#polka dot man fanfiction

[embodyingchaos]

"i love polka-dots, i love them even more now because they make me feel safe."

[portrayed by janet montgomery]

[nahla-art]

“ Penguin–” Abner Krill’s miserable voice whispered behind him.

Oswald flinched and turned his head slightly, “ Krill… Why are you up?” 

“ Couldn’t sleep. Tetch talks in his sleep.”

“ Ah.. he tends to do that…”

“ Where are you going?”

“ I need to talk to miss Quinzel.” 

“ Why?” 

( The Penguin and The Peacock, chapter 10 )

[holmesandtheroman]

The Empty Place Where Love Should Be — Abner Krill x Fem!Reader

Chapter 8

A/N: Yeah, yeah yell at me. I went through some tough shit last year. My grandfather died, I got rejected from PhD programs, I discovered some chronic illnesses I had, the Queen died... Life was a mess. Anyway my triumphant return is (somewhat) here. And, if you like, you can read the whole fic on my AO3 here.

You had gotten turned around in the grocery store unintentionally more than a few times, even though that was your regular store. You were absolutely on cloud nine to the point where you could not think straight. You had a date with Abner!

After you went back inside Coop’s Kitchen on the day of your first kiss with Abner, you both worked out the logistics of when and where you would have your first date. You had been concerned about how he would get around his mother’s grasp, but he assured you multiple times that he would find a way to get away for at least three hours the next week. He also said he wanted to surprise you with where you would have dinner. Apparently, confessing your feelings about him had made him a little bolder, and you secretly admired his growing confidence.

You shook yourself as you realized you had been staring at a six-pack of chicken ramen for several minutes. You must have looked silly, but you did not care.

You heard a bit of a scuffle on the end of the aisle and looked to find an older woman in an electric wheelchair getting her wheel caught against a wire basket that held the deal of the week. She struggled more and the basket toppled, sending plastic bottles of ketchup all over the aisle.

“Dadgum baskets!” she hissed to herself. You rushed over after seeing her struggle to turn herself to the side to pick up the items.

“Here,” you offered as you quickly kneeled and began gathering the bottles. “I’ve got it.”

The woman shook her head. “These flippin’ things. Don’t know why they put ‘em at the end of an aisle. That’s a safety hazard.”

You turned the basket upright and filled it with the bottles. “They ought to move them,” you said nervously.

“Thank you for helping me. These old legs of mine aren’t doing too good nowadays. I can barely walk and my useless son is no help,” she said, rolling her eyes at the mention of her son.

“Oh, I’m sure he does his fair share,” you remarked distractedly as you now worked to untangle the wire basket from the wheel of her wheelchair.

“His fair share of fudging everything up. I mean look around. You see his sorry behind coming to help me? No, a sweet girl like you had to come up and do it yourself.” She huffed. Under her breath, she muttered, “Useless little shit.”

You were starting to feel extremely uncomfortable in the woman’s presence, and you were quickly trying to search your mind for conversation-ending sentences. Before you could say anything, however, you heard the sharp splintering of glass behind you. You whirled around.

“Abner, you complete fuck-up! Look at what you did!” the woman screeched as you realized in horror that Abner was indeed standing in front of you, blanched as white as a sheet with his dark eyes like saucers as they stared at you.

You looked down at the shattered jar of pickles that had fallen from his trembling hands. Your mouth started to form his name in shock, but you saw him shake his head almost imperceptibly. You shut your mouth.

“Honestly, Abner, now we’re gonna have to pay for two jars! Pathetic little klutz,” the woman shouted.

You sharply jerked your head to the woman you now understood to be Abner’s mother. “It was an accident,” you snapped before you could stop yourself. You swallowed and recomposed yourself. “Let me pay for it. Please.”

“No, it’s ok—“ Abner started to whimper, but his mother cut him off.

“Shut up, you little twerp! Mouth shut when mama’s talking to someone!” She turned back to you.

“Here,” you reached into your purse and pulled out a ten-dollar bill and nearly shoved it into the woman’s hand. “Now you can buy two jars.” You turned around, seeing Abner’s form shrunken in on himself and his head hanging in defeat and embarrassment. He avoided your eye contact, but you could tell his eyes were watering. You desperately wanted to comfort him, but you knew that that action would get him into infinitely more trouble than he was already in.

You grabbed the packs of ramen you were staring at earlier and quickly made your way down the opposite end of the aisle. As you turned the corner, you heard a sound that was similar to a yelping puppy. You glanced behind you to see the older woman with a vice grip on Abner’s ear, his thin hands grasping at her wrist to let go. You could not hear what she was saying to him, but you could tell it was incredibly vile.

You walked to the cashier stand, ice cold running through your veins at what you had just witnessed. You were numb and scared for Abner. If she would do that in public, then what on earth was she doing at home? The memory of Abner’s black eye ran through your mind, and a pit formed in your stomach. What had she done to him as a child?

You paid for your groceries and grabbed the bags. As you were walking out the door, you felt a gentle tap on your shoulder. You turned around. Surprisingly, it was Abner.

With a defeated expression still on his face, he quietly said, “Mother wanted me to give this back to you.” He held out the ten-dollar bill you had given to the woman. You glanced over his shoulder to see his mother a good ten feet back, glaring at the back of his head. “She said that it wasn’t right to take your money when I’m the one who… who fudged up.” His voice wavered, and you wanted to scoop him up right there and take him home and save him from the horrible woman.

Instead, you gently took the ten from him, lingering your touch on his hand for a moment. “It’s ok. It wasn’t your fault.” You lowered your voice. “It will never be your fault, Abner. Everything is ok.” You searched his gaze for understanding what you truly meant, and as soon as you saw it, you pocketed the ten. “See you later. Yes?” you asked in earnest.

Abner swallowed and almost smiled. “Yeah. See you later.” His visage dropped again as he returned to his mother. You left the store, your mind racing.

You were troubled for the rest of the day. Not even binging Law & Order or face timing with your mother could get your mind off of what happened in the grocery store. Your mother had commented on you being distracted, but you brushed it off as being tired. You had told her that you had met a guy and were going to go on a date with him, but you had not told her the gritty details about what was going on with him. You did not know how to talk about it.

As you watched the Law & Order credits play for the eighth time that night, you heard your phone ding with a text message. You reached over and grabbed it, expecting it to be Ellie asking if you could cover another shift for her. When you read the text, however, you were surprised to see it was from Abner. You sat up, your eyes grazing over his words.

‘I’m sorry that you had to see me being a klutz today. I was just surprised to see you. You didn’t get hurt by any of the glass, did you? And mother didn’t yell at you? She can get kind of cranky with strangers.’

Your heart hurt as you realized that the one thing he was worried about was if you were all right. She might as well have yelled at you by the way she treated Abner. You wrote back, ‘No, she didn’t. And I wasn’t hurt. What about you? Are you ok?’

You stared at your phone as if to will him to text you back faster. You were, at the very least, glad that he reached out to you and still wanted to speak to you.

After quite a long while, your phone dinged again in your hand. Abner’s text read, ‘What kind of food do you like? I want to make sure I don’t pick somewhere you don’t like.’

He was eager to change the subject, then. You did not want to make him uncomfortable by dwelling on today, so you willingly went along with the new conversation thread.

‘I’m sure whatever you pick will be absolutely perfect!’ You added several heart and kiss emojis before you hit send. You followed it up with, ‘I’m always down for Italian….’

Abner returned with a smiley face. ‘I hope you sleep well. I can’t wait to see you again,’ came the next text.

You blushed and grinned from ear to ear. After you sent your good night text to him, you settled down on your sofa and wrapped a blanket around yourself, pretending it was Abner’s own warm embrace.

You heard timid knocks on your apartment door that could only have belonged to Abner. You put on your heels and stood, smoothing out your nicest dress. You were not dressed in gala attire, but you looked nice in your knee-length burgundy dress. Your heart raced as you went to the door and opened it.

Abner stood before you, an eager smile on his face, in one of the most mismatched outfits you had ever seen: it was a dark blue paisley oxford shirt underneath a brown jacket with tan and red checked pants. You almost giggled at the adorable sight, but you held it back lest he thought you were laughing at him. He held up a luscious bouquet of deep red roses and baby’s breath for you.

“Abner, you didn’t have to bring me flowers!” you said, genuinely touched by his gesture.

In an instant, his smile faded and his eyes became sad again. “Fizzlesticks, I knew it was too much. You’re embarrassed now,” he mumbled as he lowered the bouquet.

“No! Abner, I love them! I just wasn’t expecting them, but they’re absolutely gorgeous!” You reached out to take the flowers from him. “And they smell lovely.” He began to perk up again as you took the flowers to your small dining table and placed them in the only vase you had. “Roses are my favorite.”

“I-I would have gotten something bigger but… that was all I could afford,” he replied apologetically.

You made your way back to Abner and grabbed your purse. “They’re perfect. Any bigger and I’d have to move into a greenhouse,” you joked. He chuckled lightly in response. “So, where are we off to?”

Abner anxiously fiddled with the side of his pants. “Well, I wanted to go to my favorite place, but… I knew you wouldn’t want to go there…” he said.

You cocked your head. “Why wouldn’t I want to go to your favorite place?”

Abner swallowed and shrugged lightly. “Well, you’re there all the time….”

You looked at him, puzzled. “What’s your favorite place?”

Abner blushed hard and averted his eyes. “It’s… Coop’s Kitchen. I like it because it’s where I met you.”

You opened your mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. Your heart melted at his admission, and it was all you could do not to kiss him into oblivion.

He looked back up at you. “I’ve offended you,” he murmured.

“You’re the sweetest man I’ve ever met, Abner. Take me wherever you want to take me,” you replied. You stepped out of your apartment and locked the door and then turned to him, holding out your hand for him to take.

He hesitantly reached out and clasped his cold hand around yours. “How does Italian sound?”

You smiled and gently squeezed his hand. “That sounds perfect.”

The first few minutes of walking toward the restaurant were filled with awkward silence. Abner would open his mouth to say something, but then decide against it and close his mouth. He just needed a bit of encouragement.

“So, besides coming and talking to me at the diner and reading about engineering, what do you like to do for fun?” you asked. You leaned your head against his shoulder, which caused him to blush and tense up.

“I, um,” he started. “I like to take walks… It clears my head.”

“Where do you like to go?”

Abner shrugged. “I don’t really have a destination in mind. I was just taking a walk when I first came to the diner.”

You furrowed your brow. “Wasn’t it raining, then?”

Abner was silent for a moment. “I really needed to get out of the house.” He changed the subject. “Do you like to take walks?”

“I kind of stopped taking regular walks when I moved here. I used to take walks all the time over in London,” you added. “Hyde Park was my favorite. You could walk by the Serpentine.” You laughed out loud. “You had to be wary of all those bloody swans, though.”

“Why is that?” Abner asked with interest.

“Ugh, those fucking birds would take your head off and feel no remorse in doing so. Utterly evil, they are. And you couldn’t do anything about them because the Queen owned all of them!”

Abner chuckled. “Why does she own all the swans?”

You rolled your eyes and smiled. “Something to do about eating them at banquets. God knows why they still have that rule. I would’ve liked to strangle a few of them in my day.” You held out your left arm and turned it so that an old scar was visible. “Look at that. A horrid prize for daring to sit down on a bench near the water. Isn’t it awful?” Abner did not answer. You let your arm fall to your side. “I’m just glad it was one swan and not a dozen. I’d be covered in scars.”

Abner suddenly stopped and you turned to him, concerned. He was averting your gaze again, and he had sunk down in on himself. He released your hand. He was starting to look very ill.

“Abner, what’s wrong?” you asked.

“If I show you something, will you… will you let me explain?” he asked, pain etching his features.

“It depends… you’re not like a vampire or something, are you?” you tried to lighten the mood.

Instead of chuckling, Abner looked around and found that the alley you both had just passed was empty. He quickly stumbled around the corner into the dark alley.

“Wait, Abner!” you called as you ran after him.

As you turned the corner, you saw Abner leaning against the wall with bright glowing bumps forming all over his skin. Each one was a different color, and they all seemed to grow bigger.

“Oh, my God, are you all right?” you nearly shrieked.

Abner opened his mouth to reply, but he then jerked forward and vomited rainbow sick all over the ground. You rushed over and began to rub his back as he kept retching.

“Oh, God, Abner, do I need to call someone?” you asked urgently. You looked back toward the entrance of the alley but found no one walking by. “I’m going to go get help.”

Abner spit and shook his head quickly. He sucked in air and began to breathe normally. When he stood straight again, you noticed that the brightly colored pustules were gone. He coughed, and you quickly reached into your purse and grabbed some tissues, holding them to his mouth. He took them.

“Are you sick?” you asked as he wiped his mouth clean.

He glanced down to make sure he did not get any vomit on his shoes. Abner nodded. “I told you my mother worked at S.T.A.R. Labs. She was inspired by the work they were doing and decided that she wanted to make us superheroes.”

“Us?” you repeated.

“My brothers and sisters,” he clarified. He folded the tissue in his hands. “She… experimented on us using S.T.A.R. Lab technology to access other dimensions.” He sniffed. “Some of them… died from her experimentation. Others… weren’t as lucky as me. I was the only one who could still function after she…” He looked away as a tear fell down his cheek. “It’s an interdimensional virus. The dots, as she calls them, present themselves at least twice a day and if I don’t—“ he gestured to the ground. “Expel them, they eat me from the inside.”

“Has she tried to find a cure? Isn’t there anyone at S.T.A.R. Labs who can help you?” you asked.

Abner shook his head. “Her experiments weren’t authorized by the government. She’s threatened me if I ever come forward.”

“So there’s nothing else that can be done?”

“She makes me live at home so she can document the effects it has on my body. The day I first came to the diner was the first time I left the house without her. I always made sure she took this medicine that made her sleep. That’s how I was able to leave so often. She found out what I was doing the night we were supposed to go see Anna Karenina. That’s why I…” he admitted through shame.

“That’s why you didn’t show,” you finished. Anger seared inside of you, but you stayed silent.

“I’m sorry, you don’t want to hear this. You probably want to leave.”

“Abner,” you said gently as you laced your arm around his. “I’m listening.”

He took a deep breath. “She doesn’t just make me live there for her research. I’m the only one who can take care of her. I do it because she was the one who figured out what I have to do to stay alive. She’s… she’s my mother. I have to do what she says. Or else…” he stopped, trying to hold back tears. He breathed out and continued, “Or else she hurts me when I disobey. I try really hard to do what she tells me to do, but sometimes it’s not enough.”

“Abner, you need to get out of that house,” you cried.

“She knows what’s best for me and my condition. Besides, she told me I could never make it by myself because I’m not smart enough. I’m not really smart enough for anything,” Abner said as though he had repeated it to himself a thousand times in his head.

You now understand why he was so hard on himself, why this man was so beaten down and broken. He had been isolated his entire life and hatred had been forced into him all that time. He had not had the opportunity for someone else to tell him otherwise. And all the abuse, all the hate, all the vitriol had only made him inexplicably kind.

You shook your head and blinked away tears. “Abner, I don’t know what to say.”

“You can leave if you want to,” he muttered, defeat seeping through his words. “I would understand if you did.”

“I’m not going to leave, Abner.” You reached up to brush away more of his tears and he leaned into your touch. “Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me. I can’t even imagine how you were able to hold all that in.”

Abner did not reply. He stared directly ahead at the other side of the alley.

“Are you hungry? I imagine after all that, you must be famished,” you said as you gestured to the dulling vomit on the ground. He nodded. You put your hand on his shoulder. “I am glad you told me.”

“You still want to go on a date?” he asked.

“Of course, I do!” You reached up and kissed him on his cheek. His eyes widened as he felt your lips on his skin. “And I’m here for you to talk about whatever else you want to talk about.”

Tagging: @maximumcoffeeme @asmuo @bimboshaggy @chaoticace22 @l-wannabe-l @thedumbbrunette0-0 @lennyb0benny @ravendast @gonzosestrangedbrother @kennedywxlsh @jupiters--moonxx @glytchfic @therakshawolf @phntm-snce

[aetherbunny]

Hi another little bit of Weird Abner Fluff.

This time he gets a little high with Chris and they talk just a little about feelings.

(Next up, Abner gets a kitten…)

[candycandy00]

Roses in the Sky - An Original Alien x Reader Story Part 2

In a future where humanity huddles in decaying domed cities controlled by alien invaders, you and your best friend Anna work as make-shift nurses in a tiny clinic run by the young doctor Terrian. The city is ruled by the aliens' violent, half-breed offspring who serve as brutal overseers. You and Anna have always tried to avoid these overseers at all cost, but your life is changed when one of those same terrifying offspring is brought into the clinic, injured and unconscious.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

This is an original Alien (well half alien) x Fem Reader story! I hope everyone who enjoys my fanfiction will give this a shot! Any feedback whatsoever would be loved! I’ve already written this story so it’s not going to delay my fanfics. Just thought I might post chapters of this between fanfics if anyone is interested.

Slow burn, as this is a novel-length story, but there will be smut in later chapters! Also: violence, blood, rape attempts, death of side characters, etc.

You could only imagine Terrian's horror when he burst through the door. There you were on the floor, in your underwear, the naked half-breed practically on top of you, holding your wrists back. But you were quite certain his horror paled in comparison to yours.

Terrian took hardly more than a second to process the scene before he grabbed the nearest supply table and hoisted it into the air, rushing toward the half-breed. The young man instantly let go of you and grabbed the table before Terrian could swing it down. Jerking it free of the doctor's hands, he slung it across the room and stood up.

Terrian paused momentarily in shock, then threw a punch. The half-breed caught his fist and shoved him back, like an older sibling might do to a child. “What are you doing?" he asked Terrian calmly.

"You're asking me?! You're the one attacking my nurse!"

The half-breed looked at Terrian, puzzled. "Attacking? I was trying to help her up. She bumped into a cot."

You looked up then. "But, you were coming toward me and..."

"I suddenly felt weak. I was heading for the cot behind you," the half-breed said. His voice monotone, mechanical.

You felt stupid. You stood up slowly, pulling the jeans still clutched in your right hand up in front of you again. "I-I'm sorry. I misunderstood."

Terrian looked between you and the half-breed, then suddenly bowed his head. "Please forgive us! I misunderstood as well. I was only trying to protect my nurse. If you must punish us, please allow me to accept hers as well!"

"Doctor, you can't-"

"Be quiet!" Terrian yelled, his head still bowed.

The half-breed looked at both of you curiously. "Punish? I only intend to thank you for taking care of my wound."

Terrian glanced up. "Oh, I see," he said nervously, pushing the glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Well then, you're very welcome."

You bowed your head slightly. "You're welcome," you repeated.

The half-breed glanced down and then, as if just realizing he was nude, looked at Terrian and said, "Where are my clothes?"

Terrian laughed uneasily. "I had to tear them off. I was in a hurry to stop the bleeding. I'm sorry."

"No matter. May I have something to wear?"

Terrian ran over to a nearby cabinet and pulled out a pair of white and blue polka-dot pajamas. "This is all I have here at the clinic. They're a little embarrassing, but they're clothes nonetheless."

The half-breed pulled them on wordlessly, seemingly giving no thought to how ridiculous he looked. He again looked to the two of them. "Thank you again."

"Wait! Before you go, could you please fill out this form?" Terrian asked, holding out a sheet of paper.

You blanched. You couldn't believe Terrian had the guts to ask something of a half-breed. No one asked them for anything, unless it was to spare their lives. Even that was generally refused.

The half-breed took the paper, looked it over, then his eyes fell upon Terrian again. "Why?"

Terrian was looking nervous. "Of course it's not required. It's just that we like to keep up with our patients, so we can be sure to check on them and keep them healthy. Speaking of which... I recommend you come back to the clinic in three days so I can check the wound, to be sure there is no infection."

You were standing behind the half-breed and immediately began motioning for Terrian to stop right there, to just shut up and let the guy leave. You silently mouthed the words, "No! No way! Stop!" but Terrian either could not read your lips or was purposely ignoring you.

"Alright," the half-breed said, and you stifled a groan. "I'll come back in three days." He laid the paper on a nearby counter and Terrian handed him a pen. He scribbled on the paper, and you watched him with amazement. You had never seen a half-breed do anything so normal as writing on a piece of paper. They seemed so different, so inhuman. Normal things like writing or wearing pajamas or even sleeping were just beneath them.

When he was finished, he handed the paper to Terrian and walked out the door without another word. As soon as the door closed behind him, both you and Terrian let out a heavy sigh of relief. You looked sharply at Terrian. "Why did you tell him to come back?! Anna will have a heart attack!"

"Anna doesn't run this clinic. I do," Terrian said flatly, standing the table he had used in his unsuccessful attack back up.

"She might never come back! What those things did to her family, what they did to her... I wouldn't blame her if she had a mental breakdown at the sight of him coming into this clinic again!"

Terrian stopped and looked at you. You’d never seen his face so serious before. "I'm fully aware of what those like him did to Anna. But I'm also aware that he was not one of the ones who attacked her. I won't ask her to treat him or even be in the room with him, but I won't turn a patient away, no matter who they are. Anna has to accept that."

You thought it over. Maybe it would help Anna to face her fears. You calmly pulled on your clothes, seeing no more need for modesty after all that had happened in the past few minutes, then turned to Terrian. “I'm sorry, Doctor."

Terrian smiled, returning to his normal self. "It's alright. Just get some rest tonight, okay?"

"Thank you for trying to save me."

He blushed a little, pushing his glasses up again. "Oh, that. Don't worry about it. You're my precious nurse! I can't let anyone hurt you."

You gathered up your things and gave him a hug goodbye. "See you tomorrow."

"Take care of yourself!" he called after you as you walked outside. The red sun was beginning to set and the dark night sky was spreading rapidly. The street lamps lit your way as you headed toward your apartment a couple of blocks away. It was not a long walk, but an uncomfortable one even now, after three years of walking back and forth between the clinic and the apartment.

Two teenage boys appeared suddenly in your path, each holding a knife. One of them tore the blue duffel bag from your shoulder. "Whatcha got in here?" he asked.

You sighed. "A nurse uniform. You want it?"

The boy unzipped the bag and emptied the contents onto the pavement. Your skimpy nurse uniform spilled out and both boys bent down to look. "Shit, she wasn't lying," one of them said.

The other shook his head and stood up. "Let's go."

You watched them until they disappeared around a corner then squatted down to pick up your uniform. You folded it sloppily and shoved it into the duffel bag. "As if I'd be stupid enough to carry anything valuable with me," you muttered.

Just before you stood up, you heard the faint sound of crying. You rose slowly to your feet and looked around. A scream rang out, and you quickly zipped the duffel bag and threw it onto your shoulder, hurrying to move on.

Experience told you to ignore screams and cries. Those who got involved in scenes like that usually ended up at the clinic. But as you walked by an alley, you saw a flash of white and blue polka-dots under a street lamp.

You stopped and took a couple of steps back. Straining your vision, you could see those familiar pajamas moving. You heard more screaming, then heard a child's voice screaming, "Mama! Mama!"

Without thinking about what you were doing, you began running down the alley, until the full scene came into view. A woman's body laid dead on the ground, the head nowhere to be seen. A little girl was lying over the body, shaking with sobs. A man was on his knees, his head bleeding and both arms missing, blood squirting from the stumps that remained.

The half-breed stood over them, blood all over Terrian's pajamas. In his left hand, you could now make out the woman's head. The man on his knees screamed out in anger, and within seconds the half-breed had lunged toward him and shoved his hand right through the man's chest.

The child screamed as the man collapsed, dead. The half-breed dropped the head and approached the girl, lifting his hand.

You ran forward and grabbed the half-breed around his waist. You must have somehow put pressure on his wound, as he grunted and fell to his knees. He looked at you, eyes narrowed into a terrifying stare. And then, recognition appeared on his face.

"What are you doing?" he asked, that mechanical voice from before was the same even now, while he was covered in the blood of his victims.

You let go of him and pulled away. "Please... please don't kill the child!"

"Her father attempted to rob me. I punished him. His wife attempted to attack me, so I punished her. The child attempted to stop the punishment, so now I will punish her."

You were crying. All you could think of was Anna watching the half-breeds slaughter her mother and brother, the only family she had left. "You can't!" you cried, positioning yourself in front of the child. "They obviously didn't know what you are, because you don't have your uniform on!"

The half-breed stood up. "Are you saying it would be alright for him to rob a normal human?"

"No!" you said, holding your position, "I'm saying they didn't deserve this! Even if he robbed someone, his wife and daughter don't deserve to suffer for it!"

He was silent for a moment, watching you. Then said, "You're interfering with a punishment. Move aside."

You didn't move. "I can't, I'm sorry. Please don't hurt the child!"

"You're giving me commands?"

"I'm begging! Please... you... you owe me."

The half-breed raised his eyebrows, the only thing on his face that indicated his surprise. "Owe you?"

Tears were streaming down your face and your hand was behind you, on the little girl's shoulder. You could feel the child shaking.

"We saved your life, the Doctor and I. You'd be dead right now if it not for us. Please, do me this one favor in return."

He was quiet for a long time, as if thinking about your request. You were surprised he didn't kill you the moment the words 'you owe me' escaped your lips. But he finally spoke. "Alright. I'll spare the child. My debt has now been repaid."

You took a deep breath. "Thank you," you said, standing up.

The half-breed turned to walk back down the alley, and you watched him carefully until he disappeared in the darkness. You looked down at the little girl. "I know it's hard right now, but someday things will be better."

The girl looked up at you with tear-filled eyes. "Thank you so much! Thank you for saving me!"

You smiled weakly at her. "This world is bad enough as it is, but if every now and then one person can save another, maybe things aren't so horrible. Remember that when you grow up, okay?"

The little girl struggled to return the smile, then glanced around the alley at the remains of her family.

You took her hand and pulled her up. "Come on, I'll take you to my place tonight. Then I'll introduce you to a good friend of mine tomorrow. I think you two will have a lot in common."

The girl followed after you down the street and to the apartment. She had lost everything within the course of a few minutes, but in this city, in this world, it was a common occurrence. So common that it broke your heart. You felt a little guilty for having saved the half-breed's life. If he were dead now, the little girl's parents would still be alive. But then, it could've just as easily been another half-breed who attacked them. One that owed you nothing.

You gave the girl a bath, changed into pajamas, and went to sleep with the girl cradled in your arms. It was the first time you had shared a bed since your parents had died, and even though the girl cried until she fell asleep, you felt warm at night for the first time in years.

[littleoddwriter]

Rules, Guidelines, etc.:

[Used to be: ronaldrx]

I'm a hobby writer and mostly write (x Reader) FanFictions and Headcanons. But I am also working on my original story whenever I can, so that I’ll hopefully publish it as an actual book someday. My Ao3.

Here’s a link to my Ko-Fi, in case you want to support me financially. It would mean a lot to me! (Obviously no obligation whatsoever! You never have to pay for anything on my blog, it’s merely an option for donations.)

Also, here are my sideblogs if you’re interested:

Dead Poets Society

Horror

Raúl Esparza

The Simpsons

Only ask for the characters I’ve got listed, please. I’ve written down all of the ones I actually write for, and the list is being updated regularly, as I often find new (actors, whose) characters I write for! (And yes, I always write for every character, so don’t ever worry if you wanna ask for one I haven’t written for in a long time, or ever, it’s fine!) Please always be patient with me. If I haven’t outright declined your request, it’s definitely in the works; even if it has been weeks or months since you’ve sent it in! And only send your requests via ASKs. No DMs or comments, please.

If you have a request, send an Ask to my inbox.

NO sexual NSFW requests, please (more details further down).

Requests = CLOSED (Max. Limit: 10)

Current number of requests: 10

Last updated: October 29, 2023

Masterlists are linked with fandoms/actors/characters below. I WRITE FOR:

ALFRED MOLINA characters:

Doctor Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus

DAVID DASTMALCHIAN characters:

Abner Krill/Polka-Dot Man

Bob Taylor

Denham

James Lewis

Johnson

Kurt Goreshter

Lonny Crane

Murdoc

Philippe/Abra Kadabra

Simon Lynch

Thomas Schiff

ETHAN HAWKE characters:

Arthur Harrow

Ellison Oswalt

Goodnight Robicheaux

James Sandin

EWAN MCGREGOR characters:

Alex Law

Catcher Block

Christopher Robin

Curt Wild

Dan Torrance

John Bishop

Mark Renton

Obi-Wan Kenobi 

Roman Sionis/Black Mask* (Birds of Prey - Masc!Reader only) [Any other version of Roman Sionis/Black Mask can be with a Gender Neutral/Female!Reader.]

HUGH DANCY characters:

Adam Raki

Cal Roberts

Luke Brandon

Executive ADA Nolan Price

Will Graham

KARL URBAN characters:

Billy Butcher

Black Hat

John Kennex

Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Markiplier EGOS:

Darkiplier

Illinois

Wilford Warfstache

Yancy

PAUL DANO characters:

Alex Jones/Barry Milland [Platonic only!]

Dwayne Hoover [Platonic only!]

Edward Nashton/The Riddler

Eli Sunday

Jay (Okja)

Joby Taylor

Klitz

PEDRO PASCAL characters:

Agent Whiskey

Dave York

Dio Morrissey

Eddie

Ezra

Francisco “Catfish” Morales

Marcus Moreno

Marcus Pike

Max Phillips

Maxwell Lord

Oberyn Martell

Ricky Hauk

RAÚL ESPARZA characters:

Bobby

Dr. Frederick Chilton*

Jackson Neill

Jonas Nightingale

Rafael Barba

Characters from 9-1-1 (Lone Star):

Carlos Reyes*

Eddie Diaz

Evan “Buck” Buckley

Howard “Chimney” Han

Josh Russo*

Mateo Chavez

Paul Strickland

Bobby Nash

Tim Rosewater

TK Strand*

Characters from Law and Order(: Special Victims Unit):

Detective/ADA Dominick “Sonny” Carisi, Jr.

Sergeant Mike Dodds

Detective Nick Amaro

Executive ADA Nolan Price

ADA Peter Stone

ADA Rafael Barba

Deputy Chief William Dodds

Little Miss Sunshine:

Dwayne Hoover [Platonic only!]

Frank*

Our Flag Means Death:

Edward Teach/Blackbeard*

Frenchie

Izzy Hands

Stede Bonnet*

Prisoners (2013):

Alex Jones/Barry Milland [Platonic only!]

Bob Taylor

Detective David Loki

Renfield (2023):

Count Dracula

Robert Montague Renfield

Tedward “Teddy” Lobo

SLASHERS/Horror Film Characters:

Asa Emory/The Collector

Ash J. Williams [I will usually default to Ash from the TV show, unless requested otherwise!]

Billy Lenz (1974)

Billy Loomis

Bo Sinclair

Brahms Heelshire

Bubba Sawyer/Leatherface (TCM 1974 and TCM 2)

Charles Lee Ray/Chucky

Chop Top Sawyer

Corey Cunningham

Dewey Riley

Drayton Sawyer

Herbert West*

Jesse Cromeans/Chromeskull

Lawrence Gordon

Lester Sinclair

Luigi Largo

Mark Hoffman  

Nubbins Sawyer

Pavi Largo

Stu Macher  

Vincent Sinclair

William Easton

Star Wars:

Anakin Skywalker

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Qui-Gon Jinn

The Girl Next Door:

Klitz

Eli

Characters from The Simpsons:

Cecil Terwilliger*

Fat Tony

Frankie the Squealer

Grady*

Jack Lassen

Johnny Tightlips

Julio*

Legs

Louie

Moe Szyslak

Ned Flanders

Otto Mann

Seymour Skinner

Sideshow Bob

Sideshow Mel

Snake Jailbird

Timothy Lovejoy

Waylon Smithers*

What We Do in the Shadows:

Anton (Movie)

Deacon

Guillermo de la Cruz*

Laszlo Cravensworth

Nandor the Relentless

Viago

Vladislav

* Please note that an asterisk (*) means that these characters are Male/Masc/GenderNeutral!Reader only (including non-binary, of course). Platonic relationships with Female!Reader are possible, but no romantic ones.

If it’s a character that is open to all Readers, and you do not specify in your request what you want, I’ll usually opt for a Gender Neutral Reader by default.

SHIPS, such as:

BlackBonnet (OFMD)

SteddyHands (OFMD)

Black Pete x Lucius Spriggs (OFMD)

Buck x Josh Russo (9-1-1)

Dracfield (Renfield 2023)

Buddie (9-1-1)

Eli x Klitz (The Girl Next Door)

Nandermo (WWDITS)

Herbert West x Dan Cain (Re-Animator)

McKirk (Star Trek: AOS)

Oluwande x Jim Jimenez (OFMD)

Barisi (Law & Order SVU) 

Renfield x Teddy Lobo (Renfield 2023)

Sickrent (Trainspotting/T2)

Stobotnik (Sonic Movie)

Tarlos (9-1-1: Lone Star)

AnderPerry (Dead Poets Society)

ZsaszMask (Birds of Prey)

Lastly, I would like to add things I will NOT write (about):

Sexual NSFW fics/headcanons (I used to write those as you can see in my Masterlists, but I have my reasons for not writing them anymore. Any hints at sexual topics are fine).

Anything related to death as the main subject (this includes deadly diseases, anything fatal, really, etc.).

Anything that romanticizes Mental Illness (my Vent Fics about my own disorders obviously do not romanticize any of it and I do not stand for that).

(Recreational) Drug Use

Extreme Possessive Behaviour and/or Jealousy

Yandere

If you have something you would like me to write for, but you do not see it listed anywhere, please ask me before requesting it, so we can talk about it. I hope you enjoy yourself on my blog and have a good time!

My Asks and DMs are always open for any questions or simply to talk!

- Jesse

[koifishart]

I want to be Your Koi Fish

Warning: +18 content, criminal underworld, intercourse, strong language - and so on

Fanfiction based on: "Baki" by Itagaki Keisuke

>7<

Learning that day went exceptionally well. However, mathematics was less problematic if the topics were properly arranged. She was shutting down trigonometry when the phone rang. Didn't know the number. She picked up.

- Yes?

- Hanabi-sama, is this you? Kizaki's here. - he introduced himself.

- Did something happen? - she worried.

- No, I'm calling to ask, if you have time for short meeting? - the man answered.

- Well...yes, in fact yes. - she replied after some thought. - Even now.

- Lovely. So I suggest a cafe two blocks from your house, I'll send you the address. See you soon.

- Of course, goodbye.

A strange situation. Kaoru's right-hand man hadn't been seen very often, but she had always known he was in the vicinity. When he had the opportunity, he watched her closely. She guessed he didn't really trust her. Not surprisingly, though, he had looked after Hanayama since his father's death, a bit like ... a stepfather who didn't hang out with his mother. Always loyal and faithful. He had contacted on behalf of his boss?? Kaoru usually called himself if he wanted something. Hanabi didn't know what to expect or what nature the meeting would be, so she opted for the safest outfit she could find in the closet - straight jeans, tied brogues, and a blue polka dot shirt. She found the indicated place without difficulty. She thought they would choose the more hidden ... but in fact, the darkest under the lantern. He was alone, sitting in the armchair in the corner. As always, in a dark, classic suit with smoothly combed hair. She bowed slightly and sat down opposite him. The waitress in a flowing dress flew towards them. She ordered green tea, he ordered black coffee. He adjusted the dark tie on his white shirt. The gold pin belonging to the Hanayama and Fujiki group flashed.

- You may wonder why I invited you, Hanabi-sama. - he spoke to her respectfully as always, almost as if she were a member of the Hanayama family. - I wanted to talk privately ... and most of all, thank you for your help.

-You're welcome. - she sighed, remembering the very early morning she had spent changing bandages. - No problem.

- Honestly, I was more than skeptical of your presence in the boss's life. - Maybe I was wrong, but... - He paused for a moment, sighing. - ... I would like to know why you agreed to a relationship with him?

She thought for a moment. Exactly... why? What did she get from it? How did she feel about him? She never wondered before. At that time, it was a balance of losses and gains, rather on a life or death level. Or maybe more the desire to satisfy curiosity and fill a hole in life. And now? It was better? Worse? Same? Something has changed?

- In a way, I think it should be so. I feel like I'm in my place. - she replied completely honestly. - I want to protect and support Kaoru as much as I can.

- You love him, Hanabi-sama?

- I don't know ... but it doesn't change anything for me. - she murmured, sipping her tea and looking at him. - I know you've done a lot for Kaoru, Kizaki-san. I see it, you care a lot about him... thank you.

He looked as if a heavy stone had fallen from his heart. She was glad about it, especially since everything she said was completely honest and true. There was no point in the lies. By saying goodbye to Kizaki, she could say with certainty that he was pleased with the results of their conversation. She also.

The days at school were spent on feverish preparations for exams and allegedly catching up on material that they allegedly did not manage to finish on time. Everyone was nervous to the limit, luckily there were some breaks. Most of them turned even harder, also devoting their free time to discussing the results, hard work, stress ... Hanabi friends - no. They had more interesting topics, happiness in misfortune, about her life. Four girls surrounded her tightly so that she could not move. So she sat and slowly ate the contents of her bento*. That day she made an omelette, a few onigiris with adzuki beans, tempura shrimp, a piece of smoked fish, steamed vegetables and a separate box of fruit salad. She hoped that by stuffing her mouth with food she would be relieved of most responses, unfortunately it might not be enough for the entire break.

- Come on, Hanabi, tell us! - the short haired brown haired girl hissed conspiratorially. - We are dying of curiosity!

Madoka, as usual, did not play half measures. Not for her conventions or politeness. If she wanted to know something, she hit without pradon. She adjusted the hairpin with a red bow that fell gently from the side bangs. Next to her, resting her arms on the bench top, stood the blonde Shiori. She flashed her glasses, which concealed the perfectly azure irises. Junko's face was visible in the reflection of the glass. Black-haired, with two long ponytails falling over the bottle-green uniform. The fourth, Misaki, was lurking to steal a piece of melon from the box, tugging her dark hair behind her ear.

- I don't understand what you're saying. - Hanabi muttered, loading a large piece of fried egg into her mouth.

- But you love to play dumb! - Shiori laughed. - How's your juicy, platonic romance with a handsome married man?

Correction. Half of her friends' population did not lack courage. She sighed, looking at them.

- I never said he's married. Except... sort of. Eh, long story. - She waved her hand, leaning her back. - And not platonic at all, but quite real, as it turns out, if a little confusing.

She heard a muffled, loud sigh around her. They blown in with the impression. Well, they said to tell him and everything, so it turned out that she listened to them. She rubbed the space between her eyes with two fingers. Probably never learn the wise revealing information in the private space. Maybe she should still behave ... as in "work"? But wouldn't it sound suspicious then? Inhale, exhale. Take it easy, the break is always over.

- Oh, don't keep us in suspense! - Misaki said, her mouth full of melons. - How is he? Have you kissed? He knows your father?

Will they consider her a slut if she admits that she jumped into his bed barely knowing him? Probably so ... What if she says that seeing him for the third time, she became his girlfriend? It can be passed. Or that she sucked him BY OWN WILL in his grandfather's house? What if she tell them, that the guy they were chirping so sweetly about is the strongest yakuza, head of the mafia family, formally her father's boss? FUCK, how fucked up this is!

- Er ... well ... as if to think ... - she finally said, choosing the facts carefully. - ... He's cute, in his male way. Strong, caring ...

- Well, the KISSING?! - Madoka pressed. - And what does your father say?! He's conservative, isn't he?

Goro? Conservative? Guess he was just pretending to be one. In fact, when he saw her with friends, he would throw up standard parenting phrases like "you have to be home before 9pm!", Or "no boys!" Or "remember homework!" He behaved differently at home. Rather, he was like a good friend with whom she could watch a movie throwing popcorn, so much older, more mature, sometimes introducing a strange joke, but always open to hug her and explain things. Every now and then, he had some really shot ideas and she had to make an effort not to let him fly out of the apartment immediately to implement them. He had a passion for business, but also a hot head, which did not prevent him from raising her. He did not have an easy task, fortunately, as long as they lived together with the rest, her mother was replaced by her sisters in women's matters, so he did not have to talk about period, intercourse, fertilization, responsibility, contraception, changes in her body. She guessed that he would somehow manage, but then he would drink the stress away with a bottle of alcohol. Minimum one liter. Older girls did him with great joy, sparing no details, including whether it hurts, how it hurts, why it hurts, how to satisfy the man in the easiest way and at the same time also enjoy yourself. With Kaoru, she immediately had to revise everything she learned. The first time with him was completely different than she had expected. He took control of her, he knew what to do, and she completely drifted away. Just like talking to friends.

- HANABI! - Madoka nudged her.

- What? And ... this ... well ... we kissed once or twice ... - she said, blushing slightly at the memory of all the "blows". - It was amazing.

- And father? What about the father? - Junko asked.

- Dad likes him, they met at the very beginning, really. - she answered truthfully, shrugging her shoulders.

- How did YOU actually meet each other? - Shiori interjected.

Damn! And what now? After all, she will not say that she hunted the largest bull in Japan, and then somehow it turned out: planetary system, storms on Jupiter, eruptions on the Sun and ... they are a couple! Fortunately, the conversation was interrupted by the sound of the bell and the teacher's express arrival. With a grunt of discontent, they scattered to take their places. She was saved.

>>><<<

Another anniversary was passing. As every year, all of the triad gathered at his grandfather's mansion to pay tribute to his father's heroic death. He remembered the day he left too well. His mother wouldn't let him go, she knew he wouldn't be back. He could even hit her as long as she got out of the way, and she was still stubbornly standing up. Kaoru chose to cut in, even though it was completely against the manners he was instilled in. Keizou incited him to use brute force. He didn't understand it at the time, today he was stating that Hanayama Sr. just wanted to be sure they could get along without him. Kaoru was able to rip his forearm apart, but that didn't stop his father. He left saying that the son was to take care of his mother and that he loved them both.

He didn't even notice how intuitively, even impulsively, he dialed the phone number while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

- Kaoru? - he heard in the receiver. - I thought that...

- Come on over. - he demanded. - I need you here.

- I ... you know very well I shouldn't. I don't officially belong to the family. I am... "from outside". - she muttered reluctantly. - I can come later if you still want to.

- As soon as it's all over ... I want you here.

She promised she would. He trusted that she wasn't lying. It was probably the first time he had felt the need for her company so desperately. It crossed his mind that she might have felt the same way the night she had called him.

>>><<<

She had no choice. If she wanted to reconcile her responsibilities and her promise, she had to take the books with her. She threw chemistry, physics, Japanese into her backpack, hoped she would find a moment to at least read some things. She zipped up a pleated skirt that draped over dark tights and a plum plum t-shirt. Slung her luggage over shoulder, slipped feet into brown high heels, and walked straight ahead to the residence of Fujiki's group head, Akita Taro. From the moment she stepped over the threshold, she felt the resolute hostess's eyes on her again. Well, the day was very important, and instead of wearing a traditional kimono, she wore a miniskirt. Again. She tried not to worry about it, after all, she was not officially invited to the anniversary celebration!

They sat on the inner terrace, listening to the rain falling. She sat confined between massive thighs, pressed against a muscular torso, reading advanced structural patterns. She was viewed sidelong in class, but she loved both chemistry and biology. If she were not who she was, would have soaked up the subject even more, probably becoming a doctor or something similar. And that she was who she was, she sat in the arms of terror and at the same time a model of manhood for the whole neighborhood, sipping green tea.

- I have always dreamed of the simplest normality. - he sighed.

- Sitting on the terrace, tea, homework ...? - she laughed lightly.

He nodded in agreement. He placed her legs on one of his, turning her sideways towards him. She had no time to react as he took the notebook out of her tiny hands. Hanabi loved it when he closed her in a hug, she could press face against his wide chest with the scent of expensive perfume.

- Never say you don't belong to the family. - he muttered directly into her ear. - YOU ARE a family for me.

It choked her. She had not expected such a confession after several months of acquaintance, especially from the yakuza boss. She stared with eyes as wide as saucers at that lovely scarred face, wondering what to say.

- It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard, Kaoru ... - she sighed, covering her mouth with hand.

- What would you say if I asked you to marry me? - he blurted out.

- I would say 'first I have to finish school'. - she muttered with a smile, brushing his cheek.

- Is it that important to you? - he whispered, closing his embrace even tighter.

- I just want to get over it. - she replied calmly, hiding between muscular shoulders, gently hugging his massive neck. - If you are serious about it, try after exams.

Guess she managed to mute the topic. He smiled. For the first time since his fight with Spec, she had seen this cute expression on his face. Both cheeks were adorned with two semicircular scars - souvenirs of the skin grafting operation. The surgeon did really well. Except for the inevitable scars, he looked like new. She might have guessed that nothing would ever come out of science. Not in his company. Usually, she waited for silent consent, she felt indefinite respect for him. This time it was different. She cupped his face gently and kissed him, completely ignoring Hanayama's bodyguards nearby. They could even shoot her in the temple, she wasn't afraid. She felt that if she had to die at that moment, would have died happy.

- There is something that interests me for some time. I heard your people talking. - she muttered, stepping back a little. - Is it true you hunted a shark?

- A complete coincidence ... - he replied calmly.

- I wish I had seen it. - she sighed heavily. - As can kill such an animal ACCIDENTALLY?!

- Either he or me. The choice was simple. - he replied with a shrug. - He was going to eat me, so I crushed his brain.

She laughed heartily. The story sounded very bizarre, but she knew perfectly well that he was telling the truth. Hanayama was famous for not lying. He didn't have to.

It's amazing how much they've come together in the last weeks. She stopped feeling distant completely, even in the company of his people. It turned out that she didn't have to keep her hands to herself, unless the situation really called for it. The exams were approaching, but she hoped that they would only limit contacts a bit, so that she had time to study, and he seemed to be completely distracted. Days passed, she waited for a phone call, a reply to a text message, whatever. Silence. Plus - she spent many hours reading books, and so on. Minus - the back of the head is still circulated a bad feeling that something had happened. But she hoped that in case of problems they would somehow inform her, even by word of mouth. She was folding the laundry in the room, putting the clothes in the closet, when she heard her father calling from the ground floor.

- HANABI!

If he wasn't adding anything, it meant she need to go down. So left everything behind and started toward the stairs. Father was standing by the open door, through which a tall man in a perfectly cut suit, dark shirt and white tie passed. He stubbornly combed his black hair back. She knew him. The bad feeling intensified, especially since he looked nervous.

- Kizaki-san? - she muttered, looking a little suspiciously. - Something happened?

- You must come with me as soon as possible, Hanabi-sama! - he threw right at her, almost falling to her knees. - We have a BIG problem, apparently only you will solve it!

He convinced her that it was wrong. She came back into the room to hurriedly change the home tracksuit into leather shorts, long socks and a loose, sleeveless T-shirt tied around her stomach, then jump into her shoes and drive. All the way she wondered what this might be about. She was not ready for what fate had brought.

Several empty bottles were already standing in front of Kaoru, as they entered the spacious living room with large windows overlooking the city skyline. Again he wasn't seen to have drunk anything. White pants, a purple shirt with a few top buttons open... He didn't look in her direction, but he didn't look drunk anyway. She left her shoes in the doorway to walk closer on the soft carpet. She recognized the men sitting next to him, Ueda Mitsuteru, a guy she'd heard was a pretty good performer who wanted to be as incredibly strong as his boss, and Ken Tanaka, one of her boyfriend's closest young associates. The third she barely noticed, and as he turned to face her, a cold shiver ran down her spine. Dark-haired, dark-eyed, quite tall, somehow more handsome, and less pimple than she remembered him. When he stood in front of her, she could almost see the uniform she saw him in most.

- Soga, finally! - he boomed at her happily. - Only you save the day!

- May I know what the hell's going on? - she blurted out surprised. - What are you doing here, Haga?

- This ... then maybe I will explain ... I invite you after me ... - replied the sluggish dark-haired man with whom she came.

He led her to a room that apparently was an office. It WAS before it was piled up with piles of papers, drowning in utter, illogical disorder. She couldn't look at it. She heard the sound of the door closing.

- This is the first thing... I just don't have time to sort it out, and Haga says you're a specialist, Hanabi-sama. - Kaoru's adviser said seriously. - The second problem is here.

He pointed to a sheet of paper, that she recognized as a school report, folded in half. It belonged to HIM. She had never really thought about what grades he had had, and when she opened the document, decided she probably wished she didn't know... though might have expected. There are no ideals in the world. But she didn't quite understand what to do with it. She felt the blood boil in her veins. She looked at the man standing in front of her.

- The boss has to take over some of my duties, and without making up for these...inconveniences... he won't be able to do it. - he sighed with a pained face. - Please, Hanabi-sama... we tried everything...

She folded the document in half and put it on the desk, then completely enraged, returned to the living room. Slowly he started to look a bit sleepy, the percentage must have reached his head. Or was it just her imagination?

- HANAYAMA... - she growled.

He looked at her sharply, as did the rest of the crowd. She walked over, never taking her eyes off him. He looked like he was going to say something, but chose his words very carefully so as not to dig in even more.

- How could you not tell me sooner?! - she asked furiously. - Screw the scrap, we won't take it back, but HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME?!

- Sorry... - he muttered under his breath, looking down.

She collapsed onto the couch, sitting next to him. She couldn't be angry for long, especially when he made the face of a beaten dog. Besides, she knew perfectly well that the nerves would not help. Not the way. She took a deep breath, rubbing her face with her hands, frantically wondering what she could do. The case was really difficult, especially since she herself had a lot of study for the exams.

- How much time I have?

- Three weeks. - Kizaki replied. - From today.

She had to make a decision right away. She didn't hesitate for too long. The bill was very simple. She had no choice, the situation required radical solutions, there was no time for sentiment. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, dialing the number quickly.

-Daddy, crisis situation. Would you bring me a few things? - she asked, and on hearing the answer she continued - Emergency bag from the closet be

[gorogues]

Fictober 2022

Prompt number #28 Fanfiction Fandom: Flash Rogues Rating: PG Warnings: None.

Day Twenty-Eight: “We all have our reasons.”

It was a dark and stormy night, which somehow turned out to be relevant to the evening.  The Mirror Master had bought a decrepit old warehouse with some ill-gotten gains and was hosting the first ever Rogues social gathering.

Or so he hoped.  He had no idea if anyone was even planning to attend, because apparently criminals were not great at RSVPs.  He’d told the others that the event began at 7 PM, and the buzzer first rang at fifteen minutes past the hour.

A tall skinny man in a striped costume stood at the door, and Mirror Master opened it after verifying his identity with a couple of hidden cameras and facial recognition software of his own design.  The newcomer awkwardly held up two six-packs of lager.

“Hello, I’m the Top and I brought beer,” he said politely in a somewhat stilted tone, and was clearly ill at ease.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Mirror Master observed with a bit of a chuckle, as both conclusions were painfully obvious.  “C’mon in, you’re the first to show up.”

The Top sat down and was soon joined by the next arrivals, the Pied Piper and Captain Cold.  Captain Boomerang was already drunk when he got there, and Heat Wave appeared next and gave the side-eye to Cold every five minutes or so.

“Where’s the bloody booze, innit?” Boomerang brayed at Piper, who winced at the high volume in his sensitive ears.

“You’re holding a cup of it right now,” Piper replied with barely concealed disgust, and Captain Boomerang laughed uproariously and hugged him.

“You’re a fun bloke, polka dots!  We’re gonna be best mates!”

The Trickster came creeping in soon afterwards, feeling more than a little cautious and trying to assess the vibe of the crowd.  He’d only met some of the Rogues in passing, and his team-up with Captain Cold hadn’t gone as well as it could have; there’d been double crosses and the two had shot each other due to the Flashes’ machinations.  Still, Mirror Master had thought he’d seemed promising and sent him an invitation, along with…

There was a crack of lightning and simultaneous thunder, and the lights momentarily went out.  Mirror Master sighed and checked the outdoor cameras even though he knew exactly who it was.

“Weather Wizard is here, boys and girls,” a newcomer in green declared imperiously as he walked through the front door with a stylish wand.  “Oops, I don’t see any girls.  Where are the girls?”

“No girls,” Mirror Master replied with some defensiveness, already wondering if he shouldn’t have invited this guy.  He didn’t know the Wizard personally but had been impressed by his criminal work and some intense battles against the Flash.

“Did you make this storm?” Captain Cold grumbled, and the Weather Wizard waved his hand dismissively.

“Guilty as charged.  Charged.  As in lightning?”

“That needs some work,” the Pied Piper told him, arms crossed and frowning.

“Tough crowd,” Weather Wizard muttered, but he knew the man was right: his pun game had always been weak, and the skill was something of a necessity in their field.

“Your attention, please!” the Mirror Master called, and everyone turned their eyes to him.  He looked around at the assembled crowd of young supervillains, gauging who seemed like a good fit for the crew and who might be a liability.  “The card tournament’s starting now for anyone who wants to play.”

Everyone filed over to the giant rickety table, as it turned out that the entire group was interested in poker.  As the game began, Mirror Master continued watching the others for signs of deceit (beyond the usual card cheating, which was rampant amongst their profession) and genuine anti-social behaviour which would spell trouble within the ranks.  He hadn’t noticed any thus far, and the guys seemed to be having fun.

“Captain Boomerang’s Royal Flush is using obvious fake cards,” the Trickster commented with a grin during a surprising lucky win.

“Ah, you never miss a trick, do ya?  Call me Digger, mate,” the Australian cackled with purely good humour, slapping the back of Weather Wizard and causing him to choke on his beer.

“I’m Mick,” Heat Wave announced with a pleasant smile, and Captain Cold gritted his teeth at him.

“I’m Len.”  He was not going to be upstaged by that fire-eating circus weirdo.  Not again.

But the rest of the Rogues sat in silence, not yet ready to reveal their secret identities to people they scarcely knew, so the game moved on.

“Who had the bright idea to dress you in polka dots?” the Weather Wizard inquired of the man across the table after his fourth beer, still somewhat annoyed about earlier criticism of his pun.

“I left it up to that tailor downtown, Paul Gimby or something,” Pied Piper sniffed.  “He’s the expert in fashion, not me.  But I mean, at least I’m not wearing a puffy pirate blouse with matching elf booties.”

“This outfit is stylish as hell!” Weather Wizard retorted hotly.  “But it’s funny, that guy designed my uniform too.”

“Yeah, and mine as well,” Mirror Master said, nodding.  “I think we all—”

“Mine too!” the Top blurted out suddenly, cutting him off mid-sentence.  His eyes widened under his mask when he realized he’d interrupted their host, and he went silent with a slightly reddened face.  The others stared at him for a moment, then moved on.

“Don’t you get hot in that coat?” the Trickster asked Len, who shook his head.

“Nah, I built a portable cooling unit which is stitched into a seam to keep things nice and frosty.”

“Niiiiiice.  I could use one of those in my workshop,” the Mirror Master whistled, and Len nodded magnanimously.

“Sure, I can set ya up.”

“Great, thank you,” Mirror Master grinned, satisfied.  “And I also wanted to thank everyone for coming tonight.  I invited you all here because I’m hoping to build something big amongst the professionals working in Central City, and I’m really pleased with this gathering.  Some of us have worked together before, some of us haven’t, and we all have our reasons for being here.  I’m hoping this is the beginning of a successful collaboration…a meeting of Rogues, if you will.”

“Hear hear!” Digger crowed loudly, and there were smiles around the table.

“And I guess I might as well introduce myself: I’m Sam Scudder,” the Mirror Master announced as he pulled off his cowl and showed his face to the others.  “I was born and raised in Central City, and I can tell some of you were too.  This city belongs to us.”

The locally born criminals nodded amongst themselves, but they didn’t seem to be excluding Digger or the Trickster from the group, so it felt like a moment of acceptance.

“You know what?  I like this place, it feels like it could be home,” the Trickster concluded after a moment’s thought.  He wasn’t ready to tell the others even his Americanized name just yet, but he was enjoying the guys’ company.  And their beer wasn’t bad.

“Glad to have you here,” Sam told him, and his tone seemed sincere.  “A toast, then: to new friends, good times, and some really lucrative hauls.”

“Hear, hear!”

[abnerkrill]

8, 19

thank you friend!! <3

8. does anyone in your personal life know you write fic? if not, would you tell anyone?

hahaha, yes. several of my RL friends even know i'm a dedicated polka-dot man writer, but i've basically asked them to not look it up on ao3 and try to guess, because then they'd find out all my kinks uh subject me to the mortifying ordeal of being known... you know how it is.

to my eternal ... some kinda mood, my mom knows Vaguely that I am involved with/write fanfic, because ever so often i have to start a sentence with "a person i know on the internet who writes DC or LOTR fanfiction" or something. sigh.

19. If you could write an ideal fic, what would it include?

100k ot3 slow burn that's actually finished. fortunately or unfortunately, i may be writing that already. (don't @ me i'm very bad at finishing things)

deep writer asks

[aurorasilverthorne]

Vampires Don't Fall In Love: Chapter #2

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Bailey School Kids series and its characters belong to Debbie Dadey and Marcia Jones.

Note: Mr. Hombre Lobo belongs to me. If you use him in fanfiction or fanart, please remember to give me credit as his creator. Thank you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did you hear they hired a new music teacher?” Melody asked. “He starts today!”

“So?” Eddie demanded. “He’s just another teacher.”

“I heard he’s from South America,” Liza said.

“That’s all we need,” Eddie muttered, slumping in his chair. “Another crazy teacher with a dumb accent.”

“I heard he used to be a criminal and had to leave his country,” Howie chimed in.

They all grew quiet when their teacher, Mrs. Jeepers, entered the room. All the kids thought she was a vampire because her eyes flashed when she was unhappy and she wore a green brooch. It had to be magic since it glowed when she touched it and it seemed to be able to make naughty students sit down and behave.

She wore a white dress with scarlet polka dots under a dark green vest with black boots. Her curly sunset red hair was tied back with a black silk ribbon.

She wrote some sentences on the blackboard then turned to address the class.

“Good morning children. Today we will focus on our writing skills. I want you all to rewrite each one of these sentences using the proper punctuation and spelling.”

Liza raised her hand.

Mrs. Jeepers gave her an odd little half smile. “Yes, Liza? You have a question?”

“Mrs. Jeepers, when are we going to get to meet the new music teacher?”

Eddie rolled his eyes.

Mrs. Jeepers’ smile faded.

She touched her brooch. Everyone sat straight up in their chairs. “I...I was not informed we would have a new teacher.”

“We found out this morning,” Melody told her. “Some kids were talking about it on their way to school.”

Their teacher had a thick Romanian accent when she spoke. “I am sure we will meet this new teacher soon enough. Let’s just focus on the task at hand, shall we?”

Ever since the spit ball incident a month earlier, Eddie had done his best to keep a low profile. He’d made the mistake of angering Mrs. Jeepers once. He wasn't willing to do it again. Their teacher wasn't a normal woman.

He still hadn’t told the others what he’d seen when the third grade teacher pulled him out into the hall to discuss his bad behavior. Nor would he. The flash of sharp, long eye teeth along with the warning that'd followed after still rang in his ears.

Learn to behave, băiat, or you will find out the hard way what befalls naughty children who dare meddle in other people's affairs.

Eddie shivered.

Mrs. Jeepers saw him and walked over to his desk. “Eddie, are you feeling alright? You don’t look well.”

She reached out her hand to feel his forehead.

Eddie recoiled. “I’m fine, Mrs. Jeepers. Thanks for asking.”

Mrs. Jeepers frowned. She didn’t get the chance to say anything about his reaction.

The clock read 10:30am. “It is time for music class everyone. Please line up and I will walk you over to the auditorium.”

Eddie joined his friends in line as they headed out into the hall.

The auditorium was a large, dark room filled with empty seats. Old risers sat on the brightly lit stage. A tall man stood atop a wooden podium. He had bronze skin and amber eyes. The top portion of his brown-black hair was pulled into a loose ponytail by a thin band. The rest fell in waves to his upper back. He wore a grey suit with brown leather shoes.

Mrs. Jeepers hesitated in the open doorway and touched her brooch. Neither Melody or Eddie seemed to notice. They just kept on walking. Liza and Howie stopped to stare at their teacher who had never acted that way before.

“Mrs. Jeepers looks nervous,” Liza whispered.

“It must have something to do with him,” Howie replied, pointing to the new music teacher.

The man turned toward them and smiled revealing his own lengthy, sharp eye teeth. He had sideburns connected to his chinstrap beard and an extended soul patch in the shape of a sleek inverted droplet. A well trimmed petite handlebar mustache with the tips curled rested above his upper lip. He also had a vertical scar over his left eye.

“Welcome to my music class. My name's Mr. Lobo and I will be your teacher this year. Please find your seats so we may begin.”

Mrs. Jeepers sat down in one of the auditorium chairs to watch the new teacher like a hawk. This surprised all the kids as she didn't usually stay with them when they attended the art or music classes. She would return to the classroom until it was time to retrieve them. Not today.

Mr. Lobo didn’t seem phased by her presence at all. He began to show them the proper posture and breathing exercises. He taught them to read music and played different instruments for them. They had to learn about melody, rhythm and pitch.

Mr. Lobo made them keep time with the music.

He knew how to have fun with it. Even Eddie liked him.

None of the kids wanted music to end. Mrs. Jeepers wasn’t too happy. She sat with her arms crossed the whole time. She didn't speak. She just stared at Mr. Lobo as if she'd seen a ghost or something.

Mr. Lobo put his conducting sticks away and guided students over to the stage stairs.

“Class is over for the day. We will pick up where we left off tomorrow. Do not forget that we will be having band rehearsals on mondays and wednesdays and choir rehearsals on tuesdays and thursdays. Have a good afternoon everyone! Eddie, remember to get your permission slip signed. I do not want to have to fail any of my students for lack of participation in such an easy subject. It would be embarrassing for both of us.”

"Yes, Mr. Lobo!"

"Bueno niño!"

His accent was different from Mrs. Jeepers. When Howie stopped to ask him about it he chuckled. “I’m from Colombia. My accent may seem strange to you, but where I grew up, it’s quite normal.”

“Well, I think your voice is nice,” Melody said.

Mr. Lobo smiled showing them his sharp eye teeth. “Muchos gracias, señorita. I’m glad you like it.”

Mrs. Jeepers put a hand on Liza’s shoulder and the other on Howie’s while she looked back and forth in between Melody and Eddie. “It is time to return to our classroom. You can speak to Mr. Lobo again some other time.”

The children nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Jeepers.”

Mrs. Jeepers waited patiently for her students to line up at the door before she turned back to Mr. Lobo.

She was petite, barely five feet tall. Mr. Lobo towered over Mrs. Jeepers at six feet. No one could hear what she was saying. She always spoke softly and never raised her voice.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Melody asked.

Eddie shrugged. “Boring teacher stuff?”

“Mrs. Jeepers looks upset,” Howie noted.

“I don’t think she and Mr. Lobo like each other,” Liza told them.

Eddie snorted. “Figures. He’s tons of fun and she’s no fun at all.”

Melody elbowed him in the ribs. “This is serious. Mrs. Jeepers gets along with every other teacher at school. There has to be something wrong with Mr. Lobo for her to not like him.”

“Maybe he’s a werewolf,” Eddie joked. “Vampires and werewolves fight like cats and dogs.”

“In movies and books," Howie countered. "We don’t know how they’d act toward each other in real life."

“That's because they don’t exist,” Liza reminded them.

"We will speak about this later," Mrs. Jeepers said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Mr. Lobo scowled at her. "I will not argue about this. We shan't speak of it ever again. The only matters you and I need ever discuss are those pertaining to the welfare of our students."

Mrs. Jeepers' eyes widened and she reached towards her brooch. The students all held their breath.

Mr. Lobo caught her wrist before she could touch the green jewel. He pointed at it. "Don't bother. We both know that does not work on me."

He released her wrist and went inside his office closing the door behind him. Mrs. Jeepers just stood there completely taken aback.

None of the kids dared say a word, but Melody and Liza swore they caught a glimpse of tears in their teacher's eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[everythingnerdyxoxo]

I'll Be Your Slave - Lizard x OC - The Hills Have Eyes Fanfiction

Summary: After years of being sold from slaver to slaver, Charly had finally lost the will to live. When she finds herself stumbling into the mutant village and being surrounded by the closest thing she'd known as a family, would they accept her or sell her back to her master?

Pairing: Lizard x OC

Rated: M

Chapter Five

It seemed like a dream when Lily awoke the next morning. She had stayed with Ruby that night, sharing the double bed with the small girl. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept in a real bed. Her previous master had her sleep on the rug in the kitchen, like a dog.

They had all been so kind to her, even Papa Jupiter, spoke to her with respect. She noticed the looks she was receiving from them all though, Jupiter was untrusting of her, so was Goggle. There always seemed to be a pitiful glance from Big Mama, but Lizards were always so full of lust. She could be served on a plate to the man.

The desert sun had filtered through into the small room she shared with Ruby. The curtains were worn, as were the walls and bed sheets, but she could tell that Ruby had taken pride in her bedroom. She had a collection of items scattered around, things she received from her ‘friends’ as she called them. She sounded sad when she said it though. Lily wasn’t sure she wanted to ask how she came to find some of them, were there others like her, that the slave catchers had found? Or was it another reason? She kept thinking back to the smell of the blood in the basement, after finding out they were cannibals it wasn’t far of her to assume it could have been human blood she was smelling down below.

Lily swung her legs out of the bed, tensing as she did so. Her wounds were healing nicely but they still felt tight. The bleeding had stopped though – she was sure Big Mama would be happy about that. She climbed out of the white nightgown she had slept in the night before and put on the yellow summer dress that Big Mama had given her. It was the nicest thing she had ever worn, with this and her pyjama night gown she couldn’t believe her luck. Comfortable clothing which still looked good. She had felt so lucky but had to remind herself that this couldn’t be forever.

Ruby stirred behind her, stretching her arms up as Lily did up the buttons on the front of her summer dress. It fit her beautiful, complimenting her curves and breasts but still giving enough room for her to be comfortable.

Ruby had a collection of hairbrushes on her bedside counter, she used one to brush through her knotty blonde hair so she would look presentable. She was glad for the room in her new dress, the heat of the day was already growing, something she hadn’t noticed until the night before. The heat of the desert was intense.  

Today was her first day as their official slave. Today was the day she would prove her worth to these people, who had been nothing but kind to her. The irony of a cannibalistic mutant family being the only people nice to her in her life wasn’t lost on her. Her anxiety remained, the slave catchers had not caught her yet, she had been missing for over a day yet, she was impressed, this village was hidden so well they didn’t know it existed. She hoped it would be the case, she didn’t want anything to happen to this family.

‘Good morning.’ Ruby yawned as she spoke, bringing Lily out of her thoughts.

‘Good morning, Ruby. Would you like me to help you get ready for the day?’ Lily smiled softly at her as she motioned to Ruby’s dress, she had hung ready for her the night before.

Ruby stared blankly at the dress and then towards Lily before confusion laced her features.

‘Ya mean get dressed?’ She laughed nervously as she said it.

‘Yes. I am your slave now, so I can be at hand to help you with whatever you need.’

Ruby looked at her up and down once again, before laughing awkwardly. Ruby moved quickly, slipping off her own night gown and throwing on her red polka dot dress in one movement. She put her red hood on over it as she usually did. She was nimble with her mutated hands, it looked awkward, but it worked for her.

‘Ya don’t need to help me get dressed Lily; I can do that ma self.’ She smiled kindly at her, before taking her hand in hers and leading her out into the hallway. The smell of food wafted through the house as they descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Big Mama was there, whipping up something in the kitchen with her apron on. Mercury and Venus sat at the table playing some kind of damaged board game they had found from somewhere.

Ruby said her good mornings to everyone, getting their attention as she took her seat at the side of Mercury. Lily stood awkwardly in the doorway as Big Mama flashed her a kind smile.

‘That dress suits you! You look pretty in its girl.’ She spoke very kindly to her; she had a motherly feel to her.

‘Thank you. Please allow me to take over from you, as your slave I would be happy to do all household chores for you.’ She spoke politely, with a small smile on her face as she met Big Mama’s eyes.

‘Sit ya self-down girl. I’m nearly finished anyway; you’ll need ya energy today being at Lizard and Goggle’s place I tell ya.’

Lily wasn’t sure what to do at first. She had never been fed or invited to sit for breakfast before by any owner she’d had before. She looked anxiously at the table just as a sudden rush of people entered the kitchen.

Papa Jupiter came from behind her, taking his seat at the head of the table, Cyst and Pluto, who she had not spoken to yet entered through the back door of the kitchen, towering over everyone for their breakfast to go. Three plates, one for each of them and one to take to Big Brain back in his cabin. Pluto stared at her with excitement as Cyst just nodded in acknowledgement. She kept her face nonchalant, but she had been surprised by their mutations. Their sizes each were intimidating, and Cyst’s mutations looked painful for him, or was it the desert sun that had caused his skin to be like that? She had not met Big Brain yet either, though Big Mama advised her to stay clear of him, he wasn’t the welcoming sort she had said.

Goggle rushed in from behind her at speed, nearly taking her out as he did so, taking his seat beside Venus and then Lizard entered, making sure to brush past her slowly as he did so. Flashing her a sly smile as he did so, she smiled back without even noticing she had done so, she was starting to enjoy the attention she was receiving from him, though of course she couldn’t act on it. She thought him very handsome though. He took his seat next to Goggle and then Big Mama started to serve.

‘Sit down with ya girl, Ruby wont bite!’ She laughed as she motioned towards the empty seat next to Ruby, opposite Lizard with Papa Jupiter at her other side. Big Mama sat at the other head of the table between Venus and Mercury.

‘We’ve got porridge this morning, courtesy of Jeb. Make sure to be thanking him next time ya all see him.’

There was a look and a groan between Lizard and Goggle before a shared snigger at her statement.

‘Boys ya better not have been stirring trouble with him again.’ Papa Jupiter shot them a look, earning a disgruntled look from Goggle in response.

‘It’s Ruby that ya gotta watch there, she just loves to mess with him.’ Lizard sneered at her, earning a shocked reaction from the small girl.

‘I do not!’ She shouted across at him, gaining yet another sneer from him. It was obvious Lizard disliked the small girl.

‘That’s enough! Don’t matter who be doing it, Jeb is good to us, he puts food on the table, treat him with respect.’ Big Mama leant across from behind Lily, filling her bowl with the steaming Porridge, a good-sized portion of it as well. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten, let alone a decent sized meal.

‘Now dig in everyone.’ Big Mama had taken her seat once again, Lily didn’t have to be asked twice. She picked up her spoon and took a mouthful. Savouring every inch of it, she couldn’t remember tasting anything as good as this bowl of porridge at this time. One spoonful after the other, she finished it within minutes, her stomach welcoming the well needed nourishment.

‘Girl can eat.’ Lizard made a statement from across from her, locking eyes with Lily as she looked in his direction. She had gotten so carried away she had polished off the entire portion within minutes. Everyone on the table was glancing in her direction as they continued with their own food.

Lily felt the blush on her face, the embarrassment she now felt at finishing her food so quickly in front of them. Lizard only smiled though, a different kind of smile she hadn’t seen from him yet. There was a kindness in it, he was amused with her she could tell that much.

‘S…Sorry.’ She spoke meekly as she said it, she should have shown more manners, she was just so used to food being taken from her if she hadn’t finished it quickly enough.

‘Don’t apologise girl, y’all need all that to prepare yourself for their mess of a house.’ Big Mama laughed in response, motioning towards Goggle and Lizard.

‘She’s cleaning our place today?!’ Goggle appeared outraged at the statement, a look of embarrassment on his flat features.

‘Well, I haven’t been doing it, and I can tell ya haven’t been either!’ There was a giggle from across the table from the little ones, a slight snigger from Papa Jupiter next to Lily also.

‘I’ll be sending Pluto with her as well, make sure nothing happens to her whilst she be there boys.’ Big Mama flashed a look at Lizard as she made that statement, he rolled his eyes in response.

‘He’ll be back once he’s fed Big Brain Lily, then I’ll show you my cleaning cupboard, I’m quite proud of it.’ She smiled kindly at her, gaining a smile back.

‘Some people collect stamps, Ma collects bleach.’ Lizard joked under his breath to no one in particular, gaining a smirk from Lily – he noticed immediately.

‘Well then, best start the day.’ Big Mama collected her plate as she stood, followed by the others as they finished eating.

Lily stood, collecting the other plates as well, taking Lizards now empty bowl from him, and seeing a look of amusement in his eyes as she did so. This would be an interesting day.

[embodyingchaos]

❥ heart to heart | chapter one

pairing: abner krill x oc genre: best friends to lovers! warnings: mention of experimentation, murder, abuse, manipulation, ABNER'S MOTHER, a bit suggestive around the end, implications of a boner word count: 7.5k masterlist: heart to heart next chapter: chapter two

the sound of rain slapping against the rough roads filled her ears. strong winds blew through her hair, but she still ran as fast as she could. barely escaping the cameras and light, and if she was seen, she'd use her powers. the facility was heavily secured, heavily armed, but with her killing everyone in sight, she would get away with ease. "come on!" she yelled at the only four test subjects left alive whom she was helping escape. all of them were younger than her, merely children around the ages of 5 to 13.

suddenly, multiple bangs rang throughout the entire area. shaking, the woman turned around and stared in horror as all four of them were dead on the ground. she couldn't do anything, nor did she have the time to cry. with no choice, she had to leave them all there and flee, only looking back when she was miles away. she was finally free, but at a price.

the walk through the woods felt like nothing compared to the things she faced at the lab. even if her feet were blistered by splinters or she was soaked by the rain, this was a thousand times better. she looked down at her wrist, the numbers '037' were permanently etched onto her skin. the girl clenched her fist before continuing to walk through the muddy forest. it took a while but eventually, she stumbled upon a gas station.

037 limped her way towards the entrance. the store clerk didn't even look at her, too busy mindlessly typing away on her nokia. there was only one other customer there, a middle-aged man wearing a grey t-shirt and a dark red flannel. when he saw her, his eyes widened. "darlin', are you alright?" the man asked with a southern drawl, she looked up and said nothing before immediately passing out. the man stared at her limp body and took shallow breaths. "what happened to you?" he muttered under his breath, before picking her up and walking back to his car.

"wy?" his wife called, "did they have the peanuts- dear lord!" she exclaimed, her hands flailing to her chest.

"wyatt, what happened?!" she got out of the car to help him open up the backseat door. wyatt placed 037 in the car, "i don't know." he grunted, holding his back. "she walked into the convenience store and the moment i asked if she was all right, she blacked out in the blink of an eye." his wife stared at her, concerned. "she's bruised all over and wearing a hospital gown. do you think she escaped from an asylum?" she wondered as they got into the car, "i have no idea. either way, i think we should bring her home and ask her when she wakes up. we don't have the money for a hospital visit, and by the looks of it, she doesn't either." he said, putting the car in reverse to get out of the parking spot.

it was the next morning when 037 woke up. she was surprised that the first thing she saw was pink walls and the first thing she smelled was eggs. she rubbed her head as she sat up, feeling her surroundings. a comfy bed, a tiny room, and the door's open. the girl got herself out of the tangled blanket and cautiously walked out the door. she saw a couple. a woman with bright yellow hair and dark green eyes was wearing a blue dress as she cooked up breakfast, while a man wearing a fisherman vest and slacks was sat at the table, reading the daily newspaper. 037 recognised that man, he was the last person she saw before her exhaustion entirely kicked in.

"oh, goody! you're awake!" the woman exclaimed, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "was starting to get worried! you'd been out for an entire day." she walked closer to the young girl and she backed away with suspicion. the blonde woman realised this and stopped in her tracks. "we're not trying to hurt you, pumpkin." she softly reassured, wyatt placed the newspaper down. "let her get comfortable, nellie." he told her and then gestured for 037 to come sit down and eat.

she looked around and slowly headed to the table. they were living in an apartment and it was a tiny one, but it was homey and comfortable. 037 got startled when she saw a black cat jump onto the square dinner table. "lola, you want some water?" nellie cooed, pouring some water into a bowl and placing it in front of the black feline. 037 sat on the chair opposite of wyatt and next to nellie. "w-what happened?" her voice was so coarse and quiet, they almost didn't understand her. "oh! well, first, let us introduce ourselves." nellie said excitedly, "i'm nellie and this is my husband, wyatt, and this is lola, our cat." lola mewed in response, purring rather loudly as she sat on the table in loaf position.

"i saw you at the gas station store before you passed out. we brought you back to our place and nellie cleaned your bruises." wyatt explained as he folded up the newspaper and placed it behind him on another table. "i didn't shower you though! didn't wanna invade your privacy like that." the blonde quickly added, laughing nervously. 037 smiled, "explains why i smell like rotten fish." she joked, "thank you. i'm grateful for your hospitality but i don't believe i should burden you two any longer." her british accent broke here and there, signifying she needed water. nellie frowned and pushed a glass of water towards her, "you aren't burdening us in any way, sweetheart. have some breakfast and water, and if you feel uncomfortable, you can leave any time." she smiled and 037 felt like crying, tears were threatening to spill from her eyes. she grabbed the glass and downed the water in one gulp.

after breakfast, nellie insisted she shower and change into more comfortable clothing. when she did, she felt so much better. "hey." wyatt knocked on her door before he came in, "how're you doin'?" 037 smiled at him, "much better. thank you." he nodded, "it's nothing. though, we'd like to have your name." now, the girl was at a loss for words. what was she suppose to say? that she had no name?

she thought about it for a while before something struck her. somewhere she'd always wanted to go. "eden. my name's eden." she simply said, "well, eden, you're welcome to stay as long as you want." eden nodded, but as the dark haired man was about to leave the room she called out to him. "wait!" he turned around, "i could help with anything, to return the favour for letting me stay in your home." he smiled, "seems fair. you can help out with the cafe." she looked at him weirdly, getting up from her bed. "cafe?" he gestured for her to follow him out of the room.

they headed out the apartment door and headed down the stairs and it immediately led to a row of shop lots. "this is the cafe we own." eden looked to her left and saw a simple, sweet and feminine styled cafe, she realised they lived above their cafe. "it looks lovely." she whispered, wyatt snorted. "well, nells is going to be happy to hear that." he commented, walking through the glass doors.

nellie was currently working in the kitchen, rushing around as other employees got the display case, brewing machine and tables ready for opening time. by other employees, i really mean other employee. "viola! where on god's green earth did you put the salt?" nellie asked the girl working at the display case, placing pastries and cake at their proper spots. "i d-don't kn-know! i-i-it's suppose to be th-there!" she stuttered out, her anxiety building up.

when nellie spotted wyatt and eden, she smiled. "wyatt! and..." she remembered she had no idea what to call her, "eden." eden completed her sentence and nellie smiled. "what a pretty name!" she complimented and the black-haired girl blushed. things were definitely going to look up for her now.

it'd been ten years since eden had escaped that hell hole of a place and found her new home, but it still wasn't quite home.

"eden? can you take care of table 12?" nellie yelled out from the kitchen. eden was on her break but she was always willing to help out even so. she got up from her chair with a scrape, heading to table numbered 12. "hi, welcome to nellie's nostalgia, what can i get for you?" she wore her usual tired smile as she looked up from her notepad only to be faced with the sight of the same man she’d seen since the start of the week. he carried a medium-sized sketch book, had black hair with bangs that covered his eyes as he was always looking down. "c-could i have a coffee? black?" his voice was low and trembling, he didn't seem to be confident with his answer despite ordering the same thing every time he came into the cafe. eden had noticed his cheeks had looked a bit hollowed, realising he'd only been ordering coffee. her mind started to wander, wondering if he had eaten at all for the past week. "alright. anything else? maybe a pastry? we have some real good ones." he looked up for the first time, not expecting to be faced with a soft, comforting smile from the same woman who had been looking like she wanted nothing to do with him for the last six days. he stared at her features, admiring her black, shiny, wavy hair and kind, yet empty, matching black eyes. they reminded him of himself.

the man gulped, fiddling with his hands. "what do you like?" he asked quietly, eden was surprised he'd want to know, no customer's ever asked her what she preferred. "oh! uh, i like the chocolate chip muffins-" "i'll take that!" he piped up before hunching back into his seat again, "s-sorry. that was probably creepy, i'm sorry." she was confused why he was apologising so much, the dejection so evident in his voice. "it's alright, sir. i like your enthusiasm."  her words make him lift his head up again with a glint of hope in his sorrow-filled eyes. "i'll be back with your order, yeah?" eden headed back behind the counter and began reheating up a muffin as she started brewing a cup of coffee.

nellie came out of the kitchen with a heavy sigh, "what did table 12 order this time?" she asked eden, "black coffee, as usual. i convinced him to order a chocolate chip muffin though." she simply answered, yawning as she took the muffin out of the microwave and placed it on a plate. "sure he don't want any more food? he looks like he'd been starved by his mother or sum'in." eden glared at her, "don't assume things." she told her, nellie held her hands up. "well, i'm sorry, i'm just worried!" it's such a nellie thing to be worried about a complete stranger. then, she would say, 'but he isn't a stranger! he's a regular customer!' in her strong southern drawl.

eden shook her head as she made her way back to mr. table twelve with his coffee and muffin on a tray. "here you are." she placed it in front of him, "enjoy." this time he smiled back, but it was a mix of a smile and a frown, his lips trembled in between both expressions. eden found it an adorable quality. she'd always seen him sitting at the same table, sipping on his coffee as he drew in his book or stared out the window. staring out at the world like he was afraid of it.

after he'd finish his meal, he asked for the bill. when eden had brought it to him, he rummaged his pockets for his wallet. his eyes widened, "oh, fiddlesticks. i'm so sorry." he muttered, holding his head in his hands. "i think i left my wallet at home, i'm so sorry." eden shook her head, "it's fine. you can come back and pay whenever, but i'm taking your word for it." she joked but the man didn't laugh, looking absolutely distraught and on the verge of a panic attack. "hey, hey." she softly cooed, kneeling to his level. "it's honestly fine. you can come back tomorrow and pay, or it could be on the house. i can pay for you, and then you can pay me back. no pressure." her words of reassurance seemed to calm him down as he took a deep breath before letting it go. he nodded silently, "yeah? you're all good, darling." the nickname caught him off guard, and he looked at her with big, doe eyes.

when eden realised what she'd said, she stood up. "oh, sorry. that was unprofessional of me." she nervously laughed, "anyway, don't worry about it..." she trailed off, realising she didn't know his name. "a-abner." he quietly said, "abner." eden repeated with a soft smile on her face making abner turn extremely red. there was something about abner that just pulled eden towards him, a quality of some sort, or maybe it was the way he carried himself, the way his face looked like he'd gone through something indescribable. it reminded her of herself.

eden had hoped to see him the next day, which she did. he showed up, paid her back and she invited him to join her for lunch so they could talk a bit more. "d'you live far from here?" she asked him, taking a bite of her cake. "uh, not really. just a few blocks away." abner told her, sipping on his tea with both hands holding the cup. he had asked her what she liked to drink and she unironically answered tea, earl grey to be more precise. abner immediately ordered that, along with the same cake she was eating. "what do you like to do for fun?" abner's meek voice asked, "hm, stargaze." her answer made him curious, "and read. i love reading." his eyes widened at the opportunity, "i-i sorta like that too!" his sudden outburst startles eden before the two of them chuckle, abner's more sheepish. "sorry. i mean i mostly like drawing, or maybe doodling, or y’know what? i’ll shut up. i’m sorry." his constant apologising made eden curious, "why do you keep apologising?" she asked, she was honestly quite surprised at her own question.

she had never been one to be a busy body or ask personal questions, but judging from abner's behaviour so far, she would be the one asking the questions majority of the time. abner starts squirming in his seat, "i don't know. i just feel the need to." his face suddenly started turning into different shades of colours, eden tilted her head to the side. "are you alright?" she asked, he looked confused. "your face is turning different colours." abner immediately looked alarmed, "u-uh, i-i-i need to go." he quickly said before placing a twenty dollar bill on the table, "keep the change." he yelped, getting out of the chair and running out of the cafe with his arm covering his face.

eden stared at the place he was just sat at, "huh." she muttered to herself, sipping her tea with confusion. "what was he in a rush for?" nellie asked from behind the counter, "i haven't the slightest clue." eden answered, getting up from her seat and stretching. "you looked like you were having the time of your life talking to him." nellie wiggled her eyebrows and the black-haired woman only rolled her eyes. "don't even think about it." she told her friend, nellie pouted. "but you've literally been here for ten years and not once have i seen you gone out with someone!" she whined, placing her hands on eden's shoulders and shaking her back and forth. "nells, please stop." eden was starting to get nauseous, she grabbed nellie's hands with her own gloved ones.

"i don't need to go out with anyone. i'm fine on my own."  nellie gave her a look, "you act like i don't see the romance novels you buy and read, you cheesy romantic." eden rolled her eyes, "doesn't mean anything." "yeah, it does. means you want to, at least, experience it." eden looked at her, "what?" the older woman giggled and shook her head, "love, silly!" she exclaimed as she started organising the utensils.

eden scoffed, "i don't need love. i see it on a daily basis between you and wyatt." she gagged at the thought, seeing them kiss each other daily, hearing them on certain nights and having to drown it out with headphones, blasting lana del rey on full volume.

"besides, he's a customer. isn't that inappropriate?" eden's question makes nellie snort with laughter, "inappropriate? pumpkin, this isn't a hospital or a corporate company! i won't fire you for dating a customer!" she exclaimed, "plus, he's pretty cute and you look adorable together-" "alright, alright. that's enough." eden interrupted, waving her off. "i need to close up for tonight, go back to your husband." nellie gasped exaggeratedly, flipping her off. eden smiled at her as she grabbed a broom and started sweeping away.

abner didn't come back for a while after that, it actually worried eden. she wondered where'd he gone to, extremely concerned which was extremely out of character for her, nellie just had to remind her of that fact.

after three whole days, abner had returned and eden was eager to serve him to ask where he’d been. "hey, vi." she whispered to her co-worker and friend, "can you handle this table? i'll tend to table 12." viola nodded, "al-alr-alright." she stuttered, heading to the other direction. eden made her way to abner's table, "hello, there." she greeted him, giving him her usual soft smile. "hi." he smiled back, looking as sombre as ever. "i was wondering when you'd showed up." his eyes widened, "y-you were?" she nodded, "was worried about you." abner looked down, "i-i'm sorry. my mother- she-" he cut himself off, realising he shouldn't tell her what happened to him over the weekend. eden noticed his hesitation, "it's alright. you don't need to tell me anything you aren't comfortable with telling. i'm just glad you're okay." abner nodded, "i'm sorry for making you worry." "it's fine, abner. truly." she assured him, "anyways, what will it be today?" and again, he asked her what else she liked, proceeding to order exactly that.

eden's shift ended earlier today. she changed from her apron and polo shirt to a long-sleeve, casual and long, black dress. she thought back to her conversation with nellie a few days ago and sighed. it would be nice to hang out with someone new. "hey." she walked up to abner's table, "i was wondering if you'd want to hang out at the library. you could maybe show me what you like to read and i could show you what i like to read, or you could even show me what you like to ‘doodle’." she suggested, referring to his sketchbook on the table. again, a shocked expression is displayed on his face. he didn't expect her to want to hang out with him, much less do something with him, but technically hanging out is doing something so.

"o-oh! uh, yeah! of course, yes. sure. yep." his answer made her smile, "let's go, then." she gestured for him to come and follow her, "hope you don't mind walking." eden said as she rubbed her hands together, abner's attention turns to her gloves. "why do you wear gloves?" he randomly blurted out, "oh- uh, sorry. i didn't mean to ask- it was an invasive question- i di-" "it's okay, abner." she tells him, looking him in the eyes. "i have a skin sensitivity problem. i can't touch others, at least not skin-on-skin." eden explained, looking at her gloved hands as they walked. "what kind?" "hm, a sad kind." she simply answered, not saying anything furthermore. abner took it that she didn't want to talk about it anymore and so, he dropped the subject despite his raging curiosity.

when they reached the library, abner had agreed to check out a book she’d suggest. eden was almost giddy hearing his words, she didn’t have anyone to talk to about the books she reads since wyatt and nellie aren’t really bookworms. eden went straight for the classic fiction section while abner went to go find a table in the library to sit at. her eyes skimmed through the titles until eventually lingering longer on a certain book. she grabbed it and headed back to the table, seeing abner already sitting there with his sketchbook in front of him.

eden sat opposite of him and placed her book in front of her. "what are you drawing?" she asked curiously, "o-oh, um, it's- it’s you." he picked up the book shyly and turned it around to show her a sketch of herself sitting at a table and reading a book. “i’m sorry if it’s creepy or weird that i’m drawing you, you’re just the perfect subject for it- not that i’m thinking you’re an object or something for me to draw! that’s not it! it’s just- you’re very beautiful- not!” abner looked like he was having a battle within himself, arguing on the right words he should be saying. “no! you are very beautiful! i’m just- i’m ruining everything. what’s wrong with me?” he whispered the last bit to himself and eden was holding back a small giggle. “hey, nothing’s wrong with you.” she told him, “i’m honoured you think me a good drawing subject, and thank you. you’re the first person to ever use the word ‘beautiful’ to describe me.” abner looked at her and felt so relieved when her expression wasn’t a judgemental one. “why’d you decide to draw me?” she asked, “o-oh. well, your features are just so intriguing and they- they sort of pull me in, if i could say that? your hair is always coiffed so perfectly and your eyes are sharp when you’re reading. i like to challenge myself on conveying as much emotion as possible in my work and the thing about drawing you is that, it doesn’t have to be an emotion, it can just be a neutral feeling. a calm feeling.” as abner was rambling about eden’s features and the drawing, she had noticed his hands were moving as he talked, following the tone of his voice. “oh, and your eyebrows are just amazing. like, they are my favourite thing to draw.” abner soon realised he was talking way too much, he stopped. "i'm sorry. that answer was too long, wasn’t it? and the eyebrow thing was really unnecessary." he apologised and eden shook her head. "no, i like that you told me. i can see you enjoy drawing rather thoroughly." abner slowly nodded, looking down at the table again. “you’re very good at it too.” when she said that, his head shot up. “r-really?” his eyes shined with hope, “really. it looks exactly like me and i do feel very calm when i look at it.” she leaned a little closer to him, “and you got my eyebrows down to a tee.” eden winked, smirking. this was the first time abner saw her so… playful. he loved it.

eden then placed her book of choice on the table before pushing it towards him. abner observed the book cover and the title, "pride and prejudice. true classic. i'm assuming you've heard about it?" the man nods, "i have." he slowly looked at her, "do you like romance novels?" his question makes eden chuckle, "i guess so. it seems as though i sort of live through them, since i don't do it in real life." abner tilts his head to the side, "do what?" "live. love. any of the above." she half-joked, "i don't get out much, and i don't meet many new people." she explained, looking nonchalant. "i'd like to see what it's like to live, to love, to get hurt, etcetera." abner stared at her with his usual sad, puppy dog eyes, he thought she was great. "i'm also a sucker for the victorian era. i won't spoil anything about the book but personally, i think it's a great book that shows how what we perceive can be so different from what the next person is trying to convey." she rambled and then stopped herself, "oh, i'm talking too much, aren't i?" eden asked with a blank expression, "no! no, no, you aren't." he said as he quickly shook his head, "then, i guess you weren't talking too much before either." she flipped the situation around and abner's eyes widened before he let a smile take over his lips. "i guess not." this was the first time he wasn't putting himself down and eden was quite happy about it.

“you said you sort of like reading before. what’d you usually read?” abner pondered for a moment, “usually science books.” his answer was something eden had somewhat expected, he did seem like the non-fiction type. "my mother, she- uh- she only ever has science books in the house, so.." he trailed off, his face entirely flustered. eden noticed he didn't say the sentence with a past tense, assuming he still lived with his mother which she found sweet. "i have a complicated relationship with science. it was a... big topic in my home.” eden noticed he was starting to get worked up again and so she quickly changed the subject. “well, i hope you won’t get bored by my old, little fiction novel.” she joked, abner’s lips upturned into a small smile. “i’m sure i’ll love it.” he said with the most determination she’d ever seen from him.

her eyes averted to his sketchbook. “hey, what about while you read ‘pride and prejudice’, i’ll draw something for you in your sketchbook? if that’s alright with you, of course. i’ve never really drawn before so it may be a bit hideous.” abner stared at her with big eyes before blinking once. “oh, yeah! of course, you can! go ahead, i’m sure it won’t look hideous at all.” he said rather enthusiastically, eagerly pushing the book to her along with his pencil, eraser and pen.

soon, the two of them did their activities in peace. abner slowly flipped through pages, really taking in the words, trying his best to understand them. eden decided to draw a bunny wearing a sweater, trying her best to imagine the animal in her mind. abner's facial expression was as focused as eden's was, they were entirely absorbed in their own books, so to speak. it was something new for the both of them.

abner slowly looked up from the book after reading a few pages, curious to see what eden was drawing. when he saw the bunny, he unconsciously smiled. abner averted his eyes to her face, staring at it and appreciating every little detail. the creases in between her eyebrows as they were furrowed, her slow blinks, her nose flaring when she came across a part that was hard to draw in the right position. when he thought he was staring too much, he immediately lowered his gaze back to the book in front of him. just as he did so, eden looked up to see his reaction to her book. she couldn't even see his face, it was so close to the book that it entirely covered it.

after 30 minutes or so, abner placed the book down and stretched, yawning silently as he did so. “tired?” eden asked, placing the pencil down. “a bit.” he answered, peering at the paper. she noticed he wanted to look at it and so she picked it up and handed it over. abner stared at the bunny wearing a polka-dot sweater. “it’s…” he trailed off, he was so focused on the fact it had polka-dots that he was losing his train of thought. “...bad?” eden joked, abner immediately snapped out of it. “what?! no! not at all! it’s really good! i’m sorry if it seemed that i thought it was bad, i just…” eden raised an eyebrow, “you just…?” abner looked at her, “why are there polka-dots on the bunny’s sweater?” his question made her cock her head, “well, i like polka-dots, so i decided to add them since the sweater looked plain.” abner seemed at a loss for words. “you like polka-dots?” he asked nervously, “yes. i think they’re wonderful.” some sort of warmth spreaded across the pit of abner’s stomach as his heart skipped a beat. he cleared his throat before smiling, “i see.” he fidgeted with the edges of the paper, eden smiled at him. “usually i’d use a lot of colour but well, i don’t have my colour pencils.” abner nodded, “well, then, next time, i’ll bring my colour pencils.” he said with a giddy tone, eden was happily surprised by it.

after that hang out, they began meeting up every week, every week became every day. some days abner would disappear, but never for more than three days. eden never usually questioned him about his whereabouts, only ever asked if he was doing alright and reassuring him that she's there if he needs her, even giving him her home address if he ever needed to see her. she had rather grown attached to him, as she does with people whom she forms bonds with. 

however, this attachment was quite different than from the ones she had with nellie and wyatt. this attachment was much stronger. every time she wasn't with him, it felt like hell, felt like she couldn't breathe. every time abner would disappear for way too long for her own comfort, she'd fret and worry and barely even talk to anyone. eden would only pace and pray that he'd show up in no time.

one day, it was storming just as heavily as it did the night she'd escaped the lab, and abner was suddenly at her doorstep. "abner?" she asked, shocked to see him soaked from head to toe, covered in bruises around his face and neck. she couldn't tell if it was the rain or if he'd been sobbing for the past one hour. a sniffle from him confirmed her speculations. "my goodness, darling. come in, you must be terribly cold." she ushered him into the apartment, closing the door. eden rushed to go grab him a towel, starting to brew him hot tea. "nellie and wyatt are out for a while, that's why i'm alone right now." she said as she took out an ice pack from the fridge, wrapping it with a thin towel.

she made her way to abner, who was sat at the dinner table wrapped cosily in a towel and sipping on his drink. "now, let me see those bruises." she sat close to him, closer than she's ever sat. it made both of them nervous, more evident on abner than eden. she didn't want to ask what caused his injuries, she didn't want to overstep even if they'd been friends for over six months now. "i don't want to pry..." she started, placing the wrapped ice pack against one of the bigger bruises on his face. "but, with how you've turned up on my doorstep looking like you've just been through hell and back, i feel i should ask you how this happened." eden softly shifted his wet hair to the side so she could check if there were anymore dark spots indicating bruising.

abner breathed in before letting out a long, quiet sigh. "you don't have to tell me if you don't feel like it, ab." she assured, he shook his head. "no, i should. you deserve an explanation for why i keep disappearing on you countless of times, and-and why i keep running out at random times before coming back." he rambled, on the verge of crying. "you're my best friend." his voice cracked as a few tears escaped his eyes, eden frowned and placed the ice pack down on the table.

she stood up and wrapped her arms around the man slowly, embracing him wholeheartedly. abner wrapped his arms around her waist as he leaned his head against her stomach and cried into the fabric of her shirt. his hands gripped onto the back of her pyjamas, sobbing loudly. his cries stung eden's heart and made her ears ring. "shhh." she stroked his hair to soothe him, trying her best to comfort him despite never having comforted someone before. "you're okay now. you're safe here. you can tell me anything." eden whispered, hugging his head.

after he calmed down, she sat back down and held his hand. abner took another deep breath in, "my mother was a scientist at s.t.a.r. labs once." he started, looking down at the ground. "she was obsessed with turning me and my siblings into superheroes. she experimented on all of us, trying to give us powers." eden froze in her chair as she listened to his words, "she infected me with- with an inter-dimensional virus." he had a hard time saying the words out loud, trying his best to hold himself together. "it infects me with these glowing polka-dots and they turn into lumps that start to form on my face and under my skin, which is why i always run out at random times. i need to expel them by throwing them up. if i don't the virus would eat me from within." abner was so scared. he didn't dare to look up, terrified he'd be faced with a disgusted eden, or a fearful eden. she was neither, she felt sympathetic as she understood what he had went through.

"i still live with her, my mother, she takes care of me and i take care of her. at least, that's what she always tells me." eden grabbed both of his hands, "abner, did she give you these bruises?" she asked, lifting his head by his chin with her hand, staring straight into his eyes. abner fidgeted in his seat, slowly nodding his head as his eyes glistened with tears. his lips trembled and eden wanted nothing more but to murder his mom, that wretched lady, for reducing him to tears.

eden was contemplating on whether he should tell her about her own past, about how she was experimented on as well. she decided she should in order to distract him from his feeling of dread. “you know, i should tell you the truth about my gloves.” she spoke up, holding a glove-covered hand up. abner looked at her with curiosity in his eyes, “when i was born, my mother died from giving birth to me. honestly, that was much better for her than living with my father because he was as useless as an unemployed addict could be.” she smiled bitterly thinking about the man, “as a newborn infant, he sold me off to a lab.” now, abner was fully paying attention when he heard the word ‘lab’. “he sold me off to a lab… for crack.” she laughingly scoffed, tracing circles into the table as she thought about it. “i lived in that lab, getting experimented on for 20 years. never seeing the light of day nor the darkness of the night. getting tormented and electrocuted like a mouse in a maze, like i wasn’t a human being.” she took a deep breath, “i have a condition, not as bad as yours, but i have a condition where i am unable to touch someone with my bare hands because if i do, i can see and feel their worst moments and memories, their worst emotions and the pain, and the suffering to the point it hurts me.” her voice was beginning to turn hoarse, she’d never told anyone about this ever, not even wyatt and nellie.

“i have other abilities too, since i got experimented on so much. i can change and mutilate any of my bodily fluids into some sort of toxin that can immediately melt off the skin from bones, and i have super human reflexes and regeneration.” she explained with feigned excitement, “i killed all of them ten years ago. the scientists, the guards. i tried to help the rest of the children escape but i failed.” she let out a quiet sigh, “i’m just telling you all of this to show you that, i understand what you’re going through and you aren’t alone.” eden held his hand, “i’m here for you, abner. i’ll always be here for you.” abner’s mind was empty, he had definitely forgotten all about his mother. he was in utter disbelief that she was like him, experimented on. he had calmed down and was now focused on eden’s face in front of him.

there was no way this was real. there was no way he had someone as beautiful and as kind as eden, who had went through practically the same things he did, actually cared about someone like him. someone that was not worthy of compassion.

“what?” eden asked when she noticed abner was looking at her with some sort of revelation. “despite going through all that, you’re so nice to me.” he suddenly stated, leading her to be taken aback by his words. “why wouldn’t i be, abner? you’re like one of my only friends.” the raven-haired man looked away, “i know, but i don’t think i deserve it.” she was confused again, “don’t deserve what?” “your hospitality? your friendship? what’s the point?” abner raised his voice a little bit louder, “i’m worthless! i just take up space! i’m here sitting helplessly, while you actually did something! you escaped that fucked up facility-” “i killed people, abner-” “hah! good! they fucking deserved it!” he laughed sarcastically as he interrupted her, “you did something! but i’m just here, stuck with my mother who despises me. there’s no reason for me to exist, i’m just a burden- mh!” as abner voiced out his frustrations, eden closed in the space between them and placed her lips against his making his eyes flutter close.

it was only for a few good seconds before she pulled away and abner was rendered speechless, his eyes slowly open. “you are not worthless, abner. nobody is. if you’re thinking you need to contribute to society in some sort of way in order to be worth something or useful, you’re wrong. you’ve been helping me for these past few months.” eden whispered to him, their faces only a few inches away. abner averted his eyes from her lips to her eyes, “how?” she gave him a soft smile, “you’ve spent so much time with me, you became my friend. you listened to my countless rants about books, you cheer me up when i feel empty. you’re amazing. i love-” she stopped herself, “i love that about you.” she cursed herself in her mind for almost letting out something she definitely wasn’t suppose to. they were just friends, nothing more. yes, that’s why they kissed, they’re just friends. eden, you absolute dolt.

she took a deep breath, “i love you.” she avoided looking at his reaction. she didn’t want him to leave because he felt awkward due to the possible fact he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, nor did she want to see the look of uncomfortableness on his face when he has to tell her he doesn’t like her back.

eden, however, took a chance, and looked at his face that was more than ecstatic. “y-you love me?” he muttered, sounding breathless. he thought he was dreaming, mishearing her, maybe she actually said i love glue, or something else that’s random. the look on her face made him panic, she looked dejected without hearing an actual reply from him. “i-i love you too.” he quickly said, “i do. i really do.” eden’s expression remained indifferent. “no, i’m sorry. i shouldn’t have said that. this wasn’t the time, actually, there shouldn’t be a time.” “no! i really do love you! i’ve loved you since i saw you at the cafe, since you first took my order.” abner yelled when she suddenly stood up and started pacing a bit, “i’m in love with you, eden. please believe me.” eden ran her fingers through her hair, not pacing anymore.

“actions speak louder than words.” she simply said, abner’s mouth opened but he didn’t say a thing. he hesitantly got up from his chair and strode towards her. with his height, he towered over her a good amount. abner didn’t know where to put his hands but he decided to just cup her face awkwardly, before pressing his lips against hers once more. eden tilted her head and grabbed onto his hands, bringing them down to be wrapped around her waist as she snaked her hands around his neck. they were both pretty new to the whole concept of kissing, what with the two of them being closed off to any form of intimacy. it was like two awkward, freshmen sharing their first actual real kiss.

it was bliss. being depraved of physical contact ever since the day they were born and getting it for the first time, and it wasn’t just with someone random, it was with someone they’ve been pining after for six months straight.

eden let out a soft moan into his mouth, pulling him closer and pressing her body against his. abner pulled away for a moment when he heard her small noise, when he felt her on him, “w-wait, i’m-” he panted, glancing down at his nether regions. “getting a little too excited?” eden teased, grinning at him. abner’s face was already bright red, “i’m s-” “don’t say sorry. i’m not upset about it.” she told him, caressing his cheek. she rested her forehead against his, “i honestly didn’t think you liked me back, much less loved me back. i was so scared i misread everything.” eden confessed, beaming up at him. “how could i not love you? you’re the only person that doesn’t make me feel like shit, eden. the real question is how you’re in love with me.” “well, pretty boy, you don’t make me feel like shit either.” she countered back, giggling when he rolled his eyes playfully.

finally, all the feelings were out, all the secrets, nothing was kept from one another. everything was perfect now, until it wasn’t.

the next day, abner had entered the cafe with a different type of glow - a ‘i’m dating the woman i’ve been in love with for six months’ type of glow. of course, nellie and wyatt heard all about what happened last night, which leads nellie to constantly jab at them.

“hi there, sugar! here for eden?” nellie asked, wiggling her eyebrows. abner blushed, “m-maybe.” he answered with uncertainty, unsure if he should be admitting that to the owner of the cafe when she probably wants customers to come to her establishment for food and beverages. “don’t look so terrified! i won’t pepper-spray ya.” she assured him, “she’s currently taking table six’s order but i’m sure she’ll be over here soon! can i get you anything in the mean time?” abner gave her a small smile, shaking his head. “no, ma’am.” he answered and with that, nellie went off to check on the kitchen.

abner spent the next few minutes admiring eden from afar as she spoke with the family that she was waiting on. all of a sudden, about three police cars pulled up outside of the shop. abner’s eyes flickered from the cars back to eden, who was now only able to stare at the cops through the windows before they entered the establishment.

“number 037, you are under arrest for the murder of over 47 people. you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” one of the police officers said as they pulled out handcuffs from their belt, grabbing onto eden who wasn’t resisting at all. nellie walked out of the kitchen, flabbergasted with the sight before her. “wh-what? what’s going on here?” she questioned the officers, “are you this woman’s family or guardian?” nellie scoffed, “yes.” she answered as she crossed her arms, “then you can see her at gotham’s police station, where she’s going.” just as the officer said that, abner made his way to them. “no!” he yelled, “you can’t take her!” his eyes brimmed with tears, as he tried to get to eden but they pulled him away. “sir, we’re going to have to ask you to calm down. if you don’t, we will use force.” eden looked at him with no expression, “abner, stop.” she told him and he immediately followed, confused and worried.

eden smiled at him, but it wasn’t any of her usual smiles, it was one that expressed despondent. she held no hope at that point, she knew it was only in a matter of time before they found her. despite that, abner didn’t want to accept it, he couldn’t accept it. something good was being torn away from his very hands just as he got it.

[funnywiccanwritingcorner]

Le Joyau le plus precieux

A Lucky Luke Modern!AU fanfiction

Chapter IX - A curious company

Cheyenne put her ear close from time to time to the door of the room where Lucky and Joe had been cooped up for over an hour with their prisoner. She kept her fingers crossed, hoping that their quest to make him talk would succeed.

-Mommy?- Amélie pranced towards her, the lovely red skirt with white polka dots fluttering around her tiny legs. -Yes, darling?- -What is Uncle Luke doing?- -He and Joe... are helping a friend of Uncle Jolly's remember something. So they can get him home from his business trip.- -Who are they?- the little one asked, pointing to the three Dalton brothers who had remained outside, waiting like Cheyenne. -William, Jack and Averell. They are Joe's brothers.- -Hi!- Amélie greeted them cheerfully. They echoed her, and the younger one greeted her by waving his hand. -Go do your homework, honey.- -I can't. I have to do maths! I can't do it if you don't help me.- -Aw! All right. Let's go.- Jack quickly rose to the occasion: -Hey, William is good at maths, he can be useful to you!- He pushed his twin towards mother and daughter, who looked at them curiously. -M-Maybe not, Jack is joking...- -Don't be modest, go on!- -Can you really help me?- The little girl asked the question, her eyes wide like a puppy ones William couldn't say no to her: -Well, sure... as long as it's ok with your mum...- Cheyenne smiled at him: -Why not? Follow us.- Turning to his brother, William saw him raise two thumbs up as if to say “It's going to be great.” Averell eavesdropped at the door, whispering to his brother: -Now it's your turn to find someone.- -Nah, I don't really care. Make room for me, I want to hear too! -

They hadn't fed Ivor for two days. A normal man would have already begged for a bowl of soup, something, but the guy wouldn't give in. -Come on, I'm sure you're sick of being here already. All we ask is that you reveal the security codes we want.- Joe, more for comfort than real warmth, had taken off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. Lucky, leaning back in the corner of the room, arms folded and looking serious, acted as interpreter; Ivor understood French and English just fine, but he only answered in Russian, and when he did, it was mostly insults or expletives, or threats if he was in the mood. -Look, frankly, I don't feel like being the bad cop, but I want to warn you that you won't see a loaf of bread until you spit it out, understood?- The bodyguard looked at him grimly and growled something in his own language. Lucky approached him at a brisk pace to give him a slap and say: -Be respectful!- -What did he say?- -Believe me, it's better if you don't know. That's enough, Madame Louise is about to arrive and it's better that she doesn't find us here.- -Who is Madame Louise?- -She's the head of Cheyenne's company. You'll like her; she's kind of the mother of all artists.-

Although everyone referred to Madame Louise as a woman, one could see a mile away that she was actually a man in disguise: despite her near-perfect make-up and wig, she had a robust and muscular physique. She always wore very colourful clothes and never parted with the gold bracelets that jingled with her every move. She took care of running the company both professionally and personally: if you had a problem, she was there as a shoulder to cry on or as a psychoanalyst. She also took care of all the performers' diets, so that they were well balanced and gave them the energy they needed to perform at their best.

She was very surprised to see four new faces at her boys' table: -Oh dear! Where did they come from?- -They're friends of ours, Louise!- replied Cheyenne, sitting down next to Lucky, who in turn was sitting next to Joe, -Can we host them for lunch?- -Sure, honey, I'll just take a second!- she coquetted in falsetto, heading for what appeared to the brothers to be the kitchen. -Louise is a great cook, believe me!- Cheyenne continued, addressing the four Daltons, followed by Amélie who took a seat next to her: -She makes the best spaghetti with meat sauce!-

-Hey, Luke, who's the little guy next to you?- crooned one of the performers in front of them, a thin blond boy with a red scarf around his neck. -Nobody in your league, Étoile, and that goes for the rest of you ladies too. Yes, I mean you two, Eloise and Étienne!- Lucky joked, turning to the other two boys who grimaced at him like little girls, wrinkling their noses. -You have met our actors, the Trois-E- commented a girl next to Averell, -also known as the Three Little Tattlers!- -Gossiping is not tattling, Annette!- Eloise defended himself, his voice squeaky and nasal. -Don't argue, come on, at least in front of the guests!- intervened good-naturedly a man of Louise's size, bald and with a thick handlebar moustache under his nose. He recalled the strong men portrayed in the circus posters. -That's Antoine, our leader's husband- Cheyenne explained, -Annette and the Diables are our dancers, and that little group over there the singers with the choristers.- -The full Cyprienne Company, at your service- concluded Lucky, nodding a bow with his head. -It's ready!!- Louise returned holding, thanks to her oven mitts, a huge pan of lasagne: -Get your plates ready, sweeties!!- Immediately after the first bite, Averell exulted: -They're delicious, Madame!- -I'm so glad, dear!- -Be careful, Averell is a good eater even if you wouldn't know it, he'll empty your kitchen! Right, Joe?- -Right, Jack. He's right though, Madame, they are delicious!- -Oh, how kind! Uh-uh!- She pinched Averell's cheek en passant like an affectionate mother, then headed towards her husband; not before coquetting one last statement: -Luke, honey, I love your new boyfriend! Joe is a real gentleman!- The elder Daltons almost choked on his mouthful of lasagna. Lucky stiffened, lowered his gaze and turned red; he downed his glass of water in one gulp. All this to the general laughter of the company and the brothers.

Leaving Lucky and Cheyenne to rehearse for the show, the Dalton brothers found themselves faced with an unexpected situation: unable to interrogate Ivor without their interpreter, and not being on duty, they were left to babysit Amélie. The little girl stared at them with a wide smile on her face, rocking back and forth on her feet, waiting for them to say something to her. -Uhm... Yes, Amélie?- Joe finally pronounced himself. She, holding her hands behind her back, held out a box of board games: -Would you like to play a game of "Guess Who?"- She had such a tender, pleading expression that it was impossible to resist.

Later, at the end of the rehearsal, Cheyenne went in search of her daughter. She heard her laughing from one of the offices and then asked: -Does she have glasses?- -No!- replied Averell, -My turn: does she have blue eyes?- -No-o!- cantilated the child. Cheyenne looked out and, leaning against the doorframe with her shoulder, smiled at the scene in front of her: sitting on a carpet on the floor, Averell and Amélie were playing under the amused gaze of the other three Daltons. William approached the girl and began: -She's good; she beat both Jack and me earlier!- -It's her favourite game. She has a talent for spotting the details.- -I got it! You're Buster!- exulted the little girl. -Aaah, you got me!!!- laughed Averell, revealing his character card. -Now it's Joe's turn! It's Joe's turn!- -Are you sure, kid? I'm a detective, finding out people's identities is my job.- She puffed out her chest, determined: -You don't scare me! Bring it on!- -Uh, what a temper! All right, you've convinced me.-

Lucky also peeped through the door and whispered: -Is everything ok in here?- -Yeah, look!- she showed his cousin, holding back a small laugh. Seeing his niece and Joe playing like that, the ex-agent felt a touch of tenderness. Amélie had always been an outgoing and energetic little girl, and he was glad that she had already taken a liking to the Dalton brothers. He couldn't help but smile. When Joe became aware of Luke's presence he turned expressionless and purple from the smile he felt was not directed at him in particular but it was enough to make his blood pressure rise. -Your turn!- the girl called him, huffing. -SorryIhadtogotothebathroom!- exclaimed Dalton all at once, before sprinting to his feet and past the people in the doorway, actually heading for the bathroom because of the urgent need to stick his head under the cold tap water. -Uncle Luke?- -Yes, sweetie?- -Your boyfriend's a little weird.- That statement was followed by a moment of silence. Amélie looked at everyone, puzzled: -What?-

[holmesandtheroman]

just saw someone refer to the people who read their fanfics as “clients” so therefore y’all are my clients

[nofoundboy]

Soooo

A little reminder of what ships I also write for 👀

You know why I'm still here in this hideous world? Because of them, they got me thinking "well maybe it's not so bad after all"

It actually is but I wanna stick around until I get a tattoo in my chest of them

So Peacemaker became one of my comfort series and them one of my most beloved ships in record time like they are so perfect for each other in so many ways that I have been imagining 1000 different scenarios of a love declaration

And yeah, they should have ended up together, s2 make it happen

People in Mexico still use Facebook so I have written so many posts about their relationship there it's not funny anymore

Don't get my wrong, I love polyghostface x reader but you already know by my drawing how much I like them as a couple 😔

I have this ship since fucking 2019, I have drawing them having sex with bad anatomy but I have never write abt them

That's a crime

They never interacted with each other but I saw a couple of drawings and I'm obsessed with the mere idea of it

That girl on YouTube said it right "Back in your childhood you can pinpoint the Star Wars prequels as the beginning of your overwhelming desire to fuck dads"

So help me to make Obi-wan fuck Neeson space daddy

If they are middle-aged villains I'm gonna fucking love the ship so

Yeah, the best thing NWH left us

WHY I ALREADY KNOW IT DOESN'T MAKES SENSE

But that's the best part of fanfiction, it doesn't need to sooooo

I simp for Battinson, I simp for Phoenix Joker, that's all I need I just want to see these hotties kissing, end of story

[gorogues]

Fictober 2022

Prompt number #14 Fanfiction Fandom: Flash Rogues Rating: R Warnings: Homophobia, mind control, profanity.

Day Fourteen: “Yes. No. I don’t know.”

Hartley sat sullenly at a bar on the other side of town, insensitive words ringing in his ears.

“That damn rich guy,” “the pipe poof,”, and his personal favourite, “the polka-dotted dipshit”.  He overheard everything from everyone and was sick of it all.  It was time to strike out on his own to work solo, which had always suited him best anyway.  The Rogues were fun, but they could be jerks sometimes, especially to those who didn’t fit in as well.

He’d been nursing a single beer for hours, mostly using the opportunity to listen for gossip that could lead to a heist.  Instead he mostly heard drunken carousing from a whole host of idiots, but at least it wasn’t the usual idiots he knew.  It was enjoyable to be anonymous, at least for a night.

But the feeling wasn’t to last.  A man he didn’t recognize sat down next to him and asked the bartender to give Hartley a second bottle of the beer he was drinking.

“I think I know you from somewhere,” the man said after a minute or two, and Hartley swallowed somewhat uncomfortably; it could have been from the supervillain crowd, or might have been from the dating scene.  He wasn’t particularly thrilled to meet anyone from either group right now.

“You’re probably mistaken,” Hartley said politely, but the man shook his head.

“Nah.  You’re the Pied Piper, right?  I’m the Gunsmith, I run with the Keystone Kids.”

“Sorry, I’m not familiar with that group,” Hartley admitted with some regret, though the man laughed.

“We’re pretty new, still getting together and seeing what works.  Trying to figure out who’d be a good fit for the group.  You wanna pull a job with us?”

Hartley paused.  Despite his intention to operate solo, there were reasons to work with a crew: there were others to watch your back, people to bounce tech ideas off of, and even just the camaraderie that came with socializing between jobs.  And maybe he’d fit in better with another group than he had with the Rogues.

“…I might.  Tell me more,” Hartley said cautiously, and the Gunsmith smiled.

“We’re gonna knock over a country club full of rich people.  Ever heard of the Astaire Estates?”

Hartley nodded silently, as his parents were longstanding members.

“So we’re gonna loot the place, and then hold some of the top fatcats hostage until they meet our demands for more money.” 

Hartley didn’t necessarily like the idea, but wasn’t truly opposed to it either.  It seemed like a solid concept, and he knew perfectly well that the wealthiest citizens in town could afford to be shaken down for more funds.  But something about this man’s grin bothered him.

“Yes.  No.  I don’t know,” he said after a few moments’ thought.  “Have you mapped out your escape route afterward?”  The best way to discover someone’s intent was to poke holes in their plan, to see what angles they were aiming for.

“We’re going to blast our way out, brother, with the kind of firepower these fuckers will never see coming.  Escape will be easy.  So, are you in?”

“Hell yes,” Hartley said with his best poker face, desperately wanting out of there.  “Where do you guys meet?”

“You can come down to our clubhouse right now, if you want.  A bunch of guys are probably shooting the shit,” the Gunsmith replied, hopping off his stool.  He tossed a hundred-dollar bill at the bartender -- far more than the cost of his tab -- and the two men walked out into the night.

Hartley was feeling increasingly nervous, concerned that this guy was going to slit his throat in a dark alley.  So he needed to act first.

As soon as they turned a corner, Hartley pulled out his flute and began to play.  The soothing notes sweetly pacified the man, who was soon swaying in time with Hartley’s motions.

“You need to forget this plan at the Astaire Estates.  It’s over, there will be no violence.  And you need to take me to the rest of the group so I can do the same to them,” Hartley commanded, and the Gunsmith smiled vacuously at him.

“Yes, of course.  Follow me.”

It didn’t take long before Hartley was allowed into the Keystone Kids’ clubhouse, and he was able to entrance the members there too.  But this time, he added a new order to the assembled group.

“You guys are going to break up, and never work together again.  Maybe this’ll keep you from the kind of violence you’re clearly planning,” he told them, looking around in dismay at the amount of weaponry they’d already stockpiled.  There were no space age cold guns or weird mirrors or trick yo-yos; these people were heavily armed with conventional firepower that could tear a human body apart in an instant.  It left him deeply disturbed.

The Keystone Kids slowly separated and walked away in a daze, leaving all the guns behind.  And Hartley remained behind too, left alone in a bunker full of heavy armaments.  After a few moments’ thought, he pulled out his phone and called the Trickster.

“James, hi.  Could you put Mick on the phone?  I need him to burn a place full of nasty stuff, might get explosive.  And are the guys still hanging out tonight?  I…could bring some beer for everyone.”