#NOT BRIGHT LIGHTS BUT ARGH. THIS HURT

[politemenacephd]

Arachnophilia: (Part Twenty-Two)

Drider!Miguel O'Hara x Reader (+18)

Chapter Masterlist 🕷️

Content: Aftercare, Miguel is still rutting, Reader is in heat, Breeding kink, Overstimulation, Gentle PinV sex, Soaking.

Word count: 3906

When you woke it was slow, as even moving your eyelids felt laborious.

You didn’t remember going to sleep. Really, you barely remembered anything, spare the faint memories of being glued to Mig on the bed to engage in the sleepiest sex possible.

You were sore, exhausted, groggy and stiff. When you moved your legs even an inch they ached, and you could feel just from that that you were too weak to stand. Internally you felt stuffed, almost like his shaft was still inside you, but you realized quickly it was just copious amounts of cum mixed with the left-over soreness of being stretched and pounded well beyond human limits.

You could still feel the lingering fingerprints on your skin where he’d grabbed you, the lingering teeth marks on your neck where he’d bitten you to offer relief.

You let out a low groan. God, even the ache was enjoyable. You had been utterly used.

‘Mm…. Hey, Mig?’

You mumbled his name and wiped your eyes but got no response. As you adjusted to the dim light you began scrambling for any connection to the outside world, pulling up the watch still loosely hanging from your wrist.

You squinted at the bright light as it flashed to life, and then baulked in horror. Two whole days had passed. Two days lost to that pollen mist, two days of non-stop fucking, two days with no contact with anyone else.

You groaned and rolled on the bed. ‘Fuck, fuck…. Argh, fuck.’

As you rolled on the mattress you finally found Mig, who thankfully hadn’t left the bedroom either. He was fast asleep with his legs curled beneath his abdominal belly and his head in his arms, softly snoring and whining in his sleep.

You sighed and shuffled closer, nestling into the warm fluff of his body. He grunted and, in his sleep, pulled you towards him. He held you taut to his body, like a small plush doll, and you held him back.

‘Mig’ you whispered. He didn’t respond.

‘Mig’ you said a little louder. You patted his leg and watched it twitch, slowly stirring him back to wakefulness. His snores turned to grumbling.

‘Mmm… Arañita…’

He moved in a way that immediately made you flinch, with his arms sliding down to scoop your waist and pull you closer.

‘Woah, woah—no more, no more’ you said. ‘Stalemate, Mig, stalemate.’

At that he opened his eyes fully. He seemed confused. ‘No, more…. oh.’ His eyes widened as his memories flooded back, overloading his senses with everything that had happened over the past two days.  

‘I… Oh, arañita, I—’ he pulled back slowly while still keeping you within his embrace, both as a gesture to show he was no longer in need of your body and to check it for damage.

‘Are you, okay?’ he whispered. You slowly nodded.

‘I’m… I’m okay, yeah.’

‘Are you sure? I didn’t hurt you?’ he whispered, his voice a little more desperate this time around. You shook your head.

‘I mean I’m- really sore, and, tired, but… I assume you are too.’

He sighed. ‘Ah- Yes, I, am. I never thought I would say this, but I would beg you please to not even, brush my genitalia for the next 48 hours, I fear I might… cry.’

You couldn’t help but giggle a little at that. Your monstrous, confident, potent lover was no more, and your sweet dork was back. You stroked his cheek with your thumb and he nestled into the touch.

‘Mm… How bad is the damage then?’ he mumbled sleepily. He raised his head to peer about the room and immediately choked in horror.

The room was saturated in cum to an almost comedic degree. On the bed, the floors, the walls, coating the thick dangling web left torn from the ceiling.

‘I…. Oh, dear.’ He swallowed hard as his brows furrowed. ‘Ah… I, did… Ah. Are you, sure you’re okay?’

He bent to sniff you, his hands gently squishing your belly and thighs. You raised your hands in an attempt to warn him but you were too late. ‘Wait, Miggy don’t—’

As he pressed on you and coaxed your legs aside you immediately felt more ejaculate leak out, revealing just how stuffed you still were. You looked away in embarrassment while Mig struggled to push down his arousal. Somehow, even after all he’d already done, it still excited him.

‘Ah—I’m so sorry, oh—poor arañita’ he blurted. Before you could say a thing in response he rushed straight into after-care mode.

He bundled you up and quickly spun a sheet of silk to saturate with his venom. He made about three of these in total, all of which he then smoothed over your body; two to cover your hips and thighs, and one very tenderly pressed to your sex. It had a strange, cooling effect on the skin and did quickly help to numb the pain.

He kissed from your inner thigh up to your cheek before pulling you close to rest in his fur. ‘Mi arañita’ he whined.

‘It’s okay’ you repeated. ‘It’s okay, I promise. We—both, went a little… wild, but, that’s nothing new. I can deal with it.’

‘I… Didn’t, even know it was possible to produce that much’ he murmured, more to himself than to you. He couldn’t help but fixate on the utter mess surrounding his bed, knowing that he’d tried to fit every single inch of that inside you. Again, to his great embarrassment, it still excited him a little.

‘I mean neither did I. I knew you were… virile, but, taking two whole days to run out?’ you noted with a yawn.

‘Ah… I don’t know if I even did run out. I don’t remember’ he grunted. ‘Did I run out, or—did you get too sore, or, did I get too tired? I-I don’t know.’

‘You MUST have run out’ you insisted. ‘There’s no way you just, kept producing that much cum for two days.’

‘I don’t know’ he said shyly. ‘I… Maybe, I did. I mean I remember we did start to slow down but I thought that was just the pollen losing its grip.’

‘We did?’

‘Ah, yes. Do you not remember?’

‘I remember when you, uh—’ you paused as you felt the heat rising in your cheeks, ‘I remember you, sticking me to your belly so you could just, be permanently inside me, so you could cum when you needed to.’

You saw Mig’s eyes twitch, his lips pursing hard to hold back any unwanted noises. He knew he wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this right now.

‘Mm… Yes, we did that for a while, and then you fell asleep, so I stopped. I… rubbed myself on the sheets and, smelled you for comfort, then you woke up and begged for more, I—tried to just stimulate you with my fingers to avoid making you sore but you were… insistent. So I came in you again. Then we both fell asleep, and, upon waking we would mate every, hour or so, I’d say, then every three hours until… we fell asleep, again.’

You stared at him as he spoke. You did vaguely remember what he was talking about. There were fuzzy, erotic memories lingering at the back of your mind in blurry detail; the flash of a plush, red cock filling you up, the sound of him grunting, the pleading for more than his thick, calloused fingers.

You coughed to push down any possible brewing of sexual tension. You couldn’t handle any more.

‘Right. Right, so… you didn’t run out, we just, got sleepy. My goodness you are terrifying.’

Mig gave a shy little laugh. It always looked so strange to see that hulking, muscled, hairy man coyly shrugging his shoulders. ‘I apologize again, mi tesoro. I didn’t mean to overload you.’

‘No, don’t apologize, just… my god, do you not feel like- drained? Or, tired, or… empty, for lack of a better word? Is your body just a, literal cum factory?’

Again, Mig shrugged. He seemed both bashful at the attention you were showing his body and a little bit proud of how shocked you were. ‘I feel… tired, and, sensitive there, but, not empty, no. I believe the pollen may have just coincided with my usual rut cycle so my body is prepared specifically to produce as much as possible.’

‘With your usual… Wait, do you think I’m also—’

Mig bent before you could finish, his nose nestling into your neck to take a deep, heavy sniff. You felt the air brush your skin as he breathed in and out.

‘Mm… Yes, you are in heat’ he said, blunt as ever. ‘That would explain your eagerness.’

‘Oh…. Shit, already?’

‘It has been a month or so. We should have been prepared’ Mig said matter-of-factly. For once his blunt, pragmatic attitude grated on you.

‘Uh…. This is gonna be so annoying to explain to—’ you paused midway through your rambling as a new, horrifying realization hit you. Mig watched as you frantically scrabbled with your watch.

‘SHIT—Shit, we didn’t—tell anyone at the HQ we’d been gone, shit—’

You’d completely forgotten about the HQ, and about your obligations to them. If you’d vanished after a mission for two days without warning there was bound to be trouble waiting for you.

There was something that worried you much more, however, and that was the fact you’d left Miguel at the HQ after the pollen fight. He could have said or done anything in the time you’d been incapacitated with lust.

You drew up a list of contacts and immediately went to Jess. She picked up quickly, and without delay you went into a manic monologue trying to salvage your relationship with the society.

‘Hey, Jess I- I’m so, SO sorry, about being gone, I know I promised we wouldn’t have any more un-notified absences, but I can explain—’

‘What? What do you mean?’

You blinked as Jess’s voice floated through. That wasn’t what you’d been expecting to hear at all. Why did she sound confused? Why wasn’t she angry, or concerned?

‘I- Me and, Mig being, gone the past two days—’

‘Yeah, I know’ Jess said. Now she sounded really confused. ‘Of course you’re gone, you put in the paperwork.’

Slowly your face condensed into a frown. You hadn’t had the foresight to send in a leave of absence, had you? You glanced at Mig and awkwardly covered the watch with your hand. ‘Did- Did you, file for absence?’ you hissed.

Mig furrowed his brow in a sweet little imitation of your own confusion. ‘I- Mi arañita, I was strapped to your vaginal cavity, I could not—’

‘AT- SHH, SHH- oh my god, Mig!’ You violently shushed Mig and his overzealous oversharing as the watch audio crackled beneath your palm. He obediently silenced himself.

‘We— Sorry, Jess, ah- we, didn’t file paperwork for this’ you said slowly.

‘What do you mean you didn’t? Miguel gave me the signed paperwork two days ago, made me hand it into HR’ Jess said. Her voice had gone from confused to mildly annoyed, but you didn’t reply.

You had fully frozen up. Miguel? Miguel gave her paperwork to give you both time off? Why? You were sure he would have been the one to sabotage you, to imply you’d run off from your duties again so you and Mig would get kicked out, especially after how things left off.

You thought about his snapping teeth, his violent possessive grabbing of your body as he rubbed himself against your back while Mig rubbed up on your front, and immediately felt a flush fill your cheeks.

But, he’d just, handed in paperwork for you…?

‘So… So, wait, Miguel already signed us off?’ you said.

‘Yes! How do you not—it was signed, and everything, by both of you. He said you were- dealing with some stuff and needed time out, for about a week or so. Did Miguel fake the papers or something?’

‘Ah- No! No, we- do need time off, just uh… I guess, I, forgot. That’s all. Sorry. Thanks Jess!’

In a panic you slammed the hang-up button and turned to Mig. He looked just as confused as you.

‘So… Miguel, signed us out?’ you slowly repeated. Mig furrowed his brow. The mention of that man still seemed to spark a great, unrulable fire of conflicting feelings in him.

‘It…. Would seem so’ he said slowly.

‘But why?! Why would—After what happened, why would he do us a favor like that?’

‘I don’t know’ Mig grunted. He was avoiding eye contact now, his gaze fixed on the wall.

‘It doesn’t make sense, he—’

You turned mid-rant as a low beeping noise filled the room. Your watch was going off again. You raised it expecting to perhaps see Jess, or maybe even Miguel, but you were surprised to see Peter’s name flashing up on the screen. You clicked receive.

‘Hey, Peter, now’s not a great time—’

‘Hey! Hey guys, sorry uh, won’t be long, I really just-- Have you guys seen Miguel?!’

Your frown grew deeper. Okay, this was getting very strange now. ‘We… No, we, haven’t seen Miguel for a while’ you replied cautiously.

‘For a while—o-okay, when did you last see him?’ Peter asked. You noted that he sounded out of breath.

‘We—saw him roughly two days ago, why?’

‘Ah, shoot—okay, okay, no worries. He uh- He hasn’t been reachable, for about two days, we went around the HQ and did a few little things before saying he needed to deal with some stuff and just- vanished. Just, vanished.’

‘Huh… Okay, um- well, I’ll let you know if I see him’ you said after a moments silence.

‘Yeah! Yeahh, please do, ah- he hasn’t been in a good headspace for a while, I just- I’m worried about him. I’m sure it’s fine, I just… Never mind, thanks guys. Take care!’

The watch hung up with a click, leaving you and Mig staring at each other. The confusion between you had only deepened.

‘So….’ you said slowly.

‘So…’ Mig replied.

For a minute or so you both sat in silence. You were both trying your best to make sense of what you’d just heard, but in the end Mig couldn’t stand to be alone with his thoughts. 

‘I um- I think I should wash you, mi arañita’ he said. ‘I will clean myself as well, but, you definitely need it.’

‘Hmm? What? Oh—Oh, I can wash myself, Mig, you don’t—’

‘Arañita, I do’ Mig insisted, gently but firmly interrupting your rebuttal. ‘I do, need to wash you. Because you will not be able to stand on your own, let alone run the water and bring it to the bath. Do you understand?’

You huffed a little at what felt like babying to you, until you remembered how your legs had buckled at just the act of rolling in bed. As you moved them again beneath the sheets you realized he was right; you couldn’t hold your own weight.

‘I—Okay’ you sighed. ‘Okay. Let’s- clean up.’

As Mig cleaned the room and ran you a bath you both had time to think.

For you, Miguel’s sudden change of heart was worrying. Could he actually have started feeling bad? He had run in to help you, which was something at least, but the more you thought about it the more you realized how foolish it was to give Miguel credit for the bare minimum. He’d been an absolute demon for your entire relationship, and now he’d just changed out of nowhere? Whatever was happening, you needed more evidence than just this before you were willing to speak with him again.

Mig, in contrast to your own thoughts, was far more cynical. He had glad to hear that Miguel was gone, but he hated himself for still being partially worried about the man. He’d thought after the fight he’d stop caring completely, but Miguel was still him. They were still intertwined, and they still had a history of trying to support each other.

He just couldn’t see his sudden act of generosity as anything other than a ploy of some kind. An attempt to make them feel in debt to him, or a way to suck up to you for his own needs perhaps. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it.

He just tried to focus on the here and now.

Mig used heated water from the firepit in the middle of the den to fill a wooden bathtub, and while it was heating, he tried his best to clear the bedroom of his copious ejaculate. He certainly did his best with his cumbersome spider paws.

You lounged about until it was time to go, and when the bath was ready you let him carry your weak, exhausted body through the tunnels and into the little makeshift bathroom he’d built beneath the earth. He lowered you down into the steaming water with absolute care.

The water was an absolute life saver as it covered your bruised skin and sore muscles. You practically collapsed into the warmth.

‘Fuck…. Oh that’s so much better’ you moaned. Mig purred and rustled with pleasure to see you relaxed.

You lay back as he removed the strips of silk on your skin and used his human hands to clear you of two days worth of sweat, slick, spit and god knows what else, all in a sweet and comfortable silence.

It wasn’t until he was halfway through cleaning that he spoke again.

‘Ah, arañita?’

‘Mhm?’

‘I—About, the, fight. With, Miguel’ he started, his voice slow and awkward. You opened one eye and silently gestured for him to continue.

‘I want to apologize, mi arañita. I- I don’t, like how I acted back there.’

‘Hey, it’s fine. It was the- whatever that stuff was.’

‘I… I meant, the violence’ Mig murmured.

‘Yeah, I know. It was the stuff, the—pollen or whatever. I know it made you a little loopy.’

‘I’m not sure it was just the—jealousy’ Mig rebutted. ‘

‘I don’t- want to be like him. I don’t want to be angry. I’m- scared, of being angry’ he said, his voice dipping. ‘Whether he deserved it or not, he… It’s not what I want for me. It’s not what I want for you.’

Your face softened as you realized what he meant. He didn’t want to believe his past mistakes might have been intrinsic to his nature, that he and Miguel were, as he feared, stuck in a cycle of violence and revenge.

You reached out to stroke his cheek. ‘Hey. You’re okay. I know it was the pollen, because god knows that man’s fucked with us before, and you never acted out. Plus… I mean even if it wasn’t, it’s not like he didn’t deserve it.’

‘Mi arañita, don’t say that—’

‘But it’s true! You weren’t…. Ah, look, it—you have always, always, acted in self-defence. Miguel grabbed me. He told you to stop him. You did.’

Mig stiffened his lip as you quietly acknowledged what he was thinking. You didn’t say it outright, but you were both thinking the same thing. About Dana, about his past.

‘I still trust you’ you said gently. ‘I mean, I trusted you enough to let you fuck me afterwards. Like, thirty times. Clearly you didn’t scare me that badly.’

Mig gave a soft chuckle at that. ‘I suppose that is true. Though, I’d bet it was more than thirty, mi tesoro. Far more.’

You chuckled back. Without thinking Mig allowed his mind to wander, back to those past two days. Back to the sight of you penetrated on his shaft, to the sounds you made as he moved inside you, to the feeling of unloading himself into your willing body.

A soft whimper escaped his lips. He couldn’t help it. He’d daydreamed in that haze about watching you get round and plump with his offspring, of his seed taking to you with ease. It was what his body craved so badly; he couldn’t escape the pleasure of that fantasy even if he knew he shouldn’t.

So much cum. So much virile seed. So much wasted, and yet so much still left inside you.

You’d most certainly taken most of it into your womb by this point, he thought. He’d probably stuffed that too. A sweet, soft part of you was filled with him, with his genetic imprint. Even if not pregnant you were carrying him.

A low shudder went through his body. Oh no. That rut. That heat. He felt his phallus beneath his thick fur stirring and throbbing as blood rushed to fill it.

His first thought was to leave, to give you space, but as he bent down to apologize he heard you mewl. You were slumped in the tub, your thighs slowly shifting against each other to offer a small bit of stimulation.

Oh no. It was hitting you too.

‘Ah… arañita’ he whispered. The sound of his voice made you squirm. You could feel it, that white hot pain in your gut that could only be relieved one way.

‘Arañita, you’re still sore. We can’t’ he hissed. You panted a little and he had to physically clamp a hand on his slit to stop his erection bursting forth. You didn’t help matters by continuing to let soft, pathetic whines escape your pursed lips.

It was like magnetism. You were drawn to him, even though you anticipated the ache you knew it would be less painful than the tug in your loins for consummation. Mig knew it too.

In a frenzy he pulled your body from the water and held it to him with his hands and forelegs, perfectly spreading your legs apart around his flurry abdomen. You were dripping wet, completely naked in his grip. His breath steamed as it swirled around his barred fangs.

‘Just…. Just, a bit, I—I’ll do this, gently, to make it stop’ he whined. You frantically nodded, and you let him have you again. 

Mig stuck to his word. He pushed only the very tip of his cock inside you and began to tenderly rub it around the rim of your cunt, refusing to fully enter. You let out a low moan of relief at even that subtle touch, that tender probing. It felt good to fixate on his touch, on the way his thick shaft curiously penetrating back and forth, all while giving you a perfect show. You got to lie back in his grip and watch it moving, poking, teasing, tasting, desperate to fill you again. 

He teased you quick, pushing just to end the agony in both of you, teasing and rubbing himself on those soft, gummy walls. It didn’t take long for his overstimulated body to tip.

'Must- breed- you-' 

The moment he peaked he gripped you tight, forcing himself to remain only an inch or so inside you. You gripped him back.

‘F-Fuck, Mig—!' 

With a violent groan he orgasmed in almost total stillness, allowing those thick ropes to coat what little space remained on your insides. You relished in the sweet, warm release that he offered, that addictive rhythmic motion of being touched and filled. You got to watch that too. You got to watch that plush, red shaft pulsing and expanding as it filled you, and you got to watch it dripping out. 

The moment he was drained he pulled out and lifted you up to his face. In a dizzy state he licked at your cunt, gently slathering it with venom to ease any soreness he’d caused. You whimpered the whole time, quietly thanking him.

With a sigh he lowered you back into his arms.

‘Okay… Let’s, get you back to bed’ he panted. ‘This is… this is going to be a long week.’

Link to next part!

[vminizzle]

SERIES || Hope - JJK

Part 2 : lost

pairing : husband!jungkook x f.reader

genre : angst

warnings : !!mention of suicide!!, depression, blood

words count : 3.1k

A/N : hi guys, first of all I really want to thank y’all so much for reading the first part of this "series”. It means a lot to me, the little comments made me happy asf 😭. This chapter is kinda sad, to be honest, I had difficulties to write this part, the tears in my eyes were blurring my vision. REMINDER : POOR ENGLISH. I hope you’ll like this one, enjoy :)

FEEDBACKS ARE VERY WELCOMED

SERIES MASTERLIST

M RATED

A sleepy Jimin was sat on a chair, beside the bed you were laying on, holding your hand tightly as his head was resting next to you.

Taehyung was sitting on the little armchair at the other side of the cold hospital room.

You opened your eyes slowly, light too bright to handle as you groaned painfully.

Taehyung looked over at you, eyes widening as he got up walking to you.

“y/n.” he said hand on your shoulder.

“Can you hear me?” The tall man asked hesitantly making you nodded weakly.

“god thank you.” he sighed putting his hand over his chest.

Taehyung lightly shook Jimin in order to wake the sleepy boy.

“Jimin. Wake up.” The tired man groaned softly as he stretched his sore muscles.

“what is it?”

Taehyung gestured toward you making Jimin stood up abruptly the chair falling back.

The tall man left the room quickly to tell the doctor about you.

“y/n! you’re awake!” He captured you in a tight hug making you groaned painfully.

“oh sorry! Did I hurt you?” he gasped worried.

“it hurts a bit. But it’s ok don’t worry.” you reassured him with a small smile.

“what the hell happened to you! Why did you- gosh you’re so- argh.” Jimin sighed making you chuckled.

Jin entered the room with warm drinks in his hands, probably for Jimin and Taehyung.

His eyes widen a little when he noticed you, a small smile making its way to his lips as he approached you.

“y/n, you’re finally awake. how do you feel?” He put the drinks on the small table aside before coming near you.

“I feel weird.. My head hurts.. and my arms..” you looked down to your banded arms, wincing when you moved it a bit.

“I’m sorry for worrying you guys.” You apologized looking down.

“it’s fine.” Jin reassured you softly.

“Don’t apologize, but you just scared me.” Jimin said a tear sliding down his cheek.

“Don’t cry please.” you squeezed his hand.

“I’m fine. see, I’m not dead.” you chuckled softly.

“don’t say that.” he whined.

Jin put a hand on your shoulder before talking “you really scared us y/n, for real.” he confessed sadly before disappearing out of the room, probably to announced to the other you have regained consciousness.

After a few seconds a desperate Jungkook entered the room. “y/n!”

His cheeks were red, tears filled his eyes as he ran to you.

“I’m-” he bit his lip, words caught in his throat.

He dropped his head on your shoulder defeated.

“Jungkook.” you whispered hand stroking his head.

“I’m sorry this is my fault.”

“babe don’t say that.” you murmured closing your eyes.

“I’m the worst!” he cried out hand grabbing yours.

Jimin and, Taehyung whom just came back, watched both of you from the other side of the bed sadly.

“This is all because of me..I.. don’t leave me please.”

Taehyung looked up to the ceiling as to try to keep his tears.

“Don’t hate me.. I’m nothing without you.. I can’t live without you y/n.” he sobbed.

“Jungkook please.. don’t cry. I won’t leave and I will never hate you. Why are you saying that?”

Jungkook looked up at you devastated.

Taehyung and Jimin looked at each other.

“hey I’m fine babe hm.” you said caressing his damp cheeks. As a habit you laid your hand on your baby bump but-

something was different.. it was strange.

It felt weird..

Looking down you froze, heart stopping.

“Jungkook.” you whispered, the man staying silent just closed his eyes.

“what.. what happened? where’s m-my baby? what happened?!” you panicked.

“y/n.. they couldn’t s-”

“Jungkook where’s my baby?!” your voice cracked.

Jimin hid his face into Taehyung’s chest as he started crying again.

Taehyung took him out the room leaving you and Jungkook alone.

“I’m so sorry my love.. I’m so fucking sorry.” he dropped his face on your chest.

“it’s my fault.. we lost our baby because of me. I’m the only one to blame.. I’m sorry.” he said out of breath.

“Tell them to give me my baby back Jungkook!”

“y/n they can’t..”

“give me my baby!” your husband closed his eyes, holding you close to him.

“I want my baby!” you cried out.

“i’m so sorry.” He sobbed holding you tightly.

—

The next day, you came back home after insisting to get out of the hospital.

You couldn’t stay there. It was too difficult.

Emotionless.

Everything seemed dark even if the sky was bright blue, even if the sun was lightening all your surrondings, all seemed colourless.

Lifeless.

No words were spoken since then.

“Do you need something?” Jungkook asked hesitantly.

He was met with silence.

“y/n.. please talk to me.” he begged sadly.

He hated to see you like this.

You hated feeling like that, making him feel like that.

But you couldn’t act like before. You didn’t have enough force for that.

“Do you hate me?” he asked again, voice low as he stared at you curled figure on the bed.

“Do you want to be alone?”

Jungkook sighed before pulling the blanket over you to keep your cold body warm.

“I.. I love you.” he whispered leaving a little kiss on your shoulder.

Before he could get off the bed, you held his hand pulling him back to you.

“don’t leave me…alone today please stay.” you said quietly.

“I won’t. I’ll never leave you.” he spooned you from behind, pulling you closer, your back on his chest, arms holding you close.

“never.” he said again leaving a little kiss on the back of your neck.

—

After that day, you locked yourself in your room. You needed to stay alone for awhile. You spent your time thinking all day.

Jungkook didn’t wanted to let you alone, but he couldn’t do anything, you locked yourself.

You made your decision and he wanted to respect it. You made it clear to not disturb you.

You were sat on the carpeted floor, looking into the void “was it my fault? Why wasn’t I strong enough to save my baby?” you kept on asking yourself, hugging your knees as you rocked back and forth.

“I’m so fucking weak!” you screamed, rage consuming you.

Your hands flew to your head, fingers intertwined in your hair as you started pulling on it hard, the scalp burning.

Tears slid down your cheeks as you let your body fall on the floor “i’m so fucking w-weak.” you repeated again.

You looked toward your bedroom-connected-bathroom, your heartbeats picking up the pace at the thought that crossed your mind.

You got up slowly walking toward it.

Turning on the light, you went to search into the cabinet, until you found what you needed.

You sat on the edge of the bathtub, staring mindlessly at the little object between your hands.

You traced the little blade of the razor with your fingertip, cutting the skin lightly.

“mommy will come meet you soon my little baby.” you whispered tears sliding down your cheeks.

“i love you Jungkook .. I’m sorry.”

You took a hold of the razor, raising your wrist up.

Without hesitating you cut exactly where were your veins. You winced loudly, little sobs escaping your throat at the pain.

You had cut deep enough to lose blood rapidly .

After a few seconds, you started feeling dizzy, everything around you moving. Your body fell on the cold floor, you couldn’t feel any pain anymore as you passed out.

—

Jungkook was in his office downstairs trying to work letting you rest like you asked, but he couldn’t stop thinking about you.

He decided to go check on you, sighing as he walked upstairs with some food.

“y/n?” he knocked on the door softly trying not to disturb you a lot.

“I just wanted to check on you darling… I’ve got something for you to eat.” he continued.

“ i didn’t see you since last night. Let me just.. just see you. Not for too long i promise… i just miss you.” he said sadly.

Jungkook heard nothing.

He sighed again “please, at least tell me something.”

He started getting more worried, pressing his ear close to the door.

It seemed like the room was empty.

“are you okay my love? answer me!”

Jungkook started panicking many thoughts crossing his mind.

“no she woudn’t.. no..” he muttered to himself.

“y/n if you don’t answer me right now I’ll have to break the door!” he warned.

Still nothing.

He took a deep breath, putting the food plate on the table near the door, before kicking the doorknob hard enough for it to break.

His eyes roamed through the room searching for you but you weren’t there.

The balcony doors were closed, he ran to the other side of the bed hoping you were sitting or laying there but no.

He looked under the bed, behind the curtains until he noticed the lights coming from the bathroom.

The door was half open.

He started walking toward it, his heartbeats picking up the pace, gulping as he opened it wider.

Your unconscious body was laid onto the cold bathroom floor, blood everywhere around you.

Jungkook saw his world collapsed infront of him.

“y/n!” he shouted out rushing to you.

He fell on his knees grabbing your head pulling you up carefully “baby please open your eyes! open your eyes! look at me! Please.” he wiped the long-ago-dried tears on your cheeks.

He put two fingers onto your neck checking your pulse.

“fuck.” he said a little bit relieved.

He grabbed his phone from his back pocket as he called the emergency right away.

—

You were laying on your bed, bandage around your wrist, and a smaller bandage on your forehead.

You opened your eyes slowly, the lights weren’t too bright .. the scene too similar for your liking.

Your body hurt so bad.

You looked at the side hearing voices behind the half closed door. You could see Jungkook. He was talking with a man, probably a doctor.

what happened? you thought for a while before remembering what you did.

He didn’t take me to the hospital. He called a doctor to come here instead. you thought.

“yes of course doctor, I’ll let you know. Thank you so so much again.” he shook hands with the man before disappearing downstairs.

You groaned as you sat up, your headache killing you “fuck.”

You heard footsteps coming toward your room, you sighed preparing yourself to face your husband.

“y/n.” he rushed to your side.

“how do you feel? why? why did you..” you didn’t respond, you just looked down at your lap.

“you scared the fuck out of me! i was so worried! why would you do something like that! you’re insane-”

“insane?” you looked up at him.

“so now I’m insane.” tears coming to your eyes.

“that’s not what I meant y/n.. i could had lose you if i didn’t find you soon enough. What you did was-” you cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

“i don’t want to speak ..leave me alone please.” you said firmly.

“there is no way I’m letting you alone again!” he raised his voice.

You looked at him, eyes red “please I’m begging you, let me alone.” you closed your eyes the tears finally escaping from them.

“i’m not gonna let you alone after what you did.” he insisted.

“let me recover from..all of this. I want to stay alone. I don’t need nobody right now, i just want to rest.. let me some time for myself. I need it or i won’t stand it.”

Jungkook bit his bottom lip “i can’t .. what if you-”

“i won’t. and if u want to check on me, just call me and i’ll answer you.” you said with no emotions.

He just nodded, he knew he couldn’t do anything, he knew if he didn’t let you in peace you’ll break.

“i love you so so much.” he whispered before kissing your forehead.

He waited for a moment before leaving the room. Just when he was about to look behind one more time, you locked the door in his face.

You let your body slid down the door as you started crying.

Jungkook didn’t deserve that, you hated yourself for what you’re doing but you really needed time.

Him on the other side of the room put his hands on the door, dropping his head low as he heard your sobs.

He wanted to hug you, reassure you but he couldn’t.

It broke his heart to see you like that.

He started crying silently as he dropped onto his knees, resting his forehead on the door. He felt so powerless and useless.

—

3 WEEKS LATER

Groupchat : Fam 💜

( 986 messages un-read )

[ sunshine ] : hi guys

[ jin ] : hi!

[ yoongi ] : what do you want?

[ joon ] : good afternoon to you too yoongi

[ sunshine ] : do you guys have y/n’s news.. it’s been awhile since Jk told us about her. Around 5 days already?

[ jin ]: no Jungkook hasn’t send anything yet.

[ jin ]: she’s not answering our texts either..

[ sunshine ] : well , hopefully Jungkook will keep us update about her soon.

[ joon ] : I hope so..

[ sunshine ] : I miss her..

[ yoongi ]: she’s prob seeing our texts. she’s in the gc.

[ sunshine ]: yea

[ jin ] : is she speaking to Tae or Jimin?

[ joon ] : no

[ joon ]: she’s not answering any of them since ..

[ yoongi ] : damn.. they must feel sad

[ jin ] : yea for sure…

[ sunshine ] : didn’t they visit her?

[ jin ] : she’s locked in her room.. she wants to be alone

[ yoongi ] : she didn’t go out since that day..

[ jin ] : how’s Jungkook? :(

[ joon ] : broken..

[ sunshine ] : I’m sad for them

[ yoongi ] : same

Groupchat : Besties ♡

( 297 messages un-read )

[ Chim ] : y/n?

[ Tae ] : it’s us again

[ Chim ] : we miss you a lot

[ Tae ] : I hope you can rest well

[ Chim ] : please try to take care of yourself

[ Tae ] : we love you

You muffled your cries into your pillow, the messages making you feel guilty and bad for making them this sad and worried.

It had been weeks now since they keep sending messages and getting no reply from you.

You turned your phone off before wiping your tears with the back of your hand.

You needed to be strong. You needed to turn the page, move on. You couldn’t live like that anymore.

From the other side of the door, Jungkook took a deep breath before knocking on the bedroom door softly.

“y/n? you need to eat something baby.. you’ll get sick. I don’t want you to pass out ag-”

You opened the door surprising him.

“I..hmm..hi” he breathed out.

“hi.” you replied, a weak smile adorning your dried lips.

Jungkook stood there, not knowing how to react.

“hi.” he repeated shocked.

“hello.” you chuckled softly, the weak little smile still present.

His hands reacted faster than his brain as he pulled you into his embrace.

“I.. I missed you.” he cried softly, one hand on your back, the other one placed on the back of your head keeping you close to him.

“please eat something. If it’s not for you.. at least for me.”

“eat with me?”

Since “that day” you used to eat alone in bed, “sleep” all day.

You stayed locked in your dark bedroom, curtains blocking the sun from invading the sad room.

Barely speaking, smile inexistent.. you weren’t the same anymore.

Everytime Jungkook came to check on you, he either knocked on the door and you’d reply with a “i’m good” or when the door was unlocked he would peek inside to look at you sitting on the floor or crying under your blanket.

You were dead inside.

So seeing you smiling again, talking to him.. it felt unreal.

“Do I have something on my face?” you waved your hand in front of him making him shook his head.

“just a little bit of drool here.” he pointed at your chin making you laugh.

He felt like he was dreaming, your laugh sounded foreign at first but the memories were coming back gradually. One of his favorite sound.

“I love you.” he blurted out making you smile.

“I love you Kook.”

Taking the umpteenth bite of the food Jungkook made, he couldn’t take his eyes off of you.

“you’re staring.��� you said as you finally put the fork down.

“ah sorry.” he scratched the back of his head shyly.

“I just.. y'know.” you hummed “Listen.. I want to apologize for-”

Jungkook stopped you “wait! no, you’re not the one who should apologize-”

“I’m sorry for reacting like I did these last weeks. It was unfair.. It was selfish. You didn’t deserved that after all you did for me. I didn’t think about you. I’m so sorry.” You continued making Jungkook shook his head.

“no please don’t.”

“do you wanna talk about.. that night?”

He looked at you hesitantly “do you?”

“I asked you first.”

Jungkook just sighed “well , babe we can wait if you’re not ready-”

“i am, don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry. It’s actually all my fault. I yelled at you for no reasons. I was frustrated because of work and I took it out on you. I was mean. You just wanted to go on a date with me, spend time with me and I acted like a jerk. I’m an asshole because I was thinking about me and only me. I feel like shit. Because of that I.. I.. we lost our little angel and… I nearly lost you.. I hate myse-”

“shut up. don’t you dare finish your sentence” you scolded him.

“stop saying such bullshit now. It’s not your fault. I was the one not looking where i was going-”

“If i didn’t yelled at you, you wouldn’t had walk outside alone and t-”

“please stop Kook.. let’s just stop talking about it. But let me just say it again. It’s not your fault.” you reassured him grabbing his hand.

He smiled at you before his curiosity hit him.

“I just want to know, you said that date was a special one.. what was it about?”

You looked down at your intertwined hands, sighing before answering.

“the baby… gender reveal..” you trailed out.

Jungkook stayed silent feeling guilty again.

You squeezed his hand grabbing his attention “how are you?” you asked softly.

“I’m happy now.” he smiled widely making you chuckled.

“I should apologize to the boys. I hadn’t talked to them since.. you know.”

“y/n , they understood.” he stroked the back of your hand with his thumb softly “don’t worry.”

──────

A/N : thank you so much for reading. I hope you liked it. Don’t hesitate to leave feedbacks. If you want to be added to the taglist or be removed from it, just let me know. thank you again, love you guys so much.

TAGLIST : @btssevenx @starstruckfangirls @riworlds @babycandy111 @chimmisbae @borahaexoxo @bxcndd @tokiodori @jungkooksseuphoria @manuosorioh @axa-00

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[drksanctuary]

Hello Nicobaster household! I haven’t Nicobastered in a bit and that seems like a criminal crime. To atone for it please accept:

Chpt 2 of Titan AU: The New Golden Age

(Links to previous chapters below as well)

Chapter 2: Out of the Cavern

The spider monster, despite its size and vocal ability, is surprisingly quiet as it moves.

Nico and Alabaster dart toward the only direction available: away.

Nico squeezes Alabaster’s hand, leading him through the tunnel. Nico leads them, even though he couldn't see all that well either, the shadows in this cave didn't seem particularly friendly to his magic. No shadow traveling, no raising the dead, no earthquakes. He did the only thing he could. The demigod's last resort.

Dad, If you’re listening I could really use some help. He prays

As he finishes a giant reptilian spider leg swats them onto the cave wall, and another leg sharply whips at Nico's leg, giving him a giant gash along his calf.

"Argh!... Thanks anyway!" He groans, as rocks crumble around him from the movements of the spider.

She screeches and the cave vibrates; rocks start to fall. She screeches again. Nico squints to see the spider scurrying away from them slowly, being pelted by falling rocks as she goes, screeching furiously as she leaves.

Nico covers his ears as the cavern continues to shake the wall behind them splits and just as when they'd entered the cave, they slid once more, like rocks in a mudslide. But instead of tumbling into a cave. This time they fell from the ceiling of a wide domed cavern.

Alabaster is sure that the distance of this fall is going to kill them. I'm sorry is all he can think as he braces for the impact with the floor.

But, like the wave of relief he soon gets, the water washes over him, as he and Nico fall into an underground lake.

Nico's never been on particularly good terms with water in general; his current unrequited crush included. First hemp , then water , Nico spits it all out and swims for shore, dragging himself to sweet, solid land. He could kiss it. Instead, he lays there and drips water and blood all over stone. Stupid monsters.

Alabaster follows Nico. It's only when he reaches the shore and flops down beside Nico that he realizes he can see.

"Wha-?" Alabaster looks back out at the water they came from. The water is black, reflecting the cavern’s dark ceiling, but in the water are billions of bright tiny little lights. Alabaster stares at it in awe, he feels as if he is watching the night sky. Such a peculiar thing, he thinks, to look down at the sky...

"Brilliant" he says.

"If you say so." Nico rasps from beside him. "personally I think this situation isn't brilliant, but to each their own." he grunts and rolls over eyes searching for something he can use to stem the bleeding.

"Not the situation, the water...look at it" Alabaster says.

Nico looks. Even he has to admit it is kind of entrancing. The little lights swirl in the moving water like stars dancing across the sky as the world turns. And for a moment he feels a wonderment with the world he’d long since forgotten. It was…Beautiful. Nico doesn't comment though and instead turns his attention to the gash on his calf.

“Well I thought it was- you’re hurt!” Alabaster exclaims

“Uh…yeah we were attacked by a monster that usually happens” Nico says with a grunt attempting wipe off the blood with strips of pant leg near the wound.

"Are you..? I can....um" Alabaster considers it. They are enemies. And healing an injury would put him at quite a disadvantage. On the other hand Nico is a demigod just like he is....his quarrel was with the Olympian gods, not their kids.

"Heal it" Alabaster finishes without fully thinking it through. He convinces himself that it is because he needs Nico to get out of the cave.

"Wait. Are you son of Apollo..." Nico looks reluctantly surprised. He thinks briefly of the bandages in his jacket pocket that are soaked through. That’s always uncomfortable. He can’t use those unless he wants to get an infection and be bedridden for days. Magical healing, if an option, is preferrable.

"Hecate" Alabaster corrects "I can do all types of magic..... even death types if I tried hard enough"

Nico doesn't know quite what to make out of that so he doesn't comment. He hates to take more help from his enemy, the thought makes him cringe, but the blood continues to pool, only just beginning to clot, and he knows he really doesn't have another option.

Nico nods and peels back the flaps of his pants, mourning another pair hell never wear again. Pity too, he’d liked these ones.

“If you could” Nico says with a sigh.

"It's gonna sting, then tickle" Alabaster warns and then places a damp rune card on the wound.

The healing feels exactly as he’s been told and Nico can't say he's surprised. Will Solace has also healed him and it felt exactly the same. Except less awkward, since Will isn’t his enemy.

"There" Alabaster says with a sigh of exhaustion shifting his weight so he can stare at the entrancing lake again. He gives into the urge and throws a small rock in. The ripples fold the stars in on themselves. Alabaster smiles despite himself.

Nico pokes at his leg, and finds it whole again. Better than he expected, actually.

The splash of the rock captures Nico’s attention, and he watches the water ripple. Dazzling as it was, he doesn’t trust the glow.

Alabaster throws another one and watches the conflicting ripples with interest.

"It doesn't look like there's a way out." Nico says, looking around.

“Doesn’t seem like it” Alabaster agrees “but…there's gotta be something. Your shadow thingy still not working?"

Nico shakes his head, his eyes still watching the lights dance in the water.

"Great" Al sighs defeatedly, he reaches out to pick up another rock and then notices that his hand has sparkles on it.

"hehe... look,” He holds his hand out to Nico “we become shiny too"

“Look at that” Nico says with a small laugh in his voice. “You are a sparkle-twig after all”

Alabaster gives him a flat look. “Hilarious.”

Nico Smirks.

“I should’ve let you keep bleeding” Alabaster says, shaking his head.

“And then you’d be trapped down here with a dead body to keep you company” Nico retorts “ at least if it were the other way around I could make use of your corpse”

“tch! Asshat.” Alabaster grumbles.

Nico chuckles and lies down. The mage is his enemy sure but he’s not really a threat to him right now. Nico shudders. The adrenaline has kept him from realizing just how cold he is. Nico notices his companion curl his legs into his chest and rub his shoulders. He must be cold too. Nico is almost tempted to scooch closer to the guy. They might both be warmer that way. But Nico stays where he is. He doesn’t like getting close to allies, no way was he going to snuggle up next to an enemy.

Alabaster looks through his cards. He finds one with his emergency blanket drawn on it. He taps twice and pulls out a thin quilt.

Nico blinks in surprise.

Alabaster wraps himself in the blanket and makes a contented noise. He glances over at Nico who is now curled in on himself instead lying down flat. Alabaster heaves a sigh. “its…a pretty big blanket if you’d like to join me…” he trails, his eyebrows knit but his arm is extended to allow Nico into the blanket should he so choose to come in “ you know, after all this time I haven’t actually caught your name”

Nico shudders again. If he gets too cold he’ll get sick. He tries to run through all the reasons that he should stubbornly stay out of the blanket but then resigns himself.

“My name is Nico.” He says as he reluctantly scoots into the blanket .

“Alabaster” Alabaster says.

“That’s a weird-ass name”

“Do you make it a habit to insult people right after they offer you help? Because I’m honestly starting to understand why I always find you alone”

Nico feels like he’s been slapped. Since he can’t let his enemy see any weakness he just glares at him.

Alabaster holds a hand up to his ear feigning a look of expectation. “thank you?” he suggests in a whisper

Nico says nothing but a yawn he can’t contain slips out.

Alabaster sighs shaking his head. “yeah, time to rest”

Nico doesn’t even have time to be surprised at how easily he falls asleep before he is unconscious. He snores softly, propped up against Alabaster’s shoulder.

Nico wakes up to find himself horizontal, Alabaster’s chest supporting his head. Alabaster’s arm is around his shoulders holding the blanket in place over him. Nico jolts up, waking Alabaster in the process.

Alabaster groans as he wakes up. “What’s wrong Mari-..oh. Right”

“Did you- why did- how dare you!” Nico says, flustered.

“What are you on about?”

“N-nothing” Nico grumbles. He feels rested, but he’s damp and sleeping on the floor was not the best for his arms and back.

Alabaster extends his arm again to let Nico back into the blanket.

Nico glares at him.

“Suit yourself” Alabaster says dropping the arm. He starts searching through his cards which are now slightly drier than before. He finds one with a granola bar sketched on it. He brings it out with a double tap and opens the wrapper. He takes a bite when he hears Nico’s stomach growl. He’d healed him, kept him warm and had somehow even let the guy use him as a pillow for goodness sake! He can’t believe the words that come out of his mouth. “Do you want some?”

Nico looks at it with hungry eyes. He had a bit of ambrosia in his pocket but no food for humans. That’s why he kept stealing it from Alabaster and company. “how about a trade” Nico says. “I’ll give you a bit of ambrosia in exchange for some of your bar”

“Sounds fair” Alabaster says with a sigh of relief. He’d been giving this enemy demigod far too much charity. He takes a small bite of the ambrosia Nico gives him and puts the rest in his pocket. He then stares out at the glittering lake as he eats his half of the granola bar.

Alabaster’s now rested mind analyzes the situation. He sees that the glittering parts are clearer closer to the shore where they are. In the distance where they’d plunged into the water there weren’t as many glittering specks. Alabaster thinks this might be because of the distance, the closer specks would outshine the farther ones. But to his left there is a dark spot among the glittering swirls. And another one a bit farther away.

“You know,” he says out loud, almost to himself. “the glittering particles stick to the shallow areas, or so it seems. Could probably walk in the parts that glow, take a look around for an exit”

Nico didn’t trust the glow. “why don’t you test that theory first” he says “you’re taller”

Alabaster gives him another flat look and then sighs. “fine”

Alabaster wades into the water slowly, heading toward the first dark spot. The water is cold and uncomfortable but he can’t very well stay in the cave. They’re already out of food. He glances back over at Nico, who he’d half expected to be rummaging through his things but the demigod is watching him. He is crouched, as if to spring to action should something happen. Doesn’t hurt to be careful, Alabaster thinks.

When Alabaster makes it to the first dark spot he prods it with his toe as he’d been doing with each step he took. His body must’ve gotten used to having land underfoot while going through the glow, because when he steps into the dark area the lack of footing still somehow shocks him and he yelps as he plunges partway into the water.

“Alabaster!” Nico calls and jumps into the lake. The cold water reaches up to his knees and sends a chill up his spine.

Alabaster spits water out as he scrambles to get his footing back on shallower ground.

“you..ok?” Nico asks, an exasperated sigh apparent in his tone. He sheathes his sword.

“yeah” alabaster coughs with a groan “ the non sparkly areas, appear to be a steep and sudden drop. Not gradual as I had once thought”

“Oh…hehe ok” Nico starts with a chuckle and then lets out a full laugh that he’d been holding back.

“Something funny?”

“You should have heard your voice” Nico says between laughs “I imagine that the noise a rat makes when you step on it”

“yes yes ha ha” Alabaster says as he splashes his way back to where Nico is.

“Also your face!”

“your face!” Alabaster retorts and the splashes water at Nico’s face

“Ah!’’ Nico yells, but he’s still laughing when he splashes Alabaster right back.

“oh you’re in for it now Olympian, I’m gonna make you the sparkliest demigod in all the land!” Alabaster yells, dealing multiple splashes.

Nico almost snorts his laugh. “that’s gotta be the dumbest sounding threat any one has said since the beginning of time!” Nico dodges some splashes and blocks others. When he has an opening he whips his hand out at the lake and lands a blade of water right at Alabasters face. “eat sparkles!”

Alabaster sputters as the water enters his mouth. “ew! You ass!” Alabaster says with a choked laugh as he pushes Nico.

Nico continues laughing triumphantly even as Alabaster’s push sends him into a dark area and he too plunges with a yelp.

“Shit!” Alabaster curses as he leaps to help him out. He grabs Nico’s hand and pulls him into the sparkle again. Nico glares at him, face pouting.

“Serves you right though” Alabaster says.

Nico narrows his eyes at the tall pretentious boy and uses his index finger to beckon him to come closer.

“so you can push me into the deep? I don’t thin-“

His speech is interrupted as Nico spits water in his face.

Alabaster flinches at first but then just stares at him ,shocked, water dripping down his face.

Nico bursts into a fit of laughter.

“Disgusting.” Alabaster manages to say as he wipes his face with his hands. But he smiles at the cackling demi-god. Alabaster can’t remember the last time he’s laughed so hard. With such unfiltered joy. They could’ve been two high schoolers in the swimming pool hanging out. They could’ve…been enjoying their time as the kids, not in a war. Laughing until their sides were sore. Laughing with laughter that is contagious. “You’re the worst” He laughs along with him.

“I bet we both have pretty sparkly tongues now huh?” Nico says when he finally allows air back into his body. He sticks it out and tries to take a look.

“Let’s just hope it’s not poisonous” Alabaster responds, shaking his head.

“Hasn’t killed us yet…not sure what I trust less though…the glow or the water”

“The water?”

“I’m a son of hades.” Nico says, “children of the big three don’t fair so well in the domains of the other two so water and sky is not safe for me”

“I see,” Alabaster says “though, Poseidon is the god of Oceans, this is fresh water, standing water…probably not ah- technically his domain”

“Still counts I think”

“There is a god of Rivers…Achelous I think…?” Alabaster says and as soon as he does there is a groan that echoes around the cavern.

Nico brings out his sword once again. And they both become silent listening for the third presence to make another sound.

Alabaster is against Nico’s back as they slowly circle around looking for movement. He sorely wishes he had his sword. He nudges Nico and nods his head toward the little island that they were on.

While Nico doesn’t want to risk making the noise that would come from them trudging back to the island in the water, he does figure they’d be safer on dry ground. And if Alabaster is armed they can both fight whatever might be-

Nico sees a ripple in the water near where they plunged at the beginning. It moves the water from side to side in ripples around it. It…slithers.

“GO!” Nico yells and the two of them follow the sparkles back to the island in a mad dash.

When Alabaster gets to the island he grabs his sword card and has it out in a second. They both watch as the figure, obscured by water and darkness, twists around the small patch of land on which they stand.

“What the-“ Nico starts when they hear humming.

The monster was humming. Singing a tune in a haunting male voice. It calms Nico a bit. He recalls how the charms of female monsters have a lesser affect on him. He’d never been subjected to the charms of a male monster before. It scares him.

“What is thisssss I see in my watersss” the thing hisses in a low, mellow baritone.

“technically not in your water anymore” Alabaster says.

Nico rolls his eyes. He takes some comfort in the fact that if Alabaster has the faculty to be rude to the monster, because it means that maybe he is not affected by the slight charming effect that the creature’s singing has. Then again, maybe being rude was just Alabaster’s way of flirting? What did that say about how he and Nico- well now really wasn’t the time to think about that!

“Lord Achelous” Alabaster says and gets down on one knee to bow.

Nico whips his head around to see that the snake like figure wrapping around the island had peaked out its head and was looking directly down at them.

Alabaster glances at Nico and nods his head, signaling for Nico to bow.

Nico instead holds his sword up at the god.

“I am not going to be some river gods lunch”

Alabaster groans.

“what issss thisss?” Achelous says and takes a few deep sniffs “a demigod? Just like that…ugh Hercules?”

“Not quite my lord” Alabaster says

Nico wants to kick the mage. Such grand show he makes about hating the gods and then all this reverence? What a hypocrite.

“No? So your not here to humiliate me? Kick me when I’m down? Take my horn!” He tilts his head to show where the other horn was cut off. “Leave me broken…”

Nico brings his sword back as though winding back for a strike. Achelous’s hiss of reproach echoes around them.

“On the contrary” Alabaster gets up and places a hand on Nico’s sword “I know exactly how you feel”

“You?...what do you know” Achelous snaps

“I know that the Olympians are arrogant bastards, none of them have a regard for anyone but themselves and they look down on minor gods like they- like you are nothing.”

Achelous regards Alabaster with interest. “mhmm” he says encouraging Alabaster to continue.

“I am a son of Hecate” Alabaster acquiesces “so not only am I aware of how the Olympians disregard my mother, I am aware of how they disregard the children of minor gods as well. We are nothing more than pawns in their grand scheme, if we are even regarded at all. And If we’re not, we’re just… fodder for monsters. They send their strongest after us and why? Do they not already have enough power they have to exert it over us like…like they’re afraid if they don’t use it they’ll lose it? That’s not power its paranoia, and perhaps rightfully placed… we can be so much more if they step aside”

Nico watches Alabaster as he speaks. He couldn’t tell if the guy was pandering or if he believed every word but either way it seemed to be working. Nico takes the queue and bows his head to the god his sword still in his hand but down at his side.

“We ask your help,” Alabaster says “to get out of this cavern, a river current can be as mighty as any ocean wave, I know what your capable of”

“Do you?”

“I’ve seen the power of river-”

“You knew what I was!...Now I am stagnant in here, I was humiliated, assaulted and left here…and I’m so…hungry”

Nico tightens his grip on the sword at that but doesn’t lift it again.

Alabaster reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small piece of ambrosia that he hadn’t eaten yet.

“It’s not much, but…I offer this” he holds it up to the god.

“food of the gods…”Achelous says in almost a whisper

“Is that not what you are my lord?” Alabaster says “a god?”

Nico sees a spark in Achelous’ eye.

Achelous lowers his head so that it is level with Alabaster’s outstretched hand. The rest of him curls in the background shrinking into nothing more than shadow until the form before them is that of a man. A tall man, that stands 2 feet above Alabaster who is by no means short, but a man nonetheless.

Alabaster lowers his hand and leans forward to place the ambrosia in the god’s newly formed hand. “no humiliation here, just humility, please...” he says softly. “please help us”

Achelous eats the ambrosia. Its no more than a small bite but it lights him up. A faint glow comes back to his form. He scans the cavern. And like Nico and Alabaster had been doing before, he raises a hand and splashes water at the cave wall. But unlike their little splashes,Achelous creates a wave so large and powerful that it breaks open the wall. The water flows out as sunlight pours in.

As the water starts to flow Achelous face shines with elation. He is once again a river, free to flow, to course. Alabaster bows again.

“Thank you, My lord”

Achelous smiles down at him before diving into the water and flowing out of sight.

“Well…” Nico says as they exit the cavern. What could he say? He wants to ask about the speech Alabaster gave, but its really self explanatory. It was the reason that he was fighting for the Titans wasn’t it?

Nico understands that Olympians aren’t the best. Heck, His dad is hardly considered one and they don’t treat him like an equal either. Kronons had even hoped to recruit Nico for that and other reasons. It might’ve worked if-if he didn’t have such an attachment to the demigods on the Olympian side. One in particular…but he’d made his decision and was firm in it. “I think-“

“Alabaster?” a voice calls.

“that’ll be my siblings” Alabaster says looking around to see they haven’t spotted him “ you should go”

Nico hesitates, looking over to where the voices are coming from.

“I-th-thank you, for everything…I didn’t say it before“

“Go” Alabaster says.

Nico doesn’t need to be told again he runs off into the trees to the side. As soon as he reaches a shadow that reaches back, he is gone.

____________________________________

And that’s it! Hope you enjoyed! 🤗 if you enjoyed please let me know in the tags, I always appreciate a reblog.

Also in case you missed it:

Prologue here:

Chpt 1 here:

[wordsofelie]

Chapter 1

Content Warnings: Manga Spoilers, Post-Time Skip, Friends to Lovers, Enemies? (Or maybe just dense people) to Lovers, Angst, Fluff

Summary: The best way to prevent a broken heart is to tame your feelings, keep them locked in a room. At least that is what Shiroyanagi Natsumi thought. Until, she sees him again, Kuroo Tetsurou, taller, older, prettier. And she realises a heart that longs, hurts more than a heart that breaks.

Words Count: 2.8k

Kuroo Tetsurou - 黒尾 鉄朗

Shiroyagani Natsumi - 白柳夏美

黒 (black) 白 (white)

Scientists say black is the absence of all colours. Artists say it’s the only shade present in all colours. I say you are all of that –presence and absence, light and obscurity, shade and colour.

One of the most annoying tasks she has to do as the freshly-new athletic trainer of the Japan Women's Volleyball Team is to appear in a collaboration video with the coach and the team members. Shiroyanagi Natsumi has always been used to being the tallest girl in her class, which is why in first grade, her parents had made a bet on her career path — it would be whether volleyball player or modelling — but because she hated to be in the spotlight, she chose volleyball. But now, as she stands beside the athletes (and despite being 6’ tall), she feels extremely small. At least she managed to stay in shape thanks to her studies in sports science, I should have gone more to the gym, she thinks anyway.

When her coach broke the news that the sports promotion division of the Japan Volleyball Association wanted to include her in their campaign, she would have given anything to murder the obnoxious, stupid, sadist — and whatever adjective strong enough to express her hate — person in charge of that division.

According to the coach, it is important to bring to light their indispensable job. And what can she say about it, he is her boss after all and she dreamed of working with the Olympic team for years. So, she offered a tense smile and returned to her office.

“Did your dog die?”

Ito Izumi, the regular libero of the team, looks at her with big eyes.

“Of course not, I would be desperate if he did,” Natsumi mutters, a pout appearing on her lips at the mention of the loss of the love of her life, Saba, a cute and fluffy Cavalier King Charles spaniel that Natsumi adopted two-years ago. My child, as she likes to call him.

“Well you do look desperate, Nana.”

Liberos are said to be, well, straightforward. And they need to. At the end of the day, in a game they don’t have time to be precious or cautious, they just have to dive to the floor and end up with a few bruises. Natsumi never understood why one would want to do crazy things like liberos, that’s why she was fine with being a middle blocker in school. As the saying goes, clichés die hard, and Ito Izumi is no exception to the rule. She is in fact Straightforward, frank and a little bit crazy (she also happens to be the best libero of all Japan).

Natsumi only sighs, “I hate photoshoots. And why do I have to be here anyway? If I chose to be an athletic trainer and not a proper athlete it is because I don’t like getting the attention. Argh. ”

Only a few pictures have been taken, yet the athletic trainer already feels exhausted and blinded by the too-bright white lights of the flashes. The two girls are seated in a corner of the studio, taking a water break from all this agitation.

“Eww, I know you don’t like photoshoots.”

“Why are you laughing?” Natsumi asks, eyebrows raised.

“It’s just-” Izumi took a few seconds to wipe away the tears that started to form in her eyes “I just remembered the day of your graduation, when Yaku and I dragged you all the way from the toilets to take a picture.”

Her friend cringes at the mention of the memory, she softly pushes the libero. “Shut up!” Deep down Natsumi feels her heart lighten. Is that nostalgia from a time when one did not have to think about taxes and bosses and grocery shopping and whatever adult responsibility?

“I remember how Suzuki-sensei screamed at Yaku for entering the girls’ toilets.”

“He turned all red.”

They laugh so loud the make-up team turns and gives them suspicious looks.

“See, I know this would make you smile.”

Natsumi looks at Izumi, offering her a soft smile. “You always know how to make me smile.”

And this is as true as the law of gravity. Izumi never fails to make her friends smile. The girls met in high school. They both went to Nekoma, known to be a powerhouse for volleyball. Natsumi was one year above Izumi. When the latter became a first year, Natsumi was made vice-captain of the female team. She remembers when Izumi entered — or rather burst into the gymnasium. She’s so loud, everyone thought. She was grounded by the captain and had to take care of the cleaning for a whole month. One time, when Natsumi stayed a little longer to train her serves after a defeating match, Izumi told her how happy she was to be in this team. Natsumi found her naive at first, they had just lost, and terribly, how could she be happy? But as she looked at her, cleaning the polished wooden floor and acclaiming every action her teammates made, Natsumi smiled. That day, she discovered that Izumi wasn’t just loud and naive, she had a gift, one of putting the smile back on your face. Whether it was when Yaku hurt his ankle during his last high school tournament, when Kenma forgot to save his progress on dragon quests or when Kuroo turned silent for a whole month when Natsumi announced she was leaving for America. Her presence itself brings joy.

“Do you have news from Yaku by the way?” Natsumi asks.

“Of course I have. He came back from Russia last month. You know, It’s not because he broke my heart ten years ago that I resent him.” Izumi puffs out her chest, trying to express the little pride she has left through her posture.

“This sentence itself makes it obvious that you’re not over it.”

“I-well, you know how I am. I have a crush on a guy-”

“On a libero you mean.”

“Alright, alright, on a libero. I have a thing for liberos. Anyway. I confess to him. He says I’m a pain in the ass. I get over it and find a new gu-libero. That’s called the circle of life. That happened in high school with Yaku, with that Nishinoya guy, the list is long. My new target is the cutie cutie Komori from the boys’ team though.”

For anyone foreign from the situation, Izumi could be diagnosed with Emophilia. But Natsumi has known her friend for over a decade now, nothing could surprise her anymore when it comes to Izumi’s love life.

“Anyway. We’re having dinner with the boys tonight, wanna come with us? Just like the good old days.”

Natsumi knows what “good old days” mean, she knows who that includes, and as strong and independent and tough she may be, she doesn’t feel ready yet.

But maybe that’s the point of life, jumping off the cliff when one feels the least ready.

But she gets up. Somehow being in the spotlight of the cameras and getting yelled at by the photograph is less scary than where this conversation is leading to.

“I am deeply, deeply, sorry for being late.”

An infuriating, sarcastic voice resonates in the studio — or as it sounds like to the athletic trainer. That doesn’t stop her from turning around as fast as the light.

Taller. Older. Prettier. That is how Kuroo Tetsurou reflects in Natsumi’s eyes as he makes his entrance.

“Kuroo-san!” Coach Watanabe runs towards the man. “Kuroo-san, it’s good to see you.” He energetically shakes his hands.

“There was an accident on the road, I’m very sorry.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! Listen, girls.” The older man shouts to capture everyone’s attention. As if Natsumi’s eyes were not already glued on the tall silhouette of what appears to be a ghost. Am I time travelling? She asks herself. No way, no way, Kuro would never wear a suit.

She’s not dreaming. He is indeed wearing a suit. A black suit, making his thighs look as muscular as ever. A red tie, reminding her of his Nekoma’s jersey. A few buttons of his white shirt loose, probably in an attempt to get some fresh air — Tokyo summers are cruel — all of that means only one thing, Kuroo Tetsurou is no longer a teenager. No longer the captain of the volleyball team. No longer an awkward eighteen-year-old boy unable to confess his feelings for his best friend from the opposite gender.

When Kuroo catches sight of her, his whole world seems to be still. Did colours disappear?

“Shiro?” he whispers awkwardly, too low to make the coach stop his presentation.

“This is Kuroo Tetsurou, he is in charge of the sports promotion division of the Japan Volleyball Association. He was the one suggesting the brilliant idea of this campaign.”

So this is the obnoxious, stupid, sadist person Natsumi wanted to murder a couple of days ago. Of course, how could it be someone else? How naive of her.

If Kuroo is no longer a teenager, so is Natsumi. Her younger self would have walked past him, giving him a cold shoulder and screaming that he was the most stupid and selfish and stupid  — teenagers do have a limited list of vocabulary — person she knows. How dare he reappear in her work territory now? But her twenty-six-old self clears her throat and manages to find better words than “stupid” and “selfish”.

“Hi, Kuro”.

“Hello there, are you real or is this a very good hologram of Shiro?”

“Even though your hair looks like you just woke up, you’re not dreaming. That is me.”

“Well- I guess you look smaller. And more tanned.”

“You can thank the Californian sun for that.”

Kuroo's heart skips a beat. How could he say thank you to the Californian sun when that same sun was the one who took her from him?

“Tetsuu!” Izumi sings. However, her joy is quickly stopped by the deadly glance Natsumi is giving her.

“Did you know he would come?” Izumi reads in her friend’s eyes.

But liberos are fearless, they like to jump and dive and sometimes, to drown.

So she ignores her and slams the man on the arm, “The captain is looking fine.”

“Izumi, it’s good to see you, it’s been a long time.” (A long, long time indeed.) “How are you? Are you enjoying your new life in Italy?” he asks.

“Ew, our coach is pretty intense. The Italian championship is coming next October, so we need to prepare but apart from that pastas are good, the sun shines, and the wine is fuck-”

“Izumi, we need to go back to the photoshoot.” Natsumi interrupts. “See you later Kuro.”

As she’s about to go to the other side of the studio, Kuroo adds with a smirk. “I did not know you were into modelling now.”

That’s your fault, she wants to say, you were the one proposing this fucking campaign. But instead, she goes for something more sarcastic, after all, she is talking to Kuroo, the king of sarcasm.

“There’s many things you don’t know about me, Kuroo Tetsurou.”

If Natsumi had got up and tried to run away from the “good old days” conversation is certainly not to end up in this precise situation. But here she is, stuck between Yamamoto and Kuroo in the most crowded Izakaya of Shibuya. Izumi is ordering her fourth beer, Asahi, her favourite. Yaku is trying to hide it from her. Lev is eating a cauliflower salad and explaining that he needs to keep his diet clean if he doesn’t want to lose his contract with whatever agency he is working with at that time. Yes, she is having dinner with Izumi and “the boys”.

“Shiroyanagi-san, do you want more fried chicken?” Shibayama asks with his usual polite tone (almost too pure for this world). But Natsumi says no, her hair already smells too much of greasy food, she might need to wash them with a super special shampoo tonight.

Don’t get her wrong, it’s not that she doesn’t want to be here. A reunion with her high school friends could be very enjoyable but the thing is, when she woke up that morning she did not expect to run into Kuroo Tetsurou and even less to eat next to him and feel his shoulder and hand and leg against hers in a small restaurant.

“Isn’t Kenma coming?” she finally asks Kuroo.

“He has this very important livestream tonight, but he might come later.”

“Nice.” She shyly mutters.

Kuroo looks at her sipping her glass of water.

“Is this how this conversation is going to be like?”

“What do you mean?”

If Natsumi did not know Kuroo well she might have thought that his attitude remained unchanged. But she does know him, even separated by years and continents, she knows when he was pissed. And right now, he looks pissed.

“Small talk.” he finally answers. “We haven’t seen each other in years and the only thing you’re asking me is when Kenma arrives.”

“I haven’t seen Kenma in quite some time too.”

That’s how you wanna play, Kuroo thinks.

“Says the girl who left for America.”

From across the table, Yaku overhears his former captain and decides to let Izumi drink her beer. That’s a lost case anyway, she’s already drunk. What matters now is how Natsumi’s eyebrows frown and how she starts scratching her nails, a bad habit she has since forever and that she usually goes back to when she feels uncomfortable.

“It was eight years ago, Kuro, eight years. Do I need to apologise, again?”

“I’m not looking for any apologies.”

“Then what do you want?”

Yaku wants to interfere, he’s good at it, that used to be his job in the team, but as his mouth opens to speak, Inuoka lets out a sound that only he — and probably Shoyo — could understand.

“Heyaaa! More meat is coming.”

Kuroo gets distracted for a second, drifting his attention away from Natsumi. The girl lets herself breathe again and grabs her bag. She has to get out of this place and escape from the noise and the heat of the food in front of her.

When Kuroo turns back, Natsumi is out of sight.

Once safely outside, she gets a cigarette and a lighter from her pocket.

How funny it is that people smoke when they feel stressed, strangled, muffled. Can this be called fighting fire with fire?

“I did not know you smoked.”

Long and blond-dyed hair, yellow eyes, awkward smile. Natsumi would recognize him in a crowd filled with thousands and thousands of people. Or cats.

“What a shame for an athletic trainer, I know the song.”

Kenma chuckled, “As if I would judge your lifestyle when I sleep maybe three hours every night.”

“That’s the prize to pay for being rich and famous.” She lights up her cigarette. “I only smoke when I’m tense or having a drink with my friends though.”

“Which one is it right now?”

“Both.”

Kenma doesn’t reply back so she decides to go a bit deeper and complains about the raven-hair boy.

“Your best friend is the worst. He says I’m only having small talks with him when we haven’t seen each other in years but he blames me for going to college in America. Argh. This was eight years ago, Kenma. Why is he still mad? I hate when he does this with his superior tone and tcht- never mind.”

Her voice has become more nasal and furious as she talks. Anger and cigarettes are not a good combination.

“Guess some things never change.”

Natsumi, back pressed against the wall, sighs, “for sure, he hasn’t changed. He’s still a jerk.”

The good thing about talking with Kenma is that she is free to say whatever she wants, she can even insult his best friend, and he wouldn’t argue.

“What I meant is that you guys have always been kinda awkward.”

“Awkward? What do you mean?”

The boy, already tired of the conversation, crouches down, “You can’t have a proper conversation without fighting. I’ve never seen anyone like you two, or, well, maybe Shoyo and Kageyama are like that. If you were a romantic book you would be, I don't know, what they call academic rivals or something like that.”

“A romantic book? Seriously Kenma, as if…”

The silence questions even more the boy, “as if what? As if you could ever have romantic feelings for him? I don’t really know this kind of stuff so I won’t give any advice but I’m not blind. And neither are you.”

It’s a good thing Kuroo is still inside, she would hate having to discuss that topic with him. “Romantic feelings for Shiro?” She remembers him saying to Kai one evening outside of the changing room, “She’s more like an annoying cousin to me.”

Kenma gets up and she stubs out her cigarette.

“Tell the boys and Izumi I went back home because-”

“You missed your dog.”

That is the easiest and probably most credible lie he can give, so she thanks him with a soft smile and leaves.

She hopes to find solace under her fleece blanket, drinking a hot chocolate buried in whipped cream and with her dog resting on her chest, but when she opens the door of her apartment — a door that needs to be oiled — and is welcomed by the darkness, the silence and the emptiness of the room, she sighs. Soon enough, Saba greets her by whining.

“Hi baby, I missed you.”

The only thing that eases her mind is that tomorrow will be Saturday, no need to go to work, no need to run into him.

She doesn’t have a lot of pictures on her white walls, only a few from high school with Izumi and some from college. As she looks at them she wonders if she should have been to America at all, if she shouldn’t have stayed in Japan instead. With him. But thank gods, she comes back to her senses quickly and regrets ever thinking that. America was great, it was the best decision of her life. She shall not let the guilt intrude upon her mind. Kuro must be getting under my skin. She concludes before going to bed.

Author notes: hey guys ! this is my first fanfic on this account, I hope you enjoyed it. feel free to tell me what you think <3

[sergeantsporks]

Gilded Family

Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 20/?: For the Future

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6 , Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 19

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

*Chapter does contain spoilers from “For the Future,” as will all future chapters.

“Ay, Madre de Dios,” Camila murmured, “He really did a number on you.” Her hands brushed his face. “Those bruises around your eyes… I don’t like this. I really wish you’d gone to a hospital.”

Jason stared intently at his knee, the only thing in the world that wasn’t blurry or spinning. “Mmmmmmmmm, psh, this is nothing compared to the time he stabbed me. Ow.”

“Sorry, but this is going to hurt a bit. It’s a wide cut, I need to stitch it shut.”

Jason hissed in. “Okay. Okay, do it quick, please.”

Willow took his hand. “Stay strong, lord of crows.”

Jason squeezed. “Thanks,” he squeaked at another pinprick. He shut his eyes, biting his lip to hold back any more sounds. Camila was quick and steady, and before he knew it, a gentle hand touched his shoulder.

“Jason? Sweetheart?”

Jason opened his eyes, then squeezed them shut when Camila’s face blurred and spun. “Mhm?”

“Can you open your eyes?”

“Please don’t make me,” he whispered.

“Uh-oh. What’s wrong?”

“Mmmmmmmmm…” Jason forced his eyelids open, blinking hard. “I’ve got it, it’s fine. Just… a little…”

“Jason?”

“Hm?”

“What was it you were saying?”

“Oh. Dizzy. It’s a little bright out here.”

“Mhm. Willow, do you know if are there any doctors nearby?”

Willow shook her head. “Maybe in Bonesborough we could find a healer, but not out here.”

Amity paced back and forth in front of the portal. “Luz has been in there a really long time, right? That’s not just me?”

“Maybe it seems like that to us, but there’s a time-warping effect inside?” Gus suggested, “We don’t know how long we were in there.”

“Well, Camila came through at the same time, so shouldn’t Luz be here? I’m pulling her out.” Amity reached through the portal. “Eugh, it feels weird,” she murmured, then pulled backwards.

Luz tumbled out, knocking both of them over. “Uh?”

“Luz!” Amity helped Luz sit up. “You were in there so long we—we thought you got stuck behind!” She cupped Luz’s face in her hands. “Are you… hurt anywhere?”

Luz glanced back to the fading doorway. “I’m… I’m fine.” She lowered Amity’s hand. “I saw something. Or… someone? But it was probably just in my head.” She climbed to her feet. “Any sign of… him?”

I’ll come back.

Jason shuddered, his face itching where Belos had touched him.

If he knew I followed him in…

“Jason!”

Jason blinked awake. “Ngh?

Hunter slung one of Jason’s arms over his shoulder, helping him to his feet. “We need to get moving. Belos has a head start, and…”

“Jason needs a doctor,” Camila agreed, “Argh, when I get my hands on Belos…” she twirled her bat. “Bam. This mama’s hungry for vengeance!”

Gus grinned. “Now that is a fight I’d watch.”

Jason took a couple of faltering steps with Hunter’s help. “Let’s get mo—” his right leg buckled, and Willow dashed forward to take his other arm.

“Easy. Here—”

The ground split beneath them, and vines twisted out of the dirt, pushing Jason up and moving him in a wave forward. The vines roiled and swayed beneath him, but Willow’s grip held him steady.

“Oh—thanks.” Jason closed his eyes again, shutting out the world that flashed by in a whirl of red trees and grass.

Keep it together.

Hold it steady.

The vines came to a halt, and Jason opened his eyes again.

A world of blue slammed right up against the usual red of the boiling isles. A sparkling star leapt across treetops, leaving behind a trail of light and sparkles that settled in pristine waterfalls.

“Uhhhhhhh…” Jason blinked, rubbing his eyes, but the blue and stars were still there. “It might just be the concussion. But…”

“No,” Hunter replied grimly, “I see it, too.”

“Ah. Fantastic.”

“Ahh!”

Camila dashed forward, throwing her arms out in front of them. “Kids, stand back! Who knows if that monster is alive or not!”

Amity winced. “Actually, the titan skull is normal. Everything else is…”

“Wrong,” Luz finished.

Willow shuddered. “Guys? What’s on top of the skull?”

Jason dragged his eyes up from the fields of blue to the skull, his heart throbbing in his throat. The skull was demolished, half of the bone gone. A floating ring graced the titan’s remaining horn like a crown, eerie and white against the blue backdrop of the sky. Of course he’d known that the skull was falling apart when he’d left, of course. But he hadn’t expected…

“Phoenix,” he whispered, “Phoenix was up there. Is he—”

He has to be okay.

He has to.

Camila promised he’d be there when I got back.

“I don’t know,” Luz murmured, “But maybe we can get some answers in Bonesborough.”

Jason half-slid, half-trotted down the slope of the hill. The sparkles were nauseating, glittering and pulsing and making his head spin and ache worse than it already did.

“Willow? Is there a way you can make… specific plants grow?”

“Yeah, is there something you need?”

“Aaaaany chance you could grow some sleeping nettles and dreamsbane?”

Her face scrunched up in a squint. “That’s an… interesting… request.” She drew a circle, and the plants popped up at his feet. “What do you-?”

Jason pulled three dreamsbane leaves and one sleeping nettle leaf and shoved them in his mouth, chewing and swallowing with a grimace. “Eugh, that’s bitter.”

“Ack! Jason!” Willow grabbed his shoulders. “I’m right here, don’t worry, I’m pretty sure I’m strong enough to carry you when you pass out.”

Hunter and Gus slid down the hill towards them. “What’s going on?”

“Jason ate sleeping nettles.”

“What?! Why?!” Hunter turned from Willow to Jason. “Jason, why?!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!” Jason rubbed his eyes. The world was still too bright and sparkly, but the headache was starting to reside, as was the sharp sting from the gash on his head. “If you eat sleeping nettles and dreamsbane in the right proportions, it makes a potent painkiller.”

Gus sighed. “Do we want to know why you know that?”

Jason chuckled darkly. “If Mole and Auric ask you to help them test out herb combinations, say no.”

Amity waved at them from ahead. “We’re almost there!”

“Almost… where?”

“Home,” Luz whispered from behind him. She pushed her way through bushes into a clearing where a massive stone house sat. Jason tilted his head back, staring up at a broken stained glass window. Graffiti covered the walls, and a single, round hole marred the door.

Camila frowned. “What is this place?”

Luz stepped forward slowly, as if in a trance. Her hand rested on the doorknob for a moment without turning it. Her shoulders rose and shrank in a sigh, and she pushed on the door.

Creaaaaak

“Welcome… to the owl house.”

Willow, Gus, Amity, and the Nocedas filed in, but Hunter stayed outside, pacing back and forth. Jason half-sat on the windowsill, watching him.

“How’s Flapjack?”

Hunter quit pacing and leaned against the wall next to the window. He opened up the makeshift sling he’d tied out of the top half of his costume, revealing the little palisman. Flapjack had gone completely dormant, green staining his makeshift bandages. Hunter gingerly stroked the palisman’s head.

“He hasn’t woken up. He’s stopped bleeding, but… Jason, how do I know if he’s just sleeping or if… if…”

“Hey—hey, he’s okay, Hunter. He just needs some time to heal. He’s still… mostly? In one piece. I mean, like, he hasn’t fallen to bits. He’ll be fine. I think.” Jason heaved a sigh. “I wish there was some kind of palisman doctor or something we could take him to.”

“What about Caleb? He carved Flapjack first, do you think he’d be able to help?”

Jason’s heart clenched in his chest.

“I…” He twisted the bottom of his shirt in his hands. “Do you think he’s…”

“Oh—I’m sure he’s okay, I mean, getting stabbed didn’t kill him, I doubt much could, right?!”

“Right, right, I just… do you think he waited?”

“What?”

“Do you think he waited for Phoenix and I to get out? I mean, I hope not, I hope he took everyone and left when the head started to fall apart, but… did they look for us? What if home got compromised? What if he left, and I can’t find him again?! What if… what if…”

Hunter pushed himself off of the wall, waving his hands. “Hey, no, Jason, I’m sure… he wouldn’t…” The color drained from his face, and he ran a hand through his hair. “Oh. Ohhhhhhhh. Jason, Belos is a liar, you know that, you can’t possibly think—”

“That’s the thing! I don’t know if he was lying!” Jason buried his head in his hands. “I’ve heard that story a dozen times, about how Dad met Mom and left witch hunting behind forever, about how Uncle Belos couldn’t accept his new life and chased him down and ended up trying to kill him, I’ve heard them tell it so often, but I never thought to ask…” Jason dragged his hand down his face with a groan. “I always assumed that Dad told him, and he just didn’t agree. But what if he didn’t? What if Dad just… left? Without letting him know why? What if he did just abandon him?”

“That doesn’t excuse what Belos did to him, to us.”

“I know. I know that. But…” Jason sighed. “I don’t know, I guess I always thought Dad was the good guy.”

“He still is. He’s just… complicated.”

Jason leaned his head against the cool windowpane. “There’s so much I want to ask him.”

“You’ll get the chance. You’ll find him. And the rest of your family.”

“Mmm.” Jason lightly socked his arm. “At least I’ve got you, huh?”

“Sap.” Hunter twisted his hands. “Speaking of… him… would you really have done it?”

“Done what?”

“Traded yourself? For me?”

Jason sighed. “It… wasn’t that simple. If I’d offered him an outright trade, he would have known I wasn’t really on his side, and he would have found a way to double cross me and get both of us. I had to make him think that I wanted to go with him regardless, and then convince him that it was just a bad idea to have you along so that he’d let you go. So… I couldn’t really ‘trade’ myself for you.”

“Oh. That’s… pretty smart. I guess that’s why it came so close to working.”

“I just… I couldn’t let him get that titan’s blood, even if it meant giving up the ruse.” Jason rubbed his arm. “But… yes.”

“Yes what?”

“Yes, if I had been offering a trade, I would have done it in a heartbeat. I promised Phoenix that I’d keep you safe. And I want to keep you safe.” Jason sighed again. “I’m sorry I failed in the first place.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

A spark of blue streaked across the sky, and Hunter’s spine went rigid. “Was that-? HEY! IT’S EDA AND KING!” he yelled.

The door slammed open, and the others sprinted out to meet them. Hunter pointed to the blue thing. “They were on that shooting star!”

Jason squinted. “How did you see them?!”

“I don’t have a concussion and I didn’t just down sleeping nettles.”

“Fair enough.”

“More importantly, how are we supposed to follow them?!” Camila demanded.

Jason and Hunter both huddled up close to Willow, while Luz stood with Gus.

“Don’t worry,” Amity assured Camila, summoning her staff, “I’m a safe flyer.”

“Flyer?!” Camila yelped.

Willow summoned her own staff. “I think all three of us should fit. You can do it, right, Clover?”

The palisman buzzed in affirmation, and Hunter pushed Jason on behind Willow. “I’ll stay on the end to keep you from falling off.”

“I can—”

“Head injury!” Willow reminded him.

Jason sighed, and let Hunter get on behind him. “I’m fine.”

Hunter clicked his tongue as they took off. “Head wounds result in dizziness, confusion, and often lapsed judgement. Since you’re having trouble walking, I don’t think you have great control over your limbs right now. Even if you took painkillers, that doesn’t heal you.”

“If you were on my flyer derby team, you’d be benched,” Willow agreed, “It’s okay, you can rely on us!”

“I don’t like this team-up very much,” Jason grumbled.

Willow swooped through the sky, coming to a stop in a town square. The streets were empty—not a single witch or demon in any of the stands or houses.

Or, at least, that was what Jason thought until Camila screamed. He whirled around to see her backing away from a lamppost, then quickly hiding her bat behind her back. “I—I mean… hello, good sir? Heh?”

Luz pressed on, trudging through the streets. The others were quick behind her, but no matter where they looked, it was empty streets, empty stalls. Just endless boarded up windows and graffiti. And if the blue star from earlier had landed here, it was gone now.

“Where are Eda and King?” Willow asked.

Gus shuddered. “Where is… anyone?

Jason brushed his hand over graffitied lines. Hide your children.

“What happened here?”

Hunter stuck his head in an alleyway. “Something’s coming!”

Gus gasped. “Witches?”

“Demons?” Willow guessed.

“No, it’s… sparkles?

Hunter yanked his head out of the alleyway and started to run. He was followed by a wave of blue, gold sparkles glimmering and rushing through it like fish in an ocean. Jason whirled around, motioning everyone towards another alleyway.

“Go, go, go!”

Hunter grabbed Jason’s arm as he passed, yanking him into the alleyway. Jason squeezed his eyes shut, turning his face away from the dizzying display. The afterimage of the wave danced across the back of his eyelids, burned in.

“Jason?” Hunter whispered.

Jason opened his eyes again. The town had been completely transformed, full of bright pastels and rainbows. And… people. Or, at least, Jason was pretty sure they were people. They didn’t move, instead just stood, as if posed and held by wires.

“What’s wrong with them?”

Willow gasped. “Dad?!”

The people shuddered to life, and immediately started screaming, running around the square as if there was an invisible box keeping them from going into any of the houses, or down any other streets.

Willow dashed forward, trying to push through the streets towards one of the puppets. “Stop! It’s me!”

Hunter ran out after her. Jason started to follow, but one of the panicking people immediately slammed into him, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Jason’s head hit the ground, and he wheezed, the pastels blurring and tilting out of place. Their glowing eyes stared lifelessly into his, their jaw still open and screaming.

Jason shoved at them, trying to push the witch away, but they kept moving as if they were still up and moving around. And their body didn’t feel like flesh, it felt… hard. Like wood, or maybe porcelain.

Luz and Amity hauled the witch off, dodging flailing limbs. Jason scrambled backwards, not trusting himself to balance on his feet. The moment Luz and Amity let go of the witch, they scuttled onwards as if the fall had never had happened.

“What—” Gus yelped, “—was that?!”

Hunter pulled Willow back to the alleyway just as a nearby wall exploded outwards, releasing some… creature. It was huge, and feathery, and… held together with stitches? Jason blinked, but the little white lines didn’t go away.

“Eda?” Luz whispered.

That’s Eda?

The creature shrieked, chasing the citizens around.

Do we help?

Will we just make things worse?

Can they stop running, even if they want to?

The beast cornered one of the witches, but before it could hurt him, a beam of light slammed into the ground. Jason buried his head in his arms, blinking spots out of his vison.

“Fear not, citizens of Bonesborough!” a high, young voice called.

Jason looked up, and his heart sank in his chest.

The Collector.

And King.

But Phoenix wasn’t with them.

The Collector hopped off of a star—the one they’d seen shooting over them at the owl house. “I’m here to stop this beast’s mad rampage!”

On the star behind him, King gave the Collector a thumbs-up. “I believe in you, Collector!”

The Collector beamed, shooting a return thumbs-up and winking. “Thanks, best friend! Light glyph, go!”

The Collector opened their palm, and bursts of light sparked out of their hands. Jason’s head throbbed, the starbursts throbbing in shifting color even after the light faded. The owl beast shrieked and fell to the puppets’ applause, and an elderly woman crawled out of the skin.

“Oh, hooray,” she said flatly, “I’m normal again.”

Jason’s jaw dropped. “That’s your Eda?” he whispered to Luz.

“No. That is not Eda.”

“That’s Terra,” Amity clarified, “The ex head witch of the plant coven.”

Terra straightened up with a groan. “Who’s got a pint of apple blood? Hoot hoot.”

The Collector groaned. “Time out, everyone, time out.”

All of the citizens went back to their stationary positions, and the Collector stormed towards Terra. “Terra, for the last time, Eda doesn’t sound like that! She’s got more of a—like a-a cool aunt vibe who pretends to be all cold-hearted but actually cares a lot!”

Terra crossed her arms. “Ugh, you’re a real thorn in my side, you know that?” She jabbed a finger at the Collector. “I’ve had it with you and your stupid little dog! Ugh, whatever. All I have to do is play Eda the Owl Lady and I don’t get turned into one of those things, right? Then let’s just continue.” She widened her eyes, putting her chin in her hands. “Ooooo, I like musicians!” she singsonged.

The Collector held up one hand, a crescent moon hovering above his palm. “You’re not being very nice.”

Terra’s eyes widened. “Wai—”

The moon shot out, slamming into her forehead. She shuddered, then went still, her body stiffening and going blank like the other witches around her.

Jason’s heart thumped so hard in his chest he couldn’t hear anything else.

Phoenix.

Mom.

Dad.

Cherry.

Silver.

Meleager.

Cyrus.

Horus.

Hamlet.

Sam.

Joseph.

Had this happened to them? They’d been right there, at the head, would they have had enough time to get out?

Did Phoenix even make it long enough to become a puppet?

Did the Collector even notice him, or did he fall?!

“Jason! Jason, breathe, sweetheart, breathe!”

Jason sucked in a deep breath, gasping for air. Strong, warm hands gripped his shoulders, and Camila’s eyes flicked across his face, wide and worried. “That’s it. Breathe. You’re okay.”

Breathe.

Just breathe.

“Where are they?” Jason choked. The square was empty again, the pastels turned back to muted colors.

“They’re gone. They flew off.”

Hunter paced the square. “We should follow them. Belos is probably trying to get back to the Collector!”

Gus shook his head. “I-it looked like they were… playing a game.”

“Yeah, with some kind of… messed up version of my life!” Luz sputtered, “King must have told them about our adventures!”

“Do you think everyone who was turned into a puppet gets locked in the Archives?”

Luz clambered up onto a crushed stone platform. “If they do, then that’s where we have to go.”

Jason staggered to his feet, leaning on Camila. “Let’s go. Let’s go now.”

I have to find them.

“You’ll never make it,” a voice echoed from the rooftops. Two teenage witches and a demon stared down at them, and the one in the middle, face marked by stubble, smirked. “Because you guys are LOSERS!”

Jason squinted at him. “…I’m sorry, who are you?”

“Mattholomule?!” Gus yelped, as the teen sputtered.

“Willow!” one of the other teens squealed, jumping down and slamming into her. “You’re here!”

“I’m here,” Willow agreed, hugging her back, “It’s good to see you, Skara!”

Hunter gestured at the town. “What happened? Where did you come from? How are you not…?”

The trio glanced at each other. “We should get moving,” Skara piped up, “We’ll tell you on the way.”

“On the way… where?”

“Hexside,” Skara called over her shoulder, “Come on.”

Jason let go of Camila, wobbling closer to Willow. “Are you okay?”

She caught his arm, steadying him. “I’m not the one who just had a panic attack. Or the one who can’t walk straight.”

“I know, I know, I’m not one to talk. But…” Jason fumbled over his next words. “Your dad… and you don’t know where the other one is?”

Willow’s grip tightened, just a little uncomfortable. “Yes. That… is… the situation I am in.”

“I just… I get it. Not… not knowing where your family is, if they’re okay, and knowing that some of them… aren’t okay. I understand. And… I know it’s hard. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m. Fine.” Willow’s fingers were digging into his arm now, and plants started to sprout at their feet. “I’m not the only one who doesn’t know where family is, I’m not the only one with problems, I—I—I’m fine.”

“Willow, it’s okay if—”

“Yep. I know. It’s okay if I’m not fine, but I am fine, so it doesn’t matter. I’m fine! I’m fine.”

Sure sounds like it.

Jason nodded along. “Mhm. Okey. But if you weren’t fine. Hypothetically speaking. Obviously you are. But if you weren’t. You could rely on us. You know? Lord of bats and house of crows, remember?”

“Right… Glad we got that cleared up.” Willow cleared her throat, turning her face away from him. “So, Skara, what exactly happened here?”

Jason sighed. So that had gone spectacularly. And if the plants still sprouting in their wake were any indication, she was only going to get worse.

Not that you can judge about pushing down your emotions, Jason.

Skara shrugged. “Since the golden guard—I-I mean Hunter—told us about the Emperor’s plan for the Day of Unity, Principal Bump allowed students and teachers to camp out at Hexside.”

“We thought we could handle whatever the emperor threw at us,” Matt piped up, “But when the draining spell hit… we realized things wouldn’t be quite so simple. After the adults recovered…”

Skara shook her head. “That’s when the Collector’s spies showed up. The grudgeby team snuck out and tried to hold them back, but…” She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

Matt nudged her shoulder. “It didn’t work. Bump and the adults were turned into toys and taken away! We’ve been hiding here ever since. And somewhere along the way, I went from being Mattholomule to Mantholomule!” He stroked his chin, smearing his ‘beard’ across his face. Jason heard a snicker from Camila, and Willow made a face next to him.

“Shhhh,” Skara scolded, throwing out her hands and stopping them dead in their tracks. A blue star whirred overhead, its eye roving over the land. Mattholomule beckoned them forward, pushing a piece of wood away from the door of Hexside. Jason tilted his head back. Sure, he’d never been to school in his life, but this dilapidated building covered in graffiti and boarded up windows didn’t exactly seem like one.

“It didn’t use to look like this,” Willow whispered to him.

“Ah.”

Skara waved a hand back and forth. “We did a little redecorating these last few months. So let me welcome you… to New Hexside!”

She and Matt pushed open the doors, revealing the most bizarre bazaar Jason had ever seen. Students ran each other over and yanked resources right out of each other’s hands. Stands sold T-shirts and candy and what looked like they might be illicit potion ingredients.

“Mmm,” Gus gagged, “This does not smell great.”

The three from outside led them past squabbling students and ferocious anklebiters, halting in front of a statue depicting a witch doing a trick on a skateboard. The bottom read “In memory of the coolest principal ever, Principal Bump, AKA, Princey B.” Matt sniffed.

“This is a statue of Principal Bump, who risked his life for ours.”

Camila smiled. “It’s so nice to see teachers getting the respect they deserve. I think?”

Jason let go of Willow, sliding down the side of the statue with a sigh. His hand landed in something squishy, and he carefully stared up and away from the ground.

Don’t want to know, don’t want to know, don’t want to know.

“Willow!”

A girl in blue hugged Willow from behind. A scrunchie made of thorny vines graced her hair, and a fishhook stuck out of one ear. “I’m so glad you’re back!” She turned Willow to face her. “Your orchids have become sentient and started a war with a roving band of kindergarteners. Please help.”

Willow made a face. “I’ll take care of it. In the meantime, Viney, is the healing homeroom still operational?”

“More or less. We’ve tried to keep it a neutral first aid zone.”

“Great. Do you think you could help our friend Jason here? He’s got a pretty good concussion.

Jason gave Viney a thumbs-up from the ground.

“Yeah, I can take a look. Uhhh…” Viney glanced from Jason to Hunter and back again. “Soooooo, is he… oh, is he like that Phoenix guy?”

Jason surged to his feet. “Phoenix? You’ve seen him? Is he oka—agh—” Jason blinked back black spots, swaying.

Stood up too fast.

Viney whistled sharply. “Whoa—I’m sorry, Jason, I haven’t seen him since before the day of unity.”

Right.

Phoenix went to Hexside.

Stupid.

A griffin crashed down next to Viney, clucking and nuzzling her. “Ah, thanks Puddles. Good girl!” She tossed the griffin a treat. “Alright, up you go. It’s easier to get through the crowds this way, and I’m… not sure you should be walking.”

She hoisted Jason up onto the griffin, clambering on behind him. “Healing homeroom, Puddles.”

Jason buried his face in the griffin’s neck feathers. “Thanks, Puddles,” he murmured, “I know someone who’d be ecstatic to meet you.”

Puddles squeezed herself into a classroom, tilting to the side and dumping Jason unceremoniously on a cot.

“Puddles,” Viney scolded, “Sorry, we’re still working on being gentle with patients. Alright, let me just…” She drew a circle in the air, and her eyes glowed blue. “Mhm. Mhm. Oh, ow. Alright.” Her eyes faded back to normal, and she grabbed a potion and syringe. “Okay, Jason, along with a few broken ribs, and the gash I’m sure you’re very aware of, you’ve got a pretty bad fracture right at the base of your skull. Concussion, obviously, but the fracture is the real big issue. Luckily, I’m going to take care of it, you’ll be feeling better in no time. This is just gonna be a liiiiiittle priiiiiick—” Viney jumped forward, sticking him with the needle and pushing the plunger.

“Ow!”

“Sorry, the kindergarteners tend to get flighty when they need a shot, forgot I was dealing with a grown person.”

Jason blinked at her, his limbs going heavy. “Uh… what… was… in…”

Viney guided him to a lying position on the cot. “Just a liiiiiittlle sedative while I fix your skull. Nothing to worry about, I’ve got you. You’re going to be fine.”

“Just relax”

…

“Are you a traitor too, ear hook?!”

“Boscha, he’s not a threat, whatever the others have done. He’s badly hurt! Just let me heal him!”

…

… “-mora—”

“Go, go, we have to help them now!”

Jason blinked at the ceiling, his limbs still numb and heavy. “Hngh.”

“Heeeeeey, buddy.” Viney leaned over him. “How are you feeling?”

“Mmmmrrgh. Less dizzy?”

“I’ll take it as a win. I did most of the heavy lifting on that fracture and concussion, but you should probably get it looked at by another healer every so often until it’s completely healed. Bones take a while.”

“Mhm. Where… is everyone? Are they all okay? What happened with Boscha?”

“Oh. You heard that, huh?”

“Yeah—or some of it, anyway. What ha—”Jason’s finger twitched. “Oh—hey, look. I can move.”

“Yeah, sedative should be wearing off. Um, so, Jason. You… sort of missed a lot while you were out. Like, a lot. Luz and the others… left. They went to the archives.”

“What?!” Jason tried to sit up, but only ended up straining his head upwards. “Wha—No—Viney, you have to help me go after them, I have to—”

“Hold up. Gus left a message for you.”

Viney opened her hand, and an illusion of Luz, Hunter, Willow, and Camila appeared over it. Luz waved. “Hey! Sorry, Jason, we have to go, and you were still passed out when Viney left you. It was all pretty intense. My palisman hatched, Kikimora tried to kill us all, Willow nearly destroyed the tunnel system… it’s been crazy, and we have to go like now.”

Hunter nodded. “I know you wanted to come with us, but I think you should go find your Dad. You need answers, and you won’t find them up at the archive. It… might actually be better this way. You never would have left us if you were awake, but… I think you need to. If we see any other Grimwalkers at the archives, we’ll find a way to let you know, okay? Oh, and… Flapjack woke up just when I needed him. He’s still not fully recovered or conscious, but I’ve been able to use my flashstep magic, so I think he’s going to be okay.”

“You were right,” Willow piped up, “I wasn’t fine. I was… missing my family. And I know you’re missing yours. Go find them.” She squinted menacingly at him. “And don’t even think about following us because you think you need to protect us. I’ve got it, house of crows, you can trust the lord of bats!”

A smile worked its way onto Jason’s face, and this time, he managed to sit up and swing his legs over the edge of the cot.

“We’ll all watch out for each other,” Camila promised, “We’ll keep each other safe. Promise me you’ll look out for yourself?”

“He can’t answer you,” Willow whispered, “It’s not a call.”

“Oh. Still. If you can find any way to contact us and tell us you found your family, please let us know you’re alright.”

Tears started to bubble up in Jason’s eyes, and he reached towards the illusion, fingers stopping just shy of actually touching it. “Alright,” he whispered, “Alright, I promise.”

“We have to go,” Luz piped up, “Jason—we’ll miss you. Thanks for all of your help. When all this is over… we’ll meet up again, okay?”

“Yeah,” Camila agreed, “I’m looking forward to meeting your family. We’ll see you soon.”

The illusion disappeared in a puff of blue smoke, and Jason wiped at his eyes. “See you soon,” he repeated.

Viney lowered her arm. “You need a moment?”

Jason shook his head. “It’s a long walk. I need to get started.”

“Walk? You’re not walking.”

“Uh?”

Viney laughed. “Pflbt, you think I’d really let a friend of my friends walk all that way alone? Through Collector territory? When you’ve barely been here a day? Come on. You’re flying with me and Puddles.” She peered out the window. “Ah, alright, we can go now. The skies will be clear until morning.”

“What? How come?”

“It’s Collector’s bedtime.”

Jason blinked at her. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope. Let’s go. Unless there’s still sedative coursing through your veins.”

Jason wiggled his fingers. “Mmmm, seems fine.”

“Great!” Viney yanked him up onto Puddles. “Sky high, Pudd—no, no, no, through the door, Puddles, through the—”

Puddles crashed through the window in a hail of broken glass shards, cawing and unfurling her full wingspan. Viney whooped as the griffin soared through the air.

“Awwww, good girl.”

“You’ve had to keep her inside?” Jason guessed, “Made her stir crazy, huh.”

“Yeah, griffins have to stretch their wings, but if she goes out in the day, she’ll definitely get caught. Where are we headed?”

“Nestled under the third rib. There’s a small town, and we live a bit out from there.”

“Third rib, huh? What a coincidence, that’s where Puddles came from!” Viney patted the griffin’s neck. “You ready to go home, girl?”

Home.

Jason mouthed the word to himself.

I hope they’re still there.

I hope they’re okay.

Viney directed Puddles down, steering her deftly between trees and finally coming to a landing with a jarring thud that rattled Jason’s teeth. Viney slid off, offering Jason a hand. “Shhhh, listen.”

The forest was much more quiet than it had ever been before. But even so, Jason heard a shout, and the sound of splintering wood, as if something was attacking the trees. He and Viney flitted through the trees like ghosts, ducking around and peering out to see if the area was safe before moving to the next tree. Another crack sounded, this one followed by the thud of a tree falling. Jason saw a blue star embedded in a tree, its eyes blinking repeatedly.

“What the…”

“Who-oa,” Viney gasped, “I want whatever can do that on our side! Come on!”

She darted forward, peering around a tree. “Oh! Jason, Jason, I found Phoenix! Hey, Phoenix!” she called, waving, “Do you remember me? Probably not, but I’ve got someone here who you will recognize!”

Jason sprinted towards her, stumbling to a stop at the top of a steep hill. Phoenix was at the bottom, two or three more stars lying prone in the grass around him. They were splattered with green, and as Jason watched, the green slowly removed itself, wriggling and moving towards Phoenix. Jason’s stomach dropped, and his heart thumped erratically in his chest.

“No,” he whispered, “No, no, no.”

Viney came up behind him. “Hey, what’s the matter?”

Jason threw his arm out to keep her from getting any closer. “We’re too late. We’re—that’s not Phoenix.”

Phoenix turned around to face them as the last of the cursed mud reattached itself to his arms, forming horrible claws and shifting across bone in a nauseating wave. Jason’s head throbbed, and the scar on his back burned like fire, itching and crawling.

I’ll come back.

“Belos beat us to them.”

[archiveikemen]

Abe no Yasuchika Main Story: Chapter 15

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This is a fan-made translation solely for entertainment purposes with no guaranteed perfection; expect mistakes, grammatical errors, and some creative liberties. All original content and media used belongs to Cybird. Please support the game by buying their stories and playing their games. Reblogs appreciated.

Read this before interacting┊aikm’s Genjiden Glossary

Yasuchika: … You need to quit being so reckless.

Yasuchika: I seriously can’t take my eyes off you for even a second.

Yuno: You really came to save me…

I felt a warm hand on my head when I was about to burst into tears.

Yasuchika: You did a good job hanging on by yourself so far. Good girl.

Yuno: … Thank you.

Ayakashi 1: You're in the way!

Yuno: Watch out!

Yasuchika: Oh you’re pretty energetic.

Yasuchika-san raised his hand, and a purple light enveloped the ayakashi.

Yasuchika: But you’re nowhere strong enough to survive in Kyōto.

Yasuchika: Come again another time.

Ayakashi 2: Ggh… these powers… I’ve heard of you!

Ayakashi 3: Abe no Yasuchika! The second coming of Abe no Seimei…

Ayakashi 4: Shuten Dōji's favorite pet! — Argh.

(Shuten Dōji...?)

Yasuchika-san casually reached out and flicked the tip of the ayakashi’s nose, causing some purple sparks to appear.

Yasuchika: We make a pretty good duo, don't you agree?

Yuno: … Yeah.

Yuno: But what are you doing here, Yasuchika-san?

Yasuchika: I received a report saying that one of my men failed to fix the barrier in the area he was put in charge of.

Yasuchika: I went to have a look, and sensed that the air around that place felt off…

Yasuchika: Then I entered the other world by going through a crack, and there you were.

Yuno: Um, did you happen to see a little boy? He was also attacked by the ayakashi.

Yasuchika: Yeah, I had my men look after him.

Yuno: Thank goodness…!

Yasuchika: You’re always so caring towards other people.

(Yasuchika-san…)

Yuno: I knew that you would come to my rescue, so I was fine.

Yasuchika: … Right.

Strangely, there seemed to be something wavering behind those eyes as he gazed at me.

I clenched my fists, not knowing what that look meant.

Yasuchika: … Yuno-san, there are some scratches on the back of your hand.

Yuno: Huh? Oh, yeah.

Yasuchika: …

(Yasuchika-san…?)

A bewitching smile formed on Yasuchika-san's face.

Yasuchika: For some reason… looking at them makes me angry.

Yasuchika: I was glad I could come to your rescue, but… I couldn't make it before you got hurt.

His tone made me shudder.

(Others might not be able to tell… but I know he’s genuinely upset.)

Yasuchika: Fortunately, the town is clean now that the barrier has been repaired.

Yasuchika: This means that I can proceed with my big plan tonight.

The sight of his tongue poking out between his lips as he spoke was so hot, I had to look away for a moment.

But I gathered my courage and made the first move, which was to hold his hand tightly.

Yuno: … Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?

The air surrounding Yasuchika-san suddenly grew less tense.

Yasuchika: Of course. As long as you’re around, I’ll keep it within limits.

(As long as I’m around, huh.)

(How long can I stay by his side?)

Yasuchika: Purse all evil, cleanse and shed light on every corner...

Yasuchika: All that were stripped of their power shall vanish into the darkness.

(— It's so bright.)

Ayakashi: Ah… ahh… the light—

Ayakashi 2: The powers given to us by Ashiya Doman are disappearing…

Yuno: …!

A light shone down the ayakashi's heads and trapped them.

After it slowly faded away…

(Those parasols and white clothes…)

Everything those ayakashi were wearing fell to the ground.

What was left behind were a group of black shadows.

Yuno: What are those…?

Yasuchika: They’re actually low class ayakashi. It was Ashiya Doman who gave them those powers to make them stronger.

Yasuchika: I’ve stripped those powers from them, so they're basically useless now.

Yasuchika: Developing that spell was definitely worth all the effort.

Yuno: It’s finally over now!

(As expected of our amazing Onmyōji.)

Black Shadow 1: Who am I…?

Black Shadow 2: This place gives me the creeps… I want to go home.

Black Shadow 3: I feel lonely… so lonely…

Yasuchika: Oh? It looks like apart from losing their powers, they lost their memories too.

Yasuchika: Doman gained such a great amount of control over them, all the way to their souls… interesting.

The black shadows trembled in fear when Yasuchika-san poked at them.

Yuno: I’m starting to feel sorry for them.

Yasuchika: Uhh even though they attacked you? Aren't you a little too kind-hearted?

Yuno: Imagine if they weren't manipulated by Doman…

(I know I sound super naive right now.)

Yasuchika: You’re not wrong to think like that. It's just who you are.

Yuno: Eh?

Yasuchika: You’re someone who's always healing others, so it's natural that you’d have a soft heart.

(I’m glad he thinks that way about me but…)

It felt as if he was comparing himself to me.

Yuno: … What do you plan to do with those ayakashi?

Yasuchika: They hurt you, so I’m going to make them disappear for good.

(... Erm.)

Yasuchika: — Usually, I would’ve already done that without a second thought.

Yuno: Eh?

Yasuchika-san looked up at the sky with a faint smile.

Yasuchika: But since the ritual has been held, it'd be nice to end the day peacefully without any kids getting hurt, regardless of whether they’ve been good or bad.

(End the day peacefully?)

Yasuchika: I’ll create a portal to the underworld and send these ayakashi back.

Yuno: You can do that…?

Yasuchika: I told you before, remember? I’ve already made all the necessary arrangements for tonight’s events.

Yasuchika-san picked up a lantern hanging from a nearby tree.

Yasuchika: I need to walk a little more to get closer to the portal leading to the underworld. Just give me a moment, okay?

(He makes it sound as if he’s only going for a stroll in a garden.)

Yasuchika-san frequently travels between the two worlds with ease.

— He does it so easily that I can't keep up.

Yuno: Okay… um, Yasuchika-san?

Yasuchika-san nodded when I called out to him.

Yuno: Please come back.

(I know it's not the case, but… it feels as if he might not want to return.)

I wrapped his hands in mine, hoping that the warmth would keep this dangerously fragile man in check.

Yasuchika: — You want me to come back?

Yuno: That's right. The incident just now made me uncomfortable… I want you to stay by my side.

Yasuchika: As you wish.

Yasuchika-san pulled me towards him, in a manner so tender that it was like he was handling something precious.

(Ah…)

The way his fingers touched me was so gentle that I didn't resist.

Yasuchika: I promise you.

I let out an involuntary gasp when I heard his sweet whisper in my ear.

Then he kissed the top of my eyelids…

Yasuchika: …

Yuno: Yasuchika-san…

The way we gazed at each other contained a feeling that neither of us could name.

(It’s not just me. Why is he looking at me like that…)

Yasuchika: — I’ll be right back.

Yuno: G-go ahead.

I had to force those words out of my mouth.

The sight of him turning his back towards me made me feeling somewhat frustrated.

Yuno: … Be careful!

(I have tons of things I want to say to him, but those are the only words I can speak at this moment.)

Yasuchika-san gave me a small smile in response and started walking while leading the ayakashi behind him.

Yasuchika: Come with me, all of you. You won't feel lonely if you follow me.

The candle light in his lamp flickered, and with a flash of purple light, Yasuchika-san vanished through the torii gate.

All the black shadows followed behind him like moths attracted to light.

(— It looks like a procession of spirits.)

(In that case, why would they follow Yasuchika-san’s lead?)

Yuno: We’re all the same after all.

Yuno: … Lonely.

The words I muttered to myself disappeared into the darkness.

After it was all over, we went to meet up with the little boy who was in the custody of Yasuchika-san’s subordinates.

(His mother must be worried sick. I have to send him back to her as soon as possible.)

Child: Onee-san…!

Yuno: I’m so glad you’re safe…

I hugged the little boy who came running towards me.

Child: I… I was so afraid… I even left you behind and escaped by myself.

Yuno: It's alright. I was the one who told you to run away.

Child: Thank you. I…

In the corner of my eye, I could see Yasuchika-san standing there and acting as if this didn’t concern him.

Yuno: The one you should thank isn’t me, it's that Onii-san over here.

Yasuchika: Eh?

I placed a hand on Yasuchika-san's back and pushed him towards the little boy.

Yasuchika: Yuno-san?

Child: Onii-san, thank you so much…!

The little boy wiped the tears off his eyes.

Yasuchika: Uhh you're welcome…?

The little boy was still weeping, he felt so relieved that he couldn't stop his tears.

Yasuchika: You’re safe now. So there's no need to cry, okay?

Child: Ueeuee… I’m sorry

Yasuchika: … It's ok.

Yasuchika-san averted his gaze. It seemed that it was an unusual situation for him.

He then pat the little boy’s head.

Yasuchika: You’re only about seven years old, right? You’ll forget all about tonight as you grow older.

Yasuchika: Therefore, you shouldn't worry anymore and go home to your family.

Child: … Okay.

(Yasuchika-san’s so kind.)

The Yasuchika-san standing before me looked like a completely different man from the Yasuchika-san who was just using black magic for evil deeds this afternoon.

(I wouldn't have gotten so captivated by him if he were even more of a jerk.)

[kikaichuno]

"NARUTO!!! GET BACK HERE!!!" Was the only warning Shino got before he was aggressively tackled to the ground by the small, overly strong, pink haired girl. Sakura was in such a blind rage she didn't realize she had missed her target and instead got Shino. Her arm was looped around his neck, choking Shino out a bit before she realized her mistake. The person she was attacking was not, in fact, an idiot blonde in an orange jumpsuit, but poor Shino who was just minding his business just moments ago.

Sakura quickly let him go and got off him, blushing with embarrassment, "Oh my god! Shino! I'm so sorry! I was chasing after Naruto for peeping again!" She was nice enough to help him off the ground and brush him off for her mistake.

He was simply walking, hands in his pockets, in his own personal head space when none other than Naruto abruptly cut a corner and ran past him. He heard Sakura's yell, of course Naruto must have done something, it's not unusual but it's still annoying. This guy is always up to no good, always disrupting the class back in the academy and now always angering at least one person everyday. Shino will never understand what his deal is.

As Naruto disappears from sight, Shino's world suddenly flips. One moment he's walking and the other, his breath gets knocked out of him and his entire front meets the dirt. He hiccups, unable to inhale any air under whoever just assaulted him and the moment he opens his eyes, he's blinded by light. "Argh!"

There's no time to process what's happening! He can barely breath, an extremely strong arm strangles him and he can't see from how bright everything is - he keeps his eyes screwed shut and brings an arm to hide them in his sleeves. He lost his shades! It's Sakura, she body slammed him! His insects suddenly disperse out of his body, creating a dark cloudy circle around him; he makes sure they don't attack Sakura despite his urge to do so.

When she finally lets him go, Shino wheezes to get at least a little bit of air in his lungs, he's completely winded. "S-Sakura..." She helps him up but he can't take his hand away from his eyes, he can't see with this brightness, it hurts. "Your strength is... Impressive... And immense..." He mutters, his insects still fluttering around him. He hopes his shades aren't broken.

[afolderfullofstories]

Whumptober 2023: Day 11

Note: Urgh, I've reached the point of whumptober when I've lost the high of writing and it's just me second guessing myself and losing interest. And this happens every year once I finish writing the prompts I'm interested in. (And I realize its always the kidnapped/captive prompts that i don't like. But then I use other non-captive prompts to write kidnapped situations. I don't know. I don't get it either. I don't know. I'm kinda stuck, I've written the character arcs I've been planning to write. So now, I don't know what else to write anymore. But it's so closed to the end. But I'm 5 days late... Argh.... I don't know).

Elyndria awoke to a sharp shooting pain in her ankle. She cried out as she quickly sat up. Her heart sank when she realized she was sitting in a cage. Her eyes darted down to the bear trap around her ankle. She cried out again, she wasn’t sure in pain or horror. The bear trap bit through her leg and she could see bone sticking out. She bit her lips as her hands glowed purple. She tried to heal the wound, but she could only heal around the bear trap.

She tried to pull the bear trap open but it wouldn’t budge. The trap dug further into her leg and she bit back another cry. Tears pricked at her eyes but she forced it back. She had to get out of here, she had to find a way to escape. She tried to force the trap open once more but it remained firmly around her leg.

Elyndria slumped on the ground, frustrated. How did she get here? Why didn’t she remember anything? She fell asleep in the tavern…then? Did someone kidnap her? Why trap her like this? She tried to force herself to remember but nothing. She had a flash of running in the woods but nothing else. She leant against the cage bars. Her friends would find her right? They had to.

*

Bright light pierced Elyndria’s eyes. She forced her eyes open to see the silhouette man standing in front of the door of her cage.

“Good morning, little werewolf.”

Elyndria’s brows furrowed at his words. She forced herself to sit upright, pain flared through her leg. She sent a quick healing spell towards it.

“So the werewolf knows magic.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not a werewolf.”

The man smiled widely, “Really? Because I’m very sure I caught a werewolf in my little trap.”

Elyndria looked down at her leg and backed to him. “You made a mistake. I’m not-” Another flash as she saw herself running through the forest on all fours. “No. It’s a mistake.”

“There’s no mistake, little werewolf. I dragged a werewolf here once it felt unconscious. And now, you’re here.”

“I…” Another flash as she saw herself swiping a claw at the fighter. “Did I hurt anyone?”

“I don’t know little werewolf. But you were covered in blood.”

No. She couldn’t have. She was bitten, she knew that. But…she couldn’t be a werewolf. And where were her friends? Did she hurt them? Did she hurt anyone?

The man stood, “I’ll leave you be, little werewolf.”

“No. Let me go. I need to find my friends.” She needed to know if she hurt them.

“Sorry, little werewolf. But werewolves don’t change in Barovia by the moon. There’s something in the air that keeps them werewolves for a long time.”

Fear filled Elyndria, “Then what are you going to do to me?”

“You can just stay here.”

“No. You can’t leave me like this.”

“And if I let you go and you hurt more people?”

Something settled in Elyndria’s gut. She didn’t know if she hurt anyone, let alone her friends. Another flash as she saw herself bite the warlock. “Then kill me.” She said in a small voice.

“I will. But not like this. I will kill you when you change.”

“How long will that be?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, werewolves in Barovia are fickle.”

“You can’t leave me like this!”

“I won’t kill you while you look human.” The man made his way to the door, the only light source in the whole room.

“My friends will come for me.”

“No one will find you, little werewolf. No one will bother looking.” He slammed the door shut, plunging Elyndria back to total darkness.

Panic began to fill her. No. Someone will find her. They won’t leave her trapped like this. Another flash and she saw herself attacking the artificer. No. She didn’t hurt anyone. She didn’t hurt her friends. She couldn’t have. But what if she did? What if she killed them? No. She couldn’t have. She wouldn’t have. Elyndria laid back down on the cage floor. Someone will come for her. They had to.

*

Elyndria’s head shot up as the door opened once more. She didn’t know how long she’s been lying there; hours, days weeks. She’s lost all track of time.

“Oh. You still haven’t turned.”

“I told you, you made a mistake.” Elyndria reached out a hand through the cage and placed it on the man’s wrist, giving him the piteous expression she could muster. “Please. My leg hurts. I’m scared. Please let me go.”

For a moment, the man’s expression faltered and he sat next to the cage once more. “I’m sorry. I know you are. But I can’t risk you going out and hurting anyone.”

“I’m not going to hurt anyone. See? I haven’t turned. Maybe you made a mistake? Maybe I can control it. Please.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t take that risk.” He stood once more.

“Then kill me already. Don’t leave me like this!”

The man turned and looked at her sadly. “No.”

“No. You don’t get to do this and try to keep your conscience clean. You keep me here and torture me so you can pretend you’re a good person. You don’t get to do that.” The man approached her.

Elyndria backed away, fear in her eyes.

The man sighed, “I truly am sorry.” He headed to the door and left her in darkness once more.

*

Elyndria laid on the ground. She hasn’t healed her leg in days, she could feel the pain worsen but she didn’t bother. At least, if her captor won’t kill her, maybe the leg would. No. She shook it off and reached towards her leg and healed what she could. She couldn’t die here. She had a mission. They needed to stop Strahd. Her friends would find her. They had to. She couldn’t give up yet.

And then she sees the rogue’s face standing clearly before her, sword in hand. “We should kill her before she comes back for us. She’s already turned into a monster.” And Elyndria finally remembered. She remembered the pain from the silvered sword and she turned to run. That was how she ended up in the forest. Her friends tried to kill her.

Elyndria laid back on the ground. No one was going to find her. Her friends thought she was a monster. They were not going to look for her. No one was looking for her.

*

The door opened once more but Elyndria didn’t move, didn’t react. She heard the man sit beside the cage but she didn’t say anything.

“I truly am sorry, little werewolf.”

“Elyndria. My name is Elyndria.”

The man was silent. “I didn’t want to know your name.”

“I know.” She said cruelly but she still didn’t turn to him. “So if I don’t turn into a werewolf again, are you going to starve me to death? Or are you hoping my shattered leg will kill me?”

“Please don’t make me sound like a monster.”

“You are a monster.”

“No, you are. Do you know how many people are killed by werewolves in Barovia in a month? And those that survive the attacks become monsters, increasing the death count.”

“No. I understand that. If you weren’t a monster, you would have killed me from the start. Not torture me like this.”

“This is not torture.”

“Is that what you keep telling yourself to assuage your guilt?”

The man was silent. He placed a glass of water beside her.

Elyndria hesitated before gulping down the water greedily. “Why are you prolonging things?”

“No one has stayed human this long. I don’t know what to do.” He admitted quietly.

“Let me go. If I turn, you can kill me. But please, not this torture anymore.”

The man sighed, “I can’t risk it.” He left.

*

Elyndria heard noise coming from upstairs but she couldn’t move anymore. She didn’t have the strength to heal her leg anymore. She could only just lie there and wait for death.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be much help. I am only just a simple hunter, I do not know how to deal with vampires.” She heard the man’s voice but not who he was talking to. The room was brighter than usual, maybe he forgot to close the door. She couldn’t lift her head to see.

“Yes, I do hunt werewolves. They are simple creatures. Just hunt them like animals, smart animals, but animals nonetheless.”

Elyndria blinked, she was nothing more than an animal. A wounded, starving animal; nothing more.

“Yes. It works. I have one trapped in the basement. Half-dead. Only a matter of time. Would you like to see?”

No. She didn’t want anyone to gawk at her like some animal in a cage. But maybe…maybe these ones would be braver. Maybe these ones would put her out of her misery.

The footsteps were loud and heavy. She felt light engulf the room as the door was pushed open.

“We have guests, little werewolf.”

Turn. Move. Something. Her fingers twitched. That was all she could do.

There was a sharp intake of breath, “Lady Elyndria.”

She recognized that voice. No. She was just imagining things. She was left in the dark for too long. She was just hearing things.

“Let her go.” The voice was feminine, fierce. She knew that voice. She knew… She had to turn, had to see, had to be sure.

“She’s a monster.”

Something in Elyndria’s chest clenched as she remembered attacking her friends. He was right. She couldn’t be free. She deserved to be in a cage.

“Let her go.” The voice repeated dangerously.

The bear trap tight around her leg finally loosened, sending shooting pain through her leg. She wanted to cry out but all her body could muster was a whimper. Then something warm around her leg as the pain started dissipating.

“Just hold on alright? It’ll be right back to normal.” The sorcerer’s high pitched squeak was unmistakable. Did her friends find her? Was she truly safe?

She heard the cage door open. And then hands touching her.

“Lady Elyndria, can you hear me?”

And then she started to panic. She was wounded, starved on the ground, dirty, soiled. She didn’t want him to see her like this. She didn’t want any of them to see her like this.

“Calm down, my lady. It’s going to be alright.”

Hands pulling her closer, out of the cage.

No. She could turn into a werewolf at any time. She could hurt them again. She didn’t want to hurt anyone again. “M…monster…” Was all her weak lips could choke out.

“We’ll figure something out, okay Elyndria?” The sorcerer said, trying to sound hopeful.

She tried to protest, tried to say something. But her mouth stopped obeying her. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was so tired.

“Hey, Elyndria, keep your eyes open.” She heard the fighter’s voice but it felt so far away.

There was something pressed against her lips, and then the soothing taste of water met her lips. She couldn’t move but her tongue lapped at the water desperately.

“Let’s get back to the Tavern. We can get Elyndria something to eat.” The sorcerer said, “I don’t like the look of her leg. We might need a cleric.”

Elyndria felt someone lift her. She leant into the warm body. “S…sorry…”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Elyndria leant deeper and let her eyes drift closed as exhaustion overtook her.

[ashfellowlocal]

Part 1.3: The Inspectre

"I said, who are you? And how did you get past the rats?" Nadia didn't make a sound. Raising her hands, she sent a paralyzing shock through the man's outstretched hands. "Argh!" The gun flew from his hand as he keeled over as he did so, Nadia darted past him, pocketing his gun, and took in the room. It was a large, round room with a high ceiling and metallic floors, with walls draped in tangles of tubes and wires. On the floor were more tubes connecting tall cylinders to stasis pods too murky to see into. More doors led to rooms away from the landing, and somewhere below were chugging and hissing noises as though from a sort of factory. At the far end across from her, Nadia saw a collection of computers and metal drawers.

"You're here for the files. So am I, maybe we can help each other." The mystery man was still writhing on the floor, trying to get up. "How can you help me? You were ready to shoot me a minute ago. I can take it from here." She turned back around, but he wasn't where she had left him. "Look around you. Do you know where you are, or are you just blindly following orders?" The voice echoed around her.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Nadia shot a bolt of lightning at a shadow behind her, but it struck air. "Enough games! Just give me the drive and I might give you a quick death." The man appeared out of nowhere behind her, a drive in his hand. "How did you-?"

"I'm not here to fight you, but I will stop you. I know what you're looking for, and if you go back to Union, I know a lot more people will get hurt. They will keep coming, keep killing, and I can't let you let that happen." Nadia raised her hands.

"You think you can stop me?" A blast of lightning and the room was lit blue, but the agile shape floated ghost-like through the smoke before it vanished. A leg threw Nadia off-balance and she fell hard. Again she fought, sending more waves of cracking lightning in all directions. The disappearing man was stronger and more skilful than her. He sent her tumbling across the room with nothing but his fists and feet. Finally getting impatient, he raised another pistol to her face. Her nose bloody, she lowered her hands.

"My name is John, and I'm on your side. Believe me, I can help you, and I think you can help me. Union Genetics have always gotten away with so much, and you're always the one to do their dirty work. Look around you. In these pods are victims of the massacre they call science, and I'm here to make sure what happened here never happens again. So, we can either stay here and I shoot you in the head now, or we work together to make sure Union gets what's coming to them. Your choice."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" As she asks this, flashes of blurred visions, memories she had long forgotten resurfaced. People in suits crowding around her, unseen through the glare of bright lights.

"It's all in that drive, that's my proof. For years, Union has been experimenting on these kids, on you, since you were little." Another vision, of being wheeled to an operating theatre, the sound of screaming children growing weaker as rhythmic chugging grew louder. She looked around the room, now barely paying any attention to John. Then he spoke again.

"You're one of the few dozen who managed to survive the testing phase. The children here weren't so fortunate." Nadia did not speak, as she examined more closely the stasis pods around the room. Shining a light, she peered into the depths of one, where she saw a small body, a child, no more than 5 years old, who floated lifelessly in a mysterious liquid. On the side of the tank, a monitor showed "DECEASED". Nadia could not help but gasp, as she saw her brother in this boy, they looked so much alike.

"What happened here?" As she looked down the row of tanks, all with monitors showing "DECEASED", she turned to face John, now standing beside her, staring blankly at the boy in the tank. "I don't exactly know yet, but I'm here to find out. Honestly, I'm as clueless as you are right now. I was hoping you could tell me."

"I've never been told anything about this. I was just sent here to retrieve a drive, that's all, I swear."

"So, at least we know Union is cleaning up. It was only a matter of time. Do you know why they sent you to get the drive?" John holstered his gun and scratched his head. Tall and lean, he was surisingly strong. Nadia saw scars on his hands, and a distinct air of sleeplessness around his brown eyes.

"No, Union doesn't exactly encourage questions from subjects. All I know is this is supposed to be my last mission, they promised us we'd be free to go after." John stared at Nadia almost with pity. "Us? You have a partner?"

"A younger brother, Axel."

"Come with me. I need to show you something." They made their way to the computers, which John booted up and inserted the drive. They waited. While he worked, he said "Do you remember anything? Do you where you're from?" Nadia had been an orphan for most, if not of her life. She had no one but her brother. "No... it's a little foggy, I don't remember anything before my time at Union."

"Hopefully we get you some answers, then." He moved aside to show Nadia the 30-or-so files, all with different names: Amanda, Brian, Cathy, Damien, Marlene, and many more. Her heart beating faster, she opened one of the files. Some of these were video footage of kids being put into stasis pods very similar to the ones around her. She could hear muffled screaming as they sedated them. A vision of her family in Bahrain, of their smiling faces, before a blast blew them away. Hidden under the debris of their house, she watched as soldiers shot her mother dying in the street, bloody from the explosion, begging for rescue. Suddenly, she snapped back as John spoke.

"They did this to all this kids. Experimenting on their physical responses to nightmare trauma. They believed physical mutation could be manipulated through immunostimulants and hallucinogens. They failed every time, until they found you and Axel, apparently." Angry tears started pouring from her eyes as Nadia continued perusing the files. Some contained voice recordings, research notes, and near the end of the page, a file labelled "DETAILS". She clicked. Here were records of kids' names, dates of birth, registration numbers, and 'status', where it details their duration of survival and time of death. These were innocents, orphans, short lives snuffed out in droves.

Watching Nadia, John speaks. "I've been looking for this place for weeks to get a hold of this drive. This is why Union sent you here, to get them their work back. They need this kept quiet, and I can't let that happen. Union has been getting away with this for too long. It's time the world knew what's been really going on." Nadia turned to John, handing him his gun back. "I'm Nadia. Now, how can I help?"

[cuteteacakes]

Operation Floss Flowers Takedown part 3

Shot after shot rang in Anders’ ears. He serpentined through the warehouse, getting grazed by several bullets as the men behind him shouted and cursed. Anders just hoped the kid was safe.... He pulled his own gun and fired several shots behind him as he ran. He heard one or two grunts of men behind hit. He couldn’t really concentrate on aiming. He just had to lead everyone away from the exit, the boss could come later, maybe even another time at this point. He whipped his head back around when he almost collided with a crate. He had to watch where he was going or else-

“Argh-!” A piercing pain ripped through his right shoulder, making him stagger. Had he been hit? Was he shot? Anders put a hand to the pain and it came back bloody. Shit... He was...

“We got him!” he heard one of the men say behind him. They were all running his way. Anders fumbled with his coat pockets, trying to find his radio, he had to get backup, just say the codeword. He had to before-

He felt hands on him, on his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, felt his vision go blurry. Was he dying? No, no, he couldn’t die, he needed to get back... Get back to Caleb... Darkness began to swim at the edge of his sight.

He was being manhandled, shoved this way and that. They got him, they could easily do away with him, why were they doing this? 

Anders let out a grunt when he was suddenly shoved and landed on something hard. He heard a slam. A lock. A bolt. Something. His head was swimming from the pain. He heard sobbing. Scared voices. He gritted his teeth and forced his vision to focus in the dark. They must have thrown him in one of the crates. They were filled with victims. If only he hadn’t dropped his radio, this never would’ve-

There was a sudden bright light illuminated from his pocket. The two women in the crate with him shielded their eyes. They looked like they haven’t washed or seen the sun in days. Anders winced as he tried to sit up, the pain in his shoulder becoming unbearable. His phone (he had his phone on him?) fell from his pocket and thudded against the crate bottom. That’s where the bright light came from. He got a text message of all things. Oh no, it was from Caleb. 

[txt:] Hey! I know you’re probably really busy taking down the baddies, but it’s been a while and I need to know if you’re OK! D:

Had it been that long already?

“Who are you..?” one of the women asked. Her voice was horse and she had a thick accent, probably Russian or Ukrainian. Anders winced again.

“A friend,” he said. He nodded towards his phone. “Could you do something for me and reply to that text? It’ll get us out of here. It’ll get help. I promise.” 

The woman looked skeptic, but the other one grabbed it, ready to relay his message. “Ready.” Her accent was more Western European, maybe Greek.

“Say, I’m fine, and I can’t wait to try the banana bread you made for me.” 

The woman stared at Anders in the light of his cell phone. She was visibly confused. Anders felt a stab of pain. “Just send it!”

“Yes, yes!” she nodded and her thumbs began to type away. “Okay, I sent it.”

“Thank you.” Anders slumped back. The blood was seeping through his fingers. The woman who sent the text crawled over to him. 

“You need help!” Her hands pulled at her shirt sleeve and ripped it off. She tied it around Anders’ shoulder, making a makeshift bandage. “The bleeding, it needs to stop!”

Anders gritted his teeth. “Thank you.” At least she knew about putting pressure to it. Anything to make it a little more bearable. And who knew if Caleb would even understand what he was saying? Caleb wasn’t involved thank god... he just hoped Caleb would somehow pass the text along to Summers or something... Damn his shoulder hurt.....

[rainydaygt]

Bow-Tied and Tiny

An au I've created where Leo gets shrunk in the middle of New York. This chapter is mostly for introduction purposes, as well as me getting myself back into writing after so long of not writing anything. Hope yall enjoy <3

[I am insane]

“Alriigght, alright, I’ve got it!”

“Say it back to us then,” Mikey demands, “OUT. LOUD.”

Leo scoffed playfully, “One cheese, two pepperoni, and three hawaiian.”

“NO!!!!”

Leon snickered to himself at the memory, silently congratulating himself for managing to get on all three of their nerves at once. It was fun to just antagonize them from time to time. He remembered their orders, of course, he always did.

The mutant hummed a familiar 80’s theme as he rounded a corner and strolled down the sidewalk, heading for the mystic pizza place. All was going well. Leo knew the order, nobody had spotted him, it was nice and dark (as it was, in fact, 1 am), and he was feeling g-

Clink!

Leo stopped moving entirely for a second, eyes darting around to see if anyone had spotted him. Mentally, he was already preparing the science convention-cosplay excuse. Instead of seeing a person, though, he noticed a faint pink twinkle of light coming from an alleyway up ahead. Actually, Leo thought as he walked slowly closer, that’s the alleyway where the mystic pizza place entrance is. 

A smirk spread across his face. What could possibly go wrong with just taking a little peek? He was headed over there anyway. —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Button hefted the crystalline bowtie into their hands, almost hitting themself in the face with it. They’d expected it to be WAY heavier than it actually was. The bowtie was pink and started to softly glow when they picked it up, only to flashbang them with one very bright and blinding flash a second later. Button flinched and stumbled back a step, hugging the item close to their chest with one arm and rubbing their eyes with their free hand. Damn, it was like the sun itself came and slapped them in the face!

They stepped back a couple times more, shaking their head out quickly to get rid of the pounding in their head. It faded after a couple seconds, but no sooner than it did a laugh sounded from above them.

The borrower whipped around to find what looked to be a giant humanoid turtle in blue ninja gear lowering to a crouch above them. “Ho-hoh, wow, you’re even smaller than-” As the freaky monster started to reach forward, Button sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively pointed the bowtie at him. 

There was another blinding flash, searing pain struck through their entire body, and a scream erupted from both parties at once. 

…

…

…

“ARGH,” Button screamed out in agony, their head feeling as though it had been stabbed into with a metal toothpick. Donnie. Mikey. … Raph. Dad, April- They grabbed their head, not yet noticing the bowtie was now tiny and had fallen to the ground somehow unscathed. Leo’s entire lifetime of memories flooded the borrower’s brain all at once. Leo. That was the mutant turtle’s name. He was on a pizza run for his family. They wanted two pepperoni, two cheese, and one meat lover’s. What? How did they know what a pizza is? 

Raph will be worried.

Donnie might be worried.

Mikey will be beside himself. Splinter will be crushed.

April will not rest.

Leo needed to get  home as soon as possible. He reached for his phone- no, Button reached for Leonardo’s phone.. and, of course, found nothing; because they weren’t Leo.

Donnie’s trackers! Button finally realized they were flat on their back and slowly sat up, blinking away the film over their eyes. While their stomach did a million flips and flops, they took a second to realize how high up they were. Looking down, their stomach felt like it just about lurched into their throat. He- They weren’t high up, they’re huge. Normal. No, HUGE. 

Their brain hurt. They could feel it throbbing painfully in their skull. So many memories all at once, so many feelings that were his and now theirs. They weren’t sure who they were anymore.

Now with his memories, could they be Leo now, too?

Wait.

LEO.

Button blinks once, hard, scanning the alleyway ground and seeing nothing.. Oh, no. Leo must have been shrunk and was now hiding. Through the pain, they got on their hands and knees and peered under a garbage disposal, whispering soft reassurances.

“Leo.. Leo, it’s okay, I won’t grab you. Just come out, we gotta get you h-”

They stopped, their face hardening with sudden realization. They sit up, stopping their search completely.

Without saying another word, Button picked up the now-tiny crystal in front of them and pocketed it whilst getting to their feet. 

The ex-borrower tucked their tail into their pants and pushed their hair over their pointed ears, walking purposely out of the alleyway.

[strangeinvader9]

More Than-Wait, What? pt 2

Everything freaking hurt as consciousness came back to me. Trying to navigate a ship that was being bombarded by giant space rocks wasn't the best idea, but it was something I'd had to do. Now I was most likely covered in bruises. Although the pounding in the back of my head meant I was probably concussed. Slowly opening my eyes, I was blinded by the bright lights. I groaned. "Wyvern, turn the lights down," I requested. The lights remained bright, causing me to become slightly irritated. "Wyvern, I said dim the lights!" 

"I'm not sure who you're talking to, but I'm not this Wyvern you're trying to boss around." a voice responded, causing me to go still. That wasn't the computerized voice I'd programmed into my ship. I could think of two explinations for this: one, I was somehow found and the person was treating me and two, this was some weird hallucination. "Am I still on my ship?" I asked.

"No."

I remained silent for a moment, thinking. " I was caught in a meteor shower, in space. I was launched off Earth two weeks ago, been unconscious who knows how long, and popped out of hyperspace god knows where. Is there any chance you're human?"

"There's not and I'm not going to hurt you."

"So, what are you? Vulcan? Xenomorph? You can't be Yeerk, I can audibly hear you. Wookie? Klingon?"

"Cybertronian."

"That's new. Wait. You're not being sarcastic. You're really an alien?"

"To your species, yes. To mine, you're the alien."

I slowly blinked my eyes open and looked around. I was definately in a medical room, but everything was 5-10x bigger than it would need to be for humans. I tried to sit up but flopped back due to the sudden surge of dizziness. "Okay, Cybertronian dude-"

"Ratchet."

"The tool? I'll roll with it. Ratchet, are you the ship's medic?"

"I'm the CMO."

"Oh, good. I'm in good hands then. Anyway, what's my medical status?"

"Cuncussion, bruises and several broken bones."

"Which?"

"Talus, humerous, clavical and your sixth and seventh ribs."

"Broken broken or fractured?"

"Broken, broken."

"Yay."

"You'll be staying here until you're healed."

"Here, the medical room or here, the ship?"

"Is there a difference?"

"The medical room, I never leave this location. The ship, I'm free to meet the rest of the crew."

"The medical room for now. We'll figure out what to do with you after. And you'll likely meeting others of the crew anyway. This IS the medical room."

"True, but I could be in a remote part of the medical room so that I'm hidden from any of the other members."

"You're not."

I noded, looking around some more. Whatever a Cybertronian was, it must've been a massive being  as everything in this room was huge. I felt like I was now a doll left in a kid's room without my own things. "My supplies! Argh!" Remembering the supplies I'd packed, I had tried to get up only to have my injuries force me back down. "Ratchet, do you know if any of my equipment was damaged?"

"No."

"No you don't know or no it's not broken?"

"No I don't know and honestly I don't care. Equipment isn't my priority, you are."

I blinked at that. That was a slightly endearing statement, but by the way he said it, it was more a statement of fact than anything else. Slowly and carefully sitting up, I finally caught sight of who/what I had been talking to. Ratchet was a tall mechanical being that was mostly white with red accents on his hands, arms, shoulders, chest and head, some sort of reflective surface on his chest, a white crest on his forehead that looked like horns and bright blue eyes. I couldn’t see past his waist, but it was probably the same all the way down. It also seemed like the joints in his shoulders were tires. 

“What’s with the look?”

“What? Oh, I don’t mean to stare, but I’ve never seen anything like you.”

“I Imagine not. You’re rather primitive.”

“Well, that’s one thing the movies and tvs got right.”

“What?”

“Your superior, ‘humans are inferior, beneath us’ attitude. You know, just because you’ve invented faster than light travel, and have figured out the way to universal peace-”

Ratchet made a noise that sounded a lot like a snort. “We’re not as peaceful as you might assume.”

“Yeah right. Have you been in a war?”

“Four million years.”

"Four million years? The untold generations-”

“Not generations.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Those of us that were born before the war are five million years old or older. We didn't fight for generations, we fought for years.”

I swore I could hear my brain frying. Sci-fi had prepared me for species that had generations that  were centuries older than humanity, but not  a species itself that was several megaannums old. “I….is it possible you-you’re anywhere near eons?” I stammered.

“Eons? Our planet is older than your galaxy.”

I thought I was gonna pass out, my brain couldn’t fully process that. “I’m….gonna have an aneurism.” I grumbled. 

“You asked,” Ratchet huffed. 

“I know, but I wasn’t expecting that. I surrender, your species is the superior one.”

“Not necessarily. There are some things you can do that we can’t and vice versa.”

“Is it okay if we stop talking? I need a few…..months to process this.”

“You won’t be thinking about it in a few minutes. It’ll sneak up on you every now and again.”

“What are you, a psychologist?”

“No, that’s Rang. I’m a medic more for the body, not the mind.”

“Rang? You guys have such weird names.”

“Oh, like yours is any better? What is your name anyway?”

“Don’t get snippy, I wasn’t trying to be offensive. I’m Alexandra McIntosh, but most people call me Alex.”

[librarianandguardian]

Hello! I read that you were open for requests and was wondering if I could request something for Anduin? ^^ Maybe with a female civilian s/o? Just something cute would be great and of course only if you want to write it! Thank you in advance

By the tavern's fire place - Anduin Wrynn x Fem!Reader

Pairing : Anduin Wrynn x Stormwind Civilian Fem!Reader

Words : 1039

Warnings : Fluff, Angst (Guldan at fault here), just a lot of feelings and kisses from an intense young love (Still SFW)

Music : Summertime Sadness (Bardcore | Medieval Style)

Author’s note : Like I said in another post, thank you so much for an Anduin request. Shadowlands is an emotional roller coster for him, I just - Argh. Anyway, this came out a bit angstier than intended. I might do another one in another setting (like with a champion or priest S/O). This is set at the beginning of Legion. So Anduin is (if no changes) technically around 18-19 yo. And because I want to hurt myself, this takes place two nights before King Varian goes to the Broken Shore. I still tried to put some cute elements in there, but I dunno, putting my mains in taverns always made me melancolic and longing for a calmer life for them. Okay I’m done rambling sorry, enjoy.

SHOULD BE PROOFREAD (If you find anything, don’t hesitate to point it out nicely ;) )

Night had finally covered the buzzing city of Stormwind. Its tall white stoned buildings casted large shadows in the moonlight. A wonderful perk for those in need of hiding. The fair citizens of the Alliance light up their candles in the foyer, emptying the streets. Only the guards and the drunks treaded the pavement. The stars shone bright, the moon kissing the sea near the lighthouse of the bay; the bell of the Cathedral rang the eleventh hour of the night.

In the Royal Dungeon, a silhouette lurked in the corridors. Its soft cloak flew with each stealthy step. Avoiding every guard, it went before the king quarters, stopping in its track in the corner of the corridors. Seemingly met with silence, it backed away near a curtain to disappear behind. A guard passed by, clueless.

The Whistling Pig tavern was strangely calm. Around two weeks ago, King Varian Wrynn had announced mass mobilisation of the army to fight off the returning Burning Legion on the Broken shore. The first week after the news, most clients were blacksmiths and stable boys, anyone preparing weapons and means of transport. After that came the lower rank officers and soldiers, drinking one last beer before saying goodbye. And it should’ve lasted until at least the night before departure. Yet somehow, the tavern was nearly empty two days before the departure.

It was nice, though, having a breather. Soon the wives, girlfriends and new widows would flood in. So as (Y/N)’s favourite shadow walked in to sit by the fireplace, her heart grew out of her chest. No one being in dire need of her help, she tiptoed to the silhouette, and whispered.

"Good evening Anduin."

One of her hands massaged the Lion Cub's right shoulder, as she kissed his left cheek.

"Hello, love."

The young prince dragged her gently on his lap. (Y/N) nuzzled her nose between his neck and his cloak. Her fingers traced his jaw, moving around his neck, only to settle in hair. His cheek pressed against her temple, breathing in. One of his hands rounded her hip, as the other caressed her shoulder. Their respective scents invaded their minds. They both exhaled softly. The fire softened their shadows, all the while warming their skins.

"I've missed you."

She put her head up, kissing his neck, jaw and cheek in the process. He captured her cheek, looking deeply in her eyes. His irises wore a tinge of sadness but mostly gratitude. (Y/N) rubbed her nose against his, making him giggle. Her right hand still in his neck, the same idea popped in their minds : slowly pulling each other, they kissed, chastly at first. Pulling apart, she admired the soft face of her secret lover being painted by the fire light.

"I'm scared." (Y/N) admitted.

His hand on her cheek went under her right thigh to bring her closer. Their forehead touched, but they never broke eye contact.

"I am not going anywhere."

Anduin kissed her fervently, a single tear rolling down his skin. It wet her a little, making her pull away. Her thumb sweeped it. His breath was shaky, his hands grabbing her just a bit tighter. She soothed him, kissing his cheeks, rubbing the base of his neck, as he silently sobs. The fire roared softly, filling the air. From the corner of her eye, she saw a customer giving them a sympathetic look. (Y/N) nodded, silently thanking them for the peace.

The tavern was nearly deserted now : her boss snoring on a chair near the kitchen fireplace, a client fast asleep on the counter, a lonely old woman finishing her dinner on a table… The senior noticed the sobs. Approaching quietly, she handed (Y/N) a clean handkerchief she sewed. With a warm smile illuminated by the fire, she bid her farewell, leaving the waitress with her weeping prince.

The Lion Cub took a few minutes to calm down, blowing his nose out every now and then. (Y/N) got up, fetching him a glass of water. He giggled at the silly sight of a huge tankard containing his beverage. His lover had the biggest grin on her face.

"That is quite the glass you got."

She sat on his lap again. A kiss later, she used the handkerchief to wipe his tears.

"A big glass for a big man."

He huffed jokingly before drinking a bit. Noticing no one was around, (Y/N) slowly took off his hood, revealing his long free blond locks. He side-eyed her a bit, but her smile reassured him. Putting the tankard away, the prince held her tighter than ever, planting kisses on her jaw and behind her ear.

"I am scared too. But I know Father will be alright. And as long as you are by my side, nothing can stop me."

A log cracked under the fire warmth. (Y/N) teared up. Taking his chin in her fingers, their lips met again, desperate but not hungry. It was taking in the other; the warmth, the tenderness, the caring side, the affection. Anduin sometimes cursed life to have him born in royalty, and not by (Y/N)’s side. He could have cherished her, wedded her, perhaps even become the father of their angels… but right here, with her close and offering her heart to him, he forgot his frustration and took her in. She was his reality anchor.

(Y/N) moved her hands to his cheeks, caressing them with her thumbs. They pulled away, drowning in each other in the magnificent fire light. To say she nearly didn't get the job… yes, she too fantasised to have been born somewhere else. But then, the thought of not being noticed by him in the royal court frightened her.

Thanking the Light, with all of her soul, that he came one night disguised to blend in with his people.

Thanking the Light that he talked to her all night.

Thanking the Light that he came back often.

Thanking herself for taking the first step towards him, only to be met halfway by the eager young man.

(Y/N) breathed out, not realising she was holding air in.

"I love you."

The fire of the tavern was their solace; lovers protected by the night and its shadows.

[adaodinson]

I didn´t call you babe, I was asking what it meant

It’s been a while since I posted a story, I apologize, I´ve been like crazy cause I’m starting college this year and well, I haven´t had time.

I finally watched Bill and Ted´s trilogy and of course I now adore them and have the biggest crush on Ted. I thought of this while rewatching the first movie today so here it is. In this story Lizzie and Joanna are saved by Rufus like in the movie, but they don´t stay with Bill an Ted (they can still be a part of the band though).

Summary: When the guys go to London in the XV century, they encounter someone else who needs a hand.

Relationship: Ted x femreader, Bill x platonic!femreader

Warnings: none.

Oh you did it this time, you certainly did it. There was no way you would get away from this execution. You were being dragged by the guards, not that you would try to fight them at this point, you knew it was hopeless, but you weren´t going to make it easy for them either.

The wooden door opened with a loud creak as the light from the outside blinded you. You could feel the change in the floor, from cold stone to dirt. You weren´t precisely scared, you were hoping you would get out of this just like the past times but now they took you by surprise, and unlike the others, you didn´t have an escape plan now.

You felt dozens of eyes on you, looking in disgust. Everyone here knew you at this point: the young girl with the weird accent that had no family and only knew how to steal. It was partially true, but of course there was more to you. You didn´t bother trying to change their minds about you anymore, though.

-Aha! I encounter you again- yelled the king from his seat. You rolled your eyes at him and at the look of victory in his eyes. You really didn´t want to give him the satisfaction of killing you, and you didn´t want to die either.

As the guards settled you in place, you realized they were dragging two weird looking guys and tying them up next to you. They had clothes you had never seen before, and they looked funnily scared. The blonde one had a kind aura, he seemed sweet, and the dark haired one, as foolish as he looked, you had to admit was rather handsome. Well, you were clearly lying to yourself, he was beautiful.

-First time here, boys?- You asked with a giggle, still refusing to believe you were going to die.

-You’ve been in this situation before? Are you a ghost?- they asked at the same time.

-I’ve indeed been in this situation before, but I can guarantee I´m not a ghost- you stated.

-Well, how did you get out? We could use some help ya know, babe- The dark haired said with a cute and confused look in his eyes. You flinched at the nickname, you certainly hadn´t heard that before and didn´t know what to think about it.

-Babe?- you asked.

-Yeah?- The same guy asked, waiting for you to say something else. His expression suddenly changed as if he had realized something- Wait, did you just call ME babe?- You swore he was blushing.

-No, I was asking you what it meant…ARGH- you were interrupted by the burning sensation of rope around your neck. They were putting you all in position for the execution.

Behind you, you heard a man screaming nonsense “They fell from the sky!!” “This devilish red box!!”. He was being carried by a cart and was hugging the weirdest thing you had ever seen.

-This is it. Lord, I can´t believe this- You were getting ready to face your destiny when you noticed there where only two executioners. Before you could even realize what was happening, the executioners cut the ropes that were holding you.

-Billy! Socrates!- The guys yelled while hugging the men. You then felt a hand on your shoulder and quickly turned, ready to punch who you thought was a guard.

-DON´T- The cute boy said while covering his face.

-Come on, babe! Come with us, we can get you out of here- You didn’t even stop to think about it, you just jumped to the cart and screamed your way through the town. You were speeding up more and more, and you were not feeling ready to die again, so as you passed a bridge, you managed to grab a rope that was tight to a wooden structure and pulled so it would block your persecutor´s way.

-WOW That was excellent! - both boys said at the same time and then did a strange movement with their hands in the air while shacking their heads happily. They were definitely the weirdest people you had ever met, but you liked that.

As you reached the woods, the guys hurried all of you to get into the red rectangle. You saw the blonde guy going through a book and pressing some metallic thingies.

-Oh I´m Ted by the way, and that is Bill, Socrates and Billy- Ted said while pointing at each of them. You blushed at his attention.

-I´m Y/N- you said with a worried smile since the guards were getting closer.

-Y/N- Ted repeated proudly- Beautiful name for a beautiful lady- That made you blush even more, especially since you were pretty close to him because of the small space inside the red rectangle.

Suddenly all your surrounding changed and you could only see what seemed like infinite. You closed your eyes while screaming and hang on to the shirt of whoever was next to you. Spoiler alert, it was Ted. He didn’t even scream through the time tunnels since he was too busy looking at you.

The red thing finally stopped and Bill asked you to stay inside. You didn´t see much of what happened out there, you just heard Bill and Ted say: “Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!”. You didn´t know what that meant, but they said it with such conviction you assumed they were wise words.

After the guys returned, you made more travels to who knows where and then finally arrived to what Bill and Ted called home. You saw Ted´s house and your head was now hurting with questions, but you understood Ted and Bill needed your help so you would ask everything after that.

They took you to a place called The Mall. It was huge and filled with people. You were looked at weirdly, but to you, the weird ones were all of them. Bill explained what The Mall was and Ted never left your side, he was at the end of the line, guarding all your new friends, but always made sure you were feeling safe.

They gave you a Slursy? Slusfy? Oh whatever, it was the most delicious thing you had ever tried, and Ted smiled so widely just by seeing how happy you were with it. He mentioned they would have to go get another historical figure that they had brought before, and you didn´t want to be without them so you asked if you could go with them. They agreed happily.

You then met Deacon, Ted´s little brother, and before you knew you were at a place called a water park? You didn´t understand so Ted took you to take a look and explain while Bill went looking for Napoleon. You got lost in Ted´s explanation by looking into his eyes, and he realized you weren´t paying attention. He thought you were making fun of him in your head or that you thought he was an idiot. But what you blurted out (according to you, you said it in your head, apparently you didn´t) made him see that wasn´t at all what you were thinking.

-How can you be so cute and pretty?- The question was out before you could even think. You turned a bright red and looked at the floor, but Ted softly grabbed your chin and made you look at him.

-You really think that, Y/N?- His eyes were filled with so much joy, hope and a beautiful spark that you couldn’t bring yourself to lie to him.

-Well, yes, of course I do. I mean, you literally saved me and…- You weren´t allowed to finish, a pair of soft lips in yours interrupted you midsentence, but of course you didn´t care. You tasted and enjoyed every bit of it, just like Ted did.

-Okay guys, I found him… WOAH- Bill was carrying a man covered in a towel and was smirking at you both.

-DUDE- Ted said looking happier than you had ever seen him (and that was a lot to say).

-Awesome!- They both said and did what you now knew was an air guitar movement.

You headed back to the Mall and soon realized your historical friends had been taken to prison by Ted’s father. You didn’t really understand what was going on, everything was new for you and Bill had to drag you as you stood astonished looking at a bicycle (not to mention how many questions you asked about the car). The guys decided it would be best if you stayed with Missy and Napoleon in the car, Ted specified he didn’t want you to get hurt.

Missy asked you tons of questions and answered yours. She was really nice, and even though Napoleon was weird, he was really funny (because he didn’t understand anything).

Finally Bill and Ted returned with the others and you headed back to the Mall.

You weren’t a historical figure, so you got to watch the guy’s complete presentation from behind the stage and to clap like crazy when they finished. Ted had gotten you some clothes when you returned to the Mall, and you were the most comfortable you had ever been.

You decided to stay with them, but you did accompany the guys to leave the historical figures at their times, they ended up being your friends after all.

When you returned, Ted wanted to offer you to stay in his house, but he knew his dad wouldn´t allow it, so you stayed with Bill instead. You saw Ted all the time though, and when they discovered that you could sing they immediately asked you to join their band and be the lead singer. You couldn´t say no to Ted´s beautiful face, so you agreed, and of course their love for music was contagious and you were loving every new song they showed you. Rufus then confirmed you were a part of the band in the future, and so, that´s how your life in a different time began, and you couldn´t love it more.

[gumnut-logic]

Episode tag to ‘Chain reaction’ and general spoilers for Season 3.

-o-o-o-

“Gordon, family movie!”

Alan knocked on his brother’s bedroom door. “Scott managed to get that one you were hanging out for.”

He waited a moment, but as he expected, but hoped wouldn’t be the case, he received no answer.

‘C’mon, bro, we haven’t been all together for days now. Scott made his popcorn just for you.” If his tone was drifting towards pleading he wasn’t ashamed of it. Gordon was worrying him.

Since Penny left the Island, his brother had retreated. In pain, lacking mobility and, most of all, no way to jump in the pool, his usual de-stress mechanisms blocked, Gordon had slowly slipped backwards.

He was healing physically. Virgil monitored him regularly, and Scott was his usual worry wart self, even John was hovering, literally. They all made a point of keeping Gordon company and drawing him into Island life. But Gordon had started resisting, preferring to hide in his room. Alan was worried.

They were all worried.

Hence the family movie.

“Gordon, please.”

Still no answer.

Alan’s lips thinned. Screw this.

Punching his override code into the door’s locking mechanism, he forced it to open.

The room beyond was in darkness, all the blinds drawn. A shadowy lump on the bed was the only indication that his brother was even there. “Gordon?”

No response.

Gordon was like a plant. He needed sunlight. This was just wrong.

“Are you awake?”

“Go away.”

Well, at least that was a response.

“You coming down for the movie?”

A sigh emerged from the darkness. “Don’t feel like it, Allie. ‘M tired.”

“You’ve been in here for hours.”

“I’m sick, haven’t you noticed?”

“You’re getting better! Virgil was very happy with your exercises yesterday.”

“Allie, just...not now.”

Alan swallowed. It hurt to see his brother like this. Gordon was the ray of sunshine. It was like he absorbed the sun he needed and shone the rest on his family.

Biting his lip, Alan strode into the room and shoved up the blinds one after the other.

“Argh, Alan, what the hell?!”

“You need to get up. Lying in here alone will rot your brain.”

“Alan, don’t, I...god, just don’t.” His brother was struggling to sit up in bed, eyes squinting against the light. A gulp of air and he sneezed. “Aaah, shit.” A groan as his one good arm wrapped around his ribs.

Alan’s eyes widened. “Oh, hell, Gordy, I’m sorry!” He hurried over and helped his brother sit up. Gordon stifled another sneeze, likely brought on by the sudden bright sunlight, and once upright, hunched over on the bed.

“Alan...” It came out husky and annoyed. “I know what you’re trying to do, I just need a bit of time to myself.” Another groan and he tipped sideways.

Alan grabbed him and shoved a pillow in the right place to keep him stable. “I’m worried about you. Depression after this kind of injury is a nasty thing.”

“Yeah, well, I just need to work this out for myself.”

“This isn’t like you.”

Gordon’s head came up and he glared. “Really? Funny about that. The whole broken body thing isn’t really my thing either.” His shoulders slumped.

Alan’s brow crinkled and without thought, he dropped down on the bed beside his brother and wrapped his arms around him. “Gordy, we’re all here.”

Gordon tensed a moment, but then, as if all his strings had been cut, he slumped against Alan, his forehead resting awkwardly against his little brother’s.

Whispered. “I know.” An arm crept around Alan’s waist and for a moment they just sat there.

Quiet. “Join us? Please, bro?”

A sigh. “Okay.” Gordon struggled to straighten, his eyes blinking slowly.

A bitten lip and Alan stabilised the injured man enough to let go and grab the hoverchair. Much grunting and a painful gasp or two and Gordon was mobile, his leg sticking out at an awkward angle.

Just in time to be interrupted by John. “The movie has been postponed. Sorry, guys. Scott’s needed.”

“What?!” Alan glared at his brother’s hologram. His timing couldn’t have been worse.

“Sorry, Alan. Maybe later tonight?”

“You gonna come down this time?” Okay, so it was an angry glare he was sending at his brother, but John hadn’t been down for a week.

Turquoise eyes widened at him, darting towards Gordon and back. “Sure, Allie. As soon as Scott’s back.”

“Be there.”

Those eyes widened even more. “FAB.” His hologram blinked out.

“Well, there goes that idea.” Gordon sounded both defeated and pleased at the same time. He shifted the ‘chair closer to the bed, his intentions obvious.

“Hey, no, you don’t. You and I are going for a walk.”

“Speak for yourself.”

Alan grabbed the chair and spun it around. “No, I’m speaking for the both of us. Scott may be busy, but I’m here, Virgil’s still here somewhere and Grandma.”

“Alan-“

“Shut up, Gordon.” He gave the ‘chair a shove towards the door and pushed his brother out into the corridor.

“Alan!”

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.” He slammed the door closed behind him and pushed his pyjama-clad brother into the elevator, through the comms room, kitchen and out onto the pool deck. The sun hit both of them with all its startling warmth.

Gordon closed his eyes, his face tilting just a little in the direction of the light.

Working himself into a regular pace, Alan pushed the chair off the deck and onto one of the well beaten paths around the Island. This one headed in the direction of Thunderbird Two’s runway.

“You do know that once I’m better, I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Get better and you can give it a go.”

“I’m okay, Allie.”

“No, you’re not. I know you better than I know myself, Gordon, and this is not okay.”

“I just wanted some time to myself.”

“You’ve had it. Family time due.”

“What? I’m rationed?”

“Call it what you want, but I’m not going to let you rot in that room.”

“Allie, I’m-“

“Shut up, Gordon.”

“You know, I’m getting really sick of being told to shut up.”

“Stop talking stupid then.”

His brother scoffed, but said nothing more. Their walk wound around the caldera. Alan took it slow, knowing his brother needed the sun and the time far more than speed. The waves at the bottom of the cliff kept them company along with the stray gulls from the colony on Mateo.

Conversation was non-existent. Alan didn’t know whether it was because his brother was pissed at him or just didn’t feel like talking. In any case, it was a beautiful day and even Alan found himself enjoying the scenery.

Just as they hit the treeline of the runway, John broke in on comms. “Alan and Gordon, you might want to take a step back. Thunderbird Two is on launch prep.”

“What? Why?” Alan beat his brother to the question.

“Scott needs assistance.” A pause. “You might want to head back and prep a couple of tubs of D-tam gel.”

“D-tam gel? Is Scott okay?”

“He’s fine.” The cliff rumbled as it opened. Both brothers stared up at it. This wasn’t their usual viewpoint. “Just needs a little help getting out of a nuclear facility. Prep the D-tam just in case.”

“FAB.” His voice was a little faint and he doubted John had heard him above the roar of Thunderbird Two coasting out of her mountain.

Alan edged the hoverchair backwards as far as he could towards the cliff. This was going to be loud and blustery.

“What are you guys doing out here?” Virgil’s voice on comms.

“Apparently watching your show.” The familiar spark in Gordon’s voice lifted Alan’s heart.

“Well, don’t get too close. Roasted brother smells bad.”

Gordon snorted. “You’d know, Brother of the Burnt Eyebrows.”

A grunt over the comms. “Last time I ever listen to you regarding fuel levels.”

“That’s right, blame the younger brother.” Thunderbird Two slid onto her ramp and the ground shuddered as the plane was lifted into her launch position.

“I blame those responsible, Gordo.” A pause. “Fingers in your ears, bros.”

Alan didn’t hesitate and neither did Gordon. They looked stupid, but experience was a wonderful thing.

The ground shook as Virgil fired TB2’s rear thrusters and a shockwave of sound blasted over them, the great cargo plane clawing into the sky. The shockwave was followed by her backwash and both brothers had their hair tossed about. Alan grabbed the hoverchair, slamming on its brakes as he leant into the wind.

“That...never fails to impress.” Gordon eyes followed his brother’s ‘bird into the sky.

Alan snorted. “Three kicks more ass.”

“Because she has an ass for a pilot.”

“Hey!”

“C’mon, Allie, we need to get back to the villa. D-tam time.”

Alan swallowed. Radiation was a bitch. He had to tackle enough of it in space, but nuclear facilities were dirty and nasty.

“They’ll be okay.” Gordon was eyeing him.

Alan sighed. “They better be.”

-o-o-o-

It seemed like forever before Thunderbird One returned to her hanger. The moment she slid into her gantry, Brains instigated a full decontamination of the craft. Beneath the pool specially designed machinery sprayed TB1 with a combination of chemicals that both washed any radioactive particles off her hull and neutralised and collected the tiny amount of waste created. It wasn’t a perfect solution. If it was, hulks like that power station would no longer exist, but it prevented the Island from picking up radioactive dust.

Scott knew what he was in for. The sight of that radiation gauge slipping into the red had alarmed him far more than he’d ever let show. TB1 would have to be scrubbed inside and out. Fortunately, much of the process was automated. But there would still be some he would have to do himself.

Once he was clean.

“Scott, the d-decontamination shower is r-ready.”

Yay. “Thanks, Brains.”

“Alan and Gordon will meet you in the infirmary.”

More fun.

“FAB.”

One, finished with the first stage of her decontamination process, shifted and started her journey down to her hangar. “Oh, Brains, we’ll need decontamination protocol for Two, module two and the Mole.”

“V-Virgil has ad-vised.”

Of course.

It was a blur of mechanics and chemicals for the next twenty minutes. A robot removed his orange uniform and likely destroyed it in a way only angry chemicals could. Other stinky chemicals washed everything from his body in a similar way to how One had been washed clean.

From there, in little more than a fresh towel, he made his way up into the villa and the vat of orange goo in his near future.

What was it with orange and radiation?

The roar of Thunderbird Two’s engines heralded his brother’s entry into the anti-radiation rally. No doubt Virgil would be joining him shortly.

Entering the infirmary stopped all thought.

As expected, two D-tam baths had been set up, full of the orange goop that would help counteract and repair any issues caused by his exposure to radiation. The appropriate IVs hung above the two tubs.

What stopped him in his tracks was the sight of his two little brothers covered from head to toe in that same orange gel.

That and the gel on the floor, ceiling and three of the walls.

“What the hell?”

Alan stared at him. He was mid-throw, a handful of orange gel his projectile. Gordon was sitting in his hoverchair, an equally stunned and guilty expression on his face. There was gel in his hair, on his face, his clothes and the various medical paraphernalia supporting his injured body.

“Hi, Scott.” Gordon’s face split into a grin.

“What do you think you are doing?” He didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or explode.

“Alan calls it jello therapy.”

“I did not.”

“Did, too.”

“Not.”

“Too.”

“Not!”

“Too!”

“Stop it!” Explode was fast becoming the winning option.

The room fell silent.

A splat as a glob of orange goop slid out of Alan’s hand and hit the floor.

Scott just stared, eyes moving slowly back and forth between his two brothers. It took a moment, but he slowly began to realise there was something more than a simple prank involved. Alan’s eyes were glistening. Gordon’s grin was just that touch forced.

Gordon.

His injured brother who he had been desperately trying to drag out of his room the last few days. The brother whose name Virgil had put in a sentence with the word ‘depression’. The brother he was ever so worried about.

Was covered in orange goo and grinning.

However fragile that grin was, it was something to grab a hold of and celebrate.

Something in his heart lurched.

And yes, that was a tear glistening in Alan’s eye.

Aw, hell.

A moment.

A pause.

Securing the towel tightly around his waist, Scott bent at the knees and casually picked up a random glob of orange D-tam gel. He stared at it in his hand. It was harmless. It was even edible, though rather revolting in taste. It had its purpose and it did it well.

Two brothers were staring at him.

He eyed them back, a small smile curving his lips.

Gordon realised what was going to happen a microsecond before it did, but that didn’t stop the orange glob from landing on his forehead.

“Aw, you rat!”

Retaliation was immediate.

Scott ducked as his little brother lobbed gel at his head and grabbed another handful of his own. This time Alan went down with it in his hair.

“Oh, you are so dead, big bro.”

It went downhill from there.

-o-o-o-

Virgil hated decontamination with a passion. The whole chemical thing stunk and the sonic clean grated his bones and shook his teeth. Scott thought he was making it up, but he really could sense those subsonics and he didn’t care what the laws of physics said. He could feel them and they set him on edge.

At least that part was over. Stalking through the villa in only a towel, the air cooling the water left on his skin, he smiled at Grandma as he encountered her in the hallway.

She smiled up at him and patted his shoulder but didn’t say anything, walking off without a word.

He frowned, but headed onto the infirmary.

Oddly the door was shut.

He knocked. “Scott? Okay to come in.”

“Sure!” A muffled sound he couldn’t quite identify followed that.

He opened the door.

Something wet and sloppy hit him in the face.

What the-?!

He dropped the towel and wiped the gunk out of his eyes.

“Whoa, ho, a little too much for the eyes there, bro!” Gordon?

He blinked a little clarity and found three of his brothers coated head to toe in orange D-tam gel, along with the room, including the ceiling.

His mouth fell open, but he was denied the ability to speak.

“Twenty bucks says I can get some in his mouth, first shot.” Alan.

Virgil shut his mouth abruptly.

“Nah, draw a smilie face on his chest.” Gordon was grinning like a maniac. His hoverchair was still operating despite the deluge of orange goop it appeared to be carrying along with him.

But it was Scott who gobsmacked him the most. His big brother was still only wearing a towel, a no longer white towel, and it was he who shouted. “Okay!” And lobbed a series of well-aimed goop balls directly at Virgil’s chest.

Virgil was still so stunned, an orange smilie face did appear quite quickly amongst his chest hair before he gathered enough sense to move.

“What the hell are you guys doing?!” He dove behind one of the baths. This did not stop another glob of gel landing in his hair.

“It’s a jello war, Virg!” Gordon lobbed another volley at him and it splatted all over the wall behind the tub.

“What? Why?!”

“Because it is fun!” Alan was cackling and manoeuvring into a position that exposed Virgil to further attack.

“Virg, you may want your towel.” Scott had it in his hand and chucked it at him. Of course, the towel landed on Virgil’s head. He fumbled with it and hurriedly wrapped it around his waist. There were certain body parts that just didn’t need to be in the line of fire.

A series of splats hit above his head rapid fire and it only took another one catching in his hair for him to finally decide to retaliate. “You are going to regret this.”

“Is that a threat, grumpy bear?” Gordon knew just how to rile him up just that little bit more.

“No threat needed, fishhead, only promises.” With that he reached into the tub and with his two massive hands, scooped up an enormous lump of orange goop. Standing, he shook off the immediate pummel of jello projectiles and stalked over to his injured little brother.

Gordon’s eyes widened as he approached and he stabbed at the hoverchair’s controls.

He didn’t move fast enough.

Virgil dumped the gel on Gordon’s head.

It clogged in his hair, ran down his cheeks and dripped onto his shoulders.

A stunned moment as he stared up at Virgil, and then he was laughing. Gordon laughed so hard he hurt himself and had to groan through happy tears.

Virgil’s grin tried to split his face in half. When Gordon groaned, still laughing, he knelt down to support him, immediately worried he had hurt his little brother.

His reward was orange goo smeared into his hair.

The glint in Gordon’s eye was a wonder to behold.

More goop flew through the air and hit him in the side of the head, his back and shoulder.

Still grinning, Virgil flicked a glob onto Gordon’s nose.

That glint fired up.

Virgil ducked.

-o-o-o-

It was sometime later, after both Scott and Virgil had soaked in the D-tam and received the necessary IV solution to negate any possible effects from the exposure they had both received, that the four tired but happy brothers gathered in the comms room.

Alan sat with Gordon, his brother’s healing leg draped across his thighs. All of them were sporting wet hair fresh from the showers. Virgil’s was falling in his eyes due to an unusual lack of product and he was lounging at a lazy angle on the sofa across from Alan, bare chest loosely wrapped in his unbuttoned flannel shirt, a pair of striped pyjama pants his only other item of clothing. Scott was similarly casual, though his shirt was buttoned up. Alan, himself, was head to toe pyjamas with bare feet. All three of them had helped Gordon get cleaned up after their little war and Gordon was in his bedwear as well.

Virgil had ventured into the kitchen and had come out with pizza and popcorn. Something passed between their eldest brothers as Virgil handed the popcorn to Scott. Alan had no idea what that glare was about.

But now they were just waiting for one other brother who better get his ass down here.

As if on demand, John walked into the room in his usual casual pants and shirt. His eyes hit the tableau of sloppy dress and an eyebrow rose. “Pajama party?”

Scott smiled up at him. “You bet. Here for the pizza?”

John grinned. “I hear the popcorn is worth a steal.”

Virgil glared at him. “Have a seat.”

Scott hit the lights and the room darkened to starlight. A flick of a button and the holoprojector lit up with the movie.

What followed was a good story, good food and good company. Alan soaked it all in, watching his brothers comment on the film. He grinned and cracked up laughing when Scott of all people shoved a small glob of D-tam gel down the back of John’s shirt. The astronaut was not impressed in the slightest. Scott claimed it was so he didn’t feel left out.

John promised to hack Scott’s phone and fill it full of porn.

Gordon asked John if he could have some, too.

Virgil threw a pillow at his head.

That prompted a short and nasty pillow fight that ended up with popcorn on the floor.

Virgil was assigned to obtain more. The movie had to be rewound.

Alan just grinned and enjoyed the show.

“I love you guys.” It was quiet, soft. It came from Gordon.

The room froze.

Some monster wandered across the holoprojector but no-one noticed.

“Gordon?” Scott’s voice was hesitant.

Alan gripped his brother’s leg just that little bit tighter and the aquanaut’s gaze turned to him.

Something was glistening in Gordon’s eyes. “Thanks.”

Something similar rose in Alan’s throat and choked him a little. “Anytime, bro.”

“Anytime.”

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[murdertoothpick]

Hello , I love your writings about crosshair and I was hoping you'd accept my idea...well it's about crosshair x virgin reader (more like clueless, innocent reader , like no experience with relationships but they somehow fell in love*cliche, I know* you know let alone have their first kiss with him) .I hope it's not much to ask for and it's alright if you don't want to write about it. Do not forget to keep yourself healthy and also be kind with yourself!

truths

Pairing: Crosshair x gn!Reader

Warnings: maybe mature content, its pretty sfw apart from mentioning alcohol, sex, etc though its not explicit

Word count: 576

A/N: okay im reaaaallllyyyy trying to get the hang of writing fluff or things with a lot of movement and its obvious akibkiansxksnd i hope this is okay!! also haha always me and dropping crosshair stuff on bb fridays

'Okay, truth or dare?' Hunter turns to you, a mischievous smile on his face that is illuminated by the bright lights of 79's. Intoxication is not a great look on him.

You chuckle, 'Truth.'

'Weeeeeell,' he drawls, sliding a drink over to you, 'Is Crosshair the best you've ever had?'

Your eyes widen immediately, and there's an awkward shift between you and Crosshair. You haven't even kissed yet, let alone slept together.

You shake your head profusely, 'Dare,' you correct yourself, eyes flitting to Crosshair as you avoid the question.

Wrecker groans, clearly wanting to hear your answer, 'We dare you to answer the question.'

You laugh nervously, but Crosshair slings his arm around your shoulders as he answers for you.

'Actually, we haven't gone that far yet.'

The truth takes them back a bit.

Tech speaks up first, 'I would've assumed otherwise, considering Crosshair's previous flin—ARGH.' Echo jabs Tech's side with his scomp link, while Crosshair glares daggers at his brother. If looks could kill.

It was no secret that the sniper has had his fair share of hookups in the past, but it was not something the two of you had taken the time to discuss.

Your hand goes to his knee, and his eyes soften when he turns to look at you. 'Hey, it's okay, but I'm gonna go to the refresher for a moment.'

He nods, retracting his arm from your shoulders to let you leave the booth. He watches you move away and then turns his head back to the table.

They're all watching him, not speaking.

'What?' he deadpans.

'DUDE,' Hunter exclaims, 'go after her!'

Even drunk, Hunter can read emotions better than Crosshair.

The sniper rolls his eyes, 'She's just going to the fresher.'

'Even I can see that she was hurt,' Tech interjects, 'maybe she thinks you don't want to...take it all the way. You should go talk to her.'

Crosshair huffs. His brothers were right, but he wasn't the type to enjoy having these conversations. Reluctantly, he begins moving to the fresher. He finds you by yourself, standing in front of the mirror. The stalls are empty.

'Hey,' you smile at him, but it doesn't quite reach your eyes.

His hands are in his pockets, and he's awkwardly standing a few paces from you.

'Look, uhm...I'm not good at conversation but...' he gestures between you and him, 'you want this, right? Us?'

You can see the uncertainty in his eyes even as his gaze shifts to the ground. It's a moment of vulnerability that you feel yourself being pulled closer to him.

'Yes! Of course I do,' you reassure him, 'It's just that...I've never...' your words slow down.

His eyes snap to yours, realisation dawning on his face. Oh. And now he really doesn't know what to say. He’s frozen, staring at you. You scrunch your face up in embarrassment, cheeks reddening—in a 79’s fresher is not how you anticipated this conversation would take place.

‘I-I understand if you don’t want to...do this anymore,’ you make out between shaky breaths, eyes avoiding his.

His voice pulls you out of your despair. ‘Are you kidding me? I don’t care that you’re a virgin, I thought you were playing hard to get!’

You giggle, stepping towards him, ‘I really like you Cross.’

He smiles down at you, a look of content on his face as he pulls you into his arms, planting a kiss on your forehead, 'I know.'