#also;yes;I went through chapter 23 too

[thatonecrookedsmile]

So, I've recently been reading Fade To Black for the first time, and I'm making more and more progress. And at the moment I'm currently am, I have already read chapter 21 of this book.

I just wanted to put on record here that I became a different person after reading this chapter. I have been changed. I was saddened. And most importantly, I was destroyed. (ok, that's a pretty heavy word. I didn't cry, but feelings were definitely felt). This book goes hard, I believe.

Oh and also, since I got past chapter 23:

Joey Drew. I'm Gonna Kick Your Ass. Sleep with your eyes open tonight.

That's all. Have a good day everyone.

[matttgirlies]

Matt & Me🎀

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

a story heavily based on Priscilla Presley’s Book “Elvis & Me” based in the 1950’s - 1970’s.

fem! reader x singer! matt

disclaimer!! - in no way am i saying matt would ever support or do these kind of things, for the sake of the book certain unethical things do happen at times.

warnings - mentions of drug use

y/nn = your nickname for any confusion🩷

Chapter 11

Matt Sturniolo created his own world; only in his own environment did he feel secure, comfortable, and protected. A genuine camaraderie was created at Graceland. We lived as one big family, eating, talking, arguing, joking, playing, and traveling together.

Although I became friends with the guys in Matt’s retinue, he never let me, or anyone else, forget that I was his girl. I was never to get too close or become too familiar with any of the regulars.

One evening, after we came home from a movie, we said good night to everyone and went upstairs. Returning to the kitchen a few minutes later to get something to eat, I found Jerry Schilling, who’d just started working for Matt, making himself a snack. We started talking. A few minutes later, Matt appeared.

“What the hell are you two doing down here?” he shouted at us.

Intimidated, Jerry said, “Well, Matt, we were just talking. I was asking her how she felt, because she didn’t feel well this afternoon.”

“I came down to get something to eat,” I explained.

“y/nn, you don’t need to be roaming around here late at night,” he said, angrily ordering me upstairs.

Behind me, I could hear him lashing out at Jerry. “If you want to keep this job, son, you mind your own business. If there’s anyone who’s going to ask her how she feels, it’ll be me. You better mind your own goddamn business.”

I liked Jerry. He was warm, sincere, and very personable; just a couple of years older than I, he was one of the few people who I could relate to. But from that time on, it was a dodging match every time we’d run into each other. Now Jerry and I laugh about the “good old days” when we reminisce.

Most of the boys who worked for Matt had been around from the beginning and they knew all about him—his sense of humor, his sensitivity, and his temper. He stripped himself bare in front of them, and they accepted him for what he was.

Yet working for Matt was a twenty-four-hour-a-day job, and the boys were at his beck and call constantly. They played when he played and slept when he slept. It took a certain kind of personality to put up with his demands, whether they made sense or not.

“Come on, y/nn, let’s go to Los Angeles. I’ll show you where I film movies.,” he said one afternoon when we’d only been up for a few hours. He called downstairs and told Alan to alert everyone that he wanted to leave within the hour.

Alan said, “Okay, Boss. I think Richard and Gene are still sleeping. I’ll give ’em a call and tell ’em to come right over.”

“Their lazy asses are still sleeping?” Matt asked. “I’ve been up for two goddamn hours. They should have been over here by now. Alan, from now on, when I call down for my breakfast, call the boys and tell them I’m up and to be ready for anything, and that may include me not even coming downstairs. I just want them here.”

Demanding? Yes, but Matt could be just as generous. By today’s standards the boys’ salaries were not high—the average paycheck was $250 a week—but if the boys ever felt the pinch by the end of the month, they would go to Matt. They’d ask him if he could help them out with a down payment on a house or the first and last months’ payments on an apartment. Matt always came through for them, lending them the one thousand or five thousand or ten thousand dollars they asked for. He was rarely if ever paid back.

There also was no limit to the expensive gifts he gave them—television consoles for Christmas, bonus checks, Cadillac convertibles, Mercedes-Benzes. If he heard someone was sad or depressed, he loved to surprise them with a gift, usually a brand-new car. When he gave to one, he would usually end up giving to all.

James didn’t have much respect for the guys. He said Matt just gave and gave and gave, and they took and took and took. He’d say, “Son, we have to save.” Matt would answer, “It’s only money, Dad. I just have to go out and make more.”

James resented the regulars acting as if Graceland was their personal club. They’d go into the kitchen at any hour and order anything they wanted. Naturally, everyone ordered something different. The cooks worked night and day keeping them happy. James felt, “To hell with the boys. Their main concern should be Matt.”

What was really outrageous was that the regulars were ordering sirloin steaks or prime ribs while Matt usually ate hamburgers or peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

I wasn’t too popular around Graceland when I started reorganizing the kitchen. I set down a policy of having one menu per meal, and anyone who didn’t like what was on it could go to a local restaurant. This new edict resulted in much grumbling from the guys, but the cooks were relieved, and James sanctioned my decision, announcing, “It’s about time someone organized the meals. It was beginning to look like we were feeding half of Boston.”

Matt was the boss, the provider, and the power. Both the boys and I had to protect him from people who annoyed or irritated him and were no longer in his favor. Before coming down for the evening, he’d have me call downstairs to check who was there. I’d run down the guests, aware that certain names would strike him wrong.

“Shit,” he’d say, his mood destroyed. “What’s he want? Bring me some more bad news?” He’d stay up in his room rather than spend an evening with someone he didn’t like. There was one particular regular who had incurred his disfavor, and Matt told everyone he didn’t want him around. “Don’t let him through those goddamn gates!” Matt ordered. “All I have to do is look at his face and I get depressed.” Matt barred him from Graceland for a number of years, saying, “If he changes his morbid attitude, maybe I’ll change my mind.” His perceptions were correct, as these “friends” eventually betrayed him.

Matt and James kept some of their relatives at a distance because, as Matt explained to me, they’d shunned him when he was growing up, ridiculing him as a sissy, a mama’s boy. Mary Lou stood up for Matt and told his tormentors to go their own way. Angrily, she had said, “Don’t bother us with these accusations.”

Then fame and fortune hit, and suddenly all the kinfolk came around, begging for jobs or crying that they needed help. Sometimes Matt got upset, charging, “The only time they visit is with their hand out. It’d be nice if they’d come around just to see how I was doing. But hell no, it’s always, ‘Ah, Matt, I could use a little extra cash. Could you help me out?’ Hell, I’ll bet when I’m dead and gone, they’ll still be taking advantage.” But Matt ended up slipping each of them a hundred dollars or more every time they came around. If it had been up to James, he would have gotten rid of every one of them. But Matt kept saying, “No, Dad, they don’t have any place to go. They couldn’t work anywhere. Keep them here.”

From the beginning of his success, Matt put many family members on salary, and all had titles. James was his business manager; Patsy, his personal secretary; uncles Vester Sturniolo and Johnny and Travis Smith, and cousin Harold Lloyd, gate guards; cousins Billy, Bobby, and Gene, personal aides; and then there was Tracy Smith, who seemed to go from brother to brother for support. Matt took care of everyone.

I remember one night at Graceland when Matt came back to the kitchen and saw Tracy pacing the floor. “Hey, Tracy,” he said, “How ya doing, man?” Tracy, his hands in his pockets, could hardly look Matt in the eye. “I don’t know, Matt,” he sighed. “What do ya mean, you don’t know? Everyone knows how they’re doin’, man.”

Tracy, shifting back and forth, mumbled, “I got my nerves in the dirt, Matt.” Matt staggered back, laughing. “Nerves in the dirt! Hell, I never heard it expressed like that before. You need some money, Tracy?”

Again, Tracy just shifted back and forth, as Matt called Nate over and told him to give Tracy a bill. A big smile covered Tracy’s lined face as he happily took his hundred dollars and walked out the door.

Matt knew that having his nerves in the dirt was Tracy’s way of saying he was down and out—and worried sick about it. He never forgot that phrase. “Poor ol’ Matt,” he’d say. “I’ll never forget the look on his face that night, poor ol’ guy.”

That was Matt—always caring, always sensitive to everyone’s needs, even while presenting a macho image to his fans and friends.

Anything I could think of doing for him, I did. I made sure Graceland was always warm and inviting, with the lights turned low, as he preferred them, the temperature in his bedroom set to his exact desire (freezing), and the kitchen filled with the aroma of his favorite meals.

Every night before dinner was served, I came downstairs first, checked with the maids to see that his food was just the way he liked it—his mashed potatoes creamily whipped, plenty of cornbread, and his meat burnt to perfection. I always had candles on the dining room table to create a romantic atmosphere despite the fact that we always ate with several of the regulars.

I loved babying Matt. He had a little-boy quality that could bring out the mother instinct in any woman, a beguiling way of seeming utterly dependent. It was this aspect of his charm that made me want to hold him, shower him with affection, protect him, fight for him, and yes, even die for him. I went to extremes in taking care of him, from cutting his steak at dinner to making sure his water glass was always filled. I enjoyed pampering and spoiling him and found myself jealous of others vying for his attention and approval.

But I didn’t always receive his approval. If something went wrong with his dinner, Matt blew up. “Why isn’t this steak done? Why didn’t you make sure the maids cooked it right? If you’d have done your job, it wouldn’t have turned out like this.” Obviously something else was wrong, and I didn’t recognize it at the time. Because of the continuous pressures and problems in Matt’s life, all magnified by taking prescribed drugs, little things would set him off. I took responsibility for everything in his life and always took it all too personally.

I wanted to be with Matt as much as I could, but while going to the movies or the fairgrounds every night might have been a wonderful way for him to relax, it posed an enormous problem for me. Often I wouldn’t get home until 5 or 6 a.m., and I’d have to be at school two hours later. Sometimes I never went to sleep. When I did, I could barely make it out of bed. I would lie there trying to drum up the strength to face the day, Matt making it even harder by suggesting that I sleep in and cut classes. It would have been so easy to go along with his suggestion, but hanging over me was the agreement I’d made with my parents. They trusted me and even though I was letting them down, I still had to keep up the facade.

Day after day I drove to school, attended classes till noon, then returned to Graceland to slip back into bed and cuddle next to Matt, who was still sound asleep. When he awoke at 3 or 4 p.m., I might never have left his side for all he knew. I was there to give him his usual order of orange juice, a Spanish omelet, home-fried potatoes, a mere two pounds of bacon, and—first and foremost—his black coffee.

Everyone who knew Matt was aware that it took him at least two to three hours to wake up fully. Asking him to make a decision, even a simple one such as what movie he wanted to see that night, was ill-advised. He was just too groggy and irritable from the sleeping pills, which were causing him to sleep as many as fourteen hours a day. It seemed only natural for him to take some Dexedrine to wake up.

I was always concerned about his intake of sleeping pills. His horror of insomnia, compounded with a family history of compulsive worrying, caused him to down three or four Placidyls, Seconals, Quaaludes, or Tuinals almost every night—and often it was a combination of all four. When I expressed my concern, he just picked up the medical dictionary, always near at hand on his night table.

“In here is the explanation for every type of pill on the market, their ingredients, side effects, cures, everything about them,” he assured me. “There isn’t anything I can’t find out.”

It was true. He was always reading up on pills, always checking to see what was on the market, and which ones had received FDA approval. He referred to them by their medical names and knew all their ingredients. Like everyone else around him, I was impressed with his knowledge and certain that he was an expert. One would think he had a degree in pharmacology. He always assured me that he didn’t need pills, that he could never become dependent on them. This difference in opinion resulted in many serious confrontations; I always compromised my integrity and ended up taking his viewpoint.

I began taking sleeping pills and diet pills too. Two Placidyls for him and one for me. A Dexedrine for him and one for me. Eventually Matt’s consumption of pills seemed as normal to me as watching him eat a pound of bacon with his Spanish omelet. I routinely took “helpers” in order to get to sleep after wild rides at the fairgrounds or early-morning jam sessions. And I routinely took more “helpers” when I woke up in order to maintain the fast pace and, more importantly, to study for my final exams.

During the last month before finals, I started popping more dexies than before. They seemed to give me the energy I needed to get through classes and homework. Every free moment was devoted to cramming a whole semester’s work into a few weeks. But my concentration was scattered; the strain of life at Graceland had finally caught up with me.

I had already been warned by Sister Adrian that in order for me to graduate, I had to pass all my subjects. During a talk in her office, I wanted desperately to confide in her and explained how hard it was to maintain my grade level with the late hours I kept: But how could I tell that to a nun?

I had no real goals after graduation, but I did sometimes dream of becoming a dancer or possibly enrolling in an art academy. Now I realize that I was deeply influenced by Matt’s casual attitude toward continued schooling. He figured I didn’t need it and I agreed. Just being with him most of the time would provide an education—not to mention experience—that no school could give me. He wanted me to be his totally, free to go to him in an instant if he needed me.

That sounded great to me. I’d never planned on a future without Matt. Therefore, while my classmates were deciding which colleges to apply to, I was deciding which gun to wear with what sequined dress. I was tempted to say to Sister Adrian, “Oh, by the way, Sister, does gunmetal gray go with royal blue sequins?” With that attitude it was no surprise that I was still woefully unprepared for my most hated subject, algebra, the week before finals.

On the day of the test, I sat in the crowded classroom, hyper from downing a dexy, trying to work out the problems. Despite my effort, I knew there was no way I was going to pass. I started to panic. I had to graduate. I had an obligation to Matt and to my parents, who I knew would yank me out of Graceland the minute I failed this test. I glanced at the girl next to me—and at her completed test paper. It’s my last resort, I thought. I’m going for it. I was not willing to face the consequences of being sent home for failing this test.

Her name was Janet and she was a straight A student. I tapped her on the shoulder and flashed my brightest smile, whispering, “Are you a Matt fan?” Taken aback by my question, Janet nodded yes. “How would you like to come to one of his parties?” I asked.

“Are you kidding?” she replied. “I’d love to.”

“Well, I know a way that it can be arranged.”

I eyed her test paper and explained. Janet instantly grasped my dilemma and, without a word, slid her paper to the edge of her desk. Now I had a full view of her answers. I spent the rest of the hour furiously copying them down and I not only passed, but I got an A on that test.

I hadn’t expected Matt to make much of my graduation. His attitude was, “A diploma’s not that important; life’s experiences are.” But to my surprise, he really looked forward to it and arranged to have a big party for our friends after the ceremony. There he presented a beautiful red Corvair, my first car.

On the big night he was like a proud parent. Nervous about what he should wear to the ceremony, he finally settled on a dark blue suit, and I put on my navy blue gown. I couldn’t possibly keep the cap on over that mass of teased hair.

Matt had a limo waiting for us out front. But there was one problem: I did not want him to come to the actual ceremony. It would attract a lot of attention, and all eyes would be focused on him instead of the graduating seniors.

Finally I worked up enough courage to ask him to wait outside, and explained why. Smiling his funny little grin, the one that came to his lips when he was hurt or upset, he agreed without hesitation. “I hadn’t thought about that,” he said. “I won’t come in. I’ll just be outside in the car waiting for you. That way I’ll kinda be there.”

And that was what he did. I accepted my diploma with mixed emotions. I would have loved for him to have been watching, but only I knew what a physical, emotional, and mental strain it had been to get that piece of paper. To me, it represented freedom, freedom to stay out until dawn if I wanted and sleep all day if I wanted. It represented freedom from my school uniform and from the teasing the entourage subjected me to every time they caught me in it trying to sneak past them at Graceland. I was a big girl playing in the big leagues.

As soon as I could get away, I ran outside. In front of the church, Matt and the boys were standing by the long black limo, looking like the Chicago Mafia in their dark glasses and suits, each concealing a.38. Around them a group of nuns were clamoring for Matt’s autograph.

Excerpt from: "Elvis and Me" by Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. Scribd. This material may be protected by copyright.

a/n - so cute🎀

[fanficshiddles]

Eternally Mine, Chapter 23

‘Stop worrying!’

‘I can’t help it. God knows what he could be doing to her.’

‘She will be fine. Look, it’s adorable how much you care about my sister, but I’m not worried about her, so you don’t need to be either.’ Claire assured Loki for what felt like the millionth time as she reached across the table to take his hand.

They were at a fancy restaurant in the next city over, before going to the theatre to see Phantom Of The Opera for a date night. Loki had also booked them into a lovely hotel, with a spa and pool for the next morning.

‘Do you trust Bat?’ Claire asked.

Loki raised an eyebrow. ‘Yeah… Of course.’

‘Well, you know she wouldn’t let Chris hurt Louise. Though I think you know deep down that Chris wouldn’t do anything to hurt her anyway, that he won’t rush her into doing anything she doesn’t want to.’

Loki sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He turned his hand that Claire was holding around so he could give her a squeeze.

‘I guess so. It’s just knowing what he used to be like, I’m still struggling to believe he’s changed. I keep waiting for him to snap or something and just go rogue with her.’ Loki admitted.

Claire smiled softly. ‘I get that. You’ve known him a long time and a lot of that time hasn’t been the greatest relationship with him. She’s his soulmate though, he won’t hurt her. There’s no chance of it.’

‘I know, I know… You’re right.’

‘Do you want me to check in with Lou?’ Claire asked knowingly.

‘Would you mind?’

‘No, I don’t. If it puts your mind at ease. You big teddy bear.’ Claire smirked and took her phone out. She sent a quick text to Louise, though it was a while before she responded. Which didn’t help Loki’s concerns.

Though when she did get a reply, she received a picture through of them both with the caption: Having a great evening. Just about to get a bite to eat.

Claire giggled at the picture, it was a selfie, though Chris was just behind Louise and had his fangs out, eyes were a deep red and he looked like he was about to bite her neck.

She showed it to Loki, his eyes widened and he looked like he was going to run out of the restaurant.

‘Calm down. They’re only winding you up, and it’s working.’ Claire said quickly.

‘Are you sure?’ Loki frowned.

‘Yes.’ Claire nodded and replied to Louise for confirmation.

C: Deliberate wind-up Loki picture?

L: Yep.

C: Brilliant. Enjoy your night. x

L: You too. Tell Loki to stop worrying! X

‘See.’ Claire showed Loki the texts too, and he started to relax.

‘I’m sorry, love.’ He said sheepishly.

‘Nothing to be sorry for. I adore how much you care for her and are looking out for her, too.’ Claire smiled. She then caught the waiter and asked for another glass of wine, they were waiting for their main course to arrive. ‘Though you need to let Chris do the looking out for her now, he’s her vampire. He’s not going to hurt or scare her, just like you don’t hurt or scare me.’

Loki raised an eyebrow and a little mischievous glint in his eye appeared. ‘You’re not scared of me?’

Claire narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Nope, why, should I be?’ She smirked.

‘Most definitely.’ Loki growled low and flashed his fangs at her for a moment, then retracted them when the waiter came over with their wine and main course.

Claire giggled and a small blush crossed her cheeks. Loki finally stopped fretting about Louise and his flirting game was high during dinner and it continued all the way to the theatre, he kept sneaking his hand down to cheekily squeeze her ass on the walk there.

When they got to the theatre, Loki surprised Claire with an upgrade of their tickets. He’d been able to get them a private booth up on the balcony, so it was an excellent view. There was also an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne waiting for them.

‘Oh, Loki. This is amazing. I can’t believe it.’ Claire wrapped her arms around his neck and she went up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips.

‘Glad you like it, darling.’ He purred and pulled her seat out for her.

They got comfy and while waiting for it to start, Loki was still being flirty and teasing Claire plenty. His touches were getting higher on her thigh and he kept kissing her neck, making her giggle and blush.

As tempting as it was to take things further, since they were in a nice secluded booth, Loki behaved himself as soon as the show started. He knew how much it meant to Claire to see, she had wanted to see it for a long time. So he wasn’t going to ruin it for her.

Loki enjoyed the show too, almost as much as Claire. Claire was full of emotions when it ended, she was so animated as she talked about it on the walk back to their hotel. Loki absolutely loved how much she had loved the show. He enjoyed seeing the way her eyes were sparkling while she spoke about it with so much enthusiasm.

When they got back to their hotel room, Claire was practically all over Loki before he even got a chance to come on to her. Though he was a little confused when she disappeared into the bathroom after a heavy make-out session and unbuttoning his shirt.

He removed his shirt completely while she was in there, and he was about to pour them both a night cap when she came out of the bathroom. He almost dropped the bottle as his jaw fell.

‘Holy shit.’ He gasped.

She was wearing very sexy lacey dark green lingerie, making her breasts pop more and her ass perkier. Loki’s mouth instantly began watering and Claire could see how affected he was by the very evident bulge in his trousers.

Claire smirked and sauntered over to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and fluttered her eyelashes at him. ‘It feels like you’re always worshipping me and making me feel good. I figured you should let me worship you tonight.’

Loki grinned widely as he smoothed his hands down her sides, over her hips and he gave her a squeeze.

‘Oh, darling. You always make me feel good.’ He purred, not able to take his eyes off her body, especially her breasts.

‘I can make you feel even better.’ She grinned and sank down to her knees on front of him.

She didn’t take long to unbuckle Loki’s belt and slide his trousers down enough for his cock to spring free. He reached down to stroke her hair as she began slowly licking up the length of him, taking her time.

‘You’re going to be the death of me.’ He growled and tightened his grip on her hair.

Claire smirked up at him, she tried to keep eye contact but now and then had to look at what she was doing. The way she looked so innocently up at him with her mouth wrapped around his cock, was driving Loki nuts.

She teased him for as long as she could, though she was getting so aroused and wet herself just by sucking him off. The grunts and moans that came from him was setting her body alight.

When she took him down her throat as far as she could, she could feel him starting to pulse against her tongue as she relaxed her throat.

‘Ohh fuuuuck. So good, baby.’ He groaned and his head fell backwards as he closed his eyes, just focusing on the warm wetness of her mouth.

He made the most un-holy noises as she swirled her tongue around him and used her hand to fondle his balls at the same time, making him cum.

When he finished, he looked down and almost came again instantly. She had her mouth open, showing him his cum pooled in her mouth on her tongue.

‘So messy.’ He growled and reached down to slide his fingers through her hair.

She giggled wickedly as she made a big show of swallowing his cum. Then she wrapped her arms around his thigh and fluttered her eyelashes up at him.

‘You’re in a very horny mood tonight, pet.’ Loki hummed.

‘Can you blame me after all your flirting? I’m surprised you kept your hands mostly to yourself during the play.’ She grinned knowingly.

Loki chuckled sheepishly and trailed his thumb along her lips.

‘I didn’t want to ruin the play for you, I knew how much it meant to you to see it. Besides, my plan for getting you riled up seems to have worked.’ He winked at her.

Claire used Loki’s body to climb up till she was on her feet, then she practically jumped him. He laughed as he took steps backwards until the backs of his legs hit the bed, toppling them both down onto the mattress. Claire laughed as she sat over him, she grinded down against his cock as she put her hands on his chest.

‘Am I in charge tonight?’ She asked with an eyebrow up.

‘If you want to be.’ Loki said with a casual shrug.

Though Claire had a feeling he wasn’t going to let her be in charge so easy, he was up to something, or had something planned…

She took the opportunity while she had it though, she bit her lip as she just moved her lacey knickers to the side, so she could line Loki’s cock up with her cunt. She was so aroused from blowing him off, she didn’t need any foreplay for herself.

As soon as she sank down on him, she began moving her hips as he grabbed hold of her.

‘Ohhh, fuck.’ Loki moaned.

‘You’ve got a really filthy mouth on you tonight.’ Claire giggled.

‘Can you blame me? My sexy ass girlfriend just gave me an incredible blowjob.’ He chuckled through another moan.

Claire started whining too as she moved on top of him, she kept grinding down hard against him, moving slow.

‘Though I have to say, as delightful as it is seeing you on top of me like this… I can’t let you go thinking you’re in charge for too long, my love.’ He let out a feral growl as he spidered his fingers up and down her sides quickly.

She let out a screech of laughter as he tickled her, she collapsed forward as she tried to fend off his hands. Loki took that opportunity of weakness to flip them over, pinning her down underneath him. She gasped at the sudden change in position and the way his cock was still nestled deep inside of her.

Loki began snapping his hips back and fore, fucking her good and deep. Moans and whimpers spilled from her mouth as he pushed her further and further towards her own orgasm.

‘You… definitely better… being in... charge.’ Claire panted out between thrusts.

Loki smirked as he began nibbling on her neck.

‘Damn right. Though it is fun putting you back in your place.’ He growled playfully, then leaned up slightly so he could cup her face and kiss her deeply.

[thedeviltohisangel]

I LOVE CASS AND BUCKY AND THE INJURY PROMPTS. It’s really fulfilling my need for hurt/comfort.

What about 23 and/or 29 from the list for when they are getting liberated from the camps when Cass is injured?

Also, I’ve absolutely loved the fics we’ve gotten to see of them reuniting in the camp and the failed escape attempt. Will we get a chapter focused on the times we haven’t seen? Love your writing!

INJURY BLURB PROMPT ERA

(thank you, lovey! yes, the plan will be chapters/interludes/blurbs to fill in all the gaps. you can ask me about them in my inbox or DMs literally anytime)

23 can be found here!

29. “Tell me where it hurts, and be specific.”

what is cass up to while john is hanging the flag? why, i am so glad you asked...

tw: depictions of a fight, death

While the men were watching the fire crackle and enjoying the small semblance of warmth that it offered, Cass was watching the Germans. She was keeping track of the paths they walked from building to building. The numbers they travelled in. Where the ones with documents went, how long they were there and what they left with.

"How's the hip?" John asked as he stood by the log she was sitting on by herself. She had been quiet for far too long for his comfort. When she didn't answer, "Captain?"

"What?" She spared him a glance then went right back to counting their steps in her head. "My hip? It's stiff but not painful."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were thinking spooky thoughts."

"I'm curious. That's all." His eyes went to her fingers which were acting as a metronome against her thigh. She was more than curious. She was plotting. John wanted to beg her against it. Remind her that their goal wasn't documents for the OSS or reacquainting her with Gestapo interrogation techniques. But the words sounded hollow even in his own mind. Not after all the trouble he had caused himself.

"Good." Cass doesn't remember the conversation between them ever feeling as forced as it did now. Even the first time she had met him. She hated to think that things had felt more natural when they thought she was dying. That it was easier to talk to her husband when she was bleeding out and writhing with pain. Now they were just shells of the human emotion that had driven her here in the first place. "I'll be right over there." He pointed towards a group of men and she nodded.

"Ok. I'll be here." If she had the energy, she might cry over the loss of John Egan. If the world hadn't beaten her into submission and kicked a little extra dirt on her for good measure. "Two strides to the left in-" The hum of a plane engine paused her final check of the movements of the German officer.

"That's a P-51!" She heard the confirmation ripple through the crowd and the plane ripped through the skin, putting a few holes in the towers as it did. A smile spread across her face as they all cheered. Maybe this was the harbinger of the end she had been hoping for.

"It's coming back!" She had no time to react before something hard slammed against her and knocked her to the ground with a grunt. After the moment of surprise, her nose hit the skin of his neck and his natural scent soothed any confusion in her mind. Cass closed her eyes and breathed him in and let everything around them fade away. If he was only going to love and protect her this one last time...she wanted to soak in every second.

"Were you hit? I'm sorry I wasn't quicker, my love, I-" The term of endearment fell from his lips without deliberate thought. He had been too distracted by the elation of the first pass of the Mustang to get to her quickly enough to shield her from the second.

"You haven't called me that in so long," she whispered as she looked up at him from where her back was against the dirt. John could see his reflection in her glassy eyes. He sat up and moved off of her in the hopes distance would clear his head. And he heard the stampede of men behind him before he saw them, hands pushing at his arms and urging him towards the center of the camps where the last of the German forces we huddled.

"Cass? Cass?" he called as he spun in a circle to try and find her again. He grabbed the first lapel he could. "The woman I was just with. You see where she went?" The man shrugged.

"Sorry, Major. Maybe she got trampled." He shoved him away and tried to move back the way he had come.

"Cass!" His voice sounded rough to his own ears as he called her name again and again with no glimpse of her spritely form anywhere. Eventually, the crowd was becoming too much as they engaged their German guards and the tide of the camp turned firmly in the direction of the Allied forces.

For some reason, he was having trouble breathing as he looked up at the Nazi flag and wanted nothing more than to rip it down. No matter how angry he was with her. No matter how certain he was that the nail was in the coffin on their marriage. No matter how she made him feel love and despair in equal parts, the end of the war was something he wanted to share with her. He wanted her in his arms when this is all over. Wanted her to feel the way his heart was beating back to normal. Back to the way it was when he as a kid in Wisconsin. John just wanted to be happy with his wife. Even if only for a second. Even if only for one last time.

-

"Exactly as I fucking thought," Cass murmured as she had finally made her way to the building that she had guessed held the pieces of paper she was looking for. The tables in the building were covered in maps and official letters and morsels of information. She wanted all of it.

"Little petal. Come for one last goodbye?" The officer had lost some weight during the march but she would recognize the man who took the most joy in beating her anywhere.

"Come to try and kill me one last time?"

"Not until I get the taste of you I am owed." He lunged towards her, Cass ducking and rolling the side before kicking out her leg and aiming for the side of his knee. He crumpled with a yelp but recovered quickly enough to grab a fistful of her hair drag her towards him.

"You fucking pig!" She used both hands to reach for his wrist and gritted her teeth as she twisted until she heard something pop and he released her with a scream. With a newfound determination, Cass stood and stalked towards him, her boot kicking his gun away as he reached for it and crushing the bones of his fingers under their sole.

"No, please!" he cried.

"You fucking bastards want to take everything from me!" She dropped to her knees over his torso. "Started a war and took my brothers away from me!" Her knuckles burned as the recoiled from his nose. "Fucking smiled as you tried to break me over and over and over again!" She thinks it was blood splattering across her face. "And then you took the best thing that ever happened to me and you caged him and you beat him and are going to make it so I fucking lose him!" Her scream would be described as animalistic if anyone had overheard it as the man lay still underneath her. His face unrecognizable and her knuckles torn to shreds. He sputtered once and she drew her arm back again when she was pulled back against a chest and held steady.

"He's not going to hurt you anymore, Cass, he's not going to hurt you anymore. I've got you." She wept into his chest as he rocked her gently, his hand brushing through her hair and his lips pressing soothing kisses to her forehead. "There you go, my sweet love. Get it all out." After awhile, her cries reduced to hiccups and she felt a peace settle over her against his chest.

"How much of that did you see?"

"Enough." Her hand shook as she gripped at the front of his jacket. “Tell me where it hurts, and be specific.”

"Just my hand and the back of my head. I promise." John held her hand tenderly against his heart, cradling her wrist like it was as delicate as an egg, his other arm wrapping around her waist to help her stand. Their bodies stayed pressed together as he reached for a handkerchief on the table and wrapped her hand tightly, kissing it softly once he was finished.

"That'll have to do while we get out of here." He jutted his chin towards the table of papers. "You get everything you need?" Instead, Cass looked down at the German.

"Yes. I think so." On cue, his hand twitched as he groaned. In a moment of mercy, Cass sighed and reached for his abandoned gun on the floor. John's finger wrapping through her own stopped her.

"You don't need any more nightmares, Cass." His thumb traced over her bottom lip. "He one of the ones who hurt you?"

"The one who enjoyed it the most," she answered as his fingers moved to twirl her hair that was falling from her braid around his fingers.

"Wait for me outside. I'll only be a moment."

She didn't even flinch at the gunshot.

[superherotiger]

YO bestie gonna require you to ramble more about those kids and parents from the outsider pov fic thanks

AHHHH BESTIE YOU BETTER LOCK IN BECAUSE I'M ABOUT TO GO FERAL-

If there's one element of the Outsider POV that owns my soul, it's the X-23 kids and everything surrounding them. Like look at this list- LOOK AT IT!

I've thought about them so much it's unhealthy 🤣

I tried to keep it as accurate to Logan (2017) as possible, using all the kids names I could find on the wiki and then added a couple extras to make it to the lucky number 23. The extras are shown with a green square and have some fun little references included! Alex is named after Riptide's actor Álex González, Theresa is Banshee's daughter in the comics, January is named after Emma Frost's actress January Jones, and I chose Ace for Gambit's kiddo because PUNS okay? I needed at least one hahah!

My memory is a little rusty but I believe the bolded names meant the parent was still alive, but that could change if I saw an opportunity to include more of the parents that never got to be.

Anyway, I'm about to ramble hard about the kids so I'll chuck it below the read more to spare some of you 🤣

Okay so straight off the bat, I wanted to explain why Laura is X-2 not X-23 she normally is. I knew from the start that I wanted Luna to be younger than Laura so that meant if Laura was X-23 and Luna was a later number, it wouldn't exactly be the X-23 program anymore. To get around this I thought the in-universe reason for it being called the X-23 program would be because they successfully cloned only 23 subjects using the limited amounts of DNA they had in store. Some DNA they had more of (hence Nature Girl having multiple clones) while others they only had small amounts to work with, which is a reason why the doctors were hesitant to get rid of Luna considering she was all that was left of Pietro (and as a result Magneto's) DNA. And that's how Luna became X-22 and Laura became X-2 (in a sort of half reference lol).

I love the idea of the older kids looking out for the younger ones. We see in the movie that they clearly had tight bonds despite their horrible treatment and I really wanted to play into that for the fic, showing how they really relied on each other to get through and were still normal kids at the heart of it all. The more I write about them though the more I wish some of them had survived because they're all so sweet and deserved so much better (yes I know I'm the one that wrote them dying, it was for the plot hush 🤣)

I’m not sure if I’ve explicitly mentioned it before but the Avalanche in this AU is based on an older version of Lance Alvers from X-Men: Evolution. As heartbreaking as it was, I loved writing Lance’s reaction to finding out that Rictor had died. I think he would’ve been so proud of his son for being such a strong leader for the other kids, and he’s very similar to Peter in that he doesn’t hesitate to consider Rictor his own child. It’s interesting because Peter and Lance are kind of parallels, with the main difference being that one of their kids survived and the other didn’t. We’ll get to see a bit more of Lance in the next chapter which I’m super hyped for!!

I touched a bit on Sabretooth’s feelings towards having a clone kid in my last ramble, but Gambit is also a really interesting one too. We’ll see it briefly in the next chapter, but I imagine there’s this deep sadness in Gambit that he prefers not to think about. While Sabretooth acts abrasive and dismissive, Gambit puts on a sort of “I wouldn’t have made a good father anyway” vibe so he doesn’t have to tackle just how much the situation hurts.

I’m really excited to show Storm and Jean’s reactions to learning about their kids and how they grieve in different ways. While Jean is desperate to know as much as possible about Joey even if it’s painful, Storm can’t bear the thought of all that Delilah went through and gets angry that they were so close to saving the kids but not fast enough.

This isn’t one we’ll touch on for a long time, but holy shit FABIEN FUCKING CORTEZ having a clone is one of my favourite details. Like bro, I haven’t even written the Fabian POV yet, but I think about it all the time. I don’t want to spoil too much, but the Fabian POV takes place years before anything else that’s been posted for the series and includes an event that changes Peter and Erik’s dynamic in a detrimental way. Like ongoing trauma kind of way. Changed the course of their lives kind of way. And I just imagine Erik seeing Fabian’s name as the DNA source for Jonah and being like “What the FUCK” whereas Peter is having war flashbacks like “cool cool that’s going in the vault 😀”. If I ever did touch on this plotline, I’d want it to be an older Luna trying to learn more about the other parents of the kids and realising oh fuck there’s actually beef between their family and the Cortez’ and how she reconciles that with the memory of her beloved friend.

I would talk more about Laura and Luna, but I don’t want to spoil all the fun things I have in store for their characters!!! So thank you for letting me ramble again, it’s been a blast and my brain has been going BRRR in the best way possible!! Love you dearest!

-Superherotiger

Send me an ask about the backstory of any of my fics and I’ll ramble!! ✨

[canirove]

In The Name of Love | Chapter 23

Previous chapter | Next chapter

Masterlist

"Finally, Valeria! I haven't seen you since last year!"

"You are so dramatic, Pedro" I laugh, trying to close my apartment's door while he wraps his arms around me.

"But it is actually true. I hate Christmas."

"No, you don't."

"I do. Because I don't get to see you for like two weeks. And I'm needy, Val. So needy" he pouts. "Didn't you miss me?"

"Not really. I had you with me."

"Because you carry me in your heart? That's so cute, Val. See how you can do cheesy too?"

"What? You have said it all!" I laugh again. "But that's now what I meant. I mean, I do, but no."

"You aren't making any sense" Pedri says with a confused look.

"Look behind you."

"What?"

"Just turn around" I say.

"What… Holy shit. Is that… is that me?"

"Yep. A life size cardboard cutout of my favourite photo from your shirtless photoshoot."

"Did you get it for yourself as a Christmas present?" he chuckles.

"Oh, no. This was your besties and your brother's Christmas present. And the last one they will ever give because I'm fucking murdering them the moment I see them."

"What?"

"Your brother managed to convince Marina to give him the address of my grandparents' house and they sent it there."

"No!" Pedri says, his eyes wide.

"Yep. And that cardboard wasn't the only thing they sent me. There also was a box with a blanket, a mug, a phone case and a pillow with that photo on all of them."

"Really?" he chuckles. 

"Yes, really. And it isn't funny, Pedri. Did you know about this?"

"What? No! I had no idea, I swear."

"Are you sure? Because it is a bit of a coincidence that I joked with you about getting a pillow with your face on it, and they gifted me one" I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I wasn't part of it. I promise you, Val. But maybe…"

"Maybe what?"

"Maybe when Fer asked me about your reaction to the magazine, I told him about the pillow. But it was a random comment, nothing else! I had no idea they would do… that" he says, nodding towards his cardboard self.

"Well, thanks to your comment, next week we are having lunch with my mum."

"Wait what? She knows? How?"

"I had to tell her.”

"Holy shit, Val. That's… that's…"

"I know" I sigh. "Why don't we sit down and I tell you everything?"

"That actually sounds like a great idea" he says, letting himself fall on the sofa.

"Ok…" I say, taking a deep breath. "Everything started with my uncle during our Christmas Eve dinner…"

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"So, Val. Are you moving to Manchester too?" my uncle asks.

"Why would I do that?"

"Ferran is now going to play for Manchester United, isn't he? Though isn't that a bit weird since he already played for City?"

"Ferran is leaving?" my mum says. "Why hadn't you told me, Val?"

"Why should I?" I shrug.

"Because he is your boyfriend! And he is moving away! Did you argue? Is everything ok?"

"Mum, for the millionth time… Ferran and I have always been friends. Nothing else."

"And for the millionth time… I don't believe you."

"Whatever" I reply, rolling my eyes.

"Valeria, don't whatever me."

"Then stop all the nonsense with Ferran! He is just a friend!"

"A friend doesn't do what he did when you were pushed!"

"Not this again…"

"Actually, when it is your best friend's girlfriend then one rolling down the stairs…" David murmurs.

"What?" everyone on the table says, turning to look at him.

"Val isn't dating Ferran. She is dating his best friend" he says.

"Does he also play for Barça? Who is he?" my uncle asks me.

"He doesn't, he is just a normal guy. He met Ferran through a mutual friend, and I met Ferran through him. Through my boyfriend, I mean" I explain.

"Then you aren't a wag?" one of my cousins asks.

"I am not, no. Sorry to disappoint."

"You aren't the cool cousin anymore, Val" David laughs.

"Yeah" I chuckle.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"After that, everyone went back to having dinner as if nothing had happened and they didn't ask about my boyfriend again, but my mum and I didn't share a word."

"She didn't believe you, did she?" Pedri asks.

"She knew I was hiding something. And that something walked through the door the day before Three Kings Day. David, Marina and I had come back home after going out for a walk, and then…"

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Bloody hell!" Marina screams. "Why is there a shirtless Pedri standing in the middle of the living room?"

"First of all, language. And second, that's what I would like to know… Valeria" my mum says, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Me? Why me?"

"It arrived for you. That, and a box with more stuff with that photo on it. What is all this?"

"That's a really good question… And why did you open a package with my name on it?"

"That isn't important right now."

"Yes, it is, mum! That was private!"

"Why did Ferran send you things with a shirtless boy on them as your Christmas present?" she asks.

"Ferran?" 

"Yes. Him and some other boys, there was a note."

"Oh my God, mum! You read that too? What is wrong with you?"

"I am your mother, Valeria."

"And I'm not 12 anymore! You aren't allowed to open my packages or the letters I receive!" 

"Lower down your voice, please…"

"No, I'm not lowering anything!" I yell.

"Woah, what is going on here?" my uncle says, walking into the room. "And why do you have a shirtless Pedri here? Is that your Christmas present, Marina?" he laughs.

"It actually is Val's" she replies, her eyes fixed on the floor.

"What? Why would someone send that to Val?"

"That's what I would like to know too" my mum says.

"It's just a joke between friends, ok?"

"And one of those friends is Ferran."

"Yes, mum. Glad to know you finally understood it" I say.

"Yeah, I don't see your boyfriend sending you a life size version of his naked best frie… Oh my God, Val" my uncle gasps. "Pedri!"

"Yes, that's really him, no Photoshop."

"No, no, no, no. Pedri is best friends with Ferran. And he's sent you this because… because…"

"Because what?" my mum asks.

"Because Pedri is Val's boyfriend, isn't he?"

"Shit" Marina whispers.

"Fuck" David says under his breath. 

"That's crazy" I laugh. 

"Valeria, are you dating a child?"

"He isn't a child, mum."

"Isn't he the boy Marina likes?"

"He is."

"Then he is a child."

"He isn't, mum! He is in his twenties!"

"Early twenties" she corrects me.

"Fine, yes."

"Val, you are dating a child!" 

"He isn't a child! Stop saying that!"

"But he is a child next to you! How could you do that, Valeria? Are you that desperate for attention? Is this your way of dealing with Marc moving on with his life? Are you going through one of those crises people have at a certain age?"

"What?" I laugh.

"Valeria, there are so many men out there that aren't a decade younger than you… And men who aren't football players either. They all cheat on their partners."

"You didn't seem so against the idea when you thought I was dating Ferran."

"That's different."

"Why? He is just a couple of years older than Pedri, you know?"

"That's enough."

"Enough for what?"

"To not look like a cougar, Valeria!"

"There it is, she said it" I laugh.

"This isn't funny."

"I know, mum. I know."

"Valeria, where are you going?" she says as I walk away.

"To my room!"

"Dating a teenager is turning you into one?" she laughs.

"Yes, looks like it!" I yell back.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Yikes…" Pedri says.

"Yeah" I sigh. "I didn't leave my room for the rest of the day, and the next morning I packed everything and left."

"Me included" he chuckles.

"That was Marina and David."

"But if we are meeting with your mum… Have you talked?"

"That also was Marina and David. My uncle too. All of them convinced her to at least get to know you."

"Oh, I see… Do you think it will work?"

"Knowing my mother it won't, no. But after everything they did to help, we can't say no."

"I mean, so far I've been able to charm all the women in your family that I've met. I can do it again" Pedri smiles.

"Charming Marina was too easy, she's a teenager."

"And what about you, uh?" he says, raising an eyebrow. "Are you a teenager too?"

"Around you I am, yes. Haven't you heard me giggle and seen me blush like a schoolgirl?"

"I have. And I love when I manage to do it" he says, putting a lock of hair behind my ear and caressing my cheek. "It'll be ok, Val. You'll see. She just needs time, it isn't something easy."

"Your mum took it better."

"She did, but she also knew beforehand that I was dating someone, I had told her things about you. Your mum suddenly found out that her only daughter was dating someone younger than her and who happens to be a football star."

"That also applies to Ferran and she was ok with it. Well, maybe the star part not so much…"

"So mean, Val" Pedri laughs.

"It doesn't apply to you either."

"Val…" he says, rolling his eyes.

"Yet."

"That's not true, but whatever. Your mum will come around. It may take her some time because stubbornness runs in the family, but if you fell madly in love with me, so we'll she."

"There is no need to go that far. Liking you is enough."

"Ok" he laughs. 

"And I'm not madly in love with you."

"You are such a bad liar, Val…" he says, leaning forward.

"I'm not lying."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"Liar" Pedri whispers, moving even closer.

"I'm not. Because madly isn't enough to express how much I love you."

"Aww, Val. Did the new year make you cheesy?"

"Maybe" I shrug. "Now, are you going to kiss me or not? You haven't done it since last year."

"I am, Val. I am" he laughs before his lips finally meet mine. 

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Ready?"

"Ready" Pedri says, taking a deep breath.

"Mum, we are here!" I say after opening the door and walking into my old house.

"You are late."

"Yeah, I know. There was a car accident and they had us waiting for a while. And hello, by the way."

"Hi" she says.

"So… Umm… Mum, this is Pedri. Pedri, this is my mum."

"Hello, ma'am" he smiles, offering her his hand.

"Hi" she repeats, not moving a muscle.

"What are you making for lunch?" I ask, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Paella."

"Oh, your favourite" Pedri says.

"Do you like it?" 

"I do, ma'am."

"Please stop calling me ma'am, I'm not that old."

"I'm sorry, Mrs…"

"Miss, I'm not married. Didn't Valeria tell you about it?" 

"Yes, she did, I'm sorry. I am a bit nervous" he chuckles.

"First time meeting your girlfriend's mother?"

"First time, yes."

"I see… Is she also your first girlfriend? I mean, she has to. You haven't had time to have any serious relationship, you are just a kid."

"Mum!" 

"Am I lying?" my mother says.

"It's ok, Val" Pedri smiles. "She is my first serious girlfriend, yes."

"How serious?"

"I love her. I truly do. She isn't like any other girl I've met before."

"Of course she isn't" my mother laughs. "She is a woman, all the other girls you've met were just that, girls."

"Mum!"

"She isn't lying, Val. Again" Pedri chuckles.

"And when you say you love her… what do you mean?"

"I… I don't understand" he says with a confused look.

"Do you love her the same way you loved that girl you spent a whole weekend with in a hotel room?"

"Oh my God, mum!"

"Valeria, let him talk. How do you love her, Pedro?"

"It's Pedri" I say.

"Pedri sounds stupid and childish. And you say he isn't a kid, don't you?"

"I…"

"Then Pedro it is. So, how do you love my daughter?" my mother asks him.

"I love her like I've never loved anyone before. And I know what you are going to say, that I'm too young and I haven't had time to experience what real love feels like, that how could I know. But when you meet the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, your other half… Those things don't matter. You just know. And that's Val to me."

"Then do you see yourself getting married and having children?"

"If that's what she wants" he shrugs.

"What she wants? What about what you want? Don't you have anything to say about it?"

"I just want her to be happy" he says.

"Well, if you want to have children you better start taking it seriously, she's getting old."

"Mum!" I say once again.

"That's how biology works, Val. Anyway, I'm gonna go check on our food. Do you want something to drink while you wait?"

"I could do with a beer" I sigh.

"Pedro?"

"Just water, thank you" he smiles.

"Water, of course. What else would a kid drink, uh?" she says as she walks away, not allowing me to be outraged by one of her comments for the millionth time in the past five minutes.

"I'm so sorry about all that…"

"It's ok, Val" Pedri smiles. "It's been fun to see from where you've got that savage side of yours."

"What?"

"Calling me a kid? Saying that Pedri sounds stupid? You've done that too, you take after your mother."

"I guess I do, yes" I sigh again. "But I'm not that mean."

"You are worse" he smiles. "And I love it. I love you."

"Ehem" my mother says when he is about to kiss me. "Your beer and your water."

"Thank you, mum."

"Thank you" Pedri says, giving her his best smile and making me blush. Her reaction? None. Completely impassible.

"So, why don't I show you around, uh?" I offer.

"It is a small flat, there isn't much to see. I'm sure the living room in his house is just as big as the whole place" my mother snorts.

"Come, let me show you some old photos I have in my room" I say, taking his hand and walking away. "There is one of David as a kid that he hates and that you must see."

"Oh, yes, from when you were kids. You weren't born yet, were you, Pedro?" 

"Mum!"

"I'm not lying, am I, Pedro?"

"I…" he mumbles. 

"Mum, stop it."

"Stop what?" 

"Insulting him!"

"I'm not doing such thing, Valeria" she shrugs.

"You… whatever. Why don't you go check the paella again? You know I don't like it if it is overcooked."

"Ok, fine. But I wasn't insulting you, was I, Pedro?"

"Mum!"

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving. No need to yell" she says before disappearing through the door.

"I hate her."

"Val, hey. Val" Pedri says, cupping my face while I try really hard not to cry. "It's ok. I'm ok."

"But I'm not!"

"I know, I know. But… It's just lunch, ok? We can do this."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can, Valeria. You can" he says, making me look him in the eyes.

"You've called me Valeria."

"Because I wanted you to know how serious I am. We can do this. You can do this."

"I can" I say, taking a deep breath.

"You can" he says, caressing my cheek.

"The food is almost… ready" my mother says, stopping us as our lips touched. Again. "I'm gonna set the table. Can you help me, Val? You'll check those photos later."

"Yes, of course."

"You can do this" Pedri whispers in my ear.

"I can do this" I say to myself.

[latriii]

𐄹 DEJA VU ? — y.jw x f!reader ★

| OO18. BALCONY MEMORIES

tuesday 12:40pm — jungwon’s house

“JUNGWON STOP CHEATING.” yn screamed, continuously pressing the x on the controller.

“IM NOT EVEN CHEATING. YOU JUST SUCK.” the boy laughed so hard his stomach started hurting.

the two have been playing games for a good 2 hours since they couldn’t go out and do whatever they wanted to. the sounds of laughing, tapping due to the controller, and smacking noises from yn kicking the boy filled throughout the room.

they were really starting to get along, the sight of a new bond opened for these two without them even realizing it.

yn threw jungwon’s controller on his bed out of frustration. she hated losing and thats all shes been doing since she started playing against him.

jungwon placed his hand on the girls thigh and lightly tapped it. “stop being so upset.”

yn scrunched her nose, “shut up.”

“its not my fault you suck.” jungwon said, earning another kick from yn. the boy bursted out laughing once again as he fell over. he really enjoyed being around yn, these interactions really confirmed his feelings for her.

the door cracked open revealing jungwon’s mother. she had a plate of beautifully cut fruit for the two.

“you guys seem to having fun.” mrs yang said, placing the plate down on the table the two were sitting at.

“yes! your son is being so annoying though.” yn said, grabbing a fork and sticking it into the fruit to be plopped into her mouth.

mrs yang chuckled, ruffling jungwon’s hair. “thats just how he is when he likes someone.” and with that, she walked out leaving the two alone once again.

yn froze, glancing at jungwon who had also stopped moving due to his mothers words.

“you like me?” the girl questioned, as she ate another fruit.

jungwon was completely taken aback. was he going to tell her now? he already told himself he was going to wait to see if sunghoon liked her. but like, his mother already sold him out…

the boy just nodded. leading back against his bed, trying to look as unbothered as he possibly could.

yn found this cute, him being flustered because of her question was amusing.

the girl placed down her fork and crossed her arms. she just stared at him. he gulped, not knowing what she was thinking.

“i like you too. but ask me out when were both back on a balcony.” the girl smiled at the boy, throwing her leg over him as she wrapped her hands around him— catching the boy off guard.

the boy hummed in response.

“you remember how pretty the balcony was, right?” yn said, she was now sitting on top of him staring deeply into his eyes.

“of course i do, i also remember making out with you.” jungwon smirked, wrapping his arms around the girls waist.

yn hit jungwon’s chest playfully. jungwon just smiled, he was relieved that there feelings were mutual.

now he just had to find a way to ask her out.

m.list — prev next

| 𐄹 DEJA VU would be word that went though yn’s mind when she saw the class president at her new school. the uncanny resemblance YANG JUNGWON had with the guy SATO YN kissed at a party last weekend ran through the girls mind. but there was one problem, they were complete opposites. they aren’t same person, RIGHT ?

latri’s zz .. tbh i dont rlly like this chapter and ill do sm better when he actually officially asks her out !!

TAGLIST @eulris @yenqa @jungwonsgfnameyukie @taegyuul @chaechae-23 @astrae4 @winteringdream @l0veflrws @leaderwon @wtfhyuck @softpia @kyyuri @jangw2nyo @curly-fr13s @baekhyunstruly @wonioml @sydneylam777 @woncheecks @soobsdior @beomsbeanie @j-wyoung @ilovewonyo @officiallyjaehyuns @hyuckscore @maimoirs @haefims @pr-da @nokacchan @sserafimez @heartsforjngwn @lhees01 @kyuupidwrites @shinsou-rii @ensrfm @strwberrydinosaur @cwsana @rikimylover @haoqwrld @soobisrealgfnotfake @sunooluver @wonyoungsvirus @aeminju @tzyuki

[hydrangeyes]

A new adventure awaits you!

So if you don't know, Yes this already existed, my old account was deleted (accident but I can tell I won't be getting it back), and am reposting my old x male reader works!

I don't know if I saved all of them but here is one that was saved to my AO3 account.

Edit: So shuffling through my docs It's been brought to my attention that wattpad (who I use as backup) Cut a lot of my fics in half??? anyway I'll be trying to fix that also

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Monkey D. Luffy x Seme male reader

Chapter Text

Height: 5'9

Gender: Male

Age: 23 (Luffy 22)

Personality: Blunt

Hair color: Dyed green, curly mess

Eye color: Hex #94544a

Body type: Soft, lightly muscular think mechanic type

Power: Yes, plant-based

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Your road to becoming a world-class chief was surprisingly a bumpy and chaotic one. Traveling land to land, learning different recipes and ingredients involved more action than you originally thought.

Then occasionally diving into the sea to catch exotic sea life that looked edible

And then, after you ate that smelly yellow fruit it weirdly even itself out. A healthy blend of too much and just enough going on in your life. Of course, you heard the legends about the highly looked-for devil fruits. But you thought they were just legends and didn't think of them much after.

Stumbling upon one while lost and eating it wasn't part of your plans. How were you supposed to know that they came in a variety of designs!? the legend only talks about the one! at least the legend you heard of.

But it has helped you both in a fight and cooking-wise.....

And really really out of all the bumps and stumbles during your journey. None of it could prepare you for the straw hat pirates. Well, definitely not their Captain Monkey D. Luffy.

It all started when you arrived back at your main place of residence. An island called Crystal Rock.

Looking out to the harbor with a smile you inwardly pat yourself on the back for picking this place out on the map. Already there were rows of fresh-looking produce being sold at stands that led to a lively marketplace.

Waving at any familiar face you make you're way to your own cozy eatery. You left it in the hands of a trusted employee and seeing them inside getting ready to open it piece warmed your heart.

You went in to help, startling your employee but they gave you a warm welcome back anyway. It was a special day and with all that you brought back, you need to prep a special menu!

It took you a while, not that you mind it gave time for regulars to come in and make a happy ruckus about your return which gained the attention of some new customers.

It was fun and finally displaying the new menu ramped things up. As you drag a barrel of alcohol on out you frown hearing how quiet things have gotten all of a sudden.

"H-hey boss.. um, some pirates came in demanding to see you?" your employee poked their head into the kitchen. They were trembling. Tensing you grab your pan as if to serve the still hot dish on it and followed them out.

"Ah."

Waiting for you there was a group that called themselves the sea urchins. A fitting name really. They've been following you around trying to get you to join their crew for months now.

Scowling you gesture to the door with the pan. "Get out of my tavern, now."

"Or what?" The captain snorts smirking as his crew laughed behind him, a few snatching drinks from cowering customers.

In a flash, you jumped over the countertop and swing your hot pan. Smacking the captain across the face. The force sending him through the window and across the street.

"Or that." You growled out.

And that's when chaos erupted.

(Mini time skip)

You don't know when but at some point between you fighting off the other crew members and the Urchin captain getting back up now with a half-burnt face, another group of pirates joined in.

When things have calmed down you bashed that stupid urchin captain's head hard enough to send him packing, you looked up to check on your tavern.

"Ah, what a relief it's still standing...well...except for the window," you grumbled to yourself.

Checking it over almost made you forget about the other pirate group. Hearing them check on each other you turn and blink. Those eyebrows......

"Sanji-sama!?"

(Timeskip lol)

Sanji couldn't believe you were only able to recognize him from his eyebrow pattern. But in your defense, you have yet to see anyone with similar brows.

Now here you were after the fight, treating the group to a late feast. A thank you gift for helping in the fight.

While you were chatting with Nami and Usopp (I love him), Luffy inches his way to Sanji while devouring his pile of food.

"Hey hey, Sanji?"

"hm?"

"How do you know Y/n?"

Luffy asks staring at you curiously. Sanji hums glancing at Zoro "Ah we crossed paths when I was younger, I kind of took him in and- wait hold on!" He stops and points at Luffy standing in front of him glaring "We already have a cook, ME!"

Luffy pouts up at him, moving Sanji's hand from his face.

"That's not why I asked! Tho... I do really like his food.."

"Ah, I'm glad you do Luffy!" a voice calls from behind Sanji, startling him to the ground. You raise an eyebrow at the goofy man and step over him grinning at Luffy.

"I want to make the best for the person who helped protect my tavern after all." you hummed. For the first time in a long while Luffy's face became flush and he appeared flustered.

"W-well um It's nothing really! Is this really okay, making all this that is?" He squeaks out rubbing the back of his neck looking up at you shyly.

'Cute.' You think to yourself and chuckle smirking "It's more than alright, I've stuffed our storage to the brim." you purr softly, Luffy looks you over in a daze then away. You almost burst out laughing as Luffy suddenly looks redder than an apple. His mind running over less than innocent things for once.

"Eh? Sanji-sama is your captain a pervert?????"

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aaaaa this went longer than I expected lol. Hope you like it, kinda ran with this one then semi-lost steam (❛‿❛✿̶̥̥)

Requested by: @AntonellaVelazcoGuer Thank you!!!!

[ckret2]

Bill's handwriting in Journal 3 Blacklight Edition™ is one of my favorite things. He writes like: ↗️↘️↗️↘️, aaand it looks chaotic at first but you can see a pattern in there.

I wonder if you have any headcanon of how his dimention's writing was is like?

Yes, and I've actually written a post about handwriting in his dimension already! It's right here. 

I've already made references to his home dimension's writing system in fic, although it hasn't been described in depth because the scenes are from Bill's POV and he doesn't consider his own writing system noteworthy enough to merit a description. It'll actually get described properly in fic when we can see it from a human's POV. I think all the references to his writing system so far come in chapters 23 & 24:

Mabel had spilled out her crayons in front of Bill plenty of times; sometimes she even let him use them. It had taken some careful timing and preparation, but a few days ago he'd grabbed the unloved grey and greenish-yellow crayons—the sharpest in her collection—during a moment she'd left him unsupervised.

This is why he had to grab two crayons. Gray and greenish-yellow were chosen because in my own childhood crayon boxes, those were always the least loved crayons (for most fine detail work, why bother using gray if you already have the black crayon out; and I just thought crayola's yellow-green didn't look very nice and had few applications where green didn't fit better); and also because, out of the unloved crayons, they're most similar to Bill's preferred black and yellow/gold. (Naturally, black and yellow crayons are staples of the crayon box, and thus too risky to take.)

After a moment of thought, he wrote, "Don't remember if I was a human or a shape. My organs were doing things a shape's shouldn't." (He wrote "human" as 人; there was no translation for the word in the language Bill wrote in. The two angled strokes stood out in Bill's rows of Morse-like dots and dashes.)

I went through every translation of "human" on wiktionary and out of them all, Chinese 人 is the most visually similar to Bill's language—just two lines—and thus the least disruptive to insert in the middle of a sentence. I imagine when he has to insert an untranslatable foreign word in the middle of his writing, he just flips through every language he knows and picks the one that's least visually disruptive.

[pariskylar]

A/N: this is a transition chapter (??)

Part 2: First Day

Monday: August 23, 2021

can you feel where the wind is? can you feel it through, all of the windows inside this room

Jazlyn pulled up to the Thrombey Estate at 6:43 AM. she parked the car and turned the music down.

she took out her phone and set an alarm for 6:55. she opened the message app and shot a text to the group chat.

Core Four 👯👯‍: made it to work ♥️

she unwrapped her pop-tart, eating in silence trying to mentally prepare for the day.

you interviewed for the job and you got it. you are diligent and sedulous. you've worked hard and studied for this.

when she finished her pop tart she took a deep breath and began to meditate, making her own safe haven.

once she enter the state of serenity her alarm went off, and it was time for her to actually go in the house.

she flipped down her visor, checking her hair and makeup. she spent the weekend installing fulani braids; they were too tight to style, so she opted to simply let them flow down her back. closing the visor she grabbed her old messenger bag and phone, heading straight to the home.

there was a major deja vu moment as she took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

“yes?” the same middle aged white woman opened the door.

“hi, i'm Jazlyn Reed—Mr. Thrombey’s new assistant.”

“oh, yeah.” she nodded, stepping aside letting her in. “Linda, asked for you to meet her in the dining room.”

she led her to the dining room where Linda was sitting at the island, sporting a navy pants suit, focused on her laptop.

“Linda?” she gained her attention “Jasmine is here.”

“um, Jazlyn.” she corrected from the doorway of the dining room.

“Jasmine.” Linda smiled at her standing from her seat.

“Jazlyn.” she corrected, again, straightening up the strap on her messenger bag.

“thanks, Fran.” she dismissed her “come, sit.” she waved Jaz over.

she went over and sat on the stool next to Linda.

“i’m glad you were available for this job.”

“i’m glad you chose me.”

sounding kinds desperate. the voice in her head said.

"so, today will be a bit busy." she said pulling an Apple bag from the floor. "here is your work phone, work laptop and work tablet" she pulled each out the bag setting them on the counter. "they are for work purposes only. the phone is activated with your work number. this is your work log-in information" she handed her a sticky note.

email: Jazlyn.Reed@BLWPublishing password: ***************

"and these are all the emails and phone numbers that will need to be transferred to your email and number." she place a legal pad on the counter. "once you're done with all of this Harlan will tell you what to do next."

she grabbed the legal pad looking it over. it was two full pages long, front and back. it was a bit jarring how many contacts there were and there was no way all of these are necessary.

"oh, ok." Jazlyn nodded a bit confused sitting it back on the counter.

"also this is my dad's schedule for the next two months." she put a planner, reading 2021-2022 on the cover, next to the legal pad.

“this is your time sheet,” Linda pulled her out of her thoughts placing a sheet of paper in front of her.

it read Monthly Time Sheet with Jasmine Reed written on the top causing her to mentally rolled her eyes. there were sections to clock in and out for work, break and lunch.

“it stays in Harlan’s office, you will get a new one every month. you get a 30 minute break and a 30 minute lunch. you can clock in right now.” she handed her a pen.

checking her time she signed in at 7:04 AM.

"any questions?" she grabbed the pen back packing up her briefcase.

that’s all the information i get

"is there a designated place for me to work?" Jazlyn began stacking the all paraphernalia that Linda gave her.

"no, anywhere you feel comfortable." she stood up grabbing her briefcase “any other questions?”

she shook her head lifting up the apparati for work.

“alright, well, good luck on your first day.” Linda held a hand out

“thank you.” she smiled accepting it.

when Linda left out the dining room, Jazlyn closed her eyes taking a deep breath.

you’ve got this. this isn’t something you haven’t done before.

she turned and went to make her way to Harlan’s office. she knocked on the door and was greeted with a come in. opening the door she saw Harlan and Marta sitting in a similar position of three weeks ago.

"good morning." she greeted Mr. Thrombey and Marta.

"good morning." Marta smiled from her seat next to Harlan.

he just looked at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"um, Mrs. Drysdale told me to leave my time sheet with you." she handed to sheet of paper over.

"so, she chose you?" he took the paper and place it in the sliding hutch drawer in his desk.

“yes, sir.” she nodded.

he looked her over shaking his head before going back to what ever he was writing in his notebook.

“is there anything you need done?” she asked Mr. Thrombey

“Linda said she’d debrief on everything that needed to be done.”

“um, yes she did, but i just wanted to see if you needed anything else before i started on everything.”

he gave her a blank stare

“ok.” she nodded making a swift exit.

after returning her time sheet to Harlan, she went to look for somewhere comfortable to work.

she landed on the front porch. it reminded her of the porch at her Big Mama's house in Lutcher—minus the mansion it was attached to. she sat on the steps of the porch and began feeling a bit emotionally. she had spent so many summers on that porch, on the swing drinking sweet tea with her Big Mama.

she shook her head, trying to refocus and begin to actually work. she opened her work supplies, logging into her work accounts. pulled out the legal pad filled with numbers and emails for her transfer.

after two hours of emails and phone calls her eyes wear tired and her mouth was dry. she stood from her spot on the porch and went on the search for some water.

she went back to the kitchen heading straight to the fridge. she looked over the drink options and there was a plethora.

“um, do you need help?” a voiced asked from behind her.

she flinched turning to see Fran.

“um, yeah. i don’t know if i can just grab something or if there are specific things for specific people.”

“no, you can just grab.”

“oh, thanks.” she turned back grabbing a bottle of Aquafina.

“no, problem.”

she left going back out to the porch, taking sit on the porch bench this time.

her personal phone dinged with a message from the group chat she had with her friends.

Core Four 👯👯‍: Tia 🫧: how’s it going??

it’s fine

Ash 👒: ft??

sure

the phone rang with a group FaceTime. pulling out her headphones plugging them to the phone, before answering. Tia and Ash were on the call.

Ash yawned “tired. Taylor is PMSing like crazy and kept me up last-”

“Jazzy!” Tia stopped the story about her friend and sister.

“hey.” she smiled at them

“so how’s the job going?” Ash pulling her hair into a ponytail.

“ehh.” she shrugged sitting the phone on the seat “it’s kinda boring.” picking the laptop back up to finish the last ten emails on the list.

“boring how?” Tia asked putting a tray into an oven.

“it’s just transferring numbers and emails.” Jaz rolled eyes picking grabbing her water, mouth getting dry again

"so it's calm?" Tia asked

"yeah, but boring." she sighed taking a sip of water.

"better than being constantly stressed at CVS."

"i guess." she shrugged sending a transferring email to Harlan's Lawyer.

"so, you'd rather be stressed than bored?"

"nooo-well-" she let out a deep breath "i don't know." she truthfully answered knowing she sounded crazy.

"see that's that bull." Tia said getting ready to get on her soap box "you psyching yourself out."

"yeah, your impostor syndrome is getting to you." Ash chimed in "you feel like you don't deserve something nice or good, so you're finding something to complain about."

she hated when they did that. even though they had the best intentions and spoke to her out of love, it always felt like they were ganging up on her.

she never knew how to retort because as soon as she does the other has something to say.

"i don't know, i guess."

"we love you." Tia said.

"yeah, we just feel like you deserve more than you giving yourself." Ash added.

"you're right."

and as if the universe tossed her a line from this sinkhole, Marta came out.

"Jasmine?" she called to her

"Jazlyn." she corrected

"sorry. Mr. Thombey would like for you to walk the dogs."

"OK." she nodded, and Marta retreated back in the house.

"i have to go, i have work to do."

"k, love you." Tia blew her kiss

"have fun, babe." Ash put up two peace signs.

she hung up going to grab the collars to take the dogs on their walk.

[lemoncrushh]

Out of Bounds - Chapter 23

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 2279

Penny and I spent most of Sunday afternoon in the laundry room. Harry had called me earlier, assuring me there had been no unwanted guests at the restaurant the night before. He also hadn't gotten anymore ridiculous phone calls from unknown numbers. Though it was only one night, I sighed with relief.

After putting away the last of our laundry, we ate soup and sandwiches and watched a bit of TV before Penny went to bed early. I got into my pajamas and continued watching an old black and white movie. My phone buzzed when it was just about over. Grabbing it thinking it was Harry, I just about came unglued when I noticed James's name displayed.

J: Just so you know, I will no longer be paying your phone bill nor your car note and insurance after this month.

I inhaled slowly, letting the breath out in the same manner. I supposed I should have seen it coming. Of course he wasn't going to pay for anything having to do with me any longer. After thinking of what my reply should be, I texted him back.

T: Fine. I'll find my own means.

He texted back immediately.

J: Good luck.

I stuck my tongue out at my phone, as though James could see me. I knew I shouldn't expect him to still be paying my way, but he didn't have to be a jerk. I felt like he was mocking me with his condescending tone, although I couldn't hear his voice.

I watched the rest of the movie, and when the credits rolled, I turned off the TV and called Harry.

"Hi, baby," he answered, his voice raspy.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" I asked him.

"No, I was reading through our report."

"Oh," I replied with a yawn.

"Sounds like you're about to fall asleep," he remarked.

"Yeah, I am. Just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh," he said, a smile in his tone. "That's nice to hear. Everything alright?"

I sighed audibly. "Yes and no."

"Tell me," he murmured.

I told him about James's texts, trying my best not to show any emotion. I knew Harry was always there for me, but I didn't want to lay any burden on him, like I thought he needed to pick up the pieces.

"Hmm," he sounded.

"I know I shouldn't be upset," I scoffed at myself. "I'm being ridiculous."

"No, you're not."

"Yeah, I am," I commented, running my fingers through my hair. "I can't expect him to be nice to me. At least he's somewhat civil."

"Tisa, you have every right to feel whatever it is you're feeling," Harry said in a warm tone. "Yes, you asked for the divorce. But that doesn't make it any easier. Of course he's going to throw shit at you to make you look like the bad guy and himself the victor."

"You're right," I agreed, sighing once more, deciding to drop the subject. "So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"How was the rest of your day?"

"Excruciatingly dull," he announced.

I laughed out loud. "I miss you already."

"I miss you, too. Come over."

"No," I chuckled. "It's late, and I'm already in my pajamas."

"Ooh the sexy ones?" he inquired.

"Nope. Sorry to say, but those are packed away."

"Bugger."

I laughed again, feeling the tension dissipate from the few minutes of talking to Harry. He always knew how to make me feel at ease, and I was eternally grateful for that and for him.

"Goodnight, Harry," I said.

"Goodnight, my love. See you in the morning."

The next couple days seemed to fly by, but not without discomfort. Harry had to work Monday evening, and as soon as he got home, he notified me that he saw two of the men that James had been seen with at Mikado's the night he'd come home drunk, but James wasn't with them this time. He also said that he'd asked Brian about the man that had been with Justine - the man who'd handed me the divorce papers. Brian apparently was able to put two and two together. He said a blonde had come in a couple weeks ago, and he thought she'd looked familiar, but couldn't place her. After Harry described her, Brian remembered Justine from our night at the bar. He said this time she was with a tall, dark-haired man who kept buying her drinks until they both stumbled out of the bar. He hadn't known if they had come together, or if they'd only just met then. He then said that just a few days later, he recognized the man again when he came in with the lunch crowd. He was with a couple other men, all dressed in suits, seemingly having a business lunch.

I wasn't sure yet what all of this meant, but in talking with Harry, we both gathered that one of the men at that luncheon must have been James. And that these other men were either colleagues or clients of his. I wondered silently if one of them was Nelson Whitcomb, James's boss. I still didn't know who this mystery man was, however, and how Justine fit into all of this.

On Tuesday morning, I met Harry outside of Sociology class, circles under my eyes from being sleep deprived. I had tossed and turned the entire night after ending our phone call. Looking like he hadn't gotten much more sleep than I had, without a word Harry pulled me to him and kissed me. I sighed as I leaned into him, letting his arms and lips give me the comfort I craved.

"Give me a break," I heard a voice declare behind me. I didn't even bother to turn around. I knew it was one of the mean girls. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of even a glance in her direction.

Harry rubbed my back as he gazed into my eyes. I could sense he was proud of me for not putting up a fight. He had been right all along. They weren't worth it. He was worth it. He was all I needed.

Professor Crawford gave us another free day to work on our papers. Harry and I were essentially finished with ours, so we spent the period discussing plans for Thanksgiving. We hadn't really discussed it prior, except for a brief mention that night when I'd confessed my love for him. And back then, it had seemed that I might still be with James at this point, and Harry was going to give me some time to think things through. All of that had changed, and I was now on my own living with Penny.

Because Thanksgiving is obviously an American holiday, I asked Harry if he had ever celebrated. He said he had, usually with friends. The previous year Zack and Alison, whom he'd been dating at the time, had gone home to their prospective families, so he'd spent the day watching parades and Christmas movies at home by himself. The thought of him doing that gutted me, so I promised I would give him a proper Thanksgiving, even if it just ended up being us two.

When class was over, I followed Harry outside. I could feel Leslie and Charice behind me, but again I didn't turn around. Just as I stepped through the doorway, I saw Liz standing with her arms crossed. I fought the urge to say or do something, even just roll my eyes, but I kept my cool and took Harry's hand as we continued to walk down the sidewalk.

We kissed and said goodbye at our usual spot, then I drove back to Penny's. Still completely exhausted, I collapsed on my couch-bed and took a nap. I was awaken an hour or so later by the ring of my phone. Picking it up, I saw Justine's name on the screen. Curious and a bit peeved, I swiped the screen to answer her call.

"Justine," I said after clearing my throat.

"Hey, Tisa!" she exclaimed as though she was excited to speak to me. "How's it going?"

"Um..." I stammered, trying to collect my thoughts. "Okay I guess, all things considered."

"Oh, yeah," she said, lowering her voice. "I heard about you and James."

"Oh, you did?" I asked, although it was more like a statement.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry."

"Wait, what?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I shook my head, incredulous.

"Well, I knew you weren't happy, but divorce is hard. Remember, I've been there."

"Oh. Yeah." For a moment I thought perhaps she was trying to be the friend she should have been to begin with - the shoulder that I had needed before.

"Are you still seeing Harry?" she inquired.

"Yes," I replied flatly, furrowing my eyebrows. "You knew that. You just saw him Mikado's."

"Oh yeah," she giggled nervously. "I forgot I called you."

"Uh huh."

"I was kind of drunk," she confessed.

"Yeah." I decided then we needed to get all of this out in the open. I needed some answers. "Justine, who was that man you were with?"

"What?" she asked.

"The man you were with at Mikado's. Harry said you were with someone. Was that the man you're seeing? Drew, is that his name?"

"Oh! Yeah, that's Drew," she answered.

"And how does he know James?"

"How..." Justine began. I could tell she realized she had been caught. Caught in exactly what, even I wasn't sure yet. But I knew the truth was unfolding. "Um...Drew is...a friend of James's."

"Uh huh," I repeated. "That's quite a coincidence isn't it?"

"How so?"

"Well, that you would happen to work with a man who also happens to be a friend of my husband's, excuse me, soon-to-be ex-husband's. And that you would start dating him just after I confessed to you my affair with Harry. That suddenly he's being seen at Mikado's where Harry works. And...that he happens to be the same man who served me my divorce papers."

Silence echoed between us until Justine finally said, "That is a coincidence."

I groaned loudly. "Oh, c'mon Justine, what gives?"

"Nothing!" she exclaimed.

"God dammit, Justine!" I yelled through the phone. "I thought you were my friend!"

"I am your friend!" she cried. "That's why I called you. I miss you!"

I buried my face in my hand, trying my best to keep my composure. This whole fiasco had a story to it, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.

"If you're really my friend," I continued, "you'd tell me what the hell is going on."

Justine let out an exasperated breath. "James called me."

"What?" I shook my head again. "When?"

"I don't remember exactly. I think it was after you told me about you and Harry when we were at El Toro's."

"Wh-Why would he call you?"

"Well...I think initially he was checking up on you. I think he had suspected something was going on, and because you had said you'd been with me, he wanted to make sure. I assured him we had been together, but I could tell he was worried. I asked him if he wanted to talk about it. So we met for lunch."

"Wait, back up. How did he get your number?" I asked.

"He said he found me on your Facebook. My job is listed on my profile. He called my office."

"Oh God!"

"So, we had lunch," Justine continued. "And he told me he was afraid he was losing you. He said he wasn't sure if there was someone else or not, but that you were different somehow. He seemed really sad, Tisa."

"Ugh," I scoffed. "Then what?"

"I swear, I didn't tell him right away..."

"You told him?" I cried.

"No, no I didn't!" Justine promised. "He figured it out on his own."

"How?"

"I don't know exactly. I guess he just suspected something and knew you spent a lot of time with Harry."

"So he said something to you?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "He asked if I'd heard about this Harry fellow. I didn't want to lie to him, Tisa."

"Well, you could have, Justine! Especially since I'd confided in you!" I was beyond livid at this point. Fuck friends. Fuck Justine. Fuck James.

"Should I tell you the rest, or are you too mad at me now to listen?" Justine asked, trying to turn the tables.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "You're going to tell me fucking everything now!"

"Calm down," she insisted.

"I will not calm down! You don't have the right to tell me to calm down, Justine!" I was standing now, pacing the floor. I wanted to throw my phone across the room or punch a wall or something. I had never been so angry.

"No," I heard her say. "I can't talk to you when you're like this. Besides, I have to get back to work."

"Damn it!"

"Do you want to meet somewhere tonight and talk?"

I took a deep breath and let it out. "Fine."

We agreed to meet at the coffee shop around the corner from Penny's apartment at six o'clock. I hung up the phone and tossed it on my pillow. I wanted to talk to Harry, but I knew it probably would be best to wait until my anger subsided. I swallowed hard, feeling a knot in my stomach. I just wanted all of this to be over with. I wanted the truth to come out, my divorce to be final, and to live happily ever after with Harry. But I knew that was too much to ask.

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[dark-night-star-light]

Spirit Animals: Fire and Ice (Reread pt. 4)

DISCLAIMER: WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR BOOKS ONE THROUGH SEVEN IN FIRST SERIES AND BOOKS ONE TO FOUR IN SECOND SERIES (AND VERY, VERY MINOR SPOILERS FOR BOOK FIVE IN THE SECOND SERIES). 

Masterpost

Chapter 1

I remember Gerathon’s chapter only because of the excessive use of the word life, which is of course the point. 

Also, is the youngish guy the same guy that freed her? I think so . . .

A lot of adjectives in this first chapter.

She killed a Niloan woman for no reason??? But the motive for Kovo and Geratthon was to stop the Wyrm??? I don’t really remember them doing anything else?

Chapter 2

“ . . . relentless pace through Zhong and now Northern Eura . . . ” (4). Wow, they didn’t even stop by Greenhaven.

“The Great Crocodile . . . ” (4). Didn’t Dinesh specifically say the crocodile wasn’t a Great Beast??? Plot hole???

“‘And I only tell you this story as a warning because, you know, you do have that unfortunate habit of licking lampposts’” (5). This book is the real beginning of Rollan and Meilin’s ~more than friends~ relationship.

“ . . . certain the girl had been disappointed in her spirit animal, as Meilin had been with her panda” (7). Didn’t Meilin begin to accept Jhi’s talents in the last book, though??? She’s regressed?

“‘ . . . there was any town between here and Arctica’” (8). I genuinely thought Samis was on Arctica. Did Suka swim across the ocean?

Ironic that Rollan stopped a robbery. (Yes, I know he has a code.)

MAYA TALKING TO HER SALAMANDER IS TOO ICONIC.

“‘I’m sorry, Rollan,’ said Meilin. ‘You probably think I’m bossy and pushy, and you could have handled him yourself, and I shouldn’t interfere all the time and-’” (14). This is so out of character for Meilin??? She doesn’t ramble like that???

“Meilin had never been so aware of the beating of her heart” (15). The Rollan-Meilin book.

Chapter 3

“Not forgotten or forgiven” (16). But??? They did??? They literally had a moment in the third book where they forgave him??? I thought this was over???

“ . . . Conor went on about sheep, the different breeds, asking in-depth questions about caribou eating and sleeping habits” (18). He’s so awkward . . . I imagine the caribou herders just staring at him like What is with this guy and sheep?

“‘Look,’ Meilin whispered. ‘The stones have names but not dates’” (21). I didn’t know Chinese people had tombstones, so I searched it up and apparently Chinese gravestones do have dates and other inscriptions. Guess you learn something new everyday.

THE FOUR! SWAPPING SONGS!

“‘Could you perhaps explain the “other end” bit? I find it confusing’” (22). I love how, despite the fact that they speak so formally, they show how they are really just eleven/twelve-year-olds with potty humor.

“‘The emperor’s daughter had such toys . . . ’” (23). Song and Meilin were confirmed to have met as far back as the fourth book???

“Briggan sniffed the air and sneezed” (23). I love how they managed to make that sound ominous.

Chapter 4

“Abeke thought it was unforgivably stupid of these villagers to risk their children by refusing to allow a Greencloak in the village” (25). Just in the last book we were introduced to the rhino riders, who never bonded to spirit animals??? How come Abeke didn’t feel weird about them?

“Something in Abeke warned that she shouldn’t be quite so trusting, but she just didn’t believe bright smiles could hide dark hearts” (26). I talked in my very first post about how Abeke and Rollan had opposite character developments. This is a perfect example. In Hunted, Rollan mentions he doesn’t trust people that smiled brightly, because smiles could hide wicked thoughts. Here, Abeke has the opposite philosophy.  

Abeke and Rollan have opposite philosophies when it comes to respecting elders as well . . . 

ABEKE AND ROLLAN FOILS???

Why did it take me so long to realize . . . they are literally foils . . .

“Now she allowed herself to soak in that title, to feel community with the water before her . . . ” (29). It’s still strange how Uraza’s appearance makes Abeke a Rain Dancer. Leopards don’t have anything to do with water, and Uraza even hates ships and water, so how???

I like that each of the four played a part in figuring out Pia’s lie. It really cements the theme of teamwork.

“He surprised her by meeting her halfway, his arms open” (35). Shane’s so manipulative, he’s the perfect example of a toxic friendship. 

“‘Touch Abeke again and I’ll knock you flat on your stink-stained Conqueror behind!’” (35). I love how you can tell this line was said by Conor because of the awkwardness of the words. It’s not, like, smooth like Rollan? I’m not doing a very good job of explaining this-

“The panda sat calmly behind her, investigating the grass, looking entirely unthreatening, but Meilin smiled, lifted her fists . . . ” (36). Not even thirty pages ago, Meilin was complaining about how useless Jhi was? Meilin’s opinion of Jhi is so inconsistent in this book already. 

“‘You imagined punching [Shane’s] face in over and over again.’ ‘Pretty much,’ said Conor” (38). Where exactly is Conor’s hatred for Shane coming from? I know that he’s a Conqueror and whatnot, but Conor’s anger seems almost . . . targeted toward him in particular? Like they’ve also seen Tahlia and Ana, but Conor’s anger doesn’t seem to be as much for them as it does for Shane. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t like that Abeke still trusts him?

“‘[Shane] almost always keeps his spirit animal in passive state when he meets us’” (38). When have they ever met before this??? In the first book, they met during battle. “Shane’s” wolverine was out. Second book, Shane wasn’t even there. Third book, they meet during battle again? They have never met in a peaceful way before? Another plot hole?

“‘He. Is. The. Enemy’” (38). She’s . . . not wrong.

“Abeke began to question the sincerity of the smile” (40). Development.

Chapter 5

“‘I had no father, no family besides a mother who lived with a bottle in her hand . . . ’” (45). Aidana’s mother was an alcoholic???

“He thumbed a clash of old scars on his wrist and wondered if Wikerus had caused those as well” (47). Would’ve been cool if these scars had been mentioned before now as foreshadowing. Like if Rollan had a habit of tracing over them while he was worried or something, while he mentioned that he had no memory of how he had gotten them.

Aidana genuinely thought Rollan had grown up with a nice family? Huh . . . 

“Something in her face made him think she was about to lie to him” (51). Rollan literally sniffed out the fake compass before she even gave it to him or mentioned it???

Oof, Rollan was literally so close to finding out Pia’s lie.

Rollan hugging his mom and Abeke hugging Shane parallels? More fodder for the foil theory.

Chapter 6

“The idea of a family - his own family, his mother - was a greater draw than any talisman in the world” (57). This is pretty much the equivalent of Rollan admitting he would do what Conor did at the end of Hunted, isn’t it? He values his mother over a talisman. Conor valued his family over a talisman, and Rollan judged him over it.

Oop, it was in fact foreshadowing: Rollan apologizes to Conor the very next paragraph. 

“‘And that sheep joke you tell to everyone new we meet . . . ’” (57). I wonder if Conor told the sheep joke to the caribou herders.

“Certainly [the spy] wasn’t Rollan himself” (59). This feels like foreshadowing . . . the use of the words “certainly” and “himself”. 

“ . . . only a narrow channel of the sea separated Eura from Arctica” (59). That’s not what it looks like on the map??? This is the second time the map has seemed inaccurate.

I’ll bet anyone that the creature that just tried to capsize the boat was a- *lowers voice* -walrus.

Huh, only Marked people can live up North? That’s a detail I don’t remember. 

THEM THINKING A REGULAR POLAR BEAR WAS SUKA, I CAN’T-

“He turned, feeling surprisingly hurt . . . ” (66) and “He tended to keep Meilin in the corner of his eye a lot lately” (67). *obnoxiously* Ooooooooh. 

Aw, Rollan-Essix brother-sister relationship! (Though that is somewhat creepy.)

With the way the four are describing food, they honestly could be writers. 

“This was not a street crew, ready to abandon him at the first sign of trouble” (73). This book is very much a Rollan book, just like Hunted was a Conor book. 

“Essix stayed on his shoulder for the rest of the day” (74). SLAY.

Rollan witnesses Aurora Borealis!

Chapter 7

“To Abeke, family meant a father and a sister who lived in the same house, ate with her, scolded her, wished her different” (77). Abeke’s clearly unreciprocated love for her family is so sob-worthy.

“In one way, a boy her own age was rubbing her foot and that made her want to dig a hole to crawl in and die” (78). Not one page ago, Abeke referred to Conor as like a “brother”. 

Also, I still believe in Conor-Abeke queerplatonic supremacy.

“‘What camp? How?’ Rollan said. ‘We’re on the side of an ice mountain!’ Tarik handed him what looked like a nail used to build a house for a giant” (79). I think Conor should have been the one to suggest this, just like he was the one to suggest doing something similar during the first book. 

“‘Rollan, use the Slate Elephant!’ . . . ‘It’s in my pack’” (81). That seems incredibly stupid, when you consider that during a crevasse fall, Meilin lost her pack. They could easily lose the talisman. Instead they should do what Abeke did in Blood Ties and knot it tightly around their necks.

I didn’t realize how treacherous the icy cliffs and crevasses were during my first read-through. It does make the compass reveal even more excruciating. 

Chapter 8

Conor has the energy to sing a whole-ass song while he’s literally starving and freezing? Respect. 

“And the morning they ate the last rations of food, someone began to cry” (87). This is actually so heartbreaking.

It’s funny how fast Conor thinks of the fox as food, then as a destination.

“So the four of them followed the hunters . . . ” (91). Four? Seems like a mistake. There should be six. 

“‘Mine could take yours,’ Abeke whispered. ‘No way. Dog beats cat,’ said Conor” (91). Good to see them acting their age again.

“It might have sounded to her like he hated the task, but he really just didn’t want her to get frostbite again. He cringed behind his fur collar and waited” (92). Awkward Conor superiority.

“ . . . the violence of the hunting bothered him” (93). Didn’t he kill sheep as a shepherd, though?

LMFAO the seal-eating woman’s seal spirit animal.

Okay, so only four of them went? Meilin and Maya stayed back? Why?

Tarik singing about the seal brains makes me wonder if this is the first time that the authors had thought about a second series. We’ve already had two references to events that take place in the second series, which are Meilin’s reference to Song, and Tarik’s songs. Both appear in this book, which makes me think that the authors were hammering out their final plan for the second series while writing this book.

Chapter 9

This book definitely has longer chapters than the others. 

Abeke using her wits to find the location of the hidden Ice City based on the location of the villages is honestly so cool of her.

“Besides, it would feel really great to be a hero for once, to run back to camp and let everyone know she’d found Suka!” (101). I usually hate characters that try to be the hero and take on a bigger burden than they can handle when no prior experience shows that they have any skill to back up their cockiness. But Abeke’s ability to find the location of the Ice City is test enough, so I feel this is an okay action. 

“Abeke let the corner of her mouth rise a little. Meilin’s smile twitched in response” (103). Abeke and Meilin bonding without even a word is actually so slay of them.

The frozen city has frozen people??? I don’t remember this-

Chapter 10

“She believed in their mission” (113). Meilin has gone through so much development already. At the beginning she didn’t believe in the talisman hunt at all. 

“‘I’ll carry your pack for three days if you lick it.’ ‘Boys,’ Meilin muttered” (114). Hey, that’s actually a solid deal. Also Rollan and Conor's relationship! Mended! Also also, they’re acting their age again!

Chapter 11

Great Beast Essix! Slay!

“Essix’s talons seized him again, this time by the coat on his shoulders” (120). Why doesn’t Essix just toss Rollan onto her back? That’s so much more stable and leaves her with two free talons. 

“‘Jhi’s a panda!’ Meilin yelled. ‘A panda bear! . . . ’” (123). Honestly, the logic fits the age group. 

“They ran in lockstep, side by side the whole way, her hand in his” (125). Awwwwwww. 

Chapter 12

“My father’s death weakened me, she thought vaguely” (126). Not according to Abeke: “ . . . since her father’s death, Meilin seemed to be pure, quivering energy” (106). 

Jhi-Suka bear bonding! 

“‘When a healer joins a war, all should take notice . . . ’” (129). So true. 

“‘We Great Beasts have a stewardship over Erdas . . . ’” (131). So Great Beasts are supposed to protect Erdas, not just be godlike figures? I badly want a fic of the Four Fallen returning to their original states and talking about their time being bonded to humans. 

Meilin had a panda stuffed animal??? Why? First book Meilin seems like she’d have a tiger or ox stuffed animal instead?

“But when Rollan said ‘us,’ she heard ‘you and me’” (134). Rollan and Meilin are going strong without even being official.

“She bowed to him . . . ” (134). Something, something, this is symbolism for how Meilin sees Rollan as an equal instead of as underneath her now, something, something.

Chapter 13

ROLLAN THOUGHT A WALRUS WAS A DOG . . . *sounds of laughter* *sounds of choking* *sounds of heavy breathing*

“‘And how are we going to get supplies for our journey out of here?’” (139). I was literally thinking the same thing.

“‘If you two are done playing kissy-face’” (141). Real. Also, I imagine an eyebrow wiggle to accompany the statement.

Chapter 14

Chapters are getting shorter again.

“Maya flushed. ‘Thank you, but to me, what you do, what all of you do, is magic’” (142). I lowkey forgot Maya existed up until this point? Is that bad? She doesn’t contribute too much to conversations and I only remembered she existed during the fight with Suka. 

This last minute attempt to build a connection with Maya feels like the writer is intentionally trying to prepare us for what happens to her next. I think a better way to execute this would’ve been to have Maya joke with them here and there during their journey, maybe save their lives a couple times and think of some ideas to get them out of tough situations as the four did. Spread out through the book, it would’ve felt more natural and emotional when Maya’s injuries take place. But it feels rushed trying to build a practically brand-new relationship just before the climax.

“‘I never really get too cold anymore . . . ’” (143). An example of this is how we’re just finding out more about Maya’s powers more than 80% into the book.

I wonder if Meilin could’ve sleepwalked out of the Great Bamboo Maze. Gerathon wouldn’t’ve let her spy die, would she? It would’ve been interesting, except for the fact that Gerathon probably had no idea how to navigate the maze, either.

“‘ . . . the sun rises everywhere on Erdas . . . ’” (145). Conor has two kinds of lines: awkward lines and banger lines. 

CONOR’S DREAM. HA. 

Chapter 15

“ . . . for fear of losing a finger to the thing’s inevitable teeth” (149). LOL. This book is definitely a relationship building one. There are so many silly scenes, like the otter attack and Conor’s dream.

“‘I’m sorry to take your life, friend. My . . . my family here needs your meat to survive. I took a shot I knew was true and would give the least amount of pain. Thank you; in your death you have saved our lives’” (152). THE PARALLELS. The parallels to first book-first chapter Abeke.

Huh. They successfully get off Arctica and make it to Northern Eura??? I don’t remember that . . . 

“‘This is a bad idea,’ Conor growled. ‘That guy is a weasel’” (156). He’s not wrong . . . Shane is ridiculously manipulative.

“‘I want to punch that guy in the face’” (156). This is the second time Conor has expressed a specific desire to punch Shane in the face. I think he should go for it. It would be pretty satisfying. (Yes, Shane is still my favorite character, but I do think Conor deserves a chance to punch him in the face.)

“‘We will return Uraza, after we have cut her from the Niloan’s flesh. Perhaps the Greencloaks can bind the wound and make the union fresh, if you are quick about it’” (158). This is possible??? Also this talk of breaking and reunifying Abeke and Uraza . . . seems like foreshadowing. This is the third reference we’ve had to possible events in the second series.

“ . . . [Conor] rammed his shoulder into Shane’s middle, knocking him away from Abeke” (158). It’s not a punch in the face, but I guess it’ll do.

Rollan accidentally possibly killing Tahlia’s frog is hilarious. Like he didn’t even mean to, he just stepped on it and it went splat.

Chapter 16

“Shane had promised he could get the Conquerors to leave in peace if they traded him the Crystal Polar Bear for the Iron Boar” (161). It’s still unclear whether Shane truly meant to do this. Did he send Ana and Tahlia to receive the talisman to distract them? Was he actually holding Abeke’s arm to cut Uraza out of her? He did yell “Wait!” but it was unclear which side he was talking to. I don’t think Shane would’ve willingly hurt Abeke . . . 

“‘Are you okay? You’re bleeding,’ he said, pointing to her right temple with a finger that looked like it had been bitten by a crocodile” (162). Realistically, I know Shane would never release his thirty-foot long crocodile in an open battle like this . . . but that seems to be what this is hinting at?

It’s unclear to me whether Shane is trying to stop the arrows . . . or giving the order to shoot them. Obviously, Abeke thinks he’s trying to stop them, but she sees him as good and pure, always.

“A great maned lion pounced” (165). So with Bile, you can bond to animals the same species as a Great Beast?

“The Zhongian . . . ” (166). The Zhonigan??? Thought it was Zhongese? Is this a typo?

“‘Louder!’ Tahlia spat” (166). Does Tahlia enjoy war or something?

“‘STOP IT!’ the voice shrieked . . . ” (168). I’m pretty sure it’s Maya, but I’m not sure?

Chapter 17

“‘FORM UP!’ [Shane] shouted” (171). So it is possible that Shane was giving orders to shoot arrows, not trying to stop them? (Still not sure, though.)

“‘Someone in your party told the Devourer you had Suka’s talisman and where you would cross back into Eura . . . ’” (172). She referred to the Devourer as the Devourer, not the Reptile King. Does that mean she left the Conquerors?

“‘Not with Shane, not with the Greencloaks, let’s just go somewhere and be a family . . . ’” (172). So she did leave the Conquerors. I wonder what she saw to make her leave?

Wow, Rollan actually goes with her? He actually abandons his friends for a hot minute?

I forgot Gerathon’s control turned the controlled’s eyes yellow. 

Aidana asks Rollan to kill her??? I don’t remember this in the slightest.

The way the whole section after Aidana is written makes it so obvious Rollan is in shock. The style changes??? I don’t know how to describe it but it was great.

I kind of want a single Tarik perspective chapter. Just one. 

Rollan and Meilin are kind of foils, too, in how they dealt with loss. Rollan just shut down, while Meilin let it fuel her. 

Passive state Essix . . . yayyyyy . . . 

Final thoughts and rating:

I think this is the best book yet. It’s definitely a relationship-building book, which are set up so perfectly to be torn apart in the next book with the knowledge that someone is working against them. Set in the middle, it’s also a turning point for the direction of the series. Rollan’s relationship to his mom being explored and almost convincing him to abandon the Greencloaks was a good choice, showing that everyone has a weak spot. The Bile’s healing power and consequences being revealed in the same book was also a good choice. The way the trek through Arctica is written to be this long, impossible, treacherous nightmare felt like it enhanced the story and the betrayal that came with it. Rollan’s shock after almost getting killed by his mother was written so well. Conor’s hatred for Shane almost reads like jealousy? I don’t know how else to describe it. He seems to hate Shane more than the other Conquerors and appears to want him dead more than the others. The kids acting their age was also a nice touch, which I enjoyed a lot.

I thought Maya was a good addition, but the way they used her was a waste, in my opinion. As I mentioned, I think it would’ve been better to have her try to form a bond with the team over several small moments rather than one long conversation with just Abeke right before the climax. That was definitely a cop-out and I didn’t like the way it was done. Meilin’s thoughts about Jhi are wildly inconsistent and feel manufactured, almost? I’d also thought that Rollan had forgiven Conor during Blood Ties when the four had their moment, but apparently they decided to scrap that for a whole other plotline, which was . . . questionable, in my opinion. 

Rating: 9/10

P. S. Rollan and Abeke foils may be something I explore in a later post. 

P. P. S. I think I'm getting better at this! Personally, I think I see an improvement in quality between my Blood Ties reread and this one.

[hecku-luna]

30 Day Danganronpa Challenge but April is pretty far away and I can't slowburn for shit so here we go!!

(Spoilers for the entire Danganronpa series, obviously)

1. HIMIKO!!!

2. Either Teruteru, Kazuichi, or Haiji. Genuinely awful people. (Hifumi is disgusting too, but at least he tries(?) to keep it to 2D only. I guess.)

3. All of them!! Yes, ALL of them!!

4. Definitely gotta go to Gundham. Considering he's one of the only good ones lmao

5. If she didn't get killed off in the first fucking chapter, Kaede would be an absolute lock. But Shuichi's good too, at the very least compared to the other protags. I would say Komaru too, but she called Haiji's creepy ass tendencies "attractive," so...

6. I had to think for a good minute about whether I could reasonably say I like any of the other characters that fit the antagonist mold than the obvious and overplayed. But. Fuck it, it's like they say! It's always Junko!

7. CHIYOMIKO!!!!!

8. Straight ships in general tbh, but ESPECIALLY involving Hifumi, Teruteru, Kazuichi, or Haiji

9. You could not pay me to care about the interactions between two men

10. If I HAD to pick a favorite straight ship, gun pointed to my head and bombs strapped to my family and loved ones... I guess Saimatsu isn't the worst. Can I go now, Jigsaw?

11.

12. See #7 UwU

13. V3. As long as I pretend chapter 6 doesn't exist

14. CHIHIRO!!!! 🏳️‍⚧️

15. HIYOKO!!!! 👘

16. HIMIKO!!!! 🪄

17.

18. It's kind of a tossup between Ultimate Programmer and Ultimate Artist, as those are THE most important things to my goals of creating my own video games

19. Probably Gundham's for the emotional weight of it. There's just... something about seeing the Four Dark Devas of Destruction's reaction to the execution of their master that made me sad the first time I saw it.

20. If this is like favorite OST overall? Probably V3's anyway? But if we're talking favorite song... LET'S START THE KILLING GAME!!!

21. HIYOKO IN A HEARTBEAT

22. Gundham's, for the reasons listed in 19. He's also the only guy in the SDR2 cast that I can confidently say I like, so that also had part in it

23. The DR3 girl with the Pikachu hoodie and homophobia in her eyes

24. ALL OF THE GIRLS HONEST TO GOD. But surprisingly enough, I think I'd go with Hiyoko first and foremost cause I can see us starting so much shit together lmao

25. I'm gonna assume this is weak as in relating to the narrative, so I'm gonna go with Kurokuma. Like, did he even do anything? At all? I mean, it's been a while since I've sat through UDG, but I genuinely do not remember him contributing to anything besides half-baked comic relief

26. Gonna get controversial here. My candidates are Makoto, Ishimaru, Hajime, and Keebo. Whichever one makes people the most upset, that's my pick

27. Oh, y'all are gonna hate me for this one. Himiko. She had some GROWTH, she went through some SHIT, and she still lived to tell the tale. To any of y'all who say she didn't deserve it, I hope your favorite character in Kodaka's next project gets killed immediately.

28. Okay this one was actually easier than i thought it would be. Ibuki for sure! She lives and breaths the 2000s, how could I not wanna dress like her every day if I had the option?

29. Again, HIMIKO!!!

30. I'm starting to think there's a theme here...

-------------

And with that, my Danganronpa opinions are out in the open for the public to scrutinize every last detail of! Here's my faves made in Pony Town as treat for making it this far ^w^

[fanfictionismyaddiction]

Now I’m in the last of us

A young woman wakes up in the last of us not knowing what will happen after she only watched two episodes. How will she survive the apocalypse? And will she find Joel and Elli?

AU of the last of us.

read on wattpad

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Chapter 1.

When I got home from a full day of work, I cooked myself a nice plate of pasta having the recipes from one of the TikTok videos I watched the day before. After that doing my full-face routine so that it wouldn't matter if I would make it to bed or just crash on the couch as it happened more often than I would like to admit.

I was now pretty invested in the series even though I still didn't know what was happening. But I wanted to know what was happening. At the end of the second episode, I was pretty tired but still wanted to know how it would go on. Letting the auto-play let run through so that the next episode would start. Ellie and Joel were just making their way to frank and bills house when I noticed my eyes getting heavier and heavier.

When I woke up, I noticed immediately that something wasn't right. The first thing I noticed was the smell in my apartment. I turned on my couch and had to sneeze. When my eyes opened everything was full of dust. The paint peels off the walls and my bowels with my snacks smelled awful. I still had my skims on and was clean like the day before but everything else around me looked like it wasn't touched in decades. It was weird and I was thinking that this must be a dream, or I was turning crazy.

Maybe I did work too much? Or my brain was just exhausted? I don't know but whatever I just have to find out what's happening. I walk over to my window looking out to the street where it also looked like in the series. What the hell? It can't be possible that I was actually transported into the series like it often happens in fanfiction where a crazy person writes that some random person is transported into their favorite series just to fall in love with their favorite character.

I mean, first of all, I don't know what's happening in that series and second of all I don't have a favorite character. So please someone explain to me what's happening.

But there's no one here. Not a single person is in that got dam building. I tried looking for my neighbors but every apartment on my floor was abandoned.

My own apartment still looked the same as it did only hours before only full of dust and like it wasn't touched in the last 20 years. I still had all my gadgets like my MacBook my iPhone and all the other stuff it just didn't work anymore. The weirdest thing is that the apartments of my neighbors look like from the beginning of the 2000s. which is especially weird because I myself am only 23 so seeing things that I grew up with is super strange.

I am sitting on my bed holding my legs to my chest crying not knowing what the hell I am supposed to do. The whole day just went over with me sitting on my bed looking out of the window now and then. When evening came, I just laid there till sleep or exhaustion came I'm not sure which it was. I only hoped that my mind was playing games with me, and I would wake up again and everything would be the same as it was before.

When I woke up again this new reality was still around me. I screamed. Ugly tears were running down my face. It felt like I didn't even go to sleep. I didn't drink or eaten anything the day before and the crying most likely didn't help my condition. I went to the kitchen hoping that I had something to eat. Right at that moment I deeply regretted not buying any cans of food like I did when I was a student but no. Two days before I got to this new reality being healthy and doing sports being a fucking stick was the goal not just for me but for a lot of women so yes, I tried to eat as little as possible so that I wouldn't have so much fat on me. I'm not skinny per se but also wouldn't say I'm thick or anything just your normal body type but fortunate enough to have good genes so I was well proportioned. But yes, society still made me try to get skinnier and skinnier. But I often failed. I'm one of the people that wouldn't easily lose pounds but if I only breath around a cake I would gain a few pounds. Thinking about that now seems super ridiculous.

If I really am in the last of us that is. I still haven't seen one of the zombies or whatever they are called. The most I know about them is from the two episodes I watched and the walking dead. But what I could gather from the few episodes is that those two fandoms are completely different and that the zombies from the last of us are way worse and much more dangerous. Well, congratulations to me, I guess.

I found one can of beans being grateful that I still had something. After eating that I tried the sink I was astound that it actually still worked so I had a glass of water to hydrate myself. Afterwards I tried gathering things so that I would even have a chance of survival. Deciding that I couldn't stay here in my apartment forever.

I found out that apparently one of my neighbors was preparing for the end of the world they had a bag and all the things that you would need to survive this hell.

I never thought that after covid I would actually have to be prepared for the end of the world only thinking that the end was quarantine which didn't prepare me for things like that. In quarantine being lonely was the only thing that was hard. But I have to say even then I didn't feel as lonely as I do now. Back then there were still people around me now there was no one.

I gathered all that I could find having a few rations of food for the trip. Even though I still didn't know where to go but I thought it would probably be safer outside of the city than not being able to see what was lurking around the next corner. I also found a knife, a backpack, a lighter which was almost empty, and a gun which I found behind the back wall of a closet. I never in my life used a gun but every guy in apocalypse movies or series had one so I would probably have to use one too. But for now, I didn't actually want to use it, being that it is more likely that I would harm myself rather than the person or zombie I would try to use it on. Maybe I could use it as a threat to people if it ever came to this situation. They wouldn't have to know that I don't know how to use it. Now the only difficulty would be to actually get out of the city. Searching my closet for some clothing that I could use was also a thing. I decided to do some good old fashion layering. Putting on a black sports bra from VS, a black cropped t-shirt from Chanel, an oversized hoodie from harry styles merch, some black cargo pants from Lv, my black buffaloes and I still had my gold jewelry on that I got from my grandma. I know that these clothes might not be the best for the end of the world, but they were the only things I had. After I started working and actually working my way up the job ladder, I had enough money being able to buy designer clothing. Which as you can tell I really did.

Next, I got two water bottles for the way. I started my descent from my apartment. I lived on the 10th floor. I tried to be as quiet as I could be, not knowing what will wait for me when I'm outside. Getting to the ground floor I open the double doors that just a few days ago were always opened by the friendly portier Freddy. He was a lovely older man that was like a grandfather always asking how I was and if I need anything and actually meaning it which made it easy for me to really love him in a paternal way. But now he wasn't here anymore, and I made my way outside. I walked down the street making my way outside of the city. I was fascinated by the different plants that were able to make their way through the tarmac. Maybe that wasn't the most intelligent way though it was beautiful I quickly realized that I really had to watch where I'm going. Just a few centimeters before me there was this trail of cordyceps like I had seen in the series where Joel tolled Ellie to watch out it also was already dead, but it also could have been still alive.

When I turned onto the last street that would lead me to the outskirts of the city, I saw the first person since I got to this god-forsaken reality. I ran to this person; I didn't think in that moment just being happy to see another person but as I made my way nearer and nearer, I realized that this human wasn't human at all. They turned in my direction making me able to see into their face. I got slower and slower till I finally came to a stop. I didn't know what I should do now, but they came nearer and nearer and at a speed that I never would have thought a zombie could move. I tried to get my knife out of my pocket at the side of my pants really panicking now that I wasn't able to do it as fast as I would like to. I had the knife in my hand, but it was still protected which was good because I didn't know how to use it but at this moment, I just wanted to use it as fast as possible. The zombie jumped onto me making me lose the knife on the ground while the both of us also fell. I was able to keep their face far away from my body while also searching with the other hand for the knife. My fingertips were able to make contact with the knife, but I wasn't really able to get to it. The zombie was getting more aggressive when I finally got the knife in my hand. Trying to gather all of my strength I punched the knife through the skull of the zombie using full force. Luckily it stopped moving but now the full weight was laying on me. Making my way from out below the zombie I was glad that my survival instincts kicked in. I didn't really get how I survived this, but I was glad that I was now still breathing even if it was very heavy.

After a break trying to catch my breath again, I walked on and found a brick on the side of the road. After finding some fuel and short-circuiting it (I once saw a video on TikTok on how to do this) I was able to make my way much quicker through the city and over to the suburbs of Lincoln, Massachusetts.

[dingbatnix]

Warden

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Dream reference

So like, Warden hybrid Dream stuff. We need more of it, both here and on ao3, and after finding out that the concept existed a couple months back, I went on a search to read any and all fics about it. There were only like 23 : (

Very sad, yes, but I had a splurge of inspiration and began to write this! So, those of you who enjoy warden!Dream, come get y'all Juice!

Also, this is gonna have multiple chapters n'stuff.

Ah! I forgot! Thank you to @da3dm for proofreading!!

(Btw, qué la chingada means what the fuck)

Word Count: 2,084

Warnings: Description of transformation, Violence, Blood, Mentions of torture, Mention of injury, ect.

His mask broke with a bone-chilling crack, and with it shattered his last secret, his last hope of surviving. The enchantments laced into the cool white porcelain that kept it firmly stuck to his face fractured, revealing, pale, milky green eyes, his scarred, fear-scrunched nose, his bared lips that barely covered long, sharp teeth, and most terrifying of all, the enchantment that suppressed all of his hybrid features vanished.

Cold terror washed through Dream when he felt the masking enchantments fade, felt the scraping, creaking sensations as his antlers regrew, as his ears sprung out, as all of his hybrid features materialized back onto his body.

His chest cracked and fissured as it split, followed by a repeated crunching when his ribs broke and poked out in a spiky cage protecting his organs. Dream's booming-drum heartbeat filled the tiny space of the cell, pounding through every other little scuff and scrape of fabric against obsidian and echoing firmly in his newly-sensitive eardrums.

His long, thin, tufted tail tore through his suddenly too-short pants and slithered out behind him, immediately curling fearfully around his lengthening, thickening legs. His arms stretched longer, sticking out from the already torn sleeves of his prison uniform, while his hands grew bigger and gained vicious-looking claws on the end of each of his fingers. The seams of his shirt strained, and a few even popped, when his shoulders broadened and his torso thickened, stretching the thick fabric to the max.

He even grew a full two feet taller, now towering an entire head over Quackity, even as he was on his knees.

"Oh, Christ!" Quackity recoiled, yanking his arms away from Dream's shifting body. Horror and disgust was smeared all over his face, and his shark-like teeth were bared defensively.

"¡¿Qué la chingada?!” The avian stepped back a few paces, eyes wide as he stared at Dream’s true form. He sputtered, obvious shock coloring his tone. “What the–wha–Are you a fucking warden?”

The avian's eyes danced sickeningly over Dream's body, obviously not needing an answer from the prisoner.

A slick smile slowly spread across his torturer’s face, like hot lava spreading over the ground, as obvious thoughts and ideas started to pool in his head. Quackity stepped closer, fingers twitching as he stared at the trembling figure of his victim. His gaze suddenly latched onto Dream's dull eyes, and a frown creased his brow.

"Wait," Quackity yanked the hybrid's head down with a hand on his chin, peering sharply at Dream's face. Dream forced his eyes to go vacant, hoping, no, praying, that Quackity hadn't seen him actually seeing.

"Are you actually blind?" The avian questioned incredulously. He jerked Dream's head closer, inspecting the cloudy orbs in Dream's eye sockets. "Like, actually, like a full warden?"

Dream managed a choked whine, panic and gut-wrenching fear twisting his throat until it felt like he was being strangled. 

"Answer me when I speak to you, Dream." His torture's tone turned his blood to ice, and he had to stop himself from shuddering.

"Y-y-ye-es," he finally managed to stutter out. Terror was clogging his throat, clogging his airways, and he could barely breathe. Dream was vaguely certain that he was going to pass out.

"Yes, what, Dream?" Quackity curled a hand around one of Dream's thick antlers and yanked, painfully wrenching Dream's head at an awkward angle. 

Dream yelped, stuttering out a weak "y-yes, Sir," and God, he hated it, hated being so easy to bend, hated being so submissive, but it had been beaten into him, and he didn’t think he’d ever get the opportunity to even try to recover from breaking and try being himself ever again.

Of course, Dream wasn't actually blind, like his fully blooded cousins. His eyes were just naturally dull and cloudy.

But…he'd been threatened with being blinded before, before he got the hiding enchantments on his mask, because he was half-warden and his tormentors thought it would be funny. Ironic. He'd gotten out of that situation unscathed, but…here, with Quackity? There was no getting out, here. Quackity could blind Dream, if he wanted. There was no one to stop him. Hell, now he might just gouge Dream's eyes out, just because he thought Dream was blind and didn't need them. Dream hoped and prayed that it wouldn't come to that. Hoped Quackity wouldn't think of that.

"How the hell have you been doing all the shit you've done, then? If you’re fucking blind?" His torturer hissed suspiciously, using the hold he had on Dream’s antler to tug him closer. Dream suppressed a whimper, and, shockingly, an irritated growl. Where the hell had that come from?

"E-echolocation. Hearing. Sm-smell." Dream blurted out the first possibilities that came to his mind, desperate to sell his newest bid for just a tiny, tiny chance of hope that Quackity would believe him.

"You've been smelling us?!" Quackity exclaimed incredulously. His grip slid from the antler, releasing Dream from the painfully awkward angle. "That's fucking creepy!" He took the bait, blindly believing Dream's lie. 

The avian's nose wrinkled, but he moved on all the same, eyes roving over Dream's antlers and ears, then moving down to his chest, where a soft teal glow was filtering through the overly stretched material of his shirt. The avian's hand moved to pluck at one of the wooden buttons, all of which were straining to keep both sides of the fabric together. Dream flinched.

Quackity dragged his fingers down the front of his bright orange shirt and tugged at it. Dream's heart sped up, the harsh sound echoing heavily around the small space of the obsidian cell. Quackity heard his pounding heart and almost seemed to brighten, a horrible shine lighting up his single working eye.

With a horrible tearing sound, the front of Dream’s shirt was ripped open, taking away the last of the hybrid’s weak protection against his torturer. Panic overtook Dream, and he scrambled back, as far as he could until his spine was pressed against the wall, but it was no use. Quackity followed determinedly after him, a wicked, overeager smile curling over his scarred lips as his eyes danced over Dream’s exposed chest.

The avian ran his fingers down his exposed ribs, fingernails scraping sickeningly against the bare bones as he seemed to admire Dream’s unprotected insides. Dream could see the cold glint of greed in Quackity’s eyes, and it truly scared him. 

Wardens were hard to kill, and that made their drops valuable. It made their antlers, their claws, their hearts, even their teeth, any little bits of their body that people could get their hands on, incredibly sought after. That meant–that probably meant that Dream, in Quackity’s eyes, was now nothing more than possible revenue. So, damn right Dream was scared. He had just been reduced from 'plaything' to 'merchandise.'

A cold finger prodded at one of his lungs, eliciting a sharp, choked yelp out of Dream from the almost jolting sensation against his delicate flesh. Another sharp jolt, more poking fingers, and then Quackity sucked in an awed gasp.

“Holy shit,” Quackity murmured, hooking a finger around one of Dream’s ribs and tugging at it. Dream leaned forward obediently despite his terror, silently cursing himself for the mindless action. His torturer’s next words almost had him suffocating, the weight of his own fear almost too much for him to even breathe. “Is that–That’s your heart,” Quackity breathed, as if Dream didn’t know his own body. "Like, actually your heart." The glow of his pulsing heart bathed his torture's face in a sickening teal light. The color was usually beautiful, comforting even, to Dream, but now it was twisted horribly, pulling ugly shadows on Quackity's scarred, eager face and clashing horribly with the light the wall of lava caging them in provided. 

Dream whimpered, flattening his ears and turning his head away as Quackity's hand inched nearer and nearer to his most important organ, the thing that fucking kept him alive. His heartbeat, already unhealthily fast, sped up to the point of pain. The booming, staccato thud seemed to drown out every other sound in the cell, and it was the only thing that Dream could hear. 

When Quackity’s fingers finally brushed against the frantically throbbing muscle, something in Dream reared its head up from some recently-buried part of his mind. Something dark, feral, and Wild. 

A heavy, twisted growl poured out of his throat, and suddenly, he was gripping his torturer’s wrist with a fist of thick, heavily armored claws so harshly that Dream could hear the man’s bones crack.

Quackity shrieked, both in pain and indignation, and then there was a netherite sword being swung at Dream’s skull. Dream tilted his head and let the deadly blade sink into his antler with a sharp tunk! His furious growl built up louder, and he used Quackity’s arm to brace himself as he pushed himself to his feet. There was an audible snap of bones, and Quackity’s screamed curse rivaled the volume of Dream's own feral vocalizations. Dream stretched up to his full height and was forced to hunch, suddenly too tall for the small cell when his antlers and shoulders scraped against the ceiling. The netherite sword was torn from Quackity’s grasp when he stood, too firmly lodged in Dream’s antler for it to be easily ripped free.

Quackity, meanwhile, was screaming into the ceiling for Sam to “Get him the fuck out of here!” and had pulled out a shield with his uninjured left hand.

Dream’s grasp on Quackity’s arm slipped off when the warden hybrid reached up to tear the sword from his antler, and it was thrown to the side with a metallic clatter. His torturer was backing away with the shield raised, eyes widened comically as they followed the path of his sword.

Suddenly, Dream pounced, diving towards the avian like a large, enraged bear. His clawed hands crashed through the avian’s shield, the brute power driving the blow crushing the rectangle of wood like a mallet to a block of butter and continuing to cleave a nasty series of deep gashes across the man’s side and stomach. Quackity had managed to turn, just in time, to avoid the potentially fatal blow, but was not fast enough to dodge it completely.

The thick scent of blood filled the cell, mixing in with the burning stench of molten rock and the lingering, heady smell of healing potions from the past sessions the avian had held with Dream. Quackity cursed again and stumbled away, shaking off the splintered remains of his shield and backing up to the bright, blinding orange of the lava wall.

“Go to the corner!” Sam shouted through the intercom, confusion audible in his voice. “What the hell’s going on in there?” Quackity didn’t deign to answer, seeing as their huge, furious, half-warden prisoner was currently attempting to eviscerate him.

Dream was too lost in his panic-driven instincts to rely much on thought and logic, so when he lunged towards Quackity with a bloodcurdling roar and outstretched hands, he didn’t think much of it when the avian dove underneath him and scrambled to the shallow pool of water in the back corner of the cell.

Dream’s hands dipped into the lava, to no effect other than a warm, almost burning heat surrounding his fingers, but he paid it no mind. He spun around, splatters of burning lava flying from his hands, and latched his focus back onto Quackity. The man was pressed into the corner, standing in the shallow pool of water meant for respawning in. 

The avian's thin chest heaved, and his unbroken hand was clutching at the wall behind him. He had nothing to defend himself with, a fact that made something inside Dream coil with pleasure.

His torturer had nowhere to go.

Dream lunged, and Quackity disappeared in a rain of potions and shattering glass. Dream smashed against the wall with an earth-shaking screech, deadly claws raking chips in the rough obsidian blocks. His assailant, his prey, had escaped. A displeased snarl had him baring long, razor sharp fangs, and his tail thrashed angrily behind him.

His inexplicable fury died out suddenly, leaving Dream feeling weak and strangely empty. He slid down to the ground, body shaking, and curled over his legs with a whimper.

What had just happened? What had he just done? Oh God, Quackity was going to kill him for real now.

Dream wanted to throw up.

He was so fucked.

[blackypanther9]

Loki x Reader -> Killer Love

WARNING!: Sexual jokes, mention of intercourse, mention of murder, blood & Gore, cutting open bodies AND MORE ! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!

CHAPTER 2

The handy rang. Destiny huffed in annoyance, but started to smile brightly as she saw Wanda’s name and number. She picked up.

„Heya Wanda ! What do you need ?“, she asked.

„Hi Dest ! Uhm…listen…About today and our meeting…“

„You can’t come, right ? Too much work again…“

„No, no ! Not that !“

„Then what is it ?“

„My…my friend Loki, wants to meet you. Dr, Loki Laufeyson. He is a coroner.“

„Why does he want to meet me ?“, she asked darkly.

„Well…he was interested in you. I know you hate men, but believe me, Loki is different. He hates women, since one played with his heart as he was 15 years old and was seduced into bed. He is 23 years old. And very mature. I promise that he is.“

Destiny was deep in thoughts and after a long while she sighed defeated.

„Fine. He can come with you. But if he is acting like an imbecile, I will leave you and him behind. Mark my words.“, she threatened.

„Got it ! Trust me, you will not regret it ! And also, he looks handsome.“

„Looks are not everything a man has to own. Manners are the most important things.“, Destiny told her bored.

„Alright then ! Make yourself an image.“, Wanda groaned.

„When will we meet ?“

„How about…6 PM ?“

„Fine with me, Wan.“

„I have to tell you so much ! And I bet with you, that you will like Loki. He is cool !“

„Watch it Wan. Vision will be jealous, if he hears that out of your pretty mouth~“, Destiny teased.

„S-shut up !“, she said.

Destiny just laughed at that in humor.

„Adorable. Still didn’t get the courage to let Vision enter you with the Vision – D ?“, she joked.

„SHUT UP !!“, she yelled embarrassed.

„Oh Dear…Detective Maximoff, why are you so red in the face and yelling at the person on the phone ?“, someone asked.

„Loki ! Destiny teases me ! Help.“

There was a chuckle.

„Is she also joking about you and Vision still not having Sex ?“, he asked.

„LOKI !!“, Wanda yelled.

Loki laughed at that and Destiny did too.

„Are you done with investigating ?“, Wanda asked annoyed.

„I am not. The bodies will be moved to my…office…and then I will cut them open. Maybe I find more than just the weapon that parted the body parts from them.“

„What was it ?“

„A chainsaw.“

Wanda went pale in shock.

„A-a chainsaw ?“

„Yes. I saw it on the clear cut off bones and flesh. It was a chainsaw.“, Loki answered simply.

„OOOhhh ! Wanda has a murder case ! WHOP !! WHOP !! GO WANDA GO AND FUCK VISION FINALLY !!!“, Destiny yelled through the phone.

Wanda went red while Loki chuckled.

„Shut up…“, Wanda mumbled grumpily.

„I am not saying anything.“, Loki told her.

„Alright. I will see you two Dudes at 6 PM sharp ! Don’t be late Wanda !!“, Destiny said.

„We won’t be. Until then.“

„BYEE !“

And with that Destiny ended the call. She smiled softly at Wanda’s name and then went into her kitchen, making herself something to eat.

‚Fourth week. Author time…Man…I am stuck on the last chapter….How can I let it just end ?‘ ______________________________

The hours went by like seconds for Destiny. She didn’t know how to end her book. She did everything in her house and looked into the cloudy sky, thinking of how to end her book. But she got no ideas. Soon her handy alarmed her that she just has 45 minutes left to get ready and meet with Wanda and this…Loki guy. She sighed and got up, making herself ready and then on her very way. ______________________________

With Loki and Wanda it went not really different. The time was fast and Loki found little to nothing.

„What did you find, Loki ?“, Wanda asked him.

„They were both drugged out with K.O. drops. No hit in the head, nothing. They got separated from their limbs by a chainsaw and it was almost 10 hours and 36 minutes ago. They weren’t murdered in the forest, but somewhere else. And they were bound with ropes. The angry bruises tell you that. Chains would look differently on the skin. Nothing else. No blood, no hair, no spit…just nothing ! Like always !“

„Did you look at their eyes ? They say the eyes are mostly the key to discover more.“

Loki looked at her and hit his own forehead.

„How could I forget about that ?!“, he asked himself angrily.

He opened their eyelids, only to hear Wanda gasp in shock and Loki gave an expression of disappointment. Their eyes…were carved out of their skulls. Empty sockets.

„Well, I believe we have it to do here, with an expert. A very good expert. No evidence, no fingerprints, nothing to track the murderer down. He did a very good job.“, Loki mumbled disappointed.

„Any sperm in the woman’s body ?“

„Yes. But it is from her husband. I checked. 20 times.“

„How…?“

Loki gave her a bemused look.

„You didn‘t !“

„I did, what I had to, Detective Maximoff.“, Loki told her bored.

What did Loki do ? He cut open the man’s scrotum.

„Surprisingly he had a lot inside still.“

„What is that supposed to mean ?“

„They were at Sex, before they had a load of knock out drops in their system. Means they took a small break and drank something, then returned and were at it again, just sadly the drops took effect. It wasn’t long after they got killed. I don’t think a man is aroused at being threatened with a chainsaw death.“, he told her bemused.

„So it was planned. A break – in and then they were knocked out and dragged somewhere then shortly after that, murdered.“

„Yes. It appears so.“

„Appears ?“

„Maybe they also were at a party or something. Maybe they got drunk and then the drops came.“

„Did you find any alcohol in their system ?“

„I did. And that lots. But the strongest I found were the K.O. drops.“, Loki answered simply.

„So…either they had a party going on or they were at home and got drunk.“

„Yes. These are the only options. But I do not know more. Maybe tomorrow I will find more.“

„Alright.“

„Here. Take these reports and results to your office for now. Show them the Boss, if you have to.  Tomorrow I need them back to add things, if I find a bit more.“, Loki said and handed Wanda the documents.

She took them and nodded.

„Thank you Loki. Not just for taking your free day off and come here, but also for all the work you put into. I promise you, I will try and get the Boss to give you a vacation. You really need a few days off of your job.“

Loki gave her a small smile.

„You are most welcome. It would be very nice, if you could get him to give me a few days off.“

Then Wanda looked at her phone and the time, her eyes widened.

„Damn it ! We need to hurry now, Loki ! We have 30 minutes left, then we meet Destiny !!“, she said panicked.

Loki nodded and then walked with her to her office.

„Do you want me, to drive you home, Wanda ?“

„Could you ? It would be very nice of you.“

Loki nodded.

„Then hurry.“

And with that they storm – walked out of the building and to Loki’s car. She jumped in and Loki already put on his seatbelt. Then he started the engine and drove off.

„But you will take longer than I.“, Wanda suddenly remembered.

Loki chuckled.

„No I won‘t. I have my suit on and there is no blood on it. I am done. You need a dress or something. Something better than your work clothes.“, Loki told her amused.

Wanda blushed at that and was silent. Soon they arrived at her house.

„I will be right back.“, she told him and Loki nodded.

10 minutes later and she came back and she looked beautiful. Loki’s eyes widened in awe. She had a red dress on and a little red eye shadow.

She opened the car door and sat herself inside.

„How do I look ?“, she asked him.

„You look perfect. Vision would totally rip all of it off to get this little snack~“, Loki purred.

Wanda blushed and playfully punched Loki’s shoulder.

„Idiot…“

Loki went into full laughter at that and started the engine, driving to the place, Wanda told him to drive to. ______________________________

They were at the little Cafe first. Wanda and Loki took already a seat and had tea and coffee. 2 minutes earlier than planned.

„Thank you again, Loki. For driving me. I owe you one.“, Wanda told him.

Loki almost never drives people around in his car. Wanda knew that and was utterly grateful, that he took her and drove her home. Loki took a sip of his tea.

„No problem. Just don’t get used to it, Wanda.“, Loki said.

„I would never dare to get used to such a nice gesture. I know how much you hate people in your car, even if they were your friends. I really owe you one.“

Loki chuckled at that.

„You owe me nothing. I did it, because you are my friend and wouldn’t dare to abuse that position. I trust you enough that you will keep your hands by Vision and not suddenly swoon over me.“

„I would never dare ! I stay with Vision. Loki, your money doesn’t concern me. I like you as a good friend. Your personality is great, like everything else about you. I would be lying, if I wouldn’t say that you are also handsome as hell, but I would never part from Vision and throw myself at you. Vision is my love. My life and my heartbeat. Don’t take it personally.“, Wanda told him.

„Personally ?“

„I said it like I hate you, but…I am bad in explaining….“, Wanda mumbled.

„I understood your words. You think my personality is awesome, I also look handsome as hell, but I am not your type and you would never dare to fool me in false love with yourself, just to get on my money. You would never wish to hurt me greatly.“

„As I listened to myself…It sounded so mean towards you. I am sorry.“

Loki chuckled softly and put his arm around Wanda’s shoulders.

„I understood. I know that explaining is a huge weakness for you. You aren’t from here and you had bad experiences. I am not hurt, nor mad.“, he assured her.

She smiled and kissed his left cheek.

„Thank you for not being mad at me and understanding the actual cause, I meant.“, she said.

„Not a problem, Wanda.“

„Sometimes I ask myself, how we became good friends in the first place. I was so bad in your language and called you names, without wanting it.“, she giggled at that.

Loki laughed out loud at that.

„I must admit, I thought you lost your mind, until the Boss explained to me, that you aren‘t from here and didn’t mean any harm. That you were still learning English.“

„I am still sorry about that. Man…you were so angered at me…“

„And in the end we joked around, saved one another’s butts from the wrath of the Boss and became friends.“

„Good friends. You were my first friend, I made. Then 3 days after I had you as a friend, I met Destiny and after that…I met Vision. And we fell for one another instantly.“

Loki looked at Wanda in surprise.

„I was your first friend you made ?“, he asked.

Wanda blushed in shame.

„Well, yeah. I wanted to make up for the words I said and the pain I must have caused you. So I spent all my efforts in having you forgiving me.“, she answered.

Loki was touched at that.

„I am honored to know that, Wanda.“, he told her softly.

She looked at him and then smiled.

„I like you too, you dork.“, she said giggling.

He chuckled too at that.

„Heya Wan !“, yelled a voice in happiness.