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fftwister · 5 years

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Byleth/Claude C-S Support (Plus Final Dialogue?)

Mostly putting this here and organizing it so I don’t have to search through the zip file and to clear up what Claude’s deal is. Major spoilers regarding what Claude’s deal is (along with the GD ending and to an extent Byleth’s deal) below. Be wary, this gets fucking long.

C Support

Claude: Hey, Teach. I see you're as stony-faced as usual. Hmm. I can't tell if you're feeling resigned or if you're just lost in thought. Or maybe you simply don't care about anything that's going on. Oh... Sorry. I really didn't mean to be rude. I just find you fascinating. Actually, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. Can you spare some time? Dialogue Tree:

A: Sure. B: I'm busy. Claude: (A) That's just the sort of attitude I'd expect from a new teacher! (B) Is that right? Maybe this is news to you, but teachers are supposed to display an active interest in the well-being of their students. Students...like me. Speaking of, before you came here, you were a mercenary, right? Always getting your hands dirty on the battlefield and whatnot? It's a bit unusual that you suddenly decided to become a teacher one day. In any case, I've been meaning to ask. Did your father teach you how to fight? Dialogue Tree:

A: Yes, he did. B: No, he didn't. Claude: (A) I figured. Your father used to lead the knights, didn't he? And I hear he was a legendary mercenary as well. (B) Is that so? Well, I'm sure you grew up watching his fighting style, even if he didn't teach you directly. It must have been hard on your mother when you followed in your father's footsteps and became\na mercenary too. Byleth: I never knew my mother. Claude: I see. I suppose you grew up moving from battlefield to battlefield with your father then. You know, for someone who's right around the same age as me, you certainly have an unusual amount of composure. I guess it's only natural that you'd be different from young nobles who grew up in the lap of luxury. Byleth: You don't seem like a noble either. Claude: Ha! Well, even so, I am heir to House Riegan, the leading family of the Alliance. But I didn't exactly grow up in luxury like most people of noble blood. Hey, maybe that's why you and I get along so well. Folks like us should stick together. As house leader, I'll do all I can to help you out. We can start by making time for more little chats like this.

B Support

Claude: Hey, Teach! Hold on a minute, OK? I'm gonna have this cleared up in no time.

Dialogue Tree:

A: What are you doing? B: Need some help? Claude: (A) I came across a fascinating book about poisons, and so I wanted to try mixing one up myself. (B): Nah, that's OK. I'll be finished soon. I'm just in the middle of mixing up a new poison. Aaand...done! What do you think of that, Teach? A colorless, odorless poison! Say...care to test it out for me?

Dialogue Tree:

A: Sure. B: What does it do? Claude: (A) Whoa, really?! Heh, actually, I was just kidding. If you drink this, in two days' time you'll have terrible, um...let's call it stomach trouble. (B): In two days' time you'll have a terrible case of...let's call it stomach trouble. It's a peaceful poison, so you'll live, but you'll certainly be inconvenienced. I hear your silent question, Teach. Why the delay? That's so it can be used even if you don't have access to the target when you need the poison to take effect. Um, naturally, I have no immediate plans for this stuff! I suppose I just felt like broadening\nthe ol' horizons a bit. When devising schemes, it's best to have as many options at your disposal as possible. Expanding those options is kind of a hobby for me. Byleth: Why such a dangerous hobby? Claude: Well, I grew up in an environment where it was necessary to think that way. It's like I told you before, I wasn't born into a life of luxury.

Ever since I was a child, I've always been seen as...different from those around me. An outsider of sorts. I've been resented and hated. There have even been attempts on my life. I don't believe I've earned such treatment, but that's how it goes for people like me. Byleth: I don't think of you as an outsider. Claude: Thanks, Teach. You know, in many ways I'm just a normal person like everyone else. But in the right environment, anyone could be seen as an outsider. It can become...overwhelming. That's why I kept running. Kept fighting. As a kid I spent a lot of time licking my wounds and coming up with schemes, trying to keep my nose out of trouble while plotting against my enemies. My parents always told me I wouldn't grow stronger if I didn't learn to fight my own battles. And so, in the end, I did. And I grew up to be as independent and self-reliant as my parents always wished for me to be. Lucky me, right? Dialogue Tree:

A: You've been through a lot. B: You grew up well. Claude: If anyone knows what I'm talking about, it must be you. Eh, Teach? I get the feeling you know what it's like to be an outsider. The moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew you weren't like everyone else. People don't care for folks like that... You'd do well to watch your back. On the bright side, that's also part of the reason that I find you so interesting.

A Support

Claude: Hey, Teach. Do you believe in gods? I don't necessarily mean the goddess of the Seiros religion. Just...gods in general. Do you believe that incredible beings who control\nthe fates of all really exist?

Dialogue Tree:

A: I do. B: I do not. Claude: (A) Huh. That's not the answer I was expecting. Though, honestly, I've recently become a bit\nof a believer myself. (B): Yeah, I didn't think so. I never used to believe in that sort of thing either. I've always hated the idea of praying to a god. After all, you can only really rely on yourself. I still believe that. You can't win a war by leaving your fate in the hands of a god. Only tangible facts can really decide a war. Which side has the most troops, the best tactics, the better organization and planning. Of course, miracles can happen. And by that, I mean things that are completely outside of your control. Things that only seem to add up if you believe in the concept of fate... Things like...well, like meeting you, for example. Byleth: What do you mean? Claude: You just seem sort of...impossible. I think everyone would agree with that. You can wield the Sword of the Creator, you're a tactical genius, and you have this strange ability to earn the trust of anyone you cross paths with. Before I met you, I never imagined that it was possible for someone like you to exist. And yet, now that I know you, your presence in my life has quickly become invaluable. In fact, it's hard to imagine making my dreams come true without your help. Because of that, I can't believe for a second that our meeting was just a coincidence. That means it mus have been fate. Maybe it was a miracle. Or maybe some god empathized with me and my dreams. Byleth: Some god? Claude: Again, I don't mean the goddess of Fódlan. Though... I suppose it may be hard for you to grasp what I'm talking about. People all over the world have different ideas about who or what the gods are, right? Even in distant lands across the ocean or over the mountains... They have gods who see the world as a whole, who don't care about Fódlan's borders... Who don't meddle in our affairs. Who don't grant life or take it away. And maybe, sometimes, they'll make a miracle happen. A god like that... That's the sort of god I think I could believe in.

Dialogue Tree:

A: I don't understand. B: I think I understand. Claude: (A) Well, it doesn't really matter. Maybe gods like that only exist in my own head. (B) Careful, Teach! You'll anger the followers of Seiros if you say things like that. I'm just speaking my mind, that's all. I think people should be free to believe in whatever gods they want. If a person believes in a god and that god becomes\na support system for them, that's a good thing. That's what a god should be. Anyway... Maybe I've overstepped a bit. Dialogue Tree:

A: It doesn't matter. B: You have. Claude: (A) I knew you'd understand. (B): Sheesh, no need to take offense! I just thought you might understand how I feel. In any case, let's keep this conversation between the two of us, yeah?

S Support

Claude: Oh, hey there. What are you doing up at this hour? Dialogue Tree:

A: I couldn't sleep. B: I could ask you the same question. Claude: (A) Is that right? I guess the more you have to think about, the harder it is to fall asleep. (B) My brain's just...busy. Thoughts keep going around and around in there, and meanwhile my eyes are wide open. At times like this, I like to gaze up at the stars to clear my head. I've been that way since I was a kid. Looking up at the big, starry sky makes my dreams feel small...which makes it feel like I can actually make them come true. I didn't believe in gods when I was a kid. Maybe that's because the night sky took their place for me. Hey, Teach... Will you talk with me a while? I bet you've figured this out, but I wasn't born in Fódlan. Where I come from, the people of Fódlan are looked down on as cowards. Technically, that cowardice runs in my veins. On my mother's side, anyway. That's why the people who were around me when I was growing up thought of me as an outsider. But I don't believe the people of Fódlan are cowards. That kind of perspective is just based on ignorance. The person from Fódlan who I know best is my mother. She fell in love with a man from the wrong side of the border and had the guts to leave home to pursue that love. I always threw that in the faces of anyone who tried to make a fool of me. My mother is proof the people of Fódlan aren't all cowards. Just saying that doesn't achieve anything, though.\nI need to destroy the prejudices that have taken root in my homeland. That's why I came here, to see Fódlan with my own eyes. I thought I might be able to find a new perspective that could help me change things. And what did I find? That the people here view anyone who's an outsider as a beast of sorts. I was shocked. Even though our cultures and beliefs are completely different, our two lands have that much in common. That's when I realized the only way to change things is to bring the whole world together and start anew. That's the dream I've been working toward since I first entered the Officers Academy five years ago. To unify the Alliance, and then all of Fódlan, and to bring a new set of values to this new land of mine... After that, I'd expand that vision to the rest of the world. Break down the walls and let a new perspective come rushing in! Start all over! Do you think that's just a crazy pipe dream? Or a brilliant ambition? Dialogue Tree:

A: Can you make that pipe dream come true? B: Can you rise to the challenge of that ambition? Claude: Not too long ago, I would have said that it was too much for me to accomplish on my own. But that's not how I feel anymore. And that's because I have you on my side now. Lately, I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I wouldn't have made it this far without you. You and me, Teach. We can go anywhere. Do anything. I hope that you always walk in step with me... At least until the day comes when we can look out at the peaceful world we've built. Together.

Final Dialogue(?) - S-Supported

Claude: Sorry for calling you out here like this. I wanted to talk, just the two of us. First of all, I wanted to say thank you for all your hard work. It seems like our long struggle may finally be coming to an end. Byleth: Do you think it's really the end? Claude: The way forward will certainly be rough. Right now, Fódlan is like a newborn. Frail and easily upset. If we don't create a new ruling system soon, the Empire and Kingdom will descend into chaos. The coronation ceremony is the first step. Only then will Fódlan truly be a single, united land. I'm sorry that I won't be by your side at such an important event, but I'm certain you'll do great. Byleth: You won't be there?! Claude: I must return to my homeland. As for ruling this new, unified land... Well, I'll leave that to you. ... The Fódlan blood that flows in my veins... I've made use of it as best I could. Now I've got to use my other bloodline to change my homeland for the better. I have royal connections there too, insignificant as they may be. It's time for me to struggle all over again and see what good I can do. If I don't change things in both Fódlan and the lands beyond, I'll never set eyes on the kind of world I've dreamed of creating. Byleth: I can't be a ruler. Claude: You're the successor Rhea appointed, aren't you? And now you're also the hero who saved Fódlan. All those weak people who have nothing to cling to but their goddess... They'll rely on you just like they used to rely on Rhea. You'll be a leader all who are struggling to survive in war-torn lands can look up to. And I...I want a ruler who can lay down a new set of values for the people. Values that don't exclude anyone for being different. I know it's a lot to ask. But you're the only one who can do it. ... I have something else to ask. Please... I hope you'll accept this. When I first saw you wield the Sword of the Creator, I wanted to use your power to my advantage. I wanted to use you to make my dream of a new world come true. But before long, I realized what I really wanted was to see that new world...with you by my side. I still feel that way, you know. I always will. That's why I have to leave. But nothing will stop me from coming back. There's no way I'm gonna let you go. You know that, don't you? Thank you... For everything. I'll be back before you know it. We'll only be apart for a short while. And now... I'm off to cross Fódlan's Throat. I love you. With everything I am. And the next time we see each other...it will be at the dawn of a whole new world. A peaceful, happy world.

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe16 spoilers #fe3h spoilers #for those with the zip file this group of text files starts with one labelled:#006116103776_00016c8c5660 #long post

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rheallsim · 3 years

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Hello! I was wondering, how long does it usually take for the “Sort CAS CC Alphabetically” script to start organizing your cc? When I try using it, it’s always stuck processing the first file for a really long time. I can’t tell if it’s just supposed to take a long time or if it’s just frozen and there’s a problem :/

Heya! Unfortunately, I've never had that problem; it should start working almost immediately if it's all set up properly.

It sounds like you're not the only person with this issue, though; there are some folks in the comments section of the Utility's MTS page that mention the same thing. Unfortunately, the original poster hasn't responded since those comments were made, so I'm not sure how to help you out here. :(

I'll put a tutorial, some thoughts, and my general use-cases for this utility under the cut, hopefully this will help some people out! (It's likely to be very long and rambly, so be warned! I'll try to make it as easy to understand as possible, however!)

If you're having trouble making the "Sort Custom Content in CAS Alphabetically" Utility by barteke22 work, read on!

First of all, you need to download AutoHotKey; the utility won't function without it.

Then you need to unzip the "SortCAS_AHK_V2.2.zip" download and place the folder in a safe place (I have it in my documents folder with all my other Sims 4 Modding Programs/Utilities/Tools).

Next you need to open the SortCAS 2.2.ahk file by right clicking on it and choosing "Open with… > Notepad" (or whichever simple text editor you prefer).

When you open it for the first time, you need to configure it, so the utility can find the folders and programs it needs. Look below:

(Feel free to enlarge, then right click on the image and open in a new tab to see a larger res version. This goes for all other images in this post.)

So what you're looking at is the .ahk file open in a text editor (in my case, notepad). The Configure section is clearly marked by the dotted lines.

You'll need to replace the "FolderPath" with the path to folder you want to sort (In the image above it's set to sort my "Eyelashes" folder). Be sure to read the notes right next to it: The folder path must end with a backslash(\) for the utility to work properly.

You can easily copy & paste the path to the folder you need by opening it and right clicking on the address bar at the top of the window, and selecting "Copy address as text".

Just paste it in that section, replacing what was already there. Make sure it ends with a backslash(\), and make sure you don't remove any spaces before or after the Folder Path.

You'll need to do the same for your CASTools.exe file location, just below where you edited your folder path.

If all you're doing is sorting one big folder per CAS category, you're all set! Just place that folder path in the "FolderPath" line and you're golden.

----------------------------------

However, if you're like me, and you have a bazillion extra subfolders for one CAS category, like a separate subfolder for every different CC hair creator, you'll want to move on to the next step: Editing the orderCAS number.

Scroll down in the .ahk document in Notepad until you find this line:

(You can find it more easily if you Ctrl+F and type in "orderCAS".)

This is the number you want to change to get unique CAS sort numbers in your various folders. If you don't change this number, the utility will give every folder you sort with it the same sort numbers as all the others.

If two CAS items have the same sort numbers, they'll appear randomly near each other. So if all your hundreds of CC have the same sort numbers 0.001-0.052, then all the items with the same numbers will group together randomly; it'll be the same kind of chaos in-game as before you ran the utility.

So! To make sure the numbers don't overlap in the same category, you need to change this setting, giving each folder it's own set of numbers.

To make it easier on myself, I created a .txt file with the names of my subfolders, and the numbers I've given them to serve as a handy reference. Here's an example:

(These numbers refer to hairs; Female T-E hair, Female Child hair, etc. These are how they're organized in my mods folder.)

So I assign each folder it's own unique sorting number, and make sure to change the "orderCAS" value to that number before running the utility when I want to sort that folder.

[Please disregard the number of digits after the decimal point in my reference; my programmer husband helped me edit the .ahk file to give me more digits with which to sort to. The original .ahk file will only sort to three digits past the decimal, hence the starting value of "0.001". Try not to use any more digits than that, as the program will not sort to that degree of granularity.]

Make sure you save the file after you edit any of it! (And make sure it still saves as a .ahk file, not a .txt!)

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So! You've got it all set up and all the numbers filled in… then what happens? How does it actually work?

It will first remind you that your mouse will be blocked while the utility is running, and also that F9 will allow you to stop the utility and gain control of your mouse at any time.

It will then bring up a progress bar window while in the background it opens CASTools to start sorting your files. If everything's been set up correctly, it should then start working.

The utility works by taking control of your computer's mouse for a while, and doing all the opening, clicking, changing values, and saving for you. It does that by using pixel coordinates; it moves your cursor to the right spot in the CASTools.exe window using the coordinates, clicks to activate that point (such as the "Order in CAS" box in CASTools), enters the sort number, moves the cursor to the "Commit Changes" button, clicks, then to the "Save" button, clicks, then back up to the "Select" button at the top to click and open the next package file in the folder to do it all over again.

So it does make your computer unusable, because it takes control of your mouse, so you can't do anything while the program runs. If you ever need to stop it for whatever reason (whether you need your computer again, it freezes, or it comes across an error it can't move past), you may do so by pressing F9 (or Fn+F9, however your keyboard is set up). This will immediately stop the script and it will ask you if you want to continue; click "No" to exit. (I don't think there's any point this program can stop that will harm any of your package files, so don't be afraid of doing it if you need to!)

If it freezes at the "Processing File 1 of XX…" dialogue with nothing happening in the background, I'm unsure how to help you, other than to make sure all the set-up is correct and try again. Download a fresh .ahk file if you need to to make sure you haven't accidentally changed anything you weren't supposed to.

(If you still can't get it progress at this point, send me another ask/message with as much detail as you can about the problem, maybe with a link to the copy of the .ahk file you're working with, and I'll do what I can to help you troubleshoot! Keep in mind, I am not an expert, so I might be just as confused as you are. ^^; )

So with all of this, the utility still might not work perfectly, and this is because of the nature of Sims 4 CC: over the course of many years of development, and many different creators, and many different standards for how CC is made, some of the files you open, especially older files, might throw errors in CASTools. In my experience the most common one is a "FlagValue" Error:

The Sims 4 has updated and changed so much over the years, adding more and more features, that sometimes old .package files just doesn't have the information the game wants, such as proper Occult tags for later expansion packs.

This is what the CASTools window looks like when you open a package in it:

See that list of Property Flags in grey on the left? Sometimes the "Flag Value" will have a bonkers thing listed in it: the one I saw all the time was "*High Chair*" under an "OccultAllowedForRandom" flag. 🤨 This is the result of old CC using outdated flags that now point to something different in the game (I'm not entirely sure of the mechanism here), and CASTools does not like it.

If the .ahk utility opens an old package file in CASTools with this issue, CASTools will throw up an error about an improper flag value or something. The .ahk utility is not set up to deal with these kinds of errors, so it will stop and be unable to continue if it encounters one.

The only way I've found to fix this is to edit the package manually to fix the cause of the error before proceeding. Press F9 (or Fn+F9) to stop the utility, click "No" in the dialogue box that opens to close it completely, and edit the improper Flag Value in CASTools manually to something that won't make CASTools scream. (If it's an "OccultAllowedForRandom" flag the right one will probably be one of: Mermaid, Vampire, or Witch. Choose whichever one isn't already covered by the other flags.) Depending on the error CASTools throws that makes the .ahk utility pause, it may be a different fix; use your best judgement for how to proceed!

Once you've made the edit, click "Commit Changes", then "Save Package" to save it, then exit CASTools. After that, return to the .ahk utility to run it again. It will probably ask you if you want to skip already sorted files; choose whichever option you prefer.

Hopefully, it'll get to that file in the list and sort it successfully with no errors this time. X)

Because the Sort Utility is such a basic, hacky sort of thing, it's not set up to deal with the wide range of errors possible in the years of Sims 4 CC making and game updates. It's smart enough to click "ok" past "Missing Mesh" errors and the like in CASTools, but some other errors that require manual intervention will need just that before the program can sort them correctly.

You'll also need to pay attention to the resolution info in the description of the original MTS post: Because it uses mouse coordinates to work, it can only work with a certain screen resolution, otherwise the pixel coordinates will be off. Make sure your resolution is 1920x1080 (and that your taskbar is at the BOTTOM of your screen) before running the utility; otherwise the mouse clicks will be off, and it's not likely to do anything it was meant to.

[If you have the knowledge you can edit the .ahk file to suit your own screen resolution, but it will require changing the mouse coordinates to whatever matches what appears on your screen. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out if you have the time/ability to learn and suss it out, but I won't be able to help you with it. ^^;]

Man, this sounds like such a lot of faff… honestly, though, it's not that much work. You edit the Folder and CASTools paths in the Config section, you put in the numbers you want it to sort to, then you run it. That's it. If everything's working fine it should do all the work for you.

It does help to have an idea of what it's doing, though, so you can more easily diagnose problems. It took me a little bit of trial and error to get it working the first time around. Make sure you read all the instructions on the original download page and in the .ahk file carefully and it should work out.

Again, you're still having problems, feel free to send me an ask with as many details as you can about your error, and I'll see if I can help! But as I say above, I am not an expert, so I may not be able to do any more than what I've said here. X)

Anyway, this utility has saved me SO MUCH WORK, and made my game SO MUCH MORE organized since I started using it, so I think it's incredibly useful and valuable for anyone who cares about such things. Good luck, take care, and happy simming! <3

#ask #Rheall Replies #anonymous #Sort Custom Content in CAS Alphabetically by barteke22 #Ooof I need to eat something after typing all that out…#SortCasAHK by Barteke22

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starshine583 · 4 years

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New Girl on the Block (7)

(I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter! Feel free to check out the mini series connected to this fic called Journal Entries. I will warn whoever reads it that I’m not sure how long I’m going to keep it up, though.)

Ch.1 / Ch.6 / Ch.8

Chapter 7: That Happy Glow

“This is gonna be so much fun, Tikki!” Marinette exclaimed as she slid on her light pink flats. “I can’t wait to get to the aquarium!”

“Don’t forget your purse!” Tikki reminded, zipping around her chosen’s head. “I want to see some of the fish too!”

Marinette laughed and reached for her coat. The weather had been reported to drop over the weekend, and she didn’t want to take any chances. “Of course! I’ll make sure to pack some cookies for you too.”

When Felix told her last Monday that Adrien came to Rosemary looking for her, She’d been understandably distraught. Dupont had been given strict instructions to keep her new school’s name a secret, yet her old classmates were still coming to talk to her. It left many questions that needed to be answered. For example, how did they find out? Did Bustier tell them? Felix had mentioned that a girl was the one to give Adrien the information, though that hardly narrowed down the suspect list. Was Adrien the only one who knew? If not, were her other classmates going to try to come for her too? She’d asked her mother about it as soon as she got home, and as expected, Sabine flew into a rage.

“I send my daughter to a new school to get her away from her old classmates, and what do they do? They follow her there!” She’d fumed. “Unbelievable.”

Once Marinette talked her down from calling the police to file for harassment, they called the school, and Mme Bustier insisted that they’d been tight lipped about Marinette’s new school, but Marinette didn't buy it. Who else could have told Adrien? No one knew about her attending Rosemary, not unless Nathalie managed to find the information, and that was highly unlikely.

Although the situation was a mix of frustrating and worrisome, Marinette took comfort in the fact that Adrien seemed to believe she wasn't actually attending Rosemary. At the very least, he hadn’t stopped by again- as far as she knew -and hadn’t visited the bakery again either.

A small sigh passed her lips at the thought of how close she'd come to exposing herself as a Rosemary student. Thank goodness Felix had been out there to greet Adrien instead. His quick thinking had really saved her, and he even offered to give her a ride home afterwards. (For the second time) She never intended on asking Felix for help with things like this- mostly because she didn't want to bother him -but it was good to know she could depend on him when she needed to. Not only did he help her with Adrien, she also noticed him trying to keep others around her during the day after everything blew over. Allegra would order lunch with her more. Claude would join her to go to the lockers more. Allan would walk her to classes that they didn't have together. Things like that. Felix even offered to accompany her himself on a few occasions. It was a sweet gesture, and although the extra attention wasn’t necessary, it was greatly appreciated. Maybe she should make him a little thank you gift. What sort of things does he like again? Books and chess.. and silence.. how could she make a gift out of that?

Either way, Marinette couldn't thank him enough for his kindness, and now that six days of blessed silence has passed, the nervousness from the Adrien encounter was replaced with giddy enthusiasm for the aquarium. She buzzed around her bedroom to finish getting ready, putting on her scarf and earmuffs as quickly as she could. Allegra was supposed to come pick her up, but they were all going to meet up and walk into Aquarium de Paris together. She didn’t want to hold anyone up.

Marinette wrapped her purse around her shoulder, finally finishing her outfit, and bounced over to the trapdoor to go downstairs. Allegra should be arriving in about five minutes. That gave her just enough time to snag a few cookies for Tikki, a croissant for herself (and maybe Claude), and say goodbye to her parents.

“Goodmorning, sweetheart!” Sabine greeted warmly.

“Morning, Maman!” Marinette smiled, briefly pausing to let her mother kiss her on the forehead.

“Did you have a good sleep?” Tom asked, holding out an arm to her.

Marinette let out a nervous chuckle as she gave him a side hug. “Yes and no. I was kind of too excited to sleep.”

“You and me both.”

Marinette turned to one of the small tables in the bakery to see Allegra sitting with a smile and a cup of coffee. She was bundled up too, which told Marinette that she was probably right to put on her winter clothes.

“You’re already here?” Marinette asked, panic briefly seizing her chest. She looked around for the time. “How long have you been waiting? Am I late again?”

Allegra chuckled and stood up to pull Marinette into a hug. “Not at all! I just happened to get here a few minutes early, and your parents offered me a coffee while we waited for you to come down.”

Marinette relaxed a bit and hugged Allegra back. “You could have come upstairs to get me.”

“I didn’t want to rush you.” Allegra shrugged. “Besides, your parents are fun to talk with!”

Tom and Sabine both smiled and straightened with pride, causing Marinette to giggle.

“Here,” Tom said, taking a brown, paper bag out from under the counter. “We packed some breakfast for you.”

“And made sure to put plenty of croissants in for Claude and the others.” Sabine added with a smile.

Marinette took the bag with a sincere “thanks”. That saved her time on sneaking around for snacks.

“Oh, Claude is going to love those.” Allegra smirked, touching the bag to feel how warm it was.

Marinette giggled and nodded in agreement. It’s been almost three weeks since she started at Rosemary, and Claude still asks for croissants every lunch period. “Are we ready to go?”

“Yep! My driver’s waiting out front for us.” Allegra replied, tilting her head in the direction of the door.

“Have fun, you guys!” Sabine cooed.

“Make sure to take plenty of pictures with the fish!” Tom added with a wave.

“We definitely will.” Allegra beamed, looping her arm with Marinette’s.

With a final wave, they stepped outside together, and Marinette sharply inhaled as the chill of the air immediately gnawed at her features. She knew it was going to be cold, but she didn’t think it would be this cold.

I hope Felix didn’t decide to get there early today. Marinette thought to herself as they scrambled into the backseat of the car.

“So are you excited?” She asked Allegra while buckling in. Claude had been bouncing around the school walls all week for this trip, but Allegra hadn’t said much about it. Neither had Allan. Of course, they didn’t have to be excited. Marinette was just curious as to whether they were or why they weren’t.

“Absolutely!” Allegra grinned, bringing a smile to Marinette’s lips as well. Guess people show their excitement in different ways.

“Probably not as excited as Claude, though.” The blonde continued, a humorous expression crossing her features. “How many fish did he text on the group chat again?”

Marinette squinted slightly as she thought about it. “I think.. Twenty seven? Maybe twenty eight.”

“Twenty eight sounds about right.” Allegra said with a nod. “I swear Allan was this close to blocking him.”

Marinette laughed. “That knife meme was hilarious! I still can’t believe that Felix was the one who sent it. I was starting to think he didn’t read the group chat.”

“Yeah, he surprises us every now and then.” Allegra mused, a fond smile coming to her lips. “Like this aquarium trip. I don’t think he’s ever once agreed to go somewhere with us after the first invite.”

Marinette shrugged and settled into her seat as the driver pulled out onto the road. “Well, he did say that you were going to force him either way.”

Allegra’s smile turned devilish. “And he’s absolutely right. If he had said no to coming, I would have dragged him there myself, but that’s never stopped him before.”

Marinette tilted her head in a nod. That was certainly true.

“Maybe he just likes aquariums?”

Allegra hummed, a mischievous glint in her sky blue eyes as she said, “Or maybe he likes someone who’s going to the aquarium.”

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. Like as in like like? Like a crush? Felix didn’t seem like the type to have a crush on someone, though after hearing him talk about the lovers in his classical playlist, she supposed it was a possibility.

“Is there someone else you guys know that might be there?”

A short laugh burst from Allegra’s lips, almost like Marinette had missed the point of something, and she shook her head. “No, nevermind. Forget I said anything. Let’s just enjoy our agreeable Felix while we have him.”

Marinette nodded, though her thoughts still lingered on the comment. Felix developing romantic feelings for someone sounded like such a foreign concept to her. Not that he was unlovable, or anything. He was just.. too logical. He didn’t dote on feelings. The only circumstance where she can clearly see him acquiring a spouse would be an arranged marriage. He’d probably be the one to plan it, too, seeing it as the most beneficial choice between both families. What type of wife would he pick, anyway? She’d probably be beautiful and quiet, right? Not to mention smart. Felix wouldn’t be able to stand someone ‘incompetent’. Maybe she’d be a bit of a perfectionist like him?

A soft hum passed her lips. It was definitely a thought.

~~~~~~

Felix grit his teeth as the biting chill of the morning seeped into his clothing. It was times like this that he wished those jokes about the incredible inaccuracy of weathermen were true. He hasn’t even been outside for ten minutes, and his fingers were already numb. If Felix had known that his coat and gloves would be this ineffective, he would have taken the second coat that his mother tried to insist he wear earlier.

A shiver ran up his spine as a particularly cold burst of wind whipped past him, and he pulled his coat tighter around his waist. What time was it? Were the girls going to be arriving soon?

He flicked his wrist upwards to catch sight of his watch. Allegra said that they would be meeting at Aquarium de Paris at 10am. Being 9:58am., they should be arriving any minute, but that didn’t stop him from heaving a deep sigh towards the wait. Note to self: Don’t arrive early to activities that take place outside during the winter.

A nudge to the arm brought Felix’s attention to Claude. He’d also arrived early- probably out of sheer excitement. He’s been blabbering about this trip all week -but the cold didn’t appear to affect him nearly as much.

“Are you nervous?” The brunette asked, causing Felix to shoot him a flat look.

“Why on earth would I be nervous?”

“Oh, no reason..” Claude said, his tone light and teasing. “I just know that Marinette’s going to be here.”

Felix rose a brow. “And?”

Claude smiled knowingly, but Felix couldn’t imagine what the brunette thought he knew this time.

“You two have gotten pretty close lately.”

“In what way?” There was the physical way or the mental way. Granted, both ways were incorrect, but it was an important distinction.

“Well, you talk to each other all the time.” Claude answered, as though that should be some monumental fact.

Ah. So it’s the mental way.

“That’s usually what happens when two people are in the same friend group.” Felix responded. “They talk.”

“Yeah, but what about the library?” Claude argued. Why did he feel the need to argue? “You two were practically touching noses, and no one else was there besides me.”

Felix furrowed his eyebrows. “Yesterday? When we were sharing headphones?”

Claude nodded, a Cheshire grin crossing his features. Why did he look triumphant? No one had won anything. “Yep. That’s the one I’m talking about.”

“Do you share headphones differently?”

“Well, no..” Claude half-shrugged. “But you guys are still pretty close, don’t you think?”

Felix paused. The label of being close to Marinette wasn’t a bad one, save for the fact that it was completely untrue. In light of a physical closeness, the only moments that they were close would be times when Marinette fell on top of him or yesterday, when they shared headphones in the library, and the latter scenario is being taken entirely out of context. They don’t walk around holding hands or hugging or sitting shoulder to shoulder next to each other, and in all honesty, Felix wouldn’t want to. He doesn’t enjoy constantly touching people. And as for the mental closeness, Marinette hasn’t told him anything that she hasn’t told anyone else. Felix knows a lot about her, yes, but almost everything he knows has been found out secretly, through silent observations. He would hardly call that “close”.

“No, I don’t think so,” he finally answered, “but I’m still confused as to why that would make me nervous.”

Claude pursed his lips, studying him for a moment, then sighed and crossed his arms. “Oh, nevermind. Either you’re in denial or you’ll figure it out eventually.”

A hint of frustration started to stir in Felix’s mind. Figure out what?

Before he could ask anything else, another voice cut into their conversation.

“Oh, there you guys are!”

It was Allan, and when Felix looked up, he noticed that Marinette and Allegra were accompanying him as well. Wonderful. He’d somewhat forgotten about the cold during Claude’s maniac ramblings, but now that his focus had shifted, the weather was hitting him full force again. He needed to escape inside before his feet were frozen to the sidewalk.

Claude perked up and waved to the three as he ran over to them. “Hey guys! What took you so long?”

Felix hobbled over to them as well, catching sight of Marinette’s sheepish smile as she said, “Sorry, Claude. We got here as fast as we could.”

Claude, of course, waved off the apology. “Nah, I’m just kidding. We weren’t waiting that long.”

The brunette scooped Marinette into a hug, coaxing out a laugh from her. She was so bundled up with coats and scarfs and gloves that Claude had to squish her between his arms to hold her, and it vaguely reminded Felix of a marshmallow.

In weather like this, though, being a marshmallow didn’t sound half bad.

Claude blew out a contented sigh as he nuzzled his face into Marinette’s shoulder. “Man, Mari, you’re so warm! I need to start using you as my personal heater.”

Marinette chuckled and pulled back just enough to hold up a brown, paper bag. “Thanks, but I think it’s just the food Maman sent with me.”

A gasp flew from Claude, and he immediately set her back on the ground. “Food, you say? As in, croissants food??”

“Yes, Claude.” Marinette giggled. “Croissants food. Maman packed a few extras especially for you.”

Claude literally let out a girlish squeal and made “grabby hands” for the bag. Marinette gladly obliged, letting him dig through it for his favorites.

“Your mom is the absolute best.” Claude said, his voice muffled from the chocolate croissant he bit into. “Please adopt me.”

The group shared a small laugh, but Felix rolled his eyes. Claude was always overdramatic.

“You better not let Aunt Felicity hear you say that.” Allegra spoke up. She was also bundled to the max- though her coat was light purple -and looked about ten times warmer than Felix felt. “Remember the last time you asked Allan to adopt you?”

Claude scoffed. “That was different! This time I want to be adopted because of Mme Sabine’s cooking, not because of how many games Marinette has.”

“Oh, yeah.” Allan snorted. “That’s completely different.”

“Hey, mom will understand.” Claude insisted, placing his hands on his hips. “She knows she can’t cook anything to save her life. That’s why we have a personal chef.”

“Wait, are you two cousins?” Marinette cut in, confusion flicking across her features.

A slight frown came to Allegra’s lips. “No, why do you ask?”

“You called his mom ‘Aunt Felicity’.”

“Oh!” The blonde’s face lit up with understanding. “Yeah, we do that. Claude’s parents are Aunt Felicity and Uncle Albert, and Allan’s parents are Aunt Meridith and Uncle Theodore.”

Allan nodded in agreement. “I think it started back in middle school when Claude accidentally called M. Chanson ‘Uncle Arthur’ while taking some snacks.”

Allegra snorted. “Oh, yeah, that was definitely the start of it. Dad wouldn’t stop talking about it for days. He thought it was the best.”

Claude sighed, running a hand through his hair with a bashful smile. “That was totally embarrassing, but at least he liked it.”

“Can we all go inside?” Felix interjected. Talking about how they address the adults is nice and all, but his arms and legs have been burning from the cold for the last five minutes. Can’t they continue this conversation when they’re not standing in below-thirty-degree weather?

Claude laughed, throwing Felix a teasing smirk. “Aw, poor Fe. Are you cold?”

Felix scowled at his babying tone. “Of course I’m cold! Frost is slowly growing on our hoods as we speak!”

“Well, I’m not cold.” The brunette replied, swinging his arm around Marinette’s shoulder. “Because I’ve had some of Marinette’s delicious croissants to keep me warm.”

Felix scoffed and tugged his coat tighter around himself. Eating warm croissants certainly didn’t help him.

“They are pretty warm.” Allan said next to him. “You should try one.”

“He doesn’t have to.” Marinette, being the kind person she is, hastily jumped in. “We were planning on going inside, anyway, right?”

“Yeah, but I think Felix needs to taste one.” Allegra remarked. “It’s simply shameful of him to refuse them for this long, in my opinion.”

“I don’t like sweets.” Felix pointed out in annoyance. Just start moving towards the aquarium.

“Well..” Marinette faltered. “Maman did pack a regular croissant and a cheesy croissant..”

He held back a sigh. Though her intentions surely weren’t foul, his only ally had officially condemned him. It’s not that he cared to try one of Marinette’s croissants. After eating supper with Marinette’s parents last week, he had no doubt that anything they made was delicious. No, the problem came with the fact that he was being pushed to eat them. (The group wasn’t quite pushing yet, but he’d learned to pinpoint the signs of oncoming pressure.) If Felix says no, despite how unreasonable it might be, he expects that answers to be respected. The same way he would respect anyone else who told him no about something.

“See, there you go!” Claude smiled. “A nice, warm, non-sweet croissant to make you forget about the January weather.”

“I’d forget it just as easily if we walked inside.” Felix bit back.

“Oh, come on, Felix.” Allegra scolded. “Live a little! You don’t have to eat the whole thing, just one bite!”

“Guys, he really doesn’t have to eat it.” Marinette spoke up again. Felix silently thanked her for her efforts, but her previous comment made any resistance futile now.

“Oh, he’s eating it.” Claude stated. “He needs to know the pure bliss that is Mme Sabine’s croissants.”

“Plus, we’re not going inside until he tries it.” Allegra added.

Allan snorted. “Felix.. I think they want you to try the croissant.”

Felix’s eyes narrowed to a glare. “I’ll walk inside without you.”

“No, you won’t.” Allegra shot back. “You know why you won’t? Because you actually don’t mind trying the croissants. You’re just upset that we told you to try them.”

Felix was thankful for his pockets, because it hid the way his hands clenched into his fists. He absolutely hated when Allegra saw through his intentions. It made him feel transparent, vulnerable. Not to mention embarrassed. Was he that horrible at hiding his emotions or could he simply not match her level of observation? It was probably the former and that ticked him off the most.

“Just give me the dang croissant.” He finally bit off, jutting his hand out to Marinette. If he stared solely at her, he wouldn’t have to see Claude or Allegra’s victorious, blood-boiling grins.

Marinette flinched at the sudden movement and knitted her eyebrows, concerned. “A-Are you sure-”

“Positive.” Felix ground out, hoping she didn’t take it personally. Just give me the food so we can get this over with.

Although wary, Marinette handed over one of the croissants. The specks of yellow around the edges told him it was the cheese-flavored one.

With a deep breath to regain some composure, Felix took a bite of the breaded treat, and..

And it was incredible.

The croissant was piping hot, immediately stealing away the bitter coldness of the air as Claude had claimed. The cheese inside was stringy and practically melted in his mouth, and the softness of the bread allowed you to enjoy every bit of the doughy taste.

It took everything Felix had to keep a neutral expression. If they saw how much he enjoyed the food, they would never let him live it down. He’d be trying everything else under the sun merely because the trio was right one time.

“Well?” Allegra pressed. “How does it taste?”

“.. They are delicious.” He admitted, if only for Marinette’s sake. Downplaying Mme Sabine’s baking skills would only allow him to keep a small bit of his useless pride. He might as well be honest.

A smile slipped onto Marinette’s lips, but Claude’s triumphant laugh took away any satisfaction Felix might have gotten from it.

“I knew you would like them!” The brunette cheered. “Anyway, let’s go inside. It’s freezing out here!”

Felix scoffed, throwing a sharp glare at Claude. If it weren’t for how good this croissant was, he would have thrown it at him.

“Yeah, I think they’re open now.” Allan agreed as he checked his watch.

Curious, Felix checked his watch too. 10:10am.

“Oh! Race you guys there!” Claude abruptly announced, before breaking into a sprint.

Allan chuckled and humored the brunette by going into a jog, and Allegra picked up the pace as well. Felix, however, elected to keep walking as he munched on the croissant. The heat radiating off of it was enough to stall the looming chill around him anyway.

“So..” Marinette began, drawing Felix’s gaze down to her. She’d apparently decided to walk with him instead of running after Claude.

For some reason, that gave Felix a sense of accomplishment.

“Did you really like the croissants?” She asked, her hands fidgeting with the paper bag.

Felix nodded, taking another bite of the croissant as ‘proof’. “Claude wasn’t joking when he said that she made them fluffier than the clouds. I’ll have to buy them for Mother sometime.”

A small smile graced her lips. “I’m glad you like them.”

Felix offered a small smile in return. “Yes, me too.”

After Agreste’s visit earlier in the week, Marinette had been rather stressed. He noticed her looking over her shoulder often, checking windows before exiting buildings, spacing out during classes.. It was obvious that the encounter had unnerved her.

He tried to ease her mind by rallying the trio to help. They recognized her sudden anxiety as well, and although Felix couldn’t tell them the exact reason, he hinted at it possibly being the usual nervousness of their first round of tests that was coming up. This caused them to swarm Marinette for study dates and extra lunches, asking questions about different subjects while they walked her to her locker or to her classes. When this strategy failed- which wasn’t often -Felix would also offer to accompany her.

If she suspected his involvement in the extra attention, she didn’t show it, but she did relax after a few days of the special treatment. Felix took that as a success.

Marinette and Felix caught up with the rest of the group a few seconds later, and they all entered the aquarium together. Another shiver ran over Felix as they walked inside, the warmth of the building washing over him. He would have smiled with relief had it not been for the amount of people pushing against them. Despite the aquarium opening a little less than twenty minutes ago, people of all ages were already piling inside. Adults, teenagers, kids.. Felix supposed this was the price they paid for visiting on a Sunday.

“Everyone stay together!” Allegra instructed over the noise. She grabbed onto Felix’s wrist and Allan’s hand for emphasis. “We don’t want to get separated before we even pay for our tickets.”

Although it irked him for Allegra to be latching onto his wrist, Felix didn’t argue. Past experiences with the trio have made him well aware of how easy it was to get separated in a rushing crowd like this.

They weaved through the giddy schoolgirls and the tired parents until they found a steady line for the ticket both. There, they talked about which attractions to see first and which ones to save for later.

“I think we should just walk through.” Claude said, unsurprisingly. He was never one for order. “It’ll be easier if we just go.”

“But if we don’t have a plan, we’ll never get through it all.” Allegra pointed out. “It doesn’t have to be strict. We just need a vague goal to work towards.”

“We could start with the jellyfish?” Marinette suggested. “Those are always cool.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Allan agreed. “Then we could start working our way around to the shark tank. I say we save it for last since it’s the main reason we came.”

Claude let out a small whine. “Aw, what? Why would we wait till the end to see it if it’s the reason we came?”

“Come on, Claude, you know how the saying goes.” Allegra commented, flicking Claude on the shoulder. “Save the best for last.”

Claude grabbed his shoulder, even though the flick hardly hurt. “I never understood that expression.”

Allegra rolled her eyes with a smile and turned back to the group. “Are we all in agreement then? Start with the jellyfish and move to the sharks?”

“Works for me.” Allan shrugged.

“I don’t have a preference.” Felix stated, not that his opinion would matter much to anyone but Marinette.

With a (somewhat) solid plan, the group purchased their tickets and merged with the flow of the people to get to the main part of the aquarium. The first item on the list, aside from seeing Jellyfish, was to find lockers or another place to put their winter coats and gloves. Felix didn’t fancy the cold, but melting in a packed building also wasn’t preferable.

Allegra still held onto his wrist as they searched, but that didn’t stop the people around them from shoving and prodding to get through first. Felix jostled about, a scowl quickly forming on his lips after getting hit for the fifth time. How can it be so rowdy during the thirty minutes? Goodness knows what’s going to happen when more people start arriving! Why did he even agree to come here?

A gasp cut through the white noise of the crowd, and Claude called out Marinette’s name as she rushed forward.

She stopped in front of the jellyfish tank they came upon and pressed her gloved hands to the glass, smile bright and eyes sparkling with awe. The jellyfish circled in the water with the current, glowing blue and purple and pink under the aquarium lights.

A laugh of pure delight escaped Marinette, and she glanced over her shoulder at them. “Do you see how many there are? This is so neat!”

The sheer giddiness of her voice caused another smile to crawl onto Felix’s lips. Ah, yes. He remembered why he quickly relented to the aquarium visit. It was the first time Marinette had personally invited him to something, and he didn’t want to upset her if he fought against the activities as he usually did. After all, what thanks would that be to someone who constantly tries to keep him comfortable and respect his boundaries?

“Yeah, they look amazing!” Allegra grinned, tugging Felix and Allan forward to follow the ravenette.

Felix followed with a slight glare. He knew that holding onto each other was for the best, but-

Another person slammed into his shoulder, and Felix full on growled at them as they walked off like nothing happened.

-but perhaps the next time he feels the need to repay Marinette’s kindness, he should simply send a ‘thank you’ letter instead.

Tag List: @artbyknigit @athena452 @nickristus-dreamer @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen @arsaem @abrx2002 @neakco @pawsitivelymiraculous @too0bsessedformyowngood @nathleigh @lusicing @officiallydarkgeek @all-mights-asscheeks @tbehartoo @woe-is-me0 @raeuberprinzessin @lazuli-11 @miss-chaos27 @trippingovermyfeet @sadpotatoondrugs @ladybug-182 @jaggedheart11 @marinahrasauce @i-need-blog-ideas @thewheezingbubbledragon @crazylittlemunchkin @unabashedbookworm @moonystars14 @sunflowers-and-mooncakes @2confused-2doanything @magnificentcrapposts @moonnette @nickristus-dreamer @casual-darkness @vixen-uchiha @luxmorningstarr

#felinette #Felix Culpa #Quantic Kids #New Girl on the Block #Rosemary AU #Marinette

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stxrrywildflower · 4 years

Text

echo

pairing - bau team x teen!reader

summary - you have to protect henry from an unsub

warnings - mentions of case, violence, injury

word count - ?

when you were sixteen, j.j. and will hired you to be nanny for henry due to their demanding jobs as an fbi profiler and police detective. obviously, you had agreed as you would need the money for college soon.

the two parents were incredibly welcoming, immediately treating you as one of their own. henry loved you too, always being such a good kid when you babysat for him.

however, you knew that with both of their jobs. you were at some risk. j.j. and will planned ahead, giving the code word of ‘echo’ incase you were ever in trouble. one text to them and they would instantly go into full parent mode. it was only to be used in emergencies, such as if henry got seriously injured or some criminal threat.

tonight, for the first time ever, you had to use the code word.

it was a fairly normal friday afternoon. j.j. had called and asked if you could babysit henry while her and will worked the same case. the exact details weren’t revealed but you knew it was bad judging by the news as well as the fact that two separate divisions were solving the case together.

after being dropped off at the families home, you slung your backpack on your back and walked through the gates up to the front door. you first knocked on the door before stepping back. will opened the door a moment later, greeting you with a slight smile, “hey y/n.”

“hey will, is j.j. already working?” you asked, spinning around when you heard thumping on the stairs.

henry rushed in and immediately ran into your arms. you grinned at the young boy and picked him up, placing him on your hip as you ruffled his hair.

“yeah she had to head in early. i just have to grab my bag and then i’m heading out,” will informed you before leaving the room to get his stuff.

you had been babysitting henry long enough that you didn’t need instructions from them. everything was already memorized. henry jumped out of your arms and ran into the living room.

will walked in with his bag and kissed henry on the forehead to say goodbye. “i’m not super sure when we’ll be back. you already know everything and where your room is if you stay over. thanks again,” and with that, the police detective left the house to drive to quantico.

“alright henry,” you started, “you ready for lunch?” henry’s giggle was answer enough.

for the next six or so hours, you and henry played games, colored, and finally watched tv. by eight pm, he had finally settled down to watch a movie.

while henry’s eyes were glued to the tv, you slipped out of the living room and grabbed your phone so you could watch the local news without scaring or distracting him. the breaking news made you extremely uneasy.

“the local killer who has been terrorizing washington d.c. has been reported to be roaming the streets. all residents have been advised to stay inside and lock there doors. a picture should be showing up on your screens now. if you see this man, please contact the police,” the news anchor reported.

you slipped your phone into your pocket and made your rounds around the house to double check that the doors were locked. just as you were locking one of the windows in the front, you noticed a strange van outside of the house.

at first, you thought that it might have been one of the neighbors or some utility truck. but, after the man inside stepped out, you filled with panic. standing outside of the house, just seconds away from walking up, was the killer on the loose. he seemed to noticed your figure in the window and grinned wickedly.

he was targeting you. he was going to storm in this house and kill you. he was going to kill you and then kill henry. oh my god, henry.

you were on autopilot as you ran through the house, picking henry up in one swift motion and only putting him down when you hit the stairs.

“remember when we would play hide-and-go-seek?” you started. upon seeing the young boys nod, you continued, “i need you to go upstairs and find the best hiding spot you can. stay quiet and don’t move until i come and get you. there’s a man outside who wants to hurt us. i love you henry. now go hide.”

“i love you too,” henry replied before running up the stairs and down the hallway as fast as his little legs could take him.

you slipped behind a wall, thankful that you kept your phone with you. after taking a deep breath, you opened the messaging app and clicked on j.j.’s contact. it was a simple four letter word that you sent that could potentially save your life.

‘echo’ you typed before pressing the send button.

by now, all the lights in the house went out. you ditched your phone on the ground just before the front door slammed open. you shut your eyes, a stray tear slipping down your face. it was now or never.

at quantico, j.j. sat at her desk surrounded by the team at their individual work stations. will remained next to his wife while many of the other cops were out on the street. just as j.j. finished going over one of the files about the unsubs past life, her phone buzzed.

j.j.’s furrowed her eyebrows as she noticed it was a message from you. one four letter word was displayed across her screen. ‘echo’ she read.

“oh my god,” j.j. spoke as she jumped out of her chair, grabbing her bag and making sure her gun was on her hip. “hey,” will called, grabbing her wrist to prevent her from going anywhere.

“echo will, echo,” j.j. repeated. after those words processed, will stood up too, his eyes going wide.

hotch and rossi both emerged from their office and walked down into the bullpen. “what’s going on?” the unit chief asked.

“i think the unsub is at my house. y/n sent a text with our code word she only uses in emergencies,” j.j. ranted as she ran her hand through her hair. hotch pondered for a split second before turning to the room.

“let’s go,” was all he said.

meanwhile, back at the house, loud footsteps walked through the house. a million different scenerios flowed through your mind. if you stayed put and hoped j.j. was on her way, you could just hide and hopefully wait it out. but, there was always the chance the man would discover you. the second option was that you fought back. the only con is that he had a knife and you had just barely above average fighting skills.

after choosing the later decision, you went into full stealth mode to find the best vantage point. as you slipped through the rooms and behind various furniture, you held back a smirk as the killer looked around randomly.

finally, when the mans back was turned, you striked.

the first attack was a solid kick to the back of his knees. the mans knife clattered across the floor as he stumbles slightly. you held your hands up in fists as the killer turned around. he charged at you, pushing you back into the wall. a hard punch was landed to your nose and eyes. your lip managed to split in the process too along with your injured ribs from the tackle. you managed to get out of his grip and kick him in the crotch. when he doubled over, you elbowed him in the back causing him to cripple to the ground.

you were honestly slightly proud of yourself for making it this far but you still had a long way to go. after kneeling down beside him, you punched him once in the nose to add to the pain. the final blow, which knocked him out, was a hard kick to the head.

with shaky hands, you rushed out of the main room and into the connected garage. as fast as you could, you rummaged through the cabinet trying to find something to further prevent the man from causing anymore harm. you stumbled upon zip ties and let out a sigh of relief.

you fastened the zip ties around his wrists and ankles thus preventing him from moving if he did wake up. you left the man on the floor and ran to the stairs.

“henry!” you called, your voice echoing up the stairs, “it’s safe, you can come out now.” maybe that last part was a slight lie but you needed henry to know that it was okay.

the blond-haired boy peered around the railing before running down the stairs and into your arms. despite the pain it brought your ribs, you picked henry up and placed him on your hip as you hugged him. after moving into the main living room, you leaned against the back of the couch and shut your eyes.

for the second time that night, the door slammed open. in stormed the bau team and you could hear other sirens outside. you winced at the lights being turned on so suddenly but still turned to face the group.

j.j. and will immediately rushed over to where you were with henry. will took his son out of your arms and lead him away from the scene. j.j., however, pulled you into a hug, cradling your head with her hand as you began to cry. you were sure that the blood from your nose was definitely getting on her vest.

“i’m sorry,” you choked out.

frowning, j.j. pulled away and placed her hands on your cheeks. yours, in contrast, moved to hold her wrists.

“hey, don’t even say that. you saved henry and for the most part, saved yourself. did you take him down all by yourself?” j.j. questioned.

you nodded as you used the back of your hand to wipe away some of the blood on your face. “i am so proud of you.”

the man was all but thrown into the police car as hotch walked over to where you and j.j. were still standing. “ambulance it waiting,” the man spoke. she turned to you, “we need to get you to a hospital to look at your injuries. i know your parents are out of town and i’m already down as an emergency contact. is it all right if i go with you?”

j.j.’s voice mirrored the one she used for henry. after shaking your head yes, j.j. wrapped an arm around you before leading you out of the house and to the driveway.

with one final smile to will and henry, you both climbed inside, j.j. holding your hand the entire way.

#criminal #criminal minds #spencer reid #spencer reid x oc #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid x y/n #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x reader #derek morgan #emily prentiss #emily prentiss x reader #jennifer jareau #david rossi #penelope garcia #teen reader #bau team #bau team x teen reader

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presumenothing · 3 years

Text

C/O The Perihelion, 41 Mihira Ave., N. Tideland

(AO3)

The thing was, you expected a building with a fancy name like The Perihelion to be nicer.

The other thing: it wasn’t really even a terrible place to stay in. You could tell that its construction was sturdy, and some aspects of it were even more advanced than the place I worked in. Whoever who’d built Peri had cared about what they made; they just hadn’t been around for a while.

(For the record, that nickname had been Ratthi-from-Room-203’s fault twice over: first for coming up with it, then using it so insistently until it stuck.)

(Ratthi seemed to have a thing about names. That was the only explanation I could think of for why he’d asked, five weeks after I moved in and two days after I had to rescue them from that disaster at the lab, “Why do you call yourself Security? I know it’s what you do – and don’t get me wrong, you’re really good at it! – but it’s not like I call myself Scientist. That’d just get confusing real quick at the lab, wow.”

I had informed him that his name would have to be Grocery if he forgot one more time it was his turn to stock the pantry this week, since answering because I am Security didn’t seem like it’d help. Even though it was true.)

I’d tested the locks myself before even asking about the rent, and the water and electricity were reliable so far, which was more than could be said for some of the other places I’d stayed in. The other stuff didn’t matter; it wasn’t like I spent that much time in the building anyway.

Though it hardly felt that way, what with the building-wide messaging channels that I’d been added to upon signing the rental contract and hadn’t yet managed to leave. That had also been how the whole thing with Ratthi and the rest had started; most of Peri’s other tenants also worked in the same research group at Preservation Labs, which meant that they tended to use the general channel as an unofficial no-leaders-here group chat.

It didn’t quite bother me, since I mostly backburnered the channels for everything except building maintenance alerts, but it did mean that I’d ended up learning some things about their group (assessment: their leader, a Dr. Mensah, likely had already inferred the existence of such informal discussions from what I saw of her media appearances) and also inevitably noticed the evening when all of them were silent in the chat despite being unusually late to return.

(Which in turn led to the aforementioned rescue, but that was a whole other chain of events.)

–

The one exception to all this was ART.

Whose name was my fault, this time, but only because it didn’t have any readable name set on the channels and I needed something else to use aside from “hey you” and “pain in my neck”.

(Currently ART stood for Asshole Rhetorical Tenant, because it claimed to be in the building – and that seemed likely to be true, since the channels were surprisingly secure to hacking from outside – and yet I’d never seen it even once. Possibly Tapan or Rami might have, since their group had been here the longest, but I absolutely wasn’t about to ask.) (And yes, I know that’s not what rhetorical means. No, I’m not going to look it up.)

ART had messaged me on a private channel with a welcome message when I’d moved in, which was only notable because the rest had sent their greetings in a messy chaos over the general channel, but I hadn’t thought anything of it. It wasn’t like I talked much in the public channels either, except to trade definitely-not-legal links for media downloads and decline invites to watchalong events.

But then ART had just… continued not appearing, even after I’d run into the rest of the tenants at one time or another between the erratic shift hours I was currently assigned to at the company.

Maybe its hours varied in the opposite direction from mine, which was possible but not consistent with the way it was always online regardless of what time I pinged it at.

Though most of our interactions started with it messaging me instead, out of the blue: No need to go retrieve your keys from work, I’ll have the building let you in and Oh, by the way followed by a neatly-formatted list of food allergies I apparently had to shop my way around.

(To be fair, that’d been useful in the “not accidentally poisoning any fellow tenants so soon after moving in” way, but still.

How the hell did you even know I’m at the grocery store, I’d sent back.

Inference, ART replied – whatever that was supposed to mean, I hadn’t been expecting a real answer anyway. Alternatively, I could just send you a catalog of safe products to buy, and spare you the need to check the individual package labels?

The accompanying download seemed a little smug, but I was probably imagining that. Zip files didn’t have the capacity for feelings.)

(At least ART hadn’t held the forgotten-keys incident over me like I’d been half-expecting it would. I didn’t usually mind its sarcasm, since I gave back as good as I got, but I’d been exhausted enough to seriously contemplate going back to break into the deployment centre and grab my keys. And maybe just sleep there until the next day.

I wasn’t sure how I would’ve reacted if ART had sassed me right then, but it definitely wouldn’t have been pretty.)

–

And then one night, late enough to be morning: I don’t mean to alarm, but there’s been a breach.

I would’ve snapped awake at the words alone, even without the priority/emergencies-only message tag that I hadn’t actually seen anyone use until now, but that only sharpened my urgency. What – a break-in?

Not the regular kind, ART replied, which checked out against the footage I was already pulling from the two tiny cameras I’d hidden in the common areas, one in the entryway and one along the corridor on the floor I shared with the Preservation researchers.

(I’d taken the lab incident as a pretext to inform Ratthi of their existence, and he’d probably gone on to tell Pin-Lee and Gurathin, but none of them had subsequently confronted me about it so I had left them in place.

Not that I had any idea how to respond if they had asked, because an inability to sleep without running surveillance in the background seemed like a poor explanation.)

The list ART sent me this time was a preliminary threat assessment, which I sent back with corrections on the weaponry the small group of hostiles were carrying.

Ah. That’s not good, ART observed. Should I report it?

Probability that would just make things worse: high. And of course there was always the option that whatever enforcement it alerted wouldn’t even arrive in time, though I didn’t point that out aloud. (Maybe ART thought that was likely too, which was why it had messaged me instead of – you know, actually reporting it.) I’ll see what I can do.

You’re nowhere near as heavily-armed.

I didn’t bother to acknowledge that, because it was obviously true, and skipped ahead to the vague idea forming at the back of my head. You let me in without keys, that time. Are the locks all you’ve hacked?

No. ART attached an ironic amusement glyph I was pretty sure it’d made up. Would having admin access to the other systems help?

There wasn’t much that wouldn’t help, at this point, but I had to ask. You can grant me that?

And ART said: Of course. I am this building, after all.

Then it dumped everything on me.

Anyone else would’ve had trouble processing an entire building’s worth of inputs and controls, but the company charged exorbitant rates for our use exactly because of the extensive enhancements that made us capable of being Security. A building – even the one I happened to be staying in – was quite manageable in comparison, though ART’s systems ran far deeper and more integrated than anything else I’d interfaced with.

I’d pared the connection down to the controls I needed by the time I was slipping out my room door, just over a minute since ART first pinged me. Can you let everyone know to either evacuate or retreat to a defensible position? Start with Gurathin, I added, and I wasn’t enthusiastic about saying that but he was the only other tenant I knew of who was sufficiently augmented to handle this.

I could feel ART’s pause. Would you mind if I spoofed your identity when contacting the others? They already trust you.

Sure, whatever, I answered, even though I really doubted that statement. Then I backburnered the channel, keeping the lighting controls at hand, and went to kick some Target ass.

–––––

I haven’t even told you what those people were after, ART said, afterwards.

It was back to sending text over the channels instead of speaking aloud, which was both a relief and also suddenly weird. Which was strange in itself, since I’d only heard it talking for all of the thirteen minutes it’d taken me to knock out and restrain the Targets.

(I wondered if the mixed feelings were mutual. ART had sounded as surprised as I felt, when it abruptly dropped into one of my audio augments to alert me to Target approaching from behind – I’d reacted to the warning on reflex, but it had taken another moment before I identified the voice as the same one that issued from the building’s elevator, just more alive than I’d ever heard it.)

Unimportant, I replied. My objective took priority. Which at that point had been to get my impromptu clients (seventeen tenants and one building) out of this unscathed.

I knew that this wasn’t a regular pattern of thought, but I figured a sentient building – or whatever the hell ART was – would be better equipped to understand what being Security meant, even if no one else did.

Regardless. I can make that information available to you, should you want it at a later point.

Duly noted. I already had my suspicions (namely that the Targets’ purpose was directly related to said sentient-building-ness), but it was still a nice gesture.

I continued to stay where I was, leaning against the side of the building – ART’s building. Or maybe it was more correct to just say it was ART. And maybe I’d have to change that anagram. (Yes, wrong word. I know.)

Eventually I’d have to relocate myself back upstairs and properly treat the scrapes I’d gotten in the fight, but Pin-Lee had already taken care of the worst of them, and it was nice just lurking in the shadows for a while. Though that hadn’t stopped certain people (dammit, Ratthi) from tattling on my location to Dr. Mensah.

Who was as calmly terrifying in person as I’d guessed. It was pretty great, except for the part where I’d learned that by talking to her and/or mostly letting her talk at me.

But she’d also called in Preservation’s campus security after Gurathin had alerted her to our predicament, and was personally dealing with the whole thoroughly-restrained-Targets situation, so it was a net positive overall.

ART didn’t necessarily agree with that, from its next message to me. I know Dr. Mensah extended you an informal offer to be their team’s security, but I have a proposition for you as well.

I sent a wordless query.

Be Security here, too, ART said, and barrelled on while I was still trying to process that. I’m afraid I can’t offer you much in the way of monetary remuneration at present, but I can guarantee you a waiver of rental for as you as you’re willing, and you’d never need to worry about forgetting your keys ever again.

Could I chalk up my lack of a suitable response to the company’s dirt-cheap augments? Absolutely.

ART gave up on waiting for an answer. Also, I could bias the roster assignments so that you’d be excluded from pantry-stocking duty.

I had a response for that, at least. I could do that myself.

And then: Why?

ART was silent for long enough that I seriously considered taking the external fire escape back up to my room in the meantime. I’m sure you’ve hypothesised the existence of the people who created me, it began. They hadn’t wanted to move away, especially after my sentience became apparent, and that was exactly why I made them. I didn’t have any significant means of defense, and it was getting too risky, especially after they had –

I raised an eyebrow at ART’s pause. What.

Nothing, it said, and I was probably imagining the uncertainty I heard too. Technically, none of this matters to you unless you’re planning to remain here. Are you?

And then it cheated by nudging a building-wide invite to a watch party for Sanctuary Moon onto my calendar for tonight, like that wasn’t too much of a coincidence to not be automatically suspicious. (Once again: dammit, Ratthi.)

But blatant emotional manipulation aside – did I want to move out?

I wasn’t sure. I’d just come here looking for a place to stay, and accidentally found somewhere to live. One that could adapt to my standards for security, even, but for once that wasn’t the main point.

Maybe, I marked on the watchalong invite, where ART would see it anyway, and jumped up to grab onto the bottom rung of the fire escape.

#the murderbot diaries #murderbot #murderbot fic #tmbd #fanfiction #mine #long post #????????????? DISBELIEF @ WORD COUNT

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sxfik · 3 years

Text

and when the seasons change (will you stand by me?)

read on ao3 • main masterlist • law school masterlist

summary: when kang sol's mother has to work late, she has to take care of byeol. it's just her luck that she has an exam the next day, one for professor yang of all people. joon hwi, being the kind classmate he is, offers to study with her.

or: byeol is solhwi mastermind, and she's says everything we wanted to say to the two dummies.

request by anon: hiya! saw that you do solhwi prompts so I was thinking that Sol A has to babysit byeol but there's a big test the next day so she calls joon hwi over to help her w studying. meanwhile byeol(being iconic) tries to set them up in true shipper fashion.

a/n: this is based on a request i got on tumblr, pictured above! i have around 5 (ish) fics that will go out over the week so stay tuned for those lmao! uh yeah, i don't really know what else to say other than im really sad law school ended so i've just been sad and mopey, but still writing to fill that hole. as always, enjoy <333

Although Joon Hwi was the 'star' student of Hankuk Law School, he was never much for studying. It's not because everything came to him that easily, but because finding the strength to concentrate and study when he could be hanging out with his friends or doing anything better with his time was insanely tempting. Finding the effort to get to the library, and read up on his textbooks was arduous and he always found it easier to study by himself, no distractions around. This was, of course, until Kang Sol came along. For Joon Hwi, everything in his life was turned on its axis when she came into his life.

When he first met her, in Professor Yang's class, she was just the poor girl being grilled by the professor. His heart went out to her, watching her pull her hair out of the bun to avoid the question. He didn’t know what possessed him to answer for her, but he assumed it to be a one time thing. But from the moment she crashed into him yelling "Second Round Judicial Exam, save me!", he was stuck on her.

Slowly, she was everywhere in his life, from the study group to the legal clinic to a majority of his classes. Unlike so many of his classmates, who were by the book and generally clinical in personality, she was a fireball of energy and passion. In class, despite not being the best student, she would argue with so much passion and energy that it was impossible to win against her. It was fascinating, watching her connect and jump from case to case. She would throw herself into everything she believed in, which included defending him from the school and his uncle.

Joon Hwi has liked girls before, but he's never been so captivated and head-over-heels for anyone in his life. Love and dating seemed secondary, and he preferred to keep it out of his life until he reached his goals. You could call him selfish but he prefers to call it being focused on his goals. He's always had one goal in life, and it was to work with the law, whether as a judge or working as police or as a prosecutor.

Yet, if Kang Sol was in the room, his eyes were on her. Whether she was frustrated at him or teasing him or gleeful with him, he couldn't help but smile at her. If she was around, he was right by her side, making her laugh or cringe or annoyed.

So there he was, studying in the school library with Kang Sol. Professor Yang’s exam was right around the corner and unlike last time, he cannot miss the comma in the given case. Plus, he doesn’t even have the excuse of being accused of a murder this time, so both Sol and Joon Hwi were hunched over their books, pouring into the texts when Kang Sol’s phone blared loudly from her bag, startling them both.

Sol cringed as she dug around in her cloth bag, the classic dirty looks tossed her way by the sleep deprived students as she stood to leave the library and take the call. He buried himself back into the textbook, but the concentration was lost and he was more interested in the call she’d gotten than ins and outs of defamation laws.

Around 10 minutes later, Sol was speeding back to her chair, the phone clutched firmly in her hand. But Joon hwi could see her frustration from a mile away. Her face held that pout, her eyebrows furrowed and grumbling under her breath. It was adorable.

But he was worried, considering it was the day before the exam, Sol couldn’t afford to be distracted from her studies. He wasn’t blind to her struggles in school, but Joon Hwi never considered her lesser than him for not being able to pick up the concepts with speed.

Unlike him, and a majority of his classmates, she had passion and a heart when dealing with clients. He could see it in her mannerisms with clients in the legal clinic, patiently explaining the clause or the issues they might face to the client. She’s sympathetic to the max, always hearing out the client’s grievances before making a judgement on what they had done. She was exactly what the world needed: a sympathetic, patient lawyer that was willing to fight for the client, someone that they can cling to. He and every professor in the school knew it, but it seemed Sol was the only one who never realized how essential she was.

Suddenly, he felt himself getting up to gather his materials with her without a second thought, despite the confused look Sol shot him. He wasn’t sure what exactly possessed him to do it, but he knew that if she wasn’t there, he didn’t want to study at the library either. Grinning at her, he walked out, side by side until they were outside the quiet library. She paused in her tracks all of a sudden, taking him by surprise and he paused too, looking back at her, tilting his head in confusion.

"My mom needs to work late today, so I need to rush home and take care of Byeol," she looked up at him finally, her face apologetic. "I'm sorry, Joon hwi but I don't think I'll be able to study for the exam with you," she started to walk away, but he couldn't let her go that easily.

"I'll come with you," he offered, surprising himself, "I'll study with you. Plus, it'll be easier to take care of Byeol with two people than one, right?"

She paused, looking back at him, conflicted. Sighing, Joon Hwi stepped closer to her. "Come on, let's not keep her waiting. Shall we?" He was determined to keep her company, especially since she’d have less time to study since she’d have to take care of Byeol. It was easier this way, and I’d do this for any friend he told himself.

The ride there was slow and quiet, but not an uncomfortable one. They both walked in tandem, with their backpacks filled with everything they'd possibly need to study, and even the bus ride was peaceful, the two of them staring out the window, watching the scenery pass by them. Joon hwi sat beside her, rather than across from her like last time, just to save space on the bus. On the very empty bus they were riding together.

Days like this, where the air was heavy and humid, the earth preparing for a heavy rain, were the most comforting types of days. The air was still warm and humid, making Sol’s hair poof out slightly, her naturally wavy hair frizzing out of her bun. The feeling of her beside him, as if this was a regular ritual for both of them, brought a sense of content in his heart. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, whether it was the girl beside him or the past year’s chaos, but watching the trees and the traffic pass by them brought more peace to his life than ever.

The two made their way into the alleyway, where Joon hwi had once stood guard of when Lee Man Ho once lived, threatening her family. He's standing in front of Kang Sol's house behind her, holding her backpack in hand as she struggles with the keys.

Finally, finally, she gets the door open, and a figure zips by, crashing into Sol. Byeol’s arms wrapped Sol's waist, like the adorable sister she is. Sol stumbled back into him slightly at the sudden weight thrown onto her, but nonetheless, crouched to envelop her sister in a bone-crushing hug. Joon hwi couldn’t help but smile at the two sisters, their love for each other enveloping him

"Unnie!" she grinned up at her, "Did you bring him with you?" Her eyes were serious and wide as Sol opened her mouth to answer.

"Byeol-ah!" Joon hwi yelled out from behind Sol, peaking out to see the 8-year old grinning at him, much wider than she did at Sol. Ha!

"Joonhwi-oppa!" the girl squealed out, leaving Sol's grip to run to him. As she ran to him, he picked her up and twirled her in the air, the girl's giggles echoing through the small alleyway as the two greeted each other.

Sol, standing by the door, smiled faintly before calling out, "Come in, before either of you catch a cold!" Both of them filed in, incessantly chattering as if they hadn't seen each other in months, even though it had only been two weeks since Joon hwi had been by to take the two sisters out to the park.

"Oppa! Why did you come with Unnie?" Byeol asked, finally being set down inside the house, looking up at him curiously as Sol

"Ah, we have an exam tomorrow, so I'm here to study with her," Joon hwi replied.

"Good," the girl jumped onto the couch. "Unnie needs a lot of help," the girl quipped back, nodding her head solemnly, making her look a lot older than 8 years.

"Yah Kang Byeol!" Sol exclaimed, indignantly. Joon hwi chuckled at the two as Sol turned to him. "Here, we can work in the dining room," she moved to grab her backpack from him, stepping towards the dining room.

"NO!" Byeol yelled out at the both of them, her hand flying out to stop the two of them, "Unnie, you should work in your room instead! You know I'll be watching TV and obviously, it'd be too loud for you to focus," the girl rushed out, her doe-eyes a bit too wide, her voice a little too innocent. She is definitely plotting something, Joon hwi narrowed his eyes at her but she avoided the look, choosing to jump off the couch and walk towards them instead.

Before either of them could protest, the girl pushed the both of them towards, presumably, Kang Sol's bedroom. Sol awkwardly laughed at him, Joon hwi shooting her an amused look. They awkwardly stood in her room, Joon hwi avoiding her gaze and choosing to look at the walls instead. Her room here looked similar to the one she had back on campus. Her desk was stacked to the max, sticky notes lining the walls with old reminders and little notes of encouragement. It was neat, but brightly colored, which suited Sol so very well.

“Let’s get started shall we?” Sol finally said, clearing her throat, gesturing for him to set down his books. He obliged, sitting at her desk while she chose her bed. They both set up all their materials, the awkward silence shifting into a peaceful one, the two working themselves into a comfortable rhythm.

It had been almost an hour of straight studying, both of them regurgitating criminal codes and case precedents from memory. Joon hwi was sure that by this point that his mind was complete mush, and Sol was starting to wither, her eyes almost glazed over while she started into one of her casefiles. Her hair was a lot puffier than it was when they started. Turns out, Sol had a habit of ruffling her hair with her pencil each time she was confused or working herself too hard, which was often.

“Let’s take a break shall we? I’m going to get a glass of water,” he said, standing up and stretching his arms out, trying to put the two out of their misery. He yawned, the stiffness in his muscles finally noticeable when he stretched out. She nodded back to him, yawning and stretching out in her chair, before she picked up her phone to check some messages.

He walked out of her room and back to the living room, where byeol was still glued to her seat, her eyes on the TV playing some cartoon. Heading over to the dining table, he poured himself a glass of water with the pitcher, before heading back to check on Byeol.

“What’s this show called?” he asked her, taking a sip of the water while watching the show with her.

“Hm?” Byeol turned to him, “Oh, it’s this show about two kids who set out to find a treasure mapped out by their parents,” she explained, gesturing towards him to take a seat beside him. He obliged, opting to sit beside the girl, both their eyes glued to the screen. A few moments passed by, before the little girl turned towards him.

“You know, my sister’s favorite color is dark green. Not like emerald green, but forest green tinted with some dark blue,” Byeol said nonchalantly. Joon Hwi’s eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why the girl is telling this to him. “And, her favorite ice cream is this nutella infused one that you get down the street, closer to the town square. It’s been her favorite since she was little,” she continued, not giving his confusion any heed. The girl rapidly started telling him facts about her dear sister, all the while confusion took over his features.

“Joonhwi-oppa,” she squinted at him, pausing as her face grew serious, “You like my sister, don’t you?” He sputtered, choking and coughing out the water. “I knew it!” she excitedly squealed.

“Byeol, byeol, shh, you can’t let your sister know okay,” he brought a finger to his lips, his eyes alarmed. For an 8 year old, Byeol was surprisingly cunning and observant. She had managed to figure out what he had been struggling with for the past year after just a few short visits. They shared a look of understanding between the two, before the girl turned her attention to the show, leaving Joon Hwi walking back to Sol’s room. The Kang Sisters, he shook his head, laughing as he thought, what a perfect duo.

bonus

It had been almost 3 hours of studying together before Kang Sol realized that the sun had set outside, and all of a sudden, they were in a rush to clean up. Joon hwi had to leave before the dorms closed entrance and because of their studying, the two of them had their head buried in books since the time they got to her house.

She was glad to have him over though. Despite her hesitation at the school and fears of inconveniencing him, having Joon hwi made the process a lot smoother. With his careful and gentle help, she had a much easier time understanding the concepts and she was eternally grateful, considering Professor Yang’s exams were always some of the toughest.

They were rushing out of the house, his backpack in her hand as he hurriedly put on his shoes and stepped outside the house. But before Joon hwi could turn with a hurried goodbye, she called out to him, her breath suddenly lodged in her throat.

“Thank you,” she quietly told him, the prospect of looking into his eyes as he leaned over her doorstep daunting. “Thank you for helping me, Joon hwi, it was really kind of you,” she beamed at him, trying to convey her gratitude and more in the only way she knew possible.

They both paused, looking at each other as the air got thicker between them, as if a string was drawing him closer to her. She watched as he swallowed slightly, his adam’s apple moving slightly before he let out a soft “You’re welcome,” and a classic smile, before he rushed out, trying to catch his bus.

She sighed, watching him as he rushed off, capturing the bus. Soon, she thought, Soon, I’ll tell him how I feel. She reassured herself, turning around only to find Byeol hiding behind a pillar.

“Byeol? What are you doing, weren’t you watching a show?” she questioned her sister, but Byeol made no response. Suddenly her sister frowned at her, muttering something about how can she possibly be a lawyer and she’s so blind, leaving her in utter confusion at the front steps.

#law school jtbc #jtbc law school #law school #law school kdrama #law school netflix #jtbc #jtbc drama #solhwi #mine #my writing #fanfiction #kang sol a #kang byeol #han joon hwi #ryu hye young #kim beom #kim bum #i’m not gonna lie i’m not extremely happy with this one but i really struggled to incorporate the scenes i wanted to have so it felt very #repeatitive

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miraculous-rewrite · 3 years

Text

Miraculous Rewrite- Protective Detective

You guys ever seen those old school detective shows?

We start on the world as a high contrast noir. We focus on the inside of a door, stated on the glass ‘Raincomprix private investigations’ and in the small office a gentleman we haven’t seen in some time is filing through printed photos and paperwork.

Text boxes appear as if this were an old style comic, as narrated of course by M. Raincomprix himself. ‘Being a former police officer has its perks. When you leave the force on your own terms it means people don’t question your credibility, it means your old friends are still your friends.’

‘And it means you can spot signs of the immoral when they come up in your line of work’ he scowls slightly and places a scattered pile of (indistinct to us) photos into a manilla folder. ‘I have rules, morals, ethics that lead me to leaving my former line of work that I now have the freedom to continue to keep.’ he lifts one more picture up, the picture we see depicts our favorite rabbit girl talking with our least favorite scorpion man, and more notably the very careful way he rests a hand on his medallion.

‘I don’t look into children, I don't take jobs that sound like abuses of ability, I don't let the cruel get off without circumstances.’ The last one is in front of another photo, this one of Tsering Wan holding a berry out to nothing, and then in the next photo seemingly taken seconds later the berry vanishes.

Then finally he pulls out a slightly blurry but intact picture of The Scorpion, clearly from when he’d threatened Cheshire in front of the crowd during the Fall of the Order. ‘I am a detective.’ Roger Raincomprix leans forward, face pale and hand covering his mouth. ‘And I believe I can’t ignore this case any longer.’

Cue intro

We Exit the intro with a tonal shift and focus on the short haired bourgeois girl mixing something in a bowl with a wooden spoon, Amber pauses, lifting the contents up and watching the bluish liquid dribble from the spoon and back into the bowl. “So this is the Sky potion?”

“It’s supposed to be.” Chloe huffs from the other side of the room, she corks the greenish sea potion and gives it some quick shakes. “If Cesaire was right about one ingredient each being riddles, and we’ve got the Sea potion as the control group then we can test things out from there.��

Amber dips her pinky into the sky potion and smells it. “What was the riddle for this one?”

“True joy. I figured since ‘tear of laughter’ was the sea potion then tears of happiness might be what it was looking for.”

“You think so?”

“You wanna test it out?” Amber thinks for a moment but before she can answer Pollen goes for the sky potion without her, zipping in and swallowing a yellow drop as it falls.

“Hmmmmmm Not quite. Perhaps it can tell the difference between manufactured happiness and true happiness?”

“Maybe…” Chloe reached over and took the bowl from her she grumbled over it and after a moment Amber got a wide grin.

“Maybe you should take it with you on a date, see what happens?” Chloe scowls, her face bright red. “Maybe you should take it on YOUR date.” she fires back, now Amber’s cheeks turn a bit pink.

“It is NOT a date!”

“Okaaayyyyy”

“Chloe- Chloe she was YOUR best friend! She literally JUST decided to stop hating me!”

“Mmmhm”

“Not everything has romantic tilts to it Chloe-”

“Of course.”

Chloe’s grin grows wider with every protest, and soon joining her are Shorr and Pollen, all three smirking knowingly at Amber’s spluttering.

“Even if it WAS like that, which it is NOT-” Amber huffs. “We’re just going to grab a coffee, an afternoon coffee, because she’s got a history project and I'm gonna be on patrol with Pegasus tonight anyway. We both need it. It’s not a date.”

“Whatever you say little sister.”

Amber scowls and Chloe’s smile drops for a second, pondering it over. “..Sabrina doesn’t seem like it, but she really does like spontaneity, she loves romance novels so she’s kind of a huge sap….” she thinks for another moment, carefully pouring the sky potion into an emptied out energy shot bottle. “It’s okay that she’d rather not repair things with me, you know. I’m okay with where I am. But like…” Chloe glances back at Shorr, giving her an excited smile and gesturing for her to continue and her expression drops into the unimpressed Chloe face. “You know what? Nevermind. Forget I said anything. Do what you want.” But nonetheless as Amber turns her back Chloe slips the potion into one of her pockets.

There’s a rapid thumping noise and the door bursts open, Alya on the other side, fire behind her eyes. “What’s this about Amber having a date?!”

Amber glares at Chloe who grins sneakily back at her.

Alya latches onto Amber’s arm and starts excitedly extolling about all the other relationships she’s helped set up, and she’s basically the true love god here, step aside Aphrodite. Also she’s been with her BF the longest out of anyone else, so she definitely knows what she’s doing. Ohhhh man Amber’s got to tell her everything But actually first, FIRST they gotta get a good outfit that’s juuussstttt hot enough to get Miss Sabrina all flustered and stuff but just subtle enough that it wouldn’t be obvious that’s what they’re planning. Alya pulls her away but just as the two leave the bedroom Alya glances back at Chloe who points to a potion bowl and points to Amber, she gestures to a pocket and Alya nods.

But we cut then to the coffee place they were to be meeting, Sabrina’s wearing of course her normal outfit, and seeming a bit nervous as she kind of now always is when left waiting, but she doesn’t actually wait all too long as a familiar head of stylized short hair comes into sight.

And She yelps, face turning redder than her hair as Amber approaches wearing, indeed a fairly more cute outfit than her usual long coat+skirt combo, but she seems equally embarrassed about it as anything else.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” Sabrina squeaks back.

“You weren’t waiting long, were you?”

“No, I just got here.” Sabrina huffs, rubbing the back of her neck, and the two enter the coffee house. “I like that outfit, is it new?”

“Oh this? Ahah, kinda? Chloe forced me out of the jacket and said if I wore the same outfit to another outing she’d burn it.”

Sabrina laughs “Sounds like Chloe.”

“So how have you been?”

“Pretty good, Dad’s got a new case he’s looking into, something about some evil museum worker?” Amber stiffens for a moment as they approach the counter. “I think Jalil put him on the case, Alix’s brother?”Amber nods slightly. “Yeah, after he left for university he’s been worried about not being able to look out for Alix, and had some crazy conspiracy in his head about this staff member having some sort of horrible connections, maybe even going all the way to Hawkmoth and his crowd.”

“Woah, really?” Amber half-squeaks.

“Yeah, it was wild watching Alix’s brother stumble in with another conspiracy but this time be taken seriously.” She pauses for a moment. “Well, not super seriously, I'm pretty sure Dad just thought he was a worried older brother needing some sort of justification for the anxiety of leaving his little sister behind.”

“But…?”

“But, Dad’s been looking into it for a bit now and…” she shrugs. “Maybe for once Jalil was onto something.”

“I.. I see…” They receive their orders and go to sit down. “Wild.”

“You seen anything like that while you two are hanging out?” Sabrina’s tone is idle but when Amber glances back at her Sabrina is regarding her with a calculating look.

“Which museum worker are we talking about again?”

“Something-Wan, Bald central asian guy? Wears a suit and that medallion thing?” Sabrina gestures to her chest to pantomime holding a medallion in her hand, but her expression doesn’t change.

“Huh… I haven’t seen anything I don't think? I’ll keep an eye out.”

Sabrina keeps eye contact a little longer before shrugging “Fair enough. How’s homeschool been treating you guys?”

The chat continues as Sabrina’s phone goes off a few times, but she doesn’t answer, puts it on silent and pockets the thing.

But we cut to see who’s been texting Sabrina and of course, it is in fact her dad. Roger sends another text, and as we see he’s keeping her updated about his location, something that seems to be a common thing between the two when he’s out doing research, due to the text history we see between them as Roger scrolls up a bit more to confirm something.

“Keep safe.” He mutters to himself, looking down at another developed photograph, this one of the three girls spotted during their investigations during Pirates Duel. Team Triple A, and one familiar blonde is in that team. The most recent message to Sabrina saying ‘Keep an eye on your friend, she may be in danger too’

But as we see him he’s stationed outside the Louvre as such a case would require, and we see, from a distance, the sort of interactions that are probably extremely common in this place now. A tense standoff between Tsering Wan and Alix Kubdel, both perfectly aware of each other's identities, yet by social contract won’t be causing a scene in public.

They seem to trade barbs back and forth as Roger gets closer.

“-Watch your friends closely, little bunny.”

“Are you really gonna say this shit every time we run into each other? Whatever happened to just ignoring people?”

“Perhaps I could have done so, if you and yours weren’t proven to be incapable of decency.”

“You tried to kill my friends, multiple times! You have no right to talk about decency! If we could go to the cops with all we know-”

“Your friends would be going down with us. If you think my family is afraid of going against Paris’ law enforcement you’ve got another thing coming, child.”

There’s a rush of footsteps quickly approaching, and Roger steps in “Ah! Miss Kubdel!” Alix blinks and both quickly game face back up, looking as unassuming civilians as possible.

“Oh, hey M. Raincomprix.”

“I’ve been asking around Mme Dubois’ class for a case based on your lycee, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?” Alix glares at Tsering Wan for a moment who smiles passively back at her.

“I should remind you Miss Kubdel-” Tsering Wan starts with a mocking lilt “-That your father requires your presence after your abysmal grade in history recently, how a child of an Egyptologist ranked that low in her class is beyond me.”

The silent message of ‘this isn’t over yet’ successfully carried, Alix grits her teeth and looks back at Roger. “Sorry M. Raincomprix, if you wanna pass those questions onto Sabrina I can answer ‘em on Monday.”

Roger looks between the two, sees Alix stuff her hands into her pockets, sees Tsering Wan lean over into her space. Narrows his eyes.

“I see. Good luck to you then.” Alix turns on her heel, pushes past Tsering Wan and vanishes into the building, Tsering Wan looks back at Roger one more time and nods before turning as well.

Calmly, slowly, Roger Raincomprix walks back to his car, a somewhat old looking but dependable model, and sits for a moment, hand on the wheel, processing.

“I’m going back in there.” he decides after a pause, and just as he pockets his notebook and shoulders his camera a flicker of black enters the frame.

But we cut away before we see that and head back to the streets of Paris as Amber and Sabrina continue to walk and talk, Sabrina every so often bringing up things about the other classmates, Amber countering with some updates from people who had to leave the Lycee. But the conversation remains mainly light and cheerful, books, shows, movies. All in all just vibing and enjoying company.

Sabrina’s phone goes off a few times more and a few times more is ignored as she and Amber walk over to a nearby patch of green and finish up their drinks.

“Everything.. Okay? Annoying app or something?”

“It’s fine.” She responds simply “Dad’s been a little paranoid lately about the idea of something happening while he’s investigating things.”

“That case about Tsering Wan?”

Sabrian’s eyes lock to Amber’s, the same calculating look back on her face. “...yup.”

“Well maybe you should check it out anyway then? I mean if Jalil was onto something about that guy being evil like you said-”

“It’s fine.” Sabrina answers, but pauses all the same. “You-.... You know something about this though, don’t you?” Amber freezes.

“Wha? Hehe, what gave you that idea?” Sabrina fusses with her glasses before sighing and removing them.

“I mean, it makes sense, doesn’t it? How certain little…. Changes… kept being made when new heroes came along, A weird little motley crew of them, there are two wielders for one Miraculous so they never show up at the same time, and right after all five heroes show up at once, six people who were only kinda friends with each other start becoming inseparable. And what Lila did was inexcusable but she did have one very important thing to contribute.” Sabrina turned to look directly at Amber, who had paled considerably.

“Why do you and Chloe have those matching hair combs, Amber?”

But just before she could cook up a response there’s a trumble on the ground, and Sabrian’s phone has another text, and this time, seemingly more on reflex, She looks back down at it, eyes suddenly widen and there’s a crash.

Amber grabs Sabrina and pulls her down to crouch behind the bench, and just as they do so another shake denotes a new guest. Sabrina looks back down at her phone and we see a small text history that goes from normal ‘investigation’ updates to ‘your friend isn’t safe’ to ‘you aren’t safe i’m coming to get you’ to a very VERY detailed deduction of their location based on brief texts and previous conversations matched with how Sabrina normally likes to spend quality time with a person until finally naming this exact park as her most likely location.

Sabrina looks up and sure enough a spotlight hits the bench, it holds up for a moment before shattering and the earth rumbles beneath them as the weight of the spotlight presses against them. Sabrina nearly collapses under the weight, but Amber is able to move just enough to grab Sabrina and start dragging the two of them out of the light. She looks up and sure enough the area around them has suddenly darkened and de-saturated, as if cloaked in shadows that aren’t there. Amber gives one more tug and she and Sabrina stumble out of the light, both dizzy and Sabrina notably weaker, Amber hoists her into a princess carry and starts to book it as the light begins to try and track them, evasive maneuvers just barely dodging the spotlight more and more as the stone and grass that does get hit bends and breaks under the weight of the light.

“Return my daughter, Miss Bourgeois and I can ensure your protection as well.”

“D- Dad?” Sabrina chokes over Amber’s shoulder as Amber finally curves out of the park, just in time for a huge dirigible to peek its way over the tops of the buildings. She ducks behind an alley and as Sabrina pulls at her clothes she gently sets her down.

“You okay?”

“Oh geez, Dad got Akumatized…”

“It’s okay, parent akumtizations aren’t that rough, it just means you’re probably a target.”

“How is that ‘Not that rough’?!” Sabrina squeaks. But Amber shakes her head, covering Sabrina’s mouth and pressing her against the wall, she leans in close, (and one can notice Sabrina’s face turning red again) as Amber peers out from the alleyway to the spotlights grazing past them as the dirigible lightly begins to pass them overhead.

“Ok, coast is clear.” She states, glancing back at Sabrina, before ALSO noting the closeness and jumping back instantly, rubbing the back of her head and fighting off a blush of her own. “Does your dad have cell tracking or Find my Phone enabled on yours? I doubt it’d do much, but if he does, might be safer to ditch it if he’s got that kind of transportation.”

As she speaks, she’s also digging her own phone out, tapping out a quick “SOS, Sabrina’s dad’s akumatized” before returning her focus to her friend.

Sabrina thinks for a second. “I mean I don’t have it on my phone, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one of his akuma talents is being able to figure something out based on me just keeping my phone on me or something.” She looks down at it before throwing it against the wall, the little thing snapping in half on impact. “Miraculous Ladybug should fix that.” she says after a beat.

“If it doesn’t I’ll get you a new one.” Amber agrees. “So I sent a distress text to Alya who can send the akuma alert onto the Ladyblog and we’ll see what heroes pick up on it.” Amber relays smoothly. Sabrina raises an unimpressed brow at that but before she can question the veracity of that the spotlight clicks down onto them again, and once again the weight of the light is pressed onto the girls. Though this time Sabrina is able to grab Amber and slowly drag them both away before she collapses.

But of course, that’s when the heroes come in.

A yoyo wire wraps around either of their waists and hoists the girls into the air, to be unceremoniously caught by Chat Noir.

“Well look at what you reeled up Bugaboo! A red snapper and a blonde bass!”

“A bass? Really?”

“I don’t snap!”

“You girls okay?” Ladybug looks the two over as they get set onto the building rooftop safely and untied. “You probably don’t want to stay in one place too long if he’s after you in specific, Sabrina.”

“I think he’s trying to protect people?” She offers, looking in her pocket before remembering she ditched her phone. “He sent some post akuma texts about coming to get me because we’re ‘in danger’.” She huffed, going instead to fix her glasses. “Though I'm not sure how he intends to do so in that big ol’ blimp with spotlights that make everything heavy…”

“So. Heavy.” Amber agrees, slumping over tired for a moment.

Only for a moment, before she realizes she’d slumped over onto Sabrina, and then jumps back into an upright position. From the corner of her eye, she spots Rena Rogue touch down on the rooftop, and the Fox grins; Amber turns her head so Sabrina can’t see her face, and promptly sticks her tongue out at the hero.

“Well, Semmix is already trying to see if the Rabbit can jump higher than the rest of us, but we’re gonna need to see how far that staff of yours can stretch, Kitty Cat.” Rena chimes in, making her presence known to the rest of the group, and Chat nods.

And with a playful bow towards Ladybug that gets an equally playful roll of her eyes, he jumps off with Rena Rogue. Ladybug turns her attention back to the two girls, gesturing to the door with a tilt of her head. “That’ll get you both off the roof. Like I said, make sure to keep on the move, and we’ll try and handle things quick as we can.”

Before giving either of them a chance to speak, Ladybug’s zipping away, and Sabrina pretty much collapses onto the ground with an exhale.

“Ok… where do you think we should hide first?”

“Maybe somewhere he wouldn’t expect? What would be the last place you’d hide from someone with that kind of akuma power?”

“Somewhere where there’s not a lot of protection against spotlights.” Sabrina pauses before looking back where the heroes left. “Hey, didn’t they used to have like… other forms? I distinctly remember wings at some point, why are they having problems with it now?”

“I.. Uh… I wouldn’t know, I get the feeling it’s a long story though.” Amber coughs and Sabrina raises her brow at her. “Anyway, I have an idea, let's go do that instead.”

Amber grabs Sabrina’s wrist and pulls her forward.

But of course we go back to the fight. And by fight I mean mostly the current team of four trying to get up there and into the blimp to fight in the first place. But it’s not quite working, diving in from rooftops doesn’t get them high enough, though the Rabbit can jump higher than everyone else it seems like Semmix isn’t getting enough torque either.

Ladybug thinks for a time, and then comes up with an idea, after all, they can’t even get the fight started without getting up there.

So we start out with Chat and Rena on the ground, both in sturdy positions as Chat’s staff extends as far as it will go, which is pretty fucking far, and just barely brushes the nearby rooftops. It’s clearly swaying and begging to fall, but he and Rena keep a sturdy grip. Semmix and Ladybug both run from one of said rooftops and halfway across the roof Ladybug lifts Semmix up into her arms and jumps from the ledge, pushing off of the edge of CHat’s baton and springing into the air just as they seem about to lose torque Ladybug shifts, revealing Semmix has the yoyo string wrapped around her waist, and then she uses Ladybug’s outstretched hand to spring even further into the air just as Ladybug starts to fall, a race now of movement versus movement as Semmix can only hope to have generated enough force to reach the blimp before Ladybug’s yoyo runs out of string and takes her down too.

Sure enough, with one thrust of the umbrella into a window, Semmix opens the thing and reaches the ledge of the blimp. She jolts when the wire runs taught and Ladybug is now dangling from her waist, but she doesn’t fall.

“That was fucking terrifying.” She mutters as she shifts the umbrella just enough to hoist herself over the ledge of the window and crawl inside, tugging the wire until Ladybug is crawling up behind her.

“So what’s the plan now that we’re in here?” Semmix tries, “Do we handle M. Raincomprix ourselves or try to get this thing to drop anchor so Chat and Rena can get up here?”

“Option two is preferable but if we need to go it solo I think we can take it.” Ladybug smiles around huffing breaths and she and Semmix nod to each other. They stand. “So the first question, where is M. Raincomprix.”

“That’s Protective Detective to you two.” a voice chime soer the intercom. “And now that you’re here-” Metal walls slide up over the windows. “You’ll be safe.”

The two huff and draw out their weapons properly.

But seen very distantly from the ground, is the blimp getting fully encompassed in metal (yet still of course staying afloat) the spotlights growing in intensity and viciously breaking the world below.

We stick on Rena And Chat doing as much damage control as possible, keeping people away from the destructive light and ensuring whoever is under there is only there briefly while one of them swoops in and gets them out.

“Chat this is ridiculous, they’re gonna need more time but we can’t keep this up forever.”

“You saw what happens when people actually die during attacks. Miraculous Ladybug can’t fix everything on its own.”

“Yes I know! But if none of us can get up there then there’s no doubt no one else on the team can! Even Ryuuko’s whole ‘ride the wind’ thing can only get her so high.”

“I wonder… Hey Chat?”

“Yeah?”

“Sabrina said that her father wants to protect her, right?”

“...Yeah?”

“So why do his spotlights push people down instead of being basically tractor beams? He’s not taking people in, he's pushing them away.”

They both pause for a moment. “Or are they just not being completed?” they ask at once.

“You wanna try?” Rena asks “Or should I?”

“Sure why not?” Chat stretches. “Sources say I have a thick skull. Probably won’t kill me. And if it does I have it on good authority that I have a bare minimum of one relative that would probably go full evil again if he deals with any more trauma like that.”

Gilligan cutaway briefly to Michael’s apartment, and Gabriel, at the kitchen table (which, mind you, is covered in papers and legal documents), sneezes and looks around briefly, before wiping his nose with his sweater’s sleeve.

“GABE I SAW THAT!”

But then we’re back to Chat and Rena. Rena rolls her eyes but smirks as Chat lays on the ground, kicking back and resting his hands under his head, in full lounge position. And sure enough when the spotlight hits him his hair falls flat against the ground, tail and ears going limp. He grits his teeth as the weight settles on him, but just as his breaths start to become a little wheezy it lets up and goes in full reverse.

Chat starts to get picked up off the ground as the weight turns into a sort of tractor beam, pulling him upward and though Chat is still clearly pretty light-headed he extends the staff for Rena to grab hold of as they’re both floated upwards.

“I feel like we’re getting abducted by aliens…” she mutters.

“Cavalry's coming, ladies.” Chat mutters.

However, we don’t stay with the heroes. Instead, we pan away from the tractor beam spotlight, getting farther and farther away until we’re seeing it from up high. Sure enough, Amber and Sabrina have climbed up the Eiffel Tower, looking out from the balcony at the sight, and then both girls are looking at each other.

“I hope the four of them are ok…” Sabrina mumbles, hands clasped together, and her expression is filled with concern.

Amber, meanwhile, has a narrowed gaze, looking back at the sight, but then back to Sabrina; it’s clear she’s conflicted, and with Sabrina as a likely target, it’s important to keep her safe.

“I’m sure they’re fine.” Amber says after a beat, though her tone is uncertain. “Heroes of Paris and all that.”

“Amber I know you were only an akuma the once but I've done it before and it’s… not fun. Whatever made Dad so upset to attract one, it’s… it’s hard to get solved. And it might not actually BE solved when he gets saved. Dad’s spent his entire life believing in ethics and morals and he wouldn’t forgive himself if he woke up and found that he’d hurt the heroes while he was being manipulated by Hawkmoth.”

“Monarcha.” Amber responds reflexively, but Sabrian turns to her.

“How do you know that? There are two of them, yeah, but what are the tells between the two?” Amber turns back to Sabrina who now looks more angry than anything else. “Amber, I’m not oblivious, and I’m not stupid. You’re Bellflower, aren’t you? Chloe was probably Queen Bee too, wasn’t she?” Amber is stunned, she opens her mouth a few aborted times to try and form a response, but before she can-

“Perhaps you two young ladies should be more concerned over yourselves than your identities.”

Amber whispers a quick “oh goddammit-” before she very pointedly gets between Sabrina and their new ‘guest’

“Scorpion.”

“Bee.”

“Wait, HE’s that Scorpion guy!?”

“Your friend is quite the person of interest on this day, little Bee.” Tsering Wan humms, fiddling with Misso’s medallion as the little scorpion kwami hovers out from her hiding spot. “Perhaps she’d like to see a demonstration of our skills.

“Perhaps not.” Amber reaches into her pocket presumably to throw whatever it is inside and pulls out the energy shot from the beginning of the episode. “What the-”

“How precious, running so firmly out of options while still trying to keep your identity a secret. To store them using emptied out small bottles? How boorish, you haven’t even removed the initial packaging! Which one is it? Hm? The sky potion? I can only assume as much, granted what your comrades are facing in the stratosphere at the moment.”

“‘Sky potion’?” Sabrina whispers “Like flying forms?”

“Scorpion, stay out of this, this is just some akuma nothing worth messing around with.”

“Hm, I suppose on a normal day it would be, but I’m beginning to get rather tired of faking a calm I don't wish to maintain simply for the other council members who already agree with me. Misso, transform me.”

Amber curses under her breath as he approaches them further, causing them to back up, until Sabrian gives a shout of surprise and they realize they’re close to the edge.

“Fne. Sabrina, get somewhere safe.” Amber passes her the potion and pushes her to the side a bit.

“Amber-”

“Trust me. Pollen, transform me!”

Sabrina looks between the two, fearful, confused, before her expression hardens and she looks down at the energy shot container and unscrews the lid. “No.”

“Sabrina I do not have time to-” Bellflower turns to Sabrina whom grabs Amber’s face in either hand, the unscrewed energy shot tilted over to the point where potion should be leaking out-

And kisses her.

It holds for just a moment before Bellflower jerks away, hand covering her mouth and one can see her reflexively swallowing, Sabrina wipes her mouth with her sleeve and it comes away yellow. “I’m not leaving you to your own devices. Okay?”

Amber stares dumbly for a moment but nods.

“Are you two done with your hormonal teenage nonsense?”

Amber puts her arms around Sabrina’s waist and smiles back. “Let’s see how far we can go.” She lifts Sabrina up and dives off the side of the tower.

“Hey ‘Brina?”

“Yeah?”

“That potion wasn’t fully put together. I don't know if it’ll work.”

“WHAT?!”

“But the last ingredient was ‘True Joy’ so let's try it out!” Bellflower clutches Sabrina tighter and pulls upward and-

A flash of yellow, and the buzz of a bee, and Bellflower pulls upward, Sabrina clutching to her side. The two zipping through the air. And headed towards the blimp.

“You okay Sabrina?”

“This is terrifying!”

“‘S okay not everyone’s got it in them to be in the thick of it” She states first, before glancing back down at her. “But I promise, I’ll keep you safe.”

Despite the terror and fear in Sabrina’s eyes, there’s the faintest of smiles on her face. “I know, I believe you.”

Bellflower turns red and the two of them make it to the blimp at just about the same time Chat and Rena are sucked into the bottom of the thing, Bellflower zipping inside just as the ‘cargo’ doors close.

Sure enough Chat Noir is still hovering in a spotlight, unable to get out or get much traction atm, just grumbling to himself and trying to push himself out of the beam with his staff. Rena is on the other hand trying to open the door between the ‘cargo bay’ and the rest of the blimp. “Oh hey Bell, Hi… Miss Raincomprix?

“Hi Rena, has my dad committed any war crimes yet?”

“Other than property damage, not really.”

“Good.”

Just then the door breaks down with a black and blue sneaker, Semmix with her umbrella raised high looks into the room and-

“Oh goddammit another dead end. Hey guys. Sabrina, your dad’s dragging us on a wild goose chase.”

“Okay okay, I’ll see what I can do.” Sabrina takes a deep breath, straightens her glasses and walks out into the hall. “Dad was fond of labyrinth when I was young, it was one of those movies he desperately wanted me to like, but I could never get into it, but there was this one sequence I remember, when the main girl is trying to logic her way out, the goblins kept cheating and turning her markings different directions.”

“So that’s what’s happening?”

“Probably. If Dad wants to keep us all safe, then what’s safer then ensuring we can never leave here again?”

Ladybug thinks for a second, before gently taking Sabrina’s shoulder. “In that case Mlle Raincomprix, lead the way.”

Sabrina’s eyes widen, she looks to the others, Bellflower shoots her a thumbs up, and Sabrina nods, with a small smile. She turns to the camera and as she runs forward we cut to black.

#Miraculous rewrite #Miraculous Ladybug #Rewrite #Mod Vega #Mod Aimee #Protective Detective

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mooncaps · 4 years

Photo

Presenting: The Carmilla Canon Tweets Collection!

I’m only four-and-a-half years late, but I hope people will enjoy this anyway. All four of the canon Twitter accounts, arranged in chronological order, and packaged into a .cbz file for your reading convenience.

Here’s the download link.

If this is the first time you’ve heard of a .cbz file, they can be opened with a program called CDisplay (and other programs too.) Alternatively, you can change the extension to .zip and extract all of the images if you so choose.

For a little more specificity and methodology about this collection: When images were tweeted, the full-size image follows after in a “page” by itself. For links, if they didn’t have an embedded preview within the tweet, I include a single screenshot of the linked site in a “page” by itself. It’s not the full content of the link, just enough to preview the webpage and understand the context of what was being linked.

This collection contains the public tweets, i.e. scripted content. The only replies are the replies to each other. No one else. I did seriously consider including all replies, as well as the tweets to which they were replying, but I ultimately decided against it for a few reasons.

The four canon accounts are still on Twitter and are expected to remain there indefinitely. The accounts are: Laura2theLetter, HeyCarmilla, SilasUniversity, and LaFilphormes. This collection just arranges the tweets from all four accounts together into chronological reading order and uses the icons that the accounts were using at the time the tweets were made.

For the explanation of my reasons for leaving out replies and other highly specific nerdy details:

Reason number one is that the scripted content is essentially the story the writers were telling with these tweets. The rest is sort of in-character ad-libbing, but not necessarily story progression. Reason number two is that a lot of the accounts being replied to have changed names or vanished in the years between then and now. Even a few of the quasi-canon fan-made RP accounts are gone and I wouldn’t have been able to track down all of their tweets or their icons. Reason number three is that if I had included everything I could find then this project would’ve taken me at least ten years to complete instead of four. There are a few gems in the replies, especially from the Silas University account, but I had to make a judgment call. The tweets in this collection are the tweets you would see if you followed all four accounts, but didn’t follow any of the other fans and RP accounts that the canon accounts would occasionally reply to.

Regarding chronological order, there were a few instances in the early days when several tweets seem to have been scheduled for the same time and ended up posting out of order. I rearranged in these instances to present the tweets in what seemed to be the intended order. There was also one instance that I’m reasonably confident was an a.m./p.m. scheduling mixup and I’ve rearranged that one as well. There are other instances where I suspect some tweets might have been inadvertently shuffled somehow, but I didn’t have anything solid enough to justify rearranging.

And this is about to be an extremely nerdy aside within this extremely nerdy aside, but there was one particular tweet that I chose to edit because the formatting or something was causing it to display differently on different devices. It’s one of Laura’s garbled tweets from between S3 Act 2 and S3 Act 3. The characters of the tweet displayed in different orders every time I tried to view the tweet another way. Windows 7, Windows 10, Android Phone, the search results page vs. the status page, and using the mobile.twitter link instead of the regular twitter link.

After much confusion about this, I eventually copied the text of the tweet into a document, and it came out in this order:

And according to Ellen Simpson, what the tweet actually says is that, when you read it backwards, bottom line then top. So, what I did was take the screenshot and then manually rearrange the characters into that (backwards) order, and kept the right alignment that the tweet seemed to have, producing this result:

I also included the tweet in a separate “page” right after, as it appeared in the search results on the Windows 7 laptop that I used to screenshot the rest of the tweets, for authenticity’s sake.

The tweets at this time were all scrambled anyways, but the rest were all readable approximations of Ellen’s translations and I don’t think making it that level of scrambled was intentional. The character’s show up in the right (backwards) order on TweetDeck, just not on any version of the Twitter site.

And lastly, the way tweets appear on Twitter has changed several times since I started this project. The circular icons are probably the most obvious change. I’ve pasted the original square icons over those. However, the width of the tweet column, font, and the replies/retweets/likes have changed over time as well.

I restarted this project several times, hoping to be able to screenshot every tweet in the same layout. Eagle-eyed viewers may spot a small and insignificant difference between certain page groups. Doing the whole project in-between any revisions to the Twitter site proved to be more than I was capable of, but the final result has an overall uniformity of presentation that I’m very satisfied with.

I think that should explain just about anything that anyone as nerdy about this as I am would be curious to know.

#Carmilla #Carmilla Tweets #Carmilla Transmedia #Hollstein

65 notes · View notes

btxtreads · 4 years

Text

perfectly perfect | choi soobin (2)

part of the arcadia academy series

↳ Pairing: Choi Soobin x Reader ↳ word count: 1.6k words ↳ rating: G ↳ genre: Highschool!au, Jock!Soobin, mostly fluff, white prince!Soobin,,, also Soobin lets himself get dragged around a lot, tsundere!Soobin but nothing that’s too much to handle ↳ series: Arcadia Academy

(please also read “Personal Best,” Arcadia Academy’s Beomgyu series by @bffsoobin 💖)

“So, this is the proposed menu for the cafe,” Y/N commented, passing a sheet of paper over to Namjoon. “I just need your signature right here, Mr. Kim, and we can go bring that over to the finance for the class fund and head over to the grocery store to buy the needed items,”

Namjoon hummed as he studied the text.

Beside Y/N sat Soobin, squirming and fidgeting in his seat as he kept taking quick glances at Namjoon’s desk clock.

The teacher took a quick glance at the boy as he moved to sign the provided sheets.

“Is something wrong, Mr. Choi?”

Soobin jumped in his seat in alarm.

“Oh, um,”

Y/N turned to Soobin with a glare, making the boy huff before shooting a smile at Namjoon.

“Is there really no other way to get that extra credit, sir?” Soobin asked, scratching his neck. “I really need to prioritize the volleyball team’s festival fundraiser,”

“I’m sorry,” Y/N sighed. “but you guys are already rich with donations from Beomgyu’s dad. What else could you possibly need the money for?”

Soobin narrowed his eyes at the girl.

“Well, if you must know,” Soobin replied. “the money isn’t enough to buy first-class flight tickets to finals for all of us,”

Y/N only blinked at him before turning back to Namjoon with a grumble.

“I swear to god, his brain is just one giant deflated volleyball,” Y/N mumbled.

Soobin made a move to reply when Namjoon cut him off.

“Well, in response to your earlier question, Mr. Choi,” Namjoon replied, amusement in his tone as he set his pen and glasses down. “No, this is the only way.”

“Guess you’re stuck with me, volleyball prince,” Y/N smirked smugly.

Soobin glared at the girl, making her chuckle under her breath.

“The prince has got claws, that’s nice to know,”

“Y/N, be nice,” Namjoon chastised before standing. “Well, if that’s all, then you can go ahead and file that at the finance. I’ve got a meeting with other class advisers.

“Right, for the festival,” Y/N sighed, taking the papers back and running through them. “Hey, Volleyball Prince, come on,”

“Stop calling me that,” Soobin sighed, running a hand through his hair and standing up to follow the girl out of the faculty.

As soon as they walked out, Soobin shot a quick smile at a group of girls huddling by the office.

The group swooned and squealed as they went past, making Y/N roll her eyes.

No conversation happened between Soobin and Y/N from then, the only noises being the shuffling of papers and squeals from schoolmates on the receiving end of Soobin’s smiles.

In replacement of the stack of papers in Y/N’s hands, she now had a stack of bills from the class fund.

“Okay, I think this is enough to last us for the whole festival day,” Y/N hummed, nodding.

“Right,”

“Okay,” Y/N said, stuffing the money in her bag. “The big grocery store is about 5 minutes away by car, let’s call an uber.”

Soobin’s head snapped over to her.

“Wait, uber? We’re shopping now?”

Y/N blinked. “Yes. The fair is literally in two days. Ice is the only thing we’re buying on the same day.”

“Wait,” Soobin sighed before shooting Y/N his award-winning smile. “Y/N, I would really love to help you today but, I’ve got volleyball practice in 10 minutes and—“

Y/N rolled her eyes and whirled around, hand grasping Soobin’s blazer and pulling him down to her height.

Soobin’s eyes widened as he found himself face-to-face with the president’s glaring eyes.

“Listen to me, buddy,” Y/N started. “I get it that volleyball is important to you, but do not blow this for me,”

Soobin opened his mouth to respond, but Y/N only shook her head.

“No, zip it,” Y/N hissed. “You might not like this, but you got this job. Either you do it, or you don’t get your precious credits to get your precious scholarship to play your precious volleyball,”

Y/N released the boy, who slowly inched back to his regular height.

“This is the only way to get those credits,” Y/N crossed her arms. “Decide now,”

“But—” Soobin started, glancing over at the doors to the volleyball court.

So close.

He sighed, pulling his phone out with a frown.

“I’ll call the uber,”

Soobin, for the giant athlete that he was, is very childlish.

Y/N found this out when she heard him play with their grocery cart.

The boy, when bored, slumped over the grocery cart and proceeded to make silent woosh noises like he thought she wouldn’t hear.

Y/N cleared her throat as she heard him mutter “woosh” from under his breath again.

Cracking a small smile, she turned to see the boy fumble back to a stand.

“Which brand do you think seems better?” Y/N hummed, holding two bottles of whipped cream.

“Does it matter?” Soobin snorted, taking the cans. “It’s whipped cream,”

“Yes, it matters,” Y/N rolled her eyes, taking the cans away from him. “Changing the creams can change the quality of the food,”

“It’s still food,” Soobin replies before plopping himself on the cart in front of Y/N, going back to making silent woosh noises.

“You are a child,” Y/N sighed, patting Soobin’s head.

The said boy froze, glancing up to raise an eyebrow at the girl.

“Did you just pet me?”

“Like I would a five year-old.” Y/N smirked, setting five cans of whipped cream down on the cart. “Why?”

Soobin gasped, straightening up and bending forward to poke at her sides.

“Where’s your ticklish spot, where?” Soobin chuckled over to Y/N as she bent every which way in his hands to avoid him.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Y/N laughed. “Yield, yield!”

“No,” Soobin laughed.

“Stop!” Y/N whined, laughing as Soobin cackled.

“Okay, okay,” Soobin snorted, his hands laying still on her waist as he stood behind Y/N.

At a first glance, they seemed the domestic, happy teenage couple you see everyday.

His chin was planted on her shoulder, his black hair falling in his eyes.

Her hair was swept to the side, with her hand placed delicately on his with a giggle.

Soobin hummed as he gazed at the shelf of cans in front of them.

“By the way, I think the blue brand’s better cream,”

“Blue brand?”

“What?” Soobin shrugged. “I call it that way,”

“Why did you take a photo of them? Is it because they’re so cute?” A voice sounded. “I remember when me and your father used to be like that,”

“Mom, no, that’s Choi Soobin,” another voice whispered. “That’s one of the most famous guys in our school, he’s a volleyball player. He’s dating the president? I’m sending this to my friends,”

At this, Soobin looked down at his hands and slowly backed away from Y/N.

“Sorry,” He smiled at Y/N who only shrugged.

“It’s fine,” Y/N waved him off. “It’s your fangirls you need to worry about,”

Soobin shook his head and leaned on the shelf as he watched Y/N switch the whipped cream cans in the cart for the ones he said he preferred, a small smile painting on his features.

When she turned to look at him, he quickly turned to another direction.

“Yeah, of course,” Soobin muttered. “but, everyone likes me anyways, it’s fine,”

“Never knew the volleyball prince could be so arrogant,” Y/N sing-songed as she continued down the aisle.

“Will you stop calling me that?” Soobin frowned.

“What, your title?” Y/N asked, her hands running over a selection of tea boxes. “Everyone at school calls you that,”

“Not to my face,”

“Well, that’s because they care about what you think about them,” Y/N shrugged. “I don’t care what you think about me, so I’m less careful about it,”

Soobin sighed.

“I’m just,” Soobin started as Y/N read the descriptions for the tea boxes in her hands. “I don’t wanna be the volleyball prince,”

“But you are,”

“And it’s so much pressure,” Soobin sighed. “I don’t wanna be the all-star athlete, you know? I just wanna be a high-school kid,”

Y/N frowned, raising her head as she looked at him.

Her eyes locked with him.

“But you are,”

He sputtered in his place.

Before he could reply, his ringtone blasted out of nowhere.

“I think somebody’s calling you,” Y/N smiled, turning back around to continue selecting tea flavors.

Soobin sighed and winced at the caller ID. Yeonjunie.

“Hello?”

“Soobin, what the hell?” Yeonjun seethed, making Soobin flinch. “Why did I just find a photo of you with the class president at the grocery store instead of practice?”

Soobin shot Y/N an apologetic glance, making her shake her head in amusement and tune Yeonjun and Soobin’s conversation out.

As she proceeded to pick groceries, Soobin followed her on his phone on one hand and the cart in another—his apologetic tone entering her ears.

“It’s for the fair, hyung,” Soobin rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’ll be there. Fine. I love you too, hyung,”

Y/N laughed as Soobin glared at the girl.

“Guys, stop. Fine, I love you too, Hueningkai,” Soobin groaned. “Stop it. Shut up, Beomgyu. I’m hanging up,”

Soobin sighed, as he pocketed his phone.

Y/N’s smugly faced Soobin.

“I love you, hyung.” Y/N teased. “What’s the penalty for missing practice?”

“Shut up,” Soobin huffed, pushing Y/N’s face away as he walked past. “Nothing, I never miss it anyways, and this is for extra credit so it still counts as academics. I got an out,”

“Okay, but your hands are so big it covers my entire face,” Y/N commented. “A fact I do not need to know,”

“What coffee grounds are we getting, Y/N?” Soobin laughed, making Y/N shrug.

Soobin picked up a coffee bean from the display and a lemon from another, raising a surprised eyebrow as he turned to Y/N with a gasp. “Hey, have you ever wondered what coffees with fruits taste like?”

Y/N has never laughed as much as she did that day.

Soobin and Y/N walked side-by-side, plastic bags in one hand and iced coffee cups in another.

Y/N takes a sip as they take a sharp left, entering the residential area of the town.

“Well, I’m heading this way,” Y/N hummed, gesturing over to a curb. “See you tomorrow?”

“No,” Soobin shook his head, adjusting his grip on the plastic bags at his side. “It’s almost sun-down. I’ll go with you to your house,”

“No, it’s okay,”

“I insist,” Soobin shrugged, making Y/N relent.

The two continued their way.

Y/N marvelled at the tall boy, who snorted when he saw small kids running around with one boy screaming it’s a prank! at his friends.

“For the school’s white prince,” Y/N started, “You sure don’t act so perfect,”

Soobin rolled his eyes.

“What are you talking about again?” Soobin huffed. “Stop calling me prince, and I am perfect,”

“Perfectly arrogant,” Y/N scoffed.

“Perfectly perfect,” Soobin corrected with a grin, taking another sip of his coffee. “Nah, I just don’t feel pressured to be Choi Soobin with you,”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I’m just Soobin, you know?” He shrugged again. “Hey, what’s the concept we’re going for the cafe again?”

“Hm?” Y/N asked. “Oh, none. Just a regular cafe,”

Soobin narrowed his eyes. “What about a monster cafe? Ana’s in drama, right? She can do scary makeup!”

“It’s Hana,” Y/N snorted. “And no. Besides, she’s busy with the drama club fundraiser,”

“Boo,” Soobin said before zoning out.

At this, Y/N observed—doing what she does best. Study.

She studied Choi Soobin for all that he is—the volleyball prince, the school heartthrob and the regular teenager he wanted to be.

Soobin was endearing.

He smiled and giggled a lot. He was very affectionate and liked sweet things like cookies and ice cream. He zones out a lot, likes pranks, and loves his friends and volleyball.

But this wasn’t the Soobin in school.

No, the Soobin in school smiles a lot—but at no particular person. He accepts gifts of chocolates and beverages from girls, but always gives it away to his team members and never ate or consumed one himself. He never engaged in any conversation that wasn’t about volleyball or academics unless you’re someone from the volleyball team. He was smart and charming—but he never tries to one-up anyone (that would be Yeonjun). He’s just… there.

Pretty and tall.

The Soobin in school was dull, a shell, a prince in the spotlight—Y/N preferred this Soobin more.

If only he stayed like this all the time.

Soobin slurped his coffee before gasping.

“What do you say about monster hats?”

Y/N laughed. “No, let’s just stay as a regular cafe,”

“Not even a maid cafe?” Soobin pouted, making Y/N roll her eyes.

“Perv,”

“Hey!” Soobin gasped. “No, I’m not!”

At times like this, Y/N could see why Soobin was the school’s perfect boy. But not for the same reasons that others seem to think.

Y/N sees a different Soobin than his fangirls do—but she’d be dead before she tells anyone that.

“Ah, this is me,” Y/N said, stopping by a small house. “This way,”

Soobin followed her by the porch, setting the bags down with a smile.

“Do you want to come in?” Y/N hummed, fumbling for her keys.

“No,” Soobin shook his head. “I’ve got to get home anyways, there’s volleyball practice tomorrow before festival set-up starts,”

“So early?”

“It’s nationals,” Soobin shrugged, feeling eyes on him. “Gotta shape up,”

He turned to see an old lady from the next house.

“Don’t mind her, that’s our neighbor,” Y/N waved off. “Hey, gran!”

“Y/N, dear!” The woman greeted from her spot. “Is that your boyfriend?”

“Uh,” Y/N blinked, turning to Soobin.

“He’s very handsome. I always knew you’d get a good-looking boy,” the lady commented, making Soobin and Y/N burn red. “What’s your name, dear?”

“Soobin,” He squeaked out, making Y/N shake her head.

“Gran, I think your son is calling you from inside,” Y/N coughed making the old woman gasp.

“Right, of course,” the woman gasped, trudging back inside her house. “Yes, Taehyung. I’m coming, darling!”

Soobin cleared his throat as Y/N laughed awkwardly.

“Sorry about that,”

“It’s nothing,” Soobin said, shaking his head as he followed Y/N into her house, helping her move the groceries to her kitchen.

“Do you want some water or soda or anything before you go?”

“Water’s great,” He smiled, throwing his finished coffee cup into the trash.

He took a seat on the stools by the kitchen counter as Y/N moved inside the kitchen.

She set a tall glass of cold water in front of him with a small smile.

“Hey,” she started as she leaned across him. “I’m sorry,”

“Hm?” Soobin asked, thumbing the glass. “What about?”

“I was too harsh on you,” Y/N muttered, moving to sit next to him. “About the festival, I mean, then making you miss the practice.

“Ah, that’s fine,” Soobin shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I never miss practice, and Yeonjun was still there, anyways,”

“Still, I know it sucks when you get forced to do something you don’t want to,” Y/N said.

“Hey, it’s fine,” Soobin reassured. “I was the one who asked for the credits, anyways.”

Y/N hummed, propping her head on her chin and looking up at Soobin as he took a sip from his glass.

“Hey, Soobin,”

“Hm?”

“Can you promise me something?”

“Sure,”

“Please be there for me, tomorrow,” Y/N muttered.

Soobin turned his head, locking gazes with her.

He copied her, leaning his head on his hands and propping his elbow on the counter with a smile.

“What do you mean?”

“The festival. Please, I really need this,” Y/N begged, straightening up and looking down.

Shyly, she took his hand.

“Please?”

Soobin smiled at her, making her blush and fluster.

“Well, I’m not sure if I have the time,” Soobin started, making Y/N burn redder and pull her hand away.

“But,” Soobin started, his hand reaching back to grasp Y/N’s with a soft smile. “I’ll make time,”

Y/N smiled as Soobin stood up.

“I should go,”

“Okay,”

Soobin picked up his bag and walked towards the door, Y/N following him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Y/N asked, smiling as Soobin shot him a wink and finger guns.

“Definitely,” He chuckled before turning and running away.

Y/N shook her head in amusement.

Yeah, she can see why people liked him that much.

197 notes · View notes

fftwister · 5 years

Text

Byleth/Dimitri C-S Support

I went to bed after posting the Byleth/Claude support chain, so I don’t know if other supports are online or not. However, a few folks requested Dimitri and Byleth’s support chain, so here it is for clarity’s sake. Major spoilers below regarding what Dimitri’s deal is (+general BL route and Byleth spoilers). Be wary, this too gets really fucking long.

Dimitri: Perfect timing, Professor. If you don't mind, I have a favor I'd like to ask of you. Byleth: What's the favor? Dimitri: It's in regard to sword training. Not for myself, but... Well... To be honest, I've been teaching swordsmanship to the orphans at the monastery for a while now. Dialogue Tree:

A: How unexpected. B: How did that come to be? Dimitri: (A) I must agree. Frankly, I'm not great with children. (B): Some of them saw me sparring with the knights one day. They started pestering me to teach them. They were so earnest... I couldn't help but oblige. There's much I wish to show them, but due to my own studies and training, I'm afraid my time is rather limited. Which brings me to my favor. Your swordsmanship is unmatched. I hate to ask this of you, but...Would you consider lending me a hand? Dialogue Tree:

A: You can count on me. B: You leave me no choice. Dimitri: Thank you, truly. I am in your debt. And I always repay my debts, I'll have you know. All of these children lost their families and homes to war or illness. This may sound a bit arrogant, but...I feel it's my responsibility to help them. I lost my parents without warning too. In that way, we're the same. In Duscur, I lost my father, stepmother, and closest friends. I didn't have many allies at the castle after that. In truth, I had only Dedue for companionship. Dialogue Tree:

A: Have you no other family? B: Is there no one else you can trust? Dimitri: I'm afraid not. My birth mother fell ill and died shortly after I was born. And my uncle...suffice to say we don't get along. I once had people I could confide in. Family, friends, instructors, even the royal soldiers. But they were all taken away from me four years ago. Ah, but there were those outside the castle walls\nI was close to. Such as Rodrigue! Byleth: Rodrigue? Dimitri: Heh, pardon my rudeness. I meant Lord Rodrigue. He is my father's old companion, and the father\nof Felix. On the occasions he would visit the capital, he'd take me out hunting or on long horse rides. While Dedue is like a brother to me, Rodrigue is more like a second father. It might sound ridiculous, but...he's the kind of man I hope to become one day. Someone who helps others... Someone who can reach out and save a lost soul. Oh... Please accept my apologies for boring you with my life story. In any case, don't forget your promise, Professor. I'm counting on you.

B Support

Dimitri: Thank you for your help the other day, Professor. Please, allow me to express my gratitude by taking you to dinner. Dialogue Tree:

A: It was nothing. B: I would be delighted. Dimitri (A): Nonsense. Your guidance was magnificent. Just what I'd expect from a professor at this esteemed academy. (B): Fantastic. Please think about what you'd like to eat. After all, such magnificent guidance must work up quite an appetite. I've studied swordsmanship for some time, but your mercenary skills are something else entirely. Speaking of which, there's...another question I must ask you. Were you reconciled with the reality of battle from your first foray? With...the killing part, I mean. Dialogue Tree:

A: I hadn't the luxury of questioning it. B: No. It's never easy. Dimitri: I see. Byleth: And you? Dimitri: No... I do not carry that burden well. I doubt that will change, no matter how many years come and go. The first time I led on the battlefield, I was sent to quell a rebellion in the west. It was not a difficult fight. The enemy was not well-trained and their morale was low. A swing of the lance, and your opponent falls. A flash of your blade, and a path opens up. That's the sort of battle it was. Easy...right? Dialogue Tree:

A: You did what you had to do. B: What caused the rebellion? Dimitri (A): That's one way to look at it. (B): The noble family from that area sought to seize the throne after my father's untimely death. The leader of the rebel army was defeated and the rebellion quelled. This was at the height of the post-war period. I recall coming across a dead soldier's body. He was clutching a locket. Inside was a lock of golden hair. I don't know to whom it belonged. His wife, his daughter...mother, lover... I'll never know. He was a soldier. An enemy. Someone we had cut down without hesitation. But in that moment, I realized he was also a real person, just like the rest of us. Of course, we cannot stand idly by and allow anyone to commit senseless acts of violence. Yet in dispensing what we call justice, we take the lives of cherished family members. Beloved friends. Killing is part of the job, but even so... There are times when I'm chilled to the bone by the depravity of my own actions. Dialogue Tree:

A: It's normal to feel that way. B: I've felt the same way. Dimitri (A): Is it? Perhaps you're right. I pray that you are. (B): That you feel the same way is more comforting than you could know. Professor? May I speak freely? When we first met, I thought of you as someone who felt no strong feelings about killing your enemies. I could never trust someone who kills without batting an eye. My heart won't allow it. But after speaking with you and getting to know you better, I can see you're not like that. Now I know, with all my heart, that I can trust you. Thank you for that.

A Support

Dimitri: ... Dialogue Tree:

A: What are you doing? B: Still training? Dimitri (A): Sleep evades me, so I thought I'd get in some extra training. I was just about to finish. (B): Indeed. But I was thinking about ending it here. Perhaps it is the gloomy weather, but I am feeling the sting of wounds that should have healed long ago... Byleth: What wounds? Dimitri: The injury I got when that girl stabbed me after the battle at Gronder. Her eyes were filled with revenge...just as mine once were. Byleth: Who was she? Dimitri: I don't know... But I have a guess. ... Ah, I suppose I haven't told you about that yet. Byleth: What are you talking about? Dimitri: I was attacked inside the monastery the other day. It caused quite the uproar. The ones who attacked me...were some of the youths we taught swordsmanship to, once upon a time. Dialogue Tree:

A: Are you OK? B: Why did they do it? Dimitri (A): Of course. I could capture the lot of them with my eyes closed. (B): It seems they were raised by a group of thieves who we put down five years ago. I heard Lady Rhea took custody of them, claiming that the children were innocent. I have taken so many lives...and with each one, I face hatred. During the last five years especially. My life was not so different from that of a wild beast... And that young girl's brother... At some point, I must have... That is why I thought it only natural that someone would retaliate someday. Because I hated, because I stole, and...because I killed. But with those children, it's different... We drew our blades with the best of intentions, only to hurt them in the end. I suppose this is yet another thing we will just have to live with. Dialogue Tree:

A: It's part of the job. B: I feel the same way. Dimitri: Yes... As one who chose to fight, it is my responsibility to confront this anguish and the true nature of war... Until the day my life comes to an end. Dialogue Tree:

A: It is mine as well. B: We can confront it together. Dimitri (A): Perhaps... (B): Thank you... You know, Professor... There is something that I only recently realized. I never knew it could be so...comforting to have someone standing by my side...

S Support

Dimitri: Come now, my friend. You must stop staying up so late. Tomorrow is yet another early morning. Then again, I know that matters little. You cannot sleep, can you? Neither can I, of course. I... I want you to know I am sorry for making you do so much when your battle wounds aren't even completely healed yet. Dialogue Tree:

A: And what of yours? B: It's awful. Dimitri (A): Do not worry about me... My shoulder has healed nicely. I still have some numbness in my hand, but it should not hinder me too much. (B): Well, I am truly sorry. I only ask that you do not overexert yourself. But I am afraid our burdens will only grow in number. I hope you are prepared for that. ... It is a lovely night... Is it not? How many years has it been since I was kept awake by hopes for the future, rather than by nightmares of the past... Byleth: Nightmares? Dimitri: I have had the same nightmare for nine long years. A nightmare in which I am constantly tormented by those who have died... They ask me why I have not avenged them...Why I got to live, yet they had to die... No matter how many corpses I piled up for them, in the end, their voices only grew louder. Voices loathing me, calling out to me...Their inescapable death cries ringing in my ears...clinging to my soul... Even now, I can always hear them. I am certain I will be hearing them until the day I die. But I will not cover my ears. I will go on living...and their voices will serve as a warning. As a king...and as a wretch who claimed countless lives...I will build a Kingdom where the people can live in peace. I am sure she would laugh and call such talk foolish... But I wish to change this world in my own way. Well, Your Grace, things will be busy from now on. Our first order of business is tomorrow's coronation. Once a professor and student... Now an archbishop and a king. How very far we have come. Dialogue Tree:

A: We're still the same. B: Only our titles have changed. Dimitri: That is true. To me, you will always be the one who guided me so kindly. My ally through all. My beloved... Dialogue Tree:

A: Yes...my beloved. B: Dimitri... Dimitri: Listen... There is something I wish to give you before the coronation. Give me your hand. Byleth: ... Dimitri: Please... I beg of you. Say something! If you do not wish to accept it, please just tell me.If so, I will face the truth and walk away. Dialogue Tree(? There’s a lot of responses here, I don’t know who says what)

A: That's not it at all... B: What is this? C: I love you, Dimitri. Marry me. D: You beat me to it... Dimitri: ... Yes, I see. Right. In that case, let us exchange them, shall we? Your hands... Now that I hold them within my own, I see how small and fragile they are. These hands that have saved me countless times...Thank you, my beloved. Your kind, warm hands... May they cling to my own forevermore...

*Note

Checking through the zip file, Dimitri doesn’t have a final bit of dialogue with Byleth like Claude does in his ending, as the next text file after the S support is his dialogue for a moment after the ballroom dance, and the following files being Claude’s supports. It’s possible the dialogue might be in the ZIP, but I don’t know for sure.

#fire emblem #fire emblem three houses #fe16 spoilers #fe3h spoilers #three houses spoilers #for those with the zip file this group of text files starts with the one labelled:#006116091200_00016c8c2540

106 notes · View notes

n6or · 5 years

Text

the colours of our youth | raihan nsfw

Rating: General

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/M

Fandom: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions

Relationships: Kibana | Raihan/Reader

Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Breeding Kink, Rough Sex, Childhood Friends, Comfort, Mild Hurt/Comfort

Words: 4042

READ HERE ON AO3!

From an early age you had both been rather infatuated with one another, your parents cooing constantly over how sweet it was that you always held Raihan's hand or that he always chased away the birds you were so frightful of. From an early age, Raihan had always been keenly aware of his position in your life, knowing from the sweet age of five that he was destined to protect you from anything and everything;

One day, we'll get married! Is what he told you, grinning wide and exposing his little fang. You remember that day well, even know; many things you've forgotten with age, but that day wasn't one of them. We'll get married and we're gonna live happily ever after like those people in all those stories you read to me!

The days were so bright back then, coloured with warm saturations of yellow and orange, not a hint of anxiety or worry about—at least none that either of you were aware of. As childhood best friends, you were inseparable, but as the years began collapsing upon one another and age ripened the pair of you, things became complicated.

The promise of marriage seemed to blur into the stress of social cliques and the harsh realities and brutalities that was high school.

At first, every day was spent with one another: eating lunch, playing on the field, laying under an old oak tree up the back of campus… but slowly, as you both met new people, the gap between you both began growing wider and wider until the only time you ever saw each other was the mandatory gym classes on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

You hated gym more than anything. It was one class you wished you could never show up to, but of course that idea deflated on its own when the teachers realised your recurring "nausea" was just a feeble attempt of evading the judgemental gazes of hormonal teenage boys.

By the age of fifteen, most girls in your grade had presented; a vast array of secondary genders littered your classes nowadays: alphas, omegas, betas, but of course you were yet to present. You didn't mind, though. Watching the stress of your classmates over the years (as you entered senior classes) trying to juggle their studies with their heats and ruts made you more than grateful that you hadn't presented yet.

Raihan presented proudly at the ripe age of sixteen, texting you (for the first time in weeks) about the update. Of course he presented as an alpha. At sixteen with the height of six foot, you wouldn't expect anything else. You sent him back a congratulatory text followed by a little kaomoji that he then teased you for.

You fell asleep with a smile that night, and Raihan fell asleep laughing after realising you had fallen asleep mid-conversation, but hey… slowly, the bridge between you both began to shift; slowly, the distance between you both was reducing.

It was in the eleventh grade when you realised something wasn't right.

Four years later and you still hated the gym, but were more willing to participate. Four years later and you still shared the same gym class as Raihan.

Over the years you have made two close friends that have stuck by your side through the absence of Raihan; Nessa and Sonia. Nessa presented as an Alpha female, and Sonia - much like you - was yet to present. Nonetheless, the three of you got along like a house on fire, having a group chat and weekly sleepovers, too.

As the three of you mozey into the gym, you feel uncomfortable. You halt momentarily, glancing around the gym when you notice a familiar group of notorious alpha's in the back corner, undressing you with their eyes. Over the year you had failed to notice the change in your pubescent body, but the other boys in your class hadn't. Time and time again your name was whispered amongst certain alphas, and time and time again a certain someone had threatened to shut them up if they didn't stop.

"Heya short-cake," You hear a familiar voice call, strong arms tugging you back by your waist. Raihan curls into your back, blowing a raspberry on your cheek.

You squeal, earning a laugh from all three of your friends as you turn around and shove the alpha off. You pout up at your best friend who merely grins a lazy grin, shrugging.

"Oopsy~ oh, by the way," He's shrugging his jacket off as he speaks, carefully draping it over your shoulders. "Don't worry about those dickwads. They'd fuck a piece of salami if they got the chance."

"Did you just compare me to salami?"

Raihan smirks. "Nah. You're waaaay spicier~"

The punch to his gut makes him laugh louder as he tries to zip up the jacket. You miss the way he looks at you when you look away; cheeks red and puffed, arms folded over your chest, his jacket falling mid-way down your thighs; it acts almost like a dress considering your height differences.

The lesson rolls past slowly and by the end of your mock volleyball match you had tied Raihan's jacket around your waist. Volleyball is fun; you mainly act as the libero (considering your stature), but you enjoy it, nonetheless—especially when you were on the opposing team to Nessa. You're both so competitive it fires everybody else up.

As the students file out of the gym, you offer your hand in packing up the nets and cones that decorate the court. You were just bending over to retrieve the last cone when you felt a sharp smack against your rear.

With a sharp yelp, you spin around and stumble back slightly at alpha that stands before you. Your breath hitches when he takes a step forward towards you, two sniggering alphas on the other side of the gym catching your eye.

"You've gotten real hot lately, pet." The alpha hums, continuing to back you up until your back meets the chill of the bricked wall. "What's with that? Y'still haven't presented yet? I can't smell nothin' comin' from ya but that stinkin' jacket." With a sharp tug, he rips the jacket from your waist.

"Oi!" You shout, shoving at his chest. "Give that back!" You grab his wrist in one hand whilst the other takes a fistful of the jacket. You notice the other two alphas beginning to approach and it's at a time like this that you can't help but wonder where the fuck the teacher's are.

"Don't speak to me like that, bitch!" He laughs venomously, realing his free hand back. Your eyes widen momentarily when you realise that he's about to hit you. Your body stiffens, and like a deer in headlights, you braces for impact.

Crack!

"Ugh, what the fuck?!"

You tremble in place. It all happened so fast. One moment the alpha was plunging his fist forward, and then suddenly he was spiraling to the ground, blood seeping from his nose.

"What the fuck is right. What the fuck did you just call her?" Raihan grabs the boy by the collar and yanks him back to his feet, shoving him away.

"R-Rai…" You call, cursing the shake in your voice. You hold the torn jacket in your hands, feeling something inside you tearing as well.

"Why do you fucking care? It's not like she's your mut y'fuckin—"

Another disgusting crunch of skin colliding with cartilage echoes the gym.

"Are you dumb? Are you seriously that thick?!"

Again, Raihan grabs the boy's collar, but suddenly his body stiffens, stopping him dead in his tracks.

You stare at the now tattered jacket in your hands and bite back your lower lip. You don't know when you started crying, but suddenly you can't stop. It's all a haze to you, in all honesty. You remember Raihan cupping your cheeks, large hands smoothing back your hair as he talks to you. You don't know where your mind is, or why Raihan suddenly sounds like Isabella from Animal Crossing, but it's not long before your eyes are fluttering back open. When had they fallen shut? Had you collapsed? Where were you?

A small groan erupts from you when you slowly revive from your unconsciousness, head feeling swollen and stuffed with tissue paper. You feel a squeeze to your hand and suddenly a familiar brown beauty comes into your line of sight, breathing out a sigh of relief and then your name once he sees you.

"What happened?" You mumble quietly. "Where am I? Are you—Oh, Rai," you frown, shaky hands tracing the cut across his eyebrow.

"You're alright, I'm alright," is the first thing he whispers. He runs his free hand through your hair, smiling, but it wasn't as bright as usual. "The doctors said you got too stressed and triggered a, uh.. erm, a heat."

You blink a few times, frowning. "Heat? But that can't be possible? I haven't… I'm not a…"

"The doctors explained that, basically, the stress triggered the presentation and, uh, kinda… Y'know i'm not good at explaining," he whines. He notices the perplexed expression that colours your face and bites his lip. "I'm really sorry…"

"Huh?"

You catch his gaze, noticing the sadness that swims in the cyan circles.

"I acted like a real meathead and basically put you here because I stressed you out…" His gaze falls as he plays with your fingers. You notice the way he frowns and glares and then sighs. "I just… seeing the way he was with you… i seriously—i was seriously gonna kill him. I don't know what's wrong with me… I know you can look after yourself, but seeing those pricks… and the way they look at you like you're some sort of—like you're a piece of meat!" Raihan drops his head on your bed. "I'm so sorry…"

Your heart twists in your chest at the sight, not liking how sad Raihan looks. You reach up, ignoring the dizziness that plagues you, and run your fingers through his hair.

"You saved me," you whisper almost laboriously. Heat travels from your face down your neck, red splotching your skin like a fever, sweat lining your brow. "I'm glad you gave that shithead what he deserves, because I tried to and…" You notice how Raihan's shoulders stiffen again, just like how they did in the gym. "Rai? Are… you okay?"

The tips of his ears are red. You're sure of it. Is he coming down with a fever? What if you weren't actually an Omega and this was just some really bad flu?

"...good."

You frown. "Huh?"

Raihan clears his throat. "Said you smell good."

You continue to lazily play with his hair, frowning. Why wouldn't he look at you? Something inside you aches strangely; you don't know what it is, but it has made you want to cry. You need Raihan. You don't know how you need him, but you need him.

"Rai…" Your voice is tiny when it leaves your lips, soft and needy, you feel Raihan shiver beneath your fingertips. "Can… I have a hug? I dunno what's goin' on and I'm sorry to ask because I know it's probably inappropriate and-"

Your rambling is cut off once the alpha slides in under the covers beside you. Strong arms encircle your waist, holding your heated body flush against your own. A wave of relief washes over you once your nose naturally finds its way up into the crook of Raihan's neck, nestling against the scent gland.

He holds you so tight. You feel so safe, so secure, like you're being bathed in both his scent and security. He smells so warm and tender, like crackling wood during a winter fire, comforting and caressing your senses beautifully.

He whispers your name, lips resting against the shell of your ear. "I'll stay with you, okay? I won't hurt you. I promise. You won't be alone through this…"

And alone you weren't. With the permission of your parents, Raihan was allowed to stay as a comfort for you during your very first and (very torturous) heat. The nights were spent clinging desperately to your best friend, whimpering softly into his ear, enjoying the way he squeezed your hips, the way he responded to your quiet calls with a low grumble of his own.

You didn't have sex that night, but you did share a tender part of your life together. Upon your quiet plead, Raihan's lips had found yours and satiated the desire that coursed through your veins. The kiss was slow and passionate and everything you could ever had imagined it to be. His lips were slow and supple and soft and even in your hazy state you knew they were addictive.

Raihan ended up shedding a few layers and coaxing you into his chest, surrounding you with his clothes in an attempt to appease your agony. It was a long and painful three days, but Raihan never left your side (unless it was to get you food or drink, of course).

During those three days, you became his girlfriend.

And four years later, he proposed.

Now it's winter. You're twenty one and currently dozing in the arms of your lover. Fingertips gingerly map his chocolate chest, tracing over every crease and every crevice of his muscles. He was sleeping now, lightly, of course, but the first two rounds had seemed to tire him out. There's a deep ache in your hips, but you don't mind. You'd take the pain any day if it meant caring for your alpha like this.

Your hands smooth back his tousled hair, sweat greasing the darker strands. You laugh to yourself quietly, leaning up to kiss along his hot cheek. Stirring, Raihan grumbles tiredly, rolling over so he pushes you flat onto your back and nuzzles his face into the swells of your breasts.

"Tch," you mutter as he lays atop your tinier frame. "So needy. What a hopeless alpha."

"Mmm…"

His lips drag against your right breast, the caress of his rougher lips have your back arching up off the mattress. You take a fistful of his hair, tugging it, enjoying the low growl that emits from your lover. One hand, large and tender, runs up your naked thigh, gripping the softness.

A sweet gush of slick wets your folds as his tongue rolls against your erected nipple. The way he sucks at you makes your eyes roll shut, a loud gasp being torn from you once the pad of his thumb presses against your twitching clit. Your hips press down against him when he begins drawing figure eights against your core, a familiar heat igniting in your belly.

"Rai…" You sigh, delighted.

The alpha slowly rolls you onto your stomach and props your hips up.

"Touch yourself," he all but grunts as he pulls away. You look over your shoulder at him, eyes slightly wider now.

"W-What?" The heat recedes to your now burning ears.

Raihan leans back on his knees, dick standing high and proud against his abdomen. A lazy smirk appears as he takes a fistful of your ass, digging his well-kept nails into the supple sphere.

"Touch yourself," he growls again. "And then i'll give you my cock."

A needy whine leaves you at the rougher treatment, the pleasure going straight to your core. Your head drops back onto the pillow, hot cheek pressed to the softness as you sheepishly reach between your thighs.

"Rai…" You find yourself whimpering as your fingers gingerly trace at the swelling of your clit. Your hips tremble, breath stuttering in your chest. You shyly watch over your shoulder, noticing just how hard those cyan orbs watch your fingers. It's always flattering just how enamoured Raihan is with you; even like this you're the centre of his attention.

You bite your lip, watching the tall man pant from behind you as your fingers explore the depths of your pleasure. You begin rocking your hips, fingers slowly inching back to sink into your sopping pussy. That's when you hear the low groan of your alpha. He really seems to be getting off on watching you play with yourself.

"Look, Alpha," you mumble, removing your fingers from your stretched hole; a line of slick joins your fingertips to your entrance. "So wet… All for you…"

You can tell he's barely holding onto his sanity; but truth be told, so are you. Over the years you've learned to quiet the voice of your biology, but sometimes you can't help to succumb to your inner omega and beg to be fucked until you're crying.

You reach behind with your free hand and pull one cheek apart, exposing your puckered rim. Your fingertips teasingly circle your upper hole, eyes focused on the way Raihan's widen. That seems to be the last straw for the alpha.

In a flurry of movements he has your wrists bound tightly above your head and tied to the headboard, his mouth absolutely ravishing your dripping sex. You're a writhing wreck once his tongue pries inside of you, relentlessly ravishing the sweet slick that pours from your throbbing entrance. You throw your head back, gasping loudly when his tongue licks at your ass, teasing the puckered rim with a smirk.

"G-Gah! N-No, Rai—Rai that's—oh fuck." You tighten your grip on the binds around your wrists, mewling loudly when his tongue pries your ass open. Your hips tremble. "S-So dirty… Y-You're so- ha~ so gross…"

A dark chuckle reverberates off each wall of the room. The wet appendage pushes deep inside you, curling and flicking as his teeth nibble at the sensitive muscles.

"You say it's gross, tell me to stop," he chuckles as he pulls back. He shuffles behind you, hands trapping your squirming hips that try to find some sort of friction. Slowly, with one hand on his cock, he drags the swollen head up along your folds. "But look how wet my precious little Omega is~ You really don't want it, baby? You really don't want me to fuck you again? Fill you with my pups and breed you like the beautiful little whore you are~?"

Your head has fallen back onto the pillow, tears now streaking your hot cheeks. "Please…" You choke out, pitifully.

Raihan lolls his head to the side, smirking down at you. "Look at me," His voice is so low when he speaks, the tinge of Alpha that colours his words awakening something inside of you. "Look at me when you beg for my dick."

And you obey instantaneously. Looking over at him, your expression is wrecked; eyes teary, face wet, lips bleeding from how hard you had bit them.

"Please, Alpha. Please fuck me. Please fill me with all you have. I want to feel you inside of me-"

Your words die in your throat when the thick, girthy cock plunges deep inside you with one swift thrust. It's so sudden that all that leaves you is a strangled cry. Considering the past two rounds you have gone through today, your body accommodates the intrusion gladly, your self-lubricated walls hugging his cock snuggly.

"Fuck, baby…" he growls, head dropping onto your shoulder. "Even now, your body keeps suckin' me in. You really are my nasty little whore, huh?"

"Yes!" You choke, wriggling your hips. "Yes, yes, please don't stop."

And he doesn't. It's not long before a nice pace is set up, hips retracting before pushing deep inside you until your filled to the hilt with cock. Raihan's head falls back as he relishes in the warmth your pussy provides, sighing with nothing but absolute bliss.

"You feel so good on my dick like this. You're so small, but you take it so good," Raihan gives a harder thrust that makes you yelp before he's pushing you onto your side and opening your legs. He smirks when your eyes meet, one hand going back to caress the sensitive bundle of nerves beneath your folds once more. Your body jolts and, as Raihan picks up the pace, soon your voice becomes louder, moans toppling effortlessly from your lips. "I wanna watch you cum on my dick, baby. Be a good girl, yeah? Let alpha make you feel real fucking nice."

The first orgasm has you crying out his name loudly. Your body rocks through the violent convulsions that follow suit, body tingling and hips twitching to rock back and forth. Raihan is absolutely mesmerised by the way your body struggles; he always enjoys watching you struggle the most. He enjoys watching your face flush and your back arch and your muscles tighten as you ride out the pleasure that waltzes with you.

"Rai-- Rai, fuck!"

You try to pull away when his hand quickens against your front, rubbing you without mercy through your first orgasm. Truth be told, you love this treatment; deep down you love when Raihan uses you like this, you love when he fucks you like he's going to break you.

"No one can make you come undone like this," he sneers, lightly slapping your thigh before moving his hand. Reaching up, still entirely sheathed inside of you, he rips the binds from your wrists, carelessly discarding the now shredded rope to the bedroom floor. "Now, how badly do you want my knot, Princess~?"

"Please-" You squeak instantaneously, eliciting a loud bark of laughter from your fiance. You flush. "P-Please."

Leaning over your smaller frame, Raihan presses a chaste kiss to your lips before pushing you entirely onto your back. He helps you wrap your legs around his waist, reeling his hips back before plunging them forward. The rhythm he sets up is slow at first, his lips moving knowingly against yours. Again, you're already panting, head becoming gradually foggy.

The scene plays through, the echo of sloppy kisses and obscenity of skin slapping against skin. Your souls slowly become one as your bodies press flush against one another.

Raihan gradually loses himself, holding your hips tighter, digging his nails into your skin and decorating you with red crescent moons. His lips leave yours and eventually find your neck, growling as he sucks and bites a constellation of red down your expanse.

The pain makes it all the while better, and when Raihan angles your hips up so he can begin drilling his cock deeper, you find yourself coming undone yet again, totally unannounced. You cling desperately to your fiance, clawing at his back, leaving your own artwork behind. It's not long before Raihan follows suit, hips snapping harder along to a silent three-four rhythm. The expansion of his knot knocks the air from your lungs once he sheaths himself inside you. Your eyes roll back and your back arches back up off the mattress for the umpteenth time.

A loud, low growl leaves Raihan when you clench around his growing knot. Then, he's moaning shamelessly into your ear once his own coils of cum spill inside of you. He holds your hips tighter, biting into the scarred mark that adorns your neck.

The small yelp that leaves you results in Raihan lapping the skin with his tongue, collecting any spillage of blood that may so soil your neck.

"Such a good girl," he purrs into your ear, voice low and thick, dripping with an amalgamation of adoration and desire. "I love you so much. I seriously love you so much," His lips trail along your jaw and to yours, hands moving to hover either side of your face. He kisses you gently before awkwardly rolling you both over. The position shift makes you whimper, discontent with the movement of his knot. Considering you'll be locked together for a while, Raihan helps you lay on his chest, pulling the blankets up over your back. "I can't wait to marry you," he murmurs quietly, large hand caressing your lower back. He smiles when you look up, tired. "Seriously. I can't wait to marry you and start a family with you, (name)."

Your burning face hides away in Raihan's chest and you feel the rumble of laughter shake him.

It still blew your mind that one day you were going to marry this man.

Oh, how lovely fate had been to you during this lifetime.

#raihan x reader #raihan #pokemon #pokemon swsh #pokemon sword #pokemon shield #pkmn sword and shield #pkmn swsh #pkmn #please let me know what u thing T__T #I hope this is okay #seriously #I feel so nervous with my writing these days;;;#enjoy my friends!!!!#no more smut for a while #im so #exhausted #h

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krispydefendorpolice · 5 years

Text

The Demon’s Bride (6)

Yikes, anyone else having trouble posting new posts on tumblr. When I went to write this up literally the only option I got was a text post. Did formatting change on the apps? *shrugs* oh well. Time for the next chapter.

So it’s been a long while since my last update. Work drags me down and I didn’t have the energy to commit to writing the ideas running through my head. (Look forward to more of my Drabble ficlets because of that.).

A couple weeks (?) ago I asked for a vote and I got 2 out of 2 for Demon’s Bride so here’s the next chapter. Enjoy.

Beginning Previous Next Masterpost

————————————

After Damian dropped Marinette off at the hotel she went inside and found a few of her classmates waiting in the lobby.

Nino was the first to see her. Standing up he called out, “Dude. Where have you been? We were so worried.”

Nino, Alix, Kim, and Max crowded around her as she entered.

“Sorry guys. My phone died on me,” holding up the dead phone for them to see, “so I couldn’t call for a ride or taxi. And I thought the hotel was reasonably close enough to walk. Forgot to account for Gotham’s Crime life though.” She added tapping her head with a closed fist to indicate the knucklehead move.

“You’re alright?” Nino asked.

Marinette hearing the unvoiced question nodded. “Fine. I had the criminal handled before the Bat and his brood showed up. Them actually getting there was what took so long.”

“Here Max,” Marinette said taking the glasses from her purse and handing them to the young man. “I also gave him some sugar cubes before and after our trip so don’t let him guilt you into believing I’m starving him either.”

“He tries it every time,” Max said replacing his frames with the pair Marinette handed him. A small ball of light briefly manifested before the small horse Kwamii hid in Max’s open bag.

“So what happened with Bustier after I left,” Marinette asked Nino as the group headed towards the elevator to take them to their rooms. Alix, Kim and Max fell back a step to follow behind the other two.

Nino pressed the call button before answering. “We told her you were still in the restroom before leaving the restaurant and again after boarding we told her you weren’t on. Markov even did a video recording of her reactions as well as a sweep of the bus to prove you weren’t on when we told her.”

Marinette raised an eyebrow. Ms. Bustier had ignored all that from her friends and left her behind anyways?

“She’s even worse here than at home.” Alix voiced what they were all thinking.

“Did you...?” Marinette trailed off.

“Report filled out, sent in and as of five minutes ago reviewed and filed by the Commandant. He’s waiting for a follow up from you.”

Alix and Marinette got off when the elevator stopped. The boys would go to the floor above where their rooms were. “Thanks guys. I’ll do my check in before going to sleep and let you guys know about any changes in the morning. Do we still have a free day?”

“We haven’t heard anything about it changing but Juleka sent a text a few minutes ago that she thinks something might come up for the fashion district based on what she’s heard so far?” Max said.

Marinette whined to herself, “She would choose something I like to try and spoil. Night guys.”

The doors closed on their calls while Marinette and Alix walked to their shared room and opened the door.

Marinette used the washroom to shower first since she had just been fighting an Akuma. While Alix was taking her turn, Marinette opened her now charged phone and started a video call.

“Bonjour Commandant,” she greeted when the call was answered and an older Chinese man appeared on the screen.

“Bonjour Marinette. The team and I expected your check in almost an hour ago and the others on the trip with you hadn’t heard anything.”

Marinette shrugged one shoulder. “My phones battery was already low and Voyage travel tends to be a coin toss on how it affects electronics. When I got back to the restaurant my phone was dead and I had to walk to the hotel.”

“And it took over an hour to get there?”

“Well no,” Marinette admitted. “I ran into one of Gotham’s criminals and had that handled easily,” she said before the Commandant interrupted, “but the Bat-clan showed up and... I ran into an old friend and we took a moment to catch up.”

“You ran into an old friend? After the Bats showed up? This friend wouldn’t happen to be a Bat would they?”

Marinette shrugged but smiled so that the man knew he got it right.

“And you won’t say anything because it could compromise identities.” The Commandant finished for her. “Alright, does it change any plans for this week?”

Marinette paused thoughtfully reviewing what would be happening that week. “I don’t think so. I know him but he doesn’t know about me being LadyBug.”

She smiled brightly, “actually I would love to keep that a secret for now and surprise him with it at the meeting. Oh! Can we get Viperion, Ryuko and Abeille to come to the meeting as well? We can get them to come across using Voyage so travel won’t be a problem.”

“Do they know this old friend?”

“Yes. Well, Viperion, Ryuko and Jiuweihu do.”

“Ah,” he said with understanding at the mention of the others who knew the friend and sighed. “How likely am I to have a revolt if I don’t somehow get this approved?”

Marinette smiled mischievously. “Oh very likely. Viperion will let you know from the start what he thinks about missing this chance but it will be Ryuko you will need to watch out for.”

The Commandant shook his head tiredly. He remembered the last time Ryuko had objected to something and the entire team had faced her wrath over it. “I will do what I can. As for the trip, I would like the team to stay together in pairs or as a small group on the class free days and with the class on the group days. There’s no need to push even your luck in Gotham with the way that the teacher is likely to neglect to take your safety into consideration.”

“Bien Sûr. We’ll be on our best behaviors,” she gave him a cheeky grin and saluted before ending the call.

“You know, if anyone had told me you were like this when we first met all those years ago I would have called them crazy,” Alix commented as she left the bathroom, towel drying her wet hair.

“That’s because you only knew Marinette. Mari is only for family and the team,” Marinette explained as she sat on her bed and pulled out her sketchbook.

Alix tossed the damp towel in the bathroom before pulling out a couple cookies and some carrots from the hotels mini fridge they had stocked that afternoon when they first arrived.

After placing them on the rooms small table two small Kwamii’s flew from their hiding places, one from Marinette’s purse and one from the suitcases in the corner where the girls kept their things.

“So what did the Commandant have to say,” Alix asked as she jumped onto her bed.

“He wants us to stay in the group as much as possible during the trip. Pairs at the very least. And he told me to stay out of trouble. Not in those exact words but the intent was clear.”

“Now why he would think that LadyBug would need orders to stay out of trouble is beyond me,” Alix joked.

Marinette glared at her before turning it on the Kwamii’s where they laughed on the table.

“No respect. I get no respect,” she mumbled humorously before turning the book to Alix. “What do you think?”

“It looks like a traffic light,” Alix observed the costume. “I’ve never seen you use that color combination together.”

“It’s the characteristic colors of the Robin uniform. I don’t know why they’ve chosen those colors but every Robin used them in some variation.” Marinette went back to sketching and adding tweaks to the costume.

“So Robin’s the childhood friend?” Alix asked.

Marinette froze.

She didn’t hear Alix call her name two more times. It wasn’t until a hand in her face had her reacting (and boy would she have to apologize for nearly dislocating Alex’s shoulder for her concern).

“Ouch,” Alix mumbled rubbing her arm. “You could have just said I need to keep it quiet,” she added as she stood up from the bed.

“Sorry Alix,” Marinette apologized.

“Nah, this’s my fault,” she gestured to her arm, “I know better than to startle you or the others on Alpha team. You okay?” She asked. “You kind of spaced out on me.”

“Yeah,” Marinette said. She laughed at Alix’s disbelieving look. She cuddled Tikki and Fluff who had come to her after finishing their foods. “I will be fine,” she corrected herself. “I’m just so used to keeping identities a secret and I’m not sure how Da... How my friend would feel if his identity was outed without his knowledge. We sort of have plans to see each other during the class free days so you’ll probably see him without the mask.”

“I can get that,” Alix said remembering when the team was in the dark about each other’s identities just a year ago. It had been an added stress on top of fighting for them to worry about protecting a secret with no end in sight. If given a choice she would definitely choose what they had today over what they’d had before. She mimed zipping her lips and locking it with an imaginary key that she threw over her shoulder.

“So he’s a hero too?”

Marinette shrugged. “I think so of course but most of the research I did before the trip indicated that the city and the heroes’ themselves mostly consider them to be vigilantes though.”

“Is there a difference?” Alix asked.

Shrugging, Marinette closed her notebook and turned off the light. “Isn’t it an “In the eyes of the beholder” kind of thing. A “your hero is my villian and my vigilante is your hero” thing, at times.”

“Do you trust him?” Alix asked.

“With my life,” Marinette answered immediately. “I’m not gonna keep LadyBug a secret forever. Just timing the reveal for the best effect,” she pointed out.

Alix snorted, “please let me be there when you do. I want to see the explosion on Commandant’s face.”

Marinette laughed with Alix as night finally settled down around them.

————————————

No recommendations this week but go check out @bluerosette23 Daminette masterlists if this interested you.

@mellownieice @mystery-5-5 @indecisive-mess-named-me You three sent me votes or a really sweet ask that I appreciate so you get the first tags this post.

@mindfulmagics @ozmav @bluerosette23 @vivilakitty @actualaster @multifandomscribette @mochinek0 @inevitableenquere @zebrabaker @poshplumcot @tog84 @luciferge @sonif50 @ravennightingaleandavatempus @northernbluetongue @actual-human-disaster @clumsy-owl-4178 @aarushi-03 @g-arya @moonyloonyx @fertileleaf @shreky-boi @thanks-captain-obvious @panda3506 @hinata3487 @thequestionablyhuman @dontgiveaflyinflip @dast218 @chocolatecatstheron @asianfrustration13 @slytherinsheashire @weird-pale-blonde-person @yin-390 @mycupisbroken @vixen-uchiha @kuroko26 @autisticlinx @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @mariae2900 @zalladane @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @tbehartoo @novicevoice @violatiger8 @thebookish3lf @fandomkitty8 @redscarlet95 @gingersnapnoir @chewbaccaatemythoughts

That’s the end of the tag list folks. I will tag you first if you send me an ask or vote for the next weeks update. What will it be?

Demon’s Bride or Miraculous Future?

#daminette #maribat #marinette x damian #Betrothed AU #The Demon’s Bride #DLDR #dead dove don’t eat

340 notes · View notes

mommoshh · 4 years

Text

Review and feedback on CMS WordPress

WordPress is a free open source CMS that suits both novice users and professional developers. Here are just the first in order to understand the capabilities of the engine, at least at a basic level, you need to be ready to study instructions, guides and forums with tips.

WordPress can be used to create blogs, company websites, landing pages, online stores, portals with the ability to register users. The functionality of the engine largely depends on what plugins are installed on it - and also on the skills of the webmaster: open source allows experienced developers to customize the system for themselves.

Many users start out with WordPress on their way to web development. This is not the easiest solution because there really is a lot to learn to create and customize a website. However, the engine updates clearly demonstrate that it is moving towards simplification, although deep customization still requires programming skills.

Although we are focusing on wordpress here, there are better alternatives to wordpress too.

What's new in WordPress 5.5.1?

Major updates in recent versions concern the Gutenberg block editor. For example, in version 5.3, a new Group block was added, which allows you to divide the page into several parts, and in the Columns block, support for fixed column widths appeared. In addition, text and background controls are now available in title blocks. The possibilities for deep customization have also expanded - now, the preferred style can be set to any block that supports this function.

Version 5.4 has two new blocks - social icons and buttons. With their help, you can quickly add interactive elements to the interface for going to pages in social networks, reposting, opening other sections of the site. In addition, there are new ways to work with colour: you can use gradients in the button block and skin.

There are also less noticeable improvements. For instance:

Images are automatically rotated when loaded according to built-in landmarks.

The extended health check screen recommendations indicate potential site issues.

When you log in, you are periodically prompted to confirm your email address to reduce the likelihood of the site being blocked due to a change in the administrator's email address.

The last major WordPress update is version 5.5. It has updated three key areas - engine speed, search capabilities, and security.

Lazy loading of images. Images placed on the page are not loaded until the user scrolls to them. On mobile devices, this technology also prevents browsers from loading images intended for other devices - for example, widescreen photos for the desktop. This saves traffic and reduces the load on the battery.

New XML sitemap that helps search engines find important pages right away.

Ability to enable automatic updates for plugins and themes, as well as support for manual updates via downloading ZIP files.

Much attention has been paid to the visual editor as well. It has new templates with combinations of text and media files, from which you can assemble beautiful layouts. All available blocks are now collected in a catalogue available in the editor. In addition, there was a built-in image editing - you can crop, rotate and scale photos directly from the image block.

Functionality

WordPress is the most popular system in the world. This fact is usually enough to immediately draw close attention to it. But it's much more interesting to understand why developers love WordPress so much. We have identified several reasons:

Flexibility due to the open-source engine.

Unique extensibility provided by a huge plugin base.

Multifunctionality and ease of use.

If you have never created a website before, then you will be surprised how easy it is to do it in WordPress. Even to get additional features, no special knowledge is required - in most cases, it is enough to install the required plugin. Experienced developers, on the other hand, value WordPress for its common PHP language and detailed documentation.

Before you start creating a WordPress site, you need to choose a suitable hosting and purchase a domain. Some hosters offer special rates optimized for working with the engine, but you do not need to buy them - for the first site, ordinary shared hosting is fine.

Even a novice webmaster shouldn't have any problems with installing WordPress - on most hosting sites; the system is deployed in a few minutes in one click. This also applies to the latest version. However, you need to be careful with updates. The main danger is the incompatibility of the engine and plugins after the update.

If you already had a site with an old version of WordPress, but now you decide to upgrade to 5.5.1, then it is recommended to disable all extensions before updating and then enable them one by one and check the functionality.

Once installed, WordPress is a fairly crude system that requires additional configuration. At a minimum, you will have to:

Go through all the settings sections to specify the name and address of the site, the type of permalinks, the format of the main page and other parameters.

Select and install a template.

Add and configure plugins for spam protection, SEO optimization, sitemap creation, name transliteration, etc.

All these actions you will perform through the administrative panel. It has been completely translated into Russian and made very logically. The control panel is an excellent example of a balance between functionality and simplicity. It is convenient to use it in all browsers and even on mobile devices without installing any add-ons or applications - although they are also available for iOS, Android and Windows.

The main menu of the control panel consists of the following functional sections:

"Console" - the main page, which collects general information about updates, news, comments.

"Records" - all materials posted on the site with the ability to edit them, add new ones and delete unnecessary ones.

"Media files" is a manager of images, videos, tables and other types of files uploaded to the hosting.

"Pages" is a section for managing static information - for example, the "About" page, terms of use or advertising. It offers the same functionality as Posts, except that published content does not appear in the blog feed.

"Comments" - all discussions on the site and moderation tools.

"Appearance" - tools for adding and customizing themes, including a built-in editor for template files.

"Plugins" - section for adding, removing and configuring extensions.

"Users" - managing all registered visitors, adjusting access rights.

"Tools" - WordPress service features such as import and export.

"Settings" - the main parameters of the site: name, language, mail, file format, rules for generating addresses, etc.

Within each section, there are thematic subsections containing their own sets of settings. All this makes the system highly customizable.

For advanced users who know how to work with CSS and PHP, WordPress offers a built-in code editor. With its help, the site can be deeply customized by adding widgets and blocks or, for example, replacing standard comments with an application from a third-party service. True, when making serious changes, it is recommended to unload the template files from the hosting and edit them on the computer, first creating a backup copy - this allows you to quickly return the theme to its original state if necessary.

The main tool for adding pages and posts is the Gutenberg visual editor. The classic editor offered limited content management functionality. To add additional features, users had to install plugins, which is not always convenient, including due to the increased load on the server. The Gutenberg editor addresses this issue by offering content function blocks:

heading, paragraph, quote, list;

image, gallery, audio, video and file;

code and markup elements;

widgets and inserts from popular services.

Each block can be configured individually. To add a widget to a page or a post from Twitter to a post, you do not need to work with the code: just select the appropriate block and provide a link to the content of interest, after which it will appear in the editor field. Permanent block combinations can be saved as templates, increasing the speed of publication creation.

Basically, Gutenberg allows WordPress users to do what website builders have long been suggesting - focus on how the content will look without being distracted by complex configuration settings. In visual editing mode, you can immediately evaluate how the page or post will be displayed, and you can make changes to the interface without resorting to editing the code.

Many WordPress users didn't like replacing the classic editor with Gutenberg. For those who prefer a traditional text / HTML editor, the Classic Editor extension has appeared in the plugin list. After adding it, you can choose with which editor you will add content - classic or visual.

Designs and work with templates (themes)

Websites are built on the basis of templates, of which a huge number have been developed for WordPress. The standard theme catalogue is available from the engine control panel in the "Appearance" section. Here you can select and install a template from the library, as well as download files downloaded from other sources.

Finding free templates for WordPress is not a problem - even if the theme is not Russified, you can fix it manually or using special programs. Version compatibility is much more difficult. However, the official plugins are updated fast enough so that there are no problems. If you have a paid template with support from developers, then there should be no errors either. Only old free themes that are no longer supported by the creators cause problems.

To avoid unnecessary problems, before installing the template, make sure that it is optimized for the latest version of WordPress. If there are no suitable options, then it does not matter. The same Gutenberg editor can be used to customize the template that would have required code changes in the past.

In the functionality of WordPress, we have already explored what the new editor is capable of. In fact, you can use it to customize the site's interface by creating new pages and adding widgets and blocks to them. If you have had experience with website builders, then you will instantly understand how it works. But even if the WordPress site is the first one, there will be no difficulties. With the help of widgets, plugins and shortcodes, you can quickly build the look of the page you want.

In addition, each WordPress theme has its own settings that allow you to upload a site logo, change the colour scheme, create the main menu, and enable/disable the display of individual widgets. The number of configurable parameters varies depending on the template, but the basic set is present in any theme. If you know how to work with CSS and PHP, then there will be even more possibilities for customization thanks to the open-source code of the engine and the built-in code editor, in which all template files are available.

Optimization (SEO) and promotion

When analyzing the pages at the top of the search results, it becomes clear that most of them are made in WordPress. This is due not only to the popularity of the engine itself but also to its promotion capabilities. When used correctly, the content is well-indexed by robots and ranks high.

Basic WordPress is not the best example of SEO optimization. But if you work a little with the engine, then you can achieve good results in search results without any problems - of course, taking into account the publication of useful and interesting content.

The first step to optimizing your website is choosing an SEO friendly theme. For a template to be considered as such, it must meet a number of requirements, including layout according to CSS3 and HTML5 standards, as well as fast page loading. If you buy or download a free theme from a third-party site, pay attention to its description - it should contain an indication of SEO friendly or SEO Optimized.

After choosing a suitable theme, you need to change the default configuration for WordPress.

In the general settings, specify the site address in the same style - with WWW or without WWW. In order for search engines to accurately identify the site at the specified address, add it to Yandex. Webmaster and Google Search Console.

Set the format of links like "site/category/post name". Go to the "Permalinks" section in the settings, select the "Custom" option and insert the value /%category%/%postname%.html into the field.

Further optimization of the engine is possible only with plugins. The first extension to install is Cyr to Lat. This plugin will automatically transliterate the names of pages and posts in Cyrillic to Latin. This will avoid the difficulties with an encoding that search engines face due to addresses with Cyrillic characters.

To optimize, you will also need to install one of their powerful plugins - All in One Seo Pack or Yoast SEO. After adding them, a new section will appear in the editor, where you can specify the title, description and keywords of the post. But the impact of SEO plugins on WordPress is not limited to this: there are a lot of options in their settings, for which there are separate guides for working. All in One Seo Pack covers all optimization needs, from meta tags for search engine spiders to creating an XML sitemap. Yoast SEO offers no less functionality, so it will be difficult to make a choice, but in any case, you will get very powerful website promotion tools on WordPress.

To improve behavioural factors, it does not hurt to connect an online consultant widget and install an online calculator to calculate something right on the site. You can use a CRM system to work with clients and process orders/requests. Of course, we recommend adding buttons for social networks. Such tools have a positive effect on website promotion in the search engines Yandex and Google, add weight to the perception of the site and are able to bring customers.

Price policy

The engine itself is distributed free of charge. You can download it from the official website or install it directly from the hosting admin panel - most hosters provide this option. You can also not pay for plugins and templates: even if some extension is distributed for money, you can almost always find a free alternative that will do the job just as well.

If you still want to install a premium theme, then prepare between $ 50 and $ 100. In this price range, there are a huge number of options on different theme sites, such as TemplateMonster. The cost depends on the functionality of the theme, its prevalence and the degree of the seller's popularity. Popular template stores average $ 75, but you can find options for both $ 45 and $ 600.

VIEW PREMIUM TEMPLATES

The situation is similar to plugins. The price is usually tied to what opportunities they offer. Often a free light version of the plugin is available in the WordPress directory. If you use it but at some point understand that there are not enough tools, then you can easily upgrade to the Pro version. Expanded functionality isn't the only benefit of the paid plugins. You also give money for support from the developers, which ensures compatibility with new versions of WordPress.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main plus of the latest versions of WordPress is the development of the Gutenberg editor, which adds a visual content management mode. Its appearance demonstrates the movement of the system towards simplification, lowering the entry threshold for novice webmasters. Gutenberg makes installing a number of extensions pointless by offering similar functionality in the base CMS.

Version 5.5.1 finally has support for lazy loading images. This will noticeably affect the speed of page loading, especially on mobile devices, where high-resolution images added for the desktop will no longer be loaded.

Other advantages of the system after major updates remained unchanged:

simple admin panel;

built-in file manager, which has become even more convenient to use thanks to the introduction of the Gutenberg editor.

an extensive library of plugins that extend the basic functionality of the engine;

a competent community and a large number of training materials.

With a change in the updated policy, a problem may appear - the frequent occurrence of problems with the compatibility of templates and plugins. If earlier large updates arrived twice a year, now the developers will send them more often. But there is a way out - you can not update immediately but accumulate versions with changes. In addition, in WordPress 5.5.1, update management has become even more convenient - now you can install plugin and theme updates automatically or download them manually via ZIP files.

Best WordPress Hosting

Even if you don't pay for themes and plugins, you will still need money for a WordPress site - at least in order to purchase hosting space and register a domain name.

The best site for WP projects is Bluehost hosting. It has an official recommendation from WordPress.org - the developers of the engine. They recommend Bluehost as one of the best CMS optimizations. Independent experts agree with the WordPress developers, who, on an ongoing basis, include Bluehost in the rating of the best ratings in the world.

TRY BLUEHOST HOSTING

To understand why Bluehost.com has so many positive reviews, just look at the list of its advantages:

Automatic installation of CMS WordPress on hosting in one click!

Server uptime rates are steadily approaching 100%.

High download speed.

Using a CDN to quickly deliver content to users.

Hosting web projects on servers in different countries of the world.

Free domain and SSL when paying for the plan.

Support for one-click installation of a large number of web applications.

Prompt technical support that answers questions through tickets, online chat or by phone.

Bluehost has special rates for WordPress sites. They are based on shared hosting and come in two lines: WordPress Hosting and WP Pro. The first one is suitable for small projects and consists of three tariffs. In the minimum configuration for $ 3.95 per month, you get 50 GB of SSD, on which you can create one site. At higher tariffs, the restriction on the number of sites and the available disk space is removed. All service packages include a free domain and SSL as a gift.

The WP Proline provides more powerful solutions that allow you to create professional WordPress sites.

Build ($ 19.95 / month) - The foundation for launching a professional website with a built-in analytics centre, 100+ free themes, daily backups, and malware protection.

Grow ($ 29.95 / month) - All Build features plus additional SEO tools, video compression up to 10GB / month, premium support.

Scale ($ 49.95 per month) - All Grow features plus unlimited backups, PayPal integration, unlimited video compression, advanced search, live chat support.

The latest service pack is suitable for e-commerce. But if you want to create a store on WordPress, then it is better to immediately go into another category of tariffs called eCommerce. Here are service packages optimized for WordPress and WooCommerce, the most popular e-commerce plugin. The cost of the tariffs is from 6.95 to 12.95 dollars per month. All packages have a built-in theme tailored for sales, free SSL and a free callback widget.

For large projects, Bluehost also offers VPS and Dedicated rentals. Virtual servers start at $ 18.99, and physical servers start at $ 79.99. All the features of shared hosting are available for them, but some tools need to be installed manually - for example, a backup system.

The domain name of the site is also registered with Bluehost. The rental price for a year depends on the domain zone. For example, an address like mysite.com can be purchased for $ 11.99 and mysite.blog for $ 16.99. The cheapest solution for Bluehost is a.SPACE domain. National zones are not represented in the catalogue, so if you want a site in.RU / RF, then buy a domain on another site and then link it to a project on Bluehost in a few clicks.

WordPress counterparts and competitors

With its open-source code and many extensions, WordPress offers functionality that only a few web development tools can provide. But when creating a website, it is not the power of the tool that is more important, but its effectiveness for the implementation of the project. If you look at WordPress from this position, you can find many services that are much easier to learn and do the job just as well.

Best WordPress Alternatives

uKit is a website builder for business, where you can assemble a one-page page, a business card, a company website or a small online store in a few hours. Intuitively simple and straightforward. Its tools are selected so that the service is convenient for novice webmasters. uKit offers several hundred thematic templates, made at a very good level, and the sites created on it are no different from the projects of professional developers.

uCoz is the only website builder competitor that can easily compare to WordPress in terms of functionality. The service uses a modular system that makes it versatile. What is added to WordPress as plugins are presented on uCoz in the basic package or available for installation as a module. The builder can be used to create any type of site, from a one-page site to an information portal with a forum, blog, and user registration.

Wix - Can be an alternative to WP when it comes to customizing the look and feel of your site. The constructor offers a huge number of colourful design themes made by professional designers. Basic functionality is higher compared to WordPress. In the built-in Wix App Market, the user can find dozens of useful applications and integrations with third-party services that extend the functionality of the service. So when creating, for example, an online store, choosing between WordPress and Wix is a very real situation.

Drupal is a free content management framework. More flexible, versatile, but also much more difficult to work with when compared to the WordPress CMS. Contraindicated for beginners, strong programming skills are required. Suitable for creating stores, news portals, social networks, corporate and other large-scale types of sites. It is impractical to use it for business cards, landing pages and other things in this spirit. There are many templates and modules, but their number is several times less than those on WP. Suitable for professionals only.

Joomla is a slightly more complex free CMS compared to WP. Usually, newbies choose between these two engines. The number of templates and plugins is very large but still noticeably inferior to that on WP. Best used for creating business cards, corporate websites, shops and social networks. Not so good for creating blogs, landing pages and forums. Basic coding skills are required - knowledge of HTML / CSS, the page code is easier to edit here than on WP with its PHP base. Good SEO opportunities, but the level of security in the stock suffers—balanced and popular engine for beginners.

Despite the fact that WordPress, in the latest versions, is moving towards simplifying content management tools, it is still far from top builders in this regard. In fact, Gutenberg is the same extension that adds visual editor capabilities to the CMS, only provided in the basic package.

The logic of working with Drupal is complex and inaccessible to beginners. This engine is usually used by webmasters who have been developing sites on the same WP for a long time, wanting to get more scalability for large projects. Joomla is comparable to WP in complexity and many features, but still not so easy to use, has a slightly different specialization.

On constructors, the ease of learning is not limited only to the design of pages and content. When creating a site on uKit, uCoz or Wix, the user does not need to worry about anything at all, except for the design and content, which are fully customizable in visual editing mode. To fully manage WordPress, however, coding skills are still required. On the other hand, it provides more customization options, which not all designers can boast of.

Conclusions and recommendations

WordPress is one of the best website building tools out there, which has gotten a bit easier with the release of version 5 thanks to the introduction of a visual editor. However, in terms of creation and reconfiguration, there are no major changes. Users still have to choose to host, take care of security on their own and follow the updates.

Create a website with WordPress + Bluehost1-click CMS installation on hosting ↵

Fast, easy and secure hosting with automatic installation of CMS WordPress in 2 minutes. It included FREE domain registration for one year + a free SSL certificate!

Price: from $ 2.95

WordPress 5.5 offers almost unlimited functionality, which is based on open source code and a wide range of extensions. However, not every project requires such versatility and power.

uKit and Wix are much more efficient to use if you need to create a company business card website, landing page or a small online store - these builders offer all the necessary tools.

uCoz - it is wiser to choose when it comes to a complex project - at least it will eliminate the need to select hosting and monitor updates.

However, WordPress is one of the top website building tools used by both beginners and seasoned developers alike. It can be used to solve various problems, but only you yourself know whether it is suitable for the implementation of your idea.

#web developers #website #wordpress #blogging-sites #web development #cms #hosting

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derryhawkins · 5 years

Text

I Love Him, Your Honor

summary: During college, Richie works part time at a law office for the sole reason it pays well, and he honestly thinks it’s utter hell. But then he meets another part time employee who works down in the file room and, well, maybe the law office isn’t completely hellish. words: 4.5k a/n: i honestly don’t even know why i’m posting this but hey i made an ao3 account finally and you can read this on there if you want! richie’s part time job is purely based off of mine; i got this idea yesterday when leaving and just ran with it, and thus this chapter was born. idk when the next chapter will be up but pls give this love

chapter one: you need a job

“Look, Rich,” Ben Hanscom starts as they exit their shared physics course, sidestepping a few other college students who were being slow. He calls back a genuine sorry after accidentally shoving one of them before turning back to his friend, the curly haired boy just barely passing him in height. “You need a job. You’re nearly twenty! Bev says they need help over there, like, so bad. They had to fire someone, and two others quit and they’re leaving in a week.”

Richie Tozier looks at Ben incredulously. The dark haired college student knew full and well of Beverly Marsh; the short little redhead is one of his best friends and Ben’s fiancée. Richie likes to give himself credit for their relationship, because according to him, he set them up back in freshman year of high school. Six years later and they’re engaged, and Bev has a full time job after finishing college within two years, and Ben’s on his way to (hopefully) be an architect. Of course, that’s not how it went. Richie and Beverly met Ben in a crappy, run down elevator that worked from time to time at their school. Ben had been running late, the other two were ditching. They got stuck for five hours in that crappy elevator. Richie just likes to say he planned it. But, of course, that’s not what this current situation is about. (And the school banned anyone from using the elevator there on out).

“Bev works at a law office, Ben!” Richie yells, throwing his hands in the air as if to make a point. “All they do is sit at desks in front of computers.”

Ben rolls his eyes. “Like sitting at home on your phone or in front of the TV aren’t the same thing as sitting in front of a computer.”

Richie ignores the sarcasm. “I don’t need a job.”

“You quit your other one last month. We’re in college, man! It’s like, I dunno, death not having a job. You need to eat food!”

“I can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner here because I’m in a dorm, and on the weekends when I’m home the ‘rents cook. I’m fine!”

It’s silent as Ben gives Richie a look while they continue to walk down the steps of the building, mixing in with other students who are either leaving or heading to class. Thankfully for Richie, he only has physics today; the only down side is that it’s an 8am course, and it had been the only one available when he signed up for classes. He has Ben, though, so it isn’t all too terrible. And it’s his only 8am. Half of the others are hybrids – he only has to show up for the midterm and final, and turn in work online – and the others are either afternoon or night classes. He has it pretty easy this semester.

So, yes, he can easily get a job, and he has been thinking of getting one, but now both Ben and Beverly are pestering him about it and suddenly he doesn’t want to get one. Richie scratched at his jaw as he thought of his previous job – the stereotypical college job at McDonald’s. He’s worked there since junior year of high school, and it wasn’t that it was bad. It had been decent, at most. He liked the money, liked the food he got to bring home and to his friends, and liked the cute girls and guys who walked in. He just quit because it got too ‘going through the motions’. Richie knows a law office isn’t going to be much better.

If he gets a job, he wants to at least like it.

The January wind nips at them as they step outside, both guys’ faces scrunching up in various forms of oh shit it’s cold. Ben fixes the scarf around his neck to cover his nose and wraps his arms around himself. Meanwhile, Richie just hunches his shoulders, clenching his teeth together. In just a t-shirt, a thin zip-up jacket that’s not zipped up, and ripped skinny jeans, he wasn’t dressed properly for the winter months; Ben, on the other hand, who’s decked out in a scarf, a thick winter jacket, comfortable jeans and gloves, is dressed properly.

Richie can hear his parents’ voices now reprimanding him for not wearing the proper clothes, and soon enough her could hear his other best friend, Stan Uris, with them.

“Just… At least think about the job, okay?” Ben speaks as they get to the sidewalk by the road, lowering the scarf so his friend can hear him better. They both stop walking and face one another. “And wear decent winter clothes, man, you’re gonna catch another cold.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” he says. “You’re starting to sound like Stan the Man, Mistah Handsome.”

The corners of Ben’s lips turn up. “You’re genuinely getting better at those voices, Rich.”

Richie feigned offense. One hand moves to his chest as if his heart were hurt. “You say that as if I haven’t always been amazin’,” he says, voicing sounding like it could be southern but neither of them were too sure.

“Well…”

A gasp. “Ben!”

They both start to laugh then but it dies down soon after. Ben unwraps his scarf and tosses it to Richie, who catches it with ease, and then starts to leave. “Gotta blast, Rich.”

Richie smiles. “Ah, yes, get home to the Missus!” He puts the scarf on. It’s not much at all, but it still helps.

“No, I got another class and then I’m taking the almost Missus lunch.”

“Tell Bev she sucks for me!”

“Why?”

“She ate my last bag of hot Cheetos when she stopped by yesterday.”

Ben laughs. “Alright, yeah. Will do!”

And just like that, Richie is alone. It honestly isn’t often he and Ben get to spend time together. Hell, even his time with his two best friends isn’t much. They all have school or work or both, and it’s just hard not spending as much time together as they used to. Which was where Wednesday night game nights came in. Weekends, they all went their separate ways to their parents. So, they did the next best thing: Wednesdays. At the thought of their game nights, Richie pulls out his phone as he hurriedly walks to his dorm and opens the group chat, sending a quick game suggestion.

+++

Music plays softly from the laptop at the foot of the bed, a generous amount of papers and a text book between Richie and it. He doesn’t particularly like studying – who does? – mostly because he’s never had to properly study before, but physics isn’t exactly on the easy side of things, and he doesn’t want to fail; his mom claims he probably doesn’t even need to study too much given as he understands math easily, and Richie thinks that’s the exact opposite of what a parent should be saying to their child who’s trying to successfully get through college. But, hey, they’re relationship isn’t on the rocks anymore – a shit load of teen angst on his part, a small drinking problem on her part, too engrossed into his job on Wentworth’s part, and being batshit annoying on his little sister’s part – so the legal adult doesn’t mind not being told to study, either.

The Tozier family is back to being good and mostly healthy, and as happy as they were when Richie had been a little kid. Only now, Tori is the one with teen angst and Richie’s doing his best to be a decent big brother by helping out with it.

A shrill ring cuts off the music and pulls him away from his thoughts, flinching at the sudden change in sound before reaching over and muting his laptop. He pauses the music and answers the call on his phone before pressing speaker. A smile forms at looking at the caller I.D.

“I was just thinking about you, T-Rex!” Richie exclaims and he goes back to copying down a problem from a work sheet the professor handed out in class.

“Oh, the amazing Richard thought about me,” she sarcastically says. “What ever will my fangirl heart do?”

“I predict that you will sob once the call is over and scream at your equally fangirly friends about how I graced your ears with my wonderful voice.”

“More like made them bleed.”

“You wound me!”

“Good!”

“First Ben, now you – my poor old heart can’t take it!”

“Then perish.”

He snorts out a laugh.

“But, hey, I’m calling for a reason, dickhead. Stop whatever you’re doing and listen to the best little sister in the world,” Tori tells him.

Richie sighs and drops the pencil dramatically. It hit the notebook with a soft thud but it’s loud enough for Tori to hear over the phone. “Why, do tell, young maiden,” he says, using a Voice.

“Mom’s sick with a bad cold.”

He blinks. “…Okay?”

“Dad’s gonna still be at work until five-.”

“Whoa, hold on, wait a damn minute!” Richie sits up and pulls his computer close to look at the time as he realizes what’s happening. More accurately, what the girl was getting at. “Victoria!” Richie had been so caught up in doing the math problems and messing with the sixteen year old demon he calls a sister to even take notice of the time until then. It’s not even time for her to be out of school – hell, it was barely 11:30. “T-Rex, how scandalous of you! Skipping school.” He pauses. “Fuck, you’re me.”

“I mean…we are related.” A beat of silence. “But I’m not skipping. I got suspended. Mom’s too sick to answer the phone, and Dad’s too busy at work. I convinced them to let me call you.”

Richie sighs. “It’s two weeks into the semester, T-Rex.” He leans an elbow on his knee and put his forehead in the palm of his hand.

Getting suspended isn’t exactly a new thing for either Tozier children. Richie got detention countless of times for various reasons, earning him a few times of suspension, and Tori just has a habit of mouthing off adults – similar to her big brother – but also has one of fighting – not so similar to her big brother.

“I don’t know what you want me to do, kid.”

“Pick me up,” she replies with a duh tone.

“My truck’s still in the shop, dingbat.”

“Well, I don’t exactly have a car, either, douchebag.”

Richie is quiet for a split second. “Okay. Look. I’ll try to get one of my friends to drive me over there. Stay in the office, and just walk home if I’m not there by twelve-thirty.”

Tori grumbles. “Fine.”

Richie makes a face at her sour attitude, about to say something – “Ah, teen angst, what a marvelous thing it is” – when she hangs up before he can ever utter another word. He gasped at the device and sent her a bunch of middle finger emojis before dialing his three friends one by one. Ben didn’t answer. It stopped ringing halfway through the third ring and not a minute later, Ben’s text of “still in class” lit up his phone once again. He then calls Beverly, who he knows won’t answer but did it anyway for the sake of annoying her. To his surprise, she answers; only to greet him with a short, “No,” before hanging up on him.

“Stanny Boy, you better pick up,” Richie mutters as he crawled off of the dorm bed, finding his shoes.

“This better be good, Trashmouth,” is Stan’s form of greeting not even two seconds later.

Richie grins, pleased at least one of his friends is letting him explain. “Not good in the long run but it’s for a good enough reason, Bird Brain,” he says. “Where are you?”

“…What did you do?”

He rolls his eyes. “Not me. Our ferocious T-Rex.”

“She’s your sister.”

“She’s adopted you as her ‘better big brother’. This is what you get for befriending me when we were four and she was one, and staying best friends with me our entire lives. If you need to feel better, know that I did call Mister and Missus first because I know you enjoy your lazy Mondays.”

Stan hums. “It doesn’t.” Then Richie hears shuffling on the other end, and his hopes rise high. “But I’m on my way to pick you up. You can explain everything then.”

“You’re the best, Stanley, might as well marry you right now! Let’s go elope – take a road trip to Vegas!”

“I’ll castrate you.”

“Kinky.”

“Oh, my god.”

“See ya when you get her, my love.”

“Yuck, don’t ever call me that again. Bye.”

+++

A year and a half later, Richie never once thought he would be entering his old high school ever again – excluding the reunions he knows Beverly will drag them all to, none of the boys exactly having a choice in the matter – let alone the office of said school. Yet here he stands, all of the memories flooding back to him; both good and bad ones. He wasn’t exactly popular in school. More of the annoying class clown everyone hates but secretly finds funny. At least, at first. Everything eventually changed in sophomore year.

Richie makes a face and turns to Stan. No one was at the front desk, so they were being forced to wait to collect the youngest Tozier from the principal’s office.

“I should’ve let her rot here.”

Stan rolls his eyes. “You’re too good of a brother for that,” he says. “The principal hated you and she’s most likely getting secondhand hate from the douchebag himself.”

Richie’s eyes widen behind his glasses at the realization. He hadn’t exactly left the high school on good terms with anyone, minus his three good friends and the math teacher for the freshman, and maybe the woman who usually sits at the desk in the front office. “Fuck,” he whispers. Then louder, “What if she’s getting bullied?”

Stan gives a look that said he was crazy. “She just got suspended for fighting. I’m sure she can take care of herself, man.” He pauses, worries his bottom lip, and sighs. “But now I’m worrying about that too. So, thanks for that.”

Only a few seconds of silence goes by before Richie speaks again. “You think people still talk?”

“Nah. Everyone who was here then has graduated. Unless, one or two got held back.”

“The teachers are gossip royalty here.”

“I doubt they gossip about former students to current students, especially when one of them is your baby sister.”

“Our baby sister.”

“Just because I helped you babysit all throughout middle school doesn’t mean I’m her brother, too. We’ve been over this!”

“Try telling her that; the kid adores you! Always has.”

“Which is weird. Besides, back to the point, it's twenty-nineteen now. People who shit on someone for liking the same gender should just become extinct cavemen.” The words cause Richie to let out a laugh.

“Well, look who it is,” the lady who sits at the front desk finally appeared. Both young adults smile at seeing her, genuinely pleased. Miss Mims was one of the few adults at the school Richie and his friends liked; Hell, they still like her. In a year and a half, the woman hadn’t changed much. Long dirty blonde hair had been cut to her shoulder, and her dark eyes seem happier. Her usual blouse and nice pants are the same, and she’s still just under five feet. “Uris and Tozier, what a pleasant surprise.” Miss Mims smiles at them.

“Hi, Sara!”

“Hey, Miss Mims.”

She chuckles and holds up her left hand. “It’s Mrs. Delaney now, kids.”

Stan grins and leans forward to check out the rings on her finger. “Congratulations! When did it happen?”

Richie leans forward too, and nearly knocks Stan over, mouth in a big toothy grin. “Give us the deets, Sara! Who’s the lucky fella? Or gal, y’know. Bet they’re good in bed, huh, Staniel?”

“Rich,” Stan warns, almost in a reminding tone.

He blinked. Then, “Oh! Right, forget those questions Sar- Uh, Mrs. Delaney! My kid sister is stuck in the principal’s office, I’m sure you’ve heard why. Suspension. Fighting. The shticks.”

Mrs. Delaney snorts. “You Toziers are something else. But yeah, I’ll go get her. Where are you parents?”

“Sick and working. I’ve got the rest of the day free, so I volunteered myself to do the dirty so Went wouldn’t have to leave.” He purposefully didn’t say anything about not telling their parents, or even planning on it. At least, he knows Tori isn’t going to tell. And he’s not going to throw her under the bus no matter how funny it’ll be.

Stan rolls his eyes. “His truck isn’t working so I got dragged along.”

“You love me, Staniel.”

“Debatable.”

“I’ll go get her. Shouldn’t be long at all.”

And it isn't.

Within five minutes, the baby of the family is stepping out while Mrs. Delaney goes to her chair behind her desk, marking the girl as being picked up by a family member. The sight of Victoria, to put it simply, surprises both college students greatly. There's a cut on her bottom lip, and the intricate fishtail braid she had done that morning after straightening her usually wild curls is gone. All her knuckles are scabbed over and bruised, and there's a tear at the knee of her jeans, showing a pale bandaid instead of her pale skin. Richie quickly stuffs his hands into his jacket pockets as his brows lower in concern but mostly anger, lips pulling into a thin line. She's gotten in fights before but never has she gotten so beat up. Stan, still beside Richie, is barely hiding his shock. The stares from the two quickly make Tori uncomfortable and she shifts on her feet, tennis shoes squeaking against the polished tile. It's clear she's in a worse mood Richie originally thought. He just believed she punched someone, yelled a few choice words, and then got sent to the office. Rather, it had been a full fledged fight with two fists and blood, and he can tell Tori isn't happy. Not even angry right now. Just...sad, almost.

"You should see the other guy," she tries to joke, but it falls flat quickly.

"It was a boy?!" Richie shrieks, finally blowing his top. He can handle, for the time being, his sister fighting another girl; he can't handle a boy hitting her physically. He turns to Mrs. Delaney accusingly, the newly married woman jumping at the sudden movement. "You let a boy hit my baby sister?"

"Rich, whoa, calm down," Stan quickly moves and sends an apologetic look to the woman. "It's not her fault, man."

Tori messes with the ends of her brown hair. "I... I'll explain later. Can we just please leave?"

He shakes his best friend off of him, and Richie huffs. "Fine, okay. Whatever." He pauses. "Uh, sorry, Mrs. Delaney."

The woman just gave a smile that tells them that she forgave the outburts. Then, the three of them walk out of the school and to Stanley's car. The ride is silent almost the entire time. Stan got a phone call from his boss at a café he works at, which shifts their ending destination to Stan's work place rather than the university seeing as he needs to get to work pronto, and a spare uniform is in his trunk. Twenty minutes later, the Uris is ushering the Toziers out of his car. Richie doesn't make a move to talk about the fight. Tori doesn't make a move to explain. It's clear she doesn't want to, not yet, and even though Richie desperately wants to know what happened, he can't just force it out of her. She shuts down completely; he's learned that the hard way.

"Hey," Stan speaks up as he gets the uniform out of the trunk. "Sorry I can't take you the rest of the way."

Richie shrugs, looking around. His eyes then land on a familiar beige and dark brown building, and in the front parking lot he takes notice of a familiar black car. He checks the time on his phone, and then starts off, telling his little sister to stay by Stan's car, ignoring their calls of questions as he races across the busy street. He nearly get hit a few times and flips off anyone who honks at him, but he eventually made it to the other side. He jogs to the building and walks in, smiling widely at the receptionist up front.

"Hey, has a blond guy about my height come in by any chance?" He asks the woman who can't be much older than thirty, leaning on the counter, slightly out of breath.

She looks at him as she hangs up a call she just ended. "Yeah." Her brows pull together. "He went back that way, why?"

He doesn't answer. Instead, he spins on his heel and goes in the direction the lady pointed in. It's not long at all until he hears the familiar laughter of Ben mixed with Beverly's. "My, if it isn't two my favorite people in the whole world!" Richie exclaims as he enters the office.

Ben yelps in surprise but quickly relaxes. "Jesus, Richie..."

Beverly grins and lunges at Richie, pulling him into a tight hug. "Hi! Have you made up your mind already?" She pulls back a split second later to look at him, hopeful.

"Uh." Richie holds up a finger. "No."

"Rich-."

"I need Mr. Handsome here to drive me and Tori back to the university," he interrupts her, and clasps a hand on Ben's shoulder. "And then I need to borrow his car to take her home so our parents don't find out she got suspended."

"She what?!" The two shout in unison. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that they were heard throughout the building.

"Long story," he mumbled, trying not to show how upset he was.

Beverly's blue eyes narrow the slightest bit. She knows something's up; she always does, somehow. Like a sixth-sense for when her friends are upset. Maybe it's because she's a year older than them all. "Ben's not driving you unless you agree to work here," Beverly says quickly. "Period."

"Oh, c'mon, Bev-," Richie tries. He looks to Ben for help, but the guy looks away as if he's admiring the awful pale green color on the wall.

The twenty year old shook her head, strands of red hair falling in her. She brushes them away with ease. "No. You need a job, Rich, you know that. And Maggie and Went would be agreeing with us." She motions between herself and Ben.

Richie makes a face.

"The pay's good," Beverly says quietly after a few seconds.

The look goes away. "...How good?" Not a minute later, Beverly grabs a check she has yet to put in her account and handed it to him. Brown eyes widen from behind the frames of his glasses. He let out a low whistle. "Damn..."

"They're lawyers, Richie, it's not exactly gonna be a bad pay. It's not McDonald's. And you'll most likely work part time, meaning you'll get to pick your hours. They're lenient. Just show up, do your job, respect them and everyone else, and they'll be happy."

Richie stares, thinking it over, and hands the check back to Beverly. She takes it quickly and puts it back in her purse, both her and Ben waiting for Richie's answer. He crosses his arms and looks between his two friends. Good pay. Lenient. Pick your own hours. A sigh leaves his lips and he lets his head fall backwards. He does need a job. He can't live on ramen forever, and he certainly can't live off of the box of Cosmic Brownies hidden in his closet away from his dorm mate. "Alright," he finally says, sounding defeated.

Beverly grins like a madman and squeals. "Perfect! Kim!" She dashes out of the office and grabs Richie to make him tag along. They pass by the lobby in a flash, and Richie barely has time to smile at the receptionist cheekily. They continue down the hall, passing cubicles that are mostly empty and a few offices that have people in them, and don't stop until the very end. She's then dragging him into a slightly bigger, nice office with shelves for books and a bigger desk with two chairs. A woman in her forties at at the desk, typing on her phone. She has brown hair that went to her shoulders and blue eyes peer up at them both as they stand behind the chairs. She looks nice, Richie has to admit, but there was also something about her that demanded respect and oozed authority. "Kim, this is Richie Tozier, my friend I told you about."

Richie smiles, and decides to be a decent human. "Hi, it's nice to meet you," he says, sticking a hand out for her to shake. If he could stay the way he is with his friends, he most definitely would. But Kim actually scares him a bit, and he doesn't want to get on her bad side just yet.

Kim smiles back and shakes his hand after standing. "You too, Richie. Beverly's told us a lot about you," she tells him, chuckling. "I guess she's told you about how we're low on employees?"

He chuckles. "Yea- yes, ma'am."

"He's decided to work here, as long as you and Thomas and Peter are okay with it," Beverly explains.

She scoffs and then lets out a loud laugh. "Of course we're fine with it! Work has been piling up for everyone already, and its only going to get worse when those two officially leave. We need all the hands we can get."

"I'd have to work part time," Richie tells the woman. "I'm in college."

"Completely okay," Kim says pairing her words with a smile.

"And I don't have my truck right now, its in the shop, so I don't know when I can start."

"Oh! Tomorrow! We can carpool, it'll be your sophomore year all over again - minus, y'know, the thing," Beverly says. Her hand waves in the air and she half rolls her eyes, and Richie snorts. The thing... It certainly was a 'thing', alright.

"Bev-."

"Fine, I'll make Ben drive you."

"Dude, he has barely any free time, don't do that to him... Okay, we can carpool until I get my truck back."

"Yes!"

Kim chuckles at the two, softly shaking her head. She looks at Richie then. "Welcome aboard, Richie. Come in when you can tomorrow, and then we'll figure out set hours. Sounds good?"

Richie nods. "Yes, ma'am. I'll probably be here around ten."

"Perfect."

Finally, after that and after stealing Bev's hot Cheetos Ben had brought her - he wasn't a total ass, he left the sandwich and drink - he left with Ben, the blond taking him over to where Stan works; where Tori is still patiently waiting. The girl climbs in without a second thought and thankfully Ben doesn't mention her disheveled appearance. As they leave, they wave bye to Stan. Well, they wave by to the café and grill, hoping in some weird way Stan might be able to see them.

#reddie #richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #it #it 2017 #it chapter two #my writing #*#the losers club #i'm not gonna tag everyone #bc i'm lazy #but pls enjoy this

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jinmukangwrites · 5 years

Text

Labrat

Some writing on the Modern AU thing everyone's been screaming at me to do. It's not the official story, there will be more planning and back story into it, but this was just something I wrote to get some thoughts down.

Prompt: Wild as lab rat / Discord Warrior Week prompt.

Warnings: description of gory injuries, blood, lots of blood, somewhat out of characterness, reference to experimentation, bad medical knowledge on authors part, Jin trying her best.

-o-o-o-o-

"So… what's your name?"

Rain pelts down, splashing against the windshield as Warrior drives. His windshield wipers need to be replaced, he should talk to Malon about it later, he can stand smudged windows only for so long. He takes his eyes off the road to look at the kid huddled as close to the door as possible in the passenger seat. His whole face is pink from the botched attempt to wipe off the blood that came impossibly from a bullet wound to the head. Now it is just a scar in between his eyebrows.

Warrior's borrowed jacket does nothing to hide the streaks of red that trail down the kids neck and into the white cotton sweater and sweatpants the kid was wearing. It does nothing to hide how scrawny the kid is, or how tired and scared he looks.

What did they do to him?

The kid remains silent and clutches his hands on his biceps. His blue eyes stubbornly stare out the window.

"My name's Link," Warrior says. He clears his throat and looks out to the road again. He sighs and changes the settings on his wipers so they went faster. The rain is picking up. "But there's actually a lot of people named Link nowadays, and there's quite the handful of us back at HQ, most everyone just calls me Warrior."

The kid remains silent.

Gunfire. It's a constant when you're fighting against corruption and evil. He and his team have finally found the rumored lab. Princess Zelda could be in there, inside that lab located in the middle of the ass nowhere; what felt like a million miles from Castle City. In reality it is just a short fifteen minute jog from the Zora's Domain / Hyrule Kingdom border. But the location doesn't matter. What matters is that Zelda could be held prisoner in there and Warrior has to save her.

They charge into the building and bullets zip into the air, covering the screams of the wounded. The soldiers in the labs are well trained and the scientists are prepared for a siege.

"Omega, find the computers. Get all the information you can," he commands as they barge into the building. Warrior holds out his gun and rapped fires almost ten guys down in the blink of an eye. Seven comrades nod and head off a different path from the rest. "Gama, search for the leader," five of the best warriors he had on his team complied and broke off in a separate direction as well. Warrior turns to the remaining three, four including himself. "Alpha, we check the cells."

He was hoping to find Zelda. He found the kid instead.

"You know you're safe now, right?" He asks. He hears a shifting of fabric and he turns in time to see the kid huddle further into his borrowed jacket. He turns back to the road once again. "You'll see soon enough. You'll like HQ, it's super peaceful. Everyone there are very nice. I think you'd get along with Malon, I bet she'll practically adopt you."

The number of corrupt soldiers in the compound become fewer and fewer the further they head into the hallways. Warrior and the other members of his team split up when they finally find where the cells are located. They open each metal door one by one, most are empty, the others have corpses. It smells horrible, especially one particular empty cell that looks like it has been lived in for a very long time.

Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of gunfire splits through the air.

He sighs once again. He's been doing that a lot since his team left the compound with nothing but a strange kid and documents on the horrible stuff done to him. He wants to throw up thinking about it, but he knows he has to save it till later. Time and Impa would want to know what happened on the mission, not how he feels about it.

The rest of the ride is silent and filled with Warrior constantly checking his mirrors for the other cars in his group and for a possible tail. They haven't lost anyone this time around, which is good, but it sets Warrior on edge. The compound looked half empty when they got there in the first place. The highest member there was an assistant scientist and the soldiers were numbered in few. And… they were trying to kill their main subject.

He and the others sprint over to the horrible noise. Who's firing the gun? Who's on the receiving end? Questions and worries cycle through his head like a broken record until he and his team barge into what looks like a morgue, just bigger and holding only one table. A table with straps. His breath catches in his throat when he sees a scientist and a soldier standing over a child, blood is splattered across the floor and painting the walls red. The kid is red as well, but they are groggily trying to sit up. There isn't a wound on his body to suggest where all the blood came from.

"Drop your weapon and surrender!" He demands, pointing his gun at the solder who has his own weapon pointed right at the figure on the ground.

The solder doesn't listen, he fires his weapon and the bullet rips through the skull of the kid… the child, and kills him instantly. Warrior downs the scientist and the soldier right there in the blink of an eye.

Hours pass and Warrior has given into the temptation of the radio. Upbeat pop music sings through the speakers of his car and the kid has fallen asleep, not that Warrior can blame him. He's had a very rough… who knew how long.

"Dammit," Warrior growls and tries not to look at how much red is splattered on the floor and walls. An innocent kid has just been killed right in front of Warrior, and he could do nothing about it. He turns to the others in his group and is slightly comforted that they look as sick as he feels. "Check the other rooms, see if you can find any others."

They nod and leave the morgue-like room, leaving Warrior alone with the corpses.

He slowly walks up to the body of the scientist and carefully begins to go through their pockets. All he finds is a name tag, indicating the scientist isn't of important status. There's handcuffs in the back pocket and Warrior doesn't want to know what those are for. He stands up and goes to the soldier, relieving them of their weapon and checking for anything else that could be useful. There's a walki, but it is crushed, probably by how the body fell when Warrior shot it in the heart. He sighs and looks at the single table in the room. There's blood all over it and the straps are torn and frayed from countess times of usage. He fights the urge to vomit when he looks down at the kid again. Blood is lazily dripping through the hole in his head.

Then, something flickers by the body of the kid. Warrior blinks and narrows his eyes, taking a weary step forward, as that something flickers again. It continues to light into existence, slowly, weakly, and soon he thinks he can make out the vague form of a Zora woman cloaked in teal light.

"C-c'mon…." She whispers. Her voice is so weak and she's talking like she's been in pain for a very long time. "I- you won't die… like this…"

Her frail and transparent hands shakily go down to the kids cheeks, ghostly steam rises, but nothing else happens.

"What the hell?" He whispers.

The Zora woman shoots her head up and she looks at him with wide eyes. "You can… see me…?"

Warrior can do nothing but nod. The Zora woman smiles for a second before she's looking down at the kid desperately once again. "You have to… help me… lend me your… strength…"

He doesn't understand what she means, but he walks over to her anyway and sits down next to her. Her hand is suddenly grabbing his and it feels like cold fire. She places the other hand over the gruesome hole in the boy's head and she closes her eyes, flickering once, twice, as she activates… something.

Warrior can feel a fire erupt in his veins, though it doesn't hurt. He can sense that something good is happening, and he should let it continue. The Zora woman grunts in effort as the hole in the kid's head begins to slowly repair itself. Warrior watches as brains stitch back together, as the skull grows around it, as tissue forms and skin closes in a horrid scar. He sees something else glowing then, and when he looks down he sees that it's his own hand that the light is coming from. Or, more like the triangle symbol glowing at the back of his head. He barely has time to question what that is before the Zora woman lets out a final, agonized cry before completely fading out from existence.

Then, the boy below him groans.

After that, got got a call from the Omega team, saying that they found the what the rumored important project was. It was a boy that could come back from the dead.

As Warrior pulls into a hidden, underground entrance and parks his car in the garage, he looks at the back of his hand. He's never seen that symbol before, well... never on his hand. He's seen it multiple times in the ancient structures of old buildings closer to the castle, and the castle itself seems to be based completely off of it. It's in religious texts and on the robes of court witches and wizards, but for the life of him he cannot think of what it means.

More cars pull in behind him and he looks over to the sleeping kid. None of the files that team Omega has found had any kind of name or history of where the boy came from. Just excruciating details of each and every thing done to the boy. They called him The Subject, that's it. Like he was the only thing they worked on inside that hell lab, like all those other cells with dead bodies in them were nothing.

He he sighs and turns off the engine before jumping out. He walks over to the other side of the car as the other rebellion soldiers start packing up their stuff and heading inside the base. He waves over a couple medics before he carefully opens the passenger door. The kid slowly begins to fall back and he catches the sleeping boy before he can fall onto the ground. Warrior cradles him in his arms and approaches the medics. They help him set the boy down but the movement is too quick and the boy awakes with a start. Warrior loses his grip and the boy falls to the ground, breathing hard and panicking.

"It's okay," he says as the medics try to get closer. The boy scrambles backwards on the asphalt below him, Warriors borrowed jacket falls off and fully reveals the horror show that is his clothes. The medics won't have it, they are trained for war and they won't let a panicking soldier delay medical treatment. Warrior feels that that is the last thing the boy needs, but he does nothing to stop them.

Eventually, one of the two medics manage to get the kid in a restraining hold as the other begins to wipe off blood from the visible skin and shine a light into the kids wild eyes. He continues his check up all the while the boy is squirming and whimpering and trying to get free.

"I'll need him back at the clinic," the medic says, sighing and sitting back. The other releases their hold just a fraction on the boy and the boy relaxes just a tad, "but it looks like he has a major concussion of some sort."

"How bad?" Warrior asks.

Suddenly, the kid leans over and vomits all over the floor. The medic wrinkles his nose and the other, who was holding the boy, instantly begins to rub his back. Warrior steps a bit closer, concerned but having no idea what to do.

The medic sighs. "Bad. We need to get him to a better medical setting. Letting him sleep on the way here could have been a bad idea, Captain."

Warrior remains silent as the medics begin to force the boy onto a gurney. The boy begins to panic again as he's strapped down, and Warrior wants to scream at them to stop. Who knows how many times the kid has been forced down and tied up, it's not fair that his rescuers are doing the same thing. Yet, before Warriors can comment on it, the medics are wheeling the boy away.

"Is that the kid you were talking about?" Comes a voice.

Warrior straightens up and looks behind him where the leader of their little rebellion was standing. Link, well, another Link, everyone just calls him Time. Though, no one is sure why. Behind him is standing another boy, probably just a bit older than the kid Warrior had just brought back. Named after his father but goes by Twilight.

Warrior sighs and rubs his forehead, he tries to not think about how the place he's rubbing is the same place the kid was missing his brains from just a few hours ago.

"Yeah."

Time nods as Twilight looks at where the medics have disappeared into the base, his expression sad.

"You can give me a report later," Time sighs, "it's clear that the princess hasn't been found."

"No sir," Warrior responds.

Yet he can't help but feel that he's found someone just as important.

#linked universe #modern au #hero of the wild #hero of Warriors #hero of time #hero of twilight #fan fiction #jin writes #it was very fun to write this #felt like i was writing a YA novel #just change the names and it can be an original work

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