#dust off the old clown costume

[garkgatiss]

{{esquivalience}}, The Auteur, and Doctor Who the TV Show

alright so this novella.

First, its provenance: I was googling the Twist at the End song last week because it's catchy as hell. I ended up on the Tardis wiki and realized that there was a song by the exact same name that appeared in a licensed DWU novella that was published April 9th. As in, last month. Which is weird. It's hard to say how weird, but given the timing, it either has to be a) pure coincidence (lol), b) someone who worked on the show abusing their advance knowledge of plot details for personal gain, or c) intentional coordination between showrunner and novella-writer, a la Joe Lidster writing John Watson’s blog for BBC Sherlock.

The likelihood of (a) is decreasing by the week. I feel like I have to entertain the idea of (b) happening, but it's hard to square why a DWU-writing supernerd who is also involved somehow with the production of the show would risk a lifetime of blackballing from DW for a bit of cheap promotion for their extended-universe tie-in novella. I am so sorry to be saying this, but I think (c) might actually have legs.

The novella's title is {{esquivalience}}, which is a fake word invented in real life by editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary. The invented word means "deliberate shirking of one's official duties", and it was added to the dictionary to protect the copyright of the electronic version. In S9, Face the Raven showed us a “trap street", i.e. a fake street drawn on a map by a mapmaker to identify any copyright infringement of said map -- a dictionary entry for a word made up by the dictionary editors operates similarly as a copy-trap. The definition is apt for a copy-trap as well, because anyone illicitly copying a dictionary is themselves shirking a job they ought to be doing themselves... it's clever, it's very fun, we're off to a great start.

{{a crash course in esquivalience below the cut}}

THE STORY:

The unnamed protagonist applies for a custodial job at this library that serves basically as a databank for the history of everything in the universe. If a book about something is thrown away, that something ceases to have ever existed. Exhibit A: Protagonist works in the Dead & Dying Language Department. They throw away The Book of Belgian Dutch, and a) a couple coworkers with Belgian Dutch heritage either disappear or get completely different names/family trees, and also b) everyone quickly forgets that Belgian Dutch was ever a thing to begin with.

The librarians cover for this accidental deletion of reality by copying/fudging a new book on "Belgian Gerench", their name for what they replace Belgian Dutch with. They try to catch most of the people who were deleted, bring them back, and fit them into that new language/culture/ethnicity bucket they just made up.

(The narration explains that because both Belgian and Dutch still exist separately as concepts, there aren't too many knock-on effects in terms of loanwords in other languages that needed to be modified/recovered. It also explains that time-traveling back to make an exact copy of The Book of Belgian Dutch wouldn't work because of the universe's copyright laws or something.)

Protag then comes after the head of their department, the Head Dictionary Contributor, or Head DC. They find him in a hidden room called the Internal Reference Room. Instead of languages, the books here hold the life stories of every employee, which auto-update as the person lives their life, but can also be edited or destroyed to alter that person's reality. Protag sits down with the Head DC's lifebook and starts adding and erasing things.

It turns out that Head DC knows how wrong editing these books can go from personal experience. Years ago, wanting to leave his mark on the universe, the Head DC chose to add his own copy-trap into The Book of Dutch -- the fake word "esquivalience". This action seemingly created the concept of cutting corners at your job, leading to the insufficient vetting of Protag for this job and therefore their subsequent hiring, which results in Head DC's eventual death.

Head DC pleads with Protag for his life, but Protag is undeterred. They finally tear out the final page in Head DC's book, which kills him. Protag then writes themselves in as Head DC. Settling into their new role, they turn their attention to The Book of English (8th to 25th Century). They first look up the dictionary entry for “esquivalience”, which says it came to English from Dutch, and then flips to the entries for “ravel" and “unravel”, described as contranyms from Dutch roots, both “meaning variably to tangle or to fray”.

This is the central story of the novella. There is also a Prelude and Postlude that describe the lives of two young men, first in a reality in which they never meet, and then in a reality in which they do meet and fall in love (their meeting is enabled by one of them skivving off work in time to make it to see the movie where they first meet -- esquivalience!)

Just before the Postlude, there is also printed the lyrics to a song (see below), and an excerpt from The Book of English, this volume covering the 4th to 5th billionth centuries of history. This excerpt again gives the definition of “unravel”, but refers the reader to an appendix for the full list of definition, and notes they are “largely in usage as reference to Unravel, The” and “N.B. to be used with extreme care and caution”.

NOVELLA-SHOW CONNECTIONS:

Mavity [Wild Blue Yonder]: Mavity happened all the way back in Wild Blue Yonder, so it's not necessarily surprising to see it in a novella published in April 9, 2024, but there's a whole scene establishing that the M has seemingly replaced the G in all Romance languages, while Domhantarraingt in Irish-Gaelic is unaffected.

Rope [The Church on Ruby Road]: We're all learning the vocabulary of rope now! The Unravel is what the novella calls the meta-historical revisions caused by making edits to the books. There are also rope/weaving metaphors everywhere. Again, the rope themes of the TV show predate the April 9 novella just far enough that in theory it would have been possible for the novella to have taken inspiration from the 2023 Christmas Special. Except. The wiki page for The Unravel credits ownership of the concept to Jamie H. Cowan, the author of the novella. Not just that, but The Unravel was used – with credit to Jamie – in a DWU short story collection published December 26, 2023 – the day after The Church on Ruby Road aired.

Dot and Bubble [Dot and Bubble] : At this point, “Dot and Bubble” is a contextless episode title to me, first announced on March 31. In the novella, we get this:

The Twist At The End [The Devil’s Chord] : Just before the novella's Postlude, there are the lyrics to a song called “The Twist At The End”. Just listed there, no context, like an azlyrics.com entry. They are not the same lyrics as the song in The Devil's Chord, but then, meta-historical revision would kind of be the point, wouldn't it? There's just this sentence to connect it to anything happening in the narration: "Somewhere, in the far distance, as ______ continued to erase, an old 1960s Earth tune began to play."

EDITED TO ADD: @corallapis has pointed out to me that not only did the existence of the song "Twist at the End" by John Smith and the Common Men leak, but the novella's author tweeted about it in December 2023.

The Chumerian languages of the planet B’llauit, for instance, needed much consideration. Particularly Krulvan. There was still a great deal of work to be done in compiling the post-technoweb aspects of Krulvan. Like how most emotional words and phrases contracted more and more, until finally, they were little more than abbreviations. The old dot-and-bubble effect.

A parent’s love was no longer expressed post-technoweb as “Kal-at lur amoi”, but instead as merely “KLA”. Which needed to be carefully distinguished in the relevant encyclopedia from another abbreviated Krulvan phrase “Kal’ati Lepr’en Acrumpsal” – which was something rather equivalent to the expletives of other languages like “D’Arvit”, or “Bleno”.

It's only a brief mention in the book, so it's possible in theory that it was added after the episode titles were released, or even after the novella’s publication (Amazon allows post-publication changes up to 10% of the text, and it’s not possible to track those changes). I’ve included the second paragraph because it’s interesting that the example they’ve given is the word for a parent’s love, which we can see as a running theme in this season of DW (though Moffat has said before that the only thing he writes about is a parent’s love, so who knows).

Not the strongest evidence of two-way coordination, but we may learn more when the episode airs.

Dutch [Space Babies, Boom]: Yeah, as in, the Dutch language. The words “spoor” & “smelt” both get a "oo, good word!" callout, spoor in Space Babies and smelt in Boom. These words both have Dutch roots. Splice, the daughter's name in Boom, is not only from a Dutch root, but also means the joining two pieces of rope. I read this novella just before Boom dropped on Disney+, so I can personally confirm that this is not a post-hoc addition to the novella. It hardly could have been anyway, this element is much more integral to the novella’s narrative than any of the other pieces.

The Auteur

This is where this all becomes relevant to the “Doctor Who is a TV Show” theory.

While the Protag is shredding the Head DC’s book, the Head DC is in the room, and what follows is an extremely meta narrative-aware pre-death monologue from the Head DC. He's pleading with Protag to stop changing things in his book, but he also refers to an "It" whose power surpasses them both.

He held eye contact with them as they looked up, “You didn’t pick up Belgian Dutch by chance. It’s how it plays. In weaving coincidences.”

“Just stop reading. Stop changing things. Stop, and we can be spared. Be free! If you keep going, then it will get what it wants. It is a happening [sic]. Out there, and in here in the basement. Everywhere. It will win if you keep going.”

“One day, you’ll make the same mistakes. Goddamn, you will. Because it’s all already written. It has already written it all. The paths, the choices. Rewrites, erasures, and even the contradictions. If you don't just... stop... it will... Unravel us all."

The "It" in question is presumably the author. Like an author writing a story, "It" plays by weaving coincidences, "It" gets what it wants when we keep reading, "It" has already written everything.

The Head DC mentions a special disposal chute, which had recently appeared as if by magic, which enabled Protag’s destruction of Belgian Dutch. Head DC’s references to this “It” suggest that his decision to create a word meaning cutting corners caused his eventual death, not by inventing the concept of cutting corners, but by creating a set-up that the Auteur, a godlike being that cares only for the rules of narrative, was compelled to write a satisfying follow-through for. The Auteur changed reality in order to weave a narratively-satisfying coincidence.

The Auteur is a character from the DW-spinoff series Faction Paradox. The creator of the Faction Paradox universe describes it as “on the surface an SF universe, but it works on the same principles as traditional folklore.”

I am but a humble Moffat scholar, so explaining the character of The Auteur is immediately getting into lore that I cannot even begin to decipher.

But it seems plausible that in the show we’re dealing with a godlike being, someone along the lines of Maestro or the Toymaker, but instead of caring only for the rules of play, cares only for the rules of narrative.

And this being, The Auteur, is altering reality and creating the narratively-satisfying coincidences in 14’s and 15’s timelines, possibly starting all the way back with the coincidence of 14 regenerating as David Tennant and immediately bumping into Donna Noble.

And it seems plausible that this season was created in cooperation with these DWU authors to whom concepts like The Auteur and The Unravel are licenced, and the novella is a tie-in text full of references to the current season to lead savvy superfans on a merry chase that foreshadows the season’s big bad.

Because I... don't really have another explanation for the existence of this novella at this point.

[zoe-oneesama]

Is there a problem with repeat akumas? IDK, I don't mind the idea and have no problem with '2' episodes as long as they do something different with them (I don't mind, for example, Lady Wifi changing focus from revealing Chloe is Ladybug to getting Marinette to reveal her secrets.)

Just that it's lazy, and doesn't always make sense. Juleka became Reflekta because of being left out and blocked from being in the class photo - a very specific reason that belongs to a very specific situation - yet now every time she's akumatized she's Reflekta? What does Reflekta have to do with getting that mean video from "Adrien" or Marinette not wanting to share her secrets with her friends?

They can give Chloe 5 akuma forms (and counting) but everyone else is stuck dusting off their old clown costumes even though they're upset by something else entirely? Sure Jan.

[into-crazy]

Derry’s Secret Pt. 2

Pennywise x Female Reader series

Warnings- mature language, stalking, violence, dark themes, consumption of alcohol, ages 18+

Other parts can be found RIGHT HERE and through the "Derry's Secret" tag🎈

You live in a little corner house on the end of a quiet street. Using the term quiet because that's how it usually was. The neighbors kept to themselves mostly, which you didn't mind. Much preferring the seclusion anyways, as you have always been a bit more reserved.

The house you reside in has a time-worn appearance on the outside. Exactly like many of the other homes in the area, only yours is smaller. Even the interior is dated, from the tiled floors to the walls. Strangely, you appreciated the look and feel of it though. Plus the previous appliances seemed to have been properly replaced right before you'd moved in, so there were no issues there. Sure, they weren’t brand spanking new, but they were fully functional.

Your landlord was a sweet old woman. She rented the house to you monthly for a great price. The rent was low, almost too low that it was questionable. And rather suspicious. You had curiously asked her the reason for such a discounted amount. To which she simply replied, "The house is old, I wouldn't feel comfortable renting it for so much. And you seem like a sweet girl." You weren't entirely sure what she meant with that last statement, however you happily took it as a compliment.

Approaching the porch steps, your phone starts to vibrate in your pocket. You take it out, checking the notification. It's a text from Gabby that read- 'On my way. Be there in a few.'

You head inside, kicking your shoes off at the entryway before tossing the bags onto the couch. Satisfied to finally be in the familiar comfort of your own residence. You bring the grocery tote into the kitchen and put the contents away. It was only a few, non-perishable food items. Done with that, you connect your phone to the charger and set it atop the counter.

After today's events, you wanted nothing more than to lay around, have a drink, and relax with your friend.

Deciding to change, you remove your clothes while heading into the bedroom. You grab an oversized tee from the drawer and head towards the hamper at the end of the hallway. Having thrown your sweaty, asphalt dusted garments in, you exhale putting the fresh tee on.

"Much better." You whisper, pulling on a clean pair of shorts.

Since Gabby texted that she was almost here, you'll just sit and wait for her to arrive. Having purposely left the door unlocked so she could come right on in.

Walking back into the living room, you instantly spot something tall standing in the corner. Startled, you dare not to take another step. Instead choosing to fearfully eye the strange figure in your home.

There, stood a clown in a white puffy costume. Well over six feet tall, with elongated limbs. A large head that's twice, maybe three times the size of an average person's head. Its hair is orange and styled to curve upwards. Complete with makeup- a pale white face, thin highly arched eyebrows, and red lips with two lines curving up, ending in points directly above its big blue eyes.

Your legs are locked tight, you wouldn't be able to move even if you wanted to. Acknowledging this, the clown grinned, flashing a buck toothed smile.

"Hiya," its high pitched greet came out.

Despite its eyes shifting slightly away from each other, you could feel it staring dead at you. Swallowing hard, it doesn't take you long to figure whom the looming figure might be. "You're the t-thing from the drain," you faintly shudder out.

It lets out a delighted chuckle in response. "Ahh, you remember."

There's something about the deep husk in its voice that gives off the impression that it might be a male.

"Who are you?" You ask, finally able to take a step back.

It mimics your action, but taking one closer to you. The scent of burnt popcorn fills your nostrils. It's not something you would have expect this thing to smell like. Not this terrifying creature.

"I am Pennywise the Dancing Clown!" He jingles, giving a graceful bow upon introducing himself. "Or Very wise," he rises, "as you might know from what the little offspring told you." He laughs mockingly at the previous mention.

This is when you realize that he never fled. He followed you when you went to drop off the young child and now he's followed you home! At this point, you really start to regret not locking the door on your way in.

"What- well what do you want?" The question is caught in your throat. Your heart starts beating faster when his smile suddenly becomes darker. That can't be good, there is nothing about that smile that reads anything good. Instead it flashes signals of danger. Screeching at you to turn around and run. Get out as fast as you can before something terrible happens to you.

A huge glob of drool drips down from his mouth and onto the floor as he mutters, "to feast."

"Um, feast?" You swallow thickly, his response is difficult to comprehend.

"Well, you see," he inches closer, "I would've had a nice filling earlier. But then you seemed to have interfered, allowing my food to escape."

Oh no, his food.. was he was going to eat the young child?

"Now since I can't eat her.." his eyes flash into a ravenous fiery orange. Before you have time to react, he leaps forward. Wrapping a large gloved hand around your neck and lifting you off your feet. "You will have to suffice!" It growls, rows of razor sharp teeth filling its gaping mouth.

Gasping for air, you desperately kick and paw at the thing towering above you. Trying to get it to release its hold, but it's no use. "F-fuck, no-" you choke out.

It brings you closer, running its nose from your collarbone up your neck. Following the rapid pace of your pulse pumping through the artery under your delicate skin. Deeply inhaling your scent, its eyes roll back. Two clicking sounds gargle up from somewhere within its chest as it shudders slightly. Seemingly liking what it finds.

That is not normal! What the hell is this thing doing?

"Sweet, sweet, fear." Its voice vibrates along your skin, teeth grazing along your flushed flesh. Ready to pierce.. maim and eat.

You thought you were done for.

This is it, this is where I die. Is this really how I go out?

Suddenly it snaps its face to the side, then releases you. Dropping you onto the ground before disappearing completely in the blink of an eye. It’s gone before you can even react.

You shuffle back, harshly coughing as you try to catch your breath. Not even two seconds later, you hear the jiggling of the doorknob on the front door.

"Yo!" The door swings open and Gabby steps inside with her hands full. "I'm here- what the hell!" Finding you in a distressed state on the floor, she throws her stuff down and rushes to you. "Y/n, hey girl! Are you okay, what happened?" She frantically looks around the room.

"I, I.." you finally get your breathing back.

"What happened?" She repeats concerned, kneeling down.

You didn't want to worry her with the assault that just occured. It was bad enough this entity was already after you, so you don't want to get anyone else involved and put into harm's way. Especially Gabby.

Coming up with a quick excuse, you tell her, "it's nothing.. I um, I fainted and I scared myself."

"You fainted?" She examines your state, "you sure about that? You're all shaken up, it looks like you were attacked!"

"No really, I'm fine," you wheeze, "I fell so hard that I couldn't breathe and it scared me. I was alone and I just panicked because that's never happened to me before." Ain't that the truth!

"Well are you alright? Did you hurt anything?"

"I don't think so," you shake your head. "No, I'm alright."

She sighs in relief. "Oh, good. Here, I'll get you some water."

You slowly stand as she gets you a glass. Rubbing the spot behind your upper thigh, you can already feel the bruise coming from where you fell.

"And just so you know, I call bullshit on the whole it 'never happened before' claim." She comes back, offering you the glass.

"I meant on the part that I was alone, and I also don't know why I fainted." You reply after chugging from the cup. Of course you've fainted before. Hell, she's actually witnessed it herself.

She tries thinking of a reason for your false faint claim. "Hm, well have you ate?"

"Not really. I had a pastry at the shop earlier, but that was it. Plus the drink."

"Well then that's it, your blood sugar is most likely low. Then especially with all that walking around this morning with very little food in your system." She walks over to the stuff she brought over.

"Yeah, that's probably what it was," you chuckle. Content in the fact she wasn't suspicious anymore, you felt a great sigh of relief. Hey, you wanted something scary tonight. Well you got it, alright. Having been two seconds away from becoming a human entrée, you're just glad that Gabby had shown up when she did. Despite that though, you truly are grateful for her and appreciate everything that she does for you. She's just looking out for you. And no doubt for her, you'd do the same.

"You need to eat," she brings over a pizza box. "Good thing I made a quick stop on my way over here."

"Ah you're the best!" You acknowledge, lifting the cardboard lid to take a slice out. The hunger's really hitting you now at the scent of food. She sets the box on the table in front of the couch.

"So, about the movie choice for tonight," she digs through her bag, "you said something scary.."

"Mhm," you mumble with a mouth full of cheese.

"We're gonna watch Paranormal Activity." She gleefully states earning a groan from you.

"Seriously, you know I can't stand those boring movies."

She bursts out with a laugh, "got ya! I'm kidding, I brought The Conjuring." Leave it to Gabby to know your taste in horror films. Putting it in the player console, she takes a couple whiffs of the air. "Did you burn the popcorn?"

Damn, it left its scent.

"Uh, no. I haven't made the popcorn yet. I'll make it now." You point out standing up. "Wine?"

"Like you have to ask," she snickers grabbing her own pizza slice.

During the movie, all you could think about was the clown. And the young girl. Hoping that she was safe. You wondered if it still might go after her.

It.. using that term because you aren't quite sure what it is, exactly. Even if it had a name. It was very similar to an animal in the way it stalked and growled, but also supernatural with how it completely vanished in thin air. You need answers.

Gabby had already fallen asleep by the time the movie ended. It was only after eleven, but she knocked out pretty quickly. While she slept, you used the time to do a little internet search on Derry. You poured yourself another glass of wine and sat with your laptop on your legs, typing away. Searching for 'Weird sightings in Derry' and 'Strange Derry reports' and even 'Pennywise.'

But nothing came up on the matter concerning the clown. Although you did come across an article with tragic events that had happened in Derry. You learned something about the town and its bad history before, but haven't gone further into the details until now. The websites provided brief amounts of information on them, from tragic incidents like the Ironworks Factory explosion and the burn down of the black spot. But what really got you was the reports of missing kids. Bingo. There was far too many more than adults. Some of the dates were recent, but you couldn't go back much further for the older dates. Those must not have been documented electronically.

Gab's loud snore pulled you out of your screen trance. Yawning, you figure that an internet search wasn't going to cut it. So you sat there in silence, pondering. Maybe the library? Yeah, the library. They should have history books that provide more details on the events. Hopefully they'll even have some old, written archives you could take a look at.

The time on the laptop read 1:09 am, had you seriously been up this long? It didn't feel like you had. You close the laptop before setting it on the table. I'll go by there tomorrow, you thought as you shifted to lay down comfortably on the couch.

It was a good thing Gabby stayed the night. She's always amazing company. But especially more right now. You also decided not to tell her about the incident from earlier, with the little girl and the drain. Figuring it's best that she doesn't know about it. But at least having her here with you, you hoped that Pennywise wouldn't show up again. You really hoped that he wouldn't. That was all that ran through your mind as you slowly drifted off to sleep.

It's the only thing which you would've allowed, because you had a deep secret. A secret pushed so far in the depths of your soul that would soon come into play. But of course, you didn't know that yet.

End of Part 2.

[panopticon-entertainment]

On God’s Land

Even years later, walking into the green rooms inside of the “School of Chaos” felt immediately like a mid-October weekend. The clock in sheets filled out by tens of amateur scare actors. Costumes hung up but still out as if someone was coming to clean them or even wear them again one night. Make up containers that were never closed. Pools of hardened latex, crusted clown white, fake blood that smells of plastic. The chainsaw gas has all evaporated. Expo marker messages cover the mirrors. All as if tomorrow every ghost would be back to perform one more glorious show.

The costumes are all moth bitten. Masks dusty and smelling of spit and hotdogs. They were never washed. Nothing was ever washed. Water bottles half empty, chips and snack bags full of cobwebs. It’s been so long even the spiders, flies, and cockroaches have left. The air is stagnant. The feeling of shoulders brushing and chatter is sounding permeates. It feels like around every corner an actor will be sitting half done up and waiting for it to get closer to opening time. But there is nothing. Just a mess left for someone else to clean up. Memories tainted and bodies that will never return anywhere. It smells like dust, and it feels of bittersweet joy. This was the last happy things many, many people were part of.

Step a few feet and step into the School of Chas. The sets are all still up. Water bottles can be found in every crevice and hole in the wall. Walk underneath chandeliers made to look dusty and old that have truly become. Cemeteries, corpses, home set ups, burns that all feel in bad taste now. Close the eyes and feel the hundreds of memories that are walked through with every step. Happy actors, scared patrons, maintenance runs, set up, tear down, and tours upon tours. They all happened here. Everything seemed to have happened here once. Some girl had her first kiss with an actor during a traffic jam. Some kid fell of the fake walls trying to fix lighting. Someone got in a fist fight in this room. Someone cried in another

Find the half exit and walk to the boiler area. The Vivarium is still set up. Thousands of dead insects set up by the kindest soul. Less happened here but listen for the echoes of laughter in the burner where the bug actors used to crawl into and pretend to melt to death like an ant in a magnifying glass. The vivarium is maybe the sweetest place when the memories are overbearing.

Stepping outside you can see it just off there. The charred remains of the renovated dorm. Twenty-eight people burned there that night. Leaving this land to be tainted and scarred. Hop the fence, The clowns and the creatures are left the same. Just the same as that last October day. See Cornish Hall across the lot. Thirteen children wasted. This land is a curse.

But everything feels like that last October evening. Guests will come soon to experience fun. Actors will come and play up on death. The night will be crisp and no cares in the word. Just like it was. Only how it was.

[alexmercer2424]

Hey, can you imagine the main cast just trying to rehabilitate a former assassin, who is so happy because 3 months before they died, they killed 553 people with a large tuna fish in a clown costume before they were killed by the military? so why are you in hell anyways? "I committed mass murder using a oversized tuna fish as a deadly weapon and was killed by the national army for it! :D" "Oh... Ok... uhhh, *whispering to al* al go get every last tuna fish out of the Hotel." "WAY AHEAD OF YOU!!!"

Thank you for your patience! Also to you and others, I also do Helluva Boss!

HH Main 6 w/ a Former Assassin

Charlie Magne

Meeting killers is nothing new in hell, be it purposeful or accidental

And knowing assassins, war criminals, hitmen, or who have you was also nothing new. Hell was filled with all sorts of former people with blood on their hands

What surprised her though was just how many people you had killed

And your weapon of choice

At first she thought it was just a joke, considering you were chatting with Angel as this got brought up and nothing is all that serious with him

But you were telling the truth

And as positive and hopeful as she could be

A part of her was still worried

Before she could even request a sudden change in what could be found in the “kitchen” of the hotel, Vaggie was already gone trying to solve the problem

But with a snap of his fingers, Alastor has the situation handled

Vaggie

When she heard about what you had done, she thought it was a stupid joke as well

A way to puff up and seem better than Angel who was talking about all those egg bois he had killed

But when she found out you were telling the truth, she had gotten paler than she had with Alastor

After all, Alastor had motive, a deeper motive than what you had

He also wasn’t so… blunt… about his kills

So she disappeared to the broken down kitchen the hotel had just to find it spotless (thanks Niffty) and free of any seafood besides crawfish

She may have not known what happened to the seafood immediately upon entering the kitchen

But she’d soon find out because of the man with hidden motives

Angel Dust

Angel thought you were a joke at first

Not just your story, but your character all together

But too be honest, he finds most people as some sad joke, even the demons he’s slept with for less cash than desirable

But watching how serious you got when telling your story, he couldn’t help but get slightly uncomfortable

It made him worry, but he did what he did best and laugh it off

After all, Vaggie was still scarier than you and he had nothing to fear from her

If anything, you were something he could annoy and try to get in trouble with said management

But as for now, he knows better than to sit next to you if you ever order the salmon

Alastor

He was intrigued by your story

Was impressed with your kill count as well as the methods

He would’ve loved to seen it himself, in person to watch all the chaos, but sadly he couldn’t

He’s just have to listen to the tale as if it were a old town rumor that’s been passed on for generations

But it also made him careful of you

Because if you had that capability as a human, and he knows little about you as a demon, you could become an issue

After all, he doesn’t need you trying to take advantage of him in any way

And he definitely doesn’t need you working for his rivals and giving them any sort of advantage

So with a snap of his fingers he cleared the kitchen

Better safe than sorry

No one was going to dethrone him

Niffty

She was just happy to have a new friend

A new friend with a new tale and a quote fascinating tale at that

She wanted to hear every detail, from the type of fish, and it’s size and weight, and how each person was killed

It would be a great addition to the fanfic she is writing

It would add some comedy to the murder mystery romance story she’s writing

So expect her to follow you around and stick to you like a leech

She may even remake your clown costume if your demon form wasn’t clown related to begin with

Husk

Could honestly care less

Or so he says, it’s just his persona

But also it makes him nervous

After all, killing and such isn’t his thing, he’s more of a gambler as we know

But to have someone so dangerous nearby?

It makes him uneasy

It’s one of the few times he’s glad to be in debt to Alastor because he knows the radio demon wouldn’t let anything happen to his pawns

But that didn’t settle him any because after all

Alastor wasn’t always around to keep an eye on you

Also please drop by and say hello in our discord server!

https://discord.gg/Xr6V4znGXN

[rupturedtaleblog]

RUPTUREDTALE END OF YEAR FIVE: A BUNCH OF SPRITE EDITS OF JACK AND HIS DUMBASS FRIENDS

Happy Anniversary, everyone. To celebrate this year, here is another update to the edit compedium of Jack and his dumbass human friends. The bottom two images are the newest additions.

Under the cut you will find a list of names along with the edits' creators.

Enjoy.

Original.

Original Hatless.

Original Hatless & Jacketless

Vriska Serket from Homestuck.

Christmas Outfit.

Phoenix Wright from Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. (Halloween Costume).

Split Personalitale Jack (First Split).

Split Personalitale Jack (Second Split).

Maid.

Frack.

Jisk 1.

Jisk 2.

Jisk 3.

Jhara.

Jowery.

Jackriel.

penthos.

penthos. (Rupturedtale Edition).

Joseph from Preboot @ut-fragmented-au

Peter from @terraformed-au

Abigail from @ut-ladentrue by Datudou

Valor from @ut-metal-and-magic

Aston from @barrier-blocks-au

Frederick from preboot @whatitoncewas-au

Asgore from Reflective Journey, by @mamar12

Asgore from Reflective Journey, by @mamar12 (joke)

Sans from Reflective Journey, by @mamar12

Frisk from the @ut-tantamount Preboot

Jack from Team Surge Tubertale.

Cole from The Waking Dream.

Hinawa from Mother 3.

Brad Armstrong from LISA The Painful RPG.

The Batter from OFF.

Spades Slick from Homestuck.

Karkat Vantas from Homestuck.

Mario from Super Mario on the PS4.

Porky Minch from Earthbound and Mother 3.

Schoolgirl Jack.

Squidward Jack.

Jack’s Final Form

Broken Jack

Actual Tile as Jack.

Jack as Actual Tile

Female Jack

Fat Jack

Jusie

Jack Pawnthos from @auversallockdown

Vessel Jack by Puffle

Beta Jack by JakeThatDog

Jack With Three Hats by Puffle

Jile by JakeThatDog

Nelson Jack by Aqua

Red Mist Jack by Aqua

Nogla from @official-tubertale by Pixelcrusher

Sans from @ut-storyspin by Pixelcrusher

Reverse Jack by @fmsdraws

Paper Jack by @fmsdraws

Joseph from @ut-fragmented-au by @swordlover87

Jack Caretaker by @fmsdraws

Female Jack by @fmsdraws

Goo Jack by DastardlyDeacon

Frisk from Deacon’s Swapspin by DastardlyDeacon

Frisk (Revised) from Deacon’s Swapspin by DastardlyDeacon

Jinty 2.0 from @rupturedtaleblog by JakeThatDog

Joge from @rupturedtaleblog by JakeThatDog

Joge (Armored) from @rupturedtaleblog by JakeThatDog

Cerulean by DastardlyDeacon

Protagonist of Freefall by Namiki

Nagito Komaeda from Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair by ThatoneJimmy12

Sou Hiyori from Your Turn To Die -Death Game By Majority-

Jack Noir by Alan900900900

Jack as Dusted from @ut-impulse-break by Dihze

Dusted as Jack from @ut-impulse-breakby Dihze

Jack’s Ultimate Form by @swordlover87

[…] from @undert-a-le

Dino Jack

Beefy Jack

Child Jack

Adult Jack

Jris

Yes by @skeletalscallybones

Jack’s Penultimate Form by Jellybean_Bloom

Awful Hospital Jack by Puffle

Awful Hospital Jack (Green) by Puffle

Awful Hospital Jack (Blue) by Puffle

Awful Hospital Jack (Green Gown) by Puffle

Awful Hospital Jack (Blue Gown) by Puffle

Jack Awakening by Puffle

Trans Rights Jack by Puffle

Bear Jack by Puffle

Blackjack

Bojack Horseman from the hit tv sitcom Horsin’ Around.

Jack by Skulgan

Conveniently Shaped Jack by JakeThatDog

Blue Cheesecake by Jellybean_Bloom

LustJack by Jellybean_Bloom

Jackgar by JakeThatDog

98 Killjoy by JakeThatDog

Jack Chungus by Puffle

The Spy by JakeThatDog

The Spy (Disguised as Doge) by JakeThatDog

Goomba Jack by Puffle

Ruptured Jack

This Stop Sign Is a Hexagon by @audiospawn

Upside-Down Jack by Puffle

Jack Dying For Our Sins by Puffle

Tiny Jack

Crossbones from @tsunderswapofficial by Beethovenus

W.D. Jack by JakeThatDog

Jack Spep by Beethovenus

OAGOH AOHG AOGHOA GOAGO OAGH by Beethovenus

Madjack by Beethovenus

Burgerpants from @tsunderswapofficial by Beethovenus

OAOOAOGOGO OOAOAOGAGH by Beethovenus

Wet Jack by Beethovenus

Jack Wazowski by Puffle

Ice Cream Cone Jack by CHAOS_FANTAZY

Jack Unyessing by Jellybean_Bloom

Fresh Jack by Jellybean_Bloom

Tux Jack by Time Traveler

Jack MC by JakeThatDog (why)

99 Hot Air by Puffle

Airplane Jack by Puffle

Alien Jack by Puffle

Alien Jack (Attack Mode) by Puffle

Rubber-Band Jack by Puffle

Jack Simpson by JakeThatDog

Jack HD Remastered by JakeThatDog

Annoying Jack by Puffle

Chef Jack by Puffle

Jaggie Parsa by JakeThatDog

Jalphis by JakeThatDog

Jack from Rupturedcraft by JakeThatDog

Winter Jack by @mamar12

Japyrus by @subna03

Jalsei by @subna03

Jack doing his best by Jellybean_Bloom

JC by JakeThatDog

AK by JakeThatDog

Jack Troll by JakeThatDog

Jack Skellington by JakeThatDog

Business Jack by JakeThatDog

Jack Sanchez by Tyler Boomed

Papyrus from @invertedfate by JakeThatDog

Sack by Thatonejimmy

Jack’s Head

Jack’s Head Yessing

sack rupturedtale by Thatonejimmy

Gabriel by @vuristwo

me

Bald Jack

Homer Simpson by Tyler Boomed

Peter Griffin by Tyler Boomed

Undetailed Jack by JakeThatDog

Undetailed Jack by Puffle

Bart from Title Pending

Grimmer from Until De4th

Jumbo Jack by JakeThatDog

Glyde After He Stole Jack’s Clothes

Ninty In Jack’s Body by @skeletalscallybones

Shrak Has Swag by @skeletalscallybones

PEPSIMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN by @skeletalscallybones

Jack Edit by @wingeddogglob

Yoshikage Kira from Diamond is Unbreakable by Spouting - @ut-sudden-changes

Yoshikage Kira from JOJOLION by Spouting - @ut-sudden-changes​

Jack Penthos by Spouting - @ut-sudden-changes​

Deltarupture Jack (Light World) by Spouting - @ut-sudden-changes​

Deltarupture Jack (Dark World) by Spouting - @ut-sudden-changes​

Jack Minecraft Skin by Wrongnut.

Jundyne.

Doge’s Human Cosplay.

Original

Original Hatless.

Original Hatless & Jacketless

Jack as Ellie by Pearl

Ellie as Jack by Pearl

Jack Behind the Slaughter by Pacmaster

Jack Afton by @skeletalscallybones​

Villajack by Pacmaster

PogJack by Comic

Goojacks by Soufon

JackChamp by

Kirbjack by

Roblox Jack by Comic

Minecraft Jack by ches

Terraria Jack by ches

Homejack Runner by Pacmaster

Jack Being a Mess by Comic

Crying Jack by Pacmaster

Hippy Jack by Comic

Phantom Jack by Pacmaster

Dark World Jack by Bastian076

Skeleton Jack by

Loss Jack by Audiospawn

Saitajack by Tyler Boomed

Jack Animatronic by Comic

Jack Ghost by Pacmaster

The Jack Apparition by Pacmaster

Furry Jack by averagejokester

Jack Worker by Comic

Worker Jack from Undertale: The Workers by Comic

Spongejack by Comic

Patjack by Comic

Squidjack by Comic

Krabjack by Comic

Jackolette Penthoshire (Q84) by Jack’O Kirby

14-year-old Jack Penthos by Portel

14-year-old Ressie by Portel

Clothes Swap 14-year-old Jack Penthos by Portel

Clothes Swap 14-year-old Ressie by Portel

Clothes Swap Jack Penthos by Portel

Ressie by Portel

“Horror” Jack (inspired by A2E’s Horror Papyrus) by Portel

Clown Jack by Audiospawn

Sus Jack by Subna

Jack Lump by Jack’o Kirby

Unimportant Crewmate by Pacmaster

Jack Crewmate Cerulean

Jack Impostor by Cerulean

Jack Penthos by Seth McFarlane (Comic)

Story of Rupturedtale by Comic

Jrisk by Jack’O Lantern

Korb Jack by CJ

Paper Jack by Comic

PePePenthos by CJ

Penguin Penthos by Comic

Jack Conagher by Portel

Engiejack by Portel

Jackass by Portel

[REDACTED]

Wide Jack by Jack’O Lantern

Same by Puffle

Jack Smoke by JakeThatDog

DIO Penthos by Tyler Boomed

Penthos Sphere by averagejokester

Irritated Dog by Jack’O Lantern

Jusie by Jack’O Lantern

Sack by Jack’O Lantern

Jack Icon by Jack’O Lantern

Jario by Tyler Boomed

Juigi by Tyler Boomed

Jarwio by Tyler Boomed

Jaluigi by Tyler Boomed

Undertale Alpha Jack by Ninadroid

Jack Skellington by Ninadroid

Fish Jack by Ninadroid

Kris Jack by Ninadroid

Echo Flower Jack by Ninadroid

Goat Jack by Ninadroid

Jack Universe by Ninadroid

Jack Stickmin by JakeThatDog

Dog Jack by Ninadroid

Jackstablook by Ninadroid

Evil Chara Jack by Ninadroid

Jemmie by Ninadroid

Jettaton by Ninadroid

Jettaton EX by Ninadroid

Jasgore by Ninadroid

K/DA Akali Jack by Ninadroid

Jack the Clown by Ninadroid

Goku Jack by Ninadroid

Promare Jack by Ninadroid

Cyborg Jack by Ninadroid

JACKsepticeye by Ninadroid

Captain Jack Sparrow by Ninadroid

Inkling Jack by Ninadroid

Rupturedfell Jack by Ninadroid

Spider-Jack by Ninadroid

Onion Jack by Ninadroid

Imannoyed by Skeletal Scallywag

Headcrab Jack by Comic

Cringe Jack by Comic and Skeletal Scallywag

Jaggie by Comic

Jack Toudou by Comic

Jack Suou by Comic

Jack Amano by Comic

Jack Yuki by Comic

Jack Shiomi by Comic

Jack Narukami by Comic

Jack Amamiya by Comic

Jack Frost by Ninadroid

egg

Smurf Jack by JakeThatDog

Jack Penthos (Orange Flavor) by Portel

Oni Penthos by Skeletal Scallywag

Mad Jack by Skeletal Scallywag

Mad Jack Dummy by Skeletal Scallywag

Robot Mad Jack Dummy by Skeletal Scallywag

Jackumi by Skeletal Scallywag

Leack of Rupshido & Ruptohr by Skeletal Scallywag

Shrack by Skeletal Scallywag

Shrack’s First Child by Skeletal Scallywag

Shrak’s Second Child by Skeletal Scallywag

Monke by Skeletal Scallywag

That Guy

Jack Cartman by Tyler Boomed

Jackie Monothos Homeless (Savesister) by Portel

Ack (Monoprism) by Portel

Sheriff Jack (Monoprism) by Portel

The Jack (Monoprism) by Portel

The Jack XL (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack Penthoswell (Monoprism) by Portel

Jackon (Monoprism) by Portel

Jackyrus by Skeletal Scallywag

Penthos-Louie by Portel and Pinokio

Penthos-Louie Taller Portel and Pinokio

Penthos-Louie Tallest Portel and Pinokio

Dejackipated by Skeletal Scallywag

Jackie Monothos (Monoprism) by Portel

Jile by Portel

Steven Penthos by Comic

Jyclops by Jack’O Lantern

Jack Selling His Dignity To Fast Food Corporations by Jack’O Lantern

JAKU NIKU by Jack’O Lantern

Calvin Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Jaxosbra by skeletal scallywag

Jlyde by skeletal scallywag

Jerry by skeletal scallywag

Empathyblook by skeletal scallywag

Jack Pissing by skeletal scallywag

Professionally™️ Upscaled Jack

Jackhog by Jack’O Lantern

Sonic Adventure Ruptured: Jack the Hedgehog by soufon

Doomer Woah Jack by soufon

Jackbox by soufon

Finn Penthos by soufon

Happy Thoughts by soufon

NON- by TippyInk

Jαck by Portel

Spinel Penthos by soufon

Jack Rupturedtale by soufon

Jack Wearing His Clothes Backwards by soufon

Smallest Jack by Comic

Smaller Jack by soufon

Small Jack by Comic

The Jack 2 (Monoprism) by Portel

Jackteria by soufon

Pickle Jack by skeletal scallywag

MnM Jack by Comic

Impailed Jack by TippyInk

String Jack by Pacmaster

Baby Jack (No Hat or Jacket) by TippyInk

Baby Jack (No Hat) by TippyInk

Baby Jack by TippyInk

Jacket by TippyInk

Puppet Penthos by Pacmaster

Jacob Pisti by soufon

Friskjack by soufon

Ghoul Jack by skeletal scallywag

Cool Jack by skeletal scallywag

Azul Jack by skeletal scallywag

Pool Jack by skeletal scallywag

Announcer Jack by TippyInk

Furry Jack by TippyInk

The Unimportant Guardian Fish by Skeletal Scallywag

Pissed off Goose by comic

Jack Spiral by skeletal scallywag

9 GRAND CHILD by skeletal scallywag

Dazed Jack by skeletal scallywag

Empty Jack by skeletal scallywag

The Sneaky Hermit by skeletal scallywag

So Tired by skeletal scallywag

Jar Jar Jinks by skeletal scallywag

Jack-Mono (Monoprism) by Portel

nothing lmao

Jack-Al (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Gray (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Infant (Monoprism) by Portel

Imposter Jack (Undertαle/Rupturɛdtale?) by Portel

Jack-Monster (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Will (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Will (Bloody) (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Sebon (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Sebon (Hospital) (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack-Eye (Monoprism) by Portel

Jack Portelthos by Portel

Jack Earthbound Penthos by Puffle

Jack Earthbound Penthos Variation by Puffle

Jack “Mother 2” Penthos by Puffle

Jack “Mother 2” Penthos variation by Puffle

Charlie Penthos by averagejokester

Ijack by JakeThatDog

Jackvil by JakeThatDog

Jack Mix by skeletal scallywag

Terry Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Jaaron by skeletal scallywag

Human Jhrek by skeletal scallywag

Fracturedstory Jack

OC Sprite by Pixelcrusher

Jack Penthos by Pixelcrusher

Jack Unit by Comic

98 Human Revision by Comic

Poppy by FMSDraws

Jack Wishing For Death by FMSDraws

Regijackgas by Cerulean

Sans Jack by CoolDude

AU Protag Jack by CoolDude

Frisk Jack by CoolDude

Sariel by SoupTaels

Josh by SoupTaels

True Geno’s Gaster by SoupTaels

Sariel (Jack Colors) by SoupTaels

Josh (Jack Colors) by SoupTaels

True Geno’s Gaster (Jack Colors) by SoupTaels

Shroob by Mamar

Brotherhood Sans by Mamar

Subaru Penthos by Tyler Boomed

King Jajajack by skeletal scallywag

Masked King Jajajack by skeletal scallywag

Shadow Jajajack by skeletal scallywag

Jajajack clone by skeletal scallywag

Jajajack clone 2.0 by skeletal scallywag

King J Mind by skeletal scallywag

Parallel Jajajack by skeletal scallywag

Jack Kirby by skeletal scallywag

Jutter and Joast by JakeThatDog

Coffee Shop Jack by Subna

Coffee Shop Frisk With Jack’s Clothes by Subna

Chiaki Nanami by Subna

Jack Nanami by Subna

Jalter Whittle

IF Unjack by skeletal scallywag

Pumpkin Jack by skeletal scallywag

J I O by skeletal scallywag

Jack Resized With An Emulator Filter by Jack’O Lantern

Jack Penthos (Prince of Heart) by averagejokester

Jack Boy by JakeThatDog

Jodd

Jodd Chavez

Gamer Jack by Comic

Unnus

Annus by Portel

IF Jundyne Damaged by skeletal scallywag

Special Hug by skeletal scallywag

Jolbat by JakeThatDog

The Entirety of Twitch Chat by JakeThatDog

Jack “Crazy Frog” Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Jancer by skeletal scallywag

Jlowely by CJ

irl jack by skeletal scallywag

Creeper Jack by Ninadroid

Jack of Kaards by Ninadroid

GEO exe Jack by Ninadroid

Fall Jack by Ninadroid

Jack of the Lantern by Ninadroid

Lion-O Jack by Ninadroid

King Knight Jack by Ninadroid

Galar Trainer Jack by Ninadroid

Count Jackcula by Ninadroid

J-Man by JakeThatDog

Cut Jack (This and the rest are by skeletal scallywag)

Guts Jack

Ice Jack

Bomb Jack

Fire Jack

Elec Jack

Time Jack

Oil Jack

Bond Jack

Metal Jack

Air Jack

Bubble Jack

Quick Jack

Crash Jack

Flash Jack

Heat Jack

Wood Jack

Ghost of Jackob Pentharly

Jack of Christmas past

Jack of Christmas present

Jack of Christmas future

Jacker

Jacunk

Jallade

Jaquint

Tengu Jack

Astro Jack

Sword Jack

Clown Jack

Search Jack

Frost Jack

Grenade Jack

Aqua Jack

Needle Jack

Magnet Jack

Gemini Jack

Hard Jack

Top Jack

Snake Jack

Spark Jack

Shadow Jack

Bright Jack

Toad Jack

Drill Jack

Pharaoh Jack

Ring Jack

Dust Jack

Dive Jack

Skull Jack

Gravity Jack

Wave Jack

Stone Jack

Gyro Jack

Star Jack

Charge Jack

Napalm Jack

Crystal Jack

Dark Jack 1

Dark Jack 2

Dark Jack 3

Dark Jack 4

Blizzard Jack

Centaur Jack

Flame Jack

Knight Jack

Plant Jack

Tomahawk Jack

Wind Jack

Yamato Jack

Freeze Jack

Junk Jack

Burst Jack

Cloud Jack

Spring Jack

Slash Jack

Shade Jack

Turbo Jack

Iceburn Jack

Speedrun Jack

Spike Jack

Oyster Jack

Hack Jack

Leaf Jack

Zap Jack

Coal Jack

Dagger Jack

Wizard Jack

Axe Jack

Soak Jack

Trash Jack

Battery Jack

Sonic Jack

Volt Jack

Dyna Jack

Justice Jack

Death Jack

Crypt Jack

Photon Jack

Pule Jack

Virus Jack

Boom Jack

Shock Jack

Circuit Jack

Charade Jack

Fish Jack

Polar Jack

Terror Jack

Thermo Jack

Thrill Jack

Plague Jack

War Jack

Power Jack

Port Jack

Flare Jack

Jackstar/Sun Jack

Mercury Jack

Venus Jack

Jackrra/Earth Jack

Mars Jack

Jupiter Jack

Saturn Jack

Uranus Jack

Neptune Jack

Pluto Jack

Yoku Jack

Hammer Jack

Nail Jack

Tank Jack

Jet Jack

Glue Jack

Trinitro Jack

Rainbow Jack

Yo-yo Jack

Whirlpool Jack

Blade Jack

Pump Jack

Commando Jack

Chill Jack

Sheep Jack

Strike Jack

Nitro Jack

Solar Jack

Block Jack

Fuse Jack

Acid Jack

Blast Jack

Tundra Jack

Torch Jack

Impact Jack

Bounce Jack

Bit Jack

Shark Jack

Old Wave Jack

Old Oil Jack

Old Blade Jack

Old Torch Jack

Tiny Jack

Jack Cratchit

Jack the Scrooge

The Jack of Ignorance

The Empathetic Wishing Star

Mr Jackwig

Jackred

Jolly old Saint Jack

Concrete Jack

Tornado Jack

Plug Jack

Jewel Jack

Hornet Jack

Magma Jack

Galaxy Jack

Fake Jack

Dangan Jack

Konro Jack

Aircon Jack

Komuso Jack

The Red Clock Jack

The Blue Clock Jack

Compass Jack

Dynamo Jack

Cold Jack

Ground Jack

Pirate Jack

Burner Jack

Magic Jack

Missile Jack

Tide Jack

Reactor Jack

Drake Jack

Todd Pathos.

Maggie Farsa.

Miere Nizer by Mildred.

Sophia Nowakowski

Moira Winters

Whitty by Anonymous

Ruv by Anonymous

Mr. Watters

Jamien by VitalitySensor

Turibo by VitlitySensor

Summer Jack

Jack Penthos (Talent Cultivation Project)

Jack Penthos - Hatless (Talent Cultivation Project)

Dave Strider Cosplay

jans. by AmericanRedcoat

Tapyrus by AmericanRedcoat

Mhara by AmericanRedcoat

Tyler Penthoomed by skeletal scallywag

Jatoki Penthoki by skeletal scallywag

Lucky Juciano by AmericanRedcoat

Moadette by AmericanRedcoat

Toasty Todd by Comic

Toasty Maggie by Comic

Jack Scared Shitless by Comic

Weird Jack by portel

Weird Todd by portel

Weird Maggie by portel

Jack Pathos by CoolDude

Todd Penthos by CoolDude

Tainted Todd - The Faceless by Comic

Tainted Maggie - The Feral by Comic

Tainted Jack - The Nobody by Comic

Tainted Miere - The Knight by Comic

Tainted Marinn - The Instructor by Comic

Jack Fumo by anonymous

Jack Funko Pop by anonymous

Maggie and Temmie by AmericanRedcoat

Jack Scribble

Reruptured Todd by portel

Reruptured Maggie by portel

Reruptured Jack by portel

Reruptured Abelle by portel

Reruptured Todd - Alt by portel

Reruptured Maggie - Alt by portel

Reruptured Jack - Alt by portel

Reruptured Abelle - Alt by portel

Reruptured Maggie Surprised by portel

Reruptured Maggie and Fuzzleworth by portel

Reruptured Sophia by portel

Reruptured Moira by portel

Reruptured Moira Hod Down by portel

big jack by AJ

Tred by Comic

Maphne by Comic

Jaggie by Comic

Jack BF by AmericanRedcoat

Todd Pico by AmericanRedcoat

Maggie Lemon by AmericanRedcoat

Malvin by AmericanRedcoat

Tobbes by AmericanRedcoat

J P'enthos by skeletal scallywag

T P'athos by skeletal scallywag

Jackiragi by skeletal scallywag

Forrack by skeletal scallywag

Jack and Anubis by skeletal scallywag

Asgore Penthos by skeletal scallywag

janic by skeletal scallywag

Jrebuchet by Cooldude

Tack Penthos by Cooldude

Old Man Jack by pacmaster

Jile by pacmaster

Mitled by pacmaster

Jaldi by Veggie

Todd in Froggit Drip by Veggie

Jump Rpe Maggie by Veggie

Jack Scout by Veggie

Heavy Weapons Todd by Veggie

Pyro Maggie by Veggie

Jundyne by Veggie

Tasgore by Veggie

Mmonster Kid by Veggie

Zero Sum x20 by Veggie

Golden Todd by Veggie

Chaos Maggie by Veggie

Minus Monster Jack by pacmaster

Maggie Forgets To Cut Her Hair by Veggie

BALD ASS

THE UNIMPORTANT PAPYRUS by Shiny Emerald

Crab Jack by AmericanRedcoat

Jab by Shiny Emerald

Jirby by Shiny Emerald

Jack Crewmate by Shiny Emerald

Jank by Shiny Emerald

Jack Penthos by Shiny Emerald

Jack Penthos - Hatless by Shiny Emerald

Todd Pathos by Shiny Emerald

Maggie Farsa by Shiny Emerald

Maggie Farsa and Mr. Fuzzleworth by Shiny Emerald

Jarcello by Shiny Emerald

Garcello by JakeThatDog

Jex by Shiny Emerald

Blonde Tdd by portel

Devil Maggie

oh yeah

oh fuck yeah

YEAH

OH FUCK YEAH

HOLY FUCK

OH MY GOD

HAHAHAHA

Junny by Cooldude

Jomori by Cooldude

Tel by Cooldude

Maubrey by Cooldude

Masil by Cooldude

Mobrey by Cooldude

Sero by Cooldude

Big Mate by portel

Big Mate's Depressed Friend by portel

Big Mate's Awesome Friend by portel

Todd Worker by Comic

Maggie Worker by Comic

Jack Worker by Comic

Miere Worker by Comic

Sophia Worker by Comic

Moira Worker by Comic

Moonstriker Jack by portel

Virgo Jack by AmericanRedcoat

Tauros Todd by AmericanRedcoat

Pisces Maggie by AmericanRedcoat

Tohddd Makara by AmericanRedcoat

Jack Senpai by portel

Sophia Freak by portel

Todd Spirit by portel

Azazel Sophie by portel

Jacktaker 1 by portel

Jacktaker 2 by portel

Jacktaker 3 by portel

98 Human (Jack) by JakeThatDog

98 Human (Todd) by JakeThatDog

98 Human (Maggie) by JakeThatDog

98 Human (Moira) by JakeThatDog

98 Human (Sophie) by JakeThatDog

98 Human (Miere) by JakeThatDog

Scrimblo Jack by Waffl'M

Homestuck Terror by Waffl'M

Undertale Terror by Waffl'M

Malley by Waffl'M

Sophia Fuller by Waffl'M

Moira Doing Badass Cosplay Of Underfell Sans by Waffl'M

Mr. Mausono by Tyler Boomed

Crying Maggie by skeletal scallywag

Farsa Kong by skeletal scallywag

Todd Pathos, The Heir of Blood by AJ

Toddathan Pathstar by skeletal scallywag

Part 1 JIO by skeletal scallywag

Part 3 JIO by skeletal scallywag

Heaven Ascension JIO by skeletal scallywag

Splash Maggie

The Maggie of Want

Magelle

Maggie Cratchit

Comet Maggie

Dune Maggie

Beetle Maggie

Polar Maggie

Ghost Maggie by skeletal scallywag

Jack Nizer by Comic

Todd Nowakowski by Comic

Maggie Winters by Comic

Miere Penthos by Comic

Sophia Pathos by Comic

Moira Farsa by Comic

ducc by JakeThatDog

Jack Dearest by pacmaster

Jack Dearest Green by pacmaster

Toddster by pacmaster

Maggie GF by pacmaster

Miere Spirit by pacmaster

Sophia Senpai by pacmaster

Sophia Senpai Pissed by pacmaster

Corrupted Moira by pacmaster

Jackles by skeletal scallywag

Jack The Ripper by skeletal scallywag

Ruptured Jack

Ruptured Todd

Ruptured Maggie

Ruptured Miere

Ruptured Sophia

Ruptured Moira

Farla by portel

Maggie Waggie by portel

Moira Winters (Portelized) by portel

Sophia Nowakowski (Portelized) by portel

Miere Nizer (Portelized) by portel

Ruptured Moira (Portelized) by portel

Ruptured Sophia (Portelized) by portel

Ruptured Miere (Portelized) by portel

Ressie by portel

Ruptured Ressie by portel

Jiego Prando by skeletal scallywag

Jiego Prando (Scary Monsters) by skeletal scallywag

Scary Monsters by skeletal scallywag

Ruined Jack

Demi-Ace Jack

Moira Moira

Moiranley by Comic

Todd Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Jack Pathos by skeletal scallywag

The Cerulean Coward by skeletal scallywag

Cosmic Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Arty Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Genius Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Sparky Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Captain Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Captain Jarwio Ball by skeletal scallywag

Dragon Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Wicked Jarwio by skeletal scallywag

Big Boy Christmas Jack by skeletal scallywag

98 Christmas Tree by skeletal scallywag

Jack Mogus by Cooldude

Todd Mogus by Cooldude

Maggie Mogus by Cooldude

Miere Mogus by Cooldude

Sophia Mogus by Cooldude

Moira Mogus by Cooldude

Mini Todd by Comic

Mini Maggie by Comic

Mini Miere by Comic

Mini Sophia by Comic

Mini Moira by Comic

Delta Jack by Spouting

Cheerleader Jack by portel

Dark World Cheerleader Jack by portel

Princess Sakuraggie by skeletal scallywag

Princess Elaggie by skeletal scallywag

Peter Nowakowski by Comic

Sophia Griffin by Comic

Jill by portel

Tiff by portel

Marty by portel

Miere by portel

Sophus by portel

Marcus by portel

Jictor by JakeThatDog

Tethan by JakeThatDog

Melaine by JakeThatDog

Malem by JakeThatDog

Sophia TBA by JakeThatDog

Scottish Moira by JakeThatDog

Goner Jack by skeletal scallywag

Jack Jaguar by skeletal scallywag

Jack Kiryu by JakeThatDog

Moira Majima by JakeThatDog

Jamitri Penthandre by skeletal scallywag

Taude Pathgan by skeletal scallywag

Moirelgard by skeletal scallywag

Jamitri Penthandre Alt by skeletal scallywag

Taude Pathgan Alt by skeletal scallywag

Moirelgard Alt by skeletal scallywag

Emperor by skeletal scallywag

Jex by Cooldude.

Jack Cooper by skeletal scallywag

Maggley by skeletal scallywag

Toddray by skeletal scallywag

Big Maggie by JakeThatDog

Varan the Empathetic by skeletal scallywag

yes i put him again ignore him

SUPER SAYIAN TODD by Comic

Rupturedswap Jack by Mildred

Rupturedswap Miere by Mildred

EB Jack by Tyler Boomed

Ness Penthos by Tyler Boomed

Flextape Jack by skeletal scallywag

A Speck of Sand

A Speck of Sand Alt

Zombie Jack by Shiny Emerald

Specimen 14 by skeletal scallywag

Prince Ryomodd by skeletal scallywag

Prince Xantodd by skeletal scallywag

Buster Rod Todd by skeletal scallywag

Mega Water Todd by skeletal scallywag

Hyper Storm Todd by skeletal scallywag

Mega Todd by skeletal scallywag

Punch Todd by skeletal scallywag

Jack Wright by JakeThatDog

Todd Gumshoe by JakeThatDog

Maggie Fey by JakeThatDog

Miere Butz by JakeThatDog

Sophia Skye by JakeThatDog

Moira Hart by JakeThatDog

Enlightened Jack

Enlightened Todd

Enlightened Maggie

Enlightened Miere.

Enlightened Sophia.

Enlightened Moira.

The Jack Behind the Slaughter by Shiny Emerald

Crying Todd by Shiny Emerald

Crying Maggie by Shiny Emerald

Crying Miere by Shiny Emerald

Crying Sophia by Shiny Emerald

Crying Moira by Shiny Emerald

Moiroka by skeletal scallywag

Camoira by skeletal scallywag

Brooding Jack by Cooldude

Fell Jack by portel

Hungry Jackin by skeletal scallywag

Toddro by skeletal scallywag

Siegbodd by skeletal scallywag

Jio's Head by skeletal scallywag

Grandpa Abomination by skeletal scallywag

Jack with Maggie's colors 1 by pacmaster

Jack with Maggie's colors 2 by pacmaster

Jack with Maggie's colors 3 by pacmaster

Todd with Jack's colors by pacmaster

Maggie with Todd's colors by pacmaster

Jack with Todd's colors 1 by pacmaster

Jack with Todd's colors 2 by pacmaster

Jack with Todd's colors 3 by pacmaster

Todd with Maggie's colors by pacmaster

Maggie with Jack's colors by pacmaster

Jack with inverted colors 1 by pacmaster

Jack with inverted colors 2 by pacmaster

Jack with inverted colors 3 by pacmaster

Moira with inverted colors by pacmaster

Rioichi Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Tennessee Kid Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Bob Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Sir Galleth Penthos by skeletal scallywag

Salim Al Penthar by skeletal scallywag

Deltarupture Jack by Frippami

Deltarupture Maggie by Frippami

Deltarupture Maggie + Fuzzleworth by Frippami

Deltarupture Dark World Jack by Frippami

Deltarupture Dark World Maggie by Frippami

Deltarupture Doge by Frippami

[lady-charinette]

Pro-Hero!Tamaki Amajiki X F!Reader (aged up characters)

Rated: NSFW

Tags: Body worship, Gentle Love Making, Rough sex, Biting, Oral Sex, Dirty Talk, Dom!Tamaki

Heart of a Lion

“Come on Amajiki, you need to have the heart of a lion, not a kitten!”

Nejire’s words had haunted him to this day, despite already working full time at Fatgum’s agency, Tamaki still felt like he was falling short behind the other pros.

Even if Fatgum always tried to…lecture him.

“Straighten up Amajiki! You’re one of our best horses!”

“I’m not a horse…”

“So, stand stall and proud and show ‘em what you got!”

Still, no matter how supportive his teammates and friends were, there were always heroes out there who thought little of him.

“That guy? Will he handle this on his own? What was Fatgum thinking hiring that kid? My five year old son looks tougher!”

“I wonder if his quirk’s as strong as people say, I guess you need to have a strong quirk to make up for that weak spirit.”

Tamaki’s thoughts spiraled deeper and deeper into a dark void, until a gentle hand began running a soothing path through his hair and the voice of an angel reached his ears. “Tama?”

Opening his eyes, the pro-hero glanced up at Y/N, his girlfriend of three years, and smiled wrily. She blinked down at him in concern. “What’s wrong? You look exhausted, dear.” her hand never stopped its ministration on his hair and Tamaki expelled a sigh of relief, body sagging deeper into the bed and the soft suppleness of her thighs.

“….I…I was just…” her other hand sought his own on his chest and squeezed gently, her eyes looking down at him meaningfully.

“It’s alright if you don’t wanna talk about it, you know.” she offered him that soft smile that never failed to breach his defenses and make him feel like what he really was, a skilled pro-hero and a good man.

He wished he could pocket her precious smile, so he would always have it with him when faced with doubts.

With a quickly spreading redness, Tamaki nuzzled his head closer to her stomach and thighs. “I…I just had a rough day. I was…I was made fun of on the field….”

The hand in his hair stopped and Tamaki froze, quickly wrapping his arms around his girlfriend’s middle to stop her from rising off their bed. “W-Wait, Y-Y/N!”

The look she fixated him with spelled of death and torture. “Who were those assholes, dear?” her smile was deceptively sweet, but he’d long since learned not to be fooled by its saccharine quality when the eyes just above spoke of ice and fire.

He shook his head, sitting up to lay his hands on her shoulders and calm her down. “It’s f-fine…They were pro’s I normally don’t work with.” he already knew, as soon as she’d wedge the truth out of Fatgum or Kirishima, there would be a news headline of a woman tearing down two hero agencies and beating up the pro’s who had coincidentally humiliated her boyfriend.

Quirkless.

She sighed, her hands moving to cup his cheeks softly. “No, it’s not fine Tamaki. You’re a pro just like them, I bet you’re even a much better one than them too! Don’t listen to such jerks, they’re just jealous of your talent and your looks and your sunshine personality!” she pouted cutely, a sight that made his heart skip a beat.

Tamaki tried to avert his gaze in fear of his heart bursting, but he couldn’t tear it away no matter how hard he tried.

Still, he relaxed at her words, his hands still resting on her shoulders beginning to rub them gently. The tightly coiled string in his stomach coming loose and relaxing. “M-My looks? S-Sun-Sunshine personality? But Mirio is-”

Y/N shook her head, thumbs affectionately rubbing his cheeks. “Mirio may be the most obvious sunny boy out there, but your beauty lies in its subtlety.”

Subtlety?

At his adorably confused look, his girlfriend smiled softly and giggled. “Mhm. Your sun comes out when you’re out there helping people and fighting off the bad guys, it comes out whenever you’re surrounded by your friends and smiling and laughing. And it comes out when you’re with me and we spend time together. You may be Suneater, but to me, you’ll always be the most beautiful sun out there!” she grinned sheepishly, a shy blush dusting her cheeks.

Tamaki’s face outdid the redness of the crabs he was known to eat before fights, it was even redder than the traffic lights. The indescribable urge to suddenly kiss his girlfriend senseless for saying all these beautiful things about him washed over him and his body shook, trying to suppress it desperately.

She noticed it, eyes glancing at his shaking arms. “Huh? Tama-”

His voice came out more breathless than he thought, an octave or two deeper that made the blush on her own cheeks darken. She rarely heard her boyfriend’s voice go lower than it already was. “W-…Wh-What about…my looks?”

He wasn’t looking at her anymore, but his girlfriend was clever.

The redness of his entire face and ears, the twitching of his whole body, the large hands on her shoulders massaging her gave her a very good idea what her previously innocent praises did to her precious boyfriend.

A small smile curved her lips but she quickly hid it when his intense stare bounced back to her.

Y/N pretended to think, tongue sticking out in thought, smiling internally when his ears looking as red as a clown’s nose. “Hmmm… your looks…let’s see…”

She shifted closer to her boyfriend, her thighs touching his and she noted the small jump with underlying glee. “Well, for starters. You have beautiful hair, dear.” her hand moved back into the messy mane, purposefully scratching her nails along his scalp and brushing it back from his face.

His cheeks glowed.

“Did I mention those cute ears?” she playfully but gently flicked one of the appendages, a startled yelp leaving his trembling lips. Tamaki crossed his legs tightly.

Y/N smiled. “And that adorable nose?” she leaned in to give it a quick peck and to nuzzle her own nose with his, a gesture of affectionate they often traded with each-other whenever her beloved was too shy for a kiss. She giggled, “And those beautiful, intense eyes that just lure me into a trance.” she batted her eyelashes at him and she saw the moment something clicked in her boyfriend’s brain when said eyes finally met her gaze head on.

He swallowed with difficulty, voice thick with an emotion that sent a thrill down her spine. “W-What else?” he squirmed on the spot and her smile widened.

Her finger ran over his lips but she refused to kiss him, only riling him up further. “Those soft sweet lips that always steal my breath.” she smiled adoringly and Tamaki’s gaze softened with affection.

She leaned in again, fingers caressing his face and jaw with a feathery touch. “That strong jaw of yours…” she felt it clench beneath her fingertips and resisted the urge to giggle. They moved lower, caressing his rapidly heating skin.

Her fingers moved over his neck, corded muscles shivering with strain, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Not to forget that neck of yours I have a weakness for…” she couldn’t fight off the grin when she traced his rapid pulse and Tamaki experienced a full body shiver.

She had to give her boyfriend credit, even after three years of being in a relationship, he still sometimes acted as if they were about to experience their first time. But now, his gaze was more focused, startlingly…intense and sharp.

Right at her.

Swallowing thickly, Y/N focused back on her mission. “Did I mention your broad shoulders?” her hands danced over the material of the black bodysuit he still wore from his hero costume, squeezing the iron hard muscles appreciatively. “So strong…” she caught herself, a blush blooming on her face, her hands slowly sliding down his arms, which twitched on her own shoulders still.

They almost had a death grip on her, but not painful, just the nervous, or excited, twitching of his hands. She hummed when her fingers ran over the hard bumps of muscle lining his toned arms, hidden beneath his suit. “Arms that could make any women turn and look twice.” she felt giddy at the nearly panicked look on his face and laughed. “They can look, but none of them can touch like I can.”

That certainly forced a more vocal reaction from him, a strained noise in the back of his throat, a small, short grunt.

His face was burning, throat working overtime and heart beating like a caged hummingbird, the sound of his own blood rushed in his ears that almost drowned out her voice. Almost, but her voice was too sweet to ignore, too entrancing to not fall into its honeyed charm.

Her eyes were knowing, but they turned to look at his torso instead, the definition of hard ridges and bumps outlined by the tight suit shooting heat down her stomach. “The muscles too…” she licked her lips when her fingers greedily ran along the sculpted pecs and abs of her beloved hero, trembling violently beneath her touch.

“Y-Y/N…” his tone was low, strained and if she had given it a second thought, could’ve been a warning.

Her eyes were alight with something mischievous when she spied the reaction she’d gotten from him, her hands running down his firm quivering thighs. “I always liked your legs too, nice and firm.” she flashed a feral smile when her hand dived down and squeezed the firm flesh of his ass, making Tamaki yelp and his face to erupt in a fresh wave of blazing redness. “Mhmm, definitely this too.”

Tamaki’s breath caught in his throat, now impatiently squirming in his spot at being touched that way again after so long. “Y-Y/N, you-you-”

She hummed, her hands moving dangerously close to the bulging tent on his pelvis. “Mhmm, how could I forget…” her hands danced around the area, refusing to touch him yet and Tamaki bit his lips and his hips bucked at the heat her touch sent through his body.

“Y/N….” his voice turned guttural, arms shaking from trying to restrain himself.

Something within him finally snapped when her hand cupped him firmly over the tight material of his bodysuit, his length straining painfully. “Your beautiful thick co-woah!”

Y/N’s eyes flew open when she was suddenly airborne, but giggled when her back met the soft mattress and her highly sensitive, overly worked up boyfriend towered over her with such intense, burning eyes that it made tingles erupt all over her body.

Even when he looked ready to eat her alive he was still patient and considerate to always ask. “Is it ok if-” she answered by pulling his face down to hers and it seemed like Tamaki’s last restraints finally snapped.

Strong arms wound around her immediately, nearly crushing her against his firm chest, erection pressed tightly against her clothed pelvis and the action made her mewl, his cock rubbing over her already leaking cunt.

His kiss was soft before it gained in intensity and her eyes nearly rolled back when he smashed his mouth against hers, stealing her breath and swallowing any moans she had as his hands shakily tried unbuttoning her flannel shirt.

Seeing his hand morph into something not human-like, she narrowed her eyes in warning. “Don’t. You. Dare.” the man above her swallowed, his quirk subsiding before his fingers continued their path down her torso. “You destroyed enough of my clothes that way! Do you know how many panties I-mpfh!”

Her boyfriend’s eagerness seemed to cloud his normal thoughts, he’d have been a cowering mess by now had he not been so turned on by her earlier teasing.

Even if it had been a game to reassure him, to maybe rile him up a bit, she’d meant every single world.

She released a sigh of relief when the first layer of clothes was stripped from both of them, Tamaki’s suit pushed down to his hips, naked skin now in full view to her hungry gaze.

She licked her lips and Tamaki caught the action, leaning back down to kiss her passionately again. Y/N moaned and tugged on his hair, leaning her head back to pant harshly and try to breathe. “T-Tama, you’re-you’re really eager today.” not that she minded, not at all. “Ohhh, dear, yes, just like that Tamaki…mmm…” she moaned when his large hands gently kneaded her breasts, her bra safely discarded onto the floor, thankfully remaining whole.

After the crab claw incident she’d banned him from eating seafood for a whole week.

Fatgum’s suspicious questioning of not eating their daily dose of takoyaki after work was only met by a very red faced stuttering Tamaki.

She squeaked when his fingers lightly pinched her nipple and her face flushed red all the way to her neck at the intense look he leveled her with. “How can I not be, with…with such a b-beautiful girlfriend…” he ran the flat of his tongue around her perked bud, before sucking on it, growling when her fingers tangled into his hair and pulled.

Tamaki tore himself away from her breasts and gave them a gentle, appreciative squeeze, before moving down over her stomach, squeezing the flesh almost possesively.

He suckled on the skin of her hips, leaving behind wet red marks, his fingers quickly worked to remove her pants, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head when her strong musk finally hit him.

Tamaki inhaled deeply, leaning close to her core and Y/N flushed in embarrassment, he didn’t think to-? “T-Tama? W-What are-ahh!” she gasped, body drawn taut and face half buried in the pillow when she felt her boyfriend bury his face against her soaking panties.

The clothing did little to curb his advances, his tongue dipping against the material almost insistently. “Off…” his voice sent shivers down her spine.

“T-Tamaki!” she jumped when he slipped her panties down her legs, discarding them somewhere behind them.

He leaned down and spread her legs, calloused hands roving over them appreciatively with a gentle, caring touch.

Then, he dived in.

Straight for his meal.

A choked cry filled the air and Y/N immediately fisted the bed sheets to keep herself grounded from the way her boyfriend’s tongue plunged into her messy cunt, fingers spreading her folds embarrassingly wide to shove the wet muscle in properly.

Y/N slapped a hand against her mouth, panting harshly into it and trying to tone down her moans. “T-Ta-Tamaaa-k-KI!” her voice squeaked when the tip of his tongue flicked at her clit, making her whole body jump at the sensitive touch.

Her boyfriend did it again, the tips of his ears glowing a bright red, but that didn’t stop him from eating her out like a starved man.

And finally, after her body stopped quaking and shaking violently on the soft mattress, her boyfriend rose from his comfortable perch between her legs, wiping his mouth clean with the back of his hand.

His fingers were still slick from her arousal and she covered her eyes when he licked them absentmindedly, as if forgetting to clean the spoon after eating ice-cream.

“How…h-how was that?” his voice was low, breathless, chest heaving with deep breaths.

She peeked up at him from between her fingers, face still red, but her lips curved into a satisfied smile. “That was great Tama!! I loved it!” she grinned cheekily, until she suddenly felt his hands settle on her thighs.

Her eyes shot to his face faster than the speed of light and she froze at the intense look he leveled her with. “R-Really?” she could see his previously shattered confidence slowly building back up and mentally gave herself a pat on the back.

Until his hands gently spread her legs apart. “Is…is this okay?” blushing to the roots of his hair, Tamaki swallowed thickly, his own arousal throbbing painfully in need.

Y/N wrapped her legs loosely around his hips, further opening herself up to him, her eyes hooded and dark when they leveled him with a look that could bring him to his knees if he hadn’t been already. “More than okay.”

He exhaled shakily, fingers trembling atop her warm skin and Y/N’s hands covered his shaky ones trying to unbuckle his belt. She smiled impishly at him. “Let me sweetie. Why don’t you…lie down?” at the hint of nervousness and doubt that came creeping back onto his face, she leaned in close to his ear, biting the pointed appendage gently. “Suneater.”

Her voice was molten honey and early mornings with laughter and cuddles, it was dripping with want and love.

All for him.

Just for him.

You aren’t the things they say you are.

Tamaki realized Y/N whispered the words herself, eyes focused on his meaningfully. Hands cupping his face affectionately.

The pro-hero fell silent, in awe at his girlfriend’s strength and unrivaled support and belief in him. It filled his chest with pride for being able to love and cherish someone like her and a sense of peace to know she was one wall that would never crumble, even if he himself crumbled.

Overwhelmed with his own feelings, he switched their position faster than she blinked.

His back met the bed and her weight settled on his thighs, hands working to undo his pants and underwear and push them down to free his length.

His gaze was adoring when he looked up at her. “I-I love you Y/N.” she’d only seen the man as confident as he was now on three instances.

When he was fighting villains, talking about his friends…

Or professing his love to her.

Fighting back the sting in her eyes, she leaned down to share a deep kiss with her boyfriend, their hips gently rocking against each-other.

It seemed like an eternity before Tamaki’s hand moved down to gently rub at her clit, causing her to jump and release a high pitched cry. “Oh-oh-oh-oh! T-Tama please!”

It wasn’t that it happened often, it wasn’t that she didn’t love the shy aspect of her boyfriend, but the look he gave her was definitely not that of her innocent shy Tamaki.

It was almost feral.

“Do…you want me Y/N?” she bit her lip, nearly hard enough to break the skin and she whimpered when he ran the tip of his weeping cock along her slick folds. “Where do you want me?”

Her boyfriend did a complete 180, the low guttural voice sending shivers down her spine, the thrill of knowing her good boy Tamaki was buried underneath that positively dominant male under her. “I-Inside Tama.” she would’ve covered her face in embarrassment at his intense look had it not been for her need.

“I-Inside?” his jaw clenched, fragile control already fraying at the seams as he rubbed at her sensitive flesh again. “…Here?”

She gripped his hips, fingers digging into the tough flesh, a groan leaving the depths of her throat. “Y-Yes Tamaki plea-ahh!”

It made her back arch like a bow when she felt her boyfriend’s thick cock stretch her walls, sharp pleasurable tingles shooting from her pelvis all the way up her back and arms.

It was exhilarating.

His harsh pants met her neck, hot breaths of air that made her dizzy with the strong thrusts into her core. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend to anchor herself, trying to muffle her groans and shrieks into the pillow.

Tamaki leaned forward, lifting her legs up even more towards her torso and pushing deeper, to suckle on her neck. Y/N moaned loudly, nails clawing at his shoulders.

His low grunts and moans filled her ears and fueled her own impending orgasm, legs locking tightly around his trim hips before a particularly hard thrust made her see white behind closed eyes.

Y/N cried out, spasming and seizing up when her release washed over her, her boyfriend slowing his thrusts to near to non-existent bucks of the hips, just bucking between her shaking thighs gently.

Both adults panted, Tamaki still hard within her, the flutters and squeezes around his cock making him close his eyes.

They flew open when a soft hand met his heaving chest and Y/N’s glazed over eyes met his. Tamaki leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss, the complete opposite of their intensity before as he softly began rocking his hips back into her when she moved.

Y/N whimpered, still sensitive, but craving and wanting her boyfriend to finish. Tamaki ran his hands down her sides, gently squeezing the flesh of her breasts and cupping her face to kiss her lovingly.

His thrusts were deep and slow, drawing out the heat he felt that simmered just below his navel and her second orgasm.

This one was slow, less animalistic and more quiet. Tamaki’s long drawn out groan drowned out her own soft whimpers and cries of his name.

The couple shared a long kiss, their bodies slowly coming down from their highs.

Tamaki panted heavily, nuzzling into her neck and kissing the forming bruises apologetically, fingers gently gliding over the various bite marks.

Y/N giggled, a hoarse sound, before her hands lovingly stroked his messy hair.

Comfortable silence followed their afterglow, Tamaki gently removing himself to lay beside her and cradle her tenderly to his chest. She giggled, shaking her head at the plethora of emotions she could pull out of her shy boyfriend.

Tamaki’s own hand glided through her hair and down her back, grabbing the blanket to cover them from the cold air creeping over their sweaty skin. “So…are you still feeling inadequate?”

She laughed when she glanced at the bright red ears and cheeks of her boyfriend, who cleared his throat and ducked his head shyly, as if the events prior hadn’t even happened. “N-No…t-thanks to you.” his smile was soft and sweet, melting her heart.

Y/N nuzzled her nose with his, grinning. “You know Tamaki, if you’re ever feeling inadequate again, just tell me!” she winked and the action sent a shiver rushing down his spine. “Oh! I know, what about showing the other heroes how awesome you are if we do it in your office-”

Tamaki’s eyes widened in horror. “Y-Y/N n-not-not in the office!!” her shy boyfriend covered his face in embarrassment at the prospect.

There were Fatgum and Kirishima and all the other heroes. It would bring so much shame! He wouldn’t- he couldn’t-!

Laughter filled his ears and he felt Y/N’s arms wrap around his middle and her lips press a soft kiss to his forehead.

Bonus:

“What’s the matter, Suneater? I’m surprised you’re not in your chicken form from how well I can see those feathers ruffling!” one of the pro heroes shared a laugh with his colleague for the joke.

Tamaki, dressed in full hero costume and dusting himself off after a successful villain apprehension, glanced at them.

You aren’t the things they say you are.

You need to have the heart of a lion, not a kitten!

The pro’s laughed amongst themselves, until a sudden strong gust of wind knocked them off to the ground. “What the-!”

Wings larger than the size of Hawk’s own blocked the sun from sight, deep shadows falling on the pale faces of the two heroes, who looked up at the towering form of Suneater himself.

Tamaki’s wings spanned wide, taking up space for himself, sharp talons cracking the concrete beneath his feet. The black claws seemed larger than one of the pro hero’s hands and both men froze when Suneater spoke in a low tone, his sharp stare piercing right through them.

“Maybe you didn’t catch my hero name,” the two heroes were unable to tear their gaze away from the man glaring down at them, despite the shot of fear rushing down their spines. “But I’m Suneater and you’re in my way.”

[good-doctor-imagine]

Neibolt (Richie Tozier)

Pairing: Richie Tozier x Reader

Request from anon: “you and richie both like each other and you go to the neibolt house and like are holding his hand and are blushing but are super scared and you also fall with eddie and are freaking out and crying when it is tormenting you guys and when it leaves in that scene he grabs you and calms you and when the fight starts you just stand there but do something when he gets punched and he pulls you along with him after the fight and very fluff” [xxx]

Summary: You and Eddie are attacked in the Neibolt house, leading to the loser’s breakup.

Word Count: 3k

Warning(s): Swearing, Richie’s dick joke, lil bit of angst, a lot of movie dialogue

You knew it was a mistake from the moment you walked through the front door. It was eerie and muggy, covered in spider webs, rotten wood barely supporting the ground you were walking on. Richie must have noticed your growing distress because he leaned in close to your ear, speaking softly so he would startle you.

"Are you okay?"

You simply nodded, eyes darting around the room for any form of imminent danger. It was normal for Richie to ask you how you were doing, he did it all the time. Over the phone, it was the first question he would ask. However, it wasn't normal for him to make any physical advanced towards you. Richie wasn't very physical with you, which is why you were surprised when you felt his fingers entangling with yours.

Locking your gaze on him, Richie didn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary. He was still walking slowly into the house with you, his eyes carefully evaluating where you two were heading. 

He didn't even look as flustered as you were. Your cheeks started heating the moment you felt the warmth of his palm against yours. You prayed that your sweating hands were not that noticeable.

It wasn't like Richie was trying to tell you anything. He was being a nice friend, looking out for you when you're scared. Right. Nothing more.

"I can't believe I pulled the short straw," Richie sighed, "You guys are lucky we're not measuring dicks."

"Shut up Richie," Eddie shut him down instantly.

You sort of agreed with Eddie, now was not the time to joke. It was so fucking creepy you felt a headache beginning to form from the amount of information you were trying to process. Right now, even your shadow could frighten you.

The four of you headed up the stairs, you and Richie following close behind Bill, hands still clutching each other firmly. The stairs were as creepy as the rest of the house. They were winding and so old that you thought it was going to break from underneath you. You didn't touch the banister, lips curling at the amount of dust that had collected on the surface.

The only light that illuminated the second floor was the window in the stairwell. The windows in the room did little to lighten the room, many covered by stapled plywood.

The furniture was old, an abandoned couch still covered by a white cloth. Leaves and dirt were covering the floor, branches from outside trees growing into the building.

The three of you stood frozen, taking in your surroundings. That was until you started to feel Richie tugging your hand. He was walking towards a wall of spider webs. In the middle of it was some sort of paper with 'MISSING' written across the top.

Richie slowly took his hand out of yours, shakily retrieving the paper in the mess of webs and brittle tree branches. He held the paper in his hands, his hands trembling. Bill made his way over, coming to Richie's side to see what it was.

Your eyes were wide as you gazed at the picture.

"It, it says I'm missing."

"Y-y-y-you're not missing, Richie," Bill tried to reason with him, but Richie was speaking loudly over him.

"That's my hair, that's my face!"

"Calm down, this isn't real!" Bill raised his voice, attempting to grab the paper out of Richie's hands but Richie was quick to pull it away.

"That's my name, that's my age," Richie continued, his chest beginning to heave.

Bill made another move to grab the paper, successfully crumbling it in his hands. Richie was still holding on tightly, having a sort of tug of war with Bil.

"That's the date!"

"This isn't real Richie!"

You were terrified, looking between your two friends from the sidelines. It had gotten to Richie. Even if he didn't want to express it, he was probably as terrified as you.

"What the fuck?!" Richie's voice was ear piercing as terror gripped him. You couldn't help but scoot closer to Eddie, both of you not sure how to help in this situation.

Bill was able to tear the paper out of Richie's hands before throwing it haphazardly on the floor.

"It says I'm missing!"

"Calm down!" Bill attempted, gripping onto his friend's forearms.

It broke your heart to see your best friend and crush freaking out so badly. You cared for him with all your heart and to see him this terrified made you realize that you weren't the only one. He may always be looking out for you. Now was the time to begin looking out for him.

Before you could step in, Bill was already calming him down, getting Richie's arms to stop flailing.

Richie looked between the three of you before all of your heads turned to the staircase.

"Hello?"

The three of you walked to where you kept hearing the voice, leading you up the stairs again. You stuck close to Richie's side, despite not holding onto his hand anymore. You peaked over his shoulder, eyes locking onto the sight of a familiar girl.

"Betty?"

"Ripsom?"

Her body was moving up and down from how hard she was breathing. Before she could say anything else, her body was yanked out of the doorway, only a scream ripping from her body as she disappeared.

Your friends started moving forwards, curiosity taking over them. You stayed behind slightly, caught between Richie and Eddie.

"Eddie..." A voice drew out, haunting you and your friend. The other two boys kept walking like they didn't hear anything. You turned around with Eddie, gazing into the light behind you to figure out what made that noise.

"Guys, do you hear that?" Eddie spoke, his voice trembling slightly. You nodded but there was no other response. When Eddie turned around, the door was beginning to shut. "Guys!" Eddie instantly yelled, leaping towards the door.

When it slammed shut, your hands were on the doorknob, attempting to yank it open.

"Eddie! Y/n!"

You were frantic, breath quickening at the thought of being stuck in a room. At least you had Eddie. You abandoned your effort to open the door and clutched onto Eddie's hand for security. If you two were together, then nothing bad could happen. 

Almost instantaneously, the hairs on the back of your neck stood up as you went rigid. Eddie's watch was going off, but that wasn't what made you both frozen with fear.

"Time to take your pill, Eddie."

Eddie's head turned around, coming face to face with the leper. Before you could react, Eddie's eyes were closing, body going limp as he fell backward into a hole on the ground. Because of his hold on you, you couldn't catch yourself before falling with him.

There wasn't much time to change how you were positioned in mid-air. You cringed when you heard something snap from beneath you. The fall hurt like hell, but Eddie's arm took the brunt of it.

"Damn it, Eddie," You cursed under your breath, "Why'd you have to pull me with you?"

All the fear and pain were mixing together, making tears form in your eyes. It wasn't fair. None of this was fair.

"Eddie," You called out to him, sitting up and shaking his shoulders slightly. "Eddie, wake up."

Your throat was beginning to tighten up, warm tears streaming down your face. Everything was overwhelming.

The dining table that you both landed on was snapped in half from the force you exerted on it. Just looking at Eddie's arm, you knew why. It was bent in a horrible way that you couldn't stomach looking at it.

Just when you were going to call out for him again, Eddie bolted upwards, a gasp leaving his throat. First, he looked down at his arm, a whimper leaving his lips.

A white object peaking from the fridge caught your attention. Your eyes widened, breath caught in your throat as you stared at the familiar white glove. You stuck close to Eddie, hands gripping his upper left arm, careful not to get close to his right forearm.

The two of you began to shake when the fridge swung open, a demonic laugh escaping from inside it. The clown was beginning to crawl out of it, his body contorting unnaturally. When he stood up fully, he twisted his upper body, his head facing you two the entire time. He shook with a laugh, the bells on his costume jingling.

It felt like forever, watching the creature bend down towards both of you, the corners of his mouth curling up to form an evil grin.

"Time to float."

You both began to crawl back as the creature hauntingly stepped forwards, his arms waving dramatically.

When you two were stuck to the wall, IT finally crouched in front of you. You were positioned slightly behind Eddie, your hand still clutched onto his upper arm tightly.

Eddie quickly slapped his hand against IT's cheek in a pathetic attempt to make it go away. The creature teasingly grabbed Eddie’s hand, mouth motioning towards it like he was going to bite it off.

You were practically sobbing, chest heaving as you in took the scene in front of you. Despite your blurry vision, you could make out everything that was happening. The terrible look on that disgusting clown's face.

IT took Eddie's face into his hands, imitating his sobbing before directing his attention to you.

You watched as he took one of his hands off Eddie's cheek, placing it on yours instead. The feeling of his dry glove made you want to throw up. His breath certainly wasn't better either.

The creature's hands suddenly moved to your and Eddie's throats, but his grip wasn't enough to choke you.

"Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear."

His grin was wide, teeth pointy as drool poured out over his lips. Your hand gripped impossibly harder onto Eddie's arm when IT's eyes started to roll back, mouth opening wide. You'll have to apologize for the bruises later.

Before IT could make another move, his head twisted toward the side, eyes glazed over as he stared blankly into the room.

"HELP!" Eddie screamed, his voice scratchy from how much you two were crying.

You were too frozen in fear to do anything, eyes not moving from the clown in front of you. The creature moved his hand to cover Eddie's face as Bill and Richie rushed into the room.

"Eddie?" You could hear Richie call out, and then his eyes met yours. "Y/n?"

You couldn't see what the creature was doing anymore, his attention focused on the two boys on the other side of the room.

"This isn't real enough for you, Billy? I'm not real enough for you?"

"Holy shit," The words spilled out of Richie's mouth.

"It was real enough for Georgie."

You held your breath when IT lept forward at the pair, yelling as he made it across the room. Thankfully, he was stopped. Beverly quickly shoved a metal spear into IT's eye, stopping it in the middle of the room. All of the losers piled into the kitchen, eyes focused on the clown.

"Get Eddie – Get Y/n."

You couldn't tell who was saying what anymore, overwhelmed by the amount of stuff happening at the moment. Eddie was screaming, trying to rip away from Bill's grasp. You reluctantly let go of his arm, watching from behind Richie as the creature growled and spun towards you all. The eye that wasn't punctured was a bright red and the teeth in his mouth were poking out from his skin.

Richie clutched onto you, holding you close as the clown laughed deeply and started walking forwards, it's hand ripping its glove as it grew.

Everything was a blur. Eddie and Richie were screaming, Beverly was standing to the side, clutching onto the back of Richie's shirt. She lept away when IT made a move to jump towards you. However, instead, it turned around, sharp fingers digging into Ben's stomach before IT disappeared down the stairs.

"Don't let it get away," Bill said, standing up from the floor and walking to the staircase where IT disappeared.

"No! Bill!" You yelled at him, trembling in Richie's arms. Everyone was screaming at him when he disappeared down the stairs. You were afraid he was never going to come back up. 

If you weren't so terrified, you'd probably be flustered out of your mind. One of Richie's arms was wrapped around your middle, holding you close to his chest. Your hands were gripping onto his shirt, not even thinking about how stretched it was going to be after.

Richie's other hand was on Eddie's shoulder, gripping him hard as he tried to reassure him. Eddie was too shaken up to notice, though.

When Bill came up the stairs, all of you were stumbling out of the house, legs shaky as you tried to process what happened. You couldn't tell if your face was covered with tears or IT's drool. Either way, it felt sticky and gross. You were exhausted, eyes wanting to close as the fear started leaving your body.

Everyone took off to their bikes and started pedaling as fast as they could. Mike put Eddie in the basket of his, making sure he as secure before leaving. When you made it back to Bill's house, you dropped your bike on his driveway next to all the others.

The losers waited outside, dreading the moment the familiar car shows up. You gasped as Richie's arms wrapped around you again, his head finding it's way into your neck. His body was trembling and you thought you felt warm tears collecting on your shoulder. You held him as close as you could, your fingers scratching against his scalp lightly. You knew you weren't the only one who was terrified.

You swallowed thickly as the light beige car rolled up, Eddie's mom getting out of the car and slamming the door. Richie pulled away from you at the sound, his arm wiping whatever was left on his face.

You could see Eddie's mom's face redden as her anger spiked, gazing down at Eddie's broken arm.

"You, you did this," She accused, arm moving around to point her finger at all of you. She took her son by the back of the neck, dragging him with her to the car. "You know how delicate he is."

"We were attacked M-M-Mrs. K," Bill tried to reason, but she was having none of it.

"No. Don't, don't try to blame anyone else."

You bit your lip to stop it from trembling as she shut Eddie's door. He didn't even look at you guys.

"Let me help –" Beverly tried to grab the keys that Mrs. Kaspbrak dropped but was stopped.

"Get back!" She swiped the keys off the ground before straightening up in front of Beverly.

"Oh, I've heard of you, Mrs. Marsh... and I don't want a dirty girl like you touching my son."

She turned back around, hand digging through her purse.

You shuffled closer to Richie as Bill tried to speak up again.

"Mrs. K I..."

"No!" She yelled, pointing her finger at him. "You are all monsters. All of you. And Eddie is done with you. Do you hear? Done!"

You all watched as she made her way around the car, slamming the door shut again when she climbed in. As she drove off, the group walked forwards, following it as it drove over the curb and down the street.

It was silent for a few seconds until Bill turned around.

"I saw the well," He claimed, "W-W-W-We know where it is. A-A-And next time we'll be better prepared."

You brows scrunched up at his words. Why the fuck would he think you were going to go back into that damn trap?

"NO!" Stan spoke up, "No next time, Bill! You're insane!"

"Why?" Beverly questioned, "We all know no one else is going to do anything."

"Eddie and Y/n were nearly killed!" Richie stressed, "And look at this motherfucker," He motioned towards Ben's stomach, "He's leaking hamburger helper!"

"We can't pretend like it's going to go away," Beverly argued, "Ben, you said it yourself it comes back every 27 years."

"Fine! I'll be 40 and far away from here. I thought you said you wanted to get out of this town too."

"Because I want to run towards something, not away."

"I'm sorry but who invited Molly Ringwald into the group?" Beverly gave Richie the middle finger. 

"Richie –"

"I'm just saying let's face facts, real world. Georgie is dead. Stop trying to get us killed too."

Richie tried to walk past Bill, but Bill was quick to jump into his way. 

"Georgie's not dead."

"You couldn't save him, but you can still save yourself.

"No!" Bill struggled, pointing his finger at Richie. "T-t-t-take it back. You're scared and we all are but take it back!"

Your eyes widened when Bill pushed Richie back by his shoulders, making him stumble. Richie pursed his lips and pushed Bill, making him even angrier. Before you could intervene, Bill took Richie by his shirt and threw a punch, hitting him right in the cheek.

"Bill!" Beverly warned, looking down at Richie.

Stanley and Mike lifted Richie off the floor and held him back as he tried to lunge at Bill. Bill pulled his fist back like he was about to swing again when Ben pulled him back.

"You're a bunch of losers, get us all killed trying to catch a stupid clown."

"Stop!" Beverly screamed, placing herself inside of the fight.

"This is what IT wants, IT wants to divide us. We were all together when we heard it. That's why we're still alive."

"Yeah? Well, I plan to keep it that way," Richie walked forwards, grabbing your hand as he walked to his bike. He made sure to check Bill in the shoulder as he passed.

You couldn't stop the tears from rolling down your face as you looked back at Bill, a person you considered a friend.

"Fuck you, Bill. Friends don't put other friends in danger. I thought you cared about us. I was wrong," You spat.

When you turned to Richie, he was motioning for you to climb onto the back of his bike. You complied, refusing to think twice about your bike laying idly in Bill's driveway. You'll pick it up another time.

[fan-girling-101]

Pogue Halloween

Pogues x Reader x Kooks, Rafe x Reader

Summary: You’re dared to spend the night in a serial killer’s childhood home with your best friends and your worst enemies. But what happens when that serial killer comes back home?

Word Count: 3.8k

Warnings: references to Halloween franchise (mentions of killing, Michael Myers), typical horror movie suspense stuff, slight language?, lots of fear, Rafe lowkey being a sweetheart.

Thank you @thisismynerdyself​ who let me use her story. It’s going to be a multi chapter story but the first chapter is basically hers with just some small things. Please go check her out and read the original. And thank you for letting me use it. I hope it’s good enough. Also not going to lie about it I never watched Michael Myers Halloween movie thing.

Original here

Her Tumblr

Part two 

“Okay, guys. Who’s going in first?” JJ looked around the group, challenging each one of you to make the first move.

None of you were particularly eager to enter the infamous serial killer’s childhood home, but you couldn’t back down from a challenge. So here you all are, face to face with the nightmarish home of Michael Myers. Windows had been boarded up years ago, the door was barely still attached. The ivy creeping up the walls all but covered the aged brick exterior. Yep, this was a horror house alright.

Pope took one step backward, holding his hands up in defense, refusing to be the first one in. You, Kiara, and Sarah looked at each other in solidarity, agreeing that none of you would be first. That left John B and JJ to fight it out.

Whether it was lucky or unlucky for them, they didn’t have to decide themselves. Just as they began to debate about it, you heard a chuckle from behind you. You all whipped around, already slightly on edge just from being on the property. Your entire group groaned in unity at the sight of Topper, Rafe, and Kelce striding toward you on the sidewalk.

“What are they doing here?” Kie whispered to you. You shrugged your shoulders, unable to answer her question.

“Look what we have here. Six little Pogues trying to act all tough. Too bad none of you can actually handle a night in that house”, Rafe sneered at you as he invaded the personal space of your group.

John B stepped forward to face his foe, “And you think you can?”

Rafe puffed out his chest even more than usual and replied “you bet I can.”

“How about we just put this to the test. We all go in. We see who lasts the longest. Pogues or Kooks. Last one out wins. Losers serve the winners poolside, the indoor pool- with a hot tub, of course, for one whole day,” JJ boldly challenged the three boys.

“Deal.”

*

You let Rafe go in first since he claimed to be so brave. Kelce and Topper followed after him, but neither of them looked comfortable with the arrangement. JJ, Pope, Kie, John B, and Sarah each filed into the main foyer of the dilapidated building. You came in last, closing the creaking door behind you. You made sure to keep it unlocked for whoever would leave first.

You all gathered together, formally declaring the beginning of the night. What had you all gotten yourselves into?

You decided to split into smaller groups to start out, making exploring the house a bit easier. Rafe, Topper, and Kelce decided to start upstairs, looking around the bedrooms. And oh how creepy it was to find that there were still neatly folded robes in the closet after all these years. To find the dusty vanity in Michael Myers’ sister’s room, old fingerprints still smudging the mirror.

Topper decided to venture out on his own, looking in the bathroom where Michael once killed his own mother while drawing his bath. The stains on the counter stood out beneath the dust. It was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. He wasn’t too keen on being alone, but he knew Rafe enough to know that he would make this slightly scary night even worse with his inevitable shenanigans.

Everyone was moving around slowly, realizing it could be a long night, and not wanting to get bored too quickly.

Downstairs, JJ, Pope, and Kie stayed on the main floor, venturing through the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. All the furniture had inch-think dust coatings and smelled like mildew and mothballs. Not a pleasant place to be staying for long. The kitchen was the eeriest room on this floor, all three of them finding utensils in the drawer that could easily be used as weapons.

As they made their way back toward the foyer, Pope froze in place as he thought he heard a noise from the stairs. As he looked up, he saw someone jumping down toward him, over the stairway railing. As the person landed with a thump, Pope backpedaled and collapsed against the wall, an involuntary yelp escaping his lips. The maniacal laughter emanating from the new occupant of the room sent Pope into a rage as he punched Rafe in the arm.

“Hey, we’re not messing with you guys, so leave us alone. I doubt Michael likes it when people pretend to be him”, Pope spat out at the boy in front of him. He already didn’t want to be there, so the cruel jokes would only make him more agitated.

Rafe feigned a guilty look and retreated back upstairs, but not before calling back, “it’s every man for himself in this game, Popey.”

You, Sarah, and John B decided to check out the basement. Not your wisest move in the world, but you would argue that none of you were being smart just by being in that house. You were immediately creeped out by the colder air and the musty odor.

You turned on your flashlight, eager to wash away the darkness. As you made your way through the room, you spotted the bottom of the garbage chute and opened the door, jumping back when a dead rodent dropped at your feet. You decided to stick closer to the other two for a bit longer. You all wound your way around boxes and turned corners until you came upon a dead end. 

You took turns opening some of the boxes to find old moth-eaten clothes, file folders and other clutter. But among the stacks and stacks of storage containers, you managed to pull out an old shoebox full of photos. Passing them around, you were able to deduce that the box contained photos of Michael’s family, including some from the night he turned on them. Donning his halloween clown costume, Michael stood outside this very house, holding the very weapon he had used to kill his family. 

From what you knew of the legend of the man, only his sister survived the tragic night, and she was whisked away into protection while he was taken into custody and held in various hospitals for years until his eventual escape.

Brought back to reality from your thoughts about what the murderer had done, you notice that behind a stack of boxes is a large hole in the wall. Against your best judgment, the three of you work together to reveal the hole, discovering a passageway behind it. By shining your flashlights through, it seemed as though there was a tunnel underneath the house. Definitely not something typical houses would have, but very fitting for a serial killer.

You glance between each other, wondering what to do. You aren’t usually one to back down from an adventure, so you take a step through the hole and into the tunnel. None of you dare to say a single word as you realize you’re deep beneath the house now, unsure of what could possibly lie ahead. Using your flashlights to light the way, you traverse the dingy tunnel cautiously. But you stop when the path is blocked by a floor-to-ceiling metal gate. The lock looks old, so John B easily kicks it apart and the gate swings open.

Once through the gate - you wonder why the gate was there in the first place - you find yourselves at the bottom of a sketchy metal ladder. Sarah steps up first, eager to get out of the too-tight tunnel. She reaches the top and you follow after her. John B brings up the rear.

You can see faint moonlight shining through a window in a nearby door. Huddled together as if your lives depended on it, you and Sarah approached the door, looking out into the yard of the house you were just in. Sudden realization dawned as Sarah whispers, “I think we’re in the shed.”

*

So far, none of you felt too overwhelmed by the house other than the overarching sense of creepiness. Were you excited to still be there, no. But so far nothing too terrible had happened.

Topper had wandered his way downstairs and into the living room, hoping to find a safe place to wait out the night. He found an old armchair in the corner of the room, attempted to dust it off as best as possible, and exasperatedly sat down. He didn’t even want to come here, but somehow Rafe had always roped him into things. He was tired and, if he was honest, he was already getting scared. 

JJ, Kie, and Pope were headed into the basement, although none of them were keen on the idea. Pope got to the last step, took one look around, felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and hightailed it out of there. He had had enough. When he got upstairs, he spotted Topper in the armchair nearby. Topper, realizing that Pope looked like he was ready to go, stood up and said “if you’re leaving, I’m out too.” The two boys quickly made their way out the front door, not even noticing that the door that was once closed was already hanging wide open for them.

Kie and JJ rolled their eyes at their friend’s hasty exit and walked through the basement. Much worse than the main level, she already felt more uneasy. As they perused the cluttered room, they paused when they thought they heard heavy breathing coming from the back corner. Kie stepped behind JJ, choosing him to be the sacrifice.

As JJ stepped closer to the noise, he heard a low chuckle that erupted into a full blown laugh as John B stepped out of the shadows. “Dude, you should see the look on your face!”

JJ punched him in the arm, complaining “not cool John B. What are you trying to do, make Michael Myers come out here and prove to you that he’s real?”

John B simply rolled his eyes and pushed his way past his friend, heading upstairs to find the others. You came in through the front door right as he made it to the top of the stairs. “John B, I hate to say it, but Sarah decided to bow out. She saw Pope and Topper run out and figured she could make her exit then too. They went to wait in the van.”

“Did I hear you say you lost two already?” You hear Kelce’s voice emerge from behind you.

“Yeah, but from what I understand, you may have lost one of your own, Kelce. I don’t see Top anywhere” Kie replied as she glided into the room from the basement door.

JJ followed soon after, passing right through the room, headed to the stairs to take him to the second floor. “Alright you wusses, let’s break up this party. Nothing scary happens when everyone’s together”, JJ called out on his way through.

You laughed and followed him up the stairs, figuring his tough guy attitude might be your best shot at surviving the night. “Okay, J, where do we explore first?”

*

Meanwhile, Rafe and Kelce confidently strode down the basement steps, ready to take on any frightening scene that might unfold before them. As they crept through the basement, they took turns making creepy noises at each other, resulting in a laughing fit. Partly from their own antics and partly because of the three teens who had already bailed on the night.

And it was all fun and games until the basement door slammed shut, sending them into complete and utter darkness. Figuring it was just the fools upstairs, Kelce yelled up, “ooooh, I’m so scared” with a laugh just to stir them up.

But his laugh died as his eyes grew wide at the dark shadow, too large to be any of the others, slowly descending the stairs. The deep thud of the tantalizingly slow footsteps stopped when the shadow reached the bottom. When it turned toward them, they saw the masked face of the man and practically ran each other over in an attempt to find an escape route.

They tumbled their way to the back corner of the room where you, Sarah, and John B had uncovered the hole in the wall, and they practically threw themselves through the hole and into the passageway, no thought to what could be in store for them. Down the tunnel they took off, only turning around enough to know that the tall, muscular form was still following them.

Rafe was the first to reach the large gate in the tunnel, but it had been wired shut, blocking their way. Taking the time to unwrap the wire meant the mysterious pursuer was approaching closer and closer.

“Dude, hurry the hell up, man!”

“I’m going as fast as I can!” voices shakily yelling out in the darkness.

 And just as the slow-moving man approached and raised his arm in attack, Kelce wrenched the gate open and they launched their way through and up a precarious ladder.

Kelce was first to the top, where he didn’t look back as he took off out the shed door and down the street to find the others. Panting, he knocked on the window of the old van. Topper unlocked the door and let in his friend, confused by the look of pure horror on his face. Kelce was speechless as he climbed in the back and sat frozen in his seat, not even coherent enough to realize Rafe hadn’t emerged behind him.

*

Meanwhile, on the main floor, Kie and John B heard the sudden commotion from the basement, recognizing the frantic noises that reminded them of a scene straight from a horror movie. And when the noises faded, John B realized they must have run back into the tunnel they had found earlier. He knew they would find their way out eventually since he had left the gate open down there. But when he turned to find the basement door had closed, knowing that neither of them had done it, he looked at Kie, who looked back with eyes as wide as they could go.

They cautiously walked into the kitchen to look out the window toward the shed and saw Kelce, alone, running for his life, a look of absolute terror on his face. That was their cue to leave, so they turned and ran out the front door, not even turning around to see the tall, masked man standing in the doorway behind them.

*

As you and JJ slowly made your way through the upstairs bedrooms, just glancing at the old furniture left behind to rot, you thought you heard thumping from below. Everyone was on edge tonight, so you assumed your mind was playing tricks on you. Then you heard a door slam downstairs, causing you and JJ to look at each other and smile. JJ couldn’t help but say “sounds like someone else just made us one step closer to winning this thing.”

While the thought of winning was pretty sweet, you knew that the people left in the house wouldn’t be easy to scare, so anything that caused them to run would have been seriously frightening.

You continued into the very back room, furthest from the main stairwell. The room was empty except for a few scattered boxes. Making your way toward the side wall, you found a door that was a bit different from the rest in the house. JJ was able to wrench the door open and you found yourselves staring up into the narrow attic stairwell.

You looked at each other, silently wondering if this was a good idea. JJ decided for you as he took the first step up and you hesitantly followed him. You were about to comment on the smell as you ascended the stairs, but your breath caught in your throat as you took in your surroundings.

You and JJ found yourselves in a vast attic space. You were surrounded by coffins. The coffins Michael Myers had used for some of his victims. This was his storage space. The ones you could get to were, thankfully, all empty. You even found one for a child, sick to your stomach just thinking of the poor soul it had been for. The acrid stench of death was seeping through your already plugged nose, but you were unable to block it out. Your quickened heartbeat was probably audible to JJ as he stood frozen in place as he connected the dots just as you had.

Without a word communicated between the two of you, JJ had grabbed your hand and pulled you down the stairs and toward the main stairwell. But you both skidded to a stop at the sight in front of you. The stairwell was blocked. By a tall man in a black jumpsuit and a horrifying white mask.

“SHIT!” JJ yelled as he pulled you into the nearby bedroom. After moving a small vanity in front of the door, you ran toward the window on the other side of the room. You both tried to pry open the window but it wouldn’t move. “SHIT!” 

As he got closer you tried to look for something to defend yourself with. Your eyes finally land on a wooden plank that was used to board up windows. You lounge to grab it, swinging it in the direction of the man.

The two of you don’t waste a second sprinting out of the room as fast as you could. JJ made it to the stairs first running down with you in behind. As you make it to the last couples steps you miss one tumbling down the rest of the way.

“Come on Y/N!” JJ yelled at you, but when you got up you didn’t see the way the blond ran so you chose a door running through it. Of course you had the pick the wrong way into the kitchen with a back door that won’t open.

*

JJ makes it out running into Rafe on the way to the van. They get inside after sprinting from the house, not yet realising they were missing a certain Y/H/C headed girl. 

“JJ where is Y/N?” Kie tries to calmly ask before freaking out that one of there best friends is still in the creepy house with a murderer. At this point they all look out the van for the girl.

“She was following me out. I don’t- she tripped… she probably is still in there. Oh God.” He stutters out thinking that the person he was closest with in the world was stuck in a house with a crazing killer.

Before anyone could react or do anything Rafe got out of the van with JJ’s gun in hand. He quickly starts his way back to the house hoping to get there before you're dead.

*

The tall man in front of your small frame grabbed your shoulders slamming you back into the marble counters. You let out a cry of pain, the pain spreading through your body. “Please.” You whimper. “Stop.” He lets out a creepy laugh watching the struggle. He brings up the knife running it down your side drawing blood while cutting the country artist shirt I was wearing. He brings it up going in for the kill before a gunshot rings out. The tight grip he has on you falls making you fall to the ground, as it was the only thing holding you up.

You feel a hand on your arm causing you to flinch before looking up to the blue eyes of Rafe Cameron. His hand slips under your knees effortlessly picking you up from the ground as if you weighed nothing. Your arms wrap around his neck hiding your face in his chest.

He carries you out and in the van. No one says anything before starting up the van. The quiet hum of the engine couldn't be heard over your sobs. A cloth was pressed to the bleeding on your side causing you to let out a loud cry. No one knew what to say as you buried your head closer into Rafe’s chest.

John B starts dropping people off at their houses. Starting at Kelce’s then Kie’s, to Topper’s before pulling up at the Cameron residence. You already all knew Sarah was going to stay at John B’s. Rafe tried to move you off him but you wouldn’t let him. Your arms around his neck tightening. 

“I have to go.” He whispered into your ear. All the pogues left in the van watched the encounter between the two of you. Never had they seen Rafe be so nice to someone, so caring. Not even Sarah.

“Take me with you.” You cry into his shoulder. “Y/N.” He goes to say be cut off by a soft “please” making him give in. He picked you up again listening to the chorus of goodbyes you got.

He lightly set you down on his bed leaving for a second coming back with stuff to clean your wound with. He sits beside the bed on the floor grabbing the hem of your shirt looking up at you. “Can I?” You nod helping him get your favorite shirt off that was covered in blood. He must have seen the look of sadness you had as you watched him place the shirt on the floor.

“I can get the blood out but you can probably sew it or it might look cool with the rip but I don’t know.”  His hand grabs one of yours putting a cloth soaked with something, cleaning the cut. You tried to hold in the sound squeezing his hand. “It’s not too bad we just gotta keep it clean. Anything else hurt.”

“My back.” You flip on the stomach letting him see where you got slammed into a counter. 

“That’s going to be on nasty bruise Pumpkin, I grab some ice. And here change into this.” He sets some of his clothes on the bed for you to wear. You jump out of the bed grabbing his wrist pulling him to face you.

“Please don’t leave me alone.” The look you were giving the older kook boy made him give in quickly. The two of you walk down the kitchen happy that Ward, Rose and Weezie were asleep somewhere in the house. As Rafe grabs the ice you look through the cupboards looking for something to eat. Finally finding some oreos the two of you head back into his room.

You change and lay on the stomach on the bed Rafe getting in beside you resting some ice on your lower back.

“Thank you.” I move my head to face the boy who was already staring at me. “For everything.”

“Of course Pumpkin. Get some sleep okay.”

[tyunniverse]

TXT x DISNEY Halloween Shorts 🎃 (4/5)

pairing: ot5 x reader

genre: fluff, crack, college au

warnings: light swearing

synopsis: there's a halloween event at your uni and a few students are in the mood for misfit.

yeonjun | soobin | beomgyu | taehyun | hueningkai

TAEHYUN | Sleeping Beauty (2.5k)

The sky had turned dark, not a single star in sight, covered by ominous looking clouds that helped set the atmosphere for tonight's grandeur. Sunset came about an hour ago. Everyone was scattered around enjoying the festivities, trying out different booths and events that were held by the different departments. But Taehyun wanted none of that.

The bags under his eyes and the ever present frown on his face made it obvious enough. He'd been working his ass off for days for their department's event— delegating tasks, going back and forth for supplies, decorating their venue, advertising, assisting a few students with their script— Taehyun could go on and on. He looks up at the venue from where he sat, frowning as he reads the sign he made and put up at the entrance: FRIGHT MANSION. He wasn't too fond of the name but everyone else thought otherwise.

The walls of the building had aged with time, sporting numerous cracks and holes. Amateur graffiti lined the entrance up until the doors that were previously barred shut. Taehyun figured there was probably more at the back but didn't care much to actually check. Moss and overgrown weed poked out of the ground, adding to the dilapidated building's charm. The place had a reputation of being haunted but Taehyun never believed in that, but it did turn out to be quite the efficient marketing scheme, drawing in daring students like moths to a flame. He'd wondered whose brilliant idea it was to get permission to use the old Nursing Department building. Oh, right. It was his.

The old wooden bench creaks as Taehyun lies down, propping his head up his backpack that he'd turn into a makeshift pillow. The leaves above his head sway with the breeze. The rustling of the trees made the chattering and screams from the inside almost inaudible. Almost.

Taehyun made full use of the bench that's situated farthest from the venue, taking the time to get some well-deserved shuteye before someone comes and ruins his beauty sleep over something stupid like someone's costume catching fire. The thought rings in his mind, the likelihood of that scenario was far too plausible for his liking. His eyes flutter shut, shuffling from side to side to find a better sleeping position before settling on the one he first had earlier.

A strong breeze sneaks up on Taehyun, making him wrap his arms around himself as he shivered. He recalls fumbling to wear anything he got his hands on before rushing back to school. A little thought would've been nice while putting on his outfit, by then he would've settled on a few layers of clothing rather than a simple loose sweater. Another blow of a breeze makes him frown.

No matter. He's slept under worse conditions.

"Sure is cold tonight, huh." You say, adjusting the box of glitter containers in your hands as you rush to catch up with your friend, Yugyeom, who was carrying less than you were. You curse the difference in length between your legs and his— Yugyeom's being longer than yours, allowing him to take larger steps. It didn't help that he was a fast walker too.

"Yup, sure is." He says, sparing you a glance. "Which is why we should hurry this up. I don't want to get scolded twice for being late with the delivery because of your tiny legs." And with a snort, he speeds up. You roll your eyes.

The crunching sound of dead leaves beneath your feet alerts the two of you that you're nearing the old Nursing Department building. A cool breeze rolls in, somehow cooler now that you were in an area with lots of trees. You've been here before, once, with Yugyeom. It was for a stupid college party dare he'd made with his friends, and he forced you to come with.

The two of you pass the wide opening, the path towards the building showing up in your peripheral vision. From where you were, you could see the brught graffiti plastered around the walls. A quick scan and you spot the one Yugyeom had made for the dare— a simple sign saying: GYEOM WAS HERE, huge enough for his friends to spot from afar the next day to see if he really did it.

You chuckle, remembering how dumb he looked when he accidentally sprayed some paint over his shirt. "Hey, Yugyeom, remember when—" A stronger breeze blows by before you could finish, whipping your hair in front of your eyes. This wouldn't have been a problem if your hands were free to remove the obstacle from your face.

"Shit." You curse under your breath when you stumble against something hard. You feel a little light-headed as your feet move to regain your balance, unfortunately the attempt doesn't do much for you as the contents of the box spills, the containers of glitter rolling away from you faster than you could catch up to Yugyeom. Speaking of your friend.

"Yugyeom, wait!" You let the empty box fall, your hands rushing up to brush the hair out of your face as you whipped around. The familiar clown outfit you'd been following since the beginning of the night was long gone. You almost felt a little betrayed if you hadn't remembered how he got chewed out the last time he was late because of you. "You're not even gonna help me pick these up?!" You yell, hands slowly rubbing against each other to combat the cold wind. As you expected, you're greeted with silence. Well, almost silence. You jump as you hear a blood-curdling scream coming from inside the building, your balled fists immediately shooting up in self defense. Not like it mattered. Punching a ghost in the face didn't seem possible in the first place.

The rustling trees greet you as you slowly flutter your eyes open, taking the time to adjust to the darkness before you can start to make out the form of the building, and on the second floor, light. You breathe a sigh of relief, a smile forming on your face as you remembered that there was a Haunted house event going on right here and now. Definitely made the place seem a lot less creepy, you thought.

A few sparkling dusts in the air catches your attention and you're immediately brought back to reality— the harsh reality of you getting yelled at by a fuming Jinyoung when he finds out that half of the glitter he had you buy was now spread all over the mossy landscape of an abandoned building rather than the cute little treat shop your class had worked hard to build. Yeah, good luck to you.

You feel the grass prick against your knees as you bent down to pick up the containers that still had most of their glitter on, taking two trips from where they spilled to the box that you'd left behind at the opening. There was no way you'd start carrying that thing around while you cleaned up. If any of the glitter spills again, you wouldn't know what to do. Well, you would, but it would be too much of a hassle to clean up after yourself all over again.

Lastly, you settle for the piles of glitter scattered around the area. Some were spread around in bundles, some were tedious to scoop up since they were scattered too far apart, and some were sticking to the moss and mud, to which you've decided to leave alone. You've never had a good relationship with moss and you tried your best to keep your hands and feet away from it as much as possible. Just the thought of feeling the nasty thing with your own hands had your skin crawl. So that's that, no touching glitter covered moss for tonight.

You continue your endeavors, following the sparkling trail until it led you to one if the benches. Specifically, the person lying down on the said bench. Even more specific, that person's face— his face that's covered with a pile glitter.

Another breeze comes swooping in and hold your hands close together. Your eyes widen when the pile of glitter that was resting comfortably on his cheek was now spread throughout his face. At this point, trying to get the glitter back wasn't even an option. You frown, crouching down to take a closer look at your poor accidental victim.

His hair was sticking out on different angles, his lips dry from the cold, his outfit loose and thin, completely inappropriate for the weather and arguably the spirit of Halloween. You couldn't help but compare your matching clown costume with Yugyeom to this guy's sorry excuse of a Halloween getup. But upon closer inspection, you recognize who this was.

You didn't know his name, just that he was the one in charge of the Haunted house event going on behind you. You'd run into him a couple of times while purchasing supplies downtown. He looked even more tired after each encounter. Looking at his peaceful resting face and how underdressed he was, you figured he must've reached his limit. He was tired, understandably so, and you just spilled glitter over his face. He wasn't going to be happy when he wakes up and gets some of this stuff in his eyes.

Another gust of wind blows past you and an idea sparks in your head. "Just gotta be careful."

There's a tingling sensation on Taehyun's face and it's certainly not welcome. For one, it broke his beauty nap. And two, there is no number two— irritation taking over his mind as he finds himself shifting his full focus on number one. At first, he decides to ignore it, trying to go back to sleep despite the uncomfortable feeling on his face. But then he notices something strange.

He tries his best to stay still, refusing to move and open his eyes. He realizes that the tingling sensation was quite similar to the breeze that kept passing by, except that it's smaller and somehow warm? He couldn't really explain. He just knows that it's uncomfortable and roaming all over his face. And that's when it hits him.

This place was rumored to be haunted.

Goosebumps spread all over his body. The sensation almost felt like there's someone breathing on his face. No, not breathing. Something stronger. The thought alone was enough for Taehyun's eyes to shoot open, quickly prompting him to get up until halfway, his lips brush against something soft and warm.

"HOLY SHIT." was the first thing he heard after being pushed back down on the bench.

His body stiffens, completely stunned. And he wasn't the only one. In front of him was a complete stranger in an unflattering clown suit, staring back at him with equal shock and terror as their hands cupped their mouth. Taehyun isn't quite sure, but he swore he saw a pink blush spread across your cheeks.

He eyes how your hands are still covering half of your face, slightly shaking. A breeze passes by, seemingly reminding you two that it was the main villain for tonight. Taehyun shivers in the cold and is then briefly reminded of the sensation earlier, a warm blowing. "You," He looks up at you, a concerned look on his face. "Why are you here? What were you doing to me earlier?"

"GLITTER." You scramble to your knees, trying to gather any left over glitter from before to show as proof. Managing to get a few, you quickly hold it up to his face. "I— well, you see. Glitter. Yes, glitter." You wanted to slap yourself for failing to be coherent during the time you needed it most. "I accidentally spilled glitter all over the place and some happened to land on your face so, yeah, I don't really know why I even did it in the first place but yeah.. I started blowing on your face to get the glitter off and— oh!" You grin once you realized that his face was now glitter free, well, except for his lips. "Looks like it worked out fine anyway."

Taehyun couldn't help but look at you as if you were crazy. Here you were dressed up as a clown and reacting to your own explanation. He sighs, the bench creaking when he moves to sit up properly. "So, you were behind that weird sensation on my face earlier?"

"Weird sensation?" Your brows raise. "Oh, the blowing? Pretty much, yeah."

"And the soft feeling.." Taehyun stops himself after piecing things together. His hand shoots up to his lips on instinct, his cheeks flushed as he watched you slowly stand up. "Did we?"

"Yeah."

"When I—"

"When you tried getting up."

The leaves rustle and one falls off its branch and lands straight on Taehyun's head. He brushes it off. "Sorry for that."

"No, no! I should be the one saying sorry. I accidentally spilled glitter all over you and even ruined your sleep. Your reaction was totally normal and it just happened coincidentally."

Taehyun could only nod. He had to admit, his mind wasn't 100% present at the moment but he could at least process what had just happened. He looks down, noticing the containers of glitter by your side. "Do you still need help?"

"With that?"

"Gathering the glitter."

"Oh, no. I'm actually done."

"Well, then what d—"

"Taehyun!"

Both of your attention shifts towards one of the windows on the second floor. There, a group of students were frantically waiving at Taehyun. He could sense it. The panic in their movements, how some of the staff were running around aimlessly in the hallway— he'd predicted it all earlier. He just thought nobody was careless enough to actually set their costume on fire in a venue that's only filled with fake candles, but they keep proving him wrong.

"I think they need you." You say, feeling sorry that he had to go back to his duties after everything that went on.

"More than I need them." Taehyun sighs, getting up from his seat. He doesn't bother to pack up his belongings, merely stretching out his body before turning back to you. He notices your eyes on his bag and he reassures you that no one's going to want to approach a shady looking bag in front of a creepy building at night. At least, not while he's around.

"Sorry again." You say as he slowly made his way to the building. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

Taehyun pauses. "What's the glitter for?"

"Oh, it's for our Halloween treat shop."

You blink as Taehyun turns to face you. You half expected him to smile or something, but he only continued to look at you with the same tired eyes from earlier. "If you want to make it up to me for ruining my sleep, then wait for me here."

"Huh?"

"We'll go to your little shop together once I'm done." He says, now smiling. "And you're going to treat me to everything I want."

[aliasimagines]

Ice Cold (pt 2 to Melted Hearts)

Jason Todd x reader with ice powers

requested by @im-hqlover​

A/N: I had a great time writing this (and by great time i mean i cried. a lot. tOO MUCH ANGSt). But I hope you’ll enjoy reading!

Warning: charachter’s death, grieving, anxiety, panic attack, you kmow all the great stuff

Word count: 3722

At any other time you would be complaining by now. At how your side was stinging and how your breath stuck in. But not now. You ignored your hurting leg and ran as fast as you could. Still, with you running at full speed, Batman was a few steps ahead of you.

The Joker has left, leaving Jason and his newly found mother. Batman couldn’t contact him and you just hoped that the psycho didn’t do anything irreversible.

You couldn’t help but play back the last conversation the two of you had in your head. You had a fight. A big one. It was totally pointless by the way but he was too upset at the time. Bruce has just scolded Jason for being too reckless and told him that he should stop being Robin for a bit. Of course you went to comfort him when you heard about it but he wasn’t in the mood to be comforted. There was a lot of shouting, both of you lashed out on each other and it wasn’t pretty. Sure, you regreted it immediately. You called Jason, you texted him but he didn’t reply. Later you found out from Bruce that he went away to search for his biological mother. He left no notes for you, no text, nothing. Yet in this very moment you couldn’t be angry at him, you just hoped he would be alright when you found him.

You finally saw the warehouse in the distance. They should be there. Some kind of relief took over you. He was there. You could almost feel the handle of the metal door, grabbing it and slamming it open.

It all happened quickly. One moment you were still running the other you were thrown back by the wave of the explosion. Your ears rang and it took a moment to realize what happened.

No, no, no, no

You didn’t know when you got back up or when did you start running again but you were on your way to the ruins.

No no no no

You could still hear the noise, ringing over and over again.

-Jason threw a bomb while furiously hitting the switches of the controller.

„Kgshhsssh” he made the most ridiculous explosion mimicking sound with his mouth you ever heard. Just like he expected you break out in laughter causing him to easily win the game.

„That’s cheating!” you manged out in between two giggles.

„Nah, that’s playing smart, baby.” you disapproveingly shook your head and hit the replay button.-

You saw Bruce stopping next to Sheila but you didn’t see him.

No, no, no, no

He has to be somewhere near. You kept tilting your head in all directions as fast as you could until you spotted a bright red piece of clothing. It was from his uniform. You were there in a second trying to lift the debris off of it. It was to heavy, you can’t possibly do it alone. That’s when you saw a pair of strong arms helping you push it off. Your heart pounded so fast you were afraid it’s going to break out any minute.

You saw him. Under the heavy ruins, covered in blood, bruises and dust. Your breathing stopped.

No, no, no, no

Batman was already by his side checking his pulse but it was useless. You both knew it deep down but a little hopeful voice kept saying ’what if not? what if not?’ in the back of your minds.

The bat looked up at you with is usually unreadable face now broken and shook his head.

Legs slipping from beneath you, you fell on your knees, hard. Your whole body shook as you screamed and cried.

„No, no, no, no...this can’t be. No!” the ground beneath you began to froze.

You don’t know how you got home. Your memory is foggy. You remember little bits like Batman talking to you, a window to the cloudy sky which was probably on a plane and maybe the manor?

But now you found yourself on your bed. Instead of your costume you had on a pair of leggings and a hoodie. The hoodie was Jason’s. You sat up, all of a sudden remembering everything. You felt sick amd dizzy. The room was spinning. You stumbled out of bed.

It has to be a dream. It can’t be true. It was all just a messed up dream.

You almost fell like three times til you got out to the kitchen. Diana sat there, she looked so stressed. And you knew it wasn’t just a nightmare. She caught your shaking body and pulled you into a tight hug. You layed your face on her shoulder, quickly soaking her shirt with your tears. She played with your hair in silence. You had to get it out. Minutes passed, maybe an hour when you whispered between two sniffs.

„It’s my fault.” it was bearly audible but Diana heard you. Gently pushing you back so she could look in your eyes she said „Don’t say that Y/N. You did everything you could. You-„

„Noh.. I did not. If we haven’t had a fight, he would have brought me along with him and I would have been with him and-„ you cried out again. „Can I go back to my room?”

„Y/N...”

„Please.”

„Allright. Go. But I’m gonna check on you every now and then. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

Without a word you stumbled back into the dark room. You sat next to the window, leaning on the cold glass which gave some kind of comfort.

You spent most of your time there in the next few day. Every song on your phone reminded you of him. Every book on the shelf, every tought you had. So you sat there. Staring blankly outside, your eyes at the busy street, your mind occupied with playing the explosion over and over again. You could have been faster. If only you got there one minute earlier. Only a minute... You probably slowed Batman down too. If he was alone he would have made it on time. He probably blames you for the loss of his son. But that’s alright. You blame yourself too.

Guilt was with you everywhere. You couldn’t shake the thought what if?

You couldn’t really eat either. It just didn’t feel right to feast while his body was somewhere cold waiting for his coffin to be done.

You couldn’t wet out of bed one day and you felt guilty for doing that. You had your whole life ahead of you wasted day after day while Jason had no more days left to waste.

You tried to smile at Diana one time after thanking her something when you noticed a little voice in your head. It wnet on and on about how went on and on about how selfish you were for smiling. How can you smile? You’re not even hurt a little by losing Jason? God, you really are worse than the Joker.

THE JOKER!

That’s it. You have to snap out of it! Step out from this miserable act and do something. He has to pay for what he did. You closed your fist forcefully. You imagined beating him until he couldn’t move anymore. You wanted nothing more that to swipe that irritating smile of his stupid pale face. You wanted to freeze his veins, break him into million pieces of frozen meat. Than put him in a block of ice and throw him in to the Gotham river, let his remains sink down to the bottom.

Next thing you knew you were in your supersuit racing down to the front door. Just as you reached for the handle you heared Diana.

„Where are you going, Y/N?”

„Out.”you turned.”The clown needs to pay for what he did.”

„And what is that you want to do exactly?”

„Just what he deserves.”

„Do you hear yourself Y/N? You can’t do this.”

„He killed thousands of people! He took Jason too! I can’t-„

„You’re hurting. I know. But revenge will not bring you satisfaction. Jason will not appear miraculously if you go after the Joker. And you don’t kill Y/N!”

„I haven’t before.” you said more and more quietly

„Y/N you are grieving. You want him back, more than anything, I know. But you are in no shape to go after the Joker. Dear, you couldn’t even take out a thug like this, you-„

„Don’t you think I know that?” you cried out. „I know. I know I can’t do this for him! I’m a pathetic mess.”

„He wouldn’t want you to get hurt. I am certain of that. He would want you to continue on. Please Y/N don’t go. If not for me than Jason.”

His sweater still had his smell in it. It was comforting as you laid on your bed. Soft music played in the background. You reached for your phone and took it from next the plate. It was empty, except from the crumbs from your toast.

You open your texts and read back the last conversation you had with Jason before the fight.

Your heart clenched at his text. ’See you soon, doll❤️❤️’

(time skip to the funeral)

There was only a few people there. You almost laughed. He really was loner like Diana said the two of you were.

There were no big speeches. Not because he didn’t deserve one but because noone was in condition to do one. All of you were broken. Like a glass vase that was hit off the table all of a sudden with such brute force that it shattered to unrecognizable pieces. With a lot of work and time you could rebuild the vase but you could never cover up the marks on it. It will never be as strong as it was before.

You looked at a tree the whole time. It was such a nice tree, it looked a lot like the one you sat under the night you first met. It was covered in beautiful green leaves and it was blossoming. You looked at the tree because you couldn’t look at them. You couldn’t look at the tomb. You distracted yourself with the tree, with leaves, with anything you could because if you wouldn’t you would have broke down crying, you were sure of that. Sometimes his voice popped up in your mind, him saying your name. You choked up then, tears were threatening to fall but you swallowed back all of them.

A good amount of time must have passed because you sensed everyone starting to leave. Dick with shaking shoulders, Bruce marching slowly like a robot, Barbara and Commissioner Gordon behind them. The only ones left were Diana, you and Alfred. The man has been through a lot, seen a lot and you never saw that on him but as you turned to face him you saw a tired, shaken, torn man. He looked so vulnerable and so..old.

„Miss Y/N... Thank you for giving him his happiest memories. I know he loved you dearly.” he said quietly. You fought with your tears again and held back yoir breath. Afraid nothing would come out of your mouth but a sob you noded. Diana put her hand on your shoulder but you gently took it off. Collecting all your strength you spoke, your voice barely louder than a whisper. „Can I-could I have a moment alone?”

„Of course. If you need me, we will be inside.”

You watch them walk away too, you kept your eyes at your ’aunt’ and Jason’s grandfather until they became small silhouettes in the distance. You than walked with unsteady legs and shaking body as you couldn’t hold yourself anymore. The bouquet which you strangled in your hands until now looked too vibrant against the cold stone and the dark dirt which beneath was an even darker coffin.

You promised you wouldn’t leave my side.

You lifted your fingers to your lips before placing them on the tombstone.

„I love you”

You felt awful. And tired. You couldn’t really sleep. Everytime you passed out from exhaustion you woke up hours later covered in cold sweat, sometimes crying other times screaming because of the nightmares that haunted you. Diana figured your mental health was getting worse and worse so she made you a therapy appointment. You were unsure at first. Afraid to open up, to get help. But you went anyway.

You needed some sort of closure. Well that’s what they told you at therapy. Because you couldn’t say goodbye to Jason in person, you needed to find a way to do it now. Your therapist listed a bunch of methods but only one caught your interest. Write a letter to him. You liked the idea because he loved stuff like that. Hand written letters are so Shakespeare-y, Y/N! So you grabbed a pen and started writing. The words came naturally and you wrote the letter at one sitting. It wasn’t long. But it served it’s purpose. It was a closure.

Once you were done with the writing you put it into an envelope. You took the candle you lit before you started writing and poored the hot red wax on the back. Quickly before it hardened you carved a „J” into the wax. Satisfied you put it in the drawer of your table before locking it with a key. In the locked drawer, under the letter there was your superhero uniform. Diana was understanding about your decision. She let you stay with her and even though you wanted nothing more than to travel back to your family you took her offer. You wanted to focus on your studies and Gotham had one of the best university of the country. If not the best. But you talked with your family almost every day, video chatted with your brother whenever you could. And your days went like this. You worked, you found a lovely part time job at the local art museum, you studied, went to therapy and got through every day.

But no amount of medication or therapy could uplift you as a hug from Jason.

However you learned one really important thing. You can’t do anything about it. As much as it hurts, he is dead. But what you can do is try and live a life worth living. That is what he would have wanted (it took a lot of therapy sessions and speeches from Diana for you to believe that but now you finally do).

You worked hard, you studied hard so you could get in to university. And after a good while you stared dating again. It didn’t mean it actually hurt less, or that you didn’t miss him anymore, no. No, but you had to try to move on. Although seeing his lifeless body was a trauma you would carry with yourself in to the grave. You never forgot him, you still think about him, sometimes you wonder what would he do in certain situations that happened to you. You still cry some time. You still have anxiety attacks and not having his arms around you makes it harder. But you are trying. And that’s the best you can do.

(years later after Jason’s death, Gotham City, in the small apartment you live in)

You shared the apartment you were living in with one of your friends. You met at the first day of school and since you had the same classes you hang out a lot. She found this place not far from the university and asked if you wanted to move in. You did, not wanting use Diana’s hospitality (even though she said it was fine) plus you wanted to be more independent.

It was Friday night and she left for a party, she asked you countless times to come with her but parties weren’t your scene. Too many people.

So you were home, alone but it was kind of nice. You decided that a few hours of chilling wouldn’t be so bad. With all the studying and working you did all the time, you just wanted to do nothing tonight.

You changed into a comfortable pair of pants and your GSU hoodie. With some of your favorite music playing in the background you prepared some food and brought it back to your room. You sat the plate down to your table, next to your laptop and turned back to close the door.

„Hey”

Hearing a robotic voice from behind you, you spin around in a flash, grabbing a pocket knife quickly. Turning around you met with a huge figure leaning next your open window with hands raised in a defensive way. His dark clothes blended in perfectly to the dark lighted room but his big red helmet stood out just fine.

You knew him. Sure you left crime fighting behind but that doesn’t mean you just ignored what was happening in the city. He is a new face around Gotham. A raising crime lord, seemed to be interested in taking over the biggest crime lord, the Black Mask. His name was rumored to be the Red Hood.

„Oh, come on! We both know you don’t need that. But hey! I’m impressed! Your reflexes are pretty amazing considering you hang up the cape years ago. I bet you still work out.” you couldn’t see but he looked you up and down.

„Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to imply here but I don’t want anything to do with you.”

„Ah, why so harsh, doll?”

„If you leave now I won’t call the cops.”

„Sweetheart” he sighed annoyed „ You and I know that I will be long gone before old Commiss Gordo gets here.” The Hood slowly let his hand down reaching into what you assumed was a pocket inside his jacket. You pointed your knife at him.

„Easy there. I mean no harm.”

„Oh yeah, tell that to the trail of dead bodies you left on the streets”

Your comment was rewarded with small chuckle from the armored man.

„I mean no harm to you, is what I meant. Those fucks who you are talking about? They had it coming. I’m not gonna apologize for killing psycho bastards who sell drugs to kids.” he said getting a bit to heated at the end. You saw him take out a a folded piece of paper. From where you stood you couldn’t see what was on it but to your great suprise his next move was to held the paper out for you.

You nearly laughed out at him.

„ I expected a better distraction from you.”

„If I wanted you to be distracted, you would be distracted dear. Just take it.”

Still not sure, you took it and unfolded it. You slapped your hand in front of your mouth, quickly forgetting about the knife, letting it fall down with a loud crash. The paper was actually an old picture of you and your late boyfriend. A picture that was supposed to be six feet under ground in said late boyfriend’s coffin.

Your whole life body shook with anger.

„What the fuck have you-„

He quickly interrupted with a calm voice.

„I found it in my jacket. I seriously have no idea how you snuggled it into it because Bruce was never the sentimental type and wouldn’t let you put it there.”

You just stared at him with plain confusion and anger.

„Who-„ are you? Because it can’t be... This person in front of you can’t be who you think it is. No. It’s not him. But the way he stands, he speaks, the „doll”, the picture! But it can’t be him.

„You know it Y/N-„ his voice sounded more human and familiar as he took off the helmet.

„Jason...” you knew it wasn’t possible. He shouldn’t be here. Maybe your mind was playing tricks on you because of the exhaustion. But he was there. Taller and muscular than last time you saw him but he was your Jason. Right here. „How...”

„Does it really matter?” he asked his voice gentle, making your legs fill like they’re made out of jelly. He stepped closer, holding out his hand towards you.

No, it really doesn’t. He is here now and that’s what- wait. The Red Hood has been here for weeks!

„Jason.” you looked up at him. „How long?”

„Well...”

„Were you even dead?”

„Yes! Of course! For a while I was. I died. It was real but-„ he couldn’t finish his explanation because you smashed him across the face.

„How could you? I was mourning, we all were. Goddammit we still do, you idiot! Do you hate us that much??”

„Oh, so were continuing where we left off! Great! I loved that fucking fight we had. Amazing last memory of you!”

„How can you say that?!” you shouted, lips trembling, your whole body shaking. You felt like you couldn’t breathe and tears felt your eyes. Jason’s face fell. Fuck, I’ve gone too far.

„Hey..uhm try to listen to my voice and-„ he was cut off with a glare from you.

„I know, I know. I fucked up, I’m sorry. Just try to breathe and I will just be out in minute”

„Don’t you dare- don’t leave you idiot.” you reached for him with shaking hands. And he took your hands. You touched the rough material of his gloves, his jacket and as he gently hugged you, you felt his armor too.

You stayed like that for god knows how long in his embrace. Sure you were mad at him and he knew that but that could wait. He was here now and he wasn’t about to leave. You had all the time in the world.

He brushed your hair out of your face, with a loving gaze. Without a word you cuddled closer to him, laying your head on his chest you listened to his heart beat. He continued to play with your hair with one of his strong arms wrapped around your torso. You didn’t talk. Not because you didn’t know what to say but because you didn’t need words to understand each other. Even after all these years. And you knew that the of you belong togethe. Whatever happens, you will always find your way back to the other.

[cruisercrusher]

Hey, I found your vibe

Hardcase finds out one of his favourite musical artists is a crappy person, so the others cheer him up while suggesting new music for him to listen to

word count: 1244

A clone wars modern au one shot, that fits into the broader modern au but I couldn’t find a place to insert it effectively so here:

“Hey, what’s up?” Ahsoka walks up to the group, noting how Hardcase is lying in the grass, gazing forlornly up at the sky. 

“Hardcase is distraught,” Echo says as she sits down with her caf pasta. 

“I’m inconsolable.” Hardcase says with a straight face, but doesn’t elaborate, and Ahsoka turns to the rest of the group for clarification. 

“He just found out Doja Cat is a really gross person,” Jesse explains. “And now he has no music to vibe to.” 

“Oh, that sucks,” Ahsoka says. Hardcase sighs, and Kix reaches over and pats him on the shoulder, one eye still on his textbook. 

“We’re all trying to come up with music suggestions for him,” Rex says. Next to him, Anakin is pouting.

“They’re all roasting me for my suggestions.” 

“Not everything is about you, Skywalker, but also, your suggestions were all bad.” Fives says. “Try thinking of something less white trash and also something Hardcase would actually listen to.”

Hardcase drapes his arm over his eyes. “What even is a ‘fallout boy’? I don’t know her.” 

Anakin puffs up, rising to the bait almost laughably easily. “Fall out boy is literally one of the most—“ 

“I don’t know her. I’m too pretty.” Hardcase turns his head to look at Ahsoka. “Ahsoka, who’s your favourite artist?”

Ahsoka shrugs. “I like, uh, girl in red?” 

Hardcase considers this. “Hm… I don’t think I’m really girl in red’s target demographic.” 

“What’s that band Bly loves?” Rex says. “Cavetown?” 

“Cavetown does slap a little bit,” Hardcase says. “But it’s not the same vibe… I need music I can dance to but also dissociate to and also just vibe, you know? I have to be able to vibe.” 

“What about Britney Spears?” Fives suggests, and Hardcase gives him a look. 

“If you think I don’t already listen to Britney then you literally don’t even know me.” 

“Yeah, that’s fair. Pretty sure we all listen to Britney.” 

“Doesn’t everyone?” Anakin says, because even he has at least one Britney song downloaded. 

“I love Britney.” Echo pitches in, and Fives nods in agreement.

“Britney is an icon. When I say I hate celebrities Britney is not included in that statement.” Rex says. “What about Todrick Hall? You could make his music your main thing.” 

“Hey, yeah,” Hardcase reaches for his phone. “Speaking of gay icons. He put out a new album recently, tons of songs on it, lots of bops, some bangers if you will. I’m upset though, because one of the songs on there that slaps the most is featuring Rupaul, and I hate Rupaul.” 

“What’s wrong with Rupaul?” Ahsoka asks. 

“He’s one of those people who was progressive in the nineties but have either seriously regressed since then, or have just lost touch and not noticed that the people he paved the way for have completely left him in the dust.” Rex explains. “And won’t or can’t catch up.” 

“And also he’s irritating.” Jesse interjects. “I just don’t understand the ego on that man.” 

“He wouldn’t last a day on his own show. Did you know Rupaul can’t sew? Clown behaviour.” Hardcase scrolls through something on his phone, then snickers. “Rupaul stopped being a gay icon when he invested in oil fracking.”

“Oil fracking,” Kix mutters with contempt. “I hate his laugh. Like, that laugh he does? Can’t stand it.” 

Ahsoka nods. “Ah, I see. Yeah, oil fracking is… not great.” 

“So Rupaul isn’t on the table,” Anakin says. 

“Rupaul isn’t even in the dining room.”

“Right, what about, uh, that girl who was in fifth harmony but left? Her new music?” 

“Ew, Camilla Cabello?” Echo answers for Hardase. “Sorry, I thought we said no more hetero garbage suggestions.”

Anakin looks offended. “No, the other one! Normandy?”

“Normandy is a place in France, idiot, you’re thinking of Normani.” Rex says, and Hardcase’s eyes widen. 

“Normani! Yeah! I loved her debut solo single, I should see what else she’s got.” 

“Wait,” Jesse says, “I thought Normandy was in the Netherlands?” 

“What?” That finally gets Kix to look up from his note taking. “Are you serious? No, Normandy is in France. Remember, invasion of Mormandy, D Day, world war two? We learned this.” 

“Mormondy?”

“That’s where the mormons live.”

“That’s where Stephanie Meyer is from.”

“I’m tired, don’t come for me.” 

“Normandy does sound like it could be a place in the Netherlands, though.”

“Mr. Kenobi would be disappointed in you.” 

“No!” Jesse cries, turning his distraught face to Anakin. “Would Mr. Kenobi be disappointed in me for forgetting Normandy is in France?” 

“Probably not.” 

“I don’t think he would be.” Ahsoka says. “Obi-Wan is nice. He’d just say something like he’s glad that you’re learning.”

“Phew,” Jesse feigns wiping sweat off his brow. “That was a close one.” 

“Fetts be like, seeking the validation from Mr. Kenobi we don’t get from our father noises.” Echo says, and his brothers around him wince.

“Oof, too real, Echo.” Rex says. 

“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean you can just say it.” 

“Wait, oh my gosh, moment of inspiration--” Fives sits forward, look of pure revelation on his face. “Hardcase, you know who I think you would totally vibe with?”

“Who?”

“Jojo Siwa.”

“Jojo Siwa?”

“Jojo Siwa?”

“Jojo Siwa?”

“Jojo Siwa.”

“Jojo Siwa?”

“Jojo Siwa.” 

“Hm.” Hardacse considers this.

“Isn’t Jojo Siwa that girl with the glittery bows and shit?” Anakin asks.

“Jojo Siwa is actually really cool.” Ahsoka says. “I follow her on tiktok. She encourages young girls to, I don’t know, let themselves act like the kids they are? She’s like the only person on the planet not telling twelve year old girls to throw it back. And she’s genuinely funny and seems really nice… yeah. Also, her outfits are literally so cool.”

“Oh my gosh, yeah,” Hardcase says, tilting his phone so the rest of the group can see. “Look at this alien costume thing whatever from this music video, I’d go so far as to call this club kid revival. Girl’s got hella style.”

“Wow,” Anakin says, “I can’t believe a twelve year old has way cooler style than all of us.”

“Jojo Siwa is our age.” Rex informs him. Anakin blinks.

“What?” 

“Yeah, she’s seventeen.” Fives says. “Anyways, I don’t know why but I really think you’d vibe with Jojo Siwa, Hardcase.” 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Hardcase says. “Hold on, let’s listen to some of her music.” He pulls up her spotify and queues some of her newest releases, then turns the volume up on his phone and tosses it onto the grass in the middle of their huddle. 

An upbeat, funky tune starts playing from the phone’s speaker, and all eight of them lean forward in attentive silence as they listen to the song. 

‘Bop bop, twist twist, check it off your checklist, chug chug kick it, move it move it mix it--’

“Wow, Jojo is slaying on this track,” Jesse says after a minute. “Queen icon legend.” 

“She’s killing it. Go, Jojo!”

“Yeah, I’m digging this actually.” Hardcase shimmies a little to the beat. “Thanks, Fives!”

“I live to serve.” Fives smiles. “Sorry your favourite artist turned out to be a terrible person.”

Hardcase shrugs. “Eh, it’s alright. I stan Jojo Siwa now. Life is good.” 

“To stanning Jojo Siwa!” Ahsoka holds up her milk carton in a toast. Hardcase, who has no drink to toast with, just grins and lightly slaps the carton. They laugh, and the sun smiles down on them, and life is good.

[thirsty4theextraordinary]

Everything Burns - Chapter 7

Pairing: Ledger Joker X OC

Warnings: Blood, Violence, Death, Murder

Word count: 3909 (Long Chapter, Sorry Guys :S) 

Previous Chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 l Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

Chapter 7: The Meeting

The rest of the night was strange, to say the least. They sat in near silence in costume, Joker flicked through the channels without much reasoning. He didn’t speak to her but would laugh at TV every once in a while. She tried to talk to him a few times but he didn’t seem interested and would only give her limited answers. She questioned him about tomorrow's meeting but again he told her no more than he should go. He would look at her when he thought she wasn’t watching, it was like he was testing her or maybe he was testing himself. 

She felt like she was waiting for something to happen but it never came. Eventually the Joker settled on a tear-jerker movie about a dying man, Joker cackled at the character's misery. 

Around midnight she yawned and The Joker looked at her strangely as though he too was waiting for something, waiting for her to do something maybe. She wondered now if this had been her chance and she had wasted it, but it felt so strange just sitting here like this, and she was so used to him taking charge of every situation they had ever had. But then again this was the longest they had ever spent together so maybe she should feel flatter he was even her at all. 

"I need to go to bed soon" she muttered, stifling another yawn and he simply nodded turning his head back to whatever was on the TV now.

"Do you want to go to sleep?" she asked trying to gauge if he wanted her to offer him her bed, or if he would sleep on the sofa.

"No," he said, simply not even looking at her.

She stood from the sofa and felt his arm brush against her side, she looked down to where he was fingering the material of her waistcoat again. She stood still for a moment unsure of how to respond. Finally, he looked up at her and ran his hand along her arm to her hand, he held it in front of his face for a second before he planted a kiss on the back of it like he had done before. It was intense, his eyes staring up at her as he placed the kiss to her hand, sending shock waves up her arm. 

"Goodnight, Jester," he said softly looking up at her, but before she could reply or even respond, his head had turned back to the TV and his hand had left hers. She headed to bed and left her bedroom door open, she washed the clown make-up from her face and got herself ready for bed, she peered down the hallway towards the living room, he still sat his back to her as he watched the TV.

She crawled into bed and for a long time, she lay staring at the ceiling listening to the muffled sounds of the TV down the hall. Eventually, sleep consumed her and she drifted off into a fitful state worrying, what tomorrow would bring and if she had missed her chance.

It was around 3 am, he woke from his place on her sofa, the TV was still on and he looked around. For a second he forgot she had gone to bed hours ago, he stood stretching his back and wiping the drool from his chin. He made his way to the bathroom, as he was about to enter he peered into what he knew to be Scarlett's bedroom opposite the bathroom. He walked over and looked inside, she lay tangled in her sheets with one leg over the mound of the duvet and the other under it. Her hair was even more dishevelled than before, and her long legs were bare apart from the pair of pyjama shorts she was wearing. Something deep inside of him growled, but he saw no need to act on his urges just yet. She was his now, he had time. He returned to the bathroom. Tonight he had tested her, and she had passed. She hadn’t rushed him and showed nothing more than curiosity, but most of all he had not wanted to leave her. 

When morning came Scarlett stretched out the painful kinks in her back and stood from her bed. She peered around half expecting him to be in the bed with her, the TV was still on and so she made her way towards the sound.

He was sat on the end of the corner sofa, watching the TV. His make-up looked fresh, and she was sure looking at his fingers that he had only just applied it. She wondered if he even had slept.

"Morning," she said sleepily and he looked up to her grinning wildly. He rushed towards her and she was too sleepy to react. Suddenly he was so close to her that she had to look up to see his face. He wore an expression reminiscent of an excited puppy. He pulled at her pyjama top and she took in a breath. For a moment the pair just stared at each other. He bent his head as though to kiss her, his lips inches from hers and she closed her eyes at the movement but then he was gone, turning away from her and throwing himself back down on the coach. She blinked for a second, feeling slightly like a fool. It had all happened so fast she couldn’t be sure that she hadn’t imagined it all. 

"Coffee?" she asked her voice far weaker than before, turning on the machine but he simply shook his head. He didn’t sleep, didn’t drink or was he even human at all. 

She set her cup under the coffee maker and began to put some cat food down for Puddin who was currently licking the paint off of The Joker’s hand.

"Joker," she said warily realising suddenly this was the first time she had ever addressed him.

He looked up at her from his seat again.

"Where are we going today?" she asked her nerves for the day ahead, beginning to settle in. She had no idea what to expect or what was being expected of her. Of course having grown up the daughter of a drug baron she was no stranger to fighting and killing people had never bothered her but still her mind was racing, The Joker was so much more than any other criminal she had ever met. 

"We are going to a meeting the mob are having. I have a little proposition for them, we are meeting some of my boys there," he said simply and she nodded her head nervously. This wasn’t as much as she needed but it would have to suffice. 

"Don't look so worried Jester, I'm gonna look after you. Plus you'll have your own gun" he said and she only nodded again.

"Have you ever used a gun?" he asked standing up from his seat and looking curiously at her.

"Yeah a few times, my dad taught me when I was little, that and how to kill," she said and The Joker grinned madly.

"Good old daddy oh" he chimed and she only laughed.

When 11 o'clock rolled around she decided to get her 'costume' on. She was nervous, how she was expected to act around The Joker's 'boys'. She decided confidence was the best way forward, that had always worked when she had been introduced to her father’s ‘associates’. She smiled at herself in the mirror as she applied the last touches to her makeup and pulled her hair up into a messy bun onto the top of her head. Allowing it to fall unevenly as she pulled on her hat. Somehow her new costume brought her a sense of confidence. 

As she entered the living room, fully ready, the Joker looked her up and down, wolf whistling loudly. She was glad they were going in the middle of the day that way very few of her neighbours would see her dressed this way. She wasn’t ready for Jester to be found just yet, she was really falling in love with her new identity. 

"Ready," he said standing and pulling on his purple jacket, she simply nodded. He led her out to a grey van with blacked out windows and she climbed into the passenger seat as he started the engine. His driving reminded her of a boy racer who had finally passed his test. It was erratic and fast, but it was strangely funny as she was nearly thrown out of her seat as he suddenly made a left turn. She laughed madly as they raced around the streets of Gotham. 

The Joker's boys consisted of a group of two wanted felons and one previous Arkham patient. They picked them up at a meeting place under the overpass. Jerry the Arkham patient was a slim black man with corn rounds and he whispered to himself as he sat in the back, but he seemed in awe of The Joker and became deadly silent when 'the boss' spoke.

"Boys, this is Jester, she is the second in command now, after me, do what she says, or well you know the deal," shrugged The Joker as though he hadn’t just threatened them with death.  The other two, Dean and Kyle who were large burly men, climbed into the back of the van and shut the door behind them. No one seemed to argue with the change in the hierarchy and nobody spoke much after that. 

It didn't take long to arrive, The Joker pulled the van over, hitting the curb slightly and stopping so forcefully Scarlett nearly fell into the dashboard. They parked up outside what appeared to be a commercial kitchen; it seemed derelict and abandoned. But Jester knew the signs of a mob hideout, she had encountered them many times during her growing up. 

"Right, I'm gonna go in, Jester you keep watch by that door and I'll go in via the back, as for the rest of you keep an eye. If Jester calls you come in guns blazing, if not have the engine running" said The Joker before he handed Jester an automatic gun and quickly jumped out of the van. 

Dean moved to take the driver seat. Jester jumped out and looked at where the Joker had just disappeared. She hurried off towards the door he had told her to go to. 

Inside she could see what appeared to be some kind of industrial kitchen, stainless steel counters and stark white walls. Although the kitchen obviously hadn’t been used for a while as the thick layer of dust lay across the surfaces and the pots were obviously unused for a long time. 

Just a little way inside the room was a set of double doors, as quietly as she could, she pulled open the door. It opened up into a long corridor that has a wooden floor and a very different feel to the kitchen area. Opposite her was another set of double doors. Quietly she snatched up a heavy steel pipe she found on the floor, and wedged it to hold the first set of doors open. She stood waiting in the doorway, her heart beating out of her chest as she peered into the window of the next set of doors. 

Inside the room opposite her was a long grey table along both sides sat an array of well known Gotham gangsters, including the only one she recognised Salvatore Maroni. He sat his boys standing behind him warily, none appeared to be armed. Though it was just past midday the room had no windows and so held a strange coldness to it, lit only with harsh fluorescent tube lighting.

At the end of the long table, a TV was being placed and it was quickly turned on. She spotted a glimpse of purple at the other end of the room hidden in the darkness, she knew he was waiting for the right moment.

"What the hell is this?!" said the mobster next to Maroni as he motioned to the TV with a loose hand.

But the TV was already on and an Asian man's face appeared on the screen looking at them all.

"As you are all aware one of our deposits was stolen a relatively small amount, 68 million" the Asian man on the TV began.

"Who's Stupid enough to steal from us," said a man with a strong Russian accent.

"Two-bit whack job, wears a cheap purple suit and make-up, He's not the problem, he's a nobody," said Maroni and Jester felt an anger like no other rise up within her and her hand clenched more tightly around the gun in her pocket.

There was a noise behind Jester and it brought her quickly out of her rage. She watched in horror as a man pushed open the door from the other end of the kitchen, quickly, she hid behind the door she had propped open as her heart began to beat harder. He had not seen her as she continued his patrol down the corridor. She pulled out the knife she had stashed earlier and tried to clear her mind as her dad had taught her so many years ago. He may have been a murdering scum bag and deserved to burn, but he had taught her well, better than most. But she hadn’t killed in a long time, in fact it was his own murder that was her last.

As the man passed by her hiding place, she moved quickly and slunk her arms around his neck and in one swift motion, she slit his throat. The gurgling noise was louder than she had remembered it was and she watched as the man fell to the floor.

As she watched his blood begin to pool around him, something inside her was rising from where she had buried it long ago. Her mask was crumbling rapidly and her madness was coming back into the light. She resisted the urge to giggle and headed back to the window in the door, ignoring the man behind her clutching hopelessly at his throat. She wasn't as bothered about taking yet another life as she thought she would be, in fact, she found it somewhat exhilarating as she rubbed her fingers together, savouring the glossy feeling of the blood as it seeped into the pores of her gloves.

She peered back into the window, making sure she wasn't going to be seen.

"Where then?" asked a huge black man sitting opposite the Russian, he looked outraged as he looked at the TV.

"No one can know but me if the police were to gain leverage over one of you everyone's money would be at stake," said the TV man, and the room erupted into angry roars.

The muttering soon stopped the Russian "what’s to stop them getting to you?" and with that there was silence.

"I go to Hong Kong, far from Dent's jurisdiction and the Chinese will not extradite one of their own," said the TV man.

"How soon can you move the money?" Maroni asked

"I already have, for obvious reasons I couldn't wait for your permission. Rest assured your money is safe". The Asian replied quickly.

And finally 'The Boss' made his move, his sarcastic dry laugh rang out through the room like a beacon and Jester couldn't help the grin that came to her face and her heart began to race in a whole new way. She rubbed her bloody hands together again. 

He made his way into the room a little more so they all could see him. He glanced quickly at the doors and a smile pulled at his lips as he spotted his new favourite person.

"And I thought my jokes were bad," he joked,  looking around at them all.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't have my boy here pull your head off," said the black gangster who looked more outraged than the others, that the Joker was here. His 'boy' stood quickly from his chair and headed towards the Joker, who seemed completely unfazed by the situation.

"How about a magic trick," said Joker, a childish grin spreading across his face, he opened his jacket and pulled out a pencil and slammed it into the table so it stood upright. "I'm gonna make this pencil disappear"

The gangsters 'boy' began his attack but the Joker moved in one fluid motion and soon the man lay dead on the floor with a pencil embedded in his skull.

"Dada! It's ah it's gone" said the Joker pulling up a seat looking around at them all as though expecting applause.

"Oh and by the way the suit, it wasn't cheap, you outta know you bought it," The Joker said, readjusting his collar slightly.

The black man's face contorted in a mixture of disgust and outrage and he stood to confront the clown, but before a word left his lips, the Russian spoke.

"Sit, I want to hear, proposition," he said motioning to the Joker and sitting back in his chair slightly more.

The Joker looked to the black gangster and waved his hand slightly at the Russian, and so reluctantly the gangster sat back down.

"Let's wind the clocks back a year. These cops and lawyers wouldn't dare cross any of you. I mean what happened, did your balls drop off, hmm" the Joker began staring around at them all, as though actually expecting an answer.

"You see a guy like me," he said motioning to himself slightly.

"Freak" the word rang out from the gangster's lips like a gunshot in the night and Jester once again had to control the rage that flared up, it was mad how emotionally attached she had become to that clown, but she couldn't deny it now, she was in deep.

"A guy like me" The Joker repeated and then he paused for a second clearly changing his mind.

"Look, listen. I know why you choose to have your little ahem ... Group therapy sessions in broad daylight. I know why you're afraid to go out at night. The Batman" he said the name slowly as though making sure that everyone understood.

"See Batman has shown Gotham your true colours, unfortunately. Dent,  he's just the beginning. And as for the televisions so-called plan," he said waving his hand in the direction of the TV, where the Asian was still watching from.

"Batman has no jurisdiction; he'll find him and make him squeal! I know the squealers when I see them... and" he implied pointing to the Asian directly who had covered the screen for a second before he was gone, replaced by snow.

"What do you propose," said the Russian looking at The Joker.

"It's simply we... uh ... kill the Batman" said the Joker pushing some of his hair out of his face slightly, before the room erupted into laughter.

"If it's so simple, why haven't you done it already," asked Maroni, a smirk on his face.

"If you're good at something, never do it for free," said the Joker simply.

"How much do you want?" asked The Russian his accent stronger than ever.

"Ugh...Half" said the Joker moving closer to the table.

"You're crazy," said the black gangster and the Joker's eyes went dark and his mood completely changed to something much more dangerous.

"No, I'm Not... No, I'm Not" he snarled looking at the black gangster and licking his back teeth slightly.

"If we don't deal with this now... soon ... little uh Gambol here won't be able to get a nickel for his grandma" Joker said looking at the black gangster and motioning his hand somewhat.

"ENOUGH from the Clown!" shouted Gambol standing again, but The Joker was on his feet just as quick.

"ah-ta-ta-ta-ta" The Joker sang slightly as he pulled open his jacket, his thumb attached to a cord that held on it the pins of around half a dozen grenades. He tugged at the sting lightly and Jester took a breath to calm herself. When had he put the bomb vest on? Was he wearing it back at her apartment or has he put it on since? She certainly hadn’t noticed it before. 

"Let's not blow... this out of proportion," warned Joker looking at Gambol.

"You think you can steal from us and just walk away?" asked Gambol.

"Yeah," said the Joker simply backing up, towards the door Jester was watching through.

"I'm putting the word out five hundred grand for this clown dead. A million alive, so I can teach him some manners first." threatened Gambol angrily but the Joker did not look scared but rather a little confused.

"All right. So listen, why don't you give me a call when you wanna take things a little more seriously..." said the Joker reaching into his pocket with his free hand.

"Here's my card," he said, placing a Joker card on the table still tugging lightly at the sting on his thumb. He seemed to be humming to himself as he backed out the room, kicking the door open with his foot. Jester jumped out the way as she watched him approach. He looked at her and laughed wildly.

"Did you do that?" he asked pointing to the man on the floor and he pulled her by the arm passed the dead body. Jester nodded slightly and The Joker laughed again as he and Jester tumbled into the back of the van and took off again.

"You brilliant girl," he exclaimed grinning again, Jester took a breath. This was the best high she would ever have, she was not only allowed to show her true self but the exhilaration of it all was intoxicating. Jester was unsure if she would ever be able to go without again, the death she had just caused completely slipping her mind as soon as he smiled at her. The escape was seamless, it seems Dean was an experienced getaway driver, easily losing Gambol’s men in no time. 

"So Jester wanna be a permanent member of our team," he asked after they had dropped off the boys. Jester felt like she was dreaming.

"I'd love to," she said grinning and he mirrored her.

"What about my job?" she asked and he seemed to be thinking for a second.

"Keep it, for now, just get some time off," he told her after a while and Jester only nodded before she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and began to dial, her eyes beginning to well up as her act took over. She has been acting for her whole adult life this would be a piece of cake. 

"Hi it's Scarlett, I need some personal time off as my aunt has just died, so I need to go back to England for a little while," Jester said her eyes welling up.

She agreed a few times, blubbling slightly, before she hung up and a smile filled her face as she looked at him.

"I have a month off," she said and The Joker cackled with happiness.

After that phone call, Scarlett's life would never be the same again, though she didn't know it at the time. Her true hidden madness would begin to dig deeper into her soul and Jester would become so much more than just an alter ego.

[magic5ball]

Nature Trail to Hell Arc IV: Megamart of Darkness (6)

Chapter 6: Franklin vs. Penn: Ultimate Grudge Match

“I’m sorry,” He said, all polite-and-founding-father like, “but the museum is now closed. Those who do not leave WILL BE EXTERMINATED. As I always say, early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and NOT DEAD! Thank you so much for visiting the Franklin Institute, and please come back tomorrow, when I WON’T KILL YOU!”

           Unfortunately for Silverstein, I’d been in situations like this a thousand times before. See, when you get in trouble, be it trying to flood the house, drawing pictures on the walls, or just plain old putting fireworks in your breakfast cereal, you learn real quick to always have a buddy (or little brother) on standby. Why? Because-

“It was them, Mr. Franklin!” I cried, pointing my index finger. “They started it!”

Then I ran. Always run before they can think long enough to punish you!

There was a loud Pop as Ben Franklin cracked his knuckles.

“A fool and his money are soon parted, as is a certain Quaker and his life if he does not leave now. I once said visitors and fish stink after three days, but you were rotten on arrival, pacifist!”

Penn stamped his foot so hard it cracked the floor, accepting the challenge. “I may not believe in fighting, but soon you shall see why they call us the Quakers, you impoverished d!ck!”

“Uhh… guys? I’m still here.” Said Silverstein, just in time for Penn to kick him into a marble pillar.

“The child is mine to reprimand, you fool!”

“’Tis not!”

“’Tis too!”

“’Tis not!”

           As much as I wanted to hear a riveting philosophical debate between two of PA’s most famous citizens, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to getting crushed by giants, either. Instead I ran. I ran so far away. Now, keep in mind I hadn’t been to the museum since I was five, which made searching out the train an absolute pain. Having two giant men bumbling behind me didn’t exactly help.

All I could think was runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrun.

           It should have been easy: all I needed to do was find that stupid train, bring it to life with gold dust, and vamoose! If only I could remember which room the darn thing was in! Instead, I ran through rooms filled with electricity, weather, and ‘shudder’ physics. Sometime along the way, I realized this is where parents put all the boring sciences nobody cared about, locking them away from the rest of the world. This wasn’t a museum, this was a prison. A prison of learning.

           Then there were Ben Franklin and William Penn hot on my tail, reducing rooms to rubble as they went. I had no idea what would happen when all that science got released into the world, but I didn’t want to find out. At least they seemed more interested in each other than me. Until Ben Franklin stuffed Penn’s body up a working Tesla coil, that is. Penn might have recovered, had he been made of something other than bronze. Instead, the room exploded in a burst of electricity, Franklin and I leaping out in the nick of time like a pair of action heroes.

           Of course, without Penn to distract him, I had to contend with Big Ben himself (and Silverstein, whenever the heck he got back in the fight). So now on top of finding Baldwin (seriously, how hard can finding a 400,000 pound choo-choo train possibly be?!) I had the world’s angriest founding father on my tail, spitting maxims at me. Maxims that were also really bad puns about my demise (that I may or may not still sometimes hear in my sleep).

“I once said three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. So far, one down, one to go!”

I slammed my knuckles to my head.

Come on, Watt! Think, thiiinnnnkkkkkk!

I pumped my ten year old legs hard enough to pop my knees off, the air pushing back against me like concrete. There was a flash; the world spun. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.

                                                          .   .   .

           When I opened my eyes, I back at the Franklin Institute. Srta. Now, it was day and there were tons of guests. And in that great thong of guests was none other than five year old me being dragged along his parents. 

Fist, I was right confused about what the hey was going on, when it struck me that just last year I managed to run faster than the speed of light, going back through time. But back then, I’d sprained my ankle so I shouldn’t have been able to go that fast again. This had to be an illusion! Unless...

Unless, being a soul now, my ghost ankle wasn’t sprained, which, combined with my dinosaur feet, had let me run fast enough to break he sound barrier again and go back to the day my parents first took me to this hell of learning! Should I have been worried I wasn’t more shocked? Maybe, but all my mind could think of was how I distinctly remembered seeing a giant train as the last stop on my visit. It took my nerve wracked mind five seconds to churn out a plan. And so began the first (but sadly, not last) time I would find myself stalking somebody.

           Funny about stalking. In the movies they make it look like some daring spy espionage thing while some awesome music plays in the background. Fact is, you spend most of it just sitting around searching for that perfect mix of part of the crowd, but not so much you’ve lost your target, the whole time internally screaming Darn it, kid! Put down the plastic stegosaurus and get a move on to the trains already! (I also felt tempted to tell him throwing Steggy into incoming traffic on the way home was a terrible idea even by 5-year-old standards, but that’s the sort of thing that causes time paradoxes, so I kept my mouth shut.) Seriously, it’s no wonder I didn’t remember squat about the place! And somehow, despite having his face in front of a dinosaur the whole time, little Watt spent hours in front of every exhibit (except the giant human heart, that one sent little me screaming for the exit until Mom convinced him there were no ghosts in there). If it weren’t for Dad grumbling how ‘we should’ve just gone to the dinosaurs like we usually do’ while Mom countered with ‘we need to expand our son’s horizons’, I might have died of boredom for the third time that summer.

           One planetarium show later (which I sat outside for, seeing I didn’t have a ticket) they finally got a move on to the trains, which actually got little me to stop staring at his plastic dinosaur for five seconds. Heck, I found myself gaping at the darn thing (which of course was in an out of the way area most people wouldn’t even notice if it wasn’t on the map.)

           So I knew where the Baldwin was, now I could get going returning to my own time! As if on cue, a loudspeaker screamed

“ATTENTION GUESTS! IN FIVE MINUTES THERE WILL BE A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR TESLA COIL IN THE WONDERS OF ELECTRICITY EXHIBIT!”

           Mom, determined to get little me to see there was more to life than dinosaurs (Mom, I love you, but you’re wrong) immediately started dragging the family over. Naturally, I followed suit, knowing full well how this story ended.

Turned out, there was one other thing that could get little me to take his eyes off his plastic dinosaur for more than five seconds (that wasn’t a giant, fleshy organ in the middle of a museum hall). And that was seeing their future self running into the Tesla coil right as the demonstration began.

Have you ever been barbequed? Roasted so dark your skin feels like lava, then you can’t feel anything at all? Well, jumping into that coil was like that, and more. Only thing I could feel was my brains being spun around like clothes in a washer. All the while, I thought of that stupid giant heart. Whose heart did it even belong to, anyway, and who thought it was a good idea to put it in the middle of a museum hall where all a manner of kids could crawl through it to their heart’s content?

Whose heart was it?

But I already knew the answer, just like I know the history of dinosaurs. With that knowledge, I came up with the perfect plan.

And everything was still, absolutely still.

                                                         .   .   .

           When I got back up, it was nighttime in 2006, angry Ben Franklin and all. Quick on my feet, I ran to where the little kids go to learn how disgusting they are on the inside. Franklin followed close behind, each footstep a five on the Richter scale. If I wanted to pull my plan off, I couldn’t miss a beat. Running was a bit trickier, though: somehow, I’d sprained my ghost ankle from running so fast. Not that I really had time to wonder how that worked. 

Anyway!

           Most kids like theme parks. I was never one of them. You know why? Because of those creepy animal mascots! Just like clowns, there’s something inhuman about them! But at the end of the day, a thousand of those costumed freaks seemed less scary than Big Ben Franklin’s ticker. And this is coming from a guy who literally lived in the Underworld for a few weeks!

           Did you know it glows at night?! It freaking glows at night like some bloody Chinese lantern. While pulsing! It was enough to make me lose my lunch (or Cheetos, in this case) to the point where I wondered if being crushed to death in the marble hands of our first president might not be such a bad thing after all. (He was our first president, right?) But at the end of it all, I flinched. First I was fleeing from death, the next moment I was lodged somewhere in Big Ben’s left ventricle.

“Coward! Come out and face me!” He cried, punching a hole mere inches from my face.

I may or may have not screamed as blood splattered my face. For the next few minutes, it was a fight for survival. Franklin ripped open the heart, trying to grab me, and I didn’t know what would kill me first: Fists, or the guy’s cringy maxims.

“He who would sacrifice his freedom for security deserves neither!”

Punch.

“My energy and persistence will conquer all things-that includes your flimsy little bones!”

Slam!

I would have parried with quips of my own, but really, it’s kinda hard to come up with puns for ‘ventricle’. But in the end, I decided who lived a-or-ta died, so that’s neat.

Sure enough, the more Franklin punched, the more blood spread over his marble face, the slower the heat beat and the weaker he got, over and over and over…

“Nothing is… certain in life… but death and…”

Just like that, Ben Franklin collapsed on the floor. Now it was my turn for a witty one liner.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you an investment in knowledge pays the best interest? Fun fact about the heart: when it stops beating, you stop living.”

And with that, I went to my way toward the Baldwin, but not before Franklin gave me one last ominous warning.

“He who lives upon hope…”

I didn’t hear the rest because by then, he’d drowned in his own blood.

           So I ran to the best of my memory, diving down that staircase where they keep the pendulum thingy into the space travel exhibit (or as I like to call it: ‘You think it’s gonna be fun, but it’s not’.) And who do I see leaning against a replica lunar module but Smell Silverstein himself, looking mighty proud of himself

“Good evening, Watterson.” He said, all sinister-like. “You probably think you’ve been doing real good, busting up two of Pennsylvania’s most famous figures like that. Too bad, mother*cker! Because I’m Shel mother*ckin’ Silverstein, and now, you will be crushed by the wrath of Apollo, the Living Lunar Module!”

With as much charisma as he could muster, he took some dust from his pocket and splashed it on the space thing.

Nothing happened.

Shel looked at his hands, now a bright orange. “What the Stephen Hellenberg?! This isn’t gold dust, this is CHEESE PUFF DUST!”

           You know that gold dust Silverstein tried to snatch from me earlier? Too bad he didn’t have good night vision (the kind you get from constantly checking for monsters under your bed) otherwise he’d have noticed I’d pulled the ol’ switcheroo on him. 

And I made certain he wouldn’t have time to correct his mistake. 

You ever rammed a guy twice your size before? The key is to catch them by surprise, because even if you’re an eighty pound wimp like yours truly, if the other guy isn’t expecting it, they’ll topple like a domino, bang their head on the leg of a lunar module, and that will be that.

           Of course, I didn’t exactly have time to celebrate my victory. With what little energy I had left, I tottered over to the train exhibit. For a moment I’d expected the worst, but there it was, black, long, and big as a house: the Baldwin 60000, the greatest locomotive ever designed by man. Right where I’d left it. Climbing into the cockpit, I opened the firebox, pouring every last ounce of Penn’s gold dust inside. The whole thing shimmered as streams of gold circled the train, like some kind of magic spell.

“What the f*ck?!”

A deep booming voice erupted from right out of nowhere.

“Where am I? What is this place?! How the hell am I talking?!”

“Hey, relax-“

“And now there’s a voice in my head!”

“Actually, my name’s Watt, and I’m gonna bust you out of here.”

“Well I’m not interested! If you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to being the greatest steam engine in America!”

I slapped my head, finally realizing my Mom put up with this crap every time she put me to bed at night.

“C’mon, Baldwin, I nearly got sent to the Underworld, MULTIPLE TIMES I might add, trying to rescue you!”

“Then if you want a train so badly, go to Rocket over there! He’d probably help you out!”

Rocket was a dinky little rust bucket who probably couldn’t outrun a fourth grader, much less crush a Wegmart Greeter. In fact, I’m still not sure if that thing even qualified as a train.

Fortunately, my Mom put up with this crap every time she put me to bed, so let’s just say I knew a little about getting people to do what you want.

“Fine then,” I said, putting up my hands and making an exasperated sigh. “Guess you won’t have the chance to be famous, then.”

“How?!” The desperation in his voice was palpable.

“Oh, I just wanted you of run over a Wegmart Greeter and help some geese get their nesting grounds back. It would get you in the papers. But I could just go over to Rocket, since you insisted…”

A whistle erupted. “NO! NO! You definitely want me! Ever since I’ve somehow gained a consciousness, all I’ve had the inescapable urge to do something stupid that’ll land me in the papers! I’m a very useful engine, I SWEAR! Please don’t leave meee!”

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes “Okay, but promise you’ll do everything I say, alright.”

“Yes, yes! Anything for fame!”

Just at that moment, William Penn barged in, creating a giant Quaker shaped hole in the wall. His hair was a bit frazzled, but other than that he looked just as dandy as when I first saw him.

“Halt, Wastrel! In the name of Penn-“

“CHARGE!” I screamed.

With an ear shattering whistle Baldwin rammed forward, shattering Penn’s bronze butt into a million pieces. But we didn’t stop there. No, we kept going through the museum, out the other end, and…

“We’re going to crash into traffic!”

“Don’t worry, kid! You just have to belieeeeevvvveeeee!”

“How is that supposed to-“

“Do you want to ram through a traffic jam or not?!”

So I did. I hugged the firebox, believing we might somehow get away with all this. Gradually, the ground stopped screeching beneath us. When I finally found the courage to look down, we were a hundred feet in the air. I wondered what passersbys would think when they looked up to see a seven hundred thousand pound train making a silhouette as it passed over the moon.

“What the heck is happening?!”

“Magic, kid! The Magic of BELEIVING, MOTHERFORKER!” He tooted his whistle triumphantly “Just don’t stop, or we all fall to our deaths. I’ll even sing a song to help you remember!”

“No that’s-“

“Don’t stop! Beleivviiiinnnngg!”

I screamed all the way back to the pond.

                                                          .   .   .

Just like I promised, Baldwin did get in the papers. Specifically, an article in the National Esquirerer titled

“Lascivious Locomotive Finishes Founding Father! Makes Daring Escape into the Heavens!”

Right beneath an article about one of the most pressing issues of our time:

‘Hannah Montana: the American Beethoven?’

[jack-the-clown]

𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕽𝕻 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 @𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖜𝖓𝕼𝖚𝖊𝖊𝖓𝕺𝖋𝕮𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖆𝖌𝖊 - 

🆃🆁🅸🅶🅶🅴🆁 🆆🅰🆁🅽🅸🅽🅶 - Torture, Horror, Gore, Etc.

The night air was cold as the clown welcomed his newly dressed clownette into an old makeshift tent, forgotten about many decades ago and left to rot over the years. After their costume store jaunt it was time for her next and possibly final step to fully become the true Chance that he was molding her to embrace. Within the tent was very little, broken wooden furniture and cobwebs did little to fill the canvas covered space that had been ravaged by the elements over the years. Jack stepped inside and over to a corner that held a large steamer chest covered in dirt and grime.

“This is it. This is where I hid it all those long years ago...” he mused aloud, feeling the dust off the top with his fingertips. He looked over his shoulder to the tutu clad female, “I’m sure you’ve read all about it in my files.” he explained before turning his fixated gaze back to the trunk. “All the little souls I had trapped in here...caught Adaru’s attention. Never did I think that killing kids would lead to such a...empowering outcome. Immortality was something I never believed in before all of this but hey when a deal comes along and you’ve got unfinished business, I’d really be a fool to let that one slip through my hands!” he monologued. 

“But it isn’t the trunk that’s interesting for you, Chance.” He began pushing the heavy antique chest aside, revealing a hidden wooden trap door underneath it. “It’s what lies underneath it.”

[fallout4holmes]

Nuka-World 4

Holmes woke up not long after sunrise. I made sure he ate something, and we came out to see Gage waiting at the bar. "The Overboss wakes," he greeted, standing up. "Well, you came back in one piece. That's a good sign. Everything all peachy with our friendly neighborhood psychopaths?"

"'Peachy' isn't quite the adjective I'd use," Holmes said as he lit a cigarette. "The leaders have their doubts, but are willing to give me a chance."

Gage winced, "Hoo, boy. Not exactly what I was hoping for."

"Most of their doubts seem to come from the fact that this is your idea."

"Damn, they ain't gonna make this easy," Gage grumbled, and put a confident face on. "Ok, time to roll up your sleeves, boss. There's work to be done. See, this place is huge. Divided up into sections. Parks, whatever the hell they called 'em back in the day. We need to take 'em all back, one at a time."

"You hope that having more space will prevent the chance of someone… doing something rash."

Gage chuckled, "That's one way to put it. Every section we secure gives us a little more breathing room, and more resources. And it'd be good to have a few less threats surrounding us, too."

As much as I hated to admit it, it made sense. Gage was smarter than he looked. Spending time away from raider central might also be something Holmes and I could work to our advantage, assuming we survived.

Gage continued explaining, "You stake a claim, plant a little flag for one of the gangs, and that settles it. That park is theirs for good. Who gets what, that'll be your call. Whoever you hand it off to will appreciate it, but the others might get a little jealous. You know how it goes."

To say I was skeptical would be an understatement. "Plant a flag? Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," he shot me a hard stare and focused on Holmes. "Look, you leave it up to anyone else, the gangs'll all just fight over who deserves the space. Lot of these idiots can't read, so it needs to be as plain as day for them to get on board. They know what to watch for. So that's it. Nice and simple, right?" He grinned, "And hey—we're in this together, so I might as well go all-in. You want me watching your back, you just say the word."

"No thanks," I fumed.

Gage ignored me, but made his case to Holmes, "C'mon boss, you gonna turn down another gun?"

Holmes was unimpressed, "At this moment, yes. My partner and I are equipped to handle whatever this park may throw at us."

Gage shrugged, "Suit yourself. Change your mind, I'll be around."

Holmes took the sack of flags Gage had whipped up and we headed out.

“Are we really doing this?” I asked in a low voice as we walked.

“Clearing out the parks could be of use to the traders in the long run,” Holmes murmured back.

“Not if they’re populated with raiders,” I grumbled.

Holmes didn’t respond, and I started to get concerned as he kept walking all the way to the front gate. “Holmes. You think they’re going to let us…” Holmes walked right out the front gate of the park without anyone saying a word. “... never mind.”

Of course, it wasn’t hard to see why the raiders weren’t worried about us flying the coop. The collapsed remains of a highway decorated the vast emptiness in front of us, the dust of a post-apocalyptic parking lot, mountains in the distance.

My fingers brushed his, "Long walk back home."

The corner of his mouth quirked in the smallest grin. “Indeed. Come, we can talk without fear of being overheard if we stay outside the walls.” He started moving, following a walkway around the east side of the park. I followed close behind. “Hopefully we can find something in these other parks we can use to our advantage,” he said. “I also need more information on the threats Gage mentioned.”

“How about giant crickets?” I asked and drew my gun as three of the overgrown insects leaped straight for us.

“Not exactly what I had in mind,” Holmes said as he slashed at them with his blade.

Hopping horrors dispatched, we kept walking. “Wonder what other delightful surprises we’ll find,” I joked.

"Have you given any thought to Dr. Bridgeman's idea?" Holmes asked.

"Killing the leaders and hoping the rest of the raiders spontaneously give up?"

He chuckled at my skepticism. "She's at least correct in that the leaders will have to be killed."

"And all three live in places with only one way in or out."

"Perhaps we can turn them against each other somehow."

"All three at once?"

Holmes was pensive. I let him think.

“You realize we’re walking right toward the kid’s park?” I asked after a bit.

“What gave it away, the ferris wheel or the giant lollipops in front of the gate?”

“Don’t get snarky just because you’re in a bad mood.”

We walked through the gate to the Kiddie Kingdom. Right on cue, a voice came on over the ancient PA system, “Well now, friends, it seems we have another uninvited guest to the park.”

I sighed, “Sherlock, if we have to run through another goddamn gauntlet, then you’re sleeping on the sofa.”

He smirked as he drew his gun and I followed suit. “You don’t use the bed unless I’m in it, Nick.”

“It’s the principal of the thing.”

The voice over the speakers was still talking, a ringmaster to whatever twisted circus we’d just stepped into, “Up! Up, performers! It's time for another show! Though I doubt you'll even make it to the Theater, stranger.” We started moving further into the park, and Holmes’s Pip-Boy started clicking real fast. “Shall we take bets on where this one shuffles off? What do you think, friends, the tunnels? The Fun House?” The voice laughed maniacally, and ferals shambled out of the rust.

“That your geiger counter doing cartwheels?” I shouted to my partner as we fired on the ferals.

“Yes! And I don’t think it’s just the ferals!”

First batch of ferals down, I realized Holmes was right. There was a haze across the park, a radioactive mist. “It’s got nothing on Far Harbor’s fog,” I grumbled, “but we shouldn’t linger all the same.”

“Valentine, look at these ferals. They’re wearing face paint. It’s fresh, recently applied.”

“How the heck does a person get close enough to a feral to paint its face without losing a limb in the process?”

“Let’s find out,” he said, and headed further into the park.

Kiddie Kingdom may have delighted little kids back in the day, but now the confined walls and maze-like streets made navigating it difficult for two adults. Regular attacks from desiccated irradiated clowns didn’t help, nor did the mocking voice that followed us everywhere.

“Do you enjoy that lovely glowing mist?” the voice laughed as a feral knocked Holmes under a mist-sprayer turned deadly, “Feels great to us! Why, we've got sprayers all over Kiddie Kingdom to keep you cool and irradiated.”

I ran forward to help, shoving Holmes out of the way and blasting the feral in the head. It ain’t often I’m glad to be made of metal, but not having to worry about rads is definitely a perk. Holmes was already taking a RadAway when I turned back to him, a distance from the sprayers. “You alright?”

“I’ve been better,” he shrugged. “The man in charge here is a ghoul.”

“Yeah, figured as much. He said something about tunnels when we first got here, they’re probably lacking the mist sprayers.”

“Might be just as irradiated for other reasons,” Holmes nodded, “but worth investigating.”

“Where do we start?”

Holmes nodded over my shoulder, “Let’s try the Employees Only entrance over there.”

“Wise ass.”

The door was locked, but that’s never stopped Holmes before. If they wanted to keep people out, they should have bought a stronger lock. Once upon a time the tunnels would have been used to get employees where they needed to be and fix what needed fixing, without ruining the illusion of a fantasy world for the kids on the surface. Two hundred years later, a pair of old relics made their way inside, expecting the usual sorts of things one finds in tunnels these days; radroaches, ferals, mole rats of unusual size.

The bunk beds were a surprise.

Journal entries on a terminal answered a lot of the big questions. The employees of Kiddie Kingdom before the War had enough foresight, given the state of the world at the time, to make an emergency plan for just in case the world ended. And it paid off--they gathered everyone they could, employees and park guests alike, underground into the tunnels when the bombs fell. They were doing alright for themselves, until a radiation storm tore through. Lots of folks died from the radiation, and the rest became ghouls. They kept going, doing their best to defend their settlement and newfound family.

Then a hundred years later, some started to turn feral. They called it "The Affliction," thought it was an illness. Maybe it is, in a way. No one really knows what makes a ghoul go feral, but living near a radioactive water supply for a century probably didn't help. Now it seemed the only sane one left was the guy running this deadly show.

We made our way through the tunnels and overheard him talking, irritated. “What are you doing out of costume again? You know Nuka fires people for breaking character.”

A feral growled.

Holmes and I crept closer and got a glimpse into a windowed maintenance room. A man in a magician’s tuxedo and top hat was putting makeup on a ghoul. His back was to us, but he sounded just like the ghoul over the speakers.

"Yes, of course I'm kidding," he said to the feral, "but seriously, the clown make up helps scare the invaders off and there's a new one in the park."

The feral growled.

The magician sounded puzzled, "No. No, I don't think that's going to work this time. There's something different about this one."

An angrier growl this time.

The magician growled back. "See?" he said, irritated, "I can do that too. Now stop squirming."

The feral growled. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought it was apologizing.

The magician certainly thought so. "Sorry. I know you can't help it. We just have to hold out till she gets back with a cure. Then we'll drive the Raiders out and get the farm back in order."

Holmes and I shared a look. A cure? For ferals?

The magician continued, "We'll fix this. I promise." He put down the face paint, "There. Back in character. I need to prepare some more surprises for our visitor, so I'll leave you to find your way out."

That was our cue to get moving.

"A cure for ferals, Valentine!" Holmes's voice was hushed but no less firm. "That man is waiting for a cure that doesn't exist, and will probably keep doing so for eternity."

"All the folks here thought going feral was some sort of disease, makes sense they'd want a cure. Sounded like someone went out searching for one."

"If we can find him, perhaps we can talk some sense into him."

I frowned, "Hold on. I'm all for being noble, but I'm not keen on the idea of fighting more ferals and you getting a green suntan."

"We both know radiation doesn't cause super mutants--"

"I'm referring to how sick you're going to look dying of radiation poisoning!" I was irritated, thought I could hear the gears in my jaw grind.

“I’m not fond of the thought either. Yet, if we don’t have some evidence for our activities out here, we will attract suspicion from the raiders. The magician will have to leave eventually, and I would rather convince him through reason than violence.”

I sighed, “Alright. I don’t like it, but I guess you got a point. It would look bad if their big tough leader came crawling back without finishing the job he set out to do, and if they decide you’re the wrong man for the job, they'll put a bullet in your brain, or a collar around your neck. I don't even want to think about what they'd try to do to me."

He nodded, “We have to follow Gage’s plan, at least until we have the opportunity to contact the Commonwealth.”

“What’s that going to do?”

He grinned, “I have an idea.”

“You gonna share it with me?”

“Once we’re out of this death trap carnival. The first thing our ghoulish host said when we entered the park was that we would never make it to the theater, and the only place in this park with a theater is the castle. That's where he's waiting."

We exited the tunnels just in time to hear an ancient recording announce that tickets for Oswald the Outrageous’s magic show were sold out. At least we had a name for our tormentor. He was certainly living up to it.

Holmes was right; King Cola’s Castle was the park’s stage theater, where they’d put on a couple shows for the kids. One was a play, the other was a magic act. Now the magician was waiting for us on the stage, skin glowing under the brim of his hat. I’d heard stories about sentient glowing ones, dismissed them as just tall tales and rumors. Guess I was wrong.

“I’ll admit, I didn’t think you’d make it this far,” Oswald said as we entered. “I can tell you're different than the usual invaders, so I'll not bother with the usual tricks and illusions I use to scare off the superstitious.” Holmes and I kept walking, slowly getting closer to the stage while the showman had his moment, “When the bombs fell, everything changed. We changed. And somehow I received a gift. Actual magic. The stuff of legends. Perhaps you'd like to see some?”

Holmes and I shared a look and started moving faster.

We were too late. Like a wizard summoning a creature, and all the over-the-top theatrics he’d need to do it, Oswald commanded, “Up!” and an army of ferals rose from between the seats. “No matter what you do, I can heal my friends, and we will protect what is ours!”

“Damn it,” I shouted, “we’re not the ones you should be fighting!”

You don’t get a whole lot of chances to chat when a feral’s trying to chew your limbs off, so Holmes and I focused on the fight, just trying to get through until we could reach the mad magician.

“Well, it seems your asinine assault won't be dissuaded,” the glowing ghoul finally decided. “Then I guess it's time for our final act. Join me on the roof of King Cola's Castle and we'll see an end to this production.”

And he was gone in a puff of smoke.

“Holmes,” I grumbled, “it takes a lot to get me angry. This guy’s done it.”

Holmes nodded, “All of this unnecessary drama is certainly exhausting.”

I laughed a little, couldn’t help it, “Yeah? That’s funny coming from you.”

“What do you mean?”

“If we manage to convince him to see reason, the two of you could compare notes. It’s a shame you didn’t bring the Shroud outfit.”

Holmes rolled his eyes and tried not to smirk.

Oswald waited on the roof, like he’d said, a serrated sword in hand. “I'm not going to let you kill any more of my friends. This is our home, not yours.”

“We’re not the ones who just summoned an army of ferals to attack us,” I said. “Only thing we’ve done since stepping foot in this place was defend ourselves.”

“You invaders are all the same! You come in, steal whatever you can, kill the ‘monsters’ so you can take our home!” He sneered, “How many so-called ‘ferals’ have you needlessly slaughtered while ignorantly thinking you're doing the world a favor?!”

“Oswald,” Holmes said, and the man jumped. I imagine it had been a while since he’d heard his name said by something that wasn’t a recording. “We read the terminals in the tunnels. We know the radiation changed you and your friends, but you turned this place into a home… until your friends started getting sick. Are you the only one left?”

Oswald was suspicious, but when he answered he just sounded tired, “Over time, the illness took the minds of my friends... and those that we love.” Determined, he stated, “I am going to find a cure, and fix my friends before someone like you comes along and exterminates us all.”

“In two hundred years, no one has learned what causes a ghoul to turn fer- to get sick,” Holmes tried. “The only thing that is certain is that they don’t change back. It’s too late.”

“You're wrong!” Oswald shouted, angry, “Rachel is going to find a way to cure them, we're going to fix this!

“Who’s Rachel?” Holmes asked, alert.

Oswald calmed a little bit, but was no less defiant, “My beloved left this place years ago to find a cure to this disease. In return, I swore that I'd keep our people safe by defending our home. When Rachel walks back through those gates with the cure in hand, then you'll see, everyone will see, that I was right!”

“What if she never returns? How long are you going to wait?”

“I will stay here for as long as it takes. I've already watched two hundred years pass, what makes you think I can't wait two hundred more?”

I put a hand on Holmes’s shoulder, “Let the immortals talk this one out,” I said softly. He was about to protest, but Oswald was finally paying attention.

“I’ve never seen anything like you before,” he said.

I shrugged, “I imagine synths don’t make it out this way much. I don’t doubt for a moment you’ve got the fortitude to wait for eternity. You’ve done good, keeping this place safe. But I gotta ask… if you’re here defending the castle, who’s left to save the damsel in distress?”

He was alarmed, “Distress?”

“You haven’t heard from her in years. What if she needs your help?”

He shook his head, “I told her she shouldn’t, but she insisted… if I hadn’t been here, the raiders would have taken everything, killed all of our friends, family…”

Holmes stepped in, “Even if she’s safe, no one has been able to find a cure. To the best of my knowledge, no one’s ever tried. Such a discovery might well take two hundred more years, and if Rachel is going to succeed, she’s going to need help.”

Oswald was quiet for a long time. “Maybe you're right,” he said, subdued. “If Rachel is still out there, I'll find her and we'll search for this cure together.” He straightened up, “I'll gather what remains of my friends and we'll leave this place. Don't worry about the radiation, it will no longer be a burden to you and your kind…” he looked at me, “though I suppose it never bothered you at all, did it?”

“Nope,” I said. “Word of warning, if you see anything that looks like me, minus the fashion sense, it’s probably not friendly.”

He nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind.” He handed Holmes his sword, “Here, you should have this. Consider it an apology for misjudging you. Farewell.”

And he was gone, in a puff of smoke.

“Alright,” I lit a cigarette, “I’ll admit it. That trick’s neat.”

We both knew this Rachel was probably dead, but it didn't seem like telling Oswald that would have helped. And who knows? Maybe she really is trapped in a tower, waiting for rescue.

It's a pretty thought, anyway.