#diggin all these aus

[elfolfenburg]

OP YOU ARE DRIVING ME INSANE /pos

SONIC MEETING LITTLE SHADOW, THE ONE WHO STILL HASN’T GO THROUGH THE TRAUMA OF LOSING MARIA SO STILL HAS HIS INNOCENCE BUT AND SHOWS HIS PAIN OPENLY BUT ALSO DOESN’T REALIZE THE UGLINESS OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO HIM AND TREATING HIM AS LESSER

AaaAAAAAH

BRO i also got another idea that someone sent like a raven one which what got like an au n stuff bro, so like in this one man.

the one u sayin that innocent sahdow with the trauma cuz of the experimenta n stuff, in like this reality or something, lil shadow is like all alone in the ark getting chased by the demonic like figure here which like represents all the traumatic shit he went thru like losing maria, the experiments, dr robotnik, black doom gloo demon (iforgor his name) but like all clump up together yknow while hopelessly finding Maria bro.

So like basically this is shadow running away from his traumatic experiences as a child while finding Maria non stop bro, so its like an endless loop of chasin and searchin until Sonic comes bro cuz yknow shard shard ykwim. (Yknow to like symbolize sum deep meaninh with him repressing and running away from his dark traumatic memories and problems, like sum sort of hell hole he's unable to escape cuz like he stuck with em in the ark bro, damn thatz f up huh)

Bro this ain't even sonic prime plot no more, just shards of shadow but aye im diggin it

[loupy-mongoose]

Ah! Three (incredibly silly) AU ideas!

•Swap!AU

Human!Akoya seeks to save the Mew species from the brink of extinction. With the assistance of the human-curious Mew!Randy and guidance from former researcher Human!Mo, can this aspiring young researcher achieve what was thought to be impossible???

•Reverse!AU (I guess this might even be a Mystery Dungeon AU? Maybe? Depends on your interpretation of the lore.)

After a post-apocalyptic event wiped out nearly all of humanity, to the point that pokemon wonder if they ever really existed to begin with, Akoya stumbles upon a young human scavenger and his father from an underground hidden human colony. Determined to save humanity before they are reduced to mere myth and legend, Akoya, Randy, Mo embark on an adventure! >:D

•Reverse!SwapAU

Essentially a combination of concepts from the two above-stated AUs.

Actually, kinda diggin' that first one! Sounds neat! :3 I can already imagine Akoya and Mo working and bickering together. X3

[hellsite-detective]

You sit at your desk as you hear a knock at the door

“Come in.”

An envelope is slipped through the bottom.

You get up the to pick up the envelope with a label reading “first underfell post”

You open the envelope to find a key and a letter, the letter says the following

“The envelope says it all detective, look for the post containing depictions of undertake characters in an evil manner. You could take this as a test to see if you know your history well. Tread carefully.”

-C

ah, undertale au's. somethin' that, even as a fan of Undertale, i'm not too familiar with. i never got involved in the au side of the fandom, always tryin' to stick with the game itself. so i didn't know much about Underfell, beyond the fact that it's evil Undertale. even so, i was gonna solve this case...

i went down to the Search Bar and told the Don to simply give me Underfell. from there, they linked me to the wiki page for the au itself. from there, i was able to find four posts relatively easily, as they were linked on the page.

first, i found a post includin' a screenshot of the origins of the "evil Undertale" concept.

second, the first post includin' the desings of all the cast.

third, the post in which the au was officially named Underfell.

and finally, just to be thorough, the first post from tumblr user @underfell

here you are! diggin' up old history can certainly be fun, and i enjoy gettin' the opportunity to do so. have a great day!

Post Case: Closed

[curvykittyyssmutfics]

What You Need

A/N: too many au fantasy fics where Jordan is the fine ass neighborhood weedman consume me lately. Someone help! 😭 Also, I hope its clear when I refer to J as they or he and she. They when I or a character is vaguely talking about them in general; he or she to help differentiate between their ability to transition or whoever your being intimate with at the time. I hope that makes sense. Just wanted to put my own flavor on my stories but still respect the proper pronouns. I'd love feedback on my Jordan li fics. And please remember, these fics can take a long time to write so pretty please don't flag them as your content consumption is your responsibility. Anyway enjoy!

I step out my brand new stark white BMW, rolling my narrowed eyes as I scan the immediate vicinity. Not payin no mind to the group of dudes starin my way a few cars down, I realize Jordans ass aint nowhere to be found. Too many times over the years of em bein my connect, this mf done made me walk up them damn rickety stairs to grab my sack when they lyin ass specifically promised to be in the lot.

I'm already inna rush to get to my date with Dre. That's why was tryna get a little relaxation; I really didn't wanna show up all tense and hit him with all this attitude at once. A little me time to calm my nerves would do my ass some good after this nightmarish day. And maybe if the date goes well enough, Andre could gimme a hand with that too. Though its impossible to deny if the plug wasn't such a fuck boy, I'd be tryin to give them this work instead. But in no way am I finna compete with any of the hoes on their team.

Bending to reach into my ride, I snatch my cell from the cup holder and slam my car door. My nails click clack across the screen as I text Jordan. I'm already teetering on the edge of insanity so I'm not in the mood to be late or deal with their cocky ass attitude. This was so not supposed to be one of my usual pick ups that lasted over half an hour cause of their antics.

Me: you told me you'd be in the lot when I pulled up.

Not more than 10 seconds go by before I get a response.

This Fuckin Guy: my bad cutie, jus cum up here.

Me: i already let you know I had plans and to be down here this time.

This Fuckin Guy: ik but I had to serve last min. damn.

I roll my eyes as I read the word 'serve'. Yeah, they probably up there servin some lil bitch on her back. For some reason that thought got me on 10.

Me: cus you always wastin my time boy. but fine, i'm comin up.

Me: and my shit better be ready too.

This Fuckin Guy: whatchu need again?

This Fuckin Guy: nvm, Daddy knows exactly what you need..

This Fuckin Guy:

Nibbling my bottom lip softly, I stare at the pic of they fine ass way longer than I'd ever admit to em. Fuck, they just don't realize how many times I've woken up from random scenes of them starin at me like that before diggin me out. Panties and sheets be so fuckin drenched with my juices when I slid my fingers between my lower lips and replayed em back in my mind over and over.

It's so fuckin Jordan to be on standby waitin for some snarky ass remark back, I'm sure of it. But I dont give them the satisfaction, continuing to climb the stairs carefully in my dainty heels.

And I'm absolutely proud of the way I ignore the pounding and slick building between my thighs as I head up the last step and briskly walk to Jordan's apt. Damn I feel a bit pathetic from gettin so horny from a photo that wasn't even a shirtless, nude or dick pic.

I don't even get a chance to knock on the door as an attractive slim blonde with a messy bun and black skin tight leggings opens it. Her expression a bit shocked at first as we briefly stare at each other before she gives me a small smile and quickly walks towards the staircase. Of fuckin course they have some damn bimbo on her way out as I'm coming up. Typical fuckin Jordan. Can't even deny the girl was kinda bad though; that lil fact gone get Jordan popped fa sho.

"Really? Tryna fuck me right after you jus slid in sumn? Nasty ass.." I throw insults at them as soon as I step inside, slamming the door in hopes the lil hoe hears.

"Fuck you on about now?" Jordan's voice is bored from her spot on the couch as she rolls up, not even bothering to look my way.

"I'm speakin on the fact that you tryna hit right now but you got some broad leavin as I'm comin up. Like, the fuck?"

These hands rated E for everyone and they know that. I put a hand on my curvy hip and stare em down. Smoke is finna start steamin out my ears at Jordan's nonchalant behavior. Walkin up to the couch I flop down on the opposite side, full lips pressed into a thin line. Unfortunately my gaze melts more into eye fucking than the daggers I was jus hittin em with as I notice how attractive they are, so damn focused rollin the perfect blunt.

"I ain't fuck her." Tone of voice resembling one to use with a child; clearly she think I'm playin.

I follow the line the tip of her tongue makes as she finishes rolling the blunt. Damn, how I need to feel them doing that allover my fuckin body. I pray Jo ain't got super senses too, like I would just die inside if she could actually smell how wet I was for them right now.

"That right? Then why shawty hair was messy? And why you lookin relaxed as fuck, like you just took a load off? Talkin bout literally.."

"Ion know.. Why you ain't ask her? Told you, I had a order. And maybe I'm calm cause I'm always chill. You needa relax too, princess. Let's smoke."

Always tryna smoke ass; not sure how there's ever any left for them to sell. I roll my eyes at her slick ass, leaning back and folding my arms. Jordan finally looks up at me, dark brown eyes trailin down my frame slowly as she openly ogles my fit.

"Spark it then. But I can't stay long. I told you: I got plans tonight."

"Yeah, you said that. But you ain't say what you got planned the night."

"Cause that's nun ya concern-" my mouth is quick to slam shut at the penetrating stare I get before I can finish my thought.

I've seen that look before; would kill for a view of it while Jordan digs me out actually. (I almost whimper out loud as I envision just that. ) My attitude is immediately extinguished as she checks me without a sayin a fuckin word. She holds my gaze for a few seconds before casting her gaze back down, givin the blunt one last light lick. Clearly amused and feelin triumphant with how I'm put in my place, she openly grins. The silence only lasts half a minute be I speak again.

"Gotta date tonight." I say quietly, absolutely hating myself for how weak my voice comes out.

I expect another death stare but only receive a frown and flared nostrils as Jordan continues to look down. And then more silence. So I speak up again.

"You mad?" Tone a bit stronger this time.

That gets me someneye contact.

"The fuck you think?"

"Well, you shouldn't be since you just-"

"Why you so worried if I'm fuckin when you clearly tryna get ran through tonight?"

The question is like a whip across the face. My cheeks heat as shame flushes through me. My mouth open and closes a few times, struggling to respond. Jordan waits for my response with a confident smirk, transitioning before pulling in a big hit.

"I'm not- I.. That's not why-"

I'm interrupted as he leans over to my side of the couch, grabbing my neck and pulling me in. Sexy ass taking advantage of my lips parting in shock at his grip to blow smoke into my mouth. I take it in without a thought, immediately becoming pliant for him as I inhale. It feels so fucking intimate I want more in an instant.

"Who's the date with?" His fine ass asks me softly, hand still lightly grasping my throat. His thumb rubs my skin there lightly as he takes this moment to assess my fit again.

"Andre." I answer on an exhale, mesmerized by the way he licks at his pretty pink bottom lip.

That makes him pop his gaze back to me, his hold a bit firmer as he reconnects with my y/e/c eyes.

"You not fuckin goin, ma. We clear."

"We're clear."

My response is instantaneous and I have no idea who've I've become in this moment. What I am painfully aware is that he's gettin hard, silver basketball shorts doin nothing to hide his yummy fuckin girth.

Clearly my pussy is way more interested in gettin piped by Jordan than Dre; our close proximity has my desperate empty cunt clenching nonstop. I feel like I'll combust if they don't touch me soon.

"What a good fuckin girl you can be. Who knew?"

The praise has the softest of sounds bubbling from my lips as he takes a longer drag, leanin forward to give me another hit. Since this one's bigger, it has my mind a bit hazy as I exhale. I close my eyes, arms droppin to my lap as I enjoy the high and his big palms wrapped around my neck. A shiver of arousal runs through my frame as he moves to whisper at my ear.

"You like when I tell you how good you are for me? Cause you are honey." I moan an affirming 'mm hm' as Jordan licks and kisses at the sensitive spot behind my lobe. "In fact, can fuck my good girl like she need. Is that what you want? Huh? Itchin for Daddy to slide in them guts? I can.. And I will princess. Gonna get that lil pussy creamin round my cock in no time."

I should be shamed in how my head nods rapidly without my permission, mouth opening to say yes but moaning like a whore instead. I'm completely in shambles, loving the way my welcoming high enhances my craving for his cock.

"Lay back then. Show me how pretty that pussy is." He demands, releasing me and gesturing to the carpet with one hand as he takes a hit and sets the blunt down in the ashtray with the other.

Normally I would at least try to be sensual, make a show of it but I'm too tense right now. I don't even bother to undress as I lay on my back as quick as I can manage, swiftly slippin of my heels and throwing them aside. I'm so thankful for the access the deep slits my fit provides. I only need to spread my thighs and pull my salmon colored thong to the side.

"Damn that lil kitty.. So beautiful, look how she flutters at me baby. Think she want Daddy to come play in it."

Those dirty words make me hungry; fuckin pulsating at how he talks to me. I watch lustfully at the way Jordan stands and strips to his snug black boxer briefs. He smiles at me like he knows something I don't. Get goosebumps from how he stares down at me like he wants to wreck me.

I'm salivating when he pulls his long cock out through the opening and starts shows off. He strokes from tip to the base slowly, starin between my legs like hes inna trance. Dark brown eyes intently focused on the way wetness starts to stream from my slit to my juicy brown ass. I'm so jealous of the way he milks drops of precum on every upward stroke, consistent little grunts of pleasure spilling from him; I want that pleasure.

"Come on Daddy, I'm so ready for it." I goad him.

"Mmm. Fuckin lil slut for me know that?" He groans as he gets on his knees between my legs.

"Yeeees, I knooow." I moan out to his fine ass. "Wish you'd do somethin bout it already."

Grippin the base of his dick, he swipes back and forth through the excess moisture leakin from my slit while grabbing the blunt to take another hit.

"Aight, bet. Legs: shoulders."

I stall for just a moment at his simple request before obeying, setting an ankle at each of his shoulders slowly. My tummy clenches at the thought of the deep fuck I'm about to receive.

Jordan grunts lowly, slidin through once more before slappin my clit thrice with his twitching length. My wails are fuckin thunderous, dramatic ass fuck as an intense sensation swirls in my pulsing cunt. Too damn sensitive, soggy little button throbbing ferociously, I miss the descent of his cock to my drenched hole as the sensations flow throughout my overwhelmed frame.

"Damn you so noisy, baby. Ooooh fuck, Daddy gone enjoy this shit."

He moves forward, tip of his dick pushing at my opening as I groan in absolute peril at his thickness. Gripping and yanking at the plush carpet, breath punching out as his mean ass pulls back and thrusts into me sharply. The deep rumbling moan in his chest has a warmth lickin up my spine as my lil puss struggles to strangle the first few inches of his fat cock.

"Waitwaitwait. Pleeease Jo, please! Sobig, too much. Juswait, juswait.." I whine, releasing the carpet to slap and push at his toned chest and abs.

"No." Jordan snaps, snatching my wrists together and bringing the blunt back to his lips with his free hand.

"Do what you need to take this dick cept that. Do that shit again and it's up." He says, thick smoke billowing from his nose as he gazes at me ferally.

His pace to start is fuckin lethal. I'm already cock drunk when he pulls out and stabs in half way repeatedly, hastily dropping the blunt back in the ashtray. My toes curl at the feeling of him fucking me so roughly. Each thrust gives way for the next, helps make me even slicker so he can slide in further. It's happening too quick, he's digging me out faster than I can breathe. My freshly waxed eyebrows pull together as I yank at his grip on my wrists.

"Oooh shit, that feels sooo good. Yeeees, y/n. Can't believe I'm in these guts. Mmmmfuck, don't fight it. You wanted this shit, right?" He asks, serving me powerful precise jabs.

I realize now that my lids are shut tight, eyes rolled back; my mouth open wide as I sob at the intense fucking I'm receiving. For the sake of satisfying him I offer two jerky nods to his question, pussy walls fluctuating sporadically around his prick.

"Not even in all th-the way. Gone let me all the way inside ma?"

I wish I could've stopped the involuntary 'nooooo' that I moan but at this point my brain is becoming mush. It should be illegal for how fast Jordans reduced me to an incoherent mess.

"Ahhhhh y/n, thas not nice. Why you so mean to me all the time?"

Jordan's teasing damn near falls on deaf ears as he takes my right ankle and adds it with the other. Freeing my wrists he places a thumb on my clit and rubs quickly, holding both legs over his left shoulder. My hands quickly find their place back into the carpet, yanking handfuls as he sadistically unravels me with pure amusement on his face.

It's a surprise I don't deafen us both with the shrieks being forced from me. His frenzied pace increases as he spears me over and over, staring intently at the way I take his cock. My orgasm is so dangerously fuckin close to the surface and I hope he's ready.

"Oooh my go- shit! Ain't neva had a pussy so tight, so fuckin weeeet round my shit. Gone let me keep her all to myself? Huh ma?"

"Yesyesyesyes!"

My crazed chants is the best I can do at this moment as he molds the shape of his dick to my walls. Overwhelmed and overstimulated would be an understatement; finna have me gushin his dick in under 5 and that's a fuckin record for me.

"Good giirrrl, pretty. Ah, ah, this- aahhh God.. This my pussy now y/n. You mine now. Got it?"

Fuck me all these questions don't help my scrambled mind. This a fuckin quiz or something? My response is a garbled jumbled mess of high pitched keens.

"I said do you fuckin understand?" He growls out with one brow raised, passionately drilling my pussy faster.

"YesJo, yeeees! 'M sorry, 'm sorry. SosorryDaddy- please!" I keen in hopes of some type of mercy.

But I get none. Tears track done my cheeks like a heavy rain on a stormy night from being subjugated to this all-consuming pleasure.

"Awww, you look so cute when you cry on my dick baby. Thas it, take it just like that for me. Uhhhfuck, gonna give my perfect princess a big ass nut. Know you want it too y/n; gonna make you leak wit it."

Thanks to his persistence he actually slides into the hilt. I wonder if he can see his long fat cock in my tummy. He's so fuckin big that I wouldn't be surprised. A chuckle reaches my ears as I feel the dam about to burst.

"Mmmm.. Naw ma, wish I could see my fuckin dick in ya tummy-"

Christ, I didn't even know I was voicing my fried ass thoughts. Such a fuckin shame it's at that moment I come and unfortunately miss the rest of his sentence. My cunt compresses the dick that's hell bent on unraveling me from the inside out. The pleasure spikes and my back arches as I fight to accept it. I shake like a leaf as he fucks me fiercely, fingers speeding on my beating little button. A clear stream splatters against his lower body as he praises my efforts.

"Did so good for meeeee, ah ah ah fuck! Mmm, hell yeah y/n! Pleeease gimme my reward! Earned it didn't I? Need it so bad, so fuckin bad! Cuuum baby! Good girl, good girl! GOOD. FUCKIN GIRL!"

I give him two more squirts as he punctuates his words with searingly deep stabs before a heavy warmth blooms in my achy abused little puss. Fuck me, the sensation of Jordan filling my cunt like he owns me is addicting; so damn soothing to the battering I just received. Almost feels like a soothing balm applied to a sore limb. And God damn if he ain't so damn loud as he comes to his end, complementing my poor over used lil puss over and over.

He ceases rubbing my clit to grip both of my legs in a bear hug and creampie me till his nut begins to leak out generously from around his dick. Daddy leaves kisses up and down my calves and legs as he roars out the last of his pleasure. Wish I could snap a pic of the way he tosses his head back before dropping it forward, puffing out heavy grunts of my name; his hips giving stuttering circles as he drains the last bit of his cream into me.

Finally, I'm able to gulp in some air as he hips halt their sweet torture, both of us huffing like we just finished a marathon. Jordan sits back on his haunches, palms sliding down to pull my ass into his lap with both hands. He stays just like that, big dick slowly beginning to soften within me. Daddy looks so fuckin handsome: so damn flushed and sweaty, long damp strands of hair fall into his face; pretty eyes low from smoking and all the work he just put in as he gazes at me with a endearing expression. I press a shaky hand to his chest, feeling his heart race just as fast as mine.

"Get what you need, ma?" He asks, smile dazzling the fuck outta me.

"Yes Daddy."

[trashboatprince]

Here's something silly for my mad scientists in 1827 Edinburgh au with Crowley and Aziraphale.

Warning: they're humans, they're idiots in love, they have done very unethical practices in the name of science. And 'science'. This right before they start their man-plant project that'll be named Jim.

Remember, this is a dark comedy au.

On with the fic!

--

McFell shook out the newspaper after turning the page, continuing the interesting article about the goings on in London, filled with a few snarky comments about Londoners, when he heard a familiar petname for him echoing through the halls.

"Aaaaangeeeellll~!" Came the boisterous, sing-song tone of Dr. Crowley as the door to the study opened. "There you are! Figured ya be up here, it's tea time, isn't it?"

"Yes, and you're late." McFell sniffed and reached for his cup, sipping the perfect combination of tea and just a tiny bit of milk. Nothing like the horrendous combination of mainly sugar and milk with just a hint of tea that Crowley and their assistant Muriel enjoyed.

"Oh, come on, I'm not that late. Just late by..." Crowley looked at the grandfather clock. "Forty five minutes. Right, well! I was busy workin' on my latest project and finally figured out the perfect way to- oh, the paper! Let me see!"

The newspaper was suddenly ripped right from McFell's hands, and he turned to shout at Crowley, who was quickly flipping through the pages. He stopped and grinned as he read over something, muttering as he went. "Excellent! Just what we need, and so many in one week, lots to pick from!"

McFell frowned, and then realized what Crowley was commenting on. "Oh, no, nonononono! We are not going grave robbing!"

"Come ooooonnn!" Crowley was grinning. "You love to grave rob!"

"I certainly do not!"

"Course ya do! You're usually the one who was come rushing into the lab, holding up cutout articles, and funeral notices, lettin' me know that there was a fresh body, just waitin' to be dug up!"

"Yes, and the last time we attempted to obtain a body, poor Muriel nearly lost their head!"

Crowley winced and McFell glared, knowing that Crowley remembered that night all too well. They hadn't exactly noticed that a nearby grave had a trip wire. Poor Muriel hadn't seen in it the dark and had almost gotten shot by the grave gun! And if it wasn't bad enough luck for them, a guard almost got 'em right in the head!

Just missed by a hair.

Literally, there was still a small portion of their curls that looked off due to the bullet.

McFell snatched the paper back and attempted to straighten it out once more. "Really, Anthony, we can just buy bodies if you need them so badly for... what exactly are you attempting again?"

"My plant man! You know, the one I had designed while drunk and was actually weirdly scientifically creative about how to make it come to life?"

The blond frowned and nodded. "Yes, I am aware. Are you really trying to make that a reality?"

"Couldn't hurt."

"Fine, just... find a person to go about digging up the bodies, alright?"

Crowley sat down in his seat and leaned forward on his elbows, chin in his hands. He was pouting, and trying to make his golden brown eyes wider. "But... but I wanna go out diggin' up graves with you, angel."

"My grave robbing days are over."

"But you love it! You love being excited about the prospect of finding fresh bodies so you can cut them open and study them!"

"And I can do that by simply paying someone."

"But you're so picky...! You open the casket and then either have me haul the body out, or you're all 'nope, not right', and act all sniffy about it and have me rebury it!" Crowley was still pouting as he looked away. "It's so cute when you're picky."

McFell glared deeply, but it wasn't working, and he wasn't feeling it. "But we could get hurt."

"But we could also not get hurt."

"We could get caught."

"We could also not get caught."

They stared at one another, McFell trying to keep his glare in place, Crowley was trying to look all doe-eyed to win.

And damnit, he was winning.

McFell sighed loudly and folded the paper. "Fine! But this is the last time!"

"Oh, you're the best!" Crowley was out of his seat and kissing the life out of McFell's lips, then kissed him all over before running out of the room. "Muriel! Dig out the shovels, we're gonna go snatchin' in a few hours!"

"On it, sir!" Came the cheerful shout of Muriel from somewhere else nearby.

McFell stared at the door and slumped in his seat, sighing loudly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. What had he agreed to now?

[doorhusband]

jonelias dip drawing :>

made thanks to an eye exchange au in the JE server! all ya need to know is jon and elias each exchange an eye with each other, for reasons(tm)!

wasnt planned to be, but this is my farewell to this design of Elias. i love my old man immensely, but alas, another is calling my name. ill probably doodle him again when the time comes. until then...

MIDDLE AGED MAN TIME

god i yassified him huh. ah well. this may change as well, but so far im diggin him. i do gotta see how he looks next to jon though. give him crows feet, some mouth lines, yknow how it is. flecks of gray in his hair mayhaps. who knows!

before you go, have a doodle of jon in a corset!

[angry-trashcan]

Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys

Chapter two of Snakes and Waterfalls (Cowboy AU)

Warnings: Violence, guns, memory loss, corpses. Let me know if I missed anything else.

2.5KWC (First) (Read on AO3)

Wild woke up in the middle of the desert without a thought in his head. That’s what he always said. He knew the basics of living. How to talk, listen and knew to keep himself warm at night. But how to start a fire was gone to him. How to ride a horse, fire his pistol, and even what plants on the side of the trail he could eat were all lost. But nothing shocked the man more than when someone asked him his name.

“You ain’t even know your name?” The bartender asked him, throwing the rag over his shoulder. “You sure is a wild one, ain’t ya, friend?”

Wild kept the name from that day on, finding it suited him better than anything else. He traveled from place to place, attempting to find somewhere to settle for a time. His body couldn’t seem to calm until he found what he was looking for. Always searching for something.

He had his pack thrown over the back of his light brown horse, hat pulled low over his face when he heard whistling from his left. His braid fell over his shoulder as he looked to the sound, eyes falling onto a man with a shovel. The shovel hit the earth, pulling piles from it. It added to an ever-growing mound next to the man, the tune never stopping as he worked. Wild pulled on the reins, willing his horse to stop as he watched the man. His eyes carried over to a white sheet, wrapped neatly around a log shape. At a closer look he saw a pale hand falling from it. The tune grew in volume, Wild dropping to the ground.

“Say, whatcha doin’ over there?” Wild called, pulling the man’s attention to him.

The whistle stopped as he looked to Wild. He pushed the shovel into the mound of dirt, “What’s it look like? I’m diggin’.” A small smile fell across his face.

“Well why you doin’ that?”

“Well, who else is gonna do it?”

Wild thought for a moment, “I can do it.”

The man laughed lightly, “It’s hard work, kid. You sure you wanna be dealin’ with the dirt and bodies?”

Wild’s gaze fell back to the sheet, blowing lightly in the wind. “Yeah, I’m sure. I ain’t scared of no spirits.”

The man’s smile widened, “It ain’t the spirits you gotta be ‘fraid of.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Wild’s time working with the gravedigger lasted long enough for him before he was off again. The itch to keep moving hitting him in the middle of one night, so he did. After a few days of riding, he came across a sign, arrows pointing in two different directions. After looking over the sign, he turned left. If he could read, he would have known the sign said “Lon Lon Ranch”.

He rode into the ranch at sundown, his horse desperate for a break and his hat rubbing a burn into his hairline. He took a deep breath as he looked to the large farm house, maybe I can stay in the barn for the night. Sliding off the saddle, he made his way to the door, pulling his hat off his head. He raised his hand and knocked.

“I got it!” A voice called from the other side of the door. When it opened, he was met with a face not much older than his own. “Can I help ya with somethin’?” The boy asked.

Wild cleared his throat, “I’m just passin’ on by and I was wonderin’ if there was anyway I could stay in y’all’s barn for the night. My horse, Pickle, here could really use a break and-“

“Ya horse’s name is Pickle?” The boy laughed lightly and Wild could have sworn he heard a pistol click back into place behind the door. “Why dontcha come on in. My Ma’s makin’ dinner and I’d bet she’d make ya an extra plate.”

Wild just seemed to simply never leave from that point on. A warm meal in his stomach every night, a job to do, a roof over his head, and a new addition to their winter team.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Warriors’ badge sat heavy on his chest. It often did these days. Each point of the star would dig into him as he would handcuff another petty criminal. Dragging them back to the sheriff’s office and throwing them into a cell. They would often beg and plead with him. Offering him part of the cut from the run as he locked the door tight. Their pleas would fall on deaf ears as he would turn away from them, leaving them to rot in their own cells.

He worked the same shift for years, early morning to midafternoon. Once he was off, he would gather himself and make his way home. Preparing a dinner for himself and his brother. Making sure they both went to bed with full stomachs. Being a sheriff was good money, especially when it was just the two of them. The small house that had been left to them after their parent’s passing was well kept. Warriors was sure to keep the pantry stocked with basics and that Wind had every book he could need for school. Anytime the boy needed a new pair of shoes he was getting some freshly made, even if his own boots were torn through.

He took care of him the best he could, and that was all Wind could ask for. Assuring him that he would continue schooling and go off to work in a big city one day. Maybe be a lawyer for all these criminals his brother locks up.

Warriors had a rough week, throwing moonshiners and black-market sellers in the slammer over and over. It seemed there was a strange influx in them suddenly.

He slammed the door to the cell, a bruise already forming across his cheek. “You’re gonna have a fun time in here. Lemme tell ya.”

The prisoner spat to the floor at his feet. “You’s gonna regret this, pretty boy. Lemme tells ya, as soon as boss gets word ‘bout this it’s over for ya.” He ran a thumb across his neck in a mock execution. While doing so, Warriors caught a look at a red tattoo marking his arm, an inverted eye.

“If you got caught this easy, I’m sure ya boss ain’t gonna be too much of a hassle.” Warriors turned from the cell, waving his hand as he did. He heard the man shouting as he closed the door to the cellblock behind him.

“He was a talker, huh?” The deputy asked, looking up to him from the desk.

Warriors laughed, “You could say that.” He patted the mans back. “Say, I think imma head on home. Kid’s probably already in bed by this time.” He waved his goodbyes as he made his way out the door. His tan and speckled horse was tied in front of the station, which he greeted before releasing and mounting. He turned towards home, dust hardly picking up behind him.

He opened the door to the small home, knocking the dirt off of his boots as he entered, “Sorry it’s so late. I’m home.” He sighed at the lack of response. Heading down the hall to Wind’s bedroom. He knocked lightly on the door before opening it. Wind wasn’t where he expected him to be. He scrunched his eyes at the empty bed, leaving the door open and going to the main room. “Wind, where you at, kid?” He checked the couch, even his own bed. He started throwing open closets, checking under beds, cabinets anywhere he could think. He went back to the front door, pulling his boots back on in a haste when he saw it.

A note held onto the door with a bloody knife. He breathed a ragged breath, ripping the note off the door.

Hello Sheriff,

                It seems that you threw one of my men in the slammer today. I don’t take too kindly too that. So, I took this screaming kid brother of yours. He’s a feisty one, let me tell you. I wish I could say the blood on the knife wasn’t his, but kid just wouldn’t come quietly. Now here’s the deal, bring me my man and I’ll give you the kid back. You have until sun up. If you’re too late? Well, I think you know.

                                -Kohga

Warriors flipped the note over, searching it again and again for a location. He crumbled it and shoved it in his pocket, snarling. He looked to the knife again, pulling it from the wooden door with a creak. He looked over the blood on it. His brother’s blood. He shoved it into his boot, throwing the door open and hoping onto his horse. He dug his spurs in, headed back to town. Planning to search every last building in town if he had to.

He started with the old stables on the edge of town, finding nothing but rats and feral cats. Next, he tried an abandoned general store, to similar results. When searching an old barn, he got some answers.

He threw the man to the ground, the same red eye tattoo marking his neck. Warriors cocked his pistol as he took aim, “Where is he?”

“I ain’t know what you talkin’ bout!”

A gun shot, smoke coming from the ground next to the man’s head. “I won’t miss next time. Where is he?”

The man’s eyes were wide, “The old mill! You know the one!” Warriors nodded, another gunshot filling the air. He wiped blood from his face with his pistol hand, spitting on the ground.

He made his way back to his horse, waiting outside. He mounted her quickly, looking to the ever-rising sun on the horizon. Willing the horse to pick up speed, he headed to the old mill. He felt heavy in the saddle the closer he got. He pulled his pistol back out, assuring it was fully loaded before flicking it closed. The horse slid to a stop right outside the door as Warriors jumped off, stumbling to his feet. He held his pistol tight as he threw the door open, taking aim to the inside.

The only thing he saw was a small figure laying in the middle of the room, crying lightly. The light was barely into the room, but he could recognize his brother anywhere. He ran over, looking around as he did so to be sure they were alone. He fell to his knees next to Wind, pulling his head into his lap. “Come on, kid. Talk to me.” Wind let out a choked sob as Warriors brushed a blonde curl from his face. He looked over his body. His ribs were misshapen, a broken arm, was that a bullet in his leg? Warriors picked him up as easily as he could, only getting more cries from Wind.

“I know, kid. I gotcha.” He made his way back out the door, putting Wind onto the horse first before he got on. He rode as fast and gentle as he could back to the town, calling out to the doctor from the street.

The doctor ran out as he pulled Wind from the horse, carrying him up the steps. “Please, help him. I don’t know what happened.” The doctor opened the door as his wide eyes looked over Wind’s abused body.

“I’ll do what I can, sheriff.” Warriors winced at the name, laying Wind down onto a bed.

“Look after him, I’ll be back.” Wind grabbed his hand as he went to leave, causing him to turn back. “What’s wrong?” Wind could only shake his head before he fell unconscious, his hand falling from Warriors’s. The doctor rushed next to him, injecting him with some kind of medicine as a nurse began wrapping his bleeding wounds. Warriors could only watch the chaos.

I caused this. I got him hurt. I did this. I have to fix it. The door slammed behind him before he remounted his horse. He rode back to the station, rushing inside and past the yelling and conversing deputies. He threw open the door to the cell block. His hand went inside one cell, pulling the gang member to the cell door by his shirt.

“Tell me every fuckin’ thing about your gang.” His words were vicious in the other man’s face.

“Gang is a harsh word-“ He pulled him hard into the cell bars, knocking his head against them.

“I’m not playing games! Tell me everything!”

The man’s eyes were open as blood trickled between them. “Okay! The leader’s name is Kohga! We all hafta these tattoos when we agree to join! The leader is crazy! If you go against anythin’ he says he’ll kill you on the spot!”

Warriors’s hands tangled in the fabric until it started to rip, “There’s more.”

“We have our base close to the edge of the desert, though for this town we were stayin’ in an old barn and mill!”

Warriors’s squinted before letting him go, he fell back, hitting the wall behind him. “If I find out anythin’ you said was a lie, I’ll kill you.” He turned and left without a second glance.

He searched the town for days. Looking for any trace of Kohga or another gang member hiding out but none showed. He made the decision to resign as sheriff. And as soon as Wind was well enough, he let him pick out a horse of his own from the stables. They would need two for traveling. He and Wind packed up the bare essentials and a few personal items of their parents and put the packs over the backs of their horses. Planning to only return once Kohga had been dealt with.

They traveled through many towns, even edging the desert. It took months before they found a sign at a branch in the road. One pointing to a town, another to a ranch that could be seen in the distance. Given that it was hot and they had been traveling for days non-stop. Warriors gave into Wind’s begging to go to the ranch instead of the town.

The smell of stables and hay filled their senses when they got closer. Wind snuffling his nose and Warriors laughing at him. “You’re the one that wanted to come here so bad, kid.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t expect it to smell like shit.”

“Langue.” Wind rolled his eyes. They got to what seemed to be the main house before getting off their horses, Wind stumbling a bit when he did. Warriors knocked, the door being opened shortly after by a redheaded woman.

“Well, howdy, gentleman. What can I help ya with?” She smiled as she dropped her apron from her hands that she was drying.

“Well ma’am, me and my brother here were passin’ on by and we were wonderin’ if there was anyway you could spare a room in the barn for us tonight.” Warriors spoke, smiling widely. The woman looked over to Wind who waved from behind him, she smiled. “I think I can do more than offer you a room for the night. Why don’t you come on in and meet my son and husband?”

[hypnothesis-au]

WASA-B RATES YOUR TARTAR ANTI ASMR

(Server shenanigans again, there is no context, only meme)

@fallenagent-au​​​​​

Is that a syringe tail? Hot. Liquid brains though? Do they make a sloshing noise every time they turn around? That’s hilarious. 7/10, I would shake them like a snow-globe.

(Click to see more Tartar ratings below vvv)

@nameless-octoling​​​​

Nice braces dawg, circuitry on fleek. Etc etc. You look like trouble, I like that in a man. Shark teeth supremacy. Somehow, you also look like an English teacher who would lecture me on some random bass symbolism in a book I only read the sparknotes for. 6/10

@lillygoat17​

Nice robot bod, I hope that ink section is squishy like one of those gel packs with the sparkles. 8/10 looks bite-able.

@versussashimi​​​​​

Twink energy. He looks like he’d try to sell me the secret to perpetual energy, then laugh at me when he sees me bankrupt and living under a bridge. Real door-to-door salesman energy. 9/10.

@ratflamt​​​​​

Made of titanium alloy but still a softie. Why does this guy look like he volunteers at a children’s hospital? Look at this face. Sub energy, as in that substitute teacher you can walk all over. 7/10, I would push his buttons.

@kamabo-reset​​​​​

Woah, almost cuter than the last guy. Diggin’ the half-shaved look. Seems polite, would poison my wine after paying for dinner. 7/10

@little-creecher​​​​​

NOODLE ARMS—Ehem. Nice eyeliner, looks like they have that steady surgeon hand, easy 9.5/10. For no reason at all, my number is 410 OC1-V280

@fiery-is-in-pain​​

…………. Not a robot. Actually. I think this is one of those things the kids call a “meme”. That jawline could kill someone. 0/10, not a robot.

@mekmech​​​​​

If Doc Ock met a spider, Nice mandibles btw ;) Wanna show me what those arms can do, baby~? Really diggin’ the optical LED sensor, 9/10 good design.

@dj-ai​​​​​

👁️ One word, smokin’. Lovin’ the nod to Hypnothesis. This gal looks like those bots that try to catfish you on sketchy websites. No actual robo detected though, so ya got some points deducted from the score. 7/10

And last but hardly least, T-vax. 10/10. Spouse material, plant lover, and human knowledge infodumper. Meticulous to a maddening degree. Fun fact: I love space jam, Elvis, Queen, and various other elements of human pop culture of which I am well versed in, T-vax please unblock me on squitter--

[baura-bear]

HEY POOKIE BEAR !! HOW ARE YOU!!! was diggin through my drafts and i found this cowboy au thingy.. it was my own interpretation of how jack and davey possibly met but then you posted your version and i just fell in love with it and didn't pay much mind to my draft.. however i think it's pretty fun so here it is :3

Dear Mama,

All is fine. Sarah and I started working at a local store–I work at the register, she stocks the shelves. (If she isn’t slacking off, that is…) I haven’t met anyone interesting yet. To be fair, the folks here aren’t very fond of newcomers, but that’s to be expected from a small town out West.

Well, I suppose that’s all for now. I’ll write often, as I promised. Do tell me how you and Papa are coping with your eldest children gone.

Love,

David

*

David glanced at his pocket watch for what seemed like the hundredth time this hour, and he sighed dramatically. Sarah was late to work. Again. And the shelves weren’t going to magically fill up with all the goods.

“I swear to God, I’m taking her salary when we get paid,” he grumbled to himself, tying his apron tighter as he walked out from behind the cash register. He headed out back, where all the crates were, all of them intact. He took a few of them at once and went back inside, all the while cursing quietly under his breath.

He started with the canned products first. Kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, peaches, pineapples. Thinking of how much he disliked their new home helped speed the process up a bit. The people weren’t welcoming, their employer treated them like some sort of scum, they haven’t even managed to get a proper house yet (mind you, sleeping at a saloon room was an absolute nightmare for several reasons), and Sarah was never doing her job. David didn’t even know where she was off to the majority of the time, and her explanations (or lack thereof) definitely didn’t help. All in all, David missed home so far, missed the comfort of his own bed and the familiar noises of New York’s bustling city life, missed his parents, missed his… Well, okay, he didn’t really have friends, so that remained unchanged.

When David was about halfway done with restocking, a customer walked in, and so of course he had to come back to the register.

“Good morning, sir,” he greeted with a forced smile. “What do you need today?”

The stranger waltzed around the store, looking at the wares, and David took the opportunity to get a good look at him–a man his age, maybe a few years older, really fancy. A brimmed hat which made him look like a card shark, a nice, checkered vest, underneath it a white dress shirt, and some striped pants. He didn’t look like trouble, David decided, and so he eased a little, simply letting the man look at the products.

“I don’t suppose you sell, say, ammunition, perhaps, good sir?” the man asked, a kind, almost cheeky smile on his face as he finally walked up to the register. He looked past David, at the back of the store, and he definitely noticed the sturdy door which led to the room in which all the money was stored, in an iron safe.

“We do, for revolvers and rifles,” David nodded, and he started turning around to reach for a small cabinet behind the register, where the ammunition was hidden. Safety measures, or whatever the boss said.

“Alright, thank you, sir,” the man said and tipped his hat, but strangely enough, he started walking out of the building without buying anything. “Stay safe, yeah?”

David creased his eyebrows and watched the man closely. “Yes, thank you,” he answered half-heartedly, and waited for the man to come back or for literally anything to happen. When a few minutes had passed and nothing happened, David decided to let it go. He went to get another crate, this time filled with ammo, and started placing the little cartons in the cabinet.

Then, he heard the door open again, the little bell ringing, and a pair of heels on the wooden floor. He figured that since he could hear the strong clink of the heels, it must’ve been Sarah.

“Sara, znów się spóźniasz,” he scolded his older sister without turning around, using their native tongue. “Przysięgam, jeśli jeszcze raz będę musiał za ciebie wykładać towar, to biorę twoją pensję–”

The words quickly died in his throat as he heard a click. That was, undoubtedly, a gun. As he slowly turned around, a man came into his vision. A cowboy. Of course.

“This is a robbery, good sir,” the man said with a strong accent, pointing his gun right at David, and David felt his heart speed up significantly, his eyes going wide, his hands shaking as he let the crate drop to the ground. “Just stay where you are an’ you won’t get hurt, yeah?”

David nodded, or at least he tried to, frozen in place. He raised his hands in a defensive motion, watching as the cowboy approached. It was now very clear that the heels were just his cowboy boots, moreover, David could now hear the noise the spurs made as the man walked closer. He had two holsters, one of them obviously empty, and if that amount of guns wasn’t enough, he also had a double-barreled shotgun on his back, and given by the stern look in his eyes (the rest of his face being hidden by a red bandana), he was ready to use it and blow a hole into David’s chest.

“Now, give me the money from the register,” the robber commanded as he got close, the barrel of the gun aiming directly between David’s eyes.

David didn’t take long to comply, because he decided that he isn’t paid enough to risk his life. He opened the cash register, struggling a little, given how his hands trembled and how he had trouble with seeing straight, but eventually, he handed the register's contents to the cowboy–a generous wad of money and a few coins.

As the cowboy quickly eyeballed the amount of money, he let out a disapproving grunt, shaking his head. “C’mon, I know it ain’t all,” he said, his finger resting on the revolver’s trigger. “The room in the back, it’s there, ain’t it? Won’t you be helpful and open it?”

David swallowed thickly and started walking backwards slowly, all the while holding his hands up and looking right at the man. He dug in his pocket for a moment and fished out the key eventually, then made quick work of the door lock and eventually opened it, immediately stepping aside.

The man walked into the room, but when he saw the safe, he scoffed. “Son of a… ‘Course,” he said, mostly to himself, and stuck his head out. “Race! Get inside and help me, would ya?”

“You said I was s’pposed to be on the lookout!” a voice from outside the store yelled.

“And now I’m tellin’ ya to get your ass over here!”

David couldn't do anything but watch on as the two partners in crime yelled at each other, which continued even as the other man walked inside. David couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that it was the same card shark guy from before.

“Howdy again, good sir, excuse my dumbass of a partner there,” said Race, which was what his partner called him.

“Damn it, Racer, shut up and tie the damn guy before he runs outta here and gets the sheriff to intervene!” the man instructed as he struggled with opening the iron box, his ear right next to the lock as he listened to its clicks.

How am I you ask? Upon seeing this in my ask box I immediately burst into tears 😋 thank you my friend for this because 🤲🤲🤲 I needed it and it made my day so much better and like ???!!!!! It’s so good??? You say you fell in love with my version but like !!!! I just fell in love with this!!!!! It’s so perfect 😭 we get David and Sarah bickering and Sarah doesn’t even enter the scene which is so amazing and Jack and Races dynamic??!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh it’s so good it’s so so good oh my gosh… also hot cowboys tying up the helpless cashier 👁️👁️ pretty gay if you ask me. Anyway if I were at my usual functioning level this would just be me in all caps screaming but I’m very tired so just imagine this is in all caps with a lot of exclamation points and key smashes. This is everything I love it so much Dave so so much gah! And Jack’s guns??!! He’s so cool gosh darn 🫶🫶🫶‼️

[sukunoon]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏. ↳ codename: fox ↳ suna rintarou x fem!reader

◃◃ prev | m.list | taglist | next▹▹

synopsis. in order to retrieve evidence against the mafia, he finds himself in a populated office building, stuck in an elevator with the man he was searching for.  

content warnings. assassin!AU, mafia!AU, guns, knives, descriptions of blood, descriptions of violence, descriptions of death, fire - [ if i missed anything let me know ! ]

word count. 1.4k

author’s note. heheh first part! i’m so excited i have a plan for everything but these take so long to write- this one took my hours...also i feel like i should make a playlist for this >:))

the elevator music played quietly in the background as the businessmen talked amongst each other, being good friends ever since they met each other in the office. with a small ding, the doors split apart, revealing a hooded man that wore only sweatpants and his dark colored hoodie with red blotches covering the front.

it was odd to see someone with such baggy clothing in such an expensive building, but the two continued on nonetheless as the man shuffled passed to two of them to the back of the elevator.

“did ya hear the news goin’ around, felix?” the one on the right with his dark red suit fit to his features, asked with a small smirk on his lips.

“i don’t like that smile you have teddy,” the other who’s name seemed to be felix, in a dark blue colored suit, mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes. “about the genocide?”

teddy, nodded his head enthusiastically. “the mafia genocide, felix.” he annunciated the word mafia as if it was common knowledge. that was the name going around for the killings according to twitter. “they killed all those people and the police did nothing.”

“yes, i heard about that. but it seemed like there was nothing the police could do.” felix shrugged, not too concerned with the problems that didn’t revolve around him.

“nope i don’t accept that, they coulda done a lot more than ya think, the police are taking orders from the mafia leader, i just know it.” he grinned as if he was an ace detective that had just solved a case.

“what?” felix rolled his eyes, his chin dipped to his chest as his head dropped. he rubbed his forehead at the words of his friend. “teddy, enough with your conspiracy theories, you know they’re never right.”

teddy’s grin turned into an evil-like ‘i told you so’ type of grin as he pulled his phone from his pant pocket. “you just choose not to believe felix,” he coed. “but this time, i have proof!” he made a small, over dramatic drum roll on his legs, making felix roll his eyes once more.

“proof?”

teddy swiped up, inputting his phone’s passcode and clicking the photo icon on his screen. “i had ben do some diggin’ into the call logs after the mafia genocide happened, and this is what he found.” after inching closer to felix, he clicked on the audio clip, adjusting the device so he could hear better.

“listen, you have to stop this, i’m begging you to stop this sir! that last show you put on was genocide!” felix’s eyes widened as he wet his lips, a grimace setting in on his features as the audio continued. “so many innocent lives died last night and it cannot be overlooked any longer. the media got ahold of everything, it spreading like wil-” and the audio cut out.

he stopped for a moment, shaking his head slightly as he questioned. “was that...the police chief?”

teddy nodded, his grin now disappeared and a determined frown took over his lips. “i think the police have no power over what the mafia does.” he closed his eyes as he spoke, something he always did when he began a rant, felix knew that. “there’s no way the police chief out of all people would say somethin’ like that, even if it’s not clear that he’s talkin’ to the mafia boss, it’s implied...right felix?”

he sighed at felix’s response; silence. it was common for felix to do that, at least that’s what teddy thought. his eyes fluttered open. “felix-” his head turned to his best friend. “felix..?” he breathed.

the happy elevator music continued as teddy’s posture wilted, his skin turning pale as he opened and closed his mouth without a word coming from his throat. in front of him was his best friend leaning against the side of the elevator, his neck slit and his jaw slack, the life that was once in his eyes there now gone.

“AHHHHH!” the most gut wrenching scream filled the small area as his vision became blurry. his back hit the opposite side of the elevator as he backed into it, his hand covering his mouth as gags periodically came from his throat.

tears fell from his cheeks as he shut his eyes, blinding him from his surroundings. only the feeling of an obnoxious pain in his stomach made him squint his eyes.

in front of him was the hooded man that stood behind him in the elevator. his head fell, the man was holding a knife in his stomach as red liquid dripped onto the floor. “wha-” he coughed, blood dripping down his chin and down his suit as he ripped the knife from his stomach, making teddy slid to the floor.

the man stepped over to felix, grabbing something from his pocket only to glance at it for a moment before putting it in his own. “what are- ya..?” he coughed once more, holding his stomach as the life slowly drained from his eyes. the man bent down next to teddy, grabbing his phone from his pocket only to stand back up.

“ya don’t..know the pass-” teddy’s eyes widened as the man typed in his password without hesitation. his entire body shook at the thought of what that man was, who he was with, but then, it clicked as the elevator dinged and slowly revealed what was behind the door.

“the..mafia, yer with the..mafia.” he stuttered as he stared at the scene behind the door. the bloodied bodies of his coworkers, practically ripped apart as they were strewn across the floor, the desks, the tables.

a pit formed at the bottom of his stomach as he now struggled to breathe properly. he tore his eyes away from the ground floor and back to the man who was now replaying the audio message from before. there was something plugged into his phone he couldn’t quite make out.

as the audio stopped, the man unplugged the cord and pocketed it, throwing the phone onto the ground in front of him. he stepped out of the elevator, crushing the phone into pieces in the process.

as the elevator door began to shut once more, the man stopped it with his hand, stepping through the doorway just enough to see teddy as he lay slumped on the floor. “you- the mafia..” he whimpered, his breathing erratic as he held his stomach.

the man reached behind to his back, lifting his hoodie slightly to get what was hanging from his belt. teddy’s eyes widened as the barrel of a pistol was now pointed at his head. “wrong.” his voice was low, filled with a type of malice teddy had never heard as he pulled the trigger. the muffled sound of the shot echoed throughout the first floor of the building.

he cleared his throat as he walked towards the door, stepping over bloodied bodies as he did so. he shoved his hands in his pockets as he opened the door, steadily turning the corner before the crowds could gather.

he let out a sigh as his hood fell from the wind, revealing his black hair in a messy bun on the back of his head, his baby hairs swayed with the wind. with a few swift movements, he tore off the large, baggy hoodie and sweatpants. underneath those baggy clothes was a black suit that fit him almost too perfectly.

he rolled his shoulders back, flexing his sore muscles as he reached into his pocket. as he did, he threw his blood spattered clothes behind him and into the air, pulling the lighter he’d taken from one of the men in the elevator from his pocket. with a quick flick of his wrist, the flame of the lighter caught his clothes, lighting them ablaze.

the flame of his clothes soon caught the side of the office building as further he walked down the street to his destination. he sighed once more, cracking his neck as the fire burned in the distance, the civilians watched the building in horror.

it wasn’t long before he arrived at the place he’d been looking for. he stopped, opening the glass door to the red telephone booth that sat on one of the back alleys. he grabbed the phone, his slender fingers tapping at the numbers as he dialed the number he’d been given. he held the phone to his ear as it rang, soon to be picked up on the other end.

“codename: fox.”

@sapphicshav​​​ @memosa​​ [ sorry i had to repost it cuz tags- ]

[redatheart]

Serial Killer AU

[A/N: So a some words of entry: I'm literally obsessed with anything thriller and crime. Watched: Bones, X Files, Criminal Minds, Mindhunter, Detective Colombo, Sherlock (The old ones too, and the one with RDJ and the one with Cumberbatch) and some other titles that I won't be naming right now.... And I'll say this: Dark, dark, dark, like completely dark. Where Peter turned a much bloodier path, went complete rampage, he's a serial killer, cold hearted sociopath that doesn't know what real love means but then... along comes Tony Stark and he's completely smitten. You get me? Well I'm diggin so anyway, here it is:]

Is this what love feels like? Peter wouldn't know he's never felt anything like it. Everything he knows about love, everything to have Tony as his own is what would push everyone else away; So he watches his every step, threatens those who dare to cross Tony's path, and he locks every moment in pictures, killing in the name of Tony Stark.

And the thing is: Tony doesn't even fit the profile. That man is a puzzle from a different picture but to Peter he is the only one that links to his. And the man should be horrified, shouldn't he? Any normal person would if a serial killer decided to claim them as their own.

Tony either doesn't know, because Peter's so charmingly innocent that there's no possible way for him to be a murderer... Or he knows and he is completely fine with Peter's "little hobby".

If he doesn't know: Does Tony seek the killer? Is he curious about who he is doing all of this or was he ordered to find out by lets say S.H.I.E.L.D? If he does know: Does Tony help his lover in finding or killing his victims? or is he trying to "save" Peter? Or maybe Tony might try and persuade Peter to kill criminals instead of completely innocent people.

Peter will after all do anything for him...

SERIAL KILLER AU | STARKER

...Peter's charming smile, of course, doesn't reflect those dark, sinister thoughts of dripping blood and agonal pain. Like a one-way-mirror, everything's kept on inside and out of anyone's view. He loves so sweetly that Tony would've never dared to think.

Peter's anything but... Peter would never... Peter.... "Tony, I'm going out," He would call out in his singing voice and the man would think nothing of it. Why would he? He kisses his soft cheek, smiles at him lovingly, clueless of all the blood, the scremas, and the death.

[A/N: Been a long time since I've been here, and since I've accidentally deleted my tumblr account.... There's nothing here yet, so I'll be working on that. Anyway, hello everyone, good to be back!]

[polaristhngs]

Fearless (12/x)

Pairing: Dodge Mason x Female OC

Summary: If anyone knew how dumb Panic was, it would be her. The game at first felt freeing. However, when you keep playing, it doesn't appear to be worth it at all, but by that point, it's too late. There was no joy left in the game. It was more than that now.

Warnings: Minor Explicit Language, Violence, Shooting

Word Count: 8.5k

Disclaimer

I do not own the series of Panic or the characters. This is a slight AU of Season 1.

Masterlist || I. PANIC || XI. CAUTION || XIII. RETURNS

XII. TENSE

A week had passed since the last Panic challenge and Heather was frantic. As she, Josie, and Natalie walk across the pavement of the streets of Carp, the brunette cannot help but show her worry about the lack of updates. From the last time they've spoken, Heather told Josie that she had to basically stalk Diggins to ask if she could use her immunity and be back on the game. His lack of response after that encounter made her all worry. She had no regrets about ditching the challenge for her sister but she needed to be persistent for the money.

"Still nothing about Panic?" Heather asks.

"I'm telling you it's been awfully quiet," Josie said. The surface surrounding Panic was hushed following the challenge on the bridge. There was no mention of the game around the town, no hints about the next challenge, and no other players showing any signs of interest in the game. The previous round seemed to resonate with everyone who responded to the questions, even Josie. There was anxiety about the information they provided since nobody knew what they would do with it. She remembered seeing Drew a day after the game. He still looked petrified as if he saw a ghost.

"They're probably preparing for the individuals." She assumed.

"What did Diggins say to you again?" Natalie chimes in.

"He said Panic's a dumb game. There's tension between judges right now, and he'll think about it." Heather frowns, remembering his words.

"That sounds reassuring." Josie sarcastically remarks.

If anyone knew how dumb Panic was, it would be Heather. The game at first felt freeing. However, when you keep playing, it doesn't appear to be worth it at all, but by that point, it's too late. The concept of fighting for money seemed evil in its entirety. Particularly now when she sensed that this summer of playing Panic wasn't like the summers before. But like everyone else in Carp, she was in urgent need of money. If her mother never stole her money saved up for college, she would've never joined.

"Maybe he's right, Heather. Maybe you should sit this one out."

The brunette stopped and turned toward her friend. "You were the one who suggested using my immunity, Nat. I've come this far. I'm not stopping now."

"But you did when you decided not to show up."

"Is she supposed to leave Lily all alone with her mom and her druggie boyfriend?" Josie made an effort not to sneer at Natalie's words. They both understood how Lily was Heather's entire world.

"All I'm saying is that it's probably for the best that she shouldn't go back to Panic, Josie." She glowered. "Why are you guys so desperate about Panic?"

"You were as desperate as us in the beginning, remember?" Heather blatantly reminds her.

"It's just a game guys."

"Easy for you to say when you have a trust fund sitting quietly in the bank. Some of us don't have the luxury to sit around and do nothing all day, Nat."

"Are you saying that I do nothing?"

Natalie shifts her gaze to Josie. "You don't want my opinion on that." Josie reacts. Natalie scoffs at her.

"We are desperate, Natalie. I need the money. Heather and I need the money."

"Winning the prize money is not just about being able to leave Carp but we could actually be set. I'm not just talking about being able to pay bills but think about other things. I could do things for myself this time. Maybe start up something using the money. And as stupid as it seems, I actually think I could go to college with the money we'll win," Josie said.

Josie muses somberly about her plans and what she'll do with the money should she win in Panic. She had already fantasized about driving in her car, leaving Car, not knowing where she'll end up next. She could travel wherever she wanted, preferably far like California, and, probably, settle in the city. Josie would go to the college she wants and finally pursue her dreams of becoming a writer. She'll still call and maybe visit Nick when she could. But she'd be finally contented.

"You've been avoiding the talk about college for months and now you're just deciding to go." Natalie continues. "You guys have been using money as an excuse. You can go to college."

"It's not an excuse. It's not just an easy choice for us to make, Nat." Heather was trying hard not to snap at her friend's naivety of her privilege. "Josie and I are poor, remember?" She wasn't motivated to keep going by the money, but rather by the person she knew she would spend the money to.

"Fine." Natalie sharply says, deciding to give up her asking. "Don't listen to me. But don't say I didn't warn you guys about the game."

The two girls stared at her retreating figure as their friend ditches them on the side of the street. Josie couldn't help but wonder about Natalie's opposition to Heather reentering. She felt bad for making assumptions about Nat's jealousy. With her individuals, Heather may still catch up in the game. And by then, she'd be just mere points behind them, with a chance to compete in the finale.

Heather and Josie decided to rest and sauntered towards Dot's diner.

"She'll come around eventually. You know she does." Josie comforts the frown in Heather's expression. "Don't worry."

As they sat in their respective seats near the store's counter, Josie's gaze can't help but look for that recognizable tall boy in his signature black shirt and jeans working around the place and eventually finding his way in front of her.

"Should I take a wild guess on who you're looking for?" Heather teasingly rested her chin on her palm as she watched her best friend's eyes search the scape of the diner.

"That's it." She blasts, catching the dark-haired girl's attention. "What's going on between you and Dodge?"

"Dodge and I kissed." Josie's expression turned red.

"What?!" Heather's eyes widened. Josie giggles as the brunette vigorously shakes her joyfully and lightly hits her arm in disbelief. Heather was astonished by the shift in their relationship since she has last seen them jokingly throwing quips at one another and having an unsaid tension.

"Yep. It was over a week ago. After Panic."

"Was that part of the challenge?"

"W-What? No." She laughingly shook her head. "Actually, earlier on he told me that he liked me. He gave me this long talk about what would've happened if we never met and then just said it out of the blue. I thought he was kidding but he said it again and I realized he was being serious. Back then, I didn't know what to say so afterward, I kind of..."

"Chickened out?"

"During the challenge, Diggins asked me about Dodge. He asked if I have feelings for him, and I do. So after, I just went up to Dodge and-"

"Kissed him?" She nods. The Slater girl couldn't believe it either. "Just like that? Wow."

No matter how many times she'd replay that night in her head, she'd look down bashfully in disbelief. It's been smooth sailing for her and Dodge since. Josie never would've imagined how old-fashion Dodge would be. He'd offer to pick her up and drop her off at home at the end of the day, open the car door for her, and even gives her flowers, even if it's just a single piece, after learning what her favorite was. She had assumed Dodge wouldn't be the sort to make silly displays of affection in front of others, but Josie would always find him hanging on to her even if they just parted for a split second.

Dodge was hooked. And so was she.

Her enthusiasm for them was understated, sitting closer to Josie to hear more about the pair. The girl couldn't help but notice the radiance that sparked on Josie's face when she spoke of the Mason boy.

"So what, are you guys dating now or what?"

"Actually, I don't know. We never really talked about it." Josie continued. "I don't know if that indicates you're in a relationship. But we did go out and we've kissed a few times."

"Now you're just bragging."

The girl apologizes in humor. But she wasn't really sorry, she wanted to brag about him.

"How about you and Bishop?" Josie asks, turning the attention to Heather. "What's going on with the two of you?"

"It's great."

"You don't sound great." That strained smile was one that Josie recognized. The same smile Heather would give to her when she would ask if everything was fine. She knew something was wrong. "What is it? Are you guys fighting?"

"No, seriously, we're great, Josie. I mean, he's great." She breathed out. "It's just that...i-it's a little overwhelming finally being with him after years of wanting it."

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's just that his whole rich guy scene. I don't feel like I fit in in all of that. Being around those fancy places he goes to, the fancy people he meets, and his fancy parents. I mean, you should've seen his dad's car collection, I swear the value of those could feed a town." Heather confided. She felt like a piece trying to fit into the wrong puzzle.

"I don't like that look of pity he gives me whenever I talk about my mom, or Lily, or home." Heather lamented. "It makes me feel like a bigger charity case than I already am."

The Slater girl placed her arm around the brunette's shoulder, rubbing it softly. "Heather, it's Bishop. He just cares about you that's all."

"So did he ask you about Midsummer?" Josie asked about the upcoming festivity. "Yep. He asked me yesterday. And also speaking of going..." Heather went on. "Bishop is planning to take me to the drive-in tonight and you're coming with me."

She instantly shakes her head in refusal. "I don't want to be a third wheel."

"You won't. You're taking Dodge with you." She bites the inside of her cheek as Heather smirked at her notion.

"I don't like social functions."

"He might."

"You have met him, right?" She raised her brow.

"I'm just saying he might go 'cause he'd be going with you." Josie gave it a thought. She hated the scene but it would be tolerable as long as Dodge was with her. "C'mon, if I'm going, you're going too." Her best friend gave her a nudge in the arm.

However, a familiar voice interrupts them. "Hey, Heather. Can we talk?" Ray Hall spoke daintily.

The immediate frown rose in Heather's expression as she saw his face. Never again does she want to speak with or see him. Heather accepted all she had to do was ignore him for the rest of her life. "No, I don't think we can."

"Please, it'll only take a second. It's about yesterday."

"There's nothing to talk about, Ray." She said coldly. "It was a mistake trying to talk to you. A stupid mistake."

"Heather, I'm sorry. Look, I didn't mean all those things-"

A part of Josie felt bad for the guy. Despite Heather's rejection, he continues to plead, to give him a chance to speak. Nothing was cutting it with her best friend who refused to give him her attention and chose to stare straight forward at the table, ignoring his excuses Josie didn't understand the context of. And when he ran out of words to say and energy to give, he simply left the diner before looking back once more at the brunette Josie couldn't quite depict what the look meant.

"What was that about?" Josie asks.

"Nothing. I..." Heather breathed in. "I've been distracted during the first week of Panic and at the Graybill challenge...Ray and I almost hooked up."

"Save me the lecture. Natalie already gave me one." She cuts the Slater girl off before she could say anything.

"I feel like such an idiot. I can't believe I think that he might actually have some feelings for me that didn't come out of his dick." Heather frustratingly runs her fingers through her hair as she relived those same feelings she wished he had for her the way she had for him. Perhaps it was love or just the assumption of love, she didn't know. She didn't need to know more about it as it wasn't her problem anymore. "But you were right and Nat was right. He's an asshole. Just like his brother."

"Did Luke do something?" The dark-haired girl's voice sounded alert, protective.

"I wanted to confront him on what he answered during Panic. So I went over to his place and was looking for him on his boat, but Luke was there too but I left as soon as I can." Heather continues. "This would probably not sound unusual but I think Luke is up to something. Over at the boat, I found these ballots- betting slips-"

"With our names on them?" Josie finishes her sentence.

Josie nudges Heather closer. "I bumped into Luke a few days ago and I found similar ones that I found in Spurlock's basement." She uttered.

"I know this sounds crazy but I think Luke's fixing the game. There were slips from last year's game too. And I think it might be connected to Jimmy and Abby's deaths." Heather listened intently to Josie. "Abby was pregnant before she died but she had an abortion. I don't know if Jimmy knew or if anyone else did. But what if that was the reason she gave up on Panic. Everyone saw that she was acting off and a lot were betting a lot of money on her."

"They needed her to keep playing for the money. She could've been manipulated to keep playing or she was blackmailed to forfeit the game."

"And you think this person is Luke?"

"It makes sense, Heather," Josie exclaimed. "Panic's been here long enough. He's betting now he could've done so before. He sagged all the money he won before, remember? He tried betting on either Jimmy or Abby but neither won, so he's back now betting on Ray 'cause he's broke and desperate."

"We all know he's just gonna take the money if Ray wins." She deteriorates.

Having a moment to take it all in, Heather was overwhelmed. Sinking in the thoughts of how corrupt the game has turned now. Or it was always like this but they never really knew. It needed to stop before it gets worse. "We need to tell the cops, Josie."

She shakes her head, no. "The second we tell them about us and Panic, they're gonna arrest us. I don't think they're gonna believe us anyway. We're gonna need more than just a hunch and betting slips."

The two girls were troubled. Asking the Slater girl how can they find more evidence, the notion came into Josie's head. "We could sneak into Ray's boat again. I bet there's stuff there."

"We are not sneaking back there, Josie." Heather differed. Josie's expression sunk. "Luke could be there."

"It'll be fine. I have a gun."

"You have a gun?!" She yelled, eyes widened. Josie immediately tried to cover her mouth in silence. Some wandering eyes stared at the two but sooner dismissed their attention. "Where did you get a gun, Josie?!" Heather whispered.

"Does it matter? I always keep it in my bag. We'll be fine." Josie says, earning a judgemental look from the brunette. She exhaled. "I stole it from Spurlock's basement, alright. It's not like I'm gonna use it. It's just insurance. Just in case."

"Just in case, what?"

"Just in case someone would try to mess with us just like they did with Abby."

"Abby was leading in Panic, remember? Everyone knew her only real competition was Jimmy." Josie recalled the stories she'd heard a summer ago on how that year of Panic was gonna be epic. "A guy was betting a lot on him. If they wanted Jimmy and them to win, then they needed her out."

Josie recounted the first time she had heard about Panic. As a kid, she'd see the older kids running around town doing crazy shit. At first, she thought that was how one acted when they were older. She remembered Natalie dragging her and Heather out of the swimming hole, seeing the teens jumping high from the drop, her heart pounding frantically in her chest not knowing what was going on. As Natalie continued to drag to them whatever parties she could and drunk teenagers boasted about the money they were gonna win, Josie was introduced to Panic.

She knew they were just mere fishes playing in a much larger bowl. Lost in their own bubbles as something bigger happens on the outside. They were never aware of how much was occurring outside of Panic. They were able to get away with it so easily. But she refused to allow them to take her down, as they did to Jimmy and Abby. The closer she got to the finish line, the closer to the danger she gets.

————

As the breeze through his car window brushes through his brown hair, Dodge's mind wavered toward something else. After being on edge about Panic, he drove to the ranch to get it off his mind but the email he got sooner after the session drove him back to the problem.

It's been weeks since the last mention of Panic. Dodge thought it would give him some rest or a break but he just ached it even more. The complete silence felt like a giant clock ticking, telling him he was running out of time. The longer he waited, the further Luke Hall was getting what he deserved. He wanted the game to end as soon as it can. He wanted to make Luke Hall pay for what he did to Dayna. And this would finally be over.

The days hadn't been so bad. He'd been with Josie. And it was certainly the best days of his life. At every thought, mention, sight, call, text, or even just by being around Josie, Dodge was happy. Happier than he could've ever imagined. He didn't think it was possible to be like this. The possibilities with her are endless and sometimes he wished the summer would be endless too. Despite his reality regarding his drive for revenge, he wouldn't want to wake up one day and find all the memories with disappeared. He'd be lost.

As Dodge's car took a turn to the street near his place, he spotted a familiar figure of Josie Slater walking across the pavement.

"Hey!" He called out. "What're you doing here?"

Josie gazes at Dodge as he got off his car and dashes his way in her direction. "I was over by your house. I was looking for you but Dayna said you were over by the ranch."

"Well, you found me now." The pair gleamed at each other.

"Have you got any news on your individuals yet?" Dodge asks her. Josie noticed his eyes slightly narrowed with seriousness every time he spoke regarding Panic. "Nope. Not yet." She shrugged. "You?"

"It got in just a while ago. All I got was an email." She peered over the message sent to Dodge's phone, reading: In a world of locked rooms, the man with the key is king. The couple's forehead creased after a second of deduction.

"Guess you need to find a key," Josie suggested. "Probably. They didn't mention a date or a time yet though."

"You nervous?"

"A little bit, but we'll get through it. I know we will." He gave her a light peck on the cheek.

Wondered about her sudden silence, he asked her if something was concerning her. He noticed how often Josie would go into a daze. Her brows were wrinkled in thought and her eyes shifted around like she was on guard for something. Dodge squeezed Josie's hand, seeing how lost she was in her own head again. He knew something was wrong but he didn't want to push it.

"Are you gonna stay over tonight, or...?"

"No. Well, that reminds me." She loomed closer. "Actually, I came here to ask you something."

"There's this party thing the town throws every year at Coral Lake." Josie looked down, her hands nervously fidgeting on the sides of her legs. "And I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go with me to Midsummer..."

"Are you asking me out?" Dodge couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes. Yes, I'm asking. But I mean, y-you don't have to if you don't want. The party's pretty stupid actually, so it's fine if you say no." Josie continues to ramble. "N-Not like I want you to say no. I'm just saying you can but I do want you to say yes. But don't feel pressured to say yes though 'cause-"

"Hey, hey, hey." He cuts her off. Holding her by the shoulders which seemed to ease her anxious breathing. Josie apologized for babbling to which Dodge replied with a chuckle. She didn't have much experience with dating, not asking a guy out herself, so this was all kind of new to her. It was new for both of them.

"Yes. I'd love to go with you." Dodge grinned.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, seriously." He smiled. "Actually, I saw a flyer in town, and I was planning to ask you but you kinda beat me to it."

Despite her earlier reluctance, Josie mentally agreed of going. Dodge saying yes was the right push that got her to decide to go. The prospect of being around Dodge didn't seem too horrible, even though Josie disliked going out to places where she knew she wouldn't exactly fit in. When they are alongside one other, difficult situations become bearable. Perhaps it is how they saw one another. They were each other's safe place.

"I didn't think you'd like those types of stuff."

"I don't sometimes, but I like you and I want to take you to this thing."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. You had a crush on me since the first day of school." She quipped. The two gazed at each other as his hands snaked around her waist.

"I really want to take you out on a date, like an actual date, so I think maybe Midsummer could be it," Dodge tells her about his wishes. He looked over to her, lips slightly pouted.

"...That first official date could happen tonight." The girl grinned as she continued. "Heather gave me this idea. She and Bishop are going to the drive-in tonight and I was thinking we could go..." Dodge bit his lip as she continued to look at him with those eyes that would make him say yes to anything.

"Always finding ways to be around me, huh, Slater."

"I guess I just really like you, Mason."

He never had a girlfriend before. Nothing came to mind when you ask him if he remotely liked someone. He never had particular expectations regarding relationships. He also never realized how his days previously felt so empty. He wanted nothing but to skip forward and end it all. But that was before Josie Slater. Everything else before her felt like a fever dream.

I shouldn't be thinking like this, his mind fought as panic rose on him. He was scared. He was uncontrollably scared. Scared of losing her. Scared of being lost without her because, for the first time, he felt like he belonged. A part of him knew that she was meant for something. Something better. Something bigger. Something greater. He knew that as the days of summer passed and reality comes knocking on their door, he'd have to see her fly away.

"Josie..." He spoke.

"I..."

Bzzzzzz. Josie's phone vibrated, cutting off Dodge's words before he could say them. "It's Heather." She mentioned. Shoving his hands into his pocket while he masks his disappointment, he listened thoroughly as Josie read the text her friend sent her, asking her if she could stop by her place to get ready. After she declined his offer to drive her there, he sighed. He was desperate to spend more time with her, but guess he just has to wait until tonight.

"I'll see you tonight?"

"See you tonight."

"Just promise me that you won't wear anything black."

Dodge laughs. "That sounds like a challenge, but I promise."

"See you later, Dodge Mason," Josie says before giving him one final kiss on the cheek as they parted ways.

The boy watched her depart the street as her figure walked away from him, then got back in his car and headed toward his house, which was only a few doors away. Making a turn and parking the car in their driveway, Dodge groaned as he shifted toward his rear-view mirror noticing the familiar sheriff's car following him and pulling over in front of the house.

"Afternoon, son!" Dodge kept a watchful glare as Sheriff Cortez exits his car and made his way toward him. "My mom's not here." He answered quickly, quickening his steps to the front door, ready to escape from the guy.

"I'm not here to talk to Jessica. I'm here to talk to you." Cortez tried to keep it light.

"Yeah. Well, I kinda already have plans tonight, Sheriff. So I can't really-"

"I need to speak to you, Dodge." The sternness and sharpness of Cortez's voice were enough to make Dodge comply. Stopping mid-step from the stairs, he stopped, turning back to the old man who now got his full attention.

"Still no news about Panic?" He breathed out, getting right into business. Dodge only shook his head at the question.

"How about your individual? Nothing?"

"Nope. Not yet." The Mason boy casually shrugged, keeping it nonchalant as the sheriff continues to grill him.

Visions focused, almost as if he was examining the boy, he interrogates. "You sure?" Dodge looked away for a second. Not because he was gonna break. He would never. It was to shudder away the scornful glare he was about to send towards the sheriff's continuance. Looking at him straight in the eye, he answered. "Yeah, I'm sure."

The two stood quiet before Cortez released a light chuckle. "Well, that's disappointing. The sooner the game ends, the sooner this is over, right?" The teenager let out a tight-lipped grin before returning back to his plain expression.

"I noticed that you've been distracted lately, son." He trod forward.

"You keeping tabs on me now?"

"I do. If it means that our plan would work." Dodge wanted to roll his eyes as he continued. "You've come this far. You're not slowing down now."

"I'm not." He folded his arms to his chest.

"Dodge, remember the plan. You have to be in the lead at Panic so you can go against Luke at Joust. It's not gonna work if you're not. You understand that?"

Dodge did understand. For a year, that was all he understood. There was never a day that goes by that he doesn't look up at his ceiling in the middle of the night and replay the whole idea in his head. From the night of Dayna's accident to those nights he spent right beside her at the hospital and all those months in physical therapy. When Sheriff Cortez reached out to his family with a notion, a flicker of hope and rage surged through Dodge. Nothing was gonna get in between him and Luke Hall. Cortez made sure of that.

"Heather Hill is in the lead, right?" The sheriff referred.

"She was, but she didn't show up so she forfeited."

"Then, who is it?" He asked, impatiently. "Who is it now?"

The seventh challenge at the bridge didn't count any points but deducted one if players took longer to walk through the tracks. That means the fugitive challenge for finding the flags was the last pointed round, Dodge opined. He could still clearly recall the tenseness. His blood was rushing as he ran throughout the city trying to elude the police. He also recalled discovering the flag that was hiding in plain sight. He remembered pleasantly finishing in second after the person he admit he wouldn't mind losing to.

"Josie Slater?"

Dodge felt his breath hitched as Cortez mentioned her name. With Heather out of the running, Josie was leading for scoring first at the flag challenge and still has most of her points intact at the previous one.

"She's tough I'll give her that, but she'll crack just like that mother of hers." The boy flexed his hand, open and closed. He inhaled sharply as Cortez continued to talk about her.

"Now obviously all you have to do is beat her. Shouldn't be a problem."

"Don't drag her into this."

"Son, if she's playing Panic, then she's already part of it," Cortez spoke slowly to get him to understand.

"Don't go soft on me now, Dodge." He gave him a tap on the shoulder. "You weren't like this with that Natalie Williams."

Right after he made the deal to team up with Natalie, Dodge told Sheriff Cortez. Natalie digging more about his past was a dilemma they don't have time to spare for. Cortez gave him a warning. To take care of it or he will. She won't be a problem, Dodge said. With Natalie, he would have quickly dismissed anything that may have put the plan in jeopardy, but with Josie, he felt divided.

"What is it? You have a thing for her?" The man asks. Dodge gripped the side of his arms. His hands almost turned red, holding back. "Panic's a game, son. Josie Slater, Natalie Williams, Heather Hill. Everyone in this town is willing to do anything for just about anything. Don't be fooled."

"You don't know her, sheriff."

"I knew her since she was seven." He stated. "Trust me. I know her."

"You think she wouldn't cast you aside when it comes down between the both of you? Panic is her ticket out of Carp and she's not gonna miss that shot. You know that." Cortez points out.

"Keep an eye on her."

"Leave Josie out of this." He sent him a sharp, deadly gaze. It wasn't a favor, it was a warning.

"You're not just gonna throw it all away because of some girl, are you? You do remember who you're playing for?" The man walked closer. Dodge tried to keep his breathing under control as Cortez continued to lecture him. His knuckles formed into a fist. It would only take a second the send a punch flying to Cortez, but he resisted.

"This is for Dayna. This is for your mother. This is for you. And the justice you all deserved."

"What are you gonna do, Dodge?"

Anger was his fuel. It was the only thing that kept him going as the need for revenge flooded through his veins. He only wanted to scream at this point. He wanted to go atop the highest mountain and scream. Dodge grows more and more torn as they move closer to getting their payback. He knew that if he made the wrong move, he would either lose Josie or the opportunity to face Luke. But every move appeared to be the wrong one.

The Mason boy's shoulders fell. His gaze was set on the ground as some part of him knew Josie wouldn't back down so easily in Panic. That she would give everything she can to win, just like he would. Dodge didn't want to go against her. That was the last thing he wanted to happen. Because he knew that he would throw away the game if it means that she would be alright.

He had to do something. He'd restrain her if he has to. They were already in the tricky part of Panic. He'll do anything to keep her out of all this. He wasn't gonna let her get hurt.

"I'll take care of it."

————

Dodge Mason felt like he was hanging over a tightrope. His heart racing the whole drive towards Heather's place. He was slightly grateful for Josie's suggestion to bring Heather alongside in the car. Then maybe she wouldn't notice his silence.

Leaning up against the car, he took out his phone, texting the said girl that he was outside the house. Even just by merely texting her, he felt guilty.

Panic rose through his chest the second Cortez mentioned Josie's name. It sounded like a threat when he told Dodge to keep an eye on her. She wasn't a threat. She was Josie. His Josie. Just like that, everything felt different now. The last thing he wanted was to drag her along with their plans. Dodge knew it was dangerous. He was reckless and he didn't care, but it wasn't the same case with her.

He let out a breath. Exhaling sharply as he tried to figure out a way to pull her out of the circle she was already in while also not letting her find out the truth. He needed her gone from the games. The idea of putting her in danger made him fume in anger but also ache in desperation. The tall boy taps his foot restlessly against the ground, waiting for the two girls to come out.

His intrusive thoughts were immediately interrupted upon hearing those daring footsteps. Those steps that always strode with certainty and balance. Never faltering even when the world tried to bring her down.

"Hi."

Looking up from his shoes after hearing the familiar tune, his eyes trailed up seeing the girl that he was most nervous about but also excited to see.

"Hi," Dodge said back.

"You're not wearing black," Josie pointed out. He let out a chuckle. "I'm not."

Dodge didn't even try to cover the grin she could so easily get from him. Laying out his hands outward, he showcased himself. She took a moment to look at him up and down. Giving an unbelievable smirk seeing the Mason boy all dressed up. Instead of wearing his usual color, he wore a dark blue dress shirt, and underneath was a light grey t-shirt. She also noticed how the hair she continuously ran her fingers to has been brushed a bit over at the side which made her see his face better.

Looking at her was like waking up at the right moment as the sun peeks and being able to see the first ounce of sunlight. Beautiful moments tend to happen less often around him but this time, this second, this was one. He smiled to himself seeing that spark in her eyes. Her lips had a little color of lipstick on them but are still familiar. Her cheeks were red and her summer yellow dress she paired with a denim jacket.

"You look beautiful."

"Thanks."

"You look very beautiful."

"Is that all you could say?"

"Honestly, I'm trying to find the words." The pair exchanged a bit of laughter. Her smiling seemed to melt the ice forming around him.

She loomed closer. "You clean up nice too. Handsome, even."

Dodge's eyes soften as the corner of his mouth quirked up in delight. He looked at her, trying hard to memorize this moment. He wanted to remember her exactly as she was right now. Her staple smile. The kind of smile that could save his entire world and crumble it down the second it disappears.How her bright yellow dress made her look like the sun, the way her long dark hair always looked so neat as the wind blew. Even the very faint bruise on her ankle that Dodge remembered during the first night he drove her home.

"Hey, I need uhm- I need to tell you something..."

"Sounds serious," Josie said in a laugh wrought with nervous energy. "Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah. Uhm...Josie, I-"

"Hey, there lovebirds!" Heather's loud voice yelled out from behind them as she approached them with quick and exciting steps. "Sorry I took so long your girlfriend here didn't even bother to help me look for a jacket." She pants, nudging her friend.

"You look good, Heather." Dodge complimented politely.

"I interrupted something, did I?" She shifts her gaze between them.

"Dodge was just about to tell me something," Josie said. She goes back to Dodge. "Sorry. What was it?"

"I..." His voice was about to crack like ice. "I- I don't know what movie we're watching tonight."

Their brunette friend let out a small chuckle, clasping her hands, she mentions. "It's The Princess Bride. Have you seen it?"

Dodge nods.

"Alright, well- let's go. C'mon guys." She waves her hand, nudging them to follow her as she makes her way to the car. The pair let go of each other, following her sooner after.

Just before he could open the car door, Josie pulled him aside for a second. She rosed in concern. Seeing his demeanor change, she asks. "Dodge, you okay?"

"Yeah." He spoke confidently. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Her eyes wander around his in thought, finding some truth that she'll settle to. Josie gave a smile, wanting to enjoy the night rather than interrogate him for something she believes that he would tell her eventually because he trusts her, right?

"Ready?"

"Ready when you are."

————

Sitting comfortably in the passenger seat of Dodge's car, the pair quietly watched the movie projecting in the large white silk across from them. It's been thirty minutes since they arrived and no one said a thing except for excerpts of are you enjoying the movie? or are you cold?

"Hey, you good?"

Giving out a tight-lipped, reassuring smile, she says, "I'm fine."

"Do you want me to get you a drink or something?"

"Dodge, seriously, I'm fine.

Looking over to Heather and Bishop's car right on their left, they seemed to be immersed in the film too as Dodge likes to pretend. He's been acting a little closed off these days ever since Josie's encounter with Luke. He'd be guarded and mostly tried to be alone with his thoughts, like what he's doing right now. Neither of them was fully paying attention to the movie. Both of them were idly gazing at the film while their minds were elsewhere.

She was also veering off in another direction. She was nervous about what she and Heather were finding out about the betting ring for Panic players, especially after learning that Luke was involved. And how she could sense in the pit of her stomach that Dodge is keeping something from her about what is also going on between Luke and himself.

In a daze, she felt his hand reaching for hers. His fingers grazed on her skin, both hands intertwine. Her body felt suddenly fizzy and warm.

"Are you gonna miss me?" Dodge asked suddenly.

"Don't be an idiot," she said, nudging him.

"I'm serious." He shifted, sitting closer and turning his shoulder to face her. "I'm gonna miss you so bad, Jo."

"Nothing bad's gonna happen, Dodge." Her words seem to soothe a part of him. Telling him that everything was going to be ok.

Josie felt a loud, cruel throb in her chest as if her heart were about to burst. She had been making an effort to avoid the possibility that they would part ways after the summer. She would be off for college, and Dodge could do whatever he wanted. She'll miss him more than words can express.

For a second, she didn't think. She just leaned in, closed her eyes, and kissed him.

Dodge kissed girls before but not like that. He often found it stressful to try to determine if he was doing it correctly or whether he was doing too much or too little. He never really cared about it until his first kiss with Josie. But with Josie, he forgot to think, or even breathe.

Their lips moved in sync. It was a kind of kiss that gave her body tingles and made her want more. He murmured her name, his voice hoarse with something more. His strong body pressed against hers. His firm hand firmly touched the small of her back, and his other moved to her neck, enticing her with the gentle warmth of his skin and attempting to draw her in. His mouth probed hers as her hands went through his hair, clutching on for dear life. She was simply there, inhaling the smell of him, of his lips, while the movie thudded softly in the background.

Then, abruptly, Dodge pulled away. "Wait," he said. "Wait."

Dodge drew back an inch, frowning. He sighed and stroked his hair with his fingertips. As soon as he stopped touching her, Josie yearned for his touch to come back.

"I can't..." Suddenly he looked different- changed, full of regret, like someone she barely knew. "I don't want to lie to you, Josie."

"I need you to back out from Panic."

She stiffened suddenly. "What are you talking about?"

"Please listen to me, Jo. Just trust me."

"How could I?" She grimaced, distrustfully. "You're not even telling me why."

"Did Natalie put you up to this?" Josie was shaking. "No, she didn't-" Dodge fends. "I completely forgot about your team up with her."

"That's not what this is about."

"-Well, then tell me what this is about."

"You don't want to know, Josie."

"Try me."

She was staring at him so intensely, Dodge could feel the warmth between them.

"I can't let you keep playing and I can't let you go to Joust because I have to. And if you're there, then I can't win." His throat tightened "And I have to. I have to win. I have to beat Luke. I'm not gonna let him get away with what he did to Dayna."

"Is this about what he did to the girl in the hit-and-run? Is this what you and your mom were talking about? Your plan?"  Her words pondered through his head as those memories flash back into his brain like a slideshow. Dodge closes his eyes as he deeply exhaled, feeling defeated and seen by her. "Or you could tell me that I'm wrong." Josie wanted her to be wrong.

"I'm playing for revenge," Dodge says. "It's all Luke's fault and he's gonna pay for it."

She felt suddenly cold. The word revenge was so awful. Straight and sharp, like a knife.

"You can't just decide to do that, Dodge." Josie continues to stare at the blank state of the boy. She sighed to herself, cursing and feeling betrayed.

"But Luke can just decide to run over my sister and get away with it." His jaw clenched in rising anger. "He's walking around without a scratch on him. I just want to get even."

"So, what are we, Dodge? Just pawns to your little revenge plan?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone, Jo." He had tremble in his voice. "How am I sure of that?" Her icy words stung his chest. "Because I don't. But Luke is gonna get what he deserves." Dodge had the urge to take Josie's hand, but Josie was hugging herself tightly.

"You're scared." He says, observing her distant figure. "You're scared of me?"

She turned away from him. "I think I'm gonna need that drink now."

This was what he was trying to prevent. What he was relieving himself from. Dodge felt a pang in his chest as she looked at him with those eyes. He felt he was a monster. Maybe he was. Dodge wasn't like Dayna. He couldn't make peace with the past. He couldn't change his nature. He was out for vengeance, and he was going to get it. But everything came with a cost.

Exiting the car and giving her space, he retreated behind the food truck further beside the other cars. Leaning his head down the truck, he felt cold. The cold was washing through his whole body. He was freezing, confused and furious. He didn't feel like himself.

"Fuck off, Ray!" He turns toward the commotion coming from in between his and Bishop's car, recognizing Bishop's voice and the nauseating sight of Ray Hall.

When Ray saw the pair smitten with one another, he made the petty and cruel decision to mess with them. Calling out while banging on the car's window. Heather longed to strangle him while glaring scornfully at Ray, but the Hall boy seemed unbothered. She wouldn't even talk to him. He's got nothing to lose.

"I'm not gonna say I'm not surprised. I mean, if the son of the richest guy in town has a thing for me, I'll jump on that train." Regardless of Bishop being face to face with him, Ray gave a smug smirk. "Seeing how cozy you two were, I guess your daddy didn't pay for that one, didn't he Bishop?" He winks.

"Just fuck off, asshole."

Ironically looking up, grinning as he recognized her bossy tone, he fumes. "You seriously have got to mind your fucking business, Josie."

"Leave them alone, Ray."

"You don't get to tell me what to do." He points, intensely treading closer to Josie which Bishop immediately stood in her defense and harshly pushed Ray away. "Just get out of here, man."

He scoffs, biting the inside of his cheek. "Don't push me." He warns and dashed to push the boy with stronger force. Heather instantly ran out of the car as a fight is beginning to arise. Josie rushed to pull Bishop out from Ray's punches and stop him from giving some. From the corner of her eyes, she could spot others seeing the two boys shove each other repeatedly. Their grunts are getting louder and are gaining an audience.

"Woah!" The voice of the other Hall came into view. "What's going on here?"

"Tell your brother to leave us alone," Josie yelled.

"Feisty, there." Luke grinned down at her. It sent a chill down her spine as she looked at him now after Dodge's admission. It made her irk at him even more.

"Both of you dicks should just leave."

"Do you really want that, sweetheart?" Luke sniggered. Ray grabs Luke by the shoulder as he inches closer to Josie, telling him to just leave it. "You know I would've bet a lot of money on you. If only Ray wasn't around." He whispers.

Her hands formed a fist as she felt his fingers brush her arms and his other arm circling her waist. "Let go." He doesn't listen. "Let GO!" She punches him in the gut.

"What? I thought you liked that. You liked it before." Luke laughed, yelling out the last part for everyone to hear as more people gathered. Josie could hear Ray's pleas to his brother as Bishop tried to shield her away from Luke as she rages. "Your mom certainly did. You know what they say like mother like daughter."

That was the last straw.

Breaking free from Bishop, she darted toward Luke's smirking figure and punches him in the nose. Hard, strong, and straight. One is the first punch. Second, to make sure it hurt. The people around gasped, including Heather, Bishop, and Ray, seeing the blood rushing out of Luke's nose. The pain in her knuckles was excusable, satisfaction rose on her. The very pissed-off Luke retaliates, slapping the teenager hard and harshly. She could've sworn the slap echoed around the parking lot. Josie winced and groaned. The side of her face stung and a tear just fell from her right cheek.

It was lightning-like. Dodge suddenly rushes in to defend her, taking Luke by the shirt and delivering a clean blow to Luke's bloody face while dragging him away from Josie's position at the end.

He could feel it. The cold in Dodge's chest had turned into a hard fist. It was pounding on his ribs and trying to burst through his skin. As if all the anger and vengeance he was saving up for their confrontation on Joust were bursting at this very moment. Luke failed to fight back. His flailing arms could not stand a chance against Dodge. Dodge continued to attack. Punching and punching and punching the man continuously, not even giving him time to breathe. Dodge didn't care about the blood marking on his skin, the looks people were giving him, or the pain and numbness he was feeling on his knuckles. Ray tried to shove him off, but he didn't even flinch.

"Dodge. DODGE!" Josie shouts, running close to him. She grabs his shoulder trying to pull him away before he does something stupid. Something he might regret. "DODGE! Stop! You're gonna- DODGE, PLEASE!"

His trance was broken by her begging voice. His eyes scream in grief and despair as he stares at the bleeding Luke, his fist, and then her. Luke seized the opportunity to knock the Mason boy to the ground while he was off guard. With the advantage, he doesn't waste time pounding the boy in the face, arm, chest, or stomach. Josie froze in fear. The sound of Dodge writhing in agony and coughing blood caused her breathing to become erratic, and she began to shake with panic.  

Luke caught him and wrapped his arms in a circle around Dodge's neck, strangling him. Ray ran up to Luke's side as his eyes grew wide. He shoved and shook his brother to get him to stop, but it was pointless. Menacingly staring at him dead straight, Luke gripped tighter at Dodge's neck, choking him and watching him slowly lose the life out of his eyes.

Josie took off running. Running towards Dodge's car, she ducked inside her purse the thing she thought could help. She needed to do something. Josie overheard Heather scream to Bishop to call the cops. Dodge's visions started to feel drowsy. His eyes began to turn red and his face pale. Her eyes widened, seeing Dodge's arms tap desperately and vindictively at Luke's arm to let him go before he took his last breath.

Click.

He didn't need to look. He didn't need her to say. As his breath stuck in the pit of his throat, he was trembling. Just one pull of the trigger, he'd be dead. Feeling the barrel settled patiently on his skull, Luke knew he needed to pull away.

"Easy, sweetheart."

"Let. Him. Go." Josie threatened, holding the gun down to his head.

As soon as Josie drew out the old revolver, the joyful applause quickly faded into frightened quiet, including Ray, who was tentatively holding out his hand as he moved forward.

Finally letting go of Dodge's neck, the Mason boy let out a desperate cry of air. Josie sighed in relief seeing him okay, squatting down on the ground, coughing, inhaling and exhaling. Still with the gun on his head, Luke laid out his arms up in surrender.

"Careful, sweetheart, you might hurt yourself."

"Oh, would I?"

BANG! She shot just right by Luke's foot which had the whole scenery duck down in fear including the nearby people flinching as she took the shot. Eyes darted, scowling on Luke, she points the gun back to him.

"If you do anything to him again, next time it's the head."

"Now for the last time, while I'm still being nice, fuck off!"

Sending her one last glare, Luke and the rest of his party got on their truck and drove off. Everyone else seemed to get the message, some driving off and others going back to watch the film that Josie never noticed was still playing in the background.

There was no joy left in the game. No lightness or humor at all. Panic, as far as Josie knew, had never been this serious. It had never been played with so much secretiveness, either. With everything that just happened in the past half hour, Josie didn't know what to do. But she knew that this is more than just their game now. None of them was safe. No more. Never again. At last, she realized too that despite everything, the game was still ongoing. And that she had just lost.

[starsandauras]

Prompt 2: Bolt

FFXIV 30 Day Writing Challenge Prompt 2: Bolt Streamer AU is back! Yay!

“What’s this one?” Alisaie asked, sliding a scrap of fabric over to Brigid, who automatically reached out for it without looking, focused more on the design taking form under her pencil.

It was an iridescent purple, but otherwise wasn’t particularly shiny. She crumpled it under her hand, and it looked and sounded all the world like crumpling loose leaf paper. “Silk taffeta,” she said distractedly, sliding it back over to Alisaie.

Alphinaud slid another swatch over to her, this one a soft blue color, and light and flowy. “This one?” he asked, his carbuncle chirping seemingly in encouragement from Alphinaud’s lap.

She grasped at it, rubbing the fabric between her fingers to test the texture. “Ugh,” she groaned, flicking it away from her. The twins watched as it floated back down to the table. “Chiffon,” she practically spat out, like it was a curse. “Evil fabric, nay worth the bother of workin’ with.”

“You can identify it only through touch?” Alphinaud asked, head tilted as he poked at the rejected swatch, wondering what was so terrible about this chiffon.

“If ‘tis bein’ made proper like, aye,” she murmured, again distracted by her design. “If Alisaie was handin’ me a shantung, I’d be tellin’ it from the bits woven in. Taffeta’s nay havin’ it, and chiffon is being lighter.” She spat the word again, making Alphinaud raise an eyebrow at his sister, she just shrugged, equally confused.

Instead she slid another swatch over, a deep crimson and incredibly shiny, practically puddling on the table, the wrong side matte. “And this?”

Once again, Brigid picked it up without actually looking at it, moving it about in her hand. “Charmeuse,” she settled on, before finally looking up at them. “Were you two diggin’ through me silk stash?” she asked, smiling softly as the two looked away from her and towards each other, shifting nervously.

“It’s a good texture,” Alphinaud finally spoke up, but his voice was quiet, and his carbuncle curled up against his chest.

“Well, not the taffeta,” Alisaie added, moving to look over Brigid’s shoulder. “Is that one going on the stream?” she asked, clearly changing the subject.

Brigid hummed, more than happy to move on if they wanted. “Nay, ‘tis a private commission, havenae cleared it for the stream yet, nay sure if I’m goin’ to ask.”

Alphinaud also peeked over, blinking at it for a moment. “This isn’t the dress Mother commissioned,” he eventually said, looking up at Brigid.

“Mm, still waitin’ on the fabric she was wantin’ for it. Dinnae keep damask in the stash.”

“What’s this one for then?” Alisaie asked, only looking up at Brigid when the other woman was quiet for a long moment. “No,” she practically gasped. “Is this for the opera house?!”

“You said you’d never do work for him again after the time their in-house cutter and draper walked out!”

“Wait, was the cutter-draper? I thought it was the assistant designer.”

Brigid groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Hyth was askin’,” she mumbled. “Was callin’ in a favor.”

The twins (and carbuncle) stared at each other before staring back at Brigid. “What’s he paying you?” Alisaie finally asked.

“Thousand gil and ten yalms of emerald green watered silk,” Brigid answered, face still in her hands.

“The fabric that looks like the waves in Ala Mhigan steel?” Alphinaud asked, and Brigid nodded. Alisaie whistled low, under her breath.

“That’s fair then.”

[shiftdrawwing]

(waves) Hello 👋

You did a wip ask thing a while ago. I'm here to ask about the Lego Monkie Kid Wild Child wip you listed...

Do you have any comments on it that no one has thought to ask about, yet? I'm over all just curious and I don't want to ask a question you've already answered for.

I do NOT! Oml yes finally a reason to TALK ABOUT IT It's still very very VERY much WIP as I don't have all the details knocked out just yet, but the base of it is that MK starts off monkey-mode. As in, when he's a small lil babe that's found by Pigsy, he's already sporting his monkey form, and grows up with it. What I do have thought out however is the entire exposition bit; It starts off similarly but different at the same time, still following the base of "Pigsy finds lil MK" but under a slightly different circumstance. Normal day as per usual, and Pigsy' taking out the trash when he catches the sound of rustling and shuffling by the dumpster/cans/whatever. Upon further investigation, there's a dirty lil monkey man diggin' through the trash for somethin' to eat. So ofc, upon seeing him, Pigsy momentarily freaks out and nearly smacks the poor thing out of surprise, until he realizes this thing is oddly toddler-shaped and starts to calm down. Lil MK on the other hand is not having' it, and he starts hissing, raising his jowls, screeching, lil mans' arch is back and his hair is on end- trying to do all he can to scare away this big monster that came and interrupted his dumpster-diving. Pigsy at some point tries to reach out, and then MK goes and chomps on his finger, which has Pigsy rell back to re-think his approach. He only keeps himself at a distance though and doesn't go away, thoroughly confused and trying to calm the lil guy down, and when MK realizes that his scare tactics are in fact not threatening and not working, he just starts BAWLING and shaking like a leaf. So, deciding he can't really do a lot on his own, Pigsy calls good ol' Tang up and tells him to come down. It takes around an hours, but he shows up and immediately starts helping once Pigsy explains the situation. And his solution is; playing the waiting game. So, Tang sits at the mouth of the alleyway and just waits. He doesn't approach MK, doesn't talk to him, just waits. During the wait Pigsy heads back in to keep working, but comes out every so often to give Tang some food and to check how things are going. Eventually, lil MK is a lot more relaxed, and decides to go check out this strange man that's just been sitting for a couple hours. Tang makes sure to stay completely still while MK sniffs him, taps him, circles him, and then eventually lil MK decides that this guy's lap would be a suitable napping spot. And so, Tang only picks him up and takes him inside once he's sound asleep, aaaand that's the start of it all! Another fun fact that happens as a cause of this; In this AU, Tang's place of work is pretty far. But Pigsy can't handle parenthood *and* running his shop, so Tang willingly quits his job, and moves into the room upstairs (which ofc eventually becomes MK's room as he grows older), which leads to the reasoning on why, in the future, Tang is basically a freeloader. A lot of the beginning of MK's life like this is very very slife-of-life, including stuff like meeting Mei and such. But I have some other ideas for maybe more plot related stuff in terms of Monkey King and Macaque and all them- so questions are very welcome!!

[bingbeetle]

>> Busy Earnin' / Busy Burnin' << Part One of "They Call it Lonely Diggin'" By Foolhearty @ Ao3 / BingBeetle @ tumblr

Summary: In the wake of a prison escape and a harsh reality check about his whole life, about how poorly he’d chosen his friends and crewmates, Moxxie’s life takes a turn for the worse. He makes the most of it, rides the waves of disorientation just to survive, and convinces himself the pleasure is reward enough for all the pain. In a timeline where Moxxie doesn’t meet Millie after prison, doesn’t accept Blitz’s job offer, and doesn’t dare return home to Crimson with his tail between his legs, Moxxie does what so many in a tight spot do: sells his pride for a bite to eat. While he lacks a soul to bind the deal, he’s still no less locked to Val’s boot-heels than any run-of-the-mill human sinner.

ValMoxx ( Valentino x Moxxie ); Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss Crossover; Notable Tags: Canon Divergent AU, Drug Addiction, Sex Addiction, Alcoholism, Rough Sex, Extremely Dubious Consent, Valentino Being Valentino, Twisted Relationship/Toxic Love, Obsession & Codependency (Implied; To be Explored in Later Additions) || Picrew Base || Fic Viewable By Registered Users Only; Please Ensure You Are Logged Into Ao3 to Read & Comment 8)

[staxoftrax]

JULY 9th NEW ARRIVALS!!

I just dropped a couple of boxes of great recent acquisitions at the store for tomorrow’s diggin’. Lots more Jazz, Soul, Blues and some Reggae as well as Rock. Pictured highlights include some real classics like Curtis Mayfield - Curtis, Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde, Stan Getz Au Go Go w/ Astrud Gilberto, The Doors - LA Woman, Big Star 3rd - Sister Lovers, Junior Kimbrough - All Night Long, Charley Patton - Founder of the Delta Blues, Bob Marley - Legend (and Natty Dread not pictured) and Morrissey - Suedehead (original 12″ EP). Lots more so get to the store and find some gems.

Josh Ferko / Stax of Trax Records