#ah yes my tarnished is the same guy as my Hide

[pkbth]

When your Twink has degrading kink

//and monk kink or old men with a walking stick kink to be more precise

[miss-dr-reid]

This is calm, and it's, Doctor #8

Warning: some domestic abuse, but nothing gory

On the drive home, my head was filled with memories of yesterday. How cute Spencer was when all he wanted to do was win a game of chess. Pretty much passing out on his lounge while waiting for dinner. Dancing the night away and waking up surrounded by fuzzy, cuddly, Spencer blanket. My heart beat hard, my head filled with joy.

Does Spencer feel this way about me? There's no reason he would. We barely know each other.

I arrived home and jumped straight in the shower. Washing my hair felt so good, I stood there, massaging for a while, relieving my head of the stress from the last week. I scrubbed my body and shaved everything baby smooth.

Stepping out of the shower, I reached for a towel from the rack, grabbed it and patted myself dry. I wrapped it around myself and looked in the mirror, memories of the first night I spent with a guy after leaving my ex.

~ I had arrived home and was finishing up having a shower, I reached for the towel rack, only looking when I couldn't feel one. When I looked, I was surprised to see my ex sitting on the toilet. A look of anger on his face...

"Have a good night?" he retorted.

"Doesn't matter to you, but it was great." I retaliated, hating that he made it in to my house without my knowing.

"As if. No one can make you feel the way that I can. I make you feel so good, baby, don't I?" He said, getting up off the toilet seat, coming toward me, one hand hiding behind his back.

"Fuck off. I don't want you anymore. I already told you." I said, backing up, ripping a folded towel off the counter behind me, "You need to leave, right now." Even though my voice was stern, he was still coming for me.

I didn't want to fight, so I ran, he tried to grab me on my way past, but I was still wet, so I slipped out of his grip. I ran straight for the front door, flinging it open and banging on my neighbours door. She didn't hesitate to open it, seeing me on the other side. I shoved my way in and she locked the door.

We moved away from the door, to her room and she grabbed me a spare shirt, I dropped the towel to put it on and was shocked to see red all over the towel where my hand had been pressed to my chest. I looked up at her who noticed it as well. She was on the phone to emergency serviced and asked for an ambulance to be added to the people on dispatch.

I didn't even realise he had got me as I pushed past him. the adrenaline was pumping through my body. I picked the towel back up and pressed it to myself once again. Waiting. He was banging on the door, demanding to be let in. He left soon after, knowing how this would end if he didn't.

The police arrived after what seemed like forever, followed by the EMT's. They were let into the apartment and the EMT suggested I go to hospital. I opted to get myself there after they deemed that the cut was not bad enough to need emergency surgery. I gave my statement to the police and thanked my neighbour for letting me in to her place so quick. ~

That was the last time I saw him. I moved out 2 weeks after that, changed jobs and finished studying. I looked at myself in the mirror, lowering the towel, lowering the towel, revealing the scar I still have on the outside of my breast, right where it meets my chest.

I covered up and went to my room, deciding what to wear.

'Something nice, but casual enough to walk places.' I tho9ught to myself. I landed on a semi-fitted sun dress and my favourite lime-green bikini. I wore some flats that I was easily able to slip on and off. I threw my hair into a messy bun and decided it was good enough.

I grabbed a few things, like sunscreen and a towel and popped them into a beach bag that I had stored away. I was ready to go. I checked my watch 11:15. Taking one last look around the place, I took my stuff and left. On the drive, I couldn't help but drive past Spencer's place, just for fun, and only 2 minutes later, I arrived at the cafe where I had met the boys for the first time.

The clock on my dash read 11:37, plenty of time to sit and wait before the boys would be here. I closed my eyes and rested my head back on the head rest. My mind wondering back to last night, wish that Spencer would think of me the same way I think of him. Maybe I'm just being desperate, but thinking about Spencer causes me to smile, every single time. I can't help it.

The loud knock on my window cause me to jolt from my thoughts. I looked out the window, seeing Morgan's face on the other side as his hand reached for the handle. Once the door was open, I climbed out and locked the car. Derek hugged me, which I returned, squeezing him slightly, he smelt good. We let go of the embrace, stepping back from each other, he looked me up and down.

"Looking good, mama." He says with a wink.

"Ha, you too." I winked back, "I thought you only had eyes for Garcia."

We stood there laughing for a bit, until I saw Spencer come around the corner, his face buried in a book, he was only ever looking away from it to see if there was an obstacle in his path.

"Ah, pretty boy." Morgan said, turning to look at him. Spencer's face still glued to the book, he didn't look up until he was inside. Derek decided it would be a good idea to sneak up on him and we entered the cafe behind him and stood there watching. He looked around to try and find Derek and I, to no avail. He pulled out his phone and started dialing. Derek and I giggled to ourselves, but Spencer wasn't paying attention as he was listening to the ringing on his phone. As Derek's phone rang, he didn't even reach for it, instead watching Spencer as he spun around to see us right behind him, all of us giggling.

We greeted each other, and Spencer walked toward me, his arms going outward as if coming in for a hug. I gave him a puzzled look, and accepted his embrace. The familiar smell of his cologne filling my nose, I took in a deep breath before releasing him.

Morgan bro-hugged him and we all laughed at how silly everything had just been.

"Let's grab lunch!" I exclaimed, I was starving.

We sat around a table, our chairs evenly spaced apart. The guys picked up menus, but I already knew what I wanted. After deciding, Derek and Spencer got up to order, insisting on covering my lunch. They came back and Derek decided small talk would be a good idea.

"So, Y/N," he smirked, "Is there anyone special in your life?" his eyebrows wiggling.

"Yes and No." I started, staring him in the eyes, not sure how to proceed, "I met this guy recently, I think he's great. I'm not sure if he's interested in me though. I'm also not sure if I should ask him how he feels. I mean, we only met not that long ago, so it might be too soon, you see..." I trailed off, rubbing my thumbs together, avoiding even a glance in Spencer's direction, so as though to not give anything away.

"Non sense!" Derek remarked, "If you feel a certain way about someone, you gotta tell them, babygirl. So, who is he?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter, you don't know him." I replied, trying to brush him off, but he wouldn't have it, and insisted I give him the identity of the 'mysterious guy' that I was keeping secret from him.

I remembered back to the car ride with Emily, all the little things she told me about Spencer.

"Walter..." I trailed off, smirking at myself a little, "He's cute and tall and quite smart." I could go on about all the little things I found adorable and attractive about Spence, but if I made the list too specific, Derek would piece it together too easily.

Spencer's ears perked at the name, and he looked at me with a puzzled looked, and I couldn't help the small smile that came across my face. Derek was still trying to figure out who 'Walter' was.

Derek noticed us looking at each other, looked between us, his eyes narrowing as he examined my face. His concentration broken by our food being put on the table in front of us. We all thanked the waitress and started eating. I had a chicken salad wrap, Spencer had a cheese ham and tomato toastie, while Derek had a burger. We all ate, barely saying a word, enjoying our meals.

I was the first to finish, Spencer was done soon after. We started talking about work things. We started picking on Derek who was having trouble defending himself as he tried to finish his food quickly.

"At least I don't hide behind books to avoid my feelings." Derek spat back at Spence, who just shrugged his shoulders. "And how about you, miss Perfect? Sucking up to Hotch and showing off in front of everyone on your first day, making us all look bad! You can't fool anyone with your goody-two-shoes act!" he finished by taking a sip of his drink.

I clasped a hand to my chest in fake offence, "Oh no! ME make the fantastic Mr. Morgan look bad?! how could I? His beautiful physique and wonderful words which help him pull all the ladies, tarnished! what ever will he do?" I stopped when I noticed Spencer silently giggling to himself at the sight before him. I couldn't let him get out of this. "Oh no no, Doctor. You're not getting out of this that easily. Your big brilliant brain is beautiful, but you need to work on understanding innuendos. The amount of things that have been said to and around you, that go straight over your head, we need to get you cultured."

He was confused. He didn't understand why he needed to understand jokes, why it mattered so much, and really, it doesn't. He's perfect in my eyes.

We sat there talking for a bit more until Derek decided it was time to go. We got up, left a tip on the table and headed out. We walked to y car and leaned on it, Spencer choosing to stand.

"What now?" I asked.

"The beach." Derek answered, "Don't worry pretty by, we'll find somewhere with shade so you can sit and read." Spencer's expression calmed at the sound of not being forced to swim.

We decided to go in one car. My car was elected because it was closest. I climbed in to the drivers seat, Derek in the passenger and Spence, in the back.

On the car ride, I changed through radio stations, trying to find music. Derek was confused by it, but Spencer knew what was happening. With the back coming along the corner, we all kept our eyes peeled for a parking spot.

I saw a spot, near a decent sized tree, which had a bench in the shade underneath it. Perfect. I pulled into the spot and we all climbed out. Derek and I, grabbing our beach bags and Spencer with his satchel that he has with him literally everywhere he goes.

The three of us walked single-file, me leading, to the bench. Spencer quite happily sat and pulled out his book while Derek and I set down our bags. I took a moment to take in the scene. Closing my eyes, I listened to the water, the crashing of the waves, so welcoming and calming. The smell of the ocean was so refreshing, the scent filling my lungs with every breath.

Opening my eyes, I saw Morgan had started removing layers until he was just in his swim trunks. I followed his lead, undressing down to my bikini. My skin looked so pasty compared to his caramel skin.

I grabbed the sunscreen from my bag, and started on my arms, chest, legs but of course, I can't each my call back properly. I looked over at Derek, with almost output dog eyes and he held out his hand. I have him the tube and turned around.

"You know, Walter should be going this guy you.." his suggestive tone caused heat to rush to my face as my eyes lifted to look at Spencer, who's eyes were glued to the pages of his book.

As he finished, he threw the tube down to my bag and ye inlled,

"Last one in is a rotten egg!"

Without hesitation we both ran for the water, laughing the whole way. With sand flicking up behind us as we ran, we reached the water in no time. We leapt over the small wave as we reached the water, the splash from the land was cool and refreshing. After a few more leaps, I dove in under a wave, losing sight of Derek.

The Cool water consumed my body. The waves in my hair, the current caressing and flowing over me. As I resurfaced, I couldn't see Derek. I assumed he went under too, and started looking in to the water, trading to see his figure.

With my head still looking to the water, a splash came from my side, Derek sat there unleashing a wave of splashes as I tried to deflect and return. Laughter erupting from both of us as we unleashed a wrath of splashes on each other. He finally stopped with a breathy laugh and so did I. He started to swim toward me and I couldn't help but splash him one last time, playback for what he'd started.

"Alright," he laughed, "You win." He made it over next to me. As our breathing solved, we both looked at Spencer, who's attention seemed to never leave his book.

"How can we get pretty boy in the water?" He suggested. We decided a plan and set it in to play, and I was the bait. I watched Derek swim far enough away and began acting. It needed to be convincing or Spence Rodney buy it.

I started waving my hand in the air and started yelling out for help. Using his name a couple of times in the process helped a lot. His head finally snapped up to see me, my head bobbing under the water a few times, and to see Derek no where near close enough to help. He jumped up, ripped off his shirt and used his feet to remove his shoes.

He ran for the water and jumped in. He made it close enough to me that he was commited to swimming and I started laughing. Derek, who had been watching, had made his way over too and joined in with my giggles. It wasn't long until Spencer had his arms wrapped around me, trying to get my head above water. I looked into his eyes and batted my eyelashes, a small smile coming over my lips.

"Sorry." I said quietly as Derek patted him on the back, telling him of our plan.

"if you guys wanted me to swim so bad, you should have just asked." Spencer said, releasing me and staring me down with betrayal in his eyes.

"C'mon Reid," Morgan started, "you wouldn't have come in if I had simply asked. And besides, didn't it feel good holding a beautiful woman in your arms?" His eyebrows wiggling as Spencer studied me, both of our faces going red at the suggestion.

Derek swam off with a 'catch me if you can' look on his face.

"Sorry for doing that to you." I apologised to Spencer.

"No, he's right. I wouldn't have come in if he had asked. I'm not much for swimming, not in open experts anyway. I much prefer somewhere I can see the bottom. Even though the percentage of shark attacks is pretty low, the chances of getting stuck in a rip are quite high. I don't think I'd put up much of a fight against one..." His voice trailed off as he watched Derek get further away.

"I'll save you if that ever happens." I said, winking at him. He laughed and started after Derek, I followed. The swim turned into more of a race rather than us trying to catch Derek.

We stayed at the beach for a few hours. I could feel my shoulders and nose burning. We had been having so much fun, I had forgotten to reapply sunscreen.

"Maybe we should get going," I suggested, "at least in to the shade?" I noticed Spencer's face was also red and I felt bad because he didn't even apply sunscreen. The three of us retreated to the shade.

I picked up my towel and patted myself dry. I slipped on my dress and we packed up our stuff ready to go. We stopped at the public showers to wash our feet before getting to the car.

"Who's still keen for icecream?" Derek asked as we reached the car. My sunburn wasn't 'burning' as of yet and I was still keen on icecream.

"I'm keen, but we shouldn't be too long. The sooner I get some cream into this bad boy, the better." I replied, pointing to my nose and shoulders, while putting my seat belt on. Derek looked over his shoulder to Spencer who simply said,

"Sure." With a shrug of his shoulders, pulling his book out of his bag.

The icecream shop wasn't too far away, so o didn't burger with the radio. Instead, Derek and I joked around with each other during the drive.

This one is longer to make up for the day's I've been missing. It's been sitting in my drafts for days because I keep getting distracted. I'm so sorry, please enjoy. :)

[nightowlfandom]

Kim Namjoon Imagine- Oblivious

REQUESTS ARE TEMPORARILY CLOSED.

OMG AUTHOR-CHAN WHERE DA FUQ YOU BEEN. 

Places....my internet decided to die on me and be a bitch soooooooo ya. i how you doin?

Leggo!

...

"I refuse!" you spat, glaring at your father. "You can't make me do anything. I am old enough to make my own decisions!" You were a legal adult, you couldn't be controlled or manipulated into doing anything. 

"Y/N this deal was set before you were born." you mother argued. " Plus, he is a very nice young man." 

"Okay but what does that have to do with me?!" you stared at your mom. "You two sold out your own daughter! For what? To fuse the family companies together?" you crossed your arms.

"Y/N, please watch your tone." your dad sighed, getting up from his desk. "It isn't like that."

"Then what is? Telling me I can't date who I want. That I'm essentially being subjected to baby maker housewife to some guy who has to be told what he wants?" you rebutted. "That's not fair."

"And you spending so much time with that boy is?!." you mother spat. "Spending a mere second around that delinquent could tarnish your reputation!"

You mother was referring to Namjoon, someone who you've had more than several encounters with. He wasn't like you. Translation he was the embodiment of a stereotypical fanfiction bad boy. (Minus the smoking and motorcycle, he was a car type of guy.) Long story short, you became a little more than friendly and your parents didn't like that, to your delight.

"What you mean the only boy on this planet who cares about what I have to say?!" you spat. "Because you two sure don't seem to enjoy listening to me!"

“That’s enough! Go to you room and get ready!” your mother glared at you, which prompted you to storm off, purposefully knocking a vase over hearing it crash, but not break onto the floor. “

....

The dinner was a complete bust. COMPLETE. You hoped you never had to deal with such a travesty ever again. But these were your parents you were talking about. You’d always be in some stupid situation.

“Hey babe.” fingers snapped in your face and you looked up to see Namjoon smirking at you. “Lost you for a second.”

“Sorry, I was thinking.” You smiled straightening up. “What were you saying?” You were at his house because fuck your parents and them trying to tell you how to spend your free time. Namjoon knew who your parents were and his feelings towards them were less than pleasant.

"Well I wrote a few more verses I want you to look at.." he gave you a notepad. "Before I record them I want your opinion."

"I don't know why you enjoy hearing my opinions. Your lyrics are amazing regardless.” You replied, smiling. “I know nothing about rapping anyways.”

“Is it a crime to want to hear my girl’s opinion?” He asked, making you heat up in embarrassment. He saw you looking down and chuckled, pecking you on the lips.

“S-shush, just give me the notepad.” you pouted, taking the notebook from him. I stared down , my eyes skimming over the page. Namjoon’s lyrics were always good to you, so your opinions were kind of one and the same, not that he minded.

“Well?”

“It’s better than Expensive Girl.” You joked, causing his eye to narrow into a mock glare. “Just saying, ya shoulda kept that one fore a...rainy day.” You kept reading. “Is this about me?” You had noticed keywords that had sort of felt like they described you.

“Yeah, I gotta include my source in inspiration.” he said like it was obvious. 

“You’re silly.” you giggled.

“Maybe you don’t like Expensive Girl because you’re just an innocent little girl.” he shrugged,

“I’m not-”

“Yes you are.” he poked your nose.

“Well we can’t have tons of girls all over us just for being good looking.”

“I’m not that type of guy Y/N.” Namjoon frowned a little. When you had first met him, you thought the worst of him, THE VERY WORST. 

“I know you aren’t, but they way you talk leads me to believe otherwise.” you nudged him. “And the way you act too, sir.” you poked his nose referring to how he used his charm to sweet talk his way out of every little situation. “Geez you have the mouth of a sailor.”

“Okay I only said  ‘If at first you don’t succeed, fix your ponytail then try again’ and it was at my friend’s wedding, so it’s not that bad. “ he laughed.

“I don’t get it?” You tilted your head to the side. Namjoon cocked a brow up at your confused face. “Where did that come from?”

“You don’t get the joke?” he asked. “You’re serious”

“Not really? What does a ponytail have to do with-” you were genuinely confused. Fix your ponytail then try agai-

Before you knew it, he had burst out laughing, holding his stomach.

“YOU ARE SO INNOCENT! Don’t tell me you’ve never had sex either!” he said, still laughing.

“Wait a second! When did this topic even come up?!” You looked up, absolutely mortified.

“Face it baby, you’re so boring, haven’t you ever been wild? And playing tennis with the rich neighbors doesn’t count.” he chuckled.

“I HAVE BEFORE!” You crossed your arms. “A long time ago.”

“A long time ago.” he repeated. “Babe, I’m sorry but you have never had fun a day in your life.”

“I mean I haven’t had time to since my parents are overbearing assholes. You’re the first real guy who has ever....” 

(Flashback)...

“You haven’t flipped that page for 30 minutes.” A voice made you look up from your book. A boy with dark hair and clothes to match was smirking at you. 

You had known Namjoon from the other side of town. He usually hung out at underground clubs and bars. From what your other friends told you, he was dangerously charming. You never talked to him though.

“Y-you were watching me?” you asked.

“You aren’t that hard to miss.” he chuckled. “You’re the only one dressed so proper here.” 

You glanced around. He was right. Everyone else looked so cool and you?...eh

“What are ya doing here anyways?”

You were hiding from your parents who had wanted you to meet some other wealthy weirdos. Anything for status and new friends. “You’d think my reason was stupid.”

“Ha. Try me.”

“...Trying to live without my parents breathing down my neck.” I put my book down on the table. 

“Hm. You’re parents some kind of-”

“Business people.” you cut him off. “Even being seen here might freak them out and then I’d get a lecture about status and upbringing.” You replied.

“Sounds tough...but that doesn’t explain why you’ve been reading off the same page for the past thirty minutes.”

“...Have you been watching me?”

“....Good point, I’m Namjoon.”

“Y/N” 

(End Flashback)

That was a long time ago, and after weeks and weeks of trying to convince you, you finally went out on a date with him (which involved you having to sneak out) but still.

“I didn’t really have a life before you, y’know.” You mused, smiling a little. “Sure you got me into some things that made me wanna kill you, but...”

“But I was too handsome to say no to?” He joked, which made you smack him with his own notepad. 

“No!” you rolled your eyes. “Ah you ruined the moment you jerk!” you crossed your arms. 

“Oh come here.” Namjoon throw his arms around you, pulling you close. “ I’m glad I met you.” Namjoon finally said. “At first I thought you were a stick in the mud but-”

“Yeah yeah.” you mumbled. You knew where this speech was going. “But you grew to love it.” you thought he was gonna say.

“Actually I was gonna say that you actually ended up being the only girl who stayed with me, who liked me for who I was and stuck around long enough for me to show you who Kim Namjoon was...even if I got you into a bit of trouble.” he chuckled. “I love you Y/N. Not just that dumb ass I like you and you like me shit either. I love you so much that I would do everything for you, and if I couldn’t I would make it happen. I want to take care of you and give you everything you want in life...” 

You looked up in shock, Namjoon had told you he loved you before but he never said it that way. Before you knew it, that same smirk returned to his face. “Cat got your tongue?”

“Ugh you really know how to ruin the moment.” you poked his cheek. 

“and you love it.” he winked, crawling over to you.

“Yeah you’re lucky I do.” you mumbled. “Otherwise we woulda had some problems buddy.”

Namjoon rolls his eyes at you and kissed your lips again, gently caressing your cheek. You moved to sit on Namjoon’s on lap like he loved. You wrapped your arms around his neck, feeling his body heat against your skin. You felt his hands slip under your shirt. The feeling of his warm fingers made you jump. This made Namjoon’s movements cease.

“We don’t have do continue if you don’t want to.” he breathed heavily. “I’m sorry, I got carried away-”

“N-no,,,I want to.” you stammered. “You can keep going.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “If you say that to me, then I won’t be able to hold myself back.” he said, digging his head into your neck. “You know that, Y/N.”

“I’m sure...you can keep going..”

You were suddenly pinned down to the bed by Namjoon. 

...

“FUCK” he grunted, his body rolled against yours. “Shhh, not so loud baby.” he chuckled. “Wouldn’t want to wake my neighbors.”

“N-namjoon...I’m...I’m gonna-”

“Not yet, wait for me. Please...” He brushed stray, sticky hairs from your face. “You look so cute,”

He sloppily crashed his mouth over yours, his member twitching inside of you.

“Baby, cum for me.” he whispered. Your arms had somewhat tightened around his neck, feeling him twitch even more.

It felt like things came crashing down on you as your orgasm shook and vibrated throughout your entire body.

"Run away with me." he breathed out, coming down from his high.

"What??" you looked up at him wide eyed. "Did you just ask me to-"

"Run away with me." he repeated, his breath evening out. "Come be with me...don't worry about this...this life, your family. Y/N...I love you."

You sat up in bed, looking down at him. "Namjoon-..I-"

"I want you to be happy, to be able to do what you want, when you want. I want to wake up to your face every day. I want to make you happy, I want to help you live your dreams and...not worry about being told what the fuck to do anymore."

He sat up as well.

"Yes." you cut him off. "Yes I'll run away with you."

“Yeah? For real?”

You could only nod as you felt your mouth be covered by Namjoon’s again. 

“Fuck I love you so much.”

...

You could shove almost everything you owned into one large duffel bag despite the complaints of your mother.

“So you’re going to live with that gutter trash of a boy!” you mother stood by the door frame with a glare on her face. “Think of what this could do to our family’s reputation?!”

“Like basically selling your own daughter to some loser isn’t tarnishing enough!”?!?!” you scoffed. “I’m an adult, and I don’t need this, and I sure as hell don’t need you two!”

You had made sure to pack everything you had bought with your own money. Knowing them, they’d try to make you leave behind the little shit they bought you.

“Young Lady you are not to go anywhere near that boy and that is final! I’ll take away your allowance!” your father snapped.

“Go ahead, i know you and mom like to take from my bank account anyways to buy shit you don’t need.” you rolled your eyes. “Like that five hundred you guys used to buy a new vase when I needed it for my hospital bill when I broke my ankle?” you said flatly. Thank god you had your own account no one else knew about or else you’d be screwed.

“What about your marriage!”

“Call one of my cousins I’m sure they’d love to take my spot.” you began dragging the three duffels you owned. You didn’t have anything of value from your parents, anything actually useful like your laptop and other things were all purchased by other people. Just as you got to the front door, you saw Namjoon standing in front of a van.

“I bought some friends by to help.” he motioned to his friends who were getting out the car. Hoseok, Yoongi, Seokjin, and Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook.

“How did you guys all fit in that car?” you asked curiously!

“We took two cars!” Jungkook replied. “So are these the parents?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Yep.” Namjoon scoffed. He grabbed two of the bags out of your hands. “I’ll take that.” He threw them in the back seat onto the car floor. 

“If you leave with those delinquents, you are no longer part of this family!” your father threatened. “You will be outcast and everyone will know it!”

“...I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.” you replied. “Now are you guys gonna let me go or-”

Your father sudden took a walking start for you, as if he was about to grab you and drag you back inside.

“GET BACK!” Hoseok stomped menacingly to your parents who jumped in fear. “I’ll take that, Y/N.” Hoseok grabbed your last duffel as Namjoon wrapped an arm around you.  

“You don’t want to try that again, I wouldn’t want your driveway to be covered in blood.” Yoongi threatened. Unlike Hoseok, Yoongi wasn’t hesitant about getting in your father’s face. Before anyone could say anything else, a black car pulled up. A man in a tuxedo got out, a cellphones practically glued to his ear. 

“Whose that?”

“Ah Chairman!” you heard your father bark, sending a snide smirk your at. The stranger took the sunglasses off his face. You recognized him as some big shot CEO that your father loved to suck up to. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here on business. What do you want?”

“Well I’m afraid I’m no longer in need for that favor I asked of you. It appears that my daughter is NOT the one for the job to be your intern.” you heard him say. So to add to the hatred of your parents, he was now..taking away job opportunities? 

Well, you would have cared more if you knew who he was.

“And who is your daughter, and most importantly why should I ca-” his eyes fell on you. “...You must be Y/N!”

But apparently he knew you.

“Namjoon my boy!” your boyfriend walked up to the man giving him one of those dude-hugs. “This must be the girlfriend you were telling me about?”

“You know him?” I asked in surprised.

“You know him!?!?” Your father asked just as appalled mixed with disgust.

“Of course, this is my favorite nephew!” the man laughed, his now serious demeanor turning friendly. “Ah, I’ve heard so much about you, Y/N. Namjoon here tells me nothing but good things.”

Your family look just as surprised as you. Namjoon returned to your side.

“Y/N, uncle here works for (Insert dream job company here). I emailed him your resume and he’s been waiting to meet you for a while!”

“So this is your family?” he nodded his head towards your mother and father.

‘Not anymore, i’ve been outcast.” I shrugged.

“Well that’s too bad.” he shook his head holding out a business card. “Now, if you’re as talented as Namjoon says, then your father setting you up as an intern is just insulting. I’m actually looking for a new vice president.” he got a car out his back pocket. “Give me a call.”

You wordlessly took the card. “T-thank you!”

“And if you ever need anything, you just call me. Anything for t  elove of my nephew’s life!”

He put his shades on and turned away. “You’re fired.” he snapped at your father as he walked away.

“You ready to go?” Namjoon asked, gently grabbing your hand. You nodded, letting him lead you to his car. 

“I call front seat!” you hopped in the car before Hoseok could even reach it.

You didn’t even look back at your parent as you all laughed at Hoseok’s sulking and mumbling “Geez, she’ll fit right in.”

(So did I make myself cry writing this, maybe. But that’s my business.)

[1000roughdrafts]

Family Secrets: Chapter Four

I’m Not a Monster

Summary: Sam and Dean investigate a lead on a Maggie Tarnish, which only leads them to you. The mask works for a while, but when it doesn’t, many secrets unfold. 

A/N: sorry if the formatting is weird. I did this one on mobile.

Warnings: much angst

W/C: almost 3.9k

Masterlist/schedule

Previous Chapter

"Man that was painful," Dean says through smug laughter as they walk down the path from the diner, holding a small take away box. Sam tilts his head in confusion, and stops at the front of the Impala to look at Dean. "The waitress, your flirting," Dean says with raised eyebrows. More strict now, he gives it away, "come on, man. It was obvious that you were flirting and you are so not good at it," he laughs again, opening the drivers' door and sitting down.

Sam rolls his eyes. "At least I'm not still in love with a girl I kissed once when I was fifteen," he says, slipping into his seat.

Dean cuts him a piercing glance as he starts the engine. "Who?"

"The hunters' daughter," Sam says in a flat tone.

Dean playfully taps the steering wheel, "that's right!"

Sam smirks as Dean keeps his eyes on him, "you act like it's so hard for you to remember, but you always talked about her any chance you got."

"I did not," Dean starts, but knows he's defeated by the look in Sam's eyes. "Hey, in my defense, her parents let her hunt by herself, so she had cool stories." He smiles as he looks out of the windshield, "she was pretty cool."

Sam rolls his eyes. "What was her name again?"

"Hell if I know," Dean says before peeling out of the parking lot. "We headed over to this Maggie's now?"

Clearing his throat, Sam nods. "Local department said she must've slipped by their radar, but eventually set off some alarms. I checked with the local motels and if she's a hunter, she must be pretty new at it." Dean looks over at his brother, keeping both hands planted on the wheel, "she paid with a card. In her name."

"Made it real easy for us to find her, didn't she?" Dean shakes his head once with a laugh.

Having just exited the shower, towel still wrapped around your body, the sound of pounding at the door aggravates you. "Just a second," you call out as you throw on whatever clothes are available. You discreetly pick up your pistol, trying desperately to keep the table from squeaking.

The spell covered dagger beckons to you from the bed and the pounding continues with three more agitated blows. You pull the pistol to eye level and rack a bullet in the chamber. Looking into the peep hole of the door you see two beanstalks of men in black suits. You rest the dagger in the band of your jeans and hold the pistol behind your hip, just out of sight.

"Um," you express a discourteous squint at the attractively intimidating men after cautiously opening the door. "Hi?"

"Yes. Maggie? Agents Roth and Malloy." His voice is profound and straight to the point. Agent Roth, you assume, stands stoic and saying nothing, allowing for the taller one to proceed.

"Are you familiar with someone from this area? She's a secretary at a big law firm."

"Ah, yes," you put on a professional mask and hide the gun next to your dagger. "Although, you've caught me at a bad time," you lie. "I was just getting ready to go out."

Agent Roth speaks out, "you're not wearing shoes."

Looking down at your bare feet, you let out a distressed laugh which brings the eyes of the two men to unity. "I did say getting ready."

"Well, why don't you finish up and we'll all go out," the taller of the two men looks down at his partner, seemingly asking permission with his expression.

Agent Roth forces a smile while crossing his arms. "Our treat," he says through his teeth.

--

Walking through the bar doors, you try to conceal your face as the three of you search for a secluded booth. After spotting Tim, your cheeks fill with heat and you force a smile.

The two strange men take the first bench, leaving the opposing side for you. Tim skips over and, at first, ignores the men. "Hello beautiful."

"Hi, Tim," you say without looking him in the eyes.

"Gentlemen," he nods. "Blue Label for the lady, I presume," he flirtatiously offers with a wink and a trip in his vocals. He turns to the men, "what'll it be for you?"

The one with the most stunning and silky hair you've seen on a man holds up two fingers, ordering for the both of them, "two beers, please." As quickly as Tim walks away, he focuses his attention back onto you, "so about the case." His eyes trace his hands which sit linked on top of the table. "I thought since we're all on the same team you could give us a little help; tell us what you know," he suggests with a shrug. His words don't match his posture. They seem to be more accusing that questioning and you are nearly sweating under the pressure.

"Well, if you've already spoken with Mrs. Mill, I'm sure you know all the same that I do." You try your best to remain professional, but your words are coming out ornery.

You glance at the quiet one. He is full of anger, that much you can see, but you can't imagine why. His eyes are tired and each have their own unique wrinkles. It appears as though he always carries on with a frown and it makes you wonder if you look like that to others. Almost pouting, his blush lips keep his face well aligned and quite symmetrical. The taller one looks similar. He has the same olive green eyes, but they're full of light, and hold more life.

Addressing the silence before they do, you put your elbows onto the table. "You two look intelligent. Why come to someone you don't know for help?"

Tim returns with a tray and the beverages, "blue for a Blue," he says setting yours in front of you and cackling out as his own joke. You feel your face flush as he sets the beers down in front of them, "and two cold ones for the Men in black." He drops the tray to his side with his eyes plastered to yours, "I couldn't help but to overhear... I thought you said you were here for some kind of business gathering?"

"It's called undercover, Tim, look it up," you sneer.

The three of you sit in silence as Tim parades away after muttering something you didn't hear.

"Blue, is it?" The grumpy one speaks out. "Agent Malloy, is this a case we needed to be undercover for?"

"Uh, no. I don't believe so. No," he plays along.

"Look," he leans forward with his eyes kept on yours, "I think it's obvious at this point that no oe here is who they say they are," he starts out with a familiar affection to his voice that almost instantly switches to a cold, hush bark, "so let's just cut the crap. Who the Hell are you?"

While you covertly search for the best escape route, he taps on your knee with a knife he's hiding underneath the table, raising his eyebrows when he sees your eyes widen. "Why don't we all come clean, huh?"

Before you can contain it, a nervous chuckle springs from your lungs, changing his expression altogether. He thinks for a moment that he's heard it before, but says nothing.

You are hesitant on saying anything, but if you're going down you might as well do it with the truth. "Okay, what I'm about to tell you... it's likely you won't believe me, but I'm telling the truth." You search their eyes for assurance, and without anything but stern faces you swallow a deep breath. "I"m a hunter. I track ghosts, vampires, demons... things like that. I think Mrs. Mill was possessed and I just want to figure out why!"

Silence falls on the table as the men keep their eyes on you. Without warning you emit another laugh.

"Okay, what is with the giggling?" Agent Roth exhales.

"I, uh, laugh when I'm nervous or when things get tense. I can't really help it, it's-"

"A natural reaction?" With wide eyes, he slowly pulls away and sheathes he knife. "Or a - a reflex, right?"

"How... do you know that?"

Without saying a word he reaches into the inside pocket of his suit and pulls out a flip phone. Pressing only one button he puts it to his ear and in no time at all, a muffled AC DC's Highway to Hell begins to play from the pocket of your jeans. "Because you've said to me before," he says, canceling the call.

"It - it was you that called Bobby's cell the other day," the nicer one says, his breathing picking up pace at the newest revelation. "Are you?" With difficulty he tries to piece it together, "Are you Bobby's niece?"

Agent Roth is still lost for words and searching for them with his eyes. Trying to catch your breath, you transition your gaze to him. He doesn't know what to say so he keeps quiet, staring at the table. When you make eye contact with his partner, his head tilts and his formerly pristine forehead slightly wrinkles. His brows turn down into his warm and inquisitive eyes, pursing his lips. You begin to fidget, an avoidance tactic you'd picked up just the day before. At this point in time, you really don't need these guys poking around in your personal life.

"Look, Bobby was close to us, too. All we want are some answers," the nice man says serenely with a somber manner, but folding his arms. You sigh, stripping the heavy coat off of your shoulders and place it onto the seat next to you. "What are you doing?" he shifts, becoming a tad flustered at your sudden move to undress.

You stand next to the table and read your shirt without looking down, "this was a gift," you whisper as if you're saying it only to yourself. "More than that, really," you inhale sharply, turning away from them so they could read the back.

"Raise 'em Hell," he reads. "You called him Papa?" His face looks as though he had tasted something sour, but he laughs reassuringly.

"So you two were actually close?" The grumpy one butts in as you turn around to see his disgust.

"He taught me everything I know," you flick a strand of hair out of your face, slightly shrugging and fall back into the booth. "Well, him and Rufus, of course."

"And what do you know?"

"Enough," you say sharply, eyes dimming while you squint at the more forgiving of the two men. Crossing your arms, you lean back, "but I'd rather start with what I don't know. Who are you guys, really?"

As if this were the moment you'd met and under different circumstances, a smile lights up his face. "I'm Sam Winchester and this is my brother, Dean."

Just behind the bar, Tim has a phone to his ear as he smiles. "Crowley, the plan is going accordingly. She's met the Winchesters."

"So let me get this straight," Sam says from the chair at a desk in their motel room. You sit on the edge of the bed next to the door, in case you need to flee. Outside of the window behind Sam, you watch the clouds dance around the moon as he speaks, "Rufus rescued you from a coven-"

"And you don't know life before that?" Dean interrupts as he paced around the room with his hands gripping his biceps. "What about your childhood?"

"Childhood," you snort. "Did yours have sparkles and unicorns, too, then?" The question is rhetorical, but you pause anyway ti laugh at his angered expression. "I grew up in Whitefish, Montana - in the hunting world."

"Wait, Rufus' cabin?" You nod and Dean throws an arm up towards Sam, "we were just there they other day!"

"Well, I haven't been there in years," you frown, looking back out of the window at the now, lonely moon.

"Is there anything else you can remember?" Sam coos. 

"Other then the fact that he had no idea where I came from, who my parents were or when I was taken? Not much," you swiftly stand from the bed and walk to the counter, reaching for one of the beers. "Anytime I would ask, Rufus just said 'quit askin' 'bout things you don't want answers to'. He told me that I'm 'too precious' to be shattered by those kinds of memories and that I was 'reborn' the day he found me." Your voice changed after taking a sip of the fizzy, warm beer.

Your eyes meet Sam's as you mournfully smile, "so that's my 'birthday'. When Rufus took me in, he uh," you laugh to yourself. "He makes me after his favorite whiskey."

"Blue Label," Sam says with a soft chuckle, the corner of his lip turned into a smile, "huh".

Nodding, you can't help but to break a smile that he'd remember something so seemingly insignificant about the man who raised you. "He taught me how to handle myself in a fight, how to load and shoot a gun, how to clean a scene." You don't realize that you've begun to pace until you see your reflection in Dean's resentful eyes. "The first time I ever sat behind the wheel of a car he was there to coach me. He gave me everything I needed to protect myself."

Smiling again, you picture Bobby in your mind, standing with you in his library. "When it came down to the knowledge, the get in their heads, learn to study and read lore stuff - that's where Bobby helped me the most. After taking lessons with him on the phone for years, Rufus and I were finally in town to meet when I was about fourteen. But - like I said, rusty in the age thing," you smirk, mostly at Dean who stands stony-eyed and too distracted by his rumination to interrupt.

"Bobby taught me Latin, and how to draw a devils trap. He quizzed me on nearly every myth and legend, so on and so forth. They had both taken me out on a few hunts individually, teaching me different things, the easy stuff first." You take a longer swing of the beer, "like surveying the area, making sure I wasn't being tailed or getting myself in danger. Making sure I had all of the information necessary to carry on with any case successfully."

When I was around twenty we had a birthday gathering, but it was after that that my partner and I went out on our own. I didn't keep as close to either of them as often as I wish I had, looking back on it now. I took a year off after Rufus died, but recently I've set out on a hunt for my birth parents."

You've never actually told anyone these details about yourself before, making it easy to get as lost in your story as they are. When you look up you realize just how strongly you hold their gaze.

"Where's your partner now?" Sam asks.

You look down the neck of the bottle, swirling it around before taking another sip. "She dead. Couple months after Rufus died and I hate myself for it every day." Matching eyes with Sam, tears collect at their edges. "I was supposed to help protect her, you know? Be there for her and I - I failed. She went in early, we didn't have a plan." A few tears drop onto your hand, "I ran in after her. By then it was too late."

"Wow, uh," Sam sighs. "I'm really sorry." He looks over at his brother who stands with his arms crossed. "I don't know where I'd be or what I would do without Dean."

"Yeah," you say, wiping away the tears, "but, uh, the job comes first. I've learned to put my personal shit aside when others peoples lives are at stake." You pause for a moment, "so when those people started disappearing I had to take a break from my search."

Sam looks up at you with a curious frown. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, I'll show you the articles."

You walk over to his side, as he flips around to watch you type the names into the browser of his laptop.

Dean twirls a finger in the air, "so, uh, how did you hear about all of this?"

"I have my sources," you say more confidently than you feel.

Dean takes a step closer to you. "Bull shit. You said yourself you've been out of the game for what, a year? How does someone come back having knowledge of something like this?"

"What? You think just because you haven't heard of it means that it's some big thing? Get a grip, Grumpy."

Dean crosses his arms. "She's kind of got a point, dude," Sam snorts.

"Whatever," he say, ripping his jacket from the back of the chair and grabs his keys from the counter, "were out of supplies."

Standing up straight you nearly jump towards him. "Can you take me back to my room while you're at it?" you ask, wishing nothing more than to go to sleep and forget about this whole day, about Dean Freaking Winchester.

Agitated, but more than happy to get rid of you, he obliges.

The soft purr of the engine isn't enough to wake anyone, but for some reason Dean shuts it down anyway. Propping himself up using the seat, he turns in your direction.

"Sometimes, in front of Sam, I gotta keep some thoughts to myself." His face strains as he shakes a finger at you, "but one thing I've learned in this life is trust no one," he paused briefly. "You get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah. You don't trust me. Oh, no, Dean! Whatever am I going to do?" You roll your eyes and reach down for the handle.

Dean grips onto your wrist, jerking your attention back on the half of his face that's illuminated by the street lamp. "Something's off about you, and I will get to the bottom of it. His eyebrows rise as he leans closer, tightening his grip. "That's a threat and a promise," he snarls with a hateful grin.

Ripping your arm away, you lightly drop your head back against the seat in a small gust of brusque laughter, "says the man that's been to Hell and Purgatory."

Your gaudy eyes meet with his before he turns his head opposite of you and confides in the foggy window, "Damn it, Sam!"

"Don't blame him! People talk, Dean," you say, using your hands to express your words, "you're either stupid, self absorbed or both if you think there's not warnings among other hunters about you."

Taken aback, he squints at you. "I thought you didn't know who we were."

"I didn't, dummy. It's not like they flash around your picture or anything. It's just hunters gossip and you're the headliner." You throw open the door and hightail for your room.

He imitated your movements while slamming his own door behind him. With your back to him, you pull out your key as he stops to your side. Feeling just the tips of his fingers on your shoulder you whirl around, knocking his arm away and with open palms you shove him back.

"Fine, take the damn case, Dean. I don't care much for you w it her, so stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."

You scrunch your brows and keep a steady watch on his staggering eyes. His arm remains where you'd thrown it until he speaks out in a demeaning tone, "oh no. You're not getting off that easy." He takes a step closer to you, and you can almost feel his chest moving with his heavy breaths, but you refuse to back away. "You think I'm just gonna step aside and let a possible monster roam around un-watched?"

You watch his expression form into one of extreme animosity before he rotates, back to you. Opening your mouth to yell at him, you feel an imaginary fist slam into your stomach. You focus on breathing normally again as you listen to his boots thus against the concrete on their way back to the Impala.

You watch him as he peers over the top of the car at you, his face tight. "You watch your back, Blue."

Watching him fumble with his keys, you force out the breath you were holding hostage, "monster? Wow," you whine. "Okay and where you you when Bobby died?"

He pauses when he hears your voice. His face loosens, eyes opening wide at the mention of the name. You fold your lips under your teeth as you swallow your tears, "and when Rufus was killed?" A wintry breeze cuts into your sides and you wait for him to answer, though he has nothing to offer but weighted eyes on his pouting face. "That's what I thought," you heave.

You slam the door behind you and fall against it. Sitting in the darkness you cover your face and finally give into the mourning you've been trying to avoid.

Dean bows his head against the top of the car, "damn it!" The sound of his palm slamming against the metal ricochets throughout the empty parking lot. He leans into the car and reaches for something in the glove box, leaving the door open to walk to yours.

He can hear your muffled yelps and holds his folded fist to the door. He already blames himself for the death of everyone he's loved and to hear it from another person hit him harder than he expected. Bowing his head in remorse, he surmises that the damage is done. Everything he wants to say wouldn't even begin to explain the guilt that's beginning to settle in his heart. Leaving a card with his number in the nook of the door he silently says goodbye.

—

Barging through his own motel door, Dean hurls the keys onto the bed. Dropping the six pack on the table, he promptly rips two from the rings and slams one down in front of Sam.

Sam exhales, leaning back in his chair without removing his eyes from the laptop, "what'd I do to piss you off?" he chuckles.

"Nothing," Dean says in a heavy breath.

"Okay," Sam says slowly. His eyes follow Dean as he drags himself to the chair, "what did she do to piss you off?"

"Nothing, Sam, I just don't trust her." He opens both cans, "think about it. If she was so close to Bobby how come we never heard of her?" He shrugs with a tilt of his head and raised eyebrows. "If he hid her from us, he probably had good reason to. She was found on a hunt, Sam," he adds with a thick inflection and stone cold eyes. "If that's even true."

"I don't know," he objects. "We've found plenty of people who turned out just fine."

"And we've found a whole hell of a lot more who didn't, Sam." He gives him a nagging glance and takes a slow, long gulp of the beer. Dropping his forearms to the table he leans forward, "so how many are missing?"

Next Chapter

@waywardblueshun @81mysteriouslyme @lilulo-12 @drakelover78

[weekly-todoroki-meetups]

Weekly Todoroki Meetups: # 6

*Silence as everyone looks at each other- The Todoroki siblings are there plus Hawks*

Natsu: So.

Fuyumi: *Gulps- Looks nervously at Hawks and Dabi* Yes?

Shoto: Will this group ever be the same after last week?

Dabi and Hawks: Nope.

Hawks: I’m sorry you all had to see that- I don’t normally forget where I hide corpses!

*Le gasp*

Hawks: Wait I worded that wrong- I don’t find corpses often! *Shoto, Fuyumi and Natsu all look at each other sweating slightly*

Dabi: Hehe. Sure you don’t~

Hawks: DABI.

Natsu: Both of you, be quite. Anyways- What’s are plan this week?

Dabi: Burn those bodies I found in Hawks room on Endeavours desk.

Fuyumi: OH MY GOSH NO-

Hawks: WAIT WHAT I DONT HAVE BODIES!!!

Shoto: *Eating popcorn*

Fuyumi: I DONT KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE NATSUUU

Natsu: Just believe who you trust more!

Fuyumi: Hawks, I trust you more even if you murdered someone. Dabi has the higher death count out of you two anyways.

Shoto: Huh.

Natsu: Back on track guys?

Hawks: Thank you Fuyumi for blessing me with your trust, I appreciate it-

Dabi: *As he talks his flames slowly start to ignite and surround him* Alright, why don’t we murder some people, cut off their fingers and toes, spell out liar on Endeavours agency door and then hang their burning corpses from the roof? That way while their flesh melts and turns crispy they drip-

Natsu: WOAH NO THAT TOOK A REALLY DARK TURN-

Fuyumi: WHY CANT WE DO SPICE GIRLS?!

*Hawks pulls out squirty bottle and squirts Dabi*

Dabi: HEY-

Hawks: Hush. *Squirts him*

Dabi: *Hiss*

Hawks: Hush.

Natsu: SO WHAT ARE WE DOING.

Hawks: Let’s go to the shops!

Fuyumi: But why?

Hawks: *Enthusiasm and excitement is at 100% by now*I don’t know- But it’ll be fun while we brainstorm!

Dabi: There’s no point- Nobody’s gonna say yes.

Natsu: Sure, sounds great. We can all have some hang out time to think!

Fuyumi: Alright! We should totally try this! Bonding time- Maybe we can all forget last week!

Shoto: That meetup haunts my nightmares.

Hawks: YAY!!! *Grabs Dabi’s arm* Let’s go!

*Everyone is exciting and chatting*

Dabi: There’s no point in trying to resist- I’ll get my jacket.

Hawks: Wa-hoo!

[Later at the mall]

Hawks: Ugh, I hate your jacket. No style whatsoever!

Dabi: It’s to hide my identity so I don’t get caught by the cops.

Fuyumi: *Thinking- Whispers something in Hawks ear while Dabi looks at them suspiciously and slowly backs away*

Shoto: What first?

Natsu: We look for inspiration-

Hawks: WE GIVE TOUYA A MAKEOVER!

Dabi: NO I KNEW IT-

Fuyumi: *Clapping excitingly* Yes! We can get you knew piercings-

Shoto: *Eating popcorn* This sounds fun.

Dabi: Hell no *bleep*, I’m outta here-

*Natsu catches him and gives Hawks a thumbs up*

Dabi: ISNT THIS SUPPOSE TO BE A MEETING FOR TARNISHING ENDEAVOUR NOT ME?!

Hawks: *Squirty bottle followed by hissing* We can come up with ideas later!

Dabi: *Everyone advancing in him* GET AWAY FROM ME YOU OVERSIZED CHICKEN AND HOT N COLD WANNABES-

Natsu: Wait.

*Everyone stops- Dabi prepares to ditch everyone*

Natsu: Why don’t we split up into pairs and find inspiration instead of torturing big bro Touya?

Dabi: Don’t call me that- WAIT.

Fuyumi: Yes?

Dabi: Be my partner so I don’t have to go with Hawks-

Fuyumi: Nope- Natsu and me are going together.

Dabi: Shoto?

Shoto: Sorry- I’m taken. *Is with a random guy who looks like he escaped from a meme*

Dabi: Goddamit! You don’t even know him-

Hawks: Yay- Makeover time! LETS GO! *Grabs his arm and runs off. All the leftover siblings do the cross motion on their chest and salute*

Natsu: Alright- See everyone later! Any ideas Fuyumi?

Fuyumi: Hell yeah, let’s go!

[An hour later- Shoto and RG]

RG: So What are we doing bro?

Shoto: Tarnishing my fathers name for revenge because of his constant abuse throughout me and my siblings childhood.

RG: Lit.

Shoto: Excuse me?

RG: Bro, it’s slang.

Shoto: *Confused* It makes me die inside everytime you talk with it.

RG: Ha, so fresh bro.

Shoto: I AM CONFUSED TALK HUMAN.

Shoto: Wait.

RG: Spill the tea and explain bro.

Shoto: Teach me your slang. If I hate it my father will.

RG: No problemo, I can teach you bro.

Shoto: Thank you- Now stop saying bro before I pull a Dabi.

[Fuyumi and Natsu]

Fuyumi: These are horrible- my eyes can’t handle them! *Is holding a pair of boots that are to hideous to describe*

Natsu: *Holding a glitter bomb kit like it’s gold* I don’t even want to see-

Kirishima: OH WOW THOSE ARE GREAT!!! *Is pointing at the shoes*

Fuyumi: Ah hello! What are these?

Kirishima: Crugges, potentially Todoroki’s sister- Aren’t they awesome?

Fuyumi: If awesome is rock bottom shoe design then yes.

Natsu: Wait- Those are horrible. Any sane human would hate them! And getting glitterbombed by this. *motions to kit*

Kirishima: Sounds about right!

Fuyumi and Natsu: *Le gasp* Bingo!

[Hawks and Dabi]

Hawks: And I think a blue would be the best colour for you in a snazzy-

Dabi: Aren’t we suppose to be finding ways to tarnish Endeavours name? This hardly supports the idea.

Hawks: Yup! But we still have a few hours to kill~ *Is walking around store with infinite outfits, all being carried by his telepathic feathers*

Dabi: Urgh. Look at these- *Is at the sock stand. Hawks runs over*

Hawks: THEYRE FABULOUS. LOOK AT THE TRAIN SOCKS!

Dabi: That’s gay.

Hawks: We’ve been dating for 2 years.

Dabi: True.

Hawks: But look at them!

Dabi: I can’t stop- Wait. Look at those- *Bird leg socks- Hawks has a twinkle in his eyes*

Hawks: I NEED THEM.

Dabi: No, I’m intervening-

Hawks: HAHA WE CAN USE THESE!!!

Dabi: No.

Hawks: FIRST WE NEED TO GET YOU DONE UP AND THEN WE BUY ALL OF THE SOCKS!!!

Dabi: What no why-

Hawks: LETS GO!

[Later at the foodcourt]

Natsu: So guys, what inspiration did you get?

Shoto: Imma make it clear that my ideas so fresh that even my *bleep* bro Endeavour can’t shake it.

Everyone: What.

Hawks: Heh slang- that’ll make Endeavour right out of this weird existence. *Finger guns*

Dabi: *Is hiding in jacket and muffled* This species needs a purge.

Natsu: That’s bad- Hawks and Dabi?

Hawks: SOCKS. *Throws a pair of pizza socks in Natsu’s face* YEET.

Fuyumi: *Is checking Natsu for potential injuries* Alright- Anything else?

Hawks: *Looking proud* Nope.

Shoto: *Facepalms*

Natsu: Well me and Fuyumi got these- A glitter bomb kit and several pairs of crugges. *Reveals shoes*

Hawks: Eww. I love them!

Dabi: Burn them- They’re disgusting and need to be destroyed.

Fuyumi: I know but this nice kid from Shoto’s class told us about them! I couldn’t refuse after he got blown up and dragged away by an angry sparkle sparkle boom boom teen after attempting to buy a pair for me! He said anything for a fellow crugges lover. Then I decided to by them to join the crugges community~

Natsu: Tis true. Also, what happened to Dabi?

Dabi: NOBODY SHALL KNOW. NOT EVEN OVER MY DEAD BODY. *Angrily Sets hands on fire*

Hawks: He doesn’t like my fashion taste.

Shoto: He’ll spill the tea eventually. *Finger guns*

Natsu: Please stop.

Fuyumi: So, What are we going to do?

Dabi: The corpses on his desk- I’m telling you! *Is squirted by Hawks*

Natsu: Votes?

Hawks: EVERYTHING. *Looks At Dabi suspiciously*

Hawks: Except his ideas.

Shoto: Sounds fly my- *Fuyumi covers his mouth*

Fuyumi: Sounds fun! We’ll do it tomorrow.

Hawks: Aw yeah!

Shoto: *muffled response*

Dabi: My idea was better.

Natsu: *Rubs neck Shinso style* Something tells me someone’s going to die during this chaos.

Everyone: Yep.

{To be continued}

[darkdevasofdestruction]

HCs for Dabi, Tamaki, Chisaki and Tomura meeting their fem!S/O’s ex-boyfriend.

“Now, I personally had horrible experiences with my ex-boyfriends, one of them being really really bad, and I guess I just wanted to write this in a way to help myself and anyone who might have gone through the same kind of trauma. After all, these guys (or at least 3 of them) would be the best at getting revenge, while the other would be amazing at reassuring you.

Take care, everyone <3

Dabi

This guy rarely shows his real emotions, preferring to act all goody and aloof, teasing you and making roasting jokes about everyone around him, be it that his S/O knows them or not.

Probably, she will know them since he’d most likely (definitely) complain about how stupid or annoying everyone is, making it his personal goal to make fun of anyone.

Now, he’s clearly one to stand out of the crowd, even if there are other people with much more flashier passive Quirks out there, so he prefers to go out with you during the evening or night, when everything is calm, nobody suspects anything and he can just enjoy his time with his girlfriend.

So there it is, a nice, warm Spring evening, the sky is gorgeous, the Sun is setting, the sakura trees blooming, Dabi holding his S/O’s hand, dangling it back and forth while gossiping together-

Until she stopped dead in her tracks, making Dabi stumble a bit and look back at her, her expression out of the ordinary as she tries to pull him away from there, laughing awkwardly and trying to make up petty excuses to go on a different route.

He just blinked in confusion and raised his eyebrow, just following her and looking back, trying to identify the cause of her distress, until he notices a random guy walking down the road in their direction.

“Do you know that guy, S/O? Or why are you acting like this?” “It’s uh...I...Well...” “Ah! You mentioned this guy once, is that him?” “Uh...Y-Yeah...Let’s just pretend he doesn’t exist before he notice-” “Oh, hey, look at that, it’s S/O! How are you~?” “Kill me now...”

She sighed aggravated and turned to face the smirking man who wore a condescending face, looking down at her.

The situation was relatively amusing and annoying for Dabi, both wanting to see how his S/O is going to react, but ready to step in if needed.

“Look, S/O, I know me breaking up with you was a huge blow to y-” “I broke up with you.” “But to downgrade so much...Going out with someone so ugly...I mean, you’ve never been a princess or anything b-” “I’m not sure on what fantasy land you’re living, but need I remind you how many times you told me I was the most beautiful person alive?” “I was lying, of course. How else would I have been able to get around such a prude like you?” “Clearly, forcing yourself on me was the best course of action, wasn’t it?” “Oh shut up, you liked it.” “Yes, especially when I was telling you to stop it. Oh, or when I was trying to push you off me.” “I’m willing to give you another chance.” “Oh, you’re allowing me to beat you to death? Because honestly, that’s the only thing I’d ever want from you.” “Wha-” “You have the audacity to march up to me after everything you’ve put me through and even worse, you think it’s okay to insult my boyfriend who, by the way, is the best person in the world and unlike you, I don’t like.” “You? You don’t lie?! You lied to me during our whole relationship!” “Ah, yes, you’re right. I never loved you.” “Urgh, whatever, I’m leaving. Tsk...What a greedy slut.”

But before he could leave, a low chuckle could be heard around the park as Dabi put his hand on the ex’s shoulder, forcing him to turn away and look into his glaring eyes.

“Now, now, where do you think you’re going? You insult me? As if that never happened before. But it’s a special kind of low to trash-talk such a nice girl like S/O. You think I’d just let you go away after what you pulled? Oh, no, no way in hell. Ah, speaking of hell...I’ve seen it. It’s blue.” “What the hell are you talking about, you freak?!”

And with that, Dabi started slowly burning the ex alive, enjoying every cry and scream of pure agony that would leave his mouth, all while grinning like a Cheshire cat, clearly satisfied with his work.

After the ex was left as nothing more than a pile of ash on the ground, he nonchalantly turned to his S/O who just stayed back, completely stoic, enjoying the blue flame show and he picked her up bridal style, earning a surprised yelp from her, kissing her forehead.

“D-Dabi, put me down, I’m heavy!” “Nah, princess, you’re not.” “P-Princess...?” “Maybe that idiot was too blind to see what’s in front of him, but I’m not. A gorgeous gal like you cannot be anything other than a princess. Hmm...Or maybe a fairy? An angel? Will you come in my dreams every night from now on?”

Despite the furious blush spread all over her face, she could only smile at him with love and put her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and snuggling to him like a kitten.

This only made Dabi let out an amused breathe and find some teasing jokes to tell her.

(( LOOK AT THIS CUTIEPIE OMG MUST PROTECC))

Tamaki Amajiki

This baby is usually so shy that he’s too embarrassed to touch her or even stay much around her, even if they’ve been together for quite a while, so I think a nice little chill date in a small, not so popular, vintage tea place would be ideal.

Soothing aromas in the air, low, calming music, scented candles, dim-lights, amazing hot beverages, books, intimacy and of course, his sweet S/O that he loves with all his heart but is too embarrassed to look at.

Everything was going really well, his S/O managed to make him smile with her jokes and stories and it was obvious that his eyes were gleaming with happiness, despite not looking anywhere around her, but she knew she was doing a good job, so she slowly slid her hand across the table, gently laying it on top of his.

Sure enough, since he’s rather touch-sensitive  (I believe), he’d almost freak out, but closing his eyes, he’d sigh to relax himself, and then hold her hand tightly, showing her that he’s really trying to get out of his shell and be the boyfriend that she deserves.

Now, the problem is that she suddenly stopped mid-sentence and started biting her lip, trying to put her hood up so she won’t be noticed, but alas, she was, and by none other than her ex-boyfriend, the one that she only mentioned once, wishing not to remember the terrible memories she had with him.

“Oh, what we have here! It’s S/O on a little date with some weird looking elf boy!” “Go away, you jackass!” “Is that any way to speak to your boyfriend?” “You’re not my boyfriend.” “You see, that’s exactly why I was looking for you. To change that.” “Uh...No. I already am in a relationship and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world.” “With this...Weirdo?” “You’re just jealous because he’s a strong hero with an amazing Quirk and you’re just a pathetic whiny crybaby you can’t do anything right by himself.” “I wouldn’t go there if I were you. You’re crossing a very dangerous line right there, S/O.” “Go away, can’t you see you’re unwanted here and anywhere else? Nobody likes you.” “Oh, you-”

But before the jerk could act against her, Tamaki transformed his hand into an octopus tentacle, starting to strangle him, getting the courage to look up and glare at him.

“I don’t think insulting my girlfriend was very wise of you, considering your worth level is below sea level. Now, I am a hero so I cannot physically harm you, due to my morality-code, but don’t think I will hesitate it if you are to continue harassing us.”

As Tamaki let the jerk run away, his S/O hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek and grinning up at him, making him widen his eyes and blush furiously, trying to hide under the table, not being used to that amount of affection from his beloved.

“Thank you for protecting me, Tamaki-kun! You’re my hero!” “Ah...I...Well...I have to protect my...Girlfriend...S-So...” “I love you, my brave, amazingly awesome hero! You’re the best!” “S-S/O...Please, my face is burning...” “You’re so cute!!”

Needless to say, his girlfriend couldn’t stop fawning over how adorable he was, especially after standing up for her, and to be fair, he couldn’t stop smiling and blushing either, actually enjoying his S/O’s warm and loving hugs.

Maybe he’d make himself gather more courage in the future, just so he could give his girlfriend the same amount of affection that he receives daily from her.

Chisaki Kai

This guy is obsessed with germs and all that so he wouldn’t be all that physical with his S/O, especially at the beginning. Then, especially since he’s wearing gloves and a mask, he’d indulge in holding hands or the occasional hug, if nobody is around to see.

He is, after all, a villain leader and having a relationship with someone who looks so sweet and kind might endanger him in 2 major ways: 1) His reputation might tarnish, others saying he’s going soft and that he’s an incapable leader driven by pointless emotions or 2) His S/O might get kidnapped for ransom and it would make him torn and put on spot to make a radical decision that would be painful no matter which way it goes.

This, of course, doesn’t mean that he’d keep his girlfriend trapped in the house or only to stay next to him at all costs.

He deeply respects and loves his girlfriend and accepts that they are both their own persons and have their own lives to go on with, so he’s not exactly possessive or obsessive.

He loves going out at night with his girlfriend since it’s the safest way to go out and not be recognised, since that mask of his attracts attention.

So, there they were in a nice busy pub in a corner table, enjoying their drinks and chatting casually about their life, what’s new, interesting, how’s the gangster life and all the nice, calming trivialities they could think of.

Everything was fine and dandy, he was able to put away his stress and was enjoying his girlfriend’s company, girlfriend who seemed to always take sneaky pictures of him (which he knew about but let her do her thing since it was harmless anyways) and was grinning and texting here and there while keeping the conversation flowing smoothly and also finding out new on-going rumours and gossips which always somehow seem to help him with his plans-

Until someone slammed their hand on their table, making her drop her phone on the table and glare at the person who dared interrupt her date with her lover, when she visibly paled and sweatdropped, making Chisaki look at her and the new person, analysing the situation, but not interfering yet.

“What in the name of all Seven Hells are you doing here?” “I saw you walking with that creep in this sketchy pub and I thought I’d-” “You’d what? Stalk me on my date?!” “Stalk you? Oh, goodness, no, I was looking out for you.” “Why would you-” “That guy is a gangster, you idiot! He’s gonna kill you!” “Er-Ergh...I already knew that, if that wasn’t obvious enough. Now, can you le-” “Then what, you’re using him? Is he your sugar daddy?!” “I beg your pardon, what did you just say?!” “Tsk, I should have known. All I did for you, all that time, was out of the goodness of my own heart. But no, you cheated on me, you materialistic bitch!” “Just because you’ve always been a paranoic idiot with unresolved self-issues doesn’t mean everyone around is the way you imagine it to be.” “You never loved me! You were always after my money! Urgh, I should have know you never loved me! You never let me touch you or show my love to you!” “Yeah, of course I wouldn’t let you force yourself on me when I didn’t want to! There’s more to a relationship then physical stuff and I always told you that. Why do you think I dumped you, you pea-brain?!”

But before he could say anything back, Chisaki sighed, clearly annoyed at the conversation and stepped in, using his Quirk to kill that bastard.

“How could you ever go out with such a nuisance?” “Mistakes were made, Chisaki. I can’t change the past.” “So...Wanna be my sugar baby, then?” “Chi-Chisaki, what the hell?!” “Just kidding. That guy had huge issues and he had to die. Besides, nobody talks to my girlfriend like that and gets away with it.” “Where were you all that time ago? I feel like I wasted a lot of time with stupid people until I met you.” “You have to be patient in your search for quality people. Fortunately, my searching-time came to an end once I met you. “Aww, so you can be a real charmer when you want, can’t you~?” “Only for you, that is. But don’t mention it, or you’ll end like him.” “It will be our little secret, then”

And with that, the pair ordered another round of drinks and continued their conversation as if nothing happened, Chisaki very proud of himself and his girlfriend beaming of happiness at what just happened.

Tomura Shigaraki

Honestly, nobody ever knows what this guy is thinking so I guess it goes without saying that if anyone dares insult and talk weirdly about his S/O, he will make sure to get the Warp Gate guy to kidnap the jerk so he could slowly and painfully use his Quirk on them until they cry and beg for mercy and forgiveness.

Of course, they’d see none from Tomura.

Both him and his S/O are video games fans so I think they’d enjoy dates where they don’t have to do any effort and just play on their PSPs, either a Co-Op game or separate games, doing their little victory screams and poses or cursing the hell out of their games and looking more focused than ever before.

These dates are a way to really strengthen their bond, Tomura leaning against a tree and his girlfriend between his legs, leaning on his chest, both playing their games.

If it’s a colder weather, Shigaraki would wear a very big hoodie so he could try to zip it around his S/O’s form, both to make sure she’s warm, but it’s a way to feel her close as protected, no matter what might happen.

Thankfully, those hands are never around when they are together.

On a nice day, they go out to their usual spot, her draping his arm around his torso, gripping his hoodie as a support and his having his arm around her shoulder, keeping her close and walking in a comfortable silence, enjoying the nature’s sounds and the peace around

As they strolled on their merry way, the girl feels a hand grip her shoulder and turn her to look at the culprit, who was none other than her ex-boyfriend.

“Uh...Wh-What are you d-doing here?” “You...! S/O, you little slut, I’ve been looking EVERYWHERE for you! Do you have any idea how much effort it was to find you?!” “H-How...?” “What, you think I’m too stupid to find you?! You stink of idiocy from miles away. But it’s okay now, you dumb-dumb, you have me to take care of you. There’s no need to hide with that hideous skeleton kid over there.” “I...I think I’ll refuse. He’s my boyfriend and I love him and I really don’t want to be anywhere around you or see...Or hear about you ever again.” “Hahaha...You...You really think I was asking you? No, dear, it was an order. Now, come over and obey me like the little submissive bitch that you are.” “J-Just leave me alone!”

Seeing his girlfriend, the only person in the world who he holds precious to his heart and wouldn’t think of hurting no matter what, with tears brimming in her eyes, trying to make a douchebag stop gripping on her wrists and dragging her away made him snap with anger.

Tomura went to the guy and took a hold of his arm, making sure he decays a good portion of it, grinning already as he starts screaming in agony, looking at him as if he was some kind of monster.

The jerk tried to run away, but Tomura made sure the Warp Gate guy made him fall into the dimension gate, tying him up for a good torture back at the base, as he went in front of his S/O, kissing her forehead and pulling her close to him, hugging her tightly to his chest.

“I should have killed him when you told me about him.” “It’s...It’s okay. At least he’ll get what was coming for him.” “He deserves what he’s going to get. I will make him regret everything he’s done to you, my precious princess.” “Thank you, Tomura...Thank you.” “It’s Game Over for him. Forever.” “I love you, Tomura.”

Now, he wasn’t one to say those words too often. In fact, he hardly ever does. Instead, he’s usually one to show his affection through those little, subtle but important things like “Did you eat?” or “Are you feeling okay? Do you need me there?”  and so on.

Today, he lifted her hoodie sleeves up and kissed her wrists in a way to ‘purify’ the place where bruises might form because of that idiot’s actions.

To both his and her surprise, he muttered a low “I love you” while kissing her, making her eyes widen in surprise and happiness, and him to put his hood on, evading any kind of eye contact.

[fakesurprise]

Clues of portents

The problem with people like us is that there are too many people like us. What should be a routine warning about a damaged taillight, which I tell Noah is on him because he should have noticed – it takes him a bit to realize I was just teasing, even now – leads to the police officer staring into the car, looking the three of us over slowly, then asking if we might be able to help with a problem.

Noah is tapping the steering wheel nervously and stops dead at that. “I – what kind?” he asks. Still quiet; I don’t think Noah will ever be otherwise, but he at least asks without prompting.

The police officer is a tall woman with perfectly pressed clothing, eyes that notice tricks and don’t miss them. To me, she feels like she has edges that were blunted some time ago. Perhaps in a good way. “Emi Sandhurt. If my name helps. There is a – problem outside town, the kind that police can’t easily solve.”

“You seem like the sort who can solve things?” Noah offers when neither Wilbur nor I say anything.

That wins a snort from the police officer. “Once. I was SWAT years ago. I’m not anymore. There was a – snowball fort. It changes you.”

She offers nothing else.

“We could try and help,” Wilbur says. “But we do need gas, lunch, and perhaps an idea of what is going on?”

Officer Sandhurt shakes her head. “I’m on duty, and the department budget – and mine – can’t even stretch a dime these days. It’s a house just north, on Stapleton Drive. The people in it aren’t people. So far nothing has happened, but people are talking. Elmsville isn’t big, and not a bad town. I’d rather it was still here next year.”

“That bad?” I put in from the back seat.

“People are talking. They know something ain’t right, if you get my meaning. Eventually they’ll stop talking. I don’t know what will happen after that.”

“We can look into it,” Wilbur says, after a glance at myself and Noah.

The officer nods, hands us the warning about the taillight, suggests we eat at Sara’s Diner and returns to her own car.

Elmsville only has a few elm trees, all of which are fenced off though only some use actual fences. Two gas stations, one church, a general store, a few shops. Sara’s turns out to be at the north end of town in the back of someone’s home. No shingle; we only find it because one of the two Yelp reviews tells us the house has a restaurant in the back. There are a half-dozen tables, all empty since it’s after lunch.

Sara turns out to be the cook, front staff and ‘everything else,’ she offers cheerfully. Older woman in her fifties with an easy grin who barely pauses as any of us. Which might be why the police officer sent us here.

“We’re doing one of those summer trips,” I offer to explain three teenagers on the road together.

Sara just nods, tells us what is cooking in the back – no menu, but there is tea, coffee and pop. We all elect for pop and Sara moves closer to Noah, whispering something I don’t catch. Noah starts visibly, then says something back and snags a table for us, his eyes dancing with soft amusement.

“Let me guess,” Wilbur says as he sits down slowly. “Asking is she should make extra food?”

Wilbur isn’t big, because for hundred pounds is far past big. We got the car we did because he could fit in the front comfortably. You make sacrifices for friends, even when they aren’t the only magician in the world who deals mostly with ghosts.

Noah shakes his head. He is definitely grinning, for him. Between long hair, long bangs, and enough freckles for three people he’d be noticed anyway even if you didn’t take into account he’s too thin – maybe always going to be like that – and has enough acne for at least three people. Plus side, almost no one notices the old burns on his right arm.

“She asked if I was here of my own will, since you gave her a bad vibe,” he says.

“Oh,” I respond, deadpan, but Noah can read me pretty well by now. Wilbur, who has known me far longer, snickers openly.

I look the most normal of us, but there is something put inside me that isn’t human at all. And the person who did that saved my life, but no one really knows what is going to happen. I can’t work magic like Wilbur, and my talent isn’t as stupidly-strong as Noah, but I can do things with pain that sometimes people pick up on. And sometimes people realize it’s more than being able to cause pain.

We’re presented with pop, bread, and stew a few minutes later. I ask about Stapleton Drive while the guys are eating.

Sara’s smile tarnishes a little. “We don’t go up that way,” she says flatly.

One twisted part of my talent is knowing how to break people, and when they won’t at all. Nothing normal will change her mind, so I grab one of the rolls and throw it at Noah’s head with, “Catch.”

The roll stops just before hitting his head, and floats down to the table. “Not with my right arm,” Noah says calmly, and keeps eating without even looking up at me.

Sara stares at Noah, then Wilbur, and then back at me. “None of us are normal either,” I say with a shrug. “We’ve been asked to look into it, and knowing something might help?”

Sara lets out a sigh. “My daughter went there. Last year. Said she felt – called, and when she came back she wasn’t – she was like you, girl. Something looking out of her that wasn’t always her. And went back. Said she had a boyfriend. Third time she didn’t come back at all. A couple of others – adults, mostly from around here, they all did the same thing. There’s something there, and I couldn’t go near it. Not even for my own daughter.”

“We all have limits,” Wilbur says, his voice low and calm. I’ve known magicians to make me throw up just by ordering me to stop; Wilbur’s voice is a deep soothing.

“Shouldn’t have that one,” Sara says, depute that, and heads back into the kitchen.

We finish eating, and I look at the other two. “Anything?”

Noah glances at the car GPS, turning to the road and closes his eyes. “Something. A buzzing, like the world is pulled a little off kilter?”

I nod, focus. Feeling pain at a distant is hard, but I can do it. “Nothing.”

“There is something not from around here,” Wilbur says. “Hiding. I can sense that much. I don’t think it means harm, but so few Outsiders do.”

I gesture for Noah to get into the back, and Wilbur gets in the passenger seat as I drive our old car toward Stapleton Drive. We end up on gravel roads, and through a couple of fields of nothing but corn before pulling onto Stapleton. Nothing special, one narrow road among others. But the shadows look different, and the feeling of not being watched is an itch across my shoulder blades. But it’s one I’m used to.

The house at the end of Stapleton road is a small, ramshackle affair that looks like it had been condemned for being condemned. I say as much out loud as I pull the car over and turn the engine off.

“It looked like an outhouse Baba Yaga might have owned,” Wilbur deadpans.

I snort. “The last thing we need to for stories like that to be real right now.”

Noah doesn’t join in using banter to relieve stress, partially because he’s bad at banter. I glance over and find him studying the house warily. This, from someone who can juggle cars in the air if he has to.

“I don’t know why you’re scared; they’ve never met anyone like us before.”

“Yes, well, we’ve never met anyone like them either,” he mumbles.

“Oh. Good point.” I shrug and start walking, the other two beside me. We’re halfway to the house when six people come out of the cornfields toward us. Not clothed, hair matted, eyes wild. Noah has already spun toward one. Every single one stops moving as he pushes air around them and holds them gently in place. The silence stretches further; the wind has gone still as well.

“There might be others hiding in the woods; one had a gun,” he says, not moving.

Having a former weird-spook as a stepfather had uses; I hadn’t seen a gun, but I wasn’t about to doubt Noah had. “How long can you hold them all like this?”

“I have no idea.”

“Ah.” I start walking quickly toward the house, Wilbur following behind me. “Anything?”

“There are no ghosts here,” Wilbur says slowly, scanning the area, his eyes distant and unfocused.

Ghosts not wanting to talk to Wilbur happens, especially if Noah and I are around him. But a complete lack generally means something drove them away. “The house?”

“Assuming it is a house, yes. I might be able to banish what is there as though it were a ghost, but it has tied itself into the people Noah is holding, and probably the land as well.”

I take a deep breath and study the house. I think about anchors, and the world as an ocean, and reach out with my talent. My talent isn’t stupid, like Noah’s, but it rarely takes effort to use in the base form. The house rocks as pain runs through it, the old wood veins for transmitting distress. The building shivers, ripples and then is something else entirely. Not wood at all. Something vast stirs up, shadows hiding it as if the universe was ashamed the entity had slipped inside itself.

I hurl pain into it, drawing from the people chained to it, myself, Noah, Wilbur, and the general aches and agonies from the town itself. My bones ache from pulling pain from that far away, but the shape under the shadows writhes. I think it makes a noise, but my brain blanks out in trying to describe it.

Noah steps in front of me. He’s not glowing. Nothing fancy. Just him: solid, implacable, hands raised toward the darkness.

“Go,” he says, and his voice is as deep as a sunken bell.

The darkness writhes and falls away. There is a house, little more than a foundation of rotting stone. I don’t think stone is meant to rot like wood does, but it is doing so here. I grab the pain from the remains of the building, from what it had to endure, and pull that inside. For later use, if I can hold it long enough. I’m in enough pain that I barely notice that joining the rest.

Wilbur walks back toward me, wiping sweat from his forehead. “That was – more a shove than a gentle push. How are you?”

“Not driving.” I shrug, and start walking toward the car. The people Noah held have scattered to the winds. I can hear some wondering where they are, a couple running toward where the entity was, shouting names frantically. Whoever they thought it was, probably.

Noah is waiting at the car. He looks worn, but not as worn out as I am as he gestures for me to get into the back seat. I hand over the keys, and he winces a little as pain comes with it. My talent wants out. Always that. Wilbur gets in the passenger seat slowly, moving stiffly as my talent brushes him as well. I close my eyes, finding something kin to balance before the engine cuts off again.

Noah coughs. I open my eyes and realize we’re at a junk yard. At least an hour lost inside my talent. I reach out, and things fall apart. Rust, corrosion, cracks, fault lines. It’s a good five minutes before I feel close to fine, and a lot of confusion for anyone working here in the morning.

“We can’t keep doing this,” Wilbur says. I turn, not certain what he means. Hoping it’s nothing I fear. “We need money soon; we can’t keep expecting the credit card Aram gave Noah to work.”

“We’ve been paid a few times,” Noah offers. “But it’s not – it’s not right to be paid for using a gift.”

“I could be paid not to use mine.” No one laughs at the joke, not even me. We get back in the car and Wilbur checks his phone for odd news. I know he’s right; sooner rather than later we’ll have to go home to Rivercomb for one reason or another. But this, out here, using our talents to help? I could do this forever. Make people with what I am forever, if only some good could keep coming out of it.

If only. The world is made up of those words too often.

[emperorxeroki]

My Princess - Ch. 19

This started as a regular drabble…and then I just got carried away. Oh well, at least I’m getting back into writing.

My Princess – Ch. 19

Paring: Eli x Umi

Rating: T (slightly NSFW)

Notes: Request from @shirohasnothing P.S. – I chickened out near the end   _(:3」∠)_

Umi bit the inside of her cheek to hold back her words. Her hands were balled up into fists so tight that her knuckles turned white. She was using all her strength to retrain her anger towards her fellow comrades. Groundless rumors have been spreading around the base. It had all begun when Umi had her wedding with the eldest daughter of the Ayase family, Ayase Eli.

Umi came from a strict military family. The Sonoda’s were greatly well-known throughout the country, or at least they were before the family name became sullied from a pollical scandal a couple years back. But Umi was no fool; she knew her grandfather had been framed for a crime he didn’t commit which was the sole reason why she didn’t want to get involved with anything or anyone pertaining too closely to politics. Unfortunately, her marriage to Eli made that wish impossible. The Ayase family was deeply involved with politics. In fact, Eli’s father was a respected member of the council as was her grandfather before he retired, let alone is also related to the crown. The whole marriage was arranged by the king. There was no way Umi or her family could refuse. However, as Umi expected, rumors of the arranged marriage were spreading like wildfire.

“They must have threatened the crown to marry into such a high-status family. They should learn their place after that scandal.” Umi glared at the pair passing by who quickly walked away when they realized she had heard them.

“What’s wrong Sonoda? Cat got your tongue?” Umi wanted to ignore the voice, but it was hard to do when a group of guys were encircling around her.

“What do you want Ichihara? Was your lesson from the opening ceremony not enough last time? Or are you all masochists that you want more?” Amber eyes glared at the supposed leader of their group.

“Talking big for someone from a family with a tarnished name.” Ichihara scoffed at her threat. “As if the Sonoda family haven’t done anything else so underhanded. I bet your grandfather threatened the King to arrange the marriage between you and Ayase-san.”

“You should learn how to keep your mouth shut.” She walked away, pushing through the others. They weren’t much use since they didn’t try to stop her.

“Hey! Who said I was done talking!?” Ichihara grabbed Umi’s arm without a second thought. At first, he thought his bigger group of friends would scare Umi; instead, they all cowered behind him after just one look from Umi’s stare.

“If you don’t let me go this instant, I will use the means of self-defense in place of my generosity.”

“G-go ahead! I’d like to see you try!” He forced a smirk. “Ayase-san should have married someone better. Someone like me.”

Umi didn’t hesitate to send her fist flying towards his face. She figured this would be the best way to let out some steam.

“So, how’s the married life?” Nico asked the question before popping a cookie in her mouth. Eli sat comfortably with her two best friends at the Sonoda mansion. The question had her thinking to herself. “Don’t tell me what’s-her-face is treating you badly? If she is, I will march to wherever the hell she is and punch her in the face before throwing divorce papers in her face!”

“Nico, you’re in her house you know…” Eli deadpanned.

“Nicocchi is so protective~.” Nozomi giggled at the brunette. “Don’t worry, Elichi is in good hands.”

“Oh, don’t give me that ‘the cards told me so’ bull.” Nico frowned. “I seriously don’t think she could take care of Eli. I mean come on, if Old man Ohara didn’t arrange the marriage, the So-”

“That’s enough Nico!” The said person jumped in her seat when Eli raised her voice. The blonde sighed at her friend’s behavior, but she appreciated that Nico was looking out for her. “Umi is treating me very well.”

“Oh? Using first names already? My~ how fast Elichi is moving.” Nozomi began poking fun at Eli to change the atmosphere of the room.

“N-Nozomi!” A light shade of pink colored Eli’s cheeks when the purple haired girl pointed that out.

“Elichi is so pure. But to think that fate would bring you to your crush so easily. You must really be loved by the heavens.” Nozomi added, making Eli blush harder.

“Crush?” Nico furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the other two. “What the hell are you talking about Nozomi?”

“Elichi has been crushing on Sonoda Umi for the longest time. I didn’t tell you?” The busty girl tilted her head.

“NO! What the hell Nozomi?!” Nico shot up in her seat. “Why’d you leave me out of the loop!? Do you have any idea on how much I have missed out on teasing her?!”

“That’s why you’re mad?!” Eli couldn’t believe her friends were fighting over such a trivial thing.

Nico sat back down with a huff and took a sip from her teacup. “So how far have you two gone then?” The question had Eli spitting out her tea.

“W-what?!” Eli was flabbergasted earning a smirk from the petite girl.

“Oh, come on. You two are married now. You have to had spent your wedding night…” Nico trailed off when Eli’s face became crestfallen. “Wait…really?”

Eli looked away and played with her fingers. She didn’t want to admit that the idea of sleeping with her partner scared her, but they were complete strangers to each other. Besides knowing about each other’s family backgrounds, there was almost nothing else in between. Eli’s thoughts lead her to scrunch up her face deeper.

“Why don’t you ask her on a date then?” Nozomi proposed to give the blonde some ideas. “There’s no need to rush things if you’re not comfortable with each other.”

“If anything, she’s lucky she married you because anyone would die to even have you look their way- ow! The hell Nozomi?” Nico rubbed the side of her ribs when the taller girl jabbed her with her elbow.

“Umi-sama, welcome back. You’re home ear- oh my goodness!” Three heads perked up at the maid’s voice. They peeked around the corner and found Eil’s wife with a grimace present; her face was battered up, cheek bandaged along with a cut lip.

“Sonoda-san, the General said that you are to be on vacation leave for the time being. He says to take it was a present to spend time with your wife as you did not have a honeymoon.” The General’s secretary gave Umi a salute and left after escorting her back home.

“Vacation leave.” Umi scoffed. “He might as well just have said suspension instead of sugarcoating it.”

“Umi-sama, are you alright? Do you hurt anywhere?” The maid’s eyes filled with worry looking at the blue haired girl.

“I’m fine. Just a couple scratches.” Umi gave her a smile of reassurance to ease her. “Thank you for worrying Rena.”

“Y-you’re welcome…” Rena’s cheeks flushed. Eli couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of how close they were.

“Ohhh…” The blonde jumped and turned around to find Nozomi and Nico cooing at her. The smirks on their faces were so easy to read. They knew.

“W-what?” Eli gave the two an annoyed look.

“Nothing~.” They both responded together. Sometimes Eli wondered how those two got along so well.

“I’m tired. I’ll be in my room.” Umi passed by the three making way to her room. Eli gave her spouse a worried look, only to be avoided. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed given the cold shoulder.

xXx

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” Nico left the mansion with Nozomi lost in a deep thought. “I don’t like the way she’s being treated. Especially when she has to stay here.”

“Nicocchi really is caring.” Nozomi softly bumped into the other. “Don’t worry, Umi-chan is just awkward, that’s all.”

“You talk like you know her.”

“I do. She’s my cousin after all.” Nozomi put a hand to her chin and racked her brain for old memories. “I never told you?”

“NO!”

Eli watched her two friends leave from the window and sighed to herself. She looked at the silver band on her finger and wonder what her uncle was thinking when he arranged the marriage.

“Nozomi-chan hasn’t changed at all.” The voice behind her gave Eli a small startle. She turned around and found Umi’s grandmother and mother smiling at her.

“Ah…yes…Grandmother…” Eli still wasn’t used to calling the elder woman that, but the warmth she radiated made her feel comfortable.

“It seems that Umi-chan got into trouble with her superiors for getting into a fight today.” Eli frowned, earning a soft smile from the other. “Why don’t you bring these to her room?” Umi’s grandmother handed Eli a box with letter’s reading Homura’s Bakery. Eli wasn’t sure what the woman was getting at, but she took the box without hesitation.

“Yes, Grandmother.” Eli smiled brightly and went upstairs to Umi’s room.

“Honestly, Umi needs to stop being so shy. Eli isn’t going to bite her.” Umi’s mother sighed while her grandmother gave a hearty laugh.

“You weren’t any better when you first met Ryoma.”

“Mother!”

xXx

Umi laid in her bed with her arm resting over her eyes. She was tired, both mentally and physically, but just couldn’t seem to fall asleep. Another sigh escaped her lips before face-planting into the nearby pillow. When she heard a soft knock from the other side of the door, Umi immediately straighten herself out before opening it.  “Yes?”

“U-Umi-sama, I was wondering if you were hungry so I brought you some tea and snacks.” Rena tried to hide her blush, but it didn’t matter because Umi didn’t pay much attention to it.

“Thank you, Rena.” Umi moved to the side to let her in and closed the door behind them. Rena entered and set the tray onto a table near the corner of the room.

“Is there anything else you would like Umi-sama?” The maid fiddle with her hands and kept her eyes glued to her feet. Being in the same room alone with the “Shining Knight” was a dream come true for any of the younger maids who worked at the Sonoda mansion.

“No-” Another knock interrupted Umi’s sentence. “Yes, I’m coming.” She got up to open the door and was surprised to find Eli on the other side holding a box of sweets from Homura’s Bakery. “Eli-san?”

“I was asked to bring these to you from Grandmother,” Eli noticed Rena in Umi’s room and felt a small pang in her chest. “I’m sorry, did I interrupt you?”

“No, please, come in.” Umi walked her into her room and sat in the chair, signaling for Eli to sit across from. “Rena, could get another cup for Eli-san?” The maid gave a bow and left the room, but Eli could hear a dissatisfied mumble under her breath as she left. She couldn’t pick out the words, but it was most likely something about Eli being in the way. “Is there something wrong Eli-san?”

“Eh?! Ah- no, I was just spaced out a bit.” Eli gave Umi a quick smile and quickly tried to change the course of the conversation. “So, this is your room…it’s very…”

“Plain.” Umi took a sip from her teacup. “I know.”

“N-no! It’s not that! I was going to say it is very simple! It suits you.” Umi chuckled at the other’s panicked state making Eli blush at the discovery of a new side to her spouse.

“It’s okay. I’ve been told that I should put more decorations, but I just never seem to have the time since I’m always so busy.” Eli wondered how red her face was. The charming smile Umi gave her made her heart race. The blonde was beginning to wonder if the room was getting hot like her. Umi on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice the blush on Eli’s face. Her eyes were too focused on the box Eli had brought with her.

“Shall we have some sweets?” The question Eli posed brought Umi back to reality. “You look like you really want them.” Heat rose up Umi’s neck knowing that Eli have seen such an embarrassing side of her.

“I-I apologize for acting like this…” Umi turned away and wished she could disappear from the surface of the world. It wasn’t every day she would let her guard down around others.

“There’s no need to apologize.” Eli giggled. The sound of her angelic voice was so soothing, Umi was sure some of the heavy weight lifted off her shoulders, only to be hit with another wave of guilt.

xXx

“Why don’t you two go on a honeymoon. Umi, you’re not going to be busy for the next few weeks so go spend more time with your wife and get to know her.” The stoic man sitting across from her at the dinner table suggested the idea.

“Father!” Heat rose to Umi’s cheeks knowing that her family were going to poke their nose into her married life. Eli couldn’t stop herself from doing the same. She had always heard rumors that the Sonoda family were strict with rules, but after living with them for the past few days, she was beginning to think that that wasn’t always the case.

“I have to agree with your father Umi.” Umi retorted the same way to her mother as she did to her father. She could not believe that they were going to have this conversation at the dinner table with everyone present.

“Umi-chan.” The younger girl shut her mouth and looked at her grandmother. “I want you both to be have a happy and healthy marriage. That means both of you are to put effort into the relationship if you want things to work out.”

“…I understand…”

“Good. Your grandfather and I are waiting for more little children to run around in this house. Your sister and niece don’t visit home often because they live too far away.” The old woman put a hand to her cheek and pretended to be sad. “I want my Umi-chan to have children too.”

“G-Grandmother! Can we not have this talk at the dinner table.” Umi was beet red, while the same could be said for Eli. The adults enjoyed their teasing of the newlyweds and went back to idle discussions amongst themselves. Looking from the corner of their eyes, they got a glimpse of each other briefly, only to avert away as their faces turned a brighter shade of red.

The next day, the two were kicked out of the house. With no other choice, Umi took their bags and they headed for the train station. Eli followed in suit as she did not know where their destination was, but she couldn’t help feeling avoided when Umi refused look at her and always walk a few steps in front of her. Lost in her thoughts, Eli wondered if they could get closer like their families wanted; if not, this was going to be a painfully awkward honeymoon.

“How do you feel about the beach Eli-san?” They both took a seat across each other at their booth on the train.

“Eh?” Eli looked up at the other.

“Well…” Pink softly colored Umi’s cheeks. “We have a vacation house near the beach…and I was wondering if that was okay with you…I apologize for not asking you beforehand.

“I would love to go to the beach. The summer weather makes it even better to go.” Eli flashed a smile to the blue hair girl, making the other’s heart quicken its pace.

“…I really don’t deserve you…” Umi mumbled under her breath, but Eli was able to catch her words. She frowned knowing that her partner was insecure of their relationship.

“Why do you say that?” Eli was curious. Like, how can someone who is a splitting image of a fairy tale prince saying that to someone nothing close to a princess.

“You deserve someone who loves you. Not someone from a scandalous family who hardly knows how to interact with you…”

“Who’s to say we can start now?” Eli steeled her nerves and took the other’s hand. “I want to get to know the person I married. Not as Sonoda Umi, but just Umi…is it alright if I call you that? You can call me Eli too.” The blonde fluttered her eyelashes.

“O-of course! I don’t mind that at all!” Umi’s pink cheeks quickly turned red at the contact of their hands. Eli let out a stifled giggle.

“So cute.” She thought to herself and got up, letting the hand go. Umi was confused at first, but immediately became stiff as a board when Eli took a seat beside her and laced their hands together. “Then this is okay too, right?”

“P-please don’t tease me…” Eli chucked and enjoyed the warmth of their hands rest of the ride to the Sonoda vacation home.

xXx

The scorching summer sun was at its highest peak, but that didn’t stop people from enjoying their fun under the blue sky. Umi was dressed lightly in casual clothes fit for the hot weather. The two had arrived earlier to the vacation home and were getting ready to go out.

Umi paced the living room as she tried to calm herself. Last night she had received a call from a certain purple haired girl to take Eli out on a date. A chill ran down her spine when she remembered what Nozomi told her. “If you make Elichi cry, expect punishment when you two get back.” She didn’t know how Nozomi could ever possibly find out if it did happen, but truth be told, she didn’t want to know.

“Sorry for the wait.” Umi stopped what she was doing and found herself staring at her wife. The white, one-piece dress she was wearing had the other mesmerized. Eli even had her hair down which, in Umi’s opinion, even more holy than the blonde already was. She was completely untouchable to Umi, just like when Eli walked down the aisle on their wedding day. “How do I look?”

“You look beautiful…” The words came out so casually that it had them both blushing. “L-let’s go!”

xXx

Hours have passed and Eli was currently pouting under the shade of the umbrella. Blue eyes stared intensely at a certain blue haired girl. This was supposed to be their moment to get closer to each other and it was completely ruined, all because Umi was too charming and grabbed the attention of other women. Eli was beginning to wonder if Umi have forgotten about her since she was currently too busy being surround by other girls in their revealing swim suits.

“Heyyy, why don’t you teach us how to swim?” One of the girls grabbed Umi by the arm and pressed it between her chest. Baffled, Umi wasn’t sure how to get away anymore.

Infuriated at the sight, Eli stormed off to the more secluded area of the beach. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she didn’t want them to. That would mean she would admit that her marriage was nothing but in name. She sighed and found herself staring at the ring on her left and.

“You deserve someone who loves you.”

“Was Umi forced into their marriage against her will? Does that mean that Umi already had someone she loved? Does that mean I can’t be the one for her?” Eli wanted to disappear. Sure, maybe she was overthinking the meaning behind the words, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be a possibility. She continued to be lost in thought until she felt a cold object press against her cheek and jumped in surprise.

“I was looking for you Eli.” Eli carefully scanned Umi’s face and found a trace of worry behind her amber eyes. She was touched at first, but gave a hum in response when she remembered how easily she was forgotten. “You should stay hydrated.”

“I’m fine.” Umi sat down beside her and frowned.

“Did I do something to upset you.” It seems she haven’t realized how hard Eli was trying to make their complicated relationship work.

“Not really. But you looked like you were having so much fun with those other girls so why don’t you go back to them.”

“I rather be here with you.” There was no longer any hesitation behind her voice. Umi wondered to herself when exactly did she get all this confidence. “Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

“So what if I am?!” Eli shot up and shouted down at Umi. “What’s wrong with being jealous about other women hitting on the person I’m married to?! What’s wrong with being jealous when the person I fell in love with isn’t looking my way?!”

“Eh…? The person…you fell in love with…?” Umi wasn’t sure what to say; it was such a sudden confession and to make matters worse, because of Umi’s disability to see that she had hurt Eli made it hard to stomach. “Do you mean that?” Eli didn’t try to reply, instead, the tried to walk off again. But this time, Umi stopped her. She wanted to know if those words were true of not. “Eli.”

“Yeah…I love you…ever since that day you saved me from being taken hostage…”

“I see…” Umi soften the grip she had on Eli’s arm. “…I didn’t think you would feel about me that way…”

“You don’t have to think about it too much. It doesn’t matter-”

“It does.” Eli turned her body to get a look at Umi. “I’m an idiot for thinking all to myself and not sharing my thoughts with you. All this time, I kept thinking that you deserved someone better than me, so I…” Umi let out a sigh. “What am I saying…?”

“So what you’re saying is…” Eli trailed off.

“I…I can’t deny that I have been charmed by you…one too many times to be exact.” Umi cleared her throat. “And the first to do so…”

Eli felt like she was walking on air. It was a dream to hear those kinds of words from Umi. She was so happy that she couldn’t contain it and jumped onto the other, pulling each other into a big embrace.

xXx

Somehow, Umi found herself resting in Eli’s lap (much to the other’s persuading) while the other gently ran her fingers through her hair. She found it to be shameless to do such things in public, but she couldn’t find herself to say no after what Umi had done earlier. Eli’s fingers also felt good, but she wasn’t going to admit to that out loud.

“Hey, Umi?” Umi turned her head to look up at the blonde who did the same looking down. “Can I be with you tonight?”

“Okay.”

Eli couldn’t believe that this was happening. She sat on the bed they were going to share. The mere thought of what was going to happen next made her chest feel like it was going to burst. She put a hand to her chest and took deep breaths to slow down her racing heart. Umi was currently in the shower because she had suggested Eli take one first to get sand off her body.

The sound of the shower being turned off sent a put a sinking feeling in Eli’s stomach. Stripping out of her bathrobe, Eli slipped under the covers quickly. Umi stepped out of the bathroom with a towel covering her head to dry her hair.

“Are you feeling okay Eli?” Umi haven’t realized that her wife was completely bare under the covers.

“Y-yeah…” Eli’s face flushed when Umi sat at the edge of the bed. “H-hey Umi?”

“Yes?” Gentle amber irises locked with the other’s blue eyes.

“Kiss me.” Umi’s face exploded at the command.

“A-are you sure about that?! I-I mean…”

“If it’s you, I don’t mind.”

With eyes closed, Umi timidly moved closer to the blonde and slowly closed the distance between their faces, however, she stopped when their lips where only centimeters apart. Her heart was so loud she wondered if the other could hear it. She had hoped Eli would let her mentally prepare herself, but the other wrapped her arms around Umi’s neck and completed the kiss. Umi could have sworn she stopped breathing for a good two seconds. They pulled away with flushed faces and felt as if the room temperature went up a few degrees.

“Eli…” Umi’s face burned bright. “Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

“I-I did say I want to spend tonight with you…” Eli’s face reflected Umi’s.

“S-such things are only after marriage!”

“Umi, we are married.”

“Ah…that’s right…I-I apologize…it’s just…I’ve never…done somethings like this before.” Umi hid her face behind her hands. “I just had my first kiss too…”

“Eh?” Eli blinked. “That was your first kiss too?” They looked at each other before bursting out into laughter.

“We’re a mess, aren’t we?” Umi gave her signature lopsided smile to Eli right before she was pulled onto the bed.

“I don’t care if we are. I want to be with you. That much I know.” Eli initiated another kiss. It was more natural feeling like they had already done it multiple times, despite being only their second one. Umi moved on top of Eli when the other tugged her closer, accidentally groping her breast in the process, and earning a moan from the woman under her.

The sound acted like a trigger, flipping a switch inside of Umi. Carefully, she removed the covers hiding Eli’s goddess-like body and studied every curve intensely. Eli immediately tired, but ultimately failed, to cover herself under the power gaze Umi gave. Umi began to press kisses against Eli’s neck, the sensation felt like fire against Eli’s skin. More and more, Umi made her way down towards the valley of her wife’s breasts.

“U-Umi…”

“You’re beautiful Eli.”

“Mou…you make this like it’s a second nature to you. Are you sure you’re not lying to me about this being you first?” Eli was utterly embarrassed and hid her face behind a pillow.

“Why don’t we find out?” Umi went back to kissing Eli’s body, except, she was going lower with each one.

“W-wait Umi!”

“You started this.” Amber eyes peaked from in between Eli’s legs, glowing in the dim lit room.

“Umi!” Eli’s voice hitched when she felt a kiss move up her inner thigh. Her body felt like it was on fire. Every touch she received from was just adding to the flames. “Don’t stop…”

“I want to burry myself…” Umi was faceplanted into her pillow.

The morning sun had risen while the two were still tangled in between the sheets. Eli pulled her lover closer and giggled into the other’s ear.

“Are you sure that was your first time?”

“Of course, it was!” Umi turned around. “I would never lie to you.”

“I know, but I won’t forgive you if you ever cheat on me.” Her smile sent a familiar chill down her spine.

“Y-yes ma’m.” The blue haired girl meekly responded.

“Good.” Eli rolled Umi onto her back and straddle her at the hips. “Now it’s my turn.”

“E-eh?” Amber eyes flickered when the blonde licked her lips.

“It’s not fair that you were the only one marking me.” Eli replied.

“P-please go easy on me…”

One day…one day I will write a complete NSWF story. That one day just isn’t today

[loopy-atla-fanfic]

Samsara - Chapter 5

Rating: T

Characters: Mai, Zuko, Ty Lee, Azula

Story Warnings: Ableism, Suicidal Thoughts

Chapter Warnings: Extended description of Suicidal Thoughts

Written for Maiko Week 2017

EPOCH 5

"Come on, Mai. It's time to embrace the day! Hey, that rhymed."

Mai woke and immediately realized what she wanted to do. She was going to fly into the sun, or die trying, whichever happened first.

Really, she just wanted to do something ambitious, because ambition meant work, work meant something that required thought, and as the ancient Fire Sages had posited, 'I think, therefore I'm probably still here, and if not, I would prefer it if you didn't disabuse me of that notion.'

She went through the morning routine as she considered how to go about accomplishing her goal. She had a schedule for the Avatar's sky bison, but knowing where the thing would be throughout the day and actually finding a way to get on top of it without immediately getting thrown off at the speed of a Katara Icicle Special were two very different matters.

Also, the sky bison smelled funny. That would make for a rather inglorious ascent.

The Avatar's glider-staff probably only worked with Airbending, and taking it from him would involve fighting him again. Been there, done that, gotten the blood-stains in her clothes already. Asking the Avatar for a ride might work, since he had to be nicer than Katara, but boys that age were usually finicky about touching teenage girls who weren't Ty Lee.

Then, as part of the long morning briefing (which always happened when Mai failed to pay visible attention), Azula said, "Reinforcements will be deployed to sweep in and destroy the last of our enemies, once and for all!"

Ah, yes, the airships.

Hm.

Airships. Come to think of it, they flew, didn't they? Mai still wasn't used to that being a thing that people could use machines to do, now. Also, the invaders had boats that went underwater. What was the world coming to? What next, something that could sail into volcanos, just to complete the elemental theme?

Or an airship that could actually touch the sun?

She continued on through the daily pattern, following Ty Lee to the temple. As ever, their arrival was quickly noticed by the usual burly army guy, who proceeded to inflict his presence on them with extreme prejudice. "My Ladies, Colonel Lee reporting! I've successfully evacuated the Fire Sages, and my soldiers are stationed throughout the first floor of the main temple building. I have an elite force ready to spill out into the courtyard at a moment's notice, and my subordinates have been given a plan to rapidly deploy continuing waves as required. Naturally, we've saved some space for you two right with that first wave."

"Excellent job, Colonel," Mai snarked. "You've already exceeded by expectations in every way. I have no doubts that with your oversight, this mission will be a complete success, and then the Fire Lord will reward us with gold and cream puffs."

"Thank you, my lady! I do enjoy a good cream puff." Colonel Lee practically glowed at the missed sarcasm. He never picked up on insincere praise, Mai had found. It was almost sad, in a way, but was it really? The man was happy. Ty Lee, who had a similar personality defect, was usually happy. It was Mai who had tripped face-first into a curse that had her reliving the worst day of her life, and might have even driven her a bit mad by now (but not all the way, because she hadn't killed Zuko 'yesterday.' She could take heart in that, albeit a dark, tarnished heart of steel).

The problem with reliving the same day for an eternity was that it was impossible to miss all the patterns.

What was it about Lee and Ty Lee that made happiness so easy? Aside from stupidity and having L-E-E in their names, of course. Hm, maybe that was the key? Mai could take some cycles to track down every single person named Lee in the Capital and poll their general contentment with life. Maybe she could even compose a report and surprise Azula with it during the normal briefing. "Yes, yes," she could say, "the Day of Black Sun is good and all, but have you realized that changing your name might fix your urge to terrorize people? No? Well, I have some graphs here..."

Mai shook the thought away. She had other pointless goals, for now. "Colonel, I'm curious about something. Are you familiar with the new airships that will be deployed today?"

"A bit, my lady. It was decided that the Army, not the Navy, would be the branch administering the new Glorious Sky Domination Group, and so there were seminars on the basic capabilities of the vehicles and the principles behind their function."

"Then what is the minimal crew for operating one of the small war balloons?"

"At minimum, my lady, a single Firebender should be able to make do for a while, although he'd run into trouble if he had to steer and tend the burner at the same time. Officially, a crew of two Firebenders is recommended, but the pilot being a Firebender is a redundant failsafe, unless they're looking for a 'hot hand' on the stick. Ha, ha, just my little joke there."

"Yes. It was hilarious." Mai watched Lee beam, even though she wasn't smiling and the tone of her voice had more in common with the surface of a glacier than actual human amusement. It was like the man subsisted on complimentary words, whatever tone they had been basted with.

As they continued on into the temple, Ty Lee bumped Mai's shoulder. "So you were distracted during Azula's briefing, and now you're letting random people think you're being nice to them. Someone must have gotten a good night's sleep. The first in your life, now that I think about it. But you did get in pretty late last night. Were you with Zuko?"

Mai snorted. That was the first time the question had come up in this context. "I can honestly say that what happened yesterday between me and Zuko was disappointing on multiple levels. I suppose I'm just tired of the effort it takes to be difficult. For now."

"Huh. I guess it had to happen eventually."

"Ha, ha."

Ty Lee settled in the foyer to have her army-issued breakfast, while Mai took her box of rice'n'sausage and went exploring. Or, rather, scavenging. The sages, as befit people who had nominally devoted their lives to the spirituality of fire (along with the communication of that spirituality to the people of the homeland and the political power and riches that came from distributing that spirituality to order like a boxed lunch) kept plenty of materials on hand related to fire. Specifically, there were large torches, sticky liquids that would burn at a selection of temperatures and durations, and powders that could be thrown into a good blaze to make it flare up impressively. All the stuff required to bring awe to the masses and maybe also liven up a good drinking session.

All things that would maybe keep a war balloon aloft for a day, maybe.

Mai pilfered as many of the items as she could stuff into army sacking and snuck out of the temple.

The airship fleet was being prepared outside of Capital City, outside the whole volcano, on the opposite side from the harbor. Really, it was lucky that the Avatar hadn't snuck up from the rear while his invaders made their push, or Azula's whole surprise would have been caught with its metaphorical pants around each and every airship's metaphorical knees. But then, that was probably why Azula had the airships all fully armed and staffed before they were brought over. A hundred Firebenders and a fleet worth of bomb-throwing cannons was an excellent deterrent to security leaks, once it stopped being the probable source of the security leaks.

By the time Mai had found her way to the where the fleet was splayed out on the grass, the eclipse was about to happen. Anchoring lines were being untied and the gunners were doing their pre-immolating stretches. Mai just walked into the commotion like she belonged there, because if there was one thing a soldier working near the Capital was trained to tolerate, it was a noble making no attempt to hide what they were doing. Being sneaky, with a hooded cloak and perhaps a mask, was much more likely to bring down trouble on the cloaked and perhaps-masked head.

She found herself a small war balloon on the periphery, one of the escort units. The pilot was already at the steering stick while the other Firebender was untying the anchoring line. She adjusted her walk, as she approached them, to that faux-shy little trot, and schooled her expression into something like that of a flustered schoolgirl. "Yoo-hoo! Sirs! I'm a special agent of Princess Azula, and I have a question for you."

The Firebenders looked over at her, looked her over, and decided not to overlook her. The pilot said, "Yes, my lady?"

Mai closed the distance and shifted her hips. "Is it okay to disable you, or would a quick death be more merciful?"

The pilot's well-considered answer was, "What?"

So Mai decided to answer for both men.

A minute later, she had a good blaze going in the war balloon's burner, the anchoring line had been cut quite short, and the Firebenders were pinned to the ground and left to watch her commit the world's first documented case of grand-theft-hot-air-balloon. (Mental note: Take a few cycles of days and commit every grand-theft crime available in the capital, including grand-theft-komodo-rhino and grand-theft-one-of-those-sweet-tanks.)

Experimentation proved that the amount of heat controlled the ascent, the fin controlled the direction, and the propeller at the back made the Go happen. Mai pointed her craft away from the rest of the fleet, and let herself be carried away.

As per her original goal, she pointed herself towards the sun. This took her on a different course than the rest of the fleet- which, it seemed, had begun engaging the Avatar on his wing-stick and Katara on the stupid bison. They people in those airship were learning what Mai had, that ticked off teenage Waterbenders did not fool around and oh look another hot air balloon was plummeting to its crew's death.

Besides the battle and the death, the course of Mai's airship gave her an angled view of the Caldera.

It looked like the toy model every child in the city had, with which they recreated (to varying degrees of success, depending on whether one owned the limited edition set of Crimson Guard toy soldiers) the Fire Lord's crowning. And there was the invading army, scurrying back towards the harbor like a particularly disorderly swarm of ants. There were the clean-up crews, getting started on clearing all the giant boulders from the lawns.

There was a particular boulder next to the park, under which would be a runner with a metal leg.

Mai briefly wondered what it would be like to just flip herself over the rail and fall down to the ground at fatal speed. Would it hurt, or would death come too quickly to feel anything?

She had already died in a number of, retrospectively, interesting ways. (Katara had to be responsible for roughly half of them.) Perhaps she should start a new hobby, of mapping out the process of dying? Try doing it slowly, try doing it quickly, try seeing if she could get people to applaud? She would just wake up again to find Ty Lee rhyming. Maybe she could even see if she could arrange her own death to hurt other people, to see if someone like, say, Ty Lee would cry over her or just shrug and move on.

Yes, Mai could learn some interesting things, killing herself over and over.

She leaned further over the railing.

She could learn, just like she learned yesterday that she couldn't bring herself to kill Zuko.

She leaned back from the railing.

Giving up on Zuko had hurt. That had been a self-inflicted death, in a way. Did she really want to keep doing that? Did she really want to learn anything such lessons had to offer? Did she really doubt who cared for her, and who didn't?

No, perhaps not, after all.

Really, just because she had an eternity didn't mean she had no limits. Rather, it might be a point of pride to maintain some boundaries, despite the infinite possibilities. She'd be able to think to herself that, yes, she'd had infinite opportunities to do something especially nasty, but she had resisted that temptation an infinite number of times. That was quite a winning streak.

Really, the concept counted even for people who weren't trapped in the same day. Every moment was the choice to do something hurtful or something benign, or perhaps even something good. And if every moment was infinitely small, then everyone who had refused to do the hurtful thing, whether to one's self or others, had made that choice an infinite number of times.

Great, now Mai was willfully doing philosophy without the encouragement of someone like Ty Lee. Well, that was one reprehensible boundary crossed already.

She watched the Avatar and his friends fly away on their bison, thankfully in another direction, and watched another war balloon give slow chase.

Hm, that was strange. She had noticed it before, but from up here, it looked like that balloon only had a single person inside.

She shielded her eyes and stared.

Ah.

It was Zuko.

So, yes, there was a single person inside, but only until the Avatar accepted his hand in marriage or whatever.

Bah.

Mai adjusted her course and kept flying towards the sun.

She flew out over the ocean, leaving the capital behind. It was the first time since this entire cursed cycling had begun that she had left the city and its surrounding area. Her breathing became a little easier, which was odd, because she had not become aware of an increase in difficulty at any point. Was breathing like those carnival games, where the operator flipped a switch to make the game harder if you looked like you might actually win?

She flew on, watching the ocean and the dolphin-bunnies that played in the waves. She watched the Isle of the Black Cliffs approach on the horizon. She watched the shimmer of the sunlight on the water. She watched the clouds float lazily by.

Sacred ash! It turned out that when you had no fear of falling to your death, flying was actually kind of boring.

Still, it was a new kind of boring. After living through the Day of Black Sun as many times as Mai had, novelty even in boredom was more than welcome.

Locking the steering stick into place, and content that the fire had a good blaze going thanks to those consistently-burning jellies from the temple, Mai sat down against the ship's side and let herself relax.

A few minutes later, she was dozing.

An undetermined amount of time later, she was falling from the sky and on fire.

WHAT?!

Mai's eyes snapped open, and she found that her 'good blaze' had become good enough to reach up and get the balloon itself in on the whole 'consistently burning' fun. Ironically, the hot air was escaping through the holes left by the hot fire, and the whole ship was plummeting.

Well, this would be an interesting way to die. And she hadn't even done it on purpose!

But she always had that choice, to live or to die, even if she wasn't the one arranging the choice.

And, really, how many other times would she go to the effort of arranging to survive being aboard a crashing war balloon?

She grinned. Flying wasn't boring anymore.

Okay, focus. Hitting the ocean wouldn't do much good because, as Katara had ably demonstrated several times before she switched to ice, water could be quite hard even in its liquid state. The Isle of the Black Cliffs was right there, and a glance revealed that someone must have recently been here shearing the local koala-sheep, because a big pile of fluffy white (and very smelly, no doubt) fuzz was piled at a spot up at the top of the cliffs.

Mai crawled back to the controls and shoved the lever that would make the propeller spin at its maximum speed. Then she let go right before the lever caught on fire.

There was nothing else to do but wait at the front of the craft, try not to burn to death, and wait for the right opportunity-

-the war balloon cleared the bay-

-it passed over the tops of the cliffs-

-it was falling rather fast now-

-Mai's eye for angles revealed that she would crash far short of the piled up fluff-

-do some math; angles and acceleration due to gravity and consistent horizontal motion slowed by wind resistance-

-Mai jumped off the front of the airship.

It continued to fall.

She went up very briefly, and then fell again, as physical objects are wont to do.

And then she crashed into the fluff, but it wasn't as fluffy as she had hoped, and so there was an unexpectedly hard stop at the end, the sound of a snap, and then her ankles decided that they were going to knock off early for the day and they'd see her tomorrow.

Mai groaned.

Broken bones were nothing new in this adventure, but they were never fun.

Lying in a pile of koala-sheep fluff (and yes, it smelled awful), Mai looked up at the sky.

A familiar face dipped into view, squinting at her.

"I know you," General Iroh said.

Mai nodded. "I was dating your nephew and gooning for your niece."

Iroh continued to squint. "You're not the cheerful one who liked to do flips."

"No. I'm the other one."

General Iroh frowned. "Are you okay? I saw the crash and came to help."

Mai sighed. "My ankles are broken, but I'm fine here. You can get on with whatever you were doing." And then, through the pain and the shock, she realized something. "Wait, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be locked- oh, that's right, you escape. Wow, you made good time getting out here. Did you steal a war balloon, too?"

General Iroh didn't answer right away. "What are you doing out here? Were you trying to pursue me?"

Mai closed her eyes. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Her heard the distinct sound of wiry gray chin-hairs being stroked, a sound all too common in the Capital. "That sounds like an interesting challenge."

"Okay. Well, I've somehow been cursed so that I keep reliving the Day of Black Sun over and over. I tried to keep Zuko from running away to join the Avatar's crusade, and at best I failed and at worst I got Zuko killed. So I tried to just focus on myself and wound up becoming a super-warrior, and after killing the Avatar I went on to kill all his friends. I decided that Zuko counted as one of those friends, but I couldn't make myself hurt him purposefully. So, to avoid the temptation to just lie down and stop, I stole a war balloon to see how far I could get chasing the sun. The answer is exactly this far, because here I am with broken ankles. You can go ahead and leave me. I can't die. I'll just wake up back in the Capital at dawn."

Mai waited for the inevitable, skeptical questions. Or else the sound of a short man backing away from a crazy girl.

Except she could still hear General Iroh breathing, and there were no footsteps.

He wasn't leaving.

She opened her eyes again.

Iroh was standing above her, and she had never seen someone look at her with that kind of expression. No, wait, she actually had. It took her a moment to place, but that was the same look Ty Lee displayed whenever she and Mai had serious discussions about their families.

It was sympathy.

General Iroh said, "And do you think you're the first person to be trapped in the worst day of your life?"

What.

What?

What?!

It was some time before General Iroh provided any answers. He had to see to his nearby compatriots ("Just some old Pai Sho friends," was all he would say), help them settle their eelhounds ("Almost fast as a war balloon and twice as friendly," he laughed), and then set up a campfire over which he made some tea. ("Because everything is better with tea!")

The sun was well into its setting when Iroh finally handed her a cup of steaming jasmine and sat down with his own tea, right alongside her koala-sheep fuzz bed. "The day I- lost my son, I cursed every force that had allowed his death. Unfortunately, a few of them were listening, and made use of a rare punishment to teach me a lesson."

Mai held her tea. She knew about tea, or at least she thought she did, but she was having a problem remembering what she was supposed to do with it right now. It smelled good; maybe she was meant to dab it on her underarms? Well, she could ask about it after she cleared up another point: "You got out! You- it's possible to get out! How? How did you do it?"

Iroh sighed and sipped at his tea. Oh, so that's what it was for. "I wish I knew. You might have been joking when you said you went a little mad, but that was no joke for me, and it wasn't just a little."

Oh. That was simpler than she thought. "So I'll just go all the way mad. That can't take long."

"Perhaps not, my dear. But do you think I have no regrets about my escape?"

Mai didn't get it. "Why would you have regrets?

"I had an endless number of chances to save my son, and because I lost control of myself, I escaped the loop on one of the sequences where he- where I failed."

Oh. Mai got it. "But you still-" She was about to say that Iroh still escaped, and perhaps the loss of his son was worth it, but she made the mistake of looking him in the eyes, and the haunted expression immediately sucked the air out of her lungs. "N- never mind."

Iroh nodded slowly, and then sipped at his tea again. "In the end, the spirit who first cursed me, a Heron, came back and declared that I had suffered enough. It led me out of the loop, but I was hardly in a state to take control of myself again. I walked away from my army- from my life- and began a slow healing that did not complete until I went with the Heron into the Spirit World. Only when I returned did I feel fit to go home, and by then, my brother was secure in his rule as Fire Lord. At least I came back in time to see Zuko starting down the path I did when I was trapped in the loop."

Zuko- "I don't even know that the thing that cursed me is watching."

"Then going mad might not even be necessary, and I can assure you, my dear, that it would be quite unpleasant."

Mai sighed. "Call me 'my dear' again and I will gut you like a fish."

Iroh laughed. "As you wish. I meant no offense. I can see why Zuko likes you, even aside from your dangerous good looks."

Mai snorted. "If I thought you believed that, I'd bother being offended."

"You sell yourself short. So, tell me, what have you been doing with your time? If you're anything like me, you haven't chosen to tell anyone before now, but sharing our lives with others is how we relieve ourselves of the burden of the memories."

Mai put her tea down and leaned back on her smelly fluff. "Come on, you don't really care. You're in the middle of a great escape, right? Then get going."

"I do not see any reason to bother, and I really do care. My nephew must have seen worth in you, to have started a romance, and satisfying a doting old uncle's curiosity seems like an excellent way to spend an evening."

Mai blinked. "What do you mean, there's no reason to bother?"

"Well, this day is going to loop again, correct? Right now, you are the center of the universe, and until you are free, I will wake up every morning in a prison. I just won't be aware of it, as you are."

Huh. Mai had never really thought about it that way.

She had never considered anyone but herself as being involved in this whole mess.

Still, Mai was inclined to tell him to lick ash. She didn't need relief, and even if she did, forgoing it was a good way to go mad and maybe find freedom. But her broken ankles were swollen and painful, and she didn't really want to drink any tea. Talking would at least not be boring. "Well, the first time, I spent the day waiting around for a chance that never came to help fight off the invasion. When I came back to my house, I found a note on my bed..."

And so she went through everything. General Iroh listened, and drank tea, and kept the campfire going. The evening became the night, and the night became the early morning.

Mai was surprised how much she remembered. She had been convinced that she didn't care about most of it, but people didn't remember what they didn't care for. "...and so I chose not to die in a crash, and jumped down into this fluff. And then a short, smelly old man with strangely muscular arms came and bugged me and made tea at me."

Iroh chuckled. "And how fortunate for both of us that I did! Without tea, I think that tale would have dried you out long ago!"

Mai was just tired enough to laugh along with it. "I guess thanks are in order."

"You are quite welcome, my d- Mai." Iroh sobered. "And I think I owe it to you to say that you've done remarkably well at handling the situation."

Mai quirked an eyebrow. "Going on a murder spree was handling it well?" It was amazing, with this old man serving as a touchstone of sanity, how odd she now considered the notion of deciding to kill people for fun. "Handling it well was turning Zuko over to Azula?"

"I made my own share of mistakes. Some of them might chill your blood. And I did not resist the call of self-harm."

"Fair point." Mai sighed. "But I'm not out of this yet. If I ever am."

Iroh leaned forward. "Might I make a suggestion?"

"Well, it's not like I can stop you."

"Your friend Ty Lee spoke of focusing on yourself, rather than the world around you." Iroh looked up at the stars and smiled. "There is a certain wisdom to that, in some circumstances, but her view is limited by her youth. One's self can be a fragile thing, and it takes a lifetime to discover how to handle it with proper gentleness. If you seek a path to endurance, I think working to change or protect yourself can be counterproductive."

"So what's left?"

"The removal of the self, itself." Iroh chuckled. "I don't think that counts as a proper rhyme, but it has a nice ring to it, regardless. I failed to endure my own curse, but in doing so, I learned how to endure a life in which I am disrespected by most of my family. Even most of my nation! I have endured the- the absence of those who have passed beyond my reach. I have even endured Zuko's tantrums, and those are no small things!"

Mai couldn't help but smile. "Don't I know it. So what's your secret?"

Iroh leaned over and whispered, "The key to endurance is surrender."

"Surrender?" Mai groaned. "I already tried spending an eternity in bed. It got boring."

"No, not apathy. That is something else. I mean to surrender in that you let go of your Self. Let down your barriers against the world, so that the world and the self are the same thing. That is where true joy can be found. You don't get tired of yourself, do you? Then join with the world, and it will always bring you love."

Mai tried to understand that. She really did. She pushed the words into the metaphorical mechanics of her brain, and ended up with stripped gears. "I don't get it."

Iroh shifted, and peered over Mai's head. She turned, being careful of her throbbing ankles, and saw the stretch of the rest of the Isle of the Black Cliffs extending out towards the horizon.

And on that horizon was a line of orange sunlight.

Iroh said, "You will have time to think about it."

Mai closed her eyes one last time for the day. "I guess I will."

"Can I give you a hug? I think you could use one."

"Well, I guess I won't have to tolerate it for long."

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW

"Come on, Mai. It's time to embrace the day! Hey, that rhymed."

Embrace the day, huh? That sounded like as good a start to General Iroh's surrender as any.