#I just want to strangle them yet hug them at the same time

[sapthegoldendragon]

They are done✨✨✨ I literally binged all of hazbin two days ago and I drew these guys yesterday. I love me some powerful guys that can absolutely destroy me in an instant

[harunayuuka2060]

Ace: NO! WHY YOU'RE GOING BACK TO DEVILDOM?!

Ace: I thought you were going to stay here!

MC: I have responsibilities in Devildom. And Dia can't be away for too long.

Diavolo: *chuckles* That's right.

Ortho: But how about your children with Malleus Draconia?

MC: Oh. Them? Barbatos here made a special portal just for them so they could travel back and forth whenever they needed me.

Barbatos: *smiles*

MC: And Malleus too. Though it should be when he really needs me.

Lucifer: Yes. We don't want him frequently visiting Devildom.

Deuce: How about Grim?

MC: Grim hasn't decided yet. He's torn between coming with us or staying in this house.

MC: I advised him that he should do the latter.

Epel: You and he are a tandem. I don't think he will-

Grim: Grim-sama will stay in Night Raven College! Myaha!

Ace: Oh? Really?

Grim: Yes! It's time for Grim-sama to ace everything on his own!

Solomon: *chuckles* I convinced him to stay behind.

Solomon: After all, you will need a strong mage to assist you whenever you want to return to Twisted Wonderland.

MC: Thanks, Sol!

Solomon: *chuckles* You're welcome.

Vil: Let's meet again on your next visit, Potato.

MC: Sure, Vil.

Asmo: Vil-sweetie~ I'm going to miss you~.

Vil: *smirks* I'm sure you will. It's not everyday you will see someone as beautiful as me.

Asmo: ...

Asmo: Sweetie? You look like a hundred people.

Vil: ...

MC: Asmo, what the hell-

The Scarabia students: Brother Mammon! We're going to miss you!

Kalim: Here's a treasure chest full of gold to remember us by!

Mammon: DAMN- I LOVE THIS!

Jamil: *smiles* That's great to know. MC told us that gold would make you happy.

Mammon: *hugs them* I'll visit you all again!

Idia and Levi: ...

Idia: This is nothing much, but here.

Levi: What's this?

Idia: A fanart of MC in a Ruri-chan costume.

Levi: ...

Levi: You drew this... for me? *puppy eyes*

Idia: Yeah. It'll be awkward if I didn't give you a farewell gift.

Levi: Idia-kun! Thank you! '

Idia: H-H-Hey! Don't hug me!

Satan, Beel, Belphie: ...

The other housewardens: ...

Simeon and Luke: ...

Simeon: Is everyone ready?

Them: Yes.

Simeon: *chuckles* Riddle and Azul's guesses are correct.

Riddle and Azul: Yes!

Leona: Are you kidding me?

Malleus: Belphegor, we believed in you.

Belphie: You shouldn't have.

Beel: Belphie knows how to get people to trust him.

Satan: *sigh* Only Riddle and Azul guessed that I wasn't the traitor.

Luke: Because all three of you share the same mindset.

Simeon: Anyway, have any of you considered studying in Devildom someday as exchange students?

Malleus: I wanted to, but it seemed they didn't want to even consider me.

Leona: Haha, that sucks.

Riddle: I received an invitation from MC themselves; however, I had to decline.

Azul: Me too. I can't leave my businesses here.

Simeon: That's unfortunate. Ah! Malleus! Have you chosen a name for the little prince and princess?

Malleus: *smiles* Yes.

Luke: Really?! What are their names?!

Malleus: *chuckles* Seren and Sylvas.

Belphie: Their names don't start with "M"?

Malleus: Yes. The child of man was surprised with that too. Nevertheless, they approved the names. *smiles*

Thirteen: MC is finally coming back?!!

Mephistopheles: Yes, reaper- NOW STOP STRANGLING ME!

Raphael: That's good to hear. Michael can't wait to punish them for kidnapping Luke in front of him.

Thirteen: Huh? And why?

Raphael: You heard me. It was a rude behavior.

Thirteen: Hmph. He better not do anything or I will fight him myself.

[thefatedthoughtofyou]

Eddie and Max get out of the hospital at the same time. Eddie's scars are tender. It hurts to move sometimes. But he's got ointment, and pain pills, he'll be fine.

Max can see, not super well, but it improves a little every week. Her arms are mostly healed, she still has slings for when they ache. Her legs are healed, technically, the bones anyway. But she's got braces and isn't supposed to walk on them yet. She can stand on them for a couple minutes off and on to stretch them. But she goes to physical therapy multiple times a week.

Her mom had been rightly worried and upset and freaked out, because they couldn't afford a van for her wheelchair. And yeah she can get out of her wheelchair if she needs too, but its easier on her body if she can just, roll in and out of a vehicle.

So eddie tells her mom he can drive her around. All they need is a ramp for his van. He already had straps in the back to secure things, they use them on Gareth's drum set. The relief on Max's mothers face and the way she hugs him genlty is... too much. He just smiles and looks away, nodding when she thanks him again.

He drives her to therapy twice and decides that her trailer needs a ramp too. A good one. He can't help lift Max's chair, so he just has to watch Max's mom struggle to get her up the stairs.

So he goes home and starts drawing. He can see it in his head, the way he wants it, bigger than it probably needs to be, but he wants the slope to be low impact, because once her arms get strong enough to move herself, he wants her to able to do that. He just... doesn't know how he's gonna manage to DO all this.

But he goes to the hardware store one day, with Wayne, because Wayne knows things, about everything. And Wayne helps him pick out the wood, they estimate the numbers and then buy a little more, just in case. And they load it up, and drop it by Max's house. And the next day, Wayne goes to work, and so does Eddie.

He ties his hair back, shoves himself into a pair of Wayne's old cover alls, and walks slowly over to Max's, she doesn't have therapy today, or the next two. Eddie doesn't think he can get it done by then, but he's gonna fucking get it started if it kills him. He pops a pain pill into his mouth, takes a swig from the water he'd brought with him, takes a look at the drawing he'd made, and gets to work.

Max rolls onto her small porch steps about an hour into Eddie's work, he's been measuring and cutting and just separating things into piles. She says his name softly and he looks up, squinting, he's covered in sweat. And his body fucking hurts. He wipes at his forehead with his arm and limps over to Max. She's holding out a new glass of water.

"What are you doing?" Her voice is ...tight. Like she knows exactly what he's doing. Eddie chugs the water and hands her back the empty glass.

"What? You don't like suprises?" He huffs, smiles with the tease. She smiles back, her bottom lip trembling slightly. He rests his hand gently on her knee, gives it a squeeze, then heads back to where he was,

"Go inside. I can't keep an eye you when I'm working and if you roll off that teeny tiny porch you're mom'll kill me." She snorts, but does as he says. A few minutes later Eddie hears the door slap shut again, and looks up to see another glass of water sitting on the porch. He shouts a thank you, and keeps working.

It only takes another hour before he almost has a breakdown. His skin hurts, he's hot, his hands are shaking. He's downed three more glasses of water. His last thank you had been so strangled that Max had just looked at him and then disappeared into the house.

He's sitting on the porch steps now, hands shaking in his lap, tears falling down his face. He can't take another pill yet. He's got two hours. He takes a few very deep breathes, about to steel himself and get back to work, his hands are on his knees, about to push himself up, when he hears the car.

He looks up, and Steve's car is parking at his house. His hands fall from his knees. But its not just Steve in the car, Nancy and Robin are there too. All of them in old looking jeans, and ratty looking shirts.

Robin's are covered in paint. Eddie's breathing goes shakey as Steve pats Robin's shoulder and points at Eddie. Robin nods and heads for him, doing a weird little run, Eddie can't help but smile. Steve and Nancy are grabbing things from Steve's trunk, Eddie doesn't see what things, before Robin is filling his vision, dropping to her knees in front of him looking concerned as her hands gently cradle his face.

"Hey you. You okay? Max said you might need some help." Robin breaths it out like a sigh, like she'd been holding in her worry. Eddie bites his lip to stop it from trembling anymore and nods. She nods back with a smile.

"Okay cool. Well, help is here. Help being, Steve and Nancy." She nods to them.

"And I'm gonna sit with you until you're feeling a bit better okay? Then you can jump back in." Steve clears his throat aggressively as he walks past her at that. Robin's face scrunches.

"Maybe." She tells Eddie. Steve was ... was he mad? He wasn't looking at Eddie, just helping Nancy get the tools they'd need out of the box they brought. Eddie had some tools, but just for one person. Robin rubs his knee gently and squishes in next to him on the stairs.

"So you got baby sitting duty?" He asks her, his side pressing into her as almost all the fight to stay upright leaves his body. She's steady beside him, holds him up easily, her hand curling around his bicep for extra support.

"Well, Nancy and Steve thought it was probably best that I don't handle tools. So yeah, but hey, babysitting you's not so bad. I mean you're a GREAT conversationalist." Robin smiles brightly at him, watches him try to smile back and then grimace.

"You okay?" Her voice is concerned now, and that apparently draws Steve's attention. He's at Eddie side in the time it takes for Eddie to nod, his face still scrunched in pain. Steve kneels, looks up at him.

"Where are your pills?" He asks. Eddie shakes his head.

"Hour an a half." Eddie grunts out. Steve's head falls and then it's shaking, he sighs, and fuck, he sounds disappointed. And he's glaring at Eddie when he finally looks back up.

"What the fuck were you thinking? Doing this by yourself, with no one here but Max to help you if you got hurt. Did you think about that?" Steve's voice gets louder as he talks.

"Steve." Robin's voice, a warning.

"No. Robin. This is... you could've gotten hurt Eddie." He huffs it, his voice is full of frustration, and anger. Eddie just stares at the ground, tries to breathe around the lump in his throat.

"I know I fucked up alright? Can we spare the lecture?" He grits, his voice is wobbly. Steve doesn't hear it, just huffs again and stands, Eddie sees his hands hit his hips and braces for whatever he's gonna say next.

"What was Max supposed to do if you got hurt? Huh? She can't help you dude! And Wayne's at work! You're all alone out here, when you shouldn't even be out here in the first place!" Steve is openly yelling now, both Nancy and Robin saying his name as Eddie's shoulders shake. Eddie clears his throat roughly, pushing the tight feeling away so he can speak. He shoves himself to his feet with a wince, pain shooting through his body.

"You think I dont know that? I know how fucking alone I am. Thank you. Steve." His hand clenches at the pain in his side, a whimper rips out of his throat, tears burn his eyes and fall. Steve looks startled, then concerned, reaches out to steady him, Eddie slaps his hand away, hard.

"Don't fuckin touch me." He growls, wipes at his eyes with shakey hands and starts walking to his trailer. His foot hits a dip in the ground and he stumbles, Robin catches him, just enough to keep him on his feet. She lets go immediately as he shrugs her touch off gently, and keeps walking.

"FUCK!" he yells it, to no one really, just built up frustration clawing its way out of him. He stomps, carefully, up his own trailer steps, and lets the door slam shut behind him.

Max's trailer door squeaks open, and the three of them turn to see her looking at Steve.

"That was harsh. I told you to come help him, not fucking yell at him and make it worse." The look in her eyes could cut glass. Steve droops under her scrutiny, his hands moving to cover his face.

"Fuck. I know." He groans. He looks up, and over to Robin.

"What's wrong with me?" He sighs, his head hanging again. Robin gives him a sympathetic smile, walks closer, rubs at his arm.

"You care about him. And you were mad. And when you're upset you get...." she trails off, thinking.

"Bitchy." Nancy supplies, moving to his other side, her hand on his shoulder as he glares at her.

"What? You do. Eddie was trying to do something nice. Something amazing, actually, for Max." Steve glares harder, she holds her finger up, silencening whatever he was about to interupt her with.

"And yes he went about it the wrong way. He obviously should have called for help." Robin chimes in, squeezing his arm.

"But no one said he was a genius. He's just trying to help." Nancy finishes, moving her hand over his shoulder soothingly.

"I know that. But he can't... he can't just help others to point that he hurts himself!" Steve flails a little, both Robin and Nancy leaning away from him, out of his flail range. They share a look though. And Max snorts behind him. He wips around to look at her.

"What? What was that for?" He asks, his tone, to his dismay, bitchy.

"Did you hear what just came out of your mouth? Have you met yourself?" She asks, crossing her arms carefully over her chest. She glares at him until he deflates. He sighs. Squints against the sun as he looks up at the sky.

"I need to go apologize." He says. All three girls nod.

"Yep." Nancy says, pressing her lips together so she doesn't smile.

"Definitely. 100% yeah." Robin squeezes his arm again, gives him an encouraging nod.

"If you don't. I'm throwing myself down these steps and telling my mom you left me unsupervised." Max says, her voice flat. Steve's eyes widen, and then he gives her a look.

"Jesus. Alright. I was already going. No need for threats." He calls the last part over his shoulder as he makes his way to Eddie's trailer. He bounces up the steps gingerly and knocks.

"Come in." Eddie's voice calls. Steve opens the door, the living room is empty. He walks down to Eddie's room and his heart sinks. Eddie has one arm pulled up inside his coveralls, it's bent at an interesting angle, he's sitting in the edge of his bed, his face is wet with tears. He flinches a little when he sees it's Steve standing there and that hurts Steve too. He moves closer, just one step and then Eddie chokes out,

"I'm stuck." And Steve moves fast. He kneels in front of Eddie, trying to look at the situation, his arm is caught in the sleeve, his elbow shoved into it tightly, he moves Eddie's wrist and Eddie flinches again.

"Does it hurt?" He asks, keeping his voice quiet. Eddie nods, bites his lip. The sleeve is pressing hard into Eddie's arm, right where one of his scars is. Steve winces in sympathy.

"How attached are you to these?" He tugs on the front of the coveralls, Eddie looks at him.

"I'm not. They're Wayne's old pair." He says, his voice tight from the pain.

"Okay good." Steve says as he slides his pocket knife out, flicks it open, and cuts the sleeve in one fluid motion. Eddie's arm drops free, another whimper falls out of him at the release.

Steve cradles Eddie's arm, holds it gently as Eddie catches his breath. His fingers squeeze Eddie's wrist and he opens his eyes. Looks at Steve.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Steve says, not letting go of Eddie's wrist. Eddie blinks at him. Stares. Then shakes his head.

"Don't be. I fucked up. You were right. I shouldn't have been out there by myself." Eddie frowns, wipes at his wet face. Steve shakes his head then, pushing himself up onto his knees, his back straightening, moving him closer to Eddie's face.

"No. Don't do that. It wasn't your fault. Okay? I shouldn't have yelled. You were trying to help Max. And I just... I didn't wanna find you hurt. Again." Steve looks at Eddie, really looks at him, tries to convey what he means without having to say it. Eddie's eyes are wide, and a little glassy from crying, but Steve sees it, the moment realization hits him.

"Okay. I won't do it again." Eddie nods, moves his wrist in Steve's hand so he can curl his fingers around Steve's wrist.

"Thank you. Just call us. We'll help you. Okay? And Eddie?" Steve swallows, stands and lifts Eddie to his feet, Eddie blinks at him owlishly.

"You're not alone. I'm sorry if we made you feel that way." Steve whispers it, feels his throat burn as Eddie starts crying again. He wipes at his face and shakes his head, looks at Steve with some strange frown smile combo.

"No I know. I just... it's always just been me. And Wayne. Ya know?" He says, holding onto Steve as he sways, dizzy. Steve holds onto him right back.

"Yeah. Well... not anymore." Steve shrugs, smiles, and then tugs Eddie out of his room. They get him another pain pill, Steve rubs some ointment onto the scar on his arm, and then they go back outside.

Nancy is cutting wood while Robin measures and marks. Steve doesn't let go of Eddie's hand until he has him sitting on the porch steps. Max hands him another glass of water.

"You're drinking me out of house and home Munson." She teases, he stares her down as he chugs the water, holds the glass back out to her and wiggles it with a shit eating grin.

"Unbelievable. Sending the girl in the wheelchair to do your errands." She sighs, but smiles when Eddie hops up and gets the door for her, follows her inside to help. He pops back a minute later and hands Steve a peice of paper. It has his plans for the ramp on it.

"This is sort of what I was aiming for." He shrugs, watches Steve look over the paper.

"You did this?" He asks, looking back up at Eddie. Eddie nods, wraps his arms around himself, feeling self-conscious under Steve's gaze.

"What? What's wrong with it?" He asks when Steve says nothing.

"What? Oh no, sorry, nothing's wrong. It's just super detailed." Steve smiles, shakes his head, hands the paper to Robin and Nancy.

"Yeah well, I wanted it done right." Eddie shrugs, Nancy makes a weird moaning sound behind them, both of them look to see her looking down at the paper in her hands, lovingly. She looks back up at Eddie.

"Finally! Someone else detail oriented. I'm making copies of this." She sounds genuine as she waves the paper, smiling at Eddie. He flushes red and moves to sit on the steps again. When his hands stop shaking he helps Robin with the measurements.

She measures, he measures, Nancy and Steve cut.

It takes them two days. But they get it done. The ramp wraps around the side of the trailer, where Max's mom always parks. He bought some plywood as well, to put down on the ground, so Max's wheels wouldn't sink.

The first time she pushes Max down the ramp she nearly cries as she throws herself at Eddie. Hugs him tight and then apologizes when he huffs in pain. Max grabs his hand, looks up at him with her bright blue eyes, and kisses his arm. Just a little peck, smooching the bats on his skin. But he gets it. That's all she needs to do. He knows she's grateful.

Steve shows up at Eddie's trailer the day after they finish the ramp. His eyes are wild and he looks like he's been shoving his hands into his hair for a couple of hours. Eddie gets half way through asking what's wrong and then Steve is kissing him. They almost fall into the trailer with the force of it. Steve catches them, rights them, but doesn't let go of Eddie, just lets out a breathy,

"Sorry sorry." As he keeps them steady. Eddie just smiles dumbly at him. Wayne stands from the couch, clears his throat awkwardly and pats Eddie on the shoulder as he leaves, says,

"Told you them coveralls was lucky boy." He winks as he passes them. Eddie's laughter filling the trailer behind him as Steve's face goes crimson and he drops his head on Eddie's shoulder with a dramatic groan.

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Pretty like the sun

Previous chapter / Last chapter

a/n This is pretty like the wind series spin offs. This can be read as standalone all you need to know is that Azriel has two adoptive kids with OC - Zofie and Axel. Future stories related to them might include stories specifically decided to Azriel hence why I am taging it as Azriel story too. Don't come at me please. ✨ Azriel’s pov is in this one. 🤍🫧

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Nyx’s pov:

He felt choked up as he flew over Velaris. They were far away from the crowded halls, yet Nyx still felt as if someone had their hands over his neck. It pressed deeply into his throat. He tried to breathe her in. His Sunny. The only good thing about his miserable existence. She was here. With him. In his arms. Holding onto him. He felt her heart beating. Her warm breath caressing the nape of his neck. It felt like a full-circle moment when he once again landed right in front of the lake cabin.

“You’re still shaking," Zofie muttered as Nyx carefully lowered her to the ground. Even the moon up above played in her favor. Making her skin look like porcelain. Her dark hair resembled the night sky Nyx had forgotten how to love. “I’m fine," he muttered, simply not dropping his eyes away from her.

Zofie stepped out of his reach. It was a logical move. There was no reason to hold onto one another. They weren’t in the sky anymore. She could very well stand on her own. But Nyx pulled her to him almost immediately. His fingers were itching to touch her.

"Nyx," she breathed when her cheek pressed against his chest once more. “Just a bit longer," he muttered, kissing the crown on her head and letting his lips linger there before adding, "Please." Zofie pulled back from him slightly. Just enough for her to look up at him, “You’re making me worried," she breathed. Her golden eyes pierced right through Nyx’s soul. He knew why it was strange. He hated physical touch. Too much smothering from his family had left him skittish of affection. But not with her. Never with her, even if he declined her at times.

“I just..." His words came out strangled, followed by a big gulp of air. “Are you having a panic attack?” Now she was pulling back, her tiny palms pressing against the left side of his chest. “No… I don’t know," Nyx admitted, running a clammy hand over his neck. Zofie looked at him for a heartbeat. A light frown settled permanent lines into her forehead. “You’re deep purple," she breathed, reaching for Nyx’s hands instantly, deep inky wains connecting them. “What?", Nyx managed to crock out before she started pulling him towards the cabin. His eyes lingered on their joined hands. It looked as if she was pulling the darkness out of him, and that didn’t sit right with him. The last thing Nyx wanted was to tarnish her with his demons. Yet he couldn’t seem to pull his hand out of her grasp. "Purple," Zofie muttered under her breath for what felt like a thousand times before she finally turned to face him, “What can I do?”. Her eyes were desperate as she searched through the cracks in Nyx’s mask.

He knew what the logical answer was. They would both benefit if they just sat there. If they didn’t get tangled up, pulling apart would be too painful. He knew that their parents would never approve, and this would just birth false hope that they could, after all, somehow be together. Yet he still mumbled a quiet, “Hold me.”

Zofie nodded as she went into the same room they had spent endless hours in. The bed was neatly made in the middle. The big windows give a clear view of the lake right in front of them. "Lay," she said, pushing Nyx towards the bed before bending to undo her heels. “This seems suggestive," he muttered, feeling pieces of his true self surfacing. "Nyx, you ass, lay down," she snickered, pushing at his chest. But he didn’t budge. He had promised her to appreciate the way she looked, so he let his eyes linger on her body and the way that expensive silk hugged all the right places. “Don’t get fucking ideas, you hear me?”, Zofie pointed a finger at him before hiking up her skirt as she climbed onto the mattress. Nyx couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. Mother above had crafted this girl in front of him. She couldn’t possibly be of the same breed as them all. No. Maybe, just like YN, she was part angel blood. Or maybe she was just an angel. Pure angel. And in that moment, Nyx couldn’t find a single reason why someone like her would want any piece of him. She straddled him with ease, and Nyx’s hands instantly reached for her hips. He was desperate to let his fingers slip beneath the material of her dress, but he held himself back. Especially since Zofie stiffened slightly at his touch, but with one final glance, she plopped her whole body right on top of his. Nyx let out a surprised huff. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Putting pressure on your chest," she said as if it was the most self-explanatory thing to do. “For?” Nyx questioned, not that he was complaining. Zofie shifted slightly, and so did Nyx, angling his head to look down at her. “What happened to your eye?”, she muttered, her delicate fingers reaching out to touch a faint bruise on his face. It was beyond him how she still saw it because he was convinced that it had almost fully faded. No one had mentioned it when he returned home from the camps.

“Just a fight," Nyx shrugged slightly. “Have you been picking fights?”, Zofie glared at him with a slight shake of her head. “You left me unsupervised," he mused, brushing a strand of hair away from her eyes. “You seem of age to take care of yourself, no?”, her fingers continued to run soothing brushes beneath his eye. And then it dawned on him: “You’re distancing me," he huffed, making her smile ever so slightly. “Is it working?”, she asked innocently. His smart, smart girl. Leave it to her to know exactly what he needed.

“God, you’re pretty," Nyx breathed out after a moment of silence. "Stop," she growled, turning to hide her face in his chest, but Nyx was quick enough to catch her chin. “No, you need to know that." His gaze caught hers, and he was ready to swear that he was never going to look away. “I’m sorry that I said all of that to your father. I had no right, and you need to know how much I've regretted it ever since." The words fell out one after another. He had run over and over again in his head every single day they had been apart. "Nyx," Zofie muttered tenderly.

Nyx simply shook his head and said, “You trusted me, and I just went and spoiled it all." He felt his chest tighten with panic once more. "Nyx shut up," she huffed, cupping his cheek. “I’m not mad at you anymore," she promised. “You should be, and I deserve to be miserable," he reasoned back, but now it was her time to shake her head, “Don’t say that; never say that.”

“I missed you so much, fuck Sunny," Nyx muttered, feeling his eyes filling up with tears. His body was singing now that she was right here with him. “Do you even know how much I missed you?”, he questioned her, leaning in to press his forehead against hers. “Yeah, my heart has been aching ever since we parted," Zofie muttered, biting her lip to prevent her chin from wobbling. “Can I hold you through the night?”, Nyx blurted out, making Zofie let out a surprised gasp. “You’re supposed to hate cuddling, remember?”, she threw his own words back at him with a smirk. Nyx traced his fingers over her bottom lip, “Not with you, never with you." She inhaled shakily before nodding her head and saying, “Then yes, hold me through the night."

Azriel’s pov:

It was his first outing in weeks, and to say that he hated this party would have been an understatement. You always made it better. Filling in all the empty spaces in conversations that Azriel didn’t want to hold. Now you were back home with your daughter, and he was stuck here. How was that fair? His senses were still too sharp. That needs to protect what was only his running thickly through his blood. Until his eyes landed on the young man's, true, strong soldier’s stance. A smile tugged at Azriel’s lips.

“The uniform suits you, son," he breathed, clasping his oldest on the shoulder. Axel’s stance eased as he dropped all formalities, “I must honor our family.” And quite frankly, that’s all Axel has been doing. Azriel had told him many times that he didn’t have to prove himself to him. Azriel didn’t need titles. But Axel had stomped his foot on all that. He had been desperate to go foot-to-foot with Azriel. “You could be out there being a professional singer, and I still would be proud of you," Azriel reassured him. “Now that you mentioned it...", Axel smirked at his father, who too couldn’t help an honest chuckle.

“You’ve seen Zo?”, and it’s like all the blood had left him. His skin growing slightly greenish. “About that...", Axel sighed with a nervous laugh. “She’s with Nyx, isn’t she?", Azriel folded his arms over his chest. “Papa, you know...", Axel cut in, but Azriel shook his head. “I’m not going to say anything. Your mother said I need to get my shit together." And you did. Had sat him down for a long conversation. The thing was that Azriel didn’t hate or dislike Nyx. He was a smart young man. It was the letting go of Zofie that frightened him. The fact that she wouldn’t need him for comfort anymore. That she would find her peace within someone else. And he knew now, well after a couple of smacks on the head from you, that he was selfish in the way he kept dragging her back to him.

“He’s been missable, you know," Axel sighed, looking over the crowd. “Over what?”, Azriel asked. Only a handful of family members got through the walls the young prince had built. Azriel wasn’t a stranger to Rhys’s worried face when he would drift off mid-conversation these days, no doubt troubled by the fact that his blood and flesh was guarded away from him.

“Well, from what I gathered, Zo told him that they couldn’t be friends anymore, and Nyx practically lost all will to live." Old wounds cracked deep with Azriel’s chest. He knew that feeling all too well. You had been his light in the never-ending darkness. He had given up on joy and the future. But then in walked you.

“I think he likes her, like really likes her," Axel mused, turning towards his father. Azriel ran a hand over his stubble. “You probably think that I’m a monster for reacting the way I did." He had seen disapproval in Axel’s eyes as they all listened to her cry. Cry over the things Azriel has done. “No, I thought about bashing his nose in when I first realized that my best friend had feelings for my sister." Axel shrugged, earning a snicker from Azriel.

“So what changed?”, he asked quietly. Axel stayed silent for a heartbeat, “I think they are vital for one another. Zofie never has flare-ups when she’s with him, and Nyx... I think she pulls him out of the depths of his misery." Azriel bit the inside of his cheek, trying to hold a straight face. He had deep conversations with Axel before. On many topics. Love had been the only thing Azriel had held back from discussing. Even after a handful of years in a happy marriage, he did not feel confident enough to share what he knew.

“You’re a good friend, Axel, a good young man." Azriel patted Axel’s cheek before flicking his nose playfully. “I learned from the best now, didn’t I?, Axel said proudly. Azriel’s heart skipped a beat. Like it always did when he saw his kids looking up at him with nothing other than love. “Don’t; if I start tearing up in front of all of the generals, I will personally put you on bathroom duty," Azriel warned playfully as Axel threw him a challenging grin before nudging his father’s shoulder and saying, "I love you, Dad." Azriel put the boy in a headlock, ruffling his hair. “I love you too, Axel. Always will”.

As he pulled back, he saw something different glistening in Axel’s eyes. Not to mention that his attention was somewhere completely different. “How did you know that you were in love?”, Axel muttered. Azriel followed his gaze. A light smile tugged at his lips as he caught a girl in a gray robe hiding behind a pillar. “Nothing made sense without your mom, and for the first time, I felt as if I could show my deepest scars and the person in front of me wouldn’t run." It was the most truthful he had ever been when it came to love. Axel turned his attention back to his father; no doubt the words had stuck him deep. “It felt like coming home, Ax," Azriel muttered, watching the way little puzzle pieces fell into place for his oldest. Axel gave him a strong nod before ushering deeper into the crowd.

Zofie’s pov:

The morning sun filled the room. Warm rays of sunshine tickled the exposed skin on her back. Even with Nyx’s hand wrapped tightly over her back and providing heat to her through the night, Zofie still smiled at the feeling of the sun hitting her skin. They hadn’t talked much last night. Instead, stealing touches in the dark. Both felt the courage the moon had provided.

And now, with an early morning above them, she was watching him sleep. Staying as quiet as the mouse. Not daring to reach out and brush away his messy hair from his face. Not until the urge got too strong. She was careful. Just the moment her fingers touched his forehead, Zofie couldn’t help but frown. It was warm. Way too warm than usual. Had he fallen ill? Was it because she had stayed too close to him through the night?

Turning Zofie sat up, letting the blanket fall from her body. The worry was simmering inside her. She reached out once more. Hoping to carefully wake him up, she let her fingers brush over his warm face. Nyx’s eyes blinked open slowly, and the moment his purple orbs looked straight at her, something deep within her cracked. Cracked so loudly that, for a second, her hearing went out. She had pulled her palm away in hopes of covering her ears, only to freeze at the sight of her palm.

No. There was no way. This had to be a mistake. Maybe she too had fallen ill, considering that it felt like her own body was on fire now. “What is it?”, Nyx’s husky voice filled her senses. She watched as yellow, shimmering dust fell from his cheek. From where her palm had rested only moments ago. "Nothing," Zofie blurted out, trying to smile through the panic within her.

Nyx rolled over, his hands reaching out for her once more. “You’re too far away," he grumbled. “I’m sitting right beside you, Nyx," her voice cracked slightly, but he didn’t catch it as he snuggled deeper into her thigh. “You’re too far away," his fingers dug into her skin, “I want to be under your skin; be a part of you.”

Zofie felt the heat of his skin. A light frown ran down her face as she pulled away. He didn’t usually talk like that. Scrambling to get out of bed, she let her bare feet hit the wooden floor. Nyx let out an annoyed grumble, pulling his head up from the mattress. She caught a glimpse of his eyes then. No longer purple. No. The pupils were so dialed that they looked almost black. Wild eyes. Despite eyes. "Nyx," she breathed. “Get into bed," he muttered, sitting up.

“I don’t want to. We should go back," and it’s like she unleashed something deep within him. The thought of others unsettled something deep within him. He clenched his jaw before the back of his palms dug into his eyes. Something deep within her urged her to run. To hide, at least. She used to think that she heard her mother and dad warning her in her head. It had stopped at a certain age, but now it felt the same. So she slowly itched towards the door.

“Don’t even think about it, Zof," Nyx muttered, his voice raspy. “Don’t run, because I will chase you, and I don’t know what I will do." He let out a painful groan, making Zofie desperately want to reach out to him. “What are you feeling?”, she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Nyx laughed slightly, “You, I feel you." And then his Illyrian wings flustered behind him. Zofie nearly collapsed against the door. He always warned her before he shifted.

“You’ve been away from me for too long," Nyx breathed, moving to get out of bed. Her heart skipped a beat. Run. A voice rang out in her head, crippling her for a second before she turned back, quickly unlocking the door as she broke into a sprint. "Zofie," a warning growl rang out behind her. She could feel him. Feel the mix of emotions bubbling within him. He was practically breathing against her neck. There was no way she could outrun him. He was much faster and stronger. And driven by the force, she would no doubt lose the battle to.

Her panicked mind raced as she ran in zigzags, dodging Nyx’s hands in the shelter of trees. “Zofie, come on," he pleaded, but she didn’t even look back. She needed to get out. Get to her dad. He would know what to do. He would know what was happening. A gasp left her lips when she felt Nyx’s warm fingers lacing against her upper arm. She was screaming for a second before everything suddenly shifted, and she fell back into the pile of something soft. Zofie reached out around her blindly. Leaves. Her heart was hammering in her throat. She waited for Nyx to grab her. Waited to feel the heat from him. But nothing came. Nothing changed.

“What are you doing here?”, a voice startled her, making Zofie’s eyes fly open. Her blood ran cold for the second time that morning. Until a second figure emerged from behind the frame towering over her. “Zofie?”, a confused face glanced down at her no doubt disheveled frame. “Uncle Luci," she muttered right as the male in front of her crouched down to wrap his jacket over her shoulders.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Taglist: @sirenpearldust @historygeekqueen @hnyclover @i-am-a-lost-girl16 @naturakaashi @stressed-reader @woodland-mist @goldenmagnolias @nocasdatsgay @lees-chaotic-brain @elle4404

[anonymouscheeses]

more obvious shit I wanted to point out but it's more than last time uhhh pt.2 (spoilers for dad beat dad and maybe welcome to heaven. Maybe?)

I love that Charlie just randomly goes into demon form sometimes like here ehhehehe. Also can I just say I love Charlie so much?? She is my favorite and I love her especially in this episode because it feels like the same optimistic Charlie but she was just put in a bad situation. I relate to her a bit TOO much, almost down to every detail like wow. You'll understand later once I get there. But just wow...

LOOK AT THIS FUNNY LITTLE MAN. SPOODER DUST <3 also. Live [image] reaction. Someone make that into a reaction image 🙏🙏

HONEY!!! NEW MEME TEMPLATE JUST DROPPED. (Aka the one guy going crazy trying to explain the stuff on the board iykyk)

OMG... THAT CANT BE CHARLIE... NOT CHARLIE'S EMO PHASE PLEASE BAHAHAHHAHAHA (also love that Lucifer has kept it all these years, if Charlie knew I think she'd be extremely embarrassed. Vaggie would love it probably xd)

HE IS SO GOOFY I CANT- I LOVE HIM SO MUCH ALREADY!!! NEED.

Broskie got character development and is NICE?!? I LOVE THAT SMMM YALL.... LOOK AT HIM!! I am very delusional yes, but I will take this over ass development(cough. Vaggie's "story" in ep 3. Cough).

Imagine this. *holds your hand carefully to help you calm down while talking to your father you haven't really wanted to talk to.* lesbian type stuff ngl 🤯 (relatable)

Angel looking at the gays while being a gay too. HE'S BEING SO KIND TO CHARLIE UGGHH I CANTTT!!(POS) NODDING HIS HEAD, SMILING TO HER, ALSO TRYING TO HELP CALM HER DOWN. I MAY BE ASS AT SOCIAL CUES BUT I NOTICED THIS ONE!! YAA

*SHE IS STILL HOLDING HER HAND. CHARLIE'S ALSO SWINGING IT AROUND NERVOUSLY. I can never get tired of them and will make art soon just you wait.*

COMMANDER VAGGIE! I love that she acts like this is a camp full of tiny kids and honestly? That's not too far off. Sir pentious is at the ready! (glad he's here more often in the episode, thought he would just get sidelined after his first episode but gladly no!) Angel is just surprised. Husk spilled his drink, ON WHITE FUR NO LESS! Niffty of course is on the floor face first. Charlie is just happy to be there yippee!

What is this?? I have no idea what the hell it is at all. Bro is just peepin- it doesn't look like Alastor, even in demon form. And... I can't think of anyone else who could be this. Anyone have ideas or maybe it's foreshadowing? Maybe it was revealed in the 6th episode I don't know I haven't watched it yet. (I am a freak. I don't binge I give myself a day to watch a single episode. Most of the time uhhh.)

WE LOVE A SHORT KING. I LOVE THAT. I LOVE HIM. THE EVERYTHING. HE IS EVERYTHING. LET ME STRANGLE HIM PLEASE. (Lillith and Lucifer's dynamic is 100% Gomez and Morticia but a little more silly short man)

"OH WOW! AN OLDER MAN WHO GIVES ME FATHERLY CARE!" *STARTS TO FUCKING CRY*

I FEEL YOU CHARLIE WAAAGHHH

Oh and there goes the silly guy again! Atp I'm thinking it may be the gal some people been talking about that they've been hinting since the pilot. I forgot her name but she's said to be the big bad of season 1 or probably 2. Not sure if that's what it's trying to imply but here's my little no-thought idea

Lucifer, no...

LUCIFER NO!! THIS IS SUCH AN ADORABLE RESPONSE TO CHARLIE DATING A WOMAN. (ADOPT ME)

AND THEN THE HUG! I GET IM LOOKING TOO MUCH INTO THIS ONE SILLY SCENE BUT I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH AND WANT THIS SO BAD IN MY LIFE.

Niffty really said, "Yes, I do the cleaning."

Get yourself a taller king who is a short king but compared to you is a tall king

Say what you will, but I genuinely want more dad Alastor, someone make an au before I do plsss and @ me 🙏🙏

alright.. now this is where it starts to be relatable and hurt my heart... yayy.... needing any sort of parent figure that actually cares about you than the actual parent who is rarely there? WOWZA! SAME CHARLIE <3 <3 (SO FAR VERY ACCURATE FROM SOMEONE THAT IS IN THE SAME SITUATION)

Alastor is letting her off kindly, atleast in his way. He may be pissed off she brought a shark gang to the hotel and put it on fire, but they were still close friends. With anyone else he would absolutely either murder them or have severely traumatized the person. She's the exception, although I don't think he'd let it off the hook so easily if there were a next time.

A father-daughter embrace! :,)

(This is gonna be messy asf) He wants to know who she is as a person. He always has, and that's definitely obvious, but from a person inside this, they may not know themselves what the other is thinking. To Charlie it was like he never cared and just wanted an excuse to not see her again, acting like he was truly busy as in the start where he made the rubber duck that breathed fire. Sure. But Charlie saw it as him finding ways to not interact with her again. The only times they talk was when it was related to business stuff or other things of the sort. Let me just say this song... is by far my favorite, including the episode. Sure, it's got problems it's own, but this extremely accurate portrayal of what my own situation with one of my parents just stole my entire soul. Yeah I got a bit of tears about to come out, BUT NOPE! NOT TODAY! I don't ever cry during shows or movies so if I ever get teary-eyed, YOU DID SOMETHING. THAT SOMETHING BEING GOOD. This episode was emotional and connected with me on a deep level that I dont think any film has ever done to me, which is weird because I've been actively trying to find one, any one that does. Then to find it in an indie company from a creator who has achieved the dreams that I myself want to one day? That's fucking amazing.

FORESHADOWING! FROESHADOWING! FORESHADOWING! VAGGIE EX-ANGEL THEORY MUST BE CANON AND IF ITS NOT I WILL TEAR MYSELF LIMB FROM LIMB WITH A CROWBAR. LETS GO TO HEAVENNN!!! TOMORROW! BECAUSE THE DAY I PUBLISH THIS WILL BE TOMORROW(FOR YOU TODAY) BUT TOMORROW FOR YOU ILL POST THE NEXT WHAT I CAUGHT SHENANIGANS AGAIN! SEE YA!

[cosmichorrorsarestillnicerthanme]

I got a Rwby ask for ya for Yang Xiao long, Weiss schnee and Nora Valkyrie with a Male S/O that's Shy like Kobeni from chainsaw man and seems to downplay himself when in actuality he's incredibly strong. I just wanna see His girly just smother him in affection and won't allow him to talk down on himself

I had a fun time writing this, though I'm not sure If I did all to well on it as I'm not really sure if I have a firm grasp of everyone's characters, not to mention I was half asleep when writing most of this.

Now! Your wish is my command!

Yang had to admit, she wasn’t really sure about you when the two of you first met.

You floundered every time someone talked to you, jumped at every little noise, and yet you came “Highly recommended” as a temporary replacement for Ruby while she was out with a cold.

She didn’t understand why, at least until the first time she saw you fight a pack of Grimm.

It was… efficient.

That way the only word Yang could think to describe the fight, if it could even be called that.

You cut ligaments and veins, snapped and crushed bone, tore limbs away from the body and as soon as one began to drop the next was being disassembled.

It was an exciting display.

But still, you could’ve left a few of them for her to show off on.

Oh well, it’ll have to wait until next time.

The next group of Grimm was almost instantly cut to ribbons.

The following one was ripped to shreds.

It was around here that you apologized for being so “Slow”.

At this, Yang felt like she should grab you by the collar and shake you like a stuffed toy.

Slow?

SLOW!?

This was you going SLOW!?

What the hell was fast then!?

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Needless to say, Yang took a bit of an interest in you after that.

And seeing as you weren’t really a part of your own team, Yang asked to have you as a +1 of sorts to team RWBY.

Things snowballed after that.

Somewhere down the line Yang’s interest in you turned to infatuation and then love.

That being said, your lack of faith in yourself made her want to throttle you sometimes.

You could shred through almost any Grimm with ease.

Yet, you called yourself a “Below third rate hunter”.

She didn’t know if she wanted to hug you or strangle you every time you said that.

Then again, she could probably do both if she put her mind to it…

Weiss had heard that you had immense talent, an almost unrivaled ability to disassemble Grimm into many small pieces in record time.

You had a reputation that precedes you, even Winter sang your praises as a prodigy.

Needless to say Weiss was excited when she was told that you would temporarily be joining team RWBY to cover for Ruby who ate herself into a food coma with cookies.

On one hand, she wanted to strangle the young woman.

On the other hand, she felt like giving her a hug and thanking her.

It was only when they were on the way that Weiss realized that she had no idea what to expect of you as a person.

Shortly following this realization, they arrived and were greeted by the single most frazzled and shaken creature that Weiss had ever laid eyes on.

Weiss was understandably concerned by this and asked where you were as you were supposed to be the one greeting them.

Imagine her surprise when she learned that this person who looked like they were going to shake apart at any second was the very person Winter had been singing the praises of, not to mention the same person she had been told held the current record for defeating a Grimm.

She was sure that this was some joke.

But before Weiss could properly express her indignation, everyone got to work.

Well, by everyone, Weiss means you got to work.

When the first Grimm made its appearance it was already falling to the ground in a heap of severed body parts by the time Weiss had drawn her sword.

She swore she would get the next one.

She did not get the next one, or the one after that, or the one following that one.

It infuriated her to no end.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

After this, Weiss made it her own personal mission to get to a Grimm before you did.

She got some… mixed results.

More specifically, she got to hit one, single Grimm before you obliterated it.

That was still better than she had managed to get throughout the entire day and as such, made her the person to get the second most done.

She was really wondering why in the world they hadn’t just sent you to do this on your own.

Then, when the whole expedition came to an end, you apologized for “Holding them back.”

That’s when it all clicked for Weiss.

The frazzled way you acted.

The fact you had barely said a word to anyone.

The apology.

You lacked faith in yourself.

Despite all of the talent you had, despite the fact you could dismantle a Grimm faster than the human eye could see.

You saw yourself as less than third rate.

Weiss felt a sudden kinship with you at this realization.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

After this, Weiss did her best to find a way to spend time with you, to try and get to know you.

It was an extremely difficult process, but slowly, eventually, she came to understand you.

And you came to understand her.

After that, things sort of happened between the two of you.

She, of course, was teased mercilessly by Ruby, Yang, and Blake when they found out.

They were lucky she was nice, otherwise she would have frozen them solid.

That and she was more concerned about you at the moment.

You managed to infuriate her to no end with the lack of faith you had in yourself.

She had done her best to try and get you to believe in yourself more but it was very, very slow going.

But that just meant she had to believe in you enough for the both of you.

When Nora met you for the first time, her first thought was “Wet cat”.

To be fair, at the time it was a very apt comparison as it was pouring rain and you had just returned from dealing with quite a few Grimm.

That being said, the two of you didn’t officially meet until the next afternoon.

Upon meeting you, she blurted out without any shame.

“You’re the wet cat person!”

Your only response to that was a meek “Fair.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

After this, you and Nora became fast friends.

Well, it's more like Nora just started showing up to chat with you and you didn’t really want to argue with her about it.

Something told you she was a very stubborn person.

Nora also, on occasion, brought her other friends.

It was during one of these occasions, that she learned that you were someone rather famous.

You were the person who could take down a Grimm in under a tenth of a second.

Nora had to admit, she couldn’t really see it.

To her you were a lot like a ball of yarn that was quickly unraveling.

Then again, she has been wrong before.

However, what you said in response to this caught her attention, knocking her out of her musing.

“I’m just a third rate hunter, no one special at all. I’m sure someone could do what I did a lot faster if they wanted to.”

This told Nora two things.

The first being that you actually were the current record holder for the fastest Hunter in training.

The second was that you downplayed yourself more than was healthy.

And seeing as you were a friend of hers, she didn’t particularly like that second part.

So, Nora cleared her schedule.

She was going to make you have more faith in yourself.

By any means necessary.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It took a week before she was ready to either beat you over the head with her hammer or crush you in a hug and smother you in kisses.

How could someone so nice and awesome have so little faith in themself?

What in the world happened to make you like this?

She was going to hurt it.

That or put a rubber band on you and snapping it every time you said something self deprecating.

That or do both.

Both sounded good to Nora right now.

[minniethemoocherda]

Washing Machine Heart

A/N: This is set after my previous Morpherine fic "Can I Lay by Your Side?" but you should be able to read this as a stand alone. Tried something different here by doing Logan's POV instead which was a challenge but I hope you guys liked it! Thank you so much for everyone's likes, reblogs and comments on my last two Morpherine fics! I am so happy I am not the only one craving for more about these two! I don't know if I will have time to upload another Morpherine fic for a while because I am busy with IRL stuff and this other big fic I've got going on rn. But if the inspiration hits again then I will ride it! Xxxxxxx

Ao3

FF.net

Logan hated galas. He hated stuffy rooms full of rich arseholes and stupid social conventions and food that wasn't actually designed to make you full. But since the event was a fundraiser to help support mutant kids, he didn't have a choice in not going to this one.

Logan had tried to argue that his costume counted as a suit, but Jean had threatened to force him change if he didn't do it himself.

So reluctantly he had on an old scratchy black and white suit. He was currently waiting in the hall with the other guys whilst the girls and Morph finished getting ready and if Scott didn't stop telling him how to tie his tie, then he was going to strangle him with it.

"How do I look?"

Focused on trying to not kill Cyclops, Logan hadn't noticed that the other's had arrived until he heard Morph's voice from behind him.

Logan turned around only to find the breath punched out of him.

Ever since Morph had come out a few months ago, (some that Logan had been completely accepting of it because he had been around for over a hundred years and Morph was far from the person he'd met who was like that) they'd said that they wanted to experiment more with their clothing.

However, whilst Logan had seen Morph in a suit, outside when they'd shift into a female mutants costume, he hadn't seen them wearing much feminine clothing yet

Until today.

Leaning against the end of the banister, Morph was wearing a long red dress, pretty similar to the one in that film they'd watched with how it hugged their body before flaring out at the bottom. Their chest was still relativity flat in their usual form, but the low cut of the dress, enhanced what was there. Logan felt that animalistic nature inside of him growl with want.

Which was new.

Logan recognised the feeling of wanting to hang out with Morph, to protect them, to hear them laugh. But that was a different kind of want... right?

Distracted by their thoughts, Logan hadn't realised that he had never actually replied until he heard Morph let out a nervous laugh.

"Don't tell me, my clutch doesn't match?" Morph said, gesturing to the small white bag in their other hand that Logan honestly hadn't even noticed.

"It's fine." Logan replied, not that he was any authority on fashion. "You look good."

"I know." Morph smiled, striking an over the top pose, but with his enhanced senses, Logan could pick out the blush under their friend's grey skin.

"However, I wish I could say the same for you." Morph teased, pointing at the tangled mess of Logan's tie.

Before Logan could grumble a protest, Morph tucked their bag under their arm and leant forward to fix it themselves.

Logan found himself frozen as impossibly smooth hands, brushed against his neck as Morph fixed his tie. Logan was not one for physical touch, he couldn't remember the last time another person had touched somewhere as vulnerable as his neck, one of the few places on his body that if too badly damaged would be an injury he couldn't walk away from. But he found himself completely trusting under Morph's gentle hands.

This close, Logan could feel the overwhelming smell of whatever perfume Morph had doused themselves in. Logan was sure that it objectively smelled nice. But it his over sensitive nose, it just smelt of chemicals. He preferred Morph's normal smell because it mean that he knew that his friend was still alive.

He could also hear the slightly quickened pace of Morph's pulse, that appeared to beat faster with every moment.

"There," Morph smiled as they finally smoothed out his collar over the newly fixed tie. "Now you shouldn't get us kicked out for looking like a savage again."

Morph took a step back, probably to admire their handiwork, but before Logan even realised what he was doing, he had reached out to grab their hand to keep them still touching.

Thankfully, Morph didn't seem offended, just confused by the action.

Logan shook his head. He didn’t know why he'd just done that. The chemicals from that perfume must've messed with his head.

He corrected himself, dropping his hands before offering out an arm like he'd seen them do in that movie.

He watched as Morph blinked for a second, as though not entirely believing what they were seeing, before a devious grin spread across their face.

"Oh my dear Wolverine, I thought you'd never ask!" They cried, a hand clutched dramatically over their heart as though this was all some big joke.

"Are ya gonna take it or what?" Logan grumbled, for some reason feeling suddenly annoyed.

Rolling their eyes, Morph placed their bag in one hand and looped the other through Logan's arm.

"I bet I can down more free drinks than you can." They faux whispered into his ear, their breath sending shivers down his spine.

"You're gonna loose that bet bub." Logan retorted, falling back into their usual banter after whatever the fuck had just happened.

After a few last minute toilet trips and loosing an argument with Jubilee about her dress being too short, they all piled into the limo waiting outside.

It was a cramped fit for all of them. The low ceilings, darkened windows and close quarters reminded Logan of when he was trapped in that damn cage.

Hunched in the back corner, the other's hadn't noticed his agitation, too busy arguing over whether Jubilee could try any of the free champagne.

All except for Morph, who stroked their hand down his arm and kept up a continuous chatter for the car ride, tethering him to this reality.

Thankfully it was a quick drive to Town Hall where the gala was being held.

Unfortunately, word must've spread about the fundraiser, because the Town Hall was swarmed by a bunch of anti-mutant protestors.

Even out of costume, their group was pretty recognisable and suddenly most of the abuse was getting hurled at them.

Security was doing a decent job keeping the crown contained behind barriers, but there wasn't much they could do to contain to hurtful jabs thrown their way.

Morph faltered on the steps, their sudden stop nearly tripping Logan over.

"Do I really look okay?" They asked, clutching onto his arm even tighter.

"You're a knock-out." Logan replied in honesty. "And if anyone says otherwise, I'll stab them."

Morph snorted.

"I don't think Summer's will be impressed if you cause another international incident."

"Then I'll shove my claws up his ass too."

Logan couldn't help the swell of satisfaction at the sound of Morph's signature cackle.

As the others headed inside, Logan paused at the top of the stairs.

He had fought mad scientists, sentinals and Sinister. Going to some fancy party filled with rich people should not feel like going into battle. Yet it did.

Morph squeezed his arm and Logan glanced up to see that familiar determined smile gazing down at him and Logan couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

Because as always the two of them had each other's back. And whatever battle was waiting for them on the other side of those doors, they would face it together.

[sky-neverending]

When Will finally came out to the entire party, he did it from the floor of Steve Harringtons living room. He wasn’t planning on doing it at all. Ever. He was terrified. Terrified of losing the people that meant most to him.

But then he walked in on Steve and Eddie stealing a quick kiss in the kitchen, and he froze, and hell, he almost passed out.

Eddie and Steve rushed toward him, pushing aside how terrified they were to help this poor boy who looked like a deer in headlight in front of them. Steve pulled him into his arms, because he knew that face. It was the same one he had made after Eddie had kissed him for the first time. Before he knew who or what the hell he was. So he just hugged Will until his breathing returned and his face was no longer whiter than a bedsheet.

“You’re okay.” Steve whispered, running his fingers down Wills arm to signify he was there, and that he wasn’t going anywhere. “Come on, take a breath.”

After Will pulled away, he gazed up at the two of them. “You guys are dating?” He said in a whisper, like he was scared someone was going to hear him.

Eddie nodded slowly, holding out a hand. Will took it reluctantly and was led toward the kitchen table, sliding into the seat and staring at Eddie and Steve across from him.

The next words to come from his mouth about shattered Steve’s heart. They were small and timid, meek and filled with fear. It seemed to take everything in Will to get them out without collapsing on the spot.

“And it’s… okay?” He started, eyes glued to the floor. “To be gay?” The last word was barely audible. It came out in a strangled whispered, like he was choking on his words as they pushed their way out his mouth.

“Will.” Eddie said, his voice filling the warm with warmth and comfort. “Will, look at me.”

Will did so, his head moving upward first and his eyes following after, slowing dragging from the floor to the table to Eddie and Steve’s faces. They were red, glossy, like he was biting back tears.

“Will.” Eddie repeated, reaching a hand across the table the testing it on Wills wrist, where the fabric of this shirt met the exposed skin. “There’s nothing wrong with it. Nothing at all.” He smiled softly, leaning forward. “And anyone who tell you that? Doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Okay?”

“Okay.” Will said after a beat, and the corner of his mouth quirked up a little bit. He repeated the word, a bit more confidently this time. “Okay.”

Steve looked at him, his expression full of pride. “We can keep this a secret. If you want, I mean.” He offered, and Will shook his head.

“No. No, I want to tell them. I just- I want to be the one to do it. Is that okay?”

“Of course it’s okay, kid.” Eddie said, patting Will on the wrist gently before pulling his hand away and looping it through Steve’s own. “Take your time. No one’s rushing you.”

The three of them stood, heading toward the kitchen door, when Will paused. “Do they know about you?” He asked, and Steve bit his lip.

“No. No, not yet. I’m not sure i’m quite ready to tell them, ya know?” Will nodded.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

Eddie smiled at him, squeezing Steve’s hand one last time before dropping it and walking back out into the rest of the group.

The next few hours went on as normal. The kids argued for about an hour over which movie to watch before Steve stood up plucked the movies out of there hands, holding them behind his back and shuffling them around. He needed up picking Labyrinth, which was Dustins pick (mostly because Eddie said he loved it).

They settled into their normal spots, Eddie, Steve, and Robin on the large couch, Max in her wheelchair with Lucas and El on the floor beside her, Dustin in a large armchair he had claimed all to himself, and Will and Mike leaning against the front of the coffee table, closest to the television.

And then Will just sort of said it. The movie was paused so Steve could get some more popcorn, but the room was still dark, and the words just spilled from Wills mouth. There was no emotions or theatrics or gathering of attention. Everyone was in the middle of conversation and he just spoke up.

After he said it, the room fell silent, and he could feel the heat of every pair of eyes in the room settle on to him. But he didn’t care. Because he had said it, and a sort of weight he didn’t know he was carrying lifted off his shoulders.

Robin was the first to move. She rushed toward him and pulled him into a hug, practically squeezing all the air out of his lungs as she did so. “I’m so proud of you.” She whispered into his ear, so only he could hear it, and then she pulled away with a soft small and a lingering warmth left behind.

Max was the next to make any noise, letting out a small chuckle from where she sat in her wheelchair. “Way to go, William.” She cheered, partially sarcastic, but there was a hint of pride in her tone. Lucas simply patted him on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring grin, and El shot him a thumbs up from the floor.

Dustin stared up at him from his chair, silent for a moment before a grin spread across his face. “So who’s your crush?” He teased. Will went red.

“Shut up, Dusty-Bun.” Eddie called from the couch, chucking a pillow at Dustin, who poorly dodged it and threw two more back in response.

“No throwing pillows in my house!” A voice came from the hall, and Steve walked in with his hands full of popcorn bowls. “What did I miss?”

“Wills gay!” Dustin supplied helpfully, and Steve shrugged.

“Cool. No throwing pillows in my house.” Was a he said, but Will caught the gleam in his eye as he say down, and the large smile spreading over his face.

Mike never spoke. Not until Will sat down, still and awkward on the floor beside him.

“Hey.” Was all he said, pushing his shoulder into Wills softly.

“Hey.” Will responded.

The two smiled at each other before turning back the movie, but Will couldn’t help to notice how Mike seemed just a tad bit closer than he was before.

And as Will fell asleep that night, head on Miles shoulder, he couldn’t help but grin to himself. He had done that. And he hadn’t lost anyone at all.

i sort of hate this but i spent so much time on it that i’m gonna share it anyway. maybe i’ll make it better later. idk.

[sid-the-sandwich]

Rewriting some of my least fav moments from Obey Me! (OG) Season 1

I was lying in bed, and I was just thinking about my fav and least fav moment from each season and how I would personally change them to make them better in my eyes. (I'll try as best to follow the plot, so it fits.)

This just contains 3 moments from the OG season 1.

there's going to be heavy spoilers below,

First change should be lesson 14, 15 and 16, honestly, I do like the 'Belphie attacking us' storyline, but I wasn't a fan of the time travel. I know why they did it; so, they could have Belphie say the line 'Hello there brothers' the way he does in the game but also have Belphie kill the MC. (I'm pretty sure Belphie’s character was built on this line [it says so in the early-stage references video])

So how would I change this? I would simply make both happen but in the same timeline. Belphie turns up and says his line then explaining how Lucifer locked him up, Beel gets angry and argues with Lucifer, this in turn makes the other 4 brothers (Mammon, Levi, Satan and Asmo) busy trying to diffuse the situation.

while this is happening, Belphie and MC stands to the side, where Belphie talks to MC just like how he does when we meet him before he kills us in lesson 16. MC can tell something is wrong just by the way of Belphie's voice and Belphie congratulates him on getting all 6 pacts; MC thinks, but realises they only got 5. after this Belphie chokes us for a few seconds until one of the brothers notice, making Lucifer and Beel stop fighting. it takes them a few moments to realise what is going on.

the brothers try to pry Belphie and MC away from each other but to no avail as even though Belphie is the youngest, he is decently strong and fuelled with festering rage for like thousands of years. lucifer is frozen in shock, which is different than he usually is.

During this, the MC has the visions of Lilith telling them it’s not their time yet and showing the flashback when they fall. MC in turn says Lilith’s name and mutters 'human' or 'Lilith human'. this makes Belphie tighten his grip saying not to say her name with their 'filthy mouth'.

But Lucifer realises what MC is trying to say and repeats saying, 'Lilith is, was human', this makes Belphie pause for the first time... his hand shakes; he refuses to accept it but Lucifer continues talking and explaining that night. This makes Belphie tear up and he drops MC rather harshly, Mammon catches MC and cradles them, crying and helping them breath.

Belphie turns to Lucifer and wraps his hands around his neck as if to strangle him... but he doesn't tighten his grip and his hands shake more; Belphie screams at Lucifer shouting insults at him, punching Lucifer in the stomach and chest in frustration. Lucifer doesn’t say anything how you'd expect and doesn’t scream but just holds/hugs Belphie after his breakdown, soothing him.

(NOTE: Diavolo and Barbatos aren’t present in this scene)

the second thing I want to change is after chapter 16, when the brothers surround MC, hugging them cuz they are part Lilith.

this is a simple change, this scene is going to take place in MC's bedroom, and the brothers are all doting on MC, not because they are part Lilith, but because they just got attacked and strangled. The brothers force MC to lay in bed so the brothers can attend to their (MC's) needs.

each brother will be doing something unique for MC:

Asmo would give MC a leg/ arm massage,

Beel will be feeding MC (and himself at the same time),

Satan would be reciting a bunch of spells for healing trying them all on MC,

Levi brings in a handheld console and a bunch of games, he also brings in a boxset of TSL,

Lucifer would tell MC they are allowed a singular day off RAD,

Mammon would tell everyone to leave MC alone, telling his brothers, they are getting too close.

meanwhile, standing in the corner awkwardly, Belphie stands there awkwardly, not really knowing what to do, he does feel regret but how does he even apologise to the human he almost killed?

then Diavolo and Barbatos comes to the MC's room for an unrelated reason, but seeing all the brothers surrounding MC, they get confused asking what happened.

Lucifer lies and just says MC wasn't feeling well and is resting. Diavolo sees Belphie and asks what Belphie is doing back from the human world (I'm assuming Dia thinks Belphie actually did go to the human world for the exchange program) and then Dia asks why Belphie isn’t joining his brothers with MC.

At this MC should be given a choice to 'defend' or passively aggressively reply, the 'defend' makes Belphie's intimacy go up. and the scene continues as normal.

The third thing I want to change is after this, is when Belphie latches onto MC (as if they were best buddies) and then uses the MC as a bridge between him and his brothers.

the way I would change this, is that I would make Belphie use his brothers as a bridge to apologise to MC, so the same things that happen in the game, happen, but the aim is to hang out with MC, for Belphie to show MC that he isn't all bad. this in turn also allows Belphie to get closer to his brothers as well. MC also notices Belphie passing quick glances at them in classes and stuff.

How Belphie uses the brothers to get closer to MC:

Mammon- Being MC's guardian, Mammon keeps MC close to him during RAD the days after the whole Belphie incident. after Lucifer announced Diavolo's birthday, Mammon drags MC to the music room, telling MC to keep a lookout as he looks for things to steal and turn a profit. MC spots Belphie, and MC tells Mammon. Belphie comes inside the room and accuses Mammon of trying to steal. Mammon disagrees in classic tsundere fashion becuz he can’t admit he wanted to get a gift for MC. Belphie suggests the 3 of them should get jobs so they can get Dia a gift. Mammon agrees becuz he wants money and MC can agree either enthusiastically or reluctantly (based on player choice). after this, the trio go and work at Hell's Kitchen and work their asses off, MC gets to see a calm and smart side to Belphie,

Levi- Levi and MC are hanging out in his room playing a videogame, until Levi's phone starts ringing uncontrollably. At first, he ignores it, but after like 5 rings, Levi answers despite being in the middle of a game; Levi is rightfully annoyed. Levi simply agrees on the phone becuz he's a people pleaser and then his expression becomes wary and panicked, MC can ask what’s wrong or just not mention anything, (depends on player choice) either way, Levi will tell the player that Belphie wants to play games with them and how it’s going to be awkward with all three of them here, considering what happened. Belphie turns up anyway, and bursts into Levi’s room to play a game, they play and although tense at first, everything is normal as the game progresses and the trio plays games and gets closer. Belphie falls asleep midgame, and his head is drooping. MC is given the choice of either placing Belphie’s head on the player’s lap or Levi’s lap (Placing on the players lap will up intimacy). Either way Levi will tell MC that Belphie is a lot like a little cat that loves naps.

Satan- This will happen a lot like it is in the game, except it is MC and Satan playing cards in MC's room. Belphie interrupts, saying how Lucifer was calling for Satan. Satan grumbles but goes without much resistance. this only leaves Belphie and MC alone in the room. its awkward silence so Belphie mentions how weird Satan is acting considering he just readily agreed with Lucifer. MC mentions about the changing relationship between Lucifer and Satan and what happened. After a while, Satan returns, stating he overheard everything and comments how he still loves to torment lucifer just to see him suffer. Belphie then suggests the 'Anti-Lucifer League', an idea he thought of in the attic. Satan and Belphie drag MC to the library where they officially initiate the club, making MC a member as per Satan's request. MC can see a playful side of Belphie from this.

Asmo- MC is with Solomon shopping for a gift for Diavolo, where they bump into Belphie. Belphie questions what they are doing and they state they were shopping. Belphie says he was with Asmo, but Asmo got distracted. Solomon, being the nosey man he is asks if Belphie has made a pact with MC yet, and then asks for one himself. Belphie refuses both questions. then the trio walk until they must split ways, Solomon says goodbye, leaving Belphie and MC alone to walk home. when they get back home, Asmo drags them into his room to choose clothes, the trio chat and giggle.

Beel- Beel's is going to stay the same as to what it is in-game, it’s a good contrast to the rest. it shows MC the love between Belphie and his brothers. Also its really cute and wholesome

Lucifer- Lucifer's is also going to stay the same, it gives Belphie closure with what happened to Lillith.

Also adding one thing i forgot earlier but had in the back of my mind; this is not really to do with the story chapters but rather the texts between Belphie and MC, I wanted to change this. Belphie would not text MC directly at first, instead, he would text the brothers (in order we hang with them in-game) asking them about MC. And only after Lucifer, Belphie will text us for the first time directly.

I'm finally done, this took hours to complete, pls comments what else you think should be changed in the game.

[kingconia]

Hi! May I request promt number 30 and 48 with Jamil in a secret relationship with a gender neutral reader. It’s alright if you ignore this request :)

Gn!Reader x Jamil Viper

30. “I had nothing to live for, but then you came into my life. So, thank you.

48. “Kinda sucks that I can only have you like this.”

•

It was a common knowledge that the heirs had their own routines, a balanced sleep being important part of it, as they always finished their day at the same time.

They rested, and their loyal servants were rested along with them, finally having some time on themselves. Or they didn't, really.

It didn't matter.

Tied by promises and oaths, giving long ago in the past, strangled by expectations of others, bounded to protect— not to be protected—cherish—and not to be cherished—they could only ensure that their princes would be safe and sound. Contained and happy.

And what about them? Well. A life meant very little, when you weren't allowed to live it. Right?

As deeply trusted guard of the Malleus Draconia, you grew up thinking in the same way. Him above everything, his life over yours—even though, it was you, who was mortal—and his happiness over everything.

Yet...

Yet, you found yourself falling in love eventually.

With the man, who seemed just as doomed as you were.

Two hopeless shades of their masters found themselves becoming a one.

You had nothing to your names—nothing to change, give, or even to offer—but each other.

Your love was concealed, obscured by the moon, where no one could find it. No one, but you.

”Kinda sucks that I can only have you like this,” you muttered, resting your chin on Jamil's scrawny shoulder. ”I wish I could do it all the time. Hug you, at least.”

You heard as Jamil sighed, relaxing against your chest. Throwing his head back, he put his hands against yours thay were wrapped around his waist.

”We can't have that, my diamond,” he murmured solemnly. ”Remember?”

A familiar, yet unpleasant limp, stuck in your throat. How unfair.

You were mortals. Your life was so short, so undeniably fast running. And considering how often you took risks for your princes, it could end at anytime.

Yet, you couldn't even pretend to be happy. They couldn't even give you a replica of the paradise. How cruel.

”I do,” you nod.

Jamil once told that loving you felt like finding an oasis. Breathtaking, making you run desperately, scramble on the hot sand, yet never being fully able to grasp it, no matter how hard you tried.

It hurt hearing that but you know that the feeling of it was mutual.

It weren't your hearts that were so unreachable, but your future.

”My diamond,” Jamil turned his head to you, eyes meeting with yours.

”Yes, my thorn?”

”I know secret relationship isn't comfortable,” he whispered, face softening. ”I know, that it is more my problem than yours, too.”

By that, he meant, of course, that opening up about your relationship to Malleus and other Diasomnia students would be easier than ask Jamil to speak with Kalim. It was right, on some extent, but you never reminded him of that for his own sake.

What was the point?

”But I merely wanted to remind you that... I had nothing to live for, but then you came into my life. So... Thank you.”

He touched your lips softly. It wasn't even a proper kiss, but a single brush. Yet, you melted all the same, pressing your foreheads together firmly.

“Oh, but Jamil...” You tightened your embrace. ”Thank you.”

Perhaps, one day, both of you would be able to share your secret with others. And maybe, that would be the day, when your lives would be given back to you. Or maybe no. Maybe, there is no happy ending for the background characters. Maybe your hears were made to be broken.

But for now, everything was fine.

And may the peace last forever.

[justalonelyslytherin]

Legacies | two

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Pairing: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Kazansky!OC

Summary: It's time for the daggers to meet their instructor and for Ana to test her patience with Hangman.

Warnings: mentions of stabbing/prodding with a pen, no actual stabbing, some dialogue taken out of the movie

Wordcount: 2.6k

If you enjoyed reading this, please consider leaving a comment or reblogging. I don’t allow for my content to be copied, translated, or reposted on other websites/apps. Please don’t steal my work.

A/N:

Taglist: open, message me or comment to be added, will be put as reblog

The flight suit's fabric rustled as she pushed her arms through the sleeves and pulled them up her shoulders. Ana shifted on her feet, tugging at the suit several times before reaching down. Her fingers brushed the metal teeth of the zipper until they found the pull tab. In one smooth, long pull she zipped it up.

“Hey Ghost, are you done?” She turned around to Halo and Phoenix, also in their flight suits, standing across the bench from her in the locker room.

“Right behind you.” Cocking her head towards the doors, she motioned for them to go ahead. Once they had left, after the door to the room fell shut and Ana was alone, she allowed herself to take a deep breath. The flight suits had many pockets, some of which the aviators used to keep a little memory or lucky charm on them. Ana did too. In the right chest pocket of her suit, she kept a small picture.

She glanced down at the crumpled and crinkly paper, the corners were dogeared and torn from use but that didn’t matter to her. What mattered was to have a piece of her family on her, always. She smiled down at the picture taken in her parent's backyard. There were her siblings surrounding her mother, all of them trying to hug her at the same time, and just beside them her father and her. He had his one arm thrown over the pile of people while he pressed her to his chest with his other arm. Ana had both her arms thrown around his middle. They all were smiling brightly into the camera, the laughter of that day resounded loud in her memory.

Watching the picture just a moment longer, her thumb stroked over the corner of the paper before she put it back into her pocket. A glance at her watch told her she had to hurry.

Arriving at the classroom inside the hangar she was the last to join the group. Naturally, they had already chosen and taken their seats. 

Walking up to the tables set up where the aircraft usually were stored, she spied Hondo standing to the side. It surprised her, but then again it shouldn’t. Where Maverick was, Hondo wasn’t far away. They had become an inseparable duo in the last years, judging from Mav's text updates and the many stories of her father. Many about how he sent them everywhere together, Maverick's companion and his watchful eyes wherever her father couldn’t follow him himself.

Hondo looked over, his eyes lit up with recognition, she could have sworn to have seen a small smirk appear on his face. In a way, it felt weird to have so many people involved in this mission with whom she had personal connections. Maverick, Rooster, and Hondo now too. She wondered if that would make everything more complicated or easier. There was also still the question of what they were here for and how serious their task would be. Ana couldn’t yet estimate how it would be. Some part of her, deep down, worried about it.

Letting her eyes pan over the tables she realized two things. There was only one more empty seat available and it was beside Hangman in the first row. She had to stifle a groan. That was the last place she wanted to sit. 

Slowly she made her way to the front where she slipped into the single free chair beside the cocky bastard. Upon seeing Ana take the seat beside him Hangman started to grin. She wanted to wipe that cocky, wolfish grin out of his face. Hard. When he opened his mouth her desire to strangle him only intensified.

“You know if you wanted to be near me you could have said something yesterday evening and I gladly would have taken you to my place.”

“I’m not that desperate to be around someone who’s all bark and no bite.” She glared at him from the side but Hangman only chuckled and put a toothpick between his lips.

“I’m all bite too Darlin’. Just need you to let me show you.” He leaned towards her and winked. The way he was grinning told her he was utterly pleased with himself and the comeback he had come up with. As he leaned back in his seat she got the impression that to him it was like he had just won a prize. It angered her, even more, when the way he nonchalantly flipped the toothpick in his mouth with just his tongue sent ripples through her, causing a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. 

“Attention on deck!” Everyone rose to their feet, back straight, eyes forward and hands at their sides as their superiors walked into the hangar. Rear Admiral Simpson stopped beside Hondo on the side while Vice Admiral Bates walked up to the podium.

“Morning. Welcome to your special training detachment. Be seated.” The chairs scraped against the floor as they sat down again. There was an air of eagerness and curiosity between everyone.

“I'm Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander. You're all TOP GUN graduates. The elite. The best of the best.” Warlock briefly stopped. “That was yesterday.” 

She furrowed her brows at his words. He had just praised them immensely only to shoot them down the next moment. Why?

“The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage.

Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hangman turn his head to the other side, glancing somewhere to their left before he looked straight ahead again. It distracted her, causing another wave of annoyance to wash over her. She didn’t want to be distracted by him, not right now, not ever. To make matters worse he had been bouncing his leg under the table. The movement in her peripheral vision wasn’t making it any easier to pay attention to her superior.

“Half of you will make the cut. One of you will be named mission leader. The other half will remain in reserve.” This time when Hangman turned his head - towards her before he glanced behind - she knew exactly where or rather who he was looking at. She knew Rooster sat just two rows behind them. Their squabble at the bar was still fresh in her mind. Anyone who knew these aviators, even just the slightest, would also know that the role of mission leader was a head-to-head fight between Hangman and Rooster. Hangman always had to be the best. Losing was no option for him. She knew he would fight for that position with everything he had, perhaps even dirty. Normally she wouldn’t have cared for these power games between colleagues but Rooster was something more than just her fellow aviator. She was somewhat protective of the man she had grown up with near side by side.

Discreetly grabbing the pen that lay before her, she slowly put her hand under the table, the pen tightly clutched into her hand. In a swift movement, she shoved the tip of the pen into the side of his leg, poking - stabbing - him. Hangman’s head shot back towards her, a hint of surprise had dilated his pupils, his mouth opened a hint. Ana glared at him from the side, pulling her hand back before she changed her mind and placed her hand on his knee, pushing it down to stop the incessant bouncing of it. Hangman continued to stare at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips as she pulled her hand back. This time entirely.

“Your instructor is a TOP GUN graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master. His exploits are legendary.”

Approaching footsteps resounded in the large hall, echoing from the floor and the high ceilings as Warlock continued his speech. Like her fellow aviators, Ana too glanced behind to catch a first glimpse at their instructor. Other than them however she already knew who their instructor was. So it wasn’t Maverick’s approaching figure that caught her attention as it did her colleagues. Her view fell onto Coyote, whose face fell, mouth turned upside down, and jaw tight. 

He, Payback, and Hangman had thrown Maverick out of the Hard Deck the night before, all three displaying rather cocky and demeaning behaviors towards their senior. Now that behavior would bite them in the butt.

“And he's considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced.”

Hangman’s expression was even better than Coyote’s. She watched him turn back forward with slumped shoulders and closed eyes, rubbing over them and the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger.

“What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death.”

Seeing the otherwise cocky and self-assured pilot with so much regret and defeat amused her greatly. She snickered quietly to herself but not quietly enough. Opening his eyes again Hangman glanced over at her. Ana shrugged her shoulders.

“You didn’t know?”, she taunted him.

“You did?” He asked her with one raised brow. Once again she shrugged her shoulders. Still smiling she turned back towards the front as Maverick walked through the two rows of tables to the front.

“I give you Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign: ‘Maverick’.” Watching Maverick take to the podium made her smile even more.

“Good Morning.” Maverick looked over the rows of aviators, staying a beat longer on Ana than the others. She gave him a brief nod and the slightest hint of a smile on her face. Then he held up a thick bundle of paper held together by a metal file fastener.

“The F-18 NATOPS.” He patted the front of the thick stack of papers, putting it down on the podium before continuing.

“It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I'm assuming you know the book inside and out.” A chorus of affirmations followed his words. Maverick glanced over at Cyclone and Warlock, Ana noticed and sat up straighter. That look, albeit she couldn’t entirely tell what, meant Maverick was about to do something controversial, potentially - very likely - getting himself in trouble. He took up the manual again, chucking it into the bin beside the podium. With a heavy thud, it landed.

Ana couldn’t help but snort in surprise and disbelief. It was so on-brand for Maverick that it shouldn’t surprise her. She had heard so many stories about his shenanigans even if she had never seen them firsthand until now. The others seemed shocked, Hangman glanced over at her and for a brief moment, their eyes locked.

“So does your enemy.” 

That one sentence was enough to bring his point across. And to bring Ana back to professionality. She turned serious once more, listening intently to him, mentally preparing for whatever they - whatever Mav - was going to ask from them. 

“But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, push beyond. Today we'll start with what you only think you know. You show me what you're made of.” Even with the seriousness of the mission, she was sensing ever stronger, the corners of her mouth turned up once more.  She knew how Maverick flew and she knew how good he was. Ana may have never seen him fly in an F-18 but the stories she has heard about his career were enough to have her excited. She was looking forward to being able to go head-to-head with her godfather. Finally. It was something she had been wanting to do since she was little. Since the first time she heard the stories about both Mav and her father’s legendary exploits.

Throughout the entire group, an air of excitement developed. Of course, the others longed to prove their talent. Maybe they even thought they had a chance against Maverick, thinking they’d have an easy time showing him up.

When they were dismissed the scrape of chairs against the floor was loud, everyone eager to get themselves and their aircrafts ready. Flying was second nature to them. Every single person in this detachment was as comfortable in the air as on the floor. You had to have a love for the skies to get so far. Chatter erupted within the group, mainly the duo’s talking to their partners. While they all filtered towards the exit Maverick spoke up once more.

“Lieutenant Lawson, a word?” Ana stopped and turned around. The others had briefly stopped too to watch her and Maverick.

“Yes, sir.” She agreed with a nod. Maverick eyed the aviators, prompting them to stop staring at them and continue filtering out. Once they left the hangar it was just the two of them. Maverick stepped up to her.

“You don’t look surprised.” Was the first thing he said to her. She smiled at that.

“How could I? I figured it out yesterday. You coming back at the same time they call the best Top Gun graduates of the last years back for a special training? Who else would they get to teach us?” It made him smile too. An earnest, flattered, if a little embarrassed smile.

“Come here.” Maverick pulled her into a hug. The one he couldn’t have yesterday at the bar when he wanted to hug her for the first time in a while. It felt good to hug her godfather again, after such a long time.

They stayed like that for a moment before Maverick sighed and pulled back. He looked at her almost remorseful and equally as serious. “You know I can’t go easy on you. I’ll have to be even stricter.”

“I know.” she nodded. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.” 

Him going easy on her would be the exact opposite of what she wanted. There was a reason she wasn’t Ana Kazansky but Ana Lawson in the Navy. Because she had wanted to make it on her own, without having it made easier thanks to her last name. Maverick smiled down at her as well, seemingly knowing what she was thinking at that moment. He knew the reason after all.

“At least I finally get to go up against you now.” She was giddy about that prospect, her fingers kept itching to go get ready and to show him. Maverick grinned at her.

“You think you can hold yourself against me?” He asked her in a playful banter, causing her to laugh.

“Of course! You’ll see, I'll show you what I am made out of.” Shaking his head Maverick looked at her with fond eyes once more, before he shooed her off with a wave. 

Watching her leave the hangar to get ready for the training Maverick kept watching her retreating form. He would have to go in a moment too.

“If you are anywhere close to your father, you’ll be doing just fine kiddo,” he mumbled to himself, thinking back on the times he and Ice flew together. He too was excited to get into the air with Ice’s legacy.

[good-beanswrites]

I’m thinking about the angst of the restraints headcanon again. There’s the two with the least physically violent crimes, and they rank relatively low in strength. There’s the child who was violent but had to be really crafty about it; she’s the weakest of all of them. And the most dangerous of the guilty prisoners cannot be restrained.

This makes me so emotional!!! All three are the smallest of their circles. Two of them are extremely ordinary people who have never experienced/expressed physical violence before. One hadn't even fathomed the idea of someone dying until they actually did. And yet, they're subjected to the type of restraints you'd expect to see on someone who is uncontrollably violent. The fact that prisoners who committed very gruesome murders can walk free (including Mikoto) just adds insult to injury. I still couldn't everything into words, but here's a Mahiru-centric drabble featuring the same thoughts. It takes place after T1 closes but before the attacks.

“Where are our rights?”

Fuuta’s shout caused Mahiru to wince. She perched on her bedding, watching the two prisoners she’d invited to her cell. It hadn’t been the fun kind of invitation, though. Back in school, she always wanted to have parties and dates back at her place. Moving to the city, she imagined what it would be like to make university friends and take them back home with her to talk, eat, and have fun. 

Sitting in her dim gray cell with Fuuta and Amane, all of them held fast by complex sets of restraints, was not what she’d had in mind.

Amane knelt in the corner. Her arms were crossed, as if pouting, though the opposite was true. A moment ago her eyes had lowered in prayer, but it was difficult to find any peace of mind now. Fuuta snapped and shouted as he paced the length of the cell bars. They were unlocked, but like the others, he didn’t feel like being out in front of everyone. He’d give his uniform a violent jerk every now and then, but it didn’t do any good. Between his strides and growls, he made Mahiru think of those poor wild animals they keep at the circus.

“Take it easy, Fuuta.” She mustered up a smile. “Come rest with us.”

“I can’t believe you two. You’re just gonna sit here and take it? I didn’t do a fucking thing! They’re acting like I’m some big danger to society,” he yanked his arms again, to no avail. “All I did was type some things onto a screen. I’m not gonna go around stabbing anyone or anything. And you, you didn’t hurt anyone either!”

He nodded his head to Mahiru. If her arms weren’t already folded over her chest, she would have hugged herself anyway. 

“Well… I did hurt him in the end… I broke his heart badly enough that… I mean, he…”

Fuuta made a disgusted sound. “That’s all stupid romance stuff. I’m saying, you never stabbed him. Never strangled him. Never poisoned his food, or –”

“Oh god, no! How horrible…”

“Exactly! From what we’ve heard, it sounds like Haruka killed someone with his bare hands. I think Muu had a knife or something. Shidou had a whole arsenal of grisly doctor tools. Kotoko has openly talked about how she beat that guy to death. Why are they allowed to walk free while we’re tied down like wild animals?”

Mahiru was glad she hadn’t mentioned the circus.

“And Amane! It’s not like she did anything violent, and here she is!”

“That is not true.”

Both paused as Amane spoke up for the first time. 

“Eh?”

“While I disagree with my verdict, the restraints make sense.” The others still stared blankly. As matter-of-fact as always, she continued. “I killed with my own hands. I used the amount of force I was instructed to. Just as the sinner fears the wrath of heaven, I can understand how the godless warden would fear my justice.”

Fuuta’s passion wavered, but Mahiru could feel her heart ache for the girl. “Oh Amane… I had no idea. To be pushed to the point of violence at your age…”

“I am not to be pitied. As I said, I am dangerous, and proud to be. I am doing god’s work. All heroes must be dangerous.”

Fuuta grunted, but said nothing. Mahiru gave her a gentle smile. “It’s not pity. Even if you were dangerous, it’s horrible to restrain someone like you. You’ve already had to brave so much, as the smallest of the bunch.”

She looked between the two. A sad laugh escaped her. “Now that I think of it, I guess we’re all the smallest here, hm? Aside from maybe Muu, we don’t have much height or strength on the others…”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Fuuta cried. “The fuck do they think we’re going to do?” Mahiru was just glad he’d focused on that rather than the fact she’d just called him weak. 

Voices raised in conversation down the hallway. Mikoto’s laugh echoed faintly into the cell.  

It warmed Mahiru to hear. Things had been so hard on him here. Though it had been frightening to hear him shouting at the restraints til his voice was raw – well, it wasn’t him shouting – it had been a relief when he appeared free and relaxed the following day. He seemed sheepish that he wasn’t able to help the others, having no memory of his escape. Mahiru just kept telling him how happy she was for him.

Fuuta didn’t share in the sentiment. “Meanwhile, Mikoto gets to stroll around free, and he beat the shit out of Es! He could snap and kill any one of us here, and they don’t even give a damn. But ooohhh, god forbid the guy who’s never been violent a day in his life is allowed to use his own two hands!”

The harshness of his voice wasn’t doing his argument many favors. Still, his words were beginning to get through to Mahiru. 

She’d worked so hard to be a model citizen. She was supposed to have a perfect life. She could cook, clean, sew, and take care of children. She did herself up every day; she was never a slob or a slut. She was generous to everyone she met. She showered the world around her in love. Wasn’t it unfair that her hands were tied like some common criminal? What was all that effort for – being patient when people upset her, being kind even when she disagreed with someone, all of that – if she was going to end up in the same place as someone who had stabbed another out of sheer malice?

Amane didn’t seem to be whirling with the same doubts. She closed her eyes once more. “It is simply a trial from heaven. We may be small, but all of us have an internal strength that will carry us through the ordeal.”

“I don’t think it’s any sort of religious thing, but you’re right,” Fuuta puffed his chest out. “Trials like this only make people stronger!” 

“Do you think so?” Mahiru wasn’t sure if she was asking either of them or just musing to herself. It was a nice thought. This was all part of destiny, something meant to be that would make her stronger in the end. 

But she wasn’t so sure she believed in destiny anymore. It hadn’t quite worked out the first time. 

“Hell yeah!” Fuuta must have assumed she was in fact asking him. He gave a wide, toothy grin. “It’s not like we can get any weaker, right? The warden better watch out next trial – they’ve got a big storm coming!”

[s0va-idalin]

Over the years, I've collected some headcanons about Ishimondo:

• Kiyotaka can say “I love you” at a completely unexpected moment in a conversation, even if it is the MOST inopportune moment. All for the reason “I thought about what an interesting person you are. As a result, I concluded that I love you very much.” Owada constantly falls into a stupor because of this (God forbid he hears this while driving a bike).

This also applies if they were just bros. Only “bro” was added to “I love you.”

Meanwhile, Mondo VERY rarely says anything cute. Owada is more of a tactile person.

• The two may start hugging each other. Long and tight, until at a certain moment they mentally begin to argue “who will hug you tighter.” This ends with Kiyotaka's half-broken back and Mondo almost strangled. They have not yet learned to hug each other tenderly

• Everyone in this world needs affection, even the rudest guys in the world. The stereotype about the cute hobbies of menacing bikers did not escape Owada. We all know that he loves dogs, especially cute ones like his old pet Chuck. Most of the time, Mondo is seen as being aggressive and such, but one certain day in the month, he becomes, well, REALLY loving, and he can't do anything about it. He himself knows this very well and therefore skips school during such a period. This happened too often and suspiciously in Kiyotaka's opinion, and therefore, despite all his fears and morals, he decided to find out what Owada was really doing. It turned out that at such moments, he goes to dog shelters, buys huge bags of food for them, and, in return, asks volunteers to cuddle puppies. And it really works! Some workers even remember Mondo and are happy to see him. After such an “exposure”, Owada will ask not to tell anything like that to the others because it “does not suit his image” and Ishimaru will understand him. And now Mondo can share his impressions of cute dogs with his bro. In the future, during such periods, Owada will begin to show attention not only to the puppies but also to the Moral Compass himself.

• Meanwhile, Ishimaru experiences almost the same thing, but in reverse: One week a month (usually the week of exams), the guy becomes TOO nervous, which makes some people suspect that he will be ready to kill a delinquent right in the corridors of the Academy.

And it will be a lot of fun if Mondo and Kiyotaka have their weird periods coincide at the same moment.

• I have already written a couple of times that Kiyotaka loves white, mints and pearls.

• Kiyotaka has very little imagination, and therefore he writes his essays as documents.

Mondo has no problems with this; in principle, literature comes easily to him. He's just too lazy to read the classics.

• Kiyotaka prefers not to have animals, because they require precious time, but fish would be the best option for him. He would carefully study the issue according to their content. As it were, fish do not need to devote as much time as cats or dogs, you just need to allocate one day a week (for example, weekends) for cleaning the aquarium and literally a couple of minutes a day for feeding the fish.

• Kiyotaka, unnoticed by himself, speaks much more quietly around people dear to him. Because he knows that they will always hear him.

• Mondo's favorite time of year is summer. It’s warm in the summer, bike season, it’s easier to build something in the summer (he wants to become a carpenter), both he and his best friend have summer birthdays.

• As a child, Mondo was a fan of strong women (Undyne from Undertale, Garnet from Steven Universe, etc)

Well... That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

[enigmatist17]

Angst that turned into something based off of this and this

When Fives opens his eyes, he can see the stars.

He's not trembling from exhaustion, the hunger cramps due to not feeding his accelerated metabolism the nutrients it needed are gone, and the tears he'd shed in despair trying to explain everything are gone. While he's not lying down, he's not standing up either, just looking at the millions of shining stars as he tries to figure out where he is.

"Fives?"

"Tup?"

"Hey there." Tup is standing, floating, ???, beside him, a smile on that face he'd seen go still days ago. His long hair is free of its bun, idly floating around his face with its familiar teardrop tattoo. "Did you die from the chip too?"

"No, I died trying to tell - well, anyone about it." Fives said, and Tup hugs him when the tears streaming down his face float out among the stars. "I failed."

"You did your best." Tup hugs the ARC as he falls to pieces, his anguished cries making the stars around them dim. Fives cries until three sets of arms seem to come from nowhere, hugging him tight as familiar voices whispered to him in comforting mando'a.

He doesn't have to look to see who it is, letting out a weak laugh as he's hugged even tighter, feeling the first shred of joy since waking up.

But wait, it should be four of them?

"He's still alive." Droidbait answers his unbidden question, and Fives finally turns to see the long dead Domino's he and Echo had seen die so long ago. Droidbait, Hevy and Cutup are smiling at their old batchmate, looking just the same as the day he'd lost them, happy and sad that Fives had finally joined them. Fives wanted to scream at the knowledge that Echo was alive, but instead started to cry again when he's embraced yet again by the four around him.

"It's okay vod'ika, he'll join us eventually." Cutup pressed his forehead against Fives', and watches the former ARC let out a strangled sigh.

"We have so much to show you." Hevy hums when Fives stops crying again, feeling as if he'd been crying for years at this point. "The universe is so big."

"There are also so many friends who are going to be delighted to see you again." Tup smiles, offering a hand that's taken and held like a lifeline.

"Lead on then."

It doesn't stop the pain of Fives' failure as the stars begin to fly past the group, a planet they'd only seen on holo's soon appearing below them as if in orbit. No one can see the dead men as they seem to appear on some beach, and somehow Fives can smell the salty air and feel the warm sand beneath his feet as the Domino's pull Tup and Fives towards a group of troopers that seemed eager to accept them. Old friends who had died, and shinies that had fallen cheered at Fives' arrival, and while it hurt to smile, he was glad to see them in a way.

Time marches on, and then they come in so many numbers.

Thousands and thousands of brothers begin to appear in the stars, all frightened, confused and screaming in anguish when they realize it's over. The chips and its knowledge just clicked into their minds when dead friends and brothers began to appear, and the Force rang out with sadness and agony as the guilt hits them all.

The 501st cry when they reunite, some of their numbers missing but most having died on the Resolute while trying to murder both Ahsoka and Rex. It takes a long time to realize they had been doomed from the start, and in batches more and more brothers appear as years pass.

Some had died fighting the new Empire, some had been test subjects that had gone gruesomely, and not enough died of old age.

Rex and Kix are the last two to join the millions of souls drifting among the stars, and the Force sings with a bittersweet joy when the very last brother finally opens his eyes.

Kix had been alone for so long, fighting a war that had finished so long ago, and died alone for a Resistance that hopefully won their war. He's not alone when he looks around, so many brothers crying with joy as the medic is embraced, and for the first time since they'd lost, he falls apart in their arms.

Then

Then the Force sings to each soul, and the stars vanish, and every clone closes their eyes at a gentle voice.

You have another chance, take it for yourselves my children

When they open their eyes, they're on Kamino in bodies that were far younger when they had left them.

They had a second chance

They had a second chance

[comfort-questing]

"poisoned weapon"

post ep1 of Vox Machina s2

for @crowscroll, bless :)... an accidental epic

-

They had fled, and fled, and fled, ever since the sun rose that morning - and even though Whitestone's walls surrounded them now, Vax's heart had not yet stopped pounding, the taste of ash still bitter in the back of his throat as he breathed in.

Dragons. The dragons had come, not one but seven, the sky blackening beneath their wings, and the fires rising to meet them.

Here in the De Rolo mansion the terror seemed far away, distant; but closing his eyes or letting his thoughts stray for a moment was enough for it to return. He had joined the endless debates on tactics and plans, defense and reprisal, sitting at his sister's side - earlier, and then run away again, here to the quiet of the upstairs library with the books and high windows clean and bright now. But the murmur and stir of voices in the great hall below, the clatter outside of refugees finding their place and lamenting their losses, all of those were reminders as well.

Vax hugged his arms tightly around himself, forcing his eyes to count the carved figures along the ceiling high above, to trace their shadowy lines in hopes of dulling... other things.

The sound of the knob turning, clumsily fumbled, and the door creaking open made him startle at first, then sit up to welcome the intrusion. Percy was there, in the doorway, hand still on the knob as if it were supporting him upright. He'd found a new coat somewhere but not been quite able to put his arms through the sleeves; the tattered, blood-stiff and dirt-stained remains of his shirt were clearly visible beneath. A spiderweb crack in one glasses lens caught the light as he turned.

There was something about the clench of Percy's jaw that made Vax's neck prickle with nervousness, and the quick breaths that jarred his stiff-set shoulders, under the slung coat.

"I think," said Percy, in a low colorless sort of voice, "that I might need to lie down for a bit."

Vax was on his feet in a moment, the banked flame of the day's panic flaring back up in his chest. But Percy's intuition had come a little late, it seemed, because it was only two steps into the room before his knees buckled and he met the ground in a limp tousle of limbs and cloth.

-

The next handful of moments seemed very slow and very fast at the same time: finding the fast thready pulse in Percy's throat, tucking a pillow from the sofa under his head, pulling back the heavy fabric of the borrowed coat to check for any hidden injuries. The half-healed bruising from their dash through the city, the scald marks like sunburn from too-close dragon breath - Percy's skin was feverishly warm, small gasps escaping him at each touch, then a strangled cry when Vax's hand slipped along the back of his right shoulder.

Vax sat him up, carefully as he could, Percy's head lolling back as he lifted him. There - arcing along the back of his arm and shoulder, two marks like claw scores, the skin fresh and fragile from Pike's healing earlier in the day but with vicious streaks of swollen red beneath, veining outwards from the healed marks.

Percy winced at Vax's touch, eyelids flickering behind the heavy lenses of his glasses.

"Shh," murmured Vax, his own voice hoarse in his ears. "Lay down and don't move, will you? I'll get the others."

"I - did say - I needed - to lie down," said Percy, in a small breathless whisper, and bit his lip as Vax settled him down on the floor again. The sharp blush of fever was starting along his cheekbones, and the dirt driven into his hair made the pale locks almost dark against his pallid forehead. "I'm - sorry - for the trouble."

"Look, enough things have happened today that - " Vax started, and broke off, since Percy didn't seem to be listening, and anyway how he would end the sentence he didn't know. That all I want is for us all to be safe, maybe. Ironic, and cruel, when Emon had fallen to its knees before the dragons just that morning. But in the wreck of the world he wanted his own people around him, and was that wicked or wrong?

So he swallowed down the lump in his throat and gathered himself to his feet, sore muscles throbbing.

"I'll be right back," he said to Percy, and fled before the tears in his eyes could show.

-

"Dragon poison," said Pike, in one of the upstairs rooms, half an hour later; Percy tucked securely into bed with Cassandra sitting steely-eyed at the foot, Vex pacing restless in front of the curtained window. "Their teeth - their claws - I didn't see it happen, only the rocks sliding, and the black dragon above. I just healed him up so we could - we could keep running..."

"It's okay, Pickle. You did everything you could." Vax reached out to put a hand on the gnome's shoulder, and she leaned her exhaustion-lined face against it. "Can you heal him again, then?"

Pike chewed her lower lip, the silence stretching long, broken by Percy's quick rough breathing where he curled up beneath the covers.

"Poison - is complicated," she said. "It's his own body reacting to it, and - I don't know how to help. And I've got nothing left for today, I was busy outside, with the other refugees - " Her lips were trembling again, her hand white-knuckled around the symbol of the Everlight.

"Is there anything you can do, then?" said Vex, the first time she'd spoken since they'd brought Percy upstairs to the bedroom. Vax could sense the tension in her shoulders as she paused her pacing for a moment.

"I don't know. I think we should find an herbalist, and try to bring his fever down in the meantime."

Percy coughed, sharply, and Cassandra leaned forward, her face still and taut under the ragged fringe of her growing-out hair.

"That's good for a start," Vex said. She rubbed at her forehead, smearing the remainders of ash and dirt still there. "Keep him comfortable. It sounds like his throat and lungs are swelling too - we'll have to do something about that. It's not an unusual reaction to dragon poisons..."

The matter-of-fact tone of her voice might have fooled the others, but Vax knew better. He wanted to try to reach out and catch her hand, like he was holding Pike's, but she was back to her pacing, the fading pain-lines from her headache earlier still graved in her skin.

Percy mumbled something into the pillow, incoherent, and coughed again, blinking hazy-eyed at his sister sitting next to him and then at the others scattered round the room. His hand fumbled up to his face as if to push up his glasses, though the frames were now folded and placed on the table next to him.

"Shh," said Cassandra, almost too softly to be heard, and brushed her knuckles across the back of his hand. "Shh. You're going to be all right."

There was something so painfully familiar and akin in her voice that Vax glanced quickly over at Vex in reflex, but his twin was too far to reach in that moment. So he settled for patting Pike's arm again as she sniffled quietly into her shirt collar, the exhaustion of the day telling on her as on the rest of them.

In the bed, Percy grasped at Cass's hand, blindly, and held on.

-

The hours went by, noon turning to golden afternoon, sunrays striking brilliant through the crack in the curtains. Percy's fever climbed as time passed, his breathing dampening, cough rough with effort. Now and again he woke a little, his eyes finding their faces around him, mumbling half-heard words before slipping back into his drowse.

Keyleth's gentle singing seemed to help soothe him a bit, whether through magic or other means; Scanlan dropped by for a little while, scowling and fidgeting with his lute in grim worry; Grog shadowed Pike for a while, doing his best to cheer the frown off her face. Vex and Pike didn't leave, except for a brief trip to get herbs and supplies; and so neither did Vax, and of course neither did Cassandra, her intent face both haunted and haunting alike.

In the end, Pike fell asleep, face-first on the bedcover next to Percy's hand. Vax put an extra blanket over her, although all the pillows had gone to prop Percy up in bed, trying to ease his breathing against the tightness of his throat and lungs.

Cassandra looked up, then, her pale blue eyes blank and wide.

"Miss Vex'ahlia."

Vex hadn't stopped pacing for a while, but she stopped then.

"You know about - things about dragons, and what they do, don't you?"

"Yes. I do." Vex's knuckles whitened at her sides.

"So - will he - " Cassandra stopped, swallowing hard, her throat lurching.

Vex didn't answer; instead, she sat down on the edge of Percy's bed, reaching out to brush back the strands of sweat-matted hair from his forehead. His eyelids flickered faintly, and he turned his face into the curve of her palm, his slow sigh turning into a cough midway through.

"There, there, darling," Vex murmured, and reached for the cup at the bedside to bring to his lips. "Slowly, don't choke on it. We've got time."

That was a lie, while the Chroma Conclave still swept the skies above Emon. But there was no sense saying anything different, here in their endless moment of waiting. How funny it was that the whole world could stop for you, when one of your own's lives was in the balance, even as every other tragedy continued... Vax bit his lips, watching the raw ache in Cassandra's eyes.

Percy opened his eyes a little, then, between sips from the cup, and one side of his mouth twitched in something like a smile.

Cassandra didn't say anything else. Only sat there, fiddling with the tie on her tunic, the scar silvery across her throat in the afternoon light.

Pike was asleep, snoring softly, so Vax tried patting Cassandra's hand instead; he expected her to pull away, but she didn't. And maybe it was a little easier, waiting together.

-

Waiting, as the dusk came on, and Percy's wheezing breaths started to ease again, though he still grimaced and winced at each cough; waiting, as the firelight from each house and makeshift dwelling in Whitestone picked warmth out of the gathering dark; waiting, Cassandra whispering alternate threats and reassurances to her brother as she wiped the sweat from his forehead, Vex asleep in the chair and Vax propping up her head with a rolled-up cloak to keep her neck from getting sore.

Grog came and carried off Pike eventually, whose nap had turned into a proper sleep before long. Scanlan brought them food from the kitchen and wished some colorful imprecations on dragons all and sundry, accompanied by his lute; Percy might have smiled again at that, though it was hard to tell for sure.

Vax had tried to stay awake, he'd tried; but his exhausted body eventually took over, though the tangled mess of nightmares waited for him beyond. He woke a little past midnight in a startle and cracked his head on the bedpost, jerking upright. But his outstretched hand then found Percy's, limp on the sheets, sweat-damp and cool once again, and that brought him properly back to consciousness along with his sore head.

"What - happened?" Percy's voice, slow and hoarse, but without the colorless dazed note from that morning that had frightened him so.

Vax squeezed his hand.

"You had a brush with some dragon poison, that's all. Go back to sleep."

"But - we can't. We have to - the dragons - the city - " Percy tried to straighten up against the pillows, wincing and shivering at the effort, face pale in the candlelight.

"It's the middle of the night, you idiot," Vax hissed. "Go back to sleep, I said."

"You - are a funny one - to tell people to sleep," mumbled Percy, but stayed put nonetheless.

"We'll figure it out in the morning," said Vax, with a confidence he did not feel, but perhaps Percy was still too weak to adequately recognize deception. "And - don't scare us like that again, all right?"

Percy had his eyes closed again by then, a hopeful sign. "Try not to," he said.

How funny it was, Vax thought - that even when the world was falling apart, it could still feel so solid, here in the candlelight with his sister asleep in the chair half a reach away, and his friends safe and alive beneath one roof. How funny, how unfair, and how beautiful, too...

And he let his own eyelids fall closed again too, until morning, and the new battles to come.

[soov-archived]

WR⩇NG R⩇⩇M! 21. i love your voice

warnings ⠀ 0.9k, mentions of food, light cursing.

JUNE 27TH, 2022

Sighing for the nth time that afternoon, Sora spied you from the corner of her vision. In annoyance, you turned your head to her.

“What is it?” You murmured, pushing the heavy boxes of sweets up in your arms.

She inflated her cheek and yet another blow of air escaped.

”Why are we even doing this?” She pouted tiredly, eyes dropping to your set of baby pink boxes, the ones you got from the cake shop nearby.

“What do you mean?” You quizzed while looking for the recording room Sunoo informed you he and his members would be using.

The girl forced a strangled groan out.

“You're always, always buying things for those seven punks.”

You snorted, trying to explain yourself. “I'm not, Sora. I'm just... trying to keep them motivated!”

“Shut up,” rolling her eyes, she scoffed, baffled by how dense you could be. “You're doing this just to see Jungwon.”

“I'm not!” You fired back, your voice lowering when you started to approach the recording room. “I don't even like him like that!”

“I didn't say anything about liking him, though.”

You stopped dead in your tracks, the sweets threatening to topple over.

“Oh.”

Musing about it, you weren't sure why you said that, but the thought was quickly discarded.

“Yeah, ‘Oh.’” Sora laughed in disbelief, walking ahead since you ended your movements. “Now c'mon, they're over there.”

A quiet huff passed between your lips while you ran to catch up with her, holding the boxes tight. “But I don't like him anyways!”

When you reached the place, Sunghoon was the first one to see you, a fang-ish grin decorating his features when he looked at you, and a scowl when he turned to Sora.

“Well well well, look what we have here!” He snickered, your vocalist pushing past him with a scoff and going to his bandmate.

Bowing slightly, you apologized. “Hi, Sunghoon. Sorry for that.”

“A-Ah, it's fine! Don't worry about that.” Park waved you off with a charming expression. “Do you want help with these?”

“Please. They're for you all, by the way.” You nodded in relief, passing the boxes to him.

As soon as they left your palms, a body jumped on yours, tackling you in a bear hug. A shriek left your mouth in surprise, but the familiar scent of cinnamon and ramyeon gave the person's identity away, calming you down.

“Hi, Riki,” you chuckled heartily, hugging him and stumbling back with the impact.

“Hi.” The Japanese whispered, tightening his hold. “I missed you, noona.”

“But we saw each other last week?”

“That's a lot of time for me.”

“Yah, Ni-Ki! Get off of her, she can't even breathe!” Sunoo shouted as he walked to you and tore the maknae apart from you. “Hey, Y/n!” He gave you a short hug when he got the chance, and you greeted him with the same enthusiasm.

“Why are you here? Did your promotions end?” Riki stared at you while tilting his head. “And what are these pink things?”

You glanced at the package resting on a seat and turned to them again. “They're cupcakes from a bakery Sun wanted to go to, and Sora brought drinks to you and your producers.”

“Wait, really?” Jake gasped, approaching you with the others and Sora close. You frowned in the slightest when you didn't see Jungwon amongst the curious faces.

“Yeah. Y/n's idea.” The girl confirmed, pushing past them to grab one of the packets and open it for the others to pick their cupcakes.

“Thank you!” They bowed in unison, mouths stuffed with the delicacy.

“It's nothing!” You reassured, scratching your neck. “Um... If you don't mind me asking, where is Jungwon?”

Jake, Ni-Ki, and Sunoo shared glances but kept eating nervously. Jay gulped down his cake before hooking a finger in front of his lips and pointing to a door with the other. “That room; he's finishing his parts for the album.”

“Ah, I see...” You muttered, trying to not sound pathetic for wanting to at least give him a short hug.

“You can check up on him if you want,” Riki suggested kindly, gesturing to the space as his brother did before.

You shifted your gaze to his members, all of them nodding furiously to encourage you. Sora awkwardly coughed, pushing you towards your occupied friend.

“Be quick, we have to leave soon.”

With the final (and literal) push, you paced quietly by the end of the corridor. Peeking through the open door, you giggled lowly to yourself at the sight of Jungwon with an oversized shirt, backward cap, and shining red hair poking to the sides. He seemed focused, the tip of his tongue out while he listened to the next commands from his producer in his headphones.

He was dazzling with no effort being made. You got to hear the sound of his soothing, muffled singing in japanese for a while, observing how at peace you felt when you listened to it. Jungwon's voice never stood out to you that much, but at that moment, you decided that it was now your favorite sound on Earth.

Some minutes went by and a hand poked your shoulder. “We have to go now, Y/n.”

You blinked once, sparing one last smile to the boy in the cabin. “Right, sorry.”

Bidding goodbye to the others, you two left — Sora with a knowing twinkle in her eyes, and you with your total attention in Jungwon's tone still ringing in your ears.

PREV M.LiST NEXT

⠀

⠀ ⠀ ⠀ yang jungwon, the leader of enhypen, keeps using his senior’s dance room to practice even after his manager calls him out. what is he going to do when the said senior finds out that he's not only doing it on purpose, but also trying to win her heart?

⠀ ⠀ pairing idol!yjw & f!idol!reader

⠀ ⠀ © soov, 2O23.

⠀

REi'S N⩇TES ⠀ GUESS WHO'S BACK? A-YO POP, WE DID IT AGAIN MAN 😻😻😻 btw we're halfway through wrong room ☹️

TAGLiST 1 ( CLOSED! ) @fadedluvv @hiqhkey @wony-graps @4hysgf @mfbookishbitch-vhae @raimbows4u @ahnneyong @drunkjazed @ssseob @777wonz @kange3939 @byhsng @i-yeseo @riverkee @luvdokja @kittyeji @she-is-dreaming @luveuly @zeraaax @eunbiland @ineedcoffeeandtherapy @ch0ijiung @mxristars @itznotshy @jaxavance @mitsukifilms @4vonly @jovibaes @hykai @sunoik @kkalechip @boowoowho @jeongintwt @chukiez

TAGLiST 2 ( ꗃ ) @ilovewonyo @shinsou-rii @slayciie @luvkait @mylobae @dimplewonie @vatterie @flower-lise @yenqa @wh0reforscoupsandsunghoon @dreamenvi @soobsdior @wonhrs @rrvvby @ineedaherosavemeenow @cloudcutter @ilvsoup @lil-iva send an ask or fill this form to be added!