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themurphyzone · 3 years

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Nova Ch 12

AN: I’ve been waiting to write this chapter for so long! Can you believe it’s been a year since I started this story?

Ch 12: Mare

AO3 Link

Dear Mickey Mouse Calendar,

It’s May 2nd, and you know what that means! Well, besides bringing May flowers of course! The flowers are going to be so beautiful this year, I can tell! Especially once they bring the butterflies and the birds and the bees! Oh dear, do you think Brain knows about the factory in the sky that produces cute little mouse babies? I hope so.

Anyway, the beautiful, lovely, fantabulous Pharfignewton’s gonna be running in the Derby in just a little bit! She’s worked really really hard to get this far, and I’m super proud of her! She’s gonna be one step closer to the Triple Crown when she wins!

Anyway, I’m running out of room on this page, so I just wanted to say I love you, Figgy Pudding! May the best mare win!

Love,

Pinky

o-o-o-o-o

Pinky added a heart by his name with a sparkly pink gel pen and blew a kiss to the image of Mickey and Minnie driving a cute little car into the sunset. Then he recapped the pen, washed his hands of extra glitter, and returned to the TV, which had been tuned into the Kentucky Derby for the past two hours.

They were still conducting pre-race interviews with the owners, jockeys, and trainers. Though there were several saddled horses with colorful numbers in the background, none of them were Pharfignewton.

But they were still very beautiful horses, clopping around on the dirt-covered track as they flicked their ears and tails in anticipation of the race.

Several boxes of leftover pizza and paper plates were laid out in front of the television.. It was so nice of the scientists to throw a pizza party and let them have the leftovers! Pepperoni, mac and cheese, and pineapple pizza were all so delicious, and they tasted even better when all three were combined on a single slice!

Pinky popped a pineapple cube in his mouth, giggling as it stung his tongue. Then he turned to his hat, which laid a short distance away from the leftover pizza so it didn’t get soiled. Lovely, glittery red and purple roses decorated the outside of the hat, and every inch was decked with colorful feathers, encouraging messages, and Pharfignewton’s name so everybody for miles around could see he was rooting for his favorite horse.

Since the hat was too big and heavy for him to wear throughout the pre-race festivities, he decided to just put it on a few minutes before the race instead.

And it was so sweet of Gummy, Madame Daisy, Nicholas, and Mr. Button to support Pharfignewton! They were all gathered in front of the TV so they could watch the Derby too!

Pinky’s ear twitched at a gagging noise on his left, and he turned his head just in time to see Brain spit a chunk of pineapple onto a napkin.

“Of all things, why in Selene’s name would you ruin perfectly good cheese with battery acid?” Brain snapped. He immediately dunked his muzzle into a thimble of water.

“Batteries aren’t a pizza topping,” Pinky said. Did batteries look like pineapples on New Selene? “And pineapple pizza tastes delicious!”

Brain scowled as he shoved the paper plate with his barely touched pineapple pizza slice towards Pinky, then grabbed a new plate and loaded it with two slices of pepperoni.

“I’m outlawing that vile piece of filth you call food as soon as I rule the world,” Brain declared.

“You can’t do that!” Pinky cried. What was next? Declaring pumpkin spice illegal? He would never support such an awful law! “That’s...that’s just unconstitutional! A breach of power! I won’t stand for it, Brain!”

Then he realized he was standing up to grab the pineapple pizza slice, so he promptly sat down and chomped on pineapple, tomato sauce, and bread to prove his point.

Brain wrinkled his nose, but before he could reply, the TV panned to show a beautiful, gray-maned white horse prancing in circles around her jockey, nearly tying him up in her reins.

“That’s her! That’s Pharfignewton!” Pinky yelled, spewing tomato sauce from his mouth. “Hi, Fig! It’s me, Pinky!”

Pinky quickly set his pizza down and slipped the hat on, sitting underneath the brim while the rest of the hat was propped against the counter. He hoped Pharfignewton could see the messages he’d written.

“The cameras aren’t two-way, Pinky,” Brain said, but Pharfignewton whinnied happily, so Pinky knew she could hear him from thousands of miles away!

She wore a beautiful pink cloth over her back with the number fifteen emblazoned in white, with a brown saddle on top. She tossed her head back and whinnied, her reins quivering in the sunlight. Her jockey slipped a pink mask over her face, and when she turned to look at the camera, her gorgeous blue eyes stood out even more.

“You have quite the unusual horse here, Mr. Gardner,” the reporter said to Pharfignewton’s owner, who Pinky recognized by his bushy beard. “Not much of a looker, nor was she sired from any famous line of racehorses. And only one fellow’s bet on her at all.”

Pinky frowned. Not much of a looker? That reporter’s obviously never seen Pharfignewton with the wind flowing through her mane, or the joyful neighs whenever she galloped around a field, or how she practically glowed whenever she ran.

Mr. Gardner leveled a glare at the reporter, who withered from the intense look. “Pharfignewton may have a different build from her fellow racehorses, but she’s a hundred times more passionate about racing than anyone else. It’s true that neither of her parents have competed on the national level, but she’s inherited her mother’s spirit and her father’s diligence, a mixture of traits which will suit her well today.”

“Yes...I’m sure it will,” the reporter muttered. His eyes darted to a chestnut horse with a yellow cloth draped over his back. “Oh, would you look at the time? I don’t believe I’ve gotten a chance to talk with Mayoneighaise’s team yet!”

He scurried off, the cameraman trailing behind him.

A board flashed onscreen, showing the horses’ names and numbers before cutting to commercial.

“Mr. Legs? Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse? Is this entire competition just an excuse to saddle these poor creatures with horrific names?” Brain asked over the noise of a car commercial.

“You can’t saddle a name. You saddle horses, Brain,” Pinky said. Brain could be so confused sometimes.

“And they barely gave Pharfignewton the time of day,” Brain added. “But they dedicated a full fifteen minutes to Arabian Night’s training sessions.”

Pinky shrugged. “Well, Arabian Night worked really hard. He deserved that time. And so does Maximus and Maverick and Black Beauty and Rainbow Dash and-”

“It’s blatant favoritism,” Brain cut in.

The commercial break ended, and the broadcast showed a female reporter approaching an enormous, muscular black stallion with a comically small jockey leading him by the reins. He bore a royal purple cloak with number one written in a fancy golden script on his back. The horse was so dark that Pinky could barely see his eyes or mouth.

“And here we have the clear fan-favorite, Daddy’s Little Angel,” the reporter declared as she carefully approached the horse, who huffed when she got too close to his muzzle. She pulled back, keeping her microphone close to her body. “An excellent track record locally and regionally, highest odds tonight, and a descendant of the famous Triple Crown winner Secretariat. He sure has a lot going for him, don’t you think?”

Daddy’s Little Angel was stoic and handsome, and as his owner and trainer listed off his various accomplishments, Pinky crossed his fingers and toes for good luck. Pharfignewton had a whole lot of competition. Sure, she was the fastest racehorse around these parts, but in the Derby she was a small goldfish in a large aquarium full of other fish.

“Zort! Nope, can’t think like that!” Pinky said, thumping his head with his fist. He didn’t want to have doubts about her talent! She was the best, the swiftest, and the fastest at eating apples and hay! There’s no way she could lose!

“Quiet, Pinky. I’m trying to listen,” Brain said. His pink eyes gleamed with interest as a montage of Daddy’s Little Angel’s previous feats flashed across the screen. “I wouldn’t be opposed to owning a horse like that for ceremonial purposes.”

“Parading around on Pharfignewton sounds lovely,” Pinky sighed dreamily.

He imagined Pharfignewton in a beautiful golden outfit, bells on her reins, and prancing down the street to a cheering crowd while he rode on her back. And there were pretty parade floats and celebrities singing and giant balloons of all his favorite characters!

He was broken out of his fantasy by the sound of a fanfare.

“Attention, all riders and horses! Clear the track and proceed to your stalls! The race will commence shortly!” the announcer declared.

The camera lingered on Daddy’s Little Angel for just a little longer before panning out for a wide shot of the horses and jockeys making their way to the starting point, the trainers leading the horses by the reins and securing them in the stalls.

Fifteen horses dressed in colorful racing garb whinnied and bucked their hind legs in anticipation of the race. Daddy’s Little Angel was in the first stall, the one nearest to the fence. Next to him, a majestic, stout white horse named Maximus took the number two slot. Like Daddy’s Little Angel, he was poised, calm, and determined to win.

Most of the other horses were far more impatient though. Rainbow Dash wouldn’t quit stomping in her stall, and Maverick gave her a warning nip when her tail flicked him one too many times. She didn’t like that at all, and both jockeys fought to get their horses under control.

A cinnamon stallion named Spirit thrashed in his stall, nearly throwing his rider off multiple times while two other people tried to calm him down.

Then they finally showed Pharfignewton. She was in the stall closest to the stands, and while she was penned securely, the workers were all focused on the skittish racehorses.

Pharfignewton flashed a horsey smile to the audience, then lowered her head in anticipation for the race to begin.

Pinky’s fingers, toes, and tail were all crossed. She had to win! This was her dream ever since she was a little filly!

“And they’re off!” the announcer declared as the bell rang and the gates opened. All fifteen horses galloped out of the stalls, kicking up dirt as their hooves thundered against the ground. “Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus off to an early lead! Horsin’ Around’s pulling ahead of Tricky Mickey and...oh! Spirit’s bucked his jockey! That’s gonna cost everyone behind ‘em some time!”

The names and number display at the bottom of the screen shifted around as horses pulled ahead or fell behind.

Pinky’s muscles tensed as Pharfignewton swerved to avoid a riderless Spirit, though Achilles’ Heel was unlucky enough to be caught on a back ankle by a flailing hoof. Pharfignewton fell behind Mr. Legs and Mayoneighase for a split second before increasing her speed and passing them as they reached the first turn.

Pharfignewton was truly in her element! Like a happy, gusty wind spirit!

“YOU CAN DO IT, FIG!” Pinky screamed at the top of his lungs, and there was an angry shushing noise, followed by a parmesan packet smacking the side of his head. “Thanks for the parmesan, Brain!”

“Onto the second turn!” the announcer continued. “Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus neck and neck! Rainbow Dash and Arabian Night fighting for third a mere two lengths away! Maverick trying to squeeze in but there’s no room! Hold onto your fancy hats, folks, this is shaping up to be a wild race!”

Egad, he didn’t want to lose his fancy hat! Pinky clutched the edges with cheese-stained fingers.

“Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus still leading the pack, but trailing them is Black Beauty and Grand Chawhee! Rainbow Dash and Arabian Night have fallen to fifth and sixth! Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse trying for a comeback while Maver-what’s this? Pharfignewton’s clawing her way up from tenth, ninth, eighth, seventh...now she’s passed Rainbow Dash! Ladies and gents, this could be the biggest recovery in the Derby’s history!”

Oh, if only he remembered where he’d placed his cotton ball pom-poms! They’d come in super handy right now!

Black Beauty and Grand Chawhee slowed down on the final turn, enabling Pharfignewton to easily overtake them for third place. Then she poured on the speed, closing in between Daddy’s Little Angel and Maximus.

“NARF! GO, PHARFIGNEWTON!” Pinky screeched, his hat tumbling off as he leapt to his feet. If he screamed loud enough, Pharfignewton could hear him all the way in Kentucky! And the power of friendship always worked for last-minute wins! His cartoons were never wrong!

“It’s a straight shot to the finish! Maximus falls back by half a length! Ladies and gents, could this be the greatest upset in horse racing history? It’s Pharfignewton! No, Daddy’s Little Angel pulls ahead! Now Pharfignewton! Daddy’s Little Angel!”

Brain was quiet, but from the twitch of his pointed ears and the way he leaned forward, Pinky knew he was just as invested in the race.

The camera centered on the finish line, but Pinky couldn’t tell who crossed first. Pharfignewton and Daddy’s Little Angel galloped offscreen just as the rest of the pack, led by Maximus, finished after them.

“WHAT’S THIS? PHARFIGNEWTON AND DADDY’S LITTLE ANGEL HAVE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE AT THE SAME TIME! TURNING THE FOOTAGE OVER FOR REVIEW SO WE CAN DECLARE THE WINNER!”

Pinky quickly found that crossing his toes while standing wasn’t the best idea. He fell flat on his face, but quickly pushed himself up on his elbows as the Derby logo flashed by and replayed the last few seconds of the race in slow motion.

Pharfignewton and Daddy’s Little Angel’s legs were just one giant blur next to the finish line, but the reel paused on a shot of Pharfignewton’s flaring nostril crossing the line before Daddy’s Little Angel’s front hooves touched it.

Pinky sucked in his breath.

“PHARFIGNEWTON HAS BEEN DECLARED THE WINNER! CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY OVER THE 141ST KENTUCKY DERBY!”

“She did it! She did it! Lo hicimos, she did it!” Pinky jumped for joy, his heart soaring in excitement for Pharfignewton. She was three years old and she’d accomplished so much! He was super duper extra proud of her!

Brain rolled his eyes, but there was a tiny quirk at the corner of his mouth. “Yes, it seems all your supportive efforts have paid off.”

Pinky grinned and tore off a cardboard flap of the pizza box, dumped parmesan cheese all over it, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Nothing tasted better than a victory pizza box with parmesan!

“Want some?” Pinky offered a second flap to Brain. “It’s delicious!”

Brain made a gagging noise. “That can’t possibly be good for your digestive system, Pinky.”

Oh well. More for him then!

Pharfignewton’s back was draped with beautiful roses, her team of humans all rushing up and hugging her as journalists bombarded them all with questions and photographers snapped photo after photo of her horsey smile.

Daddy’s Little Angel trotted up to her with a flower crown in his mouth and dropped it onto her head, then drummed the ground steadily with a front hoof in his version of applause. All the other horses followed his lead. Even Spirit and Achilles’ Heel, who were being restrained by a team of trainers, gave their approval. Pharfignewton whinnied in delight, tossing back her head and showing off the beautiful crown.

She really was the best. Pinky clutched his chest, that warm gooshy feeling of love spreading throughout his body.

He couldn’t contain it much longer, and he picked up Brain to let it all out, and he danced around in joy with a squirming Brain in his arms.

“Pinky, I understand that this outcome is most favorable, but I demand that you cease this at once!” Brain complained.

But Pinky barely heard him. He was more interested in what Mr. Gardner had to say.

“Pharfignewton did an amazing job and we’re very proud of her,” Mr. Gardner said as he fed Pharfignewton an apple, which she gladly inhaled. “Running’s in her blood, and I’m sure she’s made her parents very proud in equine heaven. She’s definitely gonna take the Preakness and Belmont by storm.”

“You think she’s capable of gaining Triple Crown status?” the reporter asked.

Pharfignewton neighed loudly in her direction, messing up the reporter’s hair.

As the reporter struggled to fix it, Mr. Gardner smiled. “I think she made it clear that she takes what she wants.”

Two more races for the Triple Crown. Right.

Pinky stopped dancing, an odd but featherlight weight in his arms. In his excitement, he’d forgotten that Pharfignewton had to win the Preakness and Belmont for her dream to come true.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t do it. She was a swift runner and the best racehorse in the world. But she would be gone for several months. All the way on the other side of the country.

And he wanted her to achieve her dream so bad. To rank up there with the great racehorses of old.

“Pinky?” a voice choked.

He was accidentally squishing one of Brain’s antennae. Oops.

“Sorry, Brain,” Pinky quickly said, putting his friend down.

Instead of stepping away like Pinky expected, Brain remained where he was. Brain was too good at forming unreadable expressions. His pretty pink eyes seemed concerned though.

“This is a momentous occasion, isn’t it?” Brain asked. “Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”

Was that Selenian speak for happy?

Yeah, he was supposed to be happy. Pharfignewton won. He was really happy for her. He didn’t want Pharfignewton to think he was a bad friend because he was sad about not seeing her for a while.

“Of course I’m happy for her,” Pinky said. But it was flimsy even to his own mousey ears.

Brain didn’t seem convinced either. One hand awkwardly hovered in the space between them.

A little touch would be nice, and he held super still so Brain wouldn’t get spooked. But a tapping at the window broke Brain’s trance, and upon the sight of a hovering black camera with the Selenian logo on its side, he quickly pulled away.

“Correspondence from Snowball,” Brain said. His ears flattened briefly before returning to their normal position. Maybe he regretted breaking their closeness too. “I’m taking this.”

He wiped his fingers on a wet cloth before unlatching the window. The camera darted in once the window was open, its tripod claws dropping an unmarked envelope into Brain’s hands before flying off into the brilliant evening sky.

Well, it could’ve had pizza if it stayed just a little longer.

Pinky moved behind Brain as he tore open the envelope and unfolded the note inside, which was written in a neat script.

Pickup at seven pm tomorrow. Don’t be late.

-Snowball

“Well, it’s better than nothing,” Brain sighed. “I’ll make sure we have everything required for tomorrow night, Pinky.”

He didn’t wait for a reply. He only disappeared into a hidden drawer where all their belongings were stored.

The masquerade ball was important. He shouldn’t keep Brain from making sure they saved the invitation so they could get in.

And it would be nice to wear that beautiful dress Sharon picked out.

But there was an ache in his chest. One that gnawed at his heart, and he didn’t want that icky feeling gnawing at his heart. Pinky sat in front of the TV and focused on Pharfignewton’s happiness instead. He pushed away the pizza, the box tasting like cardboard on his tongue.

If she was happy, he was happy. And wasn’t that all he needed?

End AN: So as a little treat I snuck some fictional horse names in here. I mean, obviously you know Pharfignewton as Pinky’s equine girlfriend. Daddy’s Little Angel is the name of the horse Brain rode in the OG Animaniacs episode Jockey for Position.

Grand Chawhee’s name is a reference to All Dogs Go to Heaven. Tricky Mickey comes from the 1978 movie Casey’s Shadow, which I caught my family watching a few weeks ago and I just decided to borrow a name from the movie.

Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony, Maximus from Tangled, Black Beauty from the book of the same name, Spirit from the Dreamworks movie, and Achilles’ Heel is a reference to Phoebus’ horse in Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Mr. Legs’ name provided by Boxy. Thank you, Boxy. Snuck in Pinky actually eating a pizza box for ya lol.

Final placements for the Derby are:

1. Pharfignewton 2. Daddy’s Little Angel 3. Maximus 4. Grand Chawhee 5. Black Beauty 6. Rainbow Dash 7. Arabian Night 8. Friendly Neighborhood Racehorse 9. Mr. Legs 10. Maverick 11. Horsin’ Around 12. Tricky Mickey 13. Mayoneighase 14. Achilles’ Heel (never finished) 15. Spirit (never finished)

Next chapter will finally have the Masquerade Ball and boy do I have plans. It’ll definitely be longer than this one. But this chapter at least wraps up the Derby subplot.

#pinky and the brain #patb fanfiction #patb nova

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atypicalacademic · 4 years

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Once Again I am using this picrew to show you some Very Cool people from Balam’s life- From the top, that’s Aodh (The Magician). Orion (The Heirophant), Thangam (The Devil), and Yu Jun (The Emperor)

Lore Juice under the cut, of course

Aodh Al-Fazih (51) was a prominent magician-historian from Zadith and Balam’s mentor- they were friends with Aisha and Salim before they disappeared, and they eventually found and got close to Asra, travelling with him for a while, before helping him set up the shop in Vesuvia. They wandered all over the world researching for their project on the history of magic and power, and exploring the nuances of divination- they met Balam in Prakra, took him on as their apprentice, taught him the basics of magic, and later brought him to Vesuvia over the course of their work and ended up introducing him to Asra. They were undoubtedly one of the most important people in Balam’s life- not only for their mentorship in magic- but also for their kindness, their passion, their wisdom, and their philosophy towards approaching knowledge, and the world, as gifts to be unraveled and not a test to be overcome. Aodh was one of the earliest casualties of the Plague- they died under abrupt and mysterious circumstances- a loss which devastated Balam, and plays a huge role in why he stayed back in Vesuvia despite the terror and ravages of the plague.

Orion Meridien (53) was Aodh’s partner. He’s a scientist from the Republic of Gabraldia, and he met Aodh when he moved to Zadith over the course of his studies. They were instantly drawn to each other’s intelligence, focus and curious minds, and the two travelled and learnt a great deal with and from each other. He sets up his lab practice and settles down to teach at the University of Gabraldia- and Aodh was well on their way to join him there when the Plague struck Vesuvia and took them with it. After their death, Orion dedicates a lot of time to studying the Red Plague, and he keeps close correspondence with Julian when he starts working at the Palace. After he hears of Balam’s death, he urges Julian to look into the possibility that the plague may be magical in origin and tied to a specific person/entity. As a last resort attempt, Asra eventually asks Orion if he can restore Balam’s memories and ease his constant pain. Knowing Aodh’s affection for both Balam and Asra, Orion tries his best, even somewhat succeeds in bringing down his headaches to a manageable level.

Edayil Thangam Maitreya (19) is Balam’s younger sister. Balam tried for many years to protect Thangam from their parents greed and manipulation, though circumstances never quite aligned for him to get her out of their home in Ease Prakra by himself. After Balam’s death, Thangam finally decides that she couldn’t stand her family’s lies and deception and illusions any longer. And so, on the night she hears about her sibling’s death, pragmatic, self-possessed sixteen year old Thangam steals nearly all of their parents’ jewelry, nearly cleans out their safe, and runs away from home . She had more than enough resources to tide herself over without being stranded, and she came across Nazali Satrinava who noticed her young age, isolation, and her keen intelligence and took her in to assist their team, and then took her in as their apprentice. She arrives at Vesuvia in around the canon timeline to find her sibling, where they settle down together, and Thangam, who’s thoroughly done with sleeping in tents, thank you very much, begins working under Julian at his clinic.

Thangam’s boyfriend, Chun Yu Jun (21) hails from Macawi Port- he grew up on the streets of the port city- resourceful and sharp and never backing down from a fight, and his adventurous spirit led him to quickly join a band of mercenaries who were passing through the city. He met Thangam when she was working under Nazali; he was recovering from a minor injury at the skirmish-field when she stormed into his tent and tossed him some of her stolen jewelry and asked if that covered enough for him to take on a contract with her- to guard her and ensure her safe passage to Vesuvia to find her sibling. (Asra tells her that Balam’s been revived from death, and she says- “I can only trust what I see, and who’s this magician to tell me who can or cannot see my sibling?”) They got together by the end of that journey. They write letters back and forth for a while and he drops in for the occasional visit and when all goes well- he’d eventually settle in Vesuvia and join the Palace Guard.

#the arcana #the arcana lore #balam maitreya #thangam maitreya #orion meridien #chun yu jun #aodh al-fazih #i love all of them #also fun fact orion was my og julian-mancer before nurlan arrived on the scene #hm should i add an orion/aodh fic to my ever growing pile of wips #should i??#there are subtle differences in this lore when Balam's not the apprentice but not much

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frostbite-711 · 3 years

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The Liberty Crew is a diverse group of highly trained specialists, all with varying levels of combat experience. The crew is run by Spectre Raelynn Akreet.

Each crew member is vital to making the ship run and they are alway looking for new well trained people to join.

So without further ado…

Viritia Akreet

Age: 20

Gender: female

Race: Turian

Orientation: Demisexual

Personality: boisterous, energetic, romantic, caring, loyal, sometimes headstrong and impatient.

Occupation: Engineer

Background:

The youngest of the Akreet sisters, Viritia joined boot camp at 15 and she quickly proved she was good with tech. She works a lot of the time with her sister and is in charge of the engines on the Liberty.

Tenko Naek

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Race: Drell

Orientation: Pansexual

Personality: Patient, teasing, personable, watchful, open.

Occupation: Mechanic

Background:

Born and raised on Omega, his parents died when he was young so he spent most of his life trying to survive on the harsh station. He managed to carve a place for himself by learning how to build and fix machinery, eventually allowing himself to get a ticket off world to the Citadel.

Telaf Vudril

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Race: Salarian

Orientation: Asexual

Personality: talkative, logical, kind, excitable, patient

Occupation: Medic

Background:

Born and raised on Sur’Kesh, Telaf got his medical degree at 15. He spent the next few years learning basic combat so he could be a field medic.

Lyrisa T’nae

Age: 287

Gender: female

Race: Asari

Orientation: bisexual

Personality: patient, kind, motherly

Occupation: Cook

Background:

Born and raised on Thessia with her sister, Xana, the two of them were Asari commandos for a time before they eventually decided to leave the commandos to pursue their passions.

Lyrisa decided to become a cook and she learned both levo and dextro foods so she could better serve people of all races. She spent a few years also working at a bar so she can also serve liquor.

Xana T’nae

Age: 288

Gender: female

Race: Asari

Orientation: bisexual

Personality: patient, kind, excitable, a little nerdy

Occupation: Scientist

Background:

Born and raised on Thessia with her sister, Lyrisa, the two of them were Asari commandos for a time before they eventually decided to leave the commandos to pursue their passions.

Xana decided to become a scientist with her love for figuring out how thing ticked, mostly enjoying researching biology and geology. She does know a good deal about tech although it isn’t her speciality.

Jaceon Potarius

Age: 23

Gender: male

Race: turian

Orientation: bisexual

Personality: jokester, friendly, occasionally hot headed

Occupation: pilot

Background:

Born on Digeris with two older brother and one older sister, he had expectations to do well, but not to be the best. He often was compared to his siblings growing up until he ended up showing his skill in piloting when he was in boot camp. Then his family stopped comparing him to his siblings and were proud of his achievements, even if he wasn’t a frontline soldier like the rest of his family.

Vardan Solak

Age: 539

Gender: male

Race: krogan

Orientation: straight

Personality: sometimes grumpy, loves a good fight, has a sort of callous humor

Occupation: Armorer

Background:

Born on Tachunka he left Tachunka to work as a mercenary a few years after he went through his rite of passage. He’s spent most of his life traveling the stars, killing for credits. He has no real hatred for his homeworld or the other races and he doesn’t really care all that much about the genophage. He just accepts it as part of life and moves on.

Minu’Rash vas Liberty

Age: 27

Gender: female

Race: Quarian

Orientation: straight

Personality: shy, skittish, sweet, paranoid, intelligent

Occupation: Recon Specialist and Communications Officer

Background:

Minu was spent several years on her pilgrimage, exploring the Galaxy and different cultures to try to find something to take back home. When she finally did find something, the flotilla no longer felt as much like home to her, so despite getting the name “vas Tonbey” she left and decided to find someplace that felt closer to home. Eventually ending up on the Liberty.

#digital art #ocs #mass effect #mass effect OCs #the Liberty #salarian #Turian #Asari #Quarian #Krogan #Drell #I made these all within two days #the Liberty crew

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toysoldiers-rwby · 4 years

Text

Deleted Scene. SYT Ch10.2

Show Your Teeth

Characters: Fiona, Winter, May, Robyn, Joanna Rating: Explicit (tagged as thoorist) Tags: slice of life, sexual tension Word Count: almost 6k

Second Draft of ch 10. I tossed out almost 20k words to find an ending that was the right amount of tension and bittersweet. I think this one was too angsty. honestly i don't remember

Read Show Your Teeth on on Ao3

Or Tumblr

Dr. Pietro was too valuable to be in the middle of Grimm infested fields, thousands of miles away from the Kingdom. He was constantly wrangling in both the Watts and a few other scientist for his current project. It would explain Author Watts’ sour mood, his eagerness to experiment on Glade.

But Glade was Glade, May realized with a smile. The stray that manipulated the military, the stray that outsmarted two fucking kingdoms! Being able to improvise and make the best out of being an illegal experiment…

Glade did a double take, those glowing white pupils dilating like a cat. Ears flicking in confused circles as plume of fire they were blowing onto the metal faded to the embers died on their lips. Fire Dust glowed across their skin, high-lighting the fullness of their cheeks and hard planes of muscles beautifully.

May only understood a few signs but she knew the sign “What?”

She continued staring and grinning. “Nothing.”

Glade crosses their arms and leans against the workbench. They’re posturing. With the military feeding them, they didn’t even need to flex to show off their muscles. That calm and confident grin echoing Joanna and Robyn’s. There isn’t enough raw arrogance to compete with Winter, maybe in a few years after the tuffs of curls grow out. But right now they look too adorable.

Silvio looks up from his Scroll. His face starts at confused, slides down to contempt then utter disgusted as he looks between Glade and May. He takes a deep breath and Glade is already rolling those glowing blue eyes, “Gaaay! Oh wait…” He stares at Glade. There’s an analytically rude way his silver eyes flick up and down their body.

They’re not in uniform. Too much grease, too much molten metal, Dust, and various other things that would permanently damage the thick fabric. Instead it’s a simple broiler suit, arms tied at the waste because fuck safety and stand in the raw Solitas air in their binder.

“Would that still be considered Gay? How would that work with… y’know?”

“That’s a stupid question for a genius,” May scoffs with a small smirk.

“If I wasn’t freezing my balls off I’d pelt you snow,” Silvio glowers. He pouts, turning his chair and continues playing with Marrow’s weapon schematics. May’s Scroll pings.

G.O.A.T: Fi and Win stares a lot too G.O.A.T: yall can admit im hot

If they weren’t working on Winter’s weapon she’d throw her Scroll at that smug face. “Literally hot. I think I can see you steaming,” May says with a small frown. It doesn’t stay though. She’s far too happy.

Things were getting better.

It took till fucking mid-terms but it was fucking getting better. Glade sticks out their tongue, the Dust infused tongue piercing glowing brightly. Then they blow a kiss with embers and a wink- and the warm stutters her heartbeat. Glade chuckles silently and goes back to work. She can’t help but continue watching.

Blacksmiths had all but died in Atlas. They have machines and factories and there was something captivating about watching the kiln from the fire and Dust dance against their skin. Something about watching someone’s passion in action.

And yes. May wouldn’t feed that ego but Glade was hot.

And criminal or not, they were a genius. They pulled the saber out of the kiln, setting it against the anvil and hammering it into shape. Glade may have been a pacifist but they were a fighter. There was no one else more qualified to make weapons than Aurora Glade-

“They’re a good kisser you know.”

May screamed turned around. They saw white wiggling ears and looked down to see Fiona smiling. She’d be laughing if she wasn’t breathing so hard. Face flushed adorably, even tinting her ears lightly- Gloveless fingers engulfed her vision.

“Cold!” Fi’s hands cups her cheeks. May sends them tumbling backwards trying to escape but Fiona laughs and follows. She tries to find footing but its all snow out in the tundra and they fall deep into it.

“Gay!” Silvio’s yell is swallowed by the emptiness and snow.

Fiona manages a laugh and needs to gasp for breath again. May hisses, body shivering as snow melts against her thick Atlesian clothes. Then she’s too hot, Fi’s breath warm against her lips. Still too far.

“I wish I could kiss you…” Fiona whispers.

May was about to pull her into one but Marrow and Harriet shouting stops them. Thousands of miles away from the Kingdom and it’s eyes and ears still follows. Fiona sighs, ears flicking in frustration. The Junior Ops were rather far for safety reasons, testing out upgrades and smoothing out kinks as the geniuses upgrade them. There were some pros to being in this ‘Accelerated Program.’

But stealing small moments right in under Atlas of them gives a certain thrill. May’s hands manages to slide into Fiona’s and she brings it to their lips. Fi sputters, that blush running deeper, lower down that lovely neck.

“Nice to see you two being productive.” The drawl is both familiar and unfamiliar. Fiona gasp out another bubble of giggles and May laughs. The Glyph is actually warmer than the snow as it pulses under them. It gently pulses and lifts May and Fiona off the ground.

The pair is meet with more than Winter’s eyes. Robyn and Joanna are grinning down at them, far to amused to play stoic like the Specialist. All three of them are flushed and panting slightly. But… for some reason no matter how deep Winter’s breath were, it wasn’t fulfilling. She was fighting in a binder again-

“May isn’t your partner anymore,” Fiona teases with a grin. May ignores the small sting in her chest. “Your not allowed to be jealous if I top her-”

“I don’t need to hear this!” Silvio yells a little more aggressively. He stands up, hugging his thick coat tight to his body. The civilian snow gear almost makes him penguin walk to the Junior Ops. “Marrow! Give me your gun!”

“I thought you said-”

“Give it!” Marrow yips and immediately surrenders his weapons. Silvio then retreats deep into the airship. Leaving Marrow confused, unarmed and pouting.

Glade gives RMJT (Ramjet) and their supervising officer a side-ways glance and a smirk but continues to work on Winter’s weapon. With some steam and wind Dust, they cool it down sharpen the blade in long arching fluid motion. The muscle on their arms on full display and almost as nice as Joanna’s. May would need to feel them to get a fair evaluation though-

"Kitten."

“Stop calling me that!” May swats Joanna’s handsome face on reflex. Joanna laughs and gently pushes her hands off.

“But you even paw,” Joanna hums low and playfully. She worse than Fiona when she feels like it and judging from the light in her eyes, she felt like it. “We still have a bet. If I win you finally start using my crossbow staff.”

“We never decided on what I’ll get if I win,” May argues. There were so many ideas she had. A date night with just Joanna was always fun and calm. She did promise to take her around to show off the glowing street art in Mantle.

“Why bother? That’s never going to happen,” Joanna winks and is already walking a little ways from the airship. May finds herself following, staring at that broad back and the muscles testing the fabric of her coat. She huffs in frustration but reaches for her staff and extends it. A quick double to confirm that all the Dust chambers are full.

May nods.

Joanna doesn’t fire her crossbow bolts. She splits that staff into two axes and charges. May’s mind fire scenario after scenario, the smile still on her face. Joanna is stronger and has a longer reach. She doesn’t need a two handed weapon to over power her and her long arms is enough for the axes.

May smirks. Two weapons makes it harder for May to block so she’ll just dodge- Joanna fires a bolt at her feet. It glows purple and the pull of gravity nearly drops May to her knees. Instead she tucks and rolls left, then scrambles back to avoid the an axe head. The other end is loaded and May barely hits it away to avoid it. Only this time the bolt explodes far to close behind her and topples the two.

The Marigold scowls. She vaguely remembers that Joanna was a cop, one of the best in Mantle. She’s older, has more experience fighting people than Grimm. She also has stronger Aura and more reserves. That explosions does nothing to her while May’s ears are ringing and the snow crunches unevenly under her feet.

Joanna lets her blink the world back to focus. She’s grinning, tapping an axe bladed crossbow on her shoulder. "Gonna call it kitten?" Her partner taunts playfully. If this was last semester May might have thrown her staff or go invisible. Then throw her staff.

She only grins. “Not even in your dreams.” May does go invisible. Joanna immediately couches down, grabbing a handful of snow and flies it into the air. May grins. Smart, resourceful. Gullible. Chambering fire dust, she melts the snow. Solitas is cold enough that water instantly freezes again, leaving a mist that blankets the field. May throws the gravity bolt back with enough Aura to pull Joanna to the ground.

She was going to follow up with lightning but May always underestimates how strong Joanna is. The gravity bolt doesn’t pin her, barely hinders her as she charges towards May again. For a moment they were in the Field.

For a moment, Joanna doesn’t attack and just presses her lips to May’s. She surrenders into it almost instantly. Joanna’s kiss was always slow burning. There’s a lingering sense of power and control. Like a beast in hibernation. It’s one of those things that is given to you.

That moment passes as Joanna continues to shove May out. Their lips part far to soon. It’s worth being pinned into the snow by her girlfriend though. Hidden in the snow, Joanna breaths hot against the back of her neck.

“I win.”

“I don’t exactly call this a lose…” May mumbled. Joanna easily lifts them both up and May’s blushing to hard and staring at the ground. Heart beating too fast for something so simple. Maybe she did like being handled… Her teammates laugh. The Ice Queen can’t. Winter does relax, the barest hint of a smile on her face.

Then she’s looking at Glade. The saber is finished and sings as it cuts through the air. With a press of a button the secondary splits from the handle and drops into their free hand. They test the pair out, feeling the balance, checking the sharpness. After a little more teasing and a small impatient frown from Winter, the weaponsmith finally surrenders it.

“An adequate display,” Winter hums, keeping her expression and voice void of the pride in the eyes. Glade was amazing and they knew it. They frowned deeply at the insult and May laughed with Fiona. They were adorable. Even with the eerie glowing eyes. “Would you like to prove me wrong? I believe Watts is still trying to get combative readings from your neural augments.”

There was an interruption from the Junior Ops. Of course it was Harriet who scoffs, “Stop playing with your pet,” Harriet said. "We’re here on business, Specialist Schnee."

… Pet. May grits her teeth. She takes a deep breath trying to let the comment wash off. Winter’s constant reminder floats through her head. The need to play nice and play up Robyn’s image.

It was Robyn’s fame that saved Fiona’s scholarships when the public learned Winter was promoted. It was Winter’s image that lets her be around Glade so much that their sign language was second nature in just a few months.

Atlesian 101. Public opinion is everything. At the end of the day, they were all social creatures. All victims to a mindless and easily fooled community.

But Robyn was a Mantle Rat. She doesn’t see the manipulative threads. She heard a bitch insult a friend who’s been stripped of everything and leaps into action.

“What did you call Glade?” Robyn hisses. Fiona is standing by their leaders side. It wasn’t that Fiona was sweet and kind and without spite. It was that she didn’t have the protection May had, couldn’t act on her anger without a family name and money.

So Fiona practically snarl and bare her fangs stuns May for a moment. The pair make the face of RMJT. They’re charming and cute smiles were plastered all over the net and zines. If a photo of them got leaked right now, Fi would lose her scholarships. They both looked ready to throttle the hare.

“Get over yourself, Hill,” Harriet sneered in that Atlesian tone. May scowls. She’s faster than Robyn so she’ll be second in line to beat the asshole up. "Maybe if you were a real Atlasian Huntress you’d realize Glade is just a toy." May’s heart is in her ears. Roaring. Angry. Two years till freedom. May desperately reminds herself. Two years till they can finally bring Atlas down-

Fiona moves first so Robyn follows her partner. Joanna’s long arms catch Fiona in a bear hug while May struggles with Robyn.

"You called them Winter’s pet!" Fiona angrily yelled, thrashing in Joanna’s arms. Somehow May managed to shove Robyn her way. Joanna’s strong arms easily pinned the two in a bear hug. Fiona looked at the only other Faunus. Marrow had wandered over, no doubt to stop all the yelling. “Marrow! You can’t be okay with that!”

“I- I’m not!” the underclassmen stuttered, tail low between his legs.

"Then fucking do something!"

“Assault isn’t the answer, Ms. Thyme,” That cool commanding voice. May sighs. That mask slips on too easily sometimes. May can’t blame her… She’s a Schnee she was literally born into it. Everyone calms a little. Winter isn’t even looking at RMJT but the airship side door. //Focus in use

The workbench and kiln are abandoned… Winter clears her throat. Glade pokes their head out.

Brows knitted up in fear above those glowing blue eyes, their ears a timid low. They looked at Robyn and Harriet, both their shoulders tense and absolutely pissed. Then they looked back at Winter and vigorously shake their head no, trying to hide away again.

From the corner of her eyes, May saw Marrow bit his lip, tail twitching as he tried not to giggle. May was eager to latch to the lighter mood. Her anger doesn’t melt so easily. But… but Glade was scared. So she takes a deep breath and smiles softly. Not enough to be friendly because Glade was a solo vigilante.

If they had to keep their relationship a secret they definitely had to keep their history with Glade buried.

Still Her chest was bubbling at how cute timid Glade was. Marrow cracked laughing softly and May couldn’t help but to snort. Winter gave a sigh, frustration genuine on her face. For a moment even May thought she was irritated at the ‘criminal’ but the twitch in her arms told a different story. Winter fought against her true nature, pushed aside all the comforting gestures she’d learned for Weiss and gave Glade a wary thin look.

“I assure you, you’re safe… Unless you doubt my ability to beat everyone here?” Winter asked slowly, toeing the line of intimidating and teasing. Glade made more adorable Faunus noises.

May couldn’t help but to smile. Everyone else, save for Harriet, thought it was adorable so she was allowed to too. Before Winter could try coax them in, someone kicked Glade out of the airship. Silvio scowls glaring hard at the students.

“Aren’t you fucking assholes suppose to be smart?” He ask. “Do you know how much Grimm you just brought in?! Two hordes of Megoliaths!”

Winter sighs. She’s had a lot of practice so it comes out natural. It almost convinces May. “Harriet, take the fighter and the others. I need a word with RMJT.” Winter said, glaring hard at Robyn.

During the short time it takes to load up the workstations and for the Junior Ops to leave, May realizes that Winter might actually be made. As soon as they were gone, Winter tapped a few buttons on her Scroll. May could feel the guarded edge on the back of her mind and in her Aura fade off as the hidden cameras in the room shut down.

//HH & Winter Rift. White knights flaw. PICKUP HERE Immediately the Schnee exploded, that cool demeanor all fire and frustration.

“What the fuck were you two thinking?!” Winter yells at Robyn and Fi. Again. At least it was almost two weeks. Still May sighs and tries to find a way to de-escalade the situation. It’s hard when she sides with Fi and Robyn. Fiona’s hackles practically raise, fist balled up tight as she glared at her former leader. Robyn looked ready to throw another punch.

Before either of them could get a word in, Joanna’s massive figure stepped between them. She only crossed her arms, staring down at all three women. The interruption was enough for them to catch their breath. Mostly Winter who leaned against the table, almost struggling to breath as she rubbing her temples.

“Fi… you should know you need to pick your battles. There are still people trying to get you expelled and I’m not there to-”

“We don’t need your protection,” Fiona hissed, ears twitching low. "Focus on Glade, Silvio, Weiss and Whitley." That hit May and cracked Winter. So many emotions she needed to keep under control flashed across her face. May pressed her side into their girlfriend’s, hoping to ground her. Eventually the pain and fear faded to… guilt.

Then Winter shook it off.

It was replaced by fustration. “Point is there is a lot of people that don’t want to see you four graduate,” Winter said. RMJT rolled their eyes. They were the under-dogs. An estrange elite, two nontraditional Mantle Rats who said fuck the law and a Faunus that was better than a Schnee in both academic and fighting- Winter was still talking. “They have a lot of power if you give them any kind of leverage you’ll never graduate.”

“We’ll be fine.” Robyn huffed.

“No you wont,” Winter hissed at Robyn. She stood up, back straight and shoulders tense. Brittle. May gently put her hand on Win’s shoulder, only to have… her former partner shake it off. Winter soldiers on, “You have no idea, what Atlesians are capable of. You need to do better!”

“I know!” Robyn yelled back. They were within each other’s melee range now. “I have people swarming me every day reminding me I’m the Hero of Mantle. I know!”

“You wanted follow my grandfather. Step up and lead by example, Hill.”

The importance of image finally clicks for Robyn. Realization settles in as her shoulders relax for a moment. Robyn tries to smooth out those hard edges but pitty and fustratin shines through. “So do you,” Robyn nearly hisses. “You’re the only one keeping them prisoner.”

That makes Winter pause. She looks at Robyn and something filters across her face.

Pity or envy?

Before RMJT can say anything the bay doors open and Glade was the first one to jump out. Winter actual held them back. May remembered something Winter said at the beginning of summer. That Glade’s Dust was potent enough to level an entire block. They saw that masterful application during their work and now…

And now Glade is finally away from civilians.

Even from the possible safety of the Bullhead, high in the air, May could feel the heat piercing the Solitas cold. A blaze of fire rolled through the snow and ice, leaving the dead rocky ground bare. The weaker Megoliaths burned in the fire.

The Dust in their boildersuit fade from red to dark orange. The herd was culled again, this time impaled by earthen spikes. A quarter of the herd was cut down in seconds. The Alpha Megoliaths roared, legs shattering the earth spikes under its feet. They could see the ground shaking from the sky. If Glade’s Aura and Dust doesn’t attract the second horde, the small earthquakes would have.

Glade was skilled enough to avoid capture by Vale’s Glynda Goodwitch. Skilled enough to wrangle Grimm, skilled enough to have the entire Kingdom of Mistral after her and elude them for a year. Skilled enough that violence was a choice for them. And even stripped of everything they bite back in a differnt way.

Winter crosses her arms. The movement pulls May to the argument that the two leaders could never really settle. What to do with Glade? "Their semblance is similar to General Ironwood’s Mettle." Winter explains. May hates their semblance even more. “Glade can Focus on an aspect, personality, emotions, senses, a task, Dust, lying… acting.” Winter said. There was something at the end of it. It dipped and strained… like she was stabbing her own heart. “Atlesian 102.”

And suddenly May’s freeze and burns.

“Give them what they think they want.” May mumbles. Focus on a lie or an act, May grits her teeth. Pretend like nothing is wrong for the sake of your friends or play up the torutred experiment to gain sympathy.

“Everyone loves to see their hero and knight save someone. And the Faunus experiment is the perfect damsal.” Winter practically growls under her breath. May watches her. Anger deep in her eyes. Winter didn’t ask for the image, for the fame. It followed her from her family now in the military it has grown like steel wires.

She waits a few moments. When RMJT responds with silence she finally leaps from the aircraft. She landed gracefully next to Glade. She let some of her Ice Queen image chip and crack to give Glade a pat on their head. The Specialist didn’t draw her new saber, fresh from the kiln and anvil. Instead she stepped back and let Glade fight.

Glade never needed their help.

Not with the Geist.

Not after their surrender.

May and Robyn looked at each other, conflicted and a little confused. How much was an act from their semblance? Robyn groaned into her palm. The look of regreat solid on her face before she leaped out.

“Sometimes I think she forgets she’s dating Winter,” Joanna whispered to May. It felt like that most days… May blames the distance. The physical one, between Atlas and Mantle. “Come on. Killing Grimm will calm us down and we can’t get showed up by a civilian.”

"How does adrenaline and hot sweaty women equal calming?" Fiona muttered. It was a half hearted joke. A little real but overall a bad deflect. May takes a breath.

Glade is okay. Just a manipulative bitch. Hopefully. And if they’ll still be there tomorrow. Things will get better. Hopefully.

May follows the rest of RMJT out of the airship.

Joanna was right. Fighting Grimm burnt the argument and fight out of them. Despite all the show, Glade gased out far to quickly to be effective Hunter. They did kill a lot of the first herd and the second was no match for eight nearly qualified Hunters.

Snow was starting to return to the area where Glade orignally landed. There was a small tent picked up with a few chairs. Fiona waving at them while Joanna gave a broad grin and blowing a kiss. Robyn plays along, a hand over her heart and swooning into May’s arms. Until the estranged Marigold snorts and drops her.

But just because Joanna was right doesn’t mean Fiona was wrong.

May stands above Robyn for a second. Admiring the messy plantium locks and the flushed tanned face- Robyn winks. “Ugh-” Instead of sinking down into the snow and kissing her girlfriend she kicks the snow into her face. Joanna and Fiona laugh, loud and joyful. They were all too tired to be guarded. It feels less like a fight, less like a mission watching a ‘criminal.’ Their stupid smiles always made it feel like a date.

As soon as May took a seat in on the chairs she didn’t want to move. She hiss curses under her breath feeling her body throb. A Sabyr kicked her jaw, a Sulfur Fish stung her calf… but the thob was in her gut and growing lower and lower as she watches her partner.

Joanna pushed Elm out of the way earlier, taking a hit from a Megoliath. It must have fucked with her shoulder because she’s rolling it, stretching her coat tight against her back muscles. May feels that solid heat ghost under her fingers. She doesn’t have the same hair routine but giving Joanna massages was good in its own way.

She wasn’t strong enough for a deep massage but that just means May kept on trying. Enjoying warm skin under her hands, the hard shift from muscle to muscle. Every twitch was like Joanna was flexing.

May feels Marrow’s tail thawt against her leg in a lazy motion. It sped up a little as Joanna slips a sleeve off, brunching up her shirt to push a the knot directly and showing an unfair amount of muscles.

She wants to kiss her. Fuck public image. Fuck all the pretending, the cold attitutdes. May was tired of all the Atlesian bullshit. She killed dozens of Grimm and at least deserves to kiss her fucking girlfriends. Joanna was barely out of breath and May wanted her gasping.

“Hey, Robyn,” Marrow called out, breaking her out of her daydream. “You can’t arrest people, can you?”

“I quit so I could attend Atlas Academy, wags.”

“Huh… Well that,” He gestured to Joanna. Robyn walked over, quietly observing as Elm walked up and tried to massage the kink gone. Both their muscles flexing and tested Atlesian thick clothing. "That should be illegal."

“You know what is illegal?” Robyn asked. May could hear that stupid smile in her voice and she was groaning loudly to drown out Robyn but it didn’t work, “Not kissing my girlfriend- Damn it! Look alive, May!"

May snapped to attention just as a Megoliath roared into view. Everyone switches back into fighting mode. May ran after her leader, twisting the chamber in her staff. It clicks empty, empty, then she felt electricity hum as lightning Dust chambers in.

“Joanna!”

“For the record I hate it when any of you do this!” Joanna yells. She still held her out her hands for May to vault off of and May only grins. Blame it on all the times Winter carries her around or all the rush from the Glyphs, or maybe she just likes being handled by Joanna. Her partner only frowns as hearing her thoughts. She still throws May high into the air and barely has time to dodge the Grimm herself.

Elm jumps in, holding onto the trunk with Roots further anchoring her to the ground. May yells a warning, plunging the staff deep into the Grimm’s eye. It doesn’t bleed, doesn’t smoke, it just… sinks in with a bone shuddering wet noise. The lightning Dust pours into the Megoliath. Joanna helps Elm clear the twitching tunk and stomping legs.

An explosion throw’s May’s off.

It wasn’t silent like the crossbow bolts so it had to be something Fiona stole. May’s limbs burns like she’s been fighting for an hour. She sinks deep into the snow and it doesn’t help. It does the opposite. All the blood is pooling between her legs, all the running and fighting had everything rubbing just right. May tries not to think about the last time she had sex. About how the snow feels like Winter’s cool hands crawling into her neck.

With a shuttering breath she stares up at the bright sky. Focuses on how warm the rare Solitas sun is on her skin because they were in public. Fiona eclipses the sun for a moment. Then a moment longer as her body falls-

“Fi!” May screams, trying to scrample away. The snow gives and gives under her hands and Fiona finally craches into her. Even the sharp headbutt does nothing for the low arosual in her gut. If anything it just gives her shaft a reason to thob harder. It has everything to do with Fi’s groan and not how her brain was mixing pleasure and pain. With Fiona’s hands firm on her chest. Sweet laughter against her neck.

May drops her Aura for a few seconds. The idea was that the snow would chill her blood. But so many hours, wrapped around Winter’s fingers… May groaned slamming her Aura back on. She wanted those cool hands on her thighs. Clawing. She wanted Fiona seated higher on her chest.

Who’s idea was it not fuck? Winter? It has to be Winter’s.

Fiona’s laugh draws May out of her pout. “Woops,” Fiona mumbled unapologetically. There was something in her voice. The faux innocent tone and sinfully slow drawls. “It’s a good thing Joanna won, you really need something for distance.”

“Shut up,” May growled. As revenge she hangs limp. Fiona is strong enough to carry her but she just… so tiny. And tired. The snow makes things harder than it should be and they fall back into it. Out of stupid habits May holds Fiona tight, as if they were falling out of another crashing airship. As if Fiona wasn’t already laughing on the way down.

“This is your fault y’know,” Fiona said with a grin. Looming over her, elbows blocking May. It fucks with her breathing and then more. Fiona’s eyes flicker down. That heated gaze slowly growing intense, like the day in the changing room. She licks her lips, her ears straining forward for more soft noise. She knows Fi can feel her heart race. That innocent smiles grows sweet and beutiful and so far from innocent.

Her knee slides up.

Pausing between May’s. That low throb was firmly settled between May’s legs now. She glances away but that only opens her up. Fiona’s lips and nose press into her neck. Her pulse is far to alive against such a soft kiss. Too soft. May wants more. Her body already arching for it.

“Fi…” May was starting to tremble.

“We deserve a second,” Fiona says as if it was a warning. Then her teeth digs in hard. May presses her hand against her mouth, breath loud and sharsh as her back arch but Fiona’s hand quickly comes up to pin it down. Her ears flutter pointedly. May wanted hands and teeth, Fiona wanted it all including her moans. She sucks hard and gives May a teaser for what it could feel around her pulsing cock.

She doesn’t stop until May tugs her hair. After May feels pre-cum sliding down her shaft. Fiona growls and huffs. Teeth teasing the bruise but it was already healing. It still hurts, so Fi tongue sooth the spot. Low and slow like it was May’s shaft- Their Scrolls ping and Fiona looks ready to break it in her hands.

G.O.A.T: stop. i can SMELL you horny idiots from here happywool: that’s a bad thing?

She steal a kiss from May. Even burried in the snow, fighting in the cold, the kiss is warm and sweet. Even if Fiona’s sharp teeth nip with fustration.

Her knee shifts higher. A hand palms May’s chest.

G.O.A.T: SERIOUSLY. I CAN’T EXACTLY GET LAID foxhot: sounds like a u problem G.O.A.T: just finish the grimm so we can get Win home

That stops Fiona dead in her tracks.

mt.spur: what happen angeldust: Nothing important. G.O.A.T: i disagree and stop being a dumb bitch G.O.A.T: she’s fighting with her binder on angeldust: So are you! G.O.A.T: i didnt feint bitch

May and Fiona rolls their eyes and share another kiss before Fiona pulls her onto her feet. "The sooner we finish the sooner we can finsih," Fiona says with a wink and runs off. May watches her with a small smile and tries to shake the snow out of her hair and clothes.

The rest of the evening slips into a mix of auto-pilot and a straight up blur. The simple social outing for the ‘criminal’ was an extra hour, almost two. The Grimm was easy but they kept coming. Like every other week. RMJT has been out on so many missions half their classes were online, in the damn airships. The ones that weren’t were Combative Training, Advance Stealth Operations or Body Conditioning.

Her Scroll kept going off too much to call it a nap and she feels to restless when she finally realizes they’re back in Mantle.

May sets her back down the table and stretches out the kinks in her back. She groans as a few joints pop back into place. A pair of hands slide onto her shoulders, pressing into areas she didn’t realize were tense.

The hands were too big to be Fiona’s, too small to be Joanna’s, too warm to be Winter’s. She blinks in surprise. For such a flirt Robyn was actually rather reserved. Most of her advances only happened when Winter was around. And sure enough, somehow the they manage to drag the Specialist.

Or with Joanna, carry.

A feint blush is on Winter’s cheeks now and she lets out a sigh. May has gotten used to all the touches and her partner’s casual show of strength. But Winter probably regressed up in Atlas, with only Glade.

“You can set me down now,” Winter mumbles.

“Not even a please,” Joanna playfully huffs. Instead she sits down on the couch. Her hands interwined with Winter’s… pressing it against her thighs.

Just like the changing room.

The room suddenly feels hotter. May’s blood was already hot from all of Fiona’s teasing and now its rapidly pooling in her shaft- Where’s the lamb. May looks around to see the women walk out of their bedroom, a bag in one hand and twirling the knife in the other.

Now in the privacy of their home, Fiona is a little calmer. Her grin is still dark, her ears still strained but she doesn’t look like shes ready to pounce.

Her prey is already caught after all.

Fiona looks at May and winks. With a touch the coffee table and everything on it gone and she replaces it with the bed in their room. May finds her self menuvered, seated on the edge with Robyn behind her.

May can only stare dazed at Winter. The women was… she was the image of Atlas perfection. Control, yet she’s trembling with Joanna’s hot breath on her neck. Power, though when that knife slices into her uniform she’s praying Fiona’s name.

“Fi… fuck,” Winter mutters. Her Aura flares where the knife licks her skin. May whimpers and shifts between Robyn’s legs. Her leader murmers something. Something about how good girls don’t interrupt a show. A hand strokes May thighs, promising a reward for good girls.

Fiona briefly smiles over her shoulder. The knowledge that this show was also for them… May throbs against her clothes. Whimpers with as Joanna hums, staring at the tent her pants. Winter looks ready to feint. Breathing shallow and eyes clouded. Still Fiona goes slow. Those flexing abs revealed inch by near minute.

“Hurry, please Fiona… I’m going to pass out-”

“Oh!” Fiona’s blinks, that dominance replaced by surprised concern. She laughs nervously, knife swiftly gliding through the shirt, coat and binder. Winter’s Aura lights up her skin as the blade tilts her head back.

Exposed. Volunrable. Submissive.

11 notes · View notes

andy-the-8th · 3 years

Text

Summer Research

Part 7 of Creatures That Defy Logic

Read on AO3

Jess is mapping and navigating the reefs on the coasts. John is navigating how to be a better father.

Contains a direct homage one of the most intense scenes in Moonlight (2016)

cw: homophobia, homophobic slurs, bullying, minor violence

Salty spray kicked up against the rocks, splashing with the breaking waves in the warm June sunlight. It was only late morning, but Jess had already been out at the coast for several hours.

Ever since getting past his fear of swimming (mostly), he'd realized his exploration and study of the local reefs and waters had entirely new unlocked potential. He couldn't properly dive yet - scuba was expensive and dangerous, nevermind he was probably too young - but there was plenty you could see with a snorkel in the clear shallow waters around Mahone Bay.

Jess had spent much of the last few weeks working on one stretch of coastline, on the opposite end of the harbor from where the Griffins lived. It was only a half hour bike ride from the marina, but far enough that there was rarely any significant boat activity.

From his searches at the library, Jess knew that there were very generalized maps of the offshore waters nearby - mostly just marking depths for the benefit of fishing and boating, the better to not get run aground.

However, no one had ever mapped the different micro-ecosystems, the biological landscape of the waters. Jess had decided to make this his ongoing personal research project for the summer.

Days started early, just after sunrise - temperature checks of the water and air, confirming locations with latitude and longitude. Surveys of the tide pools, updated with proper location data: tracking all species identified, recording numbers.

Once the sun was up, he'd swim out to the shallows. There were plenty of rock reefs, kelp forests, and flats within comfortable swimming range of the beach - California didn't have a lot in the ways of coral, on account of the cold open ocean currents, but what species it did have were in the southern part of the state, right where Mahone was situated on the coast. Jess had marked out 50 ft lengths of beach into specific zones, then gridded out 50 ft from the shore, 100, 150, 200 - he didn't swim out much past 200. Every day he'd pick a zone, head out with waterproof clipboard, spend the morning swimming down and resurfacing, noting everything he saw.

The rest of the afternoon he'd spend going over field guides from the library, trying to match up his observations with species he could name and identify. He'd fill it in on his data grid, another little patch of ocean, a little bit more closely explored.

This was not a terribly efficient system of research.

Still, it certainly was good practice field work, good exercise, and a good way for Jess to throw himself at his passions and not think too hard about people for a while.

That was the best part of the work - Jess didn't get lonely doing it. Marine biology had always been his main interest, but he'd spent 13 years unable to go past the tide pools for any in-person field observations. There was SO much lost time to make up.

Jess was dutiful with keeping records of his research, carefully sorted in folders in his room, labeled spiral notebooks, Xeroxed maps from the library, hand-drawn data tables and grids. His dad had asked after the first week or so if he was doing some kind of summer extra credit project, a bit surprised at how much literature Jess seemed to be producing.

Of course, he wasn't - Jess did all this on his own, like any responsible aspiring scientist. The work was its own reward.

John had kept his distance the first few weeks of the summer - Jess could tell how sorry he was for what happened. In his own way, Jess had tried to show that he'd forgiven him the last day or two - they'd never been particularly talkative, but at least Jess stopped purposefully not talking to him. He wasn't sure if his dad had picked up on that yet.

Jess thought of that as he was putting his charts and books into his bag. It was still the early in the day, but he'd decided to cut field work short today in favor of heading to the library. He had stayed out on the shore a bit to dry in the air before pedaling home. Jess usually swam with a long sleeve swim shirt, mostly to prevent sunburn and maintain body heat in the early morning water, but it meant not drying out quite as quickly. He'd have to change before going to the library.

The ride back to the marina felt a little longer than usual from the sun and heat beating down - Jess didn't normally make the trip in the middle of the day. Veering off the smooth road onto the crushed gravel of the marina, he quickly rolled to a stop under the overhang just outside the shed door next to the workshop, into the shade, before hurrying up the metal steps along the side of the building to the apartment.

The space wasn't large - really just one area for a living room/kitchen, two bedrooms, and one small bathroom at the end of the hall. The walls of the living room were mostly for maps, fishing photographs, an odd nautical salvaged antique here or there. There was a little mantle, more of a shelf (given that there was no fireplace) along the wall, with a small row of photos in frames.

Jess's school photos from the last few years. A picture of John's parents in front of the marina when it just was one workshop and shack. A photo of Jess's mother and father on their wedding day at the far end.

Jess hadn't ever known his mom - Evy, as his dad would refer to her when reminiscing. She had passed away before he was 2 year years old. In a way, it also meant he didn't really miss her either - like it or not, he'd only ever known life with just John.

He walked quickly down the hall to his room, changed into dry clothes, hung his swim shirt and towel out the sill of the small window overlooking the boat yard to dry in the sun. Carefully took the books out of his bag, swapped out the ones from his desk due back at the library, catalogued his notes. The whole process took only 15 minutes or so, and he was headed back down the outside steps to his bike.

"Where you headed, Jess?"

Even growing up with him had never quite gotten rid of the surprise when John would speak unexpectedly from his small dark study in the shed, surrounded by all his nets, salvaging gear, mermaid memorabilia. Jess jumped a bit at the sound.

"Oh uh, just going to the library, switch out some books."

"Do you, uh, want a ride? I was going to drive into town this afternoo-"

"No Dad, it's OK. I'll just go on my own."

Jess strapped on his helmet, grabbed the handlebars, starting walking his bike toward the road, out into the sun, leaving his father in the shade.

"Jess, can we tal-"

"I don't really want to talk about it. I know. I know you didn't mean any harm. I forgive you for that, or whatever. I don't want to have to go over it again."

Jess never really spoke back to his father like that. He paused, nervous, realizing how gruff he might have sounded.

John didn't really move or say anything for a second. Jess wondered if he might actually get mad at him right then.

He didn't. John breathed in and out heavily, eyes fixed on the floor, then looked up at his son.

"Thank you Jess. Thank you for forgiving me."

Immediately awkward but not wanting to ruin the moment, Jess shakily nodded and half-smiled. "You're welcome."

"You sure you don't want a ride into town?"

"No Dad, I'm fine."

He pushed himself onto the bike, kicked off the gravel, and pedaled out of the marina.

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

"Back again Mr. Wheatley?"

The lady behind the front desk at Mahone Bay's small library had a pretty good memory for faces as it was, and Jess had been coming by at least once a week for the last couple years.

"Yes Ms. Mullins, just returning some books." Jess put the small stack on the counter, helpfully handing her each one to sign it back in, then stamping his library card. The library had just gotten a computer last year, but most of the checkout systems were done on paper, especially for reference texts and maps.

"So what are you studying these days? Still mapping the reefs on the south shore?"

"Yup! Plenty more beach still to go, and that's just documenting what I can see this time of year!"

By now Ms. Mullins looked forward to Jess's visits; he was always so polite, so eager to talk about what he was studying. It was a nice break from most of the teen boys one might encounter as a front desk library lady.

The door slid open behind them, another patron coming into the cool lobby out of the hot sun. A gust of the summer heat followed whoever it was through the door.

"Jess?"

Well, that wasn't a voice he normally heard this time of year.

"Mrs. Nelson?" There was a special weirdness in running into a teacher outside of school, and doubly so in the summer - almost like they were regular humans or something.

"How's your summer going? Did I hear you're doing research again?"

"I am! Continuing some of the topography studies Cody and I started on our project, but now I'm documenting up to 200 ft away from the coast, and moving it to the south side of the harbor! I've been charting all the coral and plants on the reefs, the temperatures, composition of the rocks, any animal species I can find....."

Mrs. Nelson smiled as he continued, impressed but not surprised at how much work Jess had taken on. Sure, his methods were....perhaps imprecise....but his heart was really in it. And his observations could actually be quite useful for studying the shallows around the bay, effectively building a map of all the biomes.

Always a great moment as a teacher to see one of your students applying your subject in the real world - even if they're a 13 year old amateur oceanographer.

"That's really great Jess!"

Jess had finished, a bit breathless after giving what he'd thought was a concise and quick review of his work. He was a tinge self-conscious at how much he'd spoken in such a quick burst - Sam had advised him to tone it down a bit. Then again, Mrs. Nelson was a biology teacher, and she clearly didn't show any signs of being bored or annoyed.

"Would you be interested in bringing in your research at the end of the summer? Not as homework of course, just to share your findings. You could maybe even present it for my next year's biology class if you want?"

Jess lit up like a lighthouse at that.

"Oh I'd love to! That'd be great!"

Mrs. Nelson smiled again. "Well, I won't keep you from your work any longer. Good luck! Always a great day for science." She often ended class with that little adage.

"Always a great day for science" Jess agreed, as she walked past him into the library.

"Will that be everything today dear?" Ms. Mullins was looking over the desk at him, the last book checked in and moved to the cart for re-shelving.

Jess had gotten distracted, dizzingly pre-planning how he might present his research to next year's class. "Oh, yeah. Thank you ma'am, I'll see you next week." He turned back to the automatic doors, the warm air hitting again as he stepped outside, walked down the sidewalk to the bike rack.

The library was right on the main strip in town - Mahone Bay wasn't big, so most of the usual staples were all on one or two main streets. The library sat across from the post office and a coffee shop adjoining it next door; on one side was the town hall, on the other another line of shops - tourist traps, small bookstores and craft places, small restaurants and cafes. Apartments over top of them.

Jess was just about done unchaining his bike and putting on his helmet when he caught a shadow of someone walking toward him on the sidewalk - too late.

"Ugh, watch it!" Jess started to get up to apologize to whoever it was who half-tripped over him. He looked up to see three unfortunately familiar faces.

"Oh great. How's it going Josh, summer OK?" Of course luck would have it that Sean Marshall would almost trip over him in front of the library. His voice hadn't lost any of the disdain from the last time they'd spoken - when Sean had been pretty unambiguously about to beat Jess up pretty bad.

"I-I'm sorry Sean. I didn't see you, I...." Jess stammered, surprised and more than a little shaken to see Sean again. He didn't know the other two other than that they were other swim team guys - also familiar from the last day of school as part of Sean's hangers-on crowd.

"Yeah, you should be."

"OK, I'm sorry, I am," Jess just wanted to leave now. He wanted to be away from these guys and away from whatever this might lead to.

Sean got quiet again as Jess started to get on his bike up the hill to head off. "Learned not to talk back to me, huh smartass?"

Jess knew this was an attempt to bait him. He knew he shouldn't say anything, but then again, not saying anything was equally giving Sean what he wanted.

Annoying how these bullying asshole types always created these Catch-22 situations.

"I guess I just don't really have anything to say to you right now."

If it wasn't for the proximity it brought him to physical harm, Jess would find that look of insulted surprise in Sean's eyes incredibly funny. At least he didn't give him the last word.

"Oh you'll be sorry now, no one speaks to me like that, you little fucking fag," Sean growled, starting toward Jess - it would only be seconds for him to cover the couple meters between where the three had been standing and where Jess was on his bike a bit up the sidewalk.

The library doors slid open again right as the words left his lips - Mrs. Nelson had apparently finished whatever she needed to do at the library and serendipity had her emerge right at that second.

She may only technically only hold authority in school, but a teacher being directly in sight was enough to defuse most bullies away from outright violence.

"Mr. Marshall, good to see you." Mrs. Nelson definitely didn't sound happy to see him. She was definitely using The Teacher Voice here. "Was there some problem?"

Just like before, Sean wiped away his more dangerous side effortlessly, unnervingly cool and charming in an instant. "No Mrs. Nelson, no problem. Just getting a chance to catch up with Josh."

In the back of his mind Jess wondered if all these swim team people called him Josh on purpose, or if it was a genuine mistake - not the most pressing matter at hand though.

Mrs. Nelson was looking at him pointedly now, then back at Sean. "OK then. Stay out of trouble boys. Jess, I'll see you later then?"

That was a confusing statement: she hadn't said anything about reviewing his research today.

Unless she was making it clear to Sean and the others that he would be missed, should he not get home safe today. That made Jess shudder to think about.

"Uh, OK, definitely! Thanks Mrs. Nelson!"

She sent another tough glare at the other three, and stood by the outside of the building til they moved along. Sean turned back and sneered at Jess, a dangerous glint in his eyes - he wasn't going to forget this.

Mrs. Nelson quickly walked up the sidewalk once the other three boys were out of sight down the hill, stopping right in front of where Jess was still poised on his bike.

"Jess, is there anything you need help with? Anything you want me to know here?" He'd heard that same line from teachers before - teachers knowing something was going on, but knowing they lacked proof unless a student actually told them something. He knew she did genuinely want to help.

Unfortunately, he also knew how it usually went when you tried to report bullying.

"Kids will be kids." "Boys will be boys." "They'll sort it out."

"No Mrs. Nelson, I'm fine." Jess started to get on moving, pointing his bike up the road to head home. Jess saw in her face that she knew he wasn't telling her everything.

"OK. If you're ever not, please don't be afraid to tell someone." Jess knew she really did care. But he also knew teachers could only do so much.

"Really, I'm OK. It was nice to see you, have a good rest of your summer" Jess tried to smile and sound confident as he turned and pedaled off.

Mrs. Nelson straightened up as Jess went over the hill and out of sight. Another one scared to ask for help. God, if she ever caught that Sean Marshall red handed. Fullest extent of suspension possible, swim champion or not. If only they weren't going to be in the high school next year, away from where she'd be around.

Still, she could tell Jess was tougher than most people would give him credit for. She hoped that would always be enough.

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

Whether it was smart to do so or not, Jess took the long way home. Much of the afternoon heat had dissipated by the time he saw the marina coming up on the road - of course it would be light past 8 at night this time of year, but the sun was past its zenith for the day. He sped through the shadows of the boat masts and antennae crisscrossing along the gravel, turned and rolled to a stop under the overhang, put his bike just inside the shed door and hung his helmet on the handlebar. He was half-wondering if his dad would still be in his study from earlier today.

He wasn't, and from what Jess could tell once he got upstairs, he wasn't home at all. Jess wasn't surprised - it was still early in the day all things considered, and he often worked late out at the docks. Even if it was just outside the walls of the apartment, he was still at work, busy fixing up whatever boat pieces or engines the fishermen had brought in, sorting through whatever salvage he'd trawled up earlier that week.

Jess went in his room and closed the door, leaving the lights off, window open to try to get some cool sea air inside. He picked up the shirt and towel off the sill, hung them over the chair in front of his small desk. He laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, took off his glasses, let the world go blurry.

He really wasn't a stranger to bullies, but there was something more cutting about his last two run-ins with Sean Marshall. Most prominently, he knew at least something about Cody - in more ways than one, that could be used to hurt Jess in a way other bullies never could. What if Sean ever worked out what really happened? What if he told anyone else? What if what he'd said about Cody not caring about Jess had any truth in it?

There was something else though. Jess hadn't let himself look it up, even though he definitely wanted to. He wanted to know what it was that Sean had been calling him. Why it stung so strangely, even without knowing the definition.

Just from context though, he knew that it wasn't something he could ask a teacher, or a librarian. And definitely not something to type into a computer's search engine.

A shuffle and the sound of the door closing outside his room let Jess know his dad had come in. Jess sat up, rubbed his eyes, and put his glasses back on. The sun had gone down while he'd been lying there, thoughts writhing around his mind. He got up and opened the door to his room, softly padded down the hall to the small living room.

"Oh hey Jess." John was taking his boots off, putting them under where he'd already hung up his work overshirt on the little wall hooks next to the door. "How was the library?"

Words caught in Jess's throat, worse than he'd expected. "It was fine Dad. Dropped off my books. I ran into Mrs. Nelson too."

John mentally chided himself for not remembering who that was. After a second, it was clear Jess hadn't really expected him to either.

"She said I can bring her my research from mapping the south shore reefs at the start of next school year. Maybe even present it to the next year's biology class."

John smiled at that, moving past the pause a line ago. "Oh that's great! That's real good, gettin' to show off all the hard work you've been doin'."

"Yeah Dad, it'll be great." Jess finished quietly, like he was closing the door on talking any more right now. It was a familiar enough cadence to their discussions. Not exactly uncomfortable most of the time. John still got the sense there was something else Jess wanted to say, or didn't want to say, or....something. He couldn't pin it but he knew that Jess wasn't closing the conversation because he didn't have more to say.

"So I uh, smoked some sea bass for dinner." They didn't always eat together at the table, but when John had a particularly good catch he tried to make the time for it. Jess brightened a bit at that - sea bass was one of his favorites, with a mildly sweet flavor and less of a fishy aftertaste.

"Oh great! I'll, um, I'll get some plates out?" Jess said this quickly walking to the small cabinet over the stove, putting two old porcelain plates on the table. Smiling for a second at the dramatic mermaid designs etched into the old china.

John got the fish out of the fridge and heated it on the gas stove while Jess cut up potatoes to fry on the side. They worked mostly silently, only a word here or there - could you pass the seasoning, can I use that dishtowel - that sort of thing.

Still not whatever John could tell that his son was avoiding.

They didn't say grace or anything, but did take a moment of pause after both sitting down, fish and fries laid out on each plate, opposite ends of the short table.

John could see Jess making small looks up at him between bites, like he was trying to hide it. He knew not to push him. His mind could come up with a dozen things Jess could want to say to him, especially after the brief outburst earlier that day. A dozen things John had already known he'd done wrong, a dozen things he wanted to make better or make up for if he knew how. He felt like he was prepared for anything Jess could be about to say -

"Dad," Jess started hesitantly. His voice was soft. Almost scared.

John let a full beat pass, swallowing his own anxiety, ready to talk about whatever Jess was about to bring up.

Jess looked down at his plate, his voice only hair above a whisper. "What does 'faggot' mean?"

John could feel his own eyes widen, his own face freeze in shock. Of all the things he was ready for Jess to say, that was definitely not one of them. What was he even supposed to say to this?"

"Jess, uh, um...." he stammered to find words, trying to sound more confident than he really was. He hoped Jess wouldn't notice, or would forgive him that too if he did. Controlling his tone, he tried to sound caring and firm, but not accusatory. It still came out rougher than he'd wanted it to. "Jess, where did you hear that word?"

He could hear Jess breathe and shudder nervously at the other end of the table. Only a few feet apart in their small kitchen, he still felt both miles away and uncomfortably, vulnerably close.

"I don't know, uh...nowhere....just, um....someone at school."

"Did someone call you that Jess?" He couldn't keep the roughness out of that line.

"No." He said it too quickly, but John wasn't going to call him on the lie. He knew Jess kept things from him, especially when it came to his social problems. There were only so many times any kid could realistically "fall off a bike." There were only so many ways to "accidentally" break one's glasses.

"Well then." John breathed heavily again. Whatever he said now, he knew it might well be one of the most critical moments in his relationship with his son.

"Faggot, uh. Well, in British, it just means a pile of sticks." He tried to make it sound humorous, to push back against the stifling unease between them. Jess gave a compulsory half smile that vanished almost before John could see it.

"But um. It means, well.....it's something people say to hurt someone. To make them feel awful about themselves."

"OK, but what does it mean." Frustrated, Jess could tell he was talking around something. It hurt to see that his son clearly already knew that the word was meant to be hurtful.

John paused again, making every effort to even and soften his voice, to bury the rage he felt at whoever had brought his Jess to this point. To the cusp of crying out of frustration at his own kitchen table.

"It's a way to negatively call a man a homosexual." That was about as even and measured as he could have put that. Jess didn't look up from his lap, but he could see that his son's shoulders relaxed just a little bit.

"Oh."

Jess felt himself breathe out at that. Well, at least there was the answer.

"Jess, do you know what that -"

"Yeah, Dad, I know....I know what that means." Jess couldn't keep the lie out of his voice on that last part though. Sure, he could reason through the word's meaning - he knew enough Latin for that.

"Is that....even possible?" he asked in a hushed uptalk, looking up at John from behind his glasses.

"Is what possible Jess?"

"Homosexual, that means, um....." Jess wasn't exactly sure what meaning to go with. Having the same sets of sex chromosomes? Having offspring from two organisms of the same sex?

John paused, realizing Jess actually didn't know this one. On one hand, in the back of his mind John was at least a little glad his son hadn't had to learn this from someone else too - that there was a bit of innocence to grownup things left in him. On the other hand, he had to answer this truthfully. Some parenting conversations are never easy.

"Jess, you know how boys like to date and get married to girls?"

"Of course" Jess's cheeks flushed, surprised and embarrassed by wherever this was going. The space between them twisted taut, made the kitchen feel almost suffocating, but he had to get this right.

"Well, sometimes, um. Boys like other boys that way. Or girls like other girls too, I guess." John was trying to keep it as age-appropriate and neutral as he could. He watched Jess carefully, watched as he had turned his eyes nervously back to his plate.

The silence hung in the air. No change to the crushing, nervous energy in the room.

His voice still quiet, but almost thick with anxiety - hopefully not tears, John prayed - Jess spoke still looking down.

"Is that bad?"

In the split second after he said it, John's brain again whirred through possible explanations, outcomes, everything, knowing he had to get this right -to not think about politics, or society, or Jesus, or AIDS - not think about what Jess might be about to tell him, or might be about to realize. Just to be the best father he could to the small scared boy in front of him.

"No Jess. That's not bad."

They both exhaled - the air in the room felt just a bit more breathable. "It's different. It's not that common. But it's not bad."

Jess looked up then, breathed in and out, in and out, calming down. "OK. Thanks for explaining Dad." He closed in the same way he'd done other conversations - times when John had asked about a black eye, a broken glasses lens, a missing shoe. Times Jess thought he had gotten as much support from his father as he was going to.

"Jess." John said it gently but emphatically. His son looked up at him, surprised.

"No matter what you might hear, I want you to always remember: no one has the right to make anyone feel bad about themselves for being different. In any way."

John let the silence hang after that. He had to make sure Jess knew that.

Jess's eyes were a bit shiny behind his glasses as he looked back across the table, and nodded once again, a bit more confident. "Thanks Dad. I won't forget."

"Alright then."

They both finished the rest of dinner without speaking - not an uncomfortable silence. Both of them had to take time to process things when it came to people and emotions rather than mythology and marine biology. They were alike in that way.

Jess was finishing drying off the last dish John had handed to him. John looked at him carefully open the cabinet, carefully put it back, carefully fold the dish towel. So gentle and harmless.

God damn, he couldn't stand to imagine anyone hurting this kid.

Jess turned away from the stove, back toward the hall, toward his room. "Goodnight Dad. Thanks for the sea bass."

"Don't mention it, bud. Goodnight." John watched his son down the hall, start to open his door.

"Jess?"

"Yeah Dad?"

"I love you."

A quiet pause. John didn't move from where he was in the kitchen, hand still on the sponge at the sink. He didn't hear Jess moving at the far end of the apartment - he was still standing with the door to his room half open.

"I love you too, Dad."

John heard the door to Jess's room click closed. He felt his whole body relax as he turned, rinsing off the sponge, wringing it out over the sink.

He heard Jess's door click open. Worry caught in his throat again.

"You alright bud?"

"Yeah Dad, I forgot to brush my teeth." John felt the tension leave again. His Jess. Always so responsible.

END NOTES:

Definitely the heaviest entry in the series so far.

I know it might seem a bit far-fetched that Jess might not know what some things mean at this age, but I can attest that I based that on my own experience - everyone learns about things in their own time and being socially out-of-the-loop, especially pre-Internet, meant kids might not learn about things until later than they might nowadays

I think Mahone Bay is an actual place in Nova Scotia and that that may be where the movie was supposed to be set, but we're going to ignore that - the sealife in the movie much better lines up with California, so that's where this fictional Mahone Bay's going to be - it also might make future crossovers that may or may not be planned a little bit easier to work with.

On a lighter note I think I've also decided that Al Gore's going to win the 2000 election in this universe, and 9/11 and the Iraq invasion are not going to happen. I doubt those will impact the story as it's currently planned but y'know, never hurts to be prepared for such questions.

#the thirteenth year #long post #dcom #disney channel original movies #disney #mermaid #mermen #homophobic slurs #ocean life #marine biology #fanfic

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kiwi-strawberry-banana · 5 years

Text

Modern AU Skeksis/Mystics, part 1

SkekSo the Emperor:

Is still the leader of the Skeksis in name only.

Still experimented with the darkening, has a lot of health issues from it.

Lives in the castle still.

Even if he wanted to leave, his health wouldn't allow him to go far.

Both his health and newfound immortality humbled him quite a bit.

Went through a pretty nasty bit of depression where he wouldn't leave his chambers for weeks at a time.

He lost his role as Lord of the Crystal, his role as Emperor is meaningless, almost all the Skeksis left, and even when he gained immortality it came at the cost of his own health.

To see all he had built crumble around him so quickly was hard on him to say the least.

Since she was the one to take away their duties over the Crystal, Aughra wasn't much help in making SkekSo feel any better.

Raunip, however, became the closest thing to a friend SkekSo had ever had.

He actually got SkekSo to talk and learned the extent of how much the Skeksis lived in fear of death for so, so long.

It was through SkekSo that Raunip began working as a therapist.

Over time, SkekSo learned to just live, despite all the fears he still had.

Taking life one day at a time. Still getting over his fear of death.

Still has an pretty big ego though.

UrSu the Master:

Has health issues due to all the experiments on the darkening SkekSo did.

He retired as Master. Just goes by UrSu.

Even so, he couldn't bear to be so alone in the Valley, so he left with the other Mystics.

Had to be carried in a carriage the entire time, as his health issues made him prone to fainting and collapsing in general.

Found a passion for caring for young Childlings. Became the Communes go to babysitter and teacher.

Is apprehensive around the Skeksis and prefers to not be around them. Will still tolerate and respect the ones that live in the Commune.

Became closer to the other Urru now that he no longer had to act as their leader.

They are supportive of him finding a new lease on life.

Just outside of the commune, he finds an orphanage for Gelfling and Podlings alike.

Grandpa UrSu.

SkekSil the Chamberlain:

Was the fastest of all the Skeksis to adapt to the new changes that happened.

No longer at the Castle.

He thought about it, but with SkekSo no longer Emperor and most the Skeksis leaving, there was no reason for him to stay.

Found a job collaborating with the various Maudra.

Became extremely helpful with his advice in how they should rule/govern.

Still uses his position to gain power.

It is because of the advice he gives that the Gelfling clans are still segregated rather than all coming together.

Still keeps in communication with most the Skeksis.

Not as malicious as before, but still shouldn't be trusted.

Has his own personal chambers in every major Gelfling capital due to how often he travels from place to place, aiding the Maudras.

UrSol the Chanter:

Runs his own radio station out in the Valley.

What's playing on the radio? Whatever he wants.

Sometimes it's the newest Sifan hits, other times its traditional Grottan songs from over 500 trine ago.

Even so, his radio station is very popular, especially amongst historians.

When he leaves the Valley on occassion, his voice is instantly recognized.

Many swarms of fans ensue.

Also has his own podcast where he talks about the latest going ons for various Skeksis and Mystics.

The podcast is even more popular than his radio station.

Also has multiple music lines, ranging from songs to soothe childlings to the Thra equivalent of heavy metal.

Many up and coming Gelfling singers and performers will often source him as their main inspiration.

Is amongst the most famous of the Mystics.

SkekVar the General:

Was the most reluctant to the changes that Aughra incited.

Even more reluctant than SkekUng and SkekSo.

Argued and fought about it every step of the way.

Stayed at the Castle for a while, determined to keep the status quo going.

Became one of the only ones to stay with the Emperor.

His determination to keep things the same made SkekSo snap at him one day, telling SkekVar to leave and never return.

Sad lad for days.

He was still prejudiced towards any creature that wasn't a Skeksis and found life outside the Castle hard.

He was royalty, but even he knew that he couldn't just punch or kill a Gelfling or Podling because he felt like it.

Stumbled across the Commune after getting shooed out of yet another village.

That is where he found UrMa.

UrMa began teaching SkekVar to calm down and be kinder.

SkekVar vehemently refused for the longest time, but UrMa has a knack for being able to deal with even the angriest of creatures.

Still rough around the edges, but began to get along really well with his Mystic half.

Calmed down quite a bit and was much less gun ho about going to war for everything.

Ended up settling down in the Commune, feeling he had no other place to go.

Became the Security Guard of the commune.

Will still say how he detests Gelfling and Podlings.

Even so, the childlings of the Commune love Uncle SkekVar and he most definitely doesn't smile as he gives them piggy back rides.

UrMa the Peacekeeper.

Left the Valley with UrSu.

Was the most supportive about him no longer being Master.

It was UrMas idea in the first place to set up the Commune, as well as to allow Skeksis, Gelfling, and Podling alike inside.

Despite the others hesitation, nobody could really say no to UrMa.

He became the greeter of the Commune due to his friendly and kind nature.

Even the other Skeksis that chose to live there couldn't be mean to him (for long, anyways).

Emotional Support Mystic.

Even welcomed SkekVar with open arms after asking him nicely to stop pointing his swords at everyone.

Through helping SkekVar, he also learned how to fight.

Is still awful at it and his punches are the equivalent to a gentle breeze, but it's the thought that counts.

Still loves UrSu and helps out at the orphanage often.

SkekZok the Ritual Master:

Left the Castle to start his own Cult.

Became the god of his Cult full of Gelfling that still wish that the status quo of worshipping the Lords was a thing.

Aughra had to step in when he tried having the Gelfling drink the Koolaid.

She tried getting UrZah to intervene, see if he could help SkekZok set up something healthier.

That did not work.

UrZah and SkekZok do not get along.

They vehemently hate each other.

Doesn't really talk with the other Skeksis anymore and is happy in his little cult.

The other Skeksis and Mystics have no idea where exactly his cult is and none of them care enough to ask.

UrZah the Ritual Guardian:

Stayed in the Valley.

Instead of a cult, he started his own religion.

The religion is much kinder than the cult.

It is most popular amongst the Dousan.

Has his own church temple within the Valley where Gelfling will come from miles around to hear his teachings.

A small part of him only started the religion to spite SkekZok specifically.

His religion is more popular than SkekZoks cult and it gives him immense joy daily.

There are many discussions on his religion throughout Thra.

SkekUng the Garthim Master:

Was as opposed to change as SkekVar was.

Even tried inciting a rebellion at one point.

That didn't last long.

He was, however, quicker to accept the changes compared to SkekVar.

Chose to stay in the Castle, planning out his next course of action.

Due to his intelligence and military knowledge, he became in charge of the Paladins after SkekVar was sent away.

Took it in stride and actually developed many laws and opened up an academy specifically for Paladins outside the Castle.

His short temper and tendency to yell made him more of a drill sergeant than an instructor.

Even so, the Paladins had never been better since the school opened.

UrIm the Healer:

At first, he followed the other Mystics who left the Valley for the Commune, mainly out of worry for UrSu.

He stayed for a while, feeling an obligation despite not feeling like his place was at the Commune.

Both UrMa and UrSu convinced him to leave and find his purpose elsewhere.

And so he did.

He began traveling all across Thra, sharing his knowledge and teachings with the Gelfling and Podling populace.

The medical field skyrocketed in knowledge nearly overnight.

His wisdom greatly increased the life expectancy of Gelfling and Podling alike, as well as improved the field of surgery.

With his help, an actual medical school was opened up near the Crystal Desert.

When he settled down, it was amongst the Dousan at the Wellspring.

He had a soft spot for them, and the Dousan clan ended up becoming the leading clan in the medical field.

SkekTek the Scientist:

At the beginning, he was the least impacted by the change.

He was still often secluded in his lab, still bullied by all the other Skeksis, and still had only his animals for companions.

Aughra tried helping him, but he kept pushing her away.

Raunip was more insistent and, over time, got SkekTek to open up about everything that happened to him at the Castle.

When Raunip convinced SkekTek to talk to Aughra and tell her all that he went through, she convinced him to leave.

There were too many dark memories for him at the Castle.

He refused for a while, simply out of fear for the outside.

He hadn't left the Castle in hundreds of trine. Trying to make his life outside of it seems like a fools errand.

After some deliberating, Aughra left with him, leaving Raunip in charge of the Crystal.

Not forever, just long enough to get SkekTek on his feet.

And she knew exactly where to go first.

They went to the Valley, where UrTih still remained.

Despite his misgivings, SkekTek quickly discovered that he not only found his Mystic half very similar, but that they both got along very well.

Aughra left SkekTek with UrTih in the Valley, though she still calls him frequently.

She became closest with SkekTek after everything was said and done.

SkekTek and UrTih began to make various machines and products in the Valley, as well as started to collect pets.

When they both realized they needed more room, they both left and found a secluded place far in the mountains, close to the Caves of Grot.

There, they set up their own workshop and animal sanctuary.

And SkekTek is happy with his life with UrTih.

UrTih the Alchemist:

Stayed in the Valley for a long time.

Lived a mundane life, lost in his experiments.

Kinda apathetic for the most part.

Until SkekTek showed up.

He was wary of his Skeksis half at first, knowing all too well the injuries that had transpired over time.

He very quickly learned that SkekTek held a similar love for experiments and animals.

Got along really well with his Skeksis half. Even convinced him to stop experimenting on other creatures and their own bodies.

Taught SkekTek how to work with chemicals while SkekTek taught him how to work with machines.

The Mystics hadn't seen UrTih so happy in a long time.

When they needed more room, UrGoh helped them find just the place.

UrTih worked mostly in the animal sanctuary while SkekTek worked mainly with machines.

And he was happy with his life with SkekTek.

SkekMal the Hunter:

Not at all happy about the changes.

Not even a little bit.

Aughra and UrVa have told him both that if he keeps killing Podlings and Gelfling, he will be imprisoned.

He tried calling their bluff and killed a Podling. Currently stuck in jail in the Castle for at least thirty trine, if not longer.

Very mad about it.

Tried escaping many times.

The jail is SkekMal proof, not even the apocalypse would get through.

Aughra and Raunip visited him a lot, tried helping him get his instincts in check.

Though it didn't work, they at least worked out a deal with SkekMal.

When he is released, he can still hunt, so long as he doesn't do so much to the point where creatures go extinct.

And no killing Gelfling, Podlings, Skeksis, or Mystics.

If he doesn't abide by the rules set in place, Aughra has no issue keeping him locked up til the end of eternity.

SkekMal knows well enough by now that she isn't bluffing.

When he is released, he does abide by the rules set in place.

Mainly because UrVa is a huge tattle tail and WILL tell on SkekMal.

Ends up traveling far from the mainlands of Thra, to areas where no Gelfling or Podlings reside.

There, he spends his days hunting in peace.

UrVa the Archer:

After SkekMal was arrested, he decided to explore the farther reaches of Thra.

He found many lands that were complete unknowns to him, ones fraught with danger and peril, ones where only animals lived.

He came to love those lands and they became his new home.

He had spent so long always worrying about what his dark half was doing that now he finally got to spend some time for himself.

And he loved it.

After SkekMal was released, a part of UrVa didn't want to track the Hunter down anymore. He just wanted to live his own life.

He only did so for Aughra, knowing his oldest friend had a lot on her plate.

UrVa was expecting an eternity always following after his dark half, making sure he followed all the rules.

Instead, SkekMal discovered the same love for the outer lands that UrVa had found.

Though they never said as much, both UrVa and SkekMal found a pleasant life amongst themselves, with nothing besides the wilderness, the hunt, and one another.

SkekGra the Heretic:

He was heartbroken when he discovered that he and UrGoh would never be reunited.

He begged Aughra to find something, anything that would bring the two halves back together.

But there was nothing that could be done.

He spent ages in denial, desperately trying to find any solution that he and UrGoh might be one yet again.

It was UrGoh that stopped it, urging SkekGra to accept that they were two separate beings for eternity.

Despite their separation, SkekGra and UrGoh stayed together, having a deep love for one another that transcended their bond.

Rather than stay at the Circle of the Suns, they took to traveling again, seeing how much Thra changed after nearly 400 trine of exile.

It had changed. A LOT.

Neither have any idea how to use electronics.

Especially not SkekGra.

They became rather popular visitors throughout Thra amongst the Gelfling.

They were not ashamed nor afraid to share the origins of the Skeksis and Mystics.

The revelations caused some... issues at the beginning, but Raunip stepped in and quelled the discord.

The Gelfling children loved when the space grandpas came to visit their town.

SkekGra was especially popular amongst rowdy children, able to match their energy and was an all around fun Skeksis.

And wherever he went, UrGoh was always with him.

UrGoh the Wanderer.

Like SkekGra, he was heartbroken over the fact that they would never be reunited.

Even so, he accepted it much quicker than SkekGra did.

It took a lot of time and talking, but soon enough he was able to help SkekGra accept it to.

Loves SkekGra even past their bond, having no desire to leave his Skeksis half.

Was even more excited than SkekGra was to begin traveling again.

Also has no idea to use the new electronics of the modern day.

The other Mystics tried teaching him, to no avail.

Both he and SkekGra became close to the Mystics after so many trine.

They have a room at the Commune should they ever need it.

For the most part, the pair just travels around with their stories.

UrGoh loves his puppet shows and has improved upon them.

Still catches on fire more times than is necessary.

Popular amongst parents as his slow speech is capable of putting many childlings to sleep.

Despite being unable to reunite as an Urskek, he is still happy with his life with SkekGra.

Will finish the remaining Skeksis in part 2.

55 notes · View notes

mayonaka-no-sasayaki · 5 years

Text

CoAi Week 2019: Day 1

@coai

Ticking Heartbeats

♡ August 25th - Day 1: Time

Time heals all wounds.

Shinichi tries to remember this as he waits in the airport.

While he agrees with the notion to an extent, it’s not easy in practice— not when those wounds involve broken trust and empty promises.

At first, he thought that it would be difficult with Ran and it was. Heavens above, it was. But they’ve known each other for most of their lives and they’ve only just started dating at the time so they managed to power on through eventually.

No, what blindsided him was trying to build back the trust he once had with Haibara.

The fallout for his carelessness on the school field trip to Kyōtō had almost cost them everything; had even forced Haibara out of hiding. And in the end, it was because of Haibara they’ve managed to survive at all as the blonde used the same fear that used to cripple her once upon a time to fight back with reignited paranoia and vigilance; protecting those they love from an ambush while he fought in the front lines. It brought to light on how much he didn’t really know Haibara as the scientist planned and outwitted their enemies in ways that awed even him.

At the time, it made him wonder if this is who Haibara was before she lost her sister— the one they called Sherry; the Organisation’s top mind and scientist.

It both excites and chills him, knowing how deadly Haibara can really be.

Nonetheless, he’s grateful for having a partner as capable as Haibara especially when the scientist fought so hard to help him return back home to his life. Thinking back, Shinichi realises that it was the first time he ever hugged Haibara and mourns at what came after. With his body regained and his loved ones safe, Shinichi immediately went to Ran without looking back; honestly thinking that the worst was over.

It wasn’t until he woke the next morning to find that Haibara left Beika that he realised how wrong he was.

The only thing he knew at the time was that Haibara had took Jodie-sensei previous offer to be in FBI custody and left with only a goodbye to Agasa-hakase. It stung something fierce and he had pestered those in the know until they gave him the chance to talk to the scientist.

The ensuing fight brought a lot of ugly issues to light; things that he was too oblivious or careless to realise until it was too late.

I’ve already given you the antidote, Kudou-kun, Haibara had murmured, tired and weary. What else would you need me around for?

It left his blood cold when he realised that for all the time they’ve spent together, Haibara had thought that he only kept the scientist around for the antidote. Anger had coursed through him at the thought before crippling shame took over when Shinichi recalled his previous actions and words to the scientist. His continued carelessness with the antidote and disregard for Haibara’s warning and advices had made him grit his teeth in guilty silence.

Things weren’t the same after that, even after he tries to distract himself by settling back into his life again.

The weeks after the Organisation’s downfall were excruciating and it wasn’t only because of all the cleanup they had to do. Haibara didn’t ignore or snap at him whenever he called. The blond was brisk and clipped as ever.

But there was no denying the distance Shinichi suddenly found stretching between himself and his friend. While Haibara entertained his calls, the scientist no longer teased him or confined in him. Their bantering were nonexistent and he remembers missing the sarcasm and sass that used to come easily between them. For weeks, it was nothing but business between them as Haibara no longer spoke to Shinichi unless absolutely necessary. Shinichi has seen Haibara explode in anger, mostly due to his recklessness but in those cold weeks, Shinichi found out that Haibara was astoundingly good at giving the silent treatment without actually being silent.

It drove him mad to the point that he requested (actually begged) to meet Haibara, even just once; even for just a moment because he thought that maybe he had already given the biochemist enough space to at least take the chance to make amends. The fact that Haibara agreed at all was fortunate and Shinichi found himself at the American Embassy in Minato Ward as Akai-san stood guard nearby.

Shinichi hadn’t wasted his time and bowed, apologising to the woman he unintentionally wronged. It must’ve been an odd sight; a teenager bowing to a grade schooler but Shinichi didn’t care. Not if it meant his pride and carelessness would cost him the friend he was just getting to know.

He finally understood that the way he prioritised certain things and people in his life had caused Haibara pain and wondered if an apology for not only endangering their safety and even forcing Haibara out of hiding to protect his friends and family would be enough. It was especially humiliating because he didn’t broke just one but two promises at the time; to not get caught while attending the field trip and to protect the scientist.

Damn it all to hell, Gin had almost killed Haibara because of him.

Thankfully, an apology was all Haibara had been waiting for because the hesitant smile Shinichi received was the first he ever gotten since their victory and the distance between them wasn’t so wide anymore. Eventually, he had to say goodbye to Haibara and watched as Akai-san escorted the scientist back. For safety reason, he wasn’t informed of Haibara’s departure from Japan until days later in a form of an untraceable email with only an address to an apartment nearby Thames Street, London.

There was still a certain tentative caution to Haibara’s actions and words in the following weeks but it got better from that point on and Shinichi was careful not to take his friend for granted anymore.

Haibara became his confidant in anything and everything, and eventually Shinichi earned the right to be hers in return.

It was to the point where Haibara was the first person Shinichi turned to when he and Ran broke up. While he always believed that they’d be inevitable, some part of Shinichi knew that he and Ran wouldn’t last; not after what he went through as Conan. Maybe they could’ve made a happily ever after that would’ve lasted a lifetime but they had built each other up so much in their heads to ever make it work in real life. It was wonderful and beautiful while it lasted; everything he dreamed of since he was a kindergartener. When reality crashed down on him almost a year later, he shakily called up Haibara while it was probably in the middle of the night in London.

Paralyzed and voice stuck in his throat, a heavy silence stretched on before Haibara told him in the softest, kindest tone he had ever heard from the biochemist.

It’s okay to not be okay, Kudou-kun. It’s okay to be human.

Shinichi doesn’t remember much from that day except that he spent hours with his phone pressed to his ear as his body shook with sobs; mourning for the dream that he had to wake up from. It was also the first time that he was lulled to sleep by Haibara’s singing, curled up in his chair inside the library.

Neither of them ever mentioned what happened that day but Shinichi felt the first shift then, and life continued on as he got back to his feet and mended things with Ran. His relationship with Haibara became stronger as time marches on; so much so, that Shinichi can say that he at least earned back that bit of Haibara’s trust before he unknowingly lost it. But time means distance and distance has given him a great deal of perspectives.

Time and distance have also made his heart grow fonder for the scientist.

Weeks turned into months. Fondness shifted into affection as they became better friends; phone calls and emails to long video calls that became as frequent as three times a week.

Months turned into years and affection morphed into love. Impromptu visits to London over the summer (because he’s a Sherlockian; he’d take every chance he can get to go to London. That, and he’s come to really like Haibara’s British accent, okay?) to daily phone calls when he’s back home in Japan.

Just like the passage of time, his fondness for Haibara grew into something that rivals the love he felt for Ran. But different at the same time. It’s not the sort of reckless and passionate love he had with Ran that embodies the beauty of sweet youth. What he feels for Haibara is quiet, thrumming like a heartbeat; constant and reassuring.

Now, almost three years later; a week before his twentieth birthday, Shinichi is in the airport with Agasa-hakase by his side; low key panicking about what he’s going to say as they wait for Haibara to finally come home.

Shinichi doesn’t know how or why but it’s like there’s a ticking; a countdown in his head before a chime goes off and he looks up, zeroing in on the mass of people coming out from the gate. There’s a familiar head of blonde hair; that certain shade of Venetian that he’d recognise anywhere. It’s a bit longer now but still in that elegant perm. Then, he stops and stares when he realises that the one he’s waiting for is that of a young woman and not the eleven year old girl he saw last summer.

Shinichi never pried with what Haibara wanted to do with her own antidote and was even wiling to wait for the woman to grow up again before even thinking about courting her. But right now, standing with his mouth wide opened, Shinichi stares as Haibara glances around before sharp turquoise eyes land on him, softening into something warm and familiar.

There’s no running, no dramatic reunion. They walk towards one another, cutting through the masses with a single minded focus that has people stumbling away to make way for them until they stand face to face. There’s a dopey smile on his face and he’s happy to note that Haibara is also wearing a smile that lights up her beautiful face.

Agasa-hakase welcomes Haibara first; a father welcoming his beloved daughter home as he tucks her into a warm hug and fatherly kiss on the forehead.

When it’s his turn, Shinichi raises a hand, smile widening into a grin as suddenly, he knows exactly what he wants to say. “Happy to finally meet you. The name is Kudou Shinichi; detective. Yoroshiku."

Haibara breathes out a laugh, soft and unburden as she reaches out to grasp his hand into her own. “Likewise, Kudou-kun. I'm Miyano Shiho; CSI. Yoroshiku ne."

And before she has the chance to step back, Shinichi tugs Hai— no, Miyano to him and into a hug. Miyano stills in his arms as Shinichi murmurs against Miyano’s temple.

“Okaeri."

A beat then, Miyano relaxes and hugs back before pulling away a bit to cradle his face. Miyano looks at him for a long moment and he lets her, hoping against hope that all that time they’ve spent together after the fall isn’t wasted and that Miyano knows that he’s not that same boy he used to be. Finally, he sees Miyano smiling, unrestrained and unapologetic and hopeful. She guides his head down to press a kiss on his cheek then rests their foreheads together.

“Tadaima."

Hands intertwined, Shinichi smiles and feels the final tendrils of old regrets fade away into nothing.

Time can heal all wounds.

You just have to try and do your part in it.

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atrixfromice · 4 years

Text

So I ruined my life...and now what?

I always knew my greatest passion and dream was making comics and animated cartoons, since I can remember. I knew I was born to tell histories with endearing characters, hearwarming and useful great life lessons.

And I had all planned up. I had all planned all of it since I was seven. my career, my future...where I was going to be in 30 years from there. And as I saw it, I had two pretty cool options. Follow the path of science or the path of art.

I though I could go to elementary school, then the equivalent of highschool for mexicans. And studying english in the meantime and work middle time, so when I could finish all the basic school levels at 18 years old. I'll then take my suitcase and the money I saved and travel to study art at Oxford and ten trying to apply to some of the biggest animation studios as visual artist.

Or in the case I couldn't travel to USA, to study visual arts at the UNAM (one of best universities on Mexico) and then try to apply to a job on some of the small mexican studios and climp from there. And in the mean time doing my personal comic projects, and maybe write a graphic novel.

The other option was to be a scientist which had more or less the same path. Basic studies, marine biology studies, studies to become a teuthologist. Working on fisheries related stuff a bit if it's all what it's avaliable, and then go to US after gaining some experience to some of the stuff I dreamed ; apply in a nice public aquarium to take care of the animals and to try teach an enteroctopus dofleini in aquarium to comunicate with us, throught a language I had created over the years, adapted to them. Oh of course! I also wanted to take marine photography and observe the enteroctopus dofleini's behavior in the wild!

But things aren't as easy as you think when you’re a kid...

In my journey for these paths I found a lot of obstacles, not only economic problems, but a lot of people who told me I wasn't good enough. And also my own lack of self-confidence ony myself and my skills.

When I was 13 one of my teachers made every student an "apptitude test" and told me, that even if I loved science I wasn't going to be good for it not because I wasn't intelligent, but because "science it's, organized, methodic, and you are not." I remember that made me enraged and sad and tried to be more organized since then.

At that time I thought science was better, because my dad said that an art field career would never get me a job, and will make me starving.

But with time I realized I loved more to make cartoons in general, so I decided an art related career and something on art field as a job could be a better path for me than a science career. So I tried to follow it.

I studied basic school. And in the meantime I studied English, and I took a part time job after school to save for my college as I was planned.

But lack of sleep because all the tasks I had to do were affecting my notes. My parents saw that and said it was ok if I only concentrated on my studies, that they could save to give me a college career at least in a Mexican university.

I stopped worrying and spent the money I had earned on stuff like videogames, movies, art supplies, and on intiving my family to dinner Pizza or some other fast food from time to time.

I think that was one my biggest mistakes on my life.

If someone had told me that when I had finished my basic school I wouldn't have enough for my college...I would have saved my money.

I think the other biggest mistake I made, was to be a coward...

When I finished my basic studies and was supposed to make my trip to Mexico City, my parents said they couldn't go with me because their work was there. And my brothers and sister were too small to go with me.

I was scared to live alone and work alone on a city where I didn't know anybody. Specially after my dad commented I watch out cos I could be robbed and rapped, and be kidnapped so my organs could be stolen and be sold to rich people.

This is why I made them chose my career for me the first time. My dad suggested it was better idea to move to a more closer city, 3 hours from where I lived, and study accounting, and that then after that I could work as an accountain and study what I really wanted on the side. So I thought it was maybe an smartest idea than mine, and I tried it.

But accounting never filled my spirit.

When I was trying to figure out the business taxes my teacher had given us to work with, my mind was not there...

...it was day dreaming, thinking about what the next scene in my comic was going to or what traits of personality my next character should have. Immersed in fictional characters' character development and wonderful fantastic universes.

I last there a couple of years, mostly because my dad was helping me to pay the school and he seemed to be convinced it was the best path for me.

But One day at late night, I looked at my taxes work. And I noticed I had my accounting notebooks and books full of little doodles, sketches of comics and drawings of characters in heroic poses. And that the same thing happened to my elementary school, junior high and my highschool notebooks. And I had an epiphany. I was right when I said as a little kiddo I was born to make cartoons.

So I told my dad "Please don't keep helping me with money for this career, I'll leave it! I will never finish it, it doesn't fill my spirit"

My dad was mad and told me he was dissapointed when he heard that, of course. But in retrospective, I think he said that because he thought his help and advice had been in vain, and he was actually sad. And also because he felt money have been wasted.

Then I decided to be brave for the first time and stop letting people to decide for me. I looked up for some art related career, and luckily I found a college that wasn't as long as the UNAM.

Then I and I studied graphic desing there instead of visual arts, cos at that time visual arts on the university that had it has already started, and time was running and I was getting old. I worked there as well at the same time.

Studying graphic design instead of graphic arts was not the best decision of my life, now I realize it. But at that point in my life it was no longer time to study and let my parents pay for my college, but to work to earn a life of my own.

I studied in a modality where were classes were more difficult and rush up, but time to finish the carrer was a bit less and you could work on the side. Plus I wanted to make my best effort with this one because I felt so ashamed of leaving accounting.

I finished my graphic design career with 9.3 final note (it's the equivalent of having an A+) and at the fabulous age of 27 years old. (usually people finish college at 23-24, to give you a prespective )

And the rest is shorter, hehe.

My fabulous career and high notes weren't very useful in work field. I graduated and I tried to apply for a graphic designer job, but everbody wanted both experience in enterprise and a career, and I haven't worked at any enterprise at that moment. Finally, I worked on graphic desing industry on enterprise once. But I left it, because I was being exploited with insane schedules and on top on that, bad payed.

Luckily I found out that selling artcrafts and gourmet food from my hometown was a lot less exhausting and an agreable way to earn a life. It was cool actually, because I could practice my english and french with the tourists that could come, and meeting new people every day and heard their stories of their trips to exotic places.

And on the side I offered my services as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. And while I'm not a super popular artist, I've got some money from there, and I'm making way to the artist field little by little. :)

So it was all good...until my workplace closed because of the coronavirus quarantine. So now I depend enterely of my artwork to survive and it's scary..

And is in these moments I wonder... ...Have I ruined my life?

What would have happened if I had saved money from part time jobs and if I haven't been so chickery to travel to hollywood or to study in Mexico but far away from home?

Or I was dommed to fail since I choosed the art field as a career? As my dad and many other people told me.Should I have chosen the path of science and leave art as a hobby or a side work?

And if I had, could I have been able to make my tests to confirm t my theory that enteroctopus dofleini are intelligent enough to learn complex language to comunicate with us?

The answers of these questions, specially the last one....I will never know them...

And it breaks my heart! But at the same time it's something I need to face and accept it, to cope with it.

I think the important question isn't if I ruined my life or not, because that’s history.

But the important question is: what can I do to make my life better in this moment? And I think there's still a hope for me!

I'm not sure if I should talk about this..because then people might try to scam me into telling them my ideas without being a scientist, or without the intention to devote their life to make them a reality.

But it's been a good time I've been looking up for a scientist who already have studied marine biology or something related, and who would love cephalopods and would loved to put away their social life to dedicate their life to discover more about the enteroctopus dofleini. To inherit my work and that he or she puts in practic my experiments and tries to teach the octopus the language I invented.

I know by doing this I'll never receive any credit, neither fame nor recognizion, neither money or anything related. It will be the scientist that work with my heritage who will do it. And he or she will. I'm darn sure the enteroctopus dofleini can comunicate with this!

of course, I feel sad with this, I would have been glad to dedicate the rest of my life to do it myself, and see with my own eyes how people arround the world are amazed when the enteroctopus dofleini could tell us not just what he wants to eat, but complex emotions like rage, the amazement, hapiness, sadness, dissapointment...

But look at me! look at who I am!

I'm no artist, I can't earn a life as an artist.

I'm not a scientist...

And it’s too late for me to have the opportunity to study a science career now.

I'm a nobody, and that’s the truth.

So I'm aware this is the best decision. I worked a lot on this projetc, almost a life time. I prefer someone else do it, than all my work to be lost forever when I die.

And I did all that work, not because of money nor fame, or people's love. Not because I wanted people validate me as an intelligent person who achieved something extraordinary.

It was for one reason, and only one reason:

Because deep in my heart I wanted people stopped seeing the enteroctopus dofleini only as food and the lowest of minds.

People shouldn't eat the enteroctopus dofleni!! It's already discovered they're more intelligent than dolphins, birds, and even apes! Then why people keep eating it raw and cutting it in tiny pieces while being alive like they do very often in japan? Causing them unnecesary pain and suffering.

And we human race are supposed to be the most intelligent beings.

People shouldn't eat them, they should take care of them and protect them. They shoulf preserve their natural habitat and studying them in the wild so discover more and know more about them! They can be the key of our own survivence in the future years to come.

If I give my work to a dedicated scientist and he or she conclusively prove that the enteroctopus dofleini is intelligent enough to do what I say, then my theories will have official validation! And hopefully this will bring conscience to people about them and they will stop treating them like shit! And they will start treating them more ethically and humanly as possible.

Before I die I would like to see that! Even if I don’t get the credit for my scientific work.

As for my artistic career goes, well..I arrived here, no?

I think I'll have to just keep going, and trying my best to gain a place on the artistic field. And keep moving forward...

I think I might not be successful in animation...but for the comics and graphic art part I think I can still do a great job!

Sorry I talked a lot, I have the impression I shouldn't have, hehe But see it this way, I think it's been a while I needed to write this to organize my ideas and know what I can do in this moment to make my better, and moving forward. And hopefully it will work and you will never see me writing this much about my personal life again hehe.

I have an advice for all you folks. If you dream of something, go for it! No matter how difficult or scary it is, don't be a coward like I was for a while, and pursuit your dreams since the beginning. Don’t let anybody make choices for you.

Believe me, it’s less harder than it sounds. And in my experience, at the end of the day, you will only regret of what you didn’t do when you had the chance.

#late night ramblings #the musings of a lonely artist #atrixfromice #reflection of the night #reflections

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crazyfreckledginger · 6 years

Text

Donald Pierce x Reader - “The Tables Have Turned”

You feel obligated to help Donald after Zander discovers he had helped you run away from Transigen even though you were a valuable mutant to the company.

Requested on Wattpad: “I suggest you writing a story about the reader who is a mutant tries her best to save Donald when he is held hostage by Zander against her. A longer story is what i expected. I think Donald should be in trouble. Yeah?”

In Donald's field of work, it wasn't uncommon for him to keep an eye on a particular asset whilst the scientists finished up with another. What was, however, when he started feeling developing for a particular mutant that he had been assigned to kidnap and then supervise when Zander and a number of others finished testing the previous one.

And the fact that he was the only one in his department that was allowed to see her didn't help at all. In fact, Rice also imposed upon him that he had to spend a few hours with her every day. He knew what he was feeling was bad, bad for the company, but he couldn't help but enjoy the feeling. It was new to him and he knew it wouldn't come back.

So he thought about the insane. He was going to get the girl out. It tore his heart right out when a scientist entered her cell to test a substance on her to see whether it was compatible with her blood.

And most of the time, it didn't, so he had to nurse her back to health. (Y/N)'s life, on the other hand, was complete shit. She too started to develop feelings for the asshole, and she hated herself for it. This man, one of many, made her life utterly miserable. Her brain was screaming irrational nonsense to her, but her heart was completely ignoring it.

But that thought only came to her mind when he entered the room to spend time with her. The rest of the time, she was only focusing on the nice things she had been through in life. Life before her kidnapping. Those were the only thing pulling her through the long torturous days.

And the worse thing about it is that she knows the worse is yet to come. One day, she just broke down in his arms, seeking comfort in his chest as her tears keep falling off her cheeks. She was terrified, she couldn't take it anymore, she was only forced to take the test product and that alone was not cooperating with her, both mentally and physically.

And that moment, Pierce knew that he had to do something about it.

*****

He laid back in his chair, scanning all the security camera to be sure everything is in check. It was the night shift coming around, and as usual, he and heavy security were placed everywhere in the facility. Then his eyes landed on the single screen in front of him, his eyebrows furrowing as he processed the image in before him. (Y/N) was hunched back over a bowl as a nurse scurried in and out, an occasional colleague coming in distressed.

The mutant was throwing up violently in the container placed on the floor for her. One of the nurses was rubbing her back softly until the asset laid her back against her hard bed and tried to control her breathing. The second nurse that had inspected her cell barged in with a syringe.

Donald had had enough. He shot off his seat and prowled out of his office, in the direction of the (Y/N)'s cell.

*****

[x]

"Aw, baby," He cooed, placing his index finger under her chin and inspecting her bloodshot eyes. Her nose was still a little red from a long nosebleed that stopped only seconds ago.

"I'm going to get you out of here," He whispered to her. The girl's eyes widened in response.

"Yeah, I am baby, I'm going to give you this cell phone that I bought this mornin'. It has a blank battery so it's untraceable. I'm going to leave your cell door open, take the stairs and it's the first exit on your right.

Use my keycard to get out, and here are the keys to my car. Take it and drive. Don't stop, I put 10k in the glove compartment for you. I want you to drive and never look back." He explained as the girl blinked nervously.

"What- why are you doing this?" She asked, fisting his shirt. He tilted his head to the side, trying to form the proper words in his brain. After a very short while, he gave up, simply smashing his lips against hers in a hungry and passionate kiss. After a while, he pulled away, a small pained smirk appearing on his face. "In case we won't see each other again." He informed.

"What about you? What can I do to repay you?" She whispered, her eyes screaming gratefulness.

"Stay safe sweetheart alright?" He muttered. She nodded, grabbing his hair and placing her lips on his once again. He melted into the kiss, savouring her lips as he knew this would be the last time he would feel something so strong in his life. And then they parted again.

*****

(Y/N) released a shaky breath as she hogged the phone. She stared at the text message intently as her breathing became steady again.

~That's your queue, stay safe baby girl 💖~

A single tear fell from her eyes as she placed it in the passenger seat and started the engine hurridly, pulling out of the parking lot and driving off.

*****

"Mr Pierce, Doctor Rice wants to see you," A nurse informed as she passed by her office. He gulped discreetly, nodding before standing up and meandering towards the office in question.

He knocked on the open door, nodding at the doctor as they made eye contact. His human hand was warmer than usual as he distinguished a few security men that he had never seen before.

"Close the door," The doctor instructed. The cyborg followed suit, setting himself on the chair.

"I would go on forever but since I noticed how much you two lovebirds love each other, I have other plans for you," He nodded to the men. One of them hit him in the back of the head. The blond man fell limp, his brain becoming fuzzy as he fell into unconsciousness.

*****

~(Y/N), I made it out, meet me at the supermarket here~

The girl read the message and read the address inserted under the message. In her naive state, she smiled, not having any type of suspicious thoughts. And it was understandable, she just wanted t see her rescuers' face once again.

Before she knew it, she pulled into the supermarket's parking lot and sat there, waiting for the man. To her surprise, she fell into a trap. Two men entered the back seat, the one behind the girl grunted as he pulled her head back, his hand clasping on his lips as she screamed into his hand.

"Easy now, easy, we're Mr Pierce's men!" The other one informed, knowing that the longer they wait, the more likely she would use her powers to kill them right then and there. And to their luck, she relaxed, slapping the man's hand away as she turned around.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

"The boss has been held hostage and he's sending men out to take you in, in exchange for his freedom."

"And what are you doing here?" She asked. They glanced at each other, not believing that they were about to say this.

"We want to help you get him out," He muttered.

"What did you have in mind?"

*****

They stepped inside, one man grasping each of her arms as they dragged her through the familiar hallways. She was thankful that not only these two men wanted to help their boss, but nearly the whole team of Reavers. They were his men after all. Rice smiled evilly as he kept his office door open, Donald handcuffed inside a very disappointed look on his face. The two men threw her inside and closed the door behind them.

"Well well well, Romeo and Juliet in the same room again," The doctor mocked.

"What are you doin' here?" Donald spat to the girl.

[x]

"Getting you out," She smirked, turning back to Zander as his glare hardened in confusion. As if on queue, the alarm started blaring in the facility and the lights dimmed.

"What the-" Rice cursed as he ran to the door, pulling it open. He never had time to process before one of the Reavers shot his straight in the brain and helped the girl out of her cuffs. She nodded to him as he handed her a set of keys and freed Donald.

"You came back?" He whispered.

"Yes, I did," She smiled gratefully, cupping his cheek as he stood up and caressed her arms. He pulled her to his chest, kissing her briefly before pulling away.

"What now?" She whispered.

"We leave this place, permanently!"

Comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated!

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Tagging: @lumifuer @ijustwantmyshipstobehappy @plethora-of-things @xlatinaaxx @lostnliterature @batette @eris-maximoff @pythiaaa

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just-come-baek · 6 years

Text

force of attraction

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Themes: smut | ghostbusters!au | ex lovers!au

Word count: 14.1k

Summary: Taehyung is a brilliant nut job, and along with Hoseok and Jin, these scaredy-cats, we bust ghost.

Warnings: a bit jealous and slightly possessive Taehyung, mentions of ghosts but not in a scary way, humor sprinkled with lame retorts, unprotected sex, literally a single smack, oral!receiving

Glossary: P.K.E. meter – a device designed specifically to locate Psychokinetic Energy in an area. CDI System – a way to set categories to types of supernatural phenomenon. Proton Pack – a weapon used to attack and confine ghosts.

Masterlist

“You wished to see us, dean?” Taehyung asked as he plopped down in the chair in front of the dean’s desk, his legs up on the top of the mahogany wooden surface, Jin and Hoseok trailing behind him, yet not daring to display such nonchalant and rude behavior toward their employer. Unlike Taehyung, they knew how to respect their boss. If it came to rules and regulations or even proper work etiquette, Taehyung perceived it more like clues, and not exactly like principles.

“Yeah, thanks for arriving at such short notice,” dean started, as he put down his fancy fountain pen, and entwined his fingers, staring at the doctors in front of him, “I am very sorry to announce that, but the university no longer can fund your scientific activities. The faculty council has decided to shut down your department, and move the funds over to the faculty of medicine.”

“Nah, you can’t be serious, Namjoon,” Taehyung spoke with the audacity to address the dean by his first name. “You can’t do this, not now, not when we’ve almost finished the prototype of the Proton Pack! It’s gonna be a breakthrough in our field. You can’t cancel our funds.”

“It doesn’t matter, you don’t have students, and we’re adjusting the programme to our students’ interests. You have no attendance.” Dean announced, and Hoseok and Jin exchanged meaningful glances.

“Recently, the attendance is remarkably high, sir,” Hoseok answered with utter respect, grinning sheepishly only for his smile to fade away as soon as Namjoon shot him a doubtful glare. As the dean, he knew the statistics, and he wasn’t the one to be fooled. Particularly not by these nut jobs. “My last lecture on cannibalistic rites of ancient New Guinea tribesmen was viewed by two students. And I may proudly add, no one slept through it.”

“Believe me, Hoseok; I’ve heard about such an occurrence,” Namjoon admitted truthfully, and Hoseok beamed brightly at his superior, “however, because of your passionate lecture I’m dealing with a lawsuit, do you want to talk about that in great detail?”

“It’s not my fault that some students are weak wusses,” Hoseok commented under his breath, and smiled at Namjoon who tried to decipher Hoseok’s remark.

“Namjoon, listen, you don’t want to do this,” Taehyung started, as he changed his previous position, now leaning forward, resting his upper body on his elbow, staring at the dean as if trying to intimidate him. In vain, though. Taehyung had been working for the university for two years now, and at this point, Namjoon knew how to deal with him. “We’re two, maybe three days away from the biggest discovery of the century. You can’t just sack us!”

“It has already been decided, sorry, but my hands are tied,” Namjoon said, sounding as cold as an automatic secretary, as he arranged documents on his desk.

“We’re not gonna give up,” Taehyung threatened before he and his co-workers exited the dean’s office.

“What are we going to do now?” Jin asked, as soon as Taehyung closed the doors. Amongst the three of them, Jin was the one who handled the issue the worst; it was the very first time when he didn’t have everything under control. How could Taehyung and Hoseok be so fucking calm? Jin was a nervous wreck; his pulse was rapid, his hands shaking. Fifteen minutes ago, he was an academic teacher and a parapsychological researcher at a prestigious university, and now, he was an unemployed scientist with a useless diploma.

The parapsychological field was a bitch when it came to employment; either you’re a respected scientist or a looked-down-to diviner who struggles to get by every month.

“Don’t worry boys, everything will be alright,” Taehyung assured them, although no one, not even Taehyung himself, was convinced. “Maybe it’s about time to take matters into our own hands? The Proton Pack is almost ready; we don’t need the university’s money, only our big heads. How difficult can it be?”

“For you? Probably insurmountably,” Jin snorted as he remembered how many times during their college days Taehyung had failed economics. In any other field, Taehyung was a genius; however, when he had been about to take the economics exam, he had been daft as a brush. When he had been a student, he had mastered parapsychology, psychology, physics, metallurgy, and whatnot! Only economics had managed to beat him for some reason.

“Spare me the attitude,” Taehyung barked back, not even trying to disguise his annoyance. He was just a human being; human beings are famous for their imperfections, and Taehyung’s only flaw seemed to be the incapability to learn basics of the economy.

“I guess we can try,” Hoseok spoke, and Taehyung and Jin looked at him as if they just realized Hoseok was a part of the conversation as well. “We’ve just got fired. I mean… it can’t get any worse, right?” He added, and his friends just couldn’t disagree.

“Okay, but he,” Jin pointed at Taehyung, “can’t go anywhere near the management. Leave it all up to me,” he added, and everyone silently approved.

“I don’t think a mortgage was a good idea,” Hoseok commented, as the three of them exited the bank.

“Don’t worry, nowadays everybody has at least three credits,” Taehyung spoke with a shrug, his eyes focused on the screen of his phone, as he scrolled through property offers, seeking for the most suitable location for their new company. “Once we commercialize our services, you’ll pay it back in a blink of an eye.”

“With twenty percent of interest rate? I may not be an expert, but it’s a total rip-off!” Hoseok asked and looked at Jin, hoping he would back up Taehyung’s statement. Unfortunately, Jin didn’t seem nearly as optimistic as Taehyung.

“If my calculations are right, after two years the interest rate alone will cost you over a fifty thousand.” Jin quietly muttered to himself, yet Hoseok managed to catch what interested him the most. Why the hell had he agreed to that? Why had he listened to Taehyung? Nothing good ever happens when he does, so why this time should be any different? Not only had he been sacked, but right now, he had a bank credit with a high chance of being unable to pay it back.

Fantastic!

“Don’t listen to him, everything will be alright,” Taehyung added, as he stopped in his tracks in the middle of the pedestrian crossing. “Guys, I think I found us a place, it’s the firehouse like three blocks away from here. Should I call the real estate agent?” Taehyung announced, showing them the picture of the spacious place that would be undoubtedly perfect for them, undeniably large enough to accommodate all of their private stuff and allow them to run as many experiments as they wished.

“Isn’t it too soon?” Hoseok asked, yet Taehyung already walked away, dialing the number of the real estate agency. They had no time to waste; if they wished to have an income, they had to start working as soon as it was possible. Even Taehyung knew that, and his sense of business was quite limited (if not retarded).

“Nonsense,” Taehyung replied nonchalantly, as he strolled down the pavement. “Once we get the place, we’ll be needing a secretary and a car. Any volunteers?”

“I’ll take care of the process of recruitment,” Jin chipped in with a smile on his face, “what? It has always fascinated me how people react to problematical questions; it’s a fine opportunity to run a small experiment.”

“Okay, fine, just don’t be too weird, starting a business with a lawsuit is not quite promising,” Taehyung warned Jin as if it wasn’t the first time such a situation was about to occur. “So, Hoseok, why don’t you take care of a vehicle?”

“I’ll check if we can lease one, it will be cheaper,” Hoseok replied, and Taehyung nodded his head, although he had no clue what Hoseok meant by that.

“Then I think we’re all set,” Taehyung admitted, rubbing his hands together. They had lots of work ahead of them, and Taehyung just couldn’t wait to start working. Funnily enough, just right after they all had got sacked, he felt a newfound source of energy that he could only burn through hard work. The first breeze of freedom was so energizing and refreshing that Taehyung, although in the past hadn’t complained, finally felt alive, so at this point, he wondered why they hadn’t left the university sooner.

Apparently, the job hunt is a long and complicated process, my friend warned me. If you want somebody to reply to your application, you should at least send out twenty curriculum vitae, she preached, and I only rolled my eyes at her, brushing the pessimistic thought away.

Although I lacked experience being fresh off college, my qualifications weren’t that bad.

That’s precisely why I wasn’t that astonished when I got a reply the next morning, considering I had only applied for one position and at this point, it was about time to prove her wrong.

The aforementioned reply was short and simple; my potential employer wanted to meet up for an interview, writing down the address where I could find the company and the time when he was available for the meeting.

Three academic professors sought for a secretary slash accountant for their newfound business, and although the job proposition seemed as if they had no clue how to recruit employees, the monthly payment was quite handsome when compared to the other offers on the market.

Instead of thinking further, I opened the window to write a short reply in which I mentioned the estimated hour of my arrival and a note showing my gratitude for the chance they had given me.

The most challenging part of the recruitment was already behind me, and the job was almost mine. All I had to was to dress up and chill; going to the job interview fidgety was the worst thing a candidate could do. I was confident about my skills, and I wasn’t afraid to show my future boss the best side of my character.

Quickly, I ran around my studio apartment looking for my daintiest clothes. Whoever claimed the looks don’t matter during the job interview had to be a complete idiot; the first good impression is the key to success, and right now, I was determined to triumph.

By half past three in the afternoon I showed up. At first, I thought I was erroneous but then I checked the address for the second time, and there could be no mistake. The office was a part of the old firehouse, and I wondered how on Earth it hadn’t collapsed yet.

There was no doorbell–not a surprise!

I firmly knocked, but no one replied within two minutes, so I placed my hand on the knob and pushed the doors open since they weren’t locked. It wasn’t a surprise, either. The building looked like a ruin; even the worst burglar wouldn’t try to break into it.

“Hello? Is anyone here?” I hollered but my echo was the only reply I heard. Hesitantly, I entered the building, my eyes roaming around the hall. Dust covered every surface inside, a thick layer of grime lying on every item. “I’m here for the job interview!” I cleared my throat, speaking up a notch.

Just when I was about to turn around and leave, a man emerged from another room, a few binders in his hand, white, cotton coat thrown over his shoulders. Though he looked exhausted with huge bags under his eyes and messy hair, he was still incredibly handsome; he was tall and lean, and everything else a woman could want in a man.

“Who are you?” he asked, confused. Instantly, he turned to look at me, his eyebrow cocked up in a questioning manner, as he didn’t expect me here. “Wait, what time is it? Is it already three thirty? Oh shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you would come,” the guy spoke in a single breath, and I barely understood him. “I mean… hi, I’ve been expecting you,” he corrected himself, put the binders away and stretched his arm, offering me a handshake.

“Nice to meet you… Seokjin,” I smiled at him, as I read the nametag that was attached to his coat.

“Everybody calls me Jin, actually,” he announced, and I nodded in comprehension. “So you’re here for the job interview,” he trailed off, looking around the room as if seeking something. “Why don’t we sit there and you tell me why you want to work here, hmm?” he mentioned, showing me the way to the room which was also dirty but compared to the main hall, it was remotely cleaner.

“Of course,” I replied as I followed behind him.

Once we sat down, Jin placed his hands on a desk, entwining his fingers together, his eyes focused on my frame in front of him. With a gentle smile on his face, he studied my features almost as if he was going to recruit me based on my reactions and not my replies.

“So why do you want to work for us? Do you have any experience?” Jin asked, and I smiled at him, almost excited to answer his easy questions. Why do I want to have a job? Must be because I don’t like to live on the streets. Do I have any experience? Not really, but how difficult that job can be?

The moment when I was about to open my mouth and make up a reasonable response, someone came through the doors, making the both of us lose our focus. “Jin, I’m almost finished with the P.K.E. meter prototype. Can you have a look at it? I don’t understand why it shows 350 when I go upstairs.”

“Be careful with that!” Jin reprimanded the other guy, as he stood up and approached him, yanking the device out of the latter’s hands. “You know it’s fragile!” he added, and I bit my bottom lip, patiently waiting for them to finish so Jin and I could continue our interview. “Hmm… thanks, interesting, it looks fine. Have you run other tests?”

“Yeah, I looked around wearing Ecto-Goggles but in vain. Do you think we’re dealing with our first target here? What are the odds?” the man asked excitedly, finally realizing my presence. “Oh, I had no idea you had a guest.”

“We’re actually in the middle of the job interview,” Jin explained, and I nodded, confirming his words.

“Really? A job interview? But we had only one application,” the guy spoke, and Jin quickly elbowed his side to shut him up. Oh, so I was their only candidate… it was quite assuring. “I mean… I wish you luck on your job interview.”

“What was that about?” I asked pointing at the doors through which the intruder walked out.

“It was Hoseok, but don’t worry that pretty head of yours. Everything is alright; it’s just a small bump in the road, no biggie.” Jin explained, and although he tried to look sincere, I wasn’t buying it. He seemed stiff, and he was stamping his foot on the floor as if he wanted to dash out to help Hoseok whatever the problem was. “Okay, so where were we?” Jin asked as he already forgot what we had been talking about.

“I haven’t got a chance to say anything before he barged in,” I stated truthfully, and Jin sent me an apologetic look for being so unprofessional about the job interview. “But to answer your previous questions, no, I don’t have any experience but I’m a business graduate, and I can get my mind wrapped around everything you want me to. Picking up the phone, accountancy, you name it!”

“Okay, you’re hired!” Jin hollered enthusiastically, “be here tomorrow by four o’clock. I’ll acquaint you with everything. I better go help Hoseok before he blows the whole place up.”

“You wanted to see me?” my friend asked as she walked inside of my studio apartment. “Oh, what’s the occasion?” she inquired with a cocked eyebrow the moment she noticed a bottle of cheap champagne in my hands.

“What can I say? I got the job,” I announced calmly, smiling at her in a victory. “In your face!” I screamed, fighting with the bottle, striving to open it.

“Really? I’m so happy for you,” Jennie cheered before she hugged me. “Okay, so tell me everything,” she urged as we sat down on the couch, pouring the champagne to slim glasses. “What is your boss like? Is he handsome?”

“Well… I don’t exactly know who’s the boss but I met two guys, and the both of them were ridiculously good-looking. The one who I had the job interview with was so my style; he was lean, and his shoulders were so broad. The other one was also attractive, he had such a warm smile, and I bet it can cure diseases!”

“Oh wow,” Jennie mused, downing her glass in one go, “but you’re not gonna date any of them, right? I mean… they’re your bosses; it’s kinda inappropriate.”

“I know, don’t worry,” I quickly agreed with her. Dating superiors or even co-workers wasn’t really my style. I had always thought that nothing good could stem from mixing private and business lives, so dating either of whom was obviously out of the question. “It’s not the way I roll anyway.”

“Yeah, I know,” Jennie nodded in understanding, “and now, tell me what their company does; their ad was pretty vague if you ask me.”

“Hmm… they are just as disorganized as the ad they posted online,” I stated truthfully, remembering the small incident which had happened during the job interview. “If they want to start making money, they really need my help.”

“That’s what happens when you start to run a business without knowing how to do that,” she commented, and I nodded in agreement. Having seen them, I knew that Jin and Hoseok had no clue how to wrap their minds around their business. Thankfully, they hired me, and I could show them how it’s done.

“Yeah, I’ll teach them a thing or two, but as for now, let’s celebrate!” I spoke as I refilled our glasses with more champagne. My shift didn’t start until four o’clock anyway.

As soon as I walked through the doors, I was met by Jin and Hoseok who were wearing worried expressions on their faces. “Hello?” I asked hesitantly and only smiled at me almost as if they were relieved about something.

“Hi, how are you feeling?” Jin asked me right away, while Hoseok stared at me, analyzing even the tiniest change in my behavior. “Have you been feeling nauseous or dizzy?” I shook my head firmly. “Or have you witnessed sudden changes in temperature or anything out of the ordinary?”

“No?” I answered unsurely, as I scrutinized their facial expressions with squinted eyes. What the hell was that about? Had they done something to me without me knowing? “Why?”

“Hmm… you see, we’ve been studying psychokinetic energy, and yesterday Hoseok discovered a faint trail of spook here but when he double-checked it was gone. And since psychokinetic energy doesn’t just disappear, we assumed it followed you.” Jin explained, but truthfully I didn’t understand anything what he tried to tell me. What psychokinetic energy?

“Okay… and now explain it to me, so I could comprehend it,” I asked, and Hoseok sighed.

“Jin is trying to say that there could be a ghost that right now is somehow attached to you,” Hoseok spoke, and the color of my face changed to a lighter shade even though I wasn’t the one to believe in ghosts. “And that’s weird because ghosts usually get attached to objects and not people.”

“What is it? Is it some kind of test that you want me to pass before you hire me because, trust me, it’s not funny.” I replied, not letting them fool me.

“Unfortunately not,” Jin spoke with a guilty smile, “do you mind if we run a couple control tests before we proceed with the initiation process? You know, just to be sure there isn’t any supernatural creature feeding off you.”

“And before you say anything,” Hoseok interjected, “ghosts are real.”

“Yeah, that’s true, and we’re literally this close to proving it to the rest of the world,” Jin added matter-of-factly, and I rolled my eyes, still unconvinced. “We’re like two days away from the breakthrough of the century.”

“I’m still skeptical about it, but I guess you can run a couple of tests if they’re not painful,” I replied, wanting to get this over with the quickest it was possible. Frankly, they were as freaky as they were good-looking, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they rejected my candidature because I refused to get examined.

“Oh no, they aren’t painful,” Hoseok reassured me, and Jin led me into another room where a lot of strange objects were scattered all over the wide wooden table. “Don’t worry it’ll take thirty minutes tops.”

“Yeah, and in the meantime, I’ll explain what we do here,” Jin added as he placed a helmet on my head. It was light and made of a thousand wires.

“I’m all ears,” I sighed, as I stole a glimpse of their computer that flared with colorful lights. Was it a good thing that it kept blinking like that?

“Okay, so we’re all parapsychology doctors, and a few days ago, our dean canceled our funds.” Jin started, and I nodded, registering the new information. I would never peg them for geniuses. “We’ve done some remarkable work regarding psychokinetic and nuclear energy, and after we got sacked, we decided to finish the work by ourselves.”

“According to our math, we’re a few days away from the greatest discovery of the century. If we’re right, we can actually find ghosts and capture them!” Hoseok finished, as he glued something to my temples.

“Hmm… so that’s what you do when I’m away,” a third voice chimed in, and I recognized it right away. It was low and raspy, and it could make every woman weak. It had definitely worked on me back in my college days.

Taehyung.

Hesitantly, I turned around, a bit afraid to look into his chocolate brown eyes. It was sudden and accidental, and judging by Taehyung’s expression, it was too soon. I had got over him, but he still seemed to loathe me with every fiber of his existence.

“What is she doing here?” Taehyung asked, and Jin and Hoseok exchanged confused looks, as they had no idea what had happened between Taehyung and I. It was understandable, our past ‘relationship’ wasn’t something I would brag either.

“What do you mean?” Jin asked, scratching his temple, trying to determine why Taehyung hated me so much. “She’s gonna work with us. Hopefully, with her help, we’ll make some profit,” he added, and if only a stare could kill, the three of us would already get burnt to ashes.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Taehyung complained, trying to disguise the real reason why he didn’t want me there. I couldn’t blame him, though. I’d probably do the same thing. “She doesn’t match our style.”

“It doesn’t really matter, she was the only candidate,” Jin spoke matter-of-factly, and Taehyung bit his bottom lip before he spun on his heel and walked away.

“What was that about?” Hoseok inquired, curious about mine history with Taehyung.

“I think it’s a topic for another conversation,” I answered, hoping they would understand that I didn’t want to talk about it now. Taehyung was still sensitive, and I didn’t want to anger him any further by conceding everything to Jin and Hoseok. “Are you done with the tests?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah, I think we are,” Hoseok spoke, his eyes focused on the computer, as he read the data that was unreadable to me. “But I think one of us should check your apartment. The P.K.E. meter is reading very close to 303, and it can mean a ghost is trailing behind you. It’s better to be safe than sorry, am I right?”

“Okay, whatever,” I replied with a shrug, relieved that the examination was finally over. “So what are we going to do now? Can we draw a contract?”

“Naturally,” Jin smiled at me, probably glad that everything I had witnessed didn’t scare me away by now. Though it was a bit odd, people do worse for money. I was only working as a secretary for three nut jobs.

“Show her around, and I will be waiting here,” Hoseok added politely, eager to analyze every piece of information he had managed to collect from the examination.

“Do you want to tell us what has happened between you and our new secretary?” Hoseok asked casually, trying to make him talk.

“There isn’t much to talk about,” Taehyung shrugged, trying not to show any sign of anger which was evident nonetheless. “We were dating back in college, but it didn’t work out.”

“It doesn’t sound like it,” Hoseok commented, having a hunch that Taehyung wasn’t telling him the entire truth. However, he knew it wasn’t the right time to push him further. Taehyung would concede when he was ready, and Hoseok could wait a bit more. “Is she the reason why you avoided every economic subject you could?”

“Maybe,” he answered shortly, more than unwilling to have that conversation. “Hoseok, do we really need her here? I can do the secretary work until we find someone else, it can’t be that difficult,” he offered, but Hoseok firmly shook his head.

“Nah, she’s great,” he spoke casually, “besides she’s already involved. Yesterday, when she came for the job interview, I detected P.K.E. that was gone when she left. Right now, we have a theory the ghost got attached to her. One of us has to check her apartment; do you want to do that?”

“Why would I want to do that?” Taehyung spat, folding his arms across his chest.

“You could try to put your differences aside and make this cooperation work,” Hoseok proposed, hoping it was possible despite their history. “It looks like she has got over you, so why can’t you do the same, huh?”

“It’s not like that,” Taehyung trailed off, trying to choose right words to describe his feelings. “I am over her, but I still hate her for what she did.”

“Okay, I can check her apartment if you don’t want to.”

“I’ve never said that,” Taehyung remarked, and Hoseok smirked, raising the employment contract. “Just give me that, you and Jin must finish the Proton Pack anyway.”

It was seven o’clock when I heard loud knocking on my doors. Regardless of whom it was, undoubtedly deserved some nagging for waking me up at such unholy hour. Hoseok had warned me that one of them would pay me a visit, but I didn’t expect it to happen to at least noon.

Rubbing my eyes, I got up and lazily approached the doors.

“Oh, it’s you, I didn’t expect you to come,” I spoke when I opened the doors and saw Taehyung in front of me. He still looked handsome, but definitely more mature than I remembered him.

“I always show up when there is a damsel in distress,” he said nonchalantly, as he waltzed into my apartment, not even waiting for me to invite him inside. Confidently, he strolled around the room, studying the interior. “Hmm… you haven’t changed that much. You’ve always hated tidying,” he chimed in, as he looked around my apartment.

“You haven’t changed, either. Barging in here like you own the place,” I snickered, as I folded my arms across my chest, leaning against the doorframe, watching his every move. “And though it’s too early to argue; who’s a damsel in distress? It’s obviously not me. I don’t need your saving.” I carried on, but Taehyung ignored me, not even humming in response. “I’ve already told Jin that no paranormal activity was present here.”

“You may want to take that back, sweetheart,” Taehyung said cockily, as he pulled out that blinking device and started to roam around the apartment. “You won’t be saying that when a ghost tries to eat that cute butt of yours,” he added, and I just rolled my eyes at his stupid remark; he had always loved my butt. “Hmm… it seems that Hoseok and Jin were right after all. I think you’ve got yourself a class V ghost over here.”

“Doubt it. Don’t you think I’d know if there was a ghost at my place, huh?” I replied, still not convinced. “Seriously, you guys have to chill,” I added, thinking they would drop the topic if I repeated it a couple of times more.

“Do you think we’re joking?” Taehyung asked rhetorically, and I once again rolled my eyes because it was impossible to reason with him. “We don’t. Class V ghosts are very hard to get rid of, and as long as we haven’t finished the Proton Pack, we can’t help you. It would be the best if you could stay at our HQ. We could prepare a room in which you could stay. Don’t get me wrong but if the ghost got attached to you, it could as well get attached to someone else.”

“So you’re trying to tell me that ghosts are something like paranormal STDs? Sorry, but I’m not buying that, Taehyung.” I concluded, and Taehyung didn’t seem the tiniest bit amused by my reasoning. “Thanks for your concern, but I think I’ll just stay here,” I repeated myself, and Taehyung pinched the bridge of his nose, almost as if he tried to refrain himself from snapping.

“Can you stop being so stubborn for once and listen to me? I’m serious,” Taehyung spoke in a raised voice, as he looked at me. His stare was intense, drilling holes in my head. Damn, he really meant that. “Have you noticed anything strange?”

“Define strange.”

“Well… anything out of the ordinary.” Taehyung stated vaguely, and I didn’t say anything, waiting for him to elaborate. “Hmm… that could be, for example, sudden surges of cold, extraordinary cravings, unwanted sinister presence, moving or levitating objects, strange odor, unexplainable electricity cuts, or anything of sorts?”

“Hmm… you’re the only unwanted sinister presence here,” I retorted, but once again he didn’t find it funny. “Sorry,” I apologized when my laughter died down a bit, “but seriously; nothing strange is happening here.”

“Then how are you going to explain this?” Taehyung spoke angrily, as he shoved the blinking device right in front of my face. “The P.K.E. meter is going crazy!”

“Okay, fine, I guess I can stay at Jennie’s for a few days,” I mumbled, being mad at myself for giving in; they were probably having the time of their lives seeing me comply with their crazy request. “For your peace of mind, not because I believe you.”

“You’ll thanks us later,” Taehyung admitted confidently, smirking at me.

“Once again, doubt it,” I repeated myself, hoping that my statement would brush that cocky smirk off his beautiful face. Unfortunately, none of this happened, his stance was still as nonchalant and confident.

“So… you’re seeing anybody?” Taehyung asked casually and plopped down on the couch, turning his head sideways as if he tried to spot any sign of man presence.

“I don’t see how any of it is your business,” I smiled warmly, trying to be as polite as I could master. It was a sensitive topic to me, and frankly, Taehyung was the last person I wanted to discuss that with.

“It’s called a friendly chit-chat,” Taehyung explained, and I rolled my eyes. “So… have you already found your Mr. Right?”

“You’re being a dick right now,” I said instead of answering his question. Despite our history, he was my boss now, and that kind of inquiry was inappropriate and should remain unanswered.

Unexpectedly, guys happened to be right about the ghost issue at my apartment; three days after Taehyung’s visit they showed up with ready Proton Packs, or whatever they call it, and got rid of the unwanted creature. Of course, I insisted on accompanying them, and they unwillingly complied with my request. I was glad they did because when I saw the ghost with my own eyes, I realized how thick-skinned I was to disbelieve them.

However, the fact that I believed them didn’t change much, as people still deceived us as con-artists. The first month was rough although I busted my ass off building the company image. They’re brilliant people, but they had no idea how to run a business.

Within that month I got promoted from the secretary position to being their full-time manager who also had one-fourth of the company shares, and since the business was partially mine, I couldn’t let it sink before it even got to sail.

Thanks to my knowledge and connections, I had almost got everything covered: an official website, local advertisement channels, and even the uniforms. None of these helped as much as our first task which happened to be a turning point for the business.

A famous four-star hotel’s manager called us saying they had an issue in the restaurant zone. Our reaction was fast; within an hour guys packed their equipment and drove there, wanting to examine the situation.

After successfully busting the ghost, our business bloomed.

“I got a call from Australia; they’re holding a seminar, and they want you to give a lecture on your recent development,” I told Jin as soon as he slid down the fire pole. “Are you going to participate or not?”

“You’re for real?” Jin asked, as he brushed the dust off his coat and approached my desk. Smiling, I nodded, and Jin looked at the counter as if trying to see the papers, making sure I wasn’t pulling a prank on him. “But if we go, then who will take care of the city? We get more calls every day.”

“We can split,” I proposed, and Jin glanced at me curiously. “You can teach me how to use the gear, and I will stay behind with someone, or I can go to Australia with one of you. I’m a part of the team, after all.”

“Hmm… I don’t know… it’s gonna be difficult to convince them to stay behind because I’m certainly going.” Jin spoke, and I giggled at his honest response. I couldn’t blame him, though. How could one reject a free Australia trip offer?

“Discuss it with the guys, and let me know what you’ve come up with,” I replied sincerely, as I gazed at Jin. I admit it’d be great to go on a free trip. However, I wasn’t going to intrude if they wanted to go. After all, the scientists from all over the world wanted to meet with them because of their breakthrough in the parapsychological field.

“What are you two plotting?” Taehyung walked inside through the main doors, catching me and Jin off guard. Immediately, Jin leaned back, and spun on his heel, greeting Taehyung with a broad smile which he often used when he did something he shouldn’t have. It was strange because we didn’t do anything inappropriate.

“Nothing,” Jin answered dismissively and smiled at me, letting Taehyung know right away that we were up to something. “We were just talking, but I have a surprise for you and Hoseok,” he announced, and Taehyung cocked his eyebrow suspiciously.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain everything later.”

“Okay, so tell us…what happened between you and Taehyung?” Hoseok asked straightforwardly, taking advantage of Taehyung’s absence. Taehyung was out to take care of some business that none of us dared to question, while the three of us was sitting around the table, unpacking the Styrofoam boxes full of palatable, steaming, Italian food.

“Yeah, what exactly happened? Taehyung mentioned that you two were dating, but he didn’t go into details.” Jin added matter-of-factly, as he distributed the napkins and plastic cutlery among us. “So…do you mind to elaborate?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” I stated casually, being focused on the box in front of me, my mouth watering when the delicious smell hit my nostrils. “We fooled around in college, but I wouldn’t call it dating. We were more like friends with benefits rather than lovers.”

“And I’m assuming you were the one to break things off. Am I right?” Jin guessed, and I heaved a sigh since the matter was much more difficult. It was safe to say that the blame had been lying on both sides of the conflict.

“You seem way cooler than Taehyung about it, so you had to be the one to break up with him.” Hoseok agreed with Jin, giving him a high-five.

“We weren’t an item, so it’s quite difficult to talk about a break-up.” I started before I stuffed my mouth with food. “I was going abroad for one semester, and Taehyung wasn’t happy about it. He didn’t want me to go, but I didn’t listen to him. And when I returned Taehyung had already graduated, so we never had a chance to talk about it. I thought he’s moved on, but apparently, I was wrong.”

My sincere confession got them speechless; neither of whom knew how to react to it, and I couldn’t blame them for the awkwardness that stemmed from it.

“Okay, so changing the subject; have you guys figured out what you want to do about that seminar? As far as I recall, I have to give them a reply by next Friday.” I said, knowing that it was the only way to dodge the unpleasant topic.

“You have no idea how much we fought about it,” Hoseok started with a cheeky smile, stabbing his food with a plastic knife, being probably already full.

“But we’ve come to an agreement,” Jin continued, pushing his half-empty box aside, giving me his undivided attention. “Generally, all of us want to go, and among of us Taehyung is the best public speaker,” Jin announced, and I nodded, understanding their way of thinking.

“But then again, he doesn’t trust either one of us to stay here with you alone,” Hoseok interjected, making me roll my eyes. It’s so typical of Taehyung; getting jealous without any cogent reason to. “Whatever that means.”

“Yeah, and furthermore, he doesn’t want to train you saying it would be too dangerous for you to deal with all the equipment which is complete bullshit because it’s not that difficult.”

“Jin’s right; you have to remember five ground rules and everything should be fine,” Hoseok added, backing up Jin’s statement. “I have no idea what’s happening under Taehyung’s skull, but I’ve never seen him being so overprotective.”

“Okay, stop. You’re confusing me. Can you just tell me who is going and who is staying here?” I asked, growing annoyed, as they didn’t let me get a word in the edgeways.

“Hoseok and I are going, but don’t worry; we’re gonna bring you a lot of gifts.” Jin declared quickly, and I sighed in relief. Drowning in uncertainty was the worst option; I’d rather know now, so I could mentally brace myself to spend the weekend with Taehyung.

“Actually, we already have a gift for you, just finish your dinner,” Hoseok added enthusiastically, smiling at me in a way that if I didn’t know him, I’d consider creepy.

“I think I’m done,” I quickly replied, as I pushed my box aside. I was already full, and I didn’t want to force myself to finish it, although it was absolutely delectable. I’d probably heat it up for supper. “Where is my gift?” I inquired when I wiped my mouth.

“She’s gonna love it,” Jin said casually, and Hoseok nodded his head, agreeing with the former. At this point, I had no idea what they were getting me, and I wasn’t sure whether I should be ecstatic or terrified.

“Just wait here, I’ll get it,” Hoseok proposed, and marched out of the room.

“What is it?” I questioned further in anticipation; it had to be something special if they were so excited about my reaction. Unfortunately, Jin’s lips were sealed, and no matter what I tried to open them, they remained airtight, spilling no secrets. “You’re no fun.”

“Oh, shut up!” Jin whined loudly, and I giggled because the look on his face was priceless.

Before I managed to anger Jin any further, Hoseok returned with a medium-sized, pink box in his hands. Now, I was intrigued. It definitely wasn’t an envelope with a plane ticket.

Carefully, Hoseok placed the box on my lap, urging me to unwrap the present, “come on, open up!” Smiling, they stared at me, almost giving me chills.

Slowly, I untied the ribbon, whereas Hoseok tapped his foot impatiently.

“Jesus Christ, hurry up,” Jin chipped in, prompting me to hasten.

Shaking my head, I opened the box and looked inside, its content getting me speechless. It was one of the Ghostbusters uniforms, only one shade more pink with my name written on the badge with silver and hot pink threads. I knew they considered me a part of the team, but right now, I was holding the evidence of membership in my hands.

“Guys, I love it,” I admitted from the bottom of my heart before I jumped off the chair and hugged them tightly. “Do you want me to try it on?” I asked once I broke the embrace.

“Naturally, but don’t be too eager, we also have a Proton Pack for you, and that damn thing is pretty weighty,” Hoseok warned me, but I just shrugged; they run around with Proton Packs all the time, it couldn’t be that bad as they wanted me to believe.

“You’re officially one of us,” Jin stated matter-of-factly, as he ruffled my hair, making me glare at him. That’s going too far! We were friends, but touching my hair was way too much.

“Don’t fuck it up.” Hoseok threatened me with his finger, sounding like a completely different person. “Taehyung is gonna kill us if anything happens to you.”

“If you know how to operate the machines, it’s obvious I can do that, too.” I snickered playfully, and Jin and Hoseok frowned, not finding it the tiniest bit funny.

The next day after Jin and Hoseok’s departure was peaceful compared to our standards; we only had three customers, while typically we were handling at least half a dozen. The first mission wasn’t scheduled until 4 p.m., yet I decided to show up at the office a bit early in hopes of catching up with the paperwork.

As always, it was dull, but no one would do it for me, so I had to suck it up.

“Hmm…I didn’t expect you to be here so early,” a voice mused from behind my back, and I quickly turned around in shock. “Oh, have you forgotten to put on a skirt?” Taehyung sneered, as he glanced at me from head to toe.

“Excuse you, but my skirt is where it should be. It’s pretty modest if you ask me.” I couldn’t let his comments get to me. At this point, I could consider his snarky remarks as sexual harassment; we were in the confines of work, and there was an ethic that he ought to follow. “And what are you doing here? I thought I wouldn’t see you until the first appointment.”

“You seriously think I’m gonna let you out there without proper training?!” Taehyung gasped, and I rolled my eyes. Jin and Hoseok had already shown me what I should know, so Taehyung’s additional guidance was superfluous. “You’re not leaving the firehouse until I tell you, you’re ready,” he added, as he took a few, slow steps towards me.

“Why are you doing this?” I inquired quietly, and Taehyung just smirked at me, as if he was surprised that I didn’t know his motive.

“Isn’t it obvious? I care about you; I don’t want you to get hurt.” Taehyung spoke in a firm tone, so unlike him. His eyes gleamed with sincerity, making it unable to tear my gaze away. With one single look, he had me enchanted. Only a few sweet words came out of his mouth, and I held my breath, my heart skipping a beat.

Right now, when we were alone, and no one could disturb us, he didn’t act like a brat. I felt as if we were back in college, carefree and so saccharine. He no longer was a man who tried to make me feel bad about my past choices, but he actually cared about my well-being.

It was a delightful change after countless arguments we had over the previous month.

“What? You look like as if you’ve seen a ghost. Is my care so surprising?” Taehyung joked, and I almost burst out laughing at his lame pun. Thankfully, I refrained myself from doing so.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Yesterday, he had acted as if he wished for my ass to get eaten by a ghost, so what was different today? “I thought you hated me.”

“I could never,” Taehyung quickly admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Okay, what the hell is happening?

His sudden confession got me speechless. I didn’t expect him to concede to me. Who the hell was he, and where did the real Taehyung go?

“Well…if that’s what you really feel, I gotta admit you’re sending mixed signals.” I spoke truthfully, making Taehyung roll his eyes on me. Perhaps, I was nitpicking, but Taehyung was unbearable for the past month, and I couldn’t let it slide after a couple of sweet words. No, I remembered how coldly he had treated me, and if he wanted me to change my mind about him, he had to work hard for it.

“I admit I have never been good at romance,” said Taehyung, and I giggled when his words rang in my ears. Was he serious? Did he just call it ‘romance’? What romance?

“You can’t be serious,” I replied, pinching the bridge of my nose. So what now? Did he want to start over? With me? It didn’t make any sense! We had never even been a couple! “Okay, let’s get back to some real problems. What do I have to do to convince you that I’m ready to be one of the Ghostbusters?”

“Stubborn as always,” Taehyung commented under his breath, as he strolled toward me, sitting at the edge of my desk, holding my dangling hand. His grip was gentle, his skin was smooth, and at first, I wanted to yank my hand back. He was trying to mess with my head, but I was ready to prove that he didn’t have the effect that had used to work on me. I was stronger and smarter, and he couldn’t charm me as easily.

“So what is it that I have to know?” I urged him, and he slowly looked into my eyes, biting his bottom lip, swaying our entwined hands from side to side.

Whatever he had in mind to use on me was bound to fail. Right now, I focused on my career, and boyfriend drama (if he even sought a relationship) was the least of my worries.

“Where should I begin?”

Having sat through a two-hour long lecture (which pretty much helped me realize why they had got fired from the university and doubled everything Jin and Hoseok had told me before their departure), Taehyung let me pick up the equipment what I did with a roll of my eyes. Taehyung thought I had no clue how to operate the gear, but he was wrong; Jin and Hoseok had already shown me everything that I should have known.

Hesitantly, Taehyung let me tag along with him.

First two assignments happened to be false alarms; we arrived, and then Taehyung diagnosed the situation with the P.K.E. meter and Ecto-Goggles. I was relieved our customers weren’t in danger, but on the other hand, we weren’t earning money, and we were barely making both ends meet with the regular service. (The diagnosis fee constituted about 5% of actual ghost-busting service, and we probably wouldn’t live off it.)

“Thank God, you’re finally here,” a middle-aged woman ran out of the building and threw herself in Taehyung’s arm like a damsel in distress, even though he didn’t perceive her as one. “I was so scared,” she added, as she rubbed her cheek against Taehyung’s chest. He didn’t seem pleased with her behavior, but he was too well-bred that he didn’t try to push her off him right away.

“Calm down, what’s going on?” Taehyung asked worriedly, as he placed his large hands on her shoulders, making her face him. She looked terrified. “Everything’s under control now, but you have to tell us what’s going on,” Taehyung explained, and looked at me, the woman only noticing my presence when she followed Taehyung’s gaze.

“There’s a ghost on the tenth floor!” She shouted, turning around, raising her arm, pointing at the hotel behind her. “I’ve seen it! It was green, and it almost ate the cleaning trolley!” Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows, and I knew that something was up.

“Okay, please, stay here, and we’ll look around,” Taehyung spoke calmly.

Having sighed, I walked inside right after Taehyung.

“What was that look about?” I inquired, once we were climbing the stairs. The elevator was out of order, and we had to take the stairs. The Proton Pack felt twice as heavy, almost making me fall backward.

“What look?” Without turning to me, Taehyung asked, pretending to be clueless. Did he forget that we’ve known each other inside out, and I could tell straight away that something was off? Maybe, he could fool that woman, but not me.

“Don’t play coy,” I stated, as I took a short break to catch my breath. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Abruptly, Taehyung stopped, and I was thankful that I wasn’t standing right behind him.

“It’s about what she said.” He started vaguely, and I didn’t say anything, waiting for him to elaborate. I knew how to use the equipment, but I had no idea how to identify the threat. Were we to deal with a powerful being? Was he scared? What was going on?

“And what did she say exactly?”

“I just have a bad feeling, okay?” Taehyung continued, though hesitantly. “But whatever happens there, I want you to stay behind, and leave everything to me. I can handle it myself.”

“Sure,” I replied, even when I didn’t really mean it. If Taehyung needed my help, I’d intervene in a heartbeat. It was foolish of him if he really thought I’d listen to him.

When we reached the tenth floor, my legs almost gave in under the gravity and the weight of the Proton Pack. I placed my hands on my knees and leaned in, trying to catch a breath. If we had to go any higher, I’d probably faint. Taehyung seemed in a better condition than I, but I still could hear him panting.

Pushing his fringe off his eyes, Taehyung pulled out the P.K.E. meter, and I looked at the device, trying to peek what kind of ghost we were to deal with.

“What does it mean?” I asked, when the P.K.E. meter showed 432, and I had no idea how to interpret the reading. Slowly, Taehyung turned toward me, his face a shade paler.

“It’s not as bad as it could get, but it could be easier,” Taehyung started, and I exhaled in relief. Before he spoke, I had no idea I was holding my breath. “We’re not dealing with a Biblical Proportions here, but I think it’s a class V apparition, and if there’s anything you should know, ghosts with a reading like this should not be easy to get rid of.”

“Okay…” I whispered, now doubting my qualifications. Not that I’d like to return to my desk and answer phone calls, but it would be better if my first real ghost-busting mission was simple.

“Get ready, the ghost can attack us anytime,” Taehyung mentioned, and I nodded my head, placing my hand on the Particle Thrower. “And remember what I’ve told you, never ever cross the streams.”

“How could I forget it? You guys use that line literally every day,” I muttered under my breath, and rolled my eyes, slightly lightening up the situation. Humor always works when there’s thick and uncomfortable tension, so why this time should be any different? “Maybe you should get it tattooed?”

“Ha-ha, very funny,” Taehyung laughed dryly, his eyes roaming around the corridor, being ready for the ghost to appear. Frankly, he looked handsome, so focused and professional.

“Can you tell me more about class V ghosts? Is it as bad as you make it look like?” I asked curiously, and Taehyung looked over his shoulder as if he was shocked I didn’t read Jin’s book about ghost classification system, CDI system for short.

“Maybe, you should wait in the car,” Taehyung stated, as he shook his head in disbelief that he actually let a newbie work with him. “I can handle it myself.”

“Don’t tell me if you don’t want to. Geez!” I retorted, and sighed, looking around, pretending I didn’t ask him that question. Maybe I should listen to him and let him do everything by himself if he really didn’t want my help.

“Class V ghosts are Ectoplasmic manifestations of definite but non-human form. They are formed from emotionally-charged events or as side effects from ritual summoning. And we need a shit tone of proton pack implementation to eradicate it.” Taehyung recited, and I nodded in comprehension, as I tried to remember as much information as I could.

“Do you hear that?” I asked when I heard a strange sound, familiar to chewing. The hotel’s owner had said that people had got evacuated, so what the hell was that?

“Stay back,” Taehyung mentioned before he moved forward, following the odd noise. Slowly, I copied his movements, the Particle Thrower in my grip. “Oh shit,” Taehyung cursed, as he looked around the corner, spotting the ghosts. Taehyung seemed scared, so I peeked, curiosity getting the better of me.

Behind the corner was a green, levitating ghost who was in the middle of its meal; with big, yellow teeth it was eating a cake, the chewed bites falling onto the ground, making the mess around it. Slowly, its fetor hit my nostrils, and I immediately covered my face in disgust.

“Ew! What the hell is that?” I asked, and Taehyung chuckled at my reaction.

“A ghost, really nasty one at that,” Taehyung mused, but I didn’t find it funny. “And apparently, it eats anything that’s not nailed down or on fire,” he added, when he took a glimpse of the green creature, which right now was consuming the metal tray where the cake used to be.

“Okay, so what’s the plan? A penny for your thoughts,” I questioned, waiting for him to explain our next move. We couldn’t just jump from behind the corner and shoot the ghost with the Particle Thrower.

Casually, Taehyung pulled out his phone and snapped a photo. Strangely enough, the ghost got caught on the snapshot, which was a rare occurrence. We stared attentively at the picture on Taehyung’s phone, not recognizing the moment when the ghost stopped chewing the cake. When I mentioned that fact, the green cloud of electrons, neutrons, and ectoplasm seeped through the wall and my body, leaving a very unpleasant taste on my tongue. The feeling was eerie, and I was on the verge of vomiting.

“Are you alright?” Taehyung asked me, although his eyes focused on the ghost behind me. I nodded my head, though it wasn’t an entire truth. “On the count of three, you’ll drop to your knees, okay?” He ordered as he reached for the Particle Thrower, ready to attack.

Slowly, Taehyung counted to three in a half-whisper, and I bent, sinking to my knees in front of Taehyung. When I was out of the stream range, Taehyung turned on the Proton Pack which immediately produced a bright, powerful stream of particles. He didn’t catch the ghost, though. It disappeared behind the wall.

“Get the Ghost Trap ready,” Taehyung mentioned, as he used the card key, and we entered the nearest room. “When I confine the ghost, you have to roll the trap under it, and stomp on the pedal, you got it?”

“Sure,” I confirmed, as I reached for the Ghost Trap.

“It’s fully charged, right?” Taehyung asked, and I nodded since I had made sure the battery was on 100% before we left the firehouse. Jin and Hoseok had told me the Ghost Trap could malfunction if not charged fully, and I wasn’t going to make that neophyte mistake. “And remember not to look into the trap. A glimpse can cause serious eye damage or even blindness, and we don’t want anything bad to happen to your pretty eyes.”

“Don’t worry, I know how to use it,” I replied, trying to ignore the weird compliment.

“Come out, Stinky!” Taehyung yelled as if he was some kind of ghosts-whisperer. “I have one delicious snack for you.” He shouted loudly to no one in particular, and I giggled, finding the scene happening in front of me ridiculous.

Taehyung and I exchanged glances, but he quickly ripped his gaze away when the similar fetor pervaded the room, boding the presence of a paranormal being. Once again, Taehyung turned on the Proton Pack, aiming at the source of the odor. Before the stream hit the ghost, the orange light burnt everything within its reach.

“What are you doing it? Catch him,” I urged Taehyung before he destroyed the room. The ghost was flying around the room, and he couldn’t capture him with the stream, looking like a newbie.

“I’m trying!” Taehyung defended himself, but I only rolled my eyes, and placed my hand on the Particle Thrower, wondering if I should help Taehyung. I was about to operate the Ghost Trap, but it’s pretty useless when the ghost’s on the loose.

Sighing, I pulled the Particle Thrower and aimed. For a brief second, Taehyung looked at me, fear visible in his eyes. He didn’t trust me with it, and I couldn’t blame him; it was a dangerous weapon, after all. Maybe it was reckless, but Taehyung wasn’t effective on his own, so I had to intervene.

When I pressed the button, the Proton-Gun generated raw nuclear energy which hit the ghost, making me stumble backward.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Taehyung yelled at me when he turned off his Proton Pack. The consequence of crossing the streams is so great that he didn’t want to risk it, especially when such an inexperienced person as me was using it. “Turn it off!” he screamed, but I ignored him, since the ghost was already captured, almost nullified by now. He had to be joking.

“Get the Ghost Trap ready,” I mentioned, as I gently kicked it toward him. The ghost was trying to wiggle out of the lasso of a positronic ionized stream of proton energy, but I firmly clenched the Particle Thrower in my hands, using 100% of its power.

“This is the first and last time I let you tag along!” Taehyung shouted, but prepared the Ghost Trap nonetheless. Skillfully, he untangled the wires and rolled the small device toward the ghost. “When I turn it on you gotta shut the Proton Pack down, you got it?”

“Yep,” I nodded quickly.

“On the count of three,” Taehyung exclaimed, and I focused deeply, trying to synchronize with him. When the last syllable rolled off his tongue, I took my finger off the trigger. Panting, I stared at the ghost who was being slowly consumed by the electromagnetic field. “Don’t look into the trap!” He yelled, but I was too engrossed in the scene in front of me.

“What?” I asked, not tearing my gaze away. You could see the ghost getting drawn into the trap, piece by piece utilized inside the small Ecto Containment Unit.

“Don’t fucking look into the trap!” Taehyung yelled again, this time much louder, and when I didn’t listen to him right away, he yanked me toward him, letting me fall into his chest, as he placed his hand on the back of my head, pulling me closer, pressing me against his frame. “You must start listening. You could lose your sight.” Taehyung warmed me, but he didn’t sound mad. If anything, I detected care and relief.

“Sorry,” I spoke, when I looked up at him, admiring his face from up close. With his arms wrapped around me, I could feel warmth emitting from him. Being in his embrace felt comfortable and secure, and although we had never put much attention to none sexual type of affection, I realized how much we had missed out on. “I won’t do that again.”

“Of course, you don’t,” Taehyung replied coldly, taking a step backward as if he grasped our interaction was inappropriate. “It was the last time I brought you with me. Do you have any idea how reckless that was?”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking,” I admitted, and Taehyung rolled his eyes at me.

Taehyung was silent during our ride back to the headquarters; he was reading something on his phone, whereas I was listening to the news flash on the radio, maneuvering the vehicle. The night was tranquil; the sky was in a beautiful shade of navy, even a couple of stars seen over the horizon. The scenery was breathtaking, but I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wished since the recent dispute with Taehyung kept surfacing when I tried to focus on something, anything else.

When I stopped upon seeing the red light, my phone rang. Quickly, I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out the Bluetooth earpiece, putting it into my right ear.

“Hello?” I asked as soon as I answered the call. On the other end of the line, I heard a lot of background noise before Jin’s soft voice greeted me excitedly. “Oh, hi, what’s up?” I inquired, wondering what he wanted from me. If I were on a seminar abroad, calling home would be the last position on my priorities’ list.

“I’m just checking up on you,” Jin casually stated, and I smiled at the thought of Jin and Hoseok calling me to find out if Taehyung and I had already jumped at each other’s throats. “How is work with Taehyung? Is he a pain in the ass?”

“Hmm…I’d say bearable,” I replied unsurely. Taehyung had been nice, but then I had done something he hadn’t wanted me to, and then everything had gone downhill. I could use Jin to vent about Taehyung, but they were on a trip, and I couldn’t ruin it for them. “And what about you? Are you having fun?” I asked, changing the subject. Our conversation would be way more enjoyable if we changed the direction it was going; I’d much rather discuss their trip than another round of a passionate dispute between Taehyung and I.

“It’s a paradise. You can check out Hoseok’s Instagram updates. It’s nothing compared to the real feel, though. I wished you were here with us.” Jin simply said, and I smiled again, imagining what I’m missing out on.

“I wished I was with you, too,” I confessed genuinely, realizing that Taehyung’s eyes were on me, as he tried to decipher whom I was talking to. “But it’s okay; we’ll have more opportunities in the future, right?”

“Obviously,” Jin agreed swiftly, “we’re handing out our business cards just like you told us to. I think we’ll soon make it big.” He added, and I smiled brightly, not even trying to disguise how proud I was. “I gotta go now. Hoseok’s coming with our drinks. Talk to you later.”

“Don’t have too much fun without me.” I chimed in playfully, “and try not to miss me.”

“Who was that?” Taehyung asked, as soon as I hung up. Hesitantly, I looked at him upon seeing his upset cast.

“Jin, obviously. Who else?” I spoke, rolling my eyes. “He wanted to say hi, that’s all. Why?”

“Are you two screwing?” Taehyung accused, and I chucked. How the hell did he come up with it? It was a casual conversation without even a slimmer of flirtation, so it was bizarre how he read into that. I shook my head in denial, but Taehyung didn’t seem convinced. “It didn’t sound like it.”

“I mean…Jin’s handsome, I agree. Don’t worry, I know better than dating my co-workers. It’s strictly business,” I explained, but once again, Taehyung didn’t seem pleased with my response. “We’re friends, of course, but nothing more.”

Taehyung didn’t reply. He just nodded in acknowledgment and looked away, focusing on his phone again. Whatever he was seeking, it was more important than telling me why he had thrown all his accusations toward me. I wasn’t dating Jin, but it was none of his business, so why bothered asking?

Thankfully, we were almost on our driveway. I couldn’t wait to exit the car, change out of the Ghostbusters uniform and come back home. I had spent way too much time with Taehyung today, and I wished I could relax somewhere far away from him.

Taehyung was the first one to get out of the vehicle, and I followed right behind him.

“Thank you, Tae,” I spoke, and Taehyung stopped in his trucks, yet not turning around to face me. Maybe it’d be easier for me to admit to my fault if I didn’t have to look into his sharp eyes. “I know you told me not to look, and I’m sorry for ignoring your warnings. You said it’s my last mission, and I’m gonna respect your decision. Today was fun by the way.” I voiced my thoughts from the bottom of my heart, and I hoped Taehyung could feel the genuineness in my words.

Once again, Taehyung remained silent, completely ignoring my veracity. I couldn’t blame him; he was still mad at me, and a couple of kind words didn’t have the power to outweigh the consequences of my previous actions. He felt wronged, and if I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t get over it so quickly, either.

Slowly, I strolled toward him.

“I have no idea what could happen to me if we crossed the streams or stared longer into the trap, but I’m glad you kept me safe,” I added with a bittersweet smile on my face. Taehyung hated me, yet he had proven to be a bigger person who helped me notwithstanding our past discord.

Taehyung turned around, staring down at me. He didn’t say a word, yet his eyes were drilling holes in mine, the conveyed message as lucid. Right now, his anger was agitated with ease and solicitude.

“I’m truly thankful,” I mentioned honestly, smiling weakly at him. In the heat of the moment, I got on my toes, leaning to place a chaste peck on his lips. The kiss lasted a second tops, and when I pulled back, Taehyung grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

“You can’t walk away after what you’ve just done,” Taehyung spoke quietly, his eyes sparkling, searching mine. “You’re annoying, reckless, and irresponsible. Do you know that?” He added, and when I opened my mouth to answer his rhetorical question, he beat me to it, pressing his soft lips against mine, initiating another simple kiss.

We shouldn’t be doing it, but when his lips were on mine, and his hands holding me close, I couldn’t think straight, let alone push him away. His body emitted the familiar warmth, and with each passing second, I was becoming cozier and cozier.

Gradually, he tilted his head to the side, deepening the kiss, sucking on my bottom lip excitedly until I let out a hushed moan. It had been a while since I made out with anyone, and God, how much had I missed affection. And the fact of Taehyung being an excellent kisser didn’t help my situation, at all.

I ought to have fought with the temptation, but after a minute in Taehyung’s arms, I didn’t even want to. Despite the loud protests of my consciousness, I gave into the fascination, as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. It didn’t make any sense, but I craved his intimacy.

“Did you mean it?” Taehyung asked as he withdrew a couple of centimeters to voice his doubts. His breath tickled my wet lips, as he waited for my reply. “You know…about dating your co-workers.”

“Yes,” I admitted, and when my response rang in his ears, Taehyung quickly dropped his hands, which were holding my cheeks. With a disappointed sigh, he looked down at his feet. “I’ve never treated you like a co-worker, though,” I stated firmly, entwining my fingers with his. “You’ve always been something more, Taehyung,” I confessed, and Taehyung immediately lit up, smashing his lips against mine, his hands landing on my bottom, as he jerked me toward him.

“That’s all I need to know,” Taehyung whispered, barely lifting his lips off of mine. “Baby, I missed you so much,” he confessed, as he squeezed my left ass-cheek playfully. “It was a torture to see you every day and being unable to do anything.”

“Shut the hell up,” I murmured with a wide smile on my face, as I brushed my nose against his fondly before I sealed our lips together in a gentle, synchronized smooch. “Haven’t you heard that actions speak louder than words?” I remarked, rubbing my body against him, catching him off guard.

“We shouldn’t,” Taehyung breathed out, as he rested his forehead on mine, his eyes shut close.

“We shouldn’t do a lot of stuff,” I agreed with him casually, a smirk decorating my face when I ran my hand across his chest and shoulders. “It has never stopped us before, though,” I added, as I nipped his earlobe mischievously.

“You can’t talk to me like that!” Taehyung spoke loudly, taking a small step backward before he pulled down my uniform’s zipper. “You haven’t had clothes underneath that the whole time?” he questioned, although he already knew the answer. “Tsk, tsk,” he shook his head, pushing the uniform off my shoulders, letting it pool around my feet.

“Don’t stare at me like that! You’re creeping me out right now,” I whined, as I kicked off my shoes and discarded the bothersome uniform. His lingering stare was flattering, but when he didn’t put those large hands in action, I felt a little under-pampered.

Standing almost bare in front of him, I trembled, what didn’t go unnoticed by Taehyung. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around my waist, the heat radiating off him. “Maybe we should talk first,” Taehyung proposed but gulped when I touched his groin. “Okay, I tried.”

Abruptly, Taehyung picked me up and carried me to the break room. We had no time to waste, and he lastly understood that too. During our work together, we had been playing cat and mouse, but it was about time to bury the hatchet. We’re finally on the same team after years of the matchup.

“I wonder if you’re as sweet as you used to be,” Taehyung spoke, as he gently placed me down and got on his knees. “Your pussy was as sweet as your mouth was bitter,” he added before his long, slender fingers tugged my panties to the side, allowing him to touch my bare folds.

“Taehyung–

I moaned his name, as I squeezed my legs together when he started to touch my slit, making him smirk. Gently, he leaned forward and pressed his lips on my skin, drawing a trail of delicate pecks across my left thigh.

“It’s been a while since anyone treasured you the way you deserve it,” Taehyung concluded, his breath tickling my skin. “Let me remind you,” he added, and I leaned my back against the wall, knowing my legs wouldn’t be able to support my weight if Taehyung was to keep his promise. He had always known how to make me weak, and right now, I was sure he didn’t forget his moves.

“Please,” I breathed out, tilting my head backward when Taehyung’s fingers massaged my folds, his mouth already on my pelvis, slowly kissing his way down to my clit. “Oh God,” I shuddered, quickly reaching out to hold myself onto something.

“I’m seriously concerned, it has always taken forever for you to come,” Taehyung commented playfully, looking up at me. “And look at you right now, almost squirting on my fingers,” he added, and I bit my bottom lip, too embarrassed to admit how long it had been.

“Tae, please,” I begged when Taehyung pushed his long finger inside of me, his tongue teasing my clit, making me hold my breath, my teeth clenched. “Fuck,” I moaned; he added another finger, as he pumped in and out mercilessly, his mouth now sucking my most sensitive nub.

“Do you like it?” Taehyung pulled away to ask, but I only ran my hand through his hair, forcing him to return to eating me out. “You’ve always been needy,” he commented, as his free hand groped my bottom, squeezing it, making me jerk my hips forward.

“And you’ve never let me come without me begging,” I made a remark, but Taehyung only smirked. Lazily, he flicked his tongue what induced my legs to shake when he found the right spot, allowing me to feel very first sparks of pleasure.

“You know me too well,” Taehyung teased, and I rolled my eyes, not expecting him to take me any other way. I didn’t mind it, though. He was a pain in the ass, but he had always put my needs above his, making sure I was the first one to reach the blissful peak. Moreover, sex with him had never been monotonous, as he had tended to come with something new each time we were intimate.

“Mmm…” I purred through clenched teeth, when Taehyung’s fingers pumped inside of me swiftly, stretching me before he fucks me properly with his cock. “Taehyung…” his name rolled off my tongue, and I knew how much my cries of excitement kept him going.

“What is it, baby?” he asked, as he looked at me. His eyes were shining with its unwavering spark, his reddened lips glistening with his saliva and my juices. “Do you want me to stop?” I looked at him, my eyes hooded, observing his infamous smirk of pride.

“What do you think?” I dismissed his question, breathing heavily. His ministrations turned me on, making me a complete mess under the power of his touch, though I wasn’t going to admit that and stroke his ego anymore. It was already big, and I barely could handle his cocky attitude.

“I don’t know, you tell me,” he spoke as he licked his lips, humming in delight. “God, you’re delicious, as always.”

“Please, Taehyung, touch me, I missed your fingers,” I whined much to Taehyung’s enjoyment. He knew how he made me feel, and he shamelessly used it to his advantage. “I bet you can make me come around them,” I challenged him, and his eyes brightened with confidence.

“If you keep talking like that, I may not be able to control myself any longer,” Taehyung confessed, and I realized he was aching for my affection too. He was on his knees, caressing me as if I was made of china, fulfilling my every wish, whereas I didn’t even touch him yet. Still, in his uniform, his cock was restrained underneath a thick layer of clothing.

“Let me take care of you, Tae,” I whispered when I brushed my hand against his cheek. Instantly, he looked me in the eyes, slowly standing up, his gaze focused on my lips. “Please,” I started when I reached to his zipper, pulling it down. Unlike me, he wore regular clothes under the uniform. It wasn’t problematic, though. With my help, we quickly got rid of the annoying fabric.

“Look what you do to me,” said Taehyung when I pulled down his boxers, releasing his hard cock. Gently, he grabbed his length and gave it a couple of strokes. I had seen him jerk off million times before, but when I observed him right now, it turned me on as much as when he had his fingers shoved inside of me. “Help me,” he whispered, as he reached out for my hand, guiding it to his cock.

Smirking, I grabbed his member around its base, caressing it annoyingly slowly, knowing he favored going fast. Usually, I wouldn’t tease him like that, but it was the payback, and he got what he deserved. My hand sensually rubbed the precum into his length, making him throw his head back and shut his eyes under my touch.

“Somebody’s excited,” I taunted him as soon as I felt him twitch in my hand. Taehyung couldn’t wait for more, and he didn’t even have to voice his needs; his body showed me exactly what he yearned.

Slowly, yet steadily picking up my pace, I blew my hair off my face and looked into Taehyung’s dark eyes as if trying to figure out what was going on inside his head.

“Tell me what you want, Tae,” I whispered, licking his earlobe. “And I may give you just that,” I added, letting my breath tickle his wet skin. Gently, I brushed my nose against his neck, waiting for his reply. His heart was beating rapidly, and I heard him swallowing hard before he could formulate his answer.

“I’ve got one hell of a list actually,” Taehyung said after a moment of thinking. He seriously seemed deep in his thoughts, and considering the playful smirk that appeared on his face, he meant it. “We won’t cross everything out at once, that’s for sure.”

“I don’t reckon it as a onetime thing,” I admitted, and Taehyung grinned at me in relief.

“I don’t either,” Taehyung confirmed, planting a chaste kiss on my lips. “I’m so glad that we’re on the same page for once,” he added seductively, blowing at the wet spot on my neck where a hickey was slowly forming. How the hell am I going to explain that when Jin and Hoseok come back? “You know what? Fuck it; I can’t wait,” he spoke, turning me around, pushing me over the desk, which sat on the other side of the room.

“Ahh…” I moaned when Taehyung spanked me. “Taehyung–” I purred, as his large hand began massaging my butt before it even started to sting.

“What is it, baby?” Taehyung asked in concern, as he leaned forward, and I arched my back, meeting him halfway, playfully biting his bottom lip. “Do you like it like that?” Taehyung inquired when I released his lips. His length was poking me, and I barely could stand that.

“You know I do,” I answered through clenched teeth, as Taehyung grabbed his cock, teasing me with its tip sliding up and down my soaked folds. I was ready to take him, but he wouldn’t let me feel the pleasure yet. When it came to sex, Taehyung sometimes could be a sadist, especially when I did him wrong. “Please,” I howled, sticking up my butt, rubbing it against his erection.

“I can’t keep you waiting when you’re begging me like this,” Taehyung admitted, spinning me around, sitting me on the desk. Quickly, I spread my legs, letting Taehyung between them. “Do you have a condom?” he asked, and I shook my head. Lack of protection wouldn’t stop me now, though. I wanted it too much to stop in the middle.

“Just pull out when you think you’re close,” I replied, and Taehyung sighed. “You’ve always loved coming on my tits; that hasn’t changed, has it?” I teased him, and Taehyung agreed with a sly smirk.

“No, it hasn’t,” he confirmed, and I gasped when he pushed his cock inside of me without any warning. It didn’t hurt because he had stretched me well, but I still didn’t expect him to enter me so desperately. “You’re so warm,” he moaned, as he trusted his hips back and forth inside of me.

The melody of my hushed moans and Taehyung throaty gasps played in my ears, with each thrust my voice going louder. His hips moved swiftly, but his hands traveled across my skin agonizingly slowly, making me wrap my legs around him, pulling him close as it was possible.

“Tae–“ I cried out, biting my bottom lip. Taehyung was making me feel heavenly, and until now, I didn’t realize how sex-deprived I had been. Thankfully, the dry spell’s over. “Please, go faster,” I begged, as I propped myself on my right hand, rubbing my clit with the other one.

My orgasm was near, and I would be pissed if Taehyung denied me of it. (It had always been a kink of his, and I learned it the hard way.)

Exactly how I told him to, Taehyung quickened his pace, making me choke on air.

“Oh, baby,” he rasped in his low voice, as he leaned forward, his lips smashing against my neck, trailing wet kisses down to my collarbones, marking me again. I gulped in pleasure when his mouth sucked on my skin, and although I hated love marks, this time I didn’t mind them at all. “You’re mine, you’re mine,” Taehyung repeated desperately, and I just nodded, kissing in his confirmation.

“I’m yours,” I moaned, arching my back when he finally found the most sensitive bud. I was only a couple of strokes away from my high, and all I needed was Taehyung to maintain his pace. “I’m yours,” I hissed when my walls started to pulse and tighten around him.

“You better come soon. I’m close, too,” Taehyung warned me, and I rolled my eyes at him. He would have to be really stupid if he seriously thought I’d deny my orgasm.

“Yes, yes, yes, just like that,” I whispered, raking my fingertips across his back, scratching it. I was on the verge, and I needed something to hold on. “Taehyung, I’m almost there,” I closed my eyes, giving myself into the embrace of a sweet peak, flavored with Taehyung’s raspy voice and musky smell.

The second I felt the paradise, a faint noise of the landline filled the space, killing the mood. My walls squeezed around Taehyung’s throbbing cock, coating it with my juices.

“Fuck, Tae,” I screamed, as Taehyung kept pounding his hips, helping me ride out my orgasm.

“Whoever is on the line is fucking persistent,” Taehyung commented, shaking his head, as he couldn’t believe that anyone would call them at such unholy hour. “Shit, I want to come inside you so fucking much,” he announced, as he pulled out his cock. Quickly, he started to pump it up and down with his hand, and I just watched him with my legs spread, my teeth biting the bottom lip.

“I wouldn’t really mind if you did,” I replied, but it was too late. My words triggered him, and with a couple of strokes, he came all over my stomach and breasts.

“You’re fucking amazing,” he breathed out, as he looked at me from underneath his sticky fringe. Taehyung’s satisfied and exhausted demeanor looked handsome on him, and unless I sat on the desk, it would sweep me off my feet. “I mean it,” he added, leaning to place a pack on my lips.

Then the phone rang again.

Taehyung growled in annoyance, but walked toward the landline, and picked up the phone. “Ghostbusters; how can I help you?” Taehyung answered the call politely, but his gaze was still on me as if he was enchanted. And frankly, I felt the same way about him. I couldn’t wait for him to hang up and come back to me, so we could properly celebrate our ceasefire.

“Of course, I’m on my way,” he answered, and I shook my head since there was no way I would be joining him on another mission.

I’d rather stay in and warm up the bed for him, hoping that everything turns up easier this time around.

#taehyung smut #v smut #bts smut #bangtan smut #bts fluff #taehyung fluff #ghostbusters

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