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inawearyworld · 6 months

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free if you truly wish to be: chapter iv

shit goes DOWN. as y'all have probably gathered. bc. yknow. the plot of the movie. but first there's a song yayyyyyyyyy

2023!wonka x oc, this chapter ~2.5k

god, i love musicals.

(edit: realized after posting that i was looking at the wrong page of the screenplay while writing this and therefore royally screwed up the song structure of a world of your own but it’s fiiiiiiine)

once again, thank you mat for that interview taking a typical one-dimensional dahl villain and letting him be a more complex character. also i should probably throw a content warning on this one for depiction of a slightly abusive relationship

but i promise everything's gonna be okay soon-happy new year everyone!!

part three fic masterlist part five

While going through a time of personal growth involving trying to unravel one’s identity from that of one’s rich and powerful husband, it often happens that there are advantages to said husband being wrapped in worry over a new business rival-and, therefore, spending far more time at the office.

Wren’s favorite advantage at the present moment was that she was the only one to watch the mail come in.

Deep purple stationery was the signal she looked for-and steadily received, then returned with her own emerald letters-every day. The notes included scrawled updates regarding the operation to allow the earnest young chocolatier his day in the sun, anecdotes about the group of launderers that supported it (who she’d snuck out to meet often enough that they now felt like a second family), tales of a mysterious orange man, and exchanges of advice, witticisms, and Shakespeare quotes.

The handwriting was inexperienced, and there were more than a fair share of spelling errors toward the start of their correspondence, but she didn’t care a whit.

We’ve got the shop, Willy had written one day. For now, the task is digging through its decrepit debris and designing its decoration. (The credit for those words goes to Noodle-she says hello.) There are so many possibilities, I barely know where to start.

Start with the “why”, Wren wrote back. That’s what I always do. If there’s a piece I’m struggling to sing and I lose motivation to practice, I go back to the reasons I love the piece, even all the way back to the reasons I love the arts in the first place. Maybe there’s something in there for your shop-what made you want to share your chocolate with the world? (And hello to you too, Noodle!)

My dear Wren, came the reply, you’ve just given me the best of ideas.

He told her then about his mother and the inspiration she provided. Wren would be lying if she’d said a tear hadn’t fallen onto that particular letter.

As for how to keep him safe from the Cartel, police, and every other corrupt authority, Wren did her part by becoming Florence again whenever necessary. She acted less suspicious around her husband, leading him to be less secretive-although the gain in information was miniscule, it was better than nothing.

Felix’s rages would range anywhere from tittering, jealous rants to scheming monologues during which his whole being seemed to take on a lower, darker, more calculating tone. She’d listen carefully to all of these, tactfully calling out anything that might get him to consider he was wrong, but that had little to no effect.

Plan B, then, she’d realized, is all I can do.

So, whenever Felix seemed particularly incensed or just on the verge of coming up with how to destroy his rival, Florence would swoop in with wine and dark lipstick and a low-cut dress. She’d endure being his caged pet songbird, his doll, his perfect plaything, only because she had the growing feeling that things were about to change.

If Willy’s shop becomes successful enough to be completely undeniable, maybe the Cartel will finally acknowledge him as an equal. Maybe I’ll finally be seen as an equal, too. Maybe things will finally be truly fine.

So, night after night, she’d sit on her husband’s lap, twirl his tie, and kiss his neck until he’d forgotten the name of Wonka.

The same could not be said for her.

Due to just how glamorized she always had to be while in public, it didn’t take much to come up with disguise enough to be able to visit the new shop on its opening day.

With a fluttering sense of hope, Wren approached the fourth building of the Galeries Gourmet, blending in seamlessly with the sea of soon-to-be-wonderstruck passers-by. She cast a few nervous glances to the window of the Fickelgruber office, at which the man stood in his usual stance. There was no chance, though, of his recognizing her trademark ginger flame amongst the crowd; it was safely tucked under a dark, low-brimmed hat.

This could have set her mind at ease, but the fact that he looked even more smug than usual as he surveyed the ground below him made her nervous.

Did they plan something?

She was distracted from this worry by a sudden flash of color at the long-empty shop’s door. Willy Wonka stepped through, looking more himself than she could have ever imagined. He addressed the crowd with a flourish, and she marveled at his ability to combine showmanship with authenticity.

He took a skeptical older man’s arm, leading him to the shop’s entrance, and began to sing.

All at once, the shop transformed before all of their eyes, flooding with color, and the music settled into a sparking pulse that thrilled Wren to the core.

Willy grinned, fully in his element, and the doorway went dark. Gloved hands presented chocolate wonders as their creator sang them into existence. When he lit a match, the store seemed to come alive, and Wren gasped.

If his letter was anything to go by, the sight he had created was an homage to his childhood on his mother’s boat, brought to life in a way nearly too beautiful to be true.

Willy and the other man danced up a bridge of sorts as his song continued, proudly offering his shop as a world for each of his customers to call their own. Overtaken and lifted by the enchanting environment, Wren squealed with the rest of the crowd and ran into the shop, ripping the hat from her head and allowing her auburn curls to tumble freely down.

She threw her head back and laughed aloud. Her lack of makeup, and plain blouse and skirt replacing the usual emerald-colored finery, gave her assurance that she wouldn’t be recognized here; this was the closest thing she’d experienced to liberation in a very long while, and she relished it, along with the sweetly simple soar of Willy’s voice across his song.

When she looked up at him again, he was sitting on the boat that floated on the circling chocolate river, and she noticed he’d already been staring with a sideways grin. As the bassline that came from nowhere launched into a rollicking chromatic vamp, he tipped his hat to her, and she gave an enamored wave.

The second verse passed, and suddenly he’d reached her, extending a hand which she took without a second thought. He helped her onto the boat, then pulled her alarmingly close, but before she could say a thing about it, a cloud of smoke appeared around them.

Wren blinked and realized that she and Willy were now at the base of the massive chocolate tree in the center of the shop.

“How did you-”

But he only smiled and started to dance his way up the tree.

“A world of your own,” he sang, then gestured an invitation straight towards her.

This’ll be easy enough, she thought, nearly bursting with joy.

“A place to escape to,” she continued, running farther up the tree to meet him in the middle. His expression filled with awe upon finally hearing her sing, and they began a whirling back-and-forth.

“A world of your own-”

“-where you can be free!”

“Wherever you go, wherever life takes you…”

“This is your home,” she sang to him, twirling herself into his arms and beaming with pride. He’s found it-he’s created it.

“A world of your own,” they finished. He looked at her for a moment, seeming struck, then kissed her hand and disappeared through the branches of the tree to continue with the song’s bridge. She let out a dazed and happy breath, taking a moment to let her gaze roam the shop from her perch in the chocolate tree.

She didn’t know what would happen next, but she’d be damned if she wouldn’t let herself enjoy this moment.

What did happen next was…as an understatement, not what any of them had hoped.

She wished she could say it was a complete surprise, and she wished she could have done more to stop it. The candy started having disastrous effects, the customers understandably balked, and it was clearly not Willy’s fault in the least. In a blur, the shop was in ruins, and Wren sat in shock with the little group who’d worked so hard to make it magical.

The candyman himself was devastated; not just by the massive setback, but by the absence of his mother’s spirit. Wren and Noodle sat by his side, but Abacus ushered them up. It broke Wren’s heart to think of leaving him like this-if the truest and most trusting dreamer on Earth can be broken down, where’s the hope for the rest of us?-but she somehow still felt she had to follow the group out.

She felt a hug around her waist and a held-back sob, and looked down to see Noodle clinging onto her. Wren immediately knelt to her level and hugged the girl close, finding it hard now to keep back her own tears.

“Terrible shame what-”

“Florence?”

Slowly, she opened her eyes, her breath dropping to the floor.

Slugworth had spoken first, a smooth and practiced opening to what would have turned into a gloat. The voice that had interrupted him was genuinely shaken and clearly belonging to her husband.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Noodle, who nodded. “You can go, you shouldn’t have to see this-”

“Florence,” his voice came again, at a loss. She took a breath, stood up, and faced him with tears in her voice.

“Hi, Felix.”

Silence.

Slugworth looked with growing puzzlement between the woman and the girl, and Felix could only stare at his wife with dawning realization.

“You’ve been working with him,” he said simply, every usual quirk of inflection having vanished.

For a moment, the wash crew surrounded her in an attempt at a shield, and she heaved a breath to keep back a sob-of fear, of gratefulness for these friends that had become family over the past weeks, of everything suddenly crashing down.

“I’ll be okay,” she said quietly to the wash crew and perhaps to myself. “You all should go. Like you were going to. I’m sorry.”

They didn’t move.

She looked at Piper, whose worried hand was on her arm. There was an unspoken vow of protection between the women in that moment, but Wren’s eyes pleaded, so Piper nodded sadly, took Noodle’s hand, and the group left.

Wren was almost afraid to look at Willy, but she did; the boy was staring at the old chocolate bar in his hands, looking as if he could barely process a thing.

The sympathy in her gaze must have been far too obvious, because she suddenly heard footsteps, felt a hard grip on her wrist, and gasped in pain as it was yanked up and backwards.

“Darling,” Felix hissed with a sinister edge, though his voice was breaking, “I don’t know how or why this betrayal-”

“Betrayal?” she finally cried out, breaking free from his grasp as Willy rushed between them. “You lot have just poisoned dozens of innocent people, all for a business rivalry, and I won’t-”

“If you want your family not to starve, you had better lower your voice,” he barked.

Every speck of air seemed to leave the room.

“...My family?”

“I may have been distracted enough for the past weeks to ignore the mail that came in and out of our house, but I had not always been that blind. I thought your compassion to be an incomprehensible gesture, but I let it slide. When I felt like it.”

…They haven’t gotten everything I’ve sent.

They haven’t-

“In fact,” he continued, “it served as what was almost a pleasant reminder of the truth. For your family, for your stupid dream, and for your sweetly dependent soul-you need me.”

“If you knew I was poor, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because it’s the same way for me!”

This was the peak of what had been a building explosion, and this was the moment in which they both remembered there were other people in the room.

“What?” the four besides him breathed, almost in unison.

“Oh, you heard right,” Felix launched into speech, the characteristic gestures starting to work their way back into him. “I came from nearly nothing, just the same. But I did what I had to do to climb to the top. I cast them all away, left my old life behind completely, and I suppose it was a foolish hope to think my wife would do the same. But she-but you-you are nothing but a guileless, deceitful bleeding heart.”

“I…”

Tears blurred her vision.

“I am…genuinely sorry that you felt you had to hide your past, but that doesn’t excuse trying to make the rest of the world match your insecurity and fit your little chocolate mold. And if that makes me a bleeding heart…I’m proud of the title.”

For a moment, the man looked as if he would allow his wife’s words to affect him.

Then his face, normally so expressive, turned completely cold.

She’d lost him.

She’d never truly had him to lose.

But she looked at Willy, and she thought of the wash crew, and she realized she finally had a truer support system. And if she could try to start over, find some other way to earn money to send to her family without interception, and some other way to reach the dreams that felt so far away at the moment, she knew Felix would be wrong: she didn’t need him.

After a long silence, Slugworth cleared his throat.

“Get her out of here. We have business with Mr. Wonka.”

What?

Her and the younger man’s eyes widened, and they grabbed each other’s hands on instinct, but a small number of policemen came around the corner of the shop door at Slugworth’s order. They clamped hands on her shoulders and dragged her away from Willy as the Cartel stood silently and watched.

“Wait-wait, no, I-”

“Wren-”

She struggled, fought, kicked, but was forced into the backseat of a police car-

“Let me go, you corrupt bastards-”

“Wren-”

“Let me-”

“Just drop her somewhere in town,” Felix said coolly. “Somewhere that isn’t my home.”

“WREN!”

The car door was slammed, and the last thing she saw was the Cartel advancing on a dazed Willy, opening a suitcase of cash.

All she could do was scream, and the scream turned into a cry.

They did indeed drop her somewhere. She burst out of the car the second it had stopped, and the officers drove away without a word.

Sick with worry and trying to regain her breath, she looked around, almost fainting with relief when she saw the laundry building. Piper, having heard the commotion, stood outside, and they looked at each other for a moment before Wren fell sobbing into her arms.

This is not over.

#fiytwtb #wonka movie #wonka 2023 #wonka #willy wonka x reader #timothée chalamet #timothee x reader #timothee chalamet fic #timothee chalamet fanfiction #timothee chalamet #wonka x reader #timothée chalamet x reader #wonka fanfiction #wonka fanfic #mat baynton #mathew baynton #mathew baynton x reader #mat baynton x reader

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utane · 3 months

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Hello! Please ignore this if you consider it to be unwelcomed or improper. I really like your Orizyn clingy drawing, it is very good, and it inspired me to write a short fiction about it. Here it is:

Orikan rarely had uninterrupted periods where he could finish his meditations. He would usually be forcefully awakened from his meditative trance by interstitial alerts, or internal alarms.

Always an emergency.

It would break his focus, and with that his consciousness would pour back into his body. He would be alert and ready to handle the disruption, energized flux rushed inside his conduits.

But now, with his trance coming to a gentle end, his astral algorithms started trickling inside his body.

Orikan, with most of his consciousness floating freely outside his engrams, let his feet touch the cold floor of his observatory.

His tail was making large, lazy movements as the astromancer was sleepily looking at the reports, phos-glyphs holograms surrounding him.

He wobbled a bit, unstable as his internal gyroscopes didn’t fully calibrate from the extended meditation on his repulsor drivers.

His ocular has issues focusing on the shiny glyphs in front of him. He chose to close most of its aperture, leaving only a tiny space, reducing the size of his active visual feed.

Now he could read the reports.

No alerts. But activity in his library.

His cogitations programs were satisfied with the lack of alarms, but his engrams were pushing him to investigate.

He let out a string of fuzzy white noise from his vocal actuator, as he started dragging his feet to investigate what his engrams were so concerned about.

The library was only in the adjacent room of this floor, but to the groggy cryptek, it felt like an infinity.

Right leg, up, down, left leg, up, down. The simple pattern was mesmerizing, almost putting him back into the trance he just came from. But his engrams insisted on not letting him slip into becoming an astral program again, keeping him inside his body.

There was work to be done.

Reaching the library happened faster than he realized, lost in the task of walking there.

With his back to him, there was Trazyn.

He could tell it was him, mostly by how he looked.

And he looked to be perfectly cold, ideal to rest on and chill his heated flux.

Trazyn had sneaked inside Orikan’s tower a couple of times in his long existence. It was an ongoing project, coming here, replicating his manuscripts or any new data tablet the diviner found, then taking the original and leaving the duplicate.

It was not stealing. Since he didn’t trust Orikan to properly take care of them, they would be safe in his own archives. He was saving the precious information for the future.

He knew that Orikan was in his deep meditations, and he knew how to bypass the alarms, not to trigger the Observatory’s master. Not only that, but he was comfortable here, almost as in his own Museum.

He just found another new tablet when he felt a warm hand touch his shoulder pad.

He froze, slowing down his chronosenses. Despite the shock, there was no pain or shouting.

Trazyn started slowly turning to look at who touched him, when he felt Orikan pressing his hooded head on the other shoulder.

The diviner looked peaceful, with his ocular mostly covered by the diaphragm.

He let his perception of time return to normal, as he felt another hand coming and resting on one of his abdominal tubbings.

‘Orikan?’ he said, almost as quiet as a whisper.

The astromancer let out a few white noises, and judging from the cadence that they came, they were supposed to be words.

He felt the hand under his ribs move, playing with the coolant conduit.

‘What ?’ He let some of his confusion sneak into his voice. Orikan looked like he had just woken up from a deep sleep. As soon as he thought that, he realized how absurd that was. They were necrons, they didn’t sleep, let alone wake up groggy.

Yet Orikan was acting exactly like that.

He started rubbing up and down the conduit between two fingers, as he repeated the white noises.

‘….cold…..’ Trazyn deciphered a work.

It hit him, Orikan just finished his meditations, and maybe he still wasn’t in full possession of his engramatic capacities.

He looked very peaceful, resting his chin on his shoulder, looking like he was a step away from dozing off again.

Trazyn felt the star in his core pulse.

He might just play along for a bit, and see Orikan’s reaction when he realizes where he is.

Starting his cooling processes, he let chilled coolant flow freely in his inner tubing.

Then, gently took the warm member between his cold fingers, as he turned to face his colleague.

‘I will cool you off, dear. Come hither!’ he kept the gentle, soft tone while pulling the sleepy cryptek closer.

Touching his cold chest caused Orikan’s ocular to be almost completely closed, the astromancer letting out content static noises.

‘How were your meditations? Did you find what you were searching for?’ He asked, delighted to feint familiarity.

Orikan rubbed his deathmask on the pleasantly cold ankh. He recalled being happy with the results of this study.

‘…good’. He muttered. He could feel the fingers on his hands moving, rubbing calming circles.

‘Did you see anything about me?' Trazyn asked the calm diviner. He rarely got to see him like this.

Orikan lifted his head and cracked open his aperture a bit wider. He needed a moment to connect to the information still outside his body.

Trazyn felt the change, and started to gently move his deathmask closer to the astromancer's.

Orikan looked lazily at him.

‘Kiss me....’ he whispered, ending with a static burst.

Trazyn complied. Pressing his mouth to the fanged one of the diviner.

He started dimming his oculars, feeling like the star, spinning inside his chest, was melting him from the inside.

This was such a raw, unguarded moment.

He wished it could last forever.

The kiss lasted hours, feeling the flux cycle in under the necrodermis covering it.

After the 7th hour, he pulled gently away.

‘Trazyn?’

‘Yes, Orikan?’, he asked, feeling the fingers he held in his hand, suddenly gripping him back tightly.

‘What are you doing here?’ Orikan’s voice came stronger, with the usual anger behind it.

Looks like he overstayed his welcome.

The end -

Sorry again, if it was rude, I didn't mean for it to be. I really enjoyed your drawings of Orizyn. Thank you !

Ouououghgh I'm so spoiled !! No need to apologize for cooking up some fresh food for me 👀👀

They're so soft and Trazyn is being so sappy 😍😭😭

#orizyn #warhammer 40k #trazyn the infinite #orikan the diviner #necrons #look I love me some fanfic and there aren't a lot of fics for me to binge so this is excellent #long post

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aresrambles · 2 years

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A Little Quiet

morpheus x gn!reader - fluff turned implied nsfw, fwb vibes, reader (18+) is in college, morpheus maybe a little ooc, deadlines (1203 words)

a/n: i've been wanting to write smth abt morpheus since finishing s1 but i've hit a writing block. hopefully this gets me going.

Read Part 2 Here

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ ｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

"Is this what has been keeping you from me?"

You head shoots up from your desk, startled by the rumbling voice behind you.

Your head whips around only to met with none other than the King of Dreams and Nightmares, who is seemingly peering at your laptop from over your shoulder. Your cheeks heat up at the sudden proximity between you both, before you hurriedly divert your attention back to the screen, lest he catch sight of your discomposure. In this moment, your room had never felt so confining.

"Hello, Dream." You croak, pretending to scan over that same shitty paragraph you had been stuck on for the last half hour. When he doesn't reply, you carefully continue, acutely aware of the fact that he has yet to move away from you. "What are you doing here?"

"You haven't visited the Dreaming in two nights. You haven't slept at all, in three."

Oh. You had not expected the King of Dreams to have noticed your absence, let alone find you here so he could question it. The fact of the matter was that the crunch time for this assignment had rolled around far quicker than you had anticipated, resulting in a few all-nighters and barely-there naps that you managed to sprinkle in to prevent hallucinating- though, that last part may be up for debate. Dream of the Endless has never visited you in the waking world, before.

"So now you're here?" You continue, faking casual disinterest.

He pauses at this, suddenly moving away from you. You almost wished you had kept your mouth shut if it meant that he would have remained closer for a while longer.

"I am simply doing a welfare check. It is a... responsibility I carry."

Despite knowing your place in Dream's life, you couldn't help but deflate at his statement. Of course, he was only here to carry out his duty, nothing more. You fail to see the rigid posture that he adopted; adam's apple bobbing nervously in his throat.

"Will you be returning any time soon?" He asks somewhat sarcastically, although it feels like an accusation. Where have you been? When are you coming back?

"That's the plan. Just after I submit this stupid paper, and then I could sleep for an eternity."

Dream's fingers twitch, steel gaze redirected to your hands as they mindlessly work to fill the word-count. "An eternity." He hums under his breath, "That is a long time, even for one such as myself." You chuckle in reply to his deep grumbling behind you, and come to realise that his presence has provided you with some sort of inspiration. The words were coming naturally to your brain, flowing through you like some sort of spirit had taken over your body. You silently muse over whether this is Dream's doing, but continue with your assignment nonetheless. Wherever this was coming from, as long as you submit the damn thing and free yourself from this torment, it was fine by you.

He remains silent until the last tap of your keyboard indicates that you had sent off your work, and then swivel around in your chair to face him.

Dream stares back at you owlishly, and it's only then that you begin to process the gravity of his being in your room, perched on the edge of your tiny bed like some sort of well-trained house cat. You force yourself to keep a straight face whilst nervously speaking up, "Well, it seems that I'm done."

"Indeed."

"I can sleep now."

"You can."

Dream does not move from your bed, infact he does not move at all, simply eyeing you as you awkwardly clamber around him and settle down on top of the sheets. You can't help but breathe a sigh of relief as your head hits the pillow, every joint in your body beginning to voice its previous discomfort. The Lord of Dreams simply readjusts his position so that he sits parallel, next to you, making no move to leave.

"Sleep. I will see you soon." He murmurs, eyes not meeting your gaze. You feel the dulcet tones of his voice rumble in your bones, and before you know it, you have succumbed to the seductive call of slumber.

When you awaken, you realise your floral cotton sheets had been traded for a more sophisticated black satin, the bedding seeming to go on for what felt like miles. The sheets wrapped you in a soft cocoon, providing an excellent shelter of warmth and quiet, even in a realm as fantastical as the Dreaming. Despite the dark, gloomy interior of the chamber, it did not feel unwelcoming. Infact, rather the opposite.

"I find it quite ironic that one who never sleeps would require such an extravagant bedroom." You murmur, turning over to meet his gaze.

Morpheus looks at you in an expression that remains unreadable, bringing his fingers up to skim your cheek. "Welcome back." He utters in a husky whisper, and it's only then that you become aware of how silent it is here. No white noise from your deskfan, no annoying keyboard clicking, no bed creaking under your weight. Just your combined breaths, and perhaps your rapid heartbeat.

His hair is a sultry mess of charcoal, wild and stark against his skin.

His skin.

Porcelain and gauzy, you had never laid eyes on something so touchable and sheer with streaks of desire. Intense eyes, haughtily good-looking, you find yourself unable to tear your gaze away from the man in front of you.

"Do not deprive me of yourself." He commands, casting a soft echo across the chamber, though it is not harsh. "Do not punish yourself by taking leave of this place," Morpheus brings his lips close to yours, barely skimming against them before hovering just left of them. "Do not put such meaningless tasks before me." Goosebumps prick at your skin as you stare at his lips move, aching to close the gap. Every cell in your body was chanting his name, begging for it even. "Do I make myself clear?"

You can only nod, hypnotised by his every movement.

He's tying you down, smiling like a panther in the dim lighting but you cannot see past his pupils; eyes sleek like two pebbles places upon his face.

"Magnificent, you are magnificent." He's fumbling, hot breath tickling your ear. His saliva is said to have contained medicinal properties: numbing.

You are unable to believe the tales as it seems your skin is scalding; nothing short of aluminium reacting with bromine. How a man who seems so pale and cold, can radiate such a searing heat is beyond you.

You think back to the example of your lab professor had performed back in your last year of high school. She had just burned her index finger and- Agh! Morpheus burns your neck in a similar fashion.

"You are... distracted." He hums.

"If I don't focus on something else other than what you're doing to me right now, I'm scared I'll combust." He huffs through his nose at this, and you at first think it is annoyance. You are unable to see the smirk that graces his lips as he brings them back down to your neck, before moving them against your skin in languid motions.

"It matters not. I will retain your attention through ways of my own."

#the sandman #sandman x reader #sandman x y/n #morpheus #lord morpheus #morpheus x reader #sandman netflix #x reader #ares rambles

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udretlnea · 1 year

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A Conundrum at Cotea Cafe

Inspired by @kunichigo (Owner of the Cotea Cafe concept. Go follow them. They're cool...!)

Prompt: A customer arrives at the Cotea Cafe just before closing time, and he brings a message.

A/N: Hey, been a while, though for those following y’all know I'm still active. Fyi btw you can expect more of these shenanigans prompts in the future; I just want to try to write for fun while getting checkpoints on my growth at the same time. Anyway, enjoy.

“Don’t go dimension hopping soon,” he said with utter seriousness. “Or else you'll end up hurt.”

You widen your eyes. Your hands suddenly felt limp as you processed the threat-no, it was a warning.

///

20 minutes earlier…

You relaxed into your seat as your eyes scanned the page in the light novel; it was about a samurai who was thrust into the future where Teyvat was taken over by a demon with a robot army. You pictured the samurai facing off against an army of Ruin machines with nothing but his magic sword. The scene felt so vivid you thought you could see it in your mind.

You turned the page to continue when you heard the bell rung. Somebody had entered the cafe!

You placed a bookmark in between the pages and got up. You stretched your legs, feeling the circulation return. Making your way to the front, you frowned.

Who could be here at this time? Last I checked, the sun was nearly setting…

When you opened the door to the dining area, you expected to see the Traveler and Paimon. A teenager in a white and gray hoodie looked at you with brown eyes. He had black hair and youthful features; he put on a friendly smile while inertinghis hands in his pockets.

“Hello po,” he said in a meek voice. “Is this…a cafe?”

You nodded. “Yes.”

He put a hand on his chest. “Um, are you open?”

You smiled amicably. “Of course! Would you like to look at a menu?”

He nodded, but his hand didn’t fall to the side. “My name is…Aaron. It’s nice to meet you.”

He took a seat at one nearby one of the windows. You grabbed a nearby menu and handed it to him; while he was reading it with interest, you couldn’t help but stare at him. He didn’t appear to be from any of the nations, at least judging from his clothing. It looked like something one might wear at home. Furthermore, he seemed to know about this place despite the remoteness of this location.

“Excuse me, but do you happen to have…peach mango pie?” His question snapped you out of your thoughts.

“Yes! Would you like that?” He blinked shyly and shook his head.

“No. I was just curious,” he clarified. He pointed at a line of words. “I’ll have a halo-halo please.”

“Sure!” You turned towards the kitchen, deciding to pick up your train of thought after making his dish. Ten minutes later you come back with a tall glass cup full of halo-halo.

“Sal-salamat po…thank you.” He nodded to the glass. You set it down in front of him; he takes a moment to silently observe it. A happy smile slowly forms on his face. “Ah, it looks delicious.”

He gave a brief prayer before picking up the spoon and mixing it.

You decided now was the perfect time to leave him and fiddle away your time; it usually didn’t take long to finish Halo-Halo so you went back to the kitchen to reorganize.

You tidied the kitchen up by cleaning the tools you used to make halo-halo. When you just about finished, the sound of the spoon clattering in an empty cup made you look up.

“I’ve finished,” Aaron announced almost proudly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He put it next to his empty cup and you heard the sound of Mora clinking; he got up and turned to the door. You made your way to where he sat. The Mora pouch was moderate-sized. A quick calculation told you that he overpaid. You were about to stop him from leaving, but you saw that he was standing a couple feet from you. He looked at you as if he could peer past your mask.

“...Pardon me, but you’re like me, aren’t you.” Aaron put a hand on his hip. “You’re also a...Creator”

You felt the urge to suppress a wave of panic. “I-I’m sorry?”

“Well, they call them Creators. You probably know them as writers. Self-inserts,” he explained. He shook his head. “My apologies for the strange question, and for offending you, if I did. I just thought I finally found someone to talk to. I…can leave if you want. It’s no trouble.”

Rather than tell him to do just that, you waved him off. “It’s fine. Are you one as well?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me.”

You examine his form, searching for anything that could tell that he’s lying. When you found none, you shrugged. “...Sure. Although I’m currently living out my cottage-core fantasy at the moment. I don’t care for the stuffy paperwork that comes with being in charge of an entire continent."

“Same. And cottage-core is cool, but I never can find the time to do that. Not that I-not that I deserve anything good,” A moment of silence passed as they let that information process. Internally, you felt a strange sense of kinship beginning to form in your gut. It was certainly strange to find another being like yourself standing in front of you, but given that he was similar, or perhaps greater in power than you it made sense to desire to travel to other branches of the SAGAU multiverse.

“Well, with pleasantries out of the way, um…I actually came here to deliver a message for you,” he said. He raised his hands in the air as if he thought it would ease the anxiety in the atmosphere. “Not-not from any of the Archons, I mean. From me.”

“Eh?” This suddenly turned interesting. What could he possibly have to tell you? He took a deep breath and stared into your eyes.

“Don’t go dimension hopping soon,” Aaron said with utter seriousness. “Or else you'll end up hurt.”

You widen your eyes. Your hands suddenly felt limp as you processed the threat-no, it was a warning.

Aaron bit his lip. His eyes darted from side to side as if he were engaged in an intense internal debate. After a couple seconds, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of flash cards. He flipped through them until he stopped at one “No, but for your own safety, I advise not traveling to other universes in SAGAU until They give you the signal that it’s safe. That's all. Thank you for your time, and the food. I hope your story has a happy ending.”

He put away the flash cards and turned around. Then, he placed a hand on the door knob. But he couldn’t leave yet, not when your interest was piqued!

“Wait,” you interrupt. He turns his head back at you with a surprised look “This…thing that’s going to happen? Call it intuition, but I can't help but feel like it'll be terrible, especially for you. Are you.. alright?”

Aaron simply smiled knowingly. His eyes were glossy. “Thank you for your concern. No, but I will be soon. Ingat po…goodbye."

He opened the door and stepped outside; just as it shut there was a flash of light. When you opened it again to look for him, Aaron was gone.

Something hung in the air, but you weren’t sure what it was. Was this regret, awkwardness, or ominousness? Perhaps it was a mixture of all three.

With nothing else to do, you took the empty glass back and cleaned it. Then you flipped the sign to CLOSED before making your way to the backroom. You reclined back into the comfy chair, settling into the plush cushion. You picked up the book, opened to the bookmarked page, and resumed reading.

///

The next day you wake up and found posters plastered in front of your door; they informed you that several AUs and ATs were missing and that creator deities had been displaced. Furthermore, it advised everyone to stay calm and continue their routines while this incident was sorted.

Suffice it to say you were grateful when the Traveler brought Paimon, Yae Miko, the Raiden Shogun, Arataki Itto, and Gorou with them. A distraction was just what you needed. They kept you busy, dodging questions and cooking them food. They left and you closed the cafe for the day.

When you woke up, the posters you collected were gone, replaced with a single white sheet of paper with the words, "THE PRIOR INCIDENT HAS BEEN RECTIFIED. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS." -M.

You wondered if Aaron was alright and if whatever happened yesterday was related to him. It was clear you weren't getting any answers soon. With a sigh, you head back into your cottage to get ready for the day.

#sagau #genshin sagau #genshin fanfic #self aware genshin #genshin impact sagau #genshin imagines

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lonetile · 8 months

Text

FIRST FLIGHT

Predaking x GN!Human!Reader. No use of Y/N, and no gender specifics. Can be M/M or F/M. This is my first time writing an x reader fanfic.

Inspired by @emotionallyattachednerd 's work. You inspired me to finally write an x reader!

Trigger Warning: This story contains talk of terminal illness and death. If this is something you're not comfortable with, I suggest reading something else.

You sat on the cliff's edge, looking out at the expanse of endless ocean in front of you. The sun was setting, coloring the waters with an array of pinks, purples, and yellows. It was beautiful, but you weren't there for the sunset.

A few weeks ago, you were there just to admire the sight, listening to the waves break on the jagged rocks below. That was where you first saw it. At first, you thought it was a bird. A really big bird. That was until it spread its wings. They seemed to envelop the whole sky, blocking out the sun and showing off its true shape. A dragon. A majestic, real-life dragon. The beauty of the ocean was lost as you gazed at the beast, watching as it flew past. You had tried to follow parallel to it on the cliffs, but after almost slipping on some loose rocks on the edge of a particularly steep section, you were forced to stop.

That was why you were there. You hoped to see it again. With your sketchbook in hand, you did your best to remember the first sighting. It had been days with no results, however, you still kept coming back in hopes that you'd get one more glimpse of it.

You checked your watch. It was getting close to 9. It was going to be dark soon. With a sigh, you stood up, about to return to your car when there was a heavy thud behind you. You whirled around, fearing that a boulder came loose from the rock face above, but instead, you saw it. The dragon.

Up close, you saw that it wasn't your typical scaled dragon, but a metal one made up of armor plating, robotic joints, and glowing yellow eyes. You were in awe.

"Wow…" It was all you could say as you took a small step forward. It was huge. Far bigger than you imagined. You were expecting something of Toothless's size, or even the wyverns in Game of Thrones, but the dragon in front of you was about the size of Tohru from Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid.

Its head moved away, its mandibles chittering slightly as you reached out. Seeing that it didn't want to be touched, you pulled your hand back and clasped them behind you.

"Hello." You said with a smile. "It's nice to see you again." No response. You didn't expect one.

"I was hoping to see you again before I…" You cleared your throat. "Yeah…" This had been your dream for the past few days, and now that it came true, you're at a loss for words, like a shy teenager asking their crush to the senior prom.

You watched in amazement as the dragon's armor began to shift and change with whirrs and clicks, each piece shifting into place as it changed shape to a more humanoid shape. A very spiky, metallic humanoid.

"You are not afraid." It was a statement, not a question. You nodded.

"I've been coming here every day in hopes I'd see you." You replied.

"And why is that?" The mechanical figure asked.

"I… uh… like dragons." It was the only reply you had. It wasn't false. It just felt stupid to say out loud. "Do you have a name?"

"I am called Predaking, little human." He said. He stood proud. It was indeed a fitting title. You bowed politely. There was a small, awkward pause.

"You hadn't finished your sentence before." You looked confused for a second before realizing which sentence he was talking about.

"Oh… uhm... I don't have long before an illness I have kills me." You replied

"You are dying?"

"It's not so bad." You replied. "That's why I used to come up here. I wanted to memorize the sunset because there will be a time I won't be able to see it again like this. Now I come here in hopes of seeing you. Which now I have." You teared up but quickly tried to hide it with a laugh.

"What kind of illness is it that ails you?" Predaking asked.

"My heart's beginning to fail." You replied. "It doesn't help that I walk two miles uphill every evening. I wish I could fly like you." This time, you couldn't hold back the sadness you felt.

"S-Sorry, your majesty." You said, covering your face. You tried to stop the tears, but they were endless. Predaking stared at you. He felt pity.

"Perhaps... I can offer you some comfort." Predaking suddenly said. You sniffed, looking at him. "You said you wished you could fly. I can lend you my wings, just for the evening."

"Y-you… is that alright?"

"I would not have suggested it if it wasn't." Predaking replied. He transformed back into a dragon, crouching down and letting you use his wing as a ramp. Once he felt you settle, he spread his wings before taking off. You felt all your worries stay on the cliff top as you rose into the air. You clung to Predaking's spines as he half flew, half glided through the evening sky. The stars were just beginning to appear as the sun dipped behind the horizon. Your weak heart felt strong again as you looked down at the waters below. Predaking's wings seemed to glow in the approaching darkness. He circled the mountain, being careful not to fly too fast. He liked feeling you cling to him. You began to chuckle before it turned into a laugh, then into an excited whoop.

"This is amazing, your majesty!" You shouted. "You're amazing." You didn't want this to end. The darkened sky, feeling the wind in your face, your hair, your clothes. It felt wonderful. It only became better as the darkness of night filled the sky, the stars lighting up the world around you. You reached up, feeling as if you could grab hold of the tiny twinkling lights. Even Predaking gazed up. He never really admired the stars before. He had been too focused on other things. But with you on his back, his own anxieties were left on that cliff top. He was afraid that, when he landed, the anger would return.

The flight continued for another hour before Predaking returned you to the cliff. To his surprise, his negative feelings did not return. He felt… happy.

"Thank you, your majesty." You said as he returned to his primary form. You hugged his leg, being the only part you could really get to.

"Perhaps… We could do this again?" He asked. You nodded eagerly.

"I would love that."

The next few days were the same. You'd meet on the cliff before soaring through the evening skies, forgetting all your worries. As the weeks passed, you showed up less and less. However, Predaking still returned to wait like you had for him.

One day, Predaking arrived at the cliff like he always did. Once again, you weren't there. He waited for an hour, but when you didn't show up, he turned to leave when he saw something on the ground. It was your sketchbook. He picked it up, carefully opening it. Inside were numerous drawings of dragons. Many of which he remembered you telling him about. Toothless, Drogon, Tohru, Spike… all the dragons from different media you had watched. As he turned the page, the cartoony sketches changed to something else. Him. When did you have time to make these wonderful pieces? He flipped through them before reaching the last page. It was a sketch of you and him this time. Beside it was a note:

Your majesty,

I am sorry for not meeting you this evening. My condition has worsened greatly these past few weeks, which is why I often failed to show. I used my last ounce of strength to leave this here for you to find and remember me by. I will not be returning.

I am happy that I got to fly with you. The time we spent together helped me forget the pain I felt fearing this moment. But I am no longer afraid. I am happy. You made me happy. I hope, as you soar through the skies, that you will remember me as I do when I look out the hospital window at the sunset. Thank you for everything.

I'll miss you.

A pained screeching roar echoed over the mountains before it became a whimper as he stared at the drawing. He took the sketchbook gently in his claws before transforming, spreading his wings, and taking flight.

As you sat on the hospital bed, staring at the lowering sun, you thought you saw the majestic form of Predaking in the distance. You smiled. You knew it was him. You laid back down as rhythmic beeping beside you began slowing. Just before it turned into a still whine, you whispered your final words.

"I'll miss you."

#predaking #transformers #transformers: prime #predaking x reader #predaking/reader

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samcscreams · 9 months

Text

It can't be a coincidence

Hello friends! This one shot was inspired by @doctorwhoarchive it would not have been possible without her! Also took an inspiration form this post. Im also super proud of this one. Its my biggest project yet and I put a lot of time and effort into it so I hope you like it!

Also a shout out to @monarchsrus for all the writing advice!

Trigger warning: Drug Use

Word count: 7.5k

__________________________________________

It was like any other day. Sam rolled over to turn her alarm clock off. It had been about 9 months since she’d been able to actually wake up to the sounds. No, most days she wakes hours before her alarm clock goes off and just stars at the ceiling waiting for time to pass her by.

After turning it off she rolls over and sit on the edge of her bed. After taking a much needed deep breath she begins to get ready for school.

She shuffled over to her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and makes her way to her sisters room.

“Knock Knock. You up yet Tar?” She asked as she slowly opened the door.

Her baby sister was still curled up under her covers. Sam sighed knowing she was gonna have to be responsible and wake her up. She just looked so peaceful while sleeping, it broke her heart to be the one to ruin it.

“Hey time to wake up big girl.” Sam rubbed circles in Taras back to coxes her out of sleep.

As Tara started to stir awake she smiled at the sight of her big sister.

“Morning Sammy” She said with a toothy grin as she rubbed sleep from her eyes

“Im gonna use the bathroom. Make sure you pick out some clothes and pack your book bag” Sam said as she left.

Tara felt the emptiness of the room eat her alive. Sam would normally help her pick out her clothes and at least say good morning in return. But lately Sam just wasn’t the same. Tara sat up in bed wondering if she did something wrong.

After Sam was done in the bathroom she was putting her clothes on when she noticed her jeans were now officially two inches higher than when she got them.

“Dammit” She muttered to herself. Sadly, she had gone through a growth spurt only a month after she found the diaries.

Therefore Christina has been less than eager to go shopping with her daughters. Christina also thought since Tara never seemed to grow and could still fit into some of her preschool shirts the other one should be just as fine.

She was not fine, far from fine but she would never tell anyone that. So when Sam went to put on the t-shirt she pulled from her closet she flexed just a bit too hard casing the back seem to pop. She looked over into the mirror and almost chuckle as she looked like the hulk ripping out of her own clothes.

She needed a plan and fast as she would need to head down stairs to make tara breakfast soon. Then it hit her, her dad not dad left his clothes. He’s gotta have something she could take.

Sam snuck into her mothers room and over to her dads not dad closet. Upon entering she took a deep breath taking in the lingering smell that used to smell like safety, like home. She looked up towards the top shelf. There were a random assortment of old band shirts so she grabbed the top one. ‘Nirvana, perfect’ she thought to herself and snuck back out not waking her mother in doing so.

She grabbed her combat boots, as they were the only shoes that fit her, and luckily they made up for the two inches that her pants didn’t cover on her legs. She then grabbed her zip up hoodie and made her way down stair after seeing tara was no longer in her room.

“Tara?” Sam called as she hit the bottom floor.

“In here Sammy” Tara called back from the kitchen

Once Sam made her way to her sister she was greeted with burnt toast and half squeezed OJ.

“Tara what are you doing?” Sam asked trying to bite back her temper which was becoming alarming harder to do recently.

“I wanted to make you breakfast. To make up for making you mad.” Tara with her big doe eyes stared directly into her big sisters looking for any sign of reassurance that she was forgiven.

“Making me mad? Baby girl what do you mean?” Sam pulled her baby sister in for a hug pushing Taras bangs away to get a clear look at her. Yet Sam could feel the guilt bubbling in her gut.

“You don’t help me get ready for school anymore. I though I did something wrong.” Tara said looking up at Sam tears pricking the corner of her eyes.

Sam mulled over Tara’s words realizing she had been pulling away since last December. But even more recently with starting high school. They’ve been promoting Stab-a-Thon for months at school and truth be told it was starting to get to Sam. She was numb most days to deal with the fear of who she was. Who she could be.

“Im so sorry. I didn’t realize. But no little one. You’ve done nothing wrong. High school is just a lot sometimes. It’s really not your fault.” Sam said as she kneeled down and cupped Tara’s face.

“Oh okay.” Tara respond with in a timid voice.

“Do you like breakfast?” She followed up with, as a smile grew across her tiny face.

Sam took a burnt piece of toast and took a bite. Immediately the ash flavoring coated her mouth. But she swallowed and put on a show.

“Mmmm when did you become a five star chef?” Sam asked making Tara erupt with glee

“Now hurry, go grab your book bag and put on your shoes. Mom will be up soon and we gotta get you to school now don’t we.” Sam said ushering Tara off.

She turned back to the burnt toast on the table and threw it in the trash and went to make some fresh pieces. ‘Tara won’t know the difference’ she thought to herself and right she was. As they made their way out the front door Tara was happily munching on her buttered toast she thought she had made.

Sam was just happy to have gotten everything done without running late for school. As they rounded the corner to walk through the town square, Sam froze in her tracks. Hanging from each lamp post was a Ghostface decoration. She knew it was only a matter of time before she was going to have to face people dressing up as her personal nightmare. But for the whole town to be covered in the reminder of what was in her blood made her stomach flip. It wasn’t until Tara started to tung on her sleeve that she snapped out of her trance.

“Sammy come on. What are you doing?” Tara said trying to get her big sister attention.

“Ya what sorry” Sam said looking down at her sister. She moved to take Taras hand as they continued forward towards Taras elementary school.

“Ouch, too tight” Tara tries to pull her hand from Sam’s. Sam immediately lets go not realizing she tensed her muscles at the sight of a a poster in the book stores window. ‘Today at 1pm Out of Darkness’ Sidney Prescott’s face beaming brightly behind the words.

“Sorry.” Sam said shoving her hands into her jacket pockets.

“What’s gotten into you?” Tara asked rubbing her now throbbing hand. Her big sisters been distant but not careless. Tara waited penitently for her sister to respond but alas all there was was silence.

Sam was frozen again. The sound of a car door caught her attention as she looked behind her and saw none other than Sidney Prescott in the flesh. Her blood ran cold at the sight. It was one thing to hear about her and the stories but there she was clear as day. Sam couldn’t hear anything but the sound of her heart beating in her ears. Her hands started to tingle inside of her pockets as her air ways closed.

“SAM” Tara yelled looking around to figure out what had such a grip on her sister.

“Shit sorry Tara. It’s just…” Sam looked to Tara who was eagerly waiting for the truth.

The truth.

Sam couldn’t face that. Sam couldn’t begin to explain to Tara what was going on with her. Not today. Hopefully never. So she switched on. She had to be there for Tara. She needed to keep it together for her.

“… been hard to sleep that’s all. Im sorry for being weird. No more of that as of now! How about after school today we watch some movies. I'll even make popcorn.” Sam said with a smile on her face. She had to pull it together. She promised to always be there for tara. Just because her life is turning out to be a shit show doesn’t mean she can’t make sure Taras isn’t.

“You mean it?” Tara said jumping a little as she walked.

“I promise” Sam said holding out her pinky. Tara took it with her own and then turned back to walking.

Lucky for Sam, Tara didn’t say anything else as they finished their walk to her school. Her mind raced ‘why was Sidney Prescott in town?. Nobody had seen her in years. Why of all days, times, years was she here?’

Before Sam new it they were outside Taras school.

“Have a good day. Love you” Sam said as she kissed Tara’s forehead

“Love you too!” Tara said walking off towards her group of friends. Sam waived at the twins and Wes.

As soon as Tara was safe inside Sam made her way to school. She put her headphones in and tried to tune out the world.

Only to catch a car rolling by right next to her causing her to jump a little.

“Hey Carpenter” Asked Kirby Reed leaning over to yell out her passenger side window.

“Oh hey Kirby” Sam responded digging her hands further into her jacket pocket.

“Need a ride? I gotta pick up Jill and Olivia still but I'm sure they won’t mind.” She asked with a genuine smile.

Sam thought about it as Kirby had always been so nice to her ever since she got paired with her for adopt a freshmen. It was a program for incoming freshmen to get paired up with a senior to show them the ropes. Sam forgot she signed up before everything went down. She’s honestly glad she did but would never admit to it.

“No i’m gonna walk, thanks tho.” Sam said thought a tight lipped smile.

“Suit yourself freshie” Kirby said stepping on the gas sending her flying down the street right past Sherif Riley.

Sam chuckled as she watch the car try and slow down as the Sherif yelled climbing into his own car.

Not too much later Sam was standing on the lawn of Woodsboro high school. Students swarmed around her going in every which direction. She took a deep breath as she made her way to the front on the school. Only to catch as she walked pass a group a seniors the one piece of information she needed to realize today was going to be her worst nightmare.

“Here is my Woodsboro massacre anniversary question. What is your favorite scary movie?”

‘Shit what’s today’ Sam thought to herself as she puled her old flip phone from her back pocket.

September 28th 2011

“Fuck” Sam muttered to herself.

Today was the 15th anniversary of the original massacre. The one where Billy Loomis her father and Stu Macher killed a bunch of kids at a house party. ‘How could she be so stupid. She knew this day would come. How could she forget’ Sam’s thoughts ran wild as she went to her locker. She couldn’t help but notice the growing pit inside of her. It settled low in her stomach gnawing at her as if it was trying to tell her something.

Once making it to her locker she opened it and put away her book bag and grabbed her stuff for first period. As she went to grab her books she saw her hand was shaking, she grabbed the side of her locker like her life depended on it and took a deep breath to try and steady herself. As her luck would have it, it didn’t work. So she wrapped her arms around her books and hurried off to her first class.

“Sam wait up!”

Sam turned around to see Vince Schneider running up beside her.

“What do you want Vince” Sam said dryly

“Nice to see you to sunshine. I just wanted to ask what you were doing tonight. Ive got a hook up if you're interested.” He said with a sly smile

“What makes you think i’d want to do that?” She asked

“Well you dropped all your old friends in the last year. Just thought you could use the company. Anyway, you know where to find me.” And with that he was gone.

After Sam had found the diaries she effectively pushed everyone she knew away. Not that there was a lot of people to push away in the first place but even acquaintances became strangers agin.

Sam sat in the back of her class and just waited for the bell to ring. It wasn’t that she was dumb or anything she just found it hard to care about how mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. When would that ever be useful?

On days like today time alway seemed to mess with her. One second she was here, the next someplace else. Sometimes time wouldn’t move at all and she'd be suck for what felt like hours. She thought herself lucky when the bell rang faster than she expected. In hindsight she wishes first period never ended.

Sam got settled into second period. She bounced her leg along to the sound of her heart beating in her ears. They were reading The Great Gatsby and were just about to start the open discussion when everybody’s phone started to buzz.

Sam pulled her shitty flip phone out of her back pocket, to her surprise and slight embarrassment she had nothing on her phone. It seemed that everyone had gotten a text about something. Why didn’t she?

“Oh my god Marnie Cooper and Jenny Randall were murdered last night. Says they were stabbed to death. They're saying it was Ghostface” One kid says as the rest of the class starts to erupt with chatter.

“Look” Some other kid said standing up and walking to the windows. There were already news vans racing down the street to set up and start interviewing students.

Sam want to get up to join her classmates but she couldn’t move. Her legs were cemented to the ground and no matter how hard her brain yelled at her arms, they wouldn’t budge. All she could hear were three words dancing around her mind making her skin crawl and the pit in her stomach grow.

Stabbed

Murdered

Ghostface

Everyone was up staring out the windows but her. Sam could feel her hands start to go numb. At first it was just her pinky finger but the more she sat with the knowledge the more the numbing traveled up her arms.

‘Were her classmates staring at her? When did they all start looking at her? Why were they staring? Do they know. They have to know. They all know.’ Sam’s head was screaming as her breath was becoming more and more labored.

‘Leave, Run, anything’ She heard break through the chatter in her mind. So Sam did exactly that. She ran, leaving all her stuff behind. Pushing through anyone in the hallway, she slammed the bathroom doors open and took the first available stall and locked it behind her curling up into a ball.

At this point her vision was starting to blur and the numbing had spread all over her body. She couldn’t even hear anything over the pounding of her heart inside her chest.

‘“Breath Sam just breath” She muttered to herself as she rocked back and forth in the shall.

Sam wanted to distract herself to calm her mind but there was no escape from the tormenting thoughts. ‘Why was this happening now. Someone had to know. What if she’s next. What if this is all her fault? What if they target Tara?’

“Tara” Sam said though numb lips. If she didn’t know any better she would assume she was having a stroke.

“Hello? Is someone in here?” A voice echoed thought the empty bathroom.

Sam was unwillingly shaking her leg causing the toilet seat they were resting on to rattle which alerted anyone who enters the bathroom of her existence.

“Hello?” The voice said again

Sam tried to speak, she really did, but her words caught in her throat.

“This isn’t funny. I can hear you.”

Sam tried to move again. Only her body was stuck shaking as her mind simply could no longer control her limbs. Sam could hear the girl walk slowly over to the stall she hid behind.

“If you don’t say anything I'm gonna open the door” Said the girl from the other side.

A beat passed and all the air seemed to evaporate from the room as the stall door swung open.

Sam’s body relaxed at the sight of Lindsay White, someone who she use to consider a friend. Well a friendly acquaintance at least.

“Samantha? What the hell is wrong with you? You scared me half to death. With the news of the Ghostface you really think it's funny to scare people?” She said holding a stern disappointed look across her face.

“Its Sam and what kind of psycho opens a bathroom door on someone?.” She said in a dry tone

Sam became free of her panic at the familiarity in front of her. She moved off the toilet seat and out of the stall.

“Ya, ya you go by Sam now. Whatever and you could have said something.” Lindsay said rolling her eyes

“What are you even doing in here? Oh my god have you been crying? What it’s not like you new them or anything” Lindsay noticed the red hints to Sam’s eyes and her face was slightly swollen and tear stained.

“Im fine Lindsay. Just drop it.” Sam snipped

“Drop it, Yeah… Like you dropped me?” Lindsay’s eyes narrowed at Sam. She moved only inches away staring at Sam through the bathroom mirror.

“We weren’t even friends” Sam said refusing to meet Lindsay’s eyes in the mirror as she washed her hands.

“Wow. Didn’t realize I meant so little to you.”

Sam waited a beat hoping the silence would send Lindsay away but Sam’s luck ran out a year ago when she opened that stupid diary.

“What even happened to you? One day you’re saying hi to me in the hall’s, asking to do projects together and the next I don’t even exist to you. Like ya, your dad left or whatever but you barely ever saw him anyway. You got cold and distant.”

Sam was gripping the side of the sink so hard her knuckles were turning white. Lindsay’s voice was like nails on a chalk board, effectively bubbling the constant rage that lay deep in Sam’s stomach.

“Lindsay just go” Sam said looking up to finally meet Lindsay’s gaze.

Lindsay stumbled back at the look on Sam’s face. Her eyes were dark and hooded.

“Oh my god. You did it.”

Sam’s heart imploded at the accusation completely dropping whatever expression she had a moment before.

“What? No… I…” Sam said almost sounding like a pleading child begging for their parents to understand.

“I know you Sam, you always had that glint. But it's more now. It’s different. Something inside you broke over Christmas break causing a dark cloud to always follow you around. Why else would you be hiding in here when the news dropped?” Lindsay’s voice was full of realization as if she found the last pice of the puzzle. But her words made Sam’s skin buzz with fear of the truth.

‘Your just like him’ She heard rattle around in her mind. Bile burned the back of her throat as she tried to swallow her emotions. So before Lindsay could add anything else or, Sam in turn make things worse she pushed pass the girl and ran out of the bathroom. Sam’s mind and body barely keeping up with the panic rising and falling inside of her. Her brain was on fire as her mind started to attack.

‘Murder, killer, you're just like him, Ghostface, stabbed to death, you did it, broken, you can’t escape it, darkness, psychopath, you did this, this is your fault’ Sam just kept running. If she ran fast enough maybe it would all stop maybe the voices would just shut up.

Before she knew it she was three blocks from the school and completely out of breath. She sat down on the closest stoop and tried to relax.

‘Think about the things that make you happy’ Sam remembers one of her mothers friends saying after her father not father left.

So Sam did exactly that she thought of Tara.

“Oh my god Tara” Sam said out loud as she bolted to her feet. Without even thinking her body moved towards her sisters elementary school. If she was gonna feel any better about the events of the day she needed her sister by her side. As they say anyone is a suspect and if that was the case she needed to protect her sister from anyone.

Upon reaching Taras school she saw the line of parents and cars rushing to pick up their children as news of Ghostface spread.

Sam made her way to get in line but stopped only feet away. Frozen once again she saw none other than her mother waiting impatiently in line at the school.

Her mother never picks Tara up. Even when Taras sick she calls Sam out of school so she can go pick her up and deal with it. With that being said their mother defiantly hadn’t called Sam out of school yet.

‘Fuck she can’t see me’ Sam thought to herself. She needed to get out of there and fast. At least she knows Tara’s gonna be at home. She would say safe but Christina as been becoming more and more erratic since last December.

As Sam is backing away she bumps into someone.

“Oh hi their Samantha. Are you here to pick up Tara?” Judy Hicks asked trying to steady the young girl in front of her.

“It’s Sam. But um, no, my mom is. I just came to make sure she got her.” Sam said shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

“Sorry, Sam, but before I forget is there a chance you could babysit Wes tonight and tomorrow? With all this craziness id feel much more comfortable if he was with his friends.” Judy looked down at Sam who seemed hesitant to answer.

“Ill pay double” She added

“Okay, ya I just gotta go back to school and get my stuff. You can drop him off whenever. I think my mom should be home with Tara” Sam shot the deputy a small smile before turning and walking back towards the high school.

“Be careful Sam.” Judy added as Sam walked away.

Sam kept walking towards the school but truth be told she’d rather get hit with a car than go back inside of that place. She just need a place to lay low for a bit. Going home was the obvious choice but now that she knows her mother will be there its the last place shell go.

So Sam walked and walked and walked until she came upon a park that wasn’t far from her home. She had taken Tara here to play plenty of times when their parents would fight or if she was babysitting the kids. The park was the first place all day Sam felt safe. So as if her body knew, exhaustion hit her like a truck. From having a plethora of panic attacks to walking what felt like a marathon she was about to collapse. So as soon as she came upon a park bench she sat down. Then she made the mistake of laying down.

‘Just a few minutes’ She thought to her self. It felt so good to just breath for a moment. She was so tired that her mind was finally silent.

“Yo Sam.”

Someone said as a hand shook Sam’s shoulder jolting her awake. In a panic she looked around trying to make out her surroundings. It was well past night fall causing Sam to strain her eyes as she realized who was there.

“God dammit Vince. You scared the shit out of me.” Sam barked

“Whoa don’t yell at me. Your the weirdo sleeping on a park bench with a serial killer on the loose” Vince shot back

“Whatever” She replied as she got up from the bench and stretched. She then noticed the other two kids a few yards away. They were smoking something.

“Why the hell are you here tho for real?” Vince asked sincerity dripping from his tone.

“Its none of your business okay.” Sam’s irritation was bounce off of her like hot oil

“Jesus fine. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Vince took a moment to take in Sam. His heart pinged seeing this disheveled girl who had clearly been crying most of the day. He saw a similar look flash in her eyes one he can relate too. One that say the world is just too much to take.

“There’s something about you carpenter. We're connected, I don’t know how yet but we are.” Vince looked at Sam with compassion and understanding. It made Sam’s skin burn like a magnify glass being held up to the sun.

“And somehow I'm the weirdo” Sam said as she gabbed her phone from her pocket to check the time.

“My phones dead. What time is it?” She asked putting the useless bric back into her pants packet

“9:18”

Sam sprinted before Vince could say anything else. ‘How the fuck did it get so late. She was suppose to watch Wes, Tara and the twins. Her mother’s gonna beat her senseless’ She thought to herself making her way down the street.

Sam took a second before entering the house. She knew It wasn’t going to be good but with all the kids over maybe that would lessen the punch of her mothers words. Christina would hate if those kids reported back to their parents how poor of a mother she is.

Then it hit Sam. The unnerving sounds of shear quiet. She couldn’t hear anything. There was no birds chirping or bugs buzzing. There wasn’t even the sound of the wind rushing though the trees. But worst of all there wasn’t the sounds of four 9 year olds running wild within the house. It was like the world was frozen with fear.

Sam sucked in a deep breath as she opened the front door. She yelled out for her sister to have some form of hope call back to her that everything was going to be okay. That her light was inside this haunted home and she was safe. But no words answered back. Just empty echoes of a broken house. Sam could feel the numbing tingles prick her pinkies once again. As she moved through the house every alarm in her body went off telling her to leave. To just turn back around and go. She knew she wasn’t safe, but when was Sam ever good at listing.

“Mom?” Sam asked once spying the older women standing in the kitchen wine glass in hand.

Christina took the last swig of her drink and began to poor another. Not even bothering to look up at her eldest.

“Where’s Tara?” Sam asked trying to suppress her panic. Yet her words fell on deff ears as her mother just continued to drink. Sam’s panic quickly shaped into anger. She didn’t like not knowing if Tara was safe or not.

“Mom where is Tara?” Sam said again more sternly finally pulling her hands from her pockets.

Yet again her mother completely ignored her.

Sam could feel the way the numbing sensation dissipated in her hands. She could feel them start to itch as they bawled into vengeful fists.

“I swear to God, if you don’t answer me I'm gonna…” Sam was cut off before she could finish

“Your gonna what Samantha? You're gonna hurt me? Huh? Is that it? You're gonna grab that knife and go to town? Gonna make daddy proud?”

Her words were like shrapnel from a bomb, logging themselves deep into Sam’s skin. But Sam stood there and took it. Absorbing the blows and pulling the pain into her rage.

“Fuck you. Im not playing this game. Where’s Tara?” Sam hissed at her mother.

“You couldn’t even last a year. I mean I knew it was inevitable, turning into him. It's always their Samantha, right in your eyes. I bet you’ve been planning since the night your bastard mouth ruined my life. You’ve just been biding your time until that bitch Prescott came back to town.” Christina could barely stand but that didn’t stop her from unleashing every vile thought in her mind.

Sam knew she should have walked away. She knew she should have taken the last bit of her sanity and walked away. But holding the rage back was becoming harder and harder with the bullets that left her mothers mouth. If she moved now she might not have control over what she did next and Christina could tell. She could see the way her daughter was seething under her words. Most mothers would stop at the visible anguish they cause their children. But Christina wasn’t most mothers.

“I sent Tara away to the twins house with Wes. As you should have been the one to watch them but I knew they wouldn’t be safe with you.”

“Excuse me” Sam spit out as red seeped in around her vision. She knew acting on her range would only prove her mother right.

“Don’t act coy, you heard me. God Samantha how do you live with yourself. How does it even feel?” Her mother started to cry, fake tears of course but it didn’t stop Sam’s heart from wincing at the sound.

“Answer me demon child. How did it feel? Say it! How did it feel to gut those kids Samantha!” Her mother yelled from across the counter.

“Just stop. Please” Sam felt the tears sting the back of her eyes. She didn’t realize she was teetering on the edge of rage and sorrow effectively falling to sadness. She would much rather feel the burn of rage than see her mother beam with pride at her tears.

“You were never a good liar Samantha. You’ve had plenty of time to deny my words but you stood there as if they were true. Because deep down you know they are. Deep down you're the same monster he was. As soon as I heard the news I knew it was you. Thank god I went to pick up Tara when I did.”

Sam’s breath hitched in her throat. She could feel the shame spread across her chest as she realized the only reason her mother was at Taras school was because she thought Sam had killed those girls. The realization hit that her mother wasn’t being mean for the fact that Sam caused her father not father to leave, like in the past. No, she genuinely believes Sam is following in her real father’s foot steps.

“You can kill me but I'll never allow you to hurt Tara” That was the last thing Sam remember’s hearing. A ringing replaced any and all sounds that followed and her vision was more crimson than before.

“Don’t you EVER say I would hurt Tara. She is everything to me. That’s something you could never understand. So don’t act like you care. Don’t act like I'm the threat here. We both know who you are so let me make everything clear. If you hurt her I will follow in his foot steps without even thinking. Do you understand.”

Fear flashed across her mothers face as she nodded and made her way out of the kitchen. Only to get one last word in before she walked down the hall.

“He was possessive too, just like his mother. Guess it runs in the family” her voice was soft as if she was whispering words of love to a child. Yet the words weren’t full of love but full of poison.

Sam stood there as the words washed over her mind. ‘Was her love for Tara toxic? Could she hurt her? Did it run in the family’ she thought to herself realizing she was holding in her breath. As she turned to leave she saw in her hand was a kitchen knife. Not knowing when or how she got a hold of it she threw it in the sink shuddering at the loud clinking sound it made as it settled.

“Can’t run from who you are Sam.” A deep voice echoed through her mind

Which in turn made Sam jump out of her skin but the voice was right. There was something wrong with her and she couldn’t get a grip on it. So Sam did what she does best and ran. Right out the front door and down the street back towards the park.

Before she new it she was coming into view of Vince and his friends again.

“Carpenter, back so soon?” Vince said trying to hide a sly smile.

“I just need it to stop” Sam said march right up to him.

“Whoa whoa what are you talking about?” He asked trying to stepped back at her sudden closeness.

“No, no questions. I just… I can’t handle this anymore. I can’t feel like this anymore” Sam said running her hands thought her hair. She was coming apart at her seams.

One of the other kids that was there walked over to a pacing Sam.

“Here you want this” They said holding out a joint to the clearly panic stricken girl.

Sam slowly reached for it. Her hands shook as she tried to carefully grab the object of her desires. But Vince saw all too clearly that look of fear in her eye. So he reached out his hand to stop hers.

“What the hell” Sam snapped at him like a dog nipping at its owner for taking its food.

“You don’t want that. It will just make your more paranoid” Vince said while rummaging around in his pocket.

“This is what you really want” He finished pulling a small pill out from his coat.

“What is that?” Sam asked in a soft broken tone.

“Xanax. All your little worries will be long gone with this baby” Vince said with a smile placing the pill into Sam’s hand.

Without even thinking Sam swallowed the pill and walked over to the bench she was laying on before. Within minutes Sam started to feel better. It was the first time in a while someone was honest to her. All her worries were slowly drifting away along with herself. She doesn’t remember most of the night. Just the feeling of floating away.

In the morning she woke to a killer headache in a house she didn’t quite recognize. Only to see Vince and the other kids all passed out around her. She made her way to the first bathroom she could find to try and wash up. She had another long day ahead of her and school was the last thing she wanted to attend.

She turned the water on to wash her face. As she waited for the water to warm up she finally took in her appearance. Her hair was a tangled mess and her skin was pale from exhaustion. But mainly her eyes seemed haunted and tired. They were still blood shot from the drugs she took the night before. It made her shudder, the look of herself, she honestly didn’t really know who was staring back at her in that mirror.

Sam tested the water again and slashed her face taking deep breaths as she fought off the impeding thoughts of what to do next. She knew she had a lot to face today. Yesterday was just so overwhelming it felt like her brain split in two.

Wiping her face off she looked back up to see how well she washed off the last 24 hours. Only to see someone else staring back at her. She jumps out of her skin and fell to the floor. Trying to take deep breaths to calm down.

“Come on Sam get it together. Nobody is there. It's fine. You're fine.” She says to calm herself down.

Sam slowly stands back up and faces the mirror. Her legs turn to cement as an explosion of anxiety and fear spread all over her body. Her lips go numb and her hands shake as she stars none other than Billy Loomis in the eye.

“Y.. y… you’re not R…real. It’s just the drugs” Sam stutters out

“We both know it’s not the drugs Sam. We both know why I’m here” Billy says in his hunting voice.

Sam can feel a cold sweat run down her spine. She can feel the way a dark pit forms in the center of her body. She can feel how she wishes it was fear, how her heart yearns for her gut to tell her this is all wrong. But it doesn’t. The pit only grows as she stares her father in the eye and it feels like power. All consuming, all intoxicating power. Her hands start to itch causing her to look down breaking the connection Billy had with her. She examines her hands noticing things she never had before. The way they're covered in scars and bruises. The way they’ve been itching and burning every time her anger goes unchecked. The way they have the power to kill and how much they crave it. So, she shoves them in her pocket and bolts out the door. She can’t think of what’s next she only knows that nobody around her is safe. That what’s happening can’t be a coincidence, Sam is at fault and everybody knows it.

Before Sam can get to the front door she runs right into Vince. Knocking them to the floor.

“Fuck Carpenter”

Sam ignores the boy and gets up to leave but he stops her before she can go, effectively catching her wrist in his grip.

“Wait are you okay?” He asked noticing the shine in her eyes.

“Its whatever. I gotta go” Sam said pulling her arm from his grasp.

“Fine, just here” He said putting a small baggie filled with Xanax into her hand

“But I…” She started and was cut off before she could continue

“You seem like you need it more than I do” He said with a soft smile

“Thanks” She said with a nod and turned to leave.

Upon making it outside and down the driveway Sam could feel the weight of the little baggie in her pocket. She pulled it out and looked down at it rubbing the plastic between her fingers.

The back of her mind was buzzing with all the suppressed thoughts of what just happened. She knew that door would break eventually.

“You can’t run from me Sam” A voice broke through her rattling mind causing her to pop another pill before she could even blink.

In a nearby car she could she the outline of Billy glaring at her leaving perpetual goosebumps on her skin. But as the Xanax started to take effect her skin returned to its softness and her vision was clear. She relished in the way her mind grew quiet and her body got lighter.

But with a quiet mind comes a lack of judgement. So Sam found herself standing in the kitchen of her own home when all of a sudden she felt a weight collide into her and wrap its arms around her.

“Where were you?” Tara said clinging to Sam with all her strength.

“What?” Sam said trying to push the doe eyed girl off her.

“You promised. You said you’d be here and you weren’t.” Taras voice broke as she looked up at Sam. Tears were already falling from Tara’s eyes before Sam could even understand what her baby sister was talking about.

“You said we would watch movies and have popcorn. You lied” The hurt in Taras eyes was enough to cause Sam to sober up enough to at least communicate.

Sam got down on her knees to better look Tara in the eyes.

“Im so sorry. It’s just complicated Tara.” Sam said trying to sooth her little sister.

But Tara just pushed out of her grip. The hurt in her eyes dissolved into betrayed.

“What’s wrong with your eyes?” Tara asked causing Sam to rub them and look away.

“Nothing their fine. It’s not a big deal, now can we please move on?” Sam’s tone was unnatural and out of place. She couldn’t quite grasp the situation at hand and was perpetually digging herself further into a whole she started 9 months ago.

Tara walked over and grabbed her book bag by the front door.

“Your right Sam it’s not a big deal. Im gonna walk with the twins today.” Tara said and walked out the door.

Sam could feel her heart shatter into a million pieces but nothing came of it. The drugs she took stopped the pain from reaching anywhere inside of her. She was numb but not in the ways like before. Funny enough she wanted to feel it this time. She needed it to. Maybe if she could have she wouldn’t have walked down this path.

“And you said you’d never hurt her” said the devil up the stairs.

Her mother had sent the last nail for Sam’s coffin because she was right. Sam hurt Tara and she couldn’t even care. She’s been hurting Tara without even noticing. She’s going to keep hurting Tara. She’s been predestined to destroy everything around her and theirs no stopping it now. So Sam pulled that small little baggie out of her pocket. The last whispers from the angle on her shoulder were screaming to stop. But she didn’t. She took another pill from the bag and popped it into her mouth and headed for the front door.

“Where the hell do you think you're going Samantha? There was another murder last night and I cannot let you leave in good conscience.” Christina said trying to get under Sam’s skin.

But Sam just turned back to her mother. Nothing in her eyes.

Christina grew irritated at how unbothered Sam was towards her.

“If you leave I'll call the cops. Don’t think I won’t Samantha.” She spewed losing her temper quicker than shed like.

“Call them then. See what I care” Sam said slamming the front door behind her and walking down the driveway.

“You come back here right now. Don’t you dare leave me Samantha. Come back. I swear to God don’t leave me.” Her mother yelled as she walked onto the grass of their home.

Christina only wanted a play toy that would never leave. She wanted someone to abuse and project onto but would forgive her. That would bend and break to all her empty threats. She loved her toxic game of pushing and pulling. So when her father not father left for real Christina needed a new object to break.

Tara was too weak and fragile she told herself but deep down she knew Sam was always going to protect her. It made her sick with jealousy. So when she pushed Samantha for the first time and saw a glimpse of those eyes she loved so many years ago, she relished in having a toy that didn’t easily break.

“Your just like him. You're evil. You hear me Samantha, you’ve got the devil in your blood.” She was hysterical at this point. She knows she didn’t lose this time. Christina just didn’t think her new toy would stop playing the game.

So no matter what her mother yelled from their yard, Sam just kept walking, letting the drugs take over her mind. She wasn’t mad, or sad, or scared. She wasn’t anything. She was completely empty.

Sam then had one singular thought that changed the next 10 years of her life.

Maybe if she could just stay empty, she wouldn’t be able to destroy the life around her.

#I really hope this is good. I’m so nervous about it but hey I love it so ya🙃#oh and sorry for sadness #sam carpenter #tara carpenter #scream #fuck christina carpenter #samantha carpenter #kirby reed

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heaven-s-black-box · 2 months

Text

Words and Actions- Jing Yuan & child!Reader

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Recovery date: April 19th, 2024

Description: Hello. I was wondering if you could make a platonic Honkai Star Rail story with the reader being Jing Yuan's child and but they ended up running away to stay with their mother because they keep messing things up especially after Jing Yuan and the readers mother got divorced. it takes awhile but a few months later the reader suddenly returned to the Loufu because of some disaster where the reader had been living with their mother and Jing Yuan also wanted to talk the reader so he would finally be able to apologize to them especially after he accidentally saw the diary they kept on their computer. (I was kind of inspired by the first episode of The Owl House season three Thanks To Them for this request but If you're not not comfortable with writing this that's completely alright and I wish you a good morning/afternoon or goodnight☺️)

Notes: This work was recovered in conjunction with an anonymous researcher, we thank them for their contributions.

Word count: 1 202

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Jing Yuan had imagined this conversation a hundred times, and everytime he only found himself proving them right.

No matter what he said to them in his head, their response always sounded wrong. He imagined they’d give him the silent treatment, but then they wouldn’t listen to his apology and that didn’t sound right. If they yelled and cried the words sounded wrong, he couldn’t imagine them saying they hated him. The idea that they would hug him as soon as they saw each other broke his heart because he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Jing Yuan did not know how to reconcile with his child because he did not know his child.

“General?” Fu Xuan called from the door of the seat of divine foresight. “They’re awake.”

He may not know what to say, or what was about to happen, but he knew what he had to do.

Fu Xuan entered the seat of divine foresight to take over for him while he headed to the alchemy commission.

All throughout the starskiff ride, his hand mindlessly traced a small square in his palm. It was a habit he had picked up when he returned to work after their birth, tracing the size of their tiny hand in his. When had it gotten so big? Was it close to the same size as his now? Was it as soft as the last time he’d held their hand?

The alchemists waved him through to a small hut as soon as he arrived.

His feet felt heavy as he approached the door, the sound of soft laughter slipping through the open window. Lady Bailu was running them through how to use their pain medicine and reminding them to keep their bandages dry. He didn’t know what happened for them to end up bleeding and barely conscious in starskiff haven, no one had had a chance to ask yet.

The door in front of him opened, and he looked down to see Bailu staring up at him. The dragon lady cleared her throat and waved her hand, indicating he needed to move.

“Sorry.” He stepped aside, letting her leave. “May I-”

“It’s up to her,” Bailu shrugged, looking back into the hut.

Jing Yuan followed her gaze to see Y/n sitting up in bed, their head and one of their forearms wrapped in bandages. They were staring at him, but looked away when he made eye contact.

“It’s okay. Thank you, Lady Bailu.”

Bailu nodded and excused herself.

The general slowly entered the hut, as if he was afraid Y/n would run away or change their mind, and carefully closed the door behind himself. He took a seat on the stool beside them.

“How are you feeling?” He asked after a moment of silence.

“Lady Bailu says I have a concussion and some minor burns.” They raised the arm that was wrapped up. “The stupid ship malfunctioned,” they grumbled.

“I heard that your ship was barely functional when it arrived.”

“Yup,” they sighed, popping the p. They leaned back against the headboard and let their head lean against the wall. “The anti matter legion attacked the world we’ve been living on. I was on my way back from a trip and the second I got back to the plant I was attacked, so… I left.”

They fell silent, their eyes slipping shut as they relaxed. Then suddenly they opened and they turned to him with a panicked expression.

“Mom-”

“She already knows. Lady Bailu responded to a message she sent you, and so she messaged me to make sure you really were here. I promised to bring you back as soon as I could.”

“You mean send me back. Take me back implies you’re going with me,” they snipped, leaning back into the wall.

“No, I said what I mean.” Y/n side eyed him, and he took a deep breath. “I understand you’re tired, so if you’d like we can talk later.”

“It’s fine. I’m not allowed to sleep right now anyways.”

Jing Yuan nodded, but when he went to speak he couldn’t find the words. Instead, he reached to the pitcher on their bedside table and poured them both a glass of water. He stared into the cup for a moment, then cleared his throat and tried again.

“I’m sorry.” Outside, he could hear people moving about and a bird likely perched on the tree just outside. Y/n didn’t say anything. “I found your diary,” he could feel them glare at him, but they still didn’t speak, “I promise I didn’t realize that’s what it was.”

“How do you mistake a diary for something else?”

“I thought it was one of your school work books.”

They tilted their head from side to side, accepting the response. Y/n motioned for him to continue as they took a sip of water.

“I should have noticed the pressure you were feeling, and the expectations that you felt due to my position.”

Y/n began to bite at the inside of their lip and fiddle with the bandages on their arm. Jing Yuan waited to see if they’d speak.

He was about to continue when they spoke up.

“I didn’t want to leave,” they mumbled. “I was just… so tired, and you were never around!” Y/n’s eyes went glassy and their throat tightened up. “I was always the general's kid, and it felt like I was never doing good enough. I hate feeling like a bad mark would make people question you.”

“Why would that make people question me?” He cooed.

“I don’t know!” They hiccuped. “It was stupid, but it didn’t-”

Jing Yuan moved to sit by their feet and pulled them down into a hug. Y/n wasted no time throwing their arms around him and sobbing into his shoulder, their tears soaking into his shirt. He didn’t care that they were getting snot all over his uniform, he would spend the rest of the day in a messy uniform if it meant he could hold them a little longer.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into the top of their head before kissing it. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you couldn’t tell me, and that you couldn’t make mistakes for my sake. It isn’t your job to worry about my reputation, but thank you. I know you were just trying to help, and I’m proud to have such a caring child.

He rubbed a hand up and down their back soothingly as they continued sobbing into his chest.

When their sobs turned into hiccups, he helped them sit back up and handed them their water. They chugged it, and he poured them another glass and set it aside.

Jing Yuan took Y/n’s hand in his and pressed their palms together, smiling.

“Your hand used to fit right into my palm… it was so tiny. When did you get so big?”

They laughed softly, wiping the lingering tears from their lashes.

“I don’t know.” They laced their fingers with his and let their hands drop between them as he rubbed his thumb along the back of their hand. “Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Can I stay here for a bit?”

“Always.”

#researcher s's recovery #honkai star rail #honkai star rail jing yuan #hsr jing yuan #jing yuan #jing yuan & reader #reader insert #gender neutral reader #oneshot #hsr oneshot #angst with a happy ending

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sugarcloudsky · 1 year

Note

Hello there, since your request is open by the moment, may I request a moonlight x reader headcanons where she finds that the reader’s dreams is fascinating to her? Sorry for a lack of details, I do not know how to make it a little bit more detailed but yet again, good luck at writing it!

「Moonlight Admiring Reader’s Dreams」

character: moonlight cookie

wc: 332

cws: none, just a bit short

ive actually never written for moonlight ever lol, i hope i did her justice…. and i also may have strayed from the request a bit at the end ?

• Moonlight Cookie has been aware of your existence for quite some time, you having been cooped up in the Archives along with Blueberry Pie Cookie for quite some time.

• Though she never truly interacted with you, only having seen your dreams.

• And to her, your dreams were truly incredible. They fascinated her, pulling her in like a magnet. Your dreams, to her, were something she had never ever seen before.

• Ever since the Wizards had disappeared, the entire city felt dull. The vast emptiness of her home had slowly consumed her, the only company she had was the stars illuminating the night skies, and the very hope that her creators would one day return.

• But to her, your dreams were like a splash of color on a monochromatic canvas. They were so fascinating to her, that she automatically wanted to know more about your dreams, and eventually you.

• Very soon afterwards, she had become a bit more attached to you as a person.

• She wanted to know more about you. She wanted to see more of the colorful beauty you brought to her.

• In short, she merely watches you from afar, as you roam the archives in silence, the only sound accompanying you being your own echoing footsteps.

• She may occasionally leave some gifts addressed to you, hidden amongst the rows of books and tomes. The happiness it brings you is enough to make her smile and giggle to herself, almost like a highschool girl in love.

• You may consider returning the favor to this mysterious gifter, but the light your dreams bring to the sleeping beauty above the stars is more than the best gift you could ever give her.

• All in all, although she does not get to interact with you as much as she dreams she could, she is merely happy enough to embrace the warmth of your dreams. They inspire her, and fill her with the much needed hope of the eventual restoration of the City of Wizards.

#cookie run x reader #cookie run kingdom #crk x reader #fanfiction #cookie run #cookie run x you #x reader #moonlight cookie #moonlight cookie x reader

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rand0mfangurlstuff · 10 days

Text

Sing Yourself to Sleep - Bucky x Y/N - Part Ten - I Will Always Love You

This chapter was incredibly hard to write. But I had a vision of how I wanted this chapter to go and I think I got there in the end. Only one or two chapters left of this. Loosely inspired by Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

Major Gale Cleven was dead. The news spread like wildfire throughout Thorpe Abbotts. Y/N was devastated. Gale was a good man. Brave, and kind. He deserved better. Her heart broke even more when she thought of Bucky. Who would tell him? He was in London on weekend leave. On leave because of what she did. Maybe that was her final gift to him; sending him to London. Otherwise he would have met the same fate as Gale. Maybe he would have preferred that...

***Thirty- Six Hours Earlier***

'Goodbye John' she said as she walked away. She walked as fast as her two legs would carrie her. She needed to get out of there before he had the chance to chase after her, and before she had the chance to change her mind. It broke her heart to break things off with Bucky, but she knew she had to. Knew that it was the only way. Bucky deserved better than her, than an already married woman. Used goods. If their relationship became common knowledge it could ruin Bucky's career. Military men all stuck together and the higher ups would blacklist Bucky as soon as they heard he was fooling around with the Colonel's wife.

She landed back to her quarters to find Albert sitting at the table reading the paper.

'Hello dear.' He said as he looked up from the paper and took a sip of his coffee.

'Hello Bertie.' She hoped she didnt look upset.

'Nice walk?' he asked with his nose burried in the sports section.

'Oh fine. It's a little chilly out there today. I might go for a bath to warm me up.'

'That's fine dear, don't take too long though. I'll need to have a soak too before we head to the club tonight.'

The club. Oh god she could not go to the club.

'I'm not really feeling in the mood for the club tonight. But you go if you want.'

Albert stood from the table and made his way towards her.

'That's not like you Y/N, everything okay?'

'Yes of course, I just feel a bit tired. Maybe I'm coming down with a cold or something.'

'You poor thing. You draw yourself a nice bath. Hopefully you feel better soon.' He kissed her cheek.

'Thank you dear. You should still go though.'

'No no, I should be here taking care of you. Perhaps we shall just have a night in tonight.'

'That sound lovely.' With that she smiled, kissed his cheek and headed for the bathroom.

She pushed the bathroom door closed behind her and turned on the taps at the end of the tub. As the water filled the tub, so did the tears rolling down her face.

____________________________________________________________

She once again found herself crying in her bathtub. Poor Gale, Poor Bucky. She knew he would be devastated. Knew this loss would crush him completely. She wanted to be there for him. But it was too late for that. He likely would want nothing to do with her.

It was later that afternoon that she heard Bucky had returned to base early. She knew what that meant. He was flying today. Dread filled her. She wanted to go to him, beg him not to do this. But she knew it was no use. He would go avenge Buck whether she liked it or not.

She hid around the corner of the controll tower, watching as the men assembled into the planes one by one. She didnt want anyone to notice her paying such close attention to the pilots, espically one pilot in particular. When she saw him, he was without his usual sheepskin jacket. He boarded the plane and she could just about see him through the window getting set up for take-off. She blew a kiss in his direction, hoping somehow it would wrap around him like a blanket and keep him safe. She watched as he flew into the sky, a silent tear escaping her.

____________________________________________

What felt like a lifetime but was really only a few hours passed. She was in the kitchen, making the chocolate chip cookies Bucky likes so much. She figured he would enjoy a nice treat when he got back to base. Something to soak up all the whiskey she was sure he was drinking. She was just about to pop them in the oven when she heard the shuffling of footsteps and the quiet, muffled sobs. She retreated from the kitchen into the mess hall to see a few of the red cross girls huddled together, wiping away the tears of one girl in particular.

'Ladies? Whats wrong?' she knew what was wrong. It didnt take a genious to know why a red cross girl would be in tears hours after a mission. She'd lost someone. One of the girls looked up at Y/N

'It's Mark, he didnt come home. A lot of them didn't.' she said.

Her friend burst into tears at the mention of the mans name. Y/N felt ashamed that the name 'Mark' didn't mean anything to her. She left the mess and headed towards the offices. As she approached she saw a man storm out and kick the wall beside him in frustration. She headed up the stairs and came across Harry Crosby. He looked on the verge of tears.

'Harry? Are you okay?'

He startled at the sound of her voice. Standing abruptly and wiping his face her said 'Mrs. Clarke, oh I'm sorry its just... oh hell... they're gone Y/N, Mrs. Clarke, they're all gone. Only one plane made it back.'

One plane?? Only one plane? Oh god, please let that one plane be Bucky's.

'Oh god, only one? Who?..'

'Rosie.' Harry finished before she could. He and his crew are the only ones to make it back.'

'But Bucky- Major Egan?'

'Egan's gone.' he said holding back tears. 'His plane went down. No sign on any chutes.'

No. no. no. no. Please no. Not Bucky. Please. He cant be gone. Not after everything. He was supossed to be safe. He was supposed to survive all this and meet a nice girl and fall in love. He couldn't be dead.

She stood there. Staring straight ahead. She barely noticed Harry excuse himself. She felt everything and nothing all at once. She felt ike she had just been shot right in the chest. She had heard soldiers saying that sometime the pain is so severe that your body shuts down so you dont feel it anymore. She was certain thats what was happening now.

A hand on her shoulder broke her from her trance.

'I'm sorry dear.' Albert said to her. 'I know how fond you were of Major Egan.'

He said everything he needed to and could in that moment. I know you were fond of him. I know you were having an affair. I know you loved him. I know his death is going to tear apart your soul. She couldnt form a response.

'Come now, sit and have a drink. You're in shock.' I forgive you. I'm going to take care of you. I still love you. I will help you grieve the loss of your lover.

He ushered her towards and empty chair and handed her a flask of whiskey for her to drink. As their hands connected over the flask she grabbed onto him and looked him in the eyes for the first time in what felt like years, 'Thank you, Bertie.' and with those words and that look in her eyes she said I'm sorry. I love you. Thank you for loving me. I will be a better wife.

John Egan was dead. And her heart was broken. But maybe this was how it was meant to be. Maybe now she could grieve, and move on. The love her and John shared would always be with her, in the depths of her soul. But that was a burning love that was never meant to last. Her marriage, to her wonderful kind husband, was what she truly needed. This was would end soon. She and Albert would go back home. Thorpe Abbotts and everyone in it would be a distant memory.

She would survive this heartache and learn from it. She would never forget it, but she would overcome it. As she raised the flask to her lips, she said one final goodbye to John Bucky Egan. I'm sorry Bucky, for everything. I love you. Part of me will always love you. You are safe in heaven now. You free from pain and suffering. I will carry on, as I know you would want me to. Rest in Peace my love.

#masters of the air #callum turner #john bucky egan #john egan #mota #masters of the air fan fiction #john egan x reader #masters of the air fanfic #masters of the air fanfiction

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genshin-impact-writings · 2 years

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Hello!!! May I request ''let me be there for you.'' w/ Kaeya? Please and thank you? Of course take all the time you need in writing this or feel free to disregard it all together :) Oh, and I'd just like to say that your writing is *mwah* IMACCULATE <3 Anyway, have a pleasant day/night!

Hey there, Val! <3 Thank you so much for your request, this really was the perfect prompt for Kaeya. I got the initial idea during the weinlesefest event and figured it goes well with the prompt. I apologize if this is all over the place though... I'm struggling with writer's block at the moment but I really wanted to get this one done. Also, is heavily inspired by “On my own” by Ashes Remain, hence the title. (also, thank you so much for your kind words. <3 Hope you have a great day, too)

Prompt: “Let me be there for you.”

On my own – Kaeya x gn!reader (hurt/comfort)

As soon as Kaeya returned home that day, you knew that something was wrong. Although he tried his best to put on his usual gleeful smile when he greeted you, you easily realized that it was nothing but a mere act to hide the fact that something had upset him. You could tell from the way he carefully avoided your gaze, almost as if he feared that you’d be able to read his thoughts if you looked at him for too long.

You frowned. It wasn’t a secret that Kaeya liked to keep his struggles to himself, that he always tried to sort things out for himself, no matter how awful it made him feel. And you hated it – you hated that he probably felt like he had to go through all of this on his own. But what you hated even more was the fact that there really was nothing you could do to help him.

“Rough day?” you asked softly. Maybe he would tell you what was bothering him, just this one time. But instead, he just shrugged, flashing another smile at you that was as fake as Nimrod’s promise not to get drunk again. “I’m fine.”

If someone had asked him why he kept lying to you, Kaeya wouldn’t have known the answer. It wasn’t like he enjoyed being dishonest – it hurt him so much to lie to your face, to pretend that everything was fine when it wasn’t, and he knew you well enough to realize that his dishonesty hurt you too. (It would be foolish to believe that you didn’t notice how he always avoided your questions. And Kaeya wasn’t foolish.) Heck, maybe it would have even helped to talk about the things that kept him awake at night recently but whenever he thought he had gathered the courage to do just that, he suddenly couldn’t find the right words – and in the end, he always remained silent.

It was stupid, really, to think that he still had to deal with everything on his own while you were right there in front of him, ready to listen to him, to comfort him when he needed it. There was no doubt that you would do everything in your power to help him – if only he could bring himself to finally talk to you, to tell you that recently, he had been thinking about his father and his childhood at Dawn Winery a lot. That he sometimes wondered what would have been if his father hadn’t left him there.

How could he, though? How could he tell you all of that without making it sound like he wasn’t happy with his life right now? Like he wasn’t happy with you by his side?

“I’m fine,” Kaeya repeated slowly but even he realized how fake he sounded. And judging by the way you were looking at him, your eyebrows slightly raised, your pretty eyes full of concern, you noticed it too. He tried to crack another smile. “I really am.”

“It’s not going to sound more convincing if you just repeat it often enough,” you told him, the tone of your voice still so gentle that he almost caved in. But no. You already had things on your plate – you shouldn’t have to deal with his problems, too. So, he just pressed his lips together and shook his head, pushing you away once again.

With a deep sigh, you plopped down on the sofa and reached out for the Cavalry Captain, inviting Kaeya to sit with you. It took him a few seconds but then, he hesitatingly sat down next to you, back straight and hands curled into fists.

“Hey,” you said softly. “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk. And I understand that there are things that you don’t want to tell me. It’s just… it hurts me to see you like this. It makes me feel so helpless.” You paused and shook your head. “What I’m trying to say is, please let me be there for you. I know you want to deal with everything on your own but – the thing is, you don’t have to. I’m right here.”

For a while, Kaeya didn’t reply anything, and the room went completely silent. Through the opened window, you could hear the distant chatter of passersby as well as the jolly chirping of birds.

Then, as you almost started to believe that he wouldn’t react to your little speech in any way, you felt him leaning against you, resting his head on your shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

You kissed the top of his head and wrapped your arms around him. “Nonsense. There’s nothing you have to apologize for.”

“But you were worried about me. I never wanted that.”

“Shh. It’s okay.”

With a shaky exhale, Kaeya buried his face in the crook of your neck. He still wasn’t ready to talk about his father or the constant thoughts of “What if…” that occupied his mind recently, and maybe he would never be, but for now, he allowed himself to push these worries aside as he melted into your embrace, indulging in the certainty that you were there by his side, no matter what would happen in the future.

Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it please consider reblogging, liking and/or leaving some feedback. I'd really appreciate the support. <3

Taglist: @kaeyas-beloved @the-gayest-sky-kid @genshinparty @ajaxstar @quixoticmirror @nakurak

#kaeya x reader #kaeya x you #kaeya alberich x reader #kaeya alberich x you #kaeya alberich fluff #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact hurt/comfort #gn!reader #gender neutral reader #reader insert #genshin impact imagine

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insirisarts · 20 days

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Origins of Olympus - Reimagined: Prologue

Hello! I have been working for a while now on a reimagined version of an old Minecraft series I used to watch. This is in no way me commenting on the writing or story of the original series, I was just inspired to see how I could write it based on what we were given in the original. Also, if you see any way that I can improve my writing, or any grammar/spelling mistakes please let me know!

Please watch the original Origins of Olympus series, while this story does make major changes; the series made by the Origins MCRP crew is important to understanding the Reimagining, and it's good to support the original material if you can. It's free on YouTube with multiple perspectives.

Prologue:

In this world, we have been left behind by the gods. After the Twelve Olympians had defeated the titans and locked them in Tartarus; they had returned to the acropolis upon Olympus. However, not before spreading their influence far and wide. Now their children reside to continue their legacy, fighting through trials of life and death in order to prove themselves in this harsh, new world filled with monsters and beasts alike. But now we focus on a select few children of these gods, whose story will tell the tale of both the greatest joys and the deepest sorrows. A story that has only just begun.

'Delphyne is the name given, by some accounts, to the monstrous serpent killed by Apollo. She was my mother…’

A woman slithers past the cabins in the sacred oasis, making sure every one of them is properly cleaned. She checked every bed to be certain that the sheets and duvets were changed, and the drawers and closets were empty. Assured herself that all weapon stands were in perfect display condition. That each building was fit for the soon arriving children of the gods. The egos of the gods were sure to have passed on, and they would not accept anything less but the best.

Leaving the final cabin, satisfied with the cleanliness of the structures, she moved on. Gazing upon the surrounding plants surrounding the path, she took in the light atmosphere of the moon-lit area. Bright green grass, blooming flowers, well maintained bushes, and towering trees. She allowed herself to smile slightly, accepting the small moment of peace.

‘She wasn’t as vile as the story's make her out to be… she was only doing as she felt necessary to protect the Oracle of Delphi.’

Next was the mess hall and checking that it was suitably supplied with food and drink for the summer. Inside the storage area of the building, were massive piles of the freshest meat and produce. Nectar and ambrosia, well-aged, lined the walls. It was more than plenty for the summer.

‘Despite all of her valiant attempts, she failed. Regardless of it all, her death doesn't pain me… and I do not ask for pity; I’ve had time to overcome my grief, and her legacy reigns on. That’s why I’m here. After her death, I had taken the Oracle to The Oasis of Demeter, a camp of sorts for the children of the gods to earn their worth. I, more so, see it as a sanctuary.’

Finally, she looked over the Oracle's abode, the house protecting the sacred being. It was her job to make sure they never got hurt.

‘And I plan to keep it, and you, safe.’

————————————————————————

“C’mon!” Came a shout in the dark, thundering hoofsteps following closely behind, the loud screeching of an axe echoing hauntingly in the clustered forest. The minotaur was hot on his steed's heels, making the poor horse panic. A cliff came into view and the animal had come to a sudden stop, sending its master flying into the rocks and moist dirt below. A shrill whine reverberated from the animal as it sprinted away.

“Woh-woh-woh-woh!” exclaimed the ashen man, landing harshly with an “OOF!”. “Shadow! Shadow!” He cried, now covered in scrapes and patches of dark mud. A monstrous cry echoed from the cliff followed by the harsh thuds of what could only be assumed as fallen trees. The man had no time to collect himself before getting up and back into a sprint. The sounds of hooves squelching in the mud only made the man run faster to escape. Wishing that he had waited until morning to make his expedition.

Short on breath, he quickly took shelter behind a tree. Quietly he prayed to his godly father that the monster wouldn't find him. Slowly building his courage, he peaked around to aim his bow at the beast; he knew that his archery was nowhere near the skill of his father and siblings, but he was desperate. He took a slow steady breath preparing to take aim… only for the monster, a minotaur, to suddenly burst into flames. Confused, the man leaves his hiding spot and looks around, dropping the bow to a resting position.

“Well…” he breathed. “Let’s hope that was you dad…” He mumbled to himself, cautiously walking away from the scene, he had a horse to find and a place to be after all.

————————————————————————

Arrows could be heard flying, followed by two pairs of feet running in the opposite direction. A man dressed in black, white and yellow sprinted past the surrounding beasts, sustaining minor injuries from attacks. A woman with hoven feet and horns turned to the monsters and returned fire, trying her best to prevent any more harm to the other. As they made more and more distance between themselves and the beasts, the woman ushered the other to follow her. As grass bled into sand the pair took a small break, they finally lost their pursuers. There was still a lot of distance to cover to where they were going, but they had time as it was hardly noon. Snacking on their rations, they continued onward into the endless desert, keeping their eyes open for the gateway defended by towering statues.

————————————————————————

A young man rises from the estuary that connects the desert to the nearby gulf. His blue and brown eyes stare in amazement at the towering statues that guard the gate of the camp; lit overhead by the high-noon sun. Aquatic life all around him began to announce his presence. Offering a soft smile of appreciation, the man leaves the water. Sand sticks to his wet leg armor and skin, creating a dry grainy texture that itches, but it hardly distracts him from the wondrous scene. Towering trees reach over the marble wall, framing the sky beautifully. If he was going to learn anything about himself, it would be here. He is sure of it.

————————————————————————

Slowly, the world came to him. A fog lifted from his head as he stretched his arms and back, opening his eyes to gaze at the great Helios’ sun. It seemed to be slightly past noon, a moment where the bright chariot would be illuminating all of the surrounding world with little areas of shade. Glancing out to the land, he took in the beauty of it all; The sea of grass flowing in the wind, sparse spots of tree cover, an accumulation of rolling hills and distant mountains bringing it all together. It was serene. So, so serene. He felt so light. The world was still so fuzzy. He almost became dead to it again. Eyes slipping closed to soak it all in once more…

…Hm, wasn’t he forgetting something?...

Suddenly, he shot into full consciousness. A spike of adrenaline washing away the groggy listlessness in his mind. “I’m late!” He exclaimed, scrambling to get his things in order. Strapping his once abandoned satchel onto his belt, storing his red and white dual-bladed sword and grabbing his most recent gift from the gods. A purple and green sword that came around into the shape of a hook; making a sort-of eye shape, vines with rose thorns, black detailing on the blade, and a large purple rose as the cross-guard. “Oh gods, I’m going to miss the meet up and the tour if I don’t hurry!” He fretted, rushing to the camp for young demi-gods.

Next chapter

Previous chapter

First chapter (you are here)

#origins of olympus #origins of olympus reimagined #fanfic #fanfiction #origins mcrp #ooo #ooo-ri #prologue

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wildchildvdm · 4 months

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How Charlie Dempsey inspired me

TW: Mention of DV and SA

Crying in my bed with a smile on my face. A lot of people would ask me: Valentina, whats the thing with Charlie? Honestly it all started when watched him on NXT UK and when I started to work in backstage for Sirius.

When I saw his debut with his birth name, Bailey Matthews, against Tyler Bate, when he returned as Charlie Dempsey at the end of summer. As I was looking at him I was telling myself: good Lord, that’s what I always wanted to do and I am missing. And this for giving up the first time when I was 16 to make everyone around me happy. Settle down, get married, have children. Expectations of an Italian woman. A good friend of mine also told me “Why did you give up? It’s not late!”

I was in a relationship that didn’t sit right with me. It was toxic and DV was at the order of the day. I crying alone, crying in pain if it’s mentally or physically, never been good for his family, for friends that turned out to be fake. I was losing myself, but seeing Charlie, that’s made my clock ticking that I want to play by my own rules. I was 23 years old when I told myself: that’s enough. I am about to turn 25 in may. Breaking free from this relationship last year and the first thing I did is start my training. It has been one year and soon I am going to move away to the wXw, to take all to the top.

A family that is not happy with my decision and that I have to put everything on a scale. It’s either them or wrestling. If everything goes as planned I will spend two weeks a the GPWA. (My crush is there too lol Hello Baldie you sexy thing).

Bailey or better Charlie inspires me to keep it up with my work to get better and better. As I told my friend Jay during the chain wrestling training yesterday: I want to learn everything until my head explode. I will never stop learning. I have some fears inside the ring that I know I need to win.

If there is one thing I dream of in my life is to be taken under his wing and learn, I would learn for hours. If it’s either with him or his father. But I want to learn.

As I am writing this I am looking at my tattoo on my left arm: a flower. What has a flower to do? There is a tradition in South Korea that says: every person has a birth flower. This is a Carolina Allspice. Dec 30th.

I look at it when I feel I want to give up, when something isn’t going as I wished. Some people tells me that I would regret it. But for sure I don’t regret that.

Seeing him winning that cup makes my heart happy and jump. I never felt so proud as I feel right now. I was waiting years for this. And right now I am even more motivated. Even if there is a 3-1 Handicap Match between the 4 walls.

I wish he knows that he made the difference of this young woman with a dream.

#charlie dempsey #wwe #nxt #nxtuk #NXT heritage cup

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bittermoonswrites · 5 months

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If you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top favorite fics that you've written (feel free how much that you want to list)? Why they're special to you? Is there a specific inspiration when you wrote them?

Thanks if you want to answer....

Hello hello! Oooh excellent question, let me pull up a few!

4115 campus drive (Iwaoi, Haikyuu, 1.9k): I started this fic in 2020 as Haikyuu's last arc was going on in the manga but couldn't figure out how to finish it until 2022. One of my friends getting super into Haikyuu in 2022 inspired me to return to it! So this fic is dedicated to her.

you’ve got nothing on my tendency (to be led astray) (BNHA, Dabihawks, 4.5k): This was inpired by a Zen Cho short story and a twitter meme I can't find anymore about demon summoning. the plot is that touya summons hawks (with his art student chalk circle drawing skills in the park) to deal with his father, but then hawks keeps asking for touya's hand in marriage. This one is special to me because it kind of popped out of nowhere after I got inspired by the memes--I still love it a lot.

there and back again (JJK, Stsg, 96k): LOL my longest fic. I had a bunch of external life things converge in 2022 in a bad way, plus I was thinking about quitting writing fanfic for the time being because it was taking away time from other writing and it wasn't fun--I had spent a lot of time writing speak too soon (my 20k stsg reality TV AU) that summer. Don't get me wrong, I think speak too soon is a great fic—I enjoyed diving into Gojo's POV enough to want to write more of it in a celebrity AU and some scenes still make me laugh while reading it—but I felt like I wasn't writing the kind of things I like reading the most and also kind of betrayed myself as an artist by changing it stylistically to fit the kinds of things I thought ao3 readers tended to like. So I decided to make there and back again one last hurrah of a longfic. I put everything I had into it and made it something I would have liked to read and reflected my personal taste accurately, and in the process of writing it, I discovered I wasn't done with fics. I think now that I will probably be writing fanfics forever—it'll ebb and flow with my life, of course, but I don't think I'll ever quit for good.

Thanks so much for asking! Hope you found my answers interesting!

#bittermoons has asks!

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yourlocalartsonist · 1 year

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ROTTMNT Moths Fly In Packs - Chapter Four

A/N: Hello I have returned with yet another chapter for y'all to feed on! I am lowkey so happy the fanfic's going on for so long cuz I have a history of abandoning projects after like the third chapter, so clearly tis a sign I might actually keep this fic long running for years and years to come :D I know I have a lot of ideas for it so I'm def taking a few years on this one but oh well I'm having fun. Hope you guys like this one, tidepod duo is one of my favs and I got to implement some of my own lore bits here and there and foreshadow certain things... Also can y'all believe the Hidden City Zoo was mentioned in one of the episodes but we never got to actually see it like fuck u Nickelodeon, now I'm forced to write a self-indulgent fanfic so my brain can finally rest >:( But yee tell me your fav parts if y'all feel like it <3

Also! Credit to: @sweaterrat for being my beloved beta reader, and my irl friend "The Leo Hater Reading a Leo Fanfic" for inspiring some quotes~

*Phuphu means "paternal aunt" in Bangla

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Chapter One

Disclaimer: Chapter involves themes of abusive family, mention of death, violence, and curse words. If you're sensitive to that stuff, scroll past and stay safe!

“Remember we’ll be back by nine, this place better be spotless or you’re staying up and making sure it is!”

“I know Phuphu*, I’ve got it. You and Meeta just enjoy your day.”

My aunt called for her daughter who was still at the mirror adjusting how she looked, smoothening out her patterned gold dress and putting any flyaway strands back in place. They were both going to a birthday party for one of my aunt’s friend’s sister’s brother-in-law’s son and, as usual, I wasn’t invited. Instead, I got tasked with keeping the apartment in check while they’re gone in case there’s an explosion or something. They never give me a better reason.

“Hurry up child, we’re going to be late!”

“Mommy you’re the one who always says beauty takes time.”

Meeta took one last look in the mirror and joined her mom at the door.

“Well, don’t you look stunning!”

“Um, of course I do? Have I ever not looked perfect?” There it is, my ever so humble cousin. I mean don’t get me wrong I admire her confidence, just crosses a line when she starts putting others down for not looking as good as her. And by others I mostly mean me.

But regardless, it was true. Meeta did look stunning all day everyday. She’s only fifteen but still considered the beauty of our family, especially to our relatives outside America. Tall, dark eyes, milky skin. Shiny black hair done up in a tight bun. Meeta takes great care to always look picture perfect.

I waved goodbye as they left for the party. It did feel a little bad, never getting to tag along and join them anywhere. But then again, eight years of technically being in debt to my aunt didn’t exactly leave any respect for me so parties are the least of my concerns. She acts as if not yelling at me for one minute would end with tragedy just because she’s letting me stay here for free. My only form of compensation: taking care of the house. Cleaning, shopping, running errands, all that jazz. It’s either that or a job so I chose household chores, it’s got more perks.

Like getting to choose my own schedule! As always, I was told ahead of time that they’d be out today so while my aunt and Meeta were sleeping last night, I got the majority of the cleaning done (with the exception of their rooms, of course). I asked Jaiden if we could hang out today and miraculously they agreed so I had to make sure today's cleaning would take no more than an hour, even if that sacrificed a little bit of sleep yesterday. All I’ve gotta do now is just some light sweeping. Totally worth it in my opinion.

Soon after I was done, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and saw it was a call from Jaiden. Fumbling with the buttons I eventually managed to answer.

“Jaiden? Are you out already? Give me like ten minutes I’ll-”

“I can’t make it.”

Wait, what? “Wh-what do you mean?”

“I can’t make it today, something came up. I just wanted to quickly call you and let you know.”

Beep!

They hung up.

My heart sank thinking about their words. Something came up? I’ve been so excited to hang out with Jaiden all day and now something came up? We already haven’t spent much time together lately. They don’t talk as much at school and stopped responding to my texts. I got worried I did something wrong but every time I’d gain the courage to ask they’d just say they were low on energy and I’d accept that answer because what else could I do? After all of this time of practically begging them, I finally got them to agree on making plans in hopes we could talk and now today of all days something just happened to come up?

I sighed and quickly returned to rationality. It must be a last minute situation, I mean they barely even called for a minute. Probably something important or maybe a parent randomly said no. Jaiden did say their parents are a bit flip-floppy. Either way, no point in getting mad at Jaiden, it’s not in their control. I begrudgingly shoved my phone back in my pocket and paced around the house trying to entertain myself. I’ve already cleaned every nook and cranny I could bullshit into justifying as a mess so that’s not an option. I don’t really have any inspiration to work on my art or writing either.

I went into my room and flopped on the bed.

Ugh, this sucks! It’s only three pm, I still have so many hours to kill. Maybe I should just take a nap.

Before I could try to doze off to dreamland, a sound forced my eyes back open.

A knock? At my window?

But when I stuck my head outside no one was there. So either the wind was being a little bitch or I’m so depressed I’m hallucinating. I groaned and was about to go back to bed but, the very second I turned my back, two voices shouted in unison before I got tackled to the ground.

“Surprise attack!”

My poor back stung against the hard floor as the two mutant idiots curled around me.

“Leo, Mikey! I missed you guys! But, um, I do still need to breathe.”

We sat up, still on the floor and my soul eventually returned to my body.

Mikey flashed a vibrant grin “So, whatcha doing? Any plans or are you free today!? Please say you’re free!”

“Oh, I am now, I guess. I was supposed to hang out with a friend but they canceled last minute so my day just about cleared up.”

“Aww sorry to hear that Salena.” And he’s back to hugging. I’d be more annoyed if Mikey didn’t give such great hugs, he’s as soft as a sponge. “But, on the bright side, that means you can come hang out with us now! Leo and I were planning on going to a zoo and-”

“A ZOO!?”

Am I dreaming because holy daze it feels like I am! I could barely contain my giddy giggles the entire walk over.

“I’ve always wanted to go to a zoo literally my entire life! Getting up close and personal with all the amazing different animals! I mean don’t get me wrong, books are great but it’d be so different to see one in person! I feel like I’d get carried away and go inside the enclosure, though, but that’s fine! Just the usual intrusive thoughts and stuff!”

“Hey Salena, love the enthusiasm and it’s really great to see you so happy but, maybe you should save your energy for when we actually get there?”

“Sorry! I’m just so excited!”

“Yeah, I had a feeling you’d enjoy this.” He smiled and turned back to Mikey. “Hey Angelo, we there yet?”

“Yepperoni! Just give it a sec and let the Master of Mystic Arts do his thing.” Mystic arts?

He held out his hands and they started glowing. Contrasting with the neon blue I’m used to seeing, a portal opened up in sunset colors.

“Guys, am I missing something? Why are we opening a portal?” I glanced over at Leo for some answers only to be met by his stupid amused smirk.

“So, we may have hidden a tiny little detail about this zoo trip.”

“Damn, you don’t say?”

Mikey, the only thing between me and the glowing mystery hole, stepped off to the side. “We weren’t just gonna go to any regular zoo. We’re going to the Hidden City Zoo!”

Hidden City? Oh wait, that’s the place Raph talked about, the reason why there were so many Yōkai near my house! This is probably one of the gateways to it? I leaned in a bit closer, a little more cautious than usual. It sounded thrilling to explore the Hidden City but a zoo? What kind of animals could a mutant zoo have?

“Um, we’re not gonna get immediately mauled death by some crazy rabid mutant lion or something, right?”

“Dunno. Only one way to find out!”

“What.”

The blue bastard pushed me through without hesitation as my poor knees made contact with the hard, rocky surface on the other side. I thought of letting my violent desires get the better of me for a minute. Until...

The new world in front of me left me starstruck.

The sky painted in various hues of pink and gold, an enormous entrance built on seafoam-colored stone displaying the words Hidden City Zoo. Peeking inside it only got better, the place was littered with wild and wacky creatures I’ve never even dreamed could exist! And in the distance, I think I can make out a rollercoaster?

It seems like Mikey’s in just as much awe as I am “Omigosh look at how big it is! And it has an amusement park nearby? This place is even cooler than I thought!”

“Dudes, what’d I tell you, this was totally a great idea! Ugh, I should’ve gone here last time instead of that stupid spa.”

“Why didn’t you just go after the spa?”

“Oh cause we all got thrown in jail. A dumb bird and an evil wig framed me for theft so that kinda took up the whole day.”

“But Dad and I bailed them out and saved the day! Who’s the best turtle now Leon~”

A giggle escaped my lips “The fact that I’m not even surprised. Now c’mon, enough blabbering, we gotta go explore!”

A mutant zoo is somehow exactly what I expected it to be but also completely different at the same time. Most of these guys look like regular animals, just bigger and louder. But a few others actually reminded me of more traditional Yōkai I saw in a book about Japanese folklore. I remember Mom used to hate how interested I was in it, which was pretty strange since she herself was Japanese. That was the only thing I ever knew of her heritage. She kept trying to tell me Yōkai knowledge was useless and I’d have way more fun learning about real animals instead. Unfortunately for her, my curiosity was not one to be quenched so I simply ended up learning about both.

I looked at one of the bear Yōkai, they’re called onikuma I think. We made eye contact and either I need to get my vision checked or it just smiled at me. Weren’t these supposed to be wild animals? Come to think of it actually, the more Yōkai-looking creatures resembled the mutants outside the zoo enclosures more than the ones inside. You know, the guys walking around on two feet wearing clothes and taking pictures on their phones the same way we were and are very obviously not wild animals.

“Whatcha writing, Salena?” the tangerine looked over my shoulder while I was typing on my notes app.

“Oh, just trying to learn a bit more about these guys. I don’t know why but something just feels-”

Before I could finish my sentence, my stomach chose violence sending a sharp pain through my body as it rumbled louder than a whale call.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to eat today.”

“You do that too?”

Mikey let out a dramatically loud gasp “What is wrong with y’all? How can anyone forget to eat? We’re getting food right now.”

“Chillax Mikey, I’ll be fine! We can wait a little-”

“Don’t make me go Doctor Delicate Touch on you.”

“N-Nevermind.”

We were unwillingly dragged by the terrifying midget to a food booth nearby. I mean, it’s not too bad honestly, the food in the Hidden City is way better than in New York. We got a super delicious burger packed with juicy meat, creamy cheese, tomatoes that actually taste like something, and… worm fries. I avoided that last delicacy but Leo seemed to enjoy it. Mikey on the other hand wrote down every tiny detail while rambling to himself the whole time.

“Don’t mind him, Mikey loves to cook. Sometimes he tries remaking recipes of any food we liked outside.”

“Ahem, I don’t just recreate them, I improve them!”

I looked at the giant burger in my hands amazed at Mikey’s confidence. “You want to improve this? This is literally the best burger I’ve ever had in my life! How could you top this?”

“Yeah, Miguel, you sure you’re good enough for this one?” He glared as Leo playfully stuck out his tongue.

“You’ll just have to wait and be impressed! But on another note, how’re you doing Salena? Enjoying the day so far?”

“Enjoying doesn’t even begin to describe it! Everything is so cool here! I’ve always wanted to go to a zoo like this. I bugged my parents about it a lot when I was younger but we never had enough money for the tickets and stuff. They promised they’d take me one day but…” They died before they could.

I never realized how I completely forgot about that. Life got so busy that getting upset over zoos seemed too silly to do anymore.

I snapped back to reality feeling the boys’ eyes on me.

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to ruin the mood-”

They hugged me.

“It’s a good thing we took you here then!”

“Yeah, consider it a thank you gift for Mr. and Mrs. Moni.”

This feels… warm. And familiar? It’s a hug. I’ve hugged plenty of people. But those hugs felt different. I feel so small right now and that’s strangely a good thing. Everything is warm and cozy and a little dreamy.

I think the last time a hug felt like this was when my parents were still here.

The rest of the day went by delightfully. We took a stupid amount of pictures - mostly because Leo wanted to boast to Raph and Donnie later - and Mikey even dragged us on to a few of the rides at the amusement park. The mood felt a little softer than before. I’m not entirely used to it but I honestly don’t mind.

But as usual, the pleasantly chill vibe can never last for too long. A loud crash grabbed our attention towards one of the exhibits where a bunch of employees were scrambling around with cages in their arms. Mikey managed to stop one of them mid-panic to ask what’s going on.

“Something broke the glass and now they all escaped!”

I caught Leo inspecting the broken glass. Following his eyes, they landed on what seemed to be a giant crab claw. He quickly noticed the two culprits in the distance frolicking around in acrobat uniforms and groaned. “Ugh, I think I know who that something was.”

“Who are those guys?”

“The Sando brothers. We just can’t enjoy a single day of peace can we?” Mikey grit his teeth with a murderous glint in his eyes. Like I said, soft as a sponge. Just when he’s mad, he’s as soft as a sponge left out too long without water.

The employee was focused more on the escaped critters and rushed off before we could ask anything else. “They’ll wreck everything! We need to catch them before they wreck everything!”

“Hey wait! What animal got loose!?”

I squinted at the label trying to read the small text, immediately filled with dread now understanding everyone’s panic. One of the raccoon-sized demons hissed to my right, preparing to pounce.

“Uh, guys? This was a shrew enclosure!”

“A what enclosure?”

“Duck!”

“Wha- GAH!” It would seem I managed to avoid it at the expense of traumatizing the blueberry. “GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!”

Mikey kicked the shrew off revealing poor Leo’s scratched up and terrified face. “Why are they so violent!?”

“They’re shrews, that’s their job! But they’re usually no bigger than a human palm, I can’t believe ooze could supersize them that much.” I quickly wrote down the new info on my phone as Mikey helped Leo up.

“Leo, what’s the plan?”

He looked at the crabs while dusting himself off “We should probably take care of the circus clowns before they destroy anything else. What do ya say, Angelo? Think you can keep up with professional acrobats?”

“You know I can! Cowabunga!”

“Wait! What do I do?”

“Oh, Mikey and I can take care of this. You don’t wanna just lay low till we’re back?”

“And let you two hog all the fun? I thought you knew me better than that.”

He softly chuckled “Right, adrenaline junkie, how could I forget?” He looked at the several mutant shrews raging havoc all over the place “Well, we could use someone to help catch the… shrews right? You seem to know a bunch about them. Maybe you could help make sure they don’t destroy the whole place.”

My eyes lit up “You got it chief!”

“If you need any help, holler!”

I went over to the employees. Some of them were still trying to capture the tiny devils while a few others were getting a mystic wall ready where the glass broke, I’m assuming to temporarily keep them in. I’ll need a plan to get all the shrews in there. Mindlessly chasing around already proved to be a fail.

I know I definitely read about this before. Shrews are carnivorous, they like eating things like snails and slugs but those were the regular-sized shrews. What could I feed these giants?

Think, think, think. There’s gotta be something around here I can bait them with…

“Wait! The burgers! Of course!”

I bolted inside a kitchen and scanned around for any giant clumps of meat.

“Hey, kid! Who are you, what are you even doing here?”

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry. Shrew problems.”

“What?”

I looked past the confused guy and saw what I was looking for. Shoving down my guilt, I grabbed a bunch of bacon patties and ran out the kitchen.

“Hey!”

“I’m sorry, it’s a necessary sacrifice!”

Back outside, I found a shrew and waved one of the patties, catching its attention.

“Over here, buddy!” Usually, thin bacon strips would be enough to lure them but I figured giant meat circles were more appropriate for these guys.

Once I got it close enough to the enclosure, I threw the patty in letting the shrew jump after it, getting trapped behind the transparent magic wall. One by one, all the menace mice were eventually recaptured. Not gonna lie, I’m still a little surprised it actually worked.

“Salena, look out!”

I dodged to Mikey’s instruction just in time for another giant crab claw to fly bullet-speed past me getting absorbed into the wall. It would seem mystic glass can’t really be broken, good thing too since the shrews escaping again would’ve broken my will to live alongside it.

Unfortunately, I spent too long collecting myself and got snatched up by the back of my shirt, now facing the presumed Sando brothers.

“Look Carl, it’s the gross little human that keeps ruining our plan!”

“Ha! Look at it swing!”

“Put me down you bald red freak!”

He suddenly looked at me in pain as if my dream of breaking his dumb claws open had actually come true “B-bald?..”

“Did you just call my brother bald!?”

“I can’t believe that’s the part you’re focused on.”

“I… I used to be so beautiful with my luscious long locks before I got turned into this! You still got to keep your hair, why was life so cruel to me!?” The red nuisance began pouring a waterfall of tears.

“See what you did!? Now you made him cry! Hey, it’s alright Ben, that human doesn’t know beauty when they see it.” Are you serious.

“You’re right! We should do something awful to it! Something that’ll make them regret calling me bald!”

“Yeah like!.. Like…”

“Ooh, I know! We should eat it!”

“DUDE! Why is that the first thing you think of!?”

A familiar taunting voice joined in the conversation “Lame! You guys are so awful at plans, no wonder you got outsmarted by a regular ol’ human!” I’d be offended if I wasn’t preoccupied with my confusion.

“Excuse me!? Did you just call my brother lame!?”

“Why does the universe hate me today!?”

“I’d like to see you idiots do any better!”

“Oh-ho we could do so much better, right Mikey?”

“What are you guys-”

“Duh! I mean there are rollercoasters everywhere and they didn’t even realize higher ground would speed things up by a trillion.”

HUH!? “No no no no no no! We do not need to go higher ground!”

“Hey come to think of it, Mike, dropping someone from a high place is a pretty heinous thing to do, too. Way worse than eating them.”

“OH YOU TWO ARE SO DEAD IF I’M NOT!”

“Ben, they actually have a point.”

“Y-yeah they kinda do… Welp doesn’t matter if we take credit for it, anyway! See ya later, jerks!”

They jumped onto the coaster as I helplessly awaited my fate, praying the dumbass turtles had some sort of plan and didn’t just use me as live bait for the crab monsters.

“Look down at your death tiny pest! I bet it’d take you days just to finally hit the ground!”

“Woah, you really think we’re that high up, Ben?”

“Yeah! Or actually, no not really, I think it’ll only take like a minute or something.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound as cool. Should we go higher ground-”

“UGH! Why does it matter, I’m dead either way you buffoons!”

“Oh yeah, good point.” He let go of me and off I was screaming as I fall to my doom.

But just above me, a pair of chains wrapped around the rollercoaster and snapped it like a stick, sending idiot crab men falling down with me. Still in shock, I didn’t notice the blue katana fly by, teleporting a smirking turtle just in time to catch me.

“Leo?”

“Missed me?~” He drew his blade mid-air and opened a portal landing us to safety.

“You didn’t think we actually ditched you, did you?”

“Aha, I was starting to…”

I looked past his shoulder towards the sound of Mikey’s hyper yelps.

“It’s mystic time, baby!” I gawked as the orange portal, just like the one from earlier today, opened up swallowing the terrified acrobats and sending them to who knows where.

“Mikey can open portals, too!?”

“Don’t tell me you thought there was a gateway to the Hidden City directly outside the zoo.”

“Actually, yeah I kinda did.”

Mikey walked over pressing against the glass wall between us. Wait, glass? Where even are we?

“Leo, Salena! Are you guys okay?”

“Don’t worry, little brother, we’re perfectly fine. We just gotta get out here.”

“Uh…L-Leo!” He followed my frightened gaze to the giant mutant bullfrogs behind us.

“So that’s what the glass was for.”

“RUN!”

I grabbed his hand and started sprinting away from the green enemy, making sure to dodge the enormous pink tongue currently hunting us.

“You know, for someone who supposedly failed gym, you’re pretty light on your feet.”

I furrowed my brows, more towards his accusation than his inappropriately relaxed smirk “I did fail gym! You’re just lucky dodgeball’s the only sport I’m good at.”

We hid behind a nearby rock, gasping and trying to catch our breaths.

“Man, of all the places you could’ve picked, why’d you portal us here?”

“Hey, it’s not like I meant to! My portals mess up when I panic.”

“You were panicking?”

He looked just as surprised as I did “Ah-”

“Guys! Are you dead?!” his comms let out Mikey’s panicked voice.

“We’re okay, Mikey. Just resting for a bit.”

“Oh good. Cause uh, THE COPS ARE HERE! WE’VE GOTTA MOVE!”

“The cops? Eugh boy.”

“Wait why is that a bad thing? Does the Hidden City not have Good Samaritan laws or something?”

He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck “So uh, remember the whole ‘us getting thrown into jail’ thing? Yeah, we may or may not still be wanted criminals for that whole shebang.”

“You said you got bailed out!”

“I never said legally!”

“Oh my god.”

He peeked from behind the rock, making eye contact with Mikey still waiting for us outside the enclosure.

“Okay, I’ve got an idea but we’ve gotta make a run for it. You ready to leave the zoo?”

“Yeah, I think I’ve had enough mutant mayhem for one day.”

We raced past the mutant frog. Leo swung his sword one last time, creating a portal, and shoved it so it reached both sides of the glass barrier. The three of us dove in as it closed behind, falling back to a soft carpeted floor.

I rubbed my head and looked around “My room… M-My room! Omigosh we made it guys, we’re alive!”

Mikey and Leo were a little less celebratory than I thought they’d be.

“Sorry for dragging you into a fight, Salena. Again. Man, that’s the second time that’s happened. Which, I guess it isn’t a lot, but still weird it happened twice.”

“Ugh, this was supposed to be a fun, relaxing trip to the zoo. I can’t believe those stupid crab jerks showed up and ruined it.”

I had no idea they’d be so dejected over this.

“Who said anything about ruined?” They looked at me puzzled by my unfazed smile.

“Did you hit your head or something? We should check for injuries. Leo-”

“No, guys, I’m fine! Really!”

“You almost died twice today and you think that wouldn’t ruin anything?”

“Okay, yeah, that would’ve been inconvenient if I did, but I didn’t! I mean, come on! Think about literally everything else that happened! My first ever zoo and we just so happened to save it from disaster that exact same day? Guys, this was amazing!” I let myself breathe a bit, feeling the adrenaline calm down. “Life’s been so much better ever since I met you.”

Leo stared at me silently while Mikey caved into his emotions. “That’s it, I can’t take it anymore! Group hug!”

The teary tangerine pulled us in. For a while, we all stayed like that, cuddled on the floor. Warm, cozy, and comfortable. As weirdly thrilling as the danger was, I think the hugs were still my favorite part about today.

I would’ve loved to just enjoy it a bit longer but my phone alarm rang, the one I always set to be an hour before my oh so beloved family returned.

“You better go. I don’t think my aunt would be very happy with two random turtles in my room.”

After our goodbyes, I happily jumped into bed ready for some quiet downtime. I guess even though I didn’t get to hang out with the person I initially planned to, today might have turned out better this way. I opened up Instagram and started scrolling and catching up on everything else in the world. A YouTuber posted a new video, a couple and their cat went on vacation, an artist opened up commissions. All in all, seemed to be a pleasant day for everyone else, too.

My thumb paused. A new post from Zane. They were pictures from a party he went to today, seemed like he had fun.

I got to the last picture on his post. My eyes went wide, staying glued to the person next to him. Heavy eyes. Dark hair straightened into a ponytail.

I felt my stomach doing flips realizing who it was.

“Jaiden?”

Next Chapter

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