#i think i am actually inclined to think it was made up on the spot and they just each knew the other well enough to pull it off

[littlebluejaydraws]

"Sorry, but your exceptional good looks aren't gonna buy you any mercy." Crowley Tour: 21st-22nd April 6x10- Caged Heat 6x22- The Man Who Knew Too Much

ID: Two digital drawings, each comprised of two rough sketches of Crowley from episodes 6x10 and 6x22 of Supernatural respectively, on a green-blue background. In the first image, one sketch shows him looking down at himself while flames rise around him. In the other he is smiling and holding a knife out. There is a title reading "April 21st: 6x10- Caged Heat" and a quote reading "You that bossy in heaven?". In the second image, one sketch shows him standing and holding a jar in front of him while the other shows him with Cas' hand on his forehead, attempting to smite him. There is a title reading "April 22nd- 6x22 The Man Who Knew Too Much" and a quote reading "Your purgatory power shake, Monsieur". End ID.

[flamingpudding]

Fictober23 Prompt: 29 - "That's all? Easy."

Fandom: DPxDC

Rating: G

Warnings: -

A/N: I sometimes like to headcannon that Danny is actually a rich kid that doesn't live the rich kid style cause his parents use their money for their research and like to live a simple life. He goes to galas Vlad or Sam drag him to as his parents representative.

Damian had been prepared for another boring Gala to go through. His elder siblings as well as Pennyworth had made sure to take away any sharp blade he had on him beforehand. With the blades gone Damian refused to socialize with high society. What was the point in enduring the torture of pinched cheeks and repeating comments with double meanings and hidden insults as well as the 'boot' lickers, as one of his brothers liked to put it, when he wasn't allowed to return the favor these people were giving him with a quick blade swipe.

So Damian was hanging back, retreating to the corners and shadows of the room where people aside from his family wouldn't notice him. But being there gave him the chance to notice something else. At first Damian didn't think much of it but with the minutes passing he noticed it more and more.

Small colorful page markers.

He started tracking them. Eyes going from person to person as he scanned them for these markers. Always in spots and placements oneself wouldn't notice them on their own as well as by others around them. Sometimes they were even Color matched with the person's outfit.

Damian scanned the hall and his eyes landed on a teenager, younger than Drake but older than him. The other boy was gliding through the people seemingly effortlessly and unnoticed towards the snack table. Once there the teen appeared to be interested in what sort of food the gala was offering.

His eyes narrowed as he eyed the people the teen had passed.

A blue marker by the belt loop of an older gentleman.

Red marker on the purse of the lady dressed in purple.

Green marker on another man's vest.

He was sure these markers weren't on them before. Interesting, he missed before moving towards the teenager by the snack table. The boy by now had piled up one of the small plates high with some of the overhead foods and Damian first felt reminded of everting Todd went to a gala and immediately would go for the foods.

"You are quite sneaky." He spoke up after waiting somewhat politely for the other to acknowledge his presence. Which never happened even after five minutes and Damian having clearly seen the other looking at him from his corner of the eye.

"Oh, what do you mean?" The teen then said after swallowing a bite of food.

"I presume the page markers are what you're doing?"

"Damit, not even an hour in and I am already busted." The teenager muttered and Damian arched an eyebrow. "Look, I don't know whose rich kid you are but will stop as long as you don't tell the fruitloop. I am here to represent my parents and if this fruitloop hears I am playing the game Sam invented for these galas he will-"

"I believe you misunderstood my intention." Damian smirked as he held out a hand. "My family found it adequate to take my blades. So I want in on this 'game' you are playing."

The teenager blinked at Damian before a grin spread across his face. He hurriedly placed his plate on the table before rummaging around in one of his pockets."Well that is a nice change! Your not a stuck up like the other kids here."

A block of green, red and blue page markers were then placed in Damians held out hand. "I am Danny Fenton by the way, representative of Fentonworks."

"Damian Wayne." He answered out of reflex as he inspected the page markers given to him, uncaring if the teen would now start fawning over his last name like he had seen others do before.

"Cool. So want to make it more interesting? This is more fun in a two player setting then one player." Damian inclined his head, not letting the surprise of the other teens lack of reaction towards his name show. Well it looked like Daniel, because what else got the name Danny stand for, would be nice company for this gala.

"Let's make specific targets for each other, maybe even placements. Sam always dares me to do specific things. If one of us gets caught is an automatic loss, the one with the highest successful placements at the end of this gala is the winner."

He smirked. Daniel had no chance, a game like this was easy for him. This was going to be an easy win. His league training as well as the training his father had made him go through was going to give him a clear advantage. He was playing with the thought of giving Daniel a chance by not using certain skills but after the first three targets, Damian decided that that would be unnecessary.

The gala went by faster, the two pointing out specific people or placements of the marketers to each other. They both had surprisingly their fair share of failures as well as success. In the end they both had a draw and were on their last page marker to place.

"This is going to be the final decision between, win, loss or draw." Daniel hyped up the game and Damian shook his head lightly at the others foolishness that reminded him of Jon.

"Well then, it would be only right to select the most difficult targets for each other."

"Well if that's the case, see the guy over there, the one with gray hair and a ponytail? That's the fruitloop. Place your last marker right to the left on his lower back, where his jacket covers over his belt."

Damian arched an eyebrow but the teen only grinned. He smirked if the other wanted to make it apparently difficult then Damian could provide him with a real challenge. "For you target, my father is currently talking to this 'fruitloop' as you call him. Place the marker on his back on his left shoulder blade."

Daniel would not be able to so, his father was vigilant and despite his act, very aware of his surroundings. His newly made gala acquaintance would fail and Damian would be the winner of this game.

"That's all? Easy."

The two boy's started to move towards the two adults. They shared one last glance before splitting up slightly in two different directions to approach their targets. Damian was close, his steps silent as he neared his target the 'fruitloop'. The page marker was tagged to the tip of one of his fingers. Once he was close enough he would be able to place it without even having to get too close.

His father noticed him and Damian gave him a polite smile as he moved like he was going to pass the man in his way towards his father. He did however not anticipate for his target to place his hand on the hip obscuring his target placement. Damian's hand instantly hid his hand behind his back transferring the page tag to his other hand and unconsciously clicked his tongue. He would have to try again.

"Fruitloop! Who are you talking to?!" He heard Daniel shout out of nowhere suddenly, his head wiping around to see the other clapping his hand on his fathers shoulder. The shoulder where he had told the other to place the marker. Damian ground his teeth. He was not going to accept a loss here.

"Daniel! Where are your manners?! This is Bruce Wayne. CEO of Wayne Enterprise. I am so sorry Mr.Wayne."

"No worries Mr.Masters. He is just like how my sons were at his age. It is good for teens to be so full of energy."

Damian narrowed his eyes as the other teen gave him a peace sign and mouthed the words 'I won.' As the adults returned to their discussion Damian glared at Daniel, his last page tag crumpled in his hand, he switched to stand on his fathers other side so that he was next to the teen now.

"I demand a rematch." He hissed agitated, to which Daniel only grinned wider. "Sure. The next time we see each other at a gala again. I will have two packs ready for our rematch."

Later that night when Damian had returned home from the Gala, he took off his jacket only to notice something green peaking through the folds of it. As he lifted it to inspect where the Color on it game from his eyes narrowed and his grip on the jacket tightened. On his jacked he found several green page markers tagged on it one of them even had a little ghost drawn on it. "Well played Fenton, well played."

[sophierequests]

my darling sophieee! i have a request! what about kaz x heartrender!reader where kaz has fallen head over heels for her and she knows this cause of the way his breath hitches or his heart speeds up.. and she waits patiently for him to finally confess

someone could lose a heart tonight

Navigation┃Main Masterlist┃Requests

Pairing: Kaz Brekker x f!Reader

A/N: I'm so sorry, this is a bit more Hurt/Comfort than I had intended to dlksaghakg. But I actually really like how this turned out?? Thank you sm for this request, Kaz x Heartrender/Healer!Reader is one of my (many) weak spots <333 I hope you like this!

Summary: Kaz develops a crush on a Heartender!Reader, and thinks he's being good at hiding his feelings. Turns out, he really isn't.

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Fluff (just in a very Kaz way)

Word Count: 4.5K

Warnings: Mention of violence, almost dying, falling, one sexual innuendo, me using the word fuck once and emotionally constipated idiots

The casual silence of his office had been welcome at first, maybe even comforting. However, the longer it unfolded, only disturbed by the sharp scratching of pen on paper, you couldn't help but notice the tense atmosphere settling between you. You watched the way his jaw clenched and unclenched whenever you audibly shifted in the seat across from him, or how the grip on his pen seemed to tighten after his eyes quickly drifted away after you caught him staring.

This behaviour made you curious. His motions were uneasy - nervous. And Kaz Brekker was never nervous. And if he ever was, he wouldn't be inclined to display it this openly.

In all honesty, it started worrying you. You hated to admit it, but you cared about him a bit more than you probably should, and seeing him act this out of character was quite troubling. So, even though you had promised yourself to never do it without anyone's explicit consent, you decided to listen to his heart.

You heard a heartbeat - quick and erratic as if the person to whom it belongs had just been caught up in a vicious chase.

"Brekker?" Eyes the same shade as the tea in front of him met yours and you listened intently. The heartbeat stumbled breaking its previous pattern for a brief moment before returning to a more stable rhythm. "Are you alright?"

A faint flicker of surprise flashed over his features as he raised his eyebrows, watching you with a glint of suspicion. His hand had lowered the pen, not holding onto it as firmly as it did a few minutes earlier. Now, the only indication of his prior irritation was the treacherous beating of his heart.

"Yes." He replied firmly, straightening out his back in an attempt to regain his composure. "Or are you aware of something I am not?"

"You just appear a bit uncomfortable, that's all." A pause. He didn't answer, his expecting expression wordlessly beckoning you to elaborate further on why you felt the need to bring it up. "If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I can-"

"It's fine." You could hear his heartbeat quicken again as he spoke. Was he hiding something from you? Why did such a simple interaction cause his body to react so uncontrollably? "I'm just…tired. Your company isn't a bother." You had to stifle the quizzical look that had managed to unravel on your face. This almost sounded like a compliment, coming from Kaz that is. "I suppose I have grown to appreciate it." The realisation hit you like a brick. It felt almost futile to check on his heart again. It didn’t tell you anything you weren’t already aware of. His heart seemed to have transformed into a mallet by now, swinging against his ribcage with ferocious force.

Your brain told you to be rational. That didn’t have to mean anything. Maybe he was genuinely just overworked? But you recognised this pattern. You saw it whenever Matthias looked at Nina - uneven breaths and nervous smiles. You saw it whenever Wylan looked at Jesper - a fast and frustratingly loud thudding against his delicate ribcage. And now you saw it whenever Kaz looked at you.

Kaz Brekker had feelings for you. There was no point in trying to deny it.

“Then I’ll stay.” You answered, not intending to pry any further than you already had. For now, you knew enough. And even though the thought of him returning your feelings made you giddy as much as it made you anxious, you chose to not act on your newly gained understanding. He needed to figure things out on his own first.

Keeping this secret was terribly exhausting, but somehow, you never let anything slip when you were around Kaz. You didn’t even want to imagine what his reaction would be like if he knew that you were aware of him liking you.

What you weren’t necessarily all that proud of was the habit of using your Small Science on him. You would never manipulate his heartbeat, but simply listening to the way it could change in a matter of seconds just by noticing your presence - or assumed lack thereof - assured you that you weren’t hopelessly waiting for a miracle to happen.

The day at the Crow Club had been slow, the majority of patrons being outside, trying to savour the last few sunny days Ketterdam had to offer before allowing the frigid hands of autumn to overtake it. The few customers that did come in to gamble away their money were busying themselves with the available games or the steady-flowing drinks.

“Y/N!” A loud and whiny groan forced you to look away from the card table you had been observing for the last twenty minutes, having suspected that at least one of them was cheating. Jesper trudged over to your spot at the bar, giving you a cranky frown as he threw himself on the stool to your right. You had to conceal a chuckle when you took in this utterly exaggerated gesture.

“Jes.” You mimicked his frown, giving him a gentle smile laced with a hint of fake sympathy. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be guarding the door?”

“Guarding it from what? There is literally nothing going on outside and I am sure I’ll die of boredom if I stay there any longer! I mean, look around!” He gestured around the room wildly, causing a few people to give him disturbed glances. “Everyone’s out and about. No one cares about being in here.”

“You should probably still go back outside. If Kaz catches you-” He cut you off, putting his pointer finger in front of your lips and shushing you like one would a toddler during a tantrum.

“Don’t say his name. That works like a curse. You say his name three times and suddenly the devil’s incarnate materializes behind you.” He grumbled, recalling the handful of times he hadn’t been alert enough to see Kaz watching him while he was doing basically anything but his job. Let’s just say that these encounters rarely ever went smoothly - at least for Jesper. “But you probably wouldn't be opposed to that, so I shouldn’t put any ideas into your head. The fact that you genuinely have a crush on that man still scares me.”

“Jesper!” You exclaimed, feeling your cheeks turn bright pink. The fact that you had feelings for Kaz wasn’t really what you would call confidential, to anyone other than Kaz that is, but it made you feel quite uneasy whenever one of the other Crows - namely Jesper or Nina - would bend over backwards to bring it up. “First of all, I wouldn’t like it if Kaz would just ‘materialize behind me’. Inej doing this scares the shit out of me often enough. And second of all,” The volume of your voice dropped down to a low whisper, hindering the other guests from listening in on your conversation. “My crush on Kaz is not half as bad as your crush on Wylan.”

“Well, at least I’m not spending every day miserably pining over Wylan.”

“Anymore.” You corrected, leading him to gape at you like a fish on land, an offended pout on his lips.

“Low blow…” He halted, giggling at the implications of this unintended innuendo.

“The only low blow you’re going to receive is the blow from Kaz’s cane displacing your kneecaps after he finds out that you’re not doing your job. It’s time to go back, Jes.”

“But it’s so boring.” The sharpshooter griped, leaning closer to you to rest his forehead on your shoulder, emphasising his agony.

This obviously didn’t work. Whether that was because of your unwavering perseverance or rather because of the sharp snapping of a cane on the hard wooden floor.

“Jesper.” Kaz’s voice bellowed only a few metres away from you. His gaze was fixed on Jesper who was hurriedly pushing himself away from you and almost knocking himself off the stool, not really too keen on playing with his life today. Unconsciously, your focus moved from Kaz’s murderous expression to the accelerated beating of his heart. Normally, you would have just assumed that it was frustration that riled him up this much. However, you knew better. He was jealous. “Quit flirting with your colleagues and start doing what you’re getting paid for.” Definitely.

“I was not-” A sharp glance from his boss managed to shut him up before he slipped off his seat with an embarrassed smile. “Say his name three times…” He muttered, just loud enough for you to hear.

“I said it four times, Fahey. Get fucked.” You whispered back with a smug grin which he didn’t feel like returning.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared, leaving you alone with your drink and a strongly disgruntled Kaz Brekker. You had half-heartedly expected him to go back to his office and whatever heist plan he was working on. Instead, he moved to stand closer to you, tilting his head in the other direction as if he was trying to make sure that Jesper was actually gone.

“He wasn’t flirting with me. Just so you know.” He turned to look at you, the thudding in his chest becoming painfully loud as a mixture of emotions you couldn't quite pinpoint flashed over his face.

“I don’t care what he was doing. I care that he’s not doing his job properly.” A lie. You didn’t even have to use your Grisha abilities to recognize that. His sudden change in demeanour was proof enough.

“Care for me to join you while you work on the new heist plan?” You asked sheepishly, already knowing what he would answer.

“If you insist.” He replied, his heart almost skipping a beat when you gave him a warm smile in return and began following him up to his office.

“This is a terrible idea.” You hissed, futilely attempting to keep your balance whilst climbing over the wet glass rooftop with Kaz more or less steadily following you.

Underneath you laid the top floor of the university archive that was supposed to contain information to make each one of you roughly five million kruge richer. It should have been an easy in-and-out situation since the security on campus was close to non-existent. But, of course, things didn’t go as planned. Apparently, you hadn’t been as attentive as you thought, causing the Stadwatch to spot you before you managed to get into the main tract of the opulent building.

Quickly Kaz had ordered you to separate into three groups, Nina and Matthias rushing out through the grand west entrance, Inej, Wylan and Jesper exiting through one of the windows, and you and Kaz sneaking out through one of the back doors. That was what he had planned at least. The two of you sped towards the exit, doing your best to not let the men following you have any chance of reaching you. When you reached the heavy metallic door, you were faced with another huge problem. It was locked. A lock that would’ve taken Kaz at least five minutes to pick. You didn’t have five minutes. And since the Stadwatch catching you was still in the realm of possibilities, you had to react fast.

Without discussing it first, you took off to run towards the rooftop. The latch leading outside could be locked, meaning it was the best chance to get out of this mess unscathed. However, the terrace merely consisted of a small platform, barely giving you any exit points to get off the roof without breaking your neck. The majority of the rooftop was made out of glass, providing a great source of natural for the archival staff light during the day, but being your absolute worst-case scenario during the night. You didn't have any other choice but to climb across it to get to the lower levels.

It had already been enough of a struggle for Kaz to get on top of the glass, but on top of that, it had rained the day prior, not allowing him nearly as much friction as he had hoped for - or needed. The slight slope of the roof forced both of you to inch forward excruciatingly slow if you hadn’t planned on sliding off of it. His leg was aching because of the amount of pressure he put on it, making it difficult for him to keep up with your more agile movements. It was a gamble, but you had to take it.

The sound of gunshots echoing beneath you almost made you lose balance. Your attention immediately snapped to the hall situated under the glass. Inej, Jesper and Wylan were wrangling with three men, all of them armed. Shots were fired and punches were thrown, and neither you nor Kaz could do anything to help them. Jesper tried everything in his power to fend them off with his own revolvers, but the fight just seemed to get more and more unhinged by the second.

Another blast of shots rang in your ears, followed by the sharp sound of breaking glass. Glass, which was only a few metres away from where you were currently fearing for your life They were aiming for the roof. Your eyes met Kaz’s in an instant, a foreign sense of terror written all over his face. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Kaz Brekker had no other plan.

“Get back.” He stated firmly, looking back at the ledge from which you had started. You knew that you couldn’t go on any further, the tautness of the windows wouldn’t hold your weight after being damaged. However, no amount of reason fought off the freezing fear that rooted you in place.

“I can’t.” You choked out, feeling paralysed by what might expect you if you moved.

“You have to.” It wasn’t a command or an order. He wasn’t angry at you. It was a plea. The Bastard of the Barrel was begging. Begging you to move.

None of his words could have prevented what was about to happen.

Bullets broke through the glass, just barely missing your head as the already shattered glass beneath you began to crack. Before you could even begin to comprehend what was going on, the window gave in completely, the shards of glass taking you with them without giving you a second to move.

Kaz could only watch as your body crashed on top of a desk, the usually quite sturdy wood breaking on impact. Bits and fragments of the ceiling continued to come down, crumbling down on your now lifeless form. For a moment, he felt like something rooted him in place. He just couldn’t begin to force his eyes off of the mess he had created. There was no chance you could have survived that, he thought. The realisation of you being gone sickened him as much as it fuelled him to move. He couldn’t let you have died for nothing.

Jesper had never seen his friend this despondent. Kaz’s face was devoid of any emotion - no anger, no vengeance, no sadness - just nothing. Even though Nina insisted that he was close to having a heart attack, he looked as if he was utterly indifferent to everything around him.

You survived the fall. Barely, but you were breathing. Just not conscious. Nina had managed to fix you up as best as she could, cleaning out the cuts, healing the bruises and mending all the other ailments one might face from a fall as painful as yours. However, a Heartrender could solely do enough to keep you alive and make sure that your organs wouldn’t fail. Everyone was aware of the fact that the rest was completely up to you. And after a whole week of being unresponsive, none of them was all that hopeful.

“She’s weak,” Nina muttered, anxiously fidgeting in the chair next to your bed. The remaining four Crows had joined her, hoping - praying - for better news. Only Kaz refused to see you. He didn’t elaborate on why, and he didn’t need to. The visceral reaction he had when the Heartrender told him that she didn’t know whether you would make it was enough to answer that question. He couldn’t even let her finish before turning around and leaving for his office, where he stayed for the majority of the day from then on.

“She’s going to make it. She always does.” Jesper attempted to ease the tension, though the tone of his voice made it clear that he didn’t believe that himself.

“Kaz should know,” Inej said all of a sudden, causing all the attention to go towards her. His name hadn’t been verbalized since he retreated to his office, a mutual understanding that it was best not to talk about him right now. “If she dies while he’s still cooped up in his office…” She trailed off, not wanting to imagine that possible outcome.

“Trust me, I tried talking to him.” Nina sighed, letting her eyes fly over your dull features once more. “He won’t listen. I don’t think he realizes how unlikely it is that she survives this. He won’t even allow me to slow his heartbeat down.”

“I believe he knows what will happen. And that’s exactly why he doesn’t want to see her.” Matthias objected, a solemn look on his face as he put a comforting hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder.

“I’ll go and talk to him.” Inej decided, not waiting for anyone to object before slipping out of the room and up the stairs. She didn’t bother knocking, knowing that the man on the other side of the door was not going to answer anyway.

“I didn’t give you permission to come in, Wraith.” Kaz didn’t even glance up at her when she pushed open the door to enter his office. He looked exhausted, his hair ruffled and alabaster skin even paler than usual.

“Ignoring the inevitable won’t bring you any peace, Kaz.” Dismissing his reprimand, she began speaking, her voice as calm as it could be.

“Another proverb for me to follow?” He answered, a certain hint of venom lacing his voice. She knew that it was an act.

“No. Some advice from a friend.” Inej watched as his eyes shot up from the papers in front of him. She knew that it was foolish to confront him in the current state he was in. For anyone else that would have been an offence akin to a death sentence. But she couldn’t watch him suffer like this. “She probably won’t make it. You know that. You won’t achieve anything by refusing to see her.”

“I won’t achieve anything by seeing her either, will I? If her death is inevitable it shouldn’t matter whether I’m there to see it or not.” He didn’t actually believe that. In fact, he had attempted to go to your room countless times before. But whenever he got close enough to turn the handle, the waves started thrashing at his ankles again. It was an unwelcome feeling. The same feeling one felt whilst walking up the stairs, thinking that there’s another step after already reaching the top - a heavy and gutting feeling. So he never went through with actually pressing down the handle.

“If you’re doing all of this to save face you should drop it. We all know that she means something to you, and there’s no point in trying to deny it. Acting indifferent to the whole situation will cause you more harm than good, trust me.”

There was no snarky comment he could give her, no way of renouncing her accusations. She was right. He hadn’t been able to shake off the nauseous feeling for the entirety of the week. A feeling that caused his heart to run a marathon every time he thought about what happened, and what would happen if he didn’t push away the guilt that seeped through him. Nina had attempted to calm his heart down more than once, but she was quickly shut down every single time. He didn’t want the relief. It wouldn’t make you wake up again. It wouldn’t do anything to help you. And he didn’t deserve it. He deserved to feel the consequences of his actions. He deserved to know how much you actually meant to him. He deserved to be smothered by the grave he dug for himself.

“What will a visit be of use then? She won’t notice me being there, so I can just as well spend my time doing something useful.” The girl opposite him sighed, a disappointed expression on her face as she eyed him up and down.

“If that’s what you really want, Kaz.” Without wasting another word on him, she left, leaving him alone with his thoughts again.

No. It wasn’t what he really wanted.

Every bone in your body screamed at you to just go back to sleep again, at least until your limbs stopped hurting this much. But the light of the morning sun had forced your eyes to open, allowing you to slowly take in your surrounding. You were in your room. Even with the sparse furnishing, it was visibly yours. That calmed you a bit. You were safe, not lying in your makeshift grave in some dusty archive.

The loud beating of a heart diverted your attention from staring at the ceiling. It was irregular and way too fast for it to beat this unevenly. Someone else was in your room.

You turned your head a little, just enough to see the man sitting next to you. Though his heart told you otherwise, Kaz looked rather peaceful. His head was slumped over the backrest of the chair he was sleeping in, and his mouth stood slightly agape, letting out strained breaths. He seemed to not have slept in an eternity, so you didn’t think about waking him up. His mere presence was enough for now.

However, when you attempted to sit up, the wooden frame of the bed creaking as you moved, he began to stir. There was a brief pause in his movements after his eyes opened. The cogs in his brain started turning as he took in the scene in front of him. You were smiling, looking very much not dead. He could feel his heart drop to his stomach as the realization began to set in. And you could feel it too.

The thing that happened next was unexpected. The thudding inside his chest got louder as an ungloved hand reached out to touch yours. You almost wanted to pull away, to tell him that he was insane for acting this thoughtlessly, but you knew that this would probably be even worse than just letting him.

As his skin met yours, he shuddered slightly, resisting the urge to flinch away. But your hand was warm and soft, nothing at all like the skin of a bloating corpse. You were alive. He repeated that sentence like a mantra. You didn’t die during the last heist and you weren’t Jordie. You were here with him.

After he managed to convince his mind, that you were fine, he carefully retreated his hand, without removing it from the bed entirely. With a shuddering breath, his eyes met yours. He could only imagine what you were probably thinking of him right now. If his feelings hadn’t already been obvious enough prior to this, they must have been clear as day now.

“You look as terrible as I feel.” Your voice sounded hoarse, still a bit weakened by not being used for an entire week, but it still sounded heavenly to him. You were alive, and that was all that mattered.

“You broke through a glass ceiling and had a quite severe fall. I suppose feeling terrible is one of the lesser evils.” He closed his eyes for a split second, his fingers twitching as he contemplated his next words.

“Are you alright, Kaz?” The question felt like a déjà vu and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought.

“I don’t think that’s a question that should be directed at me. You were the one to almost die.”

“Your heart. It’s beating really fast. I could slow it down for you if you want me to.” You knew that there was a different reason for his heart to react like this. But you needed to hear him say it.

His expression contorted into one of surprise. Of course he was aware of your Small Science, it was one of the main reasons for him to recruit you after all. For some odd reason, he had just never considered you using it on him without his knowledge. It wasn’t that he felt betrayed, but learning that you were able to listen in on his heartbeat the entire time also meant that you probably noticed the way it sped up whenever you were around.

“When we arrived at the Slat and Nina came to tend to your wounds, she told me that she wasn’t sure whether you were going to make it. I didn’t want to come and see you because I was afraid.” He flexed the hand that still rested on his knee as he spoke, visibly uncomfortable with talking about his feelings. “I was afraid of facing the fact that you might actually be dead. I was afraid of losing you. And now, even though I know that you’re not dead, I’m still afraid of losing you.”

“Kaz, you won’t lose me. I’ll do anything in my power to prevent that.” You bit back the urge to lay your hand on his to comfort him, but judging by his current state that would have been more than counterproductive.

“I believe that is not something you have any distinct control over.”

“Come on, I may be clumsy but I’m sure-”

“That’s not what I meant. Not entirely, at least.” He sighed, avoiding making eye contact as he mentally fumbled with his words. You wanted to ask him what he meant by that, but something told you that it was best to give him a bit more time. “I have not only grown to appreciate your presence. In some way, you have become essential to me. I fear that you may mean more to me than I care to admit.”

The silence following his words was heavy and laced with more emotion than either of you could process. You didn’t know what you had expected him to say, you didn’t even know if you had expected anything more than a longing glance and an unspoken promise. But somehow, this still caught you off guard.

“You love me.” You intended to make it sound like a question, however, once the sentence left your mouth, it came out rather matter-of-factly. “Why would that mean losing me?”

“I’m not the easiest person to love. Losing you in some way is inevitable.”

“Barely anything is easy. Not here. However, loving you isn’t a chore. And it’s not something arduous either. I’d be willing to try. But only if that is what you’d also choose to do.” You saw his eyebrows switch slightly, almost as if your statement was something utterly outlandish and unexpected. Maybe that was the case for him.

“I… I’m choosing this.” He took in a sharp breath before giving you a barely noticeable nod. “I choose you.” And so did his heart.

Taglist:

Grishaverse fics in general: @yesshewrites1 @dal-light

Kaz Brekker: @ell0ra-br3kk3r @juneberrie @writingmysanity @b3kk3r-by-br3kk3r @brekkers-desigirl @fall-writes

[loupy-mongoose]

Randy lay splayed in the grass, his face up to the vast, cloud-speckled sky. Beside him a small lake flowed down into a creek--the creek that trailed near their house. He listened to the calming sound of its careless course. Akoya sat beside him, and Lav was with the twins a little ways away. He could hear the grass rustle as they played

He sighed, his eyes closed, relishing being bathed in deep contentment for once.

How are you feeling?

Randy smiled. Sleepy.

Hmbph! He felt a soft-but-scolding jab to his side that caused him to involuntarily curl into himself.

No sleeping! His wife's voice was playful.

He chuckled as he let himself lay again. I'm not, I'm not!

So you're relaxed, then?

The pink Mew nodded. He hadn't felt this relaxed in awhile, really.

They'd picked a good place to do this.

Okay.

Psychically sensing others is just another form of what you already know. Telepathy, telekinesis, things like that. Even using elemental moves like Thunderbolt.

Let your senses go. Feel the energy around you. Imagine them around you.

He lay still and silent, letting the world around him fill his ears and nose. Taking it in.

Slowly he began feeling his senses shift into his Psychic energy. Beyond scent and sound. Beyond sight and taste.

Similar to touch, but beyond even that.

It felt as if he was reaching out with a strange phantom arm and hand, blindly grabbing into a deep barrel of water inaccessible to regular senses. Water made up of several different sensations.

This was a feeling that he would never experience had he stayed human. Some humans did gain or even inherit a Psychic incline, but not like this.

This was...

oddly freeing?

A new aspect of his Mew abilities to explore.

He kept his breathing slow and even.

This didn't come naturally to him. Or at least that's what he felt like. Letting his energy out like this was... unfamiliar.

Akoya always told him he thinks too much--which was definitely true, whether it impacted his Psychic abilities or not--and that his powers relied on feeling. It was difficult for him to break free of his thinking habit to make his powers work properly.

He took in the sensations of the energy his phantom arm was reaching.

It was a frighteningly complex mixture, blending together in a strange, chaotic soup. He noticed that it was most intensely coming from where Lav and the twins were playing.

Suddenly he heard the grass beside him crinkle.

~Don't open your eyes.~

He fought his urge to look, and kept them shut.

After a moment, the voice spoke in his head again. ~Without looking, point to where you think I'm at.~

Randy hesitated a moment, feeling out with his power. Then, still lying on his back and feeling a little self-conscious, he pointed to the sky.

That's right!

There was silence, aside from sounds from where Lav was playing with the twins. Midas' bell chimed softly. Like a tiny voice telling listeners "all will be okay".

~Alright. Where now?~

Again, Randy felt and pointed.

Yup!

They did this a few more times, with the the feeling phase growing slightly shorter each time. Then, she returned to ground level.

So you seem able to sense us. Just not as readily as we can.

You and Lav might be easier for me, since I've known you both longer.

Can you feel me?

Randy thought for a moment. Yeah. Quite prominently, actually. His brows furrowed, and he turned to Akoya. If I can feel her this easily, why haven't other Mews?

She's concealing her energy. As am I... and even you are. However easy it is to find her for us, one would have to be seeking to find her energy. If you're concerned about her being a beacon, I'd be more worried about the twins. Perzi's right that they aren't hiding their energy. It's not like... Super obvious, but doesn't take much searching.

The long Mew turned to the twins in their little spot with Lav. He recalled the intense feeling he'd noticed earlier. He closed his eyes and focused.

Sure enough, he detected that intense flow coming straight from them. Lav's energy was but a cotton ball next to theirs.

You know what... Randy opened his eyes and turned to the blue Mew. Her arms were crossed, and she had an upset look on her face. I don't think you've been unable to sense them. I think you've been unable to stop sensing them. You've been in their energy fields near constantly since they were born... Her ears fell back, and her voice grew quiet. No wonder you've been anxious...

Thinking about it, he flicked his ear. I could believe that. Even to me, they're, uh... How do I put it?

Loud?

Randy nodded to her. Yeah. Loud. That's a good way of putting it.

Randy, I-- Akoya's voice choked, and Randy was startled to see her eyes shining with tears.

The sun was setting by the time the family returned home. Momo and Midas had fallen sound asleep, and were cozied up in their big sister's arms.

Perzi approached as they arrived.

How'd the lesson go?

Pretty well, I'd say. She turned to Lav and the sleeping twins. Lav, do you mind taking them in? We'll be in in a minute.

Lav nodded. You got it, Mom

She went inside.

Randy looked around. He felt his all-to-familiar anxiety return with a vengeance. Where's Rosemary?

She's around.

The utterly nonchalant demeanor of Persim's voice struck him, and he felt his usual urge to protect the "missing" child. Too late he attempted to stop himself from speaking. The accusation he had formed stuttered out of his mouth like rough pebbles.

HGGhg bgghb ghhgfh!

*Ahem...*

He took a deep breath, and let it out. He plastered a very forced smile on. Good luck with that. And he hurriedly flew into the house.

Before following her mate inside, Akoya side-eyed her brother. It probably wouldn't hurt to be a little more cautious about her. She is still a vulnerable baby, after all.

Perzi rolled his eyes. Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I got her.

Akoya gave him a glare that said in no words "I hope so", and rushed off after her family.

~~~~~~

PREVIOUS NEXT

ARC START

Gateway to a less anxious life~ :3

[writeforfandoms]

"i think this is the part where you're supposed to kiss me" + kisses under mistletoe + Simon Riley x reader

(I combined two prompts from the same kisses list, hopefully that’s okay! Congrats on 2k followers, you absolutely deserve it 💖💖 Your writing is so goddamn fantastic and I am so delighted for you 💖💖💖💖)

Ooooh good picks!! I like these. Let's see where this goes...

Warnings: alcohol and teasing. And fluff.

--

You weren't entirely sure how you got here, but you were sure it was Soap's fault. Somehow.

You huffed softly, holding your drink a little tighter. The holiday party was a long-standing tradition, but one that you usually wiggled out of with various excuses. Ghost usually got out of it too.

But not this time. This time, Price had forced you both into going. Something about spreading the holiday suffering.

Sometimes you greatly disliked your captain.

Which is how you found yourself trying to hide against a wall. Except Soap would not stop pestering you for a dance and making comments about how bonnie you looked in a dress. Thus, you were inclined to blame anything that happened on him.

"You look like you ate a live goldfish."

You jolted at the familiar voice, looking over at Ghost. He was actually dressed for the occasion, jacket stretched across broad shoulders, black face mask concealing most of his features.

"Surprised Price let you wear that." You motioned to your own face in reference.

"Knew I wouldn't show up without it." Ghost leaned near you, turning his gaze out to the crowd again.

You huffed a quiet laugh, shaking your head. "Gonna guess he threatened you with the same terms, then." You folded your arms over your chest, watching the dancers for now. You could spot Soap among them, having given up on you and found someone else to charm.

"Two hours," Ghost grunted, sounding displeased.

"Guess we'd better make the most of it." You snagged champagne from a passing waiter and offered one to him with a teasing little grin. He huffed at you but took it, the glass delicate against his fingers. You looked away first, unreasonably warmed.

The first hour was easy. Avoid small talk, cover each other's backs, glower occasionally at Price or Soap, and drink. The second hour got a little more lively.

"This way," you hissed, taking a quick surreptitious look around before you walked ahead of Simon, leading the way further back. Away from the woman who had apparently made it her goal in life to be as annoying as possible.

That, or she was attempting suicide by Simon. You were a little surprised he hadn't don't anything worse when she put her hand flat against his stomach.

(And you had ignored the burning little curl in your own stomach.)

"Where are you taking me?" But Simon only sounded amused.

"Finding you a spot away from her," you grumbled. "Does she think you're a slab of meat?"

"Yes," came the droll answer from behind you. You flapped a hand at him and rounded a corner into a quiet hallway. Much better.

"This should do," you said, looking around with satisfaction. "We're still technically at the event."

Simon huffed in amusement. A moment later, he was a solid line of heat against your back, hands at your waist. Your pulse sped up and you tipped your head to look back at him.

"Jealous?" He murmured in your ear, the crinkles around his eyes giving away his smirk.

"Of what?" You asked, mentally scrambling. Shit! "Someone who doesn't know how to take a no?"

He tugged you back, closer to him, his touch electrifying even through your clothes. "Not one to share, are you?"

"Dunno what you mean," you murmured, tugging against his hold. But he held firm, not letting you get anywhere.

"Did you know," he purred, low and teasing, in your ear, "that you frown any time someone flirts with me?"

Whoops. You hadn't even noticed. "Must be a coincidence."

"Don't think so." One hand left your waist, and a moment later you felt warm breath on the shell of your ear. You shuddered, eyes sliding closed. "Think it's more than that."

"Oh?" You managed to keep your voice even, though your body betrayed you in ways you knew he'd marked.

Simon hummed softly, the sound rumbling in his chest against your back. "Look there."

You blinked, caught off guard, and looked up. A bunch of mistletoe had been pinned up as decoration here, just above your heads. "Mistletoe?"

He huffed softly, gently turning you until you faced him. Your hands settled on his shoulders, helping you keep your balance. He carried so much on these shoulders. You never failed to admire them.

But the sight of his face was what held your attention, a rare treat. You drank in every detail greedily, from the scars to the bent nose to the circles under his eyes. Because that's what made him Simon.

"I think this is the part where you're supposed to kiss me," he murmured, cheeky and amused. But not joking.

So you smiled, one hand cupping his cheek delicately. When he tipped his head into your hand, you leaned up with the same consideration and kissed him. Soft, sweet. Gentle. Not things either of you had an abundance of in your lives, but something you wanted to give him more of.

Price would forgive you for not going back to the party.

[agent-of-sam]

My Big Rambling List of Perrin Thoughts

@toastandjamie asked for thoughts on Perrin's arc and the subsequent essay felt too big to be a comment so I made my own post.

Note it's not really an essay and more just a jumbled list of impressions from someone who tried and failed to complete a re read of the series.

The Gentle Giant thing is technically true but I think it's a misleading place to start with Perrin. The term feels more accurate for Loial who is both physically larger and less inclined to violence. And I do think there's some deliberate paralleling between the two as Loial spends a fair amount of time in Perrin's storyline. As an Ogier Loial is Pure Nature and Pure Creation, while Perrin's Wolfbrother connection is…something something, Primal Man, domestication of wolves as the man's first step towards civilization, something something idk.

In terms of personality, Perrin is deliberate and pragmatic. He's a good problem-solver, able to break things down into logical steps and can often surprise people by seeing to the core of an issue or by approaching it from an unexpected direction. But like all the Emond's Fielders this comes with a unique set of blind spots, biases, and hypocrisies. Perrin, in particular, feels like a very linear thinker who thus struggles with problems that don't have clear answers. (waves vaguely at his entire relationship with Faile). Thematically, as other people have said, I think Perrin's "arc" isn't a distinct line. It's a journey towards acceptance both about himself and about how the world works. Am I a Wolf or Man? Both. Am I Peaceful or Violent? Both. Is it Wrong to Kill? Yes but sometimes you have to do it anyway. How will I know when it's Right? You won't but you'll have to make a decision and follow through. How will I know when to Stop? When it feels right.

He's a character who fundamentally wants clear rules and structured morality and demonstrable cause and effect and the world won't line up the way he wants.

I think he's the character who holds on longest to his old life and his old identity, at least among the guys. Like, Rand is never "happy" about being the Dragon Reborn but once it's proven he commits to it, hell or high water. Mat is famous for loudly proclaiming he's something other than what he clearly is. Perrin choosing to leave Rand in Tear and go back to the Two Rivers is described as a physical tearing as he resists the pull of Ta'veren. He insists he's a simple blacksmith even as people are calling him Lord Goldeneyes and waving his banner and the Two Rivers is literally changing and modernizing around him. -I think there's something about acceptance as a theme in all the characters. Pushing against Fate and the Pattern and the world telling them who they are, trying to change them. Except, the Pattern didn't change them. They were always who they were, they just didn't know it until the journey revealed it to them. Whether they like the revelation or not is irrelevant. Rand was always going to channel eventually. So were Egwene and Nynaeve, probably. The Wolves were always going to find Perrin. Most of them eventually come to a sort of subconscious realization that they, ironically, have the most agency when they choose to go with the flow instead of trying to swim upstream. I think Perrin, with his specific brand of quit stubbornness, takes the longest to actually reach that turning point.

This next part might all be projection but In terms of writing style, I think there's something to the idea the Perrin operates with a certain separation from his own emotions. Rand angsts, he pushes down his feelings but he stills feels them. Mat's got his whole comedic irony thing going on. I think Perrin straight-up doesn't register his emotions 90% of the time. Which doesn't mean they aren't there, he's just kind of blind to them until something big happens and then suddenly it's a tidal wave. It tracks for someone who's like, "To figure out this situation I must be direct and logical. First step is to put my personal feeling into a box because they aren't relevant right now." And it works so you do that for every problem. And over a lifetime you kind of just…lose the ability to regulate. Your emotional responses become Nothing or Way Too Much. Everything in the box gets mushed together into a big soup.

I think he's got anger issues, but in that specific way where he's an exploder. "I'm fine. Everything's fine. No big deal. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. It's fine. Oh, look an Aiel Man in a cage. I don't like that." Then things get a bit blurry and suddenly he's got a bloody axe and there's a bunch of dead White Cloaks all around.

And for that kind of person the sort of primal, instinctual sensations he gets from the wolves is euphoric and terrifying.

For Perrin emotions literally become sensations at some point? The wolves communicate by psychically bombarding each other with images and scents and emotions. Then he gets his scent powers and Faile's jealousy is a hot spiky feeling that stabs at his nose and Aram's growing resentment and fanaticism is this itchy, alien smell that Perrin finds literally repulsive. But he can't smell himself so it's always this intrusive, upsetting sensory overload?

Anyway, it's a writing approach that I think fundamentally doesn't appeal to some people because there's less to grab onto and also what's there is simultaneously very big but also very direct and kind of "exactly what it says on the tin". Because Jordan can be a very subtle writer when he wants to be but, conversely, he can also be incredibly blunt sometimes. And I think he's at his most blunt when writing Perrin. Probably because that's just who Perrin is. Perrin's not a metaphor guy and he's not a philosophy guy. For Perrin a thing is a thing or it's not and if it's not then it's not worth thinking about. Or so he tells himself.

It also falls into Jordan's gender stuff where it's leans into a very Plain-Spoken Salt-of-the-Earth Man Does not Understand Complicated Thing Like Women or Human Emotions. I think, like a lot of Jordan's Gender and specifically Masculinity stuff, if you look at the series as a whole it's a functional critique showing the pitfalls and drawbacks of those kinds of mentalities both on a societal level and on a personal level. But it also takes 12 books to get there and, while it's hard to say exactly how various character arcs would have ended if Jordan had lived to finish the series himself, I think as a writer he favored slowly sliding people into place rather than big epiphany moments. And there is a large modern audience that either doesn't have the patience or just fundamentally isn't interested in that kind of story. Which is fair, I guess.

But I love Perrin. He's my guy. That's it, that's my essay.

[everybodyshusband]

you wrote a headcanon list a little bit ago about rain using crutches while regressed. i would absolutely love if you would either expand on that or write something with that happening (feel free to take your time with this! your regression fics are just very comforting to me and i really enjoy them, i am just very interested in this idea)

eek, okay !!! thank you enabling me in my regressed rain ramblings, dearest anon <3 i'm going to write out a few headcanons for you, because i've got a few other asks requesting a little rain with crutches ficlet ! so eventually, a ficlet about this will appear as well :)

i'd like to start off with a disclaimer that i am not a crutches user, so if any of this information is wrong or comes off in a way i don't intend it to, i'm sorry. please feel free to correct me, though !! i want to learn !!

my personal headcanons for rain are all over the place, haha !! but for the purposes of answering this lovely little ask, i'm going to use he/they pronouns for rain and i'm imagining them as being hypermobile :D i mentioned some of the not-so-specific specifics in the headcanon post you're referring to, but let's recap, shall we ?

when they're regressed, rain tends to have a slightly altered gait. he walks with his feet turned/rolled inwards which puts more pressure on his knees than usual, and sometimes this can lead to him being in more pain when he's regressed than when he isn't. while he does use crutches when he isn't regressed, he tends to need them more when he's small, so it's important that they have a set of crutches to use specifically when they're regressed !

and as for my actual crutch headcanons:

i like to imagine that the forearm crutches rain uses while they're regressed have a thicker grip, which helps to keep them feeling small when they use them. otherwise, his hands feel too big against the handle and it pushes him out of his regressed headspace too quickly

they decorate their crutches with stickers, they made sure to concentrate very hard in order to get the sticker placement just right !! the body of his crutches are covered in a monumental amount of stickers. they're mostly his own dinosaur stickers from sticker sheets that swiss has given him, but dew and swiss chipped in a few flame ones that go up the length of the crutches, sunshine and aether gave him lots of small and brightly coloured stars. there's also a few little clouds (and raindrops, which make rain giggle every time he spots a new one because, well, rain) dotted about here and there from cirrus and cumulus, and mountain managed to find a couple of succulent stickers with little faces too !!

sometimes he ties ribbons to his crutches (read: he gets aether to do it for him) for a bit of extra flair, but they don't have the ribbons on all the time because depending on what they're doing that day, sometimes the ribbons get in the way

once he got so enthralled by the ribbons that they didn't look where they were going and fell over. he hurt himself quite badly, so the others cracked down some pretty intense ribbon-usage rules after that

now that they have a pair of decorated crutches to use when they're regressed, rain is more inclined to ask for them when he needs a helping hand to walk around. although, he's not immune to forgetting he needs them and being reprimanded by mountain for walking all the way down to the greenhouse without their mobility aids

i think that's about it for now :0 but i'm sure more thoughts will come to me at some stage, so if that happens i'll add onto the post in reblogs :) thank you for indulging me with this ask, lovely anon <3 i'm sorry for hoarding it for so long !!

[vewyscawywriting]

The Only Real Sin is to Deny a Craving

Okay so am I insane for writing this? Perhaps. I was over at friends and when I asked what I should write for next they said Tahm Kench, and I took that as a challenge. Because of course. This one is for the freaks I guess :P

Fandom: League of Legends

Pairing: Tahm Kench x F!Summoner!Reader

Wordcount: 2871 words

Tags: pussy eating, overstimulation, vore (if you squint)

Summary: Tahm Kench offers to show you the prettiest places along the river, and can't help himself from hungering. But his appetite for you is different from the usual.

It was official. You were somehow magical and also so very, very cursed. The River King had his eyes on you, and there was no hiding from him. Well, who exactly could you hide from in this place and with your abilities? 

The first time he came up to you and promised you a good time beyond your imagination you had almost shat yourself. Both in fear since, you know, Tahm Kench is a big guy... demon... thing, and also because what the fuck was he talking about? Those words coming from anyone else would've been a dream, but from him? Threatening beyond compare. What was he gonna do? Gobble you up, taxi you somewhere where the sunset looked all inviting and romantic and gobble you up for realsies in a "this isn't sexy I'm actually getting killed, this isn't a euphemism for sex, i can't state this enough, send help"- kinda way? It was a real possibility, no, scratch that, that was the only possibility. When he told you he could take you to the best spots along the river, fitting for an absolute doll like you, you practically choked on your drink.

"Are there many?" you gasped out after you got your breathing back under control, and you had no idea where this question even came from. Why were you humouring him? What was wrong with your brain?

"So many," he purred back, inclining his head and tipping his hat to you, "But only the best is good enough for your eyes, pretty thing."

Well, when he called you pretty thing in that southern drawl of his, how could you remain unaffected? The man had a way with words, and to be honest all he had to do was butter you up a little and you'd probably let yourself get whisked away like some sort of moron. In your brain a visual of some sort of list - quite like Pyke's - started to manifest itself, but instead of names for killing they were names of previous trysts with champions. The name Tahm Kench seemed to appear in vague strokes at the bottom, signalling some kind of future - tantalisingly inviting and dangerous and insane. Your mental state seemed to be more fragile than ever when you replied: "That sounds really interesting."

"I could take you the usual way, or if you want to give those pretty legs a workout we can walk along the river shores to where we want to go. Well, you know what I'd advise." He eyed you up, and you shivered. Or shuddered. It could have been both. Should have been just the shudder. "No reason for you to tire yourself out just yet."

Promising. Arousing. He was a large frog (sorry - Catfish), and this really shouldn't be.

"Give me some time to think about it." Your answer should've been a hard no, but really what reason did you have to reject him at this point. Your tryst list was long and extensive, and there were only 154 champions left to go. He could take one off the tally. You were insane. His tongue could probably reach your throat from your pussy. "I meant yes, that sounds amazing."

"Well, and here I thought you were just going to bat your eyes, but colour me surprised. So what will it be, or no, don't even answer sweet, I can see it in your pretty little eyes." - and the monsters jaw unhinged.

It was a strange, cosy feeling, like you were embraced in a warm all encompassing hug. You could get used to this, it made you feel a strange sense of safety-

and the next second you were out. You looked around slightly bewildered. Going from a dreamlike state to real life in a second got your brains needing second to catch up. He had dropped you off at the shoreside, where the river met the sea in a small waterfall, the sun rising just over the horizon as under your feet was a plaid blanket and a basket of food. Second breakfast came as a romantic picnic and you gasped.

"Well Dove, it's time I leave you to it then. Give a yell and I'll be back in a second, wouldn't want to spoil the view you see, or your appetite." And before you could reply he had already waddled his way into the river, leaving you alone with the food and the sound of flowing water. You were a little disappointed that he left. All the times the two of you had spoken he had been a gentleman and amazing conversation partner. His smooth, drawling voice had you feeling all kinds of ways, but the silence of the morning slowly getting filled with the sound of birds was something could definitely get used to as well. After you opened the basket you found it filled to the brim with sandwiches and sweets, and you wondered idly where he'd gotten the basket. There was no way he made this for you himself, there was no way. Lost in thought you took a bite of the food, watching the sun rise with a calm feeling washing over you. Yes, you could definitely get used to this. The spot next to you seemed a little lonely.

He was back right at the moment you were starting to feel like you were done.

"All done fattening up, dove?" he said, jokingly (you hoped), "I hope you enjoyed the humble meal, didn't have time to get anything fancy for someone like you, but I hoped the view would help with digestin'. Now, are you ready to head to the next place?"

You nodded and were whisked away again. Put onto solid ground minutes later, though it felt like seconds, you noticed he had taken you to another cosy spot. Sun filtering through the trees to make sure you only got the best of the rays, as wildflowers bloomed around you, busy bees flitting around creating a nice buzzing sound around you. After that second breakfast, sitting in the sun, alone with nothing or no one distracting you, you felt yourself dozing off. The first two times your eyes fell closed you caught yourself, stopping your head from dropping back against the rough bark of the tree, but the third time the lure of sleep got you in its clutches and you were unable to deny. During your little nap you could faintly hear the soft purring of a low voice, just speaking to the side of you, but you could not hear what he said. Or feel like listening when the sound alone was so soothing and lulling you back into sleep so sweetly. When you woke up the spot next to you was painfully empty.

"Well, it is high time for our final spot, beau," he drawled as you finally realised you were actually awake in such a pretty place. Tahm had good taste, and you couldn't wait to see what the last spot was he would drop you in, a little sad that it almost seemed to be the end of the date already.

"Now, for this one spot I want to take a little walk," he said, and you groaned as you stretched. The sun was already setting and you wondered how long you had been asleep, and why you even went to sleep out in the open with the River King as your sole companion in the first place. "It's a real special place, you see. Don't have a pretty thing on my arm that often, can't fault a man for trying to draw this out."

You were certain there was a blush on your face. You knew the demon was known for smooth talking, but never had you actually heard him seduce quite so literally. 

The reflection of the sunset on the river that wildly raged beside you had you almost blinded, and you let him guide you to the final spot, trusting him to keep you steady and safe. What a delectable fool you were. If he wanted to devour you he could have done so many times by now, but he was a patient man, and he hungered for something a little different than the usual today. 

A small stumble had you almost tumbling into the glistening river, but you were held steady as Tahm Kench purred in your ear that you had reached your destination. Hidden from view was a small clearing next to a waterfall, overlooking the forest below with the river meandering through the idyllic landscape. The sunset cast the world in a soft orange glow, as the sound of the waterfall beside you almost deafened you to the world. Almost missing Tahm's voice when he inclined his head to you and asked: "Now, most delectable summoner of mine. What is it you hunger for?"

He was still holding you, now in both his arms as he leaned you back, hanging over you as if you were in the middle of a dance. A shiver went through you as he spoke, the low vibrations traveling through you as you barely heard him above the sound of the water. You hungered for many things, but right now you were embarrassed to say you hungered for him. It must've shown in your eyes as you looked away, blush once again adorning your cheeks as he chuckled. "You're as subtle as you are tantalizing, dear. If you keep blushing like that I might just gobble you up... for what I hunger for is you, and I'm planning on overindulging tonight." 

Fear struck you, but you felt almost paralyzed when he lowered you down on the soft earth beneath you. "Now, don't you worry your little head you hear, I won't release you from your life yet... not in the literal sense that is. Though you might wish for me to do so later."

What did he mean? What did that mean?? His large form hovered over you, grabbing your thighs and opening your legs as he leaned forward to inhale deeply. "That aroma seduces..." he purred as his tongue lolled out to lick rows upon rows of sharp teeth, and you felt a throb of arousal so deeply you had to stop yourself from groaning. 

"For what do you hunger, summoner?" he once again purred as claws hooked onto your jeans, pulling slightly, fabric dragging down your skin just enough to tease. "Tell me, and your cravings will be satisfied."

His maw was opened in a smile from ear to ear, tongue peeking out just barely as a promise more than anything, and you were able to whisper just above the sounds of nature around you. "You."

"Well, how could I possibly refuse such a tantalizin' request," he replied, tongue already out, oh so eager to have a taste of you, as with a quick drag your lower half was unclothed, shiver betraying your arousal as a cool wind hit your unsurprisingly wet core. He wasted no time giving a long, sloppy lick from your anus to your clit and you gasped at his greed, a low purr escaping him. He drawled out his satisfaction, as his tongue gave another wet lick down your nethers, uncaring about technique or decorum as all he wanted to was savour your essence on his tongue. "You simply taste divine," he said, pushing your legs wider around him as he dove in further, tip of his tongue entering you to get more, as the top of his tongue was firm on your clit. He pushed in further and you groaned as he started lapping at your walls as if he was having a great meal, his hums of satisfaction thrumming through your body as if he was a giant vibrator. Your orgasm came fast and overwhelming, brought on by his greed while his hands gripped at your thighs tightly. A gasp of his name, a cry for him to pause, but he didn't, slurping up your essence as he continued his onslaught. 

"That was barely an appetizer, dear," he drawled, tongue still inside you as drool dripped down on you from his giant maw, soaking your lower half even more than you had managed yourself. "Now I was saving my appetite for you for quite some time, so it's going to take a little more than that to satisfy me, y'see?"

You weren't sure if you did see. As a matter of fact your eyes had closed a long time ago, and your brain hadn't really been functioning all day either. All you knew was the pleasure he was providing you with, the sloppy technique he employed that somehow made you see stars with every wet, greedy lick. Your legs were shivering in his grasp, but he didn't let up, the sound of the river not enough to cover the obscene sounds his tongue made inside of you as he pushed in further still - eager for more. He was truly trying to devour you, and you gasped out as your walls fluttered around him, gushing wetness as you felt yourself rush to another shaky orgasm. It came just as quick as you shivered in his hold, head thrown back as he once again voiced his appreciation at your offering. A moan escaping him between slurps as instead of slowing down he sped up once again. 

"No, wait," you gasped, trying to get away from him in earnest, but your treacherous legs pulled him closer, arms flailing above your head as they tried to find purchase in the grass. You were sure by now you had pulled out all the grass around you, and even unearthed some small shrubbery you got your hands on, but you needed something to hold onto as tears filled your eyes at the overstimulation. "Tahm I can't-"

"I'm sure you can, doll, just a little more," his voice was smooth as always, but a rough edge had appeared, making you cry out as he practically bent you in half, legs around your face as he tongue fucked you in earnest, making sure to lap up any and all of your arousal as he went. "My hunger has not yet been sated."

His hunger was never going to be sated, you thought as tears ran down your face, but your core throbbed in maddening deliciousness. Your mouth was open in constant gasps and whines, begs escaping you though you weren't sure if you were asking him to stop or continue at this point. Your sore pussy spasmed around his long tongue as the slightly rough texture of it rubbed against your clit. And with the way he was bent over you it rubbed your entire stomach as well, soaking the shirt you still wore with his drool as he ate you out like a man starved. "Please," you gasped out between keening gasps, unable to hold in your sounds as you were unsure you had another orgasm in you, not with how intense the other two were. But your body was as greedy as him as your stomach tightened so intensely you thought you were going to turn inside out, more fluids squirting out of you as you gasped and writhed on the grass. "Enough, ahh, enough," you cried and when his tongue retreated you almost started crying in earnest. 

"Such a fragile little thing," he said, grinning. "Barely enough to take the edge off the craving." he leaned back, holding your spend body up to his large, wanting maw, as your lower half recoiled from the feeling of warm breath hitting your abused pussy. "Just one more... just a little dessert, and I'll let you go..." A shuddering groan was his answer as he leaned back a little further, placing you with your legs wide over his impossibly large face, mouth opening to ease your entire lower half into his mouth. "...then, I'll be satisfied."

You were going to die. No, at this point you wished you could escape his long tongue that once again licked his way towards your entrance, but now it felt like your entire lower body was getting devoured by him, and you spasmed as you felt liquid drip down into his almost painfully hot, waiting maw. Words were foreign to you now, as only weak mewling sounds escaped you, shivering and shuddering with every lick. It was almost gentle, the way he moved it, but it could as well have been pain he was inflicting upon you, so intense was the feeling it evoked. Sharp teeth rubbed against your ankles that hung from the corners of his lips, scratching and drawing just the tiniest bit of blood, a taste that almost drove him to madness himself. 

You understood now, why he said you might be wishing for him to release your life at the end. There was nowhere to escape him, and your fingers dug into his skin as you came for the fourth time, a shuddering cry escaping you as you squeezed out the last you had in you. He drank you greedily, deeply, and finally released you with a satisfied chuckle. Gently he held your boneless form to his chest, as he looked down upon you almost lovingly. 

"Now, that meal left me satisfied," he chuckled, "Until next time."

[mediocrevideopodcast]

May I request Wes coming to the realization that he's caught feelings for his coworker/work partner?

A/N: Wow, I am SO sorry that this took so long to post! I'm so in love with what we've seen of Wes, and I was really digging to make sure that I portrayed him as I do in my head. I'd love to write more for him in the future, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy!

Working under Asa Sweet has its benefits. Seemingly endless stores of money, eternal room and board, and most importantly, all the midnight lovers he could ever want. All at the price of a bit of bootlegged liquor, and the occasional firefight. 

This kind of life isn't for everyone, but it's certainly made for Wes. And you're inclined to agree with him. The adrenaline of a job well-done tastes even better than the liquor you're rewarded with at the end of the day -- maybe that's why the two of you get along so well. He can appreciate someone who can actually do their job, and do it well. No offense to Fish, of course, but it's nice to have someone… competent. And nice to look at, to boot. 

What? He's not blind -- He knows a pretty face when he sees one.  

If you weren't tangled in this life like he was, he might have tried to shoot his shot at a quick fling. But alas, working together complicates that And it's not exactly wise to play with someone when they've always got a loaded gun. He's not stupid, either. So, coworkers it is. Friends, if he's drunk enough to say it out loud.

The two of you are a deadly duo in the field. In the car it's all easy banter, a playful back-and-forth of teasing and sarcastic quips… but when you're truly working? Fish says it's scary how easily the two of you operate on the same wavelength, and you can't blame him. As a team you're able to coax deals and information from unsuspecting lips with ease; and on the rare occasion things go wrong… well, there's rarely any time to even worry. You've made it a game to see who can draw their weapon the fastest when shit hits the fan, and you're not very keen on losing.  And boy, does he like a challenge. 

Wes isn't a romantic. He thinks he is -- he thinks he's the suavest cat this side of the Mississippi. But he isn't. In truth, he is painfully inexperienced in the realm of romance, outside of one night stands. So when he's suddenly clenching his jaw whenever you pull that syrupy, borderline seductive voice on clients to get your way, of course he misattributes his feelings to lust. Because what else would it be? 

Except it doesn't get better, and no amount of liquor can soothe the tightness in his throat when he looks at you. 

No amount of bloodshed can quell his rapidly growing thoughts of domesticity. 

And there's not a single force on earth strong enough to pry the softness from his gaze. 

He hates that you're such a weak spot for him. He's always enjoyed being in your company, but now he finds himself hanging onto every word, every syllable, every breath. It's embarrassing.  

It's a bit of an awkward game of hot and cold while he tries to figure out what he wants. The most Wes really knows about romance is what he gleaned from when Fish drug him out to see Romeo and Juliet, and Lord knows how that panned out. You know him well enough to let him sort through… whatever it is he's going through. 

(You do pick up on the fact that there's a bit more intent when he smacks Fish for the "weasel" comments, though. Fish's poorly hidden laughter doesn't escape your ears either.)

But as time goes on, he settles back into his normal routine with you. Maybe his words get a bit more honeyed. Maybe he gets a bit more sarcastic, so he can feel you swat at him. Maybe he starts winning your quick draw games more often, and maybe he's formed a habit of stepping in front of you when things go south. You can't know for sure -- he dodges every attempt at questioning. 

If he shows up at your doorstep someday, with roses from your front yard… just know that he's trying. 

[eleni-cherie]

among thieves ✨ || bts • pjm

- chapter 1.8

"what even am I to you? your rival, your lover, an obstacle or am I supposed to be your coffin?"

about two thieves who can't live with nor without each other. and a joint past that comes back to threaten them.

© 2023 | eleni_cherie

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masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, very flirty jimin, friends/rivals/exes to lovers (it's complicated, ok?!) f2l e2l ex2l all members play a role in this story!

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

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The gang didn't waste any time. Climbing down the rock, they made their way around the bay to the old pirate ship. From up closer the signs of the timeson it being even clearer. It had surely lost the shiny glory it once had hundreds of years ago, it was only part of their imagination now. The ship's back was partially underwater while a big whole on the side was gracing the front part of it.

After a short dip in the water, they eventually reached it. The gigantic whole providing them with a good spot to climb up and get inside where everything was inclined due to the ship's prone posture, making navigating through the old wooden space rather difficult.

"Alright, where's the treasure now?" "Let's simply devide since it's such a big ship. And whoever finds it, calls the others." They nodded, everyone going seperate ways. Jimin went to the ship's bow towards crew's quaters, Arabella went to the back to the officer's quaters, Yoongi upstairs to the main deck and Taehyung decided to go downstairs to the supply decks.

Shoving some wooden boxes aside, Arabella opened the door to what looked like a small bedroom. Most furniture was decaying and covered by a thick layer of dust and dirt. She entered with help of her flashlight. The floor underneath her creaked with every step she took while scanning over the shelves and drawers when a wooden box on the desk caught her interest. She opened it carefully, afraid it might crumble into dust at a wrong move. Her eyes widening when seeing its content, beaming with joy. Inside was a pearl necklace with a golden pedant. The pedant itself decorated with countless tiny diamonds. She couldn't help but squeal happily, taking the necklace and putting it around her neck, covering it under her jacket. After roaming around the rest of the place, not able finding anything else of value she sighed and stood up straight. Brushing off the dust from over her clothes when suddenly hearing the clicking of a gun getting cocked behind.

"Not so fast, Arabella."

The blood in her vessels froze when hearing that voice again. It had been years. Over a decade actually, but even so she'd never forget it. She hadn't been able to, as much as she'd wished to.

"How did you even find this place?" She did her best in looking as unfazed as possible as her hands rose, although internally she was boiling with rage.

"It wasn't too hard," Kir smirked while pointing her gun at her, "While searching up the forest, we found the entrance to a tunnel. We simply followed your tracks, as you had also figured out the traps for us. So really, it wasn't hard to find this place." Arabella pressed her jaw together. Yeah, 'searching up'. Rather blowing up everything until randomly finding something. She began weighing out her options then. Concluding she needed some kind of distraction to be able reaching for her berretta. "I wonder if my men took care of your friends yet.." the older women wondered our loud then, "They surely did."

Arabella's face remained stern, no sign of emotions. She knew she had to keep her cool and stay focused if she wanted to get out there alive. Not exposing any weaknesses or letting her mind get clouded in any way. And she tried her best not to think about the possibility that Kir's men did 'take care' of the guys. Of course Jimin, Taehyung and Yoongi were skilled, she knew first hand, but Kir's men were in the majority. However, she needed to suppress these kind of thoughts. She couldn't allow herself to think of Jimin and the possibility of him - "Anyway," Kir interrupted her thoughts and much to her surprise, lowered her gun. "I actually got a proposal for you."

Arabella arched a brow at her. "I doubt a good one," she snorted.

"Oh, I think it's a pretty good one," Kir smirks, "I don't think you'll be able refusing it." "Try me." Clicking her tongue, the older woman shrugged non-chalantly. "What about you rejoining us? Would make all of our lives easier, don't you think? No hunting you anymore, no attempts of eliminating you.. Doesn't that sound tempting?" "It'd be a cold day in hell if that ever happened." Kir shook her head disappointedly. Humming then. "Not even if we told you your real name?" She saw a small sparkle in her eyes, taking it as a hint to continue. "Tell you all about your parents. Their names and where they live.. How about that?" A smile filled with insincere sympathy spread over her thin lips. "It sounds nice, doesn't it? To finally know where you come from. Your origin. I know first hand how much you've always wanted that."

For a moment, Arabella's mind went blank. It was true after all, she'd wished for an opportunity like this for all her life. Having forgotten everything about her past life and identity almost killing her at times. With the only remaining memory of her parents being the silver bracelet around her wrist and her name on it. There had indeed been a time where she would've done anything to gain her memory and past life back. However, she knew it was too late now. Having this information would be useless now. She could never go back to that short-lived life she once had. It'd be impossible to ever go back to that, especially if the price for the information was to rejoin the organisation that made her lose this life in the first place. The cause of her getting ripped out of it. Perhaps it was better this way. Arabella Valentine had now become her true self. Her true identity. The one she'd carried for most part of her life. "No, thanks," she eventually replied with a bored yawn then. Catching the older woman off-guard. Her gun raising again. "Well, then. How about I don't kill your friends instead if you return? Think about it. Either all of you die or you all stay alive. And all you gotta do is join the organisation again." "You know what, you must think I'm pretty dumb for believing anything that comes from your mouth," Arabella retorted then, getting fed up with her lies. She knew Kir would kill them either way, no matter her choice. Only giving her false promises and hope. "There's only one person in this world I trust and it sure as hell ain't you. So go ahead, shoot me! Let's get over with this. Because I'd rather die than having to work for you ever again."

The sudden tremor of a loud explosion caused the ship to quake in that moment. Kir losing her balance, which Arabella immediately took advantage of. With a highkick she threw her opponent's gun into a corner. However, Kir wasn't just anyone. The two started physically fighting without their weapons. And although Arabella had been trained by these people, Kir managed to pin her down after all. Reaching for her gun. "Silly girl. You should've taken the offer." And with that she pointed at Arabella underneath her foot whp struggling freeing herself. "Y-you can't kill me. Isn't that why you ordered Jimin to do it?" Kir shrugged, her lips tucking into a devilish grin. "And who'd snitch me? You? You'll be de-" Another commotion. Smoke entering the room as shouts and yells echoed from upstairs. "Fck, what's going on?" Kir muttered through gritted teeth, taking a glance behind her. In that moment, Arabella raised her legs and twisted them around her, toppling her and snatching the gun away in a swift move. "Gun powder, you idiot," Arabella said then and got up taking out her berretta as well. Both guns aiming at Kir as she started walking backwards towards the door. "The ship must still be full of it." She shot a few times, purposely missing her and ran off while Kir took cover. Disappearing into the smoke.

Unknown sillouettes were running through the corridors and she pressed herself against the wall to stay unnoticed. It was obviously Kir's men. They were shouting and yelling. The word 'fire' having fallen as they panickedly hurried upstairs.

A fire, of course, Arabella thought and coughed. Cautiously making her way to the deck. Some of her idiot men must've shot, igniting the gun powder that was spread all over the place.

As she reached the main deck, she heard another smaller explosion from the bow and the ship trembled underneath her. Kir's men were jumping off the burning wreck, one after another into the water in an attempt to escape. Arabella looked around then, not able spotting anything but flames in the further back. She bit her lip as a gleam of fear washed over her before she shook her head. Running her hands through her orangy-dyed hair. Pull yourself together, she ordered herself and she made her way to the rear despite the fire. Seeing a big hole in the wooden ground, her eyes caught something shiny down there behind the curtain of smoke. Taking a deep breath she jumped down, coughing when the smoke hit her lungs. It being must stronger down there. And she covered her lips with her hand, taking a look around. Not able containing her awe at the sight of the objects around her.

There it was. The treasure.

The thing that brought them there in the first place. The thing that had caused all this. The whole ship's hold filled with golden objects, artefacts, coins and jewels. And despite this having been the main reason for all this journey - from the document to the sapphire to the organisation hunting them again, the puzzles, Jimin getting shot, abducted and conditioned to kill her and them crossing the whole globe in search for it - depite all they had gone through, her heart sank when seeing it all now. Because right in that moment, she couldn't care less for all this gold.

Another cough escaped her lips and she began making her way deeper inside, through the piles of treasures, broken boxes and cannons. Small fires burning in between of gold. Eventually she reached a big door with ornaments blocking her way and she tried kicking it open, even more smoke hitting her then. "Guys?" she called out, waving with her hands to get the smoke out of her face. The room contained even more treasures and was decorated with golden statues, shining dully behind the smoke. Something cold prickled her side for a second when she heard Jimin's voice and her heart eased. "Bella?" The metallic tip instantly disappeared, Taehyung stepping out from the smoke. "Fck, Arabella. I almost shot you," he sighed and slid his gun back into its holster. "Nice way of welcoming your rescuer," she huffed to which he rolled his eyes. "Thought you were one of these jerks," he shrugged then. Yoongi appearing beside him then. "Yeah, they tied us up and locked us in here." "Bella, are you alright?" Jimin asked worried, shoving his friends aside to see her from close up, making them frown. He grabbed her shoulders as his eyes were looking at her concerned. Making sure she wasn't injured. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she calmed him with a smile, "But we should leave. The whole place will explode any minute."

They followed her out. Another concussion swaying them to the side and they hit some of the golden objects. More smoke clouding their vision than before now and they crouched to avoid breathing in too much. Yoongi cut some boxes that had turned and blocked their way. Suddenly gunshots were fired through the smoke. Everyone crouching behind the mountains of gold.

"I know you're somewhere here, Arabella!" Kir's yells echoed from inside the grey fume, followed by some gunshots. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" "This maniac will blow us all up," Yoongi muttered quietly, glancing at Arabella behind him. "She's too obsessed with you." her jaw clenched as her glance fell to the ground and she frowned. "You're right," she said then and took a deep breath, making a move to stand up. "I'll try destracting her and buy you guys some ti-" "The hell are you talking about!" Jimin hissed and grabbed her arm, pulling her back down. "Don't you dare get out there!" More gunshots were heard along with a small explosion going off near them. "She won't let us go," she argued, pulling her arm out of his grip, "I am the reason she's still here and hasn't fled like the rest of them. This ship will explode any minute, Jimin, either we all die or you let me buy you som-" "Bella, no! You know I won't let you, that'd be pure suicide." Her eyes were holding some kind of sorrow as she bent forward, placing a kiss on his cheek. It was one of those moments again. Those inescapable moments where they reached a standoff and the possibility of them not making it was high. Not all of them at least. And Arabella knew this, even if Jimin was still in denial. Her lips curled up into a smirk then as she pulled back. ' "Call it devotion." And with that she grabbed her berretta and ran out, disappearing into the smoke before Jimin could even react. His hands failing in catching her.

"She has the guts, I'll admit that," Yoongi said in an almost admiring tone, making Jimin frown. "That's not having guts, that's being irrational!" he yelled frustrated and pulled his walter ppk out. "I'll go after her, you two leave." "You know we won't do that," Taehyung said sternly. "Besides one against four is better than only two." Jimin wasn't able arguing with that. But he had to. Giving his friends a sad look. "No, you gotta make it back safely to Cassandra." Taehyung's lips parted for a moment. A scowl spreading on his features then and he shook his head. "No. She wouldn't deserve a coward." After all, she was someone who always put others before herself and helped anyone in need. How would he be able to ever look her in the eyes again if he bailed on his friends in a moment like this. "Look, this is something between me, her and that damn organisation. You two have nothing to do with it and just got sucked into it." "Cut it out already," Yoongi scoffed and got up. The grip around his sword firmer. "We won't leave, whether you like it or not. We chose to get sucked into it. So let's not waste any more time!" Jimin was about to object when another gunshot was heard, making him instantly jump up. His heart racing fast as he looked at the direction the woman he loved had disappeared to. Praying she had been the one firing that shot. "Come, let's save your girl," Taehyung smiled and patted his shoulder. A firm grip around his magnum. And Jimin simply nodded with a determined look. Gripping his gun tighter as they ran into the thick smoke as well.

Their vision got clearer as they went further due to the light peeking from the hole above them and they eventually spotted Arabella in a close scuffle with Kir. Pushing away Kir's hand from her as the other was trying to shoot. Instead hitting the wooden ceiling. Provoking another fire to break out. The ship beginning shifting again and the two women slipped to the side. Hitting a pile of coins. Jimin's eyes quickly wandered around, catching a net full of gold dangling close above them. Only held by a thin rope. "I got a plan," he said then, glancing over his shoulder to the other two, "When they get under that net, I'll push Bella away and in that moment you'll cut the rope." Their glance followed the direction of his eyes, seeing the construction and they nodded. Jimin saw Arabella holding her head as she got up, probably having hit it. She was walking in the direction her gun had fallen to, not noticing Kir behind her also getting up while holding her gun and heaving it towards her. His eyes widening in panic and without thinking much, he started running and pushed Arabella away. Landing on the ground with her in the same moment that Yoongi cut the rope. And the net filled with precious golded objects dropped right on Kir, crushing her.

Arabella felt her head spinning, confused of what had just happened. Her eyes slowly blinking open then, growing round when seeing Jimin on top of her, shielding her body. Their noses touching. He didn't say anything. He was just silently looked at her with an intense glare while propping his arms on each side of her face. As if his eyes urged her to never do something as dumb as this ever again. And she swallowed while they remained like this for a second more, just holding each other's gaze. Slowly, he began to lift himself and got up, his eyes never leaving hers. Holding his hand out for her, which she took without saying a word. Arabella faced Yoongi and Taehyung then, giving them a small nod. "Thanks." They gave her a small nod back. Nothing more being needed to say.

She took a last glance on the inanimate Kir underneath the gold, an overwhelming feeling of liberation and devastation flowing in her chest before she turned her back to her. And they made their way upstairs onto the main deck.

Yoongi was the first one climbing onto the ship's railing. "God, I hate getting wet," he whined and squeezed his eyes shut before taking a deep breath. Eventually letting himself fall into the cold water with a splash. Taehyung following behind, seemingly less hesitating. Landing right next to him. And the two began swimming towards the cave's opening. Jimin and Arabella climped the railing up as well. Standing there and watching them for a moment when Arabella suddenly took his hand. Squeezing it firmly, catching him off-guard. And he looked at her with raised brows. "If we actually make it out alive.." she began and her eyes found his. ".. and we reach a point when we can't do this kind of job anymore.. let's give it another shot." "You mean.." He couldn't finish his sentence, being too taken aback by her unexpected offer. She simply nodded. And he smiled, squeezing her hand back and guiding it to his lips. Kissing it. "I promise."

And they jumped. Diving into the cold sea water.

They swam out of the cave, reaching the rocky shore where the other two were already waiting for them. Leaving the cave behind them as they walked out into the setting sun. Kir's men, or at least the ones who had managed escaping, were nowhere to be seen. Probably having left already, not minding whatever happened to their boss.

By now all four were quite exhausted, however, they couldn't just rest now. They needed to get back to their car and get the hell out of nowhere and back to the city.

As they returned to the forest and they stamped through and they chopped their way through the undergrowth, the sound of a detonation in the distance caught their attention. It must've been a big one to be heard all the way from the cave. And they were even able to sense a slight vibration in the air. A swarm of flushed birds flying out of the trees. It was most likely the ship, getting wrecked completely now and leaving it undiscovered for some more decades or even centuries.

Taehyung's hand slid into his pocket then, taking out a golden coin and holding it against the light. "Got myself a small souvenire," he chuckled proudly and observed it from all sides. The engravings dating it to 1708. "Oh, same," Yoongi said, revealing a gold coin as well, "So this whole adventure wasn't totally for nothing." Jimin laughed out loudly, revealing a third gold coin. "I like how your minds work!" The three snickering happily over the coincidence, making Arabella roll her eyes. "Noobs," she said and zipped her jacked down. Revealing the pearl necklace she had got herself. Causing their laughter to abrubtly die down. And they stared at her bewildered before Taehyung snorted. "Of course, why am I not surprise." "When did you even.." She shook her head at them disappointedly and giggled. "Noobs."

After awhile they eventually reached their jeep, exhaling in relief since they wouldn't have to search for it in the dark and they opened its doors when the clicking of unlocking guns behind them was heard. "Hands up, you're under arr- What the fck happened to you?"

Jimin groaned, turning around with his hands up. Seeing none other than Seokjin, Jungkook, Skylar and some other officers there. "Seriously, pops? Very bad timing." "No really, what happened to you? You look -" "Like crap?" Taehyung finished, glancing at his partners. Bruises, cuts, scratches and dirt covering their bodies and clothes, "Yeah, we also feel like that." Jungkook couldn't help but stifle a laugh at this, to which Seokjin only coughed annoyed. "I wanted to say 'beaten up' but I assume 'crap' also fits." "Oh, you know.. some traps here, some exploding pirate ship there.." Jimin shrugged. "So I assume those guys we caught earlier weren't total lunatics then," Jungkook mumbled, peeking at Seokjin for confirmation. "Yeah, seems so.." The four exchanged a look. "You caught some guys?" The older agent nodded as he put handcuffs on Jimin. "Yeah, we were here since city residants reported explosions and smoke across this area to local police. And we knew you guys had something to do with this. And then we saw those suspicious vehicles racing through the forest. So we obviously stopped them." "And arrested those men," Skylar added as she handcuffed Arabella. Seemingly enjoying it a little as she was smiling while doing so. In a way it was her revenge for Mexico City.

"Good. You know these guys were from -" "That ominous crime organisation?" Seokjin laughed out. "Yeah, we figured that out. Kim and Jung from special victims and organised crime are taking care of them, while we take care of you guys. And Valentine? The two would also like to ask you some questions." Arabella just mumbled a 'whatever' as Skylar lightly pushed her to the direction of the van, the rest following behind.

"Seriously, pops.." Jimin sighed then as Seokjin led him to the van, "You know we'll just escape anyway. Why not skipping the whole 'arresting' part?" "Oh, c'mon. What kind of interpol agent would I be if I'd make it so easy for you guys? I gotta do my job, too, after all." "Today was really tiring though. Just make an exception." "Oh don't worry, you can rest as much as you want in your detention cells." "Will we at least get some food?" Yoongi asked then, feeling his stomach growling, "I'm starving." "Yeah, yeah. You'll also get food. Don't worry," Seokjin ensured him as they got pushed inside the van and closed the doors.

And the four sat there, exchanging glances as the vehicle began moving.

And they laughed.

What an ironically lame ending to such an adventure.

However, the next one was right around the corner, waiting for them already.

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next chapter: epilogue here

[bakurapika]

My boss has been awesome but I got in trouble for overlooking something several weeks ago that, real talk, I think is probably heavily due to how I've had some big memory issues lately which I think is related to my lack of med management. But I'm sure as hell not gonna say that for multiple reasons (1 of which being, I think she has similar issues herself and would think it's BS, and 2, if she DID believe me then she'd question my ability to do my job to a point where it'd be worse than believing I was intentionally a little negligent).

And right after that, I was late for a meeting because of 1) those same memory issues, and 2) some tech issues. Where it looked like I was being intentionally negligent again.

And I'd just recently asked if she would still be a good reference for me if I had to get another job becuase of financial issues she was already fully aware of (and she's been the kind of person who I trusted to be supportive with this information despite being a boss), so it's been pretty transparent that she thinks I'm slacking off on purpose.

I thought that all got settled but now she's been interpreting normal situations that would usually be like "oh yeah, we'll clean this up no problem" or even not have any identified issue at all, where it would just require a little paperwork on my end to fix - and seems to just be looking for evidence that I don't take my job seriously. I'm really on edge whenever she talks to me now, because this situation has played out before at the same job with a really bad boss, and things got reeeeally shitty right afterward.

I feel inclined to be like "lol! it's just my anxiety! i'm projecting!" but I genuinely don't think I am, and so far my instincts have been pretty spot on about this kind of thing.

And it fully sucks because she became my boss specifically to get me out of that situation of a sucky boss who interprets everything I do in the worst faith possible.

But anyway, so I've been having breakdowns at work whatever. But everyone gets a day off on the day of the week we normally have a private boss-employee meeting. I was really relieved about that. But literally last minute of today, she rescheduled it to be at the end of the day tomorrow, right before the long weekend, and it's gonna suck and I'm not sure if it's better to dread it all day or to have "gotten it over with" and have a sucky conversation that made the entire day awful again. Not that I have a choice.

So basically I need to go into this conversation and lie like a rug. Because being honest and taking accountability for my actions has gotten me treated with suspicion because she thought I was lying and admitting to anything that's "off" before it becomes a problem for other people (though it may not have been pointed out as an issue I caused - or a problem at all - if I let it lie) has itself become a chance to evaluate what I've done as laziness or doing bad work. Even if the actual thing being discussed took place ages before I was applying for other jobs.

Hence lying like a rug. I just need to be polite and accept any blame she gives me without taking it personally or letting it affect my actions (since yesterday at work, I got next to nothing done because I was crying all day, compared to today, where I decided Fuck It and chilled most of the day and was able to focus on my work like a normal person afterwards, without needing to text anyone for my own safety or anything at all). And basically I need to roleplay someone who's not emotionally invested in my job at all but is distantly professional.

But I'm really shitty at lying in that kind of situation so it'll probably take about 45 seconds to break me, and I'll wind up being like "I WAS SOBBING IN THE OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY BECAUSE OF AN OFFHAND REMARK YOU MADE" which would be taken as utter manipulative, lying horseshit. And it's a half hour meeting and she's definitely gonna confront me about stuff that, real talk? Was at least as much her fault as mine, if they're even situations that you feel like you need to identify anyone being at fault in at all - and again if I even hint at that being the truth, I'm f u c k e d.

God someone please like this post to tell me I'm not alone even if you just skimmed it because I'm struggling. Maybe send me a message about the worksona I need to develop and how I should be able to keep it together for like 2 full minutes.

Like if she hates me at a personal level now, she won't want to talk for long either, right??

[augment-techs]

BINGO BINGO BINGO TIME:

1) Javelia

2) Ollaiyon

3) Fizzy

Javelia: Due to your massive influence in art and headcanons and just the general scene that you've painted in my mind about them and what could have been if the producers and directors weren't cowards, I have quite the rotating meat sack of a soft spot for them.

Truly, they should have ended their series as a couple and would have made one hell of a nice pair to look at. Red and Black...when it's not BroTP, it's really rare. And they fit.

Ollaiyon: I tend to go back and forth on them depending on the season. In Dino Fury, I would have been totally okay if they ended up as just roommates, or there was an underhanded remark or hint at them banging on the side. In the aftermath of Cosmic Fury, I would very much appreciate them being each other's snuggle buddy as well as mutual rebound that could actually reasonable make it through into being actually good couple material. I do not like the idea of Aiyon with Zayto (way too much of a broken bridge for that) and Ollie and Amelia are BAD FOR EACH OTHER.

I'm also okay with them being basically the Gimli/Legolas of Power Rangers. All the hints are there, but the author/director, will never say a word.

Fizzy: You'd think since they were actually a canon queer ship I would get more than one bingo out of them, yet because they ARE CONFIRMED CANON I am also weirdly not that in to them? Like, if Izzy was given the opportunity to shine a light proper in Cosmic Fury and Fern got...more in general...I think I would be more inclined to lean in. But they are so...aggressively inoffensive...that they're just this side of kind of boring. They're the Disney's WISH of Power Rangers.

@skyland2703

[the-iceni-bitch]

You On Top and Me Underneath

Kinktober Day 7: Spanking

Pairing: kitten!Johnny Storm x shark!fem Reader (NLLYL)

Words: ~2k

Summary: You’ve had enough of his attitude.

Warnings: explicit language, explicit sexual (dom/sub vibes, femdom, mommy kink, anal play, salad tossing), bratty Johnny, surprising softness, established relationship, SMUT!!! 18+ ONLY!!!

A/N: This went in a drastically different direction than I had planned but I kinda love it? I imagine this being while they were further into their relationship, like Johnny knows what she expects from him but sometimes that bratty attitude just wins out. I’m honestly a little in love with them.

I am no longer doing taglists so if you want to stay up to date on all the latest filth, follow my sideblog @the-iceni-library and turn on notifications!

“Study.” Your voice was dangerously low when you walked through the front door, Johnny fighting between snapping to follow your orders immediately and really throwing a tantrum. But then you growled, and your tongue swept across your bottom lip in that way it did when you were furious, and he felt his stubborn, bratty attitude start to dissolve. “Now.”

He knew when he had fucked up, exactly which shot of vodka had shifted him from just pouty to straight up bitchy, the lack of attention from you making him want to stamp his feet and whine in your ear while his hands grabbed you everywhere. Which you absolutely did not appreciate, even though the look of pure shock on your face when he walked up behind you and pinched your ass in front of your partners had almost made it worth it.

Now you were back at your apartment though, and you were giving him that look like you were deciding the best way to tear him apart, and he was pretty sure all of his drunk ideas were about to get him into a world of hurt.

Johnny only dragged his feet a little when he started making his way to the study, pouting at you over his shoulder in an attempt to soften you up but quickly deflating when he saw the snarl on your face. He picked up the pace when you cleared your throat again, swallowing thickly when he finally stepped inside the study and tried to keep his spine up a little when you prowled past him.

“I didn’t…”

“I don’t remember giving you permission to speak, kitten.” You were soooooo pissed, he was in so much trouble, whimpering when you shook your head when he attempted to step closer to you so he could kiss that spot on your neck that made you sweeten up on him. “You stay right there.”

“But…”

All it took was a click of your tongue for him to snap his jaw shut, a low whine escaping from him when you moved to your bar and poured yourself a glass of Clase Azul. He knew that you would give him a piece of your mind once you had a few sips, even though his inclination was to plead his case and try to appease you so he could spend the rest of the night resting his head on your thigh and licking your pussy to make it up to you.

“What am I gonna do with you kitten?” You sat on the edge of your desk and gave him a firm look, the high slit of your gown sliding open so he could get a good view of the long line of your bare leg in those Jimmy Choos and god he wanted to let you wrap that leg around his neck. “Explain to me exactly what was unacceptable about your behavior tonight. Mommy wants to know you understand what you did wrong.”

“I… I embarrassed Mommy in front of her friends.” He didn’t think mentioning the actual pinch was a good idea, not when he saw the way your jaw clenched when he just brought up embarrassing you. “And I threw a fit when I thought I wasn’t getting enough attention. Made Mommy have to leave her party early because I drank a little too much.”

“That’s good, kitten.” The corner of your lips quirked slightly when you saw him melt a little bit, tapping your heel against the hardwood floor as you kept slowly sipping your tequila. “Didn’t Mommy promise you she would give you all the attention you could want if you were a good boy? All you had to do was stay by Mommy’s side and look pretty and make a little bit of small talk. Why couldn’t you do that, baby?”

“I just, I got bored.” Johnny shuffled his feet and shifted his gaze away from yours, wanting the floor to open up and swallow him whole as shame washed over him. “I hadn’t seen you all week and then when I finally did I had to share you with a bunch of other people and I didn’t like it.”

“Oh, kitten.” You finally finished your tequila and set the glass aside, taking a deep breath as you watched him struggle with himself. “C’mere, baby.”

He sank to his knees and mewled when you gave him permission to move, crawling towards you slowly and practically choking on his desire to apologize when you spread your legs and let him kneel between them, running your palm over his buzzed hair as your other hand reached down to start undoing his bow tie. You tsked softly when he leaned to rub his cheek against your wrist, gripping his jaw firmly as you brought his gaze to yours and started tracing the toe of your pump over the inside of his thigh.

“Mommy has to work twice as hard as all of her friends to be taken seriously by her clients, if you had pulled your little stunt in front of one of them instead of her partners, do you understand how bad that would have been?” You dragged your thumb over his bottom lip when he nodded for you, purring softly when you felt him roll his hips under your foot as he let out another needy sound. “You understand I have to punish you, kitten? It’s not gonna be an easy one, either, you were very bad.”

“I understand, Mommy.” He would let you do anything to him, he just wanted to make you happy, letting you undo the buttons of his shirt and slide off his tux jacket as he gazed up at you adoringly. “I’m sorry.”

“Good boy.” The way he sobbed and his eyes rolled back in his head when you praised him almost made you want to go sweet on him, but he needed to learn his lesson. You pulled him with you and removed his shirt when you stood up, hushing him when he tried to nuzzle into your hair as he whimpered while you undid his fly. “Bend over the desk, kitten.”

Johnny’s breath was heaving through his chest when he did as you ordered, his eyes fluttering closed when you yanked his trousers and boxers down and tapped his calf so he would step out of them. You were moving so slowly, your touch almost tender as you rose to your feet and trailed your fingertips up the backs of his thighs. It made the anticipation so much more intense, Johnny waiting for you to go grab the crop or the paddle you tended to save for when he was especially bratty and practically holding his breath.

“How many do you think you deserve, kitten?” You gave him a smile that he couldn’t see when he sighed at you softly stroking his cheek that wasn’t pressed to your desk, the manicured nails of your other fingers tapping against your desk as you waited for him to answer you.

“Twenty.” He gasped and arched his back when you slid one of your feet between his, spreading his legs for you so you could see how hard his pretty pink cock was, how it twitched when you pressed your hand to the small of his back while he tried not to vibrate off the desk.

“Twenty then.” You braced the hand you had on his back as the other ran over the curve of his ass, rubbing his smooth skin as he let out a low moan. “Count them out, and don’t you dare fucking come without my say so, or I’ll add ten.”

“Yes mommy… ah!” He yelped when your palm cracked against his ass without any warning, the stinging warmth spreading across his backside made even worse by the rings you had kept on that he completely forgot about until this moment. “One!”

He kept his teeth gritted for the first five, biting out his counts each time your palm landed against a new spot on his increasingly pink cheeks. It was always surprising just how much force you were able to put behind your slaps, some of them actually making his hips slam into the edge of your desk while he groaned and screwed his eyes closed.

“Mm-mm, kitten.” You tapped his cheek after the sixth spank when you saw the way his face was so tight and strained and pausing so you could check in on him. “Baby, you need to breathe, you know Mommy wants to hear all the pretty noises you make.”

“Yes, I’m so-sorry Mommy, shit!” He tossed his head back as he sobbed when your hand bounced off the crease of his ass right at the tops of his thighs, the sensation making his balls clench up tight against his body as he did his best to breathe deeply. “Seven.”

By the time you reached sixteen he was openly crying, drool running down his chin and pooling on your desk as he sniffled and screamed, all his emotions mixed up as you gently ran your hand over his back even as you smacked the shit out of him. His eyes still searched for you, though, his watery gaze finding yours as he sucked on his bottom lip when you gave him an almost soft look.

“You’re doing so good, kitten.” You cooed when he shrieked as your next slap landed on his taint, rubbing the skin after and making his dick throb against your desk as it leaked precum everywhere. “My good boy, I knew you could be.”

“Seventeen. Thank you, mommy.” Johnny couldn’t take it when you started giving him those tender touches in between your aggressive slaps, his legs almost giving out when you pressed your thumb against his asshole before you cracked your fingers right above his balls. “Ungh, eighteen.”

“So close baby.” You decided to let it go when you smacked his balls and he missed the count, his legs finally collapsing when you spread his cheeks and spat right on his pretty hole. “One more and then I’m going to lick this soft little boy pussy until you really make a mess all over my desk, which had better not take long, and I want to hear you thank me like a good baby boy.”

Your hand landed against his hole unbelievably hard and he shrieked, his back arching him off the desk violently when you sank to your knees behind him and thrust a finger inside him to press right against that sweet spot as your tongue fluttered all around his twitching skin.

“Mommy! Thank you… thank you, mommy… mommy… oh thank you…”

The poor thing was babbling as his balls emptied in what felt like an explosion, his body rolling as his cock spurted cum all over your desk and his torso while he sobbed and wriggled and squeezed your finger. You waited for his body to still before you rose to your feet, hushing him when he cried softly as you pulled him up to lean against your shoulder. His face immediately found the crook in your neck where he always settled when he wanted to feel safe, his lips pressing against your skin as he whimpered while your hands ran over his back.

“My sweet little kitten.” You hushed him when he kept trying to choke out more apologies, tilting his chin up so you could give him a reassuring smile before you pressed your lips to his gently. “C’mon, honey, let’s get you in bed, I’ll rub some lotion on your poor, sweet ass before I let you soothe by licking mommy’s pussy, okay?”

Johnny could only nod at you as you guided him out of the room on his wobbly legs, his lips never leaving your skin as he gazed at you and contemplated the fact that he was pretty sure he was in love with you and would do anything you wanted for the rest of his life.

[letmeshouyouhowitsdone]

𝕚 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕝 | 002.

haikyuu x m!reader

masterlist

hirabayashi [name] didn't have many friends. he didn't know if it was a thing that came with being on the volleyball team, (a team which intimidated most of the student body), or he was just simply that unlikable (he definitely wasn't).

he often found that most of the people he attempted to befriend would back off almost immediately. he didn't know why. maybe he was really that scary?

"eita-senpai?" [name] frowned at the floor in concentration as the pair walked home. [name]'s house was definitely further than anyone else on the volleyball team, living up on the hill, but semi lived at least halfway to his house so he was glad he wasn't too lonely. 

the grey-haired boy hummed, raising an eyebrow at him. [name] finally looked up, pausing in his steps with a small pout.

"am i scary?" semi almost choked on air in surprise. scary? [name]? he was the cutest kouhai the team had ever seen.

"no way. why?" he vigorously shook his head, confused as to where this came from.

"well, people always seem to look away when i make eye contact with them. and my classmates are very blunt whenever we do talk" [name] hummed, beginning to walk again. "maybe i did something to scare them. could they just not like me?"

"i don't think that's the case, [name]-kun" semi mumbled, "i think it has more to do with us than you"

"what do you mean?" [name] stared at him incredulously, "you didn't do anything?"

"no, but we're pretty scary, aren't we? it's a little intimidating to be friends with someone who's always followed by two towers" semi chuckled slightly, reminded of the fact that tendou and ushijima insisted on accompanying [name] everywhere when they weren't in class. 

"oh.." [name] nodded, understanding more. hopefully, they'd be more inclined to like him. he didn't know how he was going to deal with being all alone after the older boys left. he shook his head, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in his stomach. he always had to ruin a good moment, huh?

—

if there was one word shiratorizawa junior high's volleyball club would use to describe [name] it would definitely be quiet. the boy wasn't silent, per se, he was talkative enough when he wanted to be. but he was certainly the perfect secret weapon. he didn't strike people as strong and he didn't have a domineering presence like many of the others, in fact, people rarely believed he was actually a part of the volleyball team at all, mistaking him for a manager. he didn't match their reputation at all.

which, as tendou liked to remind him, only made him a better player. it was a shock to see your spike picked up by the small boy you thought was the team's aid. he was a silent threat, throwing people off their game, quietly taunting them as he picked up hit after hit. he was reliable.

he was annoying.

and he was proud. he couldn't help but grin inwardly at the rumours circulating around the gym. after only one year he was already standing out amongst rising players.

as he walked back into practice at the start of the school year, the others greeted him kindly, ohira ruffling his hair and pulling him over to begin warming up. he was a senpai now, after all, he needed to start setting a good example. 

the first years that walked in were nervous, as anyone joining the well-known team would be, but they were good. good enough to make up for the lack of team members they were left with now that the third years had moved on. [name] sighed at the lack of second years, noticing that despite the new school year beginning, he was still the only second year on the team.

hopefully, it wouldn't effect them too much later, after all, they were shiratorizawa. he could only pray the team wouldn't fail after the departure of his friends.

he sighed. he'd just have to work harder.

—

hinata shoyo paused as he road along through the street. he had been thinking about how didn't know what club to join when he spotted people crowded around a certain shop. coming to an, albeit abrupt halt, he watched as the karasuno volleyball team played on the screen, enamoured with their #10's jump. he felt his eyes widen, shocked.

the desire quickly filled him, desperate to play. he wanted to jump- no, fly like he had. 

finally composing himself, hinata sped home in a rush, desperate to find out more. maybe he could join the volleyball team! unfortunately, he wasn't looking where he was going, bike colliding with another, sending the two riders to the floor.

luckily they landed on the grass rather than the concrete. bruises were certainly better than scrapes. 

"hey! you play volleyball right?" hinata shouted as he sat up from the floor, ignoring the bruise forming on his head in favour of staring down the h/c boy. said boy raised a hand to the back of his own head, rubbing the sore spot.

"uh, hai" he mumbled, a little disoriented. when he finally met hinata's eyes, he tilted his head slightly, confused. "do i know you..?"

"what.." hinata frowned, shocked, "uh, we're neighbours! hira-hirabayashi-san?" he struggled a bit with remembering [name]'s name. 

"oh.." [name] nodded, slowly standing up, beginning to pick up his bike. he thought for moment, trying to place the neighbours names. "hinata-san, right? you were going pretty fast.." 

"um yeah! sorry for knocking you over!" hinata was loud. it wasn't a bad thing, [name] knew plenty of people like him but at the moment it wasn't helping with his pounding headache.

"it's okay" [name] waved it off, both boys now standing properly, staring at each other for a moment. "do you play, hinata-kun?"

"play?" hinata tilted his head, unsure what [name] was referring to despite brining it up in the conversation.

"volleyball. you asked if i play" [name] clarified. he took note of hinata's frown, taking the hint that he probably didn't know how yet. "i can teach you if you'd like.." 

the beaming smile he was rewarded with brought a small pink dust to his cheek. 

—

[name] supposed it was an unlikely friendship if his parent's surprised looks were anything to go off. they mustn't have expected their secluded little boy to form a connection with someone like hinata shoyo. they were almost opposites.

he knew tendou was an energetic person but he didn't quite come close to hinata's level. the orange haired boy practically bounced off the walls in excitement, blindingly happy to learn the art of volleyball. [name] admired that in him. the passion.

it was probably the one thing they had in common. he knew it was likely that it was the one thing holding their friendship together but he tried not to dwell on that too much. volleyball was all they talked about.

hinata taught [name] to open himself up more. they would spend hours talking, [name] mainly listened to hinata's ramblings at first but slowly he begun to find himself talking just as much as the younger boy.

it was thrilling. to know words had so much effect on people. like the way hinata's face would light up at [name]'s words, how happy he got when [name] promised to teach him new techniques, when he rambled about the books he had read on spiking.

he tried hard to ignore the remarks, the taunts he could feel himself about to say on court. it wasn't appropriate, he tried to remind himself, ignoring the way tendou spoke with such ease, no remorse as he teased those they faced. 

he wished to have that effect on opponents, to make them learn to fear him, scare them into respecting him. he was slowly getting sick of their underestimation. maybe he'd just have to deal with it a bit longer. victory was enough to satiate that urge for now anyway.

—

"you go to shiradorigawa?!" hinata's eyes widened, surprised. [name] frowned, surely he should know that? how long had they been friends? almost a year?

"shi-ra-tor-i-za-wa, shoyo-kun, but yes" [name] nodded, used to hinata's behaviour.

[name] learnt pretty quickly that hinata was someone who didn't give up. despite teaching him the basics months ago, they didn't have much time to play together. [name], after all, had a team to play together with. 

but it was often that the pair would find themselves climbing the fence to ask for their volleyball back with sheepish smiles. there was no question they would find themselves practicing together eventually.

hinata was [name]'s first friend. his neighbour. he was fun to play volleyball with. they'd spend hours practicing, running through the park chasing the ball. but most often they spent their time in either one's backyard, [name] getting used to setting to someone while hinata (poorly) learnt to spike. 

slowly their technique improved. they weren't in sync, after all neither had much experience playing in a pair like this but they were evidently improving.

they were in their own little bubble, excitedly comparing volleyball plays. they would watch matches for hours on end, staying up late and getting in trouble together. their parents were annoyed at the need for constant scolding, but glad their sons have found someone to share their passion with.

it wasn't long before [name] found himself drifting away. he hadn't wanted to, of course not, but the team pushed practices much later than previously and he found himself spending more time receiving ushijima's spikes than before. he would come home tired and covered in bruises, ignoring hinata's excited questions. it was hard to continue playing with him.

[name] felt bad. hinata was someone he considered his best friend. the only one on the volleyball team who saw him for him. he didn't have any other second years on the team, most of his year level went to the basketball team, choosing to avoid who they deemed the 'scary' third years. 

[name] learnt a lot of things as a first year.

like, it wasn't a good idea to argue with washijou sensei. or that ushijima did not understand jokes and sarcasm. 

on the other hand, he also learnt that people didn't like him. it continued well into his second year. they managed to recruit many first years, making up for the difference when the current third years would leave but still no second year joined them. [name] found himself isolated in his classes. nobody wanted to talk to him, they were intimidated.

for the most part it didn't bother him. its not like he didn't have his own friends. however, that small voice in the back of his mind wanted to prove he wasn't someone they could push around. he wanted to show them he wasn't someone they could just ignore because they were jealous.

despite the urge to prove them wrong he stayed silent. it wasn't worth fighting for, if they didn't like him that was their loss. he had hinata and he had his teammates. that was all he needed.

until he didn't have them..

previous | next

a/n: skfdlsnf i'm trying to get the background out of the way quickly while also not skipping over it :/ anyways, enjoy!

[koko-mochi]

R'koko snapped awake to the sounds of birds singing outside her window and the warmth of the sun splashing across her room in the Baldesion Annex. She'd slept in again, snared in the horrible recurring nightmares that haunted her sleep. The haunting loss of her friends, the loss of innocents, the loss of her own life in the end, these things conjured images of blood and death and worse things night after night.

Wuk Lamat was already up, a gentle depression in the feather bed remaining where she had lay. She was usually up early. That was fine. But the empty bed served to emphasize R'koko's loneliness, the profound grief of being the "Warrior of Light," something that even the warmth of the Turali emissary's arms around her could not alleviate.

R'koko shivered as she got up, her cold sweat sending a chill through her body. She saw something on the floor, near the door to her room, an envelope someone had slid there, with The Warrior of Light written on it in a blocky script. She tugged on a pair of underwear and a baggy linen shirt and plopped down on the edge of the bed to read the letter.

Dear R'koko, I have a slow day today. Maybe we can spend some time exploring Labyrinthos? I would enjoy your company, and we can talk about your next "adventure." - Erenville -

So an hour and a half later R'koko was wearing her armor, smelling of soap and clove, riding the lift down into the sprawling complex of Labyrinthos. She spotted her Viera friend almost immediately, standing across the plaza where gleaners constantly loaded and unloaded specimens from across Hydaelyn.

Erenville was leaning against a stone railing, looking out across the vast space before him. When R'koko came to stand beside him, he looked down at her and stifled a laugh. "Full armor?" he said, "I assure you nothing in Labyrinthos stands a chance against you, Miss Warrior of Light."

The miqo'te looked down at her gauntletted hands. "It's just a habit, I guess. Trouble does have a way of finding me."

Erenville rolled his eyes. "You have no idea," he said. Then, "Come on, walk with me."

"What is this all about?" She fell into step beside him as he left the plaza at a leisurely pace and set out across the Outer Circuit.

"I told you in my note. I want to talk about our upcoming travels." The Viera's tone was calm, cool. There was no sign of the sarcasm he could at times be inclined towards. It seemed, at least to R'koko, that he was sincere.

"I'm excited for it," R'koko grinned, cracking her knuckles, "Wuk Lamat has been telling me all about Tuliyollal, it seems amazing." It was rare to see her face light up like it did in that moment, ever since the voyage of the Ragnarok and whatever she encountered at the edge of the universe her demeanor had been haunted and distant. Erenville had noticed it, despite barely even knowing R'koko. And he noticed her smile now too.

"I love my homeland," he said, "And I hope you will too." He paused, looking up at the dome high overhead that so accurately mimicked the actual sky. His voice got a little quieter. "But be careful, okay. Don't rush into this one. There's a lot that Wuk Lamat isn't telling you."

R'koko seethed at the implication that her girlfriend was keeping secrets from her, but made a concentrated effort to keep her shoulders relaxed and her face at ease. "I promise she tells me more than you think."

"Just..." he sighed, "she's royalty. She's been taught what to say and do in order to win people's trust and get what she wants."

"You make it sound like she's using me as a pawn in some scheme," R'koko ground out, "But I assure you the things that happen between us behind closed doors are very real."

"Behind closed--oh no. No no no no no. Are you saying she's your lover?"

"So what if I am?" she grumbled, "Shouldn't you be happy for her? She's your childhood friend after all."

"She isn't that little girl anymore, R'koko. I cherish my memories of her, and consider her my friend, truly. But she's making a bid for the throne of Tuliyollal. She wants you there as her champion. Regardless of how much I like her, I can still see that she is using you as a tool to win power in Tural."

"She wouldn't use our relationship to manipulate me. You may have known her as a child but I know her right now, really know her. I'm choosing to be her champion, because I want to support her."

Erenville's shoulders slumped, though his body language always seemed opaque and hard for R'koko to understand. "Of course there's no dissuading the Warrior of Light. Maybe we should talk about something else."

"Fine by me," R'koko said, relaxing slightly. But she didn't bring anything up. Instead, the two walked in silence along the Outer Circuit, past magnificent flora and fauna from all across Hydaelyn. At one point Erenville quietly pointed out a strange wooly camelid that he said was native to Tural.

They slowed as they crossed a bridge over a roaring cataract. "I am happy for you, R'koko. I know things have been...hard for you...since your return from Ultima Thule. Y'shtola told me she was worried about you."

A wistful smile crept across R'koko's lips. "Y'shtola is always worrying about me." A sigh. "I do love her for it." She looked up at Erenville, trying to read the expression on his face. "I'm guessing you worry about me too, as well as worrying about your childhood friend."

"I don't want to see either of you get hurt," he said, his voice taking on an unusual tenderness.

"I understand that," she said, starting to walk again. "But Wuk Lamat and I are both adults. We can take responsibility for our own actions. And we can face the consequences."

"I just hope you can forgive her, when she turns out to be different than you hoped."

"Trust me," she smirked, "I most certainly can."

[rabbiteclair]

anyway I'd been planning to hold off on reading WonderLab, but like eight people recommended it over about two days, the friend I talked to throughout the whole time I was playing LobCo finally decided to read it yesterday morning, and then I ended up taking the day off work anyway and was too out of it to do anything that required effort, so I took this as a sign

p. good

the ground-level view of what all this stuff looks like in practice is handy. if I were more inclined to write fanfic in this setting I'd practically be weeping with joy.

I was entirely too amused by the whole insinuation that yeah, the Wizard of Oz critters and the magical girls had sets that could do Apocalypse Bird style stuff too, but they just sent their friends off to another facility to make life simpler so it never quite came up. I am also very torn about this because rounding out the magical girls would be great and Servant seems conceptually cool, so I'd love to see her in the game, but the Scarecrow/Woodsman already suck to work with and I don't think the thing they were missing was a way to make this everybody's problem.

the new abnormalities here really tread that kinda line in general. I suspect that there are some rejected ideas from the game in here, because a whole lot of these seem like they'd be nightmares to have in the game. 'every time this breaches it's going to take out anyone who has its gift' and 'only one person can work with this and it will inevitably kill them' and 'if this breaches literally everybody dies' stuff. I guess they can afford to be a bit more complicated in this kinda medium

Rose's end seemed like a pretty direct reference to the scene where Sayaka became a witch in PMMM, and the scene with Taii summoning the sword toward the end had some real Utena energy, so now I am wondering how many other anime references I'm missing in here.

Taii is cool as hell though. I mean all three of the core characters are good but I've got a soft spot for 'gentle nerd becomes a badass warrior (who's still a gentle nerd actually)'. with the way the first several arcs liked to introduce new characters and then kill them off, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that Rose and Taii were sticking around, and right around the time that I was convinced all three were gonna make it to the end..... that happened. I should've known better. if only one of 'em was going to stick around though, Taii was the right choice. I'd get mad if they killed them. Catt actually being afforded the opportunity to relax and connect with actual emotions again would've been really nice, but. look this is a hell company where good things go to die. I can't say I'm surprised it turned out like this.

also cool as hell: Shasha. and I feel like the company must have some kinda 'Disciplinary head's gotta have a cool eye scar' policy. all of the department heads made good use of what little screentime they got though.