#there’s also a whole backstory behind the marks on his arms

[finnyofthefence]

this is cookie sets 1-4!!! i know i said 1-5 but i’ve been editing them all day and if i even start on set 5 i might explode T_T u also get little headcanon bonuses on the side so that’s cool i think

this is the one people have probably have seen,,, just w their names added

this is angel and devil. i think they’d actually turn out 2 b bffs and angel gets kicked out of heaven after a while… uh oh

squid ink and sorbet shark, but sorb has longer hair🤯🤯🤯

and finally, ice candy, soda, and peppermint. first of all, i know ice candy looks kind of weird, but this was when i was trying my best not 2 have 2 make the canvas bigger and i’m NOT colouring her again. second of all, yeah i think soda and peppermint part fish/shark, i think it looks kool. third, i saw a headcanon that said theyr siblings and i liked that sooooooo……..

[yayakoishii]

Hello, I’ve loved seeing all of your One Piece content recently! Could I request a Sanji and a fellow straw hat reader who recently got married? I saw something recently about how once Sanji gets married, there would come a moment where someone would call ‘Vinsmoke’ and both would turn their heads and it would just cause Sanji to get emotional because he finally shares a last name with someone who doesn’t see him as worthless. Someone who instead looks at him like he single-handedly placed every star in the sky. If you don’t end up writing this that’s alright, I at least wanted to share this little scenario.

Vinsmoke | Sanji x Reader

Fandom: One Piece

Pairing: Vinsmoke Sanji x Reader

Word Count: 600

Genre: Fluff, minor angst?

A/n: *laughs in still haven't read past Ch. 526* Hey there requester <3 Firstly, I'm happy to hear you enjoy my writing! Thank you so much for this absolutely lovely request. You actually requested it when they were closed but I found it too cute and wanted to write it– even though I haven't reached that part in the manga yet. But, I wrote based on the things I learnt from fanfics (and whatever I got spoiled about, lol) so this might be inaccurate? I would have loved to expand but I need to know the entire backstory properly before I could do that TT Still, I had a fun time writing this cute drabble! Hope you enjoy it ♡

also available on ao3!

Sanji woke up to the most beautiful sight in his entire life– you lying next to him, curled up against his chest from where he could see your hair spilling over the pillow and your relaxed face. This was the sight he was going to wake up every day to, from now on, and the thought of it made him feel like the most blessed man on Earth.

You shifted a little, burrowing closer into him, as if you two were already sticking to each other. He could feel your skin on his own, reminders of the night before but all he could feel at the moment was overwhelming love. He couldn't hold back when he saw your hand with a ring come up to lie above his heart. The choked off sound he let out woke you up, and you looked up at him with sleepy puffy eyes.

"Sanji…?" You mumbled, humming in contentment when he wrapped you up in his arms. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, my love," he said quietly, gathering you into his arms, his own wedding band grazing your back as he did so. You shivered at the sudden cold touch but looked at him with dopey eyes full of so much love that he felt blinded. "Just thinking of how lucky I am."

The two of you eventually rolled out of the hotel bed and got ready to leave for your trip. You were on your honeymoon, a week long trip to a famous vacation island that had a lot of fun activities. Sanji had gotten ready first and gone down to the lobby to discuss something with the staff. You hurried up and joined him there after you had made sure that all the marks he left on you were hidden well under your clothes. You were not embarrassed by them – but you were also a private person who preferred to keep certain things to yourself. The love Sanji made to you was something no one else has to see or know. It was something just for you to experience.

You checked out at the reception since you had the room key and were about to make your way to Sanji when the hotel staff behind you suddenly called out, "Vinsmoke-san?"

"Yes?" You turned around automatically, feeling a little giddy. You had been preparing for this ever since Sanji proposed to you. To be called by his name, to be called his…

You didn't notice Sanji's reaction because of your own thoughts. The blonde had turned to answer the call only to be left dumbfounded when he realised the staff had called for you. You, who were now Vinsmoke (Y/n), had replied back with so much ease, like you had been answering to it your whole life.

And it was like someone had pulled his heart out of his chest and clenched it– it was both painful and pleasing to him that you were a Vinsmoke now. The first one to always be by his side, the first one to protect him even though he was clearly no longer the weak boy he once was. The first one to look at him like he hung the stars in the sky, the first one to love and accept him for who he was– you were now his first, real family. The family he had chosen and started. The family who loved him.

"Sanji?" Your concerned voice jolted him out of his thoughts and he blinked, feeling his eyes wet suddenly. His face was cradled gently in your soft hands as you looked up at him, silently asking him why he was about to cry. "What got you like this?"

Sanji swallowed the heavy lump he could feel in his throat, like his emotions had turned into a ball and were trying to come up his throat. He blinked away the last vestiges of his tears, instead wrapping you up in his arms again.

"You being mine now," he whispered, knocking his forehead gently against yours. His clear blue eyes looked straight into yours as he added, "In heart, mind, name and life."

°•❀•°

[xticklemeemox]

Phantom's Mask

(In advance, I am so sorry for how confusing this gets with what side of Phantom's face is always covered. To clarify, it is HIS right, so the right side of his face from his perspective. It will be described both ways, but I swear I was trying so hard to not make it confusing but I failed so this is to clarify. Polyghouls btw who love Copia. (The relationship between Copia and his ghouls is technically up for interpretation) also why can I never write in the same tense. Also I might change Phantom's backstory, I just don't like it too much???) Oh and I've never written poly for more than three people so... yeah. I hope I did the relationship justice. I tried to mention everyone but writing is hard. I'm so sorry if the ghouls aren't written right 😭 I tried sprinkling on my own hc's for appearances too)

Word count: 13,758

Masterlist

Link to AO3 version:

Fic under the cut

Phantom was the newest quintessence ghoul.

When Papa Emeritus the Fourth summoned him, Phantom's face was covered almost completely by dirty bandages, curls of black and white hair peeking out between the gaps on his head. His left eye, the only one visible, was stunning. The sclera was pitch black like all ghouls, with the iris being a mix of varying shades of purple with flecks of a violet shade that made the whole eye: sclera, pupil, and iris, look like one giant swirling galaxy. Copia had never seen an eye like that before on a ghoul, not even his dearest Aether's eyes, a similar purple color, had looked quite so... enthralling.

(Picture for reference because I can't quite explain what I see in my head. The violet is what Phantom's marking glow, and the galaxy behind him is literally what I picture his eyes as.)

As soon as realization struck, Phantom had scrambled back and to the edge of the summoning circle with a low, distressed keen when he realized he couldn't leave the circle. He trembled from the cold, growling weakly in an attempt to be threatening.

Copia ordered everyone else to leave, even his pack ghouls. Dewdrop protested, not willing to leave Copia alone with a potential threat, but to everyone's surprise, it was Swiss who pulled the short ghoul back towards the entrance of the summoning room, knocking the horns of their masks together with care, the chains attached to the piercings on his long ears chiming with the motion. In a gentle murmur, Swiss explained with knowing eyes that Papa could handle the situation and that they should trust him.

Copia was grateful, recognizing that Swiss saw what he sees too in this ghoul, a fear that won't go away by simply having the situation explained. It will take some time yet for their newest quintessence ghoul to trust them, but Copia is hoping this conversation will be a start, if he decides to stay.

When the door clicked shut behind Rain, who had an arm around the freshly summoned Aurora's shoulder, warm blanket wrapped closely around her, Copia sat on the clean stone floor, letting some moments pass in silence as the black summoning candles, placed in the shape of a pentagram, flickered with an eerie purple flame.

Phantom was sitting, knees to his chest, watching every rise and fall of Copia's own chest with a razor-sharp, fearful gaze. His tail was wrapped around his thigh, the tip twitching occasionally with his distress.

"I am Papa Emeritus the Fourth, the representative for our Lord Lucifer here on Earth, but to you, ghoul, I am Copia. This is the Ministry, the main branch of the Clergy of Satan. I have summoned you to replace my quintessance ghoul in the musical aspects we here at the Ministry require." Copia starts, keeping his voice low and as calming as he is able. "Do you have a name?"

Copia lets the ghoul take in every available feature he can, such as his welcoming expression and unguarded posture. The white iris of one of his eyes. After a moment, the ghoul shakes his head, the tip of his long, pointed ear, the only one still tipped at all, twitching as a bang sounds from outside the room. Papa ignores it, it was probably Dewdrop anyway.

Curiously, the ghouls skin seemed to be two different shades, mostly a light gray, and lavender purple in random splotches.

"Well, that's alright. One of us here can name you, or you can choose if you'd prefer. Most of our ghouls usually have names, but some, like Swiss, our only multighoul, had their names given to them by either other ghouls or one of the humans here."

As Copia continues speaking, explaining a bit about the other ghouls in his pack, the ghoul ever so slowly loosens up, tense muscles unwinding though his gaze never falters. His black tail, a long, thin thing with an end like a fluffy lavender cloud, shimmers with quintessance magic as it flicks back and forth in interest.

"Now, I can send you back if you wish it. I am not forcing you to stay here, like we used to do with older ghouls."

It was nothing more than a desperate whisper, but it was like shouting as the silence in the room afterwards was deafening. "No! Please, I'll stay."

"Yes, yes, of course. We will be happy to have you, truly. I hope you'll come to enjoy it here." Papa nods along easily with a kind smile that errs on the side of awkward. "We just have to perform the binding spell that will tie your presence here to my life force. When I die, I will see you down in Hell with our Lord. If both parties are willing, this can be removed if you wish it. It is not something I like to force upon you."

Copia didn't particularly like that aspect of the binding, fearing it was wrong to do to the ghouls, especially if they had nothing to do with the death of the other bonded. Sister Imperator insisted though, not long after he had summoned all of his ghouls.

She would never tell anyone this, be it in this life or any other, but she requires this binding spell for Copia's benefit. If anything were to happen to her dear boy, she wants his ghouls, his true family, to be with him always. It is the least she can do, when the man doesn't even know that he is her son, and she left him to rot as a lonely orphan.

"Let us share our blood as you repeat after me, yes?"

As the spell was performed, Papa Emeritus glowed with power. His white eye was like a beacon that lit up a path to what the ghoul hoped was a better future, and the ghoul was eager to follow.

Papa retrieves the still warm blanket that Dewdrop was keeping hot before he left, handing it over to the ghoul who takes it cautiously. As he wraps himself in it, his shivering lessens immediately and his visible eye goes half lidded at the welcome warmth.

"I can call one of the others in here to show you around-" Seeing the violet cracks that all ghouls share in the color of their elements light up along with the tensing of his muscles, Copia quickly changes his next words, "or I can take you directly to your room in the ghoul den and tell the others to leave you in peace?"

The ghoul nods, slowly standing, and as he waits for Copia to do the same, black claws nervously fidget with the fraying end of one of the bandages on his face. "I can see about getting you a custom mask, if you'd like. Its a requirement for the ghouls to stay in uniform except in the den, but if you'd like to wear one all the time, it is allowed as well."

Nodding, he agrees easily before hesitating. He gestures at his face, and Copia stares in confusion for a moment, trying to decipher what the ghoul is attempting to tell him with what feels like a game of charades. "Oh, you only want half a mask? That can be arranged, but might I ask why?"

Still glowing with quintessance magic, the ghoul unwinds enough of his bandages to show the bottom half of his face.

"I see. I apologize for asking, and will be sure to warn the others against doing so as well, though they're always respectful regardless. Let's get you clean bandages first, and if you'll allow it, I can help wrap them so they're not quite so... suffocating. My anxiety is skyrocketing just looking at you, dear ghoul."

✨

Anti-social is what the Brothers and Sisters of the Ministry called him. He never spoke, or stayed at events long enough to socialize. His quintessance magic was always swirling around him in little swirls and streaks that trailed after him as he performed his duties, hidden entirely by the regulation Prequelle era uniform that all ghouls were required to wear. It was the most practical choice for everyday duties, compared to older eras outfits.

When hallways got too crowded, he'd stick himself up against the wall and get out as quick as possible. Whenever any of the ghouls or humans yelled or showed any amount of distaste in his general direction, he'd disappear entirely and not be seen for hours.

For the first week topside, Phantom had no name. In fact, he was rarely seen by anyone, be they ghoul or human. He never spoke and always disappeared in the blink of an eye. The pack was giving him time to adjust, to come to terms with how different topside is from the Pits. Aurora adjusted well, is thriving even despite some minor setbacks (like a later incident over a month after her summoning when she killed one of Copia'a pet rats accidentally (it was on purpose but she didn't know the little thing was Copia's.) The funeral was so lovely.)

Dewdrop is the one who named him.

Though people only see him for his temper, Dewdrop is a very observant ghoul. The humans seem to forget that he used to be a water ghoul, and even though he was weaker than others of his kind, Dewdrop knew when to be patient and watch for an opportunity to kill and that skill remained even after his transformation, though its purpose has changed.

So he watched alongside Swiss and they noticed things, spoke with each other about the ghoul and his mannerisms. He was an unusual sort, but they understood something no one else seemed to.

Dewdrop didn't have anyone who understood. Swiss had Dewdrop. Phantom will have the both of them, if he'll allow it.

This ghoul had never had a pack. You could see it in the way he carried himself around others, the difference in interaction between ghoul and human.

He leaned towards any of the pack ghouls, longing in his lone eye but never quite able to bring himself to reach out or ask for the affection he clearly wanted. Every pack activity or commonality was met with a confused stare and a sense of unease that radiated off of him. He avoided humans like the plague. If any came around while he was in the room, the ghoul disappeared with a shimmer of quintessance within the blink of an eye, escaping from the situation silently as though he had never been there in the first place.

He's like a phantom, there one moment and gone the next.

So Dewdrop said so, one night as the ghouls were getting ready for bed in the common room of the band ghoul den. Cumulus was braiding his hair back, as she did every night. The newest ghoul was watching in the corner of the room in a pair of Dew's own pajamas, the cuff of the sleeves and pants far too short on the taller quintessance ghoul. Dew was the only one with a similar build and close enough in height, so the new ghoul was stuck borrowing his clothes much like Aurora was borrowing Sunshine's old things. The ghoulette wouldn't mind as she took her most favorite possessions with her when she and Aether were transfered to a different church.

Off to the side observing the pack from afar, the ghoul sat idly fiddling with the Meliora mask strapped to his belt. He had opted for just the bandages tonight, having just come from Papa's room where the man always helps him rewrap them after his duties are over and he is free to remove his mask. The pack understands that the ghoul trusts Papa, really, they do, but they can't help but wish he'd show them that same trust. Whatever he is afraid of, he doesn't need to be with them, they're his pack whether he realizes it or not. His right eye was covered, as it always was, alongside the entirety of the right half of his face, but the bandages made it so that most of his left side was covered too. No one could really tell what he looked like, and they were so curious but unwilling to pry and scare him off.

His available eye was trained on Cumulus' hands, or more accurately the hair her pale grey fingers ran through lovingly, the other only visible when his magic was at work and caused the iris to glow, otherwise hidden in the shadow of his Meliora mask. Dewdrops hair was stunning in a way he couldn't quite grasp, he's never seen anything like it. It was like looking at a living flame, ombre all the way down to his lower back. At his roots was a cobalt blue, a shade leftover from his days as a water ghoul, then a pale yellow that turned darker into an orangish red. His hair was one of the more unusual color combinations of all the ghouls.

Unlike most ghouls that had streaks of their elemental color in their hair, Dewdrops entire head was his element, and when he got angry, he lit up like a flame. Quite literally.

Cumulus and Dew were talking quietly as she worked with practiced ease, and Dewdrop idly watched his other packmates move about and get ready for a pile in the living room. One moment, the quintessance ghoul was off in a corner by himself, and when next Dew looked over, he was directly beside him. Close enough to touch, if either of them wished, and Dewdrop could see that wish in the galaxy of the other ghouls eye. This close, Dew could see that the bare amount of violet freckles on Phantom's cheeks were actually small little diamond star shapes.

"You're quite like a phantom you know, so silent and steady. I can never tell just how you get from place to place so silently, its impressive." Dewdrop comments, after a moment or two of the ghoul just watching Cumulus finish tying off his hair.

The ghouls eye lights up, markings glowing faintly. He nods eagerly, seemingly happy to be praised.

"Hm, how about Phantom then? For your name? You've not been given one yet, by yourself or any of us." Dew offers with a fanged smile, keeping his attention solely on the ghoul next to him, despite feeling the gaze of every member of his pack at his back.

He had nodded so enthusiastically Dew feared his head would fall off, as the humans say, purple whirls appearing and sparks of quintessance popping around him, the violet streaks in his black and white hair and the cracks along his body all lighting up. Phantom was literally glowing with happiness, and it was very, very cute.

His mouth was covered by the bandages he always wore, but everyone could see Phantom's wide, elated smile.

"Its a pleasure to meet you Phantom, I'm Dewdrop." With a large grin, more reminiscent of baring teeth, Dew reached out a hand, and with a fiery gaze, dared Phantom to reach back.

Phantom stared for a moment, smile never faltering even as he glanced at Dewdrops hand, before his gaze turned excited but so, so nervous. When Phantom's hand met Dewdrops's, the fire ghoul tightened his grip firmly, but still so gentle, "We're your pack, Phantom, whenever you're ready for us."

Phantom freezes, gaze focused on where his hand meets Dew's. He flexes his fingers, the black claws scraping carefully over Dewdrop's hand as Phantom tests out the feeling of another hand in his own, eye shuttering as the sensation overwhelms him.

Trying to keep his smile up as his temper skyrockets, Dewdrop reigns in the anger he feels being able to physically see how a gentle touch causes Phantom to nearly shut down. So many of his reactions to things are leading up to a conclusion Dewdrop is sure he's not going to like.

"Phantom! I love it! Oh I can't believe we finally have something to call you! This is exciting!" Aurora launches herself forward, tripping over the too-long hem of her pajama pantleg as she goes but catching herself with ease, continuing her path towards the quintessance ghoul.

She stops herself from colliding into him only barely, remembering how he hasn't truly let anyone touch him since he arrived. Aurora wants to though, she wants to hug him and talk with him, hold his hand and feel the magic under his skin mingle with hers, to get to know Phantom properly. They were summoned on the same day, Aurora first, and Phantom second. She saw how distressed he was when he arrived and was so confused as to why he felt that way.

Aurora was happy to be topside, excited to perform her duties as an air and quintessance hybrid and perform in the Ghost project. She was a multighoulette, like the ghoulette before her, though Aurora didn't quite understand why the humans called her that. It wasn't unheard of for some ghouls to have two elements, one from each of their parents usually. Cirrus and Cumulus had only shrugged, called the humans strange beings and left it at that. Swiss on the other hand, with a bit of every element, was highly unusual. Almost unheard of even. Aurora had never seen another ghoul like him, and his eyes were so, so pretty with the way they looked like a pale opal stone, and how they shined brighter with whatever color of magic he was using- oh, wait, she was talking to Phantom! Who finally got a name!

Phantom who had looked so scared when he first arrived, but now couldn't seem to stop smiling, even as he had jerked back instinctually away from her.

"Are you going to sleep with us here tonight?" Aurora chirps, swaying back and forth lightly on the balls of her feet with a grin that promised mischief, her tail following the motion.

Phantom's smile falters, and he quickly steps back away from both her and Dewdrop, almost falling over a bean bag that lay haphazardly in the middle of the room as the tiny feathers that make up Aurora's eyebrows raise.

He shakes his head profusely, putting on his mask, as Phantom hastily waves his hands as though he was referring to the entirety of himself. "Aurora darling, let's leave Phantom be. He'll join when he's ready to, and we'll be here with open arms." Rain steps in, putting an arm around her shoulder.

His tail and hers curl together, the feathered end of hers stroking gently over the lunate finned tip of his. With a nod of his head, gesturing for Phantom to go on and leave like the pack can tell he wishes to, Phantom is gone within a millisecond. "Good call on the name Dew, he is like a little phantom." Swiss comments, voice muffled from where he placed it back on Mountain's chest.

Both ghouls were laid on the giant bed already, almost naked as ghouls were known to prefer, both purring up a storm. "He's cute."

Their tails too were intertwined, much like their limbs. Swiss grins, wrapping himself around Mountain even further at his words. This is the first he's spoken in a couple days, and while understanding that the earth ghoul simply doesn't want to speak often, its always a joy to hear the pleasant rumble of his voice. Aurora jumps atop the two and Swiss wraps one arm around her as Rain curls up at Mountains side snuggling into the warmth the bigger ghoul provides. Dewdrop lays out at Rain's other side, burying his face into the water ghouls back and reaching a hand over to rest in Swiss' curls. Eveyone is careful of each others horns, mindful of the sharp points and different lengths and shapes, none of them feeling like glamouring them away at the moment.

Cirrus and Cumulus giggle off to the side, not yet ready for bed, a little too high strung and needy. "Anyone care to join us?" Cirrus offers, mouthing at Cumulus' neck with a hand in her curly grey strands.

Swiss moves to get up immediately at the offer, ever eager, and Aurora whines in disappointment. "I'll be back in a little while, don't worry. Have at Mountain, he's terribly comfortable."

Mountain grumbles, baring his teeth in jest even as his free arm wraps around Aurora and brings her closer, replacing Swiss' warmth with hers and beginning to slowly stroke along the curl of her horns. Aurora shudders and starts to purr, leaning into the touch as her eyes fall to half mast, arousal simmering low in her gut that she ignores for the time being in favor of Mountains affection.

✨

When Papa Emeritus IV gave Phantom his new mask, he lit up, glowing happily as his tail practically wagged like a dog. It was a half-Meliora era mask, custom made to fit his face shape, leave his long ears unglamored, and cover the right side of his face in its entirety.

In a single second, he was gone and a few moments later, he had returned without any of his bandages and the mask firmly in place. His black and white hair was in loose, messy curls, and for the first time everyone got a full, no, half look at his face. There was a large patch of lavender skin around his visible eye that splashed up into his hairline, little dots of the same lavender dotting around his forehead and jaw, but his skin was otherwise a pale grey a few shades lighter than Cumulus' and undertoned with a purple blush. When he smiled, sharp fangs peeked out from the side visible.

Phantom was so, so pretty. The beginnings of their pack bond with him had stirred then, sluggish and weak from the lack of contact required to form it properly.

The poor ghoul had panicked then, confused and alarmed at the sudden onslaught of other presences he was now keenly aware of, disappearing once more as the pack all turned to look at Copia as one, placing down their respective instruments. Practice hadn't even had the chance to start.

Papa sighs, the faintest bit of indignation traveling over the bond he shares with his pack.

"Give him time, my ghouls, he'll come around eventually."

"Maybe wait until practice is over next time, Papa." Dewdrop wraps himself around Copia, nudging his cheek against the man's, seeking affection.

Copia had begun to pet his hair, and seeing one pack member getting attention from their Papa caused all the ghouls to come over, which started an impromptu ghoul pile. Copia was exasperated. They really were supposed to be practicing. There was only a few months until tour and Aurora and Phantom needed practice. It doesn't help that Aether and Sunny weren't here to help them learn their parts.

✨

Rain had forgotten his phone in the practice room earlier in the day and didn't realize til nearly dinner since he was terribly busy with chores. Rain couldn't wait for the clergymen to get better, this illness floating around was becoming an annoyance. Everyone loved to stare at the band ghouls, like they were something to be gawked at in curiosity. Not to mention the whispering, that the ghouls with enhanced hearing could hear clear as day. Mountain always withdrew into himself even further and talked even less than usual. Dewdrop's hold on his temper loosened exponentially and Swiss' smiles lost their genuine edge. Cumulus and Cirrus stuck close to each other like glue, and wherever they went, Swiss wasn't far behind. Aurora seemed to do the best under the attention, eager to chat her way into an easygoing conversation if she noticed the other pack members struggling. Rain was grateful, since that role usually fell to Aether and Sunshine, the two most suited to dealing with humans. When they were sent away, no one else could really manage to do so despite Dew's best efforts, and so it fell to Rain who, like the ghoulettes, stuck to Mountains side eagerly. Rain was finding Phantom to be the most elusive of them all when it came to dealing with the clergymen and their whispers. He did his chores quickly and disappeared with a wink of quintessance, but Rain knew he still heard what the more rude members of the clergy say about him. That he must be ugly under his mask, that it was strange how the ghoul didn't even seem to socialize with his own pack-

Nearly to the practice room, Rain pauses, just barely sniffing the air before he catches a strong wiff of a peculiar smell.

Rain smelled blood.

It was coming strongly from the practice room, but Rain knew no one was allowed in except the ghouls, Papa, occasionally Sister Imperator, and a single Brother who cleans when needed. No one should be in there, Rain had seen everyone around mere moments before and no one was even close to this section of the abbey. Rain starts listing off those people in his head before he comes to a conclusion, the faing trickle of awareness of one of his pack bonds growing stronger as he nears.

Ah, its Phantom then. Its hard to pin the ghoul down unless he wants to be found, much like Mountain.

Opening the door, the smell gets stronger and Rain has to take a moment to compose himself. Fuck. That smelled good.

Rain pinches his nose briefly, careful of his paired nostril piercings and their connecting chain, trying desperately to get ahold of himself. He'll have to find one of the others after this, no doubt, to satisfy the craving for blood now rushing through his veins.

Phantom sits in one of the bean bags, in the act of wiping blood onto his uniform pants as it spills from his fingers slowly.

"You've been practicing too hard, you need to rest your fingers for a couple days." Phantom jumps, flinching back and strumming out a discordant note.

He rips the headphones off his head, accidentally taking his mp3 player with it, puts the guitar down, and stands all in one moment. The journal on his lap slips onto the floor, and Phantom eyes it nervously while keeping an eye on Rain. The usual markings are glowly faintly in his fear and surprise, but they fade as he realizes who it is. Watcher In The Sky leaks out faintly from the still playing mp3 device.

He moves to pick them up but grimaces as he remembers his bloody hands, half hidden by his mask before just staring at them forlornly. Rain moves forward, the smell of blood growing stronger as he takes notice of the multitude of cuts and dried blood on Phantom's hand and the sheen of it on the ground and his black Fantomen.

"I didn't mean to startle you, I'm sorry. You'll rust up your strings this way, and hurting yourself does more harm then good. You can't play properly if your hands are that injured. Let me fix them up for you. Is that okay?" Rain asks, picking up the journal.

He catches a glimpse of the handwriting and knows immediately it is Aethers. Longing fills him immediately, his heart heavy in his chest. Fuck he misses Aether. Its been hard to adjust without him or Sunny, but Papa assured the pack he did what he could, and they'd be able to see them soon if Saltarian allowed it. Rain hates the man, but he is grateful Saltarian begrudgingly agreed to let the ghouls stay for magical assistance even if he declared there was no more use for them in the band. They'd been transferred to a different branch, together thankfully, but the distance was heartbreaking for all involved.

The notebook is filled with notes on chords, explanations for the difficult sections and how his hands would need to be placed. Crude drawings of hands on a fret board were even included. It was opened up to a page for Watcher In The Sky, for when they'd need to slide their hands up the neck. Little smiley faces and encouraging notes were written on the sides, and Rain smiles. Aether always did love adding smiley faces to things, where possible.

Phantom had even added his own little mote, a simple 'This section makes me want to lean along with the guitar sound. Ask Rain or Dew?'

Closing the notebook and placing it back on the bean bag, Rain looks up to see Phantom watching him. He's less wary now, just curious. His hands are still bleeding, droplets slowly sliding down his fingers to the floor.

"May I?" Reaching out a hand, Rain waits with a patient smile.

Phantom takes it, reaching across the distance slowly and clearly ready to take his hand back should Rain's movements turn threatening. A thumb rubs across the slight bit of webbing on Rain's hands that make playing a little difficult, so curious about them and a chuckle falls from Rain's lips before he can stop it. Phantom's eye meets his own immediately, intensely focused as Rain's laughter naturally dies down.

Leading him over to the cabinet full of medical supplies, injuries common with magic being channeled for practice so often, Rain uses his other hand to dig around for what he's looking for. Phantom still holds his other hand, grip on the looser side, but firm, like he doesn't want to let go.

"These are Dew's," Rain begins explaining, feeling anxiety trickle down the bond when Phantom sees the nametag taped on the side of the small bin. "He burns his fingers on the strings when he gets too into a song and also doesn't know when enough practicing is enough for the day. He won't mind us using these, Papa keeps everything well stocked for us."

Worry still creases Phantom's visible eye, and he tilts his head to the side as if to ask 'Are you sure?'.

"Trust me, Dew won't be mad, I promise. He would also like your cuts taken care of." Rain slowly brings Phantom's hands closer to himself, sanitization wipes in hand as they sit facing each other on two bean bags.

He starts off with those, apologizing every time Phantom flinches from the pain. Moving on to antibiotic ointment, Rain lathers it thoroughly and carefully wraps gauze around his fingers. Using some tape over each finger pad, Rain finishes the first aid. Phantom has been watching him the whole time, the crack like markings by his temple and branching up from his neck over his jaw glowing a soft violet.

"All done. You shouldn't practice for at least a few days, or these won't heal and you'll be right back to square one with injured hands and an inability to play at all." Rain keeps a gentle hold on Phantom's hands, loose enough that the other ghoul could pull them back with ease if he wished.

Rain is just glad that the ghoul is letting himself be touched at all.

At Rain's words, Phantom shakes his head side to side. "Hm?"

Something close to a sigh of frustration spills from behind Phantom's lips and he grabs the notebook and pen beside him, one hand still holding Rain's. One handed, he opens the notebook to the back where there's only a few blank pages and begins to write. The letters are shaky and barely legible in English but he manages well enough.

'I need to practice.'

The word 'need' is underlined thickly and Rain tilts his head.

"A few days off won't hurt anything, your fingers need to rest and the Fantomen will still be here for use." Rain reassures, confused as to what the other ghoul is getting at.

'I HAVE to be good enough. I can't be sent back.'

Clarity hits him like a thunderstrike. "You won't be sent back! I promise. Papa wouldn't allow it, you're one of us. Aether and Sunny were just transferred to a different abbey, not sent back to the Pits."

Something settles in Phantom's eyes then, a sort of resignation. He scribbles out something quickly, shaking his head, black tears bubbling in his visible eye. He stands, the pen clattering to the floor as Phantom clutches the notebook to his chest, the words written facing Rain so he can read them.

'I can't be sent away. I love it here, I love the pack. Its here or erasure.'

Phantom takes his hand back from Rain's and the quintessance ghoul is left feeling cold. Colder than he's ever felt, before he learned what a kind, gentle touch could feel like. He ignores it, so used to doing so that he could pretend it was easy.

In an instant, he's gone, quintessance sparking in his wake as Phantom vanishes.

"Shit." Rain mutters, standing too after picking up the pen and placing it with the first aid kit.

Looking around the room, Rain's gaze falls on the bloody guitar. Phantom left without cleaning it. He really must've been upset for that to slip his mind. The entire time Phantom has been here, he's treated Aether's guitar like a precious artifact, something to be treasured.

While carefully cleaning the guitar and changing the strings with reverence, Rain lets his mind wander. Everyone was a little upset every time they approached Phantom and he eyed them carefully, like they'd hurt him if they got too close. Those looks have lessened with time, with every kind word or scarce gentle touch, but he'd retreat back into himself if pushed too far.

The mystery that was Phantom was unraveling slowly, but Rain was beginning to fear that if nothing was done soon, then the terrified longing that lives in Phantom's heart was going to consume him and he'll suffer for it.

✨

Phantom didn't speak for the first month he was topside. At that point the pack had assumed he couldn't, or simply didn't want to. At least, until the Swiss Incident™️.

Now, despite its title, Swiss Incidents happened often. Usually, it was nothing more serious than going a bit too far pranking a human, or causing damage by roughhousing (or fucking) a bit too close to a priceless artifact. This time though, well-

One of the Cardinals in the Ministry was holding Mass. His name was Eugene, and no one particularly liked him. You would think, as a Cardinal in the Church of Satan, he would have some sense of decorum, would take care to be respectful and not leer so fervently at the younger Brothers and Sisters. You would think he would treat his fellow man or ghoul with respect, but he was well known for being intentionally cruel, always managing to scrape by with a harsh reprimand, but never any worse. He was cautious around Papa Emeritus and Sister Imperator, but once, just once, his temper got the better of him and that was his mistake.

See, Phantom was helping the Brothers on cleanup duty, as was his delegated task for this Mass. It wasn't often the band ghouls were asked to help with such mundane activities. As chaotic and unpredictable as they are, things often end up more of a mess than they were before.

At home, the ghouls were allowed to be unglamored, but still in uniform. His ears were out, tail swaying gently at his side as he kept pushing the waves of his hair back away from his visible eye, diligently cleaning a table. Phantom wasn't wearing his bandages underneath so his black and white hair was allowed to fluff out around his head and brush his shoulders freely.

Phantom lifts up a vase gently with one arm while the other takes special care to wipe down the table thoroughly. His fingers are bandaged, and he tries to hold the vase securely.

"Be careful with that, ghoul. Its worth more than your life!" Eugene, that despicable Cardinal, yells from the other side of the room, beady gaze locked on the new ghoul.

Phantom startles, tail straightening in fright and then curling around and around his thigh as the vase crashes to the ground with a loud shattering sound.

"Fucking- Ghoul, what did I just tell you?!" The Cardinal's stomps can be heard easily, and Phantom hunches over, refusing to turn around.

He's projecting his distress clearly across the thin threads of his bond with the pack and it makes their own negative emotions crackle with further intensity as his quintessance magic works its wonders. It seems they were lucky Aether was such a level-headed ghoul who kept a tight reign on filtering his emotions through the bond.

Aether had other ghouls to teach him, to help him understand how dangerous his magic could be. Phantom had no one and Aether wasn't at the Ministry anymore.

By now, all attention is on the two as the Cardinal grows closer. A Brother leaves the room to find Papa Emeritus, fearing the situation could escalate. The pack ghouls, normally not all asked to attend Mass to help out afterwards, are all scattered throughout the room watching the scene with attentive eyes, tails swishing agitatedly. Eugene was not in luck, the ghouls were only around to witness this since so many Brothers and Sisters had come down with colds due to the chilly weather.

"Turn around, ghoul, and look at me!" Cardinal Eugene seethes, physically grabbing Phantom to turn the ghoul around, grip so strong it would bruise a human easily.

At this move, the ghouls begin pushing their way through the crowd to get to Phantom, trying to move the humans aside gently even in their agitated state, but this made them slower.

"Ghoul, repeat what I fucking told you, and tell me exactly what you just did! That was a priceless vase that has been here for hundreds of years! It is irreplaceable, unlike your sorry waste of space. I've said it again and again that you ghouls aren't disciplined properly and look at what happens! I should have you sent back to the Pits for this after a few weeks of solitary confinement like we used to do to misbehaving little shits like you!"

Phantom had never had the displeasure of being directly confronted by the Cardinal, so the man was angry when Phantom didn't respond to him, not knowing the ghoul had never spoken. He is shaking so terribly its visible to everyone close enough, claws digging into his arms to try and contain the uncontrollable movement. He wants nothing more than to escape, but this Cardinal said he could be sent back, not to mention the solitary confinement. There's no way his anxiety could handle even a day in something like that, let alone weeks. He'd send himself back to the Pits before a week had even been up. Phantom can't go back to the Pits, he can't, he can't he can't he can't-

Quintessance is pouring out of the ghoul as his anxiety runs wild. His eyes and the cracks along his body glow, as well as the streaks in his hair all the while his quintessance physically manifests around him in frantic little sparks that sizzle and pop.

A nearby Sister moves forward to inform the Cardinal that Phantom, like Mountain, doesn't speak and can't reply but the Cardinal seals his fate long before she has the chance.

Cardinal Eugene slaps Phantom harshly, and in the silence of the room it echoes. Fingers catch purposefully on the mask secured to Phantom's face. It clatters to the ground a couple feet away with a thud but no ones eyes are really on the mask, but the wearer as the Cardinal shakes his hand out and slaps him a second time, the myriad of rings adorning his fingers slamming into Phantom's cheekbone. He knows the first didn't do much, and wanted to make sure the punishment stuck.

No one speaks. All is quiet and all eyes are on Phantom's scars. The right side of his face, usually hidden by the mask is now bared for everyone to see. Three long marks like claws are ripped into his face. One goes from his cheek right beside his nose, seeming to glance over his eye and through his eyebrow before disappearing into his hairline.

Another brushes his chin, goes through his lip and then cheekbone where there is a gap before faint marks lead to the torn tip of his ear. The final scar is on his forehead and shoots up into his hairline, where some hair refuses to grow back. The hair there is white, as though when the injury tore through his skin, it also marked a white streak into its path to match his already mismatched hair.

Each scar is surrounded by harsh burns that turn the light purple-grey and lavender of his skin a pale pink, as though whoever made the injuries hand was on fire at the same time.

His right eye is now visible, the same shade as his other eye, but with a faintly milky sheen. Both eyes well up with the black tears common for ghouls, spilling over his cheeks as Phantom lets out a choked sob, hands reaching up to cover his face. This is the first noise they'd ever heard from the younger ghoul, and Dewdrops hair is aflame with his wrath in an instant, already moving to tear the Cardinal apart with his bare hands with vengeful glee.

His voice is faint, a near whisper as he manages to say, "'m sorry, sir."

Cardinal Eugene takes a moment to really get a look at the ghoul and then laughs out his final words, and Dewdrop never gets the chance to tear into him.

"Satan below, no wonder you hide your face! You're a sore sight on the-"

Cardinal Eugene gurgles, blood bubbling past his lips as his entire body is thrown with the full weight of Swiss on his back. With a sickening crack, Swiss tightens his fist around the Cardinals black hair and slams his head into the ground as he removes his other hand where it has plunged into the mans lungs from behind. With force, Swiss slams the Cardinals head into the floor once, twice more, before moving on as the marble cracks under the pressure. He tears into the Cardinals spine, severing it as claws dig into the back of his ribs, the flesh tearing with ease beneath the might of Swiss' fury.

First, there is relief at the Cardinal being away from him, finally. Then, Phantom sees Swiss, still mutilating the dead man, angry for him. Realization strikes through his heart, and his knees tremble with the emotions warring within him.

Slowly, Phantom's knees give out and he slides to the ground, staring blankly ahead, glazed eyes peeking through the gaps in his fingers but not seeing the crowd of onlookers or the body being torn apart in front of him. His vision is filled quickly with Aurora on her knees before him as she tries to pull his hands away from his face with such gentle care.

"No, no, don't look at me." He croaks through his sobbing, voice weak from disuse, shaking his head back and forth desperately.

"You don't need to hide from us Phantom." She whispers, giving up and simply holding his mask out to him.

He takes it quickly, fitting it back in place and holding it there with a white-knuckled hand. So suddenly that his brain simply short circuits, Aurora reaches around and pulls him to herself tightly, arms wrapped around his middle. With no small amount of effort, Aurora calls upon her faint quintessance magic, hoping it will help soothe Phantom at least a little.

"I've- I've not been hugged in- in so long." He whispers, voice breaking off as the strange mixture of despair and elation collide within him.

It was only seconds, but the moment felt like a lifetime as Cumulus and Rain stand off to the side, clearly wanting to join. Phantom's head drops to rest on Aurora's shoulder as he lets himself cry, trying desperately to hide himself from the gazes burning into him.

Cirrus and Mountain, ever the level headed of the bunch despite the snarling and snapping they do at the dead Cardinal, pull Swiss back, away from the corpse and the blood spreading out over the cracked marble floor.

Swiss thrashes, kicking his feet out as though he could close the distance now between himself and the Cardinal and manage to stomp his head in. Eyes glowing brightly and tail lashing back and forth, he still isn't satisfied with the damage done. As Phantom's sobs continue somewhere near him, Swiss knows he will never be satisfied, even if he could tear the man into pieces and stuff him through a shredder a million times over.

Dewdrop paces back and forth, just beside Phantom and Aurora, Rain watching him in concern, but knowing the other ghoul was too hot for him to touch right now. The fire ghoul was smoking, embers bursting to life and winking from existence sporadically as he hissed, claws stretching out and curling back in like he wishes he was the one ripping into the Cardinal. His small horns, bone white at the base that fade into a blood red at the tip, glow with the fire sizzling under his skin.

With a bang, the door to the room flies open and slams against the wall. Papa Emeritus the Fourth stalks in with his robes trailing behind him, white eye glowing brightly as he takes in the state of the room, followed by the Brother that went to retrieve him. His ghouls gathered around Phantom and the blood covering Swiss from the mouth down, and the cooling body of Cardinal Eugene. Papa was quick to stalk up to the scene, a murderous look in his usually kind eyes. Now slightly calmer, Swiss begins to stammer, the fight leaving him quickly at the sight of Copia. "Papa, I- I won't apologize for this. He deserved it! He touched- hurt Phantom."

Copia knows without a doubt that kind-hearted, fun-loving Swiss would never have done something like this unprovoked, ghoul or not. There had only been one incident similar to this, over Dewdrop years ago after his element change. He knows this Cardinal deserved it, knows it was only a matter of time before Copia was forced to deal with the man himself. Always so arrogant, so cruel to the ghouls, to his fellow clergymen, for no reason. It's a wonder the man could consider himself a follower of Satan being so disrespectful to other living beings.

"I know, my ghoul, it is alright. Calm yourself and fix your mask. Cirrus, darling, can you and Mountain clean this up? I'll deal with the fall out with Imperator and Saltarian. You can let Swiss go, I think he's calm enough now, si?" Copia gestures to the ghoul practically vibrating in Mountain and Cirrus' tight but not bruising grips, gaze focused on Phantom, and by extension, Aurora at his side.

As soon as they let Swiss go, he's off like a shot, fluttering about at Phantom's side, not sure what to do with his hands, the young ghoul still on the ground as Aurora keeps her tight hug around his middle. He's sobbing, taking in quiet, choking, painful breaths as he shakes and shakes.

"Can I hug you Phantom? Please?" When Phantom gives a shaky nod, looking at Swiss through watery eyes and reaching out with his available hand, Swiss is already reaching forth to wrap himself around both he and Aurora, uncaring of the blood covering himself.

"Come on, let's get you both back to the den. Papa will deal with everything, and this will never happen again, I swear it."

Easily pulling the two shorter ghouls up with him, Swiss snarls at a Sister who got too close, not caring of the pitying look upon her visage. Phantom doesn't need pity. Pity won't help him, or change whatever happened. Pity didn't move anyone to action when Swiss was a kit, packless and alone, and so, so hungry. Hungry for food, for a safe place to sleep, for love and affection.

Dewdrop and Rain are at their sides in an instant, Cumulus bringing up the rear, making an attempt at a protective barrier between the youngest ghouls and the rest of the clergy, all three ghouls tails lashing about agitatedly as everyone begins the walk back down to the ghoul den. Phantom's tail wraps around Swiss's thigh as they walk, the swirling mists of his magic at the end a tickle against Swiss' thigh.

As they go, Papa Emeritus watches fondly, anger still simmering just under his skin.

First, he addresses the cooling corpse at his feet.

"I, Papa Emeritus the Fourth, Copia Emeritus, head of the Clergy of Satan, request our unholy Lord Lucifer that he strip Cardinal Eugene Simmons of his title and remove the amenities that would be granted to him in Hell. I beseech you, our Lord, that my request be granted for this man has wronged me in a way I will never forgive."

Shocked gasps sound from around him, but Copia pays them no mind, focused on the power within him, and how it swells with glee at being accessed. Copia feels a surge of emotion, not his own nor his ghouls, one of acceptance and care and knows his Lord has answered. Warmth fills him, like a gentle flame, a breeze carrying it through his hair. With reverence, Copia kisses the grucifix clasped in his hand before letting it rest gently near his heart as the chain falls back into place.

The only constant in Copia's life has been his faith, and he prays with every ounce of his heart and soul. Perhaps that is why his Lord so readily hears him, accepts him, cares for him in a way he never heard about from his half-brothers.

He turns to address his Ministry next, those still gathered after Mass has ended.

"Hear this, and be certain everyone at the Ministry knows." He begins, white eye glowing with the power still writhing within him and teeth bared in a snarl reminiscent of the ghouls he's defending.

Clergymen and women back up, eyes wide. They have never seen their beloved Papa this angry before, the man always so kind and awkward, never truly upholding the imposing image of a Papa, unlike Primo or Secondo. "Let this be a lesson, do not ever strike one of my ghouls, or any of the others here. They all fall under my protection and if any one of you dares to harm them, I will send you to our Lord Lucifer for punishment at the hands of the very ghouls you wronged."

Everyone seems to forget that Copia was a nobody before Papacy. By luck he had been granted the position of Cardinal, through his faith in his Lord and the kindness people seem to take for weakness. Sister Imperator had noticed him, how the flame of their Lord seemed to glow within him, granted him the title of Cardinal, and stood behind him despite only being half of the Emeritus bloodline when she pushed for his ascent to Papa Emeritus IV.

He has been alone his entire life, right up until he attained the first of his beloved ghouls, Dewdrop and Mountain, who were his first true friends despite being summoned by Terzo. They were so wary of him at first, as they had every right to be after the death of the Emeritus brothers... after that dreadful photoshoot with Terzo's... fucking head.

When Copia had treated them the same as he treated the other humans, they were both so confused. Even Terzo had kept things distant between them all outside of stage antics, except for his relationship with Omega. Up until that point, every ghoul knew that they were thought of as mere servants, disposable beings meant for their magical abilities despite how much power they held in their hands alone. But when Copia came into power, he started lifting older regulations for the ghouls that were unnecessary or cruel, and Sister Imperator did nothing to stop him. At least, in this matter alone.

The ghouls mattered to someone topside, for once, but never dared bring up any further mistreatment to their dear Papa, who was already so stressed in his position. They were all born and raised in the Pits, and could handle a little rough treatement from some puny humans, if it meant the burden on Copia's shoulders could be lessened.

✨

Phantom could barely see out of his right eye. Packless as he was in the Pits, and from such a young age, he was lucky some scars and an injured eye was most of what he got out of it all. Nevermind the torn ear and the way his smile has never been the same.

He was smiling now though, a tiny little nervous thing that barely stirred the scarring of his lip, clinging to Swiss and not giving any signs of letting go. Swiss would never make him, would destroy the world if that was what the little ghoul wanted. Phantom was finally letting them hold him, love him as they wanted to, and Swiss was reveling in every millisecond the quintessance ghoul was allowing.

His mask was off, lain to the side. No one was going to force or ask it of him, but Phantom had done it all on his own. He had growled out a quiet curse as he just couldn't get comfortable laying on Swiss with it on. In utter frustration, Phantom had ripped the mask off, letting it clatter onto the floor beside the overly large mattress and buried his face back into the crook of Swiss' neck as he clumsily glamored his horns away for easier cuddling.

Noticing Phantom was still shaking like a leaf in the wind, Cumulus had grabbed him a blanket (or three) and laid them all over him. She knows his shaking likely isn't due to being cold, but it makes her feel better to know she tried to help anyway.

A stuttering rumble had started up not long after everyone joined Swiss, Phantom, and Aurora in the common room. It was his first ever ghoul pile, and Swiss hopes Papa will be able to join soon, if at all. Phantom adores the man, clearly, and trusts him more than he trusts them.

Almost as soon as it had started, Phantom's purr cuts off and tries to hide himself further, trying not to jostle Aurora, who had her cheek lain over his lower ribcage. "'m sorry. I know it doesn't sound right."

Answering before anyone else has the chance, Dewdrop is quick to reassure him. "Mine was like that too, at first, and so was Swiss'. Mountain's is more of a low rumble than a purr. It's alright, Phantom, you don't have to worry so much about what we'll think of you. Your purring will improve over time."

Leaning over Swiss, Dewdrop hesitates before placing a gentle kiss into Phantom's hair then settles back between Cirrus and Swiss. Mountain, full length stretched out over the bed, rubs Cumulus back with gentle strokes as the ghoulette lays atop him.

The earth and air ghouls had come back a few minutes prior, eager to check on Phantom, and Rain had went to find Copia when the man hadn't returned quick enough for their liking. He likely got stuck arguing with Saltarian again.

The door to the den opens, seven pairs of eyes zeroing in on the sound with glowing eyes. Rain enters, pulling along an exhausted Copia and everyone relaxes immediately. Rain strips down to his underwear, like everyone else save Phantom who remains in his uniform underclothes, and Copia follows with ease.

"How did it go?" Cirrus asks, moving to lay on her back so Rain can lay on her and lean into Dew at the same time.

From his newly acquired place snuggled into Mountains side, Copia's muffled answer is heard quite easily as Mountain frees an arm to wrap around the man.

"Saltarian was pissed, as expected. He never has liked how 'lenient' I am with the ghouls. Nihil wasn't pleased but didn't put up much of a fight when Sister Imperator let the situation go with nothing more than a reminder to keep you all in check better. Not surprising, considering she leaves you all to me anyway and doesn't care as long as you don't risk the safety of the Clergy."

Cumulus starts running a hand through the mans salt and pepper hair soothingly. Phantom sits up quickly, and the ghouls all shuffle positions so he can do so with ease. Swiss and Aurora follow, not eager to let him go and they drape themselves over or around him while trying not to stifle him too terribly. The red handprint on his face has long since healed, but the echoes of the pain still linger and a dark cloud seems to hover over him.

"I'm so sorry Papa. I- I should have listened to that Cardinal better. Not startled so easily. I caused you trouble- he just- I-" Phantom rambles, tears blurring up his good eye as the other ones vision barely changes.

"My ghoul, it is alright, truly. I should be the one apologizing, as Papa I should never have let Cardinal Eugene keep his position when I first started hearing the rumors of his previous actions against the clergymen and your fellow ghouls. I... To be honest with you all, even though I am Papa, I still get stuck in my mindset of my younger self. I had no power then, and it feels like I still lack it even now, and my insecurity led to inaction that led to you getting hurt."

Mountain sits up, Cumulus staying in his lap, and leans over onto Papa as much as he is able with another body restricting his movements. Long arms wrap around the smaller man, kicking up a deep rumbling purr that reverberates through his body and immediately makes Copia feel a little better. One set of clawed fingers stroke along his forearms lovingly, while Cumulus' wraps an arm around his middle to try and keep him close.

Every ghoul pile is such a mess of limbs and bodies overtop or around each other. Copia wouldn't trade it for the world.

"I don't blame you Papa! I could never. You've done nothing but help me here, and I've done nothing but cause trouble." Phantom exclaims, still so quiet as he does so.

"No, no, Phantom, you're no trouble at all and if you were, I'd welcome it happily. Its my fault. I'm the one who lost composure and killed the fucker." Swiss butts in, iridescent eyes glowing with the shadows of his past fury, "He laid hands on you, and I'd kill him again and anyone else without a thought if they try anything similar to you or the rest of our pack."

"Phantom..." Rain begins, turning his thoughts around in his mind to try and figure out how to put his next words as the finned tip of his tail that resembles that of a beta fish mixed with something a little more fantastical begins to sway in thought, "Swiss and Dewdrop understand you better than you think, but there's even things they can't figure out, or don't know how to help with. We... the pack, we want to help you, and love you, if you'll allow it. But we need to know how to do that. You'll have to trust us, at least a little bit with your heart. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

Phantom stares, tightening the blankets around himself as the tears in his eyes finally bubble over and slip down his cheeks. His shaking is back full force and he just wants to hide. He doesn't know what to do. He's never had a pack before, he doesn't know how to act, or if he is over or understepping boundaries.

"My sire did this to me." Phantom starts instead of answering Rain, voice cracking and breaking from emotion and disuse, "I'm fully quintessance, but both of my parents were fire. I look like the both of them, my dam had said. But my sire was convinced she'd slept with someone else without proper communication between them, despite them agreeing to be a mated duo. She was the best mother anyone could have asked for, and I didn't care if she really loved my father or not. He was always distant and cold after I was born."

Phantom has to take a breath, voice hoarse as Cirrus gets up to retrieve a bottle of water. "It was harder on my dam, who knew him before for obvious reasons. She always said he used to be so kind, but I could never quite manage to picture it. His anger and aggression couldn't have just appeared overnight. He hated me. I suppose the sight of me grew to be too much eventually, and he killed my mother for her supposed betrayal, then went after me. I was young then, and didn't really know what was going on."

"My magic before that point was weak, unstable. I couldn't control it and my sire always used it as a means to put me down. But then he did this to my face, and all the quintessance magic that had built up inside of me over the years now had a prime target. When I was finally able to open my eyes after the purple light flooded my vision, my sire was gone. Everything around me was gone for at least fifty feet. I passed out after that, and when I awoke I could feel my own magic healing the wounds... it was- it wasn't comfortable and the scars never left."

"No one in the village would help me. I was a scarred quintessance ghoul in a village of fire ghouls, with nothing but fire villages around for days. No matter how young I was, they were wary and so left me on my own. I've been alone ever since then, and other ghouls grew more wary the older I got. Quintessance ghouls, I hear, are the least likely of all ghouls to be packless due to the nature of our magic and how it connects us to others."

Phantom curls into the blankets when he finishes, sinking into the warmth of Swiss at his back. The ghouls press closer, the pile becoming a tighter fit but they all manage.

"You must have been so lonely." Aurora says first, everyone else still gathering their thoughts. "Your village failed you. Your father failed you. Kits are to always be protected, no matter the element, no matter their physical state!"

"Aurora darling, ghouls preach about protecting the kits, but if you're different, they can be as bad as humans. Dewdrop and Swiss were packless as well, for similar reasons." Cirrus says, reaching a hand over everyone towards the other ghoulette, who takes it as tears well in her eyes.

"But its not right!" Aurora exclaims, burying her face into Phantom's ribs.

"It isn't, and so I take care of my ghouls as best as I can. It makes no difference in Hell, but here, I'm trying to make things better for you all. No ghoul here is packless unless they choose so, regardless of their state of being."

After a few moments of silence, the ghouls simply basking in the closeness of each other and their beloved Papa, Phantom speaks up once more.

"I'm sorry I haven't spoken 'til now. I was scared and that fear made it- so hard to speak to you. Like my throat had closed up and no words would come out. You were all so different from what I'm used to... so kind, thoughtful, so accommodating to my silence, and you all look at me like- like I'm worth something. I wasn't sure if I could trust you all, but I wanted to, I really did. When Swiss- when Swiss killed that man for hurting me, it was like something finally clicked within me and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I could really trust you."

"Its okay to be scared Phantom. Swiss was too, at first, but he hid his fear with smiles and jokes. I was an asshole to everyone around me, its a wonder Terzo let me stay at all." Dewdrop explains kindly.

"Mountain doesn't speak often, as you know, and if you ever want to be silent, you can. We won't hold it against you, and its perfectly fine to do. You'll just need to learn sign, Cirrus is the best of us at it, so she and Mounty can teach you." Copia says, reaching out to place a gentle hand on Phantom's ankle.

"Thank you, Papa. I appreciate everything you've done for me. Is it- Can- I don't want to talk anymore, for now." Phantom chokes out through a hiccuping sob.

"Of course, my beloved ghoul."

When that conversation dies down, the pack focusing on calming down and comforting Phantom, shaking with fresh sobs but happy, so happy, they move on to other things. Lighter topics, like Dewdrop sharing the latest gossip from loose lips uncaring of the presence of a ghoul and Mountain updating everyone on the state of his greenhouse plants in Primo's garden. Rain, ever the opportunist, shifts positions with Dewdrop and the fire ghoul, lost in his conversation with Cumulus about this new braiding style he'd seen one of the Brothers sporting and wanted to try, lets him.

Purrs rumble low in everyone's chests, except for Papa of course, and Phantom lets his stuttering one loose, knowing now, despite his continued anxiety, that they won't judge him for it.

"Wait a fucking second!" Dewdrop sits up suddenly as everyone settles down to sleep, heterochromatic eyes wide with indignation as his hair flames up gently, "Swiss did you take a fucking shower? You did not! Go on, you're getting blood all over the bed- Rain! Stop licking the blood off his arm, thats disgusting, you don't know if that Cardinal was vaccinated or not."

Swiss and Rain let out joint whines of despair, for differing reasons.

"But I'm hungry!"

"I don't wanna move~ It's so comfy here."

"Rain, princess, sweetheart, love of my life, you can just ask one of us. You know that! Swiss, shower, right now. You managed to get it past your fucking uniform. Were you working with your sleeves rolled up again? You know Sister Imperator will give you bathroom duty again if she sees you."

Rain manages to look properly chastised, leaning over to whisper in Cirrus' ear. Within seconds, his two rows of razor-sharp teeth are gently biting into the inside of her elbow, forked tongue catching any blood that spills past his lips. Swiss, on the other hand, still looks to be defiant with a sweet little smirk pulling at his lips, and Dewdrop's hair flames up in an instant just to be dramatic.

"Mounty, be a dear and go toss Swiss in the bath, will you?" With a simple bat of Dewdrop's pale eyelashes, Mountain is up and tossing Swiss over his shoulder, tail swishing excitedly behind him.

Copia lets out a full body laugh as everyone turns to watch the two go. Swiss, one arm propping his head up as it rests against Mountain's back, is grinning widely in triumph.

Ghoul got what he wanted, clearly, if the satisfied flicking of his fluffy tail is anything to go by, or the mischievous glint in his iridescent eyes.

"That shithead probably had that planned from the start, insatiable as he is." Dewdrop mutters before turning to Phantom, "Let's get you a change of clothes. You'll be permitted to go out shopping for your own things soon, but mine have done well enough so far despite the length issues."

Phantom nods with a small smile pulled wider by the scars on his cheek and lip, standing and bringing the blankets with him. He reaches for his mask and places it back on, eager for the comfort it still provides even if he knows the pack won't judge him.

He feels it then, a gentle caress on the door of his mind, its warm like Dew's hand as he carefully leads him down the hallway towards his room. Phantom, with a bit of struggle at the new sensation, opens that door, allowing that warm presence to speak to him.

'I'm sorry for what happened today.' Dewdrop's voice is gentle, more gentle than Phantom has ever heard it aloud.

'It wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize. Besides, Swiss more than made up for it.' Phantom replies truthfully. 'I've never had someone defend me like that. No one in the Pits cared enough.'

'Any one of us would do just as Swiss did. He just happened to beat me to it, actually.' Dew admits easily, searching through his drawers for something that might fit Phantom.

He pulls out a plain black tee and hands it over before going to rummage through his closet. As Phantom changes into the new shirt and folds his uniform top as neatly as he can manage before placing his mask back on, Dewdrop lets out a small yip of excitement.

The fire ghoul turns around, the blue and red of his heterochromatic eyes alight with anticipation, and maybe a little bit of fear. He holds out something wrapped in a paper bag, held closed by black hairtie.

"For you, a present." Dewdrop says aloud, and slowly, as though the item will attack him, Phantom reaches out to take it, beginning a cautious endeavor to open it.

"I got it in town a few days ago. I don't even know if you'll like it, or if it will fit. You've not had the chance to really figure out your tastes. Not to mention how surprised I was when I saw Halloween items this time of year but I see you hanging around the bats in the rafters a lot so I figured-"

With a whoosh of air and a resounding thud, Dewdrop falls back into the doors of his closet as Phantom launches himself into his arms, taller than himself by a few inches. In one hand clutched tightly is a pair of grey pajama pants, smiling bats printed all over.

Dewdrop winces as his aching back flares up with more pain yet continues to smile as Phantom's neverending wave of 'thank you's' reverberate through his skull. The quintessance ghoul is radiating such intense feelings of happiness and gratefulness that Dew is surprised he doesn't burst with it at the seams.

"You're welcome. Now go on, try them on." Dew directs, happy to see the other ghoul so happy after so long of small, nervous smiles.

After being asked to turn around, Dew does so and waits for Phantom's permission to face him again. Excited as he is, Phantom begins ripping off his pants before Dewdrop fully turns around and the fire ghoul catches a glimpse of the others vitiligo markings down his legs.

A gentle tug at his sleeve has Dew turning to face Phantom again, and there's such a wide smile on the other ghouls face as quintessance sparks around him that Dew can't help but grin back.

The pajama pants are far too long. They were a few inches past Phantom's ankle and dragged on the floor heavily. That's not even to mention how tightly Phantom had to tie the strings around the waist, and the pj's were still too loose, riding low on his hips and threatening to slip off entirely. Dewdrop was worried he would get a pair too small, but now it seems the pajamas are far too large. They look more likely to fit Swiss properly.

"Fuck, they're too big. We can take them back to-"

With a growl, Phantom leaps away to the other side of the room. 'No! They're mine! You gave them to me so I'm keeping them.'

"I only meant we could exchange them for a pair that fits better." Dew explains, but Phantom is vehemently shaking his head in refusal.

'Mine.' The stars in Phantom's eyes are bright as his magic swirls in them like a galaxy, his star freckles glowing brightly.

Acquiescing for now, Dewdrop gets Phantom to calm down enough for his marks to stop glowing quite so bright, fading back into the translucent like veins that grow more prominent as they pass over his jaw. Moving closer again, Phantom hesitates before asking shyly to hold Dew's hand again.

"Of course. You don't have to ask everytime unless my hands are full or we're in the presence of higher ups excluding Papa." Dew reassures, offering his hand up but letting Phantom make the move to grab it.

When he does, there is a slow slide of contentment down the pack bond and Dew smiles, happy to see that Phantom's body craves affection and can accept it. It had been so difficult for Swiss when he'd first arrived, to long for touch so deeply but his own body rejected it with tingles of unpleasantness that had to be drowned so slowly. Now the multighoul couldn't get enough of physical touch, and Dew knows Phantom will be the same way.

Grinning sleepily, Phantom sways with the motion of his tail as his visible eye droops shut. "Let's get you to bed. You've had a difficult day."

Phantom leans heavily on Dew as they make their way back to the common room, head leaning on Dewdrops shoulder with his back hunched into what must be an uncomfortable position, letting go of his hand to wrap both arms around one of Dew's own instead. The curls of his black and white hair tickle Dewdrops neck as they make their way down the hall, brushing against the scarring left behind after his gills were melted shut.

They could hear Swiss and Mountain as they passed by the bathroom, and Dewdrop laughs at the curiosity on Phantom's face, wondering if he'll have the courage to ask. A breathy moan reaches their ears just as they fully pass the door and Phantom's visible cheek and the tip of his ears turn a deeper shade of purple.

Back in the common room, everyone else seems to have gotten comfy after changing into their sleepwear. For some, like Rain, that meant completely naked in order to stay as cool as possible, and Dewdrop needed to stay as warm as possible so he was fully clothed in his warmest pajamas. That's not even to mention how the fire ghoul will hoard the blankets and lay claim on Mountain's chest once he and Swiss come to bed.

Phantom, seeing how everyone is so familiar with each other, even Papa who is holding Cirrus to himself lovingly as he leans on Rain's shoulder, wonders how he is supposed to fit in. Did he already miss his chance to truly become part of the pack, since it took him so long to get over his fears-

Aurora jumps up from where Cumulus was fishtail braiding her watercolor rainbow hair back, bouncing on the bed with clumsy steps to reach Phantom and Dewdrop. She pauses just before Phantom, fanged smile wide and cheery and showing off her freshly done smiley piercing. There is hesitation in her lavender eyes as she wrings her blush pink hands.

"Are you going to sleep with us this time?"

Phantom nods without any doubt, wanting to truly experience the ghoul piles he has seen nearly every day since being summoned. Aurora launches herself at him with a laugh, holding him close as Phantom melts into her embrace. "I call dibs on first to cuddle Phantom in his first pile!" She exclaims, already falling backwards and pulling Phantom down with her.

Dewdrop manages to let go of the quintessance ghouls hand before he's dragged down too. His back could not handle that right now. Instead, he makes his way over to Rain and Papa as he says "Aurora darling, by all means you and Swiss already claimed that before I sent us all off to get ready for bed."

Aurora lets out an indignant squawk even as she gently runs her fingers through Phantom's loose curls and strokes over the scaled curves and nubs of his black and violet ombre horns. Said ghoul has started up a quiet, stuttering purr as his tail swishes back and forth by their feet contentedly. Sparks of quintessance tickle Aurora's hands and other bits of bare skin, the stars on his cheeks and dotting his horns glowing gently with his contentment. The others begin to settle around them, not caring that they've taken up one edge of the bed. Eventually, Swiss and Mountain make their way back to the common room, completely unglamored, and Mountain has to duck under the light fixture to avoid shattering the fragile glass with his antler-like horns and sheer height. Swiss takes one glance at Aurora holding Phantom close and grins, diving to Aurora's side and wrapping both of them in his arms and pulling them to his larger frame. He smells of sex and Mountain, yet still something entirely just him and Phantom revels in it. One action to protect him led to Phantom regarding Swiss as safe.

"Little bug, I'm glad to see you're wearing the pajamas Dew got you. He's been talking our ears off in his worry over whether you'd like them." Swiss comments, and Phantom eagerly sends down a wave of thankfulness towards Swiss' bond, towards that door in his mind that wafts the essence of the multighoul's soul.

Cumulus, finishing off the second of two thick braids of her own curly white hair, moves to begin brushing Dew's as Cirrus happily lays herself over Cumulus' back with a sleepy smirk. Copia is already snoring at the head of the bed, wrapped in at least two blankets that were lovingly tucked in. His makeup has been removed, and the man has changed into what is clearly one of Cumulu's shirts.

With ease, Mountain picks all three ghouls up and lays them up by Papa as though they weighed next to nothing. Phantom is so busy basking in the safesafesafe flooding his entire system that he doesn't even care.

Everyone begins to cluster up to cuddle and sleep, gravitating around Aurora and Phantom with extra blankets or pillows, like Dewdrop and the ghoulettes, or absolutely no cover at all like Rain, who is completely naked and content to simply use Papa for warmth as the one with the lowest temperature aside from himself.

"Would you like your mask off, Phantom? You don't have to remove it if you don't want, but I can't imagine its comfortable to sleep in." Cirrus asks, closest to the three still attached and the one brave enough to ask first as everyone begins to settle.

Phantom is hesitant but agrees, and Cirrus reaches over to gently remove it. Once its placed off to the side carefully, Cirrus carefully cups Phantom's scarred cheek in her well-manicured hands, gazing upon their quintessance ghoul with quiet adoration. "I'm proud of you for opening up to us, we all are."

Adding on as tears well up in Phantom's eyes again, "You're beautiful, and we're glad to have you."

'But I replaced Aether, I- I'm scarred and can't control my magic properly-' He sends down the bond, frantic, like he needs them to know his faults and expects rejection for it, wants to be rejected, like it will be safer for his heart even as it cracks in his chest.

"Aether is still here topside, and we'll see him soon I imagine. Saltarian can't keep him and Sunshine away from us forever. That's enough for now, the hope for that future. And you may have been summoned to take Aether's spot in the band, but we have never thought of you as a replacement. You're a welcome addition, you and Aurora. You're pack, whether you're in the band or not, just the same as with Aether and Sunshine. Your magic will grow easier to control in time, with practice, so don't worry so much about that."

"As for you being scarred, that truly means nothing to us. I'm sorry that you went through something so terrible that it managed to scar a ghoul but your scars do not make up your entire existence. You're far more than the marks left upon your skin, and they are not all we see when we look at you." Cirrus finishes, wiping Phantom's tears as they slip over his the bridge of his nose.

Swiss kisses his hair as Aurora pulls him closer. Dewdrop, with his hair finished, wraps a hand around his bicep as the others reach out to comfort the young ghoul in any way they can with physical contact. Papa continues snoring as Rain holds the man close in his blanket cocoon. Mountain, content to watch everyone fall asleep first, is a silent but steady presence. Cumulus has made herself comfortable on Cirrus' other side as she wants for the ghoulette to lay down.

'Thank you.' Phantom's elation floods the pack bond, infecting everyone with a happy buzz that settles them further.

Cirrus rubs a thumb over the scarring on his lip, smiling at the way it lifts the ghouls own grin into something a bit lopsided but so blindingly pretty, so full of light, it almost hurts to look at.

Phantom has never been so comfortable in his entire life, has never felt so safe in the company of others. He has a pack now, and they accept him as he is, scars and unstable magic and all.

[chemistryread]

disclaimers/tags: female oc. written as a reader insert but reader has a lot of backstory. slowburn. angst. implied domestic violence. minors dni.

a/n: some rash decisions on this one, get ready! if you love angst as much as me, this can be read as the ending, but there’s another chapter coming :) also very sorry at how long this post is, but i really wanted to make this story 4 chapters so ! anyways, enjoy and thanks all of u who have liked, rbed or commented in some way 🫶

right cowboy, wrong time

rhett abbott

part 1

part 2

summary: you’re not home and your boyfriend’s a dick. thankfully, not all cowboys are bad.

"Did you sleep with someone else?"

"Did you?"

That was basically it.

(There was a lot of screaming and attempted emotional blackmailing you don’t bring up. What would be the point?)

You're retelling the events to Dani, working side by side with her.

A kid had joined the staff, and since he's still in school he needs the night shift. Now, you're bumped back to mornings alongside your friend. Things are looking up.

"I can't believe it was solved with one non-violent conversation."

She's actively ignoring the marks in your arms but you take her selective blindness as good-spirited. Focus on the good.

With that in mind, you don't mention how close you got to apologizing and taking it back when he questioned your ability to be alone. Saying you'd only fall on hard times once more and return to him for help. But...you were alone before him, and you were okay before him. It will work.

"I know. I mean, I'm not at all under the impression that he’s not planning some sort of revenge, mulling it over. He'll still be around for another two weeks. And we can't pretend that didn't play a huge part into how well he took it."

"Took it. Right." She laughs, handing you the clean menus to set on the counter. "Be honest. He was aware that this was the only way to do it without exhibiting lack of power. Like it was beyond anyone's control."

During your conversation, it was made clear that he did not yield, you agreed it was unsalvageable. Stupid to keep trying. And he wasn’t stupid. Dani’s right.

"Hey, I'm not disagreeing. Or complaining."

"Hey, I'm not disagreeing. Or complaining."

Her smile falters and you frown.

"I have to say, though, I was convinced you would not fall for him."

She shoves the pen and paper in your hands, along with three menus, and spins you around towards the tables.

If it isn't the little Abbotts and Amelia. Just your luck.

You do not regret it. At all. It would be spoiled of you to.

However, it obviously soured things between you and Rhett. Which is precisely what you did not want.

You meant it, when you said you didn't want to be one of his girls. In a way. You would either take him (yes, take him) out on a date and do the whole process with an open heart, or shut him out and remain nothing but the friendly waitress until you left for home and never saw him again.

The way things are right now, you can't possibly do either with an honest face.

And honesty is a huge thing for you. The motivator behind admitting to being unfaithful that night, putting yourself in a risky situation in front of your boyfriend. Ex.

Amy's smile when she sees you approach the table helps you believe in the good things again, even if only for a couple of minutes.

"Yes! I told my dad, if any of the other girls tried to serve us, I was gonna fake cry until we got you."

Rhett avoids you, taking a coin left as part of the tip from the previous seaters and flipping it between his fingers.

You wink at her and point your pen to Perry, before clicking it. "You're raising her right. What can I, and only I, get you guys?"

His cap is not wide enough to hide the circles under his eyes, and he orders a standard hangover breakfast. You exchange shy nods, but it's not confident.

Amelia’s next.

"And if I could have that with a side of that story your stupid boyfriend didn't want to read, please?"

Your jaw hangs open. She's a rockstar.

"Amy, she said no once, don't push it."

She glares at her uncle.

Perry adds, “And don't call people stupid."

"But he was! Stupid and rude."

Your giggle draws the table's eyes.

"No, he was. About time we broke up."

Her dad looks impressed, like he thought he would never see the day. It bothers you a little. You don't have the guts to look at Rhett, even if you can feel his eyes on you.

"Really?" She asks excited, and you nod. "Cool! So you can marry my dad or uncle Rhett and then you'll be in the family forever."

"Jesus."

"Amy!"

You laugh again. These men do not appreciate her humour and it's kind of sad.

"I'm too young to get married, kid! I'm not a child bride." It flies over her head but Perry laughs. You'll win him over someday. "About the story, I'm afraid I got rid of that one, it wasn't good. But when I start working on something new I'll ask you for help, deal?"

She nods with tight lips, silky straight hair shaking down her shoulders.

"Good. I'll be right back with your food."

It’s a busy morning, so they had no choice but to sit at an unclean table. You’re retrieving the plates, stacking them up against your left arm and shoving the bills into your apron’s pocket. That’s when Rhett taps the coin on the table three times, startling you.

Your eyes snap to his. Unreadable. Pupils large, deep blue flooding your insides. Nearly choking on it. He offers you the coin, you open your palm, and he drops it. All whilst maintaining eye contact. Honestly, you feared breaking it, as if the second you did your memories of each other would be erased. He doesn’t look away. Your eyebrows furrow, blinking a couple of times, clearing your throat and walking away with a weak step.

Dani mouths, what the fuck?

Your best guess is none, shrugging and taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

They eat peacefully, and you suspect Amelia got a talking to from her father because she sticks to polite smiles when you serve them.

They leave as you take another family's order. Back at the counter, Danielle kicks you in the calf.

"What?"

Your coworker simply nods to the back. The butterflies in your stomach can only mean one person.

Stubbornly, you fight off the urge to fix yourself or take in your reflection off the windows before stepping outside to meet Rhett.

He looks cuddly in a hoodie.

"What are you smiling at?"

Hearing his mumbled teasing is like being lift straight out of hell and into heaven.

"What do you want?"

"Asked you first."

You bite the inside of your cheek, hands clasped behind your back, playing with your rings. Hiding your nerves from him.

"Cool hoodie you got on."

"Fuck off."

You two burst into outright gross, happy giggles.

"So?"

"Were you gonna tell me you broke up?"

Your answer is fire rapid, delighting in petty revenge. "No. It's not like I'm running away with you."

He tsks once, hit.

"Right. But if you'd like to-"

"Don't." No, don't look at me like that. "I can't. Not yet."

He takes a deep breath, as if entirely too used to your bullshit, and steps closer. You let him.

"Explain."

"Yes, well, one of his ventures sailed off in Montana. He's going to move there for a while. But not yet." He looks too hopeful, and the full story scratches up your throat. "He knows I slept with someone."

A more somber expression, but he still doesn't get it. Briefly, you wonder if 'sleeping with' was too formal for what you actually did together.

"He doesn't know it's you." Your arms fall back to your sides, nails digging into your palms. "If he finds out-"

"I can handle him. Trust me."

"Look, hotshot, it's not about that. Sure, he'd probably threaten to punch any other guy who had his way with me. But one of you? And it's not like you took advantage of me, I chose you. I- I seeked you out. I wanted you. That's a whole other…I've seen what he can do when he's actually mad. When he loses. He'll want to fucking kill you."

"He's not that dangerous. You're being ridiculous."

"Hey, don't tell me I'm being ridiculous when I have suffered in his hands." He doesn't say anything to that. "Just get this through your proud little thick skull…If he hurts you because of me, it'll hate myself. Spare me, okay?"

His features soften at your confession. You wish he would simply accept circumstances for his own well-being, but if he won't, you'll appeal to his sensitive side.

"When does he leave?"

"Two weeks. I'm moving in with Dani tonight."

You didn't protest when she offered the extra room at her place, wanting out of that house before his brothers could give you a piece of their minds.

Rhett squints at the sun, hands on his hips, worn gloves poking out of his pant's pockets. He looks so much younger in the green cap and a plain gray hoodie.

"I can wait two weeks."

You want to run up to him, kiss the breakfast grease off his lips until Danielle calls you back inside to help her, run your fingers through his hair, feel the fabric tasked with warming him up.

Instead, scared he doesn't want any of that, you roll your eyes amusedly and run up the steps. You should set a calendar reminder for two weeks from now.

——————————

Thirteen days. He leaves tomorrow, finally.

In the meantime, he uncharacteristically leaves you alone. It's a very peaceful time in your life.

Rhett comes to the diner from time to time. You bump into each other at the shop and he ends up helping you put away the groceries at Danielle's, where he sees the begonias in a vase by the window. He relocates them to a better spot.

He learns more about your university and you about his family.

You put that knowledge to test one afternoon, when he comes by during your break and asks if you want to have lunch at his house. Royal eats very little and quickly returns to work, just as you had been told he would. Amy skipped school because she woke up particularly down and missing her mother (probably why Rhett thought of inviting you), therefore Perry eats even less but spends more time at the table, just looking at his daughter. You feel for him, really.

Cecilia is the one who suggests you go rest under the shade while Perry helps her clean up. You get the sense his mood is entirely affected by his daughter's, so mother and son need a moment to talk.

Amelia sits between you and Rhett, all three quietly eating fresh strawberries.

"Grandpa did say somebody messed with them. They're not as good."

You disagree. They taste pretty delicious for you, who's in the midst of licking the juice off your lips, satisfied.

But you know what she means, unfortunately. So you purposefully avoid Rhett's eyes, leaning back against the tree trunk and guiltly keeping your mouth shut.

He assured you this has happened for as long as he remembers being neighbors with your ex and his brothers.

Trying to dissipate the tension in the air, you poke Amy on the side.

"I've been writing something. Wanna read it?"

She almost drools when she smiles, shoving the open jar on her uncle's stomach and getting him sticky with splashed strawberry juice.

Reaching for your phone, you remember something.

"Oh, I bought a really pretty vase to put the even prettier flowers you got me, look!"

Rhett sits up awkwardly beside his niece as you show her a picture of the golden hour sunlight shining on the pink begonias.

"I didn't get you any flowers." She matches your confused expression. "I've been told off by grandma way too many times from messing around in her garden to do it again. But it does look really pretty."

Rhett's cheeks are burning red, and your stomach is doing flips.

Completely lost for words, you switch from the photos app to a Google drive document and hand the little girl your phone with tremendous trust. Kids are brutally honest.

"Here. It's, uhm, a horror short."

She picks it up with toddler-like grabby hands and sits back to enjoy it like it's a new young adult best seller.

Your eyes are still on the boy next to her, who's holding your gaze in an electric back and forth.

"Can I read it?"

"No."

After devouring four-thousand words, Amelia runs back to the house, shaking your phone at her dad's face, practically bragging that you let her read something of yours. Her first impression is pretty positive, if not over-the-top, and she tells you she'll write down her ideas and 'get back to you'.

Everyone chuckles when you shake her hand as if this was a business meeting. Her being the big publishing agent, of course.

Cecilia makes a comment about rushing back home, there being a lot of work to be done, when you gather your stuff so Rhett can drive you back to the diner. You simply smile at her.

You're biting your tongue, busying yourself with lowering the passenger side's window, but Rhett's getting a little too good at reading you.

"Speak now or-"

"I'm not dumb, you don't have to protect me." He laughs, unphased by your random instances of snappiness. "Of course it has something to do with me, Rhett. You think people don't talk?"

"We're not even doing anything."

"But there's a 'we', that's enough to create gossip. And I told him I had been with someone. The fight at the bar, the 4th when you knocked on his door holding my coat…You really think he hasn't put everything together?"

He's quiet. Rhett is not stupid, what he is is inconsequential. He thinks everything will always be ok.

"We have fought over girls before, it's always been like this."

It stings, to be put in such a common role in his life.

"Well," He turns his head your way, hearing how your voice wavers, and you cross your arms defensively. "I'm glad they didn't worry like I do, but I do. Your family has nothing to do with this. Your dad shouldn't have this put on his plate too."

"He'll be fine, trust me, he likes the work. He lives for it. Always has, since we were little boys. He's fine."

You just don't want your ex-boyfriend and his brothers taking things too far.

"I think your mother doesn't like me anymore."

He cackles and you pout. Of course you sound silly, you know that. But maybe this is what it's all about. His family are good people. You don't want good people to dislike you, or go through anything bad because of you.

It's not their fault you cling to those who seem nice and helpful. Sometimes you forget yourself. That you have been and can be alone. Being single is a great moment to capitalize on your independence, accept it. At least that way you won’t take anyone down with you.

Fingers snapping pull you out of your self-reproach.

"Don't…Don't spiral over what she said, alright? She just wants me to stick to the work, be responsible and stuff. Not wander off."

"Maybe you should."

Blue eyes search yours for a sign that you're kidding. Infuriating that you can't trust yourself not to breakdown around Rhett, you look straight ahead. One block away from the diner.

Your body is free of the seatbelt before the light can turn green again. "I can get out here, it's fine."

He doesn't move, and you stare at each other for what feels like minutes. Then he swallows, looks down, and unlocks the doors.

You hop out, carefully stepping around the car and onto the sidewalk. He calls out your name and a shiver runs down your spine, both because of how heartbreakingly confused he sounds and because you're scared one of your ex-boyfriend's brothers or friends just heard Rhett Abbott yell for you from his truck.

Turning around, you glance up and down the street, sighing in relief when everyone seems to continue their lives without noticing you two. You want to say sorry for being weird, for not being a better liar or knowing how to mask your feelings. But it would serve you more than him, at this point.

Instead, you step up to his window, hand closing around his own that is hanging halfway out and squeezing it.

All you say is, "Thank you."

——————————

You're a mess all day.

Spilled drinks, dropped knives and even a broken glass.

Danielle has to pull you out of your own head every five minutes, she's exhausted by the end of your shift.

You felt childish, telling her boy gossip at work. Ridiculous even, since she scrunches her nose when reminded the boy is Rhett Abbott.

Nothing against him, per se, he was just always such a predictable choice in high school, she had said. Good heart, though.

She ruthlessly mocks your insecurities but dutifully listens to your ramblings. Your worries about harming his family, moving on too fast, disappointing Amelia.

A wet dishcloth fight starts in the kitchen when she suggests you're in a little deeper than you had assumed. You hit her right across the stomach before she can profess the term 'in love'.

Because no, you refuse. He's a good boy, and you are attracted to him. You like him, obviously. Too obvious to deny. But you have to hold back.

Actually, until tomorrow. Perhaps that's why you're freaking out. When your ex leaves, everything becomes more real between you and Rhett. Or it's allowed to. It's your choice.

Dani and you are handing the night shift waiters your aprons when your phone pings.

"When was your last fun Saturday night? We're at the same bar as always. Danielles welcome. First rounds on us"

Somewhere in your texts - texting Rhett all day long at work was starting to get on Lenny's nerves, you should watch out - you had mentioned it was bound to be a girl's night at home, since Shiree was staying at a friend's for the night.

It's her first time too, so you had imagined pizza and wine to be a good way to keep Dani's heart at ease. But this could work too.

You show her the text, and she immediately smiles. You know it's been a while.

Eighteen. That's how old you were the last time you got to dress up as a single woman for a night out.

You're aware this isn't Boston, however. Tricking an entitled Harvard Law alumni into paying for your drinks is not up for grabs tonight, so you don't go too overboard. Still, Dani is a little speechless when she comes out of the shower. Right back at her, honestly (even though she definitely looks local and you don't).

Danielle drives to the bar, and you're already having a great time critiquing her stiff driving, begging her to relax.

"Wait, Perry's not thinking that we…"

"No, I don't think so."

"Good, makes things less awkward when you and his little brother make your eventual escape."

"That's not going to happen." She looks at you like she really doesn't believe that. You point two other trucks in the parking lot, owned by your ex and his brothers. "Even if I wanted to, it's not a good idea."

"Shit, I'm sorry. Do you want to leave? We can still get pizza."

You smile at her, sincere. You'll miss her so much.

"It's fine, I figured. It's his last day. Hopefully, we will all stay on different sides of the room and he will be enjoying his going-away party too much to care about lil' old me."

Perry's hand comes up as soon as you step inside.

Both of them do a doubletake of your outfit, lingering on the bright red cliché cowboy boots, but you decide to pretend you don't feel their eyes on your bare legs. Rhett gets up to greet you (you honestly didn't expect him to) and your words slip out before you can contain them.

"You smell good." He laughs, and Dani groans a playful 'oh my God' behind you. He's pink. You pat him in the shoulder with a sympathetic smile. "Sorry."

"I'll get another round."

Perry gets up to greet you as well and struts to the bar.

Rhett finds it strange when you take the seat across from him, instead of by his side, but you decide to stick to a good behaviour tonight.

The four of you fall easily into conversation. It's nice when they speak about their school memories and you get to listen, watch them remember and cringe at their old selves.

Your legs are stretched under the table, incidentally in between Rhett's spread legs. He gives you a small kick whenever he catches you looking over the divider to guarantee your ex is not searching for you. So far, so breezy. It's weird.

The other two drink faster, which is why, you assume, Dani jumped at the opportunity to dance with an old flame the minute he recognized her. Perry went to the bathroom.

It's just you and him.

He looks mostly sober and his tanned skin is glowing nicely under the bar's scarce lighting. His hair looks especially droopy.

You smile at him sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I have to ask. The begonias. What was that about?"

"Oh, God. C'mon. Do you have to?"

The words push through gritted teeth, his entire body recoils in embarrassment.

You simply nod, leaning forward with a teasing grin.

When you do, your legs draw back, but not too much. He doesn't let them. His boots trap your ankles, dragging them forward, closer again.

Rhett’s pupils darken at the way you jump and you bite your cheeks so hard your dimples cave impossibly deep.

It'd be stupid not to take advantage of the moment. You blink slowly. "Please?"

Teeth trap his lower lip, but he quickly rolls his shoulders back.

"It was me. You figured that much." He looks at your for confirmation. Amelia wasn't subtle, and he was even less. "Why did I lie? Uhm, I- Shit, after you said you used to hang out with street racers, well, I felt like a loser giving you flowers from my mother's garden."

You laught at his face. Unabashedly. A nice surprise when he actually laughs along.

"Stupid, right?"

You love when he acts shy. Mousy.

"No. I never got flowers before. I would've liked knowing they were from you."

Your heart beats faster at how wide open this moment is. He did something no one has ever done for you, and you liked it. You liked that he did. And you just told him that.

"More than if they were from Amy?"

You can't look away from his eyes.

"Yes. But don't tell her that."

Perry scares the two of you by slapping the table. He's very much drunk.

"Your turn to get the drinks."

He points at Rhett, who hesitates before awkwardly smiling at you and sliding out of his seat.

The older Abbott is kind of all over the place, so you return his favor from many nights ago and look away, turning your attention to a very relaxed Danielle enjoying the dancefloor.

"I just talked to them in the toilet, you know." The brother finally directs his words at you. He must think you were looking for your ex's table. "They're not happy about this. At all. And they don't like when folks think they're idiots."

"I know. I don't mean to-"

"Yeah, you never do. But all of you who get obssessed with my little brother did not grow up here. You haven't dealt with- You don't know what these lands are like. Consequently, you don't understand the people. Who can blame you?"

You think obssessed is mean.

"I'm sorry, Perry."

"Appreciate that. Still should leave him alone. You've played with him long enough, don't you agree?"

You sip your beer. His eyes are looking past you, venting to no one in particular. Not personal.

"Right."

As a reflex, you look for Rhett. The reason why he is taking so long leaning next to him, making him stutter and laugh.

"Oh, yeah, and then there's that." Perry points the bottom of his beer at Maria. "Sixteen. The first time I saw him look at her like that, and he still does. Not a difference. My folks believe he'll marry her, if he ever gets the chance to."

"What are you saying, Perry?"

You're running out of patience. You never liked people who only spoke their true feelings when intoxicated, while you made an effort to be honest all the time. Well, guess you haven't been doing much of that here.

"Look, you're fine. But who are we kidding? You want big things, you go to a fancy school, you probably drink cocktails during happy hour."

You feel small when he laughs. His attention turns to his brother letting the beer sweat on the counter, transfixed on Maria talking. That's all she's doing, and he looks gone for. Her hand is on his shoulder and he's leaning into it.

"Bless him. He's never gonna leave. And he deserves to find love here, with a nice girl who knows what this place is about, how to deal with a guy like him. And with his family."

If you had eaten anything, it would be coming up.

Did you embarrass yourself with his mother, with Royal? Was there something in the story Amy read that was inappropriate? Did they make fun of you behind your back, at Sunday lunch?

A million thoughts swarm your brain.

"Shit, I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm sorry."

Perry laughs again, with his whole body, and it draws Rhett's attention from the bar. You look away.

"Don't worry about it."

His eyes widen, instant sobriety, seeing you stand up. Before Rhett can join you back at the table, you're fleeing to the bathroom.

When you reach the door, someone walks out of the men's. Your eyes meet, and your ex is the second guy to laugh at you in the span of sixty seconds.

A young girl leaves one of the stalls and lets you borrow her eyedrops, and in a record three minutes, you're walking to the table as if nothing happened.

Rhett is trying to convince Perry to finish the beer in front of him before getting another and Dani is nowhere to be seen.

You're happy for her, letting her hair down. Selfishly, you also think that if she were at the table she would see right through you and ask what's wrong, and you'd start crying all over again. These boys don't have the feeling for that sort of stuff. Good.

The youngest does search your face extensively, however, reaching for your hands under the table. You pull away, leaning your head on them.

You ask Perry about Amelia, a subject you know will make him go on for hours. Ten minutes in, Dani rejoins you with a bit of a flushed look. You smile at her and let the proud father continue.

With three other people there to react and respond, your mind takes the liberty to drag you out of the moment and consider what you've been told.

It isn't wrong.

You don't belong here. Maybe Rhett thinks you are his ticket out, but you don't want to take him away from his family. No, he doesn't want that either. He's better off with someone who, as said, knows this life. Their identity meshing with the dry air, blending in with the colorful streamers in the arena every weekend. Rolls with the punches, all the machismo, better. Can be happy with and despite.

Unfinished business waits for you in Boston. A life. Your life.

And Maria. You won't pretend to know her very well, but she seems liked wherever she goes. Fondly remembered and broadly welcomed. Nice, beautiful, educated and most of all familiar. Ran away from her hometown long enough to be interesting, returned in enough time to be seen as grateful. Prodigal daughter.

The way you have seen him look at her. Bask in her warmth.

It's a really sweet tale.

You think of how often you brought his peaceful mood down with your own paranoia. You took the prize he won to help yourself. How many times did he become anxious and upset when he was around you?

Standing in his way is the worst thing you can do to someone, a family who is kind.

You don't want him to think you were using him or to notice any changes (yet), so when Perry and Dani finish talking about their kids, you spark back to life to ask if anybody's hungry.

"It's early enough that we can still get that pizza."

The perfect comfort food. You nearly melt into her, the two of you holding hands and getting up. "Are you…?"

"Why wouldn't we?"

Rhett asks, and he seems apprehensive. Did you fail already?

Dani shoots you a weird, questioning look.

"I don- I don't know. Just asking."

Perry is still tipsy, heedless. "Want to ask Maria if she wants to come?"

Your hand is painfully squeezed by Dani, and you squeeze back to avoid any awkwardness.

"What?"

"Just saying."

They're standing nose to nose, and it's weird to watch.

You clear your throat, tugging Danielle forward. "We're going! Walking out the door now!"

It breaks your heart when Rhett jogs behind you, catching up and hugging you from behind, swinging your body to the side like he's going to pick you up. He notices your laugh is strained.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah-"

"Abbott!"

You should've made a more discreet exit.

"Yes?” His arms slip away from your form, turning towards your ex-boyfriend, and you enter a state of panic. “I'm all ears."

You almost move to pull him back before catching yourself. Filled by a weird feeling of deja vu. This is ridiculous.

"Did you think I wouldn't kick your ass on my last night?"

"Try me."

"Hey, don't touch-"

Big hands push Perry, and he stumbles back before you and Dani catch him.

Fed up, you place yourself in the line of sight of both men. Not exactly in between them, but close.

Rhett looks at you for a significant amount of time considering the tempers. It's a clear message. Go ahead, if you want, but I won't entertain it.

"Really, she's got you on a leash already? I have to hand it to ya, I never thought-"

You walk towards him, pulling on his arm for the last time, so you can talk. Eye to eye.

It's hard to say what the other three can hear. You're not whispering, but it's for you and him only.

"It's over. You and I are fucking free. Aren't you relieved? I am. And look at you-" You pat him on the chest, with a proud smile. "Big things in Montana. Lots to look forward to. And you're still stuck on this? Both of us are meant for greater things than this town and anyone in it. Let go."

Lying through your fucking teeth. This place has rotten you.

He smiles, hat casting a shadow over your eyes.

"See, I knew you never stopped being smart."

You return his grin. Sick.

"And you're smarter than your brothers. Tell them to stop messing with the Abbott land before you get a chunky lawsuit. It's not worth it."

Glossy eyes roll to the back of his head, hands on his hips. Doesn't admit it, but not arguing. You smile, self-satisfied.

"Have a good one."

Before you can walk away, he grabs your wrist. Rhett takes a step forward and Danielle tries to cuss him out but is scared of him too, and it dies in her throat.

"You know he's in love with the other girl, right?"

Two seconds ago, he was a big man ready to get physical. Now he's whispering in your ear, fighting dirty.

You sigh, and look straight into his eyes. Laying everything out for him, more than he deserves.

"I know."

He lets go of you, and you flash a last fake smile for him, before walking away.

"And you're okay with that?"

He yells. The others act as bystanders, trying to piece together your conversation.

"Don't worry." You exclaim already on your way to Dani's truck, loud enough for him to hear. "Didn't mean anything."

Readjusts his hat, shakes his head. Boisterous laugh. To Rhett, he says, “Another time. I feel sorry for you, now.”

You look past Rhett's puzzled face, shrugging. Your ex goes back inside.

"Can't believe that worked."

Dani comes up to you, tossing her keys into your hands. You grin. Smart woman.

"Pizza. Please." Perry mumbles like a sedated patient, Rhett helping him stay up.

"Try and keep up."

It's all you say before climbing behind the wheel, releasing a big exhale. Face muscles sore from the strain of forcing yourself to smile so many times in one conversation.

"Okay?" Dani caresses your arms. Smart fucking woman.

The taste in your mouth is revolting, stomach sinking as the words echo in your head. Sorry for him, what an asshole. And you propped him up to believe it, to say it to his face. Lying is taking a real toll on you.

"Will be."

Your emotions are behind your fast driving, as they have always been. Dani's tipsy fit of laughter is an added bonus to the experience.

Perry is just as delighted when you park.

"What the hell, woman?"

You clear the hair in your mouth, smiling wide at the brothers.

"Just showing off. Who's hungry? I'm starving."

Due to your recent change of plans, you have decided a night eating pizza with a group of nice people could be a good lasting memory.

No more overthinking and paranoia. For tonight.

They all look happier when you pretend everything's fine. (Rhett's smile is actually not reaching his eyes, and it concerns you over how much he heard, but you will not think about that tonight).

You'll leave when you're supposed to and they will recover very well.

——————————

The Abbotts come in for breakfast a few times. Even Royal.

Every time, you stash the tips they leave for you in Danielle's box.

You have enough money to go home, pay for your last year and support yourself until you find a job. Actually, you've had it for over a week.

It's hard to imagine leaving. Saying goodbye is terrible. You think about Amy. Part of you wants to pretend like you're way short just so you can stay a little longer.

To silence that part, you buy your ticket and call the university, arranging your schedule. There's a date. And a ridiculous cancel fee.

The following week is spent soaking up the familial nights with Dani and Shiree, watching Pixar movies and eating ice cream.

Giving Lenny a precocious Christmas present. An air freshener for his car, he kept mumbling about his husband asking for one but forgetting to buy it.

Visiting the Abbotts.

Cecilia and Royal appreciate the company of a new person not trying to steal, buy or camp on their land. You give Amy two of your favorite books, a horror novel and one on writing. She promises not to snitch on you.

Perry takes you on a horse walk and you forgive him. He has no recollection of telling you anything, instead, he talks about how much he loves his brother, wants the best for him. It eases your initial reaction that night.

Rhett asks for a date. Friday night. Drive-in movies. You have a whole argument about whether or not it should be official.

"If it's a racing movie, will you say yes?"

"Only if it's Tokyo Drift. I love Han."

(It isn't. It's Grease 2 for, what he says, the third time that year.)

He doesn't understand why you want to go 'as friends'. It's really hard, too, because you've secretly always dreamed about a small town drive-in date.

He gets the better of you.

You go, and hold hands, and he kisses you in his truck. You joke about the windows fogging up. He drops you off at Danielle's with another kiss. A proper goodbye, slow. Hands on your ass and wet noises that you hope the neighbors don't hear. (Danielle does and mocks you relentlessly.)

He invites you to have dinner with his family the next day. You leave on Tuesday morning.

You're washing the dishes while he dries them. Perry brings a sleepy Amelia in his arms to kiss you goodnight. She compliments your strawberry-patterned dress for the tenth time. Royal and Cecilia watch TV on the couch, nearly asleep themselves.

"I think he doesn't know how to tell you, but Perry likes having you around Amy. Like a big sister she never got."

The sponge slips out of your hands, thoughts of his brother's drunken words coming back to you. Actually, this is as good a segue as you're going to get.

"Mhm, I don't know."

"What?"

"I adore her, obviously. But I'm more like the young English teacher she apparently missed out on. Which is a real shame, those are important when you're growing up."

"Don't get a lot of young teachers around here."

He's watching you suspiciously as you hand him the last plate. Too used to your bullshit.

"I'm just saying, maybe I'm not the role model for a little girl like her. I have no family, no prospects, a regrettable love life. I'm an abandoned Bostonian, for crying out loud. Struggling to pay for school and a small apartment, for myself. Not really the poster child for a bright and respectable future in the western lands."

Rhett carries the dry plates back to the cupboard.

"I don't like it when you talk about yourself like that." Please, shut up. Don't be nice now, I'm trying to get at something. "You're just different from us. And, just 'cause she likes you doesn't mean she wants to be you."

You think about the writing book you gave her. What a hypocrite you are.

"Younger siblings tend to look up to the older." He smiles, as if you're personally attacking him. "Hey, you brought up the metaphorical sister stuff. I said teacher."

"So you're teaching her to be you?"

"No! I-" You groan and steal the cloth from his shoulder to slap him with. Folding it in your hand, you swallow your feelings to be able to muster your sentence. "All I mean is that, yes, she should have a good influence in her life that isn't related to her by blood. But it should be someone who is consistent, similar. Someone she can relate to but also trust. Possibly, someone she already knows. That all of you do."

You're struggling not to say her name.

"Are you or are you not talking about yourself?"

He's genuinely confused and you sigh into the folded dishtowel. "Nevermind."

The parents sleep soundly, leaning on each other. You think of how long they’ve been together, how much they’ve gone through. Still so supportive of each other and their family. It’s a nice reality you know nothing about.

Cautious not to wake the couple on the couch, you step carefully around the living room and pick up your discarded coat and purse. You're trying to quietly slip on your Vans when Rhett puts a hand behind your back to steady you.

"I was thinking you could stay."

Glad to have strong arms to hold onto, you nearly let yourself fall back into him, basking in the unapologetic seduction in his words. But you think of the disrespect of having sex while his family is sleeping, sneaking out of the room many girls have snuck out of before, just to move back home in three days.

"I really should go." You smile. "But I'm gonna need help walking in these to Dani's truck without falling on my ass."

He laughs. "Useless fuckin' shoes."

Light rain is still falling, rattling the leaves. It smells amazing. You see the dogs taking cover in the driveway.

You'll miss this so much.

The two of you walk like senior citizens, shuffling your feet to avoid an accident, to the car.

"Okay. Thanks."

You chuckle as he opens the door.

Quickly, you throw your stuff on the passenger seat and climb inside, very obviously avoiding saying a real, kiss-involving, goodbye to him.

He squints his eyes but opts for brushing it off, complimenting you instead.

"You look really pretty tonight."

Don't think about him saying it to her when you hand him over in a platter.

"Thank you. So do you."

You're smiling, but not moving to touch each other.

After a beat, he gives up.

"Alright, goodnight. Drive safe." He steps back, hands in his pockets. You think of a teenage Rhett saying goodbye to his dates. "Like a normal person would."

An awkward, disingenuous laugh. Turning the ignition. Calm before the storm.

"Night."

Your foot is on the pedal before you can regret everything. Before you can tell him that you're so sorry about leaving this way.

In the rearview mirror, you watch him wait until you're completely outside of the gate, then jog back inside.

The whole way home, you think you're going to cry. But you're empty. Resolute.

On Sunday, you ignore his calls, eventually texting him that you're busy with Danielle and you'll talk tomorrow.

It's all true.

Dani had been an unbelievable friend, so you figured she deserved to know that you were leaving before everyone else.

Truthfully, you expected a better reaction.

She had seen you save money, she knows you want to finish school and that if it weren't for her, you'd have nothing keeping you here. She pulls the full truth out of you and you agree that the Abbotts would be a reason to stay.

Except they aren't.

You tell her all about Perry's accidental revelation, the logic behind your sudden leave and why it is better this way.

"Don’t you think Perry would only say that if he was scared his brother is falling in love with you?"

You glared at her, then. Begging silently to not be encouraged in favor of optimism and romance.

"No. He made it clear he thought I was wasting his time, preventing him from being with the person he actually needs."

"Maria? They’ve had their chance and neither of them has ever done anything about it, that should say enough."

"Dani-"

"And, so what? Your feelings don’t matter, are not worth seeing through because he had a crush on the girl everyone had a crush on?"

Reinforcing how desired she is doesn’t help.

"Please. Stop."

It's safe to say she doesn't agree, and she calls you a moron a handful of times, but ultimately concedes when she sees you've made up your mind.

"I think you'll regret the way you're going about it. But I've also never seen you backtrack on a decision. For better or worse, we'll see."

She helps you pack and write your resignation letter, and you end the night watching another Pixar movie with Shiree and ice cream.

Your phone sits on the bedside table all day, untouched.

—————————

It's Monday, your last here.

Lenny is the most supportive, happy to hear you're going to finish school. He requests that you send graduation pictures, and it's a great idea.

You and Dani spend your entire shift attached to the hip as it's a slow day, talking about how she'll be miserable again at work and you will look for her in every diner you go to.

Like a storm to finish the day, a sweaty Amelia Abbott bursts through the doors. Did she run here?

"Is it true?"

"Amy, what are you-"

"Shiree said you're leaving tomorrow. Is it true?"

You look back at Danielle, who has an apologetic look on her face. Turning back to the little girl, you're ready to beg for forgiveness at the sight of her blue eyes filling up with tears.

"Oh, Amy, I was gonna say goodbye."

She turns and runs out of the diner. Danielle is already dialing Perry to let him know that he should drive past the school. Right after, she bolts out of the back door to go get her before she gets too far.

The heartbroken child sulks into her father's car, and you watch from the counter.

Dani comes back inside, walks past you into the lockeroom, and comes back again with her own keys.

"There's like an hour left."

"It's your last day, he won't even notice, go."

You sit there, picking your words, before starting the truck. For someone who calls herself a writer, you're often out of right things to say.

The quiet inside the house when you knock is daunting.

Perry opens the door, and he looks distressed, almost pleading for you to come in and explain.

Inside, Rhett is looking at you in disbelief.

"I was going to say goodbye, I promise."

"Can somebody, please, tell me what's going on?"

It's funny that Rhett, expert mutterer, is the one who understood what a crying Amelia was saying. Now, you can hear soft sobs from one of the rooms with the door closed.

"I'm going home tomorrow. Back to university. Quit today. I only told Danielle yesterday, but she told Shiree so she wouldn't have a shock and then she told Amelia at school."

The father looks unsurprised, which in turn surprises you.

You point to the closed bedroom door. "Can I try?"

He nods.

You sit down in front of the door, knocking first.

"Amy, it's me. I'm sorry. I was going to say goodbye. I'm sorry you found out this way, really." You breathe in. "Look, I have one year left. Remember when I showed you the campus pictures? I love that place. I love what I study. I want to be able to practice it. It's…who I am. I'm going after what I most want. We talked about doing things for ourselves, right? That's all this is, okay? My number stays the same, and you can send me any draft you write, anytime. Or questions your stubborn old English teachers don't want to answer. Any book report you need help with. I'm not too far away, Amy. It'll be fine."

Your eyes are closed, brows furrowed in hopes that she's actually listening instead of shoving her earbuds in like you used to when your foster parents tried to discipline you.

There's more that you wan't to promise her. That she can visit you, that you'll write letters to each other to practice, that you'll come see her. But that would make you too present in the Abbotts' life. You made sure she can reach out to you if she needs, and your communication will be direct. If you sent a letter, everyone at the house would be reminded of your existence. It's not what you're after.

There's no response, so you stand up, smoothing your clothes silently.

Rhett's chair screeches against the floor and he swings the front door wide open, stepping outside. It's your cue to follow. Perry stops you on the way to say he'll try and get Amy to come out and hug you goodbye, which you find oddly sympathetic.

You lean against the porch, watching him pace in front of you.

"I don't get it."

"C'mon. You funded part of my back to school campaign. Hardly a surprise that I'm going back to school, is it?"

"Don't be fucking sassy with me now."

You take a deep breath, preparing to fill the shoes of the asshole. It's deserving.

"Rhett-"

"What? How are you gonna defend this? Amy's heartbroken. Again. You think she likes to be left like this? Time after time. And with no warning. Swept off her feet."

You suspect he's not talking about his niece.

"I'm sorry."

"Sure, yeah." He finally stops pacing. You're standing in front of him, your hands clasped in front of your body, eyes burning against the sun. "I thought…"

"I apologize if I lead you on-"

"You didn't lead me on, kitten, you meant it. What happened to your honesty? Why are you lying to me?"

Right into your lap.

"That's the thing, Rhett. I don't know. Ever since I've been here, what I've done the most is lie. Sneak around. I don't like it. I don't belong here, and it shows."

"Bullshit! Who told you that? Was it one of those blonde fucking pricks?"

"Please, I can't have thoughts of my own?"

"Not insecure ones like this, no."

This is more hurtful than what you imagined. But it's good that he's being honest. You'll remember these words forever and probably be too embarrassed to return here.

"Like I said, I'm sorry."

He throws his hat on the ground, stepping right up to you, grabbing your hands in his.

"Stop fighting yourself."

It shakes you to your core, to hear what you needed to all your life. And from someone who you…

You can't.

"Jesus, Rhett! Wake up!" You push his hands away. "This is your life, your family. Doesn't it matter to you? It's not about me. You need to step up for them, and I'm not the girl who's going to get you there, I'm just not! So you need to find her. If you haven't already."

His blue eyes have never been icier. You can imagine what he thinks of you now. Manipulative. Spoiled. Deceiving.

In the background, Royal's sprinting on top of a horse, cussing angrily. You question Rhett.

"What's up with him?"

He runs a hand across his forehead, reluctant.

"Our dear neighbors are convinced we trespassed their property and are legally demanding we give it back. It's a, uh, considerable amount of good land."

You feel like snapping that useless piece of shit in two. Had it not been enough? To tell him that it meant nothing, that you weren't going to stay with him or feed into this silly rivalry…

You praised him while backstabbing Rhett for him to betray you one last time?

He notices your thousand-yard stare nearly setting fire to all the grass in your vicinity. He warns you, calling your name in a way that says 'don't'.

"Those shitheads- Son of a bitch! I asked him…"

Rhett finally closes the distance, fingers kneading the knots on your shoulders as you huff, exasperated.

"Relax. This shows it has nothing do with you."

His hands massage your neck, thumbs caressing the ends of your jawline, and you close your eyes for a second.

"How so?"

"I'm assuming that's what you pulled him aside the other night to talk about. Play the game. Boost his ego, ensure I'm no threat, and he'd leave us alone. Because you're smart. If it was about you, they would have stopped. It didn't work, so it's unrelated to you, right? It's business. You don't understand, forget it."

You let him pull you in for a hug, stroking your hair while your arms envelop his body.

But then, it hits you. You don't understand. Maybe you made things worse by talking to him, maybe he told his brothers to punch harder, or didn't talk to them at all. Once again, you're proven to be out of your element. You wonder if she would have made this mistake. Or if she would have known the right way to handle this, them. Part of you roots for her.

You push him off.

"Or I wasn't convincing enough. Leaving can still make things better."

"Is that why you're going?"

"Rhett-" You're tired. Can't he just yell, grab your arm, tell you to never show up here again. That, you know how to thread. "It's not why, but it's a damn good reason."

He laughs at you, incredulous. Like he can't take you seriously. Like his brother, when he was drunk. It's a nauseating sight.

"Ok. So, what, you're bad for me? Get over yourself."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." He's in your face again. "You really think that works on me? Is that how stupid you think I am? You’re bullshitting."

How is he controlling the situation? How did this happen?

"What do I do with that?"

"Tell the truth."

"I am!"

"Not that. Just two weeks ago. Prick's last night in town. You said to him, it didn't mean nothing. What didn't?"

"I didn't know you heard that."

"Well?"

"You and I. It didn't mean anything, soon enough I'd go back to Boston and you'd stay here."

"Did you lie to him, or to me?"

"I have a ticket back to Boston so-"

"Did it mean nothing to you?"

He's staring you down, breathing fast on your face, eyes searching yours for any signs of weakness.

It's right in front of him. The answer.

All these years valuing honesty, putting it on a pedestal, clinging to it as the one virtue you can count on… It made you a terrible liar.

He knows. You realize, then, that his point isn't to hear that you cared for him and that it wasn't all meaningless. Your leaky eyes, heaving chest, gritted teeth, it shows him that you do care.

He's asking you to speak up. To fight for yourself, instead of against. He probably doesn't mind you going back to school, he helped you, even. All he wants is to hear it.

Are you going to let go, tell him how much he means to you and that you'll be back for him? Or will you cower and run, leaving him behind?

You swallow an entire speech.

Rhett backs off, side-eyeing you one last time as he walks towards the steps, before turning to you. "In that case, you're probably right."

Then, Amelia interrupts your moment, running past her uncle and almost knocking him down in the process. You almost tumble yourself with the force of her hug.

It's crushing, and wet from her tears. You smooth her hair.

As fast as she came, she goes. Her weight is missed.

She takes her uncle's hand as she goes up the porch's steps, Perry watching from the doorway.

You fish for the truck's keys in your pocket, hearing the wooden door of the house shut behind you.

—————————

It's an even quieter than usual morning for the Abbotts.

The goddamn dogs look disinterested.

Amy woke up asking to skip school again, but his brother said no. She has spoons under her eyes to try and downsize the puffiness.

He didn't cry. Why would she?

Danielle called, he's not sure why, to say that you were gone. And to relay that you sent Amy a hello, wished her a good day in school.

Life is swift.

They'll be fine.

But he doesn't get it. At first, he thought he could save you from a poor excuse of a man. He had stolen girls from the boys next door before.

Eventually, the obvious dawned on him. They're not teenagers anymore.

You weren't nice to him to be saved, you were just nice. Yourself. Even if you hid, guarded up, dipped your toes in the water before diving. It was only fair. You decided he was good enough to let in.

And then he had screwed it up by fucking you in a strange place against a wall. Coming inside you with no regard for your well-being despite telling you he wanted to make you feel good. Instead, he probably ended up making you feel like another notch under his belt.

He was terrified. That he had lowered your expectations on people even more, convincing you to stay with your boyfriend because it doesn’t look too much better out there; that he had shown you his worst side and you'd never want to look at him again.

But you smiled, just a few days after. Teased him like he noticed you only did with him. Told him he had nothing to worry about, while you worried sick for him and his family. Didn't let him ease your nerves. A no-good, infuriating tendency to be self-righteous.

He knows- He knew you. What he doesn't understand is why you couldn't break those vices for him. What else could he have done to make you feel safe enough to?

You'd sacrifice yourself if it meant his family would be alright.

Did he not make it clear that he doesn't want you to? That, as long as you're gone, he will not be alright? And if he's not alright, he can't step up or whatever you said.

Then, there was all that talk about Maria. Obviously, the woman still affects him. They never got their chance, it's bound to make him wonder…

But even after all these years, he has no clue who she is. What she likes, what she hates. He knows her story by accidentally being part of it, and even then, he doesn't know it that well.

In a few months you managed to leak into every bit of his life. He memorized all of the pieces that built you, made the effort to. And he wanted more. He wanted you everywhere.

Everyone but his niece was skeptical. They liked you despite how vastly different you are, it scared them. For a family who has been through enough hardships, change is always uncomfortable. He spent nights awake thinking about how he could sprinkle a good word about you every dinner, maybe recruiting Amy, so that you'd feel loved by them too. They could love you, he's sure of it.

He doesn't understand why he's not enough. You must have noticed his effort. Sure, he wasn't too good with romance but he never gave up on you. It's not entitlement, you don't owe him anything, he chose you. Like you had said once, that you chose him. What changed?

Why was he not enough?

His mother is frustrated, to put it lightly, that now her two sons brood around the house, and so does her granddaughter. His dad spends even more time working to avoid the off-putting energy in the house.

So she suggests no one goes to Lenny's diner for a while. And that they all go watch him ride on Friday. Then they'll get some good chicken wings on the way home. Together (she means no bar after, no drinking).

They obey dilligently.

The show that night is good, he scores a great time. Maria is there. Not surrounded by blonde assholes, just her friends, he notices. Approachable.

They'll be fine.

————————

last part coming soon :)

[tastybluesprite]

Hi! I’m not really feeling well since I’m bedridden sick, and I was hoping if you can make a MoonKnight one shot, where Marc & Steven take care of a teen! Reader whose like Eleven from Stranger Things, and she’s having a nightmare about her past and the boys comfort her.

I just think it would be really wholesome and cute

We’ll never let you go back there again

Hiya! I hope you feel better soon ☹️❤️‍🩹

Thank you so much for this idea it was so sweet and I almost cried writing it haha. I’m sorry if the intro is a bit long tho lol I tried to put a bit of character backstory for the reader and it ended up being a little longer than I intended it to be. I do hope that’s ok (I put a marking of where the actual fic starts). It’s angsty with comfort in the end. I hope this can help you feel better and that you take good care of yourself. ❤️ (also I want to mention that I tried making the DID as accurate to how it’s shown in the show as possible. I don’t want any inaccuracies so if I did anything wrong or messed anything up please let me know so I can do better).

You only started out as some kid from the streets. You had lost your parents at such a young age. Your mother was exposed to unnatural substances that made her very ill and she died giving birth to you, while your father died not long after due to heartbreak. The doctors were scared that you would end up with physical abnormalities due to the unnatural substances, but it was, in many ways, so much worse. They noticed a lot of weird things about you when you were dropped off at an orphanage. It wasn’t until you started making things float that they realized something was seriously wrong.

You then got sent to a lab where you were tested. They were horrible tests. Sending electrical currents to the pain receptor area of your brain just to see how it would trigger your abilities, forcing you stay awake for days in order to be able to test your brain activity and see what happens to it if you didn’t sleep. But no matter how painful the tests were, no matter how much you would scream and cry, or even beg them to stop or even let you rest, they wouldn’t allow it.

You finally ran away when you were old enough to figure out how. You were only about 15 years old and struggling to keep yourself alive. But a year later a man found you. He had said his name was Steven and seemed very worried. You recoiled from him when he tried to touch your hand. You almost ran away. But you eventually you learned to be able to trust him and went with him to his home. You soon after met Marc, who was just as nice. They had given you what you thought you could never have. You were given a new name, your current one, that had kept you well disguised and hidden from the labs system. You also soon got used to the system between Marc and Steven. They gave you so much unconditional love.

———

One night you found yourself back there again. You were being dragged by a man in a lab coat, right down the hall you had been down so, so many times before. You knew exactly where you were headed. You tried to yank your arm out of the man’s grip but it was like trying to break out of stone. When you turn your head, you notice a familiar black silhouetted figure far behind you. “STEVEN! STEVEN! MARC! HELP ME!” You begin to scream at it, with tears streaming down your face. How could they have let you gone back there? You thought you could trust them. You kept shouting their name, hoping any of them would be able to hear you.

Then suddenly you found yourself jerking awake, realizing you had been screaming their names out loud in your sleep. You still felt a hand around your wrist and desperately pulled at it like your life depended on it. You were hyperventilating and trying to get away from whoever had you.

“Hey, hey! Love, don’t worry it’s me! It’s just me!” You recognized the British accent in the darkness and felt yourself calming down slightly. Your breathing slowed as well. You whole body was shaking uncontrollably. You realized you were drenched in sweat and that your face was wet from crying. Steven then turned on the lamp on the bedside table and you were finally able to see him better.

“Are you alright?” Steven asked gently. Upon hearing those words you felt fresh hot tears beginning to fill your eyes and roll down your cheeks. You let out a sob as your shaking body fall into Stevens lap. He just strokes at your head comfortingly and makes soft shushing sounds as he lets you cry for as long as you wanted.

“Love, what happened?” Steven asked, his voice full of worry, “You were shouting to Marc and I for help so we ran here as fast as we could.”

You just keep crying as you clench at his pajama shirt. Then Marc Spector fronted, “That’s alright kid,” he said as he continued Stevens head stroking, “you can tell us when you’re ready.”

When you finally start to feel a little better you grab to hold his non head stroking hand and try to tell him.

“I-I had a h-horrible d-dream…” you say with a weak voice, “I-I d-dreamt that I w-was b-back t-t-there. A-and t-that y-you l-left…” you start to sob again into his shirt.

“Oh.. Y/n… I’m so, so sorry you had to revisit that wretched place again…” Marc said sadly, “Please remember that we love you and we would never even consider making you go back there again.”

“But don’t you worry, Y/n.” Steven said with a soft smile as he fronted again, “we will absolutely NEVER let that dream come true, even if it’s the last thing we do. Never ever will we let that happen, and that’s a promise!”

With those words you calmed down a bit more and stopped crying. “W-will you s-stay with me?” You ask as you wipe the tears away. “Of course. As long as you want us to.” Marc said with a smile. He slowly lay you back on the bed and laid himself down next to you as he cuddled you in his arms. Soon the two (three) of you had fallen asleep. You didn’t wake up again from anymore nightmares that night.

[nemesis-is-my-middle-name]

i think laventon or cyllene is the person to first find the protag—probably lav. actually this gets into another thought i've been having lately which is while i've written rei in the past as cyllene's apprentice, i think akari-as-counterpart is more laventon's apprentice/assistant. they've got different backstories in my head. anyway. i think rei in this one is the counterpart bc i really love the idea of exiled ex-swordguard cyllene having this apprentice trailing behind her the whole time. and i suppose that also means rei is another, less skilled draconid swordguard? or maybe cyllene refrained from ever teaching him magic and focused mostly on the sword stuff, and he doesn't do magic at all (maybe until akari starts to teach him?)

anyway, laventon and/or cyllene and rei just sort of... stumble upon this kid. like she's just been left there by something? and it's immediately obvious that there's something not normal about her. most people's ley lines are faint marks in one to three colors, representative of their chosen specialties, predominantly on one hand or arm, less so on the other. but she has a rainbow of colors and they're all so bright, almost like neon signs, covering both arms. if you were to imagine some kind of like, student's model of an example of what Every Ley Line could look like, she'd be it.

further complication, upon talking to her: kid has total amnesia and barely knows what magic is, let alone how to do it.

further complication #2: kid can absolutely do magic, just not on purpose. she sneezes and multiple nearby bottles explode and a blanket catches fire.

laventon's fascinated and never lets go of a line of study once he's found it (also, she definitely can't just be left alone by herself in the current conditions) so he makes it his mission to help her figure out what the hell is going on. rei has found a new bff. cyllene tragically doesn't have anything better to do and is definitely not following out of concern for anyone involved. and this is how akari's adventuring party gets its start

[phoenix-before-the-flame]

Hey phoenix how have you been this is scar anon if you still remember me! Anyways I just have your laxus fanart rotating in my brain again and I am having so many thoughts like,,,I wonder how he got that scar yknow it's such a prominent part of his character but as far as I can recall (which is admittedly not very much considering I haven't watched or read ft in a hot minute) mashima never explained where he got it? God I wish there was an angsty backstory to his scar (or honestly more laxus backstory in general) but if we're being honest he probably just ran headfirst into a pole or smth.

Anyways sorry for my ramblings this was a poorly disguised request for some laxus headcanons if you have the time! (Can you tell he's my blorbo? That fanart you did genuinely restructured something in my brain and I still can't stop thinking about it to this day) Aight that's it from me have a good day! 👍🏼

Finally i can get around to answering this lol

With regards to Laxus' iconic eye scar I don't really think there was any deep reasoning or logic behind it on Mashima's end (from a character design stand point at least) other than having it be a visual tell that yup, this guy's got lightning powers so he's got a lightning shaped scar to let the audience have a clue about that. It's a similar thing with like, giving your fire characters flame printed clothing, or your evil characters red eyes or your yugioh character crazy hair to let the audience know that this is the protag.

It's more of an element to add some interest to his design and key readers into his magic before the big reveal than something i think was definitely added to tie into any backstory related thing.

And if it is connected to anything backstory related that was revealed later down the line a la 100yr quest i dont care because i dont care about anything to do with the sequel lol.

That being said, i've had this old ass concept regarding Laxus' scar that i've always meant to get around to and you've given me the perfect opportunity to talk about it.

So like, in my head and my tweaked version, Laxus' scarring is instead of a random cool looking lighting scar it's literally lightning scars.

Like scars you get from being struck by lightning. Lichtenberg figures.

(Took off his tattoo and guild mark for the sake of clarity)

Enter Phoenix- verse Laxus lol

Reasoning for this is because I've always figured that the operation that dropped that lacrima in him was a botched one. A sorta test run of making a 2nd gen slayer to work out the kinks down the line for better and smoother operations.

So that being said, in the initial months after the operation the lacrima did not adjust smoothly to being in Laxus' body and adapting to work with his natural ethernano so the lacrima would often times send out shocks through his body during that time as the dragon lacrima's and his ethernano particles would slowly sync up and work in unison

Hence resulting in the all over lichtenberg scarring starting from his chest (i always hc the lacrima's somewhere in the chest near the heart or so) and going through the head, arm and leg as exit points for the electricity when he used to get those shocks.

And the scarring would sorta wrap around his head too! If you shaved his head (sorry King) you would see that it would stretch across the scalp as well.

This whole thing also left his right eye slighter weaker than the other (not enough for him to be completely blind in it but it goes kinda fuzzy sometimes).

The whole full body scarring never really raised much questions though, a lot of people who see it just assume that it was a really bad magic accident (I hc that some elemental magics are more volatile and trickier to master due to the danger they could pose to the user so stuff like lighting and poison for eg are less commonly used than say water or air related magics). But those who know, know (Hello Makarov and Thunder Legion).

So uh, yeah. My headcanon and slight redesign regarding Laxus' scarring lol. Probs a lot more extra than you were bargaining for but i wanted to be able to visualize my idea properly 😅

Also bonus the scarring glows when he uses his magic :]

[moonstone-vibe]

GAMES NIGHT

(Bai Lin/Luohou Jidu 1000 words drabble)

“Okay guys, you’re on in 3…2…1… Go!”

In the deafening noise and the blinding lights, already feeling the weight of the armor pieces encircling his torso, forearms and calves, Bai Lin finally started to low-key question his decision. If only he had waived off this stupid challenge, surely his friends would have conceded for a more embarrassing but less hazardous punishment? He'd never know and now it was too late to back down.

At least he hoped for a silver lining - these fantasy extreme sports for amateurs or whatever the hell they were called seemed to be a popular novelty and he could maybe write a good article about his own experience with it.Technically the matches had the adequate safety measures, all weapons used were blunt and the risk of sustaining serious injury was minimal, still he regretted not thinking of taking part in a rehearsal practice before, if only to get the better hang of it.

Bai Lin was rather confident because he'd taken some fighting classes back in high-school and the long sword felt comfortable enough in his hand, but he and the other two fighters making up his three-people group had never come together before so they weren't a team per say. Also, the large audience of the arena, the heavy, unfamiliar period costume and the atmosphere as a whole had proven quite overwhelming.

Sparkling white sand scrunched under his boots as their small group was guided by a referee towards the center of the large arena while a presenter had started to relay the 'backstory' of the upcoming match through the speakers. Bai Lin was a media man himself and wouldn't argue with people's choices of entertainment, but he was finding this particular concept both ridiculous and complicated; as such, most of it flew by his ears without sticking, except for the part that his team - with white tunics and silvery armors and long swords- were supposed to be celestial soldiers defending some magic gate against a horde of nefarious Asuras.

Their opponents had bronze gilded armor pieces and matching swords, and two of them were black-clad and their faces half-hidden by black hoods. It fully dawned on Bai Lin how poorly prepared his ‘team’ was when they parted to make way for a third guy who must have been their leader, judging by the crimson shade of his tunic and cape and the ornaments on the breastplate. Fuck, he really should have done his homework before jumping into this shit headfirst.

Mildly annoyed, he took a step to the forefront and his teammates gladly allowed it, quickly moving behind him, and Bai Lin let out a huff, eyes on the man who was walking forward with slow steps, eyes still on the phone in his hand. He wasn’t armed.

"What the hell is he doing?!" he hissed, not letting the other out of his sight.

The key to winning the fight was identifying the impact points on the opponent’s armor, marked with a different color, which when hit with enough force jammed a mechanism inside the respective armor piece and incapacitated that part of their body. In theory it sounded quite straightforward and relatively easy to accomplish.

"Probably selecting a playlist. You can wear air pods if you want but they're too distracting, I can't imagine how you can-..." one of his teammates explained.

Bai Lin scowled - so the Asura must have been pretty confident, he must have been experienced. But the guy was rather short and didn't look particularly strong either underneath all that equipment. And where was his sword?!

"They look much too calm, let's give them a little roast," his other teammate suggested.

“What? Dude, no-”

"Hey you! I didn't know the mighty Asuras were supposed to be a bunch of pipsqueaks!"

"Oh yeah? Don't beg for mercy later, pretty boy," a voice replied acidly from under a black hood and Bai Lin realized it was a girl's. Despite disagreeing with the rudeness of his own man, the discovery gave him an instant boost of confidence and he gave his sword a demonstrative spin, even as the lead Asura finally looked up at them. His eyes were surprisingly large and dark, lined with makeup of some sort and he even had a black mark finely painted between his eyebrows. If his whole outfit and artifices were supposed to make him look like a tough guy, the effect was almost non-existent. Not only was he lacking the bulk and size for it, but he was pretty, in a glazed cinnamon roll kind of way too.

The guy glanced at all three of them blinking slowly, chin raised and frowning slightly, just as a staff member momentarily approached to take the phone from him. Damn, these guys were seriously into the show, but they were in for a nasty surprise.

Or so he’d thought, because the very moment the gong was hit, several things happened in rapid sequence; his two mates pushed past him and charged forward with zero coordination and the two hooded Asuras fell back quickly several paces, while Bai Lin noticed a stage assistant throwing something to their leader.

He only saw that it was a modified, double-bladed guan dao when its wielder had already given it a wide swing, taking them completely by surprise and already hitting one of the two celestial soldiers in the leg guard. The man stumbled brusquely and dropped on his knees, and then one of the other Asuras pounced on him.

Their strategy was simple but ruthlessly effective and things went decidedly south for the celestial team in less than three minutes.

In the end, Bai Lin found himself with his nose in the sand and the outline of his article taking shape in his mind. It wasn’t a completely disastrous night, even if he’d made a fool of himself; still, it would probably take a rematch he should actually win before the cinnamon roll Asura would give him his phone number.

[jyndor]

for the wip ask, what about “cass and jyn see the eye of aldhani”? it looks amazing 💖 (and the one I liked the most from the list you posted since I adore the aldhani arc and these two kdkssk)

sure lol so a bit of background:

this was prompted by anonymous, who asked for rebelcaptain seeing the eye of aldhani together but i have spent a lot of time trying to think of a way to best make it clear that the dhani people are okay with these particular offworlders watching their ceremony but not participating in it. dhani people seem to be based in part on the sami people, who have closed practices, so i tried to stay true to that. i figured there needed to be a close connection between someone from aldhani and someone who is close with cassian, so cinta and vel are here too - plus any chance to see them, i'll take. i think cinta's a bit too chatty in her dialogue but i'll work on that in edits when the whole fic is finished. maybe next century lmfao.

i've mostly got set-up written. jyn is pregnant with their daughter mari (from this fic here). but i actually started this before i wrote that. this is set in 7 ABY because the next eye would be in 2 BBY, then 1 ABY, 4 ABY and then finally 7 ABY which I think would be the first Eye that they'd actually be able to see. so since i knew jyn would be pregnant then, i used that timing for we are not unspectacular things - which is why jyn is pregnant in 6 ABY and mari is 5 in 12 ABY. unfortunately i feel like now jyn is just pregnant in both of these stories but LOL its fine i've got plenty of ideas for stories in this verse where she is NOT

also this was the first time i started sorting out my personal headcanon for cassian's backstory so festian!clem andor comes up here.

ALDHANI (7 ABY)

Mak-ani bray Dhani. He can still see it in his mind’s eye, for all that he hadn’t really had the time for the spectacle of it all. “Bit of an easier flight this time,” he says as Cinta directs him towards the highlands, where an old friend of her and Vel’s has returned to live and rebuild. From behind him, he hears Vel snort.

The kyber pendants are wide awake against his skin as always, one cool and one warm, buzzing with that eternal energy he can’t quite comprehend. He lands the ship and looks back at Jyn where she’s sitting behind him. She meets his gaze with a raised brow and a warning in her green eyes, her hand resting on her belly. Flight hasn’t been kind to her during her pregnancy, but she's warned him against making a fuss about it in front of the others.

They've decided that Kaytoo would stay behind at home, despite his freshly painted chassis (courtesy of Sabine Wren) marking him as a free droid. The Dhani are distrustful of droids and a KX unit, reprogrammed though he may be, is definitely off the table. 

Outside the Kestrel are two red-haired, fair-skinned women and a dark-skinned boy with thick red-brown curls and big dark eyes. The child breaks out into a toothy grin and barrels into Cinta, wrapping his arms around her.

Cinta smiles down at the boy and Vel kneels in front of him, pulls a stuffed tauntaun from her satchel and says something in Dhani to him. The elder Dhani woman chuckles.

"Cassian, Jyn, this is Giđeš and her sister Suoinná," Vel gestures to the women as she stands back up. "And this is Mielat," she adds, running a hand through the boy's hair.

"Welcome," Giđeš says. "We are happy you could make it, offworlders. We have a short walk home." She looks at Jyn and Cassian tenses. Suoinná laughs and says something in Dhani, and her sister smiles. "Suoi says that you have a spine of steel, friend, and that if you won't let your husband carry your pack, you definitely won't let me."

"I'm fine, I promise," Jyn replies, gritting her teeth. Exhaling, she catches Cassian's eye. "But I will let you know if that changes."

Not for the first time, he feels his chest expand with affection for her.

//

While there are more Dhani people here now than there were back when Cassian first came to Aldhani, there is a clear absence of something. Perhaps of sons and daughters and friends. Children cling to people too young or too old to have borne them. 

Mielat, one of the older kids to Cassian’s eye at least, leads the children around the village.

The houses, large tent-like structures that stir something inside of Cassian’s gut, are colorful and earthy, easily dismantled for leave-taking but sturdy. He thinks of the slapdash work of him and his friends on Kenari, plastered-together bits of their parents’ lives after their deaths. They’d stitched Jeron and Mecati’s clothes into their roof and their blankets, fashioned weapons from their bedposts. In Kerri and Kassa, their parents had lived on.

Nearly two decades later, Cassian watches Mielat and the other children braid multi-colored thread into each other’s hair in a circle near one of the great fire pits in the center of the village.

“He’s Gorn’s,” Cinta says from behind him. He startles as she sits beside him on the dray-wool blanket they’ve laid out. Something must show on his face because a brief flash of amusement lights up her eyes. “Hmm. Gotta exercise those reflexes, General.”

“I’m retired,” he replies, looking back towards the children, who have pulled Giđeš and Jyn into the circle. Jyn, who is still so quick to trust despite her better judgment, who loves children so dearly, leans her head back for a little girl with blond curls tangled with red and green thread. “Does he know?”

“Dhanis don’t keep that sort of thing hidden from their children.” Cinta pauses, picks a damp blade of grass from her boot. A rare tell. “He’s not the only child of an Imp. But he was born of love, so there's that.”

“Did you know her? The mother.”

Cinta shakes her head. “No, Gorn approached us after she was killed. I only found out they had a child after the mission, before they razed the Highlands and installed the labor camps." She bites her lip, looks away. "Her name was Rana.”

One of the children, younger than the rest, is pressing his hand to Jyn’s belly, speaking to their baby with a very serious expression on his face. Cassian feels like his whole body is on high alert, searching for any sign of distress in his wife. He has always felt highly aware of her, even before he’d understood that he’d been rapidly crash-landing into love with her. Protective and desperate to watch her back though he’d always been, he’d changed on a cellular level when he’d seen the test results. 

Hormones and DNA and millennia of instincts honed by his ancestors have converged in his blood and the very marrow of his bones. Their child will be born of love, and he and Jyn will be there for them, whoever they are, for as long as possible. It’s something they’ve discussed at length. Plans and promises, so easily broken, but they will try to hold to these. To never choose each other over their baby, to make their family their cause. 

Something bright and sharp flashes above them. Over by the children, Suoinná helps Jyn get to her feet. “It’s almost time,” Vel says from behind them, handing Cinta a mug and placing one beside Cassian. “Mead, Suoinná brews it. It’s that or warm dray milk.”

Cassian tries not to gag at the memory as he brings his mug to his lips. The mead is dry and fruity on his tongue, and a bit herbal. “Thank Suoinná for me,” he replies. “She must put a lot of work into this.”

“I gave her the bottle of Whyren’s I found on your ship, she’s more than happy to let us have some.”

He frowns but Jyn is shaking her head as she approaches. “I said it was fine. You don’t even like it,” his wife adds. Cassian bends his knees and pats the blanket in front of his legs. “You’ll have to roll me off the ground,” she says as she rests her back against his shins. “This was where you all met?”

“Cinta and I, yes,” Vel replies, her voice liquor-warm and lighter than he’s heard it before. “Although I could swear we met some guy named Clem. I couldn’t tell you where this Cassian fellow came from.” The name still grips at his chest, but he feels Jyn reach back and squeeze his knee and the tightening inside him loosens. 

He’d only told Jyn about Clem when they’d taken a mission on Fest with Travia Chan and the Atrivis cell during the war. Huddled together in the cold and damp underground tunnels beneath the old refineries and factories from the Clone Wars, not yet lovers despite the rumors about them, she’d seen through his mask as always - like it was her own and of course, it was. 

“What was it like?” Jyn asks. Cinta looks up to the darkening sky, stoic as always. 

Vel shrugs. “Cassian and I didn’t see it from the ground. Pretty enough from above but terrifying. I was a bit preoccupied though.”

“Chaos,” Cassian says, absently rubbing his thumb against the back of Jyn’s neck. “I’m glad to be down here this time.” 

Cinta is quiet, her dark eyes distant. A low bell tolls twice. A man is standing by the remains of one of the temples and approaches the closest fire pit. Mielat starts to run over to him but Giđeš holds him by his shoulders. Beneath his hand, Jyn is tense with excitement. 

The man sprinkles something into the fire pit that makes it spark and flicker to cheers and cries, and then the Dhanis start to sing. There’s many more pilgrims this time than there were all those years ago, but Cassian can hear the loss mixed in with the joy, and he wonders not for the first time, if any of his people who left, those who left with the Separatists, or who were taken, if they managed to find ways to speak with the Mother, if they ever tried to find anyone else.

There's ways of looking for people, always have been but the New Republic has a system for locating missing and displaced sentients. It's a slow process and has had mixed results. He hasn't tried it yet. Could use his connections to push through the queue, but for what? For some kid to search records and databases and have less clearance and access than he does?

He hasn't looked since Maarva. Has had too much to do, too much to fight for.

The singing gets louder and washes over him, stirring a great and fierce need in him, until it stops. He feels Jyn's ribs expand with a gasp and realizes he's closed his eyes. 

What did the Eye look like to him twelve years ago, Jyn asked. Like a pulling, a great urge to go forward, a path, a call. Green and blue and then violent, vibrant red, and blinding white and gold - glittering and breaking apart around him, like flying through stardust.

Barely minutes or twelve years later, Cassian opens his eyes. It's different from below. Calmer and probably prettier. But it's the people who he finds himself drawn to - the red-haired sisters who hold their cousin's child close, the young father with a toddler on his shoulders, the man leading the ceremony turning back to Mielat and his aunts with a broad grin. The children sitting in their circle, reverent and quiet, thinking of the stories they've been told, stories they will one day tell to their children. Names and places, so much history alive only in folklore.

Vel, who is pressing a kiss to the back of Cinta's hand and pulling her into her arms. Cinta, with tears running down her cheeks and lips, looking for all of the world like she's somewhere else, seeing something else. Perhaps she is; after all, in many ways she is like him.

Cassian looks at Jyn and finds her gazing back at him with her stardust eyes.

/

The morning chill is enough to wrench Cassian from underneath the dray-wool blankets in their little … lol not me stopping mid sentence asdhashdlau

[thekingofthenameless]

I'm updating DR!Merlin's design!

(And hopefully this will be the last time.)

I’m not going to delete the original post I made ages ago because it details the saga of how I got the idea to redesign him (and then eventually make him my own version), it has a writing blurb that I still like there, and I got of a couple of really nice compliments!

I made several collages to show how he looks more instead of just describing it, and I’ll explain the reasons behind picking the images in them!

General Looks:

I made his bust in Artbreeder!

After @rule-number-3 drew him with a widow’s peak, I wanted to incorporate that into his design.

Second up is his hairstyle! I’ve wanted him to have a ponytail for so dang long, even before I started coming with ideas for a redesign! I’d always wanted it to be mid-high usually, with it tied up into a bun when he’s in his armor; and either loosened or completely down for sleep. The picture got his hair length right too! When it’s fully down, it’s halfway down his back. It’s also very thick, and he’s 6'7", so that’s a lot of hair!

His hair and eyebrow color is definitely the easiest part of his redesign, because it’s just having them match now. It was a little harder to find the photo I wanted at first. I had to keep weeding out options 😂.

I’d finally gotten down to two choices for his new eye color. I had the option I have in the collage, and a more natural looking eye. I didn’t know which one to choose, so I asked @donkeyklone for his opinion; and after what I explained what it was for, he said to go for that option! He said it looks more magical, which fits his status as a wizard and cambion. :D

He’s very sleep deprived from insomnia, nightmares, etc., so I googled eyebags and chose the worst looking ones I could find lol.

His skin color was actually taken straight from his face! I just made a little square in IbisPaintX and colored it in!

One design element that I wanted to keep from Canon!Merlin was his hands. They’re wide with short fingernails and no visible veins, but that could just be the art style. The hand I found matched what I was looking for perfectly!

And last off for this collage, I decided that his body type would be realistically muscular, give all the fighting he’s done, but it took me a little bit to find the right amount of muscle I wanted. I didn’t want him to look like a bodybuilder, but I also didn’t want him to be too lean.

TW/CW for scars! Some are these are pretty graphic!

Scars:

Some of these are more to show the texture of the scars than location. I also haven’t figured out the whole backstory behind them yet, so these are more of summarizations.

The knife scar on his neck was from a murder attempt after his magic was discovered by people who hated magic.

The claw marks on his chest are from a beast attack; not sure what yet.

His burn marks are from when he was burned with holy fire. (Burns from holy water go away; burns from holy fire don’t.)

The knife scar on his arm is actually from his wrist to his elbow, and it was specifically torture.

The whip marks on his back are from another time he was tortured.

The claw marks on his back are from other beasts.

His stretch marks are from puberty! Since he’s half-demon, he probably grew really fast during that time, and I think that he’d probably have stretch marks from it. Also yes I’m projecting.

The knife scar on his left leg is from when he stabbed during a fight.

The bite scar on his right leg is from another beast.

Cambion form:

I’m so excited to talk about this because I haven’t really done that yet, but DR!Merlin is a cambion! :D Here’s some backstory about his birth. He also has a name for his other true form:“Blood Moon!Merlin.” @donkeyklone was the source for it, as he was thinking I could call it that since his whole “shtick is the moon” according to him 😂. I imagine someone described him as looking like a blood moon after seeing him, since cambions have a wide variety of colors.

For his horns, I went through several options, but the one in the collage was my favorite photo by far. I love how big they are!

His hair color is still the same despite all the changes between forms.

His facial markings are inspired by concept art that features him with some! I tried to get the swirl-like markings as close as possible at first, but then I just chose my favorite picture.

They even show up in his human form; mainly when he’s having visions or entering his avatar state™️. I don’t know what else to call it.

And pointy ears, also featured in the above photo, are always cool!

His eye color is to match with the rest of his form, and red is pretty default for a demon anyway. 😂 Slitted eyes are always awesome too!

For his fangs, I chose a photo that had both top and bottom fangs.

I chose the photo that best matched the idea of what I wanted for his claws.

For his wings, I just googled red wings png. It was one of the first results!

His skin color was picked from another photo of red eyes, and @donkeyklone sent me the tail!

Armor:

I love his armor so much, even if it has been through a few revamps.

I made his outer helmet, faceplate, and breastplate in Artbreeder!

I found his gauntlets after googling black gauntlets.

His cape pattern is the ocean because the moon controls the tides, and I wanted him to have more general night motifs besides just stars!

I think I’ve said this before, but his armor is BIG. It’s not formfitting like Jim’s and Morgana’s, and that idea was inspired by these concept arts. I was also able to find a photo that illustrated it more clearly on Artstation!

Unfortunately Jim isn’t as realistic proportions wise, but this is the size difference between their armor!

His cape color is picked from this photo of the ocean! Besides it matching the black of his armor, it also opposes Morgana’s sky blue cape. 😉

Weapons:

These are just a few of the weapons Merlin uses throughout the DR-verse!

I made his staff, sword, and shield in Artbreeder! I wanted to keep his staff mostly the same, except making it slightly more fantasy like, because DR!Merlin is more straight up magical fantasy than magi-tech.

His sword is covered in stars with a silver handle to match his night motifs better. Besides that, a master wizard having a normal sword is so silly to me.

I gave him a shield because they’re awesome, and yes, I want to see him smash the crap out of a villain while they’re trying to talk.

I chose a bow as another weapon for him because his staff does turn into a bow in some concept art!

Sometimes he wields an axe in more close combat situations, same with the dagger.

His shield’s shape is long and angular, and it goes down to his feet when he holds it in front him.

The sword whip is for more of a long range combat situation, and his magic allows to extend as far as he needs it to.

Camelot outfit:

In Emerald Embers, he doesn’t wear his armor 24/7, so here’s his Camelot outfit design!

His earrings are full moons because of his night motif, like his armor! Since the night means safety to many magical creatures, him always wearing some version of night themed accessories is a secret way of signaling he’s safe to approach. He also finds them pretty.

I found his cape clasps by just searching for cape clasp designs on Pinterest, and they’re perfect because they remind him of Charlie. (At the start of Emerald Embers, he’s been gone for over a thousand years.) I need to make a post about his redesign too. And why they separated.

His necklace is the one he made for his sister, Ganieda, as her wedding gift. It’s very, very special to him, as it’s one of the few things he has left of her.

I was trying to make his outfit historically accurate, and I found out that bliauts were popular back then!

His pants were ones that I’d chosen for a reference when I first came up with a possible design for his outfit! That was a long time ago, but it’s still on my tablet. It’s currently broken. 💀

Him having a cape was inspired by @tenyai’s storyboards of him having one! It’s one element of his outfit that I’ve always kept, even if I did change the rest.

For his belt, I just looked up medieval belts and chose my favorite.

His boots took a little while to choose. I wanted him to have heeled boots, shamelessly inspired by Dracula in Netflix’s adaptation of Castlevania, but finding one that I could choose was another story. But I eventually did!

His ring is actually his staff in disguise! He wears it on his right middle finger.

Last off, his bracelet is more of a pretty accessory that doesn’t really have special meaning to him.

And that’s all for now! Of course, he’s going to have more outfits eventually lol.

[ezdotjpg]

I hope someone hasnt asked you this already, but how do you decide what types of scars to put on characters/where to put them? I have a hard time deciding on where to put scars and it seems like i keep recycling the same ones, mostly on the face, and could use some tips honestly. I know it helps to think about how the character got those scars in the first place but its still hard to place them in unique and interesting ways like you do

(Also if you want to talk about some of your choices for placement/shapes/types of scars on your link designs, that would be cool to read about, im especially curious about your reasoning behind the scar on mirror's cheek)

this is not at all a helpful answer, but it's honestly just.....vibes. I've actually been terribly inconsistent w the placement of their scars, at least the ones not on the face, which is something im trying to get better about with these updates lol. I just sort of put them wherever i feel like they should go.....

for a more helpful answer, yeah a lot of it is informed by some vague sense of what made the scar. Beyond that the focus is on making interesting shapes. letting go of the constraints of what an actual scar would realistically look like helps, though I do still look up real scars from time to time if I'm trying to go for something specific (which, yeah, can come up with some gruesome images, so be careful). I think of it as sort of a graphic design and layout problem instead? balancing clear skin with scarred skin. it's helpful to zoom out and look at the whole figure to see what kind of color blocking you're creating. Is any of that helpful lol?

for some rambling abt bonus links scars (and big general TW for discussions of injury):

Mirror's scar is half of a glasgow smile, which is typically a cut from the corner of the mouth to the ear on both sides, causing a permanent "smile" (full disclosure, first place I saw this idea was in Circuit Breaker by liketolaugh, though theirs is both sides.) My vague backstory is that Yuga gave it to him in the Eastern Palace, though Mirror fought him off before he could do the other half.

the scar on Loft's arm is a Lichtenberg figure, from Demise's lightning. It's also sort of the mark of getting that power from Demise. It is such a pain to draw KSHKF. Looking at some of my other refs, he's got a stab wound scar on his stomach that I'm deciding now is from the first battle with Ghirahim

the scar on Wolf's neck is from the final battle with Ganon, where he very narrowly avoiding getting his head hacked off. The scar on his arm is from his arm being severed and then reattached when Ilia gets captured at the ordon spring (a la the manga). He has some general claw mark scars on his other arm, chest and left shoulder.

slate has a lot of scars, a lot more than I've shown in any of his refs so far, but not all of them are actually from Before. For example, the scar on his chin and under his right eye are new. The one on his chin is from eating shit shield surfing, same reason his front tooth is slightly chipped (tho I don't think I've drawn that, whoops.) The one under his eye is probably a lucky swipe from the first Yiga traveler he encountered, would've lost his eye if his reflexes weren't so good. I know generally old scars are white and new scars are more reddish but I just sort of......ignore that for aesthetic purposes. Also top surgery scars!

besides the scar on his eye, I like to give wake this little scar on his lip. He's probably had it since he was a kid. I Am So Fond Of It. Generally his hands are pretty scarred up from a lot of pulling on ropes and idk. general pirate shenanigans. also has top surgery scars.

mini's hands are also scarred up from a) smithing and b) climbing things with the grip ring and no gloves. The idea for the scar on his shoulder is that it's a bite mark he got from something while he was minish sized, tho I should probably make it a bit bigger knowing that.

Spirit most definitely has a wolfos bite scar somewhere on his person, though I haven't drawn it

War has a burn scar from Volga that I currently have placed on his side, though I might actually put it somewhere else. idk yet. And also generally a lot more scars.

ok i have rambled enough

wait also a note on potions and why links still have scars: i like to kind of nerf the effectiveness of potions, because it's no fun otherwise. Potions don't necessarily "magically" heal outright, they just speed up the body's natural healing by a LOT. So, there's still scars, and the potential for ur average red potion to not be much help to a patient in dire condition.

[yostresswritinggirl]

Ik your request is off, but when your request is open can u write dating headcanons with Kazuha ? I like your works so much which is y i send u a request hehe

No rush please take care author-nim :'D

This is a long time coming, but I’m glad to know that you’re still a Kazuha simp even after all this time ahahha thank you for your kind words and I hope you like this!!

Kazuha Dating Headcanons

How it’s like “being with” the fugitive wandering samurai. (masterlist)

Beforehand

The whole dating thing is entirely dependent on when you met or known Kazuha. So for this one, we establish that you and Kazuha are friends even before he became a fugitive.

Your clan and the Kaedahara clan are known to be close, and that’s how you’ve known your childhood friend. You’re always together during the peace time of Inazuma, sometimes getting into trouble due to his wayfaring nature.

Your family tried desperately to help the Kaedahara clan with their financial issues but it wasn’t exactly enough to maintain such a large clan. Soon enough the samurai clan lost its power, and what remains of their abode became foreign as a more powerful clan reclaimed it.

But despite all of that, Kazuha’s happiness is your main priority and you’re relieved that despite the misfortune the young master felt more freer than ever. He leaves the sheltered life behind with the promise to visit you as frequent as he could.

And that he does, even when the vision hunt decree was enacted, even when it’s unsafe to be near the area where many eyes can identify him, Kazuha always kept his promises to visit and spend time with. And thankfully, with the history of your clans, your family are still ever so welcoming to his presence.

You even met his newfound friend (and his adorable cat!) during one of his visits, and Kazuha felt all the heaviness on his shoulders disappear when you two hit it off instantly! And after that visit he received a pat on the back and a thumbs up from his friend, telling him that he got his blessing.

This caused said friend to get smacked over the head by a flustered Anemo boy.

So when the news that he perished after issuing a duel before the throne came to you, the pain was just as bad as Kazuha’s anguish. That night you huddled together in the comforts of your room, weeping over your friend and the danger Kazuha now faces. Somehow all the peaceful times blurred into nothingness, the period of darker times and complications marked that day.

But you despite it all, Kazuha is still the honest man that he is, and he will fulfill his promises to the end: for you, for him, and for his slumbering friend.

Courting

Kazuha is a man of words and custom. Sometimes you think that his passion for poetry and wit were the things that made you fall for him, and he thought it was the best method to confess to someone as honorable as you.

So, yes, it was Kazuha who first confessed through a lengthy, poetic love letter that he left after sleeping over one night, something that he had planned many weeks ago yet kept to himself. Why would you want to be with someone who has nothing to his name? A person that you can’t spend time with freely, who prioritizes his selfish desire to be a vagabond than stay longer with you?

These thoughts stayed with him throughout the week that he avoided coming to your house and still lingered as he begrudgingly trudged up the hill to where your estate is, expecting the rejection at the sight of you waiting for him at the balcony of your room, his usual point of entry.

“YOU!” Kazuha was taken aback by the angry finger pointed at him, he was expecting something else, something sadder or guilty perhaps. Anger isn’t one of them - oh yeah, he did avoid you for a week, didn’t he? “You have the guts to drop this-” the sight of the letter in your hand made him physically recoil, “and then disappear for a week like nothing happened?! Come up here right now or I’m dropkicking your ass!”

Hurriedly, in main concern of your well-being, Kazuha used his elemental skill to jump up to the balcony - where he was met by a tight hug and you reciprocating his feelings. He hugs back in relief, before being smacked over the head for what he did.

Kazuha carries his hobby with him when you started dating, when you told him how nice it was and how you always feel flustered when it’s directed at you. Poetry, haikus, letters complimenting everything he loves about you when he knows it will take a while for him to come back. You have a special box filled with all his notes. And your favorite one:

My love is a butterfly Flies from hither to stay here forever In love and true perfection

On worse days when he’s there, at night he brings comfort by playing with his leaf, a skill of leaf-blowing he picked up from his travels and perfected for your sake. When there are times when you couldn’t sleep properly, he’s always there to pluck a leaf from the trees outside, playing a tune until you find the right comfort to rest. Usually in the company of his arms.

Kazuha absolutely loves cooking for you! When rare days comes that he is able to visit during daytime he likes to demonstrate his cooking skills, always assuring that he gets the freshest ingredients for you to eat. They’re barely a miss, like he knows your taste more than you. He takes a mental note of your favorites, your reactions and of course, your honest feedback.

The next time he comes over, he has enough to feed your family. Sometimes you feel your clan loves him more than you did.

When there are interesting things he’d encountered during his travels, he’s sure to tell you the best of them! These moments are like subtle nudges of him to convince you to join him on his adventures, enticing you with his stories to a life full of meaning and excitement out there.

More often than not at the end of his story sessions, despite knowing that it isn’t safe for you to go out (with or without him) he’ll always have this soft look in his eyes as he looks at you, smile so soft as he looks at you like a daydream, “I can’t wait to be with you out there.”

Kazuha loves it when he gets a reaction from you, whether it be your happiness or relief as he ascends to your home, genuine curiosity over his tales, the embarrassment when he makes a move, or even the worry when he comes back looking a little worse for wear.

Traveling with Kazuha

You’ve always lived a semi-sheltered life in Inazuma due to your protective clan, with your interaction mostly focused with the villagers of your area and the people in your estate. When the decree started, you barely go out now, your people feared that your Vision would be taken away if the Tenryou Commission were to see you.

It was also the main reason why despite Kazuha’s desire to show you a whole new world out there, he couldn’t ever prioritize his own feelings over your safety. It was also one of the main reasons he joined the Resistance: to make a better world for you so that he can be with you in a free world.

However, one day, a clan that’s in the favor of the Vision Hunt Decree snitched on you to the Tenryou Commission. And you were almost captured (as the only Vision holder in your clan) if not for Kazuha arriving at the last minute, fighting them off before escaping with you.

Your family was able to contact him before everything escalated, and decided that it was far more safer for you to be with him than stay at your clan. And so became your current life with Kazuha.

With a favor, Kazuha managed to get you to join the Crux Fleet. And it took a whole month before everyone (including Beidou) to find out about your relationship. This quiet boy? In a relationship with you?! Everyone calmly lost their shit, and there was a drinking party on board (for the rowdy adults).

It was warm, carefree and exciting. Despite your previous worries about the life you left behind, next to Kazuha in the middle of the ocean, somehow things ended up alright. Better even.

You jive with everyone quite well, especially with Beidou - the woman loves you to bits! Teasing you, pulling you around after finding out your backstory, as Kazuha awkwardly follows from behind in silence.

Whenever you’re around, Kazuha’s demure demeanor completely vanishes, from the mysterious kid that the crew didn’t know the name of for weeks turns into a rambunctious teen that’s only purpose is to make you crack a smile or laugh.

He is so down bad, everyone but you notices this, and soon he too became a huge target for teasing.

You’ve realized too that Kazuha smells a lot like the nature around him, sometimes the sea salt from the sea that you spend most of your days on, to the maple leaves of the forest near the docks of the cities you land in, or the musky, earthly scent of the mountains that you both trek.

Kazuha likes to be by your side every second of the day, as long as possible. And oh does he love teaching you things about the outside world, like how to tell the weather, the constellations in the sky, the inner workings of the ship.

He’s like a lovesick puppy trailing behind you. Sometimes he had to be physically removed away from you to help out on the ship, and the unlucky crew member who drags him away during a particularly bad mood gets the worst glare in their life. If they try to tell it to the others, the crew won’t believe him.

Kazuha Kaedahara had always been fascinated by you, and now that you’re here with him, he wouldn’t pass up to spend every second together. Anywhere in the world, with him you’ll be safe.

@zelos-simp @legionqueensav @snackgod @rxsalinee @coka-cala @lilydewi22 @yellowflowre @traveler-lumine @creation-magician @hanniejji @gojos-baby @gojos-baby @volleybloop @tartuu @sassyglassesbunny @moaa @dandelion-dreams @witchsungie @lehra @blissmal​ @upsetpotatoo​

[thedoubteriswise]

okay so. I am a smart adult with many important responsibilities. I have good taste and care about things that matter. for this reason, I’ve been trying to identify where in cql canon wangxian manage to fuck.

because they definitely do; I like a good post-canon getting together fic as much as the next guy, but it’s just not realistic.

allow them. it’s already been so long.

(just like this goddamn post turned out to be, let’s do a cut)

right. so initially it looks like you could place this right after the time skip in episode 33, because it shows us that wwx is with lwj in cloud recesses. we know that he spent the night in the jingshi because he wakes up there the next morning before he goes for a nostalgic tour of his old school.

and also visits the cold spring, where lwj is mostly naked. nice.

but wait! wwx is surprised by the scars on his back and chest. that seems like something he would have known about if they’d already been naked together the night before, so I’m going to say they did not fuck immediately upon wwx’s return to cloud recesses. okay, fine, they’re taking things slow, that’s cool.

maybe they could work it into the next night, then. oh wait, lqr is injured and... staying in the jingshi? for reasons?

I don’t know why. he must have his own house in cloud recesses, and it’s probably at least as comfortable as lwj’s, but here he is. he lives to stop his nephew from getting laid, I guess.

the next day they do some Q&A with the kids and determine that they need to head to qinghe to figure out what’s going on with this sword thing. great! we love a romantic road trip, plenty of alone time. but they also have to do their jobs, and then jin ling needs to get rescued from a wall of dirt, and jc is unfortunately there being himself, and then they have to grill nhs about his tomb full of angry sabers, etc. etc.

with all that going on, their next obvious chance is at the inn immediately after interviewing nhs. this evening has already included:

wwx gazing lovingly at lwj from afar

lwj carrying wwx on his back

lwj pawing at wwx’s robes trying to deal with his cursed leg

lwj helping wwx up the stairs, serving him wine, fixing his flute, and generally being at his beck and call

a very sexy and homoerotic duet

and now they’re alone and drooling over each other as usual. this seems like a plausible spot, right?

it does! but no. after they go back to the nie basement o’ swords and hear the backstory on nmj’s death, we see them walking in yueyang and lwj asks wwx how the curse mark on his leg is doing. wwx says it’s almost healed, which may or may not be a lie, but his inner monologue says:

he’s more concerned about the wound on his arm from the sacrificing curse, which lwj doesn’t know about, because wwx won’t tell him and they still haven’t been naked together.

also, this silly teenage shit doesn’t make much sense unless they’re still dancing around each other.

you guys love the sound of opportunities as they go flying past, don’t you?

right after this, lwj gets drunk. I’m aware that Stuff Happens in the novel scene that inspired this bit, and they do incorporate some of that into the show by having lwj commit petty larceny and admit that he “likes rabbits” as part of the softest and most loving conversation in human history oh my god

but lwj goes to sleep right on time, and the next morning, wwx is laughing and reassuring him that nothing happened.

after this, it’s time to go on a fucked up field trip with the kids in yi city, so they don’t really have any time alone for a few episodes until they’ve finished that and everyone is back at yet another inn. I wonder if they learned something about wasted chances and poor communication from this miserable songxiao story?

maybe! look, they’re being cute and domestic. there are currently no material barriers preventing them from having sex, nor will there be any specific evidence later on proving that they didn’t.

but they’re still firmly in mystery-solving mode and the juniors and lxc are floating around. the vibe isn’t quite there. if I were to pick the most solid reason why I think they’re saving room for jesus at this point, it would be the tension that happens when wwx again asks how lwj recognized him. lwj asks why his memory is so bad, and wwx replies that he wishes he had a bad memory. even though they’re comfortable and happy being together, there’s still some fundamental distance remaining. there’s no sense of romantic resolution. that was actually a point against all their previous opportunities as well; they’re all very sweet, but none of these feel like the place in a story where the romantic leads Officially Get Together.

okay, off to koi tower! shit is getting extremely real. everyone’s busy insinuating that they recognize wwx, but no one is saying it explicitly. wwx isn’t supposed to be here. the guy he’s pretending to be also isn’t supposed to be here. he and his boyfriend and his boyfriend’s brother are trying to figure out if his boyfriend’s brother’s boyfriend is a murderer. no one is comfortable and the political intrigue leaves no time for fucking in front of anyone’s salad.

I guess there’s plenty of time to make dozens of armed guards and like half the people they know wait while they have a romantic moment, though.

could they be more in love? And that sure feels like a romantic resolution that might be followed by narratively-earned sex.

ah. no, unfortunately wwx gets stabbed again. this certainly sucks, but it does have the helpful consequence of making lwj take him back to cloud recesses, where they are mostly alone and as safe as they can be in the circumstances. now there’s even more tenderness and also some plot-justified touching and skin exposure. plus, lwj just made a very public declaration of love.

too bad wwx has probably been unconscious since he started coughing up blood in the forest near lanling. he’s also still visibly in pain. fresh abdominal wounds tend to kill the mood.

but hey, the injuries on this show are only as serious as they need to be to move the plot forward and facilitate gentle h/c scenes, so by evening he’s looking perfectly healthy and walking around under his own steam like nothing’s wrong. I guess that problem can be ignored moving forward.

lxc then offers the the most devastating highlights of lwj’s backstory, like, all at once. it’s nice that he includes a flute solo to give wwx a second to process this mountain of terrible information. what the fuck.

there he is! the most devoted man in the whole world! turns out they can actually be more in love after all.

and then the following scene... look, I’m lazy and I don’t know how to make gifs, but screenshots cannot properly convey how good it is. you all know. the hesitant way wwx approaches, the slow and gentle piano version of wangxian, the two of them watching the snow together, it’s. ugh.

remember how I was talking about how the last scene with no material barriers was an unlikely candidate because of the lack of romantic resolution?

well, here’s wwx still being cagey at the beginning of this conversation.

and here they are in the middle of this conversation, having some epiphanies about the course of wwx’s life - I love this shot for a lot of reasons, but I extra love it because it shows wwx out in the snow, with lwj as the safety and warmth waiting behind him, god this show goes hard, holy shit

they both recall their vow to live with a clean conscience and internally say some very corny things about each other because they are both So Much, and then,

ah, what the hell. he can say it out loud after all. romantic resolution accomplished.

and then the camera slowly pulls away as wuji plays.

a slow zoom out? swelling music? listen, I am a connoisseur, I know a tasteful fade-to-black indicating a sex scene that won’t happen on camera when I see one. at last, we have a winner!

now you may think this post is finally over, but I actually have one more piece of evidence for you - the next scene shows the two of them the morning after, meditating behind a screen in the hanshi while lxc is waiting for jgy to show up.

before wwx got de-cored, he was a pretty powerful cultivator, right? the chances that he’s just bad at meditating or that he can’t stay focused on this task seem slim to me. so why does he keep falling asleep?

well. he had kind of a late night.

[troquantary]

Cutting Hair as Punishment in the Twilight Saga

Okay, I’ve been trying to organize my thoughts around this into a sort-of-essay format for a while, because I find it disturbingly mean-spirited: Meyer has a pattern of using hair-cutting as a form of punishment for characters, especially female characters, who fail to embrace Bella and the Cullens with open arms. I’m talking particularly about Leah and Lauren, both of whom, while not outright antagonists like Victoria or James, are situated along with Rosalie as “against” Bella throughout the series. The Quileute pack, meanwhile, is situated largely “against” the Cullens, meaning Jacob and the rest of the pack get the Haircut of Shame, too.

(Also, I’ve been creeping through @panlight ‘s blog because I thought she had a recent post relating to this -- I was probably thinking of this submission and her addendum, which does discuss Meyer’s “punishment” of certain characters, but that post was about characters suffering for not waiting for True Love, or daring to do the Devil’s Tango before marriage. Still, it’s on-theme and very much worth reading, like all her stuff!)

So here’s the general outline: first I’m gonna talk about the shapeshifters and how their overall lack of choice frames cutting their hair as something forced on them and therefore punitive. Then I’m going to discuss Meyer’s FAQ response where she reveals that Lauren was tricked into cutting off most of her hair over the summer before New Moon, and how this adds an extra fun misogynistic element to the hair-cutting theme with respect to Lauren and Leah. I also use way too many words to do it, sorry.

Punishment | The Shapeshifters Are Given No Other Option

I don’t have the background or knowledge to discuss the significance of long hair to indigenous culture and identity in detail, and my understanding is that different tribes ascribe different meanings to it. What I’ve read it about it suggests that, generally, long hair represents strength of one’s individual spirit and of the community. It’s a source of pride, and is only cut off voluntarily in extraordinary circumstances, often as an expression of grief, or to mark a significant life change.

This sort of works in the context of the shapeshifters all cutting their hair -- phasing into a giant wolf, discovering the existence of the supernatural, and assuming the role of protectors is a major life event for these characters. But the negative associations make it a troubling choice on Meyer’s part, and that’s without even getting into the problem of her imposing her own worldbuilding onto the legends and culture of a real tribe. Because of the lack of choice involved in becoming a shapeshifter, the whole situation feels like a scenario in which the Quileute characters have their hair forcibly cut -- a degrading and traumatic act that (depending on their particular tribal belief) might symbolically sever them from their sense of cultural identity and connection with the rest of their tribe.

It all kind of begs the question: why does Meyer even have shapeshifting work this way? What narrative utility is there in having the length of their hair in human form determine the length of their fur as wolves, thereby compelling the shapeshifters to cut it so it isn’t a physical impediment? It’s another sign of the changes in Jacob, sure, but he’s already being uncharacteristically cold and distant, plus suddenly has the physique of a fit twenty-five-year-old; Bella already knows something’s very wrong. His short hair is just another jarring thing for Bella to notice and mourn, like the loss of Jacob’s “baby face” and general sunniness.

It does work as a symbolic thing, representing another sacrifice Jacob has to make and the change in how he now has to perceive himself -- but he’s already got a literal giant wolf form to represent that change in identity/self-perception. Forcing him to cut his hair too just feels like piling on. My argument here, which I hope will be supported when I discuss Lauren and Leah further in, is that it’s not just piling on, but actively punitive -- because much like Leah and Lauren are “against” Bella, the pack at large is “against” the Cullens pretty much through the end of the series.

The Quileute pack is definitely not a Cullen fanclub. The entire purpose of their existence is to destroy vampires, and the truce they have with the Cullens isn’t friendly. They still don’t particularly like or trust the Cullens even after allying with them in Eclipse, and in Breaking Dawn Sam is fully prepared to go to war against them to enforce the treaty. Bella expresses frustration with Jacob and the pack for not appreciating the Cullens more, yet is curiously less willing to scold Alice, Edward, or Rosalie when they call the Quileutes dogs and complain about their smell. (I think she might reprimand Edward for it at some point, but I don’t remember the exact passage.) Bella even starts throwing around “dog” and “mutt” as an insult herself -- I think we know whose side ol’ “Switzerland” is on, here, and whose side Meyer is on as well. The Quileutes aren’t exactly enemies, and in fact are crucial to the Cullens’ survival in both the newborn and Volutri conflicts, but they’re punished nonetheless because they aren’t wholeheartedly Team Cullen from the get-go.

So to explain why I’m so convinced that there’s a link between hair-cutting and punishment in particular, let’s talk about Lauren. There’s a definite gendered element to it this time, too -- by being tricked into cutting her hair, Lauren isn’t just diminished/shamed, but rendered (*thunderclap*) unfeminine.

Lauren Was Rude To Bella Like Twice, Let’s Humiliate Her

I think Meyer’s answer to the question “What happened to Lauren’s hair?” on her FAQ page speaks for itself:

Ha ha. I had fun imagining this one—I only wished that it had fit into the book somewhere. Lauren fell victim to the “model discovered in the mall” scam. An alleged modeling agent approached Lauren in a mall in Victoria, B.C., and told her she was a natural model. Lauren ate it up. The agent told her that if she did something edgy with her hair, and took some high quality head shots, her future was assured. Lauren followed the instructions—dropping fifteen grand on the pictures taken by the agent’s partner—and waited for her career to begin. She’s still waiting. Snort.

It’s pretty obvious that this was done spitefully. Here’s the list of Lauren’s crimes against humanity Bella at this point in the series: 1) she was jealous of the attention Bella was getting as the new girl; 2) she talked behind Bella’s back once, saying Bella might as well just sit with the Cullens now (and she isn’t wrong); 3) she eyed Bella “scornfully” the day of the La Push beach trip; and perhaps most damningly, 4) she’s blonde.

Post-haircut, she has the gall not to be thrilled that Bella’s deigning to speak to the lowly non-Cullens again, then sides with Jessica after Bella uses Jessica to make a point to her dad, is shitty company, and then risks getting them both raped and murdered in Port Angeles so she could get off on her hallucination of Edward’s voice.

I think it’s pretty common knowledge that long hair is tied to patriarchal notions of femininity and attractiveness. Women with short hair are still derided for being ugly, or assumed to be lesbians in a derogatory sense, or simply considered less feminine and therefore less desirable/worthy (because a woman’s worth depends on her desirability, after all). For many women and girls, losing their long hair -- whether because of illness, or gum getting stuck in it, or whatever -- is very upsetting and a hard blow to their self-esteem. Just look at Alice as an example of Traumatic Short Hair; her hair was shorn like that because she received electroshock “treatments” in an asylum. (Although in Alice’s case, I don’t think her having short hair is punishment, but a facet of the traumatic backstory all female characters in Twilight have to have for some reason. Plus, she started the series with short hair, which distinguishes her from the pack and Lauren, who were tricked or compelled into cutting their long hair during the series.)

But Lauren’s so bitchy, so she deserves it, right? Ha ha, she was mean to Bella and cared about her appearance too much, so now she’s ~ugly!

Leah Has It the Worst and It Makes Me Want To Burn Everything

The misogynistic aspect of hair-cutting as punishment is taken up to like, twelve with Leah. Not only does she suffer for being “against” the Cullens along with the rest of the pack (and Bella, too, so extra sinning), but she suffers uniquely for being the only female shapeshifter. A bunch of teenage boys regularly see her naked body against her will. Her previously devoted boyfriend imprints on her cousin/best friend, Sam dumps her and can’t even explain why, and the whole pack -- including her own brother -- resents her for being upset about it, even though she can’t help the lack of mental privacy. Because of that same lack of mental privacy, she has to hear every gripe the boys have about her, plus every enthralled thought Sam has about Emily while she’s still deeply wounded by their breakup.

She blames herself for her dad’s death, because she phased at the wrong time. We don’t get any indication that her fellow shapeshifters or the elders are trying to reassure her otherwise.

And of course, because she’s a shapeshifter, she has to cut her hair. In addition, because Leah’s a woman, this has the same misogynistic connotations as it did with Lauren. In Leah’s case, though, the de-feminization is compounded by her sudden infertility. It’s clear that Leah attaches her sense of womanhood to her fertility, rightly or wrongly -- she bitterly calls herself a “genetic dead end” in Breaking Dawn and thinks of herself as a freak. She feels like there must be something wrong with her, some un-womanly flaw, that made her one of the shapeshifters at all.

Then, just when Jacob starts to see her as a human being worthy of compassion, he imprints on Renesmee and doesn’t give a shit about anyone or anything else anymore. No more bonding with Leah, no blooming friendship to help her heal and come to terms with the new realities of her life. (This is one of those dropped threads that aggravate me to no end -- what was the point of having Leah opening up to Jacob, or starting Jacob on the path of realizing he was being a dick to her this whole time and that she’s a person with  value, if he was just going to spend the rest of the book as Renesmee’s love-zombie and never think about it again? Disgusting.)

Leah was a lot more forgiving of Jacob than he deserved at that point in the story, for all the good it did her -- I think she’s mentioned maybe once in Book 3 of Breaking Dawn. At least she got her god-tier moment of yelling at a deranged, pregnant Bella Swan.

Speaking of Bella...

I’m just going to note, for no particular reason, that in Breaking Dawn we get to hear explicitly that Bella’s got hair that falls “almost to her waist” and that she looks like “a freaking supermodel” because she’s so “beautiful and pale.” It just strikes me as a telling contrast at this point.

[quentinbecks]

[ LIPSTICK ] : after the kiss ends, sender pulls away to reveal that the sender/receiver/both have lipstick marks on their face afterwards. - GREG AND CHARLIE FSKDLFHASKJFH

Words: 1.7 k

Warnings: Just mentions of cocaine.

A/N: Happy birthday, Mika! I said I would do one of your Succession prompts and I meant it. I hope you like it. I also hope everyone enjoys the ship you basically helped create lmao 💕

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Sydney responds teasingly. “This is a great surprise. Greg will love it.”

Charlie watches the numbers go up on the elevator, a sense of wariness beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. Unlike her friend, she had never set foot in Waystar Royco’s building; never really had a need for it before today.

“Maybe.” She shrugs. “But you know how I get around wealthy people. And this place is absolutely crawling with them.”

Sydney laughs, giving her a slight nudge to the shoulder. “Greg isn’t like them and neither is Tom. You’ll be fine.”

Charlie doesn’t feel like she’ll be fine. Maybe if she hadn’t met the Roy cousin at a sketchy underground nightclub she would feel more confident with showing her face at the company, but Greg’s cousins were there, as well as Tom. Despite knowing the latter doesn’t feel that way, she just doesn’t want to be looked down at for her… extracurricular activities.

The door dings open, leading out to a bright and open office space. Charlie falters for a brief moment before she feels a hand begin to lightly guide her out of the elevator.

“Like I said,” Sydney leans down to whisper in her ear. “You’ll be just fine.”

Charlie allows herself to be pushed into the hallway. She wishes she could turn around and run straight out of the building and back to the comforts of her apartment, but she can’t bring herself to. Despite Greg nervously calling her “fair maiden” and “ma’am” throughout their first few meetings, she’s still oddly charmed by him.

“Where am I going again?,” she asks, trying to keep up with her athletic friend who is all too familiar with the office.

“Oh, right. Sorry!”

Sydney spins on her heels to face her, an apologetic look on her face. “Greg works in,” she pauses, a slight cringe crossing her features. “Greg works in what you might consider a glorified storage closet.”

Charlie moves out of the way of a man so lost in his Bluetooth conversation that he almost walked right into her.

“What? Why?”

Sydney looks uncertain of how to explain the whole backstory behind the unusual office space and if Charlie knows any better, she’s certain it had something to do with whatever is going on between Tom and Greg; a situation she imagines is rather awkward for her friend.

“You know what, I don’t need to know. But, how about this, I’ll go find my man and you go find yours. When you’re ready to leave you can come find me. Sound good?”

“That sounds great!,” Sydney replies, beaming. “But before you go,” she says, opening up her arms, “let me give you a quick hug for good luck.”

Charlie pauses before letting her friend wrap her arms around her. “Oh, okay. You know I’m only just going to see Greg, right? It’s not like I’m going in for a proposal, right?”

Sydney pulls away, though her hands remain on Charlie’s shoulders. “Yes, I know. But, you two are my friends and I want this to work out just as much as you do.”

The look of genuine sincerity on her friend’s face makes her heart swell. Ever since she was introduced to Greg at Tom’s interesting bachelor’s party, Sydney has been playing Cupid between the two. If anything, Charlie wants this to work out for her own sake.

“And I’m sure it will because you’re a brilliant matchmaker. I just need to find that damn storage closet first.”

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

After around ten minutes of wandering through the maze of hallways, Charlie finds herself outside Greg’s closed office door. She brings a hand up to knock before immediately bringing it back down. Will he think she’s out of her mind for just randomly showing up at his place of work? It’s not like they’ve been known each other for a long time. She doesn’t even know if you would call this a relationship.

She’s about to turn around and head straight for the elevators when the door opens and a man over a foot taller than her almost barrels into her; his eyes are too busy reading the stack of papers in his hands to notice the woman standing right in front of him.

“Charlie?!”

“Oh, hey!,” Charlie replies, awkwardly waving at the man in front of her. “What a coincidence running into you here.”

She cringes internally at her greeting. A coincidence? Really? It’s not as if she didn’t know he would be here. But, luckily for her, Greg overlooks her foolish behavior.

“Oh, yeah,” he chuckles just as awkwardly. “This is where I work.” He points to the compacted space behind him. “This is my office.”

“Cool. Cool, cool, cool.” She fidgets nervously with her hands. Why is this so hard? “Can I come in?,” Charlie asks, looking behind him.

“You want to see my office?”

She shrugs awkwardly. Maybe she can get out of this before she humiliates herself even further.

“Yes?”

“Okay, yeah, sure.” Greg steps aside, motioning her inside. “Mi casa es su casa.”

Charlie has to bite her lip to stifle the giggle that’s threatening to spill from her lips. Who is she? She never giggles.

Until now.

“Thank you, sir. You know,” she says, stepping into the cramped office, her eyes taking in everything, “this is nice. I think it might even be bigger than my apartment.”

Greg hums in understanding as he shuts the door. “I was pretty much homeless until Ken gave me his place.”

Charlie cocks an eyebrow in surprise. “Your cousin just… gave you his apartment?”

“Well, it was sort of on condition that I let him party there.” Straightening out his suit, he goes to sit behind his desk. “But, that was when he was into cocaine,” he says, tapping the side of his nose.

“He’s not doing coke currently?,” she asks, furrowing her brow as she moves to sit on the edge of his desk. Not that she doesn’t believe him, but she’s fairly certain Kendall has to be on some type of substance. At least that would explain a lot of his very public erratic behavior.

“Uh, not that I’m aware of?” Greg pauses, looking at her like he just realized that he’s having this conversation with her inside of his office. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful because it’s not everyday a beautiful woman comes to visit me at work, but what are you doing here?”

What is she doing here indeed?

How does she tell him that she’s been thinking of visiting since the last time she saw him? That it’s been the only thing on her mind the last few days, along with what she actually came here to do.

“Well,” she responds, clearing her throat. “I’ve just been thinking.” Charlie lifts herself up and off the desk, making her way to where Greg is seated. “We’ve hung out a couple of times now; we even went on a few dates, but we’ve never hung out just the two of us.”

Greg blinks at her, slowly taking in what she just told him. “Do you think it’s weird that we’re always with Tom and Sydney?”

Charlie hums contemplating the right answer. It’s not that she thinks it’s weird per se, but she would have found it uncomfortable to go in for a kiss in front of them; at least for the very first one.

“No. I enjoy their company. But,” she pauses, pointing to his lap. “Can I?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Greg beams at her, his brown eyes sparkling. “My lap is your throne, my lady.”

Charlie barely waits for him to finish his sentence before she plops herself onto his thigh. “I certainly can’t pass that up.”

As Greg tentatively searches for what he would consider an “appropriate” spot to place his hands, she’s reminded of what exactly her mission in showing up at Waystar Royco was.

“You asked why I came here,” she whispers, suddenly uncertain. “Well, there’s just been something I’ve been wanting to do since the bachelor party.”

“What’s that?”

Charlie trails her hand up his chest, stopping at his clavicle. Her green eyes flicker up, meeting his brown ones in an attempt at trying to convey what she wants. But, unfortunately for her, he isn’t telepathic.

Leaning forward, she softly presses her lips against his; his lips smoother than she would have expected. Greg stills against her for a brief moment before his hands go to her waist, pulling her closer to him despite the awkward position.

Heat spreads throughout her body as she shifts to deepen the kiss and make herself more comfortable. She feels both giddy and nervous as she slips her tongue past Greg’s lips.

This is actually happening right now.

She’s so lost in the kiss and the way his hands roam over her back that Charlie forgot where she was for a brief moment. It’s not until there’s a knock on the door that the two are brought back to reality.

“Greg? Did Charlie manage to find her way to you?”

Charlie almost launches herself out of Greg’s lap as Sydney comes through the door, completely oblivious to what the pair had just been up to. Or so she thought.

Brown eyes look between the two of them as a soft smile begins to form on her lips. “Did I interrupt something?”

Charlie looks at her friend quizzically. Is she psychic now? She’s always been perceptive, but this is taking it to a whole new level.

“There’s lipstick all over your face,” Sydney continues on, clearly trying hard not to laugh.

Peering over her shoulder she sees her dark red lipstick smeared all over Greg’s lips and leading to his cheeks. Of course, she forgot about the lip stain she had put on in the Uber.

Fuck.

“You’re going to go and tell Tom about this aren’t you?”

Sydney nods. “Uh huh.”

Charlie sighs, sitting back down on the desk. “You should be proud of yourself, Syd. You’re quite the matchmaker.”

“Yeah, thank you kindly, Sydney,” Greg speaks up from behind her.

“You’re very welcome.” Sydney makes her way to stand in front of Charlie, bringing her thumb to wipe away her smudged makeup. “But pro tip? Forget the lipstick next time.”

[kakubun]

stongest duo celebrating your birtthday

a/n: extremely self indulgent because my family didn't celebrate my birthday💔💔

warnings: big manga spoilers!!

(this is a whole goddamn au where geto didn't have his villain arc)

backstory on y/n's part

after gojo defeated toji, the death of riko effected geto so much, he tried finding many ways to distract himself

after the day of yuki giving her opinions to geto, he felt like he couldn't sleep a wink with how the gal's speech is gluing itself messily to his mind but he tried to pay no heed to it

with a mission of exorcising a few curses, he didn't let words linger into his head and focused on his task

but he stopped in his tracks when he saw a child squatting near a bed of flowers sobbing heavily on their lap

geto crouched down, asking what was wrong with the mess of the child with the pain in their eyes as they struggle to explain what the situation was

"my f-friends are t-trapped, please follow-" he didn't waste his time and immediately scurry with the child whose fast on their feet

there it was, two girls bruised and dirtied while sobbing in each others' shoulders behind bars which made geto's heart dropped

"hey! you can't just-" the elderly had no chance to speak when geto snapped at them, telling what kind of actions and motives would lead to locking up two poor girls

whatever excuse was denied as geto scared them off with his own curses and tried freeing the children who shook when the lock of the prison collapsed on the ground

he tried to comfort them, letting a little curse zap from his finger to try to entertain them a little and nanako seemed to tap on mimiko's shoulder to also try to comfort her sister as they crawl over to him

soon, geto finds out that your name is y/n and that your parents were really nowhere to be seen, that's why you were left with the twins except you couldn't do anything when they were locked up

geto kind of chuckled to himself walking home with all of you, kinda like being a dad with 3 kids

immediately shoko tended to everyones' wounds and geto watched while the children stared back at him, he waved back telling that it'll be okay

"sugu-" gojo froze when he sees 3 kids being treated and he also had two kids tagging along and geto nodded, willing to explain so he stepped out the room with gojo for a second

you tugged on his shirt, looking up at him, scared to be left alone but he reassures that he's just gone for a second to talk with the creep with the white hair (gojo: i can hear you-)

shoko didn't say much, just tried to rub your head and smiled when you nodded at her as a thank you

a little interruption wouldn't hurt since idk how to countinue this but soon geto tried teaching you how to defend yourself with your cursed technique both gojo and him found out

(you can skip this bit but y/n has a technique to make dead live again and non-living things live, this was especially adorable when geto found out the small paper cranes that flew over his head were controlled by you while you try to make more origamis when you saw that big smile on his face)

also where he teaches nanako and mimiko how to use their cursed technique, gojo would mess around with you while you try to fight him but question marks appear around your head when you couldn't touch him

on with the birthday~~

"suguru, i just found out that these children that we adopted has no birthdays!! minus megumi and tsumiki, they're whatever-" geto also gasp in realization and their brains begun to work

"how about today??" "- great idea!!"

well uh having to tell principal yaga wasn't that hard which they were kinda grateful that he wasn't stoic and grumpy at them this time

a birthday gift from yaga made both of the two idiots pause and it was one of his dolls, being a puppet for sometime to entertain the kids during the party

"it's not a cctv right-" "-idk satoru it might be"

they both started setting up banners and gojo ushered megumi and tsumiki to put birthday hats on and wait to suprise them

with megumi unamused and tsumiki humming to suprise everyone, the cake set on the table nearly fell when you walked in

"oH shit-"

"happY BIRTHDAY!" you did not listen when they told you to wait in the room with the twins (you were hungry, you weren't to blame) but with the half baked suprise and not synced happy birthdays, it made you smile and call loudly for the others to come to the room

both their hearts melted when you placed birthday hats on the twins and eventhough it was slightly tilted, they weren't complaining

gojo wanted to be extra and pull out extra cameras to take a pic of everything but you stepped in sooo phone selfies it is

snapping hundreds of pictures of you shoving cake in geto's mouth, mimiko lending a spoon to tsumiki and megumi and nanako patting the doll that yaga gave them, it was perfect chaos

best birthday yet♡♡

bonus

"so how was it, y/n?" both the twins sleeping in their room when you held onto geto and gojo's hands while you three walked outside under the moonlit night filled with pretty stars, if only nanako and mimiko weren't heavy and fast sleepers, they would love this sight.

humming, the child bumped her head on both their arms and giggled. "i'm very happy with my two dads, of course it was the best birthday party ever :DD" you melted them and they're sinking away, you've done it.

the night ended with laughs of unison, if possible echoing throughout the school, this was the best time you've ever had in your life and you wish it's alway like this.

bake me pls this fic is making me feel so empty, i just want two chaotic father figures named gojo satoru and geto suguru