#and like i'm tempted to just get to those and give them one solid listen but also...

[seaofreverie]

So I actually finished listening to the whole Sparks studio album discography today, with Plagiarism, which I probably would have put off still for an indefinite amount of time, but since that was the last album on the list and the new Sparks era is now imminent... felt fitting to sort of finally listen to that. So I've been thinking of making a (short-ish? lol) post and talking a (little? lol) bit about all the albums I've left off from my Sparkstember writeups because I wasn't familiar enough with them yet at the time. So that the essay collection is completed at last yay. But well yeah, big day I guess, I'm officially all caught up, after... A year and 10 months?! I take my time with things... even if I'm super into them, or maybe especially??

[the-s1lly-corner]

Flufftober prompt 24: Game night (Ben Drowned)

list here god i missed listening to nightcore, playing some songs while i write this ueueueu take me back to middle school plsplsplspls i want to go back to being whimsical and making edgy ocs plot: you and ben play some games together and try to have fun! notes: platonic post, heavy on the hcs for the admin, ben is physically inside the console for most of the fic, reader is gn, you guys are playing minecraft because the admin doesnt have much gaming experience LMAO word count: 752 cws: none

"Did you raid my house?" You asked out loud as you looked through the chests in your house. They were all empty, picked through clean. Not a single item was left. You'd be less annoyed if some dirt or cobblestone were left behind, but Ben was thorough. A static cackle pulls itself from your computer speakers.

You don't respond. This was one of the more tame things he's done in the world, at least it didn't destroy anything. You were wise to start a new world instead of opening one of your older ones, you were sure if you had your work would be left in ruins. You were tempted to join a server with him to play games...

What all would he have been capable of there?

In a single player world he's already proven to be able to build anything he wanted- and destroy anything. Large craters and random block placements from him trying to spawn and contain something, or to try to bug you as you tried to run away.

You've sworn off playing alone with him when it's dark due to him playing a well placed noise while you were focused on exploring a cave. Something Ben still holds over your head, and pouts over when you refuse to play with him in the middle of the night.

A finger taps on the keyboard as you think over your options, you could go mine for the materials again if Ben doesn't give them back. Which he probably won't, he may have full access to the creative menu- something you had tried to prevent so the both of you could work together in survival, but trying to prevent a ghost hacking your game was virtually impossible.

You couldn't kick him, either, the game didn't register him as a second player. He was simply there.

Leaning back in your chair you look up at the ceiling.

"You make playing games with you difficult, man... you know that, right?" You glance at the screen as it flickers. The graphics warp and glitch, before flickering into a solid color as a pair of hands reach forward. They feel blindly in the air in front of you, before coming down to the edge of the desk and settling, soon a head peers out.

Ben doesn't pull himself entirely out of your computer, instead remaining in the current position he was in. One that did not look at all comfortable.

Static and crackling filled the air as he remained, his eyes narrowed.

Not angry, more so annoyed.

"It's not my fault you're boring, it's a sandbox game- you can do anything and you just follow building tutorials and mine," He frowns, sticking out his tongue at you.

"It's a sandbox game meaning I'm allowed to do whatever I want," You shoot back. He hisses in response.

"We can try to find something that's more your taste, there's got to be something..." You tap your foot on the ground. You'd have to wait until he retreats back into the computer or exits it. Assuming he would let you run it properly if he returns into it.

"Minecraft's nice, maybe you could put in some mods? Like the ones the people you watch have,"

You ponder for a moment.

"Like the horror ones?"

"Yeah like the horror ones, those ones!" He grins, fingers curling tighter around your desk.

You purse your lips, and stare at him. "Only if you play survival with me, no cheating. It's not fun if I'm the only one getting chased."

"For you, but I think it's funny."

You glare at him, and reach for your mouse. "Whatever... can you move out of the way so I can look for a couple to install?"

He nods, before backing into the screen. Suddenly, he pauses and looks at you intensely, red pupils staring right into your own eyes.

"Don't add too many dweller mods, I can't stand most of those." He hisses.

You nod, knowing full well that he would take control of the computer if he saw you installing a mod he didn't like the looks of... You make a vague mental note to get a better protections on your computer, Ben clicks on just about anything that catches his eye.

He finally fully returns to the screen, leaving you in silence in a now empty world. The sound of your player picking up multiple stacks of items at the same time makes you jolt.

Ben had given you back your things.

[duelsoul]

Final thoughts after going through all the endings for Chapter 13A and Chapter 14

I actually had a lot of fun going through these knowing... Most of the context. Or at least for the Slasher/Zombie routes.

Whoever sold it as girls get to be badasses taking out zombies, god I needed that. It was so much fun playing as Nozomi, she's been out of focus for me the last couple of routes and it was great to come back to her. I wonder who has the higher head count for killing the other between the 2 of them, Nozomi or Takumi? It was cathartic regardless. And Nozomi using the poison to take out Vex'ness? Cold as ice, love it. It was also fun seeing Kurara get a chance to shine too and go full sicko mode on all the zombies. I can't say I really have a favourite amongst them all, but they're all pretty solid.

S/F however... I do have a very clear favourites. And it's the endings that give me sweet sweet vindication, though at the expense of Hiruko's happiness, sorry Hiruko.

The alternative ending to the everyone lives end (Ending 54) is finally.... FINALLY the time Eva got to break through that mind control. At the expense of watching Futurum and poor Kamyuhn burning alive, but ohoho shivers. The pure tranquil avenger fury in those lines she dropped was really good. I'm super biased though, I got Eva's route as my first ending and I just want her to get a happy end. I...don't know if that exists within the confines of the game, but dammit, I'll take what pickings I can get.

The other is the ending I probably would've gotten if I'd listened to my heart instead of my head my first run through S/F was Ending 58. Regardless, it was fun getting to take down Gie!Kako, and then just protag power through the final bits of combat. It felt true most to Takumi's character, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Funnily enough, I got all bad ends where Kako-G murders the shit out of everyone in the other bad ends, so chronologically speaking, I guess she had the last laugh lol. There were a couple of errant points in these ends where I have no idea what these link to...

The scientist lady in the silver craft who just... Collects the cured Calamity!Kako. And also hands us the material for the 'baby jar' for Shion in the Coming of Age route. Bwuh? No idea who this is. Best guess...Is this like... future Nozomi? Another outsider like the G'ie?

Then there's 'meteors fall- Nozomi's now a 'variant''. What? And very delicious to the G'ie... what what?? And the G'ie have transportation vessels that can travel through blood space and are hidden in the mountains on different timelines. Well, ok, guess we haven't tied up everything with the G'ie yet. Which... Makes sense. I haven't gone back to get all the boxes of Blessing/Calamity route ends yet. And I felt I hadn't gotten enough for me to be satisfied yet in all honesty. Kako-G and outside perspective on Takumi-G has given me a better appreciation for the G'ie in general, legitimately terrifying critters. Was happy to see that their end goal is to get to the satellite.

Lastly, it was nice to see the replacement goldfish ending for the Mystery Route get some context. I still headcanon that ending 58 the S/F crew get to head over to that route as well. That would've warmed my heart the most I think. Though I still would've liked to have seen the route casts comparing notes after escaping the time loop lol.

Sadly I think that's the end of Takumi with multiple routes of timeloop angst. I know it would've been a logistical nightmare to implement in anything more than a few routes, but it's easily one of my favourite tropes with Timelooping. I'm very tempted to do some writing with Takumi with more timeloop memories once I've gone through more routes of the game. Specifically a scenario where he purposely creates a route as close to route 0 as possible so he can try and control the outcomes... maybe with Rebellion route memories but more because I like the idea of exploring what everyone got up to 15 years into the future, and Takumi just... leave it all behind because he is fundamentally just Cannot leave things well alone. Fun parallels to Hiruko and the Slasher route since in that scenario he'd be potentially enabling Eito just like Hiruko enabled him to have the chance to go on a spree... So many ideas, but I want fuller picture of all the endings first before I commit it to paper, if at all.

I was originally going to jump into the Killing Game route next, but I accidentally started going down the Comedy route and oh boy. Having context for the start of that route with poor S/F Takumi burning alive was... Oof. I really felt that. Black comedy much.

Only at day 29 so far, but I'm back on that Sirei hate train. Why... why did you have to brainwash Eva. No I don't care if she has a bomb in her body she was planning to blow up the SDF with, you suck Sirei, back to the bottom of the tier list with you. Tsubasa, ilu but WHY did you have to undo Takumi's hard work at the beginning of the route.

And so the saga of my inane ramblings continues. I hope the Comedy Route doesn't have too many more free-time events; I want some meat, potatoes, and fish already.

[ahiddenpath]

When it comes to love, do you think "you only deserve as much as you're willing to give" is a healthy or problematic mindset?

I think, as with most things, the important thing is flexibility.

If you don't mind, for discussion purposes, I'd like to remove the word "deserve," because there isn't some kind of... Love arbiter out there, decreeing whom should receive what.

So this asks really plays with a few topics that I'm lowkey obsessed with, including boundaries and self-esteem. There's a lot to this, so I'll try my best to be organized beneath the cut.

Any time I use the word "you" in this response, it's a general you.

Many things in life have a reciprocal nature, and this isn't just true for humans! We've even seen the concept of reciprocal altruism in vampire bats! Vampire bats hunt for blood each night, and sometimes, even the most fit bat doesn't find anything. Vampire bats who share excess blood with their friends will be given excess blood when their hunt fails. These sharing bats enjoy a higher survival rate than bats who do not share!

However, even the bats can exploit each other by taking blood before a close relationship is developed, or by taking without giving back. You can read about this here! So like, there are pitfalls and nuances for reciprocation, even for vampire bats! Of course humans have a lot to navigate with it.

Personally, I think "we get what we give" is a great starting point for relationships. If you want love/attention/affection, then you should give it in a way that is respectful of the other person (and wanted by them). Reciprocity may sound cold on paper, but it's just... Kind of how things work? Think of those phrases like, "Treat others how you want to be treated," and "Teach others how to treat you by example." Most humans feel appreciation for kindness and wish to return it! Reciprocity is not nearly as calculating as it may sound.

But there are so many caveats. These things are the most simple I can think of, so I'll just knock them out:

-All humans deserve basic respect and kindness. I am taking love here to mean close individual relationships.

-Children deserve love from their families, full stop, no need to earn it or win it or whatever.

-Sometimes, everyone needs extra help, so relationships need to be flexible enough to accommodate for this. For example, I once broke my leg and was forbidden to walk for 3 months. My husband took care of pretty much everything for those 3 months, until the doctor cleared me. Pulling your loved ones through crises as much as you safely can is a key aspect of love.

In general, people won't be keen to befriend someone who wants to take more than they give from a relationship. And people can't discern that someone wants to be friends if that person doesn't approach them and slowly start building a relationship. However, Americans in the year of our lord 2023 are reporting being lonelier than ever in consensus surveys, according to PBS. I imagine, especially since the pandemic, this feeling has augmented globally.

This means that people are starving for love, like those vampire bats starve after a failed hunt. I imagine that now more than ever, people might be tempted to try to squeeze love or attention out of people around them in inappropriate ways, like bats asking for blood without intending to give back, or asking for blood from a bat they haven't formed a solid relationship yet.

If you feel that you are not receiving what you give from a relationship, it might be time to talk things out (if you feel that the other person will listen and want to work through things) or adjust how you relate to that person (if you feel that they either will not respond or will escalate). For example, just last night I was thinking about an old friend whom I stopped contacting. I would message them, they would either not respond or say hi and ignore any follow up qs I asked about them/their life. It hurt so much, because I loved them, but I opted to give that time, energy, and emotional space to people who were happy to message me back. I still miss them, but I don't torment myself anymore by messaging them and receiving just a "hi" if I'm lucky.

That, too, is reciprocation.

In short, "you get what you give" is a fantastic starting point, and it should always be a goal to repay kindness shown to you (within your ability/health/resources). But it isn't 100% realistic or possible, so we have to be flexible.

And here are some other things to consider, just because I'm so interested in these concepts.

Boundaries

Boundaries are an individual's decision about the behaviors they will or will not accept from others. Just to be clear, boundaries are always about an individual's response to behavior, and never about controlling anyone else's behavior. Thus:

Not a boundary: "You can't talk to me about x."

Boundary: "If you bring up x again, I will hang up/leave."

And one super, all-important thing about relationships is that no one can control how others feel about them, or what other people want or do not want to give them, or how other people want to express their love. People can and should discuss these things and come to a mutually satisfying conclusion, of course! But no one can control the actions and feelings of others.

What I'm saying here is that other people decide how much love to give you, or to not give you. You can shower someone with love all your waking hours, and they might reciprocate, or they might not. I've seen people try to "earn" love by being as loving and generous as possible, only to have it backfire in some way. Maybe it isn't reciprocated, maybe the other person feels that it's too much, maybe the other person even suspects an ulterior motive because of how forward/how much it is.

Conversely, you might have an acquaintance that you like but don't consider a close friend who cares about you a lot! It works both ways.

You can't control the, um, "flow" of love by being extra gracious or withholding on purpose. You can't control how others feel about you. I think the best thing to do is be honest and forthcoming, and don't force things.

Self Esteem

I'm lowkey screaming inside because I wrote a completed fanfic called Seeking Resonance where self-esteem and love are a huge theme. Koushiro has a break up from a relationship that just sort of... Mutually wasn't working out, and he's really torn up and at a low point. He starts telling himself that he isn't worthy of love, because he somehow hurts the people he cares about. Which is, of course, a massive cognitive/emotional distortion caused by a few colliding issues in his life at the time.

Eimi has an amazing line when she finds him basically drowning in his feelings. Koushiro has decided that his loved ones are better off without him, to which Eimi loses it and says something like, "We decide how we feel about you, not you."

It's so, so easy for self esteem issues to get tied up in how we love others. If our self esteem is low, we might avoid relationships, or we might give more than we can to try to "win" the love we feel we don't deserve otherwise.

I'm not a psychologist, but if your relationships feel out of whack, maybe check in with how you feel about yourself. It can be difficult to be good to others when you're not being good to yourself.

In conclusion, I personally think we should try to give back the love we receive, and to trust that love given will be returned to us in some way, all while not keeping track of these things in an exacting way. If we fail to reciprocate, others may step back from us. If someone takes too much consistently, we might back away from them. We can't control others, either by giving or withholding love.

Deciding how to allocate our time, energy, and love is an extremely difficult aspect of being human. I guess, at the end of the day, we have to give as much as we can, but also take care of ourselves when the giving balance is consistently out of whack.

Thanks for the interesting ask! <3

[samevans-wmu]

Amused by the way Frannie's sunglasses lowered Sam cutely scrunched his face into a silly smile before he carefully pinched the side of her sunglasses, careful to not smudge the lens, and raise it so it sat on top of Frannie's head. "Don't worry. I'll bring them back down. I just want to see your pretty blue eyes while we talk." Sam's fingers caressed the side of her cheek before lowering his palm to rest against the back of Frannie's neck. "You're the one who feels good. Even with you wearing more clothes than me right now..." he said with a cheeky smirk. There was a time, not too long ago, where she couldn't wait to get him out of his. "I won't lie, I've thought about dropping out of school and living on the beach. I can be a lifeguard or work the bar, even do whatever rentals they've got going on on the beach. But, I won't actually do that, no matter how tempting it is." He sighed, as if he was giving up on a life-long dream. "I think when you die that's game over. I do think our souls live on so I guess souls can dream if they're still rockin' and rollin'" There's just so much unknown when it comes to the afterlife.

"I don't mind the early wake up, babe. Besides, my body craves those endorphins and since we're not sharing a private room might as well get it by running instead fun morning sex with you." Now that would be the perfect way to get the day started. "I'm most definitely a fighter. I do very little thinking when something springs up. Jump right to action and then think later. What about you? I know you're one who likes to plan things out. How would you handle a sea monster attack?" It's such a silly scenario but Sam's taking it seriously. When the conversation veered into the whole roommates thing Sam stilled their walk and moved around to face Frannie. His hands held onto hers as he quietly listened, Sam appreciating her reassurance. "I honestly don't know. It's not like any of us can predict the future like one of those crystal ball ladies. I tell myself we're solid and as long as we keep sharing what's on our minds we'll be good. But you saying your feelings and focus are only on me does help. Just, I'm not saying it will happen. Trust me I don't want it to happen but I also want to be an adult about this because of all the times I've been burned in the past. But if you think old feelings from before resurface. Please talk to me about it." These words are hard to push out but Sam wants to make sure they have the kind of relationship where they keep nothing from each other. That if questions are asked or something comes up they'll talk it out.

He laughed at her reaction and shifted to the side so they can resume their walk. "My foot is fine! Not cut. I haven't been on a beach since I was a kid and forgot how those suckers are everywhere. " His free hand, not the one holding hers, casually thumbed over the shell she gifted him. "You should see our bathroom cabinet back home. There's a basket with a bunch of those little bottles. They're great when the big bottle's empty and you need something in a pinch." His eyes lit up at the fossil hunting idea and Sam turned to look at her. "Okay, so, if they don't got that here then I get it. I imagine whatever they've got has been picked over. How cool would it to go on an actual archaeological dig? You might accidentally unearth some kind of curse in the process but imagine the cool things you dig up." Ever since he saw Indiana Jones Sam's found the whole thing fascinating. "Oh, you texted something earlier about sea turtles. What's that about? Is that place near here?"

The nose boop caused him to scrunch his nose one more and chuckle. She's cute. Damn cute. It's one of the many things he really likes about her. But that kiss? That got a goofy grin to illuminate his features. If they could he'd lay around all day and make out with her. "Nope. I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth, put on my trunks, and hit the water. Lets get food and go over our plan for the day."

Another chuckle fell from her lips at the feeling of Sam's arms firmly keeping her within his. There was a temptation to playfully tease Sam, yet Frannie was absolutely aware that she adored the feeling of being in his arms. No way was she going to complain. Instead, she lowered her sunglasses covering her eyes down her nose an inch so that she could stare up at him properly. "You look good, by the way. And you feel good." She commented with a teasing smirk. "This beach vibe definitely suits you." Frannie couldn't help her head tilting to the side in thought as she listened, slightly amused, to Sam talking about his sleep. He had a point, after all! "This opens a lot of philosophical questions, here, Sam. Do dead people still have dreams? Do they still even go to sleep?"

"At the moment, my body is still waking up at 5am." Frannie explained with a small shrug. "Although you really don't have to start waking up at that time, I promise!" She added quickly. "We could always say that I swing by your hut at 6.30 and we go from there? That way we can catch the sunrise together. And fight any beach monsters that try to attack us. Are you a fight, flight or freeze kind of person?" As they walked, Frannie couldn't help letting out a contented sigh of happiness, the smile still imprinted firmly upon her lips. It was only the mention of her roommate situation, or reminder of what had happened, that the smile faltered a little. Her head turned to try and guage Sam's reaction, something she had been painfully aware of the night before out of a fear that he would feel uncomfortable about the situation. "Dani and I might talk to try and clear the air, a little. We might not." Her words tried to remain light, almost trying to give off an impression of apathy. But she couldn't hide it for long, and within a few seconds, Frannie then added. "You don't think there's a part of me that's still interested in her, do you? Because there's not. At all. I promise." Giving his hand a small squeeze, she looked across at Sam as they walked. "This was something that happened years ago. And besides, I'm with you. My attention and my feelings and my focus is all on you."

Her eyes widened at Sam's admission of nearly hurting himself on a shell and her rolled her eyes playfully. "Sam!" She gushed in dramatic mortification, her jaw dropping a little. "You're too spec-SHELL to hurt yourself on one of those." It felt nice to be sharing those kind of family traditions with Sam. The last time they had spoken about her family had been...a less than stellar or positive conversation, so it was nice to think about something a little happier. "Those freebies are the best, right?! There's something adorable about toiletries that are so tiny." Looking forward, out towards the beach that they were heading towards, she couldn't help letting the hand that was intertwined with Sam's start to swing, slightly, as they walked. "That sounds perfect. It doesn't have to be a shell, if you don't want to. We can make our own traditions, too." Thinking on the spot, Frannie's eyes darted around, running her tongue along her lower lip in consideration. "I'd say we could go fossil hunting within the rocks, but I'm not really sure if you'd be able to find those kind of rare treasures around here. That would've been amazing, though, right?"

Using her free hand, Frannie reached out and playfully 'booped' Sam's nose gently, before giving another sweet, short kiss against his lips. "I haven't eaten yet." She answered. "Have you?"

[loverhymeswith]

What a Wicked Game | Fourteen

[Rick Flag x OFC]

Summary: Just tender Rick with a sprinkle of angst

Word Count: 4,097 words

Warnings: Lots of fluff, language, mentions of death, suggestive language, a touch of spice

A/N: I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It was a difficult one to write, but I felt it needed to be done. Would love to know your thoughts! Also, what is it with these two and bathrooms?

Taglist: @rexorangecouny

Masterlist | Previous | Next

Angel

Angel has never shared a bed with anyone before, let alone Rick, so when she wakes in his arms the next morning it’s a revelation, the way his body curves around her with one large hand splayed across her stomach and the other tucked beneath her head. His face is buried in the crook of her neck, warm breath tickling her skin - reassuring her that he’s here; he’s alive and breathing. Something she’ll never take for granted again.

It feels like a dream, whatever this is between them. Because despite everything he’s done for her, everything he’s sacrificed, Angel never truly dared to believe that Rick could feel this way about her - could ever want her like this. The weight of his arm anchoring her against his solid chest is welcome proof that this is real. He is real.

Reluctantly she slips out of his embrace, careful not to disturb him. He looks younger, lying there so peacefully in her sheets. His face is relaxed, no longer carrying any trace of that lingering stress. It would be so easy to remain in the safety of his arms, simply listening to the sound of his breath and the steady rhythm of his heart. But she has commitments; the rest of her team need her at the hospital. And Rick is no longer in any danger – he just needs to rest. She doesn’t need to watch over him all day, no matter how tempting the idea.

What she does need, is to buy him some new clothes. The items she borrowed from Lucas are far too small on Rick’s considerable frame – not that she’s complaining about the way the black t-shirt stretches over the bulging muscles of his biceps, showing off his intricate tattoos - but unless she plans on dragging her jaw across the floor for the foreseeable future, she’ll have to find something else for him to wear.

As she tears herself away from his sleeping form and into the bathroom to get ready for the day ahead, the memory of his touch still lingers on her skin, on her swollen lips. No one has ever kissed her like Rick - so tender, yet so passionate. And he seems to know she’s not used to being with anyone like that; he’s so respectful, so cautious of her boundaries – although when it comes to him, she’s not even sure what those boundaries are anymore. Just knows that she’ll take however much of him she can get. Forever doesn’t seem long enough.

He’s still fast asleep when she returns to the bedroom. She perches on the bed and reaches out to stroke his jaw, rough with several days’ worth of stubble. “Rick.” She repeats his name until he stirs. “I need to go to work, are you gonna be ok by yourself?”

Hazel eyes flutter open and a lazy smile stretches across his face. When he speaks, his voice is groggy with sleep. “Think I can take care of myself for a few hours, darlin’.”

“Wish I could believe that”, she smirks trying to ignore the heat pooling in her stomach at the sound of his rumbling voice, at the heat of his gaze. “Get some rest, I’ll be back later.” She leans over, intending to give him a peck on the cheek, but he snakes an arm around her waist and pulls her forward. She lets out a squeal as she falls on top of him.

“Rick!” she admonishes. “I’m going to be la-“

He cuts her off with a fierce kiss. The kind of kiss that makes her toes curl and her skin burn with a desire she’s never experienced before. If he keeps on kissing her like this, she can’t be held responsible for her actions.

By the time he finally releases her, she’s a quivering, stammering mess. Doesn’t know how she’s going to get through a day of work. Doesn’t think she’ll ever get used to this side of Rick Flag – it makes her wonder how she survived this long without him.

As if reading her thoughts, he pushes himself up onto his elbows and surveys her through a hooded gaze. “Just so you know”, a grin spreads across his wicked mouth, “Now I’ve started, I’m never gonna stop kissin’ you.”

Rick

When Rick first set out to find Angel, he had no idea where his path would lead. Even if he lived a thousand lifetimes, he wouldn’t have pictured himself here - sharing her new life, her bed. The moment when she took him in her hands and kissed him like she was starving for his touch he decided that it was worth it, all of it: the Joker, Waller, Jotunheim. He wouldn’t change a thing. Would do it all over again if it meant getting to hold her in his arms like this for the rest of his life.

Knowing Angel is tangled in the sheets beside him helps to drive away the nightmares he’s been having since returning from Corto Maltese. Lately, his dreams have been filled with images of the Thinker’s horrific experiments, of Jotunheim collapsing around him. In the first few days after he came round, he would wake up gasping for breath, his body tensed in agony as over and over again he relived the pain of Peacemaker stabbing him the heart.

Now, whenever he senses those shadows drawing closer, he reaches out until he feels Angel’s warm skin beneath his hands. Pulls her close and breathes in the scent of her. It helps - Rick has never slept so much in his life. Didn’t realise just how exhausted he’d been even before his injury.

Angel returns from her shifts most evenings to find Rick exactly where she left him. Sometimes he barely stirs when she slots into bed behind him and throws an arm over his waist, burying her face against his back. Other times he’ll roll over, cup her jaw tenderly and press soft kisses to her face and neck, revelling in the little sounds of pleasure he can elicit from those lips. In between the kisses, the caresses, he might find time to ask her how her day was – to ask if she missed him, to which she replies, “of course” - before she succumbs to her own exhaustion.

In his waking hours which are few and far between, Rick has to pinch himself. Real life can’t possibly be this perfect, can it? But then he remembers the bomb in the back of his head. At some point he’ll have to decide what he’s going to do about it, but for now there’s no point in dwelling. The Joker has been quiet for months. Rick just wants to enjoy this time he has with Angel for as long as possible.

It’s almost been a week since Rick found Angel and it feels as if his strength has finally returned. He’s waiting for her to come home - wants to surprise her with the fact that he’s awake for once - but she’s running late. It shouldn’t bother him, shouldn’t worry him as much as it does. But with every minute that passes, Rick is filled with an all-consuming dread. Why did he let her out of his sight? He knows far too well just how easy it would be for this fragile sliver of paradise to come toppling down around him.

He’s moments away from storming outside to look for her when the door opens. Rick can sense immediately that something’s wrong. Angel blinks twice at him, the only indication she is surprised to find him awake. But then her face crumples, her lips trembling, and she dashes into the bathroom without saying a word.

Rick rushes after her, even as the door shuts in his face, as the lock clicks. He tries to hide the desperation in his voice when he calls to her.

“Angel, what’s happened?”

Please don’t shut me out.

She doesn’t respond but he can hear the muffled sound of her sobs through the wood. He can’t stand this sense of helplessness. Can’t stand being trapped out here while she quietly breaks down on other side. He knocks loudly.

“Sweetheart, please open up. Lemme help you.” It’s a struggle to cling onto the fragment of reason, reminding himself that she’s alive, she’s in one piece. It’s the only thing preventing him from kicking down the door.

Minutes seem to pass by before the lock clicks. Rick tentatively pushes open the door and his eyes land straight on Angel. She’s staring into the mirror, eyes red and cheeks damp, clothes soaked in blood. Despite his fear, despite his urgent desire to wrap himself around her and never let go, he manages to turn her around with gentle hands as he surveys her body for any sign of injury. “Are you ok? Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head, eyes screwed shut as if to stop the flood of tears. He hates that he ever made her feel like she couldn’t cry in front of him. ���You don’t need to hide anythin’ from me, baby. Just tell me what happened. Please?”

“I let him die, Rick.” She barely manages to choke out the words before pressing her face into his chest, quiet sobs wracking her body.

“Who?” he asks cautiously, stroking her tangled hair as he holds her close. He wasn’t expecting her answer. Wasn’t expecting any answer if he’s honest. He knows she prefers to deal with her problems alone.

She pulls back, squinting up at him through tears. “There was a little boy.” When she starts wiping her eyes furiously, Rick intervenes. He tugs her hands away softly, interlaces her fingers with his.

“I - I could have saved him, but… but there were too many people watching. If I used my power-” Another sob steals the rest of her words. “I let him die.”

The pain in her voice breaks Rick’s heart. He wishes there was something he could do to stop her from hurting. “Hey, hey, it’s ok. It’s not your fault.” He drops her hands, cupping her chin instead and forcing her to look at him. “It’s not your fault.”

She struggles out of his grip and walks away, like she can’t bear to look at him, like she’s furious with herself and can’t bring herself to be near him. “You should have seen him, Rick. He was so small, so broken. The doctors couldn’t save him. But if I had just done something.”

Forcing himself to give her space is a test of Rick’s control, but he stays on his side of the room. Doesn’t want to crowd her. “But darlin’, what if you’d been caught?” he asks softly knowing it’s selfish to feel like this, to feel relieved that she didn’t put herself in danger. “What if you wound up back in Belle Reve? I know it feels awful right now, but at least you can carry on helpin’ people.”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, Rick realises it was probably the wrong thing to say. It’s not what she wants or needs to hear right now. But he’s never been good at this – at comforting people. And he’s just as guilty of burying his own feelings deep down where no one can find them.

Angel shakes her head. “It’s not enough, Rick. What’s the point in having this gift if I can’t use it to save people? I don’t want to watch people die anymore.”

Rick wishes he knew the answer. But what he does know – what he himself has been told, time and again – is that it’s impossible to save everyone; a fact that never gets any easier to accept. But again, that’s not what she needs to hear right now.

Instead, he closes the distance between them and draws her back into his arms. Presses his lips to her temple. “I know it hurts sweetheart; trust me, I know. But I need you to be careful, ok? Only just found you again. I can’t lose you now.”

Rick holds her like - for minutes or hours, it’s impossible to tell - until she finally relaxes against him; her sobbing has stopped but he can still hear her sniffling against his chest. He carefully releases her and smooths back the hair plastered to her damp cheeks. “You’re covered in blood, darlin’. Lemme help you get cleaned up.”

He deposits her on the edge of the bathtub and leans over to start the taps running. Picks up the first bottle he finds and deposits the contents under the stream of water. With the bath running and the room beginning to warm, he kneels down and unlaces her boots, helping her to kick them off.

She’s fallen silent, something which used to unnerve him. Rick has always been more accustomed to dealing with people like Harley, people who wear their emotions on their sleeves. But he knows Angel better now. Knows that sometimes she just needs to be. She’ll talk to him when she’s good and ready, he hopes. Just needs to be there for her when that time comes.

Once the bath is filled with bubbles, he turns off the taps and rises to his feet. “I’ll be right outside if you need anythin’, ok?”

She reaches out to him, fingers grazing his arm as he steps past. “Stay. Please.”

He pauses by the bathroom door. “You sure?”

Angel nods. “I don’t want to be alone. Will you just… sit with me?” Her shaking hands start to fumble over the fastening of her jumpsuit, and she curses in frustration.

Rick reaches forward, gently taking hold of the zip and begins tugging it downwards, managing to get it unstuck. The tips of his fingers graze over the bare skin of her collarbone as he tries to stop his eyes from drifting beyond. His pulse is spiking.

Not the time, Flag.

With her jumpsuit half unzipped, Rick quickly turns away to give Angel a semblance of privacy. He hears her clothes hit the floor as she undresses, the splash of water as she enters the bath. He leans his head against the door, pleading with God or whoever might be listening to give him strength. Because it’s taking every ounce of will power not to look around.

Given what he knows of her history, he doesn’t want to pressure her into anything she’s not comfortable with. Doesn’t want to rush her into taking their relationship to the next level. He’d be content just being able to kiss her for the rest of his life. But knowing she’s less than a metre away from him, naked beneath the water…

“I don’t deserve you, Rick.”

The sadness in her voice forces him to turn. The bubbles cover most of her body, but he can just see the swell of her breasts above the foam. He leans back against the wood, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans so she can’t see the way his fists clench. But it’s not desire urging him to reach out for her now. It’s the look of grief on her face.

“I’m not a good person.”

“That’s not true.”

She doesn’t seem to hear him. Doesn’t even look up as she continues. “I’ve killed so many people.”

Rick pushes off the door and perches on the edge of the tub. The remnants of his desire have been chased away by her words, but he’s still careful to keep his eyes on her face. “Those deaths are on me, Angel. Waller put you in my hands like a god damn loaded weapon. You never had a choice. I never gave you a choice.”

He grips the side of the bath, waiting for his anger to disperse. It will be a long time before he can forgive himself for the way he treated Angel in the beginning.

She shifts beneath the water, hugging her knees to her chest. “You can’t take the blame. I was a killer before Belle Reve. You know what happened in Gotham.”

“I do. And we’ve been through this before. Those patients, the senator…. it’s not the same, no matter what the judge said.”

“No. I’m not just talking about them.” She shakes her head, her brows pinched in frustration. “There’s things you don’t know about me… you wouldn’t understand.”

“I want to know. I want to understand. Help me.”

Angel

No matter how badly she might want to believe otherwise, Angel knows that Rick has seen her files. Knows that he’s fully aware of what she did to end up in Belle Reve, of the lives she took. But not all of her secrets are contained in those pages.

“I hurt people way before I came to Gotham”, she tells him staring down at the foam covering her legs. She can’t bring herself to look at him.

Rick remains silent. He won’t push her. She’ll have to do that herself.

“I was ten years old when I discovered the other side to my gift.” She pauses. The memory still haunts her to this day, never gets any easier to talk about. “A cat was run over outside our house. It had a broken leg. After what happened with my cousin, I thought that maybe I could help, that I could heal it. But…”

Rick wordlessly offers her his hand. The small amount of contact gives her the courage she needs to continue. “But it didn’t work. The cat died. I killed it.” She still remembers how it felt when the animal went still beneath her hands. The realisation that she had done that. She’d only wanted to help. “I know it sounds stupid. It was only a cat, right?”

Rick squeezes her fingers. His voice is quiet – kind - when he replies. “It’s not stupid. I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Still staring at the bubbles, she forces herself to carry on. She’s come this far. It’s only fair that Rick learns who she really is. “Even though I was young, I think part of me understood that one day I might hurt someone. After the cat, I avoided touching people whenever I could help it. But I guess I became careless as a teenager. There was a boy in my class – my first boyfriend- I gave him a heart attack when I was fifteen. He… he didn’t die, but he never recovered from the damage to his brain.”

Of course, back then no one knew Angel was to blame. They still don’t. To the rest of the town, the boy’s fate was a terrible tragedy chalked up as one of those rare, chance events. Not even Angel’s parents knew about the other half of her powers. There’s a chance they still don’t – her meta-human status was kept tightly under wraps before she was moved to Belle Reve. As a child, she could never bear to tell them what happened with the cat - couldn’t bear the idea of them thinking she was dangerous, of risking being sent away.

If Rick is surprised by her admission, it doesn’t show. He only squeezes her fingers tighter; his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. Angel can’t tell if it’s simply the warm water that’s soothing her nerves, or if it’s the quiet way in which Rick listens to her pouring out her secrets, but a calmness starts to settle over her.

“I chose to become a nurse, not so that I could use my powers, but as an excuse not to.” She’s not explaining it well, but she hopes he can understand, even just a little. “I thought that maybe any responsibility I felt would… would go away - if I helped people naturally.”

But it didn’t. Because there would always be someone beyond medical help. Just like the little boy today. Just like Rick. She slips her hand from his and rubs her eyes, willing herself not to break down again.

Because without her power, Rick wouldn’t be here.

And in what universe could that ever make sense?

He slides closer to her and cups the back of her neck, his thumb continuing to rub circles over her skin. She sinks further into the water, relaxing under the sensation of his touch. It might feel like she’s peeling off layers of her own skin, revealing these inner most feelings to him, but with every sentence spoken, every thought given a voice, a weight is being lifted.

“So I went to college, learned everything I could about medicine, about how to fix people properly. And then I started working at a hospital, but it didn’t take long to realise how many more people I could save if I used my powers for good. All those people who would have otherwise died. And it was fine, so long as I was careful. I mean, no one’s going to question a miracle, right?”

And she was careful. So careful. Until the senator. Until those three patients. Until she used the wrong gift.

“And then it all went to shit.” But that’s a story for another time. “When I left you and found Lucas – when I stumbled into this job - I really thought it was a second chance, you know? To do some good without having to use my gifts. But today was a reminder. If I don’t do everything in my power to save people, I’m really just killing them, aren’t I?”

She lifts her gaze to look at Rick for the first time and finds him watching her intently. She’s never truly opened up to him like this before, but there’s no judgement in his hazel eyes, only compassion. When he speaks, his voice is hoarse with emotion.

“That is so far from the truth, Angel. You’ve already done so much for so many people. For me.” He moves off the edge of the tub, coming to kneel in front of her. “You are a good person - the best person I know. And who knows what’s gonna happen tomorrow, or the next day, but I can promise you I’m gonna be by your side for as long as you’ll have me. And somehow, someday, we’ll find a way for you to use your gifts.”

Before she can argue, he leans forward and crushes his mouth against hers, capturing her in a kiss. Her arms wrap around his neck, instinctively drawing him closer. The motion has water sloshing over the lip of the tub, splashing against his chest.

Angel keeps him firmly in her grasp, even when he finally tears his lips away from hers. She strokes his jaw, marvelling at the man in front of her. And though nothing has changed, it feels like everything has changed. The pain of not saving the boy hasn’t lessened, but somehow she thinks she might be able to weather it, might be able to weather anything, just as long as Rick is by her side.

The very first moment she glimpsed beyond the cold exterior of Colonel Rick Flag she should have known she was screwed. Because even then, she saw something of herself in Rick. The way he cared - just a little too much - about the criminals on his team. The way he was just as trapped as she was, but in a prison of Waller’s making.

“All my life, I was scared to be touched, scared I would hurt someone”, she murmurs. “And then you came along – you came along and the only thing I was scared of was never being able to touch you.”

Rick’s expression changes, darkens with a mixture of desire and something else, something more. He edges closer to her, nudging his nose against hers playfully. “Well what are you waiting for?”

This time she surges up out of the water to reach him, grabbing him by the collar and tugging him even closer, claiming his lips with her own. He catches her by the waist, his hands hot and heavy on her slick skin as she presses her chest against his, the water soaking through his shirt.

He chuckles against her lips. “Are you tryin’ to get me in this bath, baby? Because I really don’t think I’m gonna fit.”

“Mmm…” Angel kisses him again. “I’d like to see you try. But first, you’re wearing too many clothes...”

Rick grins. Slips out of her arms and in one fluid movement he tugs the t-shirt off over his head. “That better?”

She bites her lip. “For now.”

[hughiecampbelle]

Gelid (John Shelby Drabble)

Character/s: John

Word Count: 902

Tag List: idek if I should add it @dontdowhatisayandnobodygetshurt @myriadimagines @lilyswritings @encounterthepast @writerdream22 @brithedemonspawn @death-of-a-mermaid @lotsoffandomrecs @woahitslucyylu @obsessedunicorn24 @thedarkqueenofavalon @fangirlsarah16 @theshelbyclan @creativemayhems @soleil-dor @thegirlwithoutaname87 @babylooneytoonz @peakyxtommy @locke-writes @lucillethings

A/N: When I tell y'all this is dark!!! I'm hesitant to even post this and might end up deleting idk. It's similar to Hypothermia, very macabre, I am warning you!! I have to say tho I'm really proud :) It's been a month since I've written anything. I have tons of ideas, the words were all just awful. I hope this is a good sign that I'm finally getting out of my slump/ getting rid of writers block and can finally get all my ideas out! Hope you enjoy!!!! Feedback is always appreciated 💜💖💜

Summary: Getting caught in the snow isn't as fun as it seems 💕

Gif Credit: @pcllygray :)

FIC MASTERLIST PART ONE. / PART TWO. / PART THREE.

WANNA BE ADDED TO THE TAG LIST?

You sat on his lap, heavy arms wrapped around you, his head resting on your shoulder. Unsure if he's awake or asleep, his breathing shallow, but consistent. You don't look back, though. Something about the uncertainty too enticing. Instead, cradled by the warmth of him, you watch the fire instead, listening to her sing-song voice crackle and whine. There's an infatuation you have with her, an admiration unspoken, a love you dare not share. The wisps, the whines, the cackle of her voice. On your cheeks, she is warm and inciting, her lips on your skin, face to face, skin to skin. Your hands threaten frostbite, though. Cold and small, every piece of your bone exposed. Never enough layers, he always chuckled, laughing the way he used to: always bashful, playful, pleasant. You lean towards him, his cap scratchy against your neck. She will not burn forever, and neither will you, but it'll be okay. You'll all go together, yeah?

The smoke moves as if she knows something you don't. Confident, smug, dancing in the wind, tempting you to follow. You knew better, though. She could run off, run away, without worrying about scraped knees, without worrying about the chill, thicker than blood, in the air. Like a child, wanting to be chased, giggling with secrets. The desire is there, to escape, to disappear between the silhouettes of the woods. Trees tall above, looming, grinning, rustling leaves violent, sharp. It is only the three of you under the deep blue sky, stars spelling words you can't read, urging you in every direction. Twinkling, stitched across the infinite above. They might have been stunning, beautiful, even breathtaking, in another life, another memory. Here, now, it was only horrific. Mocking you for your own mortality, your own limitations of which they know not, warm blooded, so unlike them. Holding secrets of the universe you could only dream of, your last thoughts those of envy towards constellations.

The fire, at first a parade of delicate dancing, eager to please, to show off, grows tired, her skeleton aching. Behind, you could hear him sniffling, shuffling, the snow below him nipping back. It was his idea, the fire. Something familiar, a distraction, anything to take your minds off the inevitable. You weren't sure how long it's been. Not since the car stopped, skidding off the icy roads. Not since wandering for help. Not since the creeping realization there was nothing out here, no one to help, to call, to do anything, only you and the great beyond. You hoped he would say something, anything, but he didn't. It wasn't the time to fill with words. You guessed it was better anyways. The quiet grew comfortable, the silence, no use in fighting it. Instead, you sat together, not wanting to sit in the car, to freeze there instead. In need of dignity, even now. The freedom of choice. Here or there. You chose here.

Eventually, his shivering stopped.

Stay close. Keep warm. You weren't quite sure which came first: his want to protect what little source of heat you had left, or his fears of dying alone, with no one to hold, or to be held by. An affectionate boy turned man, his hands never strayed too far. You didn't make him beg this time. The chattering of his teeth, the quiet of his voice, as if not to disturb anything more, it was enough for you to listen. Now, even if you wanted to, you could not get away. Tangled. Seen together. Not one, or two, but something more, something less, something about to find out what rests on thr other side.

You can't bear to look. His hands are enough of a sign. A blue tint settles into his freckled skin. The pinky ring, shiny below the bright of the moon, frozen solid. His breathing no longer rocks you. Instead, a stone sits in his chest, unmoving, unwavering, quiet. His name nothing but a faint whisper. He won't answer back, you know this, and yet you try regardless. Such a human thing to do: keep trying. His coat over your shoulders, one last act, one last joke. Stripping, at a time like this? He'd go first. He'd been out running the grim reaper long enough, his hand lay on his shoulder longer than you ever realized. Trying to give you a chance. Naive, your John, or maybe just a little too human, hoping for a miracle in a place as godless as this.

You're okay, though. You squeeze his hand, solid in your own, reassuring the goth of you this is what you want, what you're ready for. A sudden warmth spreading through you, an ease, a way out, too kind to refuse. The shaking has stopped, the shivering, the ache in your back settled. No more discomfort. No more pain. No more fear. You rest your head against his, waiting. The only sound left is the wind, howling, praying, the two too close. Even the sight of your own breath in the air is faint, struggling, exhausted.

The fire, she is done, nothing more than a pile of blackened sticks. And he is gone, too. There is no one else but you, and you too, have found an odd comfort in this. There has to be something more, right? Sometime better, something they know you don't. If there wasn't, what's the point of all this?

[shadowthrone-ammanas]

I finished Nyakuza Metro and thought of this request! In the middle of Empress stealing all of Hat Kids time pieces, she goes to Subcon to unwind because she's upset about the whole thing and Snatcher sees upset Hat Kid and is just: Excuse me Kid, I'm the only one around here who's allowed to make you upset what's going on? So she tells him and now Snatcher has to go meet this Empress and let her know that bullying Hat Kid is His job. (It's not that He CARES About her! Nooo!! That's Ridiculous!)

First off, isn’t the ending of Naykuza Metro the single most disappointing ending since Mass Effect 3? I am so salty about it, I wanted to fight the Empress, it looked like we were going but nope we get a stupid cop out instead (and if that pun was intentional on Gears For Breakfast’s side then it’s not funny >:( ). Second, thank you for the request!

Good Kitty

Something was up. Hat Kid was in Subcon Forest but she wasn’t bothering Snatcher or seemingly even looking for him so she could. Instead she was just meandering down the path, her head hung low, hands in her pockets and idly kicking a stick along. She looked upset about something. What though? Well only one way to find out.

Snatcher teleported to pop up in front of her. “Boo!” he shouted loud enough to make her jump a little.

She gave him a disapproving look as he laughed at her fright as mild as it was. “Hello to you too Snatcher,” she said, her tone borderline annoyed. That wasn’t like her. Whatever was bothering had to be pretty serious.

“Hey kiddo,” he said grinning down at her. “What brings you to my forest?” He’d long since given up trying to tell her that their business was concluded, it only ever seemed to make her want to stick around more often and longer.

Hat Kid shrugged, kicking at the stick on the ground again. “It’s just a nice place to walk around and stuff.”

“Uh… ‘nice’? It’s a haunted forest full of dead things. What part of that is nice?”

“The haunted part.” Now she did smile up at him, only a little though. “It’s also the only place I can walk around aimlessly where there aren’t a lot people.” Implying she probably wanted to be alone, giving Snatcher a perfect opportunity to just leave her to it but…

“And why would you want that?” He was curious. What could’ve possibly brought her down. “Don’t you normally make a habit of annoying as many people as you possibly can?”

“Yeah but uh… I’m just really frustrated right now. And I hate it.” She stomped a stick, breaking it in half with a snap. “The stupid pecking Empress is sending her stupid pecking peck-neck goons to take my Time Pieces every time I find one in the Metro. And I can’t do anything about it because she’s got like I don’t even know how many goons, certainly more than I can take on by myself. If it was just her, I would beat the living shit out of her and make her regret ever crossing me. But I can’t and it’s not fair.” Her eyes were filling with tears of frustration now.

Snatcher grimaced. “Whoa kid, calm down there. No need to start crying or any of that.”

“Sorry.” She sniffled. “I just… really hate it and don’t know what to do. But I have to do something because I need my Time Pieces.”

“Well… good luck with that.”

“You’re not even going to offer to help me?”

“Nope, the fact that you thought I might is honestly offensive. I don’t care about your stupid problems and I certainly didn’t ask you to spill them to me. So yeah, good luck with that kiddo.” With that he teleported away.

-

 The Metro was bustling and busy with life. What little plant life there was, was all heavily manicured to match an aesthetic. Obnoxious neon lights were everywhere. And the place smelled horrible; a mix of trash, unwashed bodies, cats, trains, and the various food carts scattered about the place. Snatcher hated it.

He was half tempted to pop out his Hat Kid disguise – complete with dweller mask to hide his ghostly features – and raze the whole place to the ground. But that would take too much time and effort to be worth it. Besides he wasn’t into expanding his territory, he just wanted to keep and protect what he had. Taking over more would both make that harder and be pointless. So, grateful the mask would also hide his sour expression so he didn’t have to control it, he started wondering around to listen to conversations.

The more he walked the more he hated both the Metro and the very sensation of walking, especially on concrete. How did people stand this? It made him want to pull his hair out. He was never coming back here once he’d finished his business. Mercifully, the Empress was a pretty popular talking point amongst the cats wondering about the place and they all had a tendency to gossip just a bit too loud - possibly due to hearing loss from being around and in the trains making all that horrible noise all the time – so it wasn’t too terribly long before Snatcher knew where and how to find the Empress. Which was all he needed.

Once back in the central area, finding the jewelry shop didn’t take long. Hanging around outside were what was obviously members of the Empress’ gang. Most likely there were more hidden around the place too. Not even Hat Kid could take on that many opponents. Snatcher could, he could take down everyone in this Metro if he really wanted to – as long as no one had a way to make him vulnerable anyway. But if things went according to plan though all he’d have to deal with was the Empress herself.

Inside, the Empress was standing at the counter. She looked up as Snatcher strode in. “I didn’t expect to see you back so soon,” she said, fooled by the disguise and mask. “But that’s fine. I just got word of another one of those hourglasses in Pink Paw Station. Go find it for me.”

“Hmm… I don’t think I will,” Snatcher said, using Hat Kid’s voice but changing it a little so that it would sound just wrong enough to give most sane people chills. “Instead I think I’ll…” Grinning wide under the mask, he lifted a hand to snap his fingers.

The door slammed shut hard enough to rattle the whole store. Next, he made the lights flare bright before bursting, shattering glass everywhere. He timed their bursting with pulling the Empress into his pocket dimension, surrounding them both in a void of dark purple. And to top it all off, he teleported to float behind her and took off his mask. He kept the Hat Kid form though, he needed it.

When she inevitably turned to face him, already rattled she hissed and back pedaled, her fur puffing up the rest of the way. He’d morphed his face so he had bunch of misshapen eyes, covering the entire top half of his face. Only two of which actually worked, the rest were for show.

Still using Hat Kid’s voice and altering it to sound wrong, he giggled. There were few things creepier than a little girl’s laugh especially when it wasn’t quite right. To add a little bit extra, he made it sound like it was coming from all around the Empress, making her glance around in fear.

“What are you?” she asked with an angry hiss as she turned her eyes back to glare at him. Her claws were out now too, they looked sharp.

“It doesn’t matter what I am, what matters is you.” He pointed at her. “You’ve been awful mean to a friend of mine and I don’t like that.” It grated to call Hat Kid a friend but for this little act of his, he didn’t have much choice. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to know who I’m talking about.”

The Empress hissed and lunged to claw him. It did nothing though so Snatcher just giggled again.

“Oh, silly kitty, that won’t hurt me. There’s nothing you can do that can hurt me. I don’t think there’s even anything on this planet that can.” Hat Kid was an alien so he was going to pretend to be one too. He needed to make sure no one ever connected this whole thing back to him. “So save yourself the effort and don’t try. Just do as I say and maybe you’ll get out of this alive.”

The Empress still looked angry but her fear was evident in the way her fur was still puffed up on its end, her tail curled. “What do you want?” she forced out through clenched teeth.

“I want you to give my friend back her Time Pieces, don’t interfere with her collecting any more, and once you’re done with that don’t ever talk to or have anything to do with her again.” To minimize the chances of her spilling the beans on this conversation. “I of course don’t expect you to do this just because I told you to so how about a little motivation?” He teleported to hover behind her shoulder again.

Before she could fully turn around, he pulled out her soul to hold in the palm of his hand. She froze solid for half a second before clawing at him again, more with desperation than anger this time. He ignored it.

“If you’re a good kitty and do as your told, I’ll consider giving you your soul back. If not, I know a guy who likes to eat souls who I’m sure wouldn’t mind being gifted one.” As he spoke, he bounced her soul up and down in his hand as if playing with a ball. “So is that enough to convince you?” He would’ve preferred a proper contract but other than snatching souls, contracts were what he was most well known for. And Hat Kid would certainly know it was him if he used a contract. This way even if she did find out about this, there should be some doubt about who was responsible. Her even suspecting it was him would be awful because then she’d think it was because he was her ‘BFF’ and that he cared for her or something when it truth it was because if he failed to make Hat Kid miserable no one else was allowed to either. That was his job and he was going to find a way to do it properly one day no matter how much she wanted to insisted they were BFFs and she loved spending time with him.

The silence stretched as the Empress glared at him, defeated but not yet wanting to admit it. But finally… “Fine,” she said. “I’ll give the brat back her hour glasses and then leave her alone.”

“You’ll order your goons to do so as well?” Snatcher wasn’t going to give her any loopholes. “As well as anyone else you might pay to deal with people you don’t like?”

She growled but… “Yes.”

“Very good. Now, after my friend has all her Time Pieces back, including the ones not yet found, I shall give you your soul back. If you break your end of the deal, I will not hesitate to give you soul to a certain soul eating ghost.” Meaning he’d eat it. “If you try to break it after you have your soul back, I will make your end a painful one and feed you soul to the Snatcher just because I can. Deal?”

“Deal.” Oh, no hesitation this time either, the Empress was a brave one as well as smart.

“I will see you later then. Remember to be a good kitty for your own sake. Buh-bye.” Snatcher lifted a hand to wriggle his fingers in a wave before transporting himself elsewhere, leaving her back in her jewelry shop.

For this drabble event.

[pixs-pinings]

Me? Interested in Persona 5? No wayyy...

Warning for long post!

I had this written differently before I accidentally closed this tab, but I recovered the infodump well!

So... Yeah, Ribbon! My Persona 5 SI, my Phantom Thief SI. Still want to work on a possible real name- I wanted to go with a continuation of the plot threads I thought of with my P4 si, but... nah. Two separate SIs. Even if P5 si was also from the real world, I want them to be different for. Reasons.

She would awaken in the same place as Makoto- Kaneshiro's palace. I want to slip her in somewhere, and I feel like that case would feel the most... Natural? After futaba, a lot of shit picks up, and, as seen with Haru, can be a bit awkward. (And... Yes. I'm going to try to make that arc...... Not Suck? Maybe keep Morgana self loathing but...)

As for her awakening itself... She and Makoto have similar reasons! Both of them were previously known as prim and proper students, but then awaken to a sense of Justice, and are able to go all out. After looking a bit into myself, I was like "wow Makoto really is sorta like how I would awaken maybe" because like... I want to fight against injustice and hatred in society, but I'm scared because of the law- and, like Makoto, in p5, I could snap past that. Fuck the law, I want to stop people from being HURT by society's ineptitude. Haha...

Also, a reason for the involvement in the first place- Kaneshiro's reach is... far. Its very possible that people in Kosei were affected- and, in fact, judging by Yusuke being able to gather information, they were. So... Say that one of Ribbon's friends were being used... selling her body, perhaps... Hmmm...

Yes, both Makoto and my p5 SI- can I call her just Ribbon for now?- are third year students at their school. Yes, for Ribbon's backstory, I think I want her to be a Kosei student! Maybe there because of an art scholarship- writing??- or maybe a financial education scholarship, or maybe just that whoever her guardians are, biological or not, they sent her to that school with the money they had. But... Third year. I am 19 irl- and she would be 18 during the majority of the story, turning 19 in that february because surprise I'm a February baby.

Oh, yes, and her costume! She's a magical girl. Supposed to be based off of one- I gave her ribbons and feathers and a poofy dress and high boots with thick soles and gloves... Also, her mask is simple, but... I had the base form of a butterfly, and added on some mask details and also feathers. The ribbons on the lower part of her dress are more noticeable, though. Hence, her name of Ribbon. Unless y'all can think of any better...

As for WHY magical girls? Well, she thought magical girls were cool! Yes, this reflects on me! Ribbon watched magical girl shows ever since she was a young child, and always got this idea of fighting off evil by using bright magic! And punches. And kicks. When Ribbon grew older, while she never grew out of it, she tried to keep it to the back of her mind. She always still kept an eye on one of the magical girl shows- hmm... Beauty Cure? Beaucure? (Yes. Based on Precure.) And it was pulled back to the front with her awakening, because that's always the type of stuff she liked believing in- a magical force of good fighting against forces of evil... OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL FIGHT AGAINST EVIL SOCIETY TRIES TO DO... Yeah. Mhm. Doesn't that seem familiar.

Oh, yes, I'm going to call the SI by the name of Ribbon- still unsure of if I should use Pix or if I should make up a japanese name that fits a bit closer to my real one, haha.

Her role of the team is... Well, sorta like a magical girl? She has light attacks, which does include the instant kill ones later (points @ magical girls and the series having magical attacks be the magical girl's finishing move), but she also can serve another role... Providing Buffs and giving Debuffs. I mean, magical girl power ups over the season is like a buff... And their attacks debuff the enemy... I would be tempted to also give her some healing things... Maybe later. After all, there are buff moves that are like "gain all three buffs at once!" And she'll get those! So maybe she can also be the status healer...? Dunno. Haven't really watched battle gameplay of p5- even if it's fancy, its... Boring to watch. Oops. Battle dynamics...

As for who her Persona is... I haven't thought of it. I haven't even looked into it either. I was thinking... Her first Persona would be probably an ancient magical girl? Pfft. Funny to say it like that. Maybe a fictional magical girl who was definitely outside the bounds of rules. Maybe villain, maybe hero. Her second persona would... be a goddess. Not the goddess of Magic, since. (stares at Ann.) But. A goddess of something important. Light? Hmm.

Her weapon is... A staff. Kinda a stick, but also it IS something to hurt with. Swing it around, smack someone in the side or head... Use it to adjust your position... Twirling it around... A magical girl doesn't use conventional weapons.

Oh, yeah! Here's where I closed out of the tab by accident. I went to go look at something and my phone pulled a trick on me... Anyway, moving on...

Futaba Sakura is 4'11. Ribbon is 5'. Short squad! Ribbon is irritated about getting teased for it, but is indeed 18- during the story, anyway- and just... Hasn't. Grown. Makoto is 5 inches taller. Interesting.

Ribbon's (outside of battle) role is... well, data gathering, and plan pulling. Makoto thinks of the plans, and can, indeed, push them out to the team... But for group planning sessions, Ribbon is the one listening to everyone's suggestions, and then addressing them... and giving them to the leader to mull over, as well. Make sure everyone is heard.

Oh, idea there... Ribbon also, like me, used to be a theater kid! It helped her grow more used to people around her, more used to speaking, and also technical details on things. Even if she isn't all outgoing, she still shows influences of it with analogies she makes sometimes.

(Spoilers for P5... Brief Warning. Skip to next parantheses for past that spoiler gone.)

During the Phantom Thieves' plans to decieve Akechi into believing he is totally fooling them, Ribbon could easily be very important with that acting experience. While coming up with the plan, Ribbon will definitely state theater terms, backstage, actors, scene changes... And she will definitely help the others get more into character. Staring at you, Ann... For a more believable lie... pull forth a truth similar to this situation and keep that tucked next to your heart... say your lines... and then, when that's over, let it go.

(Spoilers over! Yayyy)

So. Have you guessed who i want to f/o yet? If the answer is yes, congrats, you ain't blind to subtext!

Ribbon's costume is definitely on the lighter side! And... Yes, its definitely pink based. Solid pink ribbons... Light, soft pink dress... A mainly pink mask... I do think the feathers are another color, with those little x marker things that most of the feathers belonging to sharing a similar color, though maybe a different shade. I am... Not good with costume design, though. The accents on her mask would be similar colors to it...

Her hair is black. Darker than Makoto's, yes. She is light skinned, with barely a tan forming on her. Her mask actually covers up her obvious freckles on her face! Her arms, however, still have their freckles showing. (Not in the picture, because i forget about my arm freckles a lot...) (Also not in the picture is the frills on her dress but shhhh)

As for her Confidant? Uh... Hmm... To get to know her... Oh! She can show you her art and writing, sort of brush off her achievements with it because haha not as good as Yusuke Kitagawa's more official art... And her confidant would be helping her tap more into her confident side, whether it be for her own personal projects, or even for her just in society in general! While not as bad as Futaba, she still doesn't like approaching other people... And when that happens, and maybe culminates in her verbally cussing at someone who's been pressing her down for a while now and getting them to lay off her thanks to that newfound confidence. Not a Mementos Target, though she does bring that up but brushes it off as 'just a petty bully thing', but something she deals with herself!

.... Oh, Arcana... Uh. I think... you know how the Jester arcana was like... Another version of the Fool? Wait, the Thoth deck doesn't have an alt Priestess...? Fuck. Uh. Congrats, Akira! You get SUPER DUPER PRIESTESS BONUS. ... Please help

For her Confidant Ability.... Probably something to do with her Magical Girl influnces? The first idea I thought of was like... being able to be a temporary "safe" zone- while in the palace, she could... extend her magical girl light out and create a Barrier that prevents the shadows from noticing her. It will always stay a temporary ability, of course, since otherwise would pribably negate difficulty? But the period would become longer as her confidant goes up. The period of time would be extremly cut down during the times of actually stealing a treasure- after all, the palace ruler is EXPECTING the phantom thieves. No amount of magical girl protecting light would hide that expectation... Or. Something like that.

Also, her last skill. Instead of being like... Making the ability of protecting/anti detecting light last practically forever, its a SUPER STRONG BATTLE ABILITY. What is it? Well... uh... Still have to decide. My current idea has to do with a magical girl blast. Like, activate her light ability right as you get into a battle, and that actually does something- fires a big blast as the battle starts and inflicts damage on the enemy... Hmm. That, or she gets a special version of the all out attack that always kills? Has to be her leading the all out attack, though. What do y'all think...?

Oh, speaking of all out attacks! Hers (or her normal one if I go with the second idea in the above paragraph) would have her landing, spinning around, and doing a sharp "v" pose with her fingers, standing tall and with a grin. Think... Uh... Sailor Moon? I looked up some images and a few I found, with the peace sign arm outstretched, fit that mental image. The other hand would be on her hip, and, of course, she would be winking. Ah, girl vibes.

Yes. I am aware that could be similar to Ann. When i thought of it, i was like "hmmm" but then was like "I do that! and also there's a different between a lean and a wink with the peace sign to your chin rather than a stand/slight slouch and a wink and a peace sign held upward rather than close to the body"

Also, her little line in the background would be "light has prevailed!" In like... Bubbly letters? And it looks like light is shining from behind the letters.

Sure, Ribbon would have a romance route with Akira... but I don't consider that canon. It would make sense that he could POSSIBLY fit my type? But. Nah. Not SUPER attached. Pal at most. Speaking from outside here... In game, with the friendship forming? Maybe so. Anyway, not canon.

Oh my god i just realized Queen and Ribbon have like... Opposite sorta aesthetics. Dark Biker to Light Mage.

Anything else I can think of... Oh, a spoilerly thing.

(I don't believe I can think of anything else to say, so for those who want to be unspoiled on certain things in p5, end of post is the next paranthesis. For others...)

For her reaction to the announcement of Akira's "suicide", it would be something like... Well... A hand to her mouth, and a furrow to her brow... but she doesn't sound like she is going to cry. Instead, she goes, "Ah...", like... Realizing. Like a "hmmm" tone instead of one trying to hold back tears. And then like... Ryuji's scene is after that. And those of you who have seen the scene know what the scene is. So like, if the player was confused by Ribbon, Ryuji smacks them with a direct confirmation.

(And... That's it! Sorry for the long post, I am both unsure of if the read more code trick works on mobile anymore and also am unsure of, if it does work, which version of the trick is the correct one. Because i remember two different versions. Fuck.)

[aliceslantern]

Nocturnal Memory, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic, chapter 17

[Summary:  Dying takes a lot out of you, it's true, but when Demyx wakes up for the first time since his fight with Sora nothing's right. His memories are fragmented and he's missing his true name. And he's not the only one. An incomprehensible mystery and an inevitable war make him question what, exactly, he would do to become whole, and reclaim the music lost to him.

on FF.net/on AO3]

The next few weeks became a bleary slog between work and training. He didn't even have time to try and fix the guitar, but even if he did, he doubted he could. The weather got hotter and drier. He got sorer and sorer, but found that, after a while, those mortar bags weren't so heavy, and he could get through a day without feeling like death.

And he wasn't great with the knife, maybe, but he could at least block things now. The first time he disarmed Lea came as a surprise to both of them. He was finally starting to pick up on the whole "holes in the guard" thing. It was in the timing. There was always a brief break in defense after Lea attacked, of course, when he normally sprang back. Only this time, Demyx was actually able to slip in a solid kick to the stomach and knock Lea off balance. After so many weeks of getting beat up, it was satisfying.

"Well," Lea said, coughing, "It's about fucking time."

"…You don't remember your parents, do you?"

Talking to Yuffie was still like treading a minefield. However tentative their interactions were—even friendly at times—the wrong thing could make her mad. "Only my mom a little," he admitted. They'd built quite a bit of the aqueduct at that point. The goal was to finish it by summer, so the dry season wouldn't be so straining. "I don't think I ever had a dad."

"My mom died when she gave birth to me." There was pink sunburn across her nose and she scratched at it, getting gray mortar onto her face. "We didn't exactly have an Aerith at that point."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "I never really knew her to miss her."

"Sometimes it feels like I came out of thin air. Or an act of will."

She laughed. "I know how that is. Even my dad, when faced with a kid, was like, what the hell is this? I think that looks pretty good."

The compliment took him off guard. "Uh, thanks. Once I had to watch these guys build a stone wall for days. I had to get into this noble's palace to steal a scroll. Those dark corridors work, but they're pretty conspicuous, so I couldn't just teleport my way in. I guess I picked something up then. I picked up a lot of skills that way. I'm not a half bad potter. I can weave pretty well."

"A lot of marketable skills."

He snorted. "Yeah, right. "Hello mister job man? Here's my résumé. I know it says I was part of an evil organization, but I'm experienced, I promise." Shit. How am I supposed to get a job if we get through all this?"

She sighed. "Hell if I know. They always make it sound like we're fucked."

"We kind of are."

"I don't want to believe that." She heaved down a stone. "We've always fought. We probably always will fight. We'll pull through."

"What if we don't?" Demyx put down his trowel.

She turned. "What do you mean, if we don't?"

"If we lose."

"Weren't you all just "hey I want to fight with you guys!" a few days ago? You can't think like that." Her cheeks were turning red. "You're not allowed."

Here we go. "I'm allowed to feel however I want."

"Fuck that." She brushed the dust off of her legs. "Let's go eat. I'm starving."

Sometimes Demyx would wonder if following through with his drunken epiphany was a good idea. All the evidence pointed to the fact that they would absolutely get crushed. Sora's uncertainty, mounting reports that worlds were flooding with Xehanort's darkness… It didn't look good. And every time he even allowed himself to consider what being a double agent might mean, his heart started to race and he couldn't breathe and the room around him seemed dizzy.

Yuffie was right about some things, though. There wasn't really any way to sit idly by, as tempting as it was. If he bailed now, he'd still be surrounded by the plan making and the statistics and the-this and the-that. There was no escape, literally or figuratively; he didn't have any control over the dark corridors anymore. And where would he go?

Besides… he very nearly had friends. At the end of the day the committee would ask him along to dinner, and they would just… hang out. No talking about the war, or Xehanort… they talked about normal people things. It was a bizarre sensation.

Cid liked to play cards. He had a battered old deck that Demyx was positive he'd marked. Mostly they played—funnily enough—Hearts. It was the only card game that Demyx was competent at.

"You know you're the only one to beat me," Cid said. He tapped out a cigarette and lit another. Cid's smoking was getting heavier and heavier. Demyx didn't know how he afforded it.

"I don't believe that."

"Leon's sick of it and Yuffie's terrible."

He shuffled the deck again. "21?"

"…I guess."

"Where'd you learn all this stuff, kid?"

He shrugged. "Ten. Mostly." Luxord hadn't frequently invited him along to the card parties, but any time he had had certainly been an experience.

Cid dealt them each a few cards. "Say we make this more interesting."

"Good luck with that. I'm broke."

"Say if I win… you buy me a cigarette."

He laughed. "Alright, fine. And if I win… you give me yours."

Cid smirked. "Hit or sit?"

He looked at the two cards on the table in front of him—ace and eight. It was a shame he was never this lucky in real life. "…Sit."

Cid turned over his other card; cool sixteen. With an expression Demyx guessed was supposed to be calm and confident, he pulled another card. A six. "…Motherfucker. All right. A deal's a deal. Though joke's on you, I only have three left." He handed over the pack. "Remind me to never play with you again."

He lit up one of his prizes. "Oh, don't be a sore loser."

Cid grimaced when the smoke hit his face.

June ended without much comment. Three days of rain trapped them all within their respective houses. This was apparently a sign of the dry season coming. Demyx helped Dilan set up a rain collection tank on the roof.

"Haven't seen hide or hair of you in days," Dilan said gruffly. They both hefted the tank into place on one of the drains.

"Well. We wanted to get most of the aqueduct done to get this rain."

""We."" He gave the tank a solid kick. "Is that connected?"

"Feels like it."

"I'm glad you're at least following your convictions." His tone was bitter.

"What does that mean?"

"I'm merely surprised."

For a moment he could only stand there, speechless, as rain pattered off of their jackets.

"The situation gets grimmer by the day," Dilan continued. "I figured you, of all people, would be long gone. I admit it gets tempting."

"I can't leave," he said.

"What on earth is holding you here?"

"I can't use the corridors. I don't want to. Isn't this your home? Don't you care about it?"

Dilan shook his head. "I'm afraid I have nothing left from what made this place home."

In the distance, thunder boomed.

"I don't want you to make any mistakes," Dilan said. "You'll as good as get yourself killed."

Demyx's hands shook.

"Goodness, you needn't listen to me. If this is how you want to waste your life, go ahead." He shook his head and started towards the door.

"I am so sick of people telling me how I should feel or what I should do." His voice was barely audible. "This… sage advice…"

Dilan didn't look impressed.

"I don't want to hear it anymore. From anyone. I'm… I'm going for a walk."

Dilan shook his head and started towards the door. "Very well."

His clothes were nearly soaking by the time he was down by the ground. He crammed his hands deeper into his pockets. It was raining so hard he could barely see. Cold drops snaked down his neck. His eyes were hot.

He wasn't sure this was the right choice. Not really. But he was doing something good, he was being almost normal. Better than sitting holed up in that castle, bored and alone and stewing in his own memories, conscious of the pressing quiet around him…

The sound of the rain sharpened. The air was humid and hard to breathe.

Ahead he saw a shadow, blobby and black, below the archway leading towards the marketplace. He figured it was some sort of Heartless and drew the knife, but it disappeared.

A human arm tightened around his neck. He floundered and tried to remember what Lea had taught him, but sharp panic clouded his head. Demyx flailed and tried to yell, but a bony hand in a leather glove covered his mouth. He bit one of the fingers hard, but the figure didn't relent. He dropped like a rock, figuring that maybe his weight would take them off guard, but they countered with a sharp kick to his groin. He crumpled and saw stars. He heard them pick up his useless knife and struggled to move, but he hadn't yet caught his breath.

He heard the cut more than he felt it, right into his belly. The figure twisted the handle. Demyx tried to scream but the shock had paralyzed him; he could only exhale sharply.

He was forced onto his back. The figure grabbed at his face. Demyx could only see the maw of the black hood. The figure pulled back his eyelids, took a good look, yanked out the knife, and was gone.

For a moment he lay on his side. Blood spooled out of him, quickly diluted by the rain. He struggled to sit up. He had to yell, to make some sort of noise; he couldn't breathe. The rain seemed squiggly and the wound inside him burned. He sat up and immediately fell as pain crashed through him.

He wasn't going to die like this. He refused.

Darkness encroached his vision and he saw another blur, in violet, coming towards him. He started shivering. He tried to call for help but was too busy passing out.

Trembling and feverishness all over. The room was blurry and dim. Something sticky and cool clung to his chest and side. His head pounded.

He must have slipped in and out of consciousness. Shadows came into the room and left. He couldn't see well.

A memory smoothly unfurled. "Don't go." His own voice, to his mother, her lying there still in the bed. The air was freezing; a storm was coming. The water looked green. He was on some sort of boat, up high, looking down when the first shadow climbed across the horizon—

The stickiness on his body smelled like menthol. He couldn't focus his eyes but he could see now at least a little. The room was warm in color, dim, and a fire burned in a fireplace at the corner. A brown-haired figure hummed a little tune as she did something at a cabinet against the wall.

He tried to speak. His mouth was so dry. "…Aerith?"

Her head snapped up and she rushed over. "You're awake," she said. She checked his pulse.

"What… what…"

"Don't speak. I'm so glad Yuffie found you when she did…"

He felt like he'd been hit by a freight train. A gummy cloth clung to practically his whole torso. Rain still pattered against the roof. "What day is it?"

"It's only been about twenty-four hours."

"…Really?" He lay still. She poked at the gummy cloth. "What happened?" He vaguely remembered—the shadow, his own knife.

"A Heartless hurt you pretty badly. There's a new pureblood that's very stealthy. It poisoned you."

"…Heartless?"

"It punctured your side." He tried to sit up; she pushed him back down. "I only just was able to remove the poison."

"No, it wasn't a Heartless, it was… something else… A person. I saw them." He clutched at her sleeve.

"One of the symptoms of the poison is hallucinations. You more than likely made that up." She smiled.

"No." That couldn't be true. "No, I didn't. I swear. They—they stabbed me with my own knife—" So much for not being able to be poisoned. No wonder he'd been able to get drunk so easily.

"Your weapon was in its holster when Yuffie found you." She pointed to a small night table, where the holster lay on top of his shirt and jacket. "It happens. You're not the first person that thing attacked. How do you feel?"

Demyx half believed her. The fight already was distant and faded. He'd only seen the shadow… the maw of the head… how could he be sure…

He knew that beading and those zippers anywhere.

"My head is killing me."

"I'd be surprised if it didn't. Like a bad hangover, right?"

He shook his head dismissively. "What's this green stuff?"

"It's a healing tissue. I couldn't help but take a crack at those scars. I hope you don't mind. It seemed to help at least a little."

He wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"I can probably take it off, actually. I know it's not that pleasant." She pulled at an end of the cloth and helped him sit up. It sounded sticky and wet when it came off his skin and made him shudder. "I know you must feel sick, but you healed well." Most of the stuff was off of him, other than a patch stuck to his side. "Not all patients are so good."

"Or so unconscious."

She shrugged. "How has this rain been treating you?"

"Well, other than getting stabbed—" She yanked at the patch and it came off painfully, causing him to swear.

"The medicine in this tends to fuse with the skin. Nobody likes it," she explained.

He looked at his side, amazed to find no wound, only a red patch. "This healing stuff sure is complicated. Aren't you supposed to just cast Cure and be done?" He remembered his weeks and weeks of recovery, and how he'd always felt like they were dragging it out.

"Cure is nothing but a temporary metabolic boost that'll make the tissue grow back without treating anything. You can get into real trouble that way. Not to mention, get into a serious caloric deficit." She handed him a glass of water. She'd put the green stuff back into a glass jar full of iridescent liquid. "I'm afraid I couldn't do much for these after all." She poked gently at some of the scars.

"It's… all right." He wished he had something to put on to cover himself up. At least she'd left on his underwear.

"You really have been through a lot," she said lightly.

"I guess so." He looked into the glass of water, which shimmered slightly in the poor lighting. "Aerith, how did you know you wanted to fight back?"

She thought about this, twisting the end of her braid. "I never really had any other option. I was… very young when this world fell. It impacted every part of me. I want to make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Is that why you took up healing?"

"Maybe." She drifted in thought for a moment. "I know it must feel different for you and the others."

He laughed awkwardly, sending a spasm of pain through his side. "Well. Some of this mess is our fault. How can we not clean it up?"

""We"? Or "I"?"

Demyx shrugged.

She stood. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll tell everyone that you're okay."

[arx563]

I look at the pistol in my hand. I remember something similar from my "pre life". While I standing there I see demons running towards us. My training kicks in the familiar feeling returns as I start shooting the fiery figures whose chasing them. My stance stable, my hands steady, my aim precise. Headshot the first chaser than the next one than the one after it. One by one taking them out. Satan standing there stunned.

"How did you... ?"

"Marine corps sniper training."

Ansering immadietly. The demons just passing by as an other figure walks out from the flames. My body reacts on it's own. I break the elbow than without a moment hesitation break the neck.

"OK. Who the fuck is this guy?" asked one of them.

" I don't know but he can fight. Give him a proper weapon." The other one handed over a machine gun. That's how the War for Hell started.

-= 2 years later=-

"All right guys we can do this!" Said the demon beside me. All the Soliders were exhausted covered with ash and mud. They gave up. The sad reality was no matter what we did how much we killed new ones are came. The Ancient One's army grown stronger as they reached the hell fire pits. We fought but it was hopeless. No one can push them back.

"Satan keep ordering us to hold the position but honestly I don't know how long we can hold them off." Said Vulvus. He was the Second in Command.

"You have to hold it no matter what! " Melanta's voice came from the shadows.

"What do you think we are doing? Playing waterpolo in the pool?!" asked her. By now she didn't even reacted to my rudeness. As She appeared her crimson skin was looked like copper in the light. Her hips moved so lightly it took most people a second look to see her walk. Her black hair nicely covered the silver eyes and the slightly longish face. Those black lips were the dream of every demon in hell but even Satan had to be careful around her. Her aura was emitting madness for most she was someone to be admired from afar. Her heavy chest was raising every time she spoke and she made it prominent by wearing as little clothing as possible. I liked her. She was staring at me. I wanted to get lost in those eyes bite those luscious lips and...

"Hey Big boy are you listening?" Looked at me amused. "I hate when she reading my mind without my permission." I turned away from her eyes as one of the demon asked his comrades. "Can we win?"

"We have to." Answered the others.

"In war there are no winners. Just survivors." I told him bitterly. He clinched his fist and walked away.

-meanwhile-

"Sir! I've never seen anything like this before. No matter what we do he's keep fighting!"

The woman voice was shaking. She was terrified. The torture wasn't working.

"Bring him to me! NOW!"

"Y-yes Sir! I'll wake him up immediately Sir!" she was stumbling over some cables in the rush.

I slowly opened my eyes. Didn't know where I was or What I'm doing there. The strong light made me dizzy. I heard the sound of cuffs clicking on my wrists.

"W-where am I?"

"In Hell. We torturing you for more than 5000 years but you still fighting in that dream wars of yours. Satan want to meet you. I'll help you up." the voice was familiar and gentle.

"Melanta?" asked her wasn't sure about the answer.

"Yes?"she looked up to me with curious eyes. The same silver eyes.

"N-nothing."

She helped me stand up and lead me to the lift. The shackles were clinging. We walked quietly to the elevator.

"Uhm... Mind if I ask a question?"

"Not at all. But probably has a lot to explain. So bett-"

"Actually just one thing! Where is your other costume?"

"Wich one"

"The micro one that you were always we-" She quickly put her finger on my mouth.

"That's not something you need to know!"

"Don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining."

"You better."

"The things I would do to you in that lab coat tho..."

"What?"

"What?"

The rest of the tour was quiet. When we got there she stopped me.

"The place we about to enter is only seen by a few. Behave."

"Or what? You'll spank me."

"Don't tempt me Big boy."

As she finished her sentence the door in front of us is opened. I was standing in the presence of The Ruler of Hell.

"You know why are you here?" He asked me.

"N-no Sir."*gulp* His voice filled the room. I was shaking.

"You manage to whitstand our torture for 5000 years. Only a few was capable of that. You interest me. Would you like to work for me?"

"Y-y-yes Sir"

"Great. We write the contract in 3 days and we just about done."

"With all due respect Sir can you please grant me a body to serve you?"

"Of course. Is that all you want? I've seen your accomplishments and I'm in a good mood."

"Well Sir if possible and not too much to ask Can I get blue eyes?"

"If that all you want so be it."

"Can I work with Melanta? Or perhaps near her?" At that point I was terrified. I didn't want to push it but I needed to know.

"Working close to-ahh I understand now. Yeah why not. She needs to go out more anyway. Fine you gonna be her personal body guard."

As we left I was still in shock. I get to work to Satan himself.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You. Anything."

"How did you do it? "

"Do what? "

"Whitstand the torture. Most people crumble under their sins and the dreams I give them."

"Honestly I don't know. I've always been a fighter. I loved combat. When I get to the Marines was the best thing in my life I'd get to fight and I was enjoying it. Even when we were killed those civilians. Or took down governments. Perhaps the voices I've heard while I was up there helped me down here. "

After this we were quiet. She broke the silence first.

"If you get to work with me I might change into more comfy."

"Like what?"

She looked straight into my eyes.

"If you tell me why the blue eyes I'll tell you what I'm going to wear around you."

A sly smile appeared on my face. So that's how you want to play. Fine. I stepped closer our lips were almost touching. Her breathing was heavy. She stared at the floor. I leaned close. The smell of her made me addicted. I wanted more. In this form touching wasn't possible for long. I whispered in her ear

" Because I know you love them! " A quick and gentle bite to her earlobe and moved back to my original position.

She was still recovering from the experience when I stepped out from the elevator.

You arrive in Hell only to be pulled out of the way of a purplish blast. Hell lies in ruins and you’re handed a pistol by Satan, who was carrying a rifle. “I’ve no time to explain. Just know that if that monstrosity isn’t stopped the universe stands no chance.”

[aibrechts]

(1 of a lot probably) aaAAAAAND I'm back! This time only at 2am tho haha, and as for why, you see, I met this wonderful, talented young man a few weeks ago and I wouldn't miss talking to him for the world. In any case, on the confidentiality thing, please don't worry meu amigo bonito. I trust your judgement, and either way, I /am/ still masked behind anon y'know hahaha. It's all good <3. Anyway, not gonna lie, you have me grinning over all the horsetalk again. I could listen to that all day {~J}

I KNOW ITS BEEN LIKE A DAY AND IM SO SORRY everything is happening all at once All The Time sighs honestly i wish i could just lay back and bask in ur sunny conversation, even if just for one day;;;

that’s true, that’s true, i think i have an idea of who you are (or rather, which blog you run) but it almost seems a shame to figure out... that being said, if you are who i think you are then your writing is absolutely breathtaking, and as golden as your heart <3

(onto #2!) Chester seems plenty lovable btw haha. And I gotta agree that it'd be nigh impossible to find a better home for him. What he has with you? That's the genuine article, and you take /extremely/ good care of him and the others to boot. I'm sure even a famous boy like him gets awestruck sometimes by how lucky and loved he is. Poor Wisdom though! Like /damn/ hahaha. Tough break, kiddo. Tough break hahaha. That's what he gets for trashing the joint tho. {~J}

chester is the perfect man, it’s true, and wisdom is an absolute brat but he has his moments lol. he’s growing on me, similar to that fungal infection thats growing all over his poor handsome face :( i gave him a special bath for it yesterday, and he LOVED it, he loves being pampered. fifteen minutes of me scrubbing at all his itchy spots and spraying water in his mouth to keep him happy when i have to hose his face, and he looks so lovely clean now!!!!!

i know, i know, its sounds gross lol but it’s really not so bad. we caught it very early and he gets those baths twice a week, so it’s cleared up really well!!! 

it’s simply the time of year, i think. hot and humid, ponies sweating under their rugs, too many of them with stupid injuries - fudge had surgery on two of his legs a few months ago, and he’s about to start rehab; lulu got a.... skin cancer??? cut out of her stomach, and that’s been delightfully gross to maintain; rudi’s vice is flies - he’s very sensitive on his legs, and kicks so hard that he cuts his own ankles, poor boy; nikki went lame somehow and no one knows how or why but she seems fine now???????; and we were SO WORRIED that chester had an abscess in his hoof bc a big chunk went missing out of it, but the farrier came for him today and everything was fine, the hole trimmed out clean and simple. 

BIG SIGH THEY’RE....... SO DIFFICULT. so much to maintain, and rumple is as sick as ever but he’s old so that hardly counts. the only ones who are really maintaining themselves are wyn and louie, and i honestly don’t know how louie does it with how he runs around like a maniac all day. BUT ANYWAY!!!!

3 never did end up coming through lol so i’ll move right on <3

(and then there were 4) What can I say? Your silvered light dazzles even the sun, and inspires the moon and stars with its iridescent brilliance. It'd be a crime to put someone so amazing on hold hahaha. <3. And dude. Prawns on Christmas sound amazing. You like astrology though? That's awesome! I definitely /am/ a water sign by the way lol. Scorpio, to be exact, though scorpi-oh-no seems more accurate haha. If you don't mind me asking though, what's yours? Or your sun sign I should say haha {~J}

i dont know much lol but i know im a saggittarius. i seem to be surrounded by scorpios at this point in my life, and i can hardly find a thing to complain about. you’re all absolutely wonderful, and i always seem to be quite taken with your crew’s company ahahaha. 

rather, im surrounded by water signs in general LOL. my siblings are each pisces, cancer and scorpio, i met a bartender last night who was a scorpio, and kimmy is one too lmao yall are everywhere and im Loving it

(#5 comin in hOt) You were also right on the water-affinity thing though haha. I actually knew how to swim before I knew how to walk, believe it or not. Anyway, that picture is absolute /gold/. It really is. And the prophesy was fulfilled so completely that even Voldysmoldy was blown away. You look dashing, by the way! 120/10 best wrapping paper boob stuffer. On the subject of talking though, /holy hell/ don't tempt me I would /gladly/ talk with you all day without hesitation hahaha <3. {~J}

LAUGHS thank you i certainly try my best. my brother’s a good sport, and i somehow feel like a strong mix between him and the sister im now living with (the cancer, if you’re curious ahaha). every day we’ll find ourselves saying the same thing at the same time, and every now and then she’ll give me a strange look and say i sound just like leo, or even that i look like him for a moment ahahaha. 

it’s interesting, it’s strange. i’ve always looked up to them so much (being the youngest and all), so it feels oddly like a compliment, whenever these things happen. 

(#6)(just think, two more of those and you get one of me hahaha). Onto the sleeve tho! The circle maze sounds /fantastic/, and I bet it looks really cool right now, though I'm sure the finished product will be absolutely astronomical. The design you have in mind sounds /epic/! (for real though tatts are so expensive I feel your pain there hahaha)(may the Force be with you I believe in you)(you got this)(you SO got this)(you're gonna kick this resolution's ass). {~J}

lmaoo thank you thank you, i intend to bust so much money on it this year. i still have my lower forearm to design, but i’ve thoroughly plotted out the rest of my arm; the maze is given to inception, the next installment will be vaguely reminiscent of kingdom hearts, and pokemon will take up the space from halfway up my forearm before turning into cc beyond my elbow. so it’s just that part on the back of my forearm that is a bit of a blank canvas rn ahahaha

(holy hell I might need more than 7) I regretfully inform you though that I can't and I shan't cease to flatter you, because you deserve to know the truth of how talented and wonderful you are. And I definitely agree on the balance thing. The devil is in the details and complexity is key, so all the more reason to be proud of how amazing your works are! And /20k/? /Damn/ that's impressive! (and even tho I prefer halloween, I for one will gladly plunge back into the tinsel for you hahaha) {~J}

it’s officially 22k but i haven’t had time to work on it the past couple of dayssssss BUT I FIGURED OUT THE LAST SCENE so it’s only a matter of spare time lololol

(#8 because what's second christmas without snowmen? lol) I'm glad to hear you've got a pretty solid sleep schedule by the way! (and it definitely /was/ worth the discomfort)(still slept like a rock the followin night tho hahaha). I'm really happy that Alma appears to be defying the odds by the way! True to their namesake, and all thanks to their wonderful father. Sheesh. I knew you were dynamically skilled, but this just proves you're magical haha. In your care? I know they'll flourish. {~J}

LOL i am LOVING these message starters btw. yesss tho my family has always been keen on growing things lol. mum had a magnificent herb garden, and i’ve never seen oregano as big as what’s growing in my garden rn. we just planted dahlias where the sunflowers used to be and i wasn’t sure they’d be alright, but they really seem to be flourishing!! im so glad!!!!

(9/9 for the new record hahaha) I'm so proud of both you and them! Not to be punny, but I'm a sap anyway when it comes to plants. or, well, all of nature really haha, and Alma looks really great from the pic I saw! Anyway, speaking of hocus-pocusing, I hope today has been absolutely magical for you, as you deserve no less than the wondrous and the fantastic. Talk to you soon, meu amigo bonito! {~J}

lmfaooo i love that. and yes, their leaves are so cute!!!! so small!!!!! thank u so much tho, the past couple of days have been pretty great. I’m wondering if i can worm a morning off out of my sister, considering she’ll have a day off on sunday and i’ll be working at the cafe from 7 lol;;;; i desperately want to finish starboy, but time really is my enemy right now ahahahaa

thank you so much for all this, i adore you and i hope you managed to get to bed at a reasonable time tonight!!!! sleep well, i’ll see you soon <3