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onestopfanficshop · 1 year

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all the time in the world

pairing: tsu'tey x fem!avatar reader

word count: 4k (oops)

warnings: kissing, unprotected p in v sex (are there condom-equivalents on pandora?), fingering, oral sex (fem receiving), bit of overstimulation, description of reader’s hair length, miscommunication trope if you squint

summary: after three months on pandora with jake, neytiri, and tsu’tey, you finally complete your iknimaya. during your night of celebration, you gather up the courage to tell tsu’tey how you feel.

translations || tìyawn: love

oel ngati kameie: i see you

nga yawne lu oer: you are beloved to me

gif not mine!

"Tsu'tey!" you complain, dragging out the last vowels of his name. You had no idea where this man was taking you. He had dragged you away from your own party, for crying out loud. The clan was celebrating a successful hunt, as well as you for completing your Iknimaya shortly after Jake did. A night filled with music and laughter, and lots and lots of dancing. Another victory chant had just started, and Tsu'tey saw it as the perfect opportunity to steal you away for a moment. You just had no idea why. In fact, you're so caught up in what could possibly be the reason why that you trip over a root, nearly face planting on the forest floor. Not even three months of living practically full-time on Pandora could get rid of your inherent clumsiness.

Tsu'tey whipped his head back, ears standing up in alarm then flattening in annoyance as he saw you nearly lose your balance. You craned your neck up to look at the tree that the offending root belonged to, and patted its trunk apologetically.

Tsu'tey hissed quietly, walking to where you stood. "You are always getting yourself into trouble, hm? Try to stay close to me," he scolded, suddenly grabbing your hand and pulling you along with him. You’re shocked by the gesture, nearly forgetting to protest because your mind is occupied with the sensation of Tsu'tey's large hand enveloping yours.

"This is…totally unnecessary," you huff, although you make no move to let go of his hand. "I mean, where are you even taking me–"

You cut yourself off when you set sight on the majestic tree glowing vibrantly in front of you. You were positive that you had never been to this part of the forest–there's no way you would've overlooked this. The tree stood tall and inviting, with dozens of atokirina’ seeds floating in between its thin, droopy branches. It looked like a bioluminescent version of the willow trees that you studied back on Earth. You let go of his hand to push further through the leaves, cautiously reaching out to touch a drooping branch and delighting in how it glowed in response.

“This is the Tree of Voices,” he explained. “We can hear the voices of our ancestors here. If you connect to it, you can listen to them.”

You turned back to look at him, eyes slightly wide in surprise. “This must be very sacred,” you said, looking up in wonder at the glowing branches.

“Yes, it is,” he replied, taking note of the way you looked around in awe at everything.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to let me see it. It’s beautiful.” You gave him a soft smile.

“You know, there was a time where I did not trust you at all, " he said in an amused tone.

“I'm aware,” you replied, chuckling.

“Besides, you are Omaticaya now,” he continued. “It is only fair that you get to see it. And you will need to make yourself a bow, from the wood of the Hometree.” He pauses, parting some leaves out of the way so he can move a little closer to you. “And you may choose a mate.”

“A mate?” you ask, ears flicking back in curiosity.

“Yes… we have many strong warriors for you to choose from. I know Ozä is looking for a mate. He is particularly skilled,” he says pensively.

“Ozä?” you repeat, furrowing your brows. “I mean, he is a great warrior. But he’s not the one I want.”

“Oh? So you have already chosen?” Tsu’tey questions. His expression remains entirely neutral, but you catch the way his ears flick up and his tail swishes behind him.

“Um… yes, I suppose I have,” you admit. Shit. You’ve already sort of blown your cover. Might as well tell him how you felt—it was now or never.

“He’s a strong warrior as well. The strongest in the whole clan, actually. And he taught me everything that I know, about the way of the people. He taught me… how to see. How to give, not to take. I owe it all to him,” you say timidly.

“The person you are describing… it sounds very much like me,” Tsu’tey replied cautiously.

"I know," you said sheepishly, letting out a nervous giggle. His gaze was so intense; it was heavy and unrelenting and focused solely on you. You couldn't bring yourself to maintain eye contact, so you looked shyly at the bioluminescent moss at your feet.

"I know that we had our differences at first, and we argued a lot. But I grew… I grew to care for you," you admitted quietly, toying with a floating atokirina’ seed. "And I hope I'm not wrong in assuming that… well, maybe…maybe you grew to care for me, too," you said hesitantly. Your voice went up at the end of the sentence like you were asking a question, and you mentally kicked yourself for sounding so insecure. What if he didn’t feel the same way? You’re positive you would evaporate on the spot if he rejected you.

But a shadow casted over the ground you were staring down at. You looked up to see Tsu’tey standing right in front of you. You couldn’t make out the expression that was in his eyes at the moment.

“No,” he said.

“No?” you repeated, trying to keep your voice steady.

Fuck. You should’ve known better. After all, Tsu’tey was the best warrior in the clan, and surely there were plenty of other eligible women lining up to be with him. Neytiri was promised to him before she mated with Jake, and she was the tsahìk’s daughter, for crying out loud. Tsu’tey had practically hated you from the moment you set foot on Pandora, but you two had finally gotten to a place where you could tolerate each other. You might even dare to call yourself friends. But now you had gone and ruined it by confessing your unreciprocated feelings to him like a lovesick teenager. Your face dropped, and your heart dropped even further.

“Wait,” Tsu’tey said quickly, registering the expression on your face. “I meant to say no, as in, you were not wrong to assume that. To assume that I had grown to care for you.”

“Wha- really?” you said in disbelief, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Yes. I know you may not think so, but you taught me as well. It is true I hated the Sky People. But that was before I knew you. You taught me that it is not the body that matters; it is the spirit. It would be the honor of a lifetime to protect you until I take my last breath," he said. He slowly raised a hand to cup one side of your face, as if he was afraid you’d run away at his touch. You didn’t.

“If you will have me,” he continued quietly.

"Yes," you replied automatically, raising a hand to hold the one that was on your face.

"Yes?" Tsu'tey said, unable to hide the small smile that came to his face.

"Yes," you whispered again, letting out a breathless little laugh. You leaned in to rest your forehead on his. His pupils were dilated, and in the violet light emanating from the Tree of Voices, they almost looked animated. God, he was so close. If you just leaned forward a bit, you could–

It was almost as if Tsu'tey could read your mind, because his lips met yours before you could even finish your thought. It was hungry and greedy, his hands finding purchase on either side of your hips. Just the feeling of his fingertips on your skin made your stomach flutter, and when he dug his fingers in a little harder, you let out a sound that was somewhere between a whine and a moan. He moved to press his body against yours as his hands moved up to tangle in your hair. He tugged at it, trying to move impossibly closer to you, accidentally loosening it from the braided hairstyle that Neytiri had painstakingly put it into earlier. Your hair cascaded down your shoulders as Tsu'tey pulled away, hands moving to cup both sides of your face. His breathing had quickened, and he was looking at you in a way that made your legs want to turn into jelly.

"Is this…alright?" Tsu'tey asked breathlessly, thumbs caressing your cheekbones.

"Yes," you whisper. Your hands come up to hold both of his wrists. "It's more than alright. It's amazing."

Tsu’tey smiled at your statement—a full, genuine smile that had his razor-sharp canines on display, stretching across the expanse of his entire face. He untangled his arms from yours and sat down on the soft moss, tugging on your wrist to signal for you to do the same. He reached around his back and grabbed the braid protecting his kuru, and you took it as a sign to do the same. Tsu’tey moved his kuru closer and closer to yours, and you held your breath in anticipation, looking at him with eyes full of nothing but trust and curiosity. The tendrils swayed until they connected, and then…

Oh.

The amount of sensations that you felt all at once nearly overwhelmed you, causing you to shudder. Much to your surprise and delight, you could feel everything that Tsu’tey is feeling. You felt the breeze blowing at his ankles, and the dull ache of his fingers digging into his palm as his breathing got heavier. You felt like you had a sudden jolt of energy, and the only thing you wanted to do was spend it on Tsu’tey.

“Tsu’tey,” you gasped, your fingers tugging at his shoulders to pull him closer to you. “I need…”

“I know,” he said in a choked whisper.

His strong arms wrapped around the entirety of your waist, pulling you up so that you were taller than him, standing up on your knees. He took advantage of his lower position to plant kisses at the junction between your jaw and your neck, causing you to let out a quiet moan. Your own hands were not idle, roaming down the expanse of his defined chest, all the way down to his impossibly toned abdomen. When you snaked your arms around to drag your nails down his back, he shivered a little.

“Yawne,” he groaned. In the haze that Tsu'tey had your brain in, the translation managed to come to mind: Beloved. Your heart skipped a beat.

He pulled at the necklace connected to the intricately beaded top that Neytiri had gifted to you after you completed your Iknimaya. The beads were stunning; woven in the shape of a spiraling flower, they had a metallic look to them, beautifully capturing and reflecting the light from the Tree of Voices.

“If I had known that you felt the way I did… I would have courted you properly. I regret not having done so,” Tsu’tey said, absentmindedly tugging at your top but not quite taking it off.

“It’s okay,” you whisper, looking down at him and moving your hand to hold both sides of his face. “We have each other now. That’s all that matters.”

His ears flicked up at this, and you found it so adorable that you couldn’t help but smile. He looked down at where his finger was hooked on your top, then back up at you, as if asking for permission to take it off. When you eagerly nodded your head yes, he wasted no time, exposing your bare chest to the forest breeze. You suddenly felt shy, wanting to move to cover yourself. You weren’t sure what the difference would be between your Avatar body and that of a regular Na’vi woman. You hoped that your boobs weren’t too big or too small or too weird-looking. But all of that doubt washed away when Tsu’tey buried his face in your chest, planting wet kisses all over and paying special attention to your nipples. You couldn’t help the lewd moan that escaped from your lips, spine arching as you pushed yourself closer to him. Emboldened by your response, he continued his path down your torso, noting how your breathing hitched with every time his lips met your hot skin.

“You are divine,” Tsu’tey breathed against your skin, looking up at you with lustful eyes.

“Says you,” you replied smiling, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

He finally reached your tweng where he paused, looking up at you hesitantly.

“We do not have to—“ he started.

“No,” you interrupted swiftly, cutting him off. “I want to. Please, I—I want you,” you breathe, a bit whiner than you intended to sound.

Now it was Tsu’tey that couldn’t help smiling. You reclined back on your forearms on the moss as he took off his tweng first, then helped you with yours. After he took off his battle band and his neck piece, you were both laid bare before each other. Your right hand pressed to his chest, and you could feel how quickly his heart was beating. He cradled your face in his hand with a sort of restrained reverence, as if he was afraid to touch you further.

Sensing his hesitance, you grabbed his hand in what you hoped wasn’t a bold move, and dragged it down further and further until it was right at the cusp of your wet folds. Tsu’tey seemed to get the message then. His eyes stayed glued to yours, slipping a testing finger inside you. You let out a sharp little exhale, your back coming off the forest floor in response to his touch. He took this as encouragement, moving his thumb to circle around your clit and slipping another finger inside of you. That got you. One of your hands shot up to grab one of Tsu’tey’s impossibly toned biceps as your eyes snapped shut, brows furrowing together.

“Tsu’tey, I need—I want…,” you gasped, bucking your hips to try and add more friction to his movements.

“What is it, tìyawn? Tell me, and I will give it to you,” he said huskily. He was half a world away, eyes heavy as he watched his fingers move in and out of you.

“More,” you managed to get out.

In a surprise move, he took his fingers out of you, arms hooking up to grab your hips and tug you down. You let out a shocked gasp as Tsu’tey lowered himself near your aching cunt. His eyes flicked up to yours hungrily–only for a split second–before he buried his face in between your legs. Moans tumbled from your lips as his tongue worked his magic on you, swirling and sucking at your clit until you were seeing stars. You had to thread your fingers through his braids to ground yourself; otherwise, you were afraid you’d float up to heaven and never come back.

“Tsu’tey, please don’t stop, don’t you dare stop,” you mumbled, barely coherent. You were speaking gibberish now, a mix between English, some Na’vi, and moaning, but mostly, you just repeated Tsu’tey’s name over and over.

He paused his actions only for a second to look up at you, his mouth and chin shiny with your slick. The sight had you biting back a smile.

“You are very demanding, you know that?” he said, grinning and pressing a chaste kiss to the burning skin of your thigh.

You huffed out a laugh, tugging lightly at his braids. “Shut up and keep going,” you retorted breathlessly. Tsu’tey’s ears flick up at this, and his eyes glinted mischievously as he looked you up and down.

“As you wish,” he said lowly. He resumed his assault on your clit, hands moving up to hold both of your breasts and play with your nipples. Whimpering, you closed your fingers over his hands. You came undone seconds after, and if this were any other moment where you were the slightest bit concerned about your dignity, you would have thought it was an embarrassingly short amount of time. But right now, all you could focus on was squeezing your hands around Tsu'tey's as you reached the peak of your climax. Tsu’tey watched your contorted features, the thin layer of sweat on your forehead, and your parted lips, and decided right then and there that you had never looked more beautiful. You were panting, trying to get your breathing down to a normal rate when you finally caught his eye. They had a sort of amused look in them, and with you still giddy from your orgasm, you let out a giggle.

“What?” Tsu’tey asked, half-grinning as he gingerly tucked some hair behind your ear that had gotten in your face.

“Nothing, I just—that felt really good. You make me feel good.”

“I do?” he asked, quirking his lips at you.

“Mhm,” you replied. Your eyes drifted down to the space where his cock was, already hard and throbbing. Without thinking, you grabbed it, and his reaction was instant. He gasped, shuddering as he looked down at where your hand was pumping him, and then back up to your face.

“I need to—can we…?” Tsu’tey stuttered, swallowing hard as his eyes fluttered shut. You understood him well enough, though, and you lined him up so that his tip was at your entrance. You moved your hands to hold his face, looking between both of his eyes.

“It’s okay,” you whispered. “Go ahead.”

Slowly, without taking his gaze off of you for a second, Tsu’tey pushed into you with the utmost care. You kissed all along his jaw and his throat as he continued on until he bottomed out, rewarding your ears with a low, throaty groan when he did. He began to move at an agonizingly slow pace, restraint evident as he tried to give you time to get accustomed to his size. Each drag of his thick cock had you biting your tongue from whining at the overstimulation. But even though you were still hyper-sensitive from your orgasm, you desperately wanted him to fuck you with full force, for him to come the same way he made you come. You wanted to make him feel as good as he made you feel.

“Tsu’tey, I want you to go faster,” you pleaded, staring straight into his golden eyes. “Can you do that for me?”

He slowed down, dick twitching inside of you. “Are you sure, yawne?”

“I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life,” you whispered. That was all the reassurance he needed. With a few warning thrusts, he began to pound into you. The force of it had you breathless, and the only thing grounding you was his hands, which were holding you down firmly on either side of your lower abdomen.

“Yes, yes, yes,” you whined, your fingers taking hold on his biceps once more. “Please don’t stop. I need you.”

Tsu’tey could only respond by whispering curses in Na'vi that you vaguely recognized from your training with Neytiri. You could sense his restraint dissipating, thrusts becoming sloppy and arrhythmic as he felt your walls gripping him impossibly tight. Your head turned over to the side, where you caught sight of where the two of you were still joined by your neural queues. Carefully, you slid your hand under your conjoined braids so that it rested on top of your palm. Tsu’tey took one of his hands and closed it over yours, and you squeezed his hand gently. That seemed to be enough to drive him over the edge. He let go of your hand and pulled you up to a sitting position so that your chest was flush against his, and you raised your arms up to wrap around his neck, holding him in a tight embrace. A few more thrusts and then he groaned, suddenly going still, and a soft moan escaped from your lips as you realized that he was coming inside of you. Your fingers wrapped around the nape of his neck, stroking the skin there as he got in a few more lazy pumps, desperately trying to ride out his high the same way that you did before pulling out. He slumped against you, burying his face in the crook of your neck as you absentmindedly raked your fingers up and down his back. You could feel his warm breath coming out in little huffs against the skin near your neck, and you could swear you had never felt so content in your life.

“Ma Tsu’tey,” you said softly, feeling him come down from his climax. He looked at you, eyes full with equal parts lust and admiration, which turned to concern upon seeing your watery eyes.

"What is it, tìyawn? Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly. His hand automatically came up to hold your face, thumbing away at the tears threatening to spill.

"No, no– I just…" you start, letting out a shaky laugh. "I love you, Tsu'tey. More than I can even properly say with words. Oel ngati kameie," you whispered.

"Oel ngati kameie, tìyawn," he whispered back, rubbing soothing shapes on your cheekbone. He paused, eyes dropping down for a moment before looking back up into your own. "Nga yawne lu oer," he said, voice cracking with emotion. Your eyebrows knitted together and raised up, breathless at the vulnerability that Tsu'tey was showing to you right now. Here was a man who went from never letting you see him sweat to confessing his love to you. So you kissed him. You had to. You needed to. And he kissed you back. If you kissed him, he would kiss you back–it was a concept that was so foreign, yet completely familiar, and you reveled in it. It wasn't like the first kiss you shared; this one was sweet and pressing. You weren't in an adrenaline rush; this was the bliss that came after the tides of rapture had breached the shore. It was the type of kiss that said: we have all the time in the world. You pulled away softly, taking time to immortalize Tsu'tey in your mind like this. Happy. At peace. In love.

"Hello," he said quietly with a loopy grin, as if meeting you again for the first time.

"Hi," you whispered back, giggling.

"What next, hm?" he asked, fingers tracing your back soothingly.

"I just want you to hold me, Tsu'tey."

And so he did. He held you, and made out with you some more–he couldn't help himself. You're not entirely sure when you had gotten your clothes back on (you were too high up in your post-orgasm bliss; Tsu'tey would have to tell you later that he's the one who dressed you back up). Time moved slowly, but you loved it that way.

You two had all the time in the world.

You had woken up sometime before dawn, and the bioluminescence from the Tree of Voices had nearly faded by now. You shifted around in your sleep at one point to be on top of Tsu'tey, curled up against his chest. He had one arm wrapped firmly across your waist, while his other hand was resting on top of his knife. Even in his sleep, he was a warrior. You let out a soft snort at the realization before you could stop yourself, rousing Tsu'tey from his slumber. His eyes opened to find yours, going slightly wide before relaxing again, as if he was afraid that last night was just a dream that he made up in his head. But it wasn't. You were real, awake, next to him. And you were smiling at him.

"Sorry for waking you up," you whisper apologetically, craning your neck to look up at him. He groaned quietly in response, merely throwing an arm over his eyes to block out the sunlight looming from the horizon. You had to fight back another laugh. Not a morning person. Got it.

"Are you truly sorry? Or did you just want my attention?" he asks playfully, voice delightfully raspy and low from sleep.

"Oh, I don't know," you say, innocently tracing shapes in his chiseled abdomen. "Now that I think about it, maybe I did want your attention."

He laughed a genuine laugh, the kind that you could hear vibrating in his chest and could feel in his shaking shoulders. "Whatever my mate wants, she gets," he replies with a smile, kissing the top of your head.

My mate. My mate.

Yeah, you could get used to that.

ty for reading!

#tsu’tey x reader #tsu’tey x you #tsu’tey smut #tsu'tey x y/n #tsu’tey imagine #tsu'tey te rongloa ateyitan #avatar tsu'tey #tsu’tey

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selenacosmic · 10 days

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Hi! I have an idea request how about a ikemen sengoku MC, who is a water fairy with big, sparkling, see-through blue wings. and when she swims around in water, her movements create bioluminescense in a lake or ocean and can heal fatal wounds with water from her hands.🤗🧚‍♀️💧🌊

Nobunaga, Shingen, Yoshimoto, Ranmaru, Mitsunari, and Hideyoshi

Hello! I love fantasy like scenerios! Thank you for the request.

Fairy MC.

Oda forces.

Nobunaga Oda.

The first time he met you was when you saved him from the burning temple, but you didn’t just drag him out, you extinguished the fire by controlling… water? Nobunaga knew that you were capable of things that no other human could do, so he decided to keep your powers a secret until he found out more about it.

One of his favorite things was to see how beautiful the castle’s lake would become when you would swim in it, to look at those beautiful wings that you would normally keep hidden from others. After ever battle he would have, Nobunaga would go straight to you to receive your healing powers.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

Hideyoshi knew something was… off about you. There were times he could swear that he saw you sparkling or moving water around. But those moments were too quick for him to be certain. It was only after he monitored you to make sure you weren’t a spy (or even a youkai, not that he was sure you were a supernatural being) that he eventually caught you freeing your wings.

Hideyoshi felt very embarrassed after that and apologetic, since he started viewing a lot of your actions under a different light. He will promise to keep your secret safe, and was instead being the one scolded by you on most occasions. Everything he treated his life as less than Nobunaga’s, you would be right there to heal him with your magic.

Mitsunari Ishida.

For Mitsunari to accidentally find out about you being a fairy would be… both difficult and easy. Most of the time he was busy reading books about strategy and war, and everyone knows that it’s impossible to get his attention during these times. But, at the same time, no one knows when he will finish reading and pay attention to his surroundings. Whenever he was busy reading next to you, you would use your powers to prepare tea, or fix the tea that Mitsunari would make.

It was during one of those moments that Mitsunari will catch you lifting the tea from its cup with your powers, but don’t expect a shocked reaction. He will be more interested in studying and learning more about your abilities as a fairy. Mitsunari will be specially interested in studying your wings.

Ranmaru.

Ranmaru wasn’t that unfamiliar with the supernatural, he was practically raised by a monk after all. But he certainly had never expected to have met one so enchanting like you. Ranmaru found you by accident swimming on one of the lakes within the castle’s garden, he was attracted by the beautiful bioluminescent light the water was making.

Of course, he was so mesmerized that he only found out later that you were the one making the water look like that. Ranmaru avoided you the next few days, not because he wanted distance, but because he was flustered. You would often see him blushing and running away with his hands over his cheeks.

Uesugi-Takeda alliance.

Shingen Takeda.

To him, you must be a goddess or a celestial maiden, there were no other explanations for your incredible abilities. This thought had started after you stumbled upon him when he was having a coughing fit, he tried to give an excuse that he just had something on his throat, but you suddenly got closer to him and placed your hands over his chest. Shingen noticed that they were wet with water… had you just come out of the bathhouse?

Before he could think properly, he felt an energy flowing in his chest, as if his breathing was being cleared. He wasn’t sure if you had cured him, but he was sure that you weren’t a human now. Before he could question you about what you were, you had already ran out from his room, likely from embarrassment for having revealed your identity. Shingen could only chuckle, he had time to find out more and investigate you… At least now he felt like he had time.

Yoshimoto Imagawa.

Just like his cousin, Yoshimoto has always been fascinated by the myths and legends, believing that they were real, though he wasn’t as interested. He was far more fascinated by art, so the first thing that caught his attention and led to Yoshimoto discovering the truth about your identity was when he saw you playing near a river, moving your hands around the water and making you shine in a way he had never seen before.

He found every aspect of you beautiful and that it needed to be painted, specially your wings. He was captivated by them, always asking if he could see them.

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen #ikemen sengoku shingen #ikemen sengoku nobunaga #ikemen sengoku hideyoshi #ikemen sengoku yoshimoto #ikemen sengoku ranmaru #ikemen sengoku mitsunari

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lilkrissmuffett · 3 months

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Don't Let the Bedbug-Man Bite

Perfect Cell/Fem!Reader

NSFW. Approximately 3k words.

Read it on ao3 here!

Read part II here!

During one of many restless nights under the Perfect Being's watchful eye, Cell decides to very kindly help his little human pet fall asleep...whether you WANT to or not.

Nights should honestly be the worst.

Ever since you were a little girl, you’ve always been afraid of the dark, the threat of the unknown lurking amongst the wind-swayed trees outside your window. But now that you’re with Perfect Cell, you’ve come to fear the cold even more, no matter the time. That insidious, creeping chill that crawls deep into your bones means that you are alone. It means that Cell, your provider, your savior, the only being left on this godforsaken planet that still gives a shit whether you live or die (or so he says)…has abandoned you.

But not tonight.

Tonight, at least, you’re safe and warm. For a being that resembles little more than a massive, mutated cicada, the bastard sure gives off a surprising amount of body heat.

You lie awake in Cell’s inhumanly strong arms, perpetually unnerved by his lack of a heartbeat despite your face being pressed against his hard, smooth chestplate. Instead, the sound coming from within his chitinous form is more akin to the whir of a fan inside a PC tower. One that was pushing seven feet tall, not including the bizarrely insectile pair of pointed protrusions at the crown of his head. Perfect Cell’s physical appearance could only be described as some off-putting mix of conventionally attractive and downright grotesque, calling to mind the lethal beauty of a pitcher plant or Venus fly-trap.

A natural predator in the most unnatural sense of the word…but hey, you fell in either way.

Suddenly, there is a large, clawed hand curling beneath your chin and tilting your head back, so quick and abrupt it makes your neck crack. You pry open your eyes and all you can see in the blackness is the bioluminescent magenta of Cell’s impassive stare. He squints slightly as he tugs you closer, and you can’t tell whether he disapproves of what he sees or if it’s just his usual ‘ew, a human’ air of superiority that fuels his seemingly constant disdain for your presence. Shifting your positioning so that your back is against his front, he brushes his thumb over your lips before sliding his grip a little lower.

You blink back fresh tears, but It’s not because you’re scared of him. There are other reasons.

“You aren’t sleeping.”, he observes flatly, stating the obvious as if he’s known from the very start. That you could never truly rest while lying in your dead parents’ bed, their cooling bodies sprawled out on either side of it. Your mother’s broken limbs are twisted in all kinds of disturbing angles, your father’s sightless eyes gaze up at the ceiling despite the rest of his body lying prone.

You will never be able to scrub that image from your mind; a fact that no doubt amuses Cell, positively tickles him even, and perhaps that is why he nearly always ends your days this way. Checking one of your mostly estranged but no-less-loved ones off of his hit list, severing yet another of your increasingly brittle connections to the world he’s vowed to destroy. Just for shits and giggles, mind you. You see, everything is like a game to Cell, and he always plays to win.

“Yeah. I know.”, you agree without argument or explanation, your voice slightly strained from the slowly increasing pressure on your windpipe. He’s not choking you, not yet, merely controlling your breath. Like everything else in your new life together, Cell is completely in charge. He decides how much oxygen goes into your lungs, not you. In fact, he makes lots of decisions regarding what goes inside you, and the notion that this thought never fails to arouse you is what shames you the most.

Cell’s mouth is on your ear now, his voice deadly soft and dripping with feigned concern as he nuzzles your hair, breathing you in deep and slow. You swear he’s mocking you as your vision begins to spot.

“A proper night’s rest is imperative, my dear. Tomorrow is a very important day for us, and while I hold no qualms about penetrating your unconscious body for all the world to see…”, he chuckles to himself, probably picturing it, “...I’d much prefer my pet to remain fully awake and alert during the act of coitus.”

“You…killed my parents. They are dead on the fucking floor...and-and you expect me to—”

Cell cuts you off, his response curt and utterly devoid of sentiment. “Of course, I would be happy to assist you if falling asleep on your own has proven too difficult. Perhaps you might even enjoy it, hm?” He never comforts you after he does these awful things, but at least this time he lets you breathe. You can feel him smirk against your neck as you gasp for air, his other hand idly wandering up your shirt, tracing his nails along the soft plane of your abdomen.

“Shall I, pet? I can make you feel very good...I can make you forget.”

Despite your immediate reluctance, you resign yourself to your fate with a single, weak nod of your head. You hate that he’s right, and he revels in it, seizing your breasts in two greedy handfuls and kneading painfully hard. It makes you feel slimy, like you need a shower, and pretty soon…you probably will.

“That’s my girl…”, Cell croons, low and smooth, running his long, proboscis-like tongue up the back of your neck before his teeth dig into the soft flesh of your nape. There’s already an angry violet bruise there, and the pain borders on nauseating.

“Mm. So, you’re learning, are you…that I only have your best interests at heart.”

You’d roll your eyes at that line of utter bullshit if they weren’t already halfway to the back of your skull. Cell’s skilled fingers have snuck between your legs, rubbing your wet cunt through your underwear while his other hand continues to grope you at his leisure. He likes when you squirm, so you do.

“Do you even…ahhh- have a heart?”, you ask, somewhere between sarcasm and genuine inquiry. The answer comes in two forms, one you can hear, the other you can feel, hot and achingly rigid as it prods impatiently at your backside. Before you can protest, the thin cotton barrier protecting you from this assault is torn apart with a single, well-placed swipe of his claw.

“Not technically…but don’t play coy with me, kitten. You and I both know there are other parts of my perfect form that will be of greater benefit...for both of us.”, Cell reasons, his normally pompous tone wavering just a hair as he slips his repulsive, prehensile phallus between the cushioning of your inner thighs. Self-lubricated by its own mucosal lining, his thick shaft glides wetly back and forth against your supple flesh with almost sickening ease. It makes you want to vomit.

It makes you want to beg for it.

Cell’s next command comes out far too huskily for your liking, his own burgeoning lust caught in his throat. You can tell he’s becoming more and more restless with each passing second. Soon, his prim and proper outer shell will split wide open and there will be no mercy underneath. It’s frightening, his propensity for violence. Especially when he’s inside of you.

“Let me in, woman.”, Cell practically snarls, the last word spat in your ear like an insult.

“You would do well not to deny me.”

The cruelty in his voice freezes your blood and you stutter, just as you used to when you were younger. God, you hate when he brings that out of you. It’s been literal decades, for fuck’s sake.

“I-I…I’m nuh-not!”, you whine loudly, trying not to want him even as your pussy dribbles embarrassingly all over the shredded remains of your panties and onto his vile, milk-white cock, “Look, you’re gonna take wh-what you want a-anyways…suh-so-so just FUCK me already!!”

Much to your dismay, your android captor falls eerily silent for a moment, stilling all motion mid-thrust between your legs.

“Oh, darling…that’s cute and all, but I’m afraid you are in no position to be demanding anything.” Cell barks a haughty laugh, growing breathless with need as he roughly flips you over onto your belly and yanks your hips into the air with alarming speed. The tip of his cock slaps obscenely against your ass, leaving thin webs of pre-ejaculate to bridge the gap between your skin and his. He stretches his insectoid frame across your back like something out of a classic body-horror flick, shoving your face into the pillow and pinning you there as he prepares to violate you. The heel of his hand grinds down upon your skull, sharp nails jabbing into your scalp while the other wraps around the base of his pulsating member, massaging the gooey tendril in a very specific way. Right down the middle.

“I will fuck you — as vulgar and pedestrian as that word choice may be — whenever, and however I please, you foolish little thing. Pathetic, really…for you to even assume otherwise.”, he scoffs, his sharply handsome features contorting into an ominous grin as his sinewy length splits in two with a horrible, sloppy squelch.

Panic ignites, blindingly bright and glassy, once Cell sets about teasing both of your tight little holes in simultaneous fashion, groaning with pleasure as he slowly forces you open. His laughter is laced with sadistic intent, drowning out your muffled screams while he fills you so thoroughly that you’re convinced he’s going to simply rip you apart.

The fact that he does not is no small miracle.

With surprising care hardly befitting of a genocidal monster, he lifts you into his arms, still buried near to the hilt as he sits back on his haunches, bent knees emitting a sound like a squeaky shopping cart wheel. His hands guide your hips, rocking you in his lap for a moment before letting go entirely. You’re overcome by an odd, weightless sensation as Cell gracefully leans back on the bed to better angle himself, the better to drive himself deeper, your body supported by seemingly nothing but his dual members. You hover up and down as if carried by a gentle wave upon the sea, feeling them slither and writhe against your hot inner walls. Caressing you in places you never knew you longed to be touched.

You could float here forever, you think, with your head lolling back on your shoulders and your mouth parted in a series of soft, elated moans. It never occurs to you that Cell would use his mastery of telekinesis just to momentarily ease the discomfort of double penetration. Not for you. Not for anyone.

“I told you I could make you feel good, pet. And I will.”, Cell purrs from behind you, his warm tongue lapping at the sensitive hollow where your shoulder meets the slender column of your neck. “After all, it is only fair to return the favor, yes? I think we can agree on that much, even if you do seem slightly…indisposed at the moment.”

There was a small pause in his arrogant ramblings in which he began to bounce you a little faster and you could very blatantly hear him try to suppress a gasping moan as your body clung to him for dear life.

“Nnnggh…I would imagine you feel quite fortunate to be allowed the privilege of being taken by the ultimate life-form.”, Cell continues, absolutely loving the pitiful, pleading sounds coming from your mouth while you ride him.

“Now tell me, human…who is the only being in the universe that could ever please you this way? I just adore the sound of my name coming from those pretty lips of yours…”

He sounds so insufferably smug, full of himself as ever. Sometimes you wish he’d just shut up.

With a single flourish of his wrist, you are then spun around to meet his half-lidded gaze, face to face and chest to hard-plated chest, and for a second you swear he might be looking at you as if you’re something other than a squashed insect stuck to the bottom of his weird, mechanical boot-foot.

“YOU, Cell…Mmn, f-fuck…❤”

His name tumbles from your lips like a prayer and he instantly takes hold of your waist, claws digging into your yielding softness as he finally allows plain ol’ gravity to take over. Thrusting up, and up, and up, he drills you from below like a well-oiled machine, so deep and forceful that his cocks may as well be tickling the back of your throat. Cell crushes you against his torso while he fucks into you at an impossible pace, growling and grunting like one of those inferior creatures he claims to be oh so much better than.

“...M m m i i i n n e…"

He hisses greedily, teeth clenched and jaw tightly latched around that same ravaged spot on your neck. He doesn’t even sound like himself anymore, drifting further from perfection, and closer to Hell. Small beads of blood begin to well up around his claws and fangs alike, tearing more delicious cries from you before he devours them right from your lips. His actions are no longer merely possessive in nature…but totally obsessed. You wonder in a vague, detached sort of way if he’s going to accidentally maul you to death. Indeed, the irritating mechanical squeal of his joints filling your ears with every thrust almost makes you wish he would knock you out so you could at least be spared the headache. But for now, all that you can do is wrap your arms around his neck and take it.

Then somewhere within the sheer chaos of panting breaths and smacking flesh on exoskeletal flesh, you swear you can hear Cell mutter your name; not some degrading pet name, but the honest-to-god real, actual name your dearly departed parents gave you when you were born, as he lurches into a vicious, bellowing climax. Both phalli are throbbing rapidly and swelling up with his impending release, testing the limits of your already abused holes as if they never even existed in the first place. Only then does he pump you full to the brim with the poisonous-looking purple sludge that is his semen– thick, hot ropes splattering your insides.

And after all that, he doesn’t even deign to let you come, simply shoving your limp figure off of his lap once he’s finished, so that you can pass out in the mess leaking from between your splayed, trembling thighs. With a tilt of his head, Cell looks you over, licking his chops with approval as his taut, fiendish expression begins to relax back to that standard, holier-than-thou smirk ‘n glare combo. His spent members meld back together once more, still dripping cum as they slowly retreat back within the fleshy purple folds surrounding the vertical slit between his legs. Soon, the orifice closes entirely, sealing up and hardening into the shiny armor plate specifically meant to protect Cell’s reproductive organs.

“Hmm. I suppose that was…satisfactory. However, as much as I would like to keep playing with you, I should allow your weak, mortal form ample time to recover. Ah, why must you humans have so many bothersome physiological defects…?”, he laments with a loud, overly dramatic sigh, scrunching up his brow ridges and briefly rubbing his temple with two fingers. You would probably laugh at how ridiculous he looked if you didn’t feel like you’d just been run over by a goddamn semi-truck.

“But, no matter. Rest well, sweet pet.”, he tells you with a fond little hum, leaning over to push your hair back and awkwardly peck the center of your sweaty forehead. His lips tentatively linger on your skin for a second or two as he reaches down between your legs, circling your clitoris with one playful finger. Blithely amused by the way you twitch and whimper at the slightest hint of contact. It’s not as if he doesn’t know exactly what that tiny bundle of nerves is for, but more like he just doesn’t care.

Asshole.

But tomorrow, the Games begin. Maybe he’ll surprise you with something special…or maybe he won’t. Guess you’ll find out. Cell has been toying with the concept of inserting some ‘half-time’ entertainment into his long-awaited martial arts tournament (more like a thinly-veiled vanity project, in your humble opinion) with his human pet as the star, for the past few days now. He seems practically giddy over it, in fact, especially when you react to the idea with open discomfort.

“Well, then. I trust I’ve chosen wisely by keeping you alive…for the time being. Do not make me regret it later.” Cell’s parting threat wafts in one ear and out the other as he exits the room, addressing your dazed form as if you were a misbehaving child. Your captor doesn’t need to sleep as far as you can tell, and you are only left to wonder what the bio-android gets up to while you are busy fulfilling that basic human need.

But in the blissful seconds before exhaustion claims you until morning, it doesn’t matter that you are left unsatisfied, badly bruised, and bleeding in several places. It doesn’t even matter that the monster from your childhood nightmares has brutally and systematically murdered everyone you ever loved.

Because in that one moment of fleeting clarity…you are perfect.

You are his.

#my writing #mister perfect cell 💚#perfect cell #dragon ball cell #dragon ball #ao3fic

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liliesonpandora · 8 months

Note

hiii!! I love your fanfics, especially your jeytiri ones! I wanted to know if you can make one where they're on a date, kinda like in the date night scene in twow but more romantic! I hope that makes sense!! ❤😅

Hiii! Thank you so much for your support! I thought it would be cool to write about what a date night would be like after they left the forest. I love this concept art of them walking on the beach. If only we got to see that in the film😭 Sorry this one took me so long, but I hope you enjoy reading it! ☺️🫶🏼

Under the Stars With You

Jake and Neytiri had just finishing kissing all their kids goodnight, wishing that they slept as soundly as they could.

“You tired, baby?” Jake asked his wife in a hushed tone.

She shook her head in response. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach,” he said while taking her hand and motioning his head towards the entrance of their home. That sounded amazing to Neytiri, she longed for some time alone with her husband. But she was hesitant… turning back to look at her children. There was a part of her that didn’t want to leave them alone in a strange new place, regardless if she knew they were safe.

“It’s okay mom, we’ll be fine.” They both turned towards Neteyam’s bed, surprised to see that he was still awake.

“If Tuk wakes up, I’ll put her back to bed,” he whispered.

Neytiri walked over to his hammock and caressed his cheek. “I thought you were sleeping my love.”

He smiled up at her. “Not yet, but I’m getting there. You guys go ahead and relax, you deserve it.”

“My darling son, how did you become so sweet?” she beamed in adoration and he blushed.

Jake walked over and placed a hand on Neteyam’s head. “I know we can count on you, Teyam. If you need anything at all, just call for me. We wont be too long.”

“Got it. Goodnight, guys.”

“Goodnight, we love you!” Neytiri cried.

“Love you too!” He replied before pulling his blanket up.

Jake and Neytiri walked hand in hand out of the marui and towards the beach illuminated by the moonlight.

Jake spoke first. “Can you believe how beautiful it is here?”

Neytiri gave him an annoyed look, and stayed silent.

“What?”

“You just don’t want me to be upset about being here.”

“Okay, you got me.”

“It is very beautiful,” she admitted after a moment of silence and Jake smiled. They entered the shallow ocean and watched as the water lit up of bioluminescence with each step they took.

“How’ve you been, sweetheart?”

“I’ve been okay, but it’s difficult if I am being honest. I am a good swimmer back home, but this is something new.”

“Ahh my wife is used to being the best at everything she does.”

Neytiri laughed at this and Jake was happy to see her smiling.

“I am just glad the kids are adjusting here. I was really worried for them. They already have a difficult time back home feeling like they do not belong.”

Jake took a moment to think and then spoke. He suddenly felt sorry and grateful and appreciative all at once.

“Neytiri.”

“Hm?” she said while looking down and kicking the water with her feet.

“Thank you.”

She looked up at him now. “For what, my beloved?”

“For always having faith in me, and for trusting me to take care of us. I know you did not agree with me.”

She sighed deeply and then spoke. “Yes, running is not who I am. It is not the Na’vi way. We stand and fight, face our problems.”

“But you allowed us to move anyway.”

“Yes, as much as I am loyal to my beliefs and my people… I was so scared to lose them Jake.” She stopped walking now and he followed, locking eyes with her while she continued. “Sometimes change is okay, necessary even. But the real reason I decided to come here is because I could not say for sure that they would be safe at home. I thought to myself, ‘what if he is right about this?’ And I could not bring myself to take the chance not knowing.”

“Neytiri, I promise I will do everything in my power to protect this family.”

“I know you will. But you won’t have to do it alone, we will face everything together.”

“I love you.”

“I know,” she replied with a playful smile.

“More than you know,” he said seriously.

“And I love you.”

Jake grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in close, bringing a hand up to her cheek. He let his thumb graze the supple skin of her lower lip and she leaned in before he had the chance to do it himself. She brushed the tip of her nose against his, and stopped just short of his lips. All they could hear was the crashing of the waves on the shore and the sound of their breathing in sync. He couldn’t take it anymore, so he closed the gab between their mouths with urgency. Their lips intertwined with a softness, soon turning into hunger.

Her hand reached up to grab the hair at the nape of his neck, sending tingles all down his spine. His hands left her waist and cupped her ass, squeezing with just enough strength to please her. But careful not to leave a mark that would last long. They had made that mistake too many times in the past. She teased his tongue with the tip of hers and he took her lower lip between his teeth, causing her to let out a low moan that drove him crazy.

His hands slid down to grip her thighs next, lifting her onto him. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and their bodies pressed tightly together, heat radiating off of them. Without breaking the kiss, Jake walked up the beach so they were further from the shore. One hand gripped her back and the other held her thigh so she wouldn’t slip. Gently bending down to his knees, he laid her on her back and rested his body between her legs.

Once he finally broke the kiss, her eyes took a second longer to flutter open. He could see how much she wanted him and it pained him to stop. “Keep going,” she whispered into his mouth.

“Baby if I keep going, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop tonight. But just say the word and I’ll give you whatever you want.”

She placed another gentle kiss on his lips, exasperated by the exchange. “No, you’re right, we told Neteyam we wouldn’t be long.”

“You sure?” He asked while peppering light kisses from her jawline down to her collarbone.

“You make it so hard to say no to you. But yes, let’s just stay here for a bit longer and look at the stars before we head back.”

“Okay, my love.”

They settled more comfortably on the sand, and Neytiri laid her head on Jake’s chest. She could feel his heart beating slightly faster than usual. “My marine, are you nervous?”

“You drive me crazy. My heart still skips a beat around you.”

“Skxawng. Charm is your best skill.”

Jake chuckled in response, always amused when she called him that. It reminded him of when they were younger.

“Speaking of the kids, have you seen Lo’ak and Tsireya these days?” He asked.

“Who has not seen them would be the better question. I think it’s cute, I don’t think Lo’ak was interested in anyone back home.”

“This kid…of all the girls, he had to go for the chief’s daughter. They already hesitated accepting us, and I’m not prepared for the conversation about those two.”

“Hmm our youngest son reminds me of a certain someone who also thought he could have the daughter of Olo’eyktan.”

“Yeah and if I’m remembering correctly, that daughter wanted to have me as well.” A smirk came across Neytiri’s face.

Jake turned to her. “Tell me something.”

“Hm?”

“When did you first feel that you were falling in love with me?”

“Ma Jake, how many times have you asked me this question?”

“I just love hearing the answer.”

“I fell in love with you in the sky. Well, that’s when I think I was sure about it. When we were flying ikran together, I felt bonded with you in a way I’ve never felt with anyone. You were so fearless and free and fun. Even you failed time and time again. I didn’t need the spirits to tell me your heart was strong and pure. And when you smiled, I loved your…” Neytiri struggled to remember the word in English. So she placed her index finger on Jake’s cheek and waited for him to realize what she meant.

“Dimples.” He said with a smile, finishing the sentence for her.

“Dimples. You have the most pretty dimples,” she continued. “Okay, now you must tell me.”

“I was taken by you the very first time I saw you. I thought you were incredible… strong and confident and beautiful. And after that, I always wanted speak to you. Everyday I woke up and longed for when I would see you again. And I knew that when I earned my place among the people, that I wanted to be yours forever. You showed me what love is. I was just hoping and praying that I could be worthy of you.”

A tear rolled down Neytiri’s cheek. She didn’t even realize she was crying. Jake wiped the tear from her face. “Our family is together and we are safe, and we’ll always be together.”

All she could do was smile at him and nod, more tears flowing. Jake placed a kiss on each of her eyelids. “Why’re you crying, my love?”

“I’m just happy.”

Neytiri was unsure what the future would bring for her family. But she was certain of this very moment and the love they felt for each other.

“Come, lets go back now. I think I can sleep peacefully tonight,” she told him. He smiled at her with endless love before taking her hand to walk back to their new home, joining their children in a restful sleep.

Hiii just want to add that although I don’t personally agree with Jake’s decision to relocate his family, I feel like it’s realistic that he had a conversation similar to this one with Neytiri. Like thanking her for trusting him and agreeing to go despite her differing opinions. I think their relationship has compromise, trust, and faith.

Also important to note that neither of them can predict the future, and the characters have flaws and make mistakes. One of Jake’s flaws is his dedication to his human ways despite how long he has been Na’vi. Sometimes it aids him and helps the People, and sometimes it hinders him. It is my hope that Jake will begin to value Neytiti more as a decision maker and realizes that he is not always right about what’s best.

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formulax · 1 year

Text

ANGLERFISH: Journal Entries of a Mourning Man Who Cannot See

My creative project for a class on horror aesthetics.

“So,” Andy began, one day three years ago, as we sat on his porch and watched the sunset. He fumbled a can of beer between his hands, and from the glazing over of his eyes, and the anxious biting of his lip, I could tell what he was going to ask me. “Have you seen him?”

“No,” I said, taking a swig of my drink. Andy swallowed nothing and leaned forward, arms resting on his legs as he stared at his feet.

“Good. Maybe he’s moved on,” he reasoned, though something in him, something selfish, was disappointed. I could tell from the tense, guilty way he held himself.

“Without a proper goodbye,” I muttered.

“Cristian, just—” Andy sighed. “Just try not to worry about it. Don’t look at me like that, alright, I know that’s easier said than done. If you don’t see him, good. It’s good, for everyone.”

I never understood why he said that.

❖

I was watching TV one night, when it happened. Some kind of nature documentary was on, something about the vastness of the ocean, greatly unexplored, with a myriad of possible unknown creatures. He’d love this, I thought. It’s why I watch docs so often, sunken and alone on my couch; to imagine him next to me, enthralled by the magic and mystery of the world.

First came the sound of small but thumping footsteps. They were loud enough to make me turn, but I live in an apartment, so after an initial uneasiness I didn’t think much of them. My documentary continued. It spoke of bioluminescence, the ability of these sea creatures to produce their own light. Did you know, the anglerfish sports a bioluminescent lure on its head, thanks to certain bacteria, that helps it attract curious prey?

Then, it happened. I heard the sound of a child—of him—laughing. In an instant the TV was off, and I was sitting in the dark, listening for a noise I should not have heard, with a heart that was beating too fast, and too hard, for my own good.

“Luca?” I called. I wasn’t sure if I was breathing. “Luca, you can come out.”

The TV blared back to life, and I jumped. The lights around me began to flicker sporadically; or, I thought so, until I noticed most lights were changing to the rhythm of the documentary’s soundtrack. I couldn’t help but laugh, my heart spilling over with warmth.

❖

Not a lot of people know this about me. It’s not something I really care to share with others, mostly because it’s an intensely private matter, but also because I tend to become somewhat of a spectacle whenever I tell anyone. But it’s hard to explain the things that come next without at least mentioning it.

I see dead people.

That’s the line, right? You’re rolling your eyes right now. But, that’s exactly how I told Andy. I wasn’t very good at being serious about things in college, but we were going somewhere, he and I, and I felt this strange, uncomfortable, but exhilarating urge to open up.

So, I blurted it out. “I see dead people.”

“You see what?” Andy asked me. His slight southern accent was much more noticeable back then. We were at his place, drinking bad beer. I suppose, in hindsight, I might have been a little tipsy.

“Dead people—spirits. I see them.” I glanced away and took a swig of my drink. I could feel Andy staring at me. The room was suddenly very warm.

“Cristian.” I loved the way he said my name. “Elaborate.”

“Well, you know. After someone passes on, they might have some unfinished business. So, they stay here for a while, wandering, until they figure things out. I happen to be able to see them, when they’re still here,” I explained, setting my drink down. “I know how it sounds. But I swear, it’s real, and it really sucks sometimes, like—”

“Cristian. Is there a particular reason why you’re telling me this now?” Andy asked, frozen in place, his face pale. I figured, by then, that he had caught on to the fact that I kept glancing just a few inches to his right.

❖

It’s been three years since I’ve heard my son laugh, but I know that was him. I know it.

After this long, I’m not sure whether I would ever really see his spirit, but now that he might be here, now that I might see him again, I can’t keep my mind off it. I can’t bear to imagine him there, all alone, waiting for some kind of chance to get my attention. I feel guilty. I feel horrid. What if he looks like he did when he—oh God. Oh Jesus.

God, please, I hope he doesn’t look how he did in that goddamn hospital bed.

I don’t think I got an ounce of sleep; I stayed on the couch all night. All I can think about is my son, stuck between realms with a restless soul. Why should I rest, when he cannot?

Luca got sick; it happened so fast. One minute he was climbing trees, peering under rocks, the next he was frail and exhausted, a shell of himself. He kept smiling only for our sakes, maybe for self-comfort. The doctors couldn’t figure out what the hell was wrong with him, and in the blink of an eye, whatever it was, that vile, putrid corruption, had sucked the life out of him. Seven years old and suddenly gone forever. It’s no wonder he’s still here, aware of his deserved time lost but unaware of his killer.

I wish I could sleep through the month of November. But this year, I can’t. My son is here, and he needs his papa. I’m sorry, honey, for losing faith in you. I’m so sorry.

❖

Whenever I go AWOL and stop answering calls, people always call Andy. It gets annoying, the constant wellness checks from my ex-husband, but I suppose there’s no one else I’d want at my apartment during times like this anyway. He is the closest anyone has ever gotten to understanding me in a way that matters. At least, I thought so.

“Cristian,” he called on the other side of my door, voice overflowing with concern. I removed my eyes from the documentary on the TV screen and stood, expecting him to appear sooner or later. Evidently, it was later; somewhere around nine. “Let me in. I’m serious.”

I marched over as he knocked, holding the doorknob and bracing myself. “Andrew,” I said. “If I let you in, you have to promise to listen to me. You have to promise.”

“Cris, just let me in.” The youth had long disappeared from his voice, replaced by a perpetual exhaustion.

“Andy.”

There was a loud sigh. “I promise.”

I opened the door. Andy pushed it open the rest of the way, and lifted a plastic bag that smelled of Thai food. “I got takeout,” he said, stepping past me as I shut the door behind him. “You’ve been out of work for three days, and your coworkers, who care about you as a friend, by the way—”

“I get it,” I muttered.

“Are concerned,” he continued, “about why you have been dodging their calls.”

“This is infinitely more important than work, you hear me?” I reassured, grabbing hold of Andy’s shoulders. “I have been communicating with Luca.”

The takeout fell to the floor, and the lights in my apartment flickered. I grinned and shook Andy’s shoulders as he stared, pale.

“You see that? He just said hi!” I exclaimed, turning to the couch. “Will you come out for your dad? Is that what you need?”

“Is he—um—is he right there?” Andy asked, pointing with a shaky finger to the couch. I shook my head.

“No, no, I haven’t been able to see him yet. He hasn’t shown himself, technically, but I’ve heard him. I heard him laugh, and he’s been flickering the lights, and moving things around. Andy, I couldn’t go to work like this, you must understand.”

“You haven’t seen him,” Andy observed, tilting his head. Slowly, he reached down to grab the food on the floor. “But he’s spoken to you.”

“Well, no.” I shrugged, and Andy sighed, running a hand down his face. “But the lights, they flicker like—like he’s responding to what I’m saying. He likes this documentary, about the deep ocean, I’ve just been playing it for him. So he can feel safe.”

“How about you eat something?” Andy urged, walking to the table and setting the food atop it. As he untied the bag, the lights flickered again. He flinched, and I smiled. “You sure you don’t have an… electrical problem, Cristian? Have you asked anyone else if they’ve experienced anything?”

My stomach was beginning to sink. My face twitched into a frown. I flexed my hands, and balled them; stimulation to ward off the anger growing in my chest. The lights seemed to dim. “I told you to listen to me,” I said.

“I am listening,” Andy said. “And I’m not liking what I’m hearing. You said when you see ghosts, it’s straightforward. This isn’t very straightforward. You haven’t even seen him. And why now, after three years of radio silence? Are you absolutely certain, certain, you weren’t dreaming when you heard—”

There was an electrical noise, a zap, or a spark, and my apartment was plunged into darkness. For a moment, we were both silent. I heard Andy’s wavering breaths, interspersed with my own. I heard him fumbling, and breathing, and whispering to himself, until the light of his phone illuminated his panicked face. He turned on the flashlight and angled it downwards; I saw the focused light tremble with his hand.

“Cristian,” he breathed, shaking his head. “Come on.”

“He’s here,” I said. “It’s him.”

“This is not my son,” Andy declared, raising his shaky voice. “This is not our son!”

“Your son,” I repeated, scoffing. “Interesting.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Things are clearing up now,” I said, nodding to myself. “I see now. Andy, I’m sorry that he couldn’t show up at your place, I’m sorry I can see things you can’t, but you don’t have to try and pretend this isn’t real to make yourself feel better.”

“Feel better? FEEL BETTER?” Andy laughed, exasperated. “At least I’m working on feeling better! Every time I talk to you, on the other hand, it drags us both backwards! I try, you know, to push you forward, but you never internalize a word I say. Instead, you keep waiting for a call that will never come.”

With a quiet gust of wind, an object flew right past Andy’s head, and embedded itself in the wall beside him. He froze; we both did. With caution, he lifted his trembling hand, and the phone’s beam of light rose with it. He turned it upwards towards the wall, and his breath left him. He stumbled back and shouted. I held a hand over my mouth, feeling my own hot breath against my fingers.

It was a knife from the kitchen, wobbling, with its point firmly stuck in the wall.

“Jesus Christ,” Andy yelled. “Jesus—Cristian, we need to get out of here.”

He reached for my arm, and I pulled away. The knife stilled in the wall. “No, you need to get out of here.”

“Oh my God! Are you insane?”

“He didn’t do any of this when we were alone,” I said, stepping away. “You’re making him mad. He just needs to adjust, and you need to go.”

“You just want me to leave you in a house with a poltergeist?” Andy’s voice was frantic, dripping with misled terror. My face reddened; I felt my heartbeat.

“I taught you that word, don’t go around using it wrong!” I pointed towards the door. “Get out!” I lowered my voice, and leaned towards him. “Before you turn him into one.”

I couldn’t see Andy’s face, but I could feel him fuming. I could remember the intense blue-eyed glare and the proud, puffed out chest.

“I’m coming back for you, I’m not leaving you here,” he said, and with a huff, he marched out. As the door slammed shut behind him, the TV came to life, and the documentary resumed.

“I’m sorry,” I told my son. I sighed, quietly, lamenting progress lost. “I know it’s hard.”

❖

A poltergeist is just a spirit that causes threatening or harmful physical disturbances. It isn’t anything evil, necessarily. Just an angry, scared, frustrated soul, trapped and unable to leave, but not quite sure why. I’ve seen plenty of them, and have had enough terrible life experience to resonate with their rage. It’s a pain I can understand, on some degree.

Andy will come back, and I am afraid. He’s too stubborn for his own good, and if Luca becomes a true poltergeist, things will go south fast.

❖

I saw him. For a split second, I saw him.

I was heating up dinner, frozen lasagna, when the oven turned off on its own. Again, I heard my son’s precious giggle, and running footsteps somewhere in the apartment, towards my bedroom. Forgetting my food, I called my son’s name.

“Luca?”

“Papa.” It was a whisper in my ear. I couldn’t help but flinch, and I spun around, looking for him, expecting him to be there, tugging my sleeve, looking up at me with that ever-curious stare. But he wasn’t anywhere near me. “Papa,” he whispered again, and finally my eyes settled on the door to my room.

There was a small silhouette peeking out from my bedroom. His hair was brown and tussled, and his skin was pale with death. The eye I saw was wide, and blank. His fingers scraped against the doorway and made a grating, uncomfortable noise. Upon my seeing him, his face seemed to scrunch up, and he disappeared inside my bedroom.

“Wait—Luca,” I breathed, abandoning the kitchen and running for the bedroom door. Just as I reached it, the door slammed shut, and I was left placing my hands against it, tapping it, desperate beyond words to see him. “Luca, honey, you can come out,” I begged. “Luca. You can come out. I’m sorry if I scared you, okay? It’s going to be okay. I don’t care how you look, I just want to see you, I just want…”

I glanced back towards the front door, and I huffed. “Are you worried about your dad?” I asked. Through the crack in the bottom of the door, I saw flickering light, and the shadows of two small feet. I gasped, and covered my mouth, smacking the door again with my free hand. “Oh, oh Luca, it’s okay. I’ll talk to him, I’ll keep you safe. No one’s gonna hurt you, I won’t let it happen.”

I watched, in horror, as the two shadows disappeared. “No—no I can—Luca please,” I cried, hot tears welling behind my eyes. “Please.”

The door opened, and I stumbled inside. And my son wasn’t there, not under the bed or in the closet, not anywhere. I ran my fingers through my hair, gripped it tight, and cursed.

No one is going to step foot in this apartment. Not Andy, not anyone. He is scaring my son.

❖

Luca loved the ocean with the enthusiasm and fervor of any child. Through his interest, I absorbed plenty of information that still lays somewhere in my mind, filed away next to my memories of him. Memories of ocean-themed birthday parties, toys, decorations, clothes, school supplies. Memories of playing pretend, and being the big bad shark who always, always turned good in the end. I remember these things. I remember how he smiled. You can’t forget something like that.

But I see him there, smiling, laughing, and then the memory corrupts, twists, transforms into a sinister reminder of his hollow face, his labored breathing, his crying, his restless sleep. Beautiful brown curls sticking to his forehead with sweat, dark eyes glazed over with exhaustion, terror, confusion, small hands holding a stuffed shark like a lifeline. He’s hooked up to breathing tubes, heart monitors, IVs, wires, a mess of tendrils that keep him alive but make him look almost inhuman, almost monstrous.

From my chair I see the woman leaning over him, who no one else can see. A woman who died in childbirth, still in a gown, long dark hair in a sagging bun. I see her whispering in my son’s ear, and I want to tell her to go away. I’m sick of seeing ghosts everywhere I go while my son lays, still alive, in a hospital bed. I tell her to get away from him, he’s not hers. The heart monitor beeps. She looks up at me, holds out her hand, one parent to another. I do not want her help, but still, I do not approach even to take her place.

She knows something I do not. She cradles his face, and to my shock, she can touch him. I stand. Luca wakes up. He turns his head. He looks at her, and he sees her. She tells him it’s okay. He looks at me, and he is scared, and then he is gone.

I scream, and machines beep, and connections sever, and Andy comes, and even though we’ve been divorced for a year he holds me, grabs my clothes as I sob and look around, look for Luca, but he isn’t there, he isn’t anywhere.

And it just plays over, and over, and over, and over, and I can’t make it stop. No matter how many stupid documentaries I watch I can’t make it stop.

❖

Andy returned again at night.

“Cristian, you don’t know what you’re doing. Let me in.” His voice was cold, but there was a slight waver in it. He was afraid.

“I have it under control,” I growled, pressing my forehead against the door to stare through the peephole. He was glaring through the door right into my eyes, a hand in his pocket. “I can handle my own son.”

“Okay, Cristian. Then tell him to move on.” His voice dropped and gained an edge, underlining his command.

I held my breath. “What?”

“You can see ghosts. You know how this works. Tell him it’s time to go, time to end three years of prolonged suffering. Time to rest. I’m sure that’s what he really wants.”

Behind me, a cabinet slammed open and shut. I turned and chewed the inside of my cheek. “You don’t understand,” I warned. “You should. He needs to warm up to ideas, he won’t listen to me if he’s not ready to hear what I—”

A pot hit the wall right next to me, and I recoiled with a yelp.

“Cristian!” Andy’s voice. “What was—you know what, that’s it, I’ll unlock it myself.”

I heard the jingle of keys, then a cacophony of doors slamming, pots and pans flying, and plates smashing. I had forgotten. I gave him a key. WHY DID I GIVE HIM A KEY? I pressed my body against the door, and held the knob before he could turn it.

But he was always stronger than me, and after a few good pushes the door gave way, and he grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me aside. “This isn’t tracking,” he told me, holding me by the shoulders as I shook my head and tried remarkably hard not to hear him. “He wouldn’t do any of this, I know I’m making sense right now, he was never an angry kid, never violent, you are being haunted by someone else.”

I forced out a laugh. “You’re wrong, Andy. I saw him. He spoke to me.”

“What?”

The lights shut off, and the front door slammed behind us with a click of the lock. For the second time, he and I were confronted with darkness. I heard his breathing, felt his hands squeezing my shoulders too tight.

A single light flickered dimly on: the light in my bedroom. Following the tug of my heart, I started to move, but Andy held my shoulders. “Cristian, what are you doing?” he whispered, pulling on my jacket, breaths fast and fearful.

I smiled. “Andy, it’s okay,” I said, nodding my head towards the light. “I think he’s ready to see you.”

After a moment of hesitance, Andy let go of me. I stepped slowly away, and moved towards the light, smiling wider, getting giddy, ready to talk to my boy, ready to help him, ready to avenge myself, make a new memory, be a better father. I felt Andy moving behind me, heard the quiet steps of his boots.

The door to my room was cracked open. I reached out, pushed it inwards. I stood in the doorway and scanned the empty room. “Luca?”

“Papa.” A child’s hand, slow and gray, reached out from under the bed, palm outstretched. Andy inhaled and seized my arm, but I waved him off. I took a step forward, then another. Then, I knelt, and lowered my head to see my son.

“Hi,” I said. Luca cowered and watched me, big brown eyes glazed over and terrified. I tried to keep smiling, for him, but his skin was sickly, and his hair was slick with sweat. I couldn’t fight the tremble in my hands, but still, I reached out and held his, rubbing my thumb over cold skin. “Hi, honey, it’s okay.”

His eyes flicked to Andy. I nodded and motioned for Andy to kneel down. “This is just dad; he wants to say sorry. Andy?”

When I turned to look at him, he was still standing in the doorway. “Cristian,” he breathed, eyes wide.

“Andy, come on,” I pressed, struggling not to raise my voice. If he could just—

Andy shook his head.

“Cristian, I shouldn’t be able to see him.”

I opened my mouth to counter him, and froze. He stepped back, petrified, beckoning with his arms outstretched towards me. Andy can’t see ghosts. The hand, the hand I was still holding, gripped mine, and squeezed, fingernails digging into skin. My face went hot, and pulsed, and my breathing started to quicken, and in the living room, the documentary played.

Did you know, the anglerfish sports a bioluminescent lure on its head, thanks to certain bacteria, that helps it attract curious prey?

I turned my head back. The Anglerfish was grinning, with a mouth that stretched too far, and eyes that were open too wide. It giggled, then laughed, then cackled.

The light went out. I heard Andy shout, felt him grab my arm and pull me. The claws in my hand held on, dragged, and I yelled as pain sprung from my hand up my arm. I saw Andy’s silhouette lunge forward, saw him stomp down on the limb holding me hostage. There was another laugh, one that echoed all around us, and the claws set me free. I scrambled up, gritting my teeth and holding my wrist. My hand throbbed and stung. I felt blood dripping down my palm, to the edges of my fingers.

“Cristian!”

“Andy.”

“What is—what is that thing? How do we stop it?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. But I think it’s hunting us. Andy—Andy.” I fumbled for his arms, slid my good hand into his. “I’m sorry, Andy. I’m sorry for what I said to you.”

“No, no no no no! Tell me later!” Andy yelled, yanking me out of the bedroom. Together, we ran for the front door. An agonizingly familiar figure in the way stopped us short. The Anglerfish cocked its head, in a form that did not belong to it.

“Papa, I thought you’d be happy!” It stomped its foot. “I thought you wanted to see me!”

“You’re not my son!” I snapped, cradling my hurt hand, afraid to look.

“Does it matter?” the Anglerfish asked. It held out its arms, and some instinct deep within stirred, twisted my stomach, told me those arms were too long, and that head was tilted too far to the side. Its disguise was slipping; no, that thing was not my son.

Blood and tears dripped and fell onto my crappy carpet, in my crappy apartment, in this crappy city. The TV was still playing, rehashing the same program, over and over, waiting for me to come back, to sit down and watch. It occurred to me that there was something worthless about my life. It occurred to me that when I stopped being a father, and when I could not help my son pass on, I ceased being a functional human being. I had a job, but I heard their talk. They’d watch and wait for me to plunge underwater again, to call in sick under the enormous weight of grief, staring at a TV screen, trying and failing to remember the good and forget the bad. And through it all, Andy held my hand, would always hold my hand, no matter how far back it held him. There he was again, next to me as I dragged him somewhere he didn’t deserve to be.

I freed my hand from his grip. “Let him go,” I ordered the Anglerfish. “He’s not your target, I am. He never fell for your trick, never followed your lure. I did.”

“Cristian, I’m not leaving you,” Andy said, hands finding my face. I shoved him back, and my shredded hand stung.

“I’m done dragging you down with me, get out of here!” I yelled. I turned to the Anglerfish. “Let him go, and I’ll stay with you!”

The creature was silent for a moment. Then, it grinned, that too-wide grin, and it looked between us, as if considering who might be the better meal. I blinked, and it was gone. I sighed, and reached for the door, pulling it open and letting the light flood in. I turned back, and Andy was crying, the blood from my hand staining his jacket. He was never one to cry.

“You can’t do this,” he begged, reaching for me again. I grabbed his jacket and shoved him outside. “Cristian, you just made a deal with—no, you’re not doing this, I’m not letting you.” He stepped forward, and I held his shoulders, hands trembling.

“Andy, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I told you those things, it wasn’t fair of me. I’m proud of you, for moving forward, and I’m sorry you spent so much of that time hanging back with me. I love you, and I’m sorry, but you have to let me face my own problems. Go. It’s letting you go.”

“What if you can’t face it?” Andy asked, shaking his head. I sighed.

“Better one of us than both of us.”

Andy hit my chest with an open palm, and cursed. “I’m coming back for you,” he vowed, voice cracking. I forced a smile and let him go. He stepped back into the hallway, breathing hard, fists clenched so tight his knuckles were white. I nodded to him, and he stared back, afraid, unsure, regretful, but more than anything, incredibly tired.

The door slammed shut, shrouding me again in darkness. I closed my eyes, and tried to take a deep breath.

“You never answered my question.” The voice came from behind me, and I turned, facing the specter of my son. Its eyes, uncannily bright, glinted with malice. “Does it matter? If I am not your son?”

“Of course it does,” I hissed. I was shaking with terror and rage. I wanted this thing out of my apartment, out of my life, and I would not let it fool me again. I would not let it take a child so happy and warm, curious and brave, and warp him into something so unrecognizably evil. I would steel myself. I would fight back.

The Anglerfish laughed, as if reading my thoughts and seeing my supposed resolve. It stared at me, through me, and it seemed to tell me, If you say so. And its feet lifted from the ground. Its body twitched and convulsed, crackling in a simulation of broken bone, but still it was cackling, butchering Luca’s soft giggles with sharp edges. Despite my rising bile and my weakening legs, I covered my mouth and forced myself to hold my ground.

Then, the head jerked back, and from the mouth of the broken, vile body burst the outline of a tendril in the dark. Then another from its chest, another from its arm. More and more sprouted from the body, leaving it convulsing against the motion, cracking and popping, until the thing that was left was limp, and no longer recognizable as human.

And still, I saw my boy. I screamed, stumbling away and tripping over myself. I landed hard on my back, and as I wheezed, the Anglerfish hovered closer. Sobbing, hardly breathing, I dragged myself away from it, from the broken pale body, from the mess of tubes and wires, from the silent, monstrous thing that lured me in and would not let me go.

Finally, I was backed up against the wall, and the Anglerfish dragged dead, small feet against the floor. All I could do was heave and cry as it got closer, and closer, and closer.

Would it frustrate you, or leave you hopeful, if I ended it here?

❖

I don’t like to talk about my father. At one point, when I was a teenager, I almost wanted him dead. But I’d like to think I’ve grown since then, just a little bit. Now I just hope that when he dies, it’s quiet, and it’s alone. I hope that no one knows what to do with his body, and I hope he wanders the world, eternally unsatisfied. I don’t want him to wish he hadn’t left me and my mother, because I cannot say things would have been much better if he’d stayed. At least, when he was up and gone, I was not called a devil child for talking to my grandmother who had died years before. But I often wish my mother could have been spared the heartache entirely. What son wouldn’t?

I wanted to be better than him. I wanted to have the house with the yard, I wanted to pass on my mother’s recipes, and I wanted to make new traditions. I wanted to be present and be loving to a family of my own. If I had a son, I told myself, I would be what I wish my father could have been for me. I would have the family I wish I could have had as a child. No one, alive or dead, could keep me from that.

The divorce was the fault of no one, nothing but human nature. Young love falls through when you get older, and there’s not much you can do about it except sign the papers, move out, and move on. Still, I was up every night, pacing blindly in the dark, petrified that somehow, I would become my father, like it was some kind of inevitable, genetic truth. God bless Andy, for refusing every offer to stay together, to try again when it was so obviously done with. Friendship still came easy to us, and Luca bounced between homes like a champ, and for a second I thought it would be alright. I thought maybe I wouldn’t be such a failure, even if that’s how I would inevitably be seen. I could still be a good father to my son.

After his death, I clung to it. I could help him. I could still be a good father to my son. And I am still clinging to it, my unachievable goal.

My son moved on. Why can’t I?

❖

In the morning, there was a knock on my door, then loud banging, then the jingling of keys. I was sitting on my couch, and National Geographic was on, something about octopi, and camouflage. Andy burst into the room, out of breath, looking around frantically, hand against his chest. I turned the TV off and scrambled towards him. His eyes flicked, paranoid, towards me.

“Andy!” I exclaimed, arms outstretched. But he turned away, and walked past me.

“Cristian!” he called, running towards my room. I walked towards him, rubbing my arms, face twisting to a frown.

Something emerged from my room, pulling the door open just as Andy reached for the handle. I shouted, and started forward, until the creature revealed its face. I froze.

It was mine. “Andy,” the Anglerfish said, breathy, feigning panic. It held out its arms, and Andy fell into them, swaying, holding the back of its head. I looked down at my hands, and shook my head. It dawned on me that I was not quite breathing, anymore.

“No.” I reached out to grab Andy’s shoulder, to pull him away, but I couldn’t seem to find a grip, and he didn’t seem to notice at all. “No no no.”

“I’m so glad you’re okay—you—are you okay?” Andy smiled through tears and checked the Anglerfish’s false face. “What happened?”

“ANDY!” I screamed. He did not hear. Andy can’t see ghosts.

“I faced it. I faced it, and I won,” the Anglerfish declared, shaking Andy’s shoulders with a grin just too manic to be me. It faded quickly, and the deceptive thing cast its eyes down. “But Andy, I’m not sure I want to be alone anymore.”

“I can stay here,” Andy offered, and I cursed, running my fingers through my hair.

“Can I stay at yours?” the Anglerfish countered. “I really wanna get out of here, man.”

“Of course, Cristian. I’ll make you something to eat.”

The Anglerfish hugged Andy again, squeezing tight, and it cast its gaze up to me. It grinned at me, with a mouth too big and eyes too wide.

❖

ANDY PLEASE COME BACK. FIND THIS JOURNAL. ANYONE. FIND THIS JOURNAL AND SAVE HIM. THAT IS NOT ME. THAT THING IS NOT ME. I CAN’T LEAVE THE APARTMENT PLEASE GOD DON’T LET IT TAKE HIM.

#anglerfish #still living #my ocs #my writing #for class #horror #sorry about the formatting

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hrodvitnon · 2 years

Note

Of all the things Maddie had expected after finding herself turned into a Titan, being asked out on a date hadn’t been one of them. And yet, here they were.

“Manda, are you asking me on a date?” she’d pointedly asked. Manda, always a nice boy with a mischievous streak, appears flustered by her direct question. It felt so odd to see something like shyness apparent on the bestial dragon face. “A date? What’s that? Some kind of fruit?” An awkward chuckle. There were so many human details and characteristics he had picked up by being raised with Vivienne as his mother, that was something Maddie had realized through the year or so after she’d gained the ability to speak to him.

Maddie tilts her head, the best she can do now that she no longer had eyebrows to raise (she tries her best to not think about how many small human things she can no longer do).

“You asked me if I’d like to go squid hunting with you tonight.”

“It’s beautiful!” Manda insists. “And not so gross, I swear. When all the squid are flashing their lights at once, wow, it’s something. I really want you to see this with me.”

She nods slowly. Hmm-mm. Okay, she’ll take the bait.

Imagine Manda preparing to ask the girl he likes on a date though...

It's quite a surprise to see Manda visit their nest; he's grown up a lot since striking out, all serpentine and elegant with fierce antlers crowning his head, tendrils fanning out like wings at the sight of his fused mother and uncle. They rub heads together in greeting.

"Look at you! You've traded your spots for antlers!" Monster X bull-coughs out a laugh.

"Where's Pa and Keeta?"

"They're over at Mount Fuji. I can give them a call if you like. What brings you back home all of a sudden?"

Suddenly Manda's countenance turns somewhat awkward; for all his monstrousness, the way his eyes move is telling of how he was raised by a half-human parent.

"No reason," he evades.

San chimes in. "You know we can see when someone's lying..."

"What? No you can't!"

"Well, it's more like seeing the electrical pulses in someone's body spike, but it's basically the same thing. Come on now, don't make me tickle it out of you!"

"Okay, okay!" Manda's tendrils lay flat along the length of his body. "There's this... girl. Who I like."

Hilariously, Monster X flops down to lay on their belly and rests their head in both hands. "Ahhh, my boy's all grown up! Well, who's caught your fancy?" Monster X looks up at their son with the starriest look their impassive skull face can manage, kicks the air with their feet.

A beat.

Manda takes a breath and braces himself. "It's Madison."

Another beat. A long beat.

Monster X stares at him in disbelief, then scrutinizes him, and suddenly this is one of those times Manda wishes his parent had a more expressive face; that way he can at least tell whether their squinting is good or bad. Or maybe they really are just using their electro-eye-whatever powers to see if he's telling the truth, which he is.

"...Well," they finally reply. "Honestly, I don't know what else I expected. It's not like there's anyone else your age on this planet... but at least it's not Tiamat. But I am obligated to ask what your intentions toward her are; she's like family to me."

"I don't have Tiamat-like intentions!" Manda says a little defensively. "I just... I like her a lot. I feel happy just being with her. She's so smart and funny and brave..."

Monster X knows he's earnest because of the very particular way aquatic Titans "blush" -- bioluminescence trails gently along his body and up the tips of his fluttering tendrils, to say nothing of his expression turning soft and dreamy. He looks for all the world like a boy in love.

Monster X smiles gently and sits up, preparing a mental list of suggestions for Manda to properly court a girl.

#tardisspacemug #mandazawa #biollante!maddie #monster x!graham

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sailorsirius · 2 years

Text

The Meditation Where Aarón Came to the Beach

Yesterday I did an extremely enlightening tarot birth card reading. Wouldn’t you know it, the card that features almost exclusively is The Lovers. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being in awe of the intricate and powerful workings of the universe. At least I hope I won’t.

Since I got so much out of that, I decided to use the recent full moon in Cancer’s energy to see what else I could uncover. Maaaan, not only was I not disappointed, but this moon was potent. So I guess it tracks that the moon, which illuminates the unknown, would reveal things about Aarón that maybe he was finally ready for us to see. He doesn’t visit me very often, but when he does, it’s in dreams. And they’re not good ones; they’re almost always nightmares where he’s in trouble, or I’m in trouble and he’s with me, or there’s an oppressive overtone of soul-crushing grief. A lot of times, I’m desperate for him to understand that he’s not alone, that he’s safe and he can talk to me, but he just won’t, and I didn’t know why until now.

How the meditation went

I found an unguided meditation on youtube (which sticks out to me because usually I choose guided ones). The thumbnail had a big full moon illuminating a dark beach at night, which I think is why I chose it. It reminded me of the beach where my family and I meet every so often. It’s like a homebase. It’s safe, it’s beautiful, it’s familiar.

And that’s exactly where I landed.

The sand was black and soft, the gentle waves were body-temperature and glowing with bioluminescent marine life. The moon–not Earth’s moon, but a moon–hung low over the horizon. Everyone was there: Halen, Asa, Cassian, Zachary… and Aarón. I’d never seen him come to the beach before, but as soon as I saw his beautiful face, I understood my connection with him and his connection to the water. It made everything about his story (losing his twin on a beach) and our merfolk secret make sense. It gave context to all the dreams where he’s in danger, or running from something, or in pain.

He was exhausted down to the bone. Running hadn’t led to an escape; instead, it had taken everything from him until the only thing left was exactly what he’d been avoiding: the water. He was ready to face the pain and stop running from us. He looked so tired, so sad and hurt. We all enveloped him in our arms and blanketed him in love. I couldn’t help but cry as I told him he was with us now–he’s part of our family and has always been, whether he knew it or not. He belonged with us.

I understood that my intent to chase him down and make him see that he was safe had had the opposite effect. The space I’d given him was what he’d needed to finally come to terms, to finally come to the beach. I felt his body relax against us. In my chest, a loving, healing energy ignited and glowed. As I breathed, the glowing spread through my body. Then Halen ushered Aarón, Zach, and me to the waves. We embraced each other as the swelling of the tide matched our breath. Then we sank below the surface, and we were merfolk, exploring an underwater place that seemed familiar and even more like home than the shore did. We’d had business here once, or a life. There was a glowing lagoon where we’d spent many, many hours before. Aarón seemed to remember this as a place of healing and realized he was strong enough to face his pain and to heal. We looked up at the stars from beneath the surface, and then came back to the surface and joined our family again.

We all put our hands on Aarón and breathed, spreading our inner glow to him. As we did this, in the physical plane, I was aware of my hands and how warm they suddenly felt. Then it was time to leave. Cassian draped the three of us in protection, and we went back together to the physical plane.

My thoughts afterward

If I’m totally honest, I always thought the dreams I had about him, even the ones that were about him, were about me or for me. Which tracks; I mean, if I’m having a dream, why wouldn’t I think it applies to me somehow? But these are about him, and they’ve always been. He’s been showing me his pain, but I haven’t seen it. Not until now.

(Aarón, my triple Scorpio. I love you so much, and I get it now. Please forgive me for not seeing it at first. Go when you need to go, but know my eyes are open now and I see you. You have a place with us—not as an extra, but as an integral part.)

Original post • Artwork: “Oasis” by Tuco Amalfi

#aarón #meditation #the beach #cosmic family #pleiadeans #cassian #halen #asa #zachary #merfolk #healing #alien papers

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ladyriot · 2 years

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Blindspot S3 Tasha Character Study: Did Tasha Want Love or Validation from Reade?

Okay, so I've been thinking about the seemingly random switch in Tasha from pretty strongly rejecting Reade's advances in S2 to suddenly having a giant crush on him in S3. But I've been thinking about context, about what else is going on in Tasha's life at the moments she insists she loves Reade and ooh boy do things make sense to me now.

The obvious one for suspicious timing is near the end of the season in 3x16 when Tasha is sitting in a bar with Reade directly after having torpedoed her friendship with Patterson and she just tells him she's in love with him. But this trend actually starts with the beginning of this season and even goes on past this moment.

So, beginning of S3. Jane and Weller are married. Reade's moving up in rank at the FBI. Patterson goes off to California to get rich. And Zapata... switches sides? Or at least, in the opinions her (former) team have stated about how they view the CIA. Her morality is put into question solely on the basis of where her alliance lies in the grand scheme of corrupt government agencies.

In the cell in 3x01, when Reade and Patterson and Tasha get abducted, Reade immediately blames it on Tasha's association with the CIA and the idea of blacksiting. He views Tasha's move to the CIA as a betrayal of the work they'd done together and a sign of immorality. This doesn't mean nothing to Tasha, even though she argues against him. She's a little doubtful of whether she's doinh the right thing.

And there are relevant things from prior seasons to remember about Tasha:

Because of her gambling debts, Tasha felt cornered to sell out Jane to Tom Carter to survive

Because of whar she did for Tom Carter, she's been manipulated to do things for Weitz that she didn't want to

She'd also operated outside the law to protect Reade from the fallout of his abuser's murder, interfering with the weapon

She's already had so many experiences where she had to do things that make her doubt her own morality. Her morals clearly do exist, evident in how she wanted to resign instead of further betray Jane and how she fought Weitz until he had her leveraged and unable to say no. But she doesn't get to exercise her own morality or her own full measure of choice until S3 and the context of S3 doesn't give her a good landscape for this.

So, Roman's new bioluminescent tattoos on Jane are quickly figured out to be revealing the team's secrets, trying to dig out the worst things about them, the things they want to hide. Not all of these things have the same weight. In the first few episodes, they find out things like the fact that Rich and Patterson had a secret illegal activist group. Activism. She knows her secret's going to come out too and hers is not quite so morally upright. Patterson and Rich were operating outside the law but within moral bounds. Tasha is basically the opposite. She was in the right, in terms of her job, but felt morally concerned with what she'd done.

She feels like a bad person.

Her interest in Reade could make sense as a marker of her diminishing self worth. As she feels less and less deserving of love and of forgiveness, it only makes sense to cling to whatever love and acceptance she'd experienced in the past. And Reade's interest in her before is a validation of sorts. If he could love her, she can't be entirely bad. If she can't deserve someone she might want more, at least he wanted her. At least she's not beyond loving.

She questions her moral position more and more as she becomes disillusioned with her CIA job. When Cade's deal is burned in 3x15, she tells Keaton that she thinks it's wrong. She only says it's okay in front of others because 1) she's stubborn as heck and refuses to be told 'I told you so' and 2) she's sensitive about her moral position because she doubts it herself.

And then in the very next episode, 3x16, a hurt Patterson says some things that imply something about her morality that hit Tasha hard: "I think you're just someone who can see things objectively without friendships and emotions getting in the way." Ah, to be Tasha here. To feel chronically misunderstood because her emotions and bond with Patterson did facror in. To feel that no matter what good she thinks she's doing, she's hurting someone. She's not a good person. She doesn't deserve forgiveness. She says things like "what the hell is wrong with me?"

So Patterson can't forgive her. She's on a self-hate spiral. And Reade is there. Reade is trying to comfort her instead of validate her self-hatred so she makes it true, she makes herself a bad person by ssying she loves him when he has a girlfriend so he'll stop. The vibe of this moment is very 'I want to suffer' 'I want to wallow in self-pity because I want to see myself as bad'.

The spiral keeps going. In 3x18, Tasha says (about Ricky), "I'm sorry I gave up on you. I know what that feels like now and it's not good." When she leaves the joint task force, she calls herself poison, says she needs to move forward (3x21). She only sees bad in herself, only sees herself as alone and unworthy of love. But Reade had wanted her. Reade had found her worthy of defending. So, well, it actually makes sense that she looks to Reade for validation and sleeps with him at this emotional low. It actually makes sense who S4 Tasha is if this is how she felt when she left, if this was the emotional conflict she was facing.

And so, personally, I don't think Tasha loves Reade. At least not yet. I don't necessarily think this headcanon erases the S5 Tasha/Reade arc, even though I'm not a fan. Maybe by that point her motivations have changed.

Now I'm going to have to eventually write a post on how wrong she was about being unloveable and how the S4 relationship between Patterson and Reade only show that they both love her very much. But that's for a different day.

I feel like this post needs a tldr because it's very long, but I feel like I said very little. So essentially, I think that Tasha was in an emotional space of questioning her worth and her morality in S3, and that she was looking for validation that she was worthy of love rather than actually suddenly falling in love with Reade.

P.S. Every time I think of Tasha, I think of the song Heavy by Peach. I think that's Tasha's headspace through like 85% of Blindspot.

P.P.S. I'd love opinions on 3x08, where Patterson notices Tasha's crush. I wonder if that's consistent with this general line of thought. But my brain won't do the thing.

#blindspot #tasha zapata #this is just a headcanon #but i also hc tasha zapata as a lesbian so grain of salt #feel free to comment even if to disagree

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delimeful · 3 years

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leave your shaded hollow

custom commission for @borrowedblue! just in time for the end of mermay :)

warnings: blood, injury, fear, miscommunication

There was blood in the water.

Virgil pressed a hand against his shoulder as he swam, trying to stifle the trickles of red that were pluming out into the ocean around him and dissolving. He’d lost his bag somewhere in the scuffle, which meant that this scavenging trip had been for nothing and he now had nothing to stifle the bleeding with.

He shouldn’t have been bitten at all, but the eel swarm had ambushed him with practiced ease, and even a mer as quick as him hadn’t been able to dodge all of them. He’d gained a lead, but he couldn’t go home as he was now. They’d follow his blood trail for as long as they could, and if any of his neighbors were out and about…

The swarm would have no compunctions about changing targets for a slower meal.

Everything was dark down here, enough so that even Virgil, who wasn’t exactly a shallow-reefs type of mer, could barely make out more than shapes even with his pupils expanded to catch all the light they could. His sonar would have helped, but sending out a signal meant that other creatures could receive that signal. Not a chance.

A low glow caught his eye, and he dove down towards it, easily identifying the source as bioluminescent plants rather than a predator’s lure.

The plants were dotted and undersized at the entrance, but a bit further into the cave, against the back wall, he could see clusters of them growing strong and tall. Mindful of the fact that he had sparse moments before trouble caught up with him, he darted further into the cave, hurriedly gripping the plants at the base and tearing some of the fibers off.

As expected, they worked well enough as makeshift bandages, and he wadded a mass of softer, absorbant roots against the wound as makeshift gauze before wrapping his arm with the glowing fibers. The luminescence would be attention-catching, but if he covered it with his hand, he was sure he would have better luck than if he tried to escape while leaking blood everywhere.

He tied the faux bandages off and plunged his hands into a nearby cluster of plants, scrubbing off as much of the excess blood as he possibly could. If he was lucky, the concentration of bloodscent would distract the swarm here for a good while.

In front of him, the back wall of the cave suddenly lit up with bright, bioluminescent patterns.

Virgil froze, trying to comprehend the change. Had he brushed up against a cluster of coral or something? He’d never seen anything growing on cave walls that had such a distinct pattern, nor one that lit up so rapidly.

The ‘wall’ suddenly shifted back, and Virgil’s heart kicked into overdrive.

The cave was much, much deeper than it had first appeared, and much wider beyond this entrance tunnel-- the tunnel that had apparently been blocked off by the body of the creature before him.

He could only see parts of it as it shifted around, and even those were only lit partially by the plants’ dim radiance: sleek dorsal fins, the glint of sharp claws, and an enormous, ridged tail dotted with those luminescent patterns.

Abruptly, there were two huge, glowing blue eyes in front of him, scanning the tunnel with slit pupils.

Leviathan.

Virgil’s breath had gone still in his chest, frozen in place by the ice running through his veins. He’d heard the rumors about Leviathans, unspeakably massive monsters that lived down in the depths of the ocean, able to achieve impossible feats on a whim, with moods as tumultuous as surface storms.

The creature hadn’t seen him yet, the glow of his bandages helping him blend into the plants around him. It’s face was partially lit by the eerie glow of its eyes, and with how close it was, Virgil could see the twitch of its nose as it inhaled, scenting the water.

He barely kept from whimpering, realizing that his blood had thoroughly saturated the cave by now. If this predator was anything like a shark, he was about to be torn to shreds.

The creature leaned forwards, pupils gradually expanding to see better, and when its mouth drew closer, Virgil could see the mass of razor-sharp fangs that lurked inside. His stillness began to fracture under the force of his fear, and he drew in a tiny, shallow breath.

Those eyes flicked over to lock onto him in an instant.

In the next breath, Virgil was fleeing, past the cave entrance and the open waters, every muscle in his body straining to get away, get away, get away. He couldn’t hear whether or not the monster was pursuing, his heartbeat roaring in his ears, but he wasn’t stopping, not for anything--

Something collided with him heavily, knocking all the momentum right out of him as he went spinning through the water, disoriented.

He noticed the smell first: a thick and cloying iron tang, as though he was breathing in more blood than water.

A breath later, the pain caught up with him.

The eel was latched onto his side, sinking teeth deep into his abdomen and tearing at the flesh there. He choked out a scream, trying to drive his thumbs into the sea snake's eyes, but the rest of the swarm were close behind by now, and they began to circle and constrict around him.

He was caught. Even if he somehow got away, the new wound wouldn’t be so easily brushed off or bandaged up. He thrashed sharply against the swarm anyways, digging his claws into muscle and snapping his fangs at what he could reach, but for each eel he drove off, there were two new ones to take its place.

Gills blocked, barely able to move, he was struggling not to black out when he noticed a set of familiar glowing eyes in the distance.

Half the swarm scattered the moment the Leviathan drew close, apparently easily able to recognize the glowing patterns that flickered along its tail. The other half hesitated, unwilling to release their prey, but then it reached out with one huge, clawed hand, and the rest of the swarm vanished into the dark.

Virgil wished he could do the same, but being released had hurt almost as bad as being bitten, and his fins only fluttered weakly in response to his mind’s desperate shrieking.

The Leviathan’s hand curled around him, grip firm but somehow not blocking any of Virgil’s gillslits or even grazing him with any of those long claws. He managed a frankly pitiful wiggle of protest and then went stiff with the resulting wave of pain that rolled through him.

There was a little rumble from the creature as it drew closer, bringing Virgil up to its face. He went tense, scrunched his eyes shut, bracing for pain as he got nearer and nearer to those glinting teeth--

“Are you okay?” The voice was low, just above a whisper, and sounded surprisingly… young?

Virgil opened his eyes, finding that narrow, glowing gaze locked on him, dizzyingly close. The silence stretched for a breath, and when he managed to speak past his bruised ribs and the terror clogging his throat, the word came out confused and small. “What?”

“You’re bleeding,” the Leviathan informed him, turning him a little bit to inspect the injury. Virgil curled in on himself like a sea star, despite knowing that it was a pointless gesture. If someone this big wanted to take a bite out of him, there was little he could do to stop it. “It looks really bad.”

“Hurts pretty bad, too,” Virgil huffed out, watching the Leviathan’s every move, eyes tight with pain. What was the point of this? Was he going to die quick or slow? When? The uncertainty of it all made his spinal fins shudder.

“Oh.” The Leviathan recoiled a bit, his earfins drooping like a scorned child’s. “I tried to get to you before the eels, but they’re very fast. I’m sorry.”

Virgil blinked and unfurled a little, taken aback by the giant’s earnest apology.

“If you’re sorry, you can-- can let me go,” he tried, speaking carefully.

The Leviathan cocked his head curiously, eyebrows drawing inwards. “But-- If I leave you like this, you won’t survive long. Not down here.”

It was true. His hands already felt numb, his fins distant, the cold encroaching as he lost more and more blood. He would succumb to his injuries before making it out of the abyss. He’d known it even as he asked, wondered if it was worth a slower, longer death just to avoid becoming prey.

The Leviathan tilted his head in the opposite direction consideringly, and then lifted his other hand and advanced on Virgil. “Hold still, please. I will try to make this quick.”

A shock of fear ran through him, trying to revitalize his sluggish limbs, but all his body managed was wave after wave of uncontrollable trembling. He couldn’t avoid the approaching claws, couldn’t even bear to close his eyes to avoid seeing his impending disembowelment.

The Leviathan’s fingers curled in, tucking the claws away, and it was a knuckle that ended up pressing solidly against his torso, right next to his wound.

“Please,” Virgil managed to force out, terrified and disoriented, not even sure what he was asking.

There was a low hum, the sound almost resonant, and Virgil watched as every glowing mark along the being’s skin flared up in hypnotizing patterns.

A short, searing burn, like accidentally passing over a too-hot vent, and abruptly, the pain was gone.

The Leviathan withdrew, brightening up with excitement. “I did it!”

Virgil barely noticed the grip around him relax, fumbling his hands over where there had formerly been a gaping wound. His fingers ghosted over thick scar tissue, perfectly aligned to where the bite had been, with no lingering pain to speak of. “What-- What exactly did you do?”

“I healed you,” the Leviathan replied proudly, and then hesitated. “Right?”

Virgil found himself tugged back up to the Leviathan’s face with a yelp, sending his heart racing anew. The giant’s gaze was narrowed fiercely as he inspected Virgil’s new scar, and it took him a moment to realize that it wasn’t a glare. The Leviathan was squinting, as though his vision was impaired.

“It’s-- No, yeah, it’s healed,” he reassured the deep dweller, a beat late. “But… how?”

“Oh! Healing magic,” he replied, as though the answer was obvious. “I wasn’t sure how well it would work-- learning magic is hard, but I’m a pro-di-gy.”

The last word was carefully enunciated, as though he’d mispronounced it in the past. Virgil struggled to come to terms with the fact that magic was apparently real, and that what was almost certainly a child had just used it on him.

“You should swim slow,” the kid told him, hand slowly flattening out to give him more space. “That way you don’t pull on the new tissue! How do you normally swim so fast?”

“I practice a lot.” Virgil pushed himself up into open water, waiting for the other shell to drop. Was a Leviathan really just… letting him go? “Why’d you heal me?”

“Because you were hurt?” the kid replied, doing that curious little head-tilt again. As though the answer was obvious. His gaze flickered between Virgil and the surface light trickling down from above, and he rushed out another question. “How do humans make such big structures float?”

Virgil’s tail flicked anxiously. He could leave, right now. The kid wouldn’t be able to catch him.

“I think they make them hollow, full of air, so they don’t sink,” he answered, watching as the kid wiggled excitedly, muttering about shipwrecks, his patterns pulsating brightly. He felt a little faint at the sight of that razor-sharp smile. “I’ve, uh, never met a Leviathan before. Who-- I mean, what do you eat? Just curious.”

“I eat krill and plankton mostly! And some plants that taste good, or help stomach aches,” the kid listed eagerly. “I’ve met a few little mers, but normally they pass out or swim away really fast when they see me.”

He paused and pressed his lips together, like he hadn’t meant to say so much, casting another glance at the lighter waters above. He was expecting him to flee, Virgil realized, and trying to ask as many questions as he could before he did.

… The kid had saved his life. The least he could do was be polite company.

“What’s your name, kid?” Virgil asked, crossing his arms as though to reaffirm that he wasn’t leaving any time soon.

The kid’s fins twitched in surprise. “My name is Logan,” he replied, looking at Virgil with those wide glowing eyes.

“I’m Virgil,” Virgil said, flitting up a little bit to be eye level with him. “You, um… You got anything else you want to ask?”

This time, when Logan lit up with joy, Virgil slanted a smile right back.

#sanders sides #Mermaids #mermaid au #platonic analogical #ts virgil #ts logan #g/t #commissioned works #my writing #writing #lysh #leave your shaded hollow #oneshot

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ahsokasshoto · 3 years

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gold: a bad batch fanfic

word count: 1,362

content: no romantic relationship, lots of dialogue, nothing but fluff and brubbers being sweet together, takes place between clone wars and bad batch (ps if you recognize the Coleridge homage in this please marry me)

summary: The Batch has some time off and they've decided to take a beach vacation. Echo is self-conscious about his cybernetics, and Tech comforts him through the power of music and brotherly love.

song: gold by fyfe and iksa strings ao3

"It's said that this bay in particular is known for the number of rare specimens which can be observed. I'm hoping we will see an emerald water snake."

Echo sighed, shaking his head as he sat sullenly on his bunk. Tech had been babbling away like this for several minutes, detailing every aspect of their vacation spot. They had some days off and wanted to do something to relax, and everyone was excited about the idea of a beach vacation.

Everyone except for Echo.

"And did you know that there is a species of bioluminescent algae which blooms only once a cycle? If my calculations are correct, we should be arriving right in the middle of this cycle's--why aren't you ready yet?”

Tech interrupted himself as he came into their shared bunk space and saw Echo, sitting on the edge of the bunk, still wearing his blacks as well as a sour expression.

Echo crossed his arms, looking away from his brother. "I'm staying on the ship."

"What?" Tech pushed his goggles up on his nose. "What do you mean? This is supposed to be our vacation!"

"Yeah, well, maybe I need a vacation from all of you," Echo retorted.

Tech rolled his eyes. "Your response is disingenuous, and indicative of a larger problem." He sighed and sat down next to his brother. "What is really going on?" he insisted.

"Maybe I'm just worried about all the water and sand screwing with my cybernetics."

Tech shook his head. "Wrong again. You know I applied a hydrophobic spray and sealant on your cybernetics."

Echo grunted, trying to turn further away from his brother. Tech responded by slowly reaching out, gently uncrossing Echo's arms and turning him back towards himself to look him in the eyes. Echo still cast his eyes down, avoiding his brother's gaze.

"I don't want to be stared at, okay?"

"Oh." Tech immediately looked away, a light tinge flushing his cheeks. "My apologies--"

"I don't mean by you, or our brothers. I mean by…" he gestured around vaguely, "everyone else. All anyone sees when they look at me now are my cybernetics. My battle. My scars. You said it yourself; I'm 'more machine than man' now, aren't I?"

"Percentage-wise, yes," Tech responded quickly, unthinking. Echo merely huffed in response.

Tech's brow furrowed in a wave of thought and emotion. It appeared his words had caused his brother pain, and he was frustrated with himself for being so callous. He was only ever trying to be factual. He sighed softly.

"That was the incorrect response. I did not mean--"

"I know what you meant. And I know what they see."

"Well, who cares what they see? I don't see you as a machine, Echo."

Echo looked up at Tech then, his eyes searching. "What do you see, Tech?" Echo was genuinely asking. Tech could be so forthright about everything but himself; you had to be direct.

Suddenly, as if guided by the force, the memory of a song came floating into Tech's mind.

"If life were a song, you're my favorite line...I wish that you could see you like I see you all the time," he sang softly. His voice was light and airy and sweet. He took Echo's scomp link in his gentle hands, fingers delicately flitting over the cybernetics, absent-mindedly making minor adjustments.

"No damage beyond a brother's delight," he continued, "I wish you knew your scars are precious too, no need to hide."

He looked Echo in the eyes then, a soft smile on his lips. "I see them like gold," he finished in a quiet, reverent whisper.

Echo watched Tech slowly reach out a hand towards his face; felt the fluttering of fingers on his cheeks brushing away the teardrops.

He hadn't noticed he was crying.

"It doesn't matter how anyone else looks at you. Because the people who matter will see you."

Echo released a breath he didn't know he was holding. "The last person to sing for me like that was Fives."

Tech's eyes filled with worry. "I apologize if I brought on any painful memories--"

"No." Echo shook his head, then smiled over at his brother. "They're good memories." He threw an arm over Tech's shoulders; Tech felt Echo's weight shift against him as he relaxed. "Thank you, brother."

They sat there together for a few more quiet moments. "Besides," Tech piped up after a fashion, "if my calculations are correct, which they are, and we are able to witness this algal bloom, I don't think anyone will be looking at you, or any of us. It's said to be quite magnificent."

Echo chuckled at the normalcy of his brother always circling back to the data of it all. And Tech grinned, pleased with himself that he was able to cheer his brother up.

"Alright, alright, I'm convinced," Echo said. "But this algae thing better be worth it."

Tech grinned wider, standing up to leave Echo to finish getting ready. "Oh, it will be. You'll see."

Echo's heart still hammered in his chest as he made his way down to the shore to join his brothers. Hunter and Crosshair were busy with getting a fire going to cook some meat over. Tech wandered up and down the beach with his nose in his holopad, presumably taking notes on all of those rare specimens he'd been talking about. Wrecker, of course, was already splashing about in the sea.

There were other people around as well--some couples, some families with their kids, some friends--but they were all so busy in enjoying the beach themselves, none of them gave Echo and his cybernetics a second thought.

He relaxed a little, silently chastising himself for being so worried in the first place.

"There you are!" Wrecker called to him, waving excitedly from the water. "Come on, let's test that hydro-whatever Tech made! The water's great!"

Hunter and Crosshair smiled at him as he came down the beach. "Food's gonna be ready soon," Hunter told him.

"Oh! Tech, is that one of your snakes? Hold on, I'm gonna try to catch it!" "No, wait, they can be very territorial--" They could hear Wrecker and Tech shouting from the water.

"Please go occupy Wrecker before he does something truly stupid," Crosshair asked Echo. "Alright, alright," Echo chuckled, making his way down towards the water.

"Haha! Got ya! Oh…" Wrecker looked up, eyes wide to see Echo completely covered with water from where Wrecker had splashed, trying and failing to catch one of the snakes. The cool water actually felt refreshing on his skin, and the water rolled right off his cybernetics without getting inside. "Looks like your hydrophobic spray is working!" he called to Tech.

"Of course it is," his brother responded, not looking up from his datapad, but there was a soft smile on his face.

Echo smiled too. The heat of the sun bearing down on the beach was no match for the warmth spreading through Echo, glad to be here and be himself among his brothers.

And Tech was not wrong about the algal bloom. The five clones stood together on the beach as the dusk softly descended down around them, and the beach slowly twinkled to life as the algae gathered at the shoreline began to glow with a delicate golden light.

"They look like stars," Echo whispered, admiring the way the algae dotted across the dark water.

"I told you," Tech replied smugly. Echo could only chuckle and throw his arm around his brother again. Tech pulled Hunter in with his other arm, and Echo threw his other around Wrecker, who dragged Crosshair in as well until they were all standing, arms linked, appreciating this sea full of stars.

Echo smiled too. The heat of the sun bearing down on the beach was no match for the warmth spreading through him, glad to be here and be himself among his brothers.

"Oh, look, look!" Tech exclaimed excitedly as a couple of water snakes began to dance across the surface; from the shore, the brothers watched as they moved in tracks of shining light which glanced off their glossy green forms like glittering flakes when they reared. They coiled and swam and every track was a flash of golden fire.

Tech's words reverberated in Echo's mind, and he hummed softly to himself,

"I see them like gold…"

tags: @itsjml @eyecandyeoz @kratosfan6632466 @archisstically-done @sstarwarsss @aspiring-spellcaster @captxin-rex hmm i can't think of who else to tag so lmk if you want to be tagged on future fics!

#tech fic #echo fic #tbb fic #tbb fanfiction #the bad batch fanfiction #clone trooper echo #clone trooper tech #clone trooper wrecker #clone trooper hunter #clone trooper crosshair #the bad batch #clone force 99 #cf99 #tbb #i cant hear this song without thinking of echo

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votederpycausemufins · 3 years

Text

I said I had another chapter ready. so It's time to post that.

tagging @helleborusangel because they like my writing and @hermitcraftheadcanons since they and their community made the au.

now... with that out of the way, let's recap evo... wait shoot i mean hermitcraft.

“Pixlriffs! Turn on the tv!” Came a voice that followed a door being slammed open.

Pixlriffs turned around in confusion to see Zloy having barged in, panting with his goggles askew. “Zloy? What’s going on?”

“Just turn on the recap channel! Hurry!”

Even more confused, Pixl slowly turned to his tv and turned it on, switching to the channel that showed their recap show. “I thought you didn’t like watching our own shows. It’s not even a regular recap, it’s just going to be a clip show from the livestream. Why are you so-” But he cut himself off. Showing on screen was a countdown to the season eight day one recap. “What? But it hasn’t started. We haven’t recorded anything.”

“I know! I was with a friend and they turned it on and said they didn’t think it had started yet. When I saw the countdown, I ran all the way over here.”

“Do you think they just had a scheduling mistake? We might need to call the broadcasters and have them fix things up.” Pixl suggested, and Zloy shrugged.

“Let’s just make sure that’s the case and see which episode they’re actually showing. For all we know they mixed things up and this is just the season seven, day one.”

“I hope that’s the case.”

The two recapers watched the timer go down. Elsewhere, people were also turned into the episode. Some were pleasantly surprised by the supposed new episode. Others were confused thinking the schedule was wrong. Those who knew the hermits were confused, not having heard the new season was starting yet.

Then finally, the timer reached zero, and a familiar jingle started. And then a voice that was definitely not Pixlriffs spoke the phrase “This week, on Hermitcraft.”

“Wait, what am I doing in the nether? I just joined the world.”

Zloy and Pixl looked at each other at something they had never heard Keralis say. This was a new episode, but one they hadn’t made.

“A new adventure starts in season eight, new places and mobs to explore and see. And also Grumbot and Jrumbot are Hermits now. Welcome to the Hermitcraft recap! The show where no one is where they should be. My name is Toon Noah.”

“I’m Mysterious Goofball, and our writer is Pin Valentine. Today, we’re looking at everyone’s first day on the new season of Hermitcraft.”

The first person, Noah, spoke up again. “In this season, the hermits managed to update all the way to the second half of the caves and cliffs update even though that isn’t possible.” He explained what was going on in this season. “Everyone is scattered across the map and even in other dimensions. Monsters are tough, regen is off, and using chat is out of the question, so surviving is going to be tough.”

“At the very least, they can still respawn, so certain people have chances to escape. Escape what that is? Well, let’s look at what the Hermits have been up to.” Goofball said, sounding so nonchalant about what they were about to talk about.

“Starting with Xisuma, who’s started out in the deep dark. The admin’s helmet has been disabled other than necessary functions. His visor also gives him a little bit of light, so he’s not completely blind. Plus the fact that sculks are bioluminescent. But the warden is too, which has been able to find him a number of times.”

“Also in the caves in Jevin,-” Goofball spoke up again. “-who’s found himself in some lush caves. He’s got glowberries for light and food and the axolotls are pretty friendly. Plus, with enough searching, he was able to find a bit of wood for simple tools.”

“Speaking of wood. Some of the hermits have found themselves in the jungle.” Noah quickly commented before some audio from one of the hermits played along with its clip.

“Helloooo? Anyone around? Impulse? Tango? Hey is that Grian? Nope, just a parrot. Ugh, and here I am without any seeds.”

Goofball spoke up again when the audio finished. “Both Zedaph and Tango are in the same jungle, but the size of the biome as well as the amount of foliage means they haven’t found each other yet. Tango at the very least has started mining, and Zedaph managed to find a jungle temple and has already started on using the redstone from there for a melon farm.”

“How do you even make a farm out of that?”

“It’s Zedaph, what do you expect?”

“Well, as for the last of team ZIT, Impulse had found himself in the middle of a sea temple.” Noah spoke, as the video showed Impulse dealing with being underwater in such a place. “Between drowning and guardians, he hasn’t gotten that far away from his spawn.”

“In other aquatic news-” Goofball said, another clip from the hermits playing.

“If I never see coral again, it’ll be too- wait, is that False? False!”

“-Stress and False are also nearby to each other, both spawning in coral reefs. False was the first to escape, needing to just swim out of her spawn.”

“On the other hand, Stress was completely encased in coral and had to slowly chip herself out of the colorful prison. But by the evening, Stress was able to get to the surface and join False and an island, chopping down trees. They even started a wheat farm. But here’s hoping they don’t have to deal with drowned.”

“While she isn’t a drowned,” Goofball continued from Noah’s comment. “Zombie Cleo started out in a village. Normally, that would be pretty good, but being a zombie…”

“Leave me alone! I’m not going ta kill any villagers! I’m a zombie but I’m not that kind of zombie!”

“She’s been having an issue with the resident iron golem. With a bit of luck, she managed to hole herself up in a house which the golem isn’t going to destroy, but the villagers aren’t the happiest about it.”

Then Noah took over speaking. “From villagers to illagers, Mumbo Jumbo found himself alone in a woodland mansion, making himself the furthest hermit in the overworld.”

“Come on. Almost. Almost!” The video showed Mumbo running before he was killed by a vindicator. “Oh come on!”

After that, Noah continued. “He’s tried and failed many times to try and get out of the mansion, but eventually just started breaking the walls for tools.”

“The illagers aren’t really happy about it, but not like he’ll be going far, so I don’t think he’ll easily lose those tools.”

“Well at least he’s got supplies.” The video transitioned to a mountain top with three figures standing at the peak. “Grian, as well as new hermits Grum and Jrum are currently stuck on the top of a mountain, surrounded by powder snow. It’s pretty lucky that the three of them stuck together.”

“I’m not so sure of that.” Goofball spoke up, sounding a bit frustrated or annoyed. “While Grian tried to fly down for supplies to little success, other than fall damage, he hasn’t managed to die, using some sort of magic.”

“But it looks like the fall damage came in handy for Doc, who’s further down the mountain. He’s having a bit of trouble surrounded by goats, plenty of them being the screaming variety.”

Goofball spoke again, no longer sounding as annoyed. “Yeah, but while hanging out with them, he heard a different kind of scream and did something pretty smart.”

“Wait, what was- is someone close by? It sounded like someone just- wait! The death messages!” He pulled out his communicator and read the messages. “Grian died to fall damage! Grian’s up there!”

“I guess he is the scientist of the group.” Noah spoke, the grin he had on his face audible in his voice. “It makes sense he would be the one to figure things out. But even then, he still can’t easily get down the mountain himself with all the goats messing him up. My guess is he’s really regretting being the goat father last season.”

“Doc isn’t the only one getting familiar with the new wildlife though. Hypno has found himself in a large flower forest that has plenty of mooblooms. He hasn’t been able to kill any of them yet, and there’s only flowers and no grass for him to get seeds from, so while the place seems like it should be easy to survive in, it’s really the opposite.”

“The best idea he’s had so far is following some bees to find their nest and hopefully a tree attached to it. If only he knew he was actually really close to spawn, being the closest to it.”

Goofball took control of the conversation again “Well, that’s not entirely true as three hermits managed to appear at spawn, those three being Joe Hills, VintageBeef, and Etho.” And the three hermits were shown in what looked much more normal than everything else that had been shown so far. “The three of them pretty quickly figured out something was wrong and started to make spawn a safe place, also gathering supplies so they can eventually find the other hermits.”

“Except Etho got a bit ahead of himself.” Noah cut in. “He had a bad run in with some mobs and ended up dying, finding out his respawn is a bit different than others. But at the very least, he managed to find Ren.”

“Ren spawned on a cliff of a ravine. There’s no water at the bottom, and all the blocks in reach are stone, so it’s not the easiest to escape from. Still, with little else to do, Ren started slowly chipping away at the stone to escape the ravine, only to fall when Etho surprised him by suddenly respawning there.”

“Okay, I got through two more pieces of stone. At this rate, I can probably get to dirt before the sun is setting so- Etho- ooooooh!”

“At the very least Ren is respawning just fine,” Noah explained “So the two of them were able to help Ren escape the ravine, so he’s the third person to escape his spawn area.”

“Well, that’s not entirely true.” Goofball started to correct. “Before Etho helped Ren and even before Stress escaped her coral prison, Cub actually escaped the mesa mineshaft he spawned in. It was a little tricky with the cave spiders spawning, but he lucked out with the loot of a chest and was able to get a crafting table and pickaxe out of it.” Cub had found some iron, torches, a few seeds, some bread, and then used the wood of the mineshaft to get him on his feet in terms of survival. “With a few respawns, he took out the spiders and their spawner. He’s able to move around freely, but not wanting to respawn again, his hearts are a bit low, so he’s staying near the mineshaft for shelter.”

“Then, sort of nearby the mesa of course, is the desert, where the last two overworld hermits are.” Noah said, and there was the slightest ruffle of papers, like he was checking a script. “Both XB and Iskall are stuck in the same large desert, trying to find some source of food, water and wood. So far, the best they’ve found are the sticks from dead bushes. Out of the two, XB is doing a bit better since he’s found a cave for some sort of shelter, but Iskall’s much worse off,the sand messing with his one eye.”

“Between the heat, the sand, and my eye, I can’t even tell what’s real anymore. That cactus could be a tree or a town or- nope! It’s actually a creeper!”

And then Noah continued with a transition. “Getting even hotter now, let’s look at the nether. There’s only two hermits there right now, with different struggles to deal with.”

“Keralis is the first and lucked out a bit, landing himself in a warped forest right near a basalt delta, meaning he’s got up to stone tools. Plus, since nether gold ore can be mined with wood tools or better, he’s also got some gold boots to help with any piglins.”

“On the other hand, Welsknight is in a much worse situation. He spawned in a crimson forest and is having plenty of trouble with the hoglins.” And that was emphasized by a clip of Wels being killed by one of the mobs. “He hasn’t gotten too much wood before dying, but at the very least, he secured his spawn just enough he has some room to breathe. And hey, if he makes it out of there, he’s got a fortress nearby. But now to end this off, let’s head to the end.”

“TinfoilChef, or TFC is on the main end island, spawning on an obsidian platform just a few blocks from the edge of the island.” Goofball spoke. “It’s close enough for him to jump, but he still takes fall damage and has to deal with the ender dragon after that.”

“Not to mention the endermen too, which Scar is also having trouble with. He’s stuck on a smallish end island out in the further reaches of the end. There’s an end city nearby, but he doesn’t really have the means to get there. At the very least he’s got food from the chorus plants, but that won’t help too terribly much.”

“And lastly, there’s BdoubleO, who we’ve- who’s been lucky to not die so far being in a special situation.” Though they hadn’t been saying much, both Pixlriffs and Zloy noticed the slight slip up Goofball gave. “He’s currently looping in the end void, teleporting up to the top when he finally gets too low. There’s nothing in sight for him to know that though, so he thinks he’s just falling deeper and deeper. But hopefully he’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Well, that’s everyone, so that pretty much does it for this episode of Ev- Hermitcraft Recap. I was Toon Noah-”

“And I was Mysterious Goofball and our writer was Pin Valentine. If you’d like to see original content made by us, you can find us if you already know where to look.”

“Don’t forget to give this show a good rating and tune in next week for the next episode of Hermitcraft Recap. Thank you all so much for watching and good-Bye~!”

Finally, the screen turned black, signalling the end of the episode. The whole time, Pixl and Zloy had just sat there in shock, watching the episode and not saying anything. The thought of their show being taken over by some new people was scary enough, but the situations the Hermits were now in was so much worse.

Zloy was the first to move, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He had felt it going off during the episode, but had been too stunned to do anything. Apparently, he had missed multiple calls and texts about what had happened with the episode, who had been put in charge, what was with the hermits, and more related to the whole situation.

“We need to see someone about this.” Pixlriffs said, in a similar situation with looking at his phone. “Make sure people know we have no connection to this and hopefully also see if the studio knows who recorded this. I would also like to say that this is all fake, but…”

“Yeah, that footage looked way too real. I think the Hermits are actually in a lot of trouble right now.”

“Then let’s do something about it.”

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zackcrazyvalentine · 2 years

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🖊 Onaga Sei? 👉👈

Coming right up~!!

An assortment of facts about my gulper eel baby ❤️

-- --

🌫️ Onaga Sei 💜

First off, they're demiboy and go by he/they pronouns

They have two younger brothers they love very very much and protect all the time back home

Sei has very poor eyesight and needs special glasses to see on land. It's common to see some deep sea merfolk need special aids when they're on land, such as these glasses

In his first month at NRC, Sei frequently got overwhelmed by his senses. The bright sunlight, all the vibrant colors, the loud sounds everywhere, the heat, all the smells in the air, how suffocated he felt with those tight fitting uniforms on. He would hide away in his room or in bathroom stalls until he felt safe again

He thinks it's because he was nervous to attend such a prestigious school and be away from home all by himself. You see, these sensory overloads stopped happening within a week when he attended the special training school for merfolk to get accustomed to life on land... and now suddenly they were back

Missed a lot of class due to this, but still got good marks. They made few acquaintances in each of their classes and would often ask them what assignments, projects and lessons were seen

Preferred uniform is the gym uniform because it's looser and softer on their skin

Met Thais when she spotted them running to the nearest bathroom, tripping and dropping their books and notes everywhere. She got worried, so she gathered the scattered material and notified the Octavinelle dorm leader about the situation. One of the leader's friends and Thais went to check on Sei after classes ended

Turns out his glasses were one of the reasons of his overloads. They weren't made correctly, the prescription and shade grade were off. Dorm leader quickly got it sorted out and helped Sei find ways to ground himself when he feels the panic incoming

This is why he uses his dorm uniform scarf with his regular school uniform!! The soft texture provides something to concentrate on when he gets nervous, and it also helps him hide subtly by covering the lower half of his face with it (then he just closes his eyes for a moment and takes deep breaths to calm down)

Later became friends with Thais when she started working at the Lounge. They recognized her and, since both of them felt a little awkward there, they decided to stick close. One of the decisions they're very glad they took

Loves all the different textures of food they're discovering on land, always happy to try new things out (lololol prime target for Jade's mushroom cooking experiments)

Sense of touch and hearing are their best senses. Thus, they tend to stick close to people and explore everything with their hands before relying on their eyes to make out what/who they're interacting with

He can sing pretty decently! But is very shy to let his voice be heard

Overall, Sei is extremely quiet and rarely breaks silence. Speaks in whispers and only when he's really angry or surprised he raises his voice

Since he takes comfort on holding people close to know they're fine, Sei likes hugging pillows and plushies to relax and fall asleep

Kinda related: he adores soft things. Blankets, scarves and sweaters are his favorite

And related to sleeping: his bioluminescent lock of hair flickers when he dreams. He's a little nightlight 🥺💖

Even with their poor eyesight, they embroider beautifully.... but their hands end up looking like pincushions. If you're friends, it's guaranteed they'll surprise you at random with a little embroidered patch of something you like

His Unique Magic (Enter the Sphere) has only been used to protect others... We'll see if being in NRC changes that

Aaaaaaand that's all my brain conjured about this funky eel!!

Hope you liked it~

#zask #oc talk #twst oc #onaga sei #i love they 🥺💖#i love that they love soft things and holding people close 🥺💗

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hoodedguitarist · 3 years

Text

Luminescence

Gif not miiinee Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn x Jedi!Reader

Summary: You and Qui-Gon find yourselves on one of the lesser known, lesser visited planets. Having narrowly escaped a sudden attack from some raiders, you and your crew have landed on this serene and beautiful planet to make a few repairs and take a break before returning to Coruscant.

Warnings: Fluff, Mush, Kisses, Confessions, not held responsible for any cavities you may develop whilst/after reading this. :D

Notes: Apparently there’s a serious shortage of Qui-Gon x Reader fics?? This is what I heard. I’m doing my part, saving the fangirls and all. Qui-Gon is one of my absolute favorite characters but I can’t bring myself to write a smut thing for him. @chadillacboseman this is the best I can do. This is for you my dear <3 I hope you like it. Also, I just made this planet up on the fly. ALSO also, loosely based off of this beautiful poem. Can you tell I want to go to a bioluminescent bay? Cause I do. Ok I’ll shut up now.

The ship had been in a good enough condition to land properly. Luckily, none of the raiders had followed, but repairs were needed before you could continue.

“This planet is peaceful,” Qui-Gon assured you and the other two who were with you. “And I’m sure they will have the part that we need. It’s a simple enough task. Jado, Tyla?”

“We know what to look for and we know what we need,” Jado, the mechanic, answered. He gave a reassuring smile and a nod.

“Good. In that case, we will stay here with the ship,” Qui-Gon motioned to himself and you.

“Are you sure it’s safe enough to send them out on their own?” You asked gently. “Shouldn’t one of us go?”

“We can take care of it,” Tyla, the pilot, promised. “We don’t need the Jedi constantly watching over us, we’ve got our blasters and know how to use them,” she smirked.

“Clumsy and random,” you quipped back with a smile.

“Not in our hands,” Jado chuckled. He nudged Tyla. “Come on, let’s head out. We’ll try to be back before dark.”

The pilot and the mechanic made their way off the ship, and you and Qui-Gon were alone. You couldn’t help but be a little worried. You weren’t very familiar with this planet and had certainly never visited. He sensed your unease and stepped over to you, looking down into your eyes.

“It’s alright, my dear,” he assured, sliding a hand onto your shoulder. His touch comforted you and made a warmth spread through your chest. He gave you a knowing smile. “I told you, this planet is peaceful. My instincts tell me we won’t have any trouble.”

You raised a brow, amusement written on your face. “Qui, when are we not in trouble? This whole situation was caused because trouble found us. And don’t try to quell me with your sweet talk, it won’t work.”

You and Qui-Gon weren’t really together… You went on an awful lot of missions together, though, and you flirted a lot. It was mild when people were around but when you were alone, it always seemed a bit more serious. He always made your heart beat a touch faster and gave your stomach butterflies.

You were also at least half sure that his Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, could sense something between the two of you, but he never said anything. Obi wasn’t there, though… And the realization that you and Qui-Gon were alone together suddenly hung heavy in the air.

“I am not trying to quell you,” he had a soft laugh in his voice. “I would never try to do such a thing to you, I only mean to reassure you.”

“Well, perhaps I would feel better if I explored a little outside. I’ve always heard this place is beautiful at night but this is my first time being here.”

“Ynirro is known for its magical oceans and white beaches. If you want to explore, I will stay with the ship.”

“What’s so magical about the oceans?” You asked, genuinely curious.

“When night falls, I will show you,” He had that look about him, that look that clearly said he knew something that you didn’t. It was mischievous, but endearing. “For now, stay in sight of the ship. I know the beach is close by, but wait for me. I wish to see it with you.”

“That’s very romantic of you, Master Qui-Gon,” you teased softly, placing your hand over his that still lay on your shoulder. His smile faded and was replaced with a more thoughtful look. Your chest tightened in slight panic. Did you say something wrong? Was that too much?

His features soon softened, though, and a gentle smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He lifted his thumb and ran it along your fingers, even going so far as to clasp your hand in his. His blue eyes locked earnestly with yours.

“Only for you,” his sincerity startled you a bit. Your heart began to race. He took your hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it. “Go on, go do your exploring. I’ll be right here.”

“Alright…” You barely managed the word. It came out as more of a soft breath than an actual word. He had enraptured you and your skin now tingled pleasantly where his lips had touched. You took a step back but squeezed his hand gently one last time. He returned it before you both reluctantly let go.

When you finally made it outside you had a chance to take a breath and calm yourself down. Of course, the first thing that popped into your mind was the Jedi Council. They hung like a little grey cloud over your head, always watching, always wary. You and Qui-Gon were not like the other Jedi. The both of you followed the will of the Force more than the code, often going against the Council’s wishes at times. If they found out about this, they would not be pleased and you ran the risk of being kicked out.

You blinked and had found that your feet had already started walking while your brain went in another direction. Your eyes took in your surroundings, noticing the lush greenery of the forest and taking in the sweet scents of tropical flowers that bloomed around you. It was a paradise, that much was certain. You made a note to come back to Ynirro when you had free time, if only for a slight vacation… And maybe you wouldn’t be alone.

“What am I thinking?” You said softly to yourself. “Kai Adi-Mundi has four wives!” You shook your head. There was no way that you were going to let the council control that part of your life. You and Qui-Gon seemed to share a bond, even from the moment you first met. The both of you always knew what the other was thinking or feeling… Dare you even think that you shared a bond within the Force? That it led you both to each other?

Your heart leapt at the idea and you glanced back in the direction of the ship. You would try not to get your hopes up, however. You didn’t want to jump the gun, or blaster as it were. You were sure he was thinking through a few things as well with the time that he had. Instead, you turned and walked into another direction, letting your fingers ghost over the soft petals of a blue flower. The sun would be gone soon but it would give you both enough time to think before nightfall.

~*~

Twilight was fading and it had grown darker as you made your way back to the ship. A few lights were on and the platform was extended still. You smiled and adjusted your robes before heading up into the ship.

“Qui-Gon?”

“There you are,” he turned, smiling at you. “Well, do you feel better now? More at peace?”

“I do. Not just with Ynirro but with a few other things that were on my mind as well.”

“I did the same while you were gone. Night has fallen but I would like to wait for Tyla and Jado to return-” A noise cut his sentence off and the both of you looked back to see the two in question come in.

“We got the part!” Jado said excitedly. “Tyla and I will get to work on it right away.”

“Take your time, don’t rush,” you said gently. “The ship must be fixed properly and if we have to stay here overnight, so be it.”

“I agree. A rushed job is often a poor one,” Qui-Gon said wisely.

“We’ll take our time,” Tyla promised. “We’ll get it done right and be back in Coruscant before you know it.”

“Well, we’re going to observe the beach. I hear the ocean is quite a sight to behold. When you two finish, come and join us. I promise you won’t be disappointed,” Qui-Gon put a gentle hand on the small of your back and you stood up a little straighter, your smile widening.

“We will! Have fun!” Tyla chirped before she began to rummage around in a box of tools.

You and Qui-Gon both headed out and into the warm night air. You couldn’t hide the excitement now that the two of you were alone. “I can’t wait!” You walked close to him, looking up at him. “What is it? Can you give me a hint? Is it creatures of some kind that live in the ocean?”

Qui-Gon tilted his head a little and smirked. “To a degree, yes,” he gave you a sideways glance. “But that is all I will tell you. Come, take my hand,” he stopped and held his hand out. Your eyes met and you smiled, sliding your hand into his. He laced your fingers together and led you through the bushes. You noticed that there was a faint blue glow coming from up ahead. You stayed close to him, your hand tightening in his with anticipation. The glow was calm, soft, and became brighter the closer you got to it.

Suddenly, the terrain changed beneath your feet and you noticed the white sands. You were at the shore line.

“Close your eyes,” Qui-Gon’s voice was right at your ear. You could feel his breath brush down your neck and it made your lips part. A soft breath left you and you turned to look up at him. The both of you were a mere inch away from each other. He smiled at you and let his eyes run over your face for a moment before his free hand came up. He pushed a stray strand back from your face and curled it behind your ear. His fingertips ghosted down the shell of your ear and down along your neck. “Close your eyes, love,” he whispered.

You nodded, licking your lips and taking a deep breath. Your eyes fluttered shut and you tightened your grip on his hand just a little. Your other hand came up and you placed it on his arm. There was the sound of leaves being pushed apart and Qui-Gon tugged you gently in his direction. You stepped forward, being careful of the sudden thickness of the sand. You could feel that you were actually on the beach now, having cleared the tree-line.

Qui-Gon carefully lead you further and further until he stopped and you stopped with him.

“Alright, open your eyes,” he whispered. You did as you were told and what you saw made your jaw drop and your eyes widen.

The ocean waters of Ynirro were shimmering with beautiful blue lights. It was as if the stars had fallen and landed in the waters, making the oceans their new home. As the waves rolled up onto the white sandy shores, the lights brightened when the water stirred them, and then they calmed again when they floated back into the sea.

“Qui-Gon…” Your voice was breathless with awe, your eyes transfixed on the enchanting sight before you. In all your years of being a Jedi, all the places it had taken you, you had never seen something so beautiful.

“Microscopic bioluminescent creatures. They live in the oceans and soak up the sun's rays during the day, then put the stars to shame at night,” he explained.

You were enraptured by the sight before you…

And Qui-Gon was enraptured by you.

The way the lights bathed you in a soft blue glow. It shined in your hair, on your face, in your eyes. He was taken with the sight of you and loved to see you in such pure wonder.

Your senses pricked at you lightly and you blinked, turning your gaze away from the sight, only to see Qui-Gon already looking at you. You felt a blush try to crawl up your neck, but you smiled and laughed softly. “Qui, this is the most… Amazing thing I’ve ever seen. It’s so beautiful.”

“It is… Beautiful…” His voice was soft and his eyes never left yours. Your hands were still clasped. You stood side by side, both bathed in the glow. He turned to face you and his hand came up again, cupping your cheek. His calloused thumb ran across your cheek bone and you gave a soft in-take of breath.

“Qui-Gon...” His name was a plea on your lips, a soft begging lilt as you leaned into his touch. You placed your hand over his and your eyes darted to his lips. That was all the indication he needed. The Jedi Master leaned down and captured your lips in a slow, loving kiss.

Your eyes shut and you leaned into the kiss, a peace settling over you. It was as if this kiss was the last missing peace, the last thing that was needed to solidify the bond growing between you. You wrapped your hand gently around his wrist, rubbing your thumb along the back of his hand that still cupped your cheek. He let go of your hand in favor of sliding it around the curve of your waist and pulling you closer.

It felt like your heart had grown wings, like it wanted to flutter out of your chest. Your free hand slid along the back of his neck and into his long hair. There was no space left between the two of you. Qui-Gon had pulled you flush against him and he had deepened the kiss. Your lips moved slowly against each other, savoring the moment and every feeling. You were sure you’d never been kissed so passionately and so lovingly in your life.

He pulled back, only barely, and your eyes opened and met again.

“I love you,” he admitted. “I cannot hide it any longer and I don’t care what the Council thinks.”

“The Council doesn't need to know,” you answered without missing a beat. “They are already in our lives too much. They already root around in matters that should not concern them.”

Qui-Gon smiled at this and rubbed his nose against yours. “Then this will be ours. This moment, this love, this bond we share, it is ours and is of no concern to anyone else.”

“Except perhaps Obi-Wan,” you teased softly. Qui-Gon chuckled, low and warm.

“He is clever, but I trust him. If he does know or if he figures out, I know he will keep our secret safe.”

“Good…” You rested your forehead against his, running your fingers gently through the loose part of his hair. “I love you Qui-Gon…” You whispered.

He ran his fingers through your hair and pulled you close again, kissing you deeply while you bathed in the celestial glow of the luminescent waves.

Yeah, I’m soft and cryin a little, not gonna lie. We’re all just gonna pretend Qui-Gon lives and yall live happily ever after, training Anakin and Obi-Wan and Anakin grows up with a stable father figure in his life and doesn’t turn to the dark side. Palps gets OUTED like the trash he is and Anakin and Padme have lil Luke and Leia and You and Qui-Gon become like the most awesome grandparents in the galaxy. THE END

*takes a deep breath*

Thanks for reading everyone! I headcanon that Qui-Gon is on some serious romantic level shit. Like that man will make you feel loved, give you all the passion, and make sure you feel it deep down in your soul.

As always, if you wanna be added to the tags list just shoot me a message! Inbox/asks is always open. If I hit 200 followers I’ll do some drabble requests. Never done that before, sounds fun and chaotic. I’m here for it!

Tagslist: @the-grey-jedi @hayley-the-comet @pinkiemme @swordandstar @chadillacboseman

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whatifxwereyou · 3 years

Text

The Oncoming Storm Part 23: Flesh and Bone

Liu Kang x Reader and Kung Lao x Reader (gonna do both, two paths!)

You find the springs- and it exceeds your expectations but perhaps not in the way you had hoped it would. Something wicked is unfolding.

A/N: I'm going out of town tomorrow but I will do my best to get back to replies as often as I can! Your feedback gives me life <3 I'll be back on Tuesday. You guys probably won't even notice I'm gone, since I've somehow managed to miraculously write enough to cover the space where I won't be around! I'm going to see my family for the first time since the pandemic ;___; !!

Part 22 Part 24 Chapter Index

You drew closer to the wave of clouds above you, and it wasn’t long until you were engulfed by them. It was like the most intense fog you’d ever been in. You had scoured the cliffside for caves along the way but found nothing of note. You stopped walking once you were completely surrounded by the clouds and had long since let go of Liu Kang’s hand.

There was that feeling again. As though you had been lost in this fog before and yet you had never been there. It made you dizzy and you lost sight of Liu in the fog. You could see that man from your vision, walking in front of you, then to the left of you, then to the right. Your head spun and when you closed your eyes, you felt lost. But you weren’t. You knew this place even if you’d never been there. The vision in your head knew it.

You turned and the clouds felt misty on your skin. It was as if you had lost your body and were watching yourself walk through the fog blindly in search of something you weren’t sure that you wanted to find. Then suddenly, very suddenly, as if you were being pulled out of a dream, Liu Kang stood in front of you. Your body was yours again. His right hand was bathed in fire and the shadows it cast on his face were haunting and beautiful.

“Wake up, Y/N.”

He urged his hand to your arm and forced you to look at him. You gasped, your lungs having once again forbidden you air. You closed your eyes tight to shake off the feeling and then searched around you. It was too foggy to tell how far you’d gone but you had the distinct feeling that it hadn’t been very far at all. Liu’s relief was palpable and with a wave of his hand the fire was gone, leaving you in the cold mist of the clouds.

His grip was tight on your arm, as if he were worried that you would walk off again. You caught your breath, chest aching with the lack of it, and knit your brow. “How… how did you know?”

“I just knew.” The concern on his face was valid but the admiration was unexpected. “You’re like flickering lamplight, Y/N. The shadows cast by my flame. I know when you’re not there.” Your tongue was suddenly far too big for your mouth and your heart hurt. You should have kissed him. That was the most romantic thing you had ever heard in your whole damn life. But your chest was aching and your hands were trembling with the fear of losing control of your body. “Do you think that you could lead us using your vision? If it’s taking control of you like that then it clearly wants us to go somewhere.”

“I’m… I can try but I’m afraid.” You were still struggling with air and words. “I don’t know if it’s a good thing it’s leading us. I walked off on Kung Lao and nearly drowned myself yesterday when my vision took over.”

“It’s okay, Y/N. I won’t let go of your hand.” He let his hand move from your arm and down to your fingertips. He leaned closer and whispered. “Trust yourself as much as you trust me.” He stepped back, still holding your hand. You had to try. He was right. If you trusted your gut and it went horribly wrong then Liu would make sure you didn’t jump off a cliff. He was staring back at you, completely relaxed. He trusted you. You could feel it. How could you have ever doubted that? You weren’t sure where to begin but you started with turning off your inner critic. You were unsteady on your feet, unsure of yourself.

“Are you okay?” You couldn’t help but ask. He took both of your hands and walked backwards in front of you which you felt like was a mistake.

“Keep going, Y/N. I trust you. Close your eyes and follow your vision. I will make sure that we’re safe.”

“I…”

“Trust yourself, Y/N.”

You didn’t, that was clear to you both. With a deep exhale, you closed your eyes and then walked. When you walked, Liu walked. You led him blindly along the path through the clouds. The more you walked without plummeting to your deaths, the more confident you felt. And you were in control, which was nice. You walked until he stopped suddenly in front of you, as if he’d run into something. You stumbled into him, letting go of one of his hands to catch the stone behind him, body pressed against his. Eyes fluttering open, Liu let go of your other hand and instead rested both against the sides of your neck. Despite their warmth, they gave you chills.

His thumb brushed over the bruised skin on your neck, other hand gently caressing its way up to your cheek, thumb just beneath your eye. His hands were callused and strong, still somehow soft, controlled just like the rest of him. He had this way of drinking you in, of making you feel like you were something precious and special. You got goosebumps. The pitter-patter of your heart was betraying you, pressed against him like this and it was warranted for more reasons than you could count. The most important of those reasons was Liu Kang.

“You did it,” he whispered but his eyes were on your lips.

“I found it.” You smiled in realization and got the chills. That was a wonderful feeling. It was the first time in ages where you’d trusted your gut and it hadn’t wound up in a complete mess. Without thinking you buried yourself against Liu’s chest, hands gripping at his shirt. You closed your eyes tight and took deep calming breaths.

Don’t get upset.

Don’t cry in front of Liu Kang even if they were happy tears. It had been so long since you’d felt that good.

“What? What is it?” He could sense that you were trying not to get upset and he tucked your hair behind your ear, fixing the flower that had come loose.

“Nothing. I’m just happy.”

“Okay…?”

You lifted yourself from his chest and straightened your posture, but you were hopelessly pressed against him. “So much of these last few weeks with healing and my arcana and the visions… it’s felt like such failure. I’m trying so damn hard and still it seems impossible. One thing after another keeps going wrong and I’m just so grateful to have something work out.”

“Y/N, just because it doesn’t work out how you expect it to, doesn’t mean it’s a failure. You’re learning. Please… be kind to yourself. The shadow hanging over you isn’t any fault of yours. From where I’m standing? You’re doing well.”

God, he was the cutest. So damn sweet. “Thank you, Liu. Thank you for grounding me too. I needed it.”

“Don’t credit me with that. You grounded yourself, Y/N. I just reminded you how to breathe.” He gently took one of your hands from where it was balled up in his shirt and held it in his.

“It’s funny. Sometimes I feel like my brain is such swirling chaos that I’m going to float away, like a leaf on the wind. You have this way of bringing me back and keeping me firmly rooted to the branch.”

“I’m happy to make sure that you don’t float too far for too long if you need me to.” Liu let go of your hand and turned his gaze to his left. His smile faded.

“What? What is it?” You touched his face this time, fingers gently brushing over his cheekbones that curved so perfectly when he smiled. You’d never done that before. He was so handsome that it felt forbidden to touch him.

“Now is not the time. Later. I promise. We have things to do.”

“Yeah. The cave.” You nodded to your right. You hadn’t seen the cavern yet but you knew it was there. He offered a nod to agree.

“Raiden theorizes that these places are protected and changed by the magic that the man from your vision used. He considered that the artifacts could be toxic. The dotaku you found was probably tainted with evil intent in some way.”

“Great, because I had that thing pressed all up against me for way too long.” You frowned. “The monks there said something about it being cursed, too.”

“You seem fine other than the bruises. And the anxiety but I don’t know if that’s related.”

“Tangentially so.” You smiled but then frowned. Kung Lao had been pale that morning. You hoped that he was taking care of himself. “Let’s get this over with.” You stepped away from him, realizing you had essentially pinned him to the wall. He reached into his pockets and pulled out two keychain sized flashlights. He offered one to you and you took it with a smile. “I’m glad one of us was prepared to go into a cave.”

“It was a last-minute purchase.” He admitted with a shrug. The cavern opening, now that you saw it, was not inviting. You never would have found it without your vision. It was less like a cave mouth and more like a fissure. You’d have to stand sideways and scoot inside which was incredibly unappealing. You had to do it though, you reminded yourself.

So, against every instinct in your body, you pressed yourself between the stone walls and scooted. It was uncomfortably tight and you’d had to adjust several times to make it through. If you’d told yourself months ago that you would be doing this then you would have never believed yourself. Liu was right behind you and you helped each other through difficult spaces. Finally, the fissure opened up and you gasped at what lay beyond the tight opening. The air was so humid it was difficult to breathe and there were pools of water glimmering with bioluminescent light. Usually, you would have thought it was beautiful but there was something inherently sinister about it.

The air was foreboding. Liu joined you at your side as you studied the cave that went back into the darkness far beyond your tiny flashlights.

“It’s like the exact opposite of the springs back in the temple.”

“Something dark has corrupted it.” He frowned then walked right into the water like it was nothing. At its deepest point it was up to his thighs.

“You just jump right into that probably cursed water, huh?”

“Yes, and you should join me. I have a feeling that it’s going to be quite a walk and the only way through is in the water.”

“You’re probably right. Is this the opposite of holy water, you think?” You joined him and he offered a shake of his head at your bad joke. You trudged together through the water, following the only path there was to take. You lit your way with the tiny flashlights but even combined it didn’t do much for you. The bioluminescent plant life growing in the pools helped you at least find your path and you were sure if you needed to then Liu would use his fire. It was eerie. In the distance, there was the sound of falling water and it grew ever louder as you approached.

You finally pinpointed what the bad feeling was. It was like you weren’t supposed to be there, and the cave wanted you out. You knew that this was where you were meant to be and whatever wanted you out was that artifact.

“Careful.” You gestured to another fissure in front of you but this one was half full of water. It went on longer than the first one had, and you’d briefly panicked halfway through. Liu had helped you and then you had helped him when he’d gotten stuck at the end. It didn’t get any better after that. The next fissure was lower, and the water was up to his shoulders which meant you had to swim and squeeze your way through.

“Just hold your breath.” He encouraged and you looked to him skeptically but did your best. The water got down your throat a few times as it splashed around your face, but you managed your way through it. Liu continued right behind you, and it was made much more difficult when the path shrunk at the end. He’d nearly gotten stuck. That would have been a disaster. That cavern was low, and the water was so high you had to swim. The sound of water falling was no longer distant but very close. You searched the small corridor with your flashlight, but it was flickering after being submerged in the water. “Where do we go?” He searched above the water but there was barely any space above you.

“You’re going to hate it.” You pointed with an unhappy groan at the cavern beneath the water, completely submerged. This was a nightmare.

“You’re right, I do.” He shook out his wet hair. You ducked beneath the water, allowed your eyes to adjust to the warmth of it and cringed. It was uncomfortable. The springs in your vision had been small and modest. It was like they’d spread like cancer throughout the cavern thanks to that man and whatever artifact he’d hidden there. Then you came back up and turned to him. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, Y/N.”

You ducked beneath the water again, held your breath, and then made your way through the tunnel as quickly and carefully as your body would allow. Just as you thought your lungs would give out, you found a space at the very top of the tunnel that was above the water. It was barely enough for you to tilt your head up and regain your breath but it was more than you needed.

Then you ducked under again and were grateful when the cave opened up and you could bring your head above water into a much, much larger space. The water was way deeper there too and you gasped greedily for breath. Then you turned and waited for Liu Kang to follow you. Seconds later, he popped up next to you, also gasping for breath.

The cavern was huge and you found the source of the rushing water. It poured from an opening above that led to the mountain outside. You caught a glimpse of a tree beyond, but just barely. Water poured from a river from the precipice and down onto two other ledges in between before ultimately falling into the pool that you and Liu had emerged in. There was dry land on either side of the deep pool and you were looking forward to it. Never again if you could avoid it.

Liu reached for your hair to push it back and looked disappointed to find that the flower had gone. You searched the water for it and sighed. You’d forgotten it was there. “Sorry.” You pouted and he smiled anyway. The air in the chamber was heavy and you were set on edge, like something terrible could happen at any moment. Liu was moving toward the shallower water and talking but you couldn’t hear him. There was a high-pitched squeal in your ears.

Liu called to you, but his voice was distant and fading. You couldn’t quite remember why he would be with you or where you were or what you were doing. You turned in search of him, but he was gone.

You were alone and made your way to the shallower water, crawling out just enough so it was up to your thighs. When you turned back, there was a man standing before you. It was him. The creature from your vision and you saw him plain as day. His skin was gray and mysterious patterns shifted beneath the surface, his white eyes surrounded by red flesh, as if he had never slept a day in his life. He wore a hat that fit to the form of his head and curved up into horns. When you blinked, he was standing uncomfortably close in front of you, and you stumbled back. He sneered and the flesh melted from his face, revealing the fanged skull beneath it.

“Who are…” You tried to ask but you choked on your words as his hand plunged into your chest, tearing at your flesh like it was nothing. Pain radiated through your shoulders, down your stomach, and you were blinded by it. You would have collapsed if he had not been holding you in his death grip. His cold fingers wrapped around your heart and you saw your blood ooze down his arm and drench your shirt.

He was killing you.

You were dying.

When you looked back up at him, he was gone but the pain remained. You collapsed into the water, the ground disappearing from beneath your feet as though you had never step foot upon it. You couldn’t breathe.

But you could hear again. The ringing had stopped, and you could hear combat above the water. Through it, you could see the light of Liu’s arcana as he fought off many creatures you couldn’t make out from there. He was trying to get to you but the shapes were overwhelming him. You watched, as if in slow motion, as one of those shapes burned up. Then he was thrown back into the water with a splash and the fire was doused with a hiss of steam.

You panic-swam to the surface. Liu was being held beneath the water by skeletal creatures in tattered robes and tarnished jewelry. They were pulling him further into the deep pool. You grasped at your chest suddenly and discovered there was no wound. It had been an illusion or a vision or something.

There was no time. You had to get to Liu.

You bashed the creature aside that had been pushing him under but there were others pulling him further and further. Taking a deep breath, you dove into the water and willed your ink into your jian. You hadn’t been certain it would work under the water but were pleased to find that it was solid. You slashed one of the creatures to pieces and swam out of the way of another. Then you knocked the one holding Liu away.

He was struggling to keep his breath, hand grasped over his mouth. You pushed his hand aside and pressed your lips to his, offering him the little breath you had left. Then you urged your arm under his and helped kick to the surface. You both gasped for breath, and he coughed up water. You urged him back behind you, defending you both with the jian so he had a chance to regain himself and get to dry land.

The moment he had his footing, he grasped at the natural energy around him and bathed his fists in fire. He twisted and threw the flames and several of the skeletal creatures stumbling toward you burned up. But they didn’t stay down for long. Either they rebuilt themselves or there were tons of them. You twisted with your jian, ducking, and slicing at them as they drew closer, finishing them off when Liu’s fire didn’t.

“This isn’t working!” He coughed as more of them crawled out of the water toward you.

“There’s too many.” You backed up to join him on the small shoreline. If these things kept crawling back to life, then you would be at this until you were exhausted and one of you slipped up. You had to do something drastic. You’d mimicked Kung Lao in Japan but you hadn’t been sure how you’d done it. Could you mimic other things? “You thought that my arcana could mimic things, right?”

“Yeah, you mimicked my hand when you first showed me. Haven’t had much time to train, have we?”

“Could you keep me safe while I try something?”

“Of course.” Liu stepped in front of you and, fists still engulfed in flame, and went after the creatures as they came close. Watching him fight was amazing. It was almost like a dance. Stepping back to offer him more space to fight, you worked with your ink magic. You’d been able to draw with it when you’d been fighting against the tar creature in Japan so why not try that?

Bracing yourself for the energy it would take, you focused on the creatures as they fell beneath Liu’s skilled hands. He stepped back from them and bounced in ready position, extinguishing his fire. You focused only on the space and your ink, your will to make it. Your mind cleared of all other thoughts. Liu stepped back in surprise as you drew solid walls around the creatures, and they filled with ink. Then you slammed your hands together and the walls crushed the creatures trapped within. You felt the crash of those walls rattle through your arms and into your shoulders.

“Damn.” Liu turned to you with admiration. You relaxed your posture but didn’t get to do so for long. Water exploded in a fountain and rained down over you. A huge creature made of bones and skulls rose from the water. It hissed and creaked awkwardly. Its many arms wielded old, rusted weaponry. You summoned your jian back into your hand and stepped up next to Liu who turned back into his stance, hands bathed in fire again.

You waited for the creature to strike. It raised its arms and swung down toward you. You leapt away from the blows. Liu ducked under another and set the arm ablaze and then kicked another back. You leapt over the one he’d kicked and sliced it at the arm and then cut another that was grasping for Liu. You ducked low, rolled back and then knocked the weapon out of another’s grasp. You were always aware of where Liu Kang was. It was unlike any other fight you’d ever been in. It was almost like you’d choreographed it before you’d started. You were so in tune with each other’s energy that you could sense what he was about to do before he did it. You stepped back to allow Liu to keep the creature at bay and with the jian as a pen, you created a heavy chain with ink that attached to the shore. It dripped and then crystallized into form, wrapping around the creature.

Liu rolled over the chain and then knocked the creature back as it pulled, trying to free itself with wild thrashing. Liu flipped backwards and threw fire at the creature that then swatted at him, howling in agony. You leapt atop the chain and ran closer to the creature. You flipped atop the mass that held its many arms. It swung at you wildly and you leapt to the other side of its many heads. With a flourish you drew another chain to wrap around the creature but before you could finish, you were grabbed and thrown back toward the shore.

Liu leapt and caught you, and then gracefully set you down. You bounced to your feet, and you finished the chain and then spun low to the ground, smacking your hand against the stone so that it locked next to the first one. The monster couldn’t move far now but you had to finish it off before you ran out of steam, or it found a way to escape.

Liu nodded toward the creature that thrashed at the chains. They groaned beneath the force. It wouldn’t be held much longer. You threw your jian and it faded into ink and then you mimicked the water, and a wave of ink coated the creature. Ink was flammable. It would smell horrible, but you hoped it would work. “Now, Liu!”

He stepped back, braced his footing and his hand was engulfed in flame, so much so that his flesh seemed to glow orange and crack with bright light. Ducking low, he swung upward and from the water behind the creature, a massive dragon made of fire and lava rose high above it. With a low crouch and a spin of his arms, he slammed his hand to the ground and the dragon opened its great maw and attacked the creature. The ink caught fire just as you had hoped and the creature howled, consumed by flame. Then it stopped thrashing and began to fall toward you with the last bit of its strength.

The shore wasn’t wide enough for you to stay on it, so you grabbed Liu’s arm and you ran from the creature that swept toward you, ablaze, and leapt into the water together. The creature fell after you, its bones scorching and disintegrating as it did. You dove deep beneath the water but as you made your way to the opposite shore, it grabbed your ankle and pulled. You choked and your breath escaped, and you got a mouthful of water and had to resist the urge to breathe and swallow. You fought against the creature’s fading grasp but your lungs were aching so badly that you could do little but kick and flail upward and hope it got you there.

But then Liu’s arm was around you and he pulled you free of its grasp and dragged you above the water. You choked and spat out water, but your lungs were in agony. He pushed your hair back and held you above the water. “Breathe! Breathe, Y/N!”

“Trying.” You croaked and water sputtered past your lips. It was burning at your throat and your lungs, but he had gotten to you before it had gotten worse. You dragged each other to the opposite shore and then Liu urged you to lay back so you could focus on breathing. Then he collapsed on his back next to you to do the same.

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