#i’m glad my efforts have been paying off after a long long time of trial and error with no success :)

[btssaysstudy]

Cheap Sunglasses || jjk

Pairing: Jeon Jungkook (BTS) x reader

Note: Inspired by cheap sunglasses by John K || do let me know if you liked it :)

Summary: Being a teaching assistant for college definitely has it monetary perks but who knew it had other perks in meeting a potential significant other.

Warnings: swearing, mentions of injury (not the reader), angst, jungkook being an annoying player at times, mentions of over-exhaustion from schoolwork

“Thanks y/n!” Mingyu grinned, reaching out for a fist bump. You laughed, returning the gesture. “No problem, just doing my job.” 

“I’ll treat you for a meal soon, you can count on it! I’ll see you around!” He gave you a quick side hug before leaving the lecture hall. You got up from your seat, packing your belongings to head off for lunch. 

“y/n! Could you help me compile the outline for the chapters to read for the semester?” Your professor approached you, handing you the list of chapters that class had to read. “Sure, when do you need it by?”

“Preferably by the end of this week? No rush! As long as it’s before midterms.”

“Okay, sure!” You glanced at the list, it was the same reading list as last semester, you just had to use your own outline for this semester. You smiled, thankful that nothing much changed with the syllabus so you had less work to do as a teaching assistant.

Your professor thanked you and left the hall. “You know, one definite perk of being a TA is tutoring hot students. Mingyu was definitely hitting on you.”

“No he’s not. We’re friends, I already met him for one of my classes last semester.”

“Mm, yea don’t believe you. Anyway, let’s hurry go, I’m starving.” Sooyoung rubbed her stomach and you grabbed your bag, leaving the hall with your friends. 

One definite perk, which was not what Sooyoung said, of being a TA was that you get paid and you definitely needed the money. It was tough to juggle being a TA at first and you weren’t sure if you were cut out for it, but 2 semesters later, you’ve been a TA every semester and it’s become a part of your schedule.

“Chan-mi!” A loud bright voice called out for other friend. The three of you stopped, turning around to find the boy who was dubbed as the “sunshine” of your college.

“Yes?” Chan-mi clearly unfazed by his loudness. Hoseok grinned, saying a brief hello to you and Sooyoung. “Our club manager just texted me that we have an upcoming gig. Just a little insider info for you, you’re on the performing team.”

Chan-mi nodded her head with a short laugh, “He texted me too actually.”

“What?! I thought i’ll be the good news bearer.” Hoseok pouted, his group approached him, patting him on the shoulder to rush him for lunch.

“I’ll see you at next practice then!” Chan-mi waved goodbye as he was being dragged away by his friends.

His friends. That group.

That group was popular and they knew it. They don’t seem to bask in it but they would slip some of the times — easily charming people to get what they need, having girls praying that they’ll become their girlfriends. It was no surprise that they have quite a list of girls they dated.

Despite the list,their reputation wasn’t that bad. They would make it clear to the girls they take out on dates — that they’re not looking to commit. You figured it was the least they could to do the poor girls who were pining for them, laying out the facts immediately.

“So what are we eating? I’m about to die any second.” Sooyoung grumbled once more.

—

“If you’d like to book my TA, I’ve sent you an email with a google sheet for you to find a slot. She’s a popular one so better book a slot asap if you need her help.” Your professor announced to the class, making you feel shy from her comment, your eyes glued to your screen as you felt the stares.

You’d be lying if you said you didn’t know that you were a popular TA. You did put in the effort to help others since you were being paid after all, so, you did deserve the credit.

Throughout class, you could do your own things since you didn’t need to pay attention to the lesson. Halfway through the class, you clicked on the google sheet link to see that your upcoming week has been almost fully booked.

‘maybe i need a pay raise’ you thought to yourself, opening your own calendar to update your own schedule. Your eyes landed on a particular name, shocked that he even bothered to book a slot. 

Jeon Jungkook.

You stopped yourself from whipping your head around to find him. He was part of that group and known to be the very athletic one. You guessed you stereotyped him to be those athletes that didn’t care about studies. You felt slightly uneasy, knowing his reputation in college and the girls.

‘It’s okay, it’s just one time slot.’

Once you noted the ones who booked a time slot with you the upcoming week, you contacted each of them to settle the venue & confirm the timing.

We can meet at my place :) - Jungkook

Yea, I’m not entirely comfortable going to a stranger’s place - y/n

Relax, it was a joke. How about near your place? So you don’t have to travel so much. - Jungkook

That works fine, there’s a cafe near mine. I’ll text you the address later. - y/n

Once class ended your two friends rushed to your seat. “So how’s your schedule Ms. Popular?”

“Really busy.”

“I saw the sheet, Jeon Jungkook booked a slot with you? Perks of being a TA is definitely helping cute students.” Sooyoung giggled like a little pre-teen girl.

“You don’t even need to be a TA to get cute guys, you have so many admirers.” Chan-mi made a very true remark.

“I’ll admit, you’re not wrong. But y/n’s snagging boys of a different league.”

“Stop idolising them like they’re gods.”

“They’re looks are god-like.” Sooyoung countered.

“You’re unbelievable.”

—

“Hey,” someone tapped your shoulder, taking out your earpiece to greet Jungkook. “Hey.”

He was dressed in a typical tired college student, in grey sweats and a black hoodie. Yet, you had to admit he looked cute in them.

“Sorry, did I make you wait long?”

“Oh no, I just came early to make sure we get a good spot. Not too near the rest of the customers.”

“I see you want a little privacy.” Jungkook grinned cheekily, clearly implying something else. You raised a questioning eyebrow at him, “Sorry, just kidding.” He quickly apologised, taking the seat opposite you.

“Anyway, we can just begin immediately. Do you have any questions?”

Jungkook nodded his head, taking out his laptop. “I do actually. Quite a long list if you don’t mind.”

“Well you have me for an hour. Go ahead.” 

Throughout the 2 hours, you realised you really stereotyped him a great amount. You assumed he barely paid attention in class but he did — he even had a list of questions to ask. You honestly enjoyed helping these type of people the most, those that made their own effort to help themselves. 

“You know,” Jungkook spoke, coming back from ordering his drink. “For the past hour and a half, I gotta admit, I stereotyped you to be a super uptight and socially awkward person. Then again, having to help tutor a lot of people would need social skills as well.” 

With a chuckle, you shrugged your shoulders, “I stereotyped you too, so I guess we’re both guilty.”

Curious, Jungkook rested his weight on his arms as he leaned closer to you, “Oh really? What did you stereotype me as then?” A playful smirk clearly threatening to appear on his lips. 

“A dumb jock.” You mischievously grinned back at him, his smile dropped, clearly not expecting that answer. It felt good to bruise that ego of his, even if it was just a split second. “Since I’m asking you to tutor me, I’m not gonna argue that.” He leaned back, regaining his composure and confidence.

You could feel his entire presence exuding with confidence, though he did have something to be confident about. In fact, he had a few things to be confident about - athletically gifted, popular and handsome. Anyone would call you a liar if you said you didn’t think he was handsome. 

“If you don’t have anymore questions, we can wrap this up now.”

Jungkook nodded his head, “Thanks for helping me. Appreciate it.” He reached out his hand, offering a handshake. “A handshake?”

“Are you afraid of a little physical contact?” He teased.

Rolling your eyes, you reached out to give him a firm shake. “Glad I could help you.” He gave you a cute bunny smile, grabbing his things and leaving you behind in the cafe. You stayed for a few more minutes before heading back to your place to prepare dinner for your guests.

Cooking always seemed to make time pass by quickly because before you even realised, your friends were spamming your doorbell, rushing you to let them in. “How was he?” Sooyoung questioned the moment she entered your house. 

“I had a good day thank you.” You sarcastically replied, grabbing a cup for them. “He was alright, he actually came prepared with questions.”

“That’s surprising. I honestly thought he booked a slot just to flirt with you.” Chan-mi commented as she helped you set up the dining table. “Come on, he wouldn’t waste his time on me.”

“Why not? You’re a great catch.” Sooyoung argued.

“Pretty sure I give off the vibe of “date to settle” and not “date for the fun”. So obviously, he won’t even bother.” 

“Mm, you do have a point for that.”

“Anyway, enough about my tutees, let’s just enjoy girls night.” You raised your shot glass of soju, Sooyoung grinned excitedly, “Cheers to us”

-

As every week’s slot was released in the online sheet, Jungkook was always one of the first few to book. You couldn’t help but be surprised every time you saw his name on the schedule. 

“So you picked up the sport by accident?” You clarified again as you took another sip. Jungkook nodded his head, leaning back into his chair. “Seokjin was the one who wanted to learn it, he dragged me to the trial class and the rest was history. He takes credit for it.” He laughed, a reminiscing look on his face.

“From your stories, you guys seem like brothers.” You watched an endearing smile creep onto his face, “They really do seem like it.”

His phone started vibrating and he checked the caller ID before sighing, silencing the call. You furrowed your eyebrows together, “What’s with that annoyed look?”

Jungkook shook his head, running his fingers through his hair, “Nothing much, just someone I went out with a week ago.”

“Trouble in paradise?” You joked.

“There’s no paradise. It was just a date, nothing more to it.” He nonchalantly dismissed it. You felt a bit offended of how casual he was treating their feelings. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to go out with them, you know? You’re just giving them false hope.”

Jungkook sat upright, “That’s not true. I clearly tell them that I don’t mind going out on a date but that’s nothing. Nothing more than a date out. So it’s on them for still going for it.”

You sighed, “But you already know these people are dating you and hoping that they’ll be the one who will change your mind about the idea of commitment.” Jungkook shrugged, “Maybe that’ll happen one day.”

Narrowing your eyes at the boy in front you, you wondered if that was what he had been secretly hoping for whenever he went out with these girls. “Do you want that to happen? Is that why you’re more than glad to go out on dates?”

He didn’t answer immediately, staring at you as if he was thinking of a reply. Clearing his throat he adjusted his sitting position, “I didn’t say that. I just said maybe it’ll happen.”

“Yea but are you hoping for it to happen?”

Jungkook casted a soft glare, “Okay enough about my love life. How about you? Aren’t you single as well?”

You leaned back, nodding your head, “Yea, what about it?”

“Well, why aren’t you attached?”

Pressing your lips into a thin line as you thought carefully of your answer. “Unlike you, I date to settle.” Jungkook jutted out his bottom lip, internalising your reply as he nodded his head in response. “Interesting. You’ll probably click well with Jimin.”

“Your friend Jimin?”

“Yea, he has the same thought as you. Always nagging at me about the same thing you just did.” Jungkook chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he recalled the countless times Jimin was talking about Jungkook’s active love life. 

“He’s right you know… Doesn’t it get lonely always meeting different people?”

There was a short pause in the conversation, Jungkook’s eyes shifting away, his gaze fixed on the table. “To be honest, yea. But at the same time it’s what keeps me from feeling lonely. Doesn’t make sense, I know.”

You smiled, “It’s cool, I kinda get it. But after our numerous study sessions together, I’m certain you deserve to be in a good relationship.”

Jungkook shrugged, “Thanks but I don’t think I’m cut out for it.”

Confused, you questioned for an explanation. Jungkook’s eyes wandered around as he thought of a response. The athlete randomly took out his pair of shades. “Are the shades part of your answer or something?”

“It’s cheap.”

“Okay?” Your response sounded for confused, wondering if he was trying to change the topic. If he was, it was a very weird way.

“I buy the cheap ones because I know i’m going to lose them sooner or later. Can’t keep the good ones. That’s how I feel about my love life. Sometimes it feels like I can’t have nice things.”

“Man.” You breathed out, leaning back into your seat. “That’s a great analogy and all but don’t be so bleak. Between the two of us? You’re probably going to be first one who gets into a solid relationship.”

Jungkook chuckled, “Thanks for the faith TA. Do you have the same amount of faith in me for this module?”

You pursed your lips jokingly, “I think you’ll need more consultations for the same level of faith.” Breaking into a chuckle right after and so did Jungkook.

The popular athlete reached out his tattooed hand once again, for a handshake. By then, you were used to this gesture, chuckling as you reached across the table to shake his hands. “Tell you what, let’s take a pause on tutoring. You should meet the rest.”

“The rest as in your group?”

“Yea,” He stood up, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and stuffed his hands in his sweatpants’ pockets. You liked his laid-back look, he always wore that similar style whenever he was meeting you and you assumed it was to get comfortable enough to study. 

“Are you going to keep staring at me?” Jungkook smirked. You rolled your eyes, standing up to get your bag. “Come on, don’t be so mean to me.” He playfully pouted and he looked cute. You felt yourself feel shy just from that, “I am not.”

“Yes you are, you always mock me or insult me. Where’s my compliment?”

You pursed your lips, bringing your finger to your lips as you pretended to ponder. “You’re doing well with this class.” 

Unsatisfied, he grumbled, “That’s not a compliment.”

“Of course it is.” You grinned cheekily at him, patting his shoulders. “But alright, you look cute in sweats.” Even though you clearly sounded nonchalant, your heart was racing from admitting that and you hoped that your face wasn’t getting hot. You kept your composure, and made the first move to leave the cafe. 

You realised that you didn’t know where you were going to meet his friends, “Oh yea, where are we going?” You turned around to see Jungkook still standing in place. He cleared his throat and adjust his bag strap. “R-Right, just follow me.”

You didn’t want to tease him further but you clearly saw a pink hue on his cheeks. “Cute.” You muttered to yourself as he led the way.

—

“You want a snack? My treat, for all the tutoring you’ve been giving me.” 

“Jungkook, you don’t have to—“

“Okay I’ll get you your usual.” He winked at you before heading off to the counter. You smiled to yourself, watching his figure walk away. You continued on your own work as you waited for him to come back. 

Jungkook happily came back as if he won a prize. “Guess who just got free cake? We did!” Jungkook cheered, pushing his stuff aside to make way for the food. “Free cake? Why?”

“So the lady who we always see here apparently owns this place. She’s at the counter today and she randomly gave me this cake for us to celebrate Valentine’s Day.”

Confused, you looked at your calendar. “Oh, it’s Valentine’s Day.” “yea it is, didn’t you know?” “Clearly didn’t.” You shrugged, “But you should’ve told her we’re not together. I feel bad for the free cake.”

“No no, you should feel flattered she called us a cute couple. It means you’re cute.” Jungkook’s body froze for a moment realizing what he had just said. You laughed, “Yea right. Good joke, kook.” 

Jungkook frowned, “I’m not joking. I think you’re cute.”

You pointed your pen in his direction, “You know, when I was young I heard that cute meant adorable but ugly.”

“That’s obviously not what I mean. You’re not ugly, that’s for sure.” Jungkook argued without hesitation. You felt flustered this time, retracting your pen. “T-Thanks, I guess.”

The two of you not only spend weekly 2h sessions together, but also became “study buddies”. Jungkook was unsurprisingly super concentrated whenever he started studying. You realised it was his character to always give it his all even if it was something he wasn’t too fond of — like studying. You also noticed his eyebrows would furrow as he tried to comprehend the materials, or sigh and scold himself whenever he found himself stuck. 

He had a lot of endearing habits while studying, you couldn’t help but smile every time you noticed it. 

“It’s Valentine’s Day, why aren’t you on a date today?”

“Because we arranged a study session today.” Jungkook answered as if it was so obvious. 

“It’s just one day of not studying, you could’ve just told me. Plus, I’m sure many girls were hinting you to ask them out.”

“You’re not wrong about that.” He smugly answered and it made you feel a tinge of jealousy that Jungkook saw these girls as “date potential” while you were just his “study buddy”. “Tone down your ego—“

“But I’d rather study with you than go out on a date.”

You found yourself speechless, not knowing how you should be replying to that. Sensing that you were lost for words, Jungkook smiled, “Did I just take your breath away?”

“Shut up.” You snapped out of it, throwing your pen at him.

—

Hey y/n! Sorry i’ll be a bit late later, at the clinic so it might take a while before I’m let off! - jk

Are you sick? We can just reschedule! - y/n

No no! Just sprained my ankle during practice, that’s all! - jk

that’s all?! you’re not traveling today. what’s ur address? i can go over instead - y/n

You bit your lip, wondering if you were overstepping by insisting that and quickly sent another text.

if you’re alright w that of course - y/n

sure i just didn’t want to suggest it in case you weren’t, i’ll text u my address in a bit! - jk

On your way to his place, you felt nervous but you shrugged it off, blaming it on your usual ‘first house visit jitters’ — just like any other time you visited a place for the first time. Or so you told yourself. You ignored that feeling as you rang the doorbell, waiting for the injured athlete to answer the door.

“Hey.” Jungkook greeted you with a smile. You took a good look at his casted ankle, his weight resting on his crutch. A wince crept on your face, “Ouch, looks bad.” 

“Thank you for asking, I feel fine.” 

You stepped in, eyes taking your time to wander around his place. It was cozy, not cluttered as you had assumed. Jungkook pointed to the table placed by the window, well-lit for a good place to study or to wind down and have a meal. “Nice place.”

“Thanks. Didn’t have much time to tidy up the place before you came.”

“It’s alright, looks neat to me.” Your eyes glanced back down to his ankle, “Are you sure you want to have this session today? I feel like you should be resting—“

“You’re already here. I can take a little revision. Don’t underestimate me.” He teased, gently shoving your shoulder. With a light laugh, you nodded and sat down at the table. You watched Jungkook as he tried to find a comfortable position for himself, especially with his injury. Dropping his crutch on the floor, he settled down quickly to begin the session.

“So how do I know which case to use?” 

“It depends on the scenario prof sets for finals. Just a tip, prof loves answers that argues both sides. So, it’s best if you argue with both cases but conclude with which is more relevant or stronger for the scenario.”

Jungkook nodded his head, his bottom lip jutted out once again as he took down your response in his notes. “Thanks, I’m glad I started consultations with you since the beginning of the semester. I would be drowning will all these laws and cases if I didn’t.”

“I’m sure you would’ve managed fine. Your friends are managing well too. Jimin’s pretty good with this module.” You made an off-handed comment about Jimin as you started to pack up your belongings. You failed to catch the slight furrow in his eyebrows and that irritated twitch in the corner of his lip at the mention of Jimin. He knew you two would match well, which he should be happy for Jimin, but instead, he felt annoyed that Jimin was having consultations with you.

He couldn’t help but ask, “He meets you too?”

“Oh yea,” You nodded, your eyes still not meeting his as you scrolled through your schedule, “He meets me lesser than you though, just once a week.”

Just once a week. He repeated your reply. That was enough to get close to you. Hell, he meets you three times a week almost every week. One would question if he really needed that many consultations a week. Jungkook would argue against that, defending that he needed it. But deep down inside, he knew he was lying. 

You thought the same. Chan-mi and Sooyoung would make remarks on why Jungkook needed three sessions a week, hinting that he just wanted to find excuses to meet you. You would deny it every time, saying that he would always come prepared for each session with questions, proving that he really took those sessions seriously. But just like Jungkook, you too had a feeling that it wasn’t true. 

“Anyway, hope your ankle gets better soon. I better give you time to rest.” You checked the time on your phone. Jungkook did the same time, quick to respond, “Do you want to stay for dinner? I’m going to be ordering delivery anyway. You know... With my ankle. You could have dinner before you leave.” He shrugged his shoulders, trying to be casual about it. Jungkook wasn’t sure what was making him particularly nervous to suggest that. He normally wasn’t nervous with his dates. Why was he nervous around you when it was not even a date to begin with?

You contemplated, imagining your schedule in your mind. The pause made him grow nervous, “You don’t have to—“

“I’m down for dinner. My schedule’s not too busy tonight.” You smiled, settling your bag down back on the chair. Jungkook returned an eager grin. “My treat. For coming all the way here to tutor me.”

“Enough with the treats—“

“No negotiations on this one. I really owe you for traveling here, especially on such a last minute notice.” Jungkook shook his head, scrolling through the list of possible food options.

“Alright, thanks kook.” 

That nickname made his lips tug upwards as he tried to fight the smile. “No problem. What do you want to have?”

—

Dinner didn’t take long to arrive, you helped him collect the delivery and set it out on the coffee table. Jungkook had convinced you to watch a movie with him while waiting for dinner. Sinking yourself back onto the couch, the two of you happily enjoyed dinner while watching the movie he had chosen. 

“That’s cute.” You commented as the credits rolled. The movie was a short light one and it helped the both of you de-stress from the upcoming finals season. You really needed that self-care. 

“Thanks for the dinner and movie. I honestly needed it. Haven’t had much time to wind down lately.” 

“Too busy with your consultations?” 

You nodded your head, letting out a long sigh. “Yea, don’t get me wrong. It’s rewarding helping others, especially with the pay. But it’s just during this killer period that makes me regret it.”

Jungkook frowned, sitting upright, “I’m sorry I keep booking you.”

You chuckled, “Don’t be sorry. That is my job anyway. Plus, you’re always prepared for the sessions. I hate sessions when they don’t even know why they booked it. Drives me mad.”

Jungkook hummed, agreeing with you. “That must suck.��

“Yea,” your eyes trailed back down to his ankle once again. “What happened with your ankle anyway?”

“Training today. It’s been tough as well for me. Coach has been increasing the intensity and we don’t really get enough rest with studies as well. I wasn’t in the greatest condition today so I slipped.” 

“Yikes. Hope it heals fast though.” You smiled cheekily, “Do I get to sign it?”

Jungkook laughed, “That’s so childish. No one signs casts anymore.”

“Please? I’ve never done it before!” You pouted, doing your best to convince him to let you vandalize his cast. You didn’t need to do much to convince him, he was willing to give in pretty much from the first time you brought it up. “A-Alright. Just don’t draw a dick or something.”

You hummed, feigning consideration. “I wasn’t planning to but now that you mentioned it...”

He glared, grabbing his throw pillow to toss it at your face. “Don’t you dare.”

“I was kidding.” You laughed, rushing to the table to grab a pen, sitting back down close to him to draw on his cast. 

Don’t flunk my module.

“Done!” You added an “A+” next to it, willing yourself to not draw a heart which you almost did. You pulled away from the cast, looking at your work proudly. Jungkook snorted, “Don’t flunk my module? I won’t. Definitely not after all our sessions together.”

“You better.” You turned to look at him, suddenly aware of how close your faces were next to each other. You watched his gaze drop to your lips before flickering up to meet yours, “May I...?”

You nodded slightly, overcome by the adrenaline and fluttery feeling that was consuming you. You both leaned in, gently kissing each other, making sure you don’t put so much weight against him to avoid hurting his injury. Jungkook’s hand found your waist as he pulled you in, the other cupping your cheek. With your arms snaking around his neck, you both deepened the kiss.

Something in you snapped and made you pull away abruptly. “I-I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have done that.” You quickly got up to take your belongings.

“W-Wait, what do you mean—“ Jungkook called after you, struggling to get up fast with his crutch.

“You’re just going to end whatever we’ll have if we try. We’re looking for different things remember?” You rubbed the nape of your neck, “L-Look, could we just pretend this didn’t happen? I don’t want anything to be awkward between us.”

“W-Wait but...” Jungkook sighed, noting how resolute you were with your suggestion. “If that’s what you want.”

“Thanks Jungkook... Anyway, I should probably go. Get well soon.” You shifted your bag on your shoulder and sent yourself out the door.

After that incident, your schedule you had planned went down the drain. Your brain was foggy and your focus out the window the entire night as you kept thinking about that kiss. How it felt and how happy you felt. But you also reminded yourself that Jungkook was not looking to settle and you didn’t want to put yourself through that. 

You just hoped things would be the same after that day.

—

I’m guessing the usual cafe? :) - jk

Where else would we go? - y/n

Maybe my place? - jk

Good try - y/n

Worth a shot - jk

You couldn’t help but smile to yourself every time you conversed with him. Your usual 2h slot with him would drag on if you didn’t have anything that day. It wouldn’t drag on because of questions, you two would just be talking and enjoying each other’s presence. Ever since you met his friends, you met him more outside your 2h slot with him. Though, it was always off-campus. 

The incident at his place was as if it didn’t even happen. As if it was just a wet dream of Jungkook. You were thankful he stuck to the agreement and acted as if nothing happened. However, a part of you felt that it was the wrong move. 

You look great today btw - jk

But that doesn’t mean you look bad on other days - jk

Just extra great today - jk

Feeling that familiar fluttery feeling in your heart, you chose to ignore the message, promptly closing your chat. You reminded yourself about their reputation with relationships, they weren’t into a serious commitment. You didn’t want to waste your own time either. For some reason you could feel someone staring at you and you could bet anyone 10 bucks that it was Jungkook. 

After that moment, class went by fast and it was finally time for lunch. “Y/n! Do you want to grab lunch sometime this week? I promised I’ll be treating.” Mingyu flashed a very charming smile that made you smile back automatically. Behind him was Sooyoung and Chan-mi approaching you. 

“You really don’t have to treat me, I’m just doing my job—“

“I insist, yn. I still owe you for carrying me on your back last semester for the other class.” He chuckled. “Come on, you pulled your own weight.” You shook your head with a laugh. You glanced at your two friends who were patiently waiting for you and possibly eagerly eavesdropping. Just as you were about to turn away, Jungkook’s group walked behind them.

You could’ve sworn that you made eye contact when you gave him a smile to which he coldly ignored, looking away and leaving the hall with his friends.

“We can go for lunch but you’re not treating me.”

Mingyu reached out to pat your shoulder, “We’ll see! I’ll get you again soon!” He winked at you and headed off. Your two giddy best friends reached out to pull you along with them. “Is that a date?”

“N-No it’s not!”

“Why are you stuttering?” Chan-mi teased, poking your sides. You took a few steps in front of them, turning around to face them as you walked backwards. “I swear it’s not a date. We’re just friends.”

“Alright, alright, now walk properly before you hurt yourself Miss-I-have-a-date-with-Mingyu.” Sooyoung turned you around by your shoulders. Just as she strongly whipped you around, your eyes met with Jungkook’s.

Your mouth opened to say hi but nothing happened when he once again, looked away, not acknowledging your presence. “Hey y/n!” Jimin happily greeted you, pulling you in for a hug. “Thanks for tutoring me yesterday.”

“No problem, just doing my job.” You grinned at him but your thoughts still on Jungkook ignoring you.

Jimin chuckled, ruffling your hair, “You’re cute when you’re humble. Anyway, see you around!” You said bye to the others, noting that Jungkook didn’t say a single word to you. It was as if you weren’t right in front of you and you felt offended.

“Did something happen between you and Jungkook?” 

“No, nothing happened.” You denied as the memory of the kiss flashed in your mind.

“Are you sure?” Chan-mi questioned and you sighed. “Sorry, can we not talk about him? Let’s just have lunch.”

You didn’t notice your two friends sharing a look before collectively agreeing to drop the topic.

—

“Hey.”

“You’re late.” You commented, staring at your screen as you continued your assignment. “Yea sorry, I was on a date with someone and it kinda over ran.”

Oh. A date with someone. “O-Oh, how did it go?”

“Pretty well.” Jungkook took a sit, taking out his laptop, ready to fire his questions. “That’s good!” you sounded happy for him. You weren’t sure if your eyes were just trying to make you feel better but it was as if Jungkook seemed disappointed with your reply, as if he was hoping for a different reaction. 

“Yea... Anyway, I don’t have much questions today so it should be a fast one. If you want, we could go get an early dinner?”

“I don’t think I can... I have quite a lot of things to do today.” 

“Oh... That’s cool.”

Moving on from the topic, you two went through the questions he had smoothly though there was something nagging at the back of your mind. Why was he so cold towards you that day? Why is he acting as if he wasn’t being such a dick towards you that day? 

“You good?”

“Hmm?” You glanced up to see genuine concerned eyes that made your heart flutter once again. “Y-Yea I’m good.”

“You sure? You seem quite out of it today. Are you unwell? Is something bothering you?”

You shook your head, getting frustrated. “Why were you ignoring me today in school?”

“W-What?” Jungkook pulled away, taken aback by your question. You sighed, “You know what I’m talking about.”

Jungkook shook his head, “I was just having a bad morning.”

“A bad morning.” You scoffed, “Right, so a bad morning would make you ignore my entire presence. I’ll take mental note of that.” Jungkook himself got annoyed, crossing his arms as he countered, “You didn’t seem to care about anyone else either when you were chatting up with Mingyu. Didn’t think my moody morning would even be noticed by you.”

You blinked a couple times, processing what he had just said. “W-What? I was just talking with him. Why are you even bringing this up?”

He didn’t answer this time, sighing as he packed his laptop in his bag. “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.” Jungkook got up and so did you. “You can’t do this? Are you jealous or something?”

“What? Of course not.” Jungkook frustratedly ruffled his hair. Not wanting to cause a scene at the cafe, you took your own stuff, chuckling dryly to yourself. “Well, you need to sort out whatever shit’s going on with you. I’m not here to guess how you’re feeling.”

“You’re not here to guess?” Jungkook whisper-yelled. “You were the one who suggested to ignore what happened. I’m here trying to keep my shit together because of that.”

“Jungkook, look. Let’s not talk about it here. Can we just drop it please?” ”Whatever.”

You walked away, not looking back to see Jungkook’s regretful look on his face.

—

Jungkook didn’t contact you after that day and you didn’t want to contact him either. Jimin, on the other hand, was trying to find out what happened between the two of you. 

“He always shuts the conversation down the moment one of us brings you up.” 

You sighed, “Nothing serious happened.”

“If that’s true, you guys wouldn’t be ignoring each other like the plague again. I had to lie to him about where I am today.”

A part of you, admittedly, would want Jungkook to reach out to you to just come clean about snapping at you the other day. You couldn’t understand how he could go on a date and then get pissed that you were talking to Mingyu. 

“You shouldn’t have lied to him.”

“It’s nothing.” Jimin shook his head, “What really happened between you two?”

Defeated, you told Jimin what happened that day at the cafe. “You two are just plain stupid. That poor boy likes you. You like him. Case solved.”

“If that’s true, he wouldn’t have gone on a date right before meeting me.”

“Yes, I agree that part’s fucked up. He just sucks at admitting his feelings to himself. Don’t worry, I’ll sort him out for you.” Jimin draped his arms around your shoulder, “you can count on me to give him a good nagging.”

“Thanks Jimin but you don’t have to do that—“

“Jimin? Y/N?”

The two of you turned around, Jimin immediately retracting his arm when you saw Jungkook standing right behind you. “Oh Kook!”

“I thought you said you’re meeting your Tinder date.”

“R-Right about that—“

“No, forget it, it’s clear who’s your Tinder date. Enjoy.” Jungkook shut him down and walked pass the both of you. Jimin sighed, “Looks like it’s time for me to fix this mess.”

“I think he’ll beat you up if you go after him. I’ll talk to him. You’re right, we need to talk.” Jimin gave you an encouraging smile, patting your shoulders, “Good luck.”

You needed that.

You hurriedly followed after him, calling out to him to stop and wait for you. It wasn’t that hard to catch up to him with his injury as well. 

Jungkook looked hurt and cold, as if he was building up his wall against you. “We weren’t on a date. Jimin didn’t want to tell you that he’s meeting me because apparently you get pissed every time you hear my name. I swear.”

“You don’t need to explain anything—“

“Yea of course I don’t, because I should just leave it to you to make wild assumptions every time some shit happens. I don’t get it. One moment, I think you may like me and the next moment you’re out on a date with someone else. Just tell me what is it and we can stop having this misunderstanding.”

Jungkook ruffled his hair, looking around the campus. “Can we talk somewhere else? And not here in public?”

You gestured with your hands, asking him to lead the way. Jungkook led you to a more secluded area, not too far away from where you bumped into him. You both couldn’t take walking together without clearing things up. 

Jungkook didn’t waste any time, immediately diving straight into it. “I do like you. Hell, there’s nothing to even doubt especially after that night. I wanted to kiss you for so long. I never admitted that to myself until that very moment. But then you said you wanted to drop everything and I thought it was just in the heat of the moment for you so I agreed. I rather be friends than back to strangers.” Jungkook breathed, taking a short pause, “But then I see you with Mingyu, with Jimin, and I know these men are your type. The ones that settle down with the right partner. The ones that don’t go on many dates. But that’s been me. So i figured you regretted it when you said that i didn’t want the same things you wanted. But fuck, i want to settle down with you. Take things slow, see where the future takes us. Three sessions with you was over the top for my studies but I did it because I love our time together. I love studying with you, going off topic and talking about other things. I love teasing you just to see your reaction because it makes me smile. I love it when you tease me back just to annoy me. You annoy me but I love it.” He sighed, looking at the floor before meeting your watery eyes.

“But I know I’m not the type of guy you’re looking for. You made it clear yourself that night when you asked to drop it. So there. That’s why I went on that date before meeting you. Because I was so nervous about seeing your face, I needed to get my mind off of you. I admit, I’m sorry for doing that because that just further proves your point about me.” He trailed off, as the realization sinks in of how he had just fucked up his own chances of being with you.

You didn’t bother interrupting him at all, your heart pounding loudly against your chest as you took in every single word he said. Your brain and heart having a civil war with each other. Not knowing what should your next move be. 

“I’m guessing silence means I’m right.” He spoke after receiving no response from you. “I’ll see you around. Take care of yourself.” He gave a pained smile as he headed off back to his place.

Your knees felt weak as you leaned back against the wall that was hiding the both of you from the others. Your hand brought up to your heart. 

What were you going to do?

With a heavy heart, you made your way back to your place. As you settled your dinner, you aimlessly browsed through the shows on Netflix as Your mind was busy thinking about Jungkook’s confession. 

Why didn’t you go after him? Why didn’t you say anything? Were you scared that it was all words? Were you scared of ruining the friendship you two had established? What was stopping you from doing what you wanted?

You knew you couldn’t leave things there. You had to do something before you regret. You liked Jungkook. A lot. You were willing to take the risk with him. Just as he was as willing to prove to you that he’s serious. 

You reached out for your phone and key, making your way out the door and to where you needed to be.

Once you had arrived, you were knocking on the door profusely, “Jungkook!” You called out.

The door opened, “W-What are you doing here—“

“I like you too. You’re wrong. I don’t regret that night. I regret saying that we should forget about it. Because i couldn’t. I didn’t. I thought about it everyday. I’m willing to take things slow with you if you’re willing. I don’t want to regret this as well.”

The smile on his face grew as you admitted your own feelings to him, Jungkook pulling you in with his free hand as the other still held on to his clutch.

“I mean it as well. I have zero intentions to play around with you. I’m serious and I’ll prove it. I’m not going to lose you, you’re not cheap sunglasses to me.”

“I trust you.” You said with a laugh, recalling his metaphor as his grin only grew wider. “You just made me a really happy man.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell with that wide grin on your face.”

“You’re annoying.” Jungkook said with no malice in his tone as he leaned in for a kiss. Both of you had been wanting to do that again ever since that incident. Your leg kicking the door shut as you pulled yourself closer to him. 

“I could get used to this.” You smiled as you pulled away. 

“Well, you should. I’m going to be kissing you for a long time.”

[theladyofdeath]

Swipe Right {Rowaelin Fluff Modern AU}

Part TWO to Swipe Left {Rowaelin Fluff}

Written alongside the beautiful and talented @throne-of-ashes-and-beauty

Aelin looked in the mirror one final time. She had to look absolutely perfect, of course, even though she was just visiting Rowan at work. It had been a little over a year since she had met the love of her life in the airport, and life was pretty perfect. 

She had no complaints.

And from what she could tell, the perfection would only continue to grow.

After brushing through her long, golden hair, Aelin slipped on a pair of brown sandals to go with her turquoise t-shirt dress and called it good.

It had been an eventful morning, to say the least, starting with a quick workout and brunch with Lysandra. After that, she’d showered and gotten ready, checking her email for an offer letter from one of the many companies she’d applied to. The paid internship she’d taken had ended a couple weeks back and while Rowan had been more than generous, not asking her to pay rent when she’d moved in, she needed to start pulling her weight.

Rowan said she could pay him in other ways and she snorted and shoved him.

Aelin liked to contribute. She liked to help out.

Nonetheless, she was hurrying down the steps, as quickly as she could, and to her car. Once inside, she was starting the engine and pulling out of the parking space before the radio could even catch up and begin playing music.

She was giddy, could hardly control herself.

She couldn’t wait to show Rowan.

In her defense, though, she was also bringing him lunch just before his lunch period, so it wasn’t all about her surprise. It was about the kind, loving gesture that could only be shown through bringing your significant other food.

She had to make one stop before she stopped at the school, though, and that was the most important of the day.

__

Rowan turned around and crossed his arms as he looked at his class. “Can anybody tell me who Abigail Williams is?”

He was met with silence.

“You learned about her last year, with Ms. Lochan.”

Not even a blink of recognition.

He sighed and rubbed between his brows with his thumb and forefinger. “First person who can tell me anything about her gets to leave for lunch ten minutes early.”

A male voice spoke up. “She was accused of being a witch, right?”

“Good, Quinton, she was.” He pointed at the student, who was a basketball player. He’d never put any effort into his studies until recently, when he realized colleges care about your grades, too, not just how many three pointers you can hit. “Where?”

Quinton hesitated.

“Starts with a S,” Rowan slowly.

“Salem,” Quinton said, without any hesitation.

Rowan leaned back against the whiteboard, arms crossed. “Very goo-.”

His words dropped off as he noticed a flutter of movement in the doorway out of the corner of his eye. His class had noticed, too, because he instantly lost their attention as Aelin gave him an amused look.

Rowan couldn’t be mad. His eyes softened as he said, “You all remember my-.”

She was met with a series of loud hellos and hollers, which only made her grin widen - and her ego grow to an uncontrollable level, no doubt. 

She held up a bag. “I brought lunch. I didn’t mean to be early. I’ll just…” She pointed to Rowan’s desk in the back corner of the room, indicating her destination.

He chuckled and nodded. He turned his attention back to his class, trying to reclaim their attention. “Alright, next week, we’re going to start on the Salem Witch Trials.” There was a flutter of excitement, which was atypical for sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds in school. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, because yes, it’s extremely interesting, but there’s also a lot of dates or boring stuff.” There was a collective groan, knowing Rowan would give one of his date only quizzes for extra credit. “But...we’re also going to be watching a movie next week. Which leads me to our homework…” Cue the groans again.

“Witches are a commonly adapted piece of folklore in modern media. Monday, I want you to bring in an example of your favorite adaptation of witches from movies, tv shows, music videos, whatever it may be. Wednesday, I want an example of other times there were witch hunts in history, aside from Salem. Not too hard, but we’re going to be taking a lot of notes. Be ready.” He glanced at his watch and saw it was ten til. He nodded his head at Quinton. “Q, you ready for lunch?”

He nodded yes and started packing up his backpack.

Rowan shrugged and said, “I’m feeling generous today. Pick a buddy to go with you.”

Quinton smirked and turned around, pointing to Aelin. “You hungry, Miss G?”

The class erupted into good natured heckling.

Aelin laughed, quietly. “I’m afraid I’ve already eaten.”

“Too bad,” Quinton murmured, earning another round of laughter. “Evangeline, then.”

Evangeline rolled her eyes but began packing up, anyway.

Rowan gestured for them both to go then told the others to get started on their homework, which meant they’d be talking quietly among themselves or on their phones, until the bell rang.

Rowan made his round around the room and ended by his desk, sitting on the edge. His smile had faded, and he wore a concerned frown. “Why’d you come in such a hurry? Don’t get me wrong, I love that you’re here, but...I mean, is everything okay? Did something happen?”

He hated that he had to miss the appointment, but he was saving his vacation days for the months when Aelin would need him home.

“No, nothing, just…” She shrugged her shoulders trying to appear cool and casual, but inside she was about to explode. “Wanted to see you.”

She couldn’t tell if he believed her, he smiled softly, but the wariness was still in his eyes. “Well?” He asked.

She laughed, quietly. “You don’t think I should maybe wait until you don’t have a class of eavesdropping teenagers around?”

She gave a pointed glance behind him and he caught two of his students quickly turning around.

“Maybe you’re right,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. He glanced over at the clock, they still had a few minutes. “What did you bring me for lunch?”

Aelin chuckled before she said, “Ham and cheese sandwich, a bag of chips, and cut up apples with some caramel to dip them in.”

Rowan’s smile was genuine when he said, “You spoil me.”

He reached for the bag, but she snatched it back. “It’s not fair of you to eat in front of your students,” she replied, smirking.

He rolled his eyes, but got back up, making another quick circle around the room.

“Mr. Whitethorn?” A girl’s hand raised. “We have a question about what we can use for our media. Movies are okay, right?”

He figured the question would be coming and he was glad someone asked it, rather than half the class having to scramble like the grade before them did last year. “Movies are permitted, but PG-13 or lower. Can’t be rated R.” There was a chorus of groans. “I don’t make the rules, sorry, but if I did, you still wouldn’t be allowed to.”

The bell rang and as everyone rushed for the door, he called, “Alright, don't forget your homework and have a great weekend!”

They were out the door before he’d finished his sentence. Aelin was chuckling from where she sat on his desk.

In a flash, Rowan was at the door, locking it, pulling the privacy blind and then at his desk. He pressed his lips to Aelin’s and said, “Okay, well?”

She laughed and handed him the brown sack that his lunch was in. Rowan looked at the bag and said, “I appreciate you bringing me lunch, baby, but that’s not what I’m asking.”

The urge to roll her eyes was almost too strong to resist, but she said, “Open the bag, you frantic buzzard.”

With narrowed eyes in her direction, he did as he was asked, and froze. His eyes widened as his hand reached in and pulled out the little black and white ultrasound pictures.

He said absolutely nothing as he shuffled through them, his green eyes growing bright and misty.

Aelin watched him with complete adoration.

“Shit,” he breathed, shaking his head as he met Aelin’s loving gaze. “This is our kid.”

She nodded, a smile breaking on her lips. She didn’t try to stop the tears that slid down her cheek.

Aelin and Rowan had gotten married on the beach, almost six months to the day after they’d met. Neither of them had any immediate family and they both knew the wanted no one but the other for the rest of their days.

They’d suspected Aelin was pregnant a few weeks earlier. Her cycle hadn’t come and Rowan was actually the one who noticed it was late.

Now, their baby was growing and would be there in a matter of months. These were the first ultrasound pictures where the baby actually looked like a baby, not just a blob. They could see the head, the hands, the feet, everything.

“Yeah,” she smiled, and he took her face into his hands and kissed her, softly. “It’s our baby.”

“I’m so sad I missed it,” he whispered. “Instead, I was here talking about shit that none of these kids will remember tomorrow.”

“There will be others,” she promised. “Much more important appointments that you’ll be able to come to.”

His eyes lit up. “When do we find out if it’s a boy or girl?”

She rolled her eyes, kissing him once more. It had been a constant debate for them both the past month. Rowan was adamant it was a girl, but Aelin said she could feel that it was a boy. “She wants to schedule that for eighteen weeks, but says we may not be able to tell until twenty.”

Rowan waited and he asked, “And how pregnant are you right now?”

“Ro!” She laughed but shoved him. “This morning was eleven weeks.” She placed her hand over her stomach, the bump just barely starting to show.

He laid his hand over hers. “Six weeks until I get to see my beautiful baby girl.”

“Or your perfect, handsome son,” she laughed.

Rowan just said, “We’ll see.”

Aelin rolled her eyes and took a bite of his sandwich, which earned her a scowl from him. When she claimed it was because she was eating for two, Rowan couldn’t argue with that.

He sat in his desk chair, pulling her onto his lap as he started to eat. He only had thirty minutes before his next class came in, and he hated to say he was dreading it. As much as he loved his job, he was ready to be at home with his wife, rubbing her belly on the couch in his sweatpants.

Life was never as good to him as it was now before he met Aelin. Things weren’t bad, not at all, but he was never this happy.

Before, he used to love teaching. It was his passion and he was always one of the first into the school in the mornings and one of the very last to leave in the evening. He poured over his lesson plans at home, spent all of his spare time grading papers or homework. But now, he wanted that spare time to go to Aelin. Rather than get up at five-fifteen, and make it to school by six-thirty, he stayed in bed with Aelin as long as he could, sometimes not making it until right before the bell. Those were usually the mornings that Aelin awoke with his first alarm and scooted back into his warm embrace. And then continued to scoot until he had to get up.

She had completely consumed him, but he definitely wasn’t complaining about it. 

And soon, there would be another little person to captivate him, too.

__

It was a Saturday, and the second Rowan opened his eyes, he realized Aelin was gone. He sat up, slowly, and blinked a few times to clear his surroundings.

She was nowhere.

“Ace?” He called.

“Kitchen!” She called back.

He picked up his phone to catch the time. 9:06. Just when he was about to ask why she was already out of bed on a lazy Saturday morning, the thought hit him.

Their gender reveal party was at noon.

He was up and rushing around the corner, grabbing it for traction as he rushed into the kitchen. His wife had an eyebrow raised, her hair piled into a messy bun on her head. She wore an old shirt from his college baseball days and a pair of his sweat pants she’d claimed as her own once her belly began to get too big for her own comfy clothes to fit. She held a cup of tea in her hands, carefully blowing on it. “Good morning,” she said with a smirk.

He stood upright and leaned on the wall. “Morning, babies.”

Aelin laughed as she rubbed a loving hand over her belly. He’d begun to refer to them as one, and she thought was the cutest thing she’d ever experienced.

“Is that breakfast?” He asked, with a yawn, throwing open the fridge for the entire carton of orange juice.

“No,” she said, with a pointed finger in his direction. “This is for the party, and if you touch any of it, I will kick you in the balls.”

Rowan froze as he turned, the carton halfway to his mouth. He was just now realizing how much there was on the counter. Multiple crockpots, bags and bags of junk, and something in the oven, seeing as how it was turned on and cooking. 

“Exactly how many people are coming?” He asked, surprised.

Aelin shrugged. “Enough.”

At least they had just bought a new house and could fit a herd of people. Either way, Rowan was not a fan of large groups of people. His socially awkward nature prevented it.

Standing up in front of a class of kids? Sure. Easy.

Entertaining guests? Nope. Not his thing.

“I see that look on your face, calm down,” she said, chuckling as she meandered toward him and grabbed him by the hips. “I’ll entertain, you just make sure all the bowls I set out are constantly filled to the brim.”

Rowan grinned, leaning down to press a soft kiss against her mouth. “Alright, I can do that.”

She turned back to the counter, picking her tea back up. Rowan began pulling things out to make himself a protein shake. After blending it up, he hopped up on the counter and looked at Aelin. “What can I do to help?”

“I need you to go pick up the cake,” Aelin said, washing her mug and placing it back in the cabinet.

Rowan blinked at her. “Like the cake? Like the cake our baby is in?”

She rolled her eyes. “First of all, you’re an idiot, you know that the baby isn’t in the cake. And secondly, we’re not doing a cake reveal, remember? But we are having a cake for the party.”

Rowan frowned. “Since when are we not doing a cake reveal?”

Aelin came up between his legs and looked up at him. “Since everyone else in the world did one.”

“Then why do we need a cake?” Rowan asked.

Aelin blinked. “Are you serious?”

Rowan just cleared his throat. “Okay, I’ll get the cake. What else?”

“Hang the decorations I got because I’m short.”

Rowan chuckled as he hopped off the counter. “Fair enough.”

A loud knock came to the front door but before anyone could walk toward it, it flew open and Lysandra came flying in, plastic bags full of decor in each hand.

“Hello, mommy and daddy-to-be!” She sang, setting the bags on the counter and immediately getting to work.

“Or I guess Lysandra is going to take care of that,” Aelin chuckled.

Rowan pressed a kiss to her forehead and went to go get ready for the day while Aelin sat and talked to Lysandra. Just like Rowan, her best friend hadn’t allowed her to lift a finger throughout her pregnancy. He was just entering the bathroom when he heard Aedion enter the house and say, “Good morning, Aelin. You’re looking plump this morning.”

Thirty minutes later, Aedion was riding to the bakery with a freshly showered and shaved Rowan, having been kicked out of the house by Lysandra.

“How was I supposed to know she was going to cry?” He asked, shrugging his shoulders.

“She’s five months pregnant, man,” Rowan laughed. “Her emotions are all over the place, pretty much assume everything might make her cry right now.”

“Huh,” Aedion said, staring out the window. “The pregnant mind is one I don’t wish to understand.” 

“Me either,” Rowan muttered. “Just wait until you knock up Lysandra.”

Aedion groaned. “Yeah, that can wait.”

Rowan laughed as he drove into the parking lot of the bakery and hopped out. He ran in to pick up the biggest, most elaborate gender reveal cake. It was for a small gathering, of course, but for a handful of people, the five tier cake was a bit much.

Which was why Rowan walked ridiculously slowly, cautiously, to the back of the car. He opened the trunk and slowly slid it in.

Aedion was just staring. “No wonder Aelin didn’t want to come pick it up. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for ruining that.”

“Thanks, man,” Rowan mumbled, climbing back in the front seat.

Aedion picked up the receipt and looked at it. “Gods, that’s way too many zeros at the end for a cake.”

Rowan sighed and said, “If it makes her happy, I do whatever she asks.” Aedion smirked. He asked, “What?”

The smirk softened. “Nothing, just… I always hoped Aelin could find someone who loved her the way I love Lysandra. I just didn’t think it would be on Tinder.”

Rowan groaned. The fact that they’d met on a glorified fuck-buddy app brought Aedion a lot more joy than it should have.

“Technically,” Rowan began, “We met in the airport.”

“Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that,” Aedion said, as Rowan slowly pulled onto the road. The drive back to the house was ten minutes longer than it should have been, due to the ridiculously slow speed Rowan was driving at to keep the cake safe.

When they arrived, it was just after eleven and Lysandra was already wrapping up her intense decorating agenda. The house was draped in pink and blue streamers, banners, and little frilly things that Rowan thought were ridiculous and pointless, but he kept that thought to himself.

“Where’s Aelin?” He asked, once he and Aedion set the cake, successfully, on the island.

“Bedroom, dressing,” Lysandra said, still scowling at an exasperated Aedion.

“I’ll be back,” Rowan sighed.

He walked down the hall to their bedroom, knocking softly on the door. “Ace?” There was a quiet answer and slipped in.

She was in her closet, and when he entered the bathroom, she said, “Baby, can you help me put on my shoes? I can’t reach my feet anymore.”

He found her sitting on a small chair, her foot halfway in a sandal.

He laughed and knelt down, latching the shoe around her - honestly, very swollen - ankle and then did the same with the other. He kissed her knee then her pronounced bump, and looked up her face. “Aelin, I love you…but that cake is fucking excessive.”

She smiled. “Yes, it is.”

He rolled his eyes and stood, helping her to her feet as he went.

She was wearing a white dress, that hugged her body, highlighting the pronounced bump that grew more and more every day, and a loose, comfy cardigan. Her hair was piled on the top of her head.

He softly kissed her. “You look so beautiful.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him. It was becoming difficult. She sighed and said, “Are you sure I’m not looking plump?”

“Baby, he was just joking,” he chuckled, rubbing her back.

She sniffled.

“Aelin, baby, don’t cry,” he cooed.

“I don’t know why I’m crying,” she said, throwing her hands in the air, “and I don’t know why it makes me so mad that Aedion called me plump, which I am, and why I hate that my house is covered in pink and blue. I mean, pink and blue? That’s so normal, Ro, and I hate normal. Why didn’t we do purple and red? Or, shit, green and gold? I love green and gold. Pink and blue sucks, Ro.”

Rowan just stared at her as she babbled on before taking a long, deep breath. “How about this? Next week, when we start decorating the nursery, we’ll do it in green and gold. Okay? After today, you never have to look at blue or pink again.”

She wiped angrily at her nose. “Fine.”

“Fine,” he repeated, trying his hardest not to laugh. “I love you.”

She leaned up on her toes and he met halfway, pressing his lips to hers. “I love you, too.” She stepped out into the bathroom and made sure that her makeup was still intact and then said, “Let’s go see my fucking excessive cake.”

One by one, their friends showed up. Lysandra made everyone give their official guess as they came in and after everyone had arrived, it seemed the majority agreed that Aelin was correct and there would be a little heartbreaker running around soon.

Even with the pink and blue decorations, Aelin had to admit that everything was beautiful. Lysandra had done an amazing job, which she told her time and time again.

When the time came, everyone filed out into the backyard, Lysandra carrying a bat and a white box. She handed Rowan the bat and Aelin took the box, explaining that the ball inside would explode into a colorful cloud when hit. All she had to do was get it to Rowan. All he had to do was hit it.

“No pressure,” he mumbled, setting the bat down. He rolled up his sleeves, to which his friends whistled and howled, and got a few practice swings in. When he felt he could confidently hit a moving target, he got into position and nodded to Aelin.

Her grin was glorious as she threw the ball.

It was a terrible throw, but Rowan swung at it, nonetheless, and pink dust filled the air.

Everyone erupted into cheers as Aelin yelled WHAT THE FUCK, but when the cloud cleared, and Rowan caught her gaze, she was smiling at him with tears in her eyes. 

__

Rowan whistled, looking around at their living room, which was full of opened gifts. Their baby shower had been that morning - Rowan had spent it playing basketball in the park with Lorcan - and they had been spoiled.

Earlier that week, Rowan had painted the nursery gold, and it seemed that everyone who went to the shower got the hint that gold and green was the theme.

Aelin sat in the chair, her feet up on the table in front of her. She nodded. Her voice wavered as she said, “I love our people.”

He smiled softly and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He knew this wasn’t a crazy pregnancy crying. No, this was the love she felt for their friends, how blessed and overwhelmed by their own love and generosity she was.

He took her hands and helped her to her feet. “Let’s go get comfy and put together our sweet girl’s nursery.”

She groaned as she moved towards their bedroom. “I’m eight months pregnant. I don’t even remember what comfortable is anymore.”

“Just take off your pants,” he suggested, as they entered their room. “No pants equals comfort.”

She snorted. “You just like me pants-less.”

He shrugged. “It’s a perk.”

As much as she thought he was joking, she did just that, putting on a gigantic t-shirt and some fuzzy socks. In his sweatpants, Rowan followed her down to the end of the hall, to where the nursery was.

She sat in the plush rocking chair they’d bought, knowing they’d be spending quite a bit of time in nursery. Aelin quietly watched Rowan as he worked, humming a lullaby and slowly rocking in the chair. One by one, Rowan built, put together or set up everything they received from the day.

He dragged a big box towards him, puzzled. “What is this thing?”

Aelin smiled. “A cooler with a built into bluetooth speaker and charging station.”

He blinked. “And why does the baby need that?”

“The baby doesn’t, but you do.” She laughed at his shocked expression. “It’s from Aedion and Lysandra. He said it was your bro shower gift.”

Rowan opened the box and peeked inside. “Have I mentioned how much I love your cousin?”

She snorted. “He’s aware of your bromance, yes.”

Rowan grinned as he put the box in the hallway and looked around. “Anything left that has to be put together?”

Aelin shook her head, slowly. “Just stuff that has to be put away.

Rowan opened up a little gift bag and pulled out a little red, polka dotted sundress. “Are you fucking kidding me? This is tiny.”

Aelin’s grin widened. “That’s from Elide. Along with a hundred other little outfits.”

But Rowan was staring at the newborn sundress. “Aelin, this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

She laughed. “Come with me, I’m about to blow your mind.” He raised an eyebrow and she rolled her eyes. “Not like that.”

With Rowan’s assistance getting out of the chair, she led him back down to their room. “I can’t bend over so… There’s a storage box under the bed. Put it up here.” She patted the mattress.

He did as he was told, grabbing a hold of a long, thin plastic tub, it’s lid was snapped securely in place, but it was full to bursting.

Rowan murmured, “She has more clothes than me. How does she already have more clothes than me?”

Aelin chuckled but skimmed through the small outfits, pulling a few of her favorites out. “Because Lysandra is her auntie.”

Rowan took the small blue onesie from Aelin. He held it in his hands, gazing down at it.

Aelin noticed his silence then and her smile faltered. “Baby?”

Aelin was floored when he looked up and there were tears shimmering on his face.

She hesitated, and when she spoke it was a whisper, “Gods, Are you crying?”

“No,” he said, but a tear had, in fact, fallen down his cheek. “It’s just so...small.”

She watched him, smiling softly, as he took in the little outfit. 

“The baby is going to be tiny,” he breathed. “What if I break her?”

He chuckled, brushing it off, but she could see the genuine fear in his eyes.

“You won’t, Ro, you couldn’t.” She reached up and brushed the tear from his cheek, cupping his face in her hands. “She isn’t even here yet and you’re so in love with her. You wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt her.”

He nodded, but Aelin could see the trepidation still on his face. The whole pregnancy, he’d been her rock, the one constant motivator. She knew he was so ready for this baby, that she was already so loved, but it was normal to be scared.

“I love you,” she breathed, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Her belly got in the way and she groaned as she was just barely too short of his lips.

He laughed and leaned down, letting her stand back on her feet and wrapping his arms around her. “I love you, too.”

They went back to the nursery, Rowan carrying the massive tub so Aelin could begin folding them and putting them in her dresser. As he was unwrapping diapers and putting them in their designated drawer, Rowan said, “So I had an idea for a name.’

Aelin paused and turned. “Okay?’

She was having this baby in less thirty days and they had yet to find a name they agreed on. The closest they’d come was with Nora, which Aelin had decided after a day of overthinking, was that Nora was an old person's name. Rowan had said that it was classy and timeless. Nonetheless, it went into the no pile, and they continued looking.

He leaned his back on the gold wall, crossing his arms over his chest, almost like he was bracing himself for her response. “Sloan.”

Aelin tilted her head to the left slightly. “Sloan?”

He nodded. “Sloan.”

“Hmm.” She closed her eyes and repeated the name a few more times, slowly, then with their last name, just to see. At last, she opened her eyes back up to meet her husband’s gaze and said, “I like Sloan.”

Rowan hesitated. “Wait, seriously?”

She laughed, leaning back on her hands from where she sat on the floor. “Yeah, seriously. I love it.”

Rowan still was in shock that she was in favor of a name suggested by him. He was still frozen in his place along the golden wall. “You’re worrying me. Are you feeling okay? I’m calling your doctor.”

“Shut up, you prick,” she said, smiling. They’d finally decided on a name, a name they both loved, a name they both agreed upon.

He chuckled and laid down in front of where she sat, his face inches from her round stomach. “Did you hear that, Sloan? Mama just told daddy to shut up. You should kick her in the ribs for that.” Their daughter did no such thing and Aelin quietly laughed, running a hand through Rowan’s newly cropped silver hair, as he scowled at her. He pressed a kiss just above her belly button. “What about this? Can you tell her how much I love her?” Aelin took a sharp breath in through her teeth as she felt a sharp pain in her side. Rowan’s deep rumble of a laugh traveled across her skin. “That’s my girl.” He pressed another kiss to her stomach, and gazed up at Aelin through his lashes, smirking. “Won’t take orders from a man. Just like her mama.”

Aelin sighed and shook her head. “Already turning her against me.”

“She’s a daddy’s girl,” Rowan muttered, yawning as he closed his eyes. It had been a long day, and he wasn’t even the one growing a human being inside of him. When he looked up at his wife, he could see her exhaustion. “I think we’ve done enough today, mama. Let’s go to bed.”

“Mama,” she repeated, quietly, eyes shining. 

Rowan nodded, slowly, and took her hand. “One more month.”

Aelin brought Rowan’s hand to her lips as she smiled. “Yeah, one more month.”

___

“Ro.”

Rowan was having a beautiful dream, sleeping soundly, when his wife suddenly began shaking his shoulder with the wrath of a cranky, nearly full-term pregnant woman.

He groaned, opening his eyes, just barely, to look up at the alarm clock that sat on his side table. It was just after two.

“Go to bed, babe,” he mumbled. 

“No, Ro,” she said, jabbing him in the back with her knee.

“Ow, Damn,” he hissed, pushing himself up on his elbows with a sigh. “What? Are you okay?”

“No,” she breathed.

His body tensed as he reached over to turn on the lamp, and when he did, he saw Aelin sitting up, eyes wide, a dark circle spotted on their light gray bed sheet.

Rowan blinked. “What? You woke me up cause you pissed your-“

“My water broke, you asshole,” Aelin snapped.

“Oh, shit,” he muttered, eyes wide. He jumped out of bed, grabbing for the jeans he’d discarded on top of the hamper the night before. “Oh, shit!”

Aelin was breathing heavily, and clutching at her stomach. “She’s coming,” she whispered, “she’s coming, she’s coming, she’s coming.”

Rowan was there immediately, sitting on the bed in front of her, taking her hand in his and letting her squeeze as hard as she could. “What do you need me to do, baby?

“Are the bags packed?” She asked, voice tight.

He nodded. “Yes, ours are in the dining room on the way out the door and Sloan’s in the truck, with her carseat, already buckled in and ready for her.”

“You’re such a good daddy,” she breathed, face showing relief  as the pain in her abdomen subsided.

Rowan pressed a kiss to her forehead and said, “Come on, let’s get you changed and go meet our precious girl.”

A slight look of panic crossed her face, but it quickly turned to excitement and adoration. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Rowan breathed, and helped her to her feet. She kept on the oversized tee she had and Rowan helped her slip on some cozy pants and her flip flops before they were hurrying out the door.

The car ride was miserable. They got stuck at every red light along the way and the contractions quickly became stronger and closer together.

When they got to the hospital, Rowan parked as close as he could to the entrance. It helped that it was the middle of the night. After helping her to the door and into a wheelchair, Aelin was met with a nurse and then she was being wheeled away. Rowan, and their bags, just behind. 

“I feel like we forgot something,” Aelin said, as Rowan tied the back of her hospital gown and helped her into the bed.

“We talked about this,” Rowan began, pulling a chair up close to the side, “Fleetfoot isn’t allowed in the hospital, Ace.”

She chuckled, but the gesture was quickly replaced with a contorted look of pain.

“Breathe,” the nurse whispered, calmly, as she finished hooking Aelin up to a series of machines. One took blood pressure, one kept track of the contractions, one monitored her heartbeat, another monitored the baby’s.

Looking at all of the machines gave Rowan a headache.

“How far apart are your contractions, dear?” The nurse asked, taking notes on her chart.

“About eleven minutes apart, but my water broke,” Aelin said, resting back in the bed, trying to get comfortable while she still could.

She smiled and said, “Not uncommon for a first time mom. We’ll keep an eye on it, but for now, why don’t you try and get some more sleep.”

“Sleep?” Aelin asked, her eyebrows raising. “I can’t sleep right now, I’m having a baby. I want my epidural and to push her out.”

The nurse, a sweet-looking older woman named Alis, laughed softly. “Sorry, hon. You can’t get an epidural until your contractions are about five minutes apart. Just relax and we’ll come check on you in a little bit.”

Alis left and Aelin stared after her. “I can’t sleep,” she mumbled, looking at Rowan. “How does she expect me to sleep? I’m about to shove our daughter out of my vag.”

“Great visual, babe,” he sighed, sitting next to her and taking her hand with his free one. His phone was in his other. “Here it is,” he began reading. “In the early stages of labor, mothers-to-be are encouraged to rest and relax. If labor begins at night, it's best to try and go back to sleep until contractions have increased to require all of your focus.”

“Fabulous,” Aelin mumbled. “Can I have my phone?”

“Sure, baby, where is it?” He asked, reaching for her purse.

She looked at him. “I thought you had it.”

Rowan’s brows furrowed. “Why would I have had your phone?”

Aelin’s eyes narrowed. “Because I asked you to grab it on the way out the door when you went back for your tablet.”

Rowan didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. His eyes said enough: Ohhh shit.

She let her head fall back against the pillows and closed her eyes, settling back and trying to get comfy. “I knew we forgot something.”

“I’ll ask Aedion and Lysandra to get it on the way.” He yawned and leaned back in the chair, pulling the ball cap covering his messy, silver hair lower over his eyes.

It was quiet for a minute and then Rowan said, already dozing off, “If you don’t have your phone, I assume that means you haven’t told anyone she’s on the way?”

Aelin replied, “Nope.”

He re-situated his hat and pulled out his phone. Since things didn’t seem to be progressing too quickly, he sent a quick text to their friends, not wanting to call and wake everyone. Save for one person: Lysandra.

Thirty seconds later, Rowan’s phone was ringing. With a sigh, he answered. “Hell-.”

“You didn’t call me on the way to the hospital?!” Lysandra’s loud voice came through to his ear.

“Sorry, I was a little busy trying to get my wife to the hospital,” Rowan said, yawning. “Nothing’s happened yet, don’t worry, I’ll call when things pick up. Her water broke and now she’s being told to go back to sleep.”

“Which I can’t do and my husband forgot my phone!” Aelin said, loudly, obviously frustrated.

There was a second of silence on the other end before Lysandra said, “Seriously? You didn’t grab her phone?”

“Don’t worry, she’s giving me a look that is equivalent to being stabbed, I’m being punished,” Rowan muttered.

“Let me talk to her.”

Rowan held out his phone without any hesitation. He heard Lysandra rattle off a series of questions and Aelin silently nodded along to each, softly biting the side of her finger. It was a nervous ‘twitch’ she’d picked up in the past few months and couldn’t seem to break it when she was thinking. “Okay, I got it. You know where the spare key is and I’ll send you the rest.” He heard Lysandra saying something else and Aelin’s eyes flicked over to him. “I haven't decided yet. I’ll let you know. Love you.” Lysandra replied and then Aelin ended the call, handing the phone back to Rowan.

He had an eyebrow raised, and though every instinct in his body instinct told him not to, he asked, “Decided what?”

She pouted her lips slightly and was about to reply when another contraction began. “Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, holy shit.”

He was up, his phone forgotten on the side table, and he took her hand. “Breathe, baby. Just breathe through it.”

“I’m deciding,” she said, through her teeth, “if I’m having Lysandra pick something up from Starbucks for you on the way here, or just me.”

He raised his eyebrows, rubbing soothing circles in her back with his free hand, but he said, “That’s cold, baby.”

“Well you forgot your pregnant wife’s phone on the way to give birth to your daughter,” she said, finally remembering to do the breathing exercises they’d learned.

Rowan sighed and said, “That’s fair.”

Aelin ended up having Lys get Rowan his coffee, too. They were even able to get a couple more hours sleep between the contractions, but when Lysandra blew threw the door at five-thirty, a bleary-eyed Aedion behind her, they were both up and Rowan was eating a sad, cold, hospital cafeteria breakfast.

“Oh, bless your hearts, thank the gods I brought real food.” She held up a bag from Aelin’s favorite bakery.

“Chocolate croissants?” Aelin asked, her eyes going wide.

“And they’re still warm, haven’t even been out of the oven for ten minutes,” Lysandra said, handing her the bag. With the other hand she extended her phone.

Aelin snatched both. Rowan knew better than to ask for a croissant. Lysandra held up a cup of coffee to him, her emerald eyes narrowed. “In your defense, she had left it in under the blankets in the bed.”

Aelin was sniffing the croissant as the door swung open, once again, and Alis came in, cheerily asking, “Good morning!” 

“Good morning,” Aelin groaned. “When can we get this thing out of me?”

It had quickly turned from my daughter to this thing as the morning went on.

“I’m going to check where you’re at, and we’ll see,” she smiled. 

Alis eyed the coffee and bag of goodies as she approached, but before she could say anything, Aelin said, “Don’t worry, they’re just for smell. I’m waiting to eat them after baby gets here...which will be soon, right?”

Aedion had made himself scarce the moment Alis ordered Aelin to put her feet up, but Lysandra was sitting on the edge of the bed. Rowan was still eating his shitty cafeteria waffle as Alis checked where Aelin was at. Five minutes later, the nurse was tossing her gloves into the trash and washing her hands.

“I believe your baby girl will be here sometime this afternoon,” she smiled, hands on her hips. “I’ll be in to give you the epidural in a few hours. Until then, continue to relax as much as possible. I’ll bring in more ice chips for you to munch on while you sniff your baked goods.”

She left and Aelin groaned as she let her head fall back into the pillows. “After noon,” she said, making sure the words were separated. “As in after twelve pm, which is still seven hours away.”

Lys patted her hand. “It could be sooner. She might decide she’s ready to be here now.”

Aelin turned and looked at her best friend, a look in her eyes that she hadn’t seen since they were in middle school and beating the shit out of each other in the girl’s locker room. They’d been inseparable ever since. “That would be horrible, too. Because then I wouldn’t get my epidural and I’d be in even more pain.”

Aedion said from the couch, mouth full, “She’ll get here in the perfect amount of time that you get your drugs and you aren’t in labor for two days.”

Aelin looked at him. “What are you eating.”

Aedion crumpled up the wax paper bag it had been in, trying to obscure the chocolate within. “Nothing.”

Aelin’s voice was like ice. “If I wasn’t due for a contraction any minute now, I’d punch you right in the dick.”

The room got silent and then Rowan’s phone rang. He glanced at it. “It’s Lorcan, babe, I need to get it.”

“Go,” she said, smiling wickedly. “Aedion can help me.” She held out her hand, waiting for his to squeeze.

Rowan patted his back as he walked by. “Hope that croissant was worth it.”

He answered as he stepped out into the hall. “Hey, man.”

Lorcan asked, “Your wife push out your demon spawn yet?”

Rowan rolled his eyes. “No, she’s still a few hours away from her epidural and a while from pushing.”

Lorcan’s response was simple. “Gross. Hey, is your substitute giving your finals?”

He sighed, “I would assume, Lor, since they start on Wednesday, and my wife is giving birth to our daughter right now.”

“Fair enough,” Lorcan said. “Elide will be coming by at some point to see Aelin, and I’ll come by after classes end.”

“That’s probably about when she’ll be here, so make sure you call Lysandra first. I might be a little busy,” Rowan laughed.

Lorcan snorted, “Why? It’s not like you’ll be doing any of the hard work. You did your part nine months ago, when you nutted inside of-.”

Probably louder than he should have, in a hospital wing just after sunrise, Rowan said, “Goodbye, Lorcan,” and hung up the phone.

Considering how his best friend usually spoke, Rowan had to admit that the conversation had actually been pretty tame. I’m fact, he was pretty sure that was Lorcan being sweet and caring. Which is why, once he opened the door to Aelin’s room, Rowan said, “Lorcan said good luck.”

Aelin, next to Aedion who was rubbing his now-sore hand, blinked. “Are you sure? That’s uncharacteristic of him.”

“He also says that Elide will come by soon.”

“That sounds more accurate,” Aelin said, then yawned. “Can you at least go get me some magazines or something? I’m bored as hell and hurting like shit.”

His stomach grumbled and he said, “I’m absolutely starving, so what if I go grab some food that doesn’t look like it could come to life and eat me instead, and I’ll pick up that new book you’ve been wanting?”

“You mean you’re going to leave?” Her eyes went wide, filling with tears.

He was instantly by her side, her face in his hands. “I won’t, I don’t have to. I can eat the radioactive cafeteria food and run down to the gift shop for the magazines. I was just going to run to the Walmart that has a McDonalds in it down the road. Two birds, one stone.”

Her eyes were still panicked and Lysandra, hearing Rowan’s stomach growl ferociously again, said, “Ro, why don’t you run down to grab some magazines, and Aedion will go get you food and the book for Aelin?”

It was less of a question and more of a “Get your asses in gear, this is what we’re doing” statement, and with Aelin’s sniffling nod of confirmation. The men were off, Rowan coming back with a few magazines and the sweetest stuffed animal that Aelin had ever seen.

“What is that?” she laughed, eating another bite of ice chips.

Rowan sheepishly held the white ball of fluff in his hands. “I realized that when we were packing her bag, we didn’t bring her anything but clothes and diapers and the essential stuff. And I know she has tons at home, but... I wanted to give her her first stuffed animal, as her daddy, so…”

Aelin’s eyes were rimmed with tears as she said, “Can I see?”

His cheeks burned. “I didn’t have many great options, they’re doing a remodel down there, so… The White-Tailed Hawk was the highlighted animal of the month.” He held the soft bird out to her.

Aelin huffed a laugh as she took the bird into her hands and ran her fingers over the soft fur. “It’s perfect.”

She clung to that stuffed animal for the next few hours as Rowan ate his McDonalds. The book, however, had to wait, because by the time Aedion got back with everything, the contractions were brutal. 

At least Rowan had finished his egg McMuffin before they pulled out the longest needle he had ever seen, making him lightheaded.

He nearly fainted when they stuck that needle into Aelin’s back.

It wasn’t much longer that she grew numb from the waist down, and not too much longer after that she felt the slightest bit of pressure, letting Alis know that the baby was wanting to make her grand appearance into the world. 

Lysandra, much to her disappointment, was told she had to leave while Rowan remained, holding her hand as she began to push. 

“You’re doing so good,” Rowan whispered, five minutes in. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”

Aelin closed her eyes and pressed her sweaty forehead against his, just as she started to push again.

They had both heard horror stories of women who had to push for hours and hours and hours. Thankfully, Aelin was not one of them, because half an hour after the first push, a soft cry filled the silent room.

“She’s here, baby, she’s here.” There were tears streaming down Rowan Whitethorn’s face as the doctors placed the small, wailing infant on Aelin’s chest. The cries quieted almost immediately and he kissed her head. “I love you so much. You did so amazing, Ace.”

Aelin was crying, looking down into the perfect face of her daughter. “Hello, beautiful girl. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Rowan laughed quietly, though even Aelin admitted that it sounded closer to a sob.

————

About an hour later, a quiet knock came from the door. Rowan opened the door to find Lysandra and Aedion waiting.

All it took was one smile from Rowan and Lysandra began to cry, throwing her arms around him. “Congratulations.”

He hugged her back, trying his best not to tear up again himself. “Thank you. Come meet her.”

After a quick hug from Aedion, Rowan led them into the room, where Aelin, fresh faced and hair in a messy bun on the top of her head, sat in the bed, gazing adoringly at the small bundle in her arms.

“Do you want to meet Auntie Lys and Uncle Aedion?” She cooed down at her daughter.

Sloan was sleeping, but it didn’t stop Lysandra from pressing her lips against the newborn's head, where a striped knit hat was pulled over her tufts of golden hair. 

“Meet Sloan Elia Whitethorn,” Aelin said, quietly, brushing her finger over Sloan's soft cheek.

“She’s beautiful,” Lysandra whispered, and the moment Aelin asked if she wanted to hold her, Lysandra was crying again.

Rowan watched the entire scene play out from just inside of the door, leaning up against the wall. His wife, holding his baby girl. His friends, family, admiring their little creation. There was nothing like it. He had never imagined life could be so perfect, so joyful. He had never imagined he could love someone, two someones, so much.

And to think, he owed it all to a fucking dating app and an absurdly long layover at the airport.

He was so damn happy he swiped right.

[ayuuria]

Yashahime Translation: Animage December 2020 Issue (Part 1)

Please do not repost this translation without my consent! This includes screenshots. If you wish to share this translation, simply link to this post.

For more information regarding the use of my translations, click here.

This month’s Animage article was quite loaded with 6 pages of content. It consisted of an illustration with Kohaku and Hisui (2 pages), an interview with Kimura Ryōhei and Urao Takehiro (2 pages), and an interview with Uru (2 pages). That being said, this translation has been split into two parts.

Part 1: Interview with Kimura Ryōhei and Urao Takehiro Part 2: Interview with Uru

Click Here to read Part 2

The Demon Slayers Have Arrived!

While butting heads with each other, the strength of unity between Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha slowly increases. Watching over and supporting those three girls are the uncle and nephew demon slayer combo.

Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha return to the feudal era from the modern Reiwa era. Lately, they have been slaying more demons together. In episode 5, they defeated one of the “Four Perils”, Tōkotsu; in episode 6, they subdued the demon cats nesting in the old temple. Each has a different goal: Towa’s is to break the spell of the “Dream Butterfly” cast upon Setsuna, Setsuna’s is to fulfill her duties as a demon slayer, and Moroha’s is to defeat demon bounties in order to pay off her debt. However, from spending time together, their teamwork seems to be slowly improving.

Supporting the girls’ efforts are demon slayers Kohaku and Hisui. The two of them show concern for Towa and the others by doing things like taking care of Towa who came from the modern era or providing hints to Setsuna on demon subjugation. Especially Kohaku who has relations with their parents in that he joined forces with them to defeat Naraku. Given that, that could be more reason why he pays attention to the girls. Starting from the reason why the Tree of Ages requested the three girls to “Defeat Kirinmaru and Sesshōmaru” to the existence of Rin sleeping within the Tree of Ages, the circumstances surrounding the three girls is full of mystery. Surely Kohaku and Hisui’s existence will become of help to the girls as they overcome trials.

(Character Bios)

Kohaku When he was a boy, it was said that he “Wasn’t suited to be demon slayer” but now he serves as the head of the clan. He was the one who accepted Setsuna as a demon slayer.

Hisui Miroku and Sango’s child and a demon slayer who fights with Hiraikotsu as his weapon. He did not know Setsuna was a half-demon until he was told by Kaede in episode 3.

Higurashi Towa In order to free her younger sister, Setsuna, from the spell of the Dream Butterfly, she returns to the feudal era. Due to having lived in the modern era for so long, she is somewhat hesitant about fighting demons.

Setsuna A demon slayer who had her sleep and childhood memories stolen by the Dream Butterfly. While she pushes away her elder sister, Towa, who for some reason involves herself with her, she also seems to be concerned for her (Towa).

Moroha In order to repay her debt, she bounty hunts. When she puts on rouge, she becomes “The Country Destroying Beniyasha” and displays unparalleled strength but she falls asleep less than a minute later.

Miroku A monk who previously traveled with Inuyasha. Defeating Naraku, the Wind Tunnel in his right hand disappeared. After the battle, he married Sango and became the father to three children which includes Hisui.

Sango Kohaku’s older demon slayer sister. She previously traveled with Inuyasha and her weapon at the time was Hiraikotsu. She had three children with Miroku: Kin’u, Gyokuto, and Hisui.

That Kohaku Became a Dignified Adult

The Role of Kohaku: Kimura Ryōhei “Kohaku is a character that also appeared in “Inuyasha” but he matured well. When one’s impression of him changes this much, I don’t have to keep Akko-san (Yajima Akiko who voiced Kohaku in his boyhood) in mind so he’s easier to play which is nice. As of now, he has the impression of an adult who doesn’t get into a tight spot or loses composure. They handle him with dignity so I think I can play him without worry.“ (translator’s note: Not sure if I translated that last sentence correctly…)

Kohaku During His Boyhood

Sango’s younger brother. He lost his life to Naraku’s trap but was revived with the power of the Shikon Jewel shard. At first, he was being controlled by Naraku but he regained his memories later on.

Kohaku and Sesshōmaru’s relationship

In the story of “Inuyasha”, Kohaku was always in danger of demons targeting the Shikon Jewel shard. At one point, Sesshōmaru saves Kohaku who had been captured by Byakuya of the Mirage and afterwards, Kohaku accompanies Sesshōmaru on his travels. Normally Sesshōmaru does not get close to others but he did not object to Kohaku travelling with him. It could be that to Sesshōmaru, Kohaku was someone that he could allow to stay near him.

What Did He Inherit from His Father, Miroku?

The Role of Hisui: Urao Takehiro “While Hisui is a little older than Setsuna and the others, he has quite a calm impression. It’s just that he is still young, so he has an unknowing and inexperienced side to him. His uncle is teaching him in that regard. I think Hisui’s strong personality resembles his mother, Sango. The lecherous side of his father, Miroku, hasn’t appeared in Hisui yet so I wonder what I’ll do if he has that kind of a side to him (laughs).”

The Reliable Uncle and the Inexperienced Nephew

— From the start, what sort of impression did you have of the work, “Inuyasha”?

Urao: I’m definitely part of the “Inuyasha” generation. I think I was in upper elementary school when “Inuyasha” started broadcasting. I really liked it and I would watch it every week while eating dinner. The first CD I ever bought with my own allowance was V6’s “CHANGE THE WORLD, Inuyasha first opening song” too.

Kimura: I think I was in high school at the time, so I was right on the cusp of the age for watching anime on a daily basis. I felt it was about time I moved on. It’s just that in regard to “Inuyasha”, it left the impression that it was a work that could be enjoyed not just by kids but also by high schoolers and older. In addition to it being the work of Takahashi Rumiko-san, the creator of my absolute favorite “Ranma ½”, I was working in the industry at the time but I enjoyed it as a viewer.

— Which character left an impression on you?

Urao: My favorite was Shippō. In any case, he’s cute. At the time, I was a real scaredy cat so whenever the demon battles began, I would always look away from the screen (laughs). Within that, Shippō was a comforting existence. I also liked the romantic comedy, so I enjoyed watching the exchanges between Miroku and Sango.

Kimura: The one who left an impression on me was Naraku. At a glance, he didn’t really feel like a final boss. When you look at Sesshōmaru, you know “This guy is strong”. But with Naraku, it’s like “Is this guy strong?  What?!”. He could probably win in a fist fight but that air that he has of not allowing you to punch him is something I actually found creepy.

— The current work continues the world of “Inuyasha” but apparently, you were offered the role rather than auditioning for it.

Urao: I was extremely happy. I knew the work, “Hanyō no Yashahime” was being created before it was discussed with me so I was looking forward to it as a regular viewer. It was then that I was asked to play Hisui and I was really surprised and honored.

Kimura: I didn’t know that they were moving forward with this work so I was all the more surprised (laughs).  It’s not often that you get to be involved in an anime that you watched as an average viewer during your childhood, so I was happy. I had a connection with Rumiko-san from a previous work called “Kyōkai no RINNE” so I’m thankful that I get to have another connection via this work of completely different nature. If I had to say, though they’re the same in that they’re works by Rumiko-san, “Ranma ½” and “Kyōkai no RINNE” left a strong comedic impression. However, I was very excited to take part in the fantasy adventure world that is “Inuyasha”.

— How did you feel about the concept of “Continuing the world of “Inuyasha”, drawing the story of the next generation”

Kimura: Continuing a great work is exceedingly difficult so I don’t think it’s something that should be done at a moment’s notice. It’s just that “Inuyasha” was a big hit work that was drawn by the famous artist, Takahashi Rumiko. It was watched by many and loved for a long time. If the staff who created a work of that level decided to do a continuation, there’s no way they could create something half-hearted. Upon receiving talks, I just reminded myself to that level on my own and thought “It will definitely be okay!”

Urao: The generation that watched “Inuyasha” in real time are now adults and there are some that have children. That’s why I think “Hanyō no Yashahime” is a work that can be enjoyed by two generations. Adults can watch a new story together with the kids while explaining to them “”Inuyasha” was this kind of story”. I’m hoping I will be able to assist that kind of work. Actually when episode 1 aired, my high school senpai contacted me saying “I’m about to watch it with my son”.

— That’s a wonderful story. When playing the roles of Kohaku and Hisui, do you keep in mind Kohaku’s boyhood days in “Inuyasha” or Miroku and Sango who are Hisui’s parents?

Kimura: Actually, I don’t keep that in mind one bit.

— I see.

Kimura: For example, even if I were to keep Akko-san (Yajima Akiko who voiced Kohaku in his boyhood) in mind, if asked if I could come near that, the answer would be no (translator’s note: not too sure I got the translation of this sentence right). It’s just that when I was told that Akko-san said “Oh my~ he’s become a fine man”, I was relieved. I’m glad she didn’t think “Tsk!” (laughs).

Urao: I completely mindful of that! Especially in episode 2 when shouting while throwing Hirakotsu; I recorded the voice of Kuwashima Hōko-san (the role of Sango) saying “Hiraikotsu” and the whole time I was riding the train, I listened to it and did image training.

Kimura: I see. It certainly is something like a signature move.

Urao: First, I thought I needed viewers to acknowledge “Hirakotsu!”. Also, since the image of Miroku being able to calmly assess and explain the situation was strong, I’m really conscious of that in explanation scenes. I rewatched the anime and researched the way he spoke.

Kimura: There’s a lot of scenes where Kohaku and Hisui give explanations on demons while splitting lines (amongst themselves).

Urao: Indeed.

Kimura: Kohaku and Hisui probably meet up beforehand. Something like “I’ll explain up to here” (laughs).

Urao:  Responding “Then I’ll explain the next (part)” is something they might be doing (laughs).

— How do you view each other’s characters?

Urao: Kohaku has always been a person who’s known that he was being manipulated and yet still moved in secret; but I also got the impression that he had a strong heart. It means that Ryōhei-san is playing someone like him and it’s really reassuring. As an average viewer of “Inuyasha”, I’m deeply moved that “He’s become a reliable man!” and as Hisui, I feel that “He’s a reliable uncle.” Calling him “Uncle Kohaku” felt kind of fresh (laughs).

Kimura: The impression I got from Hisui was “He’s a good young man.” Although I can say the same for the main three and not just Hisui. At the beginning, I wondered how Kohaku and Hisui would balance out but thanks to the scenario, lines, and Urao’s acting, it became “While he’s gaining experience as a demon slayer, there’s still a part of him that’s inexperienced.”  That’s why I was able to grasp the balance between the two naturally instead of being strangely conscious of it. I became convinced of this in episode 2 in their first appearance scene.

He Can’t Use Any Other Weapon? Hisui Is Still in the Midst of Growing (as a demon slayer).

— Next, please tell us your impressions of Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha.

Urao: Even though they were raised in the feudal era, all of them have some “modern era girl” touch to them. Like the chattering ambiance (laughs). Also, I think each of them has an aspect that they inherited from their parents. Setsuna is the daughter of Sesshōmaru; you can feel that Moroha is Inuyasha’s daughter; Towa’s easygoing aspect gives you the sense that she was raised by Sōta.

Kimura: In a sense, Towa is the hardest to grasp. I think that gives her that protagonist feel.

— You feel she is hard to grasp?

Kimura: She’s full of energy and has an overflowing sense of justice but she has moments where you don’t know what she’s thinking. There, other characters and the readers get tied up… I think you see that a lot in protagonists of thrilling shōnen manga. I think Towa has that sort of precarious aspect. Heck, a modern middle schooler going back to the feudal era; that’s when you think something’s wrong with them (laughs). However, the story won’t progress if you don’t have that and it’s because they’re like that that they can remain the protagonist. Setsuna is cool and of few words but it’s easy to see what she’s thinking. I think the energetic Moroha is the easiest to understand.

Urao: My favorite of the three is Moroha. I can really feel that she inherited Inuyasha’s blood. Like how she’s a little hasty and the way she talks.

Kimura: The way Moroha’s voice actress, Tadokoro-san (Azusa), skillfully plays her is nice. Listening to her talk at a nice tempo feels good. Also, the voice actress for Setsuna, Komatsu-san (Mikako) is able to properly incorporate a sense of inexperience to a character that is prone to appearing boorish; I thought that’s her for yah. With this work, this is my first time working with Matsumoto-san (Sara) who plays the role of Towa and she’s good at acting! During today’s test recording when she said the line “Setsuna!” she got directed once, but the “Setsuna” in the actual recording came out sounding good like bam! I feel something like a synergy effect as the three work each other up which I think is splendid. It seems that the three cast members get along really well too.

Urao: The three of them act wonderfully don’t they. Just, I wonder why Setsuna is somewhat cold towards Hisui (laughs). As of now, Hisui calls Setsuna’s name the most but she looks away from him a lot… I hope they can close the distance between them moving forward!

— Kohaku and Hisui’s role is sort of like a guardian to Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha right.

Kimura: That’s right. It’s like the two of us are watching over the three girls.

Urao: We are sending them to slay demons after all. Hisui should’ve gone with them (laughs).

— In episode 5, due to Hiraikotsu not being effective on the demon they were taking on, Hisui had to stay behind.

Kimura: You know, Hisui is a pro so make him be able to use other weapons! What is he going to do when he doesn’t have Hiraikotsu on hand! (laughs)

Urao: You’re right (laughs). He might get more from here on. He is in the middle of growing (as a demon slayer)!

— Hisui’s development from here on is something to look forward to (laughs). Today (at time of the interview) is right after the televising of episode 1 but Urao-san was posting live on social media. You reacted to the line “Don’t cry Hisui~”

Urao: That’s the line that Hisui’s older twin sisters (Kin’u and Gyokuto) said. Hisui was still a cute baby!

Kimura: They seem strong if they fight as twins. I wonder when the grown-up sisters will show up. Could it be that they’re part of the demon slayer team?

Urao: I’m sure they will make an appearance. The content within episode 1 made “Inuyasha” fans very happy. You could feel the “Inuyasha”-ism everywhere. For example, the program sponsor background image, heads mercilessly flying off, and the background music that makes you go “When this music plays, the demon can be defeated”; everything was nostalgic.

— Yasumura Makoto’s role as Miroku was a topic of discussion as well.

Urao: I was moved. He played the role he inherited from Tsujitani Kōji-san (played the role of Miroku in “Inuyasha”) with great respect. He made me think it was actually Miroku and as his son, I got fired up even more.

— Lastly, please give us your thoughts on the illustration of Kohaku and Hisui published in this month’s issue.

Kimura: Both of them look so reliable!

Urao: Yeah, they look cool. When I see them like this, they really look alike. Uncle Kohaku has a big scar on his nose but I wonder if the one who gave him that scar will make an appearance in the future? The freckles he had as a kid are gone too which is impressionable.

— In the future, is there a situation you would like to see in a copyright image?

Kimura: This is a staple but Kohaku and Hisui in swimsuits?

Urao: (laughs) For me, I want to see the whole family lined up. Like a family photo with the parents, Hisui, the older sisters, and Uncle Kohaku.

Kimura: I like that! The family getting together doesn’t seem like something we’ll get to see much in the actual show. Also, I might want to see the two’s desperate expression. As of now, Kohaku and the others have an air of composure about them; it would be nice to see their forms in action. I’m sure something like a strong enemy will appear and the figures of them fighting valiantly will be drawn in the show. However, there are three protagonists, so our turn probably won’t be for a while (laughs).

Which scene up to episode 6 left an impression on you?

Kimura: Mistress Three Eyes that Nabatame-san (Hitomi) played was scary. She was a formidable foe. She looked just like the demon that first appeared in “Inuyasha”; it was amusing that they continued that.

Urao: Apparently, she’s the grandchild of Mistress Centipede.

Kimura: That confirms a second and third generation. The part where “That thing also had children!” is surprising too though (laughs).

Urao: For me, it had to be the scene where Hisui and Kohaku make their first appearance that left an impression. To think the day would come where I could ride Kirara and throw Hiraikotsu… I was deeply moved like we’ve crossed over eras.

Kimura: Even if you encounter a wonderful new work, it’s not often that you get to experience the same things the people playing the characters in the wonderful preexisting work felt.

Which character are you curious about?

Urao: Kirinmaru who has that mastermind aura. How is he going to move from here on?... There’s a person named Kirin Osamu-sensei in the modern era too so I’m curious as to the relationship between that.

Kimura: There’s no way that that’s the only screen time Hosoya-san (Yoshimasa who plays Kirinmaru) is getting. There’s this feeling of expectation that he will appear again.

Urao: Yeah

Kimura: Not only is there a chance that his existence is connected to the feudal era, but maybe there’s a possibility that he’s actually someone’s descendant? Well, we know absolutely nothing about the scenario ahead so we can just say whatever about the (plot) progression from here on (laughs).

[avengerscompound]

Running to a Standstill - 2

Running to a Standstill: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x F!Reader

Word Count:  2342

Rating:  E

Square filled: None for this chapter

Warnings: none

Synopsis: While on the run from an unknown organization trying to take your son, you meet two super-soldiers.  While they try to help you get to the bottom of who is hunting you and your son, feelings come out and admissions are made that make your personal life even more tricky.

Chapter 2

Steve had expected to meet you out somewhere casual.  He hadn’t really been thinking about this as a date-date.  More a casual meeting to try and get to the bottom of what you were hiding from.  He’d agreed to let Natasha and Clint organize the venue and convince you to meet him there because they knew you better.  He’d been given the address and name of the restaurant and he’d dressed in his usual casual wear of a blue button-down and tan slacks and when he’d shown up, he suddenly felt very underdressed.

The restaurant was lined in hardwood, and decorated with pots of fresh herbs and copper cookware, giving it a rustic farm feel, but the floor to ceiling wine racks that took up three walls and the fact most of the guests were wearing suits or cocktail dresses said that it was anything but homey.

He arrived before you and was taken to a booth table under some wine barrels, that’s boxed seats were covered in cushions.  He was just looking over the menu of items - some of which he’d never even heard of before and all had prices that made him glad for the 60 years of back pay the army had owed him -  when you arrived.  You were wearing a champagne cocktail dress with a gold lace overlay and around your shoulders you had a red wool shawl.

Steve stood and greeted you with a kiss on the cheek, waiting for you to sit before he did too.  “You look beautiful,” he said.  He realized that it probably sounded ingenuine - the kind of thing you just say to someone on a first date - but he meant it.  He’d thought you were attractive the day he met you, even in the hoodie and jeans that were stained with grass and had a patch where it looked like either you or Geo had dropped ice cream.  Tonight you looked stunning.  The dress was flattering to your figure and you looked radiant with your hair and makeup done for a night out.  Mostly he loved the way you smiled.  You seemed excited to be out on this date with him, though a little nervous.

“Thank you,” you said.  “I can’t even remember when I last went out on a date.  I was surprised when Natasha said you were interested.  So I wanted to make the effort.  Who knows when I will get to again?”

“Hopefully it won’t be that long,” Steve said genuinely.  Not exactly meaning that it would be him that took you out, but realizing that’s exactly how it sounded when you smiled and picked up your menu like you were trying to hide how excited you were.

Natasha and Clint had obviously made you think this was a real date and even though he hadn’t come here tonight thinking the same thing, he decided that he should treat it the same way.  Besides, maybe Clint and Natasha knew something he didn’t and the two of you might be a good match.  Maybe you’d be able to distract him from his crush on Bucky that was never going to go anywhere at the very least.

A waiter came over to take your drink orders and with a little discussion, the two of you decided to share a bottle of Merlot.

“So you haven’t been out with anyone for a long time?”  Steve asked as he browsed the menu.

You shook your head and looked up at him over your menu.  “Not since before Geo was born.  I bet you date a lot.”

He shook his head.  “You know,” he said.  “I think this might be my first real one.  I mean… don’t get me wrong, I’ve had relationships, but they always came out of my work and we never made it to the dating part.”

“Wow, no wonder you picked this,” you said.  “Of course you’d want to make it special.”

“Oh,” he said. “This was Clint and Nat.  I guess they’re playing match-maker.”

You laughed.  “This is so not a Clint and Nat place.”

“No,” he chuckled.  “Well, maybe Nat, but she’d be working an angle.”

You laughed and the waiter returned with the wine.  He poured a small amount for Steve to try.  He had no idea what made a wine good or not, so when it didn’t taste like vinegar Steve gave a small nod and the waiter topped off both glasses.  He took both your orders.  Steve went with a dish that had ham, mozzarella, and truffles, followed by a steak because at least he recognized what they were.  You were a little more daring ordering spugnole as a starter, followed by tagliatelle.

“So why don’t you date?”  You asked, taking a sip of the wine.

Steve let out a breath and shook his head.  “Time mostly.  Never had the time to actually date,” he explained.  “But it’s not only that.”

You put your hand on his and smiled softly.  “What else is it?”

“I’ll tell you what,” Steve said, giving your hand a small squeeze.  “I’ll tell you my story and you tell me yours.”

You seemed to mull the question over for a moment.  “I’m worried that if you know, that will attract their attention.”

“You know that doesn’t make any sense don’t you?”  Steve reasoned.

“Maybe.  But,” you said taking your hand away.  “This is the longest we’ve ever managed to stay in the same place.  I’m expecting them any moment and if you decide to try and find them, then they’ll know it’s because of him.”

“We can keep you safe.  And Geo.  It’s what we do,” he said.

You let out a breath.  “You go first.”

The waiter came out with the starters and when he left again, Steve took a bite of ham and chewed it slowly, focusing on the smokey, salty taste.

“Are you avoiding?”  You asked as you collected some mushrooms onto your fork.

“Maybe a little,” he said.  “I guess there’s a lot of factors.  I don’t know how much you know about my past but I wasn’t always this.  I was small.  Really small.  And sick.  I had a long list of medical issues.  I was bullied a lot.  No one really looked at me as a possible romantic partner.  And I suppose I did go on dates back then, but they were double dates Bucky organized and there was always this supreme look of disappointment on the face of the woman he brought them to meet me.  Like they expected me to look like him.  I was a letdown.  I think it affected me in a lot of ways.  When women look at me now - like …’

“...They used to look at Bucky?”  You suggested.

“Yeah,” he agreed.  “That.  Well, I can’t help but think about back then.  And then I wonder if they like me for me.  I need time to get to know people and that doesn’t work out in the real world.  Only with people in mine and then work gets in the way.  Plus…”

He stopped talking and considered if he had it in him to admit this last piece.  The bit about how he had feelings for his best friend.  He hadn’t admitted that to anyone.  Not Bucky.  Not Nat.  Not even Sam.  He had said he’d tell you his if you told you yours, and it was only fair to keep his side of the bargain if he wanted you to do the same.

“I have had a crush on Bucky for a very, very long time,” he said.

“Oh my god,” you said, dropping your jaw.  “Does he know?”

“No,” he said quickly.  “I didn’t want to make him feel awkward.  He was always a real ladies man.  And now… he’s healing and I doubt his sexuality has changed,” Steve explained.  “And please know -” he reached over the table and touched your hand again.  “I like women too.  The relationships I’ve had have been with women.  It’s just… you know?”

“No,” you said. “I mean, yes.  I get it.  It’s okay.  I know how you feel.”

He let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.   “So… it’s unrequited. But I think I do a lot of comparing people to him, which isn’t healthy.  A couple of people have made the cut, but in the end, things weren’t meant to be.  So maybe I’m not supposed to have that.  Which I guess is another thing.  I once had someone tell me that I was nothing if I couldn’t be a soldier.  And I think it got to me.  This here -” he gestured around him. “- is a level of normal that I don't often allow myself to have.”

You nodded and took a drink from your wine.  Not a small one either.  You swallowed the dark liquid like it was water and when the glass was drained you filled it again.  “You didn't hold back did you?”

“I said I'd tell you mine if you told me yours,” Steve said.

You nodded and leaned back against the back of the booth.  “Yes.  I suppose you did,” you agreed.  “It’s long.”

Steve shrugged.  “For once, I have time.”

“When I went to college, I did lots of stupid little things for money.  I sold blood.  I tutored high school kids.  Just any little thing to give me some money to cover my bills.  One day the biology department had these posters up for an experiment.  It paid a lot.  You got $100 if you were accepted.  And if you made it to the end they'd give you $7500.  So I signed up.  I figured that whatever they were doing was probably safe if it had gotten to the human trial stage,” you explained.  Steve couldn't exactly criticize your reasoning.  He'd signed up for some pretty extensive human experimentation himself.

“I was accepted and once a week I'd go in with a group of about thirty other people and we’d have some injections and then we’d be tested.  It was a little odd.  The injections were painful and the tests were strange.  They'd ask us to try and reprogram a computer. Then try and guess what cards they were holding up.  We’d go on a treadmill for a bit and lift some heavyweights.  Then we'd be sent home,” you explained.  “I made friends with most of the other people but I also met the man I'd end up marrying.”

You stopped talking when the waiter approached and cleared away your plates and didn't start again until he'd bought out the entrees.  Steve waited patiently.  He knew there was no point in rushing the story.  “After about six weeks things started to happen.  John, my husband was running much faster than should be possible.  And I was guessing every single card correctly.  It never lasted.  By the following day we were back to normal, but every time we had an injection it was more.  By the end of the experiment, I'd get those shots and be able to hear every single thought of every person in the building.  Even the ones people don't want you to hear.  The intrusive thoughts you don’t even want to be having.  John could run at the speed of light.”

You drained your glass again and topped it off again and Steve leaned over and took your hand.  “What happened?”

“Project got canceled and we were told we were free to go.  We got paid our money,” you answered.  “Only one day I heard… In my mind… These people… I think they were government agents, coming to take us.  The injection hadn't completely worn off yet.  I told John and he packed a backpack, scooped me up into his arms and we ran.

“It was fine for a while.  We changed our identities.  Got cash-in-hand work.  No one came for us.  Then I got pregnant and when Geo was born the equipment went haywire.  When he cried it broke every machine on the floor cried along with him.  They wanted to keep him there to be tested but we knew what would happen so we ran again.  Only those people found us.  They killed John.  I got away.  But I've been running ever since.”

“Do you know who they were?” Steve asked.

You shook your head.  “I have no idea.  They never thought of anything that linked them to an organization.  Just things that made them seem like authority figures.  Official.  You know?”

Steve nodded.  “I understand.”

“If they're official, like the CIA you can't help me,” you said with pain in your voice.  “You're a private militia.  You have no authority.”

“I see my role in this world as exactly the person who steps in when the government is mistreating its people,” Steve said.  “I promise.  We won't let anything happen to you or your son.”

You nodded and seemed to make yourself smaller.  “I wish I could believe that.”

“You can trust me,” Steve said.  When you didn't say anything Steve caressed the back of your hand with his thumb.  “Do you know what Geo’s powers are?”

“I think they call it technopathy,” you explained.  “He has an affinity with machines.  Sometimes he can even communicate with them.  It’s come in handy actually.  I don't like using him like that but he can make ATMs give us money.  Change car titles to our name in the system.  Have our names changed.  Erase record of us.  In emergencies, it has helped us get away.”

“He would love meeting Tony,” Steve said.  “Maybe the two of you should move to the tower for a while.”

You shook your head fervently, “No.  No.  Too high profile.  I feel safe where I am.  Clint and Nat keep it safe and it's just some apartment block.  No one looks twice at it.”

Steve nodded and drained the last of his wine.  There was a lot to process and a lot of work to do.  He'd need to find out who was after you first and foremost. He just wished there was a way he could convince you the safest place you could be was under his watch.

// NEXT

[bush-viper-cutie]

“The Final Match” || YEAR 3 – Ch.32 (HP au)

                              Chapter List

<-- Last Chapter                          Next Chapter -->

Day posted: 12/1/2020

Word count: 4, 201

Relationship: EVENTUAL severus X oc (slow burn)

Rating: E for everyone

Warnings: none

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A/N: This is my first fan fic I’m writing mainly as a way to practice. This is a retelling of the hp books with an inserted character. Although most every character will be written about, this is mostly for the pro snape fandom. Please do not fear, although this is a severus x oc story, it is an incredibly slow burn as I do not intend for them to get together at all until after the final book events. Chapters will be posted twice a week.

This derivative work follows the events of the Harry Potter books by Jk Rowling and is intended as a fun way to practice my writing. Thank you for reading :D

 Hello! Sorry I didn’t post for a few weeks! I needed to take a break and deal with some mental health stuff but I feel much better :D I hope everyone’s been ok! Also I will be going back to the normal twice a week schedule so yay :D enjoy the chapter!

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Easter break had been the most tiring holiday Heather had ever experienced. Practice twice a day, essay after essay, having to pay attention to Ron and Harry and not seem exhausted by their presence, and even help Neville avoid a nervous collapse. As absolutely worn out as Heather felt, it was nothing compared to Hermione.

Mid break she had stopped responding to them all together, focusing only on her essays and studying. She was so off her usual self she didn’t even want them wandering around the library when they needed to look up books. ‘I need to stretch my legs anyways,’ she claimed and would go fetch whatever book they needed so long as they stayed put.

Hermione was so stressed she was constantly on the verge of tears, especially after coming back empty handed, unable to find the book Ron wanted.

“It’s alright, Hermione, Really.” Ron looked around uncomfortably. “I’ll just… read Harry’s book upside down. I’ve gotten good after three years of potions exams.”

While Hermione studied and during any time either Harry or Heather was at Quidditch practice, Ron read and gathered as much as he could for Buckbeak’s appeal. He took out books like ‘Fowl or Foul? A Study on Hippogriff Brutality’ and ‘The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology’ and was so engrossed in it that Heather wondered why he didn’t put that much energy and effort into their normal essays. Ron seemed as hardworking as Hermione in those instances, except he was much more willing to call it quits when he’d had enough.

By the end of the Holidays, several of the Slytherins had done exactly what Marcus had told them to do and gone out and earned points any ways they could. Slytherin was ahead of Gryffindor for the House Cup by two-hundred points. Now if Gryffindor won the match, they’d either tie bare minimum or would have to work as hard as possible to earn over fifty points to beat Slytherin in the House Cup.

The Quidditch Cup however, was much more difficult. Marcus had sat the whole team down in the locker rooms and explained how tricky this match would be with Harry’s advantage. If no one scored any points at all and Harry caught the snitch within seconds, then Slytherin would lose the match but tie with Gryffindor and no one would earn the Quidditch Cup.

“So Bletchley, don’t let them score at ANY cost.” Marcus turned his intense eyes on Heather and Graham. “Potter, Montague. We’re plan b. By the end of the match we NEED to have scored at least one-hundred-and-fifty points to stay in the lead for House Cup. We’ll each aim for five scores each.”

Heather nodded and looked at Draco who was leaning against the lockers, sulking. All break long he’d tasked Crabbe and Goyle with getting into a fight with Harry but they hadn’t succeeded yet. Harry was constantly surrounded by his Quidditch team as often as possible ever since he’d told Wood what she had said.

“’Cept we won’t need that when I catch the Snitch.” Draco crossed his arms.

Marcus nodded. “Potter won’t be attempting to catch the Snitch until the Gryffindors have earned enough points if they’re smart. All you’ll have to do is catch it before he does – and I’ve no doubt he’ll do his best to stop you, though the Gryffindors aren’t the physical type so that’ll be easy.”

Draco kept his brows furrowed and glared at the nearest bench. There was more than just the Cups riding on this match. Heather knew Draco was still upset over the mud-throwing incident and Harry was even more furious with him after the fact of Buckbeak’s trial. Their rivalry was at its peak for the year, and it had even bled into her and Draco’s friendship.

It was weird to call it a friendship, considering she was supposed to hate him but there were the odd conversations with him that she enjoyed, and he never left her out like Pansy did, glad to talk to her about himself and how great his family is all the time. Now that he felt he was losing to Harry though, he could hardly look at her for very long without scowling at her. She was a Potter after all.

As the week went on, all Professors seemed to be assigning less and less homework on account of the match Saturday. It seemed like the whole school was anticipating the match and Slytherins and Gryffindors most of all. Scuffles broke out in the corridors, hexes and jinx were thrown during breakfast and lunch, and all the Gryffindors gathered around Harry constantly to keep him safe while all the Slytherins seemed to want to be tripping and elbowing him.

It was Friday night and Heather paced the dungeon corridors trying to keep her anxiety under control. She braided and re-braided her hair as she walked, holding her breath, counting to five, and letting it out. Five goals. That was all she needed to score. Just five. It seemed like a lot suddenly. All of Slytherin would be angry and Marcus would be furious if she didn’t do her part.

She headed back to the common room and sat on a cushion by the door and observed everyone talking about the match tomorrow. Marcus, Miles, and Graham were talking to a few girls and on the other side of the room Peregrine and Lucian were smacking hexed curtain puffs they’d ripped out. Draco was of course surrounded by his usual crowd by his favorite desk. Pansy was talking on and on to the group of third years but Draco just sat there, shaking his leg.

The common room door opened and she looked up to see it was Snape. He stepped inside and closed the door. He was searching the room and quickly spotted Marcus. “Flint.” His voice was low and yet everyone in the room seemed to recognize it immediately. Everyone hushed and turned to look at their Head of House. “I suggest you get your team to bed at once. I don’t intend on giving up the Quidditch Cup over a bunch of drowsy brats with no sense for time.” It seemed even Snape could sense how difficult the match would be.

Heather could smell the tangy scent of pickled tree oysters coming off his black trousers and the unmistakable smell of the penetratingly sweet base liquid used for almost all potions they brewed. She stayed seated in her spot as her team gathered their things and went into the dormitories. She wasn’t ready to go to bed with her anxious thoughts, and certainly not by Snape’s command.

She pulled her legs up to her chest and cursed to herself. Her movement had caught Snape’s attention out of the corner of his eyes. He glared down at her but she refused to look into his cold black eyes. She could feel her hair stand on end and finally gave in, standing up and marching to the girl’s dormitory, slamming the door hard before huffing and marching to her dorm.

She changed and fell back on her pillow, wishing she could have stayed downstairs and just ignored Snape. It would’ve been at least a small victory for her against him. Her eyelids began to close and she let them. If she were Harry, she’d just make potions incredibly annoying for him to get him back for bad mouthing her father. She could ask about the difference between Horn of Plenty and Trumpet of the Dead and whether they were less or more reactive than Black Chanterelle – which are of course all the same mushroom which would annoy him extra.

She fell asleep thinking about making her toad even more mossy on purpose next lesson instead of finally de-mossifying him and woke from a dream about replacing all of Snape’s Bladder Campions in jars with actual tiny bladders. Heather sat up and looked at the clock, seeing it was the perfect time to get up and shower before heading down for breakfast.

She got dressed in her Quidditch robes and headed out of the common room towards the Great Hall.

“Heather!”

Heather turned around and searched for Harry as he whispered her name again. She spotted his red robes hiding behind a column and walked down to him.

“Harry? What is it?”

He crossed his arms and bit his finger. He shook his head and sighed. “Alright. I know it’ll sound crazy… I think I saw Crookshanks walking with the Grim last night.”

Heather frowned.

“Listen!” Harry looked around and sighed again. “I woke up from a nightmare about the match and got up to get some water and I looked out the window and saw Crookshanks followed by the Grim and he was leading the Grim around the side of the castle!”

Heather tilted her head. “So… Hermione’s cat is friends with your Grim? Harry, the Grim isn’t an actual animal. It’s a sign. I saw the Grim in the clouds and Professor Trelawney sees it in leaves and mist and floating dust clumps… Are you sure you really saw it?”

Harry rubbed his neck and shook his head. “I tried getting Ron to see it too but he fell back asleep too fast.”

Heather placed her hand on Harry’s shoulder. “It’s just the match nerves. Or maybe you know deep down Slytherin’s going to win,” she teased.

“You wish.” Harry smiled and pushed away from the wall, stepping out from the column. “Maybe it was just a dog or something from Hogsmeade.”

Wood came out from the Great Hall and called Harry down to him.

“Good luck,” Harry said and quickly punched her arm before jogging over to Wood.

Harry entered the Great Hall to enormous applause, leaving her standing alone in the empty Entrance Hall. She really hoped she was right about it not being the Grim. She took a deep breath and entered after him.

She could see three out of the four tables were wearing as much red as possible. Hufflepuffs had on red hats and small twirling red signs while Ravenclaws held scarfs in their hands ready to swing in the air. Gryffindors were all wearing red shirts, red sweaters, red trousers, red socks, and red hair clips – it was a sea of red that looked to bleed onto the other tables.

She sat at the center of her Slytherin table with the team and picked up some toast and a few small links of sausage. Was she hungry? Was she starving? It felt like the butterflies in her stomach turned to rocks every so often. It was the hardest meal she’d ever had, having to watch the stone cold face of her captain as he glared at the rest of the school behind her, and even Draco looked sickly pale next to him.

Heather kicked Draco under the table making him jump. “We’re going to win and you’re going to catch the Snitch, alright? Harry’s not even going to try until they earn enough points and Bletchley won’t let them score any. You’ll have enough time.”

Draco nodded and took a bite of his toast, getting jam on the corners of his mouth. “I’m catching the Snitch first thing.” He nodded again as if cementing the idea in his head.

Heather relaxed a bit after some color returned to Draco’s face. The cheering had gotten too loud to ignore now and Pansy started cheering for the team, looking around at others and glaring at them until they joined in with her. Soon the Slytherin tables were thumping their fists on the table, filling the air with bangs and the slight clatter of metal forks bouncing off glass plates. It did a good job of drowning out the cheers for Gryffindor.

It was time for both teams to head out and Heather stood with her team and walked down, high fiving every stuck out hand from the Slytherin tables. She looked left and saw the Gryffindors were doing the same. Harry was walking down the other side of the Gryffindor table closest to the Ravenclaws when he stopped momentarily next to the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang, and went red. As they left the Great Hall Heather tried catching Harry’s eyes but it was no use, Wood was talking his ear off.

Heather grabbed her broom with Draco and they both entered the locker rooms, ready for whatever talk Marcus had in store for them.

Marcus paced the small space between the walls and stopped as they joined the rest of the team. “Win,” he said firmly. “Just win. By any means.”

“And just like that our nerves are gone,” Miles scoffed.

Marcus pulled him up by the collar and shook him. “What nerves? We’re Slytherins. We’ve been winning the Quidditch Cup for almost a decade. And no Potter will ruin that.”

Heather swallowed, feeling like he was also kind of talking about her.

Draco lifted his broom handle towards the team and yelled “No Potter can ruin that!”

The team smacked their broom handles against Draco’s and Heather had no choice but to join. She supposed she could consider this motivational somehow?

Marcus led them out onto the field where they took their spots. The whole school was cheering and making noise on the stands and although there were waves and waves of red, the Slytherins did their best to cover as much space with deep green and bright silver. In the front row behind the Slytherin goal post sat Snape wearing green like everyone else around him. He had on a grim smile and looked to Professor McGonagall who laughed and gestured to the stands of students waving ‘LIONS FOR THE CUP’ and ‘GO GRYFFINDOR’ flags.

“ON THE GRYFFINDOR TEAM,” Lee Jordan started his commentating, “WE HAVE POTTER, BELL, JOHNSON, SPINNET, WEASLEY, WEASLEY, AND WOOD – THE BEST TEAM CAPTAIN ON THE BEST HOGWARTS QUIDDITCH TEAM WE’VE SEEN IN A GOOD FEW YEARS – ”

His comments were drowned out by ‘boos’ from the Slytherins sitting not too far from him.

“AND ON THE SLYTHERIN TEAM IS CAPTAIN FLINT AND IT SEEMS HIS MAIN STRATEGY THIS YEAR WAS MAKING SURE THERE WAS MORE SIZE THAN SKILL ON THE TEAM – ”

Even Heather booed with the Slytherins at that. She and Draco were the smallest on the team for certain, but at least Graham and Miles had some skill too, even if they were enormous. Marcus, Lucian, and Peregrine however, they could do with less aggressive plays.

“BY SIZE THERE IS ALSO MONTAGUE, BOLE, DERRICK, BLETCHLEY, POTTER, AND MALFOY.”

Heather looked over at Draco to see him close his mouth and hide his look of shock. He glanced at her briefly and scowled, making her hold in a laugh.

The morning was fairly bright and there were no winds at all, making it perfect conditions for an intense final match. The Gryffindors mirrored their positions on the other side of the half-line and she gave Harry a tiny thumbs up which he matched for a split second. Madam Hooch came out with the ball-chest under her arm and set it down, ready to unlock on her whistle.

Heather gripped her broom hard, feeling her palms already sweaty and kicked off hard at the loud shrill of the whistle blow. Fourteen brooms rose in the air and darted into positions as Marcus and Wood fought for the Quaffle.

“GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESSION – QUAFFLE TAKEN BY SPINNET HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THE SLYTHERIN GOALPOSTS – LOOKING GOOD ALICIA! ARGH! NO – QUAFFLE INTERCEPTED BY MONTAGUE AS HE TEARS UP THE FIELD AND – WHAM! GOOD ARM THERE GEORGE. QUAFFLE CAUGHT BY JOHNSON AS SHE TAKES IT ALL THE WAY BACK – SWERVES AROUND POTTER – DUCK! OHH – OH! SHE SCORES!”

The Gryffindor fans filled the field with whistles and cheers as they waved red flags and scarfs in the air. Miles avoided looking towards Marcus but Heather gave him a thumbs up, he nodded his head as the Quaffle was recovered.

Heather gasped as Marcus smashed into Angelina Johnson, nearly knocking her off her broom.

“Didn’t see her!” Marcus yelled to the booing crowd of scarlet below. “Sorry!”

Heather rolled her eyes at him and gasped again as Fred’s Beater’s club flew through the air and smacked Marcus on the back of his head, making him smash his nose on his broom handle causing a nose bleed.

Madam Hooch flew up between them and blew her whistle. “Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to THEIR Chaser!” Before they could argue Madam Hooch blew her whistle again and Johnson flew forward to take penalty, eyeing Marcus with immense loathing.

“JOHNSON TAKES THE SHOT AND – SCORE! SHE’S BEATEN THE KEEPER YET AGAIN. TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR, FIRST TWO POINTS MADE BY ANGELINA JOHNSON.”

Marcus flew forward with the Quaffle under his arm and aimed at the Gryffindor goalposts where Wood sat ready on his broom.

“FLINT TAKES THE SHOT AND – WOOD’S SAVED IT! HE’S SAVED IT! THAT’S STILL TWENTY-ZERO WITH THE BEST HOGWARTS TEAM STILL IN THE LEAD!”

Heather groaned and felt the little butterflies in her stomach all drop dead and turn to boulders. The Gryffindors were much closer to getting the necessary points they needed to win both cups and allow for Harry to catch the Snitch. Draco flew by quickly, desperately searching for the Snitch as Harry trailed him meters behind – a distance afforded to him by the firebolt.

Heather nodded at Marcus and took her position again as the Quaffle was recovered and put back into play.

“GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESSION – NO – SLYTHERIN IN – NO BACK IN GRYFFINDOR POSSESSION AND ITS WITH BELL AS SHE STREAKS UP THE FIELD – THAT WAS DELIBERATE!”

Graham had swooped down and grabbed hold of Katie Bell’s head instead of the Quaffle, making her drop it in an attempt to dislodge her head from under his arm.

Madam Hooch flew back up and yelled at him before awarding Gryffindor another penalty which Katie gladly took.

“THIRTY-ZERO! THAT’S RIGHT, KEEP CHEATING YOU DIRTY – ”

“MR. JORDAN, IF YOU CAN’T COMMENTATE AS UNBIASED AS POSSIBLE – ”

“JUST SAYIN’ IT HOW IT IS PROFESSOR – ”

While the game was stalled on Lee Jordan and Professor McGonagall’s arguments, Heather flew over to Marcus and Graham. “Drop the whole ‘win by any means’! We’re losing! Stick to the plays!”

Marcus glared at her but nodded. “We’ll take those points back. Stick to the plays.”

Graham nodded and they split up, taking their positions around Marcus like they normally did. The game was back on and as they wrestled with Gryffindor for the possession of the Quaffle, Heather spotted Derrick and Bole closing in on a speeding Harry just as he pulled up out of the way and they collided against each other.

“HA HA! SOMEONE GET DERRICK AND BOLE AN ICE PACK, THEY SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN WHY THE FIREBOLT’S THE BEST BROOM ON THE MARKET!”

Graham had barely grazed the Quaffle when Johnson intercepted.

“GRYFFINDOR IN POSSESSION – MONTAGUE FLYING ALONSIDE JOHNSON – MONTAGUE IN POSSESSION! OH NO FLYING TOWARDS THE GRYFFINDOR GOALPOSTS – BELL AND SPINNET CLOSING IN ON HIM! – FLINT IN POSSESSION NOW – NO STOP IT WOOD! – ARGH! SLYTHERIN SCORES.”

The Slytherins behind the Slytherin goalposts erupted with cheers. Lee Jordan swore and Professor McGonagall tried tugging the magical megaphone away.

“SORRY! WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN! – THIRTY-TEN, GRYFFINDOR STILL IN THE LEAD BUT SLYTHERIN HAS POSSESSION AGAIN – ”

The tide was turning now that they were more focused on plays and not cheating. Heather followed close beneath Flint and on cue caught his dropped Quaffle and scored the second points for Slytherin. Wood pounded on his handle and the Slytherins cheered again.

“THIRTY-TWENTY, COME ON GRYFFINDORS DON’T LET THEM CATCH UP!”

Four of five goals down, she just needed five goals total to reach her own goal. That was the plan. She zoomed forward and cut off Spinnet, sending her diving down to avoid collision, freeing up space for Marcus to throw to Graham. Graham shot forward with the Quaffle in hot pursuit by Bell and Johnson and just as he aimed to throw into the goalposts, Bell snatched it from his hand and made her way across the field. Gryffindor scored freely for the last time that match.

It was forty-twenty and now even Heather felt the same angry fire behind Marcus and Graham’s eyes. Marcus scored, and then Graham, and just after Heather had rammed into Johnson to stop her from cutting between Marcus’s throw, Heather caught the Quaffle and scored for Slytherin once again.

Forty-fifty and Slytherins were in the lead now. Bell was on Heather’s tail from then on as she shadowed Marcus to his right. A Bludger nearly knocked him off his broom but Graham saved it and scored again. Fred and George were now focusing their efforts on Marcus as Lucian and Peregrine aimed for them.

Heather looped on her broom to lose Bell momentarily to help pass the Quaffle to Graham again as Marcus dodged two Bludgers, and he scored again. On and on it went cleanly until the score was forty to one-hundred and Heather had scored her five goals. Then Lucian hit Alicia Spinnet with his club, stopping her from taking possession and George elbowed him in the face.

Madam Hooch gave each team a penalty shot and Miles finally blocked it. Wood didn’t let Marcus score. Bell attempted to score and while Fred and George were distracted trying to help block Graham and Heather from closing in on her, Peregrine and Lucian aimed the Bludgers at Wood, giving Gryffindor two more penalty shots. Miles saved one and the score became fifty to one-hundred. Wood climbed back over his broom and clutched his stomach.

Slytherin quickly took the points back. Heather scored twice more after Flint scored twice and Graham scored once.

“SLYTHERIN IS AT A HUNDRED POINT LEAD… WHERE’S THAT SNITCH!”

The game was dragging on and Harry and Draco were now searching the skies and ground for the Snitch. Draco kept on Harry’s tail as best he could as they circled the Quiditch pitch once, twice – Harry dashed forward and reached out for the golden speck twenty feet in front.

Draco sped after him, managing to cut the distance on a quick turn as the Snitch flew away from them. Harry had the Snitch inches from his fingers when Draco jumped forward and caught the tail of Harry’s broom in his hands, dragging him back.

Harry swung a fist at Draco’s face but couldn’t reach. Harry turned back and slowed, realizing the Snitch had disappeared from view.

“CHEATER! CHEATING! YOU FILTHY CHEATING SLYTHERIN – !” Lee was dancing out of McGonagall’s grasp.

“Penalty!” Madam Hooch yelled.

Spinnet took the shot and was blocked by Miles who was still laughing at Draco’s penalty. Heather felt her team was newly invigorated by Draco’s desperate ‘by any means’ tactics.

The game was back on and Johnson had the Quaffle. Heather and the other Chasers flew after her, closing in at once when Harry cut through them like a red bullet, making them all scatter to avoid falling off their brooms and allowing her to score.

“Harry!” Heather yelled and quickly noticed Draco across the field streaking up towards a tiny shiny speck.

Harry noticed and tore after Draco, closing the field-wide distance within seconds. Heather watched, frozen in place, as Draco closed in on the Snitch. Marcus took this chance to score once more as everyone’s attention was on the Seekers.

Draco’s fingers were stretched, arm fully extended as he leaned forward on his broom. His blond hair whipping back as he cut through the air.

Harry had reached Draco and was now urging his broom to go faster as he stretched out his arm towards the Snitch.

They were both inches away from it, closing in – Harry threw himself forward, knocking Draco’s arm out of the way and caught the Snitch in one cupped swoop of his hand.

“HARRY POTTER’S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! THAT’S TWO-HUNDRED POINTS TO ONE-HUNDRED-AND-SIXTY! GRYFFINDOR WINS!”

The crowd erupted with cheers and the field below filled with red and gold as everyone touched down. Heather walked up to Marcus who was fuming but surprisingly remained calm. He clenched his fist and looked at all of them as they gathered around him quietly.

“We won the cup. That’s all that matters. They needed at least a fifty-point lead before Potter caught the Snitch.” Marcus looked at Draco and nodded. “Good try, Malfoy.”

Draco looked like he could murder anyone who looked at him the wrong way. He nodded and headed towards the broom shed, shoving and pushing any and all Gryffindors in his way.

The Gryffindor crowd was lifting Harry on their shoulders, satisfied with the win and victory over Slytherins and Draco. Heather trailed behind the crowd not wanting to bump into Ron or Hermione. Although the cup was still and would remain in the safety of Snape’s office, the loss against Gryffindor was felt among all Slytherins.

Draco almost had it, inches away, seconds away, but was doomed to lose against Harry’s firebolt.

Was everyone doomed to lose against Harry?

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

                          Chapter List

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[jeminy3]

A Kingdom of Isolation. (NaruMitsu Frozen AU Snippet + Outline)

Next to the Titanic AU, I also attempted this one during late 2019 after seeing Frozen 2 in theaters and getting a lot of ideas about Edgeworth as Elsa and the flaws of the first Frozen film. Once again, this was fun to work on while dealing with life at the time, but after spending so much time and energy just building a believable setting and plot, I no longer have the energy or interest to properly write this. 

The following is a summary of chapter 1 and the snippet for the end of the chapter.

Read the rest on AO3

Read the rest on Google Docs.

Click here for old art of this AU and the ideas I had.

+This is the end of what would have been the first chapter. Phoenix was the prosecutor of 1-1 with Franziska as co-counsel, who whipped and berated him the whole time for being bad at his job, which he is, losing handily to Mia and Maya on defense. After talking to them in the lobby, accepting defeat with grace because Larry is Larry after all, he is whipped again and eventually sent home to the Von Karma/Edgeworth Law Firm, punished with mindless paperwork for the rest of the week. Phoenix grabs lunch at Eldoon’s and is reminded of the white streak in his hair and scar on his head, which he thinks is from an accident 15 years ago. Then he goes home, mulling about his life and what’s led him to this point.

+His memories include parallels to “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” wherein he attempted to get Miles out of his room with offers like “do you want to build snowdogs,” “do you want to help me study,” and now this part:

-Phoenix arrives at the law firm, puts his leftovers in the break room fridge, goes to his desk and begins doing paperwork. He gets bored enough to have a dumb idea, and heads down the hall to Miles’ office, and once again tries to connect with him.

He knocks on the door. “Edgeworth?” 

No response.

“I know you’re in there… you always are. Um… Do you… want to help me build some case files? For practice, y’know.”

Silence. Despite knowing better, stupidly, Phoenix continues.

"I had my first trial today, by the way! I lost, of course, but I mean- Larry was the defendant, so he was innocent anyway. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. You know how he is. If something smells...”

Still no response. Phoenix clears his throat awkwardly.

“Y- You know I was never great at prosecuting. So I mean, of course this would happen. I’ve told Von Karma SO many times, but you know him. ‘Defense is the WEAK side of justice. Prosecution is the ONLY way.’” He dips his voice into a nasally, gravel-like tone to mock their mutual mentor. The effort makes him laugh, between the ridiculousness of it and the way it tickles his throat.

Suddenly Phoenix hears shuffling, and the soft sound of footsteps approaching the door. They’re the same heavy footfalls that usually preceded Edgeworth opening the door for a crack wide enough to peer at Phoenix with one cold, grey eye and tell him to leave, he’s very busy. Again. As always.

Phoenix swallows, and decides to jump to that possibility first. “Now, before you come yell at me to go away again, I just want to say-”

The footsteps stop, suddenly. (Huh. That actually worked. Now what?)

Phoenix swallows again, feeling a chance to release at least a little bit of the heavy, choking weight in his chest.

“Um. I… I know you don’t like me anymore. And I don’t blame you, y’know, I’m… impatient, and reckless, and- I can barely pay attention to textbooks, so I just kind of wing everything, and I know that’s really annoying to you, since you take your work so seriously all the time- And like I said, I’m really bad at prosecuting, I don’t know why anyone bothers with me honestly, or what anyone expected today…”

His voice grows watery as he goes on, and he decides he’s letting out a bit too much, so he stops. He’s also noticed the footsteps coming closer, but much quieter now. And he can see the shadow of a figure in the foggy, frosted glass of the door’s window. It draws close, but makes no move to open the door.

“...Miles?” Phoenix dares to whisper.

He thinks he hears a muffled sigh, and the figure’s head bows, coming to rest against the glass in a circle of pressed hair and skin.

Something flutters inside Phoenix – it’s the closest he’s ever been to seeing Edgeworth's face again in years. He feels the need to also lean forward, bow his chin and rest his forehead against the glass, near Miles’ own.

“I… I miss you,” he says quietly. “We used to be really close when we were kids, and… I just... I miss it.”

“So do I,” the voice of Miles Edgeworth finally says, quietly, through the door – not only responding, but recognizing the pain and distance between them.

Phoenix squeezes his eyes shut, forces back the tears welling up as best he can. “I’m sorry,” he chokes out.

“Don’t be, Wright, it’s not…” Miles stops, then sighs again. “Just- Stop selling yourself short. You’re certainly not the worst prosecutor I’ve seen.”

Phoenix snorts a little. “Well, I guess that’s better than nothing.”

Edgeworth makes a quiet breathing sound that must be him laughing under his breath. “I don’t hate you, Wright. I never did. It’s just... “

Phoenix, feeling the weight of fifteen years pressing down between them, makes an educated guess.

“...It’s our parents, isn’t it?”

“...Yes,” Edgeworth eventually says with a deflating sigh, his breath fogging the window glass further. “The case never was solved… technically, it’s still open. The statute runs out in only a week... Then it’ll be off the records completely.”

Phoenix startles a little, lifting his head. “...You’ve looked at the case files?”

“I have,” Edgeworth says. “Here and there, over the years. I don’t know why, I never find anything new, and it only feels worse. I just…”

“...You want closure,” Phoenix finishes.

“...Yes.”

“So do I.”

Silence falls, heavy with the pain of wounds that never fully healed, questions that were never answered. Phoenix breathes, closes his eyes, remembers the way his mother crinkled her eyes when she smiled, the warmth of Gregory’s laughter. He lets the memory hurt him, just a little, before pushing it away and climbing up through the waves of grief before they wash him away again. He has a bold, potentially stupid idea.

“Maybe… we could look at the files again? Together? See if we can… I dunno, find something...?” (This is a terrible idea…)

Edgeworth chuckles again, louder, as its clearly audible through the door. “And how would that be helpful when I’ve failed to find anything new or substantial in all these years on my own?”

(Good question…) “Uh… I don’t know, honestly,” Phoenix says. “But- they always say, two heads are better than one! At the very least, it’s worth a shot before the statute runs out.”

Edgeworth hums softly on the other side of the door, and his head finally moves from the glass. His silhouette shifts on its feet before he speaks again. “Actually… I just might take you up on that, Wright.”

(Wait, really?!) “Wh- Really?”

“Maybe,” Edgeworth replies, “After the inheritance ceremony, of course, and if I can make time from the case I’m working on.”

“Uh- y-yeah, of course! Any time! That you’re free, that is. Uh- shoot, I’ll have to make some time too, but- Yeah, yeah, let’s try it!”

Edgeworth lets out another small, muffled laugh on the other side of the door, and Phoenix is only glad to hear it. “Someone’s certainly excitable… You never change, Wright.”

Phoenix scratches at his neck, finding himself flushing there. “Aw, well…” He wants to say, Well, you’ve changed too much, but considering the small miracle he’s achieved just now, the thought is quickly pushed aside.

“Well,” Phoenix starts again, his heart pounding in his ears, “I’ll uh, see you later then?”

“Later, yes,” Edgeworth says, with just enough hints of warmth and giddy awkwardness that Phoenix can believe he’s just as excited about this too, and no words can encapsulate just how incredible it is that this is happening – well, going to happen. Hopefully.

It’s more hope than Phoenix has allowed himself to feel for a long time, so he takes it in both hands and grasps it more tightly than anything else in his life. Spending time with Miles, just seeing him again, is worth that much and more.

After bidding him goodbye and goodnight, Phoenix could almost skip down the office halls, he’s so excited.

–

On the other side of his office door, Miles Edgeworth listens to Phoenix’s fading footsteps and sighs to himself, a hand on his door’s window.

He studies himself and his surroundings – all over the skin of his hand, and the furnishings of his office, is a layer of sparkling ice and frost, glittering with a strange, ethereal light.

He closes his eyes and concentrates, calming the small storm of emotions the recent conversation had awakened within him. In response, the unnatural ice around him begins to recede, vanishing with tiny crackles of sound, not a drop of water left behind, until its reduced to a small halo of white around him.

He looks at his surroundings again, somewhat satisfied, mostly forlorn. He bows his head, studies the now-bare skin of his knuckles.

“I’m so tired of hiding,” he says quietly, to himself. “...And if anyone deserves the truth, it’s you, Phoenix.”

[im-fairly-whitty]

The Witcher Wolf: The Road to Kaer Morhen

Geralt and Jaskier have successfully retrieved Ciri just in the nick of time, but now must travel to the safety of Kaer Morhen with her and Mousesack the druid while Nilfgaard is searching for them.

Geralt's ability to turn into a wolf comes in handy, a mysteriously magical death unearths the beginning of a mystery he can't resist chasing, and he realizes that for Ciri's sake he must face the heretofore unaddressed relationship failings of his past.

[Chapter 1: By the Fireside]

Chapter 2: The Bandit

“Here, you look like you can use some coin. Have your little ones eaten anything today? I’ve got some food, take it.”

Geralt slowly drifted back to full consciousness as the sound of a stranger’s voice in the campsite pushed him awake. After his shift watching Ciri for nightmares he’d taken to meditating outside their tent for the rest of the night, his face hidden in his hood.  

“In exchange why don’t you tell me where you’ve come from?” The voice continued from across their corner of the refugee camp. “Have you seen any troop movements during your travels? Any particular dangers along your way or tales you’ve heard from others?”

Geralt opened his eyes to peer across the burnt out fire pit. The sun was only just beginning to rise and the camp to stir but he could still see the man with a blond ponytail talking to the parents of Ciri’s playmates from the night before. He seemed to be freely distributing food to the children from a satchel, food that only Geralt could scent as smelling faintly of death.

Geralt’s eyes widened as the man’s familiar scent registered, taking in the man’s blue tunic and the black leather patch strapped over one eye. He hadn’t seen the bastard since the last time he’d been robbed at knifepoint in Novigrad.

Geralt got to his feet silently, crossing the campsite in several quick steps and latching a hand onto the man’s shoulder, unceremoniously pulling him out of camp and into the forest brush before he could react. Geralt was careful to pin the man’s hands behind him before a startled dagger could have the chance to find its way into Geralt’s ribs.

“What are you doing here Feliks?” Geralt rumbled as soon as they were out of earshot from the camp, shoving the man a few steps from him as he released him. “Shouldn’t you be pickpocketing merchants in Novigrad this time of year?”

Feliks’ expression was panicked and cold as Geralt released him, but it flashed to one of delight instead as he turned and got a look at who had scruffed him. He caught his balance against a tree, looking up at the witcher with an excited smile.

“Geralt of Rivia!” Feliks cried. “Goodness, I never thought I’d see you here of all places? Why, I don’t think we’ve seen each other since I kept the boys from robbing you at knifepoint last year in the leatherworking district. How are you? Is Jaskier with you? Where did-”

“My question first.” Geralt interrupted, knowing from experience that the excitable bandit leader could out-babble even Jaskier given the chance. “What are you doing in a refugee caravan this far from the city? I thought you’d given up life on the road in favor of benevolently ruling your patch of gang turf.”

“Well you can’t really expect me to just sit around in the same city all year, can you Geralt?” Feliks said with a smile, hands on his hips. “The boys hold down the fort whenever I feel like going for a jaunt, there’s been so much buzz around the Nilfgaardians I thought it might do me some good to get a bit of fresh air. See the countryside, scout some troop movements, pick some corpses clean.”

He cheerily pulled at the strap of his satchel, hefting its contents. Well that explained the lingering smell of death. “Nothing gets coin moving like war my friend, and information is the hottest commodity around. Why pass the chance to stretch my legs on to a lackey when I’m perfectly capable of hopping refugee camps to collect it myself?”

“Only you would think of a trip to the countryside and looting corpses as equally enjoyable outings.” Geralt said flatly.

“Oh don’t you tease me like that, witcher.” Feliks said with a wink, flipping a coin in the air and catching it. “You’re the one who taught me how to shake down a stiff back when I was just getting started, remember? Could have cut me down in my own oversized stolen boots for getting into your saddlebags uninvited, but instead you showed me how to hold my sword right. Besides, coin does these refugees a lot more good than it’ll ever do the dead whose pockets it came from, even if it has got some blood on it.”

“If I’d known my advice would lead you to becoming Novigraad’s youngest syndicate leader I’d have trussed you up and tossed you in the river instead.” Geralt said dryly, despite his best efforts unable to keep the barest hint of fondness from creeping into his voice.

Even though Geralt didn’t approve of all of Feliks’...methods, he also knew that the poor who lived in the neighborhoods he claimed never seemed to go without for as long as Feliks was in charge. The bandit had come a long way from the starry-eyed young man Geralt had first caught stealing from him years ago.

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re wandering into war zones alone.” Geralt said sternly. “Information won’t net you a payday if you’re too dead to sell it.”

“Oh, I’m not alone!” Feliks said brightly, then hesitated with a sheepish smile. “Or at least I wasn’t until yesterday. I’ve been traveling with Wit of Drobiazg again, but she said all the cat witchers are being called back home to the caravan until they can tell which way the war’s going to blow. You know how the cats are with their assassination contracts, want to make sure they’re getting hired by the winning side. Are you heading back to your keep too? I imagine any witcher will be glad to hole up for the next while, probably won’t be many contracts other than necrophages for a long while.”

Geralt jolted as a puzzle piece clicked into place in his memory.

Wit of Drobiazg, who shared the same last name as the late spymaster of Cintra.

Wit of Drobiazg, the cat witcher who was infamous for her unusually strong Igni casting.

Geralt had scooped Wit out of a disastrous contract-gone-wrong decades ago, back when she’d practically still been a kitten, making her one of the rare cat witchers Geralt ever risked hanging around the occasional times their paths had crossed over the years. She might like him for saving her life, but it didn’t change the fact that hanging around a cat always felt a bit like storing a bomb with a lit fuse in your pack.

But Feliks had never seemed to mind in the slightest. The two forces of chaos had taken a liking to each other after Geralt had accidentally introduced them a few years back, during a particularly trying fortnight when the three of them had been trapped in the same town together.

“You two travel together often don’t you? Has Wit ever told you about her family?” Geralt asked, latching onto his epiphany before it had the chance to slip away. “Does she remember anything from before her trials?”

“I...maybe? She’s mentioned them a few times I suppose. Why?” Feliks said, looking thoroughly confused by the abrupt change in topic.

“Did she keep her family name after she was given up or did she just choose it herself?” Geralt asked.

“I think it was her family name?” Feliks said, squinting and scratching his head. “She wasn’t too young when she was taken by the cats I think, she could have remembered it when it came to taking her witcher name. You’d have to ask her to be sure though, she doesn’t like talking about her childhood too much. I mean, you know how it is with witchers. Bit of a sore subject for you lot isn’t it?”

“Hmmm.” Geralt grunted.

He knew he should probably drop it--gods knew he already had enough on his plate to worry about with getting Ciri and the others to safety--but he never had been good at letting mysteries alone once he’d gotten started thinking about them. Doubly so if he found a lead.

“Do you know where the caravan is traveling? Where I can find them?” Geralt asked.

He’d never dare tracking down the cat witchers’ caravan uninvited...but perhaps a message with some carefully phrased questions could be sent instead?

“Of course not.” Feliks said with an easy smile.

Geralt sighed, pulling out his coin purse. “Alright, how much is that information going to cost me?”

“Sorry Geralt, not for sale.” Feliks said with a good-natured shrug. “Friends and family discount means I don’t sell information on family and friends where it’s not wanted.”

“Even if I’m a friend too?” Geralt asked, tipping an amount of money into his hand, letting the coins glint temptingly. “I’m a friend asking a friend about a mutual friend.”

Feliks only chuckled. Geralt poured a few more coins but Feliks just shook his head. Geralt let a truly exorbitant amount of coin spill into his hand, far more than he’d ever dream of actually handing over, just to see what would happen.

But instead of a greedy spark lighting in the bandit’s eye, his smile faded and he frowned, looking up at Geralt.

“Geralt, is something wrong?” Feliks asked. “Why do you need to find the caravan so badly?”

Geralt sighed, tipping the coin back into his purse and tucking it away. “No, no, it’s fine. I’ve just been meaning to ask her something, then I was curious to see if you could be budged. My apologies if it came off as insulting.”

“If you’d asked me anything else I’d gladly have taken your coin, but...” Feliks grimaced. “You don’t make it very far in my line of business if you don’t know what’s worth more than money.”

“Perhaps I can pay you for some other information then.” Geralt said. If Feliks was dealing in information then he would have heard if soldiers were searching for a certain ashen-haired princess. “Jaskier and I are trying to get to the Hertch mountains as quickly as we can, have you heard of anything that could get in our way?”

“Now that I can help you with.” Feliks said, his smile returning. “There’s plenty of-”

“Geralt?”

Geralt tensed, looking up to see Ciri tromping through the brush toward them, rubbing her eyes. He sighed silently. He should have dragged Feliks farther into the woods, he hadn’t wanted the bandit to see her, but there was nothing he could do about it now.

“I woke up and you were gone.” Ciri said, reaching him and sleepily burying her face against Geralt’s side, her hood falling to reveal her snowy blonde hair before he could catch it.

Geralt looked up warily just in time to see Feliks’ eyes widen.

He knew.

Geralt sent him the iciest warning look he could manage.

“This is Fiona.” Geralt said, every syllable carefully measured and loaded with unspoken meaning as he stared Feliks down. “My daughter. We’re traveling to safety away from the war.”

“Your daughter.” Feliks repeated, looking like he was barely managing not to trip over a whirlwind of thoughts inside his head. He blinked, pulling on a smile. “So you and Jaskier adopted then, how lovely! I’m sure you’re all very lucky to have each other.”

Geralt watched Feliks rub nervously at the edge of his eyepatch, biting his lip as he looked at Ciri with concern.

“Are you sure that...?” Feliks started, but his voice trailed off.

He scratched the back of his head, looking like he was fighting back a grimace as he looked up at Geralt. When he spoke again his voice was hushed and strained. “You really shouldn’t be here with her Geralt, not in a camp like this, there’s too many eyes around who will sell you out for their next meal.”

“We’ve been traveling away from roads for days.” Geralt said, fatigue creeping into his voice now. “We needed a chance to get more supplies and to find out what’s going on so we don’t run headlong into a trap or a military camp. This was our first chance.”

“Well you need to get out as quickly as you can.” Feliks said, his gaze deadly serious as he glanced around. “I’m not the only one here harvesting information to resell, and if the emperor knows she’s traveling with a witcher and a bard that’s going to be a wanted poster description so colorful that even the drunkest peasant can remember it. A princess, a witcher and a bard, it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.”

“And a druid.” Geralt sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

“And a druid?” Feliks said, shaking his head with a bemused smile that managed to stick for at least a second before dropping away again. “Well then, here’s the information you asked for. Stay away from roads and towns, if you need to get supplies only send the druid or Jaskier to get them since you and the girl will be the most easily recognized. You’re ahead of the armies for now but only barely, and the longer you travel the more refugees there will be competing for resources, so try to move as fast as you can to stay ahead of them.

“Most large bridges are already locking down and demanding inflated tolls, so avoid those whenever you can and get across the river another way. You’ll also start seeing towns and villages who have preemptively sided with the emperor to avoid being ransacked too and they’ll have notices looking for the princess posted before you’ve even arrived, so beware. Why the emperor wants her so badly is anyone’s guess, but he’s already doing ugly things to try and get her.”

“Thank you Feliks, we’ll do our best to follow your advice.” Geralt said soberly. He looked down to brush hair from Ciri’s face. Her eyes were still closed, by now all too used to adults discussing the danger looming over her. “Fiona, go wake Jaskier and Mousesack, tell them we’re leaving as soon as we’re packed.” he said, careful to keep in the habit of using her false name.

Ciri blinked up at them both for another moment as she hesitated, but then went off back to the camp without a word.

“How...?” Feliks asked, watching her go.

“Safer if you don’t know.” Geralt said, getting an understanding nod from Feliks.

“Are you staying out here for long?” Geralt asked, pulling out a reasonable amount of coin and handing it to Feliks.

“Not without Wit.” Feliks said grimly, pocketing the coin. “Like you said, there’s no payday if you’re dead. No, I think you witchers have the right idea, I’ll probably hang around home until things have a chance to settle. Besides, Nilfgaard barely even leaves scraps behind to scavenge from once they’ve passed through. Just ash.”

“I wish you safe travels then.” Geralt said.

“To you as well.” Feliks paused for a moment. “Geralt, I can’t promise anything, but if I do have the chance to pass a message on to the caravan would you want Wit to know you’re looking for her and will be found at Kaer Morhen?”

Geralt hesitated. Vesimir had expressly forbidden cats from entering the keep as a rule, but he had made a reluctant exception for Lambert’s cat friend Aiden before. There was no guarantee that Wit would even get his message, let alone respond, never mind actually make the trek all the way out to Kaer Morhen. In all reality it would probably be years before he had the chance to find her again, meaning there was no real harm in giving implied permission for her to visit the keep.

“Yes, you can tell her.” Geralt said. “But only if it’s just her, I don’t need the entire caravan knowing. And nothing about...nothing about anything else, right?”

“Family and friends discount.” Feliks said with a crooked smile. “Your secrets are safe with me. Even if they’re the most inadvisable kind.” His smile dropped. “Now get moving, you’ll be lucky to get out of the camp before anyone else sees you or the girl.”

Geralt nodded, turning back to camp without another word and already grimly contemplating the decidedly town-less rest of the journey ahead of them.

----------------

Feliks the bandit belongs to @ibrithir-was-here and is great friends with Wit of Drobiazg the Cat school witcher. 

You can see their character designs here: https://im-fairly-whitty.tumblr.com/post/614599362829533184/witcher-friends-d-wit-of-drobiazg-has-many

[jay-me-says]

Things Were Different Back Then

CHAPTER FOUR: One Traitor to Another

Masterpost w/ more info on the fic | Note: all SBI-related relationships here are platonic!

The fallen king is considering tearing down the half-finished house…again.

He readjusts his sunglasses as he looks at the heap of oak and spruce. All things considered, it doesn’t look bad. It’s far from the worst thing he’s ever built, and it isn’t done yet. With a little more time, Eret could turn it into something amazing. It would make for a great home.

But it doesn’t feel right- nothing has. For over a month- a month- he’s been trying to build himself a place in L’manburg. It’s been a never-ending cycle of building, frustration, and destruction. Rinse and repeat several times.

With an aggravated sigh, Eret pulls out his axe and starts swinging, taking down the failed attempt block by disappointing block. Building a house should be so simple, especially when compared to the castle he’d constructed for his previous home, but nothing he’s tried has felt right to him.

The tower style he tried first had seemed too much like his castle, which he no longer belonged in. He wasn’t a king anymore; he had no crown. He didn’t even have the company of his flamingos. If he thought too hard about their soft, pink feathers and elegant legs, his heart started to hurt.

Another attempt had been made primarily of spruce wood, with a sloping roof and red carpeting. It had complimented the other homes and buildings in L’manburg, but that didn’t feel right either. It’d looked like the home of someone who truly belonged in the nation, not the home of someone who had turned their back on it. Even after a month, Eret didn’t feel like he fit in L’manburg. Or rather, he didn’t feel like he deserved to fit in L’manburg.  

So, he tried about a dozen other styles. Oak wood and shades of purple, birch and granite, andesite and stone bricks. When those didn’t work, he tore them down and started fresh. Countless nights were spent in the tent with a lantern, drawing up as many new designs as he could think of. And when they all failed, he thought up more. Time after time, something about the house wasn’t right. It never felt like home.

Frustrated, Eret swings his axe harder than is strictly necessary. Mingo, who has been basking in the sun nearby for the past several hours, meows unhappily at the noise and retreats to the entrance of the tent, half in and half out of it. Sunlight catches the high and low points of her luxurious cream-colored fur, turning the pretty feline into an artist’s sketch. The only splash of color is the pink collar at her neck.

Eret takes down half the unfinished house before realizing he’s being watched. The feeling of eyes on his back makes the hair on his neck rise. Tensing, he turns and sees about the last person he would have ever expected to pay him a visit.

Bathed in the late afternoon sunlight, a pale Wilbur stands a few feet from Eret’s building site. He looks uncertain and nervous, hands sort-of-clasped in front of him as he fidgets with his fingers. Eret, panting somewhat after beating up his house, looks at him quizzically, too stunned for words.

After a moment of strained silence, Wilbur says, “H- hey, Eret. I, um…see, I didn’t know who else to speak to so, could you maybe spare a second? You look like you’re busy, though, so, uh…” he trails off uncomfortably and his eyes go to his hands, which are now still but tense.

Once he gets over his surprise, Eret says, “Er, yeah, sure. That’s fine. I’m not too busy.” He leans against the wrecked remains of the house and slowly slides down a half-destroyed wall until he’s seated on the grass.

Wilbur takes a few steps forward, then says, “You sure you won’t axe me?”

The comment takes Eret by surprise, the words seeping into him and filling his chest with a cold dread that quickly freezes his entire body, down to the tips of his fingers. Does Wilbur really think I would do that?

Then, he notices the faint smile on Wilbur’s face. The way his lips curl up, almost perfectly symmetrical, paired with the humorous glint in his eyes is a familiar sight. It makes Eret’s heart ache for a moment, reminding him of a different time. He’s joking, the man realizes. Relief floods through him, rinsing away the freeze. He lets a small smile of his own tug on his face. “Yeah, I promise.”

Wilbur sits down across from Eret, crisscrossing his long legs. Intrigued by the new presence, Mingo pads over softly and sniffs Wilbur’s knee. He must not have noticed her approach, because he startles. He jolts a little, causing Mingo to recoil in response.  

Recovering, then gently holding his fingers out to the cream-colored cat, he asks, “Who’s this?” Mingo sniffs his knuckles tentatively.

Eret smiles lovingly at the fluffball. “That’s a gift from Niki. Her name is Mingo.”

Wilbur seems to connect the dots from the cat’s pink collar to her name, and his eyebrows turn up sadly. He makes a sound halfway between an “oh” and an “aw,” staring at the cat as she nuzzles his fingers, “Eret…”

The former king’s eyes sting, making him grateful for the sunglasses hiding his eyes. “Yeah.” After a pause, he says, “Niki came up with the name and everything, too. Said I seemed down and thought I could use a companion. It was really sweet of her.” And she had been right. Everything in Eret’s life changed after the Second Revolution. He’d lost his throne and his crown and had been thrust back into L’manburg’s ranks all in the span of a few minutes. He was glad to be back on his friends’ side (if he can call them friends still), but it’d left him feeling unstable and confused. Losing the companionship of his treasured flamingos had been the rotting cherry on top of everything. Mingo had created a constant in his life, and that was invaluable. He wasn’t sure he would ever be able to thank Niki enough.

There’s a pause in the conversation while Wilbur pets the cat and the two get acquainted. When it borders on being awkwardly long, Eret says, “So, what brought you here? I doubt you came to discuss the tragic story behind my cat.”

Wilbur looks up from Mingo and meets Eret’s eyes. “Ah, right. It’s…it’s about Fundy. And Philza.” A crease appears between his eyebrows, accompanied by a small frown. He fixes a stare to the ground in front of him. “It just that I- I don’t feel like I fit in my life anymore. Fundy is cross with me, constantly. I always say the exact wrong thing to him. And Philza, as amazing as he’s been this past month, I know he hasn’t forgiven me. I really…I really let him down. I did something unforgivable and then asked him to kill me. And I would’ve gone happily. That’s not exactly something a month of family bonding can repair.” His frown deepens as he finishes speaking, and guilt plays over his expression. He stopped petting Mingo at some point while he was talking, his hand frozen in a fist a few inches above her. She rubs her face against it like nothing is wrong, then trots off into the tent.

Eret sits in thoughtful silence for a long moment, absorbing Wilbur’s words and piecing together a response. “Trial and error,” he says at last.

Wilbur looks up at him again, and Eret notices some tears have left glistening tracks down the other man’s face. More threaten to spill over, collecting in his eyelashes. A second that feels fragile passes in silence. “What?” Wilbur asks.

“Trial and error. Like this house of mine. I’ve tried building it dozens of times now, but I keep messing up and it never feels like a place that’s meant for me. So, I take it down and I start again. And each time, I get a little closer to something I could live in and call home.”

Eret trails a hand by his side up and down the wreck of oak wood planks. When it comes to rest on his knee again, he says, “Talk to them, Wilbur . Talk to your son, talk to your father, and keep trying. You’ll keep messing up, and it’ll be okay. You just need to keep trying. You gave up for a while- you utterly checked out. Fundy has had an absent father and Phil had to watch the downfall of his son. You’re right, no amount of family bonding or apologies are going to fix that. But time and effort will. I think what they both need from you right now is a little more effort.”

For what must be the hundredth time in the past five minutes, the two lapse into silence. But this time, it doesn’t feel strained or awkward. Eret’s words have spilled a feeling of hope into the air. It replaces the frustration he felt earlier, making him eager to get back to working on his house.

After several silent seconds, a smile ghosts over Wilbur’s features. He gets up, straightening out his black jacket. The man walks over to Eret and holds out a hand, who looks up at him in surprise and confusion. “Want some help with your house?”

~

After spending the rest of the day helping Eret, Wilbur is utterly exhausted. But he feels strangely good. He’d turned to Eret because he had no one else to talk to, but now he’s really glad that he did. His words had given Wilbur an air of determination- and hope. When was the last time he’d felt hope? Actually, when was the last time he’d felt either of those things?

He stumbles up the steps to his home, ready to collapse in bed for the night. He expects a dark house (his son had taken after Philza’s early sleeping habits) but instead finds the kitchen lights on, casting a yellowish square of light on the stripped spruce log floor.

The strains of a conversation die in the air as he walks in and shuts the front door. Cautiously, Wilbur makes his way into the kitchen. Sat at the table are his dad and Fundy. They look tired, but relieved. Surprise sparking through his arms and chest leaves the brunette speechless for a moment. Then, he stammers out, “Did…did you wait up for me?”

The faintest flicker of anger flares in Philza’s eyes, just for a moment before they soften again. It reminds Wilbur of being scolded as a child for taking a practice fight with his little brother a bit too far. “No shit, kid. We knew you would be fine, but…well, we were worried.”

“I’m sorry.” There’s an unexpected weight to the words that startles both Philza and Fundy. Clearly, Wilbur is talking about more than just coming home late.

His dad tries to play it off.  “I- it’s okay, Wil. Let’s all just head to bed and- “

He’s cut off by a light scraping noise as Wilbur pulls out a chair and sits at the table with them. He’s done pussyfooting this. No more tiptoeing through conversations or worrying his dad with sleepless nights or reading more than he talks to his own son. Wilbur grabs their hands, one of theirs in either one of his. He needs them to understand, more than he’s ever needed anything before.

“No. I’m sorry. I never said sorry to you two. I really, really am, though. What I put you through these past months, it’s not okay. I’ve been a terrible father and a terrible son. I’ve been absent and awkward, and I wanted so bad for it to just fix itself but that’s not how these things work. I did horrible things to both of you and I can’t keep going on without properly acknowledging that. I am so, so sorry.” He squeezes their hands. There’s a familiar sting in his eyes, so he turns his gaze to the wooden tabletop. Don’t cry, he begs of his eyes. Not right now.

The silence is deafening. Seconds pass in what feels like a year.  When he finally can’t bear it anymore, Wilbur looks up at his family. He feels sick and relieved and guilty all at once when he sees the tears brimming their eyes. Briskly, Philza stands up, chair scraping rudely against the floor as he does.

The blonde man moves to stand in front of his son. Before Wilbur has time to register how terrified he is that he’s mucked things up further, his father is pulling him into a hug. He loses his grip on Fundy’s hand as he’s pulled up.

Philza grips him tightly, one hand holding his head. Wilbur’s heart soars and the tears break from his lashes. Waves of emotion crash through his chest and make every inch of his body feel heavy and light at the same time.

He grips his father tighter, absorbing the familiar smells. Pine trees and bread dough and the vaguest hint of smoke. It sends a pang through his chest, accompanied by nostalgia. Wilbur buries his face further into his father’s shoulder.  

“Wil…oh, Wil. No matter what happens, you’re my son.” 

Those words alone would be enough to make Wilbur break down completely if it were just them two in the room. But Fundy is still sitting at the kitchen table.

Fundy.

Suddenly desperate to see his son’s reaction, he breaks slightly from Philza, twisting in his father’s grip to look at the fox. Philza kisses his son’s head and gently lets go, taking a couple of steps back.

Fundy and Wilbur stare at one another for a moment. Wilbur swallows. It feels as though his whole body is being consumed by nerves and adrenaline. “I promise, I’m done floating through the days like some ghost of the man I was. I want to put in effort. I want to be a good dad to you, Fundy.”

There’s another beat of silence, then Fundy is out of his chair and practically throwing himself at Wilbur. In that moment, a weight comparable to that of all the world’s oceans lifts from his shoulders. His son’s arms feel like home and love.

Wilbur places his head neatly on top of the fox’s, gripping him as close as he can. Fundy’s shoulders shake and Wilbur’s heart breaks to know he caused his son so much pain. He rubs circles on Fundy’s back as he hugs him, just like he always would when he was a kid coming to Wilbur with a painful scrape or night terrors. And he knows, then, that Eret was right. It’ll all be okay, they’ll be okay.

‘

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[fortheheavenssake]

💟💟 PG MM Anon(II) 💟💟 Interpretation Collection - 9

58. July 9

MM ANON …… HMTQ The long wait ………… BLM Trumps ………… no taxes………… boarding Charlotte 🥳🥳🥳……Boarding George 😱😱😱😱………… open the Jim…………… Brazil el Presidente……… Amber Amber,red……………IOC allow protest? ………… school 😷 masks. ……………cricket lovely cricket ………don’t cruise ………………glee, not today …………… tic-toc down. ……… red crane down.

Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

Entertainment purposes

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️😊😊😊😊😊THANK YOU MM ANON😊😊😊😊😊😊✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️✝️🌈🌈🌈🌈

July 9/2020

RIDDLE#58

HMTQ The long wait …………

The road going up to Windsor Castle is called The Long Walk. Because of Covid, her Majesty the Queen , will no longer at this point be going to Buckingham Palace. Hence the reason for yesterday’s riddle clue that 250 BP staff are being made redundant. So she has spent all this time at Windsor Castle and is looking forward to going to Balmoral. As far as I’ve heard, that has not been cancelled. I’ve checked again today and I can’t see anywhere where it’s been cancelled. It will be a long wait for her to see what happens , what is the outcome of this Covid as to whether she can ever go back to Buckingham palace and ever resume any sort of duties that she’s been doing for her whole life! I ache for her, it must hurt her to the core because that’s what she’s committed to and it’s so it’s so upsetting.

I also think this is Prince Harry and having him return to the fold after these years of manipulations and machinations and lies and every other adjective that I don’t want to continue to keep saying about that woman Madam. Soon Harry will be reunited with his family if he has already not been. Again l repeat for the 10th time, 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂, I’m sticking with what I have said, I do believe something happened at Canada House and the next day at Harbottle and Lewis. And the quote from Allegedly ANON last night about how things would happen and then the public would be told later. I think that fits exactly with what what what I believe happened. I think the divorce or I’m hoping annulment has happened. I really am hoping annulment but we’ll wait until the time is right to tell us.

BLM Trumps …………

I heard that they were going to do this last week and they’ve done it now. On the street in front of of President Trump’s huge building that he owns or I think he owns it in New York City in huge letters painted in like neon yellow paint, I think it would flash in the dark it’s so bright, Black Lives Matter has been painted along the whole block. I don’t know how the defacement of public property is allowed. I understand that Americans have free-speech under the first amendment, I believe it is, but you can’t yell fire in a crowded theatre and I don’t know how are you can deface public property. Maybe somebody can explain that to me in the comments because I don’t understand it, but I’m not American so I don’t understand that part but please explain it to me.

no taxes…………

I find this very confusing because what I’m reading is that the UK public will have to have a tax increase next year at £35,000,000,000 pounds and it will take years or decades to pay off the £2 trillion debt that this whole COVID19has cost.

The cats are flying to change and it will not be no taxes as a value added tax or the VAT.

Taken from The Sun website

”VAT is being slashed for businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries but what’s happening and what does it mean for households?

What is VAT and what’s it changing to?

VAT (value added tax) will be cut from 20 per cent to 5 per cent for businesses in the hospitality and tourism industries, chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed in his mini-Budget this week.

VAT is a tax paid by businesses to HMRC on the items or services they sell.

It’s typically passed on to consumers in the price they pay for these goods and services.

When will the VAT cut take force?

The tax cut will take force next Wednesday (July 15) and will remain in place until January 12, 2021.

What will the VAT cut apply to?

Booze is excluded from the VAT cut, but it will apply to food and non-alcoholic drinks from restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés and other similar premises across the UK.

It will also apply to accommodation and on admission to attractions.”

boarding Charlotte 🥳🥳🥳……Boarding George 😱😱😱😱…………

OK so we have boarding Charlotte three happy faces with the hats and those blowy things that unfurl Prince George’s birthday is in July 22 he is going to be seven years old can you believe that wow! And then we have B boarding G George with for horrified faces. Well we know it’s not because George is afraid of flying because he absolutely loves it I’ll do all the children. I think this is the first one is it a reference to Charlotte and celebrating George’s birthday the second one I think is a reference to George going to boarding school which has been talked about for a while now and I brought that up in the riddle again yesterday. And I think the four horrified faces of George going off to boarding school would be William and Catherine and Charlotte and Louis that’s what I think this is .

We have been given clues that the Cambridge family is taking a vacation and it would be nice to take it and celebrate George’s birthday don’t you think? Ok so in capital letters we have CBG. In between everything we have three dots with a space three dots with the space and we know it was with MM ANON everything means something.With the talking software you guys can follow along with how my mind works I’m trying to solve these riddles.

I wonder if it’s going to be some sort of adventure vacation because they are all very adventurous Ha I was I don’t know if I should take from this other than vacation CBG.?Costa Rica?I don’t know but I have an idea you could to go to Costa Rica and see the sloth sanctuary I would highly recommend that highly highly highly recommend that!

Thing I know for sure is there’s no way they would go on vacation if things are not settled with Harry that I do know for sure!

open the Jim……………

MM ANON Very much enjoys using the Star Trek reference of Jim that line from Star Trek is Spock but not as we knew him. So in the UK outdoor pools can open July 11 and on July 25 indoor pools and gyms and the like can open then. So yes they will be gyms and they will be open but not as we knew them before. They will be of course social distancing hand sanitizing smaller classes all of the usual bells and whistle’s that go along with the our new normal. I think people will just be glad to get back to their workouts and get out of the house and connecting with people even though they’re 6 feet away or 2 m or one meat or whatever the social distance will be at that time it’ll just be good for everybody physically and emotionally.

Brazil el Presidente………

President Bolsonaro, as I said yesterday was at a press conference and he was wearing mask and he proceeded to tell the reporter that he had tested positive for COVID-19 which when he took off his mask continue to talk but then walked backwards. It was very bizarre. This is about the fifth clue about Brazil and now the president of Brazil also the song Brazil has been used a couple of times in the last week or so. I made a note this morning and I don’t know if anybody else had a chance to read it but I was thinking last night and then have you guys ever read the book the boys from Brazil or seen the 🎥 The Boys From Brazil? The book is written by I are 11 and that’s it it’s a story of how the Nazis some of them the higher-ups and the scientist escape to Brazil and they proceeded to breed a master race of young male clones I think it’s just male been a while since I’ve seen that movie. We do know it’s a no well proven fact but after the second world war ended many high-ranking Nazis snuck out of Germany and took refuge in Brazil. In fact there’s a large population of German people still living in Brazil. The Simon Wiesenthal society has for decades made it their mandate to bring to justice or not you were criminals and many of them have been found in that area rather that country. Now I don’t know if this is related to what the clues are about but I look at what’s happening in the world in the rise of fascism and who the backers are and the circles that Madam floated in literally luscious yachting it’s all about your really dangerous people with a lot of power. So I am just raising this is a question. Is there anything there that might be related to the war criminals or the anything like that and I’m just throwing it out there.

Amber Amber,red……………

Oh this court trial her whatever case between amber Heard and Johnny Depp is just absolutely horrific it’s just all-around horrific. yesterday we heard about what his lunches were she took a picture of his lunch which was a huge cup of whiskey and cigarettes and four lines of cocaine and I forget what else was there and today in court we have them in a rage fight or Johnny Depp hurled a bottle of red wine at her.. Oh sometimes I wish the celebrity stuff that would just be kept out of the papers because this just is nothing but a sideshow of the sadness and with pathetic lives with people who have more money than you and I in than all of everybody on Tumblr put together will ever have and how it’s just wasted. But more than that though, how young beautiful people who are so talented just absolutely waste their lives and how abusive people are. I just find it so sad.

IOC allow protest? …………

The international Olympic committee has been battling with this issue. They have been trying to decide whether or not they will allow or penalize athletes for any demonstration of taking a knee or raising a fist or anything like that. The whole point of the Olympics is to unite the world in the form of athletics it’s kind of a diplomatic effort if you will like. Do you want to kind of be like “Switzerland” but they were a neutral in these kind of political issues. They are there for the sport and for the sake of the sport in and healthy competition not for political opinions and protests. So last I heard and have read they haven’t made a permanent decision about that yet. I know it’s been on the docket for quite some time and they’ll have to make a decision one way or the other. And I think either either way they go in making decisions I will be very upset people on both sides.

school 😷 masks. ……………

Various places are making various plans for back to school in September. The general consensus is the children need to get back to school even out of school for five months and many are falling behind. There are also many children who who miss nutrition if they’re not at school and as we have read and heard about there’s been an increase in addiction increase in domestic violence and that sort of thing and just the change of routine and structure am just been very detrimental to everybody but especially our most vulnerable children. And so part of the expectation will be and I think we need to all look at this going forward is that we will be wearing masks for a very long time. Some articles say this will be the new normal. Some scientists say Covid19 and the like, will never leave us. Going forward this will be our new normal in terms of social distancing in the plastic screens by the tills and between tables and restaurants and mask and all that sort of thing.

cricket lovely cricket ………

Finally sweet finally team sports are resuming. This weekend the cricket resumes and they are trialling a rather interesting thing of course there won’t be an audience but they are trialling putting loud cheers in and the audio as if there was a crowd present, to see if that makes a difference in how the players play. I think that’s a really interesting thing to do. We do know in sports how much the the athletes feed off the energy of the crowd and vice versa it’s all a very what’s the word pause visceral experience he kind of cheering and screaming and yelling when you get out all your frustrations while you’re cheering for your favourite team and it’s a it’s a healthy experience all the way around!

don’t cruise ………………

Well if you’re looking for a holiday they are suggesting anything but cruising! It is always a high-risk activity anyway because there’s so much food on display all the time and there’s all you always hear about food poisoning and bouts of people getting ill on cruise ships from that reason. Now adding Covid19 to the equation, just don’t 🚢cruise! That’s the recommendation and actually I’m quite surprised they’re even doing cruises but I guess they need money so badly that they’ll take whatever bookings they can get.

glee, not today ……………

Glee was a television show on the Fox channel in America about a high school musical club I think. I never watched it but it was immensely popular. There have been a number of young actors suffer from that show that have perished. A young woman by the name of Naya Rivera, her baby child was found in a boat today and the assumption is that she jumped and she drowned herself in the water. Just absolutely tragic and it’s just horrible. Condolences to her family, friends and fans.

tic-toc down. ………

Millions possibly billions around the planet today are freaking out because Tic Tok is down! The app is down is frozen and everybody who had saved Tic Tok messages have lost all their saved messages, their favourites are gone! They have lost everything and they’re not even sure if they’ll be able to recover the app and get it back up and going! So needless to say everybody who has been coming in so enamoured with Tic Tok is really really upset right now!

red crane down.

There has been been a tragic accident in East London today. A crane a large crane, red in colour, you know if those are the things that they use to build things wow I am an architect eh? Sad to say an 85-year-old lady was killed and she’s still with her body is still trapped in the house. They have sent another crane in to help with the recovery.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

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59. July 10

MM ANON …… fly high Vera…………… Johnny poo…………… Murray mint Kate…………… now Pneumonia …………… Break cover……………… without merit ……… cover up Boris………… stop and search 😱😱😱…………… open theatre …………………… “ we want gan gan !! “ …………… “ we can visit Catherine “ …………… “ yes’ before Scotland “…………… “ clandestine William “ ……… “your grandfather will be ecstatic 🤣🤣🤣”

Entertainment purposes

July 10/2020

💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈THANK YOU MM ANON🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜

RIDDLE#59

fly high Vera……………

Dame Vera Lynn who song just celebrated have the anniversary at the end of the first world war just a few short months ago. She died just after celebrating that anniversary, she was 103 years old. She is honoured today with a flypast from two Spitfires as crowds lined the streets of her Sussex village for her funeral - on the 80th anniversary of start of Battle of Britain. I Wonder if the Duchess of Sussex was there to pay her respects? She personified the the morale of many soldiers during World War II. The power of music we all know how powerful music it is. Certain songs especially and Till We Meet Again, Dame Vera, Rest In Peace Till We Meet Again……..🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😢😢😢😢😢😢🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Johnny poo……………

This whole court case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard it’s just sinking more in a very filthy territory. The female in the relationship allegedly was so mad that the male, was two hours late to her birthday party that she did a BM in his bed. Now there’s some mixup saying it was her dog’s BM was not her own BM. Either way it’s all just terrible.I wonder if this is a precursor somehow, to somewhat numb us to what’s going to come out of the MOS trial , facts that will be made public about madam, facts and the videos related to Madam. We will have heard such horrific things like this and then will hear regarding her it’ll be maybe a little easier to take I’m not sure.What we heard was that he didn’t cooperate with something and she had a BM in the bed kind of like a dog goes BM in your bed or in your shoes if he is mad at you. Just disgusting that adults behave like this I just can’t believe it.

Murray mint Kate……………

This weekend would’ve been the finals at Wimbledon. Today Catherine made a call and she look absolutely gorgeous in green I went to post that to my blog this morning. I made a snarky comment I said soon as that was posted we can expect the next video of Madam should be the same hairstyle as she’s madly looking for a green dress with athletes is on it and a bow that Catherine space was wearing on her left chest.

Catherine was kind of cheeky in how she presented her special guest. It was just her first and then she so cutely told them in the children as who’s are somebody special here with me and it turned out to be so Andy Murray so I needless to say everybody was very excited. They spent time talking about tennis and different strategies that sort of thing. The children also got to ask Catherine questions and then came around to their families and the lockdown. And there were questions about things like what did they do during lockdown. It was just a really nice back-and-forth video call Catherine is so good at that.

Of notes and he worry so anywhere he does have a history of having his name and his face on some mints so I picture here I hope it shows up when I when it’s posted.I also put the link underneath the picture doesn’t show up because I charge for pictures in before and they haven’t worked. I’m not sure if that’s what’s the clue was answered but you do you got lots of information anyway.🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2402105/Andy-Murray-face-super-imposed-Murray-Mints-US-Open.html

now Pneumonia ……..

Chinese health officials are now saying that an unknown pneumonia more deadly than the coronavirus“ that is “sweeping“ Kazakhstan and it’s actually likely to be Covid19! They are having 32,000 cases and 451 deaths between June 29 and July 5, 2020 in China. In Kazakhstan there have been 52,301 cases and 296 deaths.

Break cover………………

I think I can say, in my humble opinion, that this is our Harry. You all know that I’ve been banging on for years now that he is covertly overtly on her Majesty’s Secret Service. Now that everything has been arranged completed and finalized, they are completely disentangled from each other.Harry can break cover from wherever he’s been staying and just I’m sure just dying to announce the world that is he is free from that horrible horrible SEAHAG!! Every day when I open my iPad I look at Skippy screen is a green is a green the day it turned green I think we will all squeal and I think that will be a squeal and joy heard across the entire world perhaps even universe😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

without merit ………

When I read this headline a few minutes ago or over an hour to go I was absolutely gob smacked disgusted! GM, her attorney has said in court today in New York that the charges against GM are entirely without merit🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 and they want bail granted to immediately that she is not a flight risk!

cover up Boris…………

During one of the BLM riots a woman was seen wearing an anti-Boris tshirt. If you read what it said it was extremely vulgar. Police asked he to cover it up. Well she didn’t take kindly to that and filed a complaint. Today the results, the police officer(s) are forced to apologize. What is wrong with the world? Complete and utter disrespect!! How wonderful next thing is they’re going to make them not just get down on one knee to get down on both an end to pray at their feet?? This is absolutely gusting it really Riles me up because it’s so stupid.

stop and search 😱😱😱……………

In the United States and I think in particular New York State or New York City , they had a program called stop and frisbk. And law enforcement found that to be very effective in stopping some crimes. But that of course was done away with because human rights and all that stuff. So it stop and search was also used in the UK under the lockdown. 22,000 people have been stopped and searched. Now with Black Lives Matter and all the other issues are a cry a racial discrimination has been heard. Therefore an Inquiry will be conducted to review it in fact there were any cases of racial profiling or abuses.

open theatre…….

The government always acknowledged that “some venues which are, by design, crowded and where it may prove difficult to enact distancing may still not be able to reopen safely at this point”.

Outdoor theatres, opera, dance and music can start opening Saturday July 11/2020!! as they take place with a limited audience. Singing and the playing of brass and wind instruments will be permitted in a managed and controlled professional working environment to minimise risk.

How absolutely marvellous this is! I did a fairly long comment in one of my previous riddles interpretations where Piers Morgan was interviewing John Barrowman who is a well-known stage actor. They were talking about the Panto season and how much revenue that brings in for the theatre. Will all theatres being closed for so long without any future date to work towards, if something doesn’t happen with short order they may never reopen. I’m not sure what riddle that was so sorry I should’ve probably looked at which rental it was but anyways Google it.

“ we want gan gan !! “ …………… “ we can visit Catherine “ …………… “ yes’ before Scotland “…………… “ clandestine William “ ……… “your grandfather will be ecstatic 🤣🤣🤣”

Well here we have the Cambridge family desperately wanting to visit her Majesty the Queen. And it sounds like yes it’s a go for the annual trip to Balmoral and in fact that will be the Cambridge just placed a holiday as well at Balmoral in Scotland oh does it get any better oh sigh🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰☺️☺️☺️☺️ . Sounds like before they head up to Balmoral, the Cambridge greatgrandchildren will be going over to Windsor Castle to see Gangan and Himself! How wonderful is that!

As I said yesterday the Cambridges would not be going on vacation if things weren’t resolved with Harry! Yesterday Allegedly Anon and the previous day too, had left us some messages that, especially one that Catherine and William were working clandestinely with the legal team to arrange things for Harry. Sounds like things have been successful and William has completed the arrangements and Harry is a free man!!! This bring me to tears just thinking about that! I want to Harken to something LEGAL ANON made yesterday. Doing the divorce is easy it’s just a slip of paper but all the other arrangements financial another that’s what takes negotiations That is what takes the time , and Madam would , not go gently into that good night, to quote Dylan Thomas. She would be fighting for every ££££ and the Duchess of Sussex title. HMTQ is very happy with this news and she is extremely excited to tell her husband about this news because he absolutely loves and adores Harry.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

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60. July 11

MM ANON ………… relaxed on zoom…………… Leeds bleeds ………… office no office ………… compulsory …………… Brooklyn!! Yawn. ………… Smith, Will deny …………… “Well” , solve the mystery???…………… STONE cold guilty………… Bollywood in hospital ……………Beach sleep………… Tapes😱😱😱😱………… In secunda Eboracum venit ………… Boo-Hoo !!

Entertainment purposes

Saturday July 11/20

💜💜💜💜🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈😊😊😊😊😊THANK YOU DEAR MM ANON😊😊😊😊😊🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈💜💜💜💜

July 11/2020

RIDDLE#60!!!

Kids I think in total now I am well over 200 riddle interpretations I am so excited!

relaxed on zoom……………

Oh dear Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge how we love her!!! Initially in, doing her zoom meetings and time with in lieu of personal appearances or walkabouts, she was a little shy, but now she’s again, as with everything else, she’s come into to her own and she’s fully relax and is completely herself. I have to laugh Scooby Doo had to put in his comments to in the paper and he stole in my line!!! I’ve been saying this for years about Catherine , that she has fully come into her own!! Scooby I know you read here stop stealing my lines that is plagiarism!!!

Leeds bleeds …………

Everyone in the UK has a favourite football team! Sad to say the team in Leeds has lost a very very very valuable member of its family. Tributes are flooding in to the legendary World Cup winner for England in 1966 Jack Charlton who died at the age of 85 this week. There will be a lot of grieving and memories I am sure and my heart goes out to his family and all his friends and people who worked with him over the years.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

office no office …………

In a big change from his stay home, stay home, stay home work from home mantra. Boris Johnson now says everybody come on over , come on work it’s OK , come on in, to go back to your office, nothing to see here folks, just come on back it’s all right! And they’re having problems with the the tertiary businesses downtown because people are not working in the office or working from home. The thing is that people are getting to like working from home because they could have their own schedule and oh boy we we can’t have that can we can’t have people enjoying enjoying their life.

compulsory ……………

Was released from No. 10 a few hours ago, that the plan going forward will very likely be mandatory use of facemasks in all of the shops. That does not just mean that the staff that means also the people going to shop. So going forward I will suggest you stock up on reusable masks that are of a good quality that you can launder and sanitize and as well I also picked up a box of disposable ones so I have them on hand for when people come and I also bought a giant size of hand sanitizers so just start planning because it is the new normal.

Brooklyn!! Yawn. …………

Yawn is right big boring YAWN ! The Beckhams are never out of the news I’m so sick of this! now we have the 2.0 version Brooklyn Beckham is now engaged to some actress Nicola Peltz so I think her name is. well I’m sure millions and millions will be spent on this I wonder how long it will last yawn yawn yawn yawn is RIGHT on it MM Anon!!

Smith, Will deny …………… “

Oh more American trash news! Will Smith and his wife whatever her name is we are allegedly being interviewed on some podcast I think and she admitted having an affair with some woman. Now I always thought that they had an open marriage every that’s been the rumour for years and years and years and years I don’t know why this is such a big shock especially in Hollywood good gravy.

“Well” , solve the mystery???…………… STONE cold guilty………

Sad sad sad Madeline McCann they’re still looking for her. So they feel they have positive evidence and I’m not sure if the McCanns have even been told what that evidence is but they are searching wells near within I think at 8 mile distance from the hotel that they were staying at in Portugal and when little Madeline went missing. Yeah in the Stone called Yoshi I believe is the fact that the walls are made of stone so they must be pretty certain this is just terrible but there’s no way to sugarcoat any of this is just disgusting evil evil at its worst!

STONE cold guilty…

Another option might Oliver Stone, the famous Hollywood director/mogul. In his memoirs the director of many Hollywood huge films talked about the time he spent in Vietnam during the war. “I actually saw the man I killed which was rare in Vietnam… I felt no guilt he’s dead I’m alive that’s the way it works”.

Bollywood in hospital ……………

COVID-19 is in a rage in India and their Bollywood stars are I think it’s bigger than Hollywood because the population is bigger . They are all actually considered the royalty in in India and around the world actually because Bollywood has billions of fans. So sad to say the king of Bollywood cinema, Amitabh Bachchan who is 77, and his son Abhishek 44 have both revealed that they have COVID-19. Abhishek is married to Aishwarya Rai. She is beautiful, wowza, she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my life. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻for them to recover!

Beach sleep…………

Yes yes yes the ability to go to the beach has been returned and they are taking full advantage of it by not going back home I just saw her sleeping on the beach. Now I think that’s probably not legal I know that it’s not legal in some places however I don’t think that’s gonna stop anybody from it. I read that in the paper yesterday they were already concerned about the lack of social distancing on it on beaches in the UK and I think this will only add to that concern.

Tapes😱😱😱😱…………

GM, or is it OMG!!!!!!!!?????!!!!! The lawyer for VRG It’s saying publicly that the Epstein tapes that GM has, have HRH Prince Andrew is on those tapes. We have no idea the contents of those tapes they could be audio they could be video they could be parties who knows. But it’s just throwing more gas on the fire and again I have to say why is HRH Prince Andrew being singled out??? We have former presidents , we have many billionaires , we have many famous people men and women that have had contact with him and in fact flew that airplane to that horrible island why on earth are they focussing on Andrew!!??!!!

In secunda Eboracum venit …………

Direct translation from the Latin this is second income from the York. Now what does that mean?I mean we know what it means now but in terms of what’s going on what does this mean? Has Prince Andrew and you found another source of revenue? H as someone else been profiting off using York as a second income? This is puzzling to me I find the Latin stuff always kind of stumped me a little bit.

We know that there is no way that UK government would extradite him to the United States for charges should they be entered or even for a simple interview with the F.B.I. Or SDNY again l say, he’s not been charged with anything! There is a pending extradition order from the UK regarding that woman whose name I don’t remember who killed that young boy on his motorbike and then scrambled it out of the UK and flew back to America. America has been clear that they will not be extradite her back to England to face charges, THAT HAVE BEEN FILED!! So there is a rather sticky point there if they were just extra like a regular woman, not the son of HMTQ!

Boo-Hoo !!

This is completely shocking because England is not a Third World country one expects these things to happen in those countries but not not in a first world country. Although as we are seeing the changes that are happening in 2020 the things that we excepted were normal as normal are no longer there. I I keep harkening back to London scoop, who that poor girl, she said up and down and down is up. She got so scared and and she said things that will never be the same once you was you know what’s really going on.

“­­ ­‘Anyone saying all their staff are on minimum wage in the garment industry is a fraud:’ ‘Sweatshop’ owner of Boohoo factory confesses he pays workers a shocking £4 AN HOUR” is the headline of the article in the daily mail. That’s that’s literally the term sweatshop we are sweating for minimal money, I am sure and no benefits of any sort no health benefits no pension plan no sick time and certainly no vacation time. This is disgusting! I feel bad because I use that word disgusting quite a bit since I started this audio thing talking and then thing types for me to save my hands, I found myself talking out loud instead of talking in my head as I’m typing and I’ve noticed how I say certain things with regularity and disgusting as one of them.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

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61. July 12

MM ANON ……… keep my sex life private…………… farm infectious …………… we don’t have to wear them…………… elephants virus ……………… sad swim ……………… down and out in LA…………… Burton blocks…………ROYAL BUTLER. ………… Fourteen Times!!!! ……………… Ritchies holiday camp …………ATMs lockdown ……………… electric scooters😱😱😱😱😱………… Kate tops poll

Entertainment purposes

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈😊😊😊😊😊😊🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸THANK YOU MM ANON🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸😊😊😊😊😊😊🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

July 12/2020

RIDDLE#61

keep my sex life private……………

Kate Beckinsale is one British actress I have actually seen and other than price of classic classic ones like Helen Mirren etc. and that level. She’s 46 believe it or not and is in a relationship with a young man who is 23. She has been getting trolled online and hassled and every other word you can think of in every social media regarding the age difference in this relationship and any anything else you can imagine they are having to go at her about. She simply wants to live her life and she said she’s not goning to let something like a menopause stop her from enjoying being a woman and having a relationship. And age and quite frankly any of her personal life is nobody’s business. Where do all these trolls come from? Do you not have anything better to do? That would be the day I would go online and tell somebody who they should or shouldn’t date or anything about their sex life that that’s just my mind just it’s just crazy.

farm infectious ……………

At a vegetable farm in Herefordshire, a large outbreak of COVID-19 has occurred amongst the seasonal workers. 73 people have been confirmed positive of having COVID-19.. The produce from this farm are sent to Tesco, Aldi ,Sainsbury’s, ASDA, etc all the usual food stores. so might start to see some empty bench shelves or a massive increase in price I’m not certain of that. this is no workers are all house in trailers. And currently the police are actually guarding the exits so that no one can leave that’s how serious this is.

we don’t have to wear them……………

Masks, we have been been told not to wear them, they’re not helpful, then oh yes you must wear them. Them if you’re outside amongst fresh air you don’t need them and then oh, no you still need them as protecting you and protecting other people. They have been made mandatory in the shops in Scotland both for the staff and the shoppers. Boris Johnson, there’s a funny picture of him in the paper pulling a pint wearing a mask. I think we should all go back to , remember the bubble boy? from Seinfeld? like we should all get big bubbles and then we could just roll around in our bubbles and have like a hole for the bathroom, a hole for food. I guess it’s just crazy already. No now I’ve read and heard they’re making masks compulsory in for children. Try get a child to keep on a mask for more than 1/10th of a second or to wear it properly and avoid touching their face. Oh this is so unrealistic as we prepare to send our children back to school. I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic because you all know little children I mean we know how it is as an adult uncomfortable those masks are, children will have a tough time with that. I saw on the blog the other day somebody had a picture with a mask on their dog or was that it was a cat with a cat like wow I wonder how long the cat kept that mask on for.

elephants virus ………………

In news that is likely to severely distress Prince Harry, because he loves Botswana so much, there is a virus loose amongst some elephants. 400 elephants have died. They don’t know exactly what the virus is but there is some concern that it is possibly transmittable to humans. currently there is a massive investigation underway they’re assessing the water the vegetation in the air the soil anything that could point a clue to what this is.

sad swim ………………

The Glee actress ,Naja Rivera, her body is still missing and she is presumed dead. They’ve been dragging the lake and searching and searching but as yet have not found her body. It’s agony to look at the pictures of her mom and her ex-husband at the lake. There was even a video of her father just kind of losing it and running out into the lake is so sad. She must’ve been in a very bad way to leave a four-year-old child alone on the boat in the middle of the lake and have him witness her it must’ve been so traumatic and he’s old enough to know that those memories are going to be in there somewhere for that child.

down and out in LA……………

Yes fake Madam and fake Harry were seen at a gas station in L.A., filling gas into a Cadillac Escalade. They are both looking pretty rough! Those actors need some grooming basic grooming and oh they desperately need an iron for her!? She needs something for her knees , Lord that woman, you need kneepads her hobbies/activities have so badly affected her kneecaps. Sometimes drunk people or people with bulimia spend hours hurling at a loo, on their knees. I think fake Harry need some new clothes. Maybe we should start a go fund me page for both of these two pathetic people.Always one to merch, wear Givenchy and everything designer, here she was carrying a clear plastic purse, like a little girl who’s two or three carrying their first purse! It was some alleged fertility medication or was an acne medication or was it a fake box everything is fake fake fake fake your fake!

Burton blocks…………

Yet in another case of a celebrity doing what they want to, Tim Burton has erected of a wooden wall on his property. Property is allegedly worth around £3,000,000! not too much eh? The thing of it is, the wall blocks a popular foot path that many people take to get down to the river. We know we like to walk, we like to walk our dogs and we get used to certain things and now that is no longer there. Needless to say the locals are not too happy. I wonder how much time these celebrities actually spend spend in their multi million pound country homes. Thechoices they make that affects so many other people who live there permanently surely there must have been another way around this.

ROYAL BUTLER. …………

A man named Grant Harrold, used to be Prince Charles’ butler and he’s also worked for other members rather for other members of the royal family. He’s become somewhat of a TV commentator as well as he’s wanting to start his own royal school for butler training and another for etiquette. . They were fine to have him style himself as a royal Butler. However when he wanted to name his school and his training course that he was offering royal Butler training and etiquette as Royal, that’s when the Lord Chamberlain’s office at Buckingham palace stepped in and filed an injunction.He should have known better and just left well enough alone. Whem it comes to actually use the word royal in the UK , no no no no cannot dothat!

Fourteen Times!!!! ………………

I need a sappy violin playing in the background, now today report on the legal case between Johnny Depp and Amber heard! she is saying that over a three-year period 14 times is the number of times that he allegedly, physically attacked her. Hold up your hand if you believe that. OK take a minute I’ll wait, I’ll wait and let you think about it. I don’t see any hands up yet. OK, one more time, hold up your hands if you believe her. I still don’t see any hands being held up interesting!

Ritchies holiday camp …………

Guy Ritchie, film director formally Madonna’s husband has a massive $9 million estate in the UK. He’s going to build a holiday camp on his estate so he can host hunting parties. Now is that the life of Riley or what?

ATMs lockdown ………………

During the COVID-19 lock down many ATMs Burton lactone as well. There’s no a mandate or a law that’s coming into our rule I don’t know what to call it that’s coming into affect that there will be an open and accessible ATM within each region per number of people per capita. This is that people can all have access to cash. A few years back all the rage was Glamping, that a hybrid between camping and glamour and the tents were filled with queen size beds and every luxury fancy thing you could imagine. So his cabins that he’s going to build are going to be luxury cabins probably nicer than most of our houses.So if you have an extra £15,000 that you wanna blow in one day do you know spend the day there for £15,000?

electric scooters😱😱😱😱😱…………

Gone are the days of scooters where you’d actually have to use some exercise and use your foot to propel yourself. Well now leave the little things are electric and they can go go go. They are now being legalized to use on rolls which is madness. The tuned term scooter in Canada is not the same as in the UK. A scooter here is what older folks or people with health problems drive around and it’s a four wheeled vehicle some of them have roofs it’s kind of like a mini golf carts know that we are talking about here or scooters like from the 1950s like a skateboard with a handle. More and more people are using this as a way to commute to work to and from work and putting more risk to it because it’s a busier time of day to be on the road in such a such an open device with no protection. A TV presenter by the name of Emily Hartridge was 35 and she was killed last year at a roundabout in Battersea. I think the fair is and rightly so of these things being in the traffic versus on the sidewalk big big concern.

Kate tops poll

In the latest survey run by the Daily Mirror, Catherine came out on top as most popular.just ahead of her Majesty the Queen. And madam’s sugars are all in a to-do about this because they believe Madam is the top royal.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

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62. July 13

MM ANON ……… heartbroken …………… musky Amber…… sleepy ice cream………… sad Lake……………… more organ warnings …………… huge slave factory’s ……………… tin foil………” never call your babies…???………………… second safest road ……………Forest Rambo…………………” you go old thing , it’s for the best” …………… “ I may stay!! “ …………… Ken. Palace bubble.

Entertainment purposes

🌈🌈🌈🌈💜💜💜💜😊😊😊😊THANK YOU MM ANON😊😊😊😊💜💜💜💜🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈

July 14/2020 riddle was posted July 13/2030

Sorry l am late!

RIDDLE #62

Thank you to the Daily Mail for loads of help on this riddle!

heartbroken ……………

Wow what wouldn’t fit under heartbroken clue?? The death of that young celebrity while her young son was in the boat. All the deaths from Covid, all the tragedy around the world, the loss, this is a an open ended clue. I have no idea where to go because there is so much heartbreaking stuff going on out there.. We have John Travolta‘s wife dying of cancer, a toddler killed in the UK hit it in the driveway, a mother and daughter dying within a short span of time.

musky Amber……

Here again we have heard daily update in the saga of the duo whose lives are so sad. Into the mix comes Elon Musk yeah yeah yeah yeah.Elon Musk and NOT Johnny Depp could have given Amber Heard cuts and bruises during their affair, as her marriage to the actor fell apart, according to the Penthouse concierge! Musk was a regular visitor to Amber Heard’s LA penthouse, arriving at 11pm and still there at 1am, allegedly. How lovely! NOT🤢😱! These late-night rendezvous took place as Heard’s marriage to Johnny Depp fell apart amid a series of serious sometimes violent arguments.Johnny Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun over an article referring to him as a wife beater. Court heard of an argument that occurred on May 2016, when Heard says Depp threw a mobile phone at her ‘like a baseball pitcher’. But security staff at the building where she lived said there were no cuts or bruises on her face for a week after the alleged attack. Instead , Trinity Esparza, who ran security at the building, said it wasn’t until May 27 Heard ‘had a red cut underneath her right eye and red marks by her eye’. Ms Esparza also alleges that on June 4 - two weeks after Johnny Depp left the penthouse - she saw Amber Heard with further injuries; a bruise on her left check and two on either side of her neck in the shape of fingers.When asked who Amber Heard had been 'interacting over this time Ms Esparza replied, 'Elon Musk’ - then if there was anybody else, she replied, 'No’

sleepy ice cream…………

Catherine was interviewed this morning which would’ve been Monday morning on the BBC is that honey happy people right on her Tiny Happy People initiative. She spoke about all three of her children are like bottomless pit filling machines we used to say that kids head hollow legs when they can eat and eat like that as they were growing. Interesting she said little Louis does not understand social distancing well yeah he’s young and this is one of the problems with returning to school children will not understand the concept of a certain age anyway. I wonder I didn’t see the actual interview but I wonder if she mentioned that if they have a little snack at bedtime that’ll get them to sleep easier I’m not sure. I can’t find anything and I can’t think of anything other than that were sleepy ice cream that’s current, unless somebody put drugs in their ice cream and who knows with celebrities these days anything is possible!

sad Lake………………

Naya Rivera’s Glee castmates including Jane Lynch lead celebs paying tribute after body was found at Lake Piru six days after disappearance: ‘What a force you were’. Police confirmed that a body pulled from Lake Piru on Monday is the actress just six days after she vanished. The actress’s family rushed to the lake on Monday morning and some of her Glee castmates, including Heather Morris, were also there. Jane Lynch was the first to pay her respects as she took to Twitter on Monday to write: ‘Rest sweet, Naya. What a force you were. Love and peace to your family’. They both starred on the Fox series from 2009 to 2015; Naya as cheerleader Santana Lopez and 59-year-old Lynch as coach Sue Sylvester. A day prior, Rivera’s co-stars Amber Patrice Riley and Kevin McHale took to Twitter to urge followers to show some respect for Naya’s family and friends. She vanished on Wednesday on Lake Piru after taking a pontoon boat out on the water with her four-year-old son Josey. On Sunday, Naya’s distraught family were seen at the lake trying to assist investigators in their search for her. Her Glee co-stars Jenna Ushkowitz, Kevin McHale, Max Adler, Josh Sussman, Amber Riley, Lea Michele, Jane Lynch, Chris Coelfer, Darren Criss, Alex Newell and Kristin Chenoweth posted tributes to Naya by Monday night.

more organ warnings ……………

It has been found that Covid-19 damages the heart? One in eight tests on infected patients in hospital reveal 'severe dysfunction’ and more than half develop abnormalities, a study has found.The study, done by the British Heart Foundation, was on patients that doctors already suspected had Covid-19 heart issues. One in eight of them showed signs of 'severe dysfunction’ in pumping motion.The majority of patients had had healthy hearts before catching the coronavirus. Yet another reason to be terrified of this virus to reduce social distancing and wear a mask and follow all the guidelines we are given.

huge slave factory’s ………………

We were just waiting for this weren’t we after last weeks news about boo-hoo. Boohoo’s links to Leicester ‘slave’ factory further revealed. The business partner of clothing brand’s co-founder owns warehouse accused of paying employees £3.50 per hour. The Leicester 'slave factory’ is run by Morefray Ltd, a Manchester-owned firm. Morefray has ties to the I Saw It First fashion firm set up by Jalal Kamani, 60. Kamani is the co-founder of Bohoo and retains a stake in the under-fire retailer. Bohoo is embroiled in the allegations of 'modern slavery and human trafficking’. Does it get any more pathetic I’m right downtown in a big city human trafficking going on? And we know this is happening across cities all across the world wherever we live it is so disturbing!

tin foil………”

Well now we have some more information from authorities on what went down when GM was arrested. Ghislaine Maxwell tried to flee when the FBI raided her $1M New Hampshire hideaway and had a phone wrapped in tin foil ‘in misguided effort to avoid detection’. Ghislaine Maxwell refused to open the front door to the FBI and tried to flee to another room when they raided her $1million home, prosecutors claimed today.The FBI smashed down the door and discovered a mobile phone wrapped in tin foil which prosecutors called a 'seemingly misguided effort to evade detection’. Prosecutors said that her conduct during the 8:30am raid on July 2 at the property called 'Tuckedaway’ in New Hampshire was 'troubling’. New York prosecutors said this was evidence that Maxwell was 'skilled at living in hiding’ and should be denied bail.Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend 'vigorously denies’ charges against her.Maxwell’s lawyers argued she is not a flight risk and is 'not Jeffrey Epstein’. They also said she had not been in contact with pedophile Epstein for more than a decade before he died in a New York prison last year. She will appear in court Tuesday where a judge will decide if she can be freed. I didn’t think there was a person on the planet that actually believed about the tinfoil thing but I guess now we know there is one.

“never call your babies…???…………………

The unpopular names British parents say they’d NEVER call their babies - including Boris, Karen and Meghan😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣.In a Survey of 5,842 parents reveals names they wish they’d steered away from. One Third admitted they didn’t give child’s name enough thought before choosing. 73% said they had thought of better names for their children after naming them.The top names parents would never give their children includes Boris and Donald!!

second safest road ……………

Car infotainment systems and mobile phones are keeping death rate on Britain’s roads unchanged despite improvements in vehicle safety, Department for Transport officials warn.Department for Transport (DfT) raises concern over number of deaths on roads.The figure remains largely unchanged since 2010, despite safety improvements.Last year in the UK five people died on roads each day, with 68 seriously injured.However new figures revealed road death rate is second lowest across Europe.Most accidents resulting in fatalities are due to driver distraction, says report. So wherever you drive you know that in the UK you are driving on the second safest rose that’s a good thing to know!

Forest Rambo…………………”

The hunt is on the for German ‘Forest Rambo’.Special forces and helicopters are in a huge manhunt for a camouflage-wearing, bow and arrow-wielding maniac who overpowered four police officers and went on the run in forest. Special forces, helicopters and sniffer dogs are searching forest near Oppenau. Suspect is Yves Etienne Rausch who was ID checked near Oppenau in Sunday. Rausch 'suddenly and completely unexpectedly’ pulled a gun on police officers.He made the officers hand over their weapons before running away, police say.

“you go old thing , it’s for the best” …………… “ I may stay!! “ ……………

Here we are at Windsor Castle and Her Majesty and Prince Philip are debating should they or shouldn’t they go to Balmoral. He says you go, it’s all it’s OK it’s for the best.I don’t think she’s having that she’s not going without him and her retort is a swift I may day stay!! Now that can be taken two ways, I may stay, thank you very much here right here at Windsor Castle or I may stay at Balmoral !! Are you taking the two ways? You decide which way you think it’s it is meant.

Ken. Palace bubble.

With all the chalk and bubbles school bubbles travel bubbles etc. I wonder if this is not Kensington Palace being a bubble? Given the fact that there are four heirs to the throne in that home , I wonder if when the Cambridges return from Anmer Hall or any vacations they may be taking, if Kensington Palace will become a bubble. Given the uncertainty of Covid and everything and he has some schools will start in the fall and some won’t we really don’t know until that time and what’s really going to happen. So I think they may be planning ahead and having Kensington Palace be a bubble I think that’s a really excellent idea.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

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63. July 14

💜💜💜💜💜💜I must say I’ve never done with the riddle if I had to type it all out because there were so many clues I am so thankful for this audio speak software off! Also won a game thank the daily mail for the great assistance in finding information for this riddle really appreciate it OK here it is!💜💜💜💜💜

MM Anon

MM ANON …… NO BAIL……… happy little people ………… gymnast aghast ………… George is not happy ………… a woke joke…………………… masked rats………………… carry on up the Amazon …………… “ so are White People” ……………… a new rash ……… HMTQ Royal zoom…………Black-burnt ……………… cut my card up………… veggies break out………… blame the dog-poo………………up up and Huawei………”

Entertainment purposes

🌈🌈🌈🌈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜 thank you MM Anon💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌈🌈🌈🌈

July 14/2020. RIDDLE #63

NO BAIL………

Oh of course not who are earth would have ever thought that she could possibly get bail!!! cry all you want to lady it’s too late for tears way way way way way too late for tears! She is the highest value target of that law-enforcement has been looking for to put this multi facetted multi country case to bed, pardon the pun. She holds in her head and possibly on tape or in books or journals or whatever the details about the most powerful men and women on the planet and the most wealthy and all their their evil filthy deeds that are secret still but need to come to light for justice for the victims. At some point the truth will come out the light will shine on the bill. We have yet to hear at least to my knowledge what if anything they found on that island or in the temple sort of thing not to degrade the word temple I don’t mean any disrespect at all. She will never be a free woman again and have you noticed that I have never said her name is yet I have no intention to say her name or her initials she’s not worthy of it and I don’t want it on my iPad.!!! But you all know exactly the woman who I’m talking about who is now in federal custody in the United States and is being watched because she is a high-value targets not an asset not yet not as yet we don’t know that she is not an asset because we don’t know if she’s told them anything. At some point she may become a high value asset but right now I’m looking at her as a high-value target so somebody’s willing to take her out like they did the man JE I shouldn’t say his name either oh yeah right now she’s a very very high value target and they have her under heavy heavy heavy supervision!!

happy little people …………

I spoke about this yesterday when I was talking about Catharine being interviewed by the BBC on television pardon me.She is working on a new initiative called Tiny Happy People. Catherine has been part of a video, an educational digital tool for parents. This video is part of Tiny Happy People, a BBC Education initiative providing digital resources to support parents. The Duchess of Cambridge,Quote “She said: ‘So much focus, particularly during pregnancy and when you have a newborn baby, is the physical development. But what I found was missing was the support on how to further their emotional and mental development… And it’s that bit that I think you really need the support.‘”By the way I have to say does not her hair look fantastic with a new highlights? I was reminded by Skippy of a few riddles ago something above blonde bits so I wonder if she was telling us of what was to come with Catherine’s hair? I know she did highlights last year and the photos of them walking the children into school she looks so gorgeous how could she not look gorgeous. Yes the feminist would say yes we shouldn’t talk about her looks and everything like that little Pooh Pooh Pooh I am going to because she looks fantastic especially just imagine all the pressure that that woman is under never mind me and a mother of three and on the front page all the time and that’s the subject of PR garbage from Madam. Catherine you rock and I love you to bits!

gymnast aghast …………

Just something that has been quietly going on behind the scenes for years for decades we saw I have seen it in minor hockey in Canada and junior hockey players in the NHL have come out or written books about their sexual abuse when they were young men. Many of the Olympic gymnasts on the American team that did so well in Brazil, have come out and and accused their doctor l believe, of long-term sexual abuse and it’s rampant. It was someone on their coaching staff him but I’m pretty sure it was the doctor.We know it’s been a rampant since sex was invented it’s been twisted and used for abuse.Olympic medallist Amy Tinkler has yet to hear from British Gymnastics EIGHT MONTHS after submitting a complaint and says her ‘experiences’ there are why she quit the sport in January. UK Sport has launched a probe into claims that gymnasts were abused by coaches. Amy Tinkler released a statement on Tuesday morning about British gymnastics.Tinkler said her negative experiences there is why she quit the sport in January.She says she submitted a complaint in December and is still awaiting feedback. How disgusting is that eight months eight months and not a word yeah. how ridiculous is this I thought with the #MeToo, movement that things are changing and you know it things will get faster looked at and dealt with but it doesn’t appear so does it! Athletes are still stepping up and talking about the horrors of abuse they experienced! They claim they were beaten and locked away at the hands of British Gymnastic coaches. An international athlete from Britain says abuse of gymnasts is ongoing and there is also a fear of repercussions that is preventing some from speaking out!! UK Sport is investigating claims British gymnasts were abused by their coaches after a series of allegations from gymnasts, including Catherine Lyons, were made.

George is not happy …………

‘Grumpy’ Prince George! Catherine Middleton has said her son, six, is upset because baby brother Prince Louis, two, is beating him in a ‘sunflower growing competition’ at home. Ahhhh but dear a George you will be 7 on the 22nd of July! You are years ahead of your dear little brother💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜!Catherine revealed her children are having a sunflower growing contest.

a woke joke……………………

I am so sick of this woman and her bloody word salad it’s not even funny I can’t even look at her and watch that video her hair now looks like it’s about 6 feet long oh gosh help me Lord help me!! Madam quoted the Dalai Lama as she urged young women to fight gender and race inequality with 'compassion’ - while vowing that she, Prince Harry and baby Archie 'will be cheering you on' she spoke to the Girl Up Leadership Summit via Zoom on Tuesday, when she urged young women to tackle inequality in the world. Oh how should they do that madam, should they go yachting or make a video and then sell it to a really naughty website??She quoted the Dalai Lama, saying: ‘Compassion is the radicalism of our time’. I don’t know if she gave credit to the Dalai Lama or if it’s the researchers at the paper that good she’s not normally known to get credit for people that she steals from. she spoke on a number of social issues, including gender inequality and racial injustice, as well as gun violence and mental health awareness. Other speakers have included Hillary Clinton, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Meghan’s close friend Priyanka Chopra Jonas. I love this part , where they say Her close friend Priyanka Chopra. So she did manage to weasel her way in there interesting so interesting I just it’s just so pathetic but look at the other women I mean who’s on the list I won’t even say their name just look at them and you’ll know back her back her back her!

masked rats…………………

BANKSY strikes again! Banksy urges Tube passengers to wear masks by disguising himself as a TfL deep cleaner to graffiti sneezing rats on carriage in his latest guerrilla attack. The world famous, artist from Bristol was filmed spraypainting a carriage with equipment used by Tube staff to disinfect London trains. This Piece is called 'If you don’t mask - you don’t get’ has rat sneezing and coughing across windows and walls. Banksy was filmed creating art on a busy train and was forced to usher people away so he could complete it. The last time he did the tribute to George Floyd I tried to include the picture in my interpretation it didn’t work so I won’t bother now but it’s easy to find if you Google it OK.

carry on up the Amazon ……………

An announcement of unbelievable Technology has been taken made by the billionaire Jeff Bezos company Amazon. Amazon unveils shopping ‘Dash Carts’ that know what supermarket customers are putting in their trolleys/ shopping carts and let them skip the checkout queue/line up. They will first show up at a new Amazon supermarket in Woodland Hills, LA. Cameras, sensors and scales automatically detect and list any items . Customers can leave directly without seeing a cashier and the card linked to their Amazon account will automatically be charged. This is unbelievable can you imagine how much time and effort this is going to save after a long days work when you wanna whip into a store and just grab your groceries and go you’re not gonna be held up you’re not going to be having to put up with a chatty cashier that likes to talk about everything and listen to beep beep beep as she slowly slides things across the thing you know the price detector that puts the price on oh golly I don’t know how it was described anyways wow is all I have to say!!!

“ so are White People” ………………

President Trump is being interviewed today and he was asked about the current police situation and he was saying “white people are being killed those two, upper case more white people! This was PresidentTrump’s response when he was asked why black Americans are still being killed by police officers.. I don’t think I’ll add anything more because everybody has their own opinion and I’m not gonna get into a political debate here I’m just going to state that’s what this is it this clue is OK.

a new rash ………

And yet more news regarding the COVID-19 virus we have some new information that skin rashes are also a symptom of COVID-19. One in 11 Covid-19 patients break out in itchy blotches as scientists urge NHS to extend its official list of tell-tale signs (which still only includes three). Researchers from King’s College London drew on data from over 20,000 Britons . Respondents either tested positive for Covid-19 or heavily suspected of having it. They found 9 per cent of those who were infected also suffered from skin rashes. While 8 per cent of people with other tell-tale symptoms of Covid had rashes. So I guess that’s another symptom to look out for even in children to I would think.

HMTQ Royal zoom…………

This is yet another thing that I absolutely love about her Majesty no matter what the situation she’s up for it and I just I just admire her so much! “One IS amused” Cheerful Queen laughs after hearing about RAF gunner’s lockdown training regime of pushing a CAR up and down the streets as she joins UK armed forces around the globe for video chat.” Daily Mail. Her Majesty, the Queen was seen enjoying a chuckle during her second official virtual royal duty.She spoke with Jamaica-born Lance Corporal Stephens who joined RAF 2011. The Lance Corporal is a member of the Jamaican Olympic bobsleigh team. Remember that movie with a John Candy about their team?? Cool Runnings!! Great film! Her Majesty laughed when he told her he pushed a car along for exercise!

Black-burnt ………………

Madam has once again, risen up and shown us her amazing compassion skills her humanity!🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Meghan Markle has phoned a black woman, 18, who says she was set on fire by four white men in an alleged hate crime . She said it really 'lifted her spirits’ by talking about the 'importance of self care’ during the 40-minute call.Madam, allegedly so l say, spoke with Althea Bernstein, an 18-year-old black woman who was the victim of an alleged hate crime in Wisconsin last week. The paper uses Duchess, but l am saying Madam, got in touch through president of the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. He told how Madam and Prince Harry pledged to speak with youth of Wisconsin. Are you kidding me neither one of those two has ever heard of Wisconsin!! I’m sure neither of them have ever been there!! Harry is not with her he has never been with her!! This is just such PR lies it’s not even funny! There is no way that woman had a 40 minute conversation focussed on another person it’s impossible!! She is so narcissistic she could not go 40 minutes without talking about her self and making it all about herself! My sympathies are with this young woman if in fact this truly happen and to be pulled in and use as a PR pawn by Madam is foul very foul!

cut my card up…………

You know I often hearken to London scoop when she said when she found the information she found that up was down and down was up and everything was twisted around to all she’s ever known. And here is another example. Conservative Party members have been cutting up their membership cards in protest at PM BJ’s plan to make face masks mandatory in shops as an MP Michael Gove shunned them while buying breakfast today.

The hashtag #NoMasks and the word ‘muzzles’ were both trending on twitter while several Tory supporters posted pictures of chopped-up cards, cancelled registrations or deleting their direct debits.

Many said the order - which will come into effect from July 24 and carries a maximum fine of £100 for non-compliance - is incompatible with the party’s libertarian values. Others claimed there is insufficient evidence to suggest that the measure has meaningful health benefits.

veggies break out…………

I told you last week of the what’s the word quarantine at the vegetable farm in Herefordshire. I think I also mentioned that they were being guarded by police so know that none of them believe and I believe at the time 73 of the hundred workers have tested positive. Well yesterday I read they were being offered free cigarettes and alcohol to comply with staying in quarantine. But here I see that’s four of them have managed to escape the luxury life of life in a trailer with free booze and free ciggies!! So the police are actually actively looking for them at this time. Because it is last week they were seasonal workers in today in the paper it seems most of them are from Eastern Europe. So I’m not sure that you’re thinking they’re going to try and make a run for going home or I wonder who has their passports with their employer hold their passports and I’m not sure.

blame the dog-poo………………

Oh here we are in the saga of JD and AH. I am tired of the name so I will just use the abbreviations. Yes yes we all know what she allegedly left in his bed when he was two hours late for her birthday party. I wonder if they’re going to have to do DNA testing on the stuff or even have the sample because the story keeps changing first it was her that it was a friend and now the dogs are being blamed. Maybe all three did it maybe they just got in there and got doing their business and you know somehow that’s how it goes let your freak flag fly right!😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣😂

up up and Huawei………”

I think this is an excellent excellent decision in compliance with United States and Canada’s stand on Broadway. They have been known to hack and interfere with software and all sorts of bad actor activities. As I’ve told you before we currently in our country on behalf of the United States have the head of Huawei’s daughter in custody for charges in the United States part. She is fighting those charges and I’m not sure point this point how long is gonna take to extradite her to the United States.However hair and I was actually with the riddle is about that is my rambling.

“China’s trade threat: Ambassador hints at retaliation over 'disappointing and wrong’ decision to strip Huawei out of 5G network, saying it is now 'questionable’ if UK can be an 'open and fair business environment’

Government today announced Chinese tech giant Huawei will be banned from the UK’s new 5G network

It will be illegal for telecoms firms in Britain to buy Huawei 5G equipment from December 31 of this year

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said all Huawei 5G technology will then be stripped out of network by 2027

Government had given Huawei the green light in January to help build the network amid security concerns

US sanctions recently imposed on the firm prompted a reassessment of the company’s role and today’s U turn

Decision to exclude Huawei from 5G network will mean completion of roll out delayed by two to three years

Liu Xiaoming, Chinese ambassador to the UK, tweeted it was a 'disappointing and wrong decision by the UK'” Thank you Daily Mail.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇳🇿🇦🇺

——————

[captainlordauditor]

300x3 7:02

300 words 3 times a week etc

I wrote this Tuesday and then just..completely forgot to post it. This is I guess the thing I’m gonna be poking at when I need a break from earth 988 but I’m staying in Batman? It’s basically the same concept of messing around with the timeline by moving up a character’s birth several years but with Jason, so I’ve labeled it earth 488. Timeline’s not super worked out so the ages are subject to change. 1729 words.

Warnings for brief mentions of drugs, CSA, etc, standard Batman warnings I guess

The kid’s in college when Bruce first meets him, or rather he should be; instead he’s hotwired the Batmobile and taken it for a ride, and Batman finds him several streets away from where he left it, grinning fit to burst, classic rock blaring out the open windows. He slams the brakes when he sees the local cryptid in front of him and stops just short of hitting Batman, but he doesn’t lose that grin the whole time.

“You gonna turn me in or what, Batsy?” His eyes are a rusty blue green like the water in the bay in the summer, and Batman sees a reckless storm in them. His eyes are like justice; his eyes are like liberty.

He should be angry, should be fuming, especially tonight, but he’s not. He laughed himself stupid when he found the car missing and it’s a struggle to keep himself from laughing again when confronted with the thief. “What do you think you’re doing?”

He tilts his head, easy, like he’s having the most casual conversation in the world. “Wanted to see if she drives as pretty as she looks.”

Batman sighs, watching him. “You must be very good, to get past the security measures.”

He shrugs. He’s too thin, too small, his jacket hanging off of him like Batman’s cape. “I do alright.”

The Bat glides over to the drivers side door. “Show me.”

He tries to drop the kid off at the only group home in the neighborhood, but the kid laughs his head off when he sees the building. “That’s my grandma's place,” he says. “Taught me all I know. She’s running a museum heist tonight, you know that?”

Batman’s heart stops. He turns his head, watches the thief in the seat next to him, his head rolled back against the seat. His red-black hair is mussed from the wind, his eyes are sparkling with laughter. He looks godly; he looks obscene. Batman wants to see him like this again.

“Goes to show, right?” says the thief. “Everything good in Gotham rots.”

Batman releases the parking brake. “That’s not true.”

“Sure it is. What’s rotting you, Batsy?”

“Which museum?”

He sees the thief again the next week, walking the Bowery without a shirt under his jacket. He saunters over to the Batmobile and drapes himself against the door, displaying his skinny bare chest for Batman to admire. Batman thinks of what it would be like to wrap him in the warmest blanket in the manor. “You finally here to rot with the rest of us, Batsy?”

“I thought you were a thief,” Batman says. 

“I’m whatever you want,” he replies, and Batman doesn’t know why he was so much more attractive stealing a car than when he’s openly flirting. “I can even be your Robin for the night, if that’s what you’re after.” He tilts his head, smile fading. “Is that what’s rotting you, Batsy?”

Batman’s jaw twitches as he clenches it. He’s heard the insinuations before, and he’s never liked them. “I’m looking for Two Face.”

The man’s face turns from contemplating the edge of anger to a hard determination. Batman decides he likes it. “Yeah, I know where he is.”

Batman doesn’t know what it is that makes him unlock the door and say, “get in,” but he does.

“I’ll miss work if I do that,” he says. He leans in closer. “Or I could give you a discount. Call it two hundred for the whole night.”

In this area, Batman’s sure that’s not his usual pricing. “I’ll pay you after we catch Two Face.” Last week he ran off before Batman could talk to him; he doesn’t want to lose another chance for conversation.

He opens the door and settles in the car, sprawls on the seat, opens the window, lights a cigarette. Virginia slim. “Heard his guys talking plans two days ago. Were in the next room over from mine for the night. Said they’re hitting the Lucky Dollar Casino.”

“That’s in Bristol.” Bristol has looser gambling laws. It’s an effort to control vice, send it out of the city. Batman can’t say it works.

He shrugs, watching Batman through heavy lidded eyes. Batman thinks of what it’d be like to take that cigarette from his mouth and kiss him gently. Instead he says, “If Robin smells that on the seats, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

He laughs, a quiet genuine snicker of amusement, nothing like the shrieks of thrill and irony he gave last week. Batman wants to hear that sound again. “Where is he, anyway?”

“It’s a school night.”

He gets his wish. “You’re a wonder, Batsy. Didn’t know you cared so much about that punk.”

“He’s not a punk.” Alfred used to say he spent too much time in the past; maybe so, because this is still his reflex when people use that word, even if he knows it’s not what they mean.

“He’s out here running around with you, isn’t he? Beating up robbers in a pair of booty shorts.” He takes a drag on his cigarette and Batman looks at him and wonders that he knows what he just said.

“It’s a leotard. Acrobat’s gear.” He ignores the thief’s snort.

Two Face gets away, but Batman gets the hostage he took, so he considers it a half successful night.  He comes back to the car where the other man is waiting, his feet up on the dash. He finished his first cigarette around the time they got here, but he’s already halfway through another one.

He taps his knuckles against the window, bounces his leg. “I know you said you’d pay me after you caught him, but I’m not waiting until tomorrow.”

“I’ll pay you tonight.” Batman starts the car. 

His name is Jason; he’s nineteen years old. Batman’s glad of that, because from his height and build, he thought Jason was younger. He feels less guilty about looking at him now.

He eats steadily, watching Batman like he knows the food won’t disappear but thinks Batman might. He doesn’t, not yet; he’s finding he likes Jason when he’s not acting a part, or at least when he’s toned it down. He has a good brain and a quick wit, even if his humor is a little raw. 

“Can you only steal cars?” 

He shakes his head, licks ketchup off his thumb. It’s not sensual at all, just a habit gained from starvation, eating every scrap of food, and that makes it all the better. His eyes meet Batman’s over his hand. “M’not so good with safes, but I can do windows and pockets fine. ‘M a pretty good shot. Can do explosives okay, if you give me a gun I can probably fix it. I know how to dilute coke and what to do if someone ODs on Harry.” He takes a long drag of soda through his straw, not looking at Batman. It’s the first time he’s avoided eye contact. 

After a moment, he looks back up. “I can conjugate German and translate Latin. Read the Odyssey a couple times. It’s better in Greek.”

His brain, unbidden, supplies him with the image of Jason laid out before him like a god, Bruce and poetry against his mouth. He would do for this Jason what Medea could not do for hers, he hopes, and win his loyalty.

 He banishes the thought. No, this is not Jason; this is Ganymede, and Batman will not be as Zeus. “Why work the streets then?” He asks instead.

He pauses, looking at his food and then back at Batman. He’s leaning forward over the table and there’s barely a foot between them. “I like it,” he says. It has the straightforwardness of honesty. “If I do drugs or enforcement I’d have to work for someone else. There aren’t any gangs here I like enough to sign away my soul. Not yet.” He slides his leg forward to brush up against Batman’s under the table, so lightly Batman’s not sure he’d notice it if it weren’t for his training. There’s no shock, no static, but it feels electric nonetheless.

“There are options,” he tells Jason. He doesn’t dare move his leg.

“I haven’t been to a proper school since I was ten,” Jason retorts. “What options do you mean? Drown in debt to get through college so I can get a job above the table? A corporation’s just the same as a gang, except you can’t snitch and send them to jail when they treat you like shit. Besides,” he leans back, doubling the distance between them, stretching it into an infinity, slips his leg away from Batman’s. “You arrested Maroni. You took apart the Blackgaters.”

Batman looks away. Those eyes are piercing him, bearing down on him like the god of justice come down to judge him. It’s a rude reminder, that he doesn’t always do good; a stab in the gut that his choice removed that of somebody else, somebody with greater stakes in the game. 

But Jason is right; Batman did arrest Maroni, and he did take apart the Blackgaters, for the most part. It’ll be a month or so before the void is filled where the fence was before, when the rest of Gotham is sure he’ll lose the trial. The Blackgaters will follow, only once they have a place closer than Penguin to sell the parts off the cars they steal.

And in the meantime, Jason will walk the streets. In December.

Batman never thought he’d feel guilty about arresting someone for a crime he knew they’d committed, but here he is. How many other car thieves are in the same boat? He almost wonders if he should let Two Face go, but then he remembers the shots fired and the hostage held tonight, and scolds himself for thinking such a thing.

Maybe Jason’s right, everything good in Gotham rots. Sometimes there are no good choices, no good answers.

He gives Jason his two hundred, in eight twenties, so it’s easy to break, tucks the lone fifty in his wallet over it and calls it a tip. Bruce Wayne may carry hundreds to give to the homeless like candy, but Batman doesn’t. He leaves it on the table beside the wrapper for a burger and when Jason goes to throw out his trash, he vanishes.

[manikas-whims]

Sasusaku prompt 93

A/N: Sorry it took me so long. I haven't written SasuSaku in ages and my writing is still kinda rusty.

So bear with me dear anon.

And prepare yourself for some angst and comfort..:3

Prompt: “Losing you was the most unbearable pain I’ve ever felt.”

Title: Promises

Ship: Sasuke Uchiha X Sakura Haruno

Words: 1938

Rating: T

Sitting on a couch in the lavish, new apartment that he was relocated to, Sasuke Uchiha looked anywhere but at the unexpectedly quiet, pink haired kunoichi right in front of him. For a brief moment, his wandering mismatched orbs met the obsidian ones of a pale guy named Sai, who is supposed to keep an eye on him for his month long house arrest. The weirdly stoic man stared at him from the far end of the living room, where he was standing comfortably with a sketch pad and a brush in hand. Sasuke averted his attention right back to his ex-teammate. Ever since his pardon (courtesy of Kakashi) for his many unwarranted crimes during his years as a missing S class nin, he had noticed the subtle change in her behavior. Its understandable that they aren’t the same teens who were put together under team 7 yet Sakura was never this guarded around him. It was almost as if she was trying to keep their encounters to the bare minimum, only stopping by to do a quick checkup on his healing wounds and his lost arm. Usually Naruto was around them to diffuse the awkwardness in such situations but unfortunately, the hyperactive blond wasn’t available that day. Something to do with him bidding farewell to his friends from the neighboring lands.

There could be numerous reasons pertaining to her silent treatment but Sasuke didn’t have the patience to mull over all of them and figure it out by himself. The only other option he was left with was to confront her about it. But having hurt her more than once due to his resolve for revenge and revolution, he didn’t know how to strike a normal conversation with her. The last time he uttered something to her was at the Valley of the End, where he had sincerely apologized to her. From then on, it had been just her looking after him at the hospital, narrating fascinating tales about her experiences as a medical ninja whilst he barely nodded his head.

Sasuke sighed. It had always been a one-sided effort— him paying no interest to anything other than his goals as she worked hard on maintaining their delicate bond. But he didn’t want things to remain that way any longer. He didn’t want his soul to stay shrouded in the darkness associated with his clan. If not more, he atleast owed her just as much importance as she gave to their every second spent together. She was generous enough to forgive him for everything he’d done and accepted him with her warm smile. She had let her tormented heart trust him yet again so easily that he wanted to become a man worthy of her forgiveness.

“Sakura,” he tried, hoping his query will reach across her by the shear intensity of his gaze.

The said woman however, didn’t spare him a glance. She was too focused on patching a partially healed cut on the left side of his lower abdomen. “Sasuke-kun,” she replied simply, signifying that she had heard him, her other palm gliding along his bare torso in search of any injuries she might have missed before.

He was glad that even after years of separation she didn’t drop the endearing suffix whenever she addressed him. To a stranger it may seem like nothing but to him, the small gesture meant that she still regarded him with the same level of admiration she did years ago. However, her response didn’t help steer the conversation anywhere.

Sasuke shut his mouth tight, his tongue pressing against the inner wall of his cheek in annoyance. Had it been any other time where she wasn’t mad at him for reasons unknown, she’d have said a few more words, making this whole thing a lot simpler for the both of them. But that day, she just wasn’t in the mood to waste her energy in idle chitchat.

With the examination done, Sakura placed her palms gently on either side of his face and angled it up. A pair of onyx and mauve clashed with refreshing emeralds and Sasuke gulped, watching her send spasms of her soothing chakra through his ocular network. The strain in his eyes reduced comparatively and Sakura let go of his face.

“There. Now you won’t have to stay in Konoha after your probation ends.” The words slipped out of her lips absentmindedly and her pupils dilated in shock. Probably because she wasn’t supposed to say that directly to him.

Sasuke took in a long breath, his calm demeanor replaced by slight irritation. Was that what it was about? Him leaving the village as soon as he was back in shape? He didn’t want to believe that his friend and lover since childhood wasn’t speaking to him over something as insignificant as this. Throughout his trial, the five Kages as well as their subordinates discussed various forms of punishment for him but it was he himself who chose that in the end. He pledged to travel around the allied nations, aid each land in repairing all the damage and inconvenience he had caused as a miscreant and even handle other wrongdoers if he happened upon them during the journey. It was his first step towards redemption— a suggestion that the jury readily agreed to because everyone was excited to give orders to and make Sasuke Uchiha dance to their whims. And so, of all the people he’s acquainted with in the Hidden Leaf Village, he had hoped that his former team would be supportive of his decisions from then on.

“Sakura..” he mumbled, unsure of how to proceed. How was he supposed to convince someone who had always readily understood him without him having to explain a word of it?

“Don’t..” she said, bringing a hand up to stop him, “You have no idea.”

He motioned his lips to try and make her realize how necessary this was for him yet she shook her head and went on, “Do you know how hard it is when your genuine feelings are shrugged off as a mere teenage crush? Do you know how difficult it is when everyone expects you to give up on your very own emotions? Do you!?” her tone escalated and she lowered her head to obscure the fresh tears falling down her eyes, “No you don’t. You do not understand it Sasuke-kun, you can’t! No one can..”

He bit the insides of his cheeks, his only hand twitching to wipe her tears away yet he resisted the urge, afraid of her reaction to his touch— to the touch of the same man who had harmed her on more occasions than protect her..

“Losing you was the most unbearable pain I’ve ever felt.” She stated with a sob, tilting her head up to let him witness the honesty in her tearful gaze. “I can’t lose you again..”

It was true that he didn’t understand. He wasn’t able to comprehend how a woman as benevolent, loving and beautiful as herself came to give her heart to someone so malign like him. He knew it was rude of him to ask for more of her when she had always given her best but he had to do this. She could hate him for the time being– god how he wished she’d have a sliver of hatred for him hidden somewhere beneath all those thick layers of her affection but she didn’t. She was too good to have any sorts of negative emotions towards him.

“I must do thi–”

“Stop lying to me, Sasuke-kun.” She cut him off, a bitter smile gracing her cherry lips, “Just admit that I’m not enough for you to stay. That I never will be..”

For the first time since his return to Konoha, Sasuke’s composed countenance wavered, shock momentarily flitting across his face. Subconsciously, he covered the dormant cursed seal on his neck and turned his head to the side. He had always considered her the small but strong flicker of joy in his rather desolate life so hearing her belittle herself irked him. Had he known that his plans about the travel were causing her this much distress and self-doubt, he would’ve talked to her sooner.

“I admit it.” He spoke, turning his head back to flash her an earnest gaze. “I admit that I can never understand the anguish of your heart. And I do acknowledge your indelible love for me. I’m grateful, Sakura..” He said, wishing somehow his words would express the sincerity in them. “But I can’t answer your feelings right now. I..I’m not worthy of them..”

“Sasuke-kun!” she literally yelled in disappointment. It was her turn to get irritated at his self-loathing. “I told you that I don’t hold you responsible for any of that. We both hurt each-other and..I have put those happenings far behind.”

“Have you now?” he asked pointedly and she bit her bottom lip hesitantly. “Have you, Sakura? If so, then why won’t you let me do the same?”

Her lips quivered then, all her pent up fury and agony unleashing like a wildfire as she broke down into loud sobs. Sasuke noticed how shaky her feet were and immediately wrapped his lone arm around her waist, helping her settle down on the couch next to him. But she paid no heed to his act for she was too busy weeping and wiping her tears, struggling with the sudden shattering of her emotions. And Sasuke watched. He made sure to capture the whole scenario with the power of his eyes..to have a recorded evidence of how much he had bruised the heart of the only woman who had truly and unselfishly cared for him..loved him!

“I..what if you don’t retur–”

His palm instantly clamped over her tear-soaked lips, desisting her from finishing that ominous sentence. This was what he wanted to bring an end to— people actively doubting him. He wanted to prove that he was way above his past, hateful self. He wanted people to trust him like they used to when he was still a willing citizen of this village. But most of all, he wanted to restore that blinding faith she had in him. And for that, he needed to leave. It was mandatory for him to pay the price of sins and redeem himself.

“I will never cause you misery again. I swear this on my pride as an Uchiha. I won’t tarnish your your soul any more than this. So please..have some faith in me.” He spoke as tenderly as he could, reaching out his hand to hold her dainty palm in his calloused one and gave a squeeze in assurance.

The glassy eyes of the pinkette faltered at his words, a mix of shock and pride swimming in them. And just like that, she allowed her head to nod slowly, a timid smile curving upon her lips. She allowed her scarred self to have faith in him.

“I’ll be back to you. And then, we can figure work out this unspoken whatever I have for you..” he added, as if to solidify the foundation of his previous statements.

More tears cascaded down her cheeks— happy tears! And she squeezed his palm in return. “Then, I’ll wait for you. Always..”

Silence took over the room yet again, the two young adults exchanging their sentiments through their meaningful gazes. They were too lost in their own little world to even take note of the pale, ex-root nin observing them the whole time, capturing those sequence of events not just in his memory but also on a fresh page of his sketchpad.

A/N: Hope it was upto your expectations..:)

Request SasuSaku oneshots from this Prompt List

Until Next Time...

~Manika

[freckled-words]

Repost: Lovely Mess

*Comes up covered in dust and cobwebs* FOUND IT!

This one was nearly right at the bottom of my files. Good thing I somewhat remembered the title ah ha!

I can’t remember if this one had been edited or not. This fic features a whole whack of the Ipliers and the kind of chaos I would expect to happen around them

This was going to be his most brilliant idea yet! Why hadn't he thought of this before?!

Dr. Iplier giggled to himself excitedly as he put in the last few drops of chemicals. The concoction swirled with various shades of purple and pink as the chemicals began to settle. For an added experiment Dr. Iplier placed the tiny vial over a bunsen burner, just for a couple seconds. To his surprise the colours dissipated and the contents turned clear. To anyone unknowing this was just a vial of water. 

If this worked he'd be the genius that invented the first safe chemical to act as a pleasure stimulant for women. It'd be just a grade below ecstasy. He could hear his bank account sucking in all the dough from royalties already. 

Vial in hand he ran through the large house to find anyone that might find this interesting. 

Barging into the kitchen he bumped into Weather Jim. Jim was holding an ice cube tray that he'd just filled with water and was about to put into the freezer. At the moment they collided some of Dr. Iplier’s chemicals splashed out and into all the ice cubes. 

Dr. Iplier took no notice as the vial was still firmly held in his hand. “Sorry Jim! Hey do you know where Dark is?”

Jim glanced down at his nice, new, storm grey shirt. Seeing no splashes on him he relaxed, “He’s in the study talking to Wilford and Host.”

“Perfect! Thanks Jim!”

Jim, not really sure what had the doctor all eager, was curious. Maybe it was newsworthy? He hurriedly put the ice cube tray in the freezer and went to follow after. 

~~~~~~~~

Darkiplier shot down the idea immediately. 

“You neither have a doctorate or any education in chemical engineering. At best it’ll put people into a coma, at worse they'll die and I’ll be dealing with your court cases.”

Dr. Iplier was only half listening. As he'd held up the vial to explain he noticed that there was less in it than he remembered. 

The silence of the room drew his attention back, “So that's a no on getting your sponsorship to do test trials?”

“Get out and dispose of that before you spill it on someone.” Dark was done with the conversation.  

Wilford raised a pointer finger and opened his mouth. Dark shot him a glare, a touch of blue and red around his eyes. Wilford cleared his throat and shrugged at Dr. Iplier. 

Through all this Host had a slight frown, his head turned in the direction of the glass of water on Dark’s desk. No one took notice of Host. If he wasn't narrating, he wasn't there. 

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, you came home from your weekend away. You were the cleaner for the Iplier home (after signing a mountain of non-disclosure contracts) and part of the arrangement was free rent with them. Once a month you took a weekend off and went to visit your family. 

“I’m back! Did anyone break anything?” You juggled a couple bags of groceries as you kicked the door closed behind you.

The silence that filled the house made you pause. You put down the bags and wandered in further, “Hey! Anyone home?!”

You walked into the kitchen and found Bim sitting at the table. He had a glass of water in his hand, his eyes were closed and his head bobbed as though he were sleeping. “Bim?”

His eyes fluttered opened. “Huh? Y/N?”

“You get any sleep last night? You look exhausted.” You moved closer and put a hand to his forehead. You couldn't help but worry about the egos. Over time you'd gotten to be good friends with most of them, you and Dark were on decent terms. 

Bim’s hands shot up. He took hold of the hand on your forehead and brought it to his cheek to start nuzzling, “You look beautiful today.”

Your brain stuttered. Did the shyest and most bashful man in the house just openly compliment you? “Okay now I know you're not well.” You tugged your hand free, Bim pouted up at you. 

“No! I'm fine, I mean it. You're absolutely radiant. I’ve always thought so.” He got to his feet, his hands reaching out to take hold of you in an embrace. 

You backed away, “No, you're not fine, Bim. I’m going to get Dr. Iplier, just wait here.” You took another step back and bumped into someone. 

Spinning around you hurried to move to the side as Dark peered down at you with a rather intense glare, “Sorry Dark! I wasn't paying attention.”

Dark’s brows snapped together, his glare swivelled off you to turn on Bim, “Trying to pull their attention away from me, are you Trimmer?”

You were in disbelief as Bim kept his posture and announced in full confidence, “Their attention was mine first, Darkiplier. You're just too slow.”

The space around Dark became denser with his aura. An image of himself split off to the side to yell angrily. 

You put your hand on Dark’s chest, “Whoa, Dark, easy. Something’s wrong with Bim, I think he's sick. Please don’t-”

The rest of your plea for Bim to be left alone was cut off as Dark grabbed you by the arm and pulled you flush against him. One hand went to the back of your head and the other arm around your waist. You were trapped in an intimate hold with your face pressed into Dark’s chest.

Panic and confusion swamped you. What was going on?! Dark treated you with professional courtesy. He barely ever touched you unless necessary. “Your focus needs to be on me. Let go of your concern for him, or I’ll make you let it go.”

His threat was murmured in your ear, his eyes never leaving Bim as he dared the other man to try and come closer to you. 

He began to back step and take you along with him out of the kitchen. You, pressed against his chest, trying to get him to let you go, “Dark, whatever is wrong with Bim, you’ve got it too. Let go!”

“You heard them DarkaSparkle. Let. Go.” 

You froze the same moment Dark did. Tilting your head you saw Wilford stood just to Dark’s side, the barrel of his gun pressed to Dark’s temple. 

You shivered as the air around you grew colder and heavier. More images of Dark splintered off. Red and blue edged his irises, “They're mine. Or do we need to establish the pecking order so you get it?”

“Oh, no you don't! They were happy with me first! You two always take from us little guys. No more!” Bim marched out of the kitchen, his chest puffed out he stared Dark and Wilford down defiantly. 

What on earth was going on?! This wasn't a dream, you could hear Dark’s heart beating and feel the pressure of his arm against your body. This definitely wasn't a joke. Dark didn't do jokes. 

Wilford grinned showing all his teeth. Pink was beginning to lace through the brown in his eyes, “Tsk, tsk, boys, wrong answer.” His finger curled over the trigger. He was going to do it, he was going to shoot Dark point blank!

“The room froze. No one could move an inch. No one but Author.” 

Your body locked into place. Tried as you might, to wiggle in any way, it refused to budge. 

“The idiots had been so caught up in their threeway they didn't notice Author come into the room. He'd watched them have their little tug of war, blowing out hot air and hassling Author’s poor beloved. Now Author put a stop to things.” You heard his footsteps just beneath the cadence of his voice.

As nervous as Wilford and Dark made you, Author, by far, made you worry the most. Host normally kept this darker side under control. The only times it came out was when Host became overly tired or stressed. Judging by the way Author was speaking, he was afflicted with the same thing as the other three. 

“With little effort Author removed Darkiplier’s hold on Y/N. Free of the edge lord’s embrace Y/N tumbled back into Author’s waiting arms.” 

Your body did just that. Your muscles unlocked and you staggered back. Author’s arms encircled you protectively. You felt his face pressed into the back of your hair, nuzzling and inhaling your scent. Able to see you saw Bim, Dark and Wilford were glaring in Author’s direction.

“Y/N safely in his arms, Author lead them away. They'd get a good long head start before the other three were able to move again.” Over your head Author grinned at the other men. His eyes were covered by the bandages but he could still sense the animosity coming from them. 

“Y/N DON’T BREATHE!”

The yell of warning came just before the sound of something clattering across the floor. A small metal cylinder rolled to a stop by your feet. A smoke began to spray out and fill the room. You made sure to hold your breath as first Author, then the other three began to cough. 

One by one they dropped to the floor. 

Dr. Iplier scurried into the living room and threw open the windows and plugged in a massive fan. Once it was roaring and blowing the smoke out he took hold of your hand and lead you upstairs. Clear of the smoke he let himself breathe again, “Glad I got there in time. Oh boy that was close huh?” 

“What the hell is going on?!” You gestured back towards the four unconscious men. 

Dr. Iplier put on, or tried to put on, a serious face, “Well let's just say someone was experimenting with something. Which somehow got ingested by those guys and everyone else. And it made them kind of…..vicious with love?”

Your eyebrows rose, “You gave them a rage inducing love potion?!”

“No I didn't…..I only made it, and didn't know it had these side effects. They're the ones that swallowed it.”

“Whatever! Can you undo the raging love chemicals?”

“Already did! After Yandere nearly killed the Jims this morning I figured out what was going on. That gas they just inhaled had the antidote. They'll be their old selves once they wake up.”

You sighed in relief to hear this, but you kept your expression stern as you pointed, “You are never to experiment with chemicals again. Am I clear?”

Dr. Iplier gave you a grumpy pout. You didn't budge. He grumbled, “Fiiiiiine.”

“Good. Now, when will those guys wake up?”

“DR. IPLIER I’D LIKE A WORD WITH YOU!” Wilford’s bellow made the entire house shake. 

Dr. Iplier had took off the second he heard the first syllable of his name. 

[fernwehbookworm]

Woke The F*ck Up- Chapter 18

March 12, 2018

Kara punches the man in front of her, she feels his jaw give way before sweeping his leg so that he falls and hits his head on the ground. He loses conscious instantly. In a rush, she makes for the computer, attempting to plug in the drive so Winn can recover anything to lead to Lillian Luthor. She hoped to catch her before Lex’s trial but the window was closing fast with Lillian being like dust in the wind. Lights were flashing as the screen showed the growing percentage of deleted content. After flipping the drive twice it finally goes in. Winn chimes in her earpiece.

“I’m connected. But I don’t think I’m going to get much, most of the files are corrupted.” Kara groans. It was too hard to find this base and get in for them to walk away with nothing.

“I got all I could. The police are on the way, someone called in the gunshots. Get out of there.”

Kara grabs the flash drive and runs through the empty back hallways, stepping over a few unconscious men. She makes it to her bike and out of the warehouse compound as she hears sirens in the distance. She calls the detectives number and waits for her to pick up.

“So I take it the gunshots are Cadmus related?” Maggie asks.

“Detective, no greeting? I thought we were friends.”

“Can’t be friends if I don’t know your actual name.”

“Touche. There are Cadmus thugs in that warehouse and a weapons stache. But all the computer systems have been wiped. I’ll let you know if we recover anything.”

“Thanks Power Girl.”

Kara weaves her way through the city before zipping into the underground garage just as the sun was beginning to rise and turning the bike off. She takes off her helmet and shakes out her hair, scratching her scalp in an effort to get rid of the helmet hair. She unzips the riding jacket and freezes when she feels eyes on her.

“Well, I’m glad I saw that,” Lena says from Winn’s spinning chair. Kara laughs and goes to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

“Hey Lee, what are you doing here?”

“Winn let me in your super secret side door.”

“Well I hoped Winn let you in, otherwise I really have to look at my security. But what are you doing here? No offense but the last time we had one-on-one time here it did not end so well.”

“I needed to talk to you.”

“Okay…” Kara leans against the center console and sets her water down.

“Look, Kara, I’ve been thinking, and I am glad to have you in my life again. I am so glad we have been building something together again.”

“I hear a really big but coming.”

“But I am going back home next week.”

“Oh.” Kara walks towards her corner of the base to hang up her jacket on the back of her dining chair. Lena watches her walk away and gives her space before following a few moments later. She stands silently, unsure of what to do with her hands.

“Kara?” Lena watches her take a deep breath. She turns to face her with the biggest fake smile Lena has ever seen.

“It’s fine Lena. I mean of course, you have to go. It’s fine.”

“I appreciate you trying to make this better, but it’s not fine. I know we have a lot to work through still but I also need to be with my family, and I have been itching to get back in the studio. I need to be in that supportive environment and I can’t be alone here in National City. But I don’t want whatever we have going to end.” Lena takes a step closer to Kara. Kara sits on her dining table chair and motions for Lena to join her. Lena sits next to her, shoulders slightly hunched.

“Okay. We made it work before, before it didn’t. But now everything that was wrong is out in the open, and by that I mean my lying, we can get through this.”

“So what? We fly back and forth again? It seems a bit extreme for friendship. I mean it made sense when we were sleeping together and everything but now? People don’t fly half the world to see friends.”

“Look I don’t know about ‘people’ but I would. Especially now that the gym is doing so well I can afford to do it now.”

“Oh, Kara, I can take care of that, it’s really no big deal.”

“No Lena, I can’t let you. This time it will be all on me to get there because this time… this time is different.” Kara reaches out and puts a hand on Lena’s. Lena looks at her.

“Right. Different. But still a good different.”

“Good Different,” Kara confirms.

“So what do we do for now, while I'm still here?”

“Now, I have to actually go work in my gym. Care to join me?”

“What? Like, work out?”

“Yeah come on. It will be fun!”

Lena laughs at Kara’s enthusiasm but relents at the twinkle in her eye. Kara manages to find an older shirt that fits Lena’s larger chest and some leggings that managed to fit her curvery figure. Kara tried (and semi-succeeded) not to stare.  

“Come on, we have to go in the front because I haven't been in yet today. Hop on.” Kara hands Lena a helmet and pulls on her own. Lena only hesitates a moment before climbing on behind Kara. With a push of a button, the motorcycle changes from red and blue to a very sleek black. Lena gasps. Kara zips out and circles a couple of blocks before coming in from a completely different direction. She pulls into a spot marked ‘Owner’ right out front. Kara offers Lena a hand to get off before dismounting herself. She takes the helmet from Lena.

“Careful on your feet, I know it was a long trip,” Kara says with a smirk. Lena laughs and pushes her shoulder playfully. Kara even holds the door for her as they enter. Even though it was six in the morning the place was still pretty full with people getting in pre-work workouts.

“Hey, Taylor. This is a friend of mine. She’s working out with me today so check her in as my guest. And get her a water bottle and towel too. Lee, I’m just going to drop these in my office, meet me there.” Kara lifts the helmets to indicate what she means.

“Hi! Welcome to the Power House. Can I have your first name for the check in? We just like to keep of log of who all comes in.” Taylor asks in a very peppy customer service voice. She reaches under the counter for the towel and water bottle. The towel is blue and the water bottle is a clear red with the logo stamped on the side. Lena laughs at the blatancy of Kara making everything the colors of her alter-ego.

“Its Lena.”

“All right Lena, you are all ready to go. Good luck if you are training with Coach K. She’s intense.”

“I figured as much. Thank you, Taylor.”

Lena meets Kara outside her office and they move to the stretching station. It is actually not weird. Workout music plays over the speakers and Kara guides her through different stretches and counts as Lena follows her lead. Kara is focused on teaching and it leaves little room for small talk. Then they are doing a jogging warm up in ‘The Box,’ going around the outside of the large room filled with mats and free weights and different gym equipment that Lena couldn’t even begin to name. Lena is drinking water when other people start to file in. She almost swallows it wrong in her rush to ask Kara what’s happening.

“Sorry, yeah, this is the Crossfit class. It’s my turn to teach. You can join or just watch if you want.”

“Isn’t Crossfit like really intense?” Lena asks.

“Sometimes. But it’s really as intense as you make it. There are scaled down versions of all the exercises. This is usually a mixed group so do what you are comfortable with.”

Sure enough, Lena really looked at the people stretching and talking, they were all different shapes and sizes and ages. She agrees to give it a shot. By the time the twenty-minute workout is over, Lena is sweating and sucking down air like her lungs were suddenly too small. Kara is chatting with some of her gym members as they get ready to leave again. Lena lays back on the floor when her bottle is empty and just stares past the fluorescent lights to the ceiling. Suddenly blonde hair is covering the light and Kara is smiling down at her with her hand out to pull Lena to her feet. Lena takes it and Kara effortlessly pulls her up.

“You are a sadist,” Lena says and Kara laughs.

“Oh come on. The work out is really only like fifteen minutes. That’s almost nothing.”

“Still… you are crazy. But also I feel good. Like I really accomplished something and it's only seven.” They start walking back to Kara’s office. Lena pulls up the app on her phone to call a ride.

“Well good. You can come back anytime when you are in National City.”

“I should probably actually buy a membership then.”

“Are you joking? No way. I will not accept payment from you. After everything we have been through, no way. None of my friends pay and that includes you.”

“All right, all right.”

They linger outside Kara’s office door, neither sure how to continue, neither wanting to end it either. Kara starts telling Lena about her plans for the day. Before Lena knows it, another fifteen minutes has passed of them just standing in the gym talking. The interruption comes in the form of Lena’s phone, she glances and sees Sam’s caller ID.

“Sorry, it’s Sam,” Lena says, Kara gestures for her to take it.

“Hey, Sam.”

“Hey! Where are you? We have to leave by ten for the airport. I thought you were going to take us?”

“I’m coming. I just met up with Kara for a morning workout.”

“A workout? Or a Workout? ”

“A not fun, very intense and life draining work out. I’ll be home in half an hour. I just have to shower and I’ll be good to go.”

“Okay, see you soon then.”

“Bye Sam.” Lena’s phone dings, saying her car is two minutes away, Lena turns to Kara. “I’ve got to get going.”

“Walk you to the door?” Kara asks. Lena nods and turns to leave, Kara close behind. Kara steps around Lena to push the door open ahead of her. Lena smiles at her and turns to say goodbye. And she’s right there. She’s so close. This is the best she has felt around Kara in awhile.   Friends. Lena shakes her head.

“Bye Kara. I’ll text you later. I’d like to do this again.”

“Really? Yeah, of course. Just let me know, I practically live here.” Kara even throws in a wink at the end. Lena tries to fight the swooping feeling in her gut at the familiarity. Instead she laughs.

“I will. Bye Kara.”

Lena walks towards the car matching her phone and climbs in, looking back as the woman pulls away from the curb to see Kara still waving from the door. Lena blushes and smiles before relaxing back into her seat.

**

“So, you went to see Kara this morning?” Sam asks from the passenger seat. Traffic is crawling on their way to the airport but the still had plenty of time.

“Mmm-hmm.” Lena keeps her lips pressed together, not sure where Sam is going with this. Lena only arrived home for the end of breakfast and enough time for a quick shower and rush Ruby through the rest of her packing. It left little room for Sam to question her but now Ruby had her headphones on in the backseat so now was Sam’s chance.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Oh, don’t make me pull it out like teeth.”

“And, I told her I was going home next week. But I think she took it well. She says she wants to visit me and that maybe I could come back to continue being friends.”

“So you will be paying for the flights again?” Sam asks, a little icily.

“Actually no, Kara says the gym is doing very well and she will pay for it herself. Actually, she refused when I offered.”

“Good. I am glad you are happy Lena. Kara does seem very nice, but as your best friend I feel like I need to make sure you don’t get hurt again.” Sam settles back in her seat, content to let the matter rest. Lena reaches over to take Sam’s hand.

“I know Sam. And I really appreciate it. But I am coming home next week to be with my family. That is you and Ruby.”

“And Kara is just a friend?”

“Kara is… I don’t know what Kara is. I know we both have our guard up and are hiding behind that word, but I look in her eyes, and I fall for her all over again. But then I remember all the heartache we have been through so I am back to putting her in that safe little friend's box.”

“From what I have seen, Kara will be completely happy in either box. But that is something for you guys to decide, together this time.”

“Right, together.” Lena parks the car in the temporary parking lot and helps get the suitcases out of the trunk. Lena walks them as far as she can, but soon she has to say goodbye and head back to her hotel. But not until she receives a rib-crushing hug from Ruby and a comforting one from Sam. She squeezes tightly, in a way only friends know how to do. Lena knows its enough to carry her through another week in National City.

When Lena gets back to her room,  it feels cold and empty. But it’s just one more week. She did that to give Kara a chance to adjust to the idea of her leaving. And honestly so Lena could be a little selfish and spend more time with her. This was going to be a long week.

[mystic-mints]

Fool Me Once, Shame On Me

(Also posted on AO3.)

---

Groggily, Kaito opened his eyes, regaining consciousness bit by bit. His muscles protested as he tried to sit up, body still sore from being lifted like a ragdoll. The Exisal’s grip had been far from gentle, and he was sure he’d see bruising within a few hours. However, when he looked down to check, he finally realized…

He was tied to a chair.

“What the fuck?” he mouthed to himself, beginning to struggle. “What the fuck?!” he exclaimed when the ropes around him held firm.

Then it hit him… Kokichi. The mastermind of the killing game. Kokichi had captured him with the Exisal, meaning he must’ve been the one behind this, too. Righteous anger flooded his veins as his efforts to escape redoubled, and he privately swore he’d make the bastard pay for all the humiliation and suffering he’d inflicted.

Suddenly, he heard the door being unlocked, and he braced himself for a confrontation. He eyed the doorknob as it slowly turned open, then lifted his gaze to see…

“Shuichi?” Confusion, but more importantly relief, filled his heart. Even though they’d barely been on speaking terms since the last trial, he couldn’t deny that he was glad to see his sidekick again. “What are you doing here? Where’s Kokichi?”

“How much do you remember?” Shuichi asked quietly. It wasn’t the response Kaito expected, but he shrugged it off.

“Kokichi exposed himself as the mastermind and mocked us, then I tried to attack him, but he used the Exisal to grab me. I think I knocked out after that.”

“Oh, so you didn’t hear what that came after…”

“Came after? What happened? Did I miss something big?” Kaito’s earlier unease returned as Shuichi approached him. Something was wrong. He could feel it in his gut.

“Well, to sum things up, Kokichi was lying again. He isn’t actually the mastermind.” Now standing right in front of him, Shuichi leaned forward, closing the distance between them until his face was just inches away. Despite the circumstances, he looked calm. Far calmer than Kaito had ever seen him. “The truth is…”

Then, with only three words, he shattered Kaito’s reality.

“I’m the mastermind.”

Kaito didn’t know what expression he made, but his feelings must’ve shown on his face, because Shuichi immediately started cackling.

“There it is! There’s the look I wanted to see! The disbelief, the betrayal, THE DESPAIR!” His eyes shone with wicked glee, reminiscent of Kokichi yet… indescribably worse. “Buddying up to you really was my best idea yet!”

“W-What the hell is wrong with you?!” Kaito snapped once he found his voice, still not quite accepting the situation, yet unable to ignore the other’s behavior.

“Nothing,” Shuichi replied, then tilted his head in thought. “Or maybe everything, depending on your perspective. Either way, I’m having fun, and that’s really all that matters.”

Fury and horror battled for dominance within Kaito’s mind, though neither did him any good. Even with the mastermind standing right in front of him, he was helpless to take action, trapped and betrayed by the very person he’d trusted most.

“It’s sinking in, isn’t it?” Shuichi smiled. “Everything you’ve stood for… all the good you’ve tried to do… meaningless, because you decided to believe in me.” Insanity swirled in his eyes. “What are you gonna do now, hero? I’m absolutely dying to know.”

---

“Shit,” Kokichi cursed under his breath. “FUCKING SHIT!” he repeated, kicking over a chair.

The others watched on with varying levels of concern, uncertain how to approach him.

“Calm down,” Maki finally commanded, grabbing him by the shoulder. She caught his arm when he tried to lash out, neither surprised nor bothered. “We need to come up with a plan.”

Unhappy being ordered around by someone who’d nearly killed him twice, Kokichi was very tempted to struggle. However, he knew it would be futile, not to mention a waste of time. The fact was that she was right. They needed to regroup and think of a way to save Kaito.

Kaito…

Kokichi felt like kicking himself. He’d miscalculated badly, and now Kaito was the one paying for it. How many people had to suffer before he could do something right? How many had to die as a direct consequence of his own plans?

“Kokichi,” Kiibo suddenly addressed him. “You were the one in control of the Exisals until Shuichi reclaimed them. Is there any information you can provide that might be of use?”

He pushed the worst of his thoughts away. Right now, they had to work together. With the true mastermind revealed, they had a common enemy, and at the very least he finally knew who among them was trustworthy.

---

“Look at you,” Shuichi crooned, brushing his fingers against Kaito’s cheek. “You couldn’t be any less heroic if you tried.” His face split into a grin when Kaito flinched. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”

“Don’t touch me!” Kaito barked, attempting to lean back, only to be impeded by the ropes coiled around him.

“It’s all your fault for believing in me, isn’t it? You overestimated your judgement, and that’s why people kept getting hurt. You contributed to this killing game just as much as I did.”

“SHUT UP!” Kaito finally shouted, only to trigger a violent coughing fit. Blood dripped down his chin and splattered against his shirt, even speckling the ropes with red.

Shuichi looked delighted.

“Hey, Kaito, you wanna live don’t you?” he whispered in his ear. “Why don’t you beg me for the cure to your illness? After all, I’m the one who made you sick, which means I’m also the one who can make you better.” He took hold of Kaito’s face, forcing him to meet his deranged eyes. “What do you think? Are you tempted?”

Kaito promptly spat in his face.

“Stubborn until the end, huh?” Shuichi mused, wiping himself with the dangling sleeve of Kaito’s jacket. For a brief second, he looked normal, just like the meek detective Kaito had known. Then his gaze sharpened, his hands clasped around Kaito’s neck… and he squeezed.

“Ghh!” Kaito choked, beginning to struggle as Shuichi strangled him. It wasn’t long before his lungs were aching worse than ever before.

“Well, aren’t you going to fight me?” Shuichi mocked. “You refused to beg, so I guess you don’t want the cure, but does that mean you’re ready to die?”

The realization that he was about to be killed… that the end was even sooner than expected… that the very last thing he’d see would be Shuichi- no, the mastermind’s demented grin…

In that moment, Kaito was truly afraid.

And then Shuichi let go.

“Did I scare you?” he asked, sounding almost pleasant. “You definitely looked scared.” Abandoning his seat on Kaito’s lap, he stood up and made his way towards the door. “Killing you right now would be easy, and I’m sure everyone’s despair once they found your corpse would be amazing, but… it’d be such a waste. Anyway, I’ve got some other business to take care of, so I won’t be back for a few hours. Try not to choke on your own blood before then.”

And then Kaito was completely alone, left only with his thoughts as company.

---

“You don’t think Shuichi’s hurting him, do you?” Tsumugi worried.

“We should hurry up,” Himiko frowned.

“I’m ready to go,” Maki stated, lifting up an electrohammer. “If Kiibo and I take care of all the Exisals, you’ll be able to handle Shuichi on your own, right?”

Kokichi nodded solemnly.

“I won’t let the mastermind get away this time.”

---

A long while later, though there was no telling how much time had actually passed, Kaito heard a commotion coming from outside. Physically and mentally drained from his extended confinement, he barely lifted his head when the door eventually swung open.

He sprang to life, however, as soon as he saw who was there.

“K-Kokichi!”

“Hiya, Kaito!” Kokichi greeted cheerfully. “Happy to see me?”

Kaito stared at him for several seconds, seeing but not quite believing, before his eyes welled up with tears. Kokichi instantly faltered, all emotion draining from his face.

“Uh, not quite the welcome I was expecting,” he reflexively quipped, only to trail off. Though he’d considered the possibility that Kaito might be shaken by the night’s events, to see his designated rival crying at the mere sight of him…

How was he supposed to react?

Gathering himself, Kokichi decided that releasing Kaito first would be the most practical course of action.

“I’m going to untie you, okay?” he reassured. He felt a twinge in his chest when Kaito squeezed his eyes shut, pushing out more tears as a result. “It’s… it’s okay. You’re safe now. No one’s gonna hurt you.”

Cautiously, Kokichi began untying the ropes around Kaito’s body, quickly freeing his arms. Once that was done, he got to work on the ropes around Kaito’s legs. The fact that Kaito didn’t say anything else only added to his discomfort. 

“Alright, that’s all of them. Can you stand?”

“I… don’t know.”

Pushing himself to his feet, Kaito attempted to walk forward, only to stumble as the feeling of pins and needles overwhelmed him. Kokichi caught him before he could hit the ground.

“Guess that’s a no,” Kokichi sighed, helping him sit against the wall instead. “Whatever. I’m sure Maki won’t have any trouble carrying you out of here. She was demolishing the other Exisals earlier, so she’ll probably join us real soon.”

“What happened to Shuichi?” Kaito couldn’t help but ask. “Is he-” Kaito stopped, realizing he was about to ask if Shuichi was alright. Even after everything, he was still struggling to accept the truth. 

The Shuichi he'd believed in had been a lie. Their entire friendship had been a lie. There was no point trying to help him anymore.

Kokichi scooted closer, bumping their knees together, seeming to understand what was going through Kaito’s mind.

“He’s alive. Unconscious, but alive. We’re going to interrogate him later.”

“Oh...”

An uncomfortable silence descended upon them, during which time tears continued rolling down Kaito’s cheeks. Wordlessly, Kokichi offered Kaito his scarf, only slightly surprised when Kaito actually took it.

He looked away when he heard sobbing.

[agent-7-at-your-service]

The Hamartia Arc: Through Brine and Tides (Part 1)

((Agent 7, Bigfin Splatoon, Calypso and Leviathan, Octo Squadron Megalodon, Kimun and the Neanderthal Tribesmen, and Laguna “Garza” Rayne, Abigail Atled Calliostro, and others belongs to me

Agent Blueshift belong to @myzzy

Wonder Inkling and Wonder Inkling Jr. belong to @inklingleesquidly

Agent 0 belongs to @son-of-joy

Ampth, Mercury, and Cell (mentioned) belong to @teamuntyblue

Shadow and Alphaserv Network (mentioned / cameo) belong to @alphaservnetwork ))

Shadow and his band of Mercenaries were already prepared to leave Aomori. Some got on the speed train offered by Agent 7. Some took the long road to go to other parts of Japan. 

Agent 7 was glad to have them helping him in Operation Ezo. The whole purpose of this part of the phase was to push back the invasion of the Great Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido. 

Now the next phase begins.

A counterattack.

Agent 7 and his allies have gotten the word about Senates action to court-martial Agent 7 and the army he built to fight the Federation. The news article from Inkopolis was what brought Agent 7′s attention. He is now left with a choice: Either return to Inkopolis and face the court-martial’s charges which would dissolve his army, or make the counterattack and take the fight to Hokkaido. And waiting for Inkopolis’ Military to come to apprehend them wasn’t an option.

His decision was the latter. This war is far from over.

Agent 7 has a number of boat pilling up in the harbor along with the military warships that were captured. Most of the boats were fishing boats and cargo ships, but they were being offered by resistance fighters who helped liberate the cities invaded by the Federation. He can see them being converted into small warships.

Military vehicles were being maintained and stores on the warships while aircraft were going through brief patrols to protect the harbor.

The army that agent 7 mustered during Operation Ezo also changed. With the Alphaserv Network now moving onto other affairs, the numbers have dwindled in strength. However, their efforts did provide the army with new resources and new recruits. And news of the Operation’s success is new forcing more private military companies to either join or remain in Inkopolis. Inkopolis’ Military was also split, with some beginning to go rogue and head north. But in the end, it doesn’t change the fact that the Senate still have to court-martial Agent 7 and likely the army he formed.

Agent 7 was waiting at the train station, having got a message from several allies requesting a meeting in Aomori. When the speed train arrived, several familiar faces came out: Agent Blueshift, Wonder Inkling and Wonder Inkling Jr. (Junior), and Agent 0.

Agent 7 saluted to them. However, they didn’t salute back.

“Is... there something wrong?” Agent 7 asked.

“It’s about the court-martial,” Wonder Inkling answered before showing the newspapers, “You made headlines around Inkopolis and the Octo-Territories.”

“She sounded pretty pissed when she accused you as some rogue,” Agent 0 added.

“And there is a number of people already split from both the public and the military,” Blueshift added.”

“Who has my back here?” Agent 7 wondered.

“There’s Ampth, Mercury, and Cell, already making moves to make Octo Valley and Octo Canyon cooperate in supporting you,” Blueshift listed, “There’s Sanada and the Ammonites, now funding and campaigning to support your actions. The other refugee clans that Sanada has connections to are also taking action to help the liberated cities. And then there's Captain Cuttlefish who is already responding to Senator Abigail’s decision even if they don’t approve of what you did.”

“How did you take this news when you first saw it?” Junior asked.

“Well first off, I was mad, then Shadow decided to rip it apart.” Agent 7 crosses his arms. “And second, I decided to follow through with performing a counter-attack. What else?”

“Agent 7, you do know you can’t defy the government after pulling that stunt,” Junior pointed out.

“You sure got yourself into a bigger mess after you were freed from exile,” Blueshift commented.

“The Inkopolis executive is still commander-in-chief, why aren’t they doing anything about this?” Agent 7 asked. “I swear Inkopolis can just follow through with this outrageous plan for peace.”

“We tried talking about this privately with them,” Junior explained, “But somehow Abigail has gained control of some communication lines and severed the one between The Inkopolis Defense Force.”

“That and she has somehow got the senate to control the defenses of Inkopolis,” Agent Blueshift noted.

“Agent 7, what makes you think this is outrageous?” Wonder Inkling questioned.

“We can’t make peace with them as long as Hector is leading them,” Agent 7 argued, “And if Senator Abigail wants to make peace, she’s mistaken. She’ll be asking him to raze Inkopolis to the ground starting opening the city’s gates.”

“You got a point there... what happened to those trials and social experiments that he’s performing on you?” Wonder Inkling Jr. pointed out.

“I think it’s waiting in Hokkaido,” Agent 7 turned away, “Does anyone know where the Squid Sisters are at that time of the news?”

They all hesitated. 

Then Blueshift answered. “They were last seen traveling to Calamari County. If it’s about Marie, she’s okay.”

Agent 7 sighed with relief. “With that out of the way, what do you guys say? Are you joining me or what?”

Agent 7 was giving them a fair amount of time to think and decide. If they join him, this would be going against the Inkopolis Government. If they don’t, they would likely have to apprehend Agent 7 and bring him back to face the crimes. 

“I’m in,” Agent 0 decided.

Everyone looked at him.

Agent 0 has his reasons. “I was blackmailed to poison Agent 7, and Hector is gonna pay for putting me in that position.”

“I have to join too!” Junior joined. “That private talk with Hector was so cryptic, but the way this petty feud has been turning you has to end!”

Wonder Inking sighed. “I have to agree. That Abigail girl is beyond reasoning at this point. I’m in.”

And lastly, Blueshift had made his decision, starting with a nod to Agent 7.

“I’m not doing this for Marie, I know you still care a lot for her.” He removes his shades and revealed his face for a moment. “I’m doing this for what is considered my home and for everyone I know, including you.”

Their responses left Agent 7 with a slight smile on his face. He’s confident that he can end this war, once and for all.

“We’re going to a three-pronged approach when fighting our way to Sapporo, the capital of the Amemasu Federation of Hokkaido. I’ll fill you in on what we have.”

The Next Day...

Calypso, Sarah Phenotyne, and Octo Squadron Megalodon were sent off early to take Kojima Island and use it at one of the bases to stop Amemasu Fleets from sailing to the west side of Japan’s mainland. Resistance fighters from Operation Ezo took care of the eastern side of Japan’s Mainland with their fleets.

Kimun was about to leave with his Neanderthal Tribesmen, leading a small fleet that would sail for Hokuto which was Hokkaido’s closest port to Japan. He had another ship sail further north to gather more tribesmen. Agent 7 was saying farewell to him. Wonder Inkling and Wonder Inkling Junior woke up early to meet this Kimun.

“Ah, Wonder Inklings, I would like to introduce you to Tribe Chief Kimun,” Agent 7 introduced, “He’s leaving early for Hokkaido to clear a path for us.”

Wonder Inkling looked at Kimun from head to toe.

“So this is a Neanderthal,” Junior began, curious of Kimun’s appearance, “I can see the similarity with the human fossils in the Sunken Scrolls.”

Kimun had his eyes on Wonder Inkling.

“Mr. Kimun, it’s rude to stare,” Wonder Inkling stated.

Kimun shook his head and came to his senses. “Sorry. Out of all the squids and octopi I’ve seen, you are one of the most—”

“Kimun, focus,” Agent 7 interrupted.

Wonder Inkling knows what he was going to say next. “Oh, sir, you flatter me.”

“Yes... yes... I must go now.” Kimun adjusts his robes and turned. “Some Amemasu need to be fished.” He ascends the rails to one of the warships.”

“Well that was a brief meet-up,” Agent 7 commented.

“We decided to wake up early,” Wonder Inkling replied.

Once Blueshift and Agent 0 were awake, Agent 7 did a roll call with Bigfin Splatoon. He picked up his handheld transceiver. His agents were on a different warship in the harbor.

“Sound off,” Agent 7 commanded.

“Agent Beta 4.13 standing by.”

“Agent Beta 8 standing by.”

“Agent Recruit Jiang, ready!”

“Agent Recruit Tavi, is prepared to depart.”

“Agent Recruit Circe, ready to depart.”

Then two more response came in, and they were the sounds of Zapfishes.

“Hear you loud and clear, Wattsby and Edison.” Agent 7 shook his head, smiling. He then looked to the Wonder Inklings, Agent 0, and Blueshift. “Next stop, Uchiura Bay.”

More than Five Hours Later...

Gravis Blenncove, the Bear-clawed Pikeman, and leader of The Sealine of Uchihara Bay, hasn’t been idle and os wasn’t the Federation. His military contingent has been using the cities around the bay as a set of naval watchtowers to patrol the waters between Hokkaido and Japan. So far, they’ve recalled all naval fleets by the orders of Hector after the invasion was stopped. It was to prepare for an expected counter-attack.

Colonel Jenna, the named Commander-in-Chief of the Federation, and Gavis’s prized asset in his alliance with Hector, she was ready to prove to the people that she was the last line of Hector’s Defense. In fact, she has devised a three-line defense tactic that’s meant to slow down whatever counter-attack was going to be made.

Jenna and Gavis are already discussing this with the Sharkling despot Hector and another ally, Klaveran, Leader of the Lakelike of Lake Toya. Klaveran was Hector’s crayfish teacher before the Federation was established. He appeared with fewer legs and moving on a wheelchair. Their meeting is the island inside Lake Toya.

Colonel Jenna had a map laid out along with markers the represent the three-lines. “The first line will be in the bay which Gravis will command. There will be an ink-mine field from the Koma-ga-take Mountain Peak to the city of Muroran. The harbors in Uchiura Bay will have fleets we’ve recalled. We already secured defense on Tamakomai’s and Sapporo’s harbors if they plan on trying to get to the capital with haste. The second line is in an area between Mount Yotei, Lake Toya, and Lake Shikotsu. We will have to lure them here a surround them. If all else fails, the third line is in the Minami Ward all the way to Hector’s residence. That’s where I’ll form a final stand.”

“Impressive...” Hector commented.

“And I’ve been hearing from Gavis that Klaveran has a secret weapon we could use with the Brine Solution,” Jenna mentioned, “I want to know the progress and when it can be supplied to the lines.”

“From my facilities, the researchers estimate 48 hours to complete the first batch of secret weapons. And it will take less than 12 hours to supply them to each line.” Klaveran held out a laptop. “I suggest you have the first line try and hold out until the weapons are completed.”

“Understood.” Jenna bowed.

“I trust you with these defense lines while I prepare my final trail for the son of Jason Gatz-Ling Cassius.” Hector took a deep breath from his respirator. “I must be on my way then—”

An inkling in the Amemasu military uniform ran in, adjusting his scarf. He then saluted. “Colonel Jenna! There is an attack at Hokuto coming from one of our warships. And there is an aerial strike and an invasion on Kojima Island!”

“Must be the same Neanderthal tribes that snuck past us and stole our ships from days ago. As for the attack on Kojima Island...” Colonel Jenna looked at her map. She slams a fist. “Klaveran, prepare an escort to take Hector back to Sapporo. Gravis, I’m joining you in the first line.”

“Very well, Jenna.” Gavis has no problem with this change.

“What’s in your mind, Colonel?” Hector questioned.

“This is Seven’s way of saying he’s coming,” Jenna calculated. “That is why I must suggest you go back to Sapporo.”

And with that Hector appreciated Jenna’s loyalty. “And that is why I named you Commander-in-Chief.” He leaves immediately with Klaveran following him.

Gravis and Jenna left as well, gathering the men to one of the cities of Uchiura Bay. There, the cities were already in haste, with the military garrison signaling one another.

[ghostmartyr]

SnK 111 Thoughts

If this chapter doesn’t have forty pages of chibi Eren wandering through the woods asking where his nii-san is, what even is the point.

(The point is Drama.

Intrigue.

Fluid.)

Thanks, I hate it?

So yikes, we have a proper ballgame going and everything is awful leading into the ninth inning. It’s going to be extra innings with Paradis’ chief closer out of commission, up against their rival team. Truly one for the record books, people.

First thing is actually first, where the manga, in a fit of hysterics, gives me something I wanted: Numbers.

Over a hundred people have joined Eren’s side, deserting their posts. The suspicion is that they’ve done this out of the belief that the people with the power to rain down armageddon are maybe the safest shadows to hide under, and hey, with all the waffling their government has done about solving the problem of the whole world wanting them dead, why not?

For the larger groups, everything makes a simple amount of sense.

Eren has power, so people gather behind him.

Eren has power, so Paradis will yield to it for the sake of survival.

It’s a bit of a horrifying story, and one that I always take some joy in seeing. There comes a point where individuals have so much power where the only thing stopping them from changing the world however they see fit is their own boundaries.

Whatever Eren’s boundaries are, they’ve changed. He’s willing to kill children for the sake of his mission.

He is the most powerful card Paradis has, and without him, they have nothing.

Leaving them stuck doing whatever he wants them to.

It’s a similar tactic to the one he uses to drag the Survey Corps into his massacre; they need Eren, so they have no choice but to come support him in the choices he’s made as an individual. Everything else falls away in the face of the power Eren wields.

Yeah, the head of their government has been assassinated by his cult. Along with several other lives.

So?

Does that fundamentally change anything?

Does Paradis somehow need the Founding Titan less now that their command is facing disarray?

For a story so often pointing out that if you don’t fight, you can’t win, it’s pretty damn... something that the main character has all but removed the ability of a party he’s allied with to fight. They can’t resist him, and he knows it, and he’s exploiting it at his convenience.

Putting Zeke’s location on the negotiating table is cute, and a nice stall tactic in theory, but for all that Pixis says it’s not submission, Paradis is powerless.

If they don’t conduct rumbling experiments, they have no protection against the world.

They can’t conduct rumbling experiments unless they let the Yeager Bros come into contact.

If the Yeager Bros come into contact, they can do whatever the hell they want.

Which they have already been doing, so picture all of this, only more.

Pixis’ decision is really the only one he can make if he doesn’t want their people at each other’s throats. They can’t publicize how their one and only hope is willing to dismantle their government. They can’t publicize that they can’t trust their military to be acting in the interests that the government puts forth.

There’s a delicate balance here, with the balance being a complete lie because security has already toppled off and discovered that there’s no net below.

Their only prayer is someone swooping in and placing a trampoline down below before the crushing fall is completed, and there’s no guarantee of even that much happening.

If Zeke and Eren don’t want to help, no one can actually force them.

Zeke is one of two living humans in the world who can power the Founding Titan.

Eren currently has the Founding Titan.

They can’t kill Eren outside of a controlled environment, or else the Founding Titan will go who knows where. With Eren’s pile of abilities he’s nommed, fighting to subdue him will be next to impossible. With the added limitation of doing everything they can to avoid killing him?

Armin brings it up as a point of faith; if Eren has the Founding Titan, it shouldn’t matter what Zeke wants out of it.

Eren now has a cult who doesn’t blink twice at assassinating key government officials. Even if it doesn’t matter what Zeke wants, what Eren wants, or is at least willing to put up with, is heavily alarming.

“No, no, we’re not submitting. We’re negotiating.

What do you mean the only thing we have is something we’d have to hand over anyway to get what we want.”

Like.

Hell, man, talk the good game all you want to keep morale up, but you people and your entire society now rise and fall at the whim of a man who has put no effort into making himself look trustworthy.

So, you know.

Ganbatte.

Other special numbers include thirty soldiers + Levi standing in between Eren and Zeke once Eren finds Zeke, Hange, and three unnamed soldiers who are either about to be very dead, very traitor, or the coolest NPC badasses ever.

Meanwhile, Eren still has a hundred.

Just trailing around after him.

With bombs.

Considering Eren could kill most all of those people (except Levi and Hange) without help, I repeat the theme of this post that Paradis is so beyond screwed it has actually become laughable.

Another fun thing of note that only I care about is that even if Eren can’t get to Zeke, he might be able to get to Historia, and Nile appears to be in charge of her security.

The reason only I care about this is because Nile is in charge of her security, and Nile has been fed the story of Historia and NPC Farmer Guy being totes in love 5evr.

(NPC Farmer Guy has no name and no face. I declare him Red Shirt-san, and also reallllllly fucking dead. Especially if my crack theory of the carriage from last chapter rushing off to Historia was correct, meaning that Pieck, theoretically having tracked the carriages, is going to pay the Queen a visit.

Bye Nate.

(his name’s Nate your canon is invalid))

Briefly defending my descent into self-interest, Historia getting zero panels and barely any hearsay about her is driving me nuts for all sorts of reasons.

Two people (count them, two), in the entire world, are capable of drawing out the power of the Founding Titan. One of them is an untrustworthy dick. The other is Historia.

Historia, when last seen under extreme emotional duress, was of the opinion of, “fuck humanity titans did nothing wrong.”

As we can plainly see from her expression at the end of 107, there is nothing but blue skies and happiness going through her boundless considerations of humanity now, and she is most assuredly, definitely on their side as all of her friends ditch her in the middle of the woods and never visit or mention any concern for her except that one guy who has taken up murdering children, and he possibly did that in active defiance of concern for what problems it might cause her.

What could possibly go wrong.

There are about three people who hold the fate of Eldia in their hands, and we know what none of them are thinking. They also all have a much more casual relationship with murder than most of the rest of the cast.

What I’m trying to say is that Paradis your politics are boring because your livelihood hinges on three catastrophically emotionally damaged people, and all of the story’s energy is going towards keeping those people away from thought bubbles or general illumination.

If Historia, Eren, and Zeke decide that you guys die............ you die.

You possibly should have invested more in strategies that weren’t so entirely dependent on renegade children following orders.

Okay okay, enough pointing and laughing at the futility of government in shounen. Mikasa! How you liking your entire page of dialogue! Does it feel good? Does it make up for the gaping hole Eren being a nutcase is causing?

Of course it does!

I don’t know how I feel about Kiyomi, but I am glad that her relationship with Mikasa is so obvious in its self-interest. Mikasa isn’t being yanked around; she knows this person caring about her blood hasn’t translated to caring about her people.

Whatever Mikasa’s genes, Paradis is her home, and she considers herself as Eldian as anyone on it.

What’s interesting in that conversation is that Hizuru is still doing what it can to avoid being an ally of Paradis. They’re letting this one clan mess around, but unless results can be produced, the whole scheme is dead to them.

...

You know. Paradis had better start hoping that there’s still some massive secret to the Titans, because with the current knowledge available, they are just... so incredibly screwed on so many different levels.

I’m inclined to think that Kiyomi wanting Mikasa safe is one of the few shreds of honesty she has left. I’m an optimist. A child connected to the days of honor long gone... hey, it’s a romantic concept, even conniving foxes can have one last hurrah in them.

But also, Mikasa just doesn’t deserve people piling more lies on her.

A promise to protect someone calls to her heart. I’m sure Mikasa has thought those words to herself many times; whatever happens to Paradis, her priority has always been her family. Not a blood family, like Kiyomi holds on to, but one bound to her with ties of steel.

Only now her family is at odds.

Mikasa might care more about her family than anything else, but in practice, she’s a compassionate, responsible young woman. She can’t turn her back on the world just because her family has. She’s going to bleed herself dry trying to do the best for both of them.

That’s not a happy thought, because even if Mikasa, with all her strength and ability, fights for anyone in this conflict with all her heart, the concept of winning is a far off dream. Her supernatural gifts don’t make the world turn. Her gifts simply mean she might survive when everything around her explodes.

Yuck.

And also hey, Connie, I love you man, but you turn those angry eyes away from Mikasa pronto.

Then we’ve got the many trials of Nicolo.

Featuring Gabi and Falco.

...

I don’t wanna. I can skip this part.

Uggghgghghhgh.

Hell, this is a lot faster than I thought this disaster would come out, and it’s a lot grimmer than I really want and in general just ow.

Nicolo is a prisoner of war. He is allowed to cook. He finds light in cooking for people like Sasha. He’s Marleyan, and Eldians are devils, but being around them, his heart softens to them, and his role becomes something more complicated.

As a soldier, fighting the demons of Paradis is just what you do.

As a person, fighting people like Sasha, Jean, and Connie...

With a heavy heart, he can hand off laced wine to their superiors. He can continue to operate as a soldier fighting against Paradis. But the very thought of Connie and Jean being caught up in that sends him into a panic, and he falls back on racist rhetoric to cover it up.

Rhetoric his heart isn’t even in anymore, because more than killing, Nicolo finds himself in cooking. In bringing people happiness.

And Gabi killed the person who shows him that. The person who gave him solace from the hell of war.

It doesn’t matter that she’s a child, or a Warrior Candidate, or anything but the person who killed Sasha.

She cares about Falco’s life. That comes to stand as another condemnation of her. She knows what it is to care about someone? She’s valued enough that this boy is willing to jump in front of a blow meant for her?

Did she think the person she killed wasn’t?

It’s destructive and awful, and Gabi finally has a defense for herself that isn’t just brainwashed rage at the island. That girl? The one she shot? That’s the girl who shot someone she knew. Guards who watched over Warrior Candidates training, in charge of penning up Eldians, but they were still people Gabi saw a home in.

She can’t justify the loss of Sasha, but she can justify shooting back, especially at someone who just clubbed Falco in the head.

But she’s still just a brainwashed child.

Sasha’s father watches two people, profoundly touched by his daughter, ripping each other apart because they’re in pain. Sasha changes Nicolo for the better. Sasha and her path in life is what’s breaking this child.

A child is calling his daughter a devil. She’s been brought into this conflict and all she sees is the enemy, and the good there must be in fighting that enemy.

Gabi doesn’t even try to fight back when Sasha’s father holds up the knife.

She’s bleeding and in tears, and for one of the only times, she isn’t reacting with violence. She’s just a stunned little kid, wondering if the people who’ve fed and housed her on this island of evil are about to kill her. Like she killed the daughter they loved so much.

Of course the man who raised Sasha doesn’t lay a finger on her.

Of course the man who has to physically hold down his child to try to force her to stop eating so she won’t die of starvation later understands how hard the world is.

Horrific things have happened.

He isn’t going to bring one more into this world.

And Gabi... from the very start, she’s been the most passionate about becoming a Warrior. She’s going to follow in her cousin’s footsteps. She’ll commit war crimes, she’ll take on a death sentence, she’ll do whatever it takes. She’s a Warrior.

She’s a kid.

She doesn’t want these kind people to hate her.

Kaya reacts the same way Gabi has to everything so far. She charges in with the only weapon she can find, trying to kill the problem because the emotional strain of what’s actually going on is too big for her young heart to take.

Kaya, who really has been kind. Who’s the reason they’re here. Who’s been trying to get her and Falco home.

Kaya’s in tears, and Falco’s unconscious and bleeding.

All because of what Gabi’s done.

Nicolo sees the same thing.

That’s why he comes clean.

The world is such a cruel place.

They’ve got to spare the beauty where they find it.

I’m not going to touch that plot bomb, because the manga can do it for me in future chapters. Zeke having a bunch of government officials drink his spinal fluid is honestly on par with every other thing he’s done, so. One more point to the Paradis Screwed column.

So last word goes to Mikasa.

I mentioned in the chapter where Louise and Mikasa talked that Louise had seen Mikasa’s strength impact her life, but completely missed the kindness behind that strength. Mikasa is terrifying as a soldier. She’s cold and relentless.

As a person, she will ask the child who killed her friends to see her wounds, and hold her close to keep another child from hurting her.

Mikasa is kind.

Gabi has met so many good people on this island, and all of them are in tears.

It’s funny and sad that Mikasa and Armin take her into the back room to calm down. For all their lives practically, they’ve been looking after a reckless wild child who gets into fights they have to finish for him.

Gabi is as driven and passionate and full of anguish as Eren as a child, and now she’s with two of the people who know that.

Armin and Mikasa might not know how to help Eren, but they can help this little girl.

And Mikasa can keep another little girl from knowing what it’s like to knife someone in the back because they killed someone you love.

Welcome to Emotions.

Where everything is absolutely awful except maybe the people feeling them.