#she used and it really did not work. nothing held much gravity if that makes sense….. i mean this is a book that references finding nemo

[curtsies-from-princess-ashlyn]

Season 2 in review....

Surprisingly, there was a lot that was improved from s1 when this season started, but unfortunately those improvements weren't consistent through the whole season. The character work for the leads was much better than the first season, and I do think how the story was being told (i.e. literary devices, visual and musical cues, etc.) was stepped up (shoutout to Ilana Wolpert for 2x06, which I think is the best written episode this season). I also really liked how the music from BATB was incorporated into this season, which I think was used more effectively to tell the stories of the wildcats than the music from HSM in s1. I also thought the season was better paced in the first half than s1 (up until 2x07 or so), but then it started spinning wheels in the 2nd half a bit before coming to a screeching halt in the finale. The finale doesn't even really have a narrative, technically. For that alone, this is the weakest season as a whole.

The season's tone is noticeably darker than either s1 or s3 (and presumably s4), which I think really makes it stick out. I don't necessarily think the darker tone is a bad thing, since many of the characters are experiencing some really painful things this season, and it matches the gravity of the pain and trials they face. However, it's not tonally consistent with the rest of the show, and I think the inclusion of the North High crew makes this even worse. For the most part, the North High students were the ones who provided comedic relief this season, and the rivalry plotline simply did not work. The plot did nothing to further the arcs of the main characters, so as a framework for the overall season, it just felt superfluous. At least Nini's YAC arc had relevance and moved along her and Ricky's storylines, but the rivalry helped no character move from point A to point B in their growth. I think it could've been used to challenge Ashlyn's insecurities about being a leading lady, with Lily being her foil in fitting the "ideal" (I think maybe this was the original idea?), but there was almost no conclusion to Ashlyn's storyline as Belle. In the end, I think the North High rivalry felt much more like the Vocal Adrenaline rivalry in Glee than fitting in the very meta world of HSM or HSMTMTS.

If Ashlyn's storyline was so unfinished, then how can I possibly say the character work was improved from s1? Well, the storylines of Ricky, Nini, and Gina were done very well this season. I think there was a lot more intention and vision of how these characters needed to grow this season than in s1, and the writers do honor each one of them in their storylines. Ricky is continuing to be challenged to confront changes, and the more this happens, the tighter he clings to his past with Nini. Nini is discovering her own voice for the first time in a long time, and YAC and her relationship with Ricky are showing her that she needs more freedom and space to be her true self than they both provide. Ultimately, Ricky and Nini's breakup arc is the best written storyline of the season (even if its dragged out an episode too long). Ricky's arc still can't move forward until he confronts his mom (who it all leads back to), and overall the writers hit the perfect balance with his story. He was held accountable for his mistakes, but we the audience know exactly why he's making them and can empathize with his painful struggle.

Gina is figuring out where she actually fits in at EHS, and her growing insecurity and doubting of her instincts all ties back to her uncertainty in her relationship with Ricky. This all makes sense, given he's the first friend she ever made in SLC, effectively being the tether to the rest of her relationships there. S2a focuses on her struggling to navigate these new relationships and emotionally separate herself from everyone. The performance of "Home" is her turning point, but even after choosing to stay, she still continues to question her worth to others. Her conversation with Nini in 2x12 reveals that she still has insecurities about her true self, calling herself "off-putting". The one character I can't figure out if his storyline is written with intention or ultimately fumbled is EJ's. It's clear this season is supposed to start him on his journey of finding his own story, but rather than continue down this path, his storyline shifts to focus on his relationship with Gina. It could be intentional that the writers wanted EJ to think that his relationship with Gina was his new story, allowing him to learn in s3 that his story can't be defined by his father or a girl, but maybe that's a generous interpretation. I have more thoughts on his s3 storyline later.

I really appreciated the attempt to expand the scope of storytelling to be more ensemble-focused than s1, but I don't think enough attention was given to the rest of the characters. I loved that Kourtney had a significantly larger role this season, and her stories meshed better with the rest of the cast this season than Nini's, tbh. I actually loved seeing her work with Big Red and them as scene partners. Save for Kourtney's storyline, I don't think there was enough payoff or conclusion for the rest of the characters' individual arcs this season (Ashlyn, Big Red, Carlos, Seb).

Last comment: I was incredibly impressed by Joshua Bassett's performance this season. He gave a good performance in s1, but he reached a whole new level in s2 as Ricky. I think the clarity of Ricky's character and arc this season really helps, but I was blown away at how he was able to portray all these complex emotions so sensitively and believably. Sofia's undoubtedly the best actor, but he also really held his own this season.

[mokkemusic]

Have some thoughts about my feelings toward the latest TBHK chapter what emotions and questions and responses it’s now stirred in me with this altered time line. Also a note no I didn’t waste time editing I just wanted to jot my thoughts down so yea.

There is just so much I want to unpack with this. But I guess I just lost a lot of confidence with my thoughts and feeling for a while in every regard so I don’t know if I have the right words or I make sense but man MAN

I was just talking to Erin today about what if we do see Amane in his 60’s with the life he was supposed to live the dreams he was supposed to have! And ok maybe he really can’t make it all the way to the moon but he can think about the moon everyday and look at the stars and share his passion for that to kids who’s he’s teaching astrology to. He can live a life!

And not to be too depressing about this but really the story of Amane at his core is that if you die there is nothing for you. And I know that sounds horrible but that’s the point. We see this silly ghost boy through Nene and everyone’s perspective but then we have these moments that are like no … he’s dead. There is no future there’s nothing.

But imagine we really see a flesh and blood Amane who got to grow up. Now I know that some people have expressed how well they don’t want to see that cause that would mean Hananene wasn’t together and thats ok trust me I somehow want something where things could work out too so much but I’m not Aidairo and I can’t predict any direction. But I don’t think that .. I think we’re seeing this because just like the picture perfect arc and just like even bookstacks even though this is a “real” yet altered timeline and not a picture world it’s gonna show the gravity of the situation when we don’t see that school hat and the seal on his cheek or Hakojoudai. But a lab coat and graying hair and wrinkles and a character filled with memories and accomplishments no matter how small. How his presence and him being alive affects people. What relationships he’s never had a chance to form, what students he’s touched, who he’s maybe gotten to love (before throw daggers at me yes that’s the bittersweet of this like I said don’t think this is the final timeline but if it is I can’t control that) I just know I am gonna have so many mixed emotions for feeling Nenes conflicted emotions, for feeling the pride and peace of that non existent guilt Tsuchigomori harbors, and for myself who got into Hanako and deeply as she did because of bookstacks. I loved and it was great fun. But when they showed the glimpse of “oh that’s.. oh” no matter what I will cry so much when I think about bookstacks when I think about how Amane sat on that ledge and said “he didn’t want to go anywhere ever again” and then he didn’t. It wasn’t uplifting it was just something that Tsuchigomori held onto for years and years, with his most precious possession being the moon rock his student left in his care cause he couldn’t take it with him where he was going.

The amount of fics we’ve all written about how we wanted to see Amane as a teacher and happy or an Astronaut… I can’t explain why it affects me the way that it does but that’s MY thing. The part that got me the most a boy that wanted to go to the moon and (even though we don’t have all the details and background as to how much control he had over it) then essentially let go of all that and life.

So at the same time I would be feeling the angst and the pain if Aidairo is gracious enough to let us see him (and not just a photo that doesn’t have have his full face on Tsuchigomoris desk) I will also be conflicted-ly sobbing tears of joy. Just getting to see this.

Who knows what if the reason he’s Tsuchigomoris former co worker is because he really did then go on to become an astronaut or some position closer to reaching and studying the moon then just being an astrology teacher with the support of his colleagues and students.

I don’t think so but it’s a nice dream you know? 🥹

What if not only we get to see as readers but what if Nene herself somehow gets to see that. The conflicted emotions and sadness and happiness inside me will just truly break me and make me think and yea…

It would have impact. I just hope in whatever capacity this arc really can show that the harsh reality.

[aardvark-123]

A Ghost of a Chance: A Christmas Story for Spear-Gsun

Good afternoon, @spear-gsun, I have the honour of being your Touhou secret Santa this year! For your enjoyment, here’s a story about Mizuchi and the ladies of the Moriya Shrine. There isn’t much official characterisation for Mizuchi yet, so I took a few ideas and ran with them; I hope you like the result. ^.^

~A Ghost of a Chance~

"D'you think we should have something hot for lunch?"

"Yes, it's turned very cold all of a sudden. How about if we make soup with the rest of that bacon?"

"Sounds delicious!" Wearing a green and white apron, Sanae wandered into the Moriya Shrine's kitchen. "I'll chop while you soup, yeah?"

"You do that." Kanako strode in after her, wearing a blue apron embroidered with the charming image of two muscular warrior-women wrestling above a ferocious bear-sized frog and a poison-spitting serpent.

Kanako crounched in front of the white panelled cooker to light it, only to pause with her hand over the knob. "Actually, hold that thought."

"What's wrong?" Sanae held that thought while she held back the avalanche of plates trying to slide out of the dresser. "Aargh, come onnnn, there shouldn't be a chopping board in here in the first place...!"

Leaving Sanae to wrestle with gravity, Kanako grabbed the broom and gave the ceiling a few swift bangs. "Mizuchi! We're preparing the luncheon! Could you come down and help?!" she called.

"Mizuchi? Can she cook?" Sanae had extracted the chopping board and was now setting about some shiitake mushrooms, her knife thwacking on the wood.

"I hope so. Since it's going to be an extended stay, she really should start pitching in," Kanako explained. "Not too many of those mushrooms, Sanae."

Sanae rolled her eyes. "Oh, heaven forfend, they're three hundred yen for a bite!" she quoted, before plucking the smallest mushroom from the basket and giving Kanako a wink. "I'll add a cheap one too."

Kanako knew she should fire something back, but no witty remarks popped into her head, so instead she stuck her tongue out at Sanae. Satisfied, she got to work in front of the cooker.

Kanako soon had a saucepan bubbling soupily away, ready to receive its first dose of onions and daikon, at which point their guest finally made her appearance.

"I see you muffins made a start without me," Mizuchi said dryly as she flounced into the room, her ghost tails drifting across the floor tiles. She was not wearing an apron, because what was she, some kinda wet smack? "Certainly looks wet, whatever it is you're cooking."

Kanako stared at her. "It's soup, Mizuchi! I need you to, um..." That was a point. For what vital purpose did she require the presence of a freshly-laundered Mizuchi?

"Stir the soup, please," decided Kanako, stepping back so Mizuchi could access the saucepan.

Mizuchi drifted in front of the cooker and picked up the plate Sanae had left, piled with white daikon discs and curving slivers of onion. "Are these meant to go in?"

"Yes, slide them in there."

"Oh, be still, my beating kegare." With a bored expression, Mizuchi tilted the plate and let a small avalanche of vegetables plop into the boiling water.

"Not having fun?" Sanae was chopping a pile of cold bacon into what were supposed to be thin strips, but came out in varying shapes and thicknesses. "Do vengeful spirits do much cooking, Mizuchi? I've seen you eat hundreds of times, but you've never cooked!"

"Well, we certainly don't mind a good dinner, but we don't have to eat like you crumbs do. I used to just eat out whenever the urge came over me, see?" explained Mizuchi. "So this is pretty far outside my wheelhouse."

"Oh, you don't need to eat?" Kanako raised her eyebrows. "Then I suppose we wasted our time, making you all those delicious meals while you've been here!"

"Hey, I never said that! You put words in my..." Mizuchi scowled. "So I'm your slave now, is that the picture? I get nothing but a dog's soup unless I work my ectoplasm off all day?"

"No, I didn't mean-!" Kanako took a deep breath, holding back her frustration. "How can I explain, Mizuchi? People who aren't evil and twisted do this sort of thing for each other! If we were enslaving you, we'd have put you to work from the day you started on probation, not waited a whole week to ask for help making lunch."

Mizuchi continued scowling. This Kanako bearcat clearly thought she was better than her, and not even the smell of vegetables starting to cook was enough to sweeten that malarkey.

"You know that was an olive branch, don't you?" Sanae pointed out. "Take the branch. You could be so much more than a spirit of hate and resentment... You could be a spirit who stirs soup! It's sticking, Mizuchi! Hurry!"

With a jolt, Mizuchi stopped scowling and started stirring. A few of the radish slices were clinging to the bottom of the saucepan, but the wooden spoon pried them from its embrace, and soon Mizuchi was stirring a steady circle through the soup.

"Is that how you stir?" Kanako peered down at Mizuchi's circling spoon. "The soup gets mixed better if you stir in a figure-of-eight. It'd help the ingredients mingle."

Mizuchi stared at her. "The mind boggles. And d'you want me to breathe in a different time signature? I can do three-four, four-four or five-six, maybe six-eight? Or maybe you could mind your own business!"

=======================

"Gosh, Mizuchi, was that a smile?"

"I don't know, was it?"

"Come on, that was clearly a smile!"

"Look, just back off, frogspawn! It was an adequate soup, see? That's as far as I'm going."

"Did she like the soup?" asked a full Suwako, stopping on her way to the kitchen with a stack of empty bowls.

"She loved it!" a warm and satisfied Sanae confirmed.

With a heavy sigh, Mizuchi tapped on Sanae's head. "Empty. See? It's completely hollow."

"So..." Still smiling, Sanae brushed Mizuchi's hand aside. "Now that we've eaten, are you ready for an adventure?"

"Adventure?" Mizuchi's eyes widened. She tried not to look too excited as she regarded Sanae. "It depends. What's the low-down?"

"Well, we-"

There was a loud crash and a scream from Suwako. A couple of seconds went by, then "It's all right! They landed in the water!"

Sanae shrugged, her green hair spilling over her shoulders. "We buy most of our food here on the mountain, but we stock up on human-made stuff in the Human Village every month," she explained. "And this month's every falls on today!"

Mizuchi gasped melodramatically. "Murder! We're going shopping?! And here I thought this day couldn't get any better! Wait, did you say Human Village?"

Sanae nodded.

"Ah." Mizuchi winced. "Normally I'd blow my wig at the chance to carry your shopping home, but sadly I ain't flavour of the month in the Human Village right now."

"Why not? What did you do?" asked Suwako, wandering back into the hallway with her hat down over her eyes.

"Uh... Nothing at all, chief, and that's a Miyadeguchi guarantee! The story is, some genius's been possessing cats in the village, and the word 'possessing' in any context makes me a prime suspect. But I'm on the level, and I wouldn't wanna be a cat! Not much." Mizuchi scowled, her cheeks reddening. "Maybe a coupla days to see how it felt."

"I see," Suwako said with a smile. "I do recommend being a frog if you ever get the chance, now."

"Yeah. Right. So you can dig how it's best for all of us if I sit this one out, can't you?"

With a smile, Suwako shook her head, making her blonde hair fan out beneath her enormous wedged-on hat. "It'll be fine."

"Wh-?" Mizuchi's brow furrowed. "Weren't you listening? The villagers all think I'm possessing cats! Cat cats, not people cats, but same difference! It could turn ugly if I show my face on their patch."

"But you haven't actually been possessing cats, right? I think that's what you said," Sanae interjected with a curious look on her face. "Could you possess a cat? I mean, would you be able to if you wanted?"

Mizuchi gave her a look. "I don't know!"

"Well, Mizuchi..." Suwako said, pushing up her hat so Mizuchi could see her twinkling eyes. "As much as we'd love to have you along, no-one's forcing you to come to the village? No-one can just force you to do anything, can they?"

"No?" Mizuchi puffed out her chest. "I mean, no, no way!"

"So are you really going to let the villagers bully you out of coming shopping with us when you haven't even done anything?"

"Eeeeh...?" Mizuchi's eyes crossed for a moment. "Wh-what?! No dice! I'd never let a pack of mortal crumbs frighten me off their turf!" she exploded.

"So do you want to tag along, even though the whole world's against it?" Suwako smirked, leaving Sanae giggling with a hand clamped over her mouth.

"You shred it, wheat! No-one and nothing in the world's gonna stop me!" ranted Mizuchi,

"What's going on?" Kanako came over with the air of somebody who definitely wasn't EXPECTING trouble, but would start throwing onbashiras the very second trouble arrived.

Sanae was bent double in the throes of laughter. "It's Mizuchi," she squeaked. "She's a little bit excited about our shopping trip!"

Kanako shut her eyes and breathed a deep, heartfelt sigh. "Of course she is. Listen, Mizuchi, we want to help you become more than just an outcast- no, you DESERVE to become more than just an outcast, but that needs some effort from you as well. So I'm going to have to put my foot down. You're coming with us, as part of society, and that's final."

"...Final?" Mizuchi put her hands on her hips and glared sassily up at Kanako. "I'll tell you what's final, doll-face. I'm tagging along on your little trip for biscuits, and there's nothing you or anyone can do to stop me! Got it?!"

"Don't mistake my kindness for a soft touch, Mizuchi! If I have to, I'll-" Kanako froze in mid-berate, her gaze softening. "What did you say?"

"If I wanna go shopping, I will, and I do, so I will! If you wanna make this a problem-" Mizuchi froze in mid-berate, her gaze softening. "Did you say you WANT me to tag along?"

"Did you say you could speak Tagalog?" Kanako smiled awkwardly. "Um... Good! It's nice to see some enthusiasm from you!"

"I ain't used to being wanted! Gee, thanks." Mizuchi's smile vanished abruptly, giving way to a look of dull horror. "Wait, wh- why'd I say all that baloney? I just wanna stick it to the woman! And go shopping."

"Right... Come on, we should get ready before it starts snowing again."

=======================

It took ten seconds of walking down the corridor for our heroines to reach the front door, before which a rack of jumbled coats hung beside them and a row of footwear stood to attention on the genkan.

"It certainly looks chilly today. Do you want a coat, Mizuchi?" asked Sanae, dithering between two of hers.

Mizuchi glanced out of the window. A few snowflakes were whirling in the breeze while the sun glared out from behind dense banks of cloud, turning the ground into a bright sea of white where the light could reach. A day ripe for a haunting... Or shopping.

"Don't worry about me, kitten. My heart's already colder than ice," Mizuchi decided, although she sounded a little unsure.

"Good for you," Sanae said diplomatically. "Some of us want to keep our hearts at a comfortable thirty-seven point eight degrees Celsius, though, so please watch warmly!"

Sanae slid into her green bomber jacket and tall froggy wellies. Kanako armoured herself in a dark double-breasted trenchcoat with a red capelet and belt, followed by tall blue boots with wedge heels, three buckles on each side and images of golden snakes curling up their waterproof shafts. Suwako threw a blanket around her shoulders and laced up her trainers.

"Cute," said Mizuchi, leaning sullenly on the wall. Her own stripy white t-shirt and skirt were as comfy as ever, sitting loosely on her slender frame. "So, ladies, shall we?"

=======================

A biting cold wind nibbled our heroines as soon as they left the shrine, ruffling their clothes and chilling their noses, so they hurried across the front plaza to where the car slept with her back against the trees. They bundled into the blue 1985 Honda Today with Mizuchi and Suwako in the back, Kanako riding hakkero and Sanae in the driver's seat.

"Before we start, Sanae, the roads have been very icy recently," Kanako pointed out, sitting on her hands to warm them up. Why had she forgotten her gloves? Leather gloves were a vital part of her winter look! Anyway, "Don't treat this like another rally stage, all right?"

"Worry not, Mother, our journey shall be the smoothest car trip since Sailor Moon got her 2017 Ford Fusion!" Sanae cracked her knuckles and took hold of the steering wheels.

"Check your seat belts, everyone," said Kanako heavily.

Suwako giggled. "Mine's perfectly comfortable!"

Sanae turned the key, making the car thrum into life. It lurched forwards as she steered them across the snowy courtyard and out onto the rutted road.

"Should Sanae really be driving?" Mizuchi whispered to Suwako, even though the others could definitely hear her. "Is she kind of a lead rainboot?"

"Lead foot, yes, but unfortunately she is the only car pilot among us," Kanako said loudly.

Sanae's eyes widened. "The imposter is sus! Call an emergency meeting!" she burst out. "Sorry, couldn't resist. My feet are a perfectly healthy weight, Mizuchi, so there's no need to worry. Hold tight!"

=======================

Mizuchi held tight as they bumped down the windy mountain road, taking tight corners at a cautious pace and ploughing through frozen puddles. Snow fluttered past the steamed-up windows, but it was warming up inside the car and the slim leather seats were comfy enough. Ten minutes of driving saw them leaving Youkai Mountain and motoring across the fields below.

The Human Village was an island in the grey weather. Dozens of lamps were glowing warmly beneath cloudy skies, enough to reveal the shape of the village despite the snow blanketing everything.

Sanae drove carefully through the half-frozen mud in the north gate, waving to the confused and frightened guards. She backed the car onto comfy straw in an empty stable and turned off the engine.

"Okay, how was that? Smooth enough for you?" Sanae stretched her back, leaned over and pushed open the door. It clacked against the stable wall, leaving barely enough room for her to squeeze out.

"Very smooth, thank you. Now, er..." Kanako tried her door and relaxed when it swung all the way open. "Right, that should be fine. We'll stock up on food first, then see if we have room for any extras in the car cupboard. All right?"

"It's called the boot, but sure." Sanae smiled even though she was wedged at a tricky angle between the scratchy stable wall and the smooth automobile bodywork. With a groan of effort she ploughed through the narrow canyon and stumbled out across the snow.

Mizuchi glanced at Suwako. "Am I allowed to use that door?" she asked, pointing at the right passenger door.

Suwako shook her head, looking horrified. "No, they'll haul you in front of the automotive tribunal and have you executed for deviant vehicular disembarkment!"

"Don't confuse her, Suwako. You can use whichever door you want, Mizuchi, as long as it's open," Kanako reassured her. "Although, actually, wouldn't you be able to pass through walls since you're a ghost?"

"I can," confirmed Mizuchi. "But it feels like my skin's full of gelato sliding around like... How can I put it? You know when you rub against something smooth?"

"Oh, yes! I certainly have experienced that once or twice!" said Sanae, peeking in through the boot.

Mizuchi raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, it feels like that, but all the way through you."

"Coooool!" breathed Sanae. "And is it different for different substances? Like, does phasing through bricks feel different from phasing through wood or metal or, or...?"

=======================

The discussion about ghost biology continued while Kanako led her retinue through the snowy village. They crunched through snow and slush, or in Mizuchi's case floated over it, passing well-wrapped villagers on their way to this and that.

First on the agenda was Hideyoshi and Son's kosher butcher's shop. They turned onto a wide road about halfway along the high street, but before they reached the familiar triangle of painted wooden signs offering delicious cuts of meat, a furious teenage girl ran out to confront them.

"You!" the bespectacled girl yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Mizuchi. "When are you going to answer for what you've done?!"

Mizuchi grit her teeth. "Oh... Just peachy, it's the little book girl," she growled. "Listen, you dizzy little doll, I don't know what your beef is-"

Kanako nudged Mizuchi, silencing her. Mizuchi scowled, but stayed quiet as Kosuzu halted in front of them, a five-foot-one tower of rage.

"Every cat in the village is in a blue funk thanks to you!" Kosuzu accused. "I don't know what you did or how you did it, but you must have done it! And look!"

To the growing bemusement of those watching, Kosuzu turned around and picked something up. Staggering under the heavy weight, she turned back to reveal a limp, glassy-eyed Akyuu cradled in her arms.

Sanae gasped. "The Child of Miare is your cat?!"

"Just look what you've done to Akyuu!" ranted Kosuzu, glaring daggers at Mizuchi with sweat rolling down her youthful face. "Another victim of the cat Incident, and she isn't even a cat!"

"Oh, my mistake," said Sanae.

"Listen, lady, I'm not the villain in this picture. I haven't possessed your filly or any cats, I'm telling you!" With a nervous laugh, Mizuchi looked around at her companions. "You guys believe me, right? I've been toeing the line all week! Not necessarily with my big toe, but at the very least... I don't got any toes, do I? Damn it!"

"It's all right, Mizuchi. We believe you." Kanako gave Mizuchi a pat on the shoulder, for once not getting an angry glare in return, and addressed Kosuzu with calm sensibility. "Nobody wants to see their fiancé get cursed, Miss Motoori, but being upset doesn't give you the right to blame the first vengeful spirit you see. Do you understand how you might have been too harsh?"

"But she's possesed people before!" Kosuzu plonked Akyuu down in the snow and continued to argue frantically. "Mizuchi brought Gensokyo to the brink of ruin, apparently! Who else is there who can possess peoeple?!"

"Mima?" suggested Kanako.

"Another ghost?" suggested Sanae.

"Well, yes, but... Akyuu's been like this for days! She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, she doesn't do anything! Someone has to take responsibility for it!" Kosuzu continued.

"Hmmm... Is that so?" Suwako folded her arms and regarded Kosuzu coolly. "Seventy-twelve and a half percent of disasters in the Human Vilage over the last six years have been caused by you, Kosuzu, reading a cursed book or waking up some tricksy youkai. Why should we believe you didn't curse Akyuu by Akyuucideeeh... I mean by accident?!"

Kosuzu's jaw dropped. "Wha... WHAT?! How could you say that?! Akyuu's my dearest sweetheart! How could you blame me just because I-! I sometimes-!" Kosuzu's voice caught in her throat. "Did you... Did you really not do this, Mizuchi? But... I- I'm sorry, I was so worried about her! It's like she's dead even though she's clearly still alive."

Kosuzu sank to her knees behind Akyuu, exhausted of anger and brimming over with tears. "They've all given up, her retainers and guardians... They think it's time for- for a new Child of Miare! But I know she has years more to go."

"Oh, Kosuzu..." whispered Mizuchi. She could feel a weird ache where her heart used to be and it was not a pleasant sensation. "You're just dizzy with that little tomayto, aren't you?"

"I- I don't understand. Akyuu isn't a vegetable!" said Kosuzu, clinging to Akyuu's non-plant-based shoulders while she stared in disbelief.

"Tomatoes are fruits," Sanae pointed out.

"Um... To tell you the truth, I haven't been bold enough to ask if she's one of those." Kosuzu blew her nose on Akyuu's baggy sleeve. "She's behaving just like the cats who were posessed, sitting in one place all day... I don't know what to do."

A heavy silence fell over the snowy road. Mizuchi realised with a jolt of panic that she'd been feeling sympathy- sympathy, of all things! It was unthinkable for a vengeful spirit, yet she'd thought it. So concerned was Mizuchu that she failed to notice Kanako and Suwako sharing a long, meaningful look.

"Sorry, Kosuzu," Kanako said after a few seconds. "We all know how much Akyuu means to you, butt here doesn't seem to be anything we can do. Suwako and I are warriors, Mizuchi clearly isn't an option and as for Sanae, she didn't bring anything for a healing ritual."

Sanae suddenly seemed very interested. "Oh, actually, I could try to heal her-"

Suwako nudged Sanae in the hip. "No, no," she said urgently. "You were veeeery clear before we left about how you didn't bring your paraphernalia for exorcising an evil spirit or curing a curse-related illness, because you probably wouldn't need it in the human village, right?"

"Um, wrong! I can totally give her-" Sanae's brain caught up with her mouth, eliciting a gasp of realisation. "Oh. Ohhh, right, silly me! I used up all my third- and fourth-level spell slots! All I have left is Healing Word," she said slowly. "Which means, regrettably, I cannot do a blessed thing for poor little Akyuu. What a tragedy!"

Kosuzu was staring at her in horrified fascination. "Are you just taking the piss now?! Because this isn't funny!"

"No, Kosuzu, I promise no piss is being taken." Winking at Kosuzu, Kanako took Sanae and Suwako by their hands. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do-"

"Not so fast, chief. I might be able to do, uh, something."

All eyes except Akyuu's turned to Mizuchi, who looked surprised to have heard her own words.

"I mean, uhh..." Mizuchi cleared her throat. "I'm a ghost, as you can see. And even though I didn't do anything to this kitten, I could help her, potentially."

"Mizuchi, what are you saying?!" cried Suwako.

"I'm saying... I must be totally loco, but I'm saying I could un-possess her." It was too late to change her mind, so Mizuchi took a deep breath and launched into her explanation. "You can hold a finger of giggle juice in your mouth without swallowing, right? Then maybe I could possess someone without draining their energy, or even give them some of mine! Gods know it ain't a sure shot, but it could work."

"Ain't a sure shot?" Kosuzu's eyes were wide with fear. "You want to cure Akyuu's possession by possessing her?! That's like curing a headache by bonking someone on the head with a mallet!"

"It sounds much too risky," Kanako said grimly, her brow furrowing. "I'm sure you want to help, Mizuchi, but possessing her again can't possibly make anything better!"

"It can!" Mizuchi was fired up now, backing up her argument with wild hand gestures. "Things that get done can get done in reverse, see? Like untying a knot or squeezing out a sponge! Sanae could save Akyuu if she had her spell slots, whatever those are, so why not me?! Why not possess a girl backwards?!"

"Because you'd be risking an innocent girl's life for something you don't even know is going to work! I'm sorry, Mizuchi, but I won't allow it," Kanako said firmly.

Mizuchi simmered for about five seconds before responding. "Until now, I thought you were the good kind of selfish broad who makes it her business to look after everyone else. But no, you're just an Abercrombie who thinks she's queen of the freaking world!" She spat at Kanako's feet and turned away, her fists clenched in front of her chest. "Gimme the all-clear, Kosuzu, and I'll fix your little miss!"

"Wh-wha-?!" Kosuzu's mouth fell open in horror. She was about to say something unprintable when she noticed Kanako and Suwako, both looking right at her and nodding furiously over Mizuchi's shoulders.

"U-um..." Kosuzu bit her lip. "You can try it?"

Mizuchi's eyes widened, then she came out in a manic grin. "All right! You're about to see the world's first unpossession!"

"Mizuchi, don't do this!" Kanako stepped forward, her arm reaching out for her defiant ward. "Think, you imbecile! If you end up harming her while you're on probation, there could be dire consequences! Reimu might not spare your undeath a second time."

"Oh, so I get the kiss-off for tryna save someone's life?" Mizuchi laughed bitterly. "Sounds fair. I'll drag that shrine moron to Hell behind me if she wants! Stay outta my way!"

Without another word, Mizuchi turned and lunged towards Akyuu. Kosuzu dove onto the snowy ground with a scream. Mizuchi became a whirlwind of steam and light, pouring into Akyuu's round nose like steam from a kettle going the wrong way. Akyuu's eyes flashed red, then she stood up with a strangled gasp.

"G-get me a drink!" Akyuu stumbled forwards on unsteady legs, moving stiffly and jerkily like a puppet in need of some oil. "This girl's throat feels like a pile of cinder blocks! And gods, her tummy's going nuclear in here!"

"Mizuchi, is that you?!" cried Sanae. There was no mistaking the absurd jumble of American words and Chicago gangster slang spluttering out of Akyuu's normally gentle mouth. "I- I brought some cereal bars! Will they do?"

"She needs a drink first! Fortunately..." Kanako pulled a thermos flask from under her coat. She unscrewed the lid and poured out a measure of steaming green tea, which she held out to the purple-haired girl.

"Thanks, chief!" Mizuchi, piloting Akyuu deftly, took the cup-lid and gulped down the liquid within. Akyuu's elegant throat bobbed wildly as she swallowed. "Ahhh, that... That's kippy."

"Akyuu... No, Mizuchi, are you... Is she..." Her clothes damp with snow, Kosuzu took Akyuu's small hands in a tender grasp. "Are you all right? She'd better be all right, Mizuchi!"

"Relax, doll-face. Whatever funk this little number was in, it's no match for the Jailbreak King!" Mizuchi laughed proudly and coughed miserably. "Bloomers on toast, this body's Joed. She needs about fifty of those cereal bars and a week dossing in bed."

Kosuzu squeaked delightledly. "Ohhh, what a relief! Thank you so much, Mizuchi!" she cried, dancing with joy. "When can you give her back?! Do you need to stay in there for a while?"

"She should be okay, emphasis on 'should'. But lemme get one of these inside her first," said Mizuchi, beckoning Sanae over.

Mizuchi took the proffered cereal bar and tucked in, chewing the paper wrapper with a scowl. "Thish shtuff'sh overrated," she growled, forcing down the last bite. "Okay, little Akyuu can have her body back now. I'm giving her my energy, enough to stay on her feet for a few hours anyway. Here we go!"

Mizuchi, or Akyuu, clamped her hands over the sides of her head and let out a long, low scream. Abruptly she looked up to the sky and blew out a cloud of steam, which broiled and shook in midair for a moment before coalescing into Mizuchi.

Kanako, Sanae and Suwako cheered while Mizuchi slumped wearily against the wall. Kosuzu grabbed Akyuu as she staggered backwards, blinking blearily in the faint afternoon sun.

"K-Kosuzu?" breathed Akyuu, peering up at her as best she could. "You carried me."

"It's all right, Akyuu! I've got you!" Kosuzu spun Akyuu around and kissed her on both cheeks. "Oh, Akyuu... I was so worried! I thought you'd be like that forever!"

"And the day is saved." Mizuchi's clothes were rumpled and her hair all over the place, but she wore a proud smile as she floated towards them. "Hieda no Akyuu, how are we feeling?"

"I was so cold..." groaned Akyuu, leaning on Kosuzu and holding her tight. "I wanted to move so desperately, I was screaming at myself from within, but my body refused to listen! Then she..."

"You're safe now, Akyuu." Kosuzu wept with relief. "M- Mizuchi, thank you so much! And you!" She looked up at the proud Kanako and Suwako, standing on the other side of the road with a confused Sanae. "Now I understand why you were encouraging me to say yes while Mizuchi couldn't see you!"

Kanako and Suwako's smiles vanished. They shared a brief guilty look before bracing themselves for the worst.

"I beg your pardon?" Mizuchi turned around slowly, brushing a strand of hair off her forehead, and whispered the sheepish goddesses her question. "What did the snappy young bookseller just say?"

"Right, Mizuchi, I should perhaps mention one or two things now," Kanako tried to stay on top of the situation. "Suwako's idea was about uncovering the real you, seeing whether you'd do the right thing even if it might come at a cost, and she convinced me to go along with it- OW!"

Suwako withdrew her foot from Kanako's bruised shin. "Sorry, Mizuchi, but we had to see if you were making progress. So when we saw this situation with Akyuu, we decided to give you a little push in the right direction. Except we made it look like a push in the wrong direction... You see?"

Mizuchi glared at her for a few more moments, then she burst out laughing. "Oh, for the love of rainbows! Reverse psychology?!" she scoffed. "Well, joke's on you, I only did the 'right thing' 'cause I felt like it... Wh-which doesn't mean I'm nice!"

"Don't say that! You are nice, Mizuchi." Kosuzu took Mizuchi's hand and smiled up at her. "You're a hero! You saved Akyuu's life!"

"Guh?!" Mizuchi could hardly bear such a radiant smile. Akyuu was up on her plates, leaning on a bollard and looking fine thanks to the magic of tea, cereal bars and...

"Damn it, I was kind, wasn't I? Well, fine, get your snaps! Extra, extra, read all about it! Vengeful spirit turns out to be capable of upstanding behaviour... Big deal." Mizuchi stuck out her tongue. "Can we go shopping now?"

[saiacross]

Bonds Unveiled

Supernatural FanFic : 9,672 Words : Series: Reader-Insert

To Be or Not To Be Human Pt2

This Work is part of an overarching story that can be read as a one-shot with little overlapping information from other chapters.

⬅ Chapter 19: 2B or Not 2B Pt1 💜 Chapter 21: Confessions & Heat➡ Master List

To Be or Not To Be Human Pt2 Tragedy has struck at the Rec Center, there is so much blood, so many bodies, and there was nothing she could have done to stop it. Y/N knew this day was inevitable, and she was thankful it held off as long as it did... but still. Now she must make a choice; unseal her supernatural self or remain a human, though to be honest there is only one answer. However this is just the start of a really rough week for Y/N and the Winchesters as Vampires and Werewolves get tossed into the fix.

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Y/N's knuckles were bone-white as she gripped the steering wheel, her gaze fixed on the never-ending highway leading her back to the bunker, her sanctuary. She had known this day was inevitable, and she was thankful it held off as long as it did... but still.

The radio remained silent, the windows down, and the world outside was a blur of scenery passing by, accompanied only by the rhythmic sound of her own breathing. There were no thoughts, no voices in her head, just an eerie silence that amplified her racing heartbeat.

Upon her arrival at the bunker, Y/N descended the stairs to the entrance. She was met by Dean, the eldest Winchester, who rushed towards her with a mixture of concern and panic etched across his face. His hands found her shoulders, his touch gentle yet urgent, and his eyes searched her for answers. A trembling hand cupped her cheek as he spoke, "Y/N... Are you alright? What happened?"

Y/N stood there, a haunting calm in her demeanor as she allowed Dean to inspect her. Blood stained her clothes, her hair was in disarray, and her eyes, red and swollen, seemed to hold a hidden storm. She hadn't uttered a word yet, and Dean's voice quivered with anxiety as he implored, "Y/N, sweetheart, please say something."

Finally, she broke her silence, her voice void of emotion as she uttered, "The blood's not mine."

Dean began to respond, but his words were cut short by Sam's frantic cries from another room. Dean momentarily glanced in the direction of Sam's panicked voice, torn between staying with Y/N or responding to his brother's call for help. After a moment, he locked eyes with Y/N and said, "Stay right here. I'll be back in a minute, okay?" Then, he rushed toward Sam's voice, leaving Y/N behind.

In the library, Dean entered with a sense of urgency, demanding, "What's going on?"

Sam was already in motion, grabbing their jackets and thrusting Dean's at him while explaining in a rush, "There's trouble at the rec center, we—"

Dean halted Sam's frenzied movements by gripping his brother's arm firmly, preventing him from rushing off. Sam understood the gravity of the situation but still sent a pointed, impatient glare at Dean as he said, "Dean!"

Dean interjected, firmly holding Sam's gaze as he explained, "Y/N just walked in the door. She's covered in blood, Sam. She said it's not hers."

For a brief moment, both brothers stood still, the heavy silence of the bunker library enveloping them. They exchanged worried glances, their ragged breaths the only sounds in the room.

The crashing of shattered glass reverberated through the bunker's halls, a chilling sound that instantly drew the brothers' attention. Dean's heart clenched as he realized Y/N was no longer where he had left her, and a surge of anxiety coursed through him. Without hesitation, both brothers sprinted toward the source of the sound, dread heavy in their steps.

Dean's thoughts raced as they rushed down the corridor, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for leaving Y/N alone, even for a moment. Sam, who was ahead, skidded to a sudden halt, using the doorframe to slow himself as he peered into the bathroom. His eyes widened in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

It only took a few moments for Dean to catch up to his brother. Together, they knelt by Y/N's side. Her blood-smeared hands clung to the edge of the sink, crimson droplets dripping onto the floor. The bathroom mirror above the sink lay shattered into pieces, and a large shard of glass rested on the floor beside her. Y/N's head hung heavily, caught between the sink and her bare, blood-stained chest, her shirt removed.

But the most harrowing sight that sent shivers down their spines was the deep, bleeding gash cutting across the seal seared into her back. It bled profusely, a gruesome wound that marred her once flawless skin.

In the small bathroom, the brothers sprang into action, their voices mingling as they attempted to reach her through the oppressive veil covering her senses. Their words, though filled with desperation and urgency, remained muffled and distant to Y/N, unable to penetrate the haze that enveloped her.

One of them applied pressure to the wound, attempting to stem the bleeding, while the other lifted her gently into his arms. To Y/N, it was all a surreal blur, an indistinct cacophony of sound and touch, her consciousness slipping away as the world around her faded.

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Castiel entered the dimly lit library, the heavy atmosphere immediately catching his attention. Dean, hunched over the table, appeared lost in thought, his fingers tangled in his hair. On the other side of the table, Sam was engrossed in the glow of the computer screen. Castiel approached them, his expression etched with concern.

"She is resting now. Her wounds have healed."

Sam, relieved, leaned back in his seat. "Thanks, Cas."

Dean, however, remained frozen in his distress, shoulders tense, and guilt consuming him. Castiel noticed Dean's inner turmoil but chose not to press the matter further. Turning his attention back to Sam, Castiel inquired about Y/N's actions.

 "Do you know why she would want to harm herself?"

Dean's anguish grew apparent as he clenched his fists and directed his frustration inward. He felt responsible, believing that he could have prevented what happened.

Sam, still sorting through the details, explained, "Well, the reports say there was a shooting at the Rec Center today. I'm still waiting on cam footage to see if that's the case."

Dean's anger erupted, and he slammed his fist on the table, his voice filled with anguish.

"It doesn't matter if the reports are accurate or not. Whatever happened... She couldn't stop it, so she tried to remove the seal."

Dean's theory was based on his own past experiences, and it seemed eerily accurate in Y/N's case. However, until she woke up, Sam didn't know where else to direct his focus. He couldn't allow himself to wallow in despair.

Castiel, always offering solutions, suggested, "I could go look at her memories for answers."

Sam, taken aback, shook his head with a hint of reluctance. "No, it's fine."

Dean, unable to bear the weight of his emotions, abruptly stood and walked away, his intentions clear.  "I need a drink."

Sam and Castiel exchanged concerned glances, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on their hearts.

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The room was tense, a palpable cloud of apprehension hanging over Sam as he steeled himself for the revelation about to unfold. At his side, the laptop screen illuminated the dim space, its ghostly glow reflecting off Sam's intent eyes.

Dean approached, bearing a bottle of rich amber liquid and two empty glasses, placing them deliberately on the table. He wasted no time, cracking the bottle's seal and pouring a generous measure into each glass, a silent gesture of solidarity in their shared apprehension. Taking his place in the chair next to his brother, Dean took a bracing swig straight from the bottle, fortifying himself for the impending ordeal.

"Alright, let's do this." Dean’s eyes were now locked onto the screen.

Sam's resolve was evident in the tight set of his jaw and the determined gleam in his eyes. He swallowed hard, his hand poised above the laptop's keyboard. A profound silence fell, a collective breath held between the brothers.

With a single tap of the space bar, the footage began to play, and the Rec Center's tragic story started to unfold before them.

Y/N's graceful crouch brought her to the eye level of a group of wide-eyed children, their faces lit up with excitement, mirroring her glowing smile. Their tiny hearts raced with joy as they hopped up and down, hanging on to every word she said.

"There was a daycare camp at the Rec Center, and the kickboxing class volunteered to host them." Sam's voice, heavy with emotion, strained to tell the story.

Dean, his jaw clenched, couldn't bring himself to utter a word. The pain etched across his face mirrored the heaviness in Sam's voice as they both watched the unfolding events with a mixture of dread and sorrow.

The day had started like any other, with Y/N and the other instructors guiding the children through their activities. Laughter and playful shouts filled the room as they all reveled in the shared joy of the day.

But then, suddenly, as lunchtime descended upon them, the peaceful ambiance was shattered by the blaring red lights and a deafening alarm. Panic washed over the children as they instinctively covered their ears, their innocence shaken by the unsettling cacophony.

Y/N, quick to react, saw something amiss outside the double doors leading deeper into the building. With a commanding tone that left no room for argument, she took charge, her voice cutting through the chaos as she directed the other instructors.

"Get the children to the back of the room, now!"

The other ladies, their faces etched with concern, followed her orders without hesitation. They ushered the frightened children to the safety of the far end of the room. Meanwhile, Y/N rushed to the double doors, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. With swift, skilled hands, she wrestled the heavy doors closed, her frantic fingers weaving and tying a jump rope through the handles in a desperate bid to secure them and keep whatever threat lurked on the other side at bay.

Y/N turned away from the shattered doorway to rejoin the group, her phone clutched tightly in her trembling hand.

Sam and Dean, watching the horror unfold, knew all too well who she was trying to contact, and their hearts ached with dread.

As Y/N reached the huddled ladies who were creating a protective barrier around the terrified children, the doors she had painstakingly secured burst open with terrifying ease. Y/N's heart raced as she spun around to face the intruder, but it was already too late. In a horrifying instant, three gunshots shattered the fragile peace, leaving Sarah, Lisa, and Emily dead and bleeding at her feet.

Y/N, now the only one standing between the attacker and the defenseless children, felt her phone slip from her trembling fingers. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the lifeless bodies of her friends, her breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps.

A small boy, one of her students who had been taken to the bathroom by another volunteer earlier, now stood before her, his eyes devoid of innocence. The child raised his gun, and Y/N's heart ached with desperation. She knew this wasn't the same innocent child she had seen earlier, and the situation had taken a sinister turn.

"Jason, please..." Y/N's voice quivered, her dry mouth barely able to form words as she spoke.

Sam shifted in his chair, he was able to read Y/N’s lips, he knew what they were saying.

A merciless grin twisted the boy's lips, a chilling sight in such a young face. The gun remained pointed at Y/N, who was now desperately positioning herself between the intruder and the terrified children.

"You don't have to do this." She licked her lips nervously, her voice barely a whisper.

With another shaky step forward, she continued, her voice filled with fear and anguish.

"Please, please don't hurt them."

Slowly, almost inexplicably, the boy lowered the gun, letting it fall to the floor. The darkness that had enveloped him seemed to dissipate, replaced by a bewildered and panicked expression in his red and tear-filled eyes. He gazed around, disoriented and lost, seemingly freed from whatever malevolent force had controlled him.

Y/N didn't understand why Jason had released his hold, but she was just relieved that he had. She knelt down, extending her arms toward the small child, speaking softly in an attempt to comfort him.

"It's okay. You're okay now. Come here."

The boy recognized Y/N as one of the ladies he had played with before and began to take hesitant steps toward her. His first step, however, would be his last. Another gunshot echoed through the room, and the child fell to the ground, face-first, between Y/N and his tormentor.

Y/N's heart shattered into a million pieces as she stared in disbelief at the lifeless body of the young boy, his blood now splattered on her. Her eyes, filled with a mixture of grief and horror, moved from his lifeless form to the Sheriff standing in the doorway, wielding a rifle and a twisted smile.

The man's eyes shifted to an unsettling, solid black, and he spoke with an eerie calmness.

 "Remember, it's never about hurting them. You are the one I want to suffer."

As his grin widened, he began to laugh, his laughter echoing through the room. Then, he looked up at the surveillance camera and winked, a plume of black smoke escaped from his open mouth.

The feed abruptly cut out, leaving the Winchester brothers in an eerie silence.

Sam and Dean sat in stunned silence long after the harrowing footage had ended. The weight of what they had witnessed hung heavy in the room, suffocating them. Dean's hand covered his face, his fingers digging into his stubble cheeks, while his closed eyes tried to shut out the horrors. Sam, on the other hand, stared unblinking at the blank computer screen, his face contorted with a mixture of rage and hatred that threatened to consume him.

Neither brother knew what words could possibly bring solace in this moment. The pain, anger, and grief they felt seemed insurmountable. But they did know what they needed to do.

Interrupting the growing hostility and tension in the room was Castiel's voice, a telepathic message that echoed in their minds.

“Y/N is waking up.”

This sudden announcement snapped Sam and Dean from their paralyzing thoughts, and they exchanged a silent but resolute look.

In unison, the brothers stood from their chairs and made their way to Y/N's room. Just before they rounded the corner of the doorway, they heard Y/N's voice, filled with a mixture of vulnerability and anger, shouting, "GET OUT!"

Appearing in the room, they found Castiel standing at the foot of Y/N's bed, “Y/N, I’m sorry.” Castiel’s voice was mono as usual but his expression confused and concerned.

Dean, always the more direct of the two, was the first to speak, his voice laced with urgency. "Hey, what's going on?"

Sam didn't hesitate at the doorway or pause at the foot of Y/N's bed; he moved with a determined urgency, going straight to the side of her bed where she had swung her legs off the edge in an attempt to get up. He knelt down in front of her, reaching out to her in an effort to both stop her from standing and to offer his comforting presence. Sam's large hand gently rested on Y/N's shoulder, while his other hand found its place on her trembling knee.

"Hey..." His voice was soft, a soothing balm in the midst of her turmoil as he tried to capture her attention.

But it seemed no words could break through the storm raging within her. Her gaze was distant, lost in the abyss of her own thoughts.

Castiel took the opportunity to respond to Dean's earlier question. His voice remained calm, a stark contrast to the turmoil in the room, as he explained, "I'm not sure, actually. Y/N became upset upon seeing me."

Confusion painted Dean's face as he turned to Sam, whose eyes were locked onto Y/N. Before Sam could utter a word, Y/N's tears began to fall, landing on her leg and the hand Sam had placed on her knee. Her voice quivered with a complex mix of anger, sadness, and frustration as she poured out her anguish.

"I called you. I PRAYED to YOU, Castiel," Y/N's words were a raw accusation. "But you didn't answer. You never answer unless Dean is involved, and now they are dead, and there was nothing I could do to stop it."

A heavy silence hung in the room, thick with pain and helplessness. Castiel's voice was tender and apologetic as he tried to explain himself “Y/N.. I’m sorry.. I didn’t hear your call.. if I would have I.. “

Y/N wouldn't hear it. She interrupted him, "LIAR!" she spat out the word, her anger searing through the air. “There have been so many times where we needed you but unless Dean is the one calling in need, you don’t come.” She knew, and they all knew, that there had indeed been times when Castiel's assistance had been conspicuously absent unless Dean was the one reaching out. It was a painful truth they all had to face.

Sam's eyes shifted from Y/N to Dean and Castiel, and in that moment, the trio couldn't deny the painful truth in her words. Dean had often been their go-to for summoning the angel, and Y/N's frustration was painfully justified.

Sam turned his gaze back to Y/N after a moment of heavy silence, his voice tender and empathetic.

"Y/N, this was Jason's doing. He was probably prepared and knew how to stop your prayers from reaching Cas."

Realization dawned upon Y/N, "You looked at my memories?"

Dean spoke with a softness that mirrored the ache in his heart. "No, Sam got the cam footage from the Rec Center... We saw everything."

The room fell into another heavy silence, the grief in the air palpable. Y/N leaned forward, resting her forehead on Sam's shoulder, her voice barely above a whisper, but each word was a plea that cut through the silence.

"Castiel, remove my seal... please."

Y/N's pleading tone hung heavy in the room, tugging at the heartstrings of all who heard it. Sam and Dean exchanged a glance, their expressions a mix of empathy and conflict. They understood the profound significance of Y/N accepting the seal - a chance at a more normal, mortal life. Yet, they were also keenly aware of the agonizing helplessness that came with watching loved ones suffer, a feeling they themselves had grappled with time and again.

"Y/N... I do not believe now is the best time to do so." Castiel's voice wavered as he responded, his own turmoil evident.

"Of course, it isn’t." Y/N's scoff was laced with bitterness and despair.

Sam placed a gentle hand on the back of her head, pulling her into a comforting embrace. It was a silent gesture, a means to offer her solace amid her pain.

"Let's give her some space, alright?" Dean, understanding the need for space, made his way towards the door, his hand briefly patting Castiel on the shoulder in a show of support.

Dean exchanged a nod with Sam, who reciprocated the understanding that he had matters under control for the moment. The two men walked out of Y/N's room and down the hallway. They halted at the library archway, where Castiel finally spoke, his voice heavy with guilt and concern.

"Dean, I'm not lying. I really didn't hear her call."

Dean turned to face Castiel, his expression softening as he reassured the angel. "Yeah, I know, man. Look, she isn't really angry at you, okay? She's just grieving and lashing out."

Castiel contemplated Dean's words, a deep furrow in his brow. He finally spoke, revealing his inexperience with emotions like grief. "I... did not have much opportunity to experience grief while I was human."

Dean sighed and nodded as he turned towards the kitchen. "Well, then count your blessings, pal, 'cause it's a doozy."

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Sam entered the kitchen to find Dean at the counter meticulously assembling sandwiches while Castiel sat at a nearby table. Dean's acknowledgment was a simple upward nod.

"Hey, how's she doing?"

 "Still shaken, but she's sleeping now." Sam nodded as he went to the fridge, retrieving a bottle of water.

Castiel chimed in with his concern. "Well, that is expected after the..."

"Hey, let's not, okay? We don't need a recap." Dean, cutting him off, made it clear that he didn't want to revisit the distressing events.

Castiel nodded, “Right, sorry.”

"So, you can really remove the seal, right?" Sam asked as he took a seat at the table across from Castiel.

"Yes, I can. It wouldn't be too different from when I removed the Anti-possession from you, not that you were mentally present when I did so."

"So, you would... burn it off?" Sam seemed uncomfortable at the thought of the pain.

“Yes.” Castiel confirmed this as well.

"Then what? She just has all her abilities back?"

Before Castiel could respond, Dean's frustration boiled over, his voice demanding attention. "Sam!"

Both Sam and Castiel turned their gaze to Dean, who wore a displeased expression. He clearly didn't want to dwell on the subject any longer.

"Cut the 20 questions crap. Cass isn't removing the seal."

Sam looked at Dean with a mixture of disagreement and irritation. He let out a half-chuckle, not appreciating Dean's attempt at control.

"You don't get to make that call Dean. She wants it removed, she said so herself."

"Yeah well she herself also said that she wanted the seal to stay. You know when she was in a more stable state of mind and thinking more clearly." Dean shot back quickly, his frustration evident.

"Dean, you can't make this call for her." Sam shook his head, adamant in his stance.

Dean picked up two plates and rounded the counter, dropping one in front of Sam.

"You're right, I can't. But I can make sure she's right in the head before she makes the final call. You, on the other hand, didn't agree with her choice from the get-go, so excuse me if I think you might be a bit biased here."

Sam remained silent, his jaw clenched in irritation, knowing that, in this instance, Dean had a point. Tension hung in the air as Dean took a seat and began to eat his sandwich.

The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence after Dean's pointed remark. Castiel sat there, a neutral observer in the brothers' ongoing debate, understanding the gravity of the situation but choosing not to intervene.

Finally, Sam broke the silence, directing his question to Castiel. He needed answers, regardless of Dean's disapproval.

"Cass, what happens when the seal is removed?"

Dean shot Sam a glare, irritated by the continuation of the conversation, but Sam pressed on.

Castiel, ever the patient one, began to explain the potential outcome. "Well, with the seal removed, all of her abilities will return. It could take some time for them all to manifest, and for her to return to full efficiency, though."

Dean, still wary, looked at Castiel, sensing that there was more to the story. "But?"

Castiel met Dean's gaze and continued to elaborate. "But there is also the possibility that removing the seal could also release all her power at once, essentially overloading her."

Both Sam and Dean exchanged concerning glances, absorbing this new piece of information.

Dean, with a sandwich in hand, couldn't help but ask for further clarification. "Overload? What, like she would explode?"

Castiel tried to explain the uncertainty surrounding this scenario. "Well, not in the literal sense. At least, I don't think so."

The brothers were taken aback by the possibility, and Sam sought more information. "You don't think so?"

Castiel admitted his uncertainty, a rarity for him. "This would be a first, not only for me but, well, ever. I'm simply going off similar cases here."

Dean glanced at Sam, his sandwich now forgotten as he leaned back in his chair, ready to hear Sam's decision. "So, still want to remove it?"

Dean's attitude took on a cocky tone. Sam, however, remained quiet, realizing the weight of the decision.

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Y/N stirred in her bed, her eyelids heavy from sleep. The absence of Sam by her side didn't go unnoticed, but the slightly ajar bedroom door, likely s they could easily check on her from time to time. As she peeled herself from the covers, her gaze fell upon the peculiar change of attire. Gone were her gym clothes, replaced by an oversized gray T-shirt emblazoned with a capital 'S' and a pair of drawstring sweats. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she recognized the shirt as Sam's and the sweats as Dean's. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, wondering why they hadn't just grabbed clothes from her dresser.

She rose from the bed, stretching her stiff muscles before heading toward the kitchen, her throat parched and yearning for a refreshing gulp of water.

Y/N's footsteps echoed faintly in the bunker's quiet corridors. Weariness still clung to her, making her movements sluggish. Although her reflection might have revealed disheveled hair and tear-streaked cheeks, she dismissed her appearance as an afterthought. At that moment, it simply didn't matter.

The kitchen lay deserted as she reached it, and she wasted no time retrieving a water bottle from the fridge. She assumed the Winchester brothers were holed up in the library, a common scenario when things got complicated. The unsettling silence that hung in the bunker's atmosphere started to gnaw at her. Had they ventured out without informing her? Even during her sleep, Sam would have left a note, a text, or some form of communication. Y/N retrieved her phone from her pocket, her fingers frantically hoping for a message, anything from the brothers. To her dismay, her screen remained blank.

Suddenly, the fluttering of wings filled the air, and Castiel's presence manifested before her. "Y/N."

Startled, she pivoted to face the angel, her senses on high alert. "Castiel, where are Sam and Dean?"

His response was evasive, and it sent a chill down her spine. "I am glad to see you are up and about."

Confusion mingled with growing concern as she pressed for answers. "Where are they, Cass?"

Castiel's discomfort was palpable, etched across his angelic features as he hesitated to deliver the unsettling news. But Y/N's unwavering stare, filled with a mix of frustration and determination, made it clear that she wouldn't accept evasion.

"Yes, well..." Castiel began cautiously, "About that. I don't actually know."

Y/N's sharp gaze locked onto the angel's eyes, searching for any trace of deception. Castiel, not being a skilled liar, maintained a truthful expression, even as he continued with his troubling revelation.

"This morning," he elaborated, "when Dean woke up, Sam was already gone for his morning run. Hours passed, and he didn't return. Naturally, Dean went to look for him, but he hasn't come back either. I tried searching the area for them both, but..."

Y/N's furrowed brow mirrored her confusion. She pulled out her phone, hastily checked the time and date, realizing that she had slept through the entire night and a significant portion of the morning. She listened attentively to Castiel's explanation, her mind racing to catch up.

"I was returning to see if I could locate their phones like you do," Castiel added, "when I found you here."

With a nod of understanding, Y/N made her way to a nearby table with a laptop. Ignoring the fact that it was Sam's computer, she confidently opened it and began typing in his password to initiate the tracking process. Muttering under her breath in irritation, she chided, "You don't even know how to use the computer."

Castiel, overhearing her comment, wisely chose not to engage and stood behind her, observing her actions intently.

After a few moments of intense concentration, both phone locations appeared on the laptop screen. Y/N let out a sigh of relief mixed with frustration as she muttered, "It looks like they're in... St. Louis, Missouri?"

Castiel leaned closer to examine the screen displaying a map, his perplexity evident. "But how?"

Before Y/N and Castiel could delve into further explanations, the familiar chime of Y/N's phone ringing echoed across the room. It sat on the table next to the laptop, its screen displaying a flashing name: Dean. With a sense of trepidation, Y/N picked up her phone and hesitantly answered, "Hello?"

A voice she didn't recognize came through the line, dripping with eerie charm, "Good morning, Y/N. I do hope you slept well, darling."

Y/N wasted no time. "Who are you, and how did you get this phone?"

The voice on the other end chuckled in a twisted, condescending manner. "Now, now, my dear. No need to be so rude. Your Lovers are here and safe."

Y/N demanded proof, unmoved by the man's unsettling demeanor. "Prove it."

A series of noises indicated that the phone was being shifted around, and then, a welcome sound—Dean's voice. He sounded worn, "Hey, sweetheart."

Y/N couldn't hide her relief. "Dean, are you alright? Is Sam with you?"

Sam's voice wavered as he responded, "Yeah, Y/N, I'm here. I'm sorry... they got the jump on us."

Concern etched Y/N's voice as she probed for more information. "Jason?"

Dean’s voice laced with bitterness, "No, I think Sano. Y/N, they're vampires. We counted at least twenty."

Sam chimed in, adding a chilling detail, "It's a whole coven, maybe multiple. Y/N, don’t…"

Sam tried to convey a warning that was abruptly cut off. But Y/N, perceptive as ever, knew what he was going to say. Their mysterious caller returned to the phone, his voice implying that he was walking leisurely as he spoke. "Alright, enough chit-chat now. I assume you have our location by this point, darling?"

Y/N huffed, a mix of anxiety and defiance in her voice. "What do you want?"

A sinister grin seemed to spread across the man's lips, his satisfaction almost palpable. "Tomorrow, 10 pm. Arrive with your Bell, and the Winchesters walk free. Oh, and this is a rather fine dining establishment, so please come dressed accordingly."

With that, the call abruptly ended, leaving Y/N and Castiel with a heavy sense of dread hanging in the air.

Y/N was seething, grappling with the overwhelming anger and frustration that had welled up inside her. She knew exactly how and why this had happened. Jason and Sano were throwing everything they had at her, trying to wear her down, making her more susceptible to capture, or perhaps hoping she would give in and surrender herself quietly.

In a fit of rage, Y/N slammed both fists onto the table. Her eyes squeezed shut, her body curling inward toward the tabletop as she let out a piercing scream of frustration. Castiel stood behind her, aching to reach out and offer comfort or words of encouragement. He finally settled for placing a gentle hand on her shoulder as she seemed to regain control of herself.

With a tremor in her voice, Y/N finally spoke. "Cass, you need to remove the seal."

Castiel spoke softly, his voice filled with hesitation. "Y/N, to do so now would..."

Y/N interrupted him, her words laced with bitterness. "Castiel, if you don't, then I will find someone else who will. There are at least twenty vampires, and you know they won't release Sam and Dean even if I hand myself over. So unless you think you can take them all on by yourself, I suggest you do it."

Castiel felt the weight of her words bearing down on him, and he knew she was right. He nodded solemnly. "Alright."

Y/N sat up fully, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Good. But first, there are a few things we need to do. Can you find the Impala and bring her home?"

Castiel looked at Y/N, puzzled by the request. "The Impala?"

Y/N, now on her phone, confirmed with a sly smile. "Yeah, we're gonna want Dean in a good mood once he finds out what I'm about to do."

Suddenly, a woman's voice came through on the other side of the call, and Y/N greeted her with warmth. "Hey, Violet. It's Y/N. I'm cashing in that favor."

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The plan had been set into motion; Castiel and Y/N had arrived at a motel near the location of the meeting place, the contacts were moving into place, and her outfit for the night had been laid out. The only two things still to do were to remove the seal and retrieve her bell; the latter of which was in front of her now.

Y/N stood in her room, her gaze fixed on the shimmering silver form of her Kitsune Bell cradled gently in her hands. The weight of it felt both familiar and foreign, as she recalled the night she had removed it from around her neck, vowing never to wear it again. Though she had kept it close all this time, it was a piece of her, her power's vessel, the guardian of her soul. But wearing it had always been a double-edged sword, a risk to her self-control, a temptation to let her power surge unchecked.

Now, however, she felt that the bell was her lifeline, the anchor that might keep her from spiraling out of control. If things took a turn for the worse, she knew it might be her only salvation, or at the very least, the means to unleash her full power without restraint.

Lost in her contemplation, Y/N was jolted from her reverie when Castiel entered her room and cleared his throat. His presence broke the silence, and she turned her attention to him.

Castiel's voice, calm but filled with concern, broke the silence in the room. "Are you ready?" he asked. Y/N nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "Yeah, let's do this," she replied.

With brisk efficiency, Y/N stuffed her Kitsune Bell into her pocket and then lifted her shirt over her head, using it as a makeshift gag to protect her teeth and muffle any screams. She then lay face down on her bed, bracing herself for what was to come.

Castiel moved to the side of her bed, his hand glowing with celestial energy. He placed his warm hand on her lower back, just below the cursed seal that had tormented her for so long. "Alright, I'm starting," he said gently, his voice tinged with sympathy.

As his hand began to move, Y/N felt an excruciating sensation, as though thousands of tiny blades were slashing at her skin. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into the sheets, and her feet pushed into the bed. Her forehead pressed into the mattress as she unleashed a muffled cry of agony through her makeshift gag.

But Castiel didn't falter. He continued his painstaking work, his hand moving slowly across her skin. The minutes felt like an eternity as Y/N endured the searing pain, her body trembling with the intensity of it all.

With a sense of relief, Castiel removed his hand from Y/N's back, his voice soft and reassuring. "It is done," he announced, taking a few steps back to give her space.

Y/N lay on the bed, panting heavily, her body drenched in sweat. Tremors continued to course through her, causing her muscles to spasm involuntarily. Her nails dug into the sheets, as if trying to hold onto something that was slipping away from her; tearing holes into the fabric as her powers threatened to consume her.

Castiel watched her closely, his expression shifting from relief to concern. It seemed that instead of relaxing, Y/N was becoming more tense. He couldn't help but voice his worry. "Y/N?"

Y/N's voice emerged hoarse and rigid as she ordered, "Get out." She was fighting to restrain herself, to prevent her returning powers from overwhelming her.

Castiel's fear became a reality: Y/N's powers were re-surging at an alarming rate, and she was struggling to control them. He took a cautious step forward towards the bed, concerned for her well-being. But Y/N's response was immediate, her voice sharp and commanding. "Leave!"

She turned her head to look at him, her eyes now a vibrant and pure scarlet, with her pupils narrowing vertically. Castiel couldn't ignore the warning in her gaze, but he also made a resolute decision in that moment. He moved closer, placing a firm hand on her back, just between her shoulder blades, and spoke with determination. "No. I'm staying."

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The night had fallen, shrouding the city in darkness, as Castiel parked the Impala just a few feet from the club's entrance. He turned off the engine and turned to Y/N, concern etched across his features. "Are you sure about this?" he asked once more.

Y/N flipped up the visor she used to check her makeup and hair, carefully putting her lipstick back into her purse. Her eyes met Castiel's as she turned to her side, her expression determined. "It's a display of power, and power is what it's all going to come down to tonight."

Castiel furrowed his brow, his worry evident in his voice. "But you're barely holding it together. If you slip up..."

Y/N interrupted him, her tone resolute. "I can hold it together long enough to get them out. And if things go south, well, then maybe it'll be a blessing in disguise." She forced a smile, though her trembling body betrayed her inner struggle. She had hoped the tremors would have subsided by now, but the urge to release her powers still simmered beneath her surface.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded to Castiel, who exited the car and circled around to open her door. As they approached the club's entrance, Y/N couldn't help but groan inwardly. "Why do these guys always have to own a club..."

Despite her reservations, as she neared the entrance, the doorman recognized her immediately and welcomed her with a nod. Castiel, on the other hand, was stopped at the door. It was all part of their plan, designed not to disrupt anything inside.

The doorman led Y/N through the bustling club, the patrons parting to make way as they saw the two of them approach. On the other side of the open area, where the crowd was reveling, a raised VIP platform awaited. Y/N couldn't suppress an eye roll as they reached the platform.

The doorman halted Y/N at the bottom of the steps, instructing her to wait there while he ascended to inform his boss of her arrival. As she stood there, Y/N scanned the room, making eye contact with several guests who had turned their attention to her, their gazes lingering as they watched her every move.

When the doorman returned and motioned for Y/N to proceed, she gave him a polite smile and nodded, though her thoughts were far from pleasant. As she ascended the steps to the VIP platform, her mind was focused on the weight of the situation.

Inside, the atmosphere was a mix of pulsating music, dimmed lights, and the low murmur of conversations. The moment Y/N's presence graced the platform, Dean and Sam's eyes were drawn to her like magnets. Sam's jaw clenched, and he swallowed hard, forcing himself to blink and look away momentarily, his heart racing. Dean's eyebrows shot upward, and he unconsciously wet his lips with his tongue, his mouth suddenly dry as he whispered in awe, "Whoa."

Y/N's crimson gown flowed gracefully around her black, ankle-laced heels as she walked across the brown carpet of the top floor. Their eyes followed the dress's thigh-high slit, which traced every curve of her hips and the gentle dip at her waist, rising to hug her bosom nicely. The gown had cold-shoulder sleeves  that added an elegant touch to her ensemble, leading the gaze to its heart-shaped neckline that hinted at a tantalizing glimpse of skin.

Her umber  hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, adorned with loose, gentle curls much like the ones that also framed her face with a touch of sensuality, and led to the black choker around her neck which a signal silver bell hung from. Y/N's every step exuded grace and confidence, the bell rang softly, commanding the attention of the club's highest members and elite clientele. The room seemed to come alive in her presence, her striking appearance a stark contrast to the shadowy, secretive atmosphere of the club.

Y/N's demeanor remained as resolute as ever as she made her way through the VIP area. Her lips were set in a firm line, unyielding. Her eyes, while soft, held no warmth or welcome, and her posture exuded a businesslike seriousness. Every step she took radiated purpose and determination.

Even as her gaze landed on Sam and Dean, her expression didn't waver. The sight of the Winchesters, bound and flanked by bodyguards, only served to fuel her resolve.

The man who had orchestrated this meeting, Richard Hale, stepped forward with an air of self-importance. He greeted Y/N with a smile that transformed from friendliness to smugness. He introduced himself as the head of the Hale family, but Y/N remained stoic, showing no interest in his self-proclaimed status.

A silence hung in the air after Richard's introduction. His smile began to falter as he motioned toward an empty chair across the floor from the Winchesters, his tone now veering into command. He said, "Please sit."

The word "sit" left Richard's mouth like an order, dripping with condescension. Y/N, Dean, and Sam couldn't miss the arrogant tone in his voice, and they all understood the power play at hand.

Y/N's actions spoke louder than any words as she regarded Richard with an unimpressed expression. She moved gracefully toward the offered chair, her eyes conveying her indifference to everything around her.

Sitting down, Y/N perched on the edge of the seat, her movements elegant and deliberate. She crossed her right leg over the other, allowing the slit in her dress to reveal a tantalizing expanse of skin. Her right arm draped over her legs, while her left hand rested across her wrist and that elbow on the arm of the chair. It was a pose that oozed confidence and allure.

Richard began to speak, regaling Y/N with tales of his family, his coven, and what Sano had promised them. He expressed his satisfaction that she had come along quietly. However, Y/N paid little attention to his words. Her focus was elsewhere.

Dean's head tilting to the side as his gaze followed the exposed skin of her leg, a smirk playing on his lips. But Sam, ever observant, sensed something amiss. He elbowed Dean and discreetly nodded toward Y/N.

Whispering to Dean, Sam voiced his concern. "Something's wrong."

Dean shot back, "Yeah, we're chained up, genius."

Sam insisted, his voice hushed, "No, seriously, something's not right with her."

Dean's eyes shifted from Sam back to Y/N, and he suddenly realized what Sam meant. Though her eyes were directed toward them, it was unmistakable that she was not actually looking at either of them.

Sam and Dean observed Y/N closely, their apprehension growing as they noticed the subtle signs. Y/N's silence was deafening, her graceful movements seemed out of character, and she appeared to be deliberately regulating her breathing. Her fingers continuously fiddled with the ring on her finger since her arrival. It was as if an invisible storm brewed within her.

When Richard's monologue finally came to a halt, Y/N drew a deep breath, recomposed herself, and shot Richard an exasperated look while muttering under her breath. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she asked bluntly, "Are you finished monologuing yet?"

Richard was utterly taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor, stammering out, "Ex-Excuse me?"

Sam couldn't help but chuckle softly, knowing that Y/N's usual response would be a polite "You're excused." This time, however, she held Richard's gaze with an unwavering stare. She continued, "I know all about you and your family, even the stuff you left out, like your copious amount of affairs you hide from your wife. But that doesn't involve me, so listen up. Here's how this is going to go, alright? You're going to release the Winchesters, I'll keep my Bell, and we're going to walk out of here without any issues. Yeah?"

A palpable silence settled in the room, leaving even Dean and Sam dumbfounded by Y/N's audacity. Richard finally burst into methodical laughter, prompting his men to join in. Y/N, however, remained unflinchingly confident.

Richard responded with a sneer, "Darling, I don't think you understand the situation you're in right now. You don't get to make the demands here."

Y/N's smile widened as she leaned forward and taunted, "No, Dick, it's obvious you don't understand the situation you're in. So allow me to explain."

Richard's eyes narrowed as if he might lunge at Y/N for her choice of name. At this point, Dean couldn't contain his laughter any longer, letting it ring out freely. Y/N nonchalantly raised her arm into the air and snapped her fingers, the sound echoing with an uncanny resonance through the room.

As the room fell into an eerie silence, the abrupt cessation of music echoed the tension that had gripped the club's patrons. All eyes turned toward the VIP area, where Y/N had just made her bold stand. In tandem, another woman, flanked by two imposing men, ascended the steps and approached Y/N's seat.

Y/N scooted back in her chair a bit and leaned against the back rest, her lips curved into a confident smile as the woman’s soft voice called out, "Hello, Richard."

Richard visibly twitched at the unexpected appearance of the newcomer. Y/N continued with an air of grandeur, "Allow me to introduce my good friend here. This is Violet Duval. I believe the Hale and Duval families know each other, isn't that right?"

Through gritted teeth, Richard managed to ask, "How?"

Y/N couldn't resist a smirk as she replied, "Magic's a bitch, isn't it?"

Richard, attempting to regain control, straightened himself and declared, "This changes nothing."

Suddenly, as if prompted by an unseen signal, the vampires in the room underwent a grotesque transformation, revealing their true monstrous forms. Y/N remained unfazed, and in response to Richard's menacing men, the two creatures flanking Violet showed their fangs and claws, assuming part of their werewolf features. To Sam's astonishment, the patrons on the lower level also revealed their supernatural natures, marking them as members of Violet's pack.

As the scene unfolded, Sam whispered to Dean in disbelief, "Dean, they're..."

Dean finished his brother's sentence with a hushed tone, "Werewolves, yeah, I see it."

Violet, her voice soft but commanding, addressed Richard, "We both know my pack outnumbers your coven, Richard. And there have been rumors that your boys have been encroaching on Voss territory back home as well."

Richard, still reeling from the sudden shift in power dynamics within his own club, remained silent and motionless. He watched Y/N and Violet, his eyes darting between them and the formidable werewolf pack that had infiltrated his gathering.

Y/N cleared her throat, breaking the uneasy silence that had fallen over the VIP area. With an air of authority, she addressed Richard, "So, how about it, Dick? Release the Winchesters, and we'll walk out of here like nothing happened. Your walls won't be covered with the blood of your kin."

Richard weighed his options, his mind racing as he considered the consequences of defying Y/N and the pack. After several tense moments, he waved a hand dismissively toward Dean and Sam. The vampires who had been guarding the brothers moved forward to remove the cuffs that had restrained them.

“Hey man thanks for the hospitality.” Dean of course had to make a sarcastic remark as the cuffs fell to the ground and they stood and moved around the table. positioning themselves next to Y/N, who had risen to her feet. With a curt nod to Richard, Y/N turn and leave, the threat of violence hanging heavy in the air.

In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted within the VIP area. The two vampires who had just released Sam and Dean made a sudden, lightning-fast move towards the Winchesters. But Y/N, always ready for the unexpected, reacted with equal swiftness. She sprinted across the room, her movements a blur of supernatural speed.

All eyes were now fixed on Y/N, and the room fell into a stunned hush as she reached the vampires before they could even cover half the distance. In an astonishing display of strength, she pinned each vampire to the wall by their throats, her powerful grip puncturing holes in the wall as she held them aloft.

Y/N's eyes blazed a brilliant shade of red, her pupils narrowing to vertical slits, while her elongated canine teeth added an extra layer of menace. Three tails unfurled from behind her, each ending in a swirling ball of blue flames. Two more flames danced above her shoulders, casting an eerie and intimidating aura around her.

Y/N's voice, rough and commanding, carried a whispered threat that seemed to pierce the very souls of those present. "You must have misunderstood me the first time. Do NOT touch MY guys. Or I will personally make sure you end up somewhere a hell of a lot worse than purgatory."

The vampires, struggling to free themselves but utterly powerless, nodded fervently in agreement. Y/N released them, and they stumbled back to their boss, their gazes filled with terror.

Taking a moment to regain her composure, Y/N turned to face the crowd, the flames surrounding her tails sizzling out. She walked past Richard, her warning ringing in his ears. "I suggest you avoid Sano and Jason."

Without further ado, Y/N descended the stairs, her tails and ears the only remnants of her unleashed power. Violet walked alongside her, and the crowd respectfully parted to allow their exit. Dean, Sam, and the two other men followed in their wake, leaving the stunned club behind.

The streets outside the club were now teeming with the assembled pack of werewolves, creating an eerie atmosphere that left Dean and Sam visibly on edge. Dean's frustration reached its peak, and he couldn't help but voice his bewilderment. "Dude, what the hell?" His eyes darted around, scanning the supernatural crowd.

Sam, equally perplexed, nodded in agreement. "I don't know," he replied, his gaze flicking from one werewolf to another.

Y/N and Violet led the way, their stride confident and determined. When they finally stopped next to their respective cars, and Castiel positioned himself near the Impala, it was Violet who spoke first.

“Well Y/N it was certainly nice to see you again, though I wish it had been under better circumstances.”

Y/N nodded, “Yeah sorry about all this.”

Then Winchester brothers however couldn't hold back any longer. Dean stepped forward, his voice edged with frustration and concern.

"Alright, what the hell is going on? And what the hell was that back there?" He gestured towards Y/N's ears and tail. "And for God's sake, Y/N, you're out in the open!"

Castiel attempted to intervene, taking a step forward in an effort to calm Dean's rising agitation. But Dean turned to him, the questions still pouring out. "And you. You were in on this?"

Y/N and Violet exchanged knowing smiles at the hunter's bewilderment, their camaraderie evident. Sam, ever the level-headed one, sought clarification. "Duval? As in one of the families that run Chicago?"

Violet's smile remained warm as she addressed Sam, confirming his suspicions. "Yes, as a matter of fact, we've met before. The two of you helped save me and cleared up a few issues between the families."

Dean's skepticism remained, and he cast a questioning look at Sam. "Weren't we supposed to go back and clear them all out?" he asked, recalling their previous mission.

Sam nodded reluctantly, realizing the irony of their current situation. "Yeah."

Castiel interjected, breaking the tension with his composed demeanor. "Well, we should really be on our way," he said, placing a guiding hand on Y/N's arm, gently leading her toward the Impala.

Aware of the dangers of lingering in the presence of others, Castiel opened the back door of the Impala, allowing Y/N to slip inside. Dean followed, circling around to the driver's side, while Sam took his place in the passenger seat.

Before Y/N could fully retreat into the vehicle, Violet called out once more, her voice carrying over the distance. "Oh, Y/N. About the vampires," she said, gesturing toward the building.

Y/N paused, glancing from the building to Violet and her pack. She met Violet's gaze and replied with determination, "I got what I came for."

With a nod of understanding, Violet smiled and turned to make her way to her own vehicle, accepting Y/N's response.

The Impala's engine roared to life as Dean turned the key, and he couldn't help but offer an apologetic whisper to the car, "Sorry, baby." Sam smirked and shook his head at his brother's peculiar bond with the vehicle.

Y/N sat in the back seat with Castiel, her focus centered on controlling her breath, her body starting to tremble again. Castiel had made the right call in excusing them when he did, as Y/N seemed to be teetering on the edge.

During the first few miles of the ride, silence enveloped the car. Castiel occasionally glanced back through the rear windshield, assessing their surroundings. Then, he turned to Y/N and spoke softly, "We should be far enough now, but it's still about seven hours until we reach the bunker."

Dean, noticing Y/N's intense concentration and the occasional red glimmer in her eyes through the rearview mirror, turned his attention to Castiel. Sam turned to face Castiel as well, sensing that something was amiss. Sam asked, "Do we need to stop at a motel or something along the way?"

Castiel's response was immediate and resolute, "No. That would not be a good idea."

Dean exchanged a glance with Sam, their unspoken communication conveying their mutual concern. Dean finally voiced the question on both their minds, "So, what's going on?"

Castiel hesitated briefly, aware that he had to be the one to provide answers. He stated plainly, "I removed the seal."

Dean's quick wit couldn't be contained, and he retorted, "No shit, Sherlock, we got that part."

Castiel shifted his gaze to Sam, who appeared more concerned than angry, as was often the case in their brotherly dynamic. Castiel continued, "At the moment, Y/N is struggling to maintain control. As I feared, when the seal was removed, she was flooded with a buildup of power."

Dean's frustration was palpable as he quipped, "So, what, she could Hulk out on us any second now?"

Castiel nodded gravely, comprehending the reference Dean used. Y/N, feeling Dean's anger and frustration, fought to keep her Kitsune nature restrained, a battle that was growing increasingly difficult with each passing moment.

Dean couldn't contain his frustration any longer. He launched into a stern lecture directed at everyone in the car, emphasizing that this situation was precisely why he had been against Y/N hastily removing the seal. He argued that they could have explored other options, found a safer way. But Sam was having none of it. He retorted sharply, reminding Dean that they had both been captured, and Y/N had been left with few alternatives to consider.

The argument between the brothers ignited, fueled by their differing perspectives on what Y/N should have, could have, and did do. The tension in the car escalated with each word, and it seemed like they were heading for an explosive showdown.

Then, Y/N, unable to endure the bickering any longer, growled in frustration, "Shut up!" Her sudden outburst silenced both Sam and Dean. Their heads snapped around, and they were met with her piercing red eyes and labored breathing. She continued, "Damnit, I... Ugh, Cass."

Castiel understood what Y/N was requesting. They had devised a plan in case Y/N lost control. Castiel nodded and addressed the brothers, "We'll see you back at the bunker."

In an instant, both Castiel and Y/N vanished. Sam, trying to intervene, found his words falling futilely from his lips, as the two had already disappeared. Dean could only grunt in response, muttering a disgruntled, "Great."

The plan that Castiel and Y/N had discussed earlier was straightforward: Castiel would take Y/N to a safe location where she could unleash her full power without harming anyone. To ensure that she didn't lose herself entirely, she entrusted her bell to Castiel temporarily.

Hours had passed, and the Impala sliced through the darkness of the night on its way back to the bunker. Silence had settled in the car like an unwelcome passenger, accompanied only by the soft hum of the engine. Both Dean and Sam were on edge, their anxiety growing with each passing mile. The absence of any communication from Y/N or Castiel gnawed at them.

Sam couldn't shake the restlessness. He repeatedly flipped his phone open, hoping for a message or a call, even though he hadn't heard the text tone or felt the phone vibrate. Each time he checked, the phone's screen bathed the car's interior in a sudden burst of bright blue light. Dean, his eyes adjusting to the sudden illumination, couldn't help but squint each time.

After a while, Dean couldn't bear Sam's constant phone-checking any longer and voiced his irritation, "Come on, man, stop it."

Sam looked at Dean with a puzzled expression and asked, "What?"

Dean rolled his eyes, annoyed, and said, "You're checking your damn phone every five minutes. You'll know when they call."

Sam huffed in frustration, his nerves fraying, and retorted, "You're seriously gonna sit there and tell me you aren't as worried about this as I am?"

Dean scrunched his face, searching for a witty comeback, before admitting with a hint of vulnerability, "Me worried? Nah."

Sam, incredulous, fixed his gaze on Dean and said, "Oh really? Because you've been biting your bottom lip so much in the last few hours it's about to start bleeding."

Dean's eyes widened as he realized Sam was right. He hastily lifted his hand to his lips, feeling the raw area Sam had mentioned. When he pulled his fingers away, there was a faint trace of blood. With a gruff, irritated response, Dean stepped on the gas pedal, increasing the speed of the car.

Both brothers knew that they wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.

Enc Chapter.

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 This is the Female Reader-Insert Version of my Story, please consider taking a look at the Original with my OFC Saia.

Please comment & 💜

[blue-kyber]

October ask game: 👻 ghost and 🍬 candy :)

Thanks for the ask! ^_^ It made my night to see this. (just got home from work.)

👻 ghost: can you tease some wip ideas that have been haunting you/something you want to write in the future?

Sadly, I don't write fan fiction much anymore due to lack of motivation and interest. For someone with ADHD, that means nothing will get done.

I do have ideas within my own world, though. I want to write one where the crew has to take Yune's ena crystal back to its home matrix, which lies within the dangerous Ephypsan asteroid field on a massive planetary chunk. This will dive deeply into the lore and power of the sentient ena crystals.

I also want to write about them searching a derelict space station for supplies and going through scary spooky stuff - like a halloween special.

And I want to write one where Will and Terra meet some of the members of the 1K after being told they would likely never see a single one again. Where Captain Linell adopted Li and Keiko, and Li joined the Regents.

For 2 of the 1K to be hunted by one of their own would be epic.

----

🍬 candy: share a sweet or fluffy scene from your wip!

Ooooh do I have the scene for you! This takes place much later in the book. A conversation between Yune and Terra in the cockpit of the Horizon. One of the most touching moments I've ever written. It's so simple, yet so full of a history the reader has by now.

---

“I’m sorry,” he said out of nowhere.

“For what?”

“...For what I said before, and for using your number back when I tried to leave the first time,” he hadn’t had a chance to apologize for his actions until now. The guilt had gnawed at him the whole time.

“Oh,...yeah. That,” she remembered. Her number coming from someone she’d come to care about speared through her heart. She’d felt the connection she’d formed with him break for a second, and in that moment, she hated him. The loss of that connection doused her in icy water. She missed it and never wanted to lose it again. She needed it. She needed him.

“I was horrible to you two.”

“You weren’t horrible,” she caught his skewed look, “Yeah, ok, you were horrible. You were really, really mean.”

He nodded to a sigh of full acceptance of his mistake, “You were right that I didn’t mean it. I said it to make you hate me.”

“Why?”

“Because… because I was scared.”

“Scared? Of what?”

He hesitated. He had to drop his guard and be fully open with her, “Of you,” that moment simmered between them, “I was afraid of what you were doing to me; of connecting to you, caring about you. Of not wanting to entrust you to Selka. Of wanting to stay - all of it. I tried to tear myself away from all that so it would be easier to leave.” 

 “Oh… It’s ok.”

“No, it’s not,” she became his focus, “It’s not ok. What I said is inexcusable. I crossed the line. I hurt you, and … and I’m sorry, Terra. I’m sorry.”

She could tell that he meant it - he had used her real name, after all. He took full responsibility for being a super jerk. She didn’t need her power, or her source, or whatever Jeina and Will called it to feel the sincere gravity of his intimate apology.

“I’m not going to ask you to forgive me. To be honest, I don’t deserve it. I wouldn’t forgive me.”

“Glad I’m not you, then,” she watched the white plumes of clouds pass by, “‘Cause I already did.”

He paused.

“Now you can forgive yourself.”

He hadn’t expected that. A weight lifted from his shoulders. 

This small terran had protected her good heart after all she’d suffered through. He exhaled from the weight of that guilt lifting. 

Yune held out his right arm to her with his pinky finger extended. “I promise I will never use your number against you again; yours or Will’s.”

She was surprised and happy that he remembered this. She hooked her small pinky around his, sealing the deal, then surprised him by turning it into a gesture familiar to him - a palm swear. Her hand could barely close around his fist, taking that promise and holding it. “Ok.”

This moment of a mik using a terran promise, and a terran using a mik promise tied their understanding of each other closer. They were willing to accept aspects of each other’s culture. 

“You can’t ever break that. It’s sacred.”

“Neither can you,” he grinned.

The air in the cockpit warmed, like the Horizon herself listened and approved of her pilot and her young terran making amends. 

[the-firebird69]

So he tells his dad my shoulders are my shoulders are 52 in circumference and that's what they are and some people doubt it but he measured it and it's like 22 in across and a lot of people don't think that's a lot but a lot of you girls have 22 inch waist measured all the way around some of your arms are 22 inches long. But Arnie's waste was about 42 in around and that's pretty big and Ken has a 52 inch waist it's about where his belly is too and that's about the width of our son's shoulders Ken's shoulders are about 48 in around he's got big shoulders people say and Joe has 53 in around and is it normal for his height they're wondering what the hell the deal is and he grow up in high gravity normal and he grew up in low gravity normal and the bones are growing outwards for the most part not really huge and not that fast and not that big that's one problem and that's probably poisoning and he's got some healthy bones already he's okay and you know his arm bones are not real small he says it's like 5/8 of an inch and that's about right it's bigger than most of yours which about 7/16 and that's not very good these are almost twice as thick now they're over twice as thick so just over twice and that's his arm bones and yeah he can take it but he can deliver one and his leg bones are much thicker than normal and that's an indicator but his dad wanted to know because he's had he has another son and he did it and he says one of us might own Saturn or something and all sudden he said well that pig and he was happier so the other one is the head of some massive army since between us we should be able to do something I got Mom half worked out here the future and see what nuts a little she went nuts a little and thought it was good and found out it was bad but exposed tons of stuff that doesn't mental s*** and she's on the line with him saying it's true and he's found the body and has to find the brain and he's working on it actually and there's millions of locations he's unearthing using a bunch of people and she's helping manipulate it it's kind of a little liar now she's omitting things he started laughing again so he was a tough customer but he helped his son these people are doing the job that they can get away with that's how they are and the job is not so good and it's turned sour and a lot of places but Garth is starting to see that this guy next door to them will not back down and he can't get him to and it doesn't look like it's Tommy f or the max and it's insightful and he's going to get some help today and people are going to see it

Thor Freya

Olympus

They said they're going to back me up and it might be a little odd and rough but that guy needs a lesson and he needs to be showing us to what he is he's a pig. You're in my courtroom this is where I presided for years this is what I did business for you for years and as a black guy and it makes a difference that helped a lot of black people and people of color and they remember me now and they're helping too you are a scoundrel Trump and a low life and you really belong in jail you're supporting anybody that does anything to anyone and we can't stand you and you're a scumbag and your sacrilegious and blasphemous and you're the one running around making all these noises and you should be held in prison and not not in the general population some of your people are much more normal Terry cheesman is actually fun to talk to and has potential and good ideas and you don't you're a scumbag who ruins his stuff and he's your person and I'm tired of it we're all tired of you we don't need you running for president I don't have much of a chance to win but I'm not being a source sport like you you're a massive source for and I see you add him all the time and he's telling you to get off from where he's taking your stuff and I see your stuff disappear so damn fast it's amazing how quickly now the max are taking it and you're going to be nothing all because you want to sit there and bother him and it's true you're a waste of time you're trying to get him money from social security and you start wailing away on people we want you out of there and you're trying to get me out is the whole big deal now you're going to get sued again by other people because they see what you're doing they can hear it and a lot of stuff might happen to you today I have to get a green light from Max it won't go ahead without them they said and it probably won't but for crying out loud you are a complete jerk you're you're a mess and you're mean and there's no reason for it I saw you in Mexico bothering him he's looking at you he's insane don't bother me Dan and you had to back off cuz he was going to beat you up and he said it too sort of man you would not stop bothering Ernesto finally the two got together and said this guy is a huge pain so it's starting to nitpick and push you around and have you do stuff and got you out of their hair and it had to work the back side and I see that I helped international said he's trying to get us by doing because we're doing that he's a little animal I really have not seen people react like this guy ever he's almost pure animal and what he said at court and after is illegal he's pissing everybody off and our friend says that when you find him in court it cost him and you're trying to extract money from him and it cost you dearly and he says that we knew about it and we started working because we found out it's true and others did too and now he's getting hammered and he's losing tons of money just to sit there and be an a****** to the inventor and he doesn't get anything there's no positive value then he turns around and says I'm riding the max against the clones against the foreigners against them and it's really not true everybody is crushing him and they're going after more luck because of him and we need to stop him as a group I'm organizing a party and it is a party to stop him from being an ass and to get him out of positions of power into expel him from everything that he's causing trouble with he doesn't need to be involved if he's going around ruining everything

Garth

[evermorehqs]

CATCHING MY BREATH, STARING OUT AN OPEN WINDOW

Jesús 'Soos' Ramirez is based on Soos from Gravity Falls. He is a 35 year old human, gift shop handyman, and uses he/him pronouns. He has no powers. Soos is portrayed by Roberto Urbina and he is open.

CATCHING MY DEATH, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE

Soos had a bit of a rough upbringing, but you would know it given the kind of person he is. His mother worked many hours at the Gravity Falls diner, doing everything she could to provide for her son. His father, on the other hand, disappeared as soon as he was born and ran away to New Orleans. Soos never got angry with his father for leaving. He would constantly send postcards telling him about his adventures, and always promised he would come visit soon. Soos held at hope that one day he would see his father again, until his twelfth birthday when his dad sent one final post card — informing Soos he would never be coming home. Even after all these years, Soos has never been able to get over his father abandoning him and even refuses to celebrate his birthday…. though, that day did put him in a position to get a job at the Mystery Shack, where he would work for Stanford Pines over a decade. Soos became one of Stan’s most loyal employees. He never missed a day of work, willing to do anything and everything Stan asked no matter how strange or unimportant it might have seemed. He cared deeply about the business and the Pines family. Soos became incredibly skilled in the art of fixing things, despite his clumsy and goofy nature, and never batted an eye when the Pines twins started coming for the summer and request his assistance on their adventures. He always wanted to be where the action was, and even though he wasn’t book smart, per se, Soos was one of the only ones to believe them about the weird things in town. He was a skeptic with an inquisitive and child-like nature, but it’s what made him such a good sidekick. His unwavering loyalty to the business in the family landed him Evermore when he agreed to accompany Stan when the twins went missing. He immediately settled right in alongside Stan, once again working for him at his new shop that Soos did most of the work repairing. Like he was in Gravity Falls, he is hyper aware of all the strange occurrences and happenings in Evermore… and he isn’t afraid to make sure everyone else in town also knows how weird everything is.

I HAD A FEELING SO PECULIAR

❀ Felix Mendez: Soos admires Felix a lot, and he absolutely loves comparing tools with him, getting his input on what kind of wood is best, talking about fixing things. Soos developed a passion for repair and handywork, and what better friend to have than a fellow fixer? ❀ Benjamin Fuller: Ben is a bit on the quieter side, but Soos doesn’t really mind. He likes showing off all his weird knick-knacks and interests to him and even when the other man doesn’t say much in response, which was often, Soos always liked to know that at least someone was listening. ❀ Paul Mbappe: There is nothing more that Soos loves more than kicking back and housing a pizza with Pumba. There is never any shame between the two of them in inhaling a whole pie, even though Pumba likes to order some… questionable toppings.

THAT THIS PAIN WOULD BE FOR EVERMORE

[cilly-the-writer]

Magical and Magicless | Excerpt | Delia and Rayna | 738 words

--

     Delia took care of Rayna like she was her real daughter. And Rayna grew to really admire her. She wanted to be like Delia. Delia was brave and spoke her mind. She knew how to fight. She challenged people who were deceptive. And she didn’t care what people thought of her.

     When Rayna was fourteen years old, she tagged along with Delia to the market one day. They strolled along leisurely. The sunny and merry mood felt so tangible in the air. Most of the market booths were there everyday. But one of the wooden booths wasn’t always there. Today, that booth was laid out with displays of crystals from all around the world. Some pebble sized, some the size of hefty paper weights.

     “Chester,” Delia greeted the merchant with a cheeky smile. “Good to see you. What kind of new arrivals do you have for us to see today?”

     “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite customers.” Chester gave a bellowing laugh. He reached down and took out a small wooden chest hidden under his side of the booth. He unlatched the lid and opened it to present his finds. There was a rainbow of large crystals inside. 

     Delia picked up the largest yellow crystal first and examined it.

“That one is heat and fire manipulation.” Chester drew a purple one from the box so she could see it too. “This one is the ability to charm people… and this one gives you light feet and stealth. I think it’s a gravity defying power.”

     “Interesting,” Delia said, holding her thumb to her chin. The blue stealth one certainly sounded appealing. She looked over the remaining crystals in the box once more and a marble sized crystal drew her eye. It was a clear gray. She had never seen that color of crystal before.

“What’s this one?”

     “I don’t know,” said Chester. “I tried to figure it out, but nothing ever happened.”

     “How much for it? Maybe I can figure it out.”

     “Honestly, you can just take it. I gave up on it.”

     “Where did you find it?” Rayna piped up. “Maybe the locals know.”

     “I bought it from a local. They wouldn’t tell me. I think it’s a fake.”

     Delia picked it up and held it in her fist. Maybe it was a fake, but she was still curious. She was always on the lookout for new magic. She took it home and held it in her hand, making multiple attempts to get it to do something. But she didn’t have any success. So she locked it up in their crystal chest and said, “Oh well.”

     As the day drew to an end and the sun set and Delia went to bed, Rayna sat in the kitchen thinking about the crystal. She was curious too. So she snuck over to the pantry and got the key taped inside the door to open the chest back up. Surely it had been user-error and she could figure it out herself?

     “Come on, it’s gotta do something,”

     She picked it up between her index finger and thumb and willed something to happen. Seconds passed and nothing happened though. 

“Work with me!” Rayna whisper-shouted.

     With that, the stone lit up and an iridescent sheen of light bled from her skin. Rayna felt a magical energy lift from her body. A colorful light streamed from her fingertips toward the crystal, both horrifying and captivating her at the same time.

     A series of memories flickered through her thoughts as the last of it pulled away.

     She remembered how Jade had died–how Jade had been mercilessly murdered. How Delia had been there among the group of faces that night, holding Rayna back from saving her sister. She remembered that powerful blue light casting eerie shadows on all their faces. Delia was one of them; she was a secret member of Crowd Control. 

     Rayna dropped the crystal in pure shock and jumped back, her hands trembling. She glanced toward the dark shadow of stairs, suddenly terrified that she might have woken Delia. Rayna scrambled to recollect the stone and put it back in the box. She re-taped the key and ran out to the living room to pace around anxiously.

     After a while, she sat down in the dark and stayed awake with the horrible realization that she had been living with someone who aided in her sister’s murder for almost four years now.

[jupyterdream]

Chapter 13: Doppler Effect

Sorry I skipped an update. 

I’m kind of going through a lot and ended up going into a depressive episode because of it. 

Hopefully once everything sorts itself out, I’ll be able to stick to a darn schedule. 

Here’s the new chapter, ahhhhh!

Taglist: @kazumaple

Warnings: Reader is psychopathic, reader is manipulative, ooc, enemies to lover, friends to lovers, slow burn, a lot of scientific jargon, reader is female, female pronouns, reader has a nickname, reader is bad person, yandere reader, do not interact if any of the above makes you uncomfortable.

Pairings: Tomo x Reader

If you wish to be added/removed from the taglist, please let me know.

”You guys took longer than I thought, did something happen?”

You couldn’t help but look away at EM’s question. Even though you thought you accepted your fate, it seems you still feel guilty about what happened. Why did you have to hide anyway? Because you were embarrassed and didn’t want Strong and Weak to see you like that? That’s not a good reason to snoop around them.

“It’s nothing.” Tomo replied for you and you held out the orange pill box to EM. She sparkled and smiled brightly at you. 

“Thanks you two!”

You nod slightly as EM twirled into her room, “Oh! Oh! I got us desserts! Almond Tofu! I bought 3, but I ate 2. Uh… Hehe!”

She was lying. You don’t know about what, but you knew she was lying. Though, from how she was acting, it didn’t look like she was lying about anything big, so you decided not to pry any further. 

“In that case, Tomo, you can have the last plate.” You suggested.

Tomo started to ruffle your hair and gave an energetic laugh, “We can share one plate, you know?”

Share… The thought made you build up heat on your cheeks. You couldn’t tell why, but you didn’t mind it either. Usually you would turn down such an offer and allow Tomo to take the dessert, however…

“It’s really good! You both should try it!” You really couldn’t reject EM’s enthusiasm either.

“Alright.” You agreed, and sat down by the table inside EM’s room as Tomo sat next to you. EM took her seat across from you two in anticipation. You scooped up the almond tofu with your spoon and brought it into your mouth. It’s good. Though, you thought Weak could make it better.

“It’s delicious.” Tomo nodded as he finished half of the plate in the matter of seconds, “Ah, darn. I already ate too much. Gravity, you have the rest.” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle, what is with this guy anyway? To you, he felt free, honest to his own wishes and desires. Yet, he also possessed enough composure and strength to care about others. In that sense, Tomo was completely different from you, but you didn’t mind that. 

In the corner of your eyes, you saw EM grinning from ear to ear. As a romance story lover, she admitted that she likes watching real life romantic relationships as much as fictional ones. “But if you fangirl about real life relationships, then you put pressure on the couple.” That’s what she told you when you asked her about it long ago. “So I don’t do it. But I still love watching it.” 

You assumed a similar thing was happening right now with you and Tomo. You coughed a bit before shifting the conversation, “By the way, for tomorrow…” 

“I want to go look around alone!” You froze for a moment. You couldn’t believe your ears, so you relied on your sight for the truth, only to learn your ears did not deceive you. EM was raising her hand with an excited look on her face.

“You?” You questioned, “Alone? Why?”

“That’s because… Uh…” Her eyes swam around for an excuse. Eventually she thought of one and exclaimed, “I wanna go on a secret mission!” 

“Is it a secret mission if you tell us you’re going on a secret mission?” Tomo chuckled.

“Well, that’s… You know! A secret!” You observed EM and thought of a couple different possibilities as to why she’s suddenly wanting to work alone. After all, EM hated being by herself. So much so that for the first few weeks after you started living with her, she asked to sleep in your room just because she couldn’t bear to sleep on her own. Even now she tends to become restless when there’s no one nearby to talk to. Long story short, it’s very unlike her to ask to be left by herself. Which could only mean one thing…

She found a friend here?

You thought to yourself and you couldn’t help but smile. Leave it to EM and Strong to make friends out of someone they barely know. 

“Alright, then I’ll go around Liyue with Tomo then.” You agreed. Tomo looked surprised and confused, but it seems he decided to value you and EM’s decision. “Hm… Then… Want to meet up by the harbor at noon? Just to make sure that we’re okay? Huh, not having a phone is a bit annoying, isn’t it?”

“I know right? I wanna read romance novels again…” EM complained. You smiled nervously before finishing up your almond tofu.

******

“I never got a grade like this when I was a student.” 

I tried my best. But what is that worth when the person you’re trying to impress doesn’t care about your hard work? Society only cares about the final product, and my father wasn't an exception.

“I expected better from you, Harper.” I winced, but still kept up my smile. I needed to smile. If I don’t smile, people will leave me. No one will love you if you’re sad all the time. 

Ignore those sirens inside your head.

Ignore those cries for help inside your head. 

Ignore it.

Ignore it.

Ignore it…

“I’m sorry father, I’ll work harder next time.” I smiled as he threw my calculus test at me. 

89%. I tried my best. But it seems my best isn't 100%. 

“Go to your room and study until your mother makes dinner.” My father went back to reading the news on his laptop. A beloved doctor who everyone relies on. I understand that my father wants me to be as successful as he is when I’m older, but the pressure is starting to suffocate me. “Honestly, I thought you would be better with that photographic memory you have.” 

Photographic memory doesn’t do anything in math. In math, everything could come crumbling down just because you forgot to carry the 2. Memorizing the theorems really doesn’t do anything for you. Why can’t my father understand that…?

I climbed the stairs that lead to my room and collapsed on my bed. The sirens are getting louder, louder, louder. I should be studying, I really should be. But my brain wouldn’t listen, it wouldn’t let me lift a muscle. 

Harper Gibson, daughter in the household full of doctors, student council president of her highschool, accepted into an Ivy league school that her father went to. On top of that, she has photographic memory. A girl with everything anyone could wish for. Privileged, smart, and always surrounded by friends. A girl whose life is on easy mode. That’s who I am supposed to be. I don’t deserve to be upset about anything. 

So then why?

Why do I keep having terrible, terrible thoughts inside my head?

I needed to do something or else I thought I’d go insane, so I picked up a romance novel. A trashy romance novel where a privileged girl finds a love interest, and instantly her life is perfect. You can do anything with love, every problem becomes insignificant with love, because love conquers all. 

They make it look so easy. You find someone and immediately, all your problems go away. My father would accept me. My mother would praise me. My friends would actually care about me. 

But I’ll never find someone like that. Because my life is already supposed to be perfect as it is.

*****

“Do you think EM is okay?” You expected Tomo to be worried as you parted ways with EM. So you really weren’t surprised when that was the first thing he said as you two started your investigation through Liyue harbor.

It would be a lie to say you weren’t worried about EM. But at the same time, you didn’t want her to feel like you were babying her. You wanted to show her that you trusted her, and that despite what her head might tell her, she genuinely grew as a person. 

“She’ll be alright.” You told him with a slight smile and held his hand, “I heard there’s a bookstore nearby, so let’s investigate there.” 

You started to pull Tomo by his hand and walked around the city. Though admittedly, you had no clue where this bookstore was supposed to be. You knew it was supposed to be up stairs somewhere, but there were so many things that you couldn’t keep track of everything. 

Not to mention, you were also on edge because you knew that Kazuha could be nearby. If Tomo finds Kazuha, would he leave you? Of course he would, he said as much when you first met him…

“Gravity?” Tomo waved his hand in front of your eyes, which made you jolt in surprise.

“Wh-What?”

“Are you alright? I’ve been calling you for a little while now.”

“Oh, sorry.” You smiled nervously before you looked up above Tomo’s head, “Oh, I think that’s where the bookstore is.” 

Tomo stared at you before chuckling, “Yeah, that’s why I was trying to get your attention.” 

You tried to apologize, but before you could, he pulled you up the stairs to the open market bookstore. Exactly what you wanted: plenty of books. You were only allowed to look around aimlessly for a few minutes before the store clerk coughed in annoyance, trying to rush you. You decided to pick up the closest history book you saw and started flipping through it. 

“Yaku…shas?” You weren’t familiar with the term, but as you read along, you were able to put together that they were some sort of magical species with elevated powers. If you could get your hands on one of them, then you could finish your goal rather quickly. …But from how the book wrote about them, you assumed they were hard to find. 

“If you’re interested in the history of Liyue, I suggest this book instead.” 

You snapped your eyes away from the book and towards the voice that spoke to you. A young man with an odd hair style, and you were already used to how people in this world could casually have dark blue hair. 

You glanced at the book the young man was holding, and reached towards it with hesitation. Flipping through it, it seemed to be a book about the general history of Liyue. 

“Thank you.” You forced a smile. To be honest, the yakusha book helped you more with your goal, but seeing as god-like beings are tied directly to this region’s history, you decided it’s not the worst book to start out with. Perhaps it’ll go more in depth than the lady at the inn. 

“You don’t seem to be from around here.” The young man noted, “What’s your name?”

Would it really be wise to give your name to this person? Though, you decided that not giving your name would be more suspicious.

“It’s Gravity.” You replied and looked towards Tomo, “And that is my friend, Tomoaki. Tomo for short.” 

Tomo lifted his head away from the book he was reading and grinned towards you two, “Or Dark Energy.” 

You chuckled and nodded. Maybe you should start calling him Dark Energy, though you liked the name Tomo better.

“Tomo and Gravity huh? Interesting.” You didn’t know why the young man had such a sly smile on his face, but you didn’t like it. “Oh, I apologize. I should have given my name first. It’s Xingqiu.” 

“Xingqiu, it’s very nice to meet you.” You nodded, “Uhm, are you from Liyue?” 

“I am.” Xingqiu tilted his head, “Why do you ask?” 

“Have you ever seen a yakusha?” There, now you sound like any curious visitor who is asking about a book she once read. Pretending like you’re an idiot is the best way to ask for information. At the very least, that is what you believe in this particular situation.

“I have, actually.” You froze. You asked just because it was a good way to start a conversation, but you never expected him to actually say yes. “He’s a friend of a friend. But he never shows up unless Aether calls for him.” 

“Aether?” You questioned. You assumed it was a name, not the fake material that people theorized about decades ago. 

“Indeed.” Xingqiu grinned, “You must know about the famous traveler, right?” You shook your head and you saw the look of shock on Xingqiu’s face. You looked to Tomo for help, but he shook his head, indicating that he wasn’t aware of the rumor either. This made Xingqiu more shocked, “Really? That’s surprising. I thought everyone in Teyvat knew of the traveler.” 

“Why is that?” Tomo questions Xingqiu. You really didn’t like where this was going. 

“Well, he’s just so strange. He can control the elements without a vision, defeated a dragon, saved Liyue from the Fatui and an evil god, abolished the vision hunting decree in Inazuma, then saved the dendro archon in Sumeru.” 

“The vision hunting decree?” Tomo paused. 

“Mhm.” Xingqiu smiled, “All thanks to the traveler.” 

Tomo went silent as he looked down at the ground with a serious look. You really, really didn’t like where this was going. You watched him with Xingqiu until he finally spoke up with determination, “I need to go meet him.” 

“Oh, you want to meet the traveler? I can help with that.” Xingqiu suggested before shifting his gaze from him to you, “I can assume you also want to meet him?”

Do I want to meet him? A famous traveler with enormous power. Whether he can become a friend or a foe could have a massive impact on your journey ahead. Though, acting on your own couldn’t be the best option. At the very least, you wanted Strong, Weak, and EM to know about this too. Better yet, if you could meet the traveler with the three of them, Strong and EM would definitely win his heart, and he could become an ally. You were good at manipulation, but manipulation could come out with a sour result when used on a person with great power. Yes, at this very moment, the risks outweigh the benefits. 

So the best course of action is to deny the offer. Yes, that would be the best… And yet…

You couldn’t help the look in Tomo’s eyes. Shock mixed with determination and aspiration. If you said no, would he follow your lead? Would he regret it? 

This is so illogical. 

“Well, if I’m allowed that honor.” You couldn’t believe what you had just agreed to. 

[2hero2academia]

Season 1 Episode 4- “Start Line” (part 2)

hey, remember that one time where izuku just embodied the spirit of a hero? yeah, i bet you don’t. take a goddamned sip. i need a refill.

anyways, back to the present. izuku just leapt several stories into the air and he’s coming back down hard. what’s worse? there’s only a minute left in the exam, and izuku still has zero points

oh, and also— three of his limbs are broken

luckily, nice girl’s here to slap him out of his fall!

i’m gonna take a moment to talk about ochako’s quirk. see, her quirk lets her nullify gravity for an object, but the thing is if that were just the case, her hitting izuku here wouldn’t actually have done much of anything. even without gravity pulling him down, izuku was still moving extremely fast. he would have kept that speed going down and smacked right into the pavement. but that’s not what happens. izuku comes to an abrupt halt and then drifts gently towards the ground. why? i have a headcanon that i’ve held onto for literal actual years that i’ve never been able to tell anyone or put anywhere, but basically it goes like this:

i think that ochako’s quirk deals with more than just gravity. it deals with the laws of motion and gravity. when ochako activates her quirk on an object it removes all of the effects of gravity and motion. a moving object will stop moving if she uses her quirk on it, any and all momentum ceasing to exist. when she uses her quirk on something, she creates a blank slate of an object that she can then move as she pleases

i think it’s very funny that while mha is fine with depicting blood and izuku’s mangled limbs, the show draws the line at drawing vomit. it routinely goes out of its way to either avoid drawing any actual upchucking or stylizing it in such a way that it’s less gross. take ochako randomly puking up rainbows. what’s up with that?

izuku tries to crawl towards just one robot— if he can just get one point-! but it’s already too late. the exam ends, izuku still hasn’t a single point to his name, and the combination of shock and excruciating pain that he’s probably in cause him to pass out

after the exam, a bunch of students gather around izuku’s corpse and gossip about him, but tenya’s in the background realizing the secret behind the exam— that there’s more to it than just fighting villains.

then best girl recovery girl arrives on the scene to tell everyone they did a great job and to hand out gummies. i love recovery girl, actually, she’s so real

see, recovery girl’s a healer! one of the few we ever meet in this series, and she heals people by kissing them. she heals up izuku and tenya wonders more about theoretical secret parameters because he’s a nerd guy

anyways, it’s been one week since you looked at me

izuku is… coping

izuku figures that not only did he fucking bomb the practical part of the exam, but he also barely scraped by on the written side as well. no confidence in himself, this one.

moments like these are why i really love inko. she’s just telling izuku that win or lose, she’s proud of him and she thinks he’s cool. moments like these really make you think about how she just really fuckin loves her son. inko scenes always make me think about my mom

another one of izuku’s non-quirk quirks and purely a result of his ten months of hell, izuku is always fucking training. it’s just an idle thing to him at this point. sitting around doing nothing? pick up one of those grip exercisers or a dumbbell! wake up early! go out on a run! he is almost always exercising, it’s just a part of him at this point. it’s so neat and i love using it in stories so people can look at him and go “wtf why do you work out so much you’re a nerd”

after izuku does some lamenting over disappointing all might, inko shows up to prove that anxiety runs in the family because izuku’s letter from ua came and izuku is not the only one freaking out over it

to be fair, a lot of izuku’s freaking out is internal because he’s kind of dead inside

izuku retreats to his room to stare at the letter in what looks like a strange combination of trepidation and irritation

eventually, he bites the bullet and tears the letter open. you see the hologram thing that lights up a moment later, but there’s also an actual physical letter in the envelope, so it’s not just the weird hologram disc

and who should show up on that hologram projection but all might himself! wait what? all might, what are you doing in my letter from ua?

for the record, by the way, i think this is the first ever appearance of all might’s dumbass looking bright yellow pinstripe suit that i love with all of my heart. anyways, all might is apparently going to be teaching at ua this coming year! that’s neat, right? he wants to talk to izuku specifically some more because the school year hasn’t even started but by god does all might have a favorite, but he’s told to just wrap it up and tell the boy his score

all might tells izuku that he sucks and he didn’t get a single point in the practical exam

but wait! there’s a twist coming! look here! that nice girl with the gravity powers that izuku saved during the exam shows up at ua to try and give some of her points to izuku because she heard that he didn’t get a single one

one of the funniest early mha moments: when ochako’s trying to describe izuku and she’s like “yeah he just has a really plain face??” and without hesitation, izuku’s like “oh, she means me!” like. honey.

but there isn’t a thing to worry about apparently, because the practical wasn’t graded on just combat points and izuku’s apparently done well even without them!

there are rescue points! a panel of judges watch the practicals and award points to those who commit heroics acts to help or save their fellow hero hopefuls

and while izuku may not have gotten a single combat point, he wound up with 60 rescue points, skyrocketing him into the top ten participants in the practical just above such a legend as tetsutetsu tetsutetsu

actually, i’d like to emphasize how fucking bonkers tetsutetsu’s name is real quick. this is a guy named fucking tetsutetsu tetsutetsu, but all four of the kanji in his name— every single tetsu— is a different kanji. imagine being this guy’s parents with the already bonkers surname “tetsutetsu” and then you’re like, “hey, you know what would be such a move? naming our kid tetsutetsu.” i wonder if he’s tetsutetsu tetsutetsu jr. that would be crazy

and finally, all might welcomes izuku, and the audience through him, to his hero academia. to your hero academia

and so ends episode 4, the final episode of the preamble…

… but wait, there’s more!

not a whole lot more, but this episode does have a post credits scene.

we are finally finally finally at the starting line! we are at our hero academia! the school year begins and we’re about to get tossed in along with it. the opening has closed and what comes next will be the real beginning of this story.

refill count: 1

[blackwidow-bby]

Positions - Marvel Ladies x Fem!Sub!Reader

Summary: You're a sex worker and you've been hired by a new client for a "group activity".

genre: smut(18+)

pairings: Maria Hill x fem!reader, Wanda Maximoff x fem!reader, Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader, Carol Danvers x fem!reader, Yelena Belova x fem!reader

warnings: D/S dynamics, face slapping, spanking, strap on use, degradation, orgy, big ole lesbian train, oral, throat f*cking, name calling, degradation, thigh riding, fingering

AN: I am...well not a pro at writing dirty things especially not with multiple people but I hope you all enjoy regardless!

I don't own any marvel characters!!

Your assistant had just called you into her room. Your week had been slow but fruitful. Normally, it would be a regular client for the month, nothing to sweat over. Your thoughts started to run over who it could be. Maybe Mr. Dean, he usually calls on a Friday but you could've sworn you saw him two weeks ago. That didn't leave a lot of your regulars left to be requesting you as you knew their schedules like the back of your hand.

As if she could read your mind upon entering her space, she spoke, "Y/N, you have a call for a new client. Something about a friend requesting your services? The only thing is..." She hesitated almost thinking if she should tell you the rest of the details before she proceeded. "Well, it's for a group. You don't have to take up the offer if you're uncomfortable with that. I can call her back and let her know you declined."

To tell the truth, the thought of it being a group of strangers did make you uncomfortable, but your assistant wouldn't put you into a situation without going through the proper protocols first. She knew a head count of how many, roughly where they all worked, and several phone numbers. It always helped to be extra safe in these situations where you could be overpowered.

"Who inquired?" you asked interestedly. "She goes by N.R., gave me a headcount of all of her friends that would be attending. There's not going to be any men there, but I guess 'more power in numbers' is still 'more power in numbers'." In all honesty, women gave you way less shit about certain things than men did. Hopefully they'd be way more understanding if you didn't want to do specific activities.

"Call her back and tell her I'll take the offer. Do you know how much she's paying?" Your assistant slid a little sticky note over to you as she dialed the number of one 'N.R.'. You swear you almost choked when you saw how much she offered for you. That was a lot of zeros compared to usual. You walked away to get a water from the mini-fridge while you vaguely listened in to your assistant's phone conversation.

Good.

Perfect.

Okay, I'll tell her to meet you there at 6:30.

Extra clothes, yes ma'am. Have a nice day.

"Hey Y/N, I've written down the address, floor, and room number. It's uh...a really high end hotel in New York City. She also said to bring an extra change of--" you interrupted her, "Extra clothes? I overheard." you started wondering what for? Dinner? Go out? "Uhm, yes, she said extra comfy clothes." Comfy? Was she expecting you to spend the night? You looked down at your watch to see how much time you had to get ready. 2 hours. It wasn't enough but you could make it work. "Alright then, I should go freshen up."

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An hour and a half later had found you briskly walking toward the extremely tall and very expensive looking hotel in the Upper East Side. You lived in Queens and while the distance wasn't very far, paired with the traffic, the feeling of unsettlement about being late to such a client was enough to make you almost hurl.

You made your way inside the lobby, barely looking at your surroundings. You wanted to get up to the room as quickly as possible without being noticed. "Excuse me," Could you ever be so lucky? "Are you here for Ms. Romanoff?" Who? That must be your clients last name. "She said she was expecting a guest soon." The lady was being extra kind to you, she had an inviting smile. You almost wanted to never lie to her. "Yes, I'm here to see Ms. Romanoff." you replied quietly. It felt like your voice would echo too hard around the warmly lit lobby. You thought it would break you to hear your own voice shrill around such a pristine room.

"Very well, I'll show you to her room." Your nerves began to spike more the higher up you went. It was as if every floor number on the elevator was the level of anxiety you started to feel. Your palms were sweating and you could've sworn your back was too. The lady just kept her eyes forward with a meek little smile. It took every fiber of your body to not explode your feelings all over that elevator.

Ding

The elevator stopped, of course she was in a penthouse suite. You rolled your eyes as how predictable this situation was playing out. The kind lady, who's name you definitely forgot to get, remained in the elevator as you walked out. "There's a number for room service if you ladies need anything." She sung out. "Thank you."

The walk to her door seemed to never end. Your feet were dragging like gravity was doing everything in its power to keep them on the ground. The air was getting hotter as time slowed in the short distance it took to reach her door. You rang the little buzzer and a melodic voice called beyond the frame.

"Coming!"

You could hear the light patter of a single set of feet. The knob then turned and revealed a stunning short redhead with bright eyes. You were certainly gawking at the sight of her but there was nothing you could do to pull your own attention away. She had a smirk on her face when she saw you staring but not saying anything. "You must be Y/N, it's very nice to meet you. Come in and lets get you introduced to everyone."

She reached out her hand to you and you took it gently. her palms were much colder than yours and her fingers were long and slender. her hair was shoulder length and fire-y. The room was massive, and clean. She had all of the blinds closed to keep any natural light and eyes from entering the den. Scanning the room some more you noticed a couple items around the room. Non-traditional furniture. It was going to be one of those events. There were also four other heads aside from the host's. She turned around once reaching the main room and faced you. "My name is Natasha, over there is Wanda," another read-head standing behind everyone else with a glass of wine in her hands, she lightly nodded, "...that is Carol in the middle," a blonde woman with a bright and bubbly smile. She seemed taller than the rest but she was also sitting down on a piece of equipment that will no doubt be used in a different way by you. Natasha gestured to a brunette, "...this is Maria," another tall and slender woman, didn't offer a smile but a simple wave to your direction. You were scared of her the most. "...and this is Yelena." A second blonde who's face was much more stoic than Maria's. You take it back, she scared you the most.

Natasha's hand unhooked from yours and made its way up your back to settle on the back of your neck. The pads of her fingers added slight pressure to the muscles there as if she could feel all of your tension in waves. You felt her lean in closer, her hot breath fanning your ear. "There's a bathroom in the hall to the right. I got a cute little outfit waiting for you." You could feel her soft lips smiling against the curve of your ear. the feeling made you shiver. You managed to follow her eyes and swiftly walk to the bathroom, closing the door behind you.

You looked around and found the outfit in question. It was sleek all black leather body suit with a halter neck. You lifted it up in your hands and rubbed the material under your fingers. Next to it sat a bottle of lubricant no doubt to get the body suit on. You got to work shedding the current clothes you had on and began to slide on the little leather number. It wasn't too tight but certainly snug against your frame. The only thing out of the ordinary besides the material was, you noticed, a tiny little zipper in between your legs. If unzipped would reveal your very private essence. The thought made you blush a little to yourself. After cleaning up, you made your way back to the room where the women had sat prior.

Since you calmed down a little, you took the opportunity to fully take in your surroundings. The hall was adorned in art more than likely as expensive as this room. Everything seemed darker than when you arrived. To your surprise when you entered the living room area, the room lighting was red as opposed to the normal LED lighting.

Natasha held her hand out to you again for you to take. You obliged her and she pulled you close into her side. Natasha's deft fingers traveled up and down your ribs before finding purchase on your backside. "You look like the most delicious treat. None of us can wait to eat you. Would you like a drink before we start?"

The other women started moving closer almost circling you like sharks. "Yes please." Natasha poured you a glass as she went on, "We should go over some rules before we start. If at any point you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or hurt, the safe word is 'Heart'. We all stop what we're doing and will help you. If at any point you are gagged, two taps to the closest person will get all of us to cease as well. Because of those rules you will not be bound and gagged simultaneously...at least not this session." She ends her rules with a wink toward you. All of these women truly were stunning and it piqued your interest to know what they could possibly be capable of.

Wanda came closest to you first, she pulled the wine glass away from your lips and replaced it with her own lips. Holding your hand with the glass close to her chest and cupping your cheek with the other. Her lips were sinfully soft as was her kiss. She felt delicate and gentle against you, she almost seemed to not match any of this situation. Natasha took your wine glass away while you continued to make out with Wanda, who let her hands roam lower down your body. Your own hands moved behind her neck. Another set of arms wrapped around you from behind. "You're such a pretty kitten." They nibbled on your ear making you separate from Wanda to see who it was. Carol smiled down at you and found the very lips that left Wanda. You moaned into her mouth at feeling how she controlled and dominated the kiss, very different from Wanda's passion. Wanda moved down to kissing your neck and shoulder.

You could hear other giggles in the back. Natasha kept her eyes trained on you as Yelena and Maria began to touch each other in the mean time waiting for you. After a few minutes of watching her friends have all of the fun, Natasha made her way over to you, Carol, and Wanda. She pulled the other red-head back by her locks and pressed her lips to hers in a searing kiss. You heard Wanda moan out into the other woman's mouth next to you causing you to release your own into Carol. This made the blonde swiftly lift you up and wrap your legs around her waist. She brought you over to a nearby bench and kissed you harder. All of the sounds you were making began to rile her up.

"I'm not sure which one of us is more excited to have you here, pretty girl. All I know is I can't wait to ruin that pretty pussy of yours." You moaned at her words and yanked her back down into another kiss. Her words went straight to your core igniting a fire that had been waiting to burn. You made a mental note to find whoever recommended you to these ladies and thank them heavenly. Carol sunk her hips between your legs and began grinding against you seeking the friction she wanted so badly.

Even though the leather was a new material to you, you could still feel the faux member that rested in her pants; Carol was packing. This caused you to move your hands down to her pants to tear the buttons away. The tall blonde grabbed your hands and smirked, "Allow me." She stood to her full height and slowly removed the black jeans she was wearing and revealed her long, girthy strap she had been hiding. Your eyes widened which made Carol giggle. She sunk to her knees where she seductively pulled the zipper on your suit down. She held your eye contact until you saw them shift to behind you. Natasha and Wanda had pulled away long enough to see what Carol was doing and decided to join again. The two red-heads began to undress themselves where Natasha also sported a rather large strap but not Wanda.

In your distraction upon noticing the other women join in, Carol took to opportunity to shove he face into your pussy. You moaned out loud at the contact. Her tongue quickly lapping at your clit and sinking lower to curl inside you. Her ministrations were making you squirm on the bench. She reached up to hold your hips down. "Stay still kitten. Gotta get you ready for our cocks." Eating you out was an art to her. Every move she made, made you more and more wet. Natasha slid her fingers into your open mouth. You sucked on them harshly slipping your own tongue in-between her fingers and coating them in your saliva. Nat removed her fingers and started to rub them between Wanda's folds.

"Eat her out for me, malysh." Natasha requested. You looked up at Wanda as she slowly lowered herself over your wanting mouth. Your head went fuzzy upon seeing all of the quiet red-head's intimacy. Your tongue immediately poked out to welcome her to you. She let out a soft moan and slowly began to grind herself against your mouth. Carol was growing impatient watching you eat out the other woman and feeling you grow more aroused in her mouth. The blonde stood to position the tip at your entrance rubbing the head up and down your slit before she slammed her length in all at once. You yelped against Wanda's soaked cunt sending vibrations straight to her clit.

The whole scene was turning Natasha on more and more so she began stroking her own member, hoping to find some friction. The other two women walked over to join the rest of the group partially feeling left out. Carol continued to slam into you at a rather fast and rough pace. The tip of her strap hitting that blissful spot inside of you with every thrust. All of your moans and whines brought Wanda closer to her orgasm. She came hard in your mouth before she got up and was replaced by Natasha's own cock.

"Suck kotenok. Mommy's getting restless." Carol did not stop chasing not only her own high but yours. You could hear her grunting from below you. All of this attention was turning you on more than you think you've ever been in your life. Even though one hand wrapped around Natasha's strap and the other gripped Carol's wrist on your hips, you were finding it hard to keep blowing Nat. Carol moved her other hand down to your clit. "You better cum for me you little slut."

And you did; hard.

Carol continued her pace and upon watching you come undone, did so herself. Three quick thrusts and she was spent. She released the most guttural moan before her body was replaced by another blonde. Yelena had this look in her eyes like she wanted to make you pay for every wrong you never committed. She removed her clothing and sat right on your bent leg. At this point Natasha was fucking your mouth deeper and deeper. Needing to ground yourself you wrapped your hands around her thighs. Yelena began to rub herself against your thigh. You could feel how wet and warm she was, her hand sliding up and down your slit collecting your cum to rub your clit in tight circles. Your whines didn't stop especially when you were already beginning to feel another orgasm approaching. Yelena slipped her fingers inside you, finding your g-spot with accuracy. With every thrust of her fingers she hit that same spot over and over. tears started to run down your face with the feeling of Natasha in your mouth and Yelena in your core. Natasha gave one last thrust before she pulled out.

Maria shoved three of her fingers to the back of your throat. She giggled when you gagged around them. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head at being finger fucked by the two women. "You're not allowed to cum before I do, else Natty here give you a nice punishment while I ride your face." Yelena only made the threat to turn you on more, but part of you was hoping it was true. It was hard, Yelena knew exactly what she was doing with her fingers but you could feel her slick slide down the sides of your thigh. God you hope she was close because you certainly were. Maria replaced her fingers with her lips and she kissed you hard sliding her tongue along yours. The brunette smiled against your lips when she felt your whimpers in her mouth. Yelena just kept slamming her fingers harder inside of you and rubbing herself quicker. Her breaths got faster and more shallow and as she came, a couple seconds later so did you. Your body shook with the most intense tremors, but Yelena couldn't fault you. She did cum before you, and something about it being in close tandem with hers turned her on a lot more than she would admit. You let out a soft whine when the coolness of the air hit your soaked thigh.

Maria left your mouth and moved between your legs. She put one leg over your left and the other under your right and brought your centers together. "You're a pretty little slut. I want to ruin you so bad." Maria started out ruthless. Her grinding was fast and hard as if she had been waiting to cum for weeks. You felt her in her entirety sliding against your own. The feeling started to overwhelm you. Carol took your face in her hand and rubbed her thumb along your bottom lip. "Open up you little slut."

You obeyed her and opened your mouth sticking your tongue out. At this point you were a blubbering mess and all the ladies were loving it. Carol spit into your mouth before shoving her cock in. "I saw you taking Nat like a pro, so I know you can take me." At least her pace wasn't rough but it certainly was quick. Your gags around Carol was making Maria closer to her release. She leaned forward to angle herself differently against you and put her hand around her throat. She could practically feel Carol's cock fucking your face. Sweat was running down your forehead and your hair clung to every part of your body it could touch. You were close to being spent and you never looked more beautiful this way. Maria's hand tightened, her grunts were heavy. "Such a good little fuck toy. I'm so close baby." You didn't think it was possible for Maria to go any harder but she did. She came with a loud cry and slowed her hips down to ride out her orgasm. You felt her wetness mix with yours. Maria's hand stayed for a couple more minutes, entranced by feeling Carol deep in your throat. The tall blonde slapped your face a couple times before she pulled out. You were too busy catching your breath, you didn't see Natasha move by your feet. She lifted you up and turned you over on your stomach with your legs and arms hanging off the bench. Just when you were hoping it was over, you forgot that Natasha never officially had her turn with you. She rested her strap on your lower back as she ran her cool hands in an attempt to soothe your burning skin. Almost mocking you for being the one to give you the final blow. Wanda walked up to you again. She ran her soft fingers in your hair and moved the stuck strands out of your face. Your breathing was heavy and your body was trembling. Wanda's fingers moved down to cup your jaw and she lifted your head. Tapping the side with her pointer finger, you got the silent request to open your mouth for her. In unison, as Wanda brought her cunt to your mouth, Natasha slid her strap inside you completely bottoming out. Nothing but incoherent noises left your mouth at being filled so sinfully. Wanda gripped your jaw harder as she rubbed her intimacy against your mouth for a second time. You lazily kept your tongue out to try your best to accommodate Wanda's wanting. Natasha on the other hand, had been waiting very patiently for her time and now that she got it she was going to make the best of it. She grabbed your hands in her own and pulled them behind your back to make it easier for her to pound deep into your cunt. When you felt her hit somehow deeper your eyes rolled back. Wanda picked up her pace just as Natasha did, both red-heads moving in perfect synch at opposite ends of your being. A jolt of paint hit your right asscheek igniting a new spark and effectively waking you up even if only for a minute. With every thrust administered, Natasha rained a hand alternating each side of your ass. All of this was sending more and more feelings to your core. You will not be lasting long if these two kept going the way they were. You could feel Wanda fumbling, she was about to come for the second time tonight. Natasha continued to get more rough inside of you until you felt the knot inside of you burst. You came hard around Natasha groaning against Wanda's own cunt. The sight caused Wanda herself to not be able to keep her composure and she came with a scream against your tongue. You felt her pussy pulsing with her orgasm on your mouth. As soon as Wanda backed away from your face, Nat yanked your arms back harder to push herself deeper than you thought was possible. You were screaming, a sweaty broken mess, absolutely spent in this five star hotel. Every thrust pushed harder against that spongey spot inside you. You could feel another earth shattering orgasm approach hoping it would be the last. Natasha's thrusting didn't let up, she was desperate to cum. She was moaning over you with every hit. You yelled her name as you came harder than you had before that whole session. Watching you absolutely spent around her

member, Natasha came just as hard with her final thrust. She stayed inside you to ride out the rest of her high before she carefully pulled out. Looking down she could see wetness all over the bench and her legs. Nat smiled to herself at being the one to make you squirt everywhere like a silent victory. Allowing you to lay and collect your bearings, the red-head began to clean up the room.

There wasn't much you could make out in your state, but you could partially hear Natasha thanking all of the women for coming over before hearing the door open and close through the ringing in your ears. Your were shaking, your whole body felt blissfully weak. The red-head padded over softly to your spent and soaked body and picked you up carefully to place you in her arms bridal style. Your mind was in a war with yourself between wanting just a little bit more or to just go to sleep. You couldn't even open your eyes at this point.

Natasha had brought you to the bathroom to help you clean up and as she moved about, she kept you in her arms. She made sure to hold you as she turned on the faucet and sit on the edge of the tub. As the water filled the tub, Nat moved between rubbing your back and gently caressing your cheek. Once the tub was filled up enough for the both of you, she picked you up again and cautiously lowered the both of you into the hot relaxing water. You couldn't do anything but mumble and cursed yourself for the state you were in even though it wasn't your fault. You desperately wanted to think your gracious host for a life changing night but nothing could come out. Natasha shushed you sweetly. Her time wasn't done until you were well taken care of in her company.

You don't know how long you were in the bathroom, hell you don't even know when you fell asleep as Natasha washed the night away from both of your bodies. Clearly still in no position to be able to make it back to your home, the red-head dried both of you off and brought you to the large bedroom. You had come back into partial consciousness long enough to feel the soft sheets and the plush comforter of this heavenly bed you were being gifted to rest on.

Natasha lowered you down and climbed on the other side before pulling you into her. She lifted your head to lay on her chest so she could easily hold you and play with your hair. She stayed awake until she heard your breathing even out again, signaling that you had fallen asleep again since the bath. She placed a soft kiss to your hairline before succumbing to sleep herself with a blissed smile on her face.

She'd definitely be requesting you again.

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AN: Not sure how I feel about this but yeah this is my wack attempt at something extra dirty.

[kindredhearts13]

Dissecting The Cleaning Lady (Post 1x05, “The Icebox”)

This is a long one, y’all. 

So, despite really overall loving last night’s episode, I had a moment of concern because I realized that we are only 5 episodes in. Are we moving too fast in this first season? What about all of the other episodes? But upon further research, it appears that FOX ordered the show to series for 10 episodes. That means that yesterday was officially the halfway point of the first season- I would guess that future seasons will fall between 12-16 episodes. 

It feels fast paced because it is- they have so much to cover over 10 episodes and truly establish everything ahead of telling the rest of the story in future seasons. I am so curious what their series bible looks like because season 1 has been very well fleshed out so far- even with some slight issues, I think it has really held its own and shown that it will get even stronger as it grows. 

Okay, so tonight’s episode was very smartly placed for a number of reasons. For one, it did an excellent job of establishing the reality for Thony, Fiona, Gabby and so many people- women in particular- like them. They work hard, raise their families, and just try to do what is best for the people that they love. Yet, they don’t get to live in a world where they’re treated as equals. The humanity of the country was truly called into question this episode, almost more than any other episode, and rightfully so. 

It also solidified my previous statement that Garrett is the aggressor in this show. He didn’t “make things right,” Thony and his boss did (and by way of Thony, Arman did). He screwed things up and his guilt and threat to lose his newly regained power at his job forced him to try and help Thony find Gabby and Fiona. 

Seriously, I want everyone to realize the gravity of what he did. He put three (and honestly more because other women were on that bus and were any of them undocumented?) women’s lives at risk with absolutely zero fallback plan. He had no control over the situation because he went through a personal contact and told no one what he was doing. He didn’t respect the authority of his boss, who just so happens to be a woman; he didn’t respect the authority of his partner, who just so happens to be a woman; he didn’t respect the autonomy of Thony or any of the women connected to her. He made a decision and considered none of the consequences, all while thinking that he was smarter and knew better than every other woman around him. Again, he made absolutely nothing right. 

Moving onto Nadia, I really appreciate what this episode did in showing a chink in her armor. I think that Nadia has been an exciting mystery for us all (still is in many ways), but I also feel like I have a stronger grasp on her character now. 

“We’re both in a country that is not our own.”

Arman said this to Thony during the first episode, and I think that it also applies to Nadia. Nadia is clearly in immigrant and this episode was pretty stark about the realities of immigrants (honestly, it was pretty kind in comparison to other shows that have showed the realities of deportation centers). We see Nadia break down after she and Arman are betrayed by Hayak- used for their work but not offered fair pay for their labor. The story of so many immigrants in this country. 

“The help.” 

Nadia’s use of “the help” differs from Isabel’s. Nadia is terrified to be the help, she refuses to be that. I think that is her driving force, why she and Arman have worked together for so long. Their goal has always been survival and to distance themselves from what they viewed as a lower form of work and life. But Nadia’s immediate reaction to Thony cleaning up for her, her humanity and accountability even in her breakdown, showed that she doesn’t actually view Thony as beneath her- at least, not in the way that someone like Hayak (or potentially Isabel) does. She wants to be above people like Thony financially and socially, but I get the feeling that Nadia or her parents were Thony to a degree at some point. I am excited to learn more about her and discover how she ended up where she is. I really, really like her character. (I also have a theory that she’ll have a female love interest at some point in future seasons, but that’s for another post.)

Isabel. Let’s talk about Isabel. That brief interaction we had with her in this episode spoke volumes. Isabel suffers from being a sheltered princess. I don’t necessarily think that she is evil, but she clearly has judgement and doesn’t truly have a grasp on the cost of her livelihood. The dialogue between Isabel and Nadia was very telling. She didn’t exactly throw an insult, but she also spoke down to Nadia by saying that she wouldn’t recognize any discrepancies in the book because she doesn’t know what to look for. She phrased it in a very politically correct way, but that was the gist and Nadia clearly caught on. Despite her conversation with Arman about her father forcing the breakup, she didn’t hesitate to encroach on the space shared by him and Nadia. In one way, we love to see a woman on a mission that is smart and ready to take control; on the other hand, she didn’t respect them or view them as equals enough to ask to set a meeting.  She just went through their things. I think that Isabel was raised by Hayak, and even though she is not quite her brother, her character is hinting at someone that does look down on others- but is just very nice about it until forced to show her hand. I am assuming that the season will continue with Arman running the club for Hayak, Isabel, and Isabel’s husband. And I have a feeling that Isabel is going to take issue with Thony, and that will ultimately force Arman to truly open his eyes about the people he chose over his family. 

I think to her, the help is actually just that- the help. Arman was the only close connection that she had to that world, but he was so wrapped up in her world that he distanced himself from his own. So, she stopped viewing him as the help in the way she may view Thony. It will definitely be interesting seeing these dynamics play out and what it does to Arman, in particular. 

Thony and Arman. That scene was beautifully written, shot, lit, and performed. 10s across the board. It was raw, emotional, and captivating and the first time we had such a personal conversation between them where they equally shared and were equally vulnerable. As an actress, I’m trained in reading subtext of a scene and to me, the subtext was Arman not only talking about Luca but also about Thony. When he said, “That’s not kids, that’s Luca;” he was also saying to Thony: “That’s you, you raised him. You are a good person.” Luca is a good person because Thony is teaching him how to be; and for Arman to recognize that in her as a mother and as a human is something truly special. Which makes him feeling like she betrayed him all the more painful. Still, he kept his word from a previous episode: “I’m not going to hurt you.” And he didn’t. He got angry and scared her, but he was so gentle with her in his office- still clearly stung and establishing that he held the power, but also not able to physically distance himself from her in the way that he might for someone else. 

I don’t think that Arman truly understands how he feels about Thony yet, and I don’t think that Thony fully understands that Arman cares about her outside of just her being Luca’s mom. (Or how she feels for that matter.) Them working together now, especially after hints of next week’s episode, will allow for them to have more vulnerable conversations and for him to see the parts of Thony that she keeps hidden from him.

This post is long enough, so I won’t add anymore. But I really enjoyed this episode. We are at the halfway mark and I am so excited to see what happens going forward. 

[nataliedanovelist]

GF - Timestuck AU: The Power of Mabel ch.1

While fighting over a time machine so one twin can win a pig or the other can win the heart of a girl, Mabel is left stranded in a snowy forest with no time machine and no brother. Oops.

ch.2

Beautiful artwork was created by @starstruck-loner​! THANK YOU SO MUCH SWEETIE I LOVE IT!!!

~~~~~~~~~~

Snow freckled the chilly January day lightly, like powdered sugar over a freshly baked pastry, sticking to each layer effortlessly and creating a blanket that completely covered the woods and the cabin nested between the trees. The atmosphere was still and stiff, like frozen icicles that were not going to start dripping any time soon. The air was bitter and unwelcoming, which was probably why no living thing was outside today. Today was the perfect day to burrow and sleep and keep warm with your own body heat.

A crack through space-time cut through the air. The crushing of tiny ice particles followed as two twelve-year-olds ran, one chasing the other, as the time-tape was heating up and buzzing. “This thing is getting hotter! Hot! Hot, hot, hot!” Mabel attempted to save her palms from burns by bouncing the tiny machine between her hands.

“What are you doing?!” Dipper demanded as Mabel bounced the tape-measure too hard and her twin reached a hand to catch it. He managed to catch it perfectly, like an athlete catching a baseball, and then was gone in a flash of baby-blue lightning.

Mabel’s eyes widened in sheer panic and she held her arms as a gust of wind blew and nearly froze her to her core. It felt like her skin was being pricked by mean sewing needles. She looked around wildly for her brother, for him to come back to this time and place immediately, because surely he would use the time machine to come back, but seconds ticked by and she was still alone.

Puffs of smoke decorated the wintry scene as she held her shivering body and looked at the shack. It wasn’t as colorful and welcoming and loud as the shack Mabel remembered, but she made herself consider that it was because there was no big sign or tourist-y things, and it was winter. Then a light turned on, the hall if Mabel remembered her summer home correctly, and the door opened.

The hope that Mabel had in her chest of seeing her great-uncle was gone, and replaced with fear and confusion. This man looked very much like Stan, though much younger, quite chubby and youthful, wearing a black t-shirt and blue plaid pajama-pants. He had the same face as a young-Stan, but with a more pink than orange nose, a cleft chin, fluffier hair that reminded Mabel of her’s when it was short, and different glasses. 

Mabel didn’t know what to do or how to react or how to feel. People change a lot when they age, sure, but this much? It was possible this person wasn’t Stan, but who else would look so similar to him and live in this house? Maybe this is the guy who lived here before Stan, and they just happen to look very similar. This is Gravity Falls, and though she and Dipper were still new to the town, it was a weird place where something like this could happen.

It also came to Mabel how odd the situation was for the man: a little girl was standing in a sweater and skirt outside his house in the winter. Would he try to send her home? She had no home to go to. She didn’t know what year this was, but if it was a time Stan didn’t live here, it must have been way before she was born, maybe even before her parents met. She was stranded.

But the man looked at her sympathetically and he seemed kind and worried. He grabbed a trenchcoat and called gently, “Hello. Are you okay?”

Mabel bit her lip. His voice was definitely not Grunkle Stan’s. A gust of wind made her shiver and her teeth chatter, and the man stepped into some slippers and walked up to her, draping the trenchcoat over her shoulders. “There there, that’s a very nice sweater, but it doesn’t seem to be keeping you warm, is it?”

“N-No.” Mabel shivered. “I… I used breathable yarn for…” She stopped. She was going to say how she used breathable yarn for the warm California weather, but she decided not to.

“You used?” The man repeated, rubbing her shoulders to try to make the trenchcoat work faster. “You made this?”

Mabel saw his excited grin and she smiled nervously. “Y-Yeah. I knit sweaters.”

The man bent his knees in front of her and studied her sweater. She held out an arm so he could see and his brown eyes sparkled. “That’s very impressive! I love sweaters!”

Mabel gasped happily. “C-C-Can I m-make you one?!”

The man looked taken back, but chuckled and stood. “Of course, but first let’s get you warm. How does hot chocolate sound?”

“Y-Yes, p-p-please.” Mabel shivered, and allowed the man to walk her into the house.

It was scaringly like the Mystery Shack, but so much was different. It was the same layout, the same house, but there was so much that was different. A coat rack stood by the door, holding a white lab coat with black rubber gloves in the pocket, some safety goggles like the ones in Mabel’s science classes, and Stan’s fez. Mabel stared at it. Well, okay it probably wasn’t Stan’s fez, but it was a maroon fez with a golden fish and a black tassle. 

There was a wood-burning stove alive in the living room, with a small box full of wood by it and a tiny stool. Instead of Grunkle Stan’s armchair, there was a red-velvet couch, a large writing desk, and the room was decorated with books, desks, papers, and jars and experiments. It was all strange, but warm and cozy with the fire going.

Mabel smiled as the man pulled out the tiny stool and gestured for her to sit by the stove. She obeyed and the coat was removed from her shoulders, but quickly replaced with a dark-green blanket.

“There, do you mind warming up here while I make your hot chocolate?” He asked, draping his trenchcoat over his arm.

Mabel shook her head and held her cold hands in front of the stove. “Thank you.”

The man smiled. “You’re welcome.” And he turned and left for where Mabel knew the kitchen was.

Sitting alone and feeling better as her body was getting warm, Mabel thought it all over. This man was clearly not her Grunkle Stan, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t nice or couldn’t help her. Any minute Dipper was going to come back for her, but until then she had to stay where she was. That’s what grown-ups told her to do if she was ever lost. Stay where you are until you’re found.

By the time Mabel was very comfortable, the man returned with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, and handed one to the girl. “Here you are, my dear.”

“Thank you, sir.” Mabel sipped and hummed in delight as the man sat on the floor next to her.

“You’re very welcome.” He sipped his drink and added, “Now then, I have to ask, what were you doing out there? Did you get lost?”

Mabel’s face dropped and she nodded. “Uh, huh.”

“Hm, very well. That can easily happen when playing on a snow day.” The man said with a smile. “Why don’t I call our parents and we can arrange to have you back home safe?”

Mabel swallowed nervously. She bit her lip, looking down at her mug. She didn’t know what to say to that.

The man looked at her and noticed how scared she was. “Is something wrong?”

Mabel looked up at him, was met with a kind face, and whimpered, “I can’t call them.”

The man smiled sympathetically. “I’m sure you won’t get into too much trouble. Maybe a little, but it’s for the best to call them so we can get you home soon.”

Mabel shook her head and squeezed her stinging eyes shut. “They’re… not around.”

The man’s face dropped as Mabel scrubbed at her eyes. “Oh. I’m so sorry.”

Mabel only replied with a sniff and she sipped her hot chocolate.

“Is there someone I can call for you?” The man asked. “I’m sure there’s someone out there worried about you.”

Mabel bit her lip. “M-My brother… He’s still out there…”

“Is he lost, too?”

Mabel shrugged.

“Well,” The man held his cleft chin in thought. “I’m sure he’s out there looking for you. Perhaps then you should wait here until he comes here, and then we can send you to your guardian.”

“It’s just us.” Mabel muttered. “Just us.”

The man smiled. Mabel hoped he believed her brother was much older than her, or at least old enough to take care of her. That way she wasn’t really lying, just letting this man believe what he wanted to believe. Nothing wrong with that. “Okay. Still, you may stay here until he finds you.”

Mabel sniffed and wiped her nose with her sweater sleeve. “Thank you, sir.”

“Please, call me Ford.” He said and held out a hand to her.

Mabel smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Mabel.”

“Mabel, huh? That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thanks.” She looked down at their hands and her eyes widened. One, two, three, four, five, s-...

Ford pulled his hand free, his cheeks reddening as he sipped his hot chocolate, but Mabel was grinning at him happily and she gasped with joy, “You have six fingers?!”

Ford blinked at her, reminding Mabel of a startled owl, and he cleared his throat. “Um, y-yes. It’s a birth defect.”

“Nuh, huh! It’s cool! Can I see, please?” Mabel sat her mug on the floor by her feet.

The researcher didn’t like people staring at his hands, but this young girl wanted to look, it appears, in admiration, so Ford hesitantly gave her his hands and she held them lovingly, her eyes sparkling like stars.

“Wow! That’s neat! No wonder your hand shake was so friendly! It’s a whole finger friendlier than normal!” Mabel was then reminded that Dipper’s journal had a six-fingered hand on it.

The girl’s eyes widened as she wondered if she was meeting Dipper’s idol. It was possible. The journal Dipper had dated it in the 80s, and Dipper said that the author mysteriously disappeared. As exciting as it was to meet the Author of the Journals, all it did was put Mabel more at ease. If anyone can help her, he can.

Ford laughed and gave her hands a soft squeeze. “I like you! You’re weird.”

Mabel grinned, distracted from her thoughts and grateful for it. “I like you, too, Ford!”

[mammonshuman92]

- It Takes Two - Pt. 2

(Mammon x Gn!MC)

Genre: angst to fluff (the fluff is coming I promise lol)

Warnings: cheating, not proof read , if i missed any TW’s I apologize

“We’re a little busy right now.” A familiar voice, biting and arrogant, came from his lap. His eyes widened, whipping his head around to look at you in his lap. Except it wasn’t you. It was her. His heartbeat accelerated as panic began to set in.

“No, no, no, no, no.” He chanted, standing up in an instant, causing the succubus to fall to the floor with a thud and a few profanities. As events began to unfold and the puzzle pieces started fitting together; when it was already too late, he realized what he’d done. A hard lump instantaneously forming in his throat. He turned to you, eyes wide with terror, hands on either side of his head tangling in his hair.

“MC..I..I-It’s not wh- I thought-” He choked out.

He followed your line of sight, which was glued to his undone pants and obvious arousal. With shaky hands and fingers unwilling to cooperate, he fumbled with his zipper, struggling to get it up. Arms from behind snaked around his middle, gently clawing at his chest. 

“Shall we finish what we started?” She hummed seductively, staring daggers directly at you.

You shook your head, a sob escaping your lips as a fresh wave of tears streamed down your cheeks. You brushed past Asmo, disappearing out the doorway.

What’s goin’ on..? ...This can’t be happenin’..

He shoved the girl’s arms off of him without saying a word, a scowl spreading across her face. He made a beeline for the door, Asmo quickly stepping in front of him to block his way. “Don’t. You’ve done enough..” With venom lacing his tone, he looked the succubus up and down. He turned his glare on his brother for just a moment, the utter disgust they held was evident, before running out the door after you. As his figure disappeared, Mammon could feel the reality, the weight of the situation setting in.

His heart was pounding against his ribcage, breathing becoming erratic. The lump in his throat was unwavering, choking him as tears streamed down his cheeks. The gravity of it all bringing him to his knees.

“How moving.” The voice behind him scoffed, reminding him of her presence, “It almost seems like you love them.”

His head whipped around to see her, lounging casually on the sofa as if nothing had happened.

“You.” He growled, harshly wiping his face with the back of his hand as he stood up.

 “Stay the fuck away from me!” He snarled.

She laughed lightly as she stood from the couch, crossing the floor until she was right in front of him. “Don’t be like that. Ten minutes ago you were ready to nail me on that couch.” She purred, her finger trailing down his chest, quickly moving lower. Like a flash, he grabbed her wrists and held her hands up in the air in front of her.

“Let me make one thing very clear to you right now. I don’t want ya. I only made out with you and shit because I thought ya were MC. I would never willingly do anything to hurt them.” He glared at her, making sure she caught that emphasis, before dropping her hands. “Your jealousy bullshit, and making moves on me while I’m drunk just made me lose the one thing that has ever been good about me..” He trailed off, releasing his grip in her.

She rolled her eyes, “Why are you getting so worked up over a human? There’s nothing special about-”

“Excuse me?” He growled. 

Mammon has always been the level-headed one when it comes to altercations, believe it or not. He never usually lets his anger get the best of him. After thousands of years of being the scummy brother, the thief, the loser, he got used to just letting people’s words fall upon deaf ears, so to say. But, that was not the case this time. You see, anyone could say whatever they wanted to about him, he didn’t care. He could handle whatever was thrown at him. 

You, on the other hand? Well, you’re flawless. In every miniscule way, you were perfect. That’s not saying that you don’t make mistakes, or drive him crazy sometimes, but to him there was absolutely not a thing about you he would change. Everything you did, everything you were, was absolutely immaculate.

Rage bubbled in his gut.

Leaning in closely, he towered over her, radiating ire. “I’m not gonna sit here and discuss why you’re wrong, seein’ as how it’d take all day, but what I am gonna to say is for a lesser demon, ya might wanna reconsider who you’re talking to. He spat, “Say one more thing about MC, and it’ll be the last time ya speak..” He whispered, glaring at her for a moment before taking a step back.

“Stay away from me and MC.” He warned once more, daggers in his eyes as he turned and bolted through the door.

If he had any shred of hope left, it was that you would talk to him and let him explain everything. He knew it was shitty, after everything that just went down, to even consider the possibility of you forgiving him, but he held onto that little shred of hope. Had he been in the right state of mind, had she not taken advantage of the situation and the state he was in, he would’ve never even stayed in the same room with that girl, much less go as far as he had.

He felt awful. Whether he was so drunk he was convinced it was you on his lap or not, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. After seeing the horror, the heartbreak on your face; the tears that stained your cheeks because of something he’d done, he kinda didn’t want you to forgive him. He didn’t want to lose you, couldn’t imagine continuing on without you in his life, by his side. But if you hated him now, he wouldn’t blame you. He deserved it. And he would live with it for the rest of his existence, knowing that he messed up his only chance at true happiness; at spending his life with his soulmate.

-

You bobbed and weaved as quickly as you could through the crowd of club patrons, needing to get far away from here as fast as you could, as your impending breakdown was sure to be a sight to see.

You were already so out of it; physically present but mentally, your brain had already shut off. Not quite sure how to handle the current situation. All the faces in the club were just a blur; you could feel the bass of the music reverberating inside your chest, but you couldn’t hear anything. Kind of like when you’re somewhere so quiet, the absence of sound feels so heavy, deafening.

You had to get out of here. Heart hammering wildly, you felt as if you couldn’t breathe; like the walls were closing in on you. A panic attack was setting in. Finally free of the sea of people, you darted out the front door of the establishment, running as fast as your legs would take you back to the House of Lamentation. Hoping that no one else would be home to see you; becoming witness to your unraveling.

-

*bing*

*bing, bing* *bing*

Your D.D.D. continued going off with near constant notifications well into the night. You could’ve just put it on silent, but you just couldn’t seem to move, frozen by heartbreak. Apparently several pictures were going viral on Devilgram, leaking this rumor and that regarding the second born and the succubus. Further making you look and feel like a complete fool.

Mammon had also been blowing up your phone since you made it back to the HOL. He had even come by your room in an attempt to talk to you but once he realized the door was locked, which had never happened the entire time you’ve lived here, he sat outside the door begging you to open it as loud sobs escaped him. As much as you wanted to, you didn’t budge.

Of course you still love him. How could you not? Hearing his desperate pleas and heartbroken sobs was almost too much for you. Although you were the one who had been betrayed, you wanted nothing more than to fling the door open, latch yourself onto him and never let go. But you couldn’t. Cheating is a dealbreaker. It’d happened before, in previous relationships, but shit this one hurt so bad, worse than any other heartbreak you’d had.

He had his faults, much like everyone, but he was so perfect for you, and treated you like you’d always dreamed. This couldn’t really be the end could it? Over, just like that? Completely smitten and in love two days ago, to heartbroken, crying on the bathroom floor. 

How are you supposed to move on from this? He’s your best friend. Or, was. How are you supposed to pass him in the hall, or eat dinner, or have House movie nights in the common room? How are you supposed to act like you're not still in love with him..?

-

The next week was pretty rough, to say the least.

You stayed locked away in your room when you weren’t at RAD; replaying the moment you saw them together, crying until the tears no longer fell; effectively torturing yourself. They’d all come knocking at your door countless times, trying their best to make you feel better. And while you appreciated it wholly, it didn’t help.

Avoiding Mammon was probably one of the hardest things you’d ever done, seeing as how you kinda live together. While it was extremely hard not to just run up to him and latch onto him like you always did, it seemed harder to just avoid him in general. 

During the first few days, he left small presents outside your door, had a couple of his brothers slip you notes, and waited for you after class a few times. After using every ounce of your willpower to avoid him, he left you alone. He still messaged you several times a day though, apologizing profusely, begging you to talk to him.

But, it was better this way right? Like ripping off a band-aid? 

That’s what you’d always heard anyway. Instead of asking questions and demanding answers as to why someone else chose to hurt you, you just cut it off right there, ghosting them; removing yourself completely from their life. Because if they truly cared, really loved you, they wouldn’t make the conscious decision to do something that they know would hurt you, that stepped outside the boundaries of your relationship. Their reasoning doesn’t matter. Aside from living in the same house and attending the same school, you had pretty much ghosted him.

In public anyway. In the privacy of your room, where you could feel everything to its fullest, you’d spend hours going through pictures, skimming Devilgram for any new gossip about the two of them. Re-reading your old text messages, finger hovering over the send button of the text you’d typed out a hundred times before deleting it and tossing your phone, a new wave of tears pricking your eyes.

-

Unable to sleep, he’d tossed and turned in his bed so much that his body ached and one of the corners of his sheet had popped off the bed. With a heavy sigh, he rolled over and grabbed his D.D.D. off the nightstand. Squinting his eyes harshly when he unlocked the phone.

“3:41am” He groaned, tossing the phone back onto the nightstand. He turned back over, facing the empty side of his bed. Sure, he didn’t often share it before you, but once you started sleeping together, he wasn’t sure how he’d ever slept before you came along. It just felt right. Your body molded against his, sleeping peacefully in his arms.

His hand trailed down the cold, empty sheets; the slight disruption releasing your smell. A hard lump formed in his throat as tears pooled behind his lash line. He sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palms. With a heavy sigh, he stood up and grabbed a pair of pajama pants, making his way to the door. If he had any hope of being able to fall asleep again, he’d need some help drowning his thoughts.

He quietly made his way to the kitchen, fully intending to turn up the bottle of Demonus Lucifer kept hidden in the dark recesses of the pantry. As soon as he stepped foot in the kitchen, he froze.

It had only been seven days, but it felt like a lifetime. Seven days without being in the same room as you for more than just a moment before you ran in any direction as long as it was away from him. Not that he could blame you. He wanted to run away from himself..

Which is exactly what he was determined to do with Demonus, had he not stumbled upon you sitting with your back to the fridge, crying into a half eaten container of chocolate frosting.��

Immediately alerted to the figure in the doorway, you jumped up, attempting to wipe at your face as you muttered an apology, but paled when you saw who it was that disturbed you. You slowly sat the container on the counter, keeping your eyes fixed on the man in the doorway.

What was left of his heart, shattered at the sight of you. Your eyes were puffy and red with dark bags underneath them. The same eyes that looked at him with such deep burning love, were now dull and lifeless as you stared at him. You were visibly broken, anyone could see that. He was the reason you looked like this; like an abandoned puppy, beaten and abused. He hated it. Hated himself.

He moved out of the doorway and into the kitchen, freeing up the only way out in case you wanted to run. Not that he blamed you. If he could run from himself right now, he would.

But, now you were in the same room together for the first time in a week and he didn’t want to waste the opportunity. Maybe if he just started talking you would listen, even just a tiny bit to what he had to say.

“MC, I-”

“Don’t.” Your voice trembled slightly as your eyes began to sting.

“Please, just hear me-”

“And what are you going to say, hm? That you’re sorry? Sorry you did it, or sorry you got caught?” You hissed with tears in your eyes. Mammon slightly recoiled from the tone of your voice, a tone he’d never heard from you. You hated being this way; angry and bitter, wanting him to hurt like you did. It was surely petty, but you didn’t care.

“MC, listen, I swear I didn’t do anythin’, okay? I was still goin’ strong from an all night drinkin’ binge, an-and she just showed up in the VIP lounge. I told her to fuck off but she didn’t listen. I was already pretty out of it when things started happenin’ and I thought it was you. I thought it was you the whole time! I-I didn’t know it was her till I heard you and Asmo and realized what happened! She took advantage of the situation, of me bein’ way too drunk..” He was talking so fast, trying to get out the words he’d been wanting to say to you. 

Narrowing your eyes, you stared at him suspiciously.

What if he really didn’t do it on purpose..? If all of that is true, it would explain why he looks so rough..

Having barely stayed in the same room as one another for several days and not wanting to look at him, wanting to remain strong and now cry in front of everyone, you hadn’t noticed but how awful he looked as well. He clearly hasn’t been sleeping well, judging by the giant bags under his eyes. Not to mention that he is also currently awake at 4am, looking just as much like shit as you did.

“Then why is it all over Devilgram that it’s been an ongoing fling?” You questioned, a few tears escaping.

“I would never do anythin’ like that, MC! She’s just jealous or somethin’, I don’t know what her issue is.. But, I-I love ya, more than anythin’ in the three realms. Even Goldie!”

You could feel yourself caving in with every word he said. It made sense, judging by how she’d randomly confronted you after school that day after whispering about you with her friends all day, it seemed like jealousy could be plausible. But what proof did you have? It was his word against what you saw with your own eyes. Not to mention everything on Devilgram.

“Funny, from where I was standing, it sure looked like I was the last thing on your mind.” You hissed, causing him to flinch; but he wasn’t backing down yet.

“Just let me prove it to ya, okay? I-I’ll do whatever I gotta do. Please, MC?” His deep, sapphire blue eyes bore deep into yours; the sorrow, the agony they held was immense. The crack in your armour deepened.

He could see that you were wavering, but that you were hesitant, scared to believe him; to trust him. He couldn’t blame you. If he were on the other side of all this, he wouldn’t believe his words either. He didn’t expect you to just hear him out then jump into his arms and ride away into the sunset. He knew better. He knew he’d have to prove it. He was more than willing to do whatever it would take for you to trust him again, to believe that he’d never hurt you intentionally.

He took a step toward you, careful and anxious, as if you would bolt if he moved too suddenly. He reached out for your hand slowly, reluctant at first but upon realizing how much you’d missed his touch as his warm, much larger hand enveloped yours, you caved so easily.

He squeezed your hand lightly, looking down at your entwined fingers, gently rubbing the side of your thumb. You felt something wet hit your hand a couple times, realizing quickly that they were tears, you attempted to swallow the lump in your throat that was quickly forming.

“Please? I’m miserable without ya..” He asked, voice cracking slightly.

Even after everything that’s happened the last week, you couldn’t stand to see him in such pain; miserable and broken. Just like you.

Sure, he was always stand-offish about his feelings and the like before you got together, but once it was all official, that was it; the walls came down. There had never been a single time that he lied to you or went behind your back with anything. He lasted exactly twelve minutes after buying your birthday present before he couldn’t take it anymore and spilled the beans. 

He’s always a goofball, sometimes has bad timing and isn’t always the best with words, but he’s never given you a reason not to trust him before; he’s never been anything but an amazing boyfriend that genuinely tries his hardest to make you happy.

“One.” You whispered, barely audible. His head snapped up, deep blue eyes scanning yours. You closed your eyes, taking a deep, yet shaky breath.

“One chance. That’s it.”

No sooner than the words left your lips, Mammon was pulling you flush to his chest in a bone crushing hug. Had you not been utterly craving his touch, to be held by him, you would’ve pushed him away. That’s what you told yourself anyway.

“I won’t make ya regret it, MC.” He earnestly swore, squeezing you gently.

For the sake of your heart, you hoped he was right.

~ taglist ~

@ithinkimdekubutreallyimdenki

@maybe-nott

@bandaged-despair

@bokuto7stan

@aliackerman

- part three coming soon -

[soulmate-game]

part 2 (of that new bio!dad fic)

Dick whipped his head over to Bruce, who could feel the heavy gazes of all his children as if they were physical. If they had had heat vision like Clark, he would have already been reduced to a puddle of mush. Bruce shifted, the only sign of his discomfort, but he recognized that the middle of a gala was no place for this discussion. There were too many busybodies trying to listen in for the latest gossip. So he plastered on a smile that he couldn’t quite feel, and held a hand out to Marinette. He was careful to keep a good distance though, and left the choice for contant purely up to her.

The young woman looked down at his hand, then back to his face. Damian had been shocked silent by what she had to say, and perhaps even more by the all too telling way that Bruce hadn’t so much as implied that she was lying, and the look he was giving her was making her a little uncomfortable. Yes, she hadn’t planned on interacting with her father more than just the years-overdue confrontation she had just done, at least not while at the gala… but her plans always left room for improvisation. She could make this work.

With a soft sigh, Marinette extended her own hand— half the size of Bruce’s, he noted almost immediately with a rush of illogical fondness— and grasped his lightly. She couldn’t help but notice the way his impossibly blue eyes brightened, no different than her own when she was particularly happy, or the way his mouth twitched with a barely suppressed beam. Instead, he controlled himself enough so that the only smile he gave would look professional and entirely in character to the nosy socialites still spying on them, and led them out onto the dance floor.

What everyone else saw was the unfairly charming Bruce Wayne giving his young guest of honor a simple dance. Just a basic swirl around the floor that every other social elite had learned when they were five. Clearly he was taking it easy on the self-made girl, who probably didn’t have experience with such dances. Humoring the accomplished young woman with his approval for a moment before he would slink back to his family or patrol the crowds and make the necessary greetings and meaningless chatter.

What his family saw was Bruce taking time to slow his steps, not for Marinette to keep up but rather to prolong the event. What they saw was the grace in Marinette’s steps as she never once faltered, and that Bruce was careful to take his cues from her instead of the other way around. He only led the dance in technicality, Marinette had all the real control.

What they saw was a father’s first dance with his daughter.

“Eighteen,” Dick whispered, eyebrows drawn low. “She said she’s almost eighteen.”

“Well, that lines up doesn’t it?” Jason asked gruffly, his own gaze never leaving the dancing duo. “We were planning on doubling up your big thirtieth birthday party as your eighteenth adoption anniversary,” he reminded his brother, who just made a slightly distressed noise in the back of his throat. Whether it was at the reinforcement of his adoption coming only months after Marinette being put up for adoption, or the fact that he was turning thirty, nobody could really tell.

“Hurt,” Cassandra spoke up from behind them, looking incredibly concerned as she watched the dance. “Uncertain.”

Stephany rolled her eyes, fidgeting from her quickly building energy. Anger was making her restless. “Of course she’s hurt. Bruce replaced her, with a boy he knew virtually nothing about, not even that long after she was born. How do you think that made her feel, when she found out?” Stephany let out a little growl, grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing server and downing it in one gulp. She ignored Dick protesting that she wasn’t of age yet, which made her wrinkle her nose. “Only one more year, Dickhead. Get over it, I need the buzz.”

“Well,” Barbara sighed and maneuvered her wheelchair around the group so that everyone could see her. “Nothing we can do right now but be supportive and watch Bruce like a hawk so he doesn’t make this worse,” she stated easily, not looking even the least bit ruffled by the news despite the disturbed glitter in her eyes.

“... Guys,” Tim spoke up, not looking at any of them. “Who wants to volunteer for Damian duty?” At first glance, it might seem like Tim was thinking about his own first disastrous meeting with the younger boy. Once everyone paid attention though, they could see that the truth was that Damian had snuck away and Tim was pointedly looking at a slightly hidden-away staircase to the second floor.

“Shit,” Dick muttered, but before he could say another word Jason shoved him back and started towards the stairs.

“No, not this time Dicky. I’ll talk to the brat.”

Back on the dancefloor, Bruce and Marinette broke away without any fanfare at the end of the song. If Bruce tried to hold her eyes for a moment too long, nobody noticed besides his observant children, and two of Marinette’s protective friends.

Then, just to make sure that nobody caught on with the help of hindsight, Bruce said something vaguely polite and praising, which Marinette accepted with flawless, distant poise. And they went back to their own groups, Bruce quickly noting that two of his sons were missing. He raised an eyebrow, about to ask why when a presence behind him caught his attention. Unlike Marinette and Chloe, this newcomer was not at all trying to hide their approach or be sneaky about it, even though Bruce couldn’t hear any footsteps that were close enough to belong to the mysterious entity. Closing his mouth, Bruce turned around only to be greeted by yet another vaguely familiar face. Bright green eyes bore into his, unreadable.

“Mister Wayne,” the newcomer greeted, voice warm but stiff. If the Waynes hadn’t all had years of recognizing when a person was only pretending to be cordial, they never would have suspected that the boy was anything but pure-heartedly happy to be there. But they did have that experience, and thus they instantly honed in on the very well-hidden fact that he had a bone to pick with them. Or, more probably, with Bruce.

He cut an impressive figure, for all that he was lithe muscle instead of bulk. Hair that was lighter than Chloe’s, less like cloth-of-gold and more like sunlight glinting off of wheatfields. It somehow hung in gravity-defying tufts, yet perfectly arranged to evoke a calming aesthetic. Like the fluff of a long-haired cat, almost, and it looked just as fluffy and hypnotizing. It contrasted with his emerald eyes, impossibly vibrant in their gleam. And the suit he wore was decidedly top-notch, much like the other two they had met from his class. He was daring, in a dark silver suit that slightly shifted in the light, green accents that matched his eyes standing out strikingly against the collars and trim, and coiling in tantalizing swirls at the cuffs. The lining of the suit jacket was done in a dark green that could almost pass for black in the right lighting, adding a layer of both drama and mystery as it peeked out at the back of his collar, the insides of his sleeves if he moved just the right way, at the bottom hem of the jacket when he turned or bent just so. And with his notoriety in the modeling world? He always knew exactly how to move or place himself to get the reactions he wanted. And he was clearly showing off the craftsmanship of his suit just then as he faked adjusting his cufflinks and lifted his head just the right amount to both look challenging and let the dark green on the back of his collar flash in the light in such a way that Bruce and those nearest him wouldn’t be able to miss the brief reveal of color.

“Adrien Agreste,” Bruce greeted back, eyebrows pulling down in slight confusion. Normally the topic of clothing was far from his genuine interest, but in this particular case it was an intriguing, and possibly even concerning, observation. So he said next; “That suit is not of your father’s usual style of design.”

Adrien scoffed, straightening out his suit’s jacket and making the obsidian buttons glint. “Of course not. I’ve started my rebellious phase— or, well, I finally started being blatant enough about it that my father noticed anyway,” the way his lips curled was decidedly not very attractive, but painted a vivid picture of a son who despised the way he was treated. Adrien quickly wiped the distasteful expression away and replaced it with a camera-ready smile. “I’m wearing one of Marinette’s designs, much to his chagrin. She insisted on making this for me as soon as she heard that my father was planning on sending me in a white suit.”

Bruce quickly caught on, and sighed. How long would the gala go on for, again? He didn’t remember what time it was anymore. “Your friend Chloe already got a pretty clear warning in. I suppose you know as well?”

Adrien’s grin darkened with mischief, and he nodded all too happily. “Of course! Marinette told me almost as soon as she found out, a few years ago. You see, we had to put down a very solid rule about secrets between the two of us. She has a bad habit of trying to shoulder the entire world’s problems and not tell anyone about it, if you don’t pay close enough attention,” his voice was deceptively light but his eyes were hard, warning. “And let’s just say, I have a lot of experience with bad father figures. I can recognize them a mile away by now. The signs of neglect, of apathy,” his eyes suddenly lightened when he saw how Bruce’s throat visibly caught, how the man didn’t seem to realize he had stopped breathing. Maybe he was being a little to mean, Adrien thought. So he let the dark slip out of his eyes, and his smile turned more genuine. “You don’t have those signs. You looked at Marinette like you were both the happiest and most miserable man in the world at the same time. But you can’t change what you did to her, Mister Wayne. If you want some advice from Marinette’s oldest friend?” Adrien held out a closed fist.

Bruce took a second to realize what was happening, too busy trying to recover from his situational whiplash and wave of relief. Once he caught back up to the present, however, he held out his open palm and let Adrien drop something into his hand.

To his shock, it was a pen, engraved with the name he recognized as Marinette’s biological mother. He also recognized it as a popular model of pen-knife. He raised his eyes to Adrien, who winked.

“Marinette doesn’t know I had this made. And she has a lot of tricks that might surprise you, but what she wants more than anything is stability. If you try to give her that, show that you care and you want her safe— and then prove that you’re gonna stay— then maybe you can repair the damage you’ve done. It won’t be easy though, Mari is the single most stubborn person I’ve ever met. And I grew up with Chloe.”

Bruce closed his hand around the pen, swallowing a lump in his throat. He couldn’t quite figure out why, but Adrien’s faith in him and his help… somehow felt significant. He nodded to the young model.

“Not to worry, I have experience with stubborn,” he glanced back at his other kids with a small smirk. None of them were the least bit repentant. “And I do want to stay. Thank you for the advice.”

Adrien shrugged. “Don’t thank me. If you hurt her again, you’ll never see my revenge coming. It can be rather… catastrophic,” with that ominous threat, Adrien bowed dramatically and turned to leave and do some rounds charming the elites. Bruce tucked the pen in one of his hidden pockets, but stayed silent after that. He had a lot to mull over.

—*—*—*—*—*

Damian leaned on the railing of the balcony, looking out over the gardens behind the gala’s venue. He was glaring at nothing, and his hands trembled from where they gripped the rail. It was five minutes, a little longer than he had expected but not that odd considering everyone’s distraction over Marinette, before he heard the glass doors behind him creak open.

“Yo,” Jason greeted, knowing it was better not to catch the boy off guard. None of them were good with surprises anymore, for good reason. It was always best to announce their presence before they made someone react violently on accident. Damian’s shoulders relaxed a little— not a lot, but enough for Jason to notice. The older man sighed, walking up and leaning on the rail next to his little brother. “What’s on your mind, kid?”

“That could have been me,” he almost instantly blurted. It was still hard talking about his feelings, but certain things were easier with Todd. This was, apparently, one of them. “If Mother hadn’t kept me a secret.”

“I don’t think so,” Jason disagreed, shrugging. “There are several big differences here. For one, Marinette was born three years before you were. By the time you were born, he already had Dick and he would have only been a year, max, away from taking me in. Which means he already had built up his problem with taking in kids, and nothing would have gotten him to give up a chance at raising you. With or without Batman getting in the way.”

“But then why—” Damian growled. “Why did he give her up?”

“Because he’s an idiot,” Jason remarked bluntly. “You know how he is. He didn’t have a kid at the time. Hell, Bruce would have only been twenty-two back then. He only adopted Dick on impulse because Dick reminded him of himself, but before all of that shit? He probably made a million excuses about not being able to raise a baby and be Batman at the same time. About his life being too dangerous for a kid. Which, yes it is, but that clearly didn’t stop him later.”

“She’s older,” Damian muttered, this time softer.

“Yup.”

“Her mother wasn’t an assassin, probably. She designs. I hate to admit it, and you are never to repeat it to anybody, but her work that we’ve seen so far is impressive. She can clearly charm even the most stuck-up of gotham’s upper crust.”

“Yeah,” Jason agreed neutrally, his eyes never leaving Damian.

“Father won’t need me. He already doesn’t have much patience—” Damian was cut off by a flick to the nose. “Hey!”

“Not my fault you’re being stupid,” Jason defended himself. “Look, B’s actually been real patient with you these past few years. I mean, when was the last time he yelled at you? Or told you that stupid ‘justice not vengeance’ line?”

Damian opened his mouth, then closed it. After another moment, he replied; “Almost two years.”

Jason nodded. “It might take him way too long, but he can still learn new tricks. Especially after that mess with Heretic, he’s been trying really hard to be better to you. He still screws up, because I think we all know by now that he’s a bigger mess than any of the rest of us and that’s an accomplishment, but he’s trying. He doesn’t keep you around because he needs you. He’s got plenty of us around if all he wanted was soldiers— though none of us would stick around if we thought that’s all he wanted.”

Damian flexed his jaw. He was still the most violent of the kids, besides Jason. He saw Bruce rubbing his forehead or pinching his nose far too often at some of his decisions or comments. He was stubborn, impatient, reckless.

But hadn’t Bruce himself told him on several occasions that he wasn’t trying to make him a perfect soldier? Hadn’t Bruce himself said that he just wanted Damian to grow into himself?

It was just really hard to swat away those stupid voices in Damian’s head. Voices of the past, mostly, old dialogue he had never actually forgotten. That he merely pretended had never affected him. The “you’re too violent”s, the “that’s not how we behave, Damian”s. All the old lectures, the old fights. They echoed like stupid little gremlins of doubt.

“...Marinette has his eyes.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over something like that,” Jason’s voice was soft, but gruff at the same time as he cuffed Damian over the head. “You didn’t choose to be born, idiot. And despite being a little demon, none of us would reverse it, You’ve saved all our skins at least once. And besides,” he nudged Damian a little with a grin. “You’re not half bad, nowadays.”

Damian chuckled. “That makes one of us.”

“Hey!”

@peterxwade24 @mizzy-pop @maskedpainter @ladybug-182 @khneltea @itsmeevie01 @fusser90 @woe-is-me0 @lolieg @moonlightstar64 @jayjayspixiepop

[ayamturd]

end│dreamwastaken

summary: dream was once your everything that you would do anything for; what happens when you finally confront the reality of his manipulation and sadistic destruction?

prompt: “we’re both at fault here, and now we both have to pay the price.” 

warnings: descriptive manipulation, a single curse word, angst

pairing: in-game c!dream

a/n: this is my entry for @sleepysoupi​‘s 1.8k event! it goes without saying how late i am considering she’s currently working on her 2.0k event, but still a huge congratulatory to her amazing success and obvious, well deserved recognition <33 we love soupi in this household, nothing less of the fact *^*

also i know the prison doesn’t work exactly like how i wrote it, but let’s pretend for the sake of this fic

wc: (1.6k) - m.list

“Don’t do this, y/n.”

The air was sticky and heavy. As the lava bubbled behind you, it felt as if the heat could reach out and smother you entirely; the subtle warmth that felt insufferably suffocating in the tight space was a large contrast to the dark, opaque walls. 

Although you stood in front of him by your own desire, habits quickly fell to place as he stood proudly above you. Chin raised, Dream’s shoulders were relaxed while he spoke to you. His words were firm, and with clenched fists, you swallowed harshly from his mocking tone. 

You could practically hear his condescending grin without looking in how belittling he addressed you, and you hated how familiar the speech was. 

“After all I’ve done for you, and you want to throw it all away?”

Despite all attempts, you unconsciously bowed your head down. Whether in unjustified guilt or the internal rage from his lies, you couldn’t say yourself. He noticed nonetheless, and played into your vulnerability further. 

He was the one defenseless in this scenario, yet he held all the power in the small cage between the two of you. 

“We made promises! ‘Till the very end, right?!” He began to raise his voice and feigned some form of heartbreak, taking a step dangerously closer to you while you stood there in frozen fear.

Staring harshly down at your feet, the weight of gravity pulled at your tears as they trickled down sparsely. This was different than when you originally confronted him mere hours ago. Here, you were alone and with no backing, no one to reassure you that you did the right thing. That he was a monster that had you blinded for so long.

That you were justified for betraying Dream. 

“Don’t play stupid with me now. You can’t act like I did this all alone. That I’m not the only sick fuck in the room who enjoys the-”

“Stop it,” you whispered with closed eyes. While your voice was small, it echoed so loudly and threw Dream off guard. He shook his head and with a dark chuckle, sneered disparagingly. 

“You really th-”

Your eyes opened as you unexpectedly interrupted him.

“No. For once in my life, I mean it. Shut your egotistical mouth for one goddamn second.”

Everything was in a frozen stand still as you snapped. 

Course tears ran steadily down your cheeks, yet your eyes held more strength than Dream could had ever perceived in that moment. It had been so long since you had lost your voice. Lost your confidence, your fire that drew him in in the first place. It had been so long since you felt like yourself again, the person you once were before he teared you down completely to his mercy. 

You swallowed sternly in exposed anxiety; when was the last time you saw his face like this? Saw his face at all, at that. 

The molten lava radiated the room, it being the main source of light in contrast to the faint glow of the lanterns built into the walls. When you had originally requested to see him one final time before he was officially locked away for good, you had no idea what you expected to see. You didn’t see anything, actually, since you couldn’t bring yourself to try and meet his eye line the entire time. 

Until now. 

As the magma shaded the room in a warm shine, his dull eyes gleamed a faded hue of ash green. His dirty blond hair was visible without his signature hoodie, his previous clothes stripped away and replaced with an attired uniform instead. He hid behind a mask for so long, it was surreal to see him as something so mundane and human.

Your mouth felt so dry from seeing him again. He almost looked like when you first laid eyes on him, that beautiful day when you thought you had fallen in love. How nice the sun felt, and how crisp the wind blew. The summer day was fresh and the sweet smell of honey pervaded the air. To think it was by mere chance he approached you in the white flower field, hidden in the depths of the forest with a charming smile and gentle hand.

How cruel reality liked to play with you and give you false hope that such love could truly exist. 

The memory brought a smoldering rage that made your heart race in return. Back straight, you dared a step towards him with a quiet, yet firm declaration. 

“I’m done making excuses for your lies. For your actions, for the hurt you cause, for you.”

Dream could barely register your words as you continued in growing fury. It was like the floodgates were open and you felt free to speak your truth. 

You were riding this new found wave and would hold nothing back anymore. 

“I let you get away with so much because I truly believed that I loved you. That my love could fix you, or change what you are.”

You stepped forward again, your finger shakily pointed at him. His mouth opened to respond but you spoke before he could try. You weren’t going to give him anything, you thought, he doesn’t deserve your silence.

“I went against everything I believed!” you suddenly yelled, “everything I stood for, everything I thought because of you!”

Your vision was a blur as your raw emotions came loose. You screamed from the top of your lungs to the point where your voice cracked with a head lifted high. 

“I let people get hurt! People I love and care for because I prioritized you over everything I had!”

Another step forward, your voice shook with quivered lips as a result of an ached and long scorned heart.

“To think I used to be so proud to say it, to say you were my everything and my world.” With a trembled exhale, you gathered yourself before finishing your thought. “Maybe I am stupid, but trust me when I say my ignorance was your freedom and my considered love a blind devotion.”

Dream’s face softened considerably, for he was at a loss for words and didn’t have anything to probe at anymore. It was his turn to suffer in a lost acceptance.

“I…”

Shaking your head, you scoffed with your head tilted in disbelief. Smiling darkly, you knew then and there you regained the power of the room and your self-assurance over him. How the turn tables.

“Funny how things change when you have no where to run. When you’re the one helpless and reliant.”

Standing strong with your arms crossed, you stared at him with such distaste. Dream’s brows furrowed with a clench jaw as he stepped even closer to you. He was now mere inches away and glared down at you from his given height. Even then, you wouldn’t back down any longer.

“I do love you, y/n. Everything I did, I did for us. You can’t leave me like this.” He gazed down with such intensity that your past you would have wanted to say something just to appease him entirely; you weren’t that person anymore, and you wouldn’t let him drag you down more than he already has. 

Dropping yours arms before stepping back, you messaged Sam without wavering your eye contact from him. 

“We’re both at fault here, and now we both have to pay the price of it alone.”

The sounded mechanics from outside the box indicated the lava dropping, signifying the end of your visit. Dream grew agitated at the thought of you leaving and dropped his eyes down in resent, a huge contrast to your relaxed and calm state. 

You moved backwards until your back threatened to be burned by the heat. 

“Here’s to loosing all those attachments you mentioned.”

Dream’s head snapped up from your words, but before he could attempt anything further, the Netherite divider rose and separated you both. The lava parted as you approached the platform, Sam visible from across the entrapping moat. He watched closely in regard to your safety and anything Dream might try with your back currently turned. 

Approaching the stone platform once deemed safe, you turned to face him a final time as the contraption slowly pulled you away. Your chin was raised, and your tears were dry in satisfaction to your found closure.

“You were right,” you affirmed, “we did make promises, and this is our end.”

Bonus:

Tommy had been tormenting Dream for the past few minutes or so, his obnoxious taunts a sign of recovery from all the trauma he had dealt with from his young age. He hid behind his humor, but was strong when confronting his abuser with no uncertainty then. 

“Who do you miss the most?”

Dream paused from fiddling with the leather of the book covers from the simple question. His hand began to curl around the thick material, and he drowned out Tommy’s rambling from behind him.

A familiar scent filled his senses, an old and precious memory uncovered from the oppressed depths of his mind. He pulled the book in hand open to a random, but intentional page, his callous fingers tracing over the stained ink.

He wasn’t an artist, and it easily would have been passed for messy, nonsense doodles, yet the drawing practically burned the paper as a reminder of his failed objectives.

The innocent azure bluets insulted him despite being his own creation.

Dream was done playing into Tommy’s confidence, and spoke lowly as his head turned further away from the boy.

“… I think you should go, Tommy."