#i almost shut down humanly functions

[bluebellhairpin]

Also.. heard that chris evans just won sexiest man alive yeah okay so imagine actor au erwin smith finally won sexiest man alive in peopls mag and fans are like "fkin finally like why did it take so long" etc etc and "that mag finally done something worth it" then it become the most sought out mag for that months issue every where sold out HAHAHAHAHAH now im tryna imagine what would he wear in those shots 😏😏😏😏 -yow (there is no cure for this sickness)

this has been sitting for a while. like two days? anyway i just wanted to take this out of the void of my ask box to remember the chris evans/erwin smith same face syndrome fanbase-wide fancast. and how much i've grown to like it.

[healer-pop]

DUDE IMAGINE CERVIX KISSING VENTURE WITH THE STRAP???

god I cannot even tell u how much they would be all over that. bc listen, this act is so sensual and intimate and that’s something Venture is all about. It’s the feeling of fullness, of pressure against the inner most part of you, while you’re basically pressed against your partner and the endorphins it releases is just… wow. unmatchable.

Virgin Venture would go absolutely speechless at the feeling. They would be completely at your mercy, their brain just wouldn’t be able to comprehend the sensation. Honestly, if they’re still being bratty and talking big, it’s the only way to shut them up. A KO. They’d stare up at you with wide eyes, mouth falling open, just completely helpless at the pleasure being rocked through their body right now. Their hands on your shoulders leaving beautiful crescent moons via blunt nails, their own form of tattooing themself upon you. As you fix your gaze on them, breathing whispers of praise on their cheeks, the tears take their place, starting to fall. Wet streams that leave their skin glistening without the two of you realizing, “U-uhng- m-more. More, please, fuck, m-more?”

It’s almost completely guttural sounds, a few words you can pick out mixed into the noise being a couple of strung together letters that Venture can actually remember right now. Anything else that spills from their lips is just gasping babble, punched straight from their lungs.

A Venture with a bit more experience is still in cloud nine, but has more control over their brain function. Their face is blissed out, seeing more colors than humanly possible, staring straight into the ceiling because anything else would be too overwhelming.

Their voice still hitches in places as they talk, “A-aah… yes, yes, cariño. So fucking good. You’re- you’re so deep in me… So deep. I feel so filled up by you. Mm… I- I want you to move. Hard, ok? Wanna… wanna feel you tomorrow too.”

Loose arms, tossed over your neck like a shawl. You lean down to kiss their neck, savoring the moan it pulls as you lick off salty sweat from their heated skin. Their legs pull you in as tight as they can, every time you give a vicious thrust to their cunt. You live for the way Venture shuts their eyes, the broken moans that they hand out shattered by your pace.

They’re completely relaxed in your arms despite the bruising fuck you’re currently delivering to them right now. Open to your desires, putty in your hands. You could line hickies up on their neck. Fuck, play tic tac toe with it, they couldn’t care less. All they can think about is the way your cock hits their cervix every time you push in.

You might literally drive them wild. Expect their clinginess to drive up 500% because getting fucked like that? Yeah, no. Their body suddenly craves everything about you. Your scent, your warmth, your presence. It’s like an undeniable itch that they need to scratch, can’t get through the day with out having some sort of physical contact with you. Like all their hormones are secreting some sort of need. Maybe due to their fucked out state that you created, the way they just completely imprinted on you as theirs… Like, they are hanging off of you the next day.

Many others try and attempt to talk to Venture, but don’t get very far since they’re still not completely able to formulate full thoughts. They chalk it up to poor sleep and let Venture be, but it makes you smile to know the full story.

They snuggle into your neck as you try to get paperwork done, try and pull you into sharing their jacket. They’ve always been affectionate but this feels… different. Almost as if they are gently floating down from sub space, using the physical touch to ease the transition. You allow it, of course, but it’s definitely a plus to have a snugglebug on your arms the next day.

Yeah. Venture definitely likes when you cervix kissing them, but would probably ask that you save it for when they DON’T need to be a single person. Or, you know, have a brain the next day.

[rhesusbaby]

Story Time

Why did I meet him?

So I had been fixating over this one guy but not in the way you'd expect. Sent feww stupid impulsive texts, still receive bouts of embarrassment from it that makes me feel like convoluting in on myself till I disappear.

It started from sorrow, jealousy & grief. Of course now that you've made a bridge with that, infatuation & hormones want to drive their car over that too cos it's easier to be at peace with hate & feeling inferior & unsafe if infatuation steps in. Wonder if that's the base of a Stockholm syndrome, tho most probably im wrong.

We met through family, he's stuying the same thing I am, he's in med school, a year above. And I'm coming in with a lot of pain, lotta baggage, lotta hurt of 7 yrs worth & before that meet up, I had been pretty much isolated as humanly possible (trauma response).

And everyday I woke up to breathe with the sole purpose: to be at peace with not only the past but ongoing pain, just to survive one little day more, when everything from the moment you woke up is pushing you to give up on that notion. God, why did I meet with him.

Well we sat down & struck a conversation. One part of my brain responsible for physical composure just begged the rest of my brain to pick up, if only on just a few social cues & respond as a normal person would, like one would expect from the human we just inhabited (jk). Cos this was not some rando meet up, it was through family, & that just amped up a bit of anxiety for this part of my brain that was responsible to not let anyone know even a whisper of something different about me when internally my mind was melting (I'm almost 99.9% sure there were structural changes to my brain), I completely lost my identity (you guys, don't take it for granted), & just simply living was extreme pain, & now the added burden of living a lie & schlapping the outards with a pristine coat of "everything is proper & good" paint, cos pretense of anything less is even worse than dying inside; all the while I'm being turned inside out, my mind being broken a bit less beyond repair, then building it up just to be completely broken again. How do I function? How do I perform? I'm not even a human.

Well here I'm just hopeful the puppetmaster would pull the right strings & hopefully I give appropriate reactions at the right time from the booklet of info we had gathered after the Wipeout to act like an extremely normal person who is extremely okay, make it out like a well adjusted individual & that's what everyone will remember, none the wiser.

Well back to the sitting & conversing. Atm we were trying to order & it was taking me a bit more time & my brain started going off with the "this is not normal, act normal" alarm but to my relieved surprise, it was taking him even longer to order. I deflated in relief, I was being normal if he's doing it too.

Then I wondered what's taking us so long, since the only option in the entire menu was just chocalate. One way or another we'll end up with a bunch of chocalate anyway (it was a restaurant based on chocolate you guys, it's literally called The Chocalate Room).

I came across a shake, some KitKat shake I think that I finally liked but I glossed over it, knowing he'd order that & it's just stupid to order two same things for the table.

I ordered. He ordered the KitKat shake.

And what does my unchecked mouth say next?

"I knew you'd order that", my mouth speaks. And the energy akin to the reaction "...uhhh" settles on the table. My brain goes off again, "do normal people tell eachother's premonitions out loud? Are premonitions normal?" nonetheless I hurriedly shut my mouth.

Next, we started discussing the different options related to the field, what's all out there etc.

And that's when he started laying blow after blow.

Stay tuned.

Will be continued...

[drabbles-mc]

Safe & Sound

Bishop Losa x F!Reader

Request by @frattsparty​​, @garbinge​​, and Anon: #11 with Bishop: “I almost lost you” kiss (Prompt from This List)

Warnings: language, angst (with a happy ending), hospitals, mentions of injuries, mentions of car accidents

Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: All three of you sent in this request and that fact alone made my heart soooo happy haha. Hope you guys enjoy it!!

Join my group-chat here: (X) ​

Bishop Losa Taglist: @masterlistforimagines @sincerelyasomebody @sadeyesgf @thesandbeneathmytoes @tomhardydallasstarsgirl @multiyfandomgirl40 @sillygoose6969 @queenbeered @louisianalady @gemini0410 @paintballkid711 @chibsytelford @yourwonkywriter @sesamepancakes @arveeee @mayans-sauce @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead​ @plentyoffandoms @georgiaaintnopeach @twistnet​ @themoonandthewicked​ @bucky-iss-bae​ @encounterthepast​ @everyhowlmarksthedead​ @rosieposie0624​ @mylittlelonelyappreciationtoo​ @mijop​ @xladymacbethx​ @blessedboo​ @holl2712​ @lakamaa12​ @kkim120​ @toni9​ @shadow-of-wonder​ @crowfootwrites​ @redpoodlern​ @punkgoddess-98​ @black-repunzel99​ (If you want to be added to any of my taglists just let me know!)

Bishop has experienced more than his fair share of loss in his lifetime. Every kind of loss you could go through, he’s been there already. He’s lost relationships of every kind, he’s lost friends and family to the inescapable grip of death. From the military to the MC, the numbers had grown too high to count. Somewhere along the way he started to push it all down, become hardened to it. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have been able to function at all. He truly believed that he had hardened past the point of no return, become too jaded for any loss to hit home anymore.

Until Hank walked into Templo one night looking like he’d seen a ghost.

“Bishop…” his voice was timid, which wasn’t at all like him.

“What?” Bishop had been so in his own head, too busy stressing over the MC falling apart to even notice Hank walk in.

“Y-you gotta get to the hospital,” he forced out.

Bishop’s brows furrowed, unsure why he was being so vague, “Why?”

“It’s Y/N.”

He shot up out of his seat, “What the fuck happened?”

Fear was written plain as day on Hank’s face, “I-I don’t know. They wouldn’t tell me—I’m not family.”

“Fuck!” he slammed his fist down on the table before racing out of Templo.

His rage was written all over his face—unable to show genuine fear he leapt right to anger. He didn’t know what happened but the reality of it was that it didn’t matter. You were laid up in a hospital somewhere and someone was going to have to pay for it. Everyone who was in the clubhouse saw the tension in his features and stayed well out of his way as he quickly strode towards the door. Angel got halfway through asking what was wrong before he realized that Bishop wasn’t going to offer a word to anyone, his only concern being getting to you.

He tore down the streets of Santo Padre on his bike. By some minor miracle, he got to the hospital safely and didn’t need to be laid up in the room next door to yours. He gripped his helmet tight in his hand as he stormed in, Hank hot on his heels after somehow managing to keep up with him on the wild ride over.

After a very disjointed talk with one of the nurses, who was clearly intimidated by everything about Bishop at the moment, he was finally being led back to see you. Hank offered to go back with him but Bishop waved him off, saying that he was fine.

“Really, Bishop, I don’t know if you should be—”

“I said I’ll be fucking fine, Hank,” he snapped.

Hank backpedaled, taking a deep breath before finding a seat off to the side in the waiting area. He didn’t know what Bishop was about to be walking into—neither of them really did. The last thing he was going to do was leave him there alone. Even if he was acting like a dick at the moment.

The nurse walked him to the doorway, hanging back as he walked into the room. The rage he’d been holding onto began to wear away as he looked at you, his fear and sadness taking over. He set his helmet on one of the chairs as he slowly approached your bed. One hand came up to cover his mouth as tears gathered in his eyes. Once he reached your bedside, the nurse took that as her cue to step away, giving Bishop a moment to process all that was laid out in front of him.

You looked peaceful. There were a few cuts on your face, and your right arm was strapped up in a sling, but the expression on your face was almost one of contentment. For some reason that made his heart break even more. A choked sob slipped past his lips as he reached forward and gently caressed your cheek, as if to make sure that you were really there and really okay. He studied the steady rise and fall of your chest in a desperate attempt to try and calm himself.

“Fucking drunk drivers,” he muttered under his breath as he tried to keep his emotions in check.

He pulled a chair as close to your hospital bed as he could manage, not wanting to climb up next to you and risk hurting you further. The nurse reassured him that you would be alright, you just needed whatever rest you would be able to get, but he wasn’t going to believe that until you woke up and spoke to him. They might’ve seen you conscious and speaking but until he saw it for himself none of that mattered. He slid his hand into your own, letting out a deep, strangled sigh as he tried not to break down.

Minutes ticked by in hospital silence, meaning the only noise came from the monitors at your bedside, and the occasional sound of loud footsteps from outside the door of your room. Bishop didn’t move a muscle, unable to do anything besides stare at you and trace his fingers over the knuckles of your good hand.

You let out a quiet groan as you started to wake up. His eyes widened, his grip on your hand tightening ever so slightly in anticipation. You fought to open your eyes, exhaustion still weighing heavily on you. your eyes slowly started to flutter open and you began to register what was happening around you—you felt the warmth of Bishop’s hand clasping yours and you could hear the hitch in his breathing.

“Obispo?” your voice was raspy with sleep, and residual pain from everything you’d been through.

He let out a sob that turned into a laugh of relief, “Querida,” he lifted the back of your hand to his lips, kissing it lightly as he mumbled his words against your skin, “Fuck, it’s so good to hear your voice.”

“Baby?” you said quietly as you tilted your head slightly to get a better look at him.

He lifted his head, “Yea?”

“Come here,” you took your hand out of his and motioned for him to join you on the bed.

“I don’t wanna hurt—”

“I’ll be fine,” you reassured, scooting over to make room for him to join you, your movements slow and rigid as you tried to maneuver without causing yourself more pain.

Bishop carefully settled onto the bed next to you, letting out a deep sigh of relief as he let you lean comfortably against him. He felt your body heat seeping over into him and he couldn’t deny that it was the best thing that he’d felt in a long time, the strongest type of reassurance.

“I love you,” he said quietly, resting his forehead against the side of your head.

“I love you too,” you reached over with your good hand and gently trailed your fingers down the side of his face.

“Hey, sweetheart?” his voice was just above a whisper.

You turned your head to meet his gaze, “Hm?”

He cupped one side of your face in his hand, carefully tracing his thumb along your cheek, sure to avoid glossing over any of the fresh scrapes. His eyes were glassy with tears as he looked at you, and you found yourself with a small, soft smile on your face. You couldn’t remember the last time you’d ever seen Bishop look so vulnerable.

You opened your mouth to say something but before you could get the first syllable out, he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours, the rough pads of his fingers moving so lightly along your cheek and down to your neck and shoulder. You leaned into him as much as you could without hurting yourself, wishing that you could melt completely into the feeling that you were experiencing with him as the two of you laid together, lips locked. You trailed your fingers through his beard as his lips moved in sync with yours. The slight tension in his body let you know that he was fighting hard against the urge to hold you tight and pull you as close as humanly possible. He was doing everything that he could to make one kiss communicate everything that he wasn’t able to show you otherwise.

When he pulled himself away from you, allowing you to catch your breath, you felt the rigidity in his body start to give way. His forehead rested against yours as he shut his eyes tight, trying to focus on the fact that you were really there with him, that everything was going to be alright.

You knew that there were a million thoughts running through his head, that every person he’d ever lost was coming back to haunt him. You placed a light peck on his lips as you rested your hand on his chest, “We’re alright, Obispo.”

His breath came out shaky as he nodded, “We’re alright.”

There were a few beats of silence as the two of you laid together. Bishop’s eyes were closed as he tried to focus solely on the feel of your body leaning against his. You were fighting the urge to fall back to sleep again, wanting to soak up the small comfort of having him with you for the time being.

You saw someone appear in the doorway. Forcing your eyes to focus, you realized it was Hank. A small smile crossed your face as you nudged Bishop, who immediately opened his eyes and glanced over at the door.

“Oh,” Hank rested his hand on the back of his neck, clearly knowing that he was interrupting, “I was just checking…I just wanted to make sure…I’ll just…it looks like you’re all good here so…”

“We’re good,” you said quietly with a laugh, “Thank you, Hank.”

“Yea, of course,” he diverted his gaze to Bishop, “I’m gonna head back. If you need anything just, you know, call.”

He didn’t wait for a response before disappearing down the hall out of sight. You looked up at Bishop and you could see all the thoughts swirling around behind his eyes, “You owe him an apology of some kind, don’t you?”

He chuckled, lightly kissing your temple, “You sure you’re not concussed or something?”

“You better say sorry when you see him again, Obispo,” you looked up at him.

“Shh,” he smiled, kissing you on the lips, “go back to sleep.”

You couldn’t help but to laugh, “You’re lucky I’ve only got one good arm right now.”

“I’m lucky for that reason and so many more,” he rested his forehead against yours, weight settling back onto his shoulders as he thought about what the gravity of the situation could’ve been, “You’re the strongest fucking person that I know.”

You smiled, brushing your nose against his, “We’re okay, baby,” you reassured him, “We’re safe.”

“Yea,” he placed a tender kiss on your lips, “We’re safe.”

[thisisgonnafuxkinkillme]

Save Me, Please!

Chapter 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  ...

𝔚𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰:

Stalking, gaslighting, phycological manipulation, anything that has to do with the yandere trope.

Months later, you were lonelier than ever. Each day was the same. Work, home. Work, home. Work, home. After that God awful experience, you were utterly uninterested in dating. The only other human you ever communicated with regularly was All Might, and those conversations were so one sided that you couldn’t get yourself excited to see him. He’d never let you get half of a word in before asking another question, or giving another compliment.

You had to admit, though, he was sweet, and he did certainly brighten up your day at least a little bit.

What began as an occasional sighting before work became a daily walk with you. It was almost as if he was your personal escort. 

“I just don't want you to get hurt! You’ve seen the news, haven’t you?” is what he’d say, before whisking you away. You couldn’t really protest all that much in the end. 

One day, as you were leaving from work, you saw him waiting for you. He looked different, and you could definitely tell that he had gotten ready to see you. 

He had his hands behind his back, hiding some kind of surprise. You approached him semi-hesitantly, not sure what he had in store.

“Y/n! I’m so glad I got to see you again!” he beamed. You forced a laugh. He saw you literally every single day. This morning, even.

He presented the gift to you: a comically large bouquet of flowers, of all different kinds, but the most prominent ones in the middle were your favorite. 

How did he know that?

You were shocked, looking up at him for reassurance. He met you with a sweet grin.

“So, um...y/n... I’d like to ask you something,” he mumbled, bending down to meet you at your level. 

“What is it?” 

“Um...would you like to...have coffee with me? Or...something?” 

You spoke before you could think.

“Yes, I’d love to!” 

His face lit up even more than usual, which you didn’t even think could be humanly possible at this point. 

“Are you free tomorrow? In the morning? Or maybe tonight? Or, what about right now? Can you do it right now?” 

“Um... can we do something more like Saturday? It’s only like 3 days away,” you offer. His eye twitches a little.

“Why not tomorrow? I know you get off early. Come on, it’ll be fun!” 

“How...how did you know I got off earlier tomorrow?”

“Oh, you mentioned that to me once! Don’t you remember?” 

“I...I guess I do. Okay, I’ll meet you tomorrow after work, then.”

The day came and went peacefully. You retreated into the restroom right after clocking out to tidy yourself up a little before your...date?

 I guess that's what you could call it.

All Might was waiting for you outside, wearing a completely unnecessarily extravagant suit. This heavily contrasted with your business casual attire, and it brought many unwanted stares.

"Oh! There you are! You made me worry that you may not show up!" He grinned, gripping you in a too-tight bear hug.

It'd only taken you an extra 5 minutes to get tidied up. Maybe even less.

"Um...where are we supposed to be going?" You asked, trying to figure out why he'd be dressing like that.

"I thought you picked out a place!" He laughed. You sighed, shaking your head.

But eventually you both settled on a nice-ish restaurant down the road.

You took your seats and began chatting as usual. Everything was fine, nearly perfect, really, until the waiter came to take your drink orders.

He was around your age, his face soft and kind yet handsome. He was totally your type.

"What can I get for you, pretty lady? Oh, and for you, sir?" He asked, pen in hand.

The hero's eyes flashed.

"I'll just have a soda, please!" You smiled. All Might broke out of his internal monologue for a moment at the sound of your voice.

"I will have one of those as well."

You stupidly didn't notice anything was wrong.

"Alright, here's your sodas, and what can I get for your lovely daughter, sir?"

"my...what?" He slammed his fist on the table.

"Calm down! It's not a big deal!" You scream-whispered. He clenched his teeth, sighing. Your heart was beating out of your chest; you'd never seen All Might ever act like this. Frankly, you were scared.

"I deeply apologize, miss. I didn't mean to assume anything."

"Oh, it's fine! People tell me I look young for my age all the time."

"oh? How old are you, then?"

"That's enough,” All Might gritted. His knuckles were white at this point. 

All Might slammed a few bills on the table, grabbing you by the arm and basically dragging you out.

"Hey, what the hell?! What's your problem?" You spat, crossing your arms.

"My problem is...ugh!! You don't know?"

You balled up your fists. Of course you didn't know.

"Why can't you just tell me? Why do you always need to act so fucking weird around me?!"

His eye twitched. But he remained strangely, unsettlingly calm.

"Oh, y/n... I just want you to stay safe. Surely you can understand that, can't you?" He purred, petting you gently on your head.

You swallowed.

"I...I get that..."

He smiled sweetly, as if nothing was wrong just moments ago.

You spent the rest of your date walking in the park, which was even more ridiculous considering he was still donning the extravagant suit and the weather was much too hot for anything like that.

That night, you flipped on the TV, but stopped as BREAKING NEWS flashed on the bottom of the screen.

"There is currently an 8pm curfew out after the third incident this year of a seemingly spontaneous murder. The victim, 2X year old Martin Grey, is the third victim in a series of seemingly connected murders. Officials Are urging all citizens to stay inside, and to report any suspicious activity."

You sighed, flipping off the television.

I'm so sick of hearing all this negative bullshit news...

It took you much longer than usual to get to sleep that night. Something just felt... incredibly wrong. You tried to convince yourself that you were totally safe, but the darkened corners of your room reached out to you, drawing off of your panic.

Finally, after taking way too many melatonin, your eyes shut and you drifted away.

When you woke up from your not so peaceful sleep, you couldn’t move. You were experiencing sleep paralysis, and no matter how much you fought, not a single muscle even flinched.

In the corner of your room, you saw him.

It was a familiar face, but you couldn’t pinpoint who exactly it was. He was huddled at the head of the bed, silently staring at you while he was bathed in the black inkiness of night.

He noticed your fluttering eyelids, frowning. Yet he said nothing. All you could do was helplessly watch as he retreated out of your room.

You were still fighting the paralysis even after he was gone, as well as the pure terror that came with it.

As soon as you got control of your bodily functions, you immediately shot up and googled what just happened.

“Sleep paralysis is a fairly common occurrence that doesn’t signify any mental or spiritual unrest...” a website told you. You sighed.

It wasn’t real. It didn’t happen.

...Right?

You began your day, and since it was a weekend all you had to do was make a pot of coffee and get going.

When you entered your kitchen, you noticed something.

The window was wide open.

———

“All Might... I think someone broke into my apartment last night,” you whimpered into the phone. You didn’t even say hello. You just had to tell someone, anyone about what happened.

He remained silent.

“I...I saw him,” you mumbled shakily, “but... I don’t know why he didn’t... do anything. I don’t know what he wanted.”

“This is why I’m so concerned for you, y/n. You’re always making mistakes like forgetting to lock your windows, and-“

You cut him off.

“How did you know he came in through the window?”

He didn’t even hesitate, replying, “You just said your window was open. Don’t you remember? You’re so silly sometimes, you know.”

You sighed.

“Can you just come over and help me change my locks? I... don’t feel safe anymore.”

He agreed to stop at the hardware store and come over right away.

He'd never been to your apartment before, so he did have to ask for directions. However, it wasn't hard to find you.

Before you could text him the final turning direction, he was already knocking at your door.

In his hands was a kit for new door locks as well as window locks. That afternoon was filled with lots of unscrewing, questions, googling, and troubleshooting, but once he was finished, you admittedly already began to feel safer.

"Thank you so much. It means a lot to me. Seeing that man was just...really scary." You sighed, eyeing the kitchen window. You imagined him sneaking in ever so quietly, standing in the darkest recesses of your room, silently staring at you.

"Like I told you, I want you to be safe. If you weren't...I think I might just go crazy, you know?" He joked.

"I do have something to ask you, though, y/n," he began, "what did he look like?"

"Well, I didn't get a good look. Really, I was convinced he wasn't real until...the window."

All Might didn't pry. He really didn't want to make you remember something you didn't care to think about.

[oneweekoneband]

In the first cold hours of a new December morning, Taylor Swift once again revealed herself to be the primary antagonist in my hero’s journey. Weary and woebegone as I am, I will not waste strength on any attempt to deny that this latest attack has knocked me off balance, but I believe it is important that I—we, really, the lot of us who have been bloodied pitiably beneath this most brutal show of force—rebound immediately into a defensive posture so that there might be any hope at all for survival. Taylor’s second pandemic album will be released at midnight tonight, so I guess Shakespeare and his little “play” about elder abuse can get fucked after all. The album is called evermore. It was hubris, I can see in retrospect, which led me to tempt my enemy by writing all these words about her on this, the week of her birthday, knowing as I do that Taylor is one of those especially dangerous adults who make a big deal about both birthdays and lucky numbers. Icarus is my name now, covered in melted wax and tumbling to the sea. So as to steel ourselves for these horrors yet to come, I offer now, with not arrogance but the faith of the foolhardy, my best conjecture as to the content of each detestable track. 

willow - Could be about a tree. Could be about a girl. More likely it is both somehow, which is extremely pervy, and not just because that’s part of the plot of the unspeakably cursed The Raven Cycle novels, which I, a full blown adult with, generally speaking, normal brain function, voluntarily read for the first time this summer because some of us, ma’am, used the pandemic for activities that hurt only ourselves, not others. Well, happy holidays, tree fuckers.

champagne problems - Whatever this is, know that I will be considering it a work after Fall Out Boy’s “Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends” and I’ll be right to do so and many people will say as much admiringly and they’ll smile at me with pride and doff their caps as I go.

gold rush - If this song is anything but a loving, comprehensive summation of the children’s novel DEAR AMERICA Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild then I’m going to walk directly out of my home and, deadly virus be damned, keep walking until I’ve entered Taylor Swift’s instead, at which point I will begin to scream out a litany of complaints at the very top of my voice, ceasing only when her security team kills me or we fall in love.

tis the damn season - Worst case scenario this is a sad Christmas song (the best kind of Christmas song) and it devastates me in the most degrading way possible. Best case scenario it’s really bad and dumb and I can live without pain.

tolerate it - Many possibilities here. Could be about white-knuckling it through a period of depression, or a breakup. Most obviously, it could be about COVID-19 lockdowns keeping us trapped in our homes, disconnected from loved ones, going slow-brained and strange, bowls piling up, and suddenly so desperate for human interaction that even memories of having drinks with somebody from Hinge who quoted Friends twice in an hour are tantalizing in comparison to the touch-starved dreamstate of staying indoors... But I kinda feel like this is Taylor replying “COPE” from on high to my tweets about how I would rather be boiled alive than have to face the existence of this record.

no body, no crime (feat. Haim) - What would be very good is if this is a homosexual romp about Taylor Swift and the one hot Haim guitar girl with the really gay energy doing a murder together a la “Somethin’ Bad” by Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood, but honestly, it is probably another song about Gone Girl.

happiness - Impossible to speak on this since, thanks to Taylor Swift, happiness is something with which I have no familiarity. 

dorothea - Have seen chirping on the odious bird application about how perhaps this song title suggests that Taylor has written a song about Middlemarch, titling it for Dorothea Brooke, but I reject this because it implies that Taylor has read Middlemarch, which is a premise I cannot accept. Whether this refusal is out of self-preservation, being unwilling and in fact unable to face a world where Taylor Swift read and was moved to creation by the novel which was my most essential friend the summer I got dumped by a guy who I still had to work feet away from in a candle factory for another month, and about which Emily Dickinson (Emily Dickinson whose birthday it happens to be today, which isn’t to say that this means anything about anything. I am simply trying to batten down all hatches literally and spiritually in light of having been had once again by this numerology obsessed demon) once wrote "What do I think of Middlemarch? What do I think of glory.” or because I just at my core do not believe that Taylor has read a single book since Gone Girl I couldn’t possibly say.

coney island (feat. The National) : Some ungodly americana ass bullshit that is going to ruin my life. The thought of holy terror shaped like a horse girl Taylor Swift and trickster nymph in the body of a tax accountant Matt Berninger, two individuals I have allowed, separately, to cause me grievous psychic harm, having even the barest amount of one to one contact, even digitally, has made me want to peel all my skin off and put it back on flipped inside out so that I might, when I look in the mirror, see a version of myself which approximates how I feel.

ivy - Another song for the plant lesbians. That’s fine, and I’m happy for that community, but what I want to know, looking at this growing pile of songs named after women, is where, Taylor, is the song about loudmouth queen Inez, legendary gossip and, for my money, the star of folklore?  

cowboy like me - Putting it as mildly as humanly possible, to slit my throat would be less cruel. I am drawing a straight line from me writing illegible sequels to perfect film An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (itself a sequel) in crayon as a toddler, to Paula Cole’s “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” on the radio in my mom’s two door Honda, to me everyday after school in third grade changing into the cowboy costume my godmother bought, to me at fourteen internalizing a sense of righteous indignation that would take years to even begin to outgrow when Crash beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture, to the winter I dropped half my classes out of fear and sickness and read paperback westerns on the twenty third floor of the college library for tens of hours at a go, to the profoundly gay episode of Supernatural called “Tombstone” which is, yes, named for the profoundly gay cowboy film Tombstone, to the inspired and revitalizing pause in “Space Cowboy” by Kacey Musgraves where she’s like, “You can have your space........ cowboy”, to Mitski’s Be the Cowboy, to the perfect boygenius cover of certified classic “Cowboy Take Me Away”, to whatever the hell this is going to be.That line is not to make a point at all. It’s just that there is a line and beside it there is me, incapacitated.

long story short - Just like all the other times anyone has ever invoked this phrase in the entire history of human beings expressing themselves with language, it is going to be a huge lie, because this woman never shuts up.

marjorie - After all that Taylor has put me through over the years, she should have at least named one of these wretched things “ellen” after my dead Sagittarian grandmother, whose birthday is tomorrow, December 11th, which is again, the release date of Taylor Swift’s second album in sixth months, but it’s probably for the best that she didn’t because you simpletons would immediately think it was an homage to George Bush’s friend Dory the fish, and therefore gay, regardless of the actual text of the song, and it’d be the “betty” massacre all over again. That being said, this is almost assuredly another horny song about some mid-century white lady. Only days ago Taylor was telling Entertainment Weekly that she’s been watching a lot of movies in quarantine, and while she didn’t name 1958’s Marjorie Morningstar starring Natalie Wood, I wouldn’t put it past her.

closure - God, I hope this one is another Kaylor classic so we can all act like complete raving lunatics online from the confines of our own plague quarters for a few days. It’s been a hard year.

evermore (feat. Bon Iver) - I’ll be catatonic by this point. Who cares?

right where you left me - Yes, in hell.

it’s time to go - Yes, TO HELL.

[liahswriting]

Lovesick Six and a Murderous Robot Boyfriend

Relationship(s): Revenant/original female character, Wraith/original female character, Mirage/original female character, Bloodhound/original female character, Octane/original female character, Crypto/original female character, Loba/original female character

Words: 8,411

Warnings: None

Summary: The new girl is very pretty and she's got most of the men (and some of the women) pining for her. Problem is, she's got her eyes set on a certain simulacrum.

Pretty girls can fight. Pretty girls can be tough. Pretty girls can be scary and threatening. Just because Gia was pretty didn't mean she didn't belong in the Games. I mean, Loba was almost perfect in every physical way and yet she knew her way around a pistol. Che had a cute face and yet her teams almost always were Champion. And of course Elliott was downright the most handsome man in the Games and yet he could wipe a team if need be. Being attractive didn't mean you were weak. In fact, Gia being attractive gave her an advantage to the game. After all, how could a pretty girl like her be any trouble? You think you're safe because look how cute she is, what is she gonna do to you? And then all of a sudden you're eating dirt because she shoved a wingman up your ass and annihilated you.

Gia's origins are unknown to the rest of the Legends. She showed up one day unexpectedly and won Champion that same afternoon. Her kit and abilities brought a whole new playstyle to the Games: a playstyle that both terrified and intrigued the others. Her enhanced vision gave her every input she needed to weaken your team's defenses. She knew exactly whose health was hanging on by a thread, giving her the ultimate advantage to breaking your team apart and dwindling your numbers until you were way beyond outmatched. The Legends assumed she had some sort of black market enhancement done to her eyes given the fact that they were far from being normal. How she managed to slip through the Apex recruitment with her fiercely white irises was beyond everyone. I mean, come on! The girl's eyes were as white as snow all around! The only color to them was a very faint, needle-thin black line separating her sclera from her iris. Everything else was pure white. Even her pupil. Crypto was already walking on thin ice with his illegal body enhancements. The only reason no one actually paid much attention to it was simply because his modifications didn't directly impact his abilities in the arena. But Gia was a whole other story.

Typically, the Legends expect Silva to dive head first into a fire fight with his stim. Or perhaps they'll see Crypto's drone following them around. And on occasion a team will back out of a fight to heal up and end up running into another team holding a choke point with Wattson's electric fences. All of this was expected. And then Gia came along and now every Legend that wasn't on her team was afraid of her tactical EMP that disabled all enemy primary weapons. You could pin her team down and you think you're gonna win, and then all of a sudden your Devotion stops all functionality and now you have to rely on your Alternator with 20 shots left in the chamber.

As if that wasn't enough of a fright, instead of Makoa's air strike landing on your head or Bloodhound storming up behind you faster than humanly possible, Gia's big trick messed with your mind and your vision. In the blink of an eye, you are no longer able to discern who is teammate and who is enemy. And it's not as simple to just say "Wraith is not on my team. I need to shoot her" because the enemy Wraith you're staring down through a 4x-8x will suddenly appear as your friendly Pathfinder and your friendly Pathfinder will suddenly appear as the enemy Wraith. It was more likely to die via friendly fire than enemy fire when Gia's ultimate activated.

The only reprieve the other Legends got was finding out that she was insanely friendly. Thank god too because no one needed another Dr. Nox or another Revenant on their team. Gia was friendly with everyone she interacted with. Despite her scary demeanor, she got along rather excellently with the other Legends. And that's when most of the trouble started.

It all started off as friendly taunts. Elliott took the first step and made a move on her immediately. After all, she's beautiful, he's beautiful, it only made sense for the two of them to date. They could be the ultimate power couple. Their two beautiful faces displayed up high on the Champion banners. It was a dream. But she politely shut him down. Still, he tried again. And she laughed and played along. "My my, Mr. Witt. Aren't you the massive charmer!" This caught the attention of the daredevil himself and he attempted to get under Elliott's skin by literally sliding by them in the arena and dropping the biggest pickup line she's ever heard. "Aye, amiga. Thanks for brightening up the place with your beautiful face." and then he put a couple bullets in Witt's stomach. Silva's team went down immediately for that stunt and Elliott was able to be picked back up, but his idea worked. Elliott was obviously mad at the green-haired adrenaline junkie after the game for trying to steal "his girl" but it was all in good fun when she turned him down too. Bloodhound soon was seen at her side more often than not. He found her skills fascinating and her air of mystery perfectly matched his own. They had sort of an unspoken bond between them, connected solely on the fact that both of their lives were an enigma. Everyone asked her about herself but she never opened up. When it was just her and Bloodhound, neither one even dared to ask the other about their past. It was comforting being able to sit with someone and not have to worry about prying curiosities. Bloodhound attempted to flirt; there was lots of hand touches and close sitting. Yet she turned him down too.

After that it became an unofficial competition between the three of them to see who could win her over, which lead to a lot of showing off and friendly banter. Elliott would throw pickup line after pickup line at her. Silva did crazy stunts to impress her. Bloodhound brought her tea every morning. And yet nothing ever came of it. Gia would play along every now and again but at the end of the day she made it clear she was just playing. Still didn't stop the men from trying.

And then Loba joined the crowd. And boy oh boy was that a surprise. The chick was into chicks! "Did you clowns ever stop and think that maybe you don't have the right parts she's looking for?" Loba taunted them. But she was right, of course. None of the men asked Gia if she was even straight. But it was still all laughs and good times regardless if she ever found an interest in them. Loba had other ideas in mind. She was thoroughly convinced that Gia was full on gay, looking to get it on with another girl. And Loba believed she was just the girl to get her rocks off. Loba was much more blunt than the men ever were in their affection. That night while all the Legends were winding down with some drinks and enjoying the royalties they made from the recent Game, Loba approached Gia and asked her if she would like to join the seductive thief in a private area away from the loud crowd. When she agreed, the three men that had been pining for her started to believe Loba was right all along. Loba and Gia were gonna do it! Loba was gonna fuck the new girl before they were! As much as Elliott enjoyed the thoughts that put into his mind (and trust me, he enjoyed them a lot), he was upset that all of his attempts had been for naught.

Loba and Gia had disappeared for hours and the three men all huddle together in somber at their ultimate defeat. Elliott poured several rounds of drinks for them in solidarity and they cheered a farewell to their playful challenge. It was Gia 's friendly "What's wrong, boys?" that gathered their attention mid-mope. Silva was just about to tell her of their shallow depression when he spotted Loba stiffly walking up to the bar for another drink with a pout on her face. The thief looked just as pristine as when she and Gia disappeared. Not a single wrinkle in her clothes nor a thread of hair out of place in its braids. So she was wrong!

"Nada, bonita. We're all good here!" he happily told her and shot back what was left of his current drink. "Right, guys?" he nudged them with a big 'ole grin on his face. Neither of them picked up on his hints but they agreed with him anyway. She didn't buy it for one second and got another round for them to put a smile on their faces. A single, friendly peck to each of their cheeks is what really solidified their grins and she walked off, happy to have made them smile. When Loba approached them after Gia walked away, Silva was quick to ask the slumping woman what went on behind closed doors.

"I was wrong." she admitted pitifully. "She turned me down too."

"So the competition is back on?" Elliott questioned and all four of them agreed. And thus their antics continued: Elliott flirted, Silva showed off, Bloodhound gifted things, and Loba seduced. None of it worked in the slightest. But Gia would laugh it off and let her touches linger just that fraction of a second longer that made them all question their sanity. If they were teamed up with her, they'd give her the items she requested. If she was hungry, they got her food. If she was feeling unwell, they took care of her until she was better.

"Like lost puppies." Anita commented to the four of them as she watched them all practically drool at the sight of Gia on the complete opposite end of the room. She seemed unaware of their presence but they knew she knew they were there. She sat with Makoa and Pathfinder, all three of them happily chatting with each other without a care in the world. Makoa's big belly laughs rang in everyone's ears.

"She's totally into me, I can tell." Elliott stated matter-of-factly.

"As if." Loba retorted.

"Did'cha ever think that maybe she got someone already?" Che asked with a smirk. "Some of us got loved ones back home."

"I doubt it, amiga. She would've told us if she did." said Silva.

"Maybe she didn't want to tell you. Seems like she doesn't tell anyone anything about herself. For all you know, she could have a husband, or wife, and several kids back on her home planet." Anita commented. The latter part of her sentence fell on deaf ears as the four love-sick Legends stared in Gia's direction when she laughed at something either Pathfinder or Makoa said. Her laugh was like music to their ears. Anita rolled her eyes towards Che and the other simply shook her head.

"Look at her! She's absolutely gor-gor-gorg... pretty! We're totally comp-compat... made for each other!"

"If we're going off looks alone, surely there are better suitors than you." Loba told Elliott with a smirk.

"Hey now, that's quite rude!"

"Gia is a strong fighter. Our skills are equally matched. Perhaps she's not looking for a superficial partner at all."

"All of you are a hack." Crypto's voice surprised everyone. He stood just off to the side, watching them with a bored expression on his face. Hands in his pockets, as is his usual stance, he eyed all four of them down.

"Come on! Don't try and tell us you don't think she's muy caliente."

"She is very beautiful," Crypto agreed. "and you are very desperate."

"So you are not in any way attracted to her." Loba stated rather than asked. She leaned forward, chin on her knuckles, and pressed him.

"I never said that."

"So you think about her."

"I never said that either."

"Say what you want, but until she tells me to back off I'm not going anywhere."

"And neither am I!" Elliott responded rather quickly -and defensively.

"That makes three of us." said Silva.

"Four."

"Fine. Make it five."

"I can't believe this." Che grumbled.

Gia found Crypto unexpectedly by her side more and more. He was rather reserved and his attempts at flirting were down right embarrassing. She tried not to show pity for him. The poor guy probably hadn't ever touched a boob before. She assumed him like Elliot, Silva, Bloodhound, and Loba and went along with whatever he said. She never asked much from Crypto and he was thankful for that. He had no idea how to woo her. He knew absolutely nothing about her, but who was he to ask her about her past if he wasn't willing to exchange an equal value? She was pretty and she was talented, so he tried to play to those strengths. He complimented her when she dolled up and he praised her when her team won Champion. Very rarely was he ever paired up with her so he often admired her through his scopes. He assumed to himself that he could impress her if he won Champion, so he tried his best to wipe the floor with any enemy teams he came across. More often than not, her team would demolish his so he would side step her if he spotted her. However, whenever Caustic or Revenant were on his team, there was no room for niceties and they went in with guns blazing whether he liked it or not. Caustic would throw his gas traps at them, or Revenant would silence them, and then suddenly both teams were at war with each other.

Just last week, Revenant went charging in at Gia, Bloodhound, and Wattson. He silenced their abilities, giving Revenant an easy target on the blonde girl before she could even defend their position with her electric fences. Wattson went down like a sack of bricks. And then Wraith went charging in on Bloodhound. She managed to break the hunter's shields before Gia came to her teammate's rescue and knocked the voidwalker to the ground with a few well-placed 301 shots. Crypto attempted to help his team by going in with his drone and EMP-ing the two enemies still standing. With their abilities still silenced, Gia was unable to fight back at the same caliber and Revenant took his EVA and pulled the trigger three times in Gia's chest. She collapsed to the ground with her knockdown shield aimed directly at the robot.

"Nothing personal, girlie." he chuckled as he tried to show off and finish her. He got interrupted when Bloodhound came around the corner and shot his hopped-up Wingman into the simulacrum's skull. Revenant went down as well. That left Crypto versus Bloodhound. Crypto was still fully shielded as opposed to Bloodhound. However, Crypto was armed with a 45 while his opponent had a Wingman with a skull-piercer on it. Even if Crypto landed all of his shots, it would only take three from the hunter to fully knock him. And he did indeed get knocked. His gold knockdown shield was the only thing that kept his team from being spawned out of the arena and back onto the dropship. Bloodhound knows Crypto's entire team was down so he was not at all worried about being shot in the back as he picked up both Gia and Wattson. Gia didn't waste any time healing and instead finished off Revenant with a big fucking smile on her beautiful lips.

"It's not personal, Rev." she echoed back at him and followed it up with a knee thrusted into the simulacrum's throat and then a low roundhouse kick to the side of his skull. Revenant disappeared, his banner taking his place. Meanwhile, Bloodhound turned to Crypto and attempted to finish him off as well. The last thing Crypto saw was the hunter's battle axe being thrown at his head. And then he and Wraith were standing next to Revenant on the dropship while the on-ship medics came to tend to their wounds. Crypto ignored them, instead turning all of his focus towards the displays following the remaining teams in the arena. One monitor focused on the general rotation of the arena. Another showcased the team that killed his. Crypto's eyes followed Gia's face on the display. She was quick to heal up and then lead her team towards the ring.

The rest of the game was long-lived. Many teams put up a good fight with each other. Ultimately, the best team had to win and that team was of Lifeline, Octane, and Gibralter. Gia's team came second. As skilled as she was, going against Lifeline was a difficult feat. Especially when Gibralter's shield dome gave the team ample cover for a quick pick-up. Not to mention the fact that Silva was nearly resistant to pain and was able to recover without the use of meds once he was picked up. A good heal will almost always out fight heavy damage. Once all the teams made it back onto the ship, Crypto approached Gia. "Good fight." he simply said. She smiled at him and returned the sentiment with a peck to his cheek. Crypto felt his face grow hot and he heard a snicker beside him. He found Loba, Bloodhound, Silva, and Elliott watching him with dopey smiles. Loba crossed her arms and eyed him in a way that meant she told him so. He ignored them in favor of getting patched up the rest of the way by the ship medics.

"You may have won this time, little girl, but I'd watch my back if I were you." Revenant threatened Gia at the other end of the ship. He bent down to her level and stared right into her eyes. But she didn't shy away from the simulacrum's threatening advances.

"The only thing I'll be watching is a replay of me finishing you." she shot at him. He simply returned her remark with a deep, throaty sound and then he stalked off.

That night, Elliott threw a small after-party at his place. There were drinks aplenty, more food to go around than anyone could think of, and of course the Champion squad. All complete with Silva begging to do some party tricks and doing them anyway regardless of how Elliott responded. Not as if Elliott would say no to his friend anyway. Everyone came out to the party. Even Dr. Nox and Revenant who hardly ever show their faces when not in the arena. Still, they kept to themselves and only participated when coaxed. Well, at least Dr. Nox did. Revenant just stalked everyone as per usual.

Gia tried to make rounds with everyone but it was becoming difficult with five of the Legends begging for her attention. Silva wanted her to watch him light himself on fire. Which he did and she watched on like she promised. "One of these days you're gonna get yourself killed, love." she said to him as she patted down the last of the flames burning away at his shorts.

"As if Death could catch me, chica bonita."

"Promise me you'll live to see tomorrow so we can get lunch."

"Absolutamente!" he grinned from ear to ear and then she walked off to sit and talk with Anita and Che. "She wants me." he said to Elliot. The latter simply rolled his eyes.

"She only said that because she doesn't want to watch you kill yourself tonight."

"She so wants me."

Gia chatted with the two women. Gia congratulated Che on her win today and the medic praised her back with a statement of her skill. "A couple close calls." the woman had said and Gia nodded in agreement.

"A toast to our Champion!" Anita held her glass in the air and the other two women clinked theirs together and took a large gulp of their drinks.

"Let's hang out this week. Go do something fun. My treat, of course as a present for our lovely Champion here." Gia offered the two women.

"I'm in the mood for a nice massage!" chirped said Champion. "It hurts having to carry 'round these children all the time." This made the other two laugh heartedly.

"I swear, some of these kids want to get hurt." commented Anita.

"Sounds an awful lot like those five over there." Gia pointed to the group huddled together and watching her.

"They just tryna impress ya. Problem is they don't know when to quit it."

"I think it's cute."

"Do ya like any of them?" Che asked and Gia sat back and thought about it for a second.

"They're certainly cute. And it's funny watching them flirt. But it's all just fun and games."

"You seeing anybody? They won't stop unless you tell them you're taken." said Anita matter-of-factly. She took another gulp of her drink.

"They don't need to stop. It's nothing serious. No one's getting hurt and I've already told them no so it's not like I'm leading them on. Let them dream a little."

"As long as ya okay with it."

"I am." she responded. "I'm also hungry. Be right back." she told the women and got up to grab some food that was piled up on a table. There was so much food here but she wouldn't be surprised if it all got eaten anyway. There were some hungry Legends here and -she's not going to name names- some of them can absolutely pack it away. Silva didn't count, however, because his metabolism was way faster than normal so it's never a surprise to see the green-haired junkie go up for fourths or even fifths. Gia grabbed a plate and filled it with foods that appealed to her. Nothing fancy but just interesting enough to get doubles of. As she was making her way back to Che and Anita, she spotted Wraith sitting alone and moping. Gia detoured over there and took a seat opposite of the woman.

"You doing okay?" she asked, making Wraith look up at her and force a smile.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"You sure? I didn't hit you too hard out there today, did I?" Gia attempted to lighten to mood. It worked to a degree; Wraith cracked a more genuine smile and gave a short chuckle.

"You got some good shots on me but that was pure luck." she said. "Good game today, by the way."

"You too. Do you wanna talk about what's bothering you? I'm all ears."

"Thanks but I'll be fine. It's nothing serious."

"Come find me if you ever need a shoulder." Gia offered the woman and was gifted a nod with a bigger smile in response. Gia placed a gentle hand against Wraith's cheek. "Smile for me some more. You've got a beautiful smile." she said and then got up and walked away.

"You don't think Wraith's into Gia too, do you?" Elliott asked the group as they all watched the exchange happen between said women. His eyes followed Gia for a moment as she walked away and then focused on the other. Even though Wraith looked away from the room, he could see her blushing furiously. And she tentatively placed a hand against the same cheek Gia did. Oh, she definitely had it bad for her.

"I wouldn't be surprised. I've caught her staring at my ass on more than one occasion." Loba snorted.

"Gia and Wraith aren't seeing each other already, are they?" Crypto asked everyone as if they had any more answers on her love life than he did. As predicted, everyone else shrugged or didn't answer at all. Elliott went back to watching Wraith's behavior. Everything that just happened in the last 10 seconds told him that Wraith hadn't expected Gia to show her that type of affection. If she's blushing that bad from a single touch, then that means Wraith is crushing real hard. She didn't act like that was a normal occurrence between the two of them. As if she could read Elliot's mind, Wraith turned her attention to the group of five that had been watching her. Elliott waved his hand over to her, silently telling her to join them. Wraith did a double take, making sure he was in fact motioning to her and when she realized he was, she made her way over to them.

"Aye, you into Gia?" Silva got right to the point and put Wraith on the spot. She sputtered.

"What? No. What makes you think that?"

"You do not have to lie." Bloodhound calmed her. "She is the reason we're all here." he motioned to the group.

"She's just a friend!" Wraith was quick to defend. "I mean she's pretty and all but nothing would ever be between us."

"So you admit you're into her." Loba accused and Wraith went silent. She blushed again.

"I mean, she's nice. And pretty. And she smells good. But so what."

"Listen, no one's poking fun at you. We all like her." Elliott came to her rescue.

"Yeah and we've got a competition going to see who she likes more!" said Silva.

"Why?"

"Because it's fun! And because we can hit on her without pressuring her to return the favor."

"So she knows you've all placed bets on her?" Wraith assumed questionably making the others stiffen and look to each other.

"Well." Crypto started. "She doesn't know about the competition but she knows we all are attracted to her."

"Isn't that kind of, I don't know, scummy?"

"We're not placing actual bets on her." Loba defended.

"Yeah it's just all bragging rights at the end of the day if one of us wins her over." said Elliott casually.

"Aye, you can get in on this if you want, chica, but we're all just having fun."

Wraith hesitated for a moment to think it over. This was scummy, right? Holding Gia as a prize? Surely she wouldn't appreciate it. But then Wraith looked over to Gia sitting with Che and Anita and noticed how beautiful she looked when she had her hair down. Wraith quickly touched her cheek again.

"What are the rules to this... competition?"

"None really. Try to woo her and, if you do, congrats. You won." said Elliot.

"So, are you in or are you out?" Crypto questioned.

"I'm in."

To say Gia was leading the pack was a bit of an understatement. Everywhere she went, her little lovesick posse was not too far behind. And it seemed to be growing by the day. Given that there were now six of them, it was more likely she was paired up with at least one of them during the Games. And when they were paired up together, it was very obvious they were trying to impress her. If she was ever downed, Wraith would stop whatever she's doing to portal her to safety even if she herself wasn't in a safe position. If she was out of ammo, Elliott dropped several stacks of whatever she needed even if he needed it himself. If she gave an order, Silva would absolutely follow it even if he had already jump padded a mile away. If she wanted the Peacekeeper, Loba would steal it for her. If Crypto found a high-level shield, he'd let her have it. If the team got split, Bloodhound would always follow her in case she ran into another team. And if their third got pinned, well Bloodhound wasn't leaving Gia's side.

Everyone else was starting to notice it more and more and they'd approach her about it. "It doesn't bother me." she'd say. And maybe it truly doesn't. Maybe she likes the constant attention she gets from the lovesick six. It certainly didn't hinder her performance in the arena. However it was becoming a bit annoying not being able to spend much time with anyone else without the group being a hare's breath away. But still she played along, laughed at their jokes, swooned over their flirtatious remarks, cheered them on as they showed off.

The Games continued nonetheless and even more Legends showed up; first there was weapons-expert Ramya Parekh, and then there was scientist Mary Somers, and with Dr. Somers came a new arena. Both of whom were very quick to pick up on the weird dynamic between Gia and six of the other Legends. "They're quite infatuated with you, darling." Dr. Somers had commented on day one of her being there. "Eh, they're all a bit weird." Ramya said nonchalantly.

Also Revenant and Elliott got to take over the games for awhile -again. Everyone hated when Revenant got control of the Games and this time around he's decided to switch it up a little bit. Elliott, on the other hand, took the opportunity to impress Gia. "Look at me! I'm so good they wanted to bring me back! The fans love me!" he said. His pride was short lived because the Apex hosts gave the fans quite the show when new events dropped and Elliott, Silva, Wraith, Bloodhound, and Loba all got makeovers -among other Legends, Gia included. All of them took their new looks on stage in an attempt to make Gia swoon. And as good as they all looked, Gia barely had the time of day to compliment them because Apex was whisking her away left and right to show off her new look. The fans loved her and demanded her attention. There was even a huge party for all of the Legends and multiple press corporations to advertise the new events. It was all just so overwhelming. Gia hated being center stage and the constant swarms of people drained her energy rather quickly. Her only reprieve was when one of her six admirers took all of the attention away from her as they did some sort of stunt to make her smile. It was mostly Silva donning his Octane ego that got the press's attention because who doesn't love to watch a daredevil jump out of the window? Nevertheless, she appreciated the breath of fresh air when the cameras weren't on her. She took the opportunity to hide away near the buffet table.

"Ya doing alright?" Che had asked from beside her, grabbing food for herself.

"I'm fine. Just need a break from all of this."

"Still not used to being a fan favorite, are ya?"

"I'm surprised I'm a favorite at all, to be honest. I know a lot of people like to go for the shiny, new toy but I'm no longer shiny or new. Ramya and Dr. Somers should be getting all of the attention."

"Are ya kidding me? Ya one of the best there is! Ya win more games than ya lose. Of course ya a favorite!" Che attempted to cheer her up.

"You win a lot of games too, but it seems like everyone wants to surround me."

"Well, I have been here longer than ya have. Give it time and they'll move on. They like ya because ya don't tell them anything. It keeps them interested."

"I'm sure you're right. But for now I just need a breather. I'll catch you later, Che." Gia bid farewell and walked off into the shadows, away from prying eyes and camera flashes. The combat medic made her way back to the center of the press where Elliott and Silva were waiting to talk to her with concerned looks in their eyes.

"Is Gia alright?" Elliott questioned her, making a move to go follow the object of his desires. Che put a hand against his chest to stop him.

"She don't wanna be bothered right now. She wants to be alone. So leave her alone."

"Is she hurt or something?" Silva asked worriedly.

"Nah, she just needs some fresh air. But she made it very clear she didn't want anyone to accompany her. So make sure ya tell the others to leave her be tonight."

"Can you at least tell us where's she's going in case she need someone."

"If she wants ya, she'll let ya know." was Che's response and then she walked away, hoping those idiots wouldn't bother Gia. She had to give the dopey idiots some credit though because all six of them never left the party. Despite their infatuation with the white-eyed Legend, they respected her privacy and gave her space when she asked for it. The press took notice of Gia's absence and tried to dig into everyone else for her whereabouts but no one relented and the press was forced to focus on the remaining Legends at the party.

Once the whole shebang was over and the press had made their leave, the six were becoming slightly worried at Gia's continued AWOL. She hadn't talked to anyone since she told Che she was leaving. No messages or calls. Nothing. Surely she was fine, though. Gia could absolutely hold her own if god forbid something were to happen, so the Legends weren't worried about finding her all beaten up on the Docks. But they were worried that something was still wrong and didn't feel comfortable letting her be alone for this long. It's been hours since anyone has seen her.

"I'm gonna go look for her." Elliott finally said. He was obviously agitated in his boots. The others weren't looking so hot either and they all agreed to split up and look for her. Problem was, there were far too many places she could possibly be and she hadn't answered anyone's messages so there wasn't even a general location they could pinpoint her at. They all checked her place in the compound housing the Legends, they checked all over Olympus, they checked Malta. They checked everywhere they could think of, but there was no sign of her and now they were well into the wee hours of the morning. Everyone was seriously starting to worry.

There was one final place Elliott could think of where she might possibly be, so he ran there as fast as he could to check. If she wasn't there, then he was starting to think he'd need to put a missing person's report on her. Surely Apex would find her quickly; they can't let one of their best fighters disappear. Especially not after a night of reporters fawning over her. Elliott charged towards the dropship housed at the very edge of Olympus. Getting through the security was rather easy, simply because the security had been disabled which was a relatively good sign in Elliott's eyes. She had to be here. None of the Apex crew were working at this time, as far as he was concerned. He let himself aboard the aircraft and he nearly collapsed onto the floor when he did.

Holy fucking shit, Gia was here. And she was with Revenant. And she was very clearly naked! Both of them were asleep -or, well, she was asleep and he was shut down, Elliott guessed. Did the robot sleep at all? They were laying all cuddled up to each other on one of the many plush seating areas with a blanket wrapped loosely around them. Gia's entire upper half was exposed to the warm air of the ship, but her dignity was covered just enough by the fact that she had her chest pressed up against Revenant's. The simulacrum kept a metal arm laying over her as they both slept, almost as if he was protecting her. She stirred lightly in her sleep and he responded by pulling her closer. Yet neither one of them woke up.

Elliott wasn't sure if he could scream, cry, runaway, or do all three. He wasn't gonna lie, his heart broke knowing that she would choose a robot over him. Even if his flirts were nothing more than a game, the fact that he was beat by a fucking robot of all things stung. Why didn't she say anything? Probably because no one would have believed her. I mean, Revenant of all people? That thing hated everyone and everything. And he's been known to threaten her on occasion. Was it all part of a rouse to keep people from guessing? Did the simulacrum have some sort of reputation to uphold? Or was this some sort of spontaneous thing? Either way, Elliott had a hard time picking his jaw up off the floor.

He managed to sneak out of the ship without waking either one of them and he exited the hangar. What was he supposed to tell the others? He didn't even know how to comprehend it himself! But he had to say something. Everyone else was still out looking for her. He managed to message everyone else but his words were short. "I found her. She's alright. Everyone stop worrying." he told them. Any responses he got back from them were ignored as he tried to calm his racing mind while he made his way back to his place.

This has been one hell of a night.

Elliott called an emergency meeting with the others the next afternoon once everyone was able to catch some well-needed sleep. Both Gia and Revenant had reappeared some time in the early morning, though no one was able to catch them together. Her usual chipper mood didn't do anything to quell Elliot's confused thoughts and he had half a mind to just probe her for answers to the questions he wasn't sure he wanted to even ask. What was he supposed to ask her? "How long have you been fucking Revenant? Were you ever gonna tell us or were you trying to toy with us? Does he even have a dick?" He wasn't hurt by the fact that she was seeing someone. Elliott knew she wasn't interested in any of the six of them. She made it very clear her no actually meant no. But Revenant?!

"What's so important you needed to gather all of us?" Crypto had asked. Elliott was tongue-tied. He just had to rip it off like a band-aid, right? That's what they all say, right?

"We need to call the competition off. Leave Gia alone." he managed to say.

"What? Why?" Wraith questioned with genuine confusion.

"She's seeing someone."

"How do you know?" Silva asked.

"I found them together last night."

"Are you sure?" Bloodhound asked and Elliott nodded.

"Very sure."

"Who is it? Another Legend?" Loba wondered. All eyes were on Elliott, waiting for him to spill the beans. Who could've possibly stolen Gia's heart? No one ever saw anyone else fawning over her and no one ever saw her eyes lingering for too long on a certain someone. She treated everyone the same. Perhaps it wasn't another Legend. Did she have a lover that came to surprise her at the party? Did a husband or wife come to cheer her on in the new events?

"It's... It's Revenant, okay!" he spat out and quite literally everyone else had gasped in surprise.

"Are you trying to make some sort of sick joke? Because if you are, I will throttle you!" Loba threatened.

"I'm serious! I found them together last night and she was very clearly naked in his arms."

"I don't believe it!" cried Wraith. There is no way someone as sweet as Gia would ever find companionship in someone like Revenant. It just couldn't be possible.

"Believe what you want but I'm backing out of this dumb competition! I don't want Revenant to snap my neck!" shouted Elliott and he threw his hands up in defeat. With a heavy sigh, he dropped his head to the table in a loud thump. A look of understanding passed from Legend to Legend. Everyone knew Revenant's behavior. He was cold and he was unforgiving. If what Elliott claimed was true, then there's no telling what the simulacrum would do to them if he found out they were all trying to get into her pants.

"What do we say to Gia? She'll know something's up." Silva asked aloud to the group.

"You don't have to say anything." that god damn voice said, making everyone jump in their seat and whip their heads around to peer at Gia timidly idling in the doorway. Her white eyes were glossed over in pity, and that hurt all the more.

"Were you standing there the whole time?" Elliott asked her.

"I heard shouting. I came at the part where you said you found us together last night."

"Oh." was all he said back.

"Listen, guys," she started, moving into the room and closer to them. "I know how much fun you guys were having with this competition thing going on between all of you. And I'm sorry this was how you found out about me and Revenant."

"Have you been seeing him this whole time?" Loba almost seethed.

"Yes." she flat out said. No beating around the bush. "I promise I'm not dating him to spite you, Loba. I started dating him long before I even knew of your history with him. I didn't do this to hurt you. And I'm sorry if it does hurt you." she apologized.

"No one's hurt that you're seeing him." claimed Silva.

"Speak for yourself!" Loba interrupted.

"We're just confused is all, chica."

"Loba, truly I'm very sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry to all of you. I'm sorry if I ever lead any of you on, but I honestly thought I had made it very clear that this was just a game."

"You did. We heard you loud and clear, hermosa. We were just trying to have a little fun with you."

"I know. And I'm sorry if this put a stop to your competition. Believe me when I say I enjoyed the attention. I truly did not intend for any of you to get hurt or upset. If it's Revenant you're hesitant of, I can give you my absolute word he will not harm any of you."

"I guess I just want to know how it happened." said Wraith. Gia attempted a jovial smile in her direction.

"There's so much to me you guys don't even know. So much that even Revenant doesn't know. I know it may seem strange but I promise you that he and I are not very different."

"Does he even.... um.. have a... you know?" Elliott then hesitantly questioned much to everyone else's embarrassment. They all shouted at him in distaste. "Oh come on! I know I'm not the only one who's curious!" he defended himself. Gia took in a deep, shuttering breath.

"Well... um... yes, he does."

"That's just weird. That is so weird." shuttered Silva. "Dios mío, eso es asqueroso. Can we please talk about something else?" he mumbled into his palms.

"Look, to make a long story short, all I can say is I'm sorry. From the absolute bottom of my heart, I am sorry. Regardless of where we all go from here, I just want you to know that you've all made me feel pretty, you've made me feel important, and you've made me feel loved. And I can't ever thank you enough for that. I just hope you all understand that I truly do love you too. Even if it's not the same way that you love me. I truly do love you."

"As long as you're happy." Crypto replied to her. As sad as he was to say it, he meant it for her.

"I am. I really am."

"I guess that's the end of that. It's been a good game, guys." Elliott directed towards the other five. "We're just not what you're looking for, I guess."

"But you're what someone is looking for." she consoled. "Elliot, you are the most handsome man I have ever met in my entire life." Gia confessed to him. To solidify her statement, she pressed a warm kiss to his cheek. Then she turned to the green-haired man beside him. "Silva, my life would be so incredibly boring without you in it." and she pressed a kiss to his cheek as well. "Loba, next time you see me in the arena, I want you to just step on me with those boots." she giggled and kissed her cheek as well. Despite Loba's best efforts, she cracked a real smile. "Bloodhound, you're an incredibly skilled hunter and I wish I could match up to you." Gia tentatively lifted her hands towards his face, waiting to see if he'd stop her from removing his face mask. He didn't. So she lifted the material from his face and pressed a kiss to his cheek as well before putting it back in place. "Crypto, don't ever let anyone underestimate you." a kiss to his cheek. "And of course, Wraith. I meant what I said before; you have a beautiful smile. Show it off some more." a kiss to her cheek. "I love you guys. And I hope you don't think any less of me."

"Of course not." said Bloodhound which made Gia's heart flutter with glee. She bid a final farewell to all of them before making her departure, still unsure if they have forgiven her for her secrets. The room fell quiet for several moments as they all processed what just happened. In the blink of an eye, everything just crumbled. No one was angry. They all still loved Gia. But now things were a little different. The competition was officially off the table now and the six Legends were unsure of where to go from here.

"She totally loves me more." Silva cracked the silence.

"Are you kidding? She kissed me first!"

"She kissed me longer." claimed Bloodhound. And then a full blown argument started between all of them over who Gia had more affection for.

Everything sort of calmed down after Gia had finally come clean. The six Legends that had been following her for months had backed off and everyone took notice of it. Che asked Gia what had happened between all of them and Gia had confessed that she had been seeing someone behind everyone's back. Though she didn't name names. Che wanted details of course but didn't press when Gia refused to give them. Even Pathfinder could sense that there was some tension in the room but, bless his heart, he had no idea how to make everyone feel better. He tried though. "Everything will be okay, friend." he told her and then gave her one of his famous high fives.

It's not like Gia didn't try to mend things with them. She still tried to talk to them but conversations became awkward because no one knew what to say anymore. All the flirting stopped and everyone was too scared to sit too close to her in fear of Revenant's wrath. But she did try. It's just that her efforts went nowhere.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Gia and Revenant were seen together out in public for the very first time. They officially outed themselves as a couple. Everyone was just minding their own business when Gia had appeared, dragging Revenant behind her with her hand interlaced in his. She pulled him into everyone's view and everyone turned to stare at them with wide eyes. She paid them no mind, but Revenant glared at anyone he connected eyes with. She pulled him down to sit with her and he did without complaint. She cuddled into his side and he tossed an arm across her shoulders, allowing her to get as close as possible. Everyone was watching, but it was Elliott, Silva, Loba, Crypto, Bloodhound, and Wraith that seemed to be the most in shock. What had finally changed her mind about keeping their relationship quiet, they didn't know. Everyone was just as confused as they were and those who were aware of the six's admiration for Gia all turned towards them in either pity or curiosity. Yet no one said a word. It felt like all eyes were burning into them. But thank god they all turned away at some point.

Gia proceeded to show Revenant something on her device and they both watched intently. He even scooted her into his lap so he could place his chin on her shoulder and watch. His arms wrapped around her midsection protectively and she cracked a smile. She looked so tiny in his lap.

"I can't watch this." Loba said and stormed off. She still hadn't come to terms with the fact that the woman she desired was in love with the demon she wanted to murder.

"Does anyone else feel nauseous or is it just me?" Wraith asked, turning away from the loving couple.

"No, I feel it too." Elliott confessed.

"Aye."

"It may hurt now, but she is a grown woman who has made her decision and we must respect that. We'll get over it eventually." Bloodhound told the group.

"Just because we respect it doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt, compadre." retorted Silva.

"You think they'll stay together?" Crypto then asked and everyone looked back to Gia still cuddled in Revenant's metallic lap. Elliott watched carefully as every twitch of Revenant's fingers only seemed to hold her closer to his chest. His touched appeared to be gentle and Gia had made herself comfortable in his embrace. She smiled at her device and carefully ran her fingertips along the build of his arms. He must've made some sort of noise because she nudged her cheek against his metal face plating. When he turned to look at her, she looked back and pressed her forehead to his. They both closed their eyes and Elliott assumed that was their version of a kiss considering he didn't have any lips -or even a moveable jaw for that matter. And Elliott could tell that she was genuinely happy.

"Yeah. I think so."

[ootori-sibs]

Night terrors

Day 7 of @ohshc-week : free day

Sorry it's so short

Tw: blood, abuse (implied), drowning,

The Ootori mansion was huge, there were so many rooms, each with their own specific function, Kyoya knew each and every room like the back of his hand. But there was one room that was blocked off from him; a white door, always locked. Kyoya never knew what was behind it, whenever he saw it, it was late at night, no one was around to be asked.

He slowly made his way to the door, a tiny little hand reaching out towards the doorknob. He was only three, but he could protect himself, he was prepared if there

was something scary behind the door.

He wasn't expecting the door to actually open…

There was a tidal wave of red, knocking poor Kyoya to the floor, the taste of iron filled his mouth as he gasped for air. He was lifted from the blood by a white claw clasped around his neck, the fingertips stained red, he was shaking and struggling as he tried to blink the red out of his eyes- he couldn't see his attacker. Kyoya could hear a lullaby being sung, but with a weak, angry, slurred tone. He knew this voice, he hated this voice, but he loved the song…

He was crying now, hot tears streaming down his little baby cheeks, there was a soft cooing now, in that horrible slurred tone. She called him a sweetheart, a dolly, an angel… she kept asking him to tell her he loved her… over and over and over again:

"Come on baby, tell mommy you love her~"

But he couldn't breathe, let alone speak, so he just kept crying. Her grasp loosened as bigger, clumsier hands closed around his head, pulling and tugging at him, he hurt… it hurt him so much. A loud, booming roar kept telling him how useless he was, the spare, the most idiotic of his bloodline- and Kyoya couldn't help but to cry. Then it let go.

Kyoya made a splash in the blood as he fell deeper and deeper, the red bleeding through to a black ink. He couldn't swim, he'd never learnt how to- why should he? His fear of drowning was the only thing keeping him from drowning, and as he gasped for air, he was surprised by the bubbles that made their way down his throat. He heard voices, from people that thought they were better than him, people who forgot he was human…

"That poor woman, a fourth kid? What is wrong with her husband?"

"I couldn't imagine having three boys, no wonder she did what she did."

"That boy gives me the creeps, always staring."

"They're all just like their father, it's almost frightening."

He fell through the ink, landing on his knees. The room was dark, Kyoya couldn't see anything, he could hear noises though, there were people in there with him. They didn't seem to notice he was there, so Kyoya shut his eyes, trying to shut everything out.

He was standing in front of a door, it was locked. Why was it locked? It was in his bedroom after all. He'd been using the main bathroom, since he was forbidden from entering his own- he didn't even know why. Kyoya had figured something out from watching his brother- he now knew how to pick locks. It was midnight and he didn't want to leave his room, so he unlocked the door, hoping no one would be too mad. Pushing the door open, he felt dizzy and upset, shivering in the breeze coming through the open window.

Then he saw it, and he screamed.

The hosts had been having a sleepover, Tamaki had wondered what it would be like to spend a whole night in the club room- so that's what they did. They'd had some food, and now where all fast asleep on their assorted chaise lounges and sleeping bags- until they weren't.

A bloodcurdling scream shot through the room, waking them straight up from their sleep. Haruhi glanced around, noticing how everyone looked just as alarmed as she did; Honey clung to Mori, the twins held each other's hand, looking around in concern, only Tamaki had his eyes on the source of the noise, and his face was one of shock and sadness.

Kyoya had brought a small portable mattress, the softest Haruhi had ever felt, he had three pillows with him and was only covered by a thin purple blanket. But right now, the blanket was thrown halfway across the room, his pillows had fallen from the mattress and Kyoya was threading about, his eyes shut tight, he was still asleep but clearly wasn't having a very good dream if the anguished sobs were anything to go by. All the other hosts were staring at him in shock, they'd never seen him so emotional, yes here he was; asleep and the most distraught they'd ever seen him.

Tamaki quickly hurried over, moving to wake Kyoya, but getting hit right in the chin, he stumbled back, clearly surprised at such a response. "Oh! Well then… someone make coffee! As strong as humanly possible!" The twins had saluted at that, hurrying off to make the coffee as Tamaki paced from side to side. "Hmm… Mori-senpai, could you try and shake him? You're the one best suited to take a hit."

Mori had just nodded once, standing and approaching Kyoya, he knelt down next to him, gently reaching over to shake Kyoya. Of course, Kyoya was flailing, but Mori was smart enough to avoid getting hit, managing to get Kyoya to wake up just as the twins finished making the coffee. Kyoya had sat up with a gasp, he was soaked through with sweat, and sat there with wide eyes, catching his breath. They could all see how his hands were shaking, how his hair hung in front of his face, hiding his eyes as his glasses so often did.

The twins hesitantly came forward with the coffee, placing it near Kyoya and quickly backing away. Kyoya did indeed reach over for the coffee, not even having to look to know it was there, he sipped it, not speaking a single word.

Tamaki creeped forward, quietly speaking, "Kyoya..? How are you feeling..?" All eyes were on Kyoya, all awaiting his answer.

He glanced towards Tamaki, slowly blinking before looking around, eyes landing on them all one by one, "oh. You're all still awake? You should have gone to sleep hours ago." He spoke so matter-of-factly that they couldn't believe it, was he not aware of his own screaming? Did he not realise he had been making noise all through his dream?

"We were asleep, Kyoya," Tamaki was the only one confident enough to explain what had happened to Kyoya, the others were all still shaken by it, "but you were screaming- you must have been having a bad dream…"

"Oh." Kyoya's voice was suddenly flat, he took a breath and downed his coffee in one go, slamming the cup down on the floor, "apologies, I must have forgotten to warn you."

"Warn us???" The twins exclaimed in unison, looking extremely surprised, "were you planning to have a nightmare??"

Kyoya simply rolled his eyes at that, "of course not, it's simply a recurring nightmare, I should have assumed it could happen tonight." He reached out slowly, and put his glasses back on, sighing as he did so.

Haruhi paused, "it must be a bad one to be both reoccurring and enough to send you of all people screaming…" Kyoya seemed to tense up at that, not answering her, she sighed- she'd figured it was bad, "have you considered talking to a professional? Or getting sleep medication?"

Everyone went still at that, looking at Haruhi in shock. She sighed, of course these prissy rich boys would have an issue with simply seeking help, she should have known. But Kyoya, the one with family in the medical field, shakes his head, "oh no, if I seek medical help with anything then I'd have to ask father for permission, and only Fiyumi is aware of my- achem, nightmares." Of course, Kyoya would rather die than admit weakness- typical.

Tamaki was hugging Kyoya now, as Mori went to grab the blanket that had been tossed across the room. "Do you want to talk about your nightmare, Kyoya?"

"No thank you."

"Hm, alright, just know we're here for you, alright?" Tamaki smiles, holding Kyoya close, and when Mori drops the blanket on him, Tamaki helps wrap said blanket around Kyoya, "we care about you."

The other boys sat around, Mori made some nice hot tea for everyone, even getting some biscuits for them all. The twins came up with the great idea to tell funny stories, so they all sat in a circle, happily telling stories about when they were little. Kyoya, as expected, didn't have any funny stories- that the hosts found funny at least; no one was exactly keen to point out that being locked in a closet by your brothers isn't exactly funny… but stories or not, Kyoya clearly enjoyed hearing the others talking happily. It made them happy to be cheering their friend up from something that clearly troubled him deeply.

They talked, and talked into the early hours of the morning. Kyoya had ended up falling back to sleep fairly early on, leaning on Tamaki with the blanket wrapped around him gently, it was clear that the dream he had this time was at least a better one, he barely moved for the rest of the night. The others made sure that they spoke quieter when they'd noticed he was asleep, at least giving him that much respect.

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “G-lock.”

Forgive me my hands are very stiff today, and it made typing really hard for some reason. So I hope you still like it :) 

“Commande, we have contact with supporting GA ships just appeared form warp, what do you need us to do?”

Commander Vir Spun in his spot eyes flying across the open field of battle. Burg ships were slowly descending from the right headed straight towards the Gromm homeworld, and with the Nexus down, they were sure to cause devastation. He could already see swarms of aircraft dropping form the bellies of their great spiked ships and down towards the surface of the planet.

“We have to get fighter’s down there immediately.” he determined, “The Gromm are out there like sitting ducks, and after their planet was hit by the disease not more than a year ago, they can’t take another hit like this to their population.” 

“Commander, we have GA on the comms saying they have shields for us, ready to install.”

The commander was quiet for a moment staring out towards the unfolding chaos, a chaos that should have been noisy, but was now taking place in absolute silence.

He spun again now to face the lieutenant, “Lieutenant! Can you fly this ship?” 

The woman stammered and then after a moment nodded, “yes commander, why.”

He ignored the question, “Than take the chair.”

“But, Commander.”

“I said take the chair, that was not a question it was an order. Make contact with the GA scientists and get those shields up as soon as humanly possible, sooner than humanly possible if we can manage it. Order all reserve pilots down planetside immediately, but reserve me a darkfire and tell the crew I will be down in ten.” The lieutenant stifled her protests, and took the chairt. The commander jabbed a finger at the recruits, “McCaster, you’re with me.”

The recruit looked around in confused disbelief, but was pushed from his seat in confusion.

The commander marched past the control modules, and a hand reached out catching him by the arm. He paused in place looking down at the blue Drev and her piercing golden eyes locking green to gold. There was silence for a quick moment before, “Don’t die.” She said simply 

A rare smile for that day, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She let him go unwilling to hold him up any longer, and with that, the two of them raced from the bridge and down towards the docking bay.

Recruit McCaster was huffing and puffing by the time they reached their destination not entirely sure how the Commander managed to do the same running in heelies.

As they ran in, a crew was waiting for them by the only F-90 darkfire still left on the ship, and with them they carried all the flight gear them might need.

Commander Vir kicked off his shoes without even bothering to untie them.

“You're copiloting with me.” The man began, Stropping off his shirt and throwing that after the shoes as well.”

McCaster followed suit scrambling to get into the flight uniform right there on the launch deck, with the help of at least five other people.

Commander Vir wriggled into the olive drab flight suit pulling the helmet on with the oxygen mask hanging open.

He could hardly believe what was happening, “But sir.”

“Shut up and listen, recruit. The Gromm don’t have the population for this right now. Someone needs to get down there and they need to slow down any and all bombing attempts on populated areas. I can’t get the ship in that close without landing her, which is the last thing I want to do. I know my lieutenant can pilot the ship now that we have shields, but there is only one person I trust to dogfight, and that’s me. So can you copilot with me, or do I have to go solo.” 

“No, sir.” McCaster stammered, pulling on his helmet.

“Good.” 

Commander Vir slipped on his shoes last, and together they ran up to the opening cockpit climbing up the ladder and sliding into the seats, Commander Vir in front and McCaster in back trusting that the crew had already looked over the outside of the craft to make sure it was functioning.

McCaster couldn’t believe he was here, with the Commander inside one of the UNSCs most expensive fighter jets. He may as well have won the lottery. The man was a flight school legend, and anyone who could do what he did with a ship like that….. Well he could only imagine what he could do with a jet.

He felt the engines turn on below him slowly accelerating. He knew they would be the jet engines over the fusion engine, since it would be too powerful to start on the ship.

“Harbinger, this is Alpha 1 clear for takeoff.”

“Copy that Alpha one rotating to airlock, hold steady.”

He felt the floor below them begin to move, and his breath came in ragged gasps inside his mask even as cool oxygen flowed over his face. Up ahead the Commander was readying the jet for takeoff, hands flying over the controls. He could hear it, even though he couldn’t really see it.

Red lights flashed outside the cockpit as the airlock doors closed.

And all at once, they were plunged into complete and utter silence all except for his own breathing, and the occasional voice of the commander as he contacted Harbinger flight control.

“Don’t piss yourself recruit. I am going to be flying this bucket of bolts in combat condition, so it's your job to monitor lock, enemy targets, and communicate with flight control from here on out. It's my job to fly and shoot. You got that?”

“Yes sir, loud and clear, sir.”

“Good, Now hold on to your helmet.”

The commander was not kidding, and he almost lost track of himself as the jet rocketed form the opening and into the vastness of space. He groaned in pain as the weight on his chest pressed down for the first few moments, coming out of it just as the commander engaged the fusion core.

He almost blacked out for a second time as the man pushed acceleration to the edges of human capabilities without blowing their eyes from their sockets.

The man barely seemed to notice the space debris that floated around them zipping easily in between charred pieces of metal floating through space. An one of those pieces could have been the death of them, but the commander didn’t seem to notice or care.

He quickly took the moment to remember his job, jumping on the flight tracker trying to find where the Burg drones congregated most heavily. Not to his surprise they found it over the most populated city in the planet.

Jets were already whizzing through each other causing explosions to erupt in the atmosphere like little sparks cast from a fire.

“Adjust course 20 degrees and five down, commander.”

“Copy.” The jets engines pulsed once, changing their course and sending them hurtling across the intervening space.

“Commander, Commander, suggest angled entry.” McCaster said nervously

“No McCaster, we’re going to try something a little bit different.”

He wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that as the planet grew up in their vision. Behind them the harbinger pulsed with a strange purple blue glow distinctly alien in nature, though now she wasn’t much more than a speck rising to meet a line of burg ship who had appeared form warp not moment before to face off against the incoming GA fleet.

The planet was a blue brown orb in their vision now.

The commander bypassed LEO and headed straight downwards.

McCaster felt his stomach drop as little tongues of flame began licking up  at the edges of their wings as friction in the atmosphere began roaring up around them.

“Commander.” he began nervously.

The commander didn’t hear him, and the fire grew up around them even further.

“Commander.”

The jet was shaking fit to erupt into a million tiny pieces. It seemed as if they were about to explode. Then and only then did the commander reverse the engines and slow their fall. Though the weight of gravity now tugged him against his harness suspending him straight perpendicular to the ground.

He watched the distant earth rising up to meet them.

Little red explosions were growing larger and larger in his vision.

And then the commander Cut the fusion engines.

The whirring thrum of the equipment keeping them in the sky cut to a stop, and he couldn’t help but scream as they began to freefall wildly towards the ground. Or at least that is what it looked like. If he had been thinking he would have realised if they were in a wild freefall they would be going down heavy end first, though their nose remained towards the ground as the Commander adjusted the wings minutely to keep them on track as they gained momentum speeding through the atmosphere.

The burg targeting systems were locked primarily to the output of energy, and since their engines were off there would be no energy output other than that of engine falloff which was nothing compared to the other jets roaring around beneath them.

They were coming in for a surprise.

***

A burg drone pilot, safe in his chair back on the burg command ship had locked on to one of the puny human flight vessels. It was shaped like an arrow, a pointy nose at the front and two wings towards the back. They were fast, but he had been pleased to learn that they were manned. If he could manage this he would surely be rewarded for killing one of those horrible humans. 

He locked onto his target despite the best efforts of the human inside. The squishy pumping heart of the jet’s metallic interior.

He clicked his pincers in pleasure.

And then his feed was cut.

He screeched in anger, not sure what had happened until warning lights popped up on his screen.

He had been shot down? From where there were no other jets in the area.

*** Lt holland, was out of flares. The burg ship was fast at his heels and the constant beeping inside his cockpit reminded him incessantly of the lock he was trying to get out of. The burg could fire at any moment and there would be nothing he could do. Behind him, his copilot was twisted to look out the back of the canopy.

“He’s closing fast.”

“I know.”

“He’s getting ready to fire.”

“I know!”

And then the burg ship erupted into an explosion of fiery debris and black metal.

“Holy shit.” His copilot watched in awe as the F-90 darkfire came roaring from the sky, firing its engines at the last second and pulling up from a dive that should have been suicidal. It cut right and down falling into formation just above their left wing.

“Unknown pilot, this is Alpha 1.”

Lt. Holland laughed in astonished relief, “Cutting it a bit close there commander.”

“Don’t worry, you can that me later.” The man responded, 

***

Recruit McCaster had definitely passed out. 

Commander Vir had taken them out of that dive at 9gs .

He had managed up until about the ninth g mark, and then his breathing and his flight technique had faltered. He experienced G lock collapsing against his harness head rolling forward until they came out of the dive seconds later.

“Stop sleeping dammit!” The commander yelled, “Pull yourself together.”

He did as told still lightly groggy and confused.

The commander pulled a hard right dodging past an incoming burg drone aiming to follow the Kamekazi rout. They took a hard turn, nearly causing him to pass out again as they rounded on the tail of the burg drone.

It didn’t take more than a moment for the commander to attain lock and make the shot.

The burg drone erupted into a ball of fire.

They doubled back after that hooking up with a group of pilots and flying in formation towards the epicenter of the attack.

They saw at least one of their own planes explode as it rammed straight into a burg ship. The commander swore violently pulling their jet to the side and down as debris erupted around them. Missiles and bullets flew. Explosions rocked them left and right.

It was all he could do to hold on as the commander piloted the darkfire like brigades of angels were lifting their wings.

Fire erupted below them in the city as the gromm citizens dived for cover. 

A larger, slower burg ship was dropping ordinance from above the city, surrounded by a swarm of fighter drones. Every time they tried to get close, they would be chased away, and every moment it grew closer and closer to the central populated area of the city.

The commander set his sites on those targets as McCaster kept in radio contact with the other pilots feeding the commander real time information as it was going.

“We’ve got a tail!”

“Understood.”

Behind them, A burg ship had dropped into follow, but the commander didn’t seem to be doing anything about it 

“Commander!”

Up ahead two of the burg drones had fallen into formation and were heading straight for them in order to protect their bomber.

“Commander.”

The beeping started up inside the cockpit as the burg attained lock. Ahead of them the drones were buzzing forward heading straight for them.

McCaster screamed in surprise and shock.

Behind them the burg ship fired. The two drones plowed directly towards them, and the commander pulled his move rotating them one hundred and eighty degrees parallel to the ground and firing the flairs. McCaster watched in shock and surprise as both of the burg ships cut below their wings, not inches away erupting into balls of fire as the flairs, usually not meant for attacks, exploded around them, only to be torn apart moments later by the burg’s own missiles.

The explosion was so violent, it rocked them forward sending them into an over-nose jackknifing spin through the air.

McCaster didn’t know which way was down or up.

The earth and the sky spun all around him training the space with each other moment by moment.

He thought they were going to crash, but at the last second, the commander pulled them out of their wild spin, rolled belly up, and fired another round Cutting directly under the burg bomber just in time to send their missile into the open engine block.

The explosion was tremendous practically vaporizing the entire ship and sending little  flakes of metal raining down in all directions.

It wasn’t ideal but at least it was better than the alternative.

McCaster didn’t even know why the commander had bothered to bring him along. The guy was way out of his league, and he could barely remain conscious enough to be useful.

They hadn’t been lying in the academy when they said the man could fly.

In fact, they had been downplaying it.

It just remained to be seen whether the commander’s flight ability would be enough.

Or would the burg still win. 

[tragiceyes]

The Importance of Being Honest

Note: Because of course I had to write a quarantine Jaydick fic. And it’s a little too dialogue-heavy to be a good fic, but I still had a lot of fun writing it!

Summary: Fourteen days Jason and Dick have to stay in quarantine together. Fourteen days until he kicks Dick to the curb forevermore. Jason’s counting down. Link to ao3 --> https://archiveofourown.org/works/23598802 (read it there, better formatting)

14.

Fourteen days left. Jason was counting his lucky stars they’d gotten stuck at one of his more robust safe houses. Half his places in the City were one-room, bare bones bunkers, with enough food and clothing for a couple days tops.

Conversely, they were trapped at his place in the Bowery, which, for all intents and purposes, had the form and function of a normal apartment. Fully stocked cabinets, a comfy couch and plenty of books to pass the time.

That is, if one could concentrate on reading.

Dick let out a long-suffering sigh. His tenth in the past five minutes.

“Christ, Dick, can you please shut up? I’m trying to concentrate here.”

“I’m bored, Jason,” Dick complained, “if you had more interesting things to do in your apartment-“

“-there are literally two shelves full of books right behind you-”

“I don’t feel like reading.”

Honestly, Dick was such a child.

“I don’t care what you feel like, find some way to entertain yourself,” Jason snapped at him, “or get out of my sight.”

Dick fell silent. He was the type of person who’d prefer silent company over lonely exile, Jason considered.

Jason returned to his book.

For a moment.

Dick stood on his hands and began tottering around upside down.

Jason let out a sigh of his own.

13.

Monday morning. Jason had the same breakfast every day: six eggs and six strips of bacon. After pointedly ignoring Dick’s request for cereal, Jason was making enough for both of them.

Dick was making coffee.

“You don’t have any cereal? Not even Cheerios?”

“No, Dick. I don’t like to start my day eating a bowlful of sugar, and neither should you.”

Dick rolled his eyes, “Okay, grease monster.”

“Dick, this is a protein-rich breakfast. I burn through at least half it before lunch with my workout routine.”

“Yes, you have very nice abs, Jason. We’re all very proud.”

“How long do you think the energy from that cereal’s gonna last you? One or two girly cartwheels?”

“I’m an acrobat. I don’t want to be built like a tank.”

“Yeah, I can see you prefer to be built more like a ballerina.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jason.”

Jason sauntered over and dropped a plate in front of him. He grabbed Dick’s hand and slid it under his shirt, “Feel that, Dickie-bird? Try punching through that and you’d break your feminine wrist.”

“Impressive,” Dick concerned with a smirk, “or, it would be, if I hadn’t still beaten you in hand-to-hand combat countless times.”

“What you do isn’t hand-to-hand combat, Dick. It’s more like a rousing game of ’dodge-the-fist.’”

“Whatever, Jason.” Dick withdrew his hand, but not before purposefully yanking a little on the hair beneath Jason’s belly button.

He wasn’t above being petty.

12.

Dick was a slob!

He was leaving his clothes everywhere, like a trail Jason could follow to find him.

It had only been two days. How had he made such a mess?

He stomped into the bedroom, where Dick was sitting on the floor, video-chatting Wally West.

“Pick up your shit, Dick!” Jason yelled, tossing the clothes at him, “This is my fucking apartment, have the decency to clean up after yourself!”

Dick hung up the phone, and removed the dirty shirt in his lap, “God! I’m sorry! You could just fucking ask-“

“You’re a fucking adult, Dick! I shouldn’t have to ask you to clean up after yourself!”

“-and I would have-“

“It’s not a fucking circus in here!” Jason stormed into the other room, having no further escape, “fucking trailer park circus boy!”

He instantly regretted that. Wasn’t like he hadn’t grown up poor himself. Dick’s trailer was no more shameful than his parents’ dilapidated apartment.

Or the occasional cardboard box.

He felt sorry. He hoped Dick hadn’t heard.

11.

“Jason, can I borrow something else to wear?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve been wearing the same thing for the past three days. Can I borrow something of yours?”

“Oh, yeah. Go for it.”

Dick emerged from the bedroom in a pair of jeans he’d cuffed at least six times (they still dragged on the floor) and a t-shirt emblazoned with the Red Hood logo.

Jason liked it, though he couldn’t say why.

10.

Dick was lounging on his couch watching television, taking up as much space as humanly possible.

Jason ambled over, shirtless and still a little sweaty after his at-home workout.

“Whatcha watching?”

“Love is Blind.”

He snorted, “Seriously?”

“Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.”

“Sit up and move over, then.”

To his surprise, Dick moved over to make room for him.

They sat in silence for a couple minutes.

“I can’t believe you watch this crap. Honestly, Dickie, do you have no shame?”

“It’s not as bad as you make it out to be."

“Nothing about this is even remotely real.”

“Sometimes it’s real. And they really fall in love.”

Jason laughed heartily at that, “You’re kidding, right?”

Dick ignored him.

“Love at first sight? On reality tv?” Jason mocked him, “You do know people don’t really believe in that shit, don’t you?”

“They want to believe it.” Dick said simply.

9.

Jason had just brushed his teeth and was getting ready for bed.

Dick was lying back on the couch, a hot towel over his eyes.

“You alright there, bird brain?”

“Fine.”

“What’s with the towel-blindfold?”

“My eyes get really dry at night. Hot towels help a little bit.”

Jason bit down on his smirk, “Hmph.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just, I guess Mr. Perfect is mortal like the rest of us.”

Dick pulled the towel off his eyes to glare at him, “I’m not perfect, Jason. You’re just insecure.”

Jason raised his eyebrows, taken aback, “Well, tell me how you really feel.”

“I’m sick of you saying shit like that. You’ve been snarking at me since you were a kid. And I’m sick of everyone else saying shit like that, too. I never claimed to be fucking perfect, so it’s not my fault when people have ridiculous expectations of me that I can’t live up to.”

“Relax, Dickface, I’m sorry. Didn’t realize it was such a sore subject.”

Dick’s face fell a bit, “Well, it is. You all expect a lot from me, and I can’t always be what you want me to be.”

He put the towel back over his face.

8.

Dick was in his bed.

Dick was in his bed.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jason demanded.

Dick looked up at him, “I think we should trade tonight. I’ve been sleeping on the couch for almost a week.”

“Yeah, and you’ll be sleeping there for another week. Beat it!”

Dick didn’t budget, “Come on, Jason. It’s uncomfortable. It’s too cramped and my back hurts in the morning.”

“You know what isn’t too cramped? The floor. Try that.”

Dick snuggled into his pillow, the bastard.

“Dick.”

Dick ignored him.

“DICK!”

“Just for tonight.” Dick said it like he was bargaining, but it was clear he wasn’t going to move.

“Dick, you’re 5’10-“

“5’11!”

“-I’m 6’3. I need more space than you. Physically.”

“We can share, if you want.”

Jason glared at him, “You want me to come over there and move you myself?”

Dick didn’t even glance his way, “Try it.”

Jason stomped over to the bed and grabbed Dick’s ankle. Dick slithered out his grip. Jason lunged for him, and they wrestled on the bed together. He had the weight advantage, but Dick could be as slippery as a snake.

Jason moved to crush him, but Dick wrapped his legs around Jason’s waist and flipped them over. He seated himself right on Jason’s stomach, and grabbed both his wrists, bearing down so they were face to face.

He smirked, “Pinned ya.”

Jason’s face was red and his stomach felt funny.

Dick curled up tight like a child, far away from him, his head resting on Jason’s favorite pillow.

“This is a one-time thing.” Jason said aloud to himself.

Dick was already asleep.

7.

“You’re smiling.”

Jason looked up from his book, “What?”

“You’re smiling at your book.”

Jason stared at him.

“Did something funny happen?”

“No…I, uh…I just like this line.” Jason mumbled to himself, “In The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Dick waited patiently. Jason swallowed.

“When Jack leaves, Gwendolen says ‘If you are not too long, I will wait for you all my life,’” Jason reads the line, biting down on his smile, “I always liked that line. It’s a good line.”

“It is a good line.”

Jason nodded at him awkwardly and continued to read.

“That’s cute.”

Jason snapped his head up so quickly, he cricked his neck, “What did you say?”

“It’s sweet,” Dick was smiling at him now, “that a line in a book makes you smile like that. I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Jason.”

Jason bit back the denial on the tip of his tongue. He returned to his book, feeling the heat of Dick’s gaze warm his cheeks.

6.

The next morning, Jason was greeted with an unusual, though not totally unwelcome, sight.

Dick was contorted on the floor, ass up in the air and knees boxed around his ears.

What the fuck.

“Karnapidasana.”

“Gesundheit.”

Dick let out a soft chuckle, “I’m doing yoga.”

He gestured flimsily to Jason’s laptop, which was open to a YouTube video on advanced yoga practice.

“Sorry I borrowed your computer without asking. Hope you don’t mind.”

Jason’s mouth was a little dry.

“Not at all.”

Dick breathed in time with the practice, “You’re free to join me.”

“Thanks, but…pretty sure I can’t do anything resembling that.”

Dick slowly untangled himself, “We can do a beginner’s class. Give it a try, it’ll do wonders for your state of mind.”

Jason considered snapping back that his state of mind was perfectly fine for someone who’d watched his mother die, lived on the streets, been beaten to death, resurrected, and replaced, but instead he just said:

“Okay.”

5.

Dick was singing a soft tune in a language Jason didn’t know.

Strange. The Bat had trained them in all the same languages, or so he had assumed.

He wanted to complain, but true to form, Dick had a nice voice, and Jason had been about to take a nap anyway.

He closed his eyes and let Dick’s gentle voice wash over him:

“Nane man dajori,

ňi kalo dadoro, ačhiľom korkoro

sar čhindo kaštoro.”

4.

Dick was scrolling through the channels when he noticed Jason rummaging around in the cabinets.

“What are you doing?”

“Just looking for some yeast?”

“Yeast?”

“Yeah, I was gonna bake a loaf of bread to go with dinner.”

Bake bread from scratch? Jason was clearly a more sophisticated cook than Dick had realized.

“I didn’t know you could bake bread from scratch.”

“I can do a lot of things.”

“Will you show me?”

Jason looked over at him, surprised.

“Uh, yeah. Sure.”

Kneading was fun. Dick wasn’t doing it right.

“Not like that! You’re going to tear it.” Jason admonished him.

Dough was stuck to Dick’s hands. He tried to push it back into the mound.

“No, look. Like this.” Jason moved behind him, taking Dick’s hands in his own and guiding them rhythmically.

Push. Turn. Push. Turn. Flip. Push. Turn.

“Better. Keep doing that.” Jason let him go and turned to switch on the oven.

He liked the feeling of his hands on Dick’s.

3.

“Let’s play a game!”

“No.”

“Come on, Jason. It’s not like you have anything better to do.”

“Well, I’d rather do nothing.”

“Come on. A drinking game. Let’s drink the rest of your stash and play a game.”

Jason rolled his eyes, knowing he was going to give in. After all, it wasn’t like he had anything better to do.

“Fine. Go get my whiskey.”

Dick grinned triumphantly and made his way to the kitchen, returning with the bottle and two glass tumblers. He sat on the floor and patting the space across from him for Jason.

“What, we can’t use chairs like civilized people?”

“Come on. It’s more fun this way.”

Jason made his way to the floor, taking a pillow with him. He took the bottle from Dick’s hand and poured a finger into each glass, “What are we playing?”

“Truth or Dare.”

“How very high school of you.”

“You can go first.”

“Fine. Truth.”

“Who’s your favorite Robin?”

“I hate all of you equally.”

“Liar.”

“Fine. Stephanie, then.”

“Good choice. How come?”

“Because fuck the Replacement-”

“Jason-“

“And I don’t like the demon child.”

“He’s not a demon child.”

“-but you knew exactly who I was talking about…”

That surprised a laugh out of Dick. Jason was surprised. Usually, Dickie-bird was much more sensitive about his little demon friend.

“What about me then?” He asked with a self-satisfied grin.

“You’re in second place.”

“All right!”

“It’s a distant second.”

“Fair enough.”

Dick was still grinning at him with a funny look it his eye. It was making Jason feel exposed. He took a swig from his glass.

“Your turn.”

“Truth.”

“Same question.”

“Oh, I love all of you equally.” What a sap.

“That’s a cop-out.”

“But it’s true!”

“No, it’s not. Your favorite is Demon Boy, followed by Replacement, followed by Steph, followed, in a distant fourth, by me.”

“That’s not true, Jason!”

“Yes, it is.”

“You were a great Robin-“

"Yeah, okay."

"I mean it!"

“Well, you didn’t exactly think so at the time I took the job.”

Dick’s face fell. Jason hated himself for hating himself for doing that.

“That was…complicated. And it wasn’t about you.”

“Whatever. I want a dare this time.”

“I dare you to lick the floor.”

“What the fuck, Dick!”

“What? These floors are immaculate.”

“They aren’t, not since you’ve been here.”

“Are you really going to chicken out this early, Jason?”

“You are fucking deranged.” Jason said authoritatively. But he bent down and licked the floor anyway.

“Ew!”

“Fuck you, Dick.”

Several drinks and rounds into the game, and things were starting to get a little hazy.

“Your turn.” Dick slurred, flat on his back.

“Truth.”

“Coward.”

“Last time you made me dump ice cubes down my pants, and my nuts are still numb. I’m not taking any more chances.”

“Who was the first person you ever liked? Like like liked.”

Jason wanted to mock his language, but he was suddenly feeling a little warm, “Pass.”

“You can’t.”

“I’ll take a dare, then. Go ahead and make me drink from the toilet or something.”

Dick snickered at that, “No, you have to answer. That’s the law according to the rules.”

“You don’t need to know.”

“I really need to know now, cons-slithering…condisering...considering how much you don’t wanna tell  me.”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“I won’t laugh at you, lil’ wing…”

“What a fucking liar.”

Dick cackled. “Fine, maybe I will then.”

“I’m not telling.”

“You have to,”

“No.”

“Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaassseeee?”

“Fuck no.”

“Please, please, please, please." Dick chanted. "Please!”

“GOD! Shut up! It was you, okay! Fuck!”

Dick’s jaw dropped, his eye wide. He looked like a fish. Jason decided to tell him so.

“You look like…you fucking fish. You look like a fucking fish.” He took a defiant swig of whiskey straight from the bottle.

“You like fish then. Fish fucker!”

Jason couldn’t stop a laugh for bubbling up, but being mid sip causing a bit of whiskey to go up his nose. It burned like hell!

“Fuck! You! You just made whiskey go up my nose!”

Dick was laughing hysterically, unsympathetic as can be.

“Fuck, that burns.” Jason coughed loudly, “God, I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” Dick was teasing him now, and Jason couldn’t stand it. His face was reddening and he was glad to have to whiskey as an excuse.

“Get over yourself.”

“You really liked me?”

“Yeah, I really did. Which made you hating me fffffff-fucking hurtful." Jason continued thickly. The alcohol was really loosening his tongue now, and this could only end badly, "You hurt my fucking feelings, you know.”

“Jason,” Dick was crawling over to him now. Jason began scooting away, “Jason, I’m sorry.”

“Get away!”

“I want a hug!”

“No! Get back!”

But Dick was relentless. To Jason’s clear horror, he climbed up on his lap and threw his arms around Jason’s neck and pressed his face into Jason’s shoulder.

“God!” Jason yelled. He would never forgive himself if he went hard, “Damn you! Get the fuck off me!”

“Stop moving and just hug me!” As though Dick wasn’t the one squirming on top of him, absolutely clueless as to the effect it was having on him.

Jason groaned miserably. What had he done to deserve such torture?

“Get. Off.”

Dick squeezed him a little harder before relenting unhappily, “Fine.”

He crawled away on all fours, until Jason, emboldened further by the alcohol, raised a hand and brought it down as hard as he could against Dick’s ass.

SMACK!

“OW! Fuck, Jason!” Dick cried indignantly.

Jason was cackling madly at the look of disbelief on his face, “Ha! That’s what you get!”

“That hurt!” Dick dragged himself to safety, far from Jason’s reach, “Jesus Christ.”

He knocked over the bottle of whiskey on his way. Fortunately, it was empty.

Empty!

“I guess the games over then…” Jason slurred, “which is….imma go to bed then…”

Jason stumbled to his feet, slowly and clumsily making his way to the bedroom, and collapsed face first into the pillows.

Dick wasn’t far behind.

Jason flipped to his side with a moan, only to be confronted with Dick shuffling himself into a little spoon position.

“No, Dick!”

“Cuddle me!”

“No! Get back on your…that side.”

“Jason!”

“No.”

“You know you want to.”

“I’ll kick you off.”

“Is it because you have a boner? It doesn’t bother m-UNF!”

Jason had just shoved a pillow in his face to smother him. He held it down with all his might, but Dick’s fist flew out and hit him on the shoulder. He loosened his grip for a moment, but that was all it took for Dick to get free and mount an attack. He gripped the pillow underneath his head and whacked Jason as hard as he could.

Jason pushed his face down with one big hand.

Dick kicked him in the stomach.

Jason grabbed his ankle and started tickling his foot.

Dick screamed in spite of himself and used his other foot to kick Jason in the chest.

Jason grabbed his other ankle and forced them to either side of his body.

Dick grabbed him between his legs and began to squeeze.

Jason threw himself down to crush him under his weight.

Dick squirmed to the side and used Jason’s momentum to flip them over.

“Ha!” He cried in triumph, hands on Jason’s shoulders. From where he was seated, there was no mistaking Jason’s arousal. Dick was impressed. After all those drinks you’d think he-

“AH!” He cried as Jason suddenly forced himself up, dislodging Dick from his crotch. Jason pressed his advantage, crushing Dick beneath him, hands gripping his thighs, chests pressed together, his face inches from Dick’s.

Dick’s eyes were wide, his face was pink, his lips were parted. Jason wanted to devour him.

Dick looked like he was about to speak. Jason could think of no other way to silence him.

He crashed his lips against Dick's.

Then they were kissing and moving aggressively, hands wandering, rolling around on the bed. Jason ground into Dick and Dick let out a moan that he knew would follow him in his dreams. Dick was tugging at his shirt, Jason was fumbling with his own pants, he was so tangled up in Dick he could hardly tell who was who, but he never wanted to be separate again, from now on he always wanted to be this close to Dick.

They were rolling, pushing, squeezing, and Jason’s head was pounding, but he was seeing and touching parts of Dick he’d never imagined, and Dick was touching him too.

They came apart together, and when it was over Jason, pressed closely to Dick, slept better than he had in years.

2.

He woke up as if in a strange dream.

He was naked

Someone was next to him.

That someone was Dick.

His nose was in Dick’s hair.

He arm was clutching Dick’s waist.

Dick was naked too.

Dick. Naked!

And he was still asleep.

Jason shamefully snuck a peek at him.

He was all warm, golden skin.

Angular, perfect face.

Long, slim neck.

Strong, lean back.

Faded scars.

Round, plush ass.

Strong thighs.

Jason could lean in and stay pressed up against him all day long.

Instead he went to make some coffee.

As he prepared the first cup to Dick's liking, he heard a soft shuffle.

Dick was there.

He hadn’t bothered getting dressed.

God bless him.

"Hi."

"Hi."

1.

“You know what this means?”

“What?”

“You cheated.”

“…what?”

“During the game. You said Steph was your favorite Robin,” Dick was grinning at him now, all teeth. Smug as can be, “That wasn’t the truth.”

Jason walked toward him, stopping only when they were inches apart. Smirking triumphantly when Dick had to look up at him.

He wanted to taste that grin.

Dick opened his mouth again, “You-mmmmm”

Jason had finally found a way to shut him up.

They spent the day together.

0.

They’d made it fourteen days. Dick was free to go.

But Jason didn’t want him to, and Dick didn’t offer.

What Jason did want to do was finally get to a grocery store. He had a nice dinner in mind, and needed some ingredients.

“I’m heading out!” He called, but Dick appeared, fully dressed in athletic gear.

“I thought I’d get some fresh air too. Going for a run.”

“See you back here later?”

Dick grinned, “If you’re not too long-“

“Don’t even think about it.”

“-I will wait for you all my life.”

Jason, refusing to dignify that with an answer, made his way out the door.

“Don’t pretend you’re indifferent to me!” Dick called after him.

Jason turned back with a grin, “Even before I met you, I was far from indifferent to you.”

Dick smiled, “Oh, Jason. That was so sweet. Did you just make that up?”

Jason’s grin froze on his face. He stared at Dick. Dick stared blankly back.

“Fucking dumbass!” Jason stomped off, not even trying to keep the amused smile off his face.

“Jason, wait!” Dick laughed, chasing him, “What do you mean? Jason!”

-the end-

[hecohansen31]

Hi ! If you still do requests can you do xavier x reader where the reader was his friend or best friend before he died at camp redwood and they come to the camp to pay respects but somehow find out he’s a ghost and the readers really sad for him because he’s stuck there forever and he comforts them but also the reader keeps going back there to hang out with him ? If so then thank you xx

(A/N): Hello there, lovely!

I keep this extremely platonic, because you said friend/best friend, but if you ever want to see something more romantic, as soon as I get better I might try to work onto a Latin Nerd! Reader and Xavier, if anyone is interested!

Plus I tried to keep the gender of the reader neutral, let me know if I sucked at it or I mgiht try again or any other suggestion!

Have fun reading and thank you for requesting, I honestly love writing for Xavier!

WARNINGS: Death, Loss, Grieving, Mention of Sexual Trauma (Xavier’s Tape) and Druge Abuse, Slight Description of Murder!

Your best friend was an asshole.

But he was your asshole.

And when you had heard that he had lost his life in the Camp Redwood’s massacre your heart had stopped beating for one minute, before the glass of milk you had in your right hand escaped your hold and crashed to the ground.

At first you had thought it was a simple mistake and only when your roommate had cradled you in her arms, you had realized that he was truly gone and had screamed till your lungs had given out and exhaustion has passed over you.

You and Xavier were a rather unlikely friendship: you were the normal teen who had gone through high school being unnoticed, coming from a normal family.

You had met Xavier at an aerobic class, you had taken in college to meet other people.

Xavier was the popular guy, cooler than anybody, although he had a rather sordid past, which he had once confessed you about over too many beers and almost getting recognized from a guy at a party for his “tape”.

Your usually outgoing friend had paled and you had practically fought off the guy, after you had tried to hug your friend, and he had pushed you away, convinced that you hated him now that you knew all the truth and for the following days he had done nothing more than trying to convince you that you shouldn’t stick with him, anymore.

“I was a druggie, (Y/N)” he had mumbled, meanwhile you put all your aerobic things in your backpack, after your class.

“… Xavier you are not anymore and that is what matters” you had replied in your most sincere tone, not caring for anything but your friend being healthy and comfortable around you.

“I shot gay porn, (Y/N)” he had exclaimed once you were over at your house, since your roommate was gone and you were too scared to be alone at home, so you had invited him over, in order to have some take out and watch maybe some horror movies, since he liked so much “… and I am not even gay”.

“Xavier shut up and pass the pop-corn” and then you had heard him sniffling behind you, and when you had turned around to face him, you had found him crying with watery eyes and immediately you had moved from a sarcastic tone to a more comforting “… do you seriously think that I would judge you for something so stupid?”

“Well… everybody else would” he cowered a bit and you brought him in a sudden hug, trying to decide whether or not to tighten your grip onto him or not, whether it would scare him off or not.

But it was Xavier who gripped back into your welcoming hands.

“… I am not everybody else, Xavier” you had replied, meanwhile he had loaded his entire tears in your pretty pajama, but you hadn’t minded “… I am your best friend”.

“I know that…” he had mumbled, once he had realized you weren’t running already “… but I am a mess”.

“Well then…” you had pushed back a bit from the hug, seeing true fear in his eyes “… hi ‘I am a mess’, I am (Y/N)”.

That had gained you an elbow to your stomach, but it was worth it, just to see Xavier laugh himself silly.

Slowly you had broken apart, you hadn’t known what why and how, with certainty, probably the fact that with you both starting to work in different areas, you had found yourself around different type of people, although you would always find some time for each other, in your “busy” schedule.

That summer at Camp Redwood, you hadn’t thought it would end up so bloody and badly, although you had felt bad leaving your best friend go there alone, but you had had some work issues, which might bring you the promotion you had been aching for, since you had started your job.

“I’ll send you postcards” had smirked Xavier the day before he left for Camp Redwood, meanwhile you had just smacked his ass and told him not to get in trouble with the underage ladies.

“I am not going to be there to bail your ass out” you had promised him, before kissing his cheek goodbye and waving till his famous ‘vanta-c’ had disappeared from your sight.

Now, at his funeral, you hadn’t been able to fathom the fact that your last words to him had been that silly and halfway through the function you had to be escorted out because you had started puking, panicking, and you hadn’t even been able to utter your discourse for him.

In the end you hadn’t even known, if you would have been able to say it, since it held some kind of privacy that you weren’t able to explain to so many people who didn’t know Xavier, many, in the crowd, were strangers and some of aerobic teammates, but you were the only one who had known him, through everything.

And you hadn’t been with him that night.

Every time the Redwood massacre would come on the screen, the people around you would change channel, thinking that you didn’t want to be remembered of that, since he had been so dear with you.

What they didn’t know was that you were almost morbidly obsessive with every detail of his death, as if knowing could make you go back in time and bring him back.

It took you three years to go to Camp Redwood: the first year it had been too early, the second year you had buried yourself in your work not to think about it, and the third year you had once laughed at something because it had reminded you of something Xavier had said.

And when you had turned to tell him, you hadn’t found him.

You had cried all your tears, when you had come back home, and realized that he was gone.

Nothing for you to grip onto, and as a way to exorcise the hurt you had chosen to visit Camp Redwood, alone, at least so that you could give Xavier your own discourse and lay some flower onto the place he had died, which you knew from the obsessive attention that media and Margaret Booth, the only survivor of the carnage, had given it.

You had chosen for the bouquet of flowers red carnations, camelias and finally yellow cowslips, all flowers that you were sure Xavier would absolutely love, since they were almost as bright as Xavier’s personality.

You had wandered for the camp, feeling a sense of uneasiness, not only because you were on the scene of a massacre, but most importantly because you felt like you were being watched, the entire time, feeling the weird sensation of being constantly watched but whenever you would turn around worried, you’d see nothing.

You were just being paranoid.

When you had finally found the place of Xavier’s death, you were surprised that it held some kind of strange objects on it, almost as a weird collector’s treasure.

You had moved to remove something so that you could lay your flowers on the ground, but you had heard a shout, a rather familiar shout.

“Hey! Don’t touch my shit!”.

You remembered a similar phrase being uttered when you had once tried to clean Xavier’s room, since it had pizza’s crusts on his desk that he had once almost used it as a tissue.

You turned around, sure that you were having some trouble listening, a hallucination that went by the ears, since you had heard it happened both in desert and both when you… well…

When you were losing your mind.

But as you turned, Xavier stood in front of you, definitely much neater than a hallucination.

Although you had been the one shocked, Xavier looked at you confused, as if he hadn’t expected to see you again, not that you had thought about it, since well… he was supposed to be dead…

“(Y/N)?” he asked as if he was the one who was supposed to be surprised of seeing you there.

“You are dead” you mumbled, much more to reassure the concept to you than to actually state the obvious, meanwhile the flowers you had in your hand, fell to the ground, the beautiful petals ruining a bit, but you didn’t care, stepping closer, till…

… till you realized this wasn’t mechanically and humanly possible.

And you were more likely having some kind of psychotic breakdown.

“Yeah, I am pretty sure I am dead” he confirmed, and you were sure that whatever you had smoke on your way to the Camp Redwood must have been laced with some kind of hallucinogenic drug “… but what are you doing here?”.

Although this entire situation was impossible, the fact that Xavier was actually being a smartass about it was totally in his character.

“… you are a… ghost?” you couldn’t help but feel dumb, even more when Xavier raised an eyebrow at you in a “duh” kind of expression, meanwhile you were having an existential crisis, your knees buckling under you and you fell down, your best friend rushing to you, but not having any contact with you.

“Kind of, I mean… I did die and come back, but I am not anything like you see in those movies”.

“At least, you didn’t come back as Jason, in Friday the 13th” Xavier had forced you to watch that idiotic movie, meanwhile you screamed all your voice and Xavier giggled at your fear.

“That would have made a disservice to the world…” he replied cockily, nearing even closer once he saw that you were tearing up, his hands almost brushing next to your face, but you felt nothing more than cold air on your face, the obvious show that you it was just an hallucination “… (N/N) please don’t cry, you make an horrible face, whenever you do it and you might get wri…”.

“Xavier, did you kill the bitch that trespassed?” a female voice, announced Montana, Xavier’s ex-girlfriend, who you had a kind of stiff relationship, since she was low key jealous of your relationship with Xavier, no matter the fact that you didn’t have any romantic feelings for each other.

‘It would be like doing it with a brother’ you had mumbled once to her face, but she hadn’t looked too convinced, hence you had backed off.

You and Montana shared a tense look, meanwhile Xavier was caught between the battle, but didn’t backdown, almost shielding you with his body.

“Montana, it’s (Y/N), you do remember her, don’t you?”.

Of course, she did, and the fire in her eyes hadn’t dulled but you tried your best to smile, meanwhile you tried your best not to question what the heck was going on, meanwhile two of people you were sure were supposed to be dead were speaking in front of you.

“… what the heck are you doing here, (Y/N)?”.

You couldn’t help but wonder what was going on and feel extremely under her judgement.

“I thought about paying my respect to my best friend” you turned to Xavier, since his opinion was the only one that mattered, although you feared Montana’s initial words “… who I thought was dead, till a few minutes ago”.

“We all died” muttered Montana under her breath “… Brooke killed me”.

It surprised you greatly, because, although the jury had found Brooke’s guilty, you hadn’t, but if Montana spoke truly (and from the look of her angered face, she was)…

“Margaret killed me” rumbled Xavier and you were even more shocked, because Margaret had been the true final girl of the Camp’s massacre, and although you hadn’t liked that woman, you would have never thought she would have been able to kill somebody “… but you already know it, don’t you?”.

You were already shocked that they were alive, to think about that they didn’t know nothing about the outside world…

… it made it real.

Like it wasn’t you being crazy.

They were truly ghosts.

“… no, Brooke was framed for your murders, they said that she went mad and… “.

Xavier’s face seemed suddenly traumatized, meanwhile Montana smirked pleased.

“Well, she did stab me…”.

“But she didn’t kill us all, I can’t believe that Margaret went away that easily…”.

“I can’t believe that ghosts do exist” you complained, bringing both their attention to them and meanwhile Montana just sent you one last dirty look, before running away, Xavier looked at you surprised, and his own eyes were watery.

“… I… know that this is confusing…”.

“I am pretty sure that I am having a mental breakdown” you mumbled, meanwhile your hand went to your hair as you tried to calm yourself down.

“I was pretty sure I would never see you again” his words brought you back from the panic attack that you were having, and you saw sadness in his face, knowing perfectly what your best friend was feeling and wanting to bring him in an hug.

It was the first time ever you thought that maybe… maybe things were true.

Ghosts did exist.

“… after I died, I was in this state of constant limbo, I was unable to meet again with the others and the first thing that I thought about was you, how I would never hear you laugh at my clumsy accidents, or your sweet lectures… that I would never be able to meet you again”.

“Well, even Death didn’t get you away from me” you joked, and this time tears did fall from your face, and Xavier brought you in a hug.

But you didn’t feel hugged, although again some breeze did go through your body, and when you opened your eyes to look you saw Xavier’s limbs going through your body in a rather impressive vision that got you finally accepting the truth.

Ghosts did exist.

Your friend was one of them.

But… in all this, you had met your friend again.

You had spent the rest of that day catching up on each other (you had literally regretted that Xavier was a ghost now, because you couldn’t shove him off, when he asked about how many girls were crying at his funeral) and at the end, when night had come over, and even Xavier looked scared for you, he had pushed you to leave.

But how could you leave when now you knew all the truth and you had met your friend back, you had had him back, although you couldn’t hug him and physically touch him.

“(Y/N), you have to go back” but you didn’t want to, you never wanted to “… we are all ghosts here, who would you bone?”.

Again, you felt bad you weren’t able to wack him across the face.

“You are saying this just because you don’t want me to bone Chet”.

“I thought you had higher standard, (Y/N)” he had shot back, lowering his glasses.

“Don’t ‘higher standard me’ when you wanted to fuck Chef Bertie”.

“Chef Bertie is the true deal, babe” he commented simply, before becoming again serious “… but I am serious, you can’t spend your alive life with a ghost, I have seen movies about it and I don’t think that it never ever ends well… so please just live”.

“My life sucks without you, Xavier” you confessed, because yeah, your life had gone on, but you weren’t living, you were basically only surviving.

“I know babe, you lost the life of the party…” although his tone was meant to be lighthearted, his eyes weren’t “… but you’ll find someone, and we’ll still have Camp Redwood”.

“I can totally see why Bertie is the only person that can actually stand you, in this shit, if you quote Casblanca like that…” your eyes were teary, although your tongue spoke of sarcasm “… I am going to miss you, Xavier”.

“Well you know where to find me, babe, then”.

Through your life you had come back to Redwood many times, whether you felt bad or good, just to announce Xavier all the best news in your life, and more importantly so that he wouldn’t be forgotten.

But that day you knew that it was the last time you would ever see him.

Your eldest son had brought you on your request on the Camp Redwood limits, he had looked at you weirdly, mostly because he didn’t see what an eighty year old sick person might want to do in camp which was famous for its massacres, but you hadn’t cared.

“I need to talk with an old friend”, you had muttered before you sprinted off, knowing exactly where you would have found Xavier, although you were slowed down by your age.

Somebody came immediately to your side, and you saw Trevor and Montana taking one of your arms each, to help you since your legs couldn’t carry you on fast enough.

You had mended your relationship with Montana, after the entire “Billy Idol concert thing” in 1989 and Trevor quite liked you, mostly because you were the braincell that Xavier had lost since he had died.

He was low key tired of having to take care of your “serious method actor” by himself.

“He is waiting for you” mumbled Montana, meanwhile she helped you sit down on a log, in a secluded area, sprinting off after a kiss to your wrinkly face, gently accepting Trevor’s hand, which he held out for her.

“… thank you” you mumbled before they disappeared in front of your face and you laid comfortably onto the log, as much as your old articulation would allow it.

“… hey, (YN), is that you?” joked a voice, waking you up from your little slumber and although you knew that you weren’t yet dead, you felt Death gently embracing you like an old friend.

That was why you had asked your son to bring you here.

You had had the ideal life you could have had, moving on from Xavier, but now, you would share the rest of your existence with your friend, so that you could pick up from where you had left.

“… didn’t recognize you under all those wrinkles” joked your best friend, and, although you were a rather old person you managed to kick his shin enough that he let out an unglorified “OH” followed by some pretty extreme coursing, although he didn’t truly feel that.

“These are badges of honor” you replied, pointing at your wrinkles “… and you were the reason behind many of them…”.

Xavier just giggled, as he settled on the log so that he could have your back onto his front, his presence already bringing comfort to your aching arms, and you let yourself go, in those arms, knowing all too well that you would be ok.

Because now you were with Xavier.

And your new life with him would begin soon.

[lightsburnbrite]

Such a Thrill: Part 12

Karina had found a map that led to all the different fields of flowers currently in bloom and it became her mission to take a picture of Elsa in every one. She made sure to send the pictures to Leon before she posted them to any social sites, prompting his friends to tease him that Karina would probably be unbearable if they ever had a kid.

Leon shrugged it off, saying that Karina deserved whatever made her happy.

“Isn’t that Marius’s sister,” Julian looked up Karina’s instagram to get more ammunition. “The girl, you called her Mausi last summer, right?”

With a quick nod in anticipation of what was coming, Leon simply replied “yeah.”

“Man,” Julian laughed now. “How has Marius not killed you yet?”

He rolled his eyes now. “He wants to. Hey, you gonna be around after the Netherlands match? Karina’s meeting me there if you wanna hang out.”

Julian smiled, getting the signal to move on. “Sure, Jannis is coming up. Cool if Kai comes too?”

Leon nodded again as he left a comment on one of the more recent pictures Karina had posted, a heart emoji followed by the mouse.

Karina flopped down on the bed and allowed herself to sink into the ultra plush white bedding. White wouldn’t have been her choice at home but she was thinking about trying to recreate the look and feel of the oversized comforter. She turned her head to the left and looked at the empty space next to her, Leon would be joining her later this evening but her lack of patience was making her antsy.

“Ok, Miss Elsa,” Karina sat back up and looked into the travel crate where Elsa was now sitting up and wagging her whole body. “Where should we get breakfast this morning?”

She quickly dressed and took Elsa out before stopping at the front desk for a few restaurant recommendations. The concierge gave her a few suggestions but mentioned that one was particularly dog friendly and even called ahead to reserve a table for her. Once Karina was settled, she thought about turning her phone off but ultimately decided against it. Not a moment later, she got a WhatsApp notification to join a group which she reluctantly accepted. It was Leon who had sent it but at Jannis’s request. He was already in Amsterdam and wanted to meet up.

By this point, Karina was slightly regretting that she made such a big deal about meeting his friends. They had all been nice enough but she couldn’t help but feel like she opened the door to at least one of them always being around. With the slightest frown, Karina shook her head as if she was trying to move the thought out of her mind.

“Hey!”

Karina turned to see Jannis walking towards her. Or, she presumed him to be Jannis. If Jannis and Julian were standing side by side, she wasn’t sure she would be able to tell them apart. Still, she gave a little wave and smiled in return. “Hi.”

“So should I call you Mausi, or…” Jannis pulled out the chair opposite Karina and sat down.

“No!” Karina cut him off almost immediately but offered a slight laugh to soften her initial reaction. “Karina is fine.”

To her relief, Jannis wasn’t offended and even laughed. “Leon is the only one who can call you that then?”

“He originally started calling me that because I was annoying like a little mouse.” Karina shrugged. “I used to hate it, I used to hate him but now it’s just…different.”

Jannis nodded in acknowledgment. “So what’s there to do around here? We’ve got a few hours to kill until match time.”

“I’ve gone to a handful of museums already,” Karina took a sip of her coffee to give her a bit more time. “So I was just going to walk around and do touristy shit.”

“Cool, cool.” He continued to nod. “Gives me a chance to take some pictures.”

Karina gave him a bit of a side eye but said nothing as she took another sip.

They went all around the city, or as much as they could by foot. When Jannis first said something about pictures, she imagined him whipping out his phone from time to time but she was surprised when he pulled out a very professional looking DSLR setup. They walked along canals, through the red light district, and listed some old buildings before stopping at the flower market. After Karina dropped Elsa back off at the hotel, they caught a ride to the stadium and took their seats.

Leon sat in the dressing room and used the last few minutes before the team went out to scroll through his phone. He smiled when he saw there was a text from Karina wishing him luck but ultimately frowned once he opened instagram. He tapped on Jannis’s story and wasn’t surprised to see clips that chronicled his day but he didn’t like that they were also filled with Karina. The last one being the two of them at the stadium.

Karina had sent Leon the hotel details earlier so all she needed to do now was return to the hotel and wait.

Setting her laptop up on the empty side of the bed, she switched on the next episode Bron/Broen and listen Elsa up onto the bed with her. Crossing her legs at the ankle, Karina stuffed a few pillows behind her back and patted her leg so that Elsa came over and nestled herself in the space between her knees. Once she was all settled, she mentally kicked herself for not thinking of ordering a bottle of wine from room service before she got comfortable.

About halfway through the episode, she heard the door open.

Not sure if it was more being unable or unwilling to disturb Elsa, Karina elected not to move but to call out to him instead. “I’m back in the bedroom!”

A few moments later, Leon trudged in and laid down next to Karina in the space between her and the edge of the bed. Draping his arm across her hips, he rested his forehead in-between her shoulder blades and sighed.

“I’m starting to think we should blow the others off tomorrow and just stay in bed all day instead.” Karina rolled over and tried to catch Leon’s eye.

He let out a little grunt. “You don’t want to spend more time with Jannis?”

“Why would I…” Karina tilted her head and smiled when she finally figured out where Leon was coming from. “Are you jealous?”  

With a smirk, Leon eventually laughed at himself. “Little bit.”

Karina sat up and shifted Elsa before she lay back down on her side, facing Leon this time. Ruffling his hair, she kissed him and then smiled. “You big goof. I love you and only you.”

“I know, Maus. I love you too.” Closing his eyes again as Karina continued to run her fingers through his hair, he gave a little smile. “Maybe we could meet them a little later in the day and have a lie-in instead.”

Karina smiled and kissed him again. “Sounds wonderful, my good sir.”

They met the rest of the group mid afternoon after room service breakfast and a bubble bath, Leon joking that he hadn’t taken a bubble bath since he was six. By the time they were both back on the plane to Munich, Karina was happy to be heading home. The plane landed well into the evening and they had discussed going out for dinner but now decided that takeout would make more sense.

“I’m just going to leave everything in my car.” Karina stifled a yawn. “I’ll just get it out in the morning.”

Leon shrugged. “It’s really not a big deal. You can order dinner and I’ll bring everything in.”

He sat a bag full of Elsa’s things in the kitchen, expecting to find Karina there as well but he figured she must have gone back to her bedroom instead. Leon was about to go looking for her when he heard Karina scream.

“What? What is it?” Leon took off in the direction of her voice with Elsa bounding behind him.

When Leon reached Karina, he found her standing in the doorway to her bedroom, trembling. As soon as he looked over her shoulder he saw the reason for her scream. A man, the same man that had twice shown up to the training ground, was lying in her bed.

“No, no, no,” Karina shook her head as she backed into Leon, her breath coming in short gasps now.

Leon put himself between the man and Karina as he pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “Go next door, call the police.”

“I’m not…” Karina shook her head frantically, still gasping. “Not…leaving you.”

“Karina,” The man stood now. “Karina, it’s ok, it’s meant to be-”

“Don’t move,” Leon cleared his throat and hope the crack in his voice wasn’t apparent. “Stay right there. Don’t speak to her.”

“It’s really ok!” He insisted. “I can take care of her, just like Marwin did!”

“Shut up!” Leon shouted now. “Stop talking!”

Leon wanted so badly to turn around and comfort Karina but he was equally as unwilling to take his eyes off the intruder, lest he try to move closer. He could hear her behind him, even over Elsa’s barking, and held out his hand for her to take.

“Karina,” The man pleaded again. “Just tell him that’s it’s ok. Tell him what I mean to you. Please?”

What seemed like ages into the standoff, Leon finally heard the sound of distant sirens approaching, only starting to calm himself when there was a pounding on the door. The detectives must have tried the handle and let themselves in.

“Leon,” Karina was crying now. “Leon, please.”

Once the man had been cornered by detectives, Leon pulled Karina against him and squeezed her as hard as he possible could for a minute before he pushed her back and put both of his hands on her shoulders. “You’ve got to try to relax. Long, slow breaths or your going to hyperventilate.”

He pulled her back against him and could feel her trying to catch her breath but he could also feel her heart racing.

“Mausi,” He whispered in her ear. “It’s ok. The police are here, I’m here. It’s ok.”

Leon was eventually able to get Karina to move over to the sofa where the detective asked them a few questions.

“Do you have any idea who this man is?” He took out a pen and small notepad, ready to write.

Leon shook his head. “I’ve seen him before. He’s come to the training ground but I don’t know who he is.”

“His name is Thomas Klein.” Karina lifted her head from Leon’s shoulder to speak but stayed as close to him as humanly possible. “He came up to me at an art function and he’s not left me alone since.”

Before the detective could say anything, Leon spoke. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t think it was a big deal.” By now her gaze was fixed on the floor infant of the sofa. “It’s not a big city so I didn’t think about it when he’d be at the same restaurant or whatever-”

“I don’t understand how it went from that to this.” Leon visibly shuddered now. “How did he even get in?”

“It would seem that the lock on the door doesn’t always lock. “ The detective cleared his throat. “He was probably able to just push the door open.”

Leon could only shake his head as he continued to hold on to Karina.

The detective offered advice on what legal options she had as far as pressing charges but also gave her the contact information for Weisser Ring eV.

For the longest time, they simply sat on the sofa in silence after the detectives had left.

“I’ll see about getting the lock fixed first thing in the morning.” Leon squeezed her again.

“I can’t…” Karina started. “I can’t…he was here.”

Leon nodded, almost instinctively understanding what she was trying to say. “It’s ok. We don’t have to stay here tonight. We’ll go to my place and then we’ll move. We’ll find a new place.”

Burrowing deeper against Leon, Karina nodded until she let the full weight of his words sink in. “Like move…together?”

“Yeah, Maus” Leon laughed. “I’d been meaning to tell you, but I paid out the last few months of my lease. There’s no point in me having my own place when I just want to be with you.”

[thedevianthunterrk800]

Upgrades (Captain Allen x Reader)

Summary: Captain Allen comes home from the hostage situation to find that you’ve recently acquired a new android. He’s not happy. 

(To add to the Daddy Captain Allen tag because I know I can’t be the only one in love with this man.

Also WR600 is Ralph’s model because he’s so damn cute.)

Masterlist

Captain Allen remembers the excitement he felt the first time Elijah Kamski founded CyberLife. At the time, he was in his early twenties and the idea of androids blew his mind because it had seemed so surreal for someone to have actually created another form of life. He remembers laughing at videos of various machines, robots, and AI that all seemed to just fail (he never forgets that damn machine sucker-punching a baby doll in the face with a bottle).

They’ve come a long way. Or at least, CyberLife has come a long way. He never would have imagined back in 2018 that 20 years into the future, androids would be so integrated into everyday life that some people physically cannot function without them. He always hears anti-android propaganda on the streets of Detroit, yet CyberLife continues to make new models every few months and people continue to buy them. The cycle just goes on.

Lately though, with the rise of deviant cases, and more recently last night’s hostage situation, Allen can’t help but be wary of those damn plastics. At this point, only more and more androids would become deviant—defective—and who knows the repercussions that would accompany that? People are proud creatures, so he knows that there’s no way in hell they would let something they created live as free beings. Autonomy? Never gonna happen.

So it’s no surprise that, after having just dealt with one of the worse cases of deviants going fucking insane, his first instinct is to pull out his gun when a WR600 greets him at his front door.

“Good morning, Captain Allen,” the android says pleasantly, seemingly unfazed by the gun pointed at his face, “The time is 5:07 AM, the weather—”

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Allen interrupts, about three seconds from pulling the trigger. Before the android can respond, however, another voice cuts in.

“Babe! What—what are you doing?” you demand in shock, pulling your new android to the side and out of harm’s way. Allen blinks once before holstering his gun with a frown.

“I should be asking you that.”

You glare at him, feeling very much awake for someone who hasn’t slept a wink all night. “Don’t go waving your gun around like that in the house.”

“Don’t be bringing in fucking androids in the house then,” Allen replies with a snap, and you recoil at the venom in his voice. He notices this right away, however, and sighs, holding his hands up in surrender. “Sorry.”

“You’re always so fucking grumpy,” you mutter as Allen finally steps into the house and shuts the door behind him. Still, you reach your hand out for him to take and lead him to the kitchen where you were in the process of making coffee. You lightly shove Allen into his seat at the dining table and head over to the fridge to grab him some leftovers from the night before.

“I’m not.” Allen’s voice sounds muffled, and you glance back to see him with his face buried in his arms on the table. You almost want to laugh.

“I’m glad you got out of there safe,” you say after plating some cold spaghetti and popping it into the microwave. Allen turns his head to offer you a small smile.

“I don’t go down that easily, you know that.”

“Sure you don’t.” You grin back at him, walking over to peck his exposed cheek fondly. Allen pushes himself upright and hauls you down, sending you crashing onto his lap.

“Hey—” you begin to protest, just as he covers your lips with his own. The kiss is not gentle, but it never is after Allen comes home from a long day at work. He’s always so desperate, needy, as if the kiss he shares with you is the very last. You grab the sides of his face and pull him closer, wanting as little space between your faces as humanly possible. Allen’s hands are already slipping under your shirt, and before anything else can happen, you hear the microwave door being shut with a loud snap.

The two of you break away dazedly, and your eyes widen when you see your new android walking over with the plate of spaghetti and a fork. He places these in front of Allen before turning back around to retrieve a glass of water. The whole time, Allen regards him with a look of distaste.

“Thank you,” you say to the android after he finishes setting up Allen’s meal. The android smiles at you, his LED flashing.

“My pleasure.”

You push yourself off of Allen’s lap so he can eat and turn to your new android. “Feel free to rest or watch TV or something. We’re probably going to head back to bed in a bit.”

The android’s LED briefly turns yellow as he regards your words. Watching TV is definitely not part of his protocol, so he turns to look at the back door instead. “I will tend to the garden, then.”

He doesn’t seem to want to take a break, so you decide to let him be even though you feel a tad guilty that all he’s done is do chores around the house the whole time he’s been there. “Sounds good.”

With a nod, the android heads out to your spacious backyard, and you can’t help but walk over to the window to watch him for a bit. Talk about a hard worker.

“My parents gifted him to me yesterday,” you tell Allen, turning back around to join your boyfriend at the table. Allen is already digging into his food with gusto. You frown, wondering if he ate at all the whole night.

“Why?” he asks after swallowing a mouthful of pasta, raising an eyebrow at you.

“Well, you know how my mom is. She’s worried about me being left alone in the house while you’re gone overnight.”

“So she bought you an android?”

“Yeah. She got him on sale, too, ‘cause I don’t think he’s even the household type.”

“Well, I hope she kept the fuckin’ receipt,” Allen grumbles, shoving another forkful of food into his mouth. At his words, you can’t help but glare at him.

He wants you to return the android? After everything he’s done around the house?

Hell no.

“I’m not returning him,” you say firmly, and just as you open your mouth to further your argument, Allen suddenly slams his hands on the table, the resounding clatter of his fork on the ground shutting you up right away.

He looks absolutely livid.

“Half the fucking androids are turning deviant! I almost saw one jump off a fucking skyscraper with a child! And you think I’ll be okay leaving an android with fucking garden shears alone with you while I’m gone?!”

You’re flabbergasted at his words. You’ve never seen Allen look so frustrated before, and the two of you have gone through quite a bit. Biting your lip nervously, you get up from your seat and reach out to pull the man into an embrace. Allen struggles against you at first but eventually gives in to your soothing caresses. He closes his eyes and pulls you close, his breath tickling your neck as he inhales your comforting scent.

“You don’t have to watch out for me all the time, you know,” you whisper to him after a few minutes of silence. Allen says nothing, opting to hold you closer as if it’s all he can do to protect you from the mess of a world around you.

Eventually, he breathes out, “But I want to.”

You smile before gently pulling away to look him in the eye. “And I wish I could watch over you, too, Mr. SWAT Fucking Captain, but I’m stuck watching the news while you’re out there negotiating with armed assailants.”

Allen shrugs. “Just part of the job.”

“Yeah, and your job is the reason my mom got me an android in the first place.”

“The fucking android again,” Allen groans, already losing his patience, but you quickly cut in before he can go off.

“Just give him a chance. Please. For me.”

Allen doesn’t look at you. The words hang in the air between you, and all you can do is look pleadingly into your boyfriend’s face while he glares at the wall. Finally, he turns to face you, and you’re not surprised to see the conflict in his eyes as he gazes at your hopeful expression.

“Fuck,” he swears suddenly, making you jump. “Fuck! Fine! Fucking fine. It can stay for now, but if it even starts acting funny I’ll shoot its fucking face off.”

A little more violent than necessary, but better than nothing, you think to yourself. Grinning, you give Allen a sloppy kiss on the lips before pushing him back down into his seat. You grab the discarded fork off the floor and head into the kitchen to get Allen a new one.

“Why don’t you name him then, babe?” you say cheerfully, ignoring the scathing look Allen throws your way. The SWAT captain looks over to the window where you can see your android working away in the garden but you can’t make out his expression. He never answers your question, but you’re not that surprised.

After all, you have a feeling the WR600 will be around for a long time, and by then you hope Allen will have changed his mind about your new friend. 

[sarahleebread]

2001 Space Odyssey

The relationship between man and tool is essential in the movie 2001 Space Odyssey, which runs almost like a survey of the evolution of the man-tool relationship. We begin with the dawn of man without tools of any sorts. With access to the monolith, the apes are suddenly able to make connections between mere bone and bone as a tool and very quickly as a weapon (if not immediately). Fear of their environment, inherent in their behavior, changes with this discovery as the discovery of tool increases their capacity to dominate their external environments.

The iconic scene of the bone thrown into the air becoming a spaceship, directly points to man’s progression in our use of tools. We leap through time and also technology. A second monolith under the moon is triggered when man excavates it and poses for a picture basking in the light of its discovery. It is clear at this point to the humans that these structures were put up by extraterrestrial forces. What’s interesting, however, is how each leap of mankind, each leap of technology must happen after contact with the monolith. Does this mean that our intellectual progress and technological progress is almost dependent on outside forces?

In print, apparently the monolith is considered an “advanced television teaching tool” for the apes as it has more of an explicitly active function, but in the film the monolith is an unchanging black block. One interpretation is that it can be comparable to the cinema screen, indicating that the monolith is speaking to us through the screen of the film. (Notably, the monolith has a specific musical theme whenever it is present in the film.) The depiction of the monolith is also purposefully simple but also somewhat terrifying: a sleek black block. Kubrick decided that “you cannot imagine the unimaginable” and its lack of explicit action adds to its eerie presence, perhaps due to our inability to interpret its intentions. It is a symbol of the unknown and therefore of our own fear of the unknown.

Perhaps the most interesting portion of the film for me is the introduction of HAL 9000, the artificial intelligence system that mans almost all functions of the spaceship. At this point tools have evolved so much to resemble humans and their characteristics. The film repeatedly shows HAL as an all seeing eye either forefront on the screen or embedded everywhere in the background, mirroring much of what our current technological environment is. I think what struck me the most was my own immediate suspicion of HAL. I couldn’t tell if it was cause of its voice which is soothing and almost sly(?) sounding? It was interesting. I couldn’t tell if this interpretation was my own projection of how AI is creepy (perhaps a more modern interpretation) or if Kubrick was purposely inserting this through visual and audio cues. (It becomes clear later that this was purposeful.) But it reflects again a recurring theme throughout all art about the contentious relationship between man and his tools.

We other our tools as if they are un-humanly, but tools are what make us human. We depict them hostile, turning on man, and therefore foreign, but that is what man is. We’ve become essentially cyborgs, tools are a part of our essence. In the film, all humans are completely dependent on tech to keep them alive (a lot of analysis points out how we’ve become essentially babies again in space with our liquified food and unstable gait as we traverse new territory). Additionally, HAL has impossibly human characteristics as it asks the crew questions as if it is interested in Bowman’s drawings or says things like “I know it’s a bit silly” almost as a guise of its uncertainty when we know computers do not hold those types of concepts inherently. HAL goes “awol” when he realizes that he cannot control Bowman like he can control Poole and takes steps to eliminate those in his path. An interesting analysis shows that Kubrick deliberately connects HAL to IBM, foreshadowing our current relationship with technology as so many of our apps spy on us and take data from us without us knowing. This is also perhaps exemplified in the many many scenes where we see multiple points of view of a scene which will recapitulate in the ending scene when Bowman looks at himself in 3rd person as time goes by. Should we be scared of tech that has become us when we ourselves have become our tech? The scene when Bowman goes to shut down HAL is also an iconic scene when we see HAL go from trying to convince HAL to trust in him, to him expressing fear, to him doubling back to his earliest memories as he loses his higher order functions. HAL is us. 

Let me also take some time to highlight the aesthetics of this film. Beautiful red filtered scenes, the desolate and harsh environment of space shown by harsh exposure shots of planet orbs and unforgiving sunlight shining behind them, the psychedelic Stargate sequence, the yellow spacesuit spiraling into space unmoving, the unnerving eye of HAL as well as the black monoliths, the slow and painfully enduring waltz music accompanying the slow movements of space machines almost juxtaposing their great technological prowesses. (The fanfare music that is now v iconic and almost used sarcastically these days came off to me as funny because of that association.)

The ending is most likely one of the most debated scenes. The third monolith is accessed and Bowman starts to go through what can be considered or interpreted as different dimensions or also known as the “Stargate sequence.” After this ordeal, Bowman arrives in a French decorated room. The question is of course why this room? Perhaps because this is the most other wordly. Something you wouldn’t expect out in space. Or it also brings up a sense that he was purposely put there by someone else, perhaps the extraterrestrial people. The most memorable portion of this scene for me was how Bowman sensed time and went through time by seeing iterations of himself through different points of view much like how other scenes were shot. Just like how HAL was watching him, he watches himself. Mixing of tool and human once again. 

The last monolith is reached and it almost opens like a doorway, and he is reborn as a Starchild. Some interpretations are literal as he becomes a monolith himself or that he becomes a “God” but I like to think of it as a rebirth of man once again through another leap of technology. 

http://www.collativelearning.com/2001%20chapter%208.html

[im-the-king-of-the-ocean]

Ralph Domzalski’s Guide To Falling In Love With A Sorceress

Summary: Snapshots into the tragic love story of Toby’s parents, Ralph and Megan.

Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4.

AO3

I feel like I should wait a little longer after finishing writing to post a chapter, but I have waited so so so long to finally get to share this one.  Here you guys go.

Step 5: Recover

Riiing.  Riiiiiiiiing.  RIIIIIIIIING!

The wail of his phone roused Ralph from sleep.  He opened his eyes.  Everything ached.  His head throbbed.  He reached a hand in the direction he heard his phone.  His fingers knocked away a few empty beer bottles on their way.  The bottles clattered to the floor.  After feeling around his bedside table for it, Ralph finally managed to close his hand around the phone.  It took him three tries of attempting to turn off its alarm clock function before he realized that he was receiving a call.  Made sense.  He never set his alarm clock anymore.  Also, did his phone actually have an alarm clock function?  Sure, it was a fancy one and all that, but it was still a phone.  It wasn’t good for much other than making calls.

Ralph groaned.  It was way too early for this.  The digital clock he kept by his bed told him it was 12:45 PM.  “Asshole,” he muttered.  He answered the call.

“Hello?  Ralph Domzalski?”  It was a woman’s voice and one Ralph vaguely recognized.  He’d definitely heard it somewhere before, but not enough that he could place it easily.  Ralph pushed his mind into running through a list of possibilities.  He hadn’t gone for any job interviews recently, what with it being That Week and all.  He certainly didn’t get out much.  He’d only just started socializing when they’d moved to Arcadia and then…

Don’t think about it.  Don’t think about it.  Don’t think about it.

Ralph repeated in his mind.  He closed his eyes.  Took a deep breath.  It would be over soon.  Two more days and then the third anniversary of the single worst day of his life would pass.  He would go on living, until this week came around next year and he repeated this same process of leaving Toby with his parents and allowing himself to mourn.  Usually with some beer handy.

“Hello?  Is anyone there?  Hello?”  The caller was still there.  Right.

“Yeah, um, this is Ralph speaking.”  Ralph swallowed.  His throat was dry.  With a grunt, he shoved himself up into a sitting position.  “Who’s calling?”

There was a sharp pause that was very clearly a hesitation.  Then, “Barbara Lake.  Jim’s mom.”

Who the fuck is that?  “Umm, okay.”  Ralph rubbed the sleep from his eyes.  “Can you be more specific?”

“My son, Jim, is friends with your son, Toby?  They play together all the time when Toby visits his grandparents?”  Barbara paused.  “Ring any bells?  Though, thinking about it, I don’t think we’ve actually met before so—”

“Oh, right.”  Ralph snapped his fingers.  “You’re that changeling fucker.”

Silence from the other end of the phone.

Shit.  Shit.  Shit.  “Sorry, that came out wrong.”  Ralph hoped she could hear his wince.  God, he hated his hungover self.

“Really?”  Barbara’s voice was a few degrees colder than it had been.  “You don’t say.”

Ralph let out an audible sigh.  “Look, I’m sorry ok?  This is a really bad time for me.  Just, what do you want?  Toby’s spending the week with his grandparents, so you should talk to them if you want to set something up.”

“I…” Another hesitation from the other end.  “Margaret—your mom—said you’d given her your number to give to me because you’re willing to talk to me about…” She trailed off.  Barbara took a breath then continued, “About Jim.  About him being, you know…” Her next words were much quieter than the others.  “Not completely human.  I just.  He’s healthy.  He’s fine.  But I—I’m worried.  Please.”

Internally Ralph answered, yeah and that was months ago and you haven’t bothered to reach out since then so sorry but you’re out of luck.  Externally, he said, “Okay.  Can you meet today?  There’s a deli near my apartment.  I can give you directions.”

The bell gave a merry little ding-aling when Ralph walked through the door into Arnold & Bernie’s Deli.  He took a moment to take in the familiar sandwich scents, staticky sound of the radio, and quiet whooshing of the ceiling fan.

Ralph passed his usual table and headed for one of the booths at the back.

“Meeting someone today,” he explained to Bernie, when he came over.  “We’re gonna need some privacy.  No, it’s not a date or anything like that.”  He added when Bernie frowned at him.  “We’re going to just talk.  Cause…” He pursed his lips.  “She’s been through some stuff too.  Similar stuff.  You know?”

“Sure,” Bernie answered.  “I trust ya, but I’ll remind you to be careful too.  Alright, Ralphie?”

Ralph sighed, but offered a small smile all the same.  “Yeah.  Thanks.”

“Me and Arnold are always here for you.  Don’t you forget it.”

“Never.”

Bernie grinned at Ralph before going off to get him a water and silverware.  

Ralph put his bag of safety supplies under the table and fiddled with his phone.  Bernie and his husband, Arnold, were honestly the reason he’d chosen their deli as a meeting place.  When he and Toby had first moved in to the apartment building across the street, he’d, well, it had been soon after.  Ralph hadn’t exactly been in the best frame of mind.  He’d heavily relied on the deli to feed Toby for pretty much every meal because it was a struggle to even get out of bed back then.  

Bernie and Arnold had quietly stepped in to help.  Checked in on him.  Made sure he wasn’t allowing his apartment to fall into a state of perpetual chaotic mess.  They’d helped him get Toby to and from preschool almost every week.  Helped him though he tried to drive everyone far, far away because just being near him, he figured, was dangerous.  He couldn’t even protect Megan, so how could he protect anyone else?  He’d shut his parents out, unless it was for Toby, because making the kid suffer through losing them too was something he just couldn’t do.

That had been the first year.  Now, it was the third and things were marginally better.  Ralph only let himself be a mess one week, the worst week, out of the year.  He was talking to Mom and Dad again.  He’d agreed to this meeting, despite his brain screaming at him to just leave already.  She doesn’t need you, a little voice whispered at the back of his mind.  You’ll just worsen whatever mess she’s already in because that’s what you do.

A redhead woman, not someone usually seen in the deli, entered the establishment.  Ralph was out of time for an escape.  The woman hesitated by the door.  She looked all around, at the mostly empty tables, at the counter, at Darius sleeping in his corner as he always did, and then finally at Ralph.  Once her eyes landed on him, she approached.

“Ralph Domzalski?”

He nodded.  “Yup.  You’re Barbara, I take it?”

Barbara sat down.  “Yes.”

There was an awkward moment of silence.  Bernie returned with waters and silverware.  After a quick conversation, he left again to prepare Ralph’s usual sandwich and the same for Barbara.

“So…” Barbara began.  “I, um, I…”

“Maybe tell me a little about Jim?”  Ralph offered.  That’s why they’d met, after all.  Hell if he knew where to start this conversation.  But, as a parent, he knew the easiest topic to talk of was his child.

Barbara replied, “Yes, ok.  Okay, I can do that.”  She rummaged around in her purse and took out a worn photo.  “This is him.”  She slid the picture across the table to Ralph.  “I don’t know if you’ve met him when he’s been at your parents’, but he’s the sweetest kid.  He’s kind.  He has the cutest smile.”  She flinched.  “Though, not since—he’s nothing like his father.  He’s…”

As Barbara talked, Ralph examined the kid in the photo.  To someone else, there wouldn’t be anything unusual there, but Ralph wasn’t just anyone.  He saw a little boy with unruly black hair, yes, but he also saw the strong cheekbones and long nose of a troll.  Jim’s ears were only pointed if one were looking specifically for that sign, but they definitely were to Ralph’s eyes.  From what Ralph vaguely remembered of what his mom had told him, they’d performed a similar enchantment on the kid they had himself to hide his more trollish features, but that didn’t mean they’d gone away completely.

A strange feeling settled in Ralph’s gut.  For all his life, he’d known and accepted that he was the only hybrid of his kind.  Sure there was Toby, but Toby wasn’t directly descended from a troll.  His son was a bit more removed from that part of his heritage.  For all intents and purposes, this kid, Jim, was the only other hybrid like Ralph in existence.

“How is he in sunlight?”  Ralph asked abruptly.

Barbara blinked, startled.  Her hands curled around her water glass.  “Sunlight?”

“Does it agitate him?  Make him queasy at all?”  Ralph pushed the point.

“No.  Why?  Is that a thing I should be worried about?  He hasn’t shown any signs that it hurts him so I—”

“No.  No.”  Ralph stopped her, while internally berating himself for upsetting her.  “For me, it is, because I’m part troll.  But your son, Jim, is part changeling.”  That word was as much a reminder to himself as it was a statement to her.  “So it’s likely that things like that work a little differently for him.”

Barbara took a breath.  “Oh, ok.  That reminds me.”  She reached in her purse and took out a gaggletack.  “I need you to hold this.”

Ralph obliged.  His apartment was covered in as many anti-magic wards as humanly possible and then some.  He had no grounds to really judge Barbara.  He handed the gaggletack back after holding it in his hand for a minute without anything happening.

“Sorry.”  Barbara apologized sheepishly.  “I’m just a little tense.  I should’ve been asking these questions years ago.  Or something.  I don’t know.  There were always these little things.”  She blinked back tears and pointedly looked toward the ceiling.  “Things I should have noticed more.  Questioned.  I mean, even when Jim was born, it was…it wasn’t normal, but I was so desperate.  I just.  I know I shouldn’t have now, but I trusted James.  I wanted him to tell me about it himself.  So fucking badly.  I was such an idiot.”  She looked back at Ralph.  “Shit.  Sorry.  I shouldn’t be rambling my whole sob story to you like this.  I—”

“It’s okay.”  Ralph placed his hands over hers on the table.  A move which shocked them both.  “I get it.  Trust me.”  He took a breath.  He shouldn’t be saying this.  He really, really shouldn’t be saying this, but he got it.  So badly.  “You just wanted the life you dreamed of and didn’t want to see the warning signs for what they were.  Because if you didn’t, you could tell yourself they weren’t there and you could continue on being happy.”  Ralph’s hands tightened around hers.  He knew he wasn’t talking about Barbara anymore.  He wondered if she knew that.  “I’ve been there.”  A part of him, one that had ached for three years for someone who could just understand without pity or him having to explain, urged him to keep speaking though every other fiber of his being screamed at him to shut up already.  “With Megan, my wife—my ex-wife—there were all these things.  We never talked about them.  It was just easier not to.  So we pretended, I guess.  Pretended everything was fine and.”  He took a deep breath.  “That didn’t exactly work out well for us.  So, trust me.  I get it.”

Barbara stared at their hands.  “It’s crap, isn’t it?  That these things happen.  Everyone else gets to live happy normal lives.  But not us.”  She snorted.  “What makes us so goddamn special?”

Ralph let out a dry laugh.  “Me?  I’m half troll.  ‘Normal’ has never really been a part of my existence.”  He pulled his hands back.  “Look, Barbara, I’ll be real with you a minute.  I don’t know if I can help you or you’re kid.”  Ralph sighed.  “And I won’t make any promises.  But I’ll do what I can where I can to help.”

“Thanks.  I really appreciate that.”  Barbara smiled.  “I suppose, in a way, we’re in this together.”  She held up her water glass between them.  “A toast to magic utterly fucking up our lives?”

Ralph picked up his own glass and toasted with her.  “To magic utterly fucking up our lives.”

They ate their sandwiches.  Barbara complimented Bernie’s chef abilities and promised to return with Jim.  They went their separate ways on amiable terms, but only after agreeing to meet again when they could.  Barbara’s residency made her schedule literally insane, but she promised to contact Ralph when she thought she’d have time.  It felt nice, they both agreed, to have someone to talk to about the things that had happened to them.  The things no one else could possibly understand.

It felt good to have a friend.

So, feeling happy inside for the first time in a while, Ralph returned to his apartment and cleaned it.  While doing so, he found one of his drunken, impulsive purchases.  He checked their dates, realized they were still good, and then called Barbara.

“Hey, Barbara?  Ralph here.  This is going to sound completely insane, but I just found these tickets—tickets for an around-the-world cruise that I bought a while back, but the cruise hasn’t happened yet or anything and I just thought—no, the money isn’t an issue, I won the lottery a few years back—anyway I was thinking that getting out of Arcadia for a while would be nice, you know?  Just get away from everything.  I have four tickets, so that’s two extra after me and Toby.”  Drunk Ralph was really, really bad at math, but Sober Ralph wasn’t going to admit that over the phone.   “Since the boys are such good friends and all, I thought I’d ask if you and Jim would like to join us?  So, how about it?  Get away from Arcadia and all it’s weirdness for a grand adventure?”

There would be a time in the future when Ralph would look back on this decision and realize it probably wasn’t his best one ever, but that time wasn’t right now.  Right now he was happy.  He’d made a new friend and he had a potentially thrilling adventure for his son on the horizon.

Right now, it was a good moment in the life of Ralph Domzalski.

And that moment hadn’t ended yet.

[shawnyimagines]

Stranger in the night

Hey Guys I know I sorta have been MIA for a bit but I’m getting back into the swing of writing so here we are , hope you like it. Plz comment your thoughts 💕 hope you all have a fabulous day/night.

It’s cold outside and I mentally hit myself for deciding to walk home in a short red dress with strapped heels on. It was girls night so I decided to dress up but all the girls were off with boys so I don’t have a ride home. The goosebumps on my exposed legs have occupied the area for a while so I wrap my arms around my stomach attempting to get some warmth into my body. The wind ruffles my hair causing me to look up from the cold concrete I walk upon to fix the hair that now covers my face. Only now do I realise I am being tailed by someone in a hoodie their shadow clear to me meaning he mustn’t be far behind. I almost decide to call Shawn but I remember that he is out with the boys for the night hence why I didn’t call him to pick me up when there were no cars available and I don’t want to ruin boys night for him. I make up my mind to try and pick up pace but by the looks of it every step I take he can double it in a second. A million streets start running through my mind trying to figure out the fastest way to get to a street that has people on it so nothing can possibly happen, but, every trace of those thoughts have been ripped from my mind as a hand is placed on my bare shoulder just beside the strap of my dress.

“Hey good looking “ I hear a deep voice from behind me and not a friendly one , more like one that shouts and screams at me in my nightmares. I brush him off and walk faster trying to ignore him. “Hey now beautiful no need to play hard to get” he snickers. My breathing starts to get irregular horrid heights racing through my mind at the speed of light and as I attempt to wash them through my mind never to be seen again I feel the hand on my shoulder again but it leaves straight after. Then everything happens all to fast.

I am pushed against the brick wall behind me a squeak of pain erupting from my lips as the rough brick scratches against my exposed skin. “ Come on - just a little fun, I promise it won’t hurt” the voice spits again and only now as I look into his fierce eyes I realise they are black and soulless, the look of a murderer, he will have no second thoughts. His evil grin causes a tear to slip out of my eye and as I go to wipe the salty mess away he grabs my hand with so much force I would never be able to fight it and pins them up against the wall. Next thing I know he has both my wrists on one hand staying above my head while the other swipes across my cheek wiping the tear away. “Please don’t” I whimper cringing away from the mans awful breath “sssshhhh puddin” he coos as he places a finger upon my lips his grip growing harder sure to grow bruises by tomorrow.. if I’m still here that is.

The tears are falling freely now no way to stop them. I attempt to move away and break fee but his grip is iron tight and I get absolutely no where. I squeeze my eyes shut awaiting the worst as I feel his hand slowly creep up my thing to the hem of my dress and further and I swear his wicked grin is etched into my memory never to leave, to haunt my dreams forevermore. I let Shawn fill my vision, his sweet smile, his adorable laugh that can light up anyone’s world. The way he kisses my forehead just before we cuddle up to sleep and when I can wake up in the morning and smile as I see him peacefully laying his curly hair lying over his head. If this is how it’s gonna end I want my thoughts to be full of him.

I snap my eyes open as I hear a rumble of what can only be a car and I scream as loud as I can and kick trying to get the attention of the headlights that edge closer to me every second. I breathe a sigh of relief as the car stops on the sidewalk next to me and only then do I realise it’s not a car it’s a black Jeep and not only that it’s Shawns. Immediately the attackers grip tightens even more of that was even humanly possible starting to drag me away further down the sidewalk away form Shawn. As I look over, a pleading look on my face I see Shawn’s fully functional curls emerge from the car at lightning speed not caring to shut the door behind him as he storms over to me a murderous look on his face. “LET HER GO NOW!” He screams and I my heart is filled with hope that I will make it out of this. As soon as Shawn is close enough his fist connects with the guys face knocking him clean o the floor taking me with him, his grip only realising when we hit the ground. I am a crying muddling mess in the ground as I watch Shawn drag the guy up from the floor punching him silly blood spilling all over the concrete.

Next I hear Geoff’s voice escaping through my ears, br I don’t look not daring to look away from Shawn. “Shawn ! Shawn stop your gonna kill him” Geoff says as he pulls Shawn of the guy giving him an opportunity to run and he takes it running as fast as his injured body will take him. My eyes are blurry with tears but I see Shawn make his way over to me his face softening up immediately. “Baby “ He whispers as he wipes the flow of tears that don’t seem to stop. “Come here “ He says as he picks me up from the ground me obviously not being in a state to move it all. He holds me tight not daring to let me go. Geoff gets in the driver sit and Shawn piles into the seat with me on his lap holding me close. As the Jeep gets moving Shawn continues to whisper sweet nothing into my ear kissing me lightly. “It’s okay baby, I got you, your safe , I love you so so much.” This continues until we arrive at our shared apartment and from there Geoff calls a cab and heads home while Shawn carry’s me up the starts to the bathroom sitting me on the counter as he starts a bath filling it with bubbles. I look in the mirror as he does so and gasp at the reflection see, my eyes are puffy and red from the crying bruises forming on my wrist and my shoulder. A little bit of blood trails down my shoulder form where the bricks scraped me making my red dress a even darker shade. I look down at my knees and see that they are scraped up pretty bad from falling and another tear escapes my eyes. Shawn sees me eyeing myself in the mirror and the yet slipping from my eye. He makes his way over to me and kisses me lightly and holds my hand his thumb rubbing them softly. “It’s okay baby your safe now” He whispers his forehead resting against mine. He reaches to undo my dress and I let him, my heels, bra and pantries following soon after. Once I am undressed Shawn lifts me up from the counter and places me onto the shooting warm bath. “There you are baby.” All I can do is stare at him as he grabs the face washer and soap gently cleaning my body with one hand and holding my hand with the other. He looks up from cleaning my body for a split second and catches eye contact with me and he drops the face washer a second later his hands caressing my face. “What is is sweety?” He asks. “What if you weren’t there Shawn, I could have I - “ I choke out. “ shhhh baby don’t think about that just think that your here and safe and no ones gonna hurt you and I am so sorry that happened to you” . I find it easy to get lost in his beautiful brown eyes so I just stare trying to lull the world away but then a though crosses my mind.

“How were you even there?” I ask. He sighs gently before answering. “Boys night finished early so I thought I’d come get you from where you were at with the girls and take you home and cuddle but when you were no where to found I thought I would look for you just in case you and your friends were up to know good cause goodness we know your crazy hun.” That gets a small smile from your face which makes Shawn give a soft one back. “ and then I saw you there pinned against the wall his hands going places they shouldn’t be and I just couldn’t get there fast enough, I wanted to kill the guy. My heart broke when I saw the tears coming down your face your eyes shut awaiting the worst” Shawn looks down tears in his eyes his hands still latched to mine. I lift his head up weakly with one of my hands . “Thankyou” I whisper. “ I love you” He says as he gets in his knees and places a sweet kiss on my lips. “ I love you too, and I’m here we’re both here I’ll be okay , we will be okay” I snuggle my face into the crook of his neck for a minute taking in the smell of his cologne, the one I love all to well. “Alright baby, time to get you out” I nod and let him wrap his arms around me, my legs not being able to function just yet. Then I rember he still has clothes on. “ Shawn your clothes!” I look up at him worried. “ I don’t care you rmore important than a pair of clothes that can dry, if anything happened to you I can just fix you, your my first priority” I give him a soft “okay” and lean into him letting him take care of me.

After I have finished getting dry and into sweatpants and one of Shawn’s t shirts we cuddle up in bed enjoying each other’s company. I am cuddled into Shawn his arms wrapped tightly around me , his hand making patterns across my stomach. Brief I love you’s are whispered from time to time and a short kiss on the head from Shawn. “ I don’t want to lose you , not ever “ Shawn admits. “ and I don’t want to lose you, you are my everything” I reply. “Forever” , “forever.” One more I love you is exchanged before we fall into a peaceful sleep.

********

I slowly open my eyes to the strong morning light coming from the window and I immediately turn over to cuddle into Shawn to enjoy the morning together but all that is waiting for me is a cold bed.

SOOOOO yeah hope you like it , part 2?

Love you guys 💕