#hair fall treatment kit

[r0-boat]

It's Lucifer's birthday!

Let's celebrate with alphabet headcanons!

Whb!Lucifer NSFW alphabet headcannons

Cw: Dacryphilia(crying Kink), biting, voyeurism, rough sex, corruption, Marathon sex, sexy Bible roleplay.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

He takes care of you physically He is as caring as he is rough. No matter how harshly he treats you in the bed he will always make sure you have proper treatment. In his bedroom and in his office he has an emergency med kit just in case something happens. As well as cuddling you and holding you close. However he might need some work on taking care of you emotionally

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

His favorite body parts are your eyes he wants you to look at him and only him when you are having sex with him. He wants your complete attention and he will get annoyed if you break away even for a second. He also likes any part of your body that is nice and soft and meaty so he could sink his teeth into it.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

There is nothing like shooting his load all over you marking his territory like an animal. He gets flooded with his own sin at the thought of claiming you as his.

Especially your face just a thought of your face soaked with tears and his own seed makes him go crazy.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Lucifer is not one for secrets but he does have a role play scenario that he often thinks about The reason why he doesn't say anything is because it involves him being an angel and him defiling you as he plays the role as an angel coming to kill you and he takes your body instead of your life, or corrupting/tempting you into sin like Eve.(nasty Bible roleplay)

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Lucifer is somewhat inexperienced, He's never touched another since his fall. This feeling of lust and possessiveness is still new to him. You tempt him and his body naturally reacts. Everything he does to you is instinct.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Any position where he could see your face and still touch you. Lucifer is just now learning different sex positions. Since you've introduced him to a world he's still unfamiliar with he might as well try to get familiar with the different positions he could fuck you in.

he has been liking doggy style recently.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Not Goofy. 100% serious. No jokes at all, don't even try it. Unless you want him to try lots of punishments He has learned then go ahead.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Lucifer shaves, He shaves frequently, He is as bear as the day he is born (or spawned or whatever)

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Depends on how he's feeling, Lucifer is very instinctual, He could start kissing your neck because he wants to. The fact that he's intimate toward you is because he wants to be, it's because he loves you. So it really just depends on the atmosphere at the time.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Never had a reason to jack off so never did it no matter how pent up he feels he'll just wait for the next time he has you in his arms.

Why would he ever toy with himself when you are his toy? That's your job to pleasure him.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Crying Kink and biting (duh)

Lucifer is still exploring his kinks but I really think he would like predator and pray. Seeing you as something to be captured and claimed would get him off. As well as corruption, But he wants to be the one corrupting you.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

His office. He wants you bouncing in his lap on his office chair. There is no power move greater than feeling you clench on his cock while he is having another meeting with another devil.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

You. In all seriousness, He likes seeing you on your knees nice and submissive Your hair tossed your body filled with bite marks and bruises overall looking rather disheveled.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

He will not do anything unsanitary.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Prefers receiving, it's a little hard to pleasure you with his tongue when he has sharp fangs and teeth. But I'm sure it's worth it with that long tongue. He definitely knows how to use it to. Angels doing what angels do best, worshipping

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

This man fucks you like he's going to break you because that is his mission. To fuck you till you cry and keep fucking you till he satisfied with the way you look underneath him. That's why he's trying to learn how to pleasure you better So he could overwhelm you till he could see those delicious tears squeeze out of your eyes.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He's okay with them Not enough to completely satisfy him of course but it's better than nothing, though he'd rather just bend you love him fuck you good Who cares if someone sees let them see they could watch for all he cares.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Very experimental, He wants to know everything that makes you cum.

Doesn't give two shits about risk is it really risky if he doesn't care? I mean he's literally one of the kings why should he even care if something happens if he hurts you really badly he could just heal you. (Though he tries not to)

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Stamina rivals that of The sin of gluttony and greed. So much pent-up lust He only stops when you can't take anymore.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Lucifer likes toys unlike certain devil who hates and are jealous of other things that bring you pleasure, to Lucifer toys are just tools to bring you more pleasure to the point of tears.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He sees teasing as a form of punishment though he doesn't tend to use it often because he himself becomes impatient. Though it is fun while it lasts.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Very animalistic, growls, ands hisses groans and grunts as well as very talkative.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Lucifer is your primary caretaker but he won't always be there. Just in case for emergencies He's teaching all his other subordinates human anatomy. He has an entire seminar where you stand in front of his class of Paradise Lost nobles completely naked as he teaches human anatomy. Things get sexual quick where he also starts teaching how and where to touch your body.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Big dick, big long dick lots of veins with foreskin

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Look at what you've done to him, every time he thinks about you every time you're near him when he can smell you touch you, taste you he gets so hard he could barely think.

He thinks about how soft you are in his hands and he swells so much he has to take a cold shower.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Hardly ever tired after sex, because he just wants more. So while you're resting He's working or reading a book. Come let him know if you want another round.

[wosoamazing]

Mum versus Ma

Summary: You go to the world cup camp with your Mum. Based off these requests – one & two.

Warnings: none I don’t think.

A/n: Sorry, this is short. I have been working heaps the past week, but I am still working away at your requests (the Leah x Child!Reader one, the Sam redemption one and I will start on the Barca x Arsenal game one soon) and some other fics. I’m starting Uni soon so will try and get into a more regular posting routine.

“Harper” “Y/N” you and harper exclaimed as you saw each other when you arrived at camp. You loved going to Matilda’s camp because it meant you got to spend time with Harper, you would always been seen together, whether it was playing together off to the side during the occasional training so Linda could take a break, or having tea parties with Linda in the common room while the girls trained, or even just running up and down the halls together, you did everything together. Everything the media team captured melted the hearts of Australia, but the one that everyone seemed to love was the video taken of you two skipping down the tunnel holding hands, as you giggle together.

____

You were on the bench sitting on Sam’s lap, she couldn’t play because she was injured, and offered to look after you. She practically begged Tony to let her, he knew Sam was upset about her injury and so hoped having you there would make it easier, so he said yes, secretly hoping it might help everyone.

You were sporting your mini-Matilda kit, you had a temporary tattoo flag on each cheek, one was an Ireland flag, and the other was an Australia flag. You weren’t really enjoying the game, you didn’t really know who to go for, your Mum’s had never versed each other since you were born, that was until today. You didn’t really like it, they kept tackling each other, your Ma kept making Raso fall over, and Tony kept yelling that she deserved a yellow, no one was happy.

When your Ma hurt herself in the 35th minute, the teams huddled round their coaches as your Ma was getting treatment, you made grabby hands for your Mum, but she didn’t hold you like normal in team huddles, she just brushed the hair out of your face and kissed your forehead, before turning back to listen to Tony, you huffed and looked at Sam whose brows furrowed which made you laugh and you seemed to forget about being mad at your Mum.

During half time your Mum did hold you briefly before you got too squirmy, so she put you down and you ran around the locker room, no one minded though and some secretly hoped that it might mean you would sleep during the second half, considering how antsy and moody you were getting.

You did sleep briefly in the second half falling asleep promptly after Steph scored her penalty however you were woken up by fans yelling at the ref saying, “that’s a foul” “give her a yellow” and some fans booing. You saw that the ref was talking to your Ma, you quickly realised that the fans were booing her, you didn’t like that, she was just doing her job. A tear fell out of your eye, and you quickly buried your head back into Sam’s chest, who realised you were upset due to the ever growing wet patch forming on her chest, so she wrapped a spare puffer jacket around you pulling the hood up so it covered your head, and hugged you tightly, her comfort and your new found safety from the outside world caused you too drift off again.

When you woke back up, you cautiously peered out of your safety bubble and were meet with a warm smile from Sam, you then turned your head towards the field, where the Ireland and Australia players were too similar of a colour for your sleepy eyes. Most of the yellow Matilda’s jerseys had smears of green all over them, you know it’s from the grass which makes you feel icky again as it meant they had been tackled lots. There wasn’t really anything exciting happening, so you decided to go back to sleep.

You had started to wake up again when you felt two hands at your sides, before you were swiftly picked up and placed on the hip of your Mum, she kept the jumper wrapped around you but peered into the hood and she was meet with your little face smiling sleepily at her. “Want to see Ma?” you nodded eagerly.

“Where is my little Munchkin,” you Ma said before she pulled your head down, “there she is” she exclaimed causing you to let out a cute giggle. You get told to smile, while your Mum’s pose for a photo before you are put down, you make your way over to Harper and you both bear hug each other causing you both to fall to the ground before you are in fits of laughter.

“Toddlers are really just like mini drunk people” Mini chuckles.

“Definitely,” your Mum replies.

“She looks happy now, I’m glad” Sam says as she joined the three women, gaining a confused look from your Mums, “She was crying, that’s why she had the puffer around her, I didn’t want any fans or the media capturing it, I thought that would be unfair. I think its probably because it’s the first time she has watched you play against each other, and some of the fans were booing you McCabe.”

“Oh okay, we’ll have a talk with her later.” Your Ma says before kissing your Mum, causing you and Harper to simultaneous whine out “ewwww”.

[wosoimagines]

You Didn't Know? - Arsenal WFC/Reader

prompt: R is new to Arsenal after proving themselves at the World Cup, but there are a couple of hurdles they have to face before the team fully accepts them.

warnings: none

words: 6497

I will say that I am not deaf or hard of hearing so if there is anything that I've gotten wrong, please let me know so that I can fix it (I tried to do as much research as I could). Anything that represents sign langue is in continuous italics.

Also, this will become a series, so don't worry about needing to ask for a part two because it will be coming. (I think that this has honestly been one of my favorite ideas for a fic ever and I can't wait to continue it)

part two

(Y/N) POV

I grinned as I got out of the car. I wiggled my eyebrows at the camera once I noticed it. Honestly it wasn’t too surprising that Arsenal would be filming my first day here. I didn’t hesitate to greet the people who were waiting for me either.

“(Y/N), it’s really nice to finally meet you,” the woman that I knew as Clare Wheatley greeted me. I quickly shook her hand once she held it out to me. “Congratulations. We’re really happy you’re here.”

“I’m gonna show you around,” the dark-haired woman who was behind Clare spoke up. I sent her a soft smile. “I’m Sadie Ross. I’ll also serve as an interpreter for you should you need one.”

“You know Auslan?” I asked. I didn’t always have the option to take out my cochlear implants here recently. Once Sadie confirmed that she did in fact know Auslan, I couldn’t help the grin that overtook my face. “I use a Northern dialect usually, but I do know the Southern dialect as well.”

“No worries,” Sadie assured me. She moved closer to me before patting my shoulder so I would follow her. “I’ve studied both dialects.”

“Cool.”

I followed Sadie through until we got to the locker rooms where I was given my own Arsenal gear to get changed into. It was obviously just practice gear, but it was nice to be in official gear from my new club.

“It suits you!” Sadie assured me once I stepped out of the locker room.

“I like it!”

“So, we’re going to take you on a tour, show you the grounds, show you your new home,” Sadie said. I couldn’t help but smile as she had started to sign the words she was speaking. “This is obviously the changing room. This is the technical corridor, so we essentially have all of our tech staff in here. Our head coach Jonas in this hall.”

I looked down the hall that Sadie had been talking about. I started to move with Sadie so that I wouldn’t fall behind her.

“If you come down here, this is where the medical section is. Stuff like physiotherapy, massages, cold therapy, all of that sort of stuff will happen here.”

I paid attention as Sadie walked me through where the medical team could be found along with any rooms concerning treatment were. Sadie also showed me where the meeting room was and assured me that she would be at all of our team meetings and regardless of if I had decided to wear my cochlear implants or not, she would be translating everything that was said.

Then we were off to find the gym. This was one of the places that I was most excited to find since I knew I would probably be spending quite a bit of time in the gym. I appreciated that Sadie had also pointed out where each section was.

Soon we were headed outside.

“So, this is where we come out to get to the pitch?”

“Yeah.”

I grinned as Sadie pointed out where the exhibition pitch was. I was sure that I would be out there soon enough. Before long we had made our way to the mess hall that they had. It was there that I met Mikel Arteta.

Sadie had disappeared while Mikel introduced himself to me. Then I got to meet Win. Who immediately had all of my attention as I moved to the floor to play with the dog.

It was ultimately drawn away from Win though as Sadie made a reappearance. I was quick to get to my feet as I took notice of what Sadie had in her hands. I took in the back of the kit that had my number and name on the back.

“Such a beautiful kit,” I said as Sadie handed it over to me. “Honestly, can’t wait to play in it.”

“Come on,” Sadie said with a chuckle. “Let’s get you changed into it.”

I did a little fist pump before the two of us headed out of the mess hall and back to where the changing rooms were. Once I had the kit on, I headed down the hall to the room that Sadie and I had passed earlier.

“How’s it look?” I asked as I entered the room.

“I’d say it’s probably one of the best looking kits you’ve ever worn,” Sadie said. I let out a laugh at that. Honestly, I didn’t have the chance to wear that many different kits. I had left Australia to go to the States to play college football for Stanford. Other than my youth club kits, the only other kits I had been in were with the national team, but those had been more recent. “Not too big or too little?”

Of course, we had to take pictures of me in the kit while I was in front of the logo that was on the wall. It had been one of the moments I had been looking forward to since it was announced that I was signing with Arsenal following my college career and performance at the World Cup. Then I moved to take pictures of me signing my contract.

The rest of my afternoon was filled with a photoshoot in a full kit before we headed to Emirates. It was pretty cool to finally be able to take in the stadium in person considering I had grown up an Arsenal fan. I didn’t mind the photographer that followed me around getting pictures of me exploring Emirates.

We even sat down for a formal interview before Sadie played twenty questions with me so that fans could get to know me better.

“Why Stanford?”

“Why not?” I countered. I laughed as Sadie rolled her eyes. “I dunno why I chose Stanford. I had played with youth clubs, but no one was looking to give me a shot with their senior team in Australia. I was smart enough to get scholarships to attend school in the States. Stanford happened to have open tryouts and I was just really lucky that I was able to impress the coaches there and they ended up giving me a spot on the team.”

“Was it hard?”

“Yeah. I was pretty much all alone in a country I didn’t know and having to constantly prove myself,” I admitted. My time in college, while it had been great, had probably been the worst time of my life so far. “I had to practice all the time while keeping up with my studies and even then, I would barely get playing time. Then we had the 2019 College Cup. I didn’t get a lot of time still, but our coach, Paul Ratcliffe, had taken notice of all the practice I put in, specifically with my penalties so when the game went to penalties, I got to take what ended up being the final penalty. I finally knew what the biggest shot of my career was.”

“Did it help you to prepare for the shootout in the World Cup?”

I shrugged at that. Nothing could compare to the shootout that happened at the World Cup. I hadn’t even expected the penalties to go on so long that I would even take one, but then that plan had collapsed, and I ended up taking the final penalty knowing that France wouldn’t have that much film on my penalty kicks and tendencies.

“Nothing will compare to my World Cup penalty. That has probably been the best moment of my life,” I said. I motioned to my ears. “I do kind of have an advantage. It is nice to be able to literally turn off all of the noise. And if you watch the play back close enough, you can see that I had turned it back on right after the ball left my foot. Being able to go from dead silence to hearing the entire stadium cheering was incredible.”

“Did you get the game ball?”

“I did. It will be brought over after our next national camp because surely by then I’ll actually have my own place.”

“Now to backtrack, because you’ll be getting to play with Lotte and Alessia obviously. Not only did they knock you and Australia out of the World Cup but you, as mentioned earlier, won the 2019 College Cup by scoring the winning penalty which caused the two to lose the same game. Is there gong to be any bad blood?”

“No, I don’t think so. Does it sting that we didn’t win the World Cup? Obviously, but we were able to do an amazing job and we overcame everyone’s expectations that they had set for us. In the end, it just wasn’t our year for it. So, I don’t have any hard feelings about that,” I said. I had been upset and frustrated that we weren’t able to win the World Cup, but I was still really proud of the rest of the Matildas. “As for 2019, that’s a question for Lotte and Alessia. Honestly, I’m not even sure if either of them remembers me from it. I might have scored the goal, but my role that season was not a huge one. I didn’t even see an increase in minutes that second year with the team.”

“What are you most excited about being here with Arsenal for?”

“To play for the team I’ve always loved,” I said before looking over my shoulder at Sadie. “It is really cool that I’m also going to get to play with Caitlin and Steph more than just with the national team. And it isn’t just them. I could pretty much learn from most of the players here with Arsenal and I’m excited to get the opportunity to do so."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I sat by myself again in the mess hall. It seemed that until I got rid of this ear infection, no one was going to approach me except for Sadie. I had really appreciated that she was sitting to eat with me. My hunt for a place to call my own had also been stalled considering I had been trying to rest.

But it had already been three weeks with none of the normal tips and tricks I knew had helped to get rid of this ear infection. Our medical staff at Arsenal hadn’t been able to help me, so they had gotten me in to see a doctor. The doctor had told me it was labyrinthitis, an inflammation of the inner ear.

I had been given medicine for the dizziness that I was experiencing but it did nothing to help the pain I still felt. It led to me ultimately being ruled out of the first qualifying round of the Champions League that took place two weeks ago.

And I couldn’t help but feel like it had partially been my fault when the team came back after being eliminated by Paris FC. I hadn’t even been there with the team for the games. I also wasn’t entirely sure how much the rest of the team knew about why I had been a scratch for the journey.

I looked up at the small tap on the table. Sadie sent me a soft smile as she sat down.

“How you feeling?”

“Tired.”

Not only was I dealing with an ear infection, but the loneliness was starting to get to me. I knew that it would be hard to communicate with my teammates while I wasn’t wearing my cochlear implants, but none of them had tried to get to know me. Not even my national teammates.

I couldn’t wait for the national window to open. Unless I was deemed unable to travel, I didn’t see why I wouldn’t be called up. Even though we’d be in Perth, rather than Brisbane, I was still happy that I’d be back in Australia. I’d even get to see Theo since he had gotten a job with the Matildas. I knew that his main job was to act as an interpreter while I was with the team, but he was also helping take care of all our gear as well.

I sent Kyra a small wave when she smiled at me. The small smile that had taken place on my face quickly turned to a frown though once she moved to join Caitlin and Steph who were sitting with a couple of the English players on our team along with Katie. I sighed as my head dropped down.

“I can say something to them, you know.”

I shook my head. I didn’t need Sadie tackling my problems for me. Besides, once I got over this ear infection, I’d be right there with the other Aussies.

“The last thing I need is for them to think that I’m a coward because I can’t join them and then I send you to confront them for not spending time around me.”

Sadie softly sighed before she nodded. I knew that she hated that I had been left on the outside of the team, but what choice did I really have? I wasn’t really that great at reading the lips of anyone outside of the Aussies and it wasn’t like Sadie could follow me around all day to translate everything for me, she was still one of our assistant coaches.

It was honestly just a really unfortunate situation. One that I hoped would be resolved within two weeks. I wasn’t sure where I would be at mentally if I couldn’t play in our WSL season opener.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My ear infection had finally gotten better a week before we were slated to take on Liverpool, but I was still finding it hard to talk to any of my teammates. Kyra seemed to be the only one willing to seek me out, but it wasn’t often as she was still attached to Caitlin and Steph’s hips. Maybe that’s why I hadn’t been as excited about getting to start against Liverpool. I had questioned Jonas’ decision when he told me, but he said it was the perfect chance to see what I would be able to do so that he could figure out how he would use me for the season.

It would have been fine, if it hadn’t been for the number of knocks that I was taking. It seemed that Liverpool had decided to target me. I wasn’t sure if it was because they weren’t sure what I could do, or maybe they had decided that I was the weak link on the field. But I could handle what they threw at me.

At least until Taylor Hinds and I clashed in the midfield trying to fight for the ball. She had got a hand on the side of my head which ended up knocking off my cochlear implant. This was one of the times where I hated my cochlear implants because it wasn’t like I could just leave it on the ground to come back to while I chased after the ball. No, I had to make sure I grabbed the cochlear implant that had come off my head to make sure that no one stepped on it and destroyed it.

Ultimately, I didn’t even have to worry about Hinds getting too far because the play was called dead. I had assumed that Hinds was going to be reprimanded for the swipe at my head. I wasn’t really sure, but I knew that it gave me time to put my cochlear implant on.

I didn’t tilt my head in confusion when I saw the ref, Emily Heaslip, going to talk with Liverpool’s coach, Matt Beard. My eyes darted between my own teammates because I had no idea why Heaslip was talking to Beard. At least I didn’t have a clue until Heaslip started to wave me over. I glanced around me to make sure she wasn’t trying to get someone else. I even pointed to myself as I raised my brow in confusion. Heaslip nodded her head and waved for me to go over where they were again.

I shrugged as I jogged over to the sideline.

“She’s cheating,” Beard said once I got close enough to hear them. He pointed to the side of his head. “She’s got earbuds in. Getting information from someone up top.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I watched you put it in,” Beard said as he turned to me. My hand flew up to touch my ear. “Yeah, those!”

“You mean my cochlear implants?”

“She should be sent off.”

“They’re medical devices. I have to have them to hear.”

“I’m sure that’s what she tells everyone so she can cheat. After all, how good can a college walk on be anyways.”

Now that was uncalled for.

“I’m better than you because at least I’m playing professionally.”

“Take them out.”

I froze at that. Surely, I didn’t hear that right.

“Take them out before the yellow I’m going to give you becomes a red.”

Heaslip was out of her mind. My eyes immediately darted over to Jonas as I motioned to my ears causing the man to make his way over to us. I wasn’t surprised that Sadie was following behind. Nor when Kim left the huddle of my teammates to see what was going on.

“She’s getting a yellow for blatantly cheating,” Heaslip said once Jonas asked what was going on. “At least I’m giving her the chance to continue the game.”

“They want me to take my implants out,” I explained. I knew that Jonas and Sadie would both be confused as to what cheating they were talking about. “Neither of them are listening that they’re medical devices.”

“Calm down,” Kim softly said from behind me.

I looked over my shoulder at her.

“No, they don’t get to discriminate against me just because they’re idiots.”

Heaslip had enough arguing I guess, because when I looked back at her there was a yellow card pointed at me. Definitely not how I wanted to start my career with Arsenal, but there was nothing I could do to change it now.

“Kim, go,” Jonas said. My captain hesitated, but she moved away from the group to join our teammates. “She quite literally can’t hear if she doesn’t wear them.”

“They come out. Now.”

Heaslip wasn’t even listening to what we were saying. Jonas nodded before glancing at Sadie.

“Okay, just give us a minute so (Y/N) can get them out.”

Heaslip nodded and stayed where she could watch as I walked back toward the bench with Jonas and Sadie.

“It’s not fair,” I said. I had no idea how I was going to play if I couldn’t hear since I always wore my cochlear implants when I played. “My first game with the team and they get to ruin it because they don’t know what cochlear implants are?”

“I’m not taking you out,” Jonas said. I blinked at that. I hadn’t expected him to keep me in. “You can still play without needing to hear. Just try not to keep playing too long after plays are whistled dead.”

“Oh, because that’ll be so easy.”

It wasn’t like I could just keep my eyes trained on the refs for the entire match.

“Sadie will hold onto them.”

I sighed as I looked between the two. It would be nice to finish my first match with Arsenal. I couldn’t do that if I let idiots ruin it for me. It only took me a second to take both of my cochlear implants out and hand them over to Sadie before was back out on the field.

Coming off from the first half, I knew that I was skating on thin ice with Heaslip with the amount of time it took for me to realize when plays were dead. I wanted nothing more than to keep my head down while Jonas talked to us at halftime so that I could at least pretend that the rest of my teammates weren’t staring at me, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to look up so that I could understand what was being said as Sadie translated it for me.

Going back out for the second half wasn’t any easier. I had been slow to move at kickoff since I was relying on when everyone else moved. I tried my best to stay away from fouls, whether my team was committing them or Liverpool, since they were the most unpredictable ways for plays to be called dead. It wasn’t as bad as the first half had been.

But it really came to a head in the 67th minute. We were already down by one, but Caitlin was getting the chance to make a run. I had made the decision to pull toward the middle of the field from my side as the rest of the midfielders were still behind the forwards and I. Caitlin was clearly fouled by Koivisto, but no one was stopping even though Caitlin stayed on the ground.

My eyes stayed trained on Caitlin who wasn’t getting up as I moved backwards. Then I decided to do something that was definitely risky, but I knew that if Caitlin still wasn’t getting up then it would be good for our trainers to check her out. So, I darted across the field where Koivisto was still trying to move the ball. Koivisto stopped and relaxed as soon as I got close to her, but it didn’t stop me from knocking into her to win the ball back. As soon as the ball was at my feet, I sent it out of bounds.

As soon as I had turned to go check on Caitlin, I knew that I was in for it. Heaslip had her eyes trained on me as she started to march over where I was. I scoffed as I rolled my eyes at the clear fact that it was me that she was coming to talk to rather than Koivisto who had been the one to actually foul another player.

I didn’t even pretend like I was paying attention to Heaslip this time. I was just tired of all of the bullshit from this game. However, my eyes did widen when she pulled out the yellow card again and pointed it at me before the red card followed since I had already gotten a yellow.

“Oh, come on. What do you want me to do?” I asked her as I motioned to my ears. “I can’t hear. You made sure of that.”

Heaslip’s lips were moving, but I had no interest in trying to figure out what she was saying. This was insane and I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to have to fight these cards just so that I could play in our next match.

“No seriously, I would love to hear what you want me to do. Oh, wait. I can’t because you made me take my implants out.”

I shoved the arms that were trying to pull me away from Heaslip away from me. I couldn’t wait to fight these cards though so that Heaslip would never call a game again. There’s no way anyone would ever have her referee a game once they found out that she had discriminated against me by denying me the use of my cochlear implants.

I was a bit surprised when Caitlin got in between Heaslip and I before the older Aussie started to push me back. She was pointing toward the tunnel, so it didn’t take much to guess that she was telling me to get off the pitch. My shoulders slumped forward at the obvious disappointment from the player that I had spent so much time looking up to. I couldn’t bring myself to meet anyone’s eyes either as I made my way off the pitch and to the tunnel.

I didn’t even bother to stop by Sadie to grab my cochlear implants. This had to be the worst debut I ever had.

I took a seat in front of my locker. It was an easy technique that I liked to use to help keep me grounded. It made it easier not to lose myself if I could feel the ground under me. I stayed there for the rest of the game. It wasn’t until Jonas and Sadie had entered the locker room that I realized that the game had ended.

“That was the worst game I have ever played.”

Sadie frowned but she relayed the message to Jonas who rubbed at his forehead. Jonas’ eyes stayed trained on me even though mine had to dart between him and Sadie so I could understand what was being said.

“I should have taken you out. That’s on me. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to prove to them that you were better than they gave you credit for. Which you did. We’ll fight the cards and I’m sure that they’ll be overturned considering you really didn’t do anything wrong.”

I shook my head at that because there was nothing that we could do to allow me to redo my first game with Arsenal. Especially in Emirates. It had all been messed up.

“I have dreamed of this day since I was a kid. And it got completely fucked up. I don’t care if the cards are overturned, but I do want apologies from Beard and Heaslip.”

Jonas nodded in agreement once Sadie let him know what I had said.

“Completely understandable and I’ll be sure that it is known that we fully expect apologies from both for forcing you to do something you didn’t want to with your cochlear implants. Whether or not you wear them should be entirely your choice.”

I nodded as I wiped the tears away from my eyes. I knew it wasn’t guaranteed that I would get an apology from either of them.

“I believe there are some fans who would still like to see you. Even if you did get sent off.”

I sighed and dropped my head at that. Before the World Cup, no one was interested in meeting me. It meant that when I had a bad game, or it didn’t go the way my team had expected, that I could leave without disappointing too many people.

But I knew that I needed to go see the fans. They deserved something good from me today after the game. I got to my feet, and I found that Sadie was holding my cochlear implants out to me. I took them from her before I headed out of the locker room so that I could go see some of our fans.

I fiddled with the cochlear implants in my hands as I made my way out of the tunnel to the field. I just wanted to greet the fans and then head home. But it seemed that nothing was going to go my way as I was snagged by the back of my jersey.

When I turned to see who had grabbed my jersey, I was surprised to find Caitlin behind me. She was holding a microphone causing me to full turn to find her in the middle of an interview. I furrowed my brow because I wasn’t sure why she had stopped me considering I hadn’t crashed the interview until she pulled me back. But my eyes moved away from where she was to the reporter who Caitlin was talking to.

“You’re going to have to give me a moment,” I said once I realized that the reporter’s lips were moving a lot faster than I could decipher. It didn’t take me long to get my cochlear implants on before I looked back at the reporter. “Okay, now I’ve got my ears on. What’s up?”

“I was hoping to get your thoughts on your first game with Arsenal. I know after how you played in the World Cup that a lot of the Arsenal faithful were looking forward to seeing you only to find out that you were an illness scratch during the Champions League games.”

“I won’t lie. It’s all been a bit frustrating. Up until today, none of that had been anyone’s fault,” I admitted. I knew that I had to be careful about talking about my frustrations for tonight because I could still be punished if I said the wrong things. “I’m just hoping things will start turning around.”

“What’s been so frustrating?”

“Well, obviously I was an illness scratch for the Champions League games we had. I had been dealing with an ear infection during that time and it lasted until last week. It was brutal and there were times where I was in so much pain. It was just unfortunate that it had to happen almost as soon as I had arrived at Arsenal,” I said as I rubbed the back of my head. It had honestly been the worst ear infection I had ever had. “It made it hard to communicate with anyone really, so that was really hard because I do enjoy spending time with others. But I finally got rid of the infection last week, and Jonas decided to give me the start. So, things are starting to turn around.”

“Even with how tonight ended?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Caitlin who had asked the question. She had a frown on her face. I wasn’t entirely sure why Caitlin looked upset, but I knew that it probably had to do with me crashing her interview or the fact that I just revealed that I had been in pain and isolated.

“Getting carded for the reasons I did was insane and frustrating. Jonas and I have already agreed that we’ll be appealing the cards,” I said. Honestly, I couldn’t believe that Caitlin was okay with the cards I had been given. “I’m sure we’ll win the appeal. I would like to make formal complaints about both Beard and Heaslip considering how I was treated.”

“Well, I’m not entirely sure that you’ll overturn those cards,” the reporter pointed out. I turned my head back to look at her. “You obviously got into a heated talk with Liverpool’s head coach, Matt Beard, and tonight’s referee, Emily Heaslip.”

“It’s simple,” I shrugged. Was I really around this many people who had no idea what cochlear implants were. “One of my cochlear implants fell off and Beard had to be nosy, even though he can’t tell the difference between earbuds and my cochlear implants. Then Heaslip sided with him without talking to either Jonas or I. Which she should have done to figure out what I had in my ears if she was really worried about someone cheating, but she refused to hear us out as we tried to explain.”

“Well, I wish you both better luck for the future.”

I sent a soft smile to the reporter, happy to finally be done with the interview. Caitlin followed me as I headed to where our fans still were so that I could greet them. Caitlin stayed close to me as we talked with the fans and took pictures and gave autographs. I didn’t think much of how close she was staying to me until we were headed back through the tunnel.

“So those weren’t earbuds?”

I stopped in the tunnel causing Caitlin to crash into my back. I honestly hadn’t been expecting the question. Once I regained my balance, I turned to face Caitlin.

“We played at the World Cup together. Not only that but we spent over a month together to prepare for it and then play in it,” I pointed out as I tilted my head in confusion. I knew that I had tended to stick around the ones on the national team who were closer to my age, but we had all spent so much time around each other. The World Cup was one of the few times where I had worn my cochlear implants even when I didn’t want to. “You’ve seen my cochlear implants before.”

“I thought they were fancy headphones,” Caitlin defended. I shook my head as I let out a sigh. She could have just asked me what they were, and I would have told her. “So, what do they really do?”

“We can come back to that in a second,” I said. There was something else that was bothering me now from today’s game. “Were you upset with me when I got the second yellow because you thought I had gotten the first one for wearing fancy headphones?”

Caitlin only shrugged. My shoulders slumped forward because her silence said it all. My own teammates had thought I was cheating along with our referee and opponents’ coach.

“What is it that they do?”

“They’re basically my ears,” I said. This time it was Caitlin who was tilting her head in confusion. “It’s kind of how I’ve always seen them. I have my actual ears and they can hurt and, obviously, I can still get ear infections. But since my actual ears can’t process sound, I have my cochlear implants which are my hearing ears.”

“So, they’re like hearing aids?”

“They have the same purpose but work differently,” I said. A lot of people asked me about this when they first found out that I had cochlear implants so that I could hear. “Hearing aids just amplify sounds so they can be detected by damaged ears. Cochlear implants bypass the damaged parts.”

Caitlin slowly nodded as she furrowed her brow in thought. I didn’t mind answering the questions she had for me. I never had been opposed to answering questions about my disability. But if my own teammates hadn’t realized that I had cochlear implants or what they did, I wondered how many people were unaware of my situation.

“And we all just ignored you when joined the club.”

“It hurt, yeah,” I shrugged. This time it was Caitlin’s shoulders that slumped forward. “I understood though. Outside of our little Aussie group, no one on the team had ever played with me before. And it wasn’t like I’ve exactly had a lot of experience playing with any of you either.”

“But we ignored you.”

“I couldn’t really talk to anyone,” I pointed out. It might have sucked and hurt while I was being ignored, but I had understood why I was ignored. “Sure, I could talk, but I wouldn’t have been able to understand the rest of you.”

“Ross didn’t ignore you.”

“Sadie? She knows Auslan, AKA Australian Sign Language,” I said. I had gotten better offers from other clubs, but Arsenal had already told me that they had an interpreter on staff. “Sadie is literally employed as an interpreter for me now that I’ve joined Arsenal. It just so happened that she was already an assistant coach here at Arsenal and now they’re also paying her for acting as an interpreter.”

“Oh.”

I furrowed my brow. The last thing I wanted was for Caitlin or anyone else on the team to feel like I resented them for not being able to communicate with me. Maybe if I was a kid then I would feel differently about the whole situation, but I had long ago come to terms with the fact that most people wouldn’t be able to communicate with me sometimes.

I grabbed a hold of Caitlin’s wrist as I dragged her to the locker room. I was a bit surprised when we ran into Kyra who was leaving the locker room. It was obvious that she was headed home too considering she had her bag with her.

“Back in the locker room,” I said to her. Kyra’s eyebrow shot up as she looked between me and Caitlin. I looked over her shoulder though to see that the rest of the team was in the locker room. Even our injured players who were talking with the others. “Team meeting! No one leaves until I’m done talking.”

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to me as I turned back to look at Kyra. Kyra nodded before moving back into the locker room which allowed me to drag Caitlin in. Once the locker room door was shut, I let go of Caitlin’s wrist so that she could move to sit down.

“It’s been brought to my own attention that a lot of you are more than likely unaware that I’m Deaf. I was born deaf, and I do use cochlear implants to hear,” I announced. My eyes darted around the room to see how my new teammates would react. “I also know Australian Sign Language, or Auslan. So does Sadie. I wasn’t ignoring anyone or wanted to be left alone during my first month with the club, but wearing my cochlear implants while dealing with an ear infection is quite annoying for me so I chose not to wear them. And I’ll answer any questions you ever have. I really have no problem answering questions.”

The team stayed quiet as they processed everything that I had just told them. The longer the silence went on, the more nervous it made me. I couldn’t help it as I started to fidget where I was standing with most of the team’s eyes still on me.

“So Heaslip made you take off the only thing that allowed you to hear?”

My eyes darted over to where Alessia was sitting. I hesitated for a moment before nodding in confirmation.

“I wasn’t cheating,” I repeated. Just the idea of my new teammates thinking that I had cheated made me nauseous. “And all the warnings for not stopping at the whistle? I couldn’t hear. I had to take cues from everyone else. Well, from you guys.”

My eyes turned to Kim who got up to move in front of me.

“If anyone else ever tries to make you take off your cochlear implants when you don’t want to, they’re going to have to go through all of us,” Kim assured me as she put a hand on my shoulder. “And I know that I’ll be giving you my full support in appealing the cards and any other action you wish to pursue against Heaslip or Beard.”

I sent her a small smile. It was nice to have someone who was willing to back me up so quickly. Especially considering that it seemed like the whole team had been under the impression that I was ignoring them on purpose.

“You’ve got my full support as well,” Alessia said as she stood up.

I didn’t miss how my fellow Aussies shared a look before they also stood up to declare their support. And soon after they stood up, so did the rest of the team.

I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face thanks to the support that the team was so willing to give me even though none of them truly knew me yet. It might have honestly been one of the first times that I ever truly felt like my entire team had my back.

next part

[klausinamarink]

Sleep After You’re Fixed Up

rating: T | cw: Steve’s post-Russian torture, blood, injury cleaning | tags: pre-s4 Steddie, hurt/comfort, home-done medical treatment, the boys getting some rest and being little vulnerable together | wc: 753

written for @steddieholidaydrabbles | Dec 12: Only one bed

—

“Easy, easy!” Eddie hisses, desperately trying to keep his balance steady. But it’s a difficult task when he’s holding a definitely-concussed Steve under the armpits, who keeps leaning over to the opposite side and narrowly misses bumping his head on the wall.

“Goddamn…” Eddie huffs and pulls up Steve again. The other man manages to be on his two feet, but just long enough for Eddie to drag him inside the bathroom before he collapses on the ground. Eddie’s quick to cover Steve’s head from hitting any corners but Steve mainly leans against the bathtub, groaning.

For a moment, Eddie just stares down at the sight on his feet. Steve Harrington (his.. friend with benefits? Kissing support partner? Their relationship is too new to be really boyfriends) in his Scoops Ahoy uniform, beaten black and blue in the face, and drooling more blood than spit. Eddie still can’t understand how the hell he’d shown up at his front door if Steve’s current walking abilities barely passed a skills check.

Steve’s eyes are already closing shut and shit. There’s a medical rule that beat-up people can’t sleep right after injury, right? Eddie snaps his fingers in front of Steve’s face, making his good eye snap open. “Hey, Harrington, Steve. Eyes open, okay?”

Steve gives a long groan as Eddie scrambles to get the first-aid kit out of the cabinet.

He tries to keep his hands as still as possible as he carefully cleans off the blood and stitches the cut on Steve’s lip. Steve squeezes his eyes shut the whole time and barely lets a whimper out. But Eddie sees the way Steve’s hands clench onto his shorts and how his right foot twitches back.

Eddie attempts to swallow down the urge to get outside and just murder the bastard who hurt Steve like this.

After he’s done, Eddie helps Steve up and leads him to his bedroom. Part of him demands to drive Steve to the hospital and get him actual medical attention. But Eddie remembers the sober fear in Steve’s face as he had repeatedly whispered, “No hospitals.” And being the promise-keeper he’s apparently become, Eddie sighs to himself in resignation.

Steve almost falls face-first onto the bed but Eddie catches him and, very gently, lays him down on the side. Pretty soon, Steve’s snuggled in the blankets, a towel on the pillow in case the cut would stain the sheets. It’s after this that Eddie realizes his bed is, well, taken. It’s still a big mattress but Eddie’s not ready to sleep besides an injured man, let alone shoving his back to the wall just for extra space.

Resigning to a night on the couch, Eddie runs his fingers through Steve’s matted hair as a goodnight, turning to leave. Only to be stopped by a hand suddenly clutching on his wrist.

Eddie looks back to see Steve staring up at him with wide, pleading eyes. “Please, stay?” He asks in a hushed voice and winces.

Eddie almost says no. That they’re still strangers that it’s almost awkward to even lay next to each other in bed. But Steve’s eyes seem close to tears, which burns Eddie more than the hand on his wrist. Finally he nods, “Sure, man.”

After a quick change to sleepwear and turning off the lights, Eddie carefully shuffles next to Steve. They’re pressing close enough that Eddie feels Steve’s heartbeat from his arm. They both whistle out air from their noses, slowly breathing in sync. Eddie finally turns his head and looks back at Steve, who gazes back with drooping eyes.

“Okay?” It’s a dumb question with how obviously not okay Steve is. But in the darkness and brief slivers of moonlight, Steve gives a tiny smile and moves an arm so it rests on Eddie’s chest.

“Yeah. Now I am.” Eddie doesn’t really believe it, he can still feel Steve’s heart as it quickens. Without thinking, Eddie starts circling his thumb around on Steve’s palm at a leisure’s pace. Steve hitches in a breath before he lets it out slowly as if trying not to cry. He snuffles an inch closer so his head is closer to Eddie’s.

Eddie thinks in saying something but Steve’s already asleep, small huffs of rhythmic breaths out of his lips.

Part of him wants to slip out and get on the couch for tonight. But Eddie feels more warm and comfortable than he had in ages. Plus he doesn’t want Steve to leave his sight and get hurt ever again.

[lou-struck]

A Peaceful Project

Hajime Iwaizumi  x reader

Flufftober Day 11

WC: 1.4k

~You bought a few beginner crochet kits from the airport's gift shop to wait out your long layover, while traveling with your Fiancé and the Pro- Volleyball team he works for. 

What a sight your group must be amidst the usual airport crowd. The Japan National Volleyball Team mostly stands tall in their all-red warm-up uniforms they have elected to travel in for their flight home from an International Volleyball tournament. You would never tell them this, but the group looks a bit like a cult. 

Due to hazardous weather, the flight home has been delayed for at least another twelve hours, and it is quite amusing to see how these top athletes deal with the stale stench of boredom that wafts throughout the gate.

Between the rows of leather-backed seats, you spy the muscled form of your Fiance, who busies himself with adjusting the athletic tape of Tobio Kagyama’s fingers, but you can tell by Hajime’s tight smile he is thankful to be wearing his normal clothes.

“How much longer do we have to sit hereeee?” Shoyo Hinata whines, squirming in his seat. The redhead has never been good at staying in one place, so this must be agonizing for him.

“A while,” you reply, feeling pity for the man. “Maybe you could go check out the airport and get yourself some food.”

At the mention of a meal, he brightens up exponentially and looks at you with wide eyes. “There’s food here?”

“Yeah, idiot,” Kageyama says, walking over to the two of you, flexing his freshly taped fingers. “Why would we be stuck in a place like this without something to eat?”

“I wasn’t talking to you, Crappyama,” the smaller man responds, childishly sticking out his tongue at the setter. He turns his attention to you nicely. “Wanna go with me since Iwaizumi is busy?”

You smile warmly at him and shake your head. “Thank you for asking, but I’ll wait for him to get done.”

“Oh, okay,” he says before turning to the setter. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Why me?” Kageyama asks, looking surprised. 

“Because you’re always grumpy when you’re hungry.” the redhead says before zipping away down the terminal. 

“I’m not grumpy!” The dark-haired man calls, sprinting after him. 

You laugh as they disappear out of sight, and you hear a deep chuckling behind you. Turning your head, you see Hajime walking over to you. 

“There goes our entertainment.” he laughs, leaning over you in your seat. His large hand slips under your chin and tilts it upwards so that he can give you a proper kiss. “How you doing, baby?”

“Better now,” you hum, enjoying his attention. While you are glad that you were able to join him on this trip, you definitely haven’t gotten to spend as much time with him as you would’ve liked. Between tending to the player’s injuries and providing nutritional advice for the team’s meals, he has made a lot of overtime pay these last few days. “How many players do you have to do treatments on?”

His face falls, and he glances back at the queue of men standing behind him. There are at least a dozen players in need of treatment. The last few days were tough on them, and there was no shortage of injuries. “I’ll be at least another hour,” he sighs. “I’m sorry.”

Your comforting touch finds his bicep, and you give it a reassuring little squeeze. “Hey, it’s alright. I can just get a book or something from that little shop over there, and then we can go and get something together.”

He looks between you and the ‘Go Mart’ a few yards away before giving you a tired yet heartfelt smile. “You would really do that for me?”

“You know I’d do just about anything for you,” you laugh, reaching into your backpack and pulling out your wallet to pay for whatever kind of overpriced airport entertainment you are about to get for yourself.

“Thanks, baby,” he says, helping you to your feet. “I’ll go as fast as I can, I promise.” With quick steps, he walks back over to his empty row of seats that he has cleared out for his athletic training purposes and starts barking directions at the men waiting in line. “You’re next, Miya, sit down and let me see that damn wrist of yours.”

Leaving your suitcase in the safety of your party, you step into the little shop. Walking past the rack of keychains and shot glasses with various city names and other last-minute travel gifts, people get when they forget to buy them on their travels to the back of the store. The wall of mass-market paperbacks looks down on you. 

You are just about to reach for a cheesy-sounding romance novel until something catches your eye. Your head turns to give yourself a better look, and you see a little rack of arts and crafts kits, including some paint-by-numbers coloring books and ‘Beginner-Friendly’ crochet kits. 

The little pouches have adorable little crochet animal pictures on the front, including a little green lizard guy and a purple penguin. It may not be a book, but these little kits look like just the thing you need to make it through this layover. 

You scoop the light packages off their hooks and bring them to the counter, not bothering to look at the obscenely high price they have. 

It will hurt less to just ignore the charge on your credit card completely…

~

The gift shop bag sways to and fro as you walk back to where your group is supposed to be. Your gate has become practically empty save for your Fiance, who diligently watches the luggage with his arms crossed. 

“Where’s the rest of your line?” you ask, noting the absence of the volleyball players. 

“They got hungry and left.” he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “We should’ve just gotten food when we had the chance.”

“So now you’re on suitcase duty?” you ask, plopping down in the seat next to him.

“Until they come back, I guess we are stuck here.” He spots the bag in your hand and peaks into it. “That doesn’t look like a book.” 

“Nope,” you say brightly, taking the kits out of the plastic and showing them to him. “I got us a project.”

“Crocheting?” he asks, reading the label. 

“The package says it’s for beginners, so I think the two of us can figure it out together,” you say, tossing him the lizard. “Go make a mini Godzilla.”

“That’s just a Lizard,” he chuckles. 

You roll your eyes and open the package of your purple penguin. “It could be a Mini Godzilla.” you hum. 

He smiles just for you and opens the package, taking out the yarn, the crochet hook, and, most importantly, the instructions. “Let’s see what this is all about then.”

Within minutes, you guys are hooked…

As much as you love talking to each other, you are dead silent as your eyes scan the instructions and your project. And despite the hustle and bustle of the airport around you, you feel remarkably peaceful. 

Thirty minutes go by before you say anything. “How is it going?” you ask, not taking your eyes off the little penguin bottom you have crafted. 

“Good,” he says, short and sweet. No doubt thriving in the comfortable silence the two of you have created for yourselves.

“Good.” you parrot, looking at the yard strand between your fingers and admiring the long chain you have formed. You may not know what you have to do after this step, but you’ll find out when you get there.

“Hey, we’re back,” Hinata calls, rushing back over to you two with Kageyama on his heels. “This airport is so cool. There’s a whole plane inside this garden thing and like a gazillion places to eat; when you go down there, make sure to,” he is cut off by an icy glare from your Fiance. 

“Shut up, I’m trying to concentrate.” Hajime hisses at the dynamic duo. “Unless you are injured or dying, leave us be.”

They look a bit taken aback at the Athletic Trainer’s outburst and look to you for any kind of comfort, but you are too engrossed in your project to give it to them.

“Sorry guys, I have a penguin to make.” you hum, looping another strand of violet yarn around your crochet hook. 

Neither of you has acknowledged it yet, but whoever finishes their project first won’t have to pay for their meal.

Tagging: @enchantedforest-network @eussstasss

[sanjisblackasswife]

So I forgot who it was (I’m so sorry if u see it pls lmk and I’ll tag u) but the person re logged this drawing I did and said “Imagine Sanji telling her how much he loves her skin “ and something else I forgot BUT I UNDERSTOOD. So imma do it rn so here is some Soft Sanji.

“Just As You Are” Sanji x Black Fem Reader (Fluff)

CW: Mentions of racism/colorism/Verbal Abuse/Mental Health, Very much fluff, Reader is insecure and sad, happy ending

It was always different.

How people looked at you, how you weren’t the “ideal” woman. Was it your hair? The way you dress? How you talk?

Maybe it was your skin.

You grew up not loving your self. You were adopted into a family that treated you as if you weren’t even human, you were constantly talked about your melanin, you weren’t beautiful, so many disrespectful comments and mockery of you being black it made you not accept the true love the Strawhats gave you. They didn’t care if you were black, white, yellow, or blue they love you for you!

Especially a certain cook.

You’ve had a few episodes of panic attacks when all eyes were on you, you had the internal fear of being ridiculed for your appearance. Sanji noticed this immediately when you first joined and tried to convince you in his own way that you are beautiful but you were stubborn you didn’t want to hear it.

You shunned many people in your life due to this, took a very long time for you to even wear more comfortable clothing exposing your features, your skin. You often wore big hoodies or huge clothing in general. The girls welcomed you in with open arms and day by day they helped you get over this doubt you have in yourself.

Today wasnt a good day though. You just came back on the ship, legs exhausted from running, hair in a tangles mess from running into some bushes, you were covered in dirty and blood, not sure if it was yours or that man you kicked around.

“Oh! Y/N! Y/N! My love?!” Sanji ran over to you in a panic immediately holding your weakened body. “What happened who did this?!”

You shook your head it was too embarrassing to even think about, “I just need to sleep.”

“N-no you cant your head!” Sanj took out a napkin from his jacket and placed it on your bleeding forehead. Thats probably why you felt so tired. He walked you back to his room where he had a small couch for you to lay on his lap. He had a small first aid kit to help you since Chopper was gone with everybody else.

Sanji was furious on who could have possibly done this to you. He bit his tongue as you groaned in pain.

“I thought you were with the girls?” He asked taking the leaves stuck in your hair.

“I wanted to be by myself for a moment..that’s all…and then I encountered some assholes…doesn’t matter though…apparently my kind isn’t welcomed here.”

“Y/N—“

“Sanji.”

Sanji’s been very aware of the treatment you’ve gotten in the past by ignorant people when you all were in public. If you all weren’t being chased or fighting every once in a while you and you alone would get stared and not so loud whispers about how

“Different“ you were from Nami and Robin.

Sanji never understood it, Never understood how someone can look at a person’s skin or race or culture or features and be so hateful? What have you done to deserve such treatment?

Nothing. You didn’t deserve it.

Sanji cleaned you up in silence, but it was killing him not to speak his mind to you, “Here…” He sat up and got in front of you to take out anything else from your hair. “Gatta make sure I get all of it.”

Your eyes felt like they were burning as you fiddled with your thumbs. Fighting back the urge to cry, Your chest felt heavy. You were tired and ready to shin everything and body from you after he was done. They’re all the same. Nothing will ever change with how people treat you.

Like clock work Sanji looked down to see a tear fall on your fist. Before you could wipe it off he gently moved his finger under to ur chin so you can look up at him. It was like his heart sank seeing you so broken in the eyes.

“Y/N…”

Without anymore words exchanged he grabbed you into a soft embrace. Your face was buried in his shoulder finally breathing out the tears you needed to release. It was painful to him to hear you like this. He wish he would have been there those assholes would never had a chance to hurt you. His head started to pound from the frustration, so many what if’s. What if they done worse? What if they took you? What if he just could have been there?

Your cries dies down and the sounds were replaced with Sanji’s quickened heart beat. You felt maybe because he is holding you—a woman— he’s probably trying to not bleed all over you. Rolling your eyes at the thought you pulled back and was greeted to him instead with his glossy eyes.

“You’re so Beautiful Y/N…” He spoke out searching your eyes, “you are. I’m more than sorry this happened to you. ….I’m sorry this has been going on for so long . I’m sorry you haven’t been treated the way you needed. I’m sorry you couldn’t come to me when you feel anything less than perfect, I’m sorry for not reminding you enough how stunning you are, how worth of a life you are, how….”

“I’m sorry for not loving you enough.”

You blinked. It was so much emotion poured into what saying was professing to you, you couldn’t process it all you just looked away embarrassingly not wanting to believe him.

“You don’t mean —-“

“It’s more than a belief Y/N It’s a fact. “ Sanji wiped your tear stained cheek. He needed you to understand who you really are, and how much you meant to him. “I promise. To this day Y/N. I won’t ever allow any asshole to make you hate who you are. Your skin is just how God intended it to be and its so Heavenly.”

“You don’t ever feel like you need to apologize or feel animosity about this beautiful body you’re in. Because I love it.”

He kissed your hands looking into your eyes. It wasn’t the same how he usually does it, full of indescribable lust, but it was lawful. It was real.

It made you feel shy quite actually.

“I love you.”

You cried a little chuckling at the floor. You didn’t have much to say back because you were still fighting in your mind if you believe him or not.

“I love you, Too Sanji.”

His smile was also a sign of relief, in the back of his mind he felt like he maybe over stepped his boundary with you, but you welcomed him. You welcomed his compliments.

You took a bath Sanji drew for you and he went to your room to clean up a bit and fix you your favorite dinner. As you were relaxing the cook had some spare time after making your meal, the girls came back and told Sanji about what happened and the men that harassed you.

Needless to say during that time Sanji went out for a smoke break to handle some business.

[sleepyfan-blog]

Lestra's Arrival

Author’s Note: This is the second part of the mini-arc involving new Primaris Black Templars arriving in the husbandry AU. FIrst. Next. Other Cedric fics here and here. Thank you to @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan for allowing me to borrow Hura and Zariel

Tagged:  @egrets-not-regrets @kit-williams @bleedingichorhearts @i-am-a-dragon34

Warnings: graphic description of wounds, blood, character death, 

Summary: A badly injured Lestra is found by a renegade warband and brought to the clinic for treatment.

The scent of blood was thick and heavy in the air as the wind changed directions. A small frown appeared on Tallis’ face and he signaled to one of the Cousins he was currently traveling with, as he was on point before speaking “Something… Someone is bleeding heavily nearby. Smells like an Astartes. I’m going to go check it out.”

“Careful, sorcerer. The Warp is much harder to reach in this time period.” The Raven Guard Sargeant who was the leader of the little warband that Tallis had been found and semi-adopted by, warned. 

“Yeah, Yeah. I know. I’ll be careful. First sign of trouble, and I’ll vox for help.” The Thousand Son hummed in acknowledgement as he carefully made his way over to where the scent of fresh blood was strongest.

~

It did not take long for Tallis to find the other Space Marine, who was leaning heavily against a tree. The other was naked from the waist up and badly wounded. There were bright red, raised lacerations covering every inch of skin on his back from the neck down. On top of those wounds were fist-sized bruises every four to five inches apart, too regularly placed to be randomly placed. Worse than that, however, was the wounds on his chest, as Tallis carefully turned him over.

Tallis couldn’t tell what color the other marine’s short hair was originally, as it was matted and discolored with blood. Both of his eyes had been scratched out by what looked like lightning claws. He swallowed hard as whoever had used the lightning claws on this poor marine’s eyes had liberally used them on his chest and abdomen as well, having carved words into his chest in a language that he did not recognize, though that might be in part from the amount of blood oozing from his wounds.

“I NEED AN APOTHECARY AT THESE COORDINATES IMMEDIATELY!” Tallis yelled  over vox, making sure that he was using the broadest and longest-range frequency he could as horror settled in his stomach, a heavy leaden weight.

The other marine was breathing, but his chest was rising and falling unevenly, and was more gasping than breathing regularly. He reacted to Tallis’ yelling by curling defensively, a pained whimper leaving him.

Tallis knelt down in front of the other marine, his voice quieter as he aimed for soothing, and landing on frantic “Hey… Hey. Easy. I mean you no harm, oh throne, you have no studs. You’re a scout. Who the kriff did this to a scout? Keep breathing and stay awake as best as you can. I’ve called for an apothecary. I do have some first aid training, and I do have some supplies on me, so I’m going to start treating you as best as I can, alright? Please don’t startle when I touch you. Can you tell me your name, scout?”

The scout whimpered and turned his face towards him, opening his mouth and revealing -

Oh. 

This poor bastard had his tongue ripped out too, did he? Tallis silently wondered if he’d been found and overpowered by a group of Drukhari before being translocated to M3 Terra. “Okay, no talking, for you. That’s okay. I can talk enough for the both of us. So, right now I’m grabbing the wound cleanser I have in my bag and I’m gonna spritz those claw-marks with it. Its’ gonna sting a little, but I know that you can handle it. Here. I’m gonna move one of your hands so that you’re touching my knee, so that you know that I’m here and I’m real.” 

He heard Sargeant Malish crash through the underbrush in his direction at the sound of his shout, the rest of the warband on his heels. But all Tallis could do was to focus on the poor, unfortunate scout in front of him, to try and reassure the lad that he wasn’t alone in a strange place, left to die slowly. 

“Enki, Rao, make us a stretcher. There’s a hospital a ten-minute sprint from here that treats Astartes, and he’s going to need a lot more than whatever first aid we can give him in the middle of this forest. Tallis, you stay with the kid until it’s time to move him. Do you see any signs of neck or spinal damage?” Malish asked, looking the injured marine over critically.

The scout who had black painted leg and boot armor whimpered and flinched at the sound of the sargent’s yelling, his shaking getting worse.

“I… No? I don’t think so, but we should be careful in how we move him, anyways. He’s in really rough shape, and I think at least one of his lungs have been ruptured, front he way he’s breathing. Easy… Easy, scout. No one’s yelling at you. You’re doing a great job staying awake.” Tallis murmured, gently patting one of the other’s shoulders, trying to get the poor scout to calm down a little. 

The scout whimpered wordlessly, but he seemed to relax a little, which was progress.. It did not take long for Rao and Enki to build a make-shift stretcher that would hold the kid’s weight. “Alright, we’re going to put you up in the stretcher, now. On the count of three, we’re going to lift you up and put you on it. One… Two… Three!” Tallis counted, helping to heave the surprisingly heavy scout up and onto the stretcher. Tallis ran ahead of the four carrying the injured scout, guiding them to the astartes-friendly clinic-hospital.

~

Despite the stench of blood, the slow, agonal gasps of the brother on the operating table, and the chemical scent of cleanser in his nostrils, Part of Cedric silently wondered if htis was a nightmare of some kind.

Lestra was on the operating table, again. Cedric was part of the medical team trying to save his life. Again.

Hopefully Chaplain Petras and Sargeant Brenthom would not come bursting into the roo, half-way through the procedure, with the former bellowing at them to stop all but the most necessary procedures to keep him from dying, as these wounds had been inflicted due to punishments that Lestra had somehow earned.

Quiet, obedient, dutiful Lestra. 

Lestra, who had some of the best scores of any of them when it came to marksmanship and tech-repair outside of the snipers and tech-marines.

Lestra, who murmured the prayers to Him on Terra most fervently, who delighted in aiding the Chaplains in any duties they asked of them, no matter how menial the task.

Lestra, who never questioned orders. Who tended to their weapons and armor with a patient reverence that bordered on nearly obsessive.

Lestra who, despite every effort that Cedric and the other Apothecaries were making, was once again dying, drowning in their own blood, as it filled their lungs faster than could be siphoned away. Whose blood loss was causing a cascade of effects that was shutting down their body. Lestra, whose body was rejecting the blood and fluids that they were trying to pump into them.

Lestra, who coughed wetly and grabbed Cedric with desperate, waning strength,pressingtheir forehead to his for several seconds before going limp, their hearts stopping.

Lestra, whose blood coated Cedric’s hands, arms and chest. Even after it had been washed away by an older Apothecary, when it had become clear that Cedric had locked up, unable to move.

“I failed them… Again.” Cedric muttered as he stared down at Lestra’s still warm body. Two of the Imperial Fist Apothecaries were preparing to open them up, to carve out the necessary organs that could be saved and reused. 

“Sometimes patients die, lad. Even though we do what we can to help them. They were in a bad way, lad. It was unlikely that they were going to survive. Do you know which chapter they belonged to?” One of the Imperial Fists asked, reaching out to try and touch Cedric.

Cedric flinched, stepping a half-step back not-trusting the touch to be painless. “Lestra, Primaris. Black Templars. They were… They were one of the first I -” found badly hurt. Before he… Before he knew what was going on. Before he knew which of his Firstborn brothers was beating them to the point of death. Not that he was fool enough to say that out loud where other firstborns could hear that. “The Bellasarian engine will explode if you try to remove it from their body, causing considerable damage, so leave it in place.”

“Ah… They were one of the first patients you lost? That’s always rough. Come on, lad. You can leave the grisly work of organ harvesting to the others.” Of all people, Captain Ash’val murmured.

Where had the salamander scout captain come from? He was no apothecary.

“But I… They need…” Cedric tried to find the words, his hearts bleeding and lungs seizing up. 

“The others will handle the organ removal. After that, Ramiel can guide their final rights, and you and the others can give them a final goodbye. Losing a patient is rough… Especially you’re first one, and I can’t imagine what losing your first patient twice must feel like.” Ash’val murmured, wrapping one arm around Cedric’s shoulders and steering him out of the operating room.

“But… But I was able to save Olivar… Why wasn’t I able to save Lestra? It’s not… It’s not fair!” Cedric managed out, trembling violently, though he did not resist Ash’val’s touch, nor his orders.

“Olivar’s wounds were less severe, and he was closer to treatment than LEstra. These things happen. You did your best, lad. That’s all we can ask of you.”

Cedric crumbled into Ash’val’s steady body, weeping until he passed out.

~

“Did you discover anything during the Autopsy, Zariel?” Ash’val, asked, his voice quiet, so as to not wake up the distraught young apothecary passed out in his arms, hours later.

“The lash-markings on Lestra’s body are consistent with the ones found on Ramiel and Olivar, when they were first brought in for treatment. As is the lichtenberg scarring and the way that the lightning claw wounds were on Ramiel’s and Lestra’s bodies. It’s likely that whoever went after our two surviving Primaris Black Templars was the one who killed Lestra.” Zariel dutifully reported to the Salamander.

Hura offered “Cedric was equally unsurprised to see the wounds upon Lestra, as he was on Olivar and Ramiel as well, which means he was likely one of the apothecaries who tended to the three of them in M42 before he and they were all brought here to Ancient Terra.” He was frowning as he watched the young apothecary in training sleep. “When I brought young Ramiel to view Lestra’s body, he was understandably distraught, but not surprised that they died, despite all efforts to save them.”

“You know… For as bad as they are at lying, they sure do seem to be keeping dark secrets and deep sorrows hidden in the deepest corners of their hearts.” Zariel murmured with a small frown.

“They correctly guessed the colors of your armor within weeks of living here. A feat most of the rest of the base has yet to discern.” Ash’val pointed out. “They may be young, but they are clever.”

Zariel huffed at that, looking away. “Point taken.”

“We should go, before Cedric awakens. Our presence will only confuse and worry him, given his recent trial.” Hura remarked, standing up a moment later and dragging Zariel out of his chair.

“Hey! I can walk on my own. Let me go, you giant bastard.” Zariel grumbled reluctantly allowing the Death Guard to manhandle him. 

[orangelemonsstuff]

Wounded

Gangster/Mafia!Leona x Bartender!Reader

Silver Bullet Au

Summary: A passed out someone was infront of the doorstep of your bar, a kindhearted being you are you take care of him and his wound.

Tags: Wound Tending, Slight Blood, TW:Gun, Crowley is Mentioned, Slight Angst if you squint, Bartending.

•••

goddammit.

there's another person passed out infront the steps of your bar, bloodied, beaten and bruised up like every single person that ends laying down in front of your establishment as always

"Uh sir? are you...okay? dead?" you lower yourself close to and asked to the laying body nervously

shit is he dead?

you immediately check the pulse in his neck and thank the great sevens there's still something beating in there

it's closing time already and you have no time to call an ambulance to get this man out of your sight or the energy to deal with the police and their questions about the man or what your bar is doing in a dangerous part of town

you sigh.

you have no time to get this man proper treatment to a proper hospital

but you have the time to be a kind oh so good person to be deciding to treat him. plus it'll be a convenience to you if this person is affiliated with the authorities and could get your bar and you a good name in the public

slowly you try to lift up the man's arm to carry in your shoulder but stopped as soon as he growled a hurt grunt at you. must've sprained him

while still lifted by the arm you got a closer look at him

a lion beastman with a hair brown as a muddy rained ground that falls to his beautiful face and a scar on his left eyebrow were blended in with the pained expression he has

by the way he is dressed... he looks like a mob from a gang that roams around this town or even at the underworld

okay, he looks like he does affiliate with the government but in the bad illegal way, you might be in more danger now.

eh fuck it, you would look like more of a murderer if you leave him here, there would be more eyes on you if you do that and someone saw it.

•••

with a last push you propped him up to your plush sofa in one of the tables, properly this time.

it was a struggle getting him inside not to mention the minutes that took you to properly sit him up in the sofa without him falling over and causing brain damage to his passed out state

how could somebody look like they hadn't eaten for days be that heavy? no matter, he's already here and it's time to use your first aid skills that you've used on those young hooligans that pass by in your bar all beaten up as always.

tons of bruises here and there but it's nothing that you can't take care of, you stood up to get your kit, your eyes not leaving the beautiful man sitting unconsciously in your sofa

opening it, you first took the scissors to cut the shirt's sleeves, out not long before you remove his blazer and plopped it to his side

you're undressing a literal stranger, this could get you to prison for attempted assault however... he looks terribly hurt, he needs care and your intentions are purely clear with first aid kit in your hand. the authorities might not forgive you for doing this without his consent or by the fact you did not turn this man into the police or to an hospital, but what good would it do if you turned this man over either?

hell, even if you did turn him over, he might be the one that comes after you next if not the authorities already.

you just didn't want to fully undress him that's why you're cutting up the sleeves instead of unbuttoning it. that truly just it.

aside from his well built pectoral there's not that much bad bruises other than the purple part, you learned better than to touch it, one should let it heal by time but you just happen to have a ointment for it that might help heal

you lightly tap the purple bruise with the ointment in your hand before throughly applying it to the whole part.

you pick up your antiseptic to apply to the small cotton you picked with tweezers, you prop yourself up as you press it to a small wound yet it made the man flinch awake

he grabbed your hand roughly it felt like it'd be red by now as he pull you in close to his angry face

"what the hell do you think you're doing?" you didn't answer his question and firmly took your hand away from his grasp, he didn't do anything and just watched as you held up a bandage at him.

peeling off the wrapper, you properly took off the side and applied it to the small wound. while you bind the bandage cloth on large opened ones after cleaning it.

you move to his face next, he had a slight wound near his mouth. it doesn't bleed yet red as if fresh

another small cotton was took out from its plastic home, imbed with betadine this time you press it to the small cut, you swear you can hear him growling and hissing either at the pain or at you but you don't care, it's small but still needs care.

lowering yourself down to his knees, once again the scissors are in your hand, and before it tears up to the fabric at his pants he stops you by grabbing your hand once again

"Why are you cutting it up?" he asked assertively and cold

"unless you want me to take care of your wounds with no pants then sure be my guest" you replied viciously as you contiuned your cutting, it's a small cut to his pants it's not going to kill him, plus the blood staining it is more noticeable than the cutted part of the fabric

you proceed to apply more antiseptic to the cotton. you clean his wounds with it, lightly tapping as he stayed quite.

too focused on your work you didn't notice him picking up his gun hanging from his side pocket swiftly before pouting it at you

"I'm going to fucking kill you." he clocked his gun as it points at your head, you halt at your tending

"at least let me tend it before you do that, it looks bad." you continue to press the cotton on the wound harder this time making him flinch the gun and let its metal mouth kiss your forehead fully

you're not that scared of guns anymore especially with what you experienced, a bullet in your head would mean you're just another person that Crowley has to replace

you press cotton to stop the bleeding as you reach for the long band aid and wrap up the huge wound on his knee

you realized he already lowered his gun yet his pained expression never changed, you stood up to leave him and went inside the staff room

letting him alone together with your cash register isn't a good idea but what could he do at the state? rob you while limping? yeah that's definitely a good idea for him.

you come out with a orange bottle and popped out a pill from it

"swallow it" you hand it to him with a serious tone

"I'm not taking a pill from a strange-"

"it's a painkiller, here's the prescription" you hand him the bottle with the intelligible written word "Painkillers" on the tag

"what are you? a nurse?" he examined the pill unbelievably close to his face

"no, just a bartender." you stood up away from him as he still examined the medicine in his hand, you open your mini fridge to take out some of your bottles and a glass

it caught his attention to look at you, pill still in hand. his green eyes watched you as you stir the glass, clinking with the stirring spoon

"here. figured you'd have a dry throat, plus it's a good drink you won't even notice the pill" you hand him the drink as you watch him chuckle deeply

"hah, giving someone a painkiller together with alcohol to swallow it... you're funny"

"i get that a lot, oh and also it's on the house" you tell him as you get back to putting back your first aid to their kit

"it shines." what? oh. he held the glass up above from his head. the buzzing sound of the pin light over him was making his drink shine

"yeah, that drink is called Aurora Jungle Juice. good for parties and surprises" you say as your eyes follow his amused expression.

"i see." he released a sigh as he closes his eyes, his thumb still playing with the painkiller you gave him.

he shot the pill straight to his mouth before drinking the liquor, his eyes catches yours and you two stare for what it felt like an enternity

"tasty, you poisoned it?" he grinned at you as you scowl

"if i want you dead I would've left you infront of my bar hours ago and i would've pretended i left an early hour and didn't noticed you there" you snarked before standing up and delivering back your first aid kit to the medicine cabinet.

you could feel his intense gaze following you but you pay no mind to it, you get this kind of stare a lot especially from observing customers.

you put back the first aid kit carfully as hear footsteps behind you got closer and before you could turn back at him he was already in front you.

how could a wounded up person be that fast?

"hey, I'm gonna come back. and i want what you gave me earlier" he commanded playfully as he grinned at you

"Great, that drink is 50 madols. better sure to pay that time because even if death is near you, i wouldn't serve it for free" you say turning you back again at him closing down the cabinet door

"yeah that too." he whisper but you didn't hear, he preferred it that way, you wouldn't even notice the way his hand touches your hair

"too close" you smack his hand away lightly but making sure it doesn't get near you

"right..." he chuckled once again before putting a space between you two and walked away towards the door

"remember me, dear bartender. I'll surely come back." you hear him as he walked out of the door making the entrance bell ring to inform you he's outside

what a strange man.

•••

Leona puts two of his fingers inside of his mouth taking out the medicine you gave him earlier. still fully intact and dry

he snickered at it as he held it up above his head like what he did to the beverage you also give out to him.

oh those bastards are going to pay for betraying the Savannaclaw and beating up it's leader like nothing

not even thinking about the consequences if he survived

but he's also got to thank them, without them he won't even met you at all, he has to return them the best favor he had so he'd truly show his appreciation

his appreciation for meeting a finally interesting person.

he cracks his knuckles as ideas flood his brain on what will he do with those scumbags

and what will he do to have you.

"I'll come back for you, dear bartender"

•••

an: HELLO EVERYONE, hoW YA DOIN?? anyways first of all the drink that was in here was from chapter 78 of Alcohol is for Married Couples (great manga btw u should read it) i haven't tasted it yet but the chapter has the reciper for it if anyone wants to try it!! the credits for this au still goes to @jackplushie (i miss them till this day) but their aus are what keeps me going. hope you guys liked this :>

[mchlgayser]

more w Ney!!

🍶𓂃⭑ᜊ: INJURIES ft neymar jr

🍶𓂃⭑ᜊ an: HELLO! Tbh I need a specific idea but I think I can work out with a drabble ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა Hope you like this! If you wanted to request again next time, I hope you can sum up with ideas or storyline plot!! Hope you guys enjoy mwahh

🍶𓂃⭑ᜊ content warning: argument and vulgar language

It was truly depressing for you to hear that your boyfriend won't be participating in two of his games because of his ankle injury. Right now, his team physiotherapist is checking on him for any improvement and you waited outside for them.

He finally got out with a crane under one arm to support him 'He was okay, but like I informed you before he won't be able to play until his two next games.' You nodded, hand reaching out for him to hold which he hesitantly did.

The two of you walk to the entrance into his car 'Here let me--' He accidentally pushed your hands away and sough 'I got it.' You shake your head at his usual demeanor and get to the other side and started the engine as it began rumbling.

-

The ride was quiet, awfully quiet. The only sound heard was the faint radio background 'What happened with your treatment?' You started, hands digging into the steel. For a moment, he was silent '...It was fine..' You hum

Once you reach your home, you jog to the other side to get to him but he's already on his way out 'Y/n stop it, I can do it fine without you.' He exclaims already getting angry 'I just wanted to help...' You murmur, hands trying to hold down to his but he withdrew his hands 'For goodness sake--' Just then he was about to fall but you catch him in time 'Be careful Ney.' You pleaded, eyes hazy and get into the house, leaving him.

He was devastated, at you, at himself and his condition. He went inside seconds later to see you sitting on the couch, head down and your hands gripping your hair 'Oh c'mon, it's not like you are the one with the injury' He remarked with a scoff, you turn your head over to him 'What is it? What's your problem?' You bite back getting up from the couch to leave to your room 'You know I'm actually tired of you trying to rub off shit on me, you know I won't getting better anytime soon? Stop pretending when you know damn well I won't be functioning for a while.' He stated, a vein appearing on the corner of his temple 'I'm certain you are on period because you are so fucking sensitive over something small! I'm fucking tired of your shit, you never know how to to fucking appreciate me when all I'm doing is to make you feel okay, I fucking brought you to your ankle injury appointments! The one who fucking cleaned up for you, cooked for you, bathe you but all you've done is being nothing but an asshole! Can I not be sad for my boyfriend? Can't I feel sorry for him when I know damn well how he's been working his ass hard to get here?!' You yelled at him, eyes burning with warm tears

'I won't leave you because I knew deep down you still need me, even though it'll probably take you a hundred years to admit that but the second you are finally able to accept the fact that you've been nothing but shitty to me these days then you know I won't be anywhere but the room.' You finished up and tread upstairs hurriedly. He hoists a heavy sigh trying his best to sit down feeling numb over his calves.

But instead, he tripped clashing onto the table, his hands accidentally engage with the glass ashtray on the table smashing it everywhere. His elbow is a bleeding a bit and forms a bruise but it wasn't severe. You on the hand, the next wink you heard the sound you rush downstairs seeing Ney in a such terrible state

His face scrunched in both pain and anger, he was trying to stand but to no avail, you stood there waiting, and waiting 'Can you... Please help me..?' He finally asked, head-turning over you with a small lazy smile, you dash to pick him up 'Sit here, I'm gonna go get the aid kit.'

You placed the antiseptic over his elbow, the cotton press again into his wound which make him violently hiss 'That hurts like a bitch!' He cursed, and you soothe him down by subconsciously stroking his knuckles 'There!

You wanted to leave again but he held you back 'I just wanna say that I'm sorry, deeply am. I get it, I've been nothing but shitty to you and I apologize because of that. I don't wanna repeat the same mistake. I'll support you equally just like you did right now, taking care of me and stuff. I am so lucky to have you in my life. I swear, I will try my best to stay positive during my hiatus hoping I could go back and play with my teammates.' He whispered, wavering a sense inside of you making you badly want to cry.

You sat beside him and once again place your hand on top of his. 'I will be here for you alright? We are in this, together and forever.'

[fledermoved-too]

PiB AU Scourge and Fuego 🧊🔥

Some thoughts I had for a backstory concerning my request muse Scourge and @firestcr !! This is just an idea ofc, so if this doesn't work for you that's totally fine <33

it's okay to rb this btw!

info under the cut:

This is inspired by the Hawkstorm MAP, which is one of my favorites!

In this AU, Scourge and Fuego are siblings from the same litter, born in a small town just an hour or so out from Mexico City within a run-down, dilapidated hut. Their mother, a stray, does her best to care for the two with limited resources, and they have a fairly normal childhood at first, getting along well. Scourge (then Tiny) is raised as a girl, as that is his assigned gender at birth. He is often adorned with a flower, the anemone, which symbolizes the idea of being forsaken, which is pure coincidence to their reality, but foreshadows his fate.

One night, during a particularly devastating storm, lightning strikes a tree close by to their hut, and it catches fire. The fire spreads with extreme speed as their mother wakes to the roar of the flames and tries to get her children to safety, but can only carry one through the rapidly deconstructing building. Tiny does his best to keep up, but is barred from following as debris collapses, blocking the path to his only exit. Nutmeg flees with her remaining kit, devastated as she assumes Tiny has been crushed.

Fire has destroyed their home and Rusty's only sister, yet he is born from the ashes, and as Nutmeg eventually succumbs to her own burns and smoke inhalation in town, Rusty is taken in by townsfolk and named Fuego after his pelt and past. As he is raised, more and more of the incident falls from his immediate memory, but he never forgets the death of his littermate and mother, promising to carry them within his heart always as he becomes the hero that the town deserves, fighting evil as he travels place to place. As he outgrows the collar handed down to him by townsfolk, he no longer wears it, but keeps the item out of sentimental value. He gains a partisan to utilize as his favored weapon.

It's unknown how Tiny was able to escape that night and survive, but he did make an escape, bearing horrific burns that would result in hair loss, troubled breathing, as well as skin and nerve damage. Fortunately, some of his fur would grow back, but not the full amount, giving him a more mangy appearance and earning him the name El Chupacabra by locals. This treatment comes to the exact opposite of Fuego's, as Scourge decides to give himself a third name for shortness' sake and to keep his anger within his title. This is when he begins to realize he is a tomcat. To him, Tiny is dead as well, though more metaphorically.

He becomes an outlaw, bearing a hatchet ready to kill and a collar of bone and tooth to settle his new look. Though he is a bitter opponent, a few select strays admire the tenacity and fierceness of his work, occasionally grouping with him for resources in hopes of food and shelter, but they are not fully loyal. At a true sniff of danger, they flee, leaving Scourge alone in his mission to rustle livestock and commit vicious theft and killings.

Scourge remembers the night vividly in trauma, and knows who Fuego is. He harbors resentment for his brother, but will not openly acknowledge that he knows Fuego. Instead, he acts as the antagonist, and the opposing force to all that Fuego has built as a reputation. If Fuego is the hero, then El Chupacabra must be the villain.

[sunboki]

cliché firefighter! chan scenario where the station receives a call that there happens to be an apartment fire to which he quick pulls on his gear along with the other seven accompanying him with similar haste—finally arriving at the location where people are fleeing the building in a panicked state.

as if on instinct Chan reacts, placing the ladder beneath your window whilst giving the escaped population a fantastic view of his muscular figure as he climbed hurriedly. upon arriving at your apartment he pulls his face mask down, shielding himself from the billowing smoke pooling from the opening.

you’re as low to the ground as possible, lungs hacking up any clean oxygen you could manage, eyes beginning to flutter shut as you begin succumbing to exhaustion. that is until a voice calls out, initially you thought it was a dream, but the shadow looming over you tells you this is indeed not a dream but a firefighter coming to save you. perhaps it’s the hazy atmosphere or the licking flames that blur your vision but your savior is effortlessly handsome. especially when he picked you up and his sculpted arms flex. god.

“i’m gonna get you out of here, alright? it’s okay to be afraid but you can do it. breathe for me sweetheart.” Chan placed an oxygen mask over your mouth and nose, evacuating the vicinity in the process of coaching you through breathing, holding you bridal-style that made your head dizzy.

“everyone’s out!” shouted a long, blonde haired firefighter, surveying everyone’s injuries. and finally, the sky began to become visible, the handsome man carefully sitting you on the tail of the fire-truck as he pulled the mask and helmet off his face—causing his hair to fall gorgeously around his head like some sort of heaven-sent. a soft smile graced his features, taking the oxygen mask you handed him in one hand while fishing for a first aid kit with the other.

his voice, now much clearer without the sound of roaring flames sounded like honey on your tongue, kind when he spoke, “a little shaken up, but you’re a fighter. i’ll make sure you’re taken care of, don’t worry.” he applied the anti-bacterial treatment on your scraped knees, placing a strong but comforting hand on your thigh when you winced at the sting.

he lifted up from his squat, giving your head a gentle pat, “i’m going to check that out equipment’s secure, it’s cold, be sure to stay warm. i’ll be back.” he assured, shaking off his jacket to drape over your shoulders. leaving the living god in a tight black t-shirt. trying to kill you isn’t he?

“wait.” you reach to tug at his sleeve, wondering what the actual hell you were going to do now that you’re in this situation.

“if you’re planning to ask me on a date i’d say yes.” there’s a playful lilt to his voice, bending down to smile at you. despite your assumption he’s joking, a sudden gust of confidence overtakes your nervousness.

“well i’m not against it, but i need to at least know your name first.”

“christopher bahng.”

a thought written out. i sort of love him if you couldn’t tell (i lied, i’m madly in love with him). who isn’t? 🤍 can you tell who’s been giving me a brainrot recently..

[steddiealltheway]

WIP Wednesday

pretend this isn't the fourth thing i've posted in the past like... two hours

but this is so cool! Thank you @zerokrox-blog for tagging me!

So this is a Soulmate AU that has been in my head for YEARS, and I've finally started writing it down so... here's the first chapter or maybe only part of it? I'm not sure yet. But here it is :)

A few weeks earlier… 

Steve sprints to the window, unlatching it easily and jumping through just to tuck and roll onto the soft carpet of Robin’s bedroom. 

“What the-” Robin starts to yell until she catches sight of Steve who holds a finger to his lips. He signals for her to close the windows and curtains quickly while he lays on the ground wiping the rain water mixed with blood out of his eyes. 

Robin quietly freaks out as she locks the window and pulls the curtain tight. She flicks on a lamp then digs under her bed for a first aid kit that makes Steve want to squirm away, but he can’t deny the need for some type of treatment for his wounds. As she’s carefully putting bandaids on what he assumes to be a large cut on his forehead, she whispers out, “What the hell happened?” 

Steve breathes out and does a quick assessment of himself. Nothing appears to be broken at the moment, but his vision is slightly swimming as the adrenaline wears off. He lets his eyes close as he leans into Robin. “Turns out I’m going to college with you after all.” 

He doesn’t have to open his eyes to know that she’s giving him a weird look, but he opens them to let her know he’s serious about this. “Robin, promise to never call me ‘Steve’ again, okay?” 

Robin freezes and lets her hand fall from where it was smoothing out a bandaid. “What?” 

“Please,” Steve pleads and looks around frantically. “Call me… call me…” his head is pounding and his stomach slightly churns, so he relies on the last thing he saw, a name too unique to belong to any soul, “Call me Keys.” 

“Okay… Keys,” Robin says testing out the name as Steve’s eyes lull shut. “Now tell me everything.” 

Now 

Moving in sucks. Well, moving Robin in sucks. Steve had told her that she didn’t need to pack her entire room, but she insisted, “Keys, I will not be returning home after my first twenty-four hours away from it! And maybe I’ll need the whistle I got in elementary school! You never know.” 

Steve just sighs and hefts up yet another box from his car, carefully glancing around for anyone familiar before heading up to Robin’s dorm. He curses the broken elevator but realizes it likely wouldn’t have been much help since everyone else is moving in at the same time. He swerves just at the last second as some hyper dude with long hair runs down the stairs past him and Robin. For some reason, he feels a weird draw to them, but they probably just remind him of Dustin who he would’ve yelled at to slow the hell down. He misses that kid. 

Steve huffs as he makes his way to the third story of the building and spots the door to Robin’s room slightly ajar. Robin shoots him a look and they rush over to it only to slow down as they approach. Steve sets down the box and riffles through it settling on grabbing a random plaque from... “Your fourth-grade spelling bee, really?” 

“It’s one of my greatest accomplishments!” Robin whisper yells at him and nudges his shoulder. 

Steve rolls his eyes but takes the plaque and holds it up. He holds up his hand signaling three... two... one... 

Steve shoves the door open and yells as a blonde girl starts to scream. Steve quickly realizes his mistake and puts the plaque down on a nearby table and holds his hands up. “Woah! Oh, shit. Sorry. You must be Robin’s roommate. I’m Steve,” he introduces himself cautiously holding his hand out. 

Only, the girl doesn’t take it. Instead, she seems frozen as she glances over Steve’s shoulder. 

Steve’s hand drops and he looks over his shoulder to see what's happening but he’s only met with the sight of Robin staring longingly at the other girl. Steve looks back at the girl and sees it. “You must be Chrissy,” Steve breathes out. 

The girl nods slightly, and happiness alongside jealousy churns in Steve’s stomach. “Well, it’s been great meeting you. And I’ll just... see myself out. Robin, we can get the rest of your stuff later. I’m just going to head to my dorm.” 

Robin slightly nods, mirroring Chrissy’s same nod from earlier, and Steve is almost positive that neither of them are getting any of what he’s saying. Damn soulmates. 

Steve heaves Robin’s box through the doorway and lightly shoves her in before closing the behind her. This is certainly not how he wanted his college experience to start. 

He rushes down the stairs and tries not to think too hard about the whole Robin finding her soulmate thing. Like, yes, it’s great. He’s glad she has the perfect roommate and a soulmate who clearly just by first looks is crazy about her. But this means... fuck. 

Steve might be abandoned. He knows it’s unlike Robin, but he’s heard the soulmate stories. Christ, they’re literally a person’s other half, so of course they’re going to want to spend all their time with them which leaves Steve... alone. Or awkwardly third wheeling, but the sight of happy couples makes him irrationally angry. 

Well, with everything, Robin says that he should be reasonably angry about the whole soulmate thing, but... 

Steve shakes his head as he climbs into his car and watches that same long-haired boy heave a box up towards the building. Eddie. A voice in his head unhelpfully supplies, and Steve shakes it away because that would be impossible. 

He forces himself to tear his eyes away and look at the campus map. Sadly, he and Robin aren’t living in the same residence hall, but the buildings should be about a five-minute walk away. He spots his building and takes a deep breath as he thinks about dealing with parking. Luckily, he only has about one trip worth of things with him. 

He finds parking and curses under his breath as he rechecks his dorm number and pockets the key they gave him a few hours earlier. He pushes around the few boxes Robin has left so he can get out his one box and old backpack. Hopefully his roommate doesn’t judge him too much. 

The trek to the building isn’t horrible from the parking lot, but Steve is definitely thankful that he lives on the first floor. 

He finds his room fairly easily and digs his key out of his pocket so he can unlock the door. He sighs when he finds it’s already unlocked and prepares to meet his roommate. He tries to appear pleasant as possible and even tightly smiles as he enters the room. Half of it is filled with weird shit like posters and drawings that Steve thinks that Dustin would like. And he’s definitely gotta ask why the hell he has a giant sign that says “Corroded Coffin.” He whistles low when he spots the guitar propped in the corner of the room. He knows nothing about instruments, but he can tell it’s well taken care of. 

The only thing that he finds odd is the lack of a roommate in the room, but maybe he’s in the bathroom or something. 

Steve doesn’t think too hard about it because he’s filled with relief of finally being alone so he can breathe. It’s not that he isn’t a social person it’s just... he needs time to process the whole Chrissy and Robin thing. More than anything he wants to rant to someone about it, but his options of ranting are: Robin. 

But there’s probably a landline in the common area and definitely pay phones nearby so he can call Dustin eventually. 

He tugs at the leather band around his right wrist for a few minutes as he thinks before realizing the anxious tick and trying to stop. He needs Robin to go back to flicking him in the head every time he does it. Soulmarks don’t like being suffocated he guesses. 

He unpacks the few things he has, stuffing the few pairs of clothes he has in the supplied dresser and slipping sheets over his mattress and making up the thin comforter (curtesy of Robin’s mom) and pillow (also Robin’s mom) to make the place look somewhat like a home. He gets a framed picture of him and Robin out of his box and puts it on his desk lastly before turning around and walking towards his door. 

He stops and takes a breath before turning around and taking in his sad display of a room, but he can’t help but smile. Nothing can be worse than his room from a few weeks ago. 

All the sudden, the door swings open and collides with Steve’s back causing him to stumble forward and curse. 

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were...” the man trails off as Steve turns around. 

It’s the same long-haired guy he saw before, but close up he’s absolutely... 

Eddie. Soulmate. 

Steve’s entire being feels drawn to him, and it’s like he understands what all the soulmates mean when they say as soon as they saw them they just knew. And it feels so right. He’s somehow everything that Steve had always dreamed of since he first got his mark, and nothing at all like what he expected. He’s about to finally say that it’s him, it’s Steve, when he finally shakes himself out of it. 

No, it’s not him. It’s not possible. He’s already met Eddie. 

So, Steve sticks his hand out and says, “I’m Keys.” 

And something about his name must falter whatever is going on in the man’s head as he reaches out and replies, “Kas. Uh, you must be my s- roommate.” 

Steve smiles tightly as the label doesn’t rest well with him. He shakes his hand and can’t help but notice the way his hand feels right in his, but he’s also wearing a band around his wrist that kind of jostles with Steve’s and it feels so wrong like he needs to pry them both off- 

“My roommate who I just hit with the door. Shit, I’m sorry, man, I just got some crazy news that my best friend found her soulmate. At least, I think that’s what I was witnessing because she was just making out with this other girl, and I don’t know, I just kind of ran like hell. And I wasn’t thinking and bam hit you with the door,” Kas rambles out and it’s overwhelmingly endearing to Steve especially when he pulls his hair in front of his face and continues, “Sorry, man, I’m just kind of freaking out.” 

And Steve knows exactly what he means. “I can’t blame you. I just had the same sort of shit happen. My best friend just found her soulmate, and I’m at a loss. I know I should feel happy for her, but I can’t help but think I’m going to be abandoned or some shit.” Steve stops and wonders why the hell he’s talking so much and basically spewing his soul to a stranger. “Sorry,” Steve apologizes and shakes his head, “I don’t usually open up so easily.” 

“Neither do I, but that’s just because I have to keep up my dark and mysterious persona,” Kas says with a bright smile as he raises his hands and wiggles his fingers. 

Steve can’t help but laugh. 

Kas’s smile falls, but more in a dramatic way than a hurt way. “What? Do you not think I’m all dark and mysterious?” 

This makes Steve laugh even harder. He has no idea how this man with the energy of a hyper puppy and the biggest brown doe eyes he’s ever seen has ever appeared threatening or rather “dark and mysterious.” 

Kas sighs and frowns at him, but that just further drives home the point. Steve can’t help but try to stifle his laughter and reply as seriously as he can, “Oh, you’re dark and mysterious alright.” 

Kas lightly shoves him as a blush comes to his cheeks, and Steve doesn’t remember ever feeling so connected to someone as soon as he met them. He can’t help but think that Kas is thinking the same thing as they stare at each other, both smiling as something like hope stirs in Steve. 

He wishes more than anything that soulmates didn’t exist. 

“Hey, Kas!” 

“Keys!” 

Kas and Steve jump back as they stare at the two girls in their doorway who glance back at each other. “No way,” Robin and Chrissy both say together and laugh. 

It takes Steve a moment longer than everyone, but then he’s looking at Kas with wide eyes as he realizes how cruel and kind the universe really is. 

[zillaphoneswag]

Amanda x Angela Ship Questions (2)

Who pulls the other closer while sleeping?

Amanda

Who picks something up, says a pun with the object, then laughs as if it’s the funniest thing they ever heard?

Angela

When one of them gets a new outfit, how does the other react?

Angela turns bright red. This woman cannot talk to save her life, she’s just so taken with how beautiful her girlfriend looks. She’ll make up for it later but at the moment she only has one brain cell. Meanwhile Amanda looks at Angela like she wants to eat her, the outfit wouldn’t survive. She loves Angela in any outfit, her beauty just doesn’t compare to anything in the world. But if her girl comes out in a suit, forget it. Amanda has no words.

Who tries to playfully scare the other person and who always knows where the other person is?

Angela will try time and time again to sneak up on Amanda and it quite literally never works. Even at work, even on Halloween, even for a TNTL bit. Amanda still has that inner anxiety about Angela’s safety. While she’s definitely let up on it quite a bit, she makes it a habit to always know where she is. Yeah, nice try Angela but it’s not happening.

Who runs up and hugs their partner while the other catches them?

Angela

Who presses their nose against their partner’s cheek before kissing them?

Amanda

Who accidentally snorts when they laugh and it just makes both of them laugh harder?

Amanda

What are some things they do for their partner because the other knows they hate it?

Angela will always do the dishes. It’s the one chore Amanda absolutely hates and Angela would gladly take care of it. She also makes sure that she’s the one who drives them when they get coffee or takeout because Amanda can never decide and holding people up stresses her out. Meanwhile Amanda kills the scary bugs. She knows Angela will cry if she has to. She’s also always the one to care of things outside of the bedroom during thunderstorms because the thunder is too overstimulating for Angela.

Who giggles uncontrollably when the other picks them up?

Angela

When did they fall in love with each other?

Angela definitely felt a tug from day one, but it was the day they read Reddit stories together that she knew she was in love. Amanda had also always had a bit of crush, but the day they played Trivial Pursuit and Angela made her laugh almost every time was the day Amanda realized “I love this woman so fucking much.”

What was their first kiss like?

It was a little stressful considering they were in the ER after Angela broke her wrist, but they wouldn’t want it any other way. Angela decided to take the risk by initiating it, just deciding to shoot her shot after Amanda said Angela was her favorite. For Amanda, it wasn’t like anything she’d ever imagined (because she had imagined it). It was soft, sweet, and it felt like they were on a different planet.

If they argue and there’s a silent treatment, who breaks it first, apologizing and begging for a hug?

Angela

Who makes the other blush without even trying and they find it super endearing?

Amanda

How do they hold each other when the other asks to be held?

Angela just wants Amanda to hold her in her lap while she clings to her like a koala. Amanda likes it when Angela holds her from behind, as it’s easier for Angela to brush her hair that way.

Who breaks out the first aid kit when one of them gets a paper cut?

Amanda

Where did they first say “I love you?’”

The ER

Height difference or age difference?

Both. Amanda is five years older and nearly a foot taller.

Who likes to stargaze?

Angela

Who buys cereal for the prize inside?

Angela

How do they handle plane rides together?

The plane does make Amanda a little nervous. Something about being so high up in the air with so many strangers for a long period of time is not something she’s into. So Angela makes sure she has everything she needs; a good book she enjoys, a heating pad for her neck, and an eye mask. She also holds her hand while they take off, letting her squeeze it even if it hurts. Meanwhile Angela loves flying. She always takes the window seat so she can look outside and point everything out to Amanda even if they’re high up.

Who accidentally becomes a meme?

Angela. It’s already happened.

If they went to couples yoga, how would they do?

Horribly. Amanda would actually try and focus but it wouldn’t matter because Angela would just keep making stupid faces and mocking the instructor. Then they couldn’t stop giggling and eventually were asked to leave.

Who is in love with the other person’s laugh?

Amanda

Who would run a bath for the other person?

Angela

Who runs their thumb over the other person’s skin to comfort them?

Amanda

Who covers the other person with a blanket when they fall asleep anywhere other than the bed?

Amanda

*NSFW: Skip to the first fluff headcanon if you don’t want to read it*

What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to them during sex?

There was a time when they were having sex in the living room and forgot that Tommy and a few of the others were coming over for a game night. They had the door unlocked and Tommy and a few of the others walk in on Amanda having Angela pinned to the wall, neither of them wearing clothes. No one in the cast is going to let that go any time soon, they’ll make fun of them forever.

What is the song they’d listen to during rough/hard/kinky sex?

Pink Panther by Scene Queen

What is the song they’d listen to while making love?

Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey

Are they into roleplay or dress up during sex?

Not really

Do they prefer sex in the tub or in the shower?

Definitely in the shower. Angela has room to get on her knees and Amanda can pick her up and hold her against the wall.

Is there anything they do together after sex?

Mostly cuddle. Sometimes they fall asleep for a bit and when they wake up Amanda will usually make some kind of breakfast food.

What is something that will never fail to turn them on?

For Angela it’s the way Amanda somehow always manages to sneak behind her and whisper something dirty in her ear, wherever they are. For Amanda it’s pretty much the way Angela has the ability to eye fuck her and squeeze her in places she’d never thought would feel as good as they did.

What’s their favorite body part on the other?

For Angela, it’s Amanda’s breasts. For Amanda it’s Angela’s legs.

*NSFW Over*

Who showers their pet with affection?

Angela

Who can lift the other up?

Amanda

Who is better at Mario Kart?

Angela

Who is touch starved and while it’s funny at first the other realizes that their partner hasn’t had much physical affection in their life?

Angela

Who gets jealous easier?

Definitely Amanda. She’s already protective of Angela and when it comes to strangers trying to touch or flirt with her it’s on site.

Who feeds the ducks at the park?

Angela

[ownedbythescribe]

Cyno | Even The Smallest

ıllı Synopsis: Irrational? Stupid? Maybe, but a month without contact made you extremely lonely and insecure. The jealousy in your heart whispered unwanted thoughts. How could Cyno assure you? Would he assure you?

ıllı Genre: Romance

ıllı Warnings: Cyno x Fem!Reader, Suggestive Content, Slight Angst

ıllı A/N: I might have went overboard with this, but he’s one of my favorite characters! Enjoy! 

Mornings in the Avidya Forest were always a sight to see, and Tighnari never got tired of the ambiance that surrounded the village. The rays of the sun that peered through the leaves and the smell of damp soil considering that it rained the day before, were some of the things he appreciated the most. Letting out a soft sigh, the Forest Watcher walked towards the rendezvous point of the forest rangers to deliver their tasks.

“Today is going to be a bit hectic, but I expect that you all know how to handle your missions. Nasrin, Shirin, I’ll be stationing you near the falls below Sumeru City. There had been reports of an increase in aggressive fungi in the area, so it would be best to reduce the number and report the possible reason for such occurrence. As for—“ Tighnari continued to distribute the tasks for the day with a casual reminder such as withering zone and poisonous plants in particular areas.

Although the Irminsul had been healed thanks to the Traveler, there had been a few ones left above ground. Tighnari proposed that it must have been due to leftover elemental traces from where the roots dissipated. It was backed up by your research on those areas and previous observations when the tree was still sick.

After deploying the rangers, he turned to the group he will be working with which consisted of you and Collei. The green-haired trainee shuffled uneasily, bearing a wryly smile while glancing at your sulking form. Tighnari raised an eyebrow at your behavior before flicking your forehead.

“Care to tell me why you’re slouching like an old man on the ground, (Y/N)?” He inquired. You rubbed the pain away but did not answer him right away, opting to mumble your answer after the short silence. An irk mark appeared on his forehead.

“Stop mumbling like a child, you lummox.” He countered.

“It’s something personal, don’t worry. I’ll try not to let it distract me. Anyways, where are we heading today?” You diverged, a silent plea to save the topic for another time.

The fennec fox sighed before taking out his map. He had an inkling that it had something to do with your relationship, but it was not his business to mind if you were not willing to divulge it. Shaking his head, he pointed at the areas near Vimara Village and Molding Cavern. He informed you of the problems with irrigation experienced by the farmers as well as the lack of adequate sanitary water in the village. You hummed in thought, already noting the possible sources of the problem.

“There might have been problems with the pipe, and a piece of equipment must be malfunctioning inside the treatment facility. Let me just get Kaveh’s design and cross-check it with mine. We can head in a few. By the way, are we going to scout for withering zones today too? I remember Collei mentioning that there had been two zones eliminated near Apam Woods recently.” You voiced while writing notes on your pad.

Collei walked towards the map and pointed out that it would be good to check out the road leading to Caravan Ribat. The mere mention of the place made you flinch which did not go unnoticed by Tighnari. He sighed internally, his theory confirmed why you were sulky earlier.

“We can go check it out. Collei, don’t forget to bring your rations as well as your weapon. Also, bring a first aid kit before you go. Let’s meet back here in 15.” He ordered. You two nodded, returning to your respective homes to prepare for the trip.

The house you resided in Gandharva Ville was not that fancy. You did decorate it to make it cozy, a place where one can relax and forget about work. However, right now, it felt a little colder than before with how it was barely lived in. Your lover had not been around for a month now, and although you understand how busy he was with his work, it still made you feel lonely. The last date you had did not result well too. Cyno was immediately pulled back to his work, interrupting the small lunch date you two prepared.

‘I miss him so much.’ You thought, feeling your heart sting at the loneliness. You did not want to appear like a clingy girlfriend, but for once, the desire to be selfish bubbled in your stomach.

Letting out a disappointed sigh, you went to your vanity in search of Kaveh’s anecdotes on the treatment facility you designed with the Kshahrewar graduate. You also grabbed the pipeline design for the irrigation system. After doing a cross-check where the anomalies could have occurred, you bolted out of your house to meet up with the others.

The trips to Molding Cavern and Vimara Village were quite entertaining. You were able to figure out the problems with the pipelines, mostly the fact that they needed replacement. Tighnari also commented about the fertilizers the farmers could use for the next season, while Collei helped out with simple tasks in the village. Such a sweet thing, truly. As for the treatment facility, the problem laid with the filtration system which needed some internal adjustments and a few cleaning inside. You told the maintenance engineer stationed there to immediately contact the Akademiya for new resources. It should be done within the day.

“That should do it. Tighnari, Collei, I think I’m good here. I’ll make a report later on this and send it to the Acting Grand Sage. How about you two?” You inquired. Tighnari had just finished listing new techniques the farmers could utilize with their crops and storage. He also gave told them to contact the ranger should there be any problem in the future before giving you the okay sign.

“I am also done here, Miss (Y/N)! Should we have lunch in Pardis Dhyai before we go to Apam Woods?” Collei suggested. The mere mention of lunch had your stomach growling. Sheepishly, you have her a nod. She giggled and informed her master that they will be having lunch at the research facility.

The trip to Pardis Dhyai focused on Collei’s training. You left the two on their own since it looked like the trainee was about to have her exam soon. The Forest Watcher’s exam was notorious for its difficulty, but you believed that Tighnari made it that way so that it was drilled within each ranger the information on fauna and flora they needed to maintain the balance of the ecosystem and for their safety as well. However, leaving them to their devices meant that your mind would now drift back to Cyno.

‘I wonder if he’s taking care of himself properly? He’s not that reckless. Cyno is smart, but… I wish he had sent a letter to me about his whereabouts or situation. I would have compromised and— The audacity.’ You internally grumbled.

Tighnari would often glance your way and note how lost you were in your thoughts. He had also not heard from Cyno, so if that were the case for him, he could not even imagine how it was for you. That lummox clearly needed a huge wake-up call. Worrying his significant other like this was not right.

After you three reached the research facility and taken lunch, it was time to head to the woods. Collei noted the mushrooms and flowers present in the area, and you would constantly comment on plants she would find interesting. You also told her about the unique phenomenon in the area where the water would rise and drop depending on the time. If you remembered correctly, you overheard Tighnari and the Traveler talk about the contraption that caused this. It was truly fascinating, and you promised to check that one out.

“Hmm? What fools! Are they really diving in without even a vision on that Withering Zone!?” Tighnari growled. You three rushed towards the figures fighting the fungi in the zone. The side effects were already present with their movements, and if they maintain this pace, they might as well say farewell to the Lesser Lord.

“Let’s nip it in the bud!” Tighnari unleashed a barrage of dendro-infused arrows that targeted the largest fungi. Collei threw Cuilein-Anbar creating a field of dendro. You, on the other hand, took out your sword and infused it with dendro and began slashing at the buds. The fight ended well, but you noted that it could have been faster with elemental reactions.

Tighnari and Collei tended to the injured individuals. Their uniforms bore the insignia of the Corps of Thirty, but considering their battling experience, they must have been beginners. You told the Forest Watcher that you will be going to Caravan Ribat to ask for backup and carry them to safety.

“Thanks! Be careful on the way, (Y/N)!” He shouted.

With that, you raced to your destination. It was not that far and took about half an hour. Some Eremites waiting to hijack merchant carriages, so you took care of them as well. Once you reached the desert branch of the organization, you froze in place. There was your boyfriend talking with the person in charge of the office and beside him was Nilou. Seeing the dust in there clothes, they must have just returned from the desert.

‘Oh… so that’s how it is.’ You stepped in and showed your badge to the soldier stationed at the entrance. It proved your status as the Overseer, a position given by the Lesser Lord and Acting Grand Sage to act as a diplomat around Sumeru and report the status of progress in different areas. In return, compensations such as research budget, travel expenses, and access to sensitive information were at your disposal. It was a tough position to get, and the approval of an Archon was of utmost necessary.

“Pardon the interruption, you are Karim, right? I’m here to report about your men trying to expel a Withering Zone not far from here. They are in immediate need of medical care, so I suggest ordering your men to retrieve them. Forest Watcher Tighnari and his assistant await you there, so first aid is already given. Also, I’ll be reporting this mishap to the higher-ups. General Mahamatra, I hope you’re also doing your part in warning those strangers to danger. I’ll see you there then.” You coldly voiced. Before any of them could speak, you left the area. Cyno was flabbergasted by your attitude, suddenly fearing that he had done something wrong. Your words stung his pride, but his heart was mostly pained by your piercing gaze.

“Karim, immediately do as the Overseer’s orders. I’ll deal with matters here. There should be some soldiers here that you could lend to fend off the Eremites near Aaru Village. Miss Nilou, I also suggest you don’t get lost in the desert again. Mister Zubayr almost ripped the ear of one of the matras in Sumeru City.” Cyno pointed. Nilou apologized once again before asking if everything was all right after the cold tone he received from you.

It was no secret that there was something between the Overseer and the General Mahamatra as he would often accompany you to rendezvous places of the Akademiya’s transactions.

“I’m…not exactly sure. But I’ll deal with it somehow. Well then.” He left them in a hurry to try and catch up to you.

It was irrational and stupid, really. You should have just pulled him to the side and asked him why he did not send you any letter, but a month without contact made you extremely lonely and insecure. The jealousy in your heart whispered unwanted thoughts. Nilou was beautiful and kind, and it would be a surprise if he suddenly liked her. Although you know he was not the type to cheat, your belief that humans can easily change heart was also there.

“I need a break from this.” You whispered to yourself. The dendro vision beside you faintly glowed, responding to your haywire emotions.

When you returned, you told Tighnari that you will be going to Sumeru City and will not be able to go back with them to Gandharva Ville. He noticed the anger in your eyes and wanted to ask what happened, but there were tears already prickling your eyes. He patted your head and wiped the tears.

“You can go, (Y/N). Just don’t be reckless, and find a way to calm down. You don’t want to end up like those lummoxes we deal with everyday, right?” He teased. You were grateful for his perceptiveness. He knew when to leave you alone, and when to give advice. He was the greatest friend you could have.

“I will. See you two later.”

Ten minutes later, Cyno came rushing. He spotted Tighnari, Collei, and the soldiers dispatched to collect their comrades. However, there was no silhouette of you, which made him frantic. This was not evident to the others, but for the Forest Watcher who had been his friend for long, he knew that he was looking for you.

“Cyno, you dolt!” Tighnari called out. Cyno glanced in his direction and trotted over to him. He asked where you went, and he was received with a glare.

“She’s off to Sumeru. Do you know what you’ve done?” The Forest Watcher inquired. Cyno looked down, feeling guilty that he could not pinpoint the source of your possible anger.

Tighnari pinched the bridge of his nose and placed his index finger on the mahamatra’s chest. Cyno was not the best at expressing himself, much less understanding how a woman’s mind worked. He gladly pointed out his mistakes.

“Your partner was left alone in my care, and even I had no idea where you went to. Imagine how worried and insecure she must have been. Stop letting her compromise every time, Cyno, or she’ll slip away from you. You love her so much that you don’t want them to go, right?” Tighnari asked. He nodded, feeling more determined to explain himself to you and his friend.

“It was an urgent mission from them, and I could not send an immediate letter to you and her. Before I knew it, there was no way to get a messenger bird to send my letters. I’ll make things right again. Thank you, Tighnari.” Cyno uttered. He was about to go when Tighnari advised him not to make you cry again or he will answer to his fist.

You wanted to get away from everything swiftly, so without thinking, you activated the waypoint in Apam Woods and transported yourself outside Sumeru City. It was not common knowledge that these artifacts could teleport people, and after learning from the Traveler its mechanism, you opted to ask the Lesser Lord for permission to tinker with it. It was only now that you were able to fully use it. It was dangerous as it failed back then, but you thanked your luck that you did not end up teleporting with a half-body.

“I hate this feeling. The audacity not to send me a letter! Ludicrous! I’ll drag Alhaitham’s ass to spar with me.” You thought out loud.

Reaching the Akademiya, you met up with the Lesser Lord and Acting Grand Sage who just finished discussing foreign exchanges in Liyue and Fontaine. The Dendro Archon welcomed you warmly, and you returned it kindly. You reported your findings in the Avidya Forest and Apam Woods as well as the current progress in rebuilding a second institution in the desert. There was a possibility of its construction next year, but the acquisition of land must be completed first.

“Thank you for your hard work, (Y/N). I take it that you wish to speak with the Acting Grand Sage personally?” Nahida urged. Alhaitham raised an eyebrow at such thoughts before you confirmed it. With a small thanks, you dragged the gray-haired sage to the training grounds.

“Can you explain why you’re dragging me here when I’m not even done with my papers for the day, (Y/N)?” He asked, slightly exasperated at the sudden situation he found himself in.

“Indulge me for a little bit, Haitham. I’m a bit irritated with my lover and if I don’t let out steam, I’ll hurt somebody.” You confessed. Alhaitham’s eyes widened by a fraction before giving in. He did not know you had a lover already, whoever this bastard was, he will need to schedule a talk with them. He took out his sword and parried your attack.

Your spar could be described as a wild dance in the meadow if one were to be poetic. The sparks and flare of dendro energy attracted the bystanders. It was rare to see the Overseer and Acting Grand Sage engaged in a battle. You paid them no mind and dashed towards his right for a jab, but he deflected it before giving a roundhouse kick. It hit your stomach, causing you to skid to the ground but you held your ground and stood up panting. He activated his chisel-light mirrors, and directed them toward you. Barely missing his attacks, you swiped your foot but he jumped up. A smirk made its way to your face as you activated your skill and teleported behind him for a kick. He barely caught himself and dropped to the ground.

“So you finally gained control of that. Not bad.” He commented. You gave him a smile that was wiped off the moment he used his own. Alhaitham knew how to utilize his mirrors and vision to transport in various points. It often infuriated you, but greatly respected him for his mastery over sword and vision.

“This is over.” He whispered behind you. Before you could defend yourself, a barrage of dendro swords pierced you to the ground. The nick to your right cheek and neck ended the spar.

Alhaitham dispersed his skill and helped you up. Dusting yourself, you thanked him and sat down on the bench exhausted.

“That’s my 63rd win. Glad that you could keep up with your vision now. It still needs a bit of working especially if you wish to utilize your ability with elemental reactions.” Alhaitham was calculating in his mind again, making you sigh. When you glanced behind, the number of bystanders watching surprised you, so you told them to go back to their work. They immediately dispersed, but there will be talks about it for sure.

“I’ll get us some drinks. In the meantime, finish some of the reports you pulled me away from. I sent you the details. I’ll be back in a few.” He voiced. You gave him thanks before activating your pseudo-Akasha system. Lesser Lord Kusanali permitted you two to your own system after she checked it for herself. It was not harmful, and it was less powerful than the original. Nonetheless, she marveled at how you two were able to devise a copy yet also an original of it.

“Let’s see…. Yuck, he does things like this?”

Cyno reached Sumeru City after two hours of travel by foot. He was exhausted, but explaining his circumstances to you was more than necessary. When he passed by the entrance, he heard some students gossip about a battle between the Overseer and Acting Grand Sage. There was no bad blood between you and Alhaitham, it was mostly between them. So he was surprised to hear that you two clashed against each other. They might also be exaggerating things, so he wished to see things for himself.

Upon entering the Akademiya, he asked the officer in House of Daena if you were at the Grand Sage’s Office. She told him that she spotted you and Alhaitham going to his old office when he was still the Scribe. It had already been an hour, so she was not sure if you were still there. It did not bode well with Cyno that you were spending too much time with the lunatic scholar.

“Hmm, not bad. You’re getting good at this.” He heard from behind, followed by a tired grunt. Cyno was now nervous. It was the first time he experienced this, and somewhere inside him, there was doubt sprouting in his mind. Were you cheating on him while he was gone? That made him angry.

Without much of a knock, he slammed the door open. The sudden noise made you jump out of your chair, while the gray-haired sage lazily looked behind. The General Mahamatra stood by the entrance, fury swirling in his eyes.

“Found you.” He coldly said. Without much of an ounce, he tightly pulled you by the wrist.

“C-Cyno!?” You grunted in pain. Alhaitham swiftly grabbed the general’s hand, inquiring what he wanted.

“That’s none of your business, Acting Grand Sage. I suggest you keep your silence, or I will not be able to hold myself back.” He threatened. Alhaitham sneered, snatching your arm from your lover.

“It’s my business when you’re dragging my assistant out of my office when she’s not yet done with her work.” He mused, a strange cold look present in his unique eyes.

“If I recall, this is no longer your office, Alhaitham. It’s the one above, so might I ask what you’re doing with my lover? I should also be asking you the same, (Y/N). Did you enjoy toying with two men?” He accused. It made you look up, while Alhaitham’s eyes widened at the revelation. You were stunned to speak. He could not be serious.

“Are you… accusing me of cheating, Cyno? Is that how low you think of me? Wait, you’re the one I should be accusing! For a whole month, General Mahamatra, you did not send me a letter of your whereabouts! Tighnari had to remind me that you were all right, that you’ll be back. Then, I see you there with Nilou. How do you think that made me feel!?” You cried out.

“I-It’s not that! I just—“ The painful throb of your heart was difficult to control, and the tears you hid earlier finally slipped. Cyno’s eyes widened at the sight. It was the first time he saw you cry, and it was because of him.

“There’s no harm in Alhaitham knowing, but I was out for a month doing a mission for the temple. It was one they urgently gave to me through the Akademiya. I could not send a letter because before I knew it, I was already up and chasing the perpetrator who dared to sneak inside one of the ruins in Hadramaveth. As for Nilou, I was informed that the leader of Zubayr Theater had been looking for her, and one of the city matras asked me to be on the lookout for the dancer. I found her by the oasis with the excuse of finding inspiration for their next show. How about you? What were you doing with this man earlier?” Cyno explained, pained about the noises he heard outside.

Alhaitham put the pieces together and sighed. You forgot to tell them an important piece of your relationship with people. He stepped in.

“(Y/N) is my cousin, Cyno. No, this is not nepotism. The Lesser Lord approve of her position, and she made it here herself. The noises you heard must have been her groaning about her punishment, which was basically doing my work since she interrupted my work schedule. She would often do it when her workload is lesser than mine. So, there is no need to worry.” There was silence between you two. You blinked the tears away and glanced back up.

“Did I not mention that Alhaitham was my cousin?” You obliviously asked. Cyno gave you a strange look before exiting the room with a slight bow. The tips of his ears were red, and you knew you made a blunder.

With a quick apology and promise to your cousin that you will finish his work later, you exited the room and chased after your lover. Alhaitham huffed, walking out of his office and back to the Grand Sage’s room. Nahida welcomed him back.

“I presume everything went well with those two?” She mused. Alhaitham scoffed.

“It was natural. They need to communicate properly.” He simply said, taking another paper before signing those that were not in your care. The Dendro Archon simply smiled. She knew that Alhaitham cared for you in his own way. The way you were sulky and lethargic the past few days set him off.

As for you two, you were able to pull back the General who could not look you in the eye. The tight lock of your hands said otherwise about his feelings though. You squeezed back and offered that you two go home for today. He wanted to protest that he was still on duty, but you informed him that you told Alhaitham that you two will take the rest of the day to talk.

Cyno nodded, opting to follow you back to your home. He wished to relish in your presence and also apologize once again for leaving you alone.

Once you got home, you sat him down on the couch, while you prepared tea for you two to drink. Cyno watched you move around, missing the coziness of your home. However, he missed you more, so without hesitation, he came from behind you and hugged you.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you, and I should have sent a letter even a short one. I could never betray your trust, not with any woman. So please forgive me.” He mumbled. You turned off the stove and held his face in your hands. You could see how devastated he looked, as out of character that may be for the stoic General that he was.

“I’m also at fault for not communicating properly and jumping to conclusions. I love you, Cyno.” You kissed his lips. Even with chap lips, the warmth from him was enough to assure you that he was yours.

“I love you too.”

That afternoon was dedicated to you two making up for the lost time, taking notes on how to communicate properly, and how to assure each other when in doubt. You even decided on a 3-day vacation to spend time with each other, one which you two will need to prepare. Without you noticing, Cyno simply watched you with fond eyes. He could not be any more grateful than he is now to have you as his partner.

BONUS:

Cuddling on the couch made your heart flutter, and Cyno peppered your face and neck with kisses. He was careful with the cuts you got from your spar which you explained to him. Love swelled in your heart, and with another smile, you lifted his face and kissed him on the lips. His desire to further feel you overrode his senses, and before you knew it, you were already straddling his hips.

Hands roamed around your body, each touch leaving a hot trail that made you want more. Placing his right hand on your hair, he deepened the kiss, tongue dancing against each other, exploring the cavern of your mouth. You moaned at his aggressive touch.

“C-Cyno—“

“Shhh, let me fill you up tonight, Love. A month’s worth should be enough to quell the space I left. Plus, I’m a jealous person, you should be punished rightfully.” He whispered right next to you, hot breath caressing the shell of your ear. It made you squirm and rub on his groin, eliciting a growl from him. Suddenly, he gripped your hips in place, letting his other hand slither down your shorts.

“Only mine.”

Maybe Alhaitham will have to wait until tomorrow for those papers to get back to his office.

Please do not copy or repost my stories, but notes and reblogs are always appreciated!

[realtacuardach]

Hand in Hand

Here is my entry for the Obiyuki Trope Madness Semi-Finals @snowwhite-andtheknight : I Kiss Your Hand.

(It can also be read on A03 here!)

...

Dirt crumbled pleasantly beneath her hands as Shirayuki reached around the roots of a goldenrod, kneeling between the rows of plants and herbs scaling the hillside. Slowly, the delicate roots parted ways with the earth and she lifted up the goldenrod triumphantly. Shirayuki tucked the plant beside its fellows in her basket, and brushed a muddy, pollen-dusty arm across her forehead to keep the sweat from dripping into her eyes. Pollen wafted in the light breeze, and she sneezed. 

"Bless you, Miss."

Shirayuki started a little, and she turned, still crouching in the dirt. "Obi!"

"Hey there, Miss," he grinned down at her. "How's it going?"

"Good," Shirayuki stood up, and just managed to keep from reflexively dusting off her stained gloves on her somehow still pristine uniform coat. She opted to clap them together vigorously, sending up a cloud of dust and pollen. She sneezed again.

Obi smirked, golden eyes crinkling in amusement. "Allergies, Miss?"

Wrinkling her nose at him, Shirayuki laughed. "You know I don’t, Obi. I bet even you sneeze when pollen flies into your face."

"I have trained my body," Obi said in a serious tone, though his glittering gaze betrayed him, "to tolerate no sleep, little food, and all kinds of pain. It won't be taken down by a flower."

Shirayuki arched an eyebrow. "Right."

Obi managed the straight face for a few more moments before snorting with laughter. "Sorry, Miss, these clothes are so pompous that they're getting the better of me."

Shirayuki cast her gaze appraisingly over her friend who, at Zen's behest, had been kitted out in the finest garb the palace attendants would wear when outside delegations visited the castle. Obi cut a fine figure in the late afternoon sunlight, with his deep red cape hanging from one shoulder fanning in the breeze, buttons gleaming proudly, and the stiff black collar contrasting nicely with the warm glow of his skin. He scowled and ran a long finger along the inside of the collar.

Shirayuki snickered at the look of disgust. "You look very nice."

Predictably, Obi snorted, hand falling away from where it had been fussing at his shirt. "I look ridiculous. But whatever my master says–"

Polished, loftily-accented speech floated down from the pathways above them, and the pair looked up to see where elegant ladies and proud lords promenaded slowly along. Although most were completely absorbed in their own discussions, a few looked down their noses at the palace workers, one with grass-stained knees and the other striking a very relaxed pose beside her.

Fumbling around with her thick gloves, Shirayuki hastily tugged her hood more securely around her hair and winced at the sting of the sun on her slowly pinkenning nose. A shadow fell over her, and Shirayuki looked up to where Obi now stood right beside her, shielding her face from the sun and onlookers.

"My hero," she grinned up at him, struggling with the urge to rub the bridge of her nose, already prescribing herself a poultice of aloe vera once she returned to the treatment room.

"Don't let the clothes fool you," Obi smirked. "I'm just me."

Shirayuki shook her head and bent down to pick up her basket. Moving cat-like, Obi stooped down and grabbed it before she could. 

"Allow me," he intoned loftily, mimicking the aristocratic tones fading away as the nobility meandered away from the gardens. Obi drew himself up into the absolute semblance of propriety and swept her hand into his, bringing it up to his lips. "Milady," he murmured, smirk tweaking the corner of his mouth, and he grazed his lips across her stained glove.

Her breath caught despite the game, and she prayed Obi couldn't hear her heart suddenly pounding strangely. Shirayuki looked up into his face and bit back a smile at the thick dusting of golden pollen between his mouth and nose. 

Obi tilted his head quizzically - and then sneezed.

Shirayuki laughed.

~~~

Sitting in front of the mirror in her bedroom, Shirayuki's hands fidgeted with the folds of fine gown tucked into her lap, calluses catching on the delicate silk. She let out a distressed gasp in spite of herself at the thought of damaging the dress, and put on the gloves laying in front of her on the table. The press of the gloves around her fingers steadied her, and if she closed her eyes, she could just imagine that she was just donning her gardening gear to go out into the hothouses–

Then she shifted, and the soft fabric, far too fine for the granddaughter of tavern keepers, swished delicately against her legs and the illusion broke. 

This is not even your first dance, she quietly berated herself. You have already been to the ball in Tanbarun, where you were under just as much scrutiny. There aren't even pirates this time–

Her breath caught as she glanced around apologetically, feeling guilty even though she had not spoken aloud and Obi had not even arrived yet. Even months after the encounter with the Talon of the Sea, just the mere mention of pirates sent him into a stone-faced relapse of guilt. Shirayuki sighed as she jerked her mind back to the present. She had enough to worry about with making a good impression here where eyes would be watching, tongues would be wagging, and nobility would be judging her every step.

Turning from her dresser, fingers quivering with the need to do something, she grabbed the skirts of her dress as Kiki had instructed her and began to twirl in the steps of the court dances.

One, two, three, one, two, three, one–

Two knocks, then three knocks rapped on her chamber door, and she stumbled out of her dance as she hastened to open it. Obi stood there, as she knew he would be.

Relief thudded through her, and she felt a genuine if slightly tremulous smile spread across her face. "Hi, Obi!"

"Good evening, Miss." He smiled back, eyes taking the whole of her in. "You look great."

Warmth suffused her, and a blush curved over her cheekbones. "Thanks," she said almost shyly, "so do you."

Down the hallway, she could hear the strains of violins echoing as the orchestra tuned up for the evening. Her fingers drummed anxiously against her sides, and she hoped Obi wouldn't notice.

"Miss," Obi stepped forward, hands resting warmly around her upper arms, "are you all right?"

"A little nervous," she admitted.

He squeezed her arms gently. "You'll be great."

Shirayuki laughed a little shakily as her fingers continued to dance nervously.

Stepping back, Obi grinned reassuringly, and held out a hand. "Come on."

She placed her hand in his and gasped in surprise as he stepped smoothly into the dance she had been practicing. Tripping a little over her skirts, she followed, and the two began to dance around the room. The more they danced, the quicker she swung her gown out of the way, and the faster they turned in a dizzying arc that made her gasp and laugh. She could more feel than hear the rumble of his answering laughter as their speed exceeded that of the tempo dictated by the violins. Steps stuttering with nerves gave way to movements made with precision until they collapsed into sloppy, giddy circles. The elegant waltz broadened into the dances she'd learned at the heels of her grandmother, and the two spun together, an arms length apart with hands tightly clasped.

Shirayuki stopped, chest heaving as she caught her breath, and beamed at Obi. "I didn't know you knew how to dance, Obi!"

He grinned. "I'm a man of many talents." Then he smirked. "And Sir might have put me through a crash course to make sure that I didn't disgrace Master."

"Well, you certainly won't," she declared firmly.

Obi gazed at her for a moment, expression growing serious. "And neither will you," he promised.

He reached between them and took her hand, the tight squeezing grip from their dance now agonizingly light, as though he were handling delicate crystal. "My lady," he said, and brushed his lips softly over the top of her glove.

Letting go of her hand, he stepped smoothly beside her and stuck out his arm. "Shall we?"

Shirayuki swallowed past a sudden lump on her throat and threaded her arm through his, gripping his elbow. Obi kept his touch light as he escorted her to the ballroom and their prince, but her own grip tightened around his arm as the heat from his lips burned through her glove.

~~~

Pushing up on the tips of her toes, Shirayuki's fingers grazed over the spines of the books in the bookshelves, dust collecting on the tips of her fine white gloves. Impulsively, she reached to brush off the dust onto her sleeve, just catching herself from smearing a gray trail across the sleeve of the dinner gown Zen had entreated her to wear.

Shirayuki snorted in laughter at herself and reached for a nearby cloth, vigorously patting away the dust and leaving the gloves nearly spotless again. Dressing up this extravagantly seemed unnecessary to her, even if it was for a dinner with the king and prince.

"I'm just reporting on how well the Phostyrias has been growing," she had said skeptically, leaning against her desk when Zen had burst in with a slight sparring injury and the invitation. "I could probably do that just as well in my lab coat."

"Yes," Zen had drawled out, arms folded in the casual grace of royalty. "But you don't go to dinner in your lab coat."

Shirayuki opened her mouth, and Zen cut in, grinning. "You don't go to a king's invited dinner in a lab coat."

Shrugging, she conceded the point. "You would know more about royalty than me."

"At least about the royalty who is my brother," Zen agreed. "It would raise more eyebrows if people saw you entering a private dining room not dressed to the utmost."

"I raise people's eyebrows anyway."

Zen barked a laugh. "Right. See you then?"

Rosy light from the sunset filtered through the library window and spilled across the spines of the books. Shirayuki's eyes landed on a volume that Ryuu had been prodding her to read with increasing intensity, and her fingers, trembling a little with giddiness and anxiety regarding her presentation, reached for the steadying process of learning new information.

Her fingers barely grazed the cover and she shook her head, tassels from her hairpin swinging and splaying against her hair.

A warm, familiar scent filled her nose, and an arm reached overhead and easily plucked the book from the shelf.

"Hey Obi!" Shirayuki exclaimed, turning to face him.

"Looking for this?" He asked, grin rakish, eyes warm.

"Yes, thank you!" She reached up for the book.

Obi didn't relinquish the book immediately into her grasp, holding it up high by his head as he leaned toward her. Books pressed into her back as she looked properly into his face, her fingers flexing over nothing and her breath catching as the warmth radiating from him came closer.

Obi pulled back, his usual teasing smirk in place, and he handed her the book. "Here you go, Miss."

She closed her fingers around the volume, feeling strangely bereft as he stepped further back. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, " he replied. "You don't have much time to read the book, though. Apparently, Elder Highness and Master are ready for you now."

Shirayuki glanced at her watch and groaned. "I lost track of time! Hopefully they won't be too upset."

"Who could ever be upset with you, Miss?" The quality of his tone softened and mellowed, and Shirayuki peered up curiously at his expression. Obi wore his usual cocky grin, although it seemed ill-fitting, as though it had been hastily plastered on his face. 

"I could give you a list," she ventured, managing to elicit a laugh from him, although it sounded more full of noise than mirth.

"Come on," Obi said, holding out his arm, "let me walk you down there."

"You don't have to escort me." Even as she said the words her hand wrapped around the warmth of his forearm.

"It's my pleasure, Miss," he replied softly. 

They walked down the passageways leading from the library to one of the royals' private dining rooms. Obi's arm felt unnaturally stiff beneath her fingertips, and she brushed his sleeve to feel the muscle underneath thoroughly. He drew in a stilted breath, heightening her concerns that he'd sustained some injury that he'd neglected – or more likely, actively avoided – to tell her. 

Neither spoke much, Shirayuki's heels clicking in time with the full thud of Obi's boots on the stone floor. Shirayuki had passed ages' worth of sleepy mornings, lazy afternoons, and cozy evenings in silence with Obi before and treasured them. She could remember silently digging in the gardens while Obi lingered nearby, or leaning against a tree as Obi perched further up or dangling from the branches while eating an apple or dozing, or reading a book, her shoulder pressing against his when she turned the pages. That silence had warmed her, cheered her, steadied her. This silence stung.

"Are you hurt, Obi?"

Obi blinked away the fog covering his eyes and shook his head vigorously. "No, I'm fine."

The door of the dining room loomed ahead of them, the muted sounds of chairs scraping and cutlery settling on the table echoing faintly down the hallway. Shirayuki stopped, causing Obi to nearly stumble, and stared directly into his eyes.

"No, you are not fine," she stated bluntly.

Obi chuckled, although his eyes remained solemn. "I am!" He exclaimed, flexing his arms pointedly. "Fighting shape as always." The smirk he wore would have fooled most, but not Shirayuki, and she continued to frown at him, hands now on her hips.

"Something is wrong," she insisted, ice sliding slowly into the pit of her stomach at the thought that he was hiding from her. "Maybe not physically," and she would be checking, once this dinner was over and she could drag him to the clinic, "but something."

Obi's smile curved soft and slow about his face as he tilted his head towards the dining room. "I'll be fine, Miss, don't worry."

He might as well have told her to stop breathing, but Shirayuki saw the poorly veiled plea in his eyes and relented, at least for the moment.

She squeezed his arm reassuringly instead, and started a little at how stiff his muscles felt. Determined more than ever that he was hiding an injury, Shirayuki decided upon another tactic. "Do you want to ask if you should report on Phostyrias now, too? I'm sure there will be extra food too."

Two extra pairs of eyes, especially the perceptive gaze of the king, could definitely help bring whatever Obi currently concealed to light.

Obi arched a brow, the blessedly normal gesture sending a wave of relief over her. "Inviting someone without Elder Highness' permission, Miss? I'm pretty sure that's not the done thing."

Shirayuki shrugged. "I've started making that a habit, doing things that are not done. At this point, I think it's expected of me." She grinned. "And of you, too."

Smirking, Obi came to a stop outside the dining room door. "True. Still, I shouldn't – I think tonight is supposed to be just for the family."

Shirayuki blinked, puzzled. "The family?"

Obi gently extricated her hand from his arm, and held it lightly in his own. "Besides," he interjected, "I have patrol tonight. And," he had the grace to look a little sheepish, "for the next week or so."

"What?" Shirayuki stared at him. "For the next week – Obi, we only just got back! Why would they send you out?"

"I volunteered," Obi answered. "So don't get mad at Master or Elder Highness. You know me," he laughed, "can't stay in one place too long, I get antsy."

"But–"

"I'll be back before you know it," he assured her. 

He brought her hand up to his lips in their usual game, but the grip around her palm felt tighter than usual. His head bowed completely over her glove, so she couldn't see the familiar teasing sparkle in his gaze. His lips pressed against the glove-covered signet ring Izana had given her on completion of their mission. Tears started in her eyes and she blinked them furiously away, feeling ridiculous. This was just their usual game.

But somehow, the kiss felt like a goodbye.

~~~

Shirayuki ran, hair in disarray and her herbalist coat flapping, hastily buttoned, over her pajamas. The halls outside the clinic were unusually crowded for that time of night, soldiers and servants clustered together murmuring and chattering in a muted chaos. Most heard the frenetic slapping of her slippers against the stone and parted in her wake, but her shoulder crashed into a few people unable to move in time.

She might have apologized, she wasn't sure. 

Door slamming open in a matter not at all conducive to restful healing, Shirayuki burst into the entry room. Obi's second-in-command, Sashizu, stood inside, stationed beside one of the treatment room doors. His normally stiff, proper posture that often had Obi teasing him when not on duty had crumbled, leaving him nearly leaning against the wall. His face blank, he stared at nothing, and his thumb drew compulsively across the handle of his sword. Splotches and sprays of dark color stained his uniform, and his shoulders bowed as though they could barely hold the stiffening, tattered fabric up.

Waves of ice flooded over her, but she willed herself forward, slippers dragging on the floor as she struggled to make her way to the door. Sashizu turned to face her, and she watched in dismay as the exhaustion and grief in his eyes became overwhelmed with guilt. "Lady Shirayuki," he gasped more than said, and attempted to stand at attention.

His knees buckled and he fell slightly into the wall, and Shirayuki leapt forward, one arm bracing his back with the other hand supporting his elbow. Sashizu groaned and then cringed, face creasing with pain, and Shirayuki quickly ushered him into a nearby chair.

"Lady Shirayuki," he attempted again, looking up into her face even as his body tilted towards the door he had been guarding.

"How many times," Shirayuki joked, although her lips quivered and her fingers trembled a little as she reached for bandages, "do I have to tell you, you don't have to call me Lady?"

The corner of Sashizu's mouth twisted briefly in the facsimile of a smile, though his eyes remained grave. "At least once more, my lady."

Shirayuki shook her head, and gestured towards his uniform. "Take that off, please. The sooner I see to those injuries, the better."

All semblance of a smile dropped from his face. "This isn't my blood, my lady."

Ice ran through her veins, but she forced her voice to remain calm. "At least some of it is. Please?"

Squeezing his eyes shut and setting his jaw, Sashizu removed the stiff, soiled uniform, hissing despite himself when the material pulled free from a broad gash on his side. Shirayuki took the uniform and tossed it in a nearby basket before starting to wipe away the blood oozing from the injury. "You're lucky," she almost smiled, "this will only need a few stitches."

"Not lucky," he moaned, and his hand closed over hers weakly. His eyes made her heart ache. "Not luck, it was Sir Obi–"

"Shh," Shirayuki soothed, though the wish to know what had happened nearly overwhelmed her.

"Sir Obi saved me," Sashizu insisted, his grip tightening on her hand even as the effort made him wince in pain. "It was just a routine patrol – there were so many bandits – I failed him."

Shirayuki squeezed his hand lightly before pulling her hand away, forcing herself to focus on cleaning and stitching. "You didn't fail him," she said, relying on the familiar actions of healing to steady herself.

"My lady," he pleaded, "I can wait. Please, he needs you."

Shirayuki's fingers trembled with a violence and she hastily put down her needle. "He doesn't."

The knight stared up at her, and Shirayuki swallowed hard to regain her composure, which had been slipping steadily from her grasp since she'd received Ryuu's message: Patrol attacked, Obi severely injured, emergency surgery, hurry.

The message, painfully succinct, had sent her running to the clinic but hesitating at the door itself. "The surgery right now is delicate," she said, fingers calming enough to pick up the needle again. "If they need me, I'm here, but I don't want to rush in there and potentially disrupt their work."

"But–"

"Please," she insisted, "please let me do this. You need to heal too, and if I don't do something–" She exhaled heavily. "I need to keep busy."

Sashizu bowed his head and became a model patient, although both patient and healer listened intently to the clinks and rustles behind the nearby door. Cutting the loose thread from the final stitch, Shirayuki put several herbs into a bowl and began grinding out her anxiety with the pestle. An eternity seemed to pass, but just as she had secured the poultice across Sashizu's stitches, the doorknob of the side room turned.

Both Shirayuki and Sashizu shot to their feet, the latter jeopardizing his stitches with the speed of his movements. Ryuu and Garack came out of the room, the older pharmacist dragging one hand through the sweaty hair falling from a hastily scraped together bun and Ryuu walking stiffly beside her.

"Shirayuki," Garack greeted breathlessly, an exhausted but genuine smile on her face, "you're here."

“How is he?”

“It was touch and go for a bit,” Garack admitted, “but he tolerated the surgery well enough. It’s up to him now, but he should be fine as long as he rests.”

“He will,” Shirayuki assured her. “Even if I have to tie him to the bed.”

“Hmm.” Garack’s eyes gleamed, and then she yawned. “You can go see him now.”

Shirayuki nodded vigorously. “Thanks, Chief. Please get some rest.”

Raising an arm in a casual salute, the chief pharmacist walked out of the room to her well-deserved bed. Shirayuki and Sashizu walked to the room where Obi was resting, Shirayuki pausing in the doorway to look at Ryuu. Now that the surgery had finished, she could see the minute shivers in his arms and the fear coloring his eyes.

Placing both hands on his shoulders, Shirayuki wondered just when she had to start tilting her head up to meet Ryuu’s eyes. She squeezed his shoulders and smiled reassuringly. “Thank you, Ryuu.”

“He’s not completely healed yet.”

“But he will be,” she assured him. “He’s a fighter, right?”

A true, if small, smile showed on Ryuu’s face. “Right, he is.”

Shirayuki rubbed his shoulder, her heart brimming. “Go get some rest. I’ll stay with him.”

“I can stay,” Ryuu insisted, before yawning with an ear-splitting intensity.

“Good night, Ryuu,” Shirayuki smiled. “If anything happens, I’ll let you know right away.”

With a few more yawns, Ryuu finally left for his own bed, and Shirayuki nearly ran to Obi’s side. Sashizu stood nearby, watching over Obi with a blend of relief and worry, but quickly stepped back to let Shirayuki  pass.

A small chair had been placed at his bedside, and she nearly collapsed into it. Tears started in her eyes as she greedily took in Obi’s unconscious form, swathed in bandages so thoroughly that only his face and left hand were uncovered. She twitched the blanket tucked up around his chest aside slightly to better examine him, and saw more white material wrapping his stomach and legs. Even nearly completely swathed in bandages, purpling bruises bloomed beyond his wrappings, and Shirayuki forced herself to take several slow breaths to calm the painful staccato of her heart. Pale beneath his tan, Obi lay still before the two of them, and Shirayuki grabbed his unbandaged hand just to feel the reassuring warmth of his hand – not feverish, not icy, but warm.

Her thumb caught on the wind-weathered and sword-callused hand, and she had to restrain herself from clutching it too tightly and disturbing his rest. Thinking of how she might have never held this hand again caused her vision to blur and swim with tears, and she startled as another hand fell lightly on her shoulder.

Sashizu smiled down at her, and she shook the tears from her eyes, unwilling to let go. “I’m sorry, do you want–”

She attempted to stand, hands still not relinquishing their grasp, but the second-in-command shook his head and pressed firmly on her shoulder. “It’s enough to see him resting. Besides,” his grin took on a tilt achingly like Obi’s, “I think you are the one he would want here most.”

“But–”

“Trust me.” The grin softened back into an exhausted smile.

Emotions she couldn’t quite name lodged high in her throat, preventing her from being able to speak for a few moments. “Thank you,” she finally managed to whisper, thumb running smoothly along the lines of his palm. Dismay caught in a slight hiss as she looked closely to see how dried blood had worked its ways into the grooves of his hand and around and under his nails. The speed with which the others had had to work to save him had not allowed them more than a cursory cleaning of the uninjured parts of his body.

“I need to get some water,” she said, rising from her chair.

“Here, my lady,” Sashizu said, walking to a nearby counter where a bowl of water and a cloth sat. He came around the bed, holding out the water and cloth.

“Thank you.” Shirayuki dipped the cloth into the water, wrung it out, and then began to gently wipe along the lines of Obi’s hand. As Sashizu settled himself in a chair by the open door, Shirayuki continued to methodically work her way across the familiar grooves and calluses on his hand. Rust red clouded pink in the bowl of water as she rinsed out the cloth, and her heart panged at the sight, only to be pacified by the reassuring warmth of his skin.

Eventually, the cloth wrung out cleanly, and Shirayuki put aside her task. However, she continued to lightly stroke along his hand as Sashizu snorted faintly from his post. Her thumb caught on the pulse at the base of Obi’s wrist, and she stopped, her whole world focusing on the weak but steady beat. Reverently, she bent her face towards his hand until her cheek rested gently in his palm, and her lips pressed against the steady assurance that he still lived, that he had not left her. Eyes welling, she turned her head to more fully touch her lips to his wrist.

Lost in her own thoughts and the intoxicating rhythm of his heart, she barely noticed how fingers had begun to lightly slide across her cheek, catching in the tendrils of hair falling loose around her face. In fact, she only became properly aware of their movements when the pulse beneath her lips began to speed up.

“Obi?” She whispered.

Gold glinted between his barely open eyelids, and his mouth curled weakly into a smile. “Hey, Miss,” he murmured drowsily back.

His hand began to slip from her face, but she quickly placed one of hers over it, keeping it steady.

“Told you I’d be back,” he grinned, although it was punctuated by a yawn and a wince.

Shirayuki felt tears slip down her face that Obi attempted to wipe away. “Yes,” she said, pausing to kiss the fingers that tried to soothe her and delighting in the awed wonder in his exhausted face, “you did.”

~~~

Bells rang in a joyous din as they pushed open the doors leading to the garden. The sun shone brightly and the breeze blew strongly, sending the hills of flowerbeds into waves of color. The gauzy lace of her veil flew back into her face, and Shirayuki attempted to brush it away, laughing.

Another hand reached over, accompanied by a bark of mirth, and brushed the veil behind her ears. His fingers entwined with hers, the warm metal of his ring pressed between their joined hands. “Ready, love?” Obi asked, raising her hand to his lips and pressing a lingering kiss to it.

Shirayuki kissed his palm in answer, and then did him one better by wrapping her own ringed hand around his neck and bringing his lips down to meet hers.

[autneca]

... 𝙰 𝙲 𝙲 𝙴 𝚂 𝚂 𝙸 𝙽 𝙶 𝙵 𝙸 𝙻 𝙴 : KITTIKHUN  'KIT' CHAICHANA ...

⊠    ɪᴅ  .  .  .  ʟᴏᴀᴅɪɴɢ    ››    [    apo nattawin wattanagitiphat   /      thirty1    /    demi male    /    he / them    ]   mercy  headquarters  is  pleased  to  officially  introduce  KITTIKHUN  ’KIT’ CHAICHANA.  they  have  been  apart  of  the  organization  for  twelve years,  serving  as  FIELD  agent  and  has  been  assigned  the  codename  AGENT  PHOENIX.  it's  worth  noting  that  their  file  indicates  they  have  undergone  the  solaris  treatment  and  host  FIRE MANUPILATION.  according  to  our  dossier,  the  agent  exhibits  a  combination  of  CHARMING  and  EVASIVE  traits,  fitting  for  someone  reminiscent  of  ash covered fingertips, a killer-smile on your face, ghosts of your past locked in your chest, you still crave to find the answers you seek. will they ever be enough or is the searching itself giving you purpose, a trail of smoke following your every step.  prior  to  embarking  on  any  mission,  the  find  solace  in  listening  to  the  song  “pompeii“  by  BASTILLE.

𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 : 𝙴 𝙽 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁 𝙱 𝙸 𝙾 𝙼 𝙴 𝚃 𝚁 𝙸 𝙲 𝚂 𝙲 𝙰 𝙽 𝚃 𝙾 𝙿 𝚁 𝙾 𝙲 𝙴 𝙴 𝙳 ...

BIOGRAPHY ( general tw/cw: death, fire, kidnapping, violence )

fire spreads through your veins.

vivid, yet fragmented memories of standing in front of a house in the dark. flashing lights, sirens all around you, falling on deaf ears.

you look up. the flames from the windows reflect against a tear-stricken face.

is this a real memory? or a nightmare?

you wake up.

—

kittakhun ( endearingly shortened to kit ) chaichana has been raised by his mother for as long as he can remember. it's natural for a single mother's love to stretch thin, especially one who has to juggle making a living for them, but kit doesn't have any complaints. he goes to school and comes back, helps whatever he can around the café that his mother owns.

the bell above the door rings often. it's a melody that the boy is used to. an elderly couple, another pair of regulars, enter inside. kit's sitting at one of the corner tables, hunched over his homework. wrinkly hands gently pat his hair and tell him to work hard before making it to their usual booth.

he runs between the cook's legs, stealing some candies from the counter. gentle, fond sighs fall from his mother's lips, and she tells him to be careful of the stove lest he gets burned.

it's a good childhood except for his father's absence. kit sometimes feels guilty about this line of thinking, that maybe it would have been better for him not to be in the picture at all. the man sometimes shows up for his birthdays, then disappears for a few years. other times, kit can see him smiling from afar at his violin recital, and then he disappears before he can even speak to him.

it troubles him in ways a young boy's mind cannot put into words. anger and frustration swim low in his belly. hands curled into fists at the lack of answers, lack of reasoning.

so, he tries to find answers in whichever way he can. asking his mother directly never works, so he tries other ways around it. asks his mother's friends, looks through old letters. takes his father's printed picture and asks the regulars of the café who give him weird looks.

until, one day —- he hears it. quiet on his feet, he reaches his mother's room, and from the gap in the door, he can see her. can hear the quiet, broken hitches of breath, the way she is curled into herself. shoulders trembling. a sort of helplessness in her countenance he will never forget.

after that, he stops. stops asking questions, stops trying to figure it out. he has his mother by his side, and that's enough- that's always been enough.

until, fate weaves his webs. twists and cuts the strings holding him up.

this memory's only in pieces: kit wakes up with a hand on his mouth. a sweet, revolting smell, emanating from a piece of white cloth. he can hear the muffled screams, feel how his scalp hurts from being pulled downstairs to the cafe. then there are chairs, they scrape against the ground, in a way his mother always hated. there's... someone on top of them, tied down, struggling. when his vision clears, recollection sets in. it is his parents with duct tape around their mouths. wrists and ankles tied down to the chair. tear marks on their cheeks, wrists rubbed raw from the rope.

this is the last time he sees them.

one day later, he wakes up. fluorescent lights hurt his eyes. there's an iv by his bedside. there are burns tracing up his arms. a few hours later, a police officer comes. she tells him his parents have died in a housefire. a freak accident. a gas leak. ( 'be careful with the stove, kit!' ). they tell him that he is the only survivor. and it's gone- all of it's gone. the café, their house, kit's violin, the pictures his mother has hung up on the wall, some of them hers, some of them his. it's all gone.

and no one believes him. no one believes in the boogeyman who murdered his parents. they chalk it up to the colorful imagination of an eleven-year-old. a trauma response. how he doesn't recollect every single detail, how his mind fills the gaps to make memories more palatable.

he's put into the foster system after that. too old, too headstrong to be one of the favorites, he ends up back in the orphanage after a few weeks at a time.

there's a fire inside of him, one that never goes out — lit up by the sheer belief he has in his own truth. in himself. that he knows he wasn't lying. he knows what happened. and he will be the one to uncover it one day.

this does not mean the trips to the counselor's office, or every return from a foster family stings any less. but the shell around him hardens how lava turns into molten black stone.

when he turns eighteen, he leaves that place. learns how to survive on his own feet. takes a couple of odd jobs here and there, waiting tables, bartending, and cooking at restaurants where he has to look the other way.

it's a while after that mercy finds him. orphans always make the best recruits, after all. and the way the tactical agent looks at him sparks something in his chest that this might be the way to the answers he has been looking for all these years. that maybe, just maybe, he will be uncovering his own truth sooner than later.

after his training, it doesn't take him too long to sign up for the solaris drug. sees the potential in it, and a part of him looks for that thrill, the idea of mutations, of powers, knowing how useful it will be in this line of work. then —- he gets what he asked for. his own powers.

another cruel web of fate. as if someone is laughing down at him.

pyrokinesis. fire manipulation. as the result of the drug, he can manifest sparks at the end of his fingertips. burn a house with the snap of his fingers. make their enemies scream in agony and wish for a better end.

his life has been defined by fire, and it never lets go of him.

eventually, this too, is taken in stride. phoenix is what they call him. an apt name for a boy who knows nothing but to survive. to reinvent himself so that he can burn brighter, fight harder.

he learns how to live with his mutation, how to make it his own. how to use it to do what he does best. having been part of mercy for almost a decade now, he thrives in the field. embraces the fact that by definition, he is disposable, and this makes it all worth so much more. enjoys having fun, a charming grin on his lips, hands always warm when they wrap around someone's waist. and then- knows when to jump back into that state of mission.

agent phoenix knows he has only so many shots at making a difference, and he is going to use it well.