sirenhag777

[meep-meep-richie]

Loki, my dear, what´s going on in that beautiful head of you

[lokisprettygirl]

Okay I finally watched the episode and I have several feelings so here we go...

If you haven't watched the show, stop reading. (Though I hope you have blocked the spoilers tag, if not it's your own fault..don't come at me)

Am I dying every second thinking about him being alone there for eternity? Obviously 😭

But am i stupid or delusional enough to think he won't make a comeback in the next Avengers movie? No.

I don't think those people can fight kang without loki, they would at some point need his help because he's literally the most powerful god out there now.

Coming back to the episode there's not much I cared about, I probably wouldn't have blinked if ob, b15 or Casey would have died..didn't care about them at all if I was being honest and it's not the character's fault.

As much I hated the ship (because god forbid two male characters are friends in any show these days because they have to be lovers otherwise it's homophobia.. remember when bromance existed? Good times)

Mobius had a good character development that began in season 5 and continued this season unlike Sylvie who started as such a badly written selfish character that the only way they could have fixed it this season was to completely sideline her, which thankfully they did. The smirk and smile at the end even knowing that she may never get to see Loki again? (Yeah just die already).

Hopefully I'll never have to see her again.

Coming back to Loki (my precious baby love) i know his arc ended on a bittersweet note (that smile at the end just warmed my heart like never before) and it's more bitter for me than sweet because I can't handle the thought of him being so lonely because this is not what he wanted or deserved but then I think about Loki who died via strangulation and I'm like fuck everything, this is definitely much better than that ending.

Personally I think with time he's going to grow and learn to control this new power (or he could just clone himself and use him in a way? Idk Marvel can do anything) but I can feel it in my bones that this is not the end of him (unless ofcourse Tom is done with him and won't return for future projects)

That being said, Loki is alive and sure he is alone at the moment but he's a hero now, he has more than redeemed himself and he can finally forgive himself for everything that he didn't do right, perhaps this is what he needed to find that sense of purpose he has been looking for all his life. Hopefully he'd see himself as the god that he always was.

A man that was always ridiculed for his selfishness and narcissism chose to save the multiverse by sacrificing his freedom, by giving up his own free will. He chose everything he didn't want, a throne and what seemed like eternal solitude (but hopefully not)..a man of actions indeed. His arc reminds me of Tony in a way and that's beautiful.

Wherever you go, it's just death, destruction, the literal ends of worlds!

Uhhhhhuh? Look what my boy just did for the whole fucking multiverse.

I'm just trying to see the silver lining here that he's alive and he's the moment..he's everything, he literally became the most powerful being to ever exist in mcu and that gives me hope for him…he'd come back. Kang's arc started with him and they'd need him when the time comes. If not I got my fanfiction powers 🤣 (He deserves to find the sort of love that would stay by his side even if he's all that person would ever get)

Thank God they changed the writers this season and fixed somewhat of the mess they had made of this majestic, ethereal god last time.

Overall yeah my heart is breaking for him but look at him..he's the moment, he's the king of the multiverse, he's everything.

[dadsbongos]

gentle lover

(1)gentle lover (2)burn me to the ground Movie/Game/Show: Loki Dynamic: Loki Laufeyson/Reader Warnings: spoilers for infinity war/1st episode of loki ig, fem pronouns Summary: Loki almost wishes he could've experienced the life he's watching of you and him together. ~~~

There’s something about looking upon the gentle face of a lover and coming to the realization that you’d do anything for them. It isn’t as though you never knew - the knowledge was already there, it just took a few seconds for the thought to become cemented as truth. Loki sees this in himself as he stands before the TVA projection of his life.

He’s paused at a moment on an unnameable planet. He sees himself standing on a balcony in what he assumes to be a late-night, but instead of staring up at the stars, he’s looking upon a woman beside him. She’s looking at him as well. They share the glance with smiles - and that’s what alarms Loki most. The smile he sees is one he hasn’t felt in years. It’s small but it’s more genuine than the leather he was wearing moments ago. It’s a smile he hasn’t felt since before he knew about Laufey. Since before his mother…

He knows that woman. One of Thor’s Midgardian friends. The one assigned to watch and guard him in New York.

He doesn’t know why she’s there with him. He doesn’t know why she looks so content to be on another planet with him. He doesn’t know why he looks so at peace at her mere presence. He doesn’t know why it makes him miss a reality he’s never even known to exist.

He almost wants to be there, just to know what it is about that woman that brings him so much tranquility at that moment.

She’s just another bug, their difference in lifespans is proof enough of that. But Loki knows that look, as much as he hates to admit to his own conscience, he knows that feeling smeared across his own face. It’s caring. Tender. A softness he’s never felt for others is now on full display to a Midgardian.

Loki clenches his jaw and resumes the projection.

He watches the two slide their hands together on a railing, interlocking their fingers.

The Loki onscreen’s eyes flicker between hers and their joined hands. It isn’t even him that speaks first, it’s her.

“When this whole thing is over and Sakaar is ruined and Thor has the throne, where will you go?”

Silence is passed between them, Loki brushes his thumb over her knuckles, tilting his head to the side briefly in thought, “Where will you want me?”

She chuckles and shakes her head, “You wouldn’t want to go to Earth. Unless you’d like the Avengers up your ass.”

They giggle together, ignoring the very real reason why the Avengers would be so onto him in the first place. Loki blinks at the woman, scooting closer to her, “I wouldn’t be fond of that… but for you, my dear, I’d tear the universe apart.”

He kisses her knuckles and she merely jokes back, “That sounds like exactly why they wouldn’t want you. Sorry to say they’re not fond of universe-tearing.”

“I’m charming and romantic and this is how I’m repaid?”

“However,” she stresses with a broad grin, “I can’t say that’s not excellent bargaining to keep you on a leash.”

Loki’s brows furrow and he nearly pulls back, “Like a dog?”

“Well, now,” she bites her lip in thought and looks away at the dystopian city below, but Loki still looks at her.

He looks at her as though she’d sewn the very realms together. As though she’d hung all the moons and suns and stars and planted every sweet flower and harvested every fruit. He looks at her like she’s the beginning of his world - and he knows that it also means that, if she asked right then and there, he’d help her destroy the world too. He looks at her as though she’s the only true love he’s ever known. And for all this Loki, watching himself and this woman be entwined, knows - she probably is. He can feel it through the very projection he’s watching, and so he plays another scene with her in it.

“For a woman who could undoubtedly tear people apart, you master the role of a noblewoman, love.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

Her response is dripping in lighthearted sarcasm and it manages a laugh from the Loki onscreen as he lays back in a shared bed.

“I am somewhat on the espionage scene, it’d be a little embarrassing if I couldn’t even pull off a little role like this.”

“Even so, I admire you for it.”

“At this point, it’d be rarer to find something you don’t admire me for,” she lightly huffs, a smile tipping at her lips as she finishes tying up her dress, “Not that I’m complaining. It's a huge ego boost.”

“There certainly is much to admire about you,” Loki shows his palms as if to display a sort of surrender.

Before more can be said, the projection is paused once again. Loki closes his eyes and lets his head down in the silence - almost expecting that voice to creep through his mind again. He can hear her now, in his head. He knows that out there, in those other variations of him on the sacred timeline that haven’t yet become Variants, they can probably hear her too. In a more realistic sense, of course. Because if they’re determined to fall in love, there must be one of her fated for every one of them. And he almost pities the fact.

He plays the projection in bits and pieces.

“My mother…”

“Loki, stop, you don’t have to.”

“I wish to, dear.”

“Loki…”

“My mother, I truly feel that she would’ve adored you.”

He takes in their love story as it comes and he struggles down what feels too intimate for even him to watch.

“Do you ever worry about the day when you wake up and I don’t?”

“Yes, of course, I do.”

“What will you do?”

“I prefer to not think on that.”

“You think about everything.”

“Some things… are better left unplanned for. At least for now, when that isn’t a valid worry in my mind.”

He almost wishes he hadn’t touched that tesseract. Just to live a life where he gets to see first-hand how this human woman manages to creep under the walls he so carefully spent years crafting.

“I love you.”

“Poor choice, really.”

“Loki. Seriously. I love you.”

“I love you, too, dear.”

It’s bizarre to see himself love. It’s bizarre to watch as he cares for a being he once would’ve had no qualms ruling over. It’s bizarre to know that this is what could’ve been the happiest times of his life if he hadn’t picked up the tesseract.

“Did you ever imagine yourself here?”

“On a spaceship with a bunch of Asgardians and the gladiators from Sakaar? No, never.”

“I meant with me.”

“I know, I was just messing with you. And… no. To be honest. I thought maybe I’d have to watch you as a guard or something. With the whole trying-to-take-over thing, but never that I’d be your girlfriend.”

“Eh.”

“‘Eh’? The hell does ‘eh’ mean? I am!”

“It sounds so… juvenile. Girlfriend - boyfriend.”

“What? Wife sounds better?”

“In honesty? Yes, it does. I’d much rather call you my wife than my girlfriend.”

“You can’t joke about that! I’ll get my hopes up.”

“Who said anything about joking, dear?”

And as he comes to the end, as he watches himself be lifted by the titan he’s come to fear more than anything, he hears her. Her mourning. Her screaming. Her pleading. Her gut-wrenching cries.

He watches her and Thor crawl to his body and sprawl themselves over it in heaps of hiccupped tears and choked sorrows.

“You were supposed to out-live me… Loki, please. You’ve come back before, Loki, please, come back again. Come back again… I can’t - I can’t live this life without you, Loki… please… please come back again…” she sounds as though her heart itself has been ripped from her chest and torn in two before her very eyes, “You were supposed to out-live me… Loki...”

He looks away from the screen. Decides that now is too much. He can’t watch her lose what she saw as the world. Loki barely knows her and yet he knows himself enough to know if he watches her grief then he’ll want to mend it.

Looking upon her and seeing how deeply and irrevocably she’d cared for him, knowing of his past and forgiving his ways and loving him anyway, he knows he’d want to end her cries. It’s that feeling of realization that makes him feel ridiculous for wanting to do so much for a Midgardian he hasn’t fallen in love with yet.

Yet?

Yet.

It’s a feeling of realization that he’d do anything for that lover of his, when he gets to love her. If he gets to love her.

And it’s that ‘if’ that makes him understand why Mobius was so interested in making him watch his own life. His own future. It makes him realize what he wants but can’t have. His brother, his love, his happiness - it gives him something to want. Lying just out of reach.

So long as he’s compliant with the TVA, he assumes. Otherwise, he’d have to tear the universe in half to even see that Midgardian woman once again.

[mimisempai]

Notes of happiness

Summary:

Sometimes to work out his nightmares, Loki goes flying and Mobius waits for him, knowing that he will always come home.

Notes:

February prompts list : Day 2 - Lokius - Birds

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36863341

1407 words - Rating G

When Mobius finally woke up, as he rolled over and blinked, he became aware of three things. The first was the absence of a warm body next to him, the second was the morning light coming in through the open window, and the third was a small post-it note, lit by a ray of sunlight coming in from the window, occupying the pillow where Loki was not. He took the post-it and read what Loki had written. It was short, and exactly what Mobius had expected.

Mobius,

I had a bad night. I needed to go flying.

I love you,

Loki

Loki had gone flying in his raven form. The freedom that this form offered him allowed him to clear his mind.

He had long ago admitted that he sometimes needed to change into a raven to fly and forget the nightmares that haunted him.

Mobius understood that it wasn't because he didn't want his help or didn't want to see him. It was just something he needed from time to time. Mobius accepted it because in the end, Loki always came back.

Mobius decided it was time to start the day. After making the bed and putting on a hoodie over his sweatpants, he headed to the kitchen, stopping to look at the pictures that filled the hallway wall.

There were family photos there, many taken by Loki. A big part of that family they had in common. He dragged the tip of a finger along the frame of a photo taken on their wedding day. A rather amusing photo that the photographer had been desperate to take, Loki smiling, with a Croki in his arms, proudly wearing a bow tie and most importantly the groom's bouquet between his jaws.

He couldn't help but smile when he saw it, as well as the one next to it, in which they were supposed to be looking at the camera, but they were looking at each other, and Mobius was happy to see Loki's smile immortalized in this picture. But he still had a tightness in his throat when he looked at his own face in that picture. He looked so happy there.

He continued to the kitchen, taking a moment to look at the picture of Loki surrounded by Frigga and Thor, and fell in love all over again. The light that this picture gave off was so beautiful and highlighted Loki's happiness and the obvious affection that the three of them had for each other.

Loki was everywhere in their apartment.

When he arrived in the kitchen, he saw the tray of his breakfast ready, as always for years, and he imagined Loki's movements in the kitchen to prepare it. On the cup was a small post-it note.

Eat every last bit of it. I'll know if you don't.

"What a mother hen..." muttered Mobius, though to be honest there was something comforting about having someone in his life who cared for him better than he himself did.

He put the post-it note in his pocket with the first one he found on the pillow.

When they had both started working together at the TVA, they realized that between his and Loki's work hours, they tended to miss each other often. So Loki started leaving post-it notes, and Mobius would respond to them. Over the years, this has become an essential part of their relationship. Not just for urgent business, but for general messages, and sometimes just a sweet thought written down for the other to find later. Little notes of happiness.

Mobius sipped his coffee and looked at the calendar hanging on the wall with the events scribbled on it, their work schedules, and saw with pleasant surprise that they would be able to spend plenty of time together.

But he wanted to make their lives more enjoyable, as Loki did, so he went to get the ingredients to make muffins. Chocolate chip muffins were Loki's favorite. He took one for himself, then put the others on a plate ready to eat when Loki would come home. The fresh air would surely make him hungry.

After folding the laundry, Mobius decided to sit in the living room and read. Today was a day of rest for both of them after all, so he was going to enjoy it.

After two hours of reading, Loki was still not home, but that wasn't long enough to start worrying.  He had once told Mobius that there were only two things that made him forget his nightmares: flying and Mobius' arms. Too bad he didn't wake Mobius up to help him with the second.

Looking for something to occupy his mind, he walked to the library and delicately grabbed a large album.He sat back down on the couch and began to dreamily flip through the photo album.  It was one of the most precious things he owned, a gift from Loki. The album was filled with beautiful pictures of jet skiing on heavenly seas and oceans. What was magical was that all the pictures were animated. Mobius didn't know how many times he had looked at the pictures in this album.

He smiled as he found a small post-it note in the center of one of the pages, the one Loki had stuck on the first page of the album when he had given it to her.

One day I promise you that I will take you to one of these beaches and we will make your dream come true. With love. L.

Mobius smiled, ran his fingers over the familiar curves of Loki's writing. He had fulfilled his promise. He had taken Mobius to realize his dream.

He continued to walk around the living room.

The way their relationship had started, who would have thought they would end up like this? Certainly not him. But they were perfect together in a way that Mobius would never have dared to dream.

His eyes fell on the wall clock and he realized it was almost noon. He figured that Loki's nightmare must have been particularly hard on him, to keep him out for so long, but he trusted him to tell him about it when he needed to.

In the meantime, he walked over to the stereo and saw with surprise another little post-it note.

I found this song, it makes me think of you and how I feel when I'm with you. Press play. L.

Mobius pressed play and went to open the window before lying down on the couch as the first notes rang out. He closed his eyes to listen to the song.

Something in your eyes

Makes me wanna lose myself

Makes me wanna lose myself

In your arms

There's something in your voice

Makes my heart beat fast

Hope this feeling lasts

The rest of my life

If you knew how lonely my life has been

And how long I've been so alone

If you knew how I wanted someone to come along

And change my life the way you've done

Feels like home to me

Feels like home to me

Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong

What a beautiful declaration of love, especially since everything was completely mutual.

At the end of the song, as the singer let out the last notes, Mobius saw Loki flying in through the window and elegantly reshaping into his human form.

Whatever form Loki took, every time Mobius witnessed a Loki shapeshifting, he was mesmerized.

Mobius sat down and was about to get up to join his lover, who stopped him with a gesture and said softly, "Stay where you are, love.

Loki came to join him and kissed him gently before sitting down against him.

Mobius closed his arm around him.

"Hi," Loki said softly, a half-smile on his face. "I missed you."

"Hi," Mobius replied, placing a kiss on Loki's head. "I missed you too, sweetheart. Did you have a good time?"

"Yes, I did," Loki replied. "Did you? I'm sorry I wasn't there most of the day."

"Of course you were there," Mobius replied. It was the truth. Loki was always there, even when he wasn't physically there. Mobius could see him everywhere. There were traces of him, of them, everywhere. And when he left, he always came home. In Mobius' arms.

He tightened his embrace and whispered softly, "You are here. And I will always wait for you. Always." Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story 🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Lokius masterlist : here February Prompts : here

[andguesswhat]

The fool on the hill - Chapter 7

Yeah, well… Probably not what you’ve expected…  But for me this is them as well…

The Clown and the Circus Bear

*

So everything had been perfect. 

Owen had felt genuinely happy. He thought Tom was fucking adorable, he wanted to kiss him, wanted to fuck him. 

The moment on the hill with him was definitely something he would always cherish, always remember. This deep feeling of affection combined with this immense tension, the thrill, this feeling that yes, the other felt the same, wanted the same…

And as fucking frustrating as it was that they were interrupted and didn’t kiss, he had loved that, too. It was like being in a cheesy movie where the tension was ramped up yet again with a cheap director’s trick.

He took a deep breath. 

But now this. 

It had been like this before. 

Sometimes when he was genuinely happy, he would suddenly get this fear of losing everything. Like he wasn’t allowed to be this happy. So the happier he got, the more likely he was to crash. 

And this morning he had crashed, and crashed hard. 

A dark cloud of thick cotton already surrounded him, numbing and suffocating him. And there was nothing he could do about it. 

He had managed to get through the day and pretend everything was fine. But now he was on set at this birthday party of Natasha's and he felt completely out of place, like he didn’t belong here. Everyone around him was laughing too loud, talking too loud and he just wanted to get away from it all. 

Of course, after yesterday on the hill, everything was pointing towards him and Tom kissing tonight. Because why not. They should have fun at this party and then at some point.... kiss... right?

And it was that very expectation that caused Owen to crash. 

The excitement that he had felt yesterday was gone. Instead there was this fear of somehow not meeting the expectations, of doing something wrong that would destroy everything.

He hated it. 

Knowing that this was just some kind of sick mechanism in his head and he wasn’t able to do anything about it. He hated feeling like shit when this happened, but he bit his tongue and just smiled through the pain.

He saw Tom talking to people, saw him searching for eye contact with him, beaming at him, winking at him but Owen avoided him, always went somewhere else, far away from him. He felt a twinge in his chest at each smile sent his way and he finally couldn't do it anymore, so he disappeared behind some backdrops and got to the areas that were only illuminated with emergency lights. 

He had always loved that. Wandering through abandoned, dimly lit sets. He loved the atmosphere it created. But now he was just enjoying the darkness and a break away from all these laughing people. 

With a big sigh he sat down on the steps in the TVA interrogation room, resting his arms on his drawn knees, and closed his eyes. 

Why the fuck…!

He didn’t want this. 

He just wanted to be happy. 

He had been happy. 

So what was wrong with him?

Why had he to be like that?

He really hated himself. 

He wanted to drown this feeling in alcohol but he couldn’t risk falling even deeper.  

To think about his kids in these situations sometimes helped. Sometimes it made it worse, made him think he was the worst dad of all. 

Since he had come to Atlanta to work on `Loki´ everything had been so good this far. 

Even his current sleeping problems had stopped. He had felt calm. Content. Confident. 

Meeting Tom was one of the best things that had happened to him lately. He felt good in his presence. Safe. It was something he hadn’t expected. So he had cherished the time he had spent with Tom on and off set as something really special. 

And working on `Loki´ had been a blessing, too. The script was crap if he was honest. But due to that they had so much fun, so much freedom to try things out, to improvise, to just see what they came up with and it gave him the urge to write again. If it was for him, he would already do prequels, sequels and spin-offs with Mobius. He just loved it. He loved playing Mobius.

It really had done him so damn good. 

Owen contorted his face. 

So why?

Just why the fuck had it to be like this?

He heard someone coming. 

Saw Tom looking for him…  

With a bottle of beer in his hand. With a concerned look on his face.

“Hey…” 

With his fucking soft voice that Owen loved so much. 

“Everything alright? I don’t… I don’t want to bother you when you want to be alone. I was just… worried.” 

Being as sweet and caring and polite as always.

And it hurt Owen deep down in his chest. 

“No.. no, you don’t. I just… “ He didn’t know what to say.  

He just knew that he didn’t want Tom to leave.

“Can I sit down?” Tom asked carefully. 

Yes, please. “Sure.”

So Tom sat down next to him, looking at him with big questioning eyes. 

Yeah.. he should probably explain something. 

“I’m sorry… Tom.�� Owen began. “I…”

He hated it. “I’m a mess...”

But Tom just looked at him compassionately and waited, so Owen continued. 

“I… have problems… sometimes.. mental problems… So I get sad sometimes… when I’m supposed to be… happy… when I am happy… It is some kind of dysfunction in my head. Like.. Well, like the happy clown gets sad…”

He sighed.

“And I’m really sorry… Because I guess.. you have expected something else… tonight… But I’m not good for you… I guess, I’m not good for anybody when I’m like this…” 

Tom squinted his eyes and pressed his lips together as if he was disagreeing but trying not to say anything. So Owen emphasized his point.

“I just can’t… give you what you want. I wish I could. But I just can’t.” 

He shook his head and looked down at the floor because he just didn’t know why he actually couldn’t.  

“I know this is hard to understand…” He knew how fucking stupid this all sounded. Why don’t you just do it if you want to? What’s the problem? They always say… 

He closed his eyes, feeling ashamed of himself.

“I do understand…” he heard Tom say softly.

Owen lifted his head to look at him. He was looking right back at him, with so much compassion in his eyes, and he continued speaking. Quietly. 

“Well, I don’t know… I mean everybody feels different, everybody has different… problems.. challenges… I don’t get sad when I’m happy.. But I do know what the sad side of a clown feels like… or actually more the sad side of a circus bear… which I am… Or was… I don’t know…”

Owen had to laugh a little at that. “Tom, the circus bear… Sounds like a cute children’s book.”

Tom smiled. “Yeah… .  I don’t know. Maybe it’s some kind of ADHD,” he shrugged his shoulders, “… but I’ve always done what people wanted me to do. And people wanted me to do really stupid things… . And I just did them. I loved the attention, I loved being liked… and to be loved… so I did more and more without really knowing why… And it really took me a long time to realize that…" he looked at the ceiling lost in thoughts, "I have worked constantly for 6 years in a row… I’ve sort of done every movie they offered me.. I have no idea how many interviews I gave during that time… how many stupid things I did… and all that just to not sit in that bear cage after the show…. And feel lonely and redundant…”

Owen felt his heart ache hearing all this. He didn't dare to breathe, didn't want to break this fragile bubble that they had somehow built here.

“And at some point I really lost it, I got so tired of it all… But you’re stuck in this wheel … " Tom’s hand made a circle," and you don’t know how to get out of it… I didn’t know who I am or what I wanted…” he sighed and nibbled at the label of his bottle. “I think I’m better now. Know how to take all this. But this doesn’t make me immune, you know. It will always be there…”

He took a deep breath, straightening up his back and looking directly at Owen.

“I’m sorry… I don’t want to be whining here.. I just want you to know that I know how it feels to be sad… when from the outside looking in... it seems that you don’t have any reason to.” 

Owen was deeply touched.

“Thank you…” he whispered. “Thank you for telling me…”

Tom gave him a reassuring look.

And then he got this Hang-on-I-have-to-think-about-something look on his face. 

Owen loved thinking-Tom. 

Watching Tom think always made Owen feel like a little kid at Christmas that couldn’t wait to see what was in the box. A quote? An adorable metaphor? 

“So… If you’re unhappy because you were happy…” Tom began. 

And Owen immediately loved how Tom had changed his voice to a more chatty and juvenile tone. 

“It’s sounds quite awful when I have to think that I am the one making you unhappy, so I’m going to reverse it: You being unhappy … does it mean that you like me… ” he gave Owen a challenging look. “…a little more… than a little?” 

Owen laughed. He shrugged his shoulders mockingly and showed a little space between his thumb and his index finger. “Yeah.. maybe a little more.”

But Tom didn’t seem to mind the mockery because he looked at Owen severely and said -  in his soft voice again -, “I can wait then.”

Owen didn’t know what to feel, he smiled a small smile but it came from deep in his heart and he hoped Tom would notice. 

“Thank you.”

Somehow he wished Tom would just grab him and kiss him. 

But it wouldn’t be Tom if he crossed the line. It wouldn’t be Tom if he didn’t respect him and his condition. 

And as much as Owen wished he would cross it, it showed him two things. 

One, that Tom was even more damn lovable. 

And two, that he himself was the one who needed to free himself out of there. Nobody else could. 

But he was determined to do it.  

He had to get better soon, if for no other reason than he could finally kiss Tom. His favorite Brit with his nonexistent lips. 

And now, now he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Tom. Held him close. And he was fucking glad that he could do it.  

“I’m sorry…” he whispered. 

“Don’t feel bad about it…,” Tom whispered back. “I want you to know that I don’t expect anything... And just as you are, you are good for me.” 

Tom’s word were soothing, his voice was soothing, Tom was soothing. Like he had been from the start.

“Thank you,” Owen said again and because he couldn’t resist, he added, “my little circus bear.”

Tom snorted. “Don’t! Just don’t!”

Owen grinned. “Yeah, I thought you are more of a pussycat anyway.”

And even he knew it would take some time before he felt right again, before he felt carefree again, he was fucking glad. 

That Tom had somehow turned this fucking sad situation in something lighter and beautiful. 

And that Tom had shown him a spark at the end of a hopefully not so long tunnel.

*

[elysialm]

@vakinari asked:

"... I don't want company, Elysia."

How can she not understand Mei’s words when she did the same thing before, when mind had to distance and the soul had to recover? Whenever some things would become too heavy, she too would exit the building and travel across the city’s streets, sitting alone and feeding the cats while thinking to herself of what she must do next. A girl always saw her walk by the fountain, noted on her thoughtful expression or on her smiling ever so peacefully. And yet, she sat alone while doing those small things. It was the constant that young had seen when it came to Elysia, a constant sight of peace she didn’t want to disappear, but it did: the end of peace would come knock on Second-in-Command’s door. Elysia isn’t one without sadness, she isn’t one without grief and sorrow, she isn’t one without fears despite her every-day confident structure. It might be hyperbolic in its essence, but the Vice Commander of Flamechasers wished to live life brightly and without regret. She wished to live, to love, to be loved, and to protect those who she loved (but who didn’t you love, Elysia?). 

” Mhmm~ But Mei, you look so troubled alone! ” She would speak out, genuinely concerned as she would hide her hands behind her back and down ever so lightly to try and catch a glimpse of that lightning bright gaze. Her concern for another was true and honest, her wish to see Raiden’s success was always there, genuine and pure, all pristine in its embodiment. It doesn’t mean that she would stop asking and inquiring about the Herrscher’s state of mind or her current troubles, it has always been better to share such thoughts and feelings with others. Alone, not many would survive. Loneliness will shed away all layers of humanity and of beauty that one can witness, experience, live through. With such a stressed and dejected look, Mei certainly seemed like she would more benefit from the company... but was such company Elysia? Perhaps, not. However, Eden would not push Mei to stop closing herself in this cocoon, Mobius would only emphasize it, Kevin would not care, Pardofelis would not wish to anger, Kalpas would give less than a glance, Aponia would bring her weaknesses out without meaning, Hua was too sweet to drag her out of that, Kosma and Griseo were also too young to notice. This left Elysia to continue to wish to take a glance at what is beneath this stoic appearance, this loneliness does not do her good and well. It suffocates, it distances, it kills. “ How does Kevin look right now outside, Mei? ”

It’s a strange question, but there is a meaning to it. Distance from your friends and isolation from all others. Only united, people could defeat despair and end Honkai. Together, without question and doubts. However, Mei is alone, surrounded by sims who have all but two died (supposedly). It’s not a company that must be kept forever or for too long. Loneliness eats away, it might bring out the worst out of people. 

“ He must be... quite isolated, isn’t he? ” It’s not her place to say, she’s long gone, but Kevin is her friend and he is the First. He is the leader, he is the commander, he is the epitome of previous era’s ‘heroics.’ “ I don’t want you to end like him, like us. Being alone, it won’t do well to your heart. A young maiden with such a noble, brilliant heart and being alone? Who wouldn’t want to keep her company? ” 

Of course, it’s important to add a light comedic tone to it, all because it’d be awkward to just say something so serious. Elysia has been alone before, when she was doubted or when she was with no one by her side despite smiling at all and everything, treasuring their entire existence. 

[diaryofabeautyfiend]

Small Time Witch (33)

3 am. The darkest part of the night full of quiet longing. The day slips away to a new dawn and time is reborn.

On the eve of your hearing you sat in such darkness having a drink or seven. Your husband asleep in your childhood bed in the room you shared with Bethany. You stared into oblivion trying to come to terms with the gravity of what was facing you. The UN and SHIELD were going to decide if you were a threat. And, if you were, what would they do to you.

Odin already put up the funds to repair the damage you caused. He tried to be diplomatic with the World Security Council. Promised you wouldn’t step a toe onto Midgard without a proper escort and a heads up that you were on the way. They didn’t bite. They wouldn’t would they?

They only wanted an arrangement that worked for them. A tit for tat but more tit for them than tat for you. Essentially, you work for them when they say and they won’t lock you up for the remainder of your life.

Loki wanted to just leave. They threatened to find you. He laughed in their faces and said he’d like to see them try. He vowed to unleash hell as many of the universe’s armies were loyal to you. They didn’t take kindly to his threats. Had Steve not stepped in, you’d both be in a cage.

This is what you wanted wasn’t it? Your Clyde to his Bonnie. Eternal outlaws. He didn’t want that anymore. He wanted a sweet little house and a quiet life with babies in his arms. You were starting to think that was a good idea. To settle.

You had a few more tricks up your sleeve though. Mobius stepped in briefly promising if things went wrong he would handle it. You didn’t know what that meant. Oddly you trusted him. He had been true to his word thus far and brutally honest. Things may be playing out exactly how they were meant to play out. You did ask if he gave you Loki just because he knew you’d lose him again. He assured you the two of you were inseparable. That at least gave you solace.

The other worry on your mind was your last visit with the team of doctors Steve set up. They examined poked prodded and drew blood for five days. You weren’t riddled with cancer. Your body was in top shape. That was, as long as you held the stones. You wouldn’t die if you let them go. You just wouldn’t heal. Your body had been through hell. You would live a feeble existence. They’re suggestion was to learn to live with them.

The only stone you agreed to expel was the power stone. It was determined by Loki, the Professor and Agatha that the power stone in particular was doing the most damage. It was reluctant to let you go but they finally got it out. It’s currently in the Professor’s vault where only he and you have access. Just in case.

Agatha had also been helping you uncover the truth about the Kale’s and their plot to destroy your coven. She believed Fury sent them so he could take you for himself. When you told her about his plan to kill Franklin, that all but solidified things. They were not top priority at the moment. Even if they were to attack, you had enough fire power now to defend yourselves. They also lost the element of surprise. Once you had proof, you would bring them in front of the witches council and let them deal with them. For now, your family was safe.

You poured another drink and finally you were starting to feel the tendrils of liquor take hold. You stared into the room bathed in obsidian. It stared back. It flirted with you. Begged you to embrace it. To let it take you. These days the darkness was the only lover you knew. You reached out to it but Loki pulled you back.

You had not heard his feet gently padding across the hardwood. Had not noticed his weight lean on the top of the wingback chair. You smiled at the darkness offering a weak sorry when you felt his lips on the top of your head.

“Let’s take a walk” he whispered as he pried the bottle from your hands. As you did most nights, you walked to the spot where your cottage should be. He laid out a blanket and wrapped another around the two of you. His emotions were normally all over the place. Panic and worry mixed with pain and fear. Always though, his love for you was ever prominent. This night he simply felt calm.

“I’m starting to see your vision of a life with less bullshit.” You snuggled against him to keep warm.

A smiled curled the corner of his lips, “I knew you would come around eventually.”

“If we get through this, I may even rethink the part about children. The doctors told me I was all good in there. Maybe too good.”

He laughed and kissed your hair, “Sounds divine. Perhaps we can just move your mother to Asgard with us. I know it would pain her to have her grandchildren so far away.”

“She’d never leave Helen and the girls. We can’t come back here. That’s clear now.”

“No. Whatever happens tomorrow, darling, I suggest you say your goodbyes. Not a chance we’ll stay behind.”

You nodded. “I know. I guess I just hope against hope that they’ll reconsider Odin’s proposal.” You both knew that wouldn’t happen.

Loki massaged your shoulders applying just the right amount of pressure to turn you into putty. “I’m sorry it’s come to this, Y/N.”

“Me too. I just want everything to be over.” You sunk further into his chest letting your eyes close.

*******************************************

On the morning of the hearing the house was bustling. All of the girls ran around getting ready for the big day. Even though this was your hearing the entire coven would be on trial. Helene and Agatha tried to prepare you for anything. “Keep your composure.” Helene kept warning. That would be the the theme for the day. Composure. Stiff upper lip. Take your lumps with dignity and grace.

The girls all went ahead of you. Loki and your mother stayed behind. She tried to get you to eat something. Your stomach was in knots. You couldn’t possibly keep anything down. She held your hand while you sat on the porch waiting for your transport. When the agents arrived she had to look away when they shackled your hands and feet. They loaded you into the back of the armored van. She held your eyes through the slit in the window. You were being brave. She was not. When they pulled away she broke down.

“I’m never going to see her again am I?” she asked Loki.

“Asgard is beautiful this time of year. You are free to visit anytime.” He gave her a small smile and patted her on the back.

“Take care of her. Please.”

“I intend to.”

They drove to the facility in silence. When they parked Thor was waiting for them. “Heimdall is at the ready.” he informed Loki.

“Good. Give her a moment to say goodbye to her mother then call him.”

The room was large and crowded. The Avengers were all seated behind you. Some of the X-men filtered in as well. The guards stood a little taller when Magneto sat next to the Professor. Your case would set a precedent for how all mutant and enhanced persons were treated from there on out. You were concerned that, if things didn’t go your way, Magneto would start something. That would all but solidify the monstrous view the government had of mutants.

Secretary Ross sat in front of you with various other generals and senators. The World Security Council was watching from a large monitor. They hammered you with question after question about Thanos and Malekith. They asked the same questions over and over. Nothing you could say was good enough. You started to get antsy. They already made their decision. Nothing you could say would free you. You sat alone and squirming for two hours before they called for lunch.

You stayed seated waiting for an agent to escort you back to the holding area. Loki sat behind you willing you to turn around. When you finally did tears were in your eyes.

“Oh, Pet. Please don’t cry.”

“They’ve already decided. We should....” Before you could finish your sentence Mobius M. Mobius came strolling in with his briefcase.

“Escape? Like they don’t have that collar wired with explosives. Mobius M. Mobius.” He introduced himself to Loki.

“This wasn’t plan was it?” Your voice broke as he rifled around is case.

“Nope.” He pulled out a lock picking kit and pushed your head down to get a better look at the collar.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Loki whispered outraged.

“Oh. Don’t worry about them. I’ve frozen this whole room.” When Loki looked around he saw the guards standing completely still. The room was silent. “Ok, kid. Hold still.” Before Loki could spring into action your collar slipped from your neck. “That was close.” Mobius chuckled.

You stood up and shook your shackles off your wrists and ankles. “Thanks!”

“You’re welcome. Now dry your tears and let’s get out of here. You too, your highness.” You walked through the building seeing everyone frozen in the hallways and even on the street. Loki held your hand protectively. “We just have to get to the jump point and you can call for Heimdall. Thor is already there waiting.”

“Why are you helping us?” Loki was flustered. He gripped your hand and pulled you toward him. “Y/N who is this? Why is he helping us?”

“Lok...” You tried to find a way to explain but Mobius cut you off.

“It’s ok, Y/N. I am Mobius M. Mobius. I am in upper management in the TVA. I’m helping you because she’s needed. In fact, both of you are. Time is kind of fucked because of you two. Every time she gets it back on track something comes busting in and ruining it. In case it wasn’t clear, she’s not supposed to be a prisoner on Earth.” He urged you forward and you ran to a clear space to call for Heimdall. “Go! I’ll be in touch.” He threw you a communicator and sent you on your way.

When you reached the Bifrost, Thor was waiting. “You’re lucky you two made it. They were going to call for Y/N’s execution.” Your heart was in your throat.

“Y/N you are not to step foot on Midgard again. Do you understand? Thor will sort this out after the smoke clears.” Odin was not a fan of dealing with the hot headed little Midgardians. He dismissed you but didn’t punish you. You were punishing yourself enough.

*******************************************

After a few weeks Thor returned to Midgard to play the diplomat. He stayed for a few days. You assumed to be with Jane. When he returned, the news was not good. You were all summoned to Odin’s office off of the throne room.

“They want Y/N to return to Midgard immediately. They are taking our refusal to hand her over as an act of hostility.” Thor’s voice was quiet and tinged with anger. “I don’t have to tell you, little sister, how difficult a position I am in.”

“You’d turn her over?!” Loki was on his feet. You took his hand and guided him back to his seat.

“No. He won’t turn me over. They are pressuring him. Probably pressuring my family and friends too.”

“Tensions are high, brother. Every mutant on earth is being punished for her crimes.”

“What do they want from her?” Odin was outraged.

“The same thing you do, Father. They want to use me as a weapon. No one is going to mess with Asgard as long as I’m here right? Earth wants the same protection. They want me to handle their biggest messes. They are backing me into a corner. Thor, I need you to bring Charles Xavier and Max Eisenhardt to Asgard. The sooner the better.”

You excused yourself and Loki followed you. “Darling, let’s just disappear for a while.”

“They won’t let up. I have to make this right. I’m going to get in touch with Mobius. Maybe he can guide me in the right direction.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Honey, you don’t trust anyone but me. I need to know if we’re on the right path.”

“The right path to what?!” He grabbed your hands wanting so badly to shake some sense into you.

“To ending this. To settling down.” You wrapped your arms around his waist and inhaled his scent. “I’m so tired, Lok. You were right before. I loved our life in our cottage. I thought I fixed it all when I ended Thanos. But you were right. There would always be something.”

“There are some things I don’t enjoy being right about.” He nuzzled your hair. “Let’s go have a cup of tea and we’ll call Mobius.”

Loki made your tea with valerian root chamomile sweet rose hips and lavender. You were passed out within thirty minutes. He took your communicator and pressed the one and only button that would contact Mobius. He thought it would work like a phone. Instead he was dropped into an office that looked like the DMV. A young man stared at him expressionless.

“Welcome to the TVA. I’m Craig. How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Mobius.”

“Is he expecting you? I’m just kidding. He knew you were coming. This way.”

Craig led Loki down a long hallway to an elevator that seemed to go on forever. When it finally stopped, Craig did not step off but pointed at a table and chairs in the corner, “Wait there.”

There was music playing over the speaker. Someone coughed in the distance though he was alone in the room. This is it. This is where I die. He thought. After an agonizing ten minutes Mobius burst in.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” he sat down arranging an enormous mound of paperwork. “You would think with all the power we possess we could automate this process. Anyway. What can I do for you?”

“What do you want with my wife?”

“Boy you don’t mince words. Easy. Time is broken. It needs to be fixed.” He held up a device for Loki to illustrate what had been happening. “See this long line here? That’s time not a straight line but close right? All these branches are timelines that happened because she and others decided to mess with it.”

“Others? What others?”

“Steve Rogers for one. When she took off with you and the tesseract she gave Steve the bright idea to go back to the 40’s and live on with Peggy Carter. That wasn’t supposed to happen. It needs to be corrected.”

“Let me handle it. She’s tired. She’s done enough. If you take care of what’s happening on Earth, I’ll set it all right.”

Mobius eyed him up for several minutes. He ran through possibilities and outcomes. Weighed each option carefully. Loki would be the best option to fix things but also the most likely to make it worse. In the end, he decided sending only one of you on this mission was probably the best bet. He can handle one of you easily. Both of you together is asking for chaos.

“Fine. Consider Earth handled. Keep her on Asgard. Do not let her interfere. I’ll be in touch with the rest. She’ll have to handle Rogers though.”

“Handle him?” Loki was tired of Mobius using you for his personal assassin. You were far too trusting. “If you mean to kill him...”

“Jeez. No. She just has to stop him before he runs off with Peggy. Loki, she’s not immortal you know? Those stones will burn her out eventually. She’ll lose at some point.”

His brows knitted together with worry, “Then I suppose I have to hurry.”

In a blink, he was back in your bedroom. You were still sleeping soundly. He brushed your hair out of your face. You smiled in your sleep and leaned in to him. It would all be over soon.

[shadowsfascination]

Shadamy swordland AU - part 4

The air was knocked out of Amy’s lungs by his statement and her skin paled, drawing long shadows over her usually cheerful face. Her head began to ache and she rubbed her forehead as if to rub to swirl of emotions inside her away. Shadow on the other hand crossed his arms and legs, a hint of sorrow playing his ruby eyes.

Amy hunched her back and leaned on her hands, eyed Shadow and drew a breath. She intended to speak, but found no words. Instead she watched the light of the flickering candle cast constantly changing shadows on him, the warm tones of its’ flame contrasting with the now chilly atmosphere between them.

Unaware of it Shadow gritted his teeth in distress. At a total loss for words or the slightest idea how to behave in this situation, he chewed his lip and mildly pinched his arms. He couldn’t talk anymore. It was somehow beyond his control and he despised powerless it made him feel. His body froze and the longer the silence lasted, the further the words drifted away from him. Meanwhile his mind became a cacophony of tangled, blurry thoughts.

I have to snap out of this!

Shadow took a deep breath and closed his eyes, tracing the source of the messed up chaos energy in his body and changing it into a state of tranquillity again.

“Amy.”

The sudden renewed confidence in him broke not only the silence, but the seal between them as well. She couldn’t somehow deny his gaze and locked eyes with him, her eyes full of questions and expectations. He took her hands to cover them in his own. They were warmer than she’d expected.

“I cannot explain any of this to you.”

Amy frowned at him in annoyance and backed off to escape his hold, her eyes starting to blaze. A series of angry growls escaped her lips and she clenched fists. Her knuckles made a cracking sound from it.   “Please, oh please tell me you’re joking!”

He blinked twice, innocence and incomprehension written all over his face.

“I’m not. It would be a poor jest.” “You can’t just drop this bomb on me, fall quiet and then not explain any of it!”

She was prepared for a whole lot of it, but this? – she thought to herself. As soon as the thought landed in the conscious part of her mind she labelled herself a fool, questioning what she did expect from him. She knew Shadow… Why did she keep getting so thrown off by his untactile behaviour?

Blood rushed through her veins at high speed, causing a rustle in her ears. There it was again: the unwanted announcement of her bad temper. He’d soon have to deal with it if he didn’t make haste with properly explaining this… mess! At this rate, she still had control over her temper, but that could change in the blink of an eye. “You’re not saying anything yourself either. Although, knowing you, I hardly believe you don’t have any questions. I’m not throwing that in your face, am I?” “Well, can you blame me?!” “A little, yeah. You carry your heart on your tongue. You always know what to say.” “I don’t right now!” “I don’t believe you. I think you’re trying to spare my feelings and I don’t care for it.”

“Oh no, Shadow. You’re NOT shifting YOUR responsibility to explain who you actually are to me.” “I’m not.” The pink female whirled around and caught his attention with her fierce turquoise orbs. The warm, yellowish tones of the dancing flame were fighting for precedence with the luminary aqua in her eyes. He could see her hands gesturing, signalling him her upset internal state in the blurry background of his view.

“Then talk.”

“I can’t.” “Blast, Shadow! I can’t believe how incredibly rude you are to me! I’m your girlfriend! You’re keeping so many important things from me…I wonder how you in 300 darn years still achieve to be totally oblivious about how to act polite and chivalrous around a woman!”

“You should know me better than to mistake me for a soft, gooey fool who drops every aspect of his personality when with a woman. I might be a knight, but surely I’m not going to be your imaginary heroic boyfriend. Or always treat you like a queen when you’re being a huge pain in the ass, Amy. If that’s what you want, than better rethink your choices…”

Another of her romantic bubbles burst by another blunt statement, one he made her aware of she had it in the first place. Amy shifted her headstrong gaze to the red, green and blue-checked woolen blankets on the bed. Ignoring him, she distracted herself to follow the lines from the wrinkles on them with her fingers. The raw texture of the wool prickled through her gloves. It was a unpleasant feeling and she wondered how he was able to sleep under them.

“… Besides: I’m sharing my deepest secrets with you! Do you think that’s easy for me? What more could you possibly want?” “I want you to explain who on Mobius you are!” she shouted. “I want you to explain how it’s even possible to be that old? I wanna know what you are. A ghost? Some divine creature? And what about your strange, dark powers and the stone?! Did you have kids in the past? What does this all make you?!” Both their ears fell back, the awkward silence became deafening on them. Amy’s eyes reddened from the upcoming tears and anger. She bit her lip and bravely fought against the waterworks. A few salty tears quietly dripped down her cheeks though. Amy battled the strong tendency to cry once more. She felt so hideous whenever she cried- and she did see herself cry before. She felt she looked awful and so she did her uttermost best to hide it- in comparison to when she was a young girl. “What’s it make us? Just tell me.. something! ANYTHING will do!”

Her loud, hoarse voice cracked and she sniffed. Shadow’s hand squeezed and crinkled the blanket with force. He cursed under his breath.

“I KNOW, OKAY?! I know ANY words will do, but there are no words! NONE! They’re stuck! I don’t mean to be rude or inconsiderate of your feelings. Plagues! If anything, that’s what’s making me freeze up. I have no idea at all how to handle this!”

An upcoming sense of guilt sent a series of shivers down her spine. Her stupid pride and temper pushed him too far. A lump in her throat now accompanied the already present stress-related stomach aches.

“I don’t either… It’s scaring me.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Shadow, I don’t want to be the reason you’re holding back. And don’t tell me I’m not, because I know I am. Sorry about that. Just spill. I’ll learn to deal with it.”

“It’s not just that. I can’t verbalize all this.”

He concentrated on the chaos energy in his body once more, shards of them whirling around like a hive of bees. They seemed impossible to catch. His focus shifted to his irregular, high paced breathing and he breathed out some of the stress in his body. The shards immediately lowered their impossible-to-follow rhythm and he was finally able to catch some of them.

I never lose my confidence.

With a certain determination Shadow grasped her gloved hands. They were tensely folded into fists. Their touch revealed the quivers they were both trying to control. Shadow suddenly scooped her onto his lap and then rose to carry her bridal style, all much to Amy’s confusion.

“However, I can show you.”

His signature self-sufficient smile now curved his lips.

“Come on, I’ll carry you. I know how much you love this romance-stuff and I am a knight after all.” He blew out the candle, letting the darkness swallow them entirely before calling out the ‘Chaos control’. With this single chant he overcame the barrier of space and time. The darkness around them swiftly faded into a serene surrounding, filled with flowy, intertwining ruby, royal blue, shiny silver and regal gold ribbons of light.

They weightlessly soared through the pacifying, outstretching void. A sea of glowing orbs laid ahead of them and with confidence. Shadow commanded some of them to come closer, each carrying a memory. He let some fragments play out before her eyes to see for herself what happened in his past, for he was unable to tell her.

It was all there, right before Amy’s eyes: the mystery of what he was, his unknown origin and lonesome existence by surviving everyone he’d ever cared for in the past. He had roamed around the planet for years and years in order to keep his immortality a secret.

There was also a set of painful memories in which he was fighting, on the run or hiding for the many different faces of danger. They were a tad blurry and she couldn’t quite capture the meaning of it. The memory of the unknown hero neared and she witnessed his amazing powers, bravery and strength. It replaced her unsettling state of being with much softer feelings, easing her temper away. Amy smiled when concluded to herself that neither his physics or personality had seemed to change. The Shadow she knew now was as stubborn, blunt, socially awkward, dedicated, loyal and brave as in his past. Without having to verbalize he answered everything she wanted to know and more. Amy’s sweet, caring nature calmed her temper and she empathized with Shadow. She felt for the challenges his long life had brought upon him and pulled him into a deep, consoling hug.

“Shadow, I’m sorry I pushed you. I misjudged and jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

The scenery of his bedroom slowly faded in again and Shadow gently put her down. He lit the candle again. A shameful blush coloured his cheeks and played his eyes. His ears drooped backwards. Shadow felt like he was stripped to the bone. “I know everyone thinks I excel in many things, but communicating my inner state isn’t one of them. It heaves me down whenever I… feel strongly about something. Actions speak louder than a thousand words to me.”

“Thank you for being honest with me, for showing me all this. I imagine it must’ve been hard on you. You seemed so lonesome all these years.”

Hiding his face in his hands, he stared without focal point in his gaze. Shadow broke down internally, forcefully biting the insides of his lips to prevent him from crying like an infant.

“You’ve seen it for yourself now. You’ve seen me fight…My past…It’s the most private thing that I carry with me.”

“You don’t have to carry this burden all by yourself.” “You’re the very first to learn about it.”

“I already assumed I was, given your struggle to share it with me. I’m glad you told me.”

Amy smiled, trying to lighten up the mood again. “It’s awful and humiliating to share. I even killed in the past. I can’t help but feel like a monster sometimes. It haunts me.”

“You’re a knight. There’s times where you’re left no other choice than to eliminate your enemies. If anything, you’re a hero, Shadow.”

“I’m not! You weren’t there! Y-you d-d-don’t…You don’t know…”

He whimpered almost inaudibly while his shaking body sank into her embrace. Amy petted his back and caressed his quills while he hid his face in her chest. She cupped his tear-stained muzzle and made him look her in the eye. When his red, bloodshot eyes met her aqua ones they showed the strong-minded, yet hopelessly emotional Amy Rose Shadow had fallen for.

“There’s still so much that I don’t understand, but my emotional compass tells me you’re reliable and trustworthy. I’d like to believe you must’ve had your reasons… Tell me whenever you’re ready.”

She let herself fall back on the bed and pulled Shadow onto her, snuggling up to him under the prickly woolen blankets. On any other night the knight would’ve protested and let his self-discipline never allow her to stay over, but they were exhausted. Shadow and Amy couldn’t battle their minds anymore and forgot about the possible consequences they’d have to deal with in the morning. It didn’t seem to matter anymore. None of it. Even though their minds were loaded with troubles, which usually would’ve kept them awake, it somehow did not tonight.

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I struggled with this chapter. I’ll try to make the next one more uplifting (: Sometimes it seems to me that neither of these two dorks know a single thing about relationships, yet they have so much love to give to one another. 

I’d appreciate if you share your thoughts and send me a message if you find any annoying typo’s or grammar mishaps. 

@shadamyheadcanons, here you go!

[skeletorific]

This Got Out of Hand (and we’re out of paint): Marvus Xoloto ♦♠Reader

yall i swear i’m gonna get on writing stuff that actually got requested but this idea wouldn’t release me until I’d finished it so here we fuckin go

This simply could not stand.

Black flirting and romance, once upon a time, was a concept utterly foreign to you. It had taken roughly three conversations with Tegiri and Polypa on the topic (and a lot of time spent around Galekh and Tagora) before it had registered to you as anything more than consistent hate fucking and passive aggressive remarks. 

That was before you met Marvus. 

The clown was many things: attractive. Creative. Charismatic. Funny. Way more intelligent than he presented himself as. He was also a shit-starter, would probably pail with Zebruh before he would confess to a genuine emotion without fifteen layers of casual slang and innuendo, and seemed to take intense pleasure in riling you the fuck up whenever he got the chance. One way or another he wormed his way into your head, and suddenly you couldn’t stop hearing his voice in your head even when he wasn’t around. Challenging you, teasing you, testing you, doing his utmost to get you a nice, steaming anger before ruffling your hair with a wink and walking away.

It was also possible you were a little bit smitten with him.

Or maybe a lot. 

Regardless, in time you’d come to understand that it was a mutual thing. For as much as he didn’t show it, you were beginning to read between the many, many lines with the clown. He enjoyed the hell out of you, sure, but he also seemed to find you something of a puzzle. Beyond the fact that you still hadn’t kicked Zebruh to the curb (and he never failed to send you an eye-rolling emoji whenever he appeared in one of your Chittr photos), every story about your past that came up seemed to render him a little bewildered about what it was you’d put up with in order to attain those sweet and lofty fruits of FRIENDSHIP. 

“i mean, lil stab-stab here, lil push off a cliff here, ‘sall gucci sunshine. normal n all that shizz.”  He’d said, in one of his rarer moments of honesty. The fact that both of you had slammed a couple liters of faygo in the aftermath of a particularly exhausting show probably had something to do with it. He lounged on the couch, absently combing fingers through his piles of hair. “but keep hangin out wih m-fers what still wish ya harm, or bloo shizzheads what won’t take no for an answer, that’s a whole other thing, uhearme?”

You’d waved dismissively from your position lying on the floor. You were a little drunk yourself at the time. “Its fine. Usually. And when its not its like….phoo, somehow it gets fine anyways!”

“jus sayin” he said, shifting until he was upside down on the couch, face inches from yours. Close enough that you could see the greasepaint starting to flake off. “need sumbody what can keep ya from gettin urself killed, lil buddy.”

“You volunteering?” You’d crooned. Ok, croon is a strong verb, it was more like slurred, but crooning was the intention is what matters.

“u askin me to?” He smirked, pressing a single claw to your forehead. Internally, you’re pretty sure that’s not how volunteering works, but noticing that isn’t at the top of your hierarchy of needs currently. 

“Mmmmaybe.” You rolled onto your back. You can feel your heart pounding just a bit right now, but somehow your voice is floating even and light. Like you don’t have a care in the world, and this is just one more joke in the scheme of your weird mobius double irony reacharound of a relationship. “Maybe I wanna go all gorlekh with you, what do ya think of that.”

“‘scuse?”

“Gorlekh. Gorgor and Lekh-…..lekh….” You made a dismissive noise, gesticulating your hands wildly as you moved to sit up. “The black one!”

“….ur talkin spades?”

“Yeah! The kissmissies….kissmich….” Wow faygo was no joke on your system. “The hate one. Like I don’t hate you, except I think I do a bit? But like in that weird alien way where I think it just makes me like you more and its confusing but I don’t wanna stop and you’re so damn cute and….and…”

Your voice trails off.

Because the man is honest to globes grinning. No smirk, no lazy half-smile, no lowered eyelids, nothing to give that careful impression that he’s only happy in a chill way. Just a huge, toothy smile that split his face.

Bro that shit was radiant.

“m-fer, u have no idea what ur in for….”

—–

You really hadn’t but you hadn’t had a moment of regret since then.

It was a constant game of one upmanship between you, an intense competition to see who could get who to visibly express their emotions first. Maybe that was unusual by kismesis standards: it didn’t seem much like Tagora and Galekh’s dynamic. But you were enjoying every second of it, and if Marvus had complaints he sure as hell wasn’t voicing them.

The only downside, all told, was the lack of time.You didn’t have hours to build on the tension. More often than not you had moments between shows. Actual antagonism had to be planned in to make sure the point got across without actually getting either of you hurt. After a full day of work he was usually too burnt out for more than light teasing and, to borrow his phrase, “sloppy makeouts”.

Those sloppy makeouts were becoming in themselves the point of your focus.

—-

After one such particular petting session, you glanced at the clock out of the corner of your eye. Fuck, it was late (er….early) and you had a long walk home with your car out of commision. You sighed, pulling yourself off of him with no small amount of protest. “I’ve gotta go.”

“u got some1 else u gotta do this to” he muttered, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. You were starting to realize a denied, overtired Marvus was a grumpy Marvus, which was as endearing as it was needy as hell.

“Maybe~.” You say, enjoying the glint he got in his eyes. You straighten out your clothes for a bit. “Tomorrow?”

“day off tomorrow bruh. clown church” He slipped an arm around you from behind, leaning down by your neck. “which means u can stay here-”

“Mm-mm” You slip free, nudging his face back. “Not tonight. Not here.”

“keep tellin ya juggz don’t spread shizz around” He said, lips pouting out a bit, which forces you to look away.

Denial is part of the game, after all. 

“‘Juggz’ aren’t the only people around here. And I’m not looking to get your fanbase up my ass. I’ve got more than enough people looking to cull me” 

“Hehe, tryna make me jealous ;o)”

You roll your eyes and head for the exit to his dressing room.The cool night air beckons outside, but you find your path suddenly obstructed by his arm. With a huff, you look up at him. “I’m heading ou-Mmm!”

The head turn had allowed him to get a grip on your chin and pull you into another deep kiss. Not a kiss, actually, if there was a word for it you’d describe it as some kind of facial wrestling match. He kissed around your mouth, your cheeks, your eyelids, in rapid succession, all the while insistently rubbing his nose and cheeks against your face as you spluttered. 

“Marvus-I—hey!!” 

With a final peck to the tip of your nose, he drew back grinning ear to ear, face paint now a smeary mess. “have a nice nite, b~” 

And you suddenly found yourself outside, hearing the door lock behind you. 

Oh that little- You snatched your phone out of your pocket and turned on your front facing camera. Sure enough, your face was now suddenly covered in white-grey paint, already caking on your cheeks and making you look like you’d fallen face first into glue.

“Marvus, I’m gonna kill you!” You said, pounding at the door. From the other side you swear you hear him laughing, which is only adding kindling to the fire at this point. 

Great. Perfect. You could either face the long walk home or use your sweatshirt to wipe it off and leave a visible stain on the black sleeves. Fuck it, you won’t be able to make it to Tyzias’s to do laundry for a bit, so you’re gonna have to walk of shame your way home. Fanfuckingtastic.

Practically the second you crossed the threshold your phone buzzed.

therealxoloto: send pics before u clean urself up aight ;o)

Oh he wanted a fucking-

You sent him a well backlit photo of your face, largely covered by an Alternian hand gesture Mallek had taught you.

therealxoloto: hell ye that’s that good shizz

Alien_among_you: you think you’re so funny

therealxoloto: clown church baby lmao

therealxoloto: i’m fxxkin hi lar i OUS

therealxoloto: ♠

Alien_among_you: ♠

You go to bed with cheeks red and chapped from being scrubbed, which was DEFINITELY the only reason they were red.

—-

After that, no kiss was safe, not truly. He’d found a button to press, and he sure as hell wasn’t gonna leave it alone while it still worked. Sometimes he’d led you go days, wipes even, without an incident, only to jump you once you were lulled into a false sense of security. Practically everything you owned had been stained with the stuff with the point, and you’d gotten more mouthfuls of it than you’d care to mention. 

And naturally, this meant war.

It took you some time to figure out an appropriate revenge. Just stealing his paints felt over the line somehow. While you were still figuring out the ropes of clown religion, the fact that you had yet to see a clown without the stuff probably meant it was important. Marvus had only just started cleaning it off in front of you, and while he hadn’t made a big deal out of it, you’d gotten the impression that it was kind of a moment for him.

So, taking the stuff wasn’t an option. All that was left was to thwart it.

Can’t mess up a face already covered.

You waited till he’d left to run an early rehearsal, then quickly raided the vanity, tracking down brushes and setting powder and a couple of those little white brushes. You opened the tins and carefully positioned yourself in front of the mirror. Alright. Ok.

You hadn’t exactly done this before, but how hard could it be to figure out? 

Fifteen minutes later you realized that optimism was a bit misplaced. You weren’t exactly aiming for perfect, but you at least didn’t want it to look like a kid had painted you up. That would give him leverage to flip the teasing back on you, which was not the point of the exerices. You kept have to undo your work. The diamonds edges were too round, or too wide. The eyebrows were uneven. It took you far too long to figure out how to even tape down your natural brows. The makeup wipes were starting to pile up and paint was getting much lower. How the hell did he do this every day, it looked practically effortless-

Footsteps in the hallway. 

Panic rose in your throat as you swept the trash into a nearby can and haphazardly tried to make the vanity look like it had when he left. As they grew closer, you realized your eyebrows were still taped down, and ripping those off in a hurry was probably not the best idea. You practically dove into the bathroom, locking the door behind you.

“¿Yo, I leave my palmhusk in here?” 

You feel a sudden rush of relief. Not your clown. You recognize the voice: Payasa, one of the newer acts. You open the door a crack, seeing a tall juggalette with close cropped hair and a complex design resembling a moth across the center of your face. Damn, you weren’t even managing basic geometric patterns, how the hell did she paint that on every morning?  “Haven’t seen it, sorry.”

“¿damn, sorry ‘bout the intrusion?” The lanky clown starts to leave, before hesitating. “¿uhh…..you doin alright motherfucker?¿Need me to get the big man?” 

“No! No….” you say quickly. “I’m fine.”

“¿alright…?”

A thought occurs to you just before she leaves. Normally it’d be uncomfortable asking, but…you wanted to get this done.“….actually you know what.” You push open the bathroom door. “Could I get some help with something?”

She turns around quickly, gaze eager. Alien or no alien, she’s new here and eager to please. “¿watcha need?”

“I need you to help me put some face paint on.” You say, gesturing pointedly to your eyebrow situation.

You feel a cold spot of dread as the clown’s cheeks go bright purple. Oh globes, is this one of those troll things you’ve just put your foot in. Did you just spit in the face of the mirthful messiahs or something. 

Payasa rubs the back of her head, eyes darting towards the door. “¿er….does Marvus…know about this?”

“Its a surprise for him,” You say quickly. Hoping against hope, because otherwise its back to the drawing board or figure out how to do it yourself.

“¿I…?” The clown grimaces, nervously tugging on one of her many piercings. She seems to be at war with something inside herself. Finally, she swallows and looks back down at you. “¿sure….?”

A relieved look crosses your face. “Thank you so much, I promise I wouldn’t ask otherwise, but I’m pretty hopeless at this. 

“¿heh…no p?” She said, giving you a shy half-smile. “¿did you uh….have a design in mind?”

“Oh, that’s the easy part. I just need you to copy Marvus’ design.”

Another weighty silence. The purple faded, and its hard to tell under the makeup but you think she might have just gone pale, her eyes bulging out of her head.

“….is that….is that not ok?” You say weakly. 

“¿I-….it’s uh, fine!?” She managed to stammer out. The gazes towards the door returned, but after another look at your pleading face she seemed to gather her courage and slam it closed, making you jump. “¿its fine.?¿ Can do it quick, right?¿ Don’t have to be a big deal or nothin…?”

“Uh….sure?”

Payasa drags up a chair to the vanity bench and gestures for you to sit down. Despite the oddness of her behavior, you’re didn’t get this far looking gift clowns in the mouth. You sit down.

She makes quick work of it, though she still seems nervous. Her face keeps going purpler and purpler the longer she paints, and her ears flatten to the side of her skull as she worries her lip with her fangs.

“Are you sure this is ok?” You finally ask. “There’s not like, a rule against this or anything, right? I don’t want you to….I don’t know, commit heresy or something.”

“¿Nah, nah, not heresy, motherfucker.?” She says quickly, dabbing the poff in the setting powder before carefully dusting you. “¿Jus….little unusual is all.?¿But ain’t my place to judge.?”

“Why is it unusual?” True, Marvus seemed to prefer to do his own makeup, but you’d seen other juggalos do each others faces all the time, especially on the rare wipe end Marvus could drag you out to clown church. It had always seemed kind of peaceful. 

“¿I uh….think I’m gonna let Marvus tell ya about that.?” She mutters, putting on the finishing touches. “¿Ain’t sinful, though, promise.?”

“Well….that’s good, I guess.” You help her put the paints away. “Thanks again. His reaction should be worth it, at least.”

She let out a sharp laugh. “¿Yeah, imagine it will…?” She got to her feet, replacing the chair and giving you a lazy, two-fingered salute. “¿Gotta bounce and get ready for my set.?¿have a nice night, little motherfucker.?”

“You too.” Man, what does it say about your life right now that ‘little mothefucker’ read as affectionate. Before you can contemplate that, Payasa leaves the room, closing the door behind her. 

Marvus doesn’t come back for another twenty minutes or so. You lounge on the couch, scrolling through your messages and dicking around with a couple of games you’d downloaded for Diemen. You got so far down the rabbithole that by the time Marvus opened the door you’d almost forgotten what was on your face.

Almost.

“m-fin sound issues, swear 2 fxxkin glob…” He was muttering, twirling his staff absently in his fingers. “sorry i’m-”

He finally turns his eyes on you, and you’re treated to a rare sight.

Marvus Xoloto, speechless. Mouth still halfway open on its way to whatever he’d been planning to say. Eyes slowly tracing your face. You could practically see the question marks popping up over his head.

Its your turn to smirk, tucking your phone back into your pocket as you sit up, tossing your hair back a bit. “Lookin for your makeup rag? Bad news bitch, I’m already co-”

Marvus heads back outside, slamming the door. 

….Ok. Not the reaction you were expecting.

You waited for a second. Was this a bit?

….

Ok ok not a bit not a bit-

You scrambled to your feet, following him out the door.

Instinctively you move towards the green room, but he’s not there. Just a couple of the others, lounging around and hitting each other with squirts of a substance you deeply hope is whipped cream. One of them catches sight of you and their eyes go wide. “….damN, didnT knoW yoU anD xolotO werE therE.”

“Have you seen-….what do you mean there.”

They chuckle, getting up and clapping you on the shoulder, giving you a big goofy grin. “he’S A luckY maN. prettY surE I saW hiM headiN foR thE costumeS closeT. leT A brotheR knoW iF yoU neeD A buckeT oR somethiN, aY”

Coming down to it you wish Marvus’ friends were a little less helpful sometimes. “I…think we’re good. Thanks” You brush past him on your way to the closet, hearing a couple distant “whoops” as you retreated.

The costumes closet is tucked away in a small corner. He’s not there, and for a moment you nearly considered looping back to his dressing room, before-…

Is that muffled screaming?!

Nervously you tap on the door. “Marvus…”

The sound lapses, and there’s a long pause.

“…..ye?”

“You uh, doin alright in there.”

“heh…def b. gucci.”

“You kinda rushed out.”

“…..”

“I’m coming in.”

“…..cool” he says, sounding resigned.

You open the door. Its stuffed to the brim with an array of truly unspeakable clothes. In the blinding sea of color Marvus is practically camouflaged, but you do eventually spot him. Slumping against the back wall, holding a crumpled shirt in his hand that he seems to have been screaming into. His expression is stony and tired in a way you aren’t used to seeing from him, and his eyes aren’t meeting yours.

One of the hardest things you’ve had to figure out about kismesis is when to break kayfabe. Following every barb or prank with an apology kind of defeats the purpose of a kismesis. They’re supposed to let you dangle a bit. But at the same time there are lines that can’t be crossed. You’re not supposed to genuinely hurt them, or force past boundaries they aren’t comfortable being violated.

The issue, especially in Marvus’ case, is figuring out the difference between the two.

You close the door behind you, pressing your back against the cool metal. “So…..I’m getting the impression that this,” You gesture to your face. “May have been a bit more symbolic than was my intention.”

He’s quiet for a long moment. You can see him struggling against himself, probably considering whether or not he should try to laugh it off. In the end though, he just nods.

“And I may have hurt you somehow?”

“u didnt-”He groaned, tilting his head to lean against the wall and closing his eyes tight. “who even did that 2 ya…”

“I….they’re not gonna get in trouble, right?”

He gave you a Look. 

Right. Not his style. “Payasa”

“n she didn’t think to explain y that might give a clown some m-fin pusher problems?”

“She was acting kinda weird about it, but I think she assumed I knew. Or…was maybe a little too scared”

He sighed, breath coming out in a huff. “fxxkin messiahs…” Slowly, he slid down the wall to sit on the ground.

You hesitated a second, before approaching him. Carefully, you slid to sit down next to him, resting your hands on his knees. “…Can you explain it to me? Please?”

His claws traced out patterns in the shirt he was still holding, as his eyes seemed a million miles away. You found your attention drawn to the slow rise and fall in his chest, the tension in his shoulders. He seemed nervous, a weird look on a man who came alive in front of a crowd of millions of rampaging teens. 

“juggz paint iz personal shizz. start workin on the lewk on yer naming day and it keeps changin while you’re changin. lotta symbolism and liturgical shizz go into it but the main thing iz its….u.” He turns over his hands, staring down at them. Faint purple lines run across the palm, a crisscross of old scars. “ur paint’s ur identity. sum mothafucker steals that, they’re stealin u. hell, even gettin some1 else to paint for ya is a big fxxkin deal. ur puttin ur whole identity in their hands and askin em to put it on ya. lotta clowns don’t even let their quadrants paint em”

Your palms go clammy. In your long proud history of fuck-ups, this one didn’t quite take the cake, but it had definitely cut out a larger slice than would be deemed socially appropriate. “I….holy shit, Marv, I’m sorry.”

“sorry?”

“I didn’t realize, this was like, taking something from you. I can take it off-”

You cut off your sentence when you realize his shoulders are shaking.

If he’s fucking crying you are gonna lose your entire mind-

And then a laugh tears out of his throat. Low and throaty and sweet and uncontrollable, the kind of laugh you heard from him maybe once in a blue moon. You’re taken aback (and more than a little flustered). You can only watch, cheeks growing progressively redder as he slowly subsides, hunching up a bit as he tries to catch his breath.

“I…what….”

“fxxkin saviors, b, sumtimes i forget, ufeelme?” He turned to look at you, grinning wide. “forget how alien u are to allathis. i ain’t mad”

“You aren’t?”

“nah lmao”

“….then what was all of this about?!” You say, shoving his shoulder. “I thought you said-”

He catches your wrist, pulling you to straddle his lap. “hey, hey, don make a m-fer bust out the shoosh paps.” He says, tone completely amused as he soothingly strokes your arms. “jus shuddup for a sec and lemme get raw, kk?”

You decidedly have more to say. But… looking at the soft expression on his face you’re having a hard time remembering what it is. In the end you nod for him to continue, settling back at bit against his legs.

He takes your hand, gently unfurling it and caressing circles in the palm with his thumb. “ur paint is u. and the people all in ya life, the 1s that count….they’re also u.” His thumb presses down solidly, shooting sparks up your arm. “told ya, the design grows like u do. pretty much expected once shizz gets serious with some1 ur gonna change things up a bit to reflect that. like chahut. the heavy paint round the sight specs a reference to that little indigo shit she goes craftin with. doesn’t always happen right away, but, when it does…” He releases your hand and moves up to cup your face. Eyes lidding a bit as he contemplates the design, traces the diamonds with his eyes. “pretty fxxkin big deal”

“I…..so, when I….” Your face goes red with the sudden implications, which makes him chuckle.

“yeah lol. kick in the bulge. not xxxactly what i was thinkin i’d see”

“So….that’s why you left?”

His lips press together a bit, and he gives a shrug at least twice as nonchalant as it should be. “…yeah. woulda been trippy even if ya were another purple but knowin u had no fxxkin clue what u did. like watchin a lil squeaker paint prophecies in stick figures. had to get out just to make sure i didn’t do smthn weird as hell”

“…..like what?”

He hums, gripping your chin and dragging you back down to press a soft kiss on your lips. Warm breath fans across your face as he smirks, exposing just a bit more of his fangs than was technically necessary. “show ya when we got more time ;o)”

You groaned. “This is illegal”

“fxxkin arrest me then bih” He patted your thigh, flicking his brows up.

You mutter something treasonous under your breath.

“n-y ways, u should clean urself up” He kissed your forehead. “camera crew$$$ gunna b up my a*s soon”

You sigh. “Right…” Bracing your hands on his shoulders, you push yourself to your feet. “Heaven forbid we appear to visibly be a couple”

“rite? gross lmao”

You shake your head and smile as you head for the door. “Right. Gross.”

“hey.”

Before you can turn around he’s wrapped his arms around you from behind, fitting you neatly to him. He leans down to bury his face in your shoulder, and despite the circumstances that lead you here, you know the only motivation is a desire for closeness. “let me do u up next time” He mumbles, voice rumbling against the skin of your neck. “not mine, but….somethin a yours. find out who u are, ya feel?”

…..You cover his hands your own, squeezing them tight and biting your lip to hide a grin. “….bold of you to assume there’ll be a next time, bozo”

“c’mon, we both kno u can’t resist the idea of my touchstumps all up in ur nugbone hehe ;o)”

“Sure that sentence would be very sexy to someone who isn’t an alien.” You turn in his grip to face him probably. “….love you.”

“aw, babe, that’s gay lol”

“I taught you what that means and you weaponize it against me? Treason.”

“i’m 1 naughty m-fer.” He kissed your forehead. “love ya 2”

“And…..hope you aren’t attached to this shirt.”

“…wha-”

Acting fast, you yank up his shirt and scrape it across your face, taking as much greasepaint off as you could before breaking free of his grip and bolting out the door. Loud, clowny curse words chase you as you tear through the halls, a smile threatening to break your face in half as you ran.

The road to vengeance is long sometimes, but it sure is sweet.

[nothing-fancy94]

Excerpt: Let’s Go Home

This is an excerpt from my longer fiction called Let’s Go Home. The story itself is a Shadamy, but I just love this little Sonamy scene.

If you wanna read the story here’s the link:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11599811/1/Let-s-Go-Home

..................................

Sonic sighed, and stood up. The sun was almost completely gone now, and he could see stars in the sky. He looked up at them, and suddenly he found himself smiling. He couldn't help but think to that night six months ago…

"What did Shadow want?"

"Wh-huh?"

"Come on, Sonic. Listen to me."

His emerald eyes rolled lazily to the direction of her exasperated voice. She was sitting on a rock that was halfway buried in the sand on the beach. Her short quills danced frantically in a soft breeze, and her eyes were narrowed in frustration.

"Sorry, Ames. Ask it again."

She rolled her eyes to above, her muzzle letting out a tired sigh. She was quiet for a moment, before she fell back onto the rock, and lay staring at the sky.

"Oh nevermind. It was probably something boring anyway, considering it was that gloom-day prince."

Sonic grinned at her nickname for Shadow, and he got up to join her on the rock. Her body stiffened right away from being in close vicinity to him, but after a few moments she relaxed again. The hero was still finding himself amazed at her maturity, even though it'd already been several years, since she'd stopped her obsession with him. If this was the old Amy, she would've jumped on him by now, screaming her love for him. However, she just laid beside him, peacefully, with a sweet smile, and a cute blush gracing her cheeks.

Sonic put his arms behind him and leaned backwards, he wanted to see what she was so intently staring at. Once his emerald eyes had lift to the heavens, he almost gasped aloud at the sight. He'd never seen so many stars from the ground before. Although - to be fair - he scarcelyever looked up. He seemed to look in only one direction, and that was forward. Even when they'd been in space, he'd hardly looked out into it, which he was now regretting.

"No matter where we go, or what horizons we see… this, right here on Mobius, is my favorite sky."

Her voice filled the early winter air, with a gentleness Sonic had never heard before. He wondered if she was looking at him - with those big eyes, that she always seemed to have when they were together. Curiosity getting the better of him, he looked over to his right.

She wasn't looking at him. She was gazing at the stars. Her peach muzzle was relaxed in a serenesmile, her hands neatly folded on her stomach, and her quills fanned out like the feathers of a paradise bird. But it was her eyes that made Sonic catch his breath, and his heart beat faster. Her jade eyes reflected the starlight like infinity pools. Her bright green irises were the frames for two tiny universes, that seemed to twinkle more brightly than the night sky above them.

He was entranced. Trapped. And normally he would try to run as far from there as possible, but that night was different. For some unknown reason, he found himself actually wanting to dive in her depths... Wanting to lose himself in those unknown, yet exotic, cosmos.

He wanted to stay, exactly where he was.

As panic tried to seize his heart, her head rolled over to look at him. She smiled up at him, and he felt calm. He gave her a smile back. A comfortable, almost intimate, silence fell between them, and Sonic gulped nervously as those endless pools blinked slowly at him. He didn't know how long they would've remained stuck in that trance if it weren't for an unexpected interruption. Suddenly, her face had screwed up, and she abruptly sat up. Sonic's eyes widened in surprise.

"What's wro -"

She held up her hand, her muzzle opening widely to reveal her fangs and molars. And the air was filled with a loud -

"AH-AHCHOO!"

She sniffed, and wiped underneath her nose, letting in a gasp, as she tried to compose herself. Sonic stared at her - baffled - for a moment, before holding in a chuckle. Her face twisted into another sneeze, and he realized she was cold.

The jungle was still fairly warm during winter days, but the nights were almost freezing. Amy was wearing shorts and a tank top - since the early winter day had been a bit warmer than usual - but now the sun was gone, and she was regretting it.

Before a sneeze could escape another time, she felt something being pulled over her head. Sonic had taken off his white T-shirt, and stuck it over her. She struggled at first, but then calmed as he gently tugged downwards to allow her head freedom.

At first, all that could be seen was the top of her pink quills, until - with a cute 'spring,' - her pointed ears popped out from the neck opening. Then slowly her face started to appear, first her huge jade eyes - Sonic gulped at their appearance - than her adorable button nose, until finally, the large shirt was hanging very loosely off her shoulders. She kept her arms tucked inside the large clothing, and her face was lit up like a cherry.

"Um - Th-thanks, Sonic."

The blue hero looked away, now embarrassed with his kind act. He coughed and gave her a nervous smirk to hide his blush.

"Don't mention it, Ames."

She smiled at him, and snuggled into his shirt. They stared at each other for a while until Sonic gave another awkward cough.

"Well, I guess I better take you home before it gets even colder."

Amy nodded, a smile still lingering on her lips. He knew she wanted to stay longer, but he was already reaching his limit. His heart was beating wildly, and his leg couldn't stop shaking. But he refused to run this time, he wouldn't allow her to walk home alone at night.

He picked her up and within seconds, they were in front of her door. He lightly set her down, and stood while she fumbled in the pockets of her shorts for her house key.

"Damn, where are they?" She muttered, and Sonic smirked.

Finally, she managed to pull them free, and turn the lock in her door. She opened it slightly, but then turned back to Sonic. She glanced from side to side, obviously looking for an excuse not to say goodbye, but also not wanting to force him to stay.

"Why is this sky your favorite?"

There was a thick silence, as both hedgehogs were surprised at the question (an obvious way to lengthen the time together) and by who had asked it. Amy looked up at him, her gaze confused at first, but then she smiled like usual, that smile he would never admit that he craved to see.

"It's the sky that I was born under - the sky all of us were brought to life under. It's the sky of our home… and it's the sky my mother, and father live in now."

Her answer was honest, and soft, her voice trembling slightly at the end. Her figure standing before him, looked so sad for a moment, the hero almost hugged her. But she shook her head, and gave him a careful look, her eyes searching his.

"It's the sky that looks down on the ones I love."

His breath hitched in his throat for the second time that night. He knew she was saying, in a roundabout way, that she loved him. Sonic knew she had stopped saying she loved him all the time - in an attempt to give him space. This was her way to gently remind him of the words she always wanted to confess.

As they looked at each other in silence, Sonic felt he could almost stop. Maybe going slow wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe running didn't have to be the only thing worthwhile in his life. Amy smiled, and took off his shirt. She walked up to him, and put the clothing in his arms, her hands resting atop the mound. Her weight causing his heart to flutter and beat erratically.

"Thank you Sonic. Even though we never seem to hang out, without something happening - in this case a surprise visit, from an old hedgehog-hermit - I had fun looking at the stars with you."

She went on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek, before quickly dashing into to her house.

He stood there for a moment, before stiffly turning around, and walking down the boardwalk. He continued all the way, refusing to glance back, until he was completely covered by jungle overgrowth. There he stood, staring at her hut, until all her lights were turned off. He told himself that he wanted to make sure she was safe - that no enemies would pop out to harm her - once they thought he was gone.

After several minutes of staring at her dark home, he ran back to his and Tails' hut. Wasting no time, he bolted inside, and into his room, where he flopped onto his bed, face first. His body remained stiff as a board, and he tried controlling his breathing in an attempt to bring down the pace of his racing heart.

It was the just the effect of the run… right?

On the intake of a large breath, he realized he could smell something sweet - something intoxicating... a scent he wanted to become addicted to. He lifted his head to see what he was lying on, only to find his crumpled shirt underneath his nose. He pondered it for a moment, but the clothing smelled amazing, and who cared what the reason was - it wasn't like it was poison. He smashed his muzzle back into it, inhaling deeply. A smile curled on his lips, and he sighed contentedly. Would it be so bad to fall into this scent's warm welcome?

He stayed like that for a while, simply immersing himself in that scent. It wasn't until a half an hour later, that he realized, his shirt smelled of Amy.

He stood, feeling the breeze ruffle his quills, and he tried to conjure her scent, that sweet strawberry-flowery perfume. But all he could smell was the salty air of the sea. He sighed and opened his emerald eyes to the darkening sky. He missed Amy, he missed his friends. He felt like he'd become distant from all of them. He wanted to go back to how it was before. Before he and Per -

.......................

Want more? Here’s the link to the full story:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11599811/1/Let-s-Go-Home

[another-sonic-blog]

Stages: Maybe Jealous

Stages: Intimate Friends: Pt.6 : Maybe Jealous (Chapter 19)

Pairing: ShadAmy

3K

Previous: https://another-sonic-blog.tumblr.com/post/611417758901714944/stages-what-is-it

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It was three in the afternoon and Rouge wasn't content when someone came knocking in her apartment's door. It was one of her few days off and being a bat in modern-day society was difficult. She had to go against her primal instincts of sleeping during the day so she could keep her job. So whenever she had a day off, she made sure to sleep thoroughly.

The knocking became stronger and if Rouge didn't know better, she could tell by the knocking who it was.

A very impatient black and red hedgehog.

A half-asleep Rouge walked slowly to her door, knowing well that the black one couldn't get any angrier. She opened the door and Shadow stormed in.

"Where is Amy?" Shadow asked as he looked around her apartment. Strangely enough, Amy's scent wasn't predominant as before.

"I've been fine, thank you," Rouge said sarcastically. She rubbed her eyes as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight coming from her windows.

"I little have not time to be nice," Shadow said again, he began to panic when he didn't see the pink in the agent's apartment. "Where is Amy?"

"Then, you must never have the time to be nice," Rouge replied. "She's not here. She went on a field trip with Sonic, they should be back tomorrow night."

"What? Where did they go?"

"I don't know, Amy didn't tell me because apparently, Sonic wanted to surprise her."

Rouged watched Shadow sigh heavily as he placed his right hand on his forehead. Showing his frustration.

"She doesn't answer her phone." Shadow hissed at of anger.

"Sonic won't either ... They don't want to be bothered, so they turned off all of their communication devices." Rouged looked over at his teammate. She knew that there was something he wasn't telling her. "Now tell me, what is going on?"

Shadow didn't want Rouge to be involved with the stupidity he was about to make. However, he did realize that her help might be needed.

That and that he trusted Rouge with her decisions.

Shadow sat down on the Rouge's sofa and with a stern look, he began to tell her the story.

.

"You can't arrest her! You have no proof-"

   The Commander stood up from his seat and walked towards Shadow. From his desk, he grabbed a file and opened it.

"In your report, you wrote, "I found the Resistance burnt down, nothing was left of it." The Commander said and looked up to Shadow. "That is proof that Amy wanted to burn down all proof of her doings to prevent us from arresting her."

"That doesn't make any sense!" said Shadow.

"It doesn't? Our Team of Investigations say that no one was inside the building when the accident occurred. Of the 7 agents there ... Don't you think that's too much of a coincidence?"

"That is-"    

   The Commander interrupted Shadow again.

"The investigation team also found the remainings of a plant, 'Silent Princess," The Commander added. "And according to your report ... this is the flower who helped Tails the Fox wake up from his sleep in Twinkle Star Village."

   There was a heavy silence in the room. The Commander knew that Shadow wasn't still fully convinced. His eyes still show determination and in one last hope to get him he said,

"Isn't the video of her putting up the bombs enough prove already?"

   Shadow didn't know what it was but his mind and heart just couldn't accept it. So many people have betrayed him and he was scared that Amy might be one of those too. Shadow tried to put his feelings aside but he just couldn't. His mind went to Amy. If Shadow was sure of one thing, it was her.

Well ... to hell with everything.

"I don't know know if Amy is guilty or not ... but I do know that Amy loved that place and she wouldn't do anything against it," Shadow said. "My apologies commander ... I do enjoy my job but between this job and Amy ... I chose Amy."

   The Commander wasn't scared of Shadow. However, he was concerned about the decisions the black hedgehog was willing to take. The Commander had many years working and never, not even in the human world, had he met someone like Shadow. He had never chosen a side in this job and now that he was going it, it spoke volumes about him and the subject at hand.

Shadow was the best agent he had and his determination had sparked something in the Commander's previous ideology.

Doubt.

Shadow was smart and he wouldn't throw it everything he has worked for unless he was 100% sure of his decision.

"You have three days to leave the United Republic. If you don't, we will hunt you along Amy Rose." The Commander said, "I have three days until I report of this situation back to Earth. They will most likely ask me to send a squad after you ... or even more, considering you don't have a very good reputation with humans and you are betraying G.U.N."

The first time G.U.N appeared in Mobian land, many protested. The civilians thought that G.U.N.'s agency was a way to keep an eye on the Mobians on behalf of the humans. It wasn't at all a lie, in the beginning, G.U.N consisted of human agents only but seeing the constant protests, the humans decided to remove the humans and replace them with Mobians.

   Of course, one human person stayed at G.U.N and that was the Top Commander. That calmed down the protests and all of them subside down the moment Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge, and Omega joined the agency.

"Why are you doing this?" Shadow asked. He was baffled. He had respect for his Commander but going against what was expected of him surprised him.

"In all of my years working for G.U.N. I had never met someone like you." The Commander said. "Our relationship it's only based on work but even so ... Your determination makes me doubt ... maybe Amy Rose is innocent."

This time Shadow knew that he wasn't speaking to the Commander. He was talking to the person underneath the suit.

"And I have a feeling I should believe you, and I have survived many times by just following that."

A few seconds passed and for a moment Shadow didn't want to leave. He knew that after this day, he was probably never going to see him again. But he prayed to Chaos that one day their paths may interview again.

"You have three days agent, leave." The Commander said. "You will be facing G.U.N.'s wrath and the world will be against you."

"Then, I will fight like I always have," Shadow replied, smiling at his commander knowing this was goodbye.

"Shadow ... take care."

Shadow left his office. Content and nervous at the same time. Content because for the first time in all of his years working for G.U.N., the Commander called him by his name. No 'Agent Shadow' or just 'Agent.' And nervous because Shadow didn't know what the future awaited for him.

.

The winds softly caressed Amy's hair as the strings of it danced beautifully. Sonic had never thought of settling down but he knew he could slow down once in a while for the pink hedgehog.

The grass surrounded them along with the sunflowers. It was a sunny day but the wind was cold and it made up for the heat. Sonic and Amy were in their backs, watching clouds above them.  

Sonic took Amy to one of his favorite places on Mobius, it was kinda a secret spot for him. Not a lot of tourists came and it is peaceful and quiet.

Sonic loved the idea of traveling the world and saving folks but he knew Amy was one who wanted to settle down. Have a family and such.

"Amy, if we were to get married now, would you say yes?" Sonic asked and Amy was caught by surprise. It was random considering that they were in complete silence a few moments ago.

But still, she answered.

"Now? I don't know ..." Amy said. She had been honest with Sonic from the beginning. That at the moment, she still had strong feelings for Shadow. "But my older self would have said yes without thinking."

Amy chuckled, a bit hurt but he accepted the answer.

"It's just ... you know, I love to be as free as the wind ... I don't imagine comfortably myself living in a house when I know there are people out there who might need me." Sonic said. "So ... I am guessing we can never be truthfully together, uh? Even if we wanted."

"Sonic, I'll make something clear." Amy turned her head to look at the blue one and this caught his attention as well. "I don't want to change anything about you. I love how you live freely. I don't want to take that away from you. Even if we were to get married, I will still be willing to give you your freedom."

Sonic eyes sparkled and he felt his heart beat faster. "So ... Would you have been happy by just staying at the house and taking care of the children? Waiting for me to arrive home?"

"Absolutely," Amy replied, their eyes interview and there shared a lovely moment. However, Amy knew that she needed to pop Sonic's bubble. She didn't him to have any hopes for that happening at least now. "But that was old me ... and now well ... I am not sure what I want and well you know ... I-"

"You still love Shadow, I know that." Sonic's voice had a bit of jealousy to it. Amy knew it was normal. After all, he was dating a girl who was still in love with someone else. "If you don't mind me asking ... what do you see in him?"

Amy knew that Sonic was serious about his question and to give him some peace of mind, she replied. "He is just ... incredibly kind and sweet."

"Hey, I am kind and sweet too!"

Amy smiled and let out a small giggle. "Yes you are but it comes to you naturally... but Shadow ... He was a hard time expressing how he feels or showing any emotion at all. Even if he fails miserably at it ... he still tries. He tries his hardest to be good and do good."

Amy noticed that Sonic was quiet as a signal for her to continue.

"Believe me, if a year ago you have said that I would fall in love with Shadow the hedgehog, I would probably laugh y lungs out." Amy continued, "But he showed me other sides of himself and along the way ... I just fell for that. It wasn't a moment like when you saved me from Metal Sonic ... It was gradually, in stages even and in one of those ... I fell in love with him."

A few seconds passed and Amy felt Sonic softly place a hand on her cheek, he brought her closer to him and he kissed her on the lips.

They stayed close to each other's faces and Sonic whispered. "It makes time but there's a possibility ... I can make you fall in love with me gradually and one day, you may just realize that you love me."

A sense of guilt overtook Amy. He had been nothing but sweet to her and caring. Yes, he had been absent for a long time but it was Sonic. He liked to travel around for a long time and most important of all, he was single back then.

Now he was dating Amy and he was slowing down for her.

And Amy had to acknowledge ... that the gesture made her heart beat faster than usual.

Amy cuddle in Sonic's arms, she heard his beating heartbeat that matched hers. "I really wish for that moment to come soon."

.

If Shadow couldn't pint point the moment he fell in love with Amy. He had realized he loved her a few days ago but he knew he had feelings for her even before then. Did he love at first sight? Most likely not. It was in stages, gradually. Like a plant, it slowly grew. During a year, Amy and he had provided with light, water, and other resources for it to grow. And the small plant had grown into a beautiful flower.

"So, your plan is to run away to the Acorn Kingdom. That's on the other side of the world. How are you planning to get there?" Rouge asked. They were still at her apartment, talking over the matter.

"I am going to buy a small plane or helicopter from the yellow box. I should take all of my money out of the bank before G.U.N cancels all of my accounts." Shadow replied.

"And will you be accepted in the Acorn Kingdom?"

"Yes, I spoke with Princess Sally and she owns me a favor. She plans to hide us for some time."

"And then what?" Rouge asked again.

"We will plan everything as we go," Shadow said. "But to be honest, I don't even know where to start looking. Is this an old enemy? And if so, who? Who has a grudge against Amy?"

Rouge stood up from the sofa, walking from side to side, thinking about the different possibilities. "Maybe it's not against Amy ... but you."

Shadow raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"In your Star Festival's report, you said that in the drainage bunker, there were imagines and videos of you and Amy during our Twinkle Star Village mission." Rouge added, "They have been watching you two ... maybe they notice how close you are to her and they want to take advantage of that."

Shadow looked away, was he so obvious? "We are not that close."

Rouge rolled her eyes at him, she knew he was lying but this was over the top. "Can you just men up and say you like the girl? It ain't that hard."

"I don't like her," Shadow lied again. At least this time he knew he was lying. He just didn't want Rouge to tease him about it.

"Now I know why Amy is with Sonic," Rouge added. "He wasn't afraid of talking about his feelings for her and he got the girl."

Rouge had never seen Shadow snap his head so fast before. His expression changed and Rouge was confused by his sudden change.

"Wait ... you didn't know they were together?"

"Together as?"

"Together ... as boyfriend and girlfriend."

Shadow knew this feeling. He had felt before when he used to date Maria and she would show up with a different guy every night. However, there was a difference. The first one, Maria was technically his and he couldn't focus on this feeling because he was concentrated more on the fact that she cheated. Secondly, Amy wasn't even his girlfriend ... yet. He had barely realized his feelings for her and he had already lost to his blue rival nonetheless.

Shadow gave it a thought again. Sonic and Amy were Chaos knows were and alone. They could be hugging, kissing, holding hands, sleeping together, being intimate together.

He knew this feeling too well. He thought he had forgotten about it but no ... it was there and it overtook him. He let out a growl and he held his hands so tight that even with the globes on, he knew his knuckles were white from the pressure.

"I need to finish somethings," Shadow said as he stood up from the sofa. "I'll be back tomorrow night if Amy comes back early contact me as soon as you can."

Rouge watched the black hedgehog opening the door of her apartment to get out. However, she stopped him.

"Are you angry?" Rouge asked, a certain hint of worry in her voice.

"Angry? No," Shadow gave Rouge one last look before exiting her apartment.

"... maybe jealous."

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A/N: First, I want to apologize for the grammar errors and all that. I will be fixing the mistakes soon, I just wanted to publish this chapter as soon as I could.

I had finished writing the final two chapters of 'Stages' yesterday. However, as I read over them, I realized that I didn't like them.

I was putting too much information, conjunctions, and subplots that it was just too much. As some people may know, 'Stages' was originally a series of one-shots stories that concentrated on the development of Amy and Shadow's relationship. It was as simple as that but as people wanted to read more, I found myself writing this story without a plot. Because originally this story wasn't meant to have a plot. It wasn't meant to have any deep meaning nor to be a long story.

With that said, I enjoyed very much writing the first chapters, but I guess I let myself get influenced and wrote a story of 20 chapters that was meant to only be 10 chapters.

There is a lot of inconsistency, I didn't like how I literally build up the villain of the story in the last five chapters and I believe that it's all due to that as well as that my writing is not good to the point I can create a good building of a villain within a few chapters.

Now those two chapters are there, they may never be read. I guess I would publish them later on Wattpad as 'Alternative Ending."

The next chapter, it the FINAL chapter. It will most likely come out this week and after that, I will start working on the story prompts request. Thank you, everyone, who has been with me on this journey and hopefully will continue to read other of my works.

Next: Soon

[leslie-red]

Connection chapter 2

Enjoy this new chapter,i really hope you like it,sorry for the english ^^ Like i said it is my only " TEW " fanfiction and it was one of my most amazing moment to write it,write all these characters !!!! 

Sebastian walks out of the room where Ruvik is kept in and sees a little girl in the hall, surrounded by his coworkers. Various images come to his mind, like the fact that she looks even more like Lily than she did on the picture, even though he knows it's not her. Above all, he pictures Joseph kneeling down next to her, trying to comfort her like he often did with children. He tries to shake the thoughts away and not to pay attention to the stare Ruvik gives him behind his back. "He always knows how to distract me…" He walks towards the little girl, who looks terrified and lost. He asks his coworkers to leave him alone with her. When they're gone, he sits down next to the girl and looks at her attentively. The child, on the other hand, doesn't even dare to look at him. Nor talk. Nor move. He opens the file to look once again at what happened to her. "Found completely alone in the middle of the forest, calling her mother and crying. No apparent injuries. Refuses to communicate." He closes the file and focus on the little girl again. For the first time since his daughter's death, he realizes he doesn't know how to approach a child anymore. At this moment he feels lost, exactly like her.

"Hello…" He mentally calls himself an idiot. No, it's not a "hello" for her. But what else can he say? "You can't talk?" The girl stays silent for a while until she shakes her head.

"I understand. My name is Sebastian Castellanos." He gradually recovers some confidence and pursues. "You were found alone in the forest…Do you remember?"

This time she nods but still doesn't say anything. "At least she acknowledges my presence. She's not completely disconnected from reality."

"We had to bring you to the police department to make sure you're safe. And you are, trust me. You're not in danger."

That's when she lifts her head and looks at him, her eyes full of tiredness and sadness. At this very moment, Sebastian feels like he just got punched in the chest. He hates to see a child suffering.

"Diane. My name is Diane." She slowly whispers.

He gives her a softened smile but tries not to scare her so she doesn't stop trusting him. He's the first person she chose to speak to. Now he can't fuck it up. "Do you want to drink something? You seem so cold…What about a hot chocolate?"

"Yes…Thank you."

He knows he has questions to ask her. And god knows they will be hard for her to hear. But he prefers to take his time so she feels better. He gets up in order to go fetch a cup of hot chocolate, without forgetting to promise her he will be back soon. Diane looks as he walks away, immediately feeling a great gentleness coming from this man, who seems to have such a beautiful soul. She can feel those things. She trusts him, yes, she can talk to him. But not yet. However, that sweet aura brutally changes to something icy. She feels like someone is watching her. Turning around, she sees another man in a room, rather frightening, his body covered with burn scars, all dressed in white with a hood. He's playing with an orange, crushing it inside his hands. His gaze is insistent on her, with big grey eyes. But he ends up smiling at her. Not a warm smile, but rather an amused one. She hears footsteps and sees the nice Sebastian again, who's holding a cup of hot chocolate.

"Be careful, it's hot." He says, giving her the cup.

Diane gladly reaches for the cup with a smile and focuses on the other man. Sebastian notices it and immediately walks to the room to close the blinds. Ruvik can't do anything for now or know anything about this child. This would lead to horrible things. "What an evening…I didn't picture it like this."

"Don't mind him Diane, alright?"

Protecting this child is all that matters right now.

"He's strange…" She whispers after taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

Sebastian smiles. He can't stop himself. Yes, apperceiving Ruvik for a single second is enough to understand that he's strange. Special.

"I know that…You probably don't want to talk about it…But you know I'll have to ask you those questions…Right now I don't want to force you."

He's acting more like a friend and less like a detective with her. It's normal. He has to. For her.

"I can do it…" Diane smiles softly. "I can talk about it. But only with you."

He's surprised but relieved that she accepts to talk to him.

"Now I can…I can trust you." She continues, still with a soft smile on her face.

"Alright…Let's go to my office, okay? You will feel better there."

While taking Diane to his office, Sebastian throws a glance inside the room where Ruvik is by lifting the blinds up and discovers him fixing the window without moving. He sighs and walks with Diane inside his office. She sits down, effectively feeling better in this calmer room. Sebastian was going to sit at the other side of the desk, but prefers to stay next to her for the interrogatory. He hates this word, especially in this situation. He would rather not have to do that. But it is his job.

"Diane…You can tell me everything. What happened…How you found yourself in this forest, alone. You were whispering your mother's name."

There you go. He talked about the painful subject and immediately feels guilty about it. "Goddamn consciousness." Diane lowers her head while remembering the events.

"It was horrible…I remember…My mother was nowhere to be found, I looked everywhere for her…But I heard those strange noises and…there was a shadow outside…" Soon there are tears inside of her eyes. "It was my mother…She wasn't answering my calls…And she finally turned around and…she tried to attack me…And then she ran away…But it wasn't human. Her cry…and how she ran away." The fact that Diane is still under shock makes her unable to cry. Not entirely. "I was shocked and I…I passed out. Then I woke up and I just wanted to find her…" She can't talk anymore.

"You went to this forest next to your home in order to find her?" Sebastian ends up asking with a soft voice, after carefully listening to her story.

"Yes. And I didn't succeed, I was so afraid and tired…"

Sebastian doesn't know what to think anymore. Things won't be as simple as he first thought. It's way more atrocious. He remembers all the horrors he encountered in STEM. He has the sensation that all of this is linked to this story. Slowly massaging the little girl's arm, he promises her that he will find her mother. But deep down inside him, he can feel the horror that's waiting for him. Once again, his thoughts are directed towards a single person. Ruvik.

He leaves Diane alone in his office for a moment in order to find Ruvik and talk to him. It turns out that he will need him for this case. He doesn't have any other choice. Gathering his courage, he opens the door and sees him still facing the window, like a ghost. For an instant, Sebastian can't help but be mesmerized by this image. It's something he had already felt when he was a prisoner in STEM. What he doesn't know now is that Ruvik can feel him behind his back. Deeply. Ruvik, whose eyes were closed, instantly opens them with a smile.

"So?" He asked in a deep voice. "You remember that I exist?"

"Ruvik…Something serious is going on. I won't beat around the bush, I need you in order to solve a case. Only you can help me."

He effectively dived straight into the core of the subject, and Ruvik can't help but laugh. A mocking laugh. His shoulders are even shaking.

"Oh, really? You intend to use me in your little case just to facilitate the task?"

He's still not looking at him, remaining in the same position in front of the window. Sebastian slowly approches him.

"It's very important, Ruvik. It's not just a 'little case'. I think it concerns you. You don't impress me anymore, you can mock me, you can reject me, try to kill me. I prefer to be honest. It's true that in the beginning

I preferred to keep you away. But I need your help."

Ruvik doesn't say anything and stays motionless like always. Sebastian steps closer.

"I promise you I will do everything I can so Mobius won't find you." He reveals, hoping for a reaction.

"I can protect myself, Seb." Ruvik answers calmly. The inspector gives him a little smile.

"I know. You're probably right. But you still have my help, I want you to know it." Ruvik can't help but wonder…Why? Why does this fool want to help him? Why all this kindness? He comes to the conclusion that it's a part of his personality.

"Fine." He ends up replying and Sebastian is delighted by it. "But I have one condition."

"Spit it, then." Seb retorts with a slight humorous tone that Ruvik doesn't miss.

"I don't want you to keep me there like a lion in a cage. I spent too much time stuck in this machine or in those narrow rooms. You don't have the right to keep me here as a prisoner." Sebastian can feel his rage and tries to reassure him.

"That wasn't my intention. It was just for tonight."

He knows that he can't keep Ruvik there against his will. He doesn't stand a chance but despite everything, he will keep an eye on him. Ruvik turns around with a gaze full of anger but also something else that Sebastian can't guess.

"Say it…" Ruvik whispers in a languorous voice. He's moving closer to Seb like a predator. It's when Sebastian is struck by a flash-back. When Ruvik was stepping closer to him in this elevator in STEM. After

Sebastian killed this…thing that looked like Ruvik's sister. And exactly like in the flash-back, he steps back, feeling Ruvik's dangerous aura around him.

"What do you want me to say?"

Smirking, Ruvik is moving even closer to Sebastian, feeling his grip on the man. It's still there.

"Say that you need me, and not my help."

They're looking right into each other's eyes as if nothing around them existed anymore. Like in STEM.

"I need you." Seb answers back very seriously. For this case, yes, he needs him. But for Ruvik, it has another meaning. Or rather, he's amused by making it seem like there is one.

"You really can't get enough of me." He laughs.

Sebastian immediately understands. He can feel Ruvik's powerful ego and rolls his eyes.

"You got it right."

"I will help you."

They are now a team. Sebastian sees it like something good, but still risky. But this case is a priority.

 "I never though I would need him. He's supposed to be everything I hate, everything I'm fighting against. In STEM, I didn't have any choice, but here I have one and I made my decision. Not to kill him. Even protect him if it's necessary. The real world will be against him. Does he realize it? But I will be there. However, he doesn't deserve it, he hurt me and my colleagues. But this isn't a matter of merit. Just compassion I feel for a lot of people. He will throw it away, I'm sure of it, but this is who I am. That's why he showed me his memories. He understood who I was. And foolishly I'm now hoping that I won't disappoint him. What's happening to me? I just want this to fucking end. Ruvik still has a strong grip on me and there's nothing I can do about it…"

Ruvik realizes the state of weakness Sebastian is currently in and he can't do anything else but be delighted by it. But there will always be something in Sebastian stronger than Ruvik. Something indestructible. Sebastian has a particular strength in him that will always help him to get over any obstacle that is in his way. He knows it. He understood it in STEM. For that, Sebastian will always stay the most fascinating and complex being that ever crossed his path. And he doesn't regret it for a single second. Teaming up with him will be very interesting.

 "It had to happen one day, Seb…Don't you think? You didn't hesitate for a second to come to me, take me and keep me. After all I did to you…Surprising."

Please leave comments if you love it :) i will be very happy !!!! Ao3link

[assassinshadowgirl]

Family

“I’m going back to the police station to handle a bothersome case so I won’t be back for dinner,” Sebastian put on his trench coat and headed out.

“Do you want me to leave some potato carrot stew for supper?” Ignis stepped out of the kitchen, holding a ladle and wearing an apron.

Sebastian glanced back before nodding his head in return. “Sounds good. Thanks Iggy.”

“Sure thing.”

“You know the drill–” Sebastian waved a goodbye gesture as he closes the door behind him.

Ignis narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in an annoyed manner. “Don’t open door to stranger. Keep the door locked at all times so on. Sheesh,” He returned to the kitchen. “I’m not a kid anymore. I’m already twenty-two.”

“Can’t blame him,” Trevor was assisting Ignis with the chopping of carrots. “It’s his father’s instinct at work.”

Ignis stood next to him to peel the potatoes. “I know,” he sighed. “However I already proven that I’m capable of taking care of myself.” He tossed one potato into a basket then picked up another. Ignis suddenly came to a stop and glared at Trevor.

Trevor raised an eyebrow. “What?” He asked. “Is there something on my face?”

“Why didn’t Seb do this to you? You’re only a year older than me….”

“Excuse me?” Trevor snorted. “Perhaps I have a much more mature looks than you.”

Ignis doesn’t seems very impressed by his answer.

Trevor shrugged. “How about you try getting a cool looking scar like me then Sebastian will stop treating you like that? What do you say?”

“If that ever happens,” a voice cut in. “That will only make Sebastian to keep a more paternal eye on Ignis.”

They saw Nate strolled into kitchen joining them both. He casually petted Ignis on the head when he lowered down to the cabinet to get a cooking pot.

“You know he’s been through a hard lot ,” Nate glanced up at Ignis. “He lost everything until you…,” he pointed at him. “…came to his life. You became his support and someone he loved dearly furthermore didn’t want to lose it again. That’s why he acted this way.”

Nate gave a faint smile. “I’ll do the same thing if I were him. After all I shared the same experience as him.”

Both Trevor and Ignis went awkwardly silent as Nate started up the fire on the stove before placing the pot.

“I know you don’t like to be treated like a kid,” he leaned against the wall. “Still weren’t you happy that there’s someone looking out for you? You have a family now. That family is us. Also Sebastian’s your new father.”

Ignis blushes in return while resuming the peeling of potatoes. At the corner of his eye, he noticed Trevor was giggling. “What so funny?”

“Guess I become Iggy’s big brother,” Trevor waved his hand in response.

Ignis rolled his eyes. “Aye ‘big bro’.” he grumbled back.

“If Sebastian’s father, me being big brother then what about Nate? Mother?” Trevor joked.

“Oh goodness me,” Nate immediately caressed his own face with his gloved hand. “I’d better go get a gender change surgery then asked Seb to propose to me to get a perfect family~.”  

“EEWW!!! Disgusting!!” Both Ignis including Trevor’s face turned green after listening to such statement.

“Sebastian, of course will definitely shot himself,” Nate shook his head. “And no way I’m doing that. I’m too good looking, you know.”

“Yeah right.”

“Anyway we all know how Sebastian does thing his own way. Besides we owed him a big thanks. He had problems on his back and here he’s helping us with ours. To be honest his friendship with us means a lot to me. So that’s why I vowed to protect and help him whatever I can since we all had the same goal as him.”

“To bring down MOBIUS and the ones responsible,” Trevor continued. “Its true. If it weren’t for Seb, I think I’m still drowning my own sorrows with alcohols.”

“And me being stuck with my captors,” Ignis mumbled. “My parents died when I was only five while my uncle barely had time for me because of work that I ended  growing up alone. Now I met Sebastian, I finally had someone to rely on.”

Nate nudged Ignis on the shoulder. “That’s why you shouldn’t whine about him treating you as a kid. He actually knows you’re capable still he just wants you to be safe.”

“I know.”

“Have a chat with him when he gets back.” Nate gave a thumbs up.

“I’m home,” Sebastian took off his trench coat and hung it on the coat rack. He approached the dining room and was quite surprised to see Ignis sitting on one of the chairs, waiting for him.

“Welcome back,” the boy greeted back. Seeing Ignis’s sweet warm smile brings serenity to him.

“I already heated up the stew. Have some.”

Sebastian nodded. He took a seat beside Ignis and helped himself to the stew. “Hmm delicious. I always found myself craving badly for your cooking Iggy.”

“There’s still some leftover,” Ignis grinned.

“You know you should be at bed by now,” Sebastian gently poked Ignis on his temple. “It’s past midnight. You won’t feel energize tomorrow if you sleep late.”

“I—just want to wait for you that’s all,” Ignis looked at Sebastian with his green emerald eyes. “Besides I can’t get a good sleep if I…don’t see you.”

Sebastian let out a small chuckle. He put his spoon down and arms wide opened, “Come here little fella.”

Ignis climbed onto Sebastian and the detective hugged him. “Same to me as well.”

“Heehee Daddy.”

“Son.”

Meanwhile Trevor and Nate were peeking at them from their room, they both gave each other a satisfied look before closing the door.

END

@sera31 For being a good friend XD

@dragongem777 For delivering such beautiful FF15 stories for me to enjoy and gave my friend inspiration to write.

Story written by Mark. All credits goes to him not me. (Note: I just shared my Crossover ideas with him. Which characters/ plot he wants to change, I leave it up to him.)

Written on request of Sara.

[shedreamsofstars]

What’s Your Hero Like?

"Have we met?"

His voice was a mesmerising drawl accompanied with eyes that flashed with intrigue. Sonic lay sprawled on the sofa, a cold compress pressed up against his left cheek. It took all of Amy's self control to not roll her eyes at how ridiculous he looked.

"More times than I can recall," she said sweetly, leaning against the doorway between the hallway and the living room. "Amy Rose at your service." She waved lightly as she pushed herself away from the frame and into the room. Tails followed in after her.

The kitsune skirted between both hedgehogs and rushed into the kitchen. He called out to her as he filled his bag with snacks. "Thanks for watching him Amy." His voice was muffled. "They only called the meeting a few hours ago, otherwise I would have been more prepared." His voice cleared as he emerged, snapping the clasp shut on his bag and flinging it over his shoulder.

"That's alright Tails. I'm happy to help," she said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Tails blue eyes shone with gratitude. "You're a life saver Amy," he said before turning his attention to the blue hedgehog. "Amy's going to keep an eye on you until the anaesthetic wears off Sonic. I'll be gone till tomorrow so don't wait up."

Sonic nodded slowly, letting the cold compress drop to his side. He gave him a smile but Amy wasn't convinced he really understood any of what was happening at that moment. She pulled Tails into a quick hug. "Have fun," she said. "And don't worry, I'll make sure you come back to a perfectly normal Sonic and tray full of cookies." She turned to see Sonic's gaze drifting over her lazily and ignored the way her heart rate spiked.

Tails thanked her one last time as he bustled out of the house, the door shutting after him with a sharp click. An odd silence settled around the house, broken only by the roaring of the X Tornado firing up.

It would take Tails at least a few hours to reach the summit meeting and it made sense for him to stay overnight. On any other day that wouldn't have even been an issue. Today however just so happened to be the day that Sonic had scheduled his wisdom teeth removal surgery.

She shrugged off her coat and hung it up, pulling a book out of her bag before hanging that up too. She returned to the living room to see Sonic laying on his side, head hovering over the edge precariously. He tilted to the side as he watched her, eyes squinted in worry.

"You disappeared," he mumbled simply.

Amy's nerves were on edge. She was in unfamiliar territory. Sure, she'd been prepared to meet a 'different' version of him, but the reality was nothing like she'd expected. If she was honest, the whole situation was quite disorientating.

"I'm back now," she replied with a reassuring smile.

"You went..." He paused, eyes squinting into a frown as he struggled to find the right words in his drowsy state. He lifted his hands and made a 'poof' motion with his fingers. "And now you're back." His face suddenly turned serious. "Are you magic?" he said quietly, eyes wide in awe.

Her smile widened. Of course he'd come up with some outlandish reason to explain her momentary absence. She seated herself on the sofa opposite, unable to resist the desire to play along.

She leaned forward slowly, his gaze clutching at her in anticipation. "Shh, it's a secret," she whispered softly. She held back a giggle as his face exploded with understanding. She leaned back into the sofa, shaking her head at how simple it had been to convince Sonic she had magic.

She flicked open the book in her lap as Sonic's attention was grabbed by something on the ceiling. She'd barely read a page when she noticed him sit up on the sofa opposite. She glanced over her book and was surprised to see him studying her carefully.

His head tilted in thought and he blinked slowly. "You're a girl," he said, words slightly slurred from the drug running through his system. Or maybe it was from the slight swelling of his cheeks.

"Oh really? I hadn't noticed," she responded with a hint of sarcasm. "Do you need a new ice pack?" she asked with a frown. Sonic had let his drop to the sofa and she was suddenly worried he was in pain.

"I noticed," he said blankly.

She was completely blindsided by the response. She opened her mouth to reply but wasn't sure what to say. "I-i-icepack..." she stuttered, wondering if he could see just how much of a hopeless fool she was.

Trying to keep from looking at him was easier said than done. Especially when she could feel his gaze burning into her like a flame. He didn't know what he was saying right now she reminded herself. Even if he did, he definitely didn't mean it the way she wanted him to.

She risked a peek over the top of her book. The rolling hills of his eyes swept over her and towards the kitchen and he shook his head. "No ice," he said simply. He lay down and closed his eyes, the surgery clearly taking its toll.

The room drifted into a comfortable silence and Amy returned her attention to her current read. As she drank in the words, the story played out in her head and she could almost forget that Sonic was opposite her. Or she might have been able to if he hadn't kept shooting his hand up and poking the air above him every minute or so.

He'd noticed. She loosed a breath, slow and careful. What did he mean? Was he simply observing or was it something more. It was the first, it had to be. Why would he mean anything else by it, she told herself. This was Sonic after all and he had always been blissfully oblivious when it came to her feelings.

Sonic's hand shot up into the air again, curling around empty air before he snatched it back. Amy did her best to ignore it but the next time he did it, he turned his attention to her.

"I like you," he said slowly. Voice small and honest.

Amy couldn't help the smile that bloomed on her face, the edges of it tugging on her heart strings. How was it that Sonic could be so incredibly sweet when he wasn't quite himself.

He turned away from her again, examining something she couldn't see. The soft mumblings of his voice floated over to her but try as she might, even with her hedgehog hearing, she was unable to make it out.

She sighed softly. "You're not going to remember any of this are you?"

His green eyes locked onto hers. "I will remember." He paused, eyes glazing over. " I remember everything... in here." He tapped his temple clumsily, barely avoiding poking himself in the eye.

"Yeah, everything."

She didn't mention that he barely even knew who she was right then. She would have taken offence had it not been for the fact that he barely even remembered himself either.

Sonic studied her carefully, his eyes roving over her, trying to place her whilst simultaneously dusting off the cobwebs in his mind. He started excitedly. "You're my friend," he said triumphantly, as if only just realising the fact.

"I am," she said, ignoring the twinge of hurt that the phrase wrought. "And you're Mobius' greatest hero," she added. Try as she might, with his wide eyes full of fascination and his voice a calm lull, there was no way she could deny that this version of Sonic was endearing.

"I am the greatest," he said proudly, a light pout forming on his lips.

"You're modest too," she replied, not missing a beat.

Sonic looked at her intensely. "Am I your hero?"

Her brows dipped in surprise. She was getting used to his strange responses, but she hadn't expected this to be one of them. Sonic seemed to take that as his answer and his eyes flashed with disappointment before he looked away.

Amy slid to the floor and shuffled over to him. She dropped the book to the ground beside her as she turned to face Sonic. She'd felt his eye on her the whole time but seeing the endless green forests up close made her forget her words and regret moving.

She swallowed hard and struggled to hold his gaze. "You've never really..." She paused. Never really what? There were so many ways she could finish that sentence, but was she prepared to deal with the outcome.

She turned away him so quickly that her speed rivalled that of his own. "Never mind," she bumbled, quickly retrieving her book. She was doing anything other than reading it, but she hoped the pretence would keep him from asking her anything else.

Her back was still pressed up against the sofa and she was painfully aware of any movements he made. He didn't say anything for a long time and she wondered if the clutches of sleep had gotten too hard to fight off. She risked a peek behind her and found him staring at the book in her lap. His eyes flicked up as she turned.

"What's that about?"

"Oh, this?" she asked, lifting up the book.

He nodded.

"It's uh, about a young boy. He's a dreamer and a librarian but he's also the hero of the story. I uh, I don't know how it ends yet but I'm sure it'll something fantastic."

"Who's hero is he?" he asked innocently.

"The people's I guess."

"Oh." He was quiet for a moment and she turned to face him. He was staring at the book again, a look of childish concentration in his eyes. "What is your hero like?"

His words were so unknowingly casual and off hand that Amy was sure that she hadn't heard him properly, especially after he was so disappointed before. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Your hero," he said plainly. "What is he like?"

She shrugged. "Tall, dark and handsome, I guess."

He attempted to raise his eyebrows, but the sluggishness of his movements just made it look as if he was really surprised by her response. "You're lying," he said. "I mean, what's he really like."

What was she supposed to say. 'My hero is blue and runs like the wind. Oh look at that, so do you. What an incredibly convenient coincidence.' She cringed just thinking about it. No. She was going to have to find another way around this if she wanted to avoid lying outright.

"Fine," she said, relenting. "My hero is caring," she started, voice soft. "He's selfless and brave, with just a little sprinkling of impatience." She paused, wondering if maybe it was best to stop there.

"That's it?" He curled up so he could see her more clearly. His gaze was warm and inviting and she realised that he was not going to give up until he got a full answer. To heck with it, she thought. It wasn't like he'd remember any of what she said so what did it hurt.

"My hero is kind. The sort of person who puts others needs before their own. The type who will kiss my forehead just because he wants to, who will lift me up when I'm too tired to do it myself. He's just and courageous, making the impossible possible day after day. He makes mistakes, but that's okay because he has a good heart and does everything in his power to make things right."

She took a slow breath. Once she'd gotten started, she hadn't know when to stop. Sonic hadn't seemed to mind, listening intently throughout her whole speech. Now that she was done, the room seemed strangely quiet.

Sonic had turned his attention to his fingers, moving them up and down as if calculating something. His lips moved methodically, as if keeping track of a list as he worked out some unknown calculation.

He shook his head and took a deep breath. His eyes met hers again, as unreadable as a blank slate. "I'm tired," he announced, before rolling over so that he faced the back of the sofa.

Amy took the cue to leave him alone and stood without a word, picking up her book as she did so. She dropped it onto the sofa she had occupied earlier and paused to look back at him. She couldn't be sure what he'd been doing with his fingers but she was sure that he didn't like whatever conclusion he had come to.

She grabbed the blanket draped over the back of the sofa and shook it out, returning to gently drape it over the sleeping hedgehog. Well, if you could call laying down with your eyes scrunched up tightly sleeping.

She bit her lip to hold back a giggle at his attempt to fall asleep as she made her way to the kitchen. Sonic could fall asleep anywhere, so she didn't doubt that even this method would work for him eventually. He'd wake in a few hours, and by then the effects of the anaesthesia would have worn off. Alongside his memories of the past few hours.

She knew he'd forget. It was inevitable. Part of her wanted him to remember, but an bigger part of her reminded her that most of what he'd said had been senseless muttering anyway. And most of what she'd said would be better off forgotten.

She resigned herself to the fact that for now, she had a promise of cookies to follow through on. "Sweet dreams," she sighed, glancing back at him. "You'll be my hero when you wake," she added in a secret whisper.

"Thank you for looking after me Ames," Sonic said brightly. He'd awoken as his normal self and Amy had never been happier to see him as his usual, if maybe a little cocky, self.

"Don't mention it," she smiled, shrugging on her coat and bag.

"I hope I didn't do anything too stupid," he said, scratching at the back of his head awkwardly. She'd been right about him forgetting everything she noted.

"Of course you didn't." Amy paused for effect. "I mean, you did say some pretty strange things, but nothing more stupid than normal," she teased.

"I hope you're telling the truth because I can't remember a thing," he said, sheepishly. "I remember that weird doctor staring at me and then there's this big blank space. The next thing I remember is waking up here to the smell of cookies." He smiled uneasily, unconvinced of his own innocence.

"You didn't do anything stupid," she assured him. "I promise," she added when he flashed a look of scepticism. She shifted past him into the hallway and made her way to the front door. Sonic's face transformed into a frown as she passed him.

"Wait," he said, darting after her.

"What is it?" she asked, worry creeping into her tone.

"You have a little something..." He lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb gently across her cheek. "Sugar maybe?" he said, examining the white powder on his finger. He touched the tip of his tongue to it. "Flour," he deduced, face screwed up in distaste.

A breathy laugh escaped her lips as she thanked him.

"You're welcome," he said, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," he repeated, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss on her brow.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Amy could pinpoint the exact moment he realised what he'd done. He looked momentarily lost, as if he had acted without thinking and didn't know why. She didn't wait to find out if he knew the significance behind his actions.

The pink hedgehog brushed past him. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest, pulsing out the rhythm of some strange new beat. She paused only when she reached the end of the garden pathway, turning to catch a last glimpse of the unwitting man she had given her heart away to.

Sonic stood in the doorway with a crooked grin. He still looked stunned. No, that wasn't quite the right word. He looked dumbstruck.

Amy had turned on the lights a little while before Sonic had awoken. Now, backlit with the golden aura, he looked like one of the heroes from all those stories she'd read.

Like her hero.

Sonic lifted a hand in a slow wave and Amy returned the gesture with a secretive smile. As she turned away, she couldn't resist touching a hand to where his lips had connected with her forehead. His kiss had brought a calming warmth to her and her heart fluttered at the memory. She bit her lip and sighed into the brisk evening air.

Maybe he hadn't forgotten everything after all.

Thank you so much for reading lovelies. I can't believe this is my first update in over a year for this (and the first of 2017!) I got really inspired for Flipswitch last year so most of my time went towards completing that.

Apologies if there's anything incorrect regarding the after effects of tooth removals in this, I did the best I could considering all I had to go on were boring health articles and those incredibly hilarious videos on youtube (which were absolutely the inspiration behind this oneshot).

Thanks again for reading and let me know what your thoughts are if you can. Aside from that, I hope you're all having a great 2017 so far and I'll see you next time. Chao for now :)

[chaoticfamily-retired]

“What do you mean, “okay”?” Sky crossed her arms, expression nervous and frowning as Smash recounted his call to their friends in another Zone.

“He said they were in a situation but they were okay, so I guess they’re dealing with something bad.”

Sky brought one hand up, nibbling at the tips of her fingers and walking towards the basement door. Night’s phone was down there, she’d call Volt herself, he’d tell her straight out what was wrong, surely-

“Sky, just chill a sec.” Sonic’s hand pulled her away from the door and back to the kitchen table. “Volt can take care of himself, right? I mean, he’s a Freedom Fighter in his Zone, right?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Then he’s fine!” Sonic gave her shoulder a pat and gave an encouraging smile. “He’s got people with more experience than us helping with whatever he’s got going on! We’ve got things here to worry about, so focus on that, kay?”

She took a deep, slightly exaggerated breath, then sighed. “Yeah, okay.”

In the past few days, Sonic and Tails had been noticing some unnerving reactions from the townsfolk when it came to the kids and Sky out and about town so they were in the middle of moving the family someplace closer to Knothole. Sky had been insistent that it was fine, the boys were just seeing things, surely! They had been welcomed so kindly when they’d first moved in, so there was no way the towns people had any negative feelings to the kids!

Sonic swore up and down to Sally when he got back to Knothole that Sky was truly the most naive person he’d ever met and he’d do whatever it took to make sure she stayed that way. It was sweet and Chaos, did they need some honest-to-the-Gods-above genuine kindness like that with the Fighters.

That, and he’d really grown to like being close to his sister and her sewn-together family of adopted siblings. Tails liked being there too, it was nice being with kids his age with not a care in the world in comparison to helping the entirety of the Fighters.

“Volt will be fine, I’m sure he’d rather you worry about here than him anyhow.” Sky scoffed, and squinted at her brother.

“You only say that cause that’s what you would say in his situation.” Sonic beamed and laughed, getting an eye roll from the lighter blue hedgehog.

Smash, however, decided he’d just leave the two to banter and go find his brothers, bumping into Night as he left the kitchen.

The kitsune had only spared a glance at the other before her attention turned to Sky and Sonic, which soured her mood right then. Her muzzle scrunched up with a scowl and she stormed towards the basement, deliberately walking between the two so she could shoot an angry look at the Hero of Mobius.

He wasn’t sure what reaction to give in all honesty, which only made it harder for him to figure out what the girl’s problem with him was.