#boring answer is it's someone we've never met before

[yusuke-of-valla]

Is Lacey's dad gonna be outright confirmed to be Clay or is he another gym leader we've never met

[mrabubu]

I know we've seen bits and pieces of Ana's life as a kraang but what about her before turning into a kraang? Like what's her family situation? Does she has siblings? Neighbours she's closed with?

Had she ever went on adventures like April with the turtles? If ana & April were in the same school, did she met draxum as the lunch lady? How did she felt about him then? When casey JR met Ana from the past what did he felt about her?

And did how did Ana helped in the movie where the hamatos were fighting back? After the movie, was she hurt or helped taking care of the turtles?

Sorry for asking too much it's just sometimes am getting this burst of energy to ask questions about your AU 🙏🏼

Nah, it's okay, you're good ~ So, I've been having some ideas on Ana before she was kraangified, and maybe some of the details are my projection, but there's other character's I've been inspired with.

This post turned out to be long, so, yeah... But if you have any more questions, I'm like, totally ready to answer.

I'll go with more simple questions first:

Adventures with the turtles:

I had an idea that maybe it was Leo who was dragging her out on adventures. I thought of a different scenario with that episode when Leo accidentally teleported others somewhere, but before going to Hueso he would go to Ana and drag her out just not to be alone in this.

Ana and Draxum:

I never actually thought about Ana meeting Draxum, but now I kinda imagine there would be a joke about how Ana sneaks up on people unintentionally, especially Draxum because he thought she was unremarkable and he wasn't really paying much attention to her, and he would go like "Were you standing here this whole time?".

Ana and Casey Jr.:

With the story I have in my head, Ana and Leo were reunited after or not long before Cassandra died, so Ana became someone like a mother figure to Casey Jr, and considering Ana died in the future not long before the events of the movie, I feel like Casey would try to suppress his emotions towards her, and definitely would try to hide the details of what happened to Ana in the bad future timeline. But he would definitely be happy to see her, and if going with the movie, in the end he would finally let himself relax around her, knowing she'll be alright, alive and not kraangified, embracing her for the first time since he got into the past.

Ana during the events of the movie:

So, I think this would be strongly connected to the end of the season 2, because I had this idea that Ana, unlike April, didn't have much strength to fight, so Leo left her with Tod while him, April and others went to fight Shredder. This made Ana felt useless and helpless. During the movie, I thought that she would be helping people in the city. She was unable to fight the Kraang, but she tried to help people by leading them away from the war zone. I'm not sure what big moment to add here, but at the time I think that aside from bruises and small cuts she was okay, and, yes, was definitely helping the turtles to heal. Maybe even in the end of the movie it would be her and Leo's moment, when she would tell him about how useless she felt and how scared she was when Leo almost got trapped in the prison dimension, and he would reassure her that she did an amazing job by helping people in the city. And about him almost being gone, I think this would actually be their big moment when he would openly tell her he loves her. Like, before he didn't tell her this like that, but after almost, well, dying, he wouldn't want to waste a single moment with her.

Okay, now to Ana and her family:

At first I thought of Ana being just a normal, shy girl with a normal family, but, uuuh, I also thought it's kinda boring and lacks some depth, so, here's some of my ideas.

I never saw her having any siblings, so, she's the only child.

Her situation in her family is not as ideal as it could be. I didn't want to go with this cliche of one of her parents being dead, so they were both alive, but mostly they lived together more like neighbors rather than a family. I also thought of Ana feeling kinda like a burden to her family. She's calm, shy and quiet girl, doesn't have any special talents or big ambitions rather than taking photos (yeah, I've decided she liked to take pictures).

After watching Dungeon Meshi and seeing this moment with Falin eating alone, I kinda took it as an inspiration for Ana's backstory. But in Ana's case it's more close to something like with Hanekawa from Monogatari series.

If you know Hanekawa's story, you know the vibe/the idea. Ana and Kraang-chan are like Hanekawa and Black Hanekawa.

With Ana it's not as bad as it was for Hanekawa, there was no abuse or anything, but some ideas of her usually wearing a facade to appear to be someone who she isn't is present. With Ana she's more suppressing her emotions, even to the point she's ashamed of them. She feels lonely and detached from others but tries to make it look like she's fine with it, but there are still moments when her frustration is too much to handle, but even then she didn't ask for help, but more took it on herself.

I redrew a moment from The Boy and the Heron.

Oh boy, I hope I didn't miss anything.

[archangeldyke-all]

Modern au office sev has crush on reader Love you

before i answer, if you havent yet, you should check out @piscespetals they have a really sweet romantic long fic on this exact topic! it'll have you giggling like a school girl...

okay anyways! i have never worked (in an official capacity) in an office setting so forgive me if some of the terminology is wrong. (also i know nothing about IT)

men and minors dni

i think it goes like this: sevika and silco run a private security firm out of the office building you do IT work for.

the first time she noticed you, you were in silco's office cleaning out his laptop after jinx downloaded a virus while playing roblox on it. she nearly tripped over her own feet. she'd never seen you before, she'd have remembered someone like you. you were biting your lip, a little furrow in your brow as you clicked and typed away. she swears that image of you is burned in her brain to this day.

you were rarely on her floor, most of your requests coming from the customer service offices in the lower levels of the building. but after your first call up to silco's office, you mysteriously started to get more and more calls up to the 10th floor.

(it's because sevika started downloading viruses and smashing monitors in order to see you again)

you didn't notice sevika for several visits. she hid behind corners and in her office, stealing glances at you when she was sure no one was watching.

silco sees all though, and he quickly put the pieces together as to why they'd been having so many technical issues when he catches his business partner ogling you in the middle of their quarterly review. usually, sevika's even more tuned in and focused than he is, taking notes and humming along as their employees talk. but that day, she was doodling in her notebook, chin resting in her palm as her eyes tracked your movements on the other side of the glass wall.

he decided to give her a nudge in the right direction. that night he downloaded a virus to her computer and put in a request for IT support first thing the next day.

the first time you met sevika is that next morning. the request came through marked as URGENT, so you made it your first stop. you were still a little sleepy, rubbing sand from your eyes as you navigated your way to the sevika's office.

you perked up the second you saw the woman inside, furiously pressing the power button on her monitor. she was gorgeous, big muscles filling out her silk button up, thin glasses sliding down her broad nose.

you knocked on her open door frame. her eyes snapped up to yours, and in a flash she was out of her seat, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles in her shirt, nervously waving you in.

sevika was shitting bricks. she'd never even been in the same room as you before, and now you were standing in her office.

"hi." you said. "i'm from the IT department."

"i know." she blurted. then, with a horrified look, "i mean i figured. not like we've met before or anything." you nodded along in confusion as you rounded sevika's desk. she backed away from you like you were contagious, cursing herself when you sat in her chair. she'd had a dream like that before, but instead of sitting in her chair, you ended up sitting on her face. with your attention on her computer, she was free to smack her forehead with her palm. "get it together." she whispered to herself.

"you say something?" you asked. she shook her head no, then fled.

after that, sevika was determined to never see you again, sure she'd ruined her chances with you. but fate has a funny way of bringing people together, and (with a bit of help from silco) her floor started having even more tecnhical problems.

you started showing up multiple times a day. she'd see you making small chat with her employees as you worked on their computers, and she'd melt over the way you'd attentively listen and nod along to boring stories about their kids and grandkids.

she'd see you in their break room pouring yourself a cup of coffee, and she'd try to pretend like she wasn't counting your sugars, just to make sure she knew how you liked it.

she'd even see you outside, eating your lunch on her designated smoking bench, admiring the same patch of wildflower she always watched while smoking. it was like she couldn't shake you.

you started noticing her too. each time you'd catch her eye, you'd smile and wave at her. she tried to pretend like it didn't make her lightheaded, nodding back at you with a casual smile, and you tried to pretend like her little smile didn't give you butterflies.

you bumped into her in the bathroom once. she had her shirt off and in her hands, scrubbing away at a stain on it under the running tap water. you tried not to gawk at her, but you're pretty sure you failed. especially since there were only two sinks and you had to brush against her naked bicep to get to the available one.

sevika started loitering around the IT department on the main floor. there's a little lobby for the whole building just outside your department where she started eating her lunches. when asked, she said she liked the couches in the lobby. (but really she was just there to see you walk in and out of the building, shooting her a shy smile each time.)

one night, you popped your tire before you got out of the building's parking lot. sevika caught you trying to change your tire on your own and offered to help. she did more than just help, she changed the tire all on her own while you tried not to drool at the sight of her grease streaked forearms.

she started to visit her smoking bench again, finally comfortable enough around you to sit beside you as you ate your lunch. the two of you started to spend your lunches together. on particularly stressful days, you'd bum a cigarette off of her. she'd laugh every time you coughed at the harsh smoke, but she never denied you. you started packing extra in your lunch box to share with her after noticing that she never brought anything to eat.

the more time you spent together, the fewer calls you'd get to her floor. you started to suspect that the two things might be correlated, but you never brought it up to her. just like you never brought up her lingering stares and stuttered words.

ironically enough, it all came to a head on valentines day. when you got to work you were surprised to find six URGENT requests from sevika's office.

"i fucked up." she said the second she saw you. "i don't know what i did but i fucked up." she turned her monitor around for you to see and you cringed. popups were crowding her screen, and in the background her files were being remotely opened and deleted. you quickly got to work typing away as sevika started pacing in her office.

"it'll be okay sev. you've got a backup for all this stuff. worst case scenario you need a new computer." you said, trying to calm her.

"worst case scenario i have to fucking resign." she muttered. you chuckled.

"what would you have to resign for?" you asked. "you didn't do this."

"not this time, not on my computer, but what if I fucking... let this one in last time somehow? and it was just laying dormant until now? it's got all our numbers and clients now... silco's going to kill me." she rambled, running her hands through her hair. you perked up in her seat, taking in her words.

"what do you mean this time?" you asked. sevika froze in her tracks. "sevika?"

"i." she paused. you waited. "i might have been downloading viruses on a few of our computers a few weeks ago to get you up here. maybe." she said. you blinked again.

"oh." you said, your focus shifting back to her monitor. it was a flashy virus, but nothing bad. you got it cleared away in a flash. "get me up here for what?" you asked, biting your lip to keep a smile from forming. you watched in amusement as sevika shrunk into herself. you kept your eyes on the monitor, but your attention was all on sevika as she shuffled in place, gathering her confidence.

"wanted to see you." she whispered. your eyes darted up to her face. she was glaring at her feet.

"why?" you asked, slowly standing from her desk. sevika huffed, kicking her shoe against the carpet beneath her. you rounded her desk, and her eyes snapped up to yours. "fixed it. not your fault. you're not gonna lose your job." you said, gesturing to her monitor. sevika gulped. "you gonna answer my question now?" you asked.

"i--"

"you gotta crush on me and were too chickenshit to be normal about it?" you butt in. her eyes widened.

"y-yeah, basically."

you grinned, then launched forward to kiss her.

the two of you made out in her office until silco knocked on the glass.

"ladies, as happy as i am to see my plan has worked out, this is still a workplace. let's keep it professional." he said.

[famdommcfanface]

Belinda Chandra theory!

Now, I'm putting it under the cut because it might be rambling and nonsensical. We'll see.

So. This is largely about that music. That little snippet of Amy's theme (although I've heard someone say this little bit more pertains to Rory? Either way.) that you hear when she's talking about her parents. It has to mean something.

Now, just to get it out the way, this could just mean something about the story about how she gets back to her parents. Probably that she will eventually, if we're comparing her story to Amy's, because although they never did much Amy did get her parents back. But anyway. That's boring. So.

Belinda's parents. Now. Could they be Amy and Rory? Conceivably, yes. Actually, no. Timelines don't match up, unless something's really fucked up. Also I doubt they'd get Karen Gillian back, she's making films. Also, violinist? Doesn't sound like Amy. I know you're all on the same page as me here, I'll stop explaining how it's not Amy and Rory.

So, someone who isn't Amy and Rory, who could have kids in this time period, and is related to them? I mean, River is the obvious answer.

This would tie into things like Belinda knowing the name of the TARDIS (which I still think could have been a continuity error but still probably shouldn't be discounted) and maybe even all that with Mundy Flynn, but I'll get to her.

If she's River's daughter I would also assume the doctor's, most likely from Darillium. And therefore she'd have to end up being Susan's mother because Christ someone's got to. I would assume she's regenerated at least once but also I don't think we've ever gotten an answer on how time lord genetics work so idk.

When it comes to her 'parents' - violin player and tax guy - don't get me wrong, they could be real. Her existing as a teenager in 2008 does make me lean towards her having a normal human life on earth in which she may have been adopted. BUT. Doesn't that sound like a lie? My mum's a world class violin player and my dad does... idk, something with taxes. I think she might have just used it as a motivation to get her home.

So. Mundy Flynn. I think she is Belinda, and what's more, she's Belinda from the past. She's clearly never met the doctor before, she's got a whole life going on there. Also, 51st century. Now, I know doctor who likes to set everything in the 51st century, but also... same century River was born? I'm aware that doesn't mean anything. But the time the doctor was with River on Darillium as far as I'm aware doesn't have a set date but it fully could have been the 51st century. And we know River has connections with the Anglican marines. It might be the place she regenerated the first time, too.

So, does she know? I don't think so. A) I don't think she knows about her father at all, because if my theory is correct then otherwise she would have said something as Mundy, she probably wasn't even raised by River. But also b) I think she's under a chameleon arch. The doctor scanned her DNA after all. And her life in 2008... she is played by the same actress so you could say she hasn't aged in 17 years (which isn't proof btw but it does fit in) but I like to think if she had her memories she would not be dating teenage boys. That being said, some residual things may get through, like the TARDIS knowledge and all that.

[xxladymjxx]

Here's a request for you, my dear! Reader writes for the school paper and is assigned an article highlighting different school clubs. She tries to interview Eddie about Hellfire, but he just assumes she's going to mock/tease him about being a "freak who likes to play fantasy games" and is really short with her. It hurts her feelings, and when someone (Dustin? Lucas? Mike?) points out what an asshole he was, he tries to make it right.

I can't wait to read it!

xoxoxo @munson-blurbs 💚

Thank you bug! @munson-blurbs

Warnings ⚠️: Angst, language, and fluff by the end

Minors D.N.I 18+

Wc: 2.9k

°♡°

"Gotta go, I'm hungry, see you later!" Dustin departs but not before hugging you which you returned.

Trekking in the bustling hallway of your school, your peers making their way to their next classes. Upon entering the paper editing room you're met with Nancy, who had just turned to face whomever walked in, "Good morning!" she greeted you sporting a familiar grin.

"Another article set up for me? Geez, have you ever taken a break?" you joked with her, you had worked with Nancy for some time, and known her even longer, you used to help babysit her brother and his friends when they were younger. Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will who had moved to California liked you and thought you were kind and warm.

Walking toward Nancy she answers, "A writer's job is never done, and yes, I have one in mind."

"What club is this? Between you and I, we've already interviewed all of them," you were confused, was there a new club you weren't familiar with?

"Hellfire," she shrugs, "I know I haven't interviewed the head honcho, Eddie Munson. Have you?"

"No, I haven't.." you shook your head and your voice got quiet, you'd forgotten about Hellfire. You don't know how you did, Eddie is infamous in Hawkins High. His wild antics in class, the cafeteria, and even the library were well known. You weren't going to lie to yourself, his personality had intimidated you.

He wasn't unkind to you, you both had exchanged polite smiles several times passing each other in the hallway on another monotonous day of school, "W-what time do I head over?" you ask Nancy, your voice apprehensive.

Giving you a sympathetic smile she responds, "Relax, it'll be fine, you got this!" Nancy encourages you, the energy radiating off her physique, "Find Mike, Dustin, or Lucas, and they'll tell you. According to rumors, take this with a grain of salt, they're a Satanic Cult." she rolled her eyes, "The shit people come up with is ridiculous, Mike is in Hellfire, it's just a Dungeons and Dragons club."

You agreed wholeheartedly, "Leave it to a bored small town to come up with something like that when it's just a game," familiar with D&D during your time babysitting Mike the game fascinated you, "so do you have some sort of plan? What do you want me to ask?" Attempting to divert your rising anxiety you focus your brain on the task at hand.

"Ask how he formed Hellfire, what gave him the idea, what makes it different from the other clubs. Come on, you've done this before, what's got you so anxious?"

Sighing in defeat, your gaze falls to the floor beneath your feet, "That obvious, huh?"

"It's not like you hide it well," she remarks with a smirk, your shoulders slump.

"I'm hopeless," you lament with a hint of playfulness.

"You're fine the way you are," she reassures you kindly.

Gathering your notebook and pencil you give Nancy a reluctant grin, "I got this,"

Nancy lights up at your words, "Great!" she pats your forearm, "Everyone's headed to lunch, you might catch Mike or someone from Hellfire on the way. Good luck!"

"Thanks, Nance," just like that she takes off, Fred Benson following suit.

Soon after you're out the door. Scanning carefully among the crowds of students you spot a familiar figure wearing a "Thinking cap" ball cap on his head. Zig-zagging your way through the crowd, your hand makes contact with the figure's shoulder, "Dustin!" you beam.

"Hey!" he turns to face you and gives you a big hug, "How have you been?"

"Oh, you know, getting through school," you shrug, "writing for the Hawkins paper," both of you move out of the way of the other students.

"How's that going?" Dustin asks, his grin not leaving his face.

"I need to interview Eddie for Hellfire, frankly I'm a little nervous,"

"That's great! We're gonna be famous!" he exclaims joyfully.

"I wouldn't go that far." you can't help but laugh at his vitality, scratching the back of your neck sheepishly, "What time do you start Hellfire?"

"After school. We usually try to wrap things up by 8:30 depending on what we're doing,"

"I-is Eddie nice?" your insecurities are rising and it's evident in your voice.

"Eddie is the best!" Dustin's grin gets wider, "He took Mike and me in when we were trying to find our place in Hawkins High! He's a great storyteller and world-builder! He even creates voices for the characters!" Dustin's admiration for Eddie seems to increase with every word that leaves his mouth, his eyes shining with respect, "The interview will go great!" Dustin's voice is the epitome of confidence.

Leaning against the wall a breath you didn't know you were holding in deflates out of your lungs like a balloon, taking your anxiety and insecurities out with it, "Thanks, Dusty, I needed that," you say with a smile, gratitude sparkling in your eyes.

"Anything for my favorite babysitter!" he playfully boops your nose.

You giggle, "You think it would be best if I wait until after Hellfire is over before I talk to him?"

"He'll be in a good mood. Post-campaign euphoria, y'know?"

Thinking back to the times the boys had finished a campaign, the victorious cries were heard from Nancys' basement, their energy infectious and journeying throughout the home, "I remember," you grin.

°♡°

The drama class door swung open, and congratulatory cheers can be heard from the confines. Mike is the first to emerge, sporting a grin that seemed to split his countenance. His dark eyes meet yours, "We won!" he addresses you with exuberance walking over to you.

"Congratulations!" The post-campaign euphoria affects you similarly; goosebumps erupt up your arms.

"I heard from Dustin, you gonna interview Eddie? Also how long were you waiting out here?" he asks, concern etched in his voice.

"Yes, and about ten minutes, not long at all, gave me time to calm my nerves,"

Mike seemed to relax slightly at your admission, "You're nervous?"

"Just a little, I'll deal," you shrug.

Dustin, Jeff, Gareth, Erica, and Gary exit the drama room. Dustin strolls over to Mike and you, "Did Mike tell you we gained a victory?"

"Eddies ready for you, head on in,"

"He informed me of your success, congratulations!" both of you high-fived, and you gave Mike one as well, not wanting to leave him out.

Dustin said.

Inhaling and exhaling a breath you say, "I'm ready,"

"We'll wait for you out here, right Mike?" Dustin faces his friend.

"Thanks, kids, you're awesome!" giving them a wink you head inside the drama classroom where the leader of Hellfire awaited you.

"Huh? Oh! Right, sure," Mike agrees.

°⁠♡°

Peering inside you see the infamous Eddie Munson, seated on his throne with an intense glare set on you.

Clearing your throat and wiping your hands on your high-waisted pencil skirt, "H-hello, how do you do," you introduce yourself in a voice that resembles a mouse.

"Eddie Munson." he snaps, his voice low and guarded.

"I'm here to interview you for the Hawkins High paper," informing him of your intentions you try your best to make your voice even and professional. Sitting down in the chair closest to him, you open your notepad and remove your pencil from your ear. Getting right down to business you ask him your first question, "What made you start Hellfire?"

"Wanted more people to play D&D with. Next question."

His short and malicious tone hit you right in the heart, the pain feeling like ice. Your breathing becomes unsteady as you write down Eddie's answer, "I-I see."

Feeling a lump form in your throat, you ask your next question, "How has," swallowing the lump in your throat, "Forming this club improved your academic performance?"

He let out a laugh that resembled a feral beast, "School sucks, it always has. Next question." More icy pain shoots up your body, stabbing your heart, and now your voice trembles writing down his answer once again,

"R-right?" letting out a weak chuckle, you agree with him.

You have one question left! You can do this!

Mentally cheering yourself on, you press forward.

"Among–"

"Cut the bullshit already." Once more he interrupts you, he seems to be in a rush to get to the bottom of the matter, the only issue is you have no idea what his problem is.

"W-what?" you stutter, blinking back tears forming, his harsh tone is like a viper biting into your flesh; the sting unrelenting.

"You're only here to make fun of the 'freak' the 'satan worshiper' AND the 'cult leader'!" he stood abruptly slamming his hand on the table, you flinch.

"I would never–"

You could only stand there frozen, stunned as his verbal assault resumed, "Well it's not going to work this time!

"I don't believe you! You're just like everyone else; judging without bothering to get to know them!" The snake's venom is seeping into your bloodstream along with the icy chill of his words. Frankly, you were taken aback, you'd no idea he thought this way about you, and you had no idea why this was hurting you so vastly.

His next words were the nail in the proverbial coffin, "You're nothing." he seethed, speaking through clenched teeth.

The venom swallowed you whole as the ice caught in your throat. Tears cascade down past your waterline like a faucet. Dropping your notepad and pencil absentmindedly you cast one last gaze into his face. His eyes were cold with malice and contempt. Making a quick turn you sprint toward the door, each step on the linoleum floor causes more ice to stab your heart.

He had called you "nothing", and you felt like it. Bringing your knees to your chest in an attempt to comfort yourself you bury your head in between your knees but it brings no solace to the void that was starting to consume you.

The door opened with a bang startling Dustin and Mike, "That was fa– Hey what happened?" Dustin noticed your tear-stained face but couldn't say anything further, you were already running down the hall with sobs escaping unbidden from your lips. With your vision fuzzy from the tears you can barely make out the sign for the girl's bathroom. Bursting inside you lean against the door sinking to the floor you weep.

°♡°

Eddie remained in the drama room, cleaning up the rest of the D&D pieces, a proud grin formed on his face, "Showed her," he murmurs.

"Eddie, what the hell happened?" Dustin makes an appearance, followed closely by Mike.

Eddie scoffs, facing the boys, "I protected us is what I did."

"How?" Mike asks, incredulously, not being able to comprehend what their Dungeon Master was saying.

"She is going to use that article to spread the rumors that Hellfire is a Satan-worshiping cult!" he asserts, picking up your notepad from the floor and tossing it onto the table, "Henderson, dispose of that."

Dustin picks up your notepad and peers at your notes or lack thereof he sees your teardrops on the paper, "No," he says firmly.

Eddie looks at Dustin, surprised that he refused his request, "And why not?"

"Because she's NOT like that!" Mike pipes up, the first to defend your honor.

Dustin nods at his best friend, "Mike's right, she'd never do something like that."

"What are you two, her knights in shining armor?" Eddie spat, he couldn't believe both of his friends weren't backing him up on this. He was one hundred percent certain you'd come to bully him, he wasn't going to take any chances, it was his job to protect his flock.

"Eddie," Dustin pinched the bridge of his nose, "what did you say to her?"

Eddie shrugged, "I told her she was nothing,"

"You mother–"

"Mike!" Dustin stopped Mike from saying something he'll most likely regret, "Eddie," he let out an exasperated sigh "She's one of the kindest people we've ever met. She babysat us when we were younger," Dustin explains, his tone serious. He's determined to let Eddie know he screwed up, "She genuinely cares about us and Dungeons and Dragons,"

Eddie slumped down on his throne, "So what you're saying is," he paused, there had to have been some merit to what they were saying if both Mike and Dustin were coming to your aid, "I screwed up?" he finishes, the realization sinking into him like a large stone into a lake.

"YES!" Dustin and Mike say in unison, the former slamming your notepad in front of Eddie's side of the table.

Your tearful expression flashed unbidden in Eddie's mind's eye; the sinking realization had finally hit him in full force. Placing his face in his hands he says, "Dammit!" his voice muffled, how could he have gotten something so wrong? Guilty bubbled in his gut, along with the fear that you won't forgive him, "I have to apologize! Right now!" he stands up in a panic grabbing your notepad, and frantically paces the room, "Where is she?" he demands the boys.

Eddie sprinted out the door in a desperate search for you.

"We don't know!" Will speaks up, "I can only guess she ran to the girl's bathroom."

°⁠♡°

Sitting on the cold, semi-dirty floor your wailing had subsided to short sobs and hiccups. How could he think so lowly of someone he had barely spoken to? You'd never imagined he'd be so cruel, callous, and so certain that you'd have malicious intent with your interview. You had a genuine interest in Dungeons & Dragons, and while you most likely wouldn't be good at it the game itself fascinated you.

Standing up on wobbly feet you stroll to one of the sinks and peer at your face. Your eyes are puffy and swollen with tear tracks down your cheeks, "Dammit," muttering to yourself, you half-heartedly wash your face the best you can. Sighing as droplets of water fall from your complexion, "What am I going to tell Nancy?"

Drying your face on the sandpaper-like paper towels you're startled by the bathroom door opening, instinctually your eyes fly to the door, surprised by the mop of frenzied curls that enter your field of vision. His remorseful, ashamed, and guilt-ridden face froze you on the spot.

"What are you–?"

"I'm so sorry!" he says between pants, as though he ran a marathon to find you, "I was wrong!"

Your face morphed into one of confusion, "Wrong about what?"

"I was wrong for assuming you'd bully me. I was wrong for not giving you a fair chance. I was wrong for being so cold to you. I was wrong about everything," he took several steps toward you until he was in front of you, "I'm sorry for making you cry…that is what I'm most ashamed of," his voice breaks, that's how you know his apology is sincere.

His words are like a panacea on your body; the frozen venom disperses. Peering into his eyes you say words he hoped to hear, "I accept your apology, Eddie Munson."

"Thank. You. Christ!" his shoulders slump in relaxation, "Oh!" he hands you your notepad, "Here, I'm sorry again,"

Gazing at the item in Eddie's hands you smile, "Thank you! And I'll accept that second apology on one condition."

"Name it and it's done."

"Can we leave? This is the girl's bathroom."

"Oh, shit!" he'd forgotten where he was, peering around he comments, "So much cleaner than the boys,"

"Okay, out!" you laugh, pushing him gently toward the door. Once you both were outside you say playfully, "You're forgiven, again,"

Eddie chuckles, "Thanks,"

"So," you hesitate, "are we friends now?" unsure of where you stand, you ask for clarification.

"Hell yeah, we're friends!" he says with conviction and no uncertainty.

"Good! That's good!" you grin.

"I want you to interview me properly this time. But before that, what was your last question?"

"My last question?"

"The one you were going to ask me before I blew up at you."

Your eyes widened in realization, "Oh that one!"

You clear your throat, "Among the people in Hellfire, who do you admire and why?"

Eddie looked taken aback; his mind drew a blank. Did he admire someone in Hellfire? He was admired, yes but did he ever feel that way for someone else? "Uh," he pauses, not knowing what to say.

"It's okay, we can answer the previous questions. The next paper doesn't come out until next week, I just like getting my work done early," Sensing his difficulty answering your question, you decide to ease his mind and give him time to think it over.

"Thank you, I'll answer your other questions at Benny's, I owe you a milkshake, my treat. I hope you don't mind a small detour I need to drive Henderson and Wheeler home," he starts to head back in the direction of the drama club, a spring in his step and humming a tune you didn't recognize.

"They are pretty cool." he agrees.

"Of course, I don't mind. Those kiddos are the best!" walking next to him, you praise the boys.

°⁠♡°

Once again you stroll the busy school hallways the next day, and you hear your name called.

"Hey!" Eddie approached with his hands behind his back.

"Hi, morning!" you greet him with a grin.

"I have the answer to your question."

"Oh? That's great! Do I need my notepad for this?" you ask, slinging your backpack off your shoulder.

"No, no this will be quick. It's you," he declares with a smile, his eyes shining with sincerity.

Your jaw drops, and your mind reels. You hadn't expected this, "What? Me?" you point to yourself.

"Yes, you, my new friend," he gazes at you fondly.

"I'm not a part of Hellfire,"

"Welcome to Hellfire."

"Not yet you're not," his arms move from behind his back, and he unveils the infamous shirt he and the rest of the club sport.

°⁠♡°

Reblogs and comments are appreciated! 💗

[blossombriefs]

Legendary | Chapter One

As we were on course through the galaxy, the mothership jolted harshly with turbulence which was a sensation that would send fear through your average soldier. Not me though. There was no doubt in my mind that I was calm as can be. My level-headed attitude, fearlessness, and determination to confront whoever stands in my way make me a confident threat. It was crystal clear to me that I could not settle or allow myself to stall because the slate grey steel walls surrounding me were a constant reminder. As I waited to be deployed on my next mission, I had been in the bay for several hours and on the ship for days.

I wouldn't let my looks fool you, a lot of people underestimate me by my stature but I've never failed to prove them wrong. I've faced years of rigorous training routines, my body exuding the appearance of someone with pure strength. My black, shoulder-length hair framed my face as I looked at myself on the steel floor below my feet. While I may be average height, and short compared to my fellow soldiers, I know how to put up a fight. Despite my appearance I quickly climbed the ranks to become one of Frieza's elite combatants on his illustrious Frieza Force, taking over the role as a squad captain. He was very impressed with my raw skill and knowledge, it made me perfect in his eyes. A natural-born warrior. As per my usual routine, Frieza had deployed me on a mission to a planet I knew little about. He trusted me to lead.

The other three team members were engaged in other activities around the ship, such as training or socialising. I didn't mind it as long as it meant they were bonding. One team member chose to stay in the bay with me, I could feel his eyes on me. When I looked up I saw the brutish man staring me up and down. His skin bore a dark blue, almost purple hue, and a smirk played across his lips as he stared at me. It felt like he was out to make me feel intimidated. It wouldn't work of course. His massive frame was clad in armour similar to mine, an identical scanner affixed to his eye and a thick helmet protected his horned head. His eyes burned holes through me with a predatory intensity, akin to a fox eyeing up a rabbit. He took a sip from his water flask before he opened his mouth.

"So, woman," he sneered, drawing my attention away from my thoughts. I met his gaze with a raised eyebrow to quietly challenge him as he pressed on, "What's your story?"

"You don't need to know anything about me other than that I'll be leading this mission." My response with laced with a calm confidence. I settled myself against the ship's wall, reassured by the hum of the engines and jets. I clasped my hands together as I rested my head back, "Just focus on the task at hand."

To be truthful, I always struggled to answer those types of questions about my past. I didn't ever think it was any different to anyone else's. My memories were shrouded in the repetitive atmospheres of ships and bases, training and my service to Frieza. My earliest memory was first awakening on Frieza's vessel, surrounded by scientists and medical personnel, bathed in harsh lights. It was as if my existence began on a cold, steel table in a place that was completely foreign to me. From that point onward, I was subjected to a rigorous training routine under the supervision of some of Frieza's top trainers at the time. Day in and day out my routine is extreme. I train on the ship for around 15 hours a day, taking very short meal breaks in between long sessions. The only exceptions are when I get deployed on missions such as these. My mere existence was intertwined with the cold, calculated nature of being one of Frieza's most reliable operatives, responsible for countless lives being lost at my hands.

"Like hell am I taking orders from you! We've been cooped up in this metal box for over two days and you've barely uttered a word to any of us!" He snapped at me, his hostility evident, I met his aggression with stoicism, silently objecting to continue talking to him by rolling my eyes and shaking my head. Of course that wouldn't have been the end of it, "Maybe you're more pleasant when you keep your mouth shut. Certainly prettier that way."

As he finished that sentence I could feel an unnerving chill ring through the air as the ship door snapped open. I turned my head toward it. Standing in the door frame, we were greeted by Frieza himself, adorned in his regal purple and gold battle attire. Despite his small stature, he commanded fear and respect across the universe. As he approached, I was quick to my feet, greeting him with a bow as a sign of respect as my squad mate did the same. Frieza let out a menacing chuckle, his gaze falling onto the insubordinate member of the team. "That's no way to speak to your captain. A lot of gall from someone with such a weak power level. Were you invited along on this mission by mistake or do you have a death wish?"

"N-no, Lord Frieza!" He stuttered in response, his arrogance deflated by the second. "I'm conserving my energy for battle! I swear!"

"You may perceive her as inferior due to her gender but I can guarantee you, Drone 4782 Beta 6, that is not the case." Frieza's response was stern, filling me with pride as I smirked, passing him a glance as he trembled where he stood. As a reminder of the consequences of his actions, a finger was drawn and a small blast was shot into his leg, causing him to fall over and clutch it in agony. I looked down at him, seeing him yell out as he held his hand over the mark. A surface burn on the skin. Pathetic. With a flick of his tail and another signature chuckle on his dark lips, Frieza crouched beside him. "I better see a lot more respect from you. Next time you won't be let off so lightly. Get yourself to the med bay quickly. You're due to board the ship in the next 40 minutes."

As he was rushed away by medical staff, Frieza quickly turned to face me. The actions against my comrade didn't make me feel scared. It filled me with adoration. I stayed still, my posture sharp as he addressed me next. "Some quick-fire questions for you next, my dear. I need to make sure my best weapon is as knowledgeable as she is tactical. First of all, your name."

"My name is Captain 4 Alpha 1," I responded without hesitation. "Proud captain of Alpha Squad 1, Lord Frieza."

"Where am I deploying Alpha Squad 1, Captain?"

"A planetoid on the outskirts of the universe. a wasteland named Vampa."

"You're right! Vampa is a wasteland, Captain. I had forgotten it even existed but even the most pointless of planets need to be scouted and searched!" Frieza replied with a grin, a streak of confidence and pride in his tone. "Tell me, Captain, I need to make sure you're well aware of the mission. What is your objective? I do love to hear your commitment to the cause."

"Scouting for life forms. Taking control of anything and everything out there."

"What else?"

"Track and kill any remaining Saiyans in the galaxy, sir." I looked at him with a cold gaze, feeling a cocky smirk tug at my lips. "If any of them dare to exist out there, my Lord, they'll feel your wrath through my bare hands."

Next Chapter Chapter List

[writingbirdy]

You and me against the world sal fisher x f!reader

[Sorry for not uploading been sick and now exams have started😅. Also, this is set in modern-day ] (f/n)= female name

It had been a few months since you and the gang all went to college...

Sadly you didn't stay together. Sal and Larry went to a local college, Todd went to a college in another city and Ash went to an art college. Here you were stuck working as you couldn't afford to go into debt and weren't able to get a scholarship.

It was a slow day at the gas station not many people bought anything except for gas... but hey at least after these next two paychecks you can finally do online classes and still have money left over! But even that didn't distract you from not having your friends around with all of them in college you started to wonder if they had forgotten about you... You had seen from Ashley's Instagram that they had all recently gotten together for a hangout. I broke your heart when you realised you weren't invited but not surprised. You had always struggled to be a part of the group, they were your friends but you were not as close as they all were with each other. Just as you went to check your phone the doors beeped indicating that someone was there. "Great just when I thought I could take my break..." you thought putting on your happy service employee smile. "Hello, how may I help you today?" You said in a cheerful tone. "I'd just like to pay for gas. Thanks" the man said as he held up his card ready to pay. "Of course what pump were you at?" "Pump 2" After that you pulled up the cost and he paid. "Hey, have we met before you seem familiar?" He said looking at you.

It was true you looked different from high school.

[This is the look minus the head piece]

Your hair was longer and your style had changed and truth be told the man standing in front of you was non other that Sal fisher. You were a bit upset he didn't recognise you considering you had a huge crush on him back in highschool but hey I guess you weren't truly important to him. "We probably went to high school together but I had changed since then...." you gave a small smile as he walks out the doors. After your shit had ended you noticed that Ash had tagged you in something on Instagram. Opening the app it was photos of you guys back in highschool with the caption "together in every lifetime <3". You didn't bother responding as you knew it was another empty post with no meaning. You unlocked your apartment door and went to your room and proceeded to sleep the rest of the night.

3rd person pov

Waking up to your ringtone was not something [f/n] was happy about. She answered the phone to be greeted with the sound of todd? That was new todd never rang her or even texted her after graduation.

[F/n]: "um hi todd?"

Todd: "Hello [f/n] Ashley has lost her phone so she asked me to call you" he said in a semi monotone voice

Ash: "hey todd did she pick up?"

Ash: "Oh! [f/n] I'm so glad you picked up!"

[F/n]: "it's not like I had a chose"

Ash: "well anyway how about me and you go out shopping in two hours!"

All [f/n] could think of is why now was she asking her to hang out? Also it's still the second semester of college there's not way she has time to shop before class and to make it worse [f/n] had work in half an hour.

[F/n]: sorry Ashley but I have work soon...

She didn't wait for a response and hung up the phone and deleted Todd's number.

2nd person pov

While at work sal came back into the gas station. "Excuse me but do you have any chips that aren't plain?" He asks walking up to the counter. "No sorry we've ran out" you replied ringing his items up. "Ah okay... just one last question?" "Sure..." you were already bored and your shift doesn't finish for another 4 hours.

"Is your name [f/n]?" Sal asked.

"Was it Ashley's post that helped you figure that out?" You said blankly staring at sal.

"Yeah! It's been a while since we spoke would you like to get coffee and catch up?" He stuttered out.

"Why does it sound like you're asking me out on a date?" You questioned praying it was not the answer you would never recover from......

[Hehehe cliffhanger 😈. But seriously it's almost midnight and I just want a chapter out so this can be a two parter]

[space-mermaid-writing]

Ironstrange - they meet pre-ironman and stick with each other through it all/sarcasm all the way pointing out each others flaws and working on it together.

This is a lot of ground to cover, so I offer you snippets :) Also, this somehow became a songfic halfway through. 'Through the years' by Kenny Rogers, because the lyrics are so very fitting.

Ko-fi | Masterlist | Word count: 0.8k (plus the song lyrics)

I can't remember when you weren't there When I didn't care for anyone but you I swear, we've been through everything there is Can't imagine anything we've missed Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do

The first time they met was at a medical conference. Stephen was there to give a speech. Tony was there to donate money and to party, and because Pepper had forced him to make an appearance. It was good press for SI or something like that.

For once he had decided to listen because he remembered medical students to be big party animals.

Well, it turned out that changed after they graduated college and worked real jobs. It wasn’t the worst party he had ever been to but he was still very bored.

That was until a young doctor approached him at the bar and flirted with him bluntly. Tony was flattered – still he didn’t intend to make it too easy for the man. No matter how handsome he was.

“So you’re some kind of surgeon prodigy? That don’t impress me much.”

“Shania Twain, 1997. Although loosely interpreted.”

Tony didn’t indicate with any reaction if he had actually planned to make it sound like those lyrics. But he did gesture to the barkeeper to bring a drink for Strange; and that had to mean something.

It gave Strange a boost of confidence. “I will have you impressed by the end of the night.” It wasn’t a question, just a simple statement. He had wanted to pick apart Tony Stark’s brain ever since he specialized in neurology. And now he had the chance.

Through the years, you've never let me down You've turned my life around The sweetest days I've found, I've found with you Through the year, I've never been afraid I've loved the life we've made And I'm so glad I've stayed right here with you Through the years

“Why do you have to go to Afghanistan for that demonstration?” Stephen asked – again. “Rhodey said it would be perfectly fine to do it in Nevada.”

Of course Rhodey – that traitor – had told him that. The two had joined forces against him on this issue.

“Because I can,” he replied – again. “It’s called customer service.”

Stephen looked away. “I think it’s the worst idea you ever had and that you are an idiot for doing this.”

Tony saw it in Stephen's face that he wasn’t happy about his answer. They had already argued so much about this, and Tony was tired of it.

What Stephen and he had wasn’t a relationship. Not really. Both had agreed on that. And this was part of why.

“Thanks for establishing that. You’re welcome to leave anytime.” Like everyone else did who was fed up with Tony. There always came the point when people no longer tolerated his bullshit.

Stephen’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t move. “Yeah, no. I’m not letting you go that easily.” He was neither impressed by his words nor his behavior.

Tony let out a breath he didn’t realize he had held. He preferred arguing to Stephen walking out of him.

I can't remember what I used to do Who I trusted, whom I listened to before I swear, you've taught me everything I know Can't imagine needing someone so But through the years it seems to me I need you more and more

Tony was standing in Stephen's apartment. It felt familiar yet odd. Things were still in the same place as before he had left, but something seemed to have changed. He was exhausted by the past month he had lived in that hidden cave.

It took Tony far too long to realize what that was: there was no trace of him in the apartment anymore. Before there had been small items scattered all around: a book, tablets, clothes… it was all gone. And Tony didn’t know what that meant. He had been gone for months and he didn’t know if Stephen had moved on in the meantime.

Tony felt vulnerable because maybe for the first time in his life he didn’t know what to say. He couldn't predict Stephen's reaction.

“So you got kidnapped in Afghanistan. That don’t impress me much,” Stephen finally said in his best ‘I told you not to go’ voice.

Tony smiled, still tired, as a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

Through the years, through all the good and bad I knew how much we had I've always been so glad to be with you Through the years, it's better every day You've kissed my tears away As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you Through the years

“It’s going to be alright.”

Tony meant it, but for Stephen it was a lie. He didn’t see how he could ever be alright again. He was ruined. He had lost his hands – the single most important part of him.

“Spare your breath,” he hissed coldly. He didn’t want to hear Tony’s words of comfort. They meant nothing to Stephen.

Tony sighed, his eyes on the golden ring on the table next to his husband's hospital bed. Stephen wasn’t able to wear it, his hands were still bandaged. Maybe he would never be able to wear it again. Even without the promise Tony had made on the day he had given the ring to Stephen, he wouldn’t waltz out just like that.

“Nice try. But I won’t let you go that easily.”

Through the years, when everything went wrong Together we were strong I know that I belonged right here with you Through the years, I never had a doubt We'd always work things out I've learned what love's about, by loving you Through the years

Tony took in his husband's appearance; the goatee, the blue robes, and the subtle muscles under them. He looked good – far better than the day Stephen had run away to Nepal on a whim. It seemed like he found what he had been looking for and Tony was glad to see him in a better place.

Still, it didn’t hurt to grill him a little more; just as a revenge for the radio silence.

Tony crossed his arms. “So you’re a wizard now? That don’t impress me much.”

Through the years, you've never let me down You've turned my life around The sweetest days I've found, I've found with you Through the years, it's better every day You've kissed my tears away As long as it's okay, I'll stay with you Through the years

They were on Titan and their chances to win looked rather slim. Still, there was hope; as long as they stuck together through it.

Tony stepped next to Stephen as they watched together Thanos arrival on that vast planet.

“So you’re that purple grape that gave me nightmares for years?” His nano-sunglasses were back on his nose for the sole purpose to look over their rim judgmentally. “That don’t impress me much.”

He heard Stephen roll his eyes.

[immobiliter]

i think one of the hardest things to reconcile when it comes to herta ( but something that i very much want to figure out ) is how her past connects to the way we see her act in the present. there are so many things we don't know about her, like why she is member #83 of the genius society ( meaning that she was made a member after screwllum and ruan mei despite being old af by her own admission. why did it take so long for her to become a member??? ), why she is an emanator and what qualifies her to be one/why she was picked by nous ( was she just really fucking annoying to THEM or what lmao ), how the relationship between nous and THEIR emanators actually works and what caveats there are/how her power actually manifests because we've not really seen her in action yet, at least in comparison to the other playable emanator we've met so far, acheron.

i'm ever hopeful that amphoreus might answer some of that for me, but i do try to envision the version of herta that existed before all of this. before nous' gaze, before the simulated universe, before the genius society. she is a very hard, direct, and uncompromising woman, and from what we've glimpsed at through her myriad celestia and her puppet self, she was likely a very precocious genius child, but she is someone guided by a conscience and that makes me think that her hardness and her edge was something that developed more fully later on. yes, she was probably always ahead of her peers, never satisfied, always striving ahead to the next thing and endlessly bored and unstimulated in a "normal" life. but we know that she's famous in-universe, she has saved her planet from destruction nineteen times ( admittedly some of that is self-inflicted from her attempts to break through the circle of knowledge and bring misfortune upon herself ), and we know that she has long-standing links to the ipc and the intelligentsia guild without mentioning that her space station welcomes researchers from all over the cosmos. her collaborative nature extends well beyond the simulated universe and certainly existed before it ( though i would love a timeline thanks hoyo )

she wasn't always the reclusive figure living as a hermit at the ends of the universe either. we know this from one of her character stories, which explains that she delegated so-called "mundane" tasks to her puppets to the point where they could replace her completely in such affairs:

Gradually, the puppets handled all mundane affairs, allowing her to vanish from the public eye. Secluded at her tower's apex, she dismissed the external world to unravel the puzzles lingering in her thoughts. [...] Her whereabouts remained a mystery, as did her reasons for shunning the limelight. Yet, her provocative theories and speculations continued to stir endless discussions.

this implies that she was in the public eye at one point, and in order to be as well-respected and famous in-universe as she is this would have had to be the case. we don't know how long ago she disappeared from it or whether this was pre or post joining the genius society/becoming an emanator, but i imagine this was due to a variety of reasons. i've talked about this before, but she doesn't strike me as someone who can't function well in a social situation. she knows how to talk to people, she just chooses to not give a fuck about how she talks to people. this is maybe something that was always there given that she is that much smarter than most of the people around her and that would have had an effect, but also something i feel like developed with time and age ? old people have a reputation for being cranky and losing their filter because they ultimately stop caring about how they are perceived. i think something similar might have happened here, especially as she has this to say in one of her other character stories:

"Pretty amusing, isn't it? The press loves to churn out fake news for headlines, while the old timers can't wait for me to bite the dust, hoping to prove my anti-aging theory is just a pipe dream."

given that in her trailer she also remarks that "geniuses love stabbing each other in the back" and has a notable loathing for playing the game of politics with the ipc or the guild, i do wonder if one of the reasons she was pushed away from the limelight ( notable considering that she, y'know, has a very grandiose opinion of herself. the limelight is somewhere you'd think she would thrive, and maybe she did once ) was because she grew weary of the politics. i don't think that was the only reason, but clearly she grew tired of the monotony of ordinary life, especially one in the limelight with all of the attention and scrutiny that brought, and in order to entirely focus on what interested her ( i.e. broadening her own knowledge and that of the entire cosmos, pursuing questions that are supposedly unanswerable ), she deliberately sealed herself off from all of that white noise

[clumsiestgiantess]

The eighth chapter of the Other-world Story; things are going.. well? Yeah! I think things might be getting better this time.

all chapters linked here

[A little rain never hurt anyone]

Now that I knew for certain Erica never actually moved out, I knew just when and where to find her at a good time.  I always had to plan my visits after dark, that way I could be completely un-intangible and un-invisible — just myself.   The night after I found her note to me, I caught Erica in the middle of watching something on TV.  An action sequence played out as I stepped up to the cliffside.  I was drawn in before I could even announce my arrival.  An odd fifteen minutes passed before our magnetic sixth sense ratted me out.  “Do you know how creepy it is when you do that?”  Erica paused the screen and shifted on the couch.  She looked out through the large windows behind her, giving me a look that was simultaneously annoyed and amused.  “Are you trying to watch my show from out there?”  “Maybe,” I answered, sheepishly becoming visible.

Despite knowing I was there, Erica still looked a bit shaken when I materialized in the window.  Though, I guess I would be too in her place — seeing someone appear out of the air.  “I thought you said you weren’t coming back,” she said mockingly, getting up from the couch.  Watching her disappear into the house, I scooted further down the cliff face to the back door and waited for her arrival.  However, Erica reappeared on a balcony instead.  It overlooked the picture-perfect view of the city lit up at night, but it also gave her a better view of me.  Now standing eye to eye with me, she looked me over, expecting an answer.  

“I uhh, I was bored?”  Erica laughed; it was the first real laugh I’d heard from her in, well, since we’d met.  “I could start watching movies out here if you like,” she joked.  My brow furrowed, “Do you actually want me to stay?  I got your note and all that, but I could always give you more time if you aren't ready.  We weren’t even supposed to speak to eachother ever again.”  She stood in silence, arms coming to rest on the railing in front of her as she stared beyond me into the dark.  “No,” Erica said finally, “I think I've come to terms with things, and you’re always gonna be around, which makes it a bit awkward when I ignore you all the time.  But you understand why I'm not forgiving you, right?”  I nodded.  “What you did...” she stopped there, seeming to be at a loss for words.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated, “Honestly sorry.”  “I know,” she sighed, “But I just can’t forgive you for something like that.  You took over my life, and- and I don’t even know your name!  Wow,” Erica pulled away from the railing, shocked, “I still don’t know your name.”  I forced a smile, pushing guilt from my mind.  “It’s Alexis.”  She nodded, lowering herself back onto the patio railing.  We sat in silence for a bit, and I was slightly surprised by how close Erica let me stand.  Maybe she was too nervous to ask me to move back.  

I shifted to lean on the cliffside so both of us could watch the view a comfortable distance apart.  If I really want to make amends, running away to my world and cutting myself off from her isn’t going to work.  But what can I do to make Erica see that I can be better?  As I stilled, I realized that ‘better’ was really just my normal self — how I would act if she were another real person.  Giving her gifts could only get me so far.  If I could just be there for her, no weird powers — just as a friend — maybe she would come to see me differently.  

“What if I make it up to you?” I offered, “Well, I doubt it'll make up for everything, but I should at least try to do something for you, right?"  I turned to look over my shoulder at Erica.  "It's a nice gesture," she shrugged, "but what exactly do you have in mind?"  Erica looked at me dubiously, like she expected me to suggest something outrageous.  "We've had this conversation before.  Your last few 'gifts' haven't really been all that helpful."  "It'll be different this time, I swear.  I want to show you that I can be something besides an invisible threat to your existence.  Please.  You just have to trust me."  Erica studied me, eye to eye.  Her stare was almost threatening, really.  "Can I trust you?"  I averted my gaze, and mumbled, "I'd like you to."  She cleared her throat forcefully, making me look back at her.  After a moment’s hesitation, I held her gaze.  “I know I probably don’t deserve it, but hope you do.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Erica stepped off the patio into the room behind her.  "Then I will, just this once.  At least you're trying to make up for what you did.”  She shuddered, "In your place, most people would've just erased everyone's memories and started over.  At least you didn't do that."  "I like it better this way anyways," I told her, "Now that you know about me I don't feel so.. so out of place."  "Goodnight, Alexis,” Erica said, sliding the patio door open to step back inside.  "Yeah, goodnight.  Oh!  Drive to the base of the mountain by twelve tomorrow afternoon!  I'll take things from there."  Erica looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded, sliding the door closed and disappearing from view.

A day out.  That's what we needed.  Just some free time to get to know each other, so Erica could see beyond the monster I'd made myself over the last eight months — so she would believe I really was a normal person.  A normal person in your world maybe, a voice echoed inside my head.  But in this world, you're a colossus who can control minds and turn both invisible and intangible.  Yeah, of course she'll believe you.

Tomorrow, things will change, though.  If all went to plan, everything would be-  Ow!  A car drove full-force into my foot, startling me.  Its front half was compressed flat from the collision, crunched up through the front row of seats.  I had absentmindedly walked directly in front of a major road — thankfully invisible.  The car behind it barely swerved out of the way, causing it to skid off the street and topple over into a ditch between the woods and the road.  A pile up began to form.  I sighed and returned home.  Only about an hour later it occured to me that I could've saved all of them if I'd been paying any attention to where I was going.

Whenever stuff like that happened — and being my size it tended to happen more often than you'd realize — I tried not to beat myself up about it.  I mean, it looked awful, but those kinds of things were bound to happen in that small of a world.  I couldn’t change that.  It wasn’t my problem that people kept getting in my way.  Later, my dad called for another family movie night.  I took the opportunity to clear my head.  All thoughts went out the window, except of course my ideas for the outing.  It had to be perfect.

It was raining.  Not in my world, but rather the smaller one.  I was greeted by an unexpected shower the next day.  I never really stuck around the other-world when the weather was bad, considering there's nothing big enough to shield me from it.  However, I promised Erica the day, and I was going to give it to her.  At least I was smart enough to bring an umbrella with me before I left my own world.  

Fortunately, the weather wasn't terrible.  The only thing coming from the sky was rain, not lightning or thunder and such.  On any other day, it wouldn’t be all that bad, the sounds of the drizzle were actually quite calming, but Erica and I were supposed to go out.  I assumed that neither of us would want to do that anymore — not with the rain.  When I arrived at the familiar cliffside of Erica's mansion, she was nowhere to be found.  I peered inside and knocked on both the front and side doors multiple times, but no one was home.  Then I realized her car wasn't parked out front.  She probably saw all the rain and thought I wasn't coming.  After all, I am almost twenty minutes late thanks to the weather.  Still invisible, my umbrella included, I headed for the city.

It’s a strange phenomenon the way things from my world disappear when I’m invisible.  Similar to my clothes, which were touching me at the time of my invisibility, any object from my own world that I held in this form would be invisible too.  The second I let go though, they reappear as if from thin air.  

Remaining completely unseen, I made my way down the stretch of trees and grass that followed the back roads.  As I did, I passed by the highway leading into the heart of the city, and found a massive traffic jam.  All the cars heading there were stuck in standstill traffic.  I could see some sort of accident blocking the road further up, probably caused by the ugly weather.  The light rain had picked up, becoming a drenching downpour that created small floods.  Thankfully I remembered an umbrella!  I would be soaked through if I'd left it back home.  I scanned the highway for Erica's car.  The new one she bought with the money I'd given her long ago was a rare and fancy model.  It wasn't hard to pick out amongst the other cars; it was also bright cherry red.

Careful not to break anything, I siddled over to the side of the highway.  I desperately wanted to call out to Erica — to tell her I'd come despite the rain, but realized that would be a rather stupid mistake.  Through the traffic, Erica managed to pull off at an exit nearby.  She drove right through the small neighborhood I had hunkered down in.  It was fascinating, really.  Erica zeroed in on me even with my invisibility and the downpour as if she had some sort of homing beacon directed at me.  She was driving full speed down the road I was standing on, and probably would have driven directly into me if I hadn't gently reached out and stopped the car.  I'd carefully lifted it a few inches off the ground to prevent it from its impending crash course.

Erica rolled down a window, rain pouring inside, and yelled through the wind.  "What the hell are you doing to my car!?"  "You were going to crash," I told her plainly.  "Crash into what?  There's nothing there!"  "You would've crashed into me; I'm invisible."  Erica angrily yelled something in protest, but I couldn't hear much over the wind.  "Just drive home," I told her, placing her car back on solid ground, "The roads are pretty clear in that direction.  I'll meet you at the house."  She answered me, but I couldn't hear a word she'd said.  "What!?"  Erica yelled again, but I still heard nothing.  Eventually, she just turned the car around and left.  I hoped it was back to the mansion like I asked.

I’d only been sitting around the cliffside for about twenty minutes or so before Erica arrived.  I held up my umbrella, which was so wide it blocked the rain from the entire front of the house.  When she got out of her car, she looked up and held out a hand, testing the sky.  “Did it stop raining?” Erica asked, confused.  “No,” I responded, and she jumped at my voice, which spoke invisibly from nowhere.  “Thankfully, I brought an umbrella.”  “Oh, well thanks for shielding the entire freaking house from the rain while I walk a few feet to the door.”  I ignored Erica’s sarcasm as she made her way inside.  

“So why are you here?” Erica asked me from her covered porch a few minutes later.  “It’s raining.  Are we really going out in that?”  I shrugged, “Probably not, but I promised I’d come today, so..”  I paused; there really wasn’t much to do here in the rain, especially with the highway all backed up.  “I did offer you a movie yesterday,” Erica reminded me.  “Oh, I thought you were joking.  Can you really set up a TV out here?”  She thought for a moment.  “I’m pretty sure I have a projector machine somewhere,” she mused.  “You stay here, I’ll go check the basement.  That’s where I saw it last.”  Erica disappeared into the mansion, leaving me alone again.  Stay here, I mused, glancing backwards into the sheets of water falling from the sky.  Where else would I go?

While I waited, I listened to the rain pattering ceaselessly on my umbrella and the roof of the house.  The calming sound kept my anxiousness to a minimum.  I wanted to make a good impression on Erica, but so far nothing I wanted had worked out for me.  Strangely, I’d been standing in the same spot for almost fifteen minutes and Erica still had not returned.  I was ready to call her back outside, when I heard some kind of ruckus going on in the house.  Confusedly, I peered into the first floor.  

“What are you doing down there?  Where’d you disappear to?”  Erica stepped out of the doorway to the basement, dragging a large metal column laboriously up the stairs.  I could only assume the metallic thing she was holding was the projector.  “Here, let me get it,” I offered.  I became visible for utmost dexterity, sliding my hand carefully through the doorway and reaching into the mansion.  “Hey!” Erica objected, “You can’t just reach in here like it’s a fucking dollhouse!  Get out!  I can do it myself.”  However, as she said this, Erica dropped the machine roughly on the floor and flung herself on a nearby couch, out of breath.

“I’m not giving up, just resting,” she remarked.  Scowling, Erica lay down for a bit before turning to look out the window at me, standing sorrowfully in the rain, waiting for her to get up.  “Fine, you take it.  I’ve already done the hard part myself, anyway.”  I nodded and picked up the small metal tower.  It was heavier than I expected, but nothing I couldn’t easily lift with one hand.

“Show off,” Erica grumbled as I effortlessly took the projector to the deck outside.  I returned to invisibility, just in case anyone drove by the cliff and noticed me.  "Oh come on," I teased, "Get over here and set it up if you're so intent on doing things yourself."  Slowly, she dragged herself off the couch, bringing along a few of the pillows and setting them down outside on the covered porch.  Erica propped one pillow up for herself and placed the other beside it.  She first looked up at me, then down to the extra pillow and laughed.  "You know what?  I don't think you'll be needing this."  

After adding the extra pillow to her own, Erica began setting up the projector tower.  Soon, the movie was rolling.  "Too bad you don't have anywhere to sit," Erica mused, remembering the awkward hunched-over stance that I was in during the brief moment I was visible.  "You didn't look very comfortable out there."  "I wasn't going to say anything because you worked so hard to get it up the first flight of stairs, but since you asked, I would be more comfortable watching from the second floor.  Then I wouldn't have to bend down like this to see the screen."  Erica considered my suggestion, then abruptly stood up and snached the pillows off the deck.

Cautiously, Erica leaned out from beneath the awning to peer at the floor above her.  "There's no roof over the balcony up there, though.  Everything will just get all wet."  "I do happen to have a very large umbrella," I reminded her.  "Alright," she nodded, convinced. "We'll watch it up there, but you have to bring it up since you're the one who wants it up there in the first place."  So saying, Erica collected the pillows and disappeared into the mansion.

Once she left, I collected the projector and the white sheet Erica had hung for the movie to be cast on.  By the time she made her way to the second story of the house, I'd deposited everything onto the balcony.  Quickly, Erica set up the sheet and projector again.  I made sure to keep my umbrella above the house as well as myself.  It's width only stretched so far though, and my back half was beginning to get rained on — no longer underneath protection.  A little rain never hurt anyone, though.  It was all worth it to spend some quality time with Erica.

Long after the rain stopped, the final movie finished.  We’d watched a trilogy of movies that lasted most of the day.  The series was one of Erica’s favorites, and one that I’d never seen before.  I wasn’t sure if that was because I didn’t know it, or if it simply didn’t exist in my own world.  Either way, Erica was more than happy to explain things to me.  She often ended up giving away information and plot twists that were supposed to be revealed later on, but I didn’t mind.  Some of it was hard to follow anyways.

It was way too late for us to do what I'd originally planned by the time we’d finished chatting about our favorite scenes.  However, things had still been rather fun even with the horrible weather.  "Well," I started once Erica gathered everything inside, "We couldn't really do what I had planned for today..."  Erica waved a hand at me nonchalantly.  "Who cares if we didn't do whatever you wanted to do.  We can always find another day.  Besides, I had a great time watching movies with you."  You did?  Really?  My heart fluttered in my chest.  I couldn't help but smile.  Unknowingly, Erica said the exact thing I was hoping for.

In my excitement, I inadvertently returned to a visible state.  Erica squinted at me in the twilight evening.  What little sunlight that had made its way through the cloudy sky was rapidly fading beneath the horizon, but it was still enough light for her to catch my expression.  "Why are you smiling like that?" she asked, amused.  

"It's nothing," I replied, quickly turning to face the other way.  She actually enjoys spending time with me!  It felt so good to win her approval.  "I, um..  I guess I’d call this a success then.  I don’t want to insert myself back into your life again, though.”  I thought for a moment, “Do you mind if I swing by your house every once and a while when I’m bored?  Just to talk or hang out or something?”

Erica laughed, and I thoroughly enjoyed the sound.  It wasn't something I had the privilege of hearing very often.  Her laughter was usually tinged with sarcasm or spite, but not tonight.  "You’re really working to win me over, aren’t you?" she asked, “I guess I wouldn’t mind having company sometimes.  I wouldn’t even have to make the house look nice because you stay outside!  You are invisible half the time, though.  Which is.. kinda weird to talk to.  You can do that.. how again?”  “I’m not one-hundred percent sure,” I shrugged, “But I can get it by doing a sort of half-and half thing where I’m partially here and partially in my own world.  There might be some strange form of me over there when I do this too, but I wouldn’t know because I’m not there. If you like,” I added, “I can only come later at night, when I don’t have to hide.”

Erica’s face scrunched up in thought at the strangeness of it all.  “Alright, come over whenever, I guess.  Just know, I have the right to turn you down when you get here.  Not necessarily because I don’t like you or don’t forgive you,” she clarified, “just because sometimes I need a break, you know?”  I nodded, “That’s fair.  I need those too.”  

It was strange that I could relate with and understand this tiny person so well.  She was fake.  I expected her to be like a non-playable video game character, with only one main action or personality — hollow besides a thin human-like outer layer.  She was far more complex than that.  If I scaled her up and placed her in my own world, I doubt I would be able to tell the difference between her and someone real.

After we agreed on my visitation idea, I headed for home.  "Goodnight!" I called as I backed away.  "Goodnight," Erica chuckled as she vanished into the mansion.  She'd gone off to put everything away.  I wanted so badly to stay and help out, maybe talk a bit longer, but it would probably be weird if I came back after I'd already said goodbye.  

I returned to my own world, shocked by how bright it was.  Then I remembered that no time had passed there.  Thanks to our unexpected time together, I had high hopes for my plans for the future.  I wasn’t sure why, but Erica’s rare good mood had put me into a good mood, too.  I guessed it was because she always seemed constantly a bit angry with me all the time.  

That week, school seemed to last doubly long just to spite me.  I wanted to get home so I could go back to the other-world.  However, by the end of the day I’d always convince myself that my visit wouldn’t be a welcome one.  It was too close to my previous visit; either that or Erica would likely not be in the best mood after having to work.  My anticipation could only be prolonged until school ended with the weekend, and I had nothing to do but go down to the basement.

Over many visits to the mansion, and occasionally to various outdoor places where I felt more comfortable, it became easier to talk with Erica.  She slowly learned to trust me enough to let me move around freely and accept various things I offered her.  My guilt faded with every trip to the other-world.  It was gratifying having her around on friendly terms — so much more gratifying than controlling her ever was.  As relieved as I was about being on good terms, I’m sure Erica was even more so. She had a few less things to stress about with me around only when she wanted me to be.

[kookie-doughs]

Again And Again

Portgas D Ace X Reader

-Amatsuki Y/N decided to stay in the future without her sister upon meeting a friend’s son.

Chapter 2: I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

You had yet to ask about what had happened in the 20 years of your absence. In Wano, you couldn't even ask about Kozukis, they had warned you not to talk about them.

You were already attached to the captain of Spades Pirates the moment you met him. It took you a while for them to agree letting you join them though.

But boy were they glad you did. Although Ace is the captain, they knew you were, well the ace of the crew. It was no contest, you were the strongest in the crew. Training with Oden, Roger and Edward tends to make you powerful after all.

Every battle was swept through with you and Ace around. I mean who would match your strength? It didn't seem like Edward was alive any longer, and Roger, well he's gone.

The crew had tried asking you about what you know as you seem ignorant about what had happened, which you are. They were going to blame the fact you were from Wano, but you were also ignorant about the events there.

You didn't tell them about your ability. You didn't ask anything either. You wanted to go into the world blindly. The thrill of finding out about this world.

Your stay with your new crew had lasted for months, you've lost count after 4 months had passed. The crew grew to love you.

You were closest to Ace and Banshee, the only female in the crew aside from you.

"Y/N, can you wake up Ace?" Deuce asks while they prepare to land on the island.

Knocking on your captain's room to no answer you gave yourself permission to get in.

"Hey, Captain~" You cooed poking at your sleeping captain's cheek.

He smile in his sleep and hums.

"Wake up." You shake him.

When he refused to wake up, you think back to how Rayleigh woke his captain up.

Enveloping you hand in haki, you hit his head.

"GRANDPA!!??" He cried out as he woke up.

You smirked, "Do I look like your grandpa?"

His cheeks flushed and glared. "DEUCE SHE'S EVIL AS YOUR CAPTAIN I DEMAND YOU DON'T GIVE HER SNACKS!!!"

Rolling your eyes you started dragging him out of his room, "I never get to eat them either way you hog. C'mon we're about to land."

He regains composure and calms down hearingyour report. He removes your grip on him and walks ahead, with a serious tone and look.

When the ship docks the crew jumped off and you stayed in the ship.

"This place seem boring... Why would you guys come here." You pout.

"Someone we've been hunting is here." Deuce tells you.

"Well, you guys can handle yourselves. I'm staying here. That place doesn't even have a village."

"What if we need you?" Skull asks.

"Captain~ are you going to need me?" You grinned at him, "Can you handle things without me~? Do you need your knight in shuning armor~?"

His face turns red, "I can handle things! We don't need you!!" And he storms off ahead.

Deuce sighed, "You didn't have to tease him. We'll just call when we need you. Everyone let's go!"

And they all follow their captain while you stayed behind.

~

Your sleep was interrupted by screams for your name.

"Y/N!!!!" It was a frantic scream from Deuce.

You immediately run out of your room and check, "What?"

You notice someone missing in the group.

Your captain.

"Ace he-!"

Before they catch you up on what happened, you run to the direction they went off earlier holding on your sword. Looking around to find anything that might help you locate him.

Then you felt a powerful surge of haki in a direction. Your heart fell, thinking of the danger Ace is in. That amount of haki was overwhelming and you fear what it might've done to him.

When you got to the fight there was a wall of fire.

"Hey pops they're back..." You heard some yell.

They're-?

You look behind you and you see the crew behind you baring weapons.

"Let's grab Ace and run!" Deuce instructs.

You paid no mind to him though. All you saw was Ace on the ground struggling to get back up.

Exuding your haki you rush to Ace. Some of the enemy crew dropping from the power of your haki. As the foe was about to attack Ace you jump in the way. You swiftly pulled your sword out and covered it with haki.

The exchange of blow was intense, with the strike sending ripples of power through the surrounding waters. Your agility and movements impressed the man, who recognized your prowess as a worthy opponent.

Everyone was surprised at your arrival and counter. No one was expecting someone to block an attack.

The enemy crew watched in awe as their captain fought you, their expressions a mix of excitement and concern. Your crew members, too, felt a surge of pride, witnessing you hold your own against one of the strongest pirates in the world. Some who collected themselves sooner and worried for their captain snuck around and grabbed Ace, who was behind you.

"Y/N! Let's go! We can't handle him!" Deuce says as they carry Ace on their shoulder.

"Y/N?" Someone from the enemy's crew repeat.

But all you saw was red. You were angry at the man against you for what he's done to him.

As the battle raged on, it became evident that your quick reflexes and adaptability were proving to be a challenge for him. He could feel the strength and determination emanating from you, an opponent who refused to back down.

The foe was powerful. Much powerful than anyone you've faced in this time. It reminds you of the travels with your brother.

You pushed your body and mind to their limits, drawing on your experiences. Every strike was calculated, every move executed with precision and purpose.

Yet, despite your resilience, your foe's overwhelming power began to take its toll. Your energy waned as the battle progressed, and the weight of facing a living legend bore down upon them.

Your crew could sense it. Ace tried getting away from the hold of his crew. This battle was his fault. How could he let you sacrifice yourself for some stupid problem of his.

The clash lasted for what felt like an eternity, but eventually, exhaustion began to take its toll. With a final clash of blades, you stepped back, your breathing heavy.

"Y/N!" He choked out.

You brought yourself back. Your exhaustion was now something you felt. You turned to look at your captain, he was beaten but he was alive being treated by Deuce.

"Ace, are you okay?" You pant.

"He is!" Deuce says.

You smile and fell on your knees. "I'm so fucking tired. I'm donee!"

Your foe laughed, "You are strong."

"Yet I lost." You catch your breath and walk to Ace.

But your path was blocked.

Your crew froze as you were now surrounded by some of the enemy crew.

Ace pushed Deuce away and staggeringly ran to you. But they all stopped and stared in shock when one of the enemy wrapped their arms around you.

"Y/N-sama!"

"Izo????"

Your heart pounded with disbelief as they saw familiar faces among the enemy Pirates—the friends you had thought lost to the currents of time. Among the crew stood Vista, Rakuyo and Jozu, trusted comrades who you had shared both joy and hardship.

You looked at the man you were just fighting. There by Edward's side was Marco, who had been your closest confidante.

"Edward!!!" You hollered as you ran to him.

Your crew and some of the enemy crew who never got the chance to meet you looked at the reunion in confusion.

"Marco go treat my captain. I have got a lot of catching up to do with this big man." You grinned.

Marco came over to your crew, "You guys should join us to our ship. Y/N is gonna take a while. We can treat your captain there. We're probably gonna end up with a banquet too." He laughed

They looked at Marco in a mixture of reluctance and confusion. Then to you who was walking to the enemy ship with the man you had just fought.

It wasn't like Ace could leave you. He nods at Deuce signaling they follow him.

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Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @nykie-love-anime @cinnamonrollscafe

[limjaeseven]

Love Me A Little

Pairing: Hongjoong x Mingi

Genre: Angst, s2l

Word Count: 2766

Summary: Hongjoong never really understood love. People had different stories of how it came but for everyone he knew, it stayed a while. For him, love was a fickle thing, a spark of passion fizzling out as fast as it started. He wasn’t happy about it, he wished he could love people the way they loved him, but it felt like that just wasn’t meant for him. That was, until Mingi came around.

Quiz Result: losing your passion and frantically trying to regain it - fever

Warnings: Implied smut, mental breakdowns

[a/n]: Here's my submission for @pirateeznet's first anniversary project! I veered plenty off the prompt but I still hope you enjoy. Thanks @daesukiii for helping me brainstorm this.

It wasn’t like Hongjoong didn’t want to fall in love, didn’t want a long term lover, didn’t want a marriage with a suburban house with a white picket fence and 2.5 kids, it just didn’t happen to him.

He tried, god knows he tried, but liking someone for him was as easy as getting bored with them, meaning his relationships were enjoyable for a short while before he was staying just because he didn’t want to hurt his partner. He tried to be a good lover, but he couldn’t keep his heart in place for very long.

The line of his exes was long, most relationships ending with his boyfriends realising that he just didn’t feel the same way that they did. Maybe a lifetime’s worth of love wasn’t meant for him, he thought.

Finding people wasn't difficult for him, neither was making them stay. The same couldn't be said for his own heart. It made him want to stop looking for people altogether, but the loneliness was too crippling.

"I wish I'd never met you," Jongho had cried the day things ended.

Yunho had left without as much of a note, not that Hongjoong was surprised after the year and change they spent together.

Dating Yeosang was fun for about the first month, then it started getting bad, then progressively worse.

San and Wooyoung felt like but a distant memory, fun while it lasted. They had sought him out to join their relationship but all he did was remind him why they were better off together.

A sigh left Seonghwa's lips as he watched his best friend sulk in the corner of his cafe, at a table unofficially reserved for him. "Your dull face is going to drive all the customers away." He said as he placed Hongjoong's tea in front of him.

"Leave me alone, I'm grieving," Hongjoong muttered.

Seonghwa sat down in front of his friend and asked, "Grieving what, Joong? We've been over this so many times."

"I'm grieving my sorry ass." It had been months since San and Wooyoung broke up with him but it still stung somewhere deep down. He couldn't blame them, he would have done the same if he was in their place, but he didn't know how to fix things. "Am I just aro, Hwa?"

"You know that's a question only you can answer." Hongjoong groaned and covered his face with his hands. "If you're asking me if I think you're aro, then no. What you had with Yeonjun in high school felt too real to be anything short of love to me."

Hongjoong had to agree. Choi Yeonjun was the only person who Hongjoong had actually, legitimately loved in his life. They never dated, conservative school and all, but still, they shared something special. Once Hongjoong graduated, though, they naturally drifted apart and that was the end of it.

Sometimes he tries to psychoanalyse himself and wonders if that incident left him irrevocably scarred or something. But he didn’t really feel different. Maybe it was about finding the right person, he thought. But that made him feel worse because what were the chances that he’d find “the right one”?

He groaned into his tea, making Seonghwa ruffle his hair comfortingly before getting back to his work. Hongjoong just wanted to not be and feel alone, but he couldn’t tell if that was in his stars for him.

Mingi happened by a sheer stroke of luck. Hongjoong gets chills when he thinks about it, how easy it would have been for him to miss him entirely. Hongjoong had decided to take an impromptu vacation, taking a week off work and booking the first flight out of the country he could find.

It happened to be a ticket to Japan he could barely afford but he had had a terrible month at work and everything was just going wrong so he threw all his critical thinking skills out of the window and was left with eight hours to pack and no return ticket booked.

Despite the time and the immediacy of his plan, he almost missed his flight because he fell asleep in the middle of sorting out his clothes out while lounging on his bed. He hadn’t prebooked his seat so he got the only free one remaining on the flight, which happened to be between a teenager who wasn’t able to get a seat with his mother and an old man who was snoring loud enough for Hongjoong to still hear it through his headphones.

He wanted to curse his fate when a tall man came walking towards him, and for a moment Hongjoong felt frozen in place. The man was really attractive, like absurdly so. His seat also happened to be next to the teenager’s mother’s. He very politely agreed to swap seats with her son and there he was, sitting next to Hongjoong looking like he just walked off a runway.

“Can I help you?” Hongjoong had to take a second to realise he was shamelessly staring at the man next to him.

He shook his head and turned away, grabbing the book he’d stashed away in the seat pocket in front of him to occupy himself. He didn’t bother checking which book it was, just grabbed whatever was on top of his shelf as he was running out of his house. It happened to be his copy of ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, a well loved one at that, with the spine broken in and the cover chewed up in the corners.

“Oscar Wilde? Good choice,” The man next to him commented.

Hongjoong let himself look at him again before responding, “Yeah I picked this up in high school and fell in love with it.” He reached his hand out to the man. “Hongjoong.”

“Mingi, pleasure to meet you.” The man replied, a bright smile breaking out on his face.

They talked non stop for the two hours of their flight. Things were so comfortable with Mingi. He was warm and immediately disarming. Hongjoong got a good laugh out of the facial expression Mingi made when he told him about how he landed up on that particular flight.

They had exchanged numbers and promises to meet each other over dinner by the time they had collected their bags and headed out to their respective hotels.

Mingi was in Japan on his dream trip, Hongjoong found out. He had originally planned it with his boyfriend but they ended up breaking up before it came to fruition but Mingi wasn’t going to let that get in the way of checking an important item off his bucket list.

“I could accompany you,” Hongjoong offered casually, “If you’d be okay with that, that is. It’s not like I have anything planned anyways.”

“I would love that,” Mingi said immediately. And so it was decided, a last minute vacation had turned into a sight seeing opportunity with an extremely hot man who not only was single, but also into men. Hongjoong knew it probably wasn’t the best idea to try flirt with Mingi not that long after his breakup, but he wouldn’t turn the man down if he wanted to try something,

And try they did. It took three days of them spending basically every waking moment together but they eventually got there. Mingi had invited Hongjoong back to his hotel after a day spent roaming around the fashion district of the city. They were planning to dine at the restaurant but given how exhausted they were, they ended up crashing on Mingi’s bed and ordered room service.

“Are you dating anyone?” Mingi asked out of nowhere, his eyes glued to the television playing some reality show they could barely understand the rules of.

Hongjoong turned to look at Mingi, his face lit by the glow of the screen, highlighting his features in a delectable way. “No,” He said.

“Anyone you like?”

“No.”

“Any on and offs? ‘Maybe-but-not-really?”

“No.”

Mingi took a deep breath before turning to Hongjoong, “Can I kiss you?”

“Oh my god just do it already.” They were rolling on the bed in a tangle of limbs within seconds, soft lips sharing passionate kisses. Hongjoong didn’t realise how much fun just kissing someone could be till Mingi.

Hongjoong didn’t go back to his own hotel that night.

The week felt like a dream that Hongjoong didn’t want to wake up from. Basking in Mingi’s glow felt like a slice of heaven he couldn’t let go of. But time ran out, and suddenly Hongjoong was hit with the reality that they had to go back to their lives, working cities apart with busy schedules and commitments that left them with little time for themselves.

He couldn’t get himself to ask Mingi what they were before leaving. They were supposed to leave on the same flight but Hongjoong had his pulled back last minute and he left without a word.

Hongjoong didn’t know what to do with himself on the flight back to Korea. He knew he was making a mistake, he knew he was running away from something that could maybe work for once, but he didn’t think he had it in him to find out. He was too scared to see something beautiful fall to ruin because his heart would eventually grow bored of that too, and he’d be back at square one, a lot more scarred and no less lonely.

For the next week straight he refused to go anywhere but to work or the local grocers. Seonghwa had to practically break his door down to get him to even say a word to him. “What is up with you, Joong?” He questioned, his voice accusatory. “You leave and come back without a word. I’ve been so worried about you. Couldn’t you have responded to my texts or heck, come to the cafe and showed your face so that I know you’re still alive instead of having to call your coworkers to check in on you?”

Hongjoong sat dazed on his sofa as Seonghwa shouted at him, his face impassive, barely registering that his friend was even there, much less what he was saying. “Hyung,” he said finally when Seonghwa stopped. “Hyung,” he repeated before breaking down in sobs.

He cried like he had never before. Seonghwa rushed to hold him tightly, rocking him gently as he tried to get Hongjoong to calm down but it wasn’t working. Hongjoong was a mess of tears, wails and panicked breaths, barely holding together.

“I’m so scared, hyung,” he muttered over and over again, his voice coming out in a wet warble. Seonghwa held onto Hongjoong tighter, whispering reassurances into his ears. It took a long time for his breathing to even out and his tears to stop but eventually he was lulled into an uneasy rest.

“You should call him, you know?” Seonghwa told him the next morning over breakfast. Hongjoong had broken down once more when he woke up and finally spilled everything.

“I just can’t. He didn’t try to contact me either, and I honestly don’t blame him.”

“The longer you wait, the harder it will get.”

Hongjoong paced around the kitchen, hands wringing nervously, “Hyung, he’s perfect. I can’t watch myself falling out of love with him. Not for him and not for me.”

“Then don’t,” Seonghwa said simply. “Don’t fall out of love with him. Try with everything you have in you. If it still happens, then that’s just what fate has in store for you. But to let go of something so precious for an outcome you don’t know for sure will happen, what a waste.”

Hongjoong didn’t know what to say to that. He stared at his phone as Seonghwa left. A picture of Mingi at one of the shrines they visited together stared back at him. He reached over to turn the screen off.

A week turned into two, then three, and before Hongjoong knew it had been over two months since he’d been back from the trip. He was sure Mingi had forgotten all about him by now. That was at least his hope, because he knew it was more likely that he hated Hongjoong with every fibre of his being for what he did to him.

He was in the middle of walking home when he crossed a boutique with a display of clothes that reminded him a lot of the way Mingi dressed. Stopping in front of the store window, he gazed over the mannequins, memories of their time together flashing in his mind.

The way Mingi had walked around the town in a loud shirt that Hongjoong had happily ripped off his body in the comfort of the new hotel room they had gotten together. He remembered the way Mingi had smiled when Hongjoong took more pictures of him than of the places they were visiting and how those smiles turned warmer when it was just the two of them curled together in their bed, their faces a mere breath away.

On impulse he stepped inside the shop. The counter was empty, the door behind it slightly ajar. Hongjoong found a rack of belts and felt the leather between his fingers. The image of him hastily unbuckling one from Mingi’s waist and throwing away crept on him that he didn’t notice someone step out of the open door and stand behind him.

“How can I help you, sir?” A familiar voice asked and Hongjoong felt his entire body seize up. He couldn’t get himself to move or say a word. “Are you okay, sir?” Mingi’s deep voice asked, and Hongjoong couldn’t muster even a sound as Mingi walked around to face him.

The shock on his face when he recognised Hongjoong was comical. He looked like he had seen a ghost, his lips parted and his voice caught in his throat.

“Mingi,” Hongjoong finally managed to say. And just like that the floodgates fell open. “Mingi, Mingi, Mingi, Mingi,” he chanted, unable to stop himself.

He could barely remember what happened but next thing he knew, Mingi had him wrapped ina crushing hug. “Why did it take so long?” He heard Mingi ask. Hongjoong just held onto him tighter, too afraid to let go.

“Why aren’t you mad at me?” Mingi smiled, taking Hongjoong’s hand into his own, running his thumb over his knuckles.

“No offence but I didn’t expect someone who booked and almost missed a flight to a random country in less than eight hours to be the most well adjusted person out there.” Hongjoong wanted to protest what Mingi was saying but he knew there was no point. “A part of me knew I’d wake up in that bed alone. It also knew that if I tried to get in touch with you, you’d just shut down. So all I could do was wait.”

“But I was so terrible to you, weren’t you hurt?”

“Oh I was plenty hurt, right after my ex too, but I wasn’t mad. I just couldn’t find it in me to be angry with you.”

Hongjoong raised Mingi’s hand to his lips almost reverently and placed a soft kiss on the back of it. “I don’t deserve you,” he whispered.

“I don’t care what you deserve or not, Hongjoong. I want you, if you want me too.” Mingi looked at Hongjoong with such a burning passion that he couldn’t help but speak his heart.

“I want you so bad, Mingi. With every fibre of my being,” he said. “Every time I look at you I had to remind myself that I’m not dreaming. I just wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I hurt you again.”

“I wouldn’t forgive you either, and it would hurt me a lot if you rejected me right now. So just say yes. What has to happen will happen. Don’t let that stop you from being happy.”

Hongjoong closed his eyes and let himself wash away all his worries in the wave of Mingi’s presence. “Yes, a thousand times over.”

[bbyblueetypes]

MAFIA STORY PT 1

This is a story featuring @gatheringofsuffering / @sufferingsthegame ‘s ocs and my own! Its one of many parts of a mafia based story, let me know what you think.

TW [Implied] Pedophilia

The sky was dark, only lit by a million stars and the quarter moon that sat perfectly between them all. My back against the cool familiar concrete of the roof we met on every night as I stared into the speckles scattered above me. My phone laid flat on the concrete, silent. He always shows up, or at the very least he texts. Most people wouldn't give it a second thought, they wait patiently for a text or for them to come home. No one would think the worst in just a few hours, a day even. But I know otherwise, I know him.. I've been running every scenario in my head. Over and over again. And every single one has led me back to the same conclusion. I know I can't be rash.. not just yet. but i'd be lying if i said i didn't want to run through every alley, pick every bar fight and check every building in sight until my legs are burning and my head throbs. The sick feeling in my stomach won't go away, it sits at the bottom like a boulder and the continuous nauseous feeling gets worse with every breath. The buzzing of my phone makes my hand move like a flash of light. I grab it, hoping for a miracle and inevitably being disappointed again when the notification wasn't his name. My eyes dart to the top of the screen to read the time. 1:32am. It's later than usual. It's been about a whole day now, a whole day hes been missing. Where did you go? I can't take it any longer. I need to get answers.

I sat on the edge of the rooftop overlooking the buildings below and kicking my feet a bit. My brain is racing with all the information for my newest case. Trying to piece all of them together for Braxton. He never liked doing the thinking himself, it always pleased him more when i brought him the information already put together for him. Pleasing him helped me keep my status. pleasing him was practically all I lived for at this point.

“Hiya Blue”

Except him. My head turns in the direction of the familiar voice. There he stands only a few feet from me making his way in my direction, his emerald green hair falling against his forehead. He always kept it longer, enough to put into a small little pony tail if he wanted to. The thought amused me a little. He wasn't very tall, or well built like most men I've met in the mafia business. Sometimes I wonder how he ever made it so far. But he was smart, I guess I'll give him that. He used his younger look to his advantage and he used it well. God if he told me he was 13 I would've believed him. He always boasted about how he didn't have a group he worked for, how he worked for himself. God, how I envied him for it too. I hated him in fact . Braxton always told me never to trust someone like him, they were always out to get us. If I trusted them too much theyd ruin everything we've worked for, they'd hurt me. I hated him for a while, some would go as far to say we were enemies. Sometimes I still do. I watch his dark brown eyes scan me as he walks, probably out of habit I think. In case I'm armed, which I always am. He knows this.

“Hey Green, get bored of life without me so soon?” I tease him slightly. Which earns me a small smirk.

“Oh yea lifes sooooo fucking boring, i was almost gonna die if you werent on this roof” he speaks sarcastically. He always knows how to push my buttons with his sly comments and snarky attitude.

“Well get to dying asshole, I was just leaving” I say as I lift my legs over the concrete siding to the roof and turn myself around, now facing him before jerking myself off the siding to stand. He pouts his stupid pretty lip as he watches me and crosses his arms a bit

“already? But i just got here”

“well should've got here sooner, green” I smirk a bit as i walk by him, tapping the pad of my pointer finger under his chin as i walk by him. He rolls his eyes but i catch a glimpse of his small smirk

“I have a life, you know, not my fault you don't. Standing on the roof waiting for me all day”. God hes fucking annoying.

“I don't wait for anyone. Certainly not you, in fact I have a group that needs me” i spit as I turned my head just enough to see his snarky look on his face looking back at me already.

“I have a group blahh blahh” he mocks me. He always mocks me.

“Fuck you” i spit.

“fuck you” he immediately says back. I continue walking to the old rusty fire escape, once painted red, on the side of the roof, no longer feeling the need to entertain him.

“When you're done running around like a lost puppy for your group, you know where to find me” he speaks as I grab the handle of the fire escape. I flip him off before sliding down it, what a prick.

I sit up quickly, sliding my phone into the pocket of my weathered and ripped black jeans. I place my hand on the concrete and lift myself to my feet. If I wanted to know what happened, I'd have to go where everything would have started. I look over to the side of the building, i know where all these buildings are placed by now. I know this city like the back of my hand. I turn my body towards the side before getting a running head start, running towards the side and jumping as soon as my foot touches the edge. I watch the roof of the shorter building next door get nearer and I quickly tuck myself, rolling myself safely onto the roof. I stand and head over to the fire escape, grabbing the handle and sliding down it into the alley below. His apartment is only a few blocks from here, that's where i'll start.

I eventually arrived at his apartment building, surely his front door would be locked like it always is. However he leaves the balcony door open for me. I don't even bother checking the front door anymore. The old apartment owner knows me, infact trusts me with his home. Shes very kind. He got really lucky, she would have screwed him on his money so many times. Idiot. I know she’ll let me in, but i don't see why i should worry her. She’d most certainly call the police, thats the last thing he needs.I look into the window first, looking around his dark apartment. The lights are out, a clear indication he's not home. He loves to leave the lights on. His apartment looked like it always did, i took that as a good sign. No sign of a struggle or mess that wasnt already there. I grab the handle of the door and slide it open simultaneously reaching down to my leg harness to retrieve my knife before stepping inside cautiously. My eyes quickly dart around the apartment, scanning for any sign of life besides myself. I keep my footsteps quiet. I start with the kitchen on my left, making my way towards the counter tops. Nothing but dirty dishes fill the sink and empty cups lie across the counter. He was never one for throwing things away, even garbage. Hoarder. I think to myself as i continue making my way along the kitchen tile. The floor is surprisingly clean and white. I reach for the cabinets, checking every one incase he decides to make it a scavenger hunt for me. He loved to put important things in obscure places, only for me to find at the oddest of moments. Some would say it works in his favor. Who would check for a key in the ice cream box in the back of a small freezer? Never thought that'd be where I thought to check for things now. However my looking resulted in nothing. I labeled the kitchen a fail and continued my way towards the living area. It was a small area just beyond the kitchen. There was no wall intercepting the two, I could always see him when he’d go to make us drinks. I'd wait curled up on his light gray sofa wrapped in his dark mauve green blanket he’d occasionally leave on the back of the couch for me. He’d always say it was because he couldn't have a green couch, but I'd say it partially was because it was my favorite blanket of his. I lightly trace the back of it with my fingertips as I make my way around it. The couch wasnt of importance to me right now, however the glass coffee table in front of it had peaked my attention. Sprawled across it was papers, lots of them. A messy handwriting scribbled all about them. It was his. As i make my way to sit down i was immediately startled by a high screeching sound. I hold up my knife out of reflex looking in the direction the loud noise was coming from. It was his pet parrot. the small, pretty green bird in the cage on the other side of the room. She was screeching at me as if she was relieved to see me. I make my way across the room to the small standing cage which only makes her skreich more. I hush her softly concerned the small creature would alert the landlord living in the room not far from his. I grab a cracker from the open bag lying next to the cage

“sh sh okay Nami, calm down. Are you hungry?” As I lifted the cracker up to the cage near her she quickly took it from me. I smiled as i watched her sticking my finger through the cage and gently petting her small head with my pointer finger

“that's it, where's your owner hm?”

She chirps at me “blue. Blue. Blue”

She speaks before proceeding to eat her cracker. She repeats anything she hears often. I always found it a fun way to mess with him, making her repeat embarrassing things or simply something I would say often to throw him off his guard when he hears it. Maybe to make him think of me. clearly she hears my nickname enough to memorize it. I watch her for a moment before drawing a small breath and turning my focus back to the coffee table, “man i wish you could read bird”. I think for a moment as i look at the mess cluttered onto the table. Eventually i finally move my feet, making my way back around the table to the couch and sat down on the couch looking down at all the papers. I grab each one and quickly scan them for any importance. Some bills from his landlord, some mail that looked like spam, but what really caught my eye was the dark brown leather notebook in the middle of it all. It had a thin strap that matched its cover overlapping it and it looked like it had been used for months, a year at least. I carefully unwrap the strap and open it up skimming through each page. My eyebrow furrowed a bit looking through it, it was all his writing. Names and dates and times and places. What the hell is this? As i skim through each name, i come across a few that look familiar. Micheal Rhey.. Walter Thompson.. why do i know these?.. James Roy.. Sam Smith.. wait a minute. I know these, ive worked with them. These are all targets from my missions. The missions i saw him on. The dates matched up perfectly, and everything started to fall into place. These are his clients. These are the people that hire him. They hire him for his little sex work. These are the pedophiles that he puts on his puppy face for, the ones who loves the way he looks like a small boy. The ones he lies to for money. The ones that absolutely disgusted me. I hated every second i had to speak with them. I hated the way they spoke and shot their crooked smile at everyone, they knew exactly what they were doing. It made my stomach turn every time he sat on their lap or laughed at their pervy jokes for some simple bucks, even before I tolerated him. I immediately turned to the last page, assuming that would lead me to his latest client. Xxxxx xxxxx - the date was yesterday. Ding ding, we've got a winner. The name doesn't look familiar to me. I tear the page out of the book, folding it before sticking it into my pocket. Lucky for me finding people is my specialty, and I just happen to know a guy.

[yoramkelmer]

Hogwarts Overexposed Chapter 10: Twists and Turns

Welcome back, yet again. It´s already been several months since the last time I sporked this fic, and today was th only day I really had time to do the spork.

Despite the title of the chapter being "Twists and Turns", this truly is a very boring chapter.

Let´s get in.

Monday, September 5, 2005

What a difference a year makes, Emily thought to herself as she watched Kim sleeping contentedly. When they first met, Kim was the shyest, most worried first year you could ever imagine. I honestly love how this has to repeated again and again, instead of actually being shown her character developement. Her anxiety was only amplified when her dorm-mates mistakenly jumped to the conclusion that she was a nudist and she ended up having to live the lie.

Why are we told things we already know?

Back then, Kim couldn't wait to close her bed hangings in order to hide her embarrassment at being naked. Now her hangings were wide open and Kim was sleeping coverless, her loveliness completely exposed. One might even say Overexposed!

Cut for boring talks and yet another argument with Janice and Denise - who are the same person essentially - who call Kim and Emily Queer.

"We're not done yet," Emily said, smirking. "Remember, I promised to soap you up."

Oh no -_- "I don't think we should do that," Kim said, suddenly sounding quite serious. "I'm afraid I might like it." Before Emily could respond, Marta considering that her name is spelled "Marta" instead of the typical english spelling "Martha", does that mean that she´s hungarian? entered the room. At first she just stared at them, without speaking. "You guys really do love each other, don't you?" she asked, seeming very impressed. "But not in the way you tried to make Denise and Janice believe." "We're not gay if that's what you mean," Kim admitted, "but I'd do anything for Emily. Other than my Mum, I've never loved a person so much."

At this point it´s not entirely clear if she´s referring to her late biological mother or Hermione, as Jamie and Emilys parents have more or less become forgotten after the end of Too Exposed. "I love her as much as I do Jamie and Caitlin. She's my sister," Emily avowed. Marta studied them both cautiously as if she had something significant to share, but was extremely tentative. "Kim, did you mean what you said? Do you really not let sexual orientation affect how you feel about people? How about you, Emily? Do you think people who are gay are weird?"

I think this is just again a good place to remind people that Neil feels creeped out by gay men, but seems to go with the "girl on girl is hot" trope that´s become increasingly frawned upon since then.

And keep in mind these girls are around 12-14, which makes it even creepier. Emily wavered, not certain just how much private information about herself she wanted to reveal to Marta with her answer. "I treat people the way they treat me," she said. "Their sexual preferences are their own business." She faltered before adding, "It's not right for me to judge other people, when I can't even completely figure myself out. I'm only twelve, but I'm pretty sure I'm heterosexual." She took a deep breath. "But there is a good chance I might be bisexual." "Why are you asking all these questions?" Kim asked. "Because it's hard to always be hiding your true feelings. It would be nice to have someone you could trust; someone you could let your guard down in front of." It was Marta's turn to take a deep breath. "Becky and I are a couple," she said quickly and then waited for a response.

Dun dunn duuuunnnnnnnn "How long have you been together?" was the first question out of Kim's mouth. "We've known each other since we were five," Marta answered, "but we've only been doing things to each other since we were ten."

"....doing thigs to each other since we were ten"

NEIL YOU SICKO "Ten?" Emily repeated in amazement. "You both knew you were gay at ten?" "Not for sure. We just knew we liked to touch each other and be touched. It wasn't until we met you two that we were sure we were homosexuals," Marta explained.

Does this sound like something a 12 year old would say? "What did we have to do with it?" Kim asked. Marta face turned a bright red. "Well, to be perfectly honest, the two of you running around in the buff all the time got both Becky and I rather keyed up." Emily and Kim exchanged nervous looks. "Don't worry, neither of us ever considered approaching either of you. We had each other to satisfy our wants. FUCK YOU NEIL FUCK YOU Besides, you both had us somewhat confused as to whether you liked boys or girls or both." "Do we still get you excited?" Kim asked uncertainly. "You both have attractive bodies, and Becky and I admittedly enjoy looking at you; similar to how someone looks at sexy pictures in a magazine." NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO THIS IS SO WRONG FUCK YOU NEIL Marta paused. "I'm only confiding all this to you because we're tired of hiding our feelings. We want to be open about how we feel about each other, but we'd like to know that at least you two supported us." "You both supported us last year," Emily said, without faltering. "I'll be there for you." "That goes for me too," Kim said. "But...." "You want to know how we can be sure about our feelings and choices," Marta said, as if reading Kim's mind. "We can't be absolutely positive. The two of us only know how we feel when we're together and neither of us wants that feeling to ever end." "I envy you both," Emily sighed. "I hope you both still feel the same about each other a hundred years from now." "I hope you and Kim both still share the marvelous friendship you have," Marta said sincerely. "I also hope that knowing about Becky and I won't make you self-conscious in front of us." "Not in the least," Emily replied. "I can't think of any circumstances in which I'd prefer to be clothed rather than nude."

Because the token lesbian couple can´t possibly com out as a couple on their own without the help of the Sues.

* * * * *

When Emily and Kim returned to the dorm after completing their showers, they found Becky and Marta both sitting on Becky's bed talking conspiratorially. The four girls exchanged knowing smiles as Kim and Emily dressed for breakfast.

Getting dressed must be torture for them. "Did I miss a lot on Thursday and Friday?" Emily asked concernedly. "Not really," Kim said. "It was mostly review of stuff we learned last year. Today should be interesting though. This morning we have our first 'Anatomy of the Sexes' class with Professor Weasley, and then this afternoon Professor Longbottom is going to have us transplant Mandrakes in Herbology."

The "Anatomy of the Sexes" part is going to lead to one of the most infamous scenes from this fic.

Wait, you thought it was over once the long awaited freudian "Hooch gets impaled by a Unicorn" scene?

Think again. "Which one of the Weasleys do we have, the male or the female?" Emily asked. "The one with boobs," -____- Kim answered. "She is teaching first and second years." "Somehow I doubt we'll learn anything in that class," Emily said assuredly. "I just can't picture Professor Weasley discussing sex frankly with a room full of twelve year olds, and the textbook looks like it is out of the Dark Ages." "I think she'll be much better than her brother," Kim answered. "He's teaching the third and fourth years."

Because even Kim needs to join in on the Ron bashing that´s so prevalent in this Saga. "You guys about ready?" Becky asked, giving Kim and Emily a smile. "As soon as I slip on my skirt," Emily said, adjusting her mini. "I can't believe you two tarts," Denise said with revulsion. "OMG you guys are so scary!" said Britney "It's bad enough neither of you ever wear bras, but how can you parade around in such short skirts without knickers?" Neither girl verbally answered Denise. Emily did, however, bend over while lifting her skirt to moon Denise and Janice and showed them her middle finger. As they neared the door to their dorm room, Becky and Marta exchanged nervous glances before reaching out and clutching each other's hand tightly. "What do you say?" Emily asked, giving Kim a devilish smile. "Should we give the school something to really talk about?" "That depends on what you have in mind," Kim answered coyly. "I have no problem with you holding my hand, but I'll scream if you grab my butt in public."

The latter is something that is rather in character for Emily. "Would I do that?" Emily asked, starting to slip her hand under Kim's skirt. Kim slapped her hand away. "You're worse than Randy."

Randy, who gets more and more forgotten as this fic goes along.

Speaking of Randy, his character is so pointless and with no characterisation whatsoever that I can´t help but imagine him to look like the NPC meme.

(couldnt find a gif of the meme, but this one extols the same energy) "Speaking of Randy, how are the two of you getting along?" Emily asked. "Have you heard anything from Brian?"

Isnt it interesting that Kim falls in love with an American the summer before Hogwarts is having a big event competing with a magical school from the US?

"Now what's going on?" Harry said, looking dumbfounded, as he realised he had been transported into a bizarro fanfic where he for years acted out of character surrounded by Mary Sues! Becky and Marta entered the Great Hall followed closely by Kim and Emily, both couples holding hands.

Oh, the horror!

"I'm not sure I want to know," Hermione said shaking her head in consternation.

"You don't think they're, what do they call it, coming out of the closet... do you?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Hermione answered, looking rather bewildered. "It would seem to me that twelve would be rather young to be sure of one's sexual penchant. Although I did notice what seemed to be a definite magnetism between Marta and Becky last year."

Which is something she only talks about now.

"Neither of them is my daughter," Harry said, alarm evident in his voice. "What about Emily and Kim? I thought they both were fond of boys."

Cut for a lengthy section of Becky and Martas big coming out along with big praise for the Sues that goes on forever.

Emily gave Kim an angry look, but before she could reply, there was a rushing sound overhead and her attention was drawn to the arrival of a hundred or so owls. The owls circled the hall, dumping letters and packages into the chattering crowd.

This is apparently a big thing. Uncharacteristically, the hall suddenly became extremely quiet. Emily looked toward the head table expecting to see the Headmaster standing ready to speak, but instead she saw what had caused everyone in the room to become hushed. There was a large screech owl circling the head table. That was not unusual because the staff received mail regularly. What had gotten everyone's attention was the red envelope clutched in the owl's beak. "One of the Professors is getting a Howler," Caitlin whispered to her sister.

MUH G00000D

I've never seen that before in my seven years," Jamie said aghast. "Who would be so disrespectful as to send a professor a howler when they are surrounded by students?"

Ah, the Purity Sue in Jamie speaks again. It´s been a while. "I wonder who it's for?" Caitlin asked, but the words had barely escaped her lips, when the owl came to rest next to the Headmaster and politely offered the letter to him.

Well, at least the owl is polite. Katie and Severus exchanged edgy looks and then Katie did something she had never done before in public. She placed her hand reassuringly on top of Severus', reciting the Blessing of Aharon. "You better open it," she said in an apprehensive whisper. "They only get worse the longer you delay. Best you get it over with." "Who would be so juvenile and discourteous as to send the Headmaster a Howler?" Hermione asked disgustedly. "And at breakfast, of all times." "I would be willing to venture a guess," Harry said, a bad taste residing in his mouth, but it looks like we're all about to find out."

The way it is written makes it look like it´s something Harry said in all one sentence. Severus stretched out his hand, relieved the envelop from the owl's beak, and slit it open. For a moment it seemed like the envelope had exploded; a roar of sound filled the Great Hall.

"--JUST WHO THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? --"

Percy Weasley's voice roared, a hundred times louder than normal. The students stared at the head table, as the bellowing voice echoed off the stonewalls of the hall,

"THE STORY THAT APPEARED IN THE DAILY PROPHET DID SO WITH MY APPROVAL. I PERSONALLY VERIFIED ALL THE DETAILS. HOW DARE YOU HAVE THE GALL TO SUGGEST THAT I, THE MINISTER OF MAGIC, WOULD APPROVE A STORY THAT WAS NOT FULLY FACTUAL? "WHEN I ATTENDED HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, I CONSIDERED YOU TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, COMPETENT TEACHER. IT IS REGRETFUL THAT YOU HAVE FALLEN VICTIM TO THE LIES OF HARRY POTTER AND HIS MISGUIDED LEGION. "I AM NOT A SPITEFUL OR VENGEFUL MAN AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVEN THE BEST OF US OCCASIONALLY FALTER. SHOULD YOU, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO MISLEAD THE STUDENTS OF HOGWARTS, IT WILL BE MY SAD DUTY TO SEEK YOUR DISMISSAL AS HEADMASTER. Sincerely, Percy Weasley Minister of Magic

Oh well. Again, how am I supposed to take him serious as an antagonist?

Snape calmly rose to his feet as the letter burst into flames. "It is at times like these that people, even students as young as yourselves, are required to make choices, tough choices. I propose that you make your future decisions based on past history. When Lord Voldemort returned in the nineteen-nineties and sought to once again rule our world, Harry Potter and former Headmaster Albus Dumbledore attempted to warn the wizarding world. The Ministry and The Daily Prophet disparaged them both. Fortunately, we learned before it was too late who was giving us truthful information. We should learn from history where to place our trust."

This whole plot recycling after the release of the fifth book makes it all seem so forced and ridicculous.

And keep in mind, all the things from the fifth year onward from both the fics he stole it from are still canon inside this fic together with actual canon! Without further comment Snape took his seat. At first, the Great Hall remained quiet. Then as the students rose to their feet in order to head for their first class of the day, the talk became incessant.

* * * * *

"What if he has you removed as Headmaster?" Katie asked concernedly. "Where will you go? What will you do?" She grasped Severus' hand. "What will become of us?"

Remember:

Snape and Katie Bell are an actual couple in this fic now.

And no, his infatuation with his former students are never called out on.

"The Ministry has absolutely no authority when it comes to running Hogwarts," Severus said confidently. "Albus Dumbledore took care of that after all the difficulty with Fudge and that vicious Umbridge woman. Only the school Board of Governors can remove the Headmaster and that takes a two-thirds majority."

Umbridge, who now officially is part of the canon and hasnt been mentioned until this very point.

The most fun part about is that this fic is getting it´s own form of Umbridge in the next chapter. Just not as well written.

"But what if he goes to the Board and they agree to remove you?" Katie asked, not convinced that Severus' job was secure.

"As long as I have the support of Harry, Hermione and Ron, I'm not concerned," Severus explained. "There are a lot of new, younger Board members now; they respect the Covenant and won't be easily bamboozled by someone like Percy Weasley. Besides, I doubt he'll even approach them. He won't want to take the chance of looking weak if they refused his request."

"No matter what happens, I'll be by your side," Katie declared.

"I knew I could count on that," Severus replied, with a smile.

And now, let´s get back to the most important stuff:

"You never answered my question this morning," Emily said, as she and Kim took seats next to each other for their first 'Anatomy of the Sexes' class. "Has Brian written you at all?"

Kim didn't answer, but instead glowed pink as she held up six fingers.

"He's written you six letters," Emily said excitedly. "You must have really made an impression on him."

"I like him, too," Kim said shyly. "If only he wasn't a Muggle. It makes things so complicated. Even posting him a letter is a pain."

FORESHADOWING

"When are you going to tell Randy?" Emily asked.

Randy who?

"I don't know what to do where he is concerned," Kim said concernedly. "He's really nice and I don't want to hurt him. He lost Caitlin to Matt and you to Tyler. If I break up with him, it will be a nasty blow to his ego. Besides, what are the odds of Brian and I ever even seeing each other again, let alone becoming a couple? He's in the United States and I'm here."

I don´t remember it ever actually being stated that Kim and Randy were an official couple.

"I understand where you are coming from," Emily said supportively, "but somehow it just seems wrong to leave Randy under the impression that he is the foremost guy in your life when you are writing Brian. How about Brian, does he know about Randy?"

"No," Kim said hanging her head. "I was afraid he'd stop writing if he knew I had a boyfriend."

This drama seems even more ridicculous when you realise what a non-entity so far, he was just "there", but never had any character arc or any other thing going on apart from being one of Caitlins simps.

The girls' conversation was brought to a halt by Ginny bringing the class to order.

"You won't be needing your wands in this class," she said with a smile. "We'll be talking about a different kind of magic; the magic of love, intimacy, conception and birth. Although we will be following the printed guidelines in your textbooks, I want you to feel free to ask questions at any time and I'll do my best to answer them. Since this is our first session together, I think we should get to know each other. Suppose you each stand and introduce yourself. Then ask me a question that has been on your mind. Who wants to start?"

The way she talks makes me think about that one American Dad episode where they had sex ed and Steve gets laughed at for a stupid question.

The students all exchanged glances, but no one raised their hand.

"I realize that you're all nervous," Professor Weasley said. "You probably aren't used to discussing sex in a mixed group. Thought was initially given to having separate classes for boys and girls, but the final decision was that you should be taught together. Would anyone like to venture a guess as to why it was decided it was best to instruct you as a mixed group?"

At first no one moved, but then a hand timidly rose. "Yes, Miss Thatcher. What do you think was the reason?"

"We'll all be having sex together, so we should learn about it together," Kim said softly.

This is so stupid.

"Hopefully not all at once," Ginny said, straight faced.

When the inference of what Ginny had said settled in, the class broke into laughter. Even Kim laughed at her slip.

"That would be called an orgy, and something we hopefully won't be discussing," Professor Weasley said with a laugh as she put her hand on Kim's shoulder. "We all know what you meant, but I appreciate you breaking the tension. We will also be discussing same-sex relationships, but for the moment, let's confine our discussion to heterosexual, or boy/girl relationships."

This delivery sounds so natural.

As the giggles subsided, Emily's hand went in the air.

Oh no.....

"Our first question," Ginny said, her voice sounding both pleased and edgy.

"Emily Zacherley-Potter," she said in introduction. "I've been a nudist all my life. That doesn't necessarily give me a heads up when it comes to knowledge about sex, but I probably have seen more naked people than anyone else in the room. I've noticed that some men have extremely large things. What happens if you fall in love with someone and it doesn't fit in your twat when you want to make love?"

FUCK YOU NEIL, FUCK YOU!

Cut, this goes on for so long.

The section ends with Kim announcing that she really loves observing penises.

Cut for a boring scene with Caitlin and Matt, who among other things discuss why Percy doesnt believe her testimony.

We then cut to Ginny and Draco:

"Red, have you ever thought about having kids?" Draco asked, ostensibly out of nowhere, as they headed for lunch.

Because in this Saga, that´s all women are made for.

Ginny stopped abruptly and gawked open mouthed at him. Draco normally avoided any words in conversation that started with letters in the middle of the alphabet such as L for love and M for marriage. So, of course, Ginny never expected to ever hear him utter the K word.

As in the K word in Afrikaans?

"Draco, I come from a large family. Naturally I've thought of having children; not as many as my Mum, of course, but I'd like at least two." Ginny quickly recovered as she kept in mind Draco's usual aversion of any discussion involving marriage. "But it's not something I desperately want," she lied. "I'm content teaching and having you as a lover."

Keep in mind that in this Saga, Mrs Weasley had even more children, as there were two sisters who got killed by Death Eaters shortly before Voldemorts defeat.

Come to think of it, they also haven´t been mentioned since the first fic.

"You like Timmy, don't you?" Draco asked.

"Of course I do," Ginny answered. Suddenly there was concern in her voice. "Draco, please tell me that you're not thinking of trying to take him away from Sam and Ron again."

Even Neil has gotten tired of that already ridicculous plot.

"No! I couldn't do that," Draco replied despondently. "Sam loves him too much. Besides, she's a great mother. Your git of a brother isn't half bad as a surrogate father either. Plus, they've both been first-rate by allowing me to play an ever-increasing part in Timmy's up bringing. I was more thinking of a kid I could be with from the moment he popped out of the oven."

"Have you given any thought as to how old you want to be when you conceive this progeny?" Ginny asked sheepishly.

"That's the tough part," Draco grumbled. "I don't want to wait until I'm an old fart that can't even straddle a broom anymore to teach his kid how to play Quidditch. Yet, I don't want to toss aside my wild youthful years and settle down with one woman too quickly. Maybe I'll be ready when I'm about twenty-five."

Cut for boring, it ends with Draco proposing to her - and this time Neil remembers that her full first name is Ginevra, not Virginia, as she was called in the first two fics.

We get another boring scene with Caitlin and Matt, in which the sudden character assasination Matt begins.

Matt is suddenly evil because he wants Caitlin to wear knickers so others can´t look up her skirt.

Caitlin is not very pleased with this, and thinks about an answer for later.

We then get back to the actual plot of the Saga:

"Can you remember the names of anymore of these Death Eaters?" Salazar Slytherin asked. "They sound like the type of people that would readily support me."

Goyle shook his head. "We were just ending our seventh year when He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named was defeated. Many of his followers were killed in battles preceding his demise."

Goyle saying this. Just look at that dialogue. Slytherin paced the room for a few moments in silence, before speaking again. "You will first personally contact all the living former Death Eaters. I want you to offer them the opportunity to unreservedly join me. They should provide us with a strong nucleus." "What if they refuse?" Crabbe asked anxiously. "That would be extremely unwise of them," Slytherin sighed. "I would certainly prefer if everyone that joined my cause did so of their own free will, but I'm not beyond offering incentives. People often change their minds when faced with the loss of something or someone they feel great affection for.

How considerate of him. "Then we will procure as much information as we can on deceased and imprisoned Death Eaters. Their progeny should be eager to avenge their parents. If not, I will offer them an enticement as well. Thanks to the new Minister of Magic, we should have a sizeable organization assembled before the wizard world is even aware of my reincarnation."

Remember all the talk about the resurrected Salazar Slytherin being way worse than Voldemort?

Look at the dialogue here.

* * * * * Jamie grabbed the books off her bed and hurried out of the seventh year girls' dormitory to join Alex and Amanda, who were already in the common room. As she was about to pass the third year dorm, the door opened and Caitlin slowly emerged.

The way this is written makes it sounds as if Caitlin appeared as a ghostly apparition. "What are you doing!?" Jamie asked, coming to an abrupt halt. "I'm about to give Matt an answer," Caitlin answered, trying to hold back her tears. "No you're not," Jamie barked. "At least not until I know the question." End of Chapter 10

Finally.

All the real stuff this fic is particularly famous for begins in the next chapter.

[babakiyaga]

Self-indulgent oc x canon word vomit✌️

hmmm, these two you can kinda interpret two different occasions of them meeting up to discuss business and these types of conversations happen. I'm like on a fine line between I really don't know how to write for 🐧 so I always keep it from Sophie's POV

-----

"How do I know you won't betray me after you've done it to Black Mask?" Oswald's tone is genial but his body language says otherwise, he's almost languid looking but someone who knows better can tell he's all control and business. Yet I figured this conversation was going to steer back to loyalty and honesty. It always happens with these types, yet I can't blame him as trust is hard to come by in Gotham City.

"Long as you don't go overboard with power you'll never have to worry." The reply is straight to the point, I don't like to make things complex and long.

"I don't think that's a good enough guarantee." Oswald chuckled sarcastically back, his mismatched eyes boring into mine.

I'm pretty sure I've never met someone who can keep my gaze so steadily, I wonder slightly if how I feel right now is how others feel when they look into mine. Except for the fact is I'm just conveying warm, green eyes. I'm not using a Gorgon's stare. I do think about it but I shrug instead at him.

"Trust is really just a matter of having faith in someone, yeah? So you'll never know until the time comes and then you'll see what happens." My manner is a bit more Sphinx like and I know it's not something he appreciates, yet The Penguin just gives a sort of hum in acknowledgment.

A silence happens between us before he gets up. His limp draws my attention and I think I stare a little too long because when I look up to meet his eyes-

"I'm sort of disappointed, I've heard of your reputation and we've talked a bit prior to this Sunday afternoon. So wouldn't you... Of all people know not to underestimate the underdog?" I start to take a turn around him, literally, I circle him slowly, watching his shoulders go rigid. His hands are gripped tight in fists next to his sides. Oswald's stance is amusing, he truly looks like a Penguin right now. "I'm still around, because I know how to take care of my business and I don't need protection." I let my words hang in the air as I stop in front of him. "And if you asked me here just to talk about loyalty and be preachy then we're wasting our time."

"Let me give you some advice. It seems the only reason you're still around is that you're protected by Black Mask because you say and do a lot of things... That would make a lot of people upset. And when that happens people die. People like you." His strange gait comes close enough to me that he's slightly standing over me, looking down.

Something boils in me yet I gaze up at him calmly. Like a snake getting ready to strike and impudently the first thing I do is cross my leg over my knee. The foot that hangs in the air I idly rub against his 'bad' leg. It does just what I want and he takes a step back, his mouth opens but all he does is splutter and look disgusted. Maybe even a blush? Either way, I take the opportunity to stand and we're close enough I know he's tensing. But I don't do anything like bodily harm, no, if he wants to be rude then I'll act the same.

Obviously, I'm not about to drop the bomb that's my EX, instead, I weigh my options. "I'm someone very useful with very useful skills so I get special privileges," I answered back cryptically.

Oswald is quick with his response, a quirk to his head and a very feral-looking smile on his face. "No. No I asked you here for more information about your employer as well as you've heard something about the Triads via..."

"Roman. Yeah. I wasn't in the conversation but I was in the room." As we stand in front of each other, for some reason or another I feel compelled to reach out and play with his tie. Instead, my eyes flicker over his person, it must make him uncomfortable because he shifts on his feet. While his face turns into something more perplexed but interested.

"You're just... In there? With him? While he has meetings?" The way Oswald is asking me these questions it's actually pretty funny, but there's something suspicious growing as he starts to put more things together. I bite my lip. "I'm sorry, who are you really to Black Mask?"

It does nothing to earn me points with Oswald Cobblepot. The look he gives me is screaming, 'What the Hell, Woman? What does that mean?!' It's silent but his irritation is written all across him and as if he's resetting himself he brings one of his hands to his face, rubbing the bridge of his nose in displeasure.

"Fine. We can talk about that later, let's just get into the details you want to share. The reason I called this meeting."

As if our little bout is over with we both 'time out' of the ring and he directs me back towards my seat while he takes the one opposite of me. It seems we've come to a quiet impasse about certain subjects but others are open.

------

"Do you trust me" The question itself is innocent enough, but the context behind it is a whole lot.

"Yes"

"Wait, really?" The disbelief in his voice is comical.

"Ok, no then."

"No, no, you can't just-" He does a sort of humorless and cynical laugh. "You can't just change your mind. But why?"

"Well, I have no real choice. You're better than Black Mask, for now, so you're the best choice in this situation." I pause as I think about a certain quote before reciting it to him. "all is for the best" in the "best of all possible worlds."

"Voltaire." Oswald's tone is just as flat and dead as the face he gives me.

"Yes! You knew."

"I prefer Shakespeare." He smirks.

"You do seem like a Julias Caeser type." I almost wish I could say Caligula but Shakespeare never touched upon that madness.

[clover1412]

A Fight Without You

the height of my esuka obsession T-T

Yet another island Isuka hadn't been at; it was getting worrisome. Isuka, without fail, had been there at every single island since they had first met, always there, determined to bring him in. Ace loved the attention; Deuce speculated that it was because she was a gorgeous young woman who could take him down if she wanted to. However, this was the second island they'd been to, and Isuka hadn't been there. Ace felt uneasy leaving the previous island without seeing her, but she was a marine who had other things to do apart from chasing him, or so he tried to convince himself. He was finding it harder to believe now that she hadn't turned up this time.

Ace sighed, 'you don't think something bad happened to her do you?'

'To who? Isuka? No way I've never seen anyone like her,' Deuce chuckled, 'she fights like she's got devil fruit powers.'

'That woman is fearless,' Ace seemed to accept it for a while but looked back at the horizon, 'but nothing could've happened to her, right?'

'Ace, cap, no offence but you're awfully worried about a woman who has done nothing but try to catch you. Maybe it's a good thing she isn't here, one less thing to worry about if she's finally lost our trail.'

'She hasn't only tried to catch me, she's,' Deuce raised an eyebrow, 'I just think it's weird okay, she's just always there.'

'You know she has other duties right? She's an ensign, that's pretty important, she's probably got meetings to attend, boring marine stuff.'

'Yeah I guess,' Ace didn't seem at all satisfied with the answer but didn't try to argue back.

'Boss!' Skull shouted from the sand, 'bad news, the locals just said that we can't leave tonight!'

'Why's that?'

'Apparently there's a bad current that appears from time to time. It's wiped out massive fleets before, we shouldn't risk it.'

'I guess we're spending another night here,' he seemed to consider his options before jumping down to the sand, 'Deuce let's walk, I'm bored.'

~ ♡ ~

Deuce often got dragged into things because Ace was bored or hungry. Since he'd left Sixis with Ace, life had not been dull, maybe even a little too interesting. Thankfully this time, Ace didn't get into much trouble, although his usual narcoleptic attack did frighten a few villagers. 

Or so he thought. Things had been going well until Ace caught sight of a marine, just an ordinary officer slipping past the crowds and into a back street.

He immediately broke into a run, 'Ace!'

The officer was fast, keeping to the back streets as he made it to the other side of the island, where he met with another officer. Ace recognised them; they worked under Isuka on her ship.

'Did you find any others?'

'No there's only one doctor on this island.'

'That's not good, hopefully the antidote works, we've contacted headquarters, but no one will be able to reach here for a while.'

'The Ensign is strong, she'll pull through.' At the mention of Isuka, Deuce felt Ace tense. He was never subtle when it came to her.

'Hopefully.'

Deuce felt Ace move, grabbing one of the marines before he could stop him, 'what did you say?'

'Fire Fist!' The other one spluttered, 'what are you doing here?'

He tightened his grip on the man, 'answer the question, what happened to Isuka?' Deuce sighed. Ace had an especially short fuse when things were about her. After all, he'd beaten up a guy who'd made some unsavoury passes at her when she confronted them at a bar. Ace was not someone you wanted to anger.

'We don't need to tell you anything, pirate.'

Ace looked like he would punch the guy but was stopped by a loud rustling sound getting closer to them from more than one side. He dropped the guy before preparing for a possible ambush. The marine gasped for air before crawling over to his colleague.

'Boss!' One of the voices shouted. Skull had come looking for them.

The other person, unfortunately, was a marine who, at the sight of Ace, drew her gun. 'Fire Fist Ace, the ensign is in no state to fight you. Leave.'

'Take me to her.'

'Boss, that's-' Skull began; that was too much to ask of them to lead a notorious pirate to their leader, who was in no state to fight.

'I want to see her.'

The marine sighed; she looked over at his two colleagues; they weren't enough to deter the pirate, 'can you help her?'

'Deuce is a doctor, he can take a look at her, if she needs something and we have it, you can have it.'

'How do we trust you, pirate? Getting rid of the Ensign Isuka would be advantageous to you,' the marine he had grabbed spat out.

'I wouldn't hurt her, not intentionally.'

She nodded to the dismay of her colleagues, in a way she understood that their relationship was quite complicated, 'follow me.'

The five of them trailed behind her as she led them to a small cove. The ship was tucked in. The sails containing Isuka's epithet were taken in; the usually busy ship had an uneasy quietness.

'Many of us are scattered around the island, looking for supplies, some have remained for security.'

As they stepped up onto the boat, Ace's appearance caused a couple of marines to turn to him in alarm, guns raised. The marine leading them waved them down, 'he's trying to help!'

They didn't seem all that convinced but turned back around, keeping up their posts.

Deuce seemed slightly impressed at the ship's sheer size, 'how'd she get hurt?'

'We we're called as support along with another ship, they needed some help bringing in some other pirates,' she opened a door leading them downstairs, 'with the ensign it would be easy work, she may struggle to bring you in, but she's very strong.'

'I don't doubt it,' despite having the powers of a logia-type devil fruit, he still dodged her attacks out of reflex.

'We replied to the call, they were nearby and Isuka would never say no to helping someone, and everything did go to plan apart from one thing.'

She opened another door; this time, it was the door to the infirmary. The ship's doctor and the village doctor were sitting by her bedside, monitoring her condition and discussing other medical things.

The marine nodded at them, signalling them to step outside, and they complied. Ace stood by the door for a while before deciding to sit by her; she looked awful. Deuce checked the wound on her arm, the blue bruise-like colour spreading from the injury and up her arm.

'One of the pirates had hidden and held Isuka with a knife to her throat, he didn't realise she was the ensign. So she did what she did best, fight, she brought him down, but he managed to nick her arm. Things were okay for a day or two, but she suddenly collapsed two days ago, so we stopped at the nearest island.'

Deuce checked her temperature, gently checking the neckline of her uniform to see how far the colour had spread. 'I think the antidote is working, the poison hasn't spread far enough to be of extreme danger to her life, but things can still go wrong. Tonight will be very important, it may determine whether she'll be able to use her arm or not.'

'Yes, that's what the other doctors have said, it was lucky we carried many types of antidote,' the marine sighed, 'Isuka made sure of that.' 

With that, she left the room, nodding at Deuce. Ace, on the other hand, had barely registered what had happened, his thoughts consumed by the girl before him. 

Isuka was usually full of life, her strong voice yelling at him from her ship. That was not who he saw now; the girl lying on the infirmary bed was soulless. Her skin was pale, and her breathing laboured; she was not the picture of health she'd always been. Ace leant forward, inspecting her poisoned arm, it may be on her non-dominant arm, but she fought with both. She used her athletic abilities to leap over things, usually using her arm for stability. He knew her fighting style was aggressive and powerful; he was scared that if she lost her arm, she'd give up on being a marine or, at the very least, stop chasing him. Either way, he wouldn't see her again; he would have no reason to tease her and watch her turn red when he threw a flirty comment her way. Losing her and her presence would leave an ugly mark on his heart. 

As she began coughing, she rolled onto her side, bringing her knees closer to her chest. Deuce poured her a glass of water before handing it to Ace, who waited for her to calm down. As the violent coughing fit came to an end, she opened her eyes slowly, her good arm coming up to wipe the tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes. She made a grabbing motion in the direction of the side table.

'Here,' Ace gently moved the cup to her hand, allowing her to grab it, she tried getting up, but without being able to put any pressure on her other arm, she struggled. Ace got up from the chair to help her; when she sat up, she took a long drink from the glass, and Ace settled back into his chair.

'Fire fist, what are you doing here?' Her voice was groggy and weak; her vision had finally cleared up, and she'd finally noticed who he was. He thought she'd be more shocked, but perhaps she was too tired for that.

'Couldn't leave without seeing my favourite ensign, now could I?' He chuckled when Isuka made what he could only guess was a flustered expression. Deuce looked at Skull; there was an unspoken agreement between the both of them that they should leave them alone. He tapped Ace's shoulder reassuringly before exiting the infirmary.

'You know, Isuka. I missed you at our previous island; it isn't the same without you shouting at me,' she smiled at that, lying back down, 'it's not the same when I'm not fighting you.'

'I've got other battles to fight, Fire Fist; I can't chase you all the time,' she whispered as she dragged the sheets back over her.

'I wish you could, wouldn't it be fun seeing each other everyday?'

'I think we have very different ideas of fun.'

'You wouldn't have to get hurt fighting some other prick,' she stayed silent for a while, unable to bring herself to look him in the eyes, 'you worried me when I walked in here I thought I was going to lose you.'

She lifted her arm, hesitating before placing her hand on his cheek, 'it's part of the job, you know that.'

At first, it took him by surprise; they weren't close like that. At most, there were accidental brushes of skin that left her flustered. He placed his hand on hers; she felt comfortable with him, and for now, that was enough. For once, she wasn't wearing her leather gloves; her hand was warm as he stroked it gently, 'I know,' but he couldn't help hating the thought. He moved her hand to his mouth, placing a small kiss on the palm of her hand before releasing it.

She smiled at him, grabbing hold of his hand again, 'I know it isn't much, but I'm here now. You know that I'm safe,' she gently squeezed his hand before closing her eyes. She didn't know who he had lost in the past to react like that, but she understood loss and the pain it brought.

~ ♡ ~

He had completely lost track of time, sitting there holding her hand, stroking the back of it, tracing the lines on her palm. It was completely dark when Deuce returned to the room carrying two plates of food and a bowl of soup for Isuka.

'Skull went back to the rest of the crew to explain,' he placed the soup down first before handing Ace his plate, 'I'm guessing you don't want to leave.'

'I don't know. I don't want to leave her like this.'

'Don't worry about it, the crew will understand.'

Ace gently shook Isuka awake, so she could try to eat something. He helped her sit up again, handing her the bowl of soup before picking up his plate and starting to eat. Deuce had begun to explain their adventures at their previous island, what had happened when she wasn't there. She laughed when he explained how Ace had fallen into the lake trying to chase Kotatsu, who had been chasing a butterfly. At some point during the conversation, Ace had finished his plate and noticed Isuka had been struggling to eat. He took the bowl from her and began feeding her as she listened to Deuce's rambling. At first, she'd been a little embarrassed, but soon she came to enjoy it a little, the power she had over him always amused Deuce. He knew of Ace's tendencies when caring for people, but feeding them was not one of them. Isuka, however, was an exception; they shared something special, even if they didn't quite notice it yet.

After dinner, Isuka had laid back down, drowsiness taking over; Ace remained by her side as Deuce got some pillows and blankets. Ace was still in the same spot when he returned, watching over her. Deuce set up the little sofa in the room for him to sleep on, leaving the other bed in the infirmary to Ace if he wanted to sleep.

'Deuce, take the bed, I don't need it.'

'You should try to get some sleep too.'

'If need be I can sleep on the sofa, you can take the bed.'

Deuce didn't bother arguing back; Ace was stubborn when it came to certain things, so there was no point trying to get his way.

The night was cold; Ace watched as Isuka shivered under her blanket. He got up and grabbed the blanket Deuce left on the table to cover her with. Taking the pillow, he placed it on the bed; he leant forward to rest his head. He must have eventually nodded off because sunlight was filtering through the blinds on the window when he woke up. Sometime in her sleep, Isuka must have found his head as he could feel her soothingly running her hand through his hair. It felt weird; the last time someone had done that was probably 6 or 7 years ago. When he'd fall asleep around Makino, she'd take care of him, gently patting his back or running her hand through his hair. It was comforting; if his mother was alive, he imagined she would do the same.

It was a while longer before either of the others stirred; Isuka was up first, woken up again by a coughing fit. Ace did the same thing as before, handing her a glass of water and helping her sit up. Being a light sleeper, Deuce had also woken up; he checked up on Isuka first. Her temperature had decreased slightly, and the marks on her arm had begun to fade - which was very promising. He left to share the information with the rest of her crew.

'Thank you, Fire Fist, I think your presence really helped.'

'I didn't do much,' he smiled, slightly shy at the compliment.

'I know, but still, you make me stronger.'

Ace didn't know what to say; Isuka kept him on his toes, kept him guessing what her next move would be. She'd made her way into his life, and in a way, she pushed him to be stronger too. Before he could try to formulate a reply, Deuce returned.

'We should probably get back to the ship, the currents are getting better and we can leave soon,' Ace made an expression. Before he could ask, Deuce replied, 'I imagine Isuka will be leaving soon too, she's getting better and it would be beneficial to be heading to a more accessible island.'

'He's right, if things go well we'll probably be leaving by the end of the day,' she smiled reassuringly at Ace, 'back on your trail of course.'

'Wouldn't expect anything different.'

~ ♡ ~