#if you don’t hear from me for a while now it’ll be me avoiding spoilers until i can watch the new ep lol | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cursedcola · 7 months

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Prompt: "Will You Marry Me?"- Proposal Headcannons Characters: Everyone :) Part(s): Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Octavinelle, Scarabia, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, Diasomnia (Pt.1 !) (Pt.2 Here!) Fandom: Twisted Wonderland Warning(s): None. I mean, unless you don't want to marry any of them. Just don't read if that's the case. ALSO SLIGHT SPOILER FOR CHAPTER 7 IN SILVER Note: These are all if he is the one proposing btw. Also, I went overboard. I had to break Diasomnia into 2 parts because I exceeded tumblr's character limit. I have favorites I guess :/

This man is a child masquerading as an adult. As in to say that he resists any illogical emotions until they bottle up and explode. The traditional pathway for finding a life partner typically follows: stranger -> acquaintance -> friend -> crush -> lover ->partner. You know, as it normally goes when bonds form.

Sebek....is not a textbook case in this regard. His path is a bit more customizable

stranger -> person he is forced to interact with -> acquaintance of Lord Malleus -> Acquaintance of Lord Malleus that Sebek approves of -> Friend that Lord Malleus approves of -> Repressed Crush -> Acquaintance that Sebek avoids at all costs -> Acknowledged crush -> Acknowledged crush that Lord Malleus approves of -> Respected individual with mitigated interactions -> Courting -> awkward situationship -> lover -> awkward situationship (with better communication) -> spouse

Enough said.

This process isn’t as complicated as it may seem on paper. While there are many steps, Sebek is fortunate enough to have people in his life willing to force commitments onto him. It also helps that he has blind trust in a select few. This makes him a bit naive and easily influenced. A boon in the right hands, and a bane in others.

In short, Sebek is emotionally constipated and only acts when there’s a driving force. Otherwise he just gets frustrated. This is extremely apparent at two stages: ‘repressed crush’ and ‘awkward situationship’. Scratch that. Three stages.

Beginning at ‘repressed crush’ - Sebek realizes that he likes you when you ask about how his training is going. He happened by your dorm during his morning jog, and was more than happy to go off on a tangent of the strict regimen developed to forge a perfect knight.

Except that’s not what you wanted to hear. You were more interested in his health and how he was enjoying himself rather than how his work was benefitting Malleus.

His heart fluttered, as if a shock of electricity thrummed through his body. Having never felt this before, Sebek mistakes it for a lapse in his strength and runs off at a much faster speed than before. Forget a light jog, he had enough energy to run 500 laps around the school track.

Don’t you get it human?! You were distracting him! His body was at rest too long. Now shoo, you’re hindering him from doing his duty.

He represses these budding romantic feelings and ‘misinterprets’ them as deviant behavior. He even goes so far as to blame it on ‘useless hormones’ and convinces himself that it’ll pass. He spares it no thought until his pining becomes apparent to everyone except for himself

Que the driving force. Despite Sebek believing otherwise, he does have friends and his entire love-life can be credited to their affectionate stupidity.

Simply put, Ace takes every chance to seamlessly flirt with you whenever Sebek is around. Not in a subtle way either - he's making some risky comments and trying to eat up every moment of your time. The others in your year are well aware of what he's doing too. Deuce thinks he's being unnecessary, but also agrees that Sebek needs a push so he lets it happen. Epel has his gripes with Sebek, but admires him for his manly tenacity. So he's 100% in support of giving an extra push and even tries to copy Ace. Except... yeah, he's pretty bad at flirting so he gives up after one try. Jack is against it at first, not wanting to hurt your feelings in the process but gets talked into it after seeing you get salty over Sebek being distant. Ortho, bless his innocent soul, thinks of it as a fun experiment. Lil guy just wants everyone to be happy.

You have no idea though, which is great because all of Ace's attempts fail hardcore. Sebek and his chivalrous ways (jealousy) won't stand by if you're being constantly bombarded with 'unwanted' romantic affections.

Nevermind that you don't seem to be taking Ace seriously at all. It is still not proper behavior! It would be a stain to his Lord's image if Sebek knowingly let Malleus' beloved friend endure such a hardship.

Every time Ace makes an attempt, Sebek shuts him down faster than you ever could. You have no idea how he does it, but Sebek is always around when it happens. The timing is honestly creepy....until you catch on to what's happening because the Ramshackle prefect isn't a dumdum.

"So....prefect, how about we go get dinner together tomorrow? Just you and me, what do ya say?" Ace slides into the seat to your right during breakfast. He leans in on his fist, eyeing you with a mischievous grin that crinkles the heart on his cheek. Just as he does, Sebek occupies the seat at your left and pushes Ace back with his palm.

"Do you ever rest?! They will do no such thing, now eat your meal before it runs cold. The chefs worked too hard for their efforts to be wasted by a delinquent!" Sebek answers on your behalf like clockwork. This event was not an uncommon sight to anyone, neither was Sebek failing to control his volume, so no other student paid the show any mind.

Normally you'd let them spit a few words at each other before returning to their own devices. Yet letting this continue just felt cruel, especially knowing that Ace was doing it to get a rise from your friend. Although Sebek wasn't innocent in the matter either

"Alright - Ace, would you knock it off? You don't even like me that way so quit messing with my head. I thought you were better than this," you say in between bites, side-eyeing your friend with a disapproving glare "And you!" you turn to Sebek, "I can answer for myself. Why do you even care? It's not like you're in charge of my love life. Just because someone wants to date me doesn't make them a delinquent...sheesh"

Why...why does he care? Sebek short circuits at your scolding, opening and closing his mouth to rebuttal yet coming up with nothing. Angered by his own turmoil, he grabs his meal and goes to sit with others from his dorm.

Stupid human. How dare you be so haughty and ungrateful? He was just protecting you from....from, what exactly? It's not like you going out with Ace would impact him in any way. It's not like you were in danger or upset with his advances. If anything. he was doing a good job at keeping your relationship professional for the sake of his liege!

Go ahead and date that childish hooligan for all he cares! Sebek won't be there to protect you when you're lost, or lend you a scarf on cold winter days. Ace can be the one to call you before bed every night, and keep your yearbook photo on his desk. Possibly keep his favorite candid photo as a bookmark for his diary, not that Sebek would know anyone that keeps a journal. He can have your birthday written in his calendar with a heart drawn around it, and have your picture in his wristwatch. He can set alarms to know when your classes end and walk you home. He can worry when you're sick and listen to your obnoxious prying....he can receive all your affections, and have your loyalty. Listen to your silly ramblings and receive those random 'i just thought of you' presents that Sebek always has a dilemma over what their purpose serves

You can be Ace's headache, and Sebek's heart will be lighter for it. These attachments he's formed were a lapse in judgement and will never be allowed again.

...

Sebek asks his lord for permission to court you. The next morning Malleus wakes to find the devotee bowed outside his bedroom, forehead attached to the floor and hands laid flat on the ground in reverence. Sebek proceeds to begin a long rant about how he's succumbed to his inner demons, and that he has sinned for letting another in his heart - Malleus cuts him off, happy to see love blossoming and interested to watch it all play out. He tells Sebek to take good care of you, before leaving. Meanwhile Sebek is sobbing at his lord's blessing

Once he's gathered himself, Sebek runs to your dorm and pounds on the door with fervor despite the early hour

Grim shakes you out of sleep, grumbling something about an 'annoying bastard' at the door before flopping back in bed. He shoves two pillows over his ears and tells you to fix the problem. That's when you hear the thumping, it's relentless and somehow sours your mood beyond what you thought possible. Mornings were not meant to exist on the weekend. So with an irritated groan, you slip on a robe over your pajamas and answer the door. A fist pauses in the air, moments from striking you. Sebek freezes momentarily, his body going ridged before coughing into his fist. A light blush dusts his cheeks.

“G-good morning, human. I apologize if I've disturbed your sleep, but I have an important announcement that cannot wait any longer" Sebeck studders, focusing on the door pane instead of your disheveled morning appearance.

“Alright" you sigh, resigning yourself to his whims, "what is it?"

Sebeck bows at the waist. "I am in love with you. Please accept my affections."

And so the motions continued on. A most unconventional pairing - possibly the hottest topic of the school year, in the words of Cater Diamond - was formed. Sebek was cautious of Ace at first, their previous spats leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. When he found out the truth, he was both appalled and grateful. So much that he scorned all his friends for weeks on end for pulling a stunt like that - but also thanking them. He apologizes for calling Ace a delinquent, and his heart changes a bit in response to their 'unique' display of care. Their intentions were good, and in the end it worked out. So he can pardon the indiscretion.

Life goes on until your relationship forms an 'awkward situationship'. The first time is brief. As it is with most cases of young love, the binding force that ties you to them crumbles. On earth it is highschool. In Twisted Wonderland it is NRC. Sebek knows where he's going - to serve the Draconias . The grey area is what you plan to do...because as much as his affections have grown, Sebek isn't willing to give up his dreams for you.

He's astonished when you decide to follow him to Briar Valley. He doesn't even have to breech the topic - arrangements were already being made without his input. You wouldn't be staying at the palace against his Lord's wishes. Instead a small cottage was built at a safe distance from the main city. Close enough for you to visit the castle, and far enough for you to feel comfortable and not out of place.

Seeing you taking his wants into consideration alters Sebek's perception of your relationship. You truly were lovers, and not a passing 'hormonal induced fling'. You loved him, and it's here when he truly begins to consider a forever. It was like the time when he first called your name, no longer calling you by 'prefect' or 'human'. He had done it many times in private, yet doing so to your face altered his brain chemistry. He loved the way your name rolled off his tongue, and the way your attention became his at the call.

Which leads us to the third and final major block-aid. Years have passed, and Sebek's well grown as an established knight for the Draconia family. He works alongside Silver, and many other comrades in arms. Everything is exactly as he dreamed. Malleus has become a beloved, strong king. Sebek is respected, and you are thriving as well. He didn't have much faith in your ability to last alone - it's not that he doubts your abilities, but he did doubt his people. When you first moved to Briar Valley Sebek was well aware that there were many like his past self - fae with a hatred for humans. He worried you would struggle to fit in.

Yet you surprised him. The tensions did exist against your kind, but you managed to card a space for yourself in Briar Valley with ease. You didn't even work in the palace, instead choosing to work towards becoming a children's teacher and work towards helping future generations of fae feel comfortable around humans.

His family adored you - with his mother in particular fawning over how Sebek fell down the same pipeline she did. His father offers you both advice on being an interspecies couple - and Sebek actually found himself listening.

Huh. Character growth. Is this what it's like to mature?

All is perfect, yet not. Sebek is forced to confront this when news travels that a human was attacked on their way to the palace. The dread that coursed through his veins was unlike anything Sebek's felt in his entire life. Under Malleus' rule, humans were slowly becoming more prevalent in Briar Valley. They hadn't mentioned your name specifically, but he jumped the gun.

Against his better judgement, Sebek abandons his post and rushed to the city's clinic. The injured human wasn't you, thank the seven, but the dread lingered. So he ran to the school you taught at and practically barged into your classroom. Luckily it was empty as the day was near end. Sebek hadn't known that yet still behaved recklessly.

He rushed to your side, talking faster than your brain could keep up with while checking over your body. He flipped topics like a teen trying to pick a college major - scolding you for worrying him, blubbering gibberish about how you'd no longer be allowed to walk alone, and myriad of other things.

Sebek was so shook, that he completely forgot about his knightly station. Malleus didn't punish him for abandoning his post. Not like it mattered, considering Sebek was already doing ample damage on his own. The realization hit him like a stone punch to the gut - there was a threat to his liege, and instead of focusing on apprehending the criminal he chose to find you.

Malleus' power or his dismissal of the matter meant little in the overall picture. Sebek failed. He's ashamed beyond belief.

and yet, he can't help but wonder what ight have been. What if you were the one attacked and he chose to stay? He would have failed you in that scenario.

He's surprised to find that the prospect his failure hurts just as much - if not more. His lord is powerful, and there are many to serve him. Your last moments could have been spent in a cold medical bed, surrounded by strangers. Fading away and taking Sebek's dreams with you.

............

Ah. Since when had that word become plural? His dream was always to serve Lord Malleus. Now there are more - he wants a family, and he wants to go to that play you were organizing with the valley's children next weekend. He wants to become a greater knight to protect the city that houses all the people he cares about. Again, plural. Lilia, Silver, his siblings and parents, all the human and fae who are loyal subjects to his most revered. You, and your decedents to come.

It's frightening. How valuable one's life can become. His always belonged to the Draconia bloodline to do with at they pleased - now Sebek's in pieces. Is he truly worthy of being a knight if he cannot give his whole heart?

He doesn't blame you for this. In his youth Sebek might have tossed your relationship aside in a heartbeat - that, or he might've demanded Malleus dismiss him and send him to repent in exile or whatever. Sebek has a problem with embellishing with dramatics.

BUT... he's more mature now. Mature enough to realize that maybe he can have his cake and eat it too.

So, he asks Lilia for advice. At this time the general merely lazes around the castle like a bat on the wall - acting as an advisor and observer. Surely he'd know what to do.

"There is nothing wrong with sharing a heart amongst many. If anything, the toughest decisions make us stronger. The more you have to lose, the stronger you will become to protect"

Preach it grandpappy. Lilia wants to see his grandkids so stop the slow burn already.

It's deja vu because Sebek wants to propose as quick as possible. Just like when he confessed, the man nearly runs to your home on impulse. You can thank Lilia for your proposal not taking place at 3am with your door being broke in two (Sebek is much stronger than he was in his teens, and sometimes miscalculates his strength).

Instead, Sebek finds himself anxiously clutching a ring in his pocket the following week. It was the night of a school play you were hosting - one he was looking forward to since you were so proud in your work. Ergo, Sebek felt pride as well by default.

How unfortunate that he can't focus on the show. With his mind reeling so much, it's taking all he has to sit quietly in the audience. His eyes follow your movements as you direct the kids, and for a brief moment you smile at him from the stage.

Zap. Alright. Don't clutch metal when you're a living thunderbolt. Duly noted. If anything the jolt of pain brings him back to reality.

When the play ends, and all the children have gone home with their families, he finds you back stage sweeping confetti. His plan was to congratulate you, and take you to a nice restaurant where he could do this properly.

Except he can't wait. When you turn around from putting the broom away, he's already taken a knee and holding the ring out. Those diligent gold iris' not pulling away for one moment, as he holds the ring out between two fingers and his other hand placed over his heart as if taking an oath.

"Before you say anything - You have sacrificed time and time again for my happiness - my efforts are insignificant in comparison. I have taken your patience for granted like a spoiled juvenile. There was a time when I found this kindness of yours unnecessary. I thought it a distraction - a test of my strength to fulfill my destiny. I see now that I was foolish”

Sebek pauses, grinding his teeth together in regret and anguish.

“I had not known fear until you. I have more to lose now than ever before. Last week I abandoned my post - my purpose- In that moment, all I could think about was if you’d been attacked, then my life would be over. You make me lose all sense of logic and reason…so I demand that you take responsibility and marry me!”

{A gold band with an obsidian base. Gold and silver flakes are sealed atop the obsidian plate using resin. Very practical, yet charming nonetheless. Humans typically wear matching bands, yes? Sebek sees no purpose in getting separate designs since the point is to show proof of partnership. He needs a practical shape that will not interfere with combat, yet also wants it to be an aesthetic choice. Sebek could care less about looks, but if he’s going to give you a ring then it will be the best possible option to match to your worth}

Silver is beautiful like still ocean waters. He's breathtaking - literally and figuratively. With the beauty of a fairytale prince, personality of a wise knight, and deadliness of the deep sea. It's easy to be sucked in when Silver seemingly has no flaws. So easy that at one point there were rumors of him being a living doll, created by the fae to be a perfect solider.

These perceptions all rely on his outward appearance: the knight in shining armor. Albeit so, being so perfect almost makes him unnoticeable. Compared to his rowdy peers with quirks and notable personalities - Silver truly is a doll. Like the complacent child praised for being more mature than their siblings. He is as easily forgotten as he is admired.

Some would say that this is a flaw in itself - because no one is naturally perfect. No one is so complacent and calm at birth. It's simply a desirable flaw. One that hurts him, yet has ben praised by others.

Silver is strong. Silver is diligent. Silver is beautiful. Silver is breathtaking and yet not the showstopper - like gold. Gold brings warmth while silver is cold. Imperfections in gold give it character, and can be seen as art. Imperfections in silver are seen as unsightly scratches.

Silver knows this, yet doesn't want to be gold. He doesn't deserve to be gold.

Silver doesn't deserve anything. He has already taken so much simply by living. He has a world to be grateful for, and not enough time to repay his debts.

He is content being Silver - if he could then he'd be copper. Lesser. Yet he is Silver, a reminder of the blood he carries.

He will remain unremarkable yet dedicated. He will dedicate everything to his family and friends - do whatever he can to break free of his sleeping curse and help others. He will give until he cannot give anymore. Then he will give more, to repay all he has received.

....For as much as he is content with this life, Silver still envies gold.

You are beautiful like a new dawn. Ushering in each day with a vibrant display that commands attention. People instinctively admire you despite the risk of hurting their eyes. You heal the world naturally, and help others simply by existing. People take you for granted, because inevitably the moon will rise, and the cold will inevitably return.

You were bathed in golden light. This Silver noticed the moment he laid eyes on you. He couldn't tear his eyes away.

Silver envies gold.

........

You envy Silver. His calm, his family, his dedication despite being limited by his crippling drowsiness. Out of the students from Diasomnia, he was the one you lingered towards more often than not. The freshmen revered him for his skills, and he was a true gentle soul. You at first couldn't believe that he was Lilia's son - how did such a kind boy come from a rambunctious tease? Revelations of his past brought much to light, and now you couldn't think of him being anyone else.

Silver was loved like the first snowfall. He had a family that loved him dearly, no matter how short his time with them would be. He was raised to bring happiness to others, and protect their hearts using his demure temperament.

Silver was modest, and silver glistened when you'd expect him to the least. As the wind caressed his hair during an afternoon siesta, or sparks lit in his eyes while swinging his sword. How the horses nuzzle his side after equestrian practice, showing full trust and affection. Even in the sweat dripping from his brow, shining as he easily finishes a set of push ups.

Yet nothing struck your heart more than the melancholy he'd emit when no one was looking. How quickly he'd fade into the background, only popping in when necessary or if someone gave him note. In these moments Silver gleamed brilliantly, yet a shadow put out his shine.

You thought the melancholy inviting. It felt so natural, so real. Except you believed it balanced dangerously between despair and serene. The larger question being which side would he evidently fall towards.

.........

Silver admires gold.

He couldn't stop the pull. He just couldn't. Not with how you seemingly watch him when no one else does. Who wouldn't feel special? With the way you take note of things he normally wouldn't think of, and recklessly delve into helping others with no regard for yourself. Whether you desire the trouble is beyond him - the matter is that you see every issue through. There isn't a soul who doesn't know of the ramshackle prefect.

Perhaps this is his torment to endure. To get a taste for what he could have been, and willingly be tied to it.

Silver stares into a vanity mirror, his expression neutral despite the growing emotions inside. A slightly tattered sheet is tied around his neck like a bib, covering his front and part of his back. A shiver runs down his spine as you comb through his hair, deftly trimming the edges with a pair of kitchen scissors with the precision of a professional. A shiver runs down his spine every time your fingers linger against his scalp, either from tucking stray strands or combing through layers with your fingertips.

Your expression is stern, eyes intensely focused as you cut around his ear, afraid to nick him in the process. He finds the expression adorable yet bites his tongue. Silver couldn't think those thoughts. Not when you offered to do this out of the kindness of your heart.

Nonetheless, his heart thrums. If it were possible he'd think the organ about to pop out at any moment.

"Finished!" you smile in satisfaction and tussle Silver's soft locks for good measure. In one fell swoop, you undo the knot around his neck and pull the makeshift apron off of him. Silver nods, a slight smile teasing the edge of his lips. He stands from the chair and steps over any hair on the floor, reaching for the broom to clean before you could think to. "Thank you. I no longer need to schedule with a barber. This will save much time," In truth he had no intentions for a haircut. Either himself or his father would trim the ends once they started interfering with his sight, but he was too busy as of late. You were the one to notice how his bangs hindered his vision, and offered to help. Silver couldn't bring himself to deny your kindness. "You really like it? Hehe. Y'know, maybe I should start a shop on campus? I only started doing this since there aren't any affordable salons....maybe with it I can finally afford to fix the guest room!" you cheer and prattle on about all the different possibilities. Occasionally you'll ask for Silver's input, or even give an off hand compliment about how he was the perfect 'test subject'. Your company is intoxicating, he realizes. Talking with you is as easy as drinking water. Before Silver realizes, night has fallen and you've fallen asleep on the couch. Despite his better judgement, he finds himself wandering the Ramshackle door. He compulsively cleans up the mess you'd both left behind during his visit, doing the dishes from dinner and rearranging things here and there. As he does so, Silver notes all the little improvements around the dorm. It feels more like a home than a school building. Then again you do live alone. He wonders how often you host visitors, and if you unknowingly ensnared them just as you've done to him. He covers your shoulders with a blanket and steps outside under the moonlight.

It’s cold.

...............

You wake up the following day to find all the windows shut, your living room clean, and a warm blanket covering your shoulders. Your eyes peer around for silver, yet turn up empty.

Of course. Silver has a dorm to return to and people that would miss him if he returned late.

Shuffling around the silent dorm, the rickey old floorboards creek underneath your weight. In manufactured motions, you brew a cup of tea and pour it into the only well-used cup from the cabinet.

As your cup brews, you sit at the table with the blanket still clutched tight over your shoulders.

The tea goes cold, yet you are warm.

................

Silver loves gold.

but silver and gold don't mix. The question always is: silver or gold? When deciding a piece of jewelry to match your skin tone, people will ask 'silver or gold'? The metals are not meant to mix because they clash. It's an outfit catastrophe.

Yet, Silver cannot help but wonder. As he lays with his head in your lap and the sun and silence coaxing him to slumber - what if an outfit existed to compliment both silver and gold?

"Silver..are you sleeping again?" you tap his cheek with one hand, and his eyes open instinctively. Despite his drowsiness he will always look for you. Yet right now he's never regretted the magnetic pull more. With the sun casting a golden overcast, you peer down at him from above with tender eyes typically reserved for one's child. Your glow is breathtaking, and he cannot help the sinking feeling in his stomach that he is unworthy. With such gentle hands combing across his scalp and eyes that look upon him so tenderly - he is afraid to steal your warmth. And yet… "You are beautiful," Silver lets it slip, his hand reaching to brush against your jaw as if under a spell. He feels unnervingly calm. Not in his usual way, where he is constantly observing and playing a game of mental chess. This is a true calm, and he knows now that this is a point of no return.

Silver is beautiful like a still ocean. You are beautiful like the rising sun. When combined, a perfect image is formed just waiting for an artist to stumble upon it.

Against his wishes, the world has granted the child of dawn another gift. The gift of true love. 'True love's kiss will break the curse' and while it is childish to believe so in this case, Silver does so wholeheartedly.

When with you, the days pass like minutes. He wants nothing more than to forgo need for sleep, if only to work harder towards becoming a man worthy.

Silver envies gold for it's effortless demand for love, yet he no longer wants to be gold. He no longer wishes he were born copper.

Gold loves silver, so Silver he will be.

And with time, both Silver and Gold will be ground to dust regardless.

He thinks of this on a winter evening while holding a ring up into the moonlight. It's cold outside, yet he doesn't mind. The chill atop his nose does nothing but tinge it a lovely rosy color.

He looks through the windowpane into a home masquerading as a school building. His reflection is familiar yet changing rapidly in comparison to his family. The years have aged him, yet not by much. Silver is stronger, his soft jaw a bit sharper. His bangs have grown long again, it would soon be time for a cut. Perhaps he'd enlist a 'barber' after relocating back to the castle in briar valley.

Inside you sit at the couch, sipping from a well-used mug with Grim on your lap and watching cartoons. Silver's bag rests on the armchair, unzipped with nightly necessities spilling out the side. A slightly newer baby blue mug sits on the coffee table, with steam evaporating into the air as it waits to be used.

Silver smiles, walking towards the door and walking inside. Heat warms his cheeks and he is calm.

"I know I am unworthy of you, the thought plagues me to this very moment. Yet I cannot help but love you - like wishing on a star yet knowing deep in the depths of your heart that miracles are made not granted. I've received many, so I would know. My father gifted me life through love - and with you I understand how it is possible. I cannot imagine life without you. I promise this, I will cherish you and protect you for as long as you allow it. Would you marry me?"

Months later a ceremony is held in a secluded forest, in the yard of a cottage where a child first learned love. As an adult, he joins his most precious in matrimony, offering his sword to be sworn faithful.

You are beautiful like the first breech of daylight - and for once, Silver is happy to be a man of dawn.

Silver and gold.

Everyone wishes for silver and gold.

How do you measure it's worth?

Just by the pleasure it gives here on earth.

{A ring forged from a silver band, gold leaf embellishments, and a moss agate core. Enough said.}

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #diasomnia #sebek zigvolt #sebek zigvolt x reader #silver x reader #twst silver x reader #silver vanrouge #twisted wonderland imagines #twisted wonderland scenarios #twst imagines #I FREAKIN FINALLYT FINISHED THIS SERIES

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caramelstarlight · 1 year

Text

✨Tighnari Headcannons✨

💐🥰❤️Did this bc I’m obsessed <3 🥰❤️💐

SFW only|Never NSFW| Made this for me and my friend bc we love him. (Headcannons: Love, Defending, Confessing, Teasing, Knowledge)

A/N: Pls don’t flop :d | Reposts / Reblogs are okay. As long as credit is given! Please give me a ❤️🥰💐

This is long in my opinion so…(Spoiler about colleis elezaer, if you haven’t helped her with it, it’s a little spoiler but won’t do much.)

Headcannons about: How he shows love|

Acts of service / Quality Time |

• He’d help around the house you share.

•Also the one that mostly cooks breakfast.

•Wakes up early(usually) and may be staring at you before getting up or he Immediatley gets up-

•Helps you out with work occasionally if he’s finished with his. •Opens the door for you and closes it often when your with him. (He’s such a gentleman<3)

•Gives gifts slightly often, varying from flowers to sweets. He either leaves it on the bedside, desk or table.

•When he has time off, he’ll immediately look for you to spend it with. As that can be rare in the relationship.

•Tries avoiding the scorching parts of the desert or the heavily crowded and noisy parts of the city.

•Usually takes you out for a picnic,stargazing,cafes/restaurants or little trips.

•What do you do on these adventures? Well it can vary, he may take you to go get flowers afterwards or brings you to places he wants to show you.

“What? Do you not want me to help you out with the house or the work? What else can I be able to assist you with if you keep getting spooked by me lending a hand.” He stated, resting his free arm on the desk as he eyed your writing. His other hand was laid on your hair. He gently inhaled your scent as he kept reading, helping you correct it by spelling check or just details he could think of adding. Whatever he did just brightened his and yours day during these small moments of you both being alone, basking in the suns slight glow and radiating warmth.

“Well since this paper seems to be done, we’re going out because we need a break. He’d say, holding his hand out (or just picking you up bridal style if you’re trying to rival his stubbornness.) bringing you somewhere to spend the day. The paper you’d almost finished can wait. He’s what you need and you are what he needs right now to help each other relieve from stress.

Headcannons about: Defending you

Someone bothering you / species

•If he catches wind of your scent with someone’s he’s unfamiliar with he’d be slightly concerned.

•If his instincts are correct, that it is someone trying to harm his mate, he’ll immediately track you down.

•His ears and nose are enhanced, it won’t take long before he will step in.

•Immediately steps between you and them, covering you with his body while he sends a harsh glare. •His tone either sounds calm or angered. Either trying to hold back his anger or he’s already expressing it.

•Possibly growling is audible enough for you to hear. His tail is slightly stiff but still wags with you near him. Ears pointed up in their direction, showing alertness.

•if that isn’t enough to chase them off, he’ll use a potion or his vision to stop them in their tracks.

•one whiff of a potion he might’ve brought could make them instantly feel drowsy. Stopping them from making any conflict.

•He’ll point his bow at them, his vision glowing brightly. With dendro starting to become infused within it and a few vines are seen on the bow. Shooting it into the ground, using the vines to tie them up. (I keep thinking it’s vines in his burst but then I think it’s a flower I honestly forgot.)

•Same goes for harmful species. Beside him putting his body in front of you. He’ll quickly shoot arrows or use his potions to get you out so he can deal with them.

•If you have a vision, it’ll ease him as long as you know how to use it.

•He’d prefer if it was electro or hydro or pyro. Allowing elemental reactions to take control can easily defeat opponents.

•if you happen to have an electro one, he’d be slightly more concerned but also more interested. As he did get struck by lightning and he hates how loud it is…

•The lightning you command will aid him and hopefully never strike him. Hopefully that’s by accident during the beginning stages.

(This may sound dumb, but think of 2 people with backs against each other, he’s the one that’s facing the left / back of the backs.)

•He’s the one that’s facing the left while you would face the right / you’re facing the back of his view. (He’s facing the back of your view)

•Supports you with his skill while you’re in the middle of it enabling quicken / spread. Then uses his burst to quickly finish them off while you use your electro fused energy.

•Prefers if you’re a sword user (cmon I can’t say polearm bc you’re gonna sound like a mini cyno. ;-; UNLESS- YOU ARE CYNO 🤨 nah. Just his younger sibling. )

•He’s alright with you being of the same weapon type. But you’d have to learn how to coordinate attacks effectively with both of you using bows.

“Leave me alone you creep!” You muttered, a male staring down at you as you moved back, hitting a wall. Nearby passerby’s watches but did nothing. Certainly was a moment that made you lose faith in teyvat slightly. Yanking his hand away when he tried to connect it with yours.

Anger brewing inside both of you as one very handsome sassy fox approached. A smirk shined through and you stuck your tongue out at the male, frustration running wildly inside, his arm was cast aside by your lover Tighnari, growling with a glare. “Leave my partner (Padisarah,Lotus or whatever you think he can call you by) alone. She’s clearly not interested.” Tighnari said with a lower tone, tail wrapped around you and his other hand holding yours.

They didn’t stop, thinking they could overpower such an individual, Tighnari apprehended them easily, keeping them on the ground till Cyno arrived, taking away the creep for investigation. As they had a long record of them trying to get ladies.

Headcannons about: Him confessing his love for you

Public / Private

•He’ll confess about it during an event. Figuring the event would brighten the mood and make the day even more special.

•His confession would be short and blunt. Nothing long like a love poem or him spewing how much mora he would use to buy you. •He’s saying something like this: “Y/N, this may be uncomfortable for you. But I’m willing to ask here and now. I love you, do you love me back?”

•His tail is ecstatic, swishing quickly behind him as his eyes are filled with hope,adoration and admiration for only you.

•His ears pointed fully at your direction, his face covered in blush as he admires you quickly, taking in how perfect you are in his view.

•His actions proving how much he is willing to commit to you, his entire life he always and will.

•(The other rangers are watching with glee, heck they all knew how smitten Tighnari was by you. Collei is definitely giggling in the back)

•When you’re in private, he’ll say a similar sentence, the silence being slightly comforting to him as you can hear his tail swishing from how quiet it is. Allowing your answer to be true and clear for both of you.

•If someone sees you two in private, they’ll definitely tell the others, even before you both announce the relationship to the public.

The event was filled with glee and joy, a celebration for colleis elezaer was in order, also made for majority of the withering zones dying and celebration of the forests rangers work. Tighnari told collei what he had planned to say to you at the right time.

The venue used in pardis dhayi was filled with forest rangers and friends alike. Unknowingly, collei sat you both right next to each other. While she would sit on the side of Tighnari and you’d be the left of cyno. Collei and cyno both knew about what Tighnari was going to do, so they also prepared a little spot nearby if you guys needed alone time. Both clearly ecstatic during the feast. Anticipation brewing inside waiting for him to say those 3 special words.

“Y/N this may be uncomfortable for you but, I love you, I’m willing to devote myself to you. Do you love me back?” He said, tail wagging, eyes staring at yours in a lovingly way, ears perked and facing your direction. You clearly had the spotlight, and always will in his eyes. He even had a few of your favorite flowers in one of his hands. Must’ve picked them earlier today, they seemed new and fresh.

“Tighnari-? I- Of course I love you back! I thought you knew!” You said as you grabbed the bouquet of flowers as he gently pullled you into a hug. Tail wrapped around your leg or wagging excitedly at that moment and his ears drooped(in a good way) Collei,cyno and everyone else was fangirling over you both. Cyno may or may not have took a picture of you both… he’s happy to support his best friends relationship. He totally didn’t show it to nahida.

Tighnari talked with you during the feast and afterwards, making sure you understood how it can be with him. Ranging from his nesting habits to him mating for life. Of course, you didn’t mind those. Tighnari rubbed his cheek against yours, content with how his life was. Showing signs of affection towards you. Everyone else could hear his purring and man would they never stop teasing him about it for the rest of the week.

Headcannons about: Teasing

Him teasing you basically, or being sassy

•Would tease you just to see you mad, and he could kill those thoughts of you getting revenge quickly

•Does so by hugging your waist, you thought he was going to kiss you on your lips. But he didn’t

•Instead he left you hanging (or) pecked your check. Leaving you upset at him.

•When you confront him about it, he’ll kiss you passionately on the lips to make you lose thought.

•Sometimes he’ll be more feisty or in the mood to see you in that state, just for him to fizzle it out completely.

“Tighnari-! Stop teasing meee-!” You said as he pecked your cheek instead of your lips. Angered by the man’s actions. “My lotus/Padisarah(or whatever you think) your cheeks seem lonely too.” He said as he rubbed his against yours. Slowly making you angrier, but you did enjoy his company nonetheless.

“Come on at least- mmh-!” He cutted you off with a long kiss on the lips, a smile curling on your face, happy when he initiated it. His hands held against your back as his tail wrapped gently near your leg. “Better?” He muttered once you parted, seeing your flushed face as a reward, going back for a peck before letting go. “Tighnari!”

Headcannons about: Knowledge

What he and you are experienced in

•We all know, he’s from Amurta, the Darshan for botany and biology.

•A leader at heart, giving lectures and consuming species to see their effects. (He doesn’t eat the whole thing, just a nibble.)

•He knows the best places,items,plants for almost anything. May have the plants in stock if they’re medical in any way.

•Teaches or lectures you if you’re injuried or want to know more or you just want to know in the future.

•He’s amazed at the sight of you jotting down notes as he speaks, happy you’re listening to him, even happier knowing you’ll be more safe.

•You’re more knowledgeable in adventures, such as exploration, combat and places. he’ll ask you for your aid when traveling with you. Such as the windblume event. Asking you how to get there too what can happen there.

•Doesn’t approve of traveling every so often, but as long as you return he’s good with it. As the hero of teyvat, you know a lot. So he trusts your judgement.

•Asks you what other regions are like and loves hearing you talk about stories and experiences you had. Such as the process of becoming the Honorary knight or the first sage of nahida.

•Knowing you had many titles and jobs, he was still in awe in how you managed to get through it. Asking you for tips as he can be stubborn.

•Dislikes when he hears others get pettings from you. But he’s alright since he knows your his. Happy that you chose him out of everyone else that had a crush on you.

“Y/N (or N/N) can you tell me how you became the First sage of Nahida? I’ll tell you more about animals in the Avidya Forrest.” He said trying to bribe you, “Tighnari you already know you asking is enough, but we both know it would be better if you could hug me during it.” He nodded before picking you up bridal style to the bed.

“I thought we were going to sit on the floor-!” You stated as he carried you. “I’d rather cuddle with you on the bed.” He replied before gently lowering you down. Then getting behind you, holding you close and inhaling your scent as you told him the story. His ears hearing your words felt like a soothing melody. He loved every second of it. Love you!

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thus-spoke-lo · 2 years

Text

cw: angst; major character death [canon - spoilers for Marineford arc]; gender-neutral reader wc: 1.2k

“Oh hey, before I forget, I have something for you.” Ace planted a quick kiss on your dampened temple and slid out of bed, his sweat-slicked body glistening in the evening sun that filtered through your curtains.

You propped yourself on your elbows and watched him cross the room, admiring the way the light dappled across the muscled planes of his back as he stood naked, rustling around in the pocket of his shorts. “What is it?”

“Just hold on, let me get it.”

“Is it a ring?” you asked, punctuating your question with widened eyes and an exaggerated gasp. “Aw, Ace, you shouldn’t have!”

He turned and frowned, narrowing his eyes at you. “I know you’re kidding.”

“Am I?”

“Oh, come on. No one oughta to marry a pirate.”

“Says who?”

“Says this pirate.” The mattress shifted as he climbed onto the bed and knelt next to you. He held a small square of paper out to you, placed it in your open palm and closed your hand around it. “Here.”

You opened your fist and stared at it, held it up to examine it while you absentmindedly stroked his thigh with your free hand. “What is this?”

“It’s called a vivre card. It’ll guide you to wherever I am, so you can always find me, no matter where I go.” He got up and walked to the other side of the room, and the paper softly wiggled in your palm and began to drift in his direction. “See?”

“Huh. Neat,” you nodded as you turned the card over in your fingers, trying to avoid his gaze. “Thank you, that’s an interesting gift.”

“‘Neat’?” Ace sauntered over and slid back beneath the sheets, making no effort to hide the exasperation in his tone. “‘Interesting’? That’s it?”

You leaned over and placed the scrap of paper in the drawer of your bedside table, shutting it away while a quiet melancholy started to settle over you. You laid down, facing away from him, not wanting him to see the sudden gloom carved into your expressions. “I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s not exactly like it’s going to do me a lot of good. You act like I’m ever gonna leave this stupid island.”

“Well…maybe you could one day.” He curled his warm body around you and stroked your cheek with his thumb. “And when you do, then you’ll be able to come to me, wherever I am.”

You turned your head to kiss his heated palm, his skin almost scorching against your lips. “I think maybe I ought to just wait here for you like I always do.”

“What, a life of piracy not your style?” he grinned against your skin as he laid a trail of kisses down the back of your neck.

“I don’t think so,” you mumbled as you closed your eyes. You pulled his hand downwards, wrapping his arm around your waist, interlacing your fingers with his. “I mean, you said it yourself, no one wants to marry a pirate.”

“I’m sure someone would marry you.”

“Like who?”

“Someone,” he murmured into your shoulder, his voice low and gentle.

You hesitated, feeling your heart start to flutter in your chest like a caged sparrow. “What? Someone like you?”

Ace’s soft snores against your skin were the only answers you received.

----------

You laid in the bed that now felt cold and hard and uninviting, vivre card in your palm, watching it crumble into dust.

The sight of Ace in heavy chains, powerless and defeated, had turned your stomach, your breakfast suddenly splattered across the cobblestone street before you. You couldn’t tear your eyes away, couldn’t keep from wanting to claw your skin off as you watched him struggle, watched the chaos ensue around him, all the while wanting to scream until your vocal cords snapped, hoping he could somehow hear you from miles and miles away. It came as a relief when the video feed finally cut out and you could wind your way out of the pulsating crowd, the sound of their jeers and insults and epithets hurled at Ace and his kind spreading like poison through your bloodstream.

It wasn’t anything you hadn’t heard before, especially after the papers splashed his photo across every front page, gleefully reporting his capture and his date of execution, but when it was only on paper, you could try to pretend it wasn’t real—that what heard from the mouths of your neighbors and what you saw in print was merely a fabrication of the corrupt government, that it was all some grand scheme that you couldn’t possibly understand. You still wished it down to the very marrow of your bones that in a week or two, it would all be over, and Ace would be standing at your front door again, sun-kissed and smelling of the salty sprays of the ocean, and he’d take you in his arms and kiss your cheek and tell you it was all okay, that it would always be okay, that he was yours to keep as long as you’d have him.

When you arrived home, you frantically dug through the drawer in your bedside table to locate the vivre card, found it buried beneath books and trinkets. You’d refused to touch it when the news first broke, afraid of what you might find, and kept it hidden away; it was easier to pretend that Ace would find his way home to you again when you didn’t have to watch his life shrink away in your grasp. You sat in your bed, blankets pulled tightly around you, for what felt like a lifetime, watching Ace’s soul disintegrate in between your fingers. You watched him turn to ash until there was nothing, until your hands were empty and all that remained was a whisper of him on your lips.

You waited for the tears to come, waited for the inevitable tidal wave that would drag you under and drown you, fill your lungs with unimaginable sorrow; instead, it stuck in your throat, choking the life out of you with every stilted breath. Ace wouldn’t want you to cry, you reasoned; he wouldn’t want you to mourn him. He wouldn’t want you to tear yourself apart over the lingering trace of his lips against yours when he kissed you at the dock before he left for the last time. He wouldn’t want you to feel the lasting flickers of his hands on your waist as he pulled you into his lap and you counted the freckles on his cheeks. He wouldn’t want you to incessantly wonder if you should have followed him—if you should have begged him to take you with him so you’d never even need that wretched vivre card, and you could have stayed by his side every waking moment, fallen asleep with him listening to the waves crashing against the sides of the ship. Ace wouldn’t want you to miss him, to spend the rest of your days a living ghost, walking a wire between what was and what could have been.

Besides, you thought as your eyes burned and a wounded wail finally pushed its way out of your lungs—no one ought to marry a pirate, anyway.

#I promise I’m working on pain management but I couldn’t get this out of my head :(#ace x reader #portgas ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #one piece angst #one piece x reader #lo writes

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illusionsofdreaming · 2 years

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hey, it's owhda. how have you been? it's a little bit sad to see no updates on tumblr from you(I mean any, even just a talk) but that just mean there's something else going on in your life and I sincerely hope it's something good. I didn't really know you much but I really thought that you could be a good friend to have. So.. could we get a glimpse into your life? How's your work? What are you interested in right now?

Hello, hello! It's so nice to see some familiar faces still hanging around this dusty blog! I've missed interacting with you both and Tumblr in general, it's very humbling to know people are reminded of me from time to time. I guess now is as good a time as any to post a little update on what's been going on in my life, how that's affected my writing and what I've got planned for the blog in the coming future. For those who wish to skip the chatter, tldr; I'm hanging on, this will blog will remain online and I do have plans to continue writing.

Let’s see… where do I even begin? Shortly after May, I’ve received an exciting notice - I was promoted! It’s a goal I’ve been working on for some time so it was quite satisfying to hear the news. Since then it’s been a whirlwind of activities - trying to juggle my new responsibilities and manage my own team took some time getting used to. I’ve worked solo for so long it was difficult to be the ‘leader’. In fact - I still am uncomfortable being one, but I’m starting to get the grasp of it.

I’ve been traveling for work as well and in these few months have been to Japan and UK. Both trips where I fell severely ill because my weak body can’t cross countries without making complaints and making me feel my age. Oh. And I finally got Covid in November which really laid me low for at least 2 weeks.

I realise my health’s been taking a hit lately. Perhaps its the stress of having more work on my plate and being in a new position but I’ve been getting sick more easily. I’m currently recovering from a throat infection that I got from my UK trip as I write this - so fun times.

So yeah.. it’s been a lot of paperwork, electronic work, a lot of self reflection and remoulding of myself to my real life that really put writing on the back burner. I always wrote at night after work but nowadays I don’t even have the energy for that. If I’m not dead asleep by the time I’m done with work then some infection, flu or cold will get me.

…and the longer I don’t touch my writing the less I wish to open my WIPs because I have a silly, irrational fear that I no longer write the same way I use to - either I’ve deteriorated or my style’s changed. It’s silly.

Good news is that, I think I’ve finally found my pace, my new position is no longer ‘new’ but the norm and I’m slowly finding ways to carve out my own personal time in my new schedule. Which is why I’ve decided to tackle this issue today. To be honest, it’s been a while since I wrote anything fictional, but I’m planning on slowly working through the writing blocks that have built up due to my neglect. I’ve bought 2 new books during my trip in UK so that’s a step in the right direction right?

As some of my older followers would know and recognise by now, I do tend to go through highs and lows when it comes to activity on this blog. It often reflects what’s going on in my personal life haha. But lately, the creative bug that has been out of energy seemed to have been slightly rejuvenated - my habits of hyperfixating on creative mediums is rearing its head again so I know it’ll only be a matter of time before I’m itching to write again.

About what..? TCF is still on my mind but not as much as before since it’s been some time since I last read its chapters. Lately I’ve been reading Absolute Sword Sense and am keeping up with its chapters so far. I’ve yet to get the newest Fire Emblem game and have been doing great avoiding any and all spoilers so far - but I’m pretty sure it’ll be going on my list of series I’ll write for in the future.

My health issues are to be tackled another day because I’m frankly, quite tired of taking meds.

As for where I wish to take the blog… hmm.. that’s really a tough decision because I’ve never really had a clear goal in mind when it comes to this blog. It was just a great space to share my thoughts on fandoms and interact with likeminded people. I don’t think I’ll be opening requests for a while since I’ve got a huge backlog of WIPs to work on. I suppose I could attempt to keep the blog less.. dead? Not sure how I’ll go about it though.

Anyways.. that’s about it. Terribly sorry for the word vomit, I hope everyone's been doing well and enjoying your life! If it seems I'm a bit dead without updates, it's usually because there aren't any chatter related inboxes haha. So is this illu's call for random stories to be dropped in their mail? Yes.

#chatter #owhda #ineshapanda #mikachuchu #updates #life #blog stuff #illu is doing great #hope everyone is as well #thanks for checking up on lil me ;w;#made me feels #lots #-cries-

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ziracona · 2 years

Text

Hey guys; it’s been 84 years but I’m back with an update! Sorry it’s been so long. The feedback has been so kind and so meaningful, and I really wanted to continue much sooner. I wish I could have. I am glad at least I can now. As per the norm, Tumblr gets the slightly less polished update a day or two before AO3 -- And thank you, so sincerely, all for the continued interest, and for liking my story. Hope you have fun. [Fate/GO AU – The Kid (pt: 1, … 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, ?)] {Some spoilers for original Grand Order run/through Temple of Time}

“Alright,” comes Doctor Archaman’s voice in my ear. So funny to be wearing earpieces to get orders like I’d get from a Master, instead of just hearing them in my head. Guess, since he’s not one, though, there’s no way around it. “I’ve got a visual. Ritsuka’s group is in position to breach, so we’re cleared to start.”

‘Alright’ indeed: go time. This’ll be fun! I’m feeling great, with my spirit core not ripping in half, and I’m very ready to tear some arms off. Crack my knuckles and my neck just for fun, limbering up.

“Any intel before we go?” asks the Doctor.

“There’s a few guards, some drones. We can all sense a few wards up, but it’s nothing beyond what we expected,” answers Archer, “Hard to guess what they’ve got inside, but, right now it’s quiet out here. I’d add there’s a lot of retractable plating up, so I wouldn’t be shocked to find some external turrets, but that’s about it.”

“Good,” says the Doctor, making a typing sound I can vaguely hear over his mic.

“So, we’re supposed to make this as real as possible,” I say, nudging Archer to get his attention. I am given a slightly irritated glance. “Like we’re trying to wipe them out, for another mage group. How would you do that, if you were here to wipe them out for real?”

“I’d have done more reconnaissance,” he answers in annoyance.

I internally roll my eyes. “Yeah, well, if you didn’t have a perfect Master, and you were just ordered to go in like this.”

He sighs. “I’d hit them with a mid rank noble phantasm from my arsenal, and see what an attempt to nuke the place did, without pulling out my best tricks and losing my major mana supply right off the bat.”

Mid-rank phantasm. ‘Course this fucker can do that shit. He just fucking copies other peoples’ phantasms and fires them off like arrows; annoying as hell. I guess that’s not a bad approach, though, tactically speaking, so I give a grunt of affirmation as I consider it.

“That what we’re going for?” I ask the Doctor.

“No!” says the Doctor in frazzled distress, “Because for all we know, their defenses are terrible, and that might actually work! We’ve got five people in there we don’t want vaporized off the face of the planet.”

Right, right. “So then?” I prompt, twirling my spear and then leaning on it.

“Okay,” says the Doctor, “Given what I can see on the cameras, I think our best bet is a frontal assault.”

“Isn’t that always the worst option,” asks David casually, matching my stance on his shepherd’s staff and leaning forward to survey the area.

“To win, sure,” agrees the Doctor, “To stall? No. It’ll buy us time, with an easy open escape behind us when we need to cut and run, and we should have plenty of room to maneuver, while keeping it mostly on the outside, to avoid collateral damage to the building while our people are inside.”

Fair enough. Frontal assault works for me.

“That said, I do have a plan beyond ‘go up to the front and start swinging,’” adds the Doctor, “Archer, from what I understand, you have wide barrage capabilities, and access to a large arsenal.”

I was going to ask which Archer, but I think we can all tell from that description.

“Correct,” affirms Archer.

“You’ll hit them first then, from the front. Lay out as wide and harsh a first barrage as you can; I want it to be overwhelming, and confusing. Keep at it once you’re in. You don’t have to do endless damage, so long as it looks like you can,” says the Doctor, “We want them guessing at numbers here: off balance, overwhelmed, and feeling as under immediate and immense threat as possible. I want everyone in that building out here, shooting back.”

Archer gives a nod, I guess more to himself than anyone, since it’s not like Archaman can see.

“Keep up the heavy fire. As soon as they come outside and start to fire back, I want you on top of the group and tearing through their forces, Lancer. You’re our battering-ram.”

Sure am. “Sounds good to me,” I agree, straightening up and twirling my spear because I enjoy the sound it makes.

“I want them terrified,” adds the Doctor.

I grin. That’s a can-do.

“Avenger, you have the ability to cast fear like an aura around you, right?” he continues.

“Yes,” agrees Salieri. He’s wearing full body armor and a mask now, which I have to admit, while not my color, is pretty sick, and definitely makes him look a lot more threatening.

“I want you to flank them, once the fighting has already started. Go in on our right, and cause as much chaos as you can. As much as possible, I want them to struggle even understanding what is attacking them,” says Doctor Archaman.

“Understood.”

“And David,” finishes the Doctor, “To the best of my understanding, you’re the only one with strong defensive capabilities.”

That ain’t true—I’ve seen Archer whip out a fucking shield based noble-phantasm before, twice now, and it’s really fucking annoying, but Archer doesn’t seem to feel a need to bring that up, and I don’t really either.

“I want you to hang back, and offer whatever protective support you can from the rear, while sniping—stick to your class strengths,” says Doctor Archaman.

“Hey,” I say in Archer’s head, “How come you’re ‘Archer’ and he gets to be ‘David’?”

“Because they know each other,” says Archer in tired annoyance without looking my way, “And he can’t call us both ‘Archer’. Besides, I actually prefer this. Archer is better than being called by name,” he adds almost bitterly.

Damn, if I’d known that it would bother him, I might have stopped calling him ‘Archer’ a long time ago, but it’s way too late to do it now. Ah well.

“Alright,” agrees David happily, “Shall we, then?”

We trade glances, and Archer gives a nod and flexes his arms in preparation.

“Go,” says Doctor Archaman.

Archer takes off so fast I don’t see him for a second, then there he is, taking the leap from the hill we’re on overlooking the building, into the sky by the front gates. The area is kind of secluded, well, for the city. It’s on the outskirts, surrounded by parks and bus stops. The building itself is an ugly, several story flat rectangle, with barbed wire fences and sensors, sentries, automatic lights. It couldn’t scream ‘compound’ much harder if it tried.

That’s not really going to be a problem for us, though.

For a moment, I hold, watching Archer wave an arm in mid-air, and a line of a hundred swords appear in the air behind him and slam into the building front like missiles. The mana explosions they cause when destroyed is impressive, even though I know how much he’s holding back, and about forty different sirens go off and I hear shouts, see people move. He strikes again, and again, working not just to do wide damage, but to change attack angle so its hard to tell it’s only him firing, and to kick up smoke and dust, lower visibility. Perfect.

The front gate opens.

I am vaguely aware Salieri has vanished, though I can sense him off to the far right, through our bond as servants to the same master. In place. Behind me, a few stones start to whizz past, now that personnel are rushing out. David’s sniping not for major threats, but for anyone shouting out warnings or directions, I have to assume for the fear-factor of hearing your comrades go down again and again mid-word. Not bad.

Yeah, not a bad amount of chaos.

But now it’s my turn.

Almost gleeful, I ready my spear and run.

There are golems amongst the humans firing mana rounds and bullets together from machine guns up in the smoke by the front gate. There are homunculi, and quite a few robots. All expected. I didn’t except the first thing I saw up close to be zombie though, and I’m almost thrown, because the fuck kind of military is using the least controllable familiars they can find as front-line defense? But hey. If it dies, it dies. And I run it through, spear taking what was its head in an instant, and flash pat it, ducking under a blow from the nearest golem, and slicing off the legs off a large tank-shaped robot as I go. I come up on a knee and swing in an arc, cutting open the four nearest humans, then throw my spear through the head of a golem on my left, as another barrage of Archer’s swords cuts a path through the enemies around me.

Fun, I think, calling back the spear, But not enough.

I scream. The chilling, inhuman cry of blood-lust to a warrior, and rush them. Loud, fast, laughing. I swing the back of my spear to knock some back so hard they crack against one of the large robots, then leap and carve a hole through a golem, jump through its broken stomach out the other side to send my spear zig-zagging through the heads of twenty zombies near me, kicking a human with enough force to send his body slamming into the open door and knock back several gunmen rushing to join, call back the spear and catch it in mid-air, and send it flying back to impale itself along seven bodies in a clump.

Wait, didn’t our master ask us to use less lethal force or something...? Eh, I can’t remember so it’s probably fine.

Gun spray slides past me as I move too quick, and I land in front of a line of humans and let one hit me, just for fun. For the intimidation of it.

It fucking goes right through my chest and I’m knocked back.

The fuck just-?

I-I recover, fast, but-

“Doc, they’ve added something to the bullets—I could sense mana, but the concentration’s enough to hurt,” I call to coms as I cut a swath through this new round of humans, then jump back and start tearing through the wave of zombies and ghosts on my right, sending bodyparts flying and doing my best to add to the chaos. The hell do they have so many damn undead?

“The regular rounds?” I hear the doctor ask in surprise.

“Yeah, at least some of the guns,” I say.

I can almost hear the guy thinking. Well, whatever. Just means work a little harder dodging, to the rest of us, and we’re all on coms, so we all heard.

I am far enough right for a moment that I can see Salieri tearing up a group of automatons that were on the wings, flanking right on cue. He’s taking pretty heavy fire from the snipers and turrets these guys have on the roof, and seeming to ignore my warning entirely.

…Right. Wait. Don’t Avengers get some kind of boost from taking damage for some bizarre reason? I’ve barely seen them around, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it works. Guess it doesn’t matter to him, then.

Jeeze, what a way to fight though. Kind of cool, honestly. He’s soaked in blood and has gashes in his arms and legs, bullet holes riddle his torso, and it’s not slowing him down at all—hell, I don’t think it’s even broken the man’s concentration.

Good for you, buddy, I think, spinning on my heel and launching my lance at the nearest turret, then mentally carving its path in the air so it takes two more before swinging in an arc and darting back into my hand.

“I think this is going pretty well,” I call as I pass Archer for a second, enjoying being in a real scrap. He’s darting in and cutting people up with his swords off and on, but mostly hanging back to send barrages in like he’s supposed to. Poor guy, I think with glee and no sympathy, Finally have to fucking use ranged attacks like an Archer. It must be killing you.

----------------------------------------------

“I’m not sure I understand,” I manage as we rush down a hall.

Everything feels like too much. I-I’m struggling to think at all, a little. I can barely even try to believe this is even happening to me, but, I’m doing my best.

“We don’t either,” calls the Archer who identified himself as Billy the Kid with chagrin, taking a corner so fast he jumps and pushes off the wall not to lose momentum, and I follow suit.

“We only know that’s what happened and that we need to get back out there to help quick as we can; we have no idea why they’d be working on some kind of mental corruption thing against spirits, or why they’d use it like that,” says the girl who saved me, “We don’t even really know what Mercury is…”

I glance at her for a second as she speaks. It’s hard to do. I feel…

My head. It. I can think again, I can move. I’m not in pain. But. It’s become so strange to me, after all this time caught in the moment of death, I-I don’t know quite how to do it right anymore. I feel like every moment is too much, and there’s no way to quite filter it all. It’s hard to look at her, harder than looking at anything else. The air is hard to breathe, because it doesn’t catch in my throat and choke me and hurt, because it doesn’t only smell like blood and burning and steel. Because it brings relief instead of pain. There are so many smells I forgot existed, it’s hard to experience them. They overwhelm me.

It is hard to look at light, after so long in darkness. These walls shine, and they blind me. Even my own skin, my clothes. I forgot the saturation of color. I forgot what it felt like for the act of trying to see not to send spasms along the back of my neck, and stinging in my eyes. For it to not feel like straining. So many things do not provoke pain just to be, and the normalcy of them overwhelm my head. I have forgotten how to process anything but pain and fear quickly, I-I’d gotten so used to it.

It's hard to hear sounds again. To hear footsteps, and breathing. Talking. They don’t make my head ache to try and understand. My own movements don’t send pain that cascades and echoes for hours. It’s strange. It doesn’t hurt to be. It doesn’t hurt to think. But, it does. Differently. It hurts like fear—it hurts in that it overwhelms me; it feels like trying to hold too much at once. It is all hard.

It is impossible to look at her for long.

I cannot think about everything that just happened, because it’s too much, but I can’t look at her long without thinking about it.

I don’t understand. Not just what they’re telling me about the people who purchased my body and spirit like a pound of spices. Them. I don’t understand them.

She’s so small. Little. She must be a teenager. Japanese, like me, but her hair is red like mine is. I am not afraid to see her, and it’s become strange to see a human and not be afraid. I am…overwhelmed. She saved me. I thought I was going to be dying forever. I don’t know how much of my head is left—I-I know I’m struggling with it. But some of it is still here. She saved that. Why? I don’t even know who she is. Or what. And she doesn’t even want to own me in return.

It is very strange.

It’s beyond what I can understand right now. It hurts and confuses me to look at her, and try. But, I want to at the same time.

I just can’t. Not yet.

The cowboy isn’t easy to look at either, but at least he is so different, from everything I am used to. It helps. And it is…nice. We’re somewhat close to the same age, I think. And he told me he wouldn’t lie to another spirit about a thing like this. I appreciated that. I don’t think I’ve told him, but, it helped. I should. I should think of…

“There!” calls the girl, pointing. Up ahead, I can see it too. I had forgotten to look at all, I was just following. This isn’t good. I’ll be cut down in battle before I can be of any help at all if I don’t remember how to use focus.

The exit—an exit, I-I suppose. A door. Open, and past it I see night sky.

Oh, that is also too much. I had forgotten the look of anything but the inside of a building, and I am trying hard to readjust to a version of me that was ready for things like this, from before, but a part of me hasn’t accepted that it’s even over, and I’m alive at all. That I’m not still in that room, with my head halfway off, dying and dying and dying and dying and dying and dy-

“Kotarou!”

? O-Oh. That. The cowboy.

I remember to focus again as we near the exit, and take in that Billy the Kid is pointing to something outside.

Oh.

----------------------------------------------

SHIT!

I hear the shouts—mostly their own guys, but a few from us. It’s chaos.

God damn it! This was going so well! What kind of idiot-!

“We’ve lost visuals on Salieri!”

That’s the doctor, calling out. Shit, that is bad.

“Lancer, was he hit? Could you tell?” The man is frantic. One of Archer’s swords swings in my direction at random and almost takes a chunk out of my side, and I slide about five inches left just in time to avoid it. He’s shooting massive barrages at everyone—I don’t even really think he’s aiming. Wait…

Shit—okay—what did the Doctor ask? –‘Was he hit?’

No, I think, irrationally angry, scanning for the Avenger myself in case he’s been hit since the first barrage. They’ve shot their fucking missiles at least twice now. I don’t see him though. Which I should—hell—I should at least hear him! We were close like eighteen seconds ago! How fucking far did he go? I can sense him at least, faintly, but it’s weird? Erratic. Not in the way Archer is, at least… All I can tell for sure is he’s somewhere to my far, far right.

“He’s back the way he came from!” I call, trying to avoid more swords as about six slice in my general direction, pivoting to use my spear to cut down a golem in my way as I go, doing my best to fight toward the hoard of undead, demons, and ghosts now moving like a slow wave towards the exit gate, “That’s all I can tell! But he��s not hit!”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure!” I snap back. Of course. Of course he would do that!

A barrage of smaller swords comes spinning out in every direction again, and I hop out of the way of three and deflect a fourth with my spear, finally zeroing in on Archer, about 20 yards away. Shit.

“Cu Chulainn—”

Shit. The doctor must be worried for real to be using my true name.

“—drop back! We need to find-“

“—No!” I call back, “We fall back, and this gets worse! Just don’t let the rpgs hit you—something in them makes things frenzy, got it?! Like a fucked-up madness enchantment!”

“-I know! -But—no, head back—We’ve lost connection to Salieri and Emiya! Even if the Avenger isn’t hit, something’s gone very wrong with him! We need to-“

“—Regroup, I know—I know!” I snap back, starting to carve my way forward in the crowd again, taking advantage of the chaos to down enemies so preoccupied with the guy on their left going rabid with his arsenal of swords that they barely register me. I run a mage clean through without him even having time to turn his head and look. “Get someone else! We leave Archer alone or give them time to regroup too, this shit gets worse—I can keep the mages distracted, and I can handle Archer! Take David and find Salieri, and try to do something about the fucking wall of undead shit heading for the city!”

“—Handle?! –How! Lancer, you realize you can’t kill him, right?—and holding back,” starts the Doctor desperately.

“—Yeah, I ain’t gonna kill him!” I snap back, annoyed more by the situation itself than him, but pretty irritated by now. A couple of mages finally take notice of me and try to land a few mana shots and a stun spell, but they’re so slow that I can dodge easily and take a shot back without even losing my breath. “I’ve fought him non-lethally before! He’ll be fine. I’ll see if I can’t snap him out of it, and I know I can take him. Worst comes to worst, I’ll drag his unconscious husk back and let you people fix him. That’s more than the rest of you can say about the other half of this! I’ve got this—you two handle the city!”

“… You’re absolutely sure?” asks the Doctor.

“I’m positive,” I reply. I’ve almost caught up to him. About fifteen feet off now. I ready my spear.

“Okay,” says the Doctor, and his voice is gone from my head.

Past Archer, I’m very aware the rpgs have gone off about six times now—one almost took me out—and they’re hitting their own people to have a shot at us. The effects are sporadic, but less pronounced on the mages it seems. It’s like they panic, more than go rabid, but it has some weird effect for sure. No real effect at all on the golems and robots at all. The homunculi and anything undead though? They get caught in the blast radius, and suddenly they’re a seething mob, gunning for anything in sight. It won’t take long for them to crawl over the growing stack of bodies by the far wall, and make it out of the compound entirely, and the homunculi and undead aren’t even the biggest problem! It’s all the fucking ghosts. Before they were a pain; now with whatever magic shit this is coating them, they’re all trying to be the fucking star of a bad Hollywood paranormal horror flick. Things are flying past and screams echo in the night. I’m at a distance from the worst of it, but I can feel the hatred and chill in the air from the malice on those things alone. They aren’t so big, which is great, and a second ago they weren’t shit as a threat, but they’re more than a little suped up now, and there’s just way too many of them. And the idiots with the guns are still firing! Guess…maybe we scared them a little too much, huh, I think with a grimace.

Still, we ain’t handling any of that shit well as long as we’ve got a heroic spirit like Archer going berserk in the middle of it, so he’s the top priority. If the idiot hadn’t taken a round straight on like this, he’d be better than the rest of us are at holding these things back, with that area of effect he’s got with his phantasm! But noooo.

Idiot!

I mean. I get it, I guess. I know why he did what he did. I get it. That first rpg round went off, he sensed something we didn’t, and the Avenger was going to just take the round head-on like he’d been taking everything else for his damage-boost Avenger thing, and yeah so of course he—I mean, sure, probably something like Salieri going full-tilt monster on us would have been a lot worse, and it was the only tactical choice, and I guess his stupid shield just didn’t quite make it up in time, and it was one of them or the other. But even so! Even so! This fucking guy! With his endless ‘heroic sacrifice’ shit, while being the edgiest motherfucker I know, just…it all pisses me off to no end, and this is no exception to that rule! Kind of glad I now have an excuse to slug him.

“Hey, ARCHER!” I shout. I wonder how much he’s in there at all, and how much it’s just the spell running his body. He turns at his name, in a stunted way, like a man asleep, and I slam the back of my spear into his head.

He moves back, quick even with something this wrong with him, but I catch him enough to slice his forehead open, and I’ve sure got his attention now.

Alright. Perfect.

“Wake up!”

I go for another hit with the reverse of the haft, and he jumps to try and get some distance on me, summoning his little shortswords, and just barely parries it, but the force alone knocks him back out of the air and into some of the closer automatons. Barely even registering them, he’s up again in a second, slicing through the ones close enough to try taking a shot, and running for me.

“Get it together!” I snap, catching his shortswords with my haft as he swings at me, “You’re still alive in there, right? So shake it off!”

He ducks under my lance and goes for my gut with a blade, and I swipe his legs out from under him before he can. I leap after, trying to capitalize on him being on the ground, but he’s too fast—rolling out of the way so my speartip hits concrete, and hopping up and back, firing off a barrage of swords at me as he goes.

Okay, how in there?

I’ve seen my fair share of shit. There’s a sliding scale from ‘madness enchantment,’ to ‘under command seal,’ to ‘the grail got them,’ to ‘totally fucked up by magic,’ and he seems…

-He stops retreating mid-motion and shoots forward so fast I barely see it, and I have to duck to avoid a dagger, spinning on my heel and elbowing him in the gut as he goes for a second swipe, and knocking him back.

Shit, it’s hard to get a look at the damn guy’s face!

Okay.

I said I could take him, and I can, but I was kind of hoping this would be easier than literally beating him unconscious and dragging his body back. I mean, I’ve done it before. I can do it again. But shit. He doesn’t make it FUCKING easy, and I’m not exactly looking forward to the state my spirit origin’s gonna be in after that, either.

Maybe he won’t be as tough. He’s fucked up. That’ll help, right?

He’s back even faster this time—Well, at least I got his undivided attention—and attacking with a vengeance. Swings for my head, and I knock the first blade back with my haft, catch the other with my speartip just in time. I swing for an uppercut, quick, and rake him across the chest with my spear—not deep, he’s too quick for that, but this is good, because it means he is reacting slower than usual.

Okay. Alright, I can work with that maybe.

Archer ducks forward and makes a slice for my leg, and I parry him easily, but the barrage of swords he summons to run me through the back at the same time almost get me. Thank god my hearing’s so good. I catch the whistle of wind just in time to twist and slide out of the way, knocking one aside with my spear. I know he’ll go for my back the second I show it to him, and he does, and I’m about to dodge, when I decide it’s better to just let him. I need the guy to fucking hold still –for just two seconds—and he’s more floaty than a fucking kite! This might be my best shot at that. This is going to hurt.

I’m ready to dodge to limit the damage, but as I feel it coming, I realize I don’t have to. The dagger goes in at my abdomen, on the right side of my back, and yeah, it hurts, but also, what the hell? That’s the best opening he’s had, and he blew it—I mean, only our heart or our head being destroyed can actually kill one of us, so-?

No time to really think about it though. The second the blade is in, I reach back blind and clamp my hand around his wrist with a death-grip. I hear a bone crack and a cry of surprised pain from back there, and with my right hand still firmly around his own, I step backwards and ram my back into him, kneeling a little as I do, and I drag the arm forward simultaneously and use his sudden stature above me and all my body weight with it, to push him on top of me and then launch him over my side and onto the ground on his back. As he goes over, the guy rakes the knife in his free hand across my back, but I don’t care, because I’ve got him then, and quick as a blink I ram my lance through the arm I have the death grip on, clean through and into the concrete below, pinning him by it.

He cries out as the blade goes through, and I use the second of shock to make it on top of him, using my weight to keep him pinned down, one hand on my spear, the other catching the hand he still has in use as he makes a swipe for my head with it, leaning forward and using my body weight to force it against the ground, when usually we’d be evenly matched in a grapple. I’m breathing hard, leaning over him up close, and I’ve finally got a look at his face.

He's grimacing, teeth gritted, but not anger so much as intensity. Sweating too, breathing hard. There’s a film over his eyes, like if he’s in there at all, he’s down deep past something else. Not like a Berserker, then. Berserkers are too much all at once: not there, but for another reason. Ah, shit. So, I know less about what’s going on or what to do about it than I thought.

Well, let’s see if I can get any real reaction. He did focus on just me when I attacked, so there’s some amount of logical reasoning left, at the very least.

“Archer!” I snap. He’s struggling with me, trying to get a leg positioned so he can kick me off, and I gotta say, he’s pretty fucking good at that and it’s getting on my nerves. I should hit him. Yeah, that might help, but if I do, I have to let go of his hand, and if I do that, he’s going to throw me off. Shit.

Oh, wait.

I ram my forehead down against the bridge of his nose as hard as I can.

It makes a very satisfying crack, and he cries out, surprise and pain, but more surprise.

I jerk my head up fast, trying to get a look if there’s anything different in his eyes. He’s wincing, still struggling, but that hasn’t done much except hurt him, looks like. Maybe if I hit him harder?

“Come on! Snap out of it! This is getting irritating! You think I want to babysit you all battle, bastard?” I spit in annoyance. He looks up at me, and there’s almost something there—or maybe there is, for a second. He’s listening for a second anyway, and there’s a glint of almost…confusion. And he winces, like the confusion hurt.

Yes! It’s working, I think, and trying to keep the magic off guard, I slap him in the head with my own again, cutting open a cheekbone this time.

“Ow!”

That’s almost a word! Great! More defined than just a cry of pain. He tries to lash out in return though, and actually gets a good kick against the inside of my knee—hurts like SHIT, but I power through, and ram my knee into his in return—not exactly a win for either of us, I gotta admit, and curse under my breath.

Behind me, I hear sounds of the battle. No WAY I can look—if I do, I’m gonna get run through. I’m actually not sure why he hasn’t tried that already. Maybe he thinks I’d snap his neck? I could. I would, usually, in a fight like this. If he doesn’t remember we’re on the same side, I guess that logic path makes sense. Anyway, I hear crazy amounts of fighting still, but it’s getting further away. Kind of good, because while I took him down in the middle of enemies we’d already taken care of, no way they’d avoid taking shots at me for more than a few seconds if the battle wasn’t being drawn off. Bad though, because it sounds like David’s still alone. I can’t hear music at all—no Salieri. And that’s a hell of a lot of crowd control for one guy with a rock.

I gotta speed this up.

“This is going to hurt you a lot, but you’ll just have to get over it,” I decide, and I rip my spear back out of his hand and go for his chest.

There’s panic in his face for an instant, and then I hear the ‘shing’ of swords in the air all around me. Holy SHIT he summoned a lot of them. I have to roll off him to the side on a knee, and swing my spear behind me in an arc, deflecting as many as I can, and one still slices through my arm. He rolls backwards and springs up, but I haven’t lost focus, and I’m up to meet him, slashing at his chest. The man barely gets one of his daggers up in time to parry the blow, and I shatter it, press on hard, harder. No more swords being summoned around us; it’s all he can do to parry and dodge as I press him harder and harder.

UGH he’s so flighty though! It’s always hard to pin him down.

Wait. He doesn’t remember, then-

Hopping back suddenly, I give him a little room. He’s breathing really hard now, wary and intense, surprised, until he sees me ready my spear to throw.

“Your heart is mine,” I call, voice cold, and I see the realization and horror on his face. Immediately, an arm goes up—I can only assume going to desperately try and summon that shield of his. Perfect.

I try not to grin.

“Gae—” I let the mana surge around me, and then dash in with every ounce of speed I can muster, leaving the phantasm unfired.

It works. Taken off guard, he falls back a step in confusion, going for a normal counter suddenly instead of a shield, and I slice into his chest. I’m quick—I get the rune carved in just two motions. I think I’ve done it perfect until I realize his sword is in my side.

Shit, I think, mind registering pain faintly and on a delay. No stopping now though. I get my haft up and ram it into his neck and push him back against the building wall, hard, try to hold him while I wait for it to work. Please work.

I feel the dagger go in deeper as his back hits the wall, and twist. I expect it to rip out and try to come in again, but it doesn’t.

We stop, panting, me with a forearm pressed against my haft and his neck, a hand keeping it steady, him with one arm holding a knife in my side, another just limply hanging there with an unused dagger. I meet his gaze, and he looks…confused. No, distressed. Both, but. Maybe distressed about being confused. Blinks, then winces.

It’s working. I notice he didn’t aim very high, either. Kill shot for one of us is only head or heart. I’m going to walk off a stab in my side, and that’s twice he’s done that now. So, whatever control that magic has on him, it’s imperfect, or it’s weakening fast. I need it to go faster, though, so I let go with one hand and dig my fingernails into the rune I carved, Algiz, for protection, and I flood the mark with mana.

He jerks like he’s been shocked and gasps, or tries to with my spear crushing his throat, and I can feel the crackle of mana as my spell dispels whatever that shit was that got on him. Its energy sloughs off, like mud, and suddenly he’s looking back at me with focus and an expression I remember.

“Welcome back,” I pant, grin with an edge to it, “Now get your fucking sword out of my side.”

Archer glances at his hand like he didn’t realize it was attached to him, blinks, and rips the blade out. Hurts like shit, but I don’t show it, and I back off, relaxing my stance and letting him breathe freely.

“I don’t remember anything that happened after—” He stops, brow furrowed, and glances down at his chest and the faintly glowing rune there under his ripped shirt.

“Seems to have worked,” I offer, glancing off towards where the battle has moved to now that I can. They ain’t far, but it doesn’t look great. Well, least we’re back to almost our original numbers.

“Okay,” he says, not pursing that line of questioning. “Salieri—did the blast-“

“—Yeah, yeah, you did what you wanted.” I give him a look. “Only hit you. He went MIA right after though, anyway. No clue why. The rounds fucked up their undead pretty badly too, and they’re trying to rampage towards the city.”

He lets out a sigh, then winces and looks down at his right hand and the hole through it, then holds it up and gives me a questioning look.

“You’re lucky I didn’t take a limb off,” I reply.

Archer decides to let that go and follows my glance towards the fighting instead. “Let’s go.” He summons his daggers.

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” I say, spinning my spear into a better grip and turning to face them with him.

----------------------------------------------

“We’re here!” calls Robin into his earpiece. We took the roof exit like we did to get in, for speed and the vantage point. I’m pretty relieved now that we went with that, because the entire front of the building has become a sea of utter chaos.

“Great! Robin Hood, circle back towards your left—the compound wall facing the city! The biggest problem right now is the spirits and undead,” calls back the doctor, “Caster, the last we could tell, our Avenger was headed in that direction too, but we’ve lost him completely since.”

“You sure you don’t need someone to back up the Lancer?” asks Robin.

“He was very sure,” says the doctor.

“Okay,” says Robin, unconvinced. He glances at me.

“You go ahead,” I call, surveying the scene myself, “I’ll do what I can to help on my way, but I’m not the tankiest member of this party, so don’t expect too much. I’m going to get Salieri.”

“Okay, but how?” calls Robin, taking off for the left side of the compound.

“Don’t worry,” I say into the coms so they’ll both be able to hear me, “I don’t have to find him. I just have to be loud. He’ll come find me.”

“Are you sure that’ll work?” asks the doctor, sounding relieved at the potential fix.

I am more than sure. There is no sliver of doubt in my mind.

I run for the far side of the roof. Robin has vanished, probably literally, but I want to be as noticeable as possible. I summon music around me. I am certain anything would do, but I want him quick, so I call up ‘Per la Ricuperata Salute di Ofelia,’ our song, and I blast the piano melody with all my might.

Out ahead of me, in the oncoming storm of corpses and ghosts crawling for the city, there is a sudden flash of pitch black energy that shines, and I hear a piano answer my call, filling in the next phrase.

Oh? I feel my energy surge, in a way it never has before. Almost like…

Filing that away for much future use, I increase the volume of my own energy, playing with a note of desperation. To me!

The answer is immediate. I may as well have shouted his name, and I feel very smug. There is a frantic flash of light from near the gates, and I see a figure moving so fast it’s a blur even to me, and it vanishes and he’s here, dripping blood and covered in that horrifying armor of his I can’t say I care for, but certainly him, right at the edge of the roof as I’m about to reach it.

“Antonio!” I call happily.

He’s breathing raggedly. “What? Why did you call me?” he manages, “-There is no emergency?”

“No one could contact you,” I say, “We were worried.”

He stares at me. I can’t see his face with the mask, but I know his body language by heart. “… The negative emotions of the poltergeists, the regrets and rage and wrongs. It...pulls me in.” he offers in a somewhat stunted way after a moment.

Ah. That makes sense, after having experienced his fear aura myself once. “Wow, and you heard me through that and came out?” I ask excitedly.

I can tell he gives me a look. “…You…”

“Oh, I was in trouble,” I infer from his tone, explaining quickly, “Look.” I point out at the place where hoards of zombies and homunculi are trying to climb over each other to scale the outer wall. Ghosts are just passing through, unbound. Oooh…too quickly. I see David out there, taking out scores with his staff and sling, and then there are some bursts of poison that must be Robin’s work, but there’s just so many enemies.

“See all of that?” I ask, gesturing, “I am supposed to go stop it, and I’ll surely be cut down to ribbons on my way alone. I’m just a Caster.”

“I...” He gives me the shakiest, blankest look voice I’ve ever heard.

Hmmm.

“...will be swallowed again like before, if I go out there,” he says slowly, turning to look himself. Watching Robin and David trying to hold back the tide of chaos.

I watch him for a moment, thinking about the inflection in his voice, and then quietly walk up beside him. “You can never fight ghosts, then?”

“They are usually no trouble at all,” he replies without moving, eyes still fixed on the battle somewhere beneath that mask, “Maybe even easier than many things to absorb the hate of into my own strength. But whatever spell hit them that lost us the Red Archer has made them frenzied; it has made them too loud. Like their heads are screaming. Seeping into me with a clarity and frantic need they don’t usually have. I am inundated by their memories of fears and pain and wrongs, everything they can recall that has ever made them want to lash out and flee. Without my trying. ..Too much to absorb the way I should. And I cannot shut them out.”

“…But you shut them out to come to me,” I say.

He glances at me.

“That is different. I did not shut them out. You overpower them.”

I raise an eyebrow and blink.

“I can always sense you, even if you’re on the throne,” he explains, a weariness in his voice, “You are like the sun to me. I was made to end you. There is nothing that can hide you from me, not in this world or the next. I am bound to you. When you try to draw me, you eclipse even myself.”

I stare for a second.

“…Well then,” I offer, beginning to smile, “we go together. If you’re with me, you won’t be pulled in by them.”

He turns to me. “If I am with you, I will kill you, Amadeus.”

“You aren’t right now,” I offer as a cheery counterpoint.

Oh, the wrong thing to say. There is a very sudden scary spark in the aura around him and his posture changes. He radiates hate and intent to kill at a level that makes me want to jump off the roof.

“It is a mistake to continue considering me a joke,” says Salieri in the most completely empty, unattached voice I’ve ever heard.

“But I’m not mocking you,” I offer, raising my hands quickly and grinning at him. “I just mean this would work! Even if you’re…” I gesture at the whole…thing, he’s got going in front of me. “You are still a Servant. You’re capable of following a Master’s instructions, aren’t you? And we’re supposed to go fight those things. Isn’t it a pragmatic offer?”

The bloodlust slightly lessens.

“You can stick close to me, so I’m the loudest thing you hear, and I’ll bring you to things to kill. I don’t get mowed down by a mob, and you don’t get buried in the noise—and you can not kill me for a while, can’t you? Like I said: pragmatic.” I smile and place my hands on my hips, proud. “Well, what do you think?”

Salieri reaches up and removes the mask, and sighs. His face is haggard and pale, and so very recognizable to me. It makes me smile more.

“Must you keep grinning at me?” he petitions quietly in this voice he keeps using like he thinks everything I do is a joke at his expense.

“Yes, I think so,” I reply readily.

He looks up and meets my gaze, so sadly. I smile back at him.

“…Very well. We cannot stay here together, doing nothing, and it is our order. But you’ll need to stick close. And watch your back, or I may well run you through it,” he says wearily.

“Okay!” I reply happily.

He gives me a look and replaces his mask, then draws his sword.

“Shall we?” I ask with a little nod, and I leap off the roof.

I hear the thud of armored boots land behind me, and race off for the battle. I suppose I should check to make sure he isn’t swept away or something, but I feel like he’s probably as reliable as he used to be, so I just decide to assume he’s there and keep my eyes on the prize up ahead.

“Doctor! Salieri is recovered!” I call proudly mentally.

“Uhm—That’s great!” comes back Ritsuka’s voice in my head, “But uh, the doctor can’t hear you unless you talk into the coms.”

Haha, oops, I think, and hurriedly call, “Salieri is with us again—on our way to join the archers by the gate!”

“Wonderful—thank you!” comes the doctor’s voice over coms, saturated with relief, “Billy, Ritsuka, and Fuuma Kotarou are heading our way now, and Cu Chulainn got Emiya—they should be there with you already.”

No more class code names, I see, I think, amused. He’s not doing so bad for trying to help direct a battle from miles away though. And true to his word, I see the Lancer and our last Archer up ahead, hitting a flank about the time I’m reaching the back of the group. They seem a little bloodier, but mostly unharmed, and they’re really tearing through enemies here, so I’m liking our chances more and more.

Time to focus on my own battles, though.

Robin and David have done a wonderful job of slowing their progress, but the numbers haven’t dropped as much as I expected, and some of them have made it over the fence. I see David at the front, taking them down headshot after headshot with his little sling like it’s a carnival game, but they have breached containment. Well that isn’t very good.

How are we having such trouble?

No time to answer that, because there’s a score of zombies here at the back by me, and I call up a burst of music and send it crystalized in the air like little daggers, slamming into their backs, throwing them against the ones in front, and that takes a little focus. The ones not downed turn, and make horrible moaning shouts that send a shiver down my spine. About ten crawl over the bodies of their downed compatriots and make towards me, and I summon up another burst and kill them, pushing on.

I haven’t got a real plan here though, beyond kill stuff. Man, I hope ‘kill stuff’ works. Or. That someone else is actually thinking. Someone else is thinking, right? Surely. So many of us.

The zombies are slow, and that’s great, but some ghouls with sharp hearing are near the rear too, and tearing back towards us now, so running over bodies of things I’ve killed, I summon up another sonata and slice at stomachs and heads. A few of them fall, but two lose limbs and keep coming. I cast again at the one in front, and its severed clawing hands hit the pile of corpses below, but it keeps coming, stumbling in an armless rage, and makes a lunge for my arm with its teeth. A sword flickers past me and Salieri is through it, swinging his little silver blade in an arc around him and felling six more, glancing back at me as they fall. I beam at him, ecstatic. It’s so fun! This is like having my own bodyguard.

I do not see the demon behind me until Salieri lunges at me and drags me towards him with a hand, and I’m seeing it where I just was as I trip forward.

Exactly like having a bodyguard!

“Pay attention!” he snaps, cutting the thing in half for me.

I am suddenly feeling like it would be really fun to see what happens were I not to, but I suppose he has a point and I have some kind of blah-blah-blah duty whatever to a master as a servant. Well, I do actually like this one at least. ...Yes, alright.

I spin on my heel and send a cascade of music out in a half circle past us, knocking shades back, and cutting down another zombie.

There is the sound of a grand piano behind me and I see flames like shadows explode from inside the nearest dozen ghosts, who go shrieking to the ground.

We continue, side by side, or back to back, ducking past each other to hit threats, or swinging at a larger ogre together, trying to fight our way towards the others. It’s easy, the fighting. They’re not terribly strong, and Salieri is slaughtering things like death itself around me, and yet, somehow, we are making extremely slow progress towards the goal.

“How are there so many?” I ask, suddenly confused in a not good way, glancing behind us as I cast a barrage at some ghouls charging us, from behind the safety of Salieri’s shoulders. There are…more monsters back the way we came. Again? How? “They aren’t summoning more, are they?”

“No,” answers Salieri, raising a hand by his neck, and suddenly there is a bright red bleeding gash through his armor, clear across his throat, and I think for a horrible second that some monster I can’t see has slit it and feel real fear, but then he rips strands of blood from his own throat and holds them like the strings of a violin and raises his sword like a bow and plays them.

I think it’s most singularly horrifying thing I’ve ever seen. Dear God, I’m so glad he has the mask on right now. I think if I’d seen him do that like this with his face, I might have fainted.

This is a thing??? This is a way he fights??

I hear the music, beautiful, which is horrid, and for once not even a little funny at all, and a shrieking wraith headed our way is blown to bits.

“They’re re-forming.”

‘Re-forming’? I try to echo Salieri’s words in my head.

“How?” I manage to ask, trying to get my head focused back on not being stabbed by nearby ghouls.

“I’m not sure,” he replies, ducking as a large ghost summons a scythe and swings it at him, and slashes it through the side as he comes up again, “But I would guess it’s whatever magic they used that made things frenzy. If it’s got enough power to disrupt even a heroic spirit, it must be formidable in intensity. And they can’t have just been trying to hit us, the way they were firing.”

A solid point. Why didn’t any of us think of that?

I guess because it seemed so un-helpful to them or anyone.

Which, it still rather is. But I guess it wasn’t pointless.

“Doctor,” I call into the coms, “We’ve got a problem. We’re blowing them away, but they keep coming back, almost immediately. Like—a rapid resummoning, almost. We think maybe whatever was shot into the crowd, it’s uh…given them the magical energy to keep coming back. And we have no idea how long that will last!”

“What? All of—” There’s some muttering from the doctor on the coms then that I can’t make out, and then he’s back, “Okay! Okay. Uhm. Let me think. Let me think…If…if they’re reforming, but without anyone doing active summoning…?”

“No, no active summoning,” comes Emiya’s voice over the coms.

I shoot down a ghost and glance up to see he’s right—far as I can see, anyway. No humans left out here. There were some, at first, but they’ve either successfully retreated, or one of the spirits who got here before us has already taken them down. Or…their own monsters ate them. Also possible.

“Okay. Then, that means they used some kind of mass summoning to the area itself, for these, not ritual summoning as familiars,” says the doctor, clearly thinking a mile a minute, and I think from his tone, onto something.

“What does that mean?” comes Ritsuka’s voice worriedly over coms, “F-For us?”

“It means…It means we can’t kill them.”

----------------------------------------------

Oh.

The girl who saved me and the cowboy said there were a lot of monsters waiting, but I wasn’t expecting the scene outside.

I guess it’s a good thing. For once. How familiar this sight feels. The ground past the open door is littered with corpses—some human, more golem, or mechanical, some monsters. Some things that must have been human once, but, a long time ago. It’s like the aftermath of a battle, and the horror of that feels more familiar than the rest of the world, and the part of me that has the best chance at continuing to survive right now recognizes it and steps forward.

Only, this is not the aftermath of a battle yet. The...the cowboy was pointing when he called my name—at what? –Ah, there!

Off to the far left, the fight continues. Down by a gate and fence, leading away from the building. I see—…huh. Ghosts, yokai, undead. Very little of anything else. It seems strange to me that those would be the strongest, among all the piles of dead things I see around, but I move the thought back and focus on the present. There are several heroic spirits fighting the throng—they seem to be in sets of two right now: a red…saber? and a blue lancer, trying to contain the far right side, a caster and something else I’m not quite sure of on the left flank, and out front I see another archer, and someone with a staff and a sling who might be several things. They’re struggling, though—not to not be injured, but to keep this many things in one place. There must be…something between two and three-hundred creatures here, and they’re all moving erratic and fast. Towards the city lights I see in the distance—towards life, like they said.

They aren’t even focused on the immediate threat.

That’s very strange.

“Come on!” calls the cowboy, pausing ahead of me to look back. I….hadn’t realized he was moving, and I was not. This is very bad. I’m going to be cut down for sure, I think with some real worry.

“Right,” I call back hurriedly with a nod, taking off after him.

As we get close, he sets the my rescuer down and says, “Just call if anythin’ starts to come close, got it?”

She gives him a nod, and he tears off like a lightning bolt for the fighting, revolver flashing. I see an undead thing twice his size go down, and two behind it with it as the bullet goes through it and into them.

Kunai in hand, I start to follow, but I hear the girl call to me, and so I stop.

“Are you sure you’re okay to fight?”

I turn, and her face is worried for me. How impossible to think of. ...She...She is still so hard to even look at. To try and think about? I...

“You were almost dead a minute ago,” she adds nervously.

“…I am fine, My Lord,” I promise, because I don’t know what else to say.

“Okay,” she replies, “Be careful.”

The worry is still there, with her words. It is so…unprocessable to see that.

I. I wish I had time to ask her…a-anything. I would like to know a lot of things. She is very hard to look at, though, and I have orders, so I turn away and face the fighting. Try to think where I’m needed most, and fulfil my task well. Okay. I don’t have much power, but, if we’re trying to keep these in a small area, redirecting should be fairly…simple. Right. So, even with my abilities, I don’t need to go where anyone else is for backup, if they don’t need me. That helps. The caster and whatever is with him are having very little trouble in the back, and the saber and lancer together if anything are doing better. Which leaves the front, or the left side. The cowboy has joined the front, which makes three there now, and that seems to be helping, but even with them all, it’s a struggle. There are just so many. The left side near the front seems the weakest spot to me, though. The spirit with the sling is keeping an eye on it—I see him catch a straggler through the head as I assess the scene—but, still. It’s the weakest. Alright. There, then.

I conceal my presence, and start to move, when I hear my rescuer again—I-I think she’s speaking to me, and turn, but, she isn’t.

“What does that mean? F-For us?”

I....guess she’s speaking to another spirit.

I refocus on my task and start to move again, but, the moment I do, I feel something. …Behind me...?

Something’s wrong.

I stop, look. And...Nothing around us has changed. Battlefield behind us, gone still, continued battle ahead. That’s all. …A-and yet. … Usually…u-usually I would listen, to my senses immediately. They keep me alive. But. But, I-I know I’m not fully myself right now. I have an order—to help, with the fighting. I should go. I was told to go.

But, I don’t want to. I take a step again, and the ground under my foot feels wrong.

What is this?

It’s like something is…calling to me. Telling me I shouldn’t be here…like this is…something…else’s turf. It makes my blood feel wrong. A boundary. A warning? What?

I lean into the feeling. I reach for the part of me that isn’t human, and smell the air. There is something very wrong in it.

…What is this? It’s bad. I don’t know what it is, but-I feel—I-I feel something stirring.

‘This ground is cursed,’ the part of my blood that is not human says, and I feel it beneath my feet.

Oh.

Oh, I felt it when I stepped out, but I was still too dead to recognize it. Which means- No no no!

Panic in my chest, I whirl around. Where. It would wait, for something to attack, and it has something now. It has my new lord. –There! There, behind her! The humans, the golems, the machines, the beasts, they stay, unmoving corpses and unconscious bodies in a silent grave of a battle, but the oni, the ghouls? Bodies start to shift. There is a chill like hate in the air, and I see something translucent and pale rising up from the ground like smoke behind her, far too close, and it is big.

She doesn’t see it. I don’t even think to call—I just run and grab her, and I-I am still so half-here at all I forget I concealed my presence, and she does not see me either, until I snatch her off the ground, and she shrieks in surprise as I leap back and the big spirit swings at empty air with hollow claws, and howls in rage.

“Sorry, My Lord!” I say worriedly, landing as far back towards the other spirits as I can. Five—eight—fourteen? Fourteen monsters back there up by the building, probably more will rise, and the spirit is coming after us fast. I turn and bolt.

“Kotarou?” she gasps out, and then seeing the scene, “Th-They weren’t dead either?”

“They were,” I say hurriedly. The roof? No—the hill outside. Vantage point, no monsters there yet. No spirits to come back. I change course for it.

“I-I’m okay!” she calls in my head—I think to all of us spirits, “But more of the things came back to life by the building!”

The ghost is still coming after us—a few of the ghouls too. The others, I was fast enough they don’t seem to have seen us. Good.

I jump and turn in the air and strike the flint at the end of the fuse to a bomb against my armor, then fling it with my free hand, aiming for the ghouls. I hit three of the four and they stumble and fall.

The spirit’s close now—big—the size of a horse.

“Hang on!” I call to my lord, landing on the little hill between her and it, and I move my hands in a flash of practiced motions, “Rin-Pyo-Toh-Sha-Kai-Jin-Retsu-Zai-Zen!”

The cuts hit the ghost and it explodes. I send a kunai after the last ghoul, and turn back to my lord as it falls.

“You should be safer here, but one of us should stay to guard you, My Lord—those things are looking for life, and you’re the nearest living being. S-Some of them might be drawn to you before the town.”

Eyes big, she gives nod. “No, I’m okay,” she says out loud—not to me, so I’m confused for a second, until I notice she’s tapped something in her ear. Oh. There must be other humans helping too, then. “We both are. Uhm—S-Sorry, you were saying?”

She listens for a second and then something occurs to her, and she looks at me. “Oh! You don’t have—hang on—”

Ritsuka takes out her earpiece and holds it out. It takes me a second to get that she wants me to lean in and try to hear it with her. I move stuntedly, on a delay, and go to lean the side of my head by hers—almost against it. I use every bit of precision I can to avoid actually touching her. I think it would be more than me head can handle right now, and kill me if I did. Even this feels so surreal.

“Okay, keep going,” she says to the device, and I hear a man’s voice I’ve never heard before.

“—Generally, I would even say ‘almost always,’ when a mage summons a monster like this, we summon them as a kind of familiar to fight for us, but, that’s not the only way they can be summoned. You’ve of course heard stories of hauntings before—cursed places, or objects. Things attached to a location, or grudge: those are much much harder to control—sometimes impossible—but, they’re much harder to get rid of too. Cutting them down won’t work—or, well, I guess eventually it would probably have to, at least for a while, but if they’re ritually tied to the area, unless that bond itself is broken, they’ll keep regenerating. Usually this wouldn’t be as big a problem for us, but it looks like those weapons Mercury was using on the crowd—while highly irresponsible, and probably prototypes—are some kind of…research weapon to supply incredibly high doses of magical energy through physical contact, to keep those things regenerating far, far faster than something like it should—it’s probably what they were using Kotarou as an energy source for.”

Me?

It's…a horrifying thought, that all of these monsters, are running around with pieces of my…essence? Or life force. I…I still don’t completely understand what’s going on, but any part of it fills me with rage. I was being used as some kind of catalyst, then? L-Like a human sacrifice. And for what? To make an army of ghosts frenzy? All the things they—

I think a little too hard about the things I have experienced so recently, and have to shut my eyes to try and push them back. I can’t. I don’t have time to try to work through any of them!

It’s enough to make me choke, just almost thinking about it, and with my eyes shut, for a second I’m terrified I’m back. I open my eyes again, trying to get a hold of myself, and I feel something touch my hand, and jerk away on instinct.

My master is looking back at me with surprise, and I see her hand frozen where mine just was.

Oh, I think, overwhelmed by shame at that. I open my mouth to apologize, but she smiles at me like she already knows and doesn’t mind, before I can make a sound, and then she’s back to focusing on what the man on the coms is saying.

Carefully, I make myself relax, and try to do the same.

“It’s terrible, used like they did here—impractical, uncontrollable. But used like…well, like a magical bomb almost—dropped into the middle of enemy territory, this kind of thing would be incredibly effective. And if you could replenish energy with long-range missiles, essentially…A-Anyway, none of that’s important right now. Just—the situation has changed.”

“Meaning?” prompts another voice I haven’t heard before.

“Meaning, we’ve been doing everything we can to keep back the tide already, but this is worse than we thought. Think about it. Any story of a haunting you’ve ever heard. How bad, and how hard to stop that is. Any of these things, even one, if it gets lose? Summoned tied to the area, and charged up on magical energy, it’ll take a priest banishing it to really get rid of the thing, and even what should be a fairly powerless ghost could rack up a body count out of a horror story by the end of the night. We cannot let any of these things get past us.”

“Well, I understand,” comes the first voice I do know—the American cowboy, and for some reason, I feel huge relief at something familiar. I guess that’s foolish, but… “But we’re already doin’ all we can, and they ain’t stayin’ dead! I dunno how much more we can do ya for, and even with all of us here, there’s like three hundred of these damn things, and eight of us! We ain’t in any danger of goin’ down, but you got any idea how hard it is even for eight heroic spirits to wrangle three-hundred angry monsters?

He's joking a little, even in this situation, so I think he must be very good under pressure. That’s reassuring to know. I-I like him.

“The best thing would be to try to keep them contained long enough to make a banishing circle around them—I-if I was there I’d—!”

“ — I can make something like that,” comes a new voice again, playful almost, and also very sure. I – well I assumed it’d be the caster, with magic knowledge, but he’s actually pretty close to us, and I look over and I can see he’s not the one talking.

“David, excellent,” comes the first voice, heavy with relief, “Does anyone else know—?”

“—A little,” says someone else I haven’t heard before, but I’m looking right at the lancer and saber when he speaks, and I see the lancer’s lips moving, so it must be him.

“I can,” I say automatically, and Ritsuka looks at me in surprise, then beams and pushes a button on the coms and holds it out to me. “I-I can,” I say again.

“Fuuma Kotarou?” checks the first speaker.

“Yes,” I reply, thinking fast, “And, I-I can get everyone into one spot, too, but I think…I think it would take any of us, even as fast as we are, too long to put down any kind of good seals in the middle of them.”

“He has a point,” says the one identified as ‘David,’ “Especially since anyone doing that won’t be able to help hold the tide back. Too many are over the fence now — as soon as we break formation, there are going to be a few getting through the holes we have to hunt down. Do we have a plan for that?”

I hear the first man curse to himself, and frantic scratching of pen against paper. I wonder who he is. Ritsuka didn’t mention him. But, now is probably not the time to ask.

Think. Focus. How to get…

“I think I can do it.” Another new voice. Ritsuka looks towards the lancer and saber when she hears it, though, so I do too, and sure enough, it’s the man in red speaking. “How long do you need?”

“’Do it’?” echoes the fist man, “Do which part-?”

“You need all of them to not move far, while someone sets a banishing seal,” replies the red saber—or—I thought he was. He’s fighting with swords. But, as I watch, he leaps back into the air and summons a bow, and fires off eight shots into the crowd, knocking a score of ghouls back. “My phantasm is a reality marble. If the assassin can get them all together for even a second, I can release it without picking any of you up, and move them all out of the way inside it, give you time to make a trap, and then drop them back in.”

“But can you keep them from going too far apart inside the marble?” asks the lancer dubiously, cutting through a wraith and then flinging his spear through the nearest four zombies and ripping it back out.

“Yes,” says the…archer? in annoyance, “But not this many for very long without some slipping through. How long do you need?”

“That’s perfect!” says the first man, ecstatic, “How long—David, Cu Chulainn, Kotarou—is—”

“I could do what I need in about a minute,” says David.

“Sure,” agrees the lancer, and I nod, then, realizing no one can see me, flush and add:

“Yes, that works for me too.”

“I can’t banish things, but I know traps,” says one of the three I haven’t heard yet, “I can make it very hard for anything we don’t get immediately to get back up again.”

“I can do that too!” calls another, and I see the caster speaking.

“But will you really be okay alone? With…three-hundred monsters?” asks Ritsuka, and I look and again see such genuine worry on her face. I forget to think for a second, lost in the impossibility of that to understand.

“You could take Salieri,” suggests the first man.

“No,” calls the caster, blasting a handful of zombies back as he does, “He can’t go anywhere without me! I suppose I could go too, though,” he adds with great disappointment.

“No, I’ll go,” says Ritsuka, “You said they’ll be drawn to me, right?” she adds, looking at me, “Because I’m a living human. If things go wrong, I can be bait to move them back where they go inside the marble, and if things go really wrong, I can use a spell to help.”

“…Are you sure?” asks the red archer.

She nods. Like I did, and then also seems to remember no one can hear that. “Yes. We don’t have to fight and win, just run away for sixty seconds. Y-You can carry me, right?”

“Yes,” comes the answer, and the red archer aparates and appears next to us.

“Let me come too,” comes the cowboy’s voice, “I can’t do much here, but I could help in there.”

I hear his revolver fire four more times, and then he appears by us too, skidding to stop by the taller archer, who glances at him, and gives a nod.

“Okay. Be careful,” comes the first man’s voice, “Everyone know what they have to do?” We’re given a second to disagree, and no one does. “Alright. Go.”

Ritsuka takes back her earpiece and gives me a hopeful nod, then the red archer picks her up and gives me a nod too.

“You can support two noble phantasms?” I check worriedly, feeling foolish for not having asked before, but Ritsuka just gives me a very sure nod.

“Are you okay to use one though? So fast?�� she checks.

“Yes,” I affirm, heartrate speeding up.

“Then let’s do it,” says the red archer.

Alright.

I let out a breath and turn and survey the scene.

The last few monsters are still back by the building, but that shouldn’t be hard. Only a hanful of them now. The rest are still almost completely contained by the spirits fighting them, even without Billy the Kid and the red archer.

I raise two fingers and fold the rest of my hand into a fist, focusing. I feel for my link to my master, and draw on the magical energy there, feel it coursing through me. I am ready. I need to be. And I let myself feel all the things I’ve been working not to; the pain, the hate, the rage, the confusion. I let it mix in my blood and boil, shut my eyes and taste it. Focus on the blood, on the kin who have past, tied to it. Feel for their spirits, and open my eyes again with a surge of mana around me.

“All hands, assemble!” I shout, and I feel them. Fuuma clan ninja, hearing my call, fragments of spirits from beyond the grave clinging to duty with pride, “It is our fate to shake order to its foundations! Cast the mold of chaos! Immortal Chaos Brigade!”

With the scream, they come to me. Two-hundred Fuuma clan ninja, summoned like darkness itself, and casting everything around us into bitch black shadow.

No words, no signals needed. I have clarity in my head for an instant, for the first time since waking here. We in that moment are of one mind, them and me. Some run for the stragglers, the others towards the waiting mob of foes, and with us, we brings a hurricane of fire. It burns in our footfalls, the only light in this hell we create, shrieking like a phantom itself, and driving all in its path back. We close in as one, chaos incarnate, the monsters falling back in the face of the flame, the blades, the darkness. The utter frenzy of the onslaught. Until they are in a little ball, pressed tight, the unfortunate few on the outside caught by the flames we send, screeching as they burn.

“Now!” I call, and I see the red archer leap like a burst of flame himself, landing right in front of the flames, lit by them like a fiend himself, and he stretches a hand out so his fingertips almost reach it.

“I am the bone of my sword.” His voice is calm, and hard when he speaks. Not the way I am accustomed to hearing someone call out the name of the mark their life left on history. There is something about it that catches me, even through my own focus.

“Steel is my body, and fire is my blood. I have created over a thousand blades. Not choosing the battlefield. Never yielding, never never knowing victory, never amassing anything. The bearer lies here alone, forging iron in a hill of swords. Yet, these hands will never hold anything. So, as I pray: Unlimited Blade Works.”

There is a flash of energy like the weight of a thousand lifetimes carved away to merciless nothing in an instant, and they are gone—all of them. My fire with them, and I let my kin vanish, staring for just a moment at where they all were. For just that last instant, I could see light like clockwork when he spoke, and it has filled me with a feeling I don’t know.

But, there is no time.

Someone calls ‘now!’ and we are all moving then.

I dash forward like the rest, my mind a ticking clock. Barely thinking, just moving. Just trying. I summon a staff, and carve a circle, running as fast as I can. I meet the lancer halfway, doing the same, and we break, a completed circle between us, him leaping from one part of the circle to another, carving runes, me across it, adding cross-strokes to the shape, sigils inside. Fast. Come on. Cleanse, break, return. I carve in words, forming talismans, things I know by heart.

Thirty seconds.

I am vaguely aware of the caster behind me, bursts of mana. The archer who said he laid traps hurrying past the rest of us to leave wires and pressure plates and poisons where it won’t break the lines of our seals. Of the man with a staff who must be David. He has already finished whatever else he had to do, and is sitting at the far side of the circle from me, the side by the waiting city we’re trying to protect, and he begins to play kind sort of harp. It is perhaps the most spectacular music I-I have ever heard. Not in a showy way, but, it feels like...waking from a long rest, or holding your mother—cool water in a desert. I feel a little of the confusion that has been working so hard to bury me since I was rescued lift, and I wonder what on earth he is? A-A caster as well?

But, no time. No time. Focus. Ten seconds. The lancer finishes, and kneels by a rune—ready to activate it by hand, I realize. I carve the last of my own sigils, and leap back to the side of the circle nearest the building, and bite my thumb, running the blood through the last mark I left, and then placing my palm down as well, ready.

Four seconds.

The caster has fallen back, on the left side now, and he mimics my gesture and lets out a breath.

Two.

The archer leaps back as well, near David, and readies an arrow in his crossbow.

One.

We get five seconds more than we needed, and then there is a flash in the air, and they’re all back at once, and I flood every bit of energy in me into the circle.

Vaguely, I am aware of the cowboy and the red archer leaping back to safety with the girl who saved me, and then there is an explosion of light around us as we all activate our traps at once.

“Return!” I shout, and the outline of my seal lights up red around me, and shrieks fill the air. There is a bright blue flash starting with the lancer, and then ripping around the circle like a spark through gunpowder. The music from David exponentially increases in volume, and a white glow saturates the air, and snaps, taking things with it. I feel a sharp pang in my gut, but I push it away and focus. I will not fail now. I will not fail a master who saved me the way she did. I know I can do this. Come on. Come on! We can! We’re so close! Hang on. Purple and green explosions go off as physical bodies trigger the traps the archer left, and I feel energy rip from my body as things try to fight back, and then it’s over, and I am left staring at a circle of ash, and eight or so struggling revenants clinging to life.

W-We did it!

The lancer and the heroic spirit who has been staying by the caster go after them with a vengeance, and I try to stand up and help too, but I collapse the moment I try.

I-I’m—I’m out—?!?

I am surprised, but I’m surprised too late. I try to catch myself, and land painfully on a forearm. My ears vaguely register the sounds of violence past me as the last monsters are cut down, but I can barely see my own fingers suddenly.

N-No. No, please. I-I can’t be vanishing, right? I-I thought.

I hold up a hand and try to see, but my vision is so blurry, I can’t tell.

Something calls my name, and I feel a hand on my shoulder. Look up and make out what I think is the cowboy above me.

“You okay?” I hear with ringing ears. He seems so far away.

“Kotarou?”

It’s…my master this time. I see her run up beside him and kneel too.

“Hey—hang on!”

A-Am I dying, then?

There are more people around me, voices, but I can’t see or hear so well. W-What? I…must have...d-done something...wrong…I…

“I-I’m…s…” My vision is…s-swimming. I… “…s-sorry, Master…”

Then I don’t remember any more.

But, there is not real pain when darkness takes me this time. A part of me is expecting, waiting for my head to be cut, but there is only still and calm and quiet in the waiting blackness. It is so different that I could break. And I think…I-I think it must have all been very worth it, whatever happens now. Right? Even if I go back to the throne and forget it all. Because. Because I-I can be proud of that. It was impossible, but someone came and saved me when I was too far gone, s-still, and...and I was able to do what she asked me to, even with so little left. s-so...I...I think it...it’s okay, this time, even if that’s all I get. I am...glad. But the gladness itself is too blindingly bright, and I have no more strength, even for thoughts.

#The Kid (fic)#The Kid #fate go fic #fgo au #fate au fic #fate fic #Fuuma Kotarou #Ritsuka Fujimaru #Cu Chulainn #Archer Emiya #Antonio Salieri #Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart #Billy the Kid

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fanfictasia · 2 years

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Whumptober Day 19

Alt. Ambushed

Spoiler: This is an excerpt from The Chosen Twins

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Except they had to stay on Coruscant, and I don’t want them near Krell, anyway – he hurt them both. I can’t forget that. (I haven’t forgiven that.)

The fight goes back and forth with neither gaining ground until I hear the clones arriving. Depa appears beside me only moments later.

“So, you didn’t bring your pets,” Krell muses, shoving me a few steps back, “How unusual. Did they misplace another piece of themselves?”

“As if you’re one to talk,” I reply with a pointed look towards his mechanical hands – they’re currently exposed, visible wires showing on his hands. Anger burns inside me at the mention – I thought I trained Anakin better than to do something so stupid as attacking Dooku like that, but considering his lack of sleep and everything recently, I can understand why he wasn’t thinking clearly. But with Aniya, it was a… I don’t know. Simply a slip-up. Even if I still don’t know what to think about how both of them are part machine.

Depa joins me, and together, we attack Krell. It’s not easy, because we’ve never worked together this closely in the past, but we do… know each other.

Caleb is being left behind with the clones to cover for them and help out, but I almost wish we could have an extra hand here. Or maybe that Krell can have one less, but that’s easy enough to correct – with both of us, her has a much harder time coordinating attacks on us both, so I use my first possible chance to de-hand him.

It’s one of his already metal hands, unfortunately. If it was a normal one, it would’ve affected him far more. Now, all he does is snarl angrily and Force-shove me backwards before backhanding Depa across the face and running. Just like I knew he would. He’s not half the coward many Separatists are, but he’ll run when he knows he’s losing.

Now is definitely one of those times.

I call in my newly acquired lizard and we instantly give chance. The Jedi Master calls her padawan over so he can assist us – we can’t take even the slightest chances of Krell escaping. If we can eliminate Krell, we’ll be able to defeat the Separatists. If we can win this battle, we’ll finally win the war after three and a half years of fighting.

We can’t let him hurt anyone else.

It takes a bit to catch up with him and considering where he’s going – deeper into a more closed space, I highly suspect he’s trying to lure us away from the clones where it’ll be easier for him to focus, not trying to run. It’s strategic, and dangerous.

No sooner have we rounded a corner in between the rocky landscape than a group of Magna Guards jump us out of almost literally nowhere. The padawan is caught off-guard and knocked down by one of them with a direct blow by an electrostaff. His master slashes it in half immediately while I move to cover for them. Krell is still escaping. This was intention – he knew we were coming and where to go. He planned for it. This is an ambush, and knowing his tactics, it’s probably just intended to wear us down more so he can finish it himself.

I’m fighting four of them and Depa has about the same number. Ahead of us, Krell is escaping on his speeder, and I rip an object free from above, dropping it in front of him to cut off the escape route, uncaring that it nearly earns me a few zaps. We can’t let him go, no matter what the cost is. We came here knowing at least one person would probably die.

I just don’t want to think about how the twins would take it, but I don’t think that’ll be a concern.

I have to give ground to avoid the droids, but one by one, I cut through them, then lunge at Krell again. The others will join me once they’re ready. Krell slashes his lightsaber downwards at me, then punches me with his metal fist hard enough to throw me into the nearby rocky caveside. If I wasn’t shielding myself with the Force, I probably would’ve broken at least one something from that. From how badly it’s throbbing, I suspect it’s probably fractured, as it is.

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #fanfiction #whumptober #whumptober 2022 #whumptober day 19 #day 19 #obi-wan kenobi #obi-wan #krell #pong krell #obi-wan vs krell #day nineteen #ambushed #whump #obi-wan whump

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lacontroller1991 · 3 years

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Burnt Skies (Rick Flag x Fem!Reader)

@h-hxgirl

Requested by Anon: Saw this captain boomerang fanfic where he finds she's pregnant while they're on mission, I was wondering if you could maybe do something similar for Rick

Author's Note: He would be so protective of the reader fr fr, also this is gonna be angst angst angst so just beware

Warning: Death, pregnancy, language, blood, major character death, spoilers

“Hey (Y/N), you ready to go?” Rick’s voice echoed through the room before he halted, seeing you on the floor, head in the toilet.

“Yeah, give me a minute,” you replied weakly, wiping your mouth with the back of your hand and flushing the toilet.

“Are you sure? Are you feeling alright?” He asked, rubbing your back as you looked up at him with a small smile.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you there,” nodding his head, he walked out the door with guns strapped to his body on his tac vest. Looking at your reflection, you noticed a slight greenish tint to your face. Ignoring the wave of nausea, you made your way out of the base and to the plane. Walking up the ramp, you took a seat next to Rick who looked at you with concern in his brown eyes.

“Baby, maybe you should sit this one out. You aren’t looking too hot,” he whispered in your ear as you brushed the notion off. After all, you did have a really bad gut feeling about this mission.

“I’m here. I’m going,” you stated firmly as he looked you over one more time before shrugging his shoulders, knowing it was of no use to argue with you.

----------

The plane ride was hell. With the criminals being loud and Harley’s non stop chatter accompanying your periodic bouts of nausea, you were ready to get the hell off of the plane and right into combat.

“Alright guy, get ready to drop,” Rick shouted as the cargo door opened to reveal water beneath you. Once he gave the signal, you jumped into the cool water and began to swim your way to the mainland, waiting for the rest of the team to catch up to you. After everyone, save for the Weasel, had made it to the shore, you glanced over to your boyfriend who was laying next to Harley.

“Hey guys, it’s me. I’m the guy who called you and I brought my friends,” Blackguard shouted into the open, raising his hands while ignoring the shouts coming from the rest of the team and your boyfriend, Waller’s distant cursing ringing in your ear. Next thing you know, there was gunfire in every direction and things went to chaos. You quickly sought shelter behind a rock and shot off a few rounds into the woods, hoping to take down some of the Corto Maltese soldiers. “(Y/N), watch out,” Rick shouted at you as you turned to see what he was talking about, but it was too late before a large piece of debris from one of the trees knocked you out cold.

You woke up to machines attached to your body. Feeling the bile rise in your throat, you tried to get out of the restraints and look for a place to dump the contents of your stomach. Suddenly a pan was placed in front of you and that was all you needed to release the bile. Groaning at the light, you looked around the room and was surprised to see a cleanish room which plenty of nurses occupied.

“Ah good, you’re awake,” a voice commented as a rough hand pulled your head back, forcing you to look up at one of the generals you were tasked to take out.

“What the hell are you doing to me?” You asked, squirming your body against the bed, trying to loosen some of the restraints.

“Mi amore, we are treating you. Seems you have caught a parasite,” he replied before summoning the nurse over to you, carrying a plate of food and some juice, “you’re government must really be struggling if they’re sending pregnant women into the field,” he mentioned as your blood ran cold.

“That’s impossible,” muttering to yourself, your head went fuzzy at the concept of you being pregnant. With Rick’s kid.

“On the contrary, when we brought in your friend and you, we noticed certain things,” motioning down to your stomach only brought awareness to the fact that you were practically naked in a room full of the enemy.

“Let me go,” you pleaded, pulling your arms as much as you could.

“I think not,” he replied before nodding to one of the nurses who moved to turn on a machine and attach it to your head. Screams of agony soon left your lips, blocking out the sudden spurts of gunfire in the halls.

----------

Harley laughed maniacally as she gunned down multiple soldiers, enjoying the way they were dropping to the floor. She needed to get out of there. She needed to find the others. After the last one dropped to the floor, she moved toward the door before hearing a piercing scream echo down the hallway.

“Sounds like someone’s having fun,” she ran her tongue against her teeth before skipping toward the scream. Slamming open the door, she raised the guns in her hand, ready to fire, until she saw you laying on the table surrounded by nurses.

“No one messes with Flag’s girl,” she muttered to herself before unloading the magazine in the room. All of the nurses slinked to the ground, covered in a pool of their own blood. Rushing over to you, Harley unstrapped the restraints and head piece before taking out the IV and looked for your clothes.

“Where the hell are ya clothes?” She asked, searching high and low before she found a bag filled with your bloody uniform. Helping you sit up, she noted the way you looked super frail but practically glowing at the same time.

“Harley,” you whispered out to her before passing out on her shoulder. “Awww, this would be really cute if not for the circumstances,” she stated out loud to herself, peering out of the window and seeing a guy in a helmet run across the street with Flag. Wait a minute, Flag! Running out the door, she ran around the corner before stopping in front of the two men.

“Hiya guys! What’s up?”

“We’re here to save you, is (Y/N) with you?” Rick asked with hope in his voice as Harley nodded, wrapping pale fingers around his wrist and dragging him back inside and through the pile of bodies she had claimed. At the sight of you, Rick ran to your side and hugged your limp body.

“What’s wrong with her?” He asked, fighting the tears that were beginning to surface.

“Don’t worry puddin’, she’s just asleep,” shrugging her shoulders, she left the room as you stirred, fluttering your eyes open.

“Rick?” You questioned as he rapidly nodded his head, placing kisses all along your face.

“Thank God you’re ok. I thought I lost you.”

“Rick, the doctors found something,” memories of the conversation you had moments ago replayed in your brain. You’re pregnant.

“I’m pregnant,” you whispered, mind still not comprehending the fact that you were pregnant. After all, you had been infertile most of your life. Avoiding his gaze, you waited for his response.

“How?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m going to be a dad,” he whispered, causing your head to snap up and see a smile play against his face.

“You want this? I don’t know if it’ll carry to term. You know that I’m infertile.” Placing his lips against yours, he pulled you into his arms, hugging you as close as he could to his body. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you kissed back before a throat clearing interrupted you.

“This is sweet and all, but we have a fucking monster to kill,” DuBois stated as you looked up at Rick who smiled.

“Stay here, I’ll come back and get you.”

“I’m not leaving your side,” you replied as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“You’re pregnant. No way in living hell am I gonna allow you to do this. You’ll stay here and that’s an order,” you and he both hated when he had to pull his rank, but you realized it was necessary in cases like this.

“Just come back to me,” pulling his lips down against yours for what feels like the last time, you encoded this moment into your brain, remembering the way he tasted.

“For you? Always.”

----------

He should’ve known you were going to follow them into Jotunheim. Not only were you stubborn, but you still had that nagging feeling that something was going to happen. Sneaking past the military, you found a window and busted it open with your elbow before entering the building. Landing with a soft thud, you looked around the room and noticed Peacemaker going down a dark tunnel. Running after him, you made sure to stay hidden by the numerous pillars. Peering around the corner, you saw Ratcatcher standing next to Rick, however Peacemaker was pointing a gun at Rick.

“Nobody is saying what they did was right,” Peacemaker stated, hand unwavering.

“They experimented on children!” Rick yelled as more explosions went off in the distance.

“That information gets out and it causes an international incident. Keeping the peace is worth any price, including the life of a hero like yours, sir, so please. Don’t make me do this,” your stomach churned. You knew that Captain America wannabe was no good, and now your love might just pay the price. Suddenly, rocks collapsed all around you, obscuring your view of Rick and Peacemaker.

“No,” you whispered to yourself, picking up rocks and trying to make a hole for you to get your body through. Your efforts became faster the more you heard the two men grunting. After successfully digging a hole big enough for you, you crawled through as you heard something like porcelain shatter and choking.

“You mother fucker,” Rick stated through gritted teeth as you watched in slow motion, Peacemaker’s hand grasping a large shard.

“Rick!” You shouted out before tackling him off Christopher’s body, not getting out of the way soon enough as Peacemaker lodged the porcelain into your lower abdomen. “No!” Rick shouted as Peacemaker threw you off. In the distance somewhere, you heard a gun go off before hands wrapped around your body. “(Y/N)? (Y/N)?” Rick called to you but you couldn’t hear him, your mind venturing off.

----------

The sun lit your face through the blinds, dancing in your eyes and creating a multitude of hues, a warm body pressed against you.

“Morning sweetheart,” voice deep from slumber, Rick rubbed his eyes as he let out a yawn. Stretching in bed before your 5 year old daughter came running into the room.

“Mommy, daddy. It’s Christmas!” She squealed excitedly, waking up the baby that was next door.

“Yeah it is baby, you excited for your presents?” You asked as she rapidly nodded while Rick slid out of the bed.

“I’ll go grab little Digger,” he commented, kissing your forehead and your daughter’s head. Getting up, you went to grab a coffee before the doorbell rang. Moving to open it, you saw Harley’s painted face waiting for you with Nanaue, Cleo, Robert and Abner carrying presents.

“Merry Christmas dollface,” she exclaimed, pulling you in for a hug before running off to see her god daughter.

“Come in guys,” you motioned for them to enter as Rick rounded the corner, your 10 month old in his arms.

“So this is the little guy, huh?” Cleo asked as Sebastian waved a hand at the newborn, earning giggles from the baby.

“Yep, Digger Anthony Flag, meet your family,” Rick lifted up the baby’s arm, making him wave to everyone.

“I’m proud of you guys,” Robert commented, slapping a hand on Rick’s back as everyone shuffled into the living room, Nanaue taking up most of the space.

“Thanks man, it wouldn't have happened without you.”

“Alright, everyone ready for presents?” You asked the room with Harley by your side, Harleen in her arms. Rick placed Digger in Cleo’s arms before walking up to you and bringing you into his side.

“I love you, Mrs. Flag.”

“And I you, Mr. Flag.”

----------

Groaning, you felt an excruciating pain in your abdomen and a feeling of loss?

“(Y/N), baby, you’re awake,” his tired voice resonated in your ear as he leaned down to kiss your forehead, his hand not leaving yours.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” you commented as he sniffled, trying to suppress the tears that threatened to escape.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he noted, petting your hair and placing another kiss on your forehead.

“And leave our kid without a father? I don’t think...”, realization dawned on you at that moment. The sudden feeling of loss and the pain in that general area washed over you as you began crying. “Oh God, the baby is gone, isn’t it?” You asked through tears as he let a couple slip down his face, nodding and trying to smile through the pain. Choking back a sob, you turned your face away from him as tears continued to fall.

“Hey, look at me,” he whispered, squeezing your hand. Shaking your head, you refused to meet his hazel eyes, “(Y/N), look at me.” Turning your head, your eyes locked onto his as he continued to smooth down your hair.

“We’re alive. We’re both alive. That’s all that matters,” he replied, crawling into the hospital bed with you and pulling you against his chest as you cried into his shirt.

“What if I never get pregnant again?”

“We will. I’ll make sure of it. I’m done with the fucking task force. Waller can find someone else to puppet. But I’m done. You’re done. We’re gonna get married and have a nice house. I’ll get a new job and we’ll figure it out. I promise.” Kissing the top of your head, he wrapped his arms around you as you calmed down.

“I love you,” you whispered against his chest as he hugged you closer.

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

Author’s Note: Well this was way longer than I intended it to be. But hope you enjoy!!

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free-pool-trash · 4 years

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dancing with our hands tied - peter maximoff

here it is you guys... the ✨very spicy✨ sequel to delicate which can be read here <3 (had to keep the rep song title theme going here)

please for the love of god let me know how this is I’ve never written smut before so please go crazy with the asks/comments/reblogs on this one I’d really appreciate it😩😓

word count: 4k 😳 (it’s not all smut dont get too excited)

warnings: +18 content, sexy times, unprotected wrap it before you tap it, swearing, i tried to keep vulgarity on a low level but i decided to just commit towards the end lmao, insinuation to sex from the beginning , some fluff and a tiny bit of angst sprinkled in there too, wandavision spoilers

You can definitely read this as a stand alone but it’ll make more sense if you read delicate first !! enjoy <3

masterlist

The days you spent in WestView had been tiring. Wanda seemed to be losing her composure with each day that passed, you watched how she became more and more skeptical of Peter and found yourself growing all the more anxious with the situation you’d run head first into. But, you were with Peter, your mind and his mind were free of Wanda’s influence and she’d been kind enough to appoint the pair of you your own house in the neighbourhood, a few doors down from her own, so, you couldn’t complain too much.

Today was a relatively quiet day, but you had a feeling that just meant you were in the calm before the storm. Tonight was, apparently, Halloween. Despite the fact that it was nowhere near October, you were more than happy to play along with Wanda’s over the top festivities.

Peter and Tommy had just zoomed into your and Peter’s bedroom, sporting matching outfits and excited expressions as they looked at you expectantly, “Well? What’d ya think?” Peter asked, motioning between himself and Tommy. The littlest speedster awaited your answer with wide, hopeful eyes, wanting validation from his cool uncle’s even cooler ‘friend’.

Yeah, you’d made out on Wanda’s couch but you still hadn’t addressed the question of where exactly your relationship stood. It felt as though the pair of you were both actively avoiding the awkward conversation, opting instead to simply fall into bed together every single night and completely disregard the boundaries of friendship in favour of hearing each other moaning until the early hours of the morning.

With a smile you let out a low whistle, “Looking good boys. I gotta say, Tommy, I think you’re outshining your uncle right now.”

You had to laugh when Tommy smirked triumphantly at Peter, “I told you she liked me more than you.” He boasted proudly and your laughs grew louder when Peter huffed angrily. He crossed his arms over his chest and jutted his bottom lip out childishly.

“Y/n, tell him you like me more.” Peter demanded, again, childishly.

You only grinned, “No comment.” You told him airily, making your way to your closet and hesitantly pulling out the latex costume Wanda created for you off of the rail, holding it by the hanger skeptically.

It was Peter’s turn to let out a whistle when his eyes scanned the skimpy looking leotard suspended by the hanger. The fabric mimicked the design of Peter and Tommy’s outfits although it seemed Wanda had gone out of her way to make yours ever so slightly sexier. The leotard was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and a silver lightning bolt ran through the light blue material. The only saving grace was the silver tights that hung from the hanger as well, at least you’d have some kind coverage. With one last peek into the closet, your eyes landed on a pair of white, knee high gogo boots.

“Christ…” You muttered, eyebrows furrowing at the thought of wearing the ensemble out in public, if it was cold tonight Wanda would be in for an aggressive telling off. With a deep sigh you turned to the two speedsters who were both staring at you, waiting for you to say something. “I guess we’re all gonna be matching tonight.”

“Sweet!” Tommy exclaimed while Peter only smirked. Peter, with a lot of effort, moved his attention from your costume to his nephew.

“Why don’t you go hang out with your brother for a while? I gotta talk to Y/n for a sec.” Tommy welcomed the suggestion, only nodding his head before he had sped out of your house and back to his own.

A gust of wind hit your face as Peter sped himself in front of you, the man didn’t hide his intentions as he gripped your hips and pulled you flush against him. Swaying his body against yours and bringing his lips to the exposed skin of your neck. He trailed his lips up your neck, sucking and nipping, smirking when you let out small noises of approval. When his lips reached the spot behind your ear, he gave a final, harsh suck which had your breath hitching and whining when he pulled away.

To be honest, you’d love to be able to call him your boyfriend and be certain that he thought of you as his girlfriend, but at the moment you were perfectly happy with whatever the fuck the two of you had going on if it meant you could keep feeling him against you like this.

“I cannot wait to see you wearing that.” He all but groaned against your ear, his voice deep and gravelly. The butterflies in your stomach went feral at his words and you had to pull your bottom lip between your teeth to keep from letting out a moan from his tone of voice alone, not to mention the fact that his crotch was pressed up against yours, he was excited to say the least.

Your hands slid up his chest and settled on either side of Peter’s neck, you gently pulled his head out from the crook of your nape and teasingly raised an eyebrow at him, “Maybe later I’ll let you help me get out of it.”

A wicked grin spread across his lips, he squeezed your hips in response, tugging you into him even further for some kind of relief then pressed his lips to yours briefly, murmuring against them, “That’s definitely a plan I can get behind.”

Giving him one last kiss, you pried his hands from your hips and pushed him away, “Alright, get lost I need to get ready.”

“Meet me at Wanda’s?” You nodded at his question, letting out a deep sigh you hadn’t noticed you’d been holding when he finally sped out of the room.

After a second of cooling down, you pulled on the outfit and you’d be the first to admit; Wanda knew what she was doing with this one. You looked incredible, albeit a little stupid in the costume, but still incredible.

When you made your way over to Wanda’s to meet up with the others, you let out a laugh seeing as Wanda was essentially wearing the same outfit as you, only with the added extras of a cape and gloves.

“Hey! Why are you dressed the same as Uncle P and Tommy?” Billy asked you curiously, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he glanced between you and Peter for answers. The speedster in question was smirking proudly, his arm finding a spot wrapped around your shoulder.

“Because she’s totally obsessed with me.” He lied with an over dramatic sigh, causing Tommy to laugh.

You rolled your eyes, elbowing him in the ribs playfully before focusing your attention onto Wanda, “I think it’s safe to say that Wanda and I will be winning best couples costume.” Wanda gave you a knowing grin and a not at all subtle wink in response to your statement.

“Only the best for the best.” She replied, walking forward and linking her arm with yours, stealing you away from Peter who whined in protest, “Oh hush, you can have her back later.”

Telepathy definitely had its perks, one of those perks being you could tell there was more to Wanda than just being an evil puppeteer. The two of you got along extremely well, you were actually growing to see her as a friend. It helped that you knew her story, though. You sympathised with her, knowing full well that if you lost the love of your life you’d probably create a false reality to be with him too. You’d already followed him into a fake reality so you supposed it wasn’t really too much of a stretch to imagine yourself in Wanda’s position.

As the night went on, yourself, Wanda and Peter were sitting around in town square, the twins having run off somewhere. Tensions were high between the interreality siblings at the minute, Peter seemed to be having the time of his life getting on Wanda’s last nerve, poking and prodding at her lifestyle choices.

“Lay off, Pete.” You warned quietly, your stare serious as you felt Wanda becoming impatient with the mutant. Your breathing stopped for a moment and you let put a horrified gasp, your hand clapped over your mouth as you stared at the image in front of you.

Peter’s skin was grey, his eyes were milky and he was littered in what you could only assume to be bullet holes- he was dead- no, you realised as you caught Wanda’s pained expression, he was Pietro.

Wanda regained her composure after a few seconds but the sight of Peter dead was enough to shake you to your very core and you found yourself shaking where you stood.

You didn’t even have a chance to regain your composure before shit had hit the fan. It had happened in a blur, Billy and Tommy were frantic and worried about Vision being in trouble and next thing you knew Wanda was sending Peter flying with a ball of energy after he made a smartass comment about Vision not dying twice.

Quickly, you ran to Peter’s side, he was groaning in pain and looking up at you through squinted eyes, “What the hell was that all about?” He grumbled, hiding his head in your lap when you got down on your knees beside him.

With a sigh you let your body fold against his, wrapping your arms around him and letting your head rest against his shoulder, the image of him bleeding out still too fresh and real in your mind. You could berate him for his brash behaviour another time, for now though; you just needed him close.

“Come on, dumbass. Let’s get you home before you decide to cause more trouble.” You mumbled, pulling him up with you. Ignoring his whining while you led him home, your arm remained firmly around his waist the whole way despite the fact he’d recovered from the blast Wanda dealt him after only a few minutes.

When you got back to the house that Wanda had deemed yours upon your arrival, you finally allowed yourself to breathe. Peter was staring at you with a guilty expression as you released a heavy breath through your nose and shuffled into the kitchen, the heels of your boots scraping on the hardwood as you walked.

Like a lost puppy, Peter followed you. Once he reached you lent against the sink he wrapped his arms around you from behind. He knew you weren’t angry at him by the way your arms immediately moved to grip his and tug them tighter around you.

“You know, her real twin- Pietro… he died,” Peter’s face contorted in confusion when you began to speak, he listened with concern as he could already hear your voice beginning to shake, absentmindedly he caught himself tucking you closer against his chest. “For a second… you must have said something that hit a nerve but for a few seconds…” Your voice hitched and you shook your head in an attempt to knock the image out of your mind, though you had a feeling it would haunt you for as long as you lived. When Peter noticed you’d started chewing at your bottom lip, as you always did when something was causing you anxiety, he gently turned you around in his arms so that he could look at you, his arms remaining firmly around you, yours finding a place resting against his chest.

“What happened, sweetheart?” He cooed, his eyes very much alive and staring into yours.

Swallowing thickly you answered, “You looked like him. You were dead.” You told him quietly and he was sure the look of grief on your face, brought on by the thought of him dying, would haunt him for a lifetime.

Your eyes watered as you took in his face. Scanning every part of it, his brown eyes that made you melt, the dimples that could still be faintly seen even when he wasn’t smiling, the lips that took up the vast majority of your thoughts and that tiny furrow between his brows as he looked down at you with worry.

You loved him.

Of course, you’d known this for years. But you needed him to know, and even though you were already well aware the overwhelming feeling is mutual, you needed to hear him say it.

His thumb running under your eye pulled you from your thoughts, “I’m not going anywhere, baby.” He whispered softly, his hand cupping your cheek as his thumb ran back and forth over your cheek bone. Your stomach flipped at the pet name and you nuzzled against his touch.

“Good. I don’t want to lose you ever again.” You confessed, looking up at him through your lashes fondly as his lips formed an almost sad smile.

Gently, he brought his lips down to meet yours, pouring his heart into the kiss, hoping it would make up for the turmoil he felt responsible for causing you. Too soon, he pulled away.

“Believe me, I’m never leaving your side. I mean come on, I’m without you for like three days and I end up being mind controlled by my sister who isn’t even my sister.” He chuckled out, a grin growing on his face as you began to smile too. He let his eyes close blissfully when you brushed your nose against his, a toothy smile on your face.

“You, Peter Maximoff, are completely hopeless.” You whispered through your smile as he opened his eyes to look at you. His own face sporting an adoring smile.

Your heart skipped a beat the second his next words passed through his smiling lips, “Without you, Y/n L/n, yes I am.” Within a second your arms were around his shoulders and your lips were moving frantically against his. Peter’s hands wasted no time in sliding down to your thighs, gripping them and propping you up onto the kitchen counter.

Your legs automatically wrapped around his waist and your hands got lost in his hair, keeping him as close as humanly possible while his lips migrated to your jaw.

An appreciative hum left your throat as he lapped at the underside of your jaw, leaving a mark before trailing his lips back to your mouth. His tongue licked at your bottom lip as he kissed you, moving it into your mouth the first chance he got. Peter moaned into your mouth when you gave his tongue a light suck.

You grinned at the sound and leaned your weight forward so you were primarily resting against his body, your arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body, your ass barely resting on the counter by that point. Welcoming your movements, Peter’s hands glided up from your thighs to grip your ass and pull you from the counter completely.

He carried you clumsily through the halls of the house, bumping into furniture and pausing to press your body against walls, his eyes closed and lips never separating from yours. You were about a foot away from the stairs when you felt your back make contact with the plaster behind you, your chest heaving when Peter abandoned your lips in favour of littering wet kisses across your chest, no doubt leaving a trail of hickeys in his wake.

You let your head fall back against the wall, enjoying the sensation of Peter nipping and licking at your skin, the man diving back to your neck as soon as he realised that your head thrown back made it entirely exposed to him. You released a breathy moan when his lips ghosted over a sensitive patch of skin, he moved his tongue frantically and you shuddered at the feeling of his hot breath hitting your bruised skin.

“Peter…” You whined when he pushed his crotch up against yours, pressing you further into the wall smirking against your neck when you called his name.

“Yes?” He asked teasingly, rutting his hips against yours once more, deliberately attempting to pull another moan from you, he obviously succeeded. His smirk broadened when you let out a huff and tugged his hair so he’d look at you.

Peter swore he was in heaven when his eyes met yours again, your face was red and your eyes were half-lidded, pupils blown wide with lust as your chest heaved. He could’ve exploded on the spot when you tugged your bottom lip between your teeth and looked at him innocently, all the while grinding your hips slowly and firmly against his. Peter clenched his jaw and let his eyes fall shut, his hands gripping your hips so tightly that you were pretty certain the area would have bruises come tomorrow. You were struggling to care about that though, focusing your energy on the man who had you pinned against the wall.

You brought your lips to Peter’s neck, repaying the favour, not detaching until you left a dark, albeit small, purple bruise on the underside of his jaw. Deciding to prolong the teasing for a little while longer you moved your lips up and let them hover by his ear and you began to let out soft little moans in response to his grinding, the action caused Peter’s movements to become more frantic and your lips to form in a smirk as you felt him hardening against you.

His breath was laboured when he murmured, “Let’s take this upstairs, yeah?” Before you could even answer he had sped the pair of you to the bedroom and you let your feet return to the floor.

As he stood in front of you, you took him in, swollen lips and Halloween hair completely tossed, not to mention the tent in his trousers that was very visible despite the layers of his costume. When your bodies collided again, it was a frenzy of hands, the both of you practically tearing the fabric off the other until you were in nothing but your underwear, kissing sloppily and stumbling towards the bed.

Peter’s lips attached to your chest again the second your back hit the mattress. He groped at your right breast while his tongue sucked on the other, swapping over before you pulled him back up to you.

The way he slotted between your legs and how his forehead rested on yours felt so perfect, you couldn’t help but grin.

“You’re gorgeous, sweetheart.” He muttered between kisses against your lips, his hands kneading your breasts as he did.

You were practically dripping by the time his hand slid down your stomach and under the band of your underwear. For someone with super speed he was moving agonisingly slow at the moment, his hand rubbing languidly over your wet core while he swallowed your moans.

“Fuck- God, Peter please.” You whined, your hips bucking into his hand, desperate for more friction than he was giving you.

The sound of your voice, so needy for him, was all he needed before he was pulling your underwear off, tossing the thin material over his shoulder haphazardly and shimmying out of his own boxers, clumsily kicking them away from his ankles, earning a giggle from you.

When he kneeled on the bed between your bent and separated knees you sat yourself up, sliding one hand up his bare chest and resting it against his shoulder while the other slid downward, only stopping once it was wrapped around his shaft. Peter sucked in a harsh breath when your began pumping him softly, the man completely losing it when your thumb swiped over his tip collecting the precum that had gathered and using it to wet the length of his dick as you continued to fuck him with your hand.

As much as Peter was loving the image and feeling of you jacking him off, he knew if you carried on he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. Still, he didn’t have the heart to pull your hand away when you were making him feel so good. His head found it’s favourite spot in the crook of your neck and he groaned out against the skin that was littered with little purple and red marks from his earlier work, which he’d be sure to admire later, “Shit, Y/n-“ He croaked through a moan, hands gripping your hips as he fought the urge he had to thrust into your hand, “M’not gonna last much longer if you keep doing that.” He groaned out, almost reluctantly, not truly wanting you to stop while simultaneously craving more.

You stopped your motions at his statement, giggling when he let out a strangled noise of disappointment at the sudden lack of pleasure. Doing the honours, you lined him up with your entrance, letting him take over when his lips connected with yours.

Peter gently pushed you back until your head was resting against your pillow and your back was flush with the mattress. His lips continued to mesh with yours as he pushed into you inch by inch until he bottomed out. The deep groan he released was music to your ears and your hands gripped his biceps when he began to thrust in and out.

A symphony of moans filled the room as Peter had managed to set a steady pace, trying his best not to let his mutation get the best of him, as much as he wanted to just go to town he was determined to make you feel as good as you made him feel and judging by the way your head was thrown back and his name fell from your lips like a prayer; he guessed he was doing an okay job.

In only a few minutes Peter had you gasping and clutching onto him like your life depended on it as he picked up speed, one of his hands reaching down between your bodies to rub your clit, his hips snapping against yours. Soon enough, you felt the pressure in your stomach release, your walls clenching around Peter’s dick as your back arched and you released around him. After only a few more staggered strokes, Peter moaned your name against your lips, finishing inside of you and thrusting lazily, riding out his high and subsequently helping you ride out yours.

You let out a blissful sigh when Peter pulled out and rolled over to lay on his back beside you, his chest heavy and his blonde hair sticking slightly against his forehead.

“That- that was awesome.” He mumbled, intertwining his fingers with yours, holding your hand by his side.

Over the last couple of nights you and Peter had, admittedly, ended up in a similar position but neither of you intended for it to happen. It’d usually start off innocently enough, with cuddling or just talking and then one of you would move in just that little bit closer and things would escalate. But there was something about this time that felt a lot more emotional than the few times before. “It was.” You agreed with an airy giggle, squeezing his hand affectionately.

A gust of air shook you from your haze. Peter had taken it upon himself to clean up the mess the pair of you had left between your legs, a pair of his boxers and one of his t-shirts now adorned your body matching him as he wore the same.

He was on his side facing you, his arms holding you against his chest securely the same way they had the night you’d shown up in WestView and urged him to kiss you. When he took you in, he kicked himself for missing out on so much of you for so long.

He was certain, one of these days he’d actually speak the three words that followed him around whenever he thought about you, but as he watched your eyes flutter closed, he decided the words would be best spoken some other time. He was well aware you already knew, just as he was well aware that you loved him, it needed to be said. Eventually, but not quite yet.

#peter maximoff #peter maximoff x reader #peter maximoff smut #peter maximoff imagine #wandavision x reader #wandavision spoilers #pietro maximoff #pietro maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x reader

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stardustincarnate · 3 years

Text

Dating L Lawliet Would Include :

— chances of him getting a partner is less likely than light getting rid of his god-complex

— but hey, that's not completely 0%, and that doesn't mean he finds any difficulty in asking you to be his when he finds you quite intriguing

— though since he's new to it he finds the feeling very odd.. you know all that mushy mushy stuff called love inside him—

— in fact it's YOU who's having some difficulties

— why wouldn't you be, after being asked to solve a bunch of codes you didn't even know existed, and then asked to solve a couple more of mathematical equations, and then asked to string your answers all together so that you could arrive at one FINAL answer which translates to "be mine"

— spoiler, you gave up solving them (because who wouldn't) leaving L no choice but to ask you directly

— it'll come abrupt. for instance while you jotting something on your keyboard he'll turned around, chewing on his cake and casually saying

— " do you wanna be my girlfriend? "

— " pardon, what? "

— " i asked if you want to be my girlfriend. "

— you're gonna have a hard time picking your jaw up from the floor after hearing that

— congratulations for getting emo sherlock for a boyfriend

— i hope he doesn't die—

— he's not the most affectionate boyfriend out there. even before you got into a relationship you could clearly see how he avoided any physical contact as much as he could

— doesn't relish the idea of being held and will rarely let you. it'll only become more often when the relationship progresses

— rarely holds you, but when he does, he's holding you as if you're something fragile—quite loosely. he's careful lest he accidentally hurts you physically

— ruffling your hair and nimbly flicking your forehead is sort of like his love language

— while he may not look like it and doesn't really show it at first, he flirts better than anyone you know

— it only happens once in a blue moon but you will never forget the things he says

— he's not the best at comforting people and he's quite prone to saying some things that are harsh and offending

— but he'll make it up the next day by entertaining you with his top-tier dry humor

— and who doesn't love that

— he may even share a bit of his snacks with you

— which he rarely does because even though he loves you his snacks are HIS

— he's also prone to saying suggestive.. stuffs

— of course, they're only words

— unless . . . ; )

— well, that will come at the later part of your relationship so none of that for now

— he's okay with walking with you side by side but prefers it more if he's walking behind you, that way he can look after you

— need i mention that he's really REALLY good at explaining stuffs

— it makes you gape in awe honestly

— smart is the new sexy

— though sometimes, since he's really REALLY smart, you fail to understand and catch up with him

— and unfortunately he will not repeat

— " weren't you listening? "

— you do not want to disturb him while he's working and completely absorbed with a case

— he. will. roast. you. alive.

— THIS MAN IS ALSO THE BIGGEST HYPOCRITE OUT THERE

— telling you to sleep early because he's worried your brain might not function properly the next day

— HAHAHA WOW

— LOOK WHO'S TALKING

— with the amount of daily sugar and the very teeny amount of sleep he gets you wonder how's he still alive and not only that he's also so much stronger than he looks???? HOW—

— when he sleeps he'll still notice if there's a presence beside him and he'll wake up. we obviously don't want that. so if you want to take a look of his sleeping figure you'll have to be very very careful

— you think you've won, silently giggling, but when you look at him again he's looking at you with an unimpressed look on his face and then you rush out of the room

— meanwhile, if you're the one sleeping, he'll gently come over you and sit on the edge of the bed (or just stand looming at your figure if you're on a couch or elsewhere)

— he'll stoop and put a blanket over you if he feels it's too cold for you and arrange your pillows if they'd become a mess

— will caress your hair so softly his fingers barely skim over it

— will then fondle your cheeks and stare at you lovingly for about five minutes

— pretends none of that ever happened when you wake up

— if you started dating way before the kira case he'd tell you not to involve yourself in said case

— and by telling you that he has done the worst thing he could possibly do to you

— " i never truly loved you if you're asking me to be honest. i only asked you to be mine because you were the only person around at that time. if i were surrounded by a throng, i certainly wouldn't have picked you amongst them. "

— he'd be lying if he said it's not painful to say those words to you. even his facade keeps on faltering

— but what else can he do? he'd rather risk changing your perspective about him by pelting you with words that stab like a knife than risk having you killed by kira once you've associated yourself with the case. says it's alright having you hate him as long as you don't die

— all in all, he's leaning towards the tsundere side. may seem a bit cold as a boyfriend but can be hilarious and flirty if he wants to. actually caring on the inside but chooses the worse words when it comes to certain situations. has his own little, very subtle ways of showing that he loves you <3

#L Lawliet #l x reader #l lawliet imagine #l lawliet headcanons #l lawliet x reader #death note x reader #death note headcanons #dating headcanons #death note l x reader #a bit angsty #l x you

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yelena-bellova · 3 years

Text

Safe Haven: tfatws!Bucky Barnes x fem!reader - Chapter One

Chapter One: The Other Wilson Sister - chapter two

Series Masterlist

Plot: Y/n grew up with Sam and Sarah Wilson in the bayou of Delacroix. During the Blip she stayed with Sarah to help run the family business. With Sam back and trying to save the day, Y/n’s perfect opportunity to confess her long-kept secret to her best friend presents itself.

Warnings: tfatws ep.1 spoilers, language, suicide mention, undertones of racism, lots of Wilson sibling arguments, tragic backstory

Word Count: 5.9k

A/N: As I wrote this first chapter out I realized it’s most definitely also a Sam Wilson x platonic fic. Bucky doesn’t come in till next chapter but rest assured, it’s gonna be a wild ride...Also I didn’t know till now how difficult it is to plan out a series in its entirety when the show isn’t completed lol. Hope you enjoy! (I may or may not change the title depending on how I feel about it later today lol)

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Delacroix, LA 2024

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One of the only things I was certain of in life was that blood didn’t make a family.

I had no official tie to Wilson family, I wasn’t a daughter or some distant cousin sent to live with them. We shared no DNA and they had no reason to love me as much as they did. But throughout my life I had known no kinder people than them and I doubted that would change. As I stood on the family boat helping to unload the catch of the day, I thought of how our corner of the Louisiana bayou felt more like home than any place I’d ever been.

“Hey,” Sarah said from the dock, “Head out of the clouds and down here helping me.” “Sorry,” I shook myself out of my thoughts and hopped off the boat, “Not a bad catch if you ask me.”

Sarah sighed as she bent over a large bucket of fish, “It could’ve been better.” I came to stand in front of her and held my hands out for a bucket, “Take the wins where you can get ‘em, Sar. Lord knows we don’t get enough of them.” Sarah Wilson was the only superhero I’d ever aspire to be like. She was a widow who had raised two kids and run a business all by herself with no family for support. The past five years had been challenging with so many people gone and while I had moved in with her to help however I could, I could take no credit. She was one of the strongest women I’d ever known.

“You had that look on your face again,” she said as we worked.

“What look?”

“That look that lets me know you were thinking real hard about something,” Sarah imitated the expression in question by thinning her eyes slightly and furrowing her brows, “Like this.” I laughed heartily at her impression, “So what was it?” I gazed out at the bayou waters before turning to the boat and finally Sarah, “Family.”

She nudged me with her hip, something we’d done when we were young and an affectionate gesture we’d carried into adulthood. A half hour went by with us and the boys unloading and sorting the fish we’d caught. I was too wrapped up in the task to notice the sound of a vehicle approaching until AJ and Cass announced the arrival.

“Blue for the snapper, orange for the whitefish.”

“Uncle Sam!”

My head shot up upon hearing his name, as did Sarah’s. I used my hand as a visor against to sun to spot the familiar rusted truck parked a few hundred feet away, with my best friend standing outside it hugging his nephews.

“That’s right, Uncle Sam,” Sarah called, “You’re back early.”

I grinned as I shucked my gloves off and made a beeline for him, slamming my body into his for a tight embrace. It had been a few weeks since I’d seen him, having spent the only weekend he was off away, and I’d naturally been worried sick about him. My best friend and un-biological brother may have been an Avenger for years, but after losing him in the Blip I didn’t think I’d ever stop worrying about him.

“Every time I come home, you act like I’ve been gone for five years,” he joked over my shoulder, resulting in me pulling away and slapping his bicep.

“Not even a little funny,” I pointed a finger in his smug face, he slung an arm around my neck as we walked over to Sarah.

“What’s goin’ on? You got Mom’s sneaky look on your face.” “How you gonna try to read me when you know I’m the one that reads you?” Sam smiled, passing by and greeting a long time customer of ours. “That look is permanently glued to his face, Sar,” I chuckled, “I learned that in grade school.” Sam shook his head at me and laughed before making his way up the dock to the Wilson family boat. “You gotta marvel at it, baby’s being held together by duct tape and prayers.” I leaned into Sarah, “Are you telling him or am I?” She took the initiative, “It just needs to float long enough for me to sell it.” “I thought we were gonna discuss if we were selling it,” Sam replied as he helped unload another bucket of fish. “We did, and then you were off fighting Doctor Space Cape or whatever while we,” Sarah gestured between us, “Were holdin’ it together for five long years. Now that the world is going back to normal, this thing’s gotta go.”

Sam looked to me with a look of displeasure, “Were you in on this?” “Don’t drag me into this,” I waved my hands as if wiping my involvement away, “This is a Wilson sibling discussion.” “Uh-uh,” Sam called me out, wagging his finger, “Don’t do that. Dad said every chance he got that you were one of his own, you’ve got a say in this too. What is it?” I scrunched my face up, dreading the argument that was knocking on our door, “It’s dead weight, Sam. The money we could get for it would be enough to keep us comfortable for a little longer without having to worry.” “We grew up on this thing. It’s not just Mom and Dad’s name on it. This thing is a part of our family.”

I sighed as Sarah stepped forward, “You know the situation we’re in. This is why I prefer not to dwell on it in front of everybody.” “Well what if we don’t need to sell it?” Sam said. “Can we talk about this in private?” I suggested, tiring of having to convince Sam that we were in the right when he hadn’t been around to witness our struggles. A long time friend of ours called out to Sam and he willingly took the distraction, opting out of having the inevitable difficult conversation. Sarah and I trudged back, totes of fish in hand and tried to get through the rest of the work day without worrying if we were approaching our last.

————

During golden hour, when the clock had struck five and we’d started packing it up for the day was the only time to get Sam to actually listen. I knew how much the boat meant to him, it meant something to us all, but he wasn’t living in the reality that Sarah and I were.

“Sam, the boat’s gotta go,” Sarah finally said, breaking the silence we were working in on the vessel. “Wait-“ “No, let me finish,” she said, “Y/n and I are doin’ everything I can to keep this business afloat and every day we’re making $5 and spending $10.” Sam looked between the two of us, “So why won’t you let me help?”

“Sam, don’t…” I winced, knowing Sarah’s reaction would be strong.

“No, don’t start with that. We made a deal before Daddy died,” Sarah carried a few buckets to the center of the deck, “You’re out there, I do things my way here. Y/n agreed to it too when she went off to school.” “Right, but you tangled the house into this when you took those loans,” Sam finished tying off one of the ropes, turning around and giving Sarah the perfect opportunity to punch his chest, “Forgot how hard you hit.” I sighed as I passed him by to follow Sarah, “Low blow, you deserved it.”

“Sarah, Y/n, c’mon,” he chased after us, “Look, and don’t hit me again…What if you had money to fix it up? Make it nice so you can charter it when you’re not out working the waters?” “Sam, do you think this was an easy decision for us?” I faced him, leaning against the doorway next to him, “I tried every tactic I learned in business school and got nowhere. Anything I thought up, we needed more money to do. This is our only option.” As he always did with the things he cared about, he fought. “We can take a loan and consolidate everything, it’ll take down your monthly,” he looked confused as he watched Sarah laugh, “What?” “You think I didn’t try the banks? They’re in with all that big business now.” I followed them like the little sister I’d always been as they moved their fight towards the cockpit of the boat. Sam blocked another doorway, “Yeah, but now you have me.”

“Don’t, Sam,” Sarah shook her head, “I just got good with this.”

“All right…”

“Maybe it is time for us to move on,” Sarah sighed. “Either way, just let me help,” Sam offered, “I’ll set the appointment. Look, I won’t let you guys down. We can turn this shit around. Trust me.” I peered over at Sarah, wishing I could see the calculations going on in her brain. It seemed pointless, but any shot at changing our luck was an avenue worth pursuing.

“It can’t hurt to try,” I shrugged.

Sarah finally relented, “To the rescue, huh?”

“Always,” Sam smiled, “Now, let’s get some dinner. I’m hungry.” ————

Sarah was taking AJ and Cass back home while Sam and I took his truck to go pick up food.

“So how was Tunisia?” I asked, sticking my hand out the window and letting it rise and fall with the wind.

“Hot, but the mission went well,” he answered, looking out of the corner of his eyes at me, “And that’s all you need to know.”

I snickered, “C’mon, it’s our thing. I ask you detailed questions about your confidential missions, you tell me you can’t reveal anything, I keep asking…You’ve gotta honor tradition.” “I flew, I fought, I rescued. Boom, mission explained.” “Ugh, you’re impossible, Wilson,” I waved him off, “How was the museum dedication?” The atmosphere changed as the subject of conversation changed from easy to complicated. “It was nice to see Steve’s accomplishments celebrated. Got to see Rhodes which was nice…” “You’re avoiding a red white and blue topic,” I said, trying to coax his true feelings out of their shells, “Seriously, are you really okay with this? Giving up the shield?” Sam inhaled deeply and exhaled, gathering his thoughts. “I don’t think it was ever meant to end up in my hands. I did the right thing, it belongs with Steve and the museum is the closest to Steve I can get.” I respected my friend’s choice but I knew there was so much more to his decision and I wished he would just say it. He had an enormous amount of respect for Steve Rogers and what the shield represented, but Steve Rogers never had to face the issues that Sam Wilson did. Steve Rogers could follow a government and be respected in return with no problems whatsoever. Sam Wilson couldn’t, not always. There was an elephant in the room and if neither of us wanted to talk about it, I wouldn’t push it.

“You’d have looked good in that uniform though,” I smiled as we turned into the take out place’s parking lot.

“Damn right,” Sam waggled his eyebrows and unbuckled his seatbelt. Laughter rang out in the truck sending me on waves of nostalgia. The memories that me and him had in this truck still were infamous between us. As proud as I was of the Falcon’s heroics, I was prouder to call Sam Wilson my best friend.

————

Just as he’d promised, Sam made the appointment with the banker. He and Sarah were already on their way as I made the hour long drive in the opposite direction to New Orleans. I’d told them I’d be back in the evening to discuss how it went, but I had my own appointment to keep.

Sam and I had met back when we were just a couple of first graders. I’d always struggled with making friends as a kid, but Sam never had an issue when it came to connecting with others. It was one of his strongest qualities. And so he used his gift on his desk neighbor, the loneliest kid in class, and pulled her out of herself. We were inseparable until college and adulthood forced us apart, but we’d never lost our bond. Even when he was a pararescue, he wrote to me as often as his work allowed him.

All the Wilsons had taken a liking to me after Sam brought me home one day after school to watch cartoons. Darlene had told me I was welcome to come over any time I wanted, an offer Sam and I accepted till I became a permanent fixture in their house. Paul and his wife had frequently tried to get the rest of my family over for a crawfish boil or a barbecue. They’d send me every few weeks with a verbal invitation to my parents and the next day I’d always come back with a polite decline and excuse as to why we couldn’t make it. Mom was busy with spring cleaning, Melanie had a recital, Dad was feeling under the weather…

The only one that had ever been true was about my dad not feeling well. He was never well. But as a child, how do you explain that your father is a ghost around his own home who drinks himself to sleep and wakes up each night screaming from nightmares? There was no polite way to phrase circumstances that dark. Sometimes I felt like my dad had never returned from the military and though there hadn’t been a war at the time of his service, he still came back with his share of trauma. Mom did everything she could to try and help him. She found support groups for veterans, she took him to the best psychiatrists, she created a safe space for him within our home to retreat to. There was no amount of help that could kill my father’s demons and that was proven the night he’d said we were out of milk and he was going to the store. A few hours later, with my sister and I fast asleep upstairs, my worried mother answered the door and was informed by the police that my father had crashed his car and was dead. After speaking to Mom about what his mood had been like before he’d left and if he suffered from any mental illnesses, it was ruled as an undoubtable suicide.

My mother didn’t get much time to mourn after the funeral, she had two children to provide for. She took three jobs just to earn enough to move us from our house in New Orleans to a dingy apartment in Delacroix by the bayou. When the Wilsons heard that Mom needed to scrape enough money in the budget to hire a baby-sitter for me and Melanie, they put a stop to her efforts immediately. The insisted that Mel and I would be happier spending the time my mom was working with them and their kids rather than a stranger. That was how the Wilsons and the Y/l/ns had ended up so tightly knit. While Sarah and Melanie had bonded as the older sisters and were often off doing their own thing, Sam and I caused havoc of our own in classic younger sibling fashion. By the time we were in high school, both parents called the other’s children their own.

When Paul and Darlene passed away, it was incredibly hard on all of us and it was equal when Mom had a fall and the doctors suggested she move into a facility. Sam, Sarah and I had worked hard to get her into one of the best nursing homes in the city and she hadn’t stopped raving about how much she loved it. Pulling into the parking lot was like muscle memory now, I never missed a weekend visit with her. This one was special because Melanie, her husband and brood of children had come too. I grabbed my visitor’s sticker at the front desk and made my way down the familiar hallways. The sound of laughter and cooing echoed out of my mom’s room, bringing a smile to my face.

I knocked on the door and heads turned, my nieces and nephews being the quickest. “Aunt Y/n!” I embraced Sophia and Max tightly, “The twin tornados! I missed you guys,” separating from them was difficult as they clung to me but I made it to Stephan, giving him a kiss on the cheek and doing the same to Mel, “You look hot, mama.” “I certainly don’t feel it,” she remarked as she cradled their newest addition, baby Alexandra, close to her chest, “I spend more hours of the day covered in glitter glue and spit up than you could imagine.” “You wear it all well,” I patted her shoulder before coming to my mother’s bedside and hugging her, “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” she kissed both of my cheeks and looked to the door, “Sarah and Sam couldn’t come?” “No, but they send their love. They had an appointment at the bank,” I set down my purse and pulled up a chair, “We’re trying to get approved for a small business loan.”

Glen took Alexandra from Mel so she could tend to the twins, “I wish we could help out, Y/n. I’ve looked at the budget over and-“ It warmed my heart that my brother-in-law cared so much about a problem that wasn’t his to bear. “Glen,” I held up a hand, “You guys are stretched thin enough. This isn’t me asking for charity, it’s our problem and Sam’s confidant we’ll find a fix.” “How does he have enough time to be a member of the Air Force, an Avenger and save the family business?” Mel asked.

“Well, the Avengers are kind of off doing their own thing right now from what I understand and he’s home for a little while from the Air Force,” I explained, “So his main job at the moment is to get us our funding and annoy the snot out of me while doing it.” After earning some giggles from Sophia and Max at the expression, Glen announced that they were going to go and grab lunch for everybody. My mom took my hand once it was just the two of us and I settled into my seat, “How are you, sweetheart?”

“Hanging in there,” I sighed, running a hand through my hair, “Tired, stressed, I smell like fish most of the time…We need this loan or else we’re going to have to sell the boat. You should’ve seen Sam’s face when Sarah told him…”

“I’m sorry, I know how much that boat means to you kids. I could’ve offered you the moon and stars and it still wouldn’t have been enough to get you off it.” I smiled at the memories of summer nights spent laying on the deck stargazing, dance parties on the stern and early mornings spent with Mr. Wilson teaching us how to fish. A childhood with so much sadness had also contained so many joys. To part with a tangible one killed me more than I��d let on to Sam.

Sensing that the topic was making me emotional, my mother was kind enough to change it. “How are things otherwise? Have you been getting out there?” I dropped my head back dramatically and groaned, “Mom…” “I’m just saying,” she dropped my hand and held up hers in surrender, “You should get out there, meet someone. There’s no shame in trying those online dating services. What’s the one…the…Tinder?” “Oh my gosh, Mom,” I buried my face in my hands and moved my fingers so she could only see my eyes, “Please stop talking.” “You know who I ran into the other day? Jack’s mom, from high school. She lives just down the next hallway, she says that he’s still single. You could get in touch with him.” “Y’know, for a woman who advocated for her daughters to lead such independent lives, you’re sure quick to try and marry us off,” I chuckled, “The second Mel started dating Glen you were practically booking the church.” “And I’m very proud of both my girls for being such strong young women,” she smiled proudly, “But finding love doesn’t mean losing your independence so long as you’re with the right man. I love that you’ve been helping out Sarah these last few years but honey…I see how lonely you are. In those big y/e/c eyes you think I still can’t read after all these years.” The y/e/c eyes in question started to fill with sadness at hearing my pain verbalized. It was true, I was lonely. More so than I would ever let on to anybody. I was a shy enough kid who only withdrew further after Dad passed away, that kind of introversion wasn’t one that you outgrew. But I’d given up the idea of finding someone to spend my life with a long time ago for a bevy of reasons.

“Sometimes it’s better to be alone, Mama,” I nodded as if to force myself to agree with my statement, “No chances of getting hurt…or hurting somebody.” “You couldn’t hurt somebody even if you tried,” my mom argued sweetly, “You couldn’t even kill spiders when you were a kid.” “And now there’s a Spiderman out there so I’m glad I didn’t,” I shot back with a laugh.

“I’m serious, honey,” she took my hand once again, “Don’t let your heart’s wounds keep you from finding someone who could help soothe them.”

I was convinced my mother was both a poet and a therapist at some point in her life, she gave advice in the most beautifully phrased way. And while I’d loved to have taken her words to heart, tell Mel to fix me up with one of Glen’s friends and put an end to my loneliness, I feared that I was just too broken to give love to someone.

————

I arrived back home late, shedding my boots and bag at the doors. I’d expected to hear a triumphant chorus of Sam shouting ‘WHO DA MAN?’ as he typically would when heroically proving me and Sarah wrong, but there was only silence. When I walked into the kitchen and saw their glum faces, it wasn’t hard to guess the outcome of the meeting. “You’re kidding me…” “Said that things had tightened up,” Sam said, leaning against one side of the island and taking a swig of his beer, “Had the balls to ask me for a picture afterwards.” I groaned and grabbed the beer bottle Sarah had extended to me, “Okay, we’re out of options. It’s time to move forward-“ “Don’t say it…” Sam tiredly warned.

“Someone has to, Sam. We can’t keep searching for solutions when the right one is sitting out on our dock,” I gestured to the window that looked out on the road we took each day to work.

Sarah set her beer down and held her hands up in surrender, “I’m not having this argument again tonight, I’m going to bed. If you’re gonna kill each other, do it quietly.” She left as me and Sam silently stared each other down, waiting for the other to speak. I was too frustrated to play the game, “What’s this really about?” “It’s about the damn boat and that you and Sarah are throwing in the towel too-“ “What,” I elongated the single syllable word, “Is this really about?” Sam set his drink down and rubbed his hands over his head before looking back up at me helplessly, “You guys were on your own for five years and you’ve done an amazing job. But now nothing’s working and I just…I just want to help because I couldn’t for so long.” It all clicked as to why Sam was being so insistent on trying to eliminate the whole matter. He was used to saving the day and finally meeting one that he couldn’t save was a wall he thought he could still find a way to run through. He’d been like that ever since we were kids, always trying to help the people he loved even when it was impossible. He had the biggest heart of anyone I’d ever met.

“I love you,” I set down my bottle and crossed the island to come next to him and wrap my arms around his shoulders, “But this may be one problem that the Falcon can’t swoop in and fix. The Avengers work hard, but a business graduate helping to run a struggling seafood business works harder,” I succeeded in getting him to crack a smile, “Believe me, I’ve run all the numbers and consulted with anyone who would listen. The boat’s gotta go.”

“Yeah, well, humor me and give me a little while longer.”

“Fine, a couple more days,” I grabbed my beer once again and clinked it against his, “But it’s not my fault if Sarah smacks you again.” Sam laughed, slung an arm around my neck and kissed my temple. “You coming up soon?”

“Yeah, I’ll be up in a few minutes,” I answered, watching as he finished his drink before leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs. Once I’d heard his bedroom door open and close, I exited out to the back porch. I took in the late night sounds of the bayou, the crickets chirping and the wind rustling trees had always soothed me. I wished they could touch what I was feeling right now, but the noise didn’t do a thing to drown out my worry. For the business I feared we may lose, for Sam as he ran himself ragged trying to help and for myself and what him and Sarah would think of me once I confessed the secret I’d kept from them for so long.

I held out my hand and watched as the blue energy flowed from my fingertips. Would Sam ever forgive me for not telling him I had powers? They had manifested when I was young, my parents said. I couldn’t remember a day where my body hadn’t produced a magical energy that when harnessed incorrectly could be destructive. It had been a sad day for my mother’s garden when I’d discovered that bit…According to her, she’d wanted to take me to a school for people like me run by a man named Charles Xavier but my father had said no immediately. He’d been so insistent on keeping my powers a secret that my mother said she’d only seen that type of fear in his eyes when he had a war flashback. So I was instructed to never show my powers to anyone under any circumstances and I’d done just that. I’d thought about revealing them in 2012 after the Battle of New York, but my dad’s fear rang in my ears. Three years later when Sam became an Avenger was when I began to feel guilty that I was keeping a secret from him. I’d wanted to join him and find somewhere where I didn’t feel so out of place, but I’d decided against it again. Now with their team so broken and Sam off with the Air Force, I’d finally gathered the courage to confide in him and Sarah. I should have done it six months ago, but I’d chickened out too many times. Tomorrow, I decided. Tomorrow was the day. But would they still see me the same way once I showed them? ————

The next morning, after dressing and running over what I wanted to say three times, I hesitantly headed downstairs to face the music. With there being nobody in the kitchen, I followed the sounds of the television to find Sarah and Sam staring at the screen intently. I stood to the side of the room and watched a suited man give a speech out front of a government building. “We need someone to inspire us again, someone who can be a symbol for all of us. So, on behalf of the Department of Defense and our Commander-in-Chief, it is with great honor that we announce here today that the United States of America has a new hero. Join me in welcoming your new Captain America.”

My jaw slackened as a man marched out in front of the gathered press, dressed in a variation of Steve Rogers’ patriotic uniform and carrying the iconic shield. The shield that had only weeks ago sat upstairs in Sam’s bedroom in a case. I dragged my gaze away from the screen to look at my best friend, hunched over in his seat with his eyes shut in sorrow. Sarah looked just as distraught, her eyes trained on her brother as well. We waited in silence until the breaking news broadcast switch back to regularly scheduled programming before Sarah switched the box off.

“I thought you said it was going to stay in the museum,” I finally spoke, my voice choked with emotion.

“It was supposed to,” Sam ground out, his grip on his own hands tightening. Without any warning, he rose from his seat and left the room. My instinct was to follow him and try to comfort him, but there was nothing I could say to ease the deep pain he was feeling. I wasn’t even sure I could form words that weren’t doused in raw shock. The two things I was sure of were that a) the government had fucked up royally and b) now was definitely not the time to tell Sam about my powers.

————

It was a few days later and Sam still hadn’t spoken much to Sarah and I about the situation. It was unnatural for Sam to suffer in silence especially around us, but we both gave him the space he needed.

I was taking laundry to AJ and Cass’ room and had to pass by Sam’s, surprised to see him packing a bag. “Thought you were sticking around.” “Something big came up,” he replied as he set a stack of t-shirts in his duffle bag, “I need to go check it out.” I leaned against his doorway, “Air Force big or Avengers big?” “The second one.” “And you’re going by yourself?” I asked with raised eyebrows.

Sam looked over his shoulder at me finally, “Don’t have anybody to else to call. Besides, I can handle myself.” I hummed in response before setting down the stack of laundry, an idea forming in my head that could solve both of our problems. I folded my hands together and dug my feet into the carpet, “What if you didn’t have to go by yourself?” He looked confused, “What are you talking about?” My folded hands began to make circles in the air as I struggled for the right words, “What if I came with you?” “What, like take your family to work day something?” Sam scoffed, “That’d be fun.” “I’m serious.” “Are you crazy? Of course you can’t come.” “Hear me out,” I looked to his bag and the pair of jeans he had next to fold, “Actually watch.” He folded his arms and waited for my demonstration. I took a deep breath and extended my hand, forcing my energy outwards to levitate the jeans. “Whoa!” Sam exclaimed as he watched me maneuver the clothing inside his duffle, “W-w-what…What was that?” I shrugged and pulled my hand back to my side, “The reason why you should take me.”

“How long have you been able to do that?” “Since I was a kid,” I moved out of the doorway and closed the door, the last thing I needed was AJ and Cass knowing their aunt could move things with her mind, “My parents told me never to tell anybody. I’ve thought about telling you for years since you’re used to this kind of thing but I was scared…Then you were gone and when you came back, life was moving non-stop and I lost my courage. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” Sam stood with his jaw hung for a few seconds before shaking his head back into reality, “Why are you apologizing? You never had to tell me, but I’m glad you did,” he pointed a finger towards me, “But you’re still not going.” “What are you talking about? I’d be an asset to whatever it is you’re fighting! And I love you but c’mon bird boy, you may be able to fly but I can do it without any tech.” “Oh, so that’s how you wanna play?” Sam gestured between the two of us, “You think insulting me is the way to get me to let you come?” “Come on,” I moved to sit on his bed, “Tell me what the problem is and I’ll prove that I can help.” “Alright, alright,” Sam took a stance in front of me, “You wanted to hear the tea on my missions, I’ll spill it. There’s an online group called the Flag Smashers, their MO is to get the world back to the way it was during the last five years. My military contact, Torres, went undercover in Switzerland when they robbed a bank. Knocked him unconscious when he tried to fight back.” I balanced my elbows on my knees and tapped a finger against my lip, “So kind of a Robin Hood deal, right? Stealing things from the rich and giving it to the poor. In this case, the poor being those who never disappeared.” “Exactly, except the guy that knocked Torres out was strong. Too strong. I’m thinking they could be a part of-“ “The big three.” Sam’s neck snapped back, “How do you know about the big three?” I shrugged nonchalantly, “The little you do tell me about your avenging always ties back to either androids, aliens or wizards. Though I think you’re being a little dramatic with the term ‘wizard.’”

“Are you seriously gonna correct the guy who’s actually there doing the fighting?” “Are you seriously gonna deny yourself valuable help against either an alien or an android?”

Sam sighed, I was successfully backing him into a corner. “Can you even fight?”

Extending one hand, I levitated Sam and gently slammed his back into the ceiling before reversing course and lowering him onto the carpet. He moaned as he rolled over to face me, “Could’ve given me a concussion.” “Maybe that would knock some sense into your head,” I stood and gave him my hand to pull him up, “Sam, I know that I don’t have any experience but I am more than capable of defending myself. I want to actually do something with these powers instead of sitting on my ass. I’d rather do it with you than on my own. Please?” I watched the cogs in his mind turn through his eyes, I knew he was only fighting this hard because he wanted to keep me safe. But he was in way over his head if he thought it wasn’t worth taking me with. He accepted my hand and stood to his full height, “Pack a bag, we’re leaving for the air base in an hour.” I smiled and threw my arms around him, “Thank you, you won’t regret this.” “I’d better not,” he warned, his arms stayed straightened in displeasure of my enthusiasm, “If you take some stupid risk and put yourself in jeopardy, I’m putting your ass on a plane home.” Quick footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway until the door opened to reveal Sarah, “What was all that noise? It sounded like you were throwing each other into walls.” “Busy,” I quickly dismissed her, using my energy to shut the door in Sarah’s face from a distance.

“Um,” her muffled voice rang through, “What the hell was that?!”

--------

Taglist: (open)

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #sam wilson x reader #sam wilson imagine #marvel imagine

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mochikeiji · 3 years

Text

Forever Between Promises

Request: "Hi!! sorry but are your event still open??? if yes, could I request angst fics with prompt no. 26,42,95 for Geto?"

26. "I would give up everything if it means having you by my side"

42. "Don't leave me"

95. "I don't want to be alone again"

↠ Pairing: Getou Suguru x F!Reader

↠ Warning: angst, minimal mentions of suggestive themes, gojo's arc spoiler!

↬ Word Count: 1.2k

↳ from Go! Go! Gogatsu Event

Sweet smiles and light teasing. Intelligent in the fields of battle and on human emotion. The kind of gentleman anyone would fall for. Geto Suguru was a rare gem to be found by the likes of you. Unlike Satoru, he had welcome you with such kindness you hadn't felt in a while. He was the first and only person to show you around the grounds of Jujutsu Tech— even shared witty remarks and intriguing histories here and there while walking by your side.

During class, he would be the one to come up to your spot and sit comfortably by the window side. He'd greet you with a soft, "good morning." every now and then which he adapts as his every day habit. When Gojo isn't looking, he'd snatch a few of his stacked candies and goodies with reflexes. The brush of his hand against your thighs would never fail to shock your entire being when he's simply smuggling them in your pockets; winking at you claiming that you might enjoy some of them since he's the one who bought them after losing a bet to the loud male next to him.

It was in those moments of yours fresh in second year that made you fall deeper for the second most strongest shaman in the world. Suguru was one of your many firsts in both devilish and angelic times. Shoko would point out as if to mock Satoru how Suguru preferred you to be his duo than him. She wasn't wrong though, not when they had their backs turned, you and him happened to be sneakily holding onto each other's pinkies from behind. He always loved seeing your reactions when he does stuff like this out of the blue. Your escapades didn't last long hearing a gag from the little girl you three were assigned to escort.

So obvious how the two of you made googly eyes to each other and the sly excuses to be closer, Riko claimed as Satoru was bursting in tears from laughing. Suguru didn't mind as the two continued to rile you up. It was on that day from the corner of his eye he gave you your first kiss in front of them rather than in the hidden alleys or bedroom. Those butterflies that had filled your surroundings were lovely, but the sight of his smile was a temptation to capture and protect forever. Moments like these you wished would last for a life time.

Geto had this belief he shared with you from the beginning of your relationship. Though he adores how small your hands are when he held them in his, he's a sucker for the linked pinkies. He firmly believes that through that little connection there were unspoken promises beneath them. That belief rubbed onto you as you would have the tendency to reach for his longer pinky. No matter when and where, there was always a promise between you both.

"I would give up everything if it means having you by my side"

One of those was loyalty to each other, thick and thin as you stared to the once soft, light eyes glower with a void of darkness. You could've sworn there was still a pinch of emotions solely for you only. What had been such a nurtured, heart feeding start come to a withered end. The loss of Riko had shaken much more than your relationship with your friends and lover. No, it caused more that it came with the price of killing and becoming a wanted man. You've once thought he was easy to catch remembering how welcoming he was of you. Now you find yourself endlessly chasing after the man that had the remaining string of bright crimson on his pinky.

"Don't leave me." you pleaded, knees on the concrete floor and your head bowed as you got soaked in the rain the night you've caught onto his trail once more. "Please, Suguru. Just let me stay by your side."

As a man whom slaughtered a village and plans for the death of those who were not part of his vision of his own world, no one would think twice to believe how easy it was to have him still wrapped around your fingers. Suguru would never want to drag you away from being the women he's fallen for just to follow his deeds with the devil. He knows at some point in life, there will be a price to atone for his sins. Yet the first strongest women to ever come in par of him and Satoru, kneels before him as the love confessions spill from her lips. Suguru finds himself greedy as he again like all times, welcomes you in warm arms away from the rain. His own guilt of causing you this much mixes with the droplets from above.

In the midst of what people claim, "evil" You were far from it. The nights of worshipping the scars and bared feelings were much more intense; needy. From the eyes of his newly profound family, he was a man with strong, promising visions for a better future. Little did they know how he cannot be those without the woman who's sold herself to the devil just to walk in the fires of hell with him. The innocent escapades of yours turned into a game of ride or die having to change locations and stay ins to avoid being caught. Worse, killed on the spot.

You didn't mind living this second life. You've lost yourself at the first— lost the family that also loved you dearly as Suguru, but risking it all as long as you had him by your side was worth it. This life was what people feared, but you cherished. You were not about to lose the only ray of light you have left as his eyes flicker the smallest amount he has as he's slouched next to you the most loved, and the one and only best friend.

Take, take and take. That was all the world has done for you and you have done for your world. Part of the reason why he's only ever wanted to reset the world was for you to live in happily. No more hurting. Maybe now wasn't yours nor his lifetime of enjoyment. Born in misery of being robbed with every thing you've never had, you took what you can to live even if it was for nothing. Given the potential of being third of the strongest and landing a spot on a prestigious school, you strove and from there you were alive the moment he's linked his pinky with yours.

"I don't want to be alone again.." the life you've lived shortly became full of every thing, every second because of him. Who would've thought it'll end just the same faith as he did when he utters out an apology, weakly trying to grip onto your pinky when it was obvious that the used to be crimson colored string fades to a melancholic grey.

"I'll find you in a better world, my love."

He was a criminal indeed. Evil, so evil it had ruined every thing you've held onto. Geto Suguru was your plenty of firsts, but who knew he'd be the last you'd ever see the light in every thing ever again as he takes all of the promises from you to his afterlife.

#geto suguru #geto suguru x reader #geto x reader #getou suguru #getou suguru x reader #geto angst #jjk geto #geto scenarios #suguru x reader #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen x reader #getou x you #jujutsu kaisen suguru #jjk suguru #raines: gogatsu event

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bibliocratic · 4 years

Note

45 or 10 from the kiss prompt for JonMartin? :)

Thank you!! :D Number 10 Already posted - > Number 19, Number 26, Number 38

Broad spoilers for S5 up to 194. Content warnings in the tags

MARTIN … and that’ll be all outside, and y-you’ll be able to see them, through the glass doors at the back. […] [muzzy] Jon?

[…]

[slightly more urgent] Jon.

JON [woozy, coming to] Hmm?

MARTIN Just. [obviously relieved] Just checking.

Thought you’d lost me?

MARTIN … a bit. Yeah.

JON I’m still here. [a shifting sound of unstable brickwork] I think one of my arms has gone to sleep.

MARTIN ‘s what happens when you bring the whole building down on us. JON [mock affronted] It was a team effort, thank you. MARTIN [a small quirking laugh, trailing off into a wet-sounding cough] My mistake.

… Jon?

JON … sorry, it’s – hard. To stay awake, now the Eye’s… [a self-deprecating sound] I didn’t realise how much I needed it.

MARTIN [trying to reassure] I know. It’s… it’s OK. [a gasping wince] Fuuuck. Jesus.

JON Try not to move too much.

MARTIN [through gritted teeth] Fantastic advice. [another grunt of pain] N-not like there’s… [shuddering inhale] … anywhere I can go.

[the silence is sober, a conversation already had and ran dry]

JON I think I can… give me a…

MARTIN W’ are you doing?

JON I can... if I just…

[the sound of a dead-weight dragging, laboured panting, several moments of this]

[the movement stops]

Argh. That’s… that’s better.

MARTIN [pushing for light-hearted] Any – huh – any excuse for a cuddle. You’re getting dust all over me. JON You weren’t going to be moving to me, so. It’s not exactly my fault you’re more comfortable to lie on than the floor.

MARTIN High praise there, don’t – heh [wincing gasp] use up all your compliments at once.

JON [tentative] It doesn’t hurt when I…?

MARTIN No. Well, yes, but no more than the rest of it anyway.

JON I can…

MARTIN Stay. Please, Jon. I’d… I’d like you to.

JON …

Think anyone’s noticed all this mess yet?

MARTIN I mean, my guess is that Hill Top Road’ll just look like a construction site to anyone walking past. If it worked… if everything went… went back.

JON It worked. It has to have.

MARTIN [quiet] No one is coming then.

JON No. No, it’s just us.

MARTIN Right. Right. Suppose that’s not the worst conclusion.

JON [trying to keep himself together] No. It isn’t.

[silence for a few moments.]

JON Go – go on then. What’s next?

MARTIN What’s that?

JON Before. You were talking about the house.

MARTIN Oh. Thought you’d tuned out, to be honest.

JON I was listening.

MARTIN Any changes you’d make then?

JON Bigger garden. [a shifting creak of fabric – Martin gasps, and Jon apologises] Maybe a patio area.

MARTIN [winded, recovering with effort] Very fancy.

JON All that walking we did… think we – huh – deserve to be able to sit down in some deck chairs.

MARTIN Too right. [struggling, pushing the words out harsher] Your… your go then, lazybones.

JON What do you want me to say?

MARTIN Just… Tell me about a day we’d have. Any day.

JON [soft, tragically fond and heartbroken] Alright.

[clears throat] Right. So I’m… er, I’m in the kitchen. Um, cooking I guess?

MARTIN Heh, that’s a stretch – I’ve seen your kitchen skills.

[there’s muttering, and a tired chuckle] Ha, OK, sorry, sorry – spoiling the momentum. Carry on.

JON [affectedly prim] Thank you. Right, so I’m cooking. Pasta, o-or stir fry or – something easy, quick, not too much effort. It’s been a long day at work, and I left later than usual. It’s… yes, it’s dark outside, sometime in Autumn maybe, and I’ve put the heating on full blast. You’re… you’re usually home by now, but you… [trailing off]… you… um….

MARTIN [prompting] I’m caught in traffic?

JON [pulling himself back] Y-yes. You text me earlier, t-to tell me you’d got caught at the road works coming out of town, so you’re running late.

MARTIN Silly of me not to have taken the long way round to avoid it.

JON I’ve told you that. You haven’t replied but I know you’ve read it.

MARTIN I’m too proud to tell you you’re right.

JON Heh. Yeah. [a ripped-up out sound]

MARTIN What next then?

JON Give… give me a minute. I-I, er…

MARTIN It’s alright. No rush.

JON [recovering from whatever episode has passed] OK. I’ve… I’ve got the radio on. I’m listening to some sort of talk show, and they’re going on about a political scandal of some sort.

MARTIN Tories at it again?

JON Of course. [warming to the thought] I know the commentators irritate you, so I only put it on when you’re not at home or if I know you’re working upstairs. And I – um… I’ve fed the cats, but they’re hovering around my legs hoping I drop something.

MARTIN [gently teasing] Cats plural, then? We had only had the one before.

JON They’ve multiplied.

MARTIN Hm. Our squadron of cats know you’re a soft touch, and that you’ll accidentally-on-purpose drop something.

JON I would never.

MARTIN Liar.

JON True.

The cats are hovering. And I’m thinking about… well, nothing special. The day, things I want to get done tomorrow. I’ve got a pile of marking to do, but I’m going to leave it, because it’s Friday, and you’re always telling me I need to set healthier work-life boundaries.

MARTIN I’m being listened to? A true miracle.

JON Hush. Anyway, the food… it’s a pasta bake, and it’s in the oven. And I’m tidying up because the kitchen’s messy, and then I hear your key. You’re kind of muttering loudly and I can hear you through the glass in the front door. The lock sticks sometimes, but only ever when you use it.

MARTIN [pained, words pushed through teeth] S-so we’ve a cursed door. N-nice touch.

JON …

MARTIN A-and then…?

JON You… [groaning] Christ, I’m… I’m getting really dizzy.

MARTIN Shh. I-It’s alright, it’s ok. Close your eyes, deep breaths.

JON [a series of stuttering breaths] Y-you come in. Your bag slumps heavy on the floor, I’m always telling you it’ll give you a bad back, the weight you put in that’s making the straps fray. You kick off your shoes, b-but then you set them neatly by the door, right alongside mine. And then you greet the cats and stroke them behind the ears and you fuss and coo in a silly little voice at them.

And then you – you kiss me on the cheek. Without thinking. Not – not that it doesn’t mean anything. Like you’ve… [huff] you’ve done it so many times now it’s a habit, that we’ve had the chance to make over all the years we’ve had together…

…

Martin?

MARTIN [drowsy, words slurring] K-keep going love. I’m… ‘m listening.

JON [it is audibly harder for the words to come to him, but pushing on almost desperate, voice thick] … and I kiss you back, and ask you how your day was… you have a bit of a moan. Y-you’ve wrapped your hands around me now, and you’re freezing and I tell you if you don’t let go, the dinner’s going to burn, and you tell me the tea will be just fine for another minute, and I tease and ask if you’re speaking Northern again, l-like it’s a running joke of ours – and, huh – you pretend to be offended…

And while we eat, we talk. About… about so many little nothings we’ve made into somethings, a-and…

[drained, lost] I-I can’t think of anything else.

…

Martin?

[fracturing] Martin?

[a trembling swallowed sob] Alright. ‘s alright, you rest, I-I’ll keep going. Jus’ give me a minute to catch my breath…

[harsh inhale, exhale]

[inhale, exhale]

[stop]

#tma #the magnus archives #fic #jonmartin #kiss prompt #cw death #cw injury #hurt/comfort

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physicalturian · 3 years

Text

[18+] The thrill of the chase - Nanami Kento X Reader

[She/Her pronouns used for the reader; No physical description. Everyone is 18+] [No spoilers from the anime nor the manga]

Words : 8951

Archive of our own

Inspired by this art on Twitter and this one on TikTok

Tags : Fluff / Smut / Roleplay / Hair-Pulling / Soft degradation / Prey/Predator / Chase / Powerplay / Power dynamics / Punching / Impact play / Marking / Unprotected Sex / Spit kink / Choking / Play fighting / Cockwarming / Overstimulation / Begging / Submission / Blood kink / Edgeplay

Summary: Nanami comes home all bloody after taking care of some curses. You confess finding it hot to see him in such state and things take a twisted turn...

-“If you’re so feisty, show me some of that energy little mouse. I don’t think you realize you’re trapped yet,”

Taking a bath was supposed to be relaxing. And most of the time it was but knowing that Nanami was late and still not home made it harder to unwind.

While I was submerged by burning water, music playing in the background, I kept my arms out of the bath to avoid withering like a prune. My eyes were closed as I tried to think of anything but the possibility of my partner being wounded, I trusted him, he knew what he was doing… But I also regretted his change of career. He was a lot safer in the confine of corporate bureaus. But who was I to say anything? He seemed a lot happier being a sorcerer than doing stock market.

I drummed my fingers nervously on the side of the bath, humming to drown my thoughts, taking in the nice fragrance of the bath bomb I had threw in the water. I could still hear the fizzy sound it made as it dissolved, amidst the popping sounds of the bubbles on the surface of the water. Taking a handful of bubbles, I huffed to myself, “I’ll clock out before 6pm, he says” I grumbled, letting them fall back in the water “I don’t do overtime, he says” I said, imitating his gruffy tone. He could at least text if he were on his way home, I thought as I leaned back, eyes closed.

“There was a small set back, I am here now.” I was startled by the voice by the door, I quickly leaned against the tub to cover myself and sighed when I saw it was Nanami. “You scared me-“ I stopped mid-sentence and looked at him in a mix of shock seeing how bloody he was but also slightly pleased by the sight. I did not want to tell him that seeing him all bloody like that had an effect on me, and it was not justworry. I hid a smile behind my palm.

I gulped when I saw him unwrap his tie from around his fist, it was covered in blood like his suit. He had a habit of doing that when he fought, I never really knew why since he would still end up with bruised knuckles. While his face was speckless, his hair wasn’t, and his suit was ruined. I was about to get up and check on him when he stepped closer and told me to stay in the bath. “I need to make sure you’re okay, Kento,” Huffing, he gave me a half-smile and let his jacket fall to the ground as he gazed down at me.

No matter how long I had known him, I would never get enough of the sight of him in his white dress shirt with his harness. It had a charm I couldn’t quite describe, perhaps it was the way it defined his muscles even more or the contrast of the black on the white. It looked exquisite on him. Sitting on the edge of the bath, he grabbed his weapon from the harness behind his back and put in on the ground before looking at me. “I’m ok,” he reassured me as he placed one of his hand on my thigh.

It was a huge contrast of temperature with his freezing hand and my burning skin, but the worse was the intense look he was giving me as his hand slid further in. Deeper in the water, higher on my thigh. I brought my knees together to stop his hand from going any further and whispered his name in a warning tone. His reply was to tighten his grip, he had rolled up his sleeves and looked even better than moments ago. “Tell me to stop,” He breathed. I don’t want to, I thought. Instead, I played it off.

“You keep ruining your suits, we should buy black ones, it’ll be easier to remove the stain,”

I heard him hum as he moved his hands to his harness, letting go of me. I was disappointed but did not say anything, we could take a bath, relax and just enjoy one another’s company. “Perhaps should I change my entire outfit?” “No, no, the shirt and the harness stay,” I reacted too quickly, only realizing after that he had a small smirk on his face, that he was baiting me.

“Is that so?”

Chuckling, I sunk deeper in the water, “I mean, the harness holds the weird bat you got, right? So…” I trailed off. Nanami replied, deep in thought, “A polo shirt would be very comfortable-“ “Ken! Polos are ugly, you’re already on thin ice with the blue shirt and leopard printed tie,” I heard his laugh, then the muffled sound of something hitting the rug on the floor. I glanced his way and saw he was very slowly unbuttoning his shirt, his harness was on the ground. The slowness was not to make me yearn for him, no, he was in pain.

I quickly got out of the bathtub almost tripping as I did so, I ignored the cold hitting my skin and moved his hands from the buttons, “I can do it, dear,” He whispered. “Just because you cando it, doesn’t mean I can’t help you.” I replied, moving his hands once again when he tried to do it himself, instead I settled them on my hips and heard a low satisfied groan from his throat. I took a deep breath to stay composed, but I couldn’t help but feel something lighting up in me.

When I had finished unbuttoning his shirt, I shrugged it off his shoulders and took in the sight. It was once again with mixed feelings that I enjoyed it. He was gorgeously sculpted, but also covered in bruises. “You grow reckless when you do overtime, you shouldn’t rush things Ken…” I mumbled, checking if there was anything more than bruises. “The bruises will be gone in a few days,” He brought me closer against him as he said so, I wrapped my hands around his neck and saw the red that tainted my hand when I caressed the back of his head.

Pushing him away, I huffed and was about and went to grab my bathrobe, “You should get cleaned, take a bath and relax,“ “Then get back in the bath, I’ll join you,” He told me while unbuckling his belt. I paused in my steps and turned around to look at him with an inquisitive look, “Ken, I don’t think it’d be practical if we are going to do that…” When he finished undressing he stared at me with a certain hunger in his eyes. My eyes traveled from his eyes to his lips before looking at his blood-covered hair and knuckles.

Nanami held my hands in his, effectively bringing my attention back to him. A smirk was painted on his lips. “That being? A bath, with my lover, hm?” I rolled my eyes and nodded, slightly disappointed but lead us to the bath. Before I could step inside, Nanami said he’d get in first, that I should sit between his legs. “It should be the other way around, I’m not missing the chance of washing your hair, okay?” He chuckled lowly in response and told me to ‘get in then’. When I did, he stood in front of the bath a moment. I believe he was taking in the sight, and the longer he stood there, the more self-conscious I was becoming.

I made a beckoning motion with my arm and told him to join me. “Careful it’s hot,” I said hurriedly, with his hands on either side of the bath, he lowered himself into the water, I heard him hiss a bit. It could have been because of the burning water, or maybe the pain, whichever it was he did not complain. He gave me a sight I enjoyed greatly, but I held back from squeezing his ass and let him make himself comfortable. With his back now against my chest, I asked him to lean forward, which he did without a word. Like that, I let my hand roam on his back a moment. I noticed the marks around his back, it traveled to his front, I could see it on the side of his chest.

I let my fingers travel the redness, thinking of how it could have happened then it struck me, “Ken, your harness is too tight around your chest,” I whispered, as I wrapped my arms around his torso and kissed different spots on his back. I heard him sigh in content, the tension in his body visibly going away as he relaxed his form and let his hands fall in the water to hold onto my thighs. “It’s the point, that way it doesn’t move. The marks never stay long,” He stated. He had started rubbing my legs slowly. At first it was his hands wrapped around my legs, then he only trailed a few fingers along my skin.

I jerked my leg away to stop him, laughing when I told him to not do that. There was some playfulness in my voice, he knew I was not mad. “I’m not missing the chance of having you fully naked, so, unless you tell me to stop…” With a bit of a struggle, he turned around in the bath. He was still between my legs, but this time he brought me closer to him by pulling my ankles and wrapping them behind his back. My breath hitched when I felt him against me, more than just the skin. Keep it cool, there is no way I’m fucking in a bathtub, I thought.

Ignoring the closeness, I leaned back to grab the shampoo and bumped it against Nanami’s chest. “If you still have some energy to be like that, then wash your hair first,” I huffed. There was a funny feeling in my stomach when he smiled at me and bent over enough for me to see the top of his head, “Do it,”

“It would have been more practical if you hadn’t turned around,” I grumbled as I poured water over his hair before spurting some shampoo in my hand and started lathering his hair, “Don’t complain if the shampoo gets in your eyes- nor if your neck hurts because it’s entirely your fault,” I huffed, earning a low chuckle from the blond man. I rolled my eyes and suddenly gripped his hair tight when I felt his hands wander on my lower stomach before adventuring higher and brushing his thumbs over my nipples. “Ken! Don’t start,”

“Oh angel, you started this long before I did,” He said smugly. I couldn’t see his face, but I quickly rinsed off the shampoo and combed his hair back with my hands before lifting his face. “That’s entirely false, you did,” I said, falsely offended. Reaching behind me once more, I grabbed the washcloth and dipped it in the water, only to have big hands take it from mine and lead them to his higher thighs. My breath hitched once more as I looked up at him with a warning look, but I did not say anything.

A smirk was displayed on his lips as he guided my hand to his cock, then let go when I wrapped my hand around it but did not move. “I never realized until now,” he started, tucking a strand of hair that stuck to my skin behind my ear. “That seeing me in such a pitiful state turned you on,”

My eyes widened and I heard him chuckle breathlessly as he told me to go easy with the grip on his cock, I let go not having realized I had tightened my hand. “I never said that; Did I?” And here I thought I had been subtle, but it wasn’t that at all. He had feigned ignorance since he had saw me look at him too intensely. “I’d say the needy look in your eyes, and excuses to touch me, speak for themselves. Wouldn’t you agree?” I did not reply.

Instead, I shrugged and grabbed the washcloth once more, then poured some body wash on it before handing it to my partner. He pushed it back towards me, and leaned back in the bath, arms resting on either side of the bath, “I’m too sore to do it myself, would you mind?” He was good at keeping his emotions in check, he wasn’t smiling smugly, or anything as such. No, he kept his face neutral, but I knew he was being a little shit in his own way.

I smirked, “Of course,” he smiled back gently, but we both knew it wasn’t a real smile, no. He would be looking at each of my movements, ready to have me at any moment. He ran his hand through his hair and rested it back on the rim of the bath.

Scooting closer, I moved to sit on his lap, making him stretch his legs in the length with the space I had freed. “Tell me if it hurts,” I said before gripping his chin roughly, making him look at me as I cleaned his face. I felt him clench his jaw and had to hold back a smile. I avoided his gaze the entire time, focusing on cleaning before throwing him a side glance followed by a mischievous smile. “Careful,” He just said, not moving, simply letting his gaze follow me. I quirked a brow in reply, humming in a questioning manner before continuing cleaning up.

I started by his shoulders and sliding to his neck where I let my fingers wrap around his throat a bit longer than it was necessary. I felt his hand caress my back before settling on my lower back, “I said, careful,” Nanami said as he let his head fall back on the back of the tub, his eyelids almost closed as he looked at me from that angle. “Am I hurting you?” I asked innocently. I moved to clean his chest, knowing full well the moment I’d dip my hand inside the water, I’d have an advantage.

“You’re awfully daring tonight, does the sight of me drenched in blood turn you on that much, my love?”

“If anything, it annoyed me to see your suit ruined, Ken,” I huffed. When I went to wash him lower, Nanami took hold of my wrist and stopped me. I looked up at him confused and was met with a look at told me he was clearly not having it. Dropping the washcloth on his chest I sighed, “Alright, maybe, yes. Can you blame me?” I admitted. It made him chuckle as he brought me closer to him, his hands on my ass as he pressed me right against him. “Tell me more about it,” He whispered as he kissed my neck gently, leaving a trail down my collarbone before going up again.

I let out a breathless laugh at the feeling of his breath brushing over my skin along the lightness of his kisses. Both my hands were now resting on his shoulders as I leaned the side of my head against his, “I never get to see you fight,” I started, my fingers sliding over his collarbone to caress the base of his neck. “It’s for the better. If you did, that’d mean you’d be in danger,” He explained.

I sucked in my teeth, “That’s not what I meant, you’re right but I meant like…” I could feel my cheeks heat up as time went by, no matter how I worded it in my head, it was bound to sound strange the moment it’d leave my mouth.

“You’re strong, it’s hot, you’re good at being a sorcerer… And I know you enjoy the fighting, so I can’t help but think of the faces you’re making when you’re enjoying a good fight. A fight that’d leave you breathless, sore, aching all over,” I looked down at him and cradled his face in my hands as I tried to roll my hips only to be kept on the spot by Nanami’s hands. “The adrenaline pumping in your veins, your heart beating faster and faster as it tries to keep up with your ecstatic state. The rush of seeing them taken down, of knowing you were stronger than them,”

I ghosted my lips barely above his and held back a smile when he parted his lips, “Maybe you didn’t break a sweat, maybe you did, but in the end, it left you drenched in blood that isn’t yours, you’re the one left standing. You’re good at this and you could keep going until exhaustion takes over, I know it” I kissed him tenderly, smirking when I felt him trying to deepen the kiss, but I pulled back and grinned wider. “But you never do, you never let it take over, because you have to come home to me,”

“I’m starting to think there’s an underlying meaning to this speech,” Nanami hummed as he started rubbing my back gently, pouring more water over my freezing skin. A smile grew on my face as I let a hand wander down his torso very slowly, letting my fingers brush over his happy trail. “I’m just saying… that maybe you still have some energy left for some fun,” I grabbed his cock underwater and suddenly found myself with my ass on the bottom of the bath as Nanami got up and wrapped a towel around his waist. “Get out,” he said while handing out his hand for me to grab.

As he helped me out of the bath, he handed me a towel. I knew there was a huge grin on my face when I wrapped the towel around my form and pulled Nanami closer by his towel. He slapped my hand away, I could only chuckle in response. “Bed, now,” he stated. It sent electricity coursing through my body. I stood in front of him a bit longer, trying to gauge the mindset he was in. I wanted him on edge, I wanted him to go all in, “Don’t you worry, I got the message,” he started, sauntering closer. He lifted my chin roughly, just as I did earlier.

“You’re enjoying this a lot, when I’ve barely done anything,” He let his hand fall to his side and tugged off my towel, leaving me stark naked in front of him. “Stay like this, get on the bed, kneeling,”

The smile on my lips was portraying the same emotion as my laugh, nervous. “I don’t think you got the message,” I whispered, earning a loud sigh from my partner. “Looks like I need to get you there myself,” I did not have time to complain that I was lifted off the ground before being thrown onto the bed.

By the time I sat up, Nanami had his back turned on me and was in front of the wardrobe, already halfway dressed. “Ken, I’m confused,” I was about to get out of bed when I heard him tell me to stay there.

As he was buttoning up his shirt, he looked at me with a smile. “Tell me, my dove,” I perked up at the sweet name and moved to the center of the bed, kneeling. “Does it turn you on because you know I had to go full force?” He asked as he moved to the drawers and pulled out a leather harness that he shrugged on, buckling it on the front before looking at me with the same small smile.

“Or maybe is that whole speech more of a way to hide that your dirty little secret…” He finished by slipping on a pair of black leather gloves. He had not put on his tie, but he was now fully dressed, while I was completely nude. “Is that you want to feel the thrill of being chased…” He walked around the bed slowly, leaning over slightly to grab the paddle that was resting next to it, against the wall. He was now on my right, I did not want to look too needy, but I was starting to feel excited, yet I didn’t move when he went to grip my jaw and made me look at him.

“…Of being preyed on.”

I hated myself for the sound that escaped my throat, it made Nanami’s smile widen. “Is that it? You want to be dominated in the most carnal way, to be rendered defenseless,” I did not reply.

“Tell me your safe word, now” And I did, making him smile proudly. “So, you can speak,” he breathed in fake surprise, a few seconds after, Nanami was pulling my legs towards him and had me on my back as he kept my legs spread by settling himself between them. “I almost thought I had already scared you from so little, it would have been disappointing since you’re not yet as vulnerable as I’d like you to be,”

With both of his hands on my knees, he spread my legs wider and looked between my legs with hunger before letting his eyes trail back to my eyes. “And not nearly as afraid, from the look on your eyes you’re still too confident. I’ll wipe that smile off your face,” My breath hitched, I regretted the excited smile on my lips when it made Nanami frown as he gripped my knees tighter before dragging me off the bed.

His hold on the paddle handle changed as he rested it on his shoulder. He looked down at me with a half-smile. “I like this better; the floor is less comfortable than the bed, isn’t it?” I nodded and leaned back when the blond leaned forward, dropping his arm holding the paddle so that the tip hit the ground. It startled me. “Good, I don’t want you comfortable, fear comes when you’re out of your comfort zone,” He looked me up and down, a few strands of wet hair falling over his face.

I could feel my heart beat faster, it only increased when he suddenly crouched in front of me, the paddle now being used as a place to rest his chin as he looked at me intently. “I think you need an incentive, so here,” He held out his hand for me to grab and helped me up my feet. I looked at him confused. I was slowly growing uneasy from his actions; they did not make one drop of sense.

Once I got to my feet, he pulled me towards him and wrapped a hand around my throat when he got closer to me before whispering right next to my ear, his teeth grazing my lobe. “You have two minutes to hide, if I find you…” His fingers dig into the side of my throat, elating a muffled sound from me. With the strength of his arm, he got me to my tiptoes by lifting me even a little bit, his hand still around my throat. I held onto his arm to try to stay balanced and get him to let me go, which he did, almost making me fall to the ground. But I caught myself.

Nanami sat down on the end of the bed, setting the paddle on his lap. He leaned back on his hands; I couldn’t help but ogle how good he looked like that. He made sure to wear exactly all the things I told him I liked once, and the paddle on his thighs was the best accessory I could hope for. “Don’t let me find you, little dove,” He emphasized his word by running his fingers over the handle. “Don’t get me mad either,” I heard him well, I understood what he meant, and it sent thrills running down my spine.

When he looked up, Nanami quirked a brow. He then looked at the watch on his wrist then back at me, “You have one minute and a half left, I suggest you get going little dove, unless…” His gloved hand tightened around the handle once more. Leather against leather made a sound all the more appealing to my ear, I went to take the towel left on the floor but thought against it when Nanami tutted me, “You stay like this, go,” He shooed me.

I scurried off.

I felt self-conscious, running around the apartment naked, trying to find a hiding place but I also felt overwhelmed. This was Nanami’s choice of furniture, his choice of decoration, and all of this was one thing: minimalist. Nothing was made to hide in or behind. Part of me wanted him to find me, just to see what he’d do, to see his powerful look as he looked down at me before dragging me from my hiding spot. But then, I wanted to see him get frustrated as he’d try to find me.

I needed to see him lose his composure, get frustrated. I had to think fast, to know what I really wanted out of him. The thud of my feet on the cold floor was all I could hear at first, though it did not drown the louder sound no one could hear, my heartbeat.

I quickly grabbed the blanket from the couch and opened the closet door. That’s when I heard a voice call from the bedroom when I entered the living-room and peeked under the sofa. “Thirty seconds left,” Fuck fuck fuck, I thought in panic as I crawled inside the closet. I made sure to close it silently behind me, before sitting in the deep corner and throwing the blanket over my form. Now this was not the type of hide-and-seek I did as a child, it was… better.

Now hidden, I let the remaining seconds pass, and soon enough I could hear the sound of Nanami’s steps around the apartment. “You better be hidden little dove, I do love a good chase,” He was walking slowly, scaringly so. Quiet enough that I really had to pay close attention if I wanted to hear anything. Along his footsteps was the repetitive sound of something hitting the palm of his hand. It wasn’t the paddle, if it had been, the sound would have been blunter. But it sounded more like a sharp, cutting sound.

I was buzzing with excitement, my blood pumping more and more with how eager I was. We had done a few rougher sessions before, but I wanted to see how it’d turn this one around, and I was more than willing to let his creativity run free. His steps seemed further away, so did his voice when he spoke loud enough so that I could hear him no matter where I was in the apartment. “I’ll applaud the effort you put in your hiding spot, and while I do love the chase,” I heard him groan as he slammed something shut, startling me in the process.

“I do grow tired of hide-and-seek pretty easily,” he continued like this for a few more minutes, his tone growing more and more impatient, more unnerved as he spoke. His steps were heavier on the ground, faster too, he was pacing, he was doing comes and go around the place and suddenly, it all stopped when he stepped inside the living room.

No more talking. No more taunting. Nothing.

It was eerie. For a moment I thought he was done, then I heard what I believe was the TV. Is he for real? I thought in astonishment. I peeked out from under the blanket that covered my form and silently crawled to the door, placing my ear against it. He had indeed turn it on. I sighed in disappointment and opened the door slowly to surprise him and gasped loudly when I was met with a smug smile. Nanami was crouching in front of the closet. I looked him over, noticing the paddle was resting in the holster where his weapon would usually be, and instead in his hand was a riding crop.

He was holding it in his delicate fingers, as his forearms rested crossed on his knees, “What better way to bait the mouse than to make it believe the threat is gone?” My stomach dropped, I could either back away inside the closet or try for a run. The latter seemed like a better option, one that avoided me ending up cornered. Smirking, I threw him the blanket and push him and went for it.

I don’t know what I was thinking. That wouldn’t stop him. I hadn’t even made him fall back, he simple sighed angrily. I had barely stepped out of the closet that I found myself gripping the back of the couch when Nanami grabbed my shin and made me lose my balance. “A stupid move,” he grunted. I tried to get back up, but he stood up and forced me to let go of the couch, effectively making me fall to the ground.

A groan escaped my lips when I met the floor with force. When I tried to sit up, I was pushed down once more by Nanami’s shoe. It wasn’t too strong, as long as I complied.

And I did.

“Tell me, what’s your color little dove?” He asked in a low tone. The tip of the riding crop was being grazed along my form as I tried to get him to move his foot away, my hands wrapped tight around his ankle. “Green- let me get up-“ “I’m not ‘letting you’ do anything,” He spat as he pressed a bit more on my torso before removing his foot and crouching next to me, a hand resting still on my chest to keep me down. “Fight for it.” He said it in a way that made it as the most obvious solution.

I stuttered, raising a brow in confusion. He smiled. It wasn’t heartwarming, it was reassuring, it was mocking. It made my blood boil. When I was about to reply, he gripped my jaws strongly making me clench my teeth in annoyance. “Maybe I should be clearer, after all you are a bit… slow tonight,” I frowned. “When I say don’t take the towel, it does not mean take the blanket,” he stated as his eyes wandered from my lips to my throat.

If I listened to him any longer, I’d start feeling bad for not obeying him, which was not correct in this situation. So, I clawed at his hand that was now tightening around my throat, “Let- go- of- me!” I gasped through heavy breaths; he wasn’t budging. “Do you need a hint?” He asked with a condescending smile, I did not reply. “Hit me.” My eyes widened, I let go of his hand and instead held his wrist. Not knowing if he was joking. After gauging a bit longer, I came to the conclusion that he was dead serious.

I was starting to feel dizzy, from lack of oxygen… and from arousal. It was strange, but I couldn’t ignore how great it felt, “Ken-“ “Fucking do it, fight for it- or beg, I’d be pleased by both outcomes,” he paused and moved to straddle my lap, his knees supporting most of his weight.

With hesitance, I raised my hand and pushed his face away. He only laughed in response, he did let go of my throat, both of his hands sliding to the nape of my neck. His fingers threaded through my hair as he lifted my head a bit from the ground to make me look at him, “A rougher incentive seems necessary, you’re still too comfortable,” He leaned in and ghosted his lips over mine, whispering to not forget my safe word as he pressed a short kiss on my lips before leaning back.

He took hold of the riding crop once more, not yet taking the paddled out and let it trail over my nipples very slowly. I arched my back for more, my eyes closed then yelped at the burning sensation on my skin when he struck me. I gave him a scowl, he grinned lazily. “If you’re so feisty, show me some of that energy little mouse. I don’t think you realize you’re trapped yet,” I did not have time to reply, he struck me again. I yelped in pain/pleasure.

“It feels like you’ve surrendered already my dove, was it that easy to get you to submit?” When he did not get a reply and rose his arm to strike me once more, I pulled him by the front of his shirt and tried to roll him over, only to be laughed at when held my wrists in one hand and pushed me back, hands over my head. “You’re not trying, you’re humoring me, it’s pitiful,” He said with a scoff.

The thought of hitting him was becoming stronger and stronger, I wanted to see what he’d do in response. But I couldn’t do this anymore, he had me pinned. He either read my mind or had something in his, but for some reason he let go and started unbuttoning his shirt.

I took this opportunity to use my knee to hit his back, before punching his jaw with all my force. A shaky breath escaped his lips, not one of fear, but of excitement.

That attempt had not changed anything of the situation I was in, if anything it only angered him more. With his face still half turned to the side, I could see the growing smile on his lips. He slowly turned around; His lower lip slightly redder than before. “You’re getting the hang of it, but you’re still bad at it. Here, try again,” He faced the other way, giving me his other cheek.

“Ken I’m sorry-“ He interrupted me by guiding my hand into a fist to his cheek, “Right here,” he hissed. “Make it worth it, it’s your last opportunity to get the upper hand, then it’s my turn,” I wasn’t going to do it until he took out the paddle and struck my thighs with force, smirking, “Next is your stomach, stop me,” Two thoughts clashed inside my head, the first was, let him do it, the second was, no way. I acted on instinct and punched his jaw with force before gripping the back of his hair and pulling it.

He winced, I took the chance to slide from under him and escape quickly. I barely missed the hand that reached out for my ankle, an exhilarated sigh left my lips. I made a run for it, but instead of cornering myself to the bedroom, I stopped on the other side of the couch. I would mirror Nanami’s opposite steps, making him more and more frustrated. I noticed the wiped blood on the back of his glove along the one that seemed to be tainting his teeth when he smiled in the most threatening and primal way.

Seeing him away from me, seeing how I was in a safe position, seeing that I was not losing just yet… it all pushed me to taunt him, “You can’t reach me, it’s funny isn’t-“ I stopped mid-sentence and felt my heart dropped when Nanami simply jumped over the couch and sauntered over me, his eyes darkened with arousal. He seemed more than thrilled by this whole thing, I knew it the moment he opened his mouth, I kept mine shut tight. “Hilarious. But I don’t see you laughing much, little dove…” He said slowly.

His hand rose oh so gently to cradle my face in his, “Submit,” his whispered. I shook my head. His hand slid to the back of my head once more, except this time he took a handful of my hair and started walking away, pulling me by my hair. It wasn’t too painful, as long as I kept up with his pace, which I did. He threw me on the couch and struck my back hard with the paddle. “The hard way it is,”

My partner crouched next to me, I did not move from laying on my stomach, before he could speak, I spat on him and grinned. He closed his eyes a moment, wiping the saliva off while getting up once more. “I was going to give you one last chance, but it seems your spirit isn’t broken yet. Sheer force seems to be the solution, don’t you think little dove?” He brushed my hair gently, then struck my back hard. I let out a moan and buried my face in the pillow to try to muffle it before speaking up.

“I have a high- pain tolerance sir- fuck,” I swore under my breath. I heard him laugh genuinely, breaking character for a second at my mistake. I was so used to our power dynamics that it rolled off in times of… pleasure. “Let’s see how high, remember,” I thought he was going to remind me of my safe word, instead he said, “The words are: I submit,”

I huffed. “Am I hearing them from you?” I asked playfully.

It earned me another strong hit, this time with the riding crop.

I felt Nanami’s gloved hand brush over my sore back, taking in the damage. The feeling of the leather on my skin felt so good against the burn I was feeling. “You’re getting off on this too much, let’s make it more fun,” He whispered as his hand slid between my legs, “Pain won’t get you begging, but pleasure will,” His fingers slid between my lower lips to finally meet my clit as he started stimulating it tentatively at first.

It wasn’t the right spot at first, so I turned around and grinned proudly, “I think you’re better off hitting me if you’re not going to hit the spot-“ I swore under my breath when he put just the right amount of pressure, making me feel a shiver all over my body. Nanami laughed mockingly but did not stop, he skillfully played with my clit. He lifted my ass up to get a better angle but gripped my hair forcefully to keep my head in the pillow and not lift myself up on my arms. “This spot, right?” He breathed, satisfaction dripping from his voice.

I only whined in response. When I tried to move my ass back to get more friction, Nanami placed a knee on the couch and stopped me from moving with his hip. He kept me in place, his fist gripping my hair even tighter. “You’re a fucking handful, should I let you cum to appease that silly little greed of yours?” He grunted against my ear, I could feel my eyes roll back as I was getting closer and closer. “Yes, please, yes, yes,”

He pulled his hand back, and slapped my ass hard, probably leaving a mark. He let go of my hair and let his hands trail back to my waist where they stayed as he bent over my back and spoke, “I thought we agreed I wouldn’t let you do anything,” I breathed shakily as I turned my head to look at him the best I could. “Frustration suits your face well, little mouse,” He said softly, his eyes darting to my lips. I caught a glimpse of the real him there, until he got closer to my face and licked from my neck to my cheek, “Let’s see how long it’ll take you to beg for release,”

When he said that, his fingers went back to my clit, nothing else. I did not get any friction; he did not even deign giving me any sort of pleasure from his cock. Through moans and gasps, I looked over my shoulder to catch of glimpse of him as he pressed once more onto my back while his other hand was between my legs. “At least fucking remove the gloves, Ken-“ My voice went a higher pitch when I talked, forcing me to hide my face in the pillows to muffle my moans.

“Tell me if I’m wrong,” I heard Nanami’s gruffy tone as the speed of his fingers increased on my clit. “But it looked like you thought you had any say in what I was doing,” His breath was getting heavier just as I felt my legs shake the closer I got. Nanami saw it and slid his fingers away. I groaned out his name in frustration before moving my hand between my legs, only to have it slapped away. “My, my, already taking matters in your own hands?”

I was startled when I felt the cold texture of the riding crop brushing from my shoulders to my back, to slowly slide between my legs. I gasp when he pressed it just slightly at my entrance before slithering to my clit and striking it, earning a high-pitched moan from me. “I wonder how much you can take before it’s too painful to even touch it, shall we see?” Hearing him so cocky ticked me off, and while I could feel the pulsing of my clit, desperate for more, desperate to get off, I felt a spike of fighting spirit before all.

When Nanami went to touch me once again, I tried to kick him, all while moving my arm to push his from my back. He did lose his balance but caught himself by gripping both of my legs as he pulled them so that my pelvis was finally touching the couch. I had barely time to realize what happened that my legs were in a deadlock between his as he straddled the back of my thighs. One of his hand wrapped around my throat, bringing my head back enough that my throat was perfectly exposed. He rose on his knees, still behind me, and lowered his face to mine in that same angle.

I was seeing him upside down, but I could also smell the blood I had drawn when I hit him. It was intoxicating, in the strangest way. My back hurt from being arched like that, mixed with the pressure on my neck… it felt delightful. “What a pretty sight, twisted like a useless fucking ragdoll,” I gasped at his name calling, not ready to admit it sent a jolt of pleasure through my body. Brushing a finger over my chin, Nanami kissed me roughly, smiling along the kiss as his tongue delved into my mouth but it was as passionate as it was quick. “Beg me to fuck you,” he growled against my lips. I only whimpered in response, forcing myself to keep my mouth shut.

He did not like it.

Nanami pressed against my ass, rolling his covered hips against me. He then brought a gloved hand to my lips and said, “Take it off,” talking about the glove. I opened my mouth and gently nipped the tip as he pulled his hand back. The glove was snatched out of my mouth and thrown on the low table before his fingers returned to my mouth and forced my mouth open. “I haven’t been playing fair, have I?” He asked rhetorically. I knew there was something behind this question. And yet, I shook my head, making him grin wide. “It’s only fair I return what you gave me,” I quirked a brow at his word then the pressure on my throat was gone.

His hands were unbuckling his belt, “You stay like this, I have you right where I want you,” When I heard him groan upon freeing his cock from his pants, his remaining gloved hand returned to my throat and tilted my head backwards once more, “You’ve been a fucking pain,” He grunted as his free fingers brushed against my hole, I bite my lip to hold back the smile I felt upon winning. “How are you feeling right now, little mouse?”

With a strained voice, raspy even, I said, “Green, and proud to see you succumb first,” I said with a wicked smile. Nanami mirrored it, but it did not hold the same pride. No, it was disturbing, it did not match his following actions when he stopped touching me. “Is that what you think is happening? Let me tell you one thing,” he paused, and I heard him groan as I felt his movements behind me, he was stroking his cock a few times. I suddenly felt it press against my entrance and let out throaty moans when he slowly slid it in.

“I love tests. Testing how long you can hold before begging to come,” He started as he sheathed himself inside, he wrapped his arm around my waist and started playing with my clit, elating loud moans from me, “It feels good, doesn’t it?” I nodded; My eyes closed as I focused on the pleasure. Another gasp left my lips when I felt him fully in. When I was about to move to get the friction, the hand around my throat tightened. “I’ll be testing how fucking desperate you are for my cock, you’re not allowed to move unless you submit, understood?”

I threw him a deadly glare and smirked mischievously, “Try me,” then I gripped a handful of his hair and pulled him back. Nanami hissed, with the arm that was around my waist he brought mine down and tilted my head back once more, his face hovering over mine. “I pulled your hair, you pull mine, it’s fair,” He stated, his voice dripping with ire, his eyes then darkened, “You spit…” He started, opening my mouth with a gloved finger, I heard the sound before realizing it. He closed my mouth afterwards and covered it with the palm of his hand. “I spit, now fucking swallow,”

I tried to get his hand off my mouth, but he kept it there until he was sure I had swallowed, that’s when he added, “I can feel you walls clenching around my cock, it looks like you’re enjoying being treated like filth,” He leaned back, and pushed my head into the pillow, his form unmoving inside me. I wanted more than just that, I wanted to feel his hands gripping my waist tight as he’d fuck me from behind. I leaned back, to try to get something from it, only to be struck down.

The snap of the riding crop meeting my skin echoed in the silent room and was soon joined by my painful moan. “Two words, say them. Or do you not understand what’s going on here?” Without moving, his hand met my clit once more while the free one held my hips in place, he resumed his earlier work and my moans were now full whines, my poor clit felt like it was burning from the overstimulation it was getting. Nanami continued, until he felt my walls clench around his cock, that’s when he stopped and laughed breathlessly. “That’s three times, I can go on, but can you?”

I tried to reply, but my response was muffled by the pillow. Perhaps it was for the best, but Nanami wasn’t having it. He gripped a handful of my hair once more and pulled my head up, “Stop mumbling, articulate,” He ordered. I looked away, pressing my lips tight. “Alright, let’s see how well you fence after the fourth time, shall we?” He never let go of my hair and used his free hand to touch my clit once again, I couldn’t muffle my panting this time. My mouth wide open, loud moans, I couldn’t bear another deception.

“Please,” I uttered.

“I didn’t quite catch that,” He said with a bit too much pride in his voice, “Need I remind you the words?” He asked as he pressed his lips delicately against my temple and gritted through his teeth, “Go ahead little mouse, say it,” I wasn’t saying it. I felt his lips turn into a smile, his fingers hadn’t left my nub, and it had gotten unbearable, each of his graze against it felt like it burnt so when he bucked his hips into me one time: it was enough to make me succumb.

“I submit- Ken, please, no more, I can’t-“ I panted, tears of frustration streaming down my face. A satisfied growled escaped Nanami’s lips, “Atta girl, let’s get you fucked properly,” He let go of my hair, effectively making me fall back on the pillow. His hands brushed over my back a few times, as if he was assessing before going forth with what he had planned. He paused, then settled his hands on my hips and started ramming inside me animalistically.

Each of his thrusts were met with a whimper, that very angle made him reach the right spot easily, but it wasn’t enough yet. I felt like he was holding back, “Ken- my back-“ Confused, Nanami slowed down his movements and leaned in, keeping himself in role, “Speak up little mouse, I can’t hear you over how fucking loud you’re whining,”

I swore in pleasure under my breath among the tears, he knew what he was doing, and I could feel my face heat up more than it already was. I quickly got hold of myself and sobbed, “Mark me, let it out,“ Nanami had now stopped everything and seemed to be gauging how I was doing, a flicker of the real him showed on his face before he returned to his role once more. “Look at you, crying for more. Desperate to be ruined, to be dominated,” He delicately tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, it did not do much with how messy my hair was, but it was soft, nonetheless.

“I’ll oblige,” With a kiss pressed on the back of my head, Nanami then did exactly what he promised. His thrusts were more carnal, his hands, now both gloveless, were painting my back with claw marks as he used my back as his canvas. I was not aware of much of what I was doing, but it felt so fucking good. I was moaning and crying at the same time and seeing how Nanami seemed to get even more turned on from the sight, I was led to believe he enjoyed it as well.

He kept that pace up, but soon enough we both reached our peak. Through heavy pants, I begged Nanami to cum inside me, which he happily complied to. The mix of pain and pleasure made everything stronger, I felt my eyes roll back and my legs shake, as best as they could from being held down, then nothing. Pure bliss.

I kept my eyes closed a while longer, letting Nanami pull out and do as he pleased. He probably got changed and went to get what he thought was necessary to take care of me.

Then I believe I fell asleep a few moments after that, I don’t know how long but when I woke up, I was wrapped in a comfortable bathrobe. A blanket was draped over my form, and something was resting on my stomach. Looking down, I saw Nanami’s hand lazily draped over it.

I then looked up and saw my head was resting on a pillow on his lap. He was sitting on the couch, watching the TV. When I met his gaze, he smiled in the most charming way, “You’re awake, it seemed it tired you more than I thought it would. We’ll be more careful next time,” He said softly as he kept his eyes on mine.

We stared at one another a while. Not saying anything, not needing to, or maybe wanting to. But it wasn’t awkward, it was comfortable.

Nanami broke the silence first, “Did it meet your expectations? I find myself believing you’ve been thinking about this for a while, maybe a fantasy?” He asked, his hand absentmindedly brushing over my stomach.

I smiled tiredly, “Oh it did, it’s hard to get into it at first… And I wouldn’t be against being thrown around more. Safely… ish, of course…” I paused, not believing I was feeling embarrassed after what we had done. “But you were definitely great, thank you for engaging in this… I guess it could be defined as a fantasy,” It felt too serious to thank him like this, but I did not know how other way to do it.

“I did not think it would have been necessary to say it, but clearly you seem to be thinking I only did it for you,” He looked at me with a loving smile, “Which I partially did, but I do enjoy seeing you struggling under me. And I definitely enjoyed this, more than you think,” I quirked my brows in surprise at his word, the small smile on my lips betraying the shock and showing the excitement that returned. “However, I must apologize for the soreness you’ll be feeling, I treated everything, but you’ll definitely be sore for a few days… Maybe a week, you tell me,”

I moved on the couch to see in how much pain I was and hissed when my whole body screamed for me to stop. “Yeah, okay, I feel you. A week, more like a month. I say next time we try something tamer, what’s your fantasy?” I asked tiredly, snuggling closer to him as I wrapped my arms around his waist.

Nanami chuckled softly and caressed my cheek gently, “Let’s talk about that tomorrow, we might need to buy new things,” He said half-jokingly.

“Is it a uniform?” I asked as I fell asleep.

“It might be, I am a simple man after all…”

I think I laughed, but I was too tired to remember. Maybe I’ll let him ruin a few more suits if it led to this…

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jujutsu kaisen nanami kento #jujutsu kaisen x reader #nanami kento x reader #nanami kento #jjk nanami kento #jjk x reader #ao3 writer #physicalturian #physicalturian ao3 #writer #writings #ao3 writings #fanfiction #ao3 fanfic #nanami x reader

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thefanficmonster · 3 years

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Corpse Infested

Corpse Husband & Reader (Gender Neutral)

Warnings: Mentions of dysfunctional family, Family problems, Swearing

Genre: Humor, Comfort, Platonic fluff, RPF (Real Person Fic)

Summary: When your friend disappears for a long time, seemingly having lost interest in what fueled the most passionate fire in their life, you cannot not worry about them. Even if you wanna give them space, you will reach out, you will offer your help. You will tell them they always have you to rely on and talk to.

Requested by Anon. Hi dear! I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long to complete and post your request, but here it finally is! Hope you come across it and if you do I hope you enjoy the read! Love, Vy ❤

For me, it’s never hard to find things to do. I’ve constantly got things on my mind and tasks to tend to, keeping me occupied and my mind focused at all times. I think that comes with living in a home as dysfunctional as this one. I honestly can’t recall a time when my parents got along nor can I think of a time where there was at least one second of peace while the two are both present in the house. It’s always a warzone up there. I’m saying up there because I tend to live out of the basement of their home. I know living in your parents’ basement is considered a peak loser point, or the bottom of the bottom, but you’d have to believe me when I say - I wasn’t always like this. In fact, I only recently came back to this hell-hole and boy do I regret it. I mean, it was a decision forced upon me by circumstances. Trust me, I tried every other option there was. When my dorm was to be closed down and demolished, we were given a notice to start planning our next move about a month early. You can bet I immediately started looking at places but my very tragic and miserable budget didn’t allow such a purchase. No rent was adequate for me and my near-empty wallet so my second option was moving in with my best friend who was also not in the greatest of situations but I thought I’d give that a shot too.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t work out. She lived in a tiny apartment with her boyfriend and his best friend at the time, so four people in one apartment was a nightmare. Still a lesser nightmare than this one but a nightmare nonetheless. Some unwanted and downright traumatizing events chased me out of that place after barely managing to pack my stuff. Therefore, finding myself on the streets again, I had no other option other than the obvious and least liked one: moving back in with my parents.

Making money during my first year of college hasn’t been easy. Working two jobs at once and also streaming video games on the side was what my time was filled with all throughout the first semester but then this damn pandemic started and now ruined everything for me. I had things going for me, I was slowly getting my life together and now it has all fallen apart yet again. The places I worked at closed down due to quarantine and I haven’t been able to steam, not only cause I’d be the victim of my parents’ comments but also cause my terrible home life would be exposed to all my fans and viewers. It’s not like I could cancel out the commotion going on right above my head, it’s a livestream and this house’s walls are cardboard thin meaning all the arguing I hear almost 24/7 will serve as background noise for my streams.

I haven’t reached out to my friends or fans to inform them of this which I feel slightly guilty about but I’m really not looking forward to having to lie to them, just as much as I’m not looking forward to having to tell them the truth so instead I’ve picked silence which is probably either worrying them or driving them insane. Either way, I’ll make my comeback soon.

Well....not very soon by the looks of it...

I have to gather the money, then I have to find a place, then comes the packing, moving out of here, moving into the new place...oh God, there’s so much to it that I don’t even wanna think about. Just that thought that I’ll be inactive for that long makes my stomach turn. Streaming’s where I’ve been channeling all my negative emotions, turning them into something positive and entertaining with the help of my friends.

Speaking of my friends, I should probably put emphasis on how amazing they are. Basically the older siblings I’ve always wished I had. I’m the baby of the group, the eighteen year old freshman in college, powering through life the best they can cause they are constantly getting tripped up by inconvenient occurrences such as this one for example. I tend to have the gang poke fun at me quite frequently - all lighthearted and with good intentions obviously - but they are also the ones to get super defensive if anyone gets the balls to talk shit about me. They’d never allow me to be the victim of any smack talk or online rumors and ‘cancel culture’ or whatever the hell people will come up with to leave others restless and wondering if they did something shady a decade ago. Well, to be fair, I didn’t even know about the concept of social media a decade ago and I’ve never been one to post much but I still have a protection squad in case anyone decides to come after me.

Little do they know the people I need protecting from are the very people that are supposed to protect me - my parents. Luckily, they don’t venture into to basement very often if at all and I have my own exit to the outside world so I don’t have to run into them unless I absolutely have to. The only time I emerge to the surface of the house - aka the ground floor - I do so to leave my share of rent money on the dining table and I usually do it when they aren’t home or when they’re asleep - that happens often with how many bottles they each knock back on the daily.

*sigh*...at least I don’t have to talk to them, right?

Anyhow, remember how I mentioned I always have things to do? Well, right now I’ve tasked myself with rifling through the large boxes containing random stuff I found in one of the basements down here to see if there’s anything I could possibly sell online. For starters, I’d like to hope there aren’t any severed body parts in here because this was one shady-ass basement before I moved in and un-creeped it a bit so I wouldn’t have to become an insomniac due to the paranoia of there being a homeless person down here with me or some paranormal entity. Regardless, old basements tend to be, apart from haunted, also filled with junk no one would find valuable despite it actually being worth something after all. That’s basically what I’m hoping to find at the moment.

As I dig through the contents of the first box, the YouTube playlist I have put on on my phone cuts off causing me to furrow my brows in confusion for a second before my ringtone pierces the silence the lack of music created.

I quickly mute the ringing and take a look at the Caller ID to see a name I never thought would pop up on my screen as an incoming call - Corpse. I, as well as many of our friends, know that he’s not the biggest fan of talking to people on the phone so this is rather surprising. Still, I pick up the call in case it’s not a mistake and an odd chance that it’s somethin urgent cause Lord knows Corpse doesn’t call people willy-nilly.

Thank God it’s quiet up there at the moment.

“Hello?“ I try my best to cover up the confusion in my voice but I can only assume I didn’t do the best job considering Corpse replies with a slightly awkward chuckle.

“Surprised you, didn’t I?“ He asks, getting my cheeks to redden a bit, “You can’t blame a guy for calling after up and disappearing on him and on the whole internet. Where’ve you been?“

I open my mouth to respond when I hear the sound of glass breaking a shouted curse from upstairs.

Oh for fuck’s sake!

“Um...you know, places?“ I’m aware the answer isn’t only nonsensical but also sounds more like a question, but I can hardly focus on that right now. I’m too buys praying to an entity I don’t fully believe in for the situation above to not escalate.

“Uh, is everything ok over there? Where even are you right now?“ The teasing tone to his voice is all but gone at this point, replaced with deep concern, having obviously heard the commotion that did the exact opposite of what I prayed for - escalated.

“Y-yeah, it’s ok. It’s just another Thursday, you know.“ I attempt a small laugh but it’s blatantly miserable, “I moved back in with my parents when they announced the quarantine so that’s where I’m at now. They’re not the quietest of folks as you can tell so...“

“I FUCKING HATE YOU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I HOPE YOU DIE“

Oh crap, here we go.

“...So I can’t really stream a lot...or at all.“ I mutter, cringing with all my might, “But it’s only temporary! I’ll get back in the saddle as soon as I find another place to stay.“ I don’t dare mention how long that’s gonna take me, it’ll be too disappointing and depressing for the both of us. “So yeah...um...thanks for showing concern but there’s really nothing to worry about. I’m ok, everything’s ok, things are just...a bit off the rails, but I’ll fix em no problem. Like I always do!“ I attempt to sound as cheerful as possible with little success due to the overwhelming anger I feel towards those people upstairs and the gut-wrenching nostalgia for the world of streaming I can no longer be a part of because of them. Actually, I put the blame first on the pandemic and second on my parents - if it wasn’t for Covid I’d probably still be in my dorm!

“Hey...um, I think I know an affordable place where you can take up residence. Only if you want to, of course.“ He sounds hesitant but I easily overlook that as excitement bursts throughout my entire being at the sound if an escape being offered to me just like that. Had I known I’d find the solution to my problem in the very people I spent time avoiding because I was afraid of their pity, sympathy and judgement.

“Oh please, it could be a rat and roach infested shoe box and I’d go running to it. How much is rent?“ I ask through a gasp of hurried laughter that’s a result of my inability to contain said excitement. Listen, I’ve been sitting here in Hellsburg for three months now and haven’t gotten a proper shuteye during that whole period, whatever Corpse is offering has to be better than this misery.

“Rent can be discussed once you move in...“ He trails off, “And it’s not rat nor roach infested but there’s a slight issue...“

“Which is?“ I’m honestly expecting the worst: in a bad neighborhood; faulty wiring with a high chance of being electrocuted; faulty piping with a high chance of flooding; people have died there; things get randomly moved around in the middle of the night etc. However, I don’t voice any of them to avoid getting laughed at for my wild imagination.

“Well, uh, it’s corpse infested.“ He says a little awkwardly, causing me to let out an inaudible sigh.

So my ‘people have died there’ guess was on point, huh?

“People have died there, huh? Well, I can turn a blind eye to that as long as I don’t find their bodies in the closet or meet their spirits at 3AM.“ I attempt to joke, now second-guessing my eagerness to accept the offer.

Corpse bursts out laughing his ass off at my statement, getting me to furrow my eyebrows in confusion and wonder what I said was so funny - it was a poor attempt at a joke, it in no way deserves that sort of reaction, barely a chuckle in my opinion.

“You’re golden, Y/N, I swear.“ He says once he forces the laughter to subside, “I meant corpse infested as in Corpse Husband infested.“ He breaks out in another fit as my brain slowly starts connecting the dots.

Oooohh he’s asking me to go live with him

“Wait. Wait, wait, wait, hold up for a sec. Are you aware of what you’re offering me? I mean, we’ve never met IRL, you barely know me and....and for all you know I could be the serial killer in this situation!“ I have no idea why I’m pushing my luck, don’t ask. I just don’t want him to make a decision he’ll later regret, I guess. “Like, I could kill you in your sleep!“

“Would you?“ He asks confidently, silently stating he already knows the answer.

I roll my eyes, “Of course not! But...” He cuts me off.

“Great, the offer stands on my end. I’m not a noisy nor nosey roommate so I suggest you start packing. If you choose to live in that hell-hole over living with me, I’m sorry but I’ll be hella offended, just so you know.“

Corpse sounds like he’s about to hang up on me, a decision already made, so I hurry to stop him. “Wait! What about rent?”

“Fuck the rent, pack your bags.“ And just like that, despite my efforts, he hangs up on me.

Well...this is a chance of a lifetime that I know refusing would lead me to not only remain stuck here but also put me in the hugest loser bin. There’s also the fear of being Corpse’s burden which I’ll try my best not to be - I mean, I’m a super independent person and Lord knows that if this offer came any other time or from any other person, I would’ve declined asap, no discussion.

But streaming

But sleeping properly

But having a normal life again

Yeah those are most certainly the reasons I get up and go into the closet in search on my emptied suitcase. Time to fill it up again, I guess. This time with a smile on my face and excitement fueling each and every movement of mine.

@maat-the-prescriptive @simonsbluee @save-the-sky @itsminniekat @hacker-ghost @bi-andready-tocry @imtiredaffff @jazzkaurtheglorious @hereforbeebo @fandomgirl17 @chrysanthykios @maehemscorpyus @loraleiix @letsloveimagines @annshit @i-cant-choose-a-username-help @enigmaticmaze @divine-artemis @waterlilypat @idontknowwhatthisisfam @evi-ka @classyandfabulous00 @redperson58 @lilysdaydreams @solowheein @mythicalamphitrite @axen-gers @luckygirl144 @nj01 @buddyemily @the-albino-lioness @stardream14 @gdhdkfnn @nomadicgypsyy @preciousskye @fluffysuicideunicornsworld @o-kaelin @manacharlotte @awkward-youtube-trash @lolalee24 @bonky-beerns @meme-lord-and-savior-sebastian @strawbrinkofdeath @teenloves @tams0527 @browneyespinkhair @starstruckllamapuppy @daisychains012 @y0ulooked @tinytacosuitcaseflap @supernatural-is-my-only-life @jula-pauline @melodykitty @just-that-bi-girl @crazybutconfidentaf @lowellshade @alphakees @bellero @weallneednamjesus @starryhanji @boiled-onionrings @husherstan @fockingwhore @melaningoddessthings @prettypastelpetals @haleypearce @godwhyamiawkward @y-napotat @daisychainyoonmin @little-miss-rebel3 @free-wheelin-bi-sexual @redmoon261 @darkacademic2 @wiseflamingoqueen @into-the-end @namikhai-i @nastiablr @thelittleplantlover @mirktuan @dont-hyuck @jjk-bunny @vintagegothlover @easygoingtheatre @itsrandombooklover @miiaivi @emmybaybee @befourgolden @jjk-is-my-shit @eternalteaaars @spacebadgerx @princesslunalight @acequinn14 @samm48 @misselsbells06 @simp-lykawa @fo-love @marishimomura-blog @therealglenncoco @cinnamonbun332 @killtherandomness @sanshinexxxsan @fee-btheweeb @press-lay @cathleenpotgieter16 @jazzydoesstuff @moonlxghtbay @forestrain2000 @hyunjinhugs @blood-of-fandoms @lovellylies @ukiyolixx @simpforhpcharacters @chrisdylan17 @parkerjisung @pedernille @theodonyous @wineandionysus @malfoystilinskii05 @morbid-x @coryisagee @jessewa26 @scoobydooluver97 @mindintheskies365 @raeanneinwonderland @indecisive-empanada @gluttonypalace @loriane2503 @btsiguess-kpop @khaoticbunny @lucidlycactus @smiithys @rottenroyalebooks @kpopgirlbtssvt @fangirl-tc27 @fr0z3n-1 @notmesimpingfortechno @shotarosleftpinky @kunoi-chan @idk-whats-wrong-with-me @yikeroonie @goldenstarofthunderclan @poetry-and-tea @ama-do-writing-stuff @wishbonewolf @emeraldxhope @t0xick1tty @kusuinko @speakyourselfloveyourself @sophia902103 @lo-manburg @classsykittykat @dmgama @depressedpuppythatneedscoffee @btsiguess-kpop @akaashi-baby @gun-jong-simp @geschichtenfee @yerapotato-wp @browneyedgirl365 @thysagclub @sparklycloudnight @helloatomicshadow @queentorresstuff @vtte @val-gal @lucy-bunny17 @aaliyahh0 @katluckybear @boyleanti @straybids @franchesca-791 @cosmicstorm19 @averyisbackinthetrashcan @aomi-nabi @xlanawriter @allensimpsforcorpse

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