#cells at work rarepair

[strawberoni]

(repost, sorry ahaha)

regulatory t and nk (≧∀≦)

me pairing the baddest btches together because it just makes sense yk… but in all honesty i love them both and their interactions have so much potential I LOVE THE BOTH OF THEM SM… i would make more art of them if i wasn’t shy

CELL YURI 4 LIFE >:3

[vidra-comprehends]

This was my first year participating in SpecReqs, a Mass Effect rarepair gift exchange. I heavily recommend browsing through this collection (as well as the previous years), whether you're looking for something specific or just a good read.

I would like to highlight the gift I received. (I will include the author's name here once creators have been revealed.) It brings me great joy and I think more people should see it. Have you ever wished you could see Wrex and Garrus take a crack at the same escape room prison cell?

So, what have we learned about written fanworks?

When you fixate on something for too long, your whole work can feel like a hit-or-miss type of situation. Take a walk! Take a walk!

I am so glad I signed up! This has been a scary but lovely experience from start to finish.

I have discovered another thing or two about what I enjoy. Fiction helps us explore other people's and our own psyche at the same time. What a privilege!

Urdnot Wrex.

I hope to be back next year; more confident and just as insane about our favourite characters.

[musashi]

what kind of fandom stuff do you think maya and miles are into for steel samurai? like do they write fic or meta, or cosplay?

i think the both of them write fic but maya's mostly writing trashy smut for her underloved f/f rarepair and miles is one of the more prolific magisteel writers who occasionally dips into other more underloved canons like signal & rainbow samurai. he's ostensibly a BNF like exactly the cliche you see in bigger fandoms, purple prose like you wouldn't believe, writes 300 words when ten will suffice. he does it entirely as a hobby and is completely unbothered by his success in fandom. maya vaguely knows of him but has no fucking clue it's miles.

miles also goes to cons and events but he does it in civvies and usually masked & sunglasses because he doesn't want to be recognized and bothered. since he's right there in LA where they shoot and has the weirdest fucking inside source imaginable (tried to prosecute one of the lead actors for murder???) i imagine he's at pretty much every event because i legit think him and will stayed tight after all that (phoenix definitely put a bug in will's ear once he realized miles was Actually A Fan) but even if he wasn't rubbing elbows w the cast you know my man would be spending real government dollars on every single con and expo global studios held. think his house is decorated in merch that clashes horribly with the rest of his decor.

if miles is writing meta it is likely on oldschool internet fan forums. the only social media he has is a professional verified twitter that he posts nothing but law shit on every few months. maya is def getting into petty arguments on there but only when shes in the city and on the rare occasion her cell service works in kurain, she has to go like a mile up the fucking mountain to get a single bar.

my personal take on maya is that she considers herself the arbiter of pink princess lore. people say shit like "maya kins the pink princess" like it isn't the other fucking way around--the pink princess kins maya. my girlfriend has a really good casefic everyone should read or i'm going to fucking be under your bed that proposes (indirectly) that sal had a similar creative awakening when he saw franziska in the airport in aai1-2, and thus the cobalt crusader was born. this is my gf's stsam oc who i went a little too apeshit about, and now i ship her with the pink princess, AS DOES MAYA.

maya is convinced, conspiratorially, that pink and steel are bearding each other and pink is secretly a lesbian who's meant to be endgame with the cobalt crusader. miles and her have gotten into screaming matches about this (miles likes magisteel from a purely fantastical standpoint, he does not think it'll ever come to be) usually ended with both of them killing phoenix, who is on the fringes, there to snarkily ask them if they know what a bisexual is. he does this every time and it ends the argument every time because they stop yelling at each other and instead yell at him.

maya's the only person in the world writing for pinkbalt and i cannot stress enough she only writes steamy erotica but her fics do decent numbers amongst the wlw half of the fandom and have a small but passionate following.

i think eventually miles starts taking maya to cons. and she def cosplays. with pearl.

ok thanks for asking this i love you bye

[real-oddity]

Real Oddity's 2023 Art

Hello hello, gay people in my computer, it's that time again! Time to look at my art over this year! Feel free to look at 12 pieces that I did throughout the year. Enjoy :D!!

January- Fluffybird hyperfixation was in FULL SWING, WOW! I was in a really good groove early in the year, and was getting a lot of nice work done, including these idiots! I've changed how I draw these boys, but I still really like the shading for the most part! Generally holds up well. The background is pretty cool, too! I drew it myself :]

February- Luz Noceda my beloved! The Owl House was my favorite show for a while and still means a lot to me, so I felt like drawing Luz! Overall not very happy with this piece, like the shading, and also the nose, but I love the tears and eyes :D! Also hey those weird funky angular hands I used to draw, what ever happened to those-

March- BALDI!!!!! I was such an indie horror kid, man, so when I found out I had like. 12 hours to get a drawing done for Baldi's anniversary, I fucking jumped at the chance. I'm proud of that fact, but yeesh that shading is a little gross color wise. Also I could not draw lips, ears, or noses. I still can't, but I'm better at it!

April- oh god not them- So I was into Homestuck for a bit lol. I haven't finished it, and don't know if I will, but that's beside the point! Honestly this piece still holds up! For a colored sketch, I still like it a lot, especially Whimsy's hands. Dieonn's chin though... god you can tell I'm ass at perspective-

May- Oh my goodness, it's Wally Darling! He's just the most~ This was a practice in perspective, which as mentioned before I'm not great at!. I think it came out well, and while the shading isn't realistic for a felt body, I still like it :]

June- Oh my goodness he's multiplying!!! Run, run! This was me still trying to wiggle into the Welcome Home fandom (and failing lol) This was also a practice in both just drawing Wally, and composition! I didn't do great, but hey, it was good practice.

July- Oh my gosh it's him... the birthday boy- So the Daycare Attendant stole my heart a few years back when I was really ill and recovering from some trauma, so I of course had to make something for Eclipse! I wanted to test painting, and honestly? I like it a lot, at least dirt wise. He looks so grimy, I love it, ah!! Still needs more work on the lighting, though.

August- God dammit he came back again >:[ I was getting excited for all the new fnaf stuff, so I decided to draw Springtrap, the animatronic that scarred me so much as a kid. I'm actually still pretty happy with the general lighting. Like, there are a few things I have notes on, but overall I still like it :] Also the wires were fun, hehe

September- Mr. Darling is back again! I decided to try my hand at digital painting again and!!! I am still really pleased with the results. Pretty man!

October- Oh god its The Horse Show- For Cringetober, I drew a rarepair of Rarity and Sassy Saddles from MLP:FIM. I'm still super super happy with the horse anatomy, they're so cute! This was also a test in cell shading.

November- Circus time! I thought the pairing of Jax and Kaufmo was kinda funny, so I drew them. This was another test in composition and such, and general interactions. I still think it's alright :]

December- JANUARY EVERLY MY BELOVED SON!!! God it's been a hot minute sense I've done any illustrations with Jan. This was me just dicking around tbh, but hey! The results are fun! I love my son <3

2023 was so much better than 2022 in many ways. I'm looking forward to an even better 2024, and I hope you'll join me!

[mumble-muse]

✨Non-Merthur Merlin Server AO3 Takeover!✨

We asked our amazing members to publish a drabble or short fanwork with one simple rule: it couldn't be Merthur.

And they did such an amazing job 😭

(please check full tags for warnings)

a kind of grief by @sirwilliamofdeira

Elyan & Gwaine

"the extra shadow brightens everything" Elyan and Gwaine in the cell s04ep13, dealing with the stress of imprisonment the best they can

bound in purple by @mumble-muse

Gwen/Merlin

Merlin and Gwen share a moment.

Different Kind of Knight by @lemissingmask

Arthur/Lancelot

Arthur gets an unexpected passenger on his drive home

Guilt is a form of hurt by @gremlinbehaviour

Lancelot & Merlin, Gwen & Lancelot, Arthur/Gwen

Lancelot saves Gwen from an assassin, but in doing so hurts her and her unborn baby as well as being injured himself. As Merlin sews him up, he tries to assuage his guilt with little success

Height differences by @gremlinbehaviour

Gwen & Percival

After the castle is reclaimed from Morgana and her immortal army, Percival needs help finding his way around. Unfortunately, some of the routes that work for Gwen aren't as useful for the tall new knight

kiss (noun): an exercise in avoidance by @gwen-cheers-me-up

Lancelot/Merlin

but maybe it's an exercise in hope?

Lancelot vs Lancelot by @gremlinbehaviour

Merlin, Gwaine, Lancelot

Living on in a torn apart world by @donttouchtheneednoggle

Gwen & Percival

Percival comforts Gwen after a nightmare and they talk about Elyan

No man he'd rather have beside him in a battle by @erdariel

Elyan & Leon

Arthur knights Elyan. Leon is proud.

on frogs and friends by @sirwilliamofdeira

Elena & Leon

Leon and Elena talk before her wedding. Set just after Grunhilda leaves Elena in s03e06, but before Merlin and Gaius get there!

Post-concussion cuddles by @gremlinbehaviour

Gwen/Lancelot

Sequel to Uncaged in Your Arms. Gwen and Lancelot are safely back in Camelot, but both injured, they're instructed to rest. This is improved greatly by doing so together.

Stairs by @gremlinbehaviour

Elyan & Gwaine

The Big Three of BBC Merlin by @mergwencelot

Gwen/Lancelot/Merlin

The Inn above the Tavern by @gremlinbehaviour

Gwaine & Gwen & Lancelot

When Gwaine runs into Lancelot and Guinevere outside of Camelot, it's not under the best of circumstances, but he's happy to see them again nonetheless and to be of service.

we left the book of love signed in blood on every page by @lit-in-thy-heart

Gwaine/Lancelot/Merlin, Gwaine/Merlin

After Lancelot walked through the veil, his partners are left to piece what remains of their lives back together. But they have both come to realise that perhaps the best way to do that is alone.

Will you stay? by @erdariel

Leon & Merlin

Merlin never came back to Camelot after Arthur's death, but at Gwen's funeral decades later, Leon sees him again.

(full collection link here)

Thank you everyone for participating! 💐💐💐

✨About the Non-Merthur Merlin Server: we're a positive space for all Merlin fans to discuss the show with a focus on rarepairs, lesser-discussed dynamics, and characters who need a bit more love! Everyone is welcome to join us on the server, just click here for the join link. ✨

[adventures-in-teyvat]

Just curious do you think Yanfei x Heizou could work as couple?

OOH THAT IS AN ADORABLE RAREPAIR

heizou is a little shit (affectionate) and i think yanfei would be great at putting up with that. she would go along with his shenanigans most of the time—she doesn’t mind bending the rules, but if he straight up breaks the law during investigations she’ll probably keep him in line. kujou sara would love her LMAO

and even though she can be level-headed and knows how to rein him in, heizou’s flirting would most definitely get to her sometimes :) like if it catches her off guard her cheeks will turn the color of her hair and she shuts down JSBDJFHD

but i think she’d also flirt back with him when she has her wits about her since she is also a menace. and when they are both being menaces it’s terrifying for whatever criminal they’re after or investigating because they share one brain cell and it’s bouncing back and forth between them, but like it works because they’re in sync and know what the other is thinking. interrogations with these two would be incredible to watch

ANYWAYS I THINK THIS IS REALLY CUTE I LOVE RAREPAIRS SO MUCH

[deathbyoctopi]

Rarepair April! Yaaay!!! >w<

So! For the past couple weeks I've been working a lot with Gotcha for Gaza and another event, writing some oneshots for prompts, and the wonderful rare ships I was asked about are just so cute!!

So, for those already lost on just what I have and haven't written (me included), here's the recent Rarepair Festival >w<

🚢Wen Chao / Wen Zhuliu🚢

Shouting was heard from the ancestral hall of Lotus Pier. Which wasn’t too strange on the warmest summer days, when the youngest disciples took refuge in the cool shade and played games (making them grow quite rowdy), ensuing the even louder screams from the closest responsible adult that came to yell at them young irreverent ruffians.

Ah, but it wasn’t summer anymore, and the shouting now was far from joyful. Also, all the disciples were dead.  

From: A helping hand, a nsfw nasty little dub-con because if Wen-er-gongzi discovers he likes being spanked, can his faithful bodyguard actually refuse? (he should and he almost does! XD)

🚢Nie Huaisang/Lan Wangji🚢

Lan Xichen eyes nervously the other members of the meeting. Judging by the little monitors on his screen, no one else seems to be noticing that Wangji is having some sort of inappropriate fun right now, thank God. Although he can’t understand why, since it’s so obvious…

But well, Lan Xichen has been long aware that, for some reason, he seems to be the only person able to read Wangji’s solemn expression, which Jin Guangyao has called on some occasion “the most perfect poker face” he’s ever seen.

From: Just another corporate secret, a naughty Lan Wangji / Nie Huaisang from the pov of Lan Xichen, that gets in an online meeting and realizes what's going on under his brother's table.

🚢Jin Guangyao / Nie Huaisang🚢

“Tell me, a-Yao…”

The tinkle of golden wrist bells rang soft and delicate, glittering against the dark golden silks of the bed. The light was low and the perfumed incense thick, and there was a heavy suggestion of alcohol in the room.

Enough to make Nie Huaisang’s voice pass for something even more light and feminine.

“…have you been a good boy?”

“Yes, a-niang.”

From: Tell it to your mumsy, a nsfw HuaiYao where a drunk Jin Guangyao misses his mum very, very much (and Nie Huaisang takes advantage of that to learn all his little secrets >w<)

🚢Jin Guangyao / Wen Ruohan🚢

“Show me what do you do to them. The prisoners.” Wen Ruohan sat calmly on a wooden chair, which the local guard had very wisely left free the second he saw those two turning the corner of the corridor.

Meng Yao’s voice didn’t betray his thoughts, but even so the sightliest hesitation dripped through. He looked at the prison guards, still lounging by the nearest cell.

“As your Excellency wishes, but… Here?”

“Here.”

“Wouldn’t it be more suitable to... perform such acts in the comfort of your Excellency's bed?”

“Here, a-Yao.”

From: Keep an ace up your sleeve (it will come handy) a very nsfw insight at some special methods Meng Yao came up with to torture prisoners during his internship with the Wen...

Lastly, not a ship but a very special pair I hold very dear to my heart...

🍃Xiao Xignchen & Cangse Sanren🍃

Cangse Sanren put her arm around Xiao Xingchen’s shoulder and her voice took a conspiratorial tone.

“You too, you must get yourself a good and reliable cultivation partner, do you hear? Like that young man you fought with. What's his name? Song Something."

"Zichen."

"Whatever. If you like him, tie the knot as fast as possible. Life is so short, and so precious!”

Xiao Xingchen could have blushed, if it wasn’t because he had lost quite a lot of blood and was feeling a bit light-headed.

“Shijie, please, don’t tease…” he said hiding a smile.

From: Relentless in love (and dodging nettles), where Xiao Xingchen comes across a mischievous spirit and realizes she is non other than his legendary martial sister...

There! Now I'm up to date with the weird shit I've written lately XD

[astaldis]

Chapter 4: Sometimes I fall to pieces

@cake-shop-rarepair-bingo

@witcher-rarepairs

Chapters: 4/5 of ‘You're brave because they broke you ...’

Bingo Prompts: Bedsharing, temporary or permanent blindness

Challenge Prompt: Write a disabled character

Fandom: The Witcher (TV)

Pairing: Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach & Fringilla Vigo

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Witcher_Rarepair_Prompt_Fest Prompt: Post Season 2: After their lie is uncovered by Emhyr var Emreis, Cahir and Fringilla are arrested and thrown into the dungeons - in the same cell. With only one bed. First they bicker and bitch and blame each other for their failure, but this changes drastically when Cahir is tortured, and badly so, and Fringilla has to take care of him.

"Cahir, you have to tell me exactly what happened," Fringilla urges. "Was it a curse? Curses can be broken. I'd only need the exact wording of the spell and as soon as—" She does not finish the sentence as he is shaking his head. Not a curse.

"How then?" she asks, puzzled. Fringilla has not detected any visible damage to his eyes. Definitely not gouged or cut or burned out, she would have noticed drastic injuries like that even in the dim light of the dungeons. No, both eyeballs seem perfectly intact. What can do something like this besides a curse, or the black sun? A potion? Some kind of poison?

"My sword. The one they took from me when we were arrested. They heated it in the fire," he starts to explain, his voice hoarse and shaky, the words slightly slurred. Talking about this must be painful, and not only because of the traumatic experience but also because of the physical anguish it causes. Still, Fringilla needs to know. Only then there might be a chance for her to help.

"They - they held it in my face and made me look at it. It was brighter than the sun burns. It - it hurt like hell." He swallows. "Then everything went dark." The last words are hardly more than a whisper. More tears come and trickle slowly down his cheeks and into the rag that is supposed to be some sorry excuse of a pillow. He gives a hiccoughing sob. And another one ...

Continue reading on Ao3: 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/47540179/chapters/120025675

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

Ninjago Rarepair Week 2023

Day 3: Sickness

A/N: Skylor X The Nindroid Manager from the Sensei Wus Teas shorts if you don't recognize her

That's Jennifer, she never had an official name so I gave her the name Jennifer after Jenny X9 from My Life as a Teenage Robot

After the merge they decided to carry on with this theme of everybody merging together so Jennifer closed down her Cafe and moved it to be neighboring with Skylor's Noodle House you ever see those weird restaurants that have like an A&W on one side and the KFC on the other pretty much works the same way.

Can get your Noodles and Coffee under one roof.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Skylor didn't like asking for people's help let alone her own who was busy running her Cafe but as she tossed whatever she had left in her stomach, she realized she really didn't have a choice

Fortunately post merge their businesses were conjoined, the Cafe on one side and her noodle house on the other

Reaching out with a very shaky hand she managed to snatch her cell phone from where it had fallen sending a quick message to Jennifer

"Hey do you think the robot manager can handle both establishments for a few days?"

The reply was almost instantaneous,

"Of course I can, let me guess you caught that bug flying around,"

She simply answered with a yep and again the response was almost instantaneous

"Okay, do you need anything my little shifter?"

She thought on it for a moment some ginger tea actually sounded pretty good from her girlfriend's Cafe

"Could you bring that ginger tea you make when you have a moment, it sounds so good"

"Of course I'll let the staff know, you just rest"

The red-headed woman smiled before another wave of nausea slammed into her, whether through stubbornness or not wanting to leave a mess for her girlfriend she placed a trash can by the side of the bed her body instantly sinking into the sheets, she let out a sigh of relief almost instantaneously falling asleep,

She only woke a few times at her stomach's upset, but the fourth time she woke up, it was to a gentle hand on her forehead, Amber eyes opening to see her girlfriend's sister Harriet a local nurse taking her vitals, Jennifer carefully sat on the bed,

"Yeah Skylor just has the stomach flu. Fever is at 100, which isnt bad, just keep an eye on it." She said in a low voice, which Skylor was grateful for, especially as her senses now were fogged, everything felt overly sensitive

A very gentle hand rested on her leg

"Hey bug, I asked my sister to come with me to make sure everything was a okay. She's got the medical degree,"

The other smiled at Jennifer,

"It is understandable, thank you Harriet," She barley managed to whisper before nausea bubbled up, Harriet with practiced expertise had the bucket in hand in front of her Jennifer carefully rubbing her partners back,

After a moment Skylar laid back as her girlfriend re-tucked her in, Harriet fluidly tying the bag up tossing it and placing a new one in the bucket washing her hands in the bathroom finally she tossed her purse over one shoulder

" I'm going to be heading back to the hospital just call me if you need anything more."

The other quickly left the space Jennifer set something on the nightstand that smelled actually good but it did make Skyler's stomach twist a bit

"The ginger healing tea you requested my little amber bug"

"Help me?" The other croaked Jennifer smiling softly as she silently helped the other sit up and gently take a sip

Skylor hummed as it soothed her throat, the nausea in her stomach settling as Jenny laid her back down, she felt a kiss being placed to her forehead

"I got to get back to work sweetheart your brother said he would take over a while I'm gone but knowing him,"

Skylor let out a soft laugh weakly, motioning for the other to go,

"Go on, before he burns the place down, "

Jennifer chuckled as well before walking out

[onepunchknockout]

More CPU Mii Kiddos no one asked for: a rarepair

One cpu mii pairing I don't necessarily ship but have grown on is none other than WSC boxing champion Pit- and Keiko, from the original Wii Sports. Absolutely weird and random thing that literally no one ships, but it looks so cute.

I don't own a Wii U nor have I ever played wsc but I do like the champions hehe I'm looking at you, Enrique. I love you.

Anyway, I'd like to touch on Pit and Keiko's children: Brooke and Evan. It's impossible in tl but I made them twins hehe.

Fun fact!: Audrey x Brooke, that's the tweet

The whole 'ship' in itself is something I didn't expect to work on Wuhu 1.0, but I love these children nonetheless. I love that you can clearly tell who Brooke's dad/Evan's mom is.

Heck, I even made Pit the genie. Nothing like your big strong champion dad to aid you in kicking Shinnosuke into next Sunday.

I can say these two are akin to Anthony and Audrey aside from their parents relationship. Pit and Keiko had no problem staying together on my tomodachi life islands- enough for a third mystery kid.

Anyway, that's them! To end this off here's a video of Evan being a dummy because Brooke hogs their shared brain cell. The chef is Enrique's kid... also with an oc because tomodachi.

[danggirlronpa]

Seed D1 Masterpost

Tenko/Akane art by dragonclaude

Hina/Ibuki art by ghost-ghoul

Tenko/Akane

These girls are BUFF. These girls have NO BRAIN CELLS. These girls would FILM THE BACK AT IT AGAIN AT CRISPY CREME VINE. what MORE could you NEED!!

Hina/Ibuki

Highest energy couple you've ever met in your life. Ibuki is like I'm going on a five-hour run to get hyped for the stage and Hina goes cool! I'm going to swim the English Channel! See you on the other side babe. And then they go out for donuts afterward

※To avoid spamming artists, I will only @ them the first time their work shows up unless told otherwise. If you want to check all the art I used, check here!

[infinityhype]

Loyalty

I fully blame @miialona for making me think about them and write about them and turn them over in my mind. Sometimes one dude saving another dude from death row so said murderer can help him make a game is valid, actually.

Also there’s something about digging into a new rarepair that makes my little heart happy.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Razor tumbled through the dirt and grass until he finally came to rest at the base of a tree, surrounded by red poppies.

He looked up at his assailant; a short man around his age with black, spiky hair and golden brown eyes.  

“I caught you,” he said with a grin. “Told ya I would.” 

“So you did,” Razor said with a sideways smile. “Didn’t expect you to hit so hard.” 

“It’s what you get for underestimating me,” the man said as he took a seat next to Razor. “Name’s Ging Freecss.” 

Razor righted himself. “Nice to meet you, Ging. Now that you’ve caught me, I’d like to ask a favor.” 

“I’ll see what I can do,” Ging said as he plucked a poppy and twirled the stem in his hand. He tucked an arm behind him and leaned back against the trunk.

“Instead of taking me back to prison…would you kill me? I’d rather die out here knowing I was free, even for a little while. They’ll still pay you full price for me.”

“Nope,” Ging answered immediately. “I’m not taking you back.” 

“You’re not after the bounty?” Razor asked, voice dripping with skepticism.  

“I don’t need money. I need you, Razor.” 

Razor wanted to laugh until his throat hurt. No one had ever needed him. Not his no-good, alcoholic dad, not the mom who’d walked out before Razor could even remember her face. 

No one. 

“You don’t believe me?” His brown eyes looked up at Razor with a steady gaze. No trace of doubt or fear. 

I wish I could think of some poem or fancy word to compare his eyes to, Razor thought. Shoulda paid better attention in class. Maybe read a book or something. 

“Course I don’t,” Razor said as he looked up at the drifting clouds. “People like me exist as a warning. You know, don’t cut class or you’ll end up like that guy. Eighteen and on death row.” 

“See, I don’t believe that. I read your story, and I think–” 

You’re criminal scum, worthy of doing my dirty work, Razor finished in his mind. 

“–with some respect, and like…I dunno, something to do that’s not rotting in a cell, you could be a good person.” 

“I must’ve misheard you,” Razor said. “Did you just tell me I could be a good person?” 

“Yup,” Ging replied. 

Razor did laugh this time; long and hearty until his breath came in fits of wheezing. “I…man. I’ve met a lot of weirdos but you…you take the cake!” 

“So you’ll join me?” Ging asked. 

“Yeah, sure. What the hell, it’s not like I’ve got anything else going on…” 

—

Razor stared into the fire and finished off his beer. He crushed the can flat on a nearby tree stump and tossed it into an ever-growing pile. Pulled another one from the cooler and cracked it open. 

He was nowhere near drunk, but starting to feel a bit tipsy. Thoughts he normally kept to himself lurked beneath the surface. Everyone was in a jovial mood, celebrating the completion of a big part of the game. They were all nice to him, of course, and Razor didn't mind the team, it was just…

"Hey! Why so glum, chum?" Ging laughed a bit at his own joke as he took a seat next to Razor. 

"I'm not," he replied as he took another drink. "Thinking is all." 

Ging sidled up to Razor. "About? A special girl? A special guy?" 

Now's better than never, I suppose. 

"You," Razor said. 

Ging tilted his head and grinned. He looked at the dregs in his red plastic cup and dumped it into the fire. It turned bright blue and settled back into the orange red it had before. 

"Well." Ging said as he stood to his feet and dusted himself off. 

"Well?" Razor raised an eyebrow. 

"You want me, and I want you so…you want to do something about it?" 

"You're–" Razor tried to finish his sentence, but then Ging was on his lap, and Ging's lips tasted of beer and he smelled like smoke and soap. The beer tumbled out of his hand and rolled off into the dirt. 

"You were saying?" 

"Fuck it. I forgot." Razor pulled Ging against him and kissed him again. 

"Get a room!" List shouted, to the cheers and jeers of the rest of the group. 

"You heard 'em—whoa!" 

Razor laughed as he picked Ging up and carried him bridal style. 

"Aw, are you blushing?" Razor teased.

"No! I've just…never had someone pick me up like that. Am I even heavy to you?" 

"Not at all," he replied. "I'll do it anytime you want." 

"I didn't say I liked it," Ging grumbled. 

"But you haven't said you don't like it either…" 

—

"Hey." 

Razor turned to Ging. 

"I hate to ruin the afterglow but…" Ging scrubbed a hand through his hair and leaned back against the headboard. "I can't…I won't…do the thing where I stay with one person forever. I should've explained it before we…you know." 

Razor shrugged. 

"I understand. You mean a lot to me, but I'd never try to tie you down." 

Ging was quiet for a moment. He traced the curve of Razor's bicep with a light touch. "Thanks. You mean a lot to me too."

Razor took a hold of Ging's forearm. He knew he didn't have to be gentle, Ging was the furthest thing from fragile, but…

"No taking it easy on me," Ging said, brown eyes sparkling. 

"Amber," Razor said. 

"Huh?"

"I…how do I explain this without sounding dumb…"

"You just explain it," Ging said plainly. 

"Oh. When we first met, I couldn't think of something to compare your eyes to. But the stuff you showed me on the trees, with the bugs in it? That's the color. Amber." 

Ging snorted and laughed. "If I was anyone else I might take offense. But I choose to accept your compliment for what it is. Sincere and heartfelt. And sappy in more ways than one." 

Something turned in Razor's chest. So this is what it's like for someone to care. For someone to understand. 

He pulled Ging to him with a sigh. "Gonna have to punish you for turning my heartfelt sentiments into another one of your dumb jokes." 

Ging grinned. "Do I get to pick? Can you suffocate me in your pecs? Kiss me until I–augh!" 

They tumbled out of bed in a tangle of sheets and pillows. 

"Oof, I felt that in my tailbone," Ging said. 

Razor chuckled. 

"Stop laughing, I don't have the same amount of cushion as you do!" Ging said as he smacked Razor with a pillow. 

"Cushion? I work very hard to have an ass this nice." 

"I know, I watch you sometimes." The alarm clock had fallen down with them. Ging looked at the time. "Aw hell, we have a meeting in half an hour. Guess we should get ready." 

"Or…" 

"Or?" Ging looked at Razor, head tilted. 

"How much do you actually care about being on time?" 

Ging laughed. "I take it on a case by case basis and in this case…I don't give a shit."  

—

[rosesandalfazemas]

The Devil is in the details (UkArg - EnglandxArgentina) ~ENG version Pt. 1~

Rarepair Hetalia Week - DAY IV - Historical / Free Day

Act IV for @hwsrarepairweek2022! - This time a fanfic which maybe shares a little of both topics. England and Argentina (Martín Hernández in Latin Hetalia); about music tastes and all the things they have in common in their times... after everything.

I was the guilty lady of this pairing with Un Tango Inglés, back in 2010 so, I continue the legacy the latin fandom made after me )?.

After a couple of private messages I *tried* to translate the oneshot and I share it with you. Thanks for the interest and sorry in advance hahha.

The details. Those little, minute details.

I know you Keep coming back for more

Until I tell you stop

I don't want you anymore, stop

I don't need you anymore

Arthur looked up from his cell phone after a long sip of tea. He turned his head slowly towards the end of the room where he was, until he found the source of his attention.

You've gotta beg me some more

You've gotta love me so much more

Until I tell you stop

A group of office workers were at their daily break, huddled over someone holding a phone, showing them something. They were young men in their British Royal Household work uniforms; coquettish young ladies and elegant boys making the finery of the blood that ran through the veins beat.

Blood that was his and belonged to him, certainly.

For this reason, he looked at them and smiled tenderly, seeing that the surprise before a wonder was transfigured in human faces in a childish way, regardless of age. And it was the same expression of surprise when they turned to see him, feeling in a bind.

"L-Lord Kirkland! We didn't know he was in the living room " said one, scratching his hair nervously " . We are very sorry. "

"I'm not going to scold you, you're on break " the boy raised his hand with a soft gesture, and left the cup on the table next to the armchair where he was ". Besides, it's true, I usually stay holed up in my office, but I wanted to get some fresh air. "

"We weren't aware of your presence. "

"Better this way, I like to listen to them as they are naturally without knowing that I am present "he smiled with enigma". I can hide if I want, as you may have noticed. Now, what has them so gawked?

"Marc was showing us a band he went to see the other day," said a shy girl, peeking out from behind her partner. "They are in fashion now. "

"Fashion? " He smirked, calmly standing up. He adjusted the vest and closed his jacket, while he walked towards them calmly, with the rhythm that kings walked " Sometimes I lose a little of those things. The last time I saw a group this enthusiastic was because of Queen, and before that because of The Who... and before that because of The Beatles. "

"Well, the truth is that they are not as spectacular as all of them," the aforementioned Marc picked up the phone, smiling more confident at the pleasant presence emanating from what they knew was their Fatherland." But they have a very curious style, quite retro. Like a pre-punk psychedelia, my father would say."

"Oh Punk. That does interest me.” He raised his thick eyebrows, continuing on his way toward them. Instinctively everyone stepped aside, letting him pass. "Let's see..."

The young man agreed to show him, something nervous in the background. Because there was a detail...

I know you Keep coming back for more

Until I tell you stop

I don't want you anymore, stop

I don't need you anymore

A detail that only the Empire of Great Britain would detect otherwise. Thing that happened instantly to see the musicians play, and turned his happy face into something that made the small group back.

"Um...Lord Kirkland?" Marc looked at it carefully, because the video was inside an article from an international newspaper, showing a news item with its headings.

"The Draystones…" he murmured, savoring the name and smiling wryly at the meaning. He was so focused on it that he stopped blinking, and it scared the mortals around him.

"Sir, that's what I tried to tell you a moment ago." The boy's tone was lowered by the reverential fear that the blonde provoked. "This band is being popular because- "

"It's a hybrid," he cut him off, looking at him seriously. "... with Argentinians."

"Yes, it seems so." He continued, trying not to look down; since in his interior he had an immense desire to run away and cry in a corner, guilty of something that had nothing to do with him.

When Arthur saw the fear in his child he blinked again, recovering a little of the humanity that covered his exterior.

"We are sorry to bring you this displeasure, my Lord," the young woman then spoke. We didn't think that... "

"I would never be displeased by something like that," he replied, smiling at her with a fatherly tone. "This is your time, and it's not bad that they like these things.” He raised a hand. "Don't put that pressure on yourselves in my presence. They make me feel like a villain."

"We know matters with Argentina continue to being delicate and, to be honest, this was quite a surprise" Marc tried to smile ". Because they are good, for a change."

"Of course they are," said Arthur. "Argentine artists are very talented; they carry their father's sun wherever their feet go. They are creative and witty, and they do things like this; even when the world is against them " he sighed ". They just repeat a pattern. And it is something worth admiring, certainly. "

The young mortals looked at each other, and back at England.

"So, are things better?" The blonde stared at them for a long second.

"What are 'things'?"

"Well, you know," Marc cleared his throat. "The relationship with the sir."

Kirkland wanted to laugh, but kept it to himself so as not to sound more outlandish than this conversation already was. Although thinking of Martin as a "sir" was hilarious in his age parameters.

"We have our... things, but yes, we're in better terms" he clarified. "The reductionisms of mentioning the Argentine Government and its inhabitants have remained only in the political sphere; they are not outlawed, nor do you have the forbidden word with them. Do not behave as if it were so, just for fear of making me angry " he asked them kindly, looking at each one patiently" . Do me that favor. "

"Okay," the woman said then, smiling a little more. "Thank you for trusting us with this, Lord Kirkland."

An ancient-sounding clock struck an hour echoing throughout the spacious hall of the Palace, and footsteps began to be heard again in the corridors, accommodating the guards stationed outside.

"Your lunch hour is over, and you lost it with me." The blond raised an eyebrow with a hint of amusement, crossing his arms. "Get back to work."

When the group said goodbye, he took out his cell phone and did a quick search, while he took his work folders and the private security bowed when they saw him pass, and he made a slight gesture to them without taking his eyes off the device, moving away from the room.

The Draystones was the first Anglo-Argentine band in the whole world; it existed from 2006 to 2015, and its music was '60s-style. You can listen to the song here

[monocotyledons]

really tired of seeing “don’t see fanworks about [rarepair]? then make it yourself!” as a kneejerk response to people wishing for more fanworks about their fave rarepairs because rarely does it mean well and rarely does the op take into consideration that making fanwork takes time and effort, plus one of the greatest sources of inspiration for fanwork is a community of people who feel the same way

yes there is a nice freedom to writing your own rarepair the way you want but there's also a loneliness in not having anyone else who feels the same way and gets excited about it the same way you do. also it's so much harder to draw inspiration if you can hardly look at other people's art or fics for the same ship and get ideas or even just excited brain cells from knowing that someone feels the same way

of course it's not impossible. you can always share your work with people who don't ship the rarepair but are willing to listen, and you can get inspiration from works that aren't about your rarepair. but it doesn't have the same level of connection and shared excitement as creating with other people who like the same thing as you and you feed off of your mutual passion for the thing.

and sure, the whole "just make it yourself!" response is often directed at entitled rarepair fans who want their favorite authors to just pump out fics as if they're on an assembly line, or jealous rarepair fans who complain about popular ships having "too many" fanworks. but i also see it directed at... normal rarepair fans who are just sad that they don't have as many fanworks to draw from as popular ship fans. and it's valid to feel sad and frustrated because your excitement over X ship doesn't really have an outlet!! being emotional also uses up energy and sometimes there's no place for that energy to go!!

[jojolightningfingers]

i am here to receive words about words for AO3 wrapped: 3, 5, 10, 17, 28, 29!

>:3c

What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)? 

Flirting with Death aka the hitku manifesto. You love to wrangle a rarepair into working out.

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

Same answer, I was straight up not expecting it to actually gain any comments at all aside from yours of course because uhhh lots of people don’t like DBS already (fools) and hitku is one of those rarepairs that you have to HARDCORE contrive but instead I got several people saying they liked it???? it has almost 700 views, what the hell.

What work was the quickest to write?

hough. UM, if we’re only counting stuff that i actually wrote this year and didn’t repost/polish up from sometime earlier then probably Concatenation or Breaking Bread. the power of vignettes.

Your favorite character to write this year? 

Gogeta but that fic isn’t out yet :3c Android 18′s bits from Integrated Circuit were my favorites, actually. She’s perpetually Done(tm) but she’s still very dangerous and anything but flighty.

Favorite work you wrote this year?

I’m ngl I really like the Good Cell AU, mainly because i’m not hugely a writer of AUs that change something as major as a character surviving or switching sides? Like teethmarks was pretty much just, Bleach canon but a little to the left, but having an alternate Cell alive after the Cell Games could really change around some bits of the plot, and especially some character interactions. (I might also be percolating a third entry for it revolving around Cell and Trunks...)

Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

hoo many good ones to pick from... I’m rather fond of this one from ch3 of where the heart is:

Therion can’t see Olberic’s face in this light (and, well, he’s sauced enough by now that the room’s gone bleary anyway) but disapproval roils off of him in waves.

Gods, he’s in no mood to deal with this right now. He makes a point of ignoring the old knight in favor of forcing down another hefty draught. Despite the clarity of the message, Olberic sighs like he’s the inconvenienced one here, which kind of really pisses him off.

“Did you at least pay the barkeep for that bottle?”

 Therion glowers at him. “I’m a thief. Th’fuck do you think?”

also this, from Concatenation:

“Easy,” he says, unthinkingly steadying Vegeta when the senzu jolts him upright with a stunted gasp. His eyes are blown wide, whites ringing dark irises. “You okay?” This, warily. (They are not friends.) 

and this from Flirting with Death (again):

The skin there is fragile as his own—it yields bitter blood to Goku’s teeth and tongue, and then he leans back.

Vindication. Hit clearly didn’t realize how close he was standing either. He’s still as the grave, eyes wide, mouth stained the color of plums.

“How ‘bout that,” Goku says, grinning. “So’s yours.”

I just like. Goku being perhaps a little too cheeky for his own good.

[lowkeyclueless5137]

Rarepair Halloween Story Extra Part 8

Pair: Malleus x Idia x Azul

Prompt: ---

Warning: This part contains gore, body horror and blood

Disclaimer: this part contains book 6 and 7 Spoilers.

Malleus was one meticulos person. When he was told he needed to be somewhere, he was there on point, maybe even a few minutes early. If someone told him to mark off a date, he marked it and everyday he would look at the calendar to see how close that date is to him.

Which resulted in Malleus always marking off the moon phases. After the incident and discovery of Idia's 'creation', Malleus kept close tabs on the moon phases. It was simple, It was at its weakest on the new moon and at its strongest on the full moon. Malleus and Azul always seemed to satisfy that beast's hunger and so far, it never leaved the confides of Idia's room, as long as either Azul or Malleus were there to keep it from leaving.

Yet it was also ravenous. More often than not, Malleus got a few scratches. It was a scared creature, yet no scared creature should ever have the right to be this violent and powerful. In its frenzy, Malleus found it hard to calm it down. Azul was more gentle than him, but neither gentleness alone, nor raw power seemed to ever calm it down until it destroys something. It was one of the beast's urges. It wanted to break, to destroy something, to hurt someone. It wanted to cause that malice to assure itself that it was safe.

Malleus only hummed, looking at the pocket calendar he had. Today it was marked the full moon. Today both him and Azul were supposed to stay with Idia. To calm down the beast before it goes off in that now familiar frenzy and kills someone. They had a few close calls. But most times, the victims ended up desfigurated badly.

Malleus would use his powers to reconfigure those mutilated bodies. He saw it all: Cut limbs, pools of intestines, faces ripped and flesh thrown on the walls. Blood oozing like fountains and eye gouged out, tossed to heavens knew where. The victims always screamed, they always struggled, which only made their sentence worse. And the reconfiguration spell to take longer. It was a sight to gag at, how the skin would reattach to itself, the intestines and organs were dragged back by the strings of flesh and tissues, the limbs crawling back to the body and sewing each other together with the skin cells, the eyes rolling back into their sockets. Malleus got terrifyingly used to it at this point.

But today? Today Malleus was summoned to the principal office. Following the kidnapping incident and Sebek with Silver rushing in to tell him about what happened at the horse stables, Malleus already had a dread in his throat. Even so, he holded his poise and stoic demandour. He wasn't going to show weakness, he wasn't going to show any sign of worry.

He will leave them to think everything was alright, that no monster was lurking, that no danger was befalling anyone. Despite the whole incident being the doing of STIX charons.

But even so, a new problem arose: Malleus didn't know where the STIX was. STIX was an intriguing organization, yet no one knew a dime about it's location or who worked there. He was clueless at best. The most he could do was to borrow a broom and head on after his instinct. He is a dragon Fae, he can find his belongings, he could find his dear ones, he is capable of finding them.

Malleus had no problem in summoning a broom, so he was doing his usual walk outside the mirror hall, to get outside. People would assume he is doing some broom training or scouting the aera around. He told to Lilia, Silver and Sebek that he would just go around with the broom and that he will be back. No one would search for him and no one would even question where he would be.

It was all perfect!

THUD!

"HORNI BOI! CATCH THAT BISH!" The child of man yelled, as Malleus was processing the fact that someone actually crashed into him. He didn't really feel it. Alas, he hummed as he quickly tried to grab the person.

But the person, Rook Hunt, escaped, halting on a broom and flying off. "Child of man... What is the meaning of-" "ROOK! ROOK! HE'S GOING AFTER VIL AND THE OTHERS!" Epel wheezed out.

Malleus hummed. There it was his one and only chance. Poking his fingers, he summoned a broom. "Get on..." He demanded. Both Epel and Yuu got on, Malleus soaring in the air with high speed, almost scorching the grass once he got out of the building.

He was catching easy to Hunt, as the 2 children of men were yelling at the blonde, Felimer even resorting to firing spells towards the hunter.

And thus, Malleus got his freeway ticket to STIX.

Meanwhile, Azul was going through a process deemed as 'new experience' and 'absolutely safe'. Well... If it was safe, then maybe he wouldn't want to free handedly strangle the genius who thought it was a good idea to create the test procedure by taking advantage of his emotional life.

"I hate it..." "I know..." "Idia, I want home..." "All of you want this." Azul made a pause. Probably at first it was the raw shock of things. How everything presented itself at first. The clothes for 'subjects' also made Azul feel almost as if he was in pijamas. The halls and facility itself looked straight out of a horror film where the experiment goes wrong and it spirals into a genocide.

But Idia was here. Idia was left in charge. And Azul, unfortunately, as much as he loved Idia, he wouldn't trust the firehead with opening a bag of chips, let alone handling living beings. Clearly not after the incidents. Idia himself was aware of it.

Maybe that's why Azul had a few discret changes in his subject status. Mainly that he didn't get a normal room like the others, but he was staying in Idia's room. Other than that, everything was followed letter by letter, just like with the others. They didn't know of Azul's room change and so far, he will keep it like this.

"Malleus was ferreting all day... It means today is..." Azul trailed. Idia only looked in another part. "This is why I stay in your room... No?" "For the wellbeing of all the subjects and day shift staff, for the night everyone is getting proper rest. Tomorrow morning just another small round of tests and you are all going back like nothing happened. Erasing memory and all that." Idia mumbled.

"erasing memories?!" "STIX needs to be a secret..." "Even mine?" "Azul... You know its not my choice... It's the protocol-" "To hell with that, Idia... You still need to control well... That..." Azul poked at the firehead's chest. "And I would rather not forget this night at least... Idia please... I want to know that this night went peacefully... That nothing happened to you..." He mused.

Idia grumbled, before laying down in bed and smashing his face in a pillow. Alas, he was doomed by Azul's reasoning. "Fine! Just going to alter how you were brought in and out of here, tests and results... Nothing else... Ok?" "fine by me..." Azul stood on the bed edge, hand gently caressing Idia's head, playing with the blue fiery locks.

"Now relax... And take some early sleep..." "I still have a repor-" "And I, as a 'subject', need to sleep peacefully... You not taking proper rest means I won't take proper rest too..." "That's not how it wo- ugh... Fine!" Idia grumbled. He had no choice in this matter. At This point it was like Azul was in charge, not him.

Although, the peaceful moment was cut short when alarms blared from the computer, about a group of intruders. Jolting up, as if he was electrocuted, Idia immediately rushed out to deal with the problem, leaving Azul in there, all alone.

Exhaling, the octomer only grabbed a random plushie Idia happened to have. It was a bit old and worn out, yet still it retained that soft and fluffy texture. Resting his chin on it, Azul looked at the little digital clock.

21:50... Almost 2 hours until midnight. All he could do is wait and hope that Idia won't be caught elsewhere when the clock strikes midnight.

Half a hour in and Azul immediately perked up when the door to the room opened. Except that his initial expectation of a tired Idia were crushed when Malleus, wearing the poemfiore dorm uniform, awkwardly entered, a kicked puppy expression adoring his features. "Malleus?!" "This genius over here..." Idia started, closing the door behind him, "decided that it was a great idea to follow in tow with Hunt and company to look for classmates, instead of actually stopping them..." Idia grumbled. "But the charo-" "I'll give him points for being at least theatrical with his 'defeat'." Idia grumbled. "I was simply worried, darling..." Malleus rested his case, giving a kiss to Azul's back of the hand, before giving one to Idia's gloved hand as well. "The little Shroud also expressed his worry over your condition... With the circumstances at hand, I cannot possibly leave you 2 alone." the Fae mused, gently dragging the other 2 in a somewhat hug.

Azul hummed as he arranged themselves so that Idia would be in the middle. "one night... After this, everything will be just like it never happened." "Never happened..." Idia repeated, eyes fluttering a bit. He was tired, so tired from everything that happened today. He wanted to simply sleep away all of his problems. But he still had work to do. Lots of work to do in fact.

Yet his boyfriends knew him all too well. Idia was predictibile on his own, so it was his fault partially for that. He couldn't protest as he was pushed to lay down. The bed itself was a bit small, so the 3 of them were a bit tight together. "This won't do..." Malleus grumbled, making a small spell to turn the bed into a bit bigger one. "You are clearly something else..." Idia mumbled.

"Also... One thing I didn't mentio-" Idia trailed, already voice laced with sleep. "You should sleep... We'll deal with it..." Azul mused. "But it's about night shi-" "Shhh..." Malleus mused, dragging the 2 in a hug, snuggling his face into Idia's hair as his hand was on Azul's back, dragging him closer, squishing the firehead in between gently.

"Not the sandwich again..." Idia grumbled. "But you like it~" Azul teased. "Now go to sleep." He added on a shift of tones. Idia only rolled his eyes before finally closing them with a grumble.

Although, both Malleus and Azul woke up with a jolt when alarms started. At first panicky, the 2 bearly paid attention to the robotic voice that said that it was a mere routine test. Their first instinct was to look at Idia. The firehead was sleeping, unbothered by the alarms at all. Then, Azul looked at the clock.

23:54...

Only 6 minutes until midnight. Exhaling, Azul gave to Malleus a reassuring look, the Fae leaving a kiss on the forehead of the octomer. "It will be alright." He whispered, gently caressing Azul's cheek. The other only hummed, slowly getting off Idia's side, approaching the computer who lit up with a few notifications. Some were video game notifications and some were emails. One in particular was the most recent one that explained that only a routine experiment for the night shift occurred. The alarms also stopped, clearly just a warning sign and nothing more. It was again safe on the halls and in the facility overall.

"It's the night shift... They have routine tests..." Azul told the Fae. Malleus nodded, before he felt shuffling.

Idia started to tremble, breath heavier and already starting to sweat. Both Azul and Malleus stood idle, looking at the firehead who was curling up in between the mattresses, his whimpering and laborious breaths becoming choked, slowly sounding more like an animal's growling than a struggling human.

Skin was starting to gain a darker, inhuman, tint. Bones were cracking painfully loud and rearranging themselves, allowing for a 2nd pair of limbs to slowly grow out. At This point, the sweat became sickly inky, the blue flames dimming down to the point only long locks, all soaked in ink, draping on the bed and mattress. The figure itself was moving, ferreting and struggling as it grew in size, slowly more aware of the small room it was in.

And Malleus, who stood on the bed edge all this time, was met face to face with 3 pairs of yellow eyes, looking back at him. This was clearly not Idia. The creature itself was hunched over due to the ceiling, despite this being a pretty tall room. Azul only gently made his ways to the 2, which didn't go unnoticed. The beast tried to scatter away, yet in the panic, it ripped to shreds the mattress cover, tangling and falling down unceremoniously.

"Oh dear... Ever so clumsy..." Azul mused, kneeling down and hugging the cheek of the beast. It was gigantic, it's scrawny body giving the impression that it was smaller. No, it was big, all curled up and snapping at everything that may try to come it's way. "Shh... It's alright... It's alright..." Azul whispered. Malleus was the next to hug the other side of the beast, as the creature itself cooed in the 2's embrace.

Idia was still trying to give a sign that he was there. It was hard, when the beast was dominated by hunger and the fear of the unfamiliar place. He never spend a moon night in his room at STIX. It was all new and clearly in this delirious state, it was horrifying.

So far, it was calm. Like usual, the beast struggled again, it broke the bed and managed to scratch Azul's cheek, but it was nothing a small spell couldn't fix. No one was breaking a sweat over these. Idia was giving out a few more signs, the sickly yellow eyes finally shifting into those human eyes the 2 were familiar with.

The bones cracking slowly, the beast looked like it was cut down and reattached, stuffed away, as if it's own stomach was digesting the body from inside. The little sparks of blue reignited the long hair, as most of the blot was washed away, revealing a pale face with 6 eyes and black lips that were trembling.

"You little Poor unfortunate soul..." Azul cooed. "Alas... This night is a success..." Malleus gave a reassuring smile, poking his fingers to fix the bed and grabbing bridal style both Azul and Idia, setting the 2 down. "Your cheek..." Idia pointed to the mer. "it already stopped bleeding... It's just a small scratch... I've had worse." He reassured with a small forehead kiss.

Malleus was settling himself down as well, fixing again the mattress with magic and covering all 3 of them. "Rest... Let the beast feast itself on our magical residues... You both need it..." The Fae mused. Idia hummed, this time being the initiator of the snuggle sandwich.

Except, that this time, alarms blared again. The beast was out far quicker than before, growling and crying out to something. "Idia! Come on! Let's calm down..." Azul tried to coax the beast into calming down, yet with the alarms still ringing around, Malleus had to use magic to freeze the beast from reeking havoc again. Already it smashed to pieces a shelf and was trying to get out, banging and scratching at the door like a rabid animal. It was hurting itself, crying and grumbling with some intent of bloodlust.

It was ready to scratch again with one of it's long, scrawny limbs, when it felt a significant weight. Looking at the source, Azul and Malleus were holding one of the 4 arms. "Idia... Calm down... It's alright... It's just a routine test..." Azul mumbled. "Everything is under the control of the people working here..." Malleus stated, hoping that a more confident demandour will get the message to stick.

Yet the beast was again trying to get out, banging with it's body, twisting and turning around, just to break open. Giving to Malleus a look, Azul stood alone on holding down the beast with his bare hands, as Malleus took a bit of distance.

"Fae of Maleficene..." He spoke, casting the said spell, straight towards the beast, who fell down on the floor in a deep sleep. Exhaling, Azul looked at Malleus. "Talk to him... He never acted this way..." He mused. Malleus's gaze tho, trailed to the mer's neck.

"your collar... It came off." "Off? Oh... There it is... Must've not noticed with all the panic..." The mer mused, grabing the said device, or at least the pieces. The beast made sure to smash it beyond possible identification. Malleus tho, only settled down, closing his eyes as well.

Idia came to like the dream field. A place so serene and beautiful. Where no harm was upon anyone. The moon shining and bathing him in it's gentle light.

"Idia..."

And of course, the one who casted the spell on him. "Malleus... I..." He was, clearly, mostly conscious in his panic. So Idia hurriedly got Malleus's hands in his. "Those alarms..." He mumbled.

"they aren't normal... Something happened in the Tartarus... Something bad..." He trailed, tears starting to stream down his face. Malleus gently wiped them. "Ortho... He probably got out of his charging pod... Something happened and I-... I can't do anything! I'll do just worse!" He cried. "Darling... You need to keep calm... We will find the little Shroud and figure it all out..." He mused.

Malleus did have to stop using his unique magic, all while Azul was tending to both of them. A few minutes after, Idia seemed to stirr awake, in his overBlot like form, slowly making his way to Azul's arms, the mer gently patting the fire head. "there, there..." He reassured. Malleus hummed as he hugged the mer's back.

Raising up, Idia made his way to the computer, starting to gain a pace when typing commands there. "Nothing works... Voice commands are down, cerberus is down too... Someone put everything down! I can't access anything... The commands and passwords are overwritten..." the firehead declared, worry crawling along his body, in the form of ink. It scratched as his skin, leaving small reddish signs whenever it would retreat. It didn't burn, but it was very warm, ready to tare anytime through the pale body, to allow it to shift into whatever it desired.

"Someone... But who could put all of them down so fast?" Azul tilted his head. "Perhaps... It is the-" "Definitely Ortho... The question is... Why..." Idia grumbled, head in palms. "Oh this is horrible!" He cried out.

"And you are in a volatile state... You need to take a deep breath... Alright?" Azul declared. Idia nodded, following after Malleus's example, the firehead looked at the clock.

It was well past midnight, yet still not close to the time he will be back to normal. He needed to take action now, otherwise who knows how worse it will go.

"I... Have to go after Ortho... If tartarus gets melted... Then the phantoms will break out..." "WE will go after Ortho..." Azul declared, summoning his magic pen and changing to his dorm uniform. Taking off his purple coat, he put it over Idia, Malleus gently holding up the hair as Azul arranged the article of clothing. "Me and Malleus are both here... And we won't allow anything to happen to you... We will find Ortho and figure out how to stop this mumbo-jumbo." He declared, Idia nodding dumbly to all of this. The red lights were dim, everywhere, adding to the state of panic.

"There is an emergency door..." Idia mumbled, revealing the said passageway. Malleus had no problem in opening it, the 3 exiting through that in the big hall.

Yet, even if he knew his way around, Idia felt like running in circles. The same hall pattern, the low red lights, everything was just screaming danger to him. He was calling to Ortho, hopelessly trying to get a sign from the little android. His body was aching, the sorroundings shifting in a frenzy.

From Azul and Malleus's perspectives, they both saw the panic Idia was going through. His jumpy steps and how he would be constantly shifting, yet not fully reaching his beast form. His speech was tangled in between his human voice and some gutural wild creature sounds. One would need a few tries to even process what he was trying to say, let alone understand the message itself.

"I do wonder... Where are all the other children of men..." Malleus wondered. Azul looked around with a dread. "I should check up on them... I could just say I escaped my room in this emergency state and they would believe me..." The mer mused. He felt Idia grabbing onto his arm, with a guttural whimper, most likely asking to not be left alone.

Malleus only patted the firehead's hair. "Let's leave Azul to check on them... He will be back quickly." He mused. Azul smiled as he gave both of them a small kiss and left down the hall.

Slowly, Idia found himself with Malleus closer to the main control room. Except that from inside, a lot of sounds were heard. Both halted, Malleus having a hand stretched out, ready anytime to cast a protective spell.

Except that no matter what, the tension got Idia to get lost to the beast inside of him, the creature immediately running off with it's first occasion Malleus didn't hold it. "Idia!" The Fae called, but before he could pursue the creature further, the door opened.

"Malleus!" Vil called from the inside. The one who opened the door was Yuu. Redressing himself, Malleus dragged his voice, eyes meeting Azul's.

It was a silent sign that the beast was on the loose. That none of them had any grasp of Idia or his whereabouts.

Stepping inside, Malleus joined next to Azul, intertwining their hands together. The octomer looked uneasy, squeezing the fae's hand. "He's all alone... And so scared... Who knows what would happen... Malleus we have to find him..." He whispered.

Now, out of all of them, he knew that Azul was the most sensible one. Yet still, with the situation at hand, all Malleus could do is wipe his lover's cheek and hope they will find their beloved Idia before anyone else. Holding Azul close, Malleus could only whisper sweet nothings, maybe, maybe able to calm down the other.

"Enough trouble in paradise... We need to get Shroud out of there..." Leona grumbled. Malleus was confused for a second, before Azul whispered in his ear everything he missed. They all thought that Idia was in tartarus, with Ortho, opening the gates of the underworld via force.

And as if it wasn't enough, Malleus and Azul had to be split. The Fae was assigned the 2nd tower, along Leona and Jamil. Vil, Rook, Epel and Yuu took the 1st tower while Azul was with Riddle on the 3rd.

Now... The problem was, how does one escape suspicion when you are watched like a hawk in a 1 way tower. He could only go up or down, no other option avaliable. For Malleus at least, the puzzles Ortho played out for him were easy enough. With Jamil and Leona clearing the first one: the video-game, Malleus had a free way to smite down any and all Phanthoms he came across.

While with Azul and Riddle, things weren't as easy. Both were struggling with the lower Phanthoms, alas the thunder spear being used 2 times to deal with much stronger Phanthoms.

"Hey! I think I see the open way... The others should technically reach the same entry..." Riddle mused. Azul tho, only nodded, mind racing with millions of thoughts.

Although, both of them heard a creature's cry of pain. "that has to be a Phanthom... Maybe the others reached here before us... Let's go and see what's going on..." The redhead declared, but was met with no response. "Azul? Are you alri-"

SPLAT!

Looking horrified at the other, Azul showed no reaction as he got out the knife he initially stuck in the redhead's chest. Riddle gasped for air like  fish on land, but Azul only slammed him to the ground, breathing heavily as he used a spell to slowly heal the wounds he made. As long as Riddle was unconscious, he will take it.

"Long live the queen, they say... I guess I'll leave you alive for the meantime..." Azul mused, turning the knife back into his magical pen, all full of blood. His hands were bloody as well, but he still dragged the redhead's unconscious body and prompted him to a more scheduled wall of the hall, in hopes he would be safe while his wounds healing will keep him knocked out. Even so, Azul took down his gloves and kept them in his pocket, going forward with a dread in his throat.

He did this for Idia's safety... For his safety too. Everyone is better off not knowing.

Reaching the crossroad, Azul exhaled as he found himself all alone. Dragging his voice, the mere started to call out. Either Idia or Ortho, at least one to respond to him.

Except that, instead, he heard Malleus's voice. He didn't come alone, rather along Leona and Jamil too. "Ashengrotto... Where's Rosehearts?" Jamil asked. "He... He got hurt by a Phanthom... I went to ask for help... But we are too deep down to call to the staff..." Azul lied on the spot. "I have bandages at me... Let's go..." Jamil dragged the octomer, nudging him to lead the way.

It was safe to say, Jamil met the same fate as Riddle.

Back to Malleus, unfortunately, the Fae found himself along Vil's team too, all clearly ready to fight whatever is trying to pry open the gate. Azul still didn't seem to return and the group decided to move forward.

Except that, again, the cries of the beast were heard, louder and far more painful. They were more akin to one of someone. Someone dear to Malleus. Vil declared for the group to hurry.

Malleus tho, used a spell to knock all of them out. They were unsuspecting, which made it the more easier to strike them all in one go. Although, when he counted the heads, Malleus felt a dread coming to his body.

He missed 1.

He missed Rook Hunt.

"sacre bleu! It seems roi du dragons turned against us!" the blonde exclaimed, although he was behind Malleus, bow extended and ready to shoot with an arrow summoned from his magic. "I am afraid I have to defeat you if you threaten the destruction of this beautiful world..." The hunter mumbled with a serious expression.

"You do not know with who you are going up against, Hunt." "Oui! I am yet to see the full extent of thy power... Alas... Now it is not the time..." Rook mused.

Splat...

"And you'll never see it... For I am glad I never liked you..." Azul mused, Rook looking at the knife that was poking out of his chest. Alas, the hunter was able to escape with the weapon still stabbed in him, pushing Azul into a wall. "Roi du effort... And Roi du dragons... Perhaps this is involving Roi due chambre..." Rook trailed with a smile.

"Perhaps... You are trying to hide Roi du chambre from us-"

THUD! SPLAT!

Azul gasped as Rook was smashed, head on, in the ground, next to the mer. Blood was oozing out of the blonde's head, Malleus breathing heavily as he was the one with his hand in a firm grip over the blonde head. Slowly taking off his grip, Malleus looked at his bloody hand, then at the cracks he made in the ground. Azul only scuttered around, using a spell to heal up Rook and keep him unconscious for the time being.

Gently leaving the hunter there, both Malleus and Azul followed the cries deeper in the tartarus. Slowly, the inhuman sounds gained a certain vocality to them. It was undoubtedly someone crying for a good chunk of time. Hurrying in their steps, both Malleus and Azul reached the gate to the underworld.

Except that it was closed. And next to it, Idia was crying, holding the dismembered body of Ortho. He was back to normal, but his puffy eyes still were letting out big round tears to fall and stain the metal parts that once were his little brother. "Idia..." Malleus started, slowly the 2 hugging both sides of the firehead.

"I-I... I killed him... I killed Ortho..." Idia sobbed. Azul gently caressed Idia's head as Malleus wiped his tears away. "I killed my brother... My own brother..." He whimpered, closing his eyes tight.

Malleus looked around, spotting a sleeping Grim a bit further. He didn't know why the little monster was there, let alone why unconscious, but what got the Fae's attention was the fact that Grim seemed to have coughed up something, mainly a small piece of metal. Grabbing it with magic. Malleus looked at it. On it, it was written 'ortho'. Gently holding it in his palm, Malleus showed it to Idia.

"That's... Ortho's memory card..." The firehead wiped his tears with his sleeve. "it seems like the little monster coughed it up... Maybe it is still usable." "It definitely looks like new... Maybe you can rebuild Ortho with it..." Azul theorised, still holding onto Idia.

When Idia fully came to process what went on, already Ortho was just like new, with a few changes. The Lethe system was scraps, but no one else seemed to remember anything. They were all back to NRC, acting like normal, as if none of those ever happened.

Part of Idia wanted to ask, to confirm if their memories were truly altered by someone else. But the other part of him was content with just that, with taking advantage of it and pretend indeed nothing happened.

Yet there was a little part of Idia that told him, whatever he does, to never ask his boyfriends about it.

He knew Azul and Malleus remembered. He saw in their eyes. How oddly calm and self assured the 2 were. How closer to Idia they were. How hesitant the 2 would be when, by chance, the name of those implicated then, would be brought up.

Idia knew he wasn't the only one that was fiddling with people's lives.

But the difference was that Azul and Malleus fully knew what they were doing. They knew what they did and knew the consequences that would follow. Yet they still committed the crime and hid it as if never happened. It was almost like they were playing gods.

And what Idia found more scary, was that this sick game, was all for his sake.

~~~~

:3

I loved to do an extra piece... Dunno... This story was very fun to write, but I also wanted to touch upon it more... Ya know... Go off the pattern and do something else. :3

Welp... I hope y'all liked the follow-up to my rarepair Halloween entries!

For now! Buh bye! :D