#like that was the only time i could step foot outside without suffering for it!

[samuelsdean]

Sweater Weather

pairing: spencer reid x reader

summary: "want to warm up?" he gestured to the hem of his sweater with a hint of concern in his eyes.

genre: fluff

word count: 1k

author's notes: i'm back with another spencer fic! i miss my baby and his fluffy sweaters so much i had to write about it.

THE BAU HUMMED WITH THE GENTLE WHOOSHING OF THE HARSH AIR CONDITIONER, THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS CASTING A BRIGHT PALLOR OVER EVERYTHING. You huddled deeper into your thin knitted sweater, the thin material a weak attempt at shielding yourself against the bone-deep chill. You blame it on the current heat wave the Quantico area is facing these days . You would've opted for thicker clothing to adequately face the onslaught of the office's air conditioner, if not for the debilitating heat you'd suffer from once you've stepped foot outside of the building.

You sighed, climate change sucks ass.

Today was a slow day—or at least compared to your usual at the BAU—there was no new case. Thankfully. Maybe serial killers do know how to take breaks from time to time; unfortunately for federal agents, breaks were uncommon. If you weren't out chasing whatever criminal who spawned at the most random backwoods in the country, you were stuck at your desk poring through case files, the only sound competing with the monotonous drone of the ventilation system.

A sliver of envy pricked at you as you stole a glance at Spencer, perched on his chair like a Greek statue sculpted from focus. He seemed impervious to the cold in a yellow button-down and his thick-knitted maroon sweater. He was a beacon of warmth and comfort in his thick sweater as if to mock your lack of layers fending the chilliness in the BAU that could practically rival the iciness of the Arctic. Suddenly, a traitorous draft snaked down your spine, sending shivers cascading across your skin.

You rubbed your hands together, a futile attempt to generate some friction heat. A sigh threatened to escape your lips, but you bit it back, hoping the day wouldn't drag on much longer. You couldn't wait to get back home and bury yourself in your bed before you freeze to death at your desk or worse, get another call from Hotch saying you have a case sprouting out of nowhere.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Spencer shift. He flicked a glance your way, his gaze lingering on your clenched fists a beat too long. A question lurked in the quirked brow he offered.

"Cold?" he murmured, his voice barely audible over the rustling papers.

You offered a weak smile and sniffed, a single nod the only response you could muster.

Hesitation flickered across his face, then, in a move so swift it stole your breath, he patted the extra chair beside his. "Come here," he said softly.

Confusion battled the tinge of warmth that had started in your chest as you shuffled closer to your coworker. As you settled beside him, he leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Want to warm up?" He gestured to the hem of his sweater with a hint of concern in his eyes.

Understanding bloomed on your face, accompanied by a blush that crept up your neck.

"Oh," you mumbled. "I... I-um, are you sure, Spence? I mean, it's pretty cold here."

This was unorthodox , to say the least . But the thought of thawing your frozen fingers was undeniably appealing.

"I wouldn't want to impose on you..." You continued but were cut off.

Without missing a beat, Spencer lifted the edge of his sweater, creating a welcoming pocket before you could finish what you were sputtering about.

You bit your lip, then slowly reached out, your fingers disappearing into the soft wool. The sensation was like burrowing into a cloud, sun-warmed and comforting. A contented sigh escaped your lips as you wiggled your fingers, relishing the sudden relief. Instantly, you remembered you were currently clinging to Spencer like a baby koala and squeaked in embarrassment.

A soft chuckle rumbled in Spencer's chest, sending a pleasant shiver down your spine. He continued to work, stealing occasional glances at your hands nestled beneath his sweater. A warmth bloomed in your chest that had nothing to do with temperature. It was as if time stopped between you and the man as you created your little bubble encompassing just you and Spencer; forgetting that it wasn't just the two of you in the room, but also the rest of your team.

Out of nowhere, Spencer began to murmur something that you could barely hear despite the proximity between you two, so you scuffled closer and leaned toward him. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I hope you're comfortable," Spencer mumbled, his voice barely a whisper above the rustling papers . A hint of pink dusted his cheeks, a telltale sign of his usual shyness.

You flashed him a warm smile. " Absolutely, Spence. Thanks for offering."

He dipped his head in a quick nod, then, after a moment's hesitation, surprised you with a question. "Did you know women tend to feel colder than men?

Intrigued, you hummed in response, enjoying the way his brow furrowed in concentration as he spoke.

There was a childlike eagerness in Spencer's voice whenever he delved into his knowledge. You knew it stemmed from a time in his life when conversation was scarce—too busy taking care of his mom and raising himself. You always encouraged him, finding his enthusiasm endearing. His voice, with its gentle cadence and thoughtful delivery, held a certain charm, or maybe it was just a crush, one you'd harbored since day one, but refused to admit it, for fear of being rejected.

"It's all about body composition and size," he explained, facts tumbling out in a rapid stream . "Women generally have less muscle mass, which generates heat. Plus, they have a higher percentage of body fat compared to men, about 6 to 11%. And being smaller means women have a larger surface area to volume ratio, leading to faster heat loss."

You feigned contemplation, nodding thoughtfully. A playful smile lit up your face, making a blush creep up Spencer's neck. "Well, then I guess I'm lucky to have you and your sweater, wouldn't you say?"

He stammered, his hand instinctively reaching to scratch his neck. A shy bob of his head was his only reply.

The room settled into a comfortable silence, the air thick with unspoken feelings. Lost in the warmth of shared space, the workday flew by unnoticed. As you gathered your things, your eyes met Spencer's. A shy smile played on his lips, and in that silent exchange, a secret bloomed amidst the usual hustle and bustle of the BAU.

The team, privy to your oblivious dance, exchanged knowing glances and muffled snickers. "Ah, young love," Rossi chuckled under his breath.

[thinemoonshine]

𓆰𝓈𝑜𝒾𝓁, 𝓈𝓊𝓃𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓈𝑜𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓊𝒹𝑒 ♡𓆪

cha hyun su x female reader genre: romance, angst, fluff type: series (but can be read as oneshot) word count: 2,702

⚠ mentions of self-harm and suicide ⚠

part 4 of series ◄◄ ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ part 6 of series

౨ৎ ⋆｡˚ synopsis: things have gotten worse. monsters rapidly increased, green home was destroyed and the military came to supposedly 'help them' or as what (y/n) actually believes, 'collect cha hyun su' as part of their 'special infected search' mission. this caused their separation and to add to that, a series of unfortunate events follow- challenging (y/n)'s already wavering tenacity to stay alive... and the presence of a 'guardian angel' may just rekindle or extinguish her flame ౨ৎ ⋆｡˚

It's been a while since the remaining surviving residents of Green Home Mansion Apartment and others have been living in the stadium. (y/n) is one of the former, alive, yet day by day, she feels less so- and knowing this kills her. She talks less each day, eats less, feels less and even moves less- slowly beginning to be a puppet on strings. The routine never changes; wake up, cut and bleed to prove her identity as human, eat and drink whatever there is to eat- none at all at some times, suffer insanely long hours of boredom then go back to sleep. Wake up and it's the same thing all over again.

Although, there is one thing (y/n) looks forward to; hanging out with Eunyu, Eunhyuk's younger sister whom she's somewhat close with due to their close age. Well, not really 'hanging out' but more of following her to the secret exit in the stadium and watching her leave. (y/n) will then wait around, praying that Eunyu will be safe and turning out relieved and joyful when she would come back alive. This small scenario that happens daily is what keeps her... feeling, in a way. To hope, to be relieved, to celebrate.

Eunyu doesn't share the same sentiments as her, obviously, since she finds her outings as 'failures' at the inability to find her brother who she believes (or chooses to, at least) is alive. But, she does feel grateful and sincerely... happy, to return to someone waiting for her. As cold as Eunyu seems, she is actually quite cordial towards (y/n) than she is with anyone else.

"How was today's trip?" (y/n) tails after Eunyu as she slips back into the stadium with dirt and soil all over her skin and clothes.

"Boring," the latter answers languidly as she strides- not sparing the other a glance. "But, he came again."

(y/n) pauses slightly at this but resumes her steps quickly again. "...Your hero?"

"Eunhyuk," her friend replies almost immediately and (y/n) feels the added weight in the air around them. Eunyu's told her about the 'guardian angel' that saves her whenever she gets in trouble outside and although it does make sense that they could be Eunhyuk who became a neo-human, at the same time... it sounds impossible. Just like the idea of Hyun Su coming back.

(y/n) only smiles at Eunyu, not saying anything further and just like that, another day passes.

Once again, she wakes up, cuts and bleeds, eats, drinks, and waits long insufferable hour—

"I want to leave," (y/n) says under her breath as she stands in front of the secret exit.

Huh. It seems today, the winds have changed.

She turns back into the stadium before exhaling a long breath and leaving a small folded note beside her foot for Eunyu. The latter left earlier, which is perfect because she would've never let her leave. But she'll be wondering where (y/n) is when she returns. The note will suffice.

"I'll be back... I think," (y/n) casually says, not caring for her fate at this point, and leaves without another look.

-

The sky's turn darker and the winds have picked up. Yet, (y/n) still remains wandering aimlessly. She's met with a couple of monsters, some small and hiding was enough to cover her; some big but non-violent. She got lucky. So lucky that she feels it's ridiculous.

All this fortune is making her more greedy; more hopeful for change, for growth, for... for Hyun Su. But all those is only going to make her feel more lonely, more longing and more... miserable. As selfish and ungrateful as it sounds, there just seems to be nothing left to live for. No one to miss, no one to look forward to.

"Just like me... No one will miss me-" (y/n) trails off as her head raises to look at the tall building beside her. "-if I was gone..."

She blinks and suddenly, she finds herself on the rooftop- looking down at the grassy ground that's a number of levels beneath her. She wonders if Eunyu's read the letter yet. And wonders if her guardian angel made sure of her returning safely.

But what she wonders most... is whether that guardian angel would treat her the same way as they do with Eunyu. If they really are Eunhyuk, he'd save her, right? Maybe? Probably. But she'll never know if she never tries.

And so, her foot lifts off the cement roof and soon, she's free falling with the beautiful view of the starry sky and the cold night air tickling her skin like a million feathers. Strangely, she feels at peace. The unknown of tomorrow- or the next few seconds, fills her with anticipation.

She throws her arms out as her eyes close, letting gravity do its job— until she's captured and crushed against a broad chest before a loud tumble follows.

She landed... alive?

(y/n)'s eyes widen when she realizes this and she quickly props herself up- stumbling slightly at the feeling of ribs against her palms and she gasps at the human figure below her.

Well, if only not for the wing sticking out his right shoulder where there's meant to be an arm. But even with it covering his face from it being used to shield around them, she can guess who it is. Who else can it be?

"You! You're back! Lee Eunhyuk!" She exclaims with genuine shock but relieved and glad for most. A bright smile stretches on her face as she properly sits up—overlooking the fact that her 'cushion' is in fact, a human abdomen—and puts one hand on the large wing to push it away. "Eunyu was right all along! You're—"

Her breath stops and smile drops. What once were upturned, crescent eyes sparkling with glee are now rounded with deep obscurity as they slice between his dark, glossy ones that stare up at her with soft endearment, yet a strange, brittle coldness.

"Cha Hyun Su?" She squeaks out, barely able to speak from the shock and emotions spiraling inside her; both the good and bad.

The other says nothing, nor does his mien express anything as he sits up with his hand hovering her back- just an inch away from touching.

"It's you... All this time, the one that's been saving Eunyu was you," (y/n) completes the puzzle but is again, met with silence as he shifts her away to the grass beside them before standing up.

She watches his wide back becoming smaller and the befuddlement within her quickly boils into something else. And her hands curl to fists.

"Ya, Cha Hyun Su! Where were you?? All this time, I thought you were at a shelter, or-or a lab being experimented on but turns out you've been... been here?? Out and about, wherever this is!" (y/n) shouts, furious and overall, betrayed, that he's never once bothered to visit her. To see her. Tell her that he survived.

Despite her roars, the other is unfazed as he continues to walk away but his choice to remain on land despite his ability to fly is enough to tell (y/n) that he's listening to her.

So, she does what she does best: follow.

"Hey! Talk to me!" She demands and spins him around by the arm when she catches up.

"What? What do you possibly want me to say?" He snaps and his frigid attitude takes her aback. Even the look in his eye as he stares her down, it's... unwelcoming. The fire in her is diminished by the raging waves of desolation that drowns her. She could've escaped this feeling. She could've been free minutes ago if Hyun Su didn't save her.

But now, seeing him act like this, act like a complete stranger towards her, everything became worse. They haven't seen each other for nearly a year but is that enough reason to treat her like one? There was something between them— (y/n) believes there is something between them but maybe, she's wrong. Maybe, it's just her.

He's the only light for her in this cruel, dark world; the only breath of fresh air and the thought of never being able to see him again was worse than being dead. But to Hyun Su... just what is she?

"You should've left me to die."

At this, his brows twitch and jaw tightens. "What?"

"You shouldn't have saved me! I'm dying anyways and all I wanted was to make it quicker! Is that too much of me to even ask for??"

Her thread finally, snaps.

Hyun Su grapples her shoulders- his wing now back to its original form. "You're dying? What do you mean?"

The panic in his voice makes her scoff. Just before, he wouldn't even spare a glance.

"What's it to you?" (y/n) hisses and shakes his hands off. "I could've died any day before this but would you have known? No. You don't bother to know. You don't care. Even saving me today, it was just some sort of 'human conscience,' wasn't it? You couldn't live with yourself if you let me die, knowing that you could've saved me- so you did. But even then, you wouldn't have bat an eye if I ended up dying somewhere out of your territory."

All these words, they feel like blades through her throat as she speaks them. But if it's the last time she's ever gonna see him, she wants to at least, leave an impression. To haunt him— as much as he's haunted her.

"Well, you don't have worry no more. Because the next time I'll try something, you won't know it," (y/n) declares confidently and glares at him dead in the eye before turning away to leave.

Tears brim the moment her back faces him and she bites her quivering bottom lip from exposing her sobs- but she's soon rendered soundless at the feel of arms wrapping around her figure from behind.

"Please... don't do this again. Please," Hyun Su pleads shakily and only then does she notice the restrained sobs that spill past his lips. "If you do something in the stadium... somewhere I can't see you, I-I can't save you. So, please, (y/n), don't."

The other stays silent, much too busy trying to hold her own cries and she feels his arms tighten.

"I follow Eunyu around, hoping to see you but I never could. But then I saw you one day. I caught a glimpse of you at the stadium's secret exit- sending Eunyu off and then again, I saw you at the exact same place when she came back. It made me happy... seeing you smile whenever she returned, and as much as I wanted to approach Eunyu to ask about you- I couldn't. "I know who she's looking for... and it isn't me. So I— I got afraid that if I revealed myself, and end up shattering her hopes, she'll never come out again and... you won't have any reason to go to the exit- and I won't be able to see you anymore," Hyun Su confesses his true feelings as his embrace on (y/n) remains unwavering- on contrary, it seems to be more and more secure as the seconds pass, but not enough to suffocate her.

Not that she isn't already from the painful strain in her neck to control the tears.

"It's selfish! I-I know that it's selfish! But I couldn't think... I didn't know what else I could do," he continues with the tremor in his voice heightening. "I care. I really do, (y/n)- and it's all my fault that you felt like I didn't. It's all me. So please, please don't. Don't do this again, please."

(y/n) swallows the hurt as his desperation seeps through her heart- thawing the ice that was forming around it like a cocoon, melting her resolve to forget him and never turn back. "You could've approached me."

"...I was scared that you-" He stops suddenly and instead brings his head down to her shoulder, rubbing his eyes against the fabric of her shirt and if it was damp with his tears before, it's drenched with it now. "I'm not the same as I was."

"If you're talking about your wing, your monster side, or whatever else it is, I don't care," (y/n) confidently declares as she spins in his arms, now looking up at him and the sight of his pooled, glossy eyes breaks her heart and simultaneously tickles it. It's a horrible thought, but he's adorable when he gets emotional. "Okay, Cha Hyun Su?”

The flickering of his eyes on hers tells her that he's skeptical and she cups his cheek, surprising him, and only adding to it when she headbutts him.

He blinks fast, confused, and barely affected while the perpetrator is clutching her head from the pain. "Are you okay? Did something break?"

Hyun Su's hands roam around her face and head, worried that she's actually fractured something.

"No, I'm fine! I'm just trying to prove to you that I really don't care. Look, if I was afraid of you would I have attacked you?" (y/n) explains her point between hisses of pain.

Hyun Su shakes his head with large, warm hands still clasping her cheeks. "N-no."

"See? I don't mind. And if I really cared about you being 'changed,' would I still do this?" She curls her fingers around his collar and yanks him down- smashing their lips together and she can feel his little jump of surprise before he slowly succumbs.

His hands slide down to her waist and he presses her against him- sweeping her off her feet quite literally when he lifts her up just to dive in further into the kiss.

The rising intensity is evident from the way his hand travels up her back as he bends forward into the kiss, making her arch and the stretch feels like heaven to her spine. All that boredom slouch sure did some damage.

"(y/n)..." Hyun Su whispers into the kiss when they separate for breath but it doesn't take longer than 5 seconds before he seizes her lips again- overwhelming the other.

With hands against his chest, she gently pushes. "Hyun Su, I can't breathe."

And he quickly glides away. His wing just popped out and now he's about a few metres away. He has a look of panic and is apologetic as he repents on his passionate behaviour.

(y/n) instantly breaks out laughing at his reaction and the sight and sound of her joy remind Hyun Su of how much of an impact she has in his life. In fact, she just might be the reason for everything.

She's the only light for him in this cruel, dark world; the only breath of fresh air and just the thought of never being able to see her again was worse than being dead. She's everything to him- although, he hopes that he isn't hers. Because in the end, he's still a monster and she's a human, she deserves to be with someone better.

But for now, there's no harm in enjoying their time together, is there?

A squeak emits from (y/n) when she's suddenly levitating above the ground and is brought spinning in his hold. Giggles and soft laughter fill the air- fanning away any tension and weight of their shoulders.

"What's this suddenly, huh?" (y/n) titters and Hyun Su smiles up brightly at her.

"I’m just happy that you’re here. Finally, you’re here.”

‘With me.’ copyright © 2024 thinemoonshine all rights reserved

[bloodychazorite]

Q!SLIME HEADCANONS N’ SHORT STORIES!!

(These are all the headcanons I use in my current fic and will probably use for my future fics, in case you’re curious!! :))

So, first, I don’t think Charlie is any bit human at all. I think he’s full, pure-bred slime with a Core that gives him sentience. The Core is a heart shaped, made of enchanted ruby and plated in gold around the edges. 

During the time he was a God in the SCU (Slimecicle Cinematic Universe) he had three (That’s an incredibly long story that I may actually write one day so this is all you get for now). Now, he’s been reincarnated with one, sentient ever since. However, he’s full slime, nothing human about him. Without the Core, he’d just be straight slime. He’s probably one of the—if not just the only—sentient Slimes there is.

His skin scars because when he’s hurt enough, he needs to get more slime to repair himself. The slime isn’t his, however, so it doesn’t match his body completely for a while while it blends together.

Another type of scarring that can happen to him would be dehydration cracks. If he loses enough water, his slime will crack in a lightning-strike type pattern. It takes a while for those to go away as well, just because they need time to fill in.

Yes, he has bones, but he doesn’t need them. He has them because they make it so that he can keep his shape. When he was Gegg, he’d keep some but give the rest to Quackity for safe keeping.

 

“Where’s my left arm?” Charlie asked, digging through the bag Quackity kept on him.

The other only shuffled his foot back and forth, mumbling gently. He bit his lip as he spoke. “I needed food, man.”

“So?”

“So all I had was seeds and currently unused bones.”

A beat of silence, before a slow, creaking head turn. 

“You used my bones for bone meal.” His voice was flat and his lips were pinched. “Are you deadass?”

“Just kill another skeleton man! I needed food!”

Charlie threw up the melty stub where his left arm should’ve been, waving it back and forth and dripping goo all over the ground.

“Do you know how fucking hard it is to find intact skeletons that will fit perfectly with the one that I currently have?! And that have five fingers?!”

Quackity rolled his eyes, shrinking in on himself. “Uh...No..?”

Charlie smushed slime into his face and laughed at his dramatic screaming. “It is incredibly fucking hard!”

Charlie keeps bones on him most of the time, in case he breaks the ones he’s got. Sometimes they take a minute to get used to, some of them too big or too long or too small, but it happens nonetheless. It’s also the reason he takes any fall damage ever. Without the bones, he wouldn’t take any fall damage. Those bones also determine his general height. If he wanted to be taller, he could find/construct a taller skeleton and get more slime.

Slimes are naturally acidic at a certain level at all times. However, with prompting, his level of acidity will rise. Prompting can look like danger, or threats. It can also be emotional, with extreme rage or sadness, the works.

“Oh no, not today fucker!” Mariana screamed as Slime tried to step outside during another argument. His skin dripped from the agitation but Mariana couldn’t care less.

Slime attempted to brush past him, breath heavy. “I’ll be right back,” He mumbled, "I need to go.”  

He stepped to the left, Mariana doing the same. 

Then, to the right, where she followed once again.

“Move your ass, I need to go now.”

“Hell no, you will stay and we will talk this out.”

Slime shoved past her, briskly rushing for the door. Mariana, wings twitching in agitation, whipped around and grabbed his wrist.

He smelled the burning before he felt it.

Before the white, lava hot seer hit his senses.

She nearly cried out in pain, staggering backward and scraping her skin against the hardwood as she fell. Scrambling into the wall, she groaned in agony and grasped the wrist of the suffering palm.

“Fuck- oh, fuck!” 

Slime was right in front of him, suddenly, knelt with fear in his eyes. “Fuck, I am so sorry, I can’t control it I swear, I would never do that shit on purpose—” He rambled as Mariana writhed, swearing in shock and pain.

Her vision swam as she sobbed. 

“I swear, I-I can’t… control it.”

He’s burnt a few holes in the floors before.

All in his slime, there are acid glands everywhere. 

Because he’s got acid literally built into his system, the bones he’s got tend to break down after a while. Depending on how emotional or just how much he purposely activates his acid secretion, they could last from anywhere around two weeks to a month, usually. That’s what the skeleton in his basement is for, an extra set of bones. 

Slime’s are the closest things to aquatic creatures without actually being aquatic. Being naturally drawn and attracted to moist environments, he can’t breathe underwater, but he doesn’t actually need to breathe so I guess it doesn’t matter. When swimming, he creates fins to help. The only reason he drowns is because he takes in too much water and becomes so liquidy that he just… dies, I dunno LMAOO

Being generally docile creatures, living either underground or in swamps, most Slimes have shit eyesight. They mostly rely on vibrations in the ground and auditory sensory input. Great hearing, terrible sight. Slimes are also ambush predators! They’re slow, but they’ll eat anything. If looking for meat, they’ll hide under the soil and wait for the vibrations of something with four legs. 

“And where’s Charlie? I wanted to talk to him.” Phil asked as he stepped outside. “He said he’d be here.”

Roier, Cellbit, and himself had all been in Mariana’s house for a while now—Phil being there under the assumption that Charlie would be there. 

Mariana shrugged and glanced around. “Ehh, somewhere.”

Then Juanaflippa sprinted forward and stopped on the open ground, jumping up and down. Her tiny feet pattered the ground as she skipped in circles around the open area. Bobby tilted his head in response before Richas yanked him towards the 

Phil looked to Mariana for a look of mild amusement to say it was normal, or a look of confusion to make him feel like he wasn’t going insane because—even for Flippa—this wasn’t exactly typical from his perspective.

To Phil’s surprise, however, he stepped a bit forward and began to rhythmically tap his heel against the soil. 

“Fuck-!” His heart found itself in his feet as something squeezed tight around his ankle, holding firm as he jumped away. He grabbed for a weapon as a light green hand pulled further from the ground.

A wrist, an arm, a… a goo monster.

A goo monster holding a suspiciously familiar pair of glasses.

“...Charlie?!”

His body tied itself back together, becoming more and more recognizable. They stared at each other for a minute.

“I swear I was aiming for Roier.”

Charlie, because of the core, has much better morphing and shape shifting abilities than normal Slimes. With enough observation he could literally be anyone. He’d looked at Juanaflippa so much that his Gegg looked a bit like her. The people he spends a lot of time looking at are the people he can most easily imitate.

“So you can just look… however you want?” Fit asked 

“Uh-huh.” Slime replied offhandedly, focusing on the little craft they were working on for Richas’s half birthday.

Neither of them had ever heard of a half birthday before then.

“Without effort? You don’t even have to like… try?” 

Sue him, Fit was incredibly curious. Sentient Slimes just didn’t exist, Slime was the only one he knew and would probably ever know.

He became even more curious (and slightly defensive) as Slime began to stare at him, an expression of scrutiny behind his gaze.

Then, a familiar lopsided grin and covered his face for a minute. A sloppy squishing sound resounded from behind his hands that made Fit wince.

The taller gasped as Slime’s face became uncovered.

Fit’s own face stared back at him, with only a few uncanny details astray.

“Christ, Slime! You just keep that ability all to yourself? Do you know how much trouble you could cause with that?!” He all but yelled.

Slime laughed, shifting his face back to its normal appearance. He winked before turning his head back to the project.

“Who’s to say I haven’t caused any trouble?”

Fit—from that day on—lived in fear of the people the Slime could be.

Charlie is all types of temperature sensitive. It's crazy.

Too hot, he’ll get all melty and struggle to hold his form. Leave his bones behind him and become a puddle.

 Too dry, he’ll dehydrate and crack up. It’s incredibly painful, which is why slimes tend to stick around damp, humid areas.

 Too cold, he’ll freeze, becoming a literal Slimecicle. Just like hypothermia, his fingertips, toes, and nose will turn a shade of blue first, eventually infecting the rest of his body. Also hella painful.

A good tactic if you really wanted to torture a Slime, stick them in the cold. They wouldn’t be able to stretch or morph after a while, it'll hurt like hell, and you get to decide how bad it is. GOOD STUFF

A 60 to humid 70 degrees Fahrenheit is generally ideal. The island tends to run a bit higher than that, but it’s not too extreme of a shift so he’s generally okay with some extra water.

Haha, he picked Eggxile in a place that was out of his comfort zone, just cause he knew he didn’t deserve comfort. He sent himself to a place that was too hot and too dry for a Slime. That's fun.

Uhh, that’s really all I can think of for right now, but I’ll repost this anytime I add to it :DD If you’ve got any headcanons you wanna talk about or you wanna talk about mine, please do!! I’ll literally talk for hours, you have no idea

LOVE YOU BYEE <33

[shikai-the-storyteller]

There's no doubt in my mind that Madagio will use that energy to destroy the Federation. But today's Tazercraft tweet made me remember an old thought I had. I know the white figure in that photo is probably Cucurucho, but wouldn't it be interesting if it was Madagio who saves Pac?

[ Also on Ao3 ]

—

Madagio felt empathy for Fit, in the end.

They understood what it meant to be robbed of purpose because of factors outside of their control. Although they felt remorse for leaving Fit in the dark (figuratively and literally) for so long, they finally had what they needed, and Fit was no longer a required part of their plan. Success demanded sacrifice, and it was one only Madagio could pay.

The power of Vacuus Island surpassed that of Quesadilla Island's, and once Madagio was willing to utilize it, it was easier to jump Islands than they'd anticipated. The Federation was weaker than before, based on their observations, and the slowly fraying defenses against outsiders only confirmed their suspicions. Infighting and Islander revolts both had a hand in it, but like a cockroach, the Federation always found ways to survive. It was only a matter of time before its leaders stepped in and restored order — through any means necessary.

Madagio planned to deliver the final blow before they could recover.

The sterile white halls were sickeningly familiar. Even after all this time, the Federation's concept of "perfection" remained as stagnant as it ever was. Only a faint beeping and a blip of blue and green on a small heart monitor spoiled the monotonous tour of the Federation's labyrinthine base.

The sight of a familiar figure lying in a hospital bed made Madagio pause as they passed the Federation's hospital ward. Although they'd never stepped foot on Quesadilla Island before now (at least, not in their current form), they'd spent months watching Fit and the other Islanders. They could easily recognize Pac, after so many weeks spent by Fit's side.

(And it was hard to forget the way he'd seen Pac treat his cats with such gentle loving care. It was hard to forget the way his voice sounded when he cooed sweetly at them, or the way he lay still for hours whenever one fell asleep on his chest or lap, purring contentedly. It was hard to forget, because Madagio knew what that love felt like, once. They outlived all others on Vacuus Island, but Madagio could never forget the love that bound them there, or the grief which bound them to their mission.)

—

The reason for Pac's hospitalization was clear: a failed respawn. It happened sometimes, even on Federation-controlled Islands like this. One could even argue accidents like that happened especially on Federation-controlled Islands.

Sometimes residents died, and they didn't come back.

Sometimes they didn't want to come back.

Madagio's mission required speed and stealth, but time is a funny thing when one has lived as long as they have, and they found themself in the hospital room before the impulse could even fully form in their mind.

It was funny – or maybe not funny, but ironic – how Pac looked almost as bad-off as Fit after Madagio freed him. Old bruises and poorly-treated injuries littered almost every square inch of bare skin, and likely didn't stop there. Dark shadows rimmed his eyes, and he looked skinnier than the last time Madagio saw him. He was lacking his usual vibrant blue hoodie, instead sporting black clothes which made him look even more desaturated, as though he hadn't seen the sun in weeks.

Technically, Pac was still alive.

A failed respawn just meant something was preventing his consciousness – or "soul" as some people called it; Madagio wasn't one to ponder the metaphysical – from returning to his body.

But Madagio had seen corpses better off than Pac.

The reason for his soul's reluctance to return was hardly a mystery. Even without their surveillance, Madagio knew first-hand the kind of suffering the Federation inflicted on those under their control. The loss, the grief, the brief hope followed by crushing anguish. Madagio knew that.

And they'd watched history repeat itself as Fit searched vacant houses where familiar faces once resided, desperation bleeding into dread before he found something that stopped him dead in his tracks.

Madagio granted him 24 hours to say his goodbyes.

They sent him back to his world after 5.

It was the only mercy they could offer.

But standing there in that sterile white hospital room in front of the cot that would surely become Pac's deathbed, Madagio realized there was one final act of mercy within their power.

Pac's hair had grown in the last two months. Madagio was careful not to let their claws snag the unkempt tangles as they brushed it out of his face. His skin was cooler than it should be. Madagio could hardly remember the last time they came into physical contact with a person, but they remembered that much.

(They remembered lying with someone they loved, curled tight into a ball on their chest and slowly feeling their heartbeats fade and their skin grow cold. No matter how desperately Madagio tried to warm them, they never woke up).

But that was not the memory they were searching for.

They sorted through nearly a year's worth of memories – memories of others' lives seen through Madagio's eyes. Birthday parties, festivals, a summer wedding under cherry blossom trees, hugs from children and friends tight enough to steal one's breath away, gifts that spoke feelings people couldn't give voice to, confessions over coffee, and promises made were speakers thought no one else could hear. Madagio condensed all these memories and emotions into their purest form as though polishing a gem; hope, joy, compassion, and above all else: love.

...And one final memory of a man standing before five graves (empty graves, though Madagio hadn't known it at the time), enveloped by a grief so powerful it was burned into Madagio's own memory.

And now, it was burned into Pac's memory too.

A long-forgotten instinct prompted Madagio to gently nuzzle against Pac's forehead, barely brushing against the skin as they felt Pac's consciousness return, and with it, his grief. They continued passing memories to him, and although Pac didn't stir, a tear slowly rolled down his cheek and onto the pillow beneath his head.

Pac was a man who loved so dearly and deeply that losses hurt him as severely as a physical wound. Madagio could feel that, and felt Pac's exhaustion as acutely as if it were their own. But they could also feel the hope beneath that grief, the hand reaching up out of the darkness, the desire to live as he clung to the lifeline of memories Madagio offered him. Pac still had a family left. He still had children and friends, loved ones and people who loved him in turn. He still had a reason to live.

The next tear fell from Madagio's own eyes. It rolled from Pac's temple to his cheek, gravity dragging it down until it was indistinguishable from Pac's tear tracks. Memory sharing was a two-way road, though Madagio had hoped Pac's lack of consciousness might mitigate that.

They refused to acknowledge any other explanation for their lapse of composure.

Madagio brushed the evidence away, straightening up as color slowly returned to Pac's face and his breathing became more consistent. He'd likely sleep a while longer, but Madagio had no plans to linger. They'd delayed the inevitable for far too long.

As Madagio stalked the Federation halls, they found their thoughts being drawn back to Fit and Pac. With the Federation weakened as it was, and soon to be destroyed, Madagio had no doubt Pac and his little son and partner would be able to leave the Island. The Tazercraft pair were clever – maybe even clever enough to track down Fit and escape to a different world altogether with him.

Madagio almost smiled at the thought.

Almost.

They would never see a resolution to Pac and Fit's story, for Madagio had their own ending to write, and each step through the marble white halls brought them closer to their finale.

Perhaps there was no ending for Fit and Pac; only new chapters waiting to be told.

And maybe, just maybe, their future could be a happy one.

[perfectsunlight]

(𝟓𝟎) - 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥

𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌: none

𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮

24 hours before

yu jimin didn’t believe in soulmates. 

it never made sense to her. in the billions of people in the world, how was someone supposed to magically find the person that was predestined for them?

after jimin met you, she started to believe in the idea of a soulmate.

maybe it was her age, or maybe it was how deeply she fell in love, but as childish as it seemed, yu jimin suddenly felt like she had found refuge for her soul in you.

except, she didn’t really remember the first time she felt that way.

was it the first time she snuck into your bedroom after curfew?

“jimin be quiet!” you whispered, biting back a laugh as you watched the taller girl struggle to climb through your dorm window. it was quite a funny sight, seeing her struggle to not accidentally send her foot through the glass window of the room below yours.

jimin’s eyes narrowed at you. you seemed to be finding quite the entertainment in her suffering. “do you not see that im trying to be?” she huffed before pulling herself into your room.

you snickered softly, leaning up and picking a few leaves out of her black hair. “you look ridiculous right now.”

the taller girl rolled her eyes before cupping your face in her hands. “i climbed like two trees to come see you and the first thing you do is insult me?” 

 “in my defense, i never told you to climb those trees.” you replied in a whisper, grinning up at your girlfriend.

the older girl only pouted. recently she had found herself wanting to see you more and more, always frustrated that you two never spent enough time together. (even though you always spend literally every single day together in classes or outside of them.)

which led to her climbing two tress in the middle of the night and fitting through your window so she could see you.

“i missed you, is that such a crime?” she pouted at you. 

as you saw the sight of your girlfriend pouting, you could only smile and lean in to kiss her.

“i missed you too.”

was it the first time you two argued?

you ran a hand through your hair, frustration coursing through your veins as you looked at your girlfriend from across her room. jimin pressed her lips in a tight line as she stared at the ceiling, feeling just as frustrated as you were.

the whole reason you two were fighting in the first place was because she had gotten in trouble for being out of her dorm past curfew last night.

she was leaving your dorm, of course, and was caught by one of the senior trainees who was coming back from the practice room. 

your girlfriend lied and came up with a lame excuse and got let off the hook, but you couldn’t help but get frustrated with her. it was dangerous for you two to be dating, and yet jimin was risking it even more by sneaking in and out of your room every night.

“you can’t keep coming over every night, jimin.” you reasoned, but your raven haired girlfriend was not having it. she bit the inner part of her cheek, trying her best to not yell at you.

jimin didn’t want to argue with you. this was the first “real” argument you two had, and she did not want it to last more than it had to. 

but she was frustrated beyond words. she missed you, she craved your presence every single moment of the day. it was hard for her to go through the motions of the day without seeing you.

“why not?” she said firmly, taking a few steps in front before reaching you. “i barely see you now that you got moved to other classes. all i am doing is seeing you, why is that such a crime?” 

your bright eyes met the taller girl’s as you exhaled through your nose. you reached your hand out gently, motioning for her to hold it.

the latter did just so, holding your hand gently in yours as she felt all the frustration disappear once your skin made contact with hers.

“i miss you a lot, but i still see you whenever i can. i know it isn’t ideal, but we can make it work without risking it even more.” you explained gently, but all the older girl could focus on was the way your lips moved. 

you kept trying to explain to your girlfriend. “i’m tired of hiding too, trust me. but this is just temporary, okay?”

she slowly leaned in, not hearing a word of what you were saying, and just pressed her lips against yours in a soft kiss.

for a moment, you two both forgot why you were arguing in the first place. everything just melted away.

her lips remained on yours for a few moments before she pulled away.

“im sorry for getting upset at you. you are just trying to help.” 

your hands rested on her cheeks, thumbs brushing her skin as you gave her a small smile. 

“im sorry for getting upset, too.”

or was it the first time she told you she loved you?

the autumn leaves fell and crunched beneath jimin’s feet as she held your hand. you two were strolling around the park on your night off. 

you had just had a quick dinner date at your favorite restaurant, celebrating your anniversary together. 

your connected hands swung as the both of you walked, and jimin could not help but smile at the sight of you so happy. 

it was in that moment that jimin realized that she always wanted to see you happy. forever. 

she slowly moved to a stop, a soft breeze blowing in between you two as she pulled you into her arms.

the taller girl felt your chest vibrating as you chuckled, and it only made her arms around your waist pull you closer. 

“someone’s feeling clingy,” you said softly into her neck. jimin only shrugged, a faint smile adorning her lips as she silently agreed with you.

it was true. she was acting more clingy than usual tonight, but it only solidified the feelings she felt for you.

it was a clear night, and a full moon. jimin loved the moon, she thought it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

but the moon was nothing compared to you. 

“you’re quiet for once. everything okay?” your head poked up from her chest, and she pressed a kiss to your forehead with a small hum.

from the cheesy romance films she had watched with you, ningning, minjeong, and aeri, she thought she would feel more nervous about saying the words to you.

she thought she would be sweating and shaking like a wet dog, crying and screaming in the rain somewhere or standing outside of your window with a boombox.

but she felt so comfortable, so complete with you. that is how she knew she truly felt this way about you. it was because of you, that she felt these feelings. she would never feel this way towards anyone else. 

because you completed her. 

in the nights of moonlight, and in the brightest of days, jimin only saw you.

she cupped your face, leaning in close to you. the chill of the autumn wind blew her hair to the side and she moved strands of yours behind your ear.

however, before your lips met, she whispered against your mouth in the softest tone you had ever heard from her.

“i’m in love with you.”

your cheeks were tinted with a shade of red, and your heart fluttered at the words she spoke. you never thought jimin would feel this way for you.

and you never thought that you would feel the same way about her.

before you could reply to her, jimin pressed her lips against yours in a tender kiss. it was a moment of true passion between two girls who knew nothing more than each other.

and you both seemed to be okay with that. because you had jimin, and she had you.

she pulled away once air became an issue, but in her breathless voice, she still whispered one final thing to you.

“i love you, choi y/n.”

and all you could do is smile, because you knew she meant it.

“i love you too, yu jimin.”

after you left her, jimin didn’t believe in soulmates anymore. how cruel could the universe be to bring you two together, only to tear you both apart?

she despised the idea of being with anyone else other than you. jimin didn’t want to love anyone else.

she only ever loved you.

maybe now that you are back in her life, jimin doesn’t believe in soulmates, but rather, true love.

true love is unconditional love, and she unconditionally loved you.

maybe that was why she had stood outside of the back of your dorm building right now at 3 in the morning.

she had texted you to see if you were awake about an hour ago, and you had agreed to sneak out and go for a walk with her because she couldn’t sleep either.

which why was the two of you were now walking side by side, slowly talking and enjoying each other’s company at this hour of the night.

the crescent moon shone brightly through the clouds, casting white light over the shadows. jimin’s silhouette looked closer to yours, and from the angle you two were walking at, it looked like your shadows were holding hands. 

she missed holding your hand. 

jimin missed you.

“you’re quiet for once. is everything okay?”

“i need to tell you something.” jimin interrupted you, a faint tint of pink on her cheeks as she stopped walking and stared at you intently.

your head tilted to the side as your brows furrowed slightly. your undivided attention was on her now, and no longer the cracks in the sidewalk.

“what is it? you can tell me anything.”

for the first time in years, jimin felt nervous. the idol felt her heart pounding in her ears, the blood was rushing to her head as she stood in front of you.

the taller girl’s hand slowly held yours, your fingers interlocking in a gentle hold. you didn’t pull away, and tried your best to ignore the blush growing on your own face.

“from the moment we met as just kids, i knew you were someone special, y/n.” jimin said slowly, breathing labored as she tried not to stumble over her words. “and now that we’re older, that hasn’t changed.”

time felt like it was slowing down, and all you could focus on was the SM artist in front of you.

karina took in a deep breath before continuing. “we’re a thousand miles away from the day we met, but im standing here with you just trying to be honest.”

she pulled you closer to her, one hand still holding yours and the other hand holding your waist.

“if honesty means telling you the truth…” jimin whispered as her body was the closest it had been to you in a very, very long time. “...i’m still in love with you.”

your heart felt like it was going to explode in your chest, but you didn’t know that jimin’s was already beating a thousand times faster.

it honestly took you a while to formulate a response in your head, but jimin took your silence as something negative.

she let go of your hand and cupped your face, pulling it closer to hers. your foreheads rested against each other, and it was then that you finally realized it. 

jimin was crying.

“i’ll make it up to you, for everything that went wrong in the past. let’s just go back to the basics, just focusing on how we feel for each other.” the older girl’s eyelashes sparkled with tears in the moonlight as she squeezed her eyes shut. “it’s killing me to deny it any longer. i know how i feel for you, and it hasn’t changed at all since the moment you left me.”

she opened her eyes to look at you, tears falling down her cheeks as she stared into your own watery gaze “...tell me you want this, please. say something, anything…” she whispered against your lips.

you closed the distance, letting your lips do the talking for you.

it felt like the entire world was fading, and the only thing you could focus on was how jimin felt. you wrapped your arms around her neck, pulling her impossibly closer to you. tears of relief, of pure pent up emotion fell from both of your eyes.

the kiss felt like the end of your past, and the beginning of your future, all at once.

you finally pulled away from each other once your lungs were burning, and as you two were panting against each other, you finally spoke.

“you talk too much.”

and all jimin could do was smile, and kiss you again. 

┊┊┊┊⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧　✵ ┊┊┊☆ *　　 * ⋆ ┊┊★ * ┊┊* . *　✦ ┊☆ ° ✧　 　 · ★*

you and jimin met as trainees before she debuted, and you two never felt more in love. however, once she breaks up with you before her debut, you completely leave SM entertainment under the notion of needing a fresh start. you eventually debuted a few years later in le sserafim, where you met huh yunjin and have slowly started developing feelings for the idol. much to karina's dismay, she hates to see you have moved on, but deep in your own heart, you still can't help but feel as if maybe she has forgotten about you.

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @captivq , @wonyoluvr , @yunalvrrr , @spritin , @babycubchae , @vnschldd , @sserafimez , @chaersly , @rosiehrs , @baldd , @bwljules , @jenaissantesworld , @jennasluma , @dream-chasers-things , @lcv3lies , @elyds , @archerheejin , @vnschldd , @skisk1 , @cfvgbhndun-new-blog , @silantryoo , @phamminji , @bzeus28 , @writingficsblog , @strangegirlcode , @uzumakioden , @noiacha , @sserabey , @archerheejin , @pindoris , @yourstrulytrissmerigold , @jisooftme , @yacii , @ddrummie , @justalittledissociation

[ 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ]

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Oki now Im curious, what hit you to change from writing dabihawks to shigadabihawks to shigadabi?

I thought that there was chemistry between Shigadabi, and I always struggled to make up a reason why Shigaraki would be into Hawks, as I started writing more and more and transitioning to writing primarily from Dabi's POV I also kept feeling like either him or Hawks putting their personal feelings about Endeavor on the backburner so they could date was a misrepresentation of who they both were as characters. When I started to think how their relationship could work outside of that, it fell apart and I lost interest in Hawks.

Shigadabi, on the other hand, just started to work more and more for me. Shigaraki has no fear of cringe and is extremely emotionally available. He trusts Dabi and readily shows that he believes he's capable by giving him more responsibilities. Shigaraki is also the only person Dabi really listens to and he puts in a lot of effort to try to make the League work when they're at their lowest point even though he bitches about the others not doing enough. Their similarities and the fact they are already on equal footing with them both being villains (and thus removing the hurdle of Dabi or Hawks always feeling like they have to prove themselves to the other) means that Dabi may be more willing to be emotionally vulnerable with Shigaraki which is what I think he needs in a relationship. This is also something that was showing even in my primarily Dabihawks days in Bonded, as Dabi struggled for a while to accept his mark for Hawks, but sought out Shigaraki and understood him (and vice versa) when he was feeling worn-down from spending time with Hawks. This theme also was very apparent in Out of My Head (Bring Me Back) where Dabi went to Shig not just for sex but for the emotional support/stability he felt being with Shig offered him while things were constantly out of control with Hawks. At the time having Dabihawks be turbulent just felt like a part of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and it can be, but specifically in my writing, it started to feel more and more like that relationship was being forced to work when it didn't benefit Dabi in any way and was just a tool to facilitate Hawks' growth as a character.

Once I decided I was more interested in Dabi specifically having a relationship that worked for him and that he wouldn't have to be the one trying to constantly facilitate his partner's growth, I started to lean towards Shigadabi because I felt like they could actually support each other. Duster has turbulent emotions that he puts on full display, but as we see from Kamino through PLF (Not caught up, no spoilers past that) he also will let people yell at him and not blink, just move forward pretty logically and try to do right by his people, which is something Dabi desperately needs after a childhood of being told he wasn't enough and getting thrown aside. Dabi, on the other hand, can help lend context for the abuse that Shigaraki suffered all throughout his life and help him actualize who he is and wants to be moving forward without the expectations of his father figure. This is a similar role to what he did for Hawks in my Dabihawks stories, but the crucial difference is that once he opens Shig's eyes even a bit to this, Duster puts in the work himself to figure out who he wants to be and how he needs to grow without needing constant oversight, reassurance, and support from others because he is ready and willing to learn and adapt to every new experience he has.

That's the long explanation, but the short one is that I think Shigadabi, based on my interpretation of the characters, is a more emotionally fulfilling relationship than Dabihawks, and Shigadabihawks was just a stepping stone to get to that point!

[fruitcoops]

i just reread "big head" and laughed my ass off, will you do another ego award one pretty pleeeeeaseee? (only if you want of course :))

One of my favorites! Character credit goes to @lumosinlove <3

(Part 1: Big Head)

“The 2022-2023 hockey season has officially wrapped,” Talker announced as he walked backward down the hallway of Gryffindor Arena. “This team had a run for the history books and everyone is so proud—and so grateful—to have such outstanding fans there with us every step of the way. We truly could not have done it without you.

“As a ‘thank you’ for everything you’ve done for us this year, we’d like to continue a very special end-of-season tradition: the Ego Award. Some of you may recall our reigning champion, Heartthrob O’Hara himself, and his fabulously embarrassing stories from last year.” He paused just outside the locker room with a significant look toward the camera. “Those may be big shoes to fill, but rest assured we have found the one person who can literally and figuratively get the job done. Behold.”

He swept the door open with one hand and chaos spilled out in a rush.

“Read it! Read it! Read it!” half the room chanted.

“Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!” the other half cheered.

“I can’t,” came Leo’s distressed answer, red all the way from his ears to his neck as he gripped a wrinkled piece of notebook paper. “You guys, this is such a—”

“Gentlemen!” The room fell silent as Talker spread his arms with a wide smile. “Welcome to the 2023 Ego Award, hosted by yours truly and bestowed upon our sweet baby net angel, the Nutcracker.”

“It’s Knut,” Leo said miserably. “Like the lizard.”

“Hush, Crunchy Peanut Butter. Do you have your punishment prepared?”

Leo turned baleful eyes on the camera. He looked rather like a puppy that had been put outside in the rain, hunched in his stall and surrounded by his carrion-bird teammates. “Save me.”

“Saviors are for the humble. You, sir, were voted off that island. Read.”

“Oh, god,” Leo mumbled under his breath as he unfolded the paper. In the corner of the frame, Finn watched him with unhindered glee. “My name is Leo Knut, and these are my top five most humbling moments with the Gryffindor Lions. Because clearly I don’t suffer enough for this team.”

“Keep that up and you’re getting the Potty Mouth Award, too,” Talker warned.

“You can’t—” Leo rolled his eyes. “Fine. Number five: trying to drink out of the wrong side of my waterbottle.”

“How many times?” Finn prompted eagerly.

“Once.”

A chorus of protests rose up—Leo pressed his lips into a thin line.

“Nine times. Shut up. Number four: losing a kitten in my shirt when we had a shelter visit."

"Two kittens," Sirius corrected. "One went up your pant leg."

"Oh my god, can you not?"

“That one was delightful,” Kasey agreed, nodding along. “Just—honestly, one of my favorite memories.”

Leo smoothed the edge of the page, nose wrinkling like he had smelled something unpleasant. “Is it too late to eat the paper?”

Remus tsked. “We gave you a chance. Not our fault you chose the most painful path.”

A rogue socked foot came into frame and poked Leo on the shin. “Read, Butterball.”

“Number three,” Leo continued, tilting his face to the ceiling in a clear bid for strength. “Getting stuck jumping the boards, falling back onto the ice, slipping when I got up again, and only making it over successfully with the help of two different people dragging me over the edge.”

“Like hauling a bag of bricks,” Logan mused from his place on the floor.

Dumo nodded solemnly. “Or a dead bear.”

“Slip a disc about it, Grandpa,” Leo quipped before glancing to Talker. “If I read the next one without eating this paper, can I skip the last one?”

“No,” the rest of the team answered in perfect unison.

“We all go through trying times,” Finn said with a pat to Leo’s knee. “Look on the bright side: at least it isn’t me this year!”

Leo stared at him for a long, silent moment.

“You astound me,” he said at last.

“Thank you.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“I’m taking it as one.”

“How did I end up with this award?” He looked around the team with a lost expression. “How is it not Ginger Spice every goddamn year?”

“Because we have to switch it up so we can trauma-bond over mutual humiliation,” Talker informed him. “Also, you’re a little fucker and you can’t hide it from the good people of Gryffindor forever.”

Leo shook his head, but turned back to his notes. “Number two: leaving the ice baths to get my Gatorade, then slipping and falling in my own puddle on the way back.” He closed his eyes. “And spilling the entire bottle of Gatorade on myself. And slipping in that as well.”

“It’s important to me that people know you just laid there for, like, five full seconds,” Kasey added.

“Thanks.”

“Any time, Honeynut Cheerios.”

“After I’m done, can someone bury me under the net? I want to haunt you all for making me do this.”

Several noises of assent followed and Leo nodded.

“Cool. Sweet. I love this for myself.” He cleared his throat and leaned his elbows on his knees. “Number one: I underestimated the weight of my new gear, sat on a stool, and fell backwards off it. I took six and a half people down with me like a bowling ball wrapped in Velcro and foam. Every second of it was caught on camera and replayed through commercial breaks, then late-night television. Harzy, will you do the honors?”

“Of course, Bodacious Nutacious.”

Leo held his arms up and Finn scooped him over his shoulder with a grin as the room erupted into whoops, hollers, and applause. The camera followed the stream of players out and down the hallway; Talker stepped into frame once more, craning his neck to watch Leo and Finn disappear around the corner.

“Thanks for joining us for another year, Lions,” he laughed. “We look forward to so many more. Stay humble!”

[lethalchiralium]

Play Pretend | Higgs Monaghan x GN!Reader

a/n: just a lil thing i kept meaning to post, nothing meaningful i just keep thinking about him 🥺

warnings: TW: allusions to self harm, allusions of suicide. higgs being a dick like always.

summary: You’re in it for something, he concluded. He needs help, you thought, more than he’s willing to take.

The fire that warmed your hands crackled softly, the cold breeze gently nipped at your ears and nose. You took a bite out of the lukewarm chicken that Higgs had managed to scrounge up, cook, and not actually burn. Your eyes didn’t dare glance away from the sight before you, the once highly feared man was now reduced to a man barely surviving. It was honestly a sight; his clean shave was now a dark scruffy beard, his usually short hair was now growing out and becoming wavy. You knew it was hard on him since you were an independent Porter and he couldn’t go and rest where you would, but it did give him a good shock not being able to be in control of everything.

Today was the day before you were able to finally go to your new shelter and finally be able to get Higgs into a real place.

“You’re starin’, sugarplum.”

You blinked quickly before giving him a soft smile. “Sorry, just zoned out.”

He answered with a grunt before beginning to devour the other chicken wing, and you couldn’t help but gaze at him from across the fire. If you had just met the man, you would’ve thought he was just a lost person from one of the Knot Cities; he looked harmless with that blank stare in his eyes. Barely spoke a word when you finally found him in front of the Middle Knot Ruins, you could’ve sworn that he was trying to get hung upside down by the BTs.

You looked down and took another bite, then looked back up to Higgs, who met your gaze with furrowed eyebrows. “Why are you starin’ at me for?”

“You just look very beautiful in this lighting.” You said and even though the fire had a warm glow, you could see his entire face flush red. He immediately looked down at his food and continued to eat and so did you, that inkling of doubt in your stomach for complimenting him was becoming bigger.

“Don’t compliment me.” He answered after a few more moments of silence; He chucked the empty bone into the fire, staring at it. “I don’t deserve sympathy.”

He tossed another bone into the fire and you decided to stay quiet. Time went by quickly, almost five minutes passed before he spoke again.

“You shouldn’t care about me.”

“I know.”

“Can’t you-“ He threw a bone at your head, it barely even grazed your hair as you looked at him. His face flushed red with anger, his body tensing, “-fucking hate me? Yell or something?”

You let out a breath, eyes boring into the stormy seas of Higgs’ own eyes. He was looking desperately for something to exploit, to gain leverage - there wasn’t anything he hasn’t used.

“Pass me the salt packet.”

The damn thing was stuck. All of these credits poured into this brand-new shelter and the terminal was stuck in the floor.

Higgs stood off to the side in the overhang, the heavy timefall thundered upon the cold mud outside. Your foot hit the floor again, hands in your pockets as you just kept kicking the damn thing. The man looked towards the timefall again, watching as the trees swayed in the strong winds; he took a step further into the shelter. The timefall looked peaceful to him - no matter how hard it was raining, he considered the timefall to be an ideal death. Suffering until the rain decided he needed to return to the Earth - he deserved to suffer.

His daddy was always right, Higgs concluded. The outside world was out to kill him, the timefall would wash him away, that he deserved to suffer for even breathing. He only turned away, looking to you as you moved backwards from the circle in the floor.

He was still trying to figure you out - no one gave pity without knowing they’ll receive something in return. You wanted something from him, he felt it in his bones; but he had nothing to give. Amelie had taken his power, his fire, his will to even stand, all of the friends he had once hate him now or have died by his hand. He had no possessions, no credits - what were you in it for?

“Finally.” You muttered as the terminal popped up from the floor. Placing your cuff link underneath the scanner, the menu popped up and Higgs looked back to the outside world. He deserved to sit under Timefall and wither away. Maybe flowers would grow from his corpse, only to wither a moment later - maybe cause a voidout. He’d love to finally end it, to finally be able to be at peace.

Higgs almost walked into the downpour if it wasn’t for your arm slithering around his own, pulling him downstairs. His gaze moved from the outside world to a tiny prison. You pulled him with you - not ahead, behind. Beside you. Like he deserved to live here.

Higgs has never wanted to blow his brains out this much until now.

But he held his tongue as he was pulled around, you flicked on the lights with a button on your cuff link hologram. He made a quick glance around the place, deciding very quickly that he wasn’t meant to be here.

“Get out of your head.”

You pulled him forward and down the hall, Higgs gave some resistance but quickly followed. Flicking on the light, you pulled him into the small bedroom and turned to look at him again.

“Sleep.”

You moved right past him, now standing outside of the room while still watching him. He gazed around the BRIDGES-style private room, condensed into a small room. He set down his dufflebag onto the floor before looking back at you.

If you weren’t still angered about the terminal upstairs, you would have sworn to God that he looked to you for guidance.

“You’ll be safe here.”

He huffed out a laugh.

“I’ll never be safe as long as I breathe, sugar.”

Copyright © 2023 lethalchiralium. All rights reserved.

[the-fiction-witch]

The White Boat p1

Media The Last Legion

Character Romulus Augustus

Couple Romulus X Reader

Rating Dark AF

I sat in a cage like a filthy animal, my wrists chained, my body bruised, everything I had ever known was to change in this moment, and part of me knew it had truly changed forever. Outside my cell, I could hear the sounds of screaming, burning and breaking, and the city outside being sacked by the goths. The city I was meant to protect, I was supposed to be their emperor and I had failed them. I felt so awful. A Goth man came and unlocked my cell, he forced me out to walk back to the throne room, and he kicked my legs to make me walk without much of a word. When I arrived at the throne room, I felt a horrid pain in my heart, the statues shattered, the scrolls burnt and the tapestries torn and bloody.

Goth men lingered in the throne room, bodies of maids littered on the floor body and abused.

And on the throne of so many generations sat this goth barbarian king, Odoacer, He sat on the throne of my ancestors in his dirty bloody clothes his beard scraggly and broken. They forced me to walk down the throne room carpet until I stood before him. "Hello, Little boy," I didn't answer him. "How do you like what I have done?" "I do not." "Didn't think you would." He chuckled, "Would you like to see your city?" I shook my head, "Show him." He demanded, I was forced to the window, the same window I had stared out longing for a normal life, I saw my city destroyed, smouldering, houses burnt, towers fallen, and the city and its people reduced to dust. But I did my best to force away my emotions of how I failed to save them, how I had let Rome fall to this ruin. "It is for you that so many people have died." He told me, as I was forced back to him, "Such an innocent face." "The blood of Caesar flows through his veins!" His general warned, "He thinks I should fear you, should I?" I didn't answer him,

"Would you like to see your father little boy?" I perked up, I had believed in the chaos he was dead, he saw my perk and smirked. He clicked his fingers and immediately at my feet dropped my father's butchered head. I felt tears well up but I did my best not to move. He smirked and wiped a tear from my face seeming smug to see me cry. "Shall we bring your mother? to kiss away your tears little boy?" I fear fearful and soon enough her head dropped beside my fathers and I broke into tears, "He is the last of the Caesar's the line end it now." His general warned, "Enough." He demanded, "Sometimes your tongue runs ahead of your brain." he said, he drew his sword and my heart pounded in my chest, my breath sharp. "What do you see boy? should I be afraid of you?" He asked pointing the tip of his sword to me. I gathered up every last bit of my strength to say these words, "Why is Caesar treated so?" "Why is Caesar treated so…" he began as he left his seat, he held my hair and put his bloody sword to my neck the same cut as he had done to my parents. "Perhaps he's right, perhaps the line should end. here and now." He moved the sword to allow my reflection to be seen by my own eyes, "Do you see yourself? do you see your face boy? Tell me what you see… you see a little boy crying for his mummy, or do you see Caesar as emperor fit to rule." I didn't know how to answer, but I took every bit of strength I had. "I see a Caesar." "Wrong answer," he said, letting me go. He returned to the throne and looked at me with sollis.

"I am sending you into exile." "E-Exile?" I choked "Exile. You will leave Rome. You will never step foot in your homeland so long as you live, You will be sent to Capri. The Island fortress there, I will give you two guards and no more. Only there to ensure you remain, You will not have visitors, guests, or correspondence with anyone outside that fortress. Death for you would be a mercy, so you will live out your days alone and I will ensure you live to suffer the crippling hours of time." He explained, "You're line will wither and die in you." I choked up wanting to cry, to think he would be so cruel, to not give me mercy, but to ensure I suffer alone. "Father no!" A voice called and a girl arrived she looked no older than me, "We are not to speak of this Y/n." He warned, "Father this is cruel." "Cruel, he is of a bloodline that has forced our suffering for generations." "He is a child. The faults and crimes of his ancestors are not his." "You know what the words have said," "This is cruel Father, you cannot lock him away forever." "Then what would you have me do?" "There are ways he cannot continue the line without killing him, and without sentencing him to a cruel life of isolation." He laughed at her, "You would have me separate his stones and his pillar, as to prevent the continuation of his line, and then what just let him go?" "He could live a normal life, as any boy should, he would never have children, thus they will be no threat to you. It is the most peaceful way." "Kill them both!" His general yelled,

"Enough!" Odoacer demanded, "My decision is final. He goes to Capri, You will be his guard that is your reward for your defiance," he said to his general, "And you, if you care so much about his wellbeing you will be his caretaker." He told her, "You will live in Capri, never step foot outside the fortress again, never communicate with anyone outside the island, your guards will ensure you do not leave, and my daughter will visit you monthly to ensure you are alive and deliver food. You will wait out the rest of your miserable life alone on that rock until your line withers and dies." He clicked his fingers and before I could protest they dragged me away.

[wonderfuldeath]

.o| It's a small world : I |o.

Warnings : Violence, injury, graphic depictions

Please, consider supporting me on Ko-Fi ! ♥

The music makes him vibrate as his body follows the rhythm, shifting from one foot to the other, sweating no longer bothering him. And he moves as if his life depended on it. When his legs don't keep up, he rants at himself, frantically turning off the music before running a stiff hand through his hair. Jimin was tense: a week had passed since their kidnapping and he had the unpleasant feeling that something was following him, like a shadow. He tried not to think about it any longer, turning on his heels to reach the small refrigerator to grab a bottle of ice-cold water before finishing it in one gulp. When the door to the dance hall opened, he shuddered. 

« - Park Jimin? 

- Perhaps, depending on what you want from him.

- I'm Min Yoongi. 

- Oh, Mister Min! »  

He turns completely to look at the man in front of him: rather short, barely taller than him, with green hair and a pale complexion. It didn't take long before he came over to greet him more warmly, hating himself even more for being so tense. The gang had let them go without any further trouble; if they'd wanted to come after them they'd certainly have done it much sooner. He cleared his throat as he shook Yoongi's hand before turning on his heel.

« - I didn't know you were to arrive so soon. Professor Lee didn't told me. 

- In fact, I wasn't supposed to be here until next week. But I've heard a lot of good things about you. So I decided to come on my own, for some... Details. »

The almond-shaped, cat-like eyes gaze at him quizzically as he rests his eyes on the hematoma and makes a feline movement. Realizing something he obviously hadn't made the connection to. Jimin purses his lower lip, the tension in the room making him a little more wary than before, taking a step back while running a hand against his cheek. 

« - Anything wrong, Mr. Min? 

- Your wound is rather... Surprising. A bad blow? 

- An injury sustained in a fall, which should have healed by the week of the competition. 

- I hope so, it would spoil the performance. »

Jimin pinched his lower lip, before feeling less tense and suggesting that Yoongi take a seat at the table to talk about the university's big project for this year. Min Yoongi was one of the best, if not the best, in the music business. Having made a fortune with his productions and sounds as sad as they were insane. Every year a group of students had the privilege of presenting the new sound during the festival by performing on it, but only the best were allowed the privilege. And this year Jimin would be the first to perform solo. His dance partner had suffered a health problem that forced him to stop dancing for good. 

« - It's rare for a third-year to perform, it's usually the last-years who get to do it. 

- I won't disappoint you, I promise. I'm the best in my class and I'm really talented. 

- Oh, but I have no doubt about that. »

For hours they talk about the end-of-year performance and the details: how Yoongi sees the show and many other things besides. By the time they've finished, outside the night seems to have long since fallen and the rain seems to have taken possession of the city. The smell of the composer's cigarette makes Jimin wrinkle his nose, while the other gives him a sidelong glance. 

« - I hope no other... Incident spoils such a beautiful face. That would be a pity. 

- I'm not as clumsy as I look... I'll have to go. See you next time, Monsieur Min. 

- Hum. »

He can feel the heavy gaze against his back until he enters his car, finally letting out a slight breath before starting off and not looking back. Jimin lived in the city's wealthy districts, since his mother had made a fortune in the restaurant business and she had offered him an apartment in the neighborhood so he could be independent. A deep breath passed his lips as he finally returned home, closing the door behind his back before moving into the living room, feeling reassured as he dropped into his sofa. A smile blooming on his lips as his phone vibrated several times. Before it disappears when amid the messages from his various friends an unfamiliar number appears. 

« Have fun while you can. When we've got an ass like yours, we're bound to attract trouble." 

« - Fucking crazy. » 

                                                            -X-

« - Doctor Kim, little Jeon Kiyeon in room twelve. 

- Thank you Elyzabeth, I'll leave you to finish up with little Seehun, give her an antibiotic injection and check the haemoglobin. If she drops too much, give her a bloodletting and a transfusion. 

- Yes, doctor. Hello there. »

Leaving the little patient in the nurse's hands, Taehyung advanced to room twelve, grabbing the medical file to read the first reports before entering the room. As usual Mr. Jeon Jungkook was there, along with the caramel-eyed brunette, and Jungkook went straight to the doctor.

« - Mr. Kim. I know I'm probably worrying too much, but he's had a fever. And he said his chest hurt. 

- Don't worry, Mr. Jungkook, patients with your son's pathology shouldn't be taken lightly. »

A sigh of relief passes the man as Taehyung joins the little one. Kiyeon was a sickly child, suffering from depronocytosis, forcing Jungkook into trouble during the child's first two years of life: for mistreating him by taking him to hospital, until he met Taehyung. Dr. Kim had diagnosed the child in barely a glance, and now with the right treatment the child had a normal life. After the first test Taehyung nodded slowly, making several examinations before grabbing his prescription pad, writing several things on it, before signing it. Turning to Jungkook, Taehyung tugged at his heavy gaze and pale skin. 

« - Is everything all right, Mr Jeon? 

- Yes. Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired and worried about my son. 

- For the moment, nothing serious. Go to the hospital pharmacy and give him this. If he doesn't get better, or if you have the slightest doubt, don't hesitate to come back, I'm on call for the night. I'll take care of him. 

- Thank you, Dr. Kim. »

Jungkook reached for the prescription a little feverishly, reading the medication carefully, before seeming to twitch at something, his gaze settling on the signature and familiar handwriting, before he frowned. For several long seconds, the silence seemed heavy, before he simply looked at the doctor again. 

« - I won't hesitate to contact you if I need to. Kiyeon, let's go. »

For several more long seconds, Taehyung let him go without holding him back, a little bewildered by the more than strange attitude of the single father, before he too left the consulting room. Still caught up in the waltz of the various patients who awaited him for the rest of the night, juggling between each one without really bothering to look after himself until a hot drink rested against his cheek.

« - Time for a break, Dr. Kim. Shall we get some fresh air? 

- Okay, then you'll have to go to the emergency room, their nurse collapsed, and they're short-staffed. 

- Oh, right, right. Don't forget to take breaks during the night. »

They stayed barely five minutes, before the young woman was paged for an emergency, having to reluctantly abandon her coffee and raspberry doughnut to quickly make her way to the hospital's second estate. Grabbing the first folder she was handed before making her way to one of the consultation rooms, surprised to see the man in front of her. Elyzabeth would recognize him between a thousand and one, the man with the bandana who had broken into Jimin's car. On the notebook was written Jung Hoseok, knife wound deserving stitches, and she looked him over carefully, up and down.

« - How we meet again. One week and you already miss me? 

- I beg your pardon? 

It takes Hoseok a moment to adjust before he recognizes the powdered woman, and his gaze changes several times, from realization to understanding. 

- I'm sorry about last time, I was in a panic... I didn't mean to... Attack you. 

- Don't worry, I'm not a grudge-holder. I don't hold grudges. »

But he can understand that it was a lie, when the young woman sutured him raw, without really being gentle. When she was finished she simply removes her latex gloves before throwing them away and turning on her heels to leave without further ado. Leaving a surprised and almost disappointed Hoseok. But she never see that. 

[brownbitchshit]

After watching Young Royals 3/4 times, I am still struggling to understand the reason behind Kristina's decision to make her grief stricken, anxious son give an interview to deny his involvement in the video. That absolutely makes no sense at all. Let me tell you why.

There's literally no one in Hillerska believes that it wasn't Wilhelm in video. Everybody knows it was him and it's a running convo in s2 where Fredrika, Stella, Nils everyone keep bringing it up. The only thing they probably didn't know about is that it not being a random hookup, rather being a loving relationship.

Marcus, who lives in Bjärstad, even he knew that it was Wilhelm even though he has no access to Hilleska. Everyone around Wilhelm, who has seen him up close or knows Simon and has seen them interacting,knows the truth about the video.

But people outside this bubble simply thought it was a hoax and Fredrika/Stella even said that in s1. So the question remains, the why did Kristina want Wilhelm personally acknowledge this rumour and deny his involvement? Didn't it make it more serious than it was? Wouldn’t it be better if the Royal Court just gave a statement or brushed the entire thing under the rug?

The only reason that they might have done this, is because they wanted to jeopardize Wilhelm-Simon's relationship and was trying to put out a strong heteronormative narrative about the Prince's sexuality. It wasn’t about 'not outing Wilhelm' when he's not ready. Because then they could have just gave the statement without involving him. They were purposely trying to fit him in a cage. Kristina wanted Wilhelm to understand that his silly little relationships are trivial in front of the duty he has towards his family. Maybe it was a test or sacrifice to see if he can step into that role and do as he is told.

Probably this is why Wilhelm told the truth in the speech and holds so much grudge against the court. He doesn’t believe the court to support him and his relationship when the time comes, especially now that they've got a straight heir like August. He couldn’t risk waiting for their approval and losing Simon in the process. He is already willing to give up the crown, but he doesn’t want to let August take it either. So he did what he had to and he is prepared to deal with the fall out because he doesn’t care (that creates a scope for a whole different sets of troubles which I will later explain in another post).

Another reason why I think Wilhelm came out is because I think he wanted to even out things with Simon. Simon suffered a lot of humiliation and judgements from people around him because if the video and he had a grudge against Wilhelm that he didn’t suffer anything. It was creating imbalance in their relationship which could have created further problems between them. Simon doesn’t know that Wilhelm did suffer because of that video and which was losing him and their relationship which was extremely painful for Wille. So Wilhelm basically undid the Queen and the Court's biggest mistake, which was giving out the statement and jeopardizing their relationship. Wilhelm took back control and created an equal footing in their relationship. Now how it all erupts and how much Kristina actually supports Wilhelm, is something we need to wait for in s3.

[cryopathiic-a]

from behind hug . 

Fingertips brushed over the wood, hand idly resting against it, pausing. All he had to do was push it open. Push it open, set foot outside into the walkways, leave and head to the main floors, follow the orders ringing in his head. He could almost see, through a crack between the doors, the lanterns shining pale blue glow outside and the myriad fireflies congregating on the lilly pads. So... close.

But, all of a sudden, he simply did not have the strength to take another step. Something all-encompassing was flowing in his veins. Breath caught in his throat, a thick, bitter swallow as prismatic eyes widened, fixated on some distant spot. Nails scraped the wood as his hand simply fell idly by his side, and there his towering form leaned forth, threatening to collapse.

That girl.

He could picture her smiling. And it did not frustrate him to think about how he had been tricked just now. Which was even more pathetic than the fact he had been tricked in the first place. He could not even feel fear or shock or find any reason to panic when his own eyeball simply fell from his face and rolled onto the floor before him, polychromatic hues retaining their beautiful shimmer even then.

Pale fingers twitched, all of the realizations and sensations coursing through him during a mere few seconds. Until he felt the shroud of another presence; of something dark and powerful resting beside him, through the collective hivemind. It was not Muzan. Muzan's presence always came with demands. That was different. Someone reaching out, someone who was also in a dire situation. Not Akaza, his hoarse voice was long gone now. Dōma wondered if he had suffered in his final moments, or simply fell over dead like a fly after it smashed on a window. But he would not have much time to dwell on those thoughts, because the feel of strong arms wrapping around their form snapped them back to the reality of the circumstance.

Through the corner of his remaining eye, he could see the gusts of frost emitted by the Crystalline Divine Children and barely catch a glimpse of that one slayer with the jagged blades trying to whirl them away. Their voices had faded into the background now, although the demon could tell they were yelling something at each other.

Kokushibo-dono? Is that you? You are still alive...

It couldn't be anyone else. There were no others. Muzan-sama's voice felt distant and faded in the background. Suddenly, Dōma's hands, that had been idle as he had no reason to keep gripping onto life and only relied on those orders to keep going... clenched again. Over his shoulder, he turned, seeing even past the shadow of the other - that was only visible to him and merely felt as a threatening aura by the slayers. Indeed Kokushibo was such a powerful demon that he would be able to be in two places at one!

I think... I might be dying.

Their voice was hollow and unemotional, simply stating the fact through their blood bond. When Dōma had taken that offer, all those years ago, they had been well aware of what it meant: if Kibutsuji Muzan perishes, all of his spawns would too. So they had been protecting this man for over a century now, aimlessly. The thought of death did not touch them. But...

The being that was hugging them without even being physically present... squeezing them... that strong hold, it was keeping them together! Keeping them from falling apart!

[starlessskies94]

Consequence (Joel Miller x OC)

Summary: What if Joel survived his injuries from the Abby and Fireflies attack but ends up with really bad amnesia. He can’t remember his wife, Ellie, or the Outbreak; only before. How will his family bring back the man they once knew?

Pairing: Joel Miller x OC

Notes: Hello lovely people, once again I wanted to thank you for all your support I really appreciate it. This chapter is a shorter one and for that I apologize but it is needed in order to move us onto the next one. I wasn't sure if I was happy with this one but I hope I did it justice and it doesn't disappoint. Also I wanted to ask; how are readers feeling about the flashback chapters? Are we liking them or would the story be better without? And if you lovely readers do like the flashbacks; do anyone have any requests of what kind of FB you'd like in-between the main story?? Like maybe Joel and Ada's wedding day or Ellie going on her first date with Dina… or maybe a family get together or something?? I don't know, anyway please let me know. If people feel they pull you out the main story too much I'll stop doing them. Thanks again hope you enjoyed this chapters. Have a lovely day! <3 xx

Chapter Seventeen

From the moment Joel stepped inside the building he felt uncomfortable. He’d left Duke outside grazing on the overgrown street corners that were now more grass and trees than sidewalk. He’d felt wrong walking towards the hospital, his every sense in his body telling him to turn around. Go back. But despite his every instinct he somehow managed to push forward. The hospital was deathly silent and still. At times Joel had to wonder if that was a good thing or not. The only sounds he could hear were his own. The sound of his heavy boots scuffing against the old stained floor, his own breath echoing through the wall of quiet and lifelessness. He surprised himself as he made his way through the winding corridors and wards, it almost felt like he knew exactly where he was going. Though he supposed the more he thought about it; a part of him did. The sense of familiarity was overwhelming at times, to the point it made his head hurt. 

'Where are they?'  

'They’re safe…'      

That voice…he knew that voice didn’t he? It echoed through his head as his memories charged around in his mind, swirling back and forth till it made his ears ring. The sound of gunshots and heavy breathing. Shouts of orders and anger. Were they coming from him or someone else? 

He froze when he saw the large sign on the wall pointing the way to where he was heading. Pediatrics. He pushed through the set of double doors and the stale air hit him like a tidal wave. The once brightly painted walls of multi-coloured sail boats now faded and old with age. The long dark corridor hidden from the light of the sun by the blinds and sheets covering the windows. The ward's rooms were left cluttered with old medical equipment and blankets. He followed it further down towards the office that was now left bare and picked clean of all supplies. He noticed a pile of aging paper on the desk and moved to take a closer look. It looked like copies of brain scans and test results. 

'But it grows all over the brain' he heard himself say. 'It does', the ghost replied back. That all too familiar feeling of dread churned deep in the pit of his stomach. Joel felt a jolt travel down his arm as he threw the papers down back onto the desk. He felt like he’d been stung. A gasp of breath escaped him as he winced at the sharp shooting pain that burned across the back of his skull and split into a dull headache that he was all too sick of suffering from. The older man took a stumbled step back, almost losing his footing. Joel knew in that moment exactly where he was and what had happened here. This must’ve been the place he’d saved Ellie. His jaw clenched at the realisation, maybe Ada hadn’t been lying after all. But it still didn’t ease the pain of everything else that damn woman had done to him. Shrugging it off he continued out into the corridor and moved further down towards the final door in front of him. He didn’t miss the Firefly symbol spray painted on the wall by the door. But still Joel pushed on. As he stepped into the operating theatre his blood ran cold. Hackles raised and jaw clenched once again, he felt a rush of adrenaline course through him as his body seemed to relive whatever had happened in this room. His breath trembled as he continued to look around. More boxes marked by the Fireflies symbol, filled with equipment and blankets. Nothing that seemed to point to where the Fireflies could have moved on too though. Joel shivered against the chill that ran up his back; his clothes were still a little damp from the rain the night before. It had seemed that drying them before leaving Jackson’s outpost had proved not all that beneficial. The cold in the air didn’t help either. As he made his way around the room he felt eyes on him. The shadows moving in the corners of his eyes. The figures hiding in the depths of the darkness, silently judging him. Though for what he couldn't say. He was stopped in his pacing when he noticed the smeared blood stains in the floor under his boots. They were dried and old, from a few years ago at least, if not more. The more Joel stared at it the more he wondered whose it was. Had he been the cause? Had he been in a fight? Was it Ellie’s from when he’d saved her from whatever bad thing had happened here? 

He slumped against the wall and sighed in defeat. He was so sick of questions. Of not knowing the answers to his own past. It was becoming exhausting. Leaning back with his foot against the wall, Joel pushed away from it and strode out of the theatre and back into the office. He hastily looked through the draws and cabinets again, just in case he’d missed something. His luck turned as he fumbled through one of the old bookcases and came away with a scrapped piece of paper. 

Group 2- Eastern Colorado University- arrived three days ago, research papers to follow. 

Eastern Colorado University. That’s where the Fireflies must’ve traveled from to get to St Mary’s. Perhaps there were more clues as to their whereabouts. It wasn’t that far away. Two and half days on horseback at most, he estimated. With his mind made up he quickly made his way back out onto the street to tend to Duke, the horse nickering affectionately at the sight of his owner. Joel padded him on the neck with a kind smile as he kicked at the ashes of his campfire to put out the remaining embers, then pulled softly at the gelding’s reins as he clicked his teeth for the horse to walk on. He pulled himself back into the saddle with a dull grunt then kicked Duke in a gentle paced trot.

University of Eastern Colorado…’Go Bighorns’ Joel thought to himself sarcastically. Maybe there Joel would finally find the answers he was looking for. He gave another kick to push Duke on into a canter as they took off through the old broken roads and around the rusting and rotting cars that littered the streets; then back onto the freeway. He knew he had to pick up his pace before night fell, his dark eyes scanning every road sign until he found one that pointed the way to Colorado. Joel was so focused on the road signs, he failed to notice the twitching and the groans of the figures slowly creeping towards him as they dragged out their rotting bodies from under the cars. The screeches and clicks echoing through the wind. Duke’s shout of fear shattered the silence as more infected charged for horse and rider, their deformed claws and bony broken nails reaching out for flesh to scratch and hack. Joel had no time to react as he was pulled from his saddle. 

[jabberock]

A Pound Welcome

"Good puppies stay."

That's what Ginger had said the last time he heard her. The last time he saw her was dragged away, throat bloody.

Ginger was a loving mother, an interior decorator, and driven completely around the bend by suffering. Separating a wolf from their pack was a great way to start destroying them. Leaving by choice was one thing, or even being driven out. But to be ripped from family? Wolves and humans were both social species, the cracks it broke took time to heal.

The men didn't give time. Ginger had one foot in the grave when he'd been taken. The other foot was more than a short trot from sanity. But she'd been the only other wolf there. The only one even remotely willing to speak with him. Both men and dog had just barked at him, orders and threats, promises and teeth.

They knew Ginger wasn't going to make it much longer. That's why they took him. They never shied from answering his questions. There was nothing he could do with the answers.

"Hey, buster."

He jolted out of his memories at the low, gritty voice. "Hello?" He said, then winced. 'Hello' wasn't too bad, but speaking without thinking could be... bad. Very bad.

"Relax newbie. I can smell your fear."

Ivan's ears flattened against his head and he took a step back. There was no one to see outside the cage, but...

"Probably not my best opening. Nothing to do for it now. Anyway, chill out. You're acting like someone just told you your execution date. ... They didn't tell you your execution date, right?"

"What?" He said in a voice too thin to be a proper whimper. It wasn't the question he wanted to ask, 'That can happen?'

"This is a pound, my guy." Said the voice, "We're pretty lucky that we don't need to be adopted in a certain time, but I heard that one ring fighter couldn't keep his cool and-" the voice cut off with the imitation of a dying gurgle. He winced, hating how he knew it was an imitation. "But you don't need to worry. Just growl enough and don't bite anyone and they'll let you out at a park."

They wouldn't. Not for him. Everyone knows what happens to wolves like him. He whimpered properly this time. The voice didn't respond.

"Ring." It was hard to make out the word beneath the growl.

[ofstarsandskies]

Atsuro HSR Verse -- Loneliness' Erudition

Ask anyone across the galaxy who's in the know about tech, and they'll recognize the name "Kihara".

The Kiharas were folks with a dream: learn each planet's technological advancements and spread that knowledge to other planets who'd benefit from it. To make it happen, the Kihara family would rarely stay on one planet for long. Though Atsuro enjoyed it at first, his social life suffered. "Why bother getting to know people when I won't see them ever again in a month?", he'd ask himself.

Each move had him withdrawing further into his shell. If people came to see him? He'd claim he was sick or busy with his studies. By the time he turned 10, Atsuro never stepped foot outside their current residence. Whatever gizmo he had on-hand was his only friend.

The social isolation Atsuro inflicted on himself didn't go unnoticed; his parents soon asked if he wanted to return to their original home planet, Guilde Shenghuo. No surprise he agreed on the spot to make one hopefully final cross-planet journey back home. With a tutor/nurse to watch over him, his parents set off without him... but not without leaving a life-changing gift.

This gift? A cellphone capable of communicating with worlds who knows how many light years away. Its battery life was lousy and the audio quality left much to be desired, but to Atsuro? This gizmo was worth 999,999,999,999,999 credits. But then it hit him: what if the battery fried itself? What if the wires corroded due to moisture? His parents wouldn't be here to fix it.

Only one thing to do: learn how to spiffy his prized possession up!

His online acquaintances were happy to offer advice and encouragement. Those few compliments of his quick learning speed? They set this tiny engine to 500% capacity. And it didn't stop there-- soon Atsuro threw small pet projects together for fun. Atsuro's cellphone had its own buddy: a custom laptop to homebrew firmware updates. The Kihara's love of tech must've been hereditary because Atsuro was hooked!

And thus, life went on this new course for six unforgettable, endlessly enjoyable years. Still, as time flew, Atsuro had a recurring thought: But y'know, it'd be cool to see in-person what other worlds' tech looked like. It was just a thought. Nothing could come of it. Nothing at all--

--until a weird train called the Astral Express stopped by Guilde Shenghuo. How and why, Atsuro never did ask why. But what mattered is its crew's mission statement involved travelling the galaxy! Chances like this never come twice! With proper begging and parading his development skills, the Astral Express Crew had itself another passenger.

[questioned-quetzalcoatl]

30 Days of OTP - Day 10, With Animal ears

Rating: K

Verse: Animal Circus AU

AN: This takes place in the 'Animal Circus' AU created by me and my lovely husband XelOcon <33

The story essentially featured Tonga as a sheep based faun who was made to play the pan flute to keep the audience members entertained. I was conflicted on making them a ram or a ewe because Tonga is meant to be genderless (They/He), but for this challenge I made him male due to there being a genderswap prompt ;-;

They are a ram, but their horns are a little smaller than normal

'Mild calibration error my missing foot' Kainga thought with a long-suffering sigh. Last time he'd attempted to escape these chains it'd ended up making him a now amputee. Noticeable now as he played his pan flute atop his podium, a faun with a missing hoof. Of course this circus was filled with oddities, what's one missing hoof going to draw much attention too?

Shackled now around his other leg, trying his best not to make them rattle as he played. The faun stood playing on the pillar like podium as the audience filtered past, nobody really paying much attention to the faun as he played the pan flute. No matter how much the chains hurt his one good leg, he had to play though, he had to play for food because they wouldn’t feed him again, even go as far as to keep him outside without shelter and ice had already started to creep up on the camp, dark, thick clouds hanging overcast and threatening to unleash a snowy hell upon him. Closing his eyes and taking a slightly shaky breath, he started to play again, his good foot moving slightly to the music, playing the songs he used to play when she was free, chain miraculously not making a noise as his foot moved bar the odd quiet scrape, hoping down from the podium and to the frozen ground, weaving between the crowd as much as he could without tripping himself or a potential customer up.

Besides, the movement meant warmth, hoping back up the steps on the podium as he came to a finish, the song ending as he landed on the stage part. Due to his resent amputation, finishing the act became all the more harder for him. His ankle subsided, making him almost loose balance but he quickly, shakily caught himself in time. Bowing a little, staying bowed as the people applauded and walked past towards the tent to see the more interesting attractions.

It was cold; colder than cold. Out here being forced to play his pan flute while limping around on one hoof that clicked and clanked against the wooden platform to be performed on. No matter how thick his wool had grown over, being out here for any longer and he was sure to freeze to death.

The waiting is the hardest; maybe they’d forget about him again, the shackle and chain around his ankle the only thing keeping him on the podium. The Faun watches his small audience lose interest in him and disappear back to the crowds departing for the main tent. He's left alone once more in the harsh brumal elements that he was at the mercy of. He despised it here. Alive without breath; as cold as death. Who knows how long he could last here anymore.

He crouched down for warmth, maybe huddling with himself would keep what little warmth Kainga had in. It doesn’t, not really, but it helps ever so slightly. His wooly ears huddled over the sides of his face, the only covering his frail body possessed was a cloth wrapped loosely around his waist. A flower crown was also placed on his head, one he made himself when picking daisies and dandelions. Holding his mother ewe's flute even closer to him, the only remnant he had left of her. She too suffered a painful demise at the hands of the circus, he was only a lamb.

There was a rattle, not of his own chains, but the ones that fenced off his podium from the gazing onlookers. A rusty chain connected by wooden poles, they'd creak when it got to windy.

But there was no wind tonight. The sound the chains made was caused by something, or someone. Assuming he had another group of people to preform for, the Faun quickly scrambled out of his crouched fetal position to play his flute for them. Only to find there was no group, but simply, just one man. The way the man was staring at him was different from the others. This one seemed captivated, almost enthralled by the sight of the Tongan Faun. His breath was visible in the cold air, it drifted from his mouth faintly.

Kainga met this stranger's gaze with his own, he didn't know how to react, what to expect from him. He found him intriguing, more the way he looked at him like he'd just witnessed a miracle. His ears pressed flat down, the yellow tag on his left ear now buried in his wool. One thing was sure, he didn't trust him. Yet, he looked so strangely familiar. In a way that gave him more unease than comfort.

That was until the man spoke up.

"I heard you playing that instrument of yours. It was...beautiful. I couldn't help comin' over here to get a peek." He flashed the faun with a warm smile, starting to take off the grey beanie from his own head. Slipping it off his hair as he never broke eye contact with him, still staring in amazement at him. Dipping under the fencing, he stepped up onto his podium with a loud clunk of his boot on the wood. Holding the beanie tightly.

Kainga couldn't help it, trying his best to scramble away from him. Making the chains holding the faun rustle the more he panicked. He wasn't consistent, mainly just a flinch away from the stranger. Fear over took his thoughts, his mind, it plagued him so much that he didn't dare trust a human anywhere near him anymore.

“Don’t look so surprised, anyone would think I was trying to hurt ya. My names James, by the way.” James didn't make any sudden movements, instead, he crouched down to the fauns height. Noticing that his good wooly and hooved leg was out like he was about to roundhouse kick him in the face with that thing. It was his best defense if he was going to attack, his horns were too small to do any significant damage.

People may think that but he had no idea how else to act to human kindness, was there a trick in this? Was he going to help him so far and then turn him into the owners of the circus? Had the circus employed him to do this much? He can't reply and continues not too, too cold, weak and tired to flee any further. Even if he was, he wouldn't get far due to the shackles on his leg.

"So...what's yer name?"

"None of your business-" the faun snapped up at him quickly. He’s still convinced it’s a trick, this human was going to trick him. It wouldn’t be the first time a friendly looking face had done as much and he doubted it would be the last.

"That's a...unique name..." James expressed in genuine confusion. "Got a...nickname or somethin'?"

The fact that Kainga was being quite obviously sarcastic when he said that, the larger man taking it seemingly literally just confused him. Maybe he was as stupid as he looked.

When the Faun doesn't respond, James decided to take matters into his own hands. The reason he even came up here in the first place. He took the beanie from his other hand before outstretching his arm. Offering it to the faun who gave him a shocked expression in return.

"Here, take this. It's very warm. You place it on your head." he made a gesture like someone putting on a hat or, in this case, a beanie. Kainga does so, finding that it fit him rather snugly. James smiled brightly, his eyes illuminating almost. Something so peculiar about how bright they were. Kainga's nose twitched softly, wrinkling up against the freckles that littered his darker skin.

"There, that’s better. I mean its hard finding a hat big enough to cover your horns as well but it works at least.” James gently reached out his hands to pull the beanie over his ears. "Extra snug! Now, how thick do you think that chain is because I brought chain cutters and I’m not sure if they’re strong enough.”

Kainga sat up a little from the podium floor, meeting James fully face to face. “Why are you helping me? Did the circus set you up for this?” he asked him under a gentle tone. "What do they want from me? I-I did well today! I got a small crowd! I was performing all day!" he started to plead up at James, gripping to his Pan flute with weakened hands.

"W-whot? Oh no no! Nothin like that! I'm just here to help ya!"

"And...why are you doing that?"

"I dunno, maybe I just want to help a cute little goat man~" James gave him a reassuring wink. Kainga just grimaced at him from under the beanie.

"I'm a sheep. You fucking idiot."