#but in the past year and a half shes become something of a muse for me

[sledge-in-space]

You know, I've debated writing this for a long time. Because I know it's going to sound incredibly stupid.

But for a character who seems to matter so little in the grand scheme of things, Joey Hudson matters so much to me. She was our friend. She endured so much. And when we come to rescue her we can see that she broke out of her cell with a shank as her only weapon.

We can see that she killed at least three peggies during her escape. That she was laying low and most likely waiting for John.

She thought she was going to be trapped down there forever, and that eventually she was going to be killed. But she still fought at every step of the way, because she was going to go out fighting. We can see her resilience, tenacity and anger in her voice lines. And despite how much she suffered, she wasnt going to leave the other prisoners behind.

And I know she's just a character in a ubisoft game. We get glimpses of her personality but she isnt nearly as well rounded as some other members of the cast. In the end she dies anyway, so what does it matter?

It matters to me because it feels like a lot of people don't seem to care about what happened to her.

I think it's sad and honestly a little sickening that most of her worst moments have been gifed to hell and back, all the while there are people who wish they were in her position. Because if it were them, they could fuck John or get fucked by him.

I already feel like John is portrayed as being a bit of a creep, with the level of obsession he displays and how fulfilling he finds the act of hurting others. But when people wish they were in her position, or download shirtless mods for John in cutscenes where she's also present, it suddenly feels like Joey is in danger of something more sinister than torture.

I'm not blind. I understand why people like him as a villain and a character. But excluding Joey from the story or trivializing the cruel, sick torture she went through so that John gets full, unrestricted access to your dep?

It just doesn't feel right or fair in my opinion.

Which I know sounds ridiculous because it's a video game and none of the characters are real. It would be completely audacious of me to say that no one should like him, or that it is somehow morally unjust to ignore his cruelty.

I don't think liking "bad guy" characters is indicative of having no morals or empathy. I like a lot of characters from different media that have done terrible things. Plenty that are even worse than John. And you shouldn't have to justify why you like something, because your reasons are your own. I firmly believe that fiction is the perfect place to explore whatever you want for whatever reason you want.

It isn't my intention to police anyone.

But there's something about how Joey was treated that feels very wrong to me. John hurt her brutally and we can only specualte as to what he actually did, but we can see and hear the toll that it took on her. And for as long as the game has had a fandom she's been routinely ignored - I believe this is because John is by far a fan favorite, though I acknowledge that this is speculative and accusatory. Or, she gets made into some damsel in distress. All because she has an ungodly amount of mascara on her face in some scenes.

Quick tanget: For the amount of makeup she was wearing when the Sheriff's Dept. stormed Joseph's Compound - which was minimal at most - the runny mascara is just way too extreme (just a small detail that I personally can't stand).

But back to the point.

At least in fandom, if she isn't a damsel, and if she isnt discarded, then her friend and partner - the player character - is fucking the man who tortured her and broadcast her agony across the entire county. In front of her community, so she could be humiliated and broken in front of everyone. It didn't work - unlike like Pratt and Burke, she didn't break (though it's not a contest and I'm not trying to diminish their strength either) - but that didn't stop John from trying.

There's no shortage of people in the fandom who love her, who've showered her with girlfriends and boyfriends and made sure she had a happy ending somewhere. There's been fan art and fic, mods on pc that let her fight alongside you. I've seen a lot of people order commissions of her, myself included. Even my best friend has drawn her so many times it's hard to keep track.

Still, it feels like people are so quick to forget or disregard what happened to her. It was the same in 2018 as it is now, and with so many years having passed I don't anticipate she'll see much of a fandom resurgence.

I think thats a shame. I think her potential was wasted. And that sucks especially hard because of how strong she was made out to be.

[chilschuck]

omg… thinking abt chil reconnecting w his ex wife and becoming platonic besties. imagine they talk about it finding love again (chil’s ex has a new gf)… chil realises he’s caught feelings for reader… his ex teasing him about it…

`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ OMG ANON THIS HAD ME GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET, WAHHHH. SUCH A CUTE IDEA!!!! it’s currently 2 am but i had to get this out for you since you’ve been waiting a while!!! it was so much fun!! <33

— ALL BECAUSE OF YOU.

꒰ info: ꒱ chilchuck x gn!reader

꒰ warnings: ꒱ none, sfw!! some cussing ofc lol

꒰ wc: ꒱ 586

✦ tumblr deleted this before i could post it twice so let’s pray it posts this time, LOL. short but sweet, i hope you enjoy!!! <333

“So… Who are they?”

That simple question was enough to make him choke on his drink. Was he that easy to read? Catching his breath, the half-foot immediately sputtered.

“What are you talking about?” Yet, the knowing look on her face said it all. Even if they had been separated for this long, she could still figure out just what he was hiding. So much for trying to keep some things personal…

“You have this expression, this content smile I haven’t seen in years, Chilchuck. Someone’s making you happy.” Her tone was not condescending in the slightest, rather content with this new revelation. Her words caused his cheeks to flush, more than the ale in his cup could.

And she was right. He was coming to terms with his feelings; and even the thought of you was enough to make him whole again. The fact it was so obvious was rather embarrassing, and he could feel the tips of his ears burn.

“Yeah, yeah… I guess you figured it out before I got a chance to tell you.”

They were nothing like they used to be, having settled on staying close through friendship. Although this maybe would’ve been hard to do in the past, Chilchuck felt more peaceful than he thinks he has in years. There was something about you that lit fire to his senses in ways he had long forgotten, and he found himself seeking you out more than he’d like to admit.

“I’ve told you plenty about my new girlfriend, now it’s your turn to spill. What are they like? It’s a sight to see you this happy.”

It was something only someone who really knew him could see; the change in his demeanor, the light in his eyes, the smile that threatened to spill from the corners of his lips. And it was all because of you.

“You’re going to laugh when I tell you how I met them,” he began, licking the ale from his lips in thought. “Laios’ party. I really ended up eating my own words about inner party romance, huh?” The last sentence came out in a grumble, one that caused her to laugh.

“Wow, they made you go against your own rules? Must be a keeper.”

And you were. Warm, but not enough to burn. Bright, but not blindingly so. Sweet, but not sickening. Chilchuck found himself feeling like a teenager again when it came to you. He bit his tongue.

“So you’re going to confess to them, right?” She teased, prodding his shoulder. “Look at you, blushing like a schoolboy. Must be serious.”

He opened his mouth to retort, before closing it again. The words died before he could speak, the full gravity of his feelings for you hitting him like a freight train. Burying his head in his arms, he groaned. “Shit…”

Chilchuck was doomed. Yet even as his head spiraled from a mixture of the alcohol and his new found love, it always went back to you. You, and your smiles, and your laugh, and your touch. There weren’t enough curse words he could possibly growl out in this moment to make himself feel better.

His ex wife laughed again, patting him on the back and stirring him from his thoughts. “Jeez, you really are a schoolboy. Maybe you should give them a love letter while you’re at it. Might be smart, actually.”

That’s how the rest of their time together went; two close friends musing about the ability to find love again. All because of you.

— dividers by @/cafekitsune! <3

[lokisprettygirl]

Utopia (Modern! Daemon Targaryen x female reader) (Non Canon AU) (18+)

Read chapter 4 here // Series Masterlist

Chapter 5

Summary: Life gets chaotic and feelings get mangled post your rescue from the island.

Warning: 18+ sex ,death and destruction that comes from a ship wreckage, smut, sex, menstrual sex, unprotected sex. Some inconsistency with ship sinking, i researched as much as I could

You couldn't help but listen in on the muffled sounds of shouting that were coming from the room next to you and you felt guilty even though you had done nothing wrong. They were not in a relationship, they were not even dating the moment you two had gotten stranded on the island so you had done nothing wrong but that didn't mean you felt any better about it.

“Almost ten years ..we have been together and you are doing this to me now?” Lily screamed at him and her tone made him snicker bitterly.

“10 years right? And half of those years we spent apart because you wanted to break up every fucking time you couldn't handle our relationship” Lily scoffed as Daemon raised his voice, in the decade of them being with each other, even though Daemon saw other women whenever they were on a break, she never really felt threatened because it never lasted long, they were just mindless flings but you threatened her.

She was worried you'd replace her in his life. That you'd become the love of his life, his muse, his own.

“I'm allowed to take time away from us when I'm not feeling well Daemon..that's how a healthy relationship works” She yelled at him again, her voice laced with frustration as if this conversation wasn't really required.

“Yeah? Is that what it is? Or you just take off whenever you want to fuck someone else?” As soon as he said that Lily began to cry profusely and he didn't want to hurt her like that, he cared about her, a part of him of course carried emotional attachment towards her or so he thought but he also couldn't deny no longer that he felt something for you, his feelings for you were becoming increasingly difficult to push aside.

As he stepped towards Lily in an attempt to comfort her and prevent the situation from escalating, she began to strike him in the chest. Despite her outburst, he managed to remain calm and restrained her hands, pulling her into an embrace. He held her tight, allowing her to release all of the pent-up emotions that she had been holding onto.

“Just calm down okay?” He mumbled softly to her, he didn't even want to argue with her anymore, the time on the island has made him realize that life was too short and unpredictable to turn the same pages over and over again in the hope that story would somehow lead differently the next time..

“Please don't hurt me Daemon..i love you..I love you so much ..you know that”

Her eyes welled up as she spoke to him so he wrapped her arms around her again and didn't say anything, however his silence spoke more than his words ever could. Once she was asked to leave for staying outside the visiting time he walked into your room and you were pacing back and forth already in stress and worry. As soon as you saw him you began to ramble all your thoughts out loud.

"Look, I don't want to stand in the way of whatever you two have. I don't want to be the reason it's destroyed. I'm OKAY with us just remaining friends.”

You said to him, not really realizing how this would affect him. He was on the fence with Lily but not with you, with you he knew how he felt.

“Really? So we just forget everything we have done in the past five months?” he asked you as he crossed his arms in frustration, his brows were crinkled and jaw was clenched in anger.

“That was us being there for each other when we had no one” your eyes welled up with tears as you didn't really understand what he wanted and you didn't want to be his rebound girl again.

“Fine…If you say so”

That was the last you had heard from him for a while actually.

In the month that followed, you were faced with plenty of challenges, from dealing with lawyers for the compensation claim to then managing your newfound fortune that you had no clue where to invest. You also needed to take some time for yourself in regular therapy sessions. You weren't prepared at all to go back to the life you were living before all of this transpired.

Media had been on you and Daemon as well, everyday a new press reporter wanted to interview you, sometimes together which both of you denied, a documentary crew had approached you as well and it was a lot. Life was a lot these days and amidst all of this chaos you didn't have Daemon by your side which really pissed you off.

If he felt something more than just friendship for you then he should have told you that.

“Come on..get ready” Emma mumbled as pulled out a dress from your closet and threw it at you.

“I don't want to go, em” you groaned as you spoke to her. She wanted to take you to the Karaoke bar, Daemon and the rest of the group would be there too and he was the reason why you didn't want to go, well not really, you did want to go but how dare he just cut you off like that? Sure you were being a bit mean to him but you just wanted to keep your conscience clear.

“He's miserable too you know” your ears perked up as Emma said that.

“What?”

“Daemon..he's not happy, he misses you alot” you rolled your eyes in fake pretense as if her words weren't making you all giddy inside.

“And you know that because?”

“Because Aemond told me, they were drunk one night and he almost wept because he felt that he had lost you” Emma said as a matter of fact and it was hard to believe her words but the possibility that Daemon was miserable without you was heartwarming. Because you were absolutely miserable without seeing his stupid face.

“You're lying”

“I have no reason for that,” she retorted.

“What about Lily?”

“She wants him back..but he's not willing to do so again, like he tried but he's not able to”

After pretending that you didn't want to go some more you eventually got dressed but before that you made sure to remove every hair on your body because you hadn't done that in the past six months.

When you reached the bar the group saw you and you noticed how Lily wasn't happy at all by your presence.

You looked at Daemon and you thought he'd look away but he kept his eyes on you and you had to smile eventually making his lips curve in a smile as well.

“Y/n should sing, she's the only one of us who had never done this right?” Lily chimed in so you shook your head and chuckled.

“I don't sing..like at all” you responded as you chugged on your drink and looked around the group hoping that someone would rescue you.

“Oh come on..don't be such a party pooper..she should sing..right dae?” she spoke again and you really wanted to smack her gorgeous face.

“Go on..you're amazing you know?” Daemon said out loud and Lily's expressions faltered, you weren't Amazing at all, he was just being nice because you'd often sing to distract him whenever he had one of his migraine attacks on the island.

“Come on y/n” Lily gave you a smile so you chugged on your drink and decided to fuck it all, nothing mattered to you anymore. Sure she was trying to humiliate you and make you feel uncomfortable but you won't allow her to win this one.

As you stepped up to the microphone and the music began you recognised the Ellie goulding song immediately so you took a deep breath and prepared yourself for the worst,

“We ..we don't have to worry about nothing..we got the fire and we burning one hell of a something”

You began to sing and felt a bit off key in the beginning but as the song progressed you got the groove. You heard the group hooting for you and Daemon was smiling throughout your silly performance and Lily? Well, the only reason she wanted you to sing was because she figured you'd humiliate yourself in front of everyone but that wasn't happening.

“We’ll be raising our hands, shining up to the sky, cause we got the fire, fire, fireeeee and we gonna let it burn burn burn burn–”

The crowd applauded as you finished your performance, you had never done anything like this before but the time on the island has really changed your perspective on life. Once all of you were drunk enough you couldn't help but notice that Emma and Aemond were getting really cozy with each other and that piqued your curiosity..

As you excused yourself away from the group to grab a drink Daemon followed you and you couldn't help but glare at him, you were pissed.

“You're ovulating” you crossed your arms as he said that.

“That's what you want to say to me after a month of ignoring me?” you turned towards him and he stared you down. His gaze was unreadable.

“You didn't try to get in touch either..dance with me” You stood there, stunned, as Daemon suddenly took your hands and pulled you closer to him. His words caught you off guard, but there was a part of you that was thrilled to be asked. It was weird seeing him without the beard but you noticed that he had grown the stubbles again when he preferred to keep it shaven before, you also noticed that he hadn't cut the length of the hair short.

“You smell so sweet darling..close aren't you?” he mumbled as he pressed his nose against your neck and took a whiff.

“You're such a caveman”

“You know you can always call me to relieve your pain” he smirked as he mumbled in your ear.

“I don't need it anymore” you retorted and for some reason that managed to wipe the smug expression from his features.

“That hurts me”

“I'm not trying to hurt you Daemon--” your voice softened as you realized you were hurting him indeed.

“You're hurting me..you didn't even listen to what I had to say that night”

“What about Lily?”

“Why do you care so much?” his teeth gritted as he spoke.

“Because I don't want to hurt anyone”

“Except me..the man you lived with for five months”

“Because I had no choice” he huffed as you said that. You were saying things to him that you didn't really mean at all.

“You had a choice, you came after me, remember? You chose to endanger your life for me while she took the first boat out of there and didn't even think of me. You want me to spare her feelings? I am trying..but darling -” he cupped your cheeks and pressed his thumb below your chin to make you look at him, his ragged breath washed over you and all you wanted was for him to kiss you but you could also feel Lily burning a hole in your backs.

“Never mind” he let go of you and stormed out of the bar, leaving you all speechless and turned on and guilty at the same time.

Daemon took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up as he got inside the car and drove away. The last few weeks had made him realize that his feelings were not frivolous in nature, he might have gotten attached to you because of your situations and conditions on the island but that didn't mean what he felt for you wasn't real. Despite his attempts to resume things with Lily, every time he even looked at her, a reminder of you would flood his mind. It was as if you were always there, always present in his thoughts and emotions.

Daemon knew that his feelings for you were real and that they meant something to him. It was a realization that had come to him slowly, but it had become clearer and clearer with each passing day when he wasn't able to sleep with you at nights or kiss you first thing in the morning.

Daemon felt a mixture of emotions, but above all, he felt a sense of longing for you.

Later that night he received a text from you that you wanted to see him at your place and as much as he wanted to play hard to get he drove to your place and when you opened the door you were still in the sexy little dress you had on before. You grabbed him by the collar of his dark gray full sleeves t-shirt and pulled him inside.

There was that annoying but ridiculously hot smirk on his face that frustrated you alot.

“I don't want to hurt you daemon” you mumbled softly, your fingers were still clutching on the round collar of his shirt so brought his hands up and ran his fingers on your forearms.

“You shaved”

“Mmm do you like it?”

“You know I dont give a fuck about body hair” the tension between you two was palpable as you spoke to each other. You could feel the heat radiating from his body and you really wanted to feel him up close.

“You're a dirty boy”

“You like that” he mumbled against your lips before he kissed you passionately, tongue swirled into your mouth as if he was starving for a mere taste and you hoped that he was, because you definitely felt that way.

He picked you up by the hips and stopped kissing you momentarily to look into your eyes as you mumbled against his mouth.

“I have a surprise for you” you mumbled softly so he chuckled “An apology if you will?”

“Okay show me”

“Walk me into my bedroom” you pointed towards the bedroom so he took the lead with you still in his arms. As he stepped inside the first thing he noticed was the candlelights all around the room, the orange hue reminded him of the fire he used to ignite every evening on the island. His heart nearly leaped out of the chest when he noticed the bed of leaves on the floor right next to your bed.

“Ohh you sweet sweet thoughtful girl” he mumbled as he laid you down on the floor right on the top of leaves. “Apology accepted” he mumbled softly so you cupped his cheeks and kissed him feverishly, you climbed on top of his lap and wrapped your legs around him, his hands roamed over every inch of your skin, a gasp escaped your throat as he laid you down.

He took your underwear out of your dress and you moaned as he suddenly rode your dress up, pulled your legs apart and placed his head right between your thighs.

“You really shaved all over didn't you?” he asked you so you bit on your lower lip.

“Mmmhmmm”

“Now hair won't get into my mouth”

“Shut Upppp you're so so dirty …goddd Daemon” you tried to pull away but he grabbed your thighs and held you still.

“Why are you so squeamish? It's just hair”

You were going to give a sly remark but as he placed his lips on your nether lips the words died in your throat.

“Really had a dream about you like this sweetheart” you smiled and ran your fingers through his hair as he sucked on your clit, arousal dripped into his mouth as he turned you on with every flick of his tongue.

“You dream about me?”

“All the time..some more vulgar than others but my thoughts mean well i promise”

“I dream about you too”

“Mmmm I know that. You blabber in your sleep baby. As much as I'd enjoy making you quiver in my mouth I really need to feel your cunt around me…can i?” his voice came out all breathless as he climbed up on top of you, you had felt something sharp in his pocket before but now wasn't the time to have that conversation.

As he slid up you nodded and proceeded to take your clothes off as quickly as possible, he had seen you naked more times than you can count in the past five months so it didn't really matter..

“Pills?”

“Mmmhmm”

“Thank the god”

You gasped and were rendered speechless as his thick cock entered you, you had been waiting for this for months. It was a torture to have him so close but still not have him all into you.

“Feel so fucking perfect around me love..if only you were bleeding” he whispered in your ear and his words made your face warm.

“What's with you and my periods?”

“I don't really know..i can't…I can't make sense of the ways you turn me on”

You grabbed his arse and squeezed his plump cheeks as he thrusted in and out of you slowly, every thrust was slow and calculated, he wanted to feel your cunt restricting him, he needed you to suffocate him and he wanted to last as long as possible.

“Fuck ..y/n..oh love”

As he chanted your name between his shallow thrusts it reminded you of that drunken night when he had taken her name when he was inside you, things had changed since then.

When he eventually came you almost passed out from the sheer intensity of your own orgasm that mirrored his. Took you both a while to come out of the trance..

Even on the island he made sure to take care of you after every sexual experience you had shared with each other, it was harder to do so there but in the privacy and comfort of your room he was able to treat you like a princess. Once you returned to the bed he grabbed his pants and took out something from the pocket. Your eyes had teared up immediately at the sight as he wrapped the shell necklace around your neck and it was as if you could smell the earthly whiff of the island for a moment there. You had seen him making this but you didn't know it was for you.

“Romantic at heart aren't you?’ you teased him and his face flushed in response.

“Shut your nozzle before I take it away” you giggled like a cheshire cat as he kissed the tip of your nose.

“I love it ..thank you”

He laid down next to you so scooted closer to him. You wanted to stay in the bliss you felt in the moment but you knew sooner or later you'd have to have the conversation.

“10 years is a long time to be with someone Daemon”

“On and off..but I see what you mean..the truth is not lost on me”

“I know you care about her still and don't want to hurt her”

“I don't but I don't want to hurt you either..are you going to tell me that those five months we spent together haven't changed you at all?” he asked you so you sighed.

“Of course it has..that's not what I meant”

“Shhhh now” he caressed your head so you sighed deeply this time and fell asleep in his arms.

The next morning when you woke up your body hurt, not because of the sex but because of the hardwood floor, it wasn't the same as sleeping on the sand or maybe you were just complaining because you could afford to complain now that you weren't stranded on an island thousands miles away from civilization.

“Daemon” you called out his name but he merely groaned in response like he always does “you can sleep on the bed” you mumbled again but when he didn't budge you leaned down to kiss his temple and got up.

An hour later while you were in the kitchen he walked in naked, and that didn't surprise you either because you were used to seeing him this way after you both bathed in the sea. You snapped out of your thoughts when he pecked you on the lips.

“Morning love”

“Good morning..breakfast is almost ready”

“I'll go wash up then” you nodded as he said that

“I placed a new toothbrush in the bathroom” you mumbled softly so he gave you a smile. When he returned he immediately hugged you from behind and the position really felt like something you could get addicted to.

“This is the first time i have cooked since we returned”

“Mmm why aren't you cooking love?” he asked as he nuzzled his nose between the crook of your neck. He was being so soft with you.

“Why aren't you singing?” You asked him so he nodded as he understood your plight..

Your jobs were the reasons you were on the ship, that had attached a negative connotation to what you had experienced, it was really difficult to go back to your normal lives. The memory of what you had been through haunted you, making it hard for you to concentrate on the routine tasks that had once come so easily to you.

“I really want to fuck you while you're wearing just this” he caressed your collarbone and you couldn't help but moan in response as he pointed at the shell necklace, you had honestly never had a man be so interested you in such physical ways so his words sometimes caught you off guard. Was he really this attracted to you that he found nothing wrong with your body? You hoped so.

“And then what? Will we ignore each other for one month again Daemon Cavemon?” you joked so he chuckled in response.

“Not my plan..I need you and you need me”

“Mmm what are you saying then?”

“Let me take you out on a date, let me treat you right and show you that I'm more than that uncivilized caveman you are used to seeing” you couldn't help but giggle as he said that, however him asking you out officially did give you butterflies.

“Don't get me wrong..I do enjoy your caveman side, he saved my life on that Island” he smiled as you held his chin between your thumb and forefinger.

“Aren't you sweet first thing in the morning?”

“I try”

“I'll pick you up at seven, yes?”

You were excited for the date, six months ago you never could have imagined that you'd see the day when your crush would ask you out on an actual date but a lot has happened in those months, your lives had changed and for better or worse, it had changed together.

You put on a beautiful black dress, wore your most expensive perfume and did your makeup after a long time as you wanted to look your best, not that it would have mattered to him, he had his lips all over you even when you looked your worst.

With a smile on your face and bated breaths you sat down on the couch and waited for him, and then you waited some more but he never showed up. He didn't show up to take you out on a date that night.

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Note: Why do you think he didn't show up?

Taglist

@mcufan72 @123forgottherest @shuichiakainx @stupidthoughtsinwriting @tmlbdv

@ammo23

[crappymixtape]

eyes half shut

hawkins high alumni always run the end of year carnival to help raise funds for the school and steve is always in charge of the alumni basketball game, but this year they’re trying out a kissing booth and who better to headline than steve harrington? | ( 3.9k – a little angst, a little fluff, kinda enemies to kinda lovers, steve x you, steve x reader )

E Y E S H A L F S H U T 🎶 dream boy, savannah conley

“Now, please don’t be late, Steven. Jason’s done with his shift right at seven and we don’t want to keep people waiting.” Miss Click tapped on the clipboard in her hand before hanging it back up on the nail hammered into the wall of the booth, “Robin Buckley volunteered to cover the cash register for your shift too! You remember Robin.”

Steve felt his jaw tick with irritation as he tried to hide the grimace on his face, his old History teacher practically beaming at the very mention of his friend. Of course Robin volunteered to run the register. She just wanted a front row seat for what was sure to be the most humiliating night of his life.

“Great. Robin Buckley. A real grade A student,” he said with a forced smile, jamming his hands into the pockets of his Levi’s.

“I thought so too! Such an attentive pupil,” Miss Click agreed before checking her watch. “Oh dear, I need to go check on the cake walk. I’ll see you back here in a few hours, I’m sure we’ll have record donations!” and with that she was off across the football field leaving Steve alone in the small booth to freak out about what he’d just agreed to.

A kissing booth. Great. Perfect. Totally fine.

He definitely wasn’t sore about Tommy getting to run the alumni basketball game instead of him. Wasn’t stressing the fuck out about the idea of having to kiss people for an hour straight. Or worse, kiss no one at all and have to live under a rock for the rest of his life and he totally wasn't going to kill Robin for ‘graciously volunteering’ to take money at his expense.

Loosing a sigh from his chest Steve ran his hands through his hair and kicked at the frame of the wall, KISSING BOOTH written above him. All curly letters and lipstick marks and bright red paint, taunting and teasing him about what would be happening in a few short hours.

It was going to be fine. Totally fine. Steve Harrington could handle a few smooches for charity. Right?

Right?

Midnight, gettin' uptight, where are you? You said you'd meet me, now it's quarter to two. I know I'm hangin' but I'm still wantin' you.

Joan Jett was yelling through the speakers of your stereo as you leaned over your dresser, swiping mascara through your lashes in the mirror, trying your best to hurry up and get ready for the Hawkins High Jamboree.

Did you want to go? Absolutely not.

Was your room mate and best friend making you go with her? 100%.

“So, like, are you gonna be ready this century or should I plan on arriving in a coffin? Actually. Steve’s gonna probably put me in one anyway, might be doing him a favor,” Robin mused around her toothbrush from across the hall in the bathroom.

“Hah, are you kidding? That guy came out of the womb as a fully formed show boat. He loves shit like this,” you shot back, shaking your head at the thought of Steve posted up at the kissing booth. A stupid, shit-eating grin pasted on his face. Signature hair all perfectly coiffed. A ridiculously long line of girls just waiting to fawn over him.

“Can’t argue you on the show boat bit, but he’s still totally gonna kill me,” Robin said snorting as she spat her toothpaste into the sink.

You weren’t sure what had happened between senior year and now, but somehow your best friend had also become Steve Harrington’s best friend and it made absolutely no sense.

At first you’d been extremely skeptical, even overprotective of her, and made it a point to tag along with them where ever they were going to make sure he wasn’t going to do something shitty, but much to your chagrin he proved you wrong every single time. He was even nice and somehow made Robin ugly laugh more than you did. How dare he?

“C’mon, I don’t wanna keep Nance waiting, she’s gonna be downstairs soon,” Robin popped her head in through your door and you shot her a grin.

“Ooo, eyeliner. Are you two going out after?” you teased, wiggling your eyebrows at her and she frowned, cheeks flushed.

“Yeah. Maybe. What’s it to you?”

“Nothing!” you held your hands up in surrender and gave her a little smile, “Just–it’s about damn time. You two have been dancing around each other for months.”

Robin was pretty private about her love life, especially after things hadn’t worked out with Vickie, and you were one of the only ones who really got to be in the know. Well. You and Steve, but you had to hand it to him. He at least seemed pretty damn empathetic and supportive in that regard toward Robin and you were thankful to him for it.

“What, are you keeping track?” Robin grumbled, smoothing her shirt down a bit and picking at the chipped black polish on her nails.

“You’re the one with the scoreboard,” you gently teased back, shoving your feet into the Chucks next to your dresser, but then your expression softened as you looked up at her, “You know I’m not. I’d be one to talk anyway, my love life is non-existent.”

“Yeah, well. Maybe you should try. It’s not all bad. Look at me, put myself out there and already have a date,” she said pointedly, scrunching up her nose at you.

“No, thanks,” it was your turn to grumble and you shouldered past her into the hallway.

“Wait. Wait a second. Yes. Yes, thanks!” she said, tone suddenly shifting into the one where you knew she was up to no good.

“Robs, whatever you’re about to say? Don’t,” you grabbed your wallet and chapstick off the kitchen table and turned to fix her with a look. The way she was grinning at you was horrifying. “Oh my god. What?”

“Kiss him,” she said simply and you looked at her blankly.

“What?”

“Put yourself out there! Kiss him!” she said again more enthusiastically and your stomach flipped over.

“Steve? Oh, wow. Let me go ahead and put a ‘hell’ in front of my no. No, Robs. No way,” you crammed your things into your pockets and shook your head, opening the fridge to try and find a beer. Booze suddenly felt very, extremely, necessary.

“Seriously! C’mon! What, are you chicken?” she make a little squawking noise as you cracked open the last beer hiding at the back of the fridge.

“Seriously?” you parroted back, “What, are you twelve? No, I’m not doing it.” You took a long drink from the can in your hand and grimaced as the carbonation fizzed in your nose. Too much.

“If you do, I’ll leave you alone for a whole week,” Robin’s tone was sing-songy, dragging out the vowels as she leaned on the open fridge door and smiled at you all sweetly. Full of mischief.

You waited, took another drink of beer and narrowed your eyes at her. She’d been begging you to go on a double date with her and Nancy and the thought of it made you want to throw up. Not only were double dates super cringy, but one: you didn’t have a boyfriend and two: Robin always suggested Steve and you’d immediately have to shut it down. He was absolutely not your type and there was no way you’d make it more than thirty minutes.

“Two weeks,” you countered, “And if you’re gonna hang out with him it can’t be here.”

“Deal!” she said much too quickly, sticking her hand out to you and you frowned, taking it and shaking it aggressively.

“Great. Deal.” It was just a kiss, right? Not stupid Seven Minutes in Heaven or Spin the Bottle, just cramming a dollar into a jar and a quick peck on the lips and you’d be free from Robin’s meddling for two whole weeks. Worth it.

Buzzzzz.

Someone was at the door, a Nancy Wheeler shaped someone, and the color drained from Robin’s face.

“Oh, c’mon. You’re fine, you look great,” you took another drink of your beer and then offered the last half of it to Robin who finished it off in one go.

“It’s not—“ Robin burped, beer was a bad choice, “—too much?”

“No, it’s not too much. The eyeliner is nice, really brings out the black in your heart. Now let’s get go,” you grabbed the empty can from her hand and tossed it in the recycling before shoving her toward the door.

“I can’t believe you’re gonna kiss Steve,” she said, grin tugging at the corners of her lips and your expression soured.

“Oh my god, just go,” and despite your grumbling, despite insisting on your irritation, all you could think about the entire ride over was a sliver of a memory from last summer.

It was smack in the middle of July. Sun beating down with the intent to fry you alive.

Robin had practically begged you to go get ice cream and it wasn’t like you were gonna say no. It was hotter than hell out, of course you were gonna get ice cream, but then Steve tagged along. Sat across from you in the booth and ordered a strawberry milkshake. Wrapped his perfectly pouted lips around the straw and sipped it slowly. Licked whipped cream from his fingers. Ate the cherry last and looked up at you when he’d pulled it from the stem with his teeth and for a split second all you could think about was him.

What it would taste like. What it would feel like.

What it would be like to kiss Steve Harrington.

“Bye now,” Jason was smiling all saccharine sweet. Pure sugar. Too much and too fake as the girl he’d just kissed slowly backed away from him. Unable to pull her eyes away as he leaned against the frame of the booth effortless and on display for the girls waiting in line, all of them disappointed they hadn’t beat the clock to seven.

And as Steve walked across the field to take Jason’s spot, he audibly groaned watching the other boy soak it all up.

Fuck this. He was not excited, he was not looking forward to this, and he did not want to stand anywhere near a damn kissing booth. Roughing his hands over his face he sucked in a deep breath. It was only an hour. Sixty minutes. It would fly by.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the King!”

Yeah, no. This was going to suck.

“Haven’t used that since Junior year, Carver,” Steve’s voice was flat, unamused, and when he walked up on the line a few of the girls huddled up and started to whisper.

“Ah, c’mon, Harrington. Return of the king! Back on top!” the grin that pulled at the corners of Jason’s mouth grew as he fed off Steve’s negative energy. “C’mon, the ladies love it,” and as he turned back to the line a couple girls toward the end started to walk away, “Oof, guess I’m a hard act to follow.”

Steve jammed his tongue into his cheek, hands balling up at his sides as he eyed the other boy, wanting nothing more than to put a fist into Jason’s face. “It’s for charity, dumbass. Not a damn competition,” Steve grumbled as the other boy pushed himself off the wall of the booth.

“Whatever you say, King Steve. Dropping like flies. Least you’ll get out of here early,” Jason sneered and gave Steve a too-hard clap on the back. Biting down on his lip, Steve struggled to keep himself in check, struggled to keep his hands at his sides until someone else chimed in.

“Carver you better get goin’, gonna be late for Bible study,” Robin walked up on the boys with you and Nancy in tow and gave Jason a too-sweet smile of her own, “Don’t wanna let Jesus down. Well. More than you already have I guess.”

Jason’s face turned beet red and Steve stifled a laugh with a very unconvincing cough, a few scattered giggles coming from the line.

“Shut up, Buckley.”

“Tsk, tsk. How’s it go? Love your neighbor or whatever? Anyway, so nice to see you!” Robin punched him a little harder than she should’ve in the shoulder and walked up behind the counter to take over for Chrissy Cunningham. “Alright, ladies! Now that we’ve taken out the trash – come give the King of Hawkins high a big ol’ smooch and help buy new basketball uniforms! Real win/win here, friends,” her voice was so loud it made people’s heads turn over at the cake walk and Steve wanted to die.

“Jesus, Robin,” he hissed, scrambling over to take up his post under the giant red sign.

Nancy turned to you shaking her head, but smiling all fond over Robin, “I kinda feel bad for him.”

“I don’t,” you said with a laugh, watching the line perk up a bit with Robin’s encouragement as Steve looked like he wanted to pass out, giving the first girl in a line a kiss.

“You know, he’s not that bad,” Nancy said, giving you a nudge with her elbow.

Glancing back over at the booth you saw the second girl walk up and give her dollar to Robin, Steve’s face still flushed and pink, but lips just as pouted and perfect as they’d been that day at the diner. Sipping down strawberry milkshake and pulling the cherry off the stem and you felt your stomach flip over.

“Yeah, I guess,” you muttered, but Nancy chuckled when she saw how rosy your cheeks had grown.

“Okay, well you better get in line or you’ll have Robin on your ass worse than before,” she reminded you of your deal and you groaned. “It’ll be easy,” she said giving you a grin, “And he really is a good kisser.”

Your blush only deepened with her words and you tried to hide it, throwing your eyes down to your feet and starting to walk away, “Okay, great! Can’t wait. So awesome. Just the best.”

“Relax! It’s just a kiss!” she called over her shoulder as you fell into the last place in line behind someone from your old AP English class, trying very hard to not turn and run away.

At first it was an extremely awkward and uncomfortable exchange of events for Steve.

People would give Robin their money, she’d say thank you in her silly sing-songy Robin voice, and then they’d walk up to Steve and smile. Sometimes it was shy, sometimes it was overly aggressive, and sometimes there’d be a weird pause where they’d just stare at each other. He’d clear his throat nervously or stress about whether or not he should’ve brushed his teeth two more times before he’d left the house, but eventually she’d lean in and they’d kiss and then it’d be over.

It was ridiculous because he used to kiss random girls all the time at parties and shit in high school. Used to love it. Maybe because it stroked his ego. Because he liked showing off. Maybe he didn’t get enough affection at home. Maybe Nancy Wheeler broke his heart and he just wanted to forget, but now? Things were different now. He was different now.

He didn’t sleep around, he didn’t kiss and tell, his dating life was abysmal and this kissing booth just seemed to add insult to injury.

“Steve,” Robin whisper-yelled between customers as if she could tell he was spiraling, “You’re doing great. Only two more to go and you’re done!”

“God, Robin. Please stop talking,” Steve hissed back and gave the next girl a weak, half-hearted smile.

“Just saying–”

“Hi,” Steve cut Robin off and greeted the shorter, blonde girl he recognized from Senior year science. She was second-to-last in line ahead of you and you fought back a laugh, watching the awkwardness unfold.

“Hi, Stevie,” she purred and Steve’s stomach lurched.

Stevie? Oh god. Why?

She’d clearly just applied a fresh layer of shiny, pink gloss right before her turn came up and when she leaned in toward him, Steve waited til her eyes were closed to grimace. What? He wasn’t a monster.

It was slippery and wet and not good, but Steve gave her what he hoped was a friendly enough smile as she pulled away all starry-eyed.

“Maybe see you around? When you’re done?” she asked and he swallowed thickly.

“Yeah! Ye–maybe,” he stuttered and she slipped him a piece of paper with her number on it.

“Call me,” she winked and Steve died.

“Okay, sure. Thanks,” he stumbled over his words and when she finally turned away you watched as he screwed his eyes shut, muttering under his breath.

You caught the words stupid and want to die and you almost laughed, but it fell apart in your throat as the girl walked away and left you there. Last in line and panicking as you suddenly remembered what was supposed to happen next. Why were you just as nervous as he was?

Shaking off the last kiss, Steve was ready to just be done. Only one left Robin said, but when he looked up the pained expression on his face softened.

You.

Robin’s room mate. Her best friend. Her cute best friend. The one who fought him over best friend duties. Who teased him relentlessly and gave him shit all the time. Wasn’t afraid to eat an entire pizza on her own and always ordered a chocolate shake with sprinkles at the diner. Who wasn’t afraid to call him out on things and had a mouth like a sailor. A mouth he’d wanted to kiss more and more every time he saw you, but he could never find the right time to ask or try or make a move and–

“Oh,” fell from him, quiet and surprised and your lips twisted into a little frown.

“Oh,” you said back trying to tease, but it came out sounding a lot more hurt than anything.

Steve’s brows pinched together with worry and he took a step toward you, the most he’d moved all night. “N-no, sorry. I didn’t mean it like…” he rubbed at the back of his neck, trying hard to put words to what he was trying to say, but they weren’t coming out.

“That’s okay. S’for a good cause, right?” you shrugged and forced a smile.

“Yeah. Right,” he agreed lamely as you crammed a dollar into Robin’s hand with a glare. Two weeks better be worth it.

Then turning back to Steve you took another tiny step toward him and he did the same putting you two dangerously close. Almost toe-to-toe. The scent of fresh laundry and spearmint and boy making you feel dizzy, making you feel dumb, and when you pulled your eyes off the ground to look up at him your breath caught in your throat.

Fuck he was pretty.

That pout. The twin moles on his cheek. The soft slope of his jaw. The way his hair fell messy across his forehead and into his eyes all warm honey, liquid amber, melted caramel. He was making it hard to hold your grudge and you could feel the wall you’d put up around yourself start to crumble.

“So. We just–” you didn’t finish your sentence as he looked down at you, his lips parted, waiting, anticipating.

“Yeah. Yeah, uh–” Steve’s voice was low and made your tummy twist as he shook his head a little and leaned down. Tried to do the same thing he’d been doing all night, but suddenly so damn unsure. He paused, close enough you could feel his breath as it warmed over your cheek, “Is this–is this okay?”

“Mmhm,” you murmured and you didn’t have to wonder anymore. You were nervous, just like he was was, and it scared the shit out of you.

“Okay, guess I’ll just–” he said, voice barely above a whisper as he closed the gap between you and finally, finally pressed his lips soft and sweet to yours.

And it was everything.

It was slow and curious and a little shy, but the feeling of him against you pushed you to be brave and you tilted your head. Deepened the kiss. Opened for him and he slipped a hand wide and warm and soft at the back of your neck, his fingers threading through your hair and holding you even closer.

His tongue chased along your bottom lip and you sighed into him, letting him swallow all your soft pretty sounds until you were both breathless and needing air and when he started to pull away you swore you’d give Robin every single bill in your wallet to do it again.

Steve huffed a laugh, hand still holding you gentle at your neck and you bit your lips between your teeth to fight off a grin, too caught up in each other to care about anything else until–

“Yeah, think I’m gonna need another dollar for that one,” Robin was beaming at you two like an idiot and you both fixed her with a look, all sass and attitude.

“Robin,” your voice blended with Steve’s and Robin laughed so hard she snorted.

“Oh my god, please, please make this work. Look at you two. This is ridiculous. Here, go get a drink,” and she fisted a wad of dollars from the register, counting it out and replacing it with money from her own wallet before practically shoving it at Steve.

“What–”

“No, seriously, Harrington. Leave. Get outta here. It’s eight anyway,” Robin cut Steve off and pointed at her watch. Eight on the dot. Kissing Booth closed.

“Uh,” Steve started, looking back over at you with a lopsided smile, “Wanna get a drink?”

Your heart fluttered in your chest, hummingbird wings and nerves and a feeling you hadn’t had in a long time. A tiny flicker breathed into flames when Steve pressed his lips to yours and you felt your cheeks warm again at the thought of it.

“For charity?” you teased, trying hard to will your blush away as you pulled your eyes up to meet his.

“No way,” he said, too quick and suddenly his cheeks matched yours. Pink and rosy and warm and you laughed. “No,” he tried again, smile tugging into a smug grin. Just a tiny bit King Steve, but the show of confidence made you weak in the knees, made you want to kiss him again and you grinned right back.

“Okay, but you’re driving. Robs has a hot date,” turning you winked at Robin and her jaw dropped, fighting the urge to dive over the counter and kill you.

“A hot date?” Steve’s eyes grew wide and he reached up to slap at Robin’s hands, “With Nance??”

“I’m late, gotta get this to Click, told her I’d close this up by eight so she could go home,” Robin rambled, trying to pretend like there was so much to do, but failing miserably.

“Have fun!” you teased, throwing her sing-songy tone back in her face, but she ignored you, walking off across the football field still mumbling under her breath.

You looked back to make a joke to Steve, to laugh at Robin, but the sight of him had your words dying in your throat.

"Ready?" he asked, twirling his keys on his ring finger, looking the most relaxed he’d been all night and your heart leapt, hammering against your ribcage. Deep green henley snug across his chest. Dark wash Levi’s hugging all the right places. Hair still messy in his eyes. Those eyes. One hand jammed in his pocket and dirty blue Adidas shifting on the terf, ready to get outta there. Ready to get a drink with you and dammit, Nancy was right.

He was a good kisser.

crappymixtape™ • steve harrington masterlist // stranger things masterlist

[inkymagpie]

The Book Keeper Pt 1: The Dream is Crumbling

Summary: You are the daughter of Thoth, Egyptian God of knowledge and writing. Three centuries ago you were appointed to the head of the New Alexandria library; once thought burned in a great fire it now holds all of the knowledge that was ever written by man. But when books start to go missing, and even worse are found burned beyond repair you realize something sinister is occurring.

Pairing: Morpheus x f!reader

Chapter Rating: General

Overall Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: Angst

Chapter Summary: Days went by, and then weeks and then months, Dream of the Endless did not return to the Dreaming; and you began to get more and more concerned letters from Lucienne. Her normal pristine penmanship becoming more scratchy, fear evident in her writing.

The Library of Alexandria…a pinnacle of knowledge, a testament to the wisdom that the Gods bestowed upon humans through their scholars, their muses; a bastion for all those that sought out the unknown, the lessons of both the Heavens and earth. A gift so generously given only to be squandered by human folly and greed.

Mortals can be such fickle creatures.

It is said that the Library burned to the ground over two thousand years ago; the casualty of humans and their need to conquer their need for power. Razed in a war brought on by an Emperor from a foreign land; and it was thought that the books that had burned and the knowledge that they contained was lost forever. And it was…at least to mortals.

As the fires spread and scholars wept, the Gods had predicted this and had delivered the scriptures from the mortal realm back to the kingdom of the Heavens. New Alexandria, a beckon of knowledge now reclaimed and protected by its benefactors; and its caretaker, Thoth, God of the Moon, of scriptures and writings.

For more than millennia and the better half of another Thoth watched over the Library; its corridors and sections ever growing and expanding as time went on…But then Thoth was gifted a child from his devoted wife Ma’at.

Most Gods were known to have many sons and daughters, who then in turn had sons and daughters of their own and so on and so forth, but you, you were the only daughter of Thoth…His only child.

He watched as you grew, taught you of his realm, the realms of others, of humankind; and of the ancient ever presence of the Endless. He taught you the gift that knowledge was, how it shaped both past, present and future. And he taught you the importance of protecting it, so that it might be forever preserved.

However despite his teaching you viewed the importance of knowledge somewhat differently from your father, and at times it brought about tension between the two of you.

You became a Goddess of curiosity, of inquisitiveness finding more in common with mortals than Thoth would care for you to have and you spent much of your time cavorting about on earth, partaking in human customs and curiosities. And with your inquisitiveness and witnessing of the tribulations that man faced you also became a creature of compassion.

Thoth supposed you must have gotten some of that from your mother, though you were definitely more of a handful than she. He deemed that it was high time that he appointed you to a station, and perhaps that would settle you down some.

Around the turn of the century of 1600 to 1700 he gifted you with one of the most important appointments of all: Head Librarian of the Library of New Alexandria. At first you had been disgruntled by the fact you would be spending most of your time in relative solitude, no longer able to have the freedom to galavant around in the mortal realm with such frequency. But as the first decade went by you realized how much you loved being the caretaker of the knowledge that spanned all the way to the dawn of man.

You had always loved to read, how could you not? But the books and scriptures that had always been read to you or presented for you to read had usually been about great events in history, famous ballads and sonnets; epic tales of trials and tragedy. But now as the curator you had access to every story, large and small and you found yourself more fascinated by the very human stories; like a friar that had lost his sandals in the river while washing them. Or a man in a dimly lit tavern that said that he would never die.

The day to day life of mortals was fascinating and they all were so different, no two were exactly alike and you find that to be just as interesting if not more than the rise and fall of an empire. It was just so…human.

During your first century as Librarian you got to see a great number of important visitors; some other Gods, ones that you knew since childhood. Others were fae folk and beings of various magical prowess. But the most interesting guest to grace the halls of New Alexandria was an Endless.

He had arrived with your father one morning and you had watched with great curiosity as your parent spoke in soft tones with him; your father had eventually beckoned you over and you obeyed eagerly.

You had never met an Endless, though you had read about them and of course heard tales. You observed him keenly, non too covertly which had caused your father to scold you for being rude. But the Endless had gazed upon you with a look of amusement, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. And when he spoke his voice was as warm and as rich as honey and just as soothing.

“So you are the keeper of the books.” He had asked.

“Y/n and yes I am,” you bow quickly, watching him still. “Who are you? What realm are you from?”

“I am the King of Dreams and Nightmares and as my title would suggest my realm is The Dreaming.” He replied with a subtle fondness.

“Are you here for knowledge? I have a strict return policy.” You reply puckishly.

Thoth gave you a pointed look, and tapped his quill on the lip of the parchment board in his grasp. Ah, another warning.

“I like to make sure that the books are cared for, looked after.” You corrected hoping to appease your father.

“More should follow that practice.” The Endless nodded his head sagely. “And in a way, yes I am here for knowledge.”

You cocked your head at this, curious.

“The Dreaming has a vast library of its own and I believe it would be beneficial to share that knowledge across them.” He said.

You had heard of the Library of the Dreaming, after all Gods were born in the Dreaming, originally stories themselves brought to life by humankind.

“Might I see it?” You had barely been able to contain your excitement, the idea of seeing the stories yet untold by all living things, what a treasure that would be to witness in person.

“Perhaps one day my child, when the time comes.” Thoth spoke and gave a small nod to the Dream Lord.

“A raven will be in contact with you.” The Endless continued before you had anytime to pout. “They will bring you news of the Dreamings collection as well as ferry desired literature.”

“I will allow you one of my Ibis to do the same Y/n, until your sacred animal manifests.” Your father added.

You had gazed at the ground somewhat ashamed; your sacred creature had still not come to fruition, your worship still young and growing had not yet bore you a beastial symbol.

“I will take my leave Thoth, God of the Moon and Scripts.” The Endless said before he turned to you. “Y/n”

You bristled at that, your station as a goddess was rather small this was true, but he seemed to disregard it entirely.

“And you Morpheus, Shaper of Forms, King of Dreams.” Thoth nodded.

And as the being called Morpheus began to disappear into a cloud of white gold sand his gaze landed on you again.

“I suspect Lucienne will be most interested in speaking with you.” He commented.

“Who is Lucienne?” You called out but he was already gone, sands disappearing into the ether.

You had blinked, thinking for a moment before crossing your arms with a huff.

“He seems a bit-“ your father quickly interrupted you with a look. “…lovely.” You gritted out instead; insufferable you’d rather say.

“This will be a great honor, a partnership with one of the Endless.” Your father turned to leave. “I have the utmost trust that you will face the task with diligence and logic.”

You had watched as your father left the Library, heading back out into his kingdom.

You of course were diligent about your work…but you couldn’t help but take great pause with logic…

____

The smell of weathered pages, bound in leather and pressed paper and permeates the air; a comforting, familiar scent that you had come to love since childhood. The golden light of sun cast through the stained glass windows, casting rivers of iridescent colors across the worn limestone floors of the vast library. When you were given the appointment of head librarian of New Alexandria, Ra had bestowed upon you a gift that while the Library was in your father’s domain of the Moon, a kingdom ever beneath the star sky of the cosmos, you would always have the light of sun grace the halls of your station.

You sigh happily, a thermos of hot tea with milk and sugar in your grasp; you had popped into your favorite tea shop in the mortal realm; you didn’t think your father would be too upset with just a little visit; and innocent one no less! They also made the most delightful breakfast foods there and you took another bite from the pastry you had purchased as well; whoever said the God’s dined on ambrosia had never had Welsh cakes.

You walk further into the expanse of the ever growing library, enjoying your morning treat as you wait for your tea to cool. You hear the flutter of wings and you watch as a kingfisher flies overhead chortling at you, a rolled up parchment paper in its grasp.

You had been expecting a list of possible Gods from Lucienne. While most were never more than dreams, some came to fruition and would be more than figments of imagination and become beings of history.

The kingfisher drops the scroll on your very messy (though you insisted it was organized chaos) desk and lands on a tall reedy piece of drift wood you had set up as a perch. Next to them stands a large ibis, ever watchful of the recent addition to the library.

It had been over two centuries now that the ibis your father had bestowed upon you had aided you in your task, now more of a sentinel, ever keen and observant. Your worshippers had finally bestowed upon you a sacred beast. And while not as prominent or as distinguished as perhaps your fathers ibis or Anubis’ jackal, the kingfisher was a delightful creature that many mortals associated with the freedom and curiosity you so possessed.

You trill gently to the bird and tap their beak affectionately as you come to your desk, it trills in return and ruffles their feathers. You bow to your father’s ibis who ducks their head to you and begins to walk out into the library having completed its duty of making sure you hadn’t gotten lost gallivanting across the realms.

You sit down and begin to unravel the parchment paper, the kingfisher preening themself as you start to read the list from Lucienne, ready to document everything for the Library records.

Being a relatively new Goddess yourself having only come about during the time of the printing press it was still strange to see the concept of potential additions to new and old pantheons. Mortals were always coming up with new concepts to believe in, to worship; some more prolific than others.

Not too long ago you had seen ideas for gods and goddesses of steam after the industrial revolution had spread across the globe. Now it was electricity with the invention of the light bulb (something that you heard Thor was a bit sour about).

You laugh as you read some of Lucienne’s little quips and notes in the margins of her list as you document the ideas formally to fresh pressed papers. It was something that you had both started to do; an entertaining thing to lighten the mood, that and your frequent book exchange you had started doing for the past hundred years. In fact you were almost done with the last book she sent over, perhaps you’d finish it up tonight and tell her about your thoughts in your next letter.

Shortly you come to the end of the list. It didn’t appear that any of the new potentials were manifesting yet past dreams, though you think that perhaps something might happen with the idea of electricity since mankind fancied it so.

You sort the notes and give the stack to the kingfisher to take to the record's section (which now had sprawled far beyond their initial wing of the library). As you hand the papers over, twine forms along the left edge of the papers binding them together, the date appearing at the bottom right of the first page's corner. You would set them in the proper records book later.

As the kingfisher takes off into the belly of the library, you quickly gather up the personal letter that Lucienne also included with the list. You always took great joy in reading about the happenings of the Dreaming. Gods did dream but they didn’t enter the kingdom unless invited, or so your father said. Lucienne had visited you far more times in your realm than you had ever visited her in her lords (which you could count the total on one of your hands, and on one of your fingers). And you hadn’t even seen the Dream King himself while you had attended.

You begin to read through Lucienne’s letter, smiling at the mentions of Mervyn and how he always managed to strike a nerve. You had decided long ago that you would very much like to meet him in person as he sounded like quite the character. You flip the page and continue to read.

You frown at the mention of something more sinister than usual. A rogue nightmare…while it was true that Luceinne had told you about how colorful and at times creepy the Shaper of Forms creations could be, she had always said that they remained in the Dreaming. But here she was saying that he was out in the world of men, preying upon them. You made a note to check the stories of life to see if you could find anything more about this creature and if he had affected the history of man.

You breathe a small sigh of relief when you read that the Dream Lord had left just this morning (or perhaps it was night? Hard to tell sometimes when dealing with the mortal realm) to deal with the matter. You are sure that with the quick intervention that the stories of men will not be too affected.

However you could sense some sort of apprehension in the words that Lucienne wrote. You grab a stack of fresh papers and a fountain pen and begin to write back to Lucienne, hoping to ease your friend's worries. Perhaps you would send back a book as well; a favorite of yours to give some comfort.

Surely it would all be fine…

Days went by, and then weeks and then months, Dream of the Endless did not return to the Dreaming; and you began to get more and more concerned letters from Lucienne. Her normal pristine penmanship becoming more scratchy, fear evident in her writing.

And you yourself began to fear as well…the mortal world was suffering, even the other Gods whispered of a sleeping sickness that plague mankind. Your father continued to bathe the night sky under the light of the moon, but there were no dreamers to be found in its beams.

The library was changing…the stories of mankind becoming something that you feel they never should have been. Countless books now filled with the same suffering; from the pages of a young girl that could no longer find sleep to the pages of a doctor overwhelmed and doing anything they could to find a cure… an answer.

But the thing that scared you most was the pages of those that didn’t wake up; day after day the papers remained blank. Thousands upon thousands of mortals' life stories filling with blank chapters.

Your father had told you that Destiny had a path and to not interfere; if this was the history that mankind must write then it must be written. You had been quite angry with him and whoever this Destiny was…cruelty like this was not something you could bear to see. It was then you also realized that if mankind was suffering then what horrible fate was the Lord of Dreams facing; what horrible cruelties were befalling him that the whole of humanity ailed.

This had to end…

But it didn’t and months then turned into years.

Your letters to Lucienne became so commonplace that one of the Dreaming ravens and your kingfisher had started passing by each other while delivering notes. You had begun to slack on your own duties as a curator and instead of simply documenting and protecting the vast wealth of knowledge you began to pour through it. You looked for anything you could find, hints in the life books of mortals of where the Shaper of Forms had gone. You had also started to disobey your father more and more as well…traveling to the mortal realm in the light of Ra so that your father would not see you in the path of the moon.

And then one day…

“Miss Y/n!” You hear a frantic voice, it’s oddly familiar and you rapidly look up from your research. If you hadn’t been sitting you would have fallen on your behind.

Lucienne stumbles towards you, a waning portal flickering weakly behind her as she gains her footing.

“L-Lucienne?” You are still shocked she’s here in person; she never left the Dreaming to enter your realm unannounced.

“Please Y/n, I know that I did not send word but-“ she ducks her head.

You’ve never seen her so distraught and your heart aches as you worry she might begin to cry.

Quickly you stand and rush to her side.

“What is it, Lucienne, please what’s wrong?” You beg her to tell you, placing a warm hand on her shoulder, urging her to look at you.

“The books… they are all disappearing.” She says her eyes watery as she looks up at you and you feel her hands shake as she takes your other hand in hers. “Whole sections of the library; they are gone.”

Behind her the portal flickers and dissolves into the air. She drops to her knees and you follow, easing her to the cool stone of your own library.

“I used the last of my magic to get here…to seek your aid.” She says.

“Can the books move realms?” You ask quickly.

“I believe that they can, there are millions of them though.” She replies, brow furrowing.

“Can we gather residents of the Dreaming to help us bring the books here?”

“The residents have all left, save for myself and a few others.” You stiffen; they’ve all gone?

You knew that dreams and nightmares had been abandoning the crumbling realm but you didn’t know it had become such a mass exodus.

“We’ll gather those that are left.” You turn your head and whistle to the kingfisher that is by your side in a quick beating of feathered wings. “Gather your friends from the mortal plane please, bring them here and ask them to make haste.” You whisper to them and kiss their soft head.

The kingfisher coos and with the flutter of its wings takes off.

Slowly you stand, facing where the portal Lucienne came through had disappeared; you close your eyes and focus. Plucking at the threads within the ether, pulling them taught, weaving them together until a golden path is spun before you that leads directly into the library of the Dreaming. Lucienne watches, eyes softening and tense posture easing slightly.

“Thank you Y/n.” She says looking up at you, the thankfulness clear in her deep brown eyes.

”You are my dear friend Lucienne, I would do anything for you.” You reply and hold your hand out to her. She takes it, a soft smile on her lips as she stands.

You look to the glittering pathway, you wonder briefly if your father would be displeased with this action. You are, after all, interfering with another realm, however you doubt he would want to see a millennia of knowledge decay… you decide that you’ll deal with it later.

[aettuddae]

funky — chapter 54.

➵ synopsis: aeri takes her members to a music festival to introduce them to her newly made friend, jeon minki, the front person of a popular rock band in south korea. after seeing minki, karina, aespa's leader, becomes completely starstruck with the rockstar, and decides to find a way to make them fall in love with her, even though minki is the most clueless person in the universe.

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[written chapter]

the members of funky cat club were in the studio, as they had been every day for almost a month and a half.

they were working on a new album. the band's meetings were focused on recording, composing and songwriting sprees. by that time they had only about five songs completed, which they didn't even know would make it onto the final project.

since that news, minki, the band's songwriting mainstay, had been completely disconnected. before that, they were coming up with new music almost every day.

but now they no longer had a muse to inspire them.

everyone thought their new work would have an aura of joy and celebration, with the tracks they had finished being flashes of light and the happiest days in the last year for the songwriter.

but the concept had been altered completely, and they were, once again, faced with a minki who could do nothing but write heartbreaking ballads full of despair.

—it's okay, all our albums are like that, anyway. — minghao thought to himself as he went over the words on a piece of paper the vocalist had handed him earlier.

"don't i deserve sunshine too?" read the first line.

that day had been anything but productive for the guys, like every day for the past two weeks. jeon's lyrics were distressing, it was even upsetting that they couldn't create something decent, worthy of their brilliant and sensitive mind.

rosé on her part was too busy being the support that kept minki awake, active, present. she didn't have time to make music when all her time was spent taking care of her volatile best friend.

yunjin, as the only composer left available, was doing her best to work, but the tense and heavy atmosphere that accompanied them in that studio every time they met, suffocated her and didn't let her concentrate.

so that day, it was just another session wasted sitting around the room and thinking about how to push the group's career forward.

gyuvin looked anxious. he paced around the room with a blank stare, while his bass hung from his neck, resting delicately on his hands, which were playing notes without any correlation between them. in view of the mood everyone was in, no one thought this behavior was weird.

it was then that the notification tone of the youngest's phone broke the silence that enveloped them, and he hurried to pick it up and read the message.

both guitarists were inside the recording booth. the blonde was sitting on the floor and playing chords on her acoustic guitar, while the main vocal was lying on the carpet right next to her, staring at the ceiling and humming melodies, trying to get something that would work, something catchy, good.

the girl dropped her guitar, causing the person next to her to look at her in confusion.

"we're never going to finish this album." she sighed in frustration and picked up the notes with phrases and ideas in front of her, going over them for the tenth time as if this one she was going to find something she didn't see before.

"it's no big deal, we're just a little stuck." reassured her band mate sitting up straight.

"minki, we've been blank for two weeks." reminded the girl.

"so what about that? no one ever finished a good album in a month." they shrugged and snatched some sheets from rosé's hands and started going through them as well. "it'll take a while, but you'll see we'll make a good product." they assured, speaking without a hint of emotion.

that's how minki had been talking these past few weeks, without energy or feeling, almost robotic.

"minki," their friend called softly, gaining their attentive gaze. "will you heal in time to finish this album?"

they thought about it for a moment, wanting to give an accurate answer. but how could they know when they would heal? after all, they were this hurt by a person who was in their life for only a month.

it still amazed them how no matter how many hours or days someone has been in your life, if they are special enough they will leave a big void when they are no longer in it.

the one thing they had learned from this whole situation was that the only two things no one can control are time and feelings.

"time heals all wounds and all that shit people say," they replied casually, trying to calm roseanne's concerns. "i may not recover completely, but i'll be better." they concluded. "besides, it's my job, rosie, i have to do it even if it costs me."

"i don't like that you think of music as your job." the blonde brought her knees to her chest, hugging them, then watching the singer with melancholy in her eyes.

that wasn't her minki. and she missed the minki she always had before.

"it's your passion, you were always so happy when you had to make music." she remembered sadly. "i don't like to see you like this, min."

"don't call me min." they asked and let out a bitter scoff.

"pookie bear." she corrected, causing them both to laugh at the corny nickname.

"it's just that," minki's head dropped slightly, as if they were giving up, with their eyes glued to the ground. "i feel like i don't have anything to write about anymore."

they took a big breath of air, taking in all the things that were going on inside them, and lifted their gaze, this time pinning it on their best friend's eyes.

"but hey," minki slid across the carpet, getting close enough to the main guitarist to lay their head on her knees. "it's only been two weeks, it doesn't mean i'll be empty forever." they tried to reassure their friend.

rosé brought her hand up to minki's hair, tangling her fingers in the locks that lay at the nape of their neck and subtly playing with them.

it was heart-rending to see her favorite person like that. so vulnerable, so downcast, as if they were a little kid who needed to be taken care of in a world full of dangers that are too complex for them to understand.

minki was an older sibling, a leader, a front-person. they took care of the people they loved, and always appeared indestructible, grandiose, reliable, so that the people around them would feel protected, supported. they didn't do it on purpose, they didn't need to look that way, it was just like that, that was the kind of person they were.

but now rosé found herself in the position of protector for minki, and that puzzled her, and worried her.

what was so special about this jimin girl that she would hurt minki at their core? that she could disarm them, lower all their guards, and then smash them in the places where it hurt the most?

the woman raised her arms, detaching them from her legs to wrap them around her friend. she leaned her body and rested her cheek carefully on their head. they didn't last long in such a position, as the eldest jeon sibling gently straightened up and they both were left looking into each other's eyes for a moment.

minki didn't know what the reason was, what triggered that desire. if it was the need to feel accompanied, loved, or simply protected by someone. if what they were looking for was to fill that space that had been left unoccupied inside them with someone else, or if what they wanted was someone who honestly wanted to fill it.

but even without knowing exactly why, they brought their hands to rosé's face and took it carefully between their fingertips.

it wasn't the type of care with which you hold something you don't want to break, it was the type with which you grasp something you shouldn't, that you're not sure is worth risking getting caught with it in your hands.

cautiously they moved closer to her, close enough for their noses to touch, and then they caught her lips with their own.

it was a tender kiss. it felt more like they were trying to caress each other, being aware of how easily they could break. as if they were afraid and doubtful of what they were doing, because they would never have imagined themselves in that situation.

the blonde traced her friend's back with her palm, raising it to the level of the back of their neck, where she placed it to exert some pressure and deepen the contact slightly more, to project security, confidence, courage.

she would never have imagined herself in that situation, but since she was in it, she'd at least use it to make it clear to minki that she would never let anyone hurt them again.

"guys." minghao's voice boomed through the booth.

hearing their friend, they both broke the connection abruptly, coming to their senses, regaining awareness of where they were and who they were.

minki, out of surprise, stood up quickly, with their eyes wide in panic, ready to explain everything to their band members. they turned to look at them through the glass that separated the room they were in from the common room.

the vocalist's expression fell, giving way to one of uncertainty. the void inside them was finally replaced with something, but to the misfortune of the body that carried those emotions, what finally made presence on themselves was a sharp pang in their chest. they thought for a second that their heart might burst from the pain that drowned their existence when they realized that through that glass, the person staring back at them was jimin.

in her eyes, in those orbs that were the color of the sweetest chocolates in the world, disappointment abounded, accompanied by a gleam that took the oldest no more than a glance to identify as tears that lashed out to wet her precious, delicate cheeks.

does porcelain get ruined if it gets wet?

her shoulders were slumped, unwilling to rise, demonstrating how the desire to work things out had left the blackhaired's body.

the older person found itself straining to hold in place and not rush out to hug her to quell any hint of sadness that might be tormenting her at the moment.

—she already has someone to hold her. — they remembered.

jimin furrowed her eyebrows, changing the hint of anguish on her face to one of anger. the singer hadn't noticed, but she had brought with her the hoodie they had lent her a month ago, and threw it reluctantly over the sound console. then she just left, without crossing a word with them, without explaining anything she had come to explain.

gyuvin told her that if she wasted that opportunity, she wouldn't get another one, but jimin really didn't care about losing it at that moment.

when the door closed behind the younger girl's body, minki came out of the cabin with furious and quick steps.

"why was she here?" they exclaimed, agitated.

"i told her to come." confessed gyuvin, earning the ire of his friend.

"what for?" they shouted. "what did you expect to happen?"

"she came to return your fucking hoodie." he pointed to the garment in annoyance. "and she wanted to talk so you two could sort things out and you would stop being a fucking lifeless body walking around." he added, as he walked away from the group and grabbed his jacket.

"and you couldn't let me know she was coming?" claimed minki, their voice cracking from the urge to cry that held in their throat.

"i knew you wouldn't want to talk to her, that you wouldn't be okay with her coming, so i didn't tell you anything." he explained as he put on his coat. "but i never expected this to happen." he pointed to both rosé and minki.

"of course i don't want to see her or talk to her, for god's sake, she's dating someone else!" the older one burst out in anger.

"she's not dating jaemin, dammit!" revealed the boy exhausted from the situation.

"what?" minki's attitude vanished and they could only stand there bewildered, feeling like they had done the worst possible thing.

"look, dude," he began to speak more calmly. "i have no idea what the exact context of the situation is, but you would've known by now if you would just let her talk!" he bellowed. "but now i don't think she wants to explain anything to you."

gyuvin grabbed the door handle and yanked it open.

"where are you going?" yunjin's voice was heard.

"i can't let jimin go alone." he clarified and left the place.

the remaining four members of the band stayed in the studio, standing in the places where they were almost frozen in silence.

"how do we feel about this?" spoke the keyboardist trying to break the tension. "unexpected, right?" the leader glared at her with their eyes, causing her to shrink her body and regret even opening her mouth.

"do you think you can write a song about this?" the drummer proposed.

"minghao!" the vocalist scolded him.

[laurenairay]

I’m the first in line - T. Jost

Summary: Tyson plans a picnic date, and Chloe realises exactly how much she likes his romantic side.

Words: 3.4k

Warnings: fluff, cheesiness, Tyson being adorable

A/N: it feels like it’s been a while since I’ve written for Tyson and Chloe, so here we go! This fic wasn’t even in the plan I had for them, but I feel like it’s a necessary one to show the first real changes in their relationship.

Series masterlist. (if you want to be notified, please sign up!)

Title from Take a Chance on Me, by ABBA

*

“Hey, what are you doing this Saturday?”

“Hello to you too,” Chloe mused.

Tyson’s face flushed as he walked into her apartment, kissing her cheek in greeting as he passed her, Chloe just grinning at his sheepishness. Six weeks she’d known this guy, and seeing him fluster and squirm never got old – and she doubted it would any time soon. He looked so pretty when he blushed.

“So…Saturday?” he asked hopefully, once they were standing in the kitchen.

Chloe raised a sharply-drawn eyebrow at him, dramatically humming in thought as she genuinely mentally scrolled through her calendar. The fact that he was so eager to know what her plans were intrigued her. What was he up to?

“Yeah I’m pretty sure I’m free,” she said casually, shrugging, “Why?”

Tyson just grinned, clearly unfazed by her cool tone in the slightest. “I want to take you out on a date.”

Chloe found herself smiling slightly. She could appreciate a guy who knows what he wants.

“Out on a date huh? We’ve gone out to dinner and drinks a lot in the last month and a half – what makes this so special?” she mused.

“I want to do something other than dinner and drinks,” he said simply.

Well she was definitely intrigued at this point.

“Alright, I’ll bite. What have you got in mind?” she asked, smiling slightly.

“A picnic,” he grinned.

A picnic?

Tyson just laughed at the frown on her face, holding up his hands in surrender.

“I’ve already scouted out a location, gathered all the items, planned out the food, and found a place to park the car,” he said, smiling easily.

Oh wow. He really was eager to take her out. All of that planning, just for her?

“You were that sure I’d agree, huh?” she said dryly, trying to mask how stunned she was.

“I’m pretty confident that you like me at this point, Chloe Duncan,” he teased.

“Don’t push your luck, Tyson Jost,” she shot back.

Tyson just laughed, eyes scrunching in the adorable way that they did, making those treacherous butterflies re-emerge. But still Chloe found herself smiling, shaking her head fondly at the ridiculous guy she was slowly letting into her life.

She couldn’t remember the last time that someone put in the effort like this for her. Not past casual dates, certainly not the couple of terrible boyfriends she’d had. She’d wondered from the get-go what it was about Tyson that made him so special, and it was becoming more and more clear. He was a romantic. She’d never dated a romantic, even as casual as they still were. So the fact that he went to such lengths for her, to continuously strive to win her over, it made her heart flutter like nothing else ever had before. Tyson Jost was one of a kind, that was for sure.

“Are we still ordering pizza tonight?”

Tyson’s cheerful voice broke her out of her thoughts, practically bouncing on his heels where they were still standing in the kitchen.

“As long as your trainers don’t come after me, sure,” she mused.

He just grinned. Well she wasn’t going to tattle on him.

*

Saturday came all too soon. Even though the year had reached April, it was still cool enough for a jacket outside, so when Chloe came to get herself ready ahead of Tyson picking her up for their picnic date (11am sharp, apparently), she found herself at a loss of what to wear. It was a date, right, so she didn’t want to be super casual like they were when they ate at each other’s houses, but she knew Tyson wouldn’t be dressing up fancy for a picnic. With no-one really to ask about her outfit choices, she had to guess and hope for the best, choosing a comfortable pair of black jeans, a grey and black plaid shirt, paired with a pair of black sneakers and a thick black bomber jacket rather than her typical leather jacket. Wearing her usual silver jewellery (necklaces, rings, many tiny hoops in her ears), red lipstick, and smoky eyeliner, Chloe could only hope that she’d gotten things right.

The fact that she was questioning how she looked, how she dressed, how she presented herself to the world by his side made her disgruntled enough to almost cancel the whole day, but as she opened up the message thread she had with Tyson and saw his last string of heart emojis, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Her long-fought anxieties were not going to rule her life, and she wasn’t going to waste her opportunities with the sweetest guy she’d ever met because of them. No, not a chance. He knew what she looked like, how she dressed, how she acted, and he never once made her feel like anything less than amazing.

Not that Tyson would judge her or even say anything if she didn’t match the aesthetic he was going for. That just wasn’t him, and it never would be.

Soon enough, 11am came, along with Tyson knocking at her door. The briefly-stunned look on his face as he first saw her, followed by that familiar bright smile, melted away those lingering doubts. It helped that he was wearing a pair of jeans and a plain blue shirt under his jacket, matching her level of casualness. She kissed his cheek in greeting, catching his cheeks blushing as she turned to grab her handbag and lock the front door behind her, Tyson just smiling at her as she turned back round to face him properly.

“Shall we?” he asked, holding out his hand for her to take.

What a cheesy dumbass. Still, she took his hand without complaint, smiling to herself as Tyson threaded their fingers together on the short walk to his car, trying valiantly not to blush as he kissed the back of her hand before he let her go. Literally any other guy who would try this kind of softness with her (and previous people had) would usually turn her so far off she was already out the door. But not Tyson. Why not? What was it about him that was so different?

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he started the car, “Or are you committing to the mystery of it all?”

Tyson just grinned, laughing as he pulled out into the road. “Definitely committing to the mystery.”

Of course he was.

“Any hints?” she mused.

“There will be lots of grass...”

Great.

“…Maybe some water…”

Great.

“Any definitely some fresh air,” he finished.

Oh he was the worst. “You are the least helpful person ever, Tyson Jost,” Chloe groaned, narrowing her eyes at him.

He could clearly see her out the corner of his eyes as he watched the road, because he just grinned. “Embrace the mystery! Wait and see! How often can I actually surprise you, eh?”

Well he had a point there. She knew she wasn’t going to get any more information out of him, not with how much he was enjoying this, so she settled back into the seat of his car, letting the music wash over her as he drove. She kept an eye on their surroundings, watching their journey as they went, smiling to herself as Tyson drove them slowly through downtown…and then he drove them over a bridge. She knew this bridge.

“Are we going to Harriet Island?” she asked, turning her head to look at him.

“I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep it a mystery for much longer,” he mused, “Yeah we’re having our picnic in the park on Harriet Island.”

He didn’t take long to find a space for the car near the East Gate, and Chloe was just happy that the parking lot wasn’t crammed full. At least for the moment, they would have plenty of space in the park to themselves, and she couldn’t wait. She couldn’t help but laugh as Tyson opened the trunk of his car though.

“You weren’t kidding about gathering all the items, huh?” she teased.

“I like to be prepared!” he said, laughing even as he defended himself, “All of these things are absolutely necessary for a picnic.”

Chloe just rolled her eyes fondly as he pulled out a thick blanket and a couple of cushions, tucking those under his arm, and she could see another bag along with a giant picnic basket too.

“Would you mind carrying this bag if I grab everything else?” he asked.

She felt a sharp barb on the edge of her tongue, something cutting about being forced to do manual labour, but the hopeful look in his expression made her swallow it. He really was so excited to do this picnic thing right, wasn’t he? How could she crush that?

“Yeah sure, I think I can manage that,” she said dryly, the small smile on her lips letting him know that she was teasing.

Tyson just beamed at her, passing her the tote bag – which only contained napkins and cutlery, bless his heart – and pulled out the hamper before he shut the trunk behind it all. With a quick click to lock the car, he was ready – and so was she. Chloe didn’t know how far Tyson had decided on their location, if he had an ideal spot or not, but she knew he couldn’t have taken anyone else here yet. That thought alone made her soften her hesitant edges just that little bit further. This was so romantic, the two of them strolling slowly through the park, only a few groups of people dotted about, allowing her the time to ease into the unfamiliar situation. While they weren’t holding hands, they were still walking side by side, close enough that it was intimate without being so ridiculous that they were tripping over each other, Tyson just smiling at her all the way. It was…sweet. She should’ve expected that from him, really.

Eventually they reached a secluded grassy space with a decent view of the river that Tyson apparently deemed suitable, far enough from the water’s edge that she knew they shouldn’t be particularly disturbed. It was kind of perfect, if she was being honest. Had he scouted this out too?

“Voila!”

Chloe found herself smiling as the scene in front of her; Tyson had laid out the blanket into a traditional square and had placed the two cushions in the middle for them to sit on. In the top of the open picnic basket was a cup holder with two glasses in, and she could see a few Tupperware boxes in there too. He’d made things from scratch? Not just store bought?

“Jeez, Tyson, you’ve gone all out,” she said, huffing out a laugh.

“Oh it’s nothing much,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I just made a salad with feta, walnuts and strawberries in, then a pasta with chicken, spinach and tomatoes, and I bought these amazing key lime pie cookies from a bakery downtown. Also bought the chips and salsa. Oh, and I found this sparkling lemon water which the bakery girl recommended. Just stuff I know you like, that’s all.”

Holy shit. He’d gone above and beyond anything she could’ve expected. He’d remembered all the little things she liked? And created dishes for them without even thinking it was anything special?

“You’re incredible,” she said earnestly, eyes locked with his, “This is amazing.”

“Yeah?” he said, cheeks flushing as he finally looked pleased with himself.

“Yeah Tys, I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. I can’t wait to try all of it,” she nodded, smiling at him.

Never had she freely given so many genuine smiles to anyone either. Another tick on the list for all the reasons Tyson Jost was shaking up her world.

The two of them sat down, Tyson passing her the cutlery from the bag she’d been carrying before pulling out the boxes of food. Somehow, as he had done ever since she met him, he eased the two of them into easy conversation, each taking turns to talk about the last few days since they saw each other, including the cutest dog that Tyson saw outside the bakery that morning, all the while slowly eating the delicious food that Tyson prepared. Sure, he admitted that he’d rung his mom for recipe ideas and sure, he’d sped over to a teammate’s house to borrow a picnic basket this morning (which she knew he was absolutely going to get teased for), but it all just added to how much she liked him. Because she really, truly did. And yes, that thought scared her a little, knowing that he was easing his way into her heart bit by bit, but he was so genuine, and sweet, and thoughtful, and funny, and he didn’t even look disgusted when she spat out a little sparkling lemon water at a particularly funny story he told – he just handed her a napkin and carried on.

He’d even thought about what to do with the dirty cutlery, napkins, and Tupperware boxes – the tote bag. Why was it that little thought, about not leaving trash behind in this beautiful setting, that had her head whirling?

Putting all the effort into planning a date was one thing, but actually pulling it off like he had? No-one had ever gone to this level for her, not ever. Why Tyson? Why now? Why her?

“Looks like you’re thinking up a storm over there.”

Tyson’s soft words drew her out of her thoughts, and she tried smiling at him to reassure him, but by the frown on his face she knew she failed. Time to own up.

“I just…don’t know if I deserve this?” she said hesitantly.

Tyson’s lips parted in surprise, before his face slipped into a scowl. “Did someone make you think you don’t deserve to be treated nicely?”

Holy shit, way to hit the nail on the head.

But that wasn’t something she was ready to talk about. Not with him. Not right now, after this amazing date he’d poured his heart into.

“Something like that,” Chloe sighed.

His scowl softened into a sad smile, making her wince, to which he frowned slightly. “You deserve the world, Chloe. Anyone who’s ever told you otherwise can sit on a cactus.”

She choked out a laugh at the vivid imagery, making Tyson’s frown shift into a smile.

“You’re too sweet for me,” she said softly.

“I’m exactly the right kind of sweet for you,” he shot back, undeterred, “I know there’s still so much about you that I don’t know, but I really want to. If you’ll let me, I want to get to know you, Chloe Duncan, inside and out, all the good and the bad.”

She inhaled sharply at his words, breath hitching in her throat, the intensity in his eyes making her lips part and her own eyes sting with tears.

“Really? Even though I’m mean and cold and shut people out at the drop of a hat?”

“Really really,” Tyson said, smiling, “You’re one of a kind, Chlo, and I’ll be damned if I let someone so special slip out of my life.”

This was the guy that she was falling for. The gentle kind-hearted sweetheart who put everyone else before himself. The passionate athlete who loved what he did with his whole heart. The gentleman who only ever kissed her cheek and rested his hand on her waist because he knew she wasn’t ready. The adorable guy who blushed at her sharp comments but didn’t run away. This guy, Tyson Jost – and he wanted her in a way that no-one ever had before.

“Tyson, I…”

Chloe hesitated, cutting herself off as she was lost for words. For so long she’d hesitated with him, held herself back, just because he was so different than anything she’d ever known – but wasn’t that a good thing? Someone who pushed past her barriers, turned her world upside down? Tyson had done all of that, was continuously doing all of that, and more. He was…different, in all the good ways she’d tried to ignore how much she wanted.

Tyson’s smile dimmed slightly at her hesitance, just enough to send a pang through her chest, just enough to let her instincts overtake her mind for once.

Enough for her to lean over and press her lips to his.

Tyson made a soft sound of surprise, making her freeze slightly, before he softly kissed her back. Wow. As she melted into his embrace, clutching at his shirt with one hand while her other propped up her body weight, his free hand coming up to cup her face, she found herself sinking into the feeling of his lips against hers. Even though she had initiated the kiss, Tyson easily took over, kissing her slowly, sweetly, softly, over and over again until all she could think of was him. Never had a kiss made her feel this way; certainly not one as sweet and innocent at this.

Chloe inhaled sharply as his tongue brushed her bottom lip, Tyson just smiling against her mouth, so much so that he broke the kiss. She found herself making a soft noise of disappointment – why did he have to stop? – and Tyson just laughed softly, as if he couldn’t believe what just happened.

“You’re amazing,” he murmured.

She felt the heat rising on her cheeks, knowing her usually pale skin would be so red at his simple words, and just shook her head.

“I’m sorry I took so long,” she murmured.

Because everything had been at her pace. Always her, never him, and she could never thank him enough for that.

“It was so worth the wait,” he grinned.

She batted at his chest, making him laugh, and found herself laughing as she moved to sit back properly, still marvelling at the way her lips tingled with the phantom press of his. As she settled back comfortably, picking at a stray strawberry, Tyson turned to face her, a hopeful look on his face. What did he want now? How could he possibly top this?

“I know we’ve only known each six weeks, and I know this was first time we’ve kissed, but I gotta say…I’m all in, Chloe. This, you and me, it’s all I want. And yeah I’m aware that I’m rambling now and I’ve shared a lot of feelings which give you hives, but I don’t want to be in this limbo of not knowing where we stand. I want something serious with you, Chlo. I don’t want anyone else to sweep you off your feet.”

“I haven’t been seeing anyone else,” she blurted.

Tyson let out a relieved laugh, making her blush slightly even as he smiled. “I haven’t either. I haven’t even looked at anyone else because you’re all I think about. You’re all I want to think about, you know? You’re it for me.”

“Fucking hell, Tyson,” she said incredulously, her cursing mixed with a gasp.

“Too much?” he winced.

I’m all in.

I want something serious.

You’re all I think about.

You’re it for me.

How could she not let him past one of her many barriers when he said all the things she’d been so desperate to hear, all from his golden heart?

Chloe huffed out a shaky breath, but shook her head, Tyson’s happy smile letting her know she’d done the right thing in letting him in, as much as it scared her.

“I gotta know, Chlo, will you be my girlfriend?”

His sweet words, paired with his earnest eyes, made her heart beat that little bit faster, and she found herself smiling even as she cursed herself for the tears stinging her eyes.

“Yeah, I’d love to, Tys,” she murmured back.

Tyson immediately whooped, dramatically punching a fist in the air, making her burst into laughter even as she batted at his chest. But he didn’t care. He looked like he literally didn’t have a care in the world as he turned that incredible smile back to her, and she couldn’t stop the smile that she sent back.

“We’re going to be amazing, you’ll see,” Tyson said happily.

“I’ll hold you to that,” she laughed.

She could only hope.

*

Taglist: @starshine-hockey-girl​ @youngbeezer​ @fiveholegoal @senditcolton​ @fallinallincurls​ @typical-simplelove​

[the-bar-sinister]

The Mechanics of Emotion (17440 words) by thesavagesabretooth

catch up here

Simon had spent the past year living like it was going to be his last year on earth– because it was. But now he is still alive, and there are questions unasked that demand answers. Just what is his relationship with the detective going to be going forward? And what complications of his own does Bobby Fulbright have up his sleeve?

Not to mention that there are two more members of the Phantom Organization who've been captured that Simon now needs to prosecute, and Athena must defend. Love and chaos in LA. In justice we trust– but who understands the mechanics of emotion?

-

December 27, 10:35 am

Simon and Athena had been poking around the so-called "Blackquill Manor" for the last half an hour.

The house was a bit of a mess– mostly from the various unused rooms having accumulated dust and cobwebs, save for the staple rooms of the ‘kitchen, living room, and bedroom’...as well as a room it seemed Aura set up as a home lab, complete with various robotics half completed on a worktable that looked like it’d seen it’s fair share of experiments pass it’s surface.

Athena had had a sneezing fit when she tried entering one of the bedrooms. Simon’s parents bedroom…and gotten a noseful of dust and negligence. She’d been surprised when Simon’s old room had been neat as a pin, and even MORE surprised when Aura’s room wasn’t a mad scientist’s rats nest, and more… elegantly comfortable.

It was clear that while it would make a pretty good living space for Simon– it’d be a bit of an ordeal to get it as clean as it should be.

“I guess she tended to get so wrapped up in her work that she kept forgetting to come home, or ah…to dust the rooms she didn’t think about.” 

"Yes, it seems you were right to be dubious about my father's bed," Simon drawled as they made their way back to the living room.

“Yeahhhhh.” Athena grimaced as she sagged. “Don’t even wanna think about how many spiders may be in that thing.” 

"Disgusting. The worst of it is that Aura will likely get cross with me if I decide to clean it up."

“You really think so?” Athena’s eyes widened. “Huh…I mean…yeah actually knowing Aura you’re probably not wrong about that. She’d either laugh at it triggering my allergies if I helped, or get pissed with you messing with it…”

She tugged at her hair. “but your room’s really clean, at least.” 

"So I noticed." Simon crossed his arms, and glanced away. "My sister has clearly been taking care of it in my absence."

“She was hoping that she could save you before your execution.” Athena mused, thinking back over Aura’s furious defiance of fate. The desperation that led her to force a retrial no matter who may get hurt.

She couldn’t say she wouldn’t have gone that far herself if she’d somehow failed to become a lawyer in time. 

"Well, I suppose she got her wish– devil's bargain that it was. I hope she's enjoying the fruits of her labor." Simon's smile twitched, and Athena could feel his apprehension. It was clear that the thoughts of his sister were difficult for him.

Athena reached out to put her hand on his arm. 

“I don’t know…I.. I can’t bring myself to visit just yet. But Simon, if you’re not ready to talk about her, or if there’s something you’re worried about..” 

He leaned a little into her touch, and sighed. "There's plenty that I'm worried about, I'm afraid, Athena. We both know it wouldn't do any good for me to try to hide that from you. I visited her this morning and I… said very little about the last week."

Athena felt a ping of nerves as she murmured “...Halblicht?” 

She could imagine Aura’s reaction upon finding out, not only that the man who killed Athena’s mother was still alive, but was in some sort of ambiguous relationship with her brother…and that Simon had been lying about him for days.

It wasn’t only that– Athena had no idea if Aura even forgave her.

No, every detail of the past week was a time bomb waiting to go off in Aura Blackquill’s already tumultuous and volatile heart. 

"Halblicht," Simon agreed with a leaden tone. "I can't imagine explaining it to her. Saying it to her face."

Simon's anxiety and sadness warred together in an emotion she didn't often feel from Simon– shame.

Athena’s own emotions were complicated– unsure and nervous about her own future, but she knew one thing.

“You don’t have to feel ashamed , Simon. ” She squeezed his arm. “I don’t know if she’ll understand. Probably not right away. But you don’t have to feel ashamed of your feelings about him. Aura…I care about her too…but her wounds of the heart aren’t healed and it means she’s prone to lashing out. That’s not a reflection on your feelings.” 

Simon put his hand on her arm, and she could feel the tension running through him. "Whatever you say, and however right or wrong you may be– I still feel that shame. I don't know what might be able to abate it. But I will bear it for now, because well– "

Athena felt the pulse of joy from Simon's heart that could only be one thing. Love.

“Because you love him, Simon…” Athena gave him an outward smile. “I can tell.” 

Her internal emotions had dulled to the low and quiet hum she was well used to, the bare flickers of personal anxiety and joy for Simon, and something unfamiliar and flickering

It’s no surprise he loves them. They’re charming, fascinating, kind even after everything, and provided comfort and affection during the worst time in Simon’s life. Even with the heartbreak and confusion, love bloomed easy enough. She quashed her anxieties, her selfish worries of ‘will I still fit’ in favor of nursing the quiet hum of joy to the surface and her smile.

“We’ll figure out what to do about Aura. I– I’ll do what I can.” 

"Thank you, Athnea, I ah…" he trailed off and squeezed her hand. "I feel somewhat unworthy of your endless kindness."

Athena’s smile didn’t leave as she squeezed his hand tightly. 

“Simon, come on. You know you’re not unworthy. You’ve got seven years of missed kindness to catch back up on, right?” She looked up at him “and I care about you, you know? I really do want you to be happy. No matter what.” 

"I appreciate that, Athena. I–" he glanced away, though his hand didn't leave hers. "Why don't we find out if my sister has any bloody coffee in the kitchen, shall we? Instead of standing around in the living room like a pair of awkward lumps."

Athena squeezed his hand and started to drag him towards the kitchen. “Alright, alright…but if she doesn’t, I’ll buy us coffee on Mr. Wright’s dime as SOON as we leave, yeah?” 

"Please do," he scowled, following her toward his old family kitchen. "But, it's not about the coffee in this case. It's about…"

His anxiety flashed bright in her mind.

Athena twitched, a physical reaction to a strong emotion that reverberated through her as she pushed the kitchen door open and stepped inside.

“...” she let him continue.

"About us, Athena. If you'd hear me out. Finish the conversation we were having in the car."

He didn't look at her, instead glancing around at the kitchen that must once have been familiar to him.

Athena took a deep, shaky breath , before she flashed her biggest smile. 

“I’m ready to get back to that, yeah. I’ll hear you out. Do you need me to help you look around, or…or should I have a seat?” 

"Why don't you help me if you don't mind? It's not as if I know my way around the kitchen any more,"

The kitchen was pin-neat, but absolutely filled with gadgets of all sorts…many of which looked like they’d never been used. Some kind of modified mixer sat quietly beside a spice cabinet fitted with a gauge displaying a temperature reading and some interface on one end of the countertop…and an absolutely ornate kitchen scale still bearing traces of flour from the last time it’d been used.

Athena wandered, trying to open the spice cabinet first before it beeped at her and she startled back .“Hah!?” 

Immediately, Simon was there behind her to steady her before she could fall over. "Careful there. Or you're going to make a nasty mess on my sister's kitchen floor."

Athena’s heart beat quickly as she leaned back against him “but it yelled at me, Simon!”

She couldn’t help the indignant whine in her voice.

"And? I yell at you all the time!" He huffed, but she felt his amusement and could tell that behind her he was grinning that sly grin of his. He righted her on her feet and then released her. "Another funny surprise from my sister it seems."

Athena huffed. “I’m going to shake her when she’s out of prison. Shake her VERY MUCH for this.”

She had turned pink, and was brushing herself off when she looked up at it again. “Looks like you have to select what kind of spices you want…and it must unlock them? Is this thing temperature and air controlled?” 

Simon observed the strange and elaborate cabinet configuration. "It would seem so. A nefarious barrier between ourselves and our goal."

“She really is kind of a cad, isn’t she?” Athena huffed. “At least it’s only a button press away.”

She reached up and cycled before she found something reading ‘coffees and tea’ and hit the green enter button.

Off to her left, one of the cabinet lights flicked green and clicked open with a hiss of air pressure. 

Simon bustled over toward the lighted cabinets. "Ah, here we are, I suppose? And one of these gadgets ought to make coffee. Shame she doesn't have something simpler."

“I think she thinks it’s organized in her own mind! And it’s probably alright for keeping food fresh for longer, too…” She shook her head. “You’re a samurai with a sister who’s a technology obsessed sci-fi antagonist.” 

"How miserably anime," he drawled. He got down the coffee, and went hunting for something resembling a coffee maker.

“You say that as if you hate anime, Simon.” Athena smiled at him as she trotted on his heels. “...and I know for a fact you’re kind of a huge nerd for it. I still gotta get you and Halblicht to sit down with me for …for..ah..”

She trailed off “Macross, Love across the universe…”

Next to the mixer there was a glass pitcher and some kind of gadget sat on top of it, perhaps her own take on an automatic coffee machine– with a twist. It didn’t look like it was going to explode if they used it.

Simon snorted as he looked over the gadgets poking at them with thinly veiled disdain. 

"Get me some water, Athena," he harumphed. "I think this is the right machine. As for anime, I prefer live action dramas. But I'll admit I was intrigued by the one you were trying to show us."

He measured out coffee grounds, putting them in the filter and giving it a dubious look as he put it into place.

Athena was all but stopped as she went to go grab the water, when she noticed a switch on the machine. “Simon, it looks like it’s connected to the sink system.”

She leaned over and pushed the switch down.

A small arm popped up a moment later, and began to swirl around the pot at a slow and steady interval as hot water poured from somewhere below the machine and into the grounds.

It was some sort of automatic pour over machine.

“You were intrigued though, huh? It’s one of my favorites, you know.” 

Simon stared at the machine in disbelief and betrayal. He shook his head and focused on Athena instead.

"One of your favorites, hmm? Well, I'll have to tolerate sitting through it for certain then."

Athena laughed, leaning on the counter as the machine went about its work .

“Geeze Simon, you must be a riot at parties. But if you’ll deign to sit through it…I think you’ll have fun."

Simon smirked and tapped his temple. "I wouldn't know, I haven't been to a party in a long time."

He watched as the machine squirted steaming coffee into a pair of mugs.

“We’ll have to hold one for you special then.” Athena walked over and dropped herself into one of the chairs. 

Simon picked up the full mugs, and plopped gracelessly down into the chair right next to her. He handed her a cup of coffee.

"Are you trying to torment me, then?"

Athena grabbed the coffee with an impish wink. “Maybe a little bit. I’m allowed to have my fun after you kept me busy for 7 years trying to save your butt.” 

"I suppose I can concede that– but I won't let you harass me uncontested. Consider yourself warned." He smirked over his coffee and took a long sip. "Hmm. Adequate."

“I’ve been warned , Mr. Blackquill.’ Athena took a sip of it as well. It, honestly was pretty good, but– she supposed Simon must have had some rigid standards when it came to coffee. “It’s pretty good?” 

"It's acceptable. A bitter brew to accompany a bitter conversation, I suppose." He took another sip and looked over at her. "Would you like to start, or shall I?"

“Bitter conversation…” Athena’s smile faltered. “You should start, Simon. I’m likely to get tripped up trying to manage emotions and …and get nowhere fast.” 

"Alright then, so be it." He took a deep breath, and turned toward her more fully, coffee in his hands. "Athena– for seven long years I lived among scoundrels and the condemned, as a man likewise condemned. As a scoundrel. Such was my company. The dregs of society. The ruffians and outcasts. Such things leave their mark– and I was not so noble a man to begin with."

His dark eyes stayed trained on her, watching her. His torrid emotions had become almost placid– not quiet, but harmonious. Inscrutable.

Athena nodded slowly. “...it’s only natural it’d leave a mark, Simon.”

She folded her hands around the coffee mug to stare him down. “Even if you didn’t commit the crime, socially speaking you were as much a criminal as the rest…”

"So I was. And so I am. I have known many kinds of scoundrels these last seven years. Walked among them. Learned their ways. Been changed by them. I strive to be a good man, Athena, but I am a ruffian."

Athena’s brow furrowed slightly as she listened. It was true, of course, he’d been learning from ‘scoundrels and ruffians’ as he put it for 7 years. Made friends with them, including some who’d stepped back into the people around her’s lives as their sentences abated…

It was only natural that it’d change him from the man she’d known growing up, into the man she faced in court….but… “...can I ask you something, Simon?” 

"You may," he said evenly. "Though I have more to say."

He gestured for her to speak.

“No…” Athena held her hand up. “Go on. This can wait till I hear the rest.”

Are you trying to convince me that you’re somehow not ‘noble’ enough for me?

He took a breath. "Very well. Athena– you deserve a good man. You deserve a prince who will ride into the sunset with you on a white horse. You deserve a man who will devote his whole heart to you, and to no one else. But I am not that man. I am a ruffian. And I know the ways of ruffians."

I knew it. Her shoulders sagged, just the slightest as he continued and her eyes flicked down towards the table.  He’s trying to convince me he’s not good enough. That I’m looking for…deserve…a prince to come riding to my rescue like we joked about that night. But I’m not like most people. My heart can’t…won’t…feel the same things they do in the same ways…and I don’t care if the rules of society say a pure and devoted prince is what I should somehow want. He’d changed since the UR-1 Incident…but did I ever make him think it was a bad thing outside his imprisonment? Between that…Europe’s scene…and the Wunder Bar and the Wright Anything Agency…why would I ever judge him for any of that?

His dark gaze swept over her as he spoke. 

"I don't know if you want a ruffian, when you could have a prince. And I don't know what the hell my dear detective twins want. But if you want a ruffian, Athena, and if they're… amenable to such a thing… we could perhaps come to a rough arrangement. The three– four of us. It's no noble romance that you deserve. But that's all I have to offer you."

Athena startled as he continued, her mouth open to object before he’d continued. Her gaze softened, and she turned a surprised pink. 

“....I don’t think I deserve a noble romance, Simon.” she said in a quiet and even voice, omitting any of her usual projection. She rubbed her arm, and gave him a small but genuine smile.

“And not because of self esteem. I was the one who came on the white horse, but I’m not a prince. I’m unusual– I’m difficult to understand, and I see things in ways most people don’t. I’m not …I’m not looking for a prince , or a noble romance. I’m looking for someone who cares about me, and I care for them back.” She turned a slight pink despite her subdued emotional state. “....and I did find that cramped bed in Cauli strangely comfortable.” 

He lifted his chin, looking her over, and he reached out his free hand and touched her arm. "You said as much in the car. I wasn't sure if I was reading too much into your intentions when you said it, but– it's why I felt like I could say what I just did."

Athena’s eyes hesitantly met with his, and she placed her hand against his fingers with a quiet smile. 

“I’m glad you could say it…and I mean it when I say I’m willing to try it, Simon. Coming to some kind of ‘rough arrangement’ if they’re amenable, I mean. I can’t promise I’ll be smooth or that I won’t falter here and there, I’m still learning a lot about how to process these sorts of feelings , but…” 

Simon's fingers curled around her arm gently as she put her hand on his. "I don't think that I'm far ahead of you, admittedly."

She nodded, and leaned over the table. “We’re both learning, Mr. Halblicht is sure to be too– it’s likely to be messy, but I’m willing to try. You know my feelings for you, and I can assure you that..that I want this, if we’re all amenable to it.” 

"The heart wants what the heart wants, I suppose," he said, looking off into the distance. He slipped his arm around her. "This is going to be messy, Athena, if it goes forward. We're likely going to hurt each other in unexpected ways. But I suppose I'm a selfish man in my way."

Athena leaned into his arm and nodded slowly.

“The heart wants what the heart wants. And I’m– I’m a little selfish myself. I don’t want to give up those moments of joy I started to find in Cauli, with you or with them.” She smiled wanly. “I’ll wade through any mess, or hurt, if it means a future where we can be a part of each other's lives. If we’re all amenable...” 

"I'm supposed to meet up with Halblicht in a couple of hours or so," Simon murmured thoughtfully. "I suppose it will be a good idea to get the conversation out of the way."

Athena took a deep breath, and looped both her arms around him in a sudden gesture, leaning under his arm with a small smile 

“It’s probably for the best. Like ripping a bandaid off. Can’t know how to move forward if we’re still in limbo, right?” 

"No. And I've been in limbo for too long, Athena. Seven years too long. Do forgive me if it means that I rush forward."

Athena leaned up and kissed his cheek “I think we’ve all spent too long in limbo, Simon. I’m…I’m not exactly keen on waiting around cautiously either. So I’d say you’re more than forgiven already!” 

"Thank you, Athena. And I'm sorry too, for all the ways in the future that I will surely hurt you, and let you down. I'm a humble man– I know it will happen."

Athena chuckled softly. 

“It might. But life isn’t a fairy tale or a noble stage play. All that’s just part of life.” She poked his chest. “I’m sure to let you down , or even hurt you, sometimes too.”

Simon laughed incredulously. "I'm almost looking forward to it. A relationship, perhaps, is like a struggle in the courtroom. But– let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have to take our case to Bobby and Robert."

Athena winked at him. 

“We know a lot about struggling in the courtroom, Mr. Blackquill.” She rubbed her chin thoughtfully “...if we gotta take our case to them…should we prepare evidence?” 

Simon gave her a dubious look and raised an eyebrow. "I'm curious just what you'll suggest we prepare."

“Well…if the things I’ve gleaned from the sorts of shows and comics Mr. Wright owns are true– a powerpoint or slideshow is traditional.” 

Simon stared at her with increasing dumbfounded condescension. "Go on."

Athena shrunk down in her chair, and finally drank a sip of her cooling coffee. 

“you…put…together a slideshow…of…uhm..” she murmured “pictures and pros and cons…” She took a longer sip of the coffee with a flush “OH! M ixtapes! Mixtapes are even more traditional! Mr. Wright even endorsed that one!” 

"A mix tape. A slide-show. And what, pray tell Cykes-dono, do you suggest we include here? Go on. Give me an example of what the content of this would be."

Athena gave him an awkward smile, shrugging her shoulders with a grin “A song that makes you think of the three of us? To uh…really sell it as a polypossibility?” 

Simon put his hand to his face, and dragged it down his cheek, staring at her in utter horror. "... yes I think Bobby would love that."

[tewwor-moving]

* & NEW MUSE LIST .

soothsayer 'saraj cai' .

Part of The Marked ( lore here ). Mother of this local sect, does dote on pretty much all of The Marked but in her own semi-strict way, has prosthetic eyes, it’s ok to accidentally make a pun or two around her — she does it too ( no, the irony of of her saying ‘i see’ or being titled as an overseer isn’t lost on her ), prefers to use a cane, has her way on keeping tabs on everyone

ricochet 'ryaan iyer' .

All he knows is to fight, break, defeat. Never give up. Never back down. Sink his teeth in and never let go. Return the pain and rage threefold even if it tears him apart in the process. Part of The Marked ( lore here ) and certified trainer and hard ass. Doesn't allow himself time to chill out until he remembers his past fully. Reliable to get any job done ( or he'll die trying ), but keeps everyone at an arm's length.

hal murray .

The half that lies in a buddy detective duo. Aka the recently divorced single parent but not a good (conventional) role model and channels that angst / anger into his job detective. Certified hot mess that tries so desperately to come across as put together ( he rarely does ). Kid's name is Jenathan.

yoo serim .

The half that tells the truth in a buddy detective duo. Aka the comedic relief that's found a way to work smarter and no harder. Constantly eating something different in every interaction. Hal's kid thinks he's cooler / asks for advice from him instead. Has a habit to gently neg people when he's super bored.

min hyeonwoo .

self made angel ( unknowingly a parasitic divine being ) — religious trauma meets desperation solely to survive. they broke the wings clean, tore the halo free knowing there’s no turning back. ever. the transformation consumed them. melted just about everything before it all snapped back. but wrong. they came back wrong, but holy. sort of.

a ring of sacred light collars the throat, brandishing forever reddened skin. what juts from the back is just as mangled as whom they robbed. nothing but twisted bone, sinew, and ruined feathers. it hurts to be alive, but that’s okay. there’s power at their fingertips now, burning and raw. just enough for them to press on borrowed time before the inevitable happens and they’re found by the celestials akin to whom they consumed.

except it’s beginning to dawn on them that perhaps they’ve got it all wrong. that maybe the being previously absorbed wasn’t of the same divine ilk, because there sits a hunger foreign to them. only felt towards those pure and holy. do they feast to obtain their power or to become them?

burning both sides of a cigarette. are they the devil or angel on your shoulder?

liáng wěi .

investigator / informant for hire. can and will handle himself in tight situations by being extremely resourceful, but isn’t for killing. the aftermath’s too much of a hassle and he’s not made of money. cleaners are expensive as shit. passionate about cooking / ceramics but isn’t…… that great at them. makes the ugliest and most wrangled looking cups ever, but still fires them and uses them in his dinky office.

jaime bashar-suarez .

bodyguard for hire / close (one-sided) friends with jie. usually gets tips on anyone in need of continuous protection from jie's vigilante stunts. takes after the phrased ‘borrowed time’. as in, he has time manipulation but can only apply stolen time to the present to prolong the near future. can’t go back in time to alter things. can’t go back in time or in the future period. just stays in the present and select a timeframe he wants to extend for whatever reason. extremely taxing on the body so he can’t even enjoy the extension without wanting to keel over. and the people he ‘borrows’ time from? yeah, they get kind of minorly fucked over because of it. gaps in their memory, changes in their body and mind — all depending on how much time is taken.

kubo jiro .

in the wrong place at the wrong time and was accused for killing a peer in his teenage years. case fell through thanks to his father’s influence, but he also got disowned immediately. enlisted in the military after graduation, bffs with a dude in the same unit, got medically discharged after being shot in the gut a few times. tried to get back into society but can't, got himself roped into some crime syndicate because there’s order that he’s familiar with. genuinely cares for people and tries to help even if he needs to do the same 4 himself. plagued with ptsd still 🙁

seo yujin .

growing up at home had always been suffocating for yujin and her sister, so they split once they were able. both were strong, fiery spirits in different ways (fire vs. ice) and things were good for a while. unfortunately, her sister passed away in her late twenties. while everyone within the family was struck with grief, her father coped with it differently. the thing about her father is that he's a scientist hired to take on the concept of androids becoming reality. definitely the mad scientist sort. so her sister was remade as a replicant to fit his image of her. less rebellious, more sweet, lacking that spark that truly made her sister so unique. while horrified by her father's actions, it's undeniable that some of that grief ached less. it's like she's still here, but not.. exactly. So while yujin tried to sort out how she truly felt about it, she threw herself into knowing everything about repairing androids as a whole. except it's starting to wear on her in more recent days. 

[defiedlife]

tarot headcanon prompts @duelmarks asked: the elk // for aventurine

the elk: elk provide underlying support and stability amidst life’s many changes…who was there to act as your muse’s elk?

There's several people that come to mind here—in chronological order, his older sister, Jade and Diamond, Topaz, Ratio, and Acheron.

His older sister was his rock in his earliest days; the only family he had left once they both lost their mother. Though she wasn't the best role model for him, she still at least tried. She cared for him and encouraged him to stay alive, and imo his promise to her was the entire reason he began trying to protect himself. (Although pinning the hopes and survival of an entire clan on a little kid who can't be older than around ten years old, just because he's naturally lucky? Yeah, that totally didn't lead to trauma and intensify his survivor's guilt at all—but I digress. Their shared circumstances were horrendous, and he doesn't blame her. Anyone in their situation would've clung to the faintest glimmer of hope no matter the source, and he understands that.)

Jade and Diamond were collectively the pair who allowed him to join the Strategic Investment Department and become a Stoneheart. I've talked about it to some extent in this post already, and I want to save one aspect of their support for him for its own post, but suffice to say that they are a large part of the reason he was even alive to join the IPC in any capacity, much less the one department that would accept him regardless of his past. Since then, Jade in particular has trained him and mentored him to ensure that he can do his job well, and he'll always be grateful to her for that.

Much more recently, and in relatively quick succession, we have Topaz (and Jade again), Ratio, and Acheron.

The way things all played out, I don't think there was a single person who knew the entirety of Aventurine's plan—not even Aventurine himself. Half of the whole thing was meticulously planned based on information available to the IPC and Intelligensia Guild prior to his arrival to The Reverie, and the other half was a series of reckless gambles made based on a combination of "what-ifs," probabilities, psychoanalysis done on the fly, improvisation, and pure luck.

Before he ever left, he knew four things for certain—The Family would be difficult to deal with, the mission would be so risky that he'd need backup, security would be tight due to the festival, and The Family almost certainly wouldn't let him waltz in past security while retaining his cornerstone. Thus, he turned to Topaz and Jade for backup, his two most trusted among the Stonehearts, and put in a request to directly team up with the member of the Guild whom had also received an invitation—Dr. Ratio. The Guild are heavily affiliated with and funded by the IPC, yet still just enough of a separate entity that someone from it (especially someone with Ratio's personality) wouldn't be seen as a guaranteed, unwavering ally to the IPC from the outside looking in. This laid the groundwork for a "betrayal" if necessary, while also giving Aventurine an ally who could keep up with his 4D chess maneuvers.

And so he smashed his cornerstone to hide it, giving a piece to Topaz so that she could monitor his status from the waking world. The way the cornerstones work, this was a gesture that also indicated he could die, and as such, it was an immense show of trust right before his possible end. Having her support, knowing that she was ready to step in alongside Jade if or when it came to that, was key to him proceeding with his plan and taking all the real risks himself, as per usual.

Then there's Acheron, the "unsought guest" that he zeroed in on the second that he realized there was something off about her; something more to her than even the typical Pathstrider or Galaxy Ranger. From that moment on, she was the final necessary chess piece that fate dropped into his lap to give him a chance at victory, and so he pushed and pushed to trigger a confrontation with stakes high enough that he could force her to draw her blade against him. What he didn't expect was that she would understand his plan almost completely, no explanation required, and actually be willing to help him without being directly asked. More than that, she spent time with him in a philosophical heart-to-heart conversation, encouraging him to live and reminding him of Ratio's "medical advice."

Notwithstanding any unknown off-screen conversations, Acheron and Ratio are the first two people to tell him to live and keep moving forward purely because they want to see him do so for himself—no other rationale, no other motive; just pure encouragement and a desire to help him stay alive.

In the case of Acheron, the two barely know each other, yet share the bond of the Nihility bearing down upon them in different ways. Up to the point where 2.1 ends, she was his biggest gamble; whether or not she was truly powerful enough, and whether or not she would or even could help him reach his goal. But it worked, and it seems like she must have had some idea of what he was trying to do the entire time. The fact that she played along and ultimately decided to lend him a hand (as opposed to simply stopping him and nothing else) out of what I can only assume was a combination of kindness and a great respect for his efforts is just...everything to me tbh.

She's the first person to do something for him and ask nothing in return except that he live—if he chooses to, because she emphasizes his next steps still being his choice. She opened the door he was seeking and gave him a nudge in the right direction twice over; to continue through the door if he so wished, and the encouragement to make it back out of that abyss alive.

And because I've mentioned it but not yet talked about it at length, I have to circle back around to Ratio and that note.

Do stay alive. I wish you the best of luck.

The whole time Aventurine was working towards his goal in the dreamscape, when he had no one else to lean on, Ratio was there. Yes, they bicker and clash against each other, yet they work together seamlessly, making moves on the proverbial chessboard in tandem. Ratio was there to support him and did so flawlessly the entire time, even during the faux betrayal. They were and still are equals—ironic, given that one is so heavily academically lauded while the other never attended school at all.

Ratio's note is only a few simple words, and yet it speaks volumes. He wants Aventurine to live; to come back alive and victorious. He hardly needed to wish Aventurine any luck, because the Stoneheart himself is practically the embodiment of it, and yet he did so anyway—a genuine show of well wishes good faith, reinforcing that he isn't taking Aventurine's uncanny ability to win for granted.

Please live. I want to see you win and come back alive.

That's what the note really means, and to an Aventurine who was struggling to push through Nihility and debating if it was worth it to keep pressing onward, those words were exactly what he needed to hear.

[riversimmone]

Morning Light

Morning Light

RiverOfTheSand

Summary:

The morning sun streamed over her face, silhouetting her body against the dance of light and colour. Now more than ever, she was his guiding light: his way out of the dark. SasuSaku.

Notes:

Cross-posted from fanfiction.net. Original Author's Notes: Just a quick one-shot that came out of nowhere, as the damned things are prone to do. This is me musing. My new favourite concept: silence in solace. Enjoy. :) Rated T. Hope you all enjoy. :)

He woke to the smell of dust. Every morning for the past six months, it had proven a surprising comfort to him. For so long, he'd been broken and angry, clinging to whatever he could in vain hope of escaping the monotony of his existence. Day after day, he fell into the same routine, the same rush of denial, of anger and resentment. He dwelled on what he'd lost; so much that even he was becoming frustrated by his own moodiness. The rush of excitement from controlling everything in his life was a dream long dead and after all this time, he was still as deluded as ever, no matter what he told himself. He was fate's bitch, and destiny had a twisted, sick sense of humour.

A now familiar sensation of instability coupled with the ache of his waking body reminded him he was alone and naked. The unseasonal cool air drifting in the window had woken him up early; sunrise was half an hour away.

Sasuke Uchiha rolled out of bed, fumbled around in his closet as he did when she wasn't there to help him, dressed himself methodically, and gingerly made his way out of the room. He inched toward the top of the banister, gripping the elegant statue adorning the top of the stairs, and inhaled deeply, preparing himself. The first step was always the most difficult.

The wood of the banister was rough under his calloused hands; it hadn't been polished in years, but he didn't mind really, since he was just as abrasive himself. He preferred it this way. At least he didn't have to look at it.

Sasuke made his way down the staircase, his grip on the wood firm and fleeting as he pictured it in his mind's eye; occasionally running his fingers along the well-worn wood; the only memories from this place that plagued him now were something more akin to screaming children and stern, disapproving parents. This house wasn't the home he'd grown up in of course, but the flashes of memory suited him fine: he didn't really care where they belonged, just that they still came to him. The details were a little fuzzy though.

At the base of the stairs, he paused, wondering what he thought he was doing; he wasn't hungry, thirsty, tired or bored, really. So he decided to go for a walk, knowing his self-appointed carer would find him quickly enough once she realised he was up and around. The front door was ten feet away from the foot of the internal staircase, and he remembered the hallway closet nearby had a few coats he could choose from.

But once he opened the closet, he realised there was nothing to distinguish one coat from the next. They must have been missed in the rush Sakura had pushed him in to colour code the tags. He had no idea what to do with them.

So he left his home without a coat, ignoring the ice cold goose bumps forming on his exposed skin. He held a hand out, feeling for the edge of the porch and once he found it, Sasuke managed to descend the three steps to the ground quickly.

Sasuke walked. He kept going, using childhood memories to guide his path toward the familiar, the soothing, and the secluded; a place Sakura had insisted he visit often, it seemed to spark his memories strongest, especially since the house he grew up in was destroyed in Pein's attack. But the grounds were the same, barring renovations, and he never stumbled or faltered.

The smell of the small lake on his family's property drove him on and before he knew it, the grass beneath his bare feet made way for the granite he always associated with that of seaside sand. He felt his way along the shore, not opening his eyes, not daring to look at the water now lapping at his feet. He tested the water, dipping his foot in to the toes, and scrunched up his face at the cold.

Fate was cruel; all he could do was struggle as it pulled him down, like an undercurrent, and he hated it ‒ the delusion of an Uchiha.

Sasuke sighed and found a dry patch of sand to sit down on. This place had changed too much: there was no pier, and the ground itself was more uneven, rugged, and depreciated. He couldn't hear any animals, smell the smouldering after effects of his family's Katon no jutsu, nor feel the natural rising heat that made this place the perfect spot to practise his fire jutsu when he was younger. Despite the presence of water, the humidity always used to be above average, even in the middle of the night.

In his musings and internal grumblings, he almost didn't sense the incoming chakra signal. Strawberry and vanilla wafted over him and a moment later, he could feel her against him. No words were exchanged – no words were necessary – as she got comfortable against him. He imagined she was curling her toes against the sandy shore, enjoying the rising sun.

Sakura didn't dwell on her picturesque surroundings for long. Her right hand moved with his as he directed it to the side of his face; her fingers twitched under his, gently probing his unseeing eyes with her chakra. He kept them tightly shut, perhaps defiantly, stubbornly and vainly fighting what he could never control. She would coax them open eventually, but for now, he hung onto his pride. His dignity was the only thing he had left that ever went his way anymore, despite his condition.

And that was the lie he kept telling himself every day since she saved him.

Throughout this entire exchange, Sasuke had kept resolutely facing forward. Now, he turned to face her, lifting his other hand warily; she shifted next to him as he touched the other side of her face gingerly. His forefinger traced her profile, and he took a deep breath, like he was preparing for battle. Finally, Sasuke opened his eyes, what little light he could make out piercing his eyelids with relentless cruelty. The light of the sun streamed over Sakura's face however, and she stared at him, silhouetted against the dance of light and colour.

He hissed painfully, slamming his eyes shut again as she pulled him closer to her; Sakura held him to her breast, waiting for him to try again. The pain receded from his eyes and he forced his chakra down – it was thrashing like a spoilt child. The pinkette half cradling him was patient, running her hands soothingly through his raven locks and kissing the crown of his head gently.

She murmured his name as he pulled away and Sasuke grabbed her roughly, crashing his mouth down onto hers.

His tongue played along her lips and she parted them instinctively; his grip on her tightened as he opened his eyes again. This time the light didn't hurt him. It intensified, faltered, and then simmered; all awhile, Sakura's eyes remained tightly shut. She was in the moment, her arms now around his neck, her body humming as it reacted to her lover. Sasuke pushed her gently, eliciting a familiar, arousing mewl from her.

Small waves surged toward the shoreline, cascading outward, shifting with an unseen tide, and climaxing with a loud, unexpected crash that went ignored by the lovers at its edge.

And as the morning light of the sun disappeared, Sasuke refused to close his eyes. The stream of light illuminating Sakura's body for him was the last thing he saw before the blood red light faded once more.

–XXX–

[earth-ambassador-jim]

Lost Souls: Story 16

Rage 

Lost Souls Summary: Merlin awakens early from his  sleep. He decides  that he doesn’t want to leaving anything to chance  and kidnaps the young James Lake Jr. to began training his Trollhunter  as early as possible.

Barbara  is  determined to hunt down the man who kidnapped her son. In her efforts  to get her son back she finds a strange old radio that speaks to  her in  a woman’s voice. The radio leads her to an underground society  of  shapeshifters.

Mother and son meet again years later as strangers on opposing sides.

AO3 - Fanfiction

~~~~

~~~~

“Rage - Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters' souls, but made their bodies carrion, feasts for the dogs and birds, and the will of Zeus was moving toward its end. Begin, Muse, when the two first broke and clashed, Agamemnon lord of men and brilliant Achilles.”

― Homer, The Iliad

~~~~

It was early in the morning. Outside the sun would be turning the buildings blood red but the light of day never made it into this dark corner of the museum.

Six Years.

Barbara watched as Walt worked on piecing the Killahead Bridge together. The only noise was the soft crunching of stone and the occasional whoosh of the building’s air vents.

Six Years.

Her fingers twitched. The pendant containing her armor weighed heavy against her chest. She only had to will it and her sword would be at her side.

A goblin entered the room. It wove a lazy path across the floor. When it got close to her it paused, sniffing the air. Its ears lowered and it made a soft clicking noise before giving her a wide berth on its journey to the other side.

Barbara's eyes returned to the bridge. She ran her hand over the necklace’s chain.

Six years... That was how long it was since Jim had been taken. Half his life. He would be turning Twelve today. He should be in middle school now. She should be embarrassing him with dating advice and trying to help with math. Not...

Barbara gritted her teeth. Her hand clenched tight around the yellow crystal sending a spike of pain up her arm.

Six years and what did she have to show for it? Her slipping morals? The fact she was becoming as good at harming as she had been at healing? Humanity’s slow path toward annihilation?

There was chattering and Barbara glanced over to see five goblins carrying a rough wooden crate in. It was covered with a variety of labels and stamps that suggested it came from one of the more tropical regions.

The goblins deposited it abruptly by Walt. One of them climbed on top of the box and pointed aggressively at him, launching into a tirade that had the changeling rolling his eyes.

“Look,” Walt said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I understand that you don’t like saltwater, but we need…”

A metallic clang resounded through the museum. All their heads shot up and swiveled toward it.

Barbara didn’t see anything but she shifted her weight onto the balls of her feet. Magic thrummed through her, raising the hairs on the back of her neck.

Walt gave a sharp signal to the leader of the goblins. The small froglike creature skittered forward on its toes. Its companions followed, creeping up the walls and behind the exhibits.

For a moment there was silence. Walt and Barbara stared in the direction the goblins had gone. Barbara’s stomach clenched slightly and her pulse picked up. She hoped that it was just another goblin messing around, or perhaps Nomura had dropped something. She didn’t want to have to deal with a human stumbling upon their operation. Not again. But if it was an enemy…

There was a roar followed by a series of thuds, hisses, and clangs. With a flash of yellow, Barbara donned her armor, preparing to follow the goblins. That proved to be unnecessary. A goblin came hurtling past them followed closely by the silver armored troll fending off the rest of the swarm.

Barbara drew her sword and dagger.

Kanjigar moved with terrible efficiency, his sword vaporizing goblins left and right. Barbara hung back watching and waiting. How had he found them? To her right she saw Walt edging toward the bridge. It was currently half covered by a white canvas sheet.

A thought flickered through Barbara’s mind, stirring up a flicker of hope in the dark depths of Barbara’s mind. Maybe Kanjigar would see the bridge. Maybe he would put an end to this madness. Barbara didn’t want the end of the world after all, just the end of Merlin.

If Kanjigar saw the bridge… maybe stole a piece or two… that would be one less thing for her to worry about. One less thing on her conscience.

Then Kanjigar turned and saw Barbara. A frown crossed his face and his nostrils flared. If he…

The Trollhunter cocked his head and opened his mouth. She couldn’t let him speak. Barbara lunged forward and drove her blade towards his throat. Kanjigar quickly brought up Daylight and deflected it. She followed up with a dagger toward the ribs. The small blade didn’t look like much, but it had an enchantment for cutting stone on it.

Kanjigar moved to the side and swiped his sword at hers. If it made contact, the force would surely disarm her. Barbara jumped back. She could hear the air whistle around the blade as it passed by.

Their swords briefly met as Barbara deflected the next blow.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Walt pull the canvas over the bridge.

“Who are you?” The Trollhunter demanded.

 ~~~~             

Kanjigar fell back slightly waiting for an answer. There was a pause and the armor clad… human? Or perhaps changeling… surveyed him through their yellow visor.

“Nemesis,” They said finally. “You may call me Nemesis, Trollhunter.”

They spun their blades and circled, steps careful and deliberate.

Kanjigar could tell by their scent they were the sorcerer who helped him at the canal. He frowned.

Off to the side he saw the other human… or changeling… shifting warily by the canvas covered bridge.

Right. That was the more important thing. He had only gotten a brief look, but the Killahead Bridge was distinctive. He had to do something.

“Who do you serve?” He asked Nemesis.

Perhaps that would be the key to all this.

“You don’t need to know that.” Their voice was sharp. They followed up the statement with a series of blows that Kanjigar either blocked or dodged.

So they did serve someone. That was a good start.

Someone who was interested in rebuilding the Killahead Bridge. It was odd that they would be working on that but help Kanjigar kill Bular. Now that he thought about it, they had started in on him to prevent him from talking. Perhaps they weren’t loyal. It sounded like he touched a nerve when he asked who they worked for.

He could work with that.

Best to kill two cats with one stone.

Swiftly Kanjigar released his sword, allowing it to disappear, and lunged forward. He rolled letting his momentum take him to where the bridge lay covered. The man who had been standing between him and the bridge threw himself out of the way, transforming into a green troll as he did so. Kanjigar slammed into bridge hard, dislodging the cloth and loosening several of the more precarious stones. He scooped one of those up, shielding his face from a barrage of knives from the apparent changeling.  

He made eye contact with Nemesis, or he thought he did. -Their visor was facing him.- He turned so that the green changeling couldn’t see his face and mouthed “I wish to talk, Sorcerer” before bolting for the door with his prize. If he was right, they would follow him and make sure that their fellow didn’t.

Kanjigar ran with ease through the wakening streets of Arcadia, choosing back alleys and side streets to avoid the humans who were just starting to move about. The sky was now a light blue but thanks to the Daystone he suffered no harm.

Soon one of the city’s many forests appeared before him. Kanjigar entered the comforting shade and paused to check behind him. Yes. The sorcerer was still following. He turned and began running again. Soon they were deep in the forest, well away from prying eyes. Kanjigar stopped in a small clearing. Humans were agile so he didn’t want to fight them in the thick of the trees.

Nemesis emerged from the tree line and stopped when they saw him standing there.

They stood for a moment sizing each other up.

“I recognize you,” he said and then paused.

They didn’t attack him, so he decided they must have figured out a way to keep their comrade from following them. Good. He could speak freely then.

“If it wasn’t for your intervention I couldn’t have killed Bular. Thank-you.”

They were silent. They made no acknowledgement of his words, but they also didn’t move to attack.

“If you are dissatisfied with who you are working for I could help you.”

Perhaps if he had another sorcerer on his side he could gain enough swing to get Jim into a better situation. Maybe he could even acquire some form of glamour for the boy so he could mingle with humans if he desired.

“And how do you propose that,” Nemesis said coldly. “You have no idea of my circumstances.”

They spun their blades once and began to circle.

Kanjigar considered that. He didn’t summon Daylight yet, opting instead to turn to keep his opponent in sight.

From the sound of it they had no intention of telling him who they worked for. Still…

“I know Merlin,” He offered. “Whoever you serve… He should be a match for them. If you’d like I could…”

Nemesis was upon him in a flash. He was unprepared for the sudden violence of their assault. Countless stinging cuts were scored across his hide. Finally he managed to grab one of their arms and fling them back. Buying enough space to summon Daylight.

His opponent rolled and came up facing him, dagger in one hand.

“I will never work with Merlin,” Nemesis snarled. “That bastard took my son.”

“He what?” Kanjigar asked.

What were they talking about? Why would Merlin…

Kanjigar took a step back and nearly fell over when his leg didn’t respond right. He looked down and found it had turned to stone. How?...

There.

A thin blade protruded out of the armor behind his knee. He caught the faint glow of green from it: Creeper’s Sun. Now that he noticed it he could feel stiffness spreading from other wounds as well…

Nemesis drew their sword and came close again, moving low and fast.

No!

He couldn’t die here. If he did Jim would become Trollhunter… Jim who was only twelve, a mere child by the reckoning of both his species.

A fierce protective rage welled in his core lending strength to his stiffening limbs.

Kanjigar roared and lashed out at the armored being. His blow connected and they were sent flying through the air. They hit a tree with a harsh clang and fell to the ground, armor dented.

He gritted his teeth and reached back to grasp the handle of the knife. It came out with a grating sound. He eyed the loathsome thing and then flung it away as hard as he could.

Kanjigar clenched his teeth against the pain as he dropped to all fours and started running.

He didn’t want to risk bringing this foe anywhere near Jim but it was his only chance. Merlin might be able to reverse the creeper’s sun… and there was the confusion ward. Merlin once told him it would keep anyone without permission from getting close to the cave.

He desperately hoped it would work.

~~~~

Barbara watched as her foe continued to crawl forward. Both of his legs were deadweight now and one arm only half worked. His breathing was becoming labored as the petrification slowly claimed his torso. She was tempted to leave him -to see where he was going- but she was getting flickering feelings of other magic. There was most likely a barrier in this area. She could not risk losing him.

She dropped out of her tree and drew her dao. The Trollhunter must have heard her coming. He twisted awkwardly and caught sight of her.

His face was drawn and eyes narrowed with pain but he braced himself and let out a low warning snarl.

Barbara halted, considering her options. Her ribs ached in such a way that she had no doubt they were bruised. One might even be cracked. She could not take another blow like the last one so she could not risk getting close just yet.

She spun her dao around once and sheathed it, then reached into her left pouch and pulled out a vial of her blood. She opened it and murmured softly, activating the spell. Dark blue runes flickered in the air and then entered the blood turning it from red to black. She recapped the vial and then tossed it at the troll.

It exploded and the blood turned into vicious crackling blue chains that wrapped around his bulky form, pinning him to the ground.

The Trollhunter’s eyes widened and he struggled, in the process losing his second leg. Satisfied that he was secured Barbara began to approach.

“Wait!” Kanjigar sought her gaze, ears pinned back. “Please release me. I will swear on my honor not to tell of your involvement in Bular’s death.”

Barbara paused. This was completely out of character for him. She’d watched all the videos of his fights with Bular and other trolls that the Janus Order had to offer. Not once had she seen him try to back down from a fight… no matter how desperate.

He was too proud to accept defeat, let alone plead for his life.

She wasn’t sure what to make of this.

“Why should I let you live?”

I was too big a risk. Who knew if he would keep his word? In fact he’d probably already told someone else by now.

“There… there is someone who needs me,” Kanjigar said. “If I die he will be alone and my burden will fall on his shoulders… so, please, let me live.”

Kanjigar stopped struggling against the chains and lifted his head to bare his throat.

Barbara hesitated.

Thoughts of Jim staring up at her when she had first held him flickered through her mind. The look in Kanjigar’s eyes reminded her of how she had felt. That knowledge that suddenly this child was worth more to her than the whole world…

A chill spread through her veins.

But then he’d been taken away… By the very wizard this troll glorified every time he donned the armor.

Her breathing sped up to just shy of hyperventilating.

And now she would never see her son again.

Tears stung in her eyes. The hatred surged back to the surface and coursed through her hot and blinding. Barbara bared her teeth behind the visor. She took all the rage and anger and sorrow and vile toxic fear that had been simmering in her and drove her sword into the troll’s chest with a scream.

And for a moment… just one second she felt free.

Then Kanjigar crumbled to stone.

The Amulet rolled out of the pile of rock. Barbara stared at it. Numbly, she sheathed her weapon and leaned forward to grab it.

The moment her fingers touched the warm metal there was a blinding flash of light and a vicious surge of electricity leapt from the blue stone to her fingers. Her hand spasmed and she jerked back with a curse. When she finally managed to blink the bright spots out of her eyes the amulet was gone.

Of course it was.

She took a breath and forced herself to let it go.

Kanjigar’s blank stone eyes stared at her accusingly.

“Please…” His voice echoed in her head.

Had he been talking about Draal? Barbara frowned. That didn’t seem right so who had…

She banished the thought.

She was done. Done torturing herself with hope. Done trying to bring good out of this mess. She only made things worse when she tried. She needed to accept that Jim was gone. That the only thing left for her was her revenge.

Barbara took a breath and reached for the rage in her chest. She accepted it as she had done so long ago when she first sought out Morgana. She embraced it and felt her magic simmer in response; copper in her mouth and lightning in her bones.

Her hand came to rest on the sword at her side.

If she was doomed to cause destruction then Nemesis would be the one to herald Merlin’s downfall. She would destroy everything he worked for. She would take the pain he had inflicted upon her and return it a hundred-fold.

In the meantime….

She turned her gaze back to Kanjigar… to the Trollhunter’s remains.

Gunmar would be pleased to hear that his son was avenged, but proof would be necessary. Nemesis redrew her dao and quickly got to work.

~~~~

There was a blinding flash of blue light. Snip to lept off Jim’s lap with a startled yowl, her brown and white fur fluffed up.

Jim blinked the bright spots out of his vision before looking around for the source of the disturbance.

He froze.

“No…”

The air left Jim’s lungs and his hands shook. For a moment he could hear nothing but the roaring of his blood in his ears, then…

The amulet spoke in Kanjigar’s voice.

“James Lake.”

Jim collapsed to his knees.

~~~~

“And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

~Dylan Thomas, “Do not go gentle into that good night”

[newpathwrites]

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

Chapter 4 - The Truth

“No, it’s alright, I’ll tell you,” you said, as you reached up to squeeze the hand still resting across your shoulder. “But then you have to tell me why I’ve never seen you pursue anyone… or even visit a brothel… in the five years we’ve known each other.” You winked, to make sure he knew you were joking.

He did look a bit taken aback by your only half-serious demand but acquiesced with a soft chuckle. “Okay, deal. But there’s really very little to tell - I’m not sure it’s a fair trade of information.”

Summary: Din confesses, and your truth is brought to light.

Note: This is one of my favorite chapters. Din and Cyar’ika will come to understand each others’ ace and aro identities, even if their universe doesn’t have a name for these things, as well as come to terms with their burgeoning sensual attraction.

I took some significant liberties with Mandalorian customs in this chapter.

Warnings: Sexual references, discussion of past sexual abuse/trauma, sensual kissing (not sure if a warning is warranted but just in case), and mild angst.

Read on AO3

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“So, how’s marriage treating you?” Fennec asked, as she helped you unload the tents and cooking supplies from the speeders.  The four of you had embarked on a small mission of sorts to Freetown to assist Cobb Vanth with a small gang of spice dealers that had been causing some problems.  Unfortunately, your trek across the Dune Sea had been interrupted by an incoming sandstorm, and you were all forced to make camp for the night, hoping to finish the journey safely tomorrow after the storm had passed.

  “Quite well,” you mused, with a contented smile on your face.

  Fennec raised an eyebrow.  “Is that so?  Have the terms of your relationship changed then?  Must have been a really fantastic wedding night, huh?” she quipped as she nudged you with her shoulder.

  Your face burned.  “No, no, it’s not like that at all.  We’ve never… there is no consummation for Mandalorians…” you stumbled over your words.

  “No consummation?  Djarin said that?  That’s not what I heard,” Boba interjected, apparently eavesdropping on your conversation.

  You were shocked into silence by his revelation, and Fennec had the good grace to stop her line of questioning at your awkward reaction.

  You filed the information away to discuss later and tried not to dwell on it.  You were in fact quite happy in your ‘marriage of convenience’.  While you had both asserted that nothing would change, the truth was that things had changed, and you weren’t unhappy about it.

  Ever since that night, when you had held Din in his sorrow and kissed him like that for the first time, physical displays of affection had become both more frequent and more natural.  Most surprising, Din had taken to rolling over to face you as you laid down each night, your nighttime conversations now happening face-to-face with arms and legs tangled together, instead of back-to-back facing opposite walls as you’d done for so many years.  Some nights you even slept wrapped up together.  He had yet to broach the topic of kissing again, and that was fine, his newfound fondness for cuddling satisfying your growing desire for physical closeness with him.  You sure did yearn to kiss him again, though.

  —---------------------------

  You both settled down for the night in your shared tent, huddled together by the small fire for warmth, Din’s arm slung over your shoulder under the thick blanket.  The storm had picked up in the last hour, and you were all hunkered down in your respective tents for shelter until it passed, hopefully by morning light.

  Boba’s assertion regarding Mandalorian marriage custom had not slipped your mind, and without much else to occupy yourself with until the storm passed, you figured it was as good a time as any to address it.

  “I need to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me,” you jabbed his ribs gently with your elbow to get his attention.  He tightened his hold on your shoulder in response to your tone and turned his head to look at you directly.

  You steeled yourself, a bit wary of disrupting your typically conflict-free relationship.  “Why did you tell me that Mandalorian marriage doesn’t require consummation?  According to Boba, that’s not true.” You paused and lowered your gaze to the ground in front of you.  “You were so insistent on keeping to tradition, but you intentionally left out that part.  Why?”  

  “Cyar’ika, I promise, it’s not what you think…” he started.

  You cut him off, anger and sadness now ringing clear in your voice, “Explain it to me, then.  You never lie to me, and I just can’t understand why you didn’t tell me the truth that day.”  

  “Okay,” he began nervously, realizing this was the first time you’ve been truly angry with him. “When you asked me about consummation, you looked absolutely terrified.  I didn’t want to ask, but I figured maybe there was some trauma there.  The consummation isn’t what you think, and taking off the helmet is the most important part, so I didn’t want to take the risk that the rest of it might be traumatic for you.  In retrospect, I realize that we could have had a discussion about it and let you decide.”

  “I still don’t understand,” you interjected.  “Is consummation for Mandalorians not… sex?”

  “No, it’s not, in theory at least.”

  “So what is it then?” you asked, somewhat appeased but now curious.

  “I guess it’s what comes before that - the removal of the armor.  I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I was afraid it might trigger something for you with how scared you looked when you asked about it.”

  You were pensive, “But you take off the armor all the time…”

  “Well, it’s more about the intention.  And it wouldn’t be me taking off my own armor - it would be you taking it off for me…” he trailed off, meeting your gaze again and hoping to see forgiveness there.  He’d had the best intentions when he omitted that detail, but he didn’t blame you for being upset about it.  “Are we okay?” he asked, pleading.

  You collected yourself and replied, “Yeah, we’re okay.  But I can handle myself - don’t keep things from me.”

  “I won’t, I promise,” he replied, lowering his forehead to rest briefly on yours, relieved that this didn’t put a rift between you.  “Can I ask you why you were so terrified that day?  You know I would never hurt you… or expect something like that from you, marriage ritual or not… right?”  You hesitated to respond, and he shook his head guiltily.  “I’m sorry, that’s your business, I shouldn’t have asked…”

  “No, it’s alright, I’ll tell you,” you said, as you reached up to squeeze the hand still resting across your shoulder.  “But then you have to tell me why I’ve never seen you pursue anyone… or even visit a brothel… in the five years we’ve known each other.”  You winked, to make sure he knew you were joking.

  He did look a bit taken aback by your only half-serious demand but acquiesced with a soft chuckle.  “Okay, deal.  But there’s really very little to tell - I’m not sure it’s a fair trade of information.”

  You let out a long puff of air and began.  “Well, I’ve really never been one for relationships, never really liked the idea of getting married and having children.  But it was the norm in my village, and my family made it clear that becoming a mother and housewife would be expected.  So I tried to play the part, found a man I could tolerate…” Din chuckled at that.  “...but being in a romantic relationship never felt right to me.  It felt suffocating and unnatural, and acting like I was ‘in love’ was exhausting.  And then the sex issue came up - because that’s what most people in romantic relationships do, I guess.”  You paused, collecting your thoughts.  “I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t particularly enjoy it, either, and I never really felt compelled to initiate it with him or anyone else.  Anyway, my lack of interest ended up being a big problem, and he started trying to make me feel guilty about it, and eventually that turned into blatant coercion.  By that point, I was traumatized and totally repulsed by the whole thing.  I broke it off with him, left my village, and happily lived the lone bounty hunter life for the next twenty years, until I met you…,” you smiled at him as you spoke the last few words.  “I guess the idea of broaching the sex topic again with anyone, even the person I trust most in the galaxy, was a little terrifying.”

  “I’m sorry, cyar’ika.  I wish you hadn’t gone through that.”  He thought for a moment.  “So you’ve never felt attracted to anyone that way?” he asked.  You nodded in the affirmative.  “Huh, we have that in common, then.”

  You tilted your head as if assessing him, “I suppose I’m not surprised.  It makes sense.  How did you come to realize it?”

  “I was a lot like you - I wasn’t really all that interested in having a relationship.  My Mandalorian brothers were eager to find romantic partners, have children, serve the tribe by expanding their clans.  That didn’t feel right to me at all.  It’s one of the reasons I became our beroya.  I could serve the tribe without all that… romantic nonsense…” You giggled at his summation but didn’t disagree.  “Sex was a weird thing for me, too.  It’s all anyone wanted.  It was supposed to be this amazing thing that made you forget all of your troubles.  After Mandalore fell, I had a series of unfortunate flings in an attempt to forget… and it only made me feel worse - it wasn’t really enjoyable at all, just awkward and uncomfortable.  Eventually I realized that I didn’t actually want, like, or need that kind of intimate relationship and resigned myself to a life alone on my ship... until the kid… and then you.”

  “You know, Din, sometimes I really do think we were meant to find each other.  I never imagined there was a man out there who would enjoy my company for so long without any promise of a romantic relationship… or expecting my clothes to come off.”

  He laughed, joking, “Well, you know me - the more clothes the better.”

   “Do you ever feel sad about missing out on something other people enjoy so much?” you asked, clearly reflecting your own feelings.

  “More curious than sad.  I’ll never know if it could be better - if it wasn’t so impersonal, if I could take off the armor… and if I wasn’t worried they’d kill me and steal my beskar while I was in a vulnerable position… You feel differently?” he asked, having recognized that your question reflected your own reality.

  “As much as I am averse to the idea of trying it again, it does make me sad.  It’s a very human experience that I will never enjoy as others do.”  You appeared deep in thought, as you added, “I used to wonder if it could be better… with someone I trusted and some clear boundaries.  It sounds weird to say this out loud, but they would have to just understand and accept that I’m not going to get the same level of ‘enjoyment’ that other people do.  And I would have to lower my own expectations, too - just enjoy the nice sensations, which I don’t deny, and not expect some euphoric experience.  I know - it’s a really strange and specific fantasy…” 

  “It’s not strange,” he interjected, “I’ve occasionally felt the same.”

  You looked at each other then, and you felt the silent question passing between you.  No, you were not in a place to go there… not yet, at least, and quite possibly not ever. But you felt the weight of something else, too - something you’d been wanting to address ever since that night.  It probably wasn’t the right time, but you’d both already opened the floodgates of vulnerability - why not jump right in?

  It took you a few moments to gather your courage, but you finally spoke.  “Din, there’s something I need to tell you.  If it bothers you, just tell me to kriff off, and we’ll pretend I never said anything…”

  Concern marred his features, as he said seriously, “I’m listening, go ahead.”  He gave your shoulder a squeeze to encourage you to continue.

  “Things feel different between us lately - or at least they feel different to me.  It started after we took the marriage vows, but especially since… that night I kissed you… you know, that way.”

  You could see the fear and trepidation in his eyes, as he questioned, “Good different or bad different?”

  “Good different, I think, assuming you feel the same.”

  “It feels different to me, too… in a good way,” he said finally, fear turning to relief.

  You took a deep breath, preparing to get to the point.  “I find I enjoy being physically close to you, crave it even.  And it’s not just because you’re here - I can’t imagine wanting to be this close to anyone else, definitely not to kiss them in that way.  I’m not exactly sure what kind of attraction this is, but I’m feeling it strongly for you these days.”  You exhaled, releasing the butterflies that had gathered in your stomach, and glanced up at him, slightly wincing.  “Have I made you uncomfortable?”

  “No,” he asserted, his gaze now locked on yours.  “I feel the same, and I don’t really know how to handle it.  I’ve never felt this with anyone else, either.”  You smiled, relieved to know this wasn’t one-sided, and he found himself doing the same.  Finally, he got the words out that he’d been holding back for weeks. “Can I kiss you?”

  “Of course,” you responded, surprised by his initiative, but you had put the onus on him to decide when and if to try it again.  “I’d like that.”

  His lips were on yours instantly, and this time he lingered, moving his mouth against yours without hesitation. Stars, this was really good, but it could be even better - if he was ready for that. You proceeded slowly and cautiously, prepared to dial it back if you sensed any hesitation from him.  You registered his shocked reaction as your tongue just barely brushed up against his lips, but he responded without missing a beat.  It remained slow and gentle, never becoming heated, as mouths and tongues moved against each other, hands roaming along each other’s backs and shoulders in light caresses, never straying from respectable places.

  It was sensory overload, and it was wonderful.  You lost track of the time, not wanting this to end, losing yourself in his closeness, forgetting about the storm raging on outside your tent.

  But eventually you pulled away from each other, the late hour and exhaustion seeping into your consciousness bringing the experience to its natural conclusion.

  “Kriff, cyar’ika,” he sighed blissfully as he settled you both on the ground and gathered the blankets, keeping his body tangled with yours.  “That might be the best thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

  You giggled tiredly.  “Same, Din…”, words dying on your lips as you fell contentedly to sleep beside him.

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Thanks for reading!

Chapter 5

[harryisourlover]

You say goodbye I say hello!

*One shot fast forward 10 years after the beginning of they story that I just started here:

Harry was very nervous, and it was because of the bitter-sweet moment of finally ending this long tour and being able to take care of himself. But he knew that he would miss being on stage; he truly loved touring, no matter how tiring it was. He loved the connection with his fans and his beloved band, who had become his second family.

But another reason that made him nervous was because the last time he spoke to the love of his life, she said:

"At the last show of your tour, I'll be there. I won't notify anyone or ask for special treatment. I'll be there, and you'll have to find me! If you find me and come talk to me, I'll know that you still want me! But there's a catch, you'll leave with me by your side!!!! After all these years of complaining about always wanting me, you'll finally claim me. If I face any criticism from society or your fans for being older, you'll defend me! It doesn't have to be direct, but you'll say something. I'm not like your ex’s! I like it when you show me love and care every day! And finally, you'll be the father of my child! These are my conditions!"

"I accept them all," Harry said, "as long as you help me by talking to Jeff at times."

"Okay, see you on that day."

Years passed, and Harry hadn't spoken to her since his birthday on February 1, 2021. He had no idea if she still remembered the promise!

But the day of the show arrived. Harry told Anne, and she said, "Leave it to me. We'll create a huge circle with family and friends in the middle of the show, so if we find her, you'll find her too in the crowd."

And that's exactly what happened! Harry was moved, as was his family and friends. Shortly after Harry located his mother among the crowd on the floor, his heart raced! A few songs later, a moment of relief came because he didn't know if she would show up or not. Harry’s group of friends and family started to circle around, singing and dancing.

Harry stopped walking across the stage and focused his gaze on trying to find her. He even stopped singing for a moment when he saw her... She was wearing a blue tour hoodie, their favorite color, with a wide smile and tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at him.

After what felt like an eternity, when the song ended, Harry delivered a speech in Italian, and with emotion, he concluded by saying, "I have the next song to dedicate to her, my half-Italian muse."

The fans screamed! Harry continued, "I wrote 'Love of my life,' referring to the past because I thought I had lost her forever... but today, she's here, and singing this song won't be painful anymore. Sté, you are the love of my life!"

He continued to sing the song, deeply moved. She cried, Anne came and embraced her. At that moment, the screen focused on the two of them, and his audience, as well as the world, finally knew who his love of life was.

[rcguenights]

guess who ?? it's jae ( she/they ) again with a second muse because i just couldn't help myself. now i present to you kang deiji, moved to ansan about six months ago under mysterious circumstances. she would never tell but she's running from a past she wants to escape and thinks she can get lost in ansan to do so. publicly she works at at kawi-magki as a game attendant, but behind the scenes she's s freelance hacker who goes by the name rogue. as always, i'd love to get some plots going, either here or especially discord if you still need my username just let me know ! she has a pinterest board and a stats page as well !

unaware that she was actually born on the colony of astra, circumstances that led to the death of her parents forced her grandparents to take on deiji as a babe. living in the countryside outside of busan, deiji's early life was rather uneventful, boring if she were being honest.

while they took care of her needs, her grandparents were never particularly loving to deiji and it colored a lot of what she would end up seeking in friendships and relationships as she grew older.

currently 23 years old, her birthday is in november which will make her 24 at the tail end of the year. presents femme for the most part, but could be described a demi-female and accepts she/they pronouns. her hair is long and flows down her back and is currently half brown and half pink.

though her grandparents were a bit of a stick in the mud when it came to emerging technologies, deiji was entirely the opposite. any classes around technology and the history of it intrigued her. learning about the advances in cyberware and other technologies.

deiji found it easy to pick up on computers and other systems, dabbling in programming and computer science when she was just a kid. convincing her grandparents to take her into busan where each time she would grow to love being in the city, hating the moment she had to return to the countryside with them.

with her interest in technology, deiji began to dabble in coding and eventually what she would come to know as hacking. it started out as messing with the computer systems at her school, a more rural school system an all too easy target once she got the hang of it. if this meant that suddenly her lower grade in math was now above passing, then it was and no one was the wiser.

well into her teenage years she experimented with hacking local institutions and systems in the small towns that neighbored her home in the countryside. learning very early on to cover her tracks that it couldn't be traced back to her or her grandparent's home.

finally when she turned eighteen, she struck out with the meager amount of money she had earned from her part time jobs through high school and moved to busan. scrounging up what more money she could so that she could survive, living in small apartments that were barely the size of a closet, taking what money she could spare to invest in cyberware that would increase her skills and allow her to be able to hack remotely if needed.

something she learned of that with the addition of advanced technology in the world, so had a market for mercenary work cropped up. the world had become far more dangerous she realized, but fixers and the like were looking for anyone brave enough to complete jobs for cash that she knew she couldn't earn as easily with a regular job.

she started out with low level hacking jobs that she could do alone. someone was always looking for forbidden or secret information from a corporation or business in busan and more often than not she found with these types of jobs she didn't need to leave the comfort of her apartment to do so. as she slowly but surely started to make a name for herself, deciding that she need a moniker, an alias, all the good hackers had one. wanting something simple but edgy, she went with rogue.

after a slew of successful low level jobs, she was approached by a small mercenary group, three different people who had specialties looking for a mostly unknown but skilled hacker so that they could take tougher and more lucrative jobs. the more dangerous the job, the more the pay.

deiji would join them and after her first successful mission with them she thought she had finally found something for herself. for a person who hardly had a family, she thought maybe she had found one. for years they would go on to complete job after job, allowing deiji to upgrade her equipment to bigger and better, both in the computers and devices as well as her cyberware.

something that would make it fall apart around her was the closeness she had found with the defacto leader of their little group. a closeness that turned into a relationship that lasted for the years she spent with them. swept up in the idea of first love, she didn't see the signs early on. didn't see as they became far more controlling, as they became angry and possessive when they were under the influence and negative ways in which they began to treat her.

despite the near perfection of her parts in their jobs, it never seemed enough for them. criticizing her for the littlest things, becoming demanding, and deiji surely accepted it far longer than she should. but she was naive, never knowing that she didn't have to settle for this.

a nearly botched job became the last straw, their partner's reaction was violent and it was the first and only time that deiji was physically hurt by them in their anger and drunkenness. fearful of someone she thought she loved, deiji packed up everything she had and snuck out into the night, never looking back and leaving busan as fast as possible.

that was six months ago, deiji wound up in ansan, hoping to get away, start a new life. entering herself in the lottery to astra, but thinking that even so she would never probably be chosen for it. with a nagging worry in the back of her mind, in between small jobs that she's taken as a freelance hacker again, she started working at kawi-magki as a game attendant. it's nothing exciting and sometimes for fun she hacks the very games she's supposed to keep working just to see what reactions those who use such machines might have, get on her good side and you might just win a plushie or prize from a gacha machine or you'll be forced to waste all your coins on it.

all in all, she's keeping a low profile, hoping to never be found by her ex or the people she used to run with and she's been successful enough so far, just another lost soul in the many that live within ansan.

personality wise ; observant and meticulous, deiji is a bit of a perfectionist. sometimes she thinks she's all too well of her surroundings but she can't help it. she's always been bubbly and outgoing, but there always seems to be something behind her eyes even when she's like that shows she's changed since leaving her ex. the type to be looking at something and if you start talking to her, she'll keep to what she is doing and tell that she's listening because she really is. a multi-tasker. has a nervous tick of picking at her nails which are usually long and stiletto shaped. chugs down caffeine like its water, so she can be known as wired all the time.

plots

neighbors in jindallae apartments since she lives there ? she holes up there quite a bit when she's not working at the arcade.

you hang out at the arcade quite a lot and she's seen you a bunch of times, depending on how you act there, maybe she rigs some games in your favor or the very opposite and makes you lose more than possible. maybe you've noticed that and question it and her ?

she likes to hide in the corners of aquatica and just watch the various sea life for hours upon hours, maybe join her and keep her company ?

you speculate that she's a hacker somehow and want her help with a job or two ? she'll probably deny at first that she is but you're not convinced and keep trying to get her help, maybe you'll wear her down eventually?

after leaving her ex, she'd only be able to give herself to flings and has a fear of getting into another relationship, so maybe some flings, maybe you want to get to know her better, but she's not forthcoming about herself but you keep pushing? ( she's bisexual, so open game for just about anyone )

anything??? let's plot !

[myfairstarlight]

Changing Tides

AO3 Link.

Rating: G

Pairings: Susato Mikotoba/Haori Murasame (Rei Membami). Side Kazuma Asogi/Ryunosuke Naruhodo

Written for Susahao Week 2022. Day 4: Future/Growth

Word count: 2k

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

Susato was ecstatic when they received the letter — Kazuma was coming back to visit and considering the time it takes for a letter to arrive from Great Britain, it was only a matter of days before he would touch soil on Japanese ground.

Haori takes things in stride on her part. Of course, working every day with Professor Mikotoba and seeing Susato just as often ever since her return, she finds herself equally excited — she has not seen Kazuma in two and a half years now. Her friendship with him is not the deepest, he is the brother of her best friend who she didn’t really have a reason to get to know better, but she still missed him, mostly because everyone else around her did and she has always been more of a follower than a leader.

She does not join them when they leave to wait for Kazuma at the dock — that is a family matter after all — but she does get invited for dinner, and she is not sure why.

Especially when Professor Mikotoba tells her Kazuma insisted that he wanted her there.

So here she is now, bringing her empty plate to the kitchen sink as she listens to the joyful and happy chatter filling the Mikotoba household like she has not seen in a long while. Ryunosuke Naruhodo is here too, unsurprisingly, and Haori hasn’t seen him leave Kazuma’s side all afternoon, she thinks.

“It feels like old times again, isn’t it?” Susato muses softly next to her. “Oh, how I have missed this!”

Haori smiles at her enthusiasm. It is true it is a sight that was much more familiar so long ago now, back before everything got complicated and everyone got separated by oceans… or a meddling detective, from what she understood.

“Has he mentioned how long he is staying?” she asks.

Susato frowns as if she just made a ludicrous comment. “I assumed he would be staying permanently. It has been a year, after all, he has no other reason to stay over there, does he?”

Haori bites her lower lip. She has not told her friend, but Kazuma had written to her too, this past year. She was quite surprised every time Professor Mikotoba handed her a new letter every other month with her name on the yellowing paper. Reading the letters, she could not shake the feeling that the man had found his place, in London, and was far happier there than he ever was in Japan. She wrote her thoughts back to him, once, and he had simply replied “Are you certain you study to become a doctor? That was quite an acute deduction.”

Except Susato usually is far more observant and level-headed than she could ever hope to be so she is surprised her friend has not picked up on her brother’s happiness through his written words, or perhaps she is momentarily blindsided by the joy of having her brother back after so long, or perhaps even she is purposely ignoring the possibility altogether before rationality catches up to her.

Haori is aware Susato tends to pretend everything is fine even when she struggles internally.

“Anyhow, I think he mentioned he wanted to talk to you as well, once Naruhodo-san lets him go for a minute,” Susato says.

“Oh?”

Susato nods. “I did not know… you wrote to each other?”

Haori blushes. “Ah, I did not think it necessary to mention. He only asked me how you and Naruhodo-san were faring, surely knowing you two would lie to not make him worry.”

“That would make sense. I should have done the same and written to Mr Sholmes! No, Iris rather.” Even so, Susato still looks upset. “Has he talked to you about settling down with someone, or something of the sort?”

“Um, no, I do not think so?” Haori replies. “Why?”

“It is that look in his eyes. He had the same one after declaring he would become a lawyer like his father. It is like he has found a new purpose in life. Surely the next logical step would be to find someone to settle down with?”

“Has he ever been interested in romance, though?” Haori wonders. In the years she has known the two siblings, neither of them seemed particularly into the pleasantries of romance like her.

“… It has been too long, perhaps he is now.”

There is an underlining of sadness in this admission and Haori instinctively reaches forward to hold Susato’s hand in reassurance.

“He holds you dear to his heart, I am sure he would tell you first if he were planning on courting someone. He would want your approval, after all.”

Susato smiles, squeezing her hand once. “You are probably right.”

Little did she know, her deductions were completely false anyway.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

Kazuma asks to speak with her a little later and Haori tries not to let Susato’s suspicions get to her head as she is led towards the garden.

She fails, because as soon as they are alone, she blurts out, “I am not interested in anyone courting me, in fact, I already like someone!”

The man before her frowns in confusion and slight amusement. “Good for you?”

Haori blushes furiously, hiding behind her sleeves. “Oh dear, you were not…?”

Kazuma laughs, but it is not mocking, in fact, it sounds nervous, as if the thought itself is uncomfortable to him. “I have no idea where you, Susato or Professor Mikotoba all got the idea I intended to court someone…” he chuckles weakly. “Although I wish I could bring them news as happy as that.”

She sobers up then, understanding the seriousness of the conversation if Kazuma’s stiff posture is anything to go by. He sighs, crossing his arms as he looks around the garden for a few silent seconds. Haori doesn’t try to push him to talk, crossing her hands behind her back as she waits and lets the gentle breeze of the autumn night caress her skin.

“I… am settling in Great Britain. I have not told the Mikotoba’s yet,” Kazuma confesses eventually.

It is probably supposed to be some life-altering news but Haori is hardly surprised after all the letters and the time it took for the man to visit. Perhaps that is why he is telling her, for practice, it is, after all, easier to tell a distant acquaintance than your direct family, even so, she asks, “Why tell me first?”

Kazuma gives her a look, one of those infuriatingly piercing and intimidating one of his as if she just said something stupid, but Haori does not falter, to her own surprise.

“Because I have a request to ask of you. I most likely know how Susato will react. She always wants to help others and take care of them, I am aware that is why she chose the path of a judicial assistant, to be by my side and later Ryunosuke’s. I know she is capable, more than I can ever hope to be, truly, she is a force to be reckoned with but… I do wish she would let others take care of her as well. I cannot do that while oceans away, so that is where you fit into the picture.”

“You… you want me to take care of her?” she asks softly, feeling her cheeks burn again.

Kazuma nods.

“But Naruhodo-san…?”

Kazuma laughs. “Between him and Susato, who is the responsible one, do you think?”

She makes a face. “Alright, you have a point.”

“See? Although I will need to find a way to tell him too…”

Haori picks up some longing in his voice and her heart aches just a little for Ryunosuke. She does not know the man that well either, having only met him once he and Susato came back from Britain, but she could pick up the man’s feelings for his partner oversea easily. The look in his eyes whenever he talks about Kazuma, she recognised it easily as she is all too familiar with that feeling as well and would often encounter it in her own mirror when Susato was on the other side of the world and she would ramble on and on about how she missed her in the intimacy of her bathroom.

“He would follow you in a heartbeat again,” she ends up saying.

Something glints in Kazuma’s eyes at her words. Hope, perhaps, before it dims and he shakes his head. Oh you poor soul, Haori thinks faintly. “And I do not want him to, I have caused him enough grief. Japan needs him, just as I have found my place in Great Britain, although I am saddened I will not be able to see in person what an even greater defence attorney he’ll become.”

Her heart aches once again. It is sound logic, yet the sentimental romantic in her is disappointed that Kazuma is giving up on their “what could have been” so easily.

Although she is aware he must have pondered over this decision for months so it must not have been that easy, even if she cannot comprehend it.

“So do I have your words, then?” Kazuma prompts. “About Susato.”

“Oh!” Right, she did not actually reply to his request, did she? “Of course, I will look after her. I owe her my life and more than that, she is dear to my heart, I would have done so even if you had not asked.”

Kazuma smiles warmly. “I know, but I suppose I wanted the reassurance nonetheless. Thank you, Haori.”

He bows with a grateful smile, and Haori reciprocates, however when he starts walking away, Haori impulsively stops him by grabbing his arm.

“Wait, Kazuma.” He waits, lifting an eyebrow. “Do you love Naruhodo-san?” Kazuma’s face remains impassive as if he expected her to spell it out in the open.

“You truly have a very perceptive mind, Haori,” he replies, which might as well mean yes. “I had thought a year would have been enough for the feelings to fade but I underestimated them.”

“You should tell him,” she encourages then, having no idea why she is so invested, “even if you settle in Great Britain, you should not leave with any regret behind.”

Kazuma’s demeanour softens. Gently, he pries Haori’s hand away before he chuckles and rests a hand on her head. Haori blinks — she has seen him do that to Susato before, especially when Susato was rambling, the action would always halt her thoughts and bring her to silence.

And it seems it’s working on Haori too because her mind blanks.

“Thank you again, Haori,” Kazuma declares, “however may I redirect your advice back to you? If I were to confess, perhaps you should tell her too?”

“I…”

He ruffles her hair and she yelps, scrambling to get away. Kazuma laughs once again. “Ever since you and Susato became friends, you’ve always brought out the best in her. When she decided to defend you and risk everything… when I heard about it, I could not be prouder. It is not my place to say if she harbours similar feelings for you, but know you are already part of this family. Entering a romantic relationship with her would just be a formality.”

A smile blooms on her lips although some sadness still remains in her heart. It seems she has acquired an older brother right here, and yet he will soon hop on a boat and leave again, what a pity.

“Thank you, Kazuma.”

And with that, they part.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

As soon as she walks back into the living room, Susato grabs her arm and drags her to her room instead. Haori only has time to blink before the door slides shut behind her and her friend is looking at her with an intense fire in her eyes.

“Haori.”

“Susato.”

Silence.

Susato clears her throat, in an awkward way Haori had never seen on her face before. “So… did he…?”

“Did he what?”

“… Ask if he could court you?”

The world comes to a halt and Haori almost forgets to breathe. She can feel her whole face turn red and she haphazardly tries to hide it behind her hands. “What?! What gave you such an idea?!” Never mind that she also assumed that earlier and in front of the man himself, so…

Susato flushes as well. “Well, I don’t know, he walked in looking really proud and then I find you all smiling and flustered! You used to be infatuated with him as well, one might assume!”

That was one time and she mistook Kazuma for Susato because the man had forgotten to cut his hair… “I have never— Oh, bother.”

Her friend looks dumbfounded, clearly bothered that her deductions were wrong. Was she hoping…? “So what did he talk to you about?”

“Ah… that I cannot tell,” Haori says with an apologetic smile. “He simply needed some advice and reassurance. Nothing to worry about, however!” she quickly adds when she sees Susato’s face fall.

“I apologise… I suppose I have jumped to conclusions. What would be better than my best friend and brother together? So I can be sure neither of you will find someone else and leave… oh how horrible I sound.”

Haori smiles, this time more fondly, as she walks up to Susato and gathers her in her arms. Susato stiffens for a split second before melting into the embrace.

“It is alright to be scared of what the future has for us, especially with how much our lives have changed just these past two years,” she whispers, feeling Susato’s hands grip the back of her kimono. “But I can assure you that nothing can ever pull me away from you, Susato Mikotoba.” I adore and admire you too much to ever let go.

Susato chuckles, her breath hitting Haori’s neck, making the latter shudder. “A part of me is relieved, I have to admit,” the other girl replies softly. “You definitely deserve better than my silly brother as your partner in life.”

Haori laughs, in what she hopes appears to be genuine joy rather than nervousness. “I already have you as my partner in life, do I not?” she says, cursing the fact she cannot see Susato’s face.

“Of course you have,” Susato says, well oblivious to Haori’s deeper meaning behind her words. “I am glad to have you.”

Haori holds back a wistful sigh. “And so do I.”

She knows she promised Kazuma she would take a leap of faith and confess, but she never said when. Now truly is not the right moment anyhow.

But someday. In the meantime, she will continue looking over Susato the way she deserves to be.

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-