#mm-hey-cruel-world

[godmadeaterribleerror]

Chapter 7 - The Blinding Ultra-Violence

Series Masterlist

Author's Note: Can y’all please let me know if the long chapters are harder to digest? Because I love writing them, but if they actively impair enjoyment of the story I can start to cut them in half. Chapter Title from DEVIL by Shinedown.

Word Count: 13k

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Everyone has a lesson in actions and their subsequent consequences. Emphasis on mental health issues warning for the chapter: specifically suicidal ideation and PTSD.

Read on A03!

Chapter 6 - Chapter 8

Taglist: @lordofthunderthr @kritara @sukunassfinger, @justiceforquentin @acciditties

@c1gs-coffee @manicjk

Want to be tagged? Just ask!

Free will was cruel, and you had some choice words for whatever had given it to you. "Words,” meaning several unspeakable acts of violence, a wide variety of cuss words and vulgar phrases that would leave even Ben agape, and at least one loud, feral scream.

Free will had allowed you to attend a fancy party at Vought, a party that put you in a silk dress and winged eyeliner with glossy lips. Free will had let you do one, two, three shots and gotten you tipsy enough that when the elegant woman with strawberry hair had asked if anyone wanted to sing on stage, asked the crowd if there was at least one guest who wasn’t tone deaf and could do a passible rendition of Moon River, you’d raised your hand. Free will had made you not do a fourth shot, so that when you started to sing you didn’t stumble around the stage, missing notes and embarrassing yourself, but had put on a perfect show, singing and swaying in time to the music.

Later, you had learned that the woman with the strawberry hair had been killed later that night, and Free will had allowed you to feel sorry about it. Free will had you visit her grave in the dead of night in a thunderstorm, and let you sing Moon River one last time.

Free will had allowed you to cave when Butcher and the Boys had found you in a different graveyard, only a month later. Free will let you stick with them all the way to the barn. Free will was what had you coming up with very, very stupid plans.

Not this plan, though. You loved this plan. You loved this plan enough that you hadn’t waited even a half hour after thinking of it to call Butcher, or two minutes after Butcher had screened your call to turn around and call MM instead.

“What’s wrong?” MM had picked up after two rings, and you could almost see his worried frown with his words. “Did Soldier Boy-“

“Ben’s in the living room yelling at a documentary about World War II.” You’d dismissed. “He likes to point out all the alleged inaccuracies. I have a plan, I need everyone here by tonight.”

“Uh,” MM said your name apprehensively. “I don’t think that’ll really work.”

“Look, I know everyone’s probably still freaked out about last night, but this is really important-“

“No, that’s not it. We’re fine. Butcher’s still being a fucking ass about it, but everyone else- Hey!” MM had yelled away from the receiver as something banged in the background, accompanied by muffled shouts.

“Uh, MM?” You’d frowned. “Where are you?”

“Ohio.”

“Ohi- why are you in fucking Ohio?”

“Soldier Boy’s shield is here. Turns out it’s been so motherfucking difficult to get because Vought has their hands on it, and they’ve been keeping it in a warehouse in Akron.”

“I thought it had been flown from Jacksonville, with the suit?”

“Nope. Akron. We didn’t know until a few days ago, even Mallory thought it was just waiting in cargo at JFK.”

You’d glanced down the hall to make sure Ben hadn’t heard that his shield was in Ohio, a state he’d once called “America’s shitstained taint” while watching a football game. You heard him shout “fucking commies didn’t do goddamn shit about the Nazi’s, fuck off!” And decided you were in the clear.

“When do you think you’ll be done?” You’d asked, keeping one ear open in case Ben decided to stop fighting with Ken Burns’ voice and join you in the kitchen.

“If Butcher keeps it together and nobody sees Annie and tips off Vought? Tomorrow night.” MM had answered tensely.

“Ok, come right here when you get back. Like I said, I've got a plan, but it’s time sensitive.” You gone to hang up, but paused with your finger over the button. “Don’t die.” You’d added, and heard MM’s grunted acknowledgment just before the call dropped.

Somehow they’d managed to meet MM’s prediction, and all returned in one piece. The team had stood awkwardly in the kitchen—almost everyone avoiding full eye contact with you despite MM’s claim of everything being fine—as you and Ben had sat at the counter, Ben making a mediocre effort to fake some sort of hospitality per your request.

“Thanks to Ashley,” you’d started. “We know Sage told Homelander that I’m in New York and Ben’s awake.”

“Yeah, we’re really sorry about that.” Annie had said your name apologetically. “We should’ve been more careful-“

“No, it’s fine. I’m fine.” You’d cut her off, giving Ben’s shin a swift kick behind the counter before he could’ve said anything, his disbelieving scorn at your statement running through where your arms were brushing. “And we can use this.”

“Use what?” Hughie had frowned, and you’d continued.

“They haven’t told anyone else about it. We weren’t even sure they knew until Ashley told us. I’m not anticipating them to start alerting the media about me anytime soon, but they should’ve announced that America’s number one traitor is back from the dead and out to attack the innocent.”

“Fucking rude.” Ben grumbled, and a surprisingly bruised feeling ran through you. “All I do is help you, Sunshine, and that’s how you fucking thank me?”

You gave him a quick, half-apologetic, half-annoyed look. I’m being sardonic for arguments sake, and you know it. He’d just rolled his eyes, returning his attention to the mozzarella sticks you’d heated up before the Boys arrived.

“But they haven’t done that,” you’d continued, giving Ben one last dirty look. “Which means-“

“They’re saving it for something.” Annie had finished your sentence with a thoughtful frown.

“Exactly. Sage has some sort of plan, some dramatic and complicated way to fear monger people, turn everyone against Starlight by saying you released Soldier Boy, and have been risking public safety by letting him run rampant for your own anti-American reasons.”

“You want to get ahead of it.” MM had said, eyes narrowed.

You’d nodded, and shared your plan. Now, two days later, you were squished in the back of the van between Hughie—a well placed towel separating any physical contact—and Ben—who despite many protests was eating your burger—watching Firecracker and The Deep sing in a way that made you want to permanently remove your ears.

You visibly recoil as The Deep looks into the camera, and Ben looks up from eating to watch the video as it plays on Hughie’s laptop.

“Fish-boy sounds like a fucking constipated cowboy,” Ben mutters through a mouthful of food.

You hum in agreement. “You even sounded better on your stupid Rapture video.”

Ben scowls, taking another large bite that muffles his words. “I was fucking fantastic in that.”

“You were certainly, technically, singing.” You look up at him with a grin. “With all the passion of a dying squid giving one last, mighty squirt.”

“I don’t ’squirt’, Sunshine.” Ben grumbles, and you can see the moment every filthy thing he could say pops into his head. He takes a rough swallow, mouth opening to say something that will undoubtedly make Hughie regret volunteering to stay in the van, and you cut him off.

“Before you say anything, keep in mind that is still my burger, meaning I have every right to take it back and shove it right up your ass.”

Ben glowers at you, taking another aggressively large bite. “Bitch.” He grunts, and a piece of lettuce falls fully out of his mouth. Though you can feel his dirty look in your direction, you can also feel a spark of amusement run from where your knees are touching into your chest.

“Cunt.” You pick the lettuce off his lap and throw it into his face. “You eat like a squid too.”

“The only thing that me and squids have in common is our giant-“

“Okay!” Hughie shouts, pausing the video. “Soldier Boy, can you please not say something sexual for like, fuck, ten minutes?”

Ben doesn’t respond, invested completely in the burger, and you elbow him in the ribs.

He gives a loud cough, little bits of meat spurting out of his mouth. “What the fuck?!” When you incline your head to Hughie, Ben rolls his eyes and offers Hughie a grunted, “Fuckin hell- fine, you pussy.”

“Oh, ok.” Hughie blinks at Ben nervously before fumbling to unpause the video.

As the laptop catches up with the live feed, jumping to Firecracker bouncing over-excitedly around the now empty stage, Ben leans over you to get a good look at the screen.

“That’s her?”

“Yep.” You give the screen a glare. “Crazy brown-nosing bitch.”

Hughie lets out a noise of agreement, and Ben snorts. After another minute, in which Firecracker manages to say a record twenty-two objectively wrong things in a row, Ben grunts in annoyance.

“When I was at Vought, we had real goddamn talent, not whatever the fuck this is.”

“I know, in the 80s they managed to book a Pretty Boy squid who could kind of sing.”

Lettuce hits you in the face, and you let out a sputtering string of profanities.

“I can more than kind of sing, Sunshine. I have the voice of a goddamn angel. And that song didn’t make any fucking sense, I fucking blew it out of the fucking water- what the fucks so funny?”

“Nothing!” You try and smother the giggles that had built in you as he’d devolved into rambling ire. “You’re way angrier about this than I thought you’d be.”

“I’m not fucking angry-“

“I can feel it, Ben.” You press your leg further against his in reminder. “And even if I couldn’t, you just said ‘fuck’ so many times.”

“I’m not a damn pussy, I’ll swear as much as I fucking please-“ Ben falters slightly as the word slips out once more, and you grin at him.

“When you’re angry, every other word out of your mouth is ‘fuck’. It’s actually really funny.“

“I’m glad it’s amusing for you.” He’s glaring at you, but you can feel the rapid ebbing of his anger through your body.

“It is.” You shrug, and attempt an olive branch. “So was the Rapture video. I used to watch it all the time.”

“Really?” At your words, he’s suddenly giving a toothy, egotistical grin. “What, did you have a crush on me?”

“No,” You mirror his grin, even as you feel your cheeks heat and hear your sister’s teasing in your ear. “It was just really funny.”

He scoffs. “Like you could’ve done it any damn better.”

“Oh, I know I couldn’t have. I sing like a horse who chain smokes.” The lie slips through your teeth with practiced ease. “But nobody would be paying me whatever digusting amout they payed you.”

"Joke's on you, Sunshine. I bought a house with that money."

"Hm," you give him a toothy smile. "I think that makes the joke on Vought."

“I liked your dancing,” Hughie offers weakly. “It was… interesting.”

“See, Cocksucker gets it.” Ben says smugly, giving you a nudge as his attention refocuses on the video.

“That’s, that’s not my name…” Hughie sighs, and you offer him an apologetic, close-lipped smile.

Still leaning over you, Ben takes another bite of the burger as he watches Firecracker. “She’s got good tits,” he observes, and you tilt your head to look at him incredulously. “What?! She does!”

“You didn’t even last,” you look at the clock on Hughie’s laptop. “Five minutes.”

“That’s bullshit, I always last more than five minutes- Hey!”

You manage to fit the entire remaining burger into your mouth a once, chewing frantically before he can try and take it back from you. You give him a smug look. I warned you, Pretty Boy.

He narrows his eyes at you. I’ll make you fucking regret that, Sunshine.

You swallow, his promise of regret already catching up to you from the large bite as the food aches down your throat, and push Ben until he’s fully in his seat. “Her tits better not be nice enough that you decide to blow the mission.”

“Don’t worry, Sunshine, yours are better.” He ignores your venomous look. “And she’s with Homelander. Even the best fucking tits in the world couldn’t make up for choosing that pussy.” His eyes narrow at the screen. “I should just fucking go now, it’s been the same stupid shit for a damn hour.”

“No!” Hughie’s arm shoots out to hold him in his seat, before thinking better and pulling back just as fast. “No, they’re almost ready, please, can we just wait until they’re ready?”

Ben shoots you a look of questioning annoyance. I could just fucking go. Cocksucker couldn’t stop me, and we could all be fucking done and go home early.

No. We’re sticking to the plan. You glare back.

He rolls his eyes. Fucking stupid plan if it takes ten goddamn hours to set up.

You stick your tongue out at him, and turn back to Hughie. “Have they sent any updates? At least gotten the stage passes?”

“They aren’t supposed to check in for another three minutes.” Hughie shakes his head. “And MM’s still working on the stage passes. They’re $350 for some fucking reason.”

“I don’t need a stage pass.” Ben grumbles. “I could just walk in if you would give me the suit, none of those pussies would stop me.”

“The whole point is that you don’t have the suit. But…” You trail off, frowning to yourself. “Hughie, Ben might be right about the stage pass.”

Ben makes a satisfied “Ha!” as Hughie gives you a wide-eyed stare.

“But they can’t know he’s working with-“

“Butcher and Starlight, yeah, I know, it's my plan. But the whole idea is that he’s rogue. Soldier Boy, back from the dead once more, loose on the streets of Manhattan with no adult supervision.” You sweep your hand in a mock headline gesture, and pretend you can’t feel Ben’s indignance. “A real rogue hundred year old terrorist would not have a credit score that lets him buy Vought’s super-diamond-truther backstage pass.”

“So I can have my fucking suit-“

“No,” you snap, and Ben scowls. “That defeats the point even more than the stage pass. Your suit is known government property. It was being kept in a high-security warehouse in Florida. It would be really fucking suspicious if you were wearing it.”

“They were keeping my suit in Florida?!” Ben’s face coils in disgust. “Was my fucking shield in Florida too?! Fuck, is it still fucking there?! In goddamn, sweat-stained-“

“No, apparently Vought was keeping your shield in Ohio.”

“Fucking Ohio?!”

“This doesn’t really seem like it’s about the mission anymore,” Hughie says nervously.

“It’s not, it’s about you fucking dumbass cum guzzlers keeping my shit in goddamn Florida and Ohio- Fuck!”

You give Ben a warning glare, fingers still smoking, as he rubs his arm. “They survived it, and maybe if you put on your big boy pants you’ll manage to as well. Now-“ You turn to Hughie. “You should tell MM that we don’t need the stage pass before he spends a disgusting amount of money on it.”

As Hughie takes out his phone, closing his laptop and standing to cross the van for some semblance of privacy, Ben nudges you with a grunt of your name.

“I don’t like this.” He’s frowning at nothing in particular, and you can feel tight, solid concern through your body. “It’s too fucking public.”

You wrinkle your brow at him, eyes narrowing. “Since when do you give a shit how ‘public’ a mission is?”

“Since it’s a fucking liability. Too fucking public means too many fucking people that even I won’t be able to control.”

“That’s the point-“

“I fucking know ‘that’s the point’, Sunshine, you’ve made that real fucking clear.” Ben grunts, giving you an odd look as his tight feeling grows in your chest. “Doesn’t mean I have to like this fucking dumb plan.”

“Well,” you shrug. “I love it. It’s going to work, you’ll admit I’m a goddamn genius, and maybe Firecracker will start crying like a baby.”

Ben snorts, and a jab of his amusement hits you. But before he can make any snide comments, Hughie hangs up his call with MM and returns to where you and Ben are pressed against the wall of the van.

“Well, MM’s really not happy about it, but he agrees it’s smarter not to do the pass.” Hughie sighs. “And he says that Butcher’s on his way to get us. He should be here in five.”

You nod, turning to Ben with narrow eyes. “Repeat the plan to me.”

He rolls his eyes. “What, don’t you trust me, Sunshine?”

“To retain vital information about my plan that you’ve called ‘fucking stupid’ numerous times? Absolutely not.”

“It is fucking stupid.” He grunts.

You sigh. “Please, Ben. Humor me and pretend you give a shit for one minute.”

Ben’s leg tenses against yours, and something falters along your ribs. He scowls as he speaks in terse, clipped words.

“Get on the stage, make sure the cameras see me, neutralize that Firecracker broad, and beat her up, but don’t kill her for some fucking reason.” The last part is muttered resentfully, and you chose to pretend you don’t hear it.

“And then?” You prompt.

“Break the cameras, find you, and get back here.” He grumbles.

You nod in approval. “You have to make sure you break the cameras, Ben. Frenchie’s going to make sure that all the phones get fried, but you need to break the cameras. There can’t be any evidence you’re not working alone.”

Ben rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I fucking got it. Kill the bitch, break the cameras.”

“Do not kill Firecracker!” Hughie says frantically, giving you a desperate look and saying your name in a pleading tone. “Please don’t let him kill her.”

You elbow Ben in the gut as you respond. “He knows, he’s just being a fucking dick about it.”

“Fuck off, Sunshine,” he mutters. “And you should let me kill her. She’s not fucking innocent, she’s a goddamn lying bitch.”

“Nope. No killing her.” You say firmly, crossing your arms. “You only get to beat her up because we need to sell the whole ‘out for revenge’ narrative. That’s-“

“The point.” Ben finishes your sentence mockingly. “I fucking got it, Sunshine.”

You kick him again. “So prove it, Pretty Boy. No killing Firecracker.”

“What if she tries to attack me? I should be allowed to fucking defend myself-“

You snort. “Her power is being a dogshit human sparkler. Her attacking you would feel like this.” You poke Ben’s arm, and he frowns.

“I thought she was a fucking fire supe. Like you.”

“I mean, yeah. She technically is. But not all fire supes can have massive fucking horse cocks like mine.”

Hughie lets out a chocking sputter, and Ben rumbles a loud laugh that makes your stomach feel soft and warm. You’re saved from dwelling on how the feeling lingers, starting to spread through your body in time with an easy delighted, sensation that’s not yours, by the opening of the van door.

“Am I bloody interrupting something?” Butcher’s dry voice is raised over Ben’s laughter, an angry and wired frown across his face. “Or can we all stop jerking each other off and do our fuckin jobs?”

“Pull the damn stick out of your ass, Butcher.” Ben rolls his eyes. “We’re not the pussies who took a year to do recon on three fucking blocks.”

"Well, someone has to make sure you don’t blow your load all over a bunch of innocent civilians again.” Butcher sneers, and Ben’s fists curl at his sides.

“I have it under control, you fucking-“

“Butcher,” you interject, feeling something hot and bloody in Ben’s chest start to grow. “We’re ready?”

Not taking his eyes off of Ben, Butcher grunts. “We’ve been ready, Love. We’re just waiting on you bloody cunts.”

“Then let’s go.” You start to stand but have barely moved from your seat when Ben’s hands are on you, holding you in place.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ben glares at you, and you feel that weird, tight concern along your skin again.

“On the mission, dumbass.” You snap, trying to pry his grip off of your thigh.

“No.” His hand doesn’t move, and the tight feeling grows. “Too fucking risky.”

“It’s my plan, Ben. Did you seriously think I was going to stay in the fucking van?”

He ignores you, turning to where Hughie and Butcher are watching the exchange, Hughie wide-eyed and Butcher scowling impatiently. “Tell her she’s fucking staying here with Cocksucker.”

“No can do, Mate. She goes where you go.” Butcher gives Ben a mocking grin, and another weird feeling writhes in your—Ben’s—gut.

“We’re right in front of fucking Vought, there’s going to be a shit ton of cameras-Fucking hell!” Ben’s hand jerks off of you, smoking and red.

“I’m a grown ass woman, Ben.” You hiss. “I know what I’m walking into, and I know what the risks are. And seeing as you somehow forgot, I’m in charge of you. I go where you go, and that’s not up for fucking debate. I can, I will handle my goddamn self.”

“Trust me, Sunshine, I know you can.” He says, facing his still-raw palm to you. “Doesn’t mean you have to fucking risk yourself for this bullshit-“

“It’s my fucking job!” You burst out. “The whole ‘find me’ part of the plan requires me to be in the fucking crowd, not sitting on my ass with Hughie!”

“What if fucking Homelander’s there? Then what?”

A painful ardor kicks up in your lungs. “He won’t be.”

“You fucking sure about that?” Ben’s voice is dripping with unconvinced cynicism.

“Why are you being so weird about this? It’s not like-“

Butcher gives an overdramatic cough over your words. “Oi, Bonnie and Clyde. I’d let you two fuck it out, but we’re on a bloody tight schedule. She’s coming, that’s that. Now get off your arses and let’s fucking move.”

“Shut the fuck up, you pussy. We’re not done with our fucking conversation.”

“Yes, we are.” You stand up, walking across the van. “Hughie, wait a bit until we’re out of the alley, then send Ben out. Ben,” you raise your hand, dropping fingers one by one as you run through the plan. “Get on stage, blast Firecracker, give her a few light punches, break the cameras, and find me. No casualties.”

“Maybe sprout some anti-patriot shit as well, Gov.” Butcher adds. “Really bloody sell it.”

You shake your head, giving Butcher an exasperated look. “No, we don’t know what Firecracker might say. What Homelander and Sage have told her. In, violent, and out. That’s it.”

You look back at Ben with a steel gaze, to find a glower of his face you’ve never seen before. His whole body is rigid, jaw clenched, mouth in a dropped scowl as his eyes burn through you. He’s looking at you in a way you aren’t able to read, but you feel like he wants you to. Everything about his face screams that you should be able to understand it, but you can’t.

“You’re, you're leaving me here with him?” Hughie’s voice is unsteady, and when you remove your eyes from Ben you find his face has grown pale.

“It’s only a few bleedin’ seconds, Lass. He don’t bite, don’t he?” Butcher gives Ben a cocky smirk.

“Fucking watch yourself, Butcher, I’ll crack your weak fucking skull and not break a sweat.” Ben snarls, eyes still on you.

Butcher scoffs, a taunting jeer in his voice. "No, you won’t. You don’t want to upset Sunshine.”

Ben’s eyes rip from you as he stands up at a freighting speed, body tense and fists clenched as he reaches his full height. For a second, you think you might have to interfere and prevent Butcher’s life from finding a brutal and inconvenient end in the alleyway, but Ben just gives him a violent, twisted growl.

“Count your fucking blessings that I have a job to do, you pussy. And sleep with one fucking eye open, because once this is over, I’m going to drown you in your own blood.”

Butcher gives him a mocking wink and turns to walk down the alley, leaving you scramble after him.

Before you’re fully out of the van, you turn and give Ben one last look. “No casualties.” You say, and almost against your will, your face draws into a look of and stay safe.

You don’t have time to read his face before you jog after Butcher, but the last thing you see of Ben is his arms still braced at his side, his eyes on yours with an almost feral look.

You catch up to Butcher right at the end of the ally, running face-first into his arm when he holds it out, halted before stepping onto the main street.

“Fucking ow, Butcher.” You rub your face where you’d collided, and over your fingers you barely have time to register the Noir baseball cap and jacket flying at your face, managing to catch them against your chest at the last second.

“Put them on.” Butcher says, and looking over the merchandise you see him leaning out the ally, watching the flowing crowds of pedestrians. People clad in red and blue Firecracker costumes and costume adjacect outfits, a few less in dark greens and Deep trademarked Love the Ocean like the Earth and Fish and Man are One shirts, and exactly one, a bouncing little girl with a tutu and big eyes, wearing a Homelander cape.

You look back down at the cap and jacket—which is a few sizes too big—and realize both were made by Uought International, and that Noir has been spelled as Noire. Looking up, you see that Butcher has pulled a Quen Maeve sweatshirt over his shirt, and is wearing green-tinted sunglasses that have little, blue Soldier Boy brand symbols along the frame.

“You shouldn’t wear those,” you point to your nose, mirroring where the sunglasses sit on Butcher’s face.

“Why, Love, you want them so you can feel close to Ben?” He mocks, and you roll your eyes.

“No, dumbass. Right now Soldier Boy is a dead American traitor who’s going to rise from the dead and commit an act of terrorism in like, seven minutes. It’s not smart to wear anything associated with him to ‘blend in’, especially if you’re pairing it with an off brand shirt of the woman who sacrificed herself to save the world from him.”

“You know just as bloody as well as me that Maeve is picking dandelions in California.”

“Yeah, and Soldier Boy isn’t dead, he’s in the van, probably trying to blackmail Hughie into buying him drugs. The internet is a liar sometimes.”

Butcher pulls off the sunglasses with a scowl and a dirty look in your direction before dropping them on your Noire jacket. “Put on your clothes so we can get a fucking move on. We wanna get outta here before Soldier Boy sees you and carries you back to the bloody van.”

You wrinkle your nose at him and pretend you don’t hear the questioning contempt of his voice, shoving the sunglasses into your back pocket before you pull on the jacket. You give Butcher a nod and step out into the current of the street.

The walk to Firecracker’s stage is silent, both you and Butcher angling your heads down from the crowd, down from the blue, cloudless sky and anyone who may be in it. The sun beats down a warmth that is only offset by the biting of the wind, and Firecracker’s voice, projected by speakers to carry over the horns and shouts of the city, starts to claw into your head.

“Patriots, are you ready to know the truth about Starlight and how she’s been kidnapping and trafficking your innocent babies?!” Her voice has the same southern drawl you’ve heard on TV, her bubbly tone in stark contrast to her words. “We’re lucky we have Homelander lookin out for us, keepin us safe, otherwise Starlight might try to take us too!”

You drop your head further, some fearful part of your brain telling you that Homelander might hear his name from the Tower and decide to make an appearance.

Fucking risky, Ben’s voice says in your head, and suddenly you can see him in your head, that strange, angered and piercing face watching you. What if fucking Homelander’s there, Sunshine? Then what? You’ll freeze up, and I won’t be there to help.

I’ll manage, you snap back at his voice, and can almost hear his scoff.

You’ll start crying and wish I was there. You wish I was there right now. You hate that you’re walking with Butcher, who’s probably going to try and kill you instead of me.

Butcher won’t kill me. He can’t.

Never stopped him from trying before. I wouldn’t let him, Sunshine.

I’m stronger than Butcher. I’m stronger than you. I’m stronger than fucking Homelander. I don’t need your help.

But you fucking want it.

“No, I don’t!” You hiss, and only realize you’ve spoken aloud when the words come out strained, caught on a lump that has formed in our throat.

You hear Butcher snort from your side. “Who the bloody hell are you talking to?”

“No one,” you mumble, feeling your face heat as you feel his disbelieving look.

“If you’re going to lose your damn mind and go all mental, you can wait until all this is done? Would be real bloody inconvenient to have to kill you ahead of schedule.”

“Not funny.” You mutter, and are saved from Butcher’s response by arriving at the crowd, stopping next to where MM watches the show in an A-Trane shirt.

“He behind you?” MM says by way of greeting, voice barely raised over the children’s choir rendition of God Bless the USA, complete with trumpet and string accompaniment.

“Should be,” Butcher looks over the heads of the audience, scanning for something that he doesn’t seem to find. “Frenchie gonna be ready when Soldier Boy gets here?”

“Kimiko got them up on a roof across the street, and Annie will get him the electricity he needs when it happens.”

You glance behind you, hoping that Hughie can manage to keep Ben in the van a few minutes more. “We should move,” you say, turning back to MM. “We don’t want to be anywhere near the path to the stage.”

MM nods and begins to lead you and Butcher deeper into the crowd, weaving through the frenzied cheers and whoops as the choir walks off the stage. You stop at the edge of the crowd, off to side enough to avoid any crossfire, but with Firecracker still in a clear line of sight.

She’s staring down the camera, her toothy and smug smile projected on a Jumbotron as she speaks. “I don’t know about y’all, but I think Starlight should come down here and tell us why! Why she won’t show us any proof of her claims that Homelander is a murderer! When, need I remind y’all, Homelander was found innocent! Has Starlight been found innocent?” You watch her cup her ear, listening for the crowds shouted responses.

“Jesus Christ, she has to know this is bullshit, right?” You mutter to yourself, and MM chuckles beside you.

“As far as I can tell, she really believes all the bullshit she’s saying.” He says with a shake of his head. “She got this job cause her head was up Homelander’s ass for free, she ain’t gonna pull it out now that Vought’s paying.”

You hum, looking up at the sky nervously. “MM, has Hughie texted that Ben-“

You’re cut off as screams sound from down the street, and your head shoots to where you had just stood, watching as the crowd beings to franticly part for something you can’t yet see. Butcher and MM are stiff beside you, Butcher’s gun already in his hand as MM’s lingers at his hip. Firecracker’s voice has faltered through the speakers, her eyes wide and face slack on the Jumbotron. The feeling in you, the ardor against your spine and clawing at your skin, begins, and you try not to watch the sky. The sun is bright and there are no city lights, the only thing you can hear is the terrified people, but Homelander’s not here, so you’ll be fine.

The feeling is in your blood and gut, but you’ll be fine.

You’ll be fine.

Are you sure about that? Ben’s voice says in your head.

Shut up. You tell it, just as Firecracker lets out a shrill sound that echos down the streets.

You look up and find Ben has gotten to the foot of the stage, only his side profile visible to you. Firecracker has a shaking finger pointing at him, her mouth agape as she watches him walk closer, closer, closer. You hadn’t been sure what to expect once it began. For Firecracker to scream, beg, cry, fight, run, or collapse once it became that her life was gone from her hands. Of all the scenarios you’d traced, all the outcomes with more blood, less blood, more scream or quick silence, you hadn’t thought she start to laugh. Doubled over, cackling glee, tears in her eyes visible on the Jumbotron.

“Well, look here, folks! No need to be afraid, it’s going to be just fine! Soldier Boy here’s a guest, and he’s going to tell us all about how Starlight tricked him and forced him to fake his death!”

You watch Ben freeze on stage, and the Jumbotron begins to broadcast his tight, angered face to the steadily regrouping audience.

“Fuck,” MM breathes out. “They’re going to flip him.”

Butcher says your name roughly. “You need to get there, get him in bloody line. We can’t have him running off with Vought.”

You need to move. Every part of you is screaming that you need to go, go, get there and remind Ben that you’re watching and keeping him in check. But you can’t, frozen as you watch his movements on the Jumbotron, trying to keep control when your blood has run cold, and every breath you take is caught against that lump in your throat. You can’t move, and all you can do is watch him on stage, eyes scanning the crowd as he watches them look at him in awe.

Then your falling forward, barely managing to catch your footing before your knees hit the pavement, turning to see MM on the phone speaking in a commanding, measured tone, and Butcher reaching forward to push you once more. You take another, smoother step back before he can, but you don’t wait for him to bark an order for you to go. You turn back to the crowd with the bass of the speakers barely drowning feeling, trying to weave without touching anyone as it grows and grows.

You’re at the base of the stage now, and before you can start to figure out a subtle way to alert him, his eyes lock with yours.

What the fuck is happening. His gaze asks at it runs through you, his body turned as though he may start to move in your direction, and Firecracker's voice rings the air.

“Lovely, you brought her too!” Both you and Ben turn to where she stands, smiling and looking at you. “Our very special guest, The Anomaly!”

Your blood isn’t cold. It’s burning, everything is burning inside of you, scraping to get out. But there are people moving around you now, people everywhere, and someone is nudging you forwards to the stage until a smiling face is pulling you up and moving you right next to Ben. It’s so bright, and you’re burning, and when you turn your head out to the crowd, you see yourself. Up on the Jumbotron. And there are cameras. Cameras everywhere. Cameras that are following your movements as Firecracker speaks.

“I know ya’ll don’t recognize her, she hasn’t been around for as long as this patriot!” Your eyes tear from the screen just in time to see Firecracker playfully slap Ben’s arm, to watch his whole body go rigid as she did. “But she’s a real good friend, and she and Homelander go way back!”

You’re cold again. Cold and angry and sharp. Everything is sharp again, the faces of the audience are clear, and Firecracker’s words are no longer miles away. No, she’s right in front of you with a wide smile of teeth, and you can hear drums.

Drums.

You look down, and your foot is bumped against Ben’s. His eyes aren’t watching you anymore, fixed on Firecracker, but everything sharp in him, in you, is pointed at her.

“If fact,” Firecracker has turned back to the crowd, hands placed over her heart with a simpering face. “She and Homelander? Well they were childhood sweethearts! Supes, raised together, only having each other. And when Homelander went off to become our great hero, she stepped away from the spotlight.” Firecracker takes a large step back, turning back to you. “She didn’t want the fame. She just wanted him!”

A chorus of sickly sweet awwws ripples through the crowd, and the feeling is behind your eyes.

“Homelander was, is, the love of her life. Which is why, when Starlight and her team of devil-worshippers came to kill her, The Anomaly fought with all she had to stop them.”

It’s under your nails.

“She wasn’t strong enough, though, and they dragged her away from where Homelander had been keeping her safe to let her bleed out, far away from the man she loved.”

It’s on your teeth.

“Love that kept her alive, love that made her find another who had been wronged, another who would do anything for Homelander-“

Firecracker makes a gesturing sweep to Ben, and the world begins to blur.

“Soldier Boy! And now they’re here, to reunite with their lover, their son, and have the happy endings they deserve!”

The feeling is everywhere. Ben is pressed closely against you, and the drums are in your ribs. Firecracker is still smiling and her teeth are so white. The crowd is cheering and whooping and you’re going to crack-

Something smashes off the stage, and Firecracker’s smile drops. You make yourself follow her gaze, the movement like moving through mud, and see smashed cameras at MM’s feet. Gunshots ring out, and something above you shatters as Butcher appears, gun raised.

Firecracker’s face has contorted, cheery persona vaporized and she starts to shout in a furious wail.

“No! My cameras! My show- Do you have any idea how hard that speech was to memorize?! I worked so hard, and you ruined it you fucking-“

She flys across the stage, Ben taking large, violent strides to where she lands with a crack. You can see her fear when she looks up to where he stops above her, the light growing in his chest.

“Help!” She screams, looking around at the stage audience and tech workers. “He’s- he’s fucking crazy, he’s going to kill me! Someone- someone fucking stop him!”

The stage audience.

The tech workers.

You’re running. Words aren’t fast enough, and Ben’s too far gone for them anyway. You are, though. You’re flying, tearing across the stage and throwing yourself against Ben. He falls to the ground, the light still building, and twists to try and throw you off of him, his eyes so deep into himself you don’t think he knows it’s you.

Pressed against him, you can only feel the drums, and you brace yourself as the light in him explodes.

It’s painful. A blinding and unforgiving pain that sears through your body. Numbness follows behind it though, fast and empty relief, and when your eyes can see once more Ben is watching you with horror across every feature.

He looks like he’s going to roar at you, tear into and across you. You can feel fury and something deep into his chest that’s screaming.

Firecracker lets out a breathy, sobbing laugh from somewhere to your side, and even if nothing in him wavers, it saves you from whatever Ben was going to say.

“Shit, you're both pathetic. You can’t even take out one person?” Firecracker starts to pull herself up to her feet. “I don’t know why Homelander was so worried about y’all. You’re weak.” She reaches down, grabbing the back of your tattered Noire jacket and pulling you off of Ben. “I mean, I expected more from at least you, Soldier Boy. He looks up to you still, you know. Was so hopeful you’d flip. But,” she shakes her head sadly. “What a disappointment.”

You’re not sure how it happens, let alone where the energy comes from, but you twist in Firecracker’s hold and punch her square in the face. She drops her hold, stumbling back as her nose starts to fill with blood. You never hit the floor though, Ben’s arm looping around your waist as he draws himself upwards.

Everything is sharp and hungry anger that is driving in you—in Ben—to Firecracker. The thing in his chest is still clawing at him, and you can feel your own glacial fervor, but nothing is as strong as the hungry anger.

Firecracker doesn’t feel it though, the storm that's brewing. And she doesn’t know when to quit.

“You worthless bitch.” She sneers through her fingers, trying to plug the blood. “You frigid little whore.”

“Watch it.” Ben growls, arm tensing around your waist.

“Oh, fuck off, you fossil! She’s tricking you, sinking her little claws into her like she did Homelander, with her stupid little songs and dances!”

“Shut up,” the words don’t come out in the firm command you wanted. Your voice sounds pathetic, weak against your ears.

“Do you have any idea how fucking exhausting you’ve been?” Firecracker whines. “Everything was amazing until you came back. He was starting to trust me! And then Sage comes back, accuses Homelander of lyin to her, and says you’re alive. And all of a sudden that’s all that fucking matters! He’s just angry and hurt and it’s so annoying.”

The world is less focused.

“I’ve heard Moon River so many fucking times this week, it makes my skin fucking crawl. I don’t even get it! What can you do that I can’t? I want him, you don’t even care to stick around-“

Nothing is in focus. It’s only Firecracker, her voice, and the feeling.

“I love him, I am perfect for him, I am blessed and chosen and you’re just a lonely little stuck up slut who didn’t even wait after leaving him and everything he did for you-“

Her teeth are so white and you don't think you can breathe.

“Everything he gave you-“

You can feel ghosts of the pain, see the bright light as they push the fire into you. Can feel it now, trying to get out.

“To turn around and spread your fucking whore legs!”

Something in you snaps. Cracks, echoes through your body, and explodes. You’re everywhere, the fire bleeding from you. You can’t see anything but the white room around you, and you have to get out. So you let everything go. It’s just you and the fire, cocooning around you and keeping you safe.

Just you and the fire and something else that is gripping around you. Something in your chest that is thrashing and trying to keep you close. It feels safe too, so you let it stay as everything else continues to burn.

A deep, roaring voice is calling your name. It sounds like the thing in your chest, and it reverberates through you as if it’s pressed against you. There are screams too, broken and raw screams, but you can’t see where they’re coming from, and they don’t feel safe like the voice.

The thing gripping around you feels heavier. It feels safer. There’s no city lights, you can’t even really remember what they might look like, but there’s music. Soft and deep in your ear, wrapping around you. Putting something out along your skin. You’re getting weak, and you feel cold.

You can’t stop. Something in your head tells you. You falter, and you’re back in the room.

But you’re so tired. The grip feels safe. And the music is settling into you and feels so good.

So when the world goes black, the last thing you feel is the thing in your chest reaching for you, and you could swear it breathes in relief.

————

He’d figured it out. The tapping. Firecracker had said Moon River, and he’d realized that was it. The rhythm of the verses matched that incessant tapping of Hers perfectly. He’d taken a fucking gamble, dragging the verses from somewhere deep in his brain as she’d been consumed by the fire, and it had paid off when She’d collapsed into him. The fire still lingered long after She closed her eyes, long after Ben stopped humming. Most of the stage was ash, from the hollowed, disgusting bodies of Firecracker and a few unfortunate audience members to the still flaming stage curtains.

Ben picked her up, and her eyes didn’t even flutter. Her body was still burning, and his hands protested in pain against her skin, but he bit down his pain with ease. Ben wasn’t a pussy, and he’d heal. This was more important.

A thought that had everything in him—except the feeling he’d been keeping in his gut that had somehow managed to crawl into his chest—very fucking irritated.

Ben turned, carrying Her off the stage to get her as far away from here as possible, only to find both MM and Butcher waiting, guns pointed right at his face.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He growled. They didn’t have any fucking time for these dramatics. As far as he fucking understood from Her explanations, all that shit show had just been broadcast through the fucking nation. Homelander was probably on his way, and Ben wouldn’t be able to do his fucking job and wipe the floor with that pussy if She was still unconscious and the stupid fucking thing in his chest was worried.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Gov.” Butcher jeered back. “We’re not letting you off that bloody easy.”

Ben glowered at him, and his desire to throw Butcher against the nearest concrete wall was only barely defeated by the godforsaken need to get Her somewhere safe. “We don’t have fucking time for this. Move out of my fucking way, or I’ll make you.”

“Take your best fucking shot, cunt.” Butcher taunted.

“Last fucking chance to get out of my way.” Ben could hear the hitch in both their hearts, uneven from the growing steadiness in Hers.

“We ain’t moving, Soldier Boy.” MM angled his gun higher. “And you’re not taking her.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, you fucking pussies!” Ben roared, whatever patience he’d managed to hold onto vanished. “Homelander is probably on his fucking way, and unless you want him to take her, we need to fucking leave right fucking now!”

Both men blink, Ben’s words hanging in the air just long enough that he was starting to get ready to just fucking push through them. He’d deal with Her anger about it later, when she was awake and they were far fucking away from cages and boxes.

But MM lowered his gun, narrowing his eyes at Ben. “You’re going to let us take you back to the safe house?” His voice had a tone of disbelief that Ben didn’t fucking appreciate.

“Fucking hell, yes. Now fucking move your dumb fucking asses before I change my fucking mind!”

MM looked over at Butcher, whose gun was still aimed at Ben’s head. “The kid’s bringing the van round?”

“He bloody should be.“ Butcher grunted, but didn’t move. “But that don’t mean shit, I ain’t trusting this cunt to go quietly.”

“I’m certainly not going to go quietly if you keep a fucking gun in my face.” Ben sneered. “I might not do jackshit to me, but it’s goddamn rude when I’m trying to fucking help.”

“Why should we trust that?” MM asked coldly, glancing down at Her in Ben’s arms. “This is your ticket out. You’re probably just going to kill us in the van while she’s still out.”

Ben fucking knew that, he wasn’t an fucking idiot. He could hear Her heartbeat, fully steady as sleep held her under, could feel the scalding heat of her body almost fully faded. When he glanced down at her face, it painted into an empty ease. But when he blinked, it would flash back to just before she’d burst. Afraid. Only pure terror on Her face as Firecracker screamed about Homelander.

She wasn’t going back there.

“I guess you’re going to have to take a fucking gamble.” Ben held MM’s stare. “Because you have five seconds to fucking move before I kill both you pussies and leave with her.”

Some part of Ben still managed to be surprised when they exchanged one last, tense look, MM’s eyes flaring at Butcher, who dropped his gun with an angry huff. When MM started to walk away, likely to where Cocksucker waited with the van, and Butcher only said, “Breathe one wrong breath, Soldier Boy, and I’ll put you right back under.”

Ben wanted to. He wanted to step just far out enough of line that he’d be justified in bashing Butcher’s smug, pussy fucking head against the curb. But he didn’t, just keeping Her in place against him until they were back at the safe house, glaring at the whole sorry fucking lot of Her team as they watched Ben hold Her in the corner. Her heartbeat stayed steady, and it kept the drum in him from bursting, aided by the thing in his chest settling back into him the more distance grew between Her and the stage, Vought Tower, and Homelander.

When they reached the safe house, Ben didn’t bother to pause, waiting only for Butcher to open the door, before he was moving through the hall in tight, bounding steps. Up the stairs, shoving the door to Her room open, laying her on the bed above her sheets. She let out a little sigh as he let her go, and Ben hated how it made the thing in his chest wake up. He had to get himself under fucking control. She was safe, he’d done what he fucking needed to, and he wasn’t about to be a goddamn creep and watch her sleep.

The seconds were starting to stretch though, as he watched Her, listened to the steady sound of her heart. She looked so fucking peaceful, and it was calming the thing in his chest.

Fuck, he didn’t like how easy it felt. Especially as she let out another small sigh, rolling over with an arm stretching out, and he wanted to touch her upturned palm. That realization snapped him out of whatever stupid fucking trance he’d been dragged into, and he managed to turn, walking towards the door.

Before he left though—practically against his will—he turned back just in time to hear another sigh and see Her body curl into the mattress.

“Sleep well, Sunshine.” He muttered and tried to ignore the last sigh released from her chest, and how if ran through him.

When Ben got down to the kitchen, goddamn fucking Cocksucker and Starlight were waiting for him.

“What are you cum guzzlers still fucking doing here?” He grumbled, pushing past them to get to the pantry.

“Is she ok?” Cocksucker asked, and Ben shrugged, grabbing a bag of half-eaten jerky from the top shelf.

“She’ll fucking live.” He ignored the flash of Her fearful face in his head, and how his grip on the bag turned to steel. “One of you better answer my goddamn question.”

“We need to talk to her,” Starlight said softly.

“Don’t hold your fucking breath, she’s out cold.” Ben snapped.

Starlight sighed. “We’ll wait.”

“No, you won’t.” Ben turned around to face her. “She needs to fucking rest.”

“Cocksucker look between Starlight and Ben nervously. “We need to make sure-“

“She did you a fucking favor.” Ben growled. “Firecracker’s not a problem anymore, and her stupid plan fucking worked.”

“She killed four people.” Starlight said tightly. “And after Ashley, we need to know that she’s still with us.”

“With you?” Ben scoffed, saying Her name in the same exasperated tone. “Her? You think she’s going to turn against you fucking pussies?”

“She’s- she’s been weird.” Cocksucker stuttered. “And you’ve gotten closer than we thought-“

“Fuck off.” Ben snorted. “I haven’t turned her, if that’s what your dumb little pea-brains think.”

“We’re not who you have to convince, Soldier Boy.” Starlight watched Ben with a frown. “I trust her. Hughie trusts her.”

“Then what the fuck-“

“Butcher,” Cocksucker said softly. “MM. Mallory. They’re worried she’s going to be a liability.”

“Then they can come fucking tell me their fucking selves.” Ben hissed. “Now get the fuck out.”

Starlight looked like she was going to push back, and Ben was ready to throw her through the door himself, but Cocksucker placed his hand on her back, and something passed silently between them.

“Fine,” Starlight sighed, giving Ben one last, tired look. “If you promise to tell us when she’s awake, I can try and hold them off.” Her eyes narrowed. “For her.”

Ben grunted. “Deal.”

And they were gone, and Ben was alone in the kitchen.

She didn’t wake up for three full days. Three, long, insufferably quiet days where it was just Ben. Three days of pacing, of eating alone, of watching TV all through the damn night because he couldn’t sleep even if he fucking tried. Three days of the awful thing in his chest making up stupid excuse to open the door to her room and check to see if she had vanished. She never had, she would always be twisted on the bed, heart steady, face empty. At some point Ben moved Her under the covers, after he made up an excuse to touch her and found her not burning like he’d been checking for, but freezing cold. Three long days of wishing She was awake, reminding himself he didn’t fucking need Her awake, and the thing in his chest roaring that he did.

He tried to push it down, and almost succeeded, but at the end of the second day he walked downstairs from where he’d been standing outside her door for a disgustingly long time—finally managing to not push in and check on her—to find Butcher in the living room.

“She’s still out.” Ben had grunted, and Butcher had only shrugged.

“I ain’t here for her. We need to have a little chat.”

“I’m good.”

“I wasn’t bloody asking.”

Ben remembered wondering in the moment if he was already in enough hot water that killing Butcher wouldn’t really matter. “You’re playing a game you can’t fucking win.” He’d warned, and even Butcher’s heart hadn’t stuttered.

“I’ll be out of your hair in a flash, Gov. But not until you fucking listen.” Butcher managed to have more intelligence than Ben thought him capable of, and didn’t wait to hear Ben’s answer before he began. “Her plan, somehow, bloody worked. Most of the media coverage is sayin that Firecracker started panicking and lying to try and keep herself alive. You’re being label as a crazed lunatic, out for revenge.”

“Then what’s the fucking problem-“

“Her. Everyone’s buying the story about Her and Homelander, thinkin you kidnapped her after we tried to kill her.”

Ben rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t even make any fucking sense.”

“Don’t need to make sense. It’s the narrative Vought got, and they’re running with it. As far as the public knows, you’re back, out for bloody and evil revenge, and are holding her hostage to hurt Homelander.” Butcher narrowed his eyes at Ben. “And they’ve reached out. They want to meet with you.”

“They?” Ben paused, ready to grab Butcher’s tongue and make him stop talking in fucking riddles. “Who the fuck is they?”

“Vought.” Butcher said shortly. “Sage. Homelander.”

Ben snorted. “Fuck no. We’re not bringing her anywhere near that goddamn pussy and his conniving bitch.”

“Good thing they only want to talk to you, then, ain’t it.”

That made Ben pause, eyes narrowing at Butcher as suspicion had begun to build in his chest. “The fuck are you talking about.”

“One hour, a truce, just you, me, Starlight, Homelander, and Sage. At the old Starlight Fund building. Just talking.”

Ben snorted. “You dumb enough to believe that?”

“Nope. But you agree, it happens.”

Ben grunted. He didn’t trust any of it. He didn’t trust Homelander to have no ulterior motive. He didn’t trust Sage to not be plotting something. He didn’t trust Butcher to not have a fucking trick up his stupid fucking Hawaiian shirt. “And if don’t.”

Butcher shrugged. “Then this conversation never happened.”

Ben had said your name carefully, trying to feel out whatever it was he fucking knew Butcher was hiding. “What about her?”

“She’d stay here.”

Ben raised his brows at that. “You’d trust me without her?”

“Fucking hell, no. Not if hell bloody froze over. Don’t trust you with her. We’d set up something to make you go night-night if you get all nuclear. CIA got more than enough gas to put you under, they can spare some for our lovely uses.”

“How long does the offer stand?” Ben asked, pushing down the drum.

Butcher had shrugged. “Until you give an answer.”

“I’ll think about it.” Ben said. “Now get the fuck out.”

Butcher chuckled dryly. “Alright, Gov. Keep your damn pants on.” As Butcher walked, hands in pockets, down the hall, he paused as he passed Ben, and shoved something into his hands. “She dropped those on her way to the stage. Good luck when she wakes up, Mate. I’d keep her away from the telly.”

Ben had looked down at what Butcher had given him as the man walked away, brow furrowing at what he found.

Shitty, off-brand Soldier Boy sunglasses.

Ben had placed them in his room to give to Her later. But another full day had passed before she woke up, and Ben’s mind had not stilled the whole fucking time.

He hadn’t been lying. Ben thought about Butcher’s—Homelander’s—offer. Constantly. Starting with the fact that he didn’t have a goddamn thing to say to Homelander. The shock of their relation had long passed, fading into a numbness of just another fucking job for Ben to do, just another way in which he had to be alone. Then the numbness had been replaced by a blinding wrath. A disgust from what he had done. Ben wasn’t a saint, saints were weak, self-righteous whiners. But he wasn’t a fucking monster. He did what had to be done, and a little more to make sure he didn’t have to do it again. He didn’t take women and lock them in cages. He didn’t hurt people until the singular thought of him made them afraid. People fear Ben, yes. But just as much as they should.

Ben didn’t fear Homelander. She didn’t fear Ben. But She feared Homelander. A weak, fucking pathetic man who had needed to break someone stronger than him, someone worth more than him powerless, to feel big. She was worth so much more than Homelander that she wanted to help people. Worth so much more that she still somehow looked at the world and found it worth something. She found worth in fucking everything. Everything was amusing to Her, everything was beautiful, everything had value and meaning. Ben fucking hated it. It leaked into him, and felt fucking strange. Because he could hear Her in his head, saying Pretty Boy, this is an opportunity. Don’t be a petty baby and waste it.

And that was where the thoughts would loop. Ben didn’t want to talk to Homelander. Homelander had hurt Her and Ben never would. She’d find a way to use this, though, and She’d want him to go. But Ben didn’t want to talk to Homelander. Over and over until Ben heard Her heartbeat stutter, heard shuffling around in Her room, and had to fight the thing roaring in his chest to sprint up the stairs. He somehow managed to remain seated on the couch, everything in him fucking strained to stay in place as she tapped down the stairs and cleared her throat behind him.

Ben turned to find Her watching him with eyes still crusted from sleep. When She spoke, her voice was hoarse, and her words were quiet.

“How long was I out?”

“Few days.” Ben answered, trying to watch her passively, to pretend he wasn’t studying her every feature. He wasn’t even fucking sure what he was looking for himself.

“What-“ She took a deep breath. “What happened?”

Ben paused, finding her eyes again. Keep her away from the telly, Butcher had said, and Ben had immediately checked to see what the fuck he was talking about. He’d found the answer fast: photos of Firecracker’s scorched body, interviews with the families of the audience members who had met the same fate. Speculation about what Ben was doing to Her, fabricated “evidence” of Her and Homelander’s love. A complete, well-developed, entirely bullshit story about her life. Born in the same hometown as Homelander, happily giving up her life to support him, working instead behind the scenes in Vought marketing and cooking in her free time.

Homelander didn’t have a hometown, that pussies whole story was even more bullshit Vought propaganda than Ben’s was.

She wouldn’t “give up her life” to support anyone. And if she did, they’d have to hear her bitch about it until they fucking died.

Ben had once heard her call marketing “a plague upon human culture and societal development” during the third commercial break of one of his football games.

Everyone would know if She had tried to cook Homelander food, because it would’ve killed him.

Butcher had wanted Ben to lie. But Ben fucking knew She wouldn’t have lied to him. And he knew She would find out the truth somehow and be a real bitch about Ben lying to her.

“Three audience members and Firecracker died. You passed out. We got back here.”

“Oh,” she said softly, but didn’t look away, and Ben could see something fragile in her eyes fracture. Hear the taps of Moon River begin. “What are they saying?”

“They?”

“Vought.”

“Your plan worked.” Ben grunted, and the rhythm of Her heart told him she knew there was more. “But Firecracker’s bullshit stuck. I’m being painted as a revenge-blind maniac, and you’re being painted as my victim.”

She let out a humorless laugh. “If anything, you’re my victim.”

Ben felt his mouth twitch. “That’s what I keep fucking saying.”

She let out another, smaller huff of amusement before her face fell back into that soft state, her eyes still tired as she watched him. “That’s all?”

He nodded. “That’s all.”

She gave one last sigh, and it sounded so weak. He wanted to grab her and figure out a way to make her move. Get her to sit next to him and laugh so the fucking thing in his chest would let go of his lungs. Before he could, though, she turned and padded back up the stairs, her door closing behind her.

Another day passed before Ben even fucking saw her again. She’d slunk into the kitchen around dinner, hair tangled and eyes hollow, heating up a box-meal before placing it on a plate and carrying it back upstairs. The next day was the same, and Ben had tried to grab her and make her fucking talk to him, and she'd stared at him with a wide, empty gaze.

“We need to fucking talk.” He’d grunted.

“Please don’t.” Her voice had been so fucking quiet.

“Don’t what?” He’d growled. “Fucking talk to you? You’re just going to never fucking talk to me again?”

She’d given a small shake of her head. “I don’t want to talk. Please.”

“You’re being fucking weird.”

“Please.” She’d sounded desperate. “I can’t talk. Please.”

He’d never heard her say please so many times. He’d only seen her like this, a weak and fearful girl, once.

He’d hated it on the Neuman mission. He hated it now.

He hated she looked weaker now. Hopeless. He hated how he relented, let go of her, and she’d gone back upstairs and didn’t come back down. Two more days passed, and the only way Ben knew she was alive was the sounds of music coming from her room and the food that vanished from the kitchen overnight.

Ben was going to lose his fucking mind. The last time she’d avoided him this much had been the beginning, and, fuck, that had been better than this. She’s seen him and fought with him, tearing him to pieces as he did the same to her. Stood her fucking ground against him, a completely insufferable, violent, angry bitch of a woman. Even after they’d called truce on their war, she’d remained a powerfully wrathful, unrelenting pain in Ben’s ass. Now she wouldn’t stand in the same fucking room as him, and he was going to go fucking insane.

So, on the fifth day, Ben banged down her door, ready to demand she fucking tell him who to kill to fix this.

He found her curled in her bed, staring far ahead into nothing. Something hit his nose that he forced himself to ignore, and she didn’t even move as he pushed into the room.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He asked gruffly. She didn’t answer, so he said her name roughly. “What’s fucking wrong with you?”

“Why did you do it?” Her voice was light—frail—as she stared ahead.

“Do fucking what?”

She finally looked at him. “Why did you go back, with Sage, why did you fucking do that?”

“I saved your life, Sunshine. And you never even fucking thanked me.” Ben knew his words were cruel, shooting to hurt Her. But maybe she’d fucking fight him. Fucking do something that wasn’t just fucking sitting there.

“You should’ve left me.” She whispered, Ben rolled his eyes, and her voice raised. Not to a scream, but a high-pitched, frantic tone of desperation. “You should’ve! You should’ve left me and run! You could’ve been free, why did you do that! Why! You should’ve just fucking left me!”

This was worse, Ben knew. So much fucking worse. “Why are you being so fucking dramatic-“

“You should’ve left me to die!” She screamed. “You should’ve just left me to die! Why didn’t you just let me fucking die?!”

Ben stared at Her as she started to cry, shaking on the bed, trying to push herself further back into its frame. She’d tucked her head into her arms, sobs wracking through her whole body as she held herself, fingers digging into her skin. No smoke was rising, no tapping or chewing, just Her tears falling as she let out another, broken scream. Ben was frozen, he didn’t know how to fucking deal with this. Fuck, he barely knew how to deal with Her when she wasn’t breaking down in front of him.

Through sobs, Ben heard Her say it again. “It would be better if you had just let me die.”

Ben didn’t need the thing in his chest to tell him to move. He crossed the room in two long steps, dropping on the bed next Her.

“Look at me.” She didn’t, so Ben grabbed her wrists and pulled them down. “Sunshine, fucking look at me.”

She glanced down at where he still held her and blinked, letting out a stuttered breath. Her voice was still so weak when she spoke, “What?”

“Fucking look at me.” He growled one last time, and she finally did, her eyes still so empty. “You’re being fucking stupid.”

She gaped at him, disbelief finally filling her expression. It wasn’t the amusement or rage Ben wanted back, but it was something.

“What?’

“You’re being a goddamn idiot. Things would…” The words vomited out of him. “Be a lot fucking worse if you were dead.”

She shook her head, the hopeless looking creeping back. “I killed four people, they’d still be alive-“

"Maybe.” Ben grunted. “Maybe not. But they, along with a few more, would still be dead if you hadn’t knocked me down. Which was even fucking stupider than you’re being now, but we’ll fix that later.”

“Fix that?” She gave him a sharp look, words still choked. “I thought we agreed not to fix each other.”

“You agreed not to fix me. I made no such fucking promises.”

There was a silence for a second before She spoke again. “I don’t want you to ‘fix me’. I want to care that I…” Her stuttered, and she took another shaky breath before pushing them out. “I hurt people.”

“That’s to job, Sunshine.”

“I don’t care,” she whispered. “I didn’t even want the job anyway.”

Ben watched her, wrists still in his hands, face faraway, and eyes still lined with tears. An image flashed in front of him, of Her a few years younger, singing karaoke and crying about stupid, normal shit. Something Ben himself had never done, something Ben wouldn’t even know how to miss. The image lingered in his head, her smile carefree, singing loudly and off-key, no blood on her hands, and the thing in his chest was angry.

“Ben?” She said softly, and the image vanished. “I’m sorry.”

He scowled. “Why are you fucking apologizing to me?”

“You don’t want to deal with this, with me. It’s not- it’s not useful to cry over spilled milk-“

“Shut up,” he snapped. “No, it’s not useful. For me. For Butcher. For Homelander. You get to whine over it, because-“

“Because I’m a woman?” She asked dryly, and he glared at her.

“No, smartass. Because you’re not like us. You didn’t fucking choose this.”

“You didn’t choose that,” she nodded to his chest. “Do you get to cry?”

“I don’t cry.” He said firmly, and She tilted her head at him in a way he didn’t like. “But I get to be angry. You get to be angry. And if you need to have a little breakdown to be angry, then so fucking be it.”

“But I killed people-“

Ben rolled his eyes. “Three Homelander supporters and Firecracker. Real fucking contributors to society, I’m sure.”

“They were still people.” She pushed. “People who I killed. People who would be alive-”

“If you say ‘if you were dead’, I’ll kill you myself.” Ben snapped.

She stared at him in disbelief and something harsher flickered in Her eyes. Fucking finally.

“I’d like to see you fucking try, Pretty Boy.”

He huffed a laugh. “I’ll wipe the floor with your ass, Sunshine.”

“I’ll make you regret crawling out of your mother in the first place, cunt.” She taunted, and Ben felt a wide grin on his face.

“I’m sure you will, you bitch.” Ben gave her a sweeping look. Her matted hair, tear crusted and red eyes, the smell he’d been pushing down starting to feel fucking visible. “But you need to fucking shower first, you smell like the shit you’ve been wallowing in.”

She glared at him, and for a second Ben thought she’d keep fighting him, or worse, start crying again, but she just gave a light tug against where he still held her.

“Can’t fucking shower if you won’t let me move, Ben.” She said flatly, and Ben rolled his eyes as he let go.

“Fucking drama queen,” he muttered, and She gave him a sarcastic, toothy smile as she stood.

“Eat me.”

“I would if you’d let me, Sunshine.” He called after Her, and though she closed the door with a slam, Ben still heard her heart flutter.

He waited as the water ran and tried not to think about Her, naked, in just the other room. Tried not to think about the relief the thing in his chest had felt when she’d stopped crying, the satisfaction it felt when he’d gotten her to laugh, and the stupid fucking anger it had felt at everything when she’d broken in front of him. He didn’t let himself dwell on the way it made him sit here. Fucking waiting for her like a lost goddamn puppy. Wanting to make sure she was okay. She was fine, she wasn’t sobbing and screaming, so she was fucking fine.

But what if She’s not, you fucking ass? The thing growled. What if she’s just waiting for you to leave?

Ben fucking hated that it worked, and he stayed on the bed.

What if She needs you? It hissed. What if she wants you to stay?

Ben loathed that even more. Because it echoed in his brain, and made him listen intently for any sounds of distress over the water, made him sit rigid and alert until the door opened.

She walked out, a towel wrapped around her body. She blinked at him once, and Ben couldn’t fucking figure out if she was even surprised he was there.

“Clothes,” she mumbled, walking to her dresser. Ben grunted, and watched her return to the bathroom, the door closing behind her once more.

Maybe he should go now. It was late, it had been a weird, long fucking day. He should fucking go and put some distance between the thing in his stupid fucking chest and Her-

The door opened, and She walked over to drop back on the bed, a small smile on her face.

“You’re real shit at comforting people, Pretty Boy.”

Fine. He’d fucking stay.

“Good.” Ben grunted. “And it fucking worked on you. Didn’t even get a damn ‘thank you.’”

He felt Her hand on his arm, and looked at her face, soft and open. “Thank you.”

He grunted again, staring back at the wall, and she chuckled.

“I mean, it was still a shit job, but it was so shit it looped around into being remarkably effective.”

“Doesn’t count as a damn thank you, Sunshine, if you fucking insult me right after.”

She shrugged. “Then do a better fucking job next time, Pretty Boy.”

Ben snorted. “Don’t hold your damn breath.” She didn’t respond, and he turned to find Her watching him, lips in a thin frown with her brow gently wrinkled. “I can hear the fucking gears in your head, Sunshine.” He said. “Say what you’re fucking thinking.”

“I’m going to ask you something once. If your answer is no, you’re not allowed to talk about it again.”

Ben frowned. Every time she started a question with a phrase like that, it ended up being something fucking insane. “Okay.” He said shortly, morbid curiosity getting the better of him.

“If you want, you don’t have to, and I don’t expect you to-“

“Quit fucking edging and spit it out.”

She glared at him. “You can stay in here tonight.”

Ben stared at Her, the thing in his chest clawing against him. “What?”

“You can sit in my bed. If you want. I know you won’t sleep, and I won’t sleep well, and I’d probably end up sitting in your room at some point-“

“Why?” Ben cut off Her rambling, frowning.

She held his gaze, her uneven heart the only sign of her nerves. “I don’t-“ she sighed. “I don’t want to be alone. You’d just be sitting here, nothing else. But if you don’t-“

“Fine.” He answered, and the thing in his chest roared.

“Oh,” she paused, and Ben was pretty goddamn sure She’d expected him to say no. “Okay. Good.”

She pulled herself under the covers, looking up at Ben from her back. He didn’t like what that made him feel, and how easy it would be to just pull Her against him and keep her there.

“Thank you.” She said with a small smile. “No insults."

“Whatever,” Ben grumbled, leaning back in a pointless attempt to find a comfortable position. “Just saving you the fucking walk to my room.”

“You’re a saint,” she mumbled sarcastically, eyes drooping. “I’m sure this must have been very hard for you.”

“I’ll live.” He said, watching Her. “I need you functional, Sunshine. Small, stupid fucking price to pay.”

“You need me?” She breathed out, a sleepy smile on her face.

Ben rolled his eyes. “You burn, I burn.” He echoed the words she'd said before. “I’m not going to let you fucking burn. You don’t get away from me that easy.”

“How sweet.” She whispered, eyes fully closing. “I won’t let you burn either, Pretty Boy.”

Ben wanted to protest, and tell Her that he wasn’t sweet, just practical, and he—despite the protests of the thing in his chest—didn’t need her at all. But Her breathing became steady and even, fast asleep in seconds at his side, and he couldn’t fucking bring himself to wake her. So Ben just studied Her sleeping face, not empty, not twisted in pain, a soft smile playing on her lips. He should fucking go, She was asleep and that’s all She’d fucking needed from him. But he stayed in place, and watcher Her like a fucking creep. Her peaceful face, smooth heartbeat, and gentle breaths soothing the thing in his chest. Ben need to get himself under fucking control, he was being fucking pathetic.

But he stayed, all fucking night, unable to move and barely capable of looking away. And the more of the night that passed, the long he watched Her, the more he realized she was pretty. Really fucking pretty. He hadn’t been fucking blind, he’d known she was pretty before. Thought about it more than he’d ever fucking admit. But fuck, this was different. She was really, really goddamn pretty. And then She rolled over, settling so she was comfortably pressed against him, and he realized she was beautiful. Like one of those stupid, overpriced paintings art-pussies in the 70s had tried to sell him. But real. Fucking beautiful, in a way that made him unable to look away, that made him feel fucking stupid.

Beautiful in a way that made him stay at Her side the whole night, frozen on her bed with her body against him, all the way until the sun started to leak into the room.

[sadlynotthevoid]

Okey, but, I feel like og!Cale is the type of person that, if someone tried to make fun of him for a crush, he would be like "ah, yeah, that's true" and openly admit it.

So, og AlbeCale AU where whenever someone tries to mock Cale about liking Alberu or asks him about it, he downright says the truth. Regardless of who is hearing him.

As in, maybe once someone asks if Rok Soo and Cale are dating because they seem close (in part because they're kind of close, and in part because Cale keeps knowing what he is thinking, but they don't know that's just a Cale thing). And Rok Soo is like:

Rok Soo: Nah. This guy's type are baker princes.

Cale: You got it wrong. I don't like any princes who bake, I like Alberu only.

And Alberu, who was drinking tea on the background, suddenly chokes on his cup. Which they notice, of course.

"Oh. Hey, Al. Are you okay?"

—Totally unfazed for having Alberu heard the whole conversation.

He's so shameless about it and it's completely unintentional.

He has no idea of how people treat their crushes normally nor is interested on doing the same. He knows that some people tend to get shy, but a decade purposefully acting as trash killed most of his shame— Well, at least when it is about others' opinions of him—. If he wants to do something, being laughed at is not what's going to stop him.

And what he wants is to say how adorable he thinks Alberu is, so that's what he does.

Rejection? He isn't proposing anything. He doesn't plan on dating or wooing Alberu either. It's not that he wouldn't like it, it's just that it hasn't occurred to him that that's even an option. For him, who had spent years hearing everyone say the worst of him, the idea of someone wanting him by their side is so far away that it has yet to form.

So he keeps making casual comments about how cute Alberu is when he's confused, or "his hair looks so soft, I bet it feels that way too", or "he looks so handsome when he's tricking people. I like it more when he doesn't have to, tho", while everyone else feels embarrased for it. Except Rosalyn, she thinks it's hilarious.

Of course, he's pretty much respectful about it, never crossing the line to sexual harassment. And he would stop if Alberu told him too, but he doesn't. He kinda didn't realize that was an option at the beginning and, at this point, he got used and actually enjoys it a bit (a lot).

Cale: oh, sweets! They're my fifth favorite thing in this cruel world.

Rosalyn, fully knowing what she's doing: what are the other four?

Cale, carefully choicing which cake eat first: Well— *rising a finger per item* my family, animals, Alberu and wine. In that order.

Alberu: *frowns* I'm only third?

Cale, picking a chocolate tart: Mm? I loved animals since before meeting you and, at this point, is a part of myself. The other day I saw a dog and spent two hours squatting at her side without realize. It was not a conscious decision, it was... a soul impulse, let's say.

Alberu, looking at his thighs because damn, that's a lot of time to stay in that position: Oh. Wait, you've also loved wine since before meeting me.

Cale: Yes, but drinking wine is a choice. I can live happily without it. You would be... more difficult to leave.

Alberu: *processing* (that means— can't be happy without me aksjdjsj) "blushes hard*

Rosalyn, looking at Alberu's silly fuming face: (don't laugh don't laugh) Pff—

Cale: cherry pie? *Holds a mini pie in front of Alberu*

The turn tables when Alberu realizes that Cale doesn't have resistaince against genuine compliments. He never takes fake glibbery words seriously, but if someone says the slightliest good thing about him and they mean it, he'll become a mess. He just— doesn't know how to react when someone believes anything good about him.

So, Alberu starts complimenting him seriously— as reprisal, of course ("that's just flirting, nephew. You two are flirting, stop calling it vengeance"). Small but real things, details most people doesn't notice, deeper things that he deserves to hear (because, honestly, someone should tell him how sweet he is. How considerate he is. How much he should be appreciated because he's precious. And it seems Alberu is that someone). It works everytime.

Alberu calls his smile cute once and Cale stops talking. Face red and eyes avoiding everything, he can't pronounce a single word.

He calls him kind after Cale subtly helped a strange for no reason (he's obviously doing it in a way others wouldn't notice unless they knew what to look for. Alberu wonders if this is other "Cale thing"). Cale trips and almost gets discovered. When Alberu looks at his face, he's pouting.

Curiously, he doesn't have the same reaction when he gets called smart. He just smiles a bit and sometimes puffs his chest. Huh. Still adorable, tho.

[georgeweasleyslostearhq]

hiii could u do the scene where xavier tackles wednesday out of the way when she was abt to die but could u make wednesday reader and reader and xavier are enemies

yess!!!

WHY?

pairings: Xavier thorpe x Fem!reader Summary: ^^^^ warnings: none.

you were walking walking around the school, bored out of your mind until you heard a noise. you looked up seeing a gargoyle falling from above

"Y/N!" someone yelled before you passed out

----

you woke up in a bed with a bad headache. you opened you eyes seeing him towering over you

you screamed in fright before he calmed you down

"welcome back" he smirked

you sat up on the bed, looking at him weirdly

"hey, hey. take it easy. The nurse said you don't have a concussion but you probably have a nasty bump, yeah?" he said as he sat down in a chair beside the bed

"that gargoyle was going to kill me but you pushed me out of the way. why?" you asked, needing an answer

hy shrugged "call it instinct"

"even when you hate me?" you questioned

"you know hating someone doesn't really come down to when it's a life or death situation" he chuckled lowly

"so you did it out of the kindness of your heart?" you huffed "what if I wanted to die?"

"Mm-Hmm, you know, most people just say thank you" he stated softly

"I didn't want to be rescued"

"so I should've just let that thing smash you to mush?" he asked

"it would've been better for the both of us" you whispered

"it was either I let you die and risk someone see me not help and get in trouble, or I save your life to never hear the end of it" he pointed out

"if it were me I would've let you die. this cruel world isn't good for anybody, I'd be doing you a favour" you smiled

"see that's why we're different, it's because you have no empathy or feelings" he scoffed

"I have feelings" you spat

"right, yeah, sorry it was my mistake. I won't save you next time" he rolled his eyes

"I know that if there is a next time, it might not be a coincidence that you would be there again, and if you were you would totally save me, every. single. time" you smirked

"what are you implying?" he quizzed

"what do you think I'm implying?" you replied

"that I have some sort of feelings for you" he said

"oh. that would be ridiculous" you muttered

"I know"

it was silent for a moment, where neither of you spoke

"thank you" you murmured, hoping he wouldn't hear even if it was directed to him

"pardon?" his eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at you confused

"are you seriously going to make me say it again?" you groaned

"oh absolutely" he grinned

"I said... thank...you" you paused, taking a breath as you regret saying it aloud "thank you" you repeated

"I thought you said you didn't want to be rescued, no you say thank you. what changed your mind?" he smirked

"nothing. my mind never changes"

"so it's always this dull? shocker" he joked

"what's that supposed to mean?" you questioned, offended

"it means I think you could show more feelings and emotions" he shrugged

"I have feelings and I show emotions!" you scoffed

"right" he laughed

"I'm serious" you stated "if I weren't then why do I think you have pretty eyes"

"you think my eyes are pretty?" he smiled

"no"

Xavier smiled and sunk in his chair

"No. I mean I do. I think you have nice hair too" you confessed lightly

"thank you?" he whispered

"I still hate you" you lied

"I wouldn't doubt it" he said with a cheeky smile on his face.

[sasster]

Hard Work (Pays Off)

Well it was about time we got down to business, wasn't it?

[doc]

--

“Playtime is over,” the voice of his deity broadcasts directly into his mind, sharp and angry in a way that is almost incomprehensible. “Get me the boy.”

Then the presence is gone.

Persep lulls his head back and forth, searching for a good crack in his neck as he stands from the desk. He casually wipes a bit of black ichor that starts to seep out from his eyes off of his cheek. Across the room his human companion, more like immortal babysitter, tuts softly and shakes his head before producing a brightly colored handkerchief to dab away the same discharge from his face.

“I warned you,” Jarvis chides, “His patience had to run thin eventually, though I admit it took longer than expected.”

“Must be that soft spot for Lycaons.”

"Must be." Jarvis stands and cracks his back, quirking a brow at him. "I hope there's actually a plan in that handsome head of yours, Poppet. He hasn't the tolerance for failure, even from you."

“Worry not my friend, I’ve thought it all through.”

–

The pair come up on the hive with its sprawling garden and moss that hugs up the side of it in practically no time at all, the entire time Jarvis would continue to poke and prod at his charge for his imminent failure, saying this or that about how fun it’ll be to spend the rest of eternity tied together as Agents of Thazilis.

Persep never bothers telling him a second time that it is all planned out, and eternal servitude was never on the itinerary. Exploiting a blindspot to the hive's souped up security system, he leads Jarvis to the expansive lake and accompanying forested area at the rear of the hive and then, much to the immortal’s surprise and annoyance, takes a seat behind the trees.

“What are you doing?”

“Our god's bidding?” Persep feigns incredulity, as he puts a stick of gum in his mouth and offers the pack up to him. “It’s lavender.”

"Mm. Keep this up and we're both in for it. Quite like my head where it's at, thanks."

“Trust me.”

Jarvis slaps the pack out of his hand with a curl of his lip, but with no choice, he slumps beside the clown.

"Only an imbecile would take you at your word, Poppet."

Persep grins.

–

Several uneventful hours pass with the two of them sitting among the weeds as different residents of the hive enter and exit their stakeout area before anything interesting happens.

Jarvis already found something else to occupy his attention by the time the third human to walk out there was not the one they were looking for or the kind he uses for his own personal fun, he lays back fully with a handful of leaves slowly but surely turning into small weaved basket in his attempt to stifle his boredom.

Persep says nothing when their mark meanders onto the scene.

Blue hair pushed back by a purple headband, a face that says he is fed up with the world, and the most identifying marker, sigils of Thazilis, the same ones Jarvis sports, peppered along the back of his neck.

What an easy runaway to find.

The unfortunate boy walks over to the lake and sits at the edge with a foot dangling over it.

Persep pulls himself to his feet, a smug grin on his face as he watches his prey swing his foot idly over the water, and casually starts his walk toward him.

There are a lot of things to be said about Persep Lycaon.

He is a monster, he is cruel, and everything he has ever done has only ever been in the interest of furthering his own goals.

His steps hold no urgency, he saunters on casually.

There has never been a single person, troll, human, or otherwise that he has ever considered to be his equal.

He is narcissistic.

He has a god complex.

But above all else, Persep Lycaon has never played fair.

“Hey Zeke!” He calls out, projecting his voice in a way that even calls the attention of his indisposed custodian. Not just in volume, but the pure joy that replaces the usual calm cadence of his intonation. “What’s up?”

Zeke’s head snaps up at the sound, and at the same time, Persep activates his voodoos.

They make eye contact.

Zeke wordlessly pulls himself up to his feet and starts walking in his direction.

“Atta boy, you really are helping me out here. In a big way.” Persep coos, uncharacteristically. 

There is a bit of a delay, however, a lag in Perseps commands and how his new puppet responds to them. It might be that Zeke’s access to divinity, as much as he’s had, makes him more resistant to the power. 

Better beat a hasty retreat, in that case.

“Thazilis has missed you something awful.”

Persep returns to his companion in good spirits, smug satisfaction rolls off of him in waves.

Jarvis stands and stretches, his leaf basket abandoned in favor of inspecting the shell that toddles behind the purple blood.

“Color me impressed, Poppet.” He breathes, ghosting a hand over the marks that decorate Zeke’s neck. “You did something right.”

“Naturally.”

Momentarily Zeke rips apart from Persep’s control, regaining enough of his own agency to lean away from the touch and just let out a blood curdling scream, at the top of his lungs. His words are intelligible, but cause the Agents to flinch back and cover their ears.

How annoying Divine Intervention can be, a splitting headache begins to drape over Persep’s mind.

Just as soon as the yelling starts it is over and Zekes falls silent again, this time with his mouth clamped shut.

“How irritating,” Persep grits and reaches over to flick his forehead. “No more of that.”

“Consider the compliment rescinded.” Jarvis says, propping his hands on his hips.

“Do you know how many Gods are swimming around in there? Give me some credit.”

They are not afforded the opportunity to really get into the argument, when a great beam of light appears in the back door of the hive. The light’s vague person shape causes Jarvis’s eyes to widen. Persep hardly reacts, leaning forward to pick up both the pack of gum and the abandoned leaf basket.

“Jarvis,”

“Poppet?”

“It has truly been a pleasure working with you,” Persep looks up from where he leans over and Jarvis makes the same mistake as Zeke, looking directly into his purple glowing eyes. “But someone has to take the fall for this.”

His tone is apologetic, purely theatrical, and Jarvis falls silent the same way that the other puppeted human did.

“I figure it goes like this – Diollea will busy himself with you while I find a way to break Ezekiel here of that divine hold of his.” He straightens out and pats the immortal on the cheek. “I’ll come back and get you. I promise.” He says and turns to walk deeper into the forest while Jarvis starts walking to surrender himself to the glowing God.

[howlingday]

The Remnant Retention Regiment (RRR):

A secret organization established to maintain public order. Their primary objectives include hunting down spy networks and conduct surveillance of the public.

Primary tactics include the use of brutal violence, wiretapping, cruel and unusual torture, intimidation, and much, much worse...

They're feared by the public, though they remain ghost stories to their own kingdoms, referred to only as "The Secret Police".

Cordovin: Hm? Is there a reason you're here? Mm? Orders from the general? Fine. Best of luck, Specialist Arc.

Saphron: Thank you, ma'am~! I'll do my very best~!

SAPHRON COTTA ARC, AGE TWENTY-NINE.

THIS WOMAN IS A VETERAN SPY-HUNTER.

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

Clover: Man, what was General Ironwood thinking, hiring such a cherub-faced girl? Especially for this line of work?

Cordovin: If I recall, his exact words were...

Ironwood: "Who, Sapphy? She's a cutie, ain't she? Kinda like a doll~!".

Clover: Seriously?

Cordovin: That's what he told me. Besides, that might be just what this kingdom needs. Regardless, she gets results, whatever it takes.

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

Saphron: So, nice to meet you, Mister... Mann, was it?

Shay: I ain't got nothin' to say to you-

Saphron: Oh, listen to this! My baby brother just got married~! I'm just so excited to go out and celebrate with them~!

Shay: Uh, that's-

Saphron: And he's such a good man! So kind and generous and smart and he gives the best hugs ever! He means the world to me...

Shay: Yeah, so-

Saphron: Oh! Maybe you've met him? He works here in Vale, too! How lucky am I to make it here with the Argus team to aid in conduct a spy hunt!

Saphron: Shoot! That reminds me! I still need to call him and let him know I'm in the city! But just between you and me, I haven't told him I'm visiting, so hush-hush on that, okay?

Saphron: But for everything else, just lay it all out.

Shay: I dunno what you're goin' on about! I ain't a spy!

Saphron: (Drops photos) These are you, aren't they, Mr. Mann?

Qrow: Hey! What the hell?! Why didn't we get those photos?!

Saphron: I've been so excited to be here, I guess I just forgot to deliver them. Clumsy me~!

Saphron: Now, as for you, Shay D. Mann... WHY DON'T YOU START COOPERATING?

Some time later...

Shay: And that's it. That's everything I know. All I did was make copies, deliver them to the drop site, and they paid me for them. That's it. Dunno anything about the woman who picked them up. Said she was from out of Vale, but didn't say where.

Saphron: Was there anything you could point out about her? Any unusual ticks or features?

Shay: Far as I could tell, she was a totally normal chick.

Saphron: Mhm... I see... Tell me, Mr. Mann... DOES THE NAME "NIGHTSHADE" MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?

Shay: ...No? Who's that?

Saphron: She's a spy from outside of Vale. They say she's a master of disguise. She's planning to destroy everything we hold near and dear. She's the exact kind of spy why the RRR was made. Help us catch her, and all of this goes away. Okay?

Shay: W-Well, let me think of something-

Saphron: Something truthful and honest, yes, because you already know that lying doesn't work on us, and lying only gets you into more trouble.

Shay: Ghk! Alright, listen! I just needed the cash, okay?! To meet girls! I wasn't hurting anyone!

Saphron: ...Meeting girls? What about your wife?

Shay: J-Just for fun! Marriage is it's own other thing, y'know? You're married, too, ain't'cha?! All I did was give 'em some scraps of paper! It ain't like I'm plannin' a revolution! Cut me some slack!

Saphron: ...

Saphron: (Stands up) Let me be perfectly clear, Mr. Shay D. Mann. While it's true that I am married, neither my spouse nor my own brother knows that I work for the RRR, and I don't plan to, either. Part of the reason is so I can keep my loved happy because I'd hate for them to worry about my dangerous job. (Slips on black gloves) But the other reason... IS I DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW JUST HOW DIRTY I GET MY HANDS SOMETIMES.

Saphron: (Grabs him by his hair, Slams down) Mr. Mann, I don't think you quite understand. You don't see the reason. Your crime is called treason. Those papers may only be "scraps" to you, but to everyone outside Vale, they're tasks on their to-do!

Saphron: (Grips hair tight, Grinds face down) Unlike you, I love my family. I love my spouse. I love my brother. And I will do anything to keep him safe, regardless of what kingdom they live.

Saphron: (Twists hair, Lifts head and bashes) WHATEVER. IT. TAKES.

[triforce-of-mischief]

Starved for a Soft Touch

Febuwhump Day 1: Touch-starved

Rating: G

Whump count: what's on the package

Word count: 1300

Summary: Hyrule knows that touch is bad because touch brings nothing but pain.

AO3

Reblogs > Likes!

Hands and paws and claws, constantly touching Link, making sure he stayed in pain. There wasn’t a moment without a monster holding him in place so they could draw more blood. The hero was being used to ressurrect Ganon, and he would suffer for every torturously slow second.

Link struggled to break free of a moblin’s iron grip. “Let me go!” he growled.

“What’s wrong, little hero?” the beast said, a cruel grin stretching over its face.

“Get your paws off me!”

The moblin squeezed Link’s arm tighter and tighter. Its voice sounded almost Hylian as it spoke. “Are you okay?”

“Hyrule? What’s wrong? Hyrule, wake up!”

Somebody was touching his shoulder. That was bad. Touch was bad. Touch only brought pain. Touch could not be trusted. Whoever was touching him could not be trusted.

Hyrule scrambled to sit up, pulling a knife from under his pillow and igniting the blade with Fire. The orange glow illuminated Sky’s shocked face.

“Woah, hey, it’s just me,” Sky soothed, raising his hands in surrender.

Hyrule extinguished the spell and glared at the knight. “Why would you do that?” he hissed.

“Why would I do what, wake you up? It sounded like you were having a nightmare and I didn’t want to leave you in there.”

“I was. But it’s over now.” Hyrule lowered the knife, hoping that Sky didn’t notice how his hand was shaking.

Of course, Sky saw and reached out, arms wide and about to entrap the younger teen.

Hyrule shoved Sky away, then bolted into the woods. He didn’t go far, pressing himself against a tree just past the edge of camp. He tried to breathe through his panic and listened for sounds of pursuit.

He heard approaching footsteps a few minutes later and braced himself for an angry Sky. Would the knight simply scold him, or try to grab him and drag him back to camp?

To Hyrule’s surprise, it was Warriors who found him. The captain cautiously sat beside the younger hero, who watched him warily.

“Hey bud,” Warriors greeted quietly. “Sky said you had a nightmare and freaked out when he woke you up?”

Hyrule nodded. “It seemed like he was trying to trap me in his arms.”

“Typical Sky. Hug first, ask second,” Warriors huffed. “You needed some time to ground yourself first, yeah? And he messed it up when he tried to touch you before you were ready.”

Everything Warriors said had made sense, but Hyrule was confused by the last part. “Why would I ever be ‘ready’ for somebody else to touch me?”

“Most people find comfort from being close to people they trust,” Warriors explained.

Oh, right. The others had had the privilege of growing up in a world where they were allowed to trust, to be close, to feel safe. “I don’t… trust people,” Hyrule mumbled. “Every time I try, I get hurt. They hurt me.”

“You know that you can trust us, right? It may take some time, but I promise you can. And… you do realize that if we touch you, it would never be with the intent to hurt you?”

“But… why would you touch somebody, if not to inflict pain?”

Warriors sucked in a breath, his next words filled with far more sadness than Hyrule thought the situation warranted. “Hyrule… when’s the last time somebody touched you without hurting you?”

“Mm… never? What kind of question is that?”

Warriors muttered a curse and something that sounded suspiciously like “Hylia, why must you do this to him, too?” Then Hyrule saw him gather himself before he slowly asked, “Hyrule, do you trust me? I know we just met and you’ve had many reasons to be wary of everyone in your life. It’s fine if you don’t trust me at all yet, but… I hope you do. I want to try something, but only if you’ll allow me.”

Hyrule didn’t completely trust Warriors, just like he didn’t completely trust anyone. At the same time, he didn’t not trust Warriors. This was the first time somebody had appeared to understand how he felt, and Hyrule decided that he could give Warriors a chance. “I think I can try to trust you… enough.”

With a relieved smile, Warriors asked a question that caught Hyrule off guard. “May I touch you? I want to do something that should help you feel safer. It won’t hurt at all and I will stop if you tell me to.”

Hyrule still had no idea what Warriors was planning, but it would look stupid for him to turn back now. “O-okay,” he agreed, voice barely above a whisper.

Warriors patted the ground beside him. “Mind scooting closer? I can’t reach that far.”

Hyrule cautiously inched towards Warriors, who smiled at him encouragingly. Hyrule stopped a few times, keeping plenty of space in between them, but Warriors beckoned him over until he couldn’t move any closer without bumping into his side. Hyrule sat stiff and still, ready to run away again at the first sudden move.

“I’m going to put my arm around you. I’m not holding you in place,” Warriors told him, and waited for the traveler’s small nod of approval. Warriors telegraphed his movements as he reached around to rest his hand on Hyrule’s far arm.

Hyrule jumped at the contact, fighting the instinct to escape. Warriors had said that touch didn’t have to hurt. Hyrule had to trust Warriors, he had to. He was hyperaware of the captain’s gentle hand on Hyrule’s shoulder as he pulled Hyrule closer. Hyrule let himself be guided until he was leaning against the captain’s side. His heart pounded with fear, his mind screaming that it was a trap.

Have to trust him have to trust him have to trust him-

“It’s okay,” Warriors murmured. He began to move his hand up and down over Hyrule’s arm, the repetitive motion convincing Hyrule to finally relax.

Hyrule’s mind raced as he tried to adjust to a touch that… didn’t hurt. He couldn’t recall ever feeling something like this, but he was pretty sure that it could be described as soothing.

“This doesn’t hurt at all, right? This is fine?” Warriors quietly asked.

Hyrule opened his mouth to answer, but all that came out was a strangled whimper. What little composure he had left crumbled. He let himself lean fully against Warriors, tucking his face into the captain’s shoulder to hide the rising tears. His breaths stuttered and hiccuped, doing a poor job of concealing his impending breakdown.

“I know this is a lot to take in at once,” Warriors said. Hyrule felt him raise his other hand to Hyrule’s hair, giving the traveler’s curls an experimental pat. Hyrule flinched, his imagination presenting the worst case scenario.

Warriors was going to grab a fistful of hair, yank Hyrule up to face him, and sneer, “Such a soft, vulnerable, pathetic excuse for a hero. Did you actually think that you deserved a kind touch? One without pain? You should know by now that no such thing is even possible.”

Hyrule braced himself against the inevitable pain.

Ever so gently, Warriors ran his fingers through Hyrule’s hair.

It didn’t hurt at all.

Warriors’ touch was nothing but affectionate, and it felt so nice.

Hyrule melted under the captain’s touch and snuggled even closer, an incredulous smile hidden as he pressed his face into Warriors’ tunic. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing, accompanied by scattered sobs, but it was a bittersweet sort of crying. It was cathartic and good, and Warriors was patient and comforting as ever.

“It’s alright, you’re okay,” Warriors whispered, holding Hyrule close and surrounding him with a wonderfully cozy warmth. “I’m not going to let anybody else hurt you. You’re safe now.”

Relaxed and content in his brother’s arms, Hyrule finally believed him.

[natasha-in-space]

Quick which Disney prince/love interest are the characters of MM

That was honestly a ton of fun to write and muse over :D

Yoosung

Prince Eric from 'The Little Mermaid'. I can't really put my finger on why exactly did I choose him of all princes for Yoosung. There's just something about him first being saved by Ariel and then returning the favor down the line. Risking his life to save his loved one is definitely something Yoosung would do without any hesitation. Eric's devotion to Ariel is so reminiscent of the way Yoosung is ready to pretty much sacrifice himself to keep MC safe in his own route. Plus, they're both sweethearts!

Zen

Prince Naveen from 'The Princess and the Frog'. While there are clear differences in attitude between them, I couldn't help but think of Naveen the second I got to Zen. Naveen's charisma, charm and his journey to become a better person, both for his own happiness and for those he holds dear is so similar to Zen's own path in life. And hey, they're both so adorably flirty and giddy with their SO! These two would definitely become great buddies. I can imagine them performing together and absolutely wowing the crowd.

Jumin

Kristoff from 'Frozen'. Another odd couple of mine! Still, I think there's a ton of similarities between these two. Both Jumin and Kristoff are pretty reclusive in their nature, but once you get to know them a little better, you can't help but admire the warm and sincere heart hidden underneath the frost. They both had to close themselves up from the rest of the world in order to keep themselves safe. But, it never made them cruel. And they both have a cherished pet that they consider practically their family! The way Ana helps Kristoff become more open to the world is so incredibly similar to Jumin's route and it makes me very happy :)

Saeyoung

Flynn Ryder from 'Tangled'. Yeah, I think that's an obvious choice right there lol. These two share so many similarities it's borderline uncanny. Just tell me that the description of a lovable cunning thief with a heart of gold does not describe Saeyoung to a t. They both got a great sense of humor and the way we slowly learn of Ryder's true caring nature as the trust between him and Rapunzel grows is so reminiscent of the journey that we go through by Saeyoung's side. I just think they're neat.

Jihyun

The Beast from 'The Beauty and the Beast'. I know that this role is usually reserved for Saeran, but my take on it is more of a metaphorical one. I just really like the idea of Jihyun viewing himself as a beast that can only hurt those he holds dear and mess everything up. The way his burdens lay heavy on his exhausted shoulders... how he refuses to let anyone in, both for their own safety and because he thinks that he doesn't deserve that sort of kindness. While the Beast and Jihyun do not share much in terms of attitude, there's something so incredibly beautiful in the way that they both transform, inside and out, as a symbol of their internal growth. They both made some mistakes in their lifetime, but they learned that they deserve to be loved as they are. And I think that's lovely.

Saeran

I'm going with GE Saeran here, since I just don't know enough prince's to pick one for each version of him lol. For Saeran, I pick Prince Charming from 'Cinderella'! Okay, well, if I'm being more precise here, it's Prince Charming from the 'Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time'. This movie has NO right being this good, and it holds a very special place in my heart. There's no deep reason why I associate Prince Charming with Saeran - they're just painfully similar in the way that they behave, and it makes me squeal from delight and crack up all at the same time. Seriously, check out this movie while imagining Saeran in the place of Prince Charming, and you will never unsee it in the best way possible. I love this dork to the moon and back and imagining him being all goofy makes me happy.

Vanderwood

Aladdin from from 'Aladdin'. Again, I just really enjoy their personalities mixed together. Plus, Aladdin is a notorious criminal, which is definitely up Vanderwood's alley. Moreso, I believe there's something so inherently lovely about Aladdin learning to stop trying to pretend someone he isn't, since that only ruined his close relationships in the long run. It was hard for Aladdin to believe that he's worthy of being loved as he is, and his main lesson was exactly that. Vanderwood definitely struggles with their self-worth, which is why I believe that they'd relate to Aladdin's journey a whole lot. Just don't catch them tearing up while watching the movie because they will deny it to the ends of time itself.

[akuaya-stories-tl]

[SSR][Tis] Each Person's Resolve in Their Heart

Chapter 1: A Budding Desire to Protect

Devil: You restless bastard... Stop right there!

Tis: Hehehe, catch me if you're so pissed, slowpokes ♪

Devil: Damn it, no way I'm letting you go after that insult... You lot! Get ahead of him!

Devil: Understood! ...Don't be so full of yourself, brat!

Tis: Wow!? Dang... I got surrounded.

No choice. I'll go here!

Tis: Uwah, it's a dead end... Aah~ I screwed up~

Devil: Kukuh, the tag game is over now.

Devil: This is what you'd get for messing with us Devils.

Tis: You guys sure are smug for a bunch of petty frauds at a club.

Devil: Uuh...

Tis: Just pointing out your transparent tricks shouldn't get you this worked up~

And you guys made a mess of the store when I ran away.

What'd you do if I got banned from that store? That's my favorite one.

Devil: Shut up! This wouldn't happen if you just mind your own business!

I almost managed to wring out those idiotic humans...! Let's settle the score once and for all!

Tis: Oh, wanna go?

Devil: Be quiet and die!!

Tis: Haaaa....

Oryaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

[kick]

Devil: What!? ... Ggh!!

Devil: What the Hell is that flying kick...!? His momentum increased in the air!

Devil: Sh*t! First of all why is an angel hanging out in a club in the human world—

[kick]

Devil: Ggh!?

Tis: Are you saying I'm a hooligan angel?

But it's definitely better than being Devils who swindle money from humans.

Devil: Damn it, retreat...!!

Tis: Drats~ I overdid it. I'll probably get scolded by Master Mere again...

Cat: Meow~

Tis: Ah, a cat... Did I interrupt your nap?

Chapter 2: A Budding Desire to Protect

Sena: ...Is that Tis over there? He just gets inside that back alleyway...

Tis: Hey, I come here today too. Pspsps...

Sena: Tis, what are you doing?

Tis: Ah, Sena. It's rare that we run to each other in a place like this.

Cat: ... Mrow?

Sena: Were you playing with cats? 1, 2, 3... There sure are lots of them.

Tis: Yeah. They're a cat family living around this area.

Truth is, I've kicked up a fuss at my regular club store. Until the commotion cools off, I'm thinking that I'll kill the time by playing with the cats.

But it doesn't let me get close to them. Look, c'mere. Pspsps...

Cat: ... Puih.

Tis: What the. This is boring~ None of them are friendly at all.

Can't be helped. Sena, do you wanna go somewhere else? What were you doing just then?

Sena: I was shopping. Tis, why don't you try to give the cat this sausage I bought?

Cat: ... Mrow?

Tis: Oh, it reacts to the sausage. Got it, I'll try!

Here, kitty cat, it's a delicious sausage. Come and take a bite.

Wah, hey! Don't bite the sausage whole! You're too greedy.

Sena: I'm glad that I brought it, but it looks like it's too big for the cat.

Tis: Jeez, fine. I'll break it into small pieces so you can eat easier.

Cat: ... Nom nom.

Tis: How's it? Taste good?

Cat: ... Meow ♪ Lick, lick~

Tis: Haha, that tickles!

Sena: I'm sure it's saying "thank you" to you, Tis. I think it's getting fond of you.

Tis: For real? Does this mean we can play together?

Sena: Yeah. I think it'll be better if you have a toy ball.

Tis: A ball... Alright, I'll buy it right away!

I'm looking forward to playing with the kitty cat!

Cat: Meow ♪

Devil: Mm? That guy over there is... isn't he the one from before? Crap, so carefree playing with those cats.

Right, I have a great idea... I'll make you realize you've made a fool of us.

Chapter 3: A Budding Desire to Protect

Sena: Did you bring the ball today too?

Tis: Not only that. I've also bought other new toys from the pet shop.

Do you think the kitty cats will be happy~?

He~y, kitty cats! We brought toys to play~ We also brought the ball as promised.

Cat: ... Mngh...

Tis: What. Why are you guys in that corner?

Sena: Somehow, something feels wrong.

Tis: —Why is everyone injured!?

Mere: Is that so. Mere understands the situation now.

Sena: So cruel. Everyone is full of injuries...

Tis: Master Mere, please! You gotta help them before it's too late!

Mere: It's a request from none other than Tis. Mere will cure them wholeheartedly.

Oh, frail and delicate creatures. Breathe again...

[a bright light]

Cat: ... Mreow?

Tis: You guys recovered! Thank God~ Master Mere, thank you so much!!

Isn't that great, kitty cats! You guys are okay! It's great!

Cat: Meow ♪

Mere: That's one matter settled.

Now Tis, please return them to their original place.

Sena: But, wouldn't they be injured by someone else again...

Tis: Someone... Ah, could it be those guys...!

Mere: Oh dear, it looks like you have an idea of who the culprit is.

Tis: Ah, I was supposed to hide it from Master Mere... I'll tell you the details later!

Sena: Anyway, we need to place the cats somewhere safe.

Mere: If that's the case, it's better that we find them new owners. Mere will help too.

Tis: I see, new owners huh...

Sena: ...Tis?

Tis: ...Nah. It's nothing! It's so that the kitty cats can live happier after all.

We'll search for their new owners tomorrow. Let's go—!

Mere: ...How blinding.

Sena: What's blinding?

Mere: Mere can see it. A light of compassion gushing out from Tis.

Tis: Haha, that tickles.

Hey, you guys were about to die just then. Wouldn't it be better for you guys to at least behave a little?

Cat: ... Meow.

Tis: What's the matter? Could it be that you're getting lonely too.

We can't play together anymore... things like that.

Tis: Why must you guys leave the place you're familiar with?

Just wait. I'll discipline the culprits this time so they won't cross with you guys again anymore.

After that, let's play in that back alley again!

Cat: Meow ♪

[Fin]

[kobedivision]

ARB Birthday Special: Ren Nakashima

~~ June 26th ~~

“I used to waste my time dreaming of being alive, now I only waste it dreaming of you.”

Login Lines:

“Thank you, Tokyo!! I adore each and every one of you and I couldn’t ask for a better audience, goodnight!!”

“Eh?…’Happy Birthday, Vox’…Ahaha, that’s right! Wow, you guys are so sweet, I should reward you all for such generosity, what’s one more encore?”

Voice Lines:

“Haah…I finally got some time off, my manger sure loves working me to my bone but thankfully he’s not so cruel to make me go out and perform on my birthday, he even sent me a few gifts and birthday wishes.”

“My phone has been blowing up all day, so many of my darling fans have been giving me birthday wishes and fan mail, I’m even trending on PROFILE, which believe it or not, is quite a feat. I’m very grateful, they’re the reason why I’m even at this point of my career.”

“Ayano and Ryōhei are so adorable, they surprised me with breakfast in bed and then we spent the morning together. It was peaceful for about 20 minutes until they started fighting for my attention when they wanted to give me their presents. *sigh* I love them dearly but sometimes I’m worried that they’re idolizing me a bit too much.”

“Hey dad…sorry I haven’t visited in a while, y’know how it is, the life of a musician, no rest for the wicked haha…I hope you’re resting well, you don’t need to worry, I’m doing okay, Ayano and Ryōhei are thriving and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way. I’ll become the kind of great man you were and more.”

“Hey Max! What? Are you surprised that I’m happy to see you? I don’t care what anyone says, man, you’re my brother and I’ll always make time for you, that’s what family is for, right? Haha, alright alright, I’ll lay off, you look kinda tense though, is everything alright?”

“Oh whoa! Are these real crystals?! Where’d you find these, dude? Your forest huh? I swear, there’s something mythical about that place. Anyways, these are really cool, thank you so much, Max, I’ll have to put these in a safe spot, no doubt Ayano would rob me blind of these if she were to get a glimpse.”

“What’s up, Kai? Haha, thank you, thank you! Yes, yes, I’m so happy to be the legal drinking age-note the sarcasm-despite having been drinking since 15. Moving on, glad you’re here, hope your fans don’t mind but then again, I’m sure they would love to see Japan’s biggest influencer with Japan’s hottest musician. Wow, you sure are excited to give me a gift, okay, okay, I’ll open it.”

“Good fucking god, Kaiji what THE FUCK-what is this?! Why would you give me this?! No, fuck that, WHERE did you get this?! You’re fucking with me, there’s no way this is the real…holy shit…gah, don’t give me that fucking look, shut up, I’m…going to put these away, you are so lucky that you’re my best friend I swear to god…also give Lola my thanks.”

Max Lines:

“Ren…happy birthday…why do you…look so happy…? Is it…because that…I’m here…? Mm…thank you…that makes me…very happy…I guess…still kinda weird…hm?…everything’s fine…but I have…a present…for you…”

“Do you…like it? I…thought of…you…when I…first found…them…yeah…they’re real…I found them…in a small…area…of the forest…I’m glad…you like them…I think…I have more…for Ayano…”

Kaiji Lines:

“Haaaaappy birthday, RenRen, my beloved! This is a time of celebration! I can finally take you with me to bars! You should be, fucker! We can now get plastered together without us having to bribe the fucking bartender! Of course, I wouldn’t miss this for the world, my fans can go one day without me-I think-and besides, I can always just post a photo of us and I’m sure it’ll go viral immediately. Anyways, enough about that, go on and open your gift, open it!!”

“HAHAHAHA! Do you like it?! Yeeeah, I bet you do, y’know I had to do a lot of work to get that little piece, thankfully Lola was more than understanding but now we expect for you to finally get your ass in gear and take your dark angel to bed and give her the dicking down she deserves. Hehe, I see that look in your eyes, look, just try to control yourself until the day is over, happy birthday, dear~”

[idv-news-boi]

HEY! LAURENCE GODFREY

Hypothetically if you were a super big bad villain and you want to take over the world What would be the steps you gonna take to do so?

Mm.. This question is often given around. Does he even have to imagine himself being some crook? Well, the question is already a bit silly. So he’ll only going to hint lightly.

“Mm. A villain wouldn’t even reveal what he’s thinking~!”

“Though, Anon. Do you know what would the most cruel villain would think in order to take over the world? What do you think?” ^^

[cuddle-2-electric-boogaloo]

LOOK AT ME, BEING FUNNY AND FORGETTING TO SEND YOU, YOUR WELL DESERVED ASK, FRIENDO! Can you pick a word from your last twenty posts, doesn't matter if it was something you said or not in the post, but THEN can you make story from them? It can be however you want it to me, a short snippet with the twenty words, or a full blown short story using those twenty words as your inspiration. (Bonus Question: Eta on any of your bigger world stuff? :D If not that's cool too and I'll keep lurking and waiting.)

I can't believe you would make me, the most indecisive person on this planet, make not only 1 choice, but 20. /j

But anyway here's the list of words I chose

Prey

Welcoming

Comfy

Mouth

Taste

Eat

Predator

Stomach

Ask

Embarrassing

Vore

Provide

Teasing

Safe

Belly

Hand

Encapsulated

Naga

Lingering

Kind

And here's the story (you might recognise the characters):

Ruby looked down at the tiny little person laying in her hand, who was nestled asleep between her thumb and index finger. She held him closer to her chest and wondered how she could have been so cruel to this adorable little creature. Yes, he had tried to steal from her, but would she have cared? Probably not. It was only a few small things that meant almost nothing to her but would have possibly lasted him about a week.

It had been almost two months since that first encounter, and the naga and the mossling had grown almost inseperable. She would provide for them both, giving him meals that to her, were miniscule but to him likely larger than anything he had before, and in return he would use his proportionately ridiculous strength to help with some physical labours that were a more 2 person job. They were so close that they would often sleep together. But she had not once eaten him again after their first encounter. She never brought it up, partially out of shame, and partially out of fear of scaring him. He never mentioned anything either, so naturally she assumed he wanted nothing to do with.

But Ruby couldn't forget how amazing he tasted. That perfect mixture of sweet and bitter, with some saltiness mixed in too. She so desperately wanted to feel his wonderous flavor again. And she wanted to keep him tucked away inside of her, where nothing and no one can hurt him, because - as she herself proved - once caught, he is completely at the mercy of his captor, and maybe one day he'll come across someone much less kind than her. And she couldn't bear that thought. But she didn't want to hurt this friendship they had built up over this time. She didn't want him to be afraid of her again, and run away. All she wanted was to get him closer, but her desire might drive him so far away.

She felt some movement in her hand. He was waking up. She briefly panicked but quickly composed herself. She was going to ask to eat him again. And she was terrified.

"G'morning~" came the groggy voice from her hand, followed by a soft impact on her mid-torso as the mossling gave her the closest thing he could to a hug, and she laid her other hand on top of him in reciprocation.

"Hey, uh, Val," she half spoke as he walked back onto her hand, "can I, erm, ask you something?"

He sat down in the palm of her hand before responding "Sure, is anything up?"

"Can- can I, um," she fumbled her words before finally, quietly asking "Can I eat you again?"

Any hint of tiredness immediately left Valentin's face as soon as he heard the full question. Ruby noticed this and quickly turned her head away in shame. She knew it. She should never have asked. She had just ruined two months worth of an amazing friendship. She was about to explode into a flood of apologies until she heard a sound from the tiny person in her hand:

"Mm-hmm"

She turned around to face him again, before quietly confirming "Was... was that a yes?"

"Actually, I've been wanting to ask you myself for a while now" he responded, struggling to make eye contact, "I'd been thinking about last time and that, despite the situation it was actually kinda, um, comfy. And I know you like my taste so, uh, it'd just be a win-win, really."

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before Ruby grabbed Val by both hands and her coiled and held him tightly to her chest.

"Oh my god, thank you, THANK YOU!" she gleefully yelled, "I- I thought I ruined everything we had."

"That's- URK- nice," he responded with what little breath he had left, "but could you ple- ACK- PLEASE let go now?"

Ruby came to her senses and realised what she was doing, before letting go and brushing him in her hand as he regained his breath. "Oh god, sorry, sorry."

"It's cool, just-" he gasped for air "-please at least warn me before doing that again?"

"OK, sure, sorry"

They sat there until Val fully regained his breath, before she asked again, "So, I can eat you?"

"Yep. And in the future as well. Though, I'd like ample warning before it happens please."

"Great!" she exclaimed while lifting him up by his waist between her finger and thumb, "But I can't make any promises~."

She lifted Val above her face, like she did before, and opened her mouth. Gazing down into her gaping maw, he saw that unlike last time where it looked like the menacing gateway to his final resting place, it looked warm, soft, even welcoming. Once his shins were past her lips, she shut them, leaving most of his body sticking out of her mouth, but not for long, as she started slurping him in, until only his head remained, which she gently, but forcefully pushed it in with her finger.

Now he was completely in her mouth, it was time for her favourite part. She was going to make sure that not a millimeter of his delicious body was going to go untasted. She licked him all over, pressing him against her pallate and the floor of her mouth, as well as her cheeks, where doing so made a slight visible imprint of him on the outside. She couldn't get enough of his wonderful flavour. But all good things must come to an end, and her growling stomach aggreed.

Tilting her head back, he started to slip down her throat, but not too quickly, she still wanted to savour his taste. Her muscles grabbed his head, swiftly pulling him in, followed by his torso and arms, and then his legs. His anatomy made it so that going down head first was best to prevent choking. As he was travelling down her gullet, he made a very obvious lump on the outside of her neck, which she traced down with her index finger while licking her lips to get the lingering taste of the mossling as much as possible.

Soon enough, the lump in her neck dissapeared behind her collar, before making its way down to her stomach, where he was rather unceremoniously dumped. She breathed a deep, satisfied sigh and laid back on her sofa before looking down at her now occupied stomach.

"How're you doing in there, my delicious little morsel~?" she teased.

"Just fine. And... still unsure what to think about the complement of 'delicious'" came the response from her middle, muffled by the matter separating them.

"Well, what can I say? You really are" she chuckled, before rubbing her stomach.

Inside, Val felt a slight pressure from above. Quickly realising what was happening, he spread out all of his fingers and began rubbing back.

Feeling the movement from inside, Ruby couldn't help but grin. Not a mischevious smile like the one she had on while teasing Val, but a real, genuine smile of happiness at the feeling of knowing that they were finally as close as they could possibly be, and knowing that the occupant of her stomach felt the same way.

Eventually, the rubbing she could feel from inside stopped, and she could very slightly feel the gentle motions of Val's small, slow breaths. She let out a yawn as well, clicking her jaw out of and back in place as she lay her head down to sleep as well, hand still on her stomach. She was so glad she finally asked.

There it is, this took me until 2:30am to write this but I like it. Now I need to sleep, and I really wish someone could swallow me for that :( Also as for the vore lore™ I still need to do a lot with that (like give it an ACTUAL NAME). And also I should mention I'm not really gonna often refer to the story as a world due to it taking place across more than just one planet and even one entire universe. There will be multiple worlds and also multiverse shenanigans taking place in this story. Chronology is gonna get wacky also. It's less of a storyline and more of a story web honestly.

Also disclaimer this story has been edited since first posting.

[mickmundy]

wait can you please info dump a bit about animatronics (not fnaf)? i wanna hear what you've got 👀

HOLY SHIT WAIT REALLY...... omg now im so shy....... i mean i have so much...... theyve been an interest of mine since i was Small... i think this also stems from my love of "Unsettling Toys" in general (i collect old rushton/general rubber faced toys from the 20s-80s too)!!! also full disclosure IF i had been a kid when fn*f would have come out i would have been obsessed with it most likely. so no hate to it (but Lots of hate to the piece of shit creator LOL)!

if i wasn't so bad at math i'dve been an engineer.. its my dream to work on them (literally any, not just d*sney, though it sucks how few are left in Mainstream Settings outside of the parks!) because i love their workings and the process of how they're made and operated!! buuut at the risk of sounding like a wikipedia article i won't get into that and i'll do my best to keep it short ! under a cut anyway just because i dont want to be annoying ;-;

mm just a quick tw i will be posting pictures of old/tarnished/out of service anima's below and i don't want to scare anyone! but the tone of the thread is Very Loving so no scary content/facts here! <3

i REALLY love the pizzaria/General Eatery Establishment ones in their heydays (i would have loved to have seen the showbiz pizza palace ones ;-; they are So endearing to me...). theres loots of iterations of the showbiz ones so keeping it brief, i really like the wolf pack 5:

the tropical bear, the wolf in a suit, the sweet-looking fox are all pretty predictable likes for me, but this one specifically is extra cool to me since it was apparently loosely inspired by rocky horror! and aahhh something that i really wish i could have seen was when they had a yogi bear collaboration!! ;-; hana barbara was a massive part of my childhood so combining two interests like that would have probably made my Child Head explode LOL. but look at how cute they are! and how BIG yogi is!! AAHH!! as far as i'm aware these never saw the light of day outside of test runs at just a few small locations, but i would haev loved to see them in motion! ;-;

and of course i absolutely adore the circus world pizzaria ones, OUWAAA ;-; their faces were just too darling! even disassembled animatronics always look so gorgeous to me... look at her dainty golden necklace.. and her little fangs! so beautiful! truly works of art!!!

another genre of my favorites are actually ones that aren't "tied down", too!! the dinosaur at disney world that can walk around the parks was SUPER cool (though ive never seen it in person), but i really love the older ones since i don't think they get as much love as d*sneys and i Firmly believe they have souls and you should treat them kindly because if they dont kill you for being Cruel i will. y__y but anyway!

elsie!! she is SO precious very important to me... if youve known me for longer than five minutes you know i love cows, bulls and bovine in general (and horses... <3) so this one should come as no surprise. her voice also just prickles my skin in just the right way.. its very soothing to me! she was a portable animatronic (but honestly maybe more like a puppet!) that could be operated to interact with guests and was used to pitch borden's dairy products back in the day! here's some choice pictures of her, isnt she gorgeous!! ;-;

of course i could make a whole separate post on JUST my love for the disney animatronics just because they were the ones i readily had access too knowledge-wise. i didn't have internet at home growing up so i didn't find out about a lot of these until way later! ;;-;; or if i just so happened to find out about them through weird Word Of Mouth or "hey dutch you like creepy shit! check this out!" and it would be the most darling sensational little creatures ive ever seen in my life... <3 ANYWAY here are some of my favorite disney ones! quick disclaimer that i am Very Critical of The Rat and this is not an endorsement to the company's past (and present lol) Shitty Behavior!

small world and the tiki room are probably my favorite attractions to this day just because i love the history behind the makings of them and the animatronics themselves; the showgirl birds in the tiki room and the singing flowers... wow! and i could go on and on about the incredible textile work alice davis did on the small world dolls! did you know that its a small world was originally made in support for unicef? and the dolls need haircuts every now and then, too! hehe! each piece of clothing down to the shoes was handmade and while its quite dated by this point in time i can't help but hold a soft spot for it. i'm probably one of the few people who still love the song, too!

i'd additionally like to praise the animatronics for 20,000 leagues under the sea (SO devastated i never got to ride it!); the sea monsters and the legendary kraken!! AAHH!! so very iconic and amazing feats of engineering, especially when grappling with water at the time!! seeing these abandoned and ultimately totally stripped down and tossed in landfills (yes. landfills lol) makes me want to cry. i would have taken all of these little darlings home with me!! ;-; ridethroughs of this are of shoddy quality for multiple reasons, some of which were the fault of poor ride maintenance but it's to be expected given the nature of the ride.

some other ones i'd like to note are the america sings animatronics, who were eventually repurposed into splash mountain background characters (and YES i am glad they are finally retiring and letting princess tiana have her extremely overdue spotlight!! i am SO excited for the new patf ride!!). i think the gators are so handsome!! >//u//< but i also love the details on the hens/chickens. the feathers look so plush and perfectly capture that Cartoonish texture Over-exaggeration SO flawlessly!! look at their "fingers"! so dainty!

ANYWAY SORRY THATS MY THOUGHTS ON THAT i have a lot more that i could go into detail about and more Fun Facts (never ride a theme park ride with me. i will spend the entire time talking about animatronics and Fun Facts) but i won't bore u with them. thank you so much for even asking me this!! this is my first anon ouwaa!! ;;; <333

ALSOOOOO my favorite fnaf animatronics for your troubles. i know nothing about the actual lore nor do i particularly care about it. buuut i feel like i owe it to my inner child since i would have loved this franchise if it had been around when i was a kid (there would be no bigger Insister that They Have Souls!!!!!!! other than me lmao) these just make my brain go brrrzzzwrow!!

IF ANYONE ACTUALLY READ THIS ILYSM ACTUALLY AND I OWE U EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cryopathiic-a]

⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆

"Some people never want to share. That could just be what it's like for you."

Some people never want to share.

Words that may have brought a turmoil in one's heart; the sort of sentence that comes like waves ruffle the sea so the gunk might rise to the surface and be washed ashore after the storm. He has seen humans react in all sorts of ways to such a statement. Some become the gull that flies over the clarified waters and inspects the frothing muck for what it is — others, become the wave itself.

His options lie before him like dishes on a breakfast disk. The miso soup, the pickled vegetables, the fillet of mackerel; to him, her statement might as well have been an incitement to pick how he takes his meal. And, for a moment, the demon's expression becomes indecipherable as his fingers caress each metaphorical mask in contemplation of which one to wear.

Anger? Indignation? Thoughtfulness and contemplation? That is what it always comes down to isn't it? The perpetual question that haunts his life much like the temple's statues haunt the conscience of the faithful. How does it feel?

How does it feel for a Lord Founder, a bodhisattva who has given so much to the world, to hear, from a mere human girl, that he is a miser?

❝ Mm, that sounds a little rude, I think. You know, considering that I house and feed a small village in my home. But, hey, I might be reading too much into it, I'm sure you didn't mean it like that. ❞ There's a small smile; the fluctuant intonation is what bright petals are to the venus fly trap. Others hunt with teeth and claw; Dōma has his own, less violent methods.

❝ I think it's moreso that... well, living here all my life in service of the temple, I've always had everything I could ever wish for. Except... someone to share it with. That just sucks when you have so much to give. I try to help as many people as I can, and yet at the end of the day, I go to bed alone. Always. I guess I've always felt kind of singled-out in that sense. ❞

But just as cruel.

[liopleurodean]

Season 7, Episode 2: Hello Cruel World

He's still alive, at least

Poor Jimmy

Yup

Sam...

Doesn't sound any weirder than anything else

Yeah

Oh no

This can't be good

Mm, more like purgatory

Now I understand the title card

Leviathans!

The trenchcoat!

Dean...

Yeah

Black Water. Wow

Oh great

This isn't gonna end well

Do it for Dean

I kinda like Lucifer's sass

No, it's more subtle

Or "fine." That's not good either

That's a start

Full-scale hallucinating

Weren't you?

Specifically picking on Dean

That's weird

Ouch

And that's the hard part

Thanks, Death!

Biggerson's...

Dean would love that

DR. SEXY

I guess

Good idea

Oh, Dean...

I do

The difference is that he's not insane

Bobby's got it on the head

Thank you, Bobby

This is concerning

Uh oh

Jody!

Wow

Oh, that's annoying

Yikes

On his own?

Okay, but how do you kill them?

Uh oh

Yeah

There's a hierarchy here

It's like possession, then

That's creepy

This is weird

This is weird

Oh, it's not just possession

Fun

Yeah

Her fears were right

Jody, call Dean

Prince William. Weird

Not great

Come on, Jody, call someone!

That's weird

Ew

No, she is not

This is creepy

Ouch!

That's some fast-acting drug

Back when HBO was actually okay

Bobby...

Oh, Sam...

See, that's definitely not real

Yeah, he gets that

Yeah, well...

That's not a good idea

That's weird

So they can recognize each other?

That's horrifying

Nope! It's several

Getaway driver

I do not want Lucifer in Baby

Yeah

What's he gonna find?

Don't ask

Pills that could be dangerous, since it's not a real condition

That's a weird thing to say

Oh. Oh no, that's really not good

Didn't that bandage come off?

This is really bad

Morningstar.

Dang it

Ouch

Don't do it, Sam

Bobby

Yikes

Oh, that's just weird

Was that regular buckshot?

Wait, how did Sam get there when no one was really driving?

Oh, Sam...

Yikes

Yeah

Hey, that might actually work

...but it could also end really badly

If you can't trust anyone, trust Dean

That's not good

You're really not, not yet

No...

Where's Bobby?

Uh oh

Oh, Dean...

Uh oh

Yeah, still weird

Oh, that was not a pretty sound

Yikes

This is not good

That's a desperate move

Well that's even worse

This is just getting progressively worse

[cherry-colored-petals]

" Duplicate "

A personal piece of mine, to commemorate the pen pal or yokai event hosted by Ansy, more specifically this piece :)

(it's also very short oops I'm just losing a bit of writing muse and wanted to make this when I still have motivation so have this wwww)

Synopsis: What really happened that day? Navina couldn't tell, but perhaps the irony that they chose such a specific name led to a grim end of another.

CW: Murder (mentioned). That's it :)

Irodori festival was in full swing when the informant came to Inazuma, their eye sparkling at the sight. Although they wished they weren't working during this time of the festival, they decided to bite their tongue and kept that to themselves, scurrying off to get to delivering as usual.

Lifting up the letter in their hands, they red the address, mumbling the name under their breath. There was no receiver, sure, but they were used to it. Might be just some scam letter or a threat, I don't know, they thought to themselves, when-

"Hey, look! It's one of the stands miss Miko opened up for this year's Irodori festival!"

"Huh? Where? Let me see!"

…?

That made their head turn for a moment, brow raised at the thought.

Wait… Stands? What did Yae set up this time? Probably nothing good, knowing that conniving fox, they mused. But the curiosity ate them alive, so they went over to see what it was about. It's only to satiate my curiosity, they thought to themselves. It's not like I'm going to be there for long. Just see what it is, and it'll be fine.

After a few minutes of waiting in line and asking around, they were now left to themselves to write a letter to their pen pal. Thoma was kind enough to answer the informant's questions of the event, and although he didn't knew why they'd be interested in joining, Yae seem to know what it was and gave them a knowing look in response.

When she handed them the paper and the essentials, she had literally teased them, saying, "You'd better be careful on who ends up replying to your letter, deer. Who knows what you might attract?"

… God do they genuinely wish that Yae had kept her mouth shut on that one.

And so here they were, sitting onto one of the gates of the temples and without anyone spotting them in Ritou. They didn't care if the Nobushi would see them and try to get to them, considering they seem to be rather…

Nevermind. They knew why they'd run at the sight of them.

Glancing at the paper, they let out a sigh and began to write on it, humming an old tune as they did so. They didn't want to reveal who they are or where they're located, so they wanted this… Pen pal to locate a specific messenger.

Was it cruel to do such a thing? Maybe. But they didn't care. If anything, whoever unlucky fool knew who they are and tries to target them afterward would most likely meet an untimely end. Quite literally.

As they finished writing, they tucked their 'message' in the envelope, tucking in a petal of one of the lotuses they found in Sumeru to make a point before sealing it. When it was over, they placed the letter they wrote in their bag, getting off of the gate to stretch their legs.

"Mm…"

Now, I just need to send that letter, and-

As they took a step forward, they felt a chill go through their body.

And then… That voice spoke to them.

[ WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ]

… Fuck.

The letter that was sent was signed and penned, 'Vermiculis Creatio'- a penname that's sole meaning when- combined together- reads, 'Creation of Worms'. However, when it was translated separatedly, it reads 'Vermillion Creation'.

Such a shame that the same day the letter was sent, tragedy fell into the lands of knowledge… In Port Omos, no less.

Folks all around whispered of the tragedy, with one being in common.

[ Marie Astoria, one of the well known messengers of Fontaine and graduate of Sumeru, has been murdered. ]

As Navina came to the festival once more, they were with someone else as their pseudo-companion. Although he came from a different world entirely like they did, they both traveled in pairs ever since that afterparty.

Watching the wandering ex-harbinger leave, Navina caught sight of the eye of the parasol: the eye of Marie, and the soul of her 'eye'.

And for a mere second, the eye can only show fear, as the entity smiled.

But that smile looked far less humane than anyone may think, especially with the words they whispered in the wind.

"So long. You are useless to me now."

[mm-hey-cruel-world-2]