#a hammer is not a bad thing just because someone can use it to bash a person's head in

[spidergutz-writes]

He cares.

Otis driftwood x reader, a Drabble for my bestie @myers-meadow . fluff, angst if you squint and read backwards, comfort :> , a bit of gore, but nothing serious.

Warmth

darkness

Silence

those are the sole things keeping you alive right now as you lay on the couch, cocooned with a soft blanket that baby had gratefully given you. Sleep is but a wish for you, as you do your best to clear your mind and calm down, but your head is in shambles. It feels as if someone is constantly bashing in your skull with a hammer, and the light that peeks it’s way through the cover is blinding. You attempt to blockout the light by moving the cover some more.

it doesn’t work.

you’d want nothing more than to sleep this wretched curse of a headache off, but alas, it seems god wanted you to suffer, and stay wide awake throughout this purgatory like punishment.

Though silence in not something you can seem to achieve in this house, as screams and cries of agony ring through the entire household, followed by none other than baby’s giggles. Even if you’ve grown used to it, at a time like this, it feels like her giggling is actually stabbing you in the head. You can hear the pounding in your skull, and it’s driving you crazy. It feels as though your body will explode, and honestly you’re sure you would rather that, than this.

you had tried powering through it, doing chores, but you almost passed out when you tried to pick up a towel, and that’s when baby “insisted” forced you to lay down on the couch.

While in the haze of your own thoughts, a small creak in the floor bored has you wincing, Even small and subtle noises hurt. But you feel more at ease at the familiar pattern of the steps that approach you.

Otis.

the smell of blood is strong, but once again, familiar. And, oddly enough, comforting. the weight on the couch shifts, and you groan, the shift causing your head to move. After a solid second or two, you can feel him start to lay down next to you, him opting to be big spoon as always, you slowly scoot over to make room for him. His body enveloping yours, completely caging you in, per say.

Nonetheless, his arm snakes around your waist, and you can feel his hot breath on your neck, plus the warmth radiating from his body is oh so comforting. “Ya feelin okay princess?”

Otis’s voice is unusually soft, and helps soothe your mind ever so slightly. You’re too exhausted and in pain to answer verbally so, instead you just shake your head no. Otis doesn’t say anything back, and instead, slowly urges you to turn around. You obey his silent command, and turn onto your other side.

your now face to face with your boyfriend, and you can now properly see the worry in his eyes.

you never told him about your headaches, mostly because they were rare and you didn’t feel the need to, but now wish you would’ve. you know that if you would have told him about this, he would’ve known exactly how to handle this, but right now, he’s relying on pure instinct to try and take care of you. Which all in all, isn’t such a bad thing, considering how you already feel a little more at peace In his arms.

Safe…

You still don’t feel like talking, so you just snuggle closer to Otis, burying your face into his chest, the comfort and safety of him being near eases your mind a little more, and you finally feel as though you can sleep.

your eyes are heavy, and your head is becoming fuzzy.

his hand reaches around you to softly stroke your hair, and as sleep slowly takes you, you can hear him mumble something.

just a soft and sweet “love you….”

Otis is very rarely soft, and that’s why moments like these are worth millions to you, because this is how you know he truly cares.

——————————-

OH GOD-

this took forever for me to write and I’m so sorry. I really need to manage my time better-

but anyways, as always, please give me constructive criticism!

and! Request are still open, and I would gladly take any HC requests you might have! Please give me HC requests- I’m actually begging you PLEASE-

[sprites4ever]

THE LOW VOLTAGE MISANTHROPE VS THE HIGH VOLTAGE HUMANIST

„I honestly can't tell what's more tragic: Humans destroying their species and the earth out of selfishness, or humans wanting their species to be destroyed because of that.“

Visiting an ocean exhibition today, which mentioned overfishing and ocean pollution, got me thinking about environmentalism and science, and what others have told me about them.

Not just in my generation, Generation Z, but especially in my generation, I see misanthropism, the hatred for the human race. They talk about how humans are inherently horrible, killing and ruining each other and the planet, and how humans don't deserve this world and should just stop living.

Now, in my generation, a lot of that stems from suffering-induced self-hatred, people projecting their hatred for themselves onto humans. But it's more systemic than that.

Arguably, the origin of misanthropism, coupled with anti-intellectualism stems from WWII. Because the Nazis used new technology to inflict unparalleled human suffering and death, and because they justified it with a twisted parody of Darwinist biology, claiming that they were the best 'race' who had the right to destroy the others. This is acutally where the mad scientist trope comes from, as the Nazis didn't have scientists. German scientists had fled the Nazis or were killed by them, since every autocrat's greatest weakness is people who can see through their propaganda. What the Nazis had, was insane people who were paid to invent new torture methods.

This, and the subsequent development of the nuclear bomb, created a new view on humanity, one in which humans and the things they do (those being science and technology) are inherently evil. Misanthropism.

It is false, and there are two reasons why it exists, both having their root in the fundamental, archaic nature of us humans, as seen from a biological perspective.

Negativity bias Originating from our archaic survival instinct, we focus on the bad and do not appreciate the good. We do this because we perceive the bad to be a threat. This is also why we want to be good, because we want to solve the issues with the bad, to stop the threats. Factually, there is as much good in the world, and in each of us, as there is bad. But we only pay attention to the bad and pass off the good.

Egocentrism Being predators by nature, humans are selfish by nature. This leads to each of us having a worldview that is centered around how we perceive the world, and each of us assumes their view to be true. So, if someone has seen a lot of human evil, in concert with negativity bias, they will project it on all humanity.

Misanthropes beat up their own species over some members of said species violating standards that their species has created. Factually, we have as much of a right to live on earth as all other species. Factually, we humans did not invent violence, war, conquest, mass destruction etc. Look up ant wars.

And yes, evil people do horrible things that affect so many humans and other creatures. But they are the fewest, and most people who serve them are not evil, only deceived into thinking that they're doing a good thing.

So, good people must not limit themselves in their ability to affect each other and the world. They must not reject technology or society. Like how a hammer can be used to build a home or to bash a person's skull, like how a nuclear chain reaction can be used to generate power or to cause an explosion that kills hundreds of thousands, these things, just like every other thing humans have invented, are neutral tools that humans can use for good or evil.

Evil humans will use them anyway, so the good humans must stop the evil ones from using these things for evil, and not stop themselves from using them for good.

[pof203]

A Summoner Birthday

Previous post: https://pof203.tumblr.com/post/726054830894972929/a-summoner-birthday

Battle ahead.

Enemies:

Fire Einherjar

Wood Einherjar

Nether Einherjar

Preselected Characters:

Lupin

Wakan Tanka

Oniwaka

Taurus Mask

Zabaniyya

Selected Support Character:

Pure Innocence Hanuman

Story (Chapter 11 Part 1)

When I first arrived in Tokyo, I was scared. I was alone without any memory of who I am, where I came from, or my life before. I'm not even sure if the name I'm using now is my real name. It was like I became a blank page that had everything erased from it... I had no story. I was alone... But not for long.

Soon afterwards, I met new friends who helped me when I came to this world. Together, we went on many adventures, Solving mysteries, defeated bad guys, even helped a few people along the way. We became very close to one another... We were almost a family.

In time, our family grew with more people wanting to join us and feel the love we had for each other. Including...

An oni was is strong of body and strong of faith and shown loyalty because someone showed him kindess.

A young wrestler who considers me his soul brother, and possibly more than that because I stood strong with him.

A fallen angel who felt trapped by his own laws until he was liberated from them.

In doing so, he ascended into a being who believed his songs were an ending until someone showed him they can also be a beginning.

And, the most dearest of all...

A joyful buffalo with a heart as big as he is and shared his love with other equally until he met one who he can give most it to. Until...

Until he ran out of that love and was reduced to a spirit who only knew sorrow until that love was returned to him.

Though all the trials and difficult times that had happened since I came to Tokyo, one thing became clear to me...

They are most precious people, the most precious memories, to me. I had touched they had touched my heart and I touched theirs in return. I can no longer imagine my life without them.

Though I know that there will come a day when the Game is over and I may return to the world I came from without ever knowing if I will ever return, saying goodbye to them, they will always play an important part in my life as I had played a part in theirs.

I don't ever want that to change. I love them all and they love me.

I just wish... I just wish...

My Lupin! You're awake! We were so worried!

Wakan Tanka hugs you so much that you almost felt like you were being crushed by a bolder... But it's a good feeling. You looks around to see that it's not just you and Wakan Tanka here. Also in the cell were Oniwaka, Taurus Mask, and Zabaniyya.

Are you alright, Soul Brother? That was quite the fall we just had and you just passed out. We thought for a second, you were going to leave us.

Yeah... Me, too.

You quickly pull Wakan Tanka deeper in his arm and then pull Taurus Mask in as well. You then user Oniwaka and Zabaniyya and they too join in... You never want to let them go.

Now we just need to get out of this cell. Anyone have any suggestions?

We can try picking the lock. I think I might be able to do it. Don't ask how I know. Let's just say, it really comes in handy when you need it.

You all search around for anything that could be used as a lock pick. After a while, you find a nail sticking out of the bed. You take it out and give it to Oniwaka.

Oniwaka: It's a little rusted. We'll need to re-shape it so we can properl use it.

Zabaniyya: I can use my flames. You can use your club like a hammer to change it. But we'll need water to cool it when it's done.

Taurus Mask: I think I can help with that.

Lupin: I'll help t-

You try to get up, but you stumble back down.

Wakan Tanka: You still need a little more rest. Don't worry, I'll watch after you, Our Lupin.

Lupin: ... (happy) Thank you. Thank you all.

After a short while, Zabaniyya had heated the nail and Oniwaka bashed it to make it suitable for picking locks. Taurus Mask brought the pot which was now filled with water.

Oniwaka: (curious) Where did you get the water?

Taurus Mask: (blushing) ...

Oniwaka: (also blushing) ... Whatever works, I guess.

Oniwaka (carefully) dips the heated nail into the water, cooling down. Then, he begins using it to pick the lock on the cell door.

Wakan Tanka: You'll remember to wash your hands before you eat anything.

You all can't help but laugh.

Lupin: (sighing happily)

Wakan Tanka: What is it, My Lupin?

Lupin: ... I love you all.

Taurus Mask: Soul Brother, are you sure this is the time?

Lupin: It might as well. I thought about what you all said, about wanting to join the Summoners... I think you are all making a good decision. If your hearts are set on joining, I would love it. We all would.

Wakan Tanka: That's wonderful, Our Lupin.

Taurus Mask: We're glad to hear it, Soul Brother.

Zabaniyya: (happy) We look forward to being by your side.

Oniwaka: (still working on the lock) I hope things will go well... I think I almost got it... Yes!

Oniwaka successfully picks the lock and the cell door opens.

Wakan Tanka: Can you move?

Lupin: I'm well enough. Let's go.

The five of you leave the cell.

Zabaniyya: It looks like we're in a dungeon. Maybe under the castle.

Oniwaka: Looks like it. I think I see the guards.

No doubt, you could see some guards marching around chanting a strange song.

Guards: Oh Wee Oh Yee Oh Wo!

Oniwaka: I don't see anyway to sneak pass them. If we want to get out of here, we're gonna have to fight them. Are you ready?

Lupin, Wakan Tanka, Taurus Mask & Zabaniyya: Ready!

You charge on ahead at the guards.

The battle begins.

To be continued...

[votestaynight2]

Huh. Weird. For some reason the next scene is missing too. The next one in the script I have is the H scene. Speaking of, there's an H scene today! Time for some more really badly written porn!

“Yeah. I can’t sleep in this situation.”

A plan against Gilgamesh. If we are to fight that cold-hearted enemy, I’ll have to come up with some plan.

Someone will die if we head to the Ryuudou Temple as we are now. Compared to that, thinking until the very last minute is nothing.

“Are you awake, Tohsaka?” I knock on her door.

“……! H-Hold on! Don’t come in!”

……Hm. I thought Tohsaka would be sleeping, but I guess she’s still awake.

More importantly, she’s in a panic.

After a few minutes of rustling sounds… She must have calmed down. After taking a breath I can hear even outside, Tohsaka opens the door.

“So, what?” Tohsaka glares at me as soon as she sees me.

“Well. I want to continue our conversation from earlier. I want to keep talking about how to fight Gilgamesh.”

“” ……Wait. Why are you glaring at me?

“Tohsaka. Are you in a bad mood?” I ask the obvious.

OF COURSE!

That’s the obvious response she’s going to give, but I have to ask. But…

“…No. That’s not true.”

She gives a strange response.

“Tohsaka. Are you sick or something?”

“No! …Geez, just sit down! I’m going to give you a plan to beat Gilgamesh since you can’t come up with any!”

Tohsaka pulls me inside, locks the door, and walks to the back of the room.

“……?” I move to the center of the room for now. I sit down on the cushion and face Tohsaka, who is sitting in a chair.

“” “”

And an awkward silence follows. Tohsaka is silent even though she’s the one with the plan.

“Tohsaka. About Gilgamesh…”

“…I know. You don’t want Saber fighting him, right? You’re especially kind to her.”

“Hey, that’s not the point here.

I’m saying that we should switch the roles since Saber won’t fare well against Gilgamesh. If Saber is defeated, you’ll be his next target.”

“……Humph. You say switch roles, so what are you thinking?

I’m going to pass. That goldie used his riches to collect all the magic-resistant equipment in the world.

I’ll do much worse than Saber. That should be the same for you as well, right?”

“” That’s… true, but…

…I can’t get those eyes out of my head.

Archer definitely told me this. That the golden Servant… That only Emiya Shirou can match Gilgamesh.

MISSING SCENE

The lights are turned off. The phosphorescent lamp is illuminating the room.

"――――――――" My heart is beating fast. My hesitation was blown away with the kiss, but I grow more tense by the minute. I get dizzy thinking about what I'm going to be doing. I try to reason with my raging instincts, but my resistance is fading by the second.

"――――! ――――" …That's right. I'm not nervous because this is my first time. ―――I'm going to have sex with Tohsaka. I finally realize that it's an outrageous thing.

"……" Tohsaka is waiting for me.

"Well, Tohsaka…" I walk towards her using my unresponsive legs, and try to touch her arm.

"…Hold on. Let's do it again before that. You do it to me this time." "――――" I feel an impact, as if a nail is hammered into me. …She must be as tense as me, if not more. Tohsaka is bashful, and my tension is all blown away by her awkwardness.

"―――Okay. Let's do it again." I hold Tohsaka's hand. Her fingers are tense, her neck even more so.

"……" Where did her previous confidence go? Tohsaka curls up and waits for me like a small child.

"……Hey. Are you nervous, Tohsaka?" "……! I-I'm not…! We already kissed once, so why do I have to be nervous…!?"

"I see. That's good. But I thought I'd ask, you know?" "――――! J-Just carry on…! ……I-I won't let you to go any further unless you kiss me―――"

"――――――!" Crap, that just turned on my switch. Tohsaka looks cute, trying not to let me see her trembling.

She closes her eyes and waits for my kiss. Her lips are shaking and her body looks so weak right now.

"I'm doing it, Tohsaka." I grab her arm and pull her towards me. I try to copy what she did and kiss her. ―――I feel her lips for only an instant. Tohsaka must have panicked as she suddenly pulls her head back.

"Oh――――" Tohsaka looks up at me in blank amazement. It's natural that she drew back. I just pressed my lips onto hers.

"…I-I'm sorry. I didn't know how strong I should've done it." "N-No―――that wasn't your fault." She hangs her head in embarrassment and takes a deep breath. "……I'm sorry. Um… you can continue, just as you were doing it." Tohsaka blushes and closes her eyes.

"――――――――" My body heats up. I don't even think about trying to be nice this time. I press my lips onto hers as if to bite her.

"Ah… Hm…" I feel a soft sensation. We touch for only a second. Our lips press against each other and melt into one.

"Ah… Ha… Hm―――Hm…" "――――, ――――" I feel our lips dissolving into each other. I taste Tohsaka. I can feel the warm softness of her wet lips, and the sensation of her breath escaping.

"Hmm… hm, …Ah, mm….." ―――Everything is torture. She's so close to me. The one I love is as close to me as possible. Touching her lips is driving me crazy, but this is still not enough.

I want to embrace her harder. I want to melt into her. My brain wants to reach ecstasy just from kissing her. I feel an uplift like ejaculation. But I can't orgasm from just a kiss, and it's driving me mad.

"Ha… hm, fu――――ah, huh…?" "――――, Ha." My penis is already erect. …I push my erect self onto Tohsaka.

"Ah, hm… What… is this… Shirou? Something's… hitting me――――" Tohsaka's breathing goes wild. As it does, a red flush begins to spread up her neck.

"Ha――――hm, hmm, hm……" …We don't try to do anything else but press our lips together. Our lips remain closed, and we do not even try to put our tongues out.

I'm scared we won't be able to turn back if we do so. That's why we're only kissing with our lips. It's an incomplete contact, neither deep nor soft.

"Ah… Hm, ah, it's getting harder…" "…Hm, ha――――Tohsaka…" "Hm… Ah……!" I reach out with my arms as if to reach out for air.

"Haa… ah―――huh? Wait, Shirou…!?" I keep Tohsaka still using my right hand. I use my left hand to grab her breast.

"Hm…! N-No…! Don't grab me there, ou……!" I cover up her mouth. I'm not going to listen to her complaints. I can feel her breathing, even as I squeeze her breast in my hand.

"Ow, it hurts…! Don't do it yet…! We have to stay at a kiss right now…! Hm, hm…!" "Why not…? Your breasts feel good―――" I frantically dig my fingers into her flesh.

"Ah――――hm…… My breasts feel good…?" "…Yeah… Touching them makes you seem even more like a woman? You're cute when you're embarrassed and panting."

"You idiot――――what are you saying… Hm, fuh…! Ha, haa… hm………… You idiot." She sighs. Tohsaka's breast fits in my hand. It barely escapes my hands when I squeeze them. I think its shape and softness are in perfect balance.

"…Tohsaka. Does it still hurt?"

"……Huh……? Ah, hm… it hurts, but―――I'm getting… used to it. So… I'll bear it for a bit longer…"

She pants. …Her body is heating up. I can see her breasts heaving, even under her shirt. She's still resisting me, but she's trying her best to catch her breath so that she can accept it.

"――――Hm." "……Huh, Shirou…?" I pull back, bringing our lips apart. I can't stand it any longer, and there's no need to restrain myself. We're both ready for this. I might lose all control if it continues like this for much longer.

"…Um. Can we get started, Tohsaka?" Even though we're ready, it's still embarrassing to say it. It must be the same for Tohsaka. "…………Yeah. I was thinking the same thing." She replies with a red face.

"…Then I'm taking off my clothes. Can you look away…?" "Oh――――I see." I quickly turn my back to her. …That's right. Having sex means getting naked. I forgot that simple, yet scary, fact until now.

"Ugh………" Sweat forms on my forehead. I get dizzy just imagining Tohsaka's naked body. I bet my heart will beat twice as fast if I actually see it.

"………Hm." No, it's good if that's the only thing that happens to me. …I hear her taking her clothes off. I'm worried if my sanity will still be there once I look behind me.

"…Hey. Why are you spaced out, Shirou?" "Huh?" "You're supposed to be getting naked too…! Y-You're a failure as a man if you're only letting the girl take off her clothes…!" "Oh. Y-You're right. Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking…!" I quickly strip down.

――――So. "…Fine. You can turn this way now, Shirou." I prepare myself and turn around. I honestly think I'll get a nosebleed if I don't prepare myself.

"………" I narrow my eyes and try not to look at Tohsaka. ――――Then.

"HEY, WHAT IS THAT!!!!?"

"Huh?" My embarrassment and hope are blown away by her scream.

"T-Tohsaka…?" "Whoa, hold on! Don't come over here….! What is that!? No way, no way, no way……!?" Tohsaka panics. …But Tohsaka still keeps her eyes on me―――no, on my erect penis.

"……Tohsaka. I don't know what you're surprised about, but that really hurts, you know." Um, it hurts my pride as a man.

"Uh――――um." That must have calmed her down. Her face still burning, Tohsaka stares at my member.

"……Tohsaka. Um, that's difficult for me too. I'll have trouble restraining myself if you keep staring at it like that." "Oh… I'm sorry. But, um, I was surprised." She reaches out as she says so.

"H-H-Hold on――――! W-What are you going to do…!?" "Oh, it looked so hard, so I thought about poking it…" Tohsaka twirls her finger, her face turning even more red.

"――――!" Y-You've got to be kidding…! I might explode if Tohsaka pokes it with her finger…!

"A――――Are you stupid!? Don't do such embarrassing things…! Don't go near dangerous things!" I don't know what I'm saying, but I try to keep Tohsaka away.

"…You're acting strange, Tohsaka. Does mine look weird?" I object.

"Eh… No, that's not it… Um, it's different from what I heard. Um, I thought it was going to be smaller…" She shows me the length she'd imagined with her fingers. The distance between them is only about half as long as my erect penis.

"――――――――" It seems Tohsaka is thinking of when it is limp.

"…Hey. Is this really coming inside of me…?" She blushes and asks me timidly. But… "I-I don't know! This is my first time, so there's no way I would know!" I yell, hoping to make her back down.

"――――――――" Tohsaka looks at me in surprise. "…I see. Yeah, so it's your first time too, huh?" Then, she lets out a sigh of relief.

"………" …Hold on. By "you too", she means――――

"…Tohsaka, is this your first time?" "――――――――" She replies with a glare. It looks like she's saying "is that bad?"

"Ugh――――――――" If this is her first time, um, she's a virgin, so it has to be painful for her. Not only that, but it could be hard for her to get any pleasure out of sex――――

"Tohsaka, you…" "…Humph. Forget about it. I'm the one who brought this up, so I'm prepared for it. …I'm used to pain. Don't worry about me and you just concentrate on your own orgasm." "…Um, you mean… ejaculate, right?"

"Yes. But don't let your guard down. We can't connect unless we both reach orgasm at the same time so that our protections come down. I'll take care of the contract and the connection of our Magic Circuits, so all you have to do is have sex with me."

"――――――――" That's right. This is a ritual to get her to share her magical energy. I can't just be driven by my desires. All the more so if Tohsaka is a virgin. We have to orgasm together, so I better make sure I pleasure Tohsaka as much as possible.

"We're only doing this to connect with each other, so don't do anything else, okay? …I don't think I need to tell you, but I'll get angry if you do weird things." "…? What do you mean by weird things?"

"Eh…? U-Um, like ejaculating inside of me or expecting me to do it with my mouth." She hangs her head in embarrassment. "――――――――" My desire surges up again at her gesture. Her skin stimulates my desires.

"I know. But can I ask you something before we start?" "W-What? I'll get angry if you tell me to do anything weird!" Tohsaka glares at me, doing her best to look angry. Seeing her cute embarrassment blows away my own embarrassment.

"Well, it's a simple question. Why aren't you taking off your top?" "Huh…?" Tohsaka sits there, dumbfounded. The question must have caught her off-guard, as she looks at me as if she's seen a ghost.

And I wait for a few seconds before she replies. "I-I don't have any particular reason! T-This is fine, right!? I-I-I only need to take my bottom off to do it, so I don't have to get naked." "Why? I'm naked."

"……! That's fine because you're a guy! Girls have their reasons, so it's best if I'm covered up a bit…!" Tohsaka pulls back as if running away. That shirt must be Tohsaka's last defense.

I understand how she feels. It might be fine to let her keep her shirt on if it helps her keep calm. But that's an excessive request. I don't think any man would be able to consent to that.

"That's a problem. I might dirty your shirt, and I won't be able to concentrate if I have to worry about that. And…" "Ugh. T-That's your problem. E-Even if you can't concentrate, I can concentrate, so――――" "And I want to see your body. I won't do it unless you get naked."

"Y――――" Tohsaka shuts her mouth upon hearing my selfish request.

"Tohsaka." "――――F-Fine, you blockhead! I'll do as you wish, so turn around and close your eyes!" "Oh, o-okay." I'm taken aback at her pressure and close my eyes. I don't hear the sound of her clothes. I just feel the air moving behind me.

"……All right. You can turn around now, Shirou." I nod silently at her tense voice. "――――――――" A guest room without any moonlight… Tohsaka's body is illuminated by the warm lamp, and it is so beautiful that it shatters my composure.

"…………" Tohsaka silently tries to avoid my gaze. Her skin looks soft. Her limbs look a bit girlish, as if they are not fully matured. Her breasts, covered by her hands, are of perfect size. I bet they would shake like gelatin if I poked them with my finger.

"――――――――" I think praising her is unnecessary, so I continue to stare at her. …Then. I notice one part of her that hasn't changed.

"……Um. Aren't you going to take your stockings off, Tohsaka?" "Do you have a problem with that? This is as far as I'm going to go. …I won't let you see everything on our first time." She sulks and looks away.

I don't think her legs will matter when she's taken off so much clothing, but I can't complain if she puts it like that. …And she's already too seductive. I'll just accept this compromise right now.

"……All right. We're starting, Tohsaka." I grab her arm without waiting for a reply. …I push her onto the bed. Her red-tinted body sinks into her long, black hair.

"Oh… Shirou. Um, if you can…" "―――I know. I'll go slow, so you can just lie there." "…Okay. Please go on." Her voice trails off uneasily. I slowly place my fingers on her breast.

"Ah… hm…" I touch her well-shaped breasts. Her plump breasts are hot, just like the rest of her body.

I wrap my hand around Tohsaka's female symbol. "…Wow." I let out a voice of surprise. My mind goes crazy at its soft firmness. The softness of her breasts stimulates my manhood.

"…No, that… hm, hurts a bit." "Huh――――?" I didn't squeeze them too hard, but it must have been painful for Tohsaka. But I'm not calm enough to stop. I want to feel her softness. I want to continue feeling her breasts.

"Then… I'm doing this." "Huh…? Ah, uh…!?" I streak my tongue across her breast while keeping it in my hands.

"Haa… hm, that… tickles, but, that's, fine, hm…!" I'm only pushing down on her breasts with my hands. But they stick to my fingers, as if sucking on them.

"……Ah… Hm…" "Hm… Do you like it, Tohsaka…?" "Eh… oh, n-no, that's… not it…" …Her breathing quickens. While licking the breast, my tongue naturally reaches the very tip.

"Ah… mm…" I lick her pink nipple as if tasting it. I poke it and roll it with my tongue.

"…Ahh, hm――――"

Tohsaka is breathing faster and faster. …Her breasts are getting hotter. Her nipples are getting harder.

"Ha…… Haa… Mm, ah…"

But it seems Tohsaka isn't ready yet. …She's breathing impatiently. Tohsaka isn't that sensitive yet. …It might be impolite to say this, but Tohsaka seems like the type that's hard to please.

"Ha―――hm, Shirou, your tongue is hot… and wet… Ah, ya――――"

But I can't stop myself. I'm licking her breasts and I'm already wanting to bite her nipples. My brain is stimulated every time my legs rub against Tohsaka's thighs. The soft sensation runs up my spine and into my brain.

"Ah, haa, ha――――hm……!" …Plus, Tohsaka is panting and opening up her body in front of me.

"――――――――" I want to taste her even more. I want to make Tohsaka mine by force and――――

"Ah, hm…… Hya…!? N-No, where are you going, Shirou…!?" I slide my tongue across her body. I move my face below her chest. I slide from between her breasts and down.

"………!!! No, ah, hm…!" Her compliant body suddenly shakes. "N-No…! Stay away from my belly button…!" Tohsaka tries to hide her belly button.

"Hm… You're weak here, Tohsaka?" "Oh――――hya, hyaa, uhhh……!!" I block her hand with my forehead and lick her pretty belly button.

"Ah, no――――no, don't… Ah, hm, ah, no――――"

There's no power in her hands. I can do whatever I want. My tongue goes past her pubes and reaches a small lump.

"Ah, hm……!!!!" Tohsaka's voice gets higher. I guess this is stimulating even for her.

"Hm, in that case――――" "Ah… no…! Ha, ah… ahh…!" I push away the skin of the bud with my tongue and expose her clit. Her clit is swollen red and I bet it will shake if I poke it.

"Ha, ah, ahhhh…! N-No, don't, touch me there…! I-I'll really hate you if you do…" Her tone of voice changed and she sounds like she's begging now.

"……?" I raise my head to question her. "Ah… haa… haa… ha.. Don't do it. If you touch me there, um… I'll get an orgasm before you will." Tohsaka confesses.

"Hm… it's fine, so put it in… I'm… ready."

"――――――――" Is she really ready? It doesn't look like she's wet enough. It's starting to heat up, but it's not wet at all, and I don't think I can fit myself in there――――

"……!" What should I do? I should carry on caressing her in a situation like this, right? I hear it'll hurt unless I loosen it up with smaller things like my tongue and fingers…

"…Tohsaka. I know what you were telling me before, but I think I have to lick it at least, or something." "Eh――――y-you mean lick mine…!?" She resists, embarrassment clearly audible in her voice. Her genitals are also excretory organs. It seems like it's a big deal for her to have someone put his mouth down there.

"N-No…! You don't want to do such a thing, right…!?" "I don't care. I won't mind doing it to you." "―――! Uh… um. B-But don't do it. I'm fine… and, um… It's a problem for me if you do it." "…? …Problem?"

"I-It just is, okay…!? I'll go crazy if you do anything more to me, and it's embarrassing too, so just don't look at me too much, okay…!?"

"――――Oh. I see, so…" She's just like me. It's really embarrassing to get naked and have your body looked at. …It was embarrassing for the guy, so it must be even more embarrassing for Tohsaka. We're going to be having sex, but it seems Tohsaka doesn't want me to look at her vagina.

"…All right. I'm putting it in, okay?" "…………" She replies by nodding. I open up her legs and put my waist between them. I grab my erect penis and push it onto her slit――――

"Hah, gu……!" Tohsaka jumps. I only pushed it in a bit, but Tohsaka reacts violently.

I hear a wet sound. The erect penis goes between Tohsaka's red slit into her pink walls.

"Ha――――ah, ah, mn―――……!!"

"――――――――!" Voice escapes my mouth at her hot, narrow hole. Tohsaka isn't that wet as expected. As it isn't wet, I'll be penetrating into her.

"Ha―――ah……! I-It's coming in…!" It feels like I'm ripping it in rather than inserting it. Her flesh is tearing as I push in further.

"……! I, ah… ku, hm…!" I stop myself. I think I'll dͯ something to Tohsaka if I continue. Tohsaka is gritting her teeth and bearing it, even though I still don't even have half of my tip inside of her.

"Ah――――haa… haa… ah…" Her body is tinted red from her own heat. Drops of sweat form on her skin and her fingers are scratching the bed as if to bear my insertion.

"――――――――" If all this is caused just by inserting my tip into her, then there's worse to come. But I've already started. I feel Tohsaka already, even though she may only be in pain.

"Ah… haa… ah… fua."

Listening to her pained voice, I barely retain my sanity. …I'll go slow. I'll slowly put it in her so that it won't be painful.

"Relax, Tohsaka." "Huh…? Ah, mn…! Hm…!" ―――I slowly push my hips. It's really tight inside of Tohsaka. I squeeze myself through her tight walls. No, I'm wrenching open her pussy using my wet weapon.

"Haa, nn, no…! It's too big, no, it won't fit――――…!" I don't feel like I'm being accepted. Tohsaka feels only pain, and her body refuses the intruder coming into it.

"Hah――――!" No, it isn't just that. Her pussy contracts to push out the foreign substance.

"Ah, na, ah, ku……!"

"Ha――――ahh……!" I push it open using force, taking the greatest care not to push in too fast.

…Damn. It must be difficult for Tohsaka, but it's hard for me as well. It mentally tires me to go easy on her, and her vagina is constantly stimulating me. Her walls are contracting around me. I feel her warmth through my penis. The sensation of her fills up my brain.

"Guh――――" I grunt at the sensation coming from my penis. I want to go wild, but I restrain myself. …It's hard for me. I might ram it in her all at once if I let my guard down.

"Ah… It's… coming in――――"

―――I push it in slowly. I manage to fit my head into Tohsaka.

I stop and check how Tohsaka's doing.

"Ah――――haa, ah, ha……"

…She's breathing slower now. I managed to get my tip in, so I think it'll be easier from now on. ――――But.

"Hm…… I-Is it not all in yet…?"

Tohsaka holds back her tears as she looks up at me uneasily.

"――――" …I'm just getting started here. I only got my tip in. This is just the start if I am to move my penis in and out.

"―――No, we're just getting started. I need to put it in more."

"…Oh, I see… So it's only the tip, huh?" She murmurs. …Tohsaka is at her limit. Her pussy isn't wet. Her walls are trying to keep me out. It's not just her body.

…No matter how firm she may be… No, it may be because she acts firm all the time, but Tohsaka looks so vulnerable when she's naked. She seems afraid of someone else coming into her body.

"…What do you want to do? Should we rest for a while…?" "…No, I'm well rested now. …I'm sorry for worrying you." "――――Are you sure, Tohsaka?"

"…Yeah… I'm fine――――so go ahead, Shirou." "―――――――" I'm filled with the urge to embrace her. But I can't do anything unnecessary to her, as she's got her hands full with bearing the insertion.

"…Relax, okay? Tell me to stop if it hurts." "…Yeah, I know." I raise her hips just a bit. Tohsaka squeezes my tip hard. I spread open her walls to fight against it.

"Ha, nuu, mn…!!"

Tohsaka blushes at the different feeling of my rim going through her walls.

…I think it's a reaction she hasn't shown before. She was only bearing the pain up to now. She must have fully realized she's having sex now. I see pain and embarrassment on her face.

"Ah… ha, ah, hm――――Shirou, it's getting better, so… you can… be a bit more forceful―――" Tohsaka tries her best to relax. She's trying her best to take me in.

"Toh… saka――――" …I might be able to now… I might be able to go deeper into Tohsaka.

"Kya…!? Fua, hm, naa――――!!!!"

I push my hips in a bit harder. My penis plunges into her. Tohsaka shakes from the force. I feel something elastic on my tip.

"Ah, haa, ou… Hm, haa, ou, ah… Haa, no… no…!"

"――――!" Her walls squeeze hard on my penis. Tohsaka's vagina tries to push me out as if screaming.

"Ah, guh." ―――I went too fast. I hear her groan and quickly pull myself back.

"Oh… Why are you stopping…?" "――――Why?" "Hm… I'm fine… it hurts, but… it was only a bit. Please continue… Shirou…"

She appeals to me while trying to hide her pain. "――――――――" She must have felt it pressing on the sign of her virginity. Tohsaka knows what it means, but she's still bearing it.

"Mm, fua――――!!!!" I push it in once more. I move my penis awkwardly. Tohsaka's body jumps when I move it just a bit.

"Ha, hm… Something's hitting me――――" …She doesn't need to tell me. I feel a wall that's blocking me that's different from the one squeezing me.

"…Emiya-kun…?" Tohsaka looks up at me uneasily. I nod back to her. "――――I'm putting it in. I'm taking your virginity, Tohsaka." Unwilling to put it off any longer, I push myself all the way into her in one motion.

"Ah, na, ahhhhh……!" I push into her. She tightens around me more than ever.

"Fu――――" There's so much pressure that I feel like it's being cut off. The sharp pain converts into pleasure and multiplies my joy at becoming one with Tohsaka.

"Ah, ou, ouch, no, I, I, ah, haa, ah―――! Haa―――ha, na… it, fu, ahhhhhhh……!!!!!!"

Her pussy squeezes me. But that doesn't last long as the pressure goes away slowly.

"Ah―――Ah… haa, ah…… hm……" It's easy after that. Tohsaka's body loses power after I take her virginity. The last half of my penis goes into her as if the previous difficulty was a lie.

"――――Ah――――……Ha." …Tohsaka catches her breath. I won't be going deeper into her, so all that is left is to slowly soften her up.

"……Ha, ah――――is it all in…?" I don't need to answer. My penis is deep within her. My erect penis fills up all of her vagina so that there's no extra space. Even my tip is touching the entrance to her womb.

"Oh… moving it is…" …Is it an after-effect of losing her virginity or is it resistance to the thing inside of her? Unable even to lift up her arm, Tohsaka can only stare at the place where we are connected. There's the surprise of accepting something she thought would never go into her, and the uneasiness of not knowing what to do now. She already looks so cute that…

"―――Tohsaka, can I-" "Ah… hm… I see… I'm filled with Shirou." "――――!" I can't ask her if I can move or not.

"Oh… it's… getting bigger――――" She looks bewildered. I ignore it and… "――――I'm moving, Tohsaka. I can't hold it any longer." "Eh… ah, hm…!?"

"――――Fu――――" I pull my hips back. I pull my boiling meat out of the hole that has been contracting to push me out.

"Ah, ahn…! No, nha, ha―――fua, mm…!" My stimulated cock is still full of desire. There's no need to hurry. I'll move slowly so that Tohsaka's body can get used to me.

"Haa… Ahhh… hm, ku…!" Our flesh slides together. I slowly move my waist back and forth to match Tohsaka's breathing.

"Ah, hm… No, don't move… Nha, ha… I still… have trouble breathing… Ah…"

Tohsaka's saying something under her ragged breath. But my body doesn't follow my order.

"Haa―――…! No, Shirou, it still hurts…!" I still hear pain in her voice. Even though I took her virginity, the pain won't go away after I move it once or twice.

"Ah… Hm, haa, ah, mm…! It hurts… hm… it hurts, but…" But still, I see some change. I slowly keep moving in and out of her.

"……! Haa, ah… ha, haa, ah…!"

Her tense body gets hotter. She still feels pain. But at the same time――― "Good… I'm really having sex." Tohsaka's eyes well up with tears as if to show her relief.

"Ah, hm, ahh…! It's good, Shirou, keep moving――――"

She's accepting me. She's enduring her pain and taking her time to accept a foreign intruder.

"―――Harder――――I'm a girl, too, na, fua, ah―――!!"

Tohsaka pants with her shoulders and tries to keep up with me. Her tightness starts to send something other than pain up into my spine.

Our movements create a wet sound. "Ah――――ha." Her tight pussy starts to get slippery. The scorching hole starts to turn into a heaving sea.

"Ah… Haa… ah, ha――――hm… Ah, it feels good……!" ―――She must be getting used to it. My pre-cum blends with Tohsaka's love juice. Our movements create bubbles between us.

"――――――――" The female organ and the male organ rub against each other. "――――――――Haa." Pleasure runs up my spine into my brain. ―――There's no way I can bear this. I want to embrace Tohsaka. This gentle sex isn't enough for me.

"Eh, hm…? …Shirou…? Wait… isn't it a bit strong…? …Mm… Can you move… slower――――?"

I don't hear her. And besides… "…You should be able to take this. It's getting smoother than when we first started." "Ha… but this is good enough for me――――" "It's not good enough. I want to embrace you even more." My reason has already been thrown to the wind.

"No, ah……!? Ha, Shirou, it hurts…!" I push it into her. I throw my previous gentleness out the door. I move my hips violently so that our waists hit each other…!

"……!! Ya, ha, no, stop, naaa…!" Her body arches back. I can't contain my lust and it even turns Tohsaka's voice into urges.

"Ha, nha, haa, ah―――! Ou, it's rubbing me…! Ah, ha, ah, hm――――!?" She twists her hips to get away. But there's nowhere for her to go as I'm holding them, so all she can do is stay there and accept me.

"Stop, I'm telling you… to stop…! Fuaa, hm, ku…! I'm really gonna get mad…!" "Haa――――you can resist me if you want… You're not doing it because it feels good, right?" "…But… I-I can't put power into my limbs, ah, hm, ahh…!"

I'm shaking her body, and her long hair scatters across the bed. Her well-shaped breasts shake like jelly and the pure sight of it drives me crazy.

"No, no, It'll tear apart… again…! Ahh, ou, it really hurts… nn, fua, haa, no, ha…!"

I keep moving in and out. The movement is smooth. Her love juice and the blood from losing her virginity are dampening her pussy. The movement creates wet sounds…! The friction encourages my sensitive penis.

"Haa――――ah, ahh……!" "――――, ――――, ――――……!" I feel nauseous. I grit my teeth and bear the pleasure that makes me want to scream. It should be the same for Tohsaka. Her soft-looking skin is covered with sweat.

"Ah―――Ah, ah――――it hurts… but it feels good――――you're mixing me up too much, so I'm going crazy――――!"

"Ah… haa, kuh…!" ――――It feels like we're entangled with each other. No, it's not just a feeling. We are connected. I'm penetrating Tohsaka, and Tohsaka is accepting me. This is the pure action to try to take each other in.

The movements make a wet sound…! This act is intended to make us one. I keep up my simple movement of moving back and forth.

"Ah――――no, it's coming deeper――――!"

The simple movement unifies our minds.

"Ha――――it's coming in deep――――"

This raw pleasure burns away my sanity. This simple, simple, simple action feels so good――――!

"Ha, ah, hah……!!!!" I move faster. I push in so hard that I might go into her womb.

"Ahh, nha, ha, ah――――! Ow, ow, ow, it hurts, Shirou…!!" I'm not holding anything back now. I want her so much that I want to break her body, her tears, and her voice―――

"Ah, faah, no, ah……! This, this is scary, no, nonononono…!" Pain isn't the only reason she's screaming. Tohsaka fears the pleasure coming from the violent thrusts. As proof…

"…! Tohsaka, you're so tight…!" She reacts to my desire.

"I-It's not my fault…! I-It's all your fault, Shirou, hn, haa, ah, ahhhh…!" ―――The sensations from my penis fill my mind with blinding light.

Tohsaka is getting tighter. Her walls are contracting around me. Her soft meat tightens around my tip, my shaft, and my whole penis. The sensation is so overwhelming that it makes me want to explode my brains out as well.

"Agh――――Tohsaka…!" "Ow, ow, it hurts, but it feels good――――! Ah, ahn, uha, haa, ah…! I-I'm melting, I'm going crazy…!"

Her thighs are slick with dripping juice. Her tense body is now a ripe fruit. I push in my penis. Her walls close around me, simultaneously accepting and resisting. I pull out and push it back in over and over.

"Ahh, nha, ah, haa…! I-I'm gonna break, you're filling me up…!"

I stimulate her and blow away her reason. I push her mind up to a higher level. There's no limit. I just need to get our minds to white out and――――

"Ah――――Ah, nha, ahhhhhhhhh……!" Tohsaka lets out a loud moan. With her eyes closed in pleasure, she tightens around me to make me ejaculate.

―――My vision flickers. I can't think. I can only see the person in front of me, Tohsaka Rin. ―――Our minds are at their limits. They stimulate one another and the pleasure increases with it.

"Ha, ah――――……!" Our minds are melted together. There's nothing to hold back now.

"No――――I can't hold it anymore…! Shirou, I…!" Just like Tohsaka, who is trying to bear her orgasm, I'm about to explode as well. "――――Toh… saka…!" And I push it in. I push it into her so hard that my penis would strike her womb…!

"Shirou…! Shirou, nha, ahh, ha――――ah, you idiot――――ah…!!!!"

"Guh――――……!?" Tohsaka's body loses strength and falls onto the bed. ―――Lightning runs through me at that moment. Tohsaka's walls convulse violently as she orgasms.

"Ah…!" Her walls squeeze my shaft. My penis is wrapped around by numerous walls. She squeezes cum out of me as if to get me back for all I've done to her.

"――――! Ah――――" I can't hold myself back anymore and release it. I ejaculate onto her defenseless body. …What a bad mistake. I managed to pull my hips back at the last second so that I wouldn't ejaculate inside of her, but――――

"…T-Tohsaka." I try to apologize, but I stop myself.

"……Ah…… Hm…… It's so hot…"

I guess it's meaningless to tell Tohsaka anything right now. She is spaced out from the orgasm, and she is trying to catch her breath.

"――――――――Haa." I'm tired as well. I should be resting so that I can regain my energy. I should be, but――――

"……Hm… It's so sticky… Ha, Shirou's is spilling away…"

"……!" Tohsaka's figure is too tempting. My cum is spilled on her heated body. My semen drips down her soft skin every time she breathes.

"Ah――――ugh." …This is bad. My lust might return if I keep watching something like this.

"…Is there anything to wipe with――――?" I shake my head and look through the room. I want to keep watching her, but this is no time to be doing that. We're done now, so Tohsaka will scold me unless I switch my mind――――

"…I can't believe it. Don't you remember anything about being gentle, you beast!?"

―――Hey. Tohsaka still scolds me. And it's not in her usual arrogant way. She's yelling at me in a way that makes me realize I've done a bad thing.

"―――――――Um, Tohsaka." "…You stupid Shirou. I told you it hurts. …I'm never going to have sex with you again." "Uh um."

What can I say back to that? I think I'll only piss her off more if I apologize, but I think it does no good to say nothing.

"――――――Tohsaka, um…" I can't look away from her tears and I try to find something to talk about.

"……Oh yeah. Did the contract go well? Um, it turned out like that in the end, but…" "Of course! I'd be doing the same thing to you if we couldn't connect our circuits after that!"

"Oh." She yells at me. I don't know if I've succeeded, but Tohsaka is yelling at me as usual.

"―――I see. Then our Magic Circuits are connected, right?" "…It's a one-way path from me to Shirou, but yeah. It will take a bit before the effect takes place, but you should be able to receive my magical energy supply as a reserve tank."

Tohsaka glares at me as she explains. Tohsaka created our connection even when I was going wild over her.

"Then…" "Yes. I can provide you with enough magical energy to activate your Reality Marble. The rest is up to you now."

"――――――――" I close my right hand in front of Tohsaka. I don't really feel it yet. But I believe our contract is there, since Tohsaka said so.

"――――Thanks, Tohsaka. And I'm sorry. I couldn't hold myself back and made you cry."

"……! Humph! I won't forgive you even if you apologize. You made me cry twice, so I'm going to get you back someday!" Tohsaka glares at me.

…I don't know if she's angry or just sulking. Tohsaka's voice is surprisingly kind.

"――――――――" So I'm forced out of Tohsaka's room. She told me that girls have their business, so I should be considerate and go back to my room.

"…Don't be stupid. Guys have a lot of business as well." I do, but I didn't say so in front of Tohsaka. I bet she would have gotten me back right on the spot if I said so.

"……Besides…" No matter what Tohsaka may need to do, it's true that we don't have much time. The date has changed already. I bet we should be heading out to the Ryudou Temple within an hour.

"Hm――――yeah, this is…" I close my eyes and feel the magical energy pouring into me.

Tohsaka isn't consciously supplying me with magical energy yet, but it's already enough to fill me up. If Emiya Shirou's magical energy capacity is 20 or 30, she always has 500 magical energy. …I'm sure it would take years to fill up her whole capacity, but I bet her maximum capacity could reach a thousand.

"…I'm amazed. She really is amazing." It makes me realize her greatness again. Well, she's exhausted right now and most magi only keep about 80 percent of their magical energy, so Tohsaka has about 400 magical energy right now.

But that is still a huge amount. I use about two magical energy to use one strengthening magic, and about five magical energy to use one projection magic. Using that example, I can use my projection magic dozens of times now when I could only do it six times before.

"……Well, a cheap vehicle will overheat even if there is enough gasoline." But this has greatly increased my power. I might even be able to beat that king of heroes with this. All that's left is――――

"―――There's one more hour. I should rest my body until then." I'll rest and restore the energy I used by having sex. …Everything is set. I'll fully prepare myself since Tohsaka has opened up her body to me.

16th Day- EDEN

I turn off the lights in my house. It's four in the morning. With dawn still a few hours away, we leave the Emiya household.

Everything is arranged already. There's nothing to talk about now. We just need to go to battle and fulfill our roles.

…There's no guarantee that we'll come back alive. No, that has been the case all along, but there's less of a guarantee this time. That's why I'm carefully turning off all the lights.

"…Huh?" There's someone standing in the yard. The golden-haired girl is just standing there, looking up at the night sky.

"Hey. What are you doing, Saber?" "I was watching the sky and this house." Her reply is gentle. She is looking at the house with an expression different from the first time I met her.

"A lot has happened. I want to engrave the events in my mind so that I will remember them forever." "――――――――" It is… …The voice of one prepared not to return.

"I see. ……Yeah, please remember it if you can." I make a clumsy wish from the porch.

"Yes. Then I have a favor to ask of you as well. I will protect you two. So please come back to this house together." "―――Yeah. We'll come back here no matter what."

That's all I can manage to say. We're going to go destroy the Holy Grail. At the same time, Servant Saber will be returning to her original place.

Even if I want her to stay here, and even if Saber is attached to this house… As long as she is a Servant, she cannot go against the law.

"Hey, what are you doing!? We don't have time, so hurry up…!" A voice urges us from the entrance. Tohsaka must be waiting at the gate, ready to go.

"――――Shirou." "Yeah, let's go settle this once and for all." I turn off the last light and leave the house with Saber.

――――A quiet night. The illusion of the girl staring up at the stars is still lingering in the yard.

The plan goes like this. Saber will head into the Ryudou Temple from the front while Tohsaka and I sneak in from the back.

Saber will enter before us so that she can get Gilgamesh's attention. We will use that opening to sneak in, quickly destroy the Holy Grail, and go help Saber.

…I'll keep Gilgamesh at bay by projecting his Noble Phantasms, allowing Saber to finish him off――― That is the only plan we have.

"――――――――" It is a path that you can barely call a road. Tohsaka must have researched it beforehand, as she goes up without hesitation.

At night, the mountain is dark and ominous. It is natural for the sacred mountain to reject people. The dark mountain is threatening, but it is an embodiment of the pure gods at the same time. But――――

"…This isn't normal. It smells so bloody that I feel sick." Tohsaka stares up at the summit, where the Ryudou Temple is. "Smelling bloody" is just a phrase Tohsaka used. There is no smell of blood coming from the mountain. It just feels strange. The air is damp, and it sticks to the skin like a membrane.

The place is suffused with a life force so strong that I can't tell if the breathing I hear is mine or the mountain's. I feel like I'm climbing up a big, living organ rather than a mountain.

"…I know it's late to ask, but how do you feel, Shirou?" ―――Then. Tohsaka suddenly asks me such a question.

"Huh…? I feel fine, but really not… To be honest, it's beyond my control."

I honestly tell her. I can easily project dozens of weapons with this amount of magical energy. But it's like having a jet engine inside of a worn-out plane, so the fuel might leak out and explode if I let my guard down.

"Wow, that's a luxurious worry. But it did succeed, huh? I was worried since it was the first time…" "――――――――" My face burns up the instant I recall it.

"Hold on. Please don't talk about it right now." "I-I know! I feel the same way. …I'm talking about something else. I'm talking about the balance of the magical energy I'm giving to you and Saber. I'm sharing my magical energy between two people, so Saber is getting less energy now."

"Oh―――I see. Then does that mean Saber can't fight with all her power?"

"Hey, don't take me so lightly. I won't do such a clumsy thing. The magical energy I'm giving you is small, so it's fine. But we can't push it. Saber can only use her holy sword once."

"――――She can only use her holy sword once?" …Then we can't use the holy sword against Gilgamesh. Saber's Noble Phantasm has to be saved to destroy the Holy Grail.

"Then Saber has to keep Gilgamesh busy without using her Noble Phantasm!?"

"Yeah, so we'll have to go help her as quickly as possible. I told her that she can use the holy sword if she can't stop Gilgamesh by herself. …But that would be it for Saber. Only her holy sword can destroy the Holy Grail. So――――"

"――――――――" My breathing stops. In short… She will have to use her holy sword at the cost of her existence――――

"―――Tohsaka, that's…" "…It can't be helped. It's what Saber said. She will destroy the Holy Grail even if I stop her." Tohsaka murmurs as she looks away.

"――――――――" …Damn, how stupid of me. It must be hard for Tohsaka as well. Tohsaka doesn't want Saber to disappear either. Then――――

"Let's hurry. We won't give Saber to Gilgamesh." "Of course not. She's mine. I won't let him kill her."

We run. We know what we have to do. We have to stop the Holy Grail as fast as we can and go settle the match with Gilgamesh――――

Interlude 16-1

The mountain is rumbling. The sky is filled with dark clouds, and the trees are rustling as if shivering with fear. "――――――――" She watches it all at the entrance to the mountain gate. She understood that the Ryudou Temple was poisoned the instant she approached it. The golden Servant isn't the only one waiting for her at the top of the stairs. Something strange is waiting for her.

"―――――――" She takes a big breath. She cannot afford to make a mistake. If the mountain is a place of death, then she will draw all the risk to herself. She wants the other two to make it out alive.

She cannot hold anything back. She can only use her holy sword twice. She understands that she will disappear the instant she activates the holy sword for the second time.

"―――I do not care. He is an enemy I cannot match unless I risk my life." The king of heroes, Gilgamesh. She cannot think of anything else but to use the holy sword against that man with a thousand Noble Phantasms. '―――Go after thirty minutes, Saber.' She recalls Rin's words. It is only one more minute until the appointed time. She breathes out and sets her condition.

――――Wind blows down from the mountaintop. The instant the trees shiver against the evil wind, she starts up the stone steps.

She runs up in a flash. Her attack must have been detected the instant she stepped onto the stairs. The last Servant should appear at the temple. She will get to him as quickly as possible so she can defeat him before Shirou and Rin arrive.

…She cannot disobey her Master's order. She started off after waiting thirty minutes, just as Rin ordered. Even if she arrives at the temple before Rin expects her to, she is not going against Rin's order. It is just that she will protect her master's life, and go against Rin's expectation as a result.

"――――――――" If the thing leaking out from the mountain is pollution, Saber is a raging wind that blows the pollution away. It should not take her a minute to get to the top. She will be five minutes faster than what Rin is expecting. She can end her fight against Gilgamesh in that time.

"Haa―――――!" She runs, enduring the mountain's chill. The silver armor shoots up to the temple like a bullet.

And when she finally reaches the mountain gate… "Wh――――at?" Her feet, which should not stop, come to an unexpected halt. Sweat runs down her forehead. She looks up at the mountain gate in astonishment.

"―――I have been waiting for you. I am glad you made it in time, Saber." An elegant voice echoes through the night. Moonlight glints off the longsword. On the stairs leading up to the mountain gate… Stands an enemy who should not exist.

"Assassin――――" There is no elegance in Saber's voice. An enemy that should not be there, an obstacle that should not exist. She cannot be calm in the face of these surprises.

"What is wrong, Saber? Is it that much of a surprise that I am here? You should know that I am the guard here." His pleased voice is calm and composed. The swordsman is acting casually, even with the evil wind swirling about.

"…Impossible. Why are you here, Assassin…!? Caster summoned you. You cannot exist since Caster is gone…!" "That should be the case for normal Servants. But I am a bit special. It is not a person, but this land that is binding me. Masters are the hosts which keep you in this world. It is this mountain in my case."

"Wha――――the land is the host…?" "Right. Servants, ones without form, cannot maintain other Servants even if they are magi. A host from this age is needed to keep a Servant in this world. That fox summoned me and chose this land to be my host. Therefore, I am a Servant that can only appear here. I will not disappear as long as the mountain exists, even if Caster, my summoner, dies."

"―――But that is only borrowed time. The fox gave me about twenty days' worth of magical energy. You should be able to tell when my limit is." Saying so, the swordsman raises his right hand. Inside his elegant kimono… His white arm is transparent like glass.

"Assassin――――――you…" "I will not last until dawn, as you can see. The appointed time of twenty days is already over. It is just luck that kept me alive this long."

"――――――――" She looks up at the swordsman in astonishment. Neither enmity nor murderous intent is emitted from his sword. He just wishes for a fight. He is demanding a meaningless battle.

"―――Then you have stayed just to fight against me, Assassin?" "Do not let me say it, Saber. It will just turn into meaningless words if I say it."

He laughs. She can understand how he feels. But she does not have the time right now. The other two will make it in time for the battle unless she hurries. No, in the worst case――――they will reach the temple to face Gilgamesh even before she does.

"Move aside, Assassin. The one that ordered you to protect this gate has died. There is no longer a reason to follow that command." Saber asks while she takes a step forward. But―――― "―――I refuse. I had no reason to fight from the start." Assassin points his sword at Saber, saying that he will start the fight if she comes any closer.

"No, I do not have a reason to fight. From the very beginning, I have had nothing. I do not have pride as a heroic spirit, and I do not have a wish I want granted. No―――first of all, it was a mistake that I got summoned. Because I am not Sasaki Kojirou."

"――――!?" Saber's confusion reaches its limit. Sasaki Kojirou. It should be the true identity of this Servant. But Assassin himself said that he is a fake.

"You should not be so surprised. Sasaki Kojirou was never more than a fictional swordsman without a true identity. It is said that he existed, but records on him are too vague. His 'past' was falsely forged as a convenient foe to a famed swordsman."

"I am sure a man named Sasaki Kojirou existed. I am also sure that there was a swordsman who used Monohoshizao. ――――But they are not the same person. A swordsman with the name Sasaki Kojirou is a fictional character created to be his enemy's foil."

"You are――――a fictional heroic spirit?" "Yes, I am Sasaki Kojirou. It merely means that I am the best suited for this role. I do not have a name. I do not know how to read or write, and I was not fortunate enough to be given one."

"I am a phantom that was summoned just because I could execute Sasaki Kojirou's secret technique. As I am a false Servant, I cannot last long. Caster treated me as a disposable Servant because of that reason."

"See, there is no meaning in this, right? Even if I am to perform a great deed here, all the reward will go to 'Sasaki Kojirou'. I will get nothing. As I am nothing, everything is meaningless. I am not even clear about myself. I am only a disposable swordsman that acts out the role of Sasaki Kojirou." His longsword wavers. The fictional swordsman created by a fictional story blocks her way as if to fulfill his role.

"―――But. If there is a meaning in me, it is now. If there is a wish for 'me' who died nameless…" He must have… …He must have dreamed of a match with a superior swordsman who he could not have been allowed to witness as a nameless swordsman.

"――――Assassin." …She readies her sword. She cannot convince her enemy. The only way she can answer the swordsman who is prepared for his death is to fight him.

"Then let us start. My life will end no matter what. There can be no better end than to die at your hand――――!" His longsword moves. Saber's sword repels the strike like moonlight.

"Kuh――――!" His longsword wavers. She cannot match Gilgamesh if she uses up her powers here. But she cannot afford to hold back. No―――she does not know if she can win, even if she uses all her powers.

His longsword gets more fierce with each blow. A fictional swordsman. A swordsman who can match a heroic spirit without a Noble Phantasm. She must settle her match with him right here and now――――

End of Interlude

―――The mountaintop is near. We'll reach the back of the temple once we climb up this mountain. I think there's a big lake there.

"I see it. We're almost there…!" Tohsaka pushes her way through the branches and runs up the hill. I keep watch on our surroundings as I follow behind Tohsaka. And so… "It" greets us the instant we make our way from the hill onto level ground.

"[line11]What… is this?" A lump of meat is wriggling around. The thing in the middle of the lake spews out black blood and shakes as if asking for help. How big is that thing? Already as big as an island, the pile of flesh is slowly expanding. The clear water is now dirty and sticky like coal tar. "No way――――is that the Holy Grail?" I avert my gaze, unable to stare directly at it. The air on this mountain is that thing's breath. The infinitely flowing magical energy is making that lump of meat explode, and the black blood is polluting the lake. The blood isn't just colorless energy. The black thing is a visible curse.

"Kuh――――!" Just looking at the black mud gives me chills. The curse seeps into my brain through my eyes, ordering me to… And that is all.

"――――What the… How can we―――" Stop such a thing? The distance is about thirty meters. The lake is shallow, and it'd be easy to walk in it. But―――it's suicidal to go into that mud.

Just looking at the curse is almost enough to knock one unconscious. I'll weaken and sink into the mud if I walk a meter into it.

"―――That thing is about to explode. I don't know if it was shaped like that from the start, but I bet the original vessel was too small. It can't contain the thing in it and it's about to break the vessel."

"'Break the vessel'… You mean…" "If Shinji's the Holy Grail, it would mean he would be destroyed. Can you see it? There's something that's shaped like a human in it, right? I think you'll be able to see it."

"Huh…?" I look where Tohsaka is looking. Within the expanding pile of flesh… I certainly see something shaped like a human.

….He must be stuck to the flesh. His clothes have been torn off, leaving him naked. Visible against his skin, the blood vessels writhe like centipedes, connecting him to the meat. …It looks bizarre, as if grapevines took a human form.

"―――Shinji. I can't see his face, but I'm sure of that physique―――" "I see. So, is he alive?" "――――――――"

…I can't tell. He's not dead. But I'm not optimistic enough to say that he's alive in that condition. "…He's breathing. His body is…" I can't even say that he has human limbs in a way.

"I thought so. The Holy Grail this time is in human form. So it means it's operated using a person, right? I guess Shinji turned out that way because he's incompatible, but the Holy Grail won't function unless the host is alive."

"―――But that thing is about to explode. It's going to destroy Shinji, right?"

"That's because it can't be helped. …The Holy Grail will not exist anymore if that happens. That strange thing will flow out from a gate the Holy Grail opens."

"But we can still make it in time. The Holy Grail has been activated, but it's not in its true form, nor is it broken. That goldie just wants to open the gate. His objective is to activate the Holy Grail and to destroy the vessel. If he does that――――"

"That mysterious mud will flow out infinitely――――"

――――There's no time to think. We have to pull Shinji out of that thing and stop the Holy Grail…!

"Tohsaka. Can you do something about that mud? It looks like we can walk on it if we freeze it."

"That's impossible. I can do it if it's just water, but that thing is a curse made up of magical energy. Even a magus specialized in freezing would have a hard time freezing a magical energy that took physical form."

"――――I see. Then…" I guess I'll just have to pray and run through it. I'll cross the lake before I get cursed and bring back Shinji.

"Hey, are you going to go like that!? It's impossible! It'll swallow you!"

"You never know unless you try. We don't have time. Saber should be fighting right now. We can't hesitate here――――!?" I quickly turn, moving to protect Tohsaka.

"This is surprising. I did not think I would see your face for the third time, you lowlife."

A laugh. He appears here as if he knows of our plan.

"Gilgamesh――――!? No way! Then who is Saber fighting…!?"

It seems Saber is fighting someone from what Tohsaka is saying. But I can't tell who she's fighting, nor how she's faring.

No―――this isn't the time to be thinking about such things. The one before us is the worst possible enemy. He's the strongest Servant, the one the three of us had planned to beat together. But only Tohsaka and I face him now.

"Oh, Saber is not here? …How dull. In that case, I guess I will settle for killing just the two of you." Coldness emanates from the sea of mud, and the man before me gives off a murderous intent. He already has the Noble Phantasms ready behind him. I'll be skewered the instant I carelessly take a step forward.

"Hm―――no, that will be too boring. I normally do not allow such a thing, but I shall make an exception for the two of you, just this once. You two are special guests. I shall give you two a brief grace period."

"……Grace period?" I clench my fist as I glare at the enemy. ―――My Magic Circuit is open. I manage to form 14 blueprints in my head. I'll reproduce his swords once he clicks his fingers. I should be able to let Tohsaka escape―――

"What, do I have to tell you? I am telling you two to stand there until the cocoon hatches. It would be too lonesome if I were the only one to witness it. Seeing this through will give meaning to your lives." "――――���―――!" I can't listen to him. Our goal is to stop the Holy Grail. If we can still make it, we have to get Shinji back――――! "I see. I'm sorry, but――――" "I won't do as you say. I'm going to go there and stop your Holy Grail right away." Then. Tohsaka glares at Gilgamesh from behind me. "――――Oh?" He grins. He smiles like that when he decides to kill the one in front of him. "H-Hold on, Tohsaka. That's――――!" "Can you stop him here, Shirou? …I know it's unreasonable, but please hold on until Saber makes it here. I'm going to go pull Shinji out." "What――――pull Shinji out?" "I know. He's still Sakura's brother, and I can't just let him die in front of me. …And you believe in saving anyone that can be saved, right?" Tohsaka runs to the black lake. Is she going to go into that mud―――!? "Kuh――――haha, hahahahahahaha!!!! How ridiculous! Are you trying to make me die of laughter!?" He laughs, as if to look down at Tohsaka's determination. "What's so funny…!?" "Oh, is it not comical for you, lowlife? Go through that curse? Do you think that a mere human can go through what even a Servant cannot bear!?" "―――Heh, don't take me too lightly. I'm not so weak as to be tainted by this curse. And I'm not a half-spirit like you guys. I'm fully human, so I won't let that curse drown me…!" It's an obvious bluff, but I'm sure that Tohsaka will make it across. As she says, Tohsaka Rin isn't so weak as to lose to that curse. "I see. Then do as you wish. ―――But I will not allow such a thing." "――――Trace-" A sword shoots forward. The sword flies through the air to pierce Tohsaka's defenseless back――――

"――――Off…!" And it is slashed down by Kanshou. "Hah, ha――――!" I breathe hard. I made it―――even though I was prepared, this is the fastest projection I have ever done. It's probably thanks to Tohsaka's magical energy. With this, I might be able to―――― "――――You." Murderous rage fills his red eyes. …The projection made him serious. The Noble Phantasms behind his back increase in number. "――――Shirou." I hear Tohsaka's worried voice. I don't turn around, but stare at my enemy with Kanshou in hand. "Tohsaka. I'm leaving Shinji up to you." That's all I say. "―――All right. I'll bring him back right away!" I hear a splashing sound. Tohsaka goes into that mud without any hesitation. "――――――――Phew." Then I'll protect her. I won't allow a single Noble Phantasm to get past me. "I'm your opponent. Beat me if you want to attack Tohsaka." I take a step forward. That must have gotten on his nerves. The golden Servant takes his eyes off Tohsaka and looks at me. "―――Ha, that girl will die anyway. It was out of compassion that I tried to kill her―――" The Noble Phantasms point at me. He lets out a sharp murderous intent. "But it seems I need to teach you a lesson before that. ―――You miserable fraud. I shall teach you the difference between the fake and the real――――!" He releases his treasures unsparingly.

The longsword slashes through the darkness. Saber has yet to be able to close in on her enemy that freely swings his longsword.

"Kuh……!" Unable to dodge, she retreats. The distance between the two does not shrink. There is one meter between Saber and Assassin. But Saber is unable to climb the few steps.

"――――――――!" She bites her lip. She cannot waste any time. She surpasses him in power. She can overpower him if she uses her magical energy and her sword as a shield. Just one blow. She can overpower him if she can withstand just one blow.

It can be her arm or leg. If she does not allow the wound to slow her, there will be no second attack. She can surely slash Assassin after she receives his blow.

But… If the attack is to come for her neck, she cannot overpower him. All of this Servant's attacks are of that kind. All are meant to take her life. Retreat is the only defense against them. She cannot move forward because of the enemy's technique, and the geographical disadvantage does not allow her to move to either side.

She cannot move forward because of those reasons. She must reach the temple alive. The two are fighting Gilgamesh even at this moment.

They might die if she is late. No, in the worst case――――they are already… "Kuh――――ahhhhhh……!" She runs. She rushes upward, yelling as if to deny the ominous thought.

The two weapons collide. "Hm." For some reason, Assassin swings his sword not at the charging Saber, but at the swinging sword.

"…Impressive. As expected from Saber's sword. I thought it would be able to take a few blows, but it was bent after just one…!" Sparks fly off. The swords try to push each other away.

"Assassin blocked my sword…?" Assassin's sword is fragile. It is a good sword that can even cut steel, but it is made by a human. It cannot even be compared to her sword that is not made by men. His longsword would be pulverized if he used his power to strike back at the oncoming attack. That is why Assassin has parried the attacks and pushed back Saber by attacking her body instead of her sword until now.

But Assassin blocked this attack. Assassin's sword cannot block Saber's attack no matter how strong he is. The longsword that blocked Saber's attack is bent. There's no way it's as sharp as it was before.

'I can beat him? Can I beat him without a scratch…?' Saber asks herself while she pushes back Assassin's longsword. That question becomes an opening. There is a reason why Assassin blocked her sword. She is standing in that position before she realizes it.

"……!" Their positions are different. They are now standing on the same level. Before she realizes it, Saber has been forced to fight sideways.

…It is just like before. They are standing on the same plane. This is the position he needs to execute his secret technique. Assassin is able to execute his demonic attack here. ――――Tsubame Gaeshi. Three arcing blades close in on the enemy from all sides, allowing no chance for defense or evasion.

"――――――――" A chill runs up her back.

"Assassin, you…!" Saber stops pushing. She can push him back. She can push Assassin back with her strength, then follow up with a finishing blow or run up to the mountain gate.

But―――it will be the same either way. "That" attack will come the instant she pushes him away. It will end once he executes his technique. It does not matter if she runs up to him or if she turns her back and runs up the mountain. So she cannot push him. She can only loosen up and match Assassin's push.

"―――Are you sure you want to relax like that? I can push you back now." Assassin stares at Saber in satisfaction. There is no inhumane emotion there. The swordsman is just fascinated by her eyes, trying to find some way out of this hopeless situation.

"……! So this is why you damaged your own weapon…!?" "Of course. I wanted to put an end to the match. I thought this would bring out the Saber I saw previously. Do not think about what comes after this battle while we are still fighting." "――――――――" She gasps. Assassin's words are not to insult her, but――――

"……!?" The compound is burning. Sounds of swords clashing and breaking. It is the sound of battle between Gilgamesh and Emiya Shirou.

"Hm. It seems the banquet is at its peak. This is no time for you to be staying here." "Assassin――――!" She puts power into her arms. She puts magical energy into her sword to push her enemy back. …But she cannot do it. She will die once she does so. She will fall into Assassin's trap once she gets away from him.

"Ku――――" She grits her teeth in frustration. She puts magical energy into her sword without a plan. Then… "Why the hesitation? There is only one thing for us to do." The swordsman's voice is clear.

"……Assassin?" "From the very beginning, we were only summoned to fulfill our roles. As I protect this gate, you have something to protect as well. Then there is nothing to think about. ―――And Saber. You are not the only one who is in a hurry."

"――――――――" There is no lie in those words. Those are the first and last true words for the swordsman that fulfilled his role as a fictional character. That he would like for both of them to go all-out on each other. The swordsman in front of her is telling her his only wish, his only compensation for being summoned in this world.

"――――I apologize for my impoliteness. We certainly do not have time." She releases the magical energy in her sword.

"Nu……!?" The merciless force pushes Assassin back. He slides back about two meters. Saber does not move, even though she is within Assassin's best range. She does not run up to the mountain gate nor does she charge at Assassin.

She releases the seal. Showing her sword, Saber confronts Assassin. There is no hesitation in her eyes. She will use all her powers if need be. Her eyes state that she will use all her strength to defeat the enemy in front of her.

"――――――――" There is nothing to talk about now. The fictional swordsman readies his sword.

"――――――――Let us." He greets his greatest enemy with his strongest technique.

―――She struggles through the sea of tainted meat. The lake isn't even a meter deep. Chunks of flesh carpet the bottom, so she only sinks up to her knees. "―――Geez, this is too disgusting…!" She grumbles as she breathes hard. Every step brings a chill as if she's treading on piles of insects. If she stops moving, the taint on her skin begins to solidify and consume her. "……! Geez, damn it…!" She shakes it off with all her might and keeps going. It is almost impossible to keep wading through the rottenness while still keeping her sanity. After this, she shouldn't even be scared of butchering cattle at the slaughterhouse. Slaughtering a cow would be simple now. So she's getting used to this work now. She is so tense that she'll stop moving once she stops treating this as work. But at least there is no mental damage this way. "……Ha, haa, ah――――" But she cannot endure it with just willpower. Her temperature rises with each step. The meat on her legs attacks her nerves instantly. Even if she flings it off, the poison has already entered her system. Curse. The malice is almost tangible, and it feels like a disease. One will get sick when touched by it. It taints the nerve, takes away energy, boils the brain, and kills within one step. A normal person would stop moving after two steps and would fall into the sea of decay. She does not know what would happen after that. She doesn't even want to consider whether she would be suffocated or absorbed into the poisoned flesh. Her mind is too overcome with heat even to think about it. "Guh――――man――――" She braces her staggering feet and keeps moving forward. …Rin did not enter the pool of mud without a plan. She swallowed two jewels and is using all of the magical energy she saved up to defend herself. If this curse is a crystallization of pure magical energy, she should be able to repel it with strong magical energy of her own――― "Ku――――this is… bad――――" …Her vision wavers. Her guess was right, but her scale was off. The swallowed jewels are as good as a paper shield against the curse. This is not something a human can fight against. No human can ward off this curse. …In here… One's belief in oneself is the only support of their life. "Ah――――gu――――geez… Jumping into a sea of fire is colder than this." With her jewels' protection, jumping into a sea of fire would be no problem. As soon as she complains… "――――――――!" She gets angry at herself and sets her mind straight. It's not true. She cannot be complaining. She concentrates on the sounds behind her. …She cannot see the two anymore. She doesn't know if Shirou moved the battleground away or if he's just cornered. Either way, it seems the fight has gone to the compound. "――――Just a bit more. I'll finish this quickly, so…" She runs. It's only as fast as walking, but she frantically moves her feet. She pushes her way through the tainted meat. Her breathing ragged, she reaches out. "Hah, got it――――!" She climbs up. She can feel the mountain of meat.

"……Oh. It seems it's better here." She lays on the pulsing ground. This feels even nastier, but the heat violating her nerves goes away.

"……? Wait… could this be…?" She puts her finger on the red ground. …It is the same as the black mud, but it has form. It is something that should not exist in this world―――something that came out of the Holy Grail and took form using magical energy.

"…Servants… This is exactly like the Servants…" She murmurs in blank amazement. …She tries to think what this could mean, but then stops herself. This isn't the time. There is only one thing she must do right now.

"―――All right, I'm rested. I'm going to find Shinji and get out of here." She gets up and runs along the top of the mountain of meat. It is an island about fifty meters wide. She could not tell before, but this lumpy meat is intertwined.

"――――Found him." Within it all… Matou Shinji is there, hidden amongst the flesh.

"Gah……!" I repel the oncoming swords. There are over ten Noble Phantasms, and every one of them has been released to destroy me.

"Ku……!!!!" I throw away the destroyed sword and prepare for the next attack. "Ha, haa, ha――――" I catch my breath in an instant. I can't project with ragged breath, and I'll just be skewered if I don't have a weapon.

"Haa, guh――――!" This battle is not a battle against him. This is a battle against my body. I will die once the speed and precision of my projection go down.

"Hah――――there is no time to rest!" "……!" In reponse to his voice, a straight sword points at me. The loaded Noble Phantasm is released at fatal speed――――

"――――Trace…!"

"――――Guh, gu――――!" Unable to deflect the full impact, I fall to the ground. I quickly roll to the side and get up, steadying myself.

"What is wrong? Your quality is going down. You cannot even call it a replica if it will break in one blow."

…He laughs. He's obviously enjoying this. There's no way for me to defend myself if he releases all of the Noble Phantasms behind him. But he releases them one by one, as if to test how much I can take.

"Haa――――Haa, ha――――" …But that's what's keeping me alive right now. It's too hard to project a weapon after seeing it, even with Tohsaka's backup.

I can only imitate the shape. I can't construct the ability inside of it, so it gets destroyed with one blow.

"Ku――why did he say that―――?" He said I'm the only one who can beat him. But this is all I can do. I can't rush at him after I block his attack.

Two. I'll at least need two weapons. But I'm having trouble projecting one weapon, so it's impossible for me to project two at once…!

"What? So you're just talk, faker?" He must have liked seeing me roll around, as he looks delighted.

"Ha――――a." …I catch my breath. It's fine as long as he's enjoying this. There's still a chance for me to win――――

"――――Trace, on." I look within myself. A limited circuit. I mentally lay out as many blueprints as I can. …I can see seventeen Noble Phantasms behind him. I read the structure from its appearance, draw out the concept of creation, select the composition material――――

"Guh―――……!" I vomit blood. It's because I'm putting multiple blueprints inside a circuit that usually handles one or two. My nerves are bruised since I started projection, and my body is being destroyed from within. My throat tries to pump out the blood that is filling my stomach.

"――――Possession experience, sympathy complete." I swallow it and continue with the process. Kanshou and Bakuya cannot block his Noble Phantasms. Archer should be able to with his technique, but I don't have that much skill.

There's only one way for me to block the Noble Phantasms. I need to offset them with the same exact ones――――!

"Fu――――haa, ha――――" I still have enough magical energy. There's enough supply from Tohsaka.

…But the circuit to channel it is about to break. The end is near.

When he gets serious, I have to project the same number of Noble Phantasms as him to stay alive. But my body will die if I project that many.

"――――Roll out. Bullet, clear." I save the overflowing images. …The overflowing swords are ones that will pierce me from within. Emiya Shirou will be pierced from within if the circuit cannot be controlled.

"Oh. You made a lot this time. 10, 15, 17… I see. You reproduced all the Noble Phantasms you can see." "Wh――――at?"

"Do not take me lightly. What sort of hero would I be if I could not see through a magus? I can easily tell how many spells you are working on." "――――――――"

His words are unexpected. The king of heroes that possesses thousands of Noble Phantasms can figure out my magic just by looking at me?

"Then let me grade them. Well―――I will not allow any one of them to stay in this world, no matter how good they may be." Gilgamesh raises his hand.

"Ku――――!" My reaction is delayed. His words caught my attention, creating a hopeless delay――――!

The seventeen Noble Phantasms are released. "King's Treasures". A fraction of them charge in, as if to tell me playtime is over…! "―――Freeze out, sword bullet full open…!"

"Ha――――guh――――!" My body wavers. The swords shooting forward and the swords created from within me crash and shake the surroundings.

"Ah――――ga――――……!!!!" I can't block all of them. Even if I project seventeen Noble Phantasms, I can only give form to them one at a time. Even if I can form them in succession, I am no match for him as he can release all of them at once――――!

"Haha, you are holding well with your fragile works, but you should not be able to last more than a few more blows. Come on, you need to hurry or you will die." I hear him laughing behind the swords. Twelve more enemy Noble Phantasms――――!

"But you sure are foolish. You know you cannot beat me, so you try to regain the Holy Grail. That decision is correct. You are not even a match for me."

"――――!" My fingertips are burning. The magical energy I emit and the heat from the crashing Noble Phantasms burn my fingertips mercilessly. Seven more Noble Phantasms――――!

"But then, why not just kill Shinji? It is a sure way to stop the Holy Grail. I am sure you two had a way to kill him without going across that mud. ――――Heh. Such hypocrisy to try to save him. As expected from a lowlife――――!"

"Ah――――ha, ah――――" …It's burning out. My circuit is completely burning off. I don't have enough. I can't match this man with [wrap text=̢this"]this small circuit――――!

"Damn, why……!?" Why can't I block them? He said I can beat him. So why am I not even a match?

――――Does that mean… I'm making a mistake?

"――――Ah, ah――――!" Three more Noble Phantasms. Will my body last until I block them? No, I should be thinking about the difference between my projection and Archer's――――

"――――――Huh?" All senses freeze at that instant. I don't even pay heed to the three approaching blades. The golden Servant is taking out a sword. A strange sword. My mind burns up the instant I see it.

"You said you will save the girl, right?" He laughs while the sword roars. I eliminate the three remaining blueprints in my circuit and concentrate on reading his sword.

But. "――――I… can't read it…?" I was able to read every sword. But I can't even read that sword's structure.

"Then show me. Show me what you can save with your imitations!" ――――A storm of chaos. The wind emitted from his sword even blows away his own Noble Phantasms as it comes at me.

"――――――――" My mind is still blank. I can't come up with any countermeasures, so I just release the remaining magical energy within me――――

"――――――――Let us."

And the swordsman readies his sword. The only stance for the man who does not have a stance. A fatal technique that cuts his enemy by simultaneously executing blows from different angles. She has experienced the move before. …The previous one only had an arc to surround his enemy and a vertical slash. That is why she was able to avoid it and live up to this day.

But the real technique has three slashes. A circular slash and a vertical slash. …And probably a horizontal slash that cuts anyone that escapes sideways. There is nowhere to run if the three attacks are executed all at once. Once in range, the other two attacks will cut you even if one is blocked. One cannot escape sideways, and the longsword will reach out even if one retreats.

―――Demonic technique, Tsubame Gaeshi. A godly technique that even surpasses the Servants. The ultimate attack, perfected by an anonymous swordsman using all his life.

The longsword trembles. His body moves in with one step. The distance to attack Saber. Prison-like arcs are executed from a range that does not allow any defense! "――――――――" Saber does not use her holy sword. She cannot use her Noble Phantasm at this range. No matter how fast Saber may be, Assassin's Tsubame Gaeshi is many times faster. Her neck will be cut the instant she puts magical energy into her sword. Therefore, her only weapon is pure technique.

――――The blade begins its arcs. She feels despair from its precision and speed. Such an attack――――how much training was needed to get this far?

"――――――――" Fear is the only thing on her mind. It cannot be blocked. This technique is a technique of carnage that challenges God with mere human skill. Only God would be able to block it.

"Haa――――――――" She gulps. There is a flash as small as a grain of sand. She does not think about what it is, nor if it is correct. She risks everything she has on her instinct. "Ahh――――――――!" She charges at her "victory" with all her might.

What did the fictional swordsman think of that? "――――――――Kuh." Silver armor passes through the gap beside his arm. The opening between the swordsman's left arm and his waist. Saber must have figured out that the small opening is the blind spot of the technique.

Even though the attack still chips off her armor, Saber curls up and flies through the opening. An exquisite skill that is only possible with her precognition――――her great instinct. She was able to predict the true Tsubame Gaeshi since she experienced it once.

―――But that is not the surprising part. It is her determination that kept her alive. She trusted her insight and put all her power into the slight opening. She shook off the fear that she would be slashed if she was even a moment late and charged into the small opening. Therefore… Her determination is the "strength" that defeated the demonic technique.

"Ah, gu……――――!" But the match isn't over yet. Even though Tsubame Gaeshi was avoided, her enemy is right beside her, and she charged in with speed quicker than the attack. It is not easy to recover her stance from such a charge――――!

"Ha――――――――!" The longsword strikes. The attack is the quickest, even if it may not be as quick as the demonic technique. But. Her attack is a bit quicker than his.

"Gu――――nu." He closes his mouth. He shuts his lips tight and tenses up so that he will not fall down. Blood from his lungs fills his mouth, but he swallows it so that it will not spill out. ―――The golden-haired girl is below him. The way of the swordsman does not allow him to dirty her with his blood.

"――――――――" Saber does not say anything. Her golden hair flutters down to the ground. …It is a wonder that her head is still attached. …It is a miracle that her limbs are still attached. …She felt that her body would be slashed the instant she went into that opening.

That was the only difference. The longsword… The swordsman's technique would have stayed invincible if his longsword had not been bent.

―――The air is shaking. Another battle is still going on behind the mountain gate. "……" Unsure of what to say, Saber looks up at the dying swordsman. To that…

"――――――――Go." The swordsman tells her without looking at her. How much meaning was contained in that word? Saber pulls out her sword and runs up the stairs. She does not turn back to the swordsman. She runs to fulfill her role.

"Hah―――I thought she was a beautiful bird, but she turned out to be a lion." He murmurs as if that was to be expected. She avoided something that even a sparrow could not avoid, so she cannot be something that is admired.

"―――Hm. I was confident in my skills to see through women. I guess I need more training in that as well." The swordsman complains with a shrug. His elegant clothing has lost its colors already. His stomach is pierced and his bloodstained feet are vague. He looks down at them and sits.

The branches shake. The wind coming down from the top of the mountain rustles the forest. And when the flowers scatter, the wind stops, and the moon darkens… …The swordsman has disappeared without trace, as if his existence was just an illusion.

At that instant… I develop the strongest weapon I have projected. But it doesn't even serve as a shield. The sword of separation. The mysterious sword cuts through the wind, destroys six Noble Phantasms, and cuts my body apart.

It's disappearing. The circuit is disconnected, and Tohsaka's magical energy disperses without a place to go. "Da mn."

I curse my worthlessness. I knew that I'm unskilled. I curse myself for never thinking twice. Why is this all the magical energy I have? Just a bit more… If I could reach into that darkness just a bit more, I could have fought like him――――

――――I fall to the ground. I fly through the air and crash to the ground with great force.

I don't feel pain from the landing. I don't have such a sense anymore. Even my mind is going blank. …Before I die. The only thing filling my head is the surprise that my limbs are still attached.

"So that is all you can manage? I guess a fraud is just a fraud. You cannot save anyone."

…My heartbeat gets weaker. My lungs do not move, rendering me unable to breathe.

"It would have been more fun if I let Archer live. He was a faker as well, but his ideal was not vulgar."

I can't see anything, but it seems it's not because my eyes are broken. My organs are just too messed up to function as they should. Maybe it's fortunate. I don't have any sense of pain, so I should be able to die easily―――

"―――Oh. I remember, now that I think about it. He said your ideal is a borrowed one. How conceited of you to think that you can manage anything when you have nothing you created yourself."

―――I can't do that. Even if I might go crazy from the pain, I need to regain my consciousness. The deep part of me says so as it points to that place.

"A superhero? A world where no one gets hurt? Ridiculous. No world can preserve happiness without harming anyone. Humans cannot live without sacrifices. 'Peace' is a myth created by those who cower in fear of the dark. ―――You lowlife. Your ideal is just an excuse to cover up your ugliness."

"――――――――" I raise my arm which should not be moving. My fallen body and my dying mind. I raise my hand to grab something, like I did on that day.

…I don't know what's funny, but someone's laughing. It seems like everyone in this world is laughing.

A fake wish. A borrowed ideal. Someone scorning me, saying that my dream won't come true.

…Yes, that's exactly right. My wishes are all borrowed. I just admired the wish of wanting to help someone because it's beautiful. So there's nothing that came from within me. My body has always been driven by a curse-like obsession with helping others.

That's why it's a fake. Such an imitation cannot save anything. First of all, I'm not sure what needs to be saved.

But. But I still felt that it's beautiful.

It was not born from within me. I just saw someone save others and copied that behavior. I was empty back then. Everyone died, and I could not save anyone. I could not bear the fear in front of me unless I gave up, saying that humans are weak.

――――That's why…

That's why I admired the ideal. Because it was something I did not have, and its sanctity brought tears to my eyes. Is that wrong? Is it a fake if it's not mine? Even if my wish is fake, is it wrong for it to come true?

――――No. I don't think it's wrong.

"Ah――――――――Ah."

I don't care, even if it's fake. I'll make it come true, even if it's an impossible ideal. It's an impossible wish from the start. An unreachable utopia.

―――Then, even if Emiya Shirou is a fake… What's there has to be true.

"―――That's right. I already knew that."

I know that I can't save everything. I know that there's no help without sacrifices. I know that reality is like that because I became an adult. I know it's only an ideal, but I still continue to seek it.

It's not the end after someone gets hurt. Even if the best possible outcome has someone get hurt to save many others, I still want to pursue a resolution where nobody is hurt. That there is no justice in this world, and that people die meaninglessly in reality… I don't think such words are right…!

And he reaches this place at the end.

What I believe in. What I believed in. He said that they are all a fake.

But the one who said so followed through on his hypocrisy. …Then I can keep going. I don't care, even if it's a fake. First of all, I'm too simple-minded to worry about such a thing.

I make up my mind on this hill of swords. …That if I can save the world in front of me, I will fight for it. I didn't even need to think about it. My world is small. This small "world" is all I have ever been able to create.

――――That's right. I am the bone of my sword.

…Yes, so I can endure most things. Emiya Shirou can keep his dream until the very end. …Even if… What I seek is nowhere.

"―――So that's it!" "――――!?"

I raise my body. I can move my limbs again as soon as my consciousness returns. My body still moves. It's a wonder that I'm still alive, let alone moving, after his attack, but I don't care.

If I'm alive, there must be a reason why. It's just that I don't know why.

"Did you project a shield…? I was reluctant to use that sword, but it should have been fatal. ―――You are rather tenacious, boy."

"You were reluctant…? Heh, what's there to hold back when you have so many weapons?"

I keep my distance while I catch my breath. I know how to do it now. I should be able to do it with the backup from Tohsaka. The problem is the casting. Even though I have it memorized, I don't know how fast I can get it working until I try――――

"――――Heh. That was a sword that only a ruler is allowed to use. I showed it to you for the fun of it, but it is not something to be used against a lowlife. Saber is the only one allowed to fight against it. I will not be able to face Saber if I sully it on one such as you."

Numerous Noble Phantasms appear. But they are all third-rate. The difference is obvious after seeing that previous sword.

But they are not something I can take lightly. They are more than enough to kill me. ―――The difference in our powers is the same. Even though I managed to survive the previous attack, I cannot match that Servant with my projection.

"Oh, are you done with your copying? So you finally understand that it is useless, huh? ―――Then disappear. I will not even leave a piece of your copying brain behind――――!"

The Noble Phantasms are released. But… "Shirou…!" A blue rushing wind repels them.

"Saber…!" Gilgamesh jumps back instantly. Even Gilgamesh is cautious against Saber. He wants to avoid hand-to-hand combat with her, as his technique is inferior.

"―――Good. Are you all right, Shirou? Sorry that I am late. I will take over now. Please stay away―――"

"No. I can manage Gilgamesh by myself. You're the one to go, Saber."

"Wh―――――" "――――at?"

"W-What are you saying, Shirou…!? You will fight him in that state of yours? No, a magus cannot match a Servant in the first place. You should know that…!"

"Yeah. But Gilgamesh and I are an exception. Trust me. I'll probably be able to beat him." …Saber gasps. Saber is surprised because she believes my words.

"Please hurry to the back, Saber. Tohsaka is stopping the Holy Grail by herself. You're the only one who can destroy it." "――――――――" She closes her eyes once. A few seconds… No, it's not even for a second.

"Good luck. I will go save Rin." She says what I want to hear the most and steps away from Gilgamesh.

Her silver armor turns away. "Saber." I stop her just once.

"―――I could not save you." And I say it. I say it in place of the one who cared for her.

"I don't think that Holy Grail is the one you seek. …Go take a good look at it so that you won't make a mistake next time." "――――Shirou?"

"…Sorry. I can't put this into words real well. I guess I wasn't fit to be your Master. So――――" I couldn't even figure out your true desire.

"That is not true. You are my Master, Shirou." "―――Saber." "I shall go fulfill my role as a Servant. We shall talk afterwards."

She runs without turning back. She is gallant and looks like the wind.

Saber has left. She believed in my promise that I would win and went to save Tohsaka.

――――Let's start.

I have no hesitation now. All that's left is for me to defeat the enemy in front of me.

"Fu――――haha, hahahaha!!!!!"

"Are you mad? You are letting go of your only chance of victory so that you can save that girl? ―――Idiot. It is a lie to sacrifice yourself. You are a true hypocrite for not being able to realize that. Yes, I shall praise you for that."

The Noble Phantasms are set. ―――There are about thirty of them. If I want to block them, I'll have to create it.

"…Imitations, faker, huh? Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. I certainly am a faker." I raise my arm. I close one eye and look inside of me.

"Hm―――?" "…I had the wrong idea. My magic isn't creating swords. First of all, I can't do such a skillful thing."

That's right. Tohsaka said it too. I can only use one kind of magic. Strengthening and projection are just a byproduct of it.

"…That's right. There's only one thing I can do, and that is to put shape to my mind." I grab my right hand with my left and glare at Gilgamesh.

"――――I am the bone of my sword." I cast the spell. Casting is only a suggestion to change myself. These words are to connect Emiya Shirou.

"I see. I am done with hearing your nonsense." The numerous Noble Phantasms are released. ――――I'll make it. This is why one of my eyes is open. I pull out a shield from the hill to block the oncoming Noble Phantasms――――!

"Guh――――!" The swarm of swords batter against the shield. The shield is me myself. My body breaks up as each petal of the shield is pierced and damaged.

"―――Steel is my body, and fire is my blood." There's only one place I need to reach. The flowing power fills me to capacity in an instant.

"Wh――――at?" What caused his shock? Is it his Noble Phantasms that cannot penetrate through a single shield, or is it the magical energy in front of him?

"―――I have created over a thousand blades. Unaware of loss. Nor aware of gain."

It breaks. The overflowing magical energy cannot be controlled. Magical energy ten times the capacity of the circuit breaks its foundations trying to escape―――― "―――I cannot break through―――?" Blood trickles from my mouth. The shield is full of holes now. Even though the Noble Phantasms did not reach me, my body is full of holes. But still―――― "―――Withstood pain to create weapons. Waiting for one's arrival." The magical energy rages around. But I don't care. This body is a circuit specialized to use this "one magic" from the start. Then there should be more. There should be something beyond this if I can't make it with this circuit.

…No, it is already there. It's just that I can't see it. There was no limitation to the circuit from the start. If it was darkness, not a wall, that stopped the magical energy… Then the limit is somewhere beyond the darkness――――

"――I have no regrets. This is the only path."

Magical energy ten times the capacity of the circuit breaks its foundations trying to escape――――and I use a hundred circuits to take in a thousand times the capacity.

"―――My whole life was 'unlimited blade works'"

I cast the true name. At that instant. Everything breaks and everything reforms.

――――Fire runs. The fire becomes a wall and creates a border, changing the world. A desolate land remains. A hill with numerous swords.

"――――――――" What does he think of the scenery? The golden Servant stands there with a gruesome expression.

"…That's right. I don't create swords. I create a world that contains infinite swords. This is the only magic allowed for me."

A desolate land. A graveyard of swords, devoid of life. Every sword exists in this world, as swords are reproduced just at a glance.

This is Emiya Shirou's world. A Reality Marble. It is the greatest forbidden magic that embodies the caster's internal world. This is heroic spirit Emiya's Noble Phantasm and the only weapon I possess.

Everything is here, and nothing is here. That is why this is called Unlimited Blade Works. This is the only definite answer obtained by the one who lived as a sword all his life.

"―――Reality Marble. So this is your ability…!" I take a step forward. Stuck in the ground next to me are the swords that are floating behind Gilgamesh.

"There's no need to be surprised. These are all imitations. As you say, these are all trifling swords." I reach out my arms. The swords come out as if to accept me as their user.

"But there is no rule that an imitation cannot defeat the original. If you say you are the original, I shall surpass every one of your weapons and destroy your existence." I move forward. In front of me is the Servant with a thousand treasures.

"Here I come, king of heroes――――do you have enough weapons in stock?"

"Hah――――you forget your place, lowlife――――!" The enemy opens the "gate" and readies numerous Noble Phantasms. I run across the deserted land. The two groups of swords start the final match.

“What is that?”

The first thing Saber sees after getting to the lake is a giant mountain of meat.

She is not a normal knight. She fought many monsters back when she was called a hero. She has even fought “dragons”, considered the strongest of the fantasy races.

But even Saber falters against the mountain of meat. It is not because of its ugliness. It is because she can tell that the lump of meat and the curse flowing out of it are the same as her.

“A Servantcan a Servant turn out to be that different if the summoning is done in the wrong way?”

Or is that the power of the Holy Grail? She stares at it and shakes her head.

“Rin…! Where are you, Rin…!?”

She runs to the lake and yells to the other side.

She is hesitant to enter the black mud. It is not because it would be unpleasant. Her instincts tell her that as a half-spirit, she cannot touch it.

“!?”

She hears a voice. It is weak, but she hears her Master. She looks at the mountain of meat and

“Rin……!?”

She steps forward without hesitation.

‘Hold on…! No, don’t come in, Saber…!’

“……!” Saber stops. She stops her feet and glares at the mountain of meat while holding up her sword.

“But Rin…!”

‘Just don’t…! You’ll turn into this if you touch the mud. Please stay there and get ready to use your Noble Phantasm. This thing will explode soon. Use your Noble Phantasm on this before that…!’

Saber cannot nod to her master’s words. …She can tell that the lump of meat is about to hatch. The squirms are turning into throbs and the mud is spreading ever further.

The lake has turned black, and the mud is spilling onto the ground.

…That thing is growing.

The world’s restraining power will be activated if that thing is left alone. It is natural for her to destroy it with her holy sword. But to do that

“Please get out, Rin…! I can do it once you get out!”

‘…Yeah. All right, I’ll leave it to you. But go ahead and use it if I don’t make it out on time.

…The contract between us will go away, but you should be fine if Shirou is alive.’

“Do not say such a thing…! I do not care. I can handle this curse”

Saber runs to the black mud so she can get to that lump of meat.

But her body does not move. Her body stops when she tries to go near the lake.

“Rin, did you use the Command Spell?”

‘…Of course. I can’t let the only one who can destroy the Holy Grail die.

I told you it’s all good. I’ll easily get out from here. You can rest assured and stand by with your Noble Phantasm.’

She sounds calm and composed, like always.

“Rin.”

But it does not need to be said that it is just a bluff. The island of meat on the other side… There is nowhere for her Master to run.

“Yeah, right. Well, talk is cheap.”

She murmurs while being surrounded by arms made out of the meat. The situation is hopeless. Matou Shinji was saved. …She ripped off the blood vessels and nerves connected to the meat to let Shinji out. One can say he’s “alive”, ignoring all the after-effects he may have. No, he looks like he is just unconscious, so one could say that he is healthier than the girl carrying him.

“…The problem is after that. I guess it would be desperate if it gets its heart taken away. Will it let me go if I give Shinji back?”

She slowly moves while she stares at the tentacles blocking her way.

But there is no exit. The tentacles are blocking the way out to the lake. Even if she escapes the tentacles trying to swallow her, she will not be able to get past that wall.

“……Crap, my powers…”

She almost falls along with Shinji, but she desperately keeps herself up. She went through the cursed sea and even performed neurosurgery to separate Matou Shinji from the mountain of meat. She went as far as using her reserve magical energy that she hadn’t used for ages, but

“…Guh… That idiot. He took too much of my magical energy without any reserve. …I’m all empty now thanks to him…”

She bears the dizziness as she complains. But she’s not serious.

And it wouldn’t matter even if she did have more power. The tentacles around her are not moving because their target is standing still. They should react right away once they find out that the thing in their body is poison.

Tohsaka Rin and Matou Shinji are alive because they do not have magical energy to be consumed.

“……! …But I guess this is it… It’s getting hard for me to stay standing”

Her vision becomes hazy. Even though she has a foothold, she is still on the mud. Her nerves are getting further infiltrated with each passing second. She will become the new core of the Holy Grail if she falls down onto the meat.

But before that…

“…I’m sorry, Saber. You probably won’t obey me, so I’ll force you to do it.”

She has one more Command Spell. That’s enough for her to order Saber to use her holy sword.

“……And I have to apologize to you too.

I couldn’t… save… Shinji”

‘Just run. I do not want to hear such whining.’

“What?”

She stops her collapsing body. That voice. The voice coming into her head is definitely that of the Servant she has made a contract with.

“Wai”

There’s no time to waste. She knows his personality all too well. He told her to run, so he must have done something that she won’t escape unless she does as she’s told!

“……!!!!!!”

She runs. The arrows coming down from the sky are literally a heavy rain. They destroy the tentacles, the ground, and everything in her path!

“Ah, ku!”

There is no time to turn back. She runs full-speed while carrying Shinji.

“!”

She jumps into the lake. The arrows have swept the black mud away to make her an escape route. It is only for a short while, but there is only dirty water between her and the opposite shore.

“Hah, hah!”

She runs across the lake while carrying Matou Shinji. She runs with all her might, mud splashing around her.

“Please, Saber…!”

Her magical energy replies to the yelling voice.

There is no need to check.

The golden sword mows down everything in its path with its overwhelming power.

The mountain of meat is cut in half and breaks down.

The black mud evaporates, and the light turns the lake into a flat field.

“”

It is a waterfall of light that eliminates everything. Bathed in the light, the swordsman accepts that her battle has ended.

“This is the end. My battle is over.”

Who did she say that to? The wielder of the holy sword is on her knees and watches the light with a flood of emotions.

The Holy Grail is breaking down.

The thing she sought, the thing that should have saved her. She destroyed it with her own hands and finally realized her mistake.

One boy and one hero.

The man that got twisted at the end of his ideal was still a boy.

His regrets are so heavy that they cannot all be carried. His crimes are so deep that they cannot be atoned for. But there was something he did not give up on. The knight in red finally arrived at an answer at the very end.

Thenshe has to move forward as well.

The end where she took her hands off of the sword. She will run past that hill under her own will.

“The contract is complete. You are victorious, Rin.”

The holy sword fades away. She still has some magical energy left. She can stay in this world if she pushes herself. If she canshe would like to see what awaits them in the end.

“But that is not my role. Shirou has Rin.”

Her body continues to disappear and the knight vanishes from this world as if engulfed by the light.

Like a brave gust of wind. The king that sought the Holy Grail sets off for the hill of destiny without leaving a trail of memories behind.

“Hah!”

I oppose the longsword with a longsword. The swords break each other and the shards are sent flying.

“Damn, do not”

A curved sword appears behind him.

“…Overestimate yourself, kid!”

But I pull out the curved sword by my feet faster than him. And I swing it straight at him!

“!”

Gilgamesh retreats. I close the distance at once, pull out a sword, and slash at him.

“Guh, why…!

Why am I losing to a mongrel’s sword…!?”

I crash my swords against the appearing Noble Phantasms.

“HaaHaa, haa, haa, ha!”

I’m not thinking. My body and mind will fail if I stop. I will keep moving forward now. That’s why I will keep moving forward. The instant I see his Noble Phantasm, I reel in the exact same one and swing it with all my might!

“Impossibleam I being cornered by such a sham…!?”

“Fuh, hah!”

The sounds of swords crashing echo through the area. He cannot handle my attacks and has to destroy my weapon with his.

That will be the cause of his defeat.

He is the greatest heroic spirit, as he has over a thousand Noble Phantasms at his leisure.

But he is only an “owner”. He does not have one weapon, so he is not a “wielder” who can use his weapon to its maximum potential.

Even in this world, I am no match against any other Servants. I cannot match the ultimate one even with infinite swords. Gilgamesh must have the ability, but I do not.

Thereforethis is the only Servant I can match.

As we have the same ability, as we are both “owners”, I am always one step ahead of him since my swords are there, ready to be used…!

“DamnDamn, damndamndamndamn…!!! I did not think I would have to use my sword against a mongrel like you…!”

Gilgamesh raises his hand. The sword appearing behind him is the demonic sword, the only sword that does not exist in this world!

“I won’t let you!”

“Gah!?”

I swing my twin swords. The Kanshou and Bakuya I reel in slice off Gilgamesh’s arm that tries to reach for his sword! strike down Gilgamesh’s sword as he tries to reach for it!

“Wha”

The weapons stop. His arm and sword fall sword falls to the ground, leaving him defenseless.

“Haa!”

My body acts before I can think. Confident in my victory, my limbs move to slash the king of heroes

“!”

He jumps back. Barely avoiding the twin swords, Gilgamesh retreats still further.

“Kuhyou are stronger than me here…!”

Gilgamesh admits his defeat and tries to retreat.

“I won’t let you escape.”

I won’t let him escape. I’ll lose if he regains his composure. I have to settle the match right here!

“Dammit!”

“Damn!”

He must have realized he will not be able to escape, as he pulls out a Noble Phantasm from behind him. But I’m faster.

I’ll surely

“Huh?”

“What?”

Our voices overlap. The change happens in an instant.

The light coming from the lake eliminates the hill of swords. A great magical energy has smashed away the already-disappearing Reality Marble.

That’s fine.

The match is settled. I can beat this Servant by slashing him with my twin swords. But after the Reality Marble is blown away…

A black void.

A void big enough to swallow a human being.

It appears before meright on Gilgamesh.

“What?”

Gilgamesh looks down at his body in astonishment. …His body is being swallowed. The golden Servant is swallowed by the void appearing on his body.

“Wa”

Did he want to say “wait”? The void mercilessly swallows the Servant. …There was no way for him to escape. The void was open on his body. There is no way one can escape something that is on their body.

“What was that…?”

I stand there, dumbfounded. The void in front of me is shrinking.

…I don’t know what this is. But it seems Tohsaka and Saber were able to destroy the Holy Grail. My only guess is that the after-effect created the black void to eliminate Gilgamesh.

“……Phew. Anyway, now…”

Everything is over.

My twin swords disappear. The magical energy in me fades away.

“Ohcrap.”

And at the same time, fatigue assails me.

“…Damn. This is bad, I can’t walk.”

I want to go see how Tohsaka’s doing, but my body will not move. …Well, I’m sure she’ll be all right since Saber went to go save her.

“Right. I guess…”

I can rest a bit. And after I take a deep breath…

“What!?”

A chain wraps around my arm.

“……!” I gasp. The chain drags my body towards the void.

“Ah, kuh…!” I put power into my body, but I can’t resist. My feet slide across the ground towards the void…!

“Kufool. Does it not know Servants cannot become the core……!?”

“You…!”

He’s appearing from the void. Buthis body has melted here and there.

So that void must melt everything it swallows……!

“Guh, damn…!”

I try to get the chain off of me, but it doesn’t even budge. This chain even restrained Berserker. It’s not something I can pry off…!

“Ah, guh”

I’m being pulled towards it…! I’ll be swallowed like him if I go near that void…!

“Damn, are you trying to take me with you…!”

“Hah, I have no intention of dying…!!

Stay right there until I pull myself out, you lowlife!”

“You…”

He’s arrogant even in this situation…!

“Ohdamn”

But what can I do? I can’t get this chain off of me. I’ll be swallowed into that void along with him. Even if I hold my ground, he’ll pull himself out.

It means I’m going to die either way

[someone-else-entirely]

Genuinely don't want to get too deep into the whole AI art controversy because - as I mentioned in the tags of that post I reblogged before - I'm personally familiar with the issue in that I build AI as part of my job, but I'm not personally familiar with the issue in that I am not someone who relies on making art to survive (I do art as a hobby but obviously the artists who have more to fear from the development of AI like this are the ones who, you know, do it for a living).

I definitely see why people are concerned and in general I'd say this issue plays into the wider issue of "what happens if a robot/AI/etc takes my job" which is, I suppose, something we as a society have been facing since... the Industrial Revolution? Thereabouts? And it's not my place to speak on that since I haven't done thorough research on the matter, but I certainly understand the concern - hell, there already exist AIs that can write working code, for all I know my job could be at risk one day.

That being said, on a professional level I'm irked at the person who wrote "AI IS EVIL" in the notes of a post on the matter that I saw.

AI is a tool, my dude. Nothing more, nothing less. Whether it's used for good or evil depends wholly on the people who make it and the people who use it.

[freetheshit-outofyou]

TIME Life magazine 1956. A firearm is a tool not unlike any other tool. It can be used for ill intent or to do the job it was intended for. No one calls for the banning of hammers because someone gets bashed in the head with one, becasue houses still need to be built. But there is no (R)ight to own a hammer. If you take the mystery out of a thing it loses is magical properties given to it through propaganda and becomes just what it is, a tool. I have lived in homes with firearms since my birth, as did my dad and his dad and as my kids have. We don't have firearms issues becasue we took the mystery out of the tool and showed the kids what it's intended use is. In our case we hunt. We hunt to eat, we hunt to remove predictors from our land, and we defend what we have, that is what the tool is for. By taking the kids hunting they see the good a firearm can bring, putting food on the table for the winter, keeping livestock safe and so on. But there is another element to it, something missing today, the blood of hunting. Hunting is bloody, it shows you the destruction of bullets and shot cartridge's. It vividly shows you what happens when the tool is not employed properly or not accurately. I was 11 when I shot a cotton tail from a little to far away and it was struck by just a few pellets. That rabbit screamed and screams inside it's rock home. My dad made me sit there and listen to it until it died so I'd remember what that felt like . I cried the entire time, it was hut wrenching and I never forgot that. When I was 13 I was tracking my first buck Mule Deer a nice 4 point (8 point on Easter count) I had it scoped in at about 200 yards. I pulled the trigger and I missed it went right over its back. I rushed the second shot, and hit it right in the ball joint of the right rear leg. I had to track that deer for another 2 miles to get it. there was blood and bone and fat all over. Before we got to it the deer had bled out walking, or hobbling on 3 legs in a circle until it died. I won't get into my little brothers gut shot deer, because FUCK! Lessons I had to learn the hard way. Lessons you can't learn from a news story. Lessons you can't learn from a video game. Lessons you have to be in person for and they stay with you for life. When I was 17 (1987) I brought my old Sears side by side 20g to school for a Debate about gun control. I had been assigned the anti-gun side of the debate. I checked in with the school, I had to leave the shotgun in the office until my class and then I just picked it up and took it to class. No one was killed, no one was scared becasue at any given time there were a dozen or more rifles or shotguns in the cars in the parking lot. The issues we have today with "gun voidance" has nothing to do with guns, it has everything to do with proper education, and a mental health system that thinks every quirk a person has is now them showing who they really are inside and should be encouraged. Rather than telling parents "listen your kid is fucking dangerous to themselves and others." they want to include them and their insanity in everyday life. I am all for folks with issues getting the help they need and living a happy life, I'm not for free range crazy shooting up a school. Education and mental health, I know some of you pro-crime, anti-firearms folks will say it's not mental health issue, guns are bad Mmm'k. Then explain to me how more than half of all firearms related deaths every single year are from people killing themselves. I don't know but that sounds like a mental health crisis to me and not a firearm's crisis.

[seijorhi]

hi rhi!! i don’t know if you’re still interested in doing these but would you mind giving us some director’s commentary for sink to the depths? thank you for sharing your amazing writing!!

hey nonnie, ofc!

under the cut because once again this turned into a mini essay :'))

so initially because this fic was for the Christmas bash event it was supposed to be kinda christmassy themed. i had this rough idea of the reader being stuck with bonten for a year, culminating in the death of your brother at mikey's hands as a twisted kind of christmas present.

and it'd be kind of a double blow, because not only do you watch your brother and only remaining family get shot right in front of you, but it also hits you that you've been there with them for an entire year without even realising it. very angsty and awful, but then christmas came and went and tbh i actually forgot that's what i had planned lmao.

so instead i decided to just do little vignettes with each character kind of building up to mikey. and instead of him killing your brother as the grand finale i actually had planned on having mikey get someone to tattoo the bonten hanafuda on you – the sort of final permanent nail in the coffin. you're not getting out of this, they're not going to get bored and let you go after they feel you've served your time or whatever. now this ending (or the build up to it at least) is hinted at in kakucho's part where he mentions mikey putting a leash on you.

eventually tho i decided this wasn't going to work for two reasons; one, the more i wrote the more i realised that the ending was leading more towards mikey becoming possessive of the reader and therefore having you bound to the gang rather than him specifically didn't sit right. secondly, while you can choose to imagine whatever you'd like because there's no canon indication one way or the other, i saw the tattoos as being something kind of sacred and important – a mark showing absolute loyalty to mikey and the gang as a whole, and therefore only for those who'd proven themselves. and while you might belong to bonten, you're never going to be one of them. so as sexy as forced tattooing was, it was a shelved concept.

the story was never going to have a happy ending. instead, i wanted each and every part to hammer home how hopeless your situation was, each part kind of getting progressively worse. you have koko's jealousy and that suffocating forced intimacy, then you have sanzu plying you with drugs. the mid-way point of kakucho saving you from being assaulted on the docks, but at the same time that visceral reminder that the men who all but own you are doing awful things and that in some sick way you should be thankful that you're not being subjected to the same fate. and then there's the humiliation the haitani's put you through at the bar before finally you get mikey locking you in his room and his complete loss of control.

and at the same time, you have that backstory – introducing your brother as the catalyst, and then that desperate, pleading hope that he's still coming to save you, that as bad as things are there's a light at the end of the tunnel because while he might not be perfect he's the only one you have left and you still have faith in him.

and the reveal (granted, probably not all that surprising) that he is in fact just a selfish asshole who set you up to take the fall for his actions, that all this time you've been suffering, waiting for him to come and get you out, he's all but washed his hands of you – it's a gut punch. and yes, sanzu kills him for it. and yes, he and takeomi bring you with them when they dump the body because you ask them to, but it doesn't change the fact that it's basically the point of no return.

no one is coming to save you. even if you can find a way out on your own, you have nowhere to go. the only people who care if you live or die are your captors. the only love and care that you're ever going to receive is what they give you. which in a sense sets the stage for stockholm syndrome, or at the very least an extremely toxic and forced case of dependency.

and maybe you would've found a way to live with that, live like that, if not for mikey.

bonten mikey is mikey at his darkest point. he's lost his brothers, his sister, pushed away every last one of his friends – anyone who could potentially pull him back from the brink. and then there's you, a girl who was never supposed to be anything more than a warm hole to fuck, something pretty to ruin because he can. and yet, somehow you become the only thing left he truly cares about.

is it any wonder that he'd cling to that?

and he's already almost lost you once, the incident on the dock proved just how easily it could happen. and the further he spirals into that black pit, the more it's as if he's pinned whatever's left of his own humanity onto you. we've seen that he's already a jealous and somewhat possessive person, and the worse he gets the worse those impulses get.

he's touchy enough around wintertime, particularly with the anniversary of emma's death looming. he's lost everything else he's ever loved, and he can't lose you. he won't. he's paranoid about it, obsessive even, and while it used to be enough for him to go about his day knowing you were either in the tower or out with them, suddenly it's not anymore.

the only way he can think to function without losing his goddamn mind over it is to lock you up and keep you exactly where he left you. safe and sound and untouched until he comes back. he doesn't want anyone else touching you; you're his.

he needs you. you're all he has left.

[shoichee]

part 4: hcs dedicated to reactions: seirin (their precious lil manager going out with that scissor-wielding emperor bastard!?) and rakuzan (their captain was in love with that girl who cussed at him near the vending machine?!? ITS SO FUNNY) ++ angst where akashi gets jealous of readers teammates (IZUKI kuroko kagami furi... but mostly izuki bc point guards with eye powers) because he still feels bad about what happened and thinks he doesnt deserve her -- teiko anon

OUR LEGENDARY TEIKO ANON HAS SPOKEN OF AN EPILOGUE, alright y’all the finale FINALE 🧘🏻‍♀️ OKAY, i don’t think I hammered too hard on the angst, but enjoy the fluff and subtle crack😌

OOH, looks like another anon wants a pt. 4! :0 Since it is primarily the Teiko anon’s request, I will be prioritizing the first request, but I will combine a few aspects of this request to make a fuller headcanon epilogue! Hope everyone enjoys this! part 1 here // part 2 here // part 3 here

Akashi x Reader

Part 4: Epilogue

[Teiko!manager Headcanons]

in the aftermath of the Winter Cup, your relationship with Akashi has certainly gotten much better, and dare you say, more intimate and romantic; though you were still healing a bit from the emotional scars from Teiko, they seemed to be going away faster than you realized, especially when everyone gathers for Kuroko’s birthday party

you were with Seirin, helping with the decorations and setting up the plates before Kuroko comes in the evening, but what no one expected was for him to bring in the GoMs

YOU’RE SHOOK AND YOU’RE BASHFUL SEEING AKASHI IN HIS WINTER ATTIRE, you’re getting MAD butterflies, but no one seems to notice because everyone’s attention is on the GoMs and Kuroko

of course Akashi was scanning the room for you first, and you immediately look away from his affectionate stare because you were still not used to the old Akashi, let alone his sweeter side for only you

Izuki notices how quiet you got and nudged your ribs with his elbow before telling a stupid pun… the thing is, you were one of the few people who genuinely found his jokes funny LOL

Akashi widens his eyes, staring at you laughing so unabashedly, and he feels really, really bad that he never got that level of a reaction from you whenever you were with him even despite knowing you for longer

now as the party goes on, Akashi is seeing your dynamics with Seirin for the first time and he’s just really grateful that you found an amazing support group during your low times; he’s not particularly someone to get jealous, but he’s getting a BAD case of FOMO because he’s thinking of all the “what-if’s” and all the times he could’ve made you happy and stress-free

“Akashi-kun?”

“Ah… yes?” Akashi snaps out of his daze to see a mild smirk coming from Kuroko on his right side, and Kuroko was about to ask a question about who he was looking at before a shout of “Watch out!” and a ceramic plate came FLYING across the table to hit the Rakuzan captain square on his face

CUE SCREAMS OF PANIC AS MOMOI PUNCHES AOMINE ON THE HEAD AND RIKO JUMPS TO STRANGLE KAGAMI, AND YOU LITERALLY ZOOMED TO HIS SIDE TO CHECK ON ANY INJURIES

see, he could’ve easily dodged it, and he supposed that it’s his fault for not paying attention and dodging on time

thankfully, the plate didn’t break because Kuroko caught the plate before it reached the floor and placed it back on the table

Akashi still has a bruise or two on his face though… and ngl, everyone gulped when they saw him checking out the injuries with a handheld mirror, ready to get their ankles broken

you were so worried over his safety, he finds it really endearing… but he wants to elicit an expression other than looks of worry or tears or anger (flashback to when you cussed him out)

“Wait, but (y/n)...” Koganei said. “Since when were you so close to Akashi that you didn’t hesitate to touch his face?”

a few moments of silence for everyone to register his words

“EHHHH?????!!!!”

everyone is throwing QUESTION after QUESTION at the two of you, and Akashi just has a neutral face with his mouth parted while you were so embarrassed LMAO

Kise being a real best friend, tells them:

“Alright, alright, everyone! Let’s not forget about the birthday boy! Kurokocchi should be the center of our attention today!”

“Kise, that’s…”

“Anywho! Let’s light up the cake and find those party poppers…”

after the party though, when you all return to school, Seirin was READY to jump on you for interrogation, and you do reluctantly tell them that you and Akashi are a tentative couple

Riko: “SERIOUSLY? I mean… that’s kinda cute though…”

Hyuuga: “I mean… yeah, as long as you’re happy, it’s none of my business.”

Teppei: “I hope he treats you well, (y/n)-san.” and of course he gives you his signature head pats

Furihata, Tsuchida, Kawahara: “??????????????????? But why?”

Koganei: “Huh, guess that explains a lot.”

Kagami: “???????????? pt. 2 LMAO” and also “What do you even see in him?” in genuine curiosity

Izuki: “ I guess you two dove into this relationship without hesitation, eh? Get it, get it? Because doves are a symbol of lo—”

“Izuki, shut the fuck up.”

“It means that you love (Ai)kashi—” [Ai means love]

“IZUKI.”

Kuroko simply pretends that this is the first time he’s heard of you dating Akashi, and he gives you his heartfelt congratulations, and as long as Kuroko approves of it, you feel like you’re on the right track (he’s such a good judge of character!)

you and Akashi actually live VERY far apart, considering that your schools are equally just as far in distance, but that being said, for our rich boy Akashi, distance isn’t much of a problem when he can easily find ways to come visit any time

he can also pay for your transportation to visit Rakuzan if you ever felt like visiting him too (although, you insist to pay for your own things, but he’s not having it because he says it’s a treat for him to see you too)

whenever Akashi stops by the Seirin campus to visit, he’s just kind of awkward standing there like the prince that he is, waiting for the perfect opportunity to walk in, but every time, he’d ALWAYS notice how you’re so happy being with everyone here, especially with Izuki, and his guilt just comes back full force again

he wonders if this was right of him to date you when there’s so much people who can easily do a better job in getting you to smile and be completely yourself, especially since he’s been the source of your anguish for all these months (maybe even a year or two if he was counting the duration of your entire crush on him that you assumed to be unrequited)

“Seijurō!” your voice rang out, beckoning him to walk towards you and the group

all of the Seirin teammates are so wary of him, and are all hyper aware of his movements LOL, and Kuroko is just like “hi, you’re back” very casually

Kagami uses this as a chance to challenge a one-on-one on Akashi

Kagami gets destroyed in a few minutes flat

the whole time you’re just watching Akashi with heart eyes, unbeknownst to him while he was focused on Kagami

after the interrogation and Akashi passing the “first stage” of acceptance, you and him find time to have a cute date at a local shopping district to walk around and sightsee

Akashi finds it fun, he really did, but there’s a part of him that thinks you’d have more fun with people who know you better… a.k.a. Izuki, or legit any other Seirin member

he’s visibly distracted by his own thoughts, and you wave a hand to his face, asking if this was too boring for him

“No, no, of course I’m enjoying this with you,” he muses, putting a gentle kiss to your temple. “Shall we get moving?”

“Something’s bothering you isn’t it.”

“No,” he chuckles, giving a gentle smile, but you only frown at him… once again he sees that you weren’t smiling at him

“I’m serious Sei, I want to get to know the real you,” you softly chastise, pinching his cheek. “So I also want you to speak your mind around me.”

“Oh ho… I see that your boldness is still very present here,” he says in referring to your touch.

“Oh my god, can you drop it already? That’s so embarrassing—I cussed you out one time… hey don’t change the subject!”

“Hmm…” he hums for a bit before he comes clean. “I’m afraid that I might not be the right person to be worthy by your side after hurting you for so long.”

“... What makes you think that?” He hesitates, for the first time, not being so sure of himself and his emotions; he immediately thinks of Izuki and your good chemistry with him but dismisses the thought

“... I just do not think I’m capable enough to make you happy.”

“But you are. I’m very giddy to be with you right now.”

“Even happier than when you are with… your teammates?”

“Huh?”

“I apologize,” he hurriedly says. “They are your friends. I was out of line to question them.”

“No, no, it’s okay. Talk it out to me.” He’s uncharacteristically quiet as you both continue to walk and browse through the shops, and you carefully watch Akashi while he’s examining a few souvenirs on the display, patient for him to continue talking

“... the point guard.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Seirin’s point guard.”

“Izuki-kun? What about him?”

“While I’m aware that you only spend your time with him as a good friend… I want to spend just as much of a koala-ty time with you whenever we have the chance.”

he... says this with the straightest face, and you’re utterly confused before you saw some animal plushies on the store window, and the the koala plush, and then the cogs started turning in your head

“... Did you just say a pun?”

“Was it not sufficient?”

a few moments of silence pass and Akashi thinks he did something wrong because he wanted to make you smile (HELP poor captain), before you break into hysterics

between your fits of broken laughs and wheezes, you managed to ask if he was jealous of Izuki, to which he wholeheartedly kept denying until you wouldn’t stop being persistent

you reassure him over and over that he doesn’t need to act like Izuki to make you happy, but it was a pleasant surprise to see Akashi crack a “joke” nonetheless

he’s a bit new to the concept of dating and is still quite unsure of how to navigate this PLEASE GIVE HIM TIME

the date that day was a success (some of the Seirin teammates TOTALLY weren’t spying on you mid-date or anything…)

while Seirin is okay with you dating, visiting Rakuzan ALONE with the scary-ass captain and his “CROONIES” (hint: the rest of the team LMAOO) IS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY

RIKO AND HYUUGA are just like:

“What’s wrong with him coming here to visit you? Why do you gotta do the effort to visit him?”

“Uh… because I want to…”

“Yes, but who would you call to help over if something wrong happens? You’d be too far!”

“Uh, Akashi can help me if something happens.”

“With what, his scissors?” Kagami gives a deadpan look, and everyone turns to look at him in utter confusion LMAOOO like what does this redhead mean by SCISSORS???

Kuroko immediately jabs Kagami’s sides to silence him and smoothly changes the conversation before anyone asks any more questions about the “scissors” and potentially make them more reluctant to let you go

oh Kuroko, being the mediator and negotiator as always, trying to set some safety protocols for you to follow before everyone finally agrees to let you go see the infamous team alone

you know, Teppei is honestly just like, “Just go! Don’t worry about our (y/n) too much!”

Furihata is so concerned for your safety for valid reasons, but you reassure him that you won’t “die from the trip,” and no, this wouldn’t “be the last time” they’d see you before you leave

so when you stopped by Rakuzan’s gym after school after looking at the online maps, Hayama lets out a screech of terror before he starts pointing at you and calling you the “crazy ass chick” who tried to have a first-row seat ticket to death LOL

Hayama’s commotion brought everyone else’s attention to you, and Akashi was very surprised to see you all the way here

but he’s just standing at the back to watch how his teammates are reacting to you

Reo is the guy who would welcome you very warmly and would introduce you to the other team members who aren’t the starters, and he would actually ask if you were okay from last time

Nebuya is very laid back and throws a few muscle jokes much to Reo’s dismay, and he makes a comment about not you possibly not eating enough because at the time, he saw you almost tripping up your feet after you cussed out Akashi… he offers you his extra bowls if you ever feel hungry VERY SWEET GUY

Mayuzumi thinks you have balls, like who the fuck would come out alive after cussing out his captain but then COME BACK to said school of the captain… like why would you willingly walk back into the lion’s den??? so he thinks you’re dumb, but he has a shred of respect for you

Akashi is so amused at the spectacle and finally walks over to you after you noticed him

and he gives you an embrace and a chaste forehead kiss, and the entire gym goes silent

“Sei! I wanted to drop by as a surprise! Did you expect me?”

“Hm, I may have expected you to come sooner or later, but definitely not this quickly. Were transportation fees too much of a hassle?”

“Nope! I got everything covered! Do you want me to give you any chiropractic massages if you and your teammates need it?”

“You don’t need to do that, (y/n). You came here as a guest, not as a manager.”

“But…”

“Shhh, as soon as practice is done, I’ll take you anywhere you want in Kyotō. How does that sound?”

“Er… captain?” Reo holds up a hesitant finger to interrupt the two of you, while everyone else looks horrified at the sight of their captain looking serene

“Get a room, will you?” Mayuzumi only tuts in irritation while turning away to grab a nearby water bottle to down in one go

Nebuya merely stares in astonishment at the two of you, and his mind is thinking how the hell did you reel in this guy?

nah man, Hayama is GONE at this point: his brain has stopped functioning a while ago, and he’s standing there as stiff as a statue, scratching his head like a lost monkey // like he’s thinking how the fuck did this shit add up?? in his mind, he’s taking 2 plus 2 but it somehow ends up 94… that’s how he’s processing what he’s witnessing

the rest of the benchers and lower-string players are confused? who ARE you anyways?? Akashi?? dating??? that’s Rakuzan gossip of the century

TLDR; your first trip to Rakuzan may be awkward because the two of you stick out like a sore thumb, but eventually after multiple trips, the team slowly begins to consider you as one of their own

as per Akashi’s “suggestion” (hint: not a suggestion, but a strong recommendation), you were to be retreated with respect and kindness

why? Because Akashi never wants a repeat of the situation at Teiko ever again :(

as long as he is captain, and as long as he has the power and authority, he will do everything he can to make you happy and comfortable

don’t worry though, the Rakuzan starters are more than willing to punt any kid who talks shit about you

surprisingly, once Hayama comes around and accepts the fact that you were dating the captain, he’d be the most adamant and vocal protector, and he’s the one who shares the “inside tips and tricks” about the captain EEEE it’s so wholesome !!

the Rakuzan team is your certified bodyguard group, no debate

Reo might be the nosy mom who asks about who confessed first and the like…

the END, and I DO MEAN THE END THIS TIME

[dreaminpetals]

ong pls i love ur writing so much 😭😭❤️ could you do luca sfw/nsfw relationship hcs?? 😳😳

🔧 sfw & nsfw luca relationship hcs . . .

art credit

SFW ;;

♡ you're luca's favourite human being and the first person he goes to when he needs to geek out about a new invention or discovery he's made.

♡ luca isn't as social as he seems, he likes being on good terms with people so they don't misunderstand his prisoner title or fear him during matches but it's hard for him to take the next step and actually make friends. so if he ever needed to talk about anything he'd go to you.

♡ since he's so affection starved prepare to have him talk your ear off, there's so many things he's wanted to talk about but hasn't been able to.

♡ his whole life he's struggled with his side of the story being heard and he most definitely had his spirit broken in prison so to have someone who looks forward to hearing from him everyday? he gets bashful just thinking about it.

♡ if anything bothers him he loves to rant while pacing around the room, then you pspspsps him into bed and snuggle his problems away.

♡ by being his partner you've signed an unofficial contract to be his human pillow, have fun with his drooling and snoring!!!

♡ his mood changes a lot but being around you helps regulate it because he's always goofily happy when he sees you.

♡ luca is insecure about his scars and bruises, he used to be an elegant man who was constantly spotless so his look after prison + the accident has left him with some big identity issues. he needs you to compliment him!!! shower him with praise and call him handsome, charming, snazzy, whatever words you want to use... he doesn't want to feel like he downgraded :(

♡ when you're alone he lets his hair down and lets you play with it.

♡ there's so much hair.... give him a massage and kiss the crown of his head while you're at it, he loves the tenderness.

♡ sighs whenever he's content or extra comfortable, you found this out after asking why he always sighed during cuddle sessions.

♡ luca hates being cold and needs someone to keep him warm and fed, donate your body heat to him pls.

♡ he goes through random bursts of productiveness, he'll spend two days straight clinging to you like a koala then something snaps and he goes into work mode.

♡ it's hard to talk to him while he's focused so to show that you love him, drop him off food and clothes he can change into.

♡ he appreciates the silent ways you show your love, like never reacting when his electricity flairs up or scrubbing his hair in the bath before you get to yours.

♡ addicted to surprising you, whether it's a sudden kiss or a necklace he crafted for you.

♡ if something you have is broken he'll fix it for you while you sleep and have the cheekiest grin when you realize what he did in the morning.

♡ or he'll 'upgrade' something you have, like adding a self defense mechanism to your toaster and you're like 🤨

♡ the two of you go on adventures together all the time.

♡ the manor is your oyster, you're always collecting scraps to build things with each other or exploring areas with no trespassing signs.

♡ luca's quite the rule breaker and loves to show off around you but if anyone catches you he'd never let you get blamed for it.

♡ accidentally zaps you when he gets excited or surprised but he's able to control how strong they are around you, it's part of his simp abilities which overpower everything else.

♡ it's super hard to control but he ensures that you're never hurt, you can feel the zaps when you reach for his hand out of the blue but they never hurt. they're tingly and unique to your boyfriend so you've grown to love them.

♡ be careful you don't hurt yourself on his snaggle tooth when you kiss!!! there's been some mishaps with his fang before.

♡ his lips are so plump when you kiss him, they're slightly chapped but so warm and shoot butterflies straight into your stomach.

♡ does the thing where he tilts your chin up with his fingers then runs them along your bottom lip, he's addicted to seeing you blush.

♡ he acts super cocky and confident to make up for lost time and to heal his ego.

♡ asks you things like "missed me?" or "aren't i the best?" in his usual smug tone all the time but deep down that's how he asks for reassurance that he's loved.

♡ when he wakes up in the middle of the night he sometimes thinks he's back in his cell, he needs you to embrace his shivering form and tell him that you're with him now.

♡ hugs you from behind and unexpectedly picks you up because he loves to hear your laugh, it makes him feel electric.. in a good way.

NSFW ;;

♡ so. his zaps.

♡ he can control the intensity and they flair up when he's aroused or excited, meaning there's always a vibrating thrum you feel under his skin when you're intimate.

♡ what i'm saying is he's a walking vibrator ❤️

♡ lets you ride his thigh and ruts it against you, the vibrations leaving you a sobbing mess.

♡ he's okay with topping or bottoming, there's no preference he just wants to nut.

♡ inventing new ways to make you cum is his speciality but being able to lay back and let you milk him? it's a dream to luca.

♡ his moans are so rapid and breathy, he partially wants you to know you're doing a good job but he also sucks at controlling the volume of his voice.. if youre making him feel good he doesn't want to hide it. he can't hide it.

♡ he tries dirty talk with you but he's so breathless that you can barely decipher what he's saying.

♡ praise him!!! your whines are enough to keep him going but if you're able to slip some "fuck you feel so good"s in there?? he's ecstatic.

♡ refers to his cock as luca jr JDBCBDJD

♡ fixates on oral, giving AND receiving, he has a super long tongue and wants to use it on you.

♡ he's also used to handjobs from how often he's jerked himself off in the past, so a mouth over his cock is an entirely different feeling that he can barely handle.

♡ while he's giving oral he loves to make eye contact with you, flashing you his usual lopsided smile and sleazy grin except it's stained with your fluids.

♡ luca has made positions of his own and some toys of his own in his free time.

♡ if you're willing to he'd love to try out one of those fuck machines fjfnfnsbsj he wants to bring things he's good at into the bedroom.

♡ he seems like he'd love doggy style.

♡ pressing someone into a mattress while hammering into them and getting a delicious view of their body or the other way around? he dreams of that.

♡ i don't think he'd enjoy people being rough with him, degrading him, or tying him up.. it gives him bad memories.

♡ he can act like a wild animal the way he sloppily fucks you without restraint but he still gets emotional during the whole ordeal and needs to hear compliments and feel safe.

♡ something kinda cruel he does enjoy though? orgasm denial.

♡ right as you're about to climax he pulls himself away from you and snickers, taking great pride in how undone you become when you don't get what you want.

♡ it's all fun and games until you do the same to him, he'll beg you to be allowed to cum and will be so exasperated he'll ooze electricity from every pore.

♡ loves to bang on furniture or in the shower.

♡ shower sex!! when you're covered in foam and he lets his hair down he's all over you, pinning you against the glass of the shower and going to work.

♡ when he lets you take charge he always asks you to give him a strip tease, there's nothing like pushing luca down and slowly revealing your chest to him as you sway your hips, he cums in his pants nearly every time and can't take his eyes off you while he unbuttons his pants to stroke himself, chewing his lip.

♡ fav place to finish is on your body, he shoots a lot of cum and feels so possessive when he sees it stick onto you.

♡ his tongue is always out whenever he bottoms, he loses his smug aura and wholly gives himself into the pleasure.

♡ you're the only person who will ever see him like this so he can act like a brat all he wants.

♡ he still twitches and squirms even during aftercare, sudden giggle fits breaking the silence while he lovingly washes you up and threads his fingers through your hair, still damp from sweat.

[jekde04]

Cuddle Buddies

For Gruvia Week 2021: Day 2 - Warmth

Day 1 | Day 3 | Day 4

Pairing: Gruvia (Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser)

Fandom: Fairy Tail

Genre: Romance

Word Count: 2,355 words

Summary: Gray doesn’t cuddle. But special circumstances *cough-Juvia-cough* might change his mind.

You may also read it on FanFiction.net and AO3! Check out my master list for other Gruvia fics.

Gray Fullbuster does not cuddle.

He'd like to say it was because he was an ice mage – he had a low tolerance for heat, regardless of whether it was coming from the blazing sun or another's warm embrace. It was just how he was made.

But the truth was, even if he weren't an ice mage, he still couldn't see the appeal of having someone's sticky, sweaty body squashed against him. How it can even be remotely considered comforting was beyond him.

He could pat you on the back, ruffle the hair on your head, and even sit beside you – but definitely no hugs.

Except if he absolutely had to.

Like, if it was a matter of life and, well, severe hypothermia.

And so, it was because of this that Gray found himself in one of the beds in the infirmary, cuddling with Juvia Lockser.

Whether he wanted to or not was already out of the question. After all, it was his fault that it had come to this, and he had no choice but to provide her with his body heat until her temperature rose back to normal.

"Feeling better?" Gray asked, absently stroking the soft locks of Juvia's hair as he held her close.

"Y-yes, Gray-sama. Thank you," she mumbled, her breath tickling the crook of his neck, sending shivers down his bare back.

Despite this, Gray didn't budge from his position. It wasn't because he was actually enjoying this. In fact, he could feel beads of sticky sweat forming on his forehead, neck, and chest. He was just worried that Juvia still hadn't fully recovered, that was all. After all, Juvia could be so stupidly selfless a lot of times, saying she was okay even when she clearly wasn't. He knew her enough by now to see right through her.

"Are you sure? You're still shivering," he whispered. Instinctively, he pressed her body closer to him, willing his warmth to transfer to her.

He felt Juvia push against him a little so she could look up at him. Her face was still pale, although he could see a little pink blooming on her cheeks. She also managed to give him one of her bright smiles without her teeth chattering.

"Yes. Juvia's really fine now." She moved her hands from his chest to his face, cupping his cheeks. Instantly, he felt warmth course up his face, though he wasn't sure if it was because of Juvia's hands or... something else. "See? Juvia's hands are warm now, thanks to Gray-sama."

He averted his eyes from her, feeling both bashful and guilty. "Don't be stupid. It's also because of me that you almost froze to death."

Juvia laughed softly. "Gray-sama is so dramatic! It was just part of training. Juvia will get used to it, don't worry."

After Gray discovered that he could actually use Juvia's water body as his weapon of ice destruction, the two of them wasted no time training their newfound spells. At first, everything worked the way they wanted it to, until Juvia started experiencing hypothermic bouts right after training. They eventually figured out that frequent use of Gray's ice magic on Juvia's water body made it difficult for her to control her body temperature.

They were already practicing the new spells for three days straight when Juvia had her first hypothermic episode. Gray could still remember how proud he felt after flawlessly executing Juvia Hammer when he noticed that it took some time for Juvia to reform her physical body. And when she finally did, all color drained from his face as a deathly pale Juvia reached out to him before collapsing, his reflexes activating just in time to catch her before her solid body hit the ground. His heart drummed wildly as he saw icicles clinging to her blue hair, her usual red lips now devoid of any color, her body shivering uncontrollably.

For a moment, Gray was transported back to that chilling snowstorm all over again, holding a lifeless Juvia in his arms. His blood ran cold.

He shook off the memory and carried Juvia to the guild's infirmary as fast as he could. The moment he placed Juvia on the bed, Wendy was already by their side, doing everything she could to raise the water mage's dangerously low temperature. Wendy mentioned something about using body heat to defrost Juvia quickly, and Gray wasted no time taking off the freezing woman's coat and enveloping her corseted body in his embrace.

Looking back, he thought he probably wasn't the best choice to provide body heat, but the thought of someone else holding Juvia was... well, he'd rather not think about it.

Someone must have called for Porlyusica because the next thing Gray remembered was the old lady checking up on Juvia, lauding Wendy's efforts, and telling him to continue what he was doing.

"Her water body is slowly heating her up, so she's going to be fine," the healer had said. "You can continue training your new spells so her body gets used to it, but don't be stupid and overdo it," she added, glaring at Gray.

After that incident, Gray was extremely hesitant to continue training the new spells. But Juvia was adamant about pushing through, claiming that it would be good for her to develop a resistance to cold as well.

Gray eventually relented, on one condition: that he would help her raise her temperature quickly with his body heat.

At first, Juvia couldn't believe her ears. Did Gray-sama just offer to hug Juvia of his own free will? But when Gray repeated his request while looking straight into her eyes and without blushing the tiniest bit, Juvia's confusion turned to bubbling happiness. She launched herself at Gray, muttering, "Gray-sama can cuddle with Juvia all he wants. We can start now!" It was only then that it hit Gray how incredibly embarrassing his request was, and he instantly turned a bright shade of red as Juvia continued clinging to him.

And so, cuddling after training became a routine for them, the afternoons spent sharing a bed at the infirmary becoming a common occurrence. All reluctance Gray had at the beginning was instantly erased every time Juvia would transform back to her physical body, trembling from the cold and seeking the warmth of his body. It wasn't as bad as that first time when Juvia looked as pale as a ghost – they were careful not to overtrain – but it still alarmed Gray enough to make him not want to let Juvia stray from his embrace for at least an hour until he could feel her body's warmth mixing with his.

"Still, you know you can always ask me to stop the training anytime, right?" Gray asked, staring at her intently. "I'm serious, Juvia. I don't want you overdoing things, saying you're okay when you're not. Promise me you won't lie to me about these things."

He was ready for her to tease him about how worried he was for her, but Juvia just gave him a sweet smile. She pinched his cheeks, earning a groan from the ice mage. "Juvia promises. Now, stop worrying so much. She's really fine now."

Gray sighed and loosened his hold on Juvia. She extracted herself from his grip, and Gray felt the loss of her body right away.

Juvia sat up from the bed and straightened her clothes. She looked back at Gray.

"Let's try again tomorrow?"

"As long as you're fine."

He would always be there to help her, anyway.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Juvia Geyser!"

Activating her Sierra form, Juvia absorbed Gray's magic, causing her water body to shoot up like a geyser. Sharp spikes hit the tree branch they were targeting, breaking it in a clean sweep. Juvia then melted into a puddle and reformed her normal body.

"Nice, Juvia!" Gray grinned, running towards her. He was about to hug her like he usually did when she stopped him with a firm hand on his bare chest.

"Juvia's okay now, Gray-sama. It took her a while, but she can normalize her body temperature quickly now." She smiled from ear to ear.

Gray frowned, studying her for any sign of hypothermia. "Are you sure?" He touched her forehead underneath her bangs. "If you're cold, then –"

"Juvia appreciates Gray-sama's kindness, but really, she's fine," she reassured him.

"But Porlyusica said we should –"

" – keep training so Juvia can get used to it," she finished for him. "And now, Juvia has gotten used to it, so Gray-sama has nothing to worry about!"

After a pause, he answered, "Alright. Whatever." He started walking back to the guild when Juvia called out to him.

"Gray-sama?"

"What?" It came out harsher than he intended, and he caught the concern in Juvia's expression.

"Is Gray-sama mad at Juvia?"

No, he wanted to reply, because really, his mind was relieved that Juvia was fine. They could finally train using their full powers and without that cloud of worry hovering over him. He could stop going easy on her and go back to the way it was. They no longer had to waste hours of precious time just staying in bed, holding each other.

It was all good.

But why does he feel... angry? Why couldn't he stop himself from balling his fists and gritting his teeth from frustration?

Why did it feel so wrong?

Juvia's warm hand on his tensed shoulders shook Gray out of his reverie.

"Gray-sama shouldn't be mad at himself for freezing Juvia. It wasn't your fault," Juvia said softly. "You didn't have to go out of your way to help Juvia –"

"That's the problem!" Gray snapped, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You always think you're a bother when you're not. You always think about others first without thinking about yourself and your needs! Tell me, have I ever complained about helping you, Juvia?"

She stared at him, confusion written all over her face. Finally, she spoke. "You didn't, Gray-sama. But Juvia didn't want to impose herself because she knew that Gray-sama's not the cuddling type –"

"The hell I'm not, but I want to!" he exclaimed before he could even think of his words. "It's not that I feel responsible for what happened to you, but either way, I want to take care of you. I want you to rely on me when you need to – no, not just when you need to, but whenever you want to. All the time if that's what you want. Do you get me?"

Juvia opened her mouth to speak, only to close it again. Gray's words finally caught up with him, and he felt blood rush to his cheeks. He fought the urge to freeze Juvia and run away to where his feelings won't catch up with him.

After a few moments of wishing that the earth would swallow him whole, Juvia broke the awkward silence. "Is this Gray-sama's way of telling Juvia that he's okay with being cuddle buddies?"

"Cuddle... buddies? That's not... that's... what?" Things just kept getting more and more embarrassing.

Juvia stepped closer to him so that they were mere inches away from each other. Unlike Gray, she didn't seem the least bit bashful when she explained, "Juvia feels like it's Gray-sama's way of saying he'd like to continue hugging Juvia, frozen or not. Is Juvia right?"

"Ye – no," Gray stuttered.

"No? Gray-sama doesn't want to hug Juvia?"

"No – I mean, yes! Uhm, what I want to say is, I don't mind it... if you want... not that I want to, but you – it's up to you! Whatever you want!" Gray finished, losing his cool every second. Tsk, he thought, why did she have to be so blunt about it?

Juvia just stared at him, obviously trying to decipher his jumble of words. Gray took the opportunity to redeem himself. "But you're okay now, right? You're not bluffing?"

Juvia shook her head.

"Okay, in that case..." Gray let himself trail off as he motioned back to the guild. He couldn't wait to go home, have a nice, cold shower, and just forget all the cheesy things he said today. Tomorrow was another day.

He turned around, picked up his discarded shirt, and wore it. He was about to walk off when he felt Juvia's arms circle him from behind, her warm and curvy body pressed against his back.

"Juvia... wants to hug Gray-sama," she whispered, every word a warm breath against his shoulder blade. "She's no longer freezing, but if Gray-sama meant what he said... she wants to rely on Gray-sama even when she doesn't need to. Just because she wants to."

Sometimes, he couldn't help but marvel at how Juvia could totally get him, even when he couldn't properly put his feelings into words. He smiled as he felt warmth spread all over his body.

Gray loosened Juvia's hands so that he could turn around and hug her properly. One of his arms wrapped around her head and the other one around her waist. He buried his head on her hair.

"I meant what I said," he said softly, inhaling the sweet scent of petrichor in Juvia's hair. He felt Juvia's arms tighten around him.

They stayed like that for a few beats before Juvia looked up with a smirk and said, "If Gray-sama wants a hug from Juvia so badly, he should just have said so."

Gray turned red and was about to deny it when he stopped himself. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but their after-training cuddling sessions had become a routine he wasn't willing to let go of yet.

"Shut up."

Juvia gasped as Gray swiftly carried her, bridal style, and walked to a nearby shade. He set her down with her back against the tree trunk and sat beside her. He put his arms around her and held her close to him.

"Gray-sama?"

"Hm?"

"Cuddling is nice, isn't it?"

For the record, Gray still hated cuddling. But if Juvia was his cuddle buddy...

"I guess... it's not that bad," he whispered as he rested his head on top of hers, hiding his flaming cheeks.

A/N: I honestly had a hard time thinking of a story for this prompt because I just wrote Winter Warmth a couple of months ago, but I’m glad I was able to come up with another (fluffy) idea for literally the same prompt. Just so you know, it might take a while for me to post the next update, but I’ll complete Gruvia Week 2021, I promise. 😊

[whump-only]

intro -- golden (vamp whump)

Ok so I have a vampire whump addiction now..... (thanks @deluxewhump + @ashintheairlikesnow). NEW WIP NEW OCs eeeeee

tw: broken bones, reference to gore (removal of teeth), captivity, restraint, it/its as pronouns, physical abuse/manhandling, non-sexual nudity, manipulative/abusive relationship, referenced death / murder

----

“Come on. Just let me just show it to you.” Hyde phrased it as though it was a request, but he stood blocking the front door. Daring Pollen to refuse him.

“No. Find someone else. I’m leaving,” Pollen said, but they both knew that wouldn’t happen. Pollen really, really regretted agreeing to housesit, For a whole month? On Hyde’s turf? Idiot! But he didn’t think Hyde would spring this on him. 

Hyde stepped forward and took Pollen by the elbow. “I’ll protect you…” he said cheekily, pulling Pollen towards the basement door. 

“Fuck you.” Pollen planted his feet firmly. To think Pollen would agree to living with a vampire… 

“Fuck! I said just look at it. How is that hard?” Hyde snapped with that ferociousness he was capable of. It’s why he was a top tier vampire hunter, but it startled Pollen when it came out like that. 

But just like that, the flash of anger was smoothed away, and Hyde was soft, coaxing. “Listen… if you actually look at it and still think it’s dangerous, then I’ll kill it before I go? Okay?”

Pollen was baffled. Did Hyde really think this was reasonable? Knowing what vampires did to his life, to his family? “…You’re serious?”

Hyde grinned before leading the way. That smile of assured victory that everyone swooned over. That Pollen used to want to kiss. Pollen clenched his teeth. 

Hyde opened the door to the pitch black basement and already everything in Pollen wanted to say, Close the door, get the fuck out! Leave it down there! That’s what any sensible human would do. 

Hyde flicked on a pale yellow light and padded down the steps. Pollen stopped at the threshold of the door, his heartbeat hammering in his ears. Run. Run! Those last words of his mother echoed in his head, the memory of that night wrapping itself around his neck, like a snake. Run! 

Hyde looked up at him, raised his eyebrows mockingly. Scared?

Pollen reasoned that if the thing somehow got loose it could kill Hyde first and give Pollen time to run away. Or something. And so, he forced himself to step down, one creaky, labored step after another. The smell of rotting, horrible something hit him so hard it triggered a coughing fit. “Ugh, god. You never crack a window down here?” Pollen called. 

Hyde was already out of sight, somewhere down there. “No windows.”

Pollen’s eyes watered and he could barely see anything in the yellow glow of the overhead light. Hyde was near the far wall, and Pollen urgently scanned the bare room for the monster. With a shock he realized it must be the figure at Hyde’s feet, curled under a blanket. 

With the clink of chains, the thing suddenly shifted and let out a whimper and Pollen’s heart leapt into his throat. 

Hyde kneeled down next to it and Pollen braced himself for it to leap up and rip open Hyde’s face.

But instead Hyde lifted it clean off the floor and held it up. Its blanket fell away and it was naked, so thin that it looked like its every bone was visible through its grey skin, making it all the more inhuman. It looked like an eerily accurate mannequin, utterly plastic and lifeless, yet still detailed in its rendering. The chain that dropped down from its neck looked heavier than its body. The thing remained limp in Hyde’s arms, its head drooped down to its chest, its bound wrists hung loosely. Its mop of black hair covered the top half of its face and the bottom was obscured with a muzzle. Its legs dangled a full foot off the ground. There was no way it was full grown, Pollen realized. 

It did not paint an intimidating picture. But Pollen still flinched when it growled suddenly. 

Hyde didn’t seem to register the sound at all, even though he was holding it against his body. He switched to holding it up with one arm. “Look at its eyes.” With the other hand he moved its matted hair out of the way and pulled up one of its eyelids. The iris was a deep, almost golden, yellow. “Such a pretty color.” 

The vampire’s eye seemed to fix on Pollen, its pupil growing small in an instant. Pollen turned away, finding himself overwhelmed. Those eyes. Just like—

“Want to touch it?” Hyde said, almost reverently. 

“No,” Pollen said firmly. “Just stop.”

“Suit yourself.” Hyde dropped the vampire so suddenly that Pollen jerked in surprise as it hit the floor and cried out.  

Hyde stepped over the cowering creature and with a gleam in his eyes. “See? Didn’t I tell you?”

Pollen stepped back, momentarily forgetting the vampire, but nonetheless terrified. Hyde was alive now, glowing with excitement. At any moment his energy could be redirected by a swift turn of anger into a quick bone cracking punch or the instant unsheathing of his knife. In this basement, Hyde could get away with anything, Pollen thought. 

But Hyde was in good spirits, seemingly assured that his presentation had been thoroughly convincing. So he was now onto logistics, “The freezer upstairs is filled with cow blood. Give the vamp a block every day or so. That’ll keep it alive but it won’t get strong enough to give you trouble. You can always lower the portion if it’s getting too energetic.”

Pollen’s head was still spinning from the slow realization of what he’d gotten backed into doing. “And what, take off its muzzle? What if it bites me?”

Hyde grinned with chaotic glee. “I took out its fangs! And the rest of the front ones too.”

Pollen unconsciously raised his hand to cover his mouth. 

Hyde continued. “Still gotta be wary of the things growing back of course. You can use the pitchfork to pin it down, but trust me, it doesn’t move around much anyway. It’s pretty easy.”

Pollen tried to relax his clenched mouth. “Right. Cow blood. Got it.”

Hyde tapped his chin. “Other than that, I just dump a bucket of water or two every few days, to wash down the piss an everything to the drain there.”

Literally mopping shit. Unbelievable that Hyde would take him for granted like this, Pollen sulked. “I hate you. You’re a bad friend.”

“I know, I know. I’m sorry,” Hyde said tenderly. He reached for Pollen’s hand and teasingly wrapped his index finger around Pollen’s pinkie. With the other hand he gave Pollen’s butt a little squeeze. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Ridiculous. Did Hyde think he was so good that sex would make up for this?, Pollen wondered. Pollen wasn’t that desperate. 

And now Pollen was insulted. “Hey. I never say I’d do it. Chained up or not, toothless or whatever, I’m not going to be able to sleep knowing there’s a vampire under me. That’s a risk you’re willing to live with. But not me. What if it gets away and comes upstairs to kill me?”

Hyde sighed. “You really think that thing is any threat to you? Be serious.” 

“Yes!” Pollen insisted. 

Hyde’s eyes narrowed and he smirked coldly. “So sad. But I get it. Can’t be too careful with vamps. They killed your folks right?”

Pollen already knew Hyde wasn’t just giving up. But Pollen didn’t know how to stop him. How to not walk into the trap. So Pollen yielded, “Yes. And my siblings. I had two sisters.”

“That’s too bad...” Hyde turned to the vampire that had somehow managed to silently twist most of itself back under the blanket. “Hey, Goldie. Mr. Pollen doesn’t trust you…”

Hyde walked purposefully toward a metal baseball bat that Pollen hadn’t noticed before. Pollen didn’t think he imagined the dark staining on it. 

Hyde glanced over, trying to catch Pollen’s gaze. “…What can we do about that?”

Pollen felt very cold in his stomach, remembering Hyde’s promise to kill it if Pollen thought it was dangerous. “Hey, come on Hyde. Hyde! Don’t do that,” Pollen said, but he wasn’t sure. The vampire couldn’t be released back to the outside to terrorize people, they both knew that. 

The vampire too, must’ve sensed the lurch toward danger, because it broke out of its stupor. As Hyde loomed over it, it struggled and whined, tried to scrabble against the concrete, pull itself away. But Hyde firmly stepped down on a part of it, pinning it.

“Stop! No!” Pollen shouted, but Hyde raised the tool above his head—

Pollen turned away and covered his ears to block the piercing cry of the creature. With every new breath it screamed into its muzzle and seemed to choke on its own voice before screaming again.  Pollen panted in horror, unable to look up. 

“One broken leg,” Hyde reported, loudly, over the thing’s cries. “Or if we’re really being more exact, it’s probably shattered from the knee down. Still think vampy can get away?”

Pollen shook his head. “Hyde. I can’t…”

“What do you think, Goldie? Can you still crawl up the stairs and kill Mr. Pollen?” Hyde addressed it with a tone that approached tenderness. But he still held that bat, weighing it in his hand. Pollen realized Hyde never intended to kill it. 

Pollen wished he could jump up and snatch away the bat. But his body wouldn’t move. “Hyde. Hyde, please stop. Just stop.”

Hyde looked right at Pollen with dark eyes as he raised the bat again. “Sorry, Goldie. One leg to go.” 

Pollen finally unfroze and raced up the stairs two at a time, tripped once, bashing his chin into a stair, but it didn’t slow him down until he was back in the kitchen. He felt dizzy so he sank to the floor and clapped his hands over his ears as the creature wailed. 

The stairs creaked as Hyde climbed them. He softly closed the basement door, muting the sounds of pain. 

The ringing finally subsided in Pollen’s head. “Why the fuck did you do that?” Pollen demanded. 

“You know I’m the last person on earth who’d underestimate a vampire. I wouldn’t leave you in a situation where you could get hurt,” Hyde said sweetly. 

You knew it’d make me guilty, Pollen thought. To get back at me for resisting you, right? But Pollen said nothing, and took the hand Hyde offered. 

Hyde pulled Pollen to his feet. “I know it’s scary. Especially for you. But you can do this.”

Pollen rested his head on Hyde’s shoulder, pretending that this Hyde, the soft one, couldn’t switch back if he was hugging Pollen. The broken moans of the thing could still be heard through the door. This whole exercise seemed so cruel now, so unnecessary. Pollen mumbled into Hyde’s shirt. “Why can’t you just kill it?”

Hyde wrapped his arms around Pollen. “This is a rare opportunity. I’ll take it around to fairs and things, earn a little cash showing people something they’ve never seen before. It’ll be something to do between my hunting trips. Maybe I can even travel less, if the money’s good… I’m not getting younger, you know?”

The creature’s pitiful sobs echoed in Pollen’s skull. Pollen gripped Hyde’s shirt tighter. “Mhm.” 

Hyde approvingly pecked a kiss onto Pollen’s forehead. “Thank you.”

Pollen cursed the fluttery feeling it gave him. He broke out of the hug. “You’re welcome, asshole.”

Hyde began to shuttle around the house, scanning for things he might’ve forgotten to pack. The vampire had gone quiet. 

Finally Hyde stood at the door, ready to leave. 

Pollen joined him to see him off. “Have a nice trip. Kills lots of vampires for me.”

“That I will.” Hyde gave a salut and marched off. 

Pollen closed the door and slumped down to the floor. “Fuck!”

[fallingforunrealisticromance]

Look at me - Spencer Reid x fem! reader

A/N: I've written a lot of Hotch content recently and as much as I love it, I felt like I needed to get some Reid in there as well. This was a bit rushed so sorry if there are any mistakes in there. Enjoy:)

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of panic attacks/past trauma, toxic relationships

Word Count: 2462

***= time skip

Any details from a case are made up, not based on an actual episode.

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

My mind is not something I ever thought I’d fear. I just assumed no matter how bad things got; I would be in control therefore it would never be anything I couldn’t handle. Even when I joined the BAU and was surrounded by harrowing cases all day, naively, I assumed I could keep on top of it. In case you hadn’t figured it out by now – I was wrong.

**********************************************************************

We all collapsed into our respective seats on the jet, none of us saying anything. This case had been particularly brutal, and it took a lot out of us. We had nothing to talk about besides the events of the past few days and no one wanted to think about it more than necessary. I took the first window seat I saw, grabbing a blanket and curling into myself. The sun was beginning to set and watching it above the clouds would bring me some sense of peace. As cliché as it sounds, being above the clouds and watching the light slowly sink beneath causing there to be an orangey glow – everything felt so quiet, so calm. As if I was untouchable, like nothing bad could reach me. As I starred out of the window, I couldn’t quite get comfortable. Normally after cases, I was able to fall asleep roughly half an hour into the journey home, but something was keeping me up. This must have shown on my face as I felt as soft jab to my side, breaking me from my thoughts.

“You good pretty girl?” Morgan asked, leaning on the edge of my seat.

“Hm? Yeah I’m all good. Just can’t sleep.” I said offering a small smile.

“I feel you. I’ve been trying since I sat down but I guess today just isn’t our day.” He replied sighing. “You need a drink or anything?”

“Nah I’m okay. Thanks though.”

“No problem gorgeous. Hope your able to drift off soon.” He said before heading to the back for a drink. I sighed, turning my body to face the window once again. But before I was able to get lost in my thoughts yet again, Spencer sat down in front of me. His brow was furrowed as his eyes scanned over me.

“You okay there?” I chuckled looking over at him.

“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about.” He replied matter of factly. I raised my eyebrow at him as I shifted to face him a little better.

“May I ask why?” I said in a light-hearted tone.

“Because you can’t sleep.” He stated. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that so I stayed silent, allowing him to continue. “You always fall asleep. You sit by the window, you curl up, and your asleep within 20 minutes. The only time you don’t is if someone’s talking to you. But no ones spoken to you until just now and your still awake.” He explained. I starred at him, in slight shock. “S-so I think what I’m trying to figure out is what’s keeping you awake? And see if you’re okay?” He concluded, suddenly looking rather nervous as if he was worried he’d overstepped.

“Look I’m sorry just pretend I didn’t say anything.” He said going to stand up. “

No hey it’s fine. I’m just surprised you noticed that’s all.” I replied quickly.

“Of course I did, I care about you.” I’m not sure why but that simple sentence caused my heart to flutter. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve always appreciated the fact that Spencer is attractive (even if he doesn’t believe it) but I’ve never thought of him in a romantic light. Since I’ve joined the BAU, we’ve always been able to lean on each other no matter what the situation. There was just something about us that clicked almost perfectly, there was nothing I couldn’t tell him. And even though we constantly got teased about being together, I’d never even considered it.

“Your right though, something is keeping me up.” I admitted, leaning back into my seat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Spencer offered, copying my actions.

“Yeah I’d love to. I just don’t know what it is. There’s something making me feel, I don’t know, uncomfortable I guess? But I haven’t got a clue what.” I rubbed my head as I spoke, feeling the beginning of headache starting to form.

“Oh.” He replied shortly. I could tell he was trying to figure out what it could be, but it was no use. “Is there anything I can do?” He asked. I smiled at him but shook my head.

“I’m afraid not pretty boy, I’m sure it’s nothing. Was just a hard case you know” He nodded.

“Well, if you remember, o-or even if you don’t and you just wanna talk, you know you can always come and find me.” Once again, I felt my heart flutter. Why was he making me feel this way all of a sudden?

“Thank you Spence. You too.” The rest of the journey went pretty smoothly. I didn’t fall asleep but for the most part, the uncomfortable feeling left me alone.

********************************************************************

“Okay guys, head home get some rest. I’ll see you all tomorrow.” Hotch said as we made our way out of the parking lot. We all called out to each other before jumping in our cars and made our ways home. Even now, something was playing on my mind, and it was starting to piss me off. You’d think I’d be able to remember something that was bugging me this much. I tried to push it from my thoughts as I flopped onto my bed. I was so worn out I couldn’t even be bothered to change, I just wrapped myself up under my duvet and prayed that sleep would find me soon.

********************************************************************

“Come on y/n, you’re overreacting. You know I only did it because I love you.”

“How the fuck am I overreacting? I never remember asking you to bash someone’s head into the sidewalk out of LOVE”

“You know what? This is your fault. You made me do this.”

“I MADE you?”

“If you didn’t hang out with him dressed like such a slut I wouldn’t have had to do anything.”

“You’re joking right? God your fucking insane.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not? Does it hurt your feelings?”

“Shut up you bitch.”

“I’m done with this. I’m done with you. I should have never gone out with you. I’m leaving”

“No you’re not.”

“Dan I swear to fuck if you don’t let go of my hand I am calling the police.”

I jerked upright. My skin was damp with a cold sweat. My heart was hammering against my ribcage. My head was spinning. I couldn’t breathe. The sheets clung to me as scrambled out of my bed and headed for the front door. My mind was scrambled, I couldn’t stay at home. There was only one place I knew I’d feel safe. I pulled my shoes back on and ran out my front door before I begun sprinting down the road. I didn’t trust myself to drive right now.

******************************************************************

As I walked up the stairs of the apartment complex, very much out of breath, I begun second guessing my idea. It was literally 3 in the morning. But before I could convince myself otherwise, I raised my hand to knock on his door. I shouldn’t be here. He was probably asleep. Just as I turned to leave, the door swung open.

“Y/N? Are you okay?” A very dishevelled looking Spencer asked.

“Um yeah, no I just- I’m sorry I shouldn’t have woken you” I replied, fidgeting with my hands.

“It’s fine I’d actually fallen asleep on the sofa, so you did me a favour if anything.” He said with a soft chuckle. I couldn’t focus on his words, my mind still spinning. I could feel my breathing begin to quicken again. I was losing it.

“Hey, what’s going on?” His voice sounded muffled, as if he wasn’t stood right in front of me.

“I-I can’t breathe” I stammered. My legs felt as if they were about to give way. Before I could do anything else, I felt spencer wrap his arms around me and walk me into his apartment. He moved me to the sofa before closing the door and sitting down in front of me.

“What’s going on? Please I want to help but I need you to talk to me.” His voice sounded sincere. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my thoughts.

“I-I knew him.” I stammered, my hands trembling.

“Knew who?” He asked gently.

“I dated him. I don’t remember him being violent but then this one time- oh god. It’s my fault. I did this. T-they died because of me.” By this point, tears were streaming steadily down my face.

“What? Y/N who died? What do you mean you knew him?”

“THE FUCKING UNSUB SPENCER” I yelled, hysterically. I ran my fingers through my hair frantically. “I dated him. Ages ago. I don’t know how I didn’t recognise him. I think, no no I know, I was his stressor.” I explained, breathing heavily. Spencer starred at me. You know it’s bad when you render the boy genius himself speechless. “There was this guy I was friends with at the time, while I was dating Dan.”

“The unsub?” He cut in.

“Yes. Anyway, I’d been friends with this guy before I’d met dan, but they’d never liked each other. And then one night, I’d gone out. It was some sort of occasion, like a celebration thing I don’t know it’s all a bit fuzzy. I was wearing a dress and it wasn’t anything too bad, but it was showing off a decent amount of skin. I don’t really know how but dan turned up where we were and beat the living crap out of my friend. He ended up going to hospital. But that was the last time I saw dan, I left him that night. That has to of been his stressor.” I concluded, resting my head against the back of his sofa.

“You know it’s not uncommon for the brain to repress traumatic memories. That would explain why you didn’t recognise him and why you don’t remember everything, even now. You were most likely in such a toxic, stressful relationship with him that your mind didn’t know how to handle it. So instead of causing you more pain by trying to make sense of it all, it simply pushed those memories back far enough until you’d essentially forgotten that part of your life.” Spencer explained. What he was saying made sense, I didn’t like it, but it made sense. I could barely remember my relationship with him. All the details were jumbled up in my head. “When we brought him in, seeing him in the station must have triggered you to remember him. Or at least parts of it.” I nodded at his words.

“Most likely.” I mumbled. I still couldn’t shake the thought that I’d caused all of this. The pain the victims went through, their families, their friends all because of me. As if he could read my mind spencer spoke up yet again.

“Stop blaming yourself. This isn’t your fault.”

“It is though. If I hadn’t-“

"It’s a chemical thing y/n. That part of him was always there, it just takes a certain situation to cause it to snap. I know it’s hard, but you have to remember that you did not cause this.” His words provided me a slight comfort. Not much, but enough for me to drop the subject.

“I’m sorry to have put all this on you this late.” I mumbled.

“Don’t be. I’m glad you felt you could talk to me about this.” He replied, shifting so he was sitting next to me rather than in front. We sat in a comfortable silent for a few moments, enjoying each other’s company. I tried to stifle a yawn but failed miserably.

“How did you get here? I didn’t see you with any car keys when you came in.” Spencer asked softly.

“I ran.” I admitted, to tired to lie.

“You ran? You live like 3 blocks away.” He said, surprised.

“I was just so shaken up I didn’t think I could drive.” I reasoned.

“You should’ve called me; I would have picked you up.” He replied gazing at me. I felt my stomach flip. I’m not sure if it was the lack of sleep, or the fact that I was only now realising how much he cared for me, but in that moment I felt nothing but love for spencer. I studied his facial features for a second, appreciating how attractive he really was. The way his eyes shone constantly with eagerness and knowledge. The way his brows twitched slightly if something confused him. My eyes eventually travelled down to his lips. They looked so soft and inviting. Suddenly, I found myself consumed by the desperate urge to kiss him.

“You’ve always been there for me you know spencer? I can’t tell you how much you mean to me.” I said softly. He looked slightly taken back by my words, but his lips curled up into a small smile.

“You mean a lot too me too. More than I could try to describe.” Before we realised what was happening, we found ourselves leaning closer into each other.

“Spence I-“ But he swiftly cut me off, cupping my face in his hands and pulled his lips to meet mine. My arms found their way round his neck as I laced my fingers into the back of his hair. He held me carefully, as if he was scared he was going to lose me. The kiss was gentle, but it spoke a million words for the both of us. When we eventually pulled away, he kept his hands where the were as he slowly caressed my cheek with his thumb. We didn’t say anything, we didn’t have too. We both knew where we stood and what this meant for us. I just smiled at him, feeling like a lovesick teenager. Eventually he layed back on the sofa, pulling me on top of him. I felt him wrap his arms around my waist protectively as I cuddled closer to him. I’d never felt more at peace than I did in that moment. It didn’t take long for me to start drifting off yet again, with the rhythmic beat of spencer’s heart and the feeling of him tracing small patterns on my back. I felt him press a kiss to my head.

“Sleep well. I won’t let anything happen to you ever again. I love you.” He whispered, just as I slipped away into the darkness of sleep.

[hellyeahheroes]

You know, one would think last 5 years taught Damian Wayne fans to not get overly excited for DC trying to hammer him into roles and niches of his siblings like a round peg into a square hole.

@ubernegro​ made once on this blog a post detailing how Damian has been used as means to undermine and dismiss Batfamily in favor of the idea of Bruce and his “true” son and heir and how much of Damian’s character is built around that. I came to conclusion that the dissonance between how fandom sees Damian and how DC is using him comes exactly from this. Fans of Damian want him to be a real personality, someone who can grow and undergo character development. However, DC sees Damian only as a tool to bash rest of Batfam and thus will never give us that - if he can grow as a person it implies he wasn’t already perfect and thus wasn’t by default better than Dick, Tim, Jason, Cass, Duke or whichever Batfam meber the editor hates this week.

When you look at Damian stories from last few years you’ll see that those that are hated by the fanbase try to slot him into a niche of another Batfam member. Benjamin Percy’s teen Titans run tried to show he could fil lthe role of a team leader for other young heroes, a trait associated with Dick and, to a lesser extend, Tim. To the point the book tried to evoke 2003 Teen Titans cartoon, where the team leader was this weird Dick/Tim fusion, with a similair roster. And it went off like a lead baloon because Damian is a different character and fit to this role like a fist to a nose. And at first it could have been an interesting dynamic, with Damian as a wannabe leader whom Starfire needs to keep in check, but it became clear very fast we’re not qallowed to move away from it and see Damian outgrow this - because DC didn’t see him as a character but a way to bash Dick, he was supposed to be perfect and not allowed to grow. Thus he was stuck int oa role he didn’t fit.

Come Adam Glass run, DC decided to make Damian a “better Jason” isntead and we all know how bad it went. We ended with a story trying to outedge the family edgelord so badly Damian ended up committing heoinous crimes some people will never forgive him for and only went downhil from there and again, he wasn’t allowed to learn his lesson and grow because DC wants him to be perfect to show how much “better” he is. It was most ridiculous attempt at making a better edgelord since Marvel replaced Ghost Rider with Vengeance.

And now Damian got the very story arc Cass fandom has been asking DC to give her for 15 years. DC knew very well how important it was to Cass fandom so the fact it was given to Damian does not feel like a coincidence to me, but an attempt for editorial to now try to show how “better” Damian is than Cass. And let’s be real, he already sticks out in this story like a sore thumb, the whole thing needed to plaster Ras’ stupid face all over the story to cover that up. Because once again Damian is forced into a role that doesn’t fit his character for the sole purpose of telling fans of another Batfam member they should like Damian instead purely because DC editorial is spiteful.

And if you think this isn’t gonna be bad for Damian, let me assure you there is mroe than one reason why I keep using the image of Montreal Screwjob to talk about this storyline, every chance I get. You know, this one

Because I assure you, after that shit Shawn Michaels would forever be booed whenever he got on stage in Canada. It was so bad he stated to exploit it whenever played a bad guy, going to Montreal and directly antagonizing the crowds. Only making amends with Brett Heart would fix that. And I feel the same way Cass fans are never gonna forgive Damian until amends are made. We may ever seen him insult Cass if he ever pulls a legit heel turn.

There are good Damian stories and in those he is doing things unique to him. Being Dick’s sidekick, being friends with Jon kent, hanging out with Maps or Colin or Maya. But these are always dismissed whenever DC needs to get off to throwing other Batfam members under the bus. And something tells me this story will be no different - just another attempt to make Damian claim a place he doesn’t belong to.

-Admin

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Ep 55 - Rage Room.

K: Hi, this is Dir en grey's Kaoru with this week's episode of The Freedom of Expression . Joe, Tasai, welcome.

J: Today we are wearing...

K: Yeh, you've been wearing these recently, havn't you? Its just the right season for them.

T, J: Yeah.

J: Its a bit warm out for a thick coat during the day now..

T: Yeah, this is really useful.

K: It is a bit warm now, isn't it?

J: Yeah, and when it gets too warm I can just take this off, and put it straight in my bag...

T: Yeah, its just right. It really is easy to use.

K: I see.

T: Its great. And when I wear it, the girls think Im cool.

J: Do they really say that to you?

T: Haha, is it just me?

J: That sounds like bragging! No one says anything to me!

K: Don't they? haha

J: No! Why do some people get called cool, and others don't..even though we are both wearing Dir en grey clothes?? Does this simply mean Joe Yokomizo is not cool? Is that it?

T: No, no. Your mood switch is impressive, haha.

J: Please stop it. You know I'm still trying to get married again. Don't get in my way!

T: Why are you so angry? haha.

J: Thats just me, haha.

K: You are angry, aren't you?　

J: Oh, I'm ok.

K: Speaking of getting angry...lets have today's topic.

T: Oh, good idea.

J: Ok, may I read out today's news? This news is about a 'Rage Room'.

T: Oh, very fitting.

J: Yes..In the suburbs of São Paulo, a 'Rage Room' has recently opened, where people can release their pent up stress and anxiety, and it has been proving popular. The room is set up in a warehouse, and peope can unleash their anger by smashing up old tvs and computers etc. According to Vanderlei Rodrigues (age 42), who started the business a month ago, there are quite a lot of people using the room who want to release their anger, especially with the spread of covid. Rodrigues claims this was the best time to open a Rage room, with so many people needing a release from the massive stress and aniexty which they are experiencing. Incidentally, the price to experience this is $4.64, which equates to about ¥490. Users need to wear protective clothing and a helmet, and can write words on the wall to aim their anger at, like 'ex-girlfriend', 'ex-husband', 'corruption', 'work' etc. A single-mother of two who used the room had this to say about it: 'Its good that I can work off my discontent in this rage room. My daughters, or anyone else, don't have to bear the brunt of my complaints, and its great being able to smash things'. A Rage Room! What do you think? First of all, would you go if there was one here?

T: I wanna try it out, yeh.

K: It sounds interesting.

J: Right? Smashing stuff up.

T: And its under ¥500.

J: Yes, it is.

T: Hm, that sounds pretty good.

J: Right?! It might be more expensive if it was in Japan, what with the land price being higher...if you compare it to São Paulo, Brazil. But if it was in the suburbs, like my home town Hachiouji or something, it might be cheaper, haha. It would be difficult to get there though. But if there was one here, I'd wanna try going. The question is though, if you went there, what would you aim your anger at?

T: Yeah.

J: Is there anything at Tokyo Sports you would pick?

T: There's a few things.

J: Right? Its like, what are you angry at? Like, 'My idiot boss!!!'?

T: Ah, I see.

K: Hiranabe?

J: Hiranabe! haha ???*1

T: Yeh, maybe I'll go with that. haha

J: Haha. Would you whack him in person?

T: No no, haha.

J: That would become a crime scene, haha. Kaoru, how about you?

K: Well, yeh...

J: What do you wanna unleash your rage at?

K: Hm, what do I? I don't really want to get direct anger AT anything. Stress happens as a result of lots of small things building up to make something bigger, right?

J: Of course.

K: I'd just wanna get the stress out in a way unrelated to all that stuff.

J: Ahh, I see. Well, yeh, stress has been building up bit by bit, even in just this last year.

K: Punchbags in gyms are apparently pretty popular too.

T, J: Ohh

J: People need somewhere to aim their rage. Ah, yeh there's that too. Some people go to the gym too. Lets go.

T: To a rage room?

J: Yeah. Well, I mean, I've got loads of things to  be angry at...loads that I can't say here, but...

T: Joe, are you that stressed out?

J: Yeah, its tough. My radio show is tough, everything is hard! Its been so tough, I wanna smash stuff.

T: But have you guys been really angry at anything recently? Like, so angry you wanted to punch someone?

K: Well, im not sure if its at that level, but I do get angry quite a lot...at people in the street wearing those noise cancelling earphones. They don't pay attention to anything around them, and just walk into you! There those people right?

T, J: Ahh, yeh yeh.

K???*2

T: You do get angry!

J: Well, yeah!

T: Well, I was out walking too, in Kichijōji, on a really narrow street near the station used by cars and pedestrians. And a drunk guy came riding his bike right down the middle of the street, and was about to crash right into me until I yelled at him. I was so angry with him!

J: Were you? Ahh.

T: Maybe my anger is aimed at people like that.

K: Mm, there are a lot of them.

J: This is why this kind of business works. Like you said earlier Kaoru, its not about being against a specific thing or person, its the daily stress that builds up and up, and this rage room helps to relieve that.

T: Its good, isn't it?

J: its just right. Should we do this? Let's open one.

K: Here?

J: Haha, we could smash loads here. Yeah, but a rage room. It sounds just right for these times....Kami is pretty quiet today..Are you there, Kami?

Kami: Im here, yes yes.

J: Were you asleep?

Kami: No no. Um, as for me...I wouldn't use this room.

J: Eh?! You wouldn't?

Kami: No.

J: Why? Don't you have any stress?

Kami: No, gods don't get angry.

J, T, K: Ehh?!

J: What do..

Kami: Its like, we are gods so we are not supposed to get angry.

J: Oh really?

T: I had the image that gods get angry quite a lot. 

Kami: No, not necessarily. You use a hammer to smash tvs and computers, right?

J, T: Yeah.

J: It would feel good, right?

Kami: I'd definitely hurt myself if I did that.

J: Haha.

Kami: Then I'd think 'Ahhh, it hurts' and regret doing it, which would make me get angry again. So I'd never do that. And charging ¥490 for it just adds insult to injury.

J: Haha

K: Well, there is that too.

T: Yeah.

J: Kami, have you never been angry in your life? 

Kami: I have loads of times.

J: You have? haha. You don't like the idea of a Rage Room though? You'd hurt yourself so you wouldn't use it?

Kami: I wouldn't.

J: Ahh, I see.

T: It would hurt your muscles a bit throwing a big, heavy hammer around.

J: Yeah, if you are not used to it.

T: Its scary.

K: Yeah, if its someone who doesn't usually use hammers.

J: Yeah, if it comes as a surprise, it'll be tough.

Kami: Um, wouldn't it be good to make something to prevent road rage? Something small.

J: Ah, yeah.

T: Yeah, road rage annoys me.

J: Road rage, yeh. Well, its dangerous.

Kami: If you told the government about a rage room that you can put in cars to prevent road rage, they would get it for you, right?

J: Ahh, well, like a small compartment?

Kami: Yes

J: A small rage compartment.

Kami: Yeah.

J: Before you get angry at person in front's driving, you could let it all out next to you ???*3

Kami: Ah, thats a good idea.

J: Haha

T: They could also make a room in the highway service areas or something?

Kami: Yeah.

T: To prevent road rage.

J: That might actually be good.

Kami: Yeah, road rage would disappear.

K: But if the wrong person comes in, they'll get punched.

J: Haha, your right. Everyone is there is stressed and annoyed, right?

K: Yeah.

J: If its not organised properly, they might start fighting.

K: They could have a martial arts contest in there.

J: Hahaha. Well, thats like putting your anger into a fight? Ahh.

T: I also wanna shout really loudly, to get rid of stress.

J: Ahh, we're not doing that recently, are we?

K: Ah, I see.

J: We can't yell at lives and stuff.

K: Well, Joe, you still talk a lot, but I've been talking less than usual.

T: Yeah.

J: Well, the number of conversations we have has decreased, right? Like, we don't go out drinking with friends..it builds stress.

K: Drinking makes your voice louder too, right? Joe, you get really loud when you drink! haha.

J: I do! Im so noisy

K: Well, yeah, its because of covid, people can't get their stress out.

J: Yeah. Well, lets think of some fun ways to get rid of stress.

T: Ok, lets think of something.

J: Firstly...

Kami: Something where you are not gonna get hurt and regret it.

J: Yes. But this is only dangerous because its tvs and computers, right, Kami? What if it were straw dolls or something?

Kami: Ah, in that case you'd hit your hand under the doll with the hammer.

J: Ah, you would. haha

Kami: There's no need for hammers and stuff.

J: Haha

T: He's peaceful.

J: Yeah

T: Very godlike.

K: But thats him messing up, right?

J: Oh, I see, its not that he's peaceful, its just about him messing up and hitting his own hand with the hammer. Does that make him a bit cute?

Kami: How about when you are opening a box and you pull it open with all your might, you cut your hand, right?

Kami: Cutting your hand on a box..

K: Oh, on a box, yeah. That happens a lot. I've been ordering online a lot recently. It cuts your fingers. ???*4

T: Yeh yeh, haha.

J: Also, when you get a package delivered and leave it in the hallway, and then bash your little toe off it when you walk past. Its only a small thing, but it hurst so much, right? Like, 'Uaaghh', you don't know what to do, right?

T: Yeah, thats annoying.

J: It really is. It would be better to just unpack it, but when you leave it there and bash your toe, its so bad!

Kami: Do you get annoyed?

T: What?

Kami: Do you get annoyed? As for me, if I bashed my little toe, I would think, 'Oh, not again!'. I would just be fed up.

K: Cute.

J: Haha, yeah. Whats happened to Kami today?

T: But yeh, it is those little things that often cause the big outbursts of anger. Just cutting your hand a tiny bit or something.

Kami: What would you call being fed up? Its not anger, but what is it?

J: What do you call that? Yeah.

T: Sulky?

K: Depression?

Kami: A sulking room would be good.

J: Ah, haha. Yeah, a sulking room.

Kami: It looks like there'd only be me in it.

T: Kami seems a bit sad today.

J: He does. Kami, did something bad happen to you?

Kami: Uh, yes, daily. All the time.

J: Oh, I see. Well, maybe not a rage room, but lets comfort each other in a sulking room.

T: Yeah, next time.

Kami: Yes please.

T: Lets get rid of the stress.

J: Yeah, haha.

K: Ok, lets finish here for this week.

J: Yes, im a little worried about Kami, but..

K: Thank you very much.

*1,2,3,4 - Couldn't catch/wasn't sure.

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[popculturebuffet]

Goof Week: Sports Goofy in SoccerMania: GoofTales Woo-oo! (Paid For for WeirdKev27)

Gorsh all you happy people and welcome back to Goof Week, my Weeklong Celebration of everyone’s favorite goofus. 

And today we have a special treat, something nice and obscure but something that still has a vital place in Disney History. Welcome folks to Sports Goof in Soccermania!  

So yesterday in my Goof Troop review I wished there had been another DuckTales episode with Goofy, you know maybe find out what happened to Peg, see Max and Roxanne again that sort of thing.  Whelp SOMEONE must’ve hid a Monkey’s Paw around here somewhere because I got this special instead on comision. This is a VERY intresting little artifact as it came out only 4 months before DuckTales, was produced around the same time, and was written by Tad Stones, who would both go on to work on DuckTales and even more importantly create Darkwing Duck. 

Not only that but it has some odd things attached to it: it’s the first major production starting Scrooge, as he had an educational short about him, the first animated appearance of the Beagle Boys and most important the FIRST time Russi Taylor would voice Huey, Dewey and Louie, something she’d do till her passing a few years ago. At the time of this article she has not been recast, though I personally vote for Cristina Valenzuela, who took over the role of Young Donald and frankly does such a good job with that voice I didn’t know if Russi had already recorded lines for Season 3 before her passing. 

So what IS Sports Goofy in Soccermania you ask? It was a TV Special from 1987, again four months before DuckTales, that was later sold on VHS. My guess is Disney intended for this to become a regular thing like the Charlie Brown or Garfield specials, but my honest guess is with DuckTales MASSIVE success they wanted to put all the TV Animation resources into making more shows to go with it. The fact the special is essentailly a Scrooge story with Goofy in it and Scrooge and the Boys were now tied up in DuckTales probably helped the decision. So we only got one of these and i’m proud to share it for Goof Week. So join me under the cut to see what a Sports Goof is, what Scrooge sounds like without Alan Young or David Tennant andto see me refrence the film UHF because I likes it. 

 So we open with the titles which are neat and then open at the Money bin, we even get a great sign gag that looks like something Carl Barks would write.

So Scrooge greets his nephews the way he greets everybody.. with a canon to the face... though he backs of firing once he realizes it’s them. The boys ALL wear red this special so .. I guess Huey won and now rules all three bodies with an iron fist? So the Huey Hive Mind asks Scrooge for a donation, a standard Scrooge setup, ask the rich asshole for money, as their trying to help the local soccer program and they need a buck fiddy for a trophy. 

Scrooge’s voice here.. is terrible. I do not like to bash voice actors, they are hard working talented people who do a lot of great stuff, often for less pay than they deserve, and this blog ALWAYS makes that painfully clear. And Will Ryan is not without talent: While he hasn’t done much i’m familiar with he did play Petrie in Land Before Time and was great in it. So while I don’t dislike him as a person.. he did an utterly DREADFUL Scrooge. He dosen’t really attempt to do a scottish accent despite the character still saying cannae at one point, and as for what accent he is going for...

His Scrooge just sounds like someone trying to do a “foreign” accent and failing. It just sounds weird and makes every bit of his dialouge aside from one a chore to sit through. And the dialouge isn’t bad dialouge, it’s a well written and animated Scrooge even with the lower budget than Ducktales, but the voice just ruins it for me. Even without Young and Tennant to compare it to this just blows and the fact it’s paired up with the iconic Russi Taylor voice for the triplets.

This being Scrooge he instead fishes a Trophy out of the bin that’s all banged up and dinky and shoos them out. So in natural Barksian fashion the trophy turns out to be worth a million dollars. So we get some reaction shots.. INCLUDING GRANDMA DUCK!

For DuckTales fans joining us who have ZERO idea who that is, since she sadly did not make it into the reboot and Frank did have ideas, Grandma Duck is Donald, Della and Gladstone’s grandma. She’s a sweet old country woman who lives on a farm and is in fact the one who sold him Kilmotor HIll, with her husband renaming it from Killmule hill. I like her a lot since she reminds me of my own grandma and like her she still works when she can. Donald’s cousin Gus loafs around and eats as her farmhand. As you can tell I like her a lot, agani because she reminds me of one of my grandmas so this was nice even if she was only around for 20 seconds of screentime. 

This ends up in the paper and sends Scrooge through the roof, literally when he finds out. 

Two notes  before we move on: The bin has a unique really cool design , though I get why other productions haven’t used it: besides this one’s obscurity while cool it just looks a bit TOO nice for Scrooge. Even in 2017 while still damn cool looking it still looks practicle. This .. is not that.

This looks like MC Hammer built this. It still looks awesome bu tit’s just not Scrooge sadly. 

The other is that his Butler is named Jeeves here, but looks almost exactly like Duckworth. Just feels weird is all. 

Naturally the Beagle Boys happen upon the paper too and their leader, no name given has a plan: Enter legitmately and win the cup all legal like, which dosen’t sound like it lives up to the beagle code of no hones twork.... until he brings up theri going ot cheat their asses off. 

Meanwhile Scrooge tries bribing the boys with a giant trophy at their house... with Donald oddly absent despite Anselmo having taken over for Nash by this point. I know he was still a bit rough at the roll, but come on. It’s just.. weird especailly for reasons i’ll get into soon. 

So Scrooge agrees to sponsor the boys teams so he can get the trophy back square, and is forced to buy a knew ball and here we FINALLY get Goofy. I say finally because this special is 20 mintues long and it takes almost a fourth of it for him to arrive. It’s just weird for him to not be in it for so long. I mean I don’t want THIS

Flashbeagle didn’t take a fourth of the special to get to Flashbeagle. It did take longer than that to get to the title track but when your sitting on THIS

You gotta use it JUST right. Goofy here is not played by Bill Farmer, which IS odd as he did start playing him that year, but my guess is they weren’t sure if they were going with Farmer or the actor who played him in this special, Tony Pope, so they were trying out both as whoever DID get the role would have it for life. Disney takes the casting of the sensational 7 VERY seriously, as evidenced by the fact most cast changes are caused by death and unlike with Tony and Donald it’s clear Colvig hadn’t picked a succesor. I can also see why it’s a hard choice: while farmer IS excellent and was the right man for the job, Pope is still excellent in the role, bringing the warmth and energy you’d expect from Goofy and having excellent comedic timing that’s vital to getting the dog man right. I can see why this was such a hard choice, even if I also see they went with Farmer: Farmer just has slightly more energy to the roll. It’s a small diffrence and something that dosen’t effect the special, but it is a KEY diffrence and the reason Bill’s THE goofy to me even over his original voice actor Pinto Colvig. 

Also I may of mispoke there... see it’s not Goofy in this special it’s SPORTS Goofy. No really every bit of dialogue refers to him as Sports Goofy. It’d be like if they refered to then CEO Micheal Eisner as Won’t Think Through Eurodisneyland Micheal Eisner. 

So Sports Goofy helps them get a ball in an honestly awesome way and shows despite his clumsy manner, he’s damn cordinated, easily putting everything up and showing some real skill with the ball. So Moneygrubbing Scrooge decides Sports Goofy is his ticket to get the trophy back and recuits goofy as coach and star player for the boys team. 

So Asshole Scrooge meets his team the Greenbacks.. which are a bunch of random animal characters with no real personality. They are a hippo, a goat, expresso the ostrich, a navy (blue) seal,  an elephant in a beanie, a killaroo and a cheetah or leopard. But I have one question, really simple really easy one...

You need 11 players for a soccer team, thank you google. So they DID get that accurate. With Goofy and the Triplets you only need 7 more. THIS is why Donald’s absence is glaring: he’s just oddly not there when they needed 7 other characters but Elephant in a Beanie gets in there. And it’s not hard ot fill either: Donald , Daisy (Because duh), Gyro and Grandma Duck (Because both cameoed but I only mentioned Grandma Duck, though this is ALSO Gyro’s first apperance), Gladstone (who as it turns out had a cameo storyboarded that didn’t make it into the final product), Gus (Since grandma duck) and Scrooge’s butler since he was in an earlier scene anyway so why waste the character model. They could still play the same roll as easily steamrolled underdogs and it’d make more sense.  It just baffles me that with such a deep bench to play from, they don’t use ANY OF IT in favor of the cast of Animal Soccer World.

The Greenbacks can’t play for greenjack, which worries Scrooge.. but Goofy is able to carry them to the finals, while the Beagle Boys make their way there too. We find this out.. via newspaper transition. We get a bunch of headlines telling us what happened instead of you know a montage because that costs money and they already spent 1.50 making this special.. they only have 50 cents left. 

So the Beagles recognizing Sport Goofy is the only thing in their way plots a kidnappin. We get a gut busting scene of the beagles all hiding in Sports Goofy’s house with him being oblvious only to spring on him. 

The next day with Sports Goofy a no show the team is bummed, even mor ewhen they find a kidnapping note from Don’tGetNotToLeaveEvidence Beagle Boys. Seriously give that to the officals. 

So Asshole Scrooge tries to give a rousing speech... and it is a sight to behold and the one highlight of pope as scrooge... it’s why I picked it as the article image. That glitching isn’t me by the way: it REALLY does that. Coupled with the yellow eyes i’ts just fantastic. So the team decides to morosely play the game and Hivemind Huey boos scrooge for not having faith in him. Instead of again you know telling the officials. Maybe assimilating the other made Huey dumber. I

So the game begins and the Cheating Beagles cream the Give Up To Easily Green Backs, while Sports Goofy watches from the other Crime Beagles hideout. It honestly reminds me of UHF: a dumb well meaning guy whose vital to something succeding is kidnapped.. it dosen’t involve Weird Al dressing up as rambo but still. It also makes me want UHF but with the disney cast. Fethry as weird al, Donald as his best friend, Fethry’s girlfriend for the comcis as weird al’s girlfriend, Gyro as philo, Goofy as Stanley, and Pete of course is Stacey Keach. I could go on but you get the point. Someone draw this.  Sport Goofy is a clever bastard and escapes by working one of his shoes off, taking a nearbye knife and cutting himself free.. and almost stabbing a beagle boy in the face but that would just make two. Sport Goofy escapes and the lunkheaded beagle boys chase after him IN THEIR CAR WHILE GOOFY RUNS AHEAD OF IT.  Goofy, he can really move! Goofy, he’s got attitude! Goofy HE’S THE FASTEST THING ALLIIIIVEEEEEE. Sport Goofy makes it in time fo rhalf time, rallies the troops and it goes how you’d expect: They overcome the beagles blatant cheating, win the cup, the beagles attempt to cheat with a rigged ball backfires and they all get arrested. It’s by the numbers stuff. We end with Scrooge deciding to dontate the trophy instead (though in a great bit asking if it was tax deductible), and posing for a team shot> We get some awesome credits music and we’re out

Final Thoughts:

This special is mediocre: There are only a handful of great jokes, it’s your standard “teamwork makes the dreamwork plot” that dosen’t work because our underdogs really CAN’T play without their star, and Scrooge’s voice hurts to listen to. Pope and Taylor are great and while Will Ryan is an awful Scrooge, he is a good Beagle Boy or five. 

It IS worth a watch though. It’s riffable enough with the sometimes sloppy unfinished animatoin in the last part and Scrooge’s terrible voice, and it is still is a neat oddity for 90′s kids like myself to not only see Russi’s first thing as Huey Dewey and Louie, but to also see Scrooge and Goofy with vastly diffrent voice actors, as well as Gyro and the Beagle Boys first animated apperances. The fact this came just months before Ducktales makes it all the more intresting. So if your looking for a legit good Disney product.. this is shoddy at best if well meaning. But as a bit of disney history, especially only clocking in at 20 minutes so it’ sa brisk watch, it’s worth a look if your into that. 

Next On Goof Week: We come on in To The House of Mouse where goofy becomes faster than a speeding punchline,  more powerful than pete when his family has to wrestle him to the ground to take him to the doctor and able to make tall leaps of logic in a single bound. it’s SUPER GOOF!

So thank you for reading and if you liked this review give it a like and consider joining my patreon at patreon.com/popculturebuffet. As a patron you’d get access to exclusive reviews, the patreon’s discord and to pick a short each time I do one of these shortstaculars. Donald’s comnig next month and the deadline is in only a few days to join up for said month so the clock is ticking. Even a dollar a month helps me reach my stretch goals so please i fyou can sign up today and if not, I understand and i’ll see you at the next rainbow

[derivativealigner]

Crenny (Craig x Kenny) Blush

Thank you for the prompt! I really needed a break from crenny angst so here’s just a good old-fashioned story where everyone has a good time. I hope you enjoy!

*

What would make Craig Tucker blush?

Kenny had a bad habit of accepting bets without a thought. It was easy money, accepting bets. Do something outrageous, get ten dollars. Who wouldn’t go for it? That could buy groceries! And the reward for causing Craig to be undone was too good to pass up. Thirty dollars for a simple blush.

“That’s kind of unfair,” Stan said after Cartman had laid the bet out. “You should pick someone else so it’s at least doable.”

They were gathered around a table in Kyle’s dorm room, ready to head out to a party. A party where, rumor has it, Craig would sulk in a corner because Clyde had dragged him there and Craig had presumably made a blood pact to always be a wingman.

“Thirty dollars.” Cartman laid three ten-dollar bills on the table, one after the other. “Thirty dollars if you make Craig blush before the party’s over. Come on, Kenny.” He flaunted a bill. “You know you want this. Thirty dollars, Kenny.”

“Stop that.” Kyle snatched the bill and returned it on the table beside the others. “Why are you so obsessed with playing matchmaker? Didn’t you learn anything from the time—”

“I’ll do it,” Kenny said. Obviously. He would’ve done it for five dollars, or for free since it was Craig—not because he had any special feelings for the guy, but just because a blush on that stone-cold face would be a sight to behold. “Throw in twenty more and I’ll blow him under a table.”

“Don’t,” Kyle said when Cartman looked like he just might.

“Yeah,” Stan said. “You can’t play with people’s feelings like that.”

So the bet remained simple: for thirty dollars, make Craig Tucker blush before the end of the night. It was for the best. The added incentive of twenty dollars would’ve had Kenny on his knees, which would force some serious introspection about his sexuality that he’d be happier contemplating outside the realm of a bet. For now, he considered himself a thrill-sexual whose life’s mission was to get a rise out of Craig. For thirty dollars. Only because of the thirty dollars.

And because it’d be a treat to see Craig Tucker reduced to a blushing mess, but really it was for the thirty dollars. The blowjob remained optional.

+

The frat house looked surprisingly nice for a frat house in Boulder, Colorado. A couple drunk girls giggled beside the steps leading to the house, ducked out of view behind a vine-covered lattice. They yelled out giggled greetings as Kenny opened the door to the party, but he was on a mission and no amount of giggling could distract him.

“Where’s Craig?” Cartman asked as soon as the door closed behind them, so Kenny wasn’t the only one invested in this bet.

It would be hard to spot Craig even in a well-lit room full of respectful partygoers, but in a crowd of drunken bastards and flashing lights of too many colors in the otherwise dark room, it was tricky to find a man who didn’t want to be found.

“There.” Stan pointed at a white couch in a moderately secluded area behind a horde of people. “He looks bored.”

“No shit,” Kenny said. Craig had a serious case of RBF, or Resting Bored Face, alongside an even more deadly affliction of being effortlessly handsome. Really it was the perfect combination for the blush of a lifetime; a little pink on those perfectly sculpted cheeks would make anyone’s knees weak.

“Go, Kenny!” Cartman gave a push that only made Kenny stumble. “Thirty dollars, Kenny. Thirty dollars!”

“Shut up. I’m strategizing.”

What could make Tucker blush? He didn’t seem like the type to blush at nudity, so pantsing him was out of the question. Anything quick was unlikely to work against such a calm and restrained person. No, this was an endurance sport. So heavy flirting with a side of groping? Respectfully, of course. No hand on dick allowed.

Yeah, that’d do the trick.

“Okay,” Kenny said. “Keep those dollars ready for me.”

Craig sat on the couch, deliciously detached from the party around him. Surely he wouldn't mind company. Kenny headed through the crowd of people and sidled beside his expressionless target.

“Hi, Craig,” Kenny said with a smile because if someone came up to him with a smile and his name on their lips, he’d already be on the fast track to a red face.

Craig, however, barely turned his head. “Hey.”

Clearly this would not be a straight road to victory. What kind of flirting produced the most blushing, anyway? For Kenny, a compliment would get the job done, so that was his next angle.

“Have I ever told you,” he started with the sultriest voice he could summon, “that you're ridiculously handsome?”

Nothing. No blush or even a vaguely bashful blink. Craig barely even acknowledged Kenny. If the roles had been reversed, at least Kenny would have the common decency to become a blushing mess.

“You haven't,” Craig said.

“Well, you are.” Kenny moved closer. He would get a reaction, no matter what. He nudged Craig’s chin. “Look at me for a second. Just real quick.”

Craig looked. “Why?”

“Because I, uh.” In this closeness, staying focused was not easy. “Just. Your eyes. Nice color.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“And, and!” Kenny booped Craig's nose. “I've never seen anyone with such a powerful nasal… part. Like the bridge. And it's so well-placed, right in the middle.”

He might have been grasping at straws. He was warm and tense and his heart wouldn’t calm down.

“Did you do shrooms?” Craig asked.

“No. I'm just admiring your gorgeousness.” Kenny shimmied closer, smushing their legs together. “If I were gay, I'd let you do whatever you want to me.”

Craig didn't move away. Not that he had any space to move to, but it still stirred something in Kenny's stomach—knowing Craig could’ve gotten up if he didn't find the advances flattering, and yet he stayed right there.

“If you were gay?” Craig asked.

“Yeah.” Kenny dared a hand on Craig's knee. “I'd lay down and let you do me.”

“That makes you a little gay.”

Kenny faltered. “Yeah, well, everyone's a little gay. I'm just saying you could—”

“No, that makes you a little gay. Unless you're only saying it because that fat fuck who's watching us dared you to do this.”

Kenny glanced over at Cartman, who was not being subtle about his giddy voyeurism.

“No, he just, uh.” An unfortunate warmth spread around Kenny’s cheeks, and the only excuse he could think of would only make it worse. “He knows I have a crush on you. That's why he's watching.”

“Oh,” Craig said. No blush, not even in the face of a love confession.

But the difficulty only made it more of a thrill. This was the time to commit, and commit hard.

Kenny rubbed Craig's knee. “Yeah. I have a huge crush on you. Because you don't take any bullshit and I find it really hot.” It wasn't exactly a lie, and Kenny didn't have time to untangle why it was so easy to say these things to Craig.

“And that's why you're touching me?”

Kenny's hand ventured toward the inner thigh. “Am I being too forward?”

Craig put his hand over Kenny's and leaned closer. “No. Go as far as you want to.”

Kenny could barely breathe with that gorgeous face so close to his. “You’re into this?”

“I am. You're kind of handsome yourself.”

Now Kenny's face was properly burning. “Really?”

“Sure, why not.” Craig moved their hands to Kenny's leg instead, to a danger zone that immediately made Kenny's blood rush. “I could take you out someday. Just us, a couple drinks or a movie.”

A movie and perhaps a blowjob in the parking lot. Knees on gravel, hands in hair, a messy scene of desperate—

Kenny blinked. "Wait, are you fucking with me?”

“Are you fucking with me?” Craig took his hand away and left a need in Kenny's body. “Because that'd be messed up.”

“I'm not,” Kenny said, and somehow it was true. “We can go on a date if you want.”

For only a moment, Craig seemed uncertain. “You’re committed to this act, aren’t you?”

Maybe a bit of making out would leave Craig red in the face. Kenny leaned closer. “What if we kiss? Would you believe me then?”

“Only if you're convincing.”

That sounded like permission. Or another dare.

Some might say Kenny was at the whim of his impulses, and when Kenny found himself climbing into Craig's lap and wrapping his arms around his neck, he started to think it might be true.

“I won't get up,” Kenny said, “until your face is bright red.”

Craig's hands landed on Kenny's ass. “Good luck.”

Kenny's heart hammered as he leaned in and he didn't have the restraint to pretend he could take this at any pace. The second their lips touched, Kenny melted into the kiss and pulled Craig closer by the collar. For years, Craig had been a distant fantasy, a gorgeous face teasing Kenny’s dreams, too good to be true. Kenny started moving his hips, rocking into the kiss, then decided he was still only doing it because of the dare. This was only to make Craig blush. And writhe. And put his cock in Kenny's mouth later.

“Ah, fuck,” Kenny moaned into Craig's lips. “Craig.”

If they hadn't been in the middle of possibly watching eyes, this would've been the moment it got serious. A clothes off, cocks out, messily making out kind of serious.

Craig pushed Kenny only enough to force them to part. “You’re not pretending?”

Kenny was about to dive in again, but—

A blush! The tiniest smudge of pink had spread on Craig's face, which made him look so fuckable that ‘a little gay’ was dangerously close to becoming ‘very fucking gay’.

“I guess not.” Kenny brushed his thumb against the pink cheek and admired his handiwork. “You're gorgeous, Tucker. How was I supposed to resist?”

The blush deepened. “So we're really going on a date?”

A date with Craig Tucker? Holding hands and kissing and just being together until sunrise, lips sore from exploring. Kenny’s heart rate climbed at the mere fantasy.

“Yes, please.” He punctuated his words with a quick kiss, and he stayed close as he whispered, “I need to get you alone.”

“Okay,” Craig said, a bit breathless, and it took all of Kenny's willpower not to spend the rest of the party trying to reduce Craig into a blushing mess.

+

Later, Kenny met Cartman on the outskirts of the party.

“I'm going on a date with Craig Tucker,” Kenny said with a smile that just wouldn’t go away. Then he held out a hand, palm up. “And he blushed, so pay up.”

After he had paid for popcorn with Cartman's money, he kissed Craig in the dark theater. Not because of a bet, not for a dare, not for anything other than the need to feel those lips against his again. And later, in the cozy darkness of Craig’s bedroom, he got the blushing mess he had fantasized about long before the bet.