#followed by a focus group that I was looking forward to but could easily be fucked by the preceding interview lmao

[the-bluestreak-cat]

I’m so excited about my five cheese ziti

[veronicaphoenix]

zutto — chapter seven | wc: 5.7k | series masterpost | prev. chapter

Chapter summary: Lia and Noah meet everyone again at Noah's house. Lia finds a familiar book in Noah's room and Noah catches her reading it, which leads to an inevitable conversation. Reading time: 22mins. aprox.

Tags and trigger warnings: fluff, one or two mentions of Lia's overdose, slight anxiety, alcohol intake, sexual innuendos, talks about bondage, one use of the word blowjob, noah on his knees, implied oral sex (fem. receiving).

General trigger warnings: this work addresses and depicts issues related to addiction, abuse, & violence, contains explicit sexual content, and explores themes of childhood trauma. Reader discretion is advised. +18

Returning to Noah’s house meant facing not only the people who lived there but also anyone else who might have dropped by that afternoon. Lia’s anxiety intensified during the drive from Santa Monica Place. 

Though she’d been nervous earlier, the time spent hand in hand with Noah at the mall had temporarily eased her tension. Now, however, the reality of confronting her friends and dealing with the consequences of her actions weighed on her. Shame, guilt, weakness… What would they think of her? Would they look at her with different eyes? Whatever it was, she had to push forward and deal with it. 

As they pulled into the driveway, Lia stepped out of the car and took a deep breath, following Noah. He glanced back to check on her.

Inside, they were immediately met by Jesse and Jolly, who bypassed Noah and rushed to hug Lia, bombarding her with the same concerned questions on repeat. Moments later, Matt emerged from the studio at the back of the house, giving Noah a quick brotherly hug before turning to Lia. He pulled her into his arms for a few seconds, then stepped back to study her closely.

“You look good,” he said, genuine relief in his voice.

“Thank Noah,” Lia replied.

Noah smiled, casually tossing his hoodie onto the sofa—one of his familiar habits. He noticed immediately that the living room and kitchen were a bit of a mess: dishes piled up in the sink, blankets on the sofa crumpled and unfolded.

“No one bothered to clean up while I was gone?” He asked, though his tone was lighthearted.

“Dude, we had lunch an hour ago and spent the morning being lazy,” Jolly explained, heading into the kitchen and announcing he was going to make coffee for everyone.

He busied himself at the same time Matt mentioned that the two Nicks were on their way over.

The anxiety Lia had about meeting everyone again after being cooped up in her apartment with Noah for what felt like forever—only leaving for her therapy sessions and exchanging a few scattered phone calls with Emery, Jolly, and Folio—faded surprisingly fast. Within five minutes, all the tension melted away. She wasn’t sure what she had expected—maybe judgment, maybe that she’d somehow lost their love or the bond they shared—but before she knew it, the boys were being boys, and it was like nothing had ever changed.

The Nicks and Mike showed up just in time to join the group for coffee. They all gathered around the wide kitchen island, some sitting, others leaning against counters as they shared stuff about the last few days. Conversations drifted easily—someone mentioned a ridiculous late-night craving, Nicholas recounted a failed attempt at cooking dinner, and Jesse imitated Mike’s dramatic reaction to his favorite sports team losing.

Then, Matt brought up work, and that’s when Lia noticed Noah’s energy shift. His face tightened with focus, and in an instant, the playful, relaxed version of him gave way to something more intense. It was like she could see the gears in his head turning. He didn’t even finish his coffee before he headed to the studio with Matt and Mike, already in work-mode.

Lia stayed behind in the living room with the Nicks, Jolly, and Jesse. An hour later, the air felt lighter, and every once in a while, Folio would nudge her, asking if she was okay. A few moments later, Jolly chimed in, wondering aloud if she needed another coffee, but she didn’t. In fact, she realized she was childhishly missing Noah. They had spent nearly every minute together over the last few days, so much so that now, with him gone—to the studio at the other end of the house—for not even an hour, her fingers tingled with the urge to find him, to touch him. 

She must have zoned out, because when she refocused on the conversation, Folio and Jolly were holding ten-dollar bills that Jesse and Nicholas had taken out from their wallets. 

“What’s going on?” Lia asked, furrowing her brows. “You guys into drug dealing now?”

Jolly chuckled. “Nah. Better than that.”

“We made a bet,” Folio explained with a smirk. “Noah couldn’t convince you to cancel the trip. Jesse and Nick were betting he could.”

“They underestimated the power you have over that man,” Jolly added, folding the bill and keeping it in his pocket.

Lia ducked her head slightly to hide the warmth rising to her cheeks. They still didn’t know the full story, and she couldn’t find the courage to tell them yet. She couldn’t help but wonder if there might be another bet on the table—maybe one that involved how long it would take her and Noah to get together.

“Has he been taking good care of you?” Jolly asked.

It was a joke, for he knew the answer to that. But she understood the deeper question there. They wanted to know if she was really okay, and if Noah had been what she needed during this rough time.

“He’s been great,” she said, lifting her chin slightly, a soft smile on her face. “Really great.”

Jolly and Jesse exchanged a look, trying to read into the way she said it. Lia caught their glance and couldn’t help but laugh.

“He’s even done the dishes every single day,” she added. “Can’t complain.”

“Complain about?” Noah’s voice echoed through the hallway. It took him no more than three seconds to appear and enter the living room, smiling brightly at Lia, a sense of calm washing over him as he confirmed she was okay. She looked comfortable and at ease, surrounded by the people they both cared about.

“About your bad habits,” Nicholas muttered, grinning. “Like leaving dirty socks all over the house and all the kitchen drawers open.”

Noah frowned, clearly confused. 

“I don’t do that,” he said, crossing the room and leaning one knee on the armrest of the sofa to reach behind Lia, placing a soft, absentminded kiss on her hair. No one seemed to care or be surprised by the affection; it was just Noah and Lia, the way they’d always been—close, comfortable, unspoken warmth between them.

“I know,” Lia said, tilting her head back to look up at him with a smile. “Don’t listen to them. I told them you’ve been a good boy.”

“I am a good boy. I just finished my part of the work,” he emphasized, his eyes twinkling. “Now it’s your turn, guys. Go catch up on your stuff and stop being lazy—we’re heading out on tour in two weeks, and there’s still a lot to prep.” He looked pointedly at Nick. “We need a full gear check. Make sure the bass rig is solid, and everything’s tuned up. If anything’s busted, handle it now before we’re scrambling last minute. Same goes for you, Folio. We still have to lock in the tempo changes for the setlist. Let’s make sure you’ve got the click tracks lined up and that the drum kit’s in top shape. No last-minute issues like last tour. Matt and Mike are going through the logistics, so whatever you need to check on, guys, do it now. Tighten up your parts because in two weeks, we’re hitting the road hard.”

The group exchanged a mix of playful eye rolls and resigned nods. They knew the drill—work had to get done. Meanwhile, Lia couldn’t help but find his enthusiasm and ordering around extremely hot.  

With a proud “that’s my boy”, Jolly stood up before following the others back to the studio and letting Folio disappear into the garage, where one of his drum kit’s was.  In a matter of minutes, Lia and Jesse were the only ones left in the living room. Noah, true to his perfectionist nature, followed the boys back to the studio. He always had a hard time letting go when it came to work.

Jesse took the chance to show Lia some new ERRA merch ideas on his iPad. He swiped through a series of designs—hoodies, shirts, and hats—that featured bold artwork, some of which Lia immediately recognized as hers. They had used sketches she’d created the previous year, reworking them into something fresh and edgy, but still unmistakably hers.

“Look familiar?” Jesse asked with a grin, tapping the screen to show her a black hoodie with one of her intricate line drawings of a phoenix worked into a line from one of their latest songs. “We decided to tweak it a bit. I hope you don’t mind.”

Lia’s eyes lit up as she examined the designs more closely. 

“Not at all. It looks incredible,” she said, a flush of pride warming her. She’d forgotten just how much she’d missed working on creative projects like this. “It looks so much better than the original.”

“We wanted it to match the vibe of the album a bit more. I thought about asking you, but considering everything that’s been going on, we didn’t want to overwhelm you. We figured we’d give it a shot ourselves. I don’t think it’s better than your original, but if you like it and are okay with it, we’re ready to send it to printing.” 

Lia nodded enthusiastically, agreeing to it. 

As they flipped through more mock-ups, Lia felt that familiar itch at her fingertips. After a few minutes of discussing the tweaks and color palettes, she couldn’t resist pulling out her sketchbook from her backpack. She began sketching new ideas for future possible merch—or perhaps an illustrated book—her pencil moving swiftly across the page.

When Noah finally reappeared, he smiled at the sight of her sketching. He slipped onto the couch between her and Jesse, but before he could say a word to Lia, Jesse roped him into discussing more of the merch designs.

“Check out this lineup,” Jesse said, showing Noah the pictures of the updated items. Noah nodded, half-distracted by the sight of Lia absorbed in her drawing next to him, but he engaged with Jesse, asking questions and giving his thoughts.

A few minutes after, Lia stood up to fix herself a mug of jasmine tea, her head still brimming with ideas. She wandered into the kitchen, completely unaware that Jesse had quietly slipped off to his room, leaving her and Noah alone.

She was just pouring the boiling water into one of her favorite mugs when she felt Noah’s familiar warmth at her back. His lips found her hair, and his nose brushed against her ear, sending a delightful shiver through her body.

“I missed you,” he whispered, his breath hot against her skin.

“You were just locked in the studio for an hour,” she replied, though her heart fluttered in her chest. She missed him too, but teasing him felt like the natural response. “That’s nothing compared to your usual routine.”

“I have a new routine now,” he said, his voice low, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Oh?” She turned around, holding the mug in one hand, bringing it to her lips as she eyed him curiously. “You do?”

She took a slow sip, and Noah’s gaze fixed on her lips as they pressed against the rim of the mug. He watched the way she swallowed, the gentle curve of her throat.

“Yes,” he answered, almost breathless, his hands finding their place on her hips. His eyes darkened, the playful smirk growing more wicked by the second.

Lia swallowed the warm liquid, then deliberately licked her lips. She could feel his pulse quicken as he eyed the little action, and the power she had in that moment made her grin.

Noah’s jaw tightened.  

“What do I have to do to get another blowjob from that pretty mouth of yours?”

Lia raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider his question. 

“Hmm. I don’t know. Last night, you got me to four orgasms in a couple of hours. You set the bar pretty high. Maybe if you can top that...” Her voice dropped, teasing, “I might just get on my knees for you and do that thing with my tongue you seemed to like so much.”

Noah bit down on his lip, hard, his self-control hanging by a thread as he emited a sound similar to a growl. He shook his head slightly, trying to rein in his desire, but it was too much. He reached for the mug, gently taking it from Lia’s hand and setting it behind her on the counter. Then, without another word, he picked her up by the waist, turning them both around and placing her on the kitchen island.

His mouth crashed into hers, the kiss deep and hungry. Lia responded instantly, her hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer as she lost herself in the heat of the moment. She was breathless by the time they parted, but her eyes stayed locked on his, craving more.

Just as Noah’s hands slid up Lia’s sides, his lips still feverish against hers, they heard a sound. Startled, they both froze, turning toward the doorway to find Jesse standing there, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

“Oh my… Fucking finally!” he exclaimed, his arms lifting in the air to then drop to his sides.

Noah sprang away from Lia, immediately trying to compose himself, cheeks flushed a deep red. He rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous laugh escaping as he looked anywhere but directly at Jesse. Lia, equally embarrassed, hopped down from the counter, smoothing her shirt, trying to hide the heat rising to her face.

Jesse, still grinning ear to ear, didn’t waste any time. 

“Hey, guys! Get in here! You won’t believe this!” he shouted toward the studio, his voice carrying through the house.

Lia and Noah exchanged a panicked look as footsteps echoed down the hall. Before they could protest, the rest of the guys piled into the kitchen one by one. Jolly, Nicholas, and Mike were the first to enter, and the moment they saw Noah and Lia standing awkwardly with flushed cheeks next to each other, it clicked.

“Seriously? About damn time!” 

The room erupted in cheers and whoops, and before Lia knew it, she was being swept into a hug from Jolly, then from Folio, and even Nicholas joined in with an exaggerated, “Congrats, you two lovebirds.”

Noah stood to the side, laughing nervously and trying to fend off Mike’s bear hug.

“You guys broke the record,” Mike said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Idiots in love who couldn’t see they were in love with each other. I’m amazed it took you this long.”

Matt entered the room, smirking knowingly. “So now we know what you’ve really been up to, locked in Lia’s apartment all these days, huh?”

The teasing had both Lia and Noah blushing again, though this time, it felt a bit easier. 

Folio clapped his hands together, heading to the fridge. “Well, I guess this calls for a celebration. Who’s in for a beer?”

He stopped mid-reach when his eyes met Lia’s. There was a beat of silence, the group looking at her, suddenly remembering.

Lia, catching his hesitation, smiled softly. “It’s okay,” she reassured. “You don’t have to make it weird because I’m here. Go ahead, drink. It’s fine.”

Folio hesitated for a second, then nodded, relieved, and started passing out beers to the others. When he handed one to Noah, though, Noah declined.

“I’ll stick with tea,” Noah said casually, motioning to the kettle on the counter.

Lia glanced at him, her brow furrowing slightly. She noticed his quiet decision, wondering for a moment if it had something to do with her. 

Jolly called Emery to come over, and soon after, Bryan and Davis joined them, Bryan arriving with several boxes of pizza in tow.

As the hours passed, it felt like old times again. Lia found herself sitting between Noah’s legs on the carpet, her back resting against his chest, as they indulged in different pizza flavors and shared jokes. Emery sat comfortably in Jolly’s arms on the couch, the two of them whispering to each other and stealing occasional kisses, and Bryan and Folio fought for the last slice of peperoni pizza, keeping the others entertained in their silly wrestling.              

Lia felt a deep sense of gratitude as she cuddled in Noah’s arms and watched her friends. Despite everything she had gone through, here she was, surrounded by people who loved and supported her. It felt like nothing had changed, like the bond between them all was as strong as it’d always been. 

The night wore on.

Lia and Emery eventually retreated to a quieter corner of the living room to talk. It felt comforting to reconnect with her best friend, knowing that despite everything, their friendship hand’t changed. Lia had struggled to be the supportive friend Emery deserved during her new relationship with Jolly; right when it began, she had fucked things up with Noah. When she apologized to Emery, she smiled reassuringly and said it was okay; that what mattered now was that they were all in a good place, and that she got her best friend back. Ah, and on top of that, they could now chat about their hot boyfriends, tease each other, and share bits about how good they were in bed. 

Meanwhile, Jolly, Jesse, Noah, and Matt were standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, glancing occasionally toward Emery and Lia. They watched the latter, talking animatedly with her girlfriend, a glow of happiness on her face.

“She looks… different,” Jesse mentioned, his voice low but thoughtful.

“She looks happy,” Jolly corrected. He crossed his arms, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

Noah, who had been absently running his hand up and down his mug of tea, couldn’t take his eyes off her, mesmerized by the way she laughed and smiled. That’s how she wanted her, always —aside from in his bed, naked.

Matt, leaning against the counter beside him, nudged his side. 

“You look good too, man. Did you two catch up on sleep, or have you been using your nights for some well-deserved sweet time?” 

Noah wasn’t one to bask in the attention, especially when it came to him and Lia and their private bedroom matters. However, he couldn’t hide the smile that gave him away. 

The night continued, and the city outside turned pitch black. The sounds in the apartment began to mellow, as everyone settled into their own rhythms. The Nicks, Bryan, and Matt had retreated to their video games, completely absorbed in their battle on the screen, while Jolly and Emery shared soft kisses in a quiet corner of the sofa.

Noah, always drawn back to work, had disappeared into the studio again with Mike, Davis, and Jesse, likely refining tour setlists or tweaking final production notes. As the group dispersed into their various corners, Lia found herself alone for the first time all night. She stood up quietly, leaving the lovebirds and the boys playing videogames behind, and made her way to Noah’s room. 

The warmth of the evening was still wrapped around her, but a part of her longed for a moment alone. The air in the hallway was cooler, quieter. Once inside Noah’s room, she let out a long breath. The familiar scent of him filled the room—it smelled like home.

A small pile of her clothes still lay neatly in one of his drawers, and his bed remained perfectly made, just as it had been since they left for the US tour. She smiled at how organized and clean everything was, a reflection of Noah himself. 

Her gaze lingered on the bed, and a flood of memories rushed back. Not long ago, she had slept in that very spot, bruised and heartbroken. The thought twisted her stomach, so she sat down in the armchair in the corner, trying to focus on the quieter, more peaceful moments she’d spent there—reading books or sketching while Noah took care of her.

But her eyes kept drifting back to the bed. She couldn’t help but think of the nights when Noah had held her through her nightmares, his presence always the comfort she needed. 

Curling up in the armchair, she wrapped her arms around herself, sitting in silence for a few minutes.

Eventually, her attention was drawn to the stack of books on top of the drawer beside her. Absentmindedly, she read the titles until one caught her eye: The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage, the words printed on the spine white and faded yellow.  

She stared at it like it was Pandora’s box—something she shouldn’t open but couldn’t resist. Before she could stop herself, she reached out, picked it up, and flipped it open.

It started as an act of curiosity—the same curiosity that had led her to ask Noah about shibari in the first place—but it quickly became something more. 

As Lia flipped through the pages, her interest on the topic seemed to grow. The book was a deep dive into the history and philosophy behind the practice. She learned about the origins of it, and how, over time, the martial art had evolved into the erotic art of shibari, shifting from control and confinement to an expression of trust, vulnerability, and intimate connection.

Many of the passages mentioned the meditative aspects of it, the idea of releasing control and being fully present in the moment. There was emphasis on the importance of trust between the participants—how the one being tied must surrender to the process, allowing themselves to be vulnerable, while the one tying held the responsibility of creating a safe and secure space. The knots themselves were described as more than just physical restraints; they were symbols of the bond between the partners, a delicate balance of power and intimacy.

The more she read, the more Lia saw how shibari could be about empowerment, not just surrender. The art required both participants to be attuned to each other, heightening their connection through every twist of the rope. It sounded like something she could benefit from, a way to rebuild her trust and connection with Noah—if she could get past her fear.

But as the thrill of trying something new began to bubble up inside her, so did the unease. Her last therapy session had forced her to confront a hard truth—she feared losing control, especially after Mitch had manipulated and controlled her. The idea of someone, even Noah, holding that kind of power over her was terrifying. Could she really trust him enough to let him tie her up?

She hadn’t even realized that she had been thinking about practicing this crazy thing called bondage with Noah until the thought hit her. Heat flooded her face, and a strange ache bloomed between her legs. The mix of fear and excitement left her feeling exposed, as if the very pages of the book had unlocked something she wasn’t ready to confront.

Lia’s mind raced as she lay back on the armchair, her thoughts spiraling deeper. Sex with Noah had already proven to be a release, a way to let go of the fears and insecurities that gnawed at her. He had shown her that she could be vulnerable with him and he would only love her more. He had pleasured her while making her feel safe and loved.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so cared for, so satisfied, so beautiful. Noah had looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world, had touched her with reverence, making her body feel alive in a way it hadn’t been in a very long time. 

But as much as she craved that feeling, there were limits. Her trust in him was still fragile—not because she doubted him, but because she doubted herself. She was still easily shaken by the ghosts of her past. The idea of letting him tie her hands, to give him control in that way, sent a ripple of anxiety through her. She couldn’t trust herself not to panic, to be overwhelmed by the memories she tried so hard to bury. 

Lia shook her head, trying to push the deeper thoughts away. She didn’t want to dwell on it. Not now, at least. Instead, she focused on the pages of the book, letting herself get lost in the descriptions of the intricate knots and the philosophy behind the art.

Barely a few minutes later, the door creaked open. 

“Lia?” Noah’s voice cut through her thoughts, soft but filled with concern. “Hey, I got worried for a sec. You okay?”

Lia sat up quickly, her heart racing. She nervously tried to hide the book, heat rushing to her cheeks.

“Yeah,” she mumbled, standing up and keeping the book behind her.

Noah stepped further into the room, his eyes catching the way she held something in her hand. 

“Were you reading?”

“Hum… yeah.” Lia felt her pulse quicken, trying to act casual. 

Noah’s eyes shifted down to her hand, and when he noticed the book, a small smirk played on his lips.

“Is that...?” he began, amusement creeping into his tone. “Are you trying to hide it from me?”

“No,” she said while moving the book behind her to hide it better. 

Noah chuckled, stepping closer, clearly amused. “Lia,” he said, “are you embarrassed?"

She bit her lip, her fingers tightening around the book. “I was just… I saw it there and I remembered what you read to me. I got curious and—”

“You wanted to learn more?” Noah finished, his smile soft but knowing.

“Yeah. I mean—I was just curious. The book was lying there and…” She stopped when she noticed the way his eyes were boring into her. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. 

“Like you want to do these things to me,” she replied, shaking the book in her hand. 

Noah’s playful grin faded when he saw her expression shift.

“I do,” he said, his voice suddenly serious.

“What?” she asked, her throat tight.

“I’d love to tie you up,” Noah admitted, his eyes locking with hers, but his smile quickly fell when he noticed the fear behind her gaze.

Before he could ask her what was wrong, Bryan’s voice rang through the house, calling Noah’s name. The moment shattered.

Lia took the opportunity to escape the intensity of the conversation, leaving the book on the armchair as she crossed the room and brushed past Noah to open the door.

Bryan was standing in the hallway.

“I’m heading out, and so are the others. Just wanted to let you know.”

The house began to empty after that. Slowly, one by one, everyone trickled out, offering their goodbyes with tired but happy smiles.

When the last of them had left and the house had grown quiet, Noah and Lia followed suit, heading back to her apartment. Right before Noah put on his hoodie, Lia suggested staying there, pointing out that the band’s equipment was in the house and it’d be more practical for him to be there instead of at her place, but he refused. 

The ride home was quiet. Noah glanced at Lia several times, concern etching his features, but she seemed… content. Despite the encounter in the room, her expression was soft, pleased even, though her tiredness was evident.

Once they were settled in her bedroom, Lia returned from the bathroom barefoot, wearing only one of Noah’s old t-shirts and her panties. As she adjusted her long hair behind her shoulders, Noah spoke. He had been looking through the window, fear prickling at him. What if he wanted too much from her?

“Did I scare you earlier?” he asked.

She looked up at him, a slight furrow forming between her brows, her hands pausing mid-motion in her hair.

“When I said I wanted to tie you up,” he clarified.

Lia froze briefly, then let her hair fall as she exhaled slowly. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress, her hands rested in her lap, fingers nervously twisting, then tracing the hem of the t-shirt. The only light on in the room was the bedside lamp, which casted a warm glow across the space.

“No, you didn’t scare me.”

Noah moved closer until he was in front of her. Then he knelt on the floor, his gaze steady as he looked up at her, his hands gently resting on her knees. The intimacy of the position was grounding, his presence there at her feet a quiet reminder that he wasn’t going anywhere. 

“But something was off. I could see it,” he continued. 

Lia hesitated, her mind flashing back to the swirling thoughts that had been spinning through her head. She wanted to be honest, but part of her didn’t want to admit how deeply the idea unsettled her.

“It’s not you,” she finally said, her voice soft. “It’s just… I want to trust you, Noah. And I do. It’s just that… I’m scared of losing control.”

“Do you think I’d ever hurt you?”

“No.” Lia shook her head. “But it’s not about that. It’s about me, about what I went through with Mitch. I’m just… not sure if I can handle being that vulnerable again.”

Noah’s expression softened with understanding. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. You know that, right?”

“I know,” she whispered, leaning into him. “But a part of me feels like... maybe this could help me. Help me let go of the fear. At the same time, I’m not sure I’m ready to try all of that just yet,” she admitted, her voice softer than before. “I’m curious… and I want to try it with you, but I don’t think I can handle it now.”

Noah’s fingers traced soft circles on her knee, his touch light and reassuring. 

“Of course,” he said, his voice calm and patient. “It makes total sense, and I told you before—I’m in no rush. This is about us. We have all the time in the world to try new things and explore what we like and what we don’t.”

His eyes flicked up to hers, holding her gaze with a quiet intensity. 

“I just want it to be you. And I want to be the only one to give that to you,” he admited. “And I just know you’d look so pretty tied up and naked.”

Lia felt a flush rise in her cheeks as something twirled in her lower belly. She looked down at Noah, the tenderness in his expression making her heart ache in the best possible way. She reached out, cupping his jaw, her thumb brushing across the stubble on his cheek.

“You say that, and you still manage to look so sweet,” she murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips. “How do you even do that?”

He chuckled softly, leaning into her touch for a moment. 

“It’s my charm.”

Lia smiled, but it quickly faded into a sigh. She felt the gravity of the conversation settle over them again, the air between them thick. There was something about the way Noah was looking at her, the softness in his eyes, that made her feel safe enough to let down her guard a little more.

Noah cupped her cheek this time, his thumb tracing her jaw. 

“We’ll take it slow. And if you’re ever uncomfortable, we stop. I don’t care if it’s mid-knot or mid-anything. You say the word, and it’s over. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“We don’t have to do anything tonight. Not because of this talk or anything else. I don’t want you to feel pressured. We can just lie down, watch something, or fall asleep. Whatever feels right for you. Anything.”

Lia’s fingers slid down to rest against his shoulder, her soft breath mingling with the stillness in the room. She gave him a small nod. 

“Anything?”

Noah nodded, his eyes never leaving hers.

For a moment, she hesitated, then slowly stood up from the bed, her legs brushing against his as she moved. Noah stayed where he was, kneeling on the floor, looking up at her with a quiet mix of curiosity. She stood before him, wearing nothing but his t-shirt that fell just shy of her thighs and a pair of panties.

She could feel the heat of his attention—desire simmering but held back by his endless patience. It made her feel both exposed and empowered.

With a steadying breath, she reached down and slowly peeled off the t-shirt. The fabric slipped past her bare skin, falling softly to the floor. Noah’s breath hitched as her breasts came into view, but he didn’t move. His eyes followed the movements of her body like every shift she made was sacred.

Lia stood there, wearing just her panties, feeling the warmth emanating from his brown almond-shaped eyes. There was no rush, no pressure, just the weight of his eyes on her, heavy with desire but still so respectful. It was his restraint, his quiet reverence that made her feel powerful in a way she was learning to love. 

Slowly, she hooked her fingers around the waistband of her panties, pushing them down until they joined the shirt on the floor.

She stood completely exposed now, and yet somehow it didn’t feel like vulnerability. Not with him. His eyes traveled the length of her body, not with hunger, but with something deeper. Like he was seeing her for the first time, all over again.

“Anything,” Noah whispered, his voice barely more than a breath.

Lia stepped closer, her body so near that he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. His hands instinctively found her hips, pulling her just a little closer as he pressed a soft, reverent kiss to her stomach, just below her navel. Her breath caught, but she didn’t move. She trusted him to take his time, just as he had trusted her.

Noah kissed his way along the soft plane of her abdomen, his nose brushing lightly against her skin, while one of his hands slid to the back of her thigh. Gently, he lifted her leg, guiding it over his shoulder. Lia’s fingers threaded through his hair, her breath coming in slow, steady waves as she guided her core toward his eager mouth.

Her heartbeat quickened, but it wasn’t from fear or hesitation. She wasn’t giving up control; she was choosing to share it with him. And that made all the difference.

She let herself sink into the warmth of his touch, into the safety of his presence, her anxiety fading as she surrendered—not to him, but with him.

— prev. chapter | chapter eight

Taglist:

@somebodyels3 | @respectfulrebel | @thecoyotescry | @bluestdai | @lma1986

@sweetwombatpizza | @missduffsblog | @shilohrosechicken | @jilliemiw86 | @alwaysfightforwhoyouare

[rizlowwritessortof]

Worth It

This was written for @stusbunker Stu's Sinema Challenge. My Deadly Sin was Envy, quote is in bold in the fic.

Of course Dean doesn't mind if you go hang out with some guy you knew in your civilian life. You know, the kind of life he never had. It's fine.

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader

Word Count: 4,174

Warnings: Smut, Oral (male & female receiving), swearing - you know, the usual 😊

The air is thick with the smell of sweat, blood and death. You, Sam and Dean are back to back to back in the middle of the room, most of the nest lying scattered around you. Dean lunges forward and slices another vamp across the chest, then swings his machete in a hard downward stroke, taking the monster’s head and sending it rolling across the floor.

He turns as you take on the last one standing. The furious creature hisses, running at you, and Dean watches in admiration as you whirl and slash in a graceful, macabre dance of blade and blood, sending the undead thing to Purgatory. “Fuck me, nice move,” he says, and you turn, wiping a smear of blood from your cheek.

“Thanks!” you answer with a bright smile. Dean’s stare is like a physical touch, and your smile slowly fades, something primitive crackling in the air between you. Then Sam speaks and the spell is broken.

“You got the last one, I guess Dean’s buying!” he laughs, and Dean huffs as he turns to wipe the blade of his machete on a bale of hay.

“I don’t know why I bet with you,” he grumbles, and you laugh.

“Hey, it was your idea, champ.” You grin even wider at his grumpiness, digging a little more. “I’m feeling really thirsty, too.”

His lips twitch as he smothers a smile, reluctant to give in that easily. “Yeah, yeah. I pay my bets. Let’s burn this dump and get outta here. I could use a beer or six myself.”

You hit your room almost running, anxious to get showered and hit the bar, conveniently located right across the two-lane highway from your motel. You feel alive, a buzzing just beneath your skin - adrenaline and something else, something that’s making you feel a little reckless. You push down the memory of Dean’s expression back in the barn, staring at you like he was just as hungry as those vamps. That’s something you don’t allow yourself to think about, so you focus on the night ahead, hoping there will be some pretty local boy in that place who’s in the mood to get lucky. And who hopefully has the skills to make you get lucky.

The three of you walk into the local dive together, eyes adjusting quickly to the dim, cloudy lighting. Dean heads to the bar to grab some beers as you and Sam stake out a table, waiting for the night’s benefactor to return with the reward for your victory.

He’s smiling as he arrives, handing you an icy longneck with an exaggerated bow and holding his out as you all toast together. “Hate to admit it, but that last move of yours – you deserved to win. This time.”

“Awwww… thanks, you big teddy bear, you.”

“All right, all right,” he grumbles, but he’s smiling and you know he likes it when you call him sweet names, even if he’d never admit it.

Sam is staring towards the bar, and you turn to look. “Oh, Sammy – bartender’s kinda cute, and she’s looking at you!” you tease, and he blushes a little, his dimples flashing as he shakes his head with a grin.

“Shut up, half-pint.”

“Want me to introduce you?” Dean jabs at his brother, and Sam rolls his eyes.

“No. Both of you, get drunk and stupid and do what you do, I can take care of my own shit.” He grabs his beer and heads for the bar, taking a seat and striking up a conversation with the cute brunette.

“Kind of dead in here. Wanna shoot some pool? Maybe you can win something tonight!” You head for the back of the room, Dean following you with a smirk.

“Gloat away, smartass – I’d love to teach you a lesson.”

The two of you play a couple of games, exchanging snarky comments and sexual innuendos as usual accompanied by laughter and more beer. Around 9 pm a small group of guys walk in, and you glance up, followed by an ‘Oh, my god… I don’t believe it.”

“What?” Dean asked, taking his shot, standing when he finishes to look towards where your stare is aimed.

“I know those guys. Well, a couple of them.”

“Oh, yeah – you grew up around here somewhere, didn’t you?”

“I went to high school a couple of towns over. Still, never thought I’d see anybody I knew. I’m gonna go over and say hi. You don’t mind, do you?”

Dean shrugs, shaking his head, turning his attention back to the pool table, one eye on you as you approach the group of twenty-somethings. Of course he doesn’t mind, why should he mind? That self-destructive, uncomfortable feeling is kicking up in his gut, the one that whispers that he doesn’t fit in, that he’s a freak who will never have anything those kind of people have and take for granted. He’s lived with it for years, every time Dad moved him and Sam to a new town, a new school. The armor he’s always worn - the snarky, smart-ass attitude, the I-don’t-give-a-shit bad boy persona – that was its origin, developed and thickened like a scar to keep that fucking feeling from overwhelming him. It’s never so bad when he has backup, which is usually you and Sam, but Sam is busy flirting with the bartender and now you’re talking and laughing with the locals. Guys who got to grow up like normal kids, go to high school, take girls out to movies and proms, have family dinners and vacations. And what makes it all worse is that he tells himself, tells Sam, that the kind of life people like that live would drive him crazy – but the truth is, deep down, that’s what he’s always wished for.

Dean watches as Sam catches his eye with a little wave. He’s on his way out with that cute little brunette, and Dean nods in reply. Guess he’ll be sleeping in the car tonight. He thinks about finishing his beer and leaving, too – instead of watching you flirt and laugh with the normals, probably hook up with one. He thinks about taking Baby and going for a drive, parking out in the country somewhere to sleep so he doesn’t have to see who you bring back to your room with you.

Where the hell did that come from? Not like the two of you have ever even thought about hooking up. Ok, that’s a fucking lie, he thinks about it all the time – just has never allowed himself to actually make a move. Besides, he knows how it would end up. Like things always end up for him. But tonight, watching you with those guys – it’s hitting harder than usual.

The sound of your laughter makes him clench his teeth, and he clears the pool table with a series of forceful shots, one right after the other. An older man comes strolling over to challenge him, and Dean accepts, telling him to rack ‘em up as he grabs another drink. He does a shot of whiskey before taking his beer back to the table. Ok, might as well make a little money, pay for the drinks and maybe make a little gas money. It has nothing to do with keeping an eye on you. He ignores the voice inside him that tells him he’s full of shit.

You’re really enjoying yourself, laughing and talking, reminiscing about high school (which is the last time you saw these guys). Kurt, the one you really remember, is looking good, and apparently the feeling is mutual – he keeps touching you, hand on your shoulder, brushing your hair back, occasionally slipping an arm around your waist. You actually dated him a few times, and you’ve had enough beer and tequila shooters that your edges are softening and your walls are a little wobbly. After all, you were kind of looking to blow off some steam tonight, right?

You glance over at Dean when a little pang of guilt digs at you, but he’s focused on beating some guy at a game of pool, so you push it down and turn back to Kurt. His two buddies are restless, no other prospects for them to focus on. They all head for the bathroom in the back, and you order another beer, letting your eyes wander back towards Dean. He’s heading that direction, too, so you lean back on the bar and nurse your drink. Just want enough to keep the buzz going, keep that pleasant, blurry, happy glow.

You watch Dean come back into the bar, his face stormy. He doesn’t even glance your direction, and you wonder what’s going on with him. He’s probably pissed that you ditched him for some local dude, but you’re allowed to have some fun, right? I mean, you guys can hang out anytime.

Kurt comes back, his buddies vaguely mumbling ‘nice to see you’ and ‘catch you later’ as they head out for greener pastures. Kurt’s staying, so you smile, and he leans in to kiss you as he waits for his beer. It’s nice, not earth-shattering, but beggars can’t be choosers, and you’re to the point of settling in for the night. He’s cute, and he’s obviously interested, and it’s better than the vibrator in your bag at the motel, right? You tell him you’re heading for the little girls’ room, and he kisses you again, letting his hand roam a little, down over your hip, a little squeeze. You leave him with a little smirk, walking to the back hall and into the bathroom.

You wash up, check your hair, decide you don’t look bad for being half wasted, and head out. Dean is standing there, one shoulder propped against the wall by the door. “You know he’s a piece of shit, right?”

You roll your eyes. “You always think any guy I’m with is a piece of shit, Dean.”

He has his mouth held all tight, those little dimples above the corners of his mouth prominent. “Yeah, well, he really is. You didn’t hear him in the bathroom before telling his douchebag friends how he was gonna be balls deep inside you by midnight.”

You glare back at him, instantly pissed off. At Kurt, for being that guy, and at Dean for pointing it out. “Yeah, well, maybe that’s right where I want him.”

Before you can blink, your back is against the wall and Dean’s lips are crushed to yours, his hands gripping your arms hard enough to leave bruises. Your body betrays you, your brain shuts down, and for a few seconds you respond to his touch, the feel of his hard body pressing you into the wall, his lips at once soft and demanding. When you breathe again, your temper flares and you shove him hard, forcing him a step back as your eyes fire lasers at him. “What the fuck, Dean?”

“He doesn’t even know you. He has no idea what you’ve been through, who you are now. He doesn’t deserve to be with you.”

You are even more pissed off when you feel tears stinging your eyes. “First of all, not planning to marry him and have his children. Second of all – none of your goddamn business.” You turn on your heel and leave him standing there, heading out to the bar, reaching for your beer and draining it in one go. You order another, ignoring Kurt’s questions about what’s wrong. “I’m fine. Where were we?” you say, refusing to watch as Dean drops a wad of bills on the bar to pay the tab and stalks towards the door, which closes with a slam as he leaves.

Kurt tries valiantly to get your mood back to where it was before you left the room, you’ll give him an A for effort. But you finally have enough and turn to face him with a tight smile. “Sorry, Kurt, I’m gonna have to take off. Great to see you again.”

“Awww, don’t go. I was hoping…”

“To be balls deep inside me by midnight? Yeah, I heard.” You pat your hand firmly against his chest. “It’s okay, I’m sure you’re more than capable of taking care of that little problem yourself. You’ve probably had a lot of practice. See ya.” You head for the door and don’t look back to see the look on his face, but you can imagine it clearly. You smother a smile as you leave the bar, but it completely fades when you look across the way and see Dean leaning against the Impala, his head tipped back as he drinks from his flask.

“Oh, well – fuck it,” you mutter, squaring your shoulders and striding across the asphalt to reach the parking lot. Dean looks up as your boots crunch in the gravel, then looks back down, avoiding your eyes.

“Where’s the used-to-be frat boy,” he asks as you stop in front of him.

“Licking his wounds, I imagine.” He looks up, wanting to ask, but keeps his mouth clamped shut. “Come on, we need to talk,” you say as you walk to the door of your room and unlock it.

“About what?”

You turn and glare at him. “Just get your ass in here. Please.”

The frown on his brow would intimidate most people, but you’re used to it. He finally scuffs his feet around a little and reluctantly trudges towards you, shouldering his way through the door and crossing the room. He leans against the wall near the bathroom door, arms folded across his chest and his ankles crossed, those dimples showing the level of his displeasure.

You close the door and lock it, tossing the key card onto the table as you approach him and stop directly in front of him, staring into his defiant eyes. “Well, go ahead. Tear me a new one,” he bites out.

Instead, you step closer, place your palm against his chest and lean up, your head tilting a little to the side as your lips land on his, nibbling and nipping at that tempting bottom lip. You feel his chest tense up, and you draw back a little, meeting his wary gaze. “What… uh… are you doing?”

“You started this… you will forgive me if I finish it,” you manage, your voice raspy with restrained want as you kiss him again. His arms drop to his sides, and for a second or two he is still, as if he’s afraid to move, afraid he’ll make you shy away. When your tongue teases at his lips, he moves so suddenly that your heart trips up in your chest. He scoops you up, hands behind your thighs, perching you at his waist as he turns to hold you against the wall and return your kiss with a quiet desperation that makes you clutch him tight, your arms around his neck.

He kisses you like it’s what keeps him alive, savoring you, every glide of his tongue against yours a languid, thoughtful caress, and his lips are pure heaven, just like you’ve imagined a hundred times. His fingers are kneading rhythmically at your waist, his hips rocking into you slightly, and you adjust your position so his growing erection is hitting just the right spot, forcing a low moan from you both.

You break apart for a moment, both of you panting for air, and he buries his face in your neck, your name a rough whisper in your ear as he nibbles at your soft skin. You buck against him, your need a raging fire, your voice a desperate whine. “Dean, need you…”

“You got me,” he rumbles, kissing you again, fierce and ravenous, then turning to let your feet slide to the floor. You shove impatiently at his t-shirt, and the corner of his mouth quirks up in a little smirk as he complies, pulling it over his head and dropping it to the floor. He reaches for yours, watching your face as he begins to lift it, waiting for your eyes to tell him to continue before he pulls it off. His eyes are hungry as you unclasp your bra, letting it fall before reaching for him, your breasts crushed to his warm chest as your lips crash together again.

You finally push back, your eyes drifting shut for a moment as he brushes his fingers across your nipple. You reach for his jeans, opening the zipper and looking up at him as his jaw tics, his teeth clenched as you touch his heated skin. “Better get those boots off, yeah?” you smile, and he grins.

You both sit on the end of the bed, boots and socks flung out of the way, and before you can stand back up, he pushes you back on the bed and opens your jeans, tugging them down and bending to kiss your belly button, making you giggle. He works them down your legs, then goes after your panties, his tongue darting out over his lips as he finishes removing the last barrier. Your eyes are riveted to the bulge in his boxer briefs, his jeans barely hanging on to his hips, and you literally feel your mouth water and your pussy clench.

He drops to his knees and kisses his way slowly up the length of your legs, finally reaching the apex and dropping a gentle kiss to your mound. “Can I?” he asks, and you hear the want in his voice. You nod with a little whine, your head dropping back as he nuzzles his face between your thighs, rubbing his nose over your clit. The first sweep of his tongue through your folds punches a moan from your throat, and he responds, sending a delicious vibration over your sensitive flesh. He’s nudging and nibbling, driving you insane, finally spearing his tongue deep inside you as he moans again at your flavor.

He explores you thoroughly until you’re squirming beneath the onslaught, and you gasp as he slides a pair of those thick, calloused fingers inside you, stroking, curling. You’re on the edge already, and when he moves up to suck your clit into the warmth of his mouth, you buck up into him and come.

“Fuck, Deeean!” He keeps you at the peak of pleasure until you are begging him to stop, and he finally backs off, gently cleaning you with wide swipes of his tongue. He rubs a hand over his face, looking very satisfied with himself as he begins to stand, and you glare at him playfully, breathing hard. “Pants off, mister, and get your perky ass up here.”

“Perky? Really?” he says a little sarcastically, but he’s smiling.

“It is perky, and I want to see it naked.” He complies, an extra little wiggle as he finishes, and you laugh. “Get up here, Magic Mike.” You’ve moved yourself up to lie on the pillows, your breath catching in your throat for a second as he turns to walk towards the bed. Your imagination doesn’t hold a candle to the reality, and you take a breathless moment to appreciate him as he approaches, his cock proud and bobbing slightly as he moves. “Wait – side pocket of my bag, condoms…” you manage to say, and he turns to where your duffle sits on the chair in the corner.

He digs a little, then turns with a naughty smirk and raised eyebrow, your purple vibrator in his hand. You can’t help but laugh again at his expression, and he grins. “Another time maybe.” He puts it back, finding the original target and tossing the foil packet at you as he climbs onto the bed.

“Lay back – my turn to play,” you say, and move to let him settle himself in the middle of the bed, watching as you move down between his legs, his eyes glowing with anticipation. His stomach muscles jump as you reach for him, your fingers gently petting his erection, hot and hard and soft as velvet beneath your touch. He exhales harshly, his jaw working as he watches, swearing as you lean down to smother his cock with your breasts, your neck bent so you can run your tongue over the head.

“Jesus! Fff-uuuuuuck…” His hands are clawing into the bedding, the sexiest noises you’ve ever heard being punched from his chest as you suck the tip into your mouth, one hand squeezing at the tense, hard muscle of his thigh. You lift your body so you can bend and take him in deeper, pushing yourself to your limit, working him with your tongue and sucking hard as you pull back up. You do it again, and then once more, finally pulling off completely with a tease of your tongue into the slit. His chest is heaving with the effort of holding back, and when you tear open the packet, he reaches for your hand, shaking his head. “No… no, let me, I can’t...”

You hand it to him, watching as he grips the base of his cock, squeezing, his eyes clenched shut as he backs off the urge to come. It’s the hottest thing you’ve ever seen, and you can barely hold still, your cunt pulsing, impatient to be filled. Finally he blows out a breath, taking the condom out and rolling it over his length. You climb up over him, attacking his lips as he clutches at your breast, and your sigh mingles with his moan as you lick into his mouth hungrily.

You can’t take it any longer, raising up to reach for him, guiding him to your entrance, mouth open in a silent cry as you slowly take him in. There’s fire in his eyes as he watches you, his gaze moving from your face to where you are joined and back again. You whimper as he fills you completely, piercing the deepest part of you, and you bite at your lip as you savor the sensation of your body shifting, molding itself around him.

Dean reaches to run his hands over the soft skin of your thighs, squeezing gently. “C’mere, baby,” he whispers, and you lower yourself back down to kiss him. “You feel so damn good,” he murmurs against your lips, and you hum in response, grinding down against him.

“Mmmmm, so do you.” You begin to move, rocking against him, the delicious friction on your clit making you moan. Soon you want more, and you reluctantly abandon Dean’s lips to raise up so you can ride him for real. His fingers dig into your hips as he helps you move, and each time you drop down to take him deep it forces a muffled cry from you. You fuck him until your legs are burning, right at the edge, almost desperate.

Dean sits up, one hand holding you tight against him as he puts the other down between you to rub at your clit, a low groan in his throat as your pussy clenches around him. “Come for me, and I’ll roll you over and fuck you so hard,” he promises. You’re begging now, ‘please’ and ‘Dean’ and swearing, gritting your teeth, and when he leans close to your ear, growling, “Give it to me,” you do. You barely recognize yourself in the sound that bursts from you as blinding ecstasy floods through you, and Dean grunts as your cunt seizes around him with a vicious squeeze.

You’re still riding the wave of your orgasm when he manhandles you, flipping you to your back and seamlessly driving back inside you. You clamp your legs around him, hips rising to meet every thrust as he hits a fast, furious rhythm, his arms caging your body and his face buried in your neck. You’re shaking, fingers tearing at the bed, shouting as he hits his peak and bites down on the slope of your neck. “Fuck!” You feel his cock pulsing as he comes, and it makes you shudder, your muscles seizing up again for a moment before you go completely limp beneath him.

He relaxes slowly, his body heavy and warm on top of yours, his lips and tongue soothing the bite before he goes motionless. You both lie there, chests heaving together, riding out aftershocks with soft little whimpers and moans. He finally moves, pulling out of you, sending a hard shudder through your body, and he laughs softly, making you smile. He rolls to his back, ridding himself of the condom before turning back to pull you close.

For a while there are slow, lazy kisses and roaming hands, and then he turns to his back again, cradling you against his side, your head tucked into his shoulder. His last thought as he dozes off is that maybe he doesn’t have a normal life. But what he has, right now? Worth it.

Tags for my lovelies:  @saenalife    @deanscarlett    @jensensgotyoudean    @jinkieswouldyoulookatthis    @deansdirtylittlesecretsblog    @geeklibrarian    @leatherwhiskeycoffeeplaid      @mrswhozeewhatsis    @littlegreenplasticsoldier    @sleep-silent-angel    @darcia22    @winchesterprincessbride    @ellen-reincarnated1967    @eyes-of-a-disney-princess      @deanslittleangel2y5    @melanie451        @spectaculacular-sammy     @bookchic20    @jodyri    @selma-jean-blog           @savingapplepie-eatingthings    @kittenofdoomage    @masked-maiden42    @lean-mean-deanwinchester    @ericuhlorain    @undecided-garden    @ceeceewinchester    @typicalweirdbookworm          @callmesweetheartifyoumeanit    @youtoldalie    @tanithlowisabamf-blog    @deandoesthingstome    @jxackles    @nerdwholikesword    @soivebuiltupaworldofmagic    @kreweofimp  @gabavaldman    @chaos-and-the-calm67-blog    @darkx143    @disassociativedogma    @ioanashalala    @jencharlan    @deansthirstblog     @dorky-and-i-know-it    @mischief-maker1    @winchestersandwordprocessors    @percussiongirl2017    @bringmesomepie56   @akshi8278    @torn-and-frayed    @sandlee44   @wingedcatninja  @evansrogerskitten   @emoryhemsworth  @peaceinourtime82  @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior  @sarcasmqueen74   @maliburenee     @mrsjenniferwinchester   @yeehawbitchs   @emily-winchester  @hobby27

[nivisdreaming]

Could I request Steve smut. Could be in a bar, or party or club idk just smut!

Run, Rabbit, Run.

Summary: Feeling brave, you decide to taunt Steve a bit, just to see his soft facade break down. Going along with your games, he takes you out to a forest and gives you a single order to obey: Run.

so i’ve been sitting on what I want to do for this request for awhile, and i finally have an idea >:) woo boy i ran a teeny bit far with this one!! there will be a part two with more smut but it got so long i could not justify making yall wait any longer!!

WC: ~2.7k

Tags: Smut, jealousy, brat!reader, predator/prey, slight dub-con, dom!Steve Harrington, sub!reader, fem!reader, rough sex, oral sex (f!receiving), begging, degradation, praise, (as always those go hand in hand with me), brat taming, excessive use of petnames (bunny, baby, honey, sweet girl, little rabbit, sweetheart, etc), semi-public play, hair pulling, clothes ripping, slapping, implied PiV, implied overstimulation

Steve holds the front door open for you, giving an overly dramatic bow like the gentleman he is as you stride by. You enter the crowded space and quickly find him taking your hand in his own, following behind you closely to avoid getting separated in the masses of people. You’re quick to make your way to the kitchen and over to the drinks, where you begin pouring something for yourself before you look over to Steve and ask, “You want anything Stevie?”

He shakes his head. “I thought we talked about you not drinking at these parties. There’s frat guys everywhere, leave your drink unsupervised for one minute and you could be in so much danger!” He crosses his arms over his chest and shoots a disapproving look at the cup in your hand, but you just give an innocent giggle and lift it to your mouth.

“Loosen up hun, I’ll have one drink and go dancing with the girls, no guys allowed! No one’s getting their hands on me but you, pretty boy~” You wink and take a large gulp from the cup. The alcohol helps tamp down your nerves regarding your plan for the night, and if anyone asks, you can blame the flush of your face on it instead of your embarrassment with how revealing this dress is. Speaking of the dress, you subtly try to lean forward to rest more of your weight on the counter, pressing your breasts together to give Steve a good cleavage shot as he sits in stunned and flustered silence. You give him a few seconds to let his gaze wander down your body, until his eyes come to meet yours again and you down the rest of the beverage before he can stutter out a sentence. With a smile and wave you are off towards the dance floor, leaving your soft-spoken and reserved boyfriend reeling.

You easily locate Robin and Nancy at the center of the room, both obviously pushing tipsy and still nursing half-empty drinks as they giggle and sway to the music. You make your way into their group, giving each a bright greeting and a half hug.

“Y/N!! How goes operation ‘break Stevie-Wevie’, babe?!” Robin calls over the music.

You smirk and whisper back, “Good so far, but we haven’t even hit the hard part yet!” You spare a glance towards the drink table and spot him staring right back at you.. “He’s clearly a fan of the dress though, so as long as the other guys are too this should be a piece of cake!” You laugh and bump Nancy with your elbow, mouthing her a thank-you for helping you pick out the outfit for tonight.

“When do you want us to go distract him?” Nancy questions into your ear, fighting to be heard over the rant Robin has launched into regarding the current song. You shrug and ask for 10 minutes to gather your flirting confidence, to which she laughs and offers you a sip of her drink that you graciously accept.

A few songs pass and you allow yourself to get lost in them, music and chemicals combining nicely to rid your body of anxiety and free your mind to focus on the goal at hand. As the song switches to a slower beat you dismiss the duo in the direction of Steve, watching out of the corner of your eye until they manage to drag him off in the direction of a random drinking game he will undoubtly refuse to participate in.

You slip off the dance floor and head in the direction opposite the one Steve and the girls went, needing to find people without accidentally finding them. Just to your luck, you find a sitting room that is only mindly cramped, with a few couples hidden away in corners but mainly just a group of guys sitting in a circle on the ground smoking. You’re able to recongnize one of them as a distant friend of Steve’s, Eddie Munson, and you decide to make him your target for the night. Or, your decoy target, at least.

Kneeling down beside him you lightly tap his shoulder, throwing on your best innocent infauted look as he turns your direction. “Hi! I really like your rings, can I ask where you get them?” You tilt your head and give a slight flutter of your eyelashes. He barely meets your gaze for a moment before his eyes skim down the rest of your body, taking in the tight dress that rides up on your thighs with how your positioned on your knees. He gives you a cheshire grin and proudly presents his hands.

“Of course you can, you can ask me whatever you’d like sweet thing.” Out of the corner of your vision, you spot Steve blow by the open door, clearly hunting for something. Or someone. You can hear how he suddenly halts and turns back around to stand just outside the doorway, scanning for you through the haze of smoke. “I get these custom-made by a close friend of mine, but I’m sure he’d be willing to do a set for a pretty girl like you,” one of his hands coaxes up your thigh while the other is held out to you, “Go ahead, get a closer look if you’d like, I’ll just be taking in the sights.” He winks as you hesitantly take his hand, fidgeting with the cool metal of the rings and pulling him closer to you so you can view the intricate carving of the steel. You try to limit your side-eyes to the door, where you know Steve is looming and watching the whole situation play out. You have to bite back a smile when you pick up what sounds like an irritated grunt from that side of the room.

Suddenly, just as you are about to take it a step further and begin to trace and inspect the veins of Eddie’s hand, a harsh grip lands on your upper arm and wrenches you backwards. “Baby. It’s time to go home.” The growl to Steve’s tone leaves no room for aruging as he pulls you to your feet and harshly grabs your wrist, yanking you away from Eddie and towards the door. You can hear the curly-haired shout a goodbye after you, but all you can keep your focus on is trying not to stumble with how fast Steve is forcing you to weave through the party, straight towards the door and down the steps. He hasn’t spoken a word to you despite your complaints about his fast pace and rough treatment, leaving all you hear from him to be the occasional grunt as he forces you along.

You expect him to return you to his car so you can talk there, but you realize this isn’t the case as he leads you through the street and out of the neighborhood, right into the nearby forest until the foliage is too thick to see out of anymore. You can’t help the whimper that tears from your throat as he pushes you to your knees on the rough ground and takes a fistful of your hair in his grasp in order to force your gaze upwards.

“You wanna play games with me? You want to go to the stupid fucking party and try to push my buttons just to piss me off?” He snarls and tugs harder on your hair. “We’ll play games, little bunny, if that’s what you want.” He releases his hold and takes 2 steps backwards, hands raised in the air as a sign of surrender. “Let’s play my favorite. I like to call it ‘Predator V. Prey’. You have 5 seconds to run before I come after you. Make it out of this forest without getting caught, and we talk this out like civil adults in the morning.” Steve removes his jacket and rolls up the sleeves of his shirt, taking his time to accent how they shake with barely contained rage. “Get caught, and we settle this right here, right now, with you screaming for my forgiveness. Understood?”

Trembling and trying to avoid directly looking at your boyfriend for any reason, you nod and stumble to your feet, trying to adjust your dress as you stand. You gasp when a tear reverberates through the trees and the fabric falls away from your form, leaving the feeling of Steve’s calloused fingers of the sensitive skin of your back. He leans in so close you can feel the tickle of his breath against your neck. “Better scamper off, little rabbit.” There’s a harsh sting on your ass as he smacks it with a cackle, and you take off sprinting as he begins the countdown.

You make it 20 seconds of running before you realize the high heels you wear probably aren’t doing you any favors. Frantically looking around, you spot what appears to be an makeshift tent of some kind built out of sticks and vaguely covered by foliage. Eager for the chance to remove your shoes safely, you drop to your hands and knees and crawl inside the cramped space. You fumble as you try to rip off the tight leather and struggle to keep your hands steady enough to undo the straps. Finally, both shoes fall to the forest floor and with a relieved sigh you move to exit the fort.

You peek out from the opening just in time to spot Steve rounding the corner of the direct path you had taken here, his chest heaving with the exertion of chasing after you. You ducked backwards to shield yourself from view, but heat bubbled in your core just from the one look at him. Everything about him in this moment seemed authoritative and predatory, from the flex of his biceps as he pushed brush from his way to the strain of his hard cock against the crotch of his pants. Your mouth watered naturally at the sight of that bulge, and images of choking on it sent shivers down your spine, but the adrenaline pumping through you continued to scream that you needed to run.

You clasped a hand over your mouth to muffle the puffs of your breath, praying to a higher being that Steve would not be able to hear the pounding of your heartbeat nearly as well as you could hear it ringing through you. You squeeze your eyes shut and curl into yourself, cowering as if you were a scared animal and Steve was the big bad hunter.

Over the sound of your own terrified panting it’s hard to pick up, but you swear after a few seconds you can hear the cracking of twigs as someone walks away, and after a few more seconds you are left in still silence. You feel the tension of your shoulders relax a bit, knowing you have earned yourself more time to get out. You go to peel your head slowly from where it sits between your knees, but a tight fist wrapped around your ankles startles you upright and right into the roof of the makeshift shelter, sending branches clattering to the ground as it collapses.

With your attacker slowed by the sudden scattering of blockage, you are able to stumble up and onto your bare feet, ready to dash in a random direction, but by the time you’ve made it to the next tree Steve is upon you, tackling you to the dirt and pinning your waist with his own. His heavy frame knocks the wind out of you and he quickly takes advantage of your open mouth, plunging two of his fingers inside and pressing downwards on your tongue. “There you go, I’ll give that mouth a better use than flirting baby, just gotta give in and let me have it,” He presses deeper and triggers a gag from your throat, “I’ll teach you better than to taunt me with what I already own, I’m gonna prove I can take what I’ve earned, little bunny,” he chuckles lowly in your ear.

An involuntary whimper is pulled from you as he removes his hand and slides off you to kneel between your knees. Immediately you miss his weight and try to trail after him, but are made to pause as he grips each of your calves and forcibly spreads open your legs.

“Did you forget the game already?” He mocks your pouty lip with a tilt of his head. “Just admit it, you wanted to be taken this whole time. You never wanted to get away from this, you were just too much of a brat to get down on your knees and beg for me like the subby bitch we both know you are.” His hands trail upwards, grasping and squeezing at your thighs, kneading at the tender flesh until you start to squirm and whine underneath your breath.

He teases a fingertip through your folds, condescending smile only growing as he hears your wetness echo through the silent woods. “C’mon, tell me ‘yes’, baby, tell me you’ve wanted this all night, and I’ll give you everything your body is begging me for.”

A slap directly over your clit forces a yelp out of you, and with the last bit of your fight burning out you burst into tears. “Yes! Yes please, just wanted to see you jealous Stevie, I’m sorry sir!” you whimper and buck your hips upwards to chase his touch. Two of his fingers spread your lips in response, and eagerly he bends down to thrust his tongue inside you. The vulgar suckling sounds he creates against your pussy are almost loud enough to drown out your pleasured noises as he laps at your slit and sucks your clit into his mouth without hesitation. He hooks an arm around your thigh to drag you further into him, leaving you with no choice but to take every sensation he gave you.

His fingers move to press past your opening, crooking upward and massaging at your walls, pulling wails from you as he continues his assault on your sensitive nub. You spasm around his digits, writhing desperately in the dirt as he pulls you closer and closer to the edge. A third finger stretches you out as he pulls back his mouth to murmur, “C’mon sweetheart, I can tell this pathetic little cunt wants to come already, just give in and give it to her.” He leans back in so you can feel his breath on your inner thighs. “Be a good girl and come for me, honey.” With one final hollowing of his cheeks around your bud the dam bursts. Your jaw hangs loose in a silent scream as you clamp down hard enough to nearly force his fingers out, legs shaking and spasming around him with overexertion.

He joyfully licks you through it, collecting your release on his tongue in order to savor as much of your taste as possible. He waits for you to fall limp to pull himself back up, immediately locking his lips with yours in a passionate kiss as he props you up against a tree and wraps your still shivering frame around himself. You pull back to gasp for air when he places three fingers around the sides of your throat and presses ever so lightly into your delicate skin.

“So pretty, all soft and fragile like this. Feels so much better than being a brat, doesn’t it, baby? Don’t you just wanna be my beautiful little angel, make all your delectable submissive sounds and milk the cum from my cock?” He presses harder, fuzzing out the clarity that has just begun to return to your mind. “I know you can do it princess, you need me to fuck you until you fall apart. Don’t worry sweet girl, I’ll give it to you. I’ll give it to you over and over and over.” He growls the last part into your ear before releasing the pressure on your blood vessels, sending a rush to your head right as he begins to undo his belt.

[niki-phoria]

Hii~ it’s the hybe game caterers anon! Hope I could request one about the finale of the random play dance where it’s down to Soobin and the two girl group members (sorry I don’t remember their names 😭) and it’s idol reader’s group song that plays and Soobin gets first place for it bc they’re secretly dating and he’s helped reader practice.

And one of reader’s members is like wow, he dances your part just like you do. Meanwhile txt be exposing their leader for watching reader’s fancams all the time thinking Soobin has a massive crush.

That’s how far the idea went, feel free to change it up! Thanks for being such an amazing writer!

p.s. could I be added to your anon list as 🎶anon?

pairing: soobin x gn!idol!reader (they/them pronouns) genre: fluff word count: 1.2k

includes: blushy soobin, some of the enha members are briefly mentioned bc i love them, i tried my best to get all the names correct but i'm not familiar with the other groups featured, their relationship isn't really secret lol but i tried my best, one of my fav works ngl

a/n: thank you for requesting !! i love this idea sm, i hope you like it :))

based on this and this !!

requests open !! read my rules first

“stand outside of the line,” producer nah announces, pointing to a string outlining a large circle on the field. you nervously wipe your hands off on your pants as you stand up from your seat, following the crowd towards the edge. 

“y/n,” soobin calls, waving you over. you smile as you rush over to where he’s standing. his hand immediately finds its home around your waist as he tugs you a little closer to him. 

“are we dancing?” you murmur, nervously looking down to check your shoelaces. 

“it’s okay,” soobin smiles. “we’ll dance together.” 

“this is the last segment. good work everyone.” you applaud with the others, grateful to have an excuse to be close to soobin again after weeks of your schedules keeping you apart. “we’re going to play the random dance.”

you let yourself focus on soobin’s arm still resting around your waist as producer nah explains the rules of the game before calling seungkwan over to judge with him. 

three notes chime out to announce the practice song before “blessed-cursed” begins playing. you follow soobin further into the grass field as you dance along to the choreography. you chuckle when kai rushes forwards immediately, taking the stage with ease. 

the music fades out once the first half of the chorus ends. soobin reaches over to grab your hand once you return to your place behind the line, giving you a reassuring squeeze. you smile when he does, letting some of your worries go as you relax and let yourself have fun. 

the rounds continue on smoothly with a similar routine each time: part of the chorus of a song plays, you step out into the field and complete the choreography as well as you can, then you step back where soobin takes your hand into his once again. it’s almost second nature to intertwine your fingers together with a small smile. 

your jaw drops as the song for round seven plays - “hey mama” by guetta. you let out a nervous laugh as you step over the line. beomgyu chuckles as you haphazardly follow yeonjun and soobin as they easily dance along to the song. “you don’t know it?” he asks over the music. 

“i didn’t watch street woman fighter,” you reply. 

sunoo gestures for a microphone with a small wave as producer nah hands it over. “beomgyu, sunghoon-hyung, jake-hyung, and y/n,” he calls. soobin smiles as he reaches over to reassuringly pat your shoulder. with one final raised fist and his whispered “fighting,” you step forwards to join the others in the line. the others slowly join you, including the seventeen members, jiwon, and kazuha. 

“let’s have yeonjun in front.” you chuckle at how flustered he looks as he steps forwards, hiding his face behind his hands in his embarrassment for a second. you poorly follow along to the choreography once again before following after sunghoon and jake when they leave. beomgyu reaches over to pat your shoulder with a small smile as you sit down in between him and jungwon. the grass is uncomfortable - even underneath the fabric of your pants - and pollen irritates your eyes, but you ignore it in favor of watching soobin. 

you watch as the group slowly dwindles down until there are only three people left standing: soobin, eunchae, and soyeon. “is txt going to crumble?” seungkwan teases as taehyun joins you on the other side of the field. yeonjun dances his way over after playful protests from the judges spur him to leave. he smiles as he sits beside you and taehyun in the grass. 

“wow!” you cheer, applauding with the others as “into the new world” ends. 

“what’s yeonjun's identity?” jay asks beside you. 

“something unexpected just happened,” producer nah says. “the man who looked like he’d survive to the end was eliminated!” 

yeonjun chuckles as you help beomgyu hand the microphone over to him. “my dance teacher is gone,” soyeon jokes. 

“we should hear from him,” seungkwan prompts. “we all thought he was gonna win.”

“ah, i had so much fun. i’m happy,” he smiles. 

“he was just a placeholder for soobin, who’s the real ace,” taehyun jokes.

“soobin!” you call, raising your fist. “fighting!” he laughs as he brings a hand up to hide his slightly flushed cheeks before standing back up and returning the gesture. 

“fighting,” he smiles. 

your attention remains glued to soobin as the group continues to dwindle down. yunjin is the next to leave, laughing as she’s welcomed back to the group with open arms. his eyes never leave yours - even when the sun slowly begins to set and the rounds continue to drag on. 

“ah,” seungkwan says. “i think they’re all winners.”

“i’d say they all won,” hoshi agrees. 

“can’t we try one last song?” beomgyu asks. 

“yeah, one more song,” others from the group chime in to agree. 

“okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” producer nah says. “all three of you won the coffee truck. we’ll do one final round to determine who wins the snack truck. the person who shows the most artistic expression will win.” 

“instead of eliminating them, we’ll pick first place,” seungkwan agrees. 

you raise your fist in a fighting gesture towards soobin once again as he laughs. “they haven’t played any of my songs yet,” you murmur. 

“they haven’t played ours either,” kai comforts. 

“the last song. music, cue!” your eyes widen when the chorus of the next song plays - your most recent comeback. soobin laughs as he rushes forwards, dancing to the beat with ease. the crowd around you erupts with cheers as his smile grows. he dances effortlessly while you hide your face behind your hands in embarrassment. 

“this is y/n’s song?” you can vaguely hear hoshi ask. beside him, minghao nods.  

niki laughs as he watches. “he dances exactly like y/n.”

“soobin-hyung watches their fancams all the time,” taehyun laughs. 

“it’s true!” beomgyu smiles. “he’s always talking about y/n and watching their content.” 

“we’re friends!” you defend. “he’s being supportive.” 

the round ends when the chorus finishes. soobin smiles at you from across the field as he holds the ending pose - the same one that you do during promotional performances. 

you join the others in applauding for them as you watch soobin bow to eunchae and soyeon. they do the same as they cheer for each other before seungkwan takes the microphone once again. “that was beyond respect. i’m in awe. however, i think the killing part determined the winner.” he pauses for dramatic effect before continuing. “congratulations… choi soobin of txt!” 

you can’t help your bright smile as you stand up. soobin smiles as he rushes over to you, wrapping his arms around your waist. you’re quick to reciprocate; clinging to him as you celebrate. he presses a kiss against your forehead when he sets you back down on the ground, bringing a hand up to cup your cheek. “congratulations love,” you smile. 

“i couldn’t have done it without you,” soobin whispers. his arm remains tightly around your waist as the rest of the txt boys join you. kai keeps you tightly in their group hug as you jump around in your excitement. 

[greenerteacups]

hiya GT! 🫶🏻 hope you’re doing well

What are your thoughts on the new Hunger Games book? Personally I’m quite ecstatic because it’s Haymitch’s games.

sending love and light wherever you are xx

I'm cautiously excited for it! The Hunger Games is one of the few series where I'm okay with franchise-mining because I think the format allows for a variety of great stories to be told, and Suzanne Collins is a genuinely great writer of plot and character. I want to see her do what she does best (i.e. write men with obsessive unhealthy life-ruining levels of devotion to the object of their affections, a woman who, depending on where she is in the story, ranges from "fond of him, normally" to "could not name this man with a gun to her head.")

I'm also hopeful that she burned through most of her prequel-itis in TBOSAS, which was a bunch of really good ideas interspersed with clunky moves to retroactively flesh out her worldbuilding. In my mind, this is a problem that could have been entirely solved if you cut the umbilical cord between TBOSAS and THG. Don't make it about explaining the origin of Games traditions; don't make it about the first victor from Twelve; don't even make it about Coriolanus! You could have named that character anything else and it would still be an interesting character study about power and ownership between members of different social groups. You also could have cut about 50% of the dialogue where characters pontificate about human nature and war, which feels like it was conceived to address a specific set of nerd complaints about why the Capitol continues to agitate the districts in this way (when the obvious answer, IMO, is "because the Hunger Games is a dystopia, next question." Not all speculative fiction has to follow the rules of realpolitik.) Also, I opened it and saw five epigraphs from major tracts of political philosophy, and I just... I started rubbing my eyes, because like. Christ. Okay. There's a fine, fine line between committing to your concept and taking yourself too seriously, and you crossed it four epigraphs ago.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy it — I was super interested in Corio and Lucy, the plot was engaging, and I thought the "Hunger Games, but everything is shitty" concept was a funny subversion of what readers were probably expecting from a spinoff. It's a smart book, but I feel like it's trying to preemptively defend its existence against the cash-grab accusations by showing that it's about Important Things and Serious Ideas, when it could do the same thing much more easily by simply telling a good story — something that justifies its existence just by being what it is. I'm looking forward to see what Collins does in the universe once she's not trying to write the Hunger Games prequel, and she can focus on writing a good Hunger Games book.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Hunting for Clues (Dad Squad)

(@nancyheart11 @telemna-hyelle @smilesrobotlover @skyward-floored + @ whoever else wants to be tagged)

The air was uncomfortably thick as a heavy blanket of moisture clung to Rusl's skin. It felt like summer in Ordon Village, except he was in no place to be stripping off his shirt and going swimming to cool off.

Well, swimming might be involved. It depended on if there was a clear path to their destination.

They were following a lead he'd gotten from a nearby village. After the cucco incident, all it took was some conversations to figure out that a local cave had suddenly become more dangerous, that people were being harassed and attacked when they approached it. It didn't take much to ascertain, then, that if the Yiga had a holdout nearby, and a cave was being guarded, it was likely that the group would find Yiga there.

Abel led the group, tense with anticipation. Fierce was last, surveying the area and watching their flank. Rusl kept his eyes alert, wiping the sweat on his brow with his headband. His heart beat hard and fast, not so much from the exertion of climbing along the hill as they followed the river, but in the hope that they would find Link. It had been far too long since his capture, and though Rusl tried to stay focused on the objective rather than worry, the anxiety had steadily been growing.

It had been too familiar, having one of his boys kidnapped. He hated it. He'd been eager to push forward and find him. But when he'd realized he was in a completely different Hyrule, he'd recognized that he'd have to take a step back and figure this out. But now they had a lead, and now there was tangible hope that he could get to his boy, and now nothing was going to stop him from getting there.

They eventually reached the waterfall that supposedly hid the cave's entrance, and Rusl walked up to stand beside Abel.

"No guards," Abel noted quietly, his voice barely audible over the crashing water.

Worry wormed its way around Rusl's heart and mind. Abel was right, after all - the reason they had learned of this place at all was because people had been warded away with violence. The fact that no one had even tried to stop them was telling - either they were walking into a trap, or their lead was an old one.

"I have not noticed any scouts, either," Fierce added as he caught up with them easily. "This does not bode well."

Rusl drew his sword. "Then we should be ready for anything. Let's go."

The water was refreshingly cool on his skin as he passed through, bowing his head as the weight and pressure briefly beat down on him. He opened his eyes again quickly, blinking water away and surveying the area.

The cave was enormous, with moss and glowing mushrooms lining the stone path leading far beyond where he could see. He grabbed a lantern and quickly lit it, leading his companions into the darkness.

Bearing a torch and a sword while looking for lost children. This is too familiar. Rusl bit his tongue, shaking the thought away. He had to focus.

A particularly large water droplet fell from the ceiling, splashing on the top of his head and startling him back to reality. He gave a quiet huff, thanking the goddesses for the help focusing, and gripped his sword more tightly.

The farther they walked, the worse it felt. The waterfall drowned out any sound that could have tipped them off if there was someone nearby, and the very distinct lack of people made Rusl's skin crawl. The Yiga had already tried to ambush them once, and they were defeated fairly easily, but still... a place like this could make matters difficult if they were attacked.

There was a faint glow ahead, bluish in color. Rusl lowered his lantern slightly, squinting and looking for movement. He pulled the wick back a little, dimming the light so they wouldn't be as obvious as they approached. Though Fierce's steps were much louder than theirs, he still tried to creep along as quietly as Rusl and Abel did until the trio had reached a bend in the long cavernous pathway.

When Rusl peeked around, he saw litter and debris, and he immediately knew they were too late. The tension drained out of him with a heavy exhale, disappointment filling the void. His eyes were attracted upward, however, to trace the blue light to its source. It was a strange, frog-like creature clinging to the stony walls and hopping around easily. Rusl stared at it in wonder, reminded of the light spirits, and wondered if it was kin to them.

Abel swore softly, walking into the room, seemingly ignoring the creature altogether.

"Hello, little sprite," Fierce called to the animal. It turned, glancing at him, and continued to bounce around cheerfully.

"What is it?" Rusl asked, curiosity holding his anguish at bay.

"I am not entirely sure," Fierce answered, catching Rusl off guard. "I can sense its magic, though. It is not of the Yiga."

With that little knowledge, Rusl returned his attention to the large room the creature was illuminating. The room had a few barrels, a desk with some notes, but most of what was there had been removed. Abel was busy perusing a book of some sort that was on the desk.

Approaching, Rusl asked, "What did you find?"

"Notes," Abel answered simply, engrossed in his reading. Rusl didn't bother pushing the matter, waiting for him to finish.

The loud meow that emitted from one of the barrels distracted him well enough. All three men turned their gaze, though Abel resumed his reading quickly, and Fierce and Rusl walked to the nearest barrel.

Inside was a kitten, creamy white fur blending with patches of buttery brown. It meowed again as it looked up at the pair.

"What are you doing here, little guy?" Rusl asked as he cautiously reached in. The kitten didn't swat at him, allowing itself to be hauled gently out of the barrel where it had been trapped.

When Rusl turned to ask Abel if he had finished reading, he saw the knight staring at him with wide eyes and a furrowed brow, as if he'd just been given some sort of life altering news. Ice filled his veins, worry for Link immediately shutting out any other thought. "What's wrong?"

"The Hero of Time," Abel said. "That's... your son is the Hero of Time?"

Several thoughts clamored for attention all at once in Rusl's mind. The Hero of Time was a figure of legend, and he had been the one to train Link. Did.. did that mean Link inherited the title? He supposed that wasn't unreasonable. But that meant the Yiga had written about him in their log, and that meant he had to be alive still, because his title would not have been the first piece of information Abel had clung to if it were otherwise.

Hopefully.

Rusl walked to his companion in three large steps, the kitten bouncing in his arms, and he demanded, "What did they say about him?"

"T-they..." Abel glanced between Rusl and the kitten, temporary confusion flitting across his face at the sight of the animal before he continued, "They said he's---he's, ah, been fighting them off."

Rusl's dread vanished in an instant and was replaced with hope. "What? But..."

They hadn't captured him after all? Was he out here somewhere, lost and injured and alone, searching for Rusl as desperately as Rusl was looking for him?

"They escaped," Abel explained, holding the book close to his chest. "They escaped the main Yiga stronghold. They've been spreading their forces to find them."

The kitten was suddenly plucked out of Rusl's arms, held by the scruff of its neck by the fierce deity as he stared at it. "And this tiny furry creature was supposed to track him?"

Rusl's eyes stung unexpectedly with tears, and he let out a wet laugh, blinking them away. "I think maybe this little guy got lost."

"The kitten was supposed to be bait..." Abel added with a tone that was just as confused as Fierce's. "Apparently to lure the dog in."

Rusl whipped his head towards the knight. "Dog? What dog?"

Rusl immediately snatched the book before Abel could answer, courtesy abandoned, and the knight snarled, grabbing it back.

"This isn't time for your paranoia," Rusl snapped. "Whatever you're hiding, unless it has to do with my boy, I don't care. Let me read it."

Before either party could continue the argument, the book was taken out of Abel's tight grip with ease, making the knight yelp. The Fierce Deity flipped it in his hands, reading it aloud. "We have arrived at the designated site per our leader's orders. We're currently looking for a good way to lure the wretched heroes. The Hero of Time has been a constant thorn in our side in every encounter. He even took our bananas during the last fight."

Spirits above. Link's alive. He's alive and he escaped.

Of course he did. It was Link. His boy had fought Zant and Ganondorf, had been trained by the Hero of Time (the previous Hero of Time...? Did they all have that title, then?), had been forged into a strong warrior through the dark flames of twilight magic. Link could handle anything. Rusl shouldn't have worried.

Except he still did. Because he didn't know if Link was hurt. He didn't know where Link was, and the Yiga were hunting him.

What did these people want with him?! All Rusl knew of the Yiga was that Abel said they were traitors to the crown who wanted to see Hyrule fall. He said they were a cult of sorts, and they worshipped a demon, the same one that had destroyed Abel's Hyrule.

The deity turned the page with a thumb, carelessly tossing the kitten towards Rusl, who jumped, startled, and quickly caught the frightened little animal. He leaned it against his chest to soothe it as Abel grew steadily more wound up watching their companion.

"We've got a lead on their whereabouts," Fierce continued reading. "It appears the Hero's condition has improved somewhat, or at least enough that he is still alive. We have to ensure we catch him before he dies."

Rusl's breath was stolen from him. "What?!"

Fierce also stared worriedly at the pages, reading silently to gather more information quickly. It left Rusl in too much suspense, and he said, "Fierce, tell us what the hell is going on. Is my boy okay?"

"They're referring to three figures," Fierce answered as he read. "The Hero of Time, the Hero, and the dog. Sometimes they mention a mutt... I assume that must be the dog."

The uncertainty and anxiety were going to drive Rusl insane. "Just read it aloud. Please."

"Our camp was raided by the Hero of Time last night," Fierce obliged. "He took all our food and smashed all our bananas. One of our scouts spotted his dog but then we lost contact with him."

"We've made a discovery. The dog likes hanging around other animals. One of our scouts saw it playing with some kittens. We've since acquired one of the kittens and will be utilizing it to lure in the dog. If the mutt comes, then the Hero of Time will follow. Then all we have to do is find his base of operations to get the Hero."

"We've been in this cave for two weeks, and it's been almost a week since there's been any sign of our targets. The kitten ploy has not come to anything. Another group reported in that there are warriors looking the heroes. We will attempt to set up a trap for them. In the meantime, I've decided we need to move camp."

The longer Rusl listened, the more he realized that the Hero of Time was not, in fact, his Link. He could easily see his boy attacking the Yiga encampment, but he wouldn't simply raid it for supplies and leave. Link was too self reliant for that - he would gather his own supplies. He would only enter an enemy camp to eliminate it. His sweet boy was gentle in all ways but battle, after all.

Also, he knew, out of any group of boys, who would go running to the nearest pile of cuddly animals.

He knew exactly which one was his Link.

Which meant...

Rusl glanced over at Abel, really looked at him, and he saw the subtle signs in the man's stony demeanor. He saw the worry, the fear, the way the man's hands trembled.

"The injured one... that's your son, isn't it?" Rusl asked quietly.

Abel's expression darkened, a fierce, nearly feral glare crossing his face. His look dared Rusl to say anything else.

So this was the unspoken fear Abel had been carrying with him. This was the reason he didn't dare speak much about his boy. Had he thought they'd take advantage of his boy's vulnerable state? What else was Abel hiding?

"The Hero of Time is my child," Fierce said firmly, closing the book with a quick snap. "That is his title. And his tactics match. One of your children is missing."

Rusl bit his tongue as he smiled and choked back a snort. "Well... we'll find my boy. Let's start by finding yours."

"The Hero you've been protecting is the Hero of Time?" Abel confirmed.

"Yes," Fierce answered with a nod.

Abel let out a sigh of what seemed to be relief.

"What's wrong with your son?" Rusl asked gently.

The knight closed his eyes, his body stiffening. He didn't trust them. Rusl almost felt hurt, but then again... he had just withheld vital information about his Link as well.

But why wouldn't he? Telling them his boy could turn into a beast was a recipe for disaster.

Then again, them not knowing was equally bad. He knew that from experience. They'd already had to battle one pack of wolves and he'd nearly had a meltdown. He had had a meltdown.

What secret was Abel keeping to protect his boy?

Rusl's train of thought was interrupted when the strange blue bouncing creature hopped over, hovering directly over Abel. Seeing as the man wasn't reacting, Rusl hesitantly pointed to it. "You... can see that thing, right?"

Distracted, Abel glanced upward. Then he huffed. "It's a bubbulfrog."

"A what?"

"Bubbulfrog," Abel repeated, glancing at the pair. "Legend says if you strike one down you can obtain a mystical stone from it."

"You don't seem very fazed by this," Rusl noted.

"Link and I have found plenty in different caves when he was little," Abel sighed. He raised an eyebrow as he looked up. "I'm surprised this one isn't blowing bubbles at us, though."

"They do that?"

"Often. Link loved popping them. But we... never got this close," Abel went on uncertainly. "I wasn't sure how dangerous they were. They usually stay away from people."

"It won't harm you," Fierce said.

"Either way," Abel continued with a dismissive wave. "They don't hang around people. If there's one here it means the Yiga left long ago."

The kitten meowed again, pawing at Rusl's tunic. The Ordonian smiled down at it before looking back at Abel, whose gaze had grown distant. Meanwhile, Fierce turned, motioning towards them. "We should move on. It is clear the boys are not here and have not been in the area for some time."

Nodding, the two men followed him out of the cave. Rusl ran a hand gently over the kitten, which purred in response, relaxing him a little. They really needed to get to the bottom of all of this. Abel needed to open up and tell them more about the Yiga. And maybe... maybe Rusl should tell them about Link's transformative abilities before something terrible truly did happen.

Rusl sighed, looking around as the humidity came back in full force upon exiting the cave. This was... a mess. But at leas the knew Link was alive, and that was all that mattered.

[giggly-squiggily]

Efforts To Stay Awake (Hell's Paradise)

Back at it again with my Hell's Paradise BS *backflips into a crunchyroll sign*

akjekjakejrjkaejkr but really: I had a craving for Lee!Sagiri and needed to write it! I adore her so much, and the scene with her nearly falling asleep made me giggle. I hope you like it!

Cloud 9 (Taglist Peeps):

@rachi-roo, @thatbigbisexual29 @cupcake-spice13

A small hand tugged at Gabimaru’s sleeve.

When he looked over, Mei was watching him, eyes big. Around him, the rest of the group talked on, stuffing their faces with fruit and asking Hoko about various elements of the village. The ex-shinobi had tuned out most of it- if it didn’t help him find the elixir and get home to Yui he frankly didn’t care.

“We should always show interest when others are speaking. It’s polite, and it means we’re good listeners.”

…Well, alright. He was about to nod in apology and start to focus on the chatter around him when Mei suddenly pointed. When he followed her finger, he found the sight far more interesting than whatever Senta was inquiring about.

Sagiri was falling asleep, head tilted downward and eyes half-lidded. Her stance seemed proper enough, but there was a clear dip in her shoulders as she struggled not to completely crash. Every few seconds her eyes would close and she’d start to lean forward- only to snap up again at the last second.

That..was rare. He swore these Asaemon were machines in human skin; never sleeping, constantly monitoring him and the other criminals, swords practically glued to their palms at any given moment.

Of course- they’d probably say the same to him, but that wasn’t relevant right now. The point is; Sagiri was drowsy.

And that meant opportunity was upon them.

“She’s gonna get a face full of blueberries if she stays like that.” He whispered to Mei, earning a soft giggle. “She’ll turn purple- she can blend right in with the monsters here after that.”

“I heard that.” Sagiri cut them a look, making Mei squeak softly as she hid behind Gabimaru’s leg. Softening instantly, she gave the little girl a smile.

“It’s true.” The ex-shinobi pointed out, unfazed. “You’d be all:” He made his face into a look of shock, wide eyed and jaw open. Mei giggled against his knee, covering her face with her hands. Sagiri’s eyes narrowed sharper before she turned back to the rest of the group, promptly ignoring him.

“She’s gonna be out in two seconds.” He decided.

“I will not.”

“Will too.” He smiled, winking at Mei before scooting over some. When he was within arm’s reach, he raised a hand, fingers wiggling. “No worries- I’ll keep you awake.”

Sagiri eyed his hand with a brief glare before returning her attention to the group. For the first few minutes, she was fine, focusing on the conversation.

Then sleep was there once more- the steam from the bath combined with the tea she was offered urging her to close her eyes. She blinked once, twice. They started to droop..

A poke to her side made her shoot up. Beside her, Gabimaru was unmoved- the only indication he did something was the slight twitch of his lips.

Another few minutes passed. Her eyes began to droop…

Poke, poke, poke. A succession this time. Sagiri bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making noise, swatting at his hands. The fourth poke attempted, she grabbed his wrist, giving him a deadly look. Cut it out.

No. His raised eyebrow said back. So stubborn!

From his right, Mei was watching with wide eyes, torn between amused and concerned. Pulling Gabimaru’s clothes once more, she gestured him down to ear level.

Good. He was distracted. Now she could move away-

Mei was deposited into her lap.

Wide eyed, she gaped at Gabimaru- the other was openly grinning at her now. That son of a-!

“Try to keep the noise down, Sagiri. Hate to interrupt the meeting.” Gabimaru whispered, his fingers flying as they poked at her ribs, leaving no spot untouched along her side. Sagiri prided herself on not being easily shaken in the face of criminals, but this- this was ridiculous!

“That’s mainly how things work- Sagiri? Are you alright?” Hoko asked, drawing everyone’s attention to her in the room when she ducked her face into Mei’s hair.

“I’m fi-ine! I’m fine. Please, continue.” She waved her hand, jerking some when Gabimaru jabbed her hip. She pinched his hand when it came by again, making him pull back temporarily. “You were saying about the village?”

“Yes- about the way things worked here well before the Tensen took over.” Hoko resumed his answer, Senta asking a few more questions in the process. Yuzuriha didn’t look away, eyes trained on the trio with mischievous glint.

“Gabi~ You know a good spot to go for?” She cooed, voice like a feather as she creeped over. Sagiri stared her down like a bug, leaning away some at the Kunochi’s grin. “If you go here, she’ll make the cutest sound~”

“Don’t you da-AHHAHARE!” Sagiri practically spasmed when her shoulder blades were pinched, a loud high pitched squeal escaping. Senta and Hoko looked over with curious eyes as Yuzuriha flopped over, laughing like a hyena. On her other side, Gabimaru was shaking, head ducked down as he tried muffling his snickers. Mei had fallen against Sagiri’s chest with a giggle of her own, smiling up at her with big eyes.

Sagiri sighed, cheeks red as she held her head. “Forgive me, you two…”

“Oh, you’re fine. We’ve realized we’ve been talking far longer than necessary.” Senta smiled, putting his book away as he turned to Hoko. “I believe this is a good stopping point in our chat, yes?”

“I agree. Thank you for giving me and Mei your ears.” Hoko bowed, the mention of the little girl’s name perking her up to join him as he stood. “If you need anything at all, please let us know.”

After they left, Yuzuriha rolled to her feet with a sigh. “I need another bath before bed. Tootles, you two! See you later, Sagirin~” She skipped away, Senta scrambling after her when he remembered he was supposed to be monitoring.

“And then there were two…” Gabimaru turned to her, finding Sagiri watching him with unreadable eyes. “Great work- you stayed awake the entire time. Though I doubt you remember half of what was said- I sure don’t.”

Silence. If anything, her eyes seemed to narrow. Gabimaru shifted.

“So…yeah. I think I’m gonna keep watch-”

“Run.”

Gabimaru was off at that single word, Sagiri flying after him with surprising speed. In the distance, Mei watched the two chase about the clearing like two birds- crashing to a heap against the dirt path when Sagiri managed to pin him.

“Gabi…maru…Sa…Giri…” She smiled, heart warming at the distant shouts of laughter coming from the small boy. “...Friends.”

Thanks for reading!

[siderealmaven]

Hi, Hello, Happy New Moon Solar Eclipse in Pisces!! 🐠🐠✨

This eclipse is a bit of a doozy y’all, and I don’t say that to freak anybody out because I don’t think anyone should be freaking out about eclipses, but because it coincides with Mercury Rx reentering Pisces on 4/9 followed by a Mars-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius on the 10th, and Sun conj Mercury Rx on the 11th. When we have a lot of significant transits like these all bunched up together, the energy can be tense and people can easily be overwhelmed.

So before I get into the message of these beautiful cards from the Intuitive Night Goddess Tarot, I just want to remind everyone to slow down, to breathe, and stay away from those conspiracy theory videos that insist your whole life is going to change overnight or that the world will somehow fall into a zombie apocalypse if you blink too long. Make room for whatever you’re feeling and try to remember that this can be a busy, chaotic time for everyone.

The 4 of Wands speaks to this Mercury Rx and the need to slow down and reconsider our boundaries. This is something that is very difficult for a sign like Pisces, who struggles to disentangle themselves from the emotional narrative of the peoples around them but even more so for Aries, which simply can’t be bothered to slow down when it’s mind has been made up.

It’s likely that you have projects, goals, and such that you feel like are on the verge of being “Done,” but will find over the next week that there is more tweaking and perfecting necessary to move forward because you haven’t yet considered all of the angles.

While this can be frustrating, the 4 of Wands also speaks to celebration, graduations, reunions, ceremonies and group gatherings. It’s about hitting a milestone and taking a break to acknowledge how far you have come in your endeavors. It’s about protecting your peace.

Consider how much your perspective and attitudes towards your Pisces and Virgo house topics have changed since March 7th, 2024. How has your intuition allowed you to observe things that you didn’t notice before? What dots are you connecting and what larger picture do they tell you about yourself in this moment in time? Have you found yourself more capable than you originally thought?

The Temperance card advises us to find a balance between our desire to press forward and the need to pause and reflect. Really, this is talking about the types of boundaries we set with ourselves when we are working on something big. Are you the type of person who brews that 3rd or 4th cup of coffee and works late into the night, or someone who keeps saying “yes, I can do that!” When your body is telling you no?

Perhaps you are like me (neurodivergent af) and find yourself hyper focusing on your work and completely forget you are a person that has needs until you look up and see that hours seem to have passed in minutes. If you are like me, you might also be a perfectionist that feels like they can’t walk away until they get things “just right.” (Which honestly, could be never.)

Well if you are, then you also have to learn that creation is exhausting and therefore not having firm, explicit boundaries about how you will treat your body is necessary for any kind of sustainable work schedule. What works for me is setting timers to remind myself to switch tasks. To record my progress everyday so I have a physical reminder that yes, I did work, and it mattered and it adds up over time, I didn’t just imagine it! It’s intentionally scheduling days off because I work for myself and this often leads me to working nonstop.

The Temperance card is a reminder that there are times of work and times of play, times of progress and times of rest. We need both of these times in order sustain our bodies and minds in healthy ways in the long term. This Eclipse Szn, it is time to pause and celebrate how far you’ve come, instead of having that extra energy drink and hammering out the details. Focus less on how far you have left to go and just be proud of yourself for getting to this point.

It’s time to make your boundaries with yourself explicit, so that you can express them to others and they can respect your boundaries too. And I know, this is so much easier said than done, which is why you definitely deserve to have a cookie and hang out with your friends after. Pay attention to who respects your “No,” who accepts your “Maybe next time,” and who reminds you “As long as you’re taken care of, I’m happy.”

As we move into this Mars-Saturn conjunction you may find yourself ready to let go of things, perceptions, ideas, attitudes, old clothes, or even jobs and relationships you’ve outgrown. This is it’s own sort of milestone, even if it feels small or insignificant now, you will look back on this moment as a key time when due to this shedding, you started to see yourself just a little more clearly. (And you look beautiful!)

So take some time off, clean out your closet, call up your friends and get outside. There are a lot of big, bad scary things in this world we can’t control, but something you can always do is plant some joy in your moments and celebrate them like the gift they are.

Originally posted on @siderealmaven ‘s Patreon.

Thank you for reading! ♡

[intercoursefluids]

Well That Happened Chapter 12

“Did she just call you-?”

“On it!” Damian shouted, cutting of Jason’s question.

He ran forward, throwing whatever he could lift at the akuma, trying to get it’s focus on him.

Damian didn’t know what she was planning to do, and as far as he could tell, it was none of his business.

She had given him his job, distract the akuma.

It was a simple job, one he could easily do.

Staying unharmed after gaining it’s attention was significantly more difficult.

Damian dodged left, narrowly avoiding running into Jason as he dodged the same direction.

Both boys looked at each other, nodding once before Damian thrust out his arm, gripping Jason’s wrist as his brother swung him around.

Jason spun in circles, gaining momentum before launching Damian at the akuma.

Damian flew true, adjusting his grip on the frying pan. He came down on the man hard, swinging the pan at his head as he planted his feet in his chest.

The akuma went down quickly, gasping as Damian knocked the air out of him.

Damian rode him down, standing on the akuma’s chest until he hit the ground.

Damian barely heard a shout of “Left!” before he was dodging to the left, narrowly avoiding the swooping net of miscellaneous wires, ropes, and pieces of clothing.

The net landed on the akuma, wrapping them up and trapping them.

Marinette swooped down, grabbing the gun from the akuma and handing it over to Chat Noir as he came out of the shadows.

Chat Noir bowed, dramatically accepting the gun and turning it to ash in his grip.

A little black feather flew out of the ashes, futtering about in the breeze when Marinette pounced on it.

She swept the feather up in a jar, tightening the lid so it couldn’t escape.

Once the lid clicked into place, Marinette let out a deep sigh, slouching down as she pulled the jar to her chest.

“One down, one to go.” She said, holding out her fist to the group.

Everyone had congregated together once the net had snapped in place, swarming the akuma just in case it tried to escape.

“Is something supposed to happen?” He asked, warry of what may come next.

“Well-” Marinette shrugged. “Sort of? We need to get this to Piáo Chóng so she can purify it and keep it from multiplying. After that, we need to get the akuma.” She informed him, giving Chat Noir instructions to keep the akuma from escaping.

“I thought that was the akuma?” Damian called, rushing to catch up with her as she started to run off.

“No, normally, it would be, but this is a double akumatization.” She started, sparing him a glance as turned a corner.

“A double akumatization happens when two people are akumatized by the same butterfly, they have to be physically touching each other when it happens. This-” She said, holding up the jar. “Is an amok. In the same way Hawkmoth uses the Butterfly miraculous to possess people, he uses the Peacock miraculous to possess objects, turning them into something that can be used by or along side the akuma.”

She stuttered to a stop, Damian stopping just before he hit her as a group of medieval knights ran past.

“Okay, and can you explain what just happened back there? I’m trying to follow your thought process, it might help me predict some of what happens next.” He asked her, checking to make sure the knights had their attention on something else before running out of the alleyway after her.

Marinette hummed, pointing up to a ladder.

“That’s fair, I’m not sure how much it will help though.” She started, climbing up the ladder to the rooftop.

Damian was hot on her heels, not wanting to miss what she had to say.

“I realized the akuma had a cool down on his gun after he shot Jason. He didn’t fire again immediately so I started counting. The next time he fired was after 30 seconds, but just to make sure, I made sure it was a pattern and not a one-time thing.” She explained, grunting as she hauled herself up onto a rise on the roof.

“Once I noticed that, I had to plan around it, and considering that the gun had a limitation to it and how it stood out from the rest of his outfit-” She accepted Damian’s outstretched hand to get over some rubble. “I assumed it was safe to bet that it held the akuma, well, I guess it held the amok, not the akuma.”

“That-” Damian started, throwing his arms out to catch his balance as part of a crumbling roof dropped slightly under his weight. “-Makes sense, what about Chat Noir ‘disappearing’? What led to that decision?”

“Well, akumas are always after 2 things. Piáo Chóng and Chat Noir’s miraculous, and their revenge.” She explained, hopping off a ledge to a lower building.

“Of those two things, Piáo Chóng and Chat’s miraculous always take precedence. If he disappeared from the fight, the akuma would immediately start looking for him. And if he was distracted with you and Chat Noir, well-”

“-He would never see the trap coming.” Damian finished for her, coming to stand beside her just a few feet from a ledge.

“Exactly.” She said with a grin, taking a few steps back from the ledge.

“Now, I want you to know that you don’t have to follow me from here. I know that no completely sane person would feel comfortable jumping off a building and onto a dragon’s back.” She said sheepishly.

Damian moved back a few steps, prepping to launch himself off the building.

“Well, I’ve already come this far. Besides, I never claimed to be entirely sane.” He said, looking to her for to signal.

She laughed, turning to face the ledge.

“Don’t say I never warned you.” She said, sparing him a glance.

“I’m sure I can handle it.” He returned.

“Go!”

Damian rushed forward, flying off the building alongside Marinette.

Tag List:

@Dontbenddontbreak

@Its-maemain

@Toodaloo-kangaroo

@Doll246

@Jennifer-rose123

@Razzledazzle247

@Cydaeashootingstar

@Madhatter-crazyasahatter-blog

@miyatalksshit

@Vroomtaka

@animegirlweeb

@rosesandsailboats

@depressed-bitchy-demon

Come Find Me On Discord!<3

[dailyexo]

[INTERVIEW] Kai - 230314 UPROXX: “Kai Doesn’t Care What You Think, ‘Rover’ Is His Reminder To Live Life Freely”

"When Kai debuted with EXO 11 years ago, he was already a fan favorite. His teaser featured him smoothly dancing across a puddle of water to the group’s jazz pop track “My Lady.” From then on, Kai, whose real name is Kim Jongin, became one of the attractors and magnets for potential EXO-Ls to be.

With a massive discography and awards accrued over the last decade with EXO (and SuperM), it was only November 2020 when Kai unraveled his own world to the masses and proved how much of an ace he is. With his debut single “Mmmh,” the EXO member checked off every tick on what it meant to be a whole package — and be rightfully called “Idol’s Idol:” a catchy R&B ear worm that’s easy to sing along; sexy, jaw-dropping choreography that went viral; and looks (including a jawline so sharp) that could kill from a glance.

His title as Asia’s First Love only continued to grow when he followed up with “Peaches” (2021), a poetic R&B serenade that highlighted his romantic side.

Fast forward to today (March 13), Kai unleashes the wild side of him in his upbeat, Latin-inspired single “Rover” off his third EP of the same title. Last week, we caught up with Kai to discuss his new project, and his success as a soloist and member of EXO.

We obviously think of a car when we hear “Rover.” But how would you interpret that?

Kai: “Rover” is about not caring about what people think or say. It’s about just going your way freely as a wanderer. But that is also the whole album overall. It’s also about social media as well. A lot of different people see what you post and it’s a place where a judgment or opinion could actually be easily made. There are possibilities you could also be jealous of someone, or look up to someone when you’re on social media. But it’s more about not caring about all those different perspectives, or those gazes at all. And it’s a message of just think free, so the message that’s here I think is let’s be free.

I have a lot of messages to share to the world but whoever interprets it or whoever sees it, are free to interpret it individually since it’s different for each person. But regardless, I want to say that I’m just going to do whatever I want to do, what I like to do, and just spread the message of freedom and show that I’m doing what I want to do and what I like.

It’s such a switch from your last two singles, what did you think when you first heard it?

Kai: The first impression for “Rover” was very good. I thought the melody and rhythm meshed well and was very addictive. The song has a nice rhythm that’s very fun and easy to dance to. And while preparing for “Rover,” I was excited knowing I can focus on showing a new side of myself.

Are you aware of your virality every time you make a comeback?

Kai: Well, actually I don’t focus on that that much. Nor do I feel it that much because it’s a fight with myself because of how time is actually limited. We only have 24 hours a day and there’s a lot of good that I want to do and show to my fans. But other than focusing on the virality that I bring or the popularity that I have, I do have a little bit of pressure to focus on making something good

In “Mmmh” it was the choreography, then “Peaches” the detail that went viral was when you twirled one of your dancer’s hair. What do you predict would be the viral moment for “Rover?”

Kai: I could honestly say that out of all the dances or choreography that I’ve done, this one was very much difficult. But difficulty [for me] is shown in a cool way, or I hope so. So I’m not going to be able to choose just one part because I like everything.

Actually, I’m actually looking forward to what the people, fans, and listeners would choose as the viral moment or the killing part of the song. So, I really wish and hope that people could choose for me.

Any behind-the-scenes moments you want to talk about in this album?

Kai: Particularly, I do like the track “Bomba.” It’s one of my b-side tracks for this album and one of the tracks that I actually considered as the lead single for my second album,Peaches — between “Peaches” and “Bomba.”

Especially for this album, rather than focusing on what others would like to see from me, I mainly focused on what I like and what I would like to show. As I was really enjoying that thought in the production process, I couldn’t even think about any difficulties. I think my third album is more of a result of the experiences that I had with my first and second albums. So if it weren’t for my first and second albums, I think that my third album wouldn’t be possible. And I think when I was shooting the song, preparing the album itself, I tried to be more bold and unique with the choices that I make and I tried to work on that.

Do you feel any pressure still, as you make these comebacks?

Kai: Sometimes. I did have some pressure creating this album because I really want to showcase a new and different side to my fans. However, all of that pressure was released in the process of this album, while also preparing for it.

I always want to do better and show the best to my fans. I try my best not to think too deeply about it because I ultimately want to solely focus on the stage. Because when I start thinking too deeply into things, then I won’t be able to concentrate and fully show my 100 percent.

Have you found any stark differences or discoveries about yourself as a soloist and you as a member of EXO?

Kai: Well, yes there are differences to this actually. So, when I’m in the group — as a member of EXO, I feel more comfortable because we’re able to share this pressure that we feel altogether. I tend to rely more on the members than relying on myself. And it’s also that I really do enjoy and like being in EXO when in a group altogether. Because there’s EXO, I exist. Because of EXO, there’s Kai.

But even as a soloist, it’s very fun. I enjoy it as well since it’s only about me doing well, and me doing the best that I could do. It can be comfortable in those terms, but sincerely do enjoy both. Because, once again, I think Kai exists because of EXO.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned as a soloist?

Kai: As a soloist, I’m honestly very satisfied to where I’m at but I still can feel that I really, and truly, miss my members, especially those who enlisted. I’m really looking forward to the album that we will release as EXO altogether.

I could say that I realized I still do lack a lot of skills, and I have a lot to improve on still. And since I had my members while doing a lot of different activities with EXO, I was able to share the pressure. As a soloist, all the pressure is on me. Everything really depends on how I show my performance, and how the outcome is done by me. I really came to realize that I have to do my best and do better.

And, this is actually not directed to me being a soloist but, one really big learning that I realized these days is that time is special.

One thing the world doesn’t know that Kai wants to share.

Kai: Actually, I really don’t know who I am still and I think it’s kind of definite for the world not to know fully about me too. It’s more so that the images that I show as a member of EXO and Kai are very different from who I am as a person.

And you know, the fans do know that you know on stage, I’m charismatic and you know pretty much cool but that I’m a bit different off stage but I could say that not a lot of people know this because you know I may seem a bit you know charismatic on stage and cool but I’m actually a pure and kind person and yeah that’s about it for the first question.

Anything else you’d like to say?

I actually went to go eat Kaljebi which is a mix of Kalguksu (hand-pulled noodles) and sujebi (flattened hand-pulled noodles, and that was my favorite place to go eat."

Credit: Uproxx.

[yzeltia]

Closer to You

Chapter 15 Characters: Natsu Obinata, Fuyu'li cen Zwhan, Claudien, Jannie Eyradoux, Urianger Augrulet, Thancred Waters, Patient Heaven, Keith Summers, Carter Summers, Claudien @mintibunny 's Minti Chocolate Rating: T for Teen Notes: Thank you @driftward for the mechanics pass and @mintibunny for blorbo sharing and line edits

Battle Theme: Boys, Come Back to Me by Yakishimaru Etsuko

Natsu shielded herself as Leto’s sword came swinging down towards her. As she braced to be hit, Fuyu'li and Thancred both flashed forward to intercept her blade with their own.

“For once could the Ancients not be at the door of catastrophe,” Thancred huffed before pushing back the large sword with the help of his fellow gunbreaker.

Leto recoiled as a violet haze of spores was cast about her face, Minti having stepped forward to help cover Natsu. “If you cannot fight then you must get back,” she said sternly concentrating on her spell.

“Up we go,” Keith cheered out, helping Natsu to her feet before giving her a gentle spin toward the edge of the platform where Carter stood with Jannie, greatswords plunged into the ground to create a shadowy wall around a kneeling Hypnos.

“What happened to them,” Natsu asked, looking worried as the rest clashed with the Ancient behind her.

“Notice the ground? They're keeping us from falling into nothing,” he said, gesturing downward.

Natsu looked down and felt her heart leap. They were gliding along an aetheric railway on what looked like several glass cubes pressed together. 

“Fight, Natsu. Only you can get through to her,” Hypnos said, not looking up.

“And don't hold back,” Violet let out before appearing from a sigil on the ground beside her, firing off a heated round.

“R-Right,” Natsu answered, still getting her bearings and drawing her focus, preparing to engage.

As she held up her foil, a thunderous roar emanated from Leto that sent shockwaves through the group. The whole of the group seemed to falter, weakening for a moment until Urianger raised his astrolabe and sent a celestial wave of healing through them. Ahead, Thancred and Fuyu’li synchronized their strikes before being repelled backwardward toward the edge of the platform by a strong swipe of her blade.

Closing her eyes, Natsu channeled her aether then started to cast, sending a gust of air toward the other before summoning a rock to attempt to collide against Leto’s head, though seemingly off course. Stepping up beside her, Claudien strummed along his bow, face red as he sang aloud an old battle hymn. His aether flowered through her, correcting her stone’s course as he knocked an arrow and slung a barrage of arrows directly into Ancient’s back.

Rushing in as Fuyu’li and Thancred rose back to their feet, Keith started to punch and kick into Leto’s stomach before springing up into the air to attempt a diving kick only to be rebuffed backward. He blinked, looking down as aetherial tracks rose from under him. “Uh oh,” he said before looking up as a spectral train sped into him and sent him tumbling toward the edge to be rescued by one of Minti’s shadowy snares.

Finding the train rerouted back toward herself, Natsu sprung forward out of the way as Claudien repelled himself backward to narrowly avoid being hit. In close, she began to strike against Leto’s blade, finding herself rebuffed easily by the Ancient’s blade. Below the platform a larger set of tracks appeared followed by a much larger train pulling underneath them. 

“Get back! It’s going to blow,” Violet called out to everyone as the train let out a loud whistle.

The party quickly drew to the edge of the platform together before a plume of steam erupted from below over and over. Once it died, Leto faced toward them, her blade raised high and gathering aether. “Quick! To the other side,” Urianger called out, hurrying across followed by the group.

Leto swung down hard, impact sending little sparks of light through the second half of their platform, reflecting off Carter’s shield. “I grow weary of this. All in,” Thancred called out, launching forward to grab Leto’s attention again as he struck her and ignited an aetheric bullet. 

Minti brandished her cane again, projecting a spore cloud about Leto’s face again before closing her eyes tight and causing a dark lily to bloom then wither around the Ancient, causing her to choke out. Raising his astrolabe above his head, Urianger called forth a star shower to cascade against her next before drawing a card and quickly blessing Claudien with it.

Claudien continued to sing, switching to a minuet as he squatted and braced himself on his back leg before firing a fiery red aetheric arrow into Leto, causing her to shake her head and recoil back. Beside him, Violet dropped onto a knee then summoned her anchor gun turret, firing it off to chain her up before yanking her down into the ground. “Alright himbo! Do your swiven’ flips and kicks now,” she ordered Keith.

“Me? Is she talking to me,” Keith asked, blinking and pointing to himself.

“YES,” the rest shouted as Leto struggled against the chains. Keith nodded then rushed forward, releasing his chakras as he delivered strike after strike, before delivering a solid kick as he did a backflip, eyes widening as the familiar set of tracks formed under him again. Leto breaking free, she summoned the aetherial trains to run across the field again, sending Keith flying into the distance.

“Oh no! Keith!” Natsu yelled out, watching him tumble out into the distance.

“He’ll be fine. Don’t lose focus Miss Obinata,” Minti said, rushing to the edge of the platform and raising her crook, shadowy aura reaching out into the cosmic abyss.

“Come, we can end this together,” Fuyu’li said, tugging on Natsu’s hand, “Our special attack!”

Natsu nodded, looking at Leto before holding her focus out in front of her. Rushing forward, Fuyu’li tossed a mirror into the air then fired a cartridge into it. The mirrors multiplied, spreading out over the arena, reflecting toward Leto. An aetheric rose blooming from Natsu’s palm, she closed her eyes then drew in her friends’ collective aether before tossing it inward toward the highest mirror, shouting “Survival Strategy!” with Fuyu’li.

Leto cried out as the rose petals scattered then began to violently create red beams through all the mirrors in a brilliant crimson light. Falling to her knees, she let out a wail, dynamis around her fading until she was just Patient Heaven again. The galaxies faded as did the tracks and platform. Nought was left of where they’d been, looking much like they’d never left the train yard.

Rushing in, Natsu slid through the dirt then hugged Patient Heaven tightly, letting her sob before sobbing too. “This world…it’s so empty without them,” Patient cried.

“I know…I know…But they grew into strong, good men. Wonderful men. But it’s over now. You have to accept it…but you don’t have to accept it alone anymore,” Natsu said, sobbing hard as she held tighter.

Together, the two cried it out, the rest giving them a moment to do so.

[lollipencil]

Little Moon: Part 3

Here we go. I should note, outside of Inléroo, the rest of the rabbits will use their english names instead of lapine. This is because not all the characters had their lapine names revealed in the book, and to prevent confusion as to who is who. And for easier tagging.

Admittedly, most of this chapter is just introducing (almost) everyone, but it's necessary.

Enjoy and be gentle ---

"-roo? Can you hear me?"

The words had Marc stirring. The voice sounded concerned, and what were they calling him? "Inléroo, are you ok?" another voice came throught louder this time. Inléroo? Who was that?

Piece by piece, the world drifted into focus. Around him, close and staring, were rabbits.

And it hit him. "Yeah," Marc stated, "All good." Most of them looked unconvinced, but none more so than the second smallest. He stared like the fur and skin were see-through, and he could see who was in front. "Not Inléroo," he stated. Oh, he actually could see that. "What do you mean?" the larger rabbit with a matching fur colour turned to the small one. "He's not there. The Three Elil, one's awake."

The atmosphere shifted instantly. The huddle that had been around Marc shifted to hide the littlest ones from sight. "Look," Marc reassured, fighting the urge to gesture with his hands paws, "I'm just the one who woke up. He will come back. Can't say when, but he's still here." "He's telling the truth," the voice of the second smallest sounded hazy, "There's a warren, deep inside. Inléroo's sleeping there."

The huddle remained alert. "Besides," Marc threw out to see if it helped, "you all physically outnumber me. If I tried anything, you'd be easily able to stop me." "Not if you try it on Inléroo," A rabbit with a large tuff of fur on his head rasped. "That will not happen," Marc stated firmly, "I've been sharing my whole life. Sure, I only knew about one, but we adjusted. Because, whether we like it or not, we are all here. The way I see it, Inléroo is just someone new to make space for. Not the first time. Possibly not the last."

Each word was like pulling his own teeth. But it was worth it.

The shield of rabbits slowly parted, allowing the smaller rabbits to be visible again. The rabbit with the tuft of fur on his head hopped forward until he and Marc were almost nose to nose. "If you do harm Inléroo, we will find a way to harm you in turn," he stated plainly. "Good."

The rabbit looked at him long and hard, before backing off in acceptence. "So, you got names?" Marc asked. "...Bigwig," the fur-tuffed one grunted. "Fiver," the second smallest one stated before gesturing to the bigger one who resembles him, "and this is my brother Hazel." "I'm Blackberry," the second voice Marc had heard came from a rabbit with black-tipped ears. "And I am Dandelion," a pale, yellowy furred rabbit followed Blackberry.

"Hawkbit," came from a darker furred rabbit behind Hazel. "Silver," grunted an appropriately furred rabbit next to Bigwig. "I'm Pipkin," a small ball of fur hopped forward, before pointing out two thin rabbits towards the very back of their group, "that's Acorn, and his friend Speedwell. Behind you is Buckthorn." Buckthorn calmly met Marc's gaze when he looked back. "Hi," Marc shuffled his front paws in the grass, "I'm Marc."

"I always thought that men would have stranger names," Speedwell muttered to Acorn softly, although not quiet enough for Marc to not hear. But he chose to not say anything. "So, who do you guys do for food?" Marc tapped the ground lightly with a paw. They all stared at him blankly. Like he had just jumped on his hind legs and started doing backflips. Flicking between everyone, Marc's eyes settled on Fiver. He slowly bent down and chomped on some grass. "Oh, yeah," Marc suddenly remembered, "Right."

His muzzle twitched with an aborted smile. Hesitantly, Marc bit into the mound of grass right in front of him. Then grimaced and prayed that Steven would wake up soon.

[httpsjeonglvr]

Awkward

Evangeline and Seojun entered the Wilder Mansion hesitantly, following her parents inside. Robert and Tina Minoru picked them up from school and insisted on joining them. They assured her that she was not mandated to listen to their meeting. Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder spotted her, and their lips curved into big smiles. "Ah! You must be Hana, Seojun nice seeing you again!”

She clutched her tote bag as she gave them a nervous smile. "Um, hello..." Catherine stepped forward and gave her a warm hug. "My, what a beautiful young woman you are" Her simple compliment made her face heat up.

Catherine slightly cupped her cheeks. "Oh, dear." She frowned. "Are you okay? You’re look sick."

She nodded and gently removed her hands away from her face smiling softly. "Yes, Mrs. Wilder."

"Make yourself at home, sweetie."

Hana gave her a silent nod before walking toward the living room following behind Seojun who knew his way around. Tina and Robert turned around to Catherine, who placed her hands on her hips. "Did you really have to bring her here?"

"Nico isn't at the house to look after her," Tina informed. "She's not doing too good today, so Robert and I have to keep an eye on her."

Geoffrey sighed. "You're still at it? Hana's—"

Tina gave him a look. "I'm making sure, okay?" She spun around and saw she was about to sit on a couch. "Hana, honey, you can stay at the Wilders' guesthouse."

She opened her mouth to protest. "Um, don't know where that is..”

"I'll take her there." Catherine volunteered as she approached her. "Come on." She followed her out of the living room and got outside of the house to get to the guesthouse. Catherin opened the doors and let her inside. "There are pizzas and drinks here, okay? You two can wait for Alex and his friends."

Just as Catherine left, she blinked in surprise and turned around to see the woman was gone. "Alex?" She asked. She sat on a chair, pulling out her headset and connecting it to her phone. She ignored the boy next to her still mad from the argument earlier. She began browsing for her phone to keep herself busy.

She snatched a pillow and gripped it closely as she sat silently watching random videos online. Random animal videos were one of the few things that could bring her complete joy. Another thing that brought the girl joy was her powers she discovered 

Powers? Yeah. When she was about fifteen years old, she discovered she had the ability to create illusions and enter mental voids. She was crying in her room until she unintentionally entered a void and saw a memory of her and Baekyun or Chris as her parents called him,when she was younger. Although casting illusions was cool and all it caused her to tire easily. Molly and Seojun were the only ones who knew about her abilities. She knew she could trust them, and they kept it a secret. Seeing as everyone would call them crazy.

She was mindlessly playing with the stuffed animal she kept with her for comfort.Her thoughts were occupied with the animals on her screen

"Cute bunny."

She instantly pulled out her headset and turned her head to see the young Wilder entering the guesthouse. "Shit," she whispered. "S-Sorry, they let me stay here. I could leave if you want me to—"

Alex shook his head. "No, no." He lightly waved his head, gesturing for her to continue whatever she was doing and waving at the curly-haired boy who nodded his head. "It's good to have some company."

'Not if you don't know the person...' She dragged her legs towards her chest and hugged them close as she continued watching the animals . But she couldn't focus anymore, so she pretended to watch while she was looking at what Alex was doing.

When she eventually noticed six boxes of pizza on the table and drinks all around, her eyes widened. Alex was unconcerned and grabbed his controller, which he used to switch on his television while listening to music. Alex paused for a bit before putting down his controller and pulling out his phone to look at the group photo he took with his friends two years ago.

When Alex peered at Hana, her stomach groaned quietly causing Seojun to laugh, and she quickly hit his chest while avoiding eye contact. Before directing his whole focus to Hana, Alex hurriedly forwarded the old group photo to his old friends. "Hungry?" He asked, and he saw her shake her head timidly. "You can eat some pizzas if you want, Bunny"

"Bunny?" she asked while laughing at the horrendous nickname. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Seojun taking a slice of pepperoni with a smile.

Alex shrugged. "I'm not good at nicknames or codenames. Besides, I didn't catch your name, and all I know is that you're the new student and Nico's adopted sister." She hummed in response until Alex moved closer to her to check on the show she was watching on her phone. "You interested in animals?"

She closed her phone and looked away from him, feeling her cheeks heating up from the small conversation between both. "Yeah I wanna be a vet.." She mumbled as she buried her face completely behind the sleeves of her blue sweater.

"So, may I know your name?"

Alex shrugged and he moved his head closer to her to see her face, but she was too stubborn to look him in the eye. “I'm not that scary, am I?"

She shook her head and slightly turned her head to look at him with half of her face still hidden behind her arms. "You look nice enough."

Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him smile, and this time, it reached his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah."

She looked away and noticed the many video games the guy had. 'Sheesh.' Her eyes looked up and stared at his huge television and found two names on the screen: Alex's name and Amy's name. "You miss her huh?"

Alex glanced at the screen before heavily sighing, standing up to take the remote, and turning off the television. "Yeah." He immediately answered, not wanting to ruin her night with Amy's death.

"What was she like?"

Alex hated she had to press, but he knew she was just curious, so he sat down next to her. "She was my best friend." He stated. "And she was a good sister to Nico too." Alex glanced at Hana as she processed his words in her mind.

She glanced at him as she clung to the pendant of her necklace now interested in the green colors swirling around. Meeting Amy Minoru would be a great experience because she sounded like such a nice person. She knew how difficult it was for everyone to accept that she had been gone for two years."You don't think I'm replacing her?"

"What makes you say that?" Alex asked curiously.

"Everyone thinks I'm replacing her." She confessed. " Nico feels I'm replacing her sister."

"No, Nico isn't—"

Alex's sentence was interrupted when the pair of teens heard the doorbell. "Hold on." Alex excused himself for a moment. She watched him leave the guesthouse, so she slipped her phone back into her pocket and looked around. She put her hood up and took out the Twister game lying on the floor. 'What is this?' She tilted her head in wonder before turning to Seojun who shrugged as well and joined her in trying to figure out how to play.

"They're here!" She turned around and found Alex and his former friends behind him, entering the guesthouse. Molly grinned widely when she saw Hana and her bodyguard while Nico's eyes slightly enlarged in shock. "You're here too?"

She slightly waved, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden attention. “Hey..”

tags: @nekoannie-chan

[kashi-prompts]

Flowers for a Shinobi

Chapter 15: Lotus Art: Iyasu Healing Flower, Part II

Word Count: 5,123 (I'm sorry again)

Pairing: Kakashi x OFC

Previous Chapter ❀ Archive of Our Own Link ❀

❀❀❀

Ayame sat up rigidly, her body stiff from sitting in the particularly lumpy seat provided by the Kazekage's headquarters. She picked at her finger, peeling back the tender skin around her nail bed. Blood seeped from the exposed area, stinging slightly as she hastily wiped it with her skirt. Beside her, she could feel Kakashi's eyes glance down at her from his book, watching her. She folded her hands on her lap, her fingers gripping her knuckles.

What news would the Kazekage have to offer them? Did the number of infected shinobi increase? What if more men had passed away since they left Konoha?

She had tried to keep her cool after her frenzied episode the previous night. Kakashi had been right; she needed to get a grip. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy, regardless of how honest his tone had been.

She sighed heavily, her knee bouncing as she looked around Sunagekure Headquarters' waiting room. Behind her, a squall of wind blew across the window, specks of sand dancing across its sill and sliding down the nape of her shirt. She itched her back irritably, brushing the dust that stuck to her slick skin.

Ayame had never been to the Sand village, nor had she ever met someone from there either. However, the more she observed the office inhabitants, the more she wondered if the grim demeanor painted over their features was their default state or if they all knew what was going on. She bit her lip, taking in a deep breath.

"Lord Kazekage will see you now," a petite young woman called to them, gesturing the group to follow her. Sakura and Yamato stood quickly, trailing behind the girl with somber expressions. Beside her, Ayame heard Kakashi snapping his book shut, sighing as he lifted himself from his chair.

Standing up, Ayame flattened her clammy palms against the fabric of her skirt. Her throat felt like sandpaper, barely allowing her to swallow her worry. She stepped forward, watching her teammates disappear behind a large oak door.

"Ayame. Wait," she heard beside her, his voice sober and low. She looked over at Kakashi, his gaze fixed ahead at the Kazekage's office.

"Remember what I told you last night," he reminded her quietly. He hesitated, looking over at her, "do you remember the first thing I taught you?"

She blinked, uncertain why he would ask her that at a time like this. She searched his face, wondering if this were a test. His features gave away no indication of such.

"Chakra focus?" she replied uncertainly, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Meditation," he replied with a pointed finger, "focus on the basics, and the rest will come easily. Be smart and be careful."

Ayame nodded, looking away as she processed his words, thinking of how he had paused at the last piece of advice. Be careful.

"Let's go. Lord Gaara is waiting for us," he touched her back, guiding her towards the office doors. An electric shock fired up her spine, causing her to jerk forward if only to get away from his touch. He pulled his hand away, her cheeks flushing as she strutted into the office before him.

"Kakashi, thank you for joining us," a heavy voice greeted. Flustered, Ayame's eyes traveled over her comrades before settling on a young man not much older than Sakura's, sitting behind the round Kazekage's desk. Surely he was not the Kazekage, she thought. But his robes and serious disposition seemed to tell her otherwise.

"I am relieved to see you all," the red-haired man continued, looking up from his desk. Beside him, a stack of folders Ayame had seen an office official carrying earlier sat open, its content spread about the Kage's desk.

"How can we help, Lord Gaara?" Sakura asked earnestly.

The man's light eyes skimmed over the group before settling on an unfamiliar face, his head turning slightly as he assessed her.

"Are you Ayame Hana?" He asked his tone even. Ayame's back straightened as she bowed politely to her superior.

"Yes, Lord Kazekage," she replied, sweat dripping down her spine. It was undoubtedly warm in the desert.

"Good," He nodded, "Lord Hokage informed me you would be joining. You're the one we are relying so heavily upon. I hope you are up for the challenge. Please know how grateful we are to have you."

Ayame's jaw tightened, nodding with apprehension, "Of course, Lord Kage."

"Has the number changed?" Kakashi interrupted, directing the Kazekage's unusual eyes to the Jonin.

"Surprisingly, no," Gaara replied with a exhale, "Truly, we have never experienced something quite as debilitating as this epidemic. I've never seen men so sick, laying in hospital beds unconscious and sweating - as though they are fighting demons in their sleep. They're alive one moment and dead the next. If not for Tsunade telling us beforehand what the Leaf had experienced in the spring, it would have been too late by the time we discovered what this was. This can't continue."

"By the sound of it, it seems like the symptoms of this poison could be mutating to become stronger," Yamato commented, glancing over at Sakura for confirmation. "I was one of the first to be infected in the Leaf. Although unconscious, I was told I was sick for well over a few days, right, Sakura?"

Sakura nodded, "Kakashi-sensei and Ayame-chan were gone for two days procuring the scroll. You had been ill for two days before that."

Gaara nodded, assessing the paperwork on his desk, "these are all the shinobi that are infected. Shinobi as young as academy age sick, their chakra levels dangerously low."

Gaara hesitantly fingered the paperwork, opening a folder to reveal a stack of photos. Slowly, he distributed them in a neat row at the edge of his desk, displaying them to the group. Ayame leaned forward, taking in the content, a lump in her throat forming.

The Kazekage was right. The photos were just a few examples of those lying in hospital beds beyond the Kage's quarters in the Sand's hospital. When she had seen those in her family ill, it had been a slow, painful process. At least a week. Those shown in the Kage's photos looked like skeletons, their features sunken in after only a few days.

"And how long have they been ill?" Yamato asked, his tone clearly disturbed by the photos.

"No more than 4 days," Gaara gathered the photos in his hands, sliding them back into the folder.

Ayame closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to settle her nerves. Suddenly, it was as though she were reliving the feeling of her own body declining at the hand of this infection. Those photos triggered something in her mind she had repressed. She squeezed her hands at her waist.

She thought of her parents. Of her aunts and uncles, distant relatives and cousins, all dying. This unknown "illness," they had thought, sweeping through the compound like a plague. She had no idea they would all succumb within a week. The images of their lifeless gazes forever burned into her memory.

Had she known what had caused that "illness," she would have acted quicker. She would have saved them sooner. She didn't know what chakra was at the time - nor did anyone else in her clan. They just knew what they were capable of. That somehow, if they wove their hands together in a particular motion, flowers would rise from the ground. Why had she been the only one to survive? Why couldn't she have saved them?

She drew another shaky breath, a slight frown forming on her lips. She couldn't let this happen again. Even if it meant sacrificing herself, she wouldn't be the last standing again. Kakashi had told her this job wouldn't be easy. In fact, he had told her well, and often it was a difficult job. But within this career she had found herself in, she found meaning. This was her chance to do something, even if it terrified her.

"Lord Gaara," she addressed suddenly, "Is there a place I can go to begin making these flowers right away?"

She realized she had interrupted something, having been lost so deeply in thought she didn't even hear the group talking. Gaara's eyes swiveled back to her, surprised yet pleased at her eagerness.

"Yes," he said, "The Suna Greenhouse has been prepared for you. It may not be a lot of room, but it will do for now."

"Thank you," she bowed again, wanting to get this over with before her sudden resolve and confidence wore off, "how long do I have to make the entire batch?"

"Maybe two days, at the very most. Please start as soon as you can. Suki will take you," Gaara gestured to the girl behind them, the petite young woman who had ushered them in.

"Thank you," she replied, turning towards the exit. She caught a black eye glancing over at her subtly, his eyebrow raised at her sudden boldness. She could see the shadow of a smile behind his mask as he looked at her, his exposed eye bright with admiration. Quickly, she looked away.

"Sakura, Suki will also guide you to the Suna Hospital so you can begin assisting," she heard Gaara say.

"Understood," Sakura nodded, turning to follow Ayame as she headed for the door. She heard the shuffling of three pairs of feet behind her.

"Kakashi, Yamato, please stay," Gaara had halted them, "I would like to discuss some things further with you."

❀❀❀

Meditation. The guided art of mindfulness and focusing.

The small clock on the wall moved its hands punctually, its rhythmic sounds waltzing in sync with the beat of her heart in her ears. The cadence of the clock kept her breathing in check, her mind focusing on the sudden sense of the chakra movement throughout her body. She could feel how it moved through her bloodstream, pivoting at every junction of veins. The consciousness of meditation silenced the tension in her bones.

When Ayame opened her eyes again, the clock read a different hour. Had she been so deeply concentrated she hadn't realized that much time had passed? Scurrying to her feet, she went over to her backpack, propped against the greenhouse's glass walls, and dug her hand deep into its contents. Finally, she pulled out a handful of the syringes Sakura had made for her in Konoha.

Taking a deep breath, she laid the syringes out on a wooden workbench, pushing bits of dirt aside before aligning the vials neatly. The bench reminded her briefly of the flower arranging stand she worked on daily at the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She bit her lip, thinking of her old life - wondering if she would ever see Konoha again.

She took a deep breath, unfolding the note Sakura had given her the night before they left. She recognized the instructions in neat, feminine handwriting as the pinkette's penmanship.

One injection to the upper thigh at a 90-degree angle. 

Rest between sessions. 

Ayame nodded to herself, picking up the needle and assessing the clear liquid that moved about within it. Turning, she looked out into the Sunagekure greenhouse, its modest size a curious predicament for the kunoichi. Above her, the dry heat of the Sand bore down on her through the glass walls, causing a stream of sweat to constantly drip down the center of her spine.

She walked over to the raised bed and knelt before them, scroll and syringe in hand. Slowly, she unrolled the paper, letting it unfurl itself on the concrete floor as she stretched her wrists.

"Alright," she took a deep breath, uncapping the syringe and grabbing a section of her upper thigh between her fingers. She stared at it for a moment, exhaling a shaky breath. Without another thought, she sunk the needle into her skin with a hiss from behind her teeth.

The adrenaline rush soaked her body, drenching her in a cold sweat as she wove her hands together in a series of familiar signs, pressing her palm to the scroll quickly. Her bones rattled, the energy leaving her body to mold itself into several bushels of the Iyasu healing flower sprouting from the raised beds.

She lurched forward, catching her breath as she looked up to see the three rows of raised beds filled with the flower. There had to be at least 1,000 rooted in the dense soil. She let out a sigh of relief, her hands flexing as the feeling came back to them. How would she continue if she couldn't even find the strength to stand up and gather these?

"Hello?" a cautious voice came from behind her. Ayame looked over her shoulder, her lips parted as she tried to quench the thirst for air in her lungs. A few young girls, all at least in their late teens, stood behind her. They were all dressed similarly, their outfits clearly those of gardeners.

"Hello," Ayame offered back modestly, wondering if she had begun using their work area without them being notified, "Lord Gaara has-"

"We know," another girl stepped forward, "we're here to help. Can we pick the flowers for you and send them to the lab?"

Ayame sat back on her ankles, closing her eyes. She had to keep going if she needed to do this 34 more times. She took a deep breath and another, concentrating back the peaceful solitude of her meditative state.

Finally, she nodded to them, "thank you," she said, "That would be wonderful."

❀❀❀

29 Hours Later

Kakashi slid his hands into his pockets, his thoughts a somber medley of tension and unease. He scratched the back of his head, the rounded toe of his boot kicking a rock as he made his way to the greenhouse.

He had left the Kazekage's office earlier that morning, his mind a whirlwind of methodological planning and collusion. Who could be behind this? Where were they hiding? How were they getting away with this so easily?

Gaara seemingly had no leads, similar to the Hokage's resolution. Word from Tsunade had stated that she was shifting squads closer to the wind, having ruled out most of the Fire for potential hideaways. Forces left unharmed in the Sand and Leaf were on high alert for a possible threat; communications were redistributed to the other shinobi villages, warning them of the danger.

How long would this go on for, Kakashi thought? With no significant evidence pointing to where this operation originated, the shinobi villages were left defenseless to this poison.

And more importantly, how much longer could they rely on Ayame? She was the only person responsible for shouldering all this weight. He rolled his neck uncomfortably as he grew closer to the greenhouse.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted him as he reached the entrance, her voice worn. "I thought you were on a mission with Yamato for Lord Gaara?"

Kakashi shook his head, peering into the slightly tinted glass to spot Ayame. He felt his body relax, if only for that moment. He had been thinking of her last night, wondering how she was doing but willing himself to let her do her job in peace. His eye took her in, her back turned to them as her hunched-over shoulders rose and fell strenuously. The corner of his lip turned downward.

"Gaara feels it's too dangerous," he replied solemnly. "He would like to get this all under control before the Sand becomes defenseless. All missions have been gridlocked."

Beyond the glass, Kakashi tilted his head to watch a few young girls gathering the flowers Ayame had produced. They picked them hastily as Ayame rested on the concrete floor, the back of her uniform drenched in sweat.

"How are the antidotes coming along?" Kakashi asked, glancing over at the girl. Sakura nodded to him, looking down at the clipboard she had clung to her chest.

"We've made a little over two thousand so far," she replied, "the nurses have begun administering them to each patient. They will have to be monitored for any additional symptoms or reactions. It could take up to a month for them to recover, if not more."

Kakashi nodded, his uncovered eye tracing Ayame's movements through the glass. She reached over, her hand quivering as she grabbed and uncapped another syringe before sinking it into her thigh. Even from this distance, he could see blood trickling from her bruised, exposed leg. He frowned.

Sakura took in a jittery breath, turning to face her former sensei. "Unfortunately," she glanced back into the greenhouse, "we think the projection Lord Gaara told Ayame-chan is incorrect. It seems we are running out of time."

Kakashi's eye glanced down at his student, his eyebrow perched, "what do you mean? Have more died?"

Sakura nodded quietly, "ninety-eight. Most of them children."

Kakashi sighed heavily, picking at the fabric pills inside his trousers. His lips pursed behind his mask, watching his student weave her hands together, sluggishly forming signs before thumping her palm to the scroll.

"And how is she doing?" the Jonin asked, his eyes traveling up the rows of raised soil beds as a familiar flower sprouted up from the dirt. His eyebrows lifted at the feat, watching her hunch over again, her body shaking.

"Okay, I suppose," Sakura replied quietly, "we've hooked her up to a chakra monitoring machine. To be honest, I'm not sure how she's handling it. Her determination is extraordinary. But I don't think her body can handle much more."

Kakashi shook his head slightly, watching Ayame's bent-over, weakened body try to sit up. He could feel his muscles tense, watching her attempt to regain control as she spread an unsteady hand across the scroll to smooth it. Her palm slipped on the soiled concrete floor, her arm sliding forward and crumpling part of the scroll.

"How many syringes has she used?" he asked, glancing over at Sakura apprehensively.

"Most of them," She replied dismally, "she has been getting two uses out of each."

"Are there any more?"

"No," Sakura exhaled, looking up at her sensei, "research shows the body can't handle more than twenty of these shots in a short period. She has barely rested, let alone slept overnight. She's been here since yesterday. If we were to give her more, I don't think her body could handle it. I'm surprised she is handling this."

"Do you think she should continue?"

Sakura looked at him, her expression bleak, "I'm worried about her. You should go talk to her."

Kakashi pressed his lips together, turning back to look through the glass window. Above him, the morning Sunagekure sun beat down on his back, causing the hair at the nape of his neck to stick to his skin. He acknowledged his student's words, hearing her say goodbye before leaving to return to the hospital.

He carefully slid open the greenhouse door, feeling the humidity immediately hitting his body. He closed the door quietly, Ayame's body not moving as her back rose and fell with each breath.

"Ayame," he called to her, kneeling down beside her. He placed a hand on her soaked back, her face buried in her arms as she knelt against the floor. She didn't acknowledge him, her mouth open as she tried to catch her breath.

"Ayame," he pressed again, reaching down to move her braid from obstructing her face. Her skin was slick with sweat, her complexion ashen.

"I thought you were supposed to be on a mission?" she finally responded feebly, pushing herself up from the ground. She stared at the concrete, sweat dripping down her delicate nose. Her elbows shook.

"Postponed," he said, searching her profile. She tried to swallow, coughing slightly before closing her eyes. "You need to rest."

He could hear the faint beeping of the chakra-level machine attached to her waistband. Small round pads hastily glued to her chest, their wires slithering beneath her clothes to the device.

She shook her head, "I don't have time to rest. You know that."

"Then you have to take a break at least," he said firmly, gently pulling her to a sitting position, "that's an order."

Ayame looked over at him, her eyes bleary and worn. Worry consumed him suddenly, an unsettling feeling as he studied her tired gaze. He had never seen her so exhausted. Even on days when he had worn her down to nothing, training her until the late hours of the night when the moon hung high under the blanket of stars - it was nothing compared to the weakness he saw in her bones now.

He lifted his hand from her shoulder, his fingers hovering over her temple for a moment, poised to brush back a disobedient strand of hair. A fierce sense of protection over her washed over him. And yet - he slowly lowered his hand back to her shoulder, remembering what he had promised himself.

"You've done great," he said instead, his voice quiet as the young girls returned to pick more of the flowers.

She shook her head and looked away, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes, "I'm so tired."

"I know," he sympathized, "That is why you need to rest."

"How many have I made?" she turned, asking one of the girls close by as they gathered up her work.

"Around twenty thousand, Miss," one of the ladies replied with a weak smile.

She scoffed to herself, closing her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Her hand shook with exhaustion.

"It's okay," he assured her, his ears filled with the slow, unsteady beeps of the monitor. He knew enough about her chakra levels and having had lost enough chakra in his life to see that she was dangerously low. He looked down at the small pile of discarded syringes beside her. The ones on top held trace amounts of blood within their barrels from improperly administering them.

"I only have one more syringe left," she managed, tracing his gaze to the floor.

"I know," he said again, his hand leaving her shoulder. "Let me see your chakra monitor."

She reached behind her, fumbling to unhook the machine from her waistband. Unable to watch her struggle more, he slipped it off himself. Staring blankly at the monitor, he felt an the same uneasy feeling rise up in his throat. It was just as he suspected. Her levels were too low. If she continued, he was sure she wouldn't make it.

The sound of her hand slapping against the ground broke him away from the monitor. Looking over, he saw her sliding the last syringe across the floor. Quickly, he grabbed her wrist.

"Ayame," he told her sternly, his voice more strained than he intended, "you can't. You have to rest. Let me get you something to eat."

Her fingers quivered against the ground, the back of her hand slick with sweat and dirt. When he realized she wouldn't let go, he slid his palm down her fingers, easily prying it from her grip. As he pushed the syringe away, he felt her middle finger hook his thumb. Carefully, she pulled it back to her, a soft tangle of fingers gripping the fabric of his glove like a child.

His chest twitched uneasily. The warmth from her fingers against his skin was an uncomfortable yet soothing feeling in the humidity of the greenhouse. He paused, his hand paralyzed against hers. A moment later, he felt her fingers squeeze his. Without even thinking further, he wrapped his palm around her knuckles. Her gaze remained settled on the floor, her nose flaring in unison with her staggered breathing.

Watching her here, seeing her endure such a stressful mission on her shoulders, was something he never anticipated he'd see happen so quickly. If not for the strife of her past life, he suspected she would have climbed the ranks of a shinobi just as soon as he had. Admiration, or maybe it was something else, swelled within his chest. He swallowed quietly.

She opened her eyes and looked up, two tired green irises staring back at him. Her eyebrows unfurrowed, her gaze a haze of delirious gratitude. His stomach twisted instantly, and he slid his hand away, feeling the heat rise up his neck.

"Let me get you something to eat," he told her, standing to his feet. She watched him, nodding her head as he turned towards the door.

"I heard you talking to Sakura," he heard her say. He turned back to face her uncertainly. Finally, he nodded, unsure of what to say.

"How many people have died overnight?" She asked quietly.

"Ayame, I-"

"How many?"

Kakashi sighed, looking away with his hand on the doorknob. He fiddled with it for a moment, her gaze fixed on him.

"How many, Kakashi?"

"Ninety-eight," he finally responded, looking back at her. He watched her nod, understanding as she looked away. He stood there for a moment, wondering if there was more she had to say. When she didn't say another word, he swung open the door, letting in the fresh, dry air of the desert.

"I'll be back," he told her, "just rest until I return, please."

Closing the door behind him, he sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair. He had seen that many shinobi die in an hour during war times. But children? What disturbed him most was how that number would continue to climb. They had the antidote ready for a little over a quarter of the infected population. But she could not continue to make them at a rate fast enough to save them. Yamato had been correct in his theory that the shinobi were losing chakra more quickly than he had when he contracted the poison into his system. He chewed on the inside of his lip.

Quickly, his legs strode down the main drag of Sunagekure, his eyes searching for a street cart or shop to promptly purchase a hot meal. Finally, he settled on a fish shop and ordered a bowl of salmon and rice, her favorite.

"I can't believe you're favorite meal is broiled saury. It's so scaly and smelly," she had teased him one afternoon, poking his arm with the butt of her chopstick. He shook his head at her, smirking beneath his mask as he glanced over at her. He remembered it was a day she had worn her hair differently, pined to the side of her head in a neat swirl of two braids, exposing her delicate neck. She had freckles there too.

"At least I don't eat tempura," he replied, his mouth filled with food as he glanced over at her, "That stuff is terrible for you."

"Hmph!" She had popped another piece of salmon tempura in her mouth, hiding an amused grin, "it's salmon! It has protein!"

They had had fun that summer, he thought, a reminiscent smile twitching his lips. The more he looked back on those memories, the fonder his heart felt toward them. Or maybe it was the aftereffects of their kiss on those same training grounds that recreated his memories in a different light.

He shook his head, heading back toward the greenhouse again with a food box for her. He couldn't bare the way he felt around her. It was the same reason he had wanted nothing to do with her after their first mission, yet they kept coming back to each other through external means, like two magnets bound for each other. He simply couldn't curb his thoughts around her, no matter how often he tried to deter his mind.

Holding her meal in his hands, he reached for the doorknob of the greenhouse, peering in through the class. His uncovered eye widened, watching her through the glass as her thumb slid the plunger of the syringe down, pushing the contents into her muscle. His spine froze, alarm seizing him as he swung the door open.

"Ayame! Don't-"

Dropping the meal, he lunged forward, reaching out to stop her as she smashed her hand onto the scroll. Suddenly, the ground shook beneath his feet, and he took a step back, his eye wide. A primal sound came from her, pushing as much energy and chakra into the scroll as she could. The raised beds filled with flowers, overflow bending out of its confines and onto the ground. The concrete split beneath them, spreading the floor apart as more flowers sprung forth. His mouth fell open in disbelief, kneeling on the ground with his eyes fixed on her back.

Above them, the glass ceiling began to crack. One minor fracture quickly spreading into a web as the ground continued to rattle. The glass shattered, falling over them like a violent summer storm. Looking back at her, he leaped forward again, knowing the outcome of the structure's integrity. Her body went limp as soon as he reached her in a vain attempt to shield her. He quickly caught her in his arms as she fell forward.

The remains settled and the ground stilled. Dust clouds hovered around them as he tried to clear his throat. The humidity that consumed the greenhouse mingled with the dry air of the desert.

"Ayame," he breathed, flipping her on his knees. He searched her face, no longer hearing the steady beep of the chakra machine. His hand hovered above her, his eye wild as his mind went blank. Her lips were parted slightly, eyes closed as though she were sleeping. He pushed her hair from her face, red strands stuck in a mixture of blood from the glass and sweat.

His usual calm demeanor stood no chance as he frantically tapped the side of her face. His hand slid down her neck, his fingers searching for a pulse under her skin.

"Ayame," he called again, the strain in his voice something he had never heard in himself, "shit. Shit!"

The dust began to settle around them. Looking up, he saw rows and rows of flowers surrounding the greenhouse grounds, extending beyond the concrete and into the desert soil. It was well beyond what she had ever made. Well beyond anything he could have mustered, given the energy she had expended already. Looking down, he pulled her limp body closer as she began to slip, blood soaking his glove from a deep cut on her shoulder.

His hand shook as he tapped her face again, calling her name, his efforts futile. Why did she do that? Why didn't she listen to him? The potential of losing her tightened his chest, his body shaking suddenly.

Please, no, he thought. Please. Not like this. Not again.

"What happened here?"

Kakashi turned quickly, the girls who had previously been collecting the flowers standing in the greenhouse ruins. Their expressions were dumbfounded, staring at the thousands of flowers that stretched beyond the exterior of the greenhouse.

"Go get Sakura!" He ordered them, "now!"

❀❀❀

A/N: I'm not totally content with this, but i'm tired of looking at it. I hope it is okay. I promise de fluff(tm) is coming. I have it all laid out in my head lol

[beardedmrbean]

Finland's new economic affairs minister and member of the nationalist Finns Party, Vilhelm Junnila, survived a confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday.

MPs votes on the measure fell 95-86 with three abstentions and 15 absences.

The confidence vote was called by three opposition parties, the Left Alliance, Green and Social Democratic parties, due to Junnila's previous controversial statements and links to far-right groups.

Seven Swedish People's Party MPs voted against Junnila, with the other three abstaining. Three National Coalition MPs were absent for the vote, but the other government party MPs voted their confidence in the controversial politician.

Junnila has joked about his election number (88) referencing 'Heil Hitler', campaigned at an election under the "gas" slogan and spoken at at least one event organised by a far-right group.

The recently-appointed minister apologised last week for his comments and actions, following two days of media controversy about the matter.

MPs also voted on the government programme, with 106 voting to support it, 78 voting against, and one abstention. 15 legislators were away for that vote.

FP wants to "look to the future"

The vote could easily have gone the other way, if all the opposition MPs had been present and voted against Junnila. In that case the vote would have been 98-95.

If the three absent National Coalition MPs had voted in favour of Junnila, the vote would have been a tie and decided by drawing lots.

There is a good chance that the Swedish People's Party had counted carefully how many opposition MPs were present and felt able to vote against Junnila. They may have voted differently, had there been fewer absences.

Finns Party parliamentary group chair Jani Mäkelä said after the vote that he was not drawing any conclusions about co-operation with the Swedish People's Party.

"Maybe we can manage with them, let's look to the future," said Mäkelä.

Not a single SPP representative voted to support Junnila. Mäkelä said that he hoped to focus on more relevant matters in future.

"If the Finns Party has expressed a lack of confidence in ministers while we were in the opposition, it has always been based on the minister's actions in post or their neglect of them," said Mäkelä.

Orpo pledges government unity

Despite seven MPs from the Swedish People Party voting against Junnila, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) emphasised that in his view, the government was still unified.

"The parties in the government are united by the issues that are important for Finland. Of course, there are some things on which we are very different," Orpo said.

He said that there was some disagreement, but it did not threaten the coalition.

"The marriage of convenience in government is based on big issues. On other issues, we need to find solutions and a way forward."

Every minister and representative in the government must think about what they can do to ensure that the government is able to function and that reforms are achieved, Orpo said.

"We owe it to the Finnish voters," the Prime Minister concluded.

Henriksson explains opposition

Swedish People's Party chair Anna-Maja Henriksson told reporters that one of her party's main tenets is upholding human rights.

"In a situation where someone has a social media presence where the Nazi theme has been joked about, you can't just forget about it. I respect that and it is very good that Vilhelm Junnila has apologised for his actions, it was thoughtless. However, it was too much for our party values, that is why we voted the way we did," Henriksson said.

According to Henriksson, Prime Minister Orpo understood why the SPP chose to vote this way.

"We have also had a good discussion with Riikka Purra, chair of the Finns Party, and together we will go forward," Henriksson continued.

Henriksson noted that there was also the possibility for Junnila to step down or be replaced by another Finns Party politician.

"Parliament has put its trust in the minister and the government is acting in accordance with the will of Parliament," Henriksson added.

Henriksson did not answer directly when asked whether she would have asked Finns Party chair Purra to replace Junnila as minister.