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its-nebula · 3 years

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I Don’t Belong Here

Prince!Kokichi x Fem!Reader

Walking through the meadow in the early morning always calmed you down. Getting a chance to smell the morning dew, witnessing the fawn leap and nibble on the grass, peering at the sky as it painted a glorious picture of oranges and reds. All of it was just so peaceful. With a tiny grin, you made your way over to the tiny pond hidden among all the trees. Grazing your fingers over the water, you watched as the fish swam about without a care in the world.

You gasped as they so abruptly swam away from you, yet you immediately knew what the culprit was. The chimes of the bell from the tower rang loud, and you froze in place. It was officially 7AM, and surely, your fiancé would be looking for you at any moment. Sadly, the beautiful moment would have to come to an end, as it has every morning since you’d moved in to live with Kokichi.

After you slowly rose to your feet, you brushed off your nightgown, then started your stroll back to your domain, the chime of the bell growing louder with every step you took. The birds flew away from the trees, bunnies and rabbits hid in their dens. You chuckled to yourself a little, knowing the purpose of rigging the bell to chime so early in the morning was to intentionally piss people and wildlife off.

As you entered the castle, peeking around to make sure nobody would see you.

“Good morning, Duchess.” The castle’s maid, Kirumi, greeted. You jumped at her words, turning around quickly. “I assume you went for another stroll today?”

“Kirumi, please! I already told you not to call me that...” You trailed off, looking down at the ground.

“My apologies, S/O. However, I do hope you know once you’re married, I’ll be honor-bound to refer to you by that name, as per the request of the Royal Family.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sighing to yourself, you dusted off your nightgown again, then cleared your throat. “Will you be so kind as to read off all the duties for today?”

“Of course.” She pulled a scroll out of a pocket on her skirt, and unfurled it. “Request eating arrangements for the guests, confirm musical arrangement, confirm decorations, rehearse ballroom dancing, and dress fitting, my lady.”

You nodded your head. “Thank you, Kirumi. You may continue with your duties now.” Giving you a nod back, she hurried off to the kitchen.

“Don’t forget to put ‘explain why you don’t love your evil prince anymore’ on that list!” You heard the all-too familiar voice of your betrothed from behind you, and you rolled your eyes playfully. You couldn’t help but smile as he hugged you from behind, giving you a tight squeeze. “Why do you always get up so earlyyyy? Your side of the bed is always so cold in the mornings!”

“You’re the one who had that bell built to chime at the crack of dawn!”

“Niheehee, isn’t it soooo funny? Just think of all those people in town annoyed that they have to wake up early on all their days off! It’s the perfect way to remind them who’s really going to be in charge in a few days!”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little with him. After all, that chaotic energy was something you loved and embraced about him. If there was one thing Kokichi wasn’t, it was a normal prince. Still, you couldn’t get the feeling of nervousness out of your mind. You loved Kokichi with all of your heart, you truly did. You wouldn’t want to be with anybody else, and you knew that he felt the same way about you. Something still just felt off, but you brushed it aside as wedding day jitters, since you had that feeling since you had moved in with Kokichi.

“Their leader’s going to be so big and bad...minus the big part.” You teased him, and he pouted.

“Laugh all you want, but just you wait! If my looks apparently won’t get me respect, I’ll have to rule...by fear.”

“Yeah, you’re going to TP their houses. The good thing is that you’re small enough to pull it off!” You laughed, and he started with his fake tears.

“YOU’RE SO MEAN TO MEEEE! I’M AN EVIL PRINCE! WAAAAAAAA-”

You cut him off with a kiss, giggling softly. He happily kissed back, grinning at you mischievously when he pulled away. “Heehee, I knew you still loved me, S/O! Okay, I have to do all the booooorriinnngg planning stuff now, but I’ll see you later to rehearse! Goodbye~” He gave you one last kiss on the cheek, then went into another room to take care of his princely duties.

The day grew on, and all day you had Kirumi by your side, who helped you complete your tasks. Surprisingly, you’d gotten done earlier than you expected, thanks in no small part to your maid handling things efficiently.

“S/O, I’ve heard that Kokichi isn’t quite ready to dance quite yet. Would you like to do the fitting first?”

“I’d love that, Kirumi.” You smiled at her as you followed her into the bedroom, where your seamstress was starting to set up her materials. You greeted her with a smile, standing on the podium that she had set out. Looking at yourself in the mirror, you couldn’t help but remember a time from which you were basically a random girl off the sidewalk. Your original room was nothing compared to the giant, extravagant bedroom you shared with Kokichi. Your whole house alone could probably fit in the dining room that you ate in now. You came here from almost nothing, and in just a couple days, you would have everything you could ever want.

You slipped into the dress, gawking at just how pretty it looked on you. It was crazy to think that not even long ago, you didn’t even dream of wearing something this expensive or nice looking for a second. It felt strange that it was you were looking at in the mirror, and not somebody else. Now, in just a few short days, tens of thousands of people would see you in this outfit, and you would be officially be royalty.

It wasn’t until the seamstress placed the crown upon your head that all the feelings suddenly started to hit at once. You, S/O, were going to be royalty. Did you even deserve this? Did you deserve to have any of this? Your soon-to-be husband grew up like this, he had experience with all of this, and you had nothing. No matter how many bells and whistles you adorned, nothing will change the fact that you had no idea what you were doing.

“Oh my Queen Bee~ I just got the jewels on my crown affixed, what do you- oh damn.” He gaped at the sight of you in your dress and crown, after walking in without so much as even a knock. How rude, but that wasn’t what you were concerned about. “I sure picked the hottest girl to be my queen, didn’t I?” He started checking you out.

“Kokichi...” Again, you couldn’t help but laugh, even when you were in the worst of moods. He just had that about him, he never failed to make you fall in love all over again. “You don’t really think I’m cut out to be queen, do you? Be honest now...”

“Don’t tell me you’re as dumb as that peasant we saw the other day, S/O! What was his name...? Kaito? Well who cares, because I know you’re better than that!”

“But Kokichi...I don’t feel very royal.”

“Royal, shmoyal. Have you seen yourself in the mirror?!”

“Yes, but-”

“S/O, listen.” He held your hand as you stepped off the podium, so you could get used to moving around in your dress. “You’ll do great. Do you think one of these other boring princesses could rule by my side as well you could?”

“Well...”

“Ugh. Don’t answer that.”

“But, you’re so experienced and all, Kokichi. Look at where I came from. Face it, I don’t fit in.”

“It doesn’t matter where you came from. What matters now is the present and doing your best to be the best queen you can be. Look, could the old you do this?” Without warning, he started waltzing with you, and you quickly fell into the rhythm, laughing as Kokichi hummed a tune as he danced with you and spun you around. Both Kirumi and the seamstress just watched as you two danced around the room, with Kirumi making sure nothing fell over if you bumped into something. As you stopped, Kokichi dipped you into a long kiss, Kirumi and the seamstress clapped for the two of you.

“Kirumi, scratch ballroom dancing off the list.” You told her breathlessly. As she did, you looked at Kokichi, who had a smug smile on his face.

“Weeelllll?”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Now go away, I need to get out of this dress for dinner.”

“Aww, you mean I can’t stay and watch?” As you got ready to throw a shoe at him, he quickly exited the room, and you shook your head.

Maybe this is where you belonged after all.

#danganronpa x reader #danganronpa #danganronpa imagines #kokichi oma #kokichi ouma #kokichi x reader

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jamestrmtx · 3 years

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Wish Upon a Night Sky - [Beastars | Various x Reader]

[Female, Sheep Reader | Slow Burn]

Act Nine, Scene One | What Comes Around

[First] | [Previous] | [Next]

Needing a break, you plop down on the floor and grab your towel from the rest of your belongings, drying yourself off.

Haru’s words from almost a week ago keep themselves in your mind, and while you’re pretty sure she wasn’t referring to strength as needing to be physically stronger, you’ve still managed to form an exercise routine, be the agility gained through that used for fight or flight. Even if training to be stronger in that area was close to useless, it was better than simply not knowing how to defend yourself at all. You compare that to the day Juno had come to your rescue, and how the both of you had to run away from whatever threat lurked behind the darkness.

Being right next to the door of the drama club’s practice room, you can tell they’re beginning to wrap up for the day, so you start doing that yourself. You stand up, stretch, and dust your uniform off, sighing out your training and a school day’s work off your shoulders when you’re done.

The door opens not long after that, and the first one to exit is a wolf, dragging a large box of equipment out with him.

“Need help?”

He stops to look up at you, shaking his head as he then smiles and grabs the box with both hands, hoisting it over his shoulder afterwards. “It’s fine,” he says, voice as quiet as ever. You can’t avoid catching onto the difference in his tone, subtle in change, yet still noticeable whenever he hung out with Jack or talked with Haru. Even if he always seemed a bit reserved, he appeared to have it easier talking with the canine, the opposite going for the bunny. He’s a mixture of both with you, finding it easier to talk knowing you passed time with him and some of his friends at the library, but still working towards getting to know each other better, beyond school work and reading.

Seeing nobody else has left the room yet, you decide to accompany him when he makes the suggestion to. Quiet remains in your first steps, though it’s not as awkward as you would expect it to be with someone else. Knowing Legoshi was just as introverted as, if not much more than you allowed you to stay at ease whenever you were with him, be it while studying at the library or catching up with him whenever you crossed paths anywhere else.

“I don’t think I’ve asked this before directly, so…” you begin, breaking the silence. “You’re mostly in charge of preparing stuff for plays, right? Though I think I heard Jack say you participated in one once.”

The wolf nods, smile returning as he faces you again, meeting your eyes. “Are you... interested in plays, (Y/N)? I’ve seen you around here before.”

Your gaze diverts from him to the box he’s holding, seeing something’s about to fall.

You try catching it, though the wind messes up with your plans, fooling your aim and making the item whack your face instead.

“I’m… mostly here because of Juno,” you reply, taking it off your face. You notice it’s a costume when it unfolds by full, thick enough to have caused your snout to hurt, yet still light enough for the wind to control its path. The wolf seems concerned throughout, though when he sees you’re fine, his posture turns relaxed again. “I wait for her here sometimes.” You fold the piece and stand on your tiptoes to reach out for the box, throwing the costume in. “But what about you? Are you interested in joining another play?”

Legoshi hums. “...Maybe,” he replies. “I’m still getting used to it.”

The two of you stop at the sight of two rabbits standing in front of each other, one you recognized personally, the other you can distinguish based on the few descriptions given to you by the former. Whatever conflict they seem to have with each other fades as the one who’s a stranger to you stops to look to your side. She glares, expression falling when she carries her gaze higher and notices the person accompanying you. She hesitates and clenches her fists, exchanging her anger between you and Haru until she takes off and disappears from your sight, a few unintelligible words murmured as she leaves.

Whatever she seemed to be accusing Haru of, it looked to be related to you too, based on how little her expression changed aside from when she noticed Legoshi standing by.

“'That wolf won’t be your bodyguard forever',” you hear Haru say, revealing what the other rabbit commented when leaving, words now mocked by her. “Just suck it up already," she adds, giggling.

She places her hands on her hips and turns around, proud and pleased posture changing for one of amiability when she turns to you. Then, she waves, a smile appearing on her face. “Hey,” she calls out, waving at you. “Be careful around her.” Her smile grows, and another laugh leaves her mouth, expression just as bright as that sound. “She looks like she’s scared of approaching you, though. But don’t let your guard down, (Y/N)!” Sighing, Haru then takes a breath and picks herself up again. She acknowledges the wolf with a subtle nod and another wave. “Have fun, you two.”

“You’re not staying?” you ask, tilting your head.

The bunny shakes her head, pointing at a scatter of gardening items left not too far from where she stands. While it’s more than clear as to what happened and who was the perpetrator, she doesn’t bring it up and proceeds to kneel next to the items. “I need to take these back with me,” she replies, frowning when she picks up the fragments of what had once been a ceramic pot.

You rush to her side and kneel next to her, helping her out. Legoshi, on the other hand, sets the box down first and joins you next.

It’s quiet all the while as the three of you take the task of cleaning up the mess. Midway, though, the wolf freezes and his gaze faces down at a paper, flattened out in his hand. Curiosity prompts you to take a peak, seeing a few words haphazardly scribbled on it, these hard to read with how smudged the ink is.

Legoshi crunches it in his hold for a moment, shoulders tensing. He sniffs the paper and frowns. Finally, he shows it to you, saying, “It’s… a warning, I think.”

You take it, bringing the paper closer to have a better read on it.

Just as you’re wondering why he seems so reluctant over giving it to you, you’re able to read your name, followed by the words, ‘Consequences they will face... Whoever (Y/N) chooses to love and befriend.’

The paper falls off your hands, leading for the wolf to pick it up while you gather your thoughts and the meaning of what you’ve read.

#various x reader #legoshi x reader #legosi x reader #haru x reader #jack x reader #juno x reader #rouis x reader #louis x reader #beastars x reader #female reader #sheep reader #slow burn #romance #mystery #thriller #lgbt #lgbt themes #long fic

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boxoftheskyking · 4 years

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Something Good, Part Twelve

I decided to end the chapter here for the moment because it got kind of long

Also there are only like 3 sets in this piece because we are on a BUDGET so everything happens in the laundry yard. Sorry take it up with the finance department

In which there is a Party (Also self-worth doesn’t come from rich people)

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven

Engagement celebrations are not traditional in Gusu, but they are in Qishan, and the husband’s family are responsible.

“So, basically, His Excellency is demanding the Lan Sect throw him a party,” Wei Wuxian says. “That sounds like Wen Ruohan.”

“Oh, yes, Wei Ying,” Wang Xiaolu teases, flicking water at him from where she’s kneeling on the paving stones. “You know everything about the noble houses! You are so worldly!”

“Aiyah, Lulu!” Wei Wuxian starts chasing after her with his broom.

“Children!” Madam Xiao shouts, wagging a gnarled finger at them. “You will have plenty of time for nonsense once the celebration has come and gone. I may not know everything about the noble houses, but I will not be the housekeeper that lets dust collect on His Excellency’s hem.”

All of the disciples are practicing a demonstration for the honored guests, so their lessons stretch late into the evening. The little ones seem delighted to be in classes with their older cousins and siblings, taking their roles very seriously even though they’re mainly tasked with holding supplies and staying out of the way.

Wei Wuxian tries to steal time here and there to watch them practice, giving them giant smiles and exuberant applause for every skill performed. Lan Wangji stands next to him, and Wei Wuxian could swear he sees the corner of his mouth twitch. Every time it happens he cheers louder.

But the result of all the cleaning, cooking, and other preparations is that Wei Wuxian barely has any time with the children. He makes sure they’re fed, washed, and in bed by nine, but there’s very little play time.

He’s hemming some new robes for the Sect Leader—he’s still quite proud of his new sewing skills, so he’d begged Lan Biming for the job—when Lan Wangji stops by the laundry yard.

“Wei Wuxian.”

“Hey, Master Lan! Check out these stitches. Have you seen anything straighter?”

Lan Wangji actually comes over to crouch next to Wei Wuxian where he’s spread out on the ground, carefully lifting the fabric and looking intently at the fresh hem.

“It is very fine work.”

“Thank you!”

Lan Wangji stays crouched next to him for a moment, saying nothing. Wei Wuxian carefully ties off his thread and folds up the robes before turning to him.

“Well?”

“Are you just visiting the laundry yard to get away from the preparations? I imagine Lan Qiren is as demanding as ever.”

“Uncle is— This is the first major event held at the Cloud Recesses since the ambush. The first under Lan Xichen’s leadership. Everyone is taking it very seriously.”

Wei Wuxian salutes him, the effect somewhat ruined by the way his trousers are riding up on his legs, his knobby knees sticking out.

“I wonder, if you have time, if you could take the junior disciples to the back hill for a while this afternoon.”

“To see the bunnies? Of course! Are they finished with rehearsal?”

“Uncle would like to continue working with everyone, but I think it would be best if the younger ones departed for a short while.”

“They need a break, huh?”

Lan Wangji nods.

“I’d be delighted! Just let me get these robes to Master Lin and I’ll be over.”

Lan Wangji is, as usual, correct. As soon as they leave the main compound, half of the kids go absolutely wild, running and screaming and rolling down the hill.

“Hey, watch it! You’re not wearing your play clothes today, and the Grandmaster will have all the hair off my head if you get grass stains on your nice robes!”

Lan Ting flops down into the grass. “Wei-qianbei, will you please cover me with rabbits? I am so tired and my brain is so confused, I just need to be covered with rabbits.”

Wei Wuxian laughs and straightens the boy’s robes over his legs. “Feifei, Yixian, come help me catch some rabbits to bury your cousin.”

He sits down in the midst of them all and lets himself enjoy the shift in energy. He likes the other servants quite a bit, and they like him more than they used to, but it’s nothing like being in this crowd of wild, chubby-cheeked troublemakers.

Lan Jingyi comes up behind him and leans against his shoulder. “I miss you, Wei-qianbei,” he says and he tucks his arms around Wei Wuxian’s neck.

“Ah, Jingyi, I still see you every day.”

“But not all of the day.”

“No, because I have work to do. Don’t you want to be proud of the Cloud Recesses when all the other clans come to visit? It must be sparkling clean! It should be as shining in the sun as if a fresh layer of snow has fallen over the whole mountain!”

“But you’re my Wei-qianbei, and I need you to play with me.”

Wei Wuxian hauls him over into his lap. “How about a nice cuddle now instead?”

“Okay. Can you cuddle me and I cuddle a rabbit?”

“Yes, of course.”

All in all, it’s the nicest day he’s had all week.

The day before the other sects are to arrive, Lan Wangji comes back to find him in the laundry yard where he’s wolfing down dinner, grateful for ten minutes of quiet. It’s going to rain, which makes him rather resent the time he’d spent mopping down the entry stairs. Half of his hair is falling out of his topknot and whipping around his face, getting into his bowl, striping chilli oil across his cheek.

It seems unreal that the day is almost upon them. He has been carefully not thinking about what will happen when the sects begin arriving, trying to keep his thoughts blank and focus on cleaning this stone, chopping this turnip, carrying this child. Nothing beyond.

“Wei Wuxian.”

“There’s no one else here,” he says, with his mouth full.

“Wei Ying.”

“Lan Zhan.”

Surprisingly, Lan Wangji comes over and sits next to him on the bench. He’s warm, noticeably so in the chill. On a normal day, he thinks that would hold his attention; he’d be hyper aware of the solidness of Lan Wangji’s shoulder, how he warms Wei Wuxian’s arm down to the elbow. But today his mind is empty, wind whistling through.

“Wei Ying. Tomorrow the sects arrive. It will not be the largest gathering, but all of the leaders will attend. That means Wen Ruohan. And also Jiang Wanyin.”

Wei Wuxian shoves in another mouthful, nodding.

“Are you—” Lan Wangji sighs, frustrated. Wei Wuxian chews and lets him think.

“Is there an assignment,” Lan Wangji says, slowly, “that would make the next few days easier for you?”

Wei Wuxian swallows, wipes his mouth. “How do you mean?”

Lan Wangji glares, slightly. “It will be best for everyone if you are out of the way of Wen Ruohan, to avoid any unnecessary disruption. But if you’d like to see Jiang Wanyin, you could—I don’t know—tidy the guest rooms where he is staying.”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“If I want to see him. If I can see him.” Wei Wuxian puts down his bowl. “Is— Do you know if my sister . . .”

“I don’t. I haven’t heard who is attending.”

Wei Wuxian nods, looks up at the sky. It starts to rain, spitting down on him.

“I will instruct Lin Biming to assign you wherever is easiest,” Lan Wangji says.

“Probably best if I keep out of the way, don’t you think?” Wei Wuxian closes his eyes against the rain. When he opens them, Lan Wangji is gone.

---

He ends up on dish duty, which is fine. He’s only crossed paths with visiting servants so far, and most of them don’t give him a second glance.

He’s clearing the tea service from a private meeting room when he sees Jiang Cheng. Wei Wuxian is inside, and his brother walks by the open door. He’s in his customary purple, but with a golden sash which seems to pay homage to Lanling Jin. Wei Wuxian sets his tray down silently and moves to the door, watching him as he turns into another pavilion.

He seems thinner than Wei Wuxian remembers, his jaw possibly sharper. My, Jiang Cheng, is Shijie not feeding you?

When he’s out of sight, Wei Wuxian sinks down onto his heels, leaning against the wall with his arms wrapped around his knees. I thought I’d feel it, he thinks to himself, trying to drown out the buzzing in his ears. Shouldn’t I be able to feel it when he’s near? Shouldn’t he feel me?

But he doesn’t rise, chase after him, call his name. He breathes until his hands quit shaking, then he gathers up the tea tray and goes back to the kitchens.

He manages to stay safely out of the way for the first two days, but on the third he decides to risk discovery to watch the children perform their demonstration. He sneaks in the back of the crowd, head tucked down and hands occupied with the small kettle of tea that is his excuse for being there in the first place. He can’t quite relax without being in danger of burning himself, but it’s helpful to remain alert.

Wen Qing is seated near Wen Ruohan, shimmering gold headpiece and even more intricately embroidered robes than usual. Jiang Cheng is at the side of the room farthest away from the door, seated with Jin Zixuan and Jin Guangshan. Jin Guangshan leans over and says something to him, and a polite smile flashes across his face. It looks unnatural. Wei Wuxian shifts so that he’s blocked by another servant. Yanli is not there.

Wen Qing looks around as the disciples enter and catches his eye. She’s made up in a way he’s never seen before, looking more like a delicate flower than the solid oak he knows her to be. She gives him a little smile before turning back to watch the children.

Wei Wuxian doesn’t honestly pay a lot of attention to the demonstration. It’s not that it hurts, he tells himself, to watch young people reveling in their spiritual power, tossing it around like it’s nothing, like it’s never-ending. It’s just that he’d rather watch his children, see who stands properly still, who’s fidgeting, who misses their cue and has to scramble across the stage. Normally he’d cheer and whoop and shout out each name, but he just claps politely and grins at the ones who spot him.

After the demonstration, it’s time to serve more tea. He tries to be clever and serve some low ranking member of a minor sect who may not recognize him, but he gets turned around in the shuffle and ends up standing beside Wen Chao. After the first pour he doesn’t look up, but Wei Wuxian feels himself begin to sweat, like an animal stuck inside a trap in the moment before the net pulls tight. They’ll need to pour at least three more cups to cover all of the toasts.

The first toast, proposed by Wen Ruohan, is dedicated to the hosts in Gusu Lan. The second—Wei Wuxian’s hands only shake a bit as he pours—goes to the happy couple, Lan Wangji and Wen Qing. Lan Wangji has taken his place with the other members of his sect following the demonstration, so all eyes scan across the room between him and Wen Qing. Wei Wuxian braces himself, but their gazes just slide over him.

For the next toast, Jin Guangshan speaks up.

“Honored sects, it is Lanling Jin’s great happiness to announce the engagement of my son and heir, Jin Zixuan, and the sister of our loyal ally, Jiang Wanyin. The wedding will take place in one year, and will bind Lanling Jin and Yunmeng Jiang together in the bonds of family.”

He nods to Jiang Cheng, who straightens. “Yunmeng Jiang is honored to join with Lanling Jin, and my sister is blessed with a fine husband-to-be.” He looks around, awkwardly, then finishes with “We are very happy.” He even smiles.

The handle of the kettle creaks in Wei Wuxian’s grip. How dare he, he thinks. They won’t even say her name, like she’s just an object, or an animal changing ownership. Like she’s a treaty to be signed.

He pours the last cup, and his hands shake, sloshing tea over the side.

“Aiyah, you fool!” Wen Chao yells. He yanks back his sleeve and glares up at him. So does everyone else.

Wei Wuxian freezes and stares down at the ground, hoping they just see the grey uniform and topknot, no one worth noticing.

“Wei Wuxian,” Wen Chao says at top volume, anger transforming into delight in an instant. “Of course it would be you. Look, this demon tried to burn me.”

The room explodes into noise, murmurs and scoffs and whispers and even a few bursts of laughter. Wei Wuxian can’t help himself, he looks up directly at Jiang Cheng. His brother’s eyes are fiery, jaw clenched and hand on the hilt of his sword. For a moment the rest of the room fades away and Wei Wuxian almost speaks, almost says his name. Jiang Cheng looks away.

Wei Wuxian feels an insistent hand on his elbow and lets himself be tugged backward.

“Come on, Wei Ying,” Lin Biming says in his ear. “Give the kettle to Xiaolu and go.”

The kettle is gone—he doesn’t notice it happening, just the sudden absence of weight, and then suddenly he is outside under grey sky with his hands pressed hard against his middle. He doesn’t realize he’s not alone until he feels hands on his shoulders.

“That’s it, breathe. You’re all right, boy, just breathe.” Lin Biming tugs him gently down the walkway until the uproar from inside fades into nothing more than rising and falling tones.

“Sorry,” Wei Wuxian forces out, all air.

“No, don’t worry. It’s all right.”

“I just wanted to see . . . I wanted to . . .”

“I know, it’s all right. I should have protected you.”

Wei Wuxian looks up, startled. Lin Biming’s red face is all concern, and though his features aren’t the same, he looks so much like Uncle Jiang it’s difficult not to lean in and rest his cheek against the man’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to—”

“That’s my job, to protect you all.”

Wei Wuxian gives in and hugs him, earning a small grunt of surprise. It’s like hugging a tree trunk, but eventually he feels a gentle pat in the center of his back. Despite everything, it does actually make him feel better.

Lin Biming leaves, flustered, and Wei Wuxian wanders somewhat aimlessly back to the kitchen. He feels naked, like he’s been stripped in the middle of Caiyi Town, left standing on his own with nothing between him and the wind.

Time passes, somehow. People move around him, shifting him gently into a corner so they can clean the dishes, start preparing dinner. A few folks pat his cheek, tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, squeeze his shoulder. Part of him—most of him—feels it like embers inside him, like something that will become a warm and comforting fire when he can pull the lid off and expose it to air.

Dinner is served without him. He stays in the laundry yard, grateful to find a torn bedsheet on the line that’s been left for later. He stitches as the sun goes down, slow, deliberate, each stitch exact in length and straightness. It’s almost becoming hard to see when Wen Qing finds him.

“Jiang Wanyin asked me if I knew where you were,” she says, evenly.

Wei Wuxian tucks the needle into the fabric and joins her where she’s leaning against the stone wall.

“To make sure I stay out of sight, I suppose. Out of trouble.”

“He wants to see you.”

“What are you doing, talking to strange men at your own engagement party? Have some shame, Lady Wen.”

“Wei Ying.”

He turns and rests his forehead on her shoulder. “I can’t. I can’t see him. I can’t.”

“How long has it been?”

“He was at the trial. I can’t face him after that. You don’t know what it’s like, watching him just sit there—”

“Watching the people who are supposed to be my family sit in silence while Wen Ruohan decides my future for me, separates me from my brother and everyone I know to fill a role I never wanted and don’t belong in? Clearly I have no idea what that is like.”

Wei Wuxian groans. “I know. I know. I just can’t. The way he sat there and talked about Shijie, like she’s nothing. I expect it from Wen Ruohan, not from Jiang Cheng. Before— When we were together he hated Jin Zixuan as much as I did. Now, he announces their engagement and he smiles? Truly, anyone can be bought.”

“He does what he has to do.”

“So do you, but you don’t smile about it.”

Wen Qing shoves him off her shoulder. “I’m clearly not performing as well as I thought. Wei Ying, you have to understand. Wanyin and Yanli had nothing when the Jins took them in. Jiang Wanyin approves of Jin Zixuan because he protects her.”

“He doesn’t protect her. Jin Guangshan and his money protect her.”

“He protects her from Jin Guangshan.”

It takes a moment to hit him, then he hits the wall. He doesn’t notice he’s done it until the skin on his knuckle splits.

“Fuck!” he punches again, smearing a line of blood across the stone. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!” As he strikes again and again, a thin stream of black smoke emerges from between his fingers.

Wen Qing grabs his arms. “Stop it!”

“Fuck!” he shouts again, fighting her. But he’s not strong enough; he couldn’t overpower her if he wanted to. Not without Chenqing, not without summoning more than he can handle. “Fucking useless,” he breathes, dropping his forehead against the wall, hard.

“It’s all right. She’s under Jin Zixuan’s protection, no one will touch her.”

He whirls on her. “What about those that aren’t? Would I be protected in Lanling? Someone like me?”

“You’re not really Jin Guangshan’s taste.”

“Wen Qing.”

“There’s nothing to be done. Someday Jin Zixuan will take over and things will be better.”

“That’s not good enough. I hate this. I hate this. I didn’t know it would be like this. I never thought the power mattered, but to just sit and watch— ”

“I know.”

“You don’t.”

“Wei Ying, what’s my fucking name? Of course I know what it’s like to be powerless, to sit and watch. But we don’t sacrifice ourselves if there’s no chance of success. We don’t waste our lives on battles we can’t win.”

“Fuck.”

“Calm down, all right? Sit down, come on.”

Wei Wuxian leans against her side and breathes, eyes closed. Lifts one hand on an inhale, breathes out, pushing away. I am glad for . . . I am grateful for . . . I have . . . I . . .

It takes a few minutes, but his heart rate slows, the red recedes from the corners of his vision. His hands are clear, no black smoke.

“It’s not fair.”

“I know.”

“She shouldn’t have to marry him just for that. That shouldn’t be enough.”

“Everyone pays for protection, Wei Ying. Even you.”

“You mean serving the Lans? That’s not payment.”

“Not people. Are you saying there wasn’t a cost? For feeling powerful again, feeling whole?”

Wei Wuxian nods. “It never felt whole. It just wasn’t empty.”

Wen Qing pulls a jar of salve and roll of bandages out of her bag and starts treating his hand.

“Even in your engagement robes, you’re always ready.”

“Wen Ruohan can make me what he wants on the outside, he has no power over anything else.”

Wei Wuxian grins at her, then hisses at the sting. “Ah, Wen Qing, it may not be your first choice, but I am so glad you are here. And that if you have to marry someone you don’t want to, it’s someone in Cloud Recesses.”

Wen Qing ties off the bandage but keeps a hold of his hand. “It could be worse.”

Wei Wuxian gasps in mock indignation. “You’re marrying Lan Wangji, and that’s the best you’ve got? It could be worse?”

Wen Qing rolls her eyes, but stays with him and watches the shadows lengthen.

“I need to go back,” she says finally, rising and brushing off her robes. “Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen will be playing music tonight. You’ll be able to hear from outside. It may do you some good.”

“I do miss music,” he says, walking her to the entryway. “I really could play. Remember? Those weeks we were together, you’d work and I would play?”

“You’ll play again.” She gives him half a smile and leaves.

He goes back to his torn sheet, folding it neatly until he begins to hear a guqin—faint, but pure, calling him out of the yard, pulling him along like a tide.

Part Thirteen

#assorted writings #something good #the untamed #cql #mo dao zu shi #some people have asked #rightfully so #when the rest of the cultivation world will appreciate wei ying #but that is not the Point

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starssabi · 4 years

Text

Rabbit

fandom: Obey Me! (Shall We Date)

pairing: Mammon / MC (reader; m/f)

part: 1 / 2

ao3 link

note: this is the first fanfic I have written in YEARS, been mostly roleplaying, but I’m pleased with how this first chapter came out! this is based off of task 4-A a tad. expect a second one soon. feel free to leave some feedback in the comments here, or ao3, or even my inbox. I’m also tentatively taking requests maybe, though I may start in a headcanon format. either way, please enjoy! part two is coming soon.

warnings: descriptions of smut and actual smut in part 2. toys.

summary: You leave for a quick shopping trip with Asmo, and while you're gone, Mammon goes snooping for some money in your room. He doesn't quite find what he expected, but what he finds is more valuable than Grimm itself.

this should go without saying, but this is written for those 18+.

part one: caught red-faced and red-handed.

Mammon was bored. More importantly, you were out and about with Asmo, leaving him to his own devices. It hadn’t been an issue until you showed up and until you made a pact with him... now, when you weren’t by his side, he felt surprisingly antsy.

He’d blame it on the pact, it had to make his feelings stir. He wouldn’t argue that he had been dumb enough to fall into one with you, but he had yet to regret it. The longer you stayed there, the more it became apparent to him his brother’s attachments to you, and he took pride in being your first when it came to your pacts.

He couldn’t help himself.

He’d found himself in your room, his eyes looking over the somewhat made bed and the cracked open closet door at its side. He’d come there telling himself he was looking for money to go gamble with, to do something with, anything at that point was better than waiting around like a moping puppy, which he surely wasn’t.

“What’s Y/N’s is mine, and what’s mine is... mine.” Mammon was reassuring himself that this, his snooping, was fine. He knew that she hadn’t brought much at all with her to Devildom, so it wasn’t shocking to find that she had little to hide. Mammon knelt first by your bed, sighing to himself upon finding nothing but dust beneath. He moved onto the drawers in the nightstand, finding once again, nothing. “Ya know... Y/N doesn’t really have anything good here, but eh, I guess it shouldn’t be surprising. After showing up here with nothin’ at all.” He’d muttered to himself, finding a twinge of embarrassment at the realization that he was talking to himself in your room. What if you found him, talking to himself and rummaging through your belongings? You’d know just how much of a desperate demon he was, and he wasn’t sure he could deny that.

He moved to your closest after finding nothing interesting elsewhere. It was already cracked open a bit, and he had convinced himself that it was less terrible that way. Tugging the door open he found what you’d expect in a closet: Clothes. “Let’s see... We’ve got some uniforms, some regular clothes... and not much else.” He found himself lingering a bit too long on that, his fingers curling against the familiar fabric. He wondered briefly if it still smelled like you, and the temptation was there, the all too familiar greed to have you all to himself, but... His attention was torn quickly elsewhere.

“Wait... what’s this! I spy a promising looking box!” Mammon spotted a small, otherwise ordinary box tucked into the bottom corner of the closet. The clothing had once covered it, but since he had brushed it aside, the box twinkled like a jewel to him. The first thought, of course, was money. How much were you hiding in there? If not money, what else? Lottery tickets? A deed to a house? Wishful thinking on his part.

Being the avatar of greed, naturally, he didn’t hesitate to reach for it. Kneeling down once more he pulled the small box into his lap, manicured fingers eagerly pulling up on the lid. It didn’t smell like money, he knew the smell of that well, but he held out hope for something worthwhile.

Upon opening the box, his brows furrowed in confusion, then quickly darted up in shock. This was... not what he expected.

It was pink, nearly as pink as his face at that point. Even though the shape was clearly recognizable, it took him a moment to process just what it was. At that point he knew he had crossed a line, he knew he should put it down, leave, and pretend he had never seen it, but... Where did you even get this?

It was a sex toy, he knew that much. The realization that this was yours seemed to strike a match in him, greed of a different kind, one only you could satisfy. It was wrong, very wrong for him to be going through your things, and now finding such a toy tucked inside of your closet... He couldn’t help but wonder.

It even reminded him of you. From the vibrancy in color to the bunny ears clearly sprouted up at the smaller tip, it was almost cute, just like you. His fingers twitched again, tempted, and this time he allowed himself the greed. He reached within and balanced the toy in his hand, smooth silicone that tapered off into a more phallic shape, and near the handle, another small bud. That was where the ears were, along with a small indentation of what looked to be a rabbit’s nose. Mammon wasn’t a prude, and with his age he knew where such a toy would go, and the thought of you writhing beneath it was... God, it was almost painful to imagine.

He felt himself already straining against his jeans. The image was burned into his brain already, and even when he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will the image away, you appeared to him. It wasn’t the first time he thought of you, and it wouldn’t be the last. He imagined how smooth your skin would be under his hands, how you sounded when the toy angled just right inside of you, or when he would turn up the vibrations to coax you closer to your peak. He wanted that more than anything at that moment, even more than money. To hell with it — He’d found something even better.

He felt ridiculously dirty popping a boner in your room, especially going through your things and clothing. He could have gotten off there, too, your toy in hand and in the other, maybe your sweater. Fuck, he was disgusting — Perhaps even more-so than Asmo.

Asmo. Something else emerged with the lust, jealousy maybe, though he’d play it off as simply being concerned for his human. Did Asmo know about this? Is that why she was out with him and not here? What were they doing?

“Shit,” Mammon cursed, his eyes narrowing and lips curling into a frown at the thought. His grip tightened around the toy in his hand. He knew his brother’s surely shared similar feelings for you, and you were kind enough to split the attention for them all. Mammon clung to you the most, though, and all too often he would appear when you had plans with another. Whether that be a study session with Satan or a movie marathon with Levi. He always found a way to weasel himself to your side again.

He hadn’t this time.

His arousal hadn’t left, and if anything the surge of possessive thoughts and jealousy had fanned the fire. It would become painful if he remained there with his cock pressing against his jeans, and the longer he leered down at the toy, the more he found himself tempted to get off right then and there, surrounded by you. You’d been gone for nearly an hour, and you hadn’t announced when you’d be back. What if you found him, desperately fucking into his own hand on his knees, your toy gripped in his other. He almost wanted that, almost, but knowing that you surely didn’t know of his feelings and that he was unsure of yours, he couldn’t. He reasoned with himself or at least tried to, and he managed to decide that his arousal could be let free in his own room. He already had your image engraved in his brain, and now knowing what you kept, he doubted he would last long at all. He pushed himself up to stand, your toy still in hand as his other reached down to adjust his straining hard-on. He’d put it back where it was and sneak out of your room to relieve himself before you returned, and he could only hope that one of his brothers wasn’t getting the same idea and lingering outside...

“Mammon?”

Oh fuck, oh fuck, fuck — He didn’t have to turn to know whose voice it was calling him, but he did so anyways in shock, finding you standing in the now open doorway. You were clutching bags in your hands, the label on the side the familiar Akuzon label showing that you had, in fact, just been shopping. You looked confused as he stood with his back to you, only his head tilted in your direction. His tanned skin was now a growing bright pink, similar to the toy still in his hand. At the lack of verbal response and the clear embarrassment on his face, you came closer, tilting your head. He was frozen, unable to pull his hand away as you caught sight of it and what he held. He was caught red-handed, and all breath had left him. Your gasp was what brought him out of shock.

“Shit, it’s not — I didn’t — You're back,” he sputtered, his voice rising in volume along with the size of his eyes. They were wide, humiliated, and perhaps even a bit scared. He sounded like a fool, a demon like himself stumbling over his words, but that was the least of his worries. Your expression was unreadable to him, though it could be taken as just as shocked as his.

“Mammon,” you tried again, finding your own face heating up as your gaze shot down and lingered on the familiar toy in his hand. Mammon cut you off before you could continue, blurting, “Where’s Asmo?”

#whew #enjoy this first chapter heathens #I certainly enjoyed writing it #mammon x mc #mammon x reader #mammon x you #mammon #obey me #obey me fanfic #fanfic #obey me shall we date

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hockeylvr59 · 4 years

Text

Life Changes Part 11 || Paul Bissonnette

Summary: It’s crazy how quickly your life can change...one minute you’re a struggling personal injury lawyer and the next you’re working for one of the hottest sports podcasts to supplement your income. A new job and the end of a long-term relationship was just the beginning for Leigh Thompson when it comes to life changes. Thankfully she has the one and only Paul Bissonnette at her side to help her handle them all.

Author's Note: Sappiness, sappiness, and more sappiness. I’m not sure what else you expected from a 31-week pregnant woman and a man who is secretly head over heels.

Requested: [ ] yes [x] no Warnings: cursing

Word Count: 2,900 (Series Total: 30,199)

~~~~

In my mind, there was absolutely zero reason why I needed to be dragged to the Jersey shore when it was 80 degrees outside and I was 31 weeks pregnant. The guys had all disagreed though and refused to let me skip out on the Pink Whitney Launch Party. Still, I was the last to arrive having chosen to drive while everyone else flew in earlier in the day. Dropping my weekend bag in the bedroom where Paul’s bag was, I plopped down onto the bed, already ready to sleep even though it wasn’t even dinner time yet. I was now at the stage of pregnancy where I was hardly sleeping because I couldn’t get comfortable and because my daughter was shifting onto my bladder every time I did manage to get comfortable. I was exhausted and cranky and everyone else would just have to deal with it because they weren’t the ones who had grown to the size of a whale.

Just as I had laid down though, my phone buzzed, Paul’s message reading that I should come up to the rooftop deck when I arrived because that was where all of them were. As much as I didn’t want to, I knew that I would never hear the end of it if I didn’t so after struggling to hoist myself off of the bed, I waddled up the stairs hoping to say hi and then return back inside where at least there was air conditioning. Upon reaching the roof, my eyes went wide from shock. Pink balloons were tied around the railings and a stack of presents was on the picnic table.

“What in the world?” I found myself mumbling as a cheer took over the group at the sight of me.

“It’s a baby shower.” Grinnell voiced. “Well sorta.” Immediately my eyes filled with tears at the fact that they had even thought to put anything together for me.

“Don’t cry.” Paul murmured, appearing beside me, his hand falling to my lower back as he leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “It’s just a little something. No big deal.” He insisted. He guided me to sit in one of the more comfortable chairs, quickly handing me a bottle of water. As the stack of presents was moved to the ground beside me, I could feel Paul’s eyes on my body. The weight of his gaze made me uncomfortable because the last thing I needed was more people taking note of how large I was.

My focus was shifted when a present was set on top of my bump by Whit and everyone settled back into chairs to watch me open them. By the end of my work baby shower, it was clear that my little girl was going to be decked out in spittin chiclets merchandise. The guys had gifted me everything from onesies to hats to matching pink denim jackets for the pink whitney girls. Additionally, there was a stack of children’s books and a plush hockey stick along with a few other toys. It was all so incredibly sweet and I felt so loved, even if I was still annoyed at them as sweat gathered along every crease of my skin. Just when I thought we were done, Paul handed me one more present and I opened it to find the softest stuffed rabbit.

“A bunny for dust bunny.” I breathed, tearing up once more. “Thank you,” I added, directing the comment at all of the guys though my eyes stayed locked on Paul’s. Leaning down, he moved to pull me into a hug and as he stood back up his hand rested against the side of my bump for just a moment. Almost immediately though, a sharp kick resounded from inside me, directed right at Paul’s hand and his eyes went wide. His hand didn’t move right away and a second and then third kick quickly followed the first.

“That’s…” Paul said, his voice suddenly tight.

“Okay, little one that’s enough,” I replied, my hand falling to my stomach right beside Paul’s. “I know you just wanted to say hi but that’s mama you’re beating up in there.” Though Paul pulled his hand back, a look of shock remained on his face.

“Is that the first time you’ve felt a baby kick?” I asked him, reaching my hand out for him to pull me to my feet because I had been sitting too long and needed to stretch. He nodded, still at a loss for words, and I smiled drawing his hand back to my stomach to see if it would make dust bunny kick again. It was clear she sensed the new touch because she once again responded immediately, her tiny feet shifting inside of me.

“Fuck.” Paul cursed, his eyes wet by the time he finally pulled his hand away. Seeing his reaction to her movements was a moment I doubted I’d forget any time soon but those emotions were quickly quashed by the feeling of the sun beating down on me.

“Alright...it’s time for me to go back inside. It’s too darn hot out here.” I explained. “And I don’t want to hear a word about it. When you guys are heavily pregnant during the summer, then you can throw around chirps.

______

Propped up in bed later that night, I watched as Paul lay with his head on my thigh, talking to and pressing the occasional kiss to my bump. It was so obvious that he was going to be completely wrapped around her finger once she was born if he wasn’t already and for the first time in weeks I felt an unknown tension slip out of my body.

“You’re incredible you know…” Paul whispered, lifting his head just a bit to look up at me. When my eyebrow quirked in response, Paul leaned up a little more. “I mean you’re growing another person inside of you right now. You’re providing her protection and food and oxygen and soon she’ll become her own little entity. It’s incredible.”

“Women do this all of the time,” I replied, sure it was cool and pretty incredible but it was how nature worked so it wasn’t like I was doing anything that was any more special than any other mother.

“That may be true but it’s still incredible.” Paul insisted. “Only a bit longer until she’s here.” He mused, his fingers tracing over the area where my little girl had just kicked, having watched the way my belly flexed because of her tiny feet.

“Don’t remind me.” I sighed, biting gently at my lower lip.

“What’s wrong Leigh? I thought you’d be so ready for her to be here?” He asked, his hand sliding to lace his fingers with mine.

“I am ready for her to be here.” I insisted. “I’m just not ready for the whole labor thing.”

Paul’s face went pensive, his fingers just tracing patterns against my own.

“I mean you’re going to have your mom there right?” He questioned causing me to let out an even bigger sigh.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “My mother is the queen of all worriers and I don’t know if having her there would help or just cause me more stress.” This wasn’t the first time I’d thought about this and time and time again I’d come to the same conclusion. “I guess I’m just going to be on my own.” Paul was silent for a minute, multiple emotions shifting across his face.

“Is there someone you’d want to have there?” He eventually inquired, his voice barely audible. Hints of a frown appeared on my face as what seemed impossible crossed my mind once more. It wasn’t something I’d ever ask, not after everything. “Leigh…” Paul trailed off. “Do you want me there when she’s born?” Weakly I nodded and Paul immediately sat up, pulling me against his chest as best he could.

“You make me feel calm,” I mumbled into his shoulder. “You make me feel like I can do anything.” My voice dropped significantly as I started crying into his shoulder, all of the overwhelming thoughts bubbling over the edge. “I can’t imagine doing it without you.” With his lips pressed against my temple and his hand rubbing up and down my back, eventually, I regained control of my emotions.

“I’ll make some calls in the morning okay.” He promised. “I’ll do everything in my power to be there.” With what felt like an elephant-sized weight lifted off of my shoulders I let Paul shift the two of us into our usual sleeping position, one of his knees pressed between mine as his hand rested against my stomach and his body spooned behind me providing a welcome support to my aching back.

______

When I woke, the sun was peeking through the bedroom curtains. Reaching for my phone I discovered that it was nearly 8am. Needing to pee, I slipped out from under Paul’s arm and moved to the bathroom. This was the first time in over a month I had slept through the night and it didn’t take a genius to figure out just why that was.

Slowly making my way downstairs, I found Whit sitting at the counter with a mug full of coffee in front of him.

“Want some breakfast?” I whispered planning on making up a few eggs for myself because I hadn’t had my multiple middle of the night snacks and I was starving. With the launch party scheduled from 12-4pm, I knew everyone would need to get moving sooner rather than later. A large breakfast for everyone was soon made up, and after eating, I made my way back upstairs to shower and get ready while the guys cleaned up the kitchen.

I’d slipped into my swimsuit before throwing on a maxi dress. Not long after my hair was straightened and I’d put on just some light makeup, certain that anything more would just melt off my face from the sun. However, there was still one task I needed to take care of and it happened to be the most difficult.

Twenty minutes later, I was precariously perched on the edge of the tub which contained an inch or so of water when Paul knocked on the door.

“The guys are ready to go.” He called out through the wood.

“I need a few more minutes.” I declared, my voice exasperated as I attempted to lean forward to drag the razor along the skin of my legs. After a moment the door gave way and Paul stepped into the small bathroom.

“What are you…?” He trailed off before quickly shaking his head.

“Don’t look at me like that okay,” I grumbled. “This is not easy with little miss in the way,” I complained. Another slow pass of the razor up my leg almost sent me tumbling into the tub.

“Give it here,” Paul demanded.

“I am quite capable.” I insisted, my stubbornness showing.

“Leigh just give me the damn razor before you hurt yourself,” Paul repeated, his large frame moving to sit on the lid of the toilet seat.

“You don’t even know what you’re doing.” I continued, struggling once more to reach my ankles. “I’d rather not have cuts everywhere.”

Paul ultimately won this battle, and soon I was sitting on the toilet seat while Paul balanced on the edge of the tub, his hands gently holding each of my legs in turn as he slowly and carefully pulled the razor blades along my skin. It was such an intimate action that I struggled not to shiver under his touch. When he was done, he dried my legs off before pulling me to my feet, and after a moment, my sandals were dropped in front of me so all I had to do was slide into them.

“Now are you ready?” He murmured softly, his gaze soft but teasing.

“I mean I guess so.” I sighed although today was even hotter than yesterday had been and I was not looking forward to melting under the sun. The guys complained about how long I had taken as I walked into the living room and after flipping them off I grabbed the beach bag I had packed before waddling my way out to the van New Amsterdam had sent.

____

The Jersey shore was pumping and alcohol was flowing by the time we finally arrived at the beach. Representatives from New Amsterdam met us in a staff tent and it was explained that the guys and drink would be introduced and then they would just have to mingle, chat and take pictures with fans who were trying the drink for the first time. While they did the official things, I sat in a shaded tent trying to keep my water intake up. Soon though, the guys returned and urged me to come out and socialize with people because apparently, people wanted to talk to me too. I wasn’t sure how much of that I was buying but complaining hadn’t seemed to be doing me much good so I went along with things, walking around the beach to talk to people.

Soon, the guys were pulled into a beach volleyball game. With Paul having tossed his shirt off into the sand at some point, I was met with an eyeful that sent my body temperature spiking even higher. Needing to cool down, I dumped my things somewhere safe and made my way down into the ocean, letting the cool water lap at my skin as it helped make the heat a little less unbearable.

The heat was back full force though as soon as I climbed out of the ocean and slipped back into my dress and shoes. Running back into Paul I was pulled into the conversation he was having with a group around him and soon I found myself leaning against his chest, his arms wrapped lightly around my waist. As the conversation continued, I closed my eyes and just tried to relax, feeling fatigued and overwhelmingly hot.

“Leigh?” Paul’s voice filtered through to my ears and I hummed in response. “I called your name multiple times and you didn’t respond...are you okay?” He questioned.

“Tired. Headache. Hot.” I mumbled and immediately Paul excused us from the group of fans surrounding us. I was led into a tent and Paul disappeared but when he returned I found myself being helped back into the same van as earlier. “Hmm?” I questioned, full thoughts not really forming in my brain right now.

“Taking you back to the house before you pass out from heat exhaustion,” Paul explained and it wasn’t much longer before he was leading me into the beach house, his hands providing additional balance support as I moved into our bedroom. Already the air conditioning felt wonderful and the feeling of softness along my entire body took the edge off of the achiness that lingered everywhere.

I must have fallen asleep because the sun was no longer pouring through the window when I next opened my eyes. A bottle of water and some strawberries were sitting on the bedside table. I was finishing off the bowl when Paul appeared in the doorway, concern etched into his expression.

“Feeling better?” He asked.

“Yeah. Thanks.” I replied, rubbing my hand gently over my bump and smiling when I felt my little girl shift in response.

“Why didn’t you speak up sooner?” He wondered as he moved to sit beside me.

“I told you guys for weeks that it wasn’t a good idea and no one listened to me,” I mumbled. Immediately concern shifted to guilt and Paul sighed, scraping his nails over the back of his neck.

“I should have listened.” He admitted. “I’m sorry. I let my desire to see you in person drown out your wants and needs.” Shrugging, I sent him a soft smile to let him know that all was forgiven. “So I have some good news for you.” He declared, shifting topics. “The coyotes agreed to give me two weeks off. So I was thinking I’d come out a week before your due date and stay the full two weeks so hopefully, I can help you out for at least a few days once she arrives.”

The knowledge that he was willing to fly across the country to be there to support me and this little girl through labor and the first little bit after her arrival meant the world and I couldn’t control the tears pouring down my cheeks. As quickly as they fell, Paul’s thumbs were wiping them away. “I take it that works for you…” He surmised. “At least I’m hoping these are happy tears. Sometimes I can’t tell anymore with the way you start crying at the drop of a hat.” He teased.

Though he teased about my emotions going haywire, he never complained and took whatever I threw at him, letting anything negative roll right off of his back. I owed him more thank yous than I could ever say and shifting my body, I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly as my little girl squirmed inside of me.

Knowing that he would be by my side made the prospect of labor a little less scary and now I was even more ready to have my little girl in my arms.

#paul bissonnette #paul bissonnette imagine #nhl imagine #nhl imagines #hockey imagines #hockey imagine #arizona coyotes #arizona coyotes imagine #former player #former player imagine #014.1

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alexboehm55144 · 3 years

Text

Alex Final Wars 2: Dark Alex, Chapter 33 - Midway

The Typhoon had been zipping all over the pacific throughout the US-Chinese war. This was possible because the ship had cloaking technology and could fly. But a large portion of the US navy was still relegated to the eastern half of the ocean, unable to move west due to Chinese forces.

However, with recent US gains, the offensive had started. Naval forces were now planning a significant strike back against the Chinese Navy and Air Force at the island of Midway.

A US armada, including the Typhoon, aircraft carriers, and numerous smaller escort vessels, was already making haste to meet with an equally sized Chinese fleet.

"I expected more airships," Laval said from the bridge of the Typhoon while JayJay sat nearby and filed her claws. "But we're the only one here."

"Airships are still an experimental technology, Laval," Toothdee noted, sitting in the captain's chair and piloting the ship. "Aquatic vessels are still the mainstay for the world's nations."

"Oh great, your telling me our home and HQ is an experimental vessel?"

"Don't worry, Laval, it's perfectly safe."

"Say, have you guys seen Fabienne?" JayJay asked.

"Oh, the reporter. She's probably filming something." Laval said, "I just hope she stays safe when the fighting breaks out."

"She's worked as a war correspondent before," Toothdee said. "She told me she was getting some shots of the ships from one of the outside decks. Speaking of which...."

The Heroes commander turned the radio on again.

"Fabienne, do you read? Are you alright?"

The snow leopard had set up some recording equipment on one of the outside platforms on the Typhoon's exterior. The ocean breeze blew through her fur, and the beautiful blue sea and sky were visible all around her.

"Do you read?"

The reporter's ears perked up, and she grabbed the radio she had been given since her first day on the Heroes ship.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm ok. Just about to film a quick shot of the fleet."

"Ok, finish up quickly and get back inside."

"Will do."

The snow leopard turned off the radio and took one last look to make sure her tripod-mounted camera was lined up properly before clicking the record button. Afterward, she quickly tested the audio and the microphone on her collar and stood in position. She was a meter from the camera, off to the side. Enough so that the device could see the fleet of US warships in the background, along with the reporter. She was careful not to step too close to the edge of the platform. Because while there was a railing, she did not want to risk falling overboard.

"Hello, this is Fabienne Growley, coming to you from aboard the Typhoon in the pacific. US naval forces are moving to secure the region around Midway island. They are being led by Heroes, and their airship, the Typhoon. A Chinese fleet is in the area, hoping to defend their territory from the encroaching US forces. At this time, it is impossible to say what will occur during this battle, but this could be a turning point for the war in the Pacific."

The snow leopard moved over to the camera and stopped the recording before packing up all her equipment. As she entered back into the vessel, Fabienne contacted Toothdee on her radio.

"I'm heading back inside Toothdee. I'll get to my battle station."

"Ok, you'll be safe there."

"I guess she got her shot," Laval said as Toothdee disconnected the call.

"Let's check in with everyone else while we're at it. Our forces are spread out all around the area, so we should be able to cover the entire field of battle." She said, switching the channel on her radio. "Heroes, this is the Typhoon. What's your status?"

"This is captain Boehm. Eris and I are flying the deadly skies."

The 2 young pilots zipped through the air above the fleet in their jets. Eris was flying her blue and white eagle interceptor, one that she had modified to her specifications.

Alex flew a custom F-35, one of the standard jets of the US Air Force.

"Nice flying," Eris said, the pair of jets turning and circling the US fleet.

"Thanks, your pretty good yourself. But your reputation precedes you." Alex said, looking at the tally marks on the jet's hull.

"I like your plane's color scheme," Eris said, drawing attention to the aircraft's metallic exterior, which was dark gray in color. A few shiny red, white and blue lines ran along the wings and near the cockpit as a patriotic gesture.

"Thanks! Lately, I've been wondering if I should paint it with some other pattern or color scheme. But that's not the only thing that's different about this plane. It's been modified with upgrades including stronger weapons and armor."

"Alright, you two, don't you keep your heads in the clouds for too long," Toothdee said, be forcing changing the channel on her radio. "Kion, Jasiri, what's your status."

"Kion here. I'm just taking a look at the cannon on this destroyer. This thing looks like it will pack a serious punch."

The lion touched and inspected the barrel of a forward-mounted turret on a US destroyer. Jasiri was nearby, leaning against a railing and enjoying the sea breeze.

"I'm here as well, Toothdee, just enjoying the calm before the storm."

"Alright, keep your heads on the swivel. Your job is to provide support to other US forces. That's why your stationed where you are. Toothdee out. Nick, Judy, you two better not be making out or something."

"Hey!" Judy said, jumping up from where she was lying on the beach.

"Unfortunately, no." Nick said, "we're just sitting here, relaxing- I mean, guarding, this wonderful- I mean, important beach on the midway island."

"Well, you two better stay on guard, lest the Chinese land on Midway, and it's an atoll, Nick."

"Don't worry, no matter what it is, we'll keep it safe."

Judy was still blushing a bit from embarrassment as Toothdee switched the radio channel over to someone else.

"Well, carrots, that was a rude interruption to our make-out session."

"Haida, Retsuko, are you there?" Toothdee said.

"Oh hey, Toothdee," Retsuko said. She was standing in the cargo bay on the Typhoon, stocked with equipment and whose walls were made of hardened metal. "Haida's in the bathroom, but we're right here on the ship, ready to help however we can."

"Glad to hear it. I know your job isn't the flashiest, your not racing into combat, but your job is no less important. It's because of you two that we get our supplies, and all the paperwork gets sorted."

Retsuko blushed and smiled to herself. Her last job didn't appreciate her at all, so it was nice to hear that she mattered.

"Thank you, you don't know how much that means to me. Oh, and that reminds me...."

The red panda clambered on top of a large crate. It was a crate designed for lion-sized mammals, so it was difficult to scale, but Retsuko managed. She compared the label on the container to the writing on a notepad in her hand.

"....we should be fully stocked. We've got plenty of ammo. I checked twice."

The red panda jumped down from the crate and brushed some dust from the blue pants of her uniform. It wasn't required by regulation, but it made her feel a lot more formal when working, which helped her focus.

"Again, thank you." Toothdee said, "always know that you're a part of the team."

The Heroes leader switched the radio channel for the last time and spoke again.

"Jack and Skye, do you read?"

"We hear you, Toothdee."

The fox and bunny couple were in a small rubber-hulled military boat, speeding through the waves. Skye maneuvered the rubber craft around warships and larger vessels. At the same time, Jack stood ready at the boat's mounted minigun, which was a bit large for a rabbit, but he was up to the task of operating it.

"We're ready and waiting," Jack said, holding on tight as the boat hit a wave.

"Lovely day for a battle," Skye said.

"Keep your heads on the swivel. I'm glad we have the support of 2 ZIA agents during this engagement."

Toothdee turned off the radio and returned her focus to the Typhoon's controls.

"Why do you think the Chinese are even here anyway? We keep stopping their assaults."

"I can only speculate, but they probably just can't stop fighting. China has to demonstrate its strength and that it is the world's foremost superpower. Basically, the Chinese need to prove that they, and their way of thinking, are right. Not to mention victory would put them in a very favorable position on the world stage."

The radio came to life again as the voice of a US sailor came through.

"Enemy vessels spotted!"

On the horizon, black shapes appeared and started to grow closer and closer. Chinese warships of the People's Liberation Army Navy. Accompanying them were planes of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force.

"LAVAL! JAYJAY! BATTLE STATIONS!" Toothdee said, prompting the lion and wolf to hop into their weapon positions as armored panels slid up to cover the Typhoon's bridge window.

There was a brief respite of calm, yet the tension was palpable as the two fleets drew closer and closer before entering weapon range.

Missiles and cannons opened fire, projectiles cutting through the sky and either splashing into the sea or impacting enemy warships.

JayJay, Laval, and Toothdee operated the Typhoon and its weapons systems, sending a flurry of shots towards enemy ships and planes. A dark black PLAAF fighter jet that looked heavily modified was leading the charge. Still, it weaved and launched flares to avoid incoming fire.

"that lead aircraft is giving off a unique signature on our sensor equipment," Toothdee noted.

The pair of gunners targeted a formation of hostile bombers with missiles and machine gunfire. Shots were tearing through the wings and into the fuselage while missiles filled the planes with shrapnel. The large airplanes either crashed into the ocean or exploded violently in a massive fireball.

"You know, this is cool and all, but somehow I'd rather be on the ground fighting," JayJay said.

"I get that," Laval said. "We all have our preferred style of combat."

"Agreed." Toothdee said, "It's just sometimes someone has to be around to operate the ship and its weapons. Thankfully you guys are trained for that."

The Typhoon then moved to engage a Chinese destroyer, battering the side of the vessel with cannon shots.

Explosions ripped through the metal of the ship, with the hull starting to fracture and break. After a few moments of sustained bombardment, the boat sank beneath the waves with a loud gurgling noise.

The Typhoon then focused its weapons on a group of smaller watercraft, with PLAN soldiers on the sides of the vessel, firing machine guns missile launchers.

"Damnit, they keep moving too fast!" Laval said, the small vessels zipping at high speed around the typhoon and opening fire.

However, despite this, the Typhoon eventually was able to appropriately target the smaller craft and shred them with weapons fire.

One escort vessel was torn apart with machine guns. While another was utterly obliterated by large cannon shells.

"We're really mopping the floor with them Heroes, but that's going to be a problem," Toothdee said, looking straight ahead towards a hostile aircraft carrier that was launching fighters. "We're going to need some support for that."

The Heroes leader looked out the port side of the ship and saw a US destroyer nearby and quickly radioed for backup.

"Destroyer, USS Gridley, this is the Typhoon. We're heading towards that Chinese carrier and would appreciate the support."

"Affirmative Typhoon, moving to support."

Along with a few other escort vessels and aircraft, the pair of warships made haste towards the PLAN aircraft carrier, accompanied by escort craft.

The vessels closed in on each other, and once the Typhoon was close enough, it opened fire on the carrier with its weapons. The Gridley followed suit, both ships pummeling the carrier with weapons as the escort vessels of both sides battled it out.

The Gridley and Typhoon pulled close, able to wreak massive damage at this close range. Shells ripped through the vessel's hull, and missiles pummeled the bridge.

Kion was operating a mounted machine gun on the outside deck of the Gridley and was spraying the aircraft carrier deck with machine gunfire. Shots tore through equipment, aircraft, and personnel.

"RELOAD!" the lion yelled.

Jasiri was ready to support him, quickly removing the empty magazine and inserting a fresh one, allowing Kion to resume firing. Chinese troops on the carrier deck fired back but were swiftly eliminated.

"Hell yeah!" Kion said, triumphantly raising his fist in the air.

The pair of ships pulled away from the carrier, which was billowing smoke and listing heavily. While the Typhoon moved off to find another target, the Gridley made haste towards an enemy destroyer moving away from the battle zone, having sustained heavy damage.

This hostile ship had been marked as a high-value target, a destroyer that was equipped with a wide range of advanced electronic sensors and weapons. These were used for area denial and electronic warfare operations, along with communications support. Its advanced capabilities were making it a thorn in the side of the American fleet.

"I'm guessing that's our next target," Jasiri said, pointing towards the damaged ship.

Kion laughed, "ha, easy prey."

But the Chinese destroyer was not alone. It was covered by a squadron of planes that moved in to engage the approaching US destroyer. The unit included the jet black PLAAF aircraft that had led the charge earlier. This elite plane was faster and more maneuverable than the others, and its weapons were likely more powerful as well.

The warship's guns opened fire on the incoming aircraft, and even Kion tried engaging them with his mounted machine gun. But the lion and Jasiri needed to duck as explosions went off nearby, missiles hitting and crippling the ship's gun systems.

One fighter was destroyed, and it crashed into the sea nearby with a massive splash. As the jets came around and prepared to make another attack on the destroyer, friendly aircraft arrived and chased the Chinese jets off.

But the Gridley had been left worse for wear, smoke billowing from damaged areas, and alarms blaring all over the ship.

"We better go see what the situation is," Kion said before he and Jasiri entered the warship and moved to the bridge.

The captain of the vessel, a mountain lion, was looking over a computer screen and talking with two other sailors.

"Hey, what's going on?" Kion asked, and the Mountain lion looked up.

"Our weapon systems have been hit. We can't return fire with our main guns. But that enemy vessel we were going after is still active. Its own guns and engines have been knocked out. However, it still has its electronic warfare capabilities."

"So it's been disabled..." Jasiri said, "...but not destroyed."

"Correct. Its systems are wreaking havoc with our own sensors." He pointed to the computer screen, which was partly frozen and full of error messages. "It still poses a serious threat."

"Hmm, then we still need to destroy it. Pull up alongside the vessel, and ready the marines and sailors."

"What? What are you going to do?"

"Something they definitely won't be expecting."

Kion, followed by Jasiri, headed down to the ship's main deck, where friendly troops were preparing themselves. A fox marine opened a weapon container and handed out rifles to other troopers before tossing one to a sailor some distance away.

The two Heroes stood in front of an assembled group of troops ready to receive orders.

The US Navy vessel pulled alongside the Chinese ship as enemy troops swarmed the deck of the hostile craft.

"Follow me!" Kion yelled, raising his sword and roaring, prompting US marines and sailors to raise their weapons and let our battle cries.

Blade in hand, Kion charged towards the PLAN vessel, leaping off the deck of the American ship and landing on the enemy destroyer, cutting down a Chinese sailor as he landed.

The marines and sailors were shocked at what had just transpired. This was a pirate tactic from the age of sail. But with no better options available, the marines followed the lion, jumping onto the deck of the enemy vessel and gunning down hostile sailors.

"Forward!" The young warrior said, sprinting down the length of the ship, cutting down more enemies and deflecting their bullets with his sword.

Jasiri and US troopers were close behind, providing support with gunfire. Some marines even broke out zipline launchers and grappling hooks, using them to board the hostile vessel.

The US troops continued down the deck of the Chinese warship, engaging hostiles and putting them down as they moved. Kion sliced down an enemy trooper that had taken up positions next to a series of different-sized doors. At the same time, Jasiri unloaded her pistols on another enemy standing a few meters away.

The team moved to the series of different-sized doors and prepared to enter. Still, before they could, the doors opened, and enemy personnel of many distinct species came out with their paws or hands raised.

US troops kept their weapons leveled and ordered the PLAN troops down to the ground. But the Chinese wouldn't respond, and they all remained clustered in one big group.

Suddenly one of the enemy sailors, a female panda, yelled out in English.

"imperialist warmongers!"

Two of the surrendered troopers pulled the pins on grenades they had concealed and tossed them at the US sailors.

Jasiri and Kion reacted quickly. Kion swung his sword and hit one of the flying grenades, knocking it into the sea. The other grenade bounced to the deck, and Jasiri bravely kicked it into the water, where both explosives went off with small splashes.

The American troops and Heroes opened fire, gunning down the Chinese sailors, lest they make another attempt at fighting back with more concealed weapons. Kion even cut down one of the sailors who was starting to pull a knife.

"Damnit, what a shame," Jasiri said as the enemy troops dropped to the deck.

"They did it to themselves," Kion said.

"Yeah, your right."

Before the US sailors and marines could move inside the vessel, a small rubber boat passed close by the ship, and the Chinese gunner on board opened fire with the mounted weapon. Two marines and a sailor were taken out as the boat pulled away from the massive warship.

Kion cursed and took cover before Jack came through on the radio.

"We've got you, Kion."

Jack and Skye raced by in their boat, the fox keeping hot on the heels of the PLAN boat. Jack aimed the minigun and fired, bullets ripping through the enemy sailors. The enemy boat stopped, its operators dead, with Jack and Skye racing by, rounding a friendly warship and heading towards Midway Atoll.

"More Chinese!" Jack said, and Skye maneuvered towards a pair of hostile sailors on jet skis, armed with pistols. The sailors opened fire with their weapons, forcing the fox to duck in cover. Jack was able to engage the jet skis, taking them down.

Another jet ski with two troopers on it appeared. The second soldier on board opened fire with an assault rifle. However, he was also quickly eliminated.

"Look! Over there!" Skye said, pointing to a group of watercraft, including landing vehicles, heading towards Midway Atoll.

"Get us over there," Jack said, readying himself. At the same time, Skye maneuvered the boat into a formation of US watercraft and helicopters. Even two troopers were piloting small personal hovercraft.

The US boats and aircraft closed the distance to the hostile vessels, and once it was within firing range, Jack opened upon them with the minigun. A hail of lead took down another jet-ski and another rubber boat.

Suddenly the jet black Chinese fighter dived down towards the US watercraft, launching missiles. The missiles took down a US helicopter, sending it crashing into the sea. Another barrage of rockets destroyed a US patrol boat.

"Whoa! Ok, watch out for that!" Jack said.

Skye pulled alongside a slightly larger enemy escort craft. Jack opened fire as the gunners on board the boat returned fire. The ZIA agent took down one of the gunners, then focused fire on the vessel's hull and bridge.

The vessel soon started to smoke before it stopped moving, dead in the water.

"Landing craft!" Jack said, noticing a group of marine lizard vehicles getting closer and closer to Midway island. These were identical to the vehicles that had deployed troops during the first assault on Zootopia.

Skye pulled alongside one of the vehicles. Jack fired into the troop compartment, killing many of the Chinese soldiers being transported inside the vessel. Jack then focused his fire on the control area of the boat, hoping to kill the driver or destroy the control system.

After filling part of the vehicle with bullets, the landing craft lost control and crashed into another landing craft. Both vessels flipped over, leaving Chinese soldiers treading in the water around the wreckage.

But more landing craft had reached Midway island, and the hostile troopers onboard disembarked and charged towards the American soldiers who were set up in defensive positions in trenches. Nick and Judy were also in place, behind a rocky outcropping. The pair of ZPD officers felt a bit out of their element in the island environment. It was not urban at all, unlike the city of Zootopia, their usual stomping grounds. But they were still determined to give the battle they're all.

"South blade incoming!" An American soldier yelled before being gunned down by the fast and dark black PLAAF fighter jet that was strafing the beach to support advancing troops.

"South blade?" Judy asked as defending troops returned fire.

Nick radioed his human friend, firing arrows at the incoming enemies. "Hey Alex, would you-"

"Give me one sec, Nick."

The human-focused on a Chinese aircraft he was flying towards, flak in the air all around him. He took the shot, a missile streaking through the sky and impacting the ship's bridge, obliterating the glass windows and the mammals on the bridge, before the captain pulled his jet back up into the sky.

"I'm sorry, go ahead."

"Would you happen to know about enemy soldiers called 'South Blade'?"

"South Blade? Those are special forces soldiers capable of air, land, and sea operations. Akin to US navy seals. Eris and I will move to provide you with air support."

"Ok, better switch to something a little more powerful," Nick said, drawing a death arrow from his quiver. He fired a hail of arrows, downing three PLA troopers in quick succession.

Judy used a standard-issue ZPD pistol, supported by a tranquilizer pistol that could down even the largest mammals.

A human commander joined the two ZPD officers behind their rocky outcropping and surveyed the situation on the beach. Two more marine lizard landing craft were incoming, bringing more troops to the battle.

"Demolitions team! Get up here now!" The commander yelled.

A pair of armadillos, who were fantastic with explosives due to their natural armor, ran towards the human commander with rocket launchers. Then the team each got down on one knee and aimed their weapons.

"Fire!"

The rocket launchers fired, their projectiles streaking towards the two incoming Chinese landing craft and hitting them. The vehicles exploded in a bright orange flash and a shower of metal.

"Nice shot," Nick said. "I wish I could do that."

"You should get some arrows with explosives on them," Judy said.

Before Nick could respond, a barrage of gunfire struck nearby.

A PLA bear soldier, armed with heavy armor and an LMG, moved towards Nick and Judy, opening fire with his weapon. Simultaneously, an otter diving team with SMGs moved out of the waves and onto the shore, joining their bear ally in engaging US forces.

"Yeah... I really wish I had some explosive arrows right now!" Nick said as everyone behind the rocky outcropping took cover.

"We've got you!" Eris said over the radio as the roar of jet engines filled the sky.

Eris's eagle interceptor came in low over the beach, opening fire with its front-mounted chi blasters. Bolts of energy peppered the hostile forces on the beach, neutralizing many of the enemy soldiers.

Alex's jet followed behind, strafing the beach with machine gunfire. The planes turned around for another pass on the beach.

The bear heavy weapons soldier angrily turned his LMG towards the sky. Still, he was obliterated by missiles from the American jets.

Explosions tore through Chinese soldiers on the ground, reducing their landing craft to burning husks.

Nick, Judy, and US troops cheered and watched the jets fly above.

"Thanks for the save, guys," Judy said as the jets headed back out to sea.

"Eris, prepare to target remaining Chinese naval vessels," Alex said, pulling alongside his eagle companion.

"Way ahead of you, literally!" Eris said, engaging her afterburners and pulling forward. Captain Boehm laughed and throttled up to chase after her. The aircraft returned to the battle zone, where the United States and China continued to engage. But the scales had been tipped, with the US looking more likely to come out on top.

"Let's target that escort vessel." The captain said, prompting both jets to nosedive towards a PLAN ship. The aircraft fired hails of machine-gun bullets and chi blasts, ripping through the Chinese vessel.

Smoke and fire erupted from the ship as the aircraft pulled around for another attack run.

"Missiles away!" Eris said, the pair of jets firing missiles, streaking low above the water before impacting the hostile escort ship with a massive explosion.

The vessel started to list and soon sank beneath the waves, leaving behind only debris and stranded crew.

"We've got incoming!" Eris said, noticing a group of PLAFF bomber planes moving towards a US aircraft carrier, escorted by some fighter jets.

"This is Hero leader." Captain Boehm said into his radio. "Requesting immediate fighter reinforcements. Hostile bomber squadron moving towards the friendly carrier."

The voice of an airmammal came through the radio.

"Affirmative Hero leader, fighter squadron moving to assist. ETA 2 minutes out."

"It's going to take some time for them to get here, Eris."

"Well then, let's give them something to shoot at!"

The pair of pilots gunned their engines and made haste towards the enemy bomber formation. Pouncing on the enemy aircraft, Eris scored a critical hit on one of the bombers, causing it to lose control and crash into a Chinese fighter nearby.

Alex fired a salvo of missiles that took down one enemy aircraft and heavily damaged another. The escort craft reacted and began to engage the American planes. Bullets whizzed by Eris, the eagle having to fly erratically to avoid them.

An enemy jet fired a missile at Alex, who deployed flares to interfere with the weapon's heat-seeking capability.

The engaging aircraft danced across the sky, turning and maneuvering with immense speed and agility, pushing the machines and their pilots to the limit. Whenever a hostile plane was in their sights, the pilots opened fire with machine guns or missiles.

Eris and Alex gained the upper hand, not sustaining much damage while dishing out plenty of damage to PLAAF planes. But the bombers continued to near the American aircraft carrier.

"Eris, you keep the fighters distracted. I'll go after the bombers!"

"You got it, Alex!" The young warrior said, looping around in her aircraft, getting behind a Chinese jet, and reducing it to scrap metal.

Captain Boehm pulled behind one of the enemy bombers, unloading into it with machine guns and rockets. Flames and smoke came from the plane, which began to rapidly lose altitude.

"Fighter support arrived!" Said a voice through the radio as more US aircraft entered the battlefield, engaging the remaining bombers and fighters.

The Heroes captain cheered and pulled around to rejoin Eris. The eagle had taken down two Chinese aircraft, but a third plane had gotten behind her and opened fire with its machine guns. Eris flew erratically and tried to shake off her pursuer, but to no avail.

"He's on me!" Eris said.

"I'm on him!" Alex responded, pulling behind the attacking jet.

The captain pressed a button on the control stick, firing the jet's machine guns. Bullets tore through the enemy aircraft, and it dove towards the sea, the pilot ejecting.

"Whew, I owe you one, Alex."

"No problem, don't mention it."

Suddenly, a high-speed jet zoomed by, the object only looking like a black blur as it passed by.

"Ok, that's something new," Eris said.

"It's not showing up on my radar as friendly." Alex said, "Assume it's hostile."

The pair pursued the aircraft into a cloud, with the other American fighters capable of finishing off the remaining Chinese planes.

Alex and Eris passed through the cloud, obscuring their view. In that brief moment of blindness, the enemy struck.

Gunfire suddenly struck both American aircraft, forcing the two pilots to move erratically to throw off the enemy. As the planes swerved, they exited the cloud, and pursuing them were 3 Chinese fighters. There were 2 standard fighters, but also a dark black and extremely customized aircraft leading the charge.

The 2 fighters went after Eris, while the head plane went straight for Alex, a voice coming through the radio.

"Hello, hero leader."

Captain Boehm recognized the voice as his own. It was his dark counterpart.

"You! Guess that explains the unique jet."

"I could say the same of you."

"Eris, where are you?"

"I've got some jets on me! Might be able to handle them, though." Eris said, dodging the incoming fire.

Alex also had to dodge and roll to avoid his counterpart's machine gunfire. The captain pulled around and opened up with machine-gun fire of his own, forcing his adversary to go on the defensive.

The aircraft flew circles around each other, both pilots trying to get the other jet in their sights. When the enemy plane was in the gun-sights, the attacker opened up with machine guns or missiles, forcing the pilot to roll or deploy flares.

As he turned his plane, Captain Boehm's vision went hazy as he felt himself about to blackout due to the immense G-forces, prompting him to slow down.

"Not a bad plane." Dark Alex said. "Engines and weapons on par with my own."

"Well, let's see who's jet is better!" The heroes captain said, firing a barrage of missiles. But the dark counterpart rolled his plane and avoided the projectiles, returning fire with machine guns.

"All US fighter craft in the vicinity!" Came a voice through the radio. "We have another enemy bomber squadron incoming!"

"Shit! Someone get on those bombers!" Alex said into the radio, knowing that those aircraft were headed for a US carrier, a ship with thousands of crew. But in this brief moment where he was focusing on the communications, Dark Alex made his move, hitting the Heroes Captain with a barrage of bullets.

"Your care. Your drive to put others before yourself... it is a weakness." The counterpart said. "It holds you back from what you need to do to achieve true strength. You'll always feel yourself chained to others. I learned that lesson long ago and heeded it."

"So that's it, you just think I'm weak?"

"Yes. You are nothing. Both you and your nation are weak and hopelessly lost. It is time for a new power to rise, which is why both you and the United States must die. So new warriors may take your place."

"Oh, so I'm just a target for you to take down and prove yourself? So you can prove your strength and establish your place in the world?"

"This is nothing more than natural selection in the wild. The strong creature devouring the weak one."

"Last time I checked, Heroes took down more of you and your band than you have done to us."

"And you shall pay dearly for it!"

Dark Alex fired a salvo of missiles. With Captain Boehm's craft already damaged, the missiles struck. The Heroes leader felt his plane shake violently as the deafening sound of an explosion and rupturing metal rang through his ears.

The captain hit the eject button, the canopy breaking away, and the seat blasting out of the damaged aircraft.

As the parachute unfolded, the captain looked around for his counterpart's aircraft. He didn't see anything, so Alex turned his attention to where he was going to land.

Below him was a PLAN aircraft carrier and an American destroyer, both heavily damaged and sitting dead in the water over a dozen meters apart. But in the water between the 2 warships was an assortment of debris. Crates of supplies had fallen off the ships, floating in the water. A variety of random scrap and wreckage littered the area. Made of all sorts of materials and even smaller vehicles that had been wrecked. A Chinese fighter floated in the water nearby, having slid off the deck of the carrier. A damaged US patrol boat sat partially sunk in the water, listing hard to the side.

The captain braced himself as he touched down in the sea, unclipping himself from his ejector seat. The Hero leader started to look around, looking up towards the US destroyer and noticing something on it. A Chinese helicopter had crashed into the vessel. Now it was sitting precariously on the deck of the ship, hanging over the water.

As the captain continued to try and get his bearings, he heard a roaring engine growing closer and closer. Looking up, the captain saw his counterpart's jet incoming, prompting Boehm to quickly swim into a large cargo container partially floating in the sea.

Dark Alex's jet engaged hover mode and started to inspect the area, searching for any sign of captain Boehm.

The captain, however, was cursing under his breath and watching the hostile plane. His plane had been destroyed, and he only had a pistol and knife to defend himself with. But this could be a valuable chance to take out his dark counterpart.

First, the captain used his knife to cut up some cargo inside the container that had been covered in a dark blue cloth. The human draped the dark cloth over his head, which would help camouflage him. Spotting the damaged patrol boat nearby, the captain waited till the hostile jet had turned away before diving into the waves and swimming as fast as possible towards the patrol boat.

Reaching the boat, Alex scrambled inside and examined the weapon controls. The main gun was still operational, and the captain immediately targeted his counterpart's jet.

The weapon fired at the unsuspecting jet, shots slamming into the plane's armor and dealing significant damage. As Alex dove back into the water, the enemy jet turned around and took aim.

Dark Alex's jet fired a missile at the wrecked patrol boat, obliterating it. Shards of debris rained down into the water near captain Boehm as he swam his way through the area.

Although damaged, the jet continued to search the area, forcing Boehm to dive underwater when he couldn't get out of the jet's view fast enough. If he came to the surface at the wrong time, the plane would shred him with its weapons. But stay underwater too long, and the captain would drown. All the while, Dark Alex scanned the water and debris for his counterpart. He could not lose. He had a customized jet, while his enemy was simply flailing around in the water. Nothing more perfectly represented the discontinuity between the pair of warriors. One was weak, and the other was strong.

Coming up to the surface out of view of the enemy plane, captain Boehm spotted another cargo container nearby floating in the water. This container was marked with symbols identifying the contents as explosives.

The young warrior made his way over to the container, hiding behind debris and diving beneath the waves when he had to keep out of sight of his counterpart's view.

Once he reached the container, he opened it up, finding explosive material and detonation equipment. Boehm quickly armed some of the explosives, setting up a timer. Once everything was ready, it was time to get his counterpart's attention.

"HEY, OVER HERE!" Alex said, waving his hands and trying to get noticed. The deception worked, and once the jet turned towards him, the captain dove back beneath the waves as the jet fired its machine guns. The bullets missed the young warrior and hit the damaged aircraft carrier as Alex swam as fast as he could underwater.

Once at a safe distance, the human came to the surface and gasped for air, the constant diving taking a toll. Meanwhile, the hostile jet advanced towards the location where Alex had been, searching for the captain. But then the container of explosives detonated, a massive fireball engulfing Dark Alex's jet. The aircraft nearly lost control, spinning and turning before its pilot could regain control.

As the jet turned towards him again, captain Boehm retreated into the US destroyer. Swimming through a hole that had been blown in the side of the ship by weapons fire. However, the enemy jet must have seen something because it moved closer to investigate.

Swimming around inside the ship, the captain realized he was in some sort of control room. There was equipment for controlling electrical systems, engines, and the ship's ballast tanks. Alex suddenly realized something and immediately swam over to the machinery that controlled the ship's ballast tanks, taking care to avoid any exposed electrical equipment. He listened closely and looked towards the hole in the side of the destroyer. His counterpart was still there. With that, Alex activated the pumps, filling the ballast tanks along one side of the ship with water while removing water from the tanks on the other side of the vessel.

The ship slowly listed more to the side. Eventually, the Chinese helicopter hanging from the destroyer fell off the side of the vessel, hitting Dark Alex's jet as it splashed into the water. The hostile plane was heavily damaged, smoke emitting from its engines. Its villainous pilot was filled with rage. How could his top-of-the-line aircraft be bested by his inferior counterpart, and what could be found amongst wreckage. He angrily fired at the damaged US destroyer but could only get a few shots off before the weapon system stopped working due to the damage. Dark Alex turned his aircraft back towards the sky. With no other offensive measures, he started to limp back towards a still active Chinese aircraft carrier.

Hearing the sounds of aircraft engines fade, captain Boehm emerged from the destroyer, catching a glimpse of his counterpart's black jet flying into the distance. He couldn't help but feel proud of himself. With nothing more than wreckage, the Heroes leader defeated his dark double, who had been piloting an elite aircraft. But his pride suddenly turned to concern as he heard another aircraft approaching. He spun around, wondering how he was going to defeat this second enemy plane. But he breathed a sigh of relief once he saw that it was Eris's dark blue eagle interceptor. The eagle pilot put the aircraft in hover mode and opened the cockpit, flapping her wings and flying over to the human in the water.

"So, how'd your big fancy jet work out?" Eris laughed, hovering just above her friend.

"Just get me out of here," Alex said, reaching his arms up towards the eagle.

Eris flew around behind the human and grabbed him under the arms, rapidly flapping her wings to lift him out of the sea.

"Your all wet!" Eris said, "water is heavy!"

Despite the weight of the water, Eris was able to pick up the human and deposit him into the passenger's seat behind the pilot's chair in the cockpit of her interceptor.

"Try not to get water all over me or my controls." The eagle said, sitting back down, closing the canopy, and flying off back up into the sky.

"Get me back to the Typhoon. I need to get back out there." the captain said.

"Get back out there? Look around you."

The captain looked out the cockpit window at the area around Midway. Wreckage was strewn everywhere as ships sank beneath the waves. But there was a lot more wreckage from PLAN vessels than US naval vessels. The Chinese had suffered a massive defeat, stopped dead in their tracks by the US navy, marines, and air force.

"What about that second squadron of bombers?"

"Don't worry, Alex, I dealt with them. They're nothing but wreckage now."

Eris flew low and slow over Midway island, and the pair could see the smoldering wreckage of PLAAF bombers and fighter planes. They also spotted Nick and Judy capturing some Chinese soldiers, with backup from American troops. Jack and Skye had parked their boat nearby and were helping to oversee the operation.

Eris then turned towards the Chinese vessel Kion and Jasiri had helped capture. The interceptor did a victory lap around the ship as US forces on the deck raised their fists and cheered, including the two Heroes aboard the vessel.

The eagle pilot then moved towards the US fleet, steaming past the wreckage of burning enemy vessels and collecting stranded sailors. At the head of the armada was the Typhoon, the crown jewel of the US fleet. The captain could barely believe it.

"Wow….Looks like we won." He said.

"Heh, you can say that again."

Some Chinese naval vessels and jets had managed to flee. But most of their fleet had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. US ships cut through the waves while American aircraft streaked through the sky. No PLAN forces were left to hold the line. Midway belonged to the United States.

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ilikebeesandflowers · 4 years

Text

Finale? What finale?

That was just the Empty torturing a wayward gay angel... Here’s what really happened after Cas confessed his LOVE to Dean Winchester and was taken to Super Mega Hell...

Unedited, unproofread, unbeta’d- just pure, unadulterated, whiskey-and-rage-fueled fix-it fic. Ps, El Sol cerveza is the official beverage of fake-dream-worlds, and therefore the entire narrative of the finale is sus.

Love Lift Us Up (Where We Belong)

Cas slumbered, but fitfully. Oblivion plagued him with nightmares.

Some dreams replayed memories, even of memories that were not strictly his: one by one, everyone he loved torn apart at an atomic level, rent, poofed to dust. His sleeping self watched on a loop as Bobby, Charlie, Donna, nameless others fell, obliterated.

He saw Michael slay Lucifer, the foregone conclusion so many times delayed.

He saw Michael betray the Winchesters. But how? Why? Michael had changed, hadn’t he? Adam had changed him. Even asleep, Cas knew this to be true.

He watched Jack, his loving and beloved son, fulfilling the promise Kelly had known he held. Jack bringing peace to the world, restoring balance, returning all life on earth to its rightful places. Cas was certain that this dream was true. He felt Jack’s presence, unmistakable lightness and goodness and purity.

The Empty roiled violently, rippling the fabric of its realm.

The dreams changed again to nightmares.

Dean, alone. Sam, alone. Eileen, alone.

The hunters who had died were again whole and alive, walking the earth as if Chuck’s poisonous animosity had never snuffed them. And yet they were all isolated from one another. Oh, the younger children clung to their parents, but the parents drifted from one another.

Charlie, alone. Donna, alone. Claire, alone.

The loneliness of the hunters infected the denizens of the Empty, and the Empty smiled in its sleep.

Cas dreamed that he watched Dean dying, an ignominious death in a ramshackle barn. He felt a wave of revulsion, of jealousy, like he did in another barn, once upon a time, witnessing a kiss between Anna and Dean. What had he felt then, way back when, when feelings were still so new and frightening? Had he been in love then?

The scene repeated, again and again, a horrible parody of what should have been. A confession of love, two foreheads touching, hands held over Dean’s heart. The scene replayed a hundred, a thousand times, Cas viewing from the vantage of the beloved, but Cas never could see who received Dean’s love. He only knew it wasn’t him. He could only watch through someone else’s eyes, hearing and seeing and feeling with intense loathing what should have been his.

Then Dean was dead.

The scene faded again. Cas saw Sam, living on, without Dean, without Jack, without Eileen, without hunters or hunting. In the space of a human heartbeat, he was married, raising a human child, a son. In another heartbeat, he was old, then dying, then greeting his brother in heaven.

He felt again a tug as if Jack were near. A faint glow.

Cas woke. Two amber eyes shone above him.

“Castiel,” said Jack, “something is wrong. I need your help.”

Cas scrambled to his feet. “The dreams? They were real?”

Jack couldn’t know what Cas had seen, and yet he shook his head and assured him that, no, those were the Empty playing tricks. “But reality is in danger. Heaven and Hell are out of balance. Heaven’s brightest are all here, when they should be up there. We’ll have to wake them.”

The Empty howled somewhere far off, something that sounded like, “Let me sleep!”

Jack stepped briskly in the inky blackness, tapping here and there, naming sleeping entities. “Hannah, you are needed. Duma, awaken. Gabriel. Michael. Raphael, your services are humbly requested.”

Soon, the din of awakened angels, archangels, seraphs, and reapers had summoned a furious cosmic entity of entropy and oblivion. “KEEP. IT. DOWN,” it hissed.

“And what will you do if we don’t?” Castiel asked, raising an eyebrow to the Empty, who stood before them in the guise of Meg Masters, circa 2009.

The Empty stamped its foot. “I took you in. You all died the death of immortals, a death that cannot be rewarded nor punished, but I took you in! And all I ask for is quiet!”

“But why?” Cas continued. “You despise us. Why do you trap us here?”

The Empty hesitated. “They dream,” it replied. “They dream, and so I dream.”

“We suffer nightmares of your making.”

“No-oo. The dreams are yours.”

“You enjoy the nightmares?”

“No.” The Empty faltered. “They wake me up. You stir, I stir; I must sleep!”

Jack spoke softly to the Empty. “Then expel them.”

“Expel them? What, just set them all free to commit chaos?”

“Just the dreamers.”

The Empty seemed to calculate the price of granting the nephilim’s wish. “That would be almost all of the angels and a number of powerful demons. They might return, clomping into my haven and disturbing my sleep.”

“No,” Castiel put in, his eyes lit with a wry smile. “If you expel them, they will be forever banned from your realm. They become subject to Purgatory, not Oblivion.”

Jack smiled at his father. “Exactly!” He turned again to the Empty. “So you’ll do it?” he asked brightly.

The Empty scowled. It nodded once, as if making a decision.

The world went white, then faded to reveal a sunny meadow. Roly-poly bumblebees flitted between fat heads of purple clover. A nest of chickadees chirped. Cicadas droned. A red kite soared above them, the string held by someone a long way off. Cas’ face softened, as if recalling a long-lost memory.

It hardened again as he sensed something amiss. “Jack,” he frowned, “the walls between the human heavens are failing.”

Jack nodded. “Yes, which is why we need more angelic energy. But watch.” He drew a small window in the air with his index finger. He pushed the cut-out, revealing an adjoining heaven belonging to a woman. Cas recognized her as the mother of the man with the kite. Her heaven contained a meadow: the same meadow that surrounded them, rather than the manicured lawn Cas knew from the man’s original heaven.

“They can co-exist,” he breathed.

“Yes. We can break these barriers and open Heaven. It doesn’t need to be a prison. We can fix it.” Jack grinned again, that same old smile he’d worn in life, when he learned the taste of nougat or the softness of a bunny rabbit.

The sight warmed Cas. The summer sky glowed just a bit brighter. “Tell me what to do, my son.”

***

For six days, as Heaven measures time, the angels, the archangels, and the nephilim worked. First, negotiating a truce with Hell and its imperious but righteous Queen, and then building a Heaven for all. On the seventh day, they rested from their labors. They gathered to watch the humans on earth for a little while. Almost no time had passed: the humans had had just enough time to recollect that they had watched their loved ones vanish; those unfamiliar with the supernatural had quickly forgotten the phenomenon, as well. The hunters in the warded hideout had had just enough time to embrace their newly un-vanished friends.

Sam was texting Eileen, only to remember that he still had her phone, abandoned on the sidewalk mid-text. He laughed at himself. “We have to drive to Eileen’s house.”

Dean lay hunched over the table, carving a word into the polished wood alongside the Winchester family initials. Thus far, it read, “CAST,” and he was just starting on the I. “Pack us up- I wanna finish this, but I can be ready in twenty.” They watched as he finished his tribute to Castiel. He put two fingers to his lips, then pressed the finger pads against the grooves.

Cas itched to know how Dean meant the gesture.

Dean hastily scratched the name “JACK” into the table, too. “You done good, kid,” he murmured, patting the letters as he might once have patted Jack on the shoulder.

The angels drifted back to their tasks. Cas stayed, watching his friends. His family. He followed their movements towards Eileen. He witnessed the tearful reunion.

Sam started sniffling long before Dean pulled up behind Eileen’s little red car. He stepped over the sidewalk, where he had first absorbed her death, and a sob escaped him. In a few strides of his long legs, he was at the door. His hand shook as he reached for the doorbell. The second phone in his pocket vibrated: her doorbell notification. How would she know that he was there? He clapped the knocker, stamped his feet.

The door opened. Eileen. A vision, a sight for even Cas’ sore eyes. Sam was overwhelmed. He croaked her name, and she was in his arms. Where she belonged.

Back at the curb, Dean turned his face from the lovers. He fiddled with his phone, but who could he call?

Cas heard Dean think his name. He felt a pang of longing, but it wasn’t his own. Or rather, it matched his own. Echoed his, merged with his, swelling the aching feeling until he felt full to bursting with yearning for something he thought he could never have. Had thought he couldn’t have. Now, he wondered.

He called to his son.

Jack appeared beside him. He followed Cas’ gaze. “It’s time for you to return to him,” he mused.

“Yes, but,” Cas tripped over the words he wanted to say and couldn’t bear to say.

Fortunately, Jack understood. Without another word, he took Cas’ face in his hands. For a moment, their eyes glowed brightly, then Castiel’s dimmed to their customary shade of blue. When Jack’s golden aura had faded as well, he pulled away from Cas. He glanced down at the slim vial now slung around his neck by a black cord. The substance within sparkled, swirled, its hue a dazzling, electric blue-white. It looked like lightning in a bottle.

Cas swept his son into a crushing embrace. “Thank you,” he wept.

“You can always come home,” Jack told him.

Cas pulled back. “No. Where I’m going is home.” He smiled through the tears rushing down his cheek. “Goodbye, Jack. I love you.”

He rather felt than heard Jack’s reply, as he crossed from the celestial plane to the mortal realm. He stood now on that same sidewalk. Far to his right, Sam lifted Eileen, carrying her bridal-style into her home, letting the door slam behind them. To his left, a long black car. He gripped the passenger door handle, pulled it open. The hinges squeaked. He folded himself inside before turning to the driver.

Dean looked every bit as awed as Cas felt. This was right.

Before he could say anything, even so much as a simple “Hello, Dean,” he found himself in Dean’s arms. Where he belonged.

#destiel #saileen #Castiel #sam x eileen #supernatural debacle #spn fixit fic #15.20 #long post #sorry I’m on mobile

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theravencawsatmidnight · 4 years

Note

Hi! I am a really big fan! You are so amazing!! I was wondering if you could do a Alice in Wonderland AU Caterpillar Aizawa x Shy Reader! Where the reader wonders into Aizawas neck of the woods and he is intimidating, but lets her stay with him. And as time goes by he develops feelings for the reader? Maybe some nsfw after he can't hold back his desires anymore?

YOUR WHAT. A FAN?!? Of me?!!? THANK YOU ILY 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Nsfw.

Warnings. Caterpillar Aizawa smut

We fuck monsters on this blog 👏🏻

Aizawaland

You were reading outside under a tree, it was nice out so why not enjoy it. No one else was home so that meant no one would bother you. It was a calming relaxing day. In the middle of reading a bunny hopped over to you . You put your book down to watch it, it looked like it had a red jacket on? You reached out to touch the bunny but it quickly hopped back falling down a hole, you fell forward and the hole got bigger swallowing you right up.

Pretty lights were everywhere, getting larger and larger as you fell farther away from them . They changed shapes from stars to faces, to hats , cards, a purple cat, and the bunny . But it looked like it was running all around the other lights as if it was in a rush. Finally, after what seemed like ages you landed softly on a red top mushroom surrounded by smaller mushrooms and brightly colored flowers.

You fell off the mushroom into a bed of flowers, quickly, you sprinted up and out of them to dust yourself off and survey your surroundings. Only a couple trees, it looked like a garden, a huge one.

You found a path and followed it for a while , where were you? Was this real? It's all so colorful… eventually you came to a giant mushroom with smoke around it , lingering as if it liked being there. You waved the smoke away seeing some kind of large figure a top the mushroom.

“He.. hello?” You choked out.

The smoke faded and you saw a large caterpillar smoking his hookah, blowing smoke up at the bright blue sky. His body was big and long, he was yellow with many legs but he had a human face, he looked down to see you trying to figure out what he was. He took in some of his hookah and creeped down to you smiling , when he was inches from your face he blew out his smoke making you cough and wave your hand again.

“Whoo…are you?” He asked, not a care in the world.

“Im uh.. Y/N. I was .. reading when a bunny crept over to me. When i tried to pet it , it moved and i fell forward.. into a hole”

He rolled onto his back taking in his hookah again, blowing the smoke out with a happy sigh.

Was he.. listening? This was scary.. he's a giant talking caterpillar.

“ so youuu. Fell down the rabbit hole, into my neck of the woods hm? And just what..” he rolled back over creeping towards you again making you tremble. “Are we gonna do, about , that?” He asked smiling.

“ uh!! I .. i didint mean to trespass ..” you held your shirt sinking down to your knees rocking slowly. Telling yourself it was a dream

The caterpillar looked down at you and crept down to the ground , he spoke while he circled you. “Now now. No tearssss… i suppose, you can stay here with me. But its not a free ride no. “

You looked up from your knees to see his face in front of yours , inches apart . He blew smoke at you before speaking. “I haveee.. chores that need to be done. A pesky cat.. a mad hatter..take care of them hm? That Hatter has something of mine”

“Iii.. o-o-okay..”

He smiled creeping back to his mushroom lounging on it. “Purrrrfic...why not pay that pesky cat a visit now hm? And you can call me Aizawa”

•••••

The cat was indeed pesky, he was purple with eye bags under his eyes and never left his tree, he had some kind of control over you, a brainwash… if you will. But he always let you go after a minute of watching your pretty dazed face. The cat agreed to ease up on his shenanigans and pointed you in the direction of the mad hatter.

The mad hatter was .. well.. loud, hats everywhere spread over a table . He stood on the table with a flower as a microphone explaining that the item was under one of the hats . If you got it right you got the item. But if not…

You could think on it as long as you wanted, scanning over all the hats, then you looked up at the Hatter. You pointed to his hat and the Hatter laughed bowing , taking his hat off revealing yellow goggles. You took them thanking him.

•••••

With the tasks done you returned to Aizawa with his goggles which he happily accepted.

As the days went on Aizawa got more interested in you, you had grown to like this world, as interesting as it was. And you even enjoyed staying with him. You told him stories of your world and he always listened, even when he was half asleep or smoking.

One night he could not resist his urges anymore and let himself into you sleeping area, it was under his giant mushroom on some soft grass. You were asleep on your stomach with just a thin grass gown on, he gently bit into the gown creeping back, taking in your body as it was revealed to him. He nudged your legs apart staring down at your entrance .

So plump, plush, soft looking, eager.

He lowered his head between your thighs tasting you finally . You shuffled in your sleep feeling him lick you, his tongue ravished you like a meal, licking furiously losing himself in your delicious pussy. He dug his head in more making you part your thighs giving him more access . His two front little claws latched onto your thighs while he licked at your nearly parted folds, he pushed his tongue in and you grunted in your sleep pushing back on him. He moaned into your pussy enjoying every second of you pressing on him.

He forced himself to back away taking in a breath , he nudged one of you thighs up and had to lick at your now open pussy for a minute, he pushed his tongue in again licking at your walls for a minute. When you pushed back in your sleep he pulled off and crept on top of you.

He poked at your entrance moaning from the contact, slowly poking more till he slid right into you. He gasped out for air when he felt how warm you were, so tight, so wet. You squeezed his cock just like he thought you would.

Aizawa began humping you, his cock sliding in and out , your juices made noises every time he slapped into you. The sudden movement woke you up and you felt like you had something very heavy on you and something long inside you. You opened your eye to see Aizawa on top of you humping you and kissing your back.

Your heart thumped and you didn't dare move, he could crush you. Instead you closed your eye letting him have his way with you. Was this really happening?!???

His cock felt.. really long and thick inside you, were you wet? Was he licking you?!? You could hear him moaning into your ear with each thrust. Slowly you moved your other leg giving him more access to your needy pussy. Aizawa felt your leg move and started to go faster.

You couldn't help what you were feeling right now. The pleasure outweighed the fear , his cock fit you just right and his weight on you was like a blanket . He bit down into your shoulder and you felt all his legs creep around latching onto you so he could go faster.

A moan escaped your mouth and Aizawa let go of your shoulder to see you looking at him. Your face was just as red as his , you nodded at him giving him the OK to keep going , and he did.

By the time he was done you were filled to the brim with his cum. It leaked out in puddles, pooling around your thighs. The orgasm you felt was unlike anything you had ever felt before . Your body betrayed you in the worst way , you shuddered sucking his cock in and cumming all over it.

Aizawa had since gotten off you and rolled you over , admiring your body. He licked at your chest and you laid there , watching.

This was indeed a wonderland.

#AizawaLand #caterpillar aizawa #shouta aizawa #aizawa x reader #my hero academia fanfiction #boku no hero #writing request

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ericsonclan · 3 years

Text

Up on the Housetop

Summary: It the beginning of winter and everyone wants to help kick off the Christmas spirit with a surprise for Willy and AJ.

Word Count: 2738

Notes: Version of the song that I took inspiration from: Pentatonix's Up On The Housetop

Link to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSJ4RHQzGHc

Read on AO3:

Clementine steadied her breathing. The cold air caused her breath to fog up as she tried to make sure that it did not waver the bow’s aim as she set her sights on a rather plump rabbit. The rabbit’s eyes darted left and right as it nibbled on some grass, unaware that soon an arrow would end its life. With one more quiet breath Clementine let the arrow free and watched as its aim was true, hitting the rabbit with a squelched thunk.

“Damn,” Aasim strolled forward past his friend. “I will never not be impressed by your archery skills, Clem.” He leaned down and picked up the rabbit before tossing it over his back. His compliment made Clementine’s heart warm, a soft smile on her face as she walked forward towards the next patch of lightly snow-glazed grass where wildlife had been spotted.

“Thanks, you’re not a bad shot yourself.” Clementine smiled over at Aasim and nodded towards his shoulder which held two of his own kills.

Aasim gave a small chuckle and scratched the back of his head. “Thanks. I think I’ve finally found the right balance in the pull of the drawstring and arrow placement.” He stopped for a moment when he spotted another rabbit. But instead of it being a plump, fat one it looked to be just a small baby. The pair shared a look, silently communicating with each other. It was clear that the bunny wouldn’t give a good amount of meat right now. However, it could potentially in the future and with their bunny hut back at Ericson it could prove useful either as food or as a short time pet. With that idea in mind, Clementine slowly moved forward, making her way behind the bunny as Aasim remained still, his eyes searching for any potential walkers. After Clementine was sure she had blocked its exit she made a sudden jerking move, causing the bunny to scamper forward and get its leg caught in one of the traps. Aasim and Clementine moved forward and studied the bunny rabbit.

“You undo the trap and I’ll carry it,” Aasim offered with a smile. Clementine gave a short nod and got to work undoing the trap. Once it was done she passed over the small bunny that seemed terrified at first but soon settled down in Aasim’s arms.

“I didn’t know you were an animal whisperer,” Clementine teased as she led the way, her eyes scanning for any potential danger. Aasim gave a small chuckle and brushed his finger on top of the rabbit’s head.

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Clementine was about to comment on her friend’s statement when she noticed a walker a few feet in front of her. It seemed totally oblivious to the world around it, completely lost to its curiosity of the snow that covered the ground. The pair shared a look before Clementine moved forward towards the walker. The walker glanced up, its milky white eyes staring blankly at Clementine. With a harsh kick she caused it to kneel then dug her knife into its skull. A deep squelching sound emitted on impact and with a strong yank Clementine pulled out the knife and covered the limited snow on the grass with blood. The walker collapsed, limp and lifeless.

“It’s clear,” Clementine looked back at Aasim who moved forward to join her. Sheathing her blade again, Clementine and Aasim return to their casual conversation, never truly dropping their guard while they made their way back to Ericson. Once they were in sight of the school they saw the youngest member of the group looking vigilantly out into the forest. As soon as his eyes caught sight of Clementine and Aasim, AJ’s face brightened. Giving a friendly wave, he turned to let the others know.

“Guys, Clem and Aasim are back!” That news made Rosie trot over happily to the gate, wagging her stub tail back and forth at the sight of the pair. Louis jogged forward and pushed open the gate, running out to meet the pair. Rosie beat him to Clementine and received a plethora of pats from the girl.

“I see hunting went well,” Louis smiled brightly at Clem then stole a quick kiss. The gesture made Clementine’s heart grow warm.

“Yes, it did.” Aasim stated simply and moved past the couple. “I’ll be dropping off the bunny then I can help out with dinner prep.”

“Oh, wait. Let me take the rabbits first.” Clementine took a step forward. Aasim quickly passed over the kills to Clementine who swung them over her shoulder.

“Thanks, Aasim.” Clementine smiled warmly to her friend who gave a short nod and disappeared behind the gates.

“Well shall we, my lady?” Louis offered his arm. Clementine rolled her eyes good naturedly and took it as the pair walked forward. Once they entered the gates AJ peeked his head out from the watchtower, beaming at them.

“Hey, Clem. Whoa, you caught a lot today.” AJ stared at the rabbits with awe.

“Yep, looks like once again Clem has provided a feast for us,” Louis smiled proudly at his girlfriend.

Clementine felt touched by the compliment and shared a look with Louis before glancing up to AJ. “You need a break, AJ?” The kid shook his head, a determined look dancing in his eyes. “No, I got it.”

Clementine gave a small chuckle. “Alright, I’ll be over by the picnic tables then.”

With that Clementine and Louis made their way over to the picnic tables. Ruby was talking with Aasim for a moment before giving him a loving kiss and returning to her work. Her entire focus was on the carrots; she was slicing them into circles before cutting them into the shape of stars. The redhead’s attention was only pulled away when she heard the couple approaching the table. A small frown was on her face when she saw Louis.

“Louis, you went running off in the middle of dinner prep,”

“And for that I give a thousand apologies, but I couldn’t not give a welcome back kiss to Clem.”

Ruby shook her head and pushed over a small number of potatoes to the dreadlocked boy.

“You can apologize by cutting these into the shape of trees.”

“Consider it already done,” Louis swept back his coat tail and sat down. Clementine placed down the rabbits and took the spot beside Louis, beginning the work of skinning the critters.

“Seems like you and Aasim were successful,” Ruby smiled warmly over to Clementine who paused in her knife cuts to look up at her friend.

“Yeah, we were able to get our part of the plan in place,” Clementine lowered her voice down to a whisper. “Is everyone prepared?” Ruby gave an energetic nod as she finished her first set of carrot stars. “Everything is going peachy here.”

“I’m sure the surprise will knock the socks off AJ and Willy,” Louis added with an enthusiastic smile. That news made Clementine happy. They had been talking about what to do to make this Christmas season special as a group but they wanted to surprise the two youngest ones with something newl. Something that would really get them in the holiday spirit. She looked around at the courtyard that was slowly getting dusted with snow. This would probably be one of the last times they would be eating outside before taking refuge in the admin building. Clementine was about to return to her task when she noticed Violet walking forward with a small basket. When the blonde had gotten closer to the picnic tables, her eyes grew large noticing that Clementine had returned.

“Hey, Clem,” Violet gave a small smile then put down the basket on the table. “I got the herbs you needed, Ruby. At least I hope I did.”

Ruby peeked at the contents of the basket then looked up at her friend. “You did great, Violet.” “Care to join us, Vi?” Louis flashed a happy smile to his friend. Violet gave a non-committal shrug and sat down beside Ruby. After a few minutes of watching the trio working on dinner Violet began to prepare the herbs for supper.

Fifteen minutes passed before Aasim reemerged and made his way over to the picnic tables. “Everything is looking great. Where’s Prisha and Willy?” “Working on some new invention or something,” Violet didn’t bother to look up from her work. “They’re in Prisha’s and my room.”

“Alright, well I think I’ll check with AJ about watch duty before dinner,” Aasim leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Ruby’s cheek, making her rosy cheeks even reddier before he made his way to the gates.

The four continued to work until Omar came over with a pile of firewood to get the flames beneath the pot even higher then began to make the stew. It took a while for all prep to be done and for Omar to give the official seal of approval on his stew. Once he did, Louis and Violet went off to gather the others for dinner. Louis jogged over towards the watchtower and cupped his hands around his mouth.

“Aasim, AJ! Dinner’s ready!”

AJ’s eyes lit up at those words. He worked to get down from the watchtower and was soon followed by Aasim.

“Care for a special wintertime piggyback ride towards the tables, little man?” Louis gave a warm smile to AJ who immediately returned it.

“Yeah!” AJ hopped onto Louis’ back and within seconds the pair was off steering their way towards the picnic table, leaving Aasim to enjoy his leisurely stroll to dinner.

When the three had arrived at the table they heard the doors to the dorms open and saw Willy scurry out with Garbage who gave soft hisses that only grew louder when the pair nearly fell on their butts. Willy had been so excited for dinner he had failed to see the small patch of ice outside the dorms.

“Careful, Willy,” Prisha called out to the boy, a worried expression on her face that lessened when Willy gave a thumbs up when he had regained his balance. Garbage still seemed unsure about the whole situation though, burying her face against the boy’s jacket. Prisha gave a sigh of relief and gave Violet’s hand a gentle squeeze as the couple made their way over to the dinner table together. It only took a few minutes to get everyone situated around the table. Willy with Garbage in his lap slid into the spot next to AJ who sat beside Clementine and Louis. Prisha and Violet took the available spots next to Ruby and Aasim, only letting go off each other’s hands when dinner was served. Omar worked hard to make sure each of them had food before taking the last spot. Everyone began to eat until Willy let out an excited gasp.

“This potato looks like a tree!” The boy looked around the table with a toothy smile. The others smiled in response to that.

“We thought it’d be nice to bring some winter fun into dinner prep,” Ruby gave a wink over to the pair of boys who shared a look. Their spoons dug into the stew in search for other surprises when AJ lifted up his spoon with a carrot.

“Willy look! The carrot looks like a star!”

Willy stared in awe at the spoon. Everyone shared looks before laughing at the pure joy and excitement on the younger boys’ faces. After a few minutes they settled down and began to scarf down their food which caused small frowns to appear on both Aasim and Ruby’s faces. But it didn’t deter from the happy, joyful tone that surrounded the table. Different conversations went around the table as everyone shared how their days went. After a little while the stew had been completely consumed and the bowls had been pushed to the side.

“Speaking of Christmas songs,” Louis leaned forward with a smile, “Know any good old timey Christmas songs, Prisha?” Prisha looked over at Louis. “I do actually. One of my favorites was ‘Up on the Housetop’.”

“What’s ‘Up on the Housetop’?” AJ asked, his nose wrinkling in confusion.

“Good question, little dude,” Louis ruffled the top of AJ’s afro. “I think the best way is to show not tell, right, Clem?”

“I agree,” Clem smiled over at AJ and Louis then looked towards Omar. “Omar, care to help out?”

“Sure,” Omar gave a short nod and began to beatbox a simple tune. Willy and AJ looked over in surprise as they saw the others shift in their seats to prepare. It was time for the surprise. Within seconds nearly everyone at the table started to sing.

“Up on the housetop, up on the housetop yeah, yeah. Up on the housetop, up on the housetop click, click, click.” Everyone around the table hit the table or stomped their feet in time to the clicks. Louis stood up and jumped to the head of the table.

“Up on the housetop reindeer pause, out jumps good ol’ Santa Claus. Down through the chimney with lots of toys, all for the little ones’ Christmas joys.” Louis dramatically sang the song when all of the sudden everyone joined in, the dreadlocked boy taking a spot at the table again.

“Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn’t go. Ho, ho, ho, who wouldn’t go. Up on the housetop, click,click, click,” Violet and Prisha stomped their feet while the rest slammed their hands on the table again to match the clicks. “Down to the chimney with good Saint Nick.” The group started the chorus again when Clementine rose from her spot and began to sing.

“First comes the stocking of AJ,” The mention of his name made AJ gasp in shock and awe. “Oh what a good boy he’s been up to this day. Give him a shiv that he can guise, to attack a walker in its eyes.”

The table all joined in again, singing and stomping their feet to the clicks. After going through the chorus once more, Prisha got up from her spot, taking the spotlight.

“Look in the stocking of Willy. Oh just look at all the toys you see. Here is a hammer and lots of tacks. A whistle and a bomb and a possum snack.”

Willy and AJ bounced in their seats; they couldn’t believe what was happening and that they were in the song. Everyone began to sing once again and finished the chorus when they got to a new section of the song.

“I’m talking ‘bout the Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen.” Everyone started to repeat the reindeers’ names over and over again. Everyone was getting into the song now, even Violet and Omar. After going through the reindeers’ names four times the group sang the chorus one more time, everyone stomping and clapping their hands on the table at the last three clicks, ending the song. They all began to breathe heavily as they looked towards AJ and Willy who sat in stunned shock. Big goofy grins appeared on their faces as they jumped up from their spots.

“That. Was. So. Cool!” Willy exclaimed, causing Garbage to plop on the ground and wander off with a series of hisses.

“Yeah, that was awesome!” AJ shot his arms out and beamed at everyone.

“Glad you liked it,” Louis smiled over at them.

“It was a lot of work,” Violet crossed her arms but a small smile was on her face.

“But it seems it was all worth it.” Prisha’s smile grew when she looked towards Willy and AJ.

“Can you sing it again?” Willy asked, jumping up and down with excitement. AJ’s eyes grew large; it was clear he hadn’t thought that was an option but as soon as it was presented he was for it.

“Can you? Please, Clem,” AJ gave his best pleading face.

Clementine chuckled at the sight. “Well, I’m fine with it. What about you guys?”

Everyone else at the table chimed in, all in favor of it.

“Yes!” Willy sat down and gave Rosie some energetic pats before AJ joined him. Clearing his throat, Omar started what was surely not the last time they would sing this song. As they began to sing, Clementine looked around the table, her smile growing as she saw how happy her family was. This was the beginning of a great Christmas season.

#twdg #twdg clementine #twdg louis #twdg aj #twdg prisha #twdg violet #twdg willy #twdg ruby #twdg aasim #twdg omar #twdg privet #clouis #rusim #twdg christmas #fanfic #ericsonclanchristmaschallenge #twdg garbage #twdg rosie

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mxystan · 5 years

Text

Extra: Lotus Pods 2

and here’s lotus pods 2, b-side with lan wangji!

featuring: twin jades, bunnies, and lan wangji’s first field trip

Chapter 126, Extra 6: Lotus Pods 1 (gdocs mirror)

Chapter 127, Extra 6: Lotus Pods 2 (gdocs mirror)

The Cloud Recesses.

Everywhere else, the sun scorched down mercilessly in the height of summer. Deep within the mountains, however, laid another world, a sanctuary of cool serenity.

Outside of the Lanshi, two white-clothed figures stood in the hallway. The wind rustled their robes, but they did not move.

Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were standing.

Standing upside down, on one hand.

The two of them did not say a word, as though sunk deep within their own thoughts. The stream bubbled, the birds chirped. That was the only sound that existed within this space.

Some time passed, and then Lan Wangji interrupted the silence. “Brother.”

Slowly extricating himself from his thoughts, Lan Xichen did not turn his head when he replied. “What is it?”

A pause. “Have you ever picked lotus pods?”

Lan Xichen finally turned, and said, “…no.”

After all, if a disciple of Gusu Lan wanted to eat from lotus pods, there would be no need for him to pick them himself.

Lan Wangji nodded in acknowledgement.

Then he spoke. “Brother, did you know?”

“What?”

“Lotus pods with stems taste better than lotus pods without.”

“Oh?” responded Lan Xichen. “I did not know that. Is there a reason why you mentioned this?”

“No reason,” said Lan Wangji. “Time’s up. Switch hands.”

The two of them transferred their weight from their right arms to their left in perfect unison and in perfect silence.

Lan Xichen decided further questioning could wait until later. He turned his head back to their task, but then broke out into a smile.

“Wangji, you have a visitor.”

On the edge of the hallway, a fluffy white rabbit slowly hopped over to Lan Wangji’s left, twitching its nose.

“How did it get here?” Lan Xichen wondered.

Lan Wangji gave the rabbit a stern look. “Return.”

The rabbit didn’t listen. Instead, it took one end of Lan Wangji’s forehead ribbon in its mouth and tugged firmly, as though it thought that it could drag him away if it tried hard enough.

“I think it wants you to go with it,” said Lan Xichen with a completely straight face.

After tugging for a while, the rabbit finally gave up on its efforts and circled around the two in frustration.

“This is the lively one, isn’t it?” Lan Xichen asked, amused.

“Too lively.”

“It is no matter,” Lan Xichen said. “After all, I think it’s cute. Though, I believe there were two of them. They’re usually inseparable, so why is there only one here? Is the other too shy to come over?”

“It will come,” Lan Wangji replied.

As though on cue, another small white head appeared at the edge of the hallway in search of its friend. The two balls of fluff chased each other for a while until they finally settled down next to Lan Wangji’s left arm, curled up next to each other.

Seeing the two of them play together so affectionately, even from an upside-down perspective, Lan Xichen couldn’t help but think it cute. “What are their names?”

Lan Wangji only shook his head. Either they did not have names, or he would not say them.

Lan Xichen decided to push the issue. “I remember hearing you call for them last time.”

“…”

He smiled sincerely. “They’re good names.”

Abruptly, Lan Wangji switched hands.

“Time’s not up yet,” Lan Xichen reminded him.

…Without further argument, Lan Wangji switched his hands back.

–

There they remained until the incense stick burned down to its last cinders, and then time was up. The two of them stood back up, and returned to the Yashi.

A servant had sent over a plate of fruit, cool and refreshing. The watermelons have had their skins removed, and the fruit inside had been chopped and lined up in neat rows on a jade platter. Red and succulent, they really did look nice. The brothers sat down at the table, exchanging thoughts on yesterday’s studies, and began to eat.

Lan Xichen reached for a slice of watermelon, but paused as his eyes landed on his brother, gaze focused intently on the plate.

As he expected, Lan Wangji did have something to say. “Brother.”

“Yes?”

“Have you ever eaten watermelon skin?”

…

“Can you eat them?” Lan Xichen asked.

A moment of silence. “I heard you can fry them,” Lan Wangji responded.

“Maybe so.”

“I heard it tastes remarkable.”

“I haven’t tried.”

“Neither have I.”

Um…

“…do you want someone to fry some for you?”

Lan Wangji thought for a bit, then shook his head.

Lan Xichen let out the breath he had been holding.

There was no need to ask where exactly his brother had heard of this. For some reason, he believed he probably already knew the answer.

–

The next day, Lan Wangji descended from the mountain, alone.

He was not unused to going down. However, he was not used to coming down on his own, and certainly not to such a lively place.

The marketplace buzzed with activity. Whether it was within the sect, or on the hunting grounds, Lan Wangji had never gotten used to seeing so many people gathered in one place. Even in the comparatively noisy conferences, there was still a certain order to be maintained.

The marketplace, on the other hand, was chaotic in its crowdedness. If one were to step on another’s feet, or to bump into someone else’s cart, that should’ve only be expected.

Never having enjoyed physical contact, Lan Wangji hesitated upon seeing this, but did not turn back. Instead, he decided to ask for directions.

But, after walking around for a while, he still hadn’t found someone he could ask.

At this point, Lan Wangji realized that it wasn’t just him who found the crowd unapproachable. They didn’t know how to approach him either.

Against the backdrop of the bustling marketplace, he cut a solitary figure, his clothes and the sword upon his back shining and pristine. The vendors, farmers, and loiterers, unused to seeing a cultivator amongst them, avoided him without a single thought. After all, if this fellow turned out to be a troublesome sort, nothing good could come out of offending him.

Plus, there was the issue of his face, features constantly frozen in a stern and cold expression. Even his brother had teased him for it in the past, saying that his expression could freeze everything around him in a six-meter radius, sparing not even a single blade of grass.

Only the village girls had been brave enough to spare him a glance, staring hesitantly at him from the corners of their eyes, though they immediately lowered their heads when he walked past, busying themselves with whatever’s in their hands. It was only when he walked away that they relaxed, and flocked together to titter and giggle behind his back.

Lan Wangji continued walking for a while until he found an old woman sweeping the dust from her porch.

“Excuse me,” he asked. “Where is the nearest lotus pond?”

The old woman squinted at him, bad vision further blurred by the dust in her eyes, and said, “Go on for another eight or nine li in that direction. I think there’s a family that owns some acres of lotus.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Thank you.”

“Young master,” the woman continued, “the pond doesn’t allow visitors after dark. If you want to play, you’ve got to hurry while the sun’s still out.”

Lan Wangji nodded again. “Thank you.”

As he turned around to leave, he noticed the old woman struggling to remove an old branch stuck underneath the eaves. Taking out his sword, he struck the branch so that it fell down neatly, and then took his leave.

Eight or nine li was not too far by his own standards. Following the direction the woman pointed out, Lan Wangji continued on his way.

–

One li later, and he had left the marketplace behind. Two li later, and the crowds began to thin out. Four li later, and only the mountains and the fields, greenery thick and lush, surround him. It took a while before he finally passed by something different, a crudely-built hut from which rose a meandering wisp of smoke. In the fields around it, a few children played, their hair sticking straight up as they ran around and threw mud at each other, laughing the entire time.

A little fascinated by this scene, Lan Wangji observed them until he was noticed. The children scattered. Seeing this, he returned to his path and continued to walk.

–

Five li later, Lan Wangji felt a coolness on his face. It was a drop of rain, blown towards him by a soft gust of wind.

He looked up. Sure enough, a dark front of grey clouds pressed forward, the rain intensifying as it did so.

And then, he saw five or six people gathered in one of the fields ahead.

The rain fell in sheets, but these people did not take out an umbrella, nor did they take cover. Instead, they seemed to be gathered around something, and were too focused on whatever it was to pay attention to anything else. Lan Wangji walked closer, and saw that what worried them was a farmer lying on the ground, howling in pain.

Listening in on their conversation, he began to understand what had transpired. While this farmer was working, another family’s cow bumped into him, and hurt his hip or his legs, rendering him unable to get back up. The cow had been sent far to the outskirts of the field as punishment, and it stayed away, head turned to the side and its tail waving, afraid to get any closer. Its owner had left to find a doctor, leaving these people to look over him at a distance, too afraid of agitating the state of his injury to do much else.

But, things didn’t always go according to plan, and it had started to rain. They could bear it when it was only a drizzle, but once the rain had intensified, they were left at a loss.

They had sent one of their number back to fetch an umbrella, but his house was far from here, and he had still not returned after five hours. Growing increasingly worried, the rest could only huddle over the injured farmer, giving whatever shelter they could provide, but that was still not an adequate solution. And even if they did get their hands on an umbrella, there wouldn’t be enough for all of them.

One person cursed under his breath. “Shit. This kind of rain, it really just comes out of nowhere.”

“Let’s see if we can set up that shed,” said another. “We’ll take whatever shelter we can get.”

Not far from them was an abandoned shed, held up by four pillars. But one of them had been knocked over and another was already rotted with age and wear, and so the roof had fallen.

One of them spoke up, hesitant. “We shouldn’t move him, should we?”

“A… a few paces should be alright.”

The group carefully picked up the injured farmer and sent two of their number to hold up the shed. But, even with their combined efforts, they couldn’t even move one corner of the roof. Their faces were red with effort as they exerted their entire strength, but even with that, they could not get it to budge. Another two farmers were sent over. Still, the roof remained unmoved.

This shed was made of sturdy wood and covered with a layer of grime and dust, so it couldn’t have been light. Still, it shouldn’t be so heavy as to defeat four healthy farmers.

Lan Wangji did not need to observe any longer to understand the situation. He walked to the shed, bent over, took a corner of the roof, and lifted.

The farmers stared at him in awe.

This roof, heavy enough to defeat four of their number, was lifted up by a bare-faced youth with only one hand!

Shaking himself out of his surprise, one of them turned to say something to the others, and they sprung back into motion. The injured farmer was carried over. When they entered the shed, they could only stare at Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji did not look back.

Once they settled the injured man down, two of them approached him. “Young… master. You’ve done enough, let us take over.”

Lan Wangji shook his head.

“You’re too young,” the two insisted. “You wouldn’t be able to maintain this amount of effort.”

As they said this, they lifted their own hands and placed them next to Lan Wangji’s, wishing to help him with the weight. Lan Wangji stared at them, and without a word, relaxed his arm by a few degrees. The two farmers immediately balked.

Lan Wangji looked away and straightened his arm again. The two farmers slinked back to their friends.

The roof was heavier than they’d thought. Without the youth’s strength, the two of them really could not support its weight for even a second.

After a while, another person shivered. “That’s strange. Why did it get colder when we came in?”

What they didn’t see, at that moment, was the figure in ragged clothes hanging from the center pillar, hair splintered and long tongue lolling from its mouth.

Outside, the wind howled. In the shed, the figure swayed, moved by its own eerie wind.

It was this spirit that weighed the roof down so that no normal person could lift it up.

Lan Wangji hadn’t thought to bring his cultivation tools when he left home earlier, but even if he did, this spirit had no malicious intent. He couldn’t just exorcise it, but it seemed that it wouldn’t listen to reason either. If it wouldn’t let itself down from where it was hanging, he could only hold the roof up for now, and send for assistance later.

The spirit swayed behind him, blown about by the winds. “It’s so cold….”

“…”

It looked around, then pressed against one of the farmers, seeking to leech some warmth off of him. The farmer shuddered against the sudden cold and swore.

Lan Wangji slightly inclined his head, giving the spirit his coldest glare.

Reluctantly, the spirit peeled itself off the farmer and returned to its original spot. Still, it stuck out its tongue and continued to complain. “The rain, the rain is so strong, it’s unbearable…. really, it’s so cold…”

“…”

In the time it took for the doctor to arrive, none of the farmers had managed to gather up the courage to talk to Lan Wangji. When the rain finally abated and they’ve moved the injured out of the shed, Lan Wangji had already put down the roof, and left without a word.

–

When he finally arrived at the lotus pond, the sun had already set.

Just when he was about to step into the pond, a small boat approached, and the middle-aged woman atop yelled.

“Hey hey hey! What are you doing?”

“Picking lotus pods,” said Lan Wangji.

“The sun’s set!” the woman said. “We don’t let people in after dark, come back another day!”

“I won’t stay long. I’ll leave right after.”

The woman sighed. “Rules are rules! I don’t make them! If you insist, go talk to the owner!”

“Where is the owner.”

“He’s left! Don’t ask me either! If I let you in, the owner wouldn’t be happy, don’t make this hard for me!”

At this, Lan Wangji decided not to push further. He nodded. “Apologies.”

Though his expression was calm, he couldn’t hide his slight disappointment.

The woman looked over his white clothes, soaked and muddied, and softened her tone. “You were late today, so come by earlier tomorrow. Where did you come from? Young man, did you walk all the way here in that rain? Why didn’t you bring an umbrella? How far away do you live?”

Lan Wangji answered truthfully. “Thirty-four li.”

The woman let out a shocked gasp. “That far? Then you must have spent a long time getting here. If you wanted to eat lotus seeds that badly, you could’ve gotten some off any vendor in the street.”

Lan Wangji was already preparing to leave, but hearing this, he paused. “The pods they sell don’t carry stems.”

“You insist on getting them with the stem?” the woman said, incredulous. “But they don’t taste any different.”

“They do.”

“They don’t!”

“They do,” Lan Wangji insisted. “Someone told me they did.”

The woman stared, and laughed. “Who told you this? To think they’d have such a hold over this stubborn young master!”

Lan Wangji did not reply. It was about time he left.

Seeing him turn away, the woman raised her voice. “Is your house really that far?”

“Mn.”

“Do you... have to go back? You can find someplace to stay nearby, and come back tomorrow?”

“There’s a curfew. I have class tomorrow.”

The woman rubbed the back of her head, thought for a while, and finally conceded.

“…alright, I’ll let you in. But only for a bit! If you still want to pick some, then hurry. If anyone sees you, I’ll get scolded! And I’m far too old to be scolded!”

–

The rain washed over the mountains in the Cloud Recesses.

The orchids were made more beautiful after the shower, their delicate petals refreshed. Lan Xichen looked upon them fondly, took out a sheet of paper, and began to sketch.

From the other side of the window, a white-clothed figure approached. Lan Xichen did not let his brush stop to greet him.

“Wangji.”

From the other side of the window, Lan Wangji nodded. “Brother.”

“You said you wanted lotus pods yesterday,” Lan Xichen said. “It just so happens that Uncle has asked people to bring some back today. Do you want some?”

“I’ve already had some.”

A little puzzled, Lan Xichen asked, “You did?”

“Mn.”

After exchanging a few more words, Lan Wangji returned to the Jingshi.

Having finished his drawing, Lan Xichen admired his work, filed it away, and took out Liebing, ready to practice his calming songs.

In front of the Gentian building, the lilac flowers shone with dewdrops. Lan Xichen walked in with soft steps, lifted his head, and stopped.

A slender vase stood in the middle, holding a few lotus pods within, their stems long and proud and beautiful.

Lan Xichen put away Liebing, walked towards the vase, and cocked his head, pondering.

In the end, he decided not to sneak one away to see if lotus seeds did taste better coming off the stem.

After all, judging by the happiness on Wangji’s face, they must have been delicious.

#mdzs #mo dao zu shi #lan wangji #lan xichen #translations #txt

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