. Even when she had first visited the Taj Mahal with her mother at the young age of ten, she had found her heart aching at the majestic symbol of love. Shah Jahan’s number of wives or his harem didn’t matter. There was love that thrived beyond graves, and that’s all that mattered.

Khushi soaked in the beauty the monument was, under the cover of the night. Wrapping her dupatta, firmly around her shoulders, she walked beside Arnav, who seemed so deep in thought, she almost felt jealous.

“I never thought it could be more beautiful”, she broke through the silence.

“You love the nights, not surprising”, Arnav smiled.

Rows of trees lined their path, the distant lights illuminated their footsteps, as the breeze swayed.

“Shab-e-intezaar”, he said out loud.

“Shab-e-intezaar? What are you waiting for?”, she asked, puzzled.

He smiled in that mysterious way of his.

Her breath left her as he caught her wrist and pulled her against him. Wide eyed, she looked up at him, pure shock and pleasure running through her whole being.

“This”, he whispered, before his mouth came down on hers. 

His lips were unbearably soft. The slight way he moved against her was driving her crazy. Something primitive rose within her, as her hand clutched his shirt, pressing herself against him firmly.

He was quick to know her. Entangling her within his arms, he tightened his hold.

Breathless she broke away, resting her head against his. She felt his warmth on her nose, before her head was tilted up.

“I love you Khushi”, he kissed her again.

Khushi’s hand tightened on his wrist.

“I love you too”, she whispered back.

Arnav broke into a delicious smile. Holding her hand he stepped away.

Ignoring the sudden bout of shyness flooding her, she held his eyes as if her life depended on it.

He bent down on one knee.

“Happiness found me, while I was leaning against my bedroom window one night. I still thank whatever gods are up there, who brought me to you, Khushi. I am in love with you. With your spirit, your heart, your eyes. I am just a man in love with you”, his voice wavered at the end.

She swallowed thickly, her vision blurring with emotion.

“With the blessings of Garima aunty”, he cracked a wry grin, “I would like to ask you if you want to be my wife? Spend the rest of our lives, no longer separated by walls and windows?”

“I will”, she let out a sob.

She crashed into him, arms entwining around him as he almost tumbled onto the ground.

His laughter filled her ears, and she glanced up at the beautiful Taj Mahal, framed by their night.

Love had found them. After a long shab-e-intezaar.

----------

Hope you liked this story! Dedicated to all those beautiful nights ~ I urge you to look out your window tonight and wish something special for yourself ;)

Let me know what you think of the story! All constructive criticisms welcome ❤️

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[respocked]

I'm thinking about work anyway so fuck it

Star Trek Public Primary School AU 🛸 !

Kirk

-the headmaster!

-went into education because of his own unfortunate childhood

-has an uncanny ability to tell which student has a bad home life

-remembers everyone's name, even if you went to his school 5 years ago for 2 months

-misbehaving teenagers send to his office get some candy and a motivational speech that changes the course of their lifetime

-most days can be found hovering suspiciously outside of spock's classroom

-way better with older students, 12-13 - has absolutely 0 idea what to do with young children

-which is awkward when while waiting for spock outside his classroom he tries to make small talk with them (-so... son... read any good books lately? -i can't read!)

Spock

- teaches early education, 6 to 9 year olds

-greatly overqualified for the position, had a human psychology degree, interspecies child development degree, highly regarded in scientific community

-could be teaching university but prefers to spend his time sitting on carpets with children drawing clouds

-his class is extremely nontraditional - no desks, sitting on the floor, tons of meditation, classes in nature

-does not adhere to the program at all but somehow his classes always score the best on all exams

-turned down a position in a trendy montessori school for a public one

-parents either go out his way for their child to attend his class or request someone else - either from homophobic or xeniphobic reasons

Uhura

-the school's cultural assistant!

-also runs student exchanges with other countries and planets

-speaks every minority language that has representation in the student body

-also a substitute teacher

-she can give a super interesting lessons

-but takes 0 shit from students who won't respect her

-runs an extracurricular activity with spock when she teaches immigrant and refugee students to express their emotions with music

-is the best at pitching a project idea for funding, which is why her office and spock's classrom are the best equipped ones in the school

-spock's bestie, they hang out after work (gay/lesbian solidatity)

-still lives with her parents, they're super close

-wants to date but it's too boring compared to writing another lesson plan

Bones

-the school nurse! & in charge of nutrition

-teenagers are afraid of him

-small children absolutely love him

-takes his daughter to work and lets her draw with crayons on his important papers

-also constantly in spock's classroom, but to complain

-"damnit, spock! give them all the vulcan cuisine you want, but don't send them crying to me after they get an allergic reaction!"

-"meditation? maybe have them meditate on doing some real work for once"

-but when parents with pitchforks come to complain abt spock's methods he defends him like a lion

-he sends them piles after piles of scientific proof of why spock's method are actually the bestest and most efficient

-when kirk thanks him for stepping in he pretends like he doesn't know what he's talking about

Chapel

-teaches sex ed!

-the sweetest teacher ever

-one of those teachers that noone is intimidated by but noone disobeys because noone wants to makes her upset

-uses her Blonde White Straight Pretty Woman priviledge to convince reluctant parents to sign up their kids for sex ed

-goes All Out on halloween tho

-you know she is there, dressed like a witch, running an educational halloween themed activity! paper bats hanging from the ceiling!

-has gluten free and vegan candy in case the winners have a food sensivity!

-has a secret crush on Uhura and Spock both

Chekov

-teaches IT

-burned out miracle kid

-graduated university when he was younger than his current students

-lets students play roblox on the computers

-and teaches them how to torrent

-somehow noone from the faculty knows where he lives

-background check turns up nothing

-"did you know computers were invented in russia?"

-puts 0 effort in but somehow his students love him

-little girls take sneak photos of him to edit in a flower crowns

Scotty

-teaches a woodworking & engineering class and does janitor duties on the side!

-like kirk, absolutely 0 idea on how to treat younger kids

-strict

-has to be, no joking around power tools!

-but you know praise from him hits different

-will tell students he's proud of them when they make theit first little table

-can fix everything

-say "this interactive blackboard is broken!" three times to summon him

-marries to his career, teaching fulfills his paternal calling

Sulu

-teaches biology!

-rule follower

-stressed out about exams 3 years before his students

-not very inventive but everyone wants his class because there is a hamster in the classroom

-classroom full of houseplants

-if you agree to water them when he's away you will receive a 50 page manual on proper misting techniques

-not strict at all but will give a dressing down to a student who is seen treating a living thing badly

-can be bribed with plants

[the-stars-in-between]

@bartylily-microfics | april 2 | rainstorm | 828 words | warnings: none

After the Rain

Thunder rumbled in the distance the moment Lily stepped outside the library, dark clouds stretching across the summer sky. She quickened her pace, hoping to reach the bus stop before the rain started. The ozone in the air tingled her nose in the best way possible, sky and earth intermingling in her lungs. She loved that feeling just before the storm—before the world fractured in a burst of lightning. It was like standing on the edge of a building, never leaning too far to one side or the other.

Lily had lived her whole life like this, on the verge of explosion. But she had everything perfectly under control.

Flood poured from the sky. Raindrops hit her skin as she ran to the nearest awning, pulling her jacket over her head. It was just her luck that she chose to take a tote bag today, her computer and books were going to get wet. Lily leaned against the wall of a closed cafe, watching the rainstorm unravel before her eyes.

The streets were deserted, as always in August in their town, everyone having gone on vacation. Except for—

“Fancy seeing you here, Evans.” Barty's voice was dripping with sarcasm, a smirk tugging at his lips. He ran his hand through his wet hair, strands of green-dyed hair escaping through his fingers.

Lily kinda wanted to kick him. 

“What are you doing here, Crouch? I thought you would be on the French Riviera this time of year,” Lily retorted, more out of habit than anything else.

She and Barty weren't exactly friends, rather their friends were friends (and some of them were dating depending on the week) and they had known each other since elementary school. They had some sort of unofficial academic competition and Lily hated his guts most of the time.

Lily had accompanied him to throw eggs at his father's company at the beginning of the year. Barty had brought her food every night during exam periods.

“I bailed,” Barty shrugged as he sat down next to her, pressing his shoulder against hers. “There's no place I'd rather be than here.” 

Lily's laugh caught in her throat, shivering as her wet denim jacket clung to her skin, drops of water running down the back of her neck. Her half-undone braid fell pathetically over her shoulder, and she'd caught a glimpse of her smudged eyeliner in the window earlier. 

She looked as tired as she felt, and school didn't start for another week.

“So, Lils,” Barty drawled, “what are you doing here? It's pretty dead this time of year.”

“I just wanted to be ready for the start of the year. I really need this full scholarship to go to college.” Lily replied. Two years ago, she would have rather died than admit this to Barty Crouch Jr, but if anyone could understand the crushing weight of expectations, it was him.

There was no pity, compassion, or disapproval in his eyes as he smiled at her, just understanding and amused fondness. “Looks like we'll be continuing our little date nights this year too.”

“Looks like it,” Lily said, realizing with a flutter how close Barty's face was to hers. He had a new piercing above his eyebrow. 

“I missed you this summer,” Barty said, his eyes lingering on her lips. 

Lifting her head, Lily straightened up to kiss Barty on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder. She stared straight ahead, watching puddles form on the road, the occasional car driving through them and sending drops flying into the air, as she whispered. “Me too.”

The rain beat against the roof reassuringly and comfortingly as Barty put an arm around her shoulders. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and sticking one between his lips. His lighter flickered before lighting, the end of his cigarette igniting and Barty inhaled, throwing his head back. The tattoo on his throat stretched over his Adam's apple, disappearing beneath his white t-shirt.

“How’s your sister?” Barty asked, smoke escaping from his lips. 

“How's your father?” Lily retorted, playing with the rings on Barty's fingers.

The laughter they shared was bitter. Barty offered her his cigarette and Lily blew the smoke in his face playfully. Barty pinched her ribs and Lily doubled over, a laugh ripping out of her. 

“You should laugh more often,” Barty breathed into her ear, his lips grazing her skin.

Lily sighed contentedly, leaning into Barty's chest, a blissful smile illuminating her face. She stole the cigarette from Barty's hand again, letting it burn between her lips.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Crouch,” Lily said light-heartedly. 

"I wouldn't dare," Barty grinned lazily, tucking a strand of Lily's hair behind her ear. He flicked her dangling earring with his fingertip. “New earrings?” 

Lily shook her head affectionately, stealing another cigarette from Barty's pocket. Together they watched the rain fall and the sun rise behind the clouds, a rainbow forming above the buildings. 

[gunbun]

wolianger week day 2: memorial

also on AO3

"eleven-eleven"

Tiona accidentally forgets an important, tragic anniversary, but this leads she and Urianger into discussing past and present love.

The skies of the Goblet were beginning to cloud over, obscuring the jeweled blanket of stars that was the usual nighttime over Thanalan.

Tiona leaned away from where she'd been hunched over the eyepiece of the large astroscope in the front yard of the adventurers' hall she now called home. 'Adventurer' being a loose term – most of the folks who lived there were academics of a sort, including the dour and grumpy roegadyn woman whose fringe astrology teachings both she and Urianger were here to learn.

(Tiona was learning the basics; where the stars were in the sky and how they moved and how to intuit their aetheric signatures against the Lifestream. Urianger, unfortunately, was learning something involving gravitational fields and background radiation and doing all the mountains of calculus that came with it.)

The group of stars comprising the Bole were due to set soon anyway, and with a shrug she recorded one more set of stellar coordinates and then hopped off the large, black, burnished-metal machine, being sure to reset the levers that put the optics cover back in place. Keltgeim was a dour, grumpy roegadyn woman and Tiona was certain she'd turn into a murderous one if the astroscope in the yard was not taken care of.

Everything set back the way it was when she'd started, Tiona gathered up her notebook and graphite pencil and went back inside. As she crossed the threshold, closing the door behind her, she heard a dull crack of thunder and heard rain start to patter against the roof. For a moment she stood there, her ears angled toward the door, and let out a small sigh.

As good a time as ever, she figured, to work on her reading. As far as she could tell, the Eorzean language was her second, and though by and large she didn't struggle with simple texts (though the Ul'dahn journalists loved to use long words and stilted metaphor in their articles), the sorts of tomes and journals the astrologians tended to rely upon were still a bit… beyond her.

Perhaps, she figured as she made her way down the warmly-lit wooden hall toward the room she and Urianger shared, she could give the second volume of the Encyclopaedia Eorzea a try…

Her intention was to pull Urianger away from his high-level differential equations for an hour or so, such that she could read aloud to him (he had been, from the beginning, surprisingly not judgmental about her difficulties and seemed always eager to help, and besides, it was an excuse for them to cuddle and not concern themselves with their studies); however, this idea went entirely up in flames when she entered the room.

She was then faced with the sight of him hunched over the table that was covered in pages of proofs. Tiona recognized the symbols and formulae; mathematics was universal in a way words were not, and every time she looked at his work there was something oddly familiar about it. However, it seemed as though both words and computation were beyond Urianger; he had one hand covering his face, and she could hear him sobbing quietly. The man looked like a final-year Radz-at-Han student during exam week.

Keltgeim was knowledgeable, and just as kooky as one would expect an astrologian to be, but apparently the elezen had reached his limit.

Frowning sympathetically, ears cocking in his direction, Tiona set her notebook and star-chart atop a low bookshelf and slowly breached the distance, until she stood behind him and rested both hands on his shoulders.

"Uri," she said softly, "I believe, as you would say, that something's amiss. What multi-matrix subfunction has she asked you to solve?"

At that, he chuckled, lowering his hand and wiping at his eyes, which were bloodshot and red. He then reached back to lay his hands atop hers. "Would that it were merely a frustration with numeric pursuits, beloved."

Tiona looked confused for a moment, until she remembered – "... ah shite. The anniversary."

Of Moenbryda's death. Today. And she'd said nothing of it to him. Such a short-sighted thing to do, really–

"Did you want to talk about it?"

"Surely 'twould not be appropriate–" He frowned, tears glittering in his near-hypnotic golden eyes, turning his chair so he could meet her gaze.

"Why wouldn't it be?" She lowered her chin, kissing the top of his head, her hands squeezing his shoulders. She felt him sag against her, as though her touch drained all the tension from his body all at once.

"I loved her."

"I know. Do you think I would be jealous?"

"... it is not entirely outside the realm of possibility, my dear bright star. Passions are oft fickle, and the reactions they invoketh between lovers are–" He paused, looking up at her with a sheepish grin. "Mine apologies. Nothing thou hast said hath given me cause for concern."

"Good. Because I'm not jealous. I know what it's like. Don't you remember what I told you that day?"

It will hurt. For the rest of your life. There's going to be a void inside of you that will never be filled all the way. I know from experience, and I am so truly sorry.

Tiona's words from the day Moenbryda died rang through Urianger's mind just as clearly as if she'd recited it to him just now. But she hadn't said more, merely stood close, her fingers slowly carding through his hair. "I'm not jealous," she said again, this time earnestly, after a few seconds of silence, "and I’m sure you know why."

He had had ideas, of course, but figured the discussion of dead lovers to be wholly inappropriate, especially considering his own feelings for the rava. How he'd pined for her for years, praying fervently that she would find him again– certainly he should have made his peace with losing Moenbryda. With Tiona in his arms, he felt he shouldn't have been occasionally mourning his loss.

Sighing, he nodded, wiping tears from his eyes and leaning against Tiona. "I still feel a great shame about it all."

She annihilated his attempts at stoicism– though, as he'd sworn to her on the eve of their victory, there was nothing he would ever hide from her again, so he wasn't exactly keen to tell even a half truth– and he loved her deeply for it. Tiona was a welcoming presence in his life, and he had no intentions to squander the love that she'd given and that had likely brought him home.

"I do, too. About mine. I know I don't follow my own advice, but it's alright that you feel what you feel. If you wish to speak of it, I'll listen."

There was a long pause, and Urianger looked up at her to see her with darkened cheeks and a sheepish smile.

It occurred to him then that Tiona had never spoken beyond the generalities of what she'd experienced and who she'd lost– he surmised she'd been with a past lover who had met their untimely end, but he had never pressed the matter, and she had never explicitly provided details.

"I oft wondered," he said thoughtfully, "about thy situation. Thou never didst speak of–"

"I told you, Uri. I don't take my own advice. Call it a character flaw." Despite the somber mood, she was chipper, laughing quietly. "But you really do love her, don't you?"

He found it interesting that she would repeat something he’d already said. It was also interesting that she didn't use the past tense.

The most interesting thing of all, however, was that Tiona was exactly right – he did love Moenbryda, and perhaps part of him always would. When Urianger finally was able to voice the thought aloud, he found he could not meet the rava's eyes, his own still glistening with tears.

"You know that that's why I never pursued you, aye? I knew you were already spoken for in that regard." Her voice was still even, friendly, her usual rough cadence and occasional overemphasis of a syllable here and there a comforting blend of the familiar and foreign. Tiona was still on her feet, her arms still around him where he sat, her fingers still slowly and rhythmically trailing against his scalp, a soothing gesture. “If you and she were meant to be secret, you did a poor job of it.”

And there went his bright star again, her honesty and ease with the situation tearing down every wall he’d ever laid in front of her, offering reassurance and laughter (he hadn’t laughed much before their successes in Norvrandt, and he laughed now because Tiona was right – none of it had been a secret) and a small oasis of normalcy in the midst of all the world-changing business the Scions were involved with. He hadn’t had that before, and the darkly thoughtful parts of his soul often saw fit to tell him that perhaps he didn’t deserve it.

“Thou art, in many ways,” he said, reaching to lace his fingers amongst Tiona’s, “similar to her. However, I, being a fool, could not afford to be wholly honest regarding matters of the heart. ‘Twas a relationship that suffered from distance and separation– and yet, thou art correct. My love for her will always be present, and – truly, Tiona, wherefore art thou not jealous of this fact?” He was not certain why he found it so unnerving that she wasn’t.

“Because my story and yours aren’t all that different. You two were scholars. Vibeka and I were soldiers. But it was the exact same for me. Someone I was close to, but in a … complex way. And then she was gone.”

He learned more about Tiona in those few choppy sentences– and he could hear her chipper tone breaking just a little bit as she spoke them– than he had ever learned before from the years of friendship and reading lessons. He realized then that he had wanted her to be jealous, because if she held resentment to him for it, it meant she’d never had her heart shattered into pieces just like he had. He hated the idea of her feeling as he had– lonely and grieving and utterly hollow–

She did not deserve such tragedy. (He did.)

“Thou art taking thine own advice, beloved.” He leaned away from her so that he could look up into her eyes. "But I am truly sorry such a thing didst happen to thee."

She looked down at him, pensive, and with her own tears threatening to fall. Like him, she was probably caught up in memories of times past, or perhaps idle thoughts of a future that would never be. If she hadn’t already broken her way through his figurative walls to find the man he was beyond personas and duty, she would have rendered them transparent just the same. She saw through him, and he needed that from her.

“It’s a little easier with someone who understands,” Tiona whispered, a sudden smile on her face once her crimson eyes focused back on his. She had a manner of looking at people that clearly indicated she was paying close attention. She fixed him with this gaze as though she was trying to figure him out.

He knew already that she’d succeeded.

For that, he loved her. “Of course I would understand. I only wish thou wouldst have told me sooner of what had transpired for thee in the jungle, before thine arrival to Eorzea.” He looked back up at her; the smile on her face was genuine but the unshed tears still glimmered in the corner of her eyes.

She blinked them back and sighed, patting at his shoulder and stepping back to sit down with him at the table. Tiona’s shoulders were slumped and her ears were angled down, pinned slightly against the back of her head, and she was uncharacteristically still. “...what I just told you is all anyone knows. Because that's really most of what I remember. And I didn’t tell anyone about it. Today of all days– my woes ought not to be what we talk about. But I empathize with you on this. And I always will. What we’ve both had happen I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.” Leaning forward, she reached to take his hand in both of hers, rubbing thumbs across his knuckles. “All that in mind– what do you need from me? I can find something else to do if you’d rather be alone, or want to continue your work–”

Urianger was already shaking his head, pushing away from the table and turning toward her. A fresh wave of tears fell from his eyes. “I beg of thee, stay. I shall see to this ridiculous task Keltgeim hath set for me later." There was an earnestness in his voice when he continued: "Never again shall we face these old sorrows alone, my bright star. If I must still grieve, I would do it in thine arms, if thou wouldst permit it."

Tiona turned toward him, reaching so he could do just that.

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Shadows Entwined: part 9

BatmanVsTmnt!Leonardo x sidekick!reader

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 / Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Bonus (18+)

---------------

A/N: I just passed my exam and finished yet another part of Shadows Entwined!🤩💙 It’s not super long this time. Due to my exam I decided to cut it a little short this time around, but I hope it’s still enjoyable😘💙

---------------

Warnings: None💙

The reader and the turtles are 19.

---------------

That day, all up on till the sun disappeared below the horizon, was relatively uneventful. While the sun stood in the sky, the turtles slept away in their rooms, while you, Damian and Barbara stayed in the Batcave with Alfred, keeping an eye on Bruce, and working away, trying to figure out where Ra’s al Ghul and Shredder was hiding out, and the much more pressing question; what were they working on? Why were the two villains working together?

You, Barbara and Damian had all decided to stay in costume, just in case any of the four terrapins would wake up. But as you pulled on your mask in your room, you couldn’t help but feel a rush in your stomach at the thought of the night before. What Leo had said about your face made you smile like crazy, and the thought of how close you had been to… how close you had been to kiss Leo made you gitty. Of course you couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if you had kissed, finding yourself daydreaming on your way down to the Batcave with a small skip in your step, thinking of how Leo’s lips would have felt against yours.

But then the sobering reality hit you as soon as you entered the Batcave, the sight of your still unconscious father reminding you of all the other things that happened the night before. The towering gothic halls of Arkham. How terrified you had been while Leo had been under the influence of the Crane Gass, unable to do anything as he seemed terrified that you wouldn’t look him in the eyes, even though you had never said such a thing. And how your father, the dark knight, was turned into a mutant bat before your very eyes. Suddenly your little daydream about the almost kiss with Leo wasn’t the only thing on your mind.

It was around dinner time that the turtles woke up. At that point the dark had already fallen over Gotham, the sun being hidden behind a thick layer of dark clouds, the city rarely having more than a few hours of life during the day.

Sitting down next to Leo as you ate, your heart couldn’t help but flutter at the small smile he shot at you, his blue eyes twinkling a little as they searched for yours. It was clear that he also remembered the night before, both the good and the bad parts, seeming a little unsure if he was still in your good grace. But the smile you sent back at him, made him relax with a silent sigh, finally letting him eat without his heart jumping like mad.

After dinner, all of you went straight back to work, looking through any possible leads on where Ra’s and Shredder could be, while Alfred continued his care of Bruce, in the company of a worrisome Robin and a curious yet slightly scared Mikey. And then, lo and behold, Batgirl struck gold, showing you all her findings on the big screen of the computer.

“The Wayne Enterprises’ container ship that was moving the Cloud Seeder to Bludhaven, was hijacked last night”, Batgirl explained, reading up from her findings. “The thieves then smuggled the Cloud Seeder back into Gotham port”.

Raph grumbled with his arms crossed and his teeth clenched. “While we were dealing with those freaks in Arkham”. He was right. Arkham had been nothing but a distraction.

Donatello, who was seated in the chair right in front of the big computer, looked at the screen in thought, a finger tapping on his chin, before he seemed to have a realization, tapping away on the keys.

“With the machinery the Foot has stolen, I think they’re building something that’ll mix the ooze with Joker’s formula, and launch the Joker-ised ooze into the clouds above the city”, he said, pulling up pictures of the machinery for you all to see.

“And when it rains down, it’ll turn everyone in Gotham into a monster mutant like Batman”, Leo said, dreading in his voice. Having fought against mutant Batman was one thing, but a whole city? And not just any city, but your city. Yet another reason for Leo to hate everything the Foot and Shredder stood for.

“Dudes!”, Mikey yelled in eagerness from Batman’s table, causing all of you to turn, fearing the worst. Even Robin jumped from his chair, seemingly ready to fight whatever threat Mikey had seen. But there was no threat. Just Mikey screaming beside Bruce Wayne. “I’m freaking out here!”, he said, placing both hands on his head, as if he was trying to keep his mind from exploding. “Did everyone else know that Batman is Bruce Wayne?!”

The silence that followed, only broken by the smack of Raph’s face palm, spoke for the situation itself. You might not have been the biggest fan of Raph’s way of doing things, but you could not deny how much you related to that smack against his forehead.

“I mean, you knew the Batcave was under Wayne Manor”, Donnie said with a raised brow bone. He knew that his little brother wasn’t the sharpest knife in the draw, but he had never thought that such a revelation would take so long for Mikey to realize.

“I’m just saying it’s a lot to take in”, Mikey said, stretching his face in thought, before he rested his elbows against Bruce, causing Alfred to see red in the corner of his eyes. “Rich and cool! Like leave something for the rest of us guy!” Alfred let out a loud sigh, before he started moving Mikey away from Bruce, causing the orange clad turtle to yell out in protest at the butler. “I’m going, I’m going, okay!”

You looked at Leo with a questionable look, and all he could do was sigh with a small nod. Yes, Mikey was always like that.

“Do we have any idea where Shredder and Ra’s are building this machine?”, you asked, turning back towards Batgirl and Donnie, feeling Leo’s eyes on you, along with the small tug at the corner of his mouth. Apparently you were asking the right questions. And much to your luck, that question sparked a thought in Batgirl’s head.

“I don’t know exactly how Joker makes his venom, but I do know where the components would be”, Batgirl said, leaning over Donnie in order to press on the computer keys. His small flustered expression made you choke down a chuckle. Oh, how you were going to press Batgirl with your knowledge. Even Leo seemed to notice, enhancing small glances with you. Both of you knew something, that much was obvious. Leo poked at Donnie with a small finger, causing the purple clad turtle to scowl at him. “Ace Chemicals”, Batgirl continued, pulling up a picture of the facility. “It’s where the Joker was created, when he fell into a vat of, you know, chemicals. So if they need venom, they’ll be there”.

“But it’s walled off”, Leo pointed out, noting the high walls and barbed wire. “Easy to defend”.

“So what?”, Raph said, sounding frustrated. “If they’re dugg in and ready for a fight, then we bring them a freaking fight”, he continued, slamming his fists together with a dark smile.

“We aren’t doing anything”, a deep voice sounded behind you. You turned in joy, seeing Alfred helping your father up to stand, Robin running to his side in order to help.

“Master Bruce you’re not well”, Alfred said in concern, wishing Bruce would sit down once again.

“I’m as well as I need to be”, Bruce grumbled, taking the drop out of his arm, his gaze turning to the turtles. He stared at them for a moment, before walking to his neatly folded costume on a nearby table. “Batgirl and Robin are coming with me to Ace. (H/N) stays in the manor. The turtles are going home”.

“What?”, Mikey exclaimed in sadness and shock as Bruce pulled on his costume over his head. “C’mon, we know your secret identity now! Our team up have been surmounted!”

“I gave you a change”, Bruce said in a stern voice, turning directly towards the terrapin brothers. “You four are impulsive, and you don’t follow orders”. His eyes narrowing at them. “I want you out of Gotham!”

“Uh, father”, Robin said, his small frame stepping between them. “Look, it pains me to say this, but the turtles saved you in Arkham. They are valiant allies! Even the dumb one! Michelangelo”.

“Hey!”, Mikey exclaimed in a displeased expression. “Not cool!”

“If it wasn’t for them, Joker would have never gotten close enough to inject me in the first place”, Bruce said in a scowl as he closed the clasp on his cape, before pulling the mask up over his head, once again becoming the dark knight of Gotham City, before turning his back to them. “This is not up for discussion”.

Leo felt the burning stair from Batman, telling him to do exactly as he had been told too. To leave Gotham. But Leo’s heart stung at the thought, because leaving Gotham meant not just leaving the city, but leaving you. Leo once again thought back to the visions he had seen under the influence of the Crane Gass. How he had scared you. How you had feared him. He still did not know if these visions had been real, but never did he wish for those visions to be real. He hoped that none of it had been true and just his mind playing tricks on him. But in reality, Leo did not know. He remembered how scared that you had been when you entered Arkham, and how fearful you had been when you walked the halls, and the more Leo thought about it, the more it unsettles him. Maybe Batman was right. Maybe it was best if you stayed in the Wayne Manor where you could be safe while Batman, Robin and Batgirl headed out. And maybe, just maybe it was best if Leo and his brothers left. Leo had scared you once and he did not wish to do it again, even if it was going to hurt him.

“Maybe he’s right”, Leo mumbled, looking down at his feet, not wanting to meet your confused eyes. He could almost hear your heart crack just a little inside your chest, not wanting to believe what you were hearing as he turned towards his brothers. “Following Batman’s lead took us to Arkham and distracted us from Shredder”, he said, not noticing the deepening frown on Raph’s face. We’d be better off on your own”.

“No! No! He ain’t right!”, Raph yelled, pushing back his brothers so he could storm forward. He pushed the leader in blue so hard that he tumbled, only just catching himself before he fell onto you, your eyes meeting once again, sending shock waves through the two of you. Leo felt his mouth dry out as he stared into your eyes, knowing full well that they would be the hardest thing for him to leave behind. The hurt in your eyes and the way his heart was aching, making him freeze in place, unsure of what to do or say. Leo did not want to go. He did not want to leave you. Could he just stand there and look at you forever he would, but sadly, your father did want it to be like that.

“Look, Batman”, Raph said, making his way to your father, who was busy assembling his beloved utility belt. “I get it! The whole brooding loner thing, sitting on top of roof tops, mumbling about how you’re the only one that can stand up to evil in your own city. That’s my whole deal! I love that stuff! And I totally agree that my brothers are annoying, unbearably so sometimes”.

“Uhm”, Leo said, finally realizing that Raph had been talking the whole time the two of you had been locked in each other’s eyes. “Where are you going with this?”

“Teh!”, Raph said annoyed, turning back to Batman. “That’s why. When things get though, I don’t even bother with them. I go off on my own and do things my way!”

“He does do that”, Donnie said, Mikey agreeing with a sounding nod.

“Still doesn’t explain where he’s going”, you whispered, making Leo hum in agreement.

“Yeah, but here’s the thing”, Raph continued. “Every single time, I just get into more trouble and my brothers have to bail me out”.

"It's true!”, Mikey chimed in. “Every time”.

“Sure we make mistakes. Sure we make the wrong moves”, Raph went on, ignoring his little brother. “But we can’t get better-”. Raph grabbed onto Batman’s arm in order to turn him around to face him, making you, Batgirl, Robin and Alfred gasp in surprise. No one just grabbed onto Batman nor Bruce Wayne like that. That was just not how it worked. “-If you don’t trust us”. The turtles, seeming to understand the severity of Raph’s actions, watched with wide eyes. Donnie even covered his mouth, Leo’s eyes going wide and Mikey gasping out loud. Batman said nothing but just narrowed his eyes at the square jawed mutant, almost daring him to continue. “We’re a family, and learning from your mistakes together, is how a family works”.

“This is not a family”, Batman rumbled, bumping his shoulder against Raph’s as he walked past him. “It’s a team”.

“Ain’t that the same thing?”

That comment made Batman halt in his actions. It was as if those words had touched a nerve deep within him. Batman said nothing but stared forward, his thoughts running wild in his head. Raph’s words echoing in his head as he looked to Alfred, Robin, you and Batgirl and then to the turtles, only to notice how close all of you were standing. And how you and Leo seemed to seek each other out in the small crowd. Just like he had noticed the two of you do in Arkham. And on the roof. Even during your first meeting and fight together.

“You’re right”, he finally said, making you all stare at him in disbelief. You felt your palm begin to sweat as Batman made his way towards Leo, determination in his eyes. “Let’s stop Ra’s and Shredder”, he said, before extending a hand to the leader of the turtles. “Together”.

Leo looked at Batman’s hand, extending his own hand in order to shake it, when suddenly…

“Awesome! Dips on the Batmobile!”, Mikey yelled, jumping over the head of a growling Raph, skipping right by you in a rush and right through Leo and Batman’s handshake.

“Uh, we have our own ride”, Leo said after Mikey, not sure if his forgetful lille brother actually was able to remember it.

“You do?”, Batgirl asked Donnie in confusion, causing Donnie to beam with innocent pride, thinking of the van he had tuned up.

“Yeah, we didn’t walk here from New York”, Donnie smiled, secretly hoping that Batgirl would ask about the van.

“Don’t care!”, Mikey yelled, already inside Batman’s car, fastening his seatbelt. “Called the Batmobile!”

Batman looked from Mikey to Leo, his eyes lingering at him for a moment before giving him a small nod. It was time to find Shredder and Ra’s.

[chimaerakirin]

SOULSEKAI

It's the end of the world as they know it, and Shigaraki Tomura feels fine. February 26, 6 AM. This is not what he was planning to do today, but he can work with it. Frankly, this might be even better. This is not at all what Midoriya Izuku was planning to do today, and it's a disaster. He's going to miss the UA Entrance Exam! Where are his shoes, and who's this voice in his head calling him Ninth?

Rated M for violence (Soulslike-appropriate) and Language (also Soulslike-appropriate). Later chapters may go up to E, because I will not allow Tomura to be maidenless.

<- First - Eighth - NINTH - Tenth ->

Twelve Days Ago

The earthquakes are worrying. There's no alert coming through on his phone, and even stranger, the many glass bottles on the shelves behind the bar aren't rattling. If it was just the former, he might assume it was a highly localized Quirk effect, but with the latter, there's something very strange going on. He fights the impulse to collect Shigaraki Tomura. Even if he really doesn't think this is a good time for his charge to be out on the street, he hasn't gotten an order to bring him back yet, and konbini have security cameras. They can't afford for Warp Gate to be outed over a month before the League of Villains' debut.

To calm his nerves, he takes the opportunity of Shigaraki Tomura's absence to tidy his room a bit. That takeout container is a week old, he's going to make himself sick like this. There's a trash bag under the desk! He had better hurry, there's only so long his charge can spend at the konbini. He has to go intangible more than once to avoid stumbling from the ongoing quakes, but even more worryingly, it's taking an abnormal amount of effort to do so.

He's relieved when Shigaraki Tomura sends him the pickup command, even if the young man doesn't say anything to him on his way through the gate. Two full bags, just how much junk food did he get?

But at least he doesn't hear Shigaraki Tomura dropping into his computer chair immediately.

Then the ground falls out from under him, and his head splits in two.

The split isn't even. It's messy, and jagged, memories catching on the edges as they fall out from behind the wall in his mind. The wall that he was ordered not to look at, that was built from the rubble of a building knocked down by a kaiju. He remembers the kaiju first. It was stealing Quirks. No, not Quirks. Attacks. It was eating them. Then spitting them back out. That makes him remember the class of kindergarteners. Were they alright?

One of them has gray hair and red eyes, and stares at him blankly. He's not under the cloud with the rest of his class, he's not in unif— Oh. It's Tomura. Eight or so years old, Yoshi-print pajamas covered in dust, neck raw and bloody with the aftermath of a panic attack. Why is he behind the wall?

A blue sky at noon on the rooftop of an H-shaped building, a bento box of sushi, a loud blonde on his left and a deadpan shadow on his right. A tiny orange kitten about to take a bite of the shrimp nigiri he offers before the shadow scolds him and produces a bottle to feed the cat instead.

The kitten in a cardboard box on the sidewalk, the box and the towel already soaked before the umbrella was placed to shield it. He didn't think twice before taking both kitten and umbrella.

More memories flood past in fragments. The senpai girl with the most inspiring outfit ever, the belligerent boy in the next class over, the flamboyant mentor. The hooded man with the raw-muscle arms, the chainsmoker with the bunny-eared phone case and questionable scarf, the small round doctor with the bushy mustache and goggles. The voice he can't disobey, commanding him to protect and care for the half-feral boy with the severed hand clutched tightly but delicately in a four-fingered grip, arms and neck scratched to pieces.

The boy he decided very quickly he would do anything to protect even without that command.

Oh. That's why Tomura in his Yoshi pajamas was behind that wall. He was too good at taking care of him. So the voice he couldn't disobey gave him more detailed orders.

He's not sure how long it is before he can think coherently again. When it does happen, he finds himself collapsed on a layer of dead leaves in mud. He pushes himself up to his knees, vaguely noticing something wrong with his hands before being distracted by how utterly uncomfortable his neck guard is. He can't turn his vision sideways, he has to turn his head for some reason, and that's difficult. The armor is blocking him, digging into his cheekbone. He reaches up to pry at it, but his hands slide off the edges ineffectually, and he ends up twisting his entire torso around to get a look at his surroundings.

And he has no idea whatsoever where this is. He's seen a fair amount of Japan's wilderness, either when Sensei required a ride to see Gigantomachia, or when Sensei decided Tomura needed a remedial lesson in survival — punishment, that was punishment, Sensei was punishing Tomura for… something, he's not sure what — and he doesn't think he's ever been to this particular forest. Those mushrooms are, as Tomura would say, sus.

The pond is at least clear enough for him to tell it has fish though. And calm enough for him to see that he's got blood trailing from his nose.

Wait.

He can see his nose. He can see his face. What happened to his mist? He checks his hands. Oh, they're bare skin too. That's… Worrying. He tries to make a portal back to the bar, and gets nothing. Not even an out of range headache. Where is he? He pulls out his phone, which he doesn't keep in his warp space, and checks the GPS feature.

There's no signal. That's not possible. His phone, and Tomura's too, aren't off the rack. They were custom devices designed to work anywhere on Earth. Antarctica, the North Pole, Balneário Pinhal in Brazil, the peak of Mt Everest, the bottom of Akkado Cave. He would know, he had to test them in those places.

(Tomura's also has an ablative case that will in theory prevent his Quirk from eating the entire thing on an accidental touch. He was so awestruck at the effort Sensei went to in the design that he's always gone out of his way to avoid testing it.)

The point being, there is literally nowhere on Earth that he could be that his phone can't give him coordinates to warp with. The function to ping Tomura's phone doesn't work either. Which also shouldn't be possible, because the two devices are paired so that Tomura can always send his location with one button. Tomura can ignore the request for his coordinates, but his phone will get the request, and the request will be sent. But it's not sending.

This… is a problem.

He starts going over options in his head, idly turning the front camera of his phone on so he can see to clean the bloody nose properly. It's not actively bleeding anymore at least, which just means it's starting to dry and is getting tacky. Another ruined handkerchief. He'd rather have an alcohol wipe, but if he can't use his Quirk he can't access the storage space that he never got around to telling Sensei about.

He'll have to identify his location the old fashioned way. And then walk. This could be a problem, he's not sure how good he is at climbing anymore, and that's before taking into account his very Urban Indoors clothes. Good for tending bar, not good for hiking and monkeying around in the trees.

Heh. Monkeying around. He misses his old work clothes. The gi, the bomber jacket, the sturdy but flexible boots, the aviator hat with the goggles… He wonders what happened to those. He would especially like the hat, he thinks, looking at the pair of stitched-up parallel scars on his forehead, running from his right eyebrow to his hairline. His pale-blue-fringed-with-blackish-violet hairline. And the glowing yellow dots ringed by blue irises. Well. It's nice to know he's as confused physically as he is mentally, at least.

He finishes cleaning his face and puts away the handkerchief and phone, then stands up. According to the clock, he was out for about ten minutes. It should be half past six in the morning at most. The sky… does not quite match that. Too bright, but the sun isn't yet visible. The trees, deciduous as far as he can tell, aren't devoid of leaves, and aren't just starting to bud either. It's not winter or spring. Maybe autumn. Southern hemisphere? Which side is the moss on? It should be away from the equator— No wait. That's a myth. He distinctly remembers learning that's a myth, he gave Tomura a few books on survival when he caught the boy trying to study using games, and Tomura read them and promptly ranted about why the games were better than real life.

And those mushrooms still look sus.

The cattails at the edge of the pond look fairly normal though. And he remembers them being useful. The entire plant is edible, parts depending on time of year, and the head section makes good kindling… Damn it, his lighter is in the warp gate. So is the waiter swiss army knife (corkscrew and can and bottle openers as the main attachments) that Tomura thinks he doesn't know was a Father's Day present. Hm… Pull up a few plants whole, use the leaves to tie them in a bundle, and figure out how to light them later? Okay, that works. He examines the plants for a moment, then grabs one and tries to pull it out of the ground.

Fifteen seconds later, he just barely avoids landing on his ass in the mud. That did not work. Wait. They have one of those carpet root things, don't they? He either needs to dig, or try to pull them all up at once… Tomura was right, why can't he just punch the tree in real life? Wait, Minecraft. Wooden tools. A stick to dig with. Right then! To the trees for a stick. What kind of stick does he need, anyway? Pointy or flat on the end? Maybe both? Sticks have two ends. He searches the forest floor for a few minutes, then reaches down to pick one up, and—

He's in the air. Why is he in the air? Did he step on a snare trap or something? His arms are pinned to his sides, and he is way too used to using his Quirk to escape being trapped. What's he wrapped up in anyway? It doesn't feel like rope. Too flat. Too…

[Aizawa Shouta, Observant Shadow], the label says. Well. This is. Awkward. "…Shou? 'Zat you?"

Shaggy black hair. Eyes hidden behind yellow slat-lensed goggles. Lost-my-razor-yesterday stubble. Baggy black jumpsuit with a utility belt. Pale gray bandage-scarf in one hand and large combat knife in the other. "Oboro…? No, Oboro's dead. Who the hell are you and where is this?"

"Uh… Second question, no idea. I'm kind of leaning toward a different planet or something, because my GPS is out of range and that's totally impossible. First question… Yesn't? It's loooong story. I probably did die, but I kind of… don't remember what happened." He laughs awkwardly. "The last thing I remember was shielding the kids. Wait, did they all make it out okay? Who took out Garvey? Who took me out, actually, I didn't see but I assume I got hit in the head—"

"For the love of cats Oboro do you even want me to answer any of that?" Aizawa Shouta snaps.

"…"

"…"

"Is Sushi okay?"

"Sushi's fine, Kayama still has him. The kids all lived, I took out Garvey."

He beams. "I knew you'd be great." Then he pauses. "Uh. Can I ask a favor? You don't have to untie me yet if you don't want to, I do get why you wouldn't trust me and all but… Could you maybe get this armor off my neck? It's really awkward and I kinda can't do it myself."

"Because you're tied up."

"No, I mean I can't do it myself at all. Sensei ordered me not to and there's some kind of Quirk enforcement behind it. My fingers just lock up when I try… Although it is kinda weird that I could try at all. There's a lot of Quirk stuff that doesn't seem to be working right now."

"Who exactly is this Sensei?" Shouta asks suspiciously.

"The guy who brought me back to life? Sort of? He's uh… kind of a dick."

"And you're wearing the armor because…?"

"The short version is, my Quirk isn't just Clouds anymore. I should be almost completely covered in this misty stuff that makes me impossible to hit, but I was told the back of my neck doesn't have that protection. And I'm too valuable to Sensei to have a weak spot like that."

Shouta loosens his capture scarf slightly, dropping him half a meter closer to the ground. Which is great, except he still can't move his neck and now he's below Shouta's eye level. "What makes you so valuable?"

"My Quirk is Warp Gate now. Again, long story. But I can warp—" He freezes, his throat locking up. "Damn it. I can— Arrgh, I don't think I can say, get this thing off me!"

"It's preventing you from talking?" Shouta reaches out and pulls at the metal collar. It doesn't budge, and he spends a few minutes fiddling with the edges and the joint rings before the whole thing suddenly collapses into a single layered band and uncurls halfway. Then he drops it with a curse. "What the hell?"

Kuro— Uh, Oboro? Cracks his neck. "Oh thank Nezu. What's wrong, what happened?"

Shouta swipes at the air. "Some kind of illusion Quirk. What was that about warping?"

"Right, my Quirk. Sensei created it using… some other Quirks, I don't know, it's a bunch in a trench coat except Cloud is the coat. The range is 'yes' as long as I've got coordinates and I can move small armies around if I need to with a cooldown of 'no.' I know, it's impossibly convenient, right? Add that to being untouchable and I'm perfect for wrangling contact-destruction Quirks."

"…Contact destruction."

"Yep. Uncontrollable ones."

"And who has a Quirk like that?"

"That would be my kid. Tomura. Hey, this is gonna sound weird but could I get your autograph for him? He hates Heroes in general but he thinks you're really cool, so…" He twists around a little and grins hopefully up at his old best friend.

Shouta stares at him dully for several seconds. "You just told me you have a kid when you barely look older than in high school, and you think getting him my autograph is the part that sounds weird?"

"Well he's not mine, but— Wait, no. Fuck it. Yeah, he's definitely mine. Sensei is awful to him, I think I'm not the only one who's been mindscrewed by some psychic Quirks. And I don't think his blood family was much better. Six year olds should not have mental or physical scars like that, and I know for a fact he never got any therapy for it because Sensei mind controlled me into standing back and watching whenever he had panic attacks." Huh. He's not confused about that anymore. He's definitely decided on being angry. "So yeah, Sensei can go pound sand, Tomura's mine now. I just need to… find… him… Shit."

The capture scarf loosens again, and Shouta lowers him enough to sit on the ground. "You think he's somewhere around here?"

"I don't know. Like I said, my phone isn't working, and I tested the signal range personally. Do you know how cold it is in Antarctica? I do. I was there, Shou. There weren't even penguins that far south. I can stream cat videos two hundred and eighty meters underground, I checked. And Tomura's phone is the same. I should be able to send him a request for coordinates no matter where either of us is but I can't." Oboro groans. "What if he thinks Sensei made me dump him in the woods for another survival lesson? He was up playing video games all night again, he can't possibly have enough energy to handle that right now!"

"…You really are Oboro, aren't you?" The capture scarf slithers away from him, and Shouta flicks it back into the woods for some reason. When it comes back, it's dragging a bright yellow sleeping bag, the cocoon kind. As soon as his hand touches it, he twitches again. "Illusions…"

"What illusions? The fake earthquakes? I thought those might be one."

"No phone alert and the cats didn't notice," Shouta agrees. "But not that. You had a name hovering over your head. Kurogiri Oboro, Haze Guardian. And I've seen black squares in the air twice now. First when I took that collar off you, and now—"

"Now when you picked up that sleeping bag. Hang on…" And that name display thing, which disappeared when Shouta put his knife away… Oboro reaches out and picks up the collar.

[Cursed Guard of Obedience

A highly advanced piece of armor with more functions than it seems.]

The pop-up window is black, like Shouta said, like glass, with white text. It also looks extremely familiar. Slowly, carefully, Oboro slides his attention to his peripheral vision, especially around the corners. Red. Blue. Green. An empty counter with a small icon. He waves his hand at them, but they seem locked to be 'in front of' anything that might otherwise obscure them. He looks back at the popup. There's a tiny icon in the top right of the window, a helmet and cuirass icon. A category marker? He tries to touch the icon. There's no tactile feedback, but the window vanishes like he just tapped a red X instead of a picture of armor.

"Hey no come back— Wait, how does it work in those stories— Oh right. Uh… Inventory?" He nearly falls over backward at the window that pops up. This looks really familiar. He taps the tab with the little armor icon then shoves the neck guard into one of the empty squares that appears. Behind the interface, Shouta jumps back, readying his knife, but Oboro ignores him in favor of reading the information that just appeared. A list of damage types it resists, including Holy and Curse of all things, and… "Plus twenty Devotion, minus ten FP? That's sus as hell, what did Tomura do to my vocabulary, and— Oh fuck Sensei. Really. 'Cannot be removed by intended wearer once equipped.'"

He skips away from that tab to look at the one labeled Tools instead. "Oh, so that's where my gate stash went. Let's see, Swiss Army, lighter, power pack, spare cleaning rags, medical kit… Where's the contraband and emergency snacks? Wait, those aren't tools. Knowledge? Consumables? Ah, yep. Wait, I have how many? Aw man, I need to check the dates on some of these…"

"Oboro, what the hell are you doing?" Shouta finally demands.

"I think I know where we are, Shou! Sort of. Not specifically, but… yeah." Oboro grins. "So, if you look at the top left corner of your peripheral vision…"

Shouta's eyes flick up to the side. "…Is that a health bar?"

"Yep. And magic or something, and stamina. Check the bottom right. You have a number, probably zero, with a little crystal-looking icon next to it?"

"Yes…?"

"Right. Now say 'inventory' out loud."

Shouta does, then turns to glare at him. "Oboro, why do I have a video game interface?"

"I have no idea! But Tomura loves these things and will talk about them for hours, so I learned some in self-defense. Let's see if I can find the other windows. Menu? Nope. Stats? Nope. Status? Show Status? Oh, there's some numbers. Hm, I'm missing about a quarter of the blue one… What's the other word, the fancy one— Right, attributes. Show attributes?" The appropriate window shows up and he starts laughing nervously. "Oh boy."

"What now?"

"The good news is, I do sort of know where we are. The bad news is, it's a video game, or at least it runs on those rules. More good news, I think I know what this game is like, because it's one of Tomura's favorite genres and it's a lot easier to follow along than when he's on a League of Legends binge. The other bad news… It's a Soulslike. Pre-Quirk genre notable for having brutal difficulty and a system that combines autosave and respawn to make reloading earlier saves impossible, so you can't do this thing called save-scumming if things aren't going your way."

"That's called real life," Shouta deadpans. "What video game rules do you think are in play here?"

Oboro scratches at the scars on his forehead. "Uh… Okay, how many times do you think you can run around that pond at full sprint before you have to stop?"

"A lot. Why?"

"Try it. I bet you'll have to slow down the instant that green bar in the corner runs out. Same with attacking."

Shouta hands the sleeping bag to Oboro and takes off in a sprint around the pond. He manages four laps, it's not a particularly big pond, before he staggers and slows down. Then he stops and looks up, staring intently for several seconds before launching into an attack pattern. Fast, brutal, he's clearly in better shape than he was in high school, but he falters again after a short time. "…You said the green bar is stamina? How do I increase it?"

Oboro stares at his own attributes display. "Okay, so, I'm not an expert here, but… You probably need to increase your Endurance stat. Which means leveling up. You should get one stat point per level."

"And how do I level up?"

"Kill enemies, make the number in the bottom right bigger, and talk to a particular NPC who can be found in various places depending on the game. Sometimes there isn't an NPC, you just need one of the save point things…"

"And those look like…?"

"Depends. One series, it's a campfire with a twisted-looking sword sticking out of it. In another game, it's little Victorian English lamp posts. Buddha statues, Shinto shrines, Han Dynasty army banners… In general, whatever it is stands out compared to the rest of the environment, even if it doesn't look out of place." He scans the screen in front of him again. "I… might be able to cheat though? Just let me grab those cattails and I'll give it a shot."

~praise be unto the Sky~

His gamble works, if only after a slight issue with animated mushroom… things. Oboro knew those mushrooms looked sus. He really should have been expecting them to get up and attack once he figured out this place had video game rules. On the bright side, they aren't actually all poisonous according to the inventory readouts, and he picks a bunch of the edible inanimate ones to go with the cattails before he tries the thing.

It turns out his Quirk isn't completely gone. It's just… not a Quirk anymore. It's a spell. Or something. It eats his entire blue bar to use it, but since the description sounds like it only goes to this world's save points and only the nearest one, that's not necessarily a downside. There'd be no point in spamming it anyway. It also has an area of effect, so he can probably bring several people with him, not just Shouta.

They end up next to a neatly stacked rock-pile with a small banner pinned under the top stone, which definitely fits his description of 'distinctive but not out of place.' The level girl he summons seems about as tired as Shouta, and abnormally relieved when he starts asking questions that she considers sensible. She informs him that yes, there's a very large number of people who arrived the same way he did, but no, she can't tell him who they are or even exactly how many, much less where a specific one is. She can, however, tell him that anyone who goes anywhere in this region will end up at Bellhaven, and how to get there. Additionally, his attributes are apparently reasonably well-suited to using Thaumaturgy if he's interested in learning that. Which he can do near Bellhaven. He suspects she's hoping he'll go that way and learn the Important Things without needing her to hold his hand.

Shouta's level girl is a little more bored than tired, but since he was paying attention to Oboro's discussion, he doesn't ask a lot of questions, and she doesn't get exasperated by a lack of 'common knowledge.'

The hard part after that is getting to Bellhaven. Apparently it's to the northwest, and something like a week and a half of travel along the road, but they can cut a few days off if they take a detour to a river and hitch a ride on the ferry. The river doesn't go all the way to the lake that Bellhaven is right next to, but it comes within a day and a half of walking for a normal person. Less time for a Skymarked, which is apparently what they're called.

Of course, it's not that easy. They get sidetracked by a request to deal with some missing cows, and as exasperated as Shouta is when Oboro agrees, he's also relieved for some reason, and doesn't really argue. And then they find the cows in the hands of a whole cave full of bandits, who of course try to kill them immediately. The searchers, not the cows, obviously. The bandit leader ends up killing one of his own men when one of the cows is hurt in the crossfire. Shouta gets all stiff and awkward when Oboro just flat out kills the bandits without hesitation, but doesn't really argue with the logic that there's no way to arrest them anyway, and the stolen cows are obviously a massive part of the village's livelihood, so their theft was arguably mass murder by starvation. He also gets a nice staff out of it, steel-shod oak according to the item description. Then Shouta, with his practical boots, has to go back to the village to get someone capable of herding the cows back, while Oboro keeps an eye on the animals and sorts through the bandits' haul. There's not a lot of gold there. In fact, aside from a couple of very plain pieces of jewelry, there's no literal gold at all, it's just some silver and a few rough-looking gems. It's mostly practical stuff, really, which would make these bandits mostly subsistence criminals. After carrying everything back to the village using Inventory, he and Shouta are rewarded with some basic supplies, a portion of the valuables, and the further task of escorting a herder to the next town, because one of those cows wasn't actually theirs.

And since that takes them closer to the river, they end up taking the ferry shortcut. There's another Skymarked on it, one that looks well above their level and entirely too cheerful for someone telling them they're gonna die if they don't gear up soon. The man ends up trading a few stories from their world for some entry-level armor — the [Hedge Wizard Set] — for Oboro and, of all things, a kusari-gama from 'the country of hollow trees' for Shouta, when the ferry moors for the night near a Cairn. He also gives them a couple of basic spells. When asked why he's being so generous, he only shrugs and says he hasn't used any of that equipment in over four hundred years, and if there are so many new Skymarked appearing at once, it's not for no reason. He tells them how to set a Pact, then vanishes into the dark, leaving the ferry master gaping in shock over someone called 'the Tireless' dropping warnings like that.

Five days after they reach Bellhaven, Oboro checks the First Bell District Stele for new work postings and nearly chokes on his chicory 'coffee' when he finds a personal message with very familiar handwriting.

[Kurogiri, did Sensei ever finish programming the Anti-All Might Noumu?]

There is nothing about this message that could have come from anyone but Tomura.

It takes him a few tries to word a response properly. Kurogiri the Special Noumu is a lot more formal than Shirakumo Oboro. Even though he's pretty sure he's Kurogiri Oboro now.

[If so, I was not informed. I believe he was working on it, however. Why do you ask?]

A few hours later, he gets an answer back.

[Tell you face to face. Where are you?]

He gives the address for where he and Shouta have been staying and a note about his schedule, then takes a deep breath and forces his attention back to the job at hand.

Three hours after that, he sees a familiar mop of gray practically running down the street from the direction of the market, and he opens his mouth. "Tomura?"

[vidumali]

Why I Love Studying at Sabaragamuwa University

🌿 Hey Tumblr fam! I just wanted to take a moment to share something close to my heart — my experience at Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, a place that’s more than just classrooms and assignments. It's where I found peace, passion, and purpose. 💚

🌄 A Hidden Gem in the Hills

Imagine studying on a campus surrounded by misty hills, green forests, and natural waterfalls. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, that’s exactly what SUSL in Belihuloya feels like. The air is fresh, the environment is peaceful, and nature literally whispers encouragement while you study. 😌🍃

📌 Location: Belihuloya, Sri Lanka 🔗 Official Website of SUSL

💻 My Faculty: Computing

As a proud student of the Faculty of Computing, I can honestly say that SUSL is more than qualified when it comes to academic excellence. 💯

Our professors are not just knowledgeable—they actually care. We work on cool projects, explore real-world tech, and even get support for internships and future careers.

?

👩‍💻 Tech, Talent & Tenacity

You might be surprised, but SUSL is seriously catching up with the tech world.

Let me break it down for you—our Faculty of Computing is organized into three departments, and each one opens up different futures:

🖥️ Department of Computing and Information Systems (CIS)

A great fit if you're interested in IT infrastructure, system design, software, and business applications

You learn how tech supports and transforms businesses, governments, and society

🛠️ Department of Software Engineering (SE)

Perfect if you love to build software from the ground up

Focuses on software architecture, testing, DevOps, and full development lifecycles

📊 Department of Data Science (DS)

The department of the future! 🌐

Teaches you how to work with big data, machine learning, AI, statistics, and more

If you like solving puzzles with data, this is your world

No matter which path you choose, you’ll get:

Modern course content aligned with global tech trends

Hands-on labs and access to real tools (GitHub, Python, VS Code, cloud platforms, etc.)

Internships with leading IT companies

Final-year projects that are often built with startups or community needs in mind

Some of my seniors are now working at top companies, others are doing research abroad—that’s the kind of transformation this faculty creates. 🙌

For more information: click here

🫶 Why SUSL Feels Like Home

Here’s a little list of what I adore about life here:

Friendly community – always someone to help you out

Calm campus – no traffic noise, just birds and waterfalls

Opportunities – tons of events, workshops, clubs

Affordable – both the university and the area are budget-friendly

Balance – education + mental wellness = perfect combo

🌐 Not Just a University – A Lifestyle

Sabaragamuwa University doesn't just prepare you for a career; it shapes you as a human being. It’s not all books and exams—we grow, we laugh, we support each other.

Whether you’re into tech, social sciences, management, or agriculture, there’s a faculty that fits your vibe.

✨ Learn more about SUSL here

💬 Final Thoughts

If you're thinking about studying in Sri Lanka, or even just curious about a different kind of university experience, I highly recommend checking out Sabaragamuwa University. It changed my life in the best way.

💚 Tag a friend who needs to hear about this gem! 📥 DM me if you want tips about the application process or student life here!

[sabraeal]

Remedial Lessons, Chapter 2

[Read on AO3]

Written for @kaedix's birthday!! Last year Kimber requested what become the first chapter of this fic, back when there were only a handful of people in the fandom who had even watched Soul Eater. But last summer the discord ended up watching Soul Eater as its summer shonen, so I was all too happy to continue it when she asked for a continuation this year!

This is hardly the first sepulcher that Shirayuki has been lead into since she started her time at Shibusen, but she’ll grant the professor this: it is the nicest.

“So what?” Obi huffs, parka hunched up around his ears as he takes in the bank of computers stretched along the walls. His breath mists in the air as he speaks, like swallowing souls in reverse. “You get like, four? Five G in here? Or did you just like…roll some fiber out here? You know a guy? There’s some people who could really use this kind of set up—”

“Etiquette demands that a host graciously welcome his guests into his residence, whether that be a professional office or personal home,” Lata informs then with all the enthusiasm of a wet blanket. “However, since it seems that you are determined to wear it out as fast as humanly as possible, I think we’ll skip over all that.”

Obi presses a hand to his chest; his parka lets out a soft pffft under the pressure. “I’m just showing interest, sir. Showering you with compliments. Really—”

“Asking for proprietary information.” The professor glances over his shoulder, glowering at where she lingers in the doorway. “Come here already. We don’t have all day.”

‘Here’ happens to be a marble slab; one large and smooth enough to accommodate Mitsuhide from head to ankle, the way most beds do. There’s quite a few of them in the room, most serving as flat surfaces for Lata’s equipment, but this one has clearly been left free, sterile as an exam table, though with the way it fits into that carved bier beneath it, Shirayuki suspects—

“Is that a coffin?” Obi coughs, circling it like a cat around a bath. “Just what are you gonna do with her on that, doc? Hoist it up to the ceiling? Let lightning hit her? Hate to break it to you, but she’s already alive.”

“Obi.” If there’s one thing Shirayuki has learned about Shibusen faculty, it’s that you don’t go around giving them ideas.

“What? I just want to get the scope of the work or whatever.” His hands slide into his pockets, slowing his stride to a casual creep. “If we’re going to have to run, I’d like to start now rather than after he’s got your all hooked up to his Doom Canon.”

“Oh, really. I’m not about to perform surgery on her. Or mad science,” The professor grouses, rummaging around in a drawer. “This place is hardly sterile. But you can’t possibly think I’m so naive as to take your word about her bloodline, do you?”

Shirayuki wrinkles her brow. “Why would I lie about that?”

“Why does anyone lie, girl? To get what you want.” Lata straightens, the honed edge of his body angling toward the stone. “Now take off your coat. This won’t take long.”

She glances down at the cold marble and suppresses a shiver. “But you haven’t taken your coat off.”

“Of course not. It’s freezing in here.” Clouds steam from his sigh as he turns to her, strung tight with impatience. “And I hardly need to take blood samples from myself.”

The tag of her zipper digs bloodless gouges across the fleshier bits of her knuckles. Two year ago this would have all come as a shock, but after a few semesters at Shibusen, she’s only thankful it isn’t a weirder bodily fluid. “Blood? Couldn’t you just—?”

Obi steps right between them, shoulders not squared to shield but hunched, potential energy all coined in his spine like a spring. “Uh uh, no way, doc. We said we’d let you poke around, not actually put a needle through her. Just because she’s a weapon doesn’t mean you get to treat her like an ob—”

“I wasn’t asking you,” Lata informs him, bored. “Now are you going to take off your coat, Miss…?”

“Shirayuki.” Obi angles a look over his shoulder, half are you kidding and half don’t feed the animals. As if she were some child sticking her hand through bars at the zoo, daring a tiger to chomp them off at the wrist.

To be fair, it’s earned. But this particular tiger is their best best for surmounting this resonating problem, and Shirayuki’s willing to risk far more than a nibble to keep from collecting another ninety-nine souls. Twice is more than enough. “And yes, I will.”

The professor doesn’t quite smile, but there’s a shift in his eyes as she bares the skin at her elbow; a deepening of the crinkles at their corners, a widening of his pupils. There’s a part of him that likes this, that looks at her twining path of veins and sees something beyond flesh. That devours this stretch of skin the same way she might a grimoire’s pages, reading fell knowledge in every drop of her blood.

“Good.” She’s barely set herself on top of the sarcophagus, wincing at the chill that seeps through her jeans, when Lata strides right around Obi and grips her wrist. Klaxons ring between her ears, telling her to dig in her heels and twist, but there’s only air beneath them now, an awkward angle between her and the nearest flat surface, and—

Just a pinch, a squeeze, and he’s stepped away, glass slide gripped between his fingers.

“Wha….huh?” she murmurs, watching as blood wells up from the prick. It lasts hardly more than a blink— Obi hands her a tissue, and by the time she’s wiped the bead away, it’s like her skin was never broken at all. A perk of the lineage, Lord Death had always told her. “You just needed a drop?”

“As much as I would love to sequence the entirety of your genome, I would prefer not to wait for the results— or waste the resources.” He hums, much more chipper now that he’s placed that slide into one of his machines. “Not when a specimen sample is much quicker and negligibly less accurate.”

The reasoning is solid, but still— “Then why did you have me take off my coat?”

"To see if at least one of you could obey an order.” The professor jerks his chin toward Obi. “Or if you were as much of a lost cause as that one.”

“Hey! I can sit and roll over as good as anyone,” Obi sniffs, dropping his coat over her shoulders. “If I wanna.”

They’ve hardly known each other a quarter of an hour, but already Lata is sending her long-suffering looks. “That’s the entire—”

His machine beeps, once, twice, like it’s impatient, eager to have eyes on the data flying across its screen. Attention Lata’s quick to give, scrolling through faster than even she could possibly parse, turning familiar words into flipped-bit gibberish. The professor, however, hums.

“Well, you are from Carnwennan’s lineage, it seems.” Shirayuki can’t help but notice that he doesn’t say daughter. Like somehow a hidden bloodline was probable, but direct progeny a stretch. “You’ll forgive me for doubting you. I’ve met Excalibur” —he grimaces— “and there’s not much resemblance. In either of your forms.”

Obi cocks a hip against the sarcophagus, making himself one long, lean line. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lata fixes him with the same sort of look a stern kindergarten teacher might give their most difficult charge. “Carnwennan was a dagger. And from what I’ve seen of Miss Shirayuki’s shape, she is most certainly not.”

One of these thing, his look says, is not like the other. “I suppose your father had his own lineage? Or should I assume he was a meister rather than a weapon?”

Her mouth opens, then shuts. Opens again, only to say, “I don’t know.”

There’s the vaguest twitch of that stern brow, the softest hum of intrigue. “Interesting. It was always said that Carnwennan was particular with her meisters, one must assume she would be even more so with a romantic partner. So who is he?”

“A deadbeat.” Obi says it like punctuation, the period at the end of a sentence gone on too long. He shifts too, crossing his arms and angling his shoulders, breaking line of sight between her and the professor. It’s effort she appreciates, even if it’s unnecessary.

“My mother is the legendary weapon,” she asks, each word weighed and measured, the perfect split between firm and fair. “Is my father really pertinent to your research?”

“Look around, Miss Shirayuki. Do you see a water cooler anywhere? A break room, perhaps? Coworkers?” The look he levels at her is downright withering. “Do I really look like the sort of man who would make small talk?”

Obi's smirk glints the way her blade does before it cuts. “He’s got us there, kid.”

There’s an inertia to overcome when it comes to her father; it’d been so much easier to not talk about it, to let everyone believe she thought he was dead. But now that he’s dredged himself up out of her memories and into reality, becoming more than just a character from the childhood she can’t remember, it’s…hard. Separating what she knows from what she feels is a job Shirayuki’s pretty sure she’s under qualified to handle.

“I don’t know much about him,” she admits, because that’s true. Maybe he raised her for four years, but she’s lived another thirteen without him, and that doesn’t make him any better than a stranger in her book. “He left me with my grandparents when I was little. I barely even remember his face.”

Also not a lie, even if it earns her some side-eye from Obi’s direction. She’d seen him for a day nearly a year ago; not enough to commit more than broad strokes to her memory. It’d be a miracle if she could even pick him out on the street.

Not that she’d tell the professor that. She’s already in danger of clucking tongues and piteous looks; something about parental abandonment bloodies even the hardest of hearts. There’s quite a bit Shirayuki’s ready to weather for this training, but if she has to endure yet another ethically dubious mentor trying to empathize with her, well—

“Hm.” Lata’s fingers clack across the keys, not even sparing her a cursory glance. “Interesting.”

“So.” Obi wraps his mouth around the sound, stretching it as long as the look he sends her. “That’s it, right, doc? You’re gonna help us?”

“I didn’t say that.” Lata steps back from his screen, one rigid line from the heels of boots to the whorl of his cowlick. “I study legendary weapons. As intriguing as it might be to study one of their progeny— however direct— Miss Shirayuki is not her mother. There’s no guarantee that her biometric data will provide any meaningful contribution toward my—”

“So you have other half-mythical weapons lining up to be a part of your experiment?” Obi perches on the sarcophagus like a particularly mischievous gargoyle. “Is Caliburn’s great-grandson going to walk through here? Excalibur’s ex-roommate? Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to find a guy who knows a guy who saw Kusanagi-no-tsurugi buying cabbages once.”

Lata’s mouth pulls thin. “Caliburn is—”

“—the same sword as Excalibur,” Shirayuki finishes, hurriedly.

“What?” Obi squawks, nearly toppling from his perch. “But wasn’t that the one in the stone, and then that lady in the lake or whatever gave that guy another one…?”

“That was a translation error,” she murmurs, flushing as Lata lifts his brows. “From when the troubadours in France began singing Arthur’s lays. Exacalibur was the sword in the stone. He just, er…broke. And the Nimue” — ah, she’s starting to sound like her uncle— “never mind. It’s a common mistake. He was still sleeping when it happened.”

“A better time.” Lata glares as if they were the ones who woke him.

“Huh.” Obi shakes a hand, like that might clear the air. “The point is, does how many legendary weapons is doc gonna meeting hanging around in some dusty ass old ruins? You’ve gotta need us as much as we need you. Maybe even more.”

If the professor was glaring before, he’s glowering now.

“You make a compelling point,” he admits, begrudging them every word. “Fine. I supposed it would be beneficial for my work if I helped you both with your resonance issue. But you’ll have to help me with my research,” he warns, as if that soured rather than sweetened the deal. “And not just your own contributions to my data— I need legendary weapons if I’m going to get anywhere, not just their…relations.”

“Well,” Shirayuki hums, struggling to keep her voice so even, so innocent. “I could always ask my uncle, if you really needed—”

“We can start with your training first,” Lata grits through his grimace. “I’m hardly that desperate.”

“Sounds like you’ve got yourself a deal, doc.” Obi sprawls himself across the top of the coffin, tapping at the marble slab. “Now which one of these are ours? You got a couple lined with Egyptian cotton or something? Maybe some memory foam? I don’t need a lot but I’ve got to be able to snooze in full Nosferatu.”

His eyes close, arms cutting up to cross over his chest— full Nosferatu, indeed— but Lata only grunts, “None of them.”

One eye peels open, skeptical. “What, the Cryptkeeper’s got guest rooms down here? A Best Western? It takes three hours to get here one way, there’s no way we can hike out and back every day.”

“Of course you can’t,” Lata scoffs. “I’m coming back with you.”

*

“Just like that, huh?” Obi’s no longer playing vampire, but he’s still sitting on the sarcophagus,  shoulders stacked beside hers. “You’re not even going to ask us what the problem is first? What if it’s just a five-minute fix, and—?”

“If it were really some ‘five-minute fix’ then that idiot Shidan would have been able to handle it,” Lata grouses, already sifting through books to take with him. “And there’s certainly no point in asking your opinions on the problem. If you neither of you have managed to devise a solution by now, then I doubt that you have any meaningful insight to provide me.”

Shirayuki would have protested— if the professor didn’t have a point. Locating a reclusive academic was hardly the sort of option a reasonable person took as their first step. But after two years of reaching for resonance and having it slip through their fingers, Shirayuki was willing to try anything. Short of braving one of her uncle’s lectures, of course.  “That’s not very nice.”

Obi tucks his chin, keeping his grimace between the two of them. “He’s not wrong.”

“Still,” she sighs, “he doesn’t need to say it.”

“Hey, what did he mean anyway?” She cocks her head, questioning, and Obi clarifies, “About how you don’t look like your family.”

“My uncle…” It’s her turn to grimace now. “Well, my mother doesn’t take after him, that’s all.”

“That gives me at least one answer about your father,” Lata grunts, heaving a trunk up onto his back.

"Really?" Obi drawls, rubbing at his shoulder. "I feel like I didn't get anything from that at all."

"I'm sure," the professors hums dryly, "that you're used to it. Now, are you two ready to go? We have quite a ways back, and thought I am experienced at traveling in the snow, I'd prefer not to do it in the dark.”

Obi heaves sigh, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Get a load of this guy, kid. Spends all this time packing up everything that isn't nailed down, then ask us to hurry up and--"

"Today, if you would." The words echo down the hallway, ghostly in the empty room.

"Yeah, yeah. We're coming." He rolls his shoulders, shifting his weight like a fighter right before a match. "Welp, you heard him, kid. One-way trip to Lilias, leaving now. You ready?"

Shirayuki doesn't spare a glance for the sepulcher behind her-- but she does pause for a shiver. Really, she'd thought she'd left these sorts of trips behind at Shibusen. "More than."

"Love to hear it." He holds out a hand as she starts up the rise. "Let's get out of here. Ladies first."

There's no hesitation as she takes it, hand fitting in to his like her haft snugs into his palm. "Let's."

[mikeydraws]

Pretty important news!!

I’m starting my 2 months long break/hiatus, main reason are for my exams, I really need to focus and pass these. And my phone and computer is a huge contribution to my distraction.

I also wanna experience what it’s like to not see anything like Tiktoks, Instagram reels etc for a long time of period, I might come back and make a post about it. It will be hard for me to not socialize though with the people I’ve met on here.

HOWEVER, I wanna announce some quick things that will come after my break, and I wanna get y’all hyped for this.

Things that will and might happen:

Fanfics, a shit ton of fanfics.

1 - Forest thorn. A Jondami fanfic

“A dark cloud forms over Gotham Palace, when leaving it took all the loyalty it could get its claw in, but one faithful bright knight from a foreign kingdom will bring Justice, to Gotham.”

2 - Leftover Light. Bluepulse fanfic (takes place before “YCTTWYSIM”)

“Blue beetle joins Teen titans in hopes of finding his path as a hero, but a danger is soon to approach and made the Teen titans and The Young Justice team up, and he has a certain banter with the ginger of the team. In his civilian form though Jaime has to deal with fitting into his new private school and getting his feelings sorted that he has towards over his ginger friend.”

3 - Who are you, really? Bluepulse fanfic set in a Cyberpunk future

“The reach has taken over the earth and uses the humans to exploit the goods of it. Jaime Reyes, desperate to not make his family fall into the fate of slavery makes a decision to become a secret agent for the Reach, and takes on the case to catch the last speedster alive.”

A YouTube channel, where I will start posting some funny stuff, art challenges maybe and start animating.

Works for my story, “Truth Hides Lies”. Super excited to actually start writing!

A start for my Analog Series. I haven’t actually set on a definite premise, but I do want it to be about medicine that turns people crazy or deranged. There will most likely be 3 story lines.

A duo project on comic books, me and my friend are still working on character designs and plots but I swear, it’s banger

Anyways that’s all. See you guys in 2 months, wish me luck for my exams!

[izicodes]

2WeeksStudy - Day 1 (01/09/2023)

Hiya 💗 I decided to make this challenge for myself where I would have to study at least 1 hour a day on any programming subject/language for 2 weeks (14 days) straight!

🤍 What subjects/topics do I plan to study in this challenge?

I have a bunch of ideas but I think these are the most important ones for now:

♥ - Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification preparations ♥ - Foundational C# with Microsoft on FreeCodeCamp ♥ - SheCodes Plus ♥ - Computer Science career path on Codecademy

I'll make a proper schedule so that I can tackle one by one effectively! The hardest one will be the Azure exam prep, as it's Cloud Computing and that's just a big mind block on it's own~!

[ohmarjorie]

good luck with ur computing exam today!!!

Oh em gee cloud!!!!!! I'm so happy!!! That was the easiest paper I've ever done in my life. I genuinely thought I had the wrong paper aaaaaaa 🥹🥹🥹