#class 10 maths chapter 11

[jirsungs]

NO IDEA ☆ l.dh

pairing: loser!donghyuck x fem!reader

no idea synopsis: a story where both you and lee donghyuck seem to get what you want. he's the perfect pawn in making your ex-boyfriend jealous and the smarty pants tutor helping you pass your math class. donghyuck has it easy too, he's finally able to seek out and experience the world of dating through you, his long-devoted crush and surprisingly enthusiastic tutoring student. but then again, when meaningless tutoring sessions soon evolve into reciprocated feelings, is it really that easy?

genre: college au, nonidol au, fake dating au, social media au (includes written chapters), classmates to friends to lovers, he's a nerd & she's a popular cheerleader (you see where this is going), he fell first but she fell harder trope, kinda based off to all the boys i've loved before, fluff, crack/humor, angst, one-sided pining that turns into mutual pining

warnings: explicit language, unrealistic college partying, talks about family issues (this does NOT reflect any of the idol's families!), yuqi has an ex gf, some alcohol consumption, kys and sexual humor, bullying, hyuck and his buds are mistreated ☹️, hyunjin is a bad bf!!!, cheesy af, unrequited love, bad insults that sound like they're from the 2000s, HELLA miscommunication

no idea playlist: btr's no idea, taylor swift's you belong with me, the vamps + demi lovato's somebody to you, james arthur's can i be him, ariana grande's daydreamin, fitz & the tantrums' out of my league, shawn mendes' treat you better, bruno mars' just the way you are, lonely god's marlboro nights, the 1975's i'm in love with you, sam smith's like i can, arctic monkeys' wanna be yours

author's note: FIRST HYUCK SMAUU! how we feeling 😏 i needed to get this idea out of my system! plus, i love this type of trope, and haechan just fits the nerdy role 😭 I HAD TO! but happy reading :D <3

comment if you wish to be tagged for the story's updates!

profiles: "ncu freaks" + jeno 🤔 | gal pals & two men

intro. #manifestationiskey 🩷

ep 1. but a FAILING?

ep 2. i guess i'm her tutor

ep 3. WHY IS HE ATTRACTIVE

ep 4. COUGH y/n bag him COUGH

ep 5. i know i can treat youuu bettterr

ep 6. YNHYUCK PLOT IS FINALLY SAILING!

ep 7. bro texts with his 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 𝓪𝓵𝓹𝓱𝓪 mode on 🐺👅

ep 8. bro fumbled HARD 🤦‍���️

ep 9. LET THE BOY LIVE!! HES IN LOVE!!

ep 10. THE HARD LAUNCH GOES CRAZY

ep 11. lemme guess, fake boyfriend responsibilities? (written)

ep 12. jeno got me up... plotting

ep 13. AMAZING fake boyfriend

ep 14. meeting the ncu freaks? (written)

ep 15. #1 worldwide bitch

ep 16.

ep 17.

ep 18.

more to come. . .!

started: 09/06/24 finished:

© JIRSUNGS. ANY TRANSLATIONS/REPOSTS/PUBLISHES OF MY WORKS ON ANY PLATFORM ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED! ALL COMMENTS, REBLOGS, LIKES, & FEEDBACK ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I LOVE YOU, MWA! <3

[johnwickb1tsch]

lessons in anatomy

a yandere art professor Wick x drawing model muse! reader AU...

CHAPTER MAP-> part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9 part 10 part 11 part 12 part 13 part 14 part 15 part 16

I.

-You’re a favorite amongst the studio art students at the university where you model. Not because of your looks, but because of your exceptional ability at sitting still. When you retreat inside your mind and you’re sitting in a position that doesn’t have any pinch points, you can go a solid hour without moving a muscle. 

-Maybe it helps, that you were once an art student too. You’ve studied the classical positions immortalized by the greats. The drama of the Renaissance martyrs to the quiet repose of the Impressionists to the silent anguish of the Pre Raphaelites. You do a damn good Odalisque, if you don’t say so yourself.

-You’ve been doing this for a while, and you’re pretty comfortable with it. That is, until you walk into the first day of Figure Drawing 101 to find the most handsome man you’ve ever seen behind the desk��decidedly not the usual portly, gray-haired, female professor who hired you years ago. He is tall, and dark, with soulful black eyes that make your lady parts ache. It’s incredibly embarrassing when your mitt veritably disappears in his in a cordial handshake (good lord, what poetic, long-fingered hands!) and you almost forget your own name. 

-He is incredibly gracious about your impression of a goldfish at feeding time. Undoubtedly, he’s used to this effect he has on women. Deep down, he must be laughing at you, and this more than anything helps you get a grip as you disappear into your little supply closet to change. 

-You emerge in your pretty paisley-print robe that sweeps the floor, and you realize you haven’t been nervous about taking off your clothes in class since your very first day on this job. Your palms are actually sweating, as you perch on the model stand with your legs crossed, watching him out the corner of your eye. He is stupidly dapper, in a dark tweed suit and tie. His hair swings down into his eyes as he reads something on his desk, and you’re not proud of what you would give for the privilege to run your fingers through that fluffy dark hair. 

-Thoroughly disgusted with yourself, you’re grateful when it’s time for class to begin. You’re surrounded by young adults who are [mostly] eager to learn with charcoal in hand. All eyes are on you, but its Professor Wick’s eyes you feel like a weight on your skin when the robe slides from your shoulders. You are so glad you can blame the air conditioning for your state of…attention. 

-You start with quick warm ups, then some five minute studies, and finally an extended pose with small breaks in between. When the kids take a break in the middle of the three hour period you slide back on your robe and make a round of the room, perusing the sketches. You can already tell who will be at the top of the class, but also who has potential for improvement if they work hard and practice. And some…better be good at math, because art is not their thing.

You do not hear him behind you, until he speaks. “I'm not sure how your clavicle could be at that angle…unless it was broken in two places.” You cover your smile with your hand as you glance back over your shoulder at him, a hot blush spreading like wildfire up your neck for some ridiculous reason. 

Mere proximity, you fear.

“Maybe their professor will set them straight.”

He chuckles with a charming self-deprecation that you find painfully endearing, scrubbing the back of his neck. 

“I like to see where everyone stands on the first day. I promise that lessons in anatomy will be forthcoming.” He only meets your eyes for a bare second as he tells you this, but you are astonished you do not spontaneously combust.

TBC...

___

pinterest board/photo credits

[glubglubgurgle]

bruised apples

caleb's willing to wait forever for you, but why would you like someone else?

pairings: Caleb/unnamed afab MC

tags: fluff and angst, angst and romance, yearning!!!!, old days, non canon compliant, slow burn, awkward love, eventual romance, eventual smut, dry humping..., caleb third person pov

word count (C1-9): 21.4k

a/n!: cross posted on ao3! this is my first time posting a fic on tumblr...idk how to format everything prettily like everyone else TT this is also my first time writing a fic in forever and first time writing anything smutty in general. there is def some grammar issues...sorry!!! but i hope u enjoy anyways :3

CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11-12 CHAPTER 13-14 EPILOGUE

Chapters 1-9 below!

Chapter 1

“I think I like someone.”

Caleb was as resilient as can be. It took more than a few hits to the face to take him down, if anyone even managed to get that close to him. He endured far more physical and emotional pain than anyone his age should have experienced.

But his world came crashing down once the girl he dreamed of every night said that one sentence.

He was on his break from the DAA, and she sprung the five words during dinner, ever so casually. She poked at her food with her fork, biting her lip and avoiding eye contact. He knew she always felt uncomfortable talking about boys with him. Admittedly, he gets really defensive about her and the guys around her. All these years of protecting her, he could never be sure about anyone’s intentions.

“Please say something, you scare me when you’re quiet.” Her hand rested on his. “He’s really nice, and I don’t even think he likes me like that. I just wanted to tell you because I feel really strongly about this crush for once, and you’re important to me. I don’t wanna hide anything from you.” Her fingers gripped on his tighter as she rambled.

Caleb finally recovered from his thoughts, noticing the scowl building on his face and attempted to reverse it. He let go of his fork and put his hand atop of hers. “Pips, I’m glad you like someone. I just worry about you, but thanks for telling me.” He raised her hand with his and stared at her fingers. Nails painted like red and green apples. Thoughts of her in her room painting her nails while she missed him flood his brain. “He’d be an idiot to not like you back…” he mutters. The frown on his face twitches back into a soft smile. He let go of her hand and pinched her cheek, eliciting a shriek from her.

“Hey!” She pulled her hand back from near you and rubbed her face. She resumed eating, a small smile played on her lips, as if she felt accomplished.

“So…” Caleb drew out the o’s. “Who is he? Does he have good grades? Is he nice?” Feigning a positive interest. Truthfully, it killed him.

She, on the other hand, seemed very interested to talk about her mystery man. She took her last bite from her bowl before bringing her legs up to hug her knees. She rested her cheek on her right knee to look at him while talking, giddy. So entranced by the thoughts of her crush, she didn’t notice the way Calebs fists were clenched under the table or the way his lips would betray him and frown every now and then.

“He sits next to me in class, right now. We switched our seats around because everyone was sitting with their friend the first week.” Her cheeks turned pink thinking of him. “I never really interacted with him before…I think we were on opposite sides of the class every year before, but also there was never really any reason to.” She shrugged, eyes wandering while thinking of the past. She shook her head to get back on track and looked back at Caleb with a sort of gleam in her eye. “He’s really smart, I think he was top of the class last year. We didn’t really talk much at first, but he saw me struggling with a math question and helped me out. Ever since, we’ve been talking more and more.” She giggled.

Her smile would always put one on Caleb’s face. This one stung. A smile meant for someone else. Did he even deserve it? Does he even know how lucky he is?

“Don’t worry, I’ve done a background check on him…kind of. I know you always tell me to be careful and from what I’ve seen and heard, he’s good!” She stood up and saluted at me, “Won’t let you down, Captain Caleb!” She released her position and laughed. She picked up her dishes to take to the sink.

Surprisingly, Caleb heard the water running and dishes clanking. Normally she left her dishes for him to do.

He got up and walked toward her. Her back faced him and he had to hold back from doing anything rash. Multiple scenarios played in his mind. What if he just admitted his feelings now? What if he begged her not to like this guy? What if he made him disappear?

Instead he wrapped his arms around her, and rested his forehead on her shoulder. “I was only gone for a few weeks and you already found someone to take up your brain…” He let out a sigh against her sweater before breathing her in. She even smelled like candied apples.

She giggled, again. She turned the water off before turning around to look at him. She grabbed his face with both her hands and shook him around. Just like she always did when they were kids. “There’s the jealous and protective Caleb.”

His eyes widened at her reaction. Lax and carefree.

“You were being so supportive, I was starting to wonder if they cloned you over at the DAA and sent back a faulty one.” She snorted a little before letting his face go to turn back to the dishes. “And it’s been empty around here…but I’m not replacing you. You’re very important to me. I just really like him, but who knows if it’ll go anywhere. I think crushes are fun. And it’s my last year!” After setting her bowl on the drying rack, she turned back around and poked his cheek.

Caleb cleared his throat, and regained his posture. Crossing his arms, he looked at her with mock judgement, “Yeah, Pips. It’s your last year, shouldn’t you be studying? You better not throw away your Hunter dream for a guy.”

She rolled her eyes before pushing past him. “You didn’t even finish your food. Eat before you start to lecture me, I’m not doing your dishes.” She snarked back before dropping onto the couch.

Caleb stood in the kitchen, touching his face where she left electric currents. He knew he was screwed. How is he going to pretend to be okay with this? He knew he had to. He didn’t want to scare her off, and he just wanted her to be happy. Would this guy make her happy? As much as he made her happy? Would that guy cherish her the way he cherished her?

“When you’re done, come watch a movie with me.” She said from the couch, shaking him from his own thoughts. “I missed so many new movies because I waited to watch it with you.” She grumbled.

She was quick to say things that meant the world to Caleb, but it probably just came off casually to her. He tried to shake off the confession of her crush on someone else and cleaned up his own dishes. He was itching to spend time with you, and he didn’t want this bump in the road to get in the way. On one hand, this crush wouldn’t turn into anything serious. Like she said, they just started talking more.

But the idea of someone not liking her just doesn’t seem possible in Caleb’s brain. She was perfect according to him. Perfect for him, even. He couldn’t find the possibility of whoever that guy was to not like her back. Would he be strong enough emotionally to let her be happy with him? To stand by and watch someone else take her away?

Caleb sat at the end of the couch while she laid her head on his lap. They always watched movies like this. She always ended up falling asleep if she didn’t like the movie. And he always watched her, admiring her, before falling asleep himself. Their grandma would always come home to find them slumped against each other on the couch with the TV running.

The first movie was not to her liking at all. She fell asleep in the first ten minutes. Caleb wanted to keep asking about the mysterious guy, but he heard her soft snores and felt a damp patch on his thigh as she started to drool. He bit his lip as he stroked the top of her head.

“How could you like someone else, Pipsqueak…?” He mumbled, soft enough to not disturb her. It was destroying him. He was wondering if he could drop out and wait for her to graduate before going back to the DAA. But if he did that, how would he take control of the sky for her like he promised? He wanted to give her everything, but he also wanted to be her everything. Caleb loved her. He wished he could be selfish and take her as his own. He knew he could make her happy, he knew because he would do anything to make her happy. Would the other guy do the same?He knew he was thinking crazy. He was planning out the future at great lengths just because she had a simple crush. He couldn't help it. Caleb was terrified. His biggest fear was losing her.

Chapter 2

The two walked down the familiar path of the park near their home in silence. Although the awkward situation died down, Caleb was unable to keep away from his own thoughts. Despite the chilly autumn air prickling both of their skins, his blood ran hot with the thoughts of another guy taking up your time. He had to stop himself every now and then to remind him that they weren’t even close like that.

It was a dumb crush. He hoped endlessly.

“Caleb?” Her voice tore through his thoughts and ripping him from his worries. “It’s the fall festival and you walked past every apple stand without a glance.” She poked at his cheek and tried lifting the corner of his mouth into a smirk. “You promised me a pie. Why are you so stressed?” She got on her tippy toes and her hand moved up to his furrowed brows, trying to massage it out. “You haven’t told me anything about how the aviation academy is treating you…” She muttered, looking at him with a sort of puppy-dog eyes. 

He grabbed her hand and held it for a second before letting it drop back to her side. “You’re getting nosy, Pip. I wonder who you learned that from,” a natural smirk formed on his face. 

She rolled her eyes and hooked his arm with hers before continuing to walk. “Is the aviation academy cool? I want to visit next time.”

Caleb looked down at her as they walked and a pit in his stomach grew. She looked so beautiful to him, this was his world. He felt like he was going insane trying to fight the thoughts in the back of his head of someone else taking her away from him. After all he fought for. Everything about her felt like home and she was his primary motivation. How could she like someone else? He looked at her hairpin, the one he got for her from a small shop at Skyhaven, and reached out to touch it. “It’s fun learning, I miss being back home with you and Gran, though.” He softly said, meaning it wholeheartedly. “I’m glad you use this, I was worried you wouldn’t like it.” He said with a small smile.

“Of course I like it, silly.” She looked up at him from the side with a wide smile. She stopped them from walking and let go of Caleb. She reached into her bag to grab her coin pouch that was also gifted by him and put it to her face to smile even wider. “I love everything you give me! It makes me feel like a bit of you is still with me even when you’re away.” 

His heart warmed. The necklace she gifted him suddenly felt warm on his chest, as if to remind him that he does and feels the same thing. “That’s good. I am always here for you.” He smirks, patting the top of her head.

She got on her tippy toes and her face got close to his, arms almost wrapping around his neck.

He stilled and everything else stopped. He looked onto her smiling face and his eyes fell to her rosy lips. So close, yet so far.

Her hands tinkered around his neck looking for the familiar chain to pull out from under his shirt. She gruffed before settling back down on her feet. “Why do you hide it, embarrassed?” She fixed the necklace atop his chest where it was visible. Once she was satisfied, she walked towards an apple stall that was run by their neighbour.

Caleb took a moment to recover. He could have kissed her right then and there. Maybe she would have reciprocated and he wouldn’t have to worry anymore. He knew it was wrong. Caleb needed her and he wanted to be someone she needed too. He rubbed the back of his neck where he could still feel her fingers and then caught up with her. 

“Caleb, how many apples do we need for a pie?” She called out to him, waving her coin pouch again. 

-

They grabbed hot ciders from a stall and found a bench to sit on under the streetlights, overlooking the festival crowd. “I told you about my crush…did you meet anyone you like?” She asked. Caleb could’ve sworn the question was laced with fear or hestiance, but he brushed it off as hopeful thinking. 

He took a sip of his cider before shaking his head. “I don’t have time for that, you know me.” He set his cup down beside him. “It’s just like high school again, though…I’m just so charming.” Caleb smirked, looking at her.

She rolled her eyes before lightly pushing him, “Heartbreaker…none of them interest you? There’s no way not one of them caught your eye” She sips on her own cider looking away.

There was a pang in his chest, if it wasn’t her being worried about him, it felt like she was trying to marry him off. And it hurt him that she didn’t know that all he could think about was her. He was too busy with school, and even busier with her happiness and safety occupying his brain. “Nope.” He popped the ‘p’ and rubbed his palms on pants. “I’m too busy trying to become your personal pilot, Pip. Why would I be interested in anyone else when you’re already a handful,” he tried to joke. “Do you want me to get a girlfriend that bad?” He leaned towards her ear and muttered.

She slowly turned her body to face him and looked at him in the eyes. “Would it be bad if I said no?” She bit her lip, a nervous habit that she gained ever since Caleb said he was going to the DAA the previous year.

It was like Caleb’s lungs had the air sucked out by a vaccuum as he tried to wrap his head around what she said. From pure instinct, he reached out with his thumb to release her lip from teeth. “That’s not fair, Pipsqueak. If I said that about your crush, you’d get mad at me.” His voice was barely above a whisper. 

She quickly covered her face with both of her hands before standing up, “I was just kidding. I’m gonna go find a snack.” She ran off before Caleb could process anything else.

It was always like this. She would say something that would make him feel like there was a chance that the two shared the same dreams. The dream that there would be a happy ending, together. More than just the closest friends since childhood. Caleb just thought she was also as big of a coward as him. But eventually it would work out. He hoped. 

Was what she said really just a joke? If there was any true meaning behind it, even just a sliver, Caleb was willing to hold on tight to it. He grabbed the bag of apples and the two ciders before walking off to find her again.

After weaving through the crowd of families, he spotted her yellow cardigan. Next to a guy in a white muscle shirt and ripped jeans. Caleb’s fists tightened around the cups he was holding, but he managed to control it to avoid piercing the styrofoam. As he got closer, he could see her laugh at something the guy had said. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears that were tinged with pink. 

He didn’t seem to be a threat. In fact, he seemed nice. In Caleb’s eyes, though, he was an enemy. He knew it was him. Her deskmate, the one she said she liked. 

“Pipsqueak, did you find anything else?” Caleb acted casual, stepping beside her while holding out her drink for her to take.

She seemed stunned to see him, as if he wasn’t just with her less than five minutes ago. She stammered a bit before grabbing the drink and shaking her head. “O-oh, I ran into my classmate so I got distracted.” 

Caleb’s eyes pierced through hers and he could feel how nervous she was. Was it from what she said or was it from the guy in front of her?

“This is my childhood friend, Caleb. He’s visiting from the DAA!” She regained her composure as if the chance to brag about knowing someone at the aviation academy fueled her confidence. “And this is my deskmate, Eric.” 

Eric.

Caleb wished so deeply that the man he was so worried about would remain nameless.

Eric reached his hand out to Caleb, “It’s nice to meet you, she talks about you all the time.”

Caleb smiled, surprisingly with some sincerity because of what Eric said. He grabbed his hand and was met with a firm handshake. “You too, I hope she doesn’t bother your studies with dumb stories about me.”

Eric shook his head, chuckling. “No bother here. I’m actually interested in what she has to say about you. I’m also planning on attending the DAA. I hope I can rely on you in the future.” His dark purple eyes looked at Caleb, hopefully.

Someone called Eric’s name from afar and everyone turned to find another girl waving at him. 

“Oh, that’s my sister. I have to get going. Have fun! I’ll see you at school next week.” Eric waves at the two before running off.

The two of them watched her crush disappear into the crowd. It was awkward and silent for only a few moments, but it felt like years to the two of them.

Caleb was the first to break the silence. “That’s him, huh?” He couldn’t help the disappointment in his voice, but he hoped she was too flustered to notice. He looked to find her looking down at her shoes.

“It’s not like I’m in love with him,” she muttered. “Doesn’t he seem nice, though?” She finally looked at Caleb, seeking some sort of approval.

He reluctantly nods. There were multiple alarms ringing in his head, but he couldn’t deny that Eric seemed like a decent person. He will never be too sure and he would never deserve her, though. “I just want you to be happy, Pips. I’ll be here for you whether or not anything happens between you two. Just be careful and don’t let your grades slip.” He pats her head, with a slight hesitation at first. 

“...You know, he kind of reminds me of you.” She beamed. “Maybe that’s why I got comfortable quickly. He helps me with my studies and he also wants to be a fighter pilot. How silly.” She starts to walk through the crowd again, shrugging.

Caleb wondered why she’d need someone like him when he was there all along.

Chapter 3

Caleb wasn’t able to sleep the night of the festival. 

He tossed and turned thinking of everything that happened. And it was just one day. He was excited for this weekend, just so he could see her again. Instead of being met with open arms, he received the crushing news of there being someone else she liked. And he was apparently someone like him.

The idea that she looked for Caleb in this new person clawed at him. Why would she have to look for someone else like him instead of giving herself to him. There was no denying it anymore. He knew that deep down, she felt the same way about him. It just killed him that she drew an invisible line that she forbade herself to cross. If it wasn’t Eric, would she look for someone else? How many people would she look for Caleb in before giving up and admitting to her own feelings? 

Caleb got up and sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. He knew he was the only one who could really protect her from what’s out there. Eric would never know what to do for when the inevitable happens. He didn’t see or experience what happened to them as kids. She doesn’t remember it, but it haunts him every day. 

As much as a good person Eric could be, he could never provide what Caleb has and will. He knew that. 

He looked at his wall. Multiple frames of the two of them. The smile she wore calmed his heart. The memories of him being able to hold her kept him sane. The very essence of her made him feel alive.

And at the end of the day, he couldn’t lose her. He was willing to bear the pain of seeing her try to do what she thinks she wants. He knew that if he tried to stop her, he could lose what they had at that moment. He didn’t want to be the reason she’s uncomfortable, upset, or crying. He wanted to be strong for her. And for her, no matter how long, he would wait.

He hoped to whatever deity there is, that he would be strong enough.

Still unable to sleep, Caleb walked down the hallway into the kitchen. Passing by her room, where the door was slightly ajar, he halted. She was sleeping soundly on her bed. The moonlight from the window shining lightly on her features. 

Caleb understood his weakness. And it was her.

Walking inside, he softly sat on the edge of her bed and put his hand atop of hers for a moment before holding it. Unexpectedly, the motion blinked her awake.

“Caleb…?” She mumbled, her hand slipping out of his to rub her eyes.

“Shh, Pips. I didn’t mean to wake you.” He whispered, flustered at his carelessness. “You can go back to sleep.

“Did you have a nightmare?” She softly asked, squinting at him, attempting to blink the sleepiness away. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly. “You’re just like me…come here. I’ll do what you did when we were kids.” She scooted to the side of her bed and opened her arms to him while patting the now-empty side.

Caleb chuckled. Inside, he felt extremely hot and flustered. But this was truly home and he wasn’t able to resist. 

She used to be the one waking him up on a stormy night, and Caleb always welcomed his bed to her. Falling asleep in each other’s arms was no stranger. He was always happy to be able to provide this comfort for her.

He slipped into her arms and she giggled. “It’s been a while…it hasn’t rained in Linkon for a while. But now you’re the one crawling to me.” She turned to her side and let her arm drape over his chest while he moved his own arm for her to use as a pillow. 

“Yeah,” was all Caleb could mutter.

She went back to sleep in an instant. She began lightly snoring and her breath was warm against his bicep.

It was pure bliss and he wished he could take a snapshot of this moment and live in it forever. He would’ve admired the sight the whole night if it wasn’t for the extreme feeling of comfort weighing his eyelids down. And he fell asleep with her around him.

-

“I can’t believe you’re already leaving tonight. You just got here…” A frown was evident through her voice as she rested her forehead on the wall of the hallway.

The two had just woken up early in the morning. It should be just like any other day of them sleeping in the same bed, since they’ve done it for years. But Caleb felt like it was different since his feelings were pushed to the outermost part of his heart out of defense. For her, on the other hand, he assumed she built more bricks on the invisible line to keep her from crossing it and this really was just another day. Awful luck for him.

He reached over to her with both hands on shoulders to turn towards him. “I’ll call you every day, like I always do.” He unstuck the hair on her forehead and wiped a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Should I just drop out?” He smirked at her.

She jutted her bottom lip out to pout harder, somehow possible. She shook her head before leaning in and wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. Muffled yet audible, “No…I’m just not used to being gone. I don’t know if I ever will be.” Caleb felt wet spots through his thin shirt, where her eyes were. “Gran’s usually out or sleeping early. I don’t wake up to you cooking and no one’s waiting for me outside the school gates.” 

She cried for the same worries when he first left for Skyhaven. Now her worries came true, and Caleb thought that it must’ve been harder for her because of that. He thought that maybe that’s why she was so desperate to find someone else. It was hard to blame her, he never could. But at the same time, he just wanted to be selfish for once.

He grabbed her hands from behind him and unwrapped her from him, so he could talk to her face to face. She looked up at him with already-swollen eyes and the same pout, making his heart ache even more. He held her face with both his hands, gently like he was holding the world. And in his head, he was. “You know I’m always here for you. I’m just one call away. I’ll drop everything for you and I’ll always do my best to visit on weekends. It should be a little easier since I’ve settled in.” He wiped another tear from her face. “Don’t mope too much and spend time with your friends, though. You should enjoy your last year before the Hunter’s Academy.” He gave her a soft smile. “Now go take a shower, you’re all sweaty and crying.” He tried to lighten the mood, pushing her towards the bathroom. “I’ll set up the kitchen to make our pie.”

With that, she finally smiled. She stopped at the doorframe of the bathroom before turning back around to hug him again and muttering a small thanks. And then she was back in the bathroom and he heard the water running. 

A bit taken aback, Caleb was just relieved that she was worried as much as he was. And missed him as much as he missed her. It really solidified the bond they had and it helped reinforce that no one could really break it. Although the worry was still there, he knew he could bear it longer and wait for her.

The kitchen counters were soon covered in flour and mixing bowls and the two of them baked to their heart's content. Another snapshot Caleb wished he could live in forever. Carefree quality time with the love of his life. The flour on both of their faces was caused by each other’s foolery. The smell of the autumn air, warm apples, and baking crust filled their  home. 

“I wish we could just stay like this.” She laughed, sitting on the counter as Caleb checked on their pie in the oven. “I love fall. It feels so worry-free when we do things like this.” Her feet swung as she took in the scent of the scenery. 

“Me too, Pips.” He smiled, closing the oven. Another set of reassurance calmed his worrywart heart. “Once we both graduate and when I’m back in Linkon, we can do this every day.” He turned to her and dabbed more flour on the tip of her nose.

She snorted the flour out before bursting in laughter. 

“That is, of course, if you’re not too busy saving the world as the best Hunter in it.” He smirked at her, gathering all their dishes.

She got back down from the counter to help him clean. “It also depends on you being too busy up in the air saving birds and stuff.” She teased.

“Hm, saving birds will always be fun in the future,” he played along. “But I’ll never be too busy to spend time with you.” He patted her head with his flour covered hand, earning a playful glare from her. 

She then retaliated by ruffling his hair with her own floury hands. “Same here.” She then said, with a genuine smile.

-

Leaving that night was hard for Caleb.

She insisted on going with him to the train station.

“You’ve survived three whole weeks without me, Pip. You’ll be okay.” Caleb pinched her damp cheeks. “You’re crying more than you did when I first left.” He tried to tease her with a smile, but it hurt him to see her so sad.

Her eyes got redder as she rubbed them with the back of her hoodie sleeve. His hoodie actually, but she seemed to have stolen it from his closet while he was gone. It was enormous on her, but she looked comfortable. “I don’t know…I kind of got used to our routine of calling at night and stuff. But since you came back, I just remembered how much I missed how it was when you were here.”

“I’ll really try to come back next weekend. Only if you promise to do all your work and get good grades. You know the Hunter’s Association doesn’t just accept anyone.” He tried to be a good motivator, but if he was being honest, he was willing to turn in his leave of absence letter to his own academy and plan his gap year for her. “Give me a pinky promise.” He held his pinky out like they always did.

She swam her hand out of the long sleeves of her sweater and interlocked it with his, before locking the promise with their thumbs. “I’ll be studious and strong until you come back again.” She mocked bravery and nodded. 

“Atta girl,” Caleb said. “Go back now. Let me watch you leave.” He turned her around and kept her facing the exit. “If you turn back, it’ll make it harder, so don’t.” He pushed her slightly, but surprisingly she didn’t budge.

Instead she turned back around and wrapped her arms around his neck before reaching up to leave a peck on his cheek. All before she turned and ran away.

The spot on his cheek was on fire and so was his chest. His resolve began to crumble on the spot. The strength he once believed he had was slipping away through the cracks of his fingers like sand. 

Chapter 4

He was unable to return that weekend.

Nor the weekend after.

Although he was doing good in all of his classes, teamwork was prioritized in the academy. And that meant weekends dedicated to team assignments and training. As much fun that he had with his classmates and new friends, it couldn’t outweigh the pain of leaving her 

It was unbearable for Caleb. The broken promises lingered in the air whenever they called at night. The look on her face whenever she saw him through the screen, as if she was going to crack at any moment. The first weekend was hard because when he told her that Friday that he couldn’t go home, she hung up immediately and wouldn’t pick up his calls until Sunday. She sent him one-word responses to his texts and kept saying she was busy when he tried to call.

It took a bit for her to be less upset. It was a bittersweet thing to think about in Caleb’s mind. He was, in a way, happy. That his presence meant so much to her. But he did not like how upset he made her feel. 

It was inevitable, though. He knew she expected this and so did he. Aviation academy, although it was his dream, he knew it would take him away from her like this. And even if it wasn’t the academy he was going to, it would be the one she would go to the following year. His main dream of being by her side would be thrown off by his and her dream job. 

As the days went by, she became less upset and even back to normal at one point. She always asked about his day and then she’d go on for a long time about hers. He looked forward to it every night, he hoped that she felt the same way.

The workload of the academy became even more vigorous as the weeks went by. The more they transitioned from paperwork and hypotheticals into field work and practicals, the more time was taken away from him. 

“You look awfully chipper today, Pipsqueak. Anything happened today?” Caleb looked at her through his laptop screen, smiling at her phone. They always did their homework together on video call to make it easy for her to ask him for help. Caleb didn’t know why he didn’t suggest it earlier, but it was better than her asking Eric for help in AND out of class. Although her staring at her phone was unusual. She was normally very attentive to her work, but that night, she was overly invested on her phone rather than her studies. Caleb knew the answer, but he hoped she would prove his hypothesis wrong.

“You remember Eric? We’ve been hanging out more! We even exchanged contacts, he’s pretty funny.” She must have noticed a face on Caleb from the way she cleared her throat before setting her phone down. “But I should get back to work.” She nodded.

He couldn’t control his face, but he tried to avoid scowling at least. “I’m glad you’re happy, Pips. I hope it goes well for you.” He said through gritted teeth, hoping he sounded genuine. “But if I hear that your grades are slipping, I’m making you move schools.” He looked back down at his work. He was actually already done with it, but he just wanted to seem busy so she wouldn’t hang up.

“Can I ask you something?” She said, making his eyes dart back to his screen. He saw her fidgeting with her pen. 

“Of course, Pips.” He was scared. This was one of the lines that was on the anxiety-inducing list, along with ‘we need to talk’ and ‘I will never love you more than just a friend’ but it wasn’t number one. His mind raced through the multiple things she could ask about: his love life, quantum mechanics, why he was so obsessed with her, why he loved her, why he won’t let go of her, kitchen recipes. The list went on in his head.

“How do you know if you REALLY like someone?” She mumbles so quietly, the mic almost didn’t pick it up. “And like how do you know if someone likes you?”

Caleb dropped his pencil and tried to find an answer to give her that didn’t give him away. “Uhh, I’d assume that if you looked forward to seeing them everyday. If you wanted to prioritize their happiness over yours and you’d do anything for them.” He rubbed his chin trying to think of more answers, “Maybe if you smiled every time you thought of them.” 

“It sounds like you have experience…” She muttered, wide-eyed towards him. 

He stammered, “W-well, I’m just assuming. I did say I was assuming, right? I read books. Haven’t you read books? I’ve seen your bookshelf. Shouldn’t you know better than me?” He hoped he sounded convincing. He heard a snicker behind him to find his roommate Gideon laughing. Caleb glared at him and Gideon went back to pretending to be asleep. Thankfully, when he looked back at the screen, she was looking down at whatever and didn’t notice.

“Well, yeah. I think I know. I just wanted to hear from a guy.” She mumbled. It was silent for a moment before she groaned and ruffled her own hair out of frustration. “I don’t even know if he likes me!” She hid her face in her hands.

“Can you see the rest of your life with him?” Caleb blurted out. He couldn’t help it. He knew he would be better for her because he knows he’ll be there for her until the end. He would do anything to make sure of it. He knows she can see him in the future too. 

“Oh my god, Caleb. We just started being friends like two months ago!” She groaned even louder and dropped her down to the desk. All he saw then was the top of her head.

Caleb softly chuckled to himself. He knew his answer after a few moments of knowing her. He knew he wanted to protect her again and again until the end of time. Love at first sight, he thought. “I’m just asking, Pips. You sound so serious about him.” Caleb found it in him to tease her. “Are you gonna do anything about it?” He was confident earlier. After the last question, he got scared again. What if she wasn’t the ‘love at first type’ girl and she instead enjoyed a slow friendship to lovers pipeline. Shouldn’t he still be able to be the latter? But Eric could fit the latter too.

She got up and shook her head before tilting her head and thinking harder. “I don’t think so…maybe talk to him more and even hang out? We had lunch together…but in the cafeteria so it’s not that crazy.” She turned to the camera, her eyes boring into his through the screen. “What would make you like a girl?”

He pretended to think. In his head he knew the answer: likes his cooking, is afraid of thunder, dreams of being a Hunter, loves apples and apple designs, sucks at physics, sleeps in until noon, loves horror movies but can’t sleep after…the list went a long way but the answer was simple. Be her. “She’d have to be someone I can be myself with and be comfortable with.” He was proud of his vague answer. It was still about her. Home.

“You’re so basic, you’re no help.” She snorted before starting her work again. “I’ll just let the tides take us to where we have to be then. If it’s meant to be, then so be it.” She giggled. 

With this, Caleb silently prayed to the tides she spoke of. In his head he prayed that they would take them to a point where they are the true ending. That the stars point to him as her one true love.

They hung up soon after. She was tired from her homework and they both had class the next day. When Caleb shut his laptop shut, his roommate Gideon propped himself up on his elbow. “You’re incredibly obvious. How does she not see it?” His eyes followed Caleb’s as he sat down on his own bed. 

“I thought you went to sleep.” Caleb rolled his eyes, slipping under his sheets after turning off the desk lamp.

“You kept bouncing your leg, I couldn’t sleep. And anyways, that call was the most interesting one yet. I was sure you were going to confess tonight.” Gideon laughed. He layed back down and looked up at the ceiling. “I was confused why you turned down every single girl in our class the first week. Once we settled in here, I realized you’re madly in love.”

“Yep…” Caleb sighed. There’s always a stack of love letters by his door and presents at times. He didn’t know how they had the time to do so, considering the academy’s heavy workload. It was the same during high school. At least then, someone was able to reap the rewards of his attractiveness. She would always eat the snacks given to him. Now it was Gideon, but he couldn’t keep up with it either. “How come everyone else but her sees it?”

“Judging from how I see it, I don’t think she really cares for how hot someone is? And didn’t you two grow up with each other? Maybe she’s looking for someone new…? Not to ruin your life or anything…” He suggested, trying not to push his buttons. Gideon knows how angry Caleb could get.

Someone once complimented a photo of her on his phone and said some depraved words along with it. If Gideon didn’t clock the fire behind Caleb’s eyes, the crude guy would’ve lost an arm.

“New…” Caleb mulled over the idea before shaking his head. “You know the guy she has a crush on…she said he reminds her of me.” It was his turn to prop himself up to face Gideon across the room. “And in a way, he reminded me of me too.” Tall, brown haired, pilot centric. The similarities were incredulous. 

“Dude.” Gideon sat up. “She’s looking for your replacement. Maybe she thinks that after being away for so long, you’ll find someone else. And she’s trying to beat you to it.” 

Caleb flipped over on his bed to groan into his pillow. He doesn’t think Gideon’s completely right, but he could tell that she was worried about him getting a girlfriend. She said it herself. But the replacement part sounds correct. She can’t bring herself to love him, and she’s looking for other people like him. He didn’t know why he opened up to Gideon. Reassurance, he thought. Yet all he received was reassurance for the wrong parts. He wanted to hear, ‘She DOES like you!’ not ‘She’s REPLACING you!’ 

-

The weekend he could go home finally arrived. A month after he promised he would. To make up for it, Caleb wanted to surprise her. His professor was out sick that Friday and he was able to leave early on Thursday. He wanted to wait for her at the school gate, like how he did before. 

He propped himself against the stone fence, looking up at the trees that still had some of their red and orange leaves. He looked around the area and was reminded of when they were at school together. Even though it was only earlier in the year, it felt like ages ago. 

She usually took forever packing up since she loved to chat with her friends after class. He would stand at the same spot waiting for her. Back then, he would sometimes hide to avoid his own classmates. Mainly the girls in his class. Her classmates weren’t as bold as his. They would look at him and whisper to their friends, but besides that, he had nothing to worry about. 

That present day was no different. As people poured out of the property, he had some stares here and there, but no one bothered him. He raked through the crowds looking for her.

The ring of her laughter reached his ears and filled him with even more warmth that the sun could never give him. He saw her walk down the steps, and even though she was walking beside Eric, all he could think of was how glad he was to see her again. 

The sun shone at her perfectly. Her eyes sparkled as she smiled in the daytime. He felt like he was falling in love again, but it was hard to know that he couldn’t just run up to her and kiss her in front of everyone. To let everyone know that she was his. Because she wasn’t.

He wanted to hold her face in between his hands and stare at her for hours on end in the sunlight. And memorize every curves on her face and the colors in her eyes. He wanted to be the reason she laughed and smiled.

As she got closer, she saw him.

Caleb stood confidently and in awe at the same time. He missed her.

And by the looks of it, so did she. The moment they locked eyes, hers began to look shinier with tears. She started running towards him without a notice to her friends or even Eric.

“Hey Pipsqu-” Caleb said with a big smile on his face before she interrupted him by throwing herself around him.

“You’re such an asshole,” she muttered into his neck as she hugged him.

His arms wrapped around her waist to support her up and he smiled into her hair, “I know, I’m sorry…I’ll take whatever punishment you have for me.” His heart felt full, having her this close to him.

Time stopped for him. It was like everyone else disappeared when he saw her. The sun shone brighter and the air became cooler and breezier. He was truly home.

She stepped down and looked up at him, still teary-eyed. He wiped her tears with his thumb and chuckled at her. “Miss me much?” He teased her.

She nodded, pouting. “I got good grades just for you to not even show up in person to congratulate me.” She lightly punched his arm. A perplexed face covered her sad one. She reached out again to squeeze his arm. “When did this happen…?”

He rolled his eyes, hoping his face didn’t look as warm as it felt. “I’ve always been rock solid.”

She shook her head, punching his bicep even more. “Stop flexing.”

He wondered if he even was flexing but he wasn’t. Did the academy have him working that much? Caleb went to the gym everyday like he always did. Yet, the academy did add a few more routines that he didn’t do before. “I’m not…”

“What? What are they feeding you over there?” She was engulfed in his new muscles. She started poking other places like his shoulders and even his abdomen. She was shocked, it seemed like. And he felt embarrassed by how much she was touching him.

He grabbed both her wrists and held her hands in his. “Hey, I just got back and you’re already giving me a physical examination?” 

She shrugged, “I have to make sure you’re real. But speaking of that punishment for leaving your dear friend alone for so long…” She looked towards her group of friends, the one with Eric in who waved at him. They were waiting on the other end of the gate for her. “You’re gonna have to eat dinner alone, to suffer like I suffered.” She nodded, proud of coming up with the wording of her penalty. 

His heart dropped and he pouted at her. “Really?”

She covered his eyes, “Don’t look at me with those! This is your fault for dropping by unannounced. My friends want to eat at the new BBQ place that just opened up. I’d say come with us, but they were really strict about the number since they’ve been packed the whole time.”

He was extremely sad to say the least. “Go home and make me a dessert. Make sure to pour your whole apologetic heart into it. Maybe I’ll forgive you then. Also, Gram won’t be home. It’s mahjong night.” She dropped her hands from his eyes, before covering her own after seeing it again. “Ugh, your puppy dog eyes are insane, Caleb. No wonder you always got your way. Not this time! I’ll see you at home.” She ran off the other direction before hustling her friends to get walking.

He was left alone by the gate. Watching her walk off with her friends and the guy she likes.

But at least he had a few minutes of pure bliss. And he hoped to make it up to her when she got  home. He quickly gathered himself and went shopping for his heartfelt apology.

-

Grandma got home before she did. Caleb and her had a small chat about how the academy was treating him. And she let him in on how much she complained about him not being home, which made Caleb chuckle at the thought of seeing her annoy grandma about him. She had to go to sleep soon after since she had an extreme night of mahjong, according to her.

Caleb was in the kitchen finishing her cinnamon rolls. He was indecisive with what to bake her but there was a lot of cinnamon stocked up for the fall vibes. He kept glancing at his phone, to see if she messaged him back. She must have been too enthralled with her conversations to look at her own phone.

He tried to focus on the fact that she was having fun with ALL of her friends, and not at the idea that maybe she was sitting next to him at the restaurant. Where was Eric sitting really? Next to her? In front of her? 

It was eating at him, but he didn’t want to spend his break time with her worrying about anything. He just wanted to enjoy his time with her.

He didn’t put his work into the oven yet because he wanted her to enjoy it fresh. He waited for her to text him back so he could pop them in. Yet, an hour passed by and then another with no answer.

He wanted to wait for her longer, but it was worrying him too much. Instead, he searched for any new restaurants that opened up on his phone to find out where she went. He found one that matched what she said and he instantly threw on his jacket. 

Caleb walked to the door and opened it to find her and Eric. And it looked like they were both leaning into each to kiss before being interrupted by the living room light and him.

Chapter 5

“I should go inside now, bye Eric.” She said, flustered. She glances between Caleb and Eric.

Eric looked like he was a deer in the headlights, wide-eyed and embarrassed. “Yeah, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He gave an awkward wave and acknowledged Caleb at the door.

Caleb who was red in the face. Eyes were darkened and his fists were clenched. His grip on the doorknob was deadly, and it was most likely molded by his fingers. 

As Eric walked off quickly, Caleb finally closed the door. He didn’t slam it, but there was force to it. As if he really wanted to.

The mantra Caleb held onto was falling apart. The strength he thought he had emptied to the floor all in one go, rather than leaking out of him. What he thought was just a stupid crush was evolving right in front of him. Every day that he wasn’t with her, he was losing her to another. If he stayed with her, would he be the one to inch closer to her? Would she be so desperate to find warmth in someone else’s arms?

He stared at the door, stuck in his thoughts. Until her voice cut through the silence. “I’m going to take a shower…I smell like smoke from the restaurant.” She muttered. He could hear the awkwardness and panic.

Caleb couldn’t get a word out and let her walk off. 

It wasn’t just a stupid crush. She liked him, and it was a no-brainer to him that he would return her feelings. He wanted to be grateful that he stopped them, but who or what was going to stop them next time? Was he going to drag her to Skyhaven with him just to keep her away from Eric? The dorms at the DAA didn’t allow visitors to stay overnight during weekdays. 

Multiple options popped up in his head at record speed, all of which were futile. There was no stopping her from doing what she wanted to without ruining their own relationship. The only option was to hold himself back and endure this newfound relationship of hers day after day. He didn’t want to pray for the downfall of her relationship either, because that meant seeing her cry. But at the same time, he would rather let another guy make her cry. At least then, it would let Caleb be the shoulder to cry on.

He was disgusted by himself. The desperation became so evident. He wanted to be with her, wholeheartedly. And since he can’t have her, his deepest desire was that no one else can have her. He knew it was wrong.

So instead of acting on anything, he put his cinnamon rolls into the oven.

Instead of going out to kill the guy or blow up his house so they’d have to move…he decided to bake. Caleb knew the only reasonable route was to follow her route: let the tides take them to wherever. He’ll secretly pray it won’t work out. Every time she comes to him about something he did, he’ll push her to end things with him and focus on herself. He knew it was still a bad plan and wouldn’t be considered socially acceptable, but it was better than murder.

He looked at his reflection through the oven door. He looked crazy. A scowl looked like it’s lived on it for decades and his eyebrows were practically knitted together. He mirrored his inner emotions. Disgusted and upset. Disgusted by his lack of control and his lack of support for the one he loved. He rubbed his face in his hands, attempting to smooth everything out. 

The DAA made them do breathing exercises in order to avoid panic when problems arise during flight. He thought he would never have to use them since he was practically fearless in the air. Instead, he’s used it to calm himself down from the multiple potentials of losing his world.

“Caleb?” He heard her behind him.

He didn’t know where he pulled the strength from, but in a flash, he was able to put on a normal face around her. A soft smile was always easier once he saw her face. Despite everything, his heart still beat for her. No matter how broken it might have been at that moment.

She was in her pajamas, her hair dripping on her shoulders, dampening the fabric. She extended a towel towards him, “Can you dry my hair like old times…?” She bit her lip, looking at the floor.

He took a few steps towards her, perplexed. “What’s wrong?” He brushed his thumb on her lip like usual to free it from her teeth. “If it’s because I ruined your moment…”

She looked up at him, panicked, “N-no! I just…I want you to dry my hair.” She shoved the towel into his hands before storming off to the floor of the living room of the couch and turning the TV on. 

Caleb wished he could read minds. He was completely lost as to why she’s acting like this. The last time she asked him to dry her hair was when she didn’t receive any Valentine’s in her freshman year. He never told her, but he was to blame for that. He was in charge of the Valentine gram table that year (he volunteered) and he kept all the ones meant for her. He then returned it to the senders and basically threatened them to stay away from her. 

The smell of baking cinnamon was permeating the air, he hoped it would calm down the tension. He’s glad it’s the dessert he chose. He learned from his mental health class that cinnamon was often used to lift spirits and improve moods. Yet he wondered if the mood was too heavy.

He walked over to the couch and sat behind her. She was looking for something to watch and paid no attention to him. He began drying her hair, moving from instinct. He covered the ends of her hair to scrunch out the water before moving towards her scalp. She leaned into his touch before letting out a sigh and it made his stomach coil. What was once such an innocent act became so intimate for him. And he wondered if this change was only for him.

She handed him one of her scalp oils to massage onto her. “My head hurts…can you put this on for me?”She finally settled on an old show that she’s seen multiple times.

Caleb didn’t really know much about her current hair care, but he just followed her instructions. He got pretty good at massaging whatever was needed between her and grandma. It’s just been a while since either of them have asked them to. As he mindlessly massaged her scalp, he tried to ignore the sighs of relief coming out of her and the small shivers. 

It was quiet, minus the TV. Neither of them said a word. The timer from the oven then went off and he wiped his hands on her towel before getting up. He took his creation out of the oven before setting it on the countertop to add the finishing icings and letting it cool. “Just wait a few minutes before you can grab one, Pip.” He said. 

Caleb then went back onto the couch at the same spot. She didn’t move and he didn’t want to make her. He started braiding her hair like before, trying different types that she made him learn before. Raking his fingers through her hair to start over before trying another one. The tension was too heavy, the air was awkward yet cinnamon scented. He wanted her all for himself and it was killing him.

“I’m kind of glad you found us…” She finally said, dropping her forehead to touch her knees. Her hair falling out of Caleb’s hands.

“Huh…” was all Caleb could say. “What do you mean, Pip?”

“I don’t know, I don’t think I wanted him to kiss me.” She sounded muffled, but the desperation to understand made Caleb hear her crystal clear. “I didn’t feel anything when we were close to each other.”

“I thought you liked him.” He said, unsure. He wasn’t trying to talk her out of how she felt, he just wanted to understand. Was he overreacting this whole time? Was he planning murder for nothing?

She suddenly stood up and faced him, looking down at him. “Can you just…sit there? Don’t move. Don’t say anything. Please.” She softly pleaded with him.

Caleb was frozen but he mustered a small nod. 

She knelt down with one knee on the couch in-between his legs. And slowly leaned towards him, making full eye contact with him as she did so. Her breathing was uneasy and the warmth from face was radiating onto him.

Caleb couldn’t tell whose heartbeat he could hear. Both of theirs were so in-sync, it sounded deafening in the heavy air. His hands twitched at his sides. He didn’t have an idea of what she was doing. But he wanted to be greedy and close the distance himself. Yet, he stayed still for her.

She moved even closer to his face, the breaths mingling with each other. Her eyes moved from his to his lips, interchaging. Her breath hitched at the sight. His eyes bored into hers with desperation. And hers mimicked his. Before inching closer, she covered his mouth with her hand while the other clutched at her chest above her heart. She cursed under her breath before pulling away.

“I’m going to bed.” She quickly said before turning the TV off and quickly walking to her bedroom.

He heard her shut the door and it jarred him back to thought. His heart was hammering out of his chest.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, staring into space. Replaying the scene in his head over and over again. 

The cinnamon rolls forgotten on the countertop.

Chapter 6

It rained that night, funnily enough for the two of them. The weather forecast had no prediction of any rainfall for the whole week, and the skies showed no signs of it either. It was as if that night wanted to mirror the emotions happening in the household between them.

Caleb was completely in the dark as to why she did what she did. There were multiple answers, but after being wrong so many times, he didn’t want to bring his hopes up or down. His head played back the scene over and over again that night. It felt like she mirrored the same desperation he had, for once. Like she wanted to go further. 

He laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Occasionally his hands rubbed his face out of frustration. Caleb didn’t know how to move forward acting like she didn’t do what she did. They care about each other, but wasn’t she pushing him too far?  There was only so much he could take. Physically, he could take a bullet, a grenade, an entire thing to protect her. But emotionally, she was his biggest weakness. 

His thoughts were so loud, he didn’t notice the thunder that started rolling in the skies. The only thing that cut through his thoughts like usual was her voice. 

At first, Caleb thought he was hallucinating her. 

“Caleb…” Her voice calls out, muffled by the door. “Please…”

He rushed towards the door and when he opened it, she ran past him into his bed, under his navy blue covers.

Caleb realized it was because of the thunder. Except she was never this scared before. She normally came over with her headphones and laid next to him for extra comfort. This time, she was rattled and hiding. 

He was about to get in bed when he remembered he developed a habit of sleeping shirtless. The weather in Skyhaven was more humid than Linkon, and it was just more comfortable for him to sleep without a shirt. He would also have nightmares when he missed home, and almost always woke up in a sweat. He quickly grabbed one from his closet to slip it on before laying next to her, atop of his covers.

His hand reached out to soothe her by patting her back, but everything was still fresh to his mind and his hand hesitated. He even kept his distance from her on the bed, afraid of scaring her away. As if she was a stray cat on the street, he waited for her to approach him before making a move.

Another loud boom in the sky and she let out a soft shriek before scooting closer to him, shaking.

His arm instinctively wrapped around her, protectively. “Hey…it’s okay. I’m here, Pipsqueak…” He said, resting his chin on the top of her head before pulling her closer to him. He softly chuckled, feeling her nuzzling deeper into his chest through the blanket. “I thought you said you weren’t afraid of thunder anymore. What else are you hiding from me…?” He meant to sound playful, but he meant it and he wanted to know. He needed to know what was in her brain.

She didn’t respond for a while. Her shivering soothed down the longer he rubbed circles on her back and shoulder, the longer she was in his arms. The thunder continued to rumble, mercilessly. “When I’m alone, it’s easier to deal with.” She said, pulling the cover down a little from her face to make sure her words were heard. Her warm breath hit his neck and he hoped she didn’t notice his shiver. “I don’t know why, but…when you’re here, I feel so vulnerable. Like I need you all of a sudden. As if I was just faking it while you were gone.” She covered her face again.

She NEEDED him. Caleb thought it was one of the most beautiful things she could ever say to him. He always wanted to be someone that she could rely on. He needed her to need him. That was his main purpose on this planet, he believed. As long as she needed him, he could keep going. The reason why her finding someone else scared him so much was because she wouldn’t need him anymore if she had someone else. Caleb found himself holding her even tighter, nuzzling his cheek on top of her covered head. 

“Is that so bad…” He desperately wondered out loud. “What’s wrong with needing me?”

“Because you’re going your own path, Caleb. I can’t keep you locked up in this house, can I?” She said into his chest, probably hoping that he couldn’t hear her. 

He did, though. And something about her saying that made his heart swell. He felt like he wasn’t alone with how he thought anymore. That although he had the craziest thoughts about her, he didn’t have to feel as guilty as having them because she thought them too. She just didn’t have as much trust in him. She’s deluded with the idea that something will come in-between them, when everything he does is for her. But at the same time, he believed the same thing. And even a whole part of him still believes that something CAN still take her away from him.

“You can be as greedy as you want to be,” was all Caleb could say. He waited for a response and felt her breathing at a rhythmic pace, asleep. He let out a sigh. Wishing he could keep talking to her, but at the same time was glad nonetheless. Happy that she was in his arms again. The light at the end of the tunnel flickering again, giving him hope. And soon, he fell asleep with her.

-

Caleb stirred awake from the vibration of his phone on the nightstand. His arms still wrapped around her. The alarm signified that she had to wake up for school. He kept the alarm on, even when he was at Skyhaven so he knew when to text her to have a good day. He found the curve of her shoulder before trying to softly shake her awake. “You have to get ready for class, Pipsqueak.” He quietly said.

Her face was out from under the sheets whilst the rest of her was wrapped up like a burrito. 

Caleb couldn’t help but stare at her, slightly pulling away so he could get a better view. The sunrise casted a soft glow on her face if he moved at the right angle. And he was able to admire her even better. Her pink lips, slightly chapped from sleep. A drool stain on the corner of her mouth, and her dark circles were evident from a rough time sleeping. The word ‘beautiful’ echoed in his brain, over and over again. 

The warmth and brightness of the sun was finally able to wake her up slowly. “Can I skip today…?” She mumbled, turning over, burying her face in the pillow.

He wanted to say no to her. It was always so hard for him to do so. Caleb knew that making her go to school would be the responsible thing. “Grandma wouldn’t allow that.” He said, avoiding blame.

“I’m 18 now, they don’t call guardians about absences when you’re 18.” She responded, matter-of-factly, lifting her head from the pillow so she was clear. “Besides, she’s going to the mountains today to visit her friend for the weekend.”

Caleb thought for a moment. A plan brewed in his head to get answers, a selfish plan. He wanted her to admit whatever she was doing the night before. He couldn’t get it out of her during the storm, but he felt confident this could have been the moment. But he wanted her to be more clear headed. “Wash up while I think about it. I’m going to make breakfast.” He poked her side, knowing she’d be ticklish, to wake her up.

She yelped and grumbled before unraveling herself from his sheets. “Fine.”

He noticed that she wouldn’t look at him. She avoided every means of eye contact, and he was doing the exact opposite. She was talking like normal, but he could see right through her. The tension from the previous night lingered. And whether it was regret or something else from what she did, it stuck with her.

Caleb felt lighter. She didn’t like Eric. She felt something for Caleb, but he couldn’t understand why she kept building a wall between them. He couldn’t fathom how oblivious she was that he was doing everything to mine his way past the wall. He wanted to bulldoze it, but he waited for her to make an opening first.

Her words of her needing him rung in his head, bringing a small smile to his face. He propped himself with one hand, and the other hand covered his mouth. Hiding the growing smile from no one, but he was just in shock. “I need you.” It replayed in his head a dozen times and he felt giddy. If a doctor could see everything playing in his brain, he would have been institutionalized. His heart swelled with her words. He needed to be needed by her. She was his life source and he wanted to be her pillar. If she moved on and found someone else to rely on, he’d crumble. And as strong as she may be, he didn’t doubt her skills or her smarts, he still wanted to be stronger and smarter so she could lean on him regardless. As wrong as it may have been, he wanted to be better because if he wasn’t, she wouldn’t need him.

After celebrating and battling his inner thoughts for a few more minutes, he got up to head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. 

It was a few minutes before she came out of the bathroom and plopped herself on a chair by the dining table. She was glued to her phone, eyebrows knitted, biting her lip.

He walked over with a plate of food for her. “What did I say about doing that?” He reached over to her to unlatch her lip, but she ever so slightly moved away from him. A miniscule but noticeable movement that made Caleb’s hand hover near her face before reeling it back.

“Sorry, I’m just kind of…” She dropped her phone on the table before grabbing a fork to eat. After taking a bite, she talked with her mouth full, “Can I please skip school, I don’t want to sit next to Eric today.”

Caleb gave in in an instant. Abandoning his plans of getting more answers from her. If staying home kept her away from the guy that tried kissing her the last night, he was agreeing to it. He sat across from her and gave her a reluctant yes. If wasn’t as attentive as he was, he would have missed the small twitch of her mouth, the corner turning upward for a split second.

They sat in silence, eating. Slightly uncomfortable as the tension lingered, but at the same time, slightly comfortable from being with each other at home. 

The two of them finished eating quietly. He was still unused to the way she volunteered herself to clean up the table afterwards. After years of unfulfilled promises of doing the dishes the following night, she began doing it without even being asked. It was bittersweet but more bitter on Caleb’s tongue. He was gone for so long, she began being independent in certain aspects.

“Are we going to talk about last night?” Caleb finally mustered up the courage to ask from the table while her back was turned towards him. The sound of scrubbing plates halted.

“Do we have to?” She said, setting the plate down onto the sink. “Can’t you just let it happen?”

He hated hearing the pain in her voice, but he didn’t want to just ignore everything. “That’s not fair.” He stood up and strided towards her. Grabbing her arm and turning her to face him, her gaze stuck on the floor. “What were you testing…? Why won’t you tell me? Why won’t you let me in?” He knew his eyes were pouring desperation and longed to meet hers. His hand moved to her chin to tilt her head upwards to meet gazes. “Please?”

“It’ll change everything, Caleb. I can’t do it.” She pleaded with him. 

“Change can be good, if you can just tell me. We can make whatever it is work.” His other hand let go of hers to wrap her face with his hands. “Won’t you trust me?”

They stood in the kitchen looking into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity. Both eyes mirrored the same desperation and pleading and uncertainty. She was the first to break it. She grabbed both of his hands to bring them down. “I’m not ready…can you just…can you wait for me?” Her eyes fell back to the floor, her hands fiddling with his trembling fingers.

Caleb thought that if there was a contest on who was more desperate, he was sure he’d win. But at this moment, she won by a mile. He pursed his lips and managed an understanding smile, not quite reaching his eyes but she wasn’t looking at him regardless. “I’ll always wait for you, Pipsqueak. I just hate feeling like I can’t help you.” He brought his hand back up to pat her head. “I hate seeing you like this and being unable to do anything.”

They could’ve stayed there for a bit longer until Caleb’s phone rang through the silence.

“Hello?” He answered without checking the Caller ID.

“Caleb, I know you’re in Linkon, but our project…the one due Monday. One of the parts fell apart during testing today. We need you back, as soon as possible.” It was Gideon, probably sounding the most desperate from the three. “I’d handle this myself, but to be honest, I don’t know how to. And you know how much we need this.” 

Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why can’t we do it tomorrow?”

“We only have the testing site reserved for today. I tried moving it to Sunday…knowing where you are, but it’s fully booked with everyone else. Not a single room is open this weekend. I’ll pay for your cab here, just get here soon. Please, I’m not taking any other answer. Let me know what time to send the cab there.” And with that, Gideon hung up.

Caleb let out a curse under his breath, covering his face with his hands to hide his frustration.

“Y-you have to leave?” She said, her voice breaking. 

His hands fell from his face to see her tearing up. He wondered if his heart shattering at the sight was audible. “Yeah…I’m sorry, Pipsqueak. Really I-” He tried defending himself but she pushed past him and ran to her room, slamming the door.

He texted Gideon a string of curses before giving a ready time of an hour. Caleb finished the dishes and left multiple notes on the fridge: a how-to-reheat-cinnamon-rolls, an apology note with a drawing of an apple on an airplane, and an ‘IOU amusement park trip’ coupon. He then grabbed his wallet from his room to pull out one of the many ‘forgiveness’ coupons she gave him when they were kids and slipped it under her door before taking a shower.

Once he was clean and packed up, he stopped by her door and knocked on it. “Can you at least see me out, Pipsqueak? I don’t want to leave like this.” He begged. Caleb waited for a few minutes before accepting defeat and walking away. He combed through his hair with his fingers, fully frustrated at the events that rolled out after wanting to spend as much time with her as he could. 

As he walked through the front yard to head to the cab, he heard the door open behind him and saw her running up to him, crying. She wrapped her arms around his waist, making him stumble backward. Her cheek was pressed up against his chest, surely hearing his pounding heart. “I’m sorry for being such a coward, Caleb.”

He never understood how his confident voice seemed to get lost every time she was involved as she was. All he could do was stare at the top of her head and press his hand on her back. 

They stayed like that for a minute before the cab honked their horn, and let go of him just as quickly, running back inside while wiping her tears with her arms.

A soft smile played on his lips as the realization of being closer to his dreams settled in his heart.

Chapter 7

“Why were you so hostile over the phone, did something happen?” Gideon pried while Caleb was tinkering angrily at the piece of metal that ruined his weekend. “You know it’s only Friday, you can still go back…if you finish that part.” Gideon looked over to Caleb ignoring him. “Or invite her here. I can stay with our pal, Patrick, and she can take my bed.” 

“Really?” Caleb decidedly stopped ignoring him and looked towards Gideon. “Should I?”

Gideon’s hand tightened around the wrench he was holding, seemingly holding back from throwing it at him. “If you had a tail, it’d be wagging like a helicopter blade right now,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, really. Don’t even think about texting her yet until we finish here.”

Caleb could barely keep in his excitement as he worked on fixing his ticket to a better weekend. His leg happily bouncing on the work stool he sat on, he even found himself humming to a song.

“Now will you tell me what happened that warranted for me to learn three new curse words?” Gideon prodded. 

“You’re so nosy.” Caleb snorted. “She said she didn’t like the guy anymore…kind of. In a way, she basically said she didn’t like him.” He kept the story short because he didn’t want to get too excited. And he didn’t want to overshare in fear of it turning out to be wrong or bringing his hopes too high. He was still in a headrush from the line “I need you.” And he wasn’t sure if he’d ever recover. 

Gideon gave him an impressed look but didn’t ask for more. A reason why Caleb liked Gideon was because he was an observant guy. Nosy was a better word, but he would also know the right time and place to be nosy.

They continued to work silently and efficiently. Three hours passed by before their project was back to working.

-

Caleb practically flew out of the testing sites to grab his phone to call her. After three rings, she picked up.

���Caleb?” She answered, confused. 

The confidence drained out of Caleb. He was just with her that morning and they even slept in the same bed the previous night, but when he heard her voice again, he felt like a middle school boy talking to his crush for the first time. “H-hey.” 

“Hi…” She replied, with the same shyness and a hint of confusion. “Did you…need something?”

“Do you want to come visit me? Here in Skyhaven?” He asked, full of hope. The last time she was at Skyhaven was for the tours before school started, and that was with Grandma. 

“Next weekend? I don’t think I can.” She replied, a little sad.

“No, right now…I can talk to Grandma and then send you a cab.” He excitedly said. “Bring some clothes, my roommate will sleep at a friend’s so you can sleep over in my dorm.”

“Just us two?” She asked, her question lined with disbelief.

“We’ve shared a bedroom before, Pipsqueak. Why are you so surprised?” Caleb cocked his head to the side with confusion, until the realization settled in. “Oh, I guess it’s kind of different…” Since they were usually in the home they shared with Grandma, and this time they would be truthfully alone. An awkward situation for a pair that had obvious feelings for each other. “If you want, I can also sleep in a different room, and you can have the dorm to yourself. I just want to spend time with you.” Caleb recovered, hoping she wouldn’t decline. 

“I don’t want you to go somewhere else…I was just flustered a little. Don’t worry about it. I’d love to come.” She said after a few seconds. “I’ll let Gran know, too. I’m gonna get ready then. See you soon, Caleb.” 

“See you, Pipsqueak.” He could barely squeeze out. Something about the way she said his name left him speechless. She rarely used his name if it wasn’t to greet him or to call him. The excitement filled him to the brim and he ran back to his dorm to clean.

He wasn’t a messy person, but Gideon wasn’t a super neat person. And he wasn’t going to let her sleep on some other guy’s sheets, even if it was just Gideon’s.

“Do I get to meet her?” Gideon asked while Caleb was wiping every surface and vacuuming every inch of the floor. 

“If you throw your sheets in the wash, I’ll think about it.” Caleb responded.

“Did you tell her that you told everyone you have a girlfriend back home that’s basically just her?” Gideon reminded him.

Caleb stopped in his tracks.  Another wave of realization. When he first got to the DAA, he was bombarded by affection from many of his classmates. Although he was used to this attention from high school, it was a lot harder to work with at the academy. He was a lot busier and they were a lot more persistent. Rejecting them was getting more tedious for him since many of them asked for an explanation. When he first went back home to visit, he snagged one of her many hairties from her desk, the frilliest one, and wore it around campus. He read from a college forum that many boyfriends used this method to deter other people from flirting with him. Unfortunately for Caleb, word got around that he came back to the academy with a new status. Many of them asked about his girlfriend and he found it a lot easier to talk about the girl back home than rejecting girls left and right. He ended up going along with the story of having a girlfriend in Linkon and it significantly kept him unbothered.

Caleb cursed under his breath. “Surely no one will…”

“They will.” Gideon finished his thought. “Not everyone goes home for the weekend, why do you think I’m here? Someone will definitely stop you and ask about her.” He compiled his sheets and began walking out of the room. “I’ll be back to grab my stuff…Don’t explode trying to think of a solution.”

Caleb sat on a chair trying to figure out what to do. There was no way she wouldn’t be weirded out by him for doing this, but at the same time, she could be a very understanding person. Whichever her reaction would be, the only choice he really had was to come clean.  He internally cursed at himself. The entire time he pretended she was his girlfriend to everyone at the academy didn’t feel like a lie to him. Mainly because he WAS rejecting everyone for her. The title was the only lie. 

His phone buzzed on the table to find a message from her: “be there in 10 mins…i think. can u pick me up from the entrance?”

He was filled with multiple emotions. Excitement of spending the weekend with her, like planned. Anxiety and guilt with having to tell her what he’s been doing. And extreme anxiety and longing from being completely in love with her.

He took a moment to recuperate his thoughts before finishing his cleaning. He even changed the sheets on Gideon’s bed and set his bag by the door for easy access. After a few more finishing touches to the place, he grabbed his keys and headed out.

He jogged to the front of the academy, excited. Somehow the trees in Skyhaven became greener despite it being autumn, nearing winter. The air became less humid, and the atmosphere seemed brighter to him. His anxious feeling lingered, but the previous disappointment of leaving her was forgotten and the giddiness of spending the weekend together took over.

As he got closer to the gates, he saw the cab stop and her step out. She was dressed in a long flowy beige skirt with an olive green oversized cardigan. Her long hair spilled over her shoulder as she got out of the car, and the sun hit her perfectly. Caleb thought that even if she was in her pajamas, his mouth would still salivate at the sight. Something about her being on the same ground that he’s been trapped in for the past few weeks and the next few years made him feel elated. He was also in a pit of sorrow a couple of hours ago on the cab back to the academy. The image of her crying when she realized he had to leave was etched into his brain and it clawed him from the inside out. But at that moment, it was so easily erased with the new face he saw of her making eye contact with him at the gates of the school.

“Caleb!” She waved at him with a wide grin. She shut the car door and walked towards his direction. 

He slowed down his speed as he got closer and scooped her up into his arms when they made contact. A bubbly laugh left her and tickled his ear and he spun her. He held her for a few seconds before dropping her back to her feet. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before holding her face lovingly. “Hey.”

Her face was slow;y turning a pink hue. “Hi…you’re acting like we weren’t just together in the morning.” She attempted to pry his hands away from her face.

He pulled her into another hug, “I know. I just thought I wasn’t going to see you again for another month, let me enjoy this.” He rested his chin on her head and felt her arms wrap around his waist. “I was also hoping that me being this affectionate will help lessen the anger that might come from what I am about to tell you in a few seconds.”

She stiffened under his arms. She tried to push him off, but he kept her pressed against his chest. His heart racing from the contact and from freaking out about his confession. 

“Remember the hairtie you lost.” He started. He peeled her off his chest and looked at her confused face before walking her to a bench under a tree and sitting her down. He then knelt in front of her before continuing his story. “I stole it to wear around campus so people would think I had a girlfriend and they would stop bothering me.” He fled through his words hoping she wouldn’t focus on details. “Except they were more curious than I thought and kept asking about my ‘girlfriend’ so I just pretended it was…” He looked down at the floor as he finished. “You.” 

“Huh? Me? And you stole my scrunchie?” She held her chin with her hand, contemplating the details.

Caleb pulled his DAA jacket sleeve up to reveal the hair tie on his wrist. “I heard it keeps girls away from you…” He sheepishly explained.

She gave him a grumpy face, which was then replaced with a puzzled look. “Why me…? Couldn’t you just have a fake girl in mind.”

He shrugged. He could have just outright said how deeply in love he was with her and he was just manifesting the situation that she would be his girlfriend. Or maybe that he was taking notes from all the dramas she watched back then where they would fake-date and then end up actually dating in the end. There were multiple things he thought he could have said. “You were the only girl I could think of. And you were all I could really talk about…” He ended up saying.

Her breath hitched slightly and her face turned red before looking away from him. “You’re saying weird things…” She chewed on her lip.

Caleb got up and grabbed her face again, his thumb tapping on her lip like usual. “Are you mad?”

She took a second to think, her cheeks warm on Caleb’s hands. She grabbed his wrists and pulled them down and held it in front of her before shaking her head. “I don’t think so…A little about my scrunchie,” She looked at him and softly smiled at him, “I don’t really mind your plan.”

Her smile made him want to lift her up in the air and give her a big confessional greedy kiss. He held himself back instead and returned the smile. “Great because we are definitely going to be stopped by multiple people at the dorms. So get ready.” He held his hand out to her. “We have to play the part. Let’s drop your stuff off and then I’ll take you to a bakery nearby.”

She hesitated slightly before standing up. Her hand taking his, intertwining her fingers with his. He thought they fit together like puzzle pieces, perfectly. Caleb was slightly worried that his hand would sweat profusely from the nervousness he was feeling. 

A sort of sadness settled in his heart. That he was holding her hand so intimately under false pretenses. They held hands before, but it was never with interlocked fingers. She was the one who told him that only couples would hold hands that way. And he was always waiting for that transition in their relationship.

“Are you going to show me around later?” She asked. It was a bit of a silent walk as Caleb sulked about faking holding hands.

“Weren’t you with me on the DAA tour, Pipsqueak?” He cocked his eyebrow at her.

She rolled her eyes at him and pinched his arm. “Yeah, but now I want the tour from the hotshot freshman that’s stayed here for weeks on end instead of coming home.” She pouted at him.

“Yeah, yeah. This hotshot will give you a more personal tour.” He laughed, the sound reverberating through his chest. He felt warm and comfortable with her.

They walked through the paths of the academy, hand in hand. The previous night and morning’s quarrels seem to be forgotten. Not in Caleb’s mind, completely. Only repressed for him to over analyze again at some point. But at that moment, he was worry-free. 

“I’m glad you’re here, Pipsqueak,” he softly said to her.

She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his arm. “Me too, Caleb.”

As they reached a more crowded part of campus, murmurs could be heard. Whispers of rumors and exclamations floated all around them. As more people looked, the tighter her grip on him became. “You’re really popular…” She mumbled.

“I think you’re the star of the show, this time.” Caleb had some sort of pride inflating inside of his chest. Even if it was pretend at that moment, he was able to claim the prettiest woman in his eyes as his to everyone around him. He was proud of everyone looking at her that she was clung to his arm. He tried fighting the smile that threatened to erupt from his face out of fear of her detecting how much he enjoyed what was happening.

“They’re all looking at us.” She glanced desperately up towards him.

He confidently smiled back. “They’re curious as to who managed to steal the cold-hearted wannabe pilot’s heart, Pip. I was brutally rejecting everyone.” He lied. Although he didn’t really care for anyone who paid him any attention, he never wanted to be an asshole either. 

He was met with another eyeroll. “As if. You couldn’t even hurt a fly.”

Caleb laughed at her internally. She was oblivious. Caleb recalled the intricate plans he had the day before to get rid of Eric. There was also the time he locked her in the attic to fight some bullies in their neighborhood. He was glad that she could only see the nice side of him.

A classmate of his walked up to them, “Woah, Caleb! Is this the girlfriend you were talking about?” His attention towards her, “Some of us thought he was lying to get out of going to parties. He said you were a clingy one. I guess he was telling the truth after all!” He laughed.

Caleb choked out an awkward laugh. “Clingy girlfriends are a brag, you know.” He looked towards her, fearing that she would feel awkward and put on the spot. 

Her grip on him tightened and she looked up at him with puppy eyes, mimicking the ones he gave her when he whined. “Have I been taking your time away from your friends?”

The classmate was the one to answer, “Oh, don’t mind us! Since you’re real, we’ll just sulk in jealousy instead. We were worried he was just brushing us off. Hope you guys have a good day!” He ran off to tell the rest of his classmates. 

“Hm, what else do you say about me?” She dropped his arm to enter another pondering pose. 

Caleb scoffed, “Besides being my girlfriend, everything I say about you is very truthful.” He wasn’t lying, he would just prefer not to repeat all the lovey-dovey things he’s said about her. Someone once asked what she looked like and he went on a whole ramble about how her eyes sparkled.

A familiar face was walking nearby, the one that made nasty comments about the photo of her on Caleb’s phone. Caleb’s jaw tightened as his arm snaked around her waist and guided her to keep walking. 

“What’s wrong?” She shivered from his new hold.

“I don’t like some people, just keep walking. We’re almost to the dorm.” His grip on her was stiff, but he tried to be gentle. “Don’t walk around campus alone at any time, okay? Skyhaven isn’t as safe as Linkon.”

“You’re kind of scary sometimes. Maybe you would hurt a fly if they were mean first, huh?” She noted. “But alright, I wasn’t planning on leaving your side anyways.”

The ice grip on his heart melted in seconds as she said that, a blush creeping up his neck onto his ears. 

They finally made it to the dorm and saw Gideon outside the door. “Ugh, finally. I forgot my key and you took forever to get back.” He got up from the floor and his eyes lit up seeing the girl on Caleb’s arm. “Woah! It’s you! Nice to meet you!” He extended his hand out for a handshake. “Caleb quite literally never shuts up about you. I think you’ve seen me in the background of some of your guys’ calls. I’m Gideon, his roommate.”

She giggled and took his hand. “Hi! Caleb’s mentioned you too. I hope he hasn’t said anything too bad about me. He talks badly about you all the time.” She joked.

Gideon punched Caleb playfully. “Ass.”

Caleb took his key out to open the door and let the two of them in. 

“Thank you again for letting me sleep here.” She said to Gideon.

“After what happened this morning, I don’t think he was going to let me sleep in here anyways. Better put it to good use if it’s not me. I’m gonna head out now. Maybe we can all have dinner together before whenever you leave!” Gideon said packing some more essentials before grabbing his bag and leaving. 

“Your roommate’s cute.” She said, plopping onto his bed.

Caleb’s whole body stiffened.

“In a kind of dumb way, he seems funny though.” She laughed, signifying a lack of attraction.

And then he relaxed. “Don’t call my roommate cute, that’s gross. And you’re supposed to be my girlfriend when you’re here, Pip. What if someone heard you?” He looked at her with an accusatory glare.

Her mouth fell open and then closed, as if she took back what she was going to say. Her face dropped a bit.

“What’s wrong?” Caleb asked, walking towards her before kneeling beside the bed to rest his hand atop of hers. “Did I say something wrong?”

She sat up and looked at their hands touching. “I’m all for being your…’girlfriend,’” she made air quotes as she said it, slipping away from his hand. “But…how is it so easy for you to joke about it? Is it that funny?” She bit her lip, looking at him with desperation in her eyes.

“I…” Caleb was at a loss for words. It wasn’t easy for him at all, but he wanted to play it off as something playful so she wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable. “If I showed you how hard it was, I’d scare you away.” He knew that if he showed his feelings for her first, he wouldn’t know if she would be ready yet and he'd spook her.

There was a moment of silence between the two. The tension from the previous night seeped back, and the previously airy and open space became hard to breathe in. She took his face into her hands. “Are you suffering as much as I am, Caleb?” Her head tilted, questioning him. “Am I really the reason why you won’t date anyone here?” Her thumb caressed his cheek and her fingers lightly touched his warm red ears. 

His face felt like it was on fire and was electrified where she held him. He pursed his lips, suddenly terrified. He nodded slightly, fearing that his voice would crack if he tried to answer.

She slowly leaned forward, inching further and further to close the distance. It wasn’t like the night before. Her eyes were filled with desperation once again, but none of the hesitation was present. And was instead replaced with yearning and fire. “Do you…like me, Caleb?” Her breath was hot against his lips.

Another weak nod was all he could muster. He wanted to close the gap so badly, his arms were taut with holding himself back. But he waited for her to make the move.

“Can I…” She looked at his lips and then back at his eyes.

That counted for him. That was her first move, and he finally crashed his lips onto hers.

Chapter 8

Caleb felt like his heart exploded the moment his lips met with hers. Once he saw her eyes flutter close, he took it as a sign of her erasing the invisible line she created between them. Their lips moved against each other, awkwardly at first, but neither of them seemed to care. There was raw passion and desire in their touches, but Caleb had evident hunger for her the way he swallowed every breath and sigh she let out. He thought her lips were soft and warm, and wanted to explore even further.

He pulled away slightly, his eyes glazed with desperate intent. “Can you…open your mouth a little more, please.” He pushed himself up from the ground and set his knee on the bed, straddling her partially. The position made her push herself up further into the bed. Her eyes looked for his and she nodded before Caleb dived in again. His tongue pushing past hers and exploring her, trying to remember and map every inch. Caleb fully got on top of her and pulled away to rest his forehead on hers. Both were out of breath as he said, “If this is a dream, please don’t wake me up.” In complete disbelief of their position, his eyes were blown out as he looked down at her. The same expression painted her face, as she reached up at him to trace his features with her fingers. Caleb caught her hand and nuzzled his nose into it, “I would have waited for centuries for you…I just think I would have exploded doing so.”

Her eyes started to water and she pushed his shoulder to switch positions. It was his turn to lay flat on the bed, with her on top of him. She straddled him and cupped his face again. “I’m terrified of losing you, Caleb. I thought it would have been better if we just stayed how we did…but it was hard to imagine if you…did this with anyone else.” She slipped off her oversized cardigan, revealing only a thin tank top underneath, with nothing else. The sight alone made Caleb feel dizzy.

Yet, Caleb found the strength to sit up, closing the distance between the two of them again. He guided her arms to wrap around his neck. The soft caress of his fingers on her arms made her shiver and he kissed her again, with more fervor, tilting his head to get a better angle. He wanted her to stop worrying and be in the moment with him. He had the exact same worries and he knew how deep the pit was in his chest all those years. Yet, at this moment, it felt like it was full again. Caleb put a hand on the small of her back, pushing her even closer to him before he pulled away from her but kept their noses touching. “I could never be with anyone that wasn’t you…you’re the one who tried replacing me, Pipsqueak. I thought I was gonna kill someone…” He captured her lips again as tears fell from her eyes. In between kisses, he said, “Was I not…enough…for you?” He moved from her lips, to her cheeks, catching every tear that spilled from her eyes.

“I thought it would help me move on and let you be happy with anyone you met here.” She mumbled, burying her head in the nook of his neck. “I thought he was enough like you, but I knew it’d never be enough.” Her arms tightened around him. “What if we don’t work out?”

His chest tightened as he peeled her off of him in order to look her in the eyes. “I’d do anything for you, you know that, right? Are you scared I won’t be good enough or are you scared you don’t like me enough…?” 

She shook her head, pouting. “What if you meet some-”

He stopped her with another kiss. “I could never love anyone else…please trust me.” He begged. Peppering kisses down her jaw and neck. He knew he was risking it by saying the word “love.” But he wanted to be open to her. He wanted to assure her that she was the only thing on his mind and in his future. 

Her face turned red and her eyes had fire behind them. Half-lidded, she grabbed his face again and surged forward for a deep, fiery kiss. As if his words lit something inside of her. She pushed him down and situated herself more comfortably on top of him. 

The movements on top of Caleb made his pants tighten. His face turned redder from her actions, and everything felt hot. He wanted to lift her away from his lap so she couldn’t feel what was stirring in his pants, but she grabbed his hands and guided it to move under her skirt. His fingers caressing her bare calves, hiking up her long skirt further and further until his hands rested on her warm thighs. His eyes shot open as he realized the only fabrics separating the two of them was their underwear and his pants. Her fingers played with the waistband of his pants, and he thought he was going to pass out

She rolled her hips onto the growing heat of his pants, and he pathetically whined into her mouth. It took everything in him to stop her hips from moving even more. “Pips, please.” Caleb thought he could have finished in his pants the moment he saw the desperation and want in her face. When he stopped her, a look of hurt replaced it.

“You don’t want…” She started to say, worried.

He threw his head back and covered his eyes with his elbow. “I do, gods, I want you so bad.” His hips jerked upward, accidentally or by instinct he thought. Another whine left his lips and a soft moan left hers, making his pants even hotter and tighter. “I just don’t want our first time to be like this,” he managed a chuckle through his tight throat. “I haven’t even taken you out on a date yet. And you haven’t even said you’d be mine…” He dropped his hand and sat back up. She squirmed in his lap, looking for friction and he held his breath before saying more, gripping on her hips to keep her from moving. “So…will you? Be mine?” He looked at her, his eyes piercing into her glazed eyes until he could see her regain clarity from the same head rush he was experiencing. 

She leaned her forehead to rest onto his, her hips restless and relentless against his hands. “Only if you’re mine and only mine, Caleb.” A small moan escaped her lips and Caleb took no time to swallow it with a kiss. She pulled back after a bit to say, “Plan the date then, Caleb. I’ve been waiting for so long, it’s getting harder to hold back.” Pleading into another kiss, her hips moving stronger against the growth in his pants. 

He couldn’t tell who was at fault at the growing dampness of his pants, if it was her or his own doing. Or a combination of the two of them. It made him light headed as he gave in, moving against her own hips. His arms wrapped around her waist, pushing him to move stronger against him. Caleb whined into another kiss, exploring further and deeper into her mouth. Their tongues fought against who got to explore who, but she moved even stronger against his warmth, making him gasp against her. “I…” He tried to tell her that he wasn’t going to last any longer. The sounds coming out of her, her lips against his, and her body against his body was driving him insane. Even though there were as many layers as there was against them, it still felt better than when Caleb released the pressure himself. It felt like heaven to him already, if he imagined how it was to be inside of her, he would have definitely made a mess on the spot. 

“Caleb, can you…” She moaned against his lips, breathing heavily. Her fingers trailed down his face, neck, chest, stomach. Down in between her legs, playing with the button on his jeans. “Take these off, I just…I just want to feel closer to you.” She pulled back and moved herself to sit on his thighs. “We won’t go all the way, I promise. Just please, let me feel you a little more. I need you.” 

The three words ignited something inside Caleb. He lifted her with an arm underneath her bottom, flipping her back swiftly onto the bed, earning a yelp from her. He pushed her skirt fully upwards to expose her underwear and airing the obvious dampness and excitement. His eyes were half-lidded, staring down at her. Any sign of fear or hesitation melted away from the three words, and they were replaced with extreme yearning and desire. Caleb unbuttoned his pants and swiftly peeled them off, without breaking eye contact, leaving him in his boxers. He quickly laid back on top of her, slotting himself in-between her legs. The two moaned into each other’s mouths, as he grinded into her with even more strength. His pace quickened as her moans and whines got even louder. The bed creaking louder underneath them. “I never thought…I’d be able to have you like this.” He moaned into her neck. 

“Me neither…oh god.” She brought her hand up to her mouth to stifle her own sounds, but Caleb quickly grabbed her wrist and pinned it beside her head.

“Don’t…please. If I don’t hear you, I’m going to think this really is just a dream. Please.” He begged into her neck, leaving marks as she squirmed underneath him. “I’m so close.” He let go of her wrist, moving it down to hook under her waist to lift her up at an angle, so she would be more exposed to him. His right arm keeps his weight from crushing her.

She nodded, “Me too, Caleb. Please don’t stop.” She grabbed his face and pulled it away from her neck to pull him towards another kiss. A messy and uncoordinated kiss, matching the same uncoordinated thrusts that Caleb was putting out as he slowly lost more and more control. Their uneven breaths and moans entangled with each other as they shared the same air while chasing the same high.

He felt her shiver and tense up underneath him as she came undone, and he spilled into his own garments, tears pricking his eyes as he was hit with multiple shockwaves of his orgasm and he cried. He tried to keep up his own weight to avoid crushing her, as he rested his head in the crook of her neck, hiccuping into it. He didn’t know why he cried at first, until the fog of sex slightly cleared, leaving him in a state of immense jubilation. He didn’t know it was possible for him to cry tears of happiness until that moment where he cried from the pure ecstasy he felt. He stayed hiding his face, because he felt embarrassed that the first time they participated in a sexual act, he ended up crying.

She softly twitched underneath him, recovering from her own high. She pushed him softly off of her, “Caleb, are you crying?” A hint of worry was in her breathless voice, as she sat up to look at him, still twitching every now and then.

Caleb lied on his back, covering his eyes with his elbow once again, as tears fell from his eyes. “Don’t laugh…” he said in between hiccups. He reached out to one of her hands, intertwining their fingers together before putting it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “I’ve never done anything like this before and being able to experience something like this with you…is overwhelming me…in a good way. I just can’t seem to stop.” 

She giggled softly, making Caleb peek at her to pout. “I said, don’t laugh.” He sniffled into her hand before she unraveled their fingers and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Seeing you like this…makes me feel more confident that it wasn’t as one-sided as I thought.” She smiled before kissing his lips, a small meaningful peck. Her hands wiping the tears from his cheeks. “I almost thought you were crying because you regretted it.” 

“Your trust in me seriously needs some work, Pip.” He calmly said, holding her hand that rested on his cheek. “You’re insane if you seriously thought that.” His hand moved up to the back of her neck, pulling her down for another kiss.

Then the door burst open with Gideon walking in, looking down at his phone. “Hey sorry, I left my–” He stopped as he looked up to see the two of them on his bed. Although she may have looked somewhat normal despite her blown up pupils and messy hair, Caleb was lying down in his boxers. A rather evident crime scene. “Guys. On my bed?!” He scoffed, close to yelling. “As happy as I am that Caleb grew a pair. He has his own bed like six feet away.” He turned around with his hands on his head, in disbelief. “You know what…keep that mattress. Keep the sheets. I’m going to beg Patrick to let me move in.” He turned back around and left through the open doorway, slamming the door shut.

“We can deal with that later.” Caleb said, continuing what he was doing before Gideon interrupted them. And she leaned down, giggling into another kiss. As embarrassing as it was, he couldn’t care less because he was able to finally call her, his. 

Chapter 9

After a shower and a change of clothes, Caleb decided to switch beds with Gideon. He gave him a video call while she was in the shower to apologize. He wanted her to wash up first, but the mess in his boxers was a lot more unmanageable.

“You’re lucky Patrick won’t let me move in here…” Gideon grumbled. It was his turn to be upset at Caleb after that morning’s cold shoulder. A slight glint in Gideon’s eyes showed extreme interest in the current situation. “So…I’m assuming things are great.” And then as if remembering the reason for the call, he gruffed and rolled his eyes. “I mean, it better be if it was worth violating my bed.”

Caleb sat on his desk, propping his phone up to talk to Gideon hands-free. He took a quick glance at the room’s bathroom to check if the water was still running. He then looked back towards the phone and smiled. “Dude.” The events that happened just a few minutes before replayed in his mind and he buried his face in his hands, hiding the smile that was growing from ear-to-ear.

“Dude.” Gideon replied. The one-word exchange held a thousand words for the two.

Caleb dragged his hands down to make his eyes visible. “Am I dreaming?” He asked, slightly muffled.

“I’ll go over and beat the crap out of you, right now, and that’ll let you know if you are. I’m still upset, I’m hanging up…but I’m happy for you. Be safe. And stay OFF of my bed.” A genuine smile before annoyance flashed through his face before hanging up.

Caleb got up to lay on his bed to stare at the ceiling, giddy with the scenes replaying in his head. Every sound and word being manually ingrained into every crevice of his brain. It was making it hard for him to imagine having to go weeks without her, and it was also making him hard again. It was a lot easier to control before. Fueled by fear of being caught, he somehow managed to hide any hints of arousal around her. Now that he’s experienced bliss, it’s as if it has a mind of its own now. It was as if she held the key to every emotion, and she finally opened his heart to feel everything clearly. A weight was physically lifted off his shoulder and he just splayed out on the bed and let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in.

She stepped out of the bathroom a few moments after and he propped himself up with his elbow to look at her. She was dressed in a simple attire of baggy jeans and a cropped tank top that hugged every curve on her upper body. Caleb felt like someone knocked the air out of his lungs as he studied her.

She stopped in her tracks on her way towards him as he saw her reation. Cocking her head to the side and crossing her arms, “You’re acting like you’ve never seen me wear this before…you bought this for me, too.” She tuts at him before walking over and throwing a small towel at him. “Dry my hair.” She basically commanded him, sitting on the floor beside the bed.

He HAD seen her wear the outfit multiple times, and he was the one who chose the color since she insisted on getting the top despite it being too short in his opinion. Yet, there was an aura to her that screamed ‘I like Caleb!’ The change of their relationship made her glow a million times more than before, and he wondered if he needed to start wearing his aviator glasses around her now. “You took the space out of ‘girl’ and ‘friend’, and now I’m forever shocked by your presence, Pips. If it’s a crime to find your girlfriend breathtaking, then lock me up, officer.” He teased her.

She groaned before turning her head to look back at him, “You’re so chee-” 

He cut her off by leaning forward and running his fingers through the back of her head and pushing her towards him for another kiss. She softly moaned into it and automatically opened her mouth to him, making Caleb smirk against her lips before pulling away. She looked surprised and dazed when he did so, before giving him a pout. “I thought you wanted me to dry your hair. Turn around.” He said, feigning innocence. 

She looked like she was about to say something before turning around, grumbling. 

He took the towel from his lap and started scrunching her wet hair with it. He felt water droplets on her neck so he took a corner to wipe them off, his pinky caressing the tip of her ear, causing her to shiver. Whether he did it on accident or on purpose was all up to Caleb. 

His phone started ringing on his desk and she quickly got up. 

“Can you go check who it is? Grab the hairbrush while you’re up over there.” Caleb said to her, lying back down. 

“It’s Gideon.” She said, grabbing his phone and the brush before going back to him. Instead of sitting back on the floor, she climbed on top of him and laid her head on his chest, handing him the two objects.

He grabbed his phone while letting the hairbrush fall to his side, and his other arm held her still against his chest while he answered, putting him on speaker. “Hey, you’re on speaker.”

“I forgot to tell you that the shooting club’s event is at the range tonight. They’re holding a competition for the most points shot, and I heard prizes include a romantic dinner.” Gideon chuckled. “They also include that one video game I really want, if someone wanted to make it up to me that I found them doing sinful things on my bed…but whatever.” Caleb could almost hear him roll his eyes. 

He looked down to find her eyes and saw them staring at his phone, lit up. “Can I join? Can I shoot too?” She asked, grabbing the phone from him. 

“Oh right, I heard you wanted to be a Hunter. Yeah, you just need to pay the off-campus fee, but you can enter the competition too. Try and win me the game, and I’ll consider letting Caleb go home on the weekends.” Gideon said. “You know I’m his partner for everything, if I slack off…a certain someone will have to stay on campus longer to work on our assignments twice as hard.”

She rolled off of Caleb and lied beside him, gasping. “You’re mean!”

“You did stuff on my bed! I don’t wanna hear it, missy! I’ll see you both later!” He hung up.

She threw the phone onto his chest and flipped onto her belly. “That’s so embarrassing! He’s never letting it go!” She screamed, muffled by the pillow.

Caleb laughed at her before getting on his side to play with her hair. Grabbing the hairbrush to run through it, he asked, “You still want to go to the shooting range later?” He ran the brush through her hair. He wqs hoping he could take her out to somewhere romantic, right at that moment, but winning a more expensive date sounded fun for him too. Seeing her eyes light up was also a big motivation for him. Although he thought she was more excited about shooting guns than going out with him. “Are you trying to get experience shooting before the academy?”

She pushed herself up from the pillow before facing her body towards him, taking the hairbrush from him and setting it down. “Can we? It sounds cool…I never fired one before. Except for that toy gun you got me a couple years ago. Remember how we were shooting apples and soda cans.” She reached out to pinch his cheek. “I was always so much better than you.” She giggled, scooting over to him to wrap her arms around his chest and nuzzling into it. 

Caleb scoffed, “Yeah sure, you were the perfect shot. Let’s see how you handle recoil later.” He rolled his eyes, patting her head. He hoped she couldn’t hear his heart at that moment. The idea that they could do this mundane couple move was making him ecstatic. “The event’s in two hours, do you still want to go to the cafe?”

She shook her head, “I want to stay like this for a bit.”

“Alright, Pipsqueak. Whatever you want.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head as he held her tighter against him. “Are you gonna nap?” His voice lowers. His hand rubbing circles on her back while the other plays with her hair.

She moves back slightly to rest her chin on his chest to be able to look up at him. The adjustment made him move a bit back so he could look at her also. A comfortable silence took over as they stared into each other’s eyes.

Caleb took the hand that was playing with her hair to brush away the hair on her forehead. Then he planted a soft kiss onto it, lingering for a moment. When he pulled away, her eyes fluttered open to look at him again. “How long were you going to make me wait for you?”

She pursed her lips and then shimmied her hands free from around him before cupping his cheeks. “How long would you have waited?” Her eyes falling from his and landing on his lips.

“Forever.” He scooted back so he could take his hand and place it under her chin to force her to make eye contact with him again. “I thought I was going to kill someone when you told me you liked someone.” She winced at her decisions previously, biting her lip. Caleb tuts. “You need to fix this habit of yours, Pip.” His thumb pulls down her bottom lip free from her teeth before swooping into a kiss. He held her tight against him, afraid that she’d float away somehow. Her hands moved from his face to around his neck, her right hand running through his hair, sending a shiver down his spine. 

-

“I’m glad you guys made it!” Gideon ran over to them through the sea of other club members. 

The two of them walked into the shooting range hand in hand. Caleb made her wear his DAA hoodie since he knew the shooting club was mainly men. And as much as he wanted her to be free to do whatever she wanted, he didn’t trust himself to NOT knock someone out if they looked at her incorrectly. She provided no resistance, regardless. 

The shooting club held shooting events every other week. Caleb and Gideon weren’t official members due to time constraints of their general meetings, but it was open to the public. Gun safety and training was part of the DAA curriculum, so it was good for the two to join in. To Caleb’s knowledge, this would be her first time shooting a real gun, though. They used to shoot wooden pellet guns before, as well as air rifles, but never real ones.

“Just register over there. Quick! They’re gonna start soon.” Gideon ushered them to the counter. 

“You ready to shoot a real gun, Pipsqueak?” Caleb guided her with a hand on the small of her back through the crowd. “Keep in mind what I taught you on how to hold it.”

She nodded, giddy. “I can’t wait, let’s go!” She grabbed his wrist and made him walk faster.

As soon as they paid and got set up, Caleb went first so she could watch him. The contest consisted of five shots in total. The bullseye was ten points and each ring after, one point less. Much like the rules of archery. Caleb wasn’t an amazing shooter, by any means. But he was an above-average shot. Despite having the same experience as her, he was able to learn quickly on how to be precise and steady. This landed him with two bullseye shots and others close to it. One shot was a bit far off since he heard her laugh loudly behind him from what he assumed was a joke made by Gideon. He couldn’t tell if he was just entranced by her happiness or jealous that someone else made her laugh. Regardless, he lost his focus. This landed him with forty-one points.

He went back to her and she gave him a quick hug to lean into his ear so she could yell through ear protection, “That was hot, Caleb! My turn! My turn!” 

His face felt hot and he laughed, pushing past her so he could watch her turn. The range was reset for her and she lined herself up, planting her feet on the floor. Her stance reminded him of when they were kids and she was shooting soda cans in the backyard, and he couldn’t help but smile. He saw her take a deep breath before pulling the trigger as she exhaled. Bullseye.

His eyes widened as he looked up at the screen that showed where the bullet landed, and it was dead center. He looked over at Gideon who had the same expression, mouth agape. Caleb knew she was a good shot, but he didn’t know how well wooden pellets could translate to actual machinery. In her case, it might have been perfect.

Another shot. Bullseye. And then another. Bullseye.

He didn’t realize it, but a few more people gathered around her, watching. “Is that your girlfriend?” An acquaintance of his shouted next to him. 

His chest swelled with pride. After all those weeks of lying to everyone, he could finally respond with a truthful yes. “She’s great, huh?” He added. 

She must’ve noticed more people watching since the last two shots were further off, but still close enough to be able to land her a higher score than Caleb. A final total of forty-six. A round of applause erupted from the people watching, impressed by the outsider scoring higher than some club members.

She set the gun down and fast-walked back over to Caleb, slightly embarrassed. “Did you see me? Wasn’t that crazy?” She jumped up and down, holding his hands. Her hands slightly shaking from the adrenaline and reaction from the recoil.

The two and Gideon made their way out of the shooting range into the common area so they could talk easier.

“That was insane! Are you sure that was your first time?” Gideon asked, giving her a high-five. “I could never outshoot this hotshot. And you did it in one night!”

She shook her head. “Toys and air rifles…but never a handgun like that. Are my fingers supposed to hurt a little?” She rubbed her hands a bit before Caleb took over and massaged it for her.

“Yeah, it would have been worse if you didn’t hold it properly. You did amazing, Pipsqueak. You really are on your way to being the world’s best Hunter, huh?” He smiled at her, proudly.

He thought he’d be more upset about doing worse than her, he knows he has a bit of an issue where he always wanted to be better than her so he could protect her. But at that moment, he was surprised and happy to see her so excited. It also put him in a better headspace knowing that if she really had to, she could protect herself.

They had to wait until the rest of the contestants finished shooting to figure out the results of the winners, and once they did, it was no surprise that the two of them made it on the prize winning chart. They were able to claim their free date and the apology gift for Gideon.

[a3r3n]

from the Chasing Cupid series

Nct High Stories presents…

All About You

A Sungchan x reader story

“I want to make you stay”

🌼Pairing: Sungchan x girl!reader

🌼Status: ongoing

🌼Summary: Sungchan has a huge crush on Y/N, the school’s it-girl and co-captain of the Nct High Cheerleading Team, and all of his friends know this. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem interested in him; actually, she doesn’t seem interested in any boys at all. Everything changes, though, when her Maths teacher threatens her that she would fail his class if she doesn’t get her grades up and suggests she ask Sungchan for help since he’s his class's best student. Will he be able, with his sweetness and charms (and a little bit of meddling from his friends), to warm her stone-cold heart and win her trust?

🌼Genre: social media!AU / high school!AU / fluff / crack / angst

⚠️Warnings: ignore timestamps, slight cursing, the serious ones will be added later in the chapters that contain them

✰Chasing Cupid Series✰

A/N (⚠️disclaimer): alright guys I’m so happy about this smau, it might be my favorite until now!! Btw, this is the fourth social media au I’ve written for the Chasing Cupid series, although you don’t necessarily have to read the previous ones to understand the story. It’s about Sungchan, and since I initially started this series when he was still in Nct, I decided to keep him in the stories as I did with Shotaro. This is also the reason why the main focus are Nct members and not Riize, even tho some of them could be mentioned sometimes. This said, enjoy the story!!!

🌼Taglist (open): @gukuwii @grassbutneo @t-102 @pxnklover @bbykaixx @yuyita-rosier @multifandomania @the-phantomss @mora134340

🌼Chapters:

[intro pt.1]: the cheerleaders / [intro pt.2]: the boys

[1] ➪ no uniform will be set on fire

[2] ➪ I love it when she’s bossy

[3] ➪ jumping off of the pyramid

[4] ➪ only say smart things

[5] ➪ the most perfect creature on earth

[6] ➪ Lee Donghyuck don’t you dare

[7] ➪ Zafina moves

[8] ➪ Sungchan has gone mad

[9] ➪ like Sirius

[10] ➪ life on Mars

[11] ➪ girl is serious

[12] ➪ character development

[13] ➪ international freak show ✍🏼

[14] ➪ didn't wanna punch him

[15] ➪ operation simping to loving

[16] ➪ judge I plead not guilty

[17] ➪ an admirer who can't give up

[TBA]

©a3r3n All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy, repost or translate any of my works.

[velteris]

Frieren timeline

The only timeline available on the wiki isn’t super fleshed out with exact dates and counting backwards etc. So I decided to make my own.

Notes:

1. Spoilers for up to manga ch119 (the most recent at this time)

2. Even if it’s likely just a rough measure (“three hundred years ago”), I’m gonna assume when doing my math that it was exactly 300 years, because otherwise I can’t do most of the math

3. I skip most events that don’t have an exact year, eg Fern and Stark respective being taken in by Heiter and Eisen. I do make some estimates (eg Sein’s birthday, we only know he’s in mid-30s so he can’t have been born any further back than year xx).

4. Standardised year 0 as the year the demon king was defeated

5. Realised about 2/3rds through that I could be writing down chapter citations but at that point it was too late lol sorry

behold!

-3,000: Earliest mentioned date, by Frieren re: dwarf beliefs; most people believed the dead turn to dust, so pre-Goddess. Unclear when Goddess actually starts appearing.

[Emperor Boshaft alive, so is Milliarde, Frieren in village]

-1,000: Frieren becomes Flamme’s apprentice

-950: Flamme passes away*

-510: the last time Frieren fought a demon (quite likely Macht, as in year 80 she says 600 years ago, which would be -520. What’s a decade here and there?)

-420: Frieren restores her golden arm

-422: Aura became one of the seven sages of destruction

-322: the last time Frieren saw another elf, Grandfather Voll starts to protect village

-222: the last time Kraft saw another elf

-120: Fass finds Emperor Boshaft’s alcohol, Gehn starts working on his village’s bridge

-26: Himmel is born

-11?: Hero of the South visits Frieren and dies a year later; tells her she’ll meet Himmel soon**

-10: Hero Party sets out from capital

[Hero Party kills Immortal Bose and pushes back Aura sometime during this period]

-3: Goddess arc (Himmel is 23), Hero Party seals Qual***

0: Demon King defeated, Era Meteors, Macht starts to serve^

2: Denken born

20: Macht is braceleted

28: Continental Magic Association started (at latest), Lernen was first first-class mage

29: Denken came to Auberst with his wife (who died when he was in his twenties); Denken’s wife presumably passed away very soon after

30: last sighting of a Darkness Dragon (per random apothecary); Weis turned to gold and sealed

39: Earliest possible Sein birthday (he would be 40); humanity learns to fly

45: Wirbel born

50: 2nd Era Meteors; Himmel passes away; Aura reappears, demon activity increases in north and baby Wirbel makes promise

61: Stark is born earlier in the year after winter; Fern is born some time after harvest festival but before the last three months of the year

68: Graf Granat’s son dies in war against Aura

69: Sein’s friend Gorilla left

70: Frieren and Fern meet

74: Heiter collapses

75: Stark runs away from Eisen

76: Heiter passes away; Frieren and Fern set out on their journey

76.5: half a year spent looking for blue moonweed

77: Fern turns 16 (after spring, latest autumn)

78: 3+ Months spent at seaside town cleaning beach

79: wintered with Kraft, Stark’s 18th bday (after spring), meet Sein around harvest festival (time is a bit funky since it gets cold and then warm after this?)^^

80: El Dorado arc

81: first chapter after El Dorado. As of ch119, we are here, 31 years after Hero Himmel’s death!

and in the future…

97: Tod’s “curse” will engulf the star?

100: Next meteor shower. Fern and Stark would be 39.

149: Frieren promised to be back at hero’s sword village by this time

1079: Frieren may return to the Continental Mage Association :)

*Assuming she died soon after Frieren’s last shown convo with her where she said “it’s only been 50 years”

**Unclear just when was the Frieren/Hero of the South meeting, so it could technically be anywhere before, but -11 is the most recent it could be

***Frieren says it’s been 80 years in year 77. If she’s being precise then this is the date—but I have doubts as Qual was sealed in the Central Lands, and Hero Party should be well into the Northern Plateau near the goddess monument by this point.

^Technically I think Macht starts to serve a leetle bit before the demon king is defeated, but no time frame given for how long it took Macht and Glück to have those convos

^^To be more precise: they start the year’s winter with Kraft. Then it gets warm, and Stark’s birthday happens. Harvest festivals are usually in autumn, which is when they meet Sein, and then it gets cold enough for the gang to wear their winter gear again, and they spend a winter (or a cold snap?) with Sein. When they get to Auberst they spend an additional two months training with Fern while waiting for the exam to start. But when they finally leave Auberst in ch61, and aren’t wearing their winter clothes anymore, it’s still listed as 29 years post-Himmel death??? There’s a mention of it being because they’re in the volcanic belt… But seriously, year 79 goes on and on. I honestly think the authors just forgot to find a good spot to switch that over lol

[downtherabbitholethatisanime]

It's 4am and too hot to sleep so you know what that means?? Time to do MATH :D

In ascendance of a bookworm they mention the price of a lot of things and the mention of 'silver coins' or 'gold coins' makes it sound like a lot right there and from the reactions of everyone else around myne it's clear she's spending alot. But I have absolutely no clue how shocked I'm supposed to be cause myne herself doesn't seem to have any problem with throwing money at things she wants. Leise, Fridas chef, actually comments on it in the side chapters of the LNs saying that a poor girl suddenly coming into a lot of money all at once has clearly skewed her sense of money.

So I'm gonna do a very simple conversion just to make the math easier

10 lions=10 cents

Small copper=10 lions=$0.10

Middle copper=100 lions=$1.00

Large copper=1,000 lions=$10.00

Small silver=10,000 lions=$100.00

Large silver=100,000 lions=$1,000.00

Small gold=1,000,000 lions=$10,000.00

Large gold=10,000,000 lions=$100,000.00

So $0.30 for some fruit at a market. Giving a 6 year old a couple dollars as thank for walking your daughter home.

After that it falls apart a bit. Tulli and mynes mom are really excited to be making $2 a hairclip to the point of pulling all nighters. Then again in the light novel myne also shows a lot of surprise that they're so excited over making so little. She has to rationalize with herself that in Japan small crafts like bracelets were sold for 100 yen and she later finds out that the baskets they made the year before likely paid only a couple small copper on top of the families having to provide their own materials.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this cause I'm too lazy to try to find the chapter but Ralph working part time as an apprentice brings home about 8 large copper a month. Or 80$. He's a child only working 3 out of 7 days a week so let's say people who just sign on to be full time (can't remember the term) make double as newly signed apprentices to keep math easy. That's 320$ a month

They're poor and they're not affected by late stage capitalism so this math is still fine especially since it's normal to have several working people

Lutz states later that he feels weird saving money when the most any poor commoner saves is stashing loose copper around the house for winter prep. So 5-10$ stashed here and there as emergency money.

Benno offers myne 2 small gold for the rinsham recipe as a way to help myne save for her devouring. She raises it to 3 and benno, a rich store owner, is incapable of going higher. With this conversion he offered 20,000$ and agreed to 30,000$. Given the circumstances the conversion still holds pretty well

Apprentice outfits for Lutz and myne are either 8 or 11 small silver I can't remember. So between 800 and 1,100$ for hand stitched work clothes for a high end store. Which means it has to be made with higher quality materials and made to order.

So when myne offers a large gold to enter the temple she's offering $100,000. It's no wonder everyone was shocked

Slight spoilers

I'm pretty sure the reward for helping Angelica pass her classes was a small gold for Damuel and Bridgette and a recipe for Cornelius. Thats 10,000$, enough to make a poor lay noble like Damuel weep tears of joy cause he can finally pay off a debt.

She tells the other dutchys she spent 18 LARGE gold on making a book of another dutchys history. She spent $1,800,000 on materials for a hobby (of course it was less for her since she made the stuff in her own workshop but no one else knows that and shes not about to explain it)

This girl is absolutely insane with money no wonder everyone is speechless

Someone add more examples cause thinking it out like this is actually so funny

[zialltops]

East Side Of Sorrow

Word Count: 76,093

Chapters: 16/22

Rating: Explicit

Warnings/tags: Minor underage, no piv till 18, Graphic Descriptions of Violence, loss of virginity, older man/younger woman, reader is 17-18, Joel is 49-50, asphyxiation, voyeurism, face slapping, knife play, mask wearing, somnophilia, breeding kink, slow burn, murder mystery

Summary: It started at one of two points when you were sixteen, but for the life of you, you cant recall which came first. All you know, is a defining moment led you to the stark realization that you didn’t like the boys you sat beside in math class, weren’t interested in the seniors on the football field under Friday night lights—you didn’t want to dance with a boy at your high school prom, or have your first kiss under the bleachers.

You wanted a man.

Chapter List & Links

1. Summertime’s Close

2. Hey Driver

3. Fear & Fridays

4. Spotless

5. Ticking

6. Tourniquet

7. Smaller Acts

8. Jakes Piano - Long Island

9. Jakes Piano - Long Island (Part 2)

10. Tradesman

11. Nine Ball

12. Deep Satin

13. Sarah’s Place

14. Darling

15. The Outskirts

16. The Good I'll Do

✨spotify link here✨

[neet-aspirant]

23–10–2024, Wednesday

im scared so fucking scared about physics oh god i need to do something nothing is working ill start meditating again and i need to practice physics every day oh my god if it goes on like this forget about neet I'll not even do well in boards please god i need to do good in physics im so scared of it

practiced maths (2h)

read amines (45 mins)

completed biotechnology principles and process video lecture (1h)

learnt psych questions (1.5h)

worked on psych project (2h)

read biotechnology principles and process chp (1.5h)

video lecture of psychology chapter (0.5h)

video lecture + ncert solutions of em waves (1h)

physics neet mcqs (doesn't even count because i feel like a dumb idiot oh my god im so scared) (15 mins)

english project (1h)

plan for tomorrow

6.45 - 7.30 do maths

7.30 - 8.30/9 attend online class (not sure of timing)

9 - 10.30 learn psych questions

break

11 - 12.30 do physics numericals of ac currents

1.30 - 2.30 psych project

break

4.30 - 6 do finish practical work

6 to 7 ray optics video lecture

7 to 8.30 eng lit

8.30 to 10 maths lecture

11 to 12 psych project

[yours-nai]

4/11/25 - day 1

we're sooo back. last time i posted, i was in my senior year of high school. now I'm in my second semester of college!!!! so crazy!! unexpectedly, i became a chemical engineering major. a lot happened. i nearly failed 2 classes last semester. i'm struggling a little but honestly, i find the struggle fun! i'm trying to get back into blogging my days of productivity, since its such a cute and fun way to keep track of my progress. and i really need the motivation right now... anyways! tasks for today ʚ♡ɞ

CHEM: Chapter 14.4 Notes

MATH: Finish Section 11.6 Homework

PHYS: Work on Chapter 10 Homework

CHEM: Work on Chapter 14 Homework

BIOL: Study Chapter 19

BIOL: Create Chapter 33 Anki Set :(

BIOL: Study Chapter 29 :(

yours, nai ♡

[itzsephig5]

1 (Starlight)

My Masterlist

This story on Wattpad

Intro 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Updated Character Info 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Final Character Info

Important info for this chapter:

A phone call is written like this

Y/n's POV:

I sat up on my bed in my dorm room. I rubbed my eyes as I looked around the room. I was exhausted because I had spent most of the night in the campus lab working on a project. I rubbed my eyes before I heard my phone ringing. I let out a groan before looking at my phone and seeing that Wanda was calling me. I answered the phone and put it on speaker. "What do you want?" I grumbled. "Wow. You sound amazing." Wanda tells me. I rolled my eyes. "Did you just wake up or something?" Wanda questioned. "As a matter of fact, I did just wake up." I say. I hear her laugh over the phone. "Wow your sleep schedule sucks." She commented. "I was in the lab most of the night. I had a project to work on." I responded. "That must suck." Wanda says. I just sighed. "What do you want and why are you calling me?" I finally asked. "Oh right." Wanda says. "Did you want to meet me at the cafe? I don't have any missions or anything and I haven't seen you in person in like a month." She asked me. I think about it for a moment. "Sure. I don't really have to do my project today because I basically finished it last night. What time are we going to meet?" I say. "An hour? I have to see if Happy will drive me." Wanda says. "Yeah, in an hour works." I say. "Okay I'll see you in an hour. I love you." She tells me. "I love you too." I say before hanging up my phone.

I finally got off the bed before going to the closet and picking an outfit out for the day. When I finally finished getting ready, I noticed it was around the time that I need to get to the bus stop so I could make it to the cafe in time. I grabbed my bag before walking to the bus stop and getting on the bus. About five minutes later, I made it to the cafe. I walked into the cafe and saw that Wanda was sitting in the corner, away from everyone else, which was understandable. I walked over to where she was sitting at the table before I sat across from her. "Hey, you made it." Wanda says. I nodded my head before I noticed the coffee that was in front of me. "You didn't have to buy me the coffee." I say before taking a sip from it. "Yeah, yeah. Just keep drinking it." She says. I rolled my eyes at that. "How have you been doing? Busy with classes?" Wanda asked me. I nodded my head. "Engineering is completely different from journalism." I commented. "Well, no shit." Wanda responds. I just took another sip of my coffee. "But to be fair, you are like super smart. I mean, you graduated high school at 14, graduated NYU for the first time with a journalism degree at 18 and now you're already a sophomore at NYU for engineering at 21. That's actually insane." Wanda says. I just shrugged. "It's not that hard." I say. Wanda scoffed at that. "Bullshit. I can't even do complex math at all, let alone as quickly as you do. It's crazy." She tells me. "I'm just really good at math." I say. "Uh huh. And what's your IQ again?" Wanda asked. I let out a huff knowing she had me there. "175." I mumbled. "Exactly." She responds. We both sat and caught up with each other. "Why don't you come with me back to the compound. I want to keep hanging out with you, and there are not enough women in that place. It's too much testosterone." Wanda says. I just laughed at the last comment. "I don't know. I think I would feel awkward around everyone." I say. I wasn't completely lying, I would feel awkward, but I had other reasons that I didn't want to go there. "Oh, come on. Please!" Wanda begs. "Everyone is so nice, and I think they would really like you." She adds. I just sighed. "Okay fine, I'll come." I tell her. "Yay!" Wanda says excitedly. I finished my coffee as Wanda finished her drink. "Come on. Happy is waiting in the parking lot for me, and I'm sure he'll be okay driving you as well." Wanda says as she stood up and dragged me to the car. I noticed that it was a fancy car, but I wasn't sure why I was shocked. "Hey Happy!" Wanda says as she gets into the car making sure I also got in. "Who's your friend?" Happy asked her. "Oh, this is Y/n! We've been friends for a while now." She explained. I just waved at the guy. "Well, it's nice to meet you." The man said. I nodded. "You too." I say quietly. I noticed that Happy was looking at me through the rearview mirror, like he was trying to figure me out. "Are you guys ready to go?" He asked us. "Yeah, let's go."

[ilovebeingcringe]

Nikki's Story (TMNT!2012 Oc Fanfiction)

(A/N: This is a short two-chapter fan fiction I created for my TikTok account dedicated to my 2012 tmnt oc named Nikki. This tells the story of how she met and joined an alliance with the turtles. These two chapters take place in the middle of season two sometime after episode 10 and 11, after everyone discovered April is part alien and before Karai discovered Splinter was her true father. I'm not a professional writer so forgive any mistakes you might see or if this is cringe :| Enjoy!)

---

Chapter One: Patience and Control

   Karai stood in an empty parking garage, a safe distance away from the unnamed assassin. She ran a hand through her obnoxiously pink hair, the other one placed on one hip in a smug and casual stance.

   "Well, I have to admit, this is a first for me," The assassin teased, her voice muffled behind her led mask. "Talking turtles? Really?"

   Karai uncrossed her arms and brought them down to her sides, clenching her fists impatiently. "Your job isn't to question me. These four boys are the bane of my existence, especially their pet rat they call their master. I want to use them as bait."

   "Oh, a lil' rat trap?"

   "Of sorts, yes."

   "If you want me to bring you the turtles, why not just pick up the rat while I'm at it? Y'know, kill two birds with one stone?" The masked girl asked.

   "As much as I hate to admit it, the rat is far too skilled beyond both our years combined," Karai explained. "He dwells within their secret base anyway. Finding and kidnapping him is too much to ask for, even from you. Besides, like I said, this needs to stay between you and I only. I don't want you getting caught and our secret exchange getting out."

   The pink-haired assassin shifted forward, a short giggle escaping her lips. "Oh, that's right. Daddy said no, didn't he?"

   "Do not patronize me, Stalker," Karai snapped back, referring to the assassin as her nickname, gained from the other gangs around town.

   "Shredder has been too docile recently; too quiet. If only he'd listen to me for a change, he'd understand why this is the perfect opportunity to attack and sweep those stupid turtles under their feet while they're still off guard."

   She grumbled under her breath to herself, "Of course, he's too busy focused on completely unimportant matters... Like, expanding his already successful underground business and building that stupid mansion upstate."

   "Well, it should be a relatively simple task for little ol' me," The Stalker replied, cracking her fingers. "You want 'em warm or cold? Well, I suppose they'd be cold either way being reptiles and all, heh."

   "You may use any means necessary, but I want them brought to me alive, understood?" Karai responded.

   "Eh, less fun, but doable. I've been wanting to get my sneaky hands on these mutant rumors spreading around the city anyway. You wouldn't happen to know how your little turtle friends came to be, would you?" The Stalker asked, stretching the rest of her lanky body out.

   "That's irrelevant. Just do what I'm paying you to do. And if you get caught, keep my name out of your mouth. Got it?"

   The Stalker half-heartedly waved Karai off. "Yeah, yeah whatever fills my pockets, princess. In any case, I'll soon know more about this mutant mush than even you."

   Her advanced gas mask booted up, small beeping and pink led lights in the goggles shortly followed after. 

   "I always do."

--

   "Late, again, O'Neil," April's math teacher observed, adjusting her glasses.

   "I know, I know! I'm sorry! Really, I have a perfectly valid excuse this time!" April tried explaining.

   "I'm afraid it doesn't matter. I'll have to write you up for a detention young lady."

   "But-"

   "Morning, loser!" A peppy and unique student blurted out as she walked through the class door, equally late. "What kind of subservient, inferior, childish slop-you call trigonometry-do you have planned for us today?"

   The teacher scoffed at her rebellious student's attitude. "Excuse me? Miss Hoffman, where on Earth do you get off talking to me that!?"

   The tall girl, adorned in black and pink street-style clothing popped a gum bubble in her mouth before responding. "Uhhhh, New York City?" She replied with a cocky smirk across her thin face.

   "Absolutely unacceptable behavior Nicolette! I've had just about enough of you! Forget the detention April, go have a seat. I have my hands full with this piece of work right here," The teacher grumbled, pulling a stack of paper out from her desk.

   April sighed in relief and walked off to her desk. She eyed the unruly girl behind her before having a seat. This new peer of hers transferred to her school district nearly two years ago. Nicolette Hoffman. Lovingly referred to as "Nutcase Nikki," by the rest of the student body. She was a rebellious, strangely-behaviored, lunatic, outcasted by other teens her age that no adult in the world had enough patience for. She did and said whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted with no shame.

   However, April-with her new found sixth sense-couldn't ignore what she was feeling around Nikki. Her gut was telling her that there was something important about that strange girl. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, however. As an outcast herself, April also felt empathetic and inclined to befriend Nikki. As often as she tried, she always failed in doing so. Nikki never seemed to be interested in making friends and would dismiss April instead.

   After class, April caught up with Nikki in the hallway. Attempting to be neighborly once again.

   "Uh, hey, Nikki!" She called out, running up to the wild, pink-haired girl.

   "Ah! Hey, Freckles!" Nikki observed upon turning around.

   "Hey, listen, I know it wasn't really your intention, but I wanted to thank you for saving my butt back there. The teacher was about to give me detention before you walked in and, uh... well, y'know..."

   "Oh, it was my intention," Nikki replied before stopping at her locker.

   "I... Wh-What?"

   "Yeah, I wanted detention!"

   "What? Why?!"

   Nikki explained flatly and-oddly-casually, "Because, detention's in the library and there's a really cool hidden room behind one of the bookshelves. I turned it into a hangout. I get to sneak in there and do whatever I want if no one else is in the library with me."

   April stood and stared at Nikki, completely dumbfounded. "You can't be serious..." She replied in shock.

   "Completely!" Nikki said back with her signature crazed smile.

   "What... What do you do in there?"

   "Y'know... research. I stole a bunch of stuff from the science labs that I don't have at home and I use it in there." Nikki winked at her with a sly grin.

   "Hey, O'Neil!" Casey shouted across the hall.

   He slid up to the two girls and leaned against the lockers. "We still on for our study-sesh tonight, right Red?" He asked April.

   April opened her mouth to reply, but stopped, eyeing Nikki by her side. "Actually, Casey... Sorry, but I can't. I, uh... have detention."

   Nikki and Casey's eyes both widened in surprise.

   "What!?" They both exclaimed in unison.

   "Yeah! Late to first period, again... Heh, it sucks, but live and learn y'know?"

   "But, I ju-"

   "Uh, I gotta run to ladies room!" April announced rather loudly, deliberately interrupting Nikki. "I need a girl buddy to come with me! C'mon, Nikki!"

   "Wait, I-"

   April snatched Nikki by the wrist and dragged her to the girls room before she could protest.

   "What, the heck April? What're you doing?" Nikki demanded, yanking her hand away from April.

   "I wanna see your hangout!"

   Nikki crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Uh-uh. No dice, little lady. It's a called a secret hangout for a reason."

   April smirked and put her hands on her hips. "Well if you wanna keep it a secret, then I suggest you show me where it is. Wouldn't want it getting rumored around the halls and discovered by the staff now, would you?"

   Nikki raised as eyebrow at the short, orange-haired girl, staring up at her with a mischievous smirk. She smirked back and huffed out a short laugh.

   "Huh, I never pegged you for the black-mailing type, Freckles. Fine, whatever. I'll sneak you into the library after school and show you the place. But you gotta leave immediately after, deal? Believe it or not, I got work to do."

   "Deal!" April agreed happily.

   "This doesn't mean we're friends by the way. I have no clue why you're so insistent on that. Trust me, we're both much better off," Nikki informed her, holding the bathroom door open.

   April walked underneath Nikki's arm as she exited the door, not bothering on ducking on account of their drastic height difference.

   "Oh, c'mon!" She huffed. "We have a lot more in common than you think!"

   Nikki laughed at the thought. "Hah! You have no idea.."

--

   At the end of the school day, Nikki successfully snuck April into the library after stopping by the principal's office to give him her detention slip. After a few more minutes, waiting on everyone to clear out, they promptly slid to the back of the library. Nikki slid a large bookshelf that was pressed against the wall to the side. Revealed behind it was none other than the secret room she promised.

   "Oooh..." April whispered out in awe.

   "Hurry up, c'mon," Nikki urged, yanking her inside before sliding the bookshelf back.

   April studied the small room. It looked to be an abandoned office space. A small window snug itself in the corner. In the middle of the area was a long table cluttered with stolen science equipment from the biochemistry lab. The walls were adorned in sheets of crumpled paper and notes, as was the floor.

   "Wow! What have you been doing in here?" April asked, Nikki.

   "Like I said, research," She replied flatly as she gathered papers and rearranged beakers, flasks and test tubes.

   "What's this room doing back here?"

   Nikki dug out a dusty textbook from a filing cabinet hidden away in a corner. She handed it to April, revealing it to be an old school yearbook.

   "Back in the late 80's, there were quite a few renovations done to different areas around school. They haven't touched much of it since then, especially the library, but somehow this little office got buried in all of it," Nikki explained, turning the pages to photos of the old library.

   "Woah, neat!" April hummed in curiosity, flipping through the book.

   She handed it back to Nikki before turning her attention to the rest of the room.

   "This whole school-heck most likely the whole city-has all types of hidden gems like this!" Nikki added. "And you know I love poking my head into places I'm not supposed to."

   April giggled as she observed one of the papers on the wall decorated with sloppy scribbles of advanced equations and formulas she couldn't begin understand. She chuckled to herself amusingly.

   "Don't take this the wrong way, but I sometimes forget how crazy smart you are. You hide it pretty well behind that spunky attitude," She teased Nikki.

   She smirked and stood proud. "I like to think of myself as somewhat of a mad genius!" She boasted.

   "Alright, you got to see the forbidden texts. Now scram, Freckles." Nikki pointed a thumb at the small window behind her, indicating April's exit.

   April whipped around, taken aback by the sudden eviction. "What? No! I wanna stay a little longer!" She protested.

   With a heavy sigh and a roll of her eyes, Nikki picked April up and flung her over her shoulder with ease. "We had a deal, O'Neil."

   "But I have so many questions! What's all this for?"

   "Nothing you need to concern your pretty little head with," Nikki shot back, shuffling towards the small window in the corner.

   April huffed at Nikki's unflattering comment and latched onto her, refusing to let go.

   "Ack! Get off you little parasite!" Nikki choked out.

   "Nuh-uh! Lemme bond with you!"

   "No, you dork!"

   Nikki stumbled around the room, awkwardly knocking herself and April into the wall and table. April refused to budge, practically glued to Nikki and determined to make a new friend.

   "Ugh! April, I couldn't even begin to explain to you what I've been studying in here! Heck, even I barely understand it and everyone knows I'm the smartest teenager there is," Nikki explained, rather boastful.

   "So then let me help you!" April insisted.

   "I don't need help! And I definitely don't needto tell you anything. This is... my thing. Now off! Get out!" Nikki attempted once more to pry the tiny girl off of her.

   "Ugghh! I want to be your friend, Nikki! Why won't you open up to me? Why do you hate me?!"

   Nikki slowly processed April's question and fell silent. April felt Nikki's tense shoulders relax as she sighed heavily. The lanky girl released her grip off April, placing a gentle, shaky hand on her back. April followed suit, allowing Nikki to slide her off her shoulder and gently set her down on the floor.

   "I don't hate you, Freckles," Nikki replied, rather quietly. She pursed her lips and awkwardly avoided eye contact. "Like I said, it's just best for the both of us if we weren't friends. I make myself unlikable for a reason."

   "But, why? Look, I know what it's like to be different. In more ways than I can say... But, what I mean is, I understand you!"

   Nikki placed her hands on April's shoulders. "No." She stopped her, a firm tone in her voice. "You really don't, April."

   Nikki sighed, a somber and regrettable look in her eyes that she desperately tried to hide. "I... really shouldn't've agreed to let you in here. You gotta go. I mean it this time."

   "Nikki, I-"

   "Just go. I have a lotta work to catch up on."

   "Alright... I'll go. I'm sorry, Nikki."

   Nikki watched in silence as April climbed out the window and finally left.

   "Yeah... Me too," She mumbled to herself before turning around and walking back to her work.

--

   Along the rooftops of New York, in the blackness of the cold night, four humanoid turtles sprang from building to building, their two human teenage acquaintances followed closely after.

   "I don't get it, Donnie, what could the Kraang possibly benefit from, from keeping files of all the humans they've captured?" Leo asked his brother as he swiftly hopped from one rooftop to the next.

   "The Kraang are remarkably organized. I have a theory they assign each human they've kidnapped into separate groups after they finish experimenting on them," Donnie replied.

   "Based on what?"

   "Well, lots of things! Strength, intelligence, endurance... From what I've studied, the Kraang have many different rankings of status and power, a bit like humans in our world do. However, they may function more like a bee or an ant colony. I can only assume they're newly abducted humans function the same way after they've been brainwashed and mutated into slaves."

   "Yeesh. Harsh, bro," Mikey shivered.

   "But, why would we need to risk our hides again, sneaking into the TCRI building for this data?" Raph asked.

   Everyone halted and regrouped on top of a high building to catch their breath.

   "If we had those files, there's a chance we could rescue any humans currently abducted by the Kraang, here on Earth. Not only that, but if we were able to completely erase that data, we could prevent anymore human kidnappings the Kraang may have planned in the future," Donnie explained.

   "We could keep them from experimenting on people and turning them into mutants!" April exclaimed. "We would save thousands of lives! Keep people from losing their family members..."

   Donnie pulled out his T-phone, projecting a small screen that displayed confidential files he'd stolen from the Kraang throughout the year.

   "It took me quite a few months of hacking and snooping around, but I managed to download the layout to the upper floors of the building. Now, we finally have an in depth map of the top five floors!" He zoomed in on a specific location on the map. "They have hundreds, if not thousands of computer rooms, but this room contains all the information we'll need."

   "Right. Nerd stuff," Casey commented, leaning on top of April's head.

   April shoved him off and readjusted her head band. "Do you think they still have information about my dad and I in there? Even after we escaped them?"

   "With the Kraang's cutthroat organizational skills, I wouldn't put it past them. Especially after we discovered that you're part Kraang, too." Donnie replied.

   "I don't know Donnie, sneaking into TCRI for this doesn't seem like it'd be worth the risk," Leo said.

   "Trust me, Leo, I've put a lot of thought and study into this! We have their blueprints. Our chances of success are high!"

   Leo crossed his arms over his chest, still unconvinced.

   "C'mon, Leo, we haven't had any good action for months now!" Mikey urged, elbowing his big brother.

   "Eh, that's true. The Foot have been pretty quiet lately. Most of our nights consist of bullying petty thieves," Raphael added.

   Casey butted in, leaning his forearms on top of Raph's head. "Yeah, I'm bored!"

   Leo rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay, okay..." he huffed out, stuttering over hesitance. "Fine, we'll do it. Just... don't tell Master Splinter."

   "Yes!" Everyone cheered in unison.

   After a few more hours of patrolling, April and Casey went home-being a school night and all-while the turtles made their way back to the lair.

   "Y'know, while we're in there, I could try getting a basic understanding of the Kraang's anatomy..." Donnie murmured to himself. "I wonder if they have a queen that lays eggs too."

   "Eugh. Gross!" Mikey gagged.

   Leo grimaced at the thought as well. "Let's just focus on getting the data you need while we're in there, Donnie. I don't wanna risk any of us getting captured."

   "Oh, please those Kraang droids are getting soft! I've seen old ladies fight off purse snatchers better than could fight off us," Raph huffed with pride.

   "No way, dude, they have the advantage of being cold and slimy. I hate when they cling to my face like those tiny aliens from that one movie!" Mikey insisted.

   Donnie rolled his eyes and shook and his head. "Ugh, that movie had you too scared to sleep in your own bed for weeks..."

   "Heh, yeah... Can we watch it again when we get home?"

   "No!"

   "As the leader, I'd just rather be more safe than sorry, Raph," Leo told his hot-headed brother.

   Raphael scoffed. "Yeah, you would. But if I were leader, I'd be more fearless than that!"

   "Oh, is that right?"

   "Ahhh!"

   An unknown voice emerged from the shadows, catching Raph off guard, making him scream in a high pitched tone.

   As they listened to the strangers menacing giggling, the boys immediately unsheathed their weapons and grouped together, facing back to back.

   "Yeah, real fearless, Raph," Donnie mocked.

   "Shh! Who's there? Show yourself!" Leo demanded the stranger.

   A tall, knobby-limbed girl with bright pink hair and a led gas mask stepped into the street light, revealing herself. "Hi there!" She greeted, energetic and peppy.

    "Who are you?" Leo asked, carefully.

   The strange girl snapped her fingers. "Ahh, sorry! Giving you my name would kinda' ruin the whole "masked villain" gimmick I got goin' on."

   "I'm pretty good at giving nicknames if you want one!" Mikey offered enthusiastically.

   "Mikey!" Raph hissed at his younger brother.

   "I mean most folks around here already call me The Stalker. You could go with that!"

   Leo grumbled impatiently. "Whatever, it doesn't matter! Why are you here?"

   "Oh, hah! Sorry, where are my manners? I'm an assassin!" The Stalker, replied.

   "What?!"

   "Y'know, the guy in the movies who gets paid to kill people? Although, in your case, I'm actually here to kidnap you. Speaking of, you guys mind getting in this big Santa Claus bag?" The strange girl asked, holding up an over-sized sack.

   Donnie shook his head in shock and confusion. "What? No! Who sent you?" He demanded, carefully sticking the sharp end of his bostaff in the girls face.

   The Stalker placed a finger at the pointed tip of his blade and casually tilted the staff down. "Heheh! Easy there little guy. Don't start something you can't finish..."

   "Who sent you!?" Leo repeated, a low growl in the back of his throat.

   "Afraid I can't give that information. Anyway, into the sack you go!" The Stalker whistled at the turtles like a group of dogs.

   "Wow, rude," Donnie scoffed.

   "Okay, screw this!" Raph blurted out and lunged at the girl.

   She simply shifted to the side, causing Raphael to plunge into a pile of trash bags. She let out a sinister snicker at his slip up as the led eyes on her goggles replaced themselves with X's.

   "Well, I wouldn't mind the harder option, if that's what you want. I'll be honest I've been needing the exercise, anyway!" The girl jested.

   She unsheathed a morning star from the holster on her back and flipped it in her hand. She then pressed a button on the handle, automatically elongating its stick.

   The other three boys followed suit after Raph attacked. The assassin, however, was too quick for them. With each strike they missed, she teased them with unnecessary commentary. Her sinister mockery dug under their cold skin like needles, their patience growing thinner and thinner by the second. Especially Raph's.

   "Ugh! Hold still so I can beat your face in!" Raphael bellowed as The Stalker skillfully shifted and avoided his attempted stabbing.

   "Aww... Did I hurt your feelings little man?" The girl taunted, smirking behind her mask. "I didn't peg you for someone with such a small temper. I try not to hold to that whole short person stereotype!"

   She flipped over Raph and kicked him in the shell, sending him toppling over on his front side. Raph's face burned with rage as he sat up screaming. "Rahhhhh!"

   "Is all this mockery really necessary?" Leo scolded, attempting and failing to fight the girl as well. "You're acting really immature!"

   "Eh, maturity's not my style. I can certainly tell it's yours though, judging by that fifty-foot pole up your butt!"

   The Stalker grabbed Leo by the tails of his face mask and yanked him to the ground while kicking his sword out of his hand. She bent over, looking down at him on the ground. "Letting loose a little would do you good!"

   She jumped up and dodged Mikey who attempted to attack her from behind, sending him flying into a brick wall.

   "Agh! She's too fast!" He groaned. "How is she, like, everywhere?"

   "Simple, little buddy!" The Stalker replied, leap frogging over him, sending him to the concrete. "You're just slow! I mean your turtles aren't you? It's in your nature."

   Donnie attacked the girl from the side, swinging his bostaff down. Without a blink, The Stalker caught it in her hand and snapped her head to side. Donnie's eyes widened slightly in surprise, taken aback by her intimidating stature. She spun in the air and rabbit kicked Donnie away, sending him flying into an empty dumpster as she snapped his bostaff over her knee.

   "Listen boys, as much fun as this has been, I don't wanna really be spending all night on this job, y'know what I'm saying?"

   "We're not going anywhere with you!" Leo spat at her, finally managing to strike her in the face with his fist.

   The Stalker only reacted with a heavy sigh, cracking her neck. "Alrighty then, if that's how you wanna play..."

   She swung her morning star at Leo, who used both his swords to block it off. All four boys went back to fighting off The Stalker, who easily blocked and avoided each punch they threw at her. By the end of the battle the boys were badly bruised, exhausted and incredibly frustrated. Donnie had no choice, but to use the only smoke bomb he had left as a last resort. The boys swiftly snuck away down the man-hole in the alleyway they were fighting in, leaving the pink-haired girl alone and surprised.

   "Huh," She murmured to herself, looking around the empty alley. "That's a first."

--

   "You lost them?!" Karai exclaimed.

   "I know right? Definitely not like me!" The assassin girl bragged. "Y'know, I don't think you gave them enough credit, princess. Those boys really put up a fight!"

   Karai sighed in frustration. "Fine, if you can't do it then-"

   "Hey, hey, hey, who said I can't do it? I've never backed down on a job so far and I'm certainly not planning on doing so anytime soon!" The Stalker interrupted. "Besides, this job is... interesting. My first time interacting with mutants!"

   Karai tightened her lips and rolled her eyes. "Fine. You have two weeks, starting today. If you can't bring me those turtles then the deal is off."

   "I gotcha' princess!"

   "And stop calling me that!"

--

   "She was so fast, Master Splinter!" Leo insisted. "I could barely see her! It was like she'd disappear and reappear at random."

   He pulled his hand away from Splinter after he finished wrapping it. "She was like an illusionist! She did everything she could to distract and confuse us!"

   Splinter hummed in thought, tending to his sons' wounds. "Hmm. A trickster."

   "Yeah, not to mention obnoxious!" Donnie added. "She was so cocky and smug, just because we couldn't beat her!"

   Raph pushed away from Master Splinter in frustration, letting out an intense growl. "Oh, we'll beat her, alright! Beat her into the ground! Beat her so hard, she won't be able to recognize her own face!"

   "Yame!" Splinter scolded Raph. "We've discussed this, Raphael. That temper and violent tendency of yours is not the ninja way."

   "You don't understand, Sensei, she was so mean!" Mikey prostested.

   Donnie nodded in agreement. "It was like she knew exactly what to say to get under our skin!"

   Mikey let out a pathetic dog whine. "Yeah, it really hurt my feelings!"

   "That is exactly why she beat you," Splinter replied, closing his first aid kit.

   The boys raised an eyebrow at him.

   "I've discussed with you all before, the importance of keeping calm and collected in the midst of battle. Frustration and anger do not mix well with combat. Otherwise acting on impulse may be your biggest mistake and you might do something you would not be proud of."

   He stood up, tucking the first aid kit under his arm as stared longingly at his old family photo across the dojo.

   "Remember my meditation techniques I've taught you. This girl is using underhanded tactics as a means to distract you. Remind yourselves in the moment that these harmful words do not mean anything. You boys know your worth. You are not what a bully refers to you as."

   "So then, what do we do?" Leo asked.

   "Hm. From what I've learned in my years, the only way to defeat a trickster is to fight fire with fire. Use her own tactics against her."

   The boys sighed in thought. "Hai, Sensei," They all replied in unison.

   Splinter retreated back to his room to leave the boys to think.

   "Master Splinter's right. This strange girl is just a bully. She's more skilled than us, sure, but with proper planning, I think we can beat her," Leo told his team.

   "Yeah, beat her into a pulp," Raph mumbled behind clenched teeth.

   "With everything that Master Splinter told us, still in mind," Leo emphasized, more-so directly at Raph.

--

   Throughout the rest of the week, the turtles and The Stalker found each other again, attempting and failing to defeat her each time. Her blatant bullying and insults grew nastier and more malicious every night. The boys coped with her verbal abuse as best as they could. Raphael, however, showed small signs of struggling.

   But, with the help of Casey and April, and of course plenty of advice from Splinter, their plans and skills strengthened and they grew closer and closer to victory.

   "C'mon, why can't we come with you guys this time? We can help!" April insisted.

   "I'm sorry, April, it's just too dangerous. This girl is... unhinged," Donnie replied with a shiver.

   "So what? We could take her!" Casey shot back.

   Donnie scoffed and rolled his eyes.

   "We totally could!" Casey protested. "Just let us come with this time! April and I could be a good distraction."

   April chimed in enthusiastically. "Yeah! There's no way she could take on all of six of us at the same time!" 

   "Well..." Leo drew out in thought. "With our new plan, a few extra hands might be just what we need..."

   "Yeah?" Casey chirped hopefully.

   Leo sighed. "Alright, but I need you guys to do exactly as I say, got it?"

   April and Casey cheered.

--

   That night all six teenagers practiced their plan excessively before leaving the sewers to initiate. They found themselves in the same alleyway they first met The Stalker in, keeping quiet and heavily alert.

   "Oh, look at this..." The familiar taunting voice echoed from within the shadows.

   "Yeah that's right! You got no chance going toe to toe with the one and only Casey Jones!" Casey boasted, wielding his hockey stick.

   "Casey, shut it!" Raph hissed.

   "So sad... Needed to invite new friends to the party 'cause you couldn't handle me on your own?" The Stalker teased.

   "Ignore her..." Leo whispered at everyone as a reminder.

   "Heh, no problem for me anyway. I've had my fun and I'm getting a bit bored beating you losers up everyday. I've got a job to finish."

   The Stalker jumped down from the rooftop in front of the group, her morning star swung over her shoulder.

   "Hello again little turtles..." She greeted menacingly. "You boys picked a good night to bring your little friends along. I've been going too easy on you."

   "Yeah well, uh... So have we!" Mikey shot back.

   The Stalker snickered at his attempt at back talk, bringing her morning star down. "Yeah. Cute."

   In a flash, she lunged straight to Leo, swinging at him. He blocked her off with his swords as the rest of the group fled away in the shadows. Leo and The Stalker dueled as she continued on with her usual banter.

   "So, have you guys finally decided to give up? Or are you dorks so dense you can't take a hint to stop trying?"

   She was suddenly interrupted by a kick in the face, courtesy of Donnie, after he jumped out of the shadows. Following suit came Mikey, who clocked her in the back of the head with his nunchucks.

   Instead of shouting in pain, as predicted, The Stalker giggled. She grabbed Leo by the wrist as he swung his sword down and pulled him closer to her masked face.

   "So, is that how you wanna play? Trying to beat me at my own game? Well you boys know I love games... Heheheh..."

   Leo pulled away and swiftly shifted into the darkness.

   "Aww! Cowering away where I can't see you? Wouldn't expect less from you guys! Ahahaha!"

  The turtles, April and Casey refrained from replying or reacting as The Stalker had hoped. They only continued their plan of attacking her one by one. Meanwhile, April and Casey distracted her by pelting her with random garbage and deflecting her attention with noises hidden in the shadows. It seemed to be working, but with each punch she absorbed, the louder her maniacal cackling grew.

   "Guys... She's messing with us... I think she's letting us hit her," April whispered.

   "What? Why? That's insane!" Donnie exclaimed.

   "Seems pretty on-brand of her, D..." Mikey replied.

   The Stalker caught her breath from her fit of giggles and gasped. "Woo! You guys are fun! I've been needing motivation like this!" She cackled.

   "Okay, she's starting to freak me out..." Casey murmured, pulling at his collar.

   "Alright, that's it!" Raph growled and ran at her like an angry bull. "I'm done being patient with this clown!"

   "Raph no!" Leo shouted.

   Raph belted out a battle cry and unleashed the full week of pent up anger he had at The Stalker. She responded with more taunting giggles as she fought back. The two swung and fought with each other a good long minute as the rest of the crew went back to their original plan of attacking her one at a time.

   "You think you little dorks can tire me out!?" She asked them, her voice growing more menacing, loud and unhinged. "I'm ten times more a warrior than you mutant freaks could ever dream to be! I can do this for days!"

   "Rrrrrr, shut up, shut up, shut up!" Raph screamed in rage and punched her in the face with all his might.

   Her mask flew off, spinning in the air and skidding against the concrete. The Stalker fell to the ground, holding her face in her hands. Quickly, she recovered from the blow and stood up spinning around to face Raph. Staring at the turtle was a thinned face girl adorned in freckles and framed with a long nose. Her eyes-accompanied by dark, heavy circles-were blood-shot, bright green and tiny-pupiled, piercing into his soul. Plastered across her long, thin cheeks was a wide, crazed, toothy smile, that a stream of blood escaped from, dripping down her jaw and neck. Raph, however was more surprised at her age. She was just a teenager like the rest of them.

   "Oh-ho-ho, now it's a party!" She exclaimed, her voice horse and gritty.

   "Wha-That's!-"

   "Get her!" Leo commanded, interrupting April's exclamation.

   "Guys!" Casey called out, trying to get the boys attention.

   They were too focused on the strange girl, determined to take her down. She laughed like a hyena as they grew closer and closer to their goal. She was clearly, finally, losing the battle, but seemed far too happy about it.

   "Guys! Stop!" April pleaded, upon discovering the familiar girl.

   "April, what are you talking about?" Donnie asked from over his shoulder. He grabbed the girl by the arms from the back, keeping her restrained.

   "We know her! Stop!" Casey shouted.

   "Oh, hey Freckles! Surprised I bet, huh?" The girl greeted her classmates before getting struck in the face again.

   April ran up to the boys holding her hands out. "That's enough! She's my friend!"

   "Friend? She's a dangerous assassin, April and she's been trying to kidnap us all week!" Raphael snapped back.

   "Which is why we should talk to her instead of this needless violence!" April said back.

   "Oh, shell no! I earned this!" Raph growled. He turned back to the girl and punched her straight in the gut.

   She wheezed out from the blow and coughed. "S-S...So April, how's your weekend been-cough!"

   "April, how do you and Casey know this girl?" Leo asked.

   "Dude, everyone at our school knows her! That's Nutcase Nikki!" Casey replied enthusiastically.

   "Oh, she's that crazy girl you told us about?" Mikey asked. "The one who moved into town a few years ago?"

   "What are you on about, Mikey?" Donnie asked from behind Nikki, still holding her back while Raph laid into her.

   "Well, if you guys ever cared to listen to April once in a while, you'd remember the crazy girl that goes to her school that she keeps trying and failing to befriend!" Mikey shot back.

   "Aw, what a polite little guy!" Nikki commented. "Your friends here could learn a thing or two from ya'!"

   "Shut up!" Raph demanded, landing another blow to her jaw.

   "Alright, Raph, take it easy," Leo, told him.

   "Why should I, huh? We've been taking this psycho's abuse all week!"

   "Remember what Master Splinter told us about control! You don't want to end up doing something you might regret!"

   Raph froze, mid punch, staring at Nikki's bruised and bloodied face. She stared back at him blankly, her breathing ragged and labored. Raphael closed his eyes and breathed in and out slowly, finally bringing his raised fist down.

   "Fine. I'll spare you. This time," He grumbled lowly.

   Nikki smirked. "Lucky me."

   Catching Raph by suprise, Nikki's piercing, blood-shot eyes rolled to the back of her head and she went limp. She was out cold.

   "Oh, uh. O-Oops," Raph mumbled,

   "Oh my gosh, Raph!" April scolded the hot-headed turtle, pushing him away to look at Nikki.

   Leo sighed, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "April, listen, I'm really sorry about your friend, but... she needs to be interrogated. I know she seems nice back in school, but this is who she really is, whether you like it or not."

   "Just... be careful with her."

--

   In an abandoned warehouse, the crew regrouped and tied Nikki securely to a chair, waiting for her to wake back up. April paced back and forth, her brain racked with questions. Casey, meanwhile, explained who Nikki was to the boys.

   "Basically, from what I've heard, she transferred to our school district about two years ago and she's been causing trouble ever since. She's got a really smart mouth and rebellious attitude that all the teachers at school really can't stand her for. And everyone else just thinks she's really weird and... kind of creepy. So, no one really talks to her."

   "And why again, April, have you been wanting to befriend her so badly?" Donnie asked, baffled.

   "Because I keep having that... feeling, again!" April snapped back.

   "The feeling you get when you gotta throw up?" Mikey asked.

   "No! This... sense I keep having that gives me this weird feeling about certain things. It kept telling me something about Nikki that I just... had to know."

   April held her arms, looking back at her classmate, slumped over in the chair. "I would never have guessed it'd be... this."

   Donnie placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, offering his condolences. "I'm sorry, you had to find out this way, April. I guess we get now why she kept pushing you away, huh?"

   April sighed solemnly. "Yeah..."

   "And on top of this, we haven't made any progress in finding that data we still need from the Kraang," Leo added.

   "If you ask me, this whole week has been a waste of time," Raph grumbled. "We could've been kicking alien-robot, butt! Not putting up with this freak of nature."

   "Maybe take it easy on the name calling there, Raph? April's pretty upset," Donnie nagged his brother.

   "I'm just sayin'!" Raph protested. "We could've gotten all those files of all the abducted humans you were going on about and maybe, just maybe, could have even saved them! April's obnoxious little friend here has been keeping us from possibly preventing any human from ever getting mutated again!"

   "Dude!" Mikey snapped, with a disapproving glare.

   He gestured towards April, who was still clearly upset.

   "Read the room, yo," Casey said.

   "Groan..." Nikki stirred in the chair, finally coming-to.

   April gasped and turned around, slightly leaning forward in anticipation.

   "Ugh..." Nikki lifted her head up and blinked her eyes open. The unique group all stared back at her in a mix of hesitance and concern.

   "Well... here we are..." Nikki murmured groggily, plastering that obnoxious smirk across her face.

   Donnie rolled his eyes. "Wow, you never take anything seriously do you?"

   Leo stepped forward and yanked at the collar of Nikki's hoodie. "Talk."

   "'Bout what, exactly?" She shot back.

   "Oh, I am tired of your smart mouth! Who do you work for?" He demanded.

   Nikki smirked at the blue-masked turtle sinisterly. "Your little girlfriend. Karai."

   Leo's eyes widened in shock as he let go of Nikki's collar and stepped back. "K-Karai?"

   "Heh, yeah. She wanted me to bring you guys to her and use you as bait to snuff out the rat."

   "Master Splinter?" Donnie asked in shock.

   Nikki squinted at him in confusion. "Is that what you call it?"

   "Hey!"

   "Is Shredder apart of this too?" Raph asked, stepping forward.

   "Nah. Originally, daddy said no to the idea, so princess hired me behind his back," Nikki explained, casually crossing her legs.

   "What?"

   "Like many of the mobs and gangs around town-that I'm sure you hero dorks have already met-Shredder takes part in illicit practices, if you know what I mean," Nikki explained.

   "Underground business?" Donnie asked.

   "Black market, gray market, shadow economy, whatever you call it. He owns multiple, so he gets pretty busy beyond being an edgy supervillain. He's been pretty pre-occupied getting his new mansion built out in the woods upstate, so Karai took advantage of his absence. As she loves to do."

   "How do you know all of this?" Casey asked.

   "I know everything."

   "Pfft, nuh-uh."

   April stepped forward. "Nikki, I have to know... How... What happened to you?"

   "What're you talkin' about, Freckles?"

   "Why... Why are you an assassin? The skills you have... At your age, that's just something I can't wrap my head around."

   Nikki awkwardly shifted her gaze, hesitant on her choice of words. "Well... Sorry April, but that's for me to know and me to know only."

   "What? No! We have you tied, you have to tell us!" Donnie, insisted.

   "Nah."

   Nikki casually stood up from the chair, the ropes around her falling loose. The crew jumped, completely taken aback. She stretched out her lanky body and placed her hands on her hips.

   "I escaped those ropes minutes ago while you guys still thought I was unconscious. Thanks for all that information I've been needing on the Kraang by the way! That's kinda' the only reason I took up this job in the first place, heh heh!"

   "...HOW?!" Raph, screamed in defeat and frustration.

   "Don't you worry your slimy little heads. Now that I got what I needed out of this, I'm calling off the deal between Karai and I. April, Casey, it's been a pleasure! I'm sure you and I have a mutual agreement now that if you spill the beans about my secret identity, I'm telling everyone about your mutant buds here. I'll see you two losers bright and early at school tomorrow!" Nikki said, turning around and walking away.

   "Wha-No! We're not finished with you!" Raph demanded, lunging at her.

   Leo held him back. "Just leave it, man!"

   Nikki pulled a grappling hook out from one of the many pockets in her cargo overalls and hoisted herself up towards a hole in the ceiling of the run-down building. "I'll see you dorks, never!"

   She flipped and jumped away in a flash, disappearing into the black sky. The turtle crew all stood at the warehouse floor, staring up at the hole in the ceiling the mysterious assassin just escaped from, slack-jawed and at a loss for words. Raph, however, was preoccupied throwing a temper tantrum on the side lines.

------

Chapter Two: New Discoverings

Mikey sat in the middle of the conversation pit in the lair, eyes glued to the tv. On the the screen appeared a hulk of a man, fighting in a boxing arena. His moves and fighting techniques were remarkable. Sitting nearby was Leo, emersed in an action comic and Raph, idly watching the television as well.

   "Man... Chrissy Rock was so cool..." Mikey mumbled in awe.

Donnie emerged from his lab, yawning and stretching out his sore muscles. "Watcha' guys watching?"

   "Old boxing matches of Christoph Hoffman!" Mikey replied excitedly.

   "Ooh, I could go for some Chrissy Rock action!" Donnie replied, sitting down next to him.

   "I don't get the hype for this guy..." Raph grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

   "Uh, hello? Christoph Hoffman? The greatest, strongest and most inspirational warrior to ever bless this Earth?" Mikey shot back, matter-of-factly.

   "I'm just saying, it's suspicious how a rich guy could have the whole world smitten without any conspiracies about him!"

   "Well he's a cult classic, Raph!" Donnie insisted. "Christoph Hoffman will go down in history as a strong, brave, charitable and selfless man."

   "Yeah, the guys a war hero. Even Master Splinter idolizes him. He's encouraged us to study his fighting techniques for a reason," Leo added, eyes still glued to his comic.

   Donnie turned around to face his brothers. "And, along side his wife Ava Hoffman, those two became one of the most successful and ideal couples in all of New York. Ava's the smartest biochemist in the country! Her work is remarkable and has always been an incredible inspiration to me!"

   "Y'know... before they went missing and all..."

   "Yeah..." Mikey mumbled solemnly. "I really miss them. I hope nothing bad had happened!"

   "Well, we know old Chrissy has the skills to defend himself so... I'm sure they're doing just fine! Maybe just... taking a break or something," Donnie reassured his little brother, hesitance stuck in the back of his throat.

   "Aside from that. Donnie?" Leo piped up. "Have finished mapping a proper route of the Kraang's TCRI building?"

   "Oh! Nearly finished!" Donnie replied confidently. "I have it all planned out!"

"We'll be able to steal the Kraang's data of all the abducted humans they have on file, get out of there without them even realizing, and get back home faster than you can say Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis!"

"Nuh-uh! That's not even a word!" Mikey protested.

"Is too! Look it up if you want," Donnie shot back, matter-of-factly.

   He pulled a purple usb from out of his shell and held it up. "Using the Kraang's technology, I created a specialized usb that'll be able to handle taking in all the data from their computer. A regular old usb wouldn't be able to handle their advanced technology without exploding."

   "Good work, D."

   "My sons," Master Splinter announced, emerging from the dojo.

   "S-Sensei!" Leo choked, hoping his father didn't hear their secret plan.

   "I thought you boys were going out tonight."

   "Oh, yeah, we are!" Raph, replied, plastering a fake smile on his face.

   "W-We're just waiting on April and Casey to get here, heh!"

   Splinter hummed in thought. "I see. Do not stay out too late. Since this... assassin was assigned to you, I fear for what else the Foot Clan may be planning."

   "Psh, we took care of her easily!" Raph boasted, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Trust us, Master Splinter, we can handle ourselves just fine."

   "I mean it Raphael," Splinter replied firmly. "Be careful and cautious. And look out for each other. Ooh is that Chrissy Rock?"

He sat down next to Raphael to tune in.

--

   The next night, the turtles, April and Casey emerged from the sewers, taking their plan to sneak into the Kraang's TCRI building into action. Donnie's map was fully drawn out and everyone was given strict instructions.

   On top of the roof, Leo turned around towards everyone to give his pep-talk. "Remember guys, let's make this straight forward. In and out, like Donnie planned. We need to make this quick since Splinter set that curfew on us. Full stealth mode."

   Acting fast, the group slid in through the ceiling opening, keeping themselves fully alert and pressed against the wall. They quickly made their way through the maze of hallways, skillfully avoiding any nearby Kraang-droids and quietly taking out the ones who spotted them.

   All was going well and the plan continued smoothly until Leo turned a sharp corner and rammed right into someone he least expected.

   "Nikki!" Everyone whisper-screamed in unison.

   The group of teens excessively shushed each other in a hushed panic, immediately trekking back to a more safe and hidden corner.

   "What the shell do you think you're doing here?!" Raphael whisper-yelled at the pink-haired maniac.

   "I should be asking you dorks the same!" Nikki shot back in an equally hushed and frustrated tone. "Get out of here before you armatures get me caught!"

   "No way! We were here first!" Leo insisted.

   Nikki rolled her eyes. "Doubtful."

   "We are so close to getting the data we've been needing, don't you dare take that from us more than you've already been!" Donnie growled at her.

   "What are you idiots even talking about?"

   "We planned this heist weeks ago!" Donnie spat. "We could've gotten it done and over with already if you hadn't been trying abduct us to the Foot Clan!"

   Nikki giggled. "Heh, heh, oh yeah. That was fun."

   "Guys we're way too exposed out here!" April scolded them. "We can't sit here and bicker all night. Nikki?"

   "What, Freckles?"

   "Back at the warehouse-when you pretended you were still unconscious-we accidentally gave you a bunch of information about the Kraang. That's what you're here for too, isn't it?"

   Nikki eyed her suspiciously. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. What's it to you?"

   "For now, let's just work together and help each other. With Nikki's skills, we could get what we need and get out of here quicker!"

   "What?! No way! I don't wanna work with this shady, nutjob!" Raph protested.

   Nikki scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself sweetie. I don't need you hero dorks slowing me down either."

   The group was soon interrupted by the sounds of nearby droids, murmuring to each other about the strange noises they were hearing.

   Donnie quickly pulled his map out. "Look, we know our way around this place. If you keep your mouth shut and get us where we need to go, you can take this map with you for whatever shifty plans you have."

   Nikki hesitated for a moment, torn between her enemies and the droids slowly making their way closer. With a defeated sigh, she finally gave her answer.

   "Fine! Deal."

   The droids turned the corner and Nikki promptly ripped their heads off without even turning around, catching the other group of teens by surprise. Everyone continued on as planned and, within minutes, finally found their way to the specific computer room marked on Donnie's map. They closed and locked the doors behind them as Nikki swiftly took out the droid occupying the room.

   Leo sighed in relief and turned towards Donnie. "Alright, D. You're up."

   Donnie nodded and quickly got to work, typing and searching through the Kraang's computer while everyone else stood guard.

   Nikki stood behind Donnie, her hands on her hips as she watched the screen. "By the way, I still need my mask back from you dorks," She commented.

   Donnie's eyes widened slightly and nervously he cleared his throat. "R-Right... Uh..."

   "Oh, Donnie took that apart in his lab," Mikey informed, casually.

   Nikki stared daggers at the back of Donnie's head with a crazed smile, her left eye twitching. "Did he now?"

   "U-Uh, found it!" Donnie announced, pulling out his usb stick and promptly plugging it into the computer.

   In an awkward silence, everyone watched and waited as the usb took the information from the Kraang's computer.

   Nikki let out an exasperated sigh. "This is taking too long."

   Donnie glared at her. "Well of course it is! It's decades of information."

   "Yeah, that's what Ethernet cables are for," Nikki responded pulling her own specialized tech out from her pockets.

She plugged a cable and small device into the computer, next to Donnie's usb.

   "H-Hey, wait. Don't-!"

Nikki casually shoved his face away as her hands nimbly danced across the keyboard.

   In an instant the rest of the data files quickly inserted itself into the usb, a satisfying small jingle played afterwards on the computer. Donnie stared at the screen slack-jawed.

   "Oooh, neat," Mikey observed.

   "Heh, that's the first time I've seen someone upstage you with their brain, gap-tooth," Casey snickered.

   Donnie growled and clenched his fists. "Shut it, puck-mouth! How'd you even-?"

   "It's just basic computer science, nerd," Nikki interrupted him.

   "But, y... You're-"

   Nikki began typing away at the computer once the usb was finished downloading, not even looking at Donnie. "I wasn't lying when I said I know everything."

   "Nikki is, uh, kind of a prodigy like you are, D," April explained to the dumbfounded brainiac. 

   "Uh-huh, yeah. Now! That being said, get out. You got what you needed, now it's my turn," Nikki instructed the group, flatly, eyes still glued to the screen.

   "Wha- No!" Leo protested. "You saw our plans, why don't we get to see yours?"

   "Because it's personal. Out."

   "No, it's shady is what it is!" Raph shot back. "What could an evil-genius-assassin want with personal information from alien robots?!"

"None of your business, that's what!" Nikki hissed at him. "Now beat it, losers."

   April stepped forward towards Nikki. "Nikki, c'mon. You're shutting me out again. Whatever issues you have with the Kraang, we can help!"

   "No you can't, Freckles. I'll shut out anyone and everyone as much as I want 'till the day I die. I don't want your help and I certainly don't need it either! Now leave me alone!"

   April winced at her harsh words and fiddled nervously with her nails.

   "Hey, you can't talk to her like that!" Donnie scolded her, planting a hand on April's shoulder.

   "Hah! I can talk to anyone, anyway I want!"

   "Wanna bet on that?" Raph threatened, cracking his knuckles and gritting his teeth.

Nikki turned back to him, her familiar crazed look glazing her eyes. "Oh, are you suggesting a rematch short-stack?"

   "Guys, keep your voices down!" Leo nagged.

   The computer interrupted the group's banter with a cheery beep. Everyone turned their heads towards the screen. To the turtles surprise, the face cards of their idols Christoph and Ava Hoffman appeared. Nikki quickly went back to typing on the computer, her face twisted in determination and hesitance.

   "Huh? Ava Hoffman? Chrissy Rock! This is where they've been? Abducted by the Kraang!?" Leo exclaimed in bafflement.

"What kind of business do you have with the most successful and idolized couple in New York?" Donnie asked, suspiciously.

   "Ugh! You guys don't need to see this! Just leave!" She urged, a hint of desperation in her tone.

"Hoffman? Nikki... that's your last name... right?" April asked.

   The computer buzzed a deeper, grating beeping noise, interrupting the groups banter. Nikki spun back around at the noise. In bold red letters, new information projected underneath the couple's face cards displayed on the screen.

   "DECEASED."

The room was dead silent. Quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Nikki was frozen, staring completely blank faced at the screen. Her usually exaggerated and smug expression was dead-pan and unreadable.

   "They're... They're your parents, aren't they?" April asked, her voice small.

   Nikki didn't respond. She only continued to stare at the screen, her blood-shot eyes illuminated by the bright red lettering. No one knew what to do or say next. It was an incredibly tense and shocking situation. Mikey, as he often does, broke the silence.

   "Your dad is Chris Hoffman?!" He exclaimed.

   Donnie placed a hand on his head in disbelief. "I-I thought the rumors about them having a daughter was fake!"

   "Guys, this really isn't the time..." Leo murmured through gritted teeth.

   April gently placed a comforting hand on Nikki's forearm. "Nikki... I'm so sor-"

   "Don't."

   "Ah!"

   Nikki grabbed April's wrist, rather harshly, earning a pained yelp from the ginger-haired girl.

   "Don't you dare, pretend to be my friend right now!" Nikki growled at her.

   "N-Nikki, let go! You're hurting me!" April protested.

   Nikki's voice grew louder and her anger grew stronger. "You think I want your pity!?"

   "Nikki, that's enough! Let her go!" Leo commanded, unsheathing his sword.

   "I told you idiots to get out! I told you to leave me alone!" Nikki shouted at the top of her lungs.

   "You're an assassin!" Raph responded, taking out his sais. "We have a perfectly valid excuse!"

   Unbeknownst to the group of bickering teens, many Kraang droids were alerted by their loud banter. Large groups of droids, wielding their guns all charged at the door, loudly banging on it.

   "Oh, perfect!" Raph growled sarcastically.

   "All for nothing... All this time!" Nikki's voice cracked as she broke down. She scratched at her tired, tearful eyes and pulled at her hair. Heeling over she held her head in her hands, her body shaking in a heated rage. She huffed angrily and snarled like an animal.

   A few of the teens took notice of her concerning behavior. The banging on the door grew louder and harder. "Nikki?" April called out to her friend in a hushed whisper.

   The droids finally busted the door open and burst into the computer room. Nikki sprung up, unsheathing her morning star. She belted out a banshie shriek.

   "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"

   With hulk-like strength and rage, Nikki plowed through the sea of Kraang-droids. Every blow to her body she took from them was ignored, like a freak of nature. Through incredible skill, technique and mainly blind rage, Nikki guided the group of teens through the rows of Kraang, assisting their safe getaway.

   "She's nuts..." Casey blurted out in disbelief. "Insane."

   Raph smiled enthusiastically at Nikki's anger. "Incredible!" He added on.

   Soon, the turtle crew and Nikki escaped out a window of the TCRI building and retreated onto a nearby rooftop, hidden away behind garbage and clutter.

   The boys whooped and hollered from the rush of excitement, exchanging high-fives and small celebrations. April watched Nikki's meltdown from the side, in concern. Nikki ranted to herself, holding her face in her shaking hands, tears of frustration and defeat pouring from her eyes. She huffed rather heavily, trying to work herself through her panic attack, groaning from the pain of lasers and beatings she received from the many droids she plowed through.

   April tried grabbing her attention again. "Nikki?"

   Nikki was far too gone to hear her. She had grown mad from the weeks, months, years of sleep deprivation. The last two years she spent looking for her parents-all the late nights of research, the trauma she encountered while posing as an assassin in secret, the loneliness, the pain she forced herself to endure for so long...

   It was all for nothing.

   "Nikki? Hey, hey, take it easy..." April tried to coax. By then, the boys stopped celebrating, too painfully aware of the breakdown happening before them.

   "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Nikki snapped. "A-All for nothing! Nothing! Idiot! That idiot! Why? Why did he think he could... Huff, huff... Ghn! A-Ah!"

   Nikki babbled incoherent nonsense to herself, attempting and failing to stand up straight. The adrenaline had quickly subsided, leaving her aching and wincing in pain. 

   "Just-just try to calm down. You're injured!" April tried reasoning with her.

   "U-Uh, April?" Donnie piped up quietly. "I think it's best we just... let her tire herself out..."

   April remained silent, painfully watching her friend sob and scream until her voice ran horse. Nikki forced herself to stand upright, her breathing heavy and ragged, her wounds raw and exposed.

   "Pant... pant... N-Nothing..." She mumbled to herself over and over again. "Nothing... nothing... N-Nnn... Uhn..."

   Nikki's body fell limp and she collapsed to the rooftop like a sack of bricks. April shouted out in surprise and immediately ran to her aid. Donnie  and his brothers followed idly behind.

   She knelt down, frantically observing Nikki's wounds. "Oh no! No, no, no, no, no... Donnie? I-Is... Is she...?"

   Donnie promptly checked her pulse and shook his head in relief. "It's alright. She's still with us. Just... exhausted."

   "We have to help her!" April insisted, lugging Nikki into her arms.

   "Wh-And do what?!" Raph asked, exasperated. "Take her to the lair? We can't just bring an unconscious stranger into our home! Especially if Master Splinter see's her. He doesn't even know we were doing this!"

   "Nikki's not a stranger! She's my friend!" April snapped back at him. "We wouldn't have gotten out of there had it not been for her!"

   "We wouldn't have been caught had it not been for her!" Raph corrected. "If your friend wasn't such a psychopath, she wouldn't have been shouting and screaming at us and alerting the droids!"

   "She wouldn't have been shouting and screaming at us if you heartless jerks would learn to read a room! You need to understand when is and isn't the right time to keep pushing and pushing someone until you send them over the edge!"

   "What am I? Her keeper!?"

   "Guys! That's enough!" Leo scolded.

   April and Raphael fell silent, looking back at Leo.

   "April's right! We need to learn when to take responsibility. Nikki saved us and it's only right we take her home and ask Master Splinter to heal her."

   "Wh-Leo, are you nuts? We'll be grounded for months!" Donnie exclaimed.

   "He's right dude!" Mikey added. "I don't know how long I can go without watching Super Robo Mecha Force Team Five."

   "This isn't up for debate! Our duty as ninja is to set things right," He replied firmly, looking Raph square in the eye.

   Raph only crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

   Leo snapped his fingers at Donnie. Hesitantly, the brainiac lifted Nikki's unconscious body up and slung her over his shoulders.

   "We're going home. We need to hurry and get out of here before we get caught by any straggling Kraang-droids."

   The rest of the crew followed after Leo in a heavy silence, anticipating the consequences yet to come.

—

"You boys went behind my back to infiltrate the most dangerous building in the city!?" Master Splinter shouted at his sons.

"W-We're sorry Sensei, but our mission was a success!" Donnie informed him.

"And yet you are holding an unconscious known enemy in your arms!"

"We didn't know she was gonna be there Master Splinter!" Leo replied.

"Master Splinter, please," April pleaded. "I know she was our enemy, but she's a friend of mine from school! And we wouldn't have gotten out of there if it weren't for her in the first place. Nikki saved us!"

Mikey nodded in agreement. "Yeah! We're sorry for going behind your back, Sensei. But, we wanna make things right!"

"She's good, deep down. I know it!" April insisted. "Please, help us heal her."

Master Splinter stared solemnly at the group of distressed teens, hesitating a moment. He finally let out a sigh and gestured towards the dojo.

"Come."

Everyone hurriedly followed after him. Splinter instructed Donnie to lie Nikki down on the floor as he retreated to his room and returned with his first aid kit.

"While I do not approve of you all lying to me..." He started. "I am proud of you for swallowing your pride and doing the right thing. Compassion and empathy are one of the strongest weapons a ninja could possess."

He sat down along with the rest of the group as he inspected her wounds.

"This girl is a child. All of your ages..." He observed, a hint of astonishment in his tone.

"Yeah. She goes to school with April and I," Casey informed him.

"A dangerous assassin at her age..." He murmured. "How did this come to be?"

"We don't know, Sensei. She's always been so secretive. Never tells me anything," April replied. "I've been trying to befriend her ever since she transferred to our school. I can empathize with her, but she always pushes me away."

"She must have a very personal reason then," Splinter said. "I know your intentions are well, April, and you mean only to show her kindness, but you must also understand boundaries. If you truly wish to befriend this girl, you must allow her to trust you on her own time."

April looked down at Nikki, regretfully, as Splinter continued to tend to her wounds. "Yeah. I suppose you're right."

The turtle crew spent the next few minutes explaining to Splinter everything that happened and what Nikki did for them at TCRI.

"I wanna make amends with her, Sensei. As much as I hate to admit it, she has awesome skills and she's wicked smart like Donnie. She'd be a great ally," Leo told his Master.

"Mm. I can understand why, Leonardo. You may offer her your friendship. But do not push it, if she does not accept."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

Splinter packed up his first aid kit once he finished dressing Nikki's wounds. "I understand that this friend of yours is unpredictable. Proceed with caution when she awakens. But I do suggest thanking her properly for saving all of you."

"Hai, Sensei," Everyone replies in unison.

"Groan..."

"Gasp! She's waking up!" Mikey exclaimed.

"Ugh... Ngh..."

Nikki stirred and winced as she slowly gained consciousness.

"Easy, Nikki! You got really banged up," April told her, helping her sit up.

"Urg... April? Agh, my head..." Nikki grumbled. "Whas'... What's goin' on?"

She lifted her head up and gasped at the sight of Splinter. "Oh, jeez giant rat!"

"It's ok! He's friendly! He won't hurt you," April assured her.

"Yeah, trust me," Casey added. "I know he's the scariest thing you've ever seen, but he's chill."

Splinter eyed Casey down angrily at his little comment, causing Casey to smile back at him sheepishly.

Nikki huffed out and grimaced, clutching the pain in her chest. "Mrrg... 'Spose he's not the biggest rat I've seen since living in New York..." Nikki mumbled as she shifted further into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. April kindly assisted her.

"How do you feel?" Leo asked her.

"Oh, y'know, like I was hit with a million bricks. Nothing new to me though," She replied smugly, only to immediately heel over and cringe in pain.

"What... happened? Where am I? I can't remember anything after we..." Nikki trailed off, her eyes slowly widening in realization.

"Oh... "

"Um... Nikki..." April murmured quietly.

Nikki stayed silent, staring at the ground. She appeared hesitant and deep in thought.

"We, uh, we wanted to thank you for what you did for us back there," Leo told her, breaking the awkward silence.

"Yeah, I hate to say it, but you're talented. The way you tore through all those Kraang bots... that was amazing," Raphael added.

Mikey nodded enthusiastically. "You got mad skills, yo! Seriously, where'd you learn to do all that?"

"And, I have to admit, you do have an impressive mind," Donnie said. "Maybe not as impressive as mine, but-"

"What we're trying to say is..." Leo interrupted Donnie, trying to avoid getting Nikki riled up. "We're very grateful for your bravery and courage. And... we also wanted to apologize for being so... intrusive. That wasn't right."

Nikki sighed and rubbed her shoulder.

"I'm not... used to... feelings. I guess? But..." She huffed out another sigh, shaking her head. "I get it. It's whatever," She managed to mumble out, awkwardly avoiding eye contact.

"Truce?" Leo asked, holding out his hand.

Nikki hesitated a moment, before bringing her hand up too. She grumbled, "Alright. Fine. But this doesn't make us friends. Allies-acquaintances, maybe, but not friends. I don't do the whole buddy-buddy thing."

"I can settle for that," Leo replied with a smile.

"Nikki," Splinter began. "May I ask how such incredible skills came to be at such a young age?"

Nikki shifted uncomfortably at his question and hesitated. She opened her mouth to speak, but grimaced again from pain. April put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Y'know there's a lot about me I'd rather not talk about," She replied. "But... you guys did save me too, so I guess I owe you this much."

Hesitating once more, she explained, "My parents aren't as great as they perceived themselves to be. I was raised to be a weapon. Not a daughter. My dad taught me everything he knew."

"Chrissy Rock? With moves like that, I'd believe it," Donnie commented.

"What do you mean by "weapon", Nikki?" April asked.

"Well... My dad was a German mafia don. My parents ran a series of underground businesses together, which was how they gained their success. They didn't plan to have me, but when they did, they wanted to make the most of it, so they turned me into... this. And I'm leaving it that, so... there's your answer."

The group stayed silent in awkwardness and empathy for a short moment.

"See, I told you!" Raph blurted out. "There's no way anyone as crazy rich as they were could be genuinely good people!"

"Raphael," Splinter uttered firmly.

   "I can't believe it!" Mikey exclaimed in disbelief. "Chrissy Rock? He's... bad?"

   "And Ava too?" Donnie asked. "She was never using her scientific genius for good?"

  "I am shocked and disappointed as well my sons. But, regardless... thank you Nikki, for saving my family. You are immensely gifted and have great potential."

Nikki winced at Splinter's praise and waved him off. "Ehhhh, nah, maybe not gifted. Just... don't mention it... Really, don't. It was an accident anyway. Just, y'know, blind rage? Hot head here knows what I'm talkin' about."

Nikki pointed at Raph, smugly, who crossed his arms and snarled. She tried standing up, only to immediately heel over again and fall to the ground.

"Ghng!" She grunted, holding her side.

"Woah, woah, easy! You're badly injured!" Donnie told her.

"Trust me, nerd, I've had way worse. I don't wanna be here any longer than I have to be. I'm not tryin' to owe anyone any favors," Nikki grumbled back, trying to stand up again.

April helped her balance herself out. "Nikki, we didn't help you for a favor, we helped you because you were hurt!"

"Pfft! Yeah, I wasn't born yesterday. What're you, just bein' nice?"

"Uh, yeah!?" April shot back, exasperated. "What you've never seen basic empathy before?"

"Girl, look at me. What do you think?"

"Ok, fair."

"Thanks, uhh, Mr. Rat, for the band-aids," Nikki turned to Splinter, blanking on his name. "Really, I appreciate it. But I gotta bounce."

"But, you can barely walk!" Donnie protested.

"I've barely crawled my way back home, Dorkatello, I'll be just fine," She shot back from behind her shoulder.

"But-!"

"Leave her be," Splinter stopped him, holding his hand out. "She has made her decision. It is clear she knows her own limits."

"Uh, Nikki!" April called out.

"Freckles?" Nikki responded over her shoulder.

April hesitated at first. "I... I put my number in your phone. Just... text me when you get home, so we know you're safe."

Nikki stared in thought for a moment before finally cracking a small smile. "Alright. Sounds like a deal, O'Neil," She replied, hobbling away on her morning star.

(A/N: Thank you for reading! I have more stories and ideas in mind for Nikki, so stay tuned! And feel free to check out the short animatics I've made of her on my TikTok linked my bio!)

[random-mailbox]

Random-Mailbox's Favorite Sailor Moon Fics - Week 46 - Tutoring

Back to our regularly scheduled programming after the excitement of @usamamoweek2023 (check out the blog for various contributions, master post is coming in a couple of days to allow for any late submissions).

This week we look at fics where Mamoru takes on the role of a tutor for Usagi in various settings - ranging from high school to university. Some are more lemony than others.

Reminder that @smquickies2023 are next week! August 6-12 (and is open to any SM pairings).

As always, my apologies in advance for spoiling some of these for you (Fic Titles are linked to either FFN or AO3 entries).

we are absolutely made of glass - @cgsf

This one shot is a lemony culmination of years of build-up that led to Usagi convincing Mamoru to help her graduate.

The Physiology of Tutoring - @uglygreenjacket

Usagi’s dad gets Mamoru to become her tutor for Biology because Ami’s methods were clearly not working. Leading to higher grades for Usagi, but also a lot of miscommunications and half truths spoken that will have to be cleared up. 

A True Hero: An Essay by Usagi Tsukino - @linlamont

Mamoru, who has been dating Rei for a bit, agrees to tutor Usagi in English in spite of his girlfriend’s protests. In this enemies to lovers fic, Usagi and Mamoru slowly discover how to co-exist before realizing what they mean to each other. 

i should tell you to leave ‘cause i (know exactly where this leads) - @goddamnelsa

Usagi thought that taking a physics class in university would be easy if she does it with her friends. Except Ami has too much on her plate to help, so she has to rely on her TA. With their tutoring sessions moving from office hours, to the library and eventually his apartment, Usagi and Mamoru have to make a decision on what they want to become and how ethical that might be. Make sure to read the entire series of stories! 

Stuff Tippy Wrote -- Sailor Moon edition: Chapter 20: Usagi is bad at math - @tiptoe39

Mamoru is trying to help Usagi understand how to solve for X in a new way - using Choco Pies!

---

That's it for this week. Here is the schedule for the next month:

August 7 - Thunderstorms 

August 14 - Food

August 21 - Proposal 

August 28 - Locked In

Here are the links to the previous Tumblr posts in these series to explore more amazing works based on different themes - make sure to check them out if you haven't had a chance! (Click on title name to go to the post) - I will keep updating the list every week as new posts come up:

Week 1 - Groundhog Day

Week 2 - Established Relationships

Week 3 - Sex Positivity

Week 4 - Unfinished Stories

Week 5 - Darker Stories

Week 6 - Potions 🧪

Week 7 - Reveals

Week 8 - 👻Halloween🎃

Week 9 - Wrong Perceptions

Week 10 - Non-Senshi AU

Week 11 - In-Progress Fics

Week 12 - Mutual Pining

Week 13 - Enemies to Lovers

Week 14 - Slow Burn

Week 15 - Christmas Part 1 - Ugly Christmas Sweaters and Santa!

Week 16 - Christmas Part 2

Week 17 - New Years

Week 18 - High School AU

Week 19 - Slice of Life

Week 20 - Coffee shop AU

Week 21 - Huddle for Warmth

Week 22 - Friends to Lovers

Week 23 - ❤️Valentines Day❤️

Week 24 - Do a Grouch a Favour Day (or Cheer Up Fics)

Week 25 - Soulmate AU

Week 26 - Amnesia Fics (and resources)

Week 27 - 🍀St Patrick's Day🍀

Week 28 - Fix it Fics

Week 29 - Prompt: Mug

Week 30 - Flowers

Week 31 - Traditions

Week 32 - Dreams

Week 33 - Friends

Week 34 - Body-Swap

Week 35 - Medical Assistance

Week 36 - Sex Pollen

Week 37 - Psychometry

Week 38 - What If

Week 39 - Missing Scenes Part I

Week 40 - Green Jacket

Week 41 - Dr Chiba

Week 42 - Birthdays

Week 43 - Fluff

Week 44 - First Kiss

Week 45 - Reviving Shitennou

[circusmania]

SIN Chapter 3

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵ Notes: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11

♡ ➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵

Deception.

Suffocation.

Desperation.

Dissolution.

It was already the next day, Friday, the best day of the week! Which also means one more day until Omar's party! I can't wait!

The first period went along swellingly, now for theatre.

I sat down at the desk, it was seated between Judy and Omar.

“You excited for tomorrow?” Omar leaned in, I nodded and smiled while taking the notes from my binder.

“There's going to be plenty of stuff to do! We'll serve chips, alcohol, fruits-”

“Wait alcohol? Aren't we too young to drink?” Judy leaned into our conversation.

“What's wrong with living a little?” Omar laughed, Judy looked at me concernedly.

“Hey, I won't even be going near the alcohol. You don't have to worry about me.” I told her.

“If you don't want to drink alcohol, that's fine, we're going to have a punch bowl on the table too.”

“I'm not worried about what I'll drink, I'm concerned about if we get busted! We're only 17-18, we have to be at least 19!” Judy exclaimed, keeping her voice down.

“Close enough, and it's highly unlikely that we'll get caught,” Omar said.

This didn't reassure Judy.

“If you're so worried about it, maybe you shouldn't come.” Judy tensed at Omar's words.

“I'll come…” Judy whispered.

Omar shrugged while Judy slumped into her seat. He opened his astrology book and continued reading. Oh! That reminds me!

“Omar, you like dark fantasy, right?” He looked at me giddily.

“Yessss?? Why? You interested in it?”

“No, but Marcus is. He's into dark fantasy!”

“Marcus? Marcus D Angelo?”

I nodded, suddenly remembering all the events that happened yesterday. I still want to be friends with him, though… if he starts to get out of hand, I'll have to put some distance between us.

I turned back to Omar. “Yes, Marcus.”

Omar thought for a bit.

“Oh, heh, that's not surprising.”

“How so?”

“He just seems like the type to be.” Omar shot me a smile before turning back to his book.

Hmm, I guess he does seem like the type.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: 🔔🔔🔔:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Math is my second least favourite subject. Period.

Judy and I were walking together to our math class; she insisted on holding hands. We both stood at the doorway, examining the classroom in a way. Marcus was sitting at our table. Early as usual.

Judy kissed my cheek before skipping to her seat, she passed Marcus while slightly smirking at him. I scoffed, can't she just leave the poor guy alone?

I sat down next to him, noticing he was reading from a scrunched-up paper. I leaned in a bit.

It was a poem.

“You write poems?” He hid the paper under his stack of notes.

“Maybe” He didn't face my way, probably embarrassed.

“Sooo, did you decide if you were coming to Omar's party yet?”

“Yeah, I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out.” He smiled.

“Now, back to the poem-”

“You're not reading it,” Marcus said, back to his usual monotone voice.

“Oh please!! I love to write poems! I swear I won't judge!” I tugged on his arm.

“Hmm, not right now, but probably in the future.”

He turned to face me, smiling.

I backed up a bit, just now noticing how close we were.

“Are you okay? You're turning red.” Marcus pressed the back of his hand onto my forehead.

“I'm fine! Just getting a bit hot in here, haha!” I fanned myself while averting his gaze.

“Are you sure? The nurse's office isn't that far-”

“I'M SURE.”

“Okay…” Marcus returned to his paper while looking up at the teacher who just walked in.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. This was a normal reaction! We were close (ON ACCIDENT) and it caught me by surprise! Totally normal reaction!

I hopefully managed to return to my normal colour.

I sighed, I can't wait for tomorrow.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 🌃🌆🌇☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Yesterday passed like a breeze. It's finally time for a well-earned rest.

Omar's party isn't until later at night, so I have plenty of time to relax.

I grinned to myself.

Sometimes I forget I live alone. I only just moved into my apartment, a few months ago. It still feels like my parents will just pop out of nowhere.

I poured some cereal into a bowl and then some milk. I sat down and ate my breakfast.

I scrolled through insta till I got a notification from Omar.

Hyped for tonight!!

😎😎😎

Suddenly, my phone chimed with a new notification from Messenger. It was from an unknown number; it read “Hi”.

Btw, Marcus asked for your number. Thought y'all were buddies, so I gave it to him

Next time warn me about it first, got scared for a sec

lol

I changed Marcus's contact to his name and texted him back.

Hi

Hi! Marcus right?

Yeah

Cool. Getting ready for the party?

No. The party isn't until 7:30 pm

Right 😅

What are you gonna wear?

He was so blunt while texting, it was getting scary.

Nothing too fancy. Probably a hoodie at best.

Oh, I see. And your friends?

Well, that's new.

Judy is either going to match with Vanessa or just going to be casual, Vanessa is definitely going to go all out and Omar is going to wear something semi-formal.

Oh

Have you and Omar been getting along? He told me he gave you my number.

You could say that.

:)

That was enough texting for me. It was getting a little awkward.

My phone chimed again,

Marcus hearted your message: “:)”

I smiled.

I really couldn't wait for tonight.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚🎉🎊🎈˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

I stood in front of Omar's house.

Even though I was ten minutes early, the house was already full.

A cold hand touched my shoulder, pulling me away from my thoughts.

“Heyyyy! Are you ready to party??”

“Hey, Vanessa.”

As I guessed, she was wearing a very… uh… revealing black dress. It barely covered her thighs.

“I guess I am…”

She dragged me by the arm and inside the house.

I have been to Omar's house many times, but it always amazed me how big it is.

There were multicoloured lights everywhere, people dancing, people drowning themselves in-

“Hey, is that Judy?”

I stopped in my tracks, Vanessa too.

Judy was in a middle of a ring of people yelling “Chug, chug, chug!” in unison while she chugged a whole bottle of wine. Jesus Christ!

“She seems like she's having fun, now c'mon, let's dance!”

She shrugged Judy off and dragged me away to the dance floor. This time I resisted and slapped her hand away, making my way toward Judy.

“Judy! What the hell are you doing?!” I pulled her away from the crowd, however, to my surprise, she pushed me away.

“Oh, fuck off, bAbE!”

“Excuse me?” I asked; she most definitely was drunk.

“You're always hic chatting and hic hanging out with that fa hick, never have time for meee…”

She slouched onto me.

“Judy, that's not it at all. He's just new and … isn't making friends…”

“EXCUSES!!!!” Judy blurted out, pushing me yet again.

“Go awayyy”

“What-”

“GO away! Leave me, go to hic your new boyfriend!!” She wobbled away, leaving me alone, blushing…

Boyfriend???

I'm not gay, I'm dating her! I'm straight! I think…

I spot Omar in the distance, he's wearing very formal attire and chatting with some girls. I recognize some of their faces, they looked older, but I'm sure they were still in our grade.

Omar looks my way, he (supposedly) makes up an excuse to the girls and jogs toward me.

“Hi there Omar!”

He wraps me in a big hug.

“So glad you could make it! Is everybody else here too?” He asks. I cringed.

Judy is probably crying in a bathroom, Vanessa is most likely somewhere trying to get laid, and Marcus-

Where is Marcus?

“Yeah… uhm, have you seen Marcus anywhere?” Omar cocks an eyebrow.

“Marcus? No, haven't seen him. Probably didn't arrive yet, or didn't come at all.” He shrugged and patted me on the shoulder.

“I'm going to go back, catch you later!” He winked and waved before walking back to the girls.

This party wasn't turning out the way I expected it to.

I looked around, everybody is either dancing, drinking or talking.

Ugh, it was starting to get stuffy in here…

I made my way outside to the balcony, the music slowly fading into the background.

I leaned against the rails, looking up at the night sky. There were many stars up tonight.

It was pretty.

I smiled and closed my eyes, staying silent for some time.

I suddenly felt a new presence appear next to me.

“Judy, if you're finally done moping around, Marcus and I aren't dating. Final-”

“Bummer.”

I opened my eyes and saw Marcus beside me.

“Sorry,” I blushed out of EMBARRASSMENT, “Judy's just making these random accusations.”

Marcus didn't say anything.

“You and Judy are dating, right?” Marcus asks.

I nod.

“Why do you always go after her?” He whispers, most likely to himself. I don't say anything.

He takes a cigarette out of his pocket and places it between his lips. He takes his lighter from his other pocket and lights the cigarette.

I groan, “You really have to stop.” He shrugs in response.

“It helps me keep my mind off things.”

“What things?”

Marcus pinched the cigarette's butt, the flame dying out.

“How did you do that without it burning your fingers?”

Marcus chucked the cigarette off the balcony.

“Done it so many times, my fingers are already numb.”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the rails.

The party was starting to get louder, as if they were cheering for something… someone.

I wonder what's going on in there…

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵

Want to read ahead? Click here!

[loganslowdown4]

RWR Rewatch Faves!

Krocket Is Blasting Off Again! Chapter 4 Episode 11 RECAP

Let’s goooo!!! 🐸

DM: You set an example and showed up those Lagoonatics like it was nothing

YB: we beat their asses!

YB: let’s sneak by, can we roll for stealth?

*Roman rolls and gets 10*

YB: can I sneak by and be stealth??

LMAO

DM: the flies rolled a 19

Roman: my armor class is 18

DM: well you’re gonna take a hit

Roman: I am gonna DIE

DM: the third fly tries to bite your butt

Roman: alright well there’s a lot of flesh there so—

*DM rolls nat 20*

YB: not in the ass!

Roman: NOT IN THE ASS!!!

*fly still attached to Roman’s arm*

YB: I’m gonna throw a dagger and try not to hit you

*YB rolls a 5*

YB: 😬

hahahahaha

*YB rolls 2 fives in a row*

Roman: what is that, a one in 40 chance?

(It’s one in 400 chance*)

DM: not a math gay

*fly tries to punch Roman*

Roman: ??? That was kinda nice? Soft.

*YB & Roman both roll nat 20s twice in a row*

Roman: and the chance of that? One in forty

LMAO

*all start buzzing to the tune of chariots of fire hahahah*

Fly: tell my pupa I loved them!

Roman: oh NOOOOO

Roman not being able to stand killing anything is my favourite thing about him lol

Roman: can we not make the same mistake in the communicave and just try and open the door first

*the door opens easily*

Roman: *trying not to have a breakdown*

YB: *rolls another nat 20*

Roman: Youngblood you’re on a ROLL today

Roman: Timmy! It’s me Roman! And Youngblood remember him? Held you over that well the one time?

YB: lets not talk about that right now

LilyPadton: I’m just glad everyone’s safe

YB: yay more love ok lets go

Roman: and only 3 people died!

YB: I’m gonna attack to defend and throw him off

*throws a knife*

*rolls a 2*

Krocket: *grabs knife out of the air* YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD POWER HERE?! *throws knife back* YOU WILL LET ME MONOLOGUE!!!!

YB: you actually own the lily lot?

Krocket: YES!

YB: how??!

Krocket: YOU CAN’T PROVE I DON’T!

LP: no you don’t

Krocket: SILENCE! DON’T MAKE ME RESORT TO VIOLENCE PAPA!

Roman & YB: papa???

Roman: *realization dawning* *starts giggling*

Roman: what is happening? I feel like I’m in a very weird fanfiction

LMAO

LilyPadton: Krocket calm down

Krocket: peace was never an option Patty Cake!!

Roman: *starts laughing hard*

Krocket: what’s he worth to you? (Timmy)

Roman: everything!

YB: idk you want a dollar?

Krocket: *fires his pistol*

Roman: *immediately jumps in front of it*

YB: *backflips out of the way*

*the pistol is a prank gun with ‘scram’ flag fired out of it*

YB: GIRL

Roman: Krocket you agent of chaos WHAT IS THIS?

Krocket: *blocking the door* No! You’re not leaving with my children and my daddy!!!

YB: *has had it* LOOK BITCH WHAT do you want?? just let us LEAVE! *holding Krocket by the neck*

Roman: look at the bandana man he’s serious

Krocket: *passes out*

Roman: ohhhh

YB: he’s alive

Roman: ok kids, we’re leaving let’s go now right now let’s go

YB: we’re running

Roman: when in doubt, choke em out

Roman: so LilyPadton what was all that about?

YB: why was Krocket calling you papa

LilyPadton: Krocket has an… interest in me?

Roman: ok

LP: it seems a bit strange, they are a power hungry ego maniac and I’m a gardener

Roman: a tale as old as time

*Tenpenny saying he loves the kids but is still mad at them for making a bad choice*

Roman: I’m learning a lot of things

YB: don’t have kids?

Roman: don’t have kids

[blankingbloom]

5/26/24

Dear Angelica (aka future me),

Hey! How are you? Before I start my thousands of questions, let me first say, congratulations on graduating and finishing your senior year of high school!!! this must be a bittersweet moment for you, as I am experiencing this at the moment as a junior watching the grades above me graduate and do senior activities. Graduating is a once in a lifetime moment, not everybody gets to graduate due to unfortunate circumstances, but congratulations! Thank you so much for staying strong, the k-12 system is literally horrible lol. I just wanted to say, I (17 year old Angelica) will forever be within you. I am you, but I want you to have no regrets or wising to be me because “life was so carefree” 💀💀 naw it’s not I’m suffering rn lmfao I have 3 summer classes, a job to juggle and volunteer opportunities to catch up on and college apps 😿 whomp whomp. I so desperately want to be you right now! It may feel insufferable at the moment and you feel lots of bittersweet feelings and loneliness being unleashed from hell (prison) (kleinisd) (kleinhigh); you should know that there is a whole chapter ahead of you and you’ve achieved a milestone! When something ends, a new opportunity arises. I hope you’ll feel better soon, knowing how I feel now will probably affect you 10x deeper (you’ll understand). Highschool for me was no fun adventure; I was barely sociable, barely any friends (like a few ofc I’m not a loser), I felt like I wasn’t on track to be my genuine real self anytime soon, but you have the opportunity to change that through college. I need you to be stronger for me until we get our masters in compsci 💀. Be an academic weapon once more for us plz!! I know you want that so bad. I know our experience wasn’t the best, especially during covid and certain situations, but there is a whole life ahead of us, that is depending on our actions. I trust us to keep it up! BTW Im missing a ton of the 2023 seniors, I can’t believe that it’s real. It low key hurt seeing everyone I had classes with especially in financial math, english, photography, and a&p graduate. It’s so bittersweet it low key hurt my feelings, especially seeing everyone I grew up with who were a grade above me. I don’t want to forget them at all, I want to remember who they are! I never peaked in high school, but I’m never going to see these people again, unless it’s by a rare chance someday, I doubt they would recognize me. I guess I just grew attached. Anyways, I have some questions LOL.

1. What is our plan after graduating Highschool? What college are we going to?

2. Did we end up submitting any of our SAT/ACT scores?

3. What’s your favorite song currently?

4. Are we still dating Ben?

5. Did we make any new friends?

6. What is your college essay about?

7. What made us stronger?

8. How was senior year? Was it any easier taking AP classes? Do we understand pre-calc?

9. Do we still want to take comp sci?

10. What happened to your H‑E‑B job?

11. Did we get any stoles/cords for graduation or not?

12. What was our final Highschool GPA?

13. What’s our class schedule?

14. What do we look like now? Do I still have short hair? Do I still look gay?

15. Can we crochet with greater experience?

16. What’s your biggest worry?

17. Are you happy?

Thank you for reading this!! Respond to my questions soon. Goodbye! I will always be within you.

Sincerely, Angelica

____________________________________________________________

REPLY:

Hi Baby Angelica!

Since you're from the past, I have so so so much to catch you up on. Time flies by when you're consistently stressed out. But don't worry! I will answer your millions of questions first! Then we can actually discuss :)

1. What is our plan after graduating Highschool? What college are we going to?

A: We are doing Computer Engineering! After hours and hours of research, I wanted you to have opportunities in both the computer science and electrical engineering fields. I want you to have a lot of pathways so you can have tons of money and opportunities! We are going to UT Dallas. We got CAPPED from UT Austin and UW-Seattle was way out of our budget sadly. Maybe someday my love :(

2. Did we end up submitting any of our SAT/ACT scores?

A: Hell no, they were too low LMFAO

3. What’s your favorite song currently?

A: Talk by Beabadoobee, Antihero by Taylor Swift, any MSI song

4. Are we still dating Ben?

A: Yes <3

5. Did we make any new friends?

A: YES! We aren't friends with.. those girl(s) anymore. They were bad for you. WE HAVE MORE GENUINE AND KIND FRIENDS!! There is a whole world out there waiting for you. I love my friends.

6. What is your college essay about?

A: Bugs. In the UT Austin essays, we wrote about photography, allergies, tamagotchis, etc.

7. What made us stronger?

A: Learning to adapt, spreading love, reading people, putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations in order to grow. Being with likeminded people!

8. How was senior year? Was it any easier taking AP classes? Do we understand pre-calc?

A: PRE CAL WAS MY MOST HATED SUBJECT. It is so fricking hard I dont think I ever understood the concepts. The AP Classes had lots of work in it but you managed your time fine and it was never that serious anyways (except AP 2D art) that sucked a lot. Senior year was shit im not even gonna lie. I didn't even attend like 98% of the events LOL. Fuck no I am not going back!

9. Do we still want to take comp sci?'

A: Computer Engineering babe dont sweat it

10. What happened to your H‑E‑B job?

A: OUR LAST DAY WAS TODAYYYYYYYY

11. Did we get any stoles/cords for graduation or not?

A: One stole for NHS, one stole for DUDU CREDIT!

12. What was our final Highschool GPA?

A: 4.6/6.0 LMFAOOO

13. What’s our class schedule?

A: -1st period: Late Arrival (Used to be Photography 4)

A: -2nd: AP Art History

A: -3rd: Photojournalism/Office Aide

A: -4th: AP Psychology/Interpersonal Studies

A: -5th: AP 2D Art

A: -6th: AP Pre-Cal (idk how u survived but girl... never again)

A: -7th: Early Release

14. What do we look like now? Do I still have short hair? Do I still look gay?

A: You got the short hair back and we still look gay asf. We have new pink glasses though and they're see through! We still have bangs. Shit load of stretch marks though smh. Im like 115 pounds now.

15. Can we crochet with greater experience?

A: fuck no

16. What’s your biggest worry?

A: If my roommates will like me, I'll feel lonelier, money, If ill be smart enough for college, if my friends now will still want to hang out with me :(

17. Are you happy?

A: I could be happier but I am okay! Not stressed right now :)

[kybee1497]

Fic tag game

Tagged by @dark-visitors (thanks Visi!!)

1) How many works do you have on Ao3?

75

2) What's your Ao3 word count?

300,411

3) What fandoms do you write for?

So so many, lol. Jatp, Wednesday, descendants, do revenge, first kill, Batman (eventually, I have plans okay I just haven’t like done it yet). I’ve also written one fic each for bridgerton and wynonna earp.

4) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Season of Woe (Wenclair - Wednesday)

Don’t talk to me or my scary goth gf ever again (Wenclair - Wednesday)

Bat vs. bug (calliete - first kill)

Fire in my blood (Wenclair - Wednesday)

Hate to say I told you so (Kathony - Bridgerton)

5) Do you respond to comments?

Yes? I really try to, I’m just horrifically bad at actually getting to each comment. I think overall I respond to like 50% of comments in a super nonsensical order.

6) What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Ha. Hahahahaha I’ve actually been yelled at many many times for this fic and it was so so worth it

Always by your side

Also

Never saw you coming (I’ll never be the same) Aka Luke leaves

7) What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oh fuck idk, I love me some fluff. If we’re going purely based off of soft fluffy vibes it’s laughing at clouds so dark above, the suns in my heart (I’m ready for love) or dancing to the rhythm of your heartbeat

8) Do you get hate on fics?

No thank god, I would cry for days

9) Do you write smut? What kind?

… maybe so. I’m a kink girlie what can I say.

10) Do you write cross-overs?

No? No, not yet anyways.

11) Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope

12) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes! I wrote a Bridgerton fic with my beloved wife Rach @itsthebooks (whomst almost divorced me last week but she did not file the paperwork so it’s all good 😂) for the bridgerton troped round last year. I am a menace and would not shut up about this fic until it was written. It was a lot of fun tho!!

Hate to say I told you so

13) What WIP you would like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Oh god most of them. The adhd hypefocus gremlin is a bitch and a half when she changes fixations. I really want to finish promise me you’ll catch me but I’ve been stalled out on the third chapter for like 2 years. I also want to finish here we go again but I’m pretty sure I wrote myself into a corner and idk how to fix it without trashing it and rewriting and I don’t have the patience for that.

14) What's your all-time favourite ship?

Again adhd hyperfocus gremlin rules my heart and mind so it depends on the day tbh. In terms of longest reigning ships it’s jukebox and bellarke. Currently I’m obsessed with all things batfam (familial/platonic obvi) and DCU

15) What are your writing strengths?

I’m really good at diving into a characters head and the way they think. One of my fave Fics, writing wise doesn’t have any dialogue or specific action, it’s more character study than anything else. It’s really easy for me to just write and be able to flow through memory’s and thoughts and feelings and how the character experiences the world. I’m sure there’s a word for it I’m just not remembering but it’s my favorite kind of writing

16) What are your writing weaknesses?

Um probably that I get really bogged down in action heavy scenes, I focus too much on where they’re bodies physically are and what movements they’re making and it takes me a billion years to write and I think I put in too much detail but I never know how to trim it down???

17) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

There’s a reason I’ve only failed 4 classes in my life and 2 were math and 2 were a foreign language. It is a struggle for me. I don’t want to have to work that hard to write and also I’m afraid of fucking it up cause google translate is not reliable. I’ll do the occasional word or term of endearment but that’s pretty much it. Usually if the characters are speaking another language I’ll mention it in story and then write the dialogue in English

18) First fandom you wrote for?

Jatp

19) Favourite fic you've ever written?

No, you can’t make me 🥺

Always by your side cause I’m so fucking proud of the pain I unleashed

As if it’s really that easy to get over you (just snap your fingers) the aforementioned fic with very little dialogue or action, just vibes and character study into drea from do revenge

20) What fic would you want to rewrite one day?

I have no idea, I’m vaguely hoping to rewrite here we go again one day but tbh I barely have the focus to fics the first time.

Tagging: @itsthebooks @a-tomb-with-a-view @wr0temyway0ut @thatbitchmabel @fandomscraziness22 @angelofarts and anyone else that wants to do it, I’m so tired and totally blanking rn