#ranger key set

[cina-full-moon-xanadium]

WHY DID NO-ONE TELL ME ABOUT THE GODDAMN MEMORIAL DYNAMAN RANGER KEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[galedekarios]

Dragon Age: Veilguard | The Ultimate Preview Summary

shinobi602 on twitter shared this amazing in-depth summary of all new information about the game that we have so far:

Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X and PC in Fall 2024

Consoles: Quality and Performance modes (60FPS)

Photo mode is confirmed

Fully offline single player, no EA account linking, no micro-transactions'

Play as a human, elf, dwarf, or Qunari

Choose your backstory, 6 factions to choose from when you create your character, all with "deep roots in Thedas": Antivan Crows, Grey Wardens, Shadow Dragons, Veil Jumpers, Lords of Fortune, The Mourne Watch

Each faction offers 3 distinct buffs each, like being able to hold an extra potion or do extra damage against certain enemies, and the odd reference in dialogue

You can customize your Inquisitor from Dragon Age: Inquisition in the character creator and "make a few key decisions that will impact how The Veilguard begins"

There are some "killer cameos" from past games that show up

Warrior Class: Use a sword and shield or two handed weapon to send enemies flying

Rogue Class: Utilizes quick movement and reflexes. You can wield a bow or dual swords with "powerful, precise strikes for lethal damage"

Mage Class: Use magic to incinerate, freeze, electrocute and crush. Some cast from afar, while others prefer close quarters combat

Each class also has 3 sub-specializations, such as duelist, saboteur, or veil ranger for the Rogue

Classes also have unique 'resource system's, for example, the Rogue has "momentum", which builds up as you land consecutive hits, and each will always have a ranged option

One Rogue momentum attack is a "hip fire" option we saw for the Rogue's bow, letting you pop off arrows from the waist

Another momentum attack for the Warrior lets you lob your shield at enemies

Quests are more handcrafted and mission based, curated with alternate paths, secrets to discover and optional content

There are also open ended explorable areas

Party size of 3 during combat, ala Mass Effect

Combat is focused on real-time action, dodge, parry, counter, "sophisticated animation canceling and branching", using risk-reward charge attacks designed to break enemy armor layers

Enemies have elemental weaknesses and resistances, and you can chain together elemental combos for extra damage

One example is a squadmate using a gravity well attack to suck enemies in, another slowing them down, and the player then unleashing a big AOE attack

You don't take direct control of companions like past Dragon Age games, but you can still pause and issues ability commands for you and your allies

There is a hub area for the player like Skyhold and the Normandy, called The Lighthouse

Companions can eventually start romancing other characters if you opt not to romance them

Each companion also has unique missions tied to them that play into the larger story

Nudity confirmed - romance scenes can get "a little spicy"

"Incredibly deep" character creator: 5 categories including: Lineage, Appearance, Class, Faction, Playstyle

Players can also choose different body sizes and shapes

Dozens of hairstyles to choose from, with "individual strands of hair rendered separately and reacting quite remarkably to in-game physics", pulled from EA Sports

Character creator lets you adjust the lighting so you can be sure your character looks good

The team wanted to balance the look of the game with both light and darkness. "When everything is dark, nothing really feels dark. For this one, we really wanted to build that contrast again."

Skill tree is "vast", you can also set up specific companions with certain kits, from tackling specific enemy types to being more of a supporting healer or flexible all-rounders

There are tarot cards you go through during the character creation process that will let you choose decisions from past games to implement into Veilguard

The team teases you may lose some characters during the story

[sunflower-lilac42]

𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 | 𝘭𝘩43 ♔

➪ summary: after playing over 30 minutes on the ice, luke returns home to his girlfriend where he breaks down from exhaustion

➪ warnings: the rangers game from april 4 (where you know, half of their teams got booted in the first two seconds), luke being tired/upset?

➪ word count: 1.8k

➪ file type: fic

➪ sunny's notes: i lowkey forgot about this fic, oh well

nhl masterlist || taglist || navigation

She had let herself into their apartment halfway through the second period. She had been watching from her dorm and when the first fight broke out, two seconds into the game, she knew the team was in for a wild night. As the game went on and they showed the bench and the players, she knew both her boyfriend and his brother were tired. 

That’s when she made the executive decision to “break in” to their apartment and make them dinner. She was grateful that their fridge was fully stocked and she didn’t have to run back out to the grocery store. She got to work quickly, making something easy but also filling for both of them. While spaghetti and meatballs weren’t any of their favorite meals, not that she was hungry anyway, she knew they would appreciate the effort nonetheless. 

When the game was over she sighed at the final score, after what they had been through tonight, they deserved the win. Worried about Luke and being one of only four defensemen on the ice, she looked to see how much time he was actually on the ice and was appalled when it read 32:49. She knew he had been tired these past few weeks, this team felt like it was on a never-ending cycle of bad luck. 

She was setting the plates down moments before they walked in the door, but when she was in the bathroom, that’s when she heard them. She heard the clatter of keys and shoes and walked out immediately. Luke was attempting to stand upright, slightly leaning on his older brother. Jack looked equally tired, attempting to support both him and Luke. 

She frowned as she made her way over to them, lightly grabbing onto Luke to lessen the weight on Jack’s body. He sighed in relief as he kicked his shoes off and made his way to sit down on the couch. Y/n stayed with Luke in the kitchen, walking him over to one of the chairs. With one hand she reached for his head and took the beanie he had been wearing off, using her other one to run her fingers through his damp curls. 

“Why don’t you go take a shower, both of you,” Jack whined from the couch while Luke just buried his head into her shoulder.

She felt like she could cry from the exhaustion they were displaying. She knew how they got, both of them. She had been dating Luke since their freshman year of high school. She knew the ins and outs of all three Hughes brothers if she was honest, never finding it weird or alarming. His family loved her, that she knew, but when Jack came home drunk one night and threw up on her shoes, she accepted her role in the family.

“Jack you first, come on.”

She continued running a hand through her boyfriend’s curls as she gazed at the older boy on the couch. He finally sat up, giving her an annoyed look, but she only rolled her eyes and pointed to the bathroom. She could keep Luke occupied for another 20 minutes, “Hi baby.”

Luke’s eyes were closed as his head laid on her shoulder, he mumbled something incoherently and he just sighed. She untangled her fingers from his hair and started to pull off his jacket, he whined at the loss of contact but allowed her to continue her actions. She took his jacket to his room and hung it up before walking back into the kitchen and checking on the pasta. 

Luke, despite being tired and his body being worn, he got up and made his way over to her in order to wrap his arms around her waist and dig his head into the crook of her neck, inhaling her fading scent. She smiled slightly, removing her one hand from the side of the pan to place on top of Luke’s, continuing to stir with the other. 

It was silent up until Jack came back, who plopped onto the chair his brother had previously sat in. She looked over at him and smiled, “Do you guys want to eat in the kitchen or in the living room? We could put a movie on?”

The two nodded and made their way over to the living room as she finished plating the food and bringing it over to them, placing the plates into their laps. They each let out simultaneous soft thank yous before eating. They chose a random movie and watched it as y/n cleaned the kitchen and finished doing some laundry that had been pushed to the side.  

She felt bad for both of them, both for different reasons but some the same. Mostly because of how the team was performing this year, the way that they couldn’t keep everyone off injured reserve. Yet, for Luke, it felt different. She felt more or less worried about him than bad for him. He had expectations to live up to, people to live up to, and she knew his mind all too well. She knew what he was thinking, that he wasn’t good enough.

And it wasn’t just him that thought that. They both knew about the tweets that were in response to people's comments under articles, the articles themselves about how Luke wasn’t as good as his brothers, wasn’t as good as he should be, wasn’t as good as people made him out to be. It was what Luke thought about the most.

There was clanging from the living room and then a crash. She immediately made her way out of the bedroom and looked in between Jack, who was still on the couch, the shattered plate on the floor, and Luke, who was standing in the hallway. His face looked conflicted but it morphed into one of fear and sadness. 

“Hey, hey, what happened?”

“I-” Luke couldn’t bring himself to talk, both terrified and still exhausted from the game. 

On the other hand, y/n’s face was calm and Jack’s face was sad with a hint of anger in his eyes. Anger towards John and Kevin for leaving the team with four defensemen, anger towards Travis for making Luke play that long, anger towards himself for not checking in on his brother enough, and anger towards the Rangers. 

“Luke, it’s okay. No one’s mad at you for dropping the plate.” Jack’s voice was soft as he stood up, slightly wobbling from his lack of balance. 

The younger boy only shook his head, reaching a hand out to lean against the wall. Y/n moved forward and wrapped her arms around Luke who then slowly sank to the ground. Her left hand was placed against his head, keeping it against her chest as her right arm wrapped around him. Luke started crying, soft sobs escaping his mouth.

She looked at Jack who took the hint to walk back into his bedroom. As soon as he left, Luke voiced his thoughts, “I’m tired. I’m so tired, y/n.”

The way his voice broke almost made her choke on a sob. She bit her lip to keep her tears at bay, refusing to let Luke know how she was feeling right now. She tangled her fingers in his hair, Luke allowing the movement to calm him down a little. His harsh sobs turned into soft sniffles in a matter of minutes. She was the only one who could soothe him like this besides his mom.

Lifting his head, he dug it back into the crook of her neck. She kissed his head and continued to run her fingers through his curls like she had done earlier, using her other hand to rub circles on his back. Ten minutes had passed and she looked over at the shattered glass a few feet away from her. Her legs had started to cramp from being in the position for so long and the added weight of Luke on them made it a little worse.

“How about you go take a shower while I clean the plate, okay?”

He pulled away from her and nodded his head slightly. She aided him in standing up and watched as he made his way to the bathroom to shower. Once the door closed, she made quick work of cleaning up the mess. After she was done, she went over and knocked on Jack’s bedroom door, “Hey.”

Jack snapped his head up in surprise, “Hi.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Jack, I’ve known you for 5 years. What’s wrong?” She sat on the edge of his bed, her hands underneath her. 

“I feel bad. I mean I was so excited for Luke to come to play with me but for some reason, I feel guilty. I don’t know. It just feels like I should do more for him. I didn’t want to bring up the comments, I see them too, you know.”

Her heart warmed at the words, at Jack being so worried about his little brother. She smiled a little before looking at him, “He loves you, Jack. More than you know. I cannot tell you the number of times he calls me and is like ‘Jack this’ and ‘Jack that’. You and Quinn are his idols, it’s hard to not notice that. He is so appreciative of you. And he knows there is nothing you can do about the comments that people make, it’s not your fault.”

Jack teared up a little but smiled at her, “Thank you.”

“Of course. Now come on, give me a hug.”

Jack leaned over from his spot on the bed and hugged her, “Can I say I love you or is that too weird?” 

“Considering, I am betting on you becoming my sister-in-law, it’s not weird. I love you too, y/n/n.”

She heard a door close from down the hall and she pulled away and waved goodbye to Jack, making her way to her boyfriend’s room. When she walked in, Luke was lying on his bed, cuddling a pillow on his phone. She smiled at him and walked over to sit down, “Hi baby.”

He looked up at her and for the first time that night, he smiled. He reached out for her and she made herself comfortable on the bed, Luke wrapping his arms around her. In that moment, Luke was so grateful for her and all that she had done for him not only tonight but in the past five years. She had been there for him through everything and that meant the absolute world to him. 

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Luke. And I am so so so so proud of you for tonight.”

His smile was small but genuine, “Now go to bed.” 

She kissed his forehead and the two wasted no time in falling asleep.

[hybbart]

Ranger Tango!

Tango is a seasoned ranger who specializes in caves and mountains. He has a habit of helping even the biggest and scariest of pokemon. When he met Jimmy (saving his life after he and Oricorio fell down a cliff) they got on like a house on fire, and he decided to join him in his journey. He loves to meet and help wild pokemon others wouldn't give a chance along the way, and help Jimmy with double battles or gets into trouble. His battle strategies tend to be a bit convoluted, as are the traps he sets for poachers. He's also friends with several gym leaders, including Impulse, Zed, and Gem, so often acts as a guide on them to Jimmy, alongside Lizzie.

His partner pokemon is a feisty and excitable Darumaka. She is very close with Tango and follows him everywhere, helping him with mischief and training to be strong enough to help him with the large angry wild pokemon they encounter. She's a lot tougher than her size would imply. She quickly befriends Jimmy's Oricorio, training and hanging out with her, and helping her whenever.

Piloswine is a friendly giant Tango ran into stuck in a snowdrift. After rescuing her she clung to his side to warm him up as he nearly froze to death. Tango likes to use all sorts of nicknames for her, including Pumpkin when she's being sweet and Miss Management when she helped him take down a poacher, but he can't seem to settle on one. She is often used to navigate cold or sandy locations.

Klefki is a mischievous little pokemon who got in trouble when he was caught stealing all the keys from a puzzle game. Tango smuggled him out in order to prevent him from getting in trouble. Kelfki often uses Tango, Jimmy, and Lizzie as a shield whenever he pulls pranks on other people and pokemon, crying to them until they save him.

Slugma was being a menace at a daycare. Beef hired Tango to look into it and Tango discovered Slugma was just trying to take care of eggs abandoned by their trainers and keeping them warm. He isn't afraid to jump into action when he sees any pokemon in trouble, much like Tango, but is very worried about burning other pokemon.

Electrode is a very hardworking pokemon, and Tango found them "haunting" an old power plant, where they had been abandoned by the former workers, dutifully continuing to keep the plant running by themself. They have a tendency to explode when excited, so everyone but Jimmy's Oricorio and Lizzie's Wooper are cautious when playing with them.

Lunatone was found during an eclipse festival, where Lunatone was searching for a solrock partner to dance with. They mistook Tango for a Solrock at first, and was subsequently rescues when it got in a fight with a diggersby carrying a sun stone. They often get in people's faces due to their terrible eyesight, scaring the smaller pokemon.

[turcott3]

good looking

matt rempe x fem! reader

warnings?: cursing, fluff, kissing, pet names

oh my good looking boy…

masterlist

-

“matt?” you call out as you hear your apartment door shut from your bed. you heard keys drop in the bowl and that answered your suspicion. the rangers had just lost the day prior and he was just coming back home.

“matt?” you ask again, getting out of bed walking out into your living room, “baby?”

“i’m home.” he smiles, revealing the flowers he’d bought for you on his short trip from the airport.

“awe matty you didn’t have to.” you frown sweetly at the gesture, taking the flowers from his hands.

“i wanted to, i missed you.” the brunette says lowly, towering over you. you noted the stitches in his nose. his face a little swollen from his fight last night that he’d unfortunately fallen short in.

“i missed you too.” you reply as he leans down kissing you gently on the lips.

“you go get settled, i’ll take care of these fucking gorgeous flowers and dinner, okay?” you say running a careful finger over the cut on his face which he winced slightly at the touch.

“okay.” he smiled lightly.

“looks like he got you good.” you giggled.

“yeah well can’t win em all. i was exhausted.” he sighs.

“i’ll step in next time, can’t let em beat up my good looking boy.” you smile sweetly, placing a light hand on his cheek.

“would you still love me even if my face gets pounded? entirely theoretical by the way.” he giggles lightly.

“yes matt, i would. even when you had a broken nose and black eyes you were still the most handsome man i’ve ever laid my eyes on.” you reply with no hesitation as he lifts you off the ground in a hug.

“god i love you.” he says placing a kiss on your head, “i’m gonna unpack, when i’m done i’ll come help you with dinner, okay baby?”

“okay, no rush.” you say as he kisses you one last time before dragging his bags into your bedroom. you start dinner with a huge smile on your face. the way he made you feel was, undeniably, the feeling of true love. the way you get butterflies every time he walks in the room, the sweet gestures such as giving you flowers or a writing you a letter and left it for you when he leaves for morning practice. it all made you grow more and more in love with him everyday. you didn’t know how you could possibly be more in debt to him even though he did it out of the kindness of his heart, not to get something back from you.

“let me take over. go change, i got you something.” he says sneaking up behind you, placing delicate hands on your waist and leaning his head in the crook of your neck.

“just stir it every now and then.” you reply kissing him on the cheek and escaping his grasp, quickly walking to your bedroom. laid out on the bed was a satin pajama set, the exact one you’ve been talking about since you saw it at the mall at least a month ago.

“he remembered.” you scoff, your heart growing warm. you quickly discard your clothes, changing into the silky satin of your new pajamas. you looked at yourself in the mirror, loving the way it complimented your skin tone. confidently, you walked back out into the kitchen.

“matthew rempe.” you say startling him.

“what happened?”

“are you serious? i’ve been talking about these for so long and you remembered?” you say as a smile grows on his face.

“well yeah, of course i did.”

“oh thank you thank you thank you. i love them so much.” you say walking over to him quickly wrapping your arms around him. soon enough you were enveloped in his large, loving arms once again.

“i’m glad, you look beautiful.” he giggles.

-

“dishes are done.” matt smiles waltzing into the bedroom and shutting the door behind him.

“can i take a look at the cut on your face?” you ask, stopping him in his tracks.

“it’s okay, you don’t have to-“

“no come on,” you say throwing the covers off of you. he takes a seat on the closed toilet lid and separates his legs for you to stand between. you take your place between his legs taking his face into your hands and brush his hair out of the way. his arms find their way around your legs, holding you lightly in place. you scanned the cut, noting that they had simply stitched him up and sent him on his way.

“they really stitched you up and sent you back out didn’t they?” you ask.

“yeah.”

“hold one second, i just want to clean it and put a bandaid on it so it doesn’t look so gnarly.” you say, tapping his arm to let you go. you dig under the sink finding alcohol and cotton balls, as well as a bandaid.

“it’s gonna burn.” you state holding the soaked cotton ball.

“try me.” he simply replied and you shrug pressing it straight onto the cut. his grip on your legs tightened and he clenched his eyes shut at the contact.

“okay just kidding.” he says, clearly in pain.

“i told you honey.” you laugh pressing a kiss to the top of the boys head. you cleaned him up and perfectly placed the bandaid on top of the cut, kissing it once it was laid flat.

“much better.” you smile locking eyes with the boy, who you swear was giving you literal heart eyes.

“thank you my love.” he says kissing you delicately on the cheek before following closely behind you on your way back into the room.

“come here you big baby.” you laugh leaning your back slightly up against the headboard, waiting for the 6’7 baby to take his place on your chest, which he of course did very quickly.

“thank you for cleaning my cut and taking care of me y/n.” he says quietly as you run your fingers gently through his brown locks.

“and thank you for loving me the way you do.” he continues, leaning up to look at you.

“it’s hard not to, i’d do anything for you matt. it’s a privilege to know you, let alone love you.” you giggle

“my beautiful girl.” he sighs with a smile as he kisses you lovingly before laying his head back down on your chest carefully.

“i love you matt.” you say with your hand finding its way back into his soft hair.

“i love you so much more baby.” he replies, his hands finding their way underneath you.

“you’re about to go to sleep on me aren’t you?”you ask noticing his breathing slowing down.

“yep.” he replies quietly, allowing the sleepy boy to drift off to sleep in the comfort of your embrace.

-

[princessleechan]

"You're the man!" Chapter 39 Written Chapter

Masterlist

⚽Chapter tags: MDNI, she’s the man au, revenge au???, cross dressing!reader, reader identifies anything but male, sports au, queer themes, university au, love-whatever the fuck kind of shape, 2.9k w.c., game day, mentions of tits and dick lol, a bit of hurt and angst, the closest things to a sports fic

⚽Tag list: @90s-belladonna @the-boy-meets-evil @lirtha97 @hipsdofangirl @justineasian @kwanisms @multi-kpop-fanfics @pantumin @wooahaeproductions @mayashu @shuasdraftsalt @lone-lone-ranger @headlockimnida @horanghaezone @haolistic @porridgesblog @jeonjungkaka @luchiet @ujimatchaaa @skzdesi @cheoliehansolie @vlbii @myghobi @sisterofsomeone @joonsytip @gyublues @alltheshineofthestars-blog @randomworker @isabellah29 @savgogh @too-many-kpop-hubands @kamabokogonpachro @skittlez-area512 @seccdlurv @chisskaa @mochiteez @theyluvfrankocean @lllucere @thomawifey @middle-of-the-earth @okiedokrie-main @itsokaytobedumb00 @humankimbap @zezedoesshit @teenyfinds @jeonghansshitester @aaa-sia @heyitz00 @silvsie

When you finally get to be in the field all you feel is relief until it comes to trying to convince Seungcheol to put you back in after that awful performance courtesy of your brother.

“Captain!” you call out, your voice tinged with urgency.

Seungcheol glances at you from the corner of his eye, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The stern set of his jaw and the way he shifts his weight suggest he’s not in the mood for pleasantries. “Maybe next game,” he replies coolly. “Can’t risk another fluke like the one you had out there.”

“I was nervous,” you protest, trying to keep your tone steady. “It was my first game with a new team. I panicked. Please, just give me another chance.”

Seungcheol shakes his head, a look of skepticism in his eyes. “How am I supposed to trust that this time will be any different?”

“Put me in and I’ll show you,” you insist, your voice brimming with determination.

Seungcheol exhales sharply, clearly agitated, and turns his attention back to his clipboard. His gaze flickers briefly in your direction before he starts writing something down. The seconds tick by as he weighs his decision, and you hold your breath. 

Finally, he looks up, a reluctant glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Since you look like yourself again,” he says, his tone softening just a touch, “I’ll give you 15 minutes. Use the time to reflect on what happened. Then we’ll see if you’re ready.”

“Got it, Coach—I mean, Cap,” you respond, a mixture of relief and resolve in your voice as you prepare to prove yourself.

You take the spot previous occupied by Yeonam next to Jeonghan who holds a smile of mischief like he always does. He gently nudges you, playfully greeting you. “Welcome back to the bench, Yeonam.”

“Thanks,” you grumble, your gaze lingering enviously on your teammates out on the field. A few catch your eye, especially one who you happened to share a bed with just last night. You sigh deeply. “I don’t know what to do, Jeonghan.”

Jeonghan picks up on the fact that your frustration likely stems from more than just soccer. He senses that there’s an underlying issue he might not fully grasp without knowing the whole story. Still, he recognizes the delicate nature of your situation, understanding that when it comes to your personal life—especially something as precarious as your recent entanglements—he needs to tread carefully.

“Soccer, buddy,” Jeonghan says with a wry smile, “We’re playing soccer.”

You roll your eyes, a mix of exasperation and frustration. “You know what I mean.”

The match is evenly balanced halfway through. Seokmin manages a few solid shots, proving himself a key player for his team, but he struggles to keep up with his opposite, Mingyu, who is emerging as the true star on the field. Invisible to the naked eye, he lets his mind on body run on the one thing he could focus on: his rage, allowing it to fuel his movements. It doesn’t take him long to dominate the pitch, and before you know it, it’s your time to rejoin the game, with Seungcheol’s approval and a pat on the back from Jeonghan.

You jog excitedly back to your team, eager to hear the game plan and be involved. However, you’re distracted by compulsive lingering glances at Soonyoung, who never even bothers to look your way. You decide to shift your focus to Mingyu, who noticeably avoids your gaze. Before you can offer your input, the team huddles and breaks, and everyone returns to their positions on the field.

You chase after the ball, skillfully dodging defenders and making yourself available. “I’m open! I’m open!” you shout, hoping to get Mingyu's attention.

Mingyu, controlling the ball, ignores your calls and attempts to maneuver around you, ultimately missing the goal. Your frustration is palpable as you furrow your eyebrows at your roommate, pointing out your presence on the field. Once again, you receive no response from him, and instead, Seungkwan gives you a reassuring pat on the back, “You ok?”

You nod at him in tired confirmation, and quickly, the game is back on with the soccer ball at centerfield once again.

This time, you're trailing Mingyu closely, trying to keep up with his swift footwork. "Pass it to me! I got it!" you shout, waving your arm to get his attention.

But he doesn’t acknowledge you. His focus is solely on the goal ahead. He takes the shot, but it goes wide. No goal. Nothing but air.

Frustration bubbles up inside you. “Mingyu, come on!” you shout, your voice tinged with a mix of disappointment and urgency. 

“Stop following me,” he finally says before running off.

This goes on for a period of until you’re at your tipping point, confronting him after yet another missed goal. “What the hell, Mingyu! Why are you being like this?”

“Don’t worry about it,” He dismisses.

“You know what? No.” Before he can storm off again, you stand your ground in front of him, ready to duke it out in front of teh entire team if you need to. “I am gonna worry about it. We were good for the last weeks working together, getting along even. Texting a decent amount, then you block me, and now your blocking my plays.”

Mingyu tightens in on your confrontation, a silent anger in his eyes. He drops is voice low enough for only you to hear, clipped tone that makes it clear there’s more at stake than just the soccer game. “Well, maybe if you didn’t be a dick instead of being my friend, I wouldn’t have to.”

“Bro, are you kidding me? All I’ve ever been is your friend. What is this even about?” you demand, your voice trembling with frustration.

“I know,” he retorts, taking a sharp breath. “I know what you and Chae did behind my back.”

“You—you actually—wow, dude,” you stammer, utterly stunned by his accusation.

He scoffs, crossing his arms. “Can’t say shit, can you?”

“What the hell is interrupting the game right now? Boys?” the Captain intrudes, his voice cutting through the tension.

Your hands start trembling, and you feel the weight of your bottled-up emotions about to explode. “You know what? Fuck. I can’t do this. You know what, Mingyu? I didn’t kiss your crush, my brother did.”

“Brother?” Mingyu stares, his anger only intensifying with your supposed lie. “You don’t have a brother.”

You nod, your voice steadying. “Yes, I do. Yeonam—Yeonam is my brother.”

Mingyu’s face twists in disbelief. “Have you gone mental?” he asks, his tone a mix of anger and bewilderment.

“Goddamnit, look,” you say, reaching for the back of your head. You pull against the elastic band holding your hair tightly in place, finally releasing it from its death grip.

As your hair falls against your shoulders, everyone’s eyes widen in surprise, shocked to see you shed your disguise.

“What the fuck,” Mingyu begins to grumble, his voice tinged with disbelief.

You peel back the fake eyebrows, sideburns, and anything else that was part of your disguise. Each piece removed leaves you feeling more vulnerable, fully exposed to scrutiny as you reveal your true self. 

“Yeonam is my brother because… I’m his twin,” you say, standing tall despite the nervous flutter in your chest.

The corner of your eye can’t help flicker towards Soonyoung quietly started before he turns away from you, something being told in his body language and your heart sinks realizing what. The revelation hangs heavy in the air, Mingyu's expression shifting from confusion to a mix of shock and realization. The team around you murmurs, trying to process what they've just witnessed.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Mingyu exclaims, his voice full of disbelief.

“Y/n?” Seokmin steps forward, recognition dawning on his face. “What is this? What are you doing playing for this team, dressed like one of them?”

You scoff, locking eyes with your ex. “Making a point, asshole.” You turn back to Mingyu, who is still in shock.

“And no, I didn’t kiss Chae. I mean, how could I when I don’t see her that way and knowing you have feelings for her?”

“You—I—“ Mingyu stammers, struggling to find his words.

You take a deep breath, addressing the team. “I’m sorry, guys. I joined this team because mine was terminated to prioritize the boys' team at my university. I joined this team because you guys were the best, along with my school. And my brother” you clear your throat, “ he was going to be out of town. That’s him over there.”

The team follows your gaze to the stands, where your brother Yeonam is watching. Noticing the attention, he makes his way down, joining the group with a soft smile. “Hi.”

“He was the one playing in the first half of the game,” you add, feeling defeated. “That’s who was kissing Chae that night.”

“No wonder he sucked,” Jihoon blurts out, unable to hold back his observation.

“Hey,” Yeonam retorts, clearly offended.

You sigh, running a hand through your hair. “Soccer is my entire life. I wanted to prove to everyone here, and maybe to myself, that we didn’t need to be boys to play. To prove ourselves worthy of the school funding. I didn’t think I’d end up liking being on this team so much. Liking the people on this team so much.”

You glance at Soonyoung, and for a brief moment, your eyes meet before he looks away again, avoiding your gaze. The moment hangs in the air, thick with unspoken emotions and the weight of your confession.

It hurt. More than you’d like to admit.

You realign your gaze. “I wanted to play so badly, and I can’t do that with what’s happened between us. We had a good thing going, our friendship. We’re better together, stronger when we work as a team.” You pause, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. “What do you say, Mingyu?”

Mingyu hesitates, then asks, “Wait, wait. If you’re not a guy, then what are you?”

You roll your eyes in exasperation. “Do I have to whip my tits out to prove something?”

Joshua chimes in with a grin, “Is that an option?”

“Please don’t,” Yeonam interjects, looking horrified. “I’d rather not see my twin’s tits. Sounds like it would require expensive therapy.”

“Yeah ditto, stickdick.”

“Okay. I believe you,” Mingyu says, his voice tinged with defeat as he looks down, shoulders slumping.

“So, can I play?” you ask, hope creeping into your voice. “I want to show that it’s not just boys who can be good, and that I, representing my team, can be just as skilled.”

Mingyu contemplates for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. He glances at Seungcheol before speaking again. “It’s not the matter of the player but what they bring to the field. Skill is nurtured, not born. Right, Seungcheol?”

Seungcheol, who had been observing the exchange closely, lets out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, I guess that’s true,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck with a frustrated sigh. “We’ve all seen players improve through hard work and dedication, regardless of who they are.”

“Hold on,” one of Seokmin’s teammates pipes up, his voice dripping with skepticism. “You guys can’t be serious about this.”

“Why the hell not?” Seungcheol retorts, his voice rising in frustration as he points directly at you with a commanding gesture. “That’s my kid. My player out there. You think I’m going to just let go of someone that talented?.”

Seokmin’s team doesn’t let the matter rest without a fight. The tension remains high as arguments and counterarguments fly back and forth, each side determined to prove their point. The obnoxious player, clearly enjoying the confrontation, smirks as he pulls out a rulebook from his bag, its worn cover betraying its frequent use. He hands it to Seungcheol with an air of smug superiority. “Rules strictly state that boys’ sports teams stay boys’,” he says, his tone almost mocking. “Right, Cap?”

The obnoxious player turns to Seokmin with a triumphant grin, as if he’s won the argument before it’s even over. Seokmin, however, remains silent, his eyes locked on you still registering the conflict in front of him, detailing every word he’s said to your face without knowing and remembering the empty feeling from lack of response.

Seungcheol’s expression hardens as he takes the rulebook, his gaze fierce and determined. With a defiant glint in his eye, he rips the rulebook in half, the pages fluttering to the ground in shreds, and placing the giant chucks back on the opposites. “What rulebook?” he declares, his voice filled with defiance.

Seokmin’s teammate’s eyes widen in shock and indignation. “Hey–” he begins, but Seungcheol cuts him off with a steely gaze.

“If you’re scared of losing, just admit it,” Seungcheol continues, his voice cutting through the tension. “Don’t hide behind some petty excuse like gender. This is about sportsmanship and skill. Unless you’re really just the losers who stole resources from a capable team to cover up your own lack of talent.”

The obnoxious player’s face turns a deep shade of red, his pride clearly wounded. His fists clench at his sides as he struggles to maintain his composure, flinging the defiled rulebook on the field. “You’re on!” he finally shouts, his voice cracking with anger.

The game resumes, and with renewed determination, you step back onto the field, channeling every ounce of energy and skill into each play. Mingyu, having finally warmed up to the idea, starts coordinating seamlessly with you, his passes sharp and his movements precise. The rest of your team, energized by your resolve, steps up their game. You can feel their hope and faith in you, driving you to push your limits and showcase exactly what you’re capable of. To prove yourself that there’s more to what’s in your pants to show what kind of fire is in your heart.

You weave through defenders with skillful footwork, making strategic plays and delivering accurate passes. Each time the ball comes to you, you handle it with precision, your vision and quick reflexes earning you a few key assists and encouraging faces of your teammates. The game is intense, with both teams fighting hard for every inch of ground. You intercept a crucial pass, setting up a perfect opportunity for your teammate to score in the finally minutes of the game. The crowd roars as the ball hits the back of the net, giving your team the lead.

The clock ticks its final seconds and the final whistle blows. The scoreboard broadcast your victory. Ccheers explode around you, a cacophony of celebration and relief. Your teammates rush in, their faces alight with joy. They envelop you in a sea of high-fives and cheers, their exuberance palpable. It’s a moment of pure triumph, and the camaraderie is electric, filling the air with a sense of collective achievement and unity.

Yet, amidst the jubilation, your gaze keeps darting to the sidelines. Soonyoung is already heading towards the locker room, his shoulders slightly hunched, as if trying to escape the spotlight. The sight of him leaving so abruptly tugs at your heartstrings, cutting through the elation of victory. You want to bask in the triumph with everyone, but your concern for Soonyoung pulls you in his direction, a gnawing need to understand what’s behind his distant expression.

You rush to catch up with him, weaving through the celebrating crowd. “Soonyoung! Did you see that? We won!”

He stops momentarily while packing his things, glancing back with a weary expression. “Sure. Congrats on the great game,” he replies, his voice flat and devoid of the excitement that should accompany such a victory.

You take a hesitant step closer, your heart aching at the sight of his disinterest. “I’m really sorry for lying to you,” you say, your voice earnest and filled with regret. You can’t help but feel the weight of your mistake pressing down on you.

“No big deal. Doesn’t matter,” he responds dismissively, his back already turned, signaling his desire to move on.

“But it does,” you insist, your voice cracking slightly as frustration and sadness mix. You trod towards him anxiously, missing the smile he always spays, the teeth he bares, teh flirtatious way he’d greet as you or Yeonam. “I wanted to tell you. I was just so, so happy being around you, I just…”

Soonyoung takes a deep breath, clearly struggling with his emotions. He shoves the last of his things into his bag with a sense of finality. “Can I just get a minute?” he asks, his voice strained and barely above a whisper.

You nod, feeling a lump form in your throat as you swallow your own tears. “I’m really sorry,” you repeat, your voice soft and almost pleading.

Without a response, Soonyoung walks away with his bag slung over his shoulder, his footsteps echoing as he passes through the locker room exit. The door swings shut behind him with a soft, final thud, sealing him off from view. You’re left standing alone in the boys’ locker room–the one place you did everything in your power to avoid, now the only place you find yourself wanting to stay–as the jubilant echoes of the earlier celebration now distant and muted.

The weight of this moment settles heavily on your shoulders, the joy of the day overshadowed the bitter taste in your mouth and your heart now shattered into a million tiny pieces.

[writtenonreceipts]

Rowaelin Month Day Twenty-One: Performers @rowaelinscourt

Month Masterlist // Hey Neighbor Masterlist // Ao3 Link

It fits the performers prompt because they’re putting on a show of lunacy.  <3

Warnings: just minor medical talk and references to bad hospital experiences right at the beginning, ~2.9k words

Hey, Lucky

Aelin could count on one hand the number of times she’d been in a hospital. 

Two when a grandparent passed away and one when she’d broken her arm.  She hated each and every experience.  Her grandparents’ passing had been traumatic to say the least.  All she could remember was seeing her Papa hooked up to an assortment of tubes and wires to the point that she couldn’t even see his face.  Gran was supposed to come right back out after a surgery to fix her heart…only she never had.  And when Aelin had broken her arm, she’d had to have surgery to resent the limb properly, the meds had made her sick and she couldn’t leave the hospital for over a week. None of the doctors had been nice, either. 

So, yes.  Aelin hated the hospital.

But here she was, sitting in an uncomfortable vinyl chair in a stuffy waiting room and nerves keyed up.  Her knee wouldn’t stop bouncing and she’d already destroyed a paper pamphlet citing the signs of diabetes and the importance of knowing preventative measures.  She’d found it on the side table beside her and, needing something to do with her hands, had folded and refolded the thick cardstock.  It was the only thing keeping her sane.

“You’ve got to eat some real food,” Elide said softly from next to her. 

The pamphlet was plucked from her fingers replaced with a sandwich.

Aelin looked at the sandwich.  It was a simple peanut butter and jelly, but it wasn’t hospital food.  Her stomach roiled.

“I’m fine,” she said.

Elide didn’t look impressed by that statement, but she said nothing else and settled in her seat.

Setting the sandwich aside, Aelin grabbed her phone instead.  She looked at the text thread she’d started with Iona after the news thread of the avalanche.  With the weather and the Whitethorns living one town over, Aelin insisted that she go to the hospital at least until the roads cleared up more.

<<Aelin: No update yet, but the rest of the crew is here now.

She couldn’t help but send the message.  Maybe it would have been better if she had actual news.  It was the nerves, the need to do something.  And she supposed if she were a mother separated from her child she would want to know anything and everything going on.

She leaned back in her seat and took inventory of the waiting room.  It had calmed down quite a bit over the last few hours.  There were other family’s waiting for news, the bad weather brought in many other injuries and messes.  The rest of Rowan’s search and rescue team had also come now that the missing hiker was found.

Fenrys had also been injured, but not as extensive as what happened with Rowan.  He hadn’t been caught in the torrent of snow and ice, only enough to cut off his retreat back down the mountain.  After everything settled, Fenrys had gone in search of Rowan and the lost hiker.  He’d found them and even managed to get a signal for a rescue.  He was being treated for dehydration and a dislocated shoulder.

“Aelin,” Elide insisted, grabbing the phone from her fingers, “I am your emotional support human right now and I need you to eat.”

“You sure you’re not just here for a certain ranger?” Aelin quipped.

Elide glared. “Moral support.”

“Right.”

“I will force that sandwich down your throat,” Elide said.  For such a tiny unassuming woman, she was a bit feral.

Aelin took a savage bite.  It was a tasty sandwich; raspberry jam, creamy peanut butter, and fresh white bread.  Perfection.  She wouldn’t let Elide know though.

After forcing half the sandwich down, Aelin couldn’t stomach any more.  Elide seemed satisfied with her efforts and didn’t say anything when Aelin tucked the remains back in its baggie.

It was another few minutes until a doctor stepped through a pair of double doors that led to the operating rooms.  Aelin leapt from her seat, just as she’d done for every doctor or nurse that stepped through the doors.

“Whitethorn and Moonbeam?” The doctor asked, already walking towards the assembled rangers.

The captain, Gavriel, stepped forward. “How are my men?”

“Fenrys is on an IV and doing fine, he just needs rest,” the doctor said, she smiled reassuringly, “already asking to be released.”

Only a little bit of tension eased out of the rangers.

“And Rowan?” Gavriel pressed.

The doctor, Yrene Towers by her nametag, offered a strained smile that made Aelin’s stomach clench.

“He’s out of surgery,” Dr. Towers said slowly. “His left leg was broken in two different places and needed some titanium screws.  He’s got three broken ribs, a concussion, and severely sprained wrist.  Honestly…he was extremely lucky.”

“But he’s okay?” Aelin asked, “He’ll wake up?”

Dr. Towers’s smile softened, which under normal circumstances would have made Aelin’s hackles rise. “Yes.  Probably within the next hour or so.  You can see him now if you’d like.  He’s in his recovery room now.”

Aelin’s entire body vibrated and it took all her effort not to bolt down the hall.  She was overstepping, she knew she was overstepping.  Right?  Why was she so concerned, so insistent about seeing Rowan?  Especially when his friends and colleagues were right here.  It was ridiculous.

And then, much to her surprise, Lorcan was the one to speak up. “Go make sure Whitethorn doesn’t break out of here prematurely.  We’ll give Moonbeam hell.”

The rangers already started filing towards the ER where Fenrys was holed up.  Lorcan narrowed his eyes slightly while glaring down at Aelin.  She raised an eyebrow in challenge to which the larger man merely shrugged before following his squad mates.

Dr. Towers rested a hand on Aelin’s shoulder. “I’ll take you to Rowan’s room.”

Nodding, Aelin glanced over her shoulder to where Elide still sitting in her chair.  Her friend only waved her on with an encouraging hand.

“Thanks,” Aelin said, turning back to Dr. Towers. “That would be great.”

It was a quick walk to the elevator and trip up to the third floor.  The entire time Dr. Towers continued to talk to Aelin about Rowan.

“I’ve done a lot of trauma work and have seen a lot of tragedies,” Dr. Towers said, “and even though his injuries sound bad, he’s going to be alright.  Just a bit of recovery and physical therapy with his leg.  It’ll be a long road but he can make it.”

They came to a stop outside a room with the blinds drawn up to look in on the sleeping body.  Aelin’s heart skipped a beat as she took in Rowan’s prone form.  Thankfully, he didn’t have a respirator or any tube actually inside his mouth.  His warm skin had taken on an ashen pallor and his usually styled hair lay flat over his brow.  One of his legs was suspended in a sling and wrapped in white bandages.  His injured wrist was also wrapped in similar bandages and resting on his chest.

“Thank-you, doctor,” Aelin said.  She smiled at the woman. “Really.”

“Of course, just let a nurse know if you need anything find a nurse, find me, and we can help.”

With another hand on her shoulder, Dr. Towers headed down the hall to the nurse’s station.

Aelin looked back into Rowan’s room.  Just the sight of him lying there had panic racing through her body.  She didn’t know what to make of all the emotions she was feeling. She didn’t know where they’d come from or what to do with them.  She knew…well she knew she’d been attracted to Rowan for a while now.  Known she’d been willing to flirt with him and see if something more that could happen between them. 

With a steadying breath, Aelin pushed open the door.

The was strangely quiet.  Even with the soft hum of the equipment and steady beat of the heart monitor, there was a stillness occupying the space.  She hated it.

Aelin crossed the room to take a seat in the chair beside the bed.  She debated taking a picture of Rowa to send to Iona.  In the end she decided there was something distinctly creepy about that so she settled on an over simplified text. 

<<Aelin: Sitting with Rowan.  Doctor said he’s doing well.  He’ll need physical therapy for his broken leg and he has a concussion, but she said it’s all going to be fine.

>>Iona: Thank-you dear.  The storms blown over so the roads should be cleared by tomorrow.

That was good. 

Aelin sighed, tucking her phone back into her purse.  She leaned forward, hand hovering over his own.  The action felt strangely intimate.  She withdrew her hand and looked at Rowan’s face.

He appeared peaceful.  Even with the gash on his forehead and the bandage trying to cover the worst of it.  He was paler than Aelin was used to him looking too.  Really, this entire situation was a nightmare.  She wanted to wake up.  Desperately.  She wanted him to wake up and scowl at her.  Wake up and roll his eyes.  Wake up and just be him.

“I am so mad at you right now,” she muttered.  She sat back in her seat scowling at his unconscious form. “You were supposed to be careful and not get hurt, Rowan.  Nox Owen said he’d be dead if it wasn’t for you.  You risked your life up on that mountain and scared the shit out of me.  You’ll be lucky if I forgive you.”

His heart monitor beeped in response.

“And you know, that’s not even the worst of it,” she continued.  Now she was picking at her nails, too upset to actually look at him.  “What’s worse is that I thought there was something more between us.  I thought…Did you even eat those cookies I baked you?”

She glared at him now, still disgruntled over how flat his hair was lying.  It made him look so much younger, soft.  She had to swallow down the lump forming in her throat.

Emotions were the worst.

The literal worst.

Taking a long breath, Aelin straightened.  She leaned forward again and did her best to channel the old Aelin.  The irritated Aelin.  The Aelin who used to have dance parties at two in the morning to rile Rowan up.  The Aelin who tried to trick Rowan into drinking a RedBull.

“You are going to wake-up and you are going to take me on a date,” she said. “Do you hear me buzzard?”

To emphasize her words, she took Rowan’s hand and entwined their fingers.  There was nothing to indicate that he could hear her.  Nothing to indicate he was waking up soon.  Which was fine.  She knew Dr. Towers had said he was fine, that he’d only just gotten out of surgery and wasn’t going to wake up for a while yet.  But she was Aelin Galathynius and she was not patient.

She squeezed his fingers.

“You’re an idiot if you think you can get rid of me that easily,” she added.  Sniffing, she rose from her chair.  She may as well let the other rangers filter through to see their friend.

She tried to pull her fingers from his grasp only to find that his grasp had tightened.  Aelin froze.

“Rowan?” She nearly fell over herself to lean back over Rowan. “Rowan Whitethorn.”

His eyelids fluttered and he took a deep, rattling breath.  His mouth twitched, trying to form a word. 

“Buzzard?”

And then his eyes opened.  Glazed and unfocused but open.  It took a few blinks and then those gloriously green eyes landed on her.

“Fireheart.”

Tears that Aelin hadn’t even known were brewing started pouring down her cheeks.  She raised her other hand to cup his cheek, feeling the stubble there.

“Hi,” she whispered, staring into his eyes, eyes she hadn’t realized she’d missed so much.

“What—” Rowan began, but he tried to move too much of his body at once and broke off with a wince and a curse. “Damned hell, what happened?”

“Lay back and stop moving,” she ordered him.  “You were in an accident; do you remember that?”

Groaning, Rowan actually listened and leaned back into his pillow. “Yeah, yeah I remember.  Nox?  Fen?  They okay?”

“They’re fine,” Aelin assured him.  She ran her thumb over his jaw, refusing to stop touching him for at least a little longer. “Nox had some frostbite and scrapes.  I think I heard he broke his ankle.  Fenrys just got some bruises, he somehow missed the worst of it.”

Rowan’s eyes shuddered closed.  He took a few breaths before looking at Aelin again.

“And are you okay?”

Aelin just stared at him. “I’m not the one who fell down a mountain.  Y’know, I think you’ve got me beat now for doing stupid things with this.”

“I was saving a life, doesn’t count.” His mouth quirked up into a half smile.

Aelin didn’t have a good response to that.  Because really, all she wanted to do was kiss him and call him a fool.

He must have seen something in her eyes because he tried to move.  She had no idea what his intentions were—he was still stiff and loopy from his medication.  Whatever he was trying to do sent a spasm of pain crawling over his features.

“Stop moving,” Aelin insisted. “You’ve got some broken ribs and a broken leg and your wrist is sprained.”

“I—then why does my head hurt?” He asked.

Poor, silly man.

“That would be the concussion.”

Rowan huffed, squeezing his eyes shut.  “Right.”

“You’re in pain,” Aelin said, trying to pull away again. “Let me go get the nurse, they should know you’re awake.”

Shaking his head, Rowan snagged her hand again and tightened his grip. “No.  It’s fine, just stay.”

Aelin didn’t like that.  Not at all.

“You are literally gritting your teeth in pain,” she said.

“Aelin.” Rowan tugged on her hand, his index finger hooking with hers. “I’m fine.”

She ducked her head, suddenly unable to meet his gaze.  She had too many thoughts and emotions rolling inside her, too many things she couldn’t define well enough.  Especially not now. 

“I was really scared, Rowan,” she whispered.  “I saw the newscast of the avalanche and thought—I thought…”

Aelin cut off as another wave of tears clogged her throat.

“Aelin,” Rowan said.  He pushed through the pain that he was so obviously in and pulled on her hand so she had to lean in closer. “I’m sorry.”

That should have dried up any and all tears that Aelin was fight back. “You’re what?  What do you have to be sorry for?  You fell off a cliff.  You broke your leg.  Don’t you dare try and sit up, I will go get a nurse, don’t try me.”

“For the bar, for the cold shoulder,” he said, only partially speaking over her. “For not talking to you.”

Aelin sank down on the side of the hospital bed, careful of any wires or tubes she might disrupt.

“Yeah,” she murmured. “I am still mad at you about that too.”

Rowan, to his credit, looked chagrined. “Sorry.”

Aelin squeezed his hand. “You don’t have to tell me everything, not now anyways, but I—I want to know.”

“My last girlfriend couldn’t handle the job,” Rowan told her, hardly waiting for her to stop speaking. “Not all the calls in, the long trips I’d be gone for, not the potential danger of it all with storms like this one.  She kept showing me other jobs to apply for, telling me to get a real degree at a real college…eventually she told me to make a choice.  So I came to Terrasen.”

That had been almost three years ago at this point, if Aelin did her math correctly.

“It didn’t seem fair to put anyone else through that,” he concluded.

“That doesn’t seem fair,” Aelin said, “not fair of her, not fair to you, to anyone.  Not if you love the job.  Not if your partner loves you.  And it’s not fair of you to make that choice for me, either.”

She brushed away the remnants of her last round of tears.  Heart hammering in her chest, Aelin fixed Rowan with a stare she only reserved for Fleetfoot.  A mix of amused disappointment.  It seemed apt for the Buzzard.

“I like you, Buzzard.  But you can’t keep acting like a fool.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he conceded.

Aelin nodded resolutely and then, before she could lose her nerve, leaned forward and planted a kiss on his forehead.  She thought it perfectly reasonable to leave it at that but then Rowan shifted beneath her and before she could pull back, his mouth collided with hers.

Even drugged up and concussed, Rowan knew how to kiss a woman.  Aelin certainly wasn’t one to pass up on this opportunity.  She kissed him deeply, feeling the spark of something flare in her chest and spread like wildfire through her blood.

Aelin pulled back far sooner than she wanted to, but she knew he was still recovering.

“Took you long enough,” she told him.

“Sorry, had a mountain fall on me.”

“Ass.”  Aelin forced herself to pull away from him for good this time.  She went back to get her phone from her purse. “I need to let your mom know you’re awake.”

Rowan made a strangled noise. “You’re talking to my mother?”

“Mostly just texting right now.  But she did invite me to family dinner next Sunday, so you’ve gotta be out of the hospital for that.”

“We don’t do family dinner.”

“Now we do,” she planted another kiss on his forehead and dialed into FaceTime. “Hi, Iona!  Guess who’s awake!”

.*.*.*.*.

epilogue next

[seijorhi]

Scar Tissue

here there be monsters :))

Miya Atsumu x female reader

w.c 5.8k

tw: blood, gore, body horror, character death, people are munched does that count as cannibalism? sort of implied non-con, horror themes, yandere themes

Standing in the middle of an empty cabin, you find yourself slightly nonplussed. 

Every once in a while guests forget to check out on time. It happens. You give them the courtesy of an extra half hour and eventually they show up at the front desk a little frazzled but mostly apologetic. No worries. 

Once or twice it goes past eleven, and you’ve had to knock at the door and politely remind your guests that checkout was at ten, so if they please wouldn’t mind hurrying it along so you could begin checking them out, that would be greatly appreciated.

In the grand scheme of things, an hour or two delay isn’t the end of the world, it just means you need to kick your ass into gear to get the space ready for the next visitors. So long as they’re not rude about it, you’re happy enough to let it slide without charging them extra. 

This, however, was a first.

With the rain setting in and the humidity only rising, you’re in the beginning of the shoulder season, meaning the few bookings you do have are sparse and sporadic, the cabin set to be vacated this morning not due to be occupied again ‘til Thursday. 

Ten o’clock had come and gone, then eleven, and you’d once again grabbed your spare set of keys, intent on marching down there to find out what the hold up was.

Except there was no answer when you’d knocked, and when you’d finally relented and let yourself in, you’d found the cabin empty.

Not just of its occupant, but his belongings too. The bedroom’s a mess, sheets rumpled and dirt tracked through, there’s dishes in the sink, a pot of stone cold tea sat on the coffee table, a half empty cup beside it. You desperately don’t want to see the state he’s left the  bathroom in. 

The keys, mercifully, are by the door. 

Which is… odd. You have the guy’s credit card details on file so charging the room isn’t an issue, and yeah you’re not thrilled about the mess (why, exactly, did he feel the need to track half the forest in with him?) it’s more that, well, you have an out of hours key drop box for that very reason. If he’d wanted to check out early or there was some kind of an emergency… he could have at least let you know. 

You had better things to do this morning than waiting for a no show. 

—

In the busier months when tourists show up in droves to see the mountains and the hot springs, your cousin drives up to stay with you, and you usually get one or two of the girls from town to come help keep the place clean and tidy and running smoothly. 

At present, you’re it. 

Sheets and towels have to be washed and replaced with fresh ones, you have to vacuum the floors, sweep the dust and the dirt away, mop, clean up the kitchen and the bathroom, wipe everything down – all in all, it takes a solid hour or so, and by the time you’re done, lugging the dirty washing off to the laundry, it’s early afternoon.

A little after four thirty, you hear the telltale sound of tires on the gravel driveway out front. A car door slams and a minute later a familiar face pops up in the entryway.

“Makoto,” you greet. “I missed you yesterday.”

The park ranger, tall and handsome, smiles back at you, “Yeah, well, even lowly rangers get the occasional day off. Taishi came ‘round, right?”

“He did. I told him the same thing I always tell you.”

Makoto lets himself in, closing the door behind him and making his way to the countertop that acts as your front desk. “Which is?”

“That as much as I appreciate the concern, I’m not some helpless damsel all alone in the woods. You don’t need to keep coming up to check on me, Mako.”

The ranger shrugs, “I know.” He smiles, brown eyes crinkling in the corners, “You remind me of my little sister s’all. I wouldn’t like the idea of her out here all by herself, either.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much what Taishi said, minus the whole sister thing.”

He hums, “If it makes you feel any better, we used to come check on your grandma too before you moved up.”

“Oh, she told me. She’d go on and on for hours about the strong, handsome, young forest ranger who’d stop by – I think she was a touch smitten.”

Makoto bursts out in a bout of surprised laughter, and despite the painful tug inside your chest, you find yourself smiling at the sound. 

In his mid-thirties, tall, broad shouldered and more importantly, raised right, these days you think she might’ve been onto something. 

“Well, in any case, no bear sightings, maulings, creepy strangers or break-ins to report. Nothing but rude, messy guests disappearing into thin air,” you huff. When he lifts an eyebrow, you’re quick to elaborate, “Not like that, he just didn’t bother coming to check out and he left the place a mess.” You sigh, “It’s not really a big deal, more annoying than anything.”

“I can imagine.”

Before she passed, your grandma had instilled in you a strong sense of hospitality towards any guest who entered your home. “D’you want some tea? You’re on the overnight shift this week, right? I have coffee if you’d prefer that.”

It’s a dance the two of you have perfected over the past few months. 

You offer him a drink, he politely refuses. 

You offer him something to eat; snacks, leftovers from the night before, onigiri from lunch – you’re still adjusting to cooking for one, there’s always plenty left over and you’re more than happy to share – and he politely declines that, too. 

Then, you remind him that the daily check-ins aren’t necessary and he doesn’t have to go out of his way to keep dropping by, he makes some non-committal noise, and come tomorrow, he’ll be back on your doorstep and you’ll do the whole thing all over again.

Only this time, he doesn’t get the chance – interrupted by the reception door swinging open, a tall man in worn jeans and a rumpled shirt ducking his head to step inside.

No, not a man, you realise with a horrible jolt. 

A ghost. 

It’s the dark hair that strikes you first. Scruffy, longer than you remember, it’s missing the bright, bottle blond of his high school days – so much so that for a split second, you think it’s his brother who’s appeared out of the blue.

And then he grins – smirks, really, and any doubt vanishes from your mind. That expression isn’t one you’re likely to forget any time soon.

Hooded eyes flicker towards Mako, giving him a brief, dismissive once over. “‘m not interrupting anythin’, am I?” he drawls.

Makoto answers before you can, which is a good thing, you think, because currently, words seem a bit beyond you. 

“No, no ‘course not. I was about to head off soon, anyway.”

Despite saying it, Mako appears perfectly content staying right where he is. 

If you spared him more than an ounce of your attention right now, you’d see the small wrinkle in his brow, the way he shifts, straightening his spine, his shoulders, how he angles himself between you two – calm, yet wary, ready to intervene if need be. 

But you don’t. 

It’s been years since you last laid eyes on Miya Atsumu. 

Back then he was a senior with you, a talented volleyball player on track to join the national youth team and undoubtedly go pro. There was even talk of the Olympics, he was that good. You were… not nearly as interesting.

Mere weeks from graduation, that changed for the both of you.

“Miss me?”

Your throat dries. “… Miya.”

“You two know each other?” Makoto asks, glancing between you. 

Atsumu chuckles, wearing that same lazy grin, “Aw, we’re old friends. Been a while, though, hasn’t it?”

Not nearly long enough. 

“Yeah,” you say with a halfhearted nod. “Something like that.”

Before you can stop to think better of it, you take Makoto’s hand in yours and lean over the countertop to press a kiss to his jaw. “You should get going,” you tell him, your voice light and breathy. Play along, your smile begs. “I’ll call you later.”

And you could honestly kiss him again, because Makoto sighs then, rolling out his shoulders, “Yeah, I s’pose. Taishi’s on patrol tonight, he mentioned he’d stop by if he had a chance. I think Yuki made you something for helping out with the baby shower.”

Yuki had indeed gone to the effort of baking you some thank you muffins, Taishi dropped them off yesterday when he’d come to check up on you. Mako knew that. 

She’s not alone out here, asshole. 

“I’ll keep an eye out. Now go, you don’t wanna be late.” 

Mako gives you a soft look, slowly withdrawing his hand from yours. “Call me if you need anything, love.” 

He spares Miya, watching your interaction with a faintly bored expression, a short, perfunctory nod, “Nice to meet you, excuse me,” and with one last look your way, he leaves.

And you immediately wish he hadn’t. 

You’re not the same girl you were in high school, though. You won’t cower behind Makoto – no matter how tempting the thought is.

“Boyfriend, huh? Ain’t he a little old for ya?”

Whatever fondness had been on your face quickly vanishes, and you turn your attention back to Miya. “I can’t imagine how that’s any of your business.”

Swaggering on further inside, Miya takes the place Makoto vacated, leaning over the counter, his big, broad frame filling up the tiny room. An athlete from the day you met him, both he and his brother were always bigger than you, stronger than you, too. 

Now, looming over you is a veritable wall of muscle. He must be what, 6’4? 6’5? When the hell had he gotten so huge?

You swallow, heart fluttering uneasily inside your chest. 

The heat radiating off of him, the scent it carries with it, permeates the air around you – he smells like the forest, fresh and earthy, cedar and sap and musk. He smells like the rain drizzling outside.

Rolling off of him in waves, it’s thick and dizzying. 

“Just makin’ conversation,” he replies, unperturbed by the thinly veiled hostility in your voice. “It’s been a while, no harm in catching up with old friends, right?”

“We’re not friends, Miya. We weren’t back then, either.”

He feigns a pout, a hand to his heart. “Ouch. Ya weren’t nearly so harsh when your boyfriend was around.” 

You take a deep, calming breath in, only to regret it a split second later when your head swims. “I have things to do, so if you don’t want one of the cabins, then leave. Please.”

Miya offers a toothy smirk, “Why else would I be here?”

Hundreds of miles from home, years after he dropped off the face of the earth and you moved away, what other possible reason would he have for showing up in this tiny mountain town and walking through your door?

Why else indeed. 

“Fine,” you acquiesce, waking up your computer with a jiggle of the mouse. “I’ll just need a credit card to put on file – how many nights?”

A booking was a booking, you didn’t have to like Miya to take his money. 

“Yeaaah, I haven’t got a credit card on me. S’fine, though, I’m not planning on runnin’ off on ya.”

Of course he doesn’t have one. Why would he, looking like he’s rolled out of bed and walked here, no luggage or car in sight. 

You grit your teeth, forcing a terse smile. “That’s fine, I’m sure we can work something out.”

If he trashes the place or leaves you high and dry at the end of it all, you’ll send the damn bill to his brother instead. 

—

Night falls and the rain does not let up.

Fresh from your shower, hair damp, sitting cross legged on your bed there’s an edge of something you’re yet to put a finger on niggling away inside of you. It’s not restlessness, not anxiety exactly; a prickling at the back of your neck, an uneasiness that settles in despite you being in the safety and comfort of your own home. 

The scars on your back twinge, a shiver rolling down your spine. 

From the window, you can spy the cabins in the distance, the warm glow of light spilling out from the darkness. After you showed him the way over and left him with the keys, you’ve seen neither hide nor hair of Miya, which suits you perfectly fine.

Still, you can’t pretend that the old adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’ rings particularly true right now. 

Beyond a bruising grip, Miya never laid a hand on you. He never followed through with the whispered threats, the promises held in dark, greedy eyes that seemed forever drawn to you.

But, as you’d confided in a friend at the time, it wasn’t what Miya Atsumu did that frightened you, it was the thought of what he could do. 

… You’ve faced worse things than Miya Atsumu and come out the other side, though. He’s a relic of your past – an unhappy relic, a reminder of things you’d rather forget, but a relic all the same, and in a few days time, he’ll be gone.

Another glance out the window, the wind picking up – howling as the trees rustle and shake, you nibble at your bottom lip. You should go to bed. 

You grab your phone. 

A few swipes of your finger brings up your last conversation with Mako. You type up a quick message; sorry about before, i panicked. 

After a moment of deliberation, you add; the kiss was probably a bit too far, i really am sorry! 

Adding a smiley face at the end to hopefully alleviate some of the awkwardness, you send it.

He’s in the middle of a shift, and while it’s not as if he’s run off his feet in the middle of the night, you’re not expecting a reply any time soon. 

Within about thirty or so seconds, however, the read notification comes through. Then he starts to type up a reply. Watching those three little dots flicker across your screen, an odd sort of anxiousness fluttering in your gut, you wait…

And wait…

… And wait. 

Either he’s writing out a mini essay, or the poor guy doesn’t have a clue how to respond. You’re on the cusp of letting it go for the night when, finally, his reply comes through.

You don’t have to apologise for being uncomfortable, I get it. 

I’ll be your fake boyfriend whenever you need it. 

It’s not much – an assuaging of guilt, perhaps – you feel lighter for reading it anyway. With the sound of rain pouring outside, the strong winds, soothing in spite of their violence, and a distant clap of thunder, you set your phone aside, flick off the lights and tuck yourself into bed.

—

Red. The trees, the forest floor, the moon hanging low in the sky, your own hands, bathed in a crimson glow. Blood falling from the sky, drenching the earth beneath bare feet.

Fire, burning in your veins, your scars lashed with it, throbbing, searing, excruciating. You shriek and howl and scream ‘til your throat bleeds with it. You keep screaming. You’d claw yourself apart if you could, surrender to death, to pain, to nothing at all – if it’d stop the hurt.

Laughter echoes around you. Mocking. Biting. 

Claws in your spine, teeth at your neck. Fingers drag through the dirt, scrabbling for purchase. 

Is this what it feels like to die?

Air punched from your lungs as you’re split in two, a weight above you, puffs of hot breath fanning your face, a tongue lapping your cheek. 

Pounding, throbbing, aching, ceaseless, agonising–

You jerk awake with a heaving gasp to find you’re not alone in your bedroom. Makoto, still in his ranger’s uniform, hovers over you with an arm outstretched, a concerned look twisting at his face. 

“Your front door was wide open, banging in the wind. I did call out, but when nobody answered I got worried,” he tells you, his brows knitting together. With the back of his hand, he touches your forehead, and his frown deepens. “You’re burning up.”

Even as he says it, your sweat soaked pyjamas cling to your skin, your head throbbing, a dull, heavy ache that reverberates through your entire body. “What– what time is it?” you ask blearily, voice like sandpaper.

“A little after seven – early still.” 

Your attempts to rise are thwarted by a gentle, insistent hand pushing down on your shoulder. “Nope. You’re not getting up, you’re not well. You need rest.”

“I have to–”

“No, you don’t.” Again, he gently pushes you back down. “It’s just that Miya guy staying, yeah? No other guests?”

You mumble something in the affirmative, and Mako nods to himself, “Okay, that’s fine then, we can deal with that. I’ll keep an eye on the front desk and anything else that crops up and you can go back to sleep and rest up, alright? I’ll bring you some water and advil, and some food later if you’re feeling up to it.” 

There’s plenty to argue with him about that. 

For one, he’s fresh off a twelve hour overnight shift, running on less sleep than you, and while it is the off season, there’s still plenty to be done around the place, none of it his responsibility. Not to mention Miya’s probably going to come sniffing around later and you really, really don’t want those two crossing paths any time soon – especially after all the weirdness yesterday. 

You like Makoto, you’d even consider him a friend. The last thing you want is for him to think of you as some burden he should’ve steered clear of. 

And besides, feverish or no, you’re not an invalid. You can get up and push through, just as soon as blinking stops making you want to hurl. 

“Mako–”

“You can argue all you want, I’m not going anywhere.” He pats the top of your shoulder and straightens up, “I’ll make sure this place doesn’t burn to the ground without you for a few hours while you get some rest.”

“…‘kay.”

He smiles, “Good girl.”

Sleep, when it finds you, is fitful.

You dream of yellow eyes, a monster with a snarling maw chasing you through the woods.

You dream that you’re back in hospital again, flickering in and out of consciousness. Like an angel of death, you hover unseen, watching the team of doctors and nurses scramble to save your life. 

‘The EMT’s said she kept mumbling about a wolf.’

The doctor scoffs, ‘Wolves went extinct back in the 1900’s. Look at her back – no wolf did this.’

The creature had stood on its hind legs, covered in thick, black fur. With its snout and tail, claws and gleaming white teeth, wolf was all your delirious brain could conjure. 

You’re not alone in this dreamscape, you come to realise. Standing on the other side of the room, grinning, Miya stares back.

You blink and the doctors and the hospital around you are gone. 

The two of you stand in the woods back behind your childhood home, the gurney and your ravaged, twitching body lying between you. Your heart thuds loudly and he shifts with it, the boy you knew, cocksure and arrogant, and the stranger who walked through your door wearing his face. 

Back and forth, back and forth, like a glitch. He’s drenched in blood, it colours his teeth, smeared across his jaw. His hands are dripping with it. 

The dream melts away, and when it reforms around you you’re in the forest outside, the moon hanging low, full and bright.

‘Can you feel it burnin’ through ya?’ the dream Miya asks. ‘Second time’s the charm. Won’t be long now.’

He fades into shadows, your grandma takes his place. Her wizened face kind and gentle, she takes your hands in hers. They’re soft and worn, warm, so familiar that it makes your heart ache with grief and love and sorrow. Tears well, even as you smile at the sight of her. 

‘Why, child, were you in the woods that day?’

Because I heard it cry out, the words stick in your throat, it cried out in pain, and I wanted to help. 

—

“You’re getting worse.”

Teeth chattering, you manage a weak nod, “I noticed.”

The dumpling soup he’d brought you lies mostly untouched, though you’d made some effort slurping down the broth. You’ve no appetite, the mere thought of trying to eat right now making your stomach churn. At the very least, you had hoped the drugs you’ve loaded your system with might’ve helped ease the aches and pains, the throbbing in your head – alas, no such luck. 

All you want to do is burrow under your duvet and sweat it out, let whatever’s raging through your body run its course, and then you can sleep for a week. 

“Mako, go home.” Every word is a slow, painful effort. “I don’t want you getting sick.” 

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” He cracks a smile, placing a fresh glass of water on the nightstand beside you. “‘Sides, if I do get sick, you’ll come take care of me too, right? Return the favour?”

“Mhm, sure.”

For a moment, something akin to delight dances in his eyes, yet he’s quick to sober, the reality of the situation not escaping him. “You’re not getting any better,” he says. “Kick Miya out, close up for a day or two. You clearly need the rest.”

The authoritative tone brooks no room for argument, so you simply hum in acquiescence. 

If you actually stopped to consider it, you could almost say it’s a blessing that you’re sick now, at the very beginning of the rainy season when tourists and visitors to this part of the mountain are few and far between. Closing your doors for a short while wouldn’t hurt you financially when there was no guarantee of business to begin with.

And as far as disrupting Miya’s holiday plans goes – you care even less about that. 

Maybe the fever dreams are still muddying your head, maybe it’s that in your current, rather pathetic state, your capacity for generosity and forgiveness towards his teenage self has dwindled well below what you could manage on a good day.

Either way, a fresh wave of goosebumps prickles at your skin. You want him as far away from you as humanly possible.

“Where’s my…”

Makoto diligently picks your phone up from the nightstand and passes it to you. Each of the cabins has a phone, the numbers pre-programmed into your cell in case of emergencies. After finding the right one you tap on the call button, setting it to speaker and laying the phone back down on the pillow beside you.

It rings once, twice, the noise like a jackhammer to your skull. Makoto frowns as you wince, a soft, discomforted noise leaving your lips, but before he can interject, the call’s answered. 

“Yeah?”

Licking parched lips, you squeeze your eyes shut in an attempt to gather your wits (and ignore the violent pounding inside your head) long enough to string together a coherent sentence. 

“I– the retreat’s closing, you can’t stay here. Sorry for the… short notice, or whatever. Just– just leave the keys, I’ll waive the rate for last night.”

There’s a short chuckle on the other end of the line, “You’re not sounding too good there, sweetheart. You feelin’ alright?”

“I‘m fine,” you force out. “Can you be out before dark?”

Ignoring the question entirely, Miya snorts, “Lying really ain’t your strong suit, y’know.” There’s a short pause, and you can almost see the shift in his expression, the wicked looking grin taking shape as he speaks again, “You want me to come over and keep ya company? I just hate the thought of you sufferin’ through this all by yourself.” 

Mako’s eyes narrow, his lips pulling into a frown. 

“No, I want you to leave. Please.”

“… Well, since you’re askin’ so nicely, guess I don’t have much of a choice, do I? I’ll leave the keys by the door.” 

He hangs up.

The victory feels hollow, almost. Too easily won. Something insistent tugs at your subconscious, but you’re too exhausted to pay it any mind. With a sigh of your own, you meet Makoto’s eye.

“What?” you ask, sinking back into your pillows.

To his credit, Mako doesn’t reply straight away, seeming to chew on his words before he gives voice to them, “It’s none of my business, I realise that. I haven’t– You act different with him. The way you talk, your whole body language, it changes.”

He’s not referring to your conversation on the phone just now. 

“You want the juicy backstory?”

Makoto hesitates, but curiosity wins out. He nods.

“There isn’t one, really. We went to school together, he was good – really good – at volleyball and thought that meant he was entitled to whatever he wanted.”

“Which was… you?” 

There’s no attempt to mask the distaste in his voice. Mako’s the very antithesis of Miya, though, to treat someone like that, to believe yourself entitled to them would never cross his mind in a million years.

You nod. 

“Huh…” His expression turns thoughtful then, head tilting as his brow furrows, “Doesn’t strike me as the pro-athlete type, you know what I mean? Sure, he’s big, but…” 

But the wild, scruffy look ruins it. Nothing about Miya seemed to fit. It was difficult to put a name to; the clothes were wrong, he felt out of place – like a lion prowling city streets, or snow falling in mid-July. 

“Mm. He went…missing’s the wrong word, I guess. He ran off for a few days.” The words come slow, laborious, but Mako doesn’t push you. “And when he came back… he stopped playing volleyball, stopped showing up at school, he was… different. That was after I was in hospital though, last I heard he’d dropped off the face of the earth. I never thought I’d see him again.”

Mako hums again, his attention drifting to the scars peeking out from your bare shoulder. Usually they’re covered up, but with the summer heat and humidity, the thin straps of your pyjamas do little to hide the ugly marks from view. 

“Get some sleep,” he says eventually, rising from his seat. “I haven’t gotta leave for a few hours yet.”

—

When you’re pulled from sleep next, your bedroom’s painted in a golden glow.

There’s no sign of Makoto. A handwritten note lies folded on your bedside table, trying to make sense of the scrawled message only makes the radiating pain inside your head grow worse. The light’s too bright, every noise amplified tenfold – the clock downstairs ticking away, cicadas chirping, the sound of a truck barrelling down the winding road out front and the wind whistling through the trees. It’s deafening, all of it, and you can’t do a thing to block it out.

Despite the oppressive heat, you find yourself shivering, curling trembling limbs around yourself as you sweat and whimper. Your skull feels like it’s slowly being cleaved apart, every breath a shallow rattle. Even your blood burns, liquid fire that scalds you from the inside out. 

Surely your heart, racing frantically within the cage of your chest, can only take so much of this before it gives out. 

Through the delirium, you begin to realise that something is truly, deeply wrong. 

And then you hear it, the front door creaking open, a large body crossing the threshold. You barely have the energy to lift your head, “M-Mako?” you croak out, fingers weakly curling into the sheets around you.

“The ranger?” a familiar voice calls, footsteps thudding down the hall. “Nah, he left a while ago.”

Your stomach twists, a sharp, lancing panic lost to the haze of aches and pains wracking your body as Miya appears at your doorway, dark eyes flitting over your pathetic form, drinking it in. 

“Poor thing,” he tuts. “Hurts, don’t it?”

“Go… away,” you whimper – to no avail. Miya strides into your bedroom like he owns the place. Walks right up to where you lie, shivering and helpless.

You don’t think it escapes either one of you that right now, you’re entirely at his mercy.

You can’t stop him from taking a seat on the mattress next to you, his massive frame looming over you. Can’t do a thing but flinch when a rough fingertips push a lock of hair back from your sweat slicked forehead and trail down your cheek. 

“Only a few more hours, you’re nearly through the worst of it,” he tells you. 

Through the worst of what? 

He hushes you when you let out a frightened whine, stroking your hair, “I’m not gonna let ya go through this alone. You’re mine, my fuckin’ mate, and if that asshole hadn’t–” he breaks off with a huff, the muscle in his jaw working away. It isn’t until a sharp pain breaks through the throbbing haze that you glance down at your leg – at the hand he has resting on your thigh, and the razor-like claws digging into the soft flesh there.

Eyes widening, a strangled noise escapes you. 

In an instant the claws are gone, replaced by normal fingernails – if not for the gruesome looking gouge marks dug into your thighs, the blood that wells to the surface and spills down your leg, falling in fat droplets onto the bed sheets below, you’d think you imagined it.

The sharp burst of pain fades, the wounds closing before your eyes – until nothing but smooth skin marred with streaks of red remain. 

Miya stares at your thigh for a moment longer, seemingly lost in thought. When his eyes meet yours again, they’re dark, resolute. “He’s not around to stop me this time.”

You simply shiver, closing your eyes to try and block it all out. 

None of this is real. You’re hallucinating, or dreaming – you have to be. 

‘Wolves went extinct back in the 1900’s. No wolf did this.’

The room gets darker, moonlight creeping in through the window, and the pain gets worse. At some point, Miya shuffles you over a bit to lie down beside you. He takes you into his arms, ignoring your pitiful attempts at struggling and tucks you into his broad chest.

His scent, the deep timbre of his voice as he speaks to you, his hands, wandering over your clammy skin. Even in your delirium, he won’t let you forget that he’s the one here with you. 

Eventually, the words stop making sense, syllables blurring and twisting together. You can only lie there, waiting for the pain to end, for your fever to abate while Miya takes advantage of your weakened, sickly state.

The first snap comes out of nowhere.

White hot and agonising, it shoots up your leg, radiating like a shockwave. You choke on a scream, eyes flying open.

Miya’s hands are nowhere near your legs. 

There’s no time for you to comprehend the pain, much less how a bone can spontaneously break on its own; another sick crack echoes through the room – your femur.

And the howl that rips its way free of your lungs is something animalistic. Tears leak from your eyes as your back arcs up off the bed, only for a second, and then Miya’s sweeping you up into his arms, holding you close. Without a word of explanation – not that it’d do you any good, not that you’d understand – he carries you through the house, out into the balmy summer night and the forest that lies beyond.

Wailing and shrieking like a wild thing, your bones snap and elongate, tearing through your skin. Thick, dark fur sprouts across your body, the tatters of your clothes falling to the dirt below, your jaw cracks, blood filling your mouth, spilling down your chin. 

In a small clearing he lays you down on the forest floor and pats your head, “You’re gonna do great, babe.”

You snarl in response. 

Muscles tear from bone, growing, reshaping, your teeth sharpen and claws burst through the beds of your fingernails, the same happening to your toes. Your face contorts, a muzzle violently forcing its way through the front of your skull. 

You lose your mind to the pain. Writhing in the dirt, bathed in the glow of moonlight, you lose all sense of self. There’s only blood and agony and a hunger that gnaws at the pit of your belly. 

And as your bones settle, the last ripples of the change fading away into nothing, you stagger to your feet, taking in this new world of yours.

With eyes sharper, a nose a thousand times more sensitive, ears picking up a cacophony of noises from miles around you, the assault to your senses is near overwhelming. Yet instead of whimpering and cowering from that, you relish in it. 

You’re a beast born to hunt. There’s a scent in the air, mouthwatering, rich–

A low whistle sounds behind you, and on instinct you turn, teeth bared in a vicious growl. Yellow eyes stare back from a human face, he smells… familiar. Like you. No… no, something more than that. There’s a bond there, a tether between you two; sire. 

He grins, “Look at’cha. My perfect little mate.”

Mate?

You hesitate, ears twitching. That intoxicating scent of prey still carries on the breeze, you can hear their beating hearts, voices in the distance, every instinct within you screaming to follow it, to hunt. Yet you still yourself, waiting – for what?

A low whine slips from your muzzle and he laughs.

Head tilting back to soak in the moonlight, his grin wide and inhuman, the change sweeps over him, too. Bones crack and shift, skin ripples and reforms. In mere seconds, a monstrous, furred beast stands in his place and when he speaks next, it comes not from his maw, but echoing in your head.

Poor thing. You’re hungry, need to eat – first time really takes it out of ya. 

It’s all the permission you need. Bounding across the forest floor, you chase after it – towards the voices, the yellow lights of the ranger’s station twinkling on the mountainside.

Perhaps when you wake up curled around Miya, freshly human, slathered in blood with body parts strewn around you and the taste of raw meat on your tongue, some part of you will shatter irreparably. 

For now, though, the promise of tearing into warm bodies and sating that empty, gnawing hunger, of ripping into flesh and muscle is enough to have you salivating as twin howls shatter the calm, summer night air. 

[curiositydooropened]

Ranged • 00: Prologue

After Hell brought Horror to the Heartland, America’s dirt roads and open woods began to fall to rot and ruin. To prevent further inter dimensional slips, the government dispatched several workers, such as yourselves, to travel the country saving small communities. 

Pairing: special agent!Steve Harrington x special agent!Reader

Wordcount: 922 - This fic is episodic.

Warnings: very slowburn, coworkers to lovers, angst, hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, canon-typical gore, weapons, fighting, murder, viruses, decay, monsters *This chapter contains mentions of animal harm, blood, and vomit/nausea.

This blog is 18+ only. I do not give permission for any of my fics to be duplicated, reposted, or put into AI. Thank you!

Navigation • Masterlist

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Moodboard • Episode 01: Firetower

Blood shone in thick, dark splatters across a freckled cheekbone. It stuck his hair to his ear and his collar to his throat. It stained a shoulder. You watched it glimmer under street lamps, watched the clench of his knuckles around the steering wheel, watched the bob of his Adam’s apple as he avoided your gaze.

There was no point saying it anymore, the words exhausted their meaning a year ago, but it was true nonetheless. You can’t save everyone. You both knew it. It didn’t hurt less.

You mopped at the blood splatter on your own cheeks with a spare t-shirt to flirt a discount out of the motel attendant. He slid you a key on a novelty ring while Steve parked on the far side of the lot.

You’d set the phone on its receiver by the time he exited the shower. You rinsed bloody clothes in the sink and brushed your teeth and slipped into an oversized t-shirt. You couldn’t remember who it belonged to. Maybe you’d picked it up at a thrift store along the way. 

“Owens?” He asked, voice gruff, eyes red. A claw mark dug into the flesh of his cheek, to the bone.

You reached into your duffle for the first aid kit to procure ointment and a butterfly bandage. “Sit.” 

He sighed, but did as instructed, towel falling to his shoulder. He winced as you patted ointment into his wound. “Did he say where to go next?” 

You nodded, pressing his flesh together until it wrinkled near his eye. “Small town in Western Montana. Locals think it’s the water supply. Park ranger called it in.” 

“How far?”

“Eight hours.” You zipped the kit closed and wedged it back into your bag.

“Okay,” he muttered, tossing his towel into a corner near the sink. He stretched sore muscles with a groan, and you watched the bruise on his ribs bloom in greens and browns. The swelling was down significantly from two days earlier. “We’ll leave first thing.” 

He meant first light. You glanced out a fogged window at the glow of street lamps. The vacancy sign buzzed bright red. The sky remained dark just beyond.

“Okay.” You sighed and toed under linens that had yellowed years ago. 

Steve triple checked the lock and toted his bat from the nook near the front door to his bedside. Then, he pulled his lighter from his pants pocket and shook it to his ear. By the look on his face, it needed a refill. He placed it to the bedside table between you, just beside the Bible.

“Are you okay?” He’d asked it four times already, a compulsion you’d learned to ignore.

“Yes.” You knew better than to reciprocate, knew he wouldn’t answer you anyway. You had minimal sleep hours left. It wasn’t worth the fight. You can’t save everyone.

“I’m going to turn the light out.” He warned, sliding himself into his own double bed. A large hand reached beneath an orange lampshade and the room went dark.

The darkness was spotted orange and blue, and you fought back the images of Steve’s fists meeting and elderly man’s face. You fought back the screams that rang in your ears, the copper taste on your tongue, and that pang that lay permanent in your nostrils.

Steve shifted in his bed, springs groaning beneath his weight, and you honed in on him instead. Every night, you fell asleep to the steady in and out of his breath, the comfort of him an arm’s length away.

—

The ranger’s uniform matched the coffee and cream in your styrofoam cup. The confusion knit between his brows matched those of dozens of local law enforcement across this country over the last year. You flashed you badges and asked him to take a seat, and hours later you were holding your hand over your nose to mask the smell of decay.

The corners of Steve’s mouth pulled upwards in a grim apology, sipping his own coffee.

A room full of National Guardsmen looked aghast. There was no guarantee a burn of that size could stay contained. Half of the state could be up in flames by the end of the week.

“Better than the alternative.” You promised.

The Spread started on a cattle ranch north of town, the herd dwindling as calves and heifers slipped into cracks and broke legs and necks. A large crevasse rotted through a patch in the back forty, splitting the land down the middle from government land near to the rancher’s estate.

On the back side, it seeped into the river. Trees were downed and turned to mush and rot. Where once sat a hunting perch, now folded into a vat in the ground.

The Ranger had taken you up by four-wheeler, an excursion neither of you had been prepared for in slacks and blazers. You supposed those were hazards of the job though, wading through the remnants of a hillside in nylon stockings.

Steve rolled the cuffs of his sleeves up past his elbows to dive into the meat of a fallen tree. It came back green and gooey, but nothing had nest inside. Not yet, at least.

“You called just in time,” he wiped his hand on his pant leg and you dry heaved a little.

“So this… virus,” the Ranger gestured to the pocket of melted flesh, root to branch, “it can infect humans too?”

“If it festers too long,” you nodded.

“And what might that look like?” He asked like he already knew the answer.

---

[A/N: Here she is. These two have been my new best friends lately, the one thing I've written that actually stuck because it felt good. Let's hope it stays that way so I can keep riding this train. I don't know how often I'll update this, but it'll be on-going. I'd love to write blurbs, and I have a few episode locations/monsters in mind.

I'd really appreciate it if you reblogged and/or left me a comment. Or if you're more inclined, head to my Ao3 and leave me a comment there. It'd really mean the whole world. xoxoxo]

[deadboydetectives-confessions]

How D&D would go for the DBD folks:

--Monty (he's human again, just go with it) decides he wants to DM

--Niko (she's back, go with it) is into it because she is a nerd & is still low-key trying to set Edwin & Monty up

--Edwin is trying to be nice to Monty despite his discomfort with Monty's feelings & obviously wants to spend time with Niko so agrees

--Charles doesn't trust Monty even though he kind of helped with the backpack, so he is definitely playing

--Crystal is like: ok, sure?

--Party starts off: Edwin (wizard), Charles (paladin), Niko (cleric), Crystal (sorcerer).

--Monty rambles a lot as a DM, immediately boring Charles. He is not prepared for the many questions Edwin & Niko ask. Crystal, sensing that the questions will get them no where in the game because Monty has no clue the answers, does something rash (attacks a dragon with a sword because she doesn't understand her spell list) & immediately dies. (Monty did not balance the encounter well.)

--Jenny has been listening to all this & tells Monty to get up & she takes his seat. "This is stupid, but I cannot listen to you be this bad at DMing this stupid game"

--Turns out Jenny's first and only boyfriend from when she was 14 was a huge D&D nerd & made her play ("Made her" she fucking loved it). Her ex is now a non-binary vegan cosplayer. They send her Halloween cards about the evils of the meat industry that she burns in the alley way over the trash can.

--New party compostion: Edwin (wizard), Charles (paladin), Niko (cleric), Monty (druid), Crystal (barbarian). ("If you're going to attack a dragon with a sword & be an idiot, at least lets make you good at melee attacks.")

--Jenny successfully leads them through most an an encounter with pixies that bear a strong resemblance to the dandelion sprites. Niko tries to adopt them / heal them, but Jenny interrupts by introducing a ghost for them to fight.

--Edwin starts arguing with Jenny about how the ghosts of the game are nothing like real ghosts & how it is an affront to ghosts. Also his spell list is nothing like actual magic. It also comes up that while everyone has been assuming his character was male, he is playing his character as a woman.

--While this is going on Niko & Monty decide to switch classes. Niko is now a druid & Monty is a cleric.

--Niko immediately turns into a polar bear

--Charles decides to interrupt Edwin's ghost tirade by attacking the ghosts & gets grieviously injured.

--Edwin tells Monty he must heal Charles, but Monty doesn't understand his new spell list yet.

--Polar bear Niko & Crystal kill the ghosts

--The Night Nurse comes in & gives them a case, which Charles is into.

--Edwin is deeply upset that Charles' character is just dying while they go off to solve a case.

--Niko drops polar bear form & heals Charles so they can actually go & do their jobs

--This becomes an on-going campaign.

--Once TCK tried to join in (bard), but Jenny banned him because all he wanted to do was seduce the NPCs. He would have seduced Edwin but by that point it was clear Edwin was playing an older woman who looks exactly like his disguise.

--Monty keeps trying to back seat DM & Jenny keeps shutting him down. His character is also a woman & everyone is uncomfortable because she sounds/acts a little too much like Esther.

--The Night Nurse (sorcerer) has been roped into playing a few games, but Jenny thinks she cheats because she never rolls below a 14.

--Tragic Mick sells minis & battle map supplies & other D&D items. He joined one game as a ranger.

--Charles multiclasses with rogue

--Crystal dies again & switches to warlock, which she winds up sticking with.

--I have given zero thought to what races everyone plays.

.

[zyonsay]

Wildfire, Chapter Three MV1

Fem aligned people may read but not f3tishize my work!!

Summary: Someone snitched on you and now you are stuck in a team building camp with Max!

Reader: Male

Warnings: Nothing really? Beer is mentioned ONCE at the very end

Now playing: 'Boys will be bugs' by Cavetown

AN: Im so sorry for not updating this story! I've got a lot going on at the moment. I have lot's of upcoming exams, i've been practicing for a concert i'll have soon and i participated in a horse riding competition last weekend, so yeah, my calendar is FULL. But anyways, this part isn't as long as id' like it to be, but don't worry! You and Max will be staying at the camp for a little longer...

(Here's a little Social Media AU to go along with this chapter)

(Here is the previous chapter)

(Here is the next chapter

Somehow word of your fight made its way to Christian, which was the cause of you now sitting on a bench at a camping facility, squeezed in between mechanics and other team members of Redbull Racing.

Just a few days before, you were sitting in a leather chair in Horner’s office, not squeezed between people but suffocating in the room’s atmosphere. He wasn’t one to get angry with his people, but you and Max’s behavior was a pain in the ass and very counterproductive.

He sighed heavily, “Guys, this has to stop. You’re both adults, behave like it. I know you two are very stubborn, but it’s for the sake of our team.” He gave you both a stern look, you heard Max swallow hard beside you. “Have I made myself clear?”, he looked you right in the eye, then shifted his stare towards your Teammate. “Yes.”

The air smelt fresh and clear; the sun was high up in the sky accompanied by thousands of fluffy clouds. The ranger standing in front of you was explaining a few rules you had to follow while staying at the campsite and its surrounding national park. He looked a little bit like a bison, you thought. His curly dark brown hair had a few strikes of silver in it, making him look old and experienced.

“…lastly, please keep away from the swampy areas, they are indicated with yellow signs.”

Many of your fellow Redbull mates looked bored, no wonder, they have been listening to this man talk for about an hour.

“Does everyone know how to not get killed now?” He looked pleased as he earned a loud ‘yes’.

Christian thanked the ranger, then took his place in front of you guys. “So, fellas, we’ll assign the cabins now!”, he gave you an unreadable look. He fumbled around in the pockets of his jeans before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. He began reading out names and telling the people to go and take their stuff from the bus and settle into their new stay. Then after a few minutes, more and more people left, and it was only you and Max sitting on the bench.

“As you two might’ve guessed, you’ll be spending a lot of time together on this trip. And I don’t want to hear any complaints.” Horner looked serious, meaning what he said. You were annoyed, of course, but you understood why he wants you two to get along. Max nodded, glancing your way, but quickly looking away as soon as you meet his gaze. “Now, head off. You’ll be staying in cabin 33, here’s the key.”

You pulled your suitcase over the gravelly path, searching for a sign with the number 33 on it. Soon enough you found what you were looking for, the two numbers were burnt into a beautiful wooden sign, decorated with various little details. You unlocked the door, holding it open for Max after entering. He threw one of his Bags on the bed on the right side of the room. “I’m taking this one.”, he stated dryly. You shrugged slightly, setting down your suitcase next to the other bed. The cabin was decorated simply but had all the necessities. Besides the two beds there was a couch with a coffee table and a small bathroom.

The room felt awkward, and you started getting annoyed with Max being unusually quiet. You turned towards your fellow firecracker. “I don’t want to start shit with you, so just stay out of my way.”, he then spoke before you could even open your mouth. “It’s hard to do that when you’re all over the place Max.” He glared at you, definitely not appreciating your words. “We should head back to Christian, come on.”, you swiftly changed the topic.

“Looks like you all settled in! Now, let’s take a look at our first activity”, Horner held up a bag of Maps, “We’ll be doing a scavenger hunt. The price is… well, your dinner. There are clues scattered throughout the Woods and they’ll lead you to an opening with a grilling space. I’ll be waiting for you there!” He then passed around the bag, there was a Map for every group in it.

“Obviously you can’t just all work together, that would be way too easy. Every group has a different route, so you can’t just follow the group in front of you.” Murmuring erupted around you, discussing what the clues might be. You looked at the first clue that was posted to the map.

“Like goliath i tower over them, making them shiver beneath my needles.”, you shifted slightly, showing Max the Map along with the clue. He then pointed towards the forest, where a Pine tree stood, taller than all of the surrounding oak trees. “Let’s go.”

You’ve been wandering around the forest for about 45 minutes, hunting down clues and discovering the national park’s beautiful landscape.

But now? Well, now you and Max were lost. All the trees looked the same, no matter what direction you walked. The map was of no use in the depth of the Woods and your phones would continuously read “No Signal”. Not being able to do anything you two just sort of strolled along bushes and trees of all kinds, hoping to end up on a trail or a familiar opening. Birds were chirping and to your surprise you heard frogs quaking. “Do you hear that?” You turned your head towards Max, still walking. “The Frogs? Yeah, really weird…” Suddenly the thicket spit you out onto an opening, revealing a forest pond, which must’ve been the source of the quaking.

And indeed, a green, slimy frog hopped into the water right in front of you, disappearing in a log beneath the water surface. “Can we stop here really quick?” Max only sighed, but then plopped down on the floor. You sat next to him, gazing over the reflective water. Would you two still find the grilling space before sundown? You hoped for it, at the very least.

“This is nice.” Max closed his eyes and rested the back of his head against the tree behind him, taking in the smell of the forest. His usually tense shoulders looked much more relaxed, and he had a pleased expression on his face. You silently agreed with him, copying his movements.

"You know, i don't actually hate you." The words that flowed from your lips felt fragile and just like glass they fell to the floor and shattered. Your advance was met with a sigh and then a warm silence. You really wanted to try and get along with Max, for the sake of your team's future. But if he was gonna be stubborn, you wouldn't gift him your friendliness.

"Nevermind."

The leaves rustled beneath your feet as you two went back to walking after resting by the pond for a while. The golden light was slowly disappearing from the trees crowns. You really weren’t prepared to sleep under the stars tonight, but luckily you wouldn’t have to. Laughter could be heard in the distance, announcing the presence of humans. Your steps quickened ever so slightly, same for your companion. You two reached the opening and were greeted with the smell of food and the chatter of your teammates.

“Maxie! Y/N! I almost thought we’d lost you two!” Chris came walking towards you, handing each of you a beer. “Come on, join us!”

[positivexcellence]

Interview: Jared Padalecki on Walker Season 4, The Show’s Future & More

KSITETV’S CRAIG BYRNE: What can you tease about The Jackal, particularly in relation to his history with certain characters?

JARED PADALECKI: The Jackal is a serial killer who haunted then-Ranger James and Ranger Walker five years prior when they were partners, and before Ranger James became Captain James. The Jackal, and his choice of kills and the victims he left behind, really tortured and tormented James and he took it personally. We were never able to solve it, and the Jackal;s case went cold, and we have kind of assumed he had died or stopped or something. And then, as we found out during James’s wedding of all times, someone with a similar M.O. to the Jackal surfaced, and because of how dark it sent James five years prior, Trey and Walker decide to look into it low-key with Detective Luna from Corpus Christi, who Walker and James had worked with back in the day.

We find out in Season 4 that sure enough, the Jackal is back, And so, Walker finds himself stuck in a position. We’ve learned in the first three seasons that keeping secrets among Rangers is not a great idea, but Walker thinks he’s doing what’s best for James. He doesn’t want to him spiraling. James just went on his honeymoon, and he’s married, and he’s going well. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe this is a coincidence. But we soon seem to settle that it is the original Jackal, and the Jackal is back. Walker takes it on himself to save James from that same torment that he went through five years ago., but the question is how much can Walker take on on James’ behalf, without falling prey to the same feelings himself?

Twitter made me ask you this: Is there any chance that The Jacckal might be played by an actor that you’ve referred to as “Jackles” before?

[LAUGHS] No. All But that’s a great question!

The readers of KSiteTV loved Walker Independence, and it’s great that hopefully we’ll be seeing more of Justin Johnson Cortez as Detective Luna. Is there any chance we might see more people from the show in new roles in the present day, or maybe another Hoyt flashback?

JARED: Let’s say yes. We will be seeing some of our our Windy family. We loved the show as well.

And is there any chance we’ll see those classic characters again?

The answer, again, is yes.

Jensen [Ackles] and I used to have something funny during Supernatural. We did several seasons with 23 episodes, and we likened it to sports analogies. We’d be like “you know, if you’re going to shoot 23 three pointers during a game, you’re not going to make ’em all. If you’re gonna drive the lane 23 times, or go to bat 23 times, then you’re gonna put some air balls. You’re gonna strike out sometimes. But with 13 episodes, they’re all knockouts. They’re all home runs.

We didn’t waste any time this year [on Walker]. We have 13 episodes to make an amazing season of television. I’m on set right now shooting the finale, and I can say with confidence that this is our strongest season.

Are you feeling good about the possibility of a fifth season?

I am. I don’t know… I mean, even during Supernatural’s last season, something can always happen. There can be a strike. There can be COVID. There can be a merger. There can be something.

My career for the last 25 years has been based around not really knowing what’s going to happen. You know, “is Gilmore Girls gonna go? Am I going to get an option to do it again? Oh, now it’s CW instead of Warner Brothers. Oh, now we have a new showrunner. Oh, now we have another showrunner! Now we’re changing nights. Now there’s COVID. Now there’s a strike.” [Last year’s strike] was the second strike I had been through in my career. So, all I can speak to is the quality of work we’re putting out, and there’s nothing I could change.

I will say that I have no reason to think that we we will not carry on. I intend to do the show for another 10 years, so hopefully the powers that be feel the same way. I know our cast and crew all hope for the same. We’re willing and able. Our writers are incredible, with the stories they come up with and the speed with which they can come up with great storylines and great arcs for each and every character… and our crew that makes it… if I was a network, then I would want this show to go as long as everybody who’s making the show would go.

I couldn’t be more proud of the work that we’re putting out there. I think we kind of stand alone, as far as new scripted hour-longs out there. We’re a great combination of heart and action, and trying to mimic reality as best as possible, which I think is needed and necessary. I’ve certainly heard from fans on the street and via social media and whatnot, how much they appreciate it and enjoy it. I’m very optimistic.

How are things with Cordell and Geri as we get into Season 4?

They’ve had five months together since Larry and Kelly’s wedding, snd things have been going well. Things have kind of cooled off; the Jackal’s trail went cold, and so maybe it was not a big deal. They’ve kind of been enjoying the summer with August and Stella and Bonham and Abeline, and they’ve had some time together.

There’s been work for Cordell and for Geri, obviously, but they’re on the same page. They’re living together, and they’re enjoying each other’s company, and they found a place.

Obviously, they both went through some hardships in their prior relationships. Luckily, I think with a lot of great relationships, when they become romantic, they start as friendships. Because Geri and Cordell started as a platonic relationship for many years, they’ve seen each other as friends, and they kind of know who each other’s hearts are. I think they’re enjoying that time and chance to breathe together, and just be with each other.

Is it hard for Cordell that Stella and August are both growing up, with Stella already off to school and August approaching senior year?

It’s very, very hard, and I think you’re more prescient than maybe you even realize; we kind get into that in Episode 2, and as the season goes on, of what it’s like to be to be preparing to be an empty nester, especially without your spouse. So we certainly do see that, and again, going back to what I said earlier about Walker’s storylines imitating life as best as we can, we certainly do see Walker going through that very real [situation].

At work, he is this big Texas Ranger who gets to go in and save the day and all as well, and then at home, he wants to be a Dad, but the clock is ticking. One of his kids is already gone, and the second is a senior in high school, and presumably soon to be spreading his wings. So what does that look like and feel like for this big tough dude?

Will we get to see Walker’s reaction to the situation that Stella got into at the end of last season?

Oh, yeah. And that storyline doesn’t stop, because it’s not all over. Obviously, months have passed and there have been investigations and there is conclusion of sorts, but as with most things in life, it brings about a whole new set of problems that we will deal with through the entire season.

Why should people check out the season premiere on Wednesday night?

I think a lot of us, myself included, have been dying to see what the whole Walker clan is up to. Not with the Walker clan with with the last name Walker. And we get a great catch up with a friend we haven’t talked to in a while. We have action. We have comedy, we have drama… but also, it feels like a dear friend that I haven’t caught up with in way too long, and I get all the ins and outs of what’s been going on their lives over the last period of time

ksite

[tomorrowxtogether]

TXT on Maturing, Packing for the Act: PromiseTour, and Skin Care Essentials

Snapshot! is a Teen Vogue style series where we ask artists to take candid pics and share a glimpse of their style and beauty routines. In this installment, K-pop boy group TXT takes Teen Vogue behind the scenes at the New York stop of their Act: Promise tour.

When the members of Tomorrow X Together (TXT) aren’t attending Fashion Week — whether on the runway or in the front row — they’re jet-setting on tour. However, it's an equally chic occasion — and their latest tour, Act: Promise, is proof of that.

Across the United States tour dates, the concerts’ carefully crafted stages encapsulated the K-pop group’s five-year journey in just a few hours for fans, known as MOA, to experience together. The styling plays a major role in doing so, from their grand entrance with “Deja Vu” to their low-key looks for the youthful anthem “Cat & Dog.”

While the members — Soobin, Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai — make it look seamless on stage, touring isn’t an easy feat. Preparations for concerts may start months before in Seoul with fittings and dress rehearsals but continue until the very last outfit change backstage and even when the members are doing skin care after the show. To learn about it all and soak up the backstage buzz, Teen Vogue caught up with TXT before their sold-out show at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 1, 2024.

Back in 2019, TXT was first introduced to the world with bright colors, playful patterns, and skinny jeans with their “Crown” music video. Now, the group is known to have a more elevated style with nods to punk and grunge aesthetics. “Because it's been some years since we debuted, I think I would describe it as a journey of growing and being mature, so we definitely see maturing changes in our aesthetics,” Taehyun tells Teen Vogue via an interpreter.

“I wouldn't say it was a radical change, but it was more like a gradual change and gradual being mature and growing. I would say after our second LP, our style definitely got a little more mature than before,” he adds, referring to their album The Chaos Chapter:Freeze, which features the hit single “0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You).”

On this tour, the setlist visits each of the group’s chapters, but rather than in chronological order, the arrangement and coordinating outfits explore a motif. “Each show has five sections, and each section has a distinctive theme,” Hueningkai explains. “Our look and our outfits also changed according to the theme.”

For their grand entrance, the group emerges on the stage clad in lace cloaks while wearing white trousers and gray blazers, accentuated by harnesses and chain links, combining their princely charms and pop punk sounds. Within the same section, the members make a quick outfit change to pay homage to their South Korean culture. “We have the song ‘Sugar Rush Ride’ rearranged with Korean traditional instruments, and we also dress in Korean traditional costumes,” Hueningkai says, referring to the hanbok.

The next section, marked by the hit songs “Magic” and “Trust Fund Baby,” showcases the members' more casual side. They are clad in relaxed-fit jeans and designer graphic tee shirts. Whereas they typically wear baby blue varsity jackets with bedazzled wings for this part of the show, for that weekend, the group wore New York Rangers gear, a nod to Madison Square Garden’s home team.

As the group splits up for their unit stages, the youngest members, Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai, shed the jackets and rock out to “Quarter Life” in simple ‘fits. Meanwhile, the eldest, Soobin and Yeonjun, change into belted black and white tank tops, respectively, for their performance of “The Killa.” Promptly after the duet and before “Back For More,” they put on sparkly black jackets and rejoin the youngest members who are already wearing the same. Taehyun favors this part of the show for its versatility. “When the light gets dark, we can change the [jacket] really quick, so it gives more variations to the outfit,” he confesses.

As Taehyun notes, the members switch into a more grunge look shortly after. “We wear leather jackets for the third section where we perform ‘Puma.’ Because I think the leather jackets go very well with us all and it just gives off a really hip vibe, I like that one,” Beomgyu says.

The last look of the night comes with the encore, a time the group utilizes to engage and make more memories with MOAs. Their choice of clothing highlights this. Swapping their more extravagant costuming for more casual, fun looks, the group wears hoodies and T-shirts from their merch collection for the tour with classic blue jeans and a simple accessory or two. This look is Hueningkai’s favorite as the comfy, casual nature suits him.

When asked to describe his personal style, “hoodie and jeans” is Hueningkai’s response. His style prioritizes practicality, just like Taehyun, who adds, “I would say I like various styles, but I would say I would choose comfort over fashion.” Fitting for the early June climate in NYC, he explains, “For example, I don't wear long sleeves in hot weather.”

“Like Taehyun said earlier, I like a variety of stuff, but recently, I refer to the street fashion in the UK or Japan,” Yeonjun says. His off-stage looks this tour have consisted of chunky sneakers, layers, and baggy silhouettes for an effortless yet cool look. “I definitely refer to his style. I sometimes try to follow his style,” Hueningkai says in admiration of the eldest.

Soobin and Beomgyu lean towards a more preppy side. Both seem to have their wardrobe essentials figured out. “I like clean-cut style,” Beomgyu says. “Recently, I've been purchasing a lot of wide-leg pants.” Soobin adds, “I also like neat and clean-cut style, so most of my items are button-up shirts.”

Having a practical sense of style does have its benefits on tour. At this point, it seems like the TXT members are pros at the art of packing to be on the road for prolonged periods of time. “It doesn't take that long to pack because we're constantly on a tour,” Beomgyu says. “Sometimes I just leave my luggage packed and just add a little more items to them. For example, a few tops, a few bottoms, a few shoes. But I make sure that I do have my personal makeup tools or makeup items, like cleansers. For those things, I make sure that I do have my own stuff.”

For Hueningkai, it takes a little bit of research. “When I pack for a tour, I definitely make sure that I check the weather because you want your clothes to fit the weather there,” he explains. “For example, if you're traveling to a city where the temperature is high, you make sure you have short sleeves and really light materials.”

Yeonjun’s technique is classic for a fashion lover. “I overpack because I like clothes,” he says. “But I also make sure that there is a little bit of room, considering that you're going to shop when you go to a new city.”

The TXT members are equally sensible when it comes to picking essentials for their carry-on bags. Hueningkai, like many other K-pop idols, notes the importance of comfortable shoes when off the stage and says slippers are his must-have.

Soobin and Taehyun’s travel essentials allow them to have some fun when they can while traveling. Soobin selects a tablet, particularly one loaded with dramas. (On this tour, he chose to watch Queen of Tears.)

Staying active seems to be on the mind for Taehyun. “For me, it's a bathing suit because you stay in hotels when you're on a tour, and sometimes you find really nice swimming pools there,” he says. Similarly, his form of self-care on tour is exercise, so he says he carries a resistance band so he can work out anywhere, even in the hotel.

As for skin care, the group stresses mastering the important basics. “I've recently started to practice this, but I make sure that I wear sunscreen before going out,” Taehyun says. “So that’s my beauty tip.” Also, taking the late spring weather into account, Hueningkai adds.“For me, it's to keep hydrated, so drink a lot of water.”

While the hype and excitement of a concert may culminate before the show, it’s the youngest of the group, Hueningkai, who reminds us that a post-show routine is just as worthwhile for both artists and fans alike. “It's important to really remove your makeup thoroughly,” he says. “So I use cleansing oil — all those makeup remover items. And make sure that you moisturize your skin after that.”

[bigtreefest]

Chapter 3: Save Me The Trouble

From: Bigger Houses Series

Pairing: Mountain Ranger! Ari x Reader

Summary: People need to be more careful and watch where they’re going. You could run into a handsome stranger and get asked on a date!

Word Count: 1,821

Content/Warnings: oblivious walking (once again), like one swear, internal self-doubting monologues that hopefully still indicate a healing process, female reader, it’s pretty much fluff

Author’s Note: I’m so grateful for all that have been reading. I hope you enjoy this new part, a cute little bridge. Likes, comments, reblogs, and asks are sooooo welcome and appreciated!!

Dividers by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Here is the song this is based off of loosely, good song, listen if you please.

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You were finally settling into your new job and your new life in town. Your schedule was all figured out, and to get to know the area a little better, each day, you had started going somewhere different over lunch, driving down the mountain and into the quaint little town.

After a hectic morning, coffee seemed like just the thing to lift your spirits, so you set up your navigation to a little mom and pop shop on Main Street, cruising there with the windows down to soak up the sun and the breeze. Town was beautiful and surprisingly empty today, so it caught you by surprise when you were pulling into the parking lot and saw a khaki smear coming out of your blind spot. You stood on the brakes as soon as the tall figure took a step in front of your vehicle. A man in…were those…ranger shorts and a hat?….slammed his hands down on the hood of your car. It was him again.

You leaned your head out through the window. “You trying to make a habit of me almost hitting you? I thought you were a bear….again. Seriously, you’d think I’m out here trying to take out the nation’s wildlife if it wasn’t you walking out in front of my car every time.”

He let out a sigh as he hung his head in relief, his heart still beating fast at the near-death experience, and made his way over to your window. As you pulled yourself back in the car, he rested his elbows at the bottom of your window and leaned forward.

“I really am sorry. I’m not sure why that keeps happening. My head was kinda in the clouds.” He grimaced slightly and let out an awkward laugh.

You wanted so badly to be angry with him, but his genuine response, paired with his eyes that reflected the sky had you melting. “I-I’m not sure if I accept your apology yet.” You said then bit your lip, caught up between your slight frustration with the stranger, yet your want to believe anything he said. “You’re gonna make a reputation for me around here as ‘that girl who almost flattened the mountain ranger…twice.’”

He let out a genuine laugh. “I promise your secret’s safe with me and it won’t happen again. And I’m sure I can think of a couple people who wouldn’t be too bothered by that.”

You let out a giggle at his joke, it wasn’t too often people who looked like that had a good sense of humor to pair. The two of you sat there awkwardly for a second before you spoke up. “Well I, uh, kinda need to park, I’m on my lunch hour and was planning on getting a bite to eat.”

“Oh yeah, of course.” He pulled away from your window, walking a few paces behind the vehicle as you pulled into a spot. “You know, there’s a nice little coffee shop around the corner. I’d love to make up that whole ‘not paying attention’ thing to you. Lunch on me?”

You pulled your keys out of the ignition, stepping out and looking up at his towering form. Maybe he really was a bear. “I suppose, as long as this isn’t your way of secretly trying to lure me as bait for the mountain lions as a revenge plan.”

“Ah, no, that’s only on Tuesdays.” He shrugged.

“Today…is Tuesday….” You looked at him with mild concern as he smirked at you.

“Well, I guess you’re just gonna have to trust me. I’m Ari.” He held out his hand and you introduced yourself. He nodded at you and his eyes sparkled when your hand met his. His hand was callused, but warm and comforting, almost embracing yours. “Alright, let’s get to it, you said you’ve only got an hour?”

You nodded as his hand made its way to the small of your back and he guided you along the sidewalk into the shop.

You laughed as you sat there stirring your second drink: the free refill the shop offered if you sat and stuck around. Ari had just finished telling you about the time his pants had snagged on a tree when he was miles away from any sort of refuge or spare clothing, leaving his cheeks in the breeze until he could run the two miles back to the cabin to change. Your face began to grow red, you could feel it. You knew you’d never be able to get the thought of his ass in those ranger shorts out of your head, or better yet, out of those ranger shorts.

He spoke through his own hearty laughter. “Yeah, learned that one the hard way. From then on, I vowed to always keep at least two sets of backup clothing in the truck, and in my duffel if I’ve got to respond to a call.”

You laughed and stirred your drink again before taking another sip, while something stirred deep in Ari’s core. He was staring at you so intently and hung onto every word you said. Part of you wished he’d keep those pretty blue eyes to himself, while another part of you wanted to lean closer and fall into them.

Over the period of your conversation, the two of you had somehow shifted closer to each other. Everything was just flowing so well.

“I can relate to that too easily. It was probably three months into me getting my SUV I’ve got parked out there and I was visiting my mom. On the drive over, it was sunny with clear skies, so I had the windows down and sunroof open when I parked it in her driveway.”

Ari giggled. The gruff tree of a man in front of you giggled and you couldn’t help your gaze that dropped to his pink lips. “I can already see where this is going.”

You snapped yourself back, laughing distractedly. “Oh yeah, as soon as I got in there and convinced myself I had definitely closed the sunroof, the sky opened up. When I left after dinner, I was greeted by soaked seats and full cup holders.”

Ari’s jaw dropped. “Yeah, yeah, that’s not even the best part. Besides the fact that I had to sit in a soaked seat on the way home, when I took the first big turn on the drive, water started leaking out of the overhead lights. You know the ones up by the rear view mirror? I don’t even know how it got in there!”

Ari was snorting at your story. Your genuine nature charmed him and he appreciated how you were able to laugh with him over silly mistakes. He noticed how long it had been since he’d taken this much joy in human interaction, heck, he realized it’s been so long since he’s really interacted with another person, period. The bartender and the other rangers didn’t count. Ari’s eyes continued to roam your features as you passionately told your story, a reminiscent smile on your face. A lace of humor that could retrospectively cover the embarrassing moment.

“Ever since then, I’ve carried at least three towels in the trunk. And also a change of clothes, just like you. It took all night for me to dry out the seats my garage. Had to open all the doors and run a box fan.”

Ari laughed and shook his head. “Well, cheers to learning from mistakes and always being prepared.”

You nodded, eyebrows raised in agreement, as you raised your coffee cup to meet his. “Amen to that. I knew you were a ranger for a reason. And I’ve been told I was a boy scout in another life.”

The two of you sipped your drinks and laughed together. You were surprised how a conversation as mundane as this could be so entertaining. Seriously, who took up twenty minutes just to note how prepared they were by keeping spares of everything possible on their person?

Wait. Twenty minutes on that one subject? And you’d discussed several before? What time was it!?

You checked your watch and your eyes got wide. You’d been sitting here with Ari for two hours. “Oh my gosh. I didn’t even realize how much time has passed! I really have to go and get back to my actual life. I should’ve been gone an hour ago!”

You frantically started gathering your things.

Ari stood from his chair, causing it to skid against the floor, watching you pack up and unsure what to do. “Wait, can I see you again sometime?”

“That’d be great but I don’t have time to exchange numbers.” You debated chugging the rest of your coffee, opting for the smarter decision of just carrying it back with you.

“There’s a bar two blocks down from here. Share a drink with me Friday night?”

“Perfect.” You threw over your shoulder as you rushed out the door and back down the sidewalk.

You didn’t have it in your to tell a guy like him ‘no’ to a request as simple as that. Ari looked like the kind of guy who would just love and leave, but his behavior said otherwise. Through your entire time together, he only ever indicated that he cared about you. His eyes never left yours, he asked you questions about the stories you told him. But was it too good to be true? Maybe you should just save yourself the trouble you thought as you got back into your car.

No. You’d played with fire like this before, but this time, for some reason, you didn’t fear you’d get burned.

Ari flopped back down in his chair after you left. He should probably get back to the ranger station soon, but he needed time to gather his thoughts.

He was finally relearning himself, and he had no plans on adding someone else back into the equation. Was it too soon?

He wanted to let you in, let you uproot his life from the inside. But he didn’t think it’d be wrecked. It would be rebuilt, regrown like the flower buds on the trees in spring. Everything about you seemed to shine so bright, like the rays from the sun he loved to watch filter through the leaves and hit the forest floor. Even through the clouds, his and your own that you both seemed to carry, something was glowing and warming up, he could feel them dissipating.

This feeling, the whole day and time with you, it felt like a movie he’s seen, but he didn’t believe it could be true. For a second, a tinge of doubt crept into Ari’s mind. What if it didn’t work out? What if this put him back where he started? Alone in that bar drinking doubles. He was quick to push it away, though. That heartache belonged to somebody else. Someone he never wanted to know again.

Next >

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@patzammit

@hawkeyes-queen

[prof-peach]

The what if: peach never left the rangers, and stayed on to complete the course and stick with Plum, the two of them being the unstoppable force they had every potential to become.

Probably set in the 16-19 timeframe?

This gives way for peach coming to the conclusion in her mid teens to start working out after a ranger test went wrong, leaving her bruised and battered but undeterred, so she’s on track to being a beefcake by her early 20s.

Low key plum liking the scars that started to appear.

Bob was ways trying to get the girls together from day one.

Lil teen peach was so vicious, and so cold, riddled with anxiety, a bad home life creating a difficult kid, if not very talented, and plum broke through that with her unrelenting whip of competition and overwhelming positivity. Peach learns how to be her age because of plum, learns about so much from her that she missed out on.

—————————————————————

These rough sketches have probably been used somewhere but I’m cleaning house with my files, so posting here before I delete. I do however love the ranger ‘what if’ the most, as it has the potential to be the gayest, and most wonderful timeline in terms of the girls team work.

[toasttt11]

in another life

April 28, 2019

Clementine was leaning up against a wall around her IIHF U18 Team having completed the tournament early in the day and they were all hanging out in a empty hotel room, some playing cards or poker, some all huddling with their phones, a few half asleep on the floor, and some just talking and eating.

Clementine was leaning against the wall looking out the window showing the city of Sweden, she tensed as she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder before she smelt the cologne and slightly relaxed.

“Well hello gorgeous.” Braden Schneider greeted her with his flirty smirk.

“Schneider.” Clementine deadpanned, she has known him for a few years now, playing him multiple times a year in the WHL and being teammates for Team Canada and they have the same NHL draft class.

“Aww, no smile for me.” Braden sadly pouted poking at her cheek making her bit her lip to stop her smile hating how he has grown on her over the years, “I saw that.” He smugly grinned at his favorite girl.

“Shut up.” Clementine grumbled crossing her arms over her chest but not moving away from his arm.

“Never.” Braden promised with a smile looking around before discreetly pressing a quick kiss to her cheek, “I will see you later Clemsy.” Braden winked at her and is the only one to call her that.

Clementine cursed in her mind as she felt her cheeks grow hot.

Jamie Drysdale happened to see the interaction between his two teammates and walked over giving his friend a look.

“James don’t.” Clementine gave him a stern look back. Clementine and Jamie had quickly become quick friends within the first time they met and they seemed to just click.

“I wasn’t going to.” Jamie innocently smiled holding his hands up in defense.

“Mhm.” Clementine hummed not believing a word he said, knowing Jamie is very sweet but also looks very innocent meaning he easily gets away with anything.

October 6, 2020

Clementine was watching the rest of the draft after getting drafted number one to the New Jersey Devils.

She sat on the couch watching it with Connor as the rest of her family was outside celebrating still.

“The New York Rangers are proudly to select Braden Schneider.”

Clementine perked up slightly at the name and clapped with a small smile getting a teasing look from her younger brother which she ignored.

She pulled up her phone pulling up her texts with Braden, “Looks like we are rivals again.” She texted and shut off her phone letting out a chuckle at the coincidence.

The two having been rivals the last three seasons and now they are drafted to the two teams that have one of the biggest rivals in the NHL.

“It’s fate Clemsy :).” Braden texted back the second he had a free second and smiled at Clementine texting him.

Connor made kissing sounds seeing his sister smiling at her phone, Clementine elbowed him giving him a look, “Do not be a brat.”

Connor just smiled shaking his head.

December 19, 2020

Clementine put her hotel key against the door for her hotel room for the WJC and walked into the room and saw the bathroom light on and door closed and knew it was her roommate, she didn’t know who it would be but she only had a few people that rooms with her so she didn’t bother to find out exactly who it was.

She set her bags down on the floor next to the empty bed not hearing the bathroom door open and someone walk up behind her only when she felt arms wrap around her waist to spin her around.

She froze for a second before hearing an all familiar laugh and she relaxed into the backwards hug as he spun them around before setting her back down on the ground.

Clementine spun around turning to face Braden who was staring at her with a smile across his face, she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him into a hug.

Braden smiled wider and hugged her tightly back.

The two started getting closer or rather Clementine started accepting her feelings for him and over the last nine months of being in quarantine they have facetimed and texted a lot and got a lot closer than they already were.

“Hi.” Braden whispered cupping her face, looking at her with a fond smile.

“Hi.” Clementine whispered back with a smile before she bit her lip and leaned up on her toes pressing her lips to his, Braden hand moved down to the lower of her back pulling her closer to him.

“Took you long enough.” Braden teased panting slightly as they pulled back.

“Shut up.” Clementine fondly rolled eyes whispering against his lips.

“Gladly.” Braden whispered before pressing his lips back against hers.

November 23, 2021

Clementine and Braden officially got together after they saw each other again at the WJC at the end of 2020 and their families weren’t surprised when they finally got together, they both kept their relationship private only family and some friends knowing not wanting anyone in their private life.

They loved being in a relationship and the two just fit each other so well, especially as Braden just seemed to bring out a more silly side of Clementine and they both experienced their first relationship.

But it was difficult, Clementine being in the NHL and having her rookie year and living in New Jersey and Braden switching between the AHL and WHL never having any time to see each other besides in the summer and they both knew it couldn’t work out forever.

He came to visit her for a few days having gotten a few days off and luckily so did Clementine.

Clementine rested her arm againt his bare arm laying in silence covered by a silk sheet feeling the slight cool chill in the room, Braden fingers were tracing her spine.

“I’m sorry.” Clementine whispered, she wanted a relationship to work with Braden, she really did. He was her first in a lot and she never regretted anything but she regretted how they just seemed to not be able to work out and how it just wasn’t easy.

“I’m sorry too Clemsy.” Braden kissed the top of her head, not only was she someone he had fallen in love with but she had become his best friend over the years and he hated that no matter how hard they tried they knew it wouldn’t work out between them.

They both deserved an amazing relationship and be treated the way they deserved and being in a long distance relationship and having schedules that don’t aline made it very difficult for that to happen.

“You are so gorgeous and i was lucky to be able to love you and to get the chance to be loved by you. You’re gonna find someone that it’s just easy with.” Braden held her face in his hands memorizing everything up close in case he never gets the chance again.

“And you are a totally asshole but you’re kind and funny and seem to light up a room no matter what, anyone will be luckily to have you B.” Clementine whispered back giving him a small sad smile and resting her forehead against his. Braden let out a small sad laugh.

They knew in another life they would’ve of worked out.