#I just didn’t expect to SWALLOW it xD

[augustsails]

Me when I accidentally swallow my permanent retainer…idk that’s it, that’s the joke. I swallowed my permanent retainer today lmao

[sircrocodilespersonalwhore]

5 Man Train

-‘๑’- Summary:  Being stalked by a curse is horrible, but a meeting with the top sorcerers in Tokyo makes is all the better…and I mean ALL THE BETTER.

ꕥ Pairing: Nanami x Toji x Choso x Gojo x Geto x shy!reader (Y/N)

✎ Note: In this AU everyone works at Tokyo Jujitsu High and Geto didn’t lose his mind.

・❥・Warning: sexual content (18+ ONLY), consent (consent is so fucking hot), size difference, bulging, train, orgy, v in p sex, deep throating, p in a sex, swallowing, anal sex, ass eating, dirty talking, mature language, chocking, edging, spanking, facial, domination kink, major creampie(s), multiple sex partners, oral sex (both), penetrative sex, double penetration (both holes), and triple penetration ( is that even a thing XD).

A/N: Y’all don’t interact with me in thr comments. I wanna know your opinions :(. I hope this lives up everyone’s expectations. Thank you in advance for reading!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

“FUCK! She’s so pretty. Look at the tits on her. Those perfect lips made just right for suckin’ a worthy dick.” Gojo shouts as he sees the picture of you on the meeting board. Toji and Choso nod their heads in agreement with their arms folded across their chest.

Toji whistles, “Her ass is perfect for backshots.”.

“While she is pretty, she may be in danger.” Geto speaks as he brings everyone’s attention back to the board.

“Moving on. We’ve received a report that this young lady is being stalked by a Special Grade Curse. We don’t have much information about this curse since it just appeared out of nowhere and we have no record of it from the past. Principal Yaga requested she come to us, so we can corner and contain the curse here. Completely cutting it off to the public. Good for us that we won’t have to put up a veil.”, Nanami goes over and he believes everyone will listen even though he knows they aren’t.

“Here you loud and clear, Specs”, comments Toji as he makes the report paper into an airplane and sends it flying across the room. Nanami rolls his eyes and take a seat. The group waited what seemed like forever for you to arrive. Some growing more impatient than others. Gojo and Geto didn’t help the time move faster as they started messing with Toji. They took his paper plane and flew it into his ear as he dozed off. The two pretended as if they did nothing leaving Choso to receive the punishment. The four men laugh as Nanami buries himself deeper into his newspaper eventually getting annoyed by the extra noise. Just as Nanami opened the door, a soft knock hit his chest. Everyone had taken notice and risen from their chairs to see why Nanami stopped in his tracks only to find you standing outside of the door. A teary eye woman with her hands clutching her purse tightly. Nanami dropped his newspaper quickly and embraced you into his warmth. He guided you into the room and sat you down at the head of the table. Kneeling beside you, he took your hand and told you everything was going to be okay. You squeezed his hand and tried to suck your tears back into your eyes. Choso felt bad for you and decided to bring you some tissues from the office closet. He lifted your chin with his index finger and wiped the tears from your eyes. The rest of the men gathered around you taking a seat at the table.

“Hey Doll, tell us what’s the matter?” Toji questions while taking your hand into his and stroking it lightly.

You find comfort in their actions and being to unload upon the men about your traumatic experiences with the curse. You explain to them that it feels like someone is watching you all the time. Your dreams haunted by certain visuals you weren’t comfortable with expressing. How your body gets hot at night and you wake up a sweaty mess. If you had been talking to anyone else they would write you off as crazy, but it seems like these men believe every word you said. No judgment insight. After you told them everything, the blonde haired man stood up, “Thank you for sharing that with us, Miss (Y/L/N). I believe we should all introduce ourselves to make this go by easier. I also think this will calm your nerves a little.”. You shy away in your seat lowering your head and tucking your hands in your lap, but nod in agreement.

“Great. I’m Nanami. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m Choso.”

“Hey baby I’m Gojo”

“I’m Geto. Nice to meet you beautiful.”

“And I’m Toji princess.”

You start to blush as the compliments didn’t go over your head. As a gesture of appreciation, you tilt your head thanking the men for helping you in advance. Some chuckles and smirks were given towards your reaction, but you didn’t mind. Suddenly your jolts at the familiar presence that just entered the room. Faster than a blink of an eye, the men readied themselves as the curse emerged. All at once they attacked the curse trying to exorcize it. Before any attack landed though, the curse just disappeared . The men looked at each other confused before glancing back at you. At that moment, it felt like a thousand bricks had lifted off your shoulders. Failing to understand your situation, you jumped in the air repeatedly overjoyed the curse was gone. The room started to heat up, but no one thought anything of it. Unbeknownst to you, the group of men eyed you as your prefect tits, juicy thighs, meaty ass jiggled as you bounced up and down. Choso has been hard as a rock since wiping your tears and the others are becoming semi-hard. Gojo even starts to palm himself through his pocket. Geto and Nanami coughs to gain your attention and try to recompose the others.

You calm your excitement down slightly embarrassed by your outburst. You walk towards the men and hug them individually. Some holding you close to their body and others holding you longer than expected. They try their hardest not to make their boners noticeable as you continue your onslaught of appreciation. “I really can’t express how grateful I am to you all. I’m so happy Mr. Yaga got me in touch with you guys. Please, if there’s anyway I can express my gratitude further let me know.”, with those words you turn away from the men and gather your belongings. Bending over to pick up your purse, the curve of your nice ass was outlined by your summer dress. Their minds started to race:

Geto: ‘God I want to fuck her so bad. Feel her draining me dry.’

Toji: ‘I want to see that plump ass bounce on my dick as I fuck her into submission.’

Gojo: ‘Fuck…just image my dick sliding in and out of that tight throat.’

Choso: ‘I bet her pussy is as beautiful as her’.

Nanami: ‘I hope her legs can touch her ears, I want to be as deep in that tight cunt as I can be’.

It was almost like they were thinking on the same wavelength. Quick glances start to make their ways between the men. Gojo and Geto raise an eyebrow and points their thumbs at you. When the others caught on, Gojo used his hand to form an ‘O” while Geto slide one of his fingers in and out of the hole mimicking sex. Chose and Toji nod in agreement while Nanami was still on the fence about it. Don’t get him wrong, he wanted to make you cream on his dick just as much as everyone else, but he didn’t want to hurt you or take advantage of you. It wasn’t like they had normal sized cocks and you certainly didn’t give them the impression of being a pro at sex. Conflicted Nanami threw his hands up slightly. The attention leaves the silent conversation as they start to notice you heading towards the door. As you make your way to the door, a large body blocks your exit.

“Mr. Toji? Is…Is something wrong?.”, you clench your bag awaiting his response. He just looks you up and down and bites his lip seductively. A faint blush spreads across your face as you shy into yourself trying to block his view of you with your bag. He slowly puts his hand under your chin to raise it. His hot breath ghosts your ear as he says, “Calm down princess. I won’t hurt ya’. I just thought of a way you can show your gratitude to us.”. Nanami spoke up, “Toji! We shouldn’t push it. It’s highly inappropriate and unprofessional.”. You look around confused, but ask for clarification. “Um…we find you attractive and want to have sex with you…to show gratitude from both sides.”, Chose admits. Geto sighs loudly and Gojo laughs while they raise their hands and slap Choso’s back. Your heart starts to race as the words finally register in your head. Nanami grabs a chair for you and holds it while you sit in it.

You look up at the five men now towering you. Their frames big, bodies muscular, face handsome, and dicks big. REALLY BIG. Your blush grows wider and more visible. As your mind races, your body gets hotter and your pussy wetter. You shift your legs a little in the chair trying your best to hide your growing wetness. Geto kneels down before you and kisses your hand, “We won’t force you to do something you don’t want to. But it seems you’re becoming flustered from the thought of us same as we are of you. If this is something you want and something you can handle-…Please give us your consent”, they finish in unison. Your body is on fire. Heat spreads far and wide as your breath starts to become heavier. You take a moment to consider everything that was just laid out in front of you. You gather the remaining bit of your courage and give Geto a light peck on his cheek retreating into your hands after. He smirks a bit and Gojo raises your head, “You use words baby. We need to know for certain you can handle us.”.

“Yes…Sir. I-I can handle you all. I consent to all of you and everything you give me.”, you say as loud as you can slightly covering your face. Nanami smiles and kisses the top of your head. Choso teases him, “Your mood switched mighty fast Nanami” before giving you a kiss on the cheek. Toji lifts your head and steals a kiss from your lips, dragging his tongue along your bottom lip. Gojo pushes him off playfully and kisses your neck. Lastly, Geto returns your sweet peck with a kiss on your jawline. “Before we start…Are you a virgin?”, Nanami questions. “No Sir. I lost my virginity a few years ago. I haven’t been with anyone since then though…”, you admit while feeling slightly uncomfortable remembering your failed relationship. He hums in acceptance of your answer, “Understandable. I won’t ask any further about your personal life.”. You gave him a soft ‘thank you’ and a smile. “Now that the small talk is over. Your safe word is Rose baby. If things get too painful for you, say that word and we’ll all stop no matter what. You or any of us can back out of this at anytime. Got it?” Gojo explains as he palms his dick showing off just how mighty it is through his pants. Your mouth waters a little, but you nodded your head understanding every word.

With that Choso rolled your chair to the office table. He picks you up and sits you in the middle of the table. The men circle you as you sit on top of your knees. “Stripe.”, was the only words that left Geto and Gojo’s mouths. You slowly peel off your dress and the warm office room air hits you. ‘Was it always this hot in here?‘ You cover your breast with one hand and slipped the rest of your dress off with the other. You shut your legs tight preventing them from seeing your covered pussy. The men take time to admire every part of your body to the last curve. You hide your face as the embarrassment gets to you. “Don’t be shy princess. We’ll take real good care of you.” Toji says giving you sly smirk making you blush. “So who’s gonna go first?”, Toji questioned before loudly shouting ‘me’ over everyone else in the room. Tension starts to rise as the men silently compete over who will go first. You giggle softly at their actions. Toji smirks at you and gives you a swat on your ass. You yelp a small moan and hold your butt. The rest of the men laugh a little while Choso brings a pen to the table, “Here’s how we’ll decide. She’ll spin the pen and whoever it lands on gets her. So on and so fourth. Hopefully she’s not fucked too dumb by the end of it”. The men agree, but Nanami makes sure it’s okay with you as well. You tell him yes and spin the pen.

The pen spins wildly until it lands on Choso. “Really.” Gojo comments in an annoyed expression sticking his tongue out in a dramatic manner. Choso flashes him a sly smile and reaches his hand out to you. You slide off the table and on to his lap. He calls you pretty and takes your lips into his. The kiss feels so good and even better when his hands find their way to your meaty ass kneading it like dough. You both moan in unison in each other’s mouths as you grind on him. Breaking away for air, Choso tells you to turn around in his lap. When you do so, you’re met by big dicks being stroked by big hands. Drool leaves your mouth as the onlooking men bite their lips and tighten their grip on their dicks. Choso pinches your nipples through your bra causing you to moan. You blush hard and press your body into him as he massages your tits. “P-please Mr. Choso…Ahn…s-suck my nipples.”, you beg as his slow massaging turns torturous. He kisses your ear and unhooks your bra letting your plump breast drop. He plays with your nipples earning him a few more moans before he being to suck them. Taking his time going from the right to the left. Your moans grow louder as your legs start to squeeze together. “Mmm-Cho-ahhh…Chose…so-oh...Good-ah!”, you scream out as his other hand snakes down into your panties and rub circles on your clit. Your needy pussy chases his fingers as your free hand grabs his hair giving it a soft tug. He moans around your nipple sending vibrations through your body. “Seems like she found his dirty secret”, laughs Geto. Choso picks up his speed bring you close to the edge, “I’m….ahh oh god….’m so close!”. He stops his fingers suddenly and he kisses down your neck.

You whimper from the loss of his thick fingers. “Get up here baby.”, he pats the table and you climb on top. He helps you face the others and tells you to arch your back. You can hear the stroking become louder as your pussy becomes on display more. Choso gives your ass a nice slap making your pussy clench around nothing. “Damn-fu-ahh. That pussy is so pretty and needy.” Gojo breathes out heavily as he strokes his dick squeezing it at the base. Choso rubs your clit again, “Want me to eat this needy pussy baby?”. You nod your head and spread your legs further eager for his tongue on your sweet sweet cunt. Choso laughs and blows his breath on your exposed heat. You flinch a little as his tongue starts to eat you out. You grab at the table moaning his name loudly. Wet sounds fill the room as he laps at your wetness, sucking at your clit and sticking his tongue in your pussy hole. You give a deep moan as he slides one finger into your pussy and starts to pumps slowly. “How you feeling? Let Mr. Choso know.”, he says as he fingers your tight pussy faster and eats you out. Your mind goes blank as the orgasm hits you. Cum drips from your hole onto Choso’s chin as you shut your legs tight holding his face hostage between your thighs. After riding out your high on his face, you lay down fully, twitching form the shock. “You okay?”, he asks with a worried expression on his face. You give him a thumbs up and spread your legs again for everyone to see your pussy. Choso smacks your ass and kisses the spot he made contact with.

“Guess you can say she enjoyed it.” laughed Nanami as he slowly strokes his cock while Choso wiped his mouth and uses your juices to stroke his long cock. He runs his hand up your legs and kisses you. You chase after his lips, but he cuts you off and hands you the pin. “Spin it, princess.” Toji says to you as he captures your lips next. The pen spins and lands between Geto and Gojo. You reach for the pen again, but Nanami stops you. You look at him and then Gojo and Geto.“Want to share your turn?” Geto asks as he stands with his cock pointing straight out. “You know I don’t mind sharing with you” Gojo replies with his curved dick jumping a little. “Come Here (Y/N).”. You get on your hands and knees and crawl towards them. They lift your head and kiss your cheeks. You giggle and kiss them back. Gojo strokes your cheek and takes your hand and wrap it around Geto’s dick. Geto moans softly in pleasure. “See baby. Stroke him just like that and make sure to squeeze his tip a little.’, he says as he teaches you how to pleasure Geto. He spits in your hand and helps you stroke Geto off.

“Dammit Satoru…mmm-ughh.”, he chokes out moans. Gojo kisses you passionately as you stroke Geto off. “Now do try to suck him off.”, Gojo tells while you massage Geto's loaded balls. His moans fill the room. Gojo holds your hair back and you slowly take Geto’s cock in your mouth. “Fu-fuck so warm and tight.”, he says as he places his hand on the back on your head helping you swallow all of what you can of his dick. After a few pumps, he starts to fuck into your mouth. Gawking noises hits everyone’s ears as they watch the slobber run down your chin as his balls slap against your face. Gojo laughs as Geto’s grip on your hair becomes tighter and pulls himself out of your mouth. “Think you can deep throat me sweetheart?”, he asks permission. “Yes Sir.”, you say as you open your mouth for him. He whistles at your actions while putting his massive dick back into your throat. He instructs Gojo to hold you still as he takes your mouth. What started as slow strokes quickly turned into quick deep thrust into your throat. He grunts and groans as he thrusts into your mouth. “Fuck! You better not drop a single sperm out of this pretty little mouth. You here me (Y/N)!”, Geto warns as one of his hands makes it to your throat to hold you further in place while you moan on his tip. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I’-I’m cum-mmmffp!”, Geto shoots thick ropes of cum into your throat as you try your best to swallow everything.

Geto kisses your cum stained lips, ‘Good job pretty.”. He helps Gojo flip you over. Your head next to Gojo’s cock while your pussy is in his face. You take his dick into your mouth too quickly and gag yourself squirting a little on his chest. Geto helps you readjust and you thank him. You try again at suckin him off while Geto starts to drag his tongue on your asshole. “Hurry up and take me all the way baby.”, he slaps your pussy for a little encouragement. “Mmm-Mr. Sa-Toru!”, you moan out as the slap stings a little, but the pain slowly turns to pleasure. You suck and stroke his dick as Geto holds your hair for you. Gojo fingers, and eats your pretty cunt out and you moan on his dick in return. The vibrations causes his hips to buck in your mouth. He bites his lip in satisfaction, “Yes baby..suck that big dick and drain my balls.”. He picks up his speed and bucks harder into your mouth. Geto holds your body up a little and moves in closer. Gojo catches on and helps him support you as Geto starts eating your juicy ass again while Gojo eats your pussy. You bob your head his dick and taking it out your mouth occasionally suck on his balls while you stroke his tip. You become overwhelmed from all the pleasure as that familiar knot forms again. The duo bully your ass and pussy while they play with your clit and ass with their fingers. “Cum…shi-shit…Pretty cum for me!”, Gojo shouts holding your head down to bottom out in your throat. He releases his cum which flows back down his cock as you cream on his face getting some on Geto. They flip you over and sit you on the table again. “You’re so fuckin hot sweetheart.”, they say in unison as you all take a break to regain yourselves. After making sure you can continue, the pen is placed in your hands yet again.

You look at Toji and Nanami as you spin the pin, still a bit dazed from being upside down. The pin stop on Nanami and Toji snatches it, “Fuckin’ useless shit! Saving me for last!”. He throws the pen to the ground and it scares you a little. His dick twitches as he regains control of himself. Toji smiles at you while rubbing your cheek and tells you it’s fine just a little overreaction. You smile back at him and kiss the inside of his hand. “Aren’t you a sweet girl.”, Nanami teases as he drops his pants fully and loosens his tie. He holds his hand out and you take his thumb into your mouth sucking on it. “You sure you want to get me started sweetheart? I can be a bit mean.”, he growls in your ear. The other men laugh as they continue to stroke themselves. You smile at him spreading your legs for him to see your dripping cunt. He smirks at you and tells stand in the center of the table. Nanami joins you on the table and lays on his back, motioning for you to straddle him. You do as your told and as a reward Nanami gives your pussy a few slaps with his cockhead. You try to close your legs, but he opens them wide and stares at your pussy. “God she’s beautiful.”, he says as he picks you up and hovers you over his face giving your pretty pussy lips a kiss before returning you to your previous spot. Nanami asks you to raise your hips a little as he lines himself up with your entrance. You hesitate a bit looking at his massive dick. He notices your expression, “You want to stop?”. You shake your head, “N-no…I’m just a little nervous. I’ve never had a dick this big before”. The room roars in laughter as Nanami sits up to kiss your face, “I’ll take it slow, so you can adjust to my size. When you get comfortable and ready for me to pound your pussy let me know.”. Your facial expression changes to one of relief as you raise your hips over him again.

“No wonder that cunt is so needy. You’ve never had any real dick before.”, Gojo says making the men and you laugh. Nanami holds the meat of your thigh with one had as he uses his other hand to keep his dick steady as it slowly stretches your tight pussy. Even with the prep, you struggle to take his cock. A tear rolls down your face as he bottoms out in you. Nanami grabs you and holds you close to his chest. The others watch as your pussy is stretched by his cock. Nanami wipes your tears and comforts you as you adjust to his size. After a minute or two, you tap his shoulders gaining his full attention. “Ready for me to move baby?”, he questions to which you nod your head. He slow strokes you trying his best to make your pain turn to pleasure. Once it does, he picks up his speed and your pussy clings to his dick, “Mm-fuck baby…clenching me so fuckin’ good.”. You throw your head back in pleasure as he holds your hips and abuse your cunt. “T-ah…thank you…Mr. Na-ahhh ah ah….Nana-mi!.”. He starts to slow his thrust down as he feels your organism approaching. You whimper placing your hands on his chest and looking at him with needy eyes. He puts his hand in your hair and pulls it, “If you want to cum, ride this dick until you cum all over me.”. Your heart thumps at his words as you slowly get on your toes using his body to support yourself. When you start to move your hips, the sound of your wet pussy could be through the room along with grunting and groaning. Your pussy gets wetter from all the sounds and eyes being on you. Chose sucks his teeth, “Damn I should’ve fucked her first.”. “Don’t worry, I’ll fuck her enough for you, him, and him.”, Toji smirks as he points at Choso, Geto, and Gojo while they scoff at him.

Nanami starts to moan as his grip on your hair and waist grows tighter. As you ride him, he ruts his hips up to fuck you back. “Yes baby…mphf-fuck yeah…give me at orgasm. Give me that fuckin’ orgasm!”. His thrust became more violent and you start to fall apart on his dick clawing at his chest. Tits bouncing in the air as you pause your movements to let him fuck you, “I’m going to fill this pussy so-mmmf…so good (y/n).”. The others move in closer as they suck at your neck and nipples while your cunt is being pounded by Nanami’s fat cock. “I’m…cu-ah…cumming…”, your voice trails off as you cum and squirt wetting Nanami. He wets everyone else by fucking you through your orgasm, releasing his seed in your tight cunt. Once you calmed down, Nanami lifts you up as everyone watches his cum drip out your pussy, biting their lips at the lovely site.

You look over at Toji who holds his hands out for you. Nanami passes you off to Toji and he kisses you deeply. His tongue invades your mouth and you moan in his when he smacks your ass. “Turn around fa’ me princess…and arch your back fa’ me.”, he instructs you as he stokes his dick. You turn around and wiggle your sexy ass at him before arching. Toji smirks and places a kiss on your back before putting his hand on your waist. You look back at him and hold onto his arm as he lines himself up and slowly enters your hole pushing Nanami’s cum out. Your pussy tightens and you moan out as he continues to enter you. “Don’t fight me doll. Let me in that sweet pussy.”, Toji says causing your face to heat up. You relax a bit and he takes the opportunity to shove the rest on himself in causing you to say his name loudly. He pushes done on your back and starts to fuck you. His thrust are so strong and fast, your ass and tits bounce in response. You dig your fingers into the table and try to move your body away from him a little. The pleasure is too intense and tears start falling down your face. The others smirk at you while encouraging you to take him. Toji’s thrust suddenly stops as he finds himself chasing your pussy with his last thrust.

He grabs you by the hair and pulls you up into his chest, “Stop fuckin’ runnin’ before I hold you down and make you take me. I’m not as merciful as Nanami.”. Your pussy flutters as you soak in his words. “I’m…I’m sorry Mr. Toji…I’ll behave.”, you apologize as your pussy grows wetter. He slaps your tits and pussy before letting go of your hair. You try to go back down into position, but Toji stops you, “You lost that privilege sweetheart.”. He shoves his dick back in you and hold you to his chest. The others watch in awe as his dick bulges in you. Nanami and the others press on the spot making you and Toji throw your heads back in pleasure. “Why didn’t you let us see the bulge you made in her?”, Geto questions Nanami as Gojo wonders as well. “I wanted to be selfish.”, Nanami admitted with no shame. Everyone laughs and calls Nanami a cold bastard.

Toji kisses your neck and holds your tits in his hands, “Fuck yourself on me. Do a good job and I’ll reward you by makin’ your ass see stars.”. He gives you a good thrust to signal you to start. You move your hips on him as best as you could. Your ass slaps against his pelvis as your pussy tries to swallow him whole. Your tongue rolls out of your mouth as your back arches loving the way his dick curves up and hit your spot every time. “I think she deserves some strokes. Don’t you?”, Choso suggest to Toji. He smiles and moves his hands to your throat and clit. He rubs circles on your clit and chokes you as he fucks into you hard. “Toji! Toji! Ahh! Ahhh!”, you scream his name as he bruises your cunt. “I’m right here babygirl. Let me kiss that cervix with my tip.”, Toji says as he somehow manages to fuck you deeper. Precum starts to form on the others dicks as they watch your pussy get slaughtered. “You wanted him to beat your pussy up baby.”, Gojo teases as he wipes your tears. Geto chimes in, “Aww is Mr. Toji bullying that sweet girl’s cunt?”. You moan out again and you claw at his arms. Your completely under his control right now and you love it. You love being used by these men. You love they way they abuse your cunt and make it their own. “Please. Can. I. Cum. Mr.-ah…TOJI!”, you moan out with each thrust he gives you. He bites into your neck and continues to fuck you, but you notice his thrust are becoming slow and random like Gojo and Nanami did. You clench your pussy in an attempt to make him cum first which makes him slap your cunt in response. He bends your body down some and lock his arms into yours, still fucking the shit out of your cunt. You start to lose breath as he digs into your guts so rough, but lovingly. “I’ll let you cum only beca-ahh fuck…I wanna’ stuff this pretty begging cunt…mmfu-full right now…”, Toji says through grunts as he starts to fill you up unable to hold back anymore. Everyone watches as they see Toji’s dick twitch inside of you shooting out his hot sticky load. As you feel the hot seed spread in your cunt, your orgasm sends you over the edge. Your body starts to slump down and everyone reaches out to catch you. Nanami grabs a water bottle as Choso holds your head up to drink. “Fuck. My bad princess…I put too much stress on you.”, Toji apologizes as the others provide you with comfort. You lay there for a minute while everyone else starts to pull up their pants.

You jump up, “R-Rose!”. All eyes snap towards you. You muster up all your courage and get on your knees on the table, “Please don’t…don’t go just yet.”. Tears start to form in your eyes, “…you didn’t even let me take you all at once…”. Your head jolts up at the sound of pants dropping simultaneously.

Geto: “You”

Gojo: “want”

Choso: “us”

Toji: “all”

Nanami: “at once?”

You laugh at their shocked faces and they grin at you. They gather around the table again as you sit in the middle. They discuss amongst themselves how it was going to go. Gojo and Geto call your ass while Nanami and Choso wanted your pussy. That tight loving throat of yours was claimed by Toji. Before they started to position themselves, they asked you one last time if this was okay. You reassured them as Choso and Nanami helped you stand. Gojo and Geto overlap their legs and push their cocks together while everyone spit on their cocks to act as lube for your ass. The other three helped lower you down as you hissed in pain from the stretch. They moan as they bottom out in you giving you time to adjust. After making sure you could keep going, Geto and Gojo supported your back as Nanami and Choso slid in your cunt stretching it wide. You all moaned in unison as they went as deep as they could. Toji stands on the table and taps your lips with his cock. You opened your mouth and took him in slowly as the rest start to move their dicks in you. Your face contorts in an uncomfortable expression as the pain overpowers the pleasure. Toji notices and stops everyone, “Either find a rhythm or fuck off. You’re hurting her.”. They all apologize and you tell them its okay before taking Toji’s nuts into your mouth gurgling on them.

Geto starts moving as with Choso. As they move out, Nanami and Gojo move in keeping your pussy and ass full. They work together to rise your body a bit, so Gojo and Geto can fuck into you properly without disturbing Choso and Nanami too much. They fuck into you slow using your moans as confirmation to move faster. “Open wide babygirl. Try your best to deep throat me.”, Toji says as he pushes your head down his dick. It’s almost suffocating and your eyes roll back once again in pleasure. Your pussy and ass clench causing the rest to moan out. Toji pulls out and everyone watches the spit from the back of your throat connects your mouth to his tip. Toji licks his lips, “I love that shit.”. He fucks into your throat as the others start fucking you mercilessly. The knot in your core builds rapidly and you start to call out , “Nanami! Choso! Toji! Geto! Gojo!”. Toji shoves his dick back in your mouth as your become a moaning mess on his tip. The others either dig their fingers into your body, pitch your nipples, rub your clit, and slap your ass as they rutted into you. Geto grunts as Gojo slaps your ass again, “Who…ahhh…ah-ass for? Who does this ass belong to?”. “Gojo and Geto! Ahhh yes…My ass belong to Gojo and Geto!”, you scream out as Nanami and Choso fuck you deeper hitting your g-spot repeatedly. Choso chokes out between moans, “ah-shit…and this tight pussy-“. Nanami joins him, “who does this pussy belong to baby…ohh-shit!”. Once again you scream their names as you can feel your core tightening ready to release any second now. Toji grabs your face and forces you to look at him, “Who does theses pretty lips belong to?”. You kiss his cock up and down before leaving a sloppy kiss on his tip, “My lips and mouth belong to you Mr. Toji”. You hold eye contact with him as he as you one last question, “Your body? Who owns it?”. You look at everyone and throw you head back as your powerful orgasm washes over you, “M-my body belongs to you all!”.

Toji holds your head up as you ride your high out. “D-don’t…s-stop…fu-fucking me…”, you beg them as your begging turns into babbles. You’ve been fucked dumb and the men fucking you are enjoying it as they can feel their balls swell with cum. Toji gently taps your cheeks and you open your mouth for him with dazed eyes. “Fuck! I…can’t hold on any..longer-ahhhhhh”, Chose moans as he creampies you. Gojo hisses and pumps his load into with Geto following right after him. Nanami is next to cum in you as his cum pushes out Choso causing a sticky white waterfall to run down your pussy. Toji fucks into your sloppy throat, “Swallow my cum like the good girl I know you are.”, he says between heavy breaths. Toji holds your head still as he starts to shoot his cum into the back of your throat. You try to swallow around him as he cums causing him to moan your name. After draining his nuts into your throat, he pulls out and you lick your lips gathering the rest of the cum and swallowing it as well. Everyone pulls out of you and give you time to rest before they hear a screech from the other side of the room. The curse has remerged, but this time it exploded.

The room became normal temperature again and Gojo speaks up, “So that’s why the room was so hot. The curse was still here.”.

Geto chimes in, “The curse was more than likely sex based.”.

Toji speak next, “She did say it’s been a while since she was laid.”.

“Yeah.”, Choso agreed.

“Well at least it’s gone now.”, Nanami adds before turning his attention back to you as you hold onto him. You burst out in laughter from how silly the situation was. All that trauma just because you didn’t get dick in a while. The others laugh with you and started cleaning up the office room. They came back to the table to clean you up as your legs were too fucked out to work properly. Once everyone was clothed, they all gave you their personal business cards and informed you to call them in case the ‘curse’ returned. You kiss them all understanding what they meant and Geto picks you up bridal style. As you and the others open the door, your met by Principle Yaga.

“Did they exorcise your curse?”, Yaga asked.

“Yeah…they exorcised it real well.”, you say a little embarrassed hiding your face in Geto’s neck. Everyone else laughs again before you all exit the room leaving Yagi confused.

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A/N: Up next “Disciplinary Actions” boss!Sir Crocodile x worker!Reader…

[commander-rahrah]

Here's my idea that I would love to hear your opinion! Just to let you know this is quite self-indulgent XD What if GN!Reader knew that he was trying to use them from the start? They knew because they're quite familiar with people only talking to them because it's either because they can do something for them or they have something they need! They would still help him since they believe it's something he shouldn't need to go so far to have it. What do you think of it? I'm curious :3

UMMM YESSSS ANON YES! This is definitely something I have considered as well!! Tav isn't a naïve little target like Astarion is used too!

I imagine that Tav/Reader would probably admit to knowing about his plan not long after his own confession scene from Moonrise Towers in Act II. I think it would go something like this ♡♡

P.S.: I absolutely LOVED doing this, and my inbox is literally always open for stuff like this friends! :) It may just take me a hot second to reply!

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“I still can’t wrap my head around this,” Astarion’s voice was a hushed whisper in your ear, the two of you laying next to each other in his tent. You were close, but not touching — you were affording him space, allowing him to make the first move to initiate any kind of touch.

The intimate setting of laying across from each other in his tent was more than you had even expected. The candle stumps sat carefully around you basked everything in a gorgeous, orange glow.

“What do you mean?” You asked gently, your eyebrows furrowed.

“I’d imagine confessing to you in more ways than one… and never once did I imagine it would end like this.” He motioned to the two of you, running a finger tip across your knuckles before withdrawing. His voice was thick with emotion.

A soft chuckle escaped you, “What you thought I’d stake you?”

“Well… yes!” He said exasperatedly, before letting out a breathy laugh himself. Then he shook his head, turning serious, “I was manipulating you. Plotting against my master, with you as my shield.”

Your mouth twitched as you admitted, “I knew.”

“No, I don’t think you understand—“

You interrupted him, your face earnest, “No, Astarion. I do. I knew.”

Realization set deep in his features, his mouth hanging open just enough you could see his fangs, “How long had you known?”

You gave him a half smile, “Since the night you invited me to the woods.”

Your first night together.

“I— that was ages ago!" He sat up abruptly, his red eyes wide, "Why didn’t you say anything? Or better yet— gut me?!"

You sat up slowly, resting on your knees. “People have been using me for my entire life, Astarion. I know what they see when they meet me — a pretty face and nice clothes. Someone who is too friendly, too eager. People have been knocking on my door to ask for gold or sex or an invitation, anything they can get from me… as long as I can remember. Long before I met you."

Astarion was well aware of the mask you could so easily slip on when interacting with others. He hated it when you wore it. But now he understood you had been donning it to protect yourself, as much as he it did for himself too. But he still wanted to stalk and haunt every person who ever made you feel like you were a thing to be used, a means to some end.

Including himself.

Your voice snapped him back to the present, your voice hesitant, "But I had seen through your flirtations for a while now. It’s a force of habit for you, isn’t it?"

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, "Yes, it is."

Your expression crumbled, "I may have realized you were using me, but I didn’t realize how sex made you feel. I’m sorry I didn’t realize, I shouldn’t have indulged in that way."

The vampire waved off your apology, but curiosity got the best of him. "Why did you ‘indulge’? If you knew I was using you… if you knew that I'm... this."

You took a deep breath, before looking him in the eye. “Because I also recognized that what you were doing was a routine, a defense mechanism that you had been doing for longer than I’ve been alive. Because you were manipulated and used for your whole life too, weren’t you?"

Tears formed in the bottom of his eyes as he listened to you, but he willed them to stay back. His red eyes blinked furiously as he listened to you, his fingers intertwining together on his lap.

He wished you would hold them.

"You aren’t like your master, Astarion. And you aren’t what he made you to be either. You are a survivor. And when you were thrown off that nautiloid ship and found yourself in this merry party of misfits, you did just that — survive.

So… I let myself play mouse and get stuck in your trap. Just as I turned a blind eye to Wyll's sending stone. Or didn't ask Gale to explain what in the heavens he was doing with the amulet we had found. Because I trusted you, even back then. Cared for you far more then I should admit. But I knew you needed time."

His bottom lip trembled as you continued your own confession. He let his tears slip free as he saw your own break free. They stuck to your lashes and dripped down your flushed, freckled cheeks. Gods, even crying you were beautiful.

"But I regret that I laid with you — if I had known it caused you such pain I wouldn’t have done that. I knew that sex was apart of your repertoire, but I didn’t realize the anguish it caused you." Your face was pained as you admitted that, he could feel the self-loathing radiating off of you.

“It wasn’t all bad — those times with you were some of the most unexpected moments of bliss I’ve had in centuries." Astarion confessed as he grabbed your fingers and held them tightly. "But it still feels tainted, marred from my past with Cazador..."

“I know." You squeezed his fingers back, another silent understanding. "And we do not need to do such things until you are ready, Astarion. I mean it.”

He nodded, keeping his head down as he stared at the blankets you both sat on — willing himself to get his emotions under control.

You tucked your head to look up at his tilted face, "May I?" You asked softly, your hand hovering between you.

He swallowed as he nodded. You reached out slowly with your hand, before your thumb gently swept under his eyes and down the sides of his face, wiping away the tears that lingered on his pale skin. A sigh of contentment left him at your soft, simple touch. No one had ever touched him like that before.

He caught your hand as you went to withdraw it, your hands intertwined with his between you as you kneeled in front of each other.

Astarion was afraid to ask the next question on the tip of his tongue. But curiosity got the best of him. “So if you knew about my plan this whole time… when did you realize you— you’d fallen for me?”

Your entire face brightened as he asked, your eyes shining as you spoke, “Oh, from the moment you held a knife to my throat and barred your teeth.”

His heart soared, climbing up his throat as he almost choked from the happiness spreading through him.

“You masochist.” He laughed, grabbing onto the sides of your face.

“A romantic fool," You murmured as he placed his lips softly onto yours.

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If you enjoyed this, please feel free to check out more of my Astarion x GN!Reader on my masterlist!

[tmntxthings]

∑一 Do You Realize?・゜・。

author’s notes: idk what to say & also idk what i wrote, i was floating during this XD but we post anyhow

warnings: fluff, slice of life, flirt, cursing? unedited asf, suggestive perhaps??? if you squint?? or maybe like peanut butter a lot???

song: “ Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips ”

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Michelangelo was quiet as he ate his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Though it was more peanut butter than jelly. Which really may have been even more disturbing than the silence. Who in their right mind liked the way it got stuck in the roof of their mouth?

“…”

You munched on your own sandwich. A proportionate amount of pb and j on either bread slice. After swallowing you decided to speak up.

“What?”

His response was immediate after a blink or two.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“Yeah but I know you’ve got something to say,”

He goes back to that odd quietness again. His fingers squeezing onto the sandwich too tightly. Peanut butter getting all over his hands. Well. Even more so than before. Truthfully he had been sticking his fingers in the jar to eat it raw earlier.

“…it’s weird.”

A teasing tone came from your voice as you nudged your shoulder with his.

“Can’t be weirder than eating peanut butter with your fingers.”

“Hey!” An offended lilt heard from Mikey. But it couldn’t be helped!

“Just kidding..” “Mostly..” You offered as a compromise. His head tilted from side to side, seeming to let it go in favor of the initial conversation.

“Well, I was just thinking about how we’re all gonna die one day.” Now you hadn’t been expecting that. Not at all. Mikey had his weird quips. But this was darker than most! You wondered if his favorite pizza place had been demolished again offhandedly before saying the first word that came to your mind.

“Oh?” But it didn’t stop there!

“And that, I’d just hope you’d be around when it happens for me.”

Now that was just too much. It was sad. It was sweet. It was all wrapped up in emotions that had you looking Mikey in the eyes, pb fingers and all and giving him a small smile.

“Damn..” Again you were at a lack of words here. You wished you could say more. In fact you should’ve just said, ‘same’ or ‘me too Mikey’ or anything other than something so meaningless.

“Yeah, weird right?” He didn’t seem put off by your lack of response. His eyes had met yours, returning the smile before looking back down at his food. Taking another bite.

“A little, but not the strangest thing ever.” Which was true. You had to endure Leo after all. And he said random shit all the time. Though not as philosophical. Maybe Donnie would be closer to this category.

“Also!” Mikey spoke up around his bite.

“Oh there’s more?” You pop the last bite into your mouth. Dusting off the crumbs on your fingers on the paper plate below. Reaching for the bottle of water that had sat untouched since the two of you had sat down for the midnight snack.

“Yeah! I was also thinking about how life goes by super fast, and all the good moments too, it’s the bad ones that tend to drag out. I just wonder why that is.” This was longer, and even more confusing than the first.

“Hmm” Your eyebrows went together, thinking of what to say. Holding off for longer than before. But your mind was still blank. The thoughts weren’t weird, in fact you felt they were true. But..“I couldn’t even begin to try and pretend that I know the answer,”

“Yeah,” Mikey sighed in agreement. It was something he couldn’t answer too.

“And another thing!”

It seemed Mikey was on a roll tonight. You propped your elbow up on the table. Letting your hand cup your cheek as you leaned into it. Pushing the paper plate away from underneath you. “Mhm?” You listened intently. Well you thought you had been. Because you got some words but not the others as you watched his eyes rather than his lips.

You caught words like, “face” “happiness” “realize” It all didn’t really make much sense. But his eyes, the way they lighted up as you paid attention. It was so endearing. Unlike the rest of him that was green and orange, and okay he had splashes of other colors with his stickers too. But his eyes. They held a mixture of such a striking red and a mellow amber. It was far from anything you had ever seen, much like the turtle himself. Entrancing.

“You didn’t hear a word I just said did you?” He mused. And you were caught red handed as you sheepishly tried to play it off, listing the words you did catch with a bit of embarrassment. “Well that just won’t do, listen close okay?” Mikey said and his hands went up as if to cup your face, but he still had peanut butter covering them so instead you held onto his wrists, nodding in confirmation.

“Do you realize that you have the most beautiful smile? The one when your especially happy?” You squeezed his wrists, giving him a rueful expression. Was he being serious? Of course he was! He was smiling at your bashfulness, but nothing in his stare said he was playing you. “Thanks for enlightening me,” you say, though the blush can’t be helped.

“Your welcome!” And he had the audacity to wink as he took one peanut butter covered finger and stuck it in his mouth. You blinked. How could he go from borderline flirting to— to?!? Whatever he was doing now??? Eating obliviously?? It was times like these where you wondered. The lower half of your face hidden behind a hand pressed against your mouth. Trying to cover that embarrassingly bright blush. You wondered if Mikey actually did know what he was doing, and he was just a damn good actor at pretending not to know.

As you recomposed yourself, lost in thoughts like those. You didn’t pay any mind to Mikey turning slightly to the side and winking at no one in particular.

Yeah he knew. And yeah he does it on purpose.

;D

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[umnitsa]

Podium

Summary: Jack has a challenge.

A/N: I feel this is a bit cracky. I giggled writing one too many times, from sheer joy xD thanks @hopsgirl for the inspiration and encouragement. I hope you guys like it!

Pairing: Jack Salter x fem!Reader

CW: fingering (f receiving), somewhat of a size kink, squirting, praise kink. Shameless appropriation of lines and structures from the movie (and I don't even care) (howl in the comments if you see it)

Jack sat on the bed, sliding his hand up and down your naked thigh. You were completely naked and he was dressed, in a dark polo and black jeans. Everything with him was a challenge… At least felt like it. You didn’t mind. He smiled gently, petting you.

“You know I need to prepare you, don’t you?” He said, softly; you nodded as an answer. “We want to do this as safely as possible. I don’t want you to get hurt in any way.”

Jack raised the dildo, and for the first time in the evening, you felt intimidated. It was big, impressively thick. You swallowed, squirming. His hand on your thigh was soothing.

“I know, right? It seems way too big, and you aren’t sure it will fit. It takes courage, you need to keep calm, and you need to want it more than anything. This is not an easy task. And it’s absolutely no shame if you give up right now. Not a lot of people can actually take it… Take me. Do you want to stop? This is your chance.”

You shiver, the whole challenge making you even more wet. You would enjoy that one. You licked your lips, some primal need to be worthy of this man’s approval taking your senses.

“No, Jack.” You sighed, his hand on your thigh too enjoyable. “Please, don’t stop.”

Jack smirked, looking pleased with your answer. He moved, placing the dildo on the bed, a bottle of lube beside it. He opened your legs gently, sitting between them.

“Are you ready?” He asked, his thumb rubbing up and down your slit, soft moans falling from his lips as he feels your slick. “It seems you are.”

He slid his index finger, his thumb pressing over your clit. You whimpered, your thighs twitching. His fingers felt so good.

“Keep still.” His voice was soft, nasal, and carried this deep commanding quality. He added a second finger and soon you could feel the filthy sound of his thrusting. He groaned and pushed another finger into you.

You felt like you were going to burst just from his fingers, you could just imagine how his cock would feel. You whimpered, grabbing the sheets, his fingers quickly picking up speed, quickly hitting the sweet spot inside you until you wailed under his watchful gaze.

You realized that he was going to make sure you would relax to take it all by overstimulating you until you couldn’t think, you couldn’t move, you would be just pliant under his hands, under his body. It made something stir inside you, as you quickly approached orgasm, your thighs trembling. He shifted, and you felt a finger over your clit, rubbing circles over your clit.

“Hey.” His soft voice cut through your pleasure. You looked down. Jack was looking up at you, intensely, lips parted, panting, in expectation. “It’s time.”

It was the way he said it; as if it was an undeniable fact, as if he was driving your body and there was no other possible outcome.

Your orgasm took you by surprise and by force. It was like an explosion, burning hot through your body and between your legs.

“Fuck!” He exclaimed happily, admiring, as you squirted all over him. “Good girl!”

Jack slowed his fingers until he stopped, one of his hands petting your belly; the other, drenched, rested against your thigh. With a smirk, he slapped your pussy, enjoying the splash. You yelped.

“You were pretty damn good for me, baby.” He paused, smiling approvingly. He looked into your eyes, and with a nod, said softly:

“You got this. One more.”

[b4mpyre-k1zz3s]

Can I request a Chris Pontius x Female!Readee imagine about Chris Dating the reader who is Steve-O’s sister who is the complete opposite of him?

Total(y Shirtless) Gentleman

When Y/N gets dragged along to her brother’s house party, all she can think about is how much she’d rather not be there- that is, until she meets someone who makes her change her mind.

Chris Pontius X Fem!Reader

(Fluff)

1.1k Words

Warnings: Suggestive content, mention of drug use, fighting, flirting, crude language, drinking

An: Thank you so much for your request!! I always love writing for Chris :) he is such a sweet guy! As a note I also do not have a brother (add that to the list with being married and having a baby) so yet again I do hope this is accurate to real brother behavior. I really enjoyed where this fic went and would be totally down for writing another part if anyone would be interested! I know I wrote it but I really wanna see where this goes XD Anyways, thank you for requesting and please keep the requests comming!!!

Your brother made a living shoving things up his ass and swallowing goldfish on MTV, while you couldn’t even shotgun a beer. That’s how you ended up in this situation; on his shitty couch he got off a street corner, drenched in cheap booze at a house (apartment) party you didn’t even want to be at. Steve invited you and you were too nice to turn him down, even though you knew you had an essay to work on. Still, you tried to have fun and as the night went on and the AMs hit, he got the genius idea to show you how to ‘just drain a fucker’ as he put it. Even though all you really wanted was to be at home, you forced a smile because, while he was an ass at times, he was your brother, and you really did love him, even with all the crazy bullshit he got you into.

Not noticing your pretty apparent discomfort at the mess on your shirt through his drunk goggles, Steve roughly slung an arm around you, cheering with the rest of the party’s patrons. You were distracted by the feeling of the beer seeping through fabric and sticking to your skin to notice when your brother pulled someone out of the crowd and onto the couch next to him, eagerly introducing this stranger, “Oh! Hey- hey, Y/N! This here’s my buddy Chris!” Your head went up from trying to figure out if you could see your bra through your shirt and to the man on the far side of the couch who was smiling at you. Squinting through the dimness, you completely forgot about the beer. He was hot- really hot, and there was something about him, maybe the long hair or the way he carried himself that seemed to just captivate you. Steve’s intoxicated rambling turned into background noise, “Dude, he’s, like- the raddest dude I know. One time-“ his attention slipped away when someone tapped him on the shoulder and whispered something in his ear, quickly whisking your brother away and leaving you alone with Chris.

“Did you spill something on your shirt?” In contrast to some of the awful flirting attempts you had heard from guys, this seemed like a genuine question. You played it safe anyways, speaking up over the loud music of the party, “Uh, yeah. I can’t really walk around like this…” Before you could say anything more, he was talking off his orange Black Flag t-shirt, smiling like a golden retriever, “Oh, here!” You could see the contours of his tan muscles, ogling his biceps so hard you had to remind yourself not to stare, tearing your eyes away from his Adonis-like physique. Was he actually going to give the shirt off of his back to a complete stranger? “A-Are you sure?” Chris shrugged, smiling, “Yeah! I don’t even like wearing clothes anyways!”

As one would expect, Steve wasn’t exactly happy to see his sister wearing his best friend’s T-shirt. He grabbed the hem to examine it, squinting with deibeleif, “This isn’t…who- is this Chris’ shirt?” You knew how he would react but you still felt compelled to tell the truth, speaking as nonchalantly as you could muster as you leaned against the wall, “Yeah.” His eyes went wide. Every muscle in Steve’s body seemed to tense in a second and all of the substances coursing through his body did nothing to tamp down his overprotective brother instincts, “Why the hell’re you wearing Chris’ shirt- and where is he?!” He always assumed the worst with you, but if there was one place you wouldn’t want to be, it was on the receiving end of Steve’s wrath after someone hurt his sister. “Hey, w-'' Though you tried to stop him, he stormed off down the hallway before you could explain anything.

“What the fuck were you doin’ with Y/N?” Even though Chris had at least fifty pounds on your brother, Steve grabbed and yanked him away from whatever conversation about surfing he was having with ease, dragging him to one corner of the party. Pontius, confused, held up his hands in surrender at his seemingly uncalled for aggression, “What? She spilled beer on herself, dude- I just gave her my shirt!” Steve knew guys, and he knew that couldn't be true. Though he let go of his gator grip on his thick bicep, the sheer rage in his eyes didn’t leave just yet, not quite believing him, “That’s it? You seriously didn’t do anything?” Chris had known Steve for years and for everything the two of them had done together he had never seen him this pissed. He swallowed, “Nothing! Promise!” Your brother sighed in relief at his earnest response, but of course Pontius, who had a tendency to be honest to a fault, just had to open his mouth, “I mean, she is pretty hot, but-“

“You stay away from my sister!”

As all of this happened, you were completely unaware of this exchange, blissfully ignorant until you went squeezing through crowds, searching for Chris near the end of the night. It’s actually surprisingly hard to pick a shirtless guy out at a house party. When you did eventually find him, you leaned over towards him, tapping him on a well defined shoulder, “Hey, I just-“ He jumped a little, still shaken up from Steve’s little outburst earlier in the night. Of course, you assumed you were the source of his surprise so your eyes widened in panic, words coming out like little mousey squeaks, “Oh! I’m sorry- I just, uh- I just wanted to know when I could get this back to you? The shirt, I mean.” After a second, Chris eyed the room, shooting a glance behind him before reaching into his pocket and grabbing his BlackBerry. He hit a few buttons before glancing up at you, his voice low but still with that sweet quality you heard from him before, “Tomorrow works for me. What’s your number?”

Was this real? This super hot guy was asking for your number? It was like your heart was going to leap out of your chest as Chris chuckled, “I mean, so you can give it back to me! We should meet up or something.” Is that a date? Holy shit. You meet a guy, he gives you his clothes, he asks for your number, and now you have a date with him. This is the type of thing you only fantasize about and see in movies. Your face was red as a tomato as you smiled, nodding as you pulled out your phone, “Uh, sure! Yeah!” Maybe that party was worth going to anyways.

[rabbitenn]

Okok I have a kinda silly req

Yuki, Mitsu, and any other boy of your choice reacting to their s/o surprising them dressing as a bunny (whether cute or sexy you decide) at their house? XD

RABBILOVE.

Maybe he likes your little surprise a little too much.

ft. Yuki, Izumi Mistuki, Kujo Tenn, Izumi Iori x gn! reader.

cw/genre: fluff, a teensy bit heated in Yuki’s and Tenn’s but still very much fluff.

hey, hey, nonnie ! This is such a cute request, thank you so much for the idea <3 I hope you like the rest of the boys I picked hehe. My apologies that this is kind of late, hopefully you’ll still enjoy….

♡ YUKI

— You knew Yuki wasn’t exactly the most adamant at expressing his emotions through words.

— With that cool facade of his, sometimes, you couldn’t help but tease him a little, just for the pleasure to see him at a loss for words.

— That is the reason you orchestrated this whole plan, after all.

— With a mischievous smile, you take out the black suit you had just purchased, alongside a pair of fishnet thighs and black bunny ears.

— Looking at it now, the suit seems more revealing than you had expected… Well, you already invested the money, so might as well carry on with your little machinations.

— Yeah, it definitely is way smaller than you had imagined, practically leaving nothing to imagination.

— You hold your heating cheeks as you examine yourself in the mirror. Then shake your head: no, this is good, actually. This is meant to fluster Yuki, it’s going to work.

— Just as you make your way out of your shared room, the front door clicks open.

— “[Y/n], dear, I’m home.” Yuki greets. You observe from the corridor as he settles on the couch.

— Silently approaching from behind, you wrap your arms around his shoulders.

“Welcome home, Yuki ~” You sing-song, tone playful.

— You walk around the sofa, finally sitting next to him, your legs crossed.

— An intense peachy hue rises to your lover’s pale cheeks. You relish in the way he’s trying so hard to keep a straight face.

— “Is something the matter, Yuki?” You tease, facing him, taking a lock of his hair and twirling it between your fingers.

— “I…” He swallows, his icy eyes very obviously roaming through your curves. Then, he covers his face with his hands. “How am I supposed to resist when you look this good?” He mumbles, his tone whiny.

— You chuckle as a response.

“Oh, Yuki, you can be incredibly cute.” You tell him, cuddling up against his side.

— You think he’s cute, but his mind right now is running with all kinds of passionate thoughts.

That, however, is a story for another day.

♡ IZUMI MITSUKI

— The weather was getting cold, and with, it the sun set too early, the vibrant clouds of dusk fading to black all too soon.

— You didn’t mind that much, your boyfriend was brighter and warmer than any sun, anyway.

— But tonight, you miss him. You had come to the dorms to spend the night with him, but he and the rest of the boys were taking longer than usual.

— You sigh, laying on your boyfriend’s bed. You wish you could cuddle with him now… But you know how important the work he does is to him, and you want to support him through it all.

— Turning on your side, you spot something orange and soft-looking folded on one corner of the bed.

— It’s his hoodie, the one with rabbit ears.

— You smile, picking it up, hugging it against your chest. It smells like him and it looks so comfy… Would it really be that bad if you were to try it on?

— You miss Mitsuki, and you’re all alone here, plus it’s starting to get cold…

— Listening to those reasons you yourself came up with, you shrug the hoodie on, pulling on the hood, fluffy rabbit ears sticking out.

— It’s so soft… And comfortable… And warm… You could certainly fall asleep right now.

— And that’s exactly what you do.

— Sweet dreams of your cute partner grace your sleep.

— That is, until you hear the dorm’s door and various voices filling the otherwise empty space.

— You stand up in a hurry, running to welcome them back, especially Mitsuki.

— “Mitsu!” You exclaim, engulfing him in a hug as soon as he steps through the door.

— “Hey, [Y/n]!” He has time to say, before bracing himself as to not topple to the ground when you throw your arms around him.

— He chuckles. “You really missed me that much, baby? Oh, what are you wearing?” The idol asks, as he places his hands on your shoulders.

— Your face heats up, you totally forgot to remove his sweatshirt.

— You go to pull off its hood but Mitsuki stops you.

— “Leave it on, my lovely.” Your boyfriend smiles, patting your head. “You look adorable.”

— You bury your face in the crook of his neck. You’re so happy he’s here with you now.

— And so is Mitsuki. He missed you a lot too. Plus, returning home to you wearing his clothes is certainly a nice surprise, especially when you look so cute.

♡ KUJO TENN

— You had been a little worried about your boyfriend.

— He works so hard, and tries to make everyone happy, which led to him recently having been hospitalized due to overwork.

— And yet, he was stubborn enough, that in order to avoid worrying and disappointing his fans, he showed up at the concert anyway, offering his usual perfect performance.

— Your heart broke a little when you saw how exhausted he was afterwards… You really want to do something for him.

— However, now that you ponder it, you are really not sure this has been a great idea.

— Sure, the pink bunny costume is cute enough, with the white fluffy ears to go with it, and the lacy white stockings… But will you be able to live up to any expectations Tenn might have had?

— Well, you’re already all dressed up and your boyfriend deserves to be pampered, so you raise your chin and go to join him in your room.

— As soon as you as much as crack the door open, Tenn raises his gaze from his phone, looking your way.

— With a gasp, you close the door between you.

— No, you’re so not ready for this… But you want him to feel loved…

— “[Y/n]?” You hear your boyfriend from the other side of the door. “Are you there? Is everything alright, my love?”

— “Y-yes!” You squeak. “I’m okay.”

— Tenn tries to open the door.

— “No, Tenn! Wait. Don’t look!” You take a deep breath. Okay, you can do this. “Can you close your eyes for a moment, please?” You ask him, your tone bashful.

— “Alright. Done.” You hear the amused lilt of his voice.

— Carefully, you enter the room, coming to stand right before him.

— “Okay, you can open your eyes now, Tenn…” You shyly utter.

— And oh, is he happy at the sight. Maroon eyes widen, a color not very different from the one on your costume dusting over the angelic pallor of his complexion.

— You look so utterly cute… And the way you act so shy is just so endearing…

— “I wanted… to surprise you with something nice… because you work so hard for everyone…” You mumble, fiddling with the frilly pink miniskirt. “Do you… Do you like it?” You ask, averting your gaze to the side.

— “I love you.” Are the words Tenn utters, as his hands take hold of your waist and his forehead rests against yours.

— Your breath hitches at his sudden proximity, eyes fixated on his dilating pupils as he takes you in.

— “Tenn…” You breathe out. “I love you too…”

— “Now, how about I give my bunny a secret night?” He whispers, lips brushing the shell of your ear.

— “Tenn!” You whisper-shout. “Tonight is about you, so let me spoil you, hm?” You retort, encouraged, as you wrap your arms around his shoulders, noses inches apart.

— “Expect me to return the favor, though.” Tenn smiles, as he leaves a tender kiss on your jawline, starlight lashes tickling you as he trails towards your sweet lips.

— Oh, this had definitely been a good idea.

♡ IZUMI IORI

— You were very aware Iori loved cute things, no matter how much he tried to play it cool.

— You saw the bento boxes his brother prepared for him and how he took pictures of them with shiny eyes.

— So much so that, lately, you had started helping Mitsuki prepare your boyfriend’s lunch boxes.

— But, somehow, this didn’t feel enough for all the things Iori did for you; from helping you with your classes, to taking you on dates he knew you’d like, to caring for you when you were sick… He works so hard for everyone, performing and helping manage IDOLiSH7…

— So, one afternoon, you decide to surprise him.

— You had accorded to meet at your house to study together, thus, this was the perfect moment to do something for him.

— You look at yourself in the mirror, adjusting the soft bunny onesie you had bought.

— You knew Iori was weak to this kind of cute stuff (see, you actually had to refrain yourself from buying a matching one for him. As much as you’d love seeing him in one, you don’t want to overwhelm him).

— As soon as you hear your doorbell, you run to the door, knowing it’s him (he’s never late).

— “Iori!” You greet him, with a wide smile.

— He gasps, slamming the door shut behind him.

— Those deep night sky eyes of his are averted, stealing furtive glances in your direction.

— ‘Too cute! Too cute!’ He thinks, as he tries not to stand there, just staring like an idiot in love (which he very much is).

— But he just can’t admit that so blatantly.

— So he clears his throat. “[Y/n], we have homework to do, don’t we?” He tries, in his usual cool tone.

— “Just admit that you want a matching one already, will you?” You chuckle, poking his cheek.

— His blush deepens. Then:

“No, seeing you look this cute is enough.”

— You giggle, placing a sweet kiss to his cheek and leading him by the hand into your room.

— Needless to say, Iori kept messing up his math problems that afternoon.

[covenofwives]

Intertwined

DreamXD knew, in his head, that there would be a God of the Nether, but he never gave to much thought into who that could be. He certainly didn't expect to meet them. Sapnap4K is loud, incredibly open and upsettingly tall, but he's so friendly with HD, so XD tries to give him a chance.

The fic people have been waiting for and I was dying to finish.

Before you start reading I must warn you this fic is LONG. It's a bit over 12k words. So please get yourself a drink. Some snacks maybe. Or read it in chunks. Enjoy it the best way for you. I hope you enjoy the canon meeting of XD and 4K and for anyone curious, these events take place just a small bit before Dream gets locked in prison.

---

The air of the Overworld was slowly growing tense. It seemed to build up every other day, and then would settle down to a stale standstill. DreamXD, trying to keep as neutral as possible, deliberately didn’t involve himself and tried as hard as he could to avoid knowing anything going on, but of course that was impossible. He could hear the whispers of gossip and talk of the day float his way and while he might not have known the whole story, he knew at the centre of it all was Dream.

It was harder to push down to a feeling of neutrality when it involved his brother. Torn in three ways between wanting to protect Dream, wanting to scold him for his actions and wanting keep out of it all was exhausting to manage. DreamXD tried as best he could to keep it all calm. He’d meet with his brother with smiles and keeping calm as he could, but the growing unease couldn’t be ignored anymore.

There was no way XD could keep ignoring it all, but it was a little easier to do if he just wasn’t there.

Despite what excuse XD used, eventually his visits to GeorgeHD in the Godly Realm became more for himself than to check up on his friend. It wasn’t like it was completely selfish though. He could still check on HD while avoiding his troubles; it didn’t have to be one or the other.

Visiting GeorgeHD was almost like a mini-vacation. With only the two of them they were locked away in their own world, of flowing soft colours.

XD was just making his way through the Godly Realm, watching the area dissolve into a void of colours. The realm was peach oranges and soft pinks, meaning HD was awake and in a good mood.

His steps hurried along the coloured void, his joy lifting immediately as though taking in the colours around him. He came to the familiar spot, where HD lay with his blankets and XD’s steps slowed.

There was an unfamiliar shape sitting by HD’s blankets. A large shape of mostly black but the closer XD’s unsure steps got, the more little details he could make out. This other shape was a person, or humanoid at least. They had on a large black coat, with thick black hair that faded out to a glowing fire orange down his back and two horns poking through the thick mane of hair.

A twinge of worry plucked in XD’s chest. If this person was here where was HD. But the closer XD got, he could finally see HD. The starry haired God was there, lounging over the lap of this new figure.

XD stopped in his tracks.

HD had never been the social kind of God. XD’s friendship with him had been about as smooth as trying to bring a cat into a bath, and the smaller God had never once mentioned any other relationships that XD was convinced he didn’t even know any other God. Yet here he was, so easily lounging over someone else’s lap.

The new figure said something that was too far for XD to hear. Whatever it was HD scoffed at it and rolled his eyes and the new figure grinned so wide with his shoulder’s shaking in a small laugh.

Jealously wrung it’s nasty head but XD swallowed it back down their throat and carried on. They didn’t know this new person, but HD did and HD was kind to them, and that was enough.

XD only had to take a few more steps forward until he was noticed. While the figure looked down to HD, their pointed ears twitched and orange eyes flicked up to catch XD approach. And they grinned again.

When the eyes were upon him, XD stopped mid-step. The stranger’s eyes were warm and sparkling with delight, like he was looking at prey. This figure was a God, clearly, and they were powerful.

“Finally. The God I’ve heard so much about.” The new God’s voice rumbled from his chest. Deep and rich.

HD tilted their head up, leaning over the God’s leg to look at XD. Their expression switched to a mild surprise. “XD. I didn’t think you’d visit so soon.”

XD took in a breath, taking a slower step forward. The new God chuckled slightly. “You don’t need to be scared. I don’t bite.”

“I’m not scared.” XD replied, hating how defensive he sounded but he was thankful his voice came out evenly.

The black haired God grinned again, slower this time. It wasn’t in a taunting or malicious way but XD felt like it held power. Like this God knew something more.

“I’m…at a disadvantage.” XD admitted. He stopped a few feet away from the two. “I don’t think we’ve ever met.”

“Hmm. No. We’ve not. At least not formally.” The new God looked down to HD, still lounged over their lap. “Usually the gracious host would introduce us.”

HD had been casually watching the two as they spoke. Suddenly addressed, his lips pulled into a scowl and he reluctantly pointed up to the figure looming over him. “XD. This brute is Sapnap4K. God of the Nether.”

The Nether God. XD thought, gaining some confidence as he stepped forward. XD knew there was a God for the Nether, or at least had assumed their was. It would have been rather selfish to think he was the only Realm God. The Nether surely had one. Maybe even the Overworld.

For the time being, XD pushed those thoughts aside as 4K extended a hand out. He shook himself off and quickly brought his own hand forward.

“I’m DreamXD. The God of the End.” They quickly introduced themselves, and shook 4K’s hand as he offered it. The Nether God’s hand was warm and his grip was strong. His fingernails were jet black and just a little bit longer than XD’s own. Something more akin to claws.

“I’ve heard about you!” 4K beamed and drew his hand back. He smiled a little softer than his grins, showing his array of fanged teeth. One fang, on his right side, grew just a little longer than the others and snagged over his bottom lip a little. XD was focused on it as 4K spoke again.

“How is the End Realm?”

It wasn’t a question XD was used to hearing. It caught them off guard for a moment, but they regained themselves quickly. “It’s…fine.”

“Really?” 4K’s head tilt. “Visited it at all?”

The question didn’t sit right with XD. A defensive tone surged through him, puffing up his chest but he, thankfully, kept  his voice calm. “I’ve looked in on it recently. Nothing changed.”

4K went to open his mouth again but rather than words a surprised squawk came out instead. 4K, and XD, looked over to see a white hand by 4K’s arm, poised in a jabbing shape and quickly disappearing as HD huffed.

“Forgive 4K, XD.” HD said as he pushed himself up from 4K’s lap. 4K leaned himself back to allow him by. “He means well but he comes across as a nosey, brash fool.”

HD shuffled himself over to his pile of blankets as 4K shrugged with a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I’m a working God. Can’t turn it off.” He looked back up to XD. “No hard feelings, I didn’t mean to give you a hard time.”

XD nodded as the flare in his chest died down. “It’s fine…” He gave a half shrug and hoping his voice didn’t betray his mood.

It seemed to have worked, as 4K’s smile softened; his eyes not glowing with such intent anymore. “Speaking of which,” He sighed. “I have to get back to the Nether. Can’t leave it alone for too long.”

HD gave a ‘tsk’ sound as his lips raised in a low scowl. The sleepy God seemed genuinely mad 4K was leaving. “It’s not going to implode.”

“No, but I can’t let the in-fighting get too rough.”

4K stretched out his hand to the ground beside him. The colours of HD’s realm swirled and mixed together, forming into an off purple colour before popping with light pink particles and the space under 4K’s hand formed into a small Nether portal.

The black haired God gave a final look over XD, smiling widely again. “It was good to finally meet you, DreamXD.”

XD gave a slow nod. “You too…”

4K nodded, to both XD and HD before he leaned back and fell into the Nether Portal. The purple vortex disappeared as soon as the Nether God was through and the ground turned back into the swirling colours of pinks and orange. He left a thick silence behind before HD let out an annoyed huff.

“What’s the point of his visits? He only ever stays for an hour, then he’s off.” HD complained while he rearranged his blankets. When he’d moved them into a position he was happy with he fell into them, letting the plush pillows and blankets break his fall as he huffed again.

When he had settled again, HD tilted his head to XD. “Also, what about you? Everything alright?”

“Alright?” XD repeated and looked over to HD almost in a daze. “What…?”

“You were here not long ago. Usually your visits are more…spaced out.”

“Oh. Yeah I’m fine.” XD shook his shoulders, shaking off the weird energy that was left behind. “I’m alright…” His voice trailed off, distracted.

Since laying eyes on the Nether God, and knowing who he was, XD’s mind was racing with a thousand thoughts and trying to carefully chose his words for how to ask HD how he knew 4K.

A low hum pulled XD out of their thoughts, just in time to see HD give a soft pat onto the blankets beside him, and XD took the invitation to sit down. They were no closer to sorting out their words, but they spoke anyway. “ I didn’t know you were friends with the Nether God. I didn’t even know you knew him.”

HD’s head slightly tilted over to XD and hummed softly. His expression was still passive so XD couldn’t get a good feel on the smaller God’s mood. “No?” HD hummed and stretched himself out. “I’d thought you had met him already…”

“I’ve not met many Gods.” XD admitted. It wasn’t like it was a terrible thing to admit yet their words still faltered slightly. They had assumed HD was similar, just from how anti-social the God was and how no-one else ever visited him before.

It was silent for a bit, but it wasn’t a bad silence. With HD, they were often quiet which meant XD had to quickly learn which silences were good and bad. Some meant he was just thinking and others meant he had nothing more to say. But this was a silence of thought, and after a moment, HD spoke again. Softly.

“That’s right. I always forget that.”

“Forget what?”

“How young you are. How much younger you are compared to us.” HD’s fingers began playing with the edges of his blanket, absent-mindedly running it through his fingers.

A horrible feeling welled in XD’s chest and it was a struggle not let it show in his voice. “How…long have you known 4K?”

The starry haired God paused and gave an annoying shrug. “Long time. Well, I’d say I only really started to know him recently but I’ve known of him. Seen him before. We weren’t close back then though.”

XD opened their mouth to speak again, but HD quickly sat up, and his ethereal hands all appeared to either straighten his robes or rearrange his blankets and pillows. “Can’t get comfy.” He  huffed, spinning himself around and resettling by XD’s side again, this time on his front. “Do you want to nap? Couldn’t sleep at all with 4K here, rambling on about nothing.”

XD softly nodded, laying back onto the blankets and few pillows laid out once the hands finished working. He went to lean his head back and settle but he felt a hand tugging at his cloak, and another curve around his shoulder and push. XD looked down to see the few ethereal hands on him, pushing him towards HD who opened his arms and hugged around XD waist.

XD was surprised by the affection but it wasn’t unwelcomed. He settled more into it when he felt HD settle, melting against his side and falling fast asleep.

It wasn’t the visit he had exactly planned, but XD was thankful for it and let his eyes shut for a moment of peace.

***

DreamXD’s wish for the situation on the server to be solved by itself was no sooner to coming true. The blonde God was trying to keep out of it all, which sadly meant avoiding his brother and friends more and more. He still kept an eye on things, making sure the server wasn’t falling apart, but without the comfort of friends, it was a very lonely task.

They tried so very hard to resist going to the Godly Realm and visiting HD again. While HD hadn’t exactly shamed them for it, XD felt self conscious the other God had noticed they were visiting so often.

It was a rather pleasant day on the SMP. A rare chill day of no fighting and the sun was comfortably warm. XD spent most of the day in their glade, but even that was getting too moody so they ventured out.

The loneliness of the walk was taking over enough that XD was beginning to cave on his alone time and tried to think of someone, anyone, he could spend time with. Dream and George were of course an obvious choice but it was only a growing matter of time with Dream until XD said something to him, so he thought better of it. Perhaps Phil and Techno would be a good visit. He hadn’t seen them in a while and it would be nice to visit them for a non-threatening reason.

XD was just talking himself into making his way over to the snowy biome, when he heard his name being called.

“Hey! DreamXD!”

It was a voice he hadn’t heard much, but one XD knew. One he had committed to memory since he’d first heard it.

“Thank Prime I found you.” The boisterous voice of 4K called out again as XD turned to address him. “I didn’t want to wander around the Overworld looking for you. Lord, this place is huge!”

XD turned, trying to hide his surprise to see 4K here but the surprise he so desperately tried to bury bloomed again, re-emerging in near complete shock.

DreamXD was tall. Even among the Gods he was fairly tall in his humanoid form. So then if he was tall, the only word to class 4K as was huge. The Nether God easily towered over XD, at least another foot taller. Probably more. For the first time XD experienced having to look up at someone.

If the surprise was obvious by XD’s manner, 4K either didn’t pick up on on it or he was very polite and didn’t mention it. He stopped just a bit in front of XD and clasping his hands together.

“Listen! I know this might be a little forward, considering we’ve just met and all, but I could really use a favour.”

No words came to XD’s mind, much less out his mouth. He could hear himself making a stupid, quiet “uhhhh” noise but all his brain could think right now was: how is he so fucking TALL?!

The top of XD’s head just about came to 4K’s shoulders, but even then XD couldn’t be sure. The Nether God hadn’t looked so tall when he was sitting down, but he had his coat blocking most of his legs, and even the parts not, HD was draped over them.

4K’s expression switched from a polite greeting smile to a confused look at the silence. “You alright?”

“Uhh…gh. Y-Yes!” XD shook himself out of his thoughts, cursing under his breath. “Sorry. It was a surprise to see you…here… What-What can I do for you?”

4K’s smile came back again, this time as a wide grin. “Listen, I know it sounds real odd, but I’m hoping it’s alright with you if I could go mine for a few pieces of iron.”

“I-Iron?” XD had prepared himself for anything when 4K asked for a favour, but he expected something a little less mundane. “Mining? I-I can just give you some.”

“Aww, you don’t have to do that!” 4K made an almost cute snort. “I don’t mind mining for it.”

“Well that’s…fine. I mean s-sure.” XD shrugged. They were never more thankful for the mask on their face because their eyes were mostly just glancing up to the top of 4K’s head and to the broadness of his shoulders and wondering how HD could just casually not mention how tall this God was.

“Great! Also, I know this one might be a bit of a stretch, but can I take a few bees back with me to the Nether? And some flowers too?”

“F-Flowers? Bees? Uh… I guess that’s fine but if you don’t mind me asking why?”

4K’s smile grew wider, eyes glowing in excitement. It was like he was waiting for this question and immediately bounced with energy just to answer it. “Okay! So I really really want to give cooking a try! I wanna try experiment with a few foods but, I mean, the Nether doesn’t have much food options. So I need to borrow just a few things from ya to start of. I really wanna try honey recipes.”

The God could make himself look like the pinnacle of terrifying if he wanted, and instead he was in the Overworld, absolutely gushing excitedly over the thought of cooking.

“U-Uh…huh. And the iron you want?”

“Just for a few buckets and cauldrons. Water doesn’t last long in the Nether so, gotta work with it how I can.”

It was weirdly endearing to see a God tackle a problem so naturally. 4K could have probably made anything he wanted from just a thought, just like most Gods, but he was so set to do it all himself; from mining to setting up the water to having the bees make honey for him. It was commendable and XD was almost distracted from the other God’s height to admire him for a moment.

“That’s all fine, sure.” XD nodded. “I’d just try and mine away from the busier areas, if that’s okay?”

“Sure! Whatever you want!” 4K grinned and he brought his hand to pat over XD’s back. His palm felt huge against the green cloak and XD couldn’t remember it feeling so big when they shook hands before. Not to mention the hit was powerful. XD controlled himself not to move much. “I owe you one! Promise! I’ll see you around!”

4K took his hand back, then took two steps in front of XD and suddenly disappeared in a fiery vortex. The flames were harmless and sizzled out as soon as 4K was gone, leaving XD alone again with his thoughts.

XD must have stood still, in the middle of the forest path, for a good ten minutes after 4K left just processing everything. His thoughts tried, very hard, to focus on 4K’s cooking journey but they all just wandered back to the shocking realisation of ‘he’s TALL’.

His first clear thoughts went to blaming HD. Not once had the sleepy God ever mentioned 4K’s height, or at least the fact he was taller than XD. It wasn’t an important detail of course but it was something that they could have at least mentioned. Just casually bring it up.

The blonde God drew their cloak around themselves in a half huff. It wasn’t jealousy, they convinced themselves. That was ridiculous. So what if 4K was taller, it didn’t matter. It was just a shock to see it the first time.

The plans to visit anyone were out the window but XD wasn’t dwelling so much on his loneliness now. He wandered back to his glade, laying on the grass and partially wondering if maybe he should have offered to help 4K mine the iron, or collect some bees.

“Suppose I don’t need to.” XD mumbled. “He could probably pluck the birds right out the sky just standing up.”

The shame hit him in a wince. Okay, maybe he was a little jealous.

***

A few days more and XD caved. They zipped off to the Godly Realm, uncaring if HD commented about it or not. They almost wanted to beg HD to be allowed to stay longer, for days or even months, anything to keep him away. They just couldn’t stand to be alone on that server anymore.

The vast colourful horizon was broken up once again by a large black coat. XD played off the slight slow in his steps and let the frown on his covered face melt away to neutrality again. 4K was sat by the bundle of blankets that HD was laying over.

The two God were talking softly between them until they noticed XD approach. HD noticed him first, turning his head just slightly but 4K followed his eyes and turned to the blonde God too. When he realised who it was, he was suddenly grinning. “XD!” He called over. “Finally! I was visiting every day waiting for you!”

XD came to a stop a couple feet away. “M-Me? Waiting for me?”

“Yes, you.” HD mumbled from his blankets. He lay over his front with a few pillows bunched in his arms to lean on. He pulled his face up  from the plush pillows to speak. “He’s annoyed me everyday asking when you’d visit. And ignoring me when I tell him to just go the Overworld and get you.”

4K scoffed to HD’s words, literally waving it away and addressing XD again. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you.” He stood up tall and XD held himself back from trying to strand up straighter.

“I feel bad how we first met. I didn’t mean to give you a hard time with the End, you know. I was just curious and I’m sorry I came off as brash.”

“O-Oh…” XD had not expected the turn of the conversation. It seemed 4K was just full of surprises, or XD had just judged him too hardly. “It’s okay. I wasn’t offended or anything.”

“Even still, I was wrong for how I acted.” 4K’s shoulder shrugged lazily. “I really want us to be friends.” He clapped his hands onto XD’s shoulders. “So, fresh start?”

The Nether God was so blunt and open with his feelings, which caught XD completely of guard. XD wasn’t shy about expressing himself but words never really came to him easily. 4K was so open and honest with it all, saying whatever came to his mind.

The honesty was refreshing and swept XD’s mood from unease to optimism. “Yeah,” XD smiled softly, hoping it was heard in his voice. “Of course!”

4K’s smiled wide and his eyes seemed to glow with his glee. “Fantastic!”

One of 4K’s arms hugged around XD’s shoulders and pulled them into the Nether God’s side. He was near meltingly warm and so much larger, but he wasn’t intimidating. XD had to stop himself for just leaning into 4K’s side as the taller God lead him to HD’s blanket pile.

“You all done being a giant sap?” HD muffled into their pillow.

“Well excuse me for broadening my friend circle!”

The two Gods bickered, but 4K spoke with a smile and HD’s cheeks were bright colours. The taller God led XD over, before taking his arm back and sitting down by HD. XD followed and sat opposite HD, closer to his other side.

4K had shrugged off his long coat and took off the armour on his chest and legs. He kept on his metal bracelets which seemed to be glowing on the underside against his skin, but other than those he was lounging in a ripped orange t-shirt and loose black trousers with black boots.

HD’s goggles were off too, leaving only the wraps around his eyes. Not wanting to seem overly formal, XD removed his mask and shrugged off his own cloak and folded it off to the side. Despite losing cover, HD’s realm was always warm and XD stretched out his arms a little to enjoy it. That’s when he noticed 4K’s eyes on him and the Nether God was grinning again.

Until one of HD’s helper hands appeared and began slapping into 4K’s arm.

“I told you not to stare at his arms!” HD hissed from his pillow, and looked near enough ready to hit 4K himself with one of them. “I! Told! You!”

“I wasn’t staring! I wasn’t! OW! Stohop!”

4K tried batting away the hand hitting against his shoulder and arm but it would always worm his way around and hit him again. Even despite the hits, 4K was smiling and laughing throughout them.

A self conscious shiver ran up XD’s spine. They suddenly became more aware of their lower set of arms and folded them over their legs just as 4K caught at the hand smacking him.

“Would you stop-I wasn’t staring! Not in a bad way!”

“I told you not to stare at all!” XD had never seen HD look so heated. His hair seemed to ruffle more from his anger than his usual bed head. XD remembered the times he met 4K and both times he had his cloak wrapped around himself, his arms completely out of sight. No chance to stare there.

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way. The extra arms are cool!” 4K repeated and XD realised he was addressing them now. “I’m sorry if I was staring. I really didn’t mean to make you self conscious it’s just that…well it’s cool!”

“I…th-thanks…” XD mumbled just not knowing what else to say. His arms felt awkward and heavy.

“No I mean it! It’s real cool. I mean, much better than having say - I dunno - a bunch of little white ethereal hands to control - OHOW!”

The whack to his arm was very obviously coming. 4K even flinched before the hand hit him but even still he was smiling and giggling all the while HD huffed.

“You behave like a child!” The hand disappeared and HD settled back into his pillow. “You just say stupid stuff to get attention.”

“Stop giving me attention then.” 4K practically had his tongue poking out, but HD just scoffed him off. “But back to my point!” His head turned back to 4K. “So, did you form with those arms? Like when you took a natural form?”

“Uh…yes. Well I guess.” XD hadn’t expected the question and tried to think. He was going back into memories he hadn’t thought of in years. Years of years.

“You guess?” 4K asked curiously.

“Well… I was made in this form so I see this as my…true form.” XD hesitantly admitted, though he really shouldn’t have been embarrassed. XD didn’t speak to many other Gods but he knew some, especially those choosing to live in the Godly Realm, would shrug off their more normal form to be in their true form.

Most were snobbish about it, but 4K’s eyes widened with interested.

“Oh really?! That’s rather cool.” The Nether God smiled. “Amazing. So you knew your form already.”

“I didn’t know that…” HD mumbled, trying not to sound surprised by it but he was clearly as curious as 4K was.

“A fact about DreamXD not even HD knew. Hmm.” 4K grinned smugly again. “Guess I’m the new favourite.”

HD scoffed again, and 4K tensed in perhaps expecting another hit but it never came. Once he relaxed again, he carried on. “But anyway, that’s rather cool. I always thought more limbs would be more handy. More hands to help, you know.”

“Does come in use for some stuff…” XD agreed. He wasn’t exactly ready to admit his arms had recently been more useful to hold someone down and give them tickles. He gave a small little glance to HD and even though his mask covered his face, he was sure his look was felt as the starry haired God’s cheeks flushed a little pinker but they said nothing. XD focused back onto 4K. “Being tall is also really useful.” He added.

“Yeah…I guess nothing is ever out of my reach.” 4K gave a snort laugh again. “Think I’d prefer the arms though…”

“Well it’s not like you’ve got nothing.” HD spoke up. He watched 4K with an expression XD couldn’t decipher, but it seemed to send the right message as 4K grinned.

“Oh yeah, I can do some things.” 4K turned back to XD, still grinning. “Watch.”

4K sat himself up straight and brought up his arms. He angled his right arm down and the glow under his metal bracer seemed to seep out, past the metal and running down 4K’s arm to his hand. XD blinked and realised it wasn’t just a glow; it was lava.

The lava drooped like thick syrup from the bracer, never breaking apart. It stayed in one shape as it ran over 4K’s hand. The black haired God’s other hands positioned under to catch the lava, but before it could make contact, the lava curved before touching skin and began to pool together and swirl into a ball shape. Just as the lava stopped pouring out of 4K’s right bracer, the God shifted the lava orb to hover above his palm in a perfect ball shape. It wobbled sometimes, a little drop falling out one way or another but it would right it self again and continue the cycle.

“It’s…lava. You can control lava?” XD watched the lava as he asked. It was almost hypnotising seeing the way the colours of fire would blend and melt together, giving it a warm glow.

“Yeah! But this isn’t regular lava!” 4K moved forward excitedly. “This lava doesn’t burn!”

XD threw up his eyebrow in a quizzical look. It wasn’t something too far-fetched to believe. Gods could do amazing things, but something in XD’s mind wouldn’t separate the look of lava from the heat of it.

“Look! Just try it!” 4K held his hand, offering the lava orb to XD.

“This feels like a trick.” XD admitted, their smile turning shaky. Of course 4K didn’t seem like the kind to hurt them, but they were sure there was some trick here.

“No! It’s safe, I promise. Look!”

4K shuffled himself back closer to HD, holding out his palm with the lava as offering. HD scoffed, almost giggling, but 4K pushed his hand forward and after a moment HD sighed and held out his own hand.

The lava dripped onto HD’s hand, and despite the sleepy God’s calm nature, XD worried when the first dropped touched onto his skin. But, HD didn’t scream in pain, or react at all. The lava melted onto his hand and HD even closed his fingers around it, giving a squeeze before handing it back to 4K. The lava returned to it’s ball shape in the Nether God’s palm.

“You see? It’s perfectly safe. Try it!”

Still with a sliver of doubt and precaution, XD slowly offered up his hand. 4K dropped the lava onto his palm, the same way he had with HD, and the lava melted again.

It flowed over XD’s hand as it did with HD. It was warm. Comfortingly warm. XD couldn’t really describe the feeling of lava and it probably wasn’t this. It was almost soft, and with it’s added warmth, it was like the feeling of being cosy in a physical form.

“It’s…nice!”XD’s voice sounded more surprised than he meant it to.

“Well of course! I wasn’t going to let it burn you!” 4K playfully scoffed. “Watch what else it can do.”

4K’s tone was worrying, almost teasing. XD didn’t have time to worry about it though because the lava in his hand started moving. It was no longer flowing like liquid, but it actively moved, curling around his wrist and up his arm. XD would have been more worried if not for the calm expression on HD’s face and the excited look 4K was giving him. This was clearly supposed to happen so XD calmed himself and watched the lava slowly expand up his arm.

When the lava reached to his elbow, it stopped moving and started stretching. The blob of lava thinned out as it stretched up to XD’s shoulders and around his back and draped over him like a large blanket.

“Th-This is…” XD shrugged their shoulders slightly, not to move the blanket off but to resettle it on them. It took on a more solid state, not drooping or dribbling but instead flowing down him like it was an actual cloak.

“Don’t tell him it’s good. He’ll never shut up about it.” HD huffed. “He’s been bragging and boasting about that lava blanket for months.”

“Uh! Excuse me! I didn’t hear you complaining about it when you were wrapped up and cosy in it a few weeks ago.” 4K’s acted offended but his voice was light-hearted. HD made a grumbled response into his pillow, his cheeks flushing slightly before settling back down.

“It is really good though.” XD complimented.

“You can keep it on for now, if you want.” 4K offered kindly. His smile took on a sweeter look, almost more warm than his grins. Though even with his fangs hidden, the one fang on his right side still poked out over his lip.

“You don’t mind?” XD asked, rather hopefully. The blanket was warm and comforting and they had unconsciously started wrapping it more around themselves.

4K gave a small chuckle, which XD blushed to, but 4K’s tone was warm and not teasing. “Yeah it’s fine.” His voice almost purred. “You look too cosy to take it away, anyway.”

XD hummed a thanks, wrapping the blanket till it was fully engulfing him, then he relaxed; slowly relaxing his muscles that he had no idea were tense.

Talk continued between the three, though XD was rather out of it conversation wise. Every once in a while the lava blanket would roll over one of his muscles, working out a knot and relaxing him down even further. His eyes were fluttering closed, straining to keep open as the other twos voices became distant and mumbled. He was still engaging in conversation as much as he could though, watching 4K with interests as he spoke so calmly to HD and looked so gently to XD. He felt warmed and safe.

In all honesty XD didn’t know where the conversation was by the time they’d fluttered back. They could have kept in that warm happy daze but 4K’s voice rumbled in his ear, warmly chuckling. “Enjoying yourself?”

XD blinked out their haze. The blanket was still around them but they had moved. XD was once sitting opposite HD and 4K, but now they were by 4K’s side, leaned against the Nether God as he had his arm around XD.

4K chuckled. “Good huh?”

XD’s cheeks burned a deep pink, but despite the shame they could feel themselves sinking further into the blanket. They went to talk, but the only sound they could make was low hum and soft sigh. Had they fallen asleep? How long for? They certainly felt groggy.

“Sorry…” XD pushed through the sleep heavy on his tongue.

“It’s alright, no need to be sorry.” 4K assured him. His voice was soft, warm and comforting, just pulling XD further into the pools of sleep. Trying to form words just made XD hum again. “You want to wake up?” 4K asked and, because his vision was blurred from sleep, XD couldn’t see the mischievous smirk upon the taller God’s lips. “The lava blanket can help with that too.”

XD’s ears twitched in interest and he looked up to 4K. “Oh?” He asked curiously, pulling himself to try and sit up.

The smirk had pulled back to a warm smile by the time XD looked up to him, and 4K nodded. “Yeah.”

HD’s hands gripped onto his opposite arms, watching the two like a hawk. XD just happened to noticed when the lava blanket slowly tightened around them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, more like being extra tucked in to a bed. The warm lava pushed XD’s arms into their sides and tucked under their chin. XD was still working through the haze of sleepiness, but they were aware enough to realise they were immobilised. Their arms gave an experimental push, finding the lava didn’t have much give.

Sleepiness faded not to alertness but to the realisation that something was going on. XD giggled, just to let out the nervous energy bubbling in his chest, but as he opened his mouth to speak a higher pitched, squeaking giggle came out of his mouth instead.

There was a definite poke into his side, but his eyes were on HD and 4K and he knew it couldn’t be from one of them. His first thought was one of the HD’s ethereal hands had jabbed at him to wake him, but there was nothing at his side. XD looked down and the only thing on his side was the lava blob wrapped around him.

The poke happened again, drawing out another squeak and XD clicked that it was the lava blob poking him. Again…and again and again and XD’s giggling just got louder and louder.

“Wh-wahaha?”

“I knew you were ticklish.” 4K voice was dangerously low and when XD looked over, the Nether God had a wide smile on his face. A smile like a predator just caught it’s prey.

“Wh-Whahat…?”

The lava poking had stopped now, but it didn’t unwrap itself. XD pushed at it with his arms again and it was still unmoving in their hold. “I-Ihihi’m…”

Saying he was not ticklish was a lie, and it had just been proven moments ago.  XD just started talking to let out the nervous giggles in his throat but now he didn’t know what to say.

“I told you he was!” 4K carried on talking. He uncrossed his legs while looking at HD, talking as if XD wasn’t even there.

“I said he was! I wasn’t doubting you.” HD huffed.

“I heard doubt in your voice! There was doubt!”

XD tired to push his arms again. He found out he had more wiggle room moving his arms up and down and tried to get his arms up to his chest, but he either moved too much or 4K looked over at the wrong time.

“Oh no you don’t.” 4K said so casually and just gave one little poke over XD’s forehead.

The world suddenly fell out of view as XD was easily pushed onto his back. His head hit a soft pillow he was sure wasn’t there before and his legs unfolded from underneath him. Stuck with an idea, XD tried to get his feet on the ground for balance and give himself a push, but his ankles were quickly grabbed and his legs stretched.

“Ah, ah, ah. None of that.” 4K tutted.

The lava blanket stretched again, going further and further down XD’s legs till they were pulled together and immobilised as well. The lava ended just above his knees then it stopped again.

“Wh-What’s happening?” XD didn’t speak again until the giggles were out of their voice. Didn’t stop them bubbling up in his stomach though.

“Well!” 4K’s grin widened and his eyes were suddenly on XD. It was somehow worse than having him just talk over XD like he wasn’t there. Now those glowing orange eyes were trained on him, making XD feel smaller than he’d ever felt. “I make it a personal mission of myself to know the tickle spot of everyone. A tickle connoisseur, you could call me!”

An indignant huff came from HD still nested into his blankets, which 4K ignored. His full attention was on XD. “So, I wanna know every tickly spot on you. But mostly I find out your worst tickle spot. The spot that drives you insane.”

4K’s eyes rounded with excitement and XD felt the ghostly tickles just starting in his armpits. His skin tingled and he tried his hardest to fight off the urge to curl in on himself. Not even sure the lava blob would have let him anyway.

“So, are you gonna tell me your worst spot right now?”

“N-Noho!” XD stuttered.

“Perfect! More fun this way.” 4K gave a small clap before pushing himself up. He hooked his fingers onto the front of the lava blanket wrapped around XD and pulled him up.

He moved about XD so easily it was like the End God weighed nothing to him. XD was turned and placed back on the ground but his head was now by HD.  He gave a shy look up to HD, who was smugly smiling above him.

“Hiya XD.” The starry haired God taunted, his voice unusually light.

XD’s cheeks flushed red and he tried to sink down and hide his face in his shoulder. “Nn-Wait! Hehedehe, help mehe!” He tried pleading, and his hopes for rescue quickly dashed as HD shook his head.

“Nope.” HD said with the same light playful voice. “I’m neutral in all this.”

“B-But…”

Whatever excuse XD was trying to cobble together flew out his mind when he felt the lava blanket lift off him. It unwrapped itself and pulled away, floating towards 4K’s outstretched hand. XD was too distracted by the sight to realise he was free, and when he did and tried to quickly push himself up, his wrists were suddenly grabbed.

Two of his upper arms were grabbed and hoisted up over his head. His lower two were pulled out and slightly up. XD looked up and around frantically, trying to find out what had held him down and saw his wrists held down by HD’s ethereal hands.

“Wah?!” XD’s voice came out in a part question and mostly a noise of pure surprise and betrayal. He quickly looked back up to HD. “YOU! Yohou said you weheren’t hehelping him.”

“Hmm…nope.” HD made an overly fake hum of thought before smiling. “I said I was staying neutral, and you assumed I wouldn’t help him. But honestly XD, this isn’t an equal fight at all. You’d be held down whether I helped him or not.”

Any argument XD had meant to say was suddenly forgotten as 4K sat down by XD’s side suddenly. One of his arms stretched over XD’s waist to lean on the colourful ground and lean over XD. The other hand held up the lava blob which turned into it’s smaller form. It seemed impossible that small blob stretched out so wide to entangle XD.

“So!” 4K’s spoke. “Here’s what I’m going to do. This little blob,” he lifted his hand slightly with the lava blob, “that you got so friendly with is going to travel up your body, starting with your feet, and tickle over every tickly spot it finds till we find your worst spot.” His grin widened, showing his full array of sharp teeth. “Then…oh when I find that spot I’m going to tickle you until you’re on the edge of madness!”

XD would have shrank down, if they physically could, but HD’s hands held tight and there was nowhere for XD to shrink in to. They were making a string of high squeaking giggles though, letting out their nervous energy they couldn’t let out through their body.

“Or… you could just tell me your worst spot now and I’ll be much more merciful.” 4K’s voice tried to take on a sweet tone but it was hard to describe him as ‘sweet’ when he was still grinning and his eyes were wild.

“Nnn…B-But you’ll still tihickle mehe…” XD voice squeaked.

“Of course!” 4K nodded.

“N-Noho!”

“Well suit yourself, that was your last chance.” 4K shrugged.

The Nether God turned his attention around. Down to XD’s legs. The blonde God’s eyes followed 4K’s line of sight and tried to curl his legs up, in some useless protection. It didn’t protect him at all when 4K swung one of his legs over XD’s thighs and held them down.

The lava blob was moved closer and closer down to XD’s feet. 4K watching for XD’s expression and even through the giggly nerves were running through every part of the End God’s body, he still managed to stutter out.

”W-Wahait! Wahait! Mihiy feet aren’t ti-tihicklihish...”

The blob stopped it’s terrible decent as 4K looked back to XD. His eyebrow cocked up and he looked up to HD for confirmation. XD just managed to see the end of HD’s shrug when he looked up.

“I dunno. I’ve not tickled him there.” The starry haired God mumbled. It was infuriatingly flustering to see the sleepy HD lounging so casually, and the ethereal hands holding down XD’s arms so tightly.

“Well, we’ll see anyway.” 4K turned his head back and the lava dropped onto XD’s feet.

Even though his feet weren’t sensitive, XD still yelped as the warm lava touched his skin. The lava moved like it knew it’s mission. It covered over XD’s feet, the warmth of the lava quickly heating them up. XD could feel the lava experimentally poke along his soles and trace up to his toes. He curled his feet a little, seeing how much movement he had and shaking off the goosebumps feeling.

His feet were hardly every touched, and XD honestly worried that maybe they would be ticklish after all this time. But thankfully his giggling died down completely, and the touch on his feet did nothing.

4K’s grin returned at XD’s yelp, hoping it had been a lie, but it fell again when XD stopped giggling. “Hmm…” They hummed. “Fine. So you’re feet aren’t ticklish. But no matter. We have other placed to try~”

The sing-song tone sent a small shiver through XD and he made another attempt to pull at his arms. His armpits were so open and vulnerable and the lava would surely be there in no time.

“Well that’s not going to work.” The soft tone of HD came from above XD and the End  God looked up. He must have been some sight with his face burning red and hair a mess from his attempted struggles, but HD just gave him a gentle smile. Not a taunting one.

“P-Plehease… Let me go?” XD tried begging to HD’s softer nature.

“Hmm. Nope.” HD gently shook his head. “As sweet as you are, XD, I fear 4K’s tickly retaliation more than I sympathise with your plight.”

4K made a scoff at that and brought XD’s attention back down. “You’re just as excited to see this as I am.”

The blob started moving again to 4K’s demand. It moved on from XD’s feet and stretched over XD’s ankles and up to his shins, encasing him from below his knees to his ankles. It moved as it had on XD’s feet, giving a few pokes, traces and tickles over every piece of skin it could get, and this time it was the response 4K hoped for.

A loud squeak came first before XD descended into giggles. The lava had poked at his ankles first, surprising the blonde God who hadn’t even realised his ankles were ticklish. Then the lava poked up and down his calves, tracing shapes into his shin and igniting his nerves.

“W-Wahait! NnnapphhAHAHAhahaha! S-Stahap! STahaHAP!”

“Well your feet might not be ticklish, but your ankles sure are.”

The rumbling, amused voice of 4K felt like it shook XD’s bones and tingled over every nerve on his skin. The tickles along his shins and ankles seemed more sensitive and his skin broke out in goosebumps.

“N-Noho! Pleeease! Pleheheahase dohohon’t!”

He pulled at his arms, and tried kicking his legs but the lava acted well to tickle and hold him down, while HD’s hands were locked onto his wrists. Then most movement he could get was shaking his head and wiggling his waist slightly but that wasn’t really working to free himself. It just really served to work out the squirming energy building up in him.

“Buuuut,” 4K carried on. “While your ankles are ticklish, it’s clearly not your worst spot.”

At his words the tickling slowly stopped, the lava blob laying still for just a moment before slithering upwards. Instead of stretching out, like before, it gathered all over both of XD’s knees, pulling them in together as 4K moved his legs to lay over XD’s ankles.

One of 4K’s claws was lazily tracing over XD’s sole, following the End God’s foot whenever he tried to shake the claw off. It didn’t tickle, but it certainly didn’t help the tingling feeling crawling all over his skin.

The lava settled over his knees, covering just above his knees and below. Even though it was only warming his knees for now, it didn’t stop XD’s blabbering and pleading.

“W-WAHAIT! Wait wait!”

“You keep asking me to wait, but you’re not offering any reason to.” 4K’s voice had just the hint of a disappointed sigh. “Why would I ever want to wait when your adorable giggles are just one tickle away?”

Despite trying with all their might, XD couldn’t hold back their giggling. Their face was already blushing red, now it felt like their cheeks were burning. “I-I cahan g-giggle without being t…t-t-tihickled…”

“But they’re not as cute that way.” 4K smiled, and though it seemed completely soft and sincere, the wild look in his eyes was anything but. He looked at XD like the younger God was food, and he was hungry.

XD tried to sink further down, but it offered no help to the worming feeling squirming around in their stomach. Their arms were held too far away so they couldn’t even hide their blushing face. They were open, vulnerable; and helpless.

The lava chose that moment to strike. Content with warming up XD’s knees, the lava poked into the side of XD’s knee which caused his yelp to come out in a scream. The curious little lava tendril slipped under XD’s knees, giving soft as feather traces to the sensitive skin while the lava just above XD’s knees began squeezing and kneading over them.

XD’s back arched as much as his bindings would allow. His squeak turned into a silent laugh for one small second before mad howling laughter burst from his chest and he squirmed as much as his binds would let him.

“NOOO PLEHEHEASE STOHOHOP! N-nOHOhohoT THEHERE!”

“Not there?” 4K’s grin widdened. “Is there a bad spot?” His voice rose with excitement but it was mostly drowned out by XD’s loud laughter.

XD’s knees were rather sensitive but they were never so bad he’d ever shriek. Honestly his knees were a favourite spot to be tickled, but something with that lava had turned them from a sweet spot to a direct link with his nerves, coursing electricity through him and giving him no relief from the tickling.

If this gets to my armpits, I’ll die. I’ll surely die!

The lava blob, which XD was sure was some kind of devil, stopped squeezing above XD’s knees and instead made a skittering feeling along the front and back of his knee. It wasn’t as maddening as the kneading and squeezes but still being on edge and overly ticklish, XD’s laughter came out in deep cackles.

“Have we already found your worst spot?”

XD could hear 4K’s words that time. He sounded almost disappointed though when the End God could muster up the strength to peek one of his eyes open he could see the taunting smile still.

A plan took root in XD’s mind. If he pretended his knees were the terrible spot he could handle more tickling there. It had been unbearably maddening at first but now XD knew what the lava could do, he could handle it easily. Much better than he could with it in his armpits.

But all hopes of that plan were surely dashed, as HD’s voice spoke up.

“No, they’re not his worst. He likes his knees being tickled.”

XD gave a gasp just as the tickling subsided and the lava fully stilled.

“Awwww, but his knees were so fun.” 4K pouted.

XD took a moment to catch their breath, grateful for the small rest, before looking up to HD accusingly, though it probably didn’t hold as much power as his hair was dishevelled and his face was blushing red.

“Th-This isn’t neutral! Thahat’s helping him!” He accused.

HD gave a slow shrug, annoying shrug. “Maybe just a little.” He grinned back.

“Hardly!” 4K spoke up. “I asked you for ages what his worst spot was and you wouldn’t tell me. I even tried tickling it out of you and you held out!”

The calm sweetness of HD’s demeanour melted away as his face turned red and he looked up to 4K with an expression mixed with flustered and annoyance.

“I told you I wasn’t sure and you didn’t believe me!” HD defended.

“Yeah, but you’ve tickled him before, you know some of his spots at least but you kept clamped up no matter how many times I squeezed your sides.”

While XD felt affection to HD above him, it was still mixed with thoughts of betrayal as the God’s ethereal hands were holding XD down. It was a fun, more playful side of HD that XD so rarely got to see, unfortunately he couldn’t enjoy it much as the lava started moving again.

It crawled up from his knees to his thighs, laying out over the legs and warming them up. 4K had moved from his legs, taking his own leg off XD’s but it was quickly replaced by two more of HD’s helper hands clamping around his ankles. XD wanted to hiss ‘traitor’ again but 4K started talking.

“Well, if you react to that on a spot you like, I think we got a good idea how you’ll be when we DO find that bad spot. So, lets speed up this process shall we?”

XD opened his mouth to protest, but his words were cut off by a squeaking laugh as the lava instantly started squeezing all up and down his thighs. It wasn’t a spot he was tickled a lot in, but XD knew his legs were sensitive.

The lava squeezed up and down the side of his thighs while few tendrils squeezed between and skittered his inner thighs.

“NAHAhaaha! Nohoho plehease! PLEASE! STOHOHOP!”

“Oh, a good response. But not the one we want.”

The lava stretched up, though it kept on tickling at his thighs, now squeezing down the back of them. XD fully tugged at the hands around his ankles but his leg was annoyingly unmoving.

XD felt a surge of sympathy for George for ever tickling him on the back of his thighs.

That lava had now reached his hips, drilling into his hip bones and sending shock wave after shock wave through his body.

“Nohoho! NOHOHO! STAHAHAP! I’ll-I’ll dieeeehehehehehe!”

HD cooed something above him, but XD couldn’t make out the words. He could just hear the older God’s soft tone while the lava continued up and up it’s climb. It slowly stopped tickling XD’s thighs, and shifted further up so now it was fully  wrapped around his sides and stomach.

He had just a moments rest, the lava settling over his stomach, before it started tickling again. This time the blob was vibrating just ever so slightly. Mostly his tummy and sides would elicit soft giggles from being tickled, but being so overly sensitive and warm, his giggles turned into desperate yelps and chitters.

“Plehehease! Plehehease plehehehehease!” XD helplessly yapped. “Dohohon’t! Plehehehease! DOHOHON’T!”

“You give the cutest reactions to your tummy being tickled.” 4K cooed. Finally being able to hear the two didn’t help XD’s already sensitive nerves. Even worse was him risking to peek out and watch 4K grinning above him, or completely ignore his ticklish plight and talk over XD to HD.

“Not a lot of space left on him.” 4K hummed. His voice as warm as the lava kneading into XD’s lower stomach. “Must be reaching that special spot soon.”

“I’d say so.” HD hummed in agreement. “He’s getting more and more squirmy the higher you go too.”

Were they? XD hadn’t even noticed. They’d honestly not been fully aware how their body was reacting. They pulled and tugged on their restrains but without being able to get free they tried not to focus on it so much.

XD had never felt the full jaws of helplessness. He’d been in weakened states before or maybe been surprised a few times with hands in his armpits, but he’d always had the power to fight back. In the past he’d let the tickling last for so long because he wanted it, knowing at any time he could have overpowered his ticklers and gotten out of it. But this was nothing like that.

He was fully trapped, unable to move and at the complete mercy of two older Gods who showed off and boasted how helpless he was. His skin prickled and felt overly sensitive to every little touch. Not even touch, even 4K’s teasing felt like it was tickling. Being tickled by words was something beyond fluttering.

Was this how it felt to be truly helpless? Was this how Dream or George felt whenever he held them still and tickled them?

The tickling stopped over his stomach and sides, but the lava never moved. It settled more softly over XD’s stomach, like it was a warm cat laid out over his tummy. But the second XD caught his breath, and sighed for his muscles to relax, the lava started moving again.

XD near shrieked. “NONononono! STOP!” He pulled at his legs, only managing to twist himself ever so slightly. “You cahahan’t!”

“Oh? Can’t I?” 4K leaned over XD, further driving in the helpless point. The wide grinning fangs of 4K came closer and closer and XD couldn’t slink back far away enough. “Cause it looks like I can. It looks like I can keep tickling your tummy if I want. And then, go up and tickle your ribs, then your armpits, then your chest and back, and then your neck. And then, if somehow I’ve missed your spot, the lava can go aaaaaaall the way back down and we do it again.” His grin widened. “And again, and again, and again…”

“No! Please…” XD gasped, his armpits tingling already from just the thought of that lava blob settling there. It would tickle him, beyond what he felt with his knees or his thighs. Beyond anything he had ever felt before. He’d go mad. “I’ll-I’ll do anything!”

“Well I want to tickle your worst spot so you’re already doing everything I want.”

“No!”

Panic and desperation flared in XD’s chest. His mind pulled for any excuse, any reasoning he could offer the Nether God to stop the terrible lava on it’s way. It was crawling half way up his ribs, nearly at his lower set of armpits. If it touched him there, he would die. Absoutely die. It wouldn’t even have to tickle him, if it just touched him he’d fall into hysterics right away.

The lava had just touched under his armpit, and XD screamed out of pure survival instinct.

“NO! MY ARMPITS! My armpits are ticklihish! They’re the wohohorst spot! Plehehehehease!”

The terrible lava stopped completely and pulled back. XD felt an elation of relief and joy, yet the triumphant laughter from 4K dropped all that into a nervous pit in his stomach.

“I knew it! I knew it!” 4K cheered. He pulled himself back with such force his wild hair went flying and he looked to HD with the widest grin. “I told you he’d cave before we got there! I told you!”

“Oh shut up!” HD huffed, but his cheeks were flowing with colours of soft blues, pinks and oranges. There was a light blush under them too. “I was so close.”

“Not close enough~” 4K sang in a teasing tone. Not even directed at him and XD was overcome with goosebumps. “I knew it’d get it out of him. Just a little teasing and he sang for me.”

His attention turned to the blonde God underneath him and XD couldn’t hold back his giggle from the stare.

“Just to let you know, your armpits being your worst spot is like the cutest thing ever. I assume it’s both sets of them, yeah?”

The ethereal hands around XD’s wrist didn’t let go, but the ones around his ankles faded off. It didn’t matter though as 4K swung his leg over XD’s waist and set himself down onto XD’s lap.

“Hah-wait wait!” XD frantically shook his head. “I-I told you! I said the spot!”

“Exactly.” 4K widely grinned. He reached out and gave a soft boop against XD’s nose. “And now I get to tickle your armpits to my hearts content.”

The sinking feeling came back. “N-You! You said you’d go easy on me.”

“Oh, no…” 4K’s eyes half lidded. “I said I’d go easy on you if you told me your spot. Buuuut, I also told you that was your last chance to tell me.”

The pit in the bottom of XD’s stomach seemed to open up and swallow them whole. A deep sinking feeling they were forever falling into.

“N-No! Please!”

“Don’t worry, I won’t use the lava though.” 4K quickly assured him. The lava had been resting in 4K’s hand, but at his words the lava slipped back into the metal bracer around his arm. With the monstrous blob finally out of sight, XD felt his muscles relax ever so slightly, but they tensed up again at the sight of 4K’s long black nails.

They were similar to XD’s, but just slightly longer. He’d always scoff when HD would call his nails claws whenever XD would tickle him with them, but XD couldn’t see them as anything but. They were claws. Terribly tickly claws that were about to dig right in and skitter into XD’s horribly ticklish armpits.

“W-Wahait! Ahaha…n-no! D-Dohon’t!”

“Ohhh and your armpits are so wide open for me as well. How thoughtful of you XD~” 4K continued to tease.

“N-NO! I cahan’t geheee…”

XD looked up to HD again. The starry haired God was still watching the scene but instead of the soft expression from before, he was looking almost excitedly towards the two. Waiting to see what would happen and grinning to XD when he looked up for help.

“Well let’s get started then.” 4K said excitedly, snapping XD’s attention back to him. 4K’s fingers were wiggling in anticipation, sending tingling tickles all through  XD’s skin. He near yelped when the fingers slowly came down, but then all at once the fingers stopped. 4K pulled his hands back and he looked calmer.

“Ah! Wait. What’s your safeword?”

4K’s voice came out so genuine it was almost whiplash from his teasing voice. It took XD out of the moment for a second, dumbfounding him into silence.

“Wha…what?”

“Your safeword? When you want it to stop. What is it?”

XD’s felt his cheeks flush with affection rather than anticipation. “Uh…Green…”

4K paused for a moment before letting out a low hum and shaking his head. “Nah, that won’t work. Sometimes we use the colour system to check in, and green means good to go. It has to be something different.”

XD racked his brain for another word. Something that he could remember but not just blurt out. Something that meant safety…

“G…Glade? Would that work?”

4K and HD both hummed together before 4K nodded. “Yeah, okay, that works.” He gave an easy shrug. “Now, let’s start.”

There was no build up or warning this time. 4K’s hands were suddenly in XD’s armpits, his claws scribbling all over the hollows, and XD howled.

“FFFFFFUHUHUHSSSKHAHAHAHA! HAHAHHA STAHAHAHAP!!! STAHAHAHAP!”

“This is the reaction I hoped you’ve have!” 4K yelled above the laughter. His voice didn’t sound at all bothered, as XD was struggling under him like a mad bull. He bucked his hips and squirmed side to side like he was trying to turn over, but 4K’s strength was not letting it happen. He did well to hold down the flailing End God.

“I think you’re really killing him.” HD commented, not looking up from watching XD’s hysterics. “I’ve never seen him this bad.”

“There’s another set of armpits for you to join in?” 4K offered. He was talking so casually as he started drilling his thumbs along the bottom of the armpits.

“I think that would really kill him.” HD mused, but he smiled afterwards. “Maybe just before he’s about to tap out.”

“PLEEEEEEHAHAHAHASE! STOHOHOHOP PLEHEHEHEHEASE!”

The drilling into his armpits were not nearly as good as the scribbling. While still laughing he didn’t struggle as hard, though it was getting harder to tell if it was because of how much it tickled or from XD getting tired. His face was red, his hair sticking to his forehead and cheeks.

4K switched between vibrating and spidering his fingers into the End God’s underarms. The claws along his pits definitely had more effect than with fingers. Poor XD’s laughter jumped up to shrieks and his begs for mercy became more incomprehensible.

“FFFFAHAHAHAHAHAAASHHHH! FUHUHUCK! OHOHOHO PLEHEASE! Please! D-Dohohohohon’t! Have-HAHAve mercihIHIHIY! NOHOHOHO! NOHOHOHOT AGAHAH-AHAHAAHAHAHA!”

XD had never felt tickling like this in their life. Not even when Dream or George had gone for their armpits had it ever been this bad. With the two tickling them, they were always safe with the knowledge they could stop it at any moment. They were never fully trapped or helpless. But here, against two older and stronger Gods, there was nothing they could do.

He pulled at his arms but HD’s hands were firm. His legs kicked, hips bucked and knees struck onto the back of 4K’s back  and the Nether God barely reacted. XD had barely even moved him. All he could do was shake his head, laugh helplessly and plead for mercy from two overjoyed ticklers.

Tears fell down his cheeks from under the wraps of his eyes, giving him some sort of grounding feeling to focus on, but even that was a slipping comfort. The longer 4K attacked his armpits, the more he could feel his mind snapping. And yet he never uttered the safeword. Perhaps it was a delusional sense of pride, thinking he could outlast the two Gods torment and teasing. And there was a lot of teasing.

“Ya know your lower set of armpits seems much more tickly than your upper ones?” 4K pointed out while he was switching between tickling the two. Sometimes he’d tickle the right upper and left lower pit and switch every once in a while. Though there was never a set time for him to stay. Sometimes he’d tickle for seconds and other times it felt like hours. “That’s honestly really cute.”

“Your nose does a little scrunch whenever your lower pits are tickled too.” HD added. He poked at the tip of XD’s nose and tickled ever so lightly with his claw to re-enact the nose scrunching again. “You just become so cute when you’re tickled.”

XD made a sound between his laughter. Something between a bark and a hiss. It was possible he was trying to say words but 4K suddenly scribbling claws into his upper underarms mumbling up any words he could actually say into his laugh.

“I think he’d gonna tap out~” He could hear 4K tease. “I’m almost certain of it~”

Something about the taunt made XD strengthen his resolve he was going to last. They would give up before he would. Though perhaps he was only believing it because 4K switched from scribbling to vibrating again. He focused and tried to collected his mind even though it was being zapped by tickle after tickle.

“You want to join in now~” 4K grinned to HD again. He spoke in a softer voice, deliberately quiet to not be heard over XD’s laughter.

“Hmm… Maybe.” HD slowly grinned as well and resettled themselves up on his pillows. They brought their arms out from under them, not yet leaning them over in case XD saw.

“He will legit die after this though.” HD warned again. “So you can’t tickle him too much. You need to be able to let him speak, alright?”

“Yes, yes.” 4K nodded. “Ready?”

The laughter was louder than their talking, making XD helplessly ignorant to what was coming. He still pleaded between his laughs for them to stop while his mind was trying to stay determined. He could outlast them, he could. He just had to hold on a little longer. Just a little but more…

All four of his armpits were suddenly attacked. A hand in each pit, scribbling and vibrating into his most sensitive spots.

Their back arched as his laughter turned silent. Their eyes welled with tears which added to the stains on their cheeks. They could feel their fangs, growing in a panicked response but just shrinking in time as the shrieking laughter gained sound, and XD finally hand enough breath to scream.

“GLADE! GLADE! GLAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHADE!”

The tickling stopped as soon as the first word was said. His arms and weight on his legs were gone by the third scream and he turned on his side, curled up tight into a ball as the laughter died down and the ghostly tickles settled on his skin.

XD was giggling into the pillows. His arms wrapped around him, rubbing into his still sensitive armpits when he felt a hand on his back and his whole skin prickled with goosebumps.

“You alive?” 4K purred.

“Nnn-nooo…” XD forced himself to speak, despite how much his throat hurt in that moment.

The hand never left his back, but suddenly there was a poke at his cheek and XD looked up. One of the helper hands was above him, pinkie stretched out to poke while they held a glass of water. XD didn’t bother to think of where HD could have got that from and instead took the water gratefully, gulping it down.

“Okay, you definitely did die.” 4K spoke. “But your tickly armpits are like one of the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The Nether God lay down behind XD, pushing his chest up against XD’s back. He was warm, and horribly comforting. XD couldn’t help relaxing back into him. A fact 4K could obviously feel, but never commented. He just wrapped his arms around XD waist.

“Do you know if they’re tickly to feathers?” 4K asked. “Or maybe like soft fluffy puffballs? Do you think you’d laugh with them?”

“N-Nohoho…” XD giggled. He tried to curl up more but all he did was push himself further into 4K’s chest.

“No more tickle talk.” HD said. They had rearranged themselves, turning around and settling down in front of XD. “That’s enough.”

“Aw come on. I’ll be fair. I’ll let you tickle me next.” 4K offered, the grin evident in his voice. “That’ll be fun! Tickled with four arms. I’ll even tell you my bad spots so we’re totally even!”

The offer was in both parts tempting and flustering. He’d never had such a lee willing to offer themselves up and his mind was racing. But HD quieted all of that with a hand brushing through his hair and a warning tone to 4K.

“No more.” He said again. “Now it’s time for a nap I think.”

4K huffed, but even he agreed. “A nap would be swell, actually.” He settled onto XD’s back again. “And blondie is falling asleep in my arms already.”

XD tried to mumble he wasn’t, but it came out as “mmnt…” and he couldn’t care to elaborate. He could feel HD laying in front of him, and without thought he opened his arms and the smaller God scooted in. 4K’s arm under him stretched forward, slipping under HD as well so he was holding both the Gods.

XD had never felt so safe. It was like a warm blanket enveloping him, soothing him down and coaxing him into a gentle sleep.

The warm gentle heat on his back was gone, slowly bringing XD out of his wonderful sleep. HD was still in his arms, though now he was turned on his back and his arms stretched up and covered over his head. The only one missing was 4K. Though when XD turned around, he saw the God slowly putting his long coat back on.

XD wasn’t sure if he should have said anything, but 4K caught sight of him as he flipped his hair out of his coat, and he gave a sheepish smile.

“Sorry I woke you.”

XD wanted to say he didn’t, but 4K carried on. “I need to get back to the Nether. I can’t leave the place alone for too long.”

XD was surprised he was disappointed at that. He really did want to know 4K better. “Will you visit again?”

“Yeah, of course. Always gotta keep an eye on the grump.” 4K motioned his head to HD, but his voice was affectionate. He came over to the two still laying down. “Of course you can visit the Nether any time. I can give you a tour.”

“That’d be good. I don’t go to the Nether much.” XD shyly admitted but 4K didn’t seem to take offence to it. He just nodded, then his eyes turned back to HD again, and he just stared for a long moment before he spoke again.

“You convinced him to go back to the Overworld?”

XD’s mouth opened to reply, but he was so caught off guard by the question. He had to really think a few times before answering. “I… Oh? HD? Well, I don’t know if I convinced him but I offered to take him to the Overworld one day and he said he’d think about it.”

“He never thinks about thing if he doesn’t want to do it. If he’s thinking of it he’s already decided yes and is just planning it out in his head.”

“Oh…” XD replied, unsure what to say. It was surprisingly to see how close 4K and HD were. How they acted so carefree to each other and knew each others actions and thoughts. XD wanted to ask how long they had been friends, but another question popped in his head as the words of 4K rolled around in his head.

“Sorry. Did you say ‘go back’ to the Overworld? HD’s been there before?”

“Well of course he has.” 4K looked to XD with a smile, then seemed to read something in his expression and he looked confused. “You don’t know? HD is the God of the Overworld.”

In XD’s mind, he knew HD was a God of something. He knew they were an old God, and very powerful, but XD never asked because HD never seemed to want to talk about it. XD assumed it was the God of sleep, or stars. He couldn’t imagine it would be for…well everything of the Overworld!

“I-I had no idea! No!” XD stuttered, and tried to keep quiet as HD shuffled in his arms. “I…he never told me.”

“No… I think he’s ashamed of it.” 4K’s voice sounded sombre and he looked back down to HD. “He never talks about it. Certainly not with me. I’ve tried for years to get him to go back to the Overworld but he always refused me. But you got through to him.” The Nether God almost sounded jealous. “I know I’m pushy, and maybe I wasn’t gentle with him about it. Whatever reason he had I know it hurt him. But… I don’t know.”

Suddenly 4K stood up and XD was annoyingly reminded of his height. He gave a little shrug before looking down to XD again. “I gotta get back, but I mean it when you should visit. I’d love to show you around. And after HD’s visit to the Overworld maybe he can join us too.”

XD just nodded to that, his mind racing too fast to form words. The tall God then waved before stepping back into a glowing purple Nether portal and vanishing out of sight. The portal along with him.

His mind was too alert to sleep, but he wasn’t so energised as to wake up HD. Instead XD lay his head back down, holding HD close into his chest and just thought. He felt foolish for not knowing who HD was, and he felt embarrassed he’d boasted to HD so much of the Overworld stuff when HD no doubt already known about it. But then HD never once stopped him, or corrected him. The sleepy God just let XD ramble, and listened and even asked questions.

XD was confused. He’d need to ask HD and get some answers but for now he let the God sleep. And not long after, he fell back asleep too.

[crystalninjaphoenix]

The Vault

A JSE Fanfic

SepticHeroes AU: Part 26

First Part | Previous Part

This turned out so much longer than I expected. But I really like this chapter so I don't mind as much and I hope you guys don't either XD It's about 7500 words, though, so be prepared for a long haul. Jackie tries to figure out what to do with the tape the guys found in JJ's apartment, and Marvin stops by with something that might help. Meanwhile, JJ is in prison. Yaaaaay :( This Vault place is a lot weirder than he expected, but at least he's not alone in there. Have fun reading :)

===============

Jackie had never tried calling the police on the Red Line before. He’d never tried calling any number on the Red Line that wasn’t to someone else in the League. But Lorelai told him that police stations could identify a Red Line when it called in and would treat him like a Hero. Even so, he was nervous as he dialed the police’s non-emergency number. Maybe it was because of this new villain. They could clearly access normal phone lines. But surely they couldn’t access the Red Line as well.

Someone picked up on the other end. “Daindover Police,” they said. It sounded like a young man.

Jackie swallowed his nerves. “This is Windstorm,” he said, sounding much more confident than he actually was. “I need to speak to whoever’s in charge of the Puppeteer case.”

A long pause. “Uhhhh... one second sir,” the voice said. And then music started playing.

They put him on hold? What the hell? Jackie didn’t even know police stations could do that. Well, he could wait. This operator was probably trying to call over a supervisor to ask what to do. Which, if the police call center was anything like the call center Jackie used to work at, would take a while.

He tried to relax while the hold music played. He sat down at his computer and looked through the games on there, but nothing really appealed to him. He tried social media, but nothing appealed to him there, either. He opened up some of his comic books but found they just made him nervous. The battles between Heroes and villains in them were once exciting, but now he just thought about how different they were from the events happening right now in his life. The comics never talked about a Hero’s friend being revealed to be a villain, and then that friend’s sister being revealed to be a hero who the friend was just trying to save. 

... You know, maybe the comics were bullshit. With all he’d learned about the League recently, he wouldn’t be surprised to hear they’d taken some liberties with the fights Heroes had.

Finally, the hold music stopped. Jackie had left the Red Line on speaker so he noticed it right away, and quickly lunged over to scoop it up again. “Hello? Windstorm?” a voice was saying.

“Ace? Is that you?” Jackie asked.

“Huh, so it is you. Yep, it’s me, kid.”

“You’re in charge of the Puppeteer case?”

“Well no, but I am on the case. The guys know that you and I have a rapport, so I’m gonna be relaying whatever you said to Detective Michaelson. He’s the lead on this.” Ace paused. “So. Last I saw you, you were really hung up on the trial thing. Is this about that?”

“Kind of,” Jackie said slowly. “I think I’ve found some evidence that the Puppeteer wasn’t... That there’s more to this whole thing than just the Puppeteer.”

“You mean... an accomplice?”

“I-if anything, it points to the Puppeteer being an accomplice. There’s someone else in charge, a, uh—a mastermind behind this. And I don’t think the Puppeteer was entirely willing.”

“Huh. That sounds like some damn good evidence.” Ace was clearly impressed. “So are you calling to make some arrangements for dropping it off, or...?”

“Uh—not yet,” Jackie said slowly. “I-I want to make a backup of it first. But I needed to let you guys know that it exists. This mastermind villain—I-I think they’re called Anti-Virus—might go after it.”

“Kid, if they’re gonna go after it, you need to get it somewhere safe as soon as possible,” Ace explained. “Nowhere safer than the police station.”

“Villains have broken in there before. And Anti-Virus isn’t limited by, uh, physical space. I think—I think they’re a technopath,” Jackie whispered that last part, glancing at his phone and computer as he did so. “A-and this could be... i-it’s risky. I need to make sure there’s backups.”

Ace was silent for a while. Then he sighed. “I’ll see what I can do with what you’ve said. But until you hand this evidence over, the police aren’t gonna act. You understand that, right?”

“That’s fine,” Jackie said. “I-I just want to establish that I have it.” Then, from down the hall, Jackie heard someone knock on the apartment door. Chase shouted something, probably telling whoever it was to wait a minute. “I have to go now,” Jackie said.

“Alright. See you around, kid. Good luck.”

“You too.” And Jackie hung up.

Just in time, too. Chase shouted down the hall, “Jackie! Marvin is here!”

Jackie was surprised for a moment before he remembered that he’d given Marvin permission to come to his apartment to reach him. That was just the day before yesterday, but it seemed so long ago. “I’m coming!” Jackie shouted, putting the Red Line on the dresser and rushing down the hallway.

It was weird seeing Marvin in his apartment. He was standing there awkwardly, shifting from side to side, one gloved hand messing with the zipper on his jacket. Chase was sitting on the sofa nearby. Frosty had clearly been the one to open and close the apartment door, as he was standing next to it and wagging his tail excitedly. Chase whistled, and Frosty trotted over to him, where he received many scratches behind the ears.

“There you are,” Marvin said, eyes locking on Jackie. “I have something for you.”

“Iiiis it in that bag?” Jackie pointed at the bag Marvin had slung over his shoulder. It was gray and made of canvas, completely featureless.

“Yep.”

“Alright, put it down on the coffee table, then.”

Marvin nodded and walked over, Jackie right behind him. He set the bag down on the coffee table and took a couple things out. A black rectangular box, a plastic bag full of cables (or maybe just one?) and a cloth laptop case that clearly had a laptop inside—one of the bigger ones. “Whoa, what’s all this?” Chase asked.

“This is everything you need to copy that tape we found at JJ’s place,” Marvin explained.

“A laptop?” Jackie said doubtfully. “Uh... I thought we were trying to keep it away from digital spaces where Anti-Virus might be able to access it.”

“You’ve just decided to latch onto that name, huh?” Marvin muttered.

“Hey, it makes sense, doesn’t it? Don’t change the subject.”

“Heh.” Marvin grinned. “Don’t worry, the laptop’s been modified. I got all this from the Dismantler and her family. She personally went in and removed the camera, the microphone, and the parts it needs to access the internet. It can play and record video, but that video can’t be accessed through wireless means. The hard drive was also wiped, so there’s no chance of anything already being on there.”

“Hmm.” Jackie raised an eyebrow. “She’s very thorough. Or did you and your paranoia ask her to do all that?”

“Both. And I’ll point out that my paranoia is very well-founded.” Marvin shook his head. “I... realized recently that... Anti-Virus might know who I am. Not the identity I have now, I mean... who I used to be.”

“You mean your rogue Hero shit?” Chase asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well fuck. That’s bad.”

Marvin laughed. “Putting it lightly, yeah. But this bitch made Jameson control me. They made Jameson do a lot. And they have Timekeeper. I’m willing to risk my identity if it means... making things right for the two of them.”

Jackie wasn’t sure what to say to that. He’d never seen Spitfire Cat act so... selfless. Maybe this is closer to who he used to be. “I didn’t know you cared so much about Timekeeper,” Jackie whispered.

“I always thought he—she seemed like a real hero,” Marvin said slowly. Then he laughed. “And she clearly doesn’t like the League, so points for her in my book.”

Jackie rolled his eyes. “Okay, yeah, sure. Anyway, how do I work all this?”

“Dismantler included instructions,” Marvin said, unzipping the laptop case and reaching inside. He pulled out a folded piece of paper, just confirming that it’s there, and then put it back. “She also told me, but I don’t remember off the top of my head. I think you basically have to connect the VHS player to the computer with this special cable and then, uh... record it. And then you can... transfer it to another tape?”

“I’ll figure it out,” Jackie said. “I’m good with video software.”

“He really is, I ask him to edit my YouTube videos all the time,” Chase confirmed. “Also, uh... who’s the Dismantler? Should I know them?”

“No, uh, you guys have never met and I didn’t really talk about her,” Jackie said. “She’s a, uh... vvvvillain?” Uncertainty made that last word longer than it usually would’ve been.

“I don’t think what she and her family does counts as villainy, just crime,” Marvin said. “Besides, she’s only involved because it’s her family, so I don’t think she should count.”

“Isn’t her uncle Pathos?” Jackie asked.

Marvin started, surprised. “Don’t just say that!”

“Oh yeah, Pathos was that big villain, wasn’t he?” Chase asked.

“Yeah, til I whooped his ass and put him in prison.” Jackie grinned. “That was probably my first big battle as a hero. I mean, it was sort of easy, actually, but he had a reputation! That put Windstorm’s name out there. And all the villains I fought after that, holy shit there was a big spree that time last year.”

Marvin rolled his eyes. “There was a spree because you took out a ‘big villain’. When an organization like Pathos’s falls, two types of people appear. Those who want to be the next big thing, and those who were too scared of the local organized crime to cause chaos until it was gone.”

“...oh.” Jackie blinked.

“You seriously didn’t realize that until now?” Marvin snorted.

“Hey shut the fuck up.” Jackie put his hands on his hips. “It’s calmed down now! I handled it.”

“You did do that,” Marvin muttered reluctantly. “Anyway. Gw—the Dismantler also wanted to remind you about the Puppeteer’s mask. Do you still have that?”

“Uh... yeah,” Jackie said slowly. “I mean, after figuring out this guy was a technopath, I wrapped up the mask in a bunch of my spare clothes so they couldn’t really use the cameras or microphones in it.”

“Nice.” Marvin grinned. “Anyway. Dismantler pointed out that the mask could also be a piece of evidence. You just need to get someone else to notice the weird stuff that she did.”

“The weird stuff that pointed to it being controlled remotely?” Jackie nodded. “Yeah... I should take it back to Dr. McLoughlin for another scan.”

Marvin’s expression darkened. “You’re going to... you’re going to take it back to the guy... who messed up the scan in the first place. Even though he should have noticed it. You... you do realize how suspicious it is that he told you the mask was normal, right?”

“It could have been an honest mistake,” Jackie pointed out.

“Or it could be something else.”

“Don’t be so judgemental, bro,” Chase said, speaking up for the first time in a while. “Aren’t people innocent until proven guilty?”

“I—” Marvin was so surprised at Chase calling him out instead of Jackie that he didn’t have a comeback.

“Look, I get it, it’s weird,” Jackie said. “I agree. But I’m not going to go around being suspicious of everyone. I’ll keep it in mind that he did the scan wrong, but until I find proof that he’s... I don’t even know what you’re accusing him of—”

“I’m saying that he’s probably in cahoots with this Anti-Virus,” Marvin interrupted. “Or maybe he even is him.”

Jackie’s eyebrows shot into the air. “Ooookay. That’s a pretty serious accusation. And it’s one that I’m gonna keep in mind, but I’m not gonna jump to conclusions, okay? I’m gonna give McLoughlin a chance to explain what went wrong. He deserves a chance to do that, at least.”

“Not if he keeps tricking you,” Marvin muttered.

“I’d rather be tricked than go around doubting everyone!” Jackie snapped.

“Yeah, clearly.”

“I’m just saying there’s a line!” Jackie shouted. “I can’t think the worst of everyone, okay? If I thought the worst of everyone, we never would’ve found the tape! Because I would’ve written JJ off as secretly evil the whole time instead of talking to him! But he’s not evil, and he doesn’t deserve to be in jail! So I’m not gonna throw someone else in there based on what could’ve been a mistake!” He stopped, breathing heavily. Marvin and Chase were staring at him, gaping. Even Frosty was staring at him.

“Wow... never seen you go off like that, Jackie,” Chase said.

“I guess this whole situation is... getting to me a little,” Jackie muttered.

“That’s... fine,” Marvin said awkwardly. “Um... understandable. Y-yeah. I’m not... I’ll do my thing, you do your thing. I’m not gonna stop you. Uh... you can keep all this.” He gestured at the stuff on the coffee table. “But this is mine.” And he grabbed the bag. “I’ll... come by if anything happens.”

“Y-yeah.” Jackie nodded. “See you around, then.”

“See you.” And with that, Marvin walked over to the door and left.

Jackie sighed. The apartment seemed strangely quiet.

“Hey, uh... Jackie?” Chase said. “I get it about the JJ thing.”

“I just... I-I hope he’s okay,” Jackie said. “He’s tougher than he looks. But they sent him to the Vault. There’s a whole bunch of dangerous villains in there. That’s where they send the biggest threats. I hope he’s okay.”

Chase nodded. “Like you said, he’s tougher than he looks. I’m sure he can hold on until we’re able to get him out.”

“Yeah... yeah.” Jackie would believe that. He had to.

===============

Jameson didn’t remember much of the journey. He knew they traveled across land for a while, and then they traveled across the sea for a bit longer, but the car and boat didn’t have any windows, and so he quickly grew bored. Even though it was uncomfortable to sit straight up with tight handcuffs on, and slightly disconcerting to have people watching him, the lack of stimulation meant he soon fell asleep. 

Was he really worth all this security? He hadn’t caused any trouble while in the police station. Did he really need four different people watching his movements at all times? He thought that, but then he remembered what he’d done, and he understood their caution. A villain who controlled so many people for so long should not be given any leeway.

“Hey. Get up.” Someone shook JJ’s shoulder. He opened his eyes and looked at them. It was one of the League Safety members—people without powers, or with very minor powers, who took care of all the everyday internal threats that Heroes were too busy for. Things like protecting League facilities... or overseeing the transportation of imprisoned supervillains. The LS people wore black uniforms with yellow highlights. Said uniforms included helmets with mirrored visors, bulletproof vests, and utility belts—where their main weapon, a neutrinalin dart gun, hung. But that particular weapon wasn’t necessary. JJ had already been injected before leaving the police station.

“We’re here,” the LS person said. “Get up.”

Jameson nodded, standing up. The LS person grabbed him by the arm, guiding him out of the boat.

So. This was it. Byrthon Vault.

The Vault was situated on a man-made island in the Irish Sea. It was closer to the UK than Ireland but big enough to hold villains from both places. All supers in this part of the world knew about the Vault. They’d heard about its towers and the tall, eight-sided wall surrounding the whole compound. But it was different to see it in person. The wall was a fifty-feet tall barrier of smooth metal, and the towers within rose into the sky like pillars of black rock. Jameson felt dread just looking at it.

A concrete path led from the docks to the wall’s singular gate, sloping up a slight hill as it went. Jameson let the LS person pull him up the way. Another LS guard walked on his other side, and there were two behind him. As they approached the gate—a pair of ten-feet-tall sliding doors with red lights in the center of each—Jameson almost froze up. Actually being here was giving him doubts. The whole thing felt so final. If he walked through that gate, he knew he would never be coming out again. He’d known that the whole time, but the reality of it was hitting him all at once now.

But he didn’t really have a choice, did he? 

If you ever fail and get captured, you are not to say anything about me. You are to accept the full blame and take whatever punishment the law and the League give you. Likely, you will be sent to Byrthon Vault. If you protest this at all, I will terminate her. But if you are caught, I promise you no harm will come to her, and I will work to reverse her condition.

None of his messages with the blackmailer ever stayed on his phone for longer than an hour, but that one had been sealed in his memory from the moment he read it.

They stopped at the gate. One of the LS guards waved at a camera in the corner—or, that’s what JJ assumed that red light was. A panel slid open on the wall. The LS person pressed a keycard to it, followed up by a quick series of taps on a number pad. The camera’s red light turned green, and they went inside.

The area they walked into looked surprisingly normal after the imposing exterior. There was short gray carpet on the floor and white paint on the walls, and a woman sat behind a counter—though the counter was protected by bulletproof glass. “Hi, state your business?” she said pleasantly.

“Transfer from Daindover, Britain,” the LS person holding Jameson’s arm said.

“Right, we’ve been expecting you. Enter your access code there.” She gestured to another number pad sitting on the counter. One of the LS people walked up and tapped in another sequence. The woman typed something on a keyboard, staring at a computer screen. Jameson wondered if that computer was connected to the internet.

He wondered if they knew he was here. 

“Alright,” the woman said. “Jameson Jackson, alias, the Puppeteer?” JJ jumped a little when she said his name.

“Yes, that’s it,” the LS person said.

“Great. Wait here for a moment.”

About thirty seconds passed in awkward silence before a door slid open next to the counter. Two people walked out, wearing uniforms similar to the LS uniforms, though with blue highlights instead and missing the helmets. With them was an older man with a salt-and-pepper beard. Tha man looked at Jameson. “This is him?” he asked.

“Yes sir,” the LS person replied.

“Alrigh’ then. You, Jackson, follow us.”

Jameson hesitated, then walked over.

“Cooperative,” the man grunted. “Good. I’m Daly, I’m in charge here. I hope you’ll understan’ quickly that whatever power you had out there, it’s useless in here.”

Jameson nodded. He felt the urge to laugh for a brief moment before it was suppressed by heavy anxiety. Power? What power? 

They walked through a short hallway to a square room with nothing but two doors and a table that had a handful of items on it. One of the blue-uniformed people—prison guards, assumedly—picked something up from the table. Another neutrinalin injection gun. “Hold out your arms,” Daly commanded. Jameson did so, and the guard rolled up his sleeve and injected him right in the crook of the elbow. Made sense. His last dose had probably worn off.

The other guard picked something else up from the table. A black wand, also similar to something you’d see in an airport. The first put the neutrinalin gun down and took a set of keys from their belt, unlocking Jameson’s handcuffs. “Stand with your arms out,” Daly said. “Don’ make any sudden moves.” Jameson wasn’t planning to. He stayed perfectly still while the guard ran the wand over him.

After that was over with, the first guard picked up a bundle of cloth from the table and shoved it at Jameson. “Get changed in there.” Daly pointed to one of the doors, the one to the left. “I’m told you can’t talk, so knock on the door when you’re done and we’ll start the decontamination process. If you take longer than five minutes... well, don’t take longer than that.”

Jameson nodded. He took the cloth and headed into the other room, a space the size of a closet. He changed quickly into this new outfit—a white shirt, a pale green jumpsuit, and flimsy slip-on shoes—then knocked on the wall.

“Decontamination starting in three... two... one.”

JJ gasped, then quickly recovered when he realized that the robotic voice saying that wasn’t the same robotic voice he’d get phone calls from. But he gasped again when holes slid open in the walls of the room he was in. Jets of mist burst out, smelling vaguely medicinal, and droplets of liquid settled on his skin and clothes. Then a loud WHRRRR started as fans appeared and dried everything. Once the fans calmed down, one of the guards opened the door. “Step out,” Daly called from the room.

From there, the group headed through the room’s other door, down a long set of hallways, until they reached the main area of the prison. The cell blocks. Two of the Vault’s towers were dedicated to them, one for male and one for female. Obviously, this was the male block. It was... bigger than expected. The space was wide open, rows of cells stacked on top of each other, with catwalks reaching the higher cells. JJ counted six floors of cells. Everything was made of metal and plastic, all of it sleek and new-looking. And it was... quiet. So quiet. Pretty much the only sounds were JJ’s and the guards’ footsteps. That... must have been because it was early. Even so, the quiet made the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

They took a lift up to the fifth floor and Jameson got a closer look at the cells. The walls were mostly solid metal, with the only exception being the door, which was made of a clear, bulletproof plastic. He glanced into the cells as they passed, but they were all too dark to see inside. It must’ve been lights out. But even so, was no one awake? Or curious about what was happening?

Soon, they stopped at a cell with a number plate reading 525. One of the guards took a key card from their belt and pressed it to a panel underneath that number. The door slid open. Jameson started to step inside, but Daly said, “One moment, 3117.”

Jameson tensed. Oh. Right. The jumpsuit had the number 3117 on the back and lapel. That must be him. He turned to look at Daly, tilting his head curiously. Instinctively he raised a hand to ask What is it? but then realized Daly probably didn’t know BSL.

“Hold out your hands,” Daly said. Confused, Jameson did so—and suddenly Daly snapped something around his wrists. Jameson started and pulled his hands back. These weren’t handcuffs. There was no chain connecting them. But they were two bands of metal now wrapped around his wrists, each about an inch wide but only a centimeter thick. “Congratulations,” Daly drawled. “You get some extra precautions. Those are magnetic pow-sup bracelets. When powered, that purple ligh’ across the middle will turn on, activatin’ power suppression and snappin’ the bracelets together. So don’ try anything, okay?”

Jameson nodded slowly.

“Good. Now, go on. It’s lights on soon enough, so you won’ get much time to rest before the roll call.” Daly made a dismissive go-ahead type gesture.

And with only a moment’s hesitation, Jameson turned around and stepped into the cell.

The door slid closed behind him. It was dark, but as his eyes adjusted, he could make out the cell’s features. It wasn’t too different from the holding cell back in the police station. The walls were metal. There was a single cot to sleep on, along with a toilet and sink to use. There was a small metal shelf jutting out from the wall close to the ground. Some sort of... table? To use while you’re sitting on the floor? Or was it supposed to be a chair? Maybe both?

Well... there wasn’t much to do in here. So even though Jameson had spent the whole journey here sleeping, he lied down on the cot and tried to sleep some more.

But he couldn’t. Now that he was actually here, the despair he felt was too much. This was really it, wasn’t it? Surely the others would have found the tape in his apartment by now. Surely, if it could be useful, it would have been used by now. Right? No. No, he shouldn’t think like that. Maybe the process was just slow. Everything would work out eventually. He just had to be patient.

But it was hard to hold onto optimism like that in the face of this new reality.

===============

Over the next two days, JJ got used to his new routine. The lights came on in the morning, and then about thirty minutes later there was an announcement over the intercom for roll call. They happened floor by floor, lasting five minutes each. When your floor was called, you had to hurry over to the central meeting area of your floor—which ended up being a suspended platform for floors two through six. Jameson was glad he wasn’t afraid of heights.

After your floor’s roll call, everyone there moved to breakfast. The cafeteria was in a different tower, connected to the two cell block towers by narrow hallways. The food wasn’t much to talk about. Bland, with a weird plasticky aftertaste. Forks and knives were not allowed. After eating, there was a short period where you had to either go back to your cell or go take a shower. Then a maddeningly long period of time later, it was lunch, which was almost exactly like breakfast.

But after that, you were finally allowed to go somewhere other than your cell or the cafeteria. The afternoon was a sort of free period—though it wasn’t really free at all if guards were watching your every move—where you could go to the courtyard, do chores like laundry and cleaning, or go back to your cell. Jameson wasn’t allowed to do chores, as security on him was still too high, but he could do the other two things. After the afternoon, there was another roll call, dinner, another chance to shower, and then, an hour later, lights out.

The routine didn’t bother JJ. Honestly, even the guards didn’t bother him too much. Sure, they were constantly watching him, but he was being watched all the time before this, anyway. Just through cameras instead of in person.

No, what really bothered him were the other prisoners. 

Not because they were intimidating or scary in any way. In fact... it was kind of the opposite. Byrthon Vault was home to some of the most dangerous supervillains in this part of the world. Jameson recognized a good number of them, either from hearing about them on the news or from helping her on her superhero patrols. These people were supposed to be ruthless, merciless monsters. Either lifelong criminals or people who’d done one thing so terrible that they got sent here right away.

So... why were they all so... quiet?

He’d noticed it from the start. The other prisoners barely talked. Only when answering a guard’s question or mumbling to their neighbors during meal times. And once he noticed that, he began noticing other things. They were all so pale—even paler than expected for someone trapped indoors almost all of the time. Many of them had dark circles under their eyes. And others were very thin, basically skin and bones. Some of them swayed while they stood. Some of them slumped onto the tables during meal times. All of them stared at him, but none of them talked to him.

Jameson didn’t know what the fuck was going on, but he knew he didn’t like it.

He spent the free period of the first two days in his cell, but by the third he was so confused and curious about what was going on with the other prisoners—not to mention extremely bored and tired of napping so much—that on the third day, he finally visited the courtyard.

This was a wide open space, octagonal like the walls around the Vault. A mesh net stretched over the entire top of the courtyard—presumably to deter flying villains from swooping in and rescuing prisoners. The middle of the courtyard was dedicated to various sports and exercises. Around the edges were benches and tables for people to sit at. Everything was concrete, metal, and plastic.

Jameson looked around. Like the cafeteria, the courtyard connected to both cell blocks, so some prisoners from the female block were here, too. He’d noticed that they were just as pale and lethargic as the prisoners in his block. So whatever this was, it wasn’t just affecting them.

There were some prisoners playing basketball or trying out the exercise equipment. But it was only a fraction of the people out here. Maybe a quarter of them. Or less. And even then, only a quarter of those people were really enjoying the activity. Most of them were just going through the motions. Sometimes stopping what they were doing to stand there, or even to sit down.

This was really freaking him out. His plan was to go over and ask the friendliest-looking person what the hell was going on, but he wasn’t sure they’d be able to tell him anything. Not to mention how unlikely it was that someone here would know BSL. So, overwhelmed by the strangeness of this situation, he walked over to a bench and sat down.

He was tired. He wasn’t usually this tired. Maybe something about being stuck in one place and bored all the time made him tired. Sighing, JJ tilted his head back and closed his eyes for a moment—

“Hey!”

Then he jumped and opened them again. That was the first shout he’d heard in here outside of roll call. He looked around—and saw someone approaching him. A woman with dark, wavy hair. Not a guard, as he expected. But another prisoner. She had dark circles under her eyes but was otherwise moving with more purpose than he’d seen most others move with. Slowly, he raised his hand and waved at her, unsure what to do.

The woman stopped in front of him. “You’re from Daindover, right? In Britain?”

JJ nodded.

“Did Windstorm lock you up?”

He nodded again.

The woman scowled. “That bitch. Hope someone puts him in his place one day.” She punched her palm. “So. What did you do? Did it hurt him?”

JJ hesitated. Can you understand me? he asked.

She narrowed her eyes. “What is that? Are you making fun of me?”

He hurriedly shook his head. And then he patted his throat, trying to indicate his lack of voice.

“What? What is that?!” She leaned over him, scowling.

This wasn’t working! Jameson tried to show her the scar on his neck, tracing its faint line with a finger.

“Oh, now you’re threatening me?!” The woman grabbed his wrist. “Listen, I don’t know what kind of fucking bigshot you think you are, but these mean you can’t do shit in here.” She shook his arm, indicating the cuffs on his wrists.

He shook his head hard, started to sign I’m sorry but then remembered how poorly signing had gone before and scrambled for a new idea—

“Angela.”

The woman—Angela, apparently—jerked backwards. While she’d been getting up in Jameson’s face, someone else had appeared. Another prisoner. A man this time, wearing the jacket of his jumpsuit unbuttoned and sliding off his shoulders. He had bright red hair, cut close on his right but longer on his left, and—and purple eyes. Jameson stared at them for a second, at first processing their existence and then admiring their dark shade and how it contrasted the man’s brighter hair—and then he snapped back to his senses. Who was this guy? He looked vaguely familiar. “Soren,” Angela said curtly.

“What’re you doing?” Soren asked calmly.

“This bitch was threatening me!” Angela glared at JJ.

“You mean him doing this?” Soren mimicked the motion JJ had made to indicate his scar—which, JJ is now realizing, looked like the ‘I’ll slit your throat’ gesture people made to threaten others. “I think he was trying to show you that scar of his.”

Angela looked back at JJ, staring at him closely. “Well before that he was making all sorts of hand signals! Probably being fucking rude—”

“He asked if you could understand him,” Soren interrupted.

“How do you know that?!”

“Because I know British Sign Language when I see it. I could translate for you, if you let go of his hand so he can talk.”

Angela looked at JJ... and reluctantly let go of his hand. 

“Right!” Soren said cheerfully. “So what was the conversation?”

“Asked him what he was in for,” Angela mumbled, sounding almost embarrassed.

Soren looked at JJ, who quickly started signing, I ended up taking control of a couple hundred people in my city and got them to commit various crimes. Including storming several buildings belonging to a tech company.

“Jesus, this takes forever,” Angela muttered.

Soren, meanwhile, looked intrigued. “Oh. So you’re the mind controller who came in from Daindover, huh? Is Windstorm still the hero there?” JJ nodded. “Hmm. Wonder if he’s gotten any better. He had the power, but was pretty new to it when I was there.”

Angela’s eyes widened. “Wait. Wait, he’s the—the string guy? Puppets guy?”

Jameson looked down, hiding the guilt on his face, and nodded.

“Oh. Oh, holy shit. I guess I should’ve, uh, realized. Uh—” Angela stood there for a moment, then abruptly turned around and left.

Soren watched her go, then looked back at JJ. “Don’t take it personally,” he said. “Angela isn’t dealing with this well. She’s always had a temper, and now being stuck here and feeling shitty all the time has made it worse. And I think she’s not used to feeling vulnerable. After all, Angela Lewis is the invulnerable Titanium.” He chuckled a bit, then sat down next to JJ. Now that he was closer, he could see how thin and pale he was—pale to the point of being practically paper white.

How do you two know about me? Jameson asked.

“We’re both from Daindover too. Word gets around about new arrivals, and people always listen up for their city.” Soren looked at him and smiled tiredly. “Anyway. What’s your name? Not your alias, I know that. It’s okay to spell it out.”

JJ did so, introducing himself as Jameson Jackson.

“Alliteration. Fun.” Soren held out a hand for a shake. “Soren Moizone. Nice to meet you.”

...oh.

Jameson suddenly realized why he looked familiar. He’d been on the news quite a lot. And that’s not all. A memory flashed through his head, vivid and real, of a past conversation.

I don’t get it. You could easily take down Pathos, Dahlia. Why don’t you? “Because as long as people like us keep him in line, things are better.” I still don’t get it. “If you suddenly take out the head of a big organization like that, the power vacuum can be worse than they were, y’know? See it all the time in comics about Heroes’ early careers. Everyone rises up to take their place.” So you’d rather fight him every month? “It’s not really a fight most of the time, I just show up and look intimidating and he’s like ‘pack it up, you lot, we’ve gone too far.’”

Soren Moizone. The supervillain known as Pathos. The man who’d held crime in Daindover and the surrounding area in his grip—until a year ago when Jackie defeated him.

“Ah. There’s the look.” Soren’s easy smile faded a bit. “The realization. Listen, I can’t really do much in here, unfortunately. Neither can you. Or anyone, really. I think we’re all the same in the Vault. But up to you if you want to be on speaking terms.”

JJ hesitated. Then he reached out and shook Soren’s hand.

Soren laughed. “You have balls, Jameson Jackson. Though I guess that’s evident, from what you just said you did. Daindover really has a problem with mind-controlling villains.”

It’s not really mind control, JJ said. My powers, I mean. It’s... body control.

Soren tilted his head. “Hmm? What’s the difference?”

I don’t hypnotize people, JJ explained. When the strings wrap around their wrists, I can move their bodies with my thoughts. They’re still aware. And it doesn’t just work on people. Anything shaped like a human can be controlled. I used them on dolls when I was a kid. His parents had been mildly surprised the first time they walked in on him putting on a show for his twin. But not too surprised. It ran in the family, after all.

“Fascinating. You’re right, that’s not really mind control, is it?” Soren mused. “But to be fair, mine aren’t, either.”

JJ blinked. Can’t you make people think the way you want them to?

“Common misconception. I don’t influence their thoughts, just their feelings. It’s not the same thing at all, no matter how much people on the news told you it was.” Soren chuckled.

JJ raises an eyebrow. That doesn’t make it any less dangerous. Another brief snippet of a conversation flickered in his mind.

“I swear, James, I’d never felt so scared in my fucking life before. If the feeling hadn’t stopped when I paused things I would’ve been frozen. But instead everyone else was frozen, ayyy. I suppose powers like that don’t work on me when I’m out of time.”

“Well you’re one to talk, aren’t you, Puppeteer?” Soren pointed out. “I overheard some guards chatting about what happened in Daindover. They were shocked. Though it sounds like the rumors were a bit exaggerated.”

JJ tried to laugh in agreement, but he couldn’t quite manage it. Silence fell between them. Jameson turned his attention to the rest of the courtyard and tried not to think about the fact that Pathos—a lifelong villain who she often fought—was sitting next to him. Though as he looked around, it did remind him of why he was out there. Can I ask you something?

“You can ask me, can’t promise I’ll answer.”

Everyone here is so...quiet, JJ said. And... tired. I don’t know how to describe it. But that can’t be normal, can it? Or is this just what it’s like in all prisons?

“What were you expecting?” Soren asked. “Did you think there’d be a riot every day? Like a TV drama?”

I thought there’d be conversation, at least.

“No, you’re right.” Soren’s face turned very serious. “This isn’t normal. How long have you been here, Jameson? A couple days?”

Three days, JJ said.

“So you’re going to start feeling it soon, then.” Soren leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. “Have you noticed that weird taste in all the food? It’s a sort of... artificial taste, like someone put plastic shavings in everything. That’s neutrinalin. It can be injected or consumed. All the food for the prisoners has heavy doses of it.”

JJ nodded slowly. He’d been wondering that. Nobody had pulled him aside to give him a neutrinalin injection since he arrived. And yet, he still felt his powers out of reach when he tried to find them. Not to use them, just to see if he could.

“Now, neutrinalin is all fine for the short term,” Soren continued. “But if it’s in your system for too long, say three or four days straight, you start feeling a bit sick. Like a bad cold. And until the neut is out, that feeling will just keep getting worse.”

Dread pooled in JJ’s stomach. And yet, he still had to ask, Did you say N-E-W-T?

Soren laughed. “It does sound like that, doesn’t it? No, ‘neut’ as in short for ‘neutrinalin.’ It’s slang. Sometimes people call it ‘the muffler’ too, or ‘the League’s best friend.’ Guess you’re not in those circles, huh?”

JJ shook his head.

“Anyway. The reason why all these great and powerful villains are walking around like zombies is because they feel like shit all the time. Some of them for years straight. I think Havoc Cry has been in here the longest, you don’t see her around often cause she’s too tired to leave her cell most of the time. Which—look, I’m not gonna say she doesn’t deserve it after she basically destroyed London, but... no, I’m gonna say that. She doesn’t deserve it. She deserved to stay here for the rest of her life, just like Avalanche, Dr. Rundown, Death Angel, the Mutilator—” Soren pointed out each villain as he said their name. Jameson had heard of all of them, but he wouldn’t have recognized them like this. “—and most of the others, but the drugging is a bit much.”

Jameson covered his mouth, hiding the horror on his face. All these people... Sure, criminals and villains, the worst of them, but... he couldn’t help but feel terrible about it as he saw them all in this state. Does the League know about the side effects? he asked, looking back at Soren.

“Dunno.” Soren shrugged. “You don’t hear people discussing it, not even in the underworld. Some people in here mutter that the League made it that way on purpose, but I don’t think so. I think they just never thought about it during development. And if they know what’s happening in here, they don’t think fixing it is worth it.”

Jameson shook his head slowly. This was awful. People must not know. If they knew, they’d be horrified.

Soren looked doubtful. “Would they?”

Of course! Even the Heroes would be horrified. Or at least... Jackie would.

“Maybe.”

Jameson scowled. He made to stand up—but stumbled as a wave of dizziness overcame him. He started to fall, but Soren quickly stood up and caught him before he hit the ground. Thank you, he signed shakily.

“Don’t thank me, it’s not needed.” Soren helped him stand upright again. “Let me guess. Everything started spinning?”

That must have been one of the side effects. JJ went pale as he realized that everything was just going to get worse from here on. He nodded slowly. Why are you handling this sickness better than anyone else in here? he asked.

“That’s not something I’m keen to share.” Soren smiled, a bit of mystery to his expression. “Now. If you’re standing up, I’m guessing you’re leaving?”

JJ nodded slowly.

“Try to come to the courtyard as often as you can. Sunlight and fresh air’s good for you. Makes you feel a little better. I’m here most days. Or we could try to meet during meal times—if you want to meet, that is, but I’d love to hear from you some more. Talk about how things have changed in Daindover.”

That would be nice, JJ said. He knew he had to take this chance. Talking was a lot less boring than napping, but not many people in the Vault would be able to understand him. Soren knew BSL. And even though he was a supervillain, so was everyone else in here. So was Jameson. Soren seemed nice, at least. And... he liked the way he smiled.

“Great. I can try to find you. What floor are you on?”

Floor five, Cell 525.

Soren raised an eyebrow. “They put you up high. The higher your floor is, the more dangerous they consider you. I’m on floor three, in 316. So it sounds like I’ll have to wait for you in the cafeteria.”

I don’t know if I’m flattered or not that they think I’m so dangerous, JJ said, frowning.

“I’d be flattered. But they’ll probably move you down later if you don’t cause trouble.” Soren smiled tiredly. “In any case. Later, then?”

Later. I’ll see you around?

“Certainly. Goodbye for now.”

JJ waved a goodbye as well, then turned and left the courtyard. He hadn’t spent much time there, but he needed to be alone. He needed to think about everything that just happened. About what he found out.

He was still hoping that somehow the others outside would figure out a way to get him out of here. But that hope was starting to waver. Especially knowing what was to come with the neutrinalin side effects. But... at least he wouldn’t be alone in here.

At least there was that.

[potatomountain]

“Fallen Crown” pt 2

Pt 2: Fate Sealed

Captured prince Yeosang[Ateez] x “tainted” Princess fem!reader

Warnings: mentions of r*pe, manipulation, trauma, reader is a royal “puppet”, Yeosang is a captured prince of a neighboring empire, Yeosang in chains. Reader is lowkey a badass. Mentions of death, fights to the death, torture, gladiator ring- gladiator fights. Lashes, some slight flirting, sexual implications, non-con implications (not yeo, never yeo). Blood, sword-fighting, injuries.

Word count: 4.6k

An: figured it was time for part two of this, and honestly it didn’t go just as I imagined- Yeosang kinda took over and decided he was running the show xD any and all feedback is appreciated.

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.

Part of me wondered how it managed to come to this, stepping down from the stage until I stood face to face with my opponent. He won all ten battles, with surprisingly less injuries than I expected, but it was clear he was at his limit… the fact he had handled ten of the strongest fighters this Arena had and was still standing, no deep injuries.

I should be scared, the fact this was my opponent, when I was still such a novice fighter myself. The King had sounded both pleased and disappointed at this outcome, and I wondered which one of us he wanted to see lose more. Which one he wanted to see lashed and bleeding for his audience. His own daughter? Or this captured Prince? 

I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of this at all, but I knew I had to obey. What else could I do? They would not make my death quick, and they wouldn't make this man's death quick either. Obliging the horrendous demands of the tyrant King was the only option. 

I didn't have to like it. "Just… make this quick." I called over to him, taking in his labored breathing, all sorts of scratches and brushes on his body, pieces of torn fabric darkened further by his blood. His dark eyes lifted to mine, an unreadable expression as we were both handed swords. I swallowed hard, trying to moisten my sudden dry throat even a little.

I should be scared, definitely, after watching how skilled this man was taking down skilled fight after fighter without a single weapon, no matter his injuries or the like, there was no comparison in our levels. This wasn't a fair fight, I lost from the beginning. 

So why wasn't I scared? Why did I feel a sense of calm when I looked upon his form, more concerned that I might mar his pretty face or accidentally injure him [or myself]? I didn't really have time to process why, as the horns blew to signal the start of the fight. We were both given short swords, with him twirling his with ease with one hand and yet I still needed two- another contrast to our skill.

"I'm going to attack your left." He called out, just enough for me to hear, before he charged forward.

I moved out of instinct, jumping back but getting knocked ever so slightly in the stomach before I brought my own sword up, clashing with his. Cheers erupted from the stands but I paid them no mind. He announced his next attack, this time giving me more than enough to process and counter.

I couldn't, for the life of me, understand why he was doing this. The fight was getting dragged out, out of instinct I was following his commands, even when he told me to attack him. Was he doing this to put on a show? One the crowd was loving. He looked beyond exhausted, struggling here and there as we continued a sword dance that he was constructing. 

Dodge left, swing up, roll back, press forward. Command after command, and yet I was obeying. Why was I following along? I should just let him land a hit, end this embarrassment. It’s not like I wanted to obey, I found that I rather detested it, yet here I was, following his commands to a tee.

The crowd loved it, the scene that this man was orchestrating; my lack of abilities still shone through, and it was his apparent exhaustion that led to my ability to dodge his attacks. Even I believed that he was simply exhausted, that he didn’t have the strength to put into each swing of his sword, if not for the gentle commands he spoke before each swing.

Minutes had gone by, sweat beading my neck and forehead and the sword beginning to feel heavy in my own hands. “Are you ready to end this?” He had muttered, our swords locked in a clash at the hilts, faces so close I could see the sweat running down his too pale skin, mingling with a cut to his cheek I had just put there a second ago. I wanted to reach out, wipe the blood away and apologize for hurting him, but this was not the time. So I simply nodded.

“I’ll take the lashings, you’ve done enough.” I breathed out, taking a step back and pushing his sword out of the way. His eyes widened with shock, the weapon flinging out of his hands to land several feet away.

My eyes followed the object, tensing up at this new development. “Aim for my right shoulder.” But of course he was giving another command, and I obeyed, hoping he would just dodge it and dive for the sword.

The sharp edge of the sword digging into his flesh as he fell to his knees before me was the last thing I expected, the last thing I wanted. He cried out, perhaps more for show than in actual pain, the stands rumbling with the loud cheers and stomping of feet.

Finish him. Cut off his head.

I tried to ignore the harsh chants, staring down as blood pooled from the wound I had made, pulling my sword out and stumbling back out of shock. All other wounds had been shallow, while this was not. A large gash- bone would probably be visible once the blood stopped gushing out and soaking the black and white fabric of his tunic- stared back at me tauntingly.

“Enough!” The King boomed out, quieting the crowd and effectively saving me from doing more damage to the man before me than I’d like. Except, I had forgotten in my panic that there was more to come. “The fallen Prince shall receive the ten lashings from our royal whore. Bring out the whip.”

Stiffening, I looked down at the top of Yeosang’s head, his hand covering his shoulder as if that was going to stop the bleeding. My mind was in overdrive, replaying the fight, his words, his actions, until I could only come to one conclusion: He planned this. He had every intention of taking the lashes from the beginning, to play the perfect entertainment and put up just enough of a fight no one else would question my victory.

My stomach churned with uneasiness as I blinked rapidly to fight back the tears. Whatever pride I had left was in shambles, as the realization hit that my opponent was more concerned about my pride, my wellbeing, then the kingdom that I belonged to. His concern cut deeper than any sword, spread and burned in my veins more than any poison, and threatened to consume me.

It was the sword being ripped out of my hand, and replaced with a whip, that had my mind focusing on the situation once more. “Ten lashes, my dear daughter.” I could only nod at the King’s words, watching as Yeosang was dragged and chained up to the pole. I had no choice but to follow, stepping onto the stage as his tunic was ripped in half, exposing his back while the torn fabric hung loosely on his arms. “Make them count.”

I swallowed to try and get some moisture into my far too dry throat, but to no avail. The whip felt far too heavy in my hands, the exposed skin on his back unmarred aside from some small nicks during his fights today, blood running down his shoulder but at a much slower pace now. That was my only solace, that perhaps he would not bleed out, that I could repay his fucked up kindness some other way even if I was about to scar the man ten more times.

My hand tightened on the whip, the guards giving me ample space and staying out of range, perhaps afraid I might try and use the whip against them in a fit of anger. Either way, they left me free to speak without being heard. “You should’ve let me take the lashes.” With as much strength as I could muster, I swung down, the whip cracking against his flesh, the sound echoing in the arena. “He’s going to do plenty more to you anyways.” The second whip, dragging a bit of the blood from the first lash, both beginning to welt almost instantly.

The fact Yeosang was silent, nothing more than a meager grunt with each new lash mark added to his back. Three, then four, then five. My hand was trembling as I lifted the whip for the sixth, angle off and hitting too close to his torn shoulder. He cried out, loud enough for the nearest onlookers to hear, and I felt my heart clench at their cheers. I had tried, as much as I could, to avoid his right shoulder, but I had never held a whip before or harmed someone in this way… I could only do so much.

As if he knew, which he probably did, he looked over his shoulder, a soft smile as if to reassure me peeking over the bloody gash for my eyes only. “It’s alright, I can handle more than this.”

I found myself once more blinking back tears, bringing down the whip for the seventh with a much louder crack. His back was more red than the pale white of his skin, from the blood to welts to bruises beginning to form. “I can as well, Your Majesty. In fact, it is only a matter of time before I am on the receiving end of this whip.”

It wasn’t a lie, I didn’t mention my fate to receive pity or sympathy, and he didn’t seem to give me either. There was a shift in his gaze, as if looking at me with new found appreciation. “And yet you aren’t afraid?”

I shrugged, bringing the whip up. “Why would I be? It is my fate, whether as a pure princess married off, or this-” I brought it down, catching his left shoulder dangerously close to his neck. Two more to go. “You can’t hope for more if there was never a chance to begin with.” I knew how sad, how heartbreaking my situation was- Clara would often cry for my fate as I had no more tears to shed. Any solace helped ease the reminder I had a nose around my neck since birth, a fate I long since grew accustomed to.

To spare myself the look in his eyes, the ninth lash was a bit harder than before, resulting in another cry and his head falling forward. It hurt more to hear his pained cry, than my own situation. He was someone who had more, and yet he had it taken. I had nothing, even this cursed punishment was more than my previous life, and even then it wasn’t much of an improvement.

I pitied him, but I could not pity myself.

The tenth lash came quickly, marring his lower back to avoid the cluster of gashes just below his shoulders. With disgust I threw the bloody whip to the side, turning to look up to the pavilion where the man responsible for all this stood with a sadistic smirk, hands gripping the railing. “Perhaps I underestimated you my dear Daughter, you could’ve been as cruel as I.”

The words stung, but they were an opening for something more, a string I could grasp on to get a bit more solace in this life. “Cruel? Your Majesty, allow me to prove how cruel I can be, for your entertainment.” I motioned to the bloodied man. “Give me responsibility over this prisoner, from his lashes to his care, as I’d like to see him live long enough to appease your entertainment, long after his skin is no more than raised scars and deformed features. What say you?!” I was amazed at how steady my voice rang through the arena, the cheers at the idea just what I liked to hear.

While they may take it as cruelty, I knew Yeosang could decipher the truth. It was my form of mercy, putting myself on the line to try and ease even a bit of his pain- but if he protested now, it would come back to me. I didn’t know much about this man, but I had discerned a weakness he didn’t show the hundreds of onlookers: he was a gentleman who didn’t want to cause even a tainted whore like I any pain. It was a kindness I wished to repay, albeit a little, and this was the only way I could think of.

“Very well.” The King called out appreciatively. “If he dies before we grow tired of him, then your head will fall with his.” Just like that, your fate was tied to the man before you; the man who was now being picked up and dragged towards the exit. 

Perhaps he did see this move of yours as cruel, and not as the mercy you saw it as, but the dead was done.

He met your eyes briefly, and for the first time, seemed to glare at you, the rage you had long expected finally appearing in those gorgeous dark eyes of yours.

Your life was bound to his.

.

.

Night was falling, only the torches lit the cells as I passed and yet the majority of them were still dark. There were few with barred windows that gave the prisoners some connection with the outside world, but the moon hadn’t risen just yet, the last bit of the sun’s rays unable to reach the dark crevices even through the bars. Only my lantern and the guard’s torch lit up Yeosang’s cell, a frown pulling on my features as I took in the sight of him.

“Why did you do it?” He didn’t look back at me, slumped in the middle of the floor once again covered in the chains I had removed from him before, no care what-so-ever had been given to him, not even a meal or clean clothes.

I had expected this, all such things in the large basket I carried as I nodded at the guard with me to unlock the door. I was silent as the keys jingled, the click of the lock opened, and I was let in. “One hour, and then I am to fetch you.”

“Thank you.” I nodded towards the guard, who only sneered before walking away with half my light. I turned the lantern up, moved past Yeosang to set the lantern on the table by the far corner, taking my time. I could feel his eyes on me, demanding an answer to his question, but I wasn’t ready to give it just yet. “Why did you show mercy on me? We both know that fight should have been yours, the lashes should have been mine.”

Keeping my back to him, thankful for the black fabric of the gown I wore, I slowly took out each item I had brought. Bandages, clothes, some bread and cheese, a large canteen of water, and a few rags to clean him up with. There was alcohol and some needle and thread, which I was hesitant to bring but I knew his shoulder needed it.

“Thank you.” I nodded towards the guard, who only sneered before walking away with half my light. I turned the lantern up, moved past Yeosang to set the lantern on the table by the far corner, taking my time. I could feel his eyes on me, demanding an answer to his question, but I wasn’t ready to give it just yet. “Why did you show mercy on me? We both know that fight should have been yours, the lashes should have been mine.”

When he didn’t answer, I glanced back, a brow lifted. “Well?”

He sighed, hands at his sides gripping the chains. “I did not wish to harm a lady.”

I had expected this, all such things in the large basket I carried as I nodded at the guard with me to unlock the door. I was silent as the keys jingled, the click of the lock opened, and I was let in. “One hour, and then I am to fetch you.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “I am no lady, Your Majesty, has that not been obvious?” I moved closer, reaching out to grab the chains. “I am a pawn, always have been, always will be, to the Tyrant I ironically call father. I am what he says, and therefore I am no lady. This… arrangement is as much for me as it is for you.”

He watched my hands as I pulled each chain off him gently, setting them at the foot of the bed and out of the drying blood around him. “How so?”

“Well for starters, as long as this form of entertainment amuses him, he will not try to find another use for me.”

When I didn’t continue, he prompted softly, as if not really wanting to hear the answer. “And what other use would he have?”

I shrugged, pushing his torn fabric down his arms to lay at his waist with the rest of the fabric. With his torso exposed fully, I hissed through clenched teeth. “I am but a prize to his favorite fighters. A few of the men you had fought today had won before. They enjoy partaking in the fight, to win a so-called Princess for a night and do as they desire, and have chosen that over freedom.” I stood back up, avoiding his gaze as I grabbed the rags and equipment I needed, coming back to kneel before him, reaching out to wipe the blood from his shoulder with a rag. “It’s only a matter of time before he presents you with the same option- or, God forbid, gives one of them the option to have their way with me in that arena.”

I felt him tense under my hand at my words and I risked a glance. My breath caught at the unbridled rage crossing his features, the way his upper lip pulled up in a snarl. “He would do that- to you?”

Slowly I nodded, perplexed by his words. “He has mentioned it before, if I do not behave.” It was an odd thing, someone getting angry on my behalf: a stranger no less. “Were you not aware of how he is? You led a rebellion against him.” It was a poor attempt to get the focus off me, but I could only hope it would work so I could focus on the wounds.

He didn’t answer, opting for silence as I dabbed away as much of his blood as I could, exposing each wound that littered his chest. He was indeed beautiful, even with the gashes and bruises marring the muscles. The type of beauty I would often dream of as the male lead of those books Clara would bring me, that had me hoping for a Prince to sweep me away from this place. Perhaps I would’ve been married to him, or another one of his brothers, if I had remained a Pure Princess; a fact that was unlikely, but nice none-the-less.

We settled in a comfortable silence as I cleaned up him, a silence that was a little less comfortable as I moved to his back, my guilt eating away at me as I took in just how sweltered the lashes were. “You know… I try not to despair over my fate, over the things I have done, over what I am meant to do… but I would say today is the first time I regret this life.” 

He stiffened over my wandering fingers as they lightly traced over each lash after I cleaned it. There was an unspoken question on his lips, in the way his breath hitched and he turned just enough to watch me out of the corner of his eye. I wonder if he saw the sadness I felt, the guilt, no doubt reflected in the set of my lips or the tears threatening to fall in my gaze. “The last time someone had shown me kindness, she died in this arena. And now this time, it is a stranger that shows me kindness, that questions my existence as if it is unnatural… I suppose it is, but I tried not to mind it. But this?” My fingers ran up the bit of smooth skin from the top lash to his right shoulder. “To harm that stranger with my own hands, leaves quite the nasty taste in my mouth.”

“Then why-”

“Because it is the only mercy I could think of. Better my hands, my damnation, than that of the brutes who enjoy the power play of harming someone who they believed to have been above them at one point.” Emotions clouded my head, my actions of their own violation without confirmation of a thought as I leaned forward and pressed my lips just next to his wound, my eyes meeting his. “This is the only kindness I can give to the man who has shown me more than I dare ask for.”

He didn’t say anything, all emotion falling from his face as he turned to face forward, leaving me to my own devices. The silence that followed was both heavy and yet comfortable; he didn’t protest as I cleaned him up and took care of each wound, even haphazardly stitching up his shoulder and a few of the lashes that were much deeper than I thought and intended. He winced, muttering curses as I cleaned them with the alcohol, and even more so as I wrapped the bandages around his torso and over his shoulder.

I stood up, motioning for his clothes. “Strip, I have clean clothes for you for now. Don’t worry, I won’t look.” I handed him the black coarse tunic and trousers, the only ones I could find really but they would have to do.

As he changed, the shuffling of chains and fabric the only indication, I busied myself with putting away the dirty rags that were now stained with his blood, and the empty alcohol container. Only when he cleared his throat did I turn, holding out the now half empty water container and the bread and cheese wedge. “I hope this will suffice for food for now, I will see about what other meals I could bring you.”

He nodded, taking them from me, before sitting on the harsh cot that was more wood than fabric. “And you? What about your wounds?”

I bit my lip at his question, my eyes locked on the cut on his cheek. “Mine can wait.” I had hoped the black dress would hide the fact I had yet to tend to my own wounds, but mine were not as deep or in need of care. “Your cheek-” I reached out, only for him to grab my wrist and lock eyes with me. “Your Majesty I-”

“Call me Yeosang, Princess, I am no royalty here.”

“Neither am I, so don't call me Princess.” I didn’t pull out of his grip, just watched as he turned to place a kiss on the inside of my wrist. It was gentle, but I was sure he could feel my pulse skip at the sensation of his lips.

“Then what am I to call you?” He pressed another kiss up my arm and I could feel my cheeks redden.

This time I did pull my hand away. “Please do not try and seduce me, Yeosang- while the King would gladly let you have your way, there is nothing I can do for you outside of what I have so far.” I warned softly, motioning for him to eat. 

“I could say the same for you Princess. You are as trapped here as I, do you think I could free you from here?”

I shook my head without hesitation, taking a few steps back and avoiding his smoldering gaze. There was a shift in the tension between us, both accusing but also like a thousand sparks threatening to burn me alive in a way I was sure I would welcome. “If you think that is my true intention with the deal I made with the King, you are wrong. I am merely trying to make the last of my days as painless as I can, but I will not run from my fate.” 

“I see… prideful to the end?” He took a sip from the canteen, breaking eye contact as I smiled wryly.

“Not prideful, merely stubborn. I cannot take my own life, I cannot do something to have it taken from me. Any attempt at escape would be meaningless as it would only increase the surveillance and suffrage I am meant to forgo until the day the King decides my head shall meet the guillotine. Perhaps it is simply cowardice on my part, to work with the hand I’ve been given and try for some semblance of a life in this hell, but it is all I’ve known so there is comfort in that.” I pointed a finger at him. “But you, you chose to come here, to fight, I do not see you sitting pretty as I do, nor playing into the hands of the crowd and the King. Does that not make you the prideful one?”

He didn’t answer, the only acknowledgement to my statement was a smirk playing on his lips before he bit into the cheese. I could hear the guard from earlier approaching, the hall illuminating slowly by his torch. “My time is up, I will stop by once more tomorrow. The Arena is only active two days per week, so  you have time to rest.”

I went over to finish cleaning up my mess, grabbing his discarded clothes to add to the rags. “I’ll have these cleaned for you.” As in I was going to wash them myself.

Just before the guard came into view, I felt an arm wrap around my waist, the warmth of his body pressed against my back and his hot breath on my neck. “Four months.”

I turned to ask what he meant, only to hear the chuckle of the guard as he knocked the keys against the bars. “My, you work fast don’t you whore? Already have this fucker wrapped around your finger too? Just remember you don’t get to fuck anyone your father doesn’t give permission for, doll.”

I stiffened in Yeosang’s hold, pulling away and grabbing both the basket and the lantern before hurrying to the door as the guard unlocked it. “That must be tortuous for you then guard, that a prisoner like myself has a better chance of fucking her than you do.” Yeosang’s words were cold, pointed, and I nearly missed the clench of his jaw.

The guard just snarled. “I doubt this pussy is worth your freedom, scum, as for me it could be just a fortnight’s pay.” No sooner had I stepped out was the crude man gripping my chin. “I hear she’ll spread her legs for anyone for the right price, a Princess still likes to spend money after all.”

I slapped his hand away, forcing a smile. “Aye, and if you think a fortnight of your pay is enough for a Princess, even a slut like I, you are dumber than I as well.” I walked past him, scurrying ahead. “Don’t try to touch me again, as you said… my father likes to choose who gets the privilege to do so, beg him first.” The words were only added to prevent the man from acting out in anger, yet it was another guard making rounds that ultimately saved me from humiliation.

I didn’t look back, nor listen for any final words.

This was my fate, and I was not to be ashamed of it in front of him- he was not a knight in shining armor, but just a man who shared my fate. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder… What did he mean by that? Was it a declaration of his conquest over me? Was it an answer to my previous question over which of us would break first? Was it a prediction of how long this farce would last? Or how long he would have left to live?

Four months… there was no good outcome I could think of, so the time frame only filled me with dread.

____

Next Chapter

[skyward-floored]

👀👀

Wip Wednesday!! :D

(if you're willing I'd love to hear about whatever you've been enjoying working on lately)

Yeah sure! :D

So as of late I’ve mostly been splitting my time between the handful of febuwhump fics I’m doing (hehe), the exceedingly late fic I’m writing for Oma (double hehe), and the kitty Wind fic.

The febuwhump ones aren’t too cohesive yet, mostly just rough drafts, but I’m having fun with the one especially. In fact before I answered this ask I was working on it, and I wrote a bit that made me make this face >:)

The fic for Oma is nearly done! ...as soon as I figure out how to finish it that is 😅 For some reason Legend is refusing to cooperate with me here. Maybe because I’m giving him a hard time, heh.

And kitty Wind is! Coming! Very slowly!!! -_- Mostly it’s Twilight’s fault, he keeps wrestling with things and I sort of didn’t have a plan for a lot of the middle of this fic so I’m kind of floundering XD But I wrote a bit of the ending recently! I’ll figure it out at some point lol.

And since I greatly appreciate you asking, here’s a wip from the kitty Wind fic :)

“Poor kid. He’s totally exhausted, huh?” Legend asked, and Twilight checked back into the discussion, nodding.

“The transformation wore him out. It’s a lot of magic all at once, and he wasn’t expecting it at all,” Twilight said quietly, running a gentle hand over Wind’s fur.

“But he’ll be okay, right?” Wild asked, fiddling with his tunic as he looked at the sailor, and Twilight nodded.

“Yeah. The first time is always the worst.”

Warriors narrowed his eyes at that, and Hyrule had a suspicious look on his face as he glanced between Wind and Twilight. Twilight swallowed, and averted his gaze from the two, trying not to fidget.

Okay, maybe I should just come out with it already, this is a bit ridiculous.

[batrogers]

I'm glad you picked up this game because oh gosh so many appealing choices! Can. Can I ask about two of them. XD Cuz LU Ravioli Interrupted definitely sounds fun but I'm also curious about some of your personal/general stuff. Like Rabbit Bio Piece?

Oooo two fun ones. Of course you can ask for two!

LU RavioLi Interrupted is one I need to restart, because it's barely a fragment but it absolutely is meant to be a Spicy making-out fic, and maybe PWP if it works out (although the "interrupted" obviously implied it wasn't going to actually get anywhere, bo both boys dismay.) Mostly, it was my intention to write really cute Ravio/Legend ship fic and it's definitely still on my roster, I just probably won't continue that one.

The Rabbit Bio Piece is a That Broken Promise fic. I have a few "Bio pieces" done, like Chief's Coming Home and Skyloft's Where Demons Have Gone Before. I actually have a set of them linked in the main series if you check on AO3, and (try to) link them all in their bios in my pinned post here, although I'm behind on keeping up with that. I do intend to have one for everyone and I actually am done all but Rabbits so far!

I've had some trouble with his. I know roughly what I want to write, but it's uh, extremely dark in directions I don't normally write. I'll include a snippet from the fic (It's technically complete) under a cut, but the gist is that Rabbit had an abusive marriage after LttP that ended with him suffering severe post-partum depression. The trip to Labrynna and the start of Oracle of Ages was part of him trying to move on and recover. So...

As much as I write dark fics, the really dark reality of how abusive long-term relationships go isn't one I explore often and I'm having some struggles making it work as a one-shot that feels satisfying!

Nevertheless, snippet under the cut. CW for abusive partner, and flashbacks/PTSD from combat.

They had a large courtyard; across it was his in-law's rooms, opposite their own. Link thought nothing of it. He exhaled slowly and passed his short sword between each hand, adjusting to the now unfamiliar weight on his arms. It had been too much to pick up a sword again for so long. Too close to the pain.

He waited, as if expecting the memories to sneak up on him, then brushed it off. This was a conversation he’d had with his uncle, while he tried to talk him out of the marriage: that the memories would fade, but still be unpredictable. That the pain was normal.

(Link hadn’t asked him if he remembered dying. He hadn’t asked him if he’d heard, or asked, or spoken to the other guards, in case any of them remembered it, either. He didn’t dare. He knew, and Zelda knew, and that was bad enough.)

The drills came back without much conscious thought. He’d done them since he was seven, and he could practically do them in his sleep. He was so focused, he didn’t notice anyone coming into the courtyard – didn’t think to stop, because he’d grown up a knight.

What idiot would step into his space?

His husband grabbed his wrist mid-swing and wrenched the sword from his hand.

“What are you thinking?” he snarled. “You said you were done with this!”

Link jerked back and punched him in the ribs, hard enough his husband let go, then spun and slapped him, open-handed across the face. Link staggered and saw his sword and only barely didn’t lunge for it. His heart was pounding in his chest and for a moment, all he could think of was the next sequence:

Seize the sword. Stay low, spin. Cut across the left side waist. Hemorrhage from the liver, or severe gut damage. He'd need a fairy or potion, or he’d be dead.

He swallowed, frozen, long enough the man grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face him again. “Talk to me. Tell me you won’t do that again. Look at you, you look ill!”

He felt ill. Link struggled to find his voice, and all he could manage was, “I’m sorry. You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. Please, don’t startle me like that. I could’ve hurt you.”

“I’m just looking out for you.”

He pulled Link into his arms, and Link melted there as he wished for the shakes to stop. He was right. If he hadn’t been playing with swords again, he never would’ve thought of killing him.

[popotobun]

WIP Wednesday!

It's Wednesday again!! There's still only one thing I'm working on at the moment, so anyone actually reading this has to deal once again with the silly Tangled!AU Scum Villain fic. (Which hopefully I'll have the next part done before the end of the week, but writing is hard guys...)

Time for lots of thinking! (Liu Qingge dislikes that xD) Eventually they're going to get somewhere, I promise!

While he finished making the rope, Qingnian got himself ready for the journey and then started cooking, having decided they needed a good meal before they set off. Qingge had a feeling that he just needed something to do to keep the apprehension from setting in too deeply, to keep the panic from returning. It wasn’t to the same degree, but he understood the fear of the unknown. It had been years since he’d felt it, but he’d seen lesser men frozen by it. The boy… he shook his head as he finished off another knot. Shen Yuan would be 18 now, he should stop thinking of him as a boy just because he looked young. They were nearly the same age.

The next knot was tied off, the motions simple enough to allow him to stew in his thoughts. Should he tell the other man who he is? That he’s got his own troubles to contend with? Should he admit that he knows who Shen Yuan is? Tell him about the reward? Would he lose the trust he’d obviously gained? It might not be much trust, but who would agree to go somewhere if they didn’t trust their companion?

If he didn’t tell him, though, would it be worse? He pulled another knot tight, chiding himself. Keep your head on straight, Qingge. It’s just like any other bounty. You’re not here to make friends.

(‘I’ll make sure you’re safe’, he’d said. Why did he say that? He wasn’t cut out for protecting, really. He would get too focused on the fight for that... He’d just have to avoid a fight, then.)

He took a deep breath and tied off the final knot, unceremoniously dropping the makeshift rope out of the window to test its length. It pooled slightly on the ground in a satisfying way, leaving enough length still in the room to be secured to the bed. Pulling the rope back inside, he left it coiled by the window and sought out Qingnian.

He was tasting a small portion of whatever he’d been cooking, the smell drawing a growl from Qingge’s stomach that set Qingnian to laughing, “Rope’s done. Did you need to get anything else?”

Qingnian shook his head, “No, but you can show me how you wanted to pack things while we eat. Hope you don’t mind mushrooms, I don’t usually have a lot of meat and they work well instead! I grew the ginger myself, just so you know. It’s the best you’ll ever have.”

He accepted the bowl he was given before sitting at the table, blowing on a small spoonful before he ate it. It wasn’t an impressive dish. He’d had better quality rice in the cheap stalls he frequented for meals, but the mushrooms added texture and flavor and the ginger was fresh and bright. Somehow the expectant look on the other man’s face had him going for more before the first was swallowed, the appraisal of “It’s good” managed between mouthfuls.

Looking absolutely delighted by this response, Qingnian sat beside him to devour his own bowl in silence, either too hungry or too in a hurry to want to add on more small talk. Qingge was decidedly the latter and assumed the other was more the former, with how much he seemed to enjoy talking about whatever seemed to come to mind. Oddly enough, the random chatter didn’t bother him like it normally did.  

That was honestly something he didn’t really want to examine too closely.

[heisenberg-simp257]

#240 "You've taken my heart with you."

#241 “Please don't go, I love you so much.”

#115 “Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?”

I told you i had so many requests 🤣🖤 thanks you in advance

I totally get that though! XD💖

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Uncertainty

You were unsure of why Heisenberg kept you around, so you decided to ask him.

#115 “Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?”

#240 "You've taken my heart with you."

#241 “Please don't go, I love you so much.”

Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be dead?

Your parents always told you that if you were caught by any of the lords, you would face the consequences. If it wasn’t Lady Dimitrescu that terrified you, then it was Lord Heisenberg. You knew he wasn’t a gentle man, and he disregarded human life.

So, that raises the question.

Why are you still here?

You figured when he caught you on his land the day you were trying to scavenge, he would kill you on the spot. When he took you inside the factory, you were expecting torture or experimentation. But that didn’t happen. 

He let you stay, and he didn’t treat you like a slave either. It’s been nearly a year since that has happened, and you’ve been awaiting your doom ever since. Now, you were wondering if he simply missed having someone to talk to. 

I mean, Heisenberg wasn’t as ruthless as your parents had told you.

“Hey, Lord Heisenberg, can I ask you something?” You’ve always been afraid to confront him on the matter due to his temper, but it was eating away at you.

“Drop the ‘Lord’ title, Y/N. I don’t like hearing it.” He said back to you, and you quickly corrected yourself.

Right now the two of you were in one of his workspaces. He usually asks you to come along and help him. You are in no position to argue, so you comply. However, he never has you doing anything to hard or dangerous. Just simple stuff, like handing him things.

It was odd.

“Yes. What is it?” He eventually returned to your original question, and you swallowed nervously. You didn’t want this question to bring up any ideas in him. However, he would’ve killed you already if he wanted to.

Right?

So, you decided to jump with both feet in. There was no avoiding this anymore, and you had to know. Even if the answer cost you your life.

“Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?” You asked him the question that’s been haunting you since forever. Heisenberg froze at your words, and the room was so quiet you could’ve heard a pin drop in it.

You couldn’t stop yourself from saying more.

“I-I mean, I expected you to based on what I heard. N-Not that it was anything, like, bad or something. I-I mean, you just have a reputation, and I-” You continued to ramble, but he cut you off by suddenly meeting your eyes with his stormy gaze.

“Do you believe them?” He asked you, not even hesitating.

“Huh?” You asked in confusion, not expecting that response.

“Do you believe the rumors? That I’m some monster who’s thirsty to kill people?” He pressed, taking deep breaths to control himself from getting too angry. 

You thought about his words. There was a time that you did believe the rumors, and by looking around this place, there was some truth to them. However, while you kept thinking he was taking his time with killing you, he really didn’t seem to have that in mind at all. Perhaps he really was just lonely.

So, you shook your head.

“Now, you wanted to know why I haven’t killed you? You...You might not want to stay anymore...” He asked, sighing slightly while gripping the edge of the table in what appeared to be in an anxious manner.

You’ve been waiting for this, and so you nodded.

He began to bite his lip in a nervous manner as he tried to figure out his words. To put them in a way that wouldn’t frighten you off. He didn’t want you to leave, and he didn’t care if that sounded selfish. Something good had finally happened in his life, and he wasn’t going to let it leave.

"You've taken my heart with you." He admitted, and you felt so small at his confession. His words had such power over you.

What?

He liked you in that manner?

This is not what you expected to hear from him. You expected to hear him say how you weren’t compatible with his experiments or that he didn’t want you ratting out what he was doing to anyone. But no. His reasoning was entirely the opposite.

“All this time...you loved me...?” You asked him, taking a couple steps back. It wasn’t out of fear or disgust, but rather out of shock. Again, this was something that you weren’t expecting.

However, he took it differently.

“I-I know that I’m scary, and...unpleasant to be around...but you asked, and I answered honestly...” Heisenberg told you, stepping out around the table to approach you slowly.

“I...I...” You were still at a loss for words. Now, you were thinking of your own feelings. Did you love him back? There was definitely no hatred or dislike, but if you thought long and hard about how you felt, you realized that there was something more to this man.

Looking back, you realized how caring he was to you. It caused your heart to flutter.

“Y/N...don’t go...” His voice was small, sounding like a child talking to their parent. You had your eyes move back to his, which were full of desperation.

“Please don't go, I love you so much.” You’ve never heard him sound so scared, but here he was, begging you not to abandon him. It made your heart break.

From the very start, he was never going to hurt you. If only you realized that sooner.

“I don’t know...what else can I-” He was trying to come up with some reason to make you stay, thinking you were horrified by him. However, he was cut off when you ran over to hug him.

“I’m not going anywhere, and I’m sorry for making you even think that.” You told him, becoming fully aware of what you just did. But you couldn’t deny that the hug felt nice.

And way overdue.

“You’re...not? I thought you were terrified or disgusted...” He trailed off, but you shook your head.

“No...I was just shocked. You were the last person I was expecting a confession from.” You said while pulling away with a smile. For the first time, he smiled back at you before quickly trying to regain his confidence.

“You never saw me like that, got it?” It sounded like a vague threat from him, but his smile told you otherwise. You laughed and nodded, saying you wouldn’t tell anyone. He gave you a side hug in response.

To you, this felt like a breath of fresh air. Finally, you could feel safe around him.

But you also didn’t know that this was a breath of fresh air for him as well.

Finally, he could break down those walls, and let you see the real him.

[thefanciestborrower]

Yo yo, regarding the prompt thingy. XD I forgot what it was called and I'm on mobile. Anyway, I'd like to see you write something to this-

“Please stop licking me, I’m trying to focus.”

Thank you!!!!!

Keep prospering, peep!!!!

Yo thanks!! Okay okay so I know this was a pred prompt but I just had the funniest idea so whoop here we go-

“Please stop licking me, I’m trying to focus.” James groaned for what felt like the tenth time, pushing Ben’s face away from his arm. “You know I won’t taste like anything to you anyways so cut it out.” 

Ben simply shot back a cheeky grin in response, unfazed by being stared down by an annoyed giant. “Aww, you’re no fun.” He groaned, dramatically flopping against James’s side. “We’ve been working on this for hours and I’m bored! You can’t really expect me to just sit here and be boring can you?”

“We’re not being boring. *I’m* working on a very important presentation and *you* are being annoying.” James quipped back. “I didn’t ask you to come over you know. You just sorta invited yourself, so it’s not my fault you’re bored.” Ben just huffed in annoyance, practically slithering his way into James’s lap and displacing the laptop he’d been using.

James frowned at this, completely unamused by Ben’s antics. Really he should have expected him to get like this, but that didn’t change the fact that it was pretty irritating. Still, Ben wasn’t likely to leave him alone any time soon...unless... With a rather devious little smirk he moved the laptop completely to the side, rolling his eyes as Ben started to twist around to try and lick his arm again. Weirdo. “Okay you know what, fine. Maybe I am a little bored. But lucky for me I’ve got the perfect pick me up sitting right in my lap.” 

Ben stiffened, tongue just barely sticking out of his mouth in that stupid little blep face as he looked up at James. He didn’t remain frozen for long however, and the second Jame’s tongue dragged across his face he started to wiggle and protest. “Wait wait wait! I don’t have my console-“ Too late. His voice was cut off abruptly as his head was unceremoniously stuffed in James’s mouth and promptly squished into his throat with a loud swallow. 

Now normally James preferred to take his time when eating someone, but today it was clear he just wanted Ben down and out of the way. In no time the struggling human’s shoulders, then torso, then hips were gulped down and crammed into James’s flexible stomach, bulging it outwards under his baggy sweater. There was a reason said sweater was one of his favorite things to wear. Finally his teeth clicked shut behind Ben’s feet and with a final swallow Ben was gone. Or...moved to a slightly more convenient location as it were. James sighed happily, rubbing a hand over his stomach as Ben began to squirm inside. 

“You less bored now?” James asked with a contented sigh, licking his lips and reclining a little. 

“Yes!” Came Ben’s muffled response. “You didn’t let me grab my switch first so what am I supposed to do in here now!” 

James shrugged, grabbing his laptop. “I don’t know, but it’s not my problem.” Ignoring the offended spluttering Ben now seemed to be doing James simply plugged in his headphones and went right back to work, contentedly full and free from distractions. 

[tonguetiedraven]

the tea or soup for a sore throat!

I wrote this one with the fantastically talented at @marble-wolf who has so kindly agreed to help me with my massive backlog of these xD

It's BonRin, hope that's okay ^^

Avoiding Trage-tea (and Stud-tea!)

Rating: T Pairing: Bon/Rin

Ryuuji loathed getting sick. Not that he supposed anyone actually enjoyed it. It was simply that he had too many things to be doing to take the time to rest, and there was really no other way to heal. 

(Everything he got also always seemed to lead to a migraine, and he loathed those so damn much and they completely immobilized him and there was nothing he could to do get through them more quickly.) 

Thanks to the rot that had plagued his temple and the circumstances around his own birth, he also frequently struggled with lingering coughs and sinuses that were almost as fucked up as his brain.

He wasn’t certain what was causing today’s problem(s). His throat felt like he’d swallowed acid, and he couldn’t quite believe it was just his sinuses draining. He wasn’t running a fever, and there weren’t any other real symptoms outside of some pressure in his head (hardly new) and a few muscle aches. He wore a mask through his classes anyway and avoided talking as much as he could, guzzling water like it could save his angry throat, and tried to just get through the day.

Until he was leaving his evening bazooka class and realized he’d promised Rin he’d tutor him on English. 

The sensible thing to do when it felt like you’d clawed your throat and swallowed salt to make it all worse would probably be to simply cancel the talking heavy plans. Just breathing and swallowing a small amount was currently agony, so tutoring Rin promised to be hell. 

But…

But Ryuuji had been looking forward to it all week. He’d had to work for what felt like forever to get Rin comfortable with the idea of being tutored in English. Something about Ryuuji tutoring him seemed to make Rin uncomfortable and Ryuuji didn’t know if it was just that Rin didn’t want to look stupid (which seemed kind of strange when they all knew Rin regularly got zeroes which meant he couldn’t even sign his name correctly in English) or if it was just the idea of Ryuuji teaching him that had him worried (Ryuuji wasn’t unfair but he did expect effort.)

Whatever it was, Ryuuji had gotten Rin to agree and they’d had a few lessons, and Ryuuji didn’t want to lose their headway.

And sure, he didn’t want to lose the alone time with Rin either. It wasn’t a secret to anyone that he was crushing on the boy. Though, he was pretty sure Rin hadn’t realized it yet. (He really hoped that hadn’t been the reason for the hesitancy in accepting Ryuuji’s tutoring help. He was professional and wouldn’t do anything to risk their relationship. Plus, he didn’t think Rin would be like that at all…

But he still worried about it a little.)

Dying a little and trying to swallow some more of his too-cold water, Ryuuji headed towards the twins’ probably haunted dorm and trudged up the steps, letting himself just feel the miserable exhaustion for a moment longer before forcing a smile and knocking at the door. 

He’d just make today a worksheet day and try to avoid saying anything. Just a few hums of agreement. (And ugh, even that sounded like misery.)

Rin perked up when he heard the knock and gave himself one last moment to check that his hair wasn't too messy and that he looked decent (not that it mattered to Ryuuji. His friend had seen him in worse states. Ryuuji wouldn't care if his clothes were wrinkled or if his hair wasn't lying correctly) before hurrying for the door from where he had holed up in the bathroom. He tried to not be too quick. He didn't want to appear overly eager because then Ryuuji would think he was excited to learn. 

Rin wasn't excited to learn (learning was incredibly difficult but Ryuuji was endlessly patient with him now). He was excited to see Ryuuji. But Rin couldn't share that either. Because if Ryuuji caught on that Rin liked him… Rin didn't know what would happen. 

Rin adjusted himself one last time before opening the door with his typical wide grin and wagging tail. 

"Hey!" Rin greeted before he abruptly cut himself off to stare at the Aria. 

He smelled off and was a bit pale. But Ryuuji was still grinning even if it didn't completely light up his eyes like it typically did. (In an entirely distracting way that would eventually frustrate Ryuuji because Rin wouldn't be listening to what he said.)  

Ryuuji waved back, and after a moment of mildly awkward silence got out a slightly hoarse “Hi, Rin.” 

(The halfling was looking unfairly cute today with his worn jacket, dark shirt, tussled hair, and attractive eyes. The wagging tail just made him look all the happier, and it was unfair that Ryuuji could be in so much pain and still be falling all the more for Rin.) 

Rin stepped aside to let Ryuuji in, eyes narrowing. He was no stranger to human alignments since he grew up with Yukio who was incredibly prone to getting anything and everything. It was rare that his little brother didn't have at least a minor cold when they were very young. 

"Are you sick?" Rin asked as Ryuuji stepped inside.  

Ryuuji’s eyes went a bit wide as his head turned towards Rin. “What?” He croaked, trying not to wince at the pain in his throat. “I—no.” 

Probably not. Hopefully not. It wasn’t a lie. (It wasn’t.) 

Oh so Ryuuji was going to try that. (Rin would have audibly scoffed if Ryuuji had gone with Yukio's go to of, "I'm fine.") 

Rin put his hands on his hips and gave Ryuuji his best look of disapproval. "Okay, so you can help me read this cool book that's in English? Yukio says I'd like it." 

That wasn't a lie. Yukio loved to pass him random books and tell him to read.  

“Sure,” Ryuuji gruffed, marveling a little at just how much his voice sounded like sandpaper. He’d be able to kill any demon with his voice just from sounding awful. “Just show me the words.” He walked further in the building, shivering a little and feeling worse as he swallowed. 

“I’m not sick.” He said again. It didn’t sound any more believable than it had the first time. 

"Uhhuh." Rin acknowledged the attempt and moved to go upstairs. 

Rin really liked Ryuuji and part of that came from his endearing hardheaded stubbornness. His ability to stubborn his way through things was impressive. 

"It's a bigger book." Rin said and fell into a long description of what Yukio had said the book was about. (If Yukio exaggerated it to get Rin to actually read it, Rin would kill him.) 

Rin led the way up to the room, listening to Ryuuji breathe and tried to not let his worry show.  

Ryuuji was starting to shiver, and he wasn’t certain he could put it off as just the dorm. Still, he was ignoring that as well because he really could not afford to get sick. He just couldn’t. 

Rin seemed content to ramble about the book, and Ryuuji was more than content to let him. He had a feeling his throat was going to need the rest, and it really was getting worse as the day stretched on. It was going to be a miserable night.

Another drink of his water did nothing to help, and now they were at Rin’s room and Ryuuji had to figure out how to get words out of his uncooperative throat. 

Setting his bag on the desk and taking his time to riffle through the contents until he found the worksheet he’d designed for Rin. He held it up so Rin could see (hoping the little doodles of the questions helped him focus a bit more since Japanese words were almost as hard for Rin as English words) offering him a smile before setting it down and pulling out one of the two chairs to sit down in. 

He was already tired, and he really could not get sick.

Rin groaned at the sight of the paper and chose to ignore it, instead he was snatching up the book (the biggest one Yukio had handed him) and held it out. 

"This one!" He cheered with a happy wiggle of his tail. (He would follow Ryuuji's lead until Ryuuji admitted to what he felt. Even if Rin gave in and tried to pull it out directly, he had a feeling Ryuuji would get huffy and leave.)  

Ryuuji took the book in his hand and opened to the first page. The words weren’t too complex, and with some effort and a dictionary, Rin could probably figure it out.

But it was going to be hellish for Ryuuji to speak it. He always felt like he had to use a higher register for English, and the words were just… more complicated to form and it was going to hurt.

“In a hole in the ground,” Ryuuji started, and knew there was no way he could continue through this entire thing. “There lived a hobbit. Not a dirty, nasty, wet hole—” Ryuuji cut off with a harsh cough that he covered with his hand. It turned into a pained gag and him gasping for breath and struggling with getting the top off his water. 

He gulped as much as he could, feeling tears in his eyes from the force of his hacks and trying to blink them away as he braced himself for the pain of swallowing.

Rin took the book back, tossing it onto the table and turned his full attention on Ryuuji. He wasn't sure what to do to help besides wait it out then he could help. 

"Are you ready to quit being stubborn and admit you need to rest?" Rin asked gently. He hadn't wanted that amount of struggling. Maybe just a croaked sentence or two and he would have stopped Ryuuji so now he felt guilty for causing the coughing fit.  

Swallowing sucked every bit as much as Ryuuji had anticipated. His throat had to actively be on fire, and he wasn’t even entirely sure what Rin had just asked him. His ears were ringing, and this was all just grand.

He managed a ragged breath, and then another slightly less ragged one.

“Sorry,” Ryuuji choked. “It’s… I don’t know.” He spoke at a whisper, and it still hurt but it wasn’t agony. “I wasn’t running a fever, but I shouldn’t have come over.”

He pulled a mask from his pocket as he spoke, hoping it wasn’t too late, and covered his face.

"Hey, none of that. It's not a big deal!" Rin said with what he hoped was a comforting smile. "Besides, it's better to be sick here than anywhere else in this Academy!" 

Rin's temperature was naturally high but he still reached to set his wrist against Ryuuji's head like he had always seen Shirou do for Yukio. (The thought made his heart twist with longing.) Ryuuji was definitely warmer than Rin was sure humans were supposed to be but Rin couldn't remember where Yukio kept the basic medical supplies. (Yukio made certain Rin knew where the big stuff was but little things like thermometers just didn't come up.) 

"Right. Well. You're not leaving until Yukio gets back to check you over." Rin told him. "Come on, you can lay down on my… bed." (Now Rin was blushing and honestly, Ryuuji was sick and shouldn't have to deal with Rin's Rin-ness on top of everything else.)  

Ryuuji’s face went bright red at Rin’s hand against his head, and he could only hope Rin thought it was that he was sick. 

The lay down on my bed had Ryuuji hacking again. 

“That—that’s not— I can just go home. I don’t need to put you out—and you had a test coming up we were supposed to study for?” And agh. All his talking was hardly a whisper and it still hurt, and even his ears were red now. He was going to combust before he could get to the bed at this point.

(But the part of him that wasn’t flailing from Rin being so close and touching his face in that gentle way wasn’t at all surprised by the turn of things. Of course Rin saw he was sick and didn’t let it slide. That care for his friends was part of why Ryuuji had fallen for Rin. Rin didn’t let people hurt or suffer when he was around. He did whatever he could to make it better, even if it was something like offering his own bed.)

"I won't get sick." Rin said. He had yet to get sick from anything that was just typical colds. Now, if it was a demonic disease or bacterias, then he could. But he would risk it. 

Rin took a deep breath to steady himself and reached to grab Ryuuji's hands and tugged. 

"Come on, princess. You need to lay down. And I doubt you can make it across campus in your condition… so," Rin grinned mischievously, "I can carry you to your dorm. Or you can stay here!"  

Ryuuji discovered he could blush harder. He spluttered behind the mask and hugged the book to his chest. 

Rin carrying him across campus was entirely ridiculous, but that didn’t stop him from swallowing thickly (and painfully) at the thought of how easily Rin could do it. (Rin’s strength was something he’d found incredibly attractive from the beginning.)

“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll sit here until Yukio gets back.” 

(And Rin was holding his hands now, and he could only hope they weren’t clammy because Rin’s hands were warm and entirely nice to hold. Nicer than Ryuuji had ever imagined in the few times he’d let himself really imagine.) 

Another cough had him drinking more water and once again wincing as the icy water did nothing to help. 

Stubborn. So stubborn. 

"Lay down." Rin insisted, with a beckon to his bed. It was all rumpled and unmade with the blankets spilling to the floor but he thought his bed was comfortable. "I'm gonna go grab something. You better be in my bed when I get back." (Oh that came out awful.) 

Rin whipped around and ran from the room with a hot blush on his cheeks. He was going to get some water boiling and then hunt down their medicines. He'd call Yukio to ask if he had to but he didn't want to tip Yukio off that anything was amiss. Rin could take care of Ryuuji better than Ryuuji sitting in an infirmary or alone in his dorm room. 

He still hadn't recovered from his incredibly embarrassing words by the time he had set up water to boil and browsed the contents of the cabinets and refrigerator. Ukobach gave him suggestions and he chatted with the stove demon as he got his help in preparing soup for Ryuuji. 

Rin set to cooking the soup and preparing the tea as quickly as he could, glancing at the clock and hoping he wasn't taking too long.  

Ryuuji watched Rin flee the room with his eyes huge and his mouth open. You better be in my bed. 

Ugh. Ryuuji was going to die blushing at this rate. Rin couldn’t have realized how that sounded, could he?

But now Ryuuji was imagining Rin saying that in a different context, and he had to sit down (on Rin’s bed!) so he could get a breath. 

He was making rather a mess of this study session. At least the mask hid some of his flustered state, but Rin was going to notice soon (he might not be the most observant, but Rin wasn’t stupid) and there would be questions (because Rin always asked questions) and Ryuuji wasn’t sure how he could answer or explain. He’d have told any of the others that he wasn’t feeling well. He’d have told them they’d do the study session later or that they could do it, but it’d have to be with writing or something less painful than talking. But Rin…

But Rin was someone Ryuuji didn’t want to reschedule with Rin. He wanted to spend the time with Rin when he could.

He leaned back on the messy bed, a bit surprised how the disheveled blankets and covers and… sweaters? All seemed to make a nice area to lay. There were soft and warm things everywhere, and he found himself settling back into as he pulled the book closer and got a pencil and notebook out as well to do some work while he waited.

Downstairs, Rin had successfully found their supply of cold and flu medicines and even the thermometer but he didn't know what Ryuuji was able to take so he stuffed all of it into a bag that he had hooked on his arm. Then he set the cup of steaming green tea on the tray next to the bowl of also steaming miso soup. He wiped a splash of the soup off his hand onto his apron, and beamed at the tray. 

He left Kuro and Ukobach with their own bowls and hurried up the stairs as steadily as he could. It was slower than he'd like but he was still able to balance incredibly well with his tail out. 

But he slowed as he remembered his parting words. 

If Ryuuji mentioned it, Rin would turn to ash and float away. 

Rin forced himself to continue on and peeked into his room, his eyes softening at the sight of Ryuuji on his bed. (That sent a surge of ridiculous excitement running through him.) 

"Breakfast in bed for princess!" Rin whispered to try and not startle him.  

“Not a princess,” Ryuuji rasped, glaring even as the blush returned. He hadn’t expected Rin to come back with so much, and he was torn between insisting that it was all too much and he was fine, and basking in the attention from his crush.

But he could also smell tea and it promised to be soothing to his miserable throat. 

So he shifted up a little and tried to soften his expression. “Tea?”

"Green tea!" Rin cheered, moving to sit at the edge of his bed. "You don't need that mask, seriously. Unless you've been playing in Light's weird stuff again." 

"And miso soup!" Rin continued, tucking his legs up under himself and scooting closer. "You also got a bunch of medicine to pick through." 

Rin adjusted to dump the bag next to Ryuuji's leg. "And if none of that will work, I can go grab something else! I got some money, so I can buy something too. Or—" 

Rin realized he was rambling and cut himself off with a little laugh.  

“I’m sure this is fine, I’m… It’s mostly just my throat.” Ryuuji said as he reached for the pain killers. They’d be the safest to start with and might help the slight aches he was feeling. “Don’t think it’s Lightning,” he added and took the mask off. 

(Had Rin been rambling or was it just him? He was blushing a little too, but Ryuuji might be imagining that. Maybe he was sick.)

He popped the pills in his mouth and swallowed it down with the water before setting that aside and reaching for the tea. He cupped the warm mug in his hands and curled his entire body around it, breathing in the steam and relaxing a little at the scent of his favorite drink. (The miso smelled divine as well, and really…)

“Thank you. Sorry you had to go to all this trouble, but it smells fantastic.”

"Had to?" Rin shook his head. "But I wanted to. I would have brought you some soup even if you didn't come over!" 

His tail was wagging as Ryuuji visibly relaxed and the tension in his face lessened. Rin was relieved that he was able to help.  

Ryuuji took a sip of the tea, relaxing a little as the tea soothed some of the ache. Another sip had him able to swallow, and he set the mug aside on the desk while he accepted the soup and tried to think through what Rin had just said.

It was probably something Rin would do for any friend, but Ryuuji’s heart couldn’t help but hope a little. It was an endless sort of hope and it always ached a little. Still…

He spooned some up, eyeing Rin’s tail and smiling softly as he drank it down. (Warm, flavorful, and soothing. Everything he could want.) One spoonful quickly led to a second, and then a third before he forced himself to pause and reach for the notebook.

“Got some study stuff for you,” he rasped. “Might help with the test.”

Rin gave a long whiny mournful noise and flopped across his bed, stretching out and rolling to stuff his face in the thick blankets along the edge next to the wall. 

"Ryuuji!" He whined in a muffled voice. The test would probably not go well anyway and, "can't we take a break today? You gotta be tired and I don't want to."  

“Do you ever?” Ryuuji teased. He nudged Rin’s leg with his foot, blushing a little at how much he wanted to keep his foot pressed against Rin’s leg. (And not just because he was pleasantly warm.) “Promise you’ll practice the basics I taught ya?”

He’d written a recipe down for Rin in the notebook, and felt like that was his best bet for making it interesting for Rin, but Rin could see it later. Ryuuji couldn’t be much help if he couldn’t talk. (And being in Rin’s bed with a meal Rin had made specifically for him to help his sore throat wasn’t helping his own ability to think.)

“This is really good,” he added as he took a few more spoonfuls. It was getting a little easier to swallow and he was relaxing back more into Rin’s surprisingly comfortable bed.

"No, I don't. I promise I'll practice tomorrow." Rin mumbled before reaching down to return the nudge with a finger against Ryuuji's ankle. 

He lifted his head, hoping the redness to his face wasn't obvious as he looked over his shoulder at Ryuuji. 

"Is it helping? I tried to make sure it was perfect for you!" Rin told him. 

Ryuuji seemed more peaceful now than when he had arrived and that made Rin happy.  

“Yeah,” Ryuuji managed at a louder volume than he had yet. “It’s helping a lot.” Then, a bit more softly, “thank you.” 

(Was Rin blushing or was Ryuuji imagining it? He wasn’t imagining the fingers teasing at his ankle, and Rin had made this specifically for him.)

“And you should really practice them tonight, but I’ll take it.” 

He finished the rest of the soup, blushing a little himself as he played it all over in his mind and tried to decide if he was reading into any of this. 

Grabbing his tea back up, he found it had gone a little cool, but he still curled around it anyway, shivering a little, and that wasn’t a good sign for it just being a sore throat. Ugh. 

Rin's tail had begun to wag at Ryuuji's words and he had to catch himself from accidentally smacking Ryuuji. But then Ryuuji was shivering and Rin lifted himself to scoot closer to peek at him. 

His eyes definitely had that glassy feverish quality that Rin had seen on other people and that just made Rin frown. It looked like he was getting worse rather than better. 

Rin reached out, setting his hand against Ryuuji's head again and chuffed an unhappy noise, sitting back on his haunches. 

"You're really sick." Rin grumbled worriedly. 

The shivering wasn't welcome, so, steeling himself for it, Rin set his hand over one of Ryuuji's and sent a flare of warmth over his skin. He was quickly having any embarrassment and reluctance to touch Ryuuji disappear under the worry.  

“It’s fine,” Ryuuji assured, staring wide-eyed at the fantastically warm hand on his own. He’d never realized how warm and soft Rin’s hands were. They were entirely nice to touch.

“I’m not that bad. If I was I wouldn’t be lucid. I’d probably be trying to tell—” Ryuuji cut himself off with a startled cough, horrified at how much he’d almost pulled a Rin and rambled part of a confession. 

Rin lifted an eyebrow at that reaction, curious but more worried about getting the trembling to stop. He couldn't remember what Shirou had done so long ago. 

Rin scooted closer until he was perched with his legs pressed against Ryuuji's leg. 

"If you weren't lucid… you'd tell me all Shima's most embarrassing moments." Rin filled in though he was certain that wasn't even a little close. 

Rin slipped his other hand under the mug and heated his hand to past what would be comfortable to touch and warmed the mug and the liquid inside slowly.  

“Shima…” Ryuuji’s attention was torn between too many touches and his own ridiculousness. How had the study session turned into an almost cuddle on Rin’s bed?

“Shima doesn’t need me to embarrass him. He does a great job of it all by himself.”

“Thanks —” The tea was steaming again, and Ryuuji lifted his gaze to find Rin much too close. His face went warm at the nearness and he found whatever he was going to say had slipped right away from his mind. 

Rin's eyes met Ryuuji's and his cheeks grew even hotter and it was his turn to choke on air. He offered a lopsided grin, a fang slipping over his lips. But the silence was stretching but he couldn't think of what to say. 

"You… should take a nap." Rin whispered. His eyes were caught between Ryuuji's eyes and his lips and the dark hair hanging over his temple that Rin wanted to touch.  

Ryuuji could, in all honesty, probably not trust his mind right now. He was clearly coming down with something, and it was likely making him see more than was really there.

Still, Rin was looking at his lips, and even Ryuuji’s sick mind was pretty damn sure what that meant. It was enough to have his heart fluttering and his breath catching a little with so much yearning that he had to swallow (agh!) again. 

“Here?” He asked softly, trying not to lean closer before he got his answer. 

Rin could feel his hair shifting with flickers of fire and that was embarrassing and hopefully didn't startle Ryuuji. 

Rin's face was burning (literally) but he nodded. "Yeah… here."  

With a moment of possibly fever induced daring, Ryuuji shifted one of the hands he was holding the tea with around so he could grab Rin’s hand in his own.

If this failed, he’d blame it on delirium and apologize. 

“You gonna join me?” Ryuuji asked, raising his gaze to Rin’s and brushing his thumb over Rin’s knuckles. 

Rin squeezed Ryuuji's hand and blushed brighter as his flames crawled down his tail. 

"Of course. I have to guard my princess." Rin breathed, wondering if he had fallen asleep during the study session and he was dreaming.  

Ryuuji shook his head with a huff as he brought the rest of the tea up to finish what was left. 

“I had to go and fall for a dork,” he muttered, and then, realizing what he’d said, blushed and spluttered and spilled some of the tea on both of their hands.

“I’m not a princess!” He yelped like that would cover what he’d said.

Rin was laughing a soft chuckle that made him tingle with a shy sort of affection. 

"That's right. You're my princess. There's a difference. I'd be mad if anyone else called you that." No one else had heard Rin call Ryuuji that. 

"And that's okay. I fell for a dork too." Rin admitted, his tail shifted without his permission to shyly brush over Ryuuji's leg.  

“Yeah?” Ryuuji asked softly, spilled tea and princess all but forgotten at that admission. (He could handle being Rin’s princess. He’d already had to deal with it for a while, and there were much worse things to be. And he kind of liked the my in that.) 

Then, without waiting for an answer, he tugged on the hand he had captive to pull Rin to settle beside him.

Rin squeaked and landed in a pile of limbs against Ryuuji, rapidly coming to the realization that this wasn't a dream and Ryuuji was solid and comfortable. Rin stretched out, hesitantly stretching an arm out to sit over Ryuuji's chest. 

He held himself uncertainly, trying to figure out what to do with his other arm and his tail that wanted to touch Ryuuji and his legs. How did people cuddle? Was that what was happening?  

Ryuuji finished the tea so he would have his hands free (and to soothe his throat from the talking.) Then, satisfied with that, he let his tired body do what it wanted and shifted down a little on the bed. He kept himself a bit elevated on the pillows and released Rin’s hand to wrap his arm around Rin instead, tugging him a bit closer. Ryuuji slipped one of his leg around so Rin’s was draped over it, and traced along the arm Rin had thrown over his chest until he found Rin’s hand and intertwined their fingers. 

“Okay?” He asked softly as his head tilted towards Rin’s. 

Rin looked up with wide eyes, the hot ghost of Ryuuji's touch over his arm had nearly shut off all his thoughts and he couldn't help but admire Ryuuji so close. He was handsome even with the sheen of sickness in his eyes. His body was pressed close and Rin swallowed down his tempting reaction to pull away with embarrassment. 

"Yeah." Rin whispered, letting his tail reach and loop around Ryuuji's leg. 

He stroked Ryuuji's hand, and sank into the embrace. It was everything he had hoped it would be and more. He had always wanted Ryuuji to hold him like this.  

“You’re gonna study… tomorrow. Pass the test.” Ryuuji swallowed and found it hurt a bit less than it had as Rin’s weight settled against him. “Then maybe… Maybe we can go out?”  

He was tired and close to sleep, but he’d stay awake a little longer for this.

Rin fell to the temptation and lifted a hand to brush through Ryuuji's hair, finding it as soft as he had thought it would be. He was starting to purr and that was mildly embarrassing. 

"I guess I'll study…" Rin sighed dramatically, curling a finger through a lock of dark hair. "But yeah… we can go on a date!" 

The word was exciting and he was already thinking of different things they could do together. 

"And… you should know." Rin said with a soft laugh. "I don't think Yukio will be coming back anytime soon. He left on a mission."  

Ryuuji’s eyes — which had lulled shut at the soothing sensation of Rin’s hand in his hair — popped back open. He blinked and looked down at Rin before snorting. 

“Tricky monkey.” He closed his eyes again and settled down for the nap that was quickly coming on. “Sounds like ya just wanted me to hang around.” Then, with a bit of a yawn, he shifted the arm he had around Rin so he could thread his fingers through Rin’s soft hair. “Soon as I’m better… go on a date…” 

Ryuuji drifted off feeling warm, safe, and like his throat was going to let him live. Which was good, because he was absolutely going on that date with Rin.