#nested class understanding

[soullessjack]

woke up with a headache and controversial thoughts

[miniagula]

NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN HOW YUNA'S DEATH ACTUALLY WENT I NEED TO SEE HOW GAYEON'S MADNESS WENT DOWN

[zynhttyd]

TOOTHLESS KNOWS BEST

pairings « hiccup haddock x gn! reader »

✎ When you help nurse Toothless back to health after an unexpected illness, the Night Fury grows protective of you. Hiccup is surprised by the dragon’s sudden attachment—and even more surprised when Toothless starts shadowing your every move and nudging you toward his rider.

【warnings; none, second hand embarrassment if you care enough.】

They say dragons were once fearsome beasts, horrifying beings of terror who reveled in the suffering of vikings. With their hooked fangs, which set them apart from the common order of nature, breaking the harmony of the world. They would sink their jagged teeth into the skin and gnaw upon the bones of unsuspecting men, dragging their broken bodies to nests forged in the heart of molten rocks built in the high sky. 

These creatures, capable of soaring across the heavens with wings that defied reason—vast and powerful—could span the heavens, forcefully ruled the skies with an iron grip, a terror unmatched by any other force. Berk, the beast of the archipelago, stood as a testament to the fragility of peace amidst a history of unyielding strife. A land carved by scars, scarred by the ceaseless struggle between its people and the creatures they dubbed “monsters.” told this story that had echoed for seven long generations, a tale of ceaseless strife and bitter hatred.

But it took seven generations. Seven long generations of struggle, sacrifice, and transformation for Berk to heal. The land had changed for the better—No longer did the people cower beneath the shadow of these mighty creatures. 

A misunderstood child who knew no war was the reason to hit them with the realization that dragons weren’t vicious beasts whose sole purpose in life was to spread fear, but a gentle creature who were curious just as the people. They had learned, through years of conflict and understanding, to bend the essence of their deepest fears into something stronger—a bond forged in the crucible of mutual respect. Where there was once hatred, there now stood the beginnings of trust. 

The villagers, who once spent sleepless nights bolting their doors and sharpening their weapons in anticipation of the next raid, now spent their days working alongside the very creatures that had once been their enemies, now companions in the sky, and partners in the pursuit of new horizons. 

While the majority of the villagers had forged unbreakable bonds with their dragons, they wore their titles with pride—Riders, they were called, as though it were a crown, you stood apart. You were not one of them, you never will. You were not one who yearned the heights or the thrill of the wind in your hair as you perched atop a Nadder’s sharp-spined back or to cut through the depths of the sea with a sleek Tidal-class dragon beneath your orders. Your feet remained firmly planted on the ground—and truth be told, you didn’t mind.

It wasn’t just your fear of heights, though that certainly played a part. The idea of being thousands of feet in the air with only leathery wings and blind faith keeping you aloft made your stomach churn. While others saw dragons as mounts, instruments of power and glory to be ridden into the heavens. You became attuned to their every movement, their subtle shifts and nuanced gestures. 

Over time, you learned how to read them — the way their wings twitched when they were agitated or how they softly curled their tails when they felt safe. You understood that a dragon’s body spoke volumes, even when they couldn’t. Noticing the shift in their posture, how their eyes softened when they trusted you, or how their breath would quicken if something was amiss.

You preferred to nurse them, to soothe their wounds with a gentle touch, offering comfort where others might only offer a quick, dismissive pat. Others would offer praise with the calloused palms of their hands, clapping a dragon’s back after a triumphant hunt, their actions rough like the bark of an old tree—kind in their own way but lacking the softness that true care requires.

That was the way you had always handled things in old Berk. Thankfully, no dragon has yet to be injured on the new island.

Then Toothless fell ill.

"[Name]! Oh, thank Thor’s maidens you're here," Hiccup called out to you, his voice strained, a clear edge of panic curling the words. His eyes flicked back and forth, darting between you and the frantic Night Fury pacing erratically across the room. Toothless' wings twitched uncontrollably, the delicate membranes brushing against shelves, knocking over bottles made of stone and glass, the contents spilling in chaotic arcs across the floor. Toothless’s eyes were wide, pupils tiny pinpricks of frantic energy. His mouth snapped open and shut, his sharp teeth glinting as if trying to convey something that couldn’t be expressed. 

You’d seen Toothless angry, playful, even fearful before, but this was something else entirely. This was distress. What could have made such a strong dragon like the Night Fury become so distressed? What could he convey with his actions and movement that left no process of communicating plainly? 

You’re bound to make a promise to figure out why Toothless was like this and help him if you could.

You turned, wiping your hands against the fabric of your cotton-sewn tunic, the remnants of purple crushed herbs leaving faint streaks on the cloth. The scent of the mixture still lingered on your fingertips, bitter and sharp, along with the sweet scent of wet flowers that hung in the unfinished hooked wooden roof. 

As you looked up, your gaze met Hiccup’s. He was standing in the doorway, looking like a newborn yak with an amputee—his breathing labored as though he had just run a great distance of a race. Hiccup’s hair appeared matted and his eyes looked restless as they were doubtful. His chest was rising and sinking almost melodically. His face was pale, and his eyes were just as wide as his dragon’s, filled with that mix of concern and urgency you’d seen only in moments of true danger.

"Toothless?" You called softly, taking a careful step forward while trying to be calm, taking hold despite the growing worry in the pit of your stomach after seeing the dragon’s current state. He was scared. Toothless, although startled by your almost fretful tone, did not pay attention to you and continued with his line of thought oblivious to your attempt to soothe him down the situation. His ears flattened back at the sound of your voice, but his movements didn’t slow. In fact, he seemed more erratic now, each step heavier than the last, each twitch more desperate than what came before.

“What happe–”

His words tumbled out in a rushed whisper. "I-I don't know what's happening. One minute, he was fine, and the next... this." Hiccup gestured helplessly toward Toothless, who continued to pace, his wings stiffening and shaking. Toothless growled lowly, his body tense and rigid as he backed into a corner, his breathing uneven and labored. Every attempt to approach him resulted in a defensive response—his ears folded back, tail lashing sharply, and a clear warning in his posture that he felt threatened despite the familiar presence of his two trusted people.

Hiccup took a quick step toward you, avoiding Toothless in case it was to ensure that he remained calm, dragging a hand through his unkempt hair, his fingers gripping at the strands as he exhaled sharply,  

“Something is wrong. He’s been like this for nearly an hour now,” the young Viking explained, his tone quieter but no less urgent than before. “It started after he accidentally swallowed a yellow eel. He fell ill almost immediately—developed a high fever, I think, then he became noticeably weak, and…” Hiccup’s body was taut, every muscle in him was bracing for the worst. His eyes darted to Toothless, but his dragon refused to meet his gaze, his pupils slit, with his body sinking lower to the ground, curling into himself, trying to make himself smaller in the face of whatever pain was coursing through him. 

Toothless’s breathing was shallow, his sides heaving slightly as he fought to stay still, to hide the tremors that racked his frame. Hiccup took a cautious step forward, but Toothless flinched at the movement, lowering his head as if to shield himself. “He refuses to let anyone near him. Not even me,” Hiccup finished, the last words a quiet confession that only deepened the worry on his face. 

“Won’t even let me close,” Hiccup whispered, his hand hovering just over Toothless’ back but never touching.

“Please, [Name], help him.” 

His voice was flat, but his expression said more than words could. He didn’t fidget, didn’t avert his gaze. You nodded once, not out of reassurance but acknowledgment, and moved past him. His red tunic smelled faintly of iron and damp leather, his sleeve brushing yours like paper worn thin.

Toothless was lying near the hearth, his body tense. His wings were pulled in close. His claws scraped lightly against the floor, his movements uneven and sluggish. His head remained low, eyes dull, unfocused. There was no protest, no attempt to move away.

You crouched beside him and opened your satchel. The supplies were still warm from being near the fire—clean cloths, crushed herbs, a sealed vial. Your fingers moved without hesitation, but your eyes scanned every detail of Toothless’s condition. His breathing was irregular. His tail had a slight swish, and the skin around his jaw looked strained. Whatever had happened to him, it was already spreading.

“I’ll do what I can,” you said.

You didn’t wait for thanks. There was no time.

The fire had burned low, its glow reduced to a warm shimmer beneath the stones, casting gentle light over the room’s stillness. You knelt beside Toothless, your hands steady as they hovered near his flank, gauging the subtle rise and fall of his breathing. The fever that had held him in its grip for so long had finally broken during the night, and now, for the first time in what felt like hours stretched into days, there was calm in the air.

He started to blink slowly. His head turned slightly toward you, his nostrils flaring with a soft, measured breath. His tail, which had remained curled protectively around his body during the worst of his illness, loosened and stretched faintly across the wooden floor. His throat rumbled with a sound so quiet you almost missed it—a low, cautious greeting, like a voice forgotten, then remembered.

You inhaled deeply, feeling the tension ease from your shoulders all at once

“He’s responding,” you said quietly, almost to yourself.

Across the room, Hiccup sat in a slump against the wall, his body slack from the exhaustion of too many sleepless hours. The blanket draped haphazardly over his legs had slipped to one side, revealing a tunic stained with soot and worry. His head, tilted at an uncomfortable angle, rested against the beam behind him. Even in sleep, his brows twitched with unease, his jaw faintly clenched—seeming as if he didn’t quite trust peace to last.

Toothless raised his weight, testing the strength in his limbs. He paused once, winced slightly, then adjusted his stance. The tremors that had racked his body earlier were gone, replaced by deliberate, if cautious, movement. His wings stretched, not in full flight, but enough to show that he could. It wasn’t strength, not yet—but it was progress. More than you had dared hope for yesterday.

Then, with surprising care, he began to walk. Each step was certainly slow, the soft pads of his feet brushing against the floor with faint thumps. He crossed the room without hesitation, his eyes never leaving the boy in the corner. When he reached him, Toothless lowered his head, pressing his snout gently against Hiccup’s arm. A quiet, purposeful sound left his throat—not loud, not demanding, but enough.

Hiccup stirred. His eyes opened blearily, and for a second, he looked confused, as if his mind hadn’t yet caught up to what was happening. Then his gaze focused on the dragon in front of him, and everything else fell away.

“You’re awake,” he said, voice hoarse and raw. He leaned forward, one hand lifting to rest on Toothless’s head, the contact hesitant at first, then grounding.

Toothless nudged him again, a bit firmer, with a breath that seemed almost like a sigh.

You let them have their moment.

It started the moment you stepped outside.

You didn’t say anything at first—you assumed Toothless was just being clingy, the way most dragons acted after being healed. A little spoiled, maybe. Like a puppy demanding belly rubs and scratches behind the ears. You’d seen it plenty of times before.

But then he didn’t just nudge at your hand for attention.

He got closer. Much closer.

Without a sound, Toothless lowered himself until his head was resting across your lap, the full weight of his trust pressing gently into you. His tail, smooth and sinuous, coiled loosely around your leathered boots—not in a possessive way, but as if anchoring himself to you. Like he didn’t want to drift too far, even at rest.

Your hand didn’t stop moving. You continued to pat his head, your palm caressing from the ridge of his nose to the top of his forehead in slow, steady passes. The texture of his scales came to be familiar with your touch now—cool and sleek like river stones warmed just slightly by the sun. You could feel the subtle rise and fall of his breath beneath your touch, each exhale a quiet puff of warmth against your clothes.

Hiccup had been watching from just behind, peeking curiously over your shoulder, his brow furrowed as he eyed his dragon with a mix of confusion and suspicion. He knew Toothless better than anyone—of that, there was no doubt. They were best friends, bonded for life, closer than brothers. He could read the Night Fury like a book, from the flick of his ear fins to the way his pupils shifted in size. But right now? Hiccup didn’t have a clue what was going through his dragon’s mind.

Toothless was being clingy—uncharacteristically so. That kind of affection, that gentle insistence to be close, was usually reserved for Hiccup alone. Or, on rare occasions, when Toothless decided he wanted someone’s food and pulled out that ridiculous, wide-eyed look he’d perfected over the years.

He didn’t offer his head to rest across laps like some tame house cat. And he especially didn’t wrap his tail around someone unless he absolutely meant it.

Hiccup hovered just behind your shoulder, shifting his weight with an almost imperceptible unease. His posture suggested casual interest, but there was a tension in the way his hands fidgeted near the leather harness, as if he needed something—anything—to justify standing that close. He leaned slightly over, his voice low and deliberately nonchalant.

“He’s, uh… made himself very comfortable,” he remarked, casually, though his tone betrayed a hint of something else, pretending a study of the saddle straps that he himself had fastened not even an hour earlier—though his eyes never once flicked to the gear. 

You didn’t answer right away. Your hand remained where it had been for the past few minutes, gliding in slow, absent circles across the midnight scales stretched over Toothless’s brow.

“He was restless earlier,” you murmured, eyes still on the sleek silhouette resting across your legs. “I think exhaustion finally caught up with him.”

Hiccup exhaled through his nose—a quiet, incredulous sound, the kind he often made when something didn’t quite add up. “Tired, huh?” he echoed, one eyebrow arched as he crossed his arms. “Right. Because Toothless is known for voluntarily laying down and offering his head like some… overgrown feline.”

“He’s been... different since he got better,” he said eventually. “Clingy, I guess. But only with you.” 

As if prompted by the remark, Toothless flicked one ear back lazily and released a deep, sonorous sigh—a low rumble that vibrated warmly against your legs. Then he adjusted his weight just slightly, curling tighter around your boots in a gesture so deliberate it might have been smug.

“You know,” Hiccup continued, now frowning slightly, “he only gets like this when I’m injured… or if there’s leftover fish and he’s trying to butter me up.”

You said nothing—only smiled faintly, the pads of your fingers tracing along the ridges where scale met bone. The rumble of the dragon’s throat deepened—a smug, vibrating hum that practically radiated satisfaction.

There was a pause.

And then, perhaps against his better judgment, Hiccup added under his breath, “Honestly, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was flirting.”

That definitely caught your attention. You turned your head slowly, casting a glance over your shoulder with one brow arched so high it might’ve escaped orbit. Every line of your expression—your knitted brow, the sharp squint of your eyes, the downward curve of your mouth—broadcasts a very clear and unfiltered what the actual hell without needing to say a word.

Hiccup’s eyes widened, his brain seemed to catch up with his mouth a second too late.

“With you! I mean—not you—like, not literally!” Hiccup stammered, his words tripping over each other in a spectacular, crashing spiral of embarrassment, not knowing how to stop, he just continued. “Thors! Dragons don’t flirt. That’s not—I mean, I don’t think that’s how it works. I just meant—”  He stopped himself again, grimacing and raking a hand through his already-messy hair, as though hoping sheer friction could erase the mortifying sentence from reality. “I meant dragons don’t flirt! At least—I don’t think they do. Not in any, you know, intentional way. Not that you’re—ugh, never mind. Just forget I said anything.” He was done for. Absolutely cooked. And you? You just sat there, rigid as a stone sculpture, your entire expression locked in a state of horrified disbelief—lips drawn in a taut line, eyes slightly widened, your entire face twisted into that exact look you reserve for the unfortunate occasions whenever Gobber absentmindedly scratches his ass mid-conversation in front of you.

“Oh, by Odin’s beard. I sounded insane just now, didn’t I?” yes, yes you did. You wanted to say.

There was a loud snort.

Toothless lifted his head just enough to crack one luminous green eye open, as if to gloat. If a dragon could sport a smug grin, almost as if he were fully aware of the awkward tension hanging in the air and relishing every moment of it. Toothless was wearing it now—his posture relaxed, almost lazily victorious, as if he knew something the rest of you didn’t. It was a quiet, undeniable triumph. Then, with the most deliberate motion imaginable, the dragon raised his head just enough to nudge your arm... right into Hiccup’s thigh.

Your hand collided with him before you could stop it—fingers landing just above his knee. His leg jerked slightly. You froze.

He froze.

Even Toothless stopped moving, watching you both with an intensity that would’ve been terrifying if it weren’t so smug.

“I—he—what is wrong with you?” Hiccup half-whispered to his dragon, voice strained.

Toothless gave a tiny, airy chirp and nosed your hand again, this time with more force, like a toddler shoving two dolls together hoping they’d kiss.

“Well, if he is flirting,” you said, eyes glinting with amusement, “I’d say he’s got excellent taste.”

Hiccup let out a strangled noise, somewhere between a scoff and a nervous laugh, quickly raising his hand to shield his reddening face. “Please,” he muttered, voice nearly cracking in desperation, “I’m begging you. Don’t encourage him.”

A soft chuckle rumbled in your chest, the sound barely escaping as you continued to run your fingers along the smooth curve of Toothless’s jaw.

“Relax, Chief,” you teased lightly, your tone as calm as ever, well, nervous also, “I think your dragon just likes being pampered.”

“You know what,” he muttered, his hands already pulling toward the saddle straps, “I think his saddles make him itchy. I should change it.”

It continued after

New Berk lay quiet in the late afternoon, blanketed in the mellow hush that followed a long day’s labor. The skies were stained in hues of peach and gold, the sun dipping low behind the ridge, its last light brushing the rooftops with amber fire. Down by the dragon stables, you were crouched beside a weather-worn harness, your fingers working the frayed leather with practiced precision. The air smelled faintly of salt and dragon musk.

Toothless sat only a few feet away, his wings partially tucked, tail curled lazily around his paws—but his eyes never left you. That deep, verdant gaze tracked your every movement with a focus that was… unusually intent. For a moment, you swore he was studying you, like you were the dragon and he the expert.

The silence was broken by the familiar rustle of boots—well, boot, and the clink of a prosthetic leg against gravel. “Got the saddle gear you wanted—oh, hey, looks like someone started without me,” Hiccup called out

You offered a small smile. “Just got started. Figured I’d prep the straps while I waited.”

You glanced up as he jogged toward you, the dying light of the sun catching the mess of buckles and saddle slung over his shoulder. His tunic, stained with smudges of charcoal, bore the marks of the day’s labor. A grease-streaked cloth hung loosely from one shoulder, and smears of oil lined the edge of his jaw like war paint, a testament to the effort he’d put in.

“Gobber had the replacement buckles hidden under a crate labeled ‘Definitely Not Dragon Parts.’ I didn’t ask,” he added, crouching beside you with a huff of exertion.

Toothless twitched an ear.

Hiccup began to kneel down beside you—but before he could get comfortable, Toothless leaned in. It wasn’t aggressive. Just a firm, intended nudge with his snout to Hiccup’s side.

Which, unfortunately, was all it took.

With a muffled yelp and a sudden lurch of limbs, Hiccup lost his balance. In one swift, ungraceful motion, he toppled sideways—right into you. The unexpected impact sent you crashing backward, your back hitting the earth with a startled gasp. The air whooshed from your lungs as you were flattened to the ground, Hiccup landing awkwardly above you, his hands splayed in the dirt beside your shoulders as if trying to catch himself, but failing miserably.

You both froze.

For a moment, neither of you moved. Just the sound of the wind and Toothless’s faint chuckle broke the stunned silence. You lay there, staring up at him. Hiccup, his face flushed and eyes wide with embarrassment, shifted slightly, trying to regain his balance, but his awkward position only seemed to deepen the comedic nature of the situation.

“I—I swear that wasn’t me—he bumped me, I swear!” Hiccup stammered, his voice cracking under the strain of sheer mortification. His entire face flushed a vibrant crimson as if the embarrassment alone might send his ears into flames.

Toothless, meanwhile, let out a low, throaty trill—undeniably smug—before flopping onto his side with a soft fwump. He stretched his wings in a manner that could only be described as exaggerated satisfaction, purring contentedly like a mischievous feline who had just knocked over a vase and couldn’t be prouder of the chaos he’d wrought.

You laughed softly. “I think he’s trying to herd you.”

“Toothless,” Hiccup groaned, glancing at his dragon. “Stop it, I’m not a sheep!” He lifted himself just enough to look at Toothless, who was now shamelessly lounging in the grass, with an utterly smug look on his face.

Toothless chirped again—this time with what could only be interpreted as sure you’re not—and used the tip of his tail to slide a small stitched pouch directly between the two of you. The sewing kit skidded to a perfect stop at your knees, like he’d been practicing the maneuver all day.

“Yeah, he’s a real genius,” Hiccup grumbled as he shifted, trying to right himself. But the moment his hand pushed into the grass to grab the harness—wham. Toothless’s tail snapped out in a swift arc, tapping the small of Hiccup’s back.

And, just like that, Hiccup tumbled again. This time, he didn’t just lose his balance—he fully sprawled on top of you. His weight came crashing down with a perfect lack of coordination, and just like that, the last shred of dignity between you both evaporated in a heap of tangled limbs and groans.

Now it wasn’t just awkward—it was catastrophic. His face was far too close, hovering a few humiliating inches from yours. Everything else seemed to vanish. Your noses almost touched, and the proximity sent a rush of warmth through your chest that you didn’t quite know how to process. His hair, soft and surprisingly warm, brushed your cheek as he scrambled to push himself up, but instead of finding balance, he only succeeded in awkwardly elbowing you in the ribs.

The jolt of the impact made you wince, but the real sting came from the overwhelming closeness, the sheer absurdity of the situation, and the fact that neither of you could move without causing yet another small disaster. It was like the universe had conspired to take every shred of composure you both had left and toss it out the window.

Silence.

Well, except for the unmistakable sound of Toothless making a pleased little gurgle behind you, followed by the soft sound of him flopping dramatically onto his side like he’d just orchestrated the greatest comedic performance Berk had ever seen.

“I—I didn’t mean to—I mean he—Toothless—I swear he—” Hiccup stammered, his voice tripping over itself like a cart on cobblestones. He scrambled to push himself up, flinching every time his elbow threatened to jab your side again. His face was flushed a mortified crimson, a shade that clashed violently with the soot smudges across his cheek.

Hiccup looked like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole. His wide eyes flicked to the ground, then back to you. You lay there, stunned, still half-flattened against the grass, your brain desperately trying to reboot from the shock of having Berk’s most awkward chief sprawled on top of you like a felled pine.

“I believe you,” you finally breathed, your voice catching somewhere between a laugh and a wheeze.

Hiccup’s face turned even redder, if that was even possible. “I—I’ll just… get up now. Slowly.”

“I swear,” Hiccup muttered, finally offering you a hand as he tried to extricate himself with the last scraps of his morality, “I’m usually much better at not falling on people.”

[kyri45]

When you long for a cat so much you create a soft magic system where almost everyone has a cat familiar that gives them small abilities and protagonist has none.

Let me know what you think of this concept! More info below the cut

Slightly longer summary: In a world much like ours, every person is supposely destined to bond with a cat.

This sacred connection isn’t just companionship, but also a magic source. Cats have always been venerated for their raw magic energy, and with the centuries, humanity learned to develop bonds with them to harness it in order to help them with everyday tasks. When a bond is formed, the cat and human share their lifespans, emotions, and their talents. The human gets to use their abilities in a refined way. The felines in exchange develop longer lifespans, a conduit for their own magic and the ability to speak the human language.

These cats don’t walk on leashes, they ride on shoulders, nest in scarves, or custom-worn leather pads. Over time, bonded humans begin to subtly reflect their feline companions (their hair shifting in color, their senses sharpening).

But not everyone has a cat. And not every cat has a human.

In order of slides (none of them have names yet):

an archivist whose red british shorthair cat help her memorize the whole library!

a pottery artist whose Devon Rex helps him with problem solving and tinkering

An explorer whose Norvegian Forest cat helps him have outstanding sense of direction.

A barista whose Tonkinese cat helps her immediately understand which mood their customer have and which beverage they need.

A high class lady is able to slightly change the luck odds thanks to her Nebelung

A catless night guard. Has never passed their childhood bonding ritual.

A human-less Blue Russian cat, whose now lives with other cats in the city forest sanctuary.

Every bonded human owns a badge that shows which breed and, consequencially, their ability.

[avelera]

Arcane's Jayce & Viktor: A Tech Industry Perspective

I've been wrestling with whether to make a short and sweet post about these points or to just have another long-winded meta and clearly since I'm incapable of being brief, I guess we'll just dive in.

I work in tech. What I see in this industry colors a lot of how I see Jayce and Viktor in Arcane. I'll try to be brief about a few of the things that stand out to me the most and that I think are intentional.

1 ) Jayce and Viktor are references to Alfred Nobel - This is a historical reference so direct I genuinely don't know how people grasp Jayce and Viktor's characters if you don't know about it.

Alfred Nobel is known for two things: inventing dynamite and bequeathing his subsequent fortune to founding the Nobel Peace Prize. These things are very much related.

Nobel was brilliant but socially naive. When he invented dynamite, he intended it to make life easier and safer for working in mines. Sound familiar? That is literally what the Atlas Gauntlets and Hex Claw Jayce and Viktor invented with Hextech was posed to be. It is a direct reference to Alfred Nobel and dynamite, there is no question about it in my mind whatsoever that they pose the benefit to society as specifically being useful to miners.

Nobel also believed that the awesome destructive power of dynamite would mean the end of warfare. Literally. He thought it was so disgusting and unthinkable that people would use explosives on each other that it would grind violence to a halt. He was very, very wrong about this. So wrong, in fact, that he spent the rest of his life in horror and remorse at how explosives were being used to kill people and created the Nobel Peace Prize to promote innovations aimed at peace, a prize which annually recognizes those who "conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".

Likewise with Jayce and Viktor, they are both horrified to imagine Hextech used for warfare and we think they're incredibly socially naive for thinking this, because they are. Maybe in another universe, there'd be the Talis Peace Prize to try to make up for what they unleashed on the world. Which brings me to my next point:

2 ) Jayce and Viktor have typical engineer blindspots to society's ills - As I've discussed in-depth in another meta, Jayce and Viktor both desperately needed some non-STEM or scientific classes in their life because their worldview is so naive and stunted as a result that it's the source of a dizzying number of their problems. Neither of them could even consider that Hextech, like dynamite, would be weaponized immediately. But they have other huge gaps too as a result of their narrow focus on science, and I do believe this is intentional by the writers as a commentary on engineers and tech people in general.

Short version, Jayce desperately needs some understanding of history and of rhetoric. When Ambessa asks him if his school teaches military history, he doesn't even know if they offer it. She was testing him with that question and as a canny manipulator and general, she clearly takes that to mean she can run circles around him, and she is right. Because with incredibly simplistic plays to his male ego, like calling his leadership "impotent", Ambessa immediately gets Jayce riled up and not thinking clearly. She blindfolds him, spins him around, and shoves him headlong into taking violent military action in exactly the direction she wanted him to go in to kick the nest and set off a war.

Jayce is also easily manipulated by Mel for more benevolent but still self-serving reasons with appeals to his life's work with flattery, his male ego with sex, and his dreams for a better world to make him fall quickly into step with the city's corruption with only a little nudging because he has no strong civic understanding of his own to fall back on. As Cait notes, he's never taken an interest in the Council or politics before until he becomes a Councilor himself.

Short version for Viktor, he wants to make the world a better place but he's never actually had to think through human nature before. He's literally never bothered. We know this because of his blindspot towards Hextech weaponry where he truly believed they could avoid it being used for warfare, and the fact that later in his cult, he's somehow shocked to learn that people will do bad things for the ones they love and won't just slice pieces of their own nature and personality off to fit into his little Utopian commune.

Literally cracking any kind of history or sociology book or heck, a Pratchett Discworld book, would have told him that there's a straight fucking line between deciding people are the problem when it comes to fixing society's ills and eugenics. He falls headlong into that trap and it requires his older, wiser self to beat him over the head with the truth of the horrors of his own simplistic worldview would lead to before he literally annihilates all life in his home city in his attempt to save it.

Which brings me to my next point:

3 ) Jayce and Viktor as oblivious tech nerds who have never cracked a book open but suddenly thinking that because they're great engineers, they have the solution to all of life's problems.

This is a somewhat shorter point, but I think in modern society we all know about the proverbial tech bro who keeps reinventing things like public transportation and taxes because they've never read a book in their life that doesn't have equations in it.

To be clear, they aren't bad people! I'd even hazard to say that young tech bros trying to make public good-based startups with a laughable lack of social awareness aren't bad people either! If anything, the education system has failed them, and they're pouring their intellect and earnest, human desire to help others into endeavors with the narrowest possible world perspective, which happens to be their field of expertise and thus it makes sense they'd see that as the greatest value that can offer, it's just too limited a view so they end up reinventing things that already exist or making worse, more dangerous versions of things that already exist. Tragically, their naive but well-meaning worldview often leads to:

4 ) Viktor and Jayce, but mostly Jayce, as tech bros being beholden to billionaire interests to make their dream come true:

Like Jayce, we see how these tech bros have their vision co-opted by people with a broader vision and understanding of the world, by billionaire investors who turn their inventions into making a quick buck for themselves, to warmongers and dictators who turn the creations of their mind into surveillance state horror stories. Some of that is a lack of wisdom on their parts when it comes to building in safeguards, sure, but part of that is there is a class divide too between the powerful and bright-eyed young inventors who just want to improve the world. As Singed notes, no one in power is ever innocent. And those in power have the capital to make a young inventor's dream come true and thus, tie them to their demands and interests. As Jayce said, they built the Hexgates, "Like [the Councilors] asked." Specifically this indicates that their vision has already been co-opted to serve financial interests. It also, again, makes it almost laughable how naive they are that they didn't realize warfare was next after trade.

Like many tech bros with billionaire investors, Jayce relied on the Kirammans, who were one of the wealthiest people in the city and literally on the Council that represents the State, and on Mel who is also part of the State, who is the wealthiest woman in Piltover, and who comes from a family of world-conquering warmongers, to make his dream come true from the very start.

From the beginning, Jayce was at a losing disadvantage when it came to keeping his dream ideologically pure and free of the influence of the wealthy and powerful.

And finally, just to point out that I'm not making this up, that these parallels are in fact intentional and built into the story:

4 ) Jayce and Viktor as parallels to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, founders of Apple. Christian Linke, co-creator of Arcane, specifically noted them as inspirations for Jayce and Viktor's relationship, with Jayce (Jobs) as the face of the company and Viktor (Woz) as the real brains behind the invention.

This caused a lot of sturm and drang on Twitter with people misinterpreting that he means Jayce isn't the actual inventor of Hextech, which I think is an overreaction. Jobs, unlike many tech bros who have earned society's ire lately like Musk, was actually an engineer too. It's completely common in tech spaces for partnerships to be made up of one partner who is able to handle being the public face of the company, and one introverted and socially awkward genius who prefers to sit in a dark room and actually tinker with the problem and who would literally rather set themselves on fire than talk to a non-technical human being. I know because I've been in such partnerships before myself as the public face.

Where Jayce and Viktor rather charmingly buck the stereotypes of that relationship and so in turn actually make it more like what I've seen in the real world, is the fact there isn't resentment between the two as a result. Viktor is glad that Jayce is willing to be the public face and doesn't want to get in the way. This is actually very common with the engineers I know! It's not seen as glory stealing, it's seen as sparing them awful, painful work they don't want to do, like networking.

Yes it means Jayce needs to sacrifice some time in the lab, but it's a simple division of labor that he's happy to do, especially if it frees Viktor from the responsibility so he can focus on what he loves, because Jayce loves him. And you'll note that Jayce is very above-board academically speaking on this front, he always cites Viktor as his partner and is scrupulous in giving Viktor credit, in conversation at least, even if he doesn't forcibly drag Viktor on stage to take credit there.

Anyway, when I write meta or even fic for these two, this sort of background is always on my mind, and I thought it might be valuable for others who maybe aren't as familiar with the tech space as I am.

[liveyun]

you’re an idiot (so am i) | j.jk

pairing. jeon jungkook x fem oc/reader

rating. M

genre. enemies to 👀, university AU, neighbours AU, comedy, drama, romance, angst, slight smut

warnings. coarse language, crACK like lOTS OF IT, theyre both idiots. excessive bickering,,, gym related stuff,,, Medical school itself is a warning,, unhealthy amounts of protein mentions,, i’m Sorry if you’re a gymbro 😭🙏🏾, awkwardness, oc gets slightly injured, it gets slightly smutty 👀, unspoken feelings bc they both suck at communicating, some Cute stuff, that should be it but lmk if i missed any, its 4am

wc. 4.5k +

if this writing style flops, i’ll probably quit writing too 💀

it’s 7:04 AM

or is it really. what is the time again

unfortunately you are awake.

and it’s not by choice.

it’s because your protein 💪 PROTEIN 💪 MORE PROTEIN 🏋️ gymrat neighbour is up, doing burpees in his living room

and the walls between your apartments are criminally thin

and you’re convinced he’s trying to invent a new form of torture through burpees because the sQUEAKING OF HIS DAMN SHOES ARE JUST AS LOUD AS AN ALARM CLOCK!!

why is he even awake at this ungodly hour, you wonder for the 8293838th time since moving in

you feel like crying

for rEAL.

it was around 5:30 am when u finally had let out a sigh of relief at having finally completed your assignment

you roll out of bed, hair resembling a bird’s nest

what else is bed hair supposed to look like

“O YEA!”

here we go

again

you feel like ripping your already damaged hair bc why does he have to be so damn loud

has no occupant not filed a complaint against him yet?

so now u consider knocking on his door to complain... but you remember what happened the last time you tried

jungkook had answered the door holding two dumbbells liKe they were extensions of his arms, shirtless, smiling so brightly it could cure vitamin D deficiency

you knew you were cooked the moment smirked at you gawkinG at his physique and you felt your cheeks warming up

“oh, hey, Y/N,” he’d said, casually flexing mid-sentence with that stupid grin on his face “need something? Or just admiring the view?”

you haven’t known peace ever since

by 8:15 AM, you’ve surrendered to fate and shuffled into the kitchen for coffee

you swEar you hear Jungkook’s blender whirring as he makes another one of his infamous protein shakes

does he even eat anything which does not have protein powder

like ok you understand the value of protein

but anything which has that stupid thing in it automatically tastes like the Biggest Piece of Dogshit

and somehow that’s what you neighbour has 24/7

last week he had accidentally left one in the communal fridge

it smelled like death and regret.

absolute L

anyway u think u need to get something in ur system too and thats when u open your fridge

and sigh

it’s empty.

except for a jar of pickles and a, uh, questionable carton of oat milk

yea. you’ll have to get brunch today. no futher questions asked

10:32 AM

ur first class of the day

and guess what

u have made the mistake of sitting near Jungkook in the lecture hall.

again! 😍

u swear that u are trying to focus on the lecture but is it really your fault that jungkook looks extra,,,...,,,

beefy

his notebook is open, but instead of notes, he’s drawing a disturbingly accurate diagram of biceps

and the shading looks pretty accurate too

he notices you staring, oof “anatomy is about more than just books, Y/N.”

you feel a muscle near your eye twitch

“i really don’t remember asking.”

ouch

that came out a bit too rude. . .

you feel like u should say sorry or something but he just flashes you that golden retriever grin

and somehow, you’re the one who feels stupid

12:10 PM

you’d think a med school lunch break would feel like a break

but no

the first thing you hear is the unmistakable pop of jungkook’s tupperware lid. it’s like pavlov’s bell, but instead of a dog, it triggers your impending irritation

of course it’s chicken, broccoli, and rice. gymrat starter pack™

does this man even know other foods exist?

atleast it doesn’t look unseasoned so maybe you can take it

you’re not the one having it anyway

“bon appétit,” he says with that smug grin, shoveling a forkful into his mouth like he’s filming a mukbang

you side-eye your sad excuse of a sandwich. “don’t you ever get bored of eating that?”

he gasps like a victorian man having seen the ankle of his wife for the first time

“bored? of gains? never.”

the chewing. oh god, the chewing. it’s so loud you’re convinced he’s doing it on purpose

crunch. chew. sip of water from the world’s largest bottle. repeat.

“do you have to eat like a vacuum?”

he pauses, fork mid-air, and looks at you with wide, innocent eyes. then he grins. “do you have to be this cute when you’re annoyed?”

wha— cough!!

did you just choke at your sandwich infront of him?

-100 aura points

your brain just blue-screens

what the hell are you supposed to do with that information

12:22 pm

you haven’t touched your chips yet. you’re saving them for after jungkook’s food massacre ends

his tupperware is licked clean but he’s already eyeing your bag of chips like a hawk

“you gonna eat those?”

“yes, jungkook, i’m gonna eat my chips”

“cool”

c r u n c h

he’s already eaten half the bag.

u are genuinely considering homicide now

the girl from the next table suddenly waves at him, all giggly and twirling her hair like she’s auditioning for a romcom

“hey, jungkook! you should totally sit with us!”

he glances at you, one brow raised. “should i?”

“why are you asking me?” you snap, already annoyed (but like, annoyed in a normal way, not jealous. definitely not jealous)

you miss the way his lips quirk in the corners

“nah, i think i’ll stay here,” he says, smirking. “you’re better company anyway”

...

why is your face heating up. why. stop it

1:00 PM

you’re walking to your next class when jungkook catches up, sipping his protein shake. the smell is somewhere between expired yogurt and pure evil

“so, lunch was fun,” he says casually, like he didn’t commit multiple crimes against your sanity earlier

“for who?” you mumble, giving him the nastiest bombastic side eye

“for both of us,” he replies, grinning. “don’t lie, y/n, you’d miss me if i wasn’t around”

“i’d miss the peace”

he laughs heartily and it’s the kind of laugh that makes you want to both strangle him and maybe... smile a little

1:12 PM

ur phone dings

dumb(bell)kook : (now) bring more chips tomorrow

or don’t. i’ll just steal them again

>:D

you stare at your screen for a second, debating whether to respond or block his number

you type back

you : (1:13PM) touch my chips again and i’ll report you to student conduct

his reply is instant.

dumb(bell)kook : (now) bet they’d let me off for good behavior 😛

2:47 pm.

group project time!

otherwise known as “watch y/n slowly lose her sanity” time

you're hunched over your notes, trying to come up with literally anything for this cursed assignment while everyone else is glued to their phones

“guys, any ideas?” you try, for the fifth time, because teamwork makes the dream work, right?

wrong. dead silence. you can practically hear your soul exiting your body

one guy mutters, "we could... idk, make a powerpoint?" and goes back to scrolling on instagram. helpful king

you’re about three seconds away from making a powerpoint on why you hate everyone here when the door swings open

in walks jungkook, twenty minutes late, balancing a protein shake in one hand and a clipboard in the other

like he’s about to announce his plan for world domination

he slides into the chair next to you, annoyingly fresh, as if he hasn’t just already benched three cows at the gym

“did i miss anything?” he asks, sipping his shake and eyeing you with those boba lookalike peepers like he’s the main character

why are his eyes so

cute

“yeah, we solved climate change and made contact with aliens. you're late.”

he smirks. smirks. “nice. guess i’ll tackle world hunger next.”

one of your lab mates looks up from her phone just to whisper, “he’s so hot..”

my ass.

“he’s useless”

you’re about to drop-kick the clipboard out of his hands when he lazily stretches and says, “so what’s the plan, y/n? you always have the best ideas”

and just like that, everyone turns to you like a pack of hyenas waiting for their next meal

you might actually murder him. right after you finish this stupid project.

>:-)

midnight.

you’re staring at your notes like they’re written in ancient alien hieroglyphics. focus? yup, that’s a myth

through the wall, you hear it. again.

jungkook’s obnoxious gym playlist thumping loud enough to summon the gods of protein.

how about you just summon the reaper to maybe reap your soul or his

you try to ignore it. you really do. but then the bass drops, and you swear the walls start vibrating

ARGH

that’s it. you’ve snapped. you slam your pen down and march out of your apartment like a woman on a mission

by the time you’re at his door, you’re already regretting this decision

but sleep-deprived y/n? she’s not known for her impulse control

you bang on the door like your life depends on it

>:-(

after a moment, jungkook opens up, looking like he just stepped out of a gym rat rom-com. damp hair, earbuds in, wearing a tank top that shows off way too much arm.

good lord, those tattoos..

“what’s up?” he asks casually, pulling out an earbud, as if you didn’t just nearly break his door down

whats up? what thE hELL DOES HE MEAN WHATS UP??

“it’s midnight!” you yell, waving a hand in the general direction of your apartment. “some of us need sleep to survive!”

he blinks at you, tilting his head like a confused golden retriever. “but you’re awake now. want to do a quick set of push-ups?

you stare at him. you need to go to the store from where he bought the audacity. “push-ups?!”

“yeah,” he says, dead serious. “it’s a good way to burn off frustration. i do them all the time when i’m annoyed.”

“maybe i should start,” you mutter, narrowing your eyes. “because i’m annoyed right now.”

jungkook grins like the demon he is. “great! i’ll grab my mat.”

before you can stop him, he’s already turned back into his apartment. you briefly consider running, but it’s too late.

this is your life now.

five minutes later, you’re on the floor of his apartment, struggling to do one (1) push-up while he effortlessly does twenty in the same time it takes you to collapse in defeat

you feel like someone has bathed you in sweat

“this is humiliating,” you groan, face smushed into the mat

maybe you should’ve just slept

“nah, you’re doing great,” he says, way too cheerfully for someone torturing you. “just three more and you’ll hit... like, five total.”

you debate throwing a dumbbell at him but decide against it

jail isn’t worth it.

yet.

five minutes later you’re on the floor of his apartment, now two (2) push-ups deep and already regretting every decision you’ve made up to this point

you try again, your arms shaking with the effort, your brain screaming for mercy, when—

crack

“ow, ow, ow!” you yelp as your shoulder protests in a way that’s probably not supposed to happen

“that’s it, i’m dOne” you wince, face red from the sheer humiliation and pain

jungkook is standing there with a weirdly sympathetic expression that’s 90% amusement and 10% concern

he’s crouching beside you now, and you can't help but notice his Bambi eyes, all big and concerned, looking at your shoulder like he's actually worried for you

fml

this is so unfair

“u good?” he asks, voice unusually soft, and you can’t help but notice that barely there scar on his left cheek pulling slightly as he frowns and looks down at you

you glare at him, wincing a little more than you’d like to admit

does it look like ur good lol

“i think i pulled something” you mutter, still holding your shoulder, and mentally kicking yourself for agreeing to do this in the first place

you knew you shouldn’t have agreed to him

“mm,” he hums thoughtfully, his gaze flicking to your face, and then down to your shoulder with that gentle focus you didn’t think he was capable of

oUuu

“you should’ve asked for help, rookie” he says with that familiar cocky grin, but you catch the slight crinkle of concern in his brow, the mole beneath his lips almost beckoning you to stare at it

why is he so dumb but also so stupidly handsome?

and then his fingers are brushing against your shoulder again, carefully massaging the area in a way that’s too intimate for someone who’s just your annoying gym-obsessed neighbor

your heart rate spikes, and suddenly the injury doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore

“i’m fine, really,” you lie, trying to brush it off, but the way his Bambi eyes are looking at you—all soft and worried—has your head spinning

oh god

“i don’t think you are” he mutters, voice low, as he places a hand gently on your waist, pulling you just a little closer

god, stop being so touchy

the fact that he smells like musk and with some citrus-y notes underneath doesn’t help either

you feel your cheeks warming and lips parting

you feel yourself leaning in despite all logic telling you to stop, and then his eyes flicker down to your lips and back to your eyes, slow and cautious, like he’s waiting for your permission

you really cannot help but feel your heart skip a beat at how beautiful he looks. no like for real, his hair is slightly overgrown, curled at the ends which fall gracefully over his face

and how soft his lips look

your brain is too far gone, and the next thing you know, you’re kissing him, hand tangled in his hair, pulling him even closer

his hair feels so silky soft

but his lips are even softer, but there’s a desperate edge to the kiss, and you don’t know if it's because of your injury or the fact that you’ve both been playing this weird tension game for far too long

you feel like u can finally die kissing him like this

his hand slides down your back, pressing you into him as if you might disappear, and you pull away, gasping for air

jungkook’s eyes are wide, his pupils blown and heavy-lidded, his chest rising and falling quickly as he looks at you with an unreadable expression

“shit, i… i didn’t think i was actually going to do that” he murmurs, his voice rough and nearly trembling if u hear closely

you stare at his lips again, the mole under them, the way he looks so dumb but also so dumb handsome

his mouth parts to say something stupid again but you shush him with your pointer on his lips

“shut up and kiss me again, you idiot” you mutter, pulling him back in without a second thought

oH WOW

Jungkook doesn’t need any more encouragement. this time, it’s all teeth and heat, a kiss that feels like it might burn the air around you both

and your shoulder? completely forgotten, left in the dust

the kiss doesn’t end in some grand, romantic crescendo like the movies promised

you both were shamelessly making out on his mat

you were perched on his lap and both of u were busy eating eachother’s mouths (it sounds gross but that’s what exactly u two were doing) when suddenly you give his hair a tug

and you hear a moan spilling from him

his hips buck up and you gasp, but it ends with him abruptly pulling away

he’s breathing like he just ran an hour on the treadmill. cheeks all flushed, lips shining with saliva and eyes wide

and your heart is hammering in your chest like it’s trying to escape

jungkook stares at you, lips slightly swollen, eyes wide and wild, and for once, the idiot looks just as lost as you feel

“i—uh—” you stammer, the words tangling in your throat because what the hell are you supposed to say after something like that

“y- yeah,” he cuts in, his voice rough and strained like he’s been punched in the gut, “same”

same? SAME?!

you glare at him, more out of panic than anger, because suddenly the room feels too small, and his scent—something annoyingly musky and Jungkook-ish—is now overwhelming you

“i, uh, should go” you blurt out, scrambling to your feet and clutching your sore shoulder like a lifeline

jungkook doesn’t stop you, just sits there on the floor, looking up at you with a furrowed brow and an expression you can’t quite place

“cool” he mutters, dragging a hand through his messy hair as his jaw clenches

you don’t say anything else, don’t even look back as you practically bolt out of his apartment and into the safety of your own, slamming the door shut behind you

breathe, you tell yourself, leaning against the door, your heart still racing, your lips still tingling from his kiss

you won’t lie, you really didn’t think it would take just a tug of hair to have Mr. Muscle moaning under you

and that kind of inflated ur ego too

>:-)

but now

as u stand behind your closed door

the warmth that had filled your chest moments ago is quickly replaced by a knot of confusion and panic

because this wasn’t supposed to happen, not with Jungkook of all people

he’s my annoying gym-rat neighbor. this is… this is stupid

or is this really?..

no matter how much you try to convince yourself, your fingers keep brushing your lips absentmindedly, and your brain replays the moment over and over again like some kind of cruel joke

the next morning, you half expect him to blast his gym playlist at full volume to piss you off like he always does

but it’s quiet

too quiet

jungkook doesn’t blast music. doesn’t clank weights around. doesn’t do anything to make his presence known, and it’s driving you insane

you don’t know why it bothers you so much, but it does

when you leave for class, you catch a glimpse of him locking his door, but he doesn’t even glance your way

just slings his backpack over his shoulder and walks off like you don’t exist

asshole

yea that hurt. a Lot. like a good amount, because you are sure that you felt that pain in the centre of your chest

but it’s not like you’re any better

you bury yourself in your textbooks, pretending the kiss never happened, even though your stupid brain refuses to let it go

your chest feels tight every time you hear his door open or his voice filter through the thin walls

and you hate how you feel disappointed every time he doesn’t acknowledge you

like you really are a stranger to him

:-(

it’s pathetic, but you can’t help it

the silence between the two of you stretches on like an invisible barrier

days pass, and the two of you become masters of the fine art of avoidance

there’s a strange art to it, like walking on eggshells in your own apartment

even if u two live in separate apartments, it just feels

weird

you are so used to him being so noisy and what not

but the silence is heavy, uncomfortable, like an unfinished sentence hanging in the air

and it’s clEar neither of you know how to handle whatever the hell this is

you can’t figure out whether it’s a relief or suffocating

and every time you pass him in the hallway or see him through your apartment window, it’s like a silent conversation you’re not having

and that, somehow, feels worse than everything else

you want him to say something. anything.

but he doesn’t

and neither do you

and it makes you sick how easy it is to fall back into the rhythm of pretending he doesn’t exist

even when he’s right there.

you go to class and he’s there

sitting three rows ahead of you like he’s deliberately trying to ignore you

and with that girl who cannot seem to have her hands off his bicep

and you’re… fine with it

totally fine

you are just hoping that your glare is enough to burn a hole in her skull

it’s just that you can’t stop staring at the back of his head

like maybe he’ll turn around and say something but nope

the entire lecture passes and he doesn’t even glance over

and you try not to overthink it but you’re pretty sure jungkook is doing the same thing to you

ignoring you

on purpose

you’re not imagining it, right?

lunch rolls around and you sit down at your usual spot

jungkook’s sitting at the table next to you with his back to you

he doesn’t even look up when you sit down

normally, he would’ve sent you a little half-smile or asked about your day or whatever. .

but now? nothing

it’s like you’re invisible

and that’s fine. you don’t care.

but deep down, you feel this weird lump in your chest

because you didn’t expect this coldness from him

even after everything that’s happened

and you’d even unconsciously brought his favourite flavour of chips he especially likes..

:(

then you see him texting on his phone

and you can’t help but peek over at his screen

jungkook is texting someone

and it’s not you

for some reason, that stings more than it should, but you swallow it down and pretend you didn’t notice

the silence between the two of you stretches out for days

it’s like the entire universe is pretending you never had that moment together

the night when everything took a wild ass turn

but jungkook’s acting like it never happened

and so are you.

and maybe, just maybe, that’s better

maybe he regrets kissing you.

maybe you even made him uncomfortable?..

and maybe this is easier

you can’t decide if it hurts or if you’re just overthinking it

either way, you stop checking his texts, stop wondering what he’s doing in his apartment

you try your best to pretend it’s okay

but deep down, you miss the stupid moments

the ones where he wasn’t so distant where it feels like something ended between you two before it could even start.

it feels like it’s been over a decade

:(

and you hate it.

but you push it aside

it’s just… the silence is way too loud now.

you’re sitting in your room, trying to convince yourself that letting go of jungkook is the right thing to do

and perhaps ur failing miserably lol

but it’s hard because every five minutes you catch yourself staring at something that reminds you of him

your notes? he doodled on them during lectures

your hoodie? yeah, it’s his. he lent it to you one day and never asked for it back

your heart? yeah. he kind of stole that too

you’re spiraling between sleep and insanity when there’s a knock on your door

no, wait—it’s not a knock

it’s banging — like someone’s fist is about to break through the wood

WHO CALLED THE COPS ON YOU ONG

you jump up, your heart pounding, and open the door

and there he is

jungkook—standing there, looking like he just ran a marathon and fought a bear at the same time

hair all messy, slight bags underneath his eyes and kinda disheveled outfit

for a split second, you freeze, your breath catching in your throat

oh

it’s been weeks since you’ve seen him, and suddenly having him standing in front of you is making your heart race like crazy

“i can’t—” he stops, breathless, hands on his knees like he’s about to collapse

you’re standing there, eyes wide, totally taken aback by the sight of him, feeling a mix of relief and something else you can’t quite place

yet

“i can’t take it anymore,” he says, looking up at you with that ridiculous face of his

you grab that meaty bicep of him, ushering him to stand up

“what are you talking about?” you ask, completely confused

“you. i’m talking about you,” he says, taking a step closer

hUH

the air around you feels like it’s being sucked out of the room

your head is spinning because after all this time, here he is, right in front of you

“i like you. i’ve always liked you. and i didn’t know how to tell you, so i…”

“i got all this gym equipment just to bother you. i’d turn the music up way too loud, and i thought that’d make you notice me. i sat next to you at lunch, even in lectures, doing everything to annoy you because i didn’t know how else to approach you, i really thought—”

“jungkook.”

you blink, processing everything in a blur, your heart still hammering in your chest

but he doesn’t quite listen to you. “i knew you liked my sketches we had during cardio lectures, so i always made sure to draw—”

“juNGKOOK!”

you cut him off, smacking his idiotic shoulders “you’re an idiot.”

jungkook stops, eyes widening a little, but there’s this look of relief on his face

like a huge weight has just been lifted off him

almost like when u get to pee after holding it in for hours

“i know,” he says softly, and for the first time, you realize how vulnerable he looks standing there

he somehow looks

small.

“then why didn’t you just talk to me like a normal person?” you ask, your voice a mix of exasperation and amusement

jungkook smiles sheepishly, his pearly whites flashing. “i guess i thought this would be easier.”

easier.

only if he knew that each moment without him felt like the earth opening up and swallowing you

AND!!! HIS FAVOURITE ONION VINEGAR FLAVORED CHIPS!! which used to be your absolutely hated flavour but somehow you’ve caught a liking to them recently

how ironic

the room feels heavy with tension as you both stand there, unsure of what to say next, but his gaze is so intense, it makes your heart skip

“say something,” he says, his voice quieter now, almost pleading. “please.”

you can feel the heat rising in your cheeks, still flustered, but there’s something about his earnestness that makes everything else fade into the background

and the way his caramel brown eyes nearly sparkle underneath your dimly lit apartment lights

you shake your head with a smile.

“you’re an idiot.”

but you're smiling like a total fool because what else are you supposed to do when the guy you’ve been in love with just confessed to you?

jungkook’s face softens, and then he smiles too

a smile which looks so adorable you feel your heart will burst

and it’s over for you

“so, uh…” he scratches the back of his neck, looking bashful. “does that mean you like me too?”

you roll your eyes, your heart racing all over again, and grab the front of his shirt to pull him inside

“kiss me already”

the door slams shut behind you.

and the rest

as they say, is history

:-)

a/n : i love them bad :’(

mlist | let me know what you think anonymously :))

[quietplace26]

Furina!MC au: 'Hydro Dragon, Hydro Dragon... Don't Cry- wait... Why are there TWO?!'

This was inspired by both an idea from @platinumrosetail and this lovely picture from @aisikae

Warnings: OCness, cringe, Leviathan as Pre-Neuvillette's name, dubious consent (I'm putting this cause Furina!MC was scared at first, but grows to like it.), mentions of sex, a mention of Neuvillette's TWO 'noodles'

Focalors couldn't understand how it happened.

She had planned everything perfectly. Separate her 'human self' from her being, use it as a puppet to lead Fontaine until it was time to stop the prophecy, etc.

So why... why was her 'human self' a dragon?!

Now, for all intents and purposes, it WAS Focalors fault, even if she didn't know it yet.

When she was 'creating' Furina, she decided to tap into the Gnosis, pulling at the Hydro Sovereign's Authority that was sealed within it to give her puppet a power boost as she couldn't allow 'it' to carry around the Hydro Gnosis.

But something happened. Something went wrong.

Because as of right now, Focalors' 'doll' was being chased right out of Fontaine due to the fact she was NOT human. Instead, she was a DRAGON.

...Well, no matter. Focalors could just make a new puppet. It wasn't like the first one would survive on 'its' own much less as a Dragon. It would be killed in the wilds, no doubt.

...Meanwhile, far from the Court of Fontaine, hidden somewhere deep in the waters of Fontaine, a traumatized and very confused Furina!MC laid curled up in her new form within some corals.

What happened to her? Why did she suddenly wake up in Genshin Impact as 'Furina'... only not the 'Furina' she remembered from the game.

Furina!MC holds a hand up to her face, examining the blue tip claws she had now, before slowly examining the rest of her NEW body.

She... She looks like Furina, but was obviously not canon Furina.

With two long, blue Rhinophores similar to Neuvillette's protruding from her head of messy white hair, pointed elf like ears, patches of blue scales all along her body, and a long reptilian-like tail with fish-like fins at the end.

Oh, she also had more fins protruding out her lower back right beside her new tail. Those tail fins oddly reminded her of the Oceanid...

...Wait. Wasn't Furina and Focalors canonically once an Oceanid?

...You know what? Furina!MC wasn't going to think about that right now...

With a sigh, she settles back down on the ocean floor. Her Oceanid tail fins wrap around her waist while her she hugs her new dragon tail to her chest and tries to think of her next step.

She obviously couldn't go back to Fontaine. She'd be chased out again and she only narrowly avoided being killed.

It still made her trembled in fear remembering how close someone got to slashing her head off with a sword or... No, she wouldn't think it anymore.

Focalors would also definitely not help her, as whatever short connection Furina!MC had with her had been snipped.

Furina!MC was all on her own...

...Fast forward a couple of weeks later, and Furina!MC was slowly getting used to her new life, body, and the fact she could BREATHE underwater.

She mostly stuck to staying in Fontaine's water but making extra sure not to go anywhere close to the Court of Fontaine or any human villages.

It was... pleasant? Yes, Furina!MC was a little lonely without other humans around, but it was growing on her.

In her past life, she was nothing more than a struggling college student that escaped to Genshin Impact to get away from reality and all that came with being a young adult.

So, living a life where she didn't need to wake up early every day to head to classes, or stay up for most of the night working at a dead-end job, was actually heaven for her.

She had a den and comfortable bed nest she made herself where she could go back to and sleep for however long she wanted.

Miles of beautiful water to swim through and the more dangerous local wildlife left her alone. Probably because of her new dragon heritage?

There was plenty of fish for her to hunt for within Fontaine's water, and she didn't mind eating them raw anymore.

The first time she ate fish raw was a week into her new life, and because she was so hungry but too fearful to head above water to hunt for fruit, she just lashed out at the nearest fish, tearing into it with her sharper than she remembered teeth.

The only negative she had was that she didn't have many clothes left. The ones she woke up in was damaged from the mob that chased her out of Fontaine, so currently she was wearing a simple sun dress she managed to steal from one of the human villages nearby.

She had to edit it somewhat, so both her tail and Oceanid fins could poke out, but it would do for now until she could find more clothes.

Oh, and she even made a few 'friends'.

The 'friends' being the local Otter population. Fontaine's Otters had always been Furina!MC's FAVORITE animals in Genshin Impact. They were just so cute and even looked like Neuvillette.

...Thinking of Neuvillette made her think about the future. What was going to happen to her? From what little she heard from passing humans while hiding in the water, Fontaine's Hydro Archon had become quite the star...

Focalors really went ahead and made another 'Furina', huh?

Well... It didn't matter to anymore. She wasn't involved with Focalors or Fontaine. She was just someone that unfortunately got dragged into something she wanted no part of.

Furina!MC wanted peace. That's. All.

So, she was going to stay as far she could from Fontaine and all the drama that would come to eventually over the next 500 years.

That also included Neuvillette... Ok, maybe she would go and check him out when he finally arrives to Fontaine 100 years from now...

A Neuvillette simp will always be a Neuvillette simp. And Furina!MC was the simpiest of simps.

And who wouldn't want to see the Hydro Sovereign in the flesh?

But alas, she still has 100 years to go... at least she can enjoy her peace and quiet until then...

Or at least, that's what she thought as she leaves her den and goes out to hunt some food. Never noticing the pair of hungry lilac eyes watching her from the shadows of the depts.

When the fallen Hydro Sovereign woke up deep, deep underwater, he knew what had happened. And it enraged him.

He and his fellow Sovereigns lost against the Heavenly Principles, and had their Authorities ripped from their very being.

And they were given to those wretched, miserable usurpers!

He'll kill them! He'll kill them all! Rip their heads off and eat their hearts!

...No. No, he couldn't do that. Not yet. As much as he hated to admit it, he was much too weak. His new body was different than his old one. Looking too much like those disgusting humans the Heavenly Principles brought over to their world.

Despite his disgust over his new form, and still very much tired over his recent reincarnation, Leviathan couldn't sit still. He needed to move, explore his surroundings.

So, he does...

His exploration, as it would turn out, lead him to a shocking revelation. A scent. A scent of a female Hydro Dragon.

This shocked him to his core as all of his kin perished during the war, having been whipped out by both the Heavenly Principles and other reasons.

And he knew it's been a very long time since then, and so the fact he was smelling a Hydro Dragon here in this day and age was an absolute miracle.

He needed to find her and find her he did.

And, OH, was she a beauty.

Curiously, she was human shaped as well. Did she go through something like he did? Did she reincarnate? But did being human shape damage her beauty? No, not really. In fact, it added to her charm.

From her pretty blue scales, which he moodily noticed was mostly covered by an odd cloth humans took to wearing. Why was she wearing that? He couldn't see the rest of her if she covered herself!

Besides that, he could make out a pair of adorable Rhinophores sticking out her white and blue hair, an equally adorable tail, and... oh? What's this?

Besides her tail was a few pretty blue tail fins. They glowed and quivered whenever she moved or got excited.

He's never seen such a thing on a Hydro Dragon before. Truly, this little one was special.

He needed to get a closer look... and maybe have a taste.

"...Oh, come on. Where are all the fish?"

Furina!MC grumbles as she slowly swam through the water, her heterochromia blue eyes flicker about, trying to pinpoint any fish, but oddly enough, there was none.

Coming to a stop, she floats in place as she gazes about again. Her long tail flicks behind her restlessly as her Oceanid fins quivered just as much. Something was off....

Frowning, and now feeling more than a little uneasy, Furina!MC turns to return back to her den when she pauses.

Her Rhinophores twitch. She swears she heard something. Something BIG swim by.

It was definitely not a Blubber beast, they're too blubbery to swim as fast as the creature she just sensed. Mentally Furina!MC knocks out every possible creature it could be as she slowly swam home.

"Not a Hunter ray... Nor a Jellyfish... and definitely not an Armored Crab..." Furina!MC mumbles nervously as she kept an eye out. "And it couldn't have been a human either... so what could-"

Her Rhinophores twitch again, and she freezes. She heard it again. Something BIG was swimming nearby!

Eying where her den was hidden among the corals Furina!MC knew she couldn't go in incase whoever OR whatever she's been sensing follows her inside! Her den had only one way in and one way out. It was much too risky to go in and hide.

So, she does the only thing she could think of, she turns tail and swims away with a quick flick of her tail, shooting quickly across the water.

And as if it was a signal, the thing that had been stalking her roars and shoots out its hiding spot, launching itself after the fleeing dragoness.

Too terrified to look behind her, Furina!MC swims as fast she could through the trenches and reefs of Fontaine's sea. But even so, it wasn't enough, as she hears a loud snarl behind her, signaling that it was about to catch her!

Furina!MC Rhinophores twitches again, and as she senses the creature launching at her again, she panics and swerves out the way, watching with scared eyes a white and blue blur goes past her and crashes into the sandy ocean floor, kicking up a mist of sand before launching back up into view.

Now seeing who her 'attacker' was, Furina!MC felt her breathing hitch, and her eye widen in pure shock.

It was Neuvillette. Or at least... this beast was supposed to be Neuvillette in the future. Had he been recently reborn? That would explain why he was so... feral... But why was he chasing her around?! Did she somehow piss him off?! She didn't even know he was around!

Furina!MC was about to make a swim for it again when wild, hungry lilac draconic eyes zeroed in on her small form, causing her to freeze in place, her Oceanid fins quiver as her tail wraps nervously around one her legs.

The reincarnated Sovereign was on her within seconds. His arms vice gripping around her small form, and shoves his face into her neck, making the dragoness whimper in confusion as he sniffs all around her neck, and even her hair!

Was he... scenting her? Furina!MC wasn't sure but going by some of the cringy fanfics she used to read in her past life, it sounded like he was.

...Furina!MC wasn't sure how long Neuvillette (Was he even called Neuvillette at this point?) held her like this while scenting her. By now, the two of them had floated down to the sea floor, with Furina!MC pinned under Neuvillette's bulk as the male kept rubbing his face against her neck, scenting her still.

It was honestly strangely relaxing...

Feeling so relaxed now, Furina!MC's mind starts to drift a bit, and a sound that she never made before in her life leaves her throat. A purr. A soft, sweet purr that is quickly answered by Neuvillette's own rumbling purr.

Furina!MC's purrs grew louder at that, unknowing to her, her new Hydro Dragon instincts were truly kicking in now.

By that, I mean she starts scenting Neuvillette in return. She had no clue what or why she was doing it, but it just felt right... Oh... he smelled so good.

A heady musky scent that reminded her of mixture of petrichor and the sea...

Her mind drifts more as she coos softly, giving the bigger male's shoulder a soft lick.

Unmated. Unbonded. Those two words echos in her head...

The dragoness was clinging to the reincarnated Sovereign now, her smaller tail intertwines with his as she starts nibbling on his neck. She... She had to mark him, so he wouldn't be taken from her!

This seems to please Neuvillette as he too starts nibbling at her neck, making her mewl like a creature in heat as his fangs sink into her neck, marking her.

She easily returns the favor by copying him, sinking her own little fangs into his neck with a moan.

'Good... So good... Want... more~'

Were Furina!MC's thoughts as her body started growing hotter as the reincarnated Sovereign switched from not only marking her neck but was full on grinding his entire body against her more petite one, making her remember that he was completely naked.

And she feels something hard press against her thigh... wait... was that two-

If she had been coherent enough, she would've freaked out over the fact some of the more raunchy fanfics she read before in her past life held some face value over the fact Neuvillette clearly had TWO d-

Furina!MC never gets to finish that thought as Neuvillette snarls and pulls away enough to flip her over onto her belly, forcing her onto all fours. A high-pitched whimper quickly leaves her lips as her face is forced down into the sand, forcing her to arch her back in a rather provocative manor.

Another snarl is heard from behind her before her sun dress is violently ripped off, leaving her both bare and trembling under the Sovereign's hungry gaze.

He crawls over Furina!MC, covering her small form completely. His chest against her back, his arms bracketing her from both sides, and his chin hooks over her shoulder. She felt so, so very small under him...

She hears the reincarnated Sovereign let out a low, rumbling croon before grabbing her hips, and gets in position.

Her Rhinophores lowered in a demure, quiet way, her Oceanid fins quivers, fluttering anxiously behind her, and her tail slowly curls around the bigger male's thigh, timidly tugging him closer.

She wanted him. NOW.

"M...Mate~"

Everything after that was pleasured blur...

Furina!MC would later wake up back in her den and in her nest, body very sore but not in a bad way, covered in bite and scratch marks... and not alone.

Neuvillette was there as well, curled around her body like a shield protecting her from the world. With his arm thrown across her waist, and his tail once again intertwine with hers, she was very much trapped.

It wasn't like she wanted to move anyway. She was too sore to move... ugh, her hips... there goes her ability to walk or swim for the next few days...

And to think she'd lose her virginity like an animal in heat... well, now that she thought about it, she was part animal now with being a dragon...

But seeing how she was trapped, Furina!MC turns her attention back to the sleeping Sovereign... only he wasn't sleeping anymore.

A startled squeaks escapes Furina!MC as her eyes met Neuvillette's, causing the reincarnated Sovereign to let out a rumbling huff of amusement over her cute reaction.

Rolling over in her nest, Neuvillette pulls the dragoness up onto his chest where he lets her lay as he drags sharp clawed fingers down her back, making her shiver go down her spine and a purr leave her throat once again.

This time, however, she did blink a few times, feeling a little confused as to why she was suddenly purring.

...It must be a Dragon thing. She wasn't going to question it right now. She was just too comfortable right now...

Crossing her arms over his chest and resting her chin on them, Furina!MC prepares to go back to sleep. Before doing that, however...

"...What's your name?"

Furina!MC murmurs softly, gazing down at reincarnated Sovereign under her. She couldn't keep calling him 'Neuvillette' in her head as the chances of that being his true name was astronomically low, and she didn't want to accidentally call him that name.

"What should I call the one who took my virginity like a brute, hm? You need to take responsibility, you know..."

Furina!MC grumbles, glaring weakly at him before her eyes flutter shut with a sigh as claws gently rakes through her hair, even playfully pinching one her Rhinophores.

A husky laugh echos along her den's walls, and Furina!MC finds herself back on her back, the reincarnated Sovereign crouched over her once again.

"Me, treasure?"

Rows of sharp teeth flash at Furina!MC as he pulls back his lips in an almost snarl but most likely a smile. A human would've been terrified of the sight. But all Furina!MC felt was a weird want for him to bite her.

He leans in, breathing heavily by her ear, and hisses,

"I am the Hydro Sovereign, the Beating Heart of the Primordial Sea, the King of All Waters... but you, my little mate, can call me Leviathan."

[xenosagaepisodeone]

unschooling is such a bizarre phenomena to me because it is the montessori education model but managed by a class of people who are encouraged to treat their children as an extension of their own selves. nuclear family psychodrama traumamaxxing. when public school teachers are evil, it's in a very particular cold, cynical, mass-manufactured way. people who talk about negative unschooling experiences alway come across to me like "I feel like my mom gave birth to me only to absorb me back into her ego. in her eyes I was this uniquely prodigious and gifted entity because I came from her- because I was her; but also that I was an incurious, uneducated failure because I was me, a vulnerable child who needed guidance and support. the 'me' that was nourished during my adolescence was my mother as I compromised with and comforted her, coming to understand the trials of her upbringing through her subjugation of myself. I felt myself slowly outgrow the box within her ego she had stored me in. A child must leave their nest one day, but for my mother, it would have been like her mother abandoning her a second time. when i was able to rejoin society, I got on all fours like the unperson I had always been and ran and ran and ran and ran". and a person with public school trauma will be like "I relate to this but I didn't get on all fours at the end".

[aweirdofangirl]

The Golden Raven gave me everything, and by everything, I mean a greater appreciation for the most tragic character to ever live Kevin Day. I was genuinely making a joke about how his real personality is insufferable to everyone but gay people in my head and he just clicked for me.

I think the fact that Riko is dead, and Jean is constantly having to be reassured that he will never come back, has really made me see the light. Because Kevin did the bravest thing he has ever done (there was so little he could do for Jean in the nest and that's a whole other can of worms I refuse to open) and was rewarded for it the next year by being called a coward left, right, and center. Mind you, he was going through at least some of the same things Jean's going through (HOW MANY CLASSES HAD HE EVER GONE TO BY HIMSELF- I need to calm down) but his monster was alive and kicking. Riko was inching closer at every chance he had. And it wasn't like Neil, where it crept up on him, it was in the light of day while everyone watched, and he could do nothing about it.

I also cried over his friendship with Jeremy. Jean was right Kevin could never be a Trojan, but he admires their tenderness from afar. Oh my god, I understand why everyone who loves Kevin acts like they are on crack now.

[bobbertskeetz]

Derek Morgan x Female!Reader

maybe something where reader goes into labor while Derek is away on a case or reader surprises Derek with a visit to the office and brings their new born along with her ( kinds how Haley did with Jack in the earlier seasons )

AHHHH!! love this one, thank you very much for the request. Actually thinking of combining both of these into a two part imagine?? For now though, enjoy panicked Derek <3

𝙪𝙣𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙙.𝙢 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

Summary: Despite his desperate attempts to be by your side 24/7, Derek is convinced the universe is out to get him during the final days of your pregnancy

Themes/Warnings: pregnant!reader, fiance!derek, general themes of the show e.g unsubs, graphic cases (not in depth detail) fem!reader, fluff fluff Fluff!!! angst if you squint...

"Don't-"

"Derek please."

"Sit! Ah ah, stay... good girl, you get a treat."

A quick sloppy kiss is planted on your left cheek while Derek holds you down by the shoulders, trapping you in place in the nest of pillows and blankets he created to accomodate your swollen stomach and achy back. Your fiance stands behind you, knees kneeling on the arm rest, while he massages the knot growing at the base of your neck, while you lightly scoff.

"Speak to me like that again and I will knife you."

"Easy Mama, you shouldn't model such a hostile attitude for the little man!"

Reaching up behind you, you grasp at his neck gently, bringing him back down to your level for a kiss. The kiss goodbye which you had previously attempted to get up and give him, before he left for God knows how long.

A cheeky grin grew on his lips as you moved to his ear with a whisper;

"She, will be the most well-mannered child ever born, taking after her mother..."

"Bet?"

"Shut up," another kiss lands on his lips, "Hotch is waiting."

Derek lets a low groan, one saturated in frustration, slowly spill into your shared kisses. Eyebrows furrowed together, accompanied by a small frown, he allows his head to lull to one side, rubbing the pad of his thumb tenderly along your jawline.

"Don't dare move from this couch, Sweetheart. Not without Garcia or your mother here to help you out."

"Der-"

"Humour me gorgeous?"

A final kiss, and a huff;

"Fine."

You can't find it in yourself to feel any sort of remorse for agreeing to his terms as his blinding toothy grin leaves a fuzzy warmth budding in the pit of your stomach. What harm will a few days on the sofa do you anyhow?

Hotch was growing impatient, although, trying his best to remain understanding. He knew how hard it was, how the guilt of leaving your pregnant partner at home eats you alive. However, these were the demands of the job. One last nagging phone call from Hotch, and Derek was half way out the door, reminding you of the meals in the fridge (kindly prepared that morning by Penelope) and of the vitamin supplements you have to take before you go to bed.

With a swift, yet endearing exchange of I love you's, Derek was finally on his way to Florida. He knew it was silly, hating an arsonist more for taking him away from his growing family, than the actual crimes committed. Yet, these were the demands of matrimony and fatherhood.

--

Three days of couch-rotting down, and you were verging on insanity. Every slight movement left a series of uncomfortable spasms in your joints, the braxon hicks were something serious, and you constantly felt as though you had a gaping hole in your stomach, almost as if you were riding a never ending rollercoaster. Baby Morgan needed to make an appearence soon, or she would have to be evicted.

With twenty minutes left on the clock before your mother was scheduled to come and help you to the bath, you awoke from your half-sleep with a start. Why were your sweatpants sticking to your thighs?

Yes, Derek forbid you from moving unless absolutely necessary, however, peeing yourself was definitely classed as an emergancy. Except, you hadn't. There, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, sat a weird bloody substance on the line of your underwear.

Fuck. Me.

Immediately you called your fiance. Should you be calling him first? What's he going to do from Florida? This was a bad idea, he's busy after all... But, before your anxiety could hang up the phone, the one voice you so desperately needed sang down the line like a prayer.

"Hey gorgeous girl, how's my little famil-"

"Baby! Now- baby is- Help."

"What?! Sweetheart hold on, are you sure?"

"Honey, my mucus plug is very much unplugged and my abdomen is being ripped apart."

A sharp wail escaped you as a dull ache made itself known in the pits of your cervix, and then the anger came.

"Derek. I need you. Now."

"Everything is going to be just fine sweetheart, let me call-"

"No! Don't leave me, please don't leave me."

"Okay angel, I'm right here." His assurance soothed you for the time being, both of you awaiting your mother's arrival. And it was safe to say, Derek was sick to his stomach.

--

Every damn day. Every day he tried his hardest to be there, especially nearing the end of your third trimester. His biggest fear was accidentally leaving you alone when that one awaited moment came; and his greatest nightmare had just come true.

"I should've been there Reid!"

Spencer nodded, sympathetically, "You couldn't have predicted this."

"Well, I should've. Fuck. It's just exactly what I should've predicted" He felt as though he could cry, and stifling a sniffle he continued, "Of course the second I leave that's when the little guy decides to make an appearance."

"Murphy's law! Essentially everything that could go wrong will go wrong. Named after Edward A. Murphy Jr, for centuries this belief has plagued several societies-"

"Spence." JJ shook her head gently, nudging it towards Derek's defeated countenance.

Grimacing, Spencer blushed and tried again, "Morgan, honestly you couldn't have done any more than you already have."

JJ then chimed in, "She's not holding this against you, shit happens, and you are getting ready to go home right now! I mean - you got the call a half hour ago, and already the jet's almost ready"

Opening his mouth the respond, Derek was cut off by Hotch swinging the precint's office door open, informing him that he could go home.

"Jesus, that fast?"

He was already rushing out of the room when he heard the discussion between JJ and Hotch,

"Special treatment for the family man."

Family man. He was a family man now. Non-commital SSA Derek Morgan had a bride-to-be waiting for him, and a baby on the way. And he could never be happier.

--

Within hours, Derek was bulldozing his way through the ward, stopping every nurse who was unfortunate enough to get in his way, to ask for your room. When he finally found you, he all but fell through the door with panic.

"Is everyone okay?" Kiss. "Hi baby!" Kiss. "Are you okay?! Is baby?"

The tenderness with which he held your face immediately soothed every anxiety within your body, even only momentarily. He was here, he made it. After an elongated silence, you shook yourself into action, reminding yourself that Derek was not a mind reader, despite what his job would lead you to believe.

"Everyone's okay honey, little rascal is still inside me," you replied softly, almost inaudibly, the fear felt previously when you had first called him suddenly returning, "You made it?"

His heart lurched and eyes softened at the vulnerability in your voice, and Derek finally took in the sheet white anxious expression settled on your face. Gently, he clasped his warm hand around your own, careful to avoid tugging at your drip, and dropped a sweet kiss to the cracks of your knuckles.

"I made it sweet girl." Another kiss, then travelling to your trembling lips, "I'll always make it doll. That, I can promise you forever."

[howi99]

From the Nest 9

Nora: *stars in her eyes* You killed an alpha at 7!? That's so AWESOME!

Jaune: *Scratching the back of his head* I didn't kill it per say. *Chuckle* Honestly, it kinda killed itself by running head first into a trap me and my master had made for deer.

Ren: How did you outrun it?

Jaune: Boarbatusks aren't really good in a forest. Zigzagging between trees is basically all you need to do to outmaneuver them. Then when you're near the pit, just stay still and they will charge straight at you.

Nora: Oh, so you were behind the pitfalls then? Waiting knowing you were safe?

Jaune: *remembering dodging the grimm in extremis* ... It would have been smarter, now that i think about it. *Shaking his head* I dodged it like an idiot at the last second.

Raven: *looking at him, furious* KAAAW! *Peck his hand*

Jaune: *frown, looking at his teacher in disguise* Hey, i was 7! Give me some slack, you hag!

Ruby: *chuckle* It's almost like she can understand you!

Jaune: *trying to fend off the relentless assault, protecting his head with his arms* She does and sometimes i wish she didn't!

Yang: *pensive* So... What are you gonna with it in class? I doubt we can bring animals there.

Jaune: Huh? Really? *Turning to Raven, who nod* Well, she IS technically not mine, so she probably would go home.

Yang: Oh, so it's like a family bird?

Jaune: ... It's complicated.

_ _ _

Jaune: *trying to stay awake during Port class* Urgh....

Blake: *reading her book* ...

Jaune: ... *Annoyed* Blake, if you don't suffer with all of us, i'll make sure to spoil you the next volume.

Blake: *side eyeing him* You wouldn't dare.

Jaune: Try me.

Blake: ... *Sigh, putting down her book on the table* Fine.

...

Blake: *yawning* He's not teaching us anything, is he?

Jaune: He is, but it's covered by so many metaphor and flowery talks, it's just a bore to listen to.

Blake: *surprised* Really? He's actually teaching us something?

Jaune: *yawn* Well, not me in particular, but probably most of the people here, yeah.

Yang: *smirk* Oh yeah? And what is he teaching us now, hm? It's just a story about how he protected a puppy from a bunch of grimms while its siblings ran away.

Nora: ...

Jaune: *stretching* Well, replace the puppies by kids. What do you think happened when its siblings ran away? Towards the grimms ambushed in the woods?

Yang: ... *Blood draining from her face* O-oh god... *Looking at the smiling old man* That's...

Nora: I've heard enough... *standing up, walking out of the class*

Ren: I'll go check on her. *Leave too*

Port: *his smile wavering just an instant, enough for the most perceptive to see the sorrow in his eyes* W-well, maybe i was getting ahead of myself with those stories of mine. Let's continue on ursas, shall we?

[thollandsgirl2013]

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐚*

Parings → Alpha! Peter Parker x Omega! Reader

Warnings → SMUT!! 18+ werewolf AU

Summary → You're in heat and you need your Alpha to take care of you.

The morning sun peeked through the skyscrapers, casting long shadows on the busy streets of New York. Horns blared, people hurried past each other, and the usual chaos filled the city. But none of it mattered to Peter Parker. Not today.

All Peter could think about was you. His Omega. His mate.

Last night had been nothing short of torture. Your heat had hit like a storm, and you'd called him, your voice trembling with need. Peter had been ready to leap out of his bedroom window, his Alpha instincts kicking in. He needed to be with you, to take care of you. But then your parents had interfered, completely unaware of his spider abilities. They refused to let him come over, worried about him walking alone at night through the dangerous streets of New York.

If only they knew he could be there in seconds, swinging from rooftops faster than any cab could drive.

As the night dragged on, Peter’s phone had buzzed nonstop with your desperate texts:

“Peter, please...”

“I need you, Alpha...”

Each message was like a knife to his chest, his wolf restless inside him, pacing, growling, clawing to get out. His muscles had tensed painfully, every part of him yearning to be by your side. But instead, he was stuck in his room, fists clenched, trying to control himself as the minutes ticked by. Sleep had been impossible, his mind filled with the image of you, alone, suffering through your heat without him.

Now, sitting in Mr. Harrington’s class, Peter could barely sit still. His leg bounced uncontrollably under the desk, and his fingers tapped nervously on his notebook. He hadn’t heard from you this morning, and it was driving him insane. Were you okay? Were you crying for him? Curled up in your nest, clutching his shirt to your chest as you whined for him?

He couldn't take it anymore.

Ned, sitting beside him, gave Peter a concerned glance. “Dude, you’re, like, vibrating.”

Peter let out a frustrated breath, his voice tight. “She hasn’t texted me back, Ned. I’m freaking out. I can’t just sit here. She needs me.”

Ned's expression softened. “Then go. Just... tell Mr. Harrington it’s a family thing or something. You know, ‘urgent family business.’ ”

Peter gave him a sideways glance, running his fingers through his messy curls. “Right, because ‘urgent family business’ will totally convince him to let me skip class.”

Ned shrugged helplessly. “It’s better than nothing, man. You can’t just sit here, biting your nails.”

Peter’s heart raced as he looked toward the front of the room, where Mr. Harrington was droning on about the importance of the periodic table. How was he supposed to tell his teacher that his Omega was in heat and he had to leave? He rubbed the back of his neck, groaning quietly. “This is ridiculous. I can’t just—”

“I’ll do it,” a voice interrupted.

Peter whipped his head around to see MJ, cool and calm as ever, standing from her desk. She hadn’t said much all morning, but now, with her eyes narrowed and her hands casually in her pockets, she strode over to Mr. Harrington’s desk with purpose.

“MJ, no—” Peter hissed, but it was too late.

She leaned casually against the desk and looked Mr. Harrington square in the eye. “Mr. Harrington,” she began, her voice flat but firm, “Peter needs to leave. His Omega, Y/n, is in heat, and he has to be with her.”

The entire class froze.

Peter’s face flushed deep red. His heart skipped a beat, and he nearly choked on his own breath. “MJ!” He whispered harshly, his eyes wide as saucers. His stomach dropped.

Mr. Harrington blinked at MJ, momentarily stunned by her bluntness. Then, to Peter’s absolute horror, Mr. Harrington smiled, an almost sympathetic expression crossing his face. “Oh, I see,” he said with an understanding nod. “Poor girl. Of course, you should be there for her, Peter.”

Peter wanted to crawl under his desk. This could not be happening.

“Here you go, Peter.” Mr. Harrington casually scribbled a hall pass and handed it over. “Just make sure she’s drinking plenty of water and eating when she can. Heats can really take a toll. And if you need an extra day or two, don’t worry about it, okay? Take care of her. It's important.”

Peter snatched the pass, his face practically on fire. “T-Thank you,” he mumbled, not daring to meet anyone’s eyes.

As soon as he stepped out of the classroom, he heard Ned whisper, “Lucky bastard.”

Peter was out the door in seconds, his heart pounding as he rushed down the hallway. The second he was outside, he ducked into an alley, yanked his backpack open, and pulled out his suit. He had to get to you now.

In a matter of moments, Peter was swinging through the city, the wind rushing past his face as he headed toward your apartment. His mind was racing as fast as his body. You needed him, and nothing else mattered. He couldn’t wait to hold you, to comfort you, to be with you through every agonizing second of your heat. His wolf howled inside him, urging him to move faster.

______

You lay curled up in your nest, body trembling, burning with the intensity of your heat. The nest—circular, soft, and surrounded by endless pillows and blankets—was meant to offer comfort, but nothing eased the deep ache inside you. The cream-colored cushions cocooned you, soaked in Peter’s scent—his hoodie, his T-shirts, anything you could find that still carried traces of him. You buried your face deeper into his hoodie, breathing in the faint blend of his cologne. It was the only thing keeping you from unraveling completely. But it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. You needed Peter—his scent, his warmth, his presence. Clutching his hoodie tightly, you inhaled again, trying to calm your wolf as the familiar smell of your Alpha filled your lungs. Still, the emptiness gnawed at you, growing unbearable with each passing minute.

Your fingers trembled as you clung to his hoodie, tears welling up in your eyes, threatening to spill over as the overwhelming need for Peter consumed you. "Peter," you whispered into the fabric, though he wasn’t there to hear you. Your voice was weak, hoarse, filled with desperation.

Your Omega instincts screamed for him. Every inch of your skin tingled with the need for his touch, his presence. A soft whimper escaped your lips, one you couldn’t hold back no matter how hard you tried. You felt so empty, like a part of you was missing. You craved him with every fiber of your being, and without him, you felt utterly lost.

Tears blurred your vision as you hugged his hoodie tighter against your chest. The scent that had once brought you comfort now only made your heart ache. You didn’t just need the trace of him—you needed Peter himself. Right now.

Suddenly, you heard the front door open and close downstairs. Your heart leapt, hope surging through your body.

"Peter?" You called out, your voice hoarse, barely above a whisper, thick with desperation.

You heard him before you saw him. "I’m here, babe!" Peter’s voice echoed up the stairs, and just the sound of it sent a wave of relief through you.

Footsteps shuffled below, and then your mother’s voice followed. “Oh, Peter, thank goodness you’re here,” she said, her tone warm and knowing. She was just about to leave for her shift at the hospital, gave him a sympathetic smile. “Try to keep things... quiet this time, okay? We had a noise complaint last time.”

Peter’s face flushed a deep red, his usual confidence fading for a moment as he stammered, “I-I’ll try, Mrs. Y/L/N. S-sorry about last time.”

She waved him off with a chuckle, not really upset. “Just take care of her. And make sure she eats after... you know. After every time.”

Peter’s eyes widened at her casual tone, but he nodded quickly, his cheeks still burning. “Y-Yes, ma’am.”

As soon as she left, the door closing behind her, Peter bolted up the stairs two at a time. Your scent hit him like a tidal wave, stronger with each step he took, and his wolf growled low in his chest. You needed him, and the thought made his instincts roar to life. He could already feel his muscles tensing in response, his heart pounding as he reached your door.

“Y/n,” Peter breathed as he pushed the door open.

The sight of you nearly made his knees buckle. You were curled up in your nest, your face buried in his hoodie, your skin flushed, your body trembling slightly from the intensity of your heat. Your eyes were glazed, half-lidded with need, and when they met his, a soft, pitiful whimper slipped from your lips.

“Peter...” you whispered, your voice broken, fragile.

He dropped his bag and approached slowly, heart pounding. “I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.” He crouched down beside your nest, gently brushing your hair out of your face. “Can I come in?”

You nodded frantically, already tugging at his shirt. Peter slipped off his shoes and carefully climbed into the nest, wrapping his arms around you. The moment his scent fully surrounded you, the tension in your body eased, but not for long. Your heat was raging, and the need for him was unbearable.

“Peter, I can’t... I need you now,” you whimpered, your hands pulling at his clothes, trying to get him as close as possible.

Peter’s breath hitched. “Okay, okay, I’m here. I love you,” he whispered as he kissed your forehead, trailing his lips down to your cheeks, then to your neck.

You let out a soft moan, arching your body against his, already overwhelmed by his presence. Peter took off his shirt, throwing it aside before pulling the blanket off you, exposing your bare, trembling body. His eyes darkened, his wolf growling in approval. You were perfect.

“I love you so much,” Peter whispered, his lips brushing against your skin as he kissed his way down your neck, shoulders, and chest. His hands roamed over your body, touching every inch of you as if trying to calm the burning inside you.

Peter’s gaze darkened as he watched you writhe beneath him, the raw desperation in your eyes tugging at his heart. You had already marked each other, and that bond between you two burned with an intensity he could feel just as much as you did. He could sense every bit of your yearning, the deep ache radiating through your body as your Omega instincts screamed for him.

“Peter, please,” you whimpered, your voice a breathless plea as you struggled to speak, “I need—”

Before you could finish, Peter silenced you with a rough, urgent kiss, his lips crashing against yours in a mess of heat and need. His hands trembled as they roamed over your body, desperate to touch, to claim, to soothe. He could feel your slickness pooling between your thighs, a sign of just how ready you were for him, and it sent his wolf into a frenzy.

With a quick motion, Peter tugged off his pants, his breath ragged as he positioned himself between your legs. “I’ve got you, baby. I’m here,” he rasped, voice thick with emotion. His eyes met yours briefly, filled with a mix of love and raw hunger. He lined himself up and, with one firm thrust, pushed into you.

The both of you gasped at the sudden, overwhelming relief. He filled you completely, and the unbearable ache that had been tearing through your body finally began to subside, replaced by the feeling of being whole—of having him inside you. You let out a choked moan, your legs instinctively wrapping around his waist, pulling him closer, not wanting to let go.

Peter’s breath was shaky, but his voice was firm, dominant, as he growled softly in your ear. “You’re mine. All mine, Omega.”

You whimpered, nodding frantically, “Yes… Peter… Alpha, I’m yours,” you breathed, your voice trembling, eyes brimming with tears from the intensity of it all.

“I’m not going anywhere, Omega. I’m right here,” he whispered, his lips trailing soft kisses down your jaw and neck. His hand cupped the side of your face, thumb brushing tenderly against your flushed cheek as he looked at you with a fierce protectiveness. "You’re safe with me. Always."

His words, laced with possessiveness but also care, sent shivers down your spine. Your mark throbbed with the connection you shared, and as Peter's lips found the spot where he had already marked you, he pressed a gentle kiss to it before grazing his teeth over the scar. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he felt the pulse of your bond surge between you.

You moaned at the feeling, your body arching up against him. “Peter,” you whimpered, your fingers digging into his back, pulling him even closer.

“You feel so good,” Peter murmured as he kissed your mark again, then began sucking on the tender skin just below it, leaving new bruises in his wake. “You’re mine,” he repeated, his voice possessive but soft, as though the words were meant to comfort you as much as they were to claim you. His tongue flicked over the spot, sending another wave of pleasure through your already trembling body.

Each thrust of his hips was slow but deep, every movement deliberate, as though he wanted you to feel just how much he cared for you. His hands slid to your hips, gripping them firmly as he guided you against him, quickening his pace ever so slightly but never losing the tenderness in his touch.

“Fuck! Peter,” you gasped, tears slipping down your cheeks from the overwhelming sensation. “I love you. I love you so much,” you cried, your voice breaking as the heat inside you gave way to pure, unbridled pleasure.

Peter’s breath was heavy in your ear, his forehead resting against yours as he moved faster, deeper. “I love you too, Y/n. Fuck, you're so tight,” he groaned, his hands trembling as he gripped your hips harder. “I’ll always take care of you. You’re everything to me.”

His words sent your heart racing, the heat between you growing more intense with every second. You could feel your release building, your body on the edge, teetering between unbearable tension and blissful release.

“Peter, I—I’m so close,” you whimpered, your nails scratching down his back, leaving faint red marks in their wake. “Please… Alpha…”

Peter growled, the sound low and primal, sending a shiver through your entire body. “I know, baby. I’m close too,” he rasped, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. His hand slid between your bodies, finding the sensitive bundle of nerves between your legs, rubbing gentle circles that had you gasping his name.

“Come for me, Babe,” he commanded, his voice rough but gentle, his thumb pressing down harder on your clit as his other hand gripped your waist tighter.

That was all it took. Your body convulsed beneath him as your release tore through you, a cry of pure ecstasy escaping your lips as you trembled uncontrollably. Peter’s name was the only thing you could think of, the only thing that escaped your lips as wave after wave of pleasure washed over you.

Peter wasn’t far behind. With one final thrust, he buried himself deep inside you, his grip tightening on your hips as he growled your name, his release filling you completely. The bond between you pulsed with warmth, wrapping around the both of you as though sealing the moment.

For a few moments, neither of you moved, both of you lost in the bliss of being so close, so connected. Peter’s breath was still ragged as he collapsed beside you, immediately pulling you into his arms. His fingers brushed through your hair, his other hand resting protectively over your lower stomach, as if shielding you from the world.

“I’ll always take care of you,” Peter whispered, his voice tender as he pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head. “I’ll never let anything hurt you, Y/n.”

You smiled, exhausted but filled with love, your head resting on his chest as you listened to the steady beat of his heart. “I know, Peter,” you murmured sleepily, feeling the last remnants of your heat fade away as the comfort of his presence soothed you. “I love you.”

Peter kissed your forehead gently, sighing in relief as he held you close. “I love you too, Y/n/n. Forever.”

Safe in his arms, you drifted off, knowing that your Alpha would always protect you.

‎∗ ࣪ ˖༺ 𓆩☆𓆪 ༻˖ ࣪ ∗

[kiame-sama]

Humans Are Extinct (Yandere!TWST x fem!Reader) Monster AU pt 13

(Malleus has a full dragon form that is much larger than his Humanoid form, though he rarely uses it. The few times Malleus uses his draconic form is in combat and to hold his Hoard. As a Dragon, he receives comfort from having his Hoard with him and being able to shield his entire Hoard with his own body. In combat Malleus has less control over himself as he only really fights when there is no other choice or he is enraged enough to turn his fangs and flames on the offending party. The only time Malleus would ever deign to be in his Draconic form outside of combat or comfort would be if the members of his Hoard request it of him.)

Warnings: yandere, yandere behavior, protective behavior, aggressive behavior, cursing, poachers, case made for both sides, threats, shinigami vs dragon conflict, platonic yanderes vs platonic yandere vs romantic yanderes, Cervitaur, Crow, Shinigami, Dragon, Raiju, Vampire Bat, mention of Water Nymph, more history of my AU,

~~~~~~~~

You woke up in an increasingly familiar way with your face snuggled up in the fur between Silver's shoulder blades. The warmth was tempting to give into as the rest had been deep and peaceful, but you wondered where the others had gone. Slowly lifting your head you hummed and snuggled the warm Cervitaur. Grim was laying in the space of your neck with his tail curled over his nose.

"Ah, you're awake."

"Mhh, Silver? Where did everyone go?"

"... Lord Hades has arrived and wished to speak with you, but Lord Malleus insisted he have the chance to speak his case first. Father and Sebek have gone with him. The Headmage insists we do not interrupt the conversation and tells me they will reach out when they have finished speaking."

You sighed and lay back where you had been sprawled across the Reindeer's back, cuddling your cat friend close. Concern colored your outlook on things and you wondered if you were going to be taken away from the home you had made at the school. If push came to shove, you preferred the hell you knew over the hell you didn't.

There was a part of you that wanted to say 'screw it' and invite yourself into the conversation being had over your future, as you should have greater say than anyone else on the matter. Another part of you wondered if it was best to let Malleus deal with the situation as the Dragon was likely better versed in political talks. You weren't entirely sure what Hades was like other than what you had been told, but you hoped he would be as understanding as you needed him to be.

It was during this thinking that you realized it had been a few days since you were last able to bathe in the comfort of your home. Where you had been cleaned up after the attack and magically cleaned to go to classes, it still didn't sit well with you that you hadn't been able to take care of your own cleanliness and grooming. If anything, a nice shower to scrub off the day seemed quite tempting and may help you clear your mind to have some time alone.

Still, you couldn't get there by yourself due to your still aching leg and tender arm. To think, you had been hacked with a Headsman's Axe and stabbed with a serrated blade within days of each other. Even so, the idea of having time to yourself to just relax in some hot water was a tempting one.

"Silver, I want a shower. Can we go back to Ramshackle?"

"Of course."

Silver carefully got up, keeping you and Grim in place on his back. Luckily the blanket you had been using was small enough that Silver could just take it with you. You didn't even have to adjust as he got down from the large nest, both you and Grim still cozy beneath the blanket. Part of you was tempted to just slip off into sleep again as the rhythmic click of his hooves on the ground served as a fine melody.

Students who lived in Diasomnia only spared a quick glance in your direction before getting out of Silver's way. All of them acutely aware of how seriously their dorm leader took your safety and how seriously Silver would take your safety as a result. Some were curious, but none dared to approach or bother the Cervitaur for their curiosity.

All you wanted was that bit of time alone and felt almost happy to know Silver was a natural deterrent for the curious students. Grim had yet to wake, even with being jostled and continued to nap in your arms as you lay across the Reindeer's back.

~•§•~

"So as you see, Lord Hades, though it is not an ideal arrangement, it would be improper to remove her from where she is comfortable and a crime to threaten the removal of a Hoard member of a Dragon."

The large Shinigami contemplated these words in silence, his tired eyes far too alert and sharp for comfort. Though this was an ancient being, even the weathering of time could not take away the razor sharp intelligence and strong morals from the Shinigami. Time could rob him of everything else, but it would never rob him of his wits and strength.

Despite being in his smaller form, the Shinigami towered over the others and was just as intimidating as he would be in his original large form. When the Shinigami moves others get out of his way.

"And this talk of poachers?"

"She would be threatened by poachers everywhere regardless of who it is protecting her. Better she be somewhere she is comfortable than take her somewhere new and still have to face the dangers of poaching."

"She would not be under such threat on the Isle of Woe."

There was truth in the Shinigami's words as the ancient being was solely in control of who entered his lands or not. The Isle was the only place that poachers would not be able to infiltrate regardless of effort or time dedicated. It was the ideal safe-space for a species that had already gone extinct such as Humans.

"Yes, she would be."

Malleus' interruption was odd as the Dragon was usually well spoken towards those of equal or greater standing than himself. Naturally, Hades was of the mind that everything the Dragon says should be taken with his own personal attachment to the Human in mind.

"How do you figure, child?"

"You cherished Humans and protected them before they died out, many of your kin did not. Who's to say that your own kin won't turn on her themselves? Young Ortho's disabilities are the direct result of Shinigami turning against family. Who's to say others won't do the same?"

"You make a vaild point, but the truth still stands; this is not a safe enough place to keep the last member of a contested species. All attempts at maintaining any semblance of safety have been thwarted by poachers looking to line their pockets."

"Then make it one."

"Speak again, child, I don't believe I understood you properly the first time."

"You say it isn't safe enough for her to stay here? Then make it safe for her. She is happy enough here and finds comfort in the presence of those she has befriended. If you can't do that much and insist on taking her from here, my Hoard and I will follow where she goes."

Hades actually cracked a smile at this, pleased with the Dragon's determination to keep and protect the Human in question. He had previously figured the young Dragon was only acting on instinct to keep that which was selfishly Hoarded away by a beast whose wings were too small for his ego. Now he could see that the Dragon was willing to uproot his own comfort to follow where his beloved Human goes regardless of how the choice panned out.

"You are determined to keep her, this is clear. How can I trust your Hoard won't turn on her either?"

"We have slept in the same nest since my child of man arrived at Night Raven. Lilia, my own teacher and first Hoard member, has guarded myself long enough for me to know his feelings on the matter. Silver and Sebek are my retainers and have acted as such for (Y/n) since her arrival. Sebek is newer to the Hoard, I conceed that, but he is no less protective of her."

Hades hummed at this, turning to look at two of the mentioned Hoard members. The Vampire Bat was a familiar face and Hades himself had heard of the Bat before. The Raiju was not a familiar face, but it was clear by the way he stood that he was currently standing on guard for the Dragon he protected. As humorous as it was to think a Dragon needed protection from anything, the Raiju clearly took the task seriously and even tried to stare down the elder Shinigami.

"Tell me, child, do you know why Humans need to be protected?"

"They are fragile and magicless."

"Yes, but do you know the way other species interact with Humans and why it can be so dangerous?"

"I don't believe I follow."

Hades stood now, his hands clasped behind his back as he walked to one of the windows nearby and looked out at the campus. He knew much of Humans, having been the primary benefactor and protector of the species he loved so deeply. There were many truths lost to time about the soft species, but Hades still remembered it as clear as the day he first encountered the odd simian-species.

"Humans are addictive. I don't mean in a poetic way either, Humans are truly addictive to many species. To the species that befriended them, Humans became an emotional addiction due to their own ability to cover their emotions and even model their emotions around those among them. To the species that ate their flesh, they were physically addictive and drove many- such as the early Gnolls- into a hunger driven state of madness that could only be curbed by partaking in consumption. For those that loved them and embraced them as mates, the very feel of their bodies and the emotional support they provided became addictive. Why do you think so many Fae were in such a state of mourning after the extinction of Humans? Why do you think so many Unicorns are desperate to have a Human in their life? Why do you think I took so much of my own time and resources to shelter them in my home?"

He now turned back to the group that watched him curiously, his old eyes noticing the way the Bat Fae averted his gaze. The Bat knew the addictive qualities of Humans and still sought to be around this new Human because it harkened back to his memories of Humans long since departed. Lilia had first-hand experience of how addictive it was to stay in the presence of a Human and be shown the coveted affection of those Humans. Despite the threat of addiction to this new Human, Lilia casually sauntered into forming a friendship and potentially more with the Human and knowingly allowed himself to be pulled in.

"Your teacher knows of what I speak. I know this addiction well and I know others are susceptible to it. Even you, in all your magic and power, are subject to the Human caused addiction. I would see Humans brought back to this world and treated properly by all in Twisted Wonderland, but many would see the destruction of this last Human to be the end of an age of obsession. Even now, we cherish and cling to the remnants of a species that was too weak to survive among us on their own, yet too treasured to be forgotten."

He moved back around the long conference table and towards the Dragon who tried so hard to convince him to keep the Human. There were many variables and this Human was certainly a treasure among treasures, but would the Dragon be able to stop himself from becoming addicted as well, or would he saunter into it the same way his teacher and advisor had?

"Can you say with confidence that you can protect her from the many addicts looking for their next fix? Can you assert that you can keep her safe from those that crave her very presence and flesh because of their driven need for her? Can you swear to me that your own addiction will not cloud your judgement to make decisions in her best interest and not your own? If you can, I will aid you in her protection. If you can't, I will remove her from the situation she has unknowingly entered and you will not see her again. Even if I must declare war on Briar Valley to do so, I am still able to say with certainty what would be best for her as a Human in a world of addicts. So, what say you, little Dragon prince? Can you swear to me that all you say is true?"

"..."

~•§•~

Your shower was much needed and felt like it washed off more than just the weight of the day. Silver insisted on getting you a stool to sit on so you wouldn't strain your leg by standing on it and insisted on keeping guard outside the door. The time alone was a relief as at least the Cervitaur respected your request for privacy.

Ortho had been thrilled to see you again and wanted to show you all he and Idia had done to improve your home, only backing off when you promised to take a look once you were done bathing. Luckily for you, the Shinigami was quick to agree and even tried apologizing to you for involving his ancestor the way he did. Grim assured you he would take a look at all the new things added to your home while you bathed and tell you if it was satisfactory or not.

Idia was thrilled to have the little cat-beast volunteer as it was clear the Shinigami was fond of felines. You felt comfortable enough to let the Shinigami brothers keep an eye on Grim while you bathed.

Now, as you dried off, rewrapped your wounds, and pulled on the clothes Silver left out for you, you felt more at peace with the situation you found yourself in. The clothes you were given were actually unfamiliar, as you didn't remember having the loose fit pants or the flowy shirt in your wardrobe, but you didn't have much in your wardrobe anyway. You vaguely wondered if you could convince Malleus and another Housewarden to accompany you to find clothing more your style. Of course, this also meant that you had to aquire enough funds to purchace the clothing you wanted.

"(Y/n)," Silver knocked on the bathroom door, "you've gone quiet. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking."

"Do you need assistance wrapping your bandages?"

"Nope. I'm fine."

"Let me know if that changes."

You sighed softly, knowing it would be rare to have time to yourself but also knowing there was reason behind the almost intrusive protective behavior of those around you. If those Wolves had managed to learn about your collar enough to remove them during the attack, then others would no doubt have the same advantage. In some ways you cursed the Water Nymph for his stupid act of telling the world about you, but in some ways you recognized that if he hadn't done it someone else likely would have. He just had the misfortune of doing it first.

When you emerged from the washroom, you were not too surprised to see Silver laying outside the door. He had taken to laying down in order to help you climb onto his back as you still technically weren't supposed to walk around without aid just yet. Even as you climbed onto the back of the Reindeer, he was careful when he stood as he didn't want to jostle you too much.

"Hooman!"

Grim called out, jumping from the banister railing across from you and up into your arms. The little beast didn't seem overly upset or bothered, so you figured he just missed you. If anything, your view of Grim had become rather motherly as it was clear the young cat-beast had taken a shining to you and sought you out for comfort.

"Flames has something he wants to talk with us about. I think you should hear him out because he's actually kinda smart and the things he says don't really make sense but are good enough to believe!"

The softest of chuckles escaped you as Silver began carefully making his way down the staircase to the main common area of the dorm. You assumed that was where Ortho and Idia were waiting for you, as that was the main hub where they set up most of various device feeds to display. New curtains added over the large windows of the room had been drawn to block out a good portion of natural light. Screens were shoved wherever they would fit and all seemed to be displaying something different.

Both brothers were sitting on your couch and holding controllers, playing what seemed to be a cooperative two person game. When Silver walked in, Idia was quick to pause the game much to Ortho's dismay before he noticed you as well.

"Nee-san!"

Ortho cheered and hopped up, only the slightest stiffness in his mechanical limbs giving away his more limited range of motion. Idia stood, holding one arm and biting the sleeve of the other as you approached. It was clear the Shinigami was still nervous around you, but he seemed less stressed than he had been when you first met him.

"Hey, (Y/n), you- uh... You alright?"

"Been better."

"I figured after everything that happened... I do want to say sorry for not protecting you enough. We got assigned as your guards and you were injured that very first day. Absolute fumble on our part."

Idia sighed, letting go of his sleeve and somewhat swaying as he tried to avoid locking eyes with you. He was clearly anxious, but still trying to talk to you directly despite that feeling of stress inside of him.

"Well, I don't wanna drop this bomb on you too quickly, but we need to talk about those poachers."

"What's there to talk about? They're dead."

"But the one who hired them isn't."

"What?"

Idia gestured awkwardly to the couch as if he wanted you to sit first. Silver was quick to help you off of his back and onto the soft cushions, standing guard nearby despite not needing to in the comfort of your own dorm.

"I have reason to believe someone high up is trying to game the system an put a hit out on you. Real scumbag no-GG full of themselves type person."

"Wait, why do you think someone hired the Wolves?"

Idia turned to the large screen- a new addition among many others likely made by the brothers- and tapped what seemed to be a blue hologram keyboard in front of him. You were somewhat entranced by the movement of his flame hair and magic now that you could see both on clear display in front of you. The gemstones on his cheeks caught the light of his hair and almost made the Shinigami glitter in the low light of the room. He was surprisingly beautiful.

"I was reviewing the information about your attack and noticed some things. I hope it doesn't freak you out, but I have cameras all over Night Raven College and even a few in the forests. I don't- I can't really- I have issues with others and interacting with them. That's why I don't go to my classes, I just record them and show up for tests..."

He glanced at you then back at the screens again, his grey toned skin almost seeming to have a bit more color to it while he spoke to you.

"Those poachers went after Grim first. The one you value most and the one out of the two of you who can use magic. Then they went after your collar which tells me they knew the purpose it serves. Only those told about the collars should have known what purpose they served."

"So did one of the Housewardens hire them?"

"I thought so at first, but then I realized Headmage Crowley had to tell the various scientists and representatives what steps he was taking to ensure your safety. Looking at the lists of those who have come to Sage Island, I found more than a few whose theories on Humans would be called into question by your existence. To them, it would be better if you were gone. There were even a few who may have political motivations and that's why they hired the more beastly appearing Wolves to hunt you down instead of any other species. On top of all of this, they knew to drive Leona away from the school and deeper into the woods. You would have died of your injuries before you reached the villages and towns in the valley below the school."

"Okay, so why didn't they know about Malleus then?"

"It's kind of an unspoken rule among the Fae variants that one should not tell anyone another Fae's business. Headmage Crowley is a Crow Harpy Fae, he wouldn't dare say anything about another Fae. The Housewardens know Malleus has taken you as a Hoard member. The representatives and scientists? They would have no clue. The Wolves didn't know about Malleus and they were killed for it, but they knew about your collars."

You were surprised and shocked by the logical conclusions of the Shinigami and it did make sense. It had bothered you that the poachers knew about your collar, but you had avoided thinking about them and only now realized how odd it was they knew about them.

"None of the students here have a reason to hire the poachers. I did suspect that Water Nymph Cater for it at first, but that guy is a wreck right now and hasn't posted on Magicam since the day he took those pictures of you. He's way too deep in his feels to have hired the Wolves and he had a mental breakdown when he heard you were attacked. Talk about trying to tank when you main dps."

"Crowley said the representatives are going to come to Night Raven soon and talk about my safety at the school..."

"So they probably planned the attack to make Crowley look incompetent and get rid of you in one swoop. I've already told Papa Hades about it and he agrees that someone is controling the poachers behind the scenes. That's why he's here now. If we can find the one who hired the poachers, we can prove this whole thing is a sham to get to you or Crowley."

"So he doesn't want to take me away?"

"He does think you'll be safer on the Isle of Woe, but Papa Hades isn't an idiot or cruel. He wouldn't go against your wishes even for his own peace of mind unless he thought it would save your life. Try to cut the old man some slack, he did love Humans, you know? He has been asking about you since the moment Ortho told him you were here."

"Papa Hades?"

"It's- he prefers to be called that as our ancestor and his Humans used to call him that. Honestly, it would mean the world to him if you called him 'Papa Hades' as well. Just so you know."

You stood in silence for a moment before there was a heavy knock at the door. Silver was quick to trot over and answer it himself instead of letting you walk to the door to answer it. He seemed to have a quick word with whoever it was before someone very similar to Idia entered with Crowley, Malleus, Lilia, and Sebek.

"Hello, little one."

[parallelfallout]

tell me more about sopek i beg you

Absolutely!!

Sopek is the 19 year old astrophysicist aboard the U.S.S Eridani, a constitution-class starship captained by Captain Saavik. He’s one of the characters featured in the storyline/project series which is being posted about in more detail soon at @startrek-eridani ! (He’d be very disappointed I did such a rush-job on this portrait. You can’t rush perfection.)

Here’s some facts about Sopek:

- He joins Starfleet at 17 and fast-tracks his studies so he graduates in two years, focusing mainly on his astrophysics and tangential scientific studies.

-in hindsight, he probably should’ve spent the full 4 years there actually gaining experience, learning about human social mores, and making connections with others because he’s sorely lacking in understanding of human culture by the time he’s on the Eridani. He failed to consider this. Whoops. But he’s Sopek so he thinks he’ll get along just fine regardless

- he doesn’t tell anyone who his parents are nor does he share his clan name. He doesn’t want anything getting in the way of his chances of getting onto the Eridani (including potential biases against the kid of the woman who incited kal-if-fee on spock)

-he started a club for Human Studies while at the academy because he’s so desperately lost when it comes to the stuff humans reference and a lot of the behaviors they exhibit, their media, etc. The handful of Vulcans who are also attending the academy at the same time, plus a scattering of other alien races all join the club and Study Intensely and Take Notes to try and figure out the enigma that is human socialization. He persuades (intimidates) one (1) human into coming by every semester and grading their Findings, and every semester the club is sorely disappointed to be told everything they thought they figured out is actually not on the mark at all.

-the human who he continuously gets to do the grading is Terrance Riley, son of Kevin Riley. Terrance actually ends up serving aboard the Eridani too, so he becomes Sopek’s go-to for Human Consultations. Terrance is too scared to refuse his questions :)

-once he’s aboard the Eridani, he learns of a phenomenon some of the crew members partake in called “girl’s night”. It becomes his life’s mission to be formally invited to girl’s night for anthropological reasons. (Also one of the male crew is always invited to girl’s night so he wants to be included too >~< )

-He’s not as well-versed in cross-studies and other fields (unlike his idol Spock :/) due to his hyper focus on his contributions to findings in his field of specialization. In other words, this man couldn’t throw a punch, run a mile, or cook a meal to save his life prior to starfleet survival training. What can he say? He’s a ShiKahrian snob and we love him for it

-he was given the choice of whether or not he had to go through the kahs-wan, and chose to do so (motivations may or may not have involved potential bragging rights). made it through the kahs-wan by just chilling in a hideout at night and stealing eggs from a Teresh-kah nest. He secretly thinks his little commemorative kahs-wan bicep tattoo looks dope as fuck, logically speaking in terms of aesthetics

-Stonn and T’Pring do not force him to be bonded at the age of seven due to their own experiences with the traditional rituals, so Sopek remains unbonded. Some of his clan elders are concerned about this choice, but Sopek isn’t worried at all, and thinks if he really NEEDED to form an emergency bond with someone, he’d have no problem securing one in a pinch. There’s no shortage of people who would want to be secured to him. It’s only logical- after all, he thinks he’s Vulcan’s Green Gift^TM to the galaxy

-his parents may have unwittingly unleashed a monster

-what did they expect? He’s an only child

-he def wears finely embroidered Vulcan robes of high quality as casual wear (and the embroidery matches his eyes. He’s so julia)

- he may or may not imagine Spock giving him advice when he meditates sometimes

-he may or may not have an Interest (crush) on a certain Betazoid communications officer aboard the Eridani… we’ll learn more about her in a post I’m gonna make soon!

-maybe the whole simping for a cool woman out of his league thing is genetic on his father’s side

-he may or may not be the Actual Worst when it comes to actual, real life flirting. His idea of a marriage proposal is telling someone their work is adequate and then very swiftly fleeing the room

That’s all I’ve got for now without any significant spoilers! I think Sopek would be Very satisfied with all the attention he’s already generating on tumblr dot com (he’s so diva superstar).

<333 thank you for your interest

[lilacsbeeswax]

can i make a request for remus lupin where him and reader are dating but she doesnt know that hes a werewolf, and so she thinks hes cheating. she then asks the boys (sirius and james) and they dont tell her and so she’s properly convinced hes cheating, then the day before the full moon she confronts him and it causes a huge argument and then the next day (fullmoon) she goes for a midnight stroll to clear her head and remus attacks her. can u make the whole thing really angsty but fluffy and happy ending at the end? if u need any more info or anything just dm me! thank you!!

Cheater

-Remus Lupin x Reader-

-Angst-

MASTERLIST

(Thank you for the request 💕)

Over the 6 glorious months I’ve dated Remus Lupin we’ve had so many amazing times. Flowers, dates, promises, sweet nothings, everything anyone could ever ask for… Except for that one giant gaping hole in my understanding of my boyfriend, his disappearances.

Every month for a few days he just up and disappears. There is no other way to describe it. He doesn’t come to classes, he avoids me, and when I go to look for him his friends get all nervous and sweaty.

At first, I was just concerned, especially since he has issues with chronic pain and is always ill, that was until he began dodging all of my questions. He threw, “it’s nothing you have to worry about sweetheart”s and, “I promise everything’s alright, no worries” at me anytime I asked and quickly changed the subject.

Later, I started talking to my friends about it and I had to face the horrible truth that Remus must be cheating on me. It all added up the distance, the avoidance, and the obvious guilt that he held over the matter. But, before you can destroy and wasp nest you have to make sure the wasps are dead and gone.

——-

I sat in the Gryffindor common room awaiting the infamous Marauders’ loud arrival. I fidgeted with a quill someone had left on the side table. God, was I nervous. I had to calculate the perfect time and day to ambush the boys. A day were Remus wasn’t trailing close behind them.

My thinking was abruptly stopped as Sirius and James burst into the common room laughing about some prank they inevitably pulled on some poor first year. I uncrossed my legs slowly when I saw at least James had seen me and took a step toward them, trying my hardest to keep me composure.

“Why hello there boys.” I greeted, my voice slightly wavering.

“Hey beautiful,” Sirius replied as he swaggered over and plopped himself into one of the old crimson chairs. “What’s up?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong love?” James said, following Sirius’ lead and sitting on the loveseat. He propped his legs up on the coffee table and patted the seat next to him prompting me to sit down.

I hesitated for a moment before responding: “It’s about Remus. I have some… worries and I need for you to be totally honest. I know he’s your friend but…” I trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say.

“What do you mean?” James asked, he moved his feet off the table and leaned in closer ready to listen. Sirius was almost scowling as he blinked at me.

“Don’t tell him, but I think he’s-“ I cleared my throat, “cheating on me.”

James sat there shell shocked as Sirius blurted out, “Cheating on you?! Remus? You’re having a laugh!”

James side-eyed him and grabbed one of my hands. He gently said, “Y/n, there must be a perfectly reasonable explanation that isn’t him cheating. Remus loves you so much, I don’t think he could cheat if he tried.”

“Please I can barely imagine him being able to get it up without you!” Sirius laughed.

“Sirius!” James scolded. “Not the time!”

“If he’s not cheating, then what is he doing?” I asked sternly, pulling my hands away from James. Sirius’ and James’ faces dropped.

“We- we can’t tell you that,” Sirius’ regular playful facade had fully disappeared as he stuttered. “It’s not our place.”

“It’s not your place?” I exclaimed, standing up. Heat flushed throughout my body and my stomach turned. “Why will no one tell me a single goddamn thing?”

“Y/n, just go talk to Remus, if he’s ready he’ll tell you.” James said, reaching a hand out to me. “Just calm down, it’s all okay I promise.”

“No. Absolutely not. You don’t think I’ve asked Remus a million times? Do you know how often I’ve had to hear ‘everything’s okay’ and ‘no need to worry’ with no fucking explanation? I’m over it. The lying, the sneaking around. And having such a sweet guy lie to my face just to cover up his infidelity! I’m done.”

“Just listen,” James began but I don’t let him finish.

“And if you tell Remus about any of this I will kick your asses. If this is happening I want it to be on own terms.” As I finished my speech, I stormed out of the common room and tears began to fall when the adrenaline ran dry.

——-

James and Sirius sat in that horrible silence to shock. Finally, Sirius broke it with a sigh, “What the fuck are we gonna do?”

James sullenly replied, “Well, there’s one thing we definitely can’t do and that’s tell Remus. He’s struggling enough as it is this full moon and tomorrow it’s gonna be worse. I guess we just have to pray that Y/n waits until it’s over to say anything.”

——-

It took a full night of crying and a few shots of fire whiskey from Marlene for me to go back to the anger stage and set up a plan. I was going to get into the boys’ dorm (by bribing Lily to steal James’ key) and confront Remus there. Setting up the plan was much easier than going through with it though.

I stood in front of dorm number 7 for a few five minutes passing the brass key between my hands, resting its weight in my palms. Today, was the day I was destroying the golden layer that had settled over our relationship and I was scared to death.

I slowly slotted the key in place and turned it gently. The click sound made my ears ring.

I opened the door to see Remus sleeping in his bed. He was horrifically pale and the bags under his eyes were more like extra large suitcases. ‘His mystery illness must be acting up again.’ I had thought. I almost felt bad for what I was about to do. Even in sleep he looked to be in pain. He looked almost like a corpse as I shook his shoulder attempting to wake him up. His head moved and his corpse like appearance was impossibly more evident.

“Remus?” I said, my voice echoed across the completely silent room. His eyes snapped open and he jumped like he had just been shot.

His voice was raspy and filled with sleep. “Hello darling, what are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“The door.” I said, ignoring his first question. It was hard to stay angry when I was looking right at him. Remus was horrifyingly beautiful from his honey brown hair, his matching doe eyes, his long eyelashes, his high cheekbones, the list goes on.

“Whoa, are you alright?” He asked, reaching his hand out toward me. I ignored his offer and straightened my posture.

“No. I know that this probably isn’t the right time, but I through with this little game of yours Remus.”

“What game? Sit down darling, you look like you might faint.”

“You know perfectly well what I mean, Remus Lupin. You’re a dirty cheater and a liar. You’ve been playing me for half a year and been sleeping with other people. I’m done.”

“Are you suggesting that I’m cheating on you?” He looked angry, probably not expecting to be caught.

“Not suggesting, telling. I know that you’re cheating on me.”

“That’s absolutely ludicrous!” He exclaimed, sitting up in his bed with cough. “Where would you even get an idea like that?”

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed your little disappearances. The sneaking around, the lies, everything. I had trusted you so much, obviously that was a mistake.” I took a step toward him. My anger grew as I watched his face grow impossibly paler.

“My disappearances?” He whispered to himself. “Listen this is a big misunderstanding. I’m not cheating on you.”

“Then what do you do when you disappear at night? Why do you always dodge my questions? And why are you such a dick head about it?”

“I’m a…” he stuttered and paused, looking as though he was going to vomit, “I can’t- I can’t tell you, okay?”

“Why can’t you just fucking admit it?” I yelled, tears beginning to fall against my will. “Even if there is something else going on, it’s not helping you to not tell me! You promised to always be honest with me, now is the time, Lupin!”

“Why can’t you just take my answer? I can’t tell you or you’ll hate me more than you already do!” His voice gained volume as mine did.

“That’s looking pretty fucking impossible right now.” I screamed at him.

“So, that’s it? You make your bold assumptions and then just walk away?”

“I’m not the one walking away, you walked away a while ago. Who is it? Who has captivated you enough to do this to me?”

“No one! I haven’t cheated on you, no one could ever replace you! I love you!” He yelled as I began to walk to the door opening it slightly.

“I don’t believe that for one second because if you loved me, you would tell me the truth!” At this I slipped through the door, slamming it shut behind me.

——-

After the argument, time stopped to a screeching halt. By the time, I had felt even slightly decent enough to move out of my bed it had already been a full day. To clear my head, I decided to go on a midnight stroll.

The crisp autumn breeze stretched over me like a hug. It felt so nice to fill my lungs with its slight cold air. The crickets chirped playing a little song for the blanket of stars that stretched over the sky. You could always see so many stars at Hogwarts. They seemed brighter here than back at home. Remus had never liked the night sky, I never quite understood why.

I walked along the edge of the Forbidden Forest, not listening for any dangers I could come across. I could hear a wolf’s howl in the not so far distance but I paid it no mind. Either way, I had thought a wolf was the least of my troubles in the forest anyways.

I continued walking, not worried about anything until I heard a loud growl behind me. I whipped around to see a large shaggy brown wolf looking at me as if I was it’s next meal. I gulped down a scream and started to slowly back away. Screw me for never listening to my brother ramble about what he learned in Boy Scouts.

“Nice puppy.” I whispered, barely finding humor in what I said.

The wolf pounced at me knocking me onto the cold dirt. It scratched and bit at me as I tried to cover myself. ‘This is not how I die’ I repeated to myself over and over again. I could feel the warm blood dripping down my arm but I felt no pain. I saw nothing, I felt nothing, and all I heard was growls and scrambling before everything went black.

——-

“Is she gonna be okay, Madam Pomfrey?” A deep voice asked.

“Yes, I do believe so. She’ll be scarred, mentally and emotionally, but she’ll fine.” Responded Madam Pomfrey.

I groaned. My whole body felt like it was put through a meat grinder. I opened my eyes, almost surprised that I could see. “What happened?” I rasped, attempting to move.

“My god girl! Don’t try to move, you’ll just hurt yourself further.” Madam Pomfrey rushed over and put her hand on my forehead before rushing into her storeroom. “Just stay and heal.”

James stepped into my vision and stood next to the bed. He grabbed my hand and held it gently. “Hey love.”

I groaned, uncomfortable in my current predicament. “Hi James. Why are you here?”

“Why am I here? Are you serious Y/n? You almost died!” He exclaimed.

My eyes widened, “I did?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Not really. What happened?”

“This is gonna be a lot to swallow, but it’s necessary, for you to understand what happened.” James said.

He began going into a very long explanation about how Remus is a werewolf and they’re illegal animagus and Remus is the one who attacked me because werewolves will attack anyone they come across. Once he had finished I just sat there, totally and completely dumbfounded.

“Is this a prank?” I finally ask.

Madam Promfrey walks back in handing me a cup of some sort of green liquid. She responded for James. “I’m afraid not.”

“Oh my god.” I whispered. “I’m a horrible person.”

“No, you’re not Y/n. How were you to know?” James said.

“I yelled at him and accused him of awful things while he was going through… that.”

“You didn’t know, it’s not your fault.”

“Oh my god and Remus will kill himself over this. He’ll think this is all his fault. Where is he?” I panicked, desperately wanting to get out of bed and run to him.

“He’s asleep in our dorm recovering, Sirius is taking care of him, but he doesn’t know yet.”

“We can’t tell him. He’ll beat himself to a pulp over it. He was scared enough of telling me imagine…” I trailed off.

“There’s no way not to tell him, look at yourself. You’ll have scars for the rest of your life.”

I looked over myself and the magically healed cuts and scratches. Some were large enough to cause massive patches of scar tissue. One bigger than my hand on my thigh. They reminded me of Remus, not because he was the one who caused them but because they look identical to the ones that cover his entire body. “Can I be the one to tell him?” I asked.

“Absolutely, that’s kind of what Sirius and I were hoping for.”

“Not until you’re mostly healed.” Madam Pomfrey added from her desk. “Go back to sleep and when you wake up in the morning, I’ll let you go.”

James squeezed my hand before letting go. “You heard the woman. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“See ya, James.” I mumbled as he left.

——-

“And one more step.” James said, arm wrapped firmly around my bandaged abdomen.

“You don’t have to hold me, James.” I said while limping slightly up the stair.

“Yeah, sure. You were out for two days and had major blood loss, but that was nothing!” He said sarcastically, bringing me to the door. The very one I had slammed, while accusing Remus of not loving me.

He opened it slowly to reveal Remus siting in a chair by the large window reading ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Remus looked so much more alive now than before. The paleness had subsided and his dark circles had almost completely disappeared. He looked up at us and his eyes widened.

“Y/n? What happened? Are you okay?” He exclaimed, practically jumping up from his chair and rushing to me. “Sit down.”

He and James guided me to sit on Sirius’ bed.

“Where’d Sirius run off to?” James asked.

“He wanted to get breakfast, but that doesn’t matter.” He rushed his sentence. Sitting on the bed opposite me and looking over me. “What happened?”

“I know Remus.”

“You know what?” He asked. James slid out the door quickly, barely being noticed by Remus or I.

I felt a strong rush of confidence. “That you’re a werewolf.”

He paled and blinked at me. “Where is this going?”

“I went on a midnight walk during the full moon. It was an accident, what happened.”

“I did this to you?” He stuttered. I reached over and placed a hand on his knee.

“You don’t have control over what happens during the full moon.”

“I hurt you.” It was a statement that seemed to rattle his very soul.

“I’m okay, Remus.”

“No, it’s not. I ruined our relationship purely because I was afraid of this and now look. You hate me and I’ve scarred you for life.”

“I could never ever hate you, Remus-“ he cut me off.

“Then, why did you say that when you left? ‘If you loved me, you’d tell me the truth’” Pain shot through me as he recounted my harsh words.

“You could’ve told me. I love you all the same. Werewolf or not.” I stated.

“Really?” He asked, dragging his gaze from the floor up to me. He looked like a scared puppy.

“Always.” I said, grabbing his face and pulling him in for a kiss.

MASTERLIST

[tideswept]

Would love love love to see 31.) “keep your eyes on me” for obikin! 👀

(from this prompt list)

ty~hope you enjoy! Set four years before in the face of all that isn't yet begins. (One year before Anakin presents.)

Anakin isn't invited to spar with Obi-Wan. The man avoids him like Anakin is ground zero for some hideously infectious disease—and he'd have to be pretty karking stupid not to have realized that at some point over the last seven years.

And he's a lot of things, most of which are tallied and catalogued for critique in the Temple, but stupid isn’t one of them.

Obi-Wan’s problem is more with Qui-Gon than with Anakin—but Anakin is…

Well. Anakin knows what he is to Obi-Wan: a wound. A reminder. Proof that he'd been shoved from the nest too early for all that Qui-Gon insists he was ready for knighthood. It's bitter medicine, and Obi-Wan can’t quite hide how his gaze purposefully glides past Anakin whenever they’re in the same room.

So no, Anakin’s never gotten the chance to learn directly from Obi-Wan. Which makes him the odd one out, considering how friendly and patient Obi-Wan is with the other padawans. Even the initiates advanced enough to be trusted with weapon-work get more warmth from him than Anakin ever has.

Everyone gushes about what a good teacher he is, how lucky they’d be to get chosen as his padawan—and Anakin grits his teeth, hard enough that his jaw aches, because if he listens too long, he'll pick a fight he can’t afford to finish.

Not if he wants clearance to leave the Temple. To escape.

Because stars, does he need to get off Coruscant. The pressure of billions is a battering ram against the walls of his mind. Only in space can he breathe.

“Keep your eyes on me,” Obi-Wan says to the Twi’lek girl on the mats in the training salle. Her knuckles are bone-pale where she grips the practice saber. It’s just carved wood with no kyber, so no humming energy blade, but the wood is Force-compatible, and it stings if it lands a good hit.

Obi-Wan continues. “Ease your grip, Vei. You’ll wear yourself out too fast that way.”

Anakin stands a few feet away, repeating the same set of katas for the ninth time. He’d technically only been assigned five repetitions by Windu as punishment for falling asleep during class, but he’s not about to waste this. No, Obi-Wan won’t teach him. But he can watch. Learn.

And Obi-Wan knows he's there. For all that he's guiding Vei with his usual calm, there's a tension coiled in the line of his shoulders, in the deliberate roll of his neck, studiously not acknowledging the boy who shares his lineage.

Jerk, Anakin thinks. But he understands. Qui-Gon is always standing between them like a ghost, even though the man is alive and well, and Obi-Wan could go see him at any time, air out his grievances, yell at the old man, fight him, if he wanted to. 

But Obi-Wan won’t. He holds himself to higher standards than that.

Idiot joins jerk. 

“I’m trying,” Vei says, whines, backing away. She’s awful at combat, hates the violence. Everyone knows that she’ll never make it as a knight. She’ll be happier in the Archives, maybe with the AgriCorps. But for now, she’s a padawan, and the expectations are what they are.

Unexpectedly, her attention lands on Anakin. And her strained expression brightens. “If you show him first, I can see how he does it!”

Anakin almost drops his lightsaber. His real, fully-functioning, ready-to-burn-a-hole-in-the-floor lightsaber—only his reflexes kicking in saves the floor.

“What?” he blurts, dumbly. “No, no, I already know Ataru—” His tongue feels thick, clumsy. His grip’s gone too tight now, fingers aching around the hilt. “He doesn’t have anything to teach me.”

“... I wouldn’t go that far, Anakin,” Obi-Wan corrects mildly, though he should be agreeing. What the sithhells is he doing? “Come here.”

That’s a knight asking him to do something. His master’s former student. Anakin glances at the exit, hackles raised like a hissing tooka, lips peeled back slightly from his teeth in a grimace. Gossip is the last thing he wants to deal with right now. Qui-Gon promised to take him on the next Outer Rim mission if he behaved, will it still count as ‘behaving’ if he tells Obi-Wan to kriff off?

Probably not.

When he stomps over to the mats. Obi-Wan lets those slightly arched eyebrows do all the talking.

“Well then,” Obi-Wan says, and for a moment, falters. As if he’s realized what he’s just pushed them into doing. That he’ll have to touch Anakin, correct his form, guide him and teach him.

Good, Anakin thinks viciously. They're close enough now that he catches a whiff of Obi-Wan's alpha scent, though it's been neutralized into a generic muskiness by his scent-blockers. He can suffer, too.

Obi-Wan clears his throat. “Yes, well. Eyes on me, Anakin.”