#this release radiates this exact energy i really need

[losttareellka]

I was a K-pop stan from 2016 until, I guess, 2020 (maybe?). I was a huge EXO stan, and even after leaving this whole thing and not being in touch with any news about them, I still adored them as very talented singers.

I was really upset with the release of 'Don't Fight the Feeling,' the quality of the music video (it's painful to watch, sorry), the size of the album, and the song itself. All of it was very upsetting to me (although I liked 'Runaway,' though). It seemed to me that SM just doesn't want to work with EXO seriously and focus on NCT and aespa.

But I accidentally discovered this comeback and watched the 'Let Me In' music video, and now I am really excited. I liked everything about it—the song, visuals, OT8, all of it. The atmosphere is just incredible. Now I have hope that SM will not abandon them in the near future. It would be such a loss for all of us.

[elemom]

@legofreak33 Thank you for ordering the Autism Deluxe Special!

Here’s why I think Zane Julien is Nuclear Powered

(Contains spoilers for 2011 ninjago seasons 1-3)

(I also have not finished the show so i might be missing some details)

A singular object that has seemingly infinite energy

Infinite energy is impossible, but there’s something that comes pretty close - radioactive materials. Since they are *literally* emitting energy and can do so for thousands of years, radioactive objects are basically the closest thing to an “object that acts as an infinite energy source” you can get.

Blue Light

It’s blue. It glows.

Now I couldn’t find a specific element that glows blue AND could be used in nuclear energy, as the only one I know of is cesium chloride. HOWEVER. I don’t need a specific element in order to prove my point here.

Cherenkov radiation.

Cherenkov radiation occurs when charged particles (say, an electron) moves faster than light. IRL this is only possible in a medium wherein photons themselves are slowed, such as water, but in the realm of make believe anything is possible. Even if we DO have real world physics in play, it’s totally possible that the energy core just has water inside it along with everything else (the core’s Blue DOES have a bit of movement after all!)

Critical Mass and Going Boom

This is where it gets too easy. They literally say it can reach “critical mass” IN THE SHOW. THEIR WORDS. NOT MINE.

If you aren’t familiar, critical mass is basically a point where there is enough material (a certain *mass*) in one area to cause a chain reaction: An atom releases a radioactive particle, which hits another atom, causing it to release another radioactive particle. Now we have two radioactive particles. They keep hitting other atoms. And so on and so forth. (Strangely, the show seems to reference critical mass as running *out* of energy, which is the literal exact opposite of what it actually is, so i’m opting to ignore that.)

So how does this apply to Zane and the references to a critical mass in the show? I personally like to believe that his “critical mass” was caused by *using too much power at once.* Kinda. There’s probably a control mechanism with neutron absorbers inside the core, so maybe the critical mass was caused by him retracting said absorbers, thus causing a chain reaction. (also as a tangent, titanium is apparently a decent neutron absorber! perhaps the real titanium ninja was the friends we made along the way)

Oh, and by the way. Nuclear objects reaching criticality are known to glow blue.

Pic related.

Difference between this and the core glow would be based on the types of particles, with the former being charged particles in a medium and the latter being neutrons. I think. Idk im a biologist not a nuclear physicist i dont go here i just autism about it

discussion section

So yeah! Dr. Julien just created a tiny nuclear reactor to make his son go. Sure. Fuck it. Who Gives A Shit

Anyway i think that’s all i have!!! This obviously isn’t all encompassing (how did Nya survive holding a piece of the core? Why was the explosion all icy and not like, anything else? How does Zane not kill everybody he meets?) but those can all be explained away in the name of “i have had a special interest in nuclear energy since i was a very small child and nobody can take this away from me.” like maybe people are fine because he just has really good shielding. Or maybe Nya is fine because girls are immune to radiation (totally true fact)

Thanks for reading! Take this piece of uranium ore as thanks for reading this entire post. 🪨

[owl-with-a-pen]

so I was thinking about Supergirl season 5 again and I remembered that some people were upset with Brainy in the second half of season 5 because they didn't think he was as smart as he's supposed to be, and should have been ahead of Lex mentally/had a plan to defeat him. But maybe him being a step behind Lex would have been more understandable/more angsty if Lex was literally mind-controlling him? Like maybe he borrowed Lena's technology to keep him in line, inhibiting him again by cruel irony.

CONT: and meanwhile either Brainy is completely aware of what's going on with him, and it's terrible, or it's a more subtle control by Lex and he makes excuses for something feeling wrong with him. So either way, at the end of the season in this scenario I would still have Brainy do the thing with the bottle, but have it be more an act of defiance/rebellion against Lex, probably with Brainy laughing in his face as Lex is gloating in that scene and taking the pin that kept Lex safe from the radiation.

See this is super interesting, because I've always thought that Brainy struggling to keep up with Lex/outright failing to felt very in character for him as of where he was at that point in the show. I feel like we seem to forget that although Brainy was uninhibited while working for Lex and, therefore, theoretically mentally superior to him, Brainy was also in no sound mind to actually be able to embrace the full extent of his intellect.

While working for Lex, Brainy had to spend all of his time pretending to be someone else. He had to hold up a very stiff and unemotional front to try and convince everyone around him that this was what removing his inhibitors had made him, otherwise his whole plan would fall apart. We know from season 6 that Brainy was absolutely not okay when it came to dealing with his emotions, especially his rage against Lex, and this was becoming very clear through all the interactions we saw between Brainy and Lex in the second half of season 5. Brainy was barely holding it together, and Lex knew that, which was why he knew he had the room to play with his food for a bit and make Brainy think he'd actually achieved the upper hand.

Brainy spent so much of his time with Lex questioning his own actions, feeling guilty every step of the way, hating himself for crawling closer to the evil alignment the rest of his family had wanted for him and (I'm gonna assume here) not sleeping very much, if at all. So, failing to see Lex's whole plan always made sense to me. Brainy was not in a fit mental state to do any better than he did and, to be honest, with all said and done his plan actually was still very ingenious. Incorporating an aspect of the Brainiac line he hated so much by bottling Leviathan was also extremely satisfying, especially considering he went into it knowing he was likely going to die and so reclaiming that ability for good was one hell of a way to go out.

This being said, I do love the ideas you've brought to the table, especially with regards to giving Brainy a proper moment to rebel against Lex. Lex using some form of mind control on Brainy would have definitely upped the angst to insanely delicious proportions. Maybe not from the very start of their partnership, but the more Brainy resisted Lex's plans, or the more obvious it became that he was clearly interfering with them where he could, maybe Lex starts to set something in motion then. Maybe Brainy notices because of how freshly released from being inhibited he is, or, maybe worse, he doesn't realise for those exact same reasons. Either way, it would give Brainy even more fuel to the fire when it came to his final face off with Lex.

Brainy never really gets the closure he sorely needs for everything Lex put him through, and I really do love imagining an alternate version to the scene where Brainy does have the upper hand in that Leviathan ship, maybe he rips Lex's pin from his lapel when Lex underestimates how much energy Brainy has left when he tries to take the bottle from him. Just something that gives Brainy a bit more power over the situation. It'd also make Lex realise that pushing the emotionally unstable Coluan to the limit maybe wasn't the genius plan he thought it was, especially when all of Brainy's anger surges out with Lex as his sole target.

I am overall glad that the end of season 5 left Brainy in a position where his anger towards Lex was unresolved, because that gave us some excellent scenes in season 6. It's no secret that I love Brainy and Lena's dynamic and the scene where Brainy starts detailing exactly how he's planned to kill Lex in the most horrific way possible is up there on my list of favourite scenes ever. So, I suppose, yes it would have been satisfying to see Brainy defy Lex, but also what we got from Brainy failing gave us so much more angst where his unresolved anger was left to stagnate.

[lune-hime]

Exposed (Sidon x f!Reader)

The ornate silver neck piece made contact with the tiled floor with a satisfying clank. With each clasp undone, Sidon felt his body buzzing at the newfound lightness. The metallic chime of his final piece of garment, his left bracelet, was a beautiful sound that echoed off the vast pillared walls of his chambers. Although it already had been a day since his arrival, his muscles still ached with a dull tightness brought onto him from the journey to Hyrule Castle. A subtle form of tiredness akin to jetlag was quickly draining his energy and he could not wait to submerge himself in the ample pool that laid before him.

Sidon padded to the edge of the water, streaks of ivory moonlight passing over his crimson scales. He kneeled down, wincing as he heard a few of his bones crack, and dipped an experimental hand into the basin. The warmth of the liquid sent a shiver up Sidon’s body and he immediately slid into the water in one fluid movement. The castle maids had prepared his pool with warm water, per your request, to the exact temperature you knew he liked it. Although this was just one of the many guest rooms in the immense castle, he felt your homey presence in every corner of the chamber. It made his heart flutter in adoration.

Sinking lower, he let the water engulf his shoulders. The tension diffused out and a supple moan escaped his parted lips. Lightly treading water, his thoughts circulated through his mind much like the gentle current of the pool. The officials and champions he had rekindled with today, what was he going to eat tomorrow morning, how radiant you had looked in your formal w-

“Prince Sidon, I forgot to ask you on more question before you retired to the room!” Zelda’s melodic voice carried from the hallway. Her small but sturdy frame emerged from behind the towering door, the hem of her gown swaying about her ankles as she danced her way into the entryway. Soon after she appeared, your head peeked its way around the frame.

Perhaps it was the abruptness of the entry, the intimate solitude of the chambers, his discarded garments, or all factors combined, but Sidon suddenly felt hot. Uncomfortably hot; and not from the water.

“A-ah, yes Princess, what did you want to, ah, ask me?” He coughed, awkwardly sinking lower into the pool. He cursed the palace for having such crystal clear water.

Your brow knit into a firm line at his flustered state. Never before had you seen him act like this seemingly for no reason. When his eyes began flicking anxiously from the pile of metal to you, a wave of understanding flooded your consciousness. Sidon felt exposed. And he was embarrassed about it.

It was natural for Hylian habits to rub off on him since the two of you had started courting. When you were in the Domain, the only time you spent away from the Prince was when you were working on Vah Ruta or the one to two hours of his council meetings. With all that contact how could a few things not start to be ingrained in Sidon’s daily routine? It was clear now by the steady reddening of his cheeks that one of those habits pertained to wearing garments. Or more specifically, when one is caught not wearing them.

“Oh, is this a bad time?” She blinked, unclear of what had him acting so strangely. Sidon looked like he was about to expire in the cloud of uncomfortableness that was circling above the pool. As adorable as he looked, shuffling bashfully and avidly studying the carvings on the nearest pillar, you needed to save him. Biting back your laughter you tapped Zelda lightly on the shoulder. Her head whipped around, confusion still inscribed on her face.

“Zelda, it appears that Sidon was not expecting company this late at night.” You stated, giving her a knowing look you prayed she would pick up on. You cocked your head subtly towards the armor and Zelda gasped softly, the tips of her pointed ears running rosy. She then looked to the Prince with panic written all over her features and he returned the expression tenfold. The two of them turned from mimicking rose petals to beats instead, only making the aroma of the room more thick with tension.

“Oh my goodness! My deepest apologies, Sidon. I didn’t realize you were having, ahem, some alone time.” She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the floor so fast you wondered if she got whiplash.

“Well, Y/N can just tell me your answer tomorrow morning. Until then.” She stuttered, abruptly turning on her heels and disappearing behind the door. Once the brisk click signaled her departure, every muscle, tendon, and scale in Sidon’s body went lax. He sighed, tipping his head back against the edge of the pool with a gentle clunk. You took a moment to drown in his appearance. He was like a slightly wilted lotus flower with coral petals basking in the rippling droplets of indigo moonlight.

It now physically hurt to restrain your hysterics and you suddenly burst into a fit of giggles, drowning the luminated room in a symphony of laughs not unlike a songbird’s. Sidon poked one eye open and shook his head in mortified distress, still lazily leaning against the tiled rim.  

“Stop laughing, Y/N. I bet she thinks I was doing something lewd or weird. In her castle of all places.” He grumbled, raising his hands out of the water to run them over his face.

Once you had reigned in your cacophony you padded over to the pool and sat down next to his deflated form, feet dangling into the water.

“Nah. It’s okay, Si. She’s my oldest and best friend. If she does I’ll tell her the truth.” You nudged him playfully. He lolled his head to the side in your direction.

“That might be even more embarrassing…” Sidon trailed off, his face contorted into a slight grimace. You returned it with a fond smile.

“Stop looking at me like that.” He huffed, a feigned pout forming on his features. The rosiness on his cheeks bloomed once more as he lightly splashed your feet where they embraced the water’s surface.

“You know, you used to never be embarrassed about being seen without your accessories.” You stated innocently, eyeing him to observe his reaction.“They don’t really leave anything to the imagination, anyway.”

“Hylian customs are rubbing off on me, I guess.” He replied in a small voice, snaking an arm around your calf to press himself into your side. He started idly playing with your toes, offering a squeak from you. You lightly kicked out, hoping to shake him off. Instead he only scooted closer yet he resigned from his tickling.

“What did the Princess want to ask me?” Sidon inquired. He seemed to be mostly recovered from the ordeal.

“She wanted to know what you wanted for breakfast tomorrow. You left before she could put in an order for the chef.”

“Damn, that’s an important question.” He muttered, setting his chin on your knee and looking up at you with anticipation, his eyes large and blinking.  

“I was planning on telling her smoked salmon.” You informed the prince, giving his caudal fin a loving stroke. Sidon’s eyes lit up, his saffron orbs turning a brilliant gold that put the calming hue of the starlight to shame. He could feel himself start to salivate at the mention of the Hylian delicacy.

“Don’t drool on my leg.” You teased, chuckling as he gulped audibly. You were unable to convey your thoughts on the dish as the deep chiming of the castle’s clocktower replaced whatever voice you would have spoken. The twelve bells signaled it had just turned midnight.

“It’s late, we should both get some rest. We need to wake up early for the festivities tomorrow.” You let out a bittersweet sigh, not wanting to break away from the closeness you shared but knowing you would be the walking dead in the morning if you stayed up any longer. As you rose to your feet, Sidon’s head limply fell into the water, his gaze never leaving your form. Just as you were about to deliver a sweet goodnight, he gingerly grabbed your ankle.

“Please stay, my pearl.” He suggested, a gentle plea that caused your heart to skip a beat.

“Can’t get enough of me, hm?” You sang.

“A very true statement, darling.” Sidon cooed, the warmth radiating from his gaze brushing the tips of your ears and leaving a blushed residue in its wake.

“Alright.” You responded through a yawn.

“We can go back to your chambers, if you’d like.” Sidon suggested, releasing his hold on your ankle and making a move to leave the basin. You shook your head and held a hand out to stop him. He halted his movements immediately and blinked up at you.

“You’re soaked. You’ll get my bed wet. I will go get some blankets and return.” You chuckled as you strode towards the doors. He hummed in agreement, a breathy laugh puffing from his chest. Grasping the knob, you turned to face Sidon once more.

“Better keep an eye on this door, my prince. Wouldn’t want someone to see you so exposed now would we?” You warned, tone velvety and blithe. The last thing you heard before you skittered out of the room was a loud groan and the sound of an unlit candle being halfheartedly thrown at the door.

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Would you write some steamy make out session between fem!reader x a daughter of your choice? Maybe the daughter would sneak out of the castle or sneak reader in the castle into her bedroom. They can go all the way, I'd love a dominant top reader in this, but if you're not comfortable writing about that someone can interrupt them when reader is just about have their hand in the daughter's pants. Thank you in advance!

I picked Bela, cuz I've already got some nsfw with the other two planned. Not gonna lie, this had me, like, screaming in the middle of the night because I'm incredibly easily flustered, and whooooo boy this is what the folks would call "horny". Anyway, I tried, hopefully it's good. If not, please forgive me, I haven't written nsfw in ages (can you believe I used to write this stuff with a straight face?). PS: the reader probably isn't as dominant as you were going for? I just, idk, personally exude bottom energy (even as an ace) and struggle a lil with that sort of thing. If I understand terms correctly (and I do not), the reader might count as a 'service top'. What does that even mean. I'm probably not correct. Just. Just read the thing and see if it's any good, leave me to my awkward flailing.

Under read-more for horny, obvs. Also because this is, like, 1.5k words, which belongs under a read-more. Oh, also not beta read? I could not willingly make someone read this and edit it.

Sweet Talkin' (Alt: the fic that killed j)

“Are you sure we won’t get caught?” You asked, butterflies in your stomach, equal parts nervous and excited. This date had taken weeks of planning. Every last detail was covered, from location to timing to where a certain noble would be, backed up by maidens and begrudging sisters alike. At the end of the day, you really shouldn’t be nervous. But considering just how special this was supposed to be… well, you couldn’t help your anxiety. Evidently your girlfriend feels much the same, as her reassuring smile was hardly as confident as it normally was.

“We’ve gone over this a thousand times, darling, we know it’s going to work out fine,” Bela Dimitrescu replied, before pulling you in for a quick kiss. The two of you stay in each other’s arms for a moment, gently resting your foreheads together. “It will be fine, it has to be. If my mother found out-”

“She won’t,” you interjected, quickly, trying to do for her what she had done for you. “You said it yourself, we’ve double and triple checked. As long as we finish up before dinner, as planned, your sisters will keep her distracted. Admittedly I’m still not sure how you managed to convince them to help.”

“The threat of mutually assured destruction,” Bela replied, as if it was obvious. Something about the way she was always so fast to respond, usually with something clever, made your heart skip a beat. Ooh, and the confidence she radiated? Even better. “Besides, I’ve covered for the two of them a dozen times or more, I think they owe me one. Now, let’s just enjoy this time we have together, alright?” Then she takes both of your hands in her own, giving them a soft squeeze, while looking at you lovingly.

“Is it getting a little warm in here, or is it just me?” You asked, blushing, almost overwhelmed by the heat shared between the two of you. There’s a slight lump in your throat, but you push it down as fast as you can. After all, this was exactly what the two of you had wanted, and you happened to have a little ‘surprise’ in mind. Now seemed like the perfect chance to act. “Maybe we should do something about it, hmm? Don’t want me overheating during our date, now do we?” Well, it wasn’t your smoothest moment, for sure. But you were used to Bela taking the lead in these sorts of situations. This was simply your turn to have some fun, finally show that you didn’t always need to be told what to do (not that you minded, at least not when it was Bela giving you commands).

“Oh? Do elaborate, darling, I’d love to hear what you’re suggesting,” she replied, soft smile betraying her mirth. For a second you see her gaze drift from your eyes to your lips, and you have a feeling you know exactly what she’s thinking about. Seizing the moment, you wrap an arm around her waist, then pull her in for a kiss. Soon enough you two are pressed against each other, eager in your movements, hearts racing in sync. Slowly but surely you move your hand, edging it down her back, then a little further… Bela gasps as you gently grab her ass, not having expected you to be the first to make such a move. A few moments later you have to break for air, chests heaving, but you don’t let go of her entirely.

“Less clothes, for starters. And since your skin isn’t, hmm, quite as warm as mine… I was thinking I could use that to my advantage. If your thighs need a little warming, we could kill two birds with one stone,” you said, practically purring, voice lower than usual. A blush soon rises up Bela’s cheeks as she considers your offer. It doesn’t take her long to smirk, satisfied, one hand going to cup your cheek.

“Right now, there is nothing I would love more,” she murmured. It’s all the encouragement you need to act. Without hesitation you tuck an arm behind her legs, sweeping her up and onto the desk in one smooth motion. It’s a good thing she cleaned up for our date, you think, as you position your body between her thighs. For now you focus your lips on her neck, leaving a trail of kisses along it. Meanwhile your hands find themselves on the fabric of her dress, slowly sliding it upwards, revealing more of her soft skin, ready and waiting for your touch. She lets out a quiet moan as you work, using one hand to hold your head close to her. “You’re rather eager today, dear. Worried we won’t have time for you to get a turn?” Bela asked, in between sharp breaths, teasing as ever.

Instead of replying, you just run your tongue over a particularly sensitive spot on her neck (one you’ve taken advantage of many, many times), unable to stop yourself from smiling when it draws another, louder, moan from her lips. Savoring the feeling, you give her the softest lovebite you can manage. Then you finally get the hem of her dress up to her thighs, allowing you all the access you need, and you pull back to look her in the eyes.

“The only thing I’m worried about is how loud you’re about to be. I wouldn’t want to scar the other maidens,” you said, grinning. Part of you remembers that Daniela and her girlfriend had already handed out plenty of mental scars. The rest of you, however, is content to focus on your girlfriend. So you give her one last quick peck on the lips. Seconds later you’re on your knees, looking up to admire the view. You can’t help but release a low breath at the sight. It takes you a moment to recover, blushing heavily, before you get back to work. Reaching up you take the edge of her underwear in your hands, tugging it away. Bela shifts as you do, trying to make it easier for you, and before long you’ve removed it entirely and tossed the garment over your shoulder. Normally you’d be neater, but when the two of you had all the time in the world… why bother?

Even with one hell of a prize right there, you don’t go straight for her cunt. You place a kiss against her inner thigh, then another one, taking your sweet time. It’s driving Bela crazy, and she’s squirming in place. Picking up the pace just a bit, you add in a couple nibbles, slowly climbing up her thighs, hands ensuring they stayed parted. Right as you move in for more, her fingers tangle in your hair, urging you closer, closer. On one hand you want to tease her, payback for a dozen times she’s done this exact thing to you. On the other hand… your lips can’t help themselves. You’re kissing her clit, loving the way she gasps in response, switching to using your tongue, quick licks one after another. Now her fingers are curling in your hair, pulling ever so slightly.

“Babe,” Bela gasped, struggling to keep herself from bucking too hard, free hand clenching the desk as hard as she could. Eager to please her further, you work faster, tongue rolling over her wet folds, then focusing on her clit, cycling the motions, even as she moves herself against you. You swear you can almost hear her heart racing- but it’s just your own beating in your ears, nearly drowned out by the sound of her pleasure. Every sound urges you onward, rewarding every lick or kiss with a surge of pride. You were the reason she was gasping, calling your name, shaking ever the slightest. Soon, well, soon you’ll be the reason why she was cumming. “Oh fuck,” she said, tensing up for a split second, one last lick sending her over the edge. The way she tugs on your hair hurts, but you know it’s more out of reflex than anything else.

“Mmm,” you hummed, pressing a couple soft kisses to Bela’s inner thighs, letting her come down from her high without having to worry about overstimulation (at least not yet). Then you’re rising back to your feet, glad to stretch out a little. “Ready for round two?” You asked, teasing, though a hundred percent ready if she did agree. To your surprise… she nods, eagerly, sending you a familiar smirk. “Well, I’d better get to work, then.” With that said you move closer, grinning just as wide as your girlfriend, beyond glad that you had plenty of time to do whatever you wanted with each other… because the two of you were going to need every minute.

[issaxcharlie]

Ghost Of You 2/2

Pairing: Ghost! Luke Patterson x Fem Reader

Summary: Luke, Reggie and Alex have to assimilate their loss. For Luke of his girlfriend, and for the others of their best friend after suddenly learning that she didn’t have the future they imagined, and instead died 23 years ago.

Thank you to @cookiebuba for being the head of the entire idea and trusting me with it, and to Emy for almost holding my hand to force me to write🤣💜

PART 1 HERE

“It can’t be.”

“Luke, I-”

"No, Julie. You are not telling me that the woman of my life, the purest person who has ever stepped on this world, not only lost her partner and her best friends, but was only able to live her life for two more years and then ended in a horrible accident. It's as if life wanted to torture her before taking her too.”

“Love of ?... Zeppelin shirt you wore when you ran away. Of course.”

“I- It can’t be true, please tell me it’s not true, Julie.”

“Luke... she loved you so much.”

He falls on the floor. The impact is strong, as if his legs have stopped working.

"I know." He whispers slowly, his gaze empty as multiple tears fall from his eyes.

The rest of the gang threw themselves to the ground around him and hugged him with all their might, trying to unite his broken pieces without any success. Alex and Reggie each crying silently over the loss of their sweet friend.

“What day did she pass away? Alex whispers.

"Let me search, one moment." Julie gets up quickly and checks on her laptop to find a little note about the singer's death.

"The rising singer Y/N Y/L who had just released the biggest hit of her career passed away this afternoon in a terrible car accident after leaving the cemetery where her late boyfriend, Luke Patterson, was buried. Y/L was there in commemoration of the 2 years of the loss of the aspiring musician, who died from a sudden tragic intoxication along with the rest of his band. Something to rescue from this tragedy is that at least she's already reunited with her eternal love. May both rest in peace.”

“This can’t be. My Y/N can’t be gone. Not her, not like that.” Luke is still in denial, unable to believe that his little girl suffered such a terrible ending.

“Maybe she’s not. There's still a chance that she's also a ghost.”

“Yeah, Julie’s right. We need to look out for her, we can't write her off without trying to find her first.” Reggie's eyes sparkle with hope, rushing to cover Alex's mouth in case he says anything other than motivating.

Luke takes his flannel and disappears immediately. Both Reggie and Alex stare sadly at Julie who simply whispers a "go, he needs you." They nod and teleport to their friend.

As expected, Luke is in front of the window of an old music store. He met his girlfriend here so many years ago, the day his parents agreed to buy him his first guitar.

The store had a small section where customers could try out some instruments and she was playing the guitar they had there and singing for the small audience. It seemed like it was something she did often because both the workers and certain customers seemed familiar with the girl.

Luke was captivated by her from the first moment. The energy and passion that radiated from her in every move was unreal. He had never seen anyone happier, much less singing with a borrowed guitar from a small downtown store.

The store is completely abandoned, so without saying anything he comes in and walks towards the small stage.

The ghosts of two 12-year-old kids singing together into the microphone invades his memory. If they only knew.

"Do you remember what was the first thing she said to you?" Reggie and Alex sit next to him on the floor, looking straight at the very small stage. They both try to imagine what their friends must have looked like singing here together the first time. Luke totally invading little Y/N's presentation trying to captivate her with his 0% music experience and 100% of enthusiasm.

Luke laughs through tears. "You have the voice of a country singer."

Alex starts crying when he imagines her. He met her just a few weeks later so he knows exactly how she must have looked and sound.

Reggie smiles while shedding a tear, remembering all those afternoons Y/N convinced Luke to join them in their country sessions. He knows that's why Luke hasn't wanted to know anything about country or his songs since they got back. They remind him of his sweet girl.

“I was so offended. I still didn't know anything about music but I had already decided that I would be a rocker. If I hadn't already been so dazzled by her I would have left without looking back.”

“And what did you answer to defend your honor?”

"You think so?" The three of them start laughing while still crying. A heartbreaking mix of pain comes from their chests.

“C’mon guys, next stop.”

The three of them were teletransporting around the city during the day without any success. Luke's desperation increasing for every place the songwriter wasn't.

At night the three decide to go back to the studio. Luke is heartbroken, bloated after crying all day, eyes red and sore, and whatever it was that was driving him to continue, off.

His friends couldn't do much for him either because each was living the loss in their own way, concentrating on living their own pain until they could process it.

Julie wraps them in blankets on the couch and tries to fill them with love, making sure to hug Luke tightly, who seems about to fall apart.

“Does anyone want to talk about her? Maybe it could make you feel better.”

“She was my entire soul, the words and melody in each of my songs. I just, I love her more than anything in this world. I would give anything for her. My guitar, my voice, my songs, whatever it took for us to be together. I know it doesn't seem like it at this point, but we belong together.”

“We know you do, man.”

“I didn't tell you but I dream about her almost every night since we got back. It is always the same dream. She is in bed, leaving my side intact. She's wearing one of my shirts and hugging my favorite one while sobbing. She falls asleep listening to the ballad I wrote for her soaked in tears and no matter how hard I try to wake her up, I can't get her to see or hear me. I can’t get her. After a few minutes she gets up still asleep and begins to dance as we did so many times, but alone. Then she stops and starts crying again inconsolably. And that's when I wake up."

"I'm so sorry, Luke. She deserved so much more." Reggie walks over to hug him, his head resting on his arm while he sobs.

“We couldn't even say goodbye to her.” Alex cries, his eyes completely red.

“We already know that she visited your graves, perhaps we could do the same, dedicate a few words to her.” Julie offers in an attempt to help them find some peace.

Luke looks devastated, but he nods his head as tears continue to fall from his face, the ring that his girlfriend gave him going in and out of his finger. Alex hugs Julie while she strokes his hair in an effort to calm him down and Reggie runs up to get a notebook and pencil to start planning what to say to his best friend tomorrow.

The three of them hang around all night, crying, writing, hugging, remembering the spark of Sunset Curve. In the morning before going to visit her, they realize is exactly the 25th anniversary of that tragic night that changed the lives of the four forever. Luke nearly punches a hole in the wall upon hearing the sad coincidence.

Her grave is right next to Luke's, who has never been here before and can't help but feel a bit anxious.

“Don’t worry, I’ll start.” Reggie tells the guitarist as he takes a step forward, a small smile on his lips.

"Hello, princess. Long time, huh? I'm Reggie, by the way. In case you don't recognize me from the slight change in my hair. I am trying a little more gel, I want something more elegant and classic. What do you think? Yes, I also thought you would like it.” Julie and Alex smile at hearing him talk to her as natural as possible.

“I tried very hard to think of what to say, because if there is anyone who deserves my best words, it is you. And three things came to mind that I want to share with you.

First, the color yellow.

Yellow like the guitar you were saving for two years to buy. You did everything. You were a babysitter, you walked dogs, you worked in the school library, you sang with your old acoustic guitar in every cafe, basically everything that will let you win some money.

And the day before you could finally go buy it, my dad broke my bass in a moment of anger in one of his typical fights with mom that got really out of hand. At least he didn’t hurt her, huh? But when you're a kid you don't even think about the possibility that something like that could happen, you just focus on the broken instrument in your hand. I ran out and ended up on the stairs of your house with my face soaked and one of the broken pieces in my hand.

You hugged me and promised that everything would be fine. That I was always going to have you four and that we would always be family. You assured me that good things happen to good people. And I believed you, you know? You were always right. But now that I'm here, that I know you didn't have the happy ending you deserved, I'm honestly not so sure anymore.”

Luke and Alex start crying again, each hugging Reggie from one side. Reg tries with all his might to continue through the tears, while Julie looks at them with a broken heart.

“The next day when I came back from school a new bass was on my bed. You talked to Mom so she could take the credit for the gift, but coincidentally was exactly the bass that I fell in love with a year earlier when we went to check if your beloved yellow guitar hadn't dropped in price. Luke revealed to me a few months later that you had to borrow money from your mom in order to complete the exact money for that one.

How generous do you have to be in order to do something like that? how noble? How loving? How selfless? You were always more than I deserved. I was supposed to be like an older brother for you, but it was always you who took care of me. I have Julie and Carlos, and I'm trying to be with them as you were with me. I had the best step sister in the world to teach me, and I hope I can do you justice.” Julie starts crying too after hearing his words, and resists the urge to going to hug him because she knows that they need their space to let go all the suffering that they carry.

“Second, my leather jacket.

When we started the band we made a 100% commitment to being rockstars. And a very important part is the look. You accompanied me on a walk around the city looking for the right outfit to literally go sing to the people who were lining up in front of the clubs.

Anyone could have left me alone on that for multiple reasons, not even these two wanted to face the trouble. But you followed me without thinking twice.

The afternoon was over and we still haven't found anything. Our feet couldn't take it anymore and we had 10 minutes to run to the club. But we stopped by a little store that had a black leather jacket in the window and you said, Reg, this is it.

You excitedly took me by the hand and when I tried it on, the rest was history.

Then I tried to get the whole band to use them but these two boys without fashion sense didn’t want to. You, on the other hand, supported me and wore your leather jacket during all the Sunset Curve performances we had, convincing me that they were our good luck charms and that if we both used them everything would be amazing. Oh god, I miss you so much.

And third, a star.

I thought you were a star when I heard you sing for the first time.

I thought you were a star when you and Luke managed to write the whole Sunset Curve album in 2 months.

I thought you were a star when you bought me my bass, when you made Alex feel better after one of his strongest attacks, when you filled Luke with love and support when he needed it the most.

And I believe it now that I know you are gone.

If you are in heaven, you have to be a star. And not just a star, the brightest star of all. I promise to look for your light every night to wish you sweet dreams. I will also sing you some country since you were the only one who appreciated my incredible sound, I hope it makes you smile.”

“That was beautiful, Reggie. I’m sure she loved it.” Julie finally reaches out to hug him as Alex prepares to be next.

“Hey. I don’t even know where to start.

I- I guess I should start saying I could never pay you all the times you were there to pick me up when I needed someone the most. I went back to dancing a little again. It's not the same without you, but somehow it makes me feel you close. I also met someone, oh Y/N, he’s so special, I'm sure you would have loved him and I would have loved the opportunity to introduce him to you. You were always there.

You were there to support me when I decided to learn drums to cope with my anxiety. You sang the song I was practicing over and over to keep me company and reassure me that what I was doing sounded good.

You were there to support me when I told you I like to dance. We spent hours choreographing different iconic songs and just laughing and enjoying creating more memories together.

Not shocking at this point but you were also there for me when I confessed to my parents I’m gay and you gave me strength all those times that I wanted to fall because they no longer saw me the same way.

You were always my safe place. And I regret with all my heart that I couldn’t be yours.”

Alex breaks down. She kept them on their feet during her darkest days and they paid her off by causing her the most horrible pain imaginable. Julie and Reggie surround her in their arms while sobbing. The last one of the band standing moves closer to the grave and drops to his knees.

“I’m so sorry, my love. I’m so fucking sorry.” Luke tries to be strong, but tears start falling like waterfalls from his eyes, his face red in a mixture of despair, sadness and anger.

“I will never forgive myself for leaving you alone. Baby, I've been without you for only 1 month and I’m going crazy, even with the boys and Julie by my side. I don't even want to imagine what you must have been through those two years. My soul is shattered just thinking about it.

At first when we returned I imagined you were happy after having fulfilled all our plans with someone else. And I thought nothing could hurt me more than that, but obviously I was wrong. Because although it hurt me that I couldn’t be the one who was with you, thinking that you had been happy gave me the peace to be able to continue. Now that I know that life took away your opportunity, the only thing I feel is anger.

Anger towards me, anger towards destiny. Anger at not being able to be together even after death. Since we discovered where you are, I have only been able to think of cross over and finally be with you again.

Or at least go back to the night before everything turned into a nightmare. Fall asleep with you in my arms one more time.

I swear I even miss your snoring and you biting my cheek after your goodnight kiss, as you would say, in a gesture of love.”

“Hello again, my love.

I can't believe 25 years have passed. First of all, I want you to know that I'm okay. Or well, the equivalent for ghosts that are destined to haunt the earth alone for all eternity. I made a friend for several years, Rose. I told you about her, remember? I know you guys would have been good friends, she was a ridiculously talented musician. Since she died I no longer had the strength to go back to the studio, but for a long time I enjoyed her company in one of my favorite places. She promised to tell you that I'm waiting for you. I will wait whatever time is necessary, okay? I love you so much, baby.

You three are always on my mind, and I think I can finally accept that the pain is just never going to go away. But lately something super strange has happened to me, let me tell you.

Throughout these years, in the darkest days, I see you. But, they were always memories.

A month ago, I started to see you having other kinds of experiences and I honestly don't know how to feel about it. Am I going that crazy? I selfishly hoped that you too were ghosts for so many years. I looked for you 5, 10, 15, 20 years. And just as I decide to give up, my head imagines you all over the city.

The first time I saw you singing Reggie's jam on the beach. You guys looked so happy, love. It filled my heart with peace for a few seconds, knowing that somewhere up there you are enjoying life singing together all day.

Then I saw my beloved Alex with a cute boy. My heart melted, I can’t even explain how much I wanted to run to hug him and gossip about it.

Baby, he looked so peaceful. I always wanted that for Alex. I didn't know whether to be happy or cry because that didn’t actually happen, so I did both.

The penultimate time was a few nights ago when I was walking in front of the Orpheum and I heard your voices. How wicked my mind is, right? A knife to the heart would hurt less.

And now, I can't even get close to your grave because I'm imagining you all again.”

Y/N doesn't know what to do, if she gets close enough will they disappear? What If they don’t? Will she bear to see them up close? She has been dancing with their ghosts in her dreams for so many years, but It’s not the same as doing it when she is fully awake.

She is about to run out of there in fear when the silhouette of a fourth person catches her attention. She doesn't know why, but it immediately reminds her of Rose. Could it be that she is imagining her friend too?

Curiosity is stronger than fear, like all those times when she got into trouble with her boys. She walks carefully towards her grave which is next to her beloved Luke.

“I swear I even miss your snoring and you biting my cheek after your goodnight kiss as you would say, in a gesture of love.”

“I don't freaking snore, I told you a million times already... and now I'm talking with my imagination, great.”

The band turns in shock towards the fifth voice. That's when she can see the girl's face and realize who she is.

“Julie? But, how?”

“Y/N?” Alex whispers on the verge of passing out.

She starts to panic, just before the boys can do something about it, a new person appears behind her.

“Hey, you took a long time." She turns around and jumps into the arms of who has become her only friend in recent years.

“Phoenix, thank god.” Her body continues to shake but she clings tightly to her friend while crying uncontrollably.

To say the ghosts are confused would be an understatement. And apart from that, the guitarist is having many conflicts with the jealousy that he is feeling at the moment. They haven't seen each other in 25 years and when they finally do, she runs into someone else's arms and clings to him like her life depends on it.

What does that mean for them? Is it too late?

“Beautiful, what's wrong? Who are they? Oh, wait. You guys were at the club a few weeks ago, you're friends with Willie, right?”

Luke feels like dying all over again hearing him call her that. She continues to shake but finally lets go.

“What? You can see them?”

“Shouldn’t I?” He looks at her skeptical and shifts his eyes from her to the ghosts.

“I- Oh my god. I'm going to pass out.“

“Baby, look at me.” Luke’s voice is a mix between a plea and a demand. The terror of knowing that perhaps he has already lost her without having had the opportunity to fight for her clouds his judgment and tears begin to fall from his face again.

25 years. 25 years fighting not to forget his voice. 25 years having him only in dreams, in memories, in melodies. 25 years waiting for him. 25 years on her own.

She turns slowly to meet those honey-green eyes she craved for so long to see, a painful smile from Luke makes her smile through tears.

She carefully lifts her right hand and gently draws it to his cheek, almost exploding at the feel of it.

“You came back. Oh my, It’s really you.” She jumps to the guitarist, entwining her legs at his hips, her arms tangled with all her strength around him, her head buried in his neck inhaling his scent. Tears coming out as if to drown her, all the pain and suffering that she faced all these years finally leaving her body.

Luke wraps her tightly in his arms, still unable to process what’s happening.

Alex and Reggie begin to smile without fully assimilating what is happening, while Julie begins to jump of joy.

“Babygirl, I'm sorry to ruin the moment but I have to rush to the club. Will you be okay here?"

“She's always safe with me." The guitarist growls, and Y/N starts laughing when she hears it.

"The jealous, protective baby in the beanie is right, don't worry Nix. I’ll go and find you later."

Phoenix nods with a smile and disappears. Julie begins to scold Luke while Reggie and Alex approach to touch the cheek of their best friend, still in the arms of the guitarist who does not seem to have any intention of letting go.

“We should go home to catch up. Reggie and I will accompany Julie, it seems that you two should speak alone first." Luke doesn't think twice and disappears with her in his arms.

“Good things happen to good people.” Reggie whispers as he hugs his friends and they start walking home.

Luke and Y/N reappear in the studio and they are both shocked for a few seconds. The girl trembles again in fear of dreaming.

“Hey, come here baby. Shh, I’m here, I promise.”

“Don’t leave me ever again, please.” He can see that it is very difficult for her to understand that is really happening, and to think that she lived without him not 2 but 25 years makes him want to cry again.

“I won’t. I promise, beautiful. Never again.” Luke wraps her in his arms, but she lifts her head from his chest to push her lips against his. The kiss is urgent, but they both instantly recognize each other and fit in perfectly. Luke picks her up again and gently lays her down on the couch, both desperate to feel the other, to recognize every inch.

“I missed you so much baby, I love you more than anything.” Luke whispers between kisses, not willing to have her an inch away from him.

“I love you my love. I love you, I love you, I love you.” She says while kissing the love of her life, happy for the first time in 25 years.

Before things get to escalate, the rest of the band shows up in the studio followed by Julie who clearly walks through the door.

"Let go of her man, it's our turn!" Y/N gets up quickly from the sofa while her boyfriend complains and she throws herself at both of them who pick her up as best they can and spin her in the air.

They put her down and Julie and her stare each other, both raise their arms and meet in a quick but sweet hug.

“You said my name back there, how?” The question that she has stuck since she met her finally coming to light.

“I met your mom many years ago when I came to visit the studio and realized that she could see me. We were friends for many years and I had the opportunity to see you grow up, but I always made sure to be upstairs when you came in in case you could see me too.”

“Well, now I understand how Carlos felt when he found out that we lived with ghosts. And It sounds like mom watches over us both from heaven.”

“Yeah, I’m sure she does.” Both girls smile and hug each other once more.

“I can't believe I endured 25 years without having those beautiful arms around me.” She whispers as they both lie on the couch, Luke has her completely cornered in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby. It breaks my heart that you have suffered that much for so many years.”

“It was not your fault. You lost as much as I did that night. Besides, I always knew that you would find me sooner or later. We belong together.”

“We do. I, I k-know we have way more to talk about but, who was the dude from the cementery?”

The insecurity in his voice is evident and Y/N can't help but smile. His emotions are complex, real, and nothing can make her happier than that.

“I’ll tell you all about my friend later, okay? For now... dance with me? I want to dance with the real deal.” He smiles and they both stand up, hugging each other as they slowly move through the studio as they did many times before life separated them.

The Luke in her arms is her Luke, the same one she has been waiting for so many years, finally back in her arms. And just as she thought when she lived, she will dance with his ghost for all eternity.

Thank you for reading✨✨

Taglist: @writerinlearning, @ghostofmgg @strangerthanfanfiction713, @thebloodthirstyvampress, @kinda-really-lost, @kcd15, @magnet-girl, @aliandthephantoms, @stxrkspidey, @pinkrockstar19, @s0uz4s, @shycupcakealissa @cookiebuba, @fangirlangioma, @sageellsworth05, @twist3dtinkerbell, @sunsetcurvenotsunsetswerve, @caitsymichelle13, @ifilwtmfc, @luckylouiebug, @bibliophilewednesday, @totomoshi, @siennanoelle01, @lunashadow6955, @bookfrog247, @morganayennefertyrell, @kiss-themoongoodbye, @rachelle3musicals, @imsydneywalker, @really-dont-forget-it @agentstarkid @talksoprettyjjx @kaitieskidmore1 @lukeys-giggle @katie-navarro @crybabyddl @cocopuffs0211 @marvel-ousnesss @blackhood5sos @tessxblxckthorn

Goy tags: @eternalharry @xplrreylo

[lostcoves]

ft. momo yaoyorozu x gn!reader

genre: fluff

wc & warnings: 1k | none

premise: momo is in need of a fake date and you’re just the person for the job

note: my contribution to @httptamaki​’s fake dating collab! it was a blast to write for momo, hope you all enjoy!

momo yaoyorozu had a dilemma– a major dilemma, to be exact– and you were her only hope.

“you serious want me to pretend to be your partner?” you questioned momo during lunch, angrily sipping on a juice box. she clasped her hands together and gave you puppy dog eyes, “please, (y/n)? you’re the only person i trust with this,” she sighed, “my parents want to set me up with some scumbag.”

“really?” you finished your juice box and tossed it in the trash can.

“yes,” she covered her face in her hands, “they’re trying to set up an- an arranged marriage,” momo wanted to puke at the thought of an arranged marriage.

your eyes widened, “seriously?” you huffed, “god, you’re eighteen and about to enter professional heroism.”

“they don’t care, my parents are very.. very traditional,” momo answered.

“traditional? as in code word for sexist pricks?” you scoffed.

“well.. yeah,” she pressed her lips together.

“i’ll do it,” you stood up and dust off your uniform blazer, “tell me what i have to do and i’ll do it.”

momo broke out into a beautiful grin and embraced you tightly, “thank you. i’ll text you the details later,” she released you from the hug, “just.. just thank you, i mean it.” 

“anything for you, yaomomo, anything for you.”

─────────────────

you arrived at the yaoyorozu residence in the late evening with momo by your side. momo bought you an outfit for the occasion at her insistence, a dress shirt and matching pants with a blazer and loafers. you smiled at your pretend girlfriend, admiring her pretty red dress.

“what’s the plan?” you whispered to momo when the two of you entered the mansion. hundreds of rich folk in stuffy outfits mingled about the residence, you squeezed momo’s arm for reassurance.

“just do everything in your power to convince my parents that we’re together,” she whispered back, plastering on a faux smile whenever you two passed a guest. in the center of the room, there was a woman who was the spitting image of an older momo and man with greying hair, conversing with a younger man who just radiated jackass energy. 

“momo, darling! there you are!” the woman– who you presumed to be mrs. yaoyorozu– exclaimed and pulled momo away from you, “there is gin! he’s so excited to finally meet you.”

“mother-” momo felt like an encaged bird, panic written all over her face.

“excuse me,” you forced a smile, “but momo is with me tonight.”

“and you are?” the man– presumably mr. yaoyorozu– questioned to you.

“momo’s partner,” you answered, proud. a hush fell over the room, all eyes on you. what was the big deal? did you look you poor or something? the other man– gin– let out a laugh and scoffed at you, “momo is dating you? what are you, a gold-digger?”

“i’ll have you know that my family doesn’t need any money,” you could feel your blood boiling, “so don’t disrespect me, gin.”

“mother, father!” momo interjected, not wanting to cause a scene between you and gin, “i was trying to tell you this earlier but this is my partner, (y/n). we’ve been dating for almost a year.”

“a year?” mr. yaoyorozu went pale in the face, “and you ever invited them around for us to meet them?”

“dear, let’s go somewhere private,” mrs. yaoyorzou whispered, gesturing to the watching guests. the yaoyorozu couple gave their guests picturesque smiles, “resume your activities!” before dragging you and momo off to a private area of the mansion.

“a whole year?!” mrs. yaoyorozu shouted at her daughter, “momo, why weren’t you honest with us? i thought you trusted us.”

“i do, it’s just..” momo looked at you for help.

“momo doesn’t want to be just a wife to some rich guy,” you commented, “she wants someone who supports her dreams, someone who’s gonna be there for her.. no matter what.”

“but we’re here for you, momo!” mr. yayorozu protested.

“are you, father?” momo sniffled, tears in her eyes. you squeezed her hand while she spoke, “neither of you showed me any support when it came to me pursuing professional heroism. you want to marry me off to some sexist pig who only cares more about my breasts than my huamnity!” she paused, “i have a quirk that can change people’s lives! but all you two have given me since i enrolled at ua was- was- was crap!”

“language, momo..” her mother grumbled/

“don’t language me, mother!” momo yelled, “i love (y/n) and they support my dreams while i support theirs! and if you can’t accept our relationship, then i’m leaving.”

“momo..” her father looked heartbroken.

“momo,” you turned her around and cupped her cheeks, “look at me.”

“i’m- i’m looking,” she replied, eyes puffy.

“you’re doing great. i’m so proud of you. let them know how you feel,” you touched your forehead to hers. momo smiled, “thank you, (y/n),” she pressed a lingering kiss on your lips. your eyes widened at the kiss, face warming up when the kiss broke.

“you either support me and my dreams, in addition to my relationship, or i’m leaving,” momo stated firmly to her parents. mr. and mrs. yaoyorozu exchanged looks with one another before mrs. yaoyorozu finally responded, “we’re sorry, darling. we truly are.”

“we just want the best for you,” her father added. 

“i know what’s best for me,” momo added, “and that’s being with (y/n).”

“then we will support your relationship,” her mother answered. tears of joy rolled down momo’s cheeks, as she hugged her parents. you watched the scene unfold with a smile, happy for your friend.

“now, you two lovebirds enjoy the party!” mr. yaoyorozu chuckled before leaving the area with his wife. you turned your attention back to momo and asked, “do.. do you really love me?”

“of course i do,” she answered.

“then,” you took her hands into yours, “wanna make it official?”

“i was wondering when you were gonna ask me that. my answer is yes.”

[moon-light-jukebox]

I wish you would write a fic where Spencer comes out to the reader (his gf) as bi and she also comes out as bi!! from a very bi anon :)

Summary: Spencer Reid has fallen in love with Reader…but he needs to tell her something about himself that he’s never told anyone before.

Word Count: 1.1k

Pairing: Spencer Reid / Female Reader

Genre: Pure Fluff

A/n: Thank you for this cute request, my bisexual anon. As a very bisexual writer, I was only too happy to write this little fic out. I hope you like it!

-- Nervous --

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had the habit of getting nervous at the strangest of times.

I was never nervous when I was on a case with my team, I was never nervous before I had to take any sort of test when I was younger, and I was never really very nervous to speak in front of large crowds.

I shouldn’t be nervous now; it didn’t make any logical sense. I had been with y/n for several months now…103 days, to be precise. She hadn’t said it yet…but I felt like she loved me. I hadn’t said it to her either, another thing I was way too nervous about.

Before I had officially met y/n, I had already noticed her. She seemed to radiate this energy that had captivated me from the very first moment. She was a magical creature that shouldn’t exist in my world, but I was so very glad she did.

I was terrified to ask her out that very first time. I stumbled over my words and rambled on endlessly about topics that were not even related to the Edgar Allan Poe theater production I was trying to invite her to. She’d just smiled the entire time, color flushing brightly in her cheeks.

“I’d love to go with you, Spencer. If you’re asking…” she had said, twisting her fingers while she spoke. It was odd to me that such a beautiful woman would even want to spend time with me. While y/n was beautiful, my favorite thing about her was how unfailingly kind she was. She always spoke to everyone she came in contact with, and she really listened to them when they talked. She had this way of making people feel special without even trying.

Because I knew her to be such a kind and gentle person, I knew she would be understanding of the secret I had to tell her. It’s just that I had never told anyone before. Not even Maeve in our letters. It was a part of myself I had always kept so private…I wasn’t ashamed, really. I was just…nervous.

“What’s wrong, Spence?” y/n asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

I cleared my throat. “Oh, um, nothing. I was just thinking.”

The smile she directed at me warmed me like the sun. “You’re always thinking, Dr. Reid. But you looked like you were thinking mighty hard just then.”

On this rare evening I had off, I had invited y/n over to my house for dinner. We ordered takeout and were watching Halloween movies, even though my favorite holiday was months away.

My girl always said, “Halloween is a state of mind, Spence.”

I shifted in my seat, my hands fisting against my thighs. “Okay,” I muttered. “I have something I wanted to talk to you about.”

She was sitting on the couch beside me, but she turned her body to face me, bringing her legs up to crisscross in front of her. Her face was so open…her face was everything I ever wanted. “What’s up, bug?”

I worried my bottom lip between my teeth. “Well…we’ve been together for…”

“103 days,” she supplied.

“I love you.”

She blinked her gorgeous eyes at me, slightly bewildered, but a smile was spreading over her face. “What?”

“I love you. That wasn’t what I had to talk to you about,” I rambled out. “But you know the exact number of days and you make me so happy. Happier than anything else. I could write a book about how you light up my entire world and still never come close to how I feel about you.”

“Spence,” her voice was soft when she reached out to grasp both of my hands. “I love you too. So much. You’re…you’re everything, Spencer Reid.”

I wanted to kiss her then, more than I had ever wanted anything in the entire world. “I…I want to tell you something else. Something I’ve never told anyone. But…you mean-you mean so much to me. I don’t want to have any sort of secret with you.”

Her curious expression made sense. I had already told her about my past relationships, my family, and my problem with dilaudid. “I don’t want to have any secrets from you either, Spence.” She gave my hands a squeeze. “If it helps, there’s an 87% chance I’ll still love you no matter what you tell me.”

A laugh bubbled out of my throat. “87%? Where did you get that number?”

She scowled at me. “Out with it!”

I swallowed thickly. “Well…I love you. And you’re the only person I want to be with. But…I’m not…in the past…” I looked at her face, scanning every inch of it for any sort of micro expression that could give away how she was feeling. “I’ve…I’ve dated men in the past.” I let out a deep breath. “I’m attracted…to men. And women.”

Her brows creased in confusion. “This is what you were afraid to tell me?”

I nodded, my head dropping slightly.

“Spencer,” she said quietly, her hands releasing mine only to come up to cup my jaw. Her thumb caressed my cheek. “I’m so happy you felt comfortable enough to tell me. Especially if I’m the first person you’ve ever come out to.”

“You don’t care?”

“Well, of course I care, Spence. But I care about it because I care about you. It’s a part of your identity. Everything about you matters to me.”

My heart swelled inside of my chest. “I care about you too. And I…I don’t know what to say.” I huffed out a soft laugh. I had been so worried about this moment that I never really planned for what came after.

“Listen, Spencer,” she whispered, pulling my attention back to her. “I…well, I feel bad about this now. I don’t…my sexual identity is a huge part of who I am; but I never really come out anymore. I don’t believe that sexuality has to have labels, but I identify as bisexual. I’ve had relationships with both men and women.” She bit her lip, her hands dropping from my face. “I don’t know why I didn’t tell you…but-“

I reached for her before I even realized what I was doing. My hands found her soft face right before my mouth sealed against hers. She was sweetness, kindness, and so much better than I felt like I deserved. “I love you,” I murmured against her lips before pulling away. “I’ve never…thought about a label for my sexuality. But…I think I’m bisexual too.”

Y/n’s smile was so soft, so tender. She reached out and tapped her finger against the tip of my nose. “Then we can just be two bisexual people who are madly in love with each other. Does that sound good to you, Dr. Reid?”

Just like everything about her, that idea was perfect to me too.

[se0kie]

chapter 4: the boundless ocean

pairing: taehyung x reader

genre: fluff, eventual smut, ANGST (whoo boy)

tags/warnings: some talks of mortality, otherwise nothing much

greek gods au, poseidon!taehyung, marinebiologist!reader

summary: it’s difficult being a god. what with all the immortality, the decades bleeding into each other and losing every human being you come to care about. and taehyung’s lived, or whatever it is gods do, for a very, very long time. he thinks he needs help but the fates are being the mysterious, useless hags they’ve always been. how can a conservatory and it’s passionate, fiery owner possibly help him. turns out Y/N is the only mortal he’s met who’s ready to challenge him head on. of course it’s not like she knows her new intern is the king of the sea, maker of horses, the earthshaker, poseidon himself after all.

previous <> next ; series masterlist

It’s next to chaos at Hamdeok beach.

The day after the male turtles returned to the shallow waters you made sure to have every worker and volunteer of the Blue Side Marine Conservation on your property and spread around the shore keeping an eye out for the slightest activity. Taehyung had successfully survived two whole weeks with you and your gang of flaky friends.

His job for now had mainly been running around passing on information about the temperatures of the water and the sand, sodium levels in the seawater and clearing any boats away from coming close to the shallow end of the ocean.

Although he didn’t really need to remember the results you passed onto him.

He knew the exact temperatures of the sea, he could feel the number as soon as he reached the thought, he could taste the brine on his tongue as he conjured the digits for sodium levels and the boats... well let’s just say all he had to do to take care of the boats was swish the waves in the opposite direction.

Hoseok, you and Jungkook were keeping lookout at the rocks far out into the water, close enough to shore but distant enough to keep track of the dozen or so male turtles floating lazily in anticipation of their mates.

Taehyung would never admit this to his fellow Olympians but he was having fun here. He got to spend time with the sea as a regular mortal instead of solving disputes between whales and sharks. He would occasionally accompany Hoseok out to the deep waters to observe the coral reefs, even diving in sometimes if Hobi deemed it appropriate.

He had grown to like your two friends, Hoseok was a breath of fresh air from the dripping Nereids and his annoying brothers. Although he did remind Taehyung of his nephew, Apollo. Both of them positively radiated the sun’s energy. He would have to ask the god of archery about his mortal consorts, Hobi could very well be a demigod born of the fickle Olympian.

Jungkook was what he would’ve imagined all young adults were on earth, were he not an incredibly innocent and loving person. He had never met anyone as nice and helpful as Jungkook. He seemed like the paler photocopy of his sister, Hestia. They were both just so sickeningly likeable.

And then there was you.

Taehyung can clearly see you sitting on the largest rock, your knees pulled close to your chest as you stared diligently out at the horizon, then turned your head back again to catch sight of the green turtles poking their heads out of the surface of the water to breathe; and then diving back in with a small splash. Jungkook is writing in the journal that contains notes, statistics and other data regarding the nesting project.

Hoseok has his arms spread out behind him, soaking in the gentle sunrays as he hums a little tune. Taehyung settles down on the soft sand, tucking his legs crossed as he observes the trio on the rock.

He can almost feel your anxiety radiating off of you in waves, you seem to be especially sensitive about this nesting period. Subconsciously, he starts humming along to the tune Hobi is singing far away from him. The sweet melody filling his ears as he concentrates on the area you’re in. He can see the rush of the wind coming towards you, dangerously close to toppling your research material and snack basket into the water.

But quick as a sailfish, Taehyung flicks his wrist and the gust of air flows over the group’s heads.

He sits there in the sand patiently waiting for the female turtles to arrive along with you, he can see the enthusiasm slowly drain from your expression as a faint frown brushes over your brows. You’re disappointed, he can see it clear as day.

The office had received a call from the small group of professors sailing in the waters surrounding Jeju, they were the ones who had notified your team about the male turtles closing into the coast, how the females would follow close behind. But it seemed that the others were late, or even worse, lost or attacked by predators.

Professor Kim Namjoon and his husband had been so sure that the turtles would reach the nesting site in the mere matter of a day or two that you had made it your mission to overlook the mating process. You were beginning to look a little crazy to Taehyung, but he could stomach it.

He had seen far worse.

And you were now looking close to tears as the sun was setting gently into the waters and the seagulls were picking at the fish they had caught, Taehyung closed his eyes and looked for the group of distressed reptiles in the ocean surrounding the island.

He could see them clearly in his mind, the turtles were swimming hard but unfortunately the current was flowing in the direction opposite their destination. He breathed in slowly and coaxed the water to let the tired group make their way back to the coast where they had been born. He could tell these turtles were returning to the beach they had hatched in. Perks of being the literal god of the sea, huh?

He helped the animals swim back, letting the current slightly carry their bodies. When he opened his eyes again it felt like Zeus had knocked the air out of his lungs.

Because there you were, absolutely beaming at the sea. Hair caressing your face with the breeze as the orange sun glowed behind your head, making it look like you wore a halo. Your face was lit up by the rays of the sunset but not as much as by the dazzling smile you wore. You were softly laughing as you watched familiar green shells bobbing away in the clear, blue water.

A triangular head poked out, nose pointing straight at you as if trying to say hello. And if anyone was paying attention to the small, overwhelmed woman on the rock instead of the turtles, they would’ve caught how your cheeks glistened with silently shed tears.

Taehyung was paying attention.

You and your newly befriended intern were walking along the shore, both on your lunch break, four weeks after the mating season had gotten over. The pregnant turtles would arrive any time soon to lay their eggs at the beach.

You were constantly on edge, anxious about the delicate situation but excited for the opportunities your little conservation would come across if the nesting season passed successfully.

“So how did you and Hobi manage to open up Blue Side? You’re both far too young to have done it all by yourself,” Taehyung voices from beside you. He wasn’t very chatty, not usually. But he had his moments when he would ask questions you had never been asked before, or take interest in the mundane routine of your life.

You release a puff of air, flashes of your past running through your mind as you lazily pick at one to answer, “Well, you know we’re a nonprofit organisation. But we had financial backing from Hobi’s parents, and my dad. Mr. and Mrs. Jung are both professors at the Stanford University. My dad used to be a research biologist, he’s a visiting lecturer now.”

You look up at your companion, softly kicking sand with your toe. You catch him looking at you with a peculiar smile painting his face, you reach out and brush the sun bleached strands of hair out of his eyes as you catch yourself squinting at the scene just behind him.

It’s a man you recognise from somewhere, his hand emptying a plastic bag full of trash into the foamy waves of the ocean. It clicks in your head and you know why he seems familiar. You shriek with sudden irritation, “YOU!”

You stomp the few meters towards the man, who now resembles a deer caught in headlights. Although it looks like you’d rather just run him over.

“What is the matter with you?!” It’s more of an accusation than a question. You don’t give the offender any time to retort when you’re flying off on one of your passionate rants.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing? Green sea turtles, almost extinct by the way, just mated here in these exact waters a month ago, they’re gonna be back to lay their eggs any day now. You have any semblance of coherent thought to know how delicate they are and how trash in the ocean can literally suffocate them?!” you take a breath as you really look at the man’s red face.

You continue mercilessly, “Eighty percent of marine debris is plastic, the mass of plastic in the oceans are as high as one hundred million tonnes. You hear that? One hundred million. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is twenty times the size of Texas. You’re killing the planet, the animals and yourself. Have some empathy for your home,” you finish off with disgust lacing your tone.

The severely embarrassed man was quietly leaving with his bag of rubbish as you stared holes into his back, crossing your arms across your chest as you blew the strands of hair hanging in your eyes. You can feel Taehyung’s gaze on you, but you can’t find it in yourself to turn to him. The god is looking at you with fascination, never has he met a woman quite like you. A violent blush is staining your cheeks as you feel your face heat up under his intense scrutiny.

“Why do you always do that?” you hear his deep baritone ask.

You still refuse to look at him but respond anyway, “What do you mean ‘always do that’? Do what?”

“I don’t know? Why are you always so passionate about the sea? It’s not just the sea either, the fish and the plants and everything underwater,” he’s still looking at you as he says, “You want to protect it all so badly. Why?”

You sigh as you finally turn your head to look at him, the pink glow of the sunset makes him look even more ethereal than he does on the regular. You sweep your eyes over his face several times, taking in his features as you carefully sort the words building in your throat.

Your gaze drops to the ground where the littlest of waves are kissing your toes, the smell of the ocean thick as you feel the wet sand under your feet.

“Because,” you begin.

“Because what?” he retorts.

You look back at him intensely, your eyes burn with the light of the dipping sun but Taehyung doesn’t think it’s on purpose. Your eyes just look like that whenever you talk of things you’re passionate about. He’s noticed that since he’s met you.

“Because!” you huff. “It’s my job. It’s my job to protect the sea.”

Taehyung scoffs at your reply, it’s lame and you know it but being vulnerable has always been difficult for you. “Yes, it may be your job but nobody expects you to do it 24/7. You’re always scolding people who litter, always picking up trash you catch in the waves. Hell, you’re always hanging out with the fisherman to make sure they’re using the right methods while out at sea and not overfishing.”

He presses on, “Tell me, Y/N, what’s it all about?” Only this time his voice is softer and infinitely more intimate.

“I want to do all of that. I love the sea, that’s the short answer. But the sea is all we know,” you reply with a breath. “Air, water, earth. It will all remain even if we die out. And if I could help save even a few inches of the ocean, just a handful of fish in my measly lifetime I will live on as the sea.” You say sincerely as you turn your eyes up to catch a glimpse of Taehyung’s reaction.

He’s looking at you with emotion you don’t recognise, a peculiar tilt of his lips and eyebrows slightly furrowed as if he’s doing a tricky math problem. You speak softly, your voice dropping to a low whisper now that you’re both standing closer than before, “My work, my achievements, my life. It’ll all be immortalised in the waves.”

Internally, the sea god thinks of what a wonderful woman you are. He has never met a mortal as selfless or as loving as you. You have so much love to give that it bursts out of the seams of your heart and splashes everything around you in golden hues.

“You, me, Jungkook. We’re all just mere human beings, Taehyung. The ocean and the sky? They’re what truly matters in this universe. I live my life for the ocean and its creatures so that years and years after I’m dead I’ll still be floating in the waves,” you tell him honestly, wondering how did you let a man you’ve only known for a month or a half hear your most personal truth.

But you know that if anyone deserves to know something like this about you, it has to be Kim Taehyung.

More minutes of comfortable silence follow, the hypnotic slosh of the waves pulling the stress and anxiety out of your mind. You and Taehyung face each other in front of the now barely visible sun, and the glittering horizon.

He says after a long minute of gentle breathing, “Y/N?”

“Hmm?”

“I like you,” he confesses, not a hint of hesitation or embarrassment laces his voice. Just sheer declaration.

Your cheeks flare up once again, something that seems to be happening increasingly ever since the new intern arrived. You somehow manage to keep your cool as you say, “It’s only been a few weeks, Taehyung. How can you know if you like someone if you’ve barely even met them?”

“Weeks, months, 400 years. It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same to me. Time doesn’t determine emotions, Y/N.” Taehyung says wisely, the young and carefree looking boy doesn’t talk like the many kids his age.

You smile sweetly... at him? For him? You don’t know, but you smile instead of affirming his confession.

“Sure Kim, but you still gotta clean the aquariums.”

taglist: @a-kookie-with-my-tae @btsxdoll @taffyteffy @aesthetewriter @happyhrsme @yoongifiess

[digimonascending]

I feel there has been a distinct lack of snarky banter and lasers of late. Luckily Owen and Simeamon are here to fix that. More information under the break:

Owen

Full Name: Owen Ashbourne

Age: 19

Hair: Brown, Blonde Highlights

Eyes: Grey-Blue

Height: 6'6"

Partner: Simeamon

Personality

No person in the history of mankind has ever emanated such raw "This Is Fine" energy than Owen Ashbourne, for better or for worse. He radiates chillness to an infuriating degree, is slow to anger and slower to panic, and maintains himself as the calming and mature presence within the tamers. That's the theory, anyway, although 'mature' may just be a shorthand for 'making a sarcastic remark and letting everybody else fight amongst themselves while you drink a smoothie'.

Despite his tendency to blindly ignore the problem at hand, Owen is far from lazy. He's efficient and independant, preferring to work through his problems himself rather than rely on others. In this way he frees himself up to be really quite a fun person to be around, when he's not deliberately trying to wind Mark up. Sarcasm aside, he does have a good head on his shoulders and works well with Simeamon; the two of them are probably the most in sync partners of the group. Although while he maintains a calm presence he does remain very closed off, and his need to work through his demons on his own can strain his relationships with even his closest friends. Ignoring the problem until it goes away will only get you so far.

  Chaotic in his chillness and troubling in his quietness, Owen nonetheless has a strong moral code and a sense of personal responsibility. No matter what, he will always do his best to put the wellbeing of others before himself. His approach may be flawed, but there's no arguing with the need to do right by a damaged world.

Family:

Trevor Ashbourne - Father

~

Simeamon

Pronunciation: SIH-me-ah-mon

Name origin: Simian, infraorder of primates including monkeys and apes

Family: Virus Busters, Metal Empire

Type: Cadet

Stage: Rookie

Attribute: Vaccine

Height: 5'2" Partner: Owen Personality

Live fast, cause problems and blow shit up. This is Simeamon's credo which she follows to the letter every moment of every day. Loud-mouthed, jokey and crude, Simeamon doesn't give two hoots about who she annoys during her next fast-paced tirade of insults and explosives; be it her best friend in the world, or the army of souped-up dragons currently charging in her direction. Screw the rules; she has a mouth and a laser gun and she will be using them both.

As impulsive as she can be, Simeamon certainly has the skills to back up her big words; an experienced combatant, an acrobat and an inability to keep still works to her advantage, and combined with Owen's intuition she is a marvellous warrior. Although where Owen keeps his feelings close, Simeamon is far more blunt and quicker to anger. She's not above poking fun at him to try and elicit a reaction, but on a deeper level she worries greatly about his closed-off tendencies, especially when it puts both of them in harm's way, whether intentionally or not. She trusts him with her life, but sometimes has her doubts as to whether he does the same.

What you see is what you get with Simeamon, and thus even as a good friend you are likely to get several insults to your face a day. That being said, she bears her soul in everything she does; never backing down, never hiding her thoughts and never regretting the decisions she's made, whether she feels they were right or wrong. She wields a courage and a pride in everything she says and does, remaining a true warrior through to the very end.

Attacks

 Cyber Strike

Simeamon creates a ball of light in her glove and tosses it at her opponent, where it explodes.

Micro Laser

Simeamon fires green energy blasts from her pistol at pinpoint accuracy

~

Hammon

Pronunciation: HAM-mon

Name origin: Ham the Astrochimp, first chimpanzee launched into space in 1961

Type: Slime

Stage: Fresh

Attribute: None

Height: 0'4" Attacks

    Space Bubbles

Hammon releases a flurry of bubbles that glow in the dark

~

Atelimon

Pronunciation: Ah-TEH-lih-mon

Name origin: Atelidae, family of New World Monkeys

Family: Metal Empire

Type: Lesser

Stage: In-Training

Attribute: None

Height: 1'3"

Attacks

    Launch Sequence

 Atelimon's jetpack activates and she launches her whole body into her opponent

~

I know how hairstyles work I promise.

If there's one thing I sort of regret with Inferno is how kind of...generic the tamers designs were. I still love all those precious babies, don't get me wrong, but going forward I wanted to explore and have a bit more fun with the human designs. You can make your own judgement whether I have gone too far, but nonetheless Owen's here to stay.

Also you have no idea how much I love Simeamon and the fact that she will not behave ever.

Some designs take a little work to pin down. Some need the final details adjusting. Simeamon is neither of those; I have been hanging onto this space monkey's exact design since 2013 and finally I can release her unto the world. May she cause problems until the end of time.

And don't worry; the newcomers are just as welcome on the Trauma Train as the old guard. % D

.

[cassthepilot]

Cass Background & Lore

Decided to finally make a dedicated post to a large part of Cass’ story. Definitely a bit of read but it’s finally a little more streamlined & less chaotic than her age old about pages now I think. Anyway, for those who are interested, here goes, Apologies in advance for the long read.

CASS’ STORY

Cass was born & raised into a colorful life navigating the trailer parks, hollers & eventually prison system of West Virginia. Having never known a life outside of abject poverty & limited opportunities, Cass dreamed of a future where her & her mother could be free of demanding labor & the occasional early death from black lung that came with a toilsome career in mining. From a young age Cass assisted with supply runs for the local miners & her mother who helped oversee them and used the local rivers to transport whatever equipment they needed (as well as the occasional trafficking of moonshine which she brewed on the side.) The work was dirty, chaotic & about as hellish as you’d expect an open fiery mouth in the belly of the earth to be but there wasn’t a person there who wouldn’t shove a pick axe right up the ass of the devil himself for one another. To Cass it was the closest thing to family outside of a prison riot & a time she misses terribly.

Sadly after an tragic turn of events involving robot prototypes, the devil & a significant amount of property damage, Cass unexpectedly found herself both alone in the world & in prison where she was sentenced to do time before eventually going on to do some brief work for Amelia Earhart’s Hot Dog Service through the prisons work release program; F.U.N (Felonious Unemployables Network). This might’ve been a salvageable opportunity had she been allowed to use the delivery plane but apparently air travel is restricted if you “don’t have a license” &  are a “felon serving time.” - who even comes up with these rules right? Alas working to repay a debt to society isn’t without a processed meat blunder or two - the biggest being an accidental delivery to the funeral of a burn victim from the great weenie blaze of Mason County. Exasperated by the hours of public apologies & PR campaigns she now had to look forward to, Amelia exploded at Cass; berating & screaming at her to get lost before storming off. Fed up & determined to escape what she considered a lifelong sentence in hot dog hell, Cass simply replied to herself “No, why don’t you?..” while proceeding to punch the exact coordinates into her plane where she could go do that.

Finding herself now on the run from state & federal authorities and in need of someone who could saw off a thick set of shackles, Cass took refuge in the wilds of Appalachia. Moving steadily down the Appalachian trail into Tennessee, she finally rejoined civilization and went on to use the identity she “borrowed” from Amelia to stumble her way into a pilots job for Elvis as his personal food delivery service. After being briefed of the king’s mission to eat one of every animal, she soon found herself en route to a remote island in search of the world’s most endangered (& presumably tastiest) species. Or at least she would have, had a series of entirely preventable circumstances not landed them both in the middle of the ocean. Instead she now found herself stuck in the Bermuda Triangle where she spent the next half decade of her life before escaping (again), spending some more time on the run as a fugitive/drifter, and going on to finally (finally) work as a cargo pilot for Mann Co.

BERMUDA TRIANGLE

In the duration of time that she was stranded in the Bermuda Triangle, Cass spent a lot of that time hatching poorly thought out escape plans in a desperate bid to escape the island & her situation. Having such limited resources and opportunities ended up leaving her with the remarkable ability to improvise so she always made the most of what little she had. A couple of these attempts included; harnessing a flock of island birds together in an attempt to create some kind of skyraft and utilizing the abundant radiation in the area in hopes of growing a coconut large enough to sail up to 10 people. There were also a number of attempts made during the occasional time slips that occurred there but nothing that ever held up. These slips were almost always generated by old, experimental transporter technology that had been tested in the ocean in that region years ago.

Pretty much all of of her efforts to escape from the island, however, ended in failure and in some cases landed her and her crew more lost then when they began. Still, she worked hard to continue to find a (sort’ve) solution and while, in itself that wasn’t a bad thing, it did eventually develop into an unhealthy fixation of sorts. It wasn’t until nearly losing bigfoot in the center of the earth that  she accepted that maybe this problem was just a little bigger than her and that it might be in everybody’s best interest if they just stuck to trying not to die. Relinquishing all hopes at any kind of rescue she went back to her usual survival routine of punching crabs in the face & harvesting coconuts for food until one day opportunity finally arrived during an unexpected pit stop from Howard Hughes.

Turns out Hughes became disoriented at some point during his round the world flight. Needing to re-fuel, Hughes looked to Cass’ ability to improvise for help and a mutual agreement was established. Fascinated by the group, Hughes thought it would be an incredible press opportunity for himself but after realizing they would all track sand into his plane he went back on his word and initiated plans to continue solo. Hitting her breaking point, Cass settled this debt by tearing off the plastic bags from his hands and face and then jacking his plane while he was busy screaming hysterically & suffering a full mental breakdown over germs. It wasn’t what she had in mind but that’s what improvisation all about right?

RADIATION & STRANGE WEAPONRY

Abandoned long before modern 1960’s technology, the tropical waters surrounding the island were (accidentally) discovered by Cass and her crew to have been somewhat of a graveyard for nuclear & old teleportation testing. Nobody really knows why but it’s speculated that (at the time) so little was known about teleporters or how they functioned that these classified prototypes & the surrounding area must have been discarded when energy reached unmanageable levels. This seems the only likely explanation anyway given the sheer amount of radiation in the area, saturating the waters like some kind of surreal oil spill. It’s certainly a mystery as to why they’re in this region or how they’re even still functioning. Overcharged & churning eternally on the ocean floor, they create quite an impressive sight; manifesting on the surface of the water as a massive field of black vortexes. (akin to this except 100 million of them). Stranger still, they seem to have a bit of a weather system all their own too. The charges building up until they create what can only be described as a timephoon. Like the clouds that roll in before a thunderstorm, the time slips on the island usually began with small ripples in the tide until eventually things intensified and the very fabric of the area was disrupted & ripped apart. For Cass & her crew it was like watching a living history lesson..except.. all at once…and in the rain.

The waters in the area yielded quite an array of strange weaponry as well. Having salvaged what she could from nearby shipwrecks, it wasn’t long before it was discovered that these weapons had developed a bizarre form of sentience that, when used, seemed to exhibit a passion for keeping track of anything it killed. Fascinated by these guns intense craving to end human lives, Cass made it a point to secretly cache away as many of these affected weapons as she could whenever she came across them. This would later prove to be a wise move as she is now responsible for the regular procurement & trafficking of them for Mann Co.

[kazbrkker]

Chapter 6: Distant Reminders

Chapter summary: Finally a glimpse of the day Farah, Hadir and Alexis met, told from both perspectives. Some fluff between Alexis and Alex. Slight confession (blink and you miss it.) [3870 words]

Warnings: pretty dark chapter – please be careful. Mentions of wounds, burns and blood. Implied mentions of sexual assault. 

27 October 2019, 0600 "Alexis" & "Alex" | Codename Aces CIA agents with Urzik militia Liberation Force Base, Urzikstan.

Truth be told, Urzikstan was starting to grow on the CIA agent. Used to working in much less hostile environments than this, Alexis figured it would take time before she could adapt. But between the constantly rowdy, yet lively compound and the unpolluted Urzikstan night sky that smiled down at her—it wasn't difficult for Urzikstan to imprint on her.

It was 6 on the clock when she awoke, a wired response. Judging from the unslept sleeping bag, Alex was still on lookout duty. Five minutes later, he entered the room.

"Wow, cute bed hair."

"Morning to you too." Alexis ignored his sarcasm, starting to roll her sleeping bag but halted at Alex's request—questionably saying hers was more comfortable. "They're the exact same," She deadpanned.

"Fine, I like your smell. Consider me obsessed." Alex lazily pulled his shirt over his head and grabbed his towel. Her laughter was airy among the morning stillness.

"Dial the creepiness to a min, 'kay?"

They walked to the makeshift showers that Farah had shown them—grimy and borderline filthy but they couldn't be bothered, instead, grateful that showers were even a possibility. Alex stepped one foot in when Alexis opened her bathroom door, "Quick proposition, wanna save some water?"

Alex dramatically clasped a hand on his chest at her vexed jab.

"What? It's our part to save the Earth, isn't it?" His voice lowered to a whisper, as if he was sharing the best-kept secret. Their foreheads were practically touching, his breath fanning on her cheeks. Their height difference made Alex peer down at her, thumb boldly rubbing across her cheekbones. "I'm just offering, I take my responsibility very seriously."

"Mm. I bet. Just get your ass in the shower." Back against the bathroom door, Alexis chuckled at how ridiculous he was, but it was a normalcy she got used to. Even at 6 in the dead morning, there was already an irrepressible smirk on display. The warmth that radiated off his bare torso did nothing but intensified her need for a freezing shower. He didn't even budge under her shove.

"Ooh. Grumpypants."

Rolling her eyes, she briefly glanced at the muscular arms that encaged her, silently tracing the intricacy of his tattoo sleeves, "Can I leave now?"

"Sure, excuse me then." He gripped onto her hips as though squeezing through a narrowed pathway—except it wasn't, there was plenty of room. All he had to do was release her.

It was pointless to try and ignore the heat of his touch, her thin cotton t-shirt could only do so much.

Alex stepped away, chuckling knowingly. She almost felt cold. A flustered Alexis stood rooted for a few seconds before rapidly blinking, breaking the... whatever this was. "I hope the water doesn't run out when you have shampoo in your eyes!" She shook the feeling out of her system, harshly biting her lip to reprimand herself.

'Jesus. Drag your mind out of the gutter, will you?' Although the devil on her shoulder tempted her with an exhilarating idea. Alexis swung the door shut with a bang, hopefully, loud enough to scare those thoughts away.

She heard his muffled yells from outside. "Point taken, you're a devious thing, aren't you!"

After a much needed shower, she found her partner back in their room. His hands tucked behind his head, droopy eyelids signified his sleepiness but held open with resistance. She entertained his cheeky statements while drying her hair.

"You look great."

"Tuck me in?" His persistence eventually honeyed her. This half-asleep state was endearing, albeit laughable and unbelievable to anybody else.

"Night." She squatted down to face the now tucked-in Alex. He answered back, words blurred from exhaustion, clearly delirious since he audaciously asked for a goodnight kiss, but was met a splash of cold water. "Well, it's officially morning, but... semantics. Answer is no." Refusing to witness her smug face, within two minutes, the said man passed out.

An amused curve played on her lips, observing her friend. Once he was truly asleep, judging from his unfurrowed eyebrows and slightly parted lips, she kneeled to land a soft kiss on the crown of his head. Her movements trembled ever so slightly as her lips brushed against his forehead, diligent to not rouse the light-sleeper.

Otherwise, she'd never hear the end of it.

Alex had slipped into unconscious blissfulness by now, leaving her alone with her raging thoughts. Looking at him, she thought of a few words that she would never utter out loud, even if her life had been beaten to shy of an inch. She was no idiot, nor a teenage girl struggling to analyse her feelings.

Alexis had feelings for Alex, she resigned to it ever since her return from St. Petersburg. Staring death in the face can do that to somebody.

It was a fool's errand to think it would ever work out. A bigger mistake if she destroyed the most important person in her universe. It didn't help that they were in the middle of a war, and they always were.

Besides, love was overrated. But try telling that to her defying heart for not letting it go even after five unreciprocated years. Alexis quietly untied the curtains covering their partition of the compound, leaving more than one thing to rest.

It was a nightmare to work out in jeans, but to respect their culture, she obviously had no complaints. Alexis convened with Farah, Hadir and another group of militia fighters for their first training today. Today's lesson resolved around stealth—her speciality. She taught them everything to know about sneak attacks, efficient knifing and using unconventional weapons like a belt or a pen.

They were an easy bunch to teach, like a sponge readily soaking up whatever she had to give. Somehow standing here reminded her when she was an insignificant recruit back in Fort Benning, how time flew. "Being stealthy is more than sneaking around and keeping quiet. It conserves ammo and your energy. Tradecraft 101: if you can't identify the target, you are the target."

They wrapped around 9.15am, concluding the lesson by teaching them her neat trick, emptying her shoes to reveal razors pasted against her ankle. "Hide these in your socks. It will get you out, trust me." She drawled out the last part, unintentionally grinning at a funny memory.

Farah smiled, asking her fighters to head to breakfast. Hadir, with his stomach growling embarrassingly loud throughout the training, eagerly led the beeline to the kitchen. The commander spoke gratitude to her informative lesson again, before a small tap on Alexis' shoulders pulled her attention away. It belonged to a young woman, not older than 15, she guessed.

"I... want to learn more... Can you teach me?"

"Your English is flawless..." Alexis waited for her name, the young woman was fidgety, only met her gaze meekly upon asking.

"Alia."

"Beautiful name." A smile fell on both the commander and the agent's lips. "Well, nice to meet you, Alia. Maybe we can meet back here after breakfast?"

The young woman nodded eagerly, shoulders now loosened. There was a slight skip in her steps when she walked in the kitchen's direction, joining the rest.

The corpse of the young child she witnessed the yesterday unwillingly flashed before her eyes. If she shut her eyes, she'd bet she could still smell the unholy putrid decay of human flesh.

"Alen– Alexis?" The sound of her name dragged her out of her thoughts, the excitable yells and rowdy chatter from the kitchen now of tangible existence. Farah waited for her expectingly, "Lost you for a minute."

They walked away to the rooftops. "Oh. Sorry, just... I didn't see her when I was here the last time... She's so young."

"War waits for no one," Farah replied truthfully. "We found Alia in a sewage tunnel three years ago, she was the only one left in her family. We found her before the soldiers did..."

She didn't explain further; for they both knew the tragic outcome of a young girl living alone in this occupation. Farah continued on a solemn note, "Barkov does not inflict pain only from his bombs and massacre. He tears families apart, ruin our children's innocence. Barkov and his army do... unspeakable things..."

Farah didn't explicitly state it, but there was a shared understanding. It was terrifying to be a woman in Urzikstan. Or really, be a woman anywhere near this life...

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you the last time."

Fazed by the unexpected mention of old events, Farah replied a few seconds later. "It's okay. You came back."

"Still, five years is a long time when freedom is on the line."

"Alexis," Their gaze connected meaningfully, "I have waited all my life. Five years is nothing. Plus. you came with backup. You brought me victory."

The agent's nose scrunched in grimace, "Don't jinx it." The commander looked perplexed at her words, "It's bad luck to say you've already won before you actually did."

"You believe in luck?"

"I didn't, but after you saved me... Let's just say I'm a believer." Although there was nothing cheery in her tone. "Luck can go a long way, I'm living proof." The distant look in her eyes and made Farah caution around her next words.

Farah remembered the day she stumbled upon Alexis. Stumbled would be the right word, seeing she literally walked in a chamber with Alexis in it.

Same shit, different day. Only today Farah and her fighters received intel of a new mob that moved operations just outside the borders of Urzikstan. As if Barkov wasn't enough, they were terrorising and robbing farmers of their already piss-poor life.

They utilised the element of surprise, showing up in the dead middle of the night. Also dousing the enemy's compound in petrol was an easy and foolproof way to get the job done.

"Sister!" When Hadir yelled for her, she was terrified something had happened to her brother—who was still inside, drenching the house with more petrol. "There is a woman... Prisoner! She doesn't look like she's with them!"

"Bring her out!"

Hadir balanced a bloodied woman on his back, carrying her all the way back to their waiting trucks in the woods. Farah immediately demanded her male fighters to look away, covering the skimpily dressed woman with a canvas mat. Not that it mattered, really—the unknown woman's face was unrecognisable, bruises and blood littered all over her body, her natural skin colour a mystery to them.

"She's alive! Barely breathing, but still here." One of her fighters announced. At that, they floored back to their compound. Farah was the one to clean her up, horrified by the state she was in. The commander had seen her fair share of gore, but even she didn't want to imagine what the mob did to the woman. Under the cuts, wounds and burns Farah could see a peek of the woman's skin colour. After dabbing some water on her face, her American features came into view.

There was no patch on her, no dog tags to identify her. Soldier? No, spy, she concluded. The woman looked far too beautiful for a wise commander to send into an active, hostile battlefield like Urzikstan.

Farah shook her head dismissively. "You give me too much credit, Alexis. You were the one strong enough to live through all that."

"If it weren't for you, the mob would have killed me. Hopefully." The agent swung her legs freely over the rooftop's edge. Her solemness didn't bypass the commander. "I'm serious, Farah. If I wasn't so lucky to meet you, even though it was in a burning fire, I wouldn't be here..." Their sight fell upon a faintly wrinkled patch of skin that covered a part of Alexis' left shin. "You saved my life, Farah. Thank you."

Through blurry vision, it was hard to make the commander's face, but she roughly pictured the curve on her lips. She made no efforts to hide her tears, knowing Farah had seen her worse. Recalling St. Petersburg drained every ounce of life in her, a dark stain of her past that no matter what, she couldn't scrub away.

And believe her, she had scrubbed her skin raw trying to erase it. But it still lived, crawled under her skin.

After the annoying tear dropped, her vision cleared. Now facing Farah, who seemingly had the same sentimental expression on her face, the two women engulfed in a tight embrace. There was a kind of serenity residing in the knowledge that Farah still smelled the way Alexis remembered.

When Alexis, then Alena first woke, she was quick to hold a scalpel against the first person she saw. It didn't help that it was a man.

Digging relentlessly into the guy's neck, she ignored the electrifying pain all over her body yelling at her to stop.

"Stop! Stop!" A young female dashed into the room, frantic arms flailing about. Alexis recognised the authority that radiated off this woman, so she jerked her head at the exit.

"I cannot let you leave. Look at you, you need to recover."

Displeased, the scalpel pierced through the man's skin. Eyes averting in a frenzy, she tried to work the best escape plan in her jumbled mind. "I'll recover somewhere fucking else. Let me go."

"We are not the enemy here–"

"'Cause the bad guys are so honest?" Alexis spat, using the guy as her human shield to inch towards the entrance. Her antics were gaining a ton of spectators, lining alongside the exit with firearms. "Tell your men to back off. Now! Or I fucking shoot my way through."

Alexis dropped unconscious after that statement, apparently, someone had hit her with a dose of anaesthetic. She half-imagined she would be restrained, but surprisingly, not only was she not, but the same woman slept beside her bed defenceless too.

Maybe it was pure stupidity, or kindness.

"Hate to interrupt, but Laswell's calling." Alex's voice boomed from the rooftop's entrance, making her jump. Back-facing him, she hastily wiped her tears and at a confirming nod from Farah, she turned around—all traces of tears disappeared from her face.

Farah watched the brunette agent retreat, a sad yet proud smile resting on her face when she thought about how far they both had come.

"Everything okay?" Alex inquired warily, shutting the door behind him for complete privacy.

"Yeah, perfect. Why?"

"Nothing. Just looked intense, that's all. And you're usually not big on hugs."

An uncharming snort escaped from her. Leaning against a table, she said, "Maybe that's just when it comes to you. Enough, where's Laswell?"

Alex was about to probe further but an unceremonious ring of the satellite phone stopped him. He huffed, having half a feeling that Laswell was a genie or something borderline supernatural, summoned at the mere mention of her name.

"You got Saint and Echo 3-1 on the line."

"Sorry for the early call, but I got good news. The attic of the Al-Qatala townhouse was a gold mine. It looks like we found the Wolf."

"Good news indeed," Alex commented.

"Communications from the laptop were tracked to Ramaza Hospital in Urzikstan, where the Al-Qatala leader is believed to be holed-up. Farah's forces will track terror activity at the hospital while a Marine ground force will advance on the complex."

At that, they arched a questioning brow, "Why the extra heat? We already have Farah's forces."

"Not my call, Saint. Colonel Norris suggested it and the General agrees. We only have one shot at this, the plan needs to be flawless." She almost scoffed at the same old excuse, but couldn't really blame Laswell. "You two will link up with Sergeant Griggs, the main priority is to capture the Wolf. Saint, you will lead interrogation about the stolen gas. I want him alive, can I trust you?"

Alexis shrugged casually. "Of course, death would be too easy for the bastard... Excuse my language, Watcher."

"Agreed. But, I still want him to look presentable, got it?"

"Are we talking face? Or waist down?"

"Saint..."

The female agent received a defeated laughter from her partner, mouthing at her to stop it. Suddenly the minuscule guilt in him for executing Alexis' punishment for "insolence" disappeared. She had a true gift for pushing the limit, and then some. Consider it her cheap thrill—testing how far she could resist the CIA's chain of command. Alex sometimes wondered if Alexis was actively trying to court her death.

It was humorous watching her try though, knowing she was too precious of an asset to the CIA and JSOC to really punish. She'd only get a light slap on the wrist for trying—only irritating her further.

"Just kidding, Watcher. You can count on me."

━━━━

28 October 2019, 0530 Rammazan, Urzikstan.

Soldiers or agents, everyone had their pre-mission rituals. The familiarity of routines helped to comfort soldiers who fear they might not return from their voyages.

Every day might be their last.

For Task Force Black, it was a last-minute poker game until somebody won three streaks in a row—freeing themselves from carrying claymores for that mission. Usually, Commander Maddox would win, but observing their games for a prolonged period of time, something told Alexis her commander was playing cheat.

Their games, albeit entertaining, was not her thing. She liked her silence, enjoy the isolation before entering another war—she'd never know how long a mission was. Days, weeks, months.

Her incident changed her, after that, she could never really be alone anymore—feeling the urge to always be surrounded by people. So there she was, sitting on yet another rooftop that oversaw the hospital the Wolf was in, even though it wasn't her shift.

A waft of smoke filled her nostrils unpleasantly, immediately catching her attention. "I can feel you looking," Farah said from her right.

Busted.

"6 minutes." The agent subconsciously mumbled, earning a confused look from the commander.

"She means you're killing 6 minutes off your life." Alex continued after Farah's narrowed eyes, "She used to annoy me with this every time I pick up a stick. Mildly efficient. If you have iron willpower like me...Alexis can be very persuasive." He winced at the reminder of her 'detox' sessions, truly terrifying.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

Their conversation ceased when Farah's walkie-talkie announced Al-Qatala was firing in the hospital. "My soldiers confirm that the hospital is under siege. Al-Qatala is taking civilians as human shields. They're protecting someone."

"Or something."

Farah shrugged, "The more we find out... Hadir is my best sniper. You can rely on him and all my fighters."

"Well... This one is my best sniper. You can rely on her as long as she's well-fed— Ow! See my point?"

"Keep talking... I'll leave you to die."

Taking the opportunity when Hadir and Alexis engaged in small talk, seemingly part of their ruse, Farah successfully sneaked Alex her cigarette. He managed to pass it back before his partner swivelled back.

"Marines want their pound of flesh. They're leading the charge on this."

"I told you we would help you."

"And you're keeping your word."

"I don't do this to keep my word." Farah hesitated, "The invaders of my country have no regard for human life. The gas kills all things. Even food in our gardens. If you use these tactics, you are my enemy."

"No exceptions?"

"None. Al-Qatala has given my people a bad name, and we have paid dearly for their crimes. I want to see the Wolf punished."

The two CIA agents nodded coherently, "We'll make sure you're at the embassy for the handoff to Price."

"And you? Where will you two go when this is over?"

"Wherever they send me," Alex stared into the distance, casually nudging Alexis, "Hopefully this time to somewhere with a view."

Alexis chuckled, rolling up the hems of her jeans, "Urzikstan isn't so bad... you know. After we kill Barkov."

At their sighs, the commander finally understood. "You don't choose?"

"Ha. Not exactly." There was a price to pay to be the best out of the best, spoiler alert, it sucked.

They spilt, each taking different corners to defend until sunrise. Knowing his best friend couldn't be alone, Alex's fingers thoughtlessly slipped between hers and pulled her along.

Hadir called for the female agent, "Want to spot for me?"

Alex's grip tightened significantly. Her blood spiked from being put on the spot. "Um. I don't know... Hadir said he kept my fried rice—" Alex grumbled an insincere apology on her behalf before dragging her away. He hoped she couldn't hear the way his teeth grounded in irritation.

They settled on an isolated corner, away from eager ears. "Okay, I really wanted to eat that–"

"I'm a better eating partner. A better partner, overall, not that I'm trying to compete." He boasted with a wink, "But if I have to, I'll definitely win."

"Ah, the lovely smell of testosterone. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're tiptoeing on jealousy," Alexis mumbled sardonically, the scope on her sniper rifle clicking rhythmically.

"I'm not jealous."

At the realisation, a wry smile appeared on her lips, taking a break to harshly shove Alex's left shoulder. "My goodness, you are jealous! Don't worry, Hadir won't sweep me off my feet, pretty sure he has bigger things to worry about..." Alexis cleared her throat sarcastically, "Like a war?"

"You know me, I hate sharing. Especially my best friend." He shrugged dismissively after flicking her nose, only to be met with a pair of mocking eyes. "Can't you pretend to love me, just once? Come on, Lexi, say it. I'll cover your eyes." He whispered, the best friend part doused her with a bucket of cold water. Undeniably her heart lurched, though it was a simple joke, her stubborn heart had a mind of its own.

The rifle laid in her hands, forgotten. Under the rising sun, her voice was reduced to a whisper. Alexis swallowed a thick gulp, deciding to wave the white flag so she could calm her fiercely pounding heart.

"I don't have to pretend, Alex. You are my best friend. There's nobody else I can physically stand being in a room longer for five minutes."

For a cynical person like Alexis, this was basically a confession.

Alex arched a brow, still waiting.

"Fine. Love you."

Just as the Urzikstan sun finally pierced through the clouds, shining streaks of blood orange on their faces, it charmed a spell in Alex. The man couldn't help but be enamoured at this gorgeous sight.

"Yeah." He replied mindlessly, chewing down his lips while watching Alexis close an eye in concentration through her scope.

"Love you too."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓

alex, deadly c.i.a agent/prev delta force soldier: "tuck me innnnnn. 'kay gr8, now give me a goodnight kiss."

a/n: i gotta admit, i was so sleepy writing the first half i typed "fuck me in?" instead of "tuck" i mean... if u insist 😳

taglist: @flyboidameron​​

want to be tagged? just let me know!

[alchemist-shizun]

5 times Logan saved the day + 1 in which ... well that could’ve gone worse!

General taglist: @whizzie72 @sapphire-knight @burningpersonflapsuitcase @softanxiouspatton @royallyanxious

Word Count: 2,716

Characters: Logan, Roman, Deceit, Virgil, Remus and Patton

Pairing(s): Logicality

Warning(s): Misgendering, crying, implied aphobia

Summary: People could say Logan was excellent at saving people in extremis. When it came to him in particular, though … what could he say. He gay panicked.

A/N: Am I not just great at summaries? I had yet to do one of this type of fics so here goes nothing. I also took the opportunity to expand the lgbtq+ rep I have in my writings, hope you don't mind! Idea originated from this post, then @pistachio-lan inspired me so yeah thank you bud you're cool. Pardon me if some scenes are too short and other much longer I can't control my creative flow anymore-- I hope you all enjoy!

1- In which Logan saves Roman's day

Entering class with the widest smile any human muscle could ever bear, Roman practically bounced towards his seat.

A group of students immediately surrounded him, few were the times where one expressed such profound happiness first thing in the morning.

Logan eyed him from his desk right next to Roman's.

People started gathering and asking what was up with him, pushing the boy, who couldn't stop smiling, to confess the reason of such joy.

« I just had the most wonderful time last night. »

Multiple voices overlapped at that, with classmates asking for details, clarifications … who it was.

Only that, Roman had forgotten for a moment that literally none of them knew the only person he could have had a date with was a boy.

That was Logan's cue to act.

« You guys are aware we had to do a quick research for today, right? »

A chaos of “what?” and similar shocked expressions ensued, driving the attention away from Roman.

« The teacher said he was going to ask what we found out about the most recent discovery on Mars. »

« Oh, you've got to be kidding me. » that one kid that, for some reason, was always ahead of the program, hit their head against the backpack they had laid on the surface of the desk. « I literally spent the whole afternoon yesterday looking stuff up and I left it all at home! »

The situation could only worsen, people frantically ran around the room with some friends, competing at who found information first.

The hint of an amused smile crossed Logan's lips.

« You just made that up. » he heard Roman go, who had noticed his behavior.

« Isn't it lovely to watch the whole class go wild with dismay? »

Roman snorted and absorbed their classmates' despair. « You're a mean one, Lo. » he kept looking ahead of himself. « But thank you. »

Neither of their smiles faltered.

2. In which Logan rescues Deceit from a probably very uncomfortable explanation.

Nights out with friends often meant the weirdest stuff was about to happen. The one time they had started to jokingly call one of their group “Deceit” was definitely one of their top moments.

But, especially, the most delirious ones happened when they threw ridiculous YouTube videos or vines in the lot.

« Look at this. » Logan and Deceit leaned on the table towards their two friends. It was an extract from a song Bo Burnham had released years prior.

And, well, when certain comments come to you naturally … there's no way to stop yourself before the deed is done.

« Oh, that's me. » Deceit had said. Or, actually, Deceit had said right upon hearing the lyric “half-boy”.

Promptly forgetting for a single instant his other two friends had no clue of him being a demi-boy.

Not even the hint of a single trait of confusion could paint their friends' faces when Logan intervened.

« I've actually seen one of his shows in person in the past. »

« Oh my goodness, you have? » wide eyes stared at him with deep interest.

As the three engaged a conversation on the comedy skills of the man, Deceit was able to steady his heartbeat and take some deep breaths to release the anxiety that had taken over his chest.

He caught Logan's eyes when the waiter had arrived with their orders; he raised a hand and pressed his fingers to his chin, then moved them slightly outward in Logan's direction.

Thank you.

Logan gave a small nod and, just like that, everything went back to the regular outing.

3- In which Logan is Virgil's coolest cousin.

To say Virgil despised having guests over for the night was an understatement. He was obliged to tidy up his generally messy but comfortable room when all he ever wanted was to sleep for eternity as soon as he touched his pillow.

And, of course, there was always something out of place that his little cousin pointed out. Not that he had allowed her to follow him when he had excused himself upstairs.

He heard Logan's voice echo « Miranda! » around the steps.

The door to Virgil's room opened and Miranda was already jumping on his bed.

« Viv! Your bed sheets are so fluffy! »

Virgil forced himself to smile. “She doesn't know.” he repeated in his mind. “It's just a nickname.”

« Miranda, didn't you hear your parents telling you to stay down? » Logan's reprimanding tone made the kid giggle.

« Maybe. » the two older cousins shared a playful eye roll.

« Come on. » Logan held his hand out towards her.

�� But I want to stay in her room to see what she does! »

She doesn't know.

« Have you ever heard of privacy? »

« Nope. » Miranda laughed.

Then she noticed something and her eyes grew with curiosity.

« What's that? »

Virgil's eys followed her gaze and fell upon his binder. Of course, out of all things, she had to notice that.

He went to open his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. What could he make up this time? Whatever he told her, she would have wanted to try it on at all costs.

Were he to say the truth, though ... she'd have probably gone to their relatives talking about how he had a weird piece of clothing and that could only end badly.

« Oh, that must be part of your future cosplay? »

Virgil snapped his head back up only to be met with Logan's quick wink.

Keep it up.

« Oh, yeah. I have to sew some things on. »

Miranda gasped in amazement and clapped her hands together. « Can I try it? »

Damn.

« I'm afraid you should have your cousin's exact size. If not, that particular material would be damaged in the ending result. » did he keep lying only to protect him?

The kid whined but dropped the disappointment right away. « What's the name of the character? »

« Virgil. »

« Who is he? »

« Well, just ... » Virgil narrowed his eyes, looking for the best explanation. « Just a boy. »

« Why him? » Miranda was in that brilliant age where everything needed to be questioned.

Logan checked with a side glance to see if his cousin needed assistance. Instead, he found him smiling to himself.

« It makes me happy. »

The little girl seemed pleased enough with that answer. « Then can I cosplay with you one day? Carnival is near! »

« Of course, I can make whichever costume you prefer. »

She squealed in joy and threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly.

Then, she started running off towards the stairs. And she said it.

« Thank you, Virgil! » giggling was heard, but, apart from that, complete nothingness.

Until Virgil dropped on the edge of the bed with his hands covering his face, a slight tremble could be seen shaking his body.

Logan was immediately by his side, offering one of his rare hugs that Virgil gladly accepted.

It felt so nice. Achieving a goal prematurely but ultimately feeling the satisfaction melt away with the knowledge that he was never going to experience that ever again.

What an utopic illusion.

« It's fine. You're okay. » Logan tried, as his cousin's body shook with every sob he failed to repress.

« I'm sorry. »

« Don't be. »

Virgil let go of him as he started wiping his cheeks clear of fresh tears of fear and frustration.

When he looked at the other again, there was a hint of a smile dancing on his lips. « You're the best cousin. »

Logan returned it. « Always glad to be of help. »

4- In which Logan prevents Remus from carving his eyes out out of annoyance.

The blissful rest lunch-break gave after hours of mostly a quiet balance between interest and boredom was the most important reward as noon approached.

That wasn't exactly the case all the time.

Logan and Remus were sitting with two of their classmates who just so happened to have lab afterwards with both of them.

It wasn't like the they were particularly irritating people, on the contrary they radiated a calm energy most of the times.

That one day, though. It seemed something had happened in one of their lives and they needed all the time in the world to get every single detail out. They involved every one of them in the conversation and everything would have been fine if they had stopped at simply asking opinions on the matter.

« C'mon Remus, how about you? »

« What? »

« You never talk about this stuff. » one of the two leaned forward. « Spill the beans. There has to be someone you like. »

Remus smiled falsely. Oh, he was so done. They had gone the last fifteen minutes trying to get out of him information that he didn't have.

« Of course! You if you stuffed your mouth with trash bags and finally stopped talking. »

« Aw, stop being weird and evading the question. »

Logan eyed the one who had just spoken.

« I am not, I just don't care. »  Also, since I'm aromantic, I'd really appreciate if you stopped before I prohibit your breathing.

« Everybody gets crushes! »

And I'm about to crush your face.

Remus's hands started fidgeting out of stress under the table, which Logan noticed.

He was about to snap.

« I do. »

The two lab partners' eyes widened and focused on Logan all at once.

« You what now? »

Remus's face was painted with a confused expression: he knew his friend would never open up about himself to acquaintances, let alone about his feelings.

It was what happened after that made him understand.

The other two completely concentrated their attention on Logan, started asking questions about the boy he had been referring to, trying to guess who his crush was almost as if it was a game or anything of their business.

It … did feel kind of sad.

As Remus was able to catch his glance for a sole moment, he wore the “you didn't have to do that” expression.

All he saw was Logan shrugging in a “it doesn't matter” way and carrying on with subjecting himself to the pain of their classmates.

He made a mental note to remind him how grateful he was for that funky little nerd's existence.

5- In which Logan is the Patton protector.

Having friends living nearby school sometimes meant hang out invitations. Also, it often times meant free food which was everything that was good in the whole planet.

Logan had internally beamed as Patton had come back to the living room asking him to stay for dinner, while he had pretended not to hear a faint “Would you like to stay forever?” coming from his little sister.

He had tried not to agree right on the spot, but it was difficult to hesitate when being asked to spend even more time than intended with one of his favorite people.

That was how the two of them were now sitting with Patton's lovable family, discussing unimportant things and just all around enjoying their time.

Logan loved being around them, it was a delightful break from the coldness in his own home, he could get along with all the components just fine.

There was a television behind Patton's parents; they hadn't been exactly listening to the news, but it seemed a broadcast about the recent Pride parade in town was being held.

« Oh look! » Patton pointed to the screen with a toothy smile as a pan flag flashed across the TV.

He froze while his parents' expression grew perplexed the more they paid attention to the news.

« You really need to get rid of this habit you have of getting excited when you see dogs. » Logan started, adjusting his glasses as Patton and his parents turned to him.

« Why? » Patton's confused tone was half-real.

« You almost startled me simply because there was a dog on television. »

That was when he understood. « It was an adorable husky, Logan! »

Laughter started to fill the room and the previous disorientation was soon forgotten.

As his guest stood up to get more food, Patton heard a whisper being stealthily delivered to his ear.

« Be careful. »

He couldn't help but smile to himself. Logan was always on the lookout for others and it was a quality that almost came natural to him.

And he needed to thank him for that properly.

6- In which Logan forgets to stop himself.

An echo of “thank you”s rained down on Logan yet again as he and Patton stepped out on the garden of Patton's home.

This time, though, there was none to prevent him from potentially ruining his relationship with his interlocutor. And, ultimately, even everyone else around him.

As his cousin was used to believe the worst outcomes to happen, it did actually affect him at times. But, in that moment, he had gone completely blank and forgot to steady his impulse control.

« I'd do anything for you. » was what aimed fire.

He had meant to only think that.

Yet, he didn't find heartbreak and misery.

Instead, he watched as Patton's expression softened even more. Patton got a few steps closer, so that only Logan could hear his murmur.

« I feel the same. »

Logan's eyebrows arched slightly. Happiness quickly gave way to a clenching feeling in his chest.

« No, wait. » he responded, looking down and then back up. « I don't think that's a good idea. »

Patton's eyes narrowed for a moment. « For me to like you? » that was absurd and maybe his tone was a bit hurt.

Why would he say something like that?

« Lo, you're a wonderful person, and- »

« No- I mean, it's not that. » Logan gesticulated, trying to find the best explanation without actually telling anything.

« Logan, you know whatever you'll tell me, all the good things I think of you won't change. »

The boy took a deep breath, some of the weight relieved already.

« I am asexual. » he looked away immediately. « And I know plenty of people despise that and say it's not real, so if you don't- »

« I think that's wonderful. » when Logan met Patton's gaze, he found one of those smiles Patton only dedicated to him. « And I don't see why I shouldn't like that about you, too. »

A smile slipped on Logan's face, the dreadful feeling leaving space for relief. « Now you're just making it too difficult with your unconditional love. »

Patton let out a quiet snicker. « Well then, » his tone grew bolder. « We could talk this over dinner sometimes soon if you'd like? » he had clapped his hands together, looking up at Logan with a twinkle of hope in his eyes.

« That was too sly for me to refuse. »

« As if you weren't happy I just asked you out! »

All Logan could do was, of course, groan at how flustered that line made him. « I'll concede that to you. »

As the time to part drew nearer, Patton took two steps back, thoughtful.

« Are you okay with hugs right now? »

Despite having told his friends years prior of how he had never fancied physical touch that much, he was always grateful whenever they posed that question.

« I am. »

« Alright. » Patton stepped closer again and wrapped his arms around Logan's neck, who returned the hug rather quickly as he heard a quiet “thank you” being whispered to his ear.

Then, the shorter boy stepped away, but kept his hands on Logan's shoulders.

« You're my hero. »

With that, Patton was gone.

And Logan was left astonished in the middle of a summer's night.

[vinylhazza]

e comforting you on your period is so cute like between the hormones and cramps you’d be a mess but he’s trying to make you feel better 🥺

he starts to randomly and out of the blue. you had a mini panic attack for about three days because you waited, and waited, and waited and had started to think that you might quite possibly be pregnant. you were never late and it was so out of tune for you that you had ethan panicking as well. not because it would be a bad thing, but because it’s such a major milestone and there was no discussion upon a “what if”.

but now you know your body was preparing for the hell is was about to go through. you felt like you were being ripped apart from the inside out. you were bloated, irritated, hurting, sad, hot, and quite frankly felt like complete shit. you wanted nothing more than to lay in bed and wallow in your own self misery and pain until it went away.

but you were craving chocolate right now and that ice cream in the fridge with the brownie bites? calling your freaking name. but you just couldn’t make yourself get up. every move would cause a stabbing pain in your back and lower abdomen, a searing ache that had you clutching your stomach and clamping your eyes shut in agony. a grunt would leave your lips, a little “ow” dropping from your throat before you lay back down and admit that maybe ice cream wasn’t worth the pain.

ethan had gone to the store about 30 minutes ago because your dumbass forgot pads and he didn’t want you out driving when you were in so much pain. he even picked up some more midol as he was rushing back down the isles to the counter to check out. he had no shame about buying you what you needed. his girl was in pain and he was going to do whatever it took to make this God awful experience better. if that means going to the store on a pad, medicine, candy, and peach tea run? so be it.

although you did miss his warmth. it was hard not having him there as your own personal heater. having him with you made the need for a heating pad much lower than it was before. he was always so cozy and made every nerve in your body tingle. he was so easy to snuggle up to and fall asleep and try to at least forget about the pain for a while. he relaxed you even if you don’t always notice it right away. but you definitely notice when he’s gone.

you just keep telling yourself he’ll be back soon. and he would be. he was rushing home in the jeep, all but running out of CVS to get back to his girl. he’s never seen it this bad before. you had been crying all day from the aching in your back, he was actually worried you might have to go to the hospital - bless his heart. you had just never given him a warning that sometimes your body rebels against you when it comes this time of the month and it’s worse than most girls. well he knew now.

he had even asked grayson on his way out of the house if he should be worried and if it’s normal - of course grayson merely nods his head knowingly giving him a quiet “pad run?”. ethan huffs in response before grabbing his keys to haul ass to the nearest CVS just for you.

you’re withering away in his bed, balled up in a fetal position in the bed, every blanket in the house on you. of course you were hot but you thouht maybe it would be best to get snuggled. but nothing beats ethans snuggles. tears continue to dribble down your face periodically. it was torture and you just needed it to be over as soon as possible.

you swear you let out a sob when you hear the front door open, catching the crescendo of ethans footsteps down the hall. he’s running into the room with rosy cheeks and a puffing chest, out of breath but glad he’s finally back. he was going as fast as he could but it still didn’t feel like it was fast enough.

“e,” you whine, turning around and giving him grabby hands, whimpering when the small of your back shoots a pain straight through the middle part of your body. your uterus was actually going to fall the fuck out if this didn’t end soon. you know you’re being a baby but you didn’t care at this moment.

“i got here as fast as i could baby i’m sorry, the line was long,” he apologizes softly, setting the bags on the desk and taking out exactly what you needed. he lays everything out nice and neat before placing the peach tea next to you on the night table.

thankfully you had used the last pad before laying right back in bed so it would be a while before you’d have to get up again. a nice hot shower sounded lovely right about not. but not before ethan cuddles.

fortunately you were grinning through your tears because your boyfriend new how to really listen.

“ethan can you bring that ice cream in the fridge when you get back please?” you groan from the bed, covers up over your nose.

“of course, i’ll be right back. love you,” he assures you gently, kissing you on the forehead for that extra comfort before he left.

“love you too.”

now here he was, with the tub of chocolate brownie ice cream. an angel in the flesh. you start crying again simply because your hormones are off the chain today and somehow this ice cream is the best gift he could have given you at the moment.

your grabby hands switch from him to the ice cream, a happy giggle leaving your lips. he pulls away with an “ah ah ah”, a playful grin plastered across his face.

“gimme,” you whine, not have the energy to do much else. you’re sitting up reaching for the ice cream, but he keeps snatching it away. he ends up climbing in the bed with you, lifting up your aching body to place you right between his legs, back against his chest.

you sigh immediately feeling his warmth radiate through his crew neck you’re wearing right now. the relief you feel is slight but it’s the one thing that’s helped at all the entire day, so the slight relief of pain? God send.

“share it with me?” he asks fondly into your ear, wrapping an arm around you, the other presenting you with the ice cream and two spoons. ah, cheeky shit.

you can only nod your head, causing him to release yet another laugh at your eagerness for the chocolate treat.

it’s mostly a night full of snacks, binging disney films, cuddles, and the greatest thing of all - ethans massage. ethans very unexpected massage.

you had told him one time that it hurt mostly in your lower stomach and around to your lower back and you just wish there was something to make it go away. you had tried rubbing it to see if that would help, but your small dainty hands did nothing for the monster cramps that tortured every muscle.

you gasped when ethan lifted your shirt up, exposing the lower half of your abdomen to him. the cold air against your skin had goosebumps rising to the surface. it was a shock because you had been burning alive all day - it was surprising to feel something to cold all at once.

that was soon diminished when you felt ethan place both of his hands against your lower stomach, right over the area where the cramps were the worst. it nearly made you drop your ice cream when you felt his fingers dip in and swirl gently, circular motions that had your eyes rolling shut and head dropping back against his shoulder. that did it. that right there is what helped the most out of everything.

you had been hogging the ice cream up to this point. he had only taken a bite because he was trying to figure out where exactly you were hurting the most. he soon figured it out when you winced, momentarily grabbing that exact spot on your body before going back to the ice cream.

he worked at a slow pace, pushing in and rubbing around the area, humming a little tune under his breath. Mulan flashed across the screen, but that was long forgotten by now. you couldn’t even open your eyes that’s out much pressure was removed from your body all at once.

“that feel better?” he hummed to you, soothing deep voice sending vibrations through your back.

“mhmm,” comes from your lips in a quite mumble, so drowsy from fighting the pain all day you can’t hardly keep your eyes open with him doing this and making it all go away. the best part about it was that it was ethan, it was ethans big warm hands, ethans voice sending the vibrations, ethan legs resting under yours, ethans cologne that clouded your mind. he not only eased up your pain mentally but physically as well.

you don’t even realize when you’re dozing off, almost all of the ice cream gone from the small tub, spoon falling in your limp hand, hand resting back against his shoulder.

seeing your body so relaxed and conformed into his made him happy because he finally achieved his goal of making the pain go away in the best way he could. he watched you eat the ice cream with a smile, drink the tea with a hum, get up to change your pad only for a moment before rushing back to him. you would take a shower after you’ve slept after an entire day of torture from your own body.

you were already asleep when his hands removed themselves from your skin and moved to the remote or the TV, shutting the movie off and placing the room in darkness. the empty ice cream was placed on the table as he tucked his crew neck back into place and moved the blanket up to your chin over the both of you.

he gazed at your blissful face only for a moment in the pale moonlight, lips tugging up at the corner that he made you happy in this rough time. if he can make the pain go away even a little then he feels like it’s a win, and the fact that it worked and was just a shot in the dark? even bigger win. he would do it all over again just to see you sleeping soundly without pain.

[ramblesamongstardust]

A little prompt fill I wrote

Prompt: An evil entity, who was used by many warriors of the past for only the purpose of power and conquest, is released by a youngling, who only wishes to help the entity. (Credit to u/MooseTGH on reddit for this wonderful prompt!)

"H-Hello?"

The voice sings me out of my slumber and familiar rage returns. I rage against my bindings, rage against the barriers that sting my essence.

I feel the faint embrace of fingers around my container and I curl back from the edge. I want to hurt, I will hurt them later, but first I need to be free.

"Oh. . . you are very angry. Very angry."

I lash out again despite my better judgement. I press against the confines once more, letting my energy singe against the glass. However, instead of gripping tighter, the fingers let go.

"Ouch!"

I grow still again. Such. . . sensitivity? My new host, whoever it is that has found my cage, it was as if they were unfamiliar with pain.

"I'm sorry. Let's try this again. May I touch you?"

Clearly talking to someone else. I begin to swirl around idly, waiting, waiting until the fingers return to the glass.

"Oh, wait. You don't speak until you're released. I'm sorry, I forgot."

Release, release. Why wasn't this new host releasing me yet? Why didn't they touch me, move me, place me somewhere new? Release, release me from my confines!

"Okay, I'm going to release you now. I can't imagine a glass orb being the most comfy. But I want you to promise me one thing, alright?"

I began to jab at the barrier surrounding me again, each little warding sting nothing compared to my hatred for whatever new host this was. Release, release! They had finally found me, were going to use me, but now they narrated! I hate the wordy ones.

"I want you to promise that you won't possess me. I don't want to be your host. I want you to be free."

Yes, free! Free! Free me from my confines already, weak and wordy host- wait, what did they say?

No matter. I felt the fingers grasp my container again. I curled inwards, swirling within myself as to contain my fury long enough for the process to be done. I felt the seal containing me quiver, shivering, breaking, bending, escape! Escape! Escape!

I spring forth from the glass and the world materialized before me. My form furrowed outwards as I expanded to my full size. All of my eyes opened and I quickly rushed to fill the entire room with all of my presence.

I heard a little shriek beneath me, and I focused all of my vision to what lay in the center of the room. The source of the fingers, the being who had released me to ravage the world once more was surprisingly lacking in physical size. They held no weapons. No scars traced their form. And they were laying on the ground, trembling.

Fear was not a reaction that was unusual to me, but most hosts attempted to maintain a shroud of dignity when summoning the destroyer of worlds.

The small one stood up from the ground with agonizing slowness. They opened their mouth, but no noise came out. I was tempted to leap into the open chasm, burrow past their teeth and into their lungs, ripping apart flesh and bone, but something about this strange, strange poor fool demanded that I wait.

Sure enough, the being spoke again. "Wow, you're bigger than the books say."

That? That was all? The first thing said to me proper in ages and it's a remark about my currently meager size?

"Um, so, back at the village, I'm called Danny. What would you like to be called?"

What would I. . . like?

I called forth my will and poured it into the little fool's ear. "I AM THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS, THE CONSUMER OF FLESH, AND SOWER OF SORROW."

The little being shivered and reached up as if to cover their ears, before stopping themselves.

"Yeah, that's what the elders called you. But what do you want to be called?"

I simply blinked.

"Everybody's got to have a good name. Here, I'll come up with one for you. . . uh. . . maybe Sula? Or Yorick? Or, no, those aren't right. . ."

So the little fool was asking for my name. "I AM ASHREIDBIGAINOSK."

After another flinch, the little fool replied. "Ash-reed-beg- oh, um, that's long. Can I just call you Ash?"

Once, some time ago, the people of this land used to invoke my name on hushed tones, out of reverence and fear. To be called a. . . nick-name, that was new. To my own surprise I laughed.

"Okay! Ash it is. I think it suits you. It matches your smoke."

Another 'astute' observation from this little fool. I caught myself before I laughed again. Instead I simply waited, waited for the inevitable to be asked.

The little fool waited with me for a time before finally speaking again. "I know what you're waiting for. I read about it in the books. Well you don't have to worry! I won't ask to be your host."

As soon as I perceived the word 'host', I rushed forth towards the little being, surrounding him, preparing to enter. But the barrier of his will- thin but enough to deter my initial onslaught -prevented me from coming closer.

"Did you hear what I said, Ash? You don't have to possess me. I don't want to be your host." The little being said.

His will radiated slightly further, causing me to retreat. I furled back out to the walls of the room. Only then did I even consider what the little fool had said.

"I don't want your power. I don't want anything from you."

For the first time, I truly looked at the boy. I focused all of my senses on this host-that-refused-to-be-a-host and found his form to be more lacking than I originally thought. This being was tiny. Frail, even. The robe he wore seemed to dwarf him in size. A pair of spectacles sat on the tip of his nose. I realized that this was a youth. It had taken me far too long to realize because it had been some time since my power was used to kill one as young as he.

"WHY?" I asked. Of all things, a little child ought not to have the impulse control to deny himself my power.

"Because I know what you're going through. You're forced to serve anyone who helps you in the slightest. The stupid adults back at my village expect the exact same thing from me. It's so annoying. So I decided to free you!" The little fool cheered.

Laughable. Utterly laughable. The stupidity of this mortal knew no bounds.

"So now that you're free, you can do what you like. No one will ever use you ever again."

In an instant I filled his head with visions of death and destruction. Villages burned, people flayed alive-

"No! No! No! Not that!" The youth covered his eyes and shook his head. He had begun to tremble again.

"YOU SAID I MAY DO AS I PLEASE."

"No! You can't just. . . hurt people! That's bad. That's wrong. Now that you're free, you don't have to hurt anyone anymore."

"WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO ACCOMPLISH ON THIS PLANE?" I asked mockingly. "THE MORTAL PLANE IS ONE OF DEATH AND SUFFERING. IT IS MY PURPOSE TO-"

"Wow, you seriously know nothing else?"

The little fool's words caught me off guard. Again, I was tempted to leap upon him and shred him from the inside out from the indignation of his implication.

"You mean, you've never tasted a good cherry pie? Or, like, skipped a really good rock? Or anything else like that?"

"I SKIP OVER ALL ROCKS AND EARTH ON MY WAY TO CONSUME THE LIVING." I replied.

"Ha, you're funny. I guess it makes sense that you don't know what all those things are, since you've always been used and trapped."

Funny? FUNNY? Okay, that was it. I had satisfied my curiosity. Now it was time for this fool to die-

"I can show you all that, if you want."

Again I was stopped, but this time not by the will of the little being. No, something else had seized my form and held it back from splattering this fool's blood on the wall. This something was. . . within me. My own essence began to twist and contort as the conflict within me grew stronger. It felt as if I was tearing myself apart. To fulfill my purpose or to go with the boy.

"You've at least gotta try my mom's cherry pie."

I froze. "VERY WELL. SHOW ME THIS PIE."

"Sure! Well, first we need to figure out how to store you in a way so that nobody gets suspicious. The elders would be super mad if they figured out you had been released, so, uh. . ."

In response I quickly bundled myself back down to the size I had been back within my previous confines.

"Oh, okay, so do you want me to get the bottle again, or-"

"NO!" I shrieked. 

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

The little fool began to dig around in his backpack, clearly looking for another container. As he emptied out the cloth holder, I decided to simply fill the empty space.

"That works." He shrugged.

"TAKE ME TO THIS PIE. AND TEACH ME YOUR MEANING OF 'SKIPPING ROCKS'."

"We'll get there." He said as he slipped the backpack over his shoulders. "I'll show you both. I promise."

"PROMISE."

"Promise, Ash. I really promise."

[mistraliprincess]

A New Chapter, A New Blade

“G-Gotin...?” A surprised and slightly confused tone taken by the Qilin seeing her friend rush into the living room of her home with a rather large object wrapped in cloth. Watching as he, without a single word, walks over between the television and the table in front of the couch she sat on. Carefully lowering the large object which he was carrying to set it across the table between the few other objects present. From the size of it alone, it looked just a little shorter than she would be given she either laid beside it, or stood it up beside her. Looking up to the Man with a raised, curious brow wordlessly asking for explanation.

“I came up with something shortly after you woke up in the hospital after your mission. Took the month after to make it, and I just made the finishing touches earlier. It both won’t and will replace the Katana you had that got cut loose on your extraction, but if you ever recover that Katana, I can modify it just a little bit and it’ll still work perfectly with this instead to replace the temporary one provided.” The Smithy with a wide and excited smile across his face as he sort of bounces on his toes for a moment in wait for his friend to unwrap the new weapon.

Shuffling forward in her seat, the Qilin’s tail swings about behind her as excitement begins to rise a little, though more out of curiosity for just what it was he had made this time. Looking up at him as she reached to grab the cloth, she could swear she saw his hair shift with how his ears beneath twitch up with excitement himself. That, and his Aura radiating like she’d only seen a few times prior. He really seemed happy with his work this time around, and she would be sure to see it for herself.

Looking down to his gift for her, Kemuri pulls the cloth back finding a long, pure white sheath with black markings to mimic vines of a Wisteria running from top to bottom. The end capped with gold, and a brace of gold by the weapon itself. A rounded hand-guard which, instead of closing in the back, has an open space. It’s ends curling outward again in a shape akin to the stems of Wisteria flowers, where as small openings along the black guard itself with golden linings were shaped like the petals themselves. The grip beyond at a slight curve to keep with that of the rest of the sheathed weapon, wrapped with black fabric around the white of the grip itself. It’s pommel a golden cap to match that of the guard’s linings.

“A-An Odachi?” She questions for clarity as she stands, picking the blade from the table to stand it in front of herself. Turning it about a little before her as she looks over the wonderful work of her friend. Though she spots a few subtle oddities along the back of the grip, lines that don’t seem entirely right, a bit of the wrapping that looks a tad disconnected from the rest. Plus a... latch, possibly? Maybe a button? It was small, hard to tell, but it sat between some of the grip’s wrapping closer to the hilt.

Grabbing onto the weapon, she pulls the blade out just a few small inches to get a look at the blade. Brilliant silver coloration, as was expected. Though still with the back to her, she can see similar subtle lines along the flat back. Curiosity raising a brow once again as her tail flicks behind her. Though the curiosity at the little odd details is easily outdone by that of what comes upon seeing some parts of the grip light up with her Aura as she holds it. Looking a little more closely to find a few small pieces of crystal embedded within the grip itself, all along the front, and lining from the pommel to the guard.

“Yeah, you always did want something more ranged, and I was always trying to think of something, and this is what I came up with. The grip’s two feet long, two inches wide and one-point-two inches thick. The blade’s a little over four feet long, fifty-seven inches to be exact, with two inches from the cutting edge to the flat, and a one and a half inch thick blade. Not only that, but the little button I’m sure you noticed, if you press that it releases a Katana, roughly half the size of the Odachi itself, for you to use either alongside the Odachi or separately. And I can do some slight modifications to your old Katana if you get it back at any point to be able to fit right in where the current one does. Which I’d suggest you eventually try to do, because that Katana and this Odachi, I think they’re my best work yet.”

Drawing the blade completely, Kemuri eases the sheathe to rest back against the couch behind her while holding the large blade steady in front of her. Setting a hand under one flat of the long, shinning blade to ease it’s edge down to keep from damaging the floor, so that she may turn the weapon and find the button again. Pressing at it, the portion of the grip she had noticed the discrepancy between the wrappings on shifts a little wider, and the spot where the wrappings didn’t match pushes out towards her. 

A handle, smaller than the rest she was holding, with a rather small, subtle guard at it’s end before it’s blade, which stuck just slightly out from that of the Odachi’s with it. Gripping the smaller weapon with her left hand, she pulls it free without issue, quite smoothly too, and brings it out to the side to inspect. Finding it to practically be a miniature of the Odachi itself, the design and coloration of the weapon matching the larger exactly. Bringing it back, she slots the Katana, blade first, back into the opening where it once sat. Easing it into the Odachi again and, with just the slightest click as she presses it home, she can see it practically blend right back into the larger weapon.

“That is... a little much but extremely impressive, actually.” A smile forming across the Huntress’ lips for a moment before it lessened as she remembered the crystal pieces along the Odachi’s handle. “Though I need to know, what did you do to the Crystal...?” Her eyes rising to focus to Gotin as she lifts the blade from the ground. Turning it and lifting the large weapon to rest it’s flat against her shoulder so she could carry it with her weakened right arm while her left took hold of the sheathe. Nodding to gesture the Smithy out the door with her as she begins to walk out of the room to head down the foyer to the training room. The Marten following as he clears his throat to begin explaining himself.

“I figured you’d maybe be a little upset with me about the Crystal once you noticed, but I can assure you I took the bare minimum from the Crystal as I could. While you were recovering, I did a little bit of testing with it, and you had mentioned something about Aura with it a while ago, so I tried using my Aura readers on it while holding it, and they registered a reading that matched my own. It appears to allow it’s wielder to extend their Aura’s reach without expending any of it, almost like it reads your Aura and then multiplies it within itself to provide an extra, albeit smaller, source. 

Out of curiosity, I very carefully cut the tip off one end of the Crystal, tested the readers on it to find it still registered Aura in the small piece, affixed it into a knife handle, and started to experiment. I tried just using the knife normally, tried touching the fragment while doing normal stuff. Nothing was happening no matter what I tried. But then I had the idea to think about what I wanted to happen, as I did things. The first thing I tried, extend, plain and simple. I swung the knife, and as I begun the swing, the edge of the knife suddenly lit up with my Aura and, like I thought about, it extended beyond the reach of the knife on it’s own. It only went double the original blade’s length, but I was able to cut with the Aura-based extension alone without having the metal of the knife touch the objects I tried it with at all.” 

The two entered into the wide training room, Gotin stopping just inside the door while he watched Kemuri continue on toward the center of the room while listening to him explain his tests. Laying the scabbard of the Odachi along the ground before easing the Odachi off her shoulder and taking hold of it with both hands again to start taking a few testing swings with the large blade.

“Not only that, but I started trying other ideas. I thought of blocking, changing shape, multiplying, but nothing else I came up with worked at all. At least not until I thought about whether or not it could possibly release that Aura along the blade, fire it off like a projectile to give you a ranged option in combat beyond your Semblance. Thought of shooting, firing, releasing, launching, nothing worked for a while. 

But I eventually thought to try and see if I could maybe just have the Aura apply to the blade without extending or anything. After a while, I thought ‘prime’, like if someone was to prime an energy based weapon to fire it off. The blade’s edge became coated with my Aura after that, subtle orange glow over the metal, and then I tried thinking of different terms for launching it from the blade. Eventually, ‘release’ let me launch the Aura along the blade forward like a small, but fast, projectile made of energy. Like a hard-light bullet almost. 

I was also able to direct the projectile in a couple different ways, and even extend it to be a line instead of what I could best explain as a dart. If I pointed the knife at something, thought ‘prime’ then ‘release’,  it would shoot at what the blade’s tip was directed to. The knife I was testing with was a straight blade, so the shots were straight on wherever I was pointing it at, but when I tested it with the Odachi later on I did have to angle the Odachi itself just right for the projectile to go to what I was aiming for, but the projectiles did fly straight from the tip of the blade, just like the knife. It’s just a matter of the blade’s curve itself.

But when I swung the knife and thought the two commands, it usually released the energy as a line instead of a focused thing. It still had the same speed, power, everything, but it just was able to hit more, though it was in a curve. If I swung down from eye-level to my waist in front of me, it was an arc of Aura energy that flew forward at my target. Swung diagonally from left shoulder to right hip, did the same. The thing that I quickly came to understand, but found odd, was that the lines only ever extended as much distance as it could while still having my body behind it entirely.

Say you went to swing the Odachi left to right and thought the commands, it would only start the arc of Aura from the moment your blade’s tip passes in front of your left shoulder, and end when it passes your right shoulder. Meanwhile, if you were to extend the blade out to your side, and try a similar thing swinging sideways, it’ll be thinner because it’ll only start from the farthest point of your chest, and end at the farthest point on your back. I did a lot of testing with how odd it was, but I couldn’t really figure out why it does such a thing. My best guess is that it uses your body as it’s point of reference for where the projectile is to start from, and then move out and away.

After I finished my testing, I cut a few more small fragments from the Crystal, from the same end as my first cut mind you, and started affixing them, with the first, to the Odachi’s grip. I tried three at first, and it would work, but the Aura seemed extremely faint in comparison to the one on the knife. I added fragment by fragment until finally, with twelve of them spaced out by an inch along the grip, the Aura extensions were not only matching, but a little stronger than what I had with the knife. 

The Crystal itself still works like it used to before with the testing I did, so there’s no damage to it other than one side being a little shorter now, but I’ve applied it’s properties to the Odachi for you to utilize in fights in the future. It’s nothing like that Tanto that used to be locked away in the shrine outside, but I have a good feeling it’ll serve you equally as well. Especially since I took two days and put almost all my Aura into enchanting the Odachi to be ten times as durable as usual, which compensates for the hollow portion left whenever the Katana is removed, and makes it at least five times stronger than a normal Odachi would be. I was apparently asleep for two days straight after that according to my sister.”

Looking back to her friend, her brows furrowed with some worry, but her eyes are filled with appreciation for the Marten, as he can quickly tell from her gaze. Seeing him return the appreciative look with a smile of his own, wide and welcoming as he nods for her to try out her new weapon as much as she wants. A gesture she accepts as she sees him step aside of the door to lean against the wall before she looks forward to the blade again.

Pale eye scans up the metal of the Odachi’s blade, eyeing the faint signs of the Katana hidden within before running toward the tip far before her and up a little with how she held the weapon in the moment. Taking a breath, she thinks ‘Prime!’, the blade’s edge almost instantly lighting with the near white Aura that matched that of the fragments along the grip, and what she saw in her own form through her false eye. The energy taking to the curve of the metal and radiating from it in a gentle, focused flow as she let it sit and inspected it. 

It felt good, felt right, almost an exact of the sensation she had felt when wielding Wisteria’s Sting a few times in the past. Yet she could tell it wasn’t for the same reasons, not at all, and in fact she liked this a little better. Though she knew immediately it would take time for her to grow accustomed to the much, much longer weapon and the extra weight that came with it. Especially trying to use it and the Katana that was a part of it, whether that would be at the same time or back-and-forth between the two, she’d need to adjust, train, and adapt to it.

Not just one, but three new fighting styles would be available to her with this. Mind already wandering all the possibilities as she starts swinging the blade about in familiar, practiced motions to test the feel of it while the edge glows with her Aura. At a few points thinking ‘extend!’, and watching the swing of her weapon pass the four-foot blade and reach beyond each time she did before shrinking back to it’s normal primed state. The visual reminding her of the extended blade in the projected past back in the chamber which the one man wielded.

Eventually bringing the blade to an angle to aim it across the room toward some targets, she commands ‘release!’ and watches the white energy along the blade condense at the tip and fire from it within a second. A white bolt shooting across the room and impacting a target dummy, knocking it into the wall behind before it topples to the floor and rolls. The point of impact left a crater in the dummy, splinters and cracks reaching beyond it and the top portion just a little loose from the rest of it.

Rearing the blade back, close to her side, she primes it again before thrusting the blade toward another target and commanding it’s release. This time without aiming the tip at the dummy, but instead just thrusting the blade it’s direction. Yet, it fires straight, a line of white as if an arrow of Aura make being loosed from a bow, impacting and piercing through the second dummy and embedding into the wall before it flakes away.

“One more thing!” Gotin speaks up again, earning her focus with a turn to look to him. “If you prime the blade, but don’t release the energy with a projectile, think ‘null’, and it’ll cancel the primed Aura.”

Nodding, she brings the Odachi before herself, priming it once more to look briefly over the radiant edge of the blade before she tests his advice. ‘Null!”, the light fading away in an instant down from the blade’s tip to the hilt as if returning to the Crystal fragments. As if returning to her body itself. Easing the blade down to rest on the floor, she reaches to a pocket to retrieve her Scroll, checking her Aura pool to find it untouched. Untouched, and not alone, as a second is present on the display, with a default anonymous icon beside it with the lack of knowledge as to it’s owner.

It still felt weird, even after the few times she checked to confirm what the doctor told her was true. Yet there it was, the Shade’s Aura, listed right alongside her own, and similarly unchanged by the Aura-enhanced blade. She would need to get used to seeing it though, as she was sure it’d be with her for a long while more. 

Though for the moment, she puts her Scroll away and moves the blade to rest it across it’s sheathe on the floor. Turning once it was settled to run to Gotin and embrace him with a tight hug, which he reciprocates immediately. “Thank you, Gotin, thank you so much for this.”

“You’re welcome, ‘Filly’.” He responds with a chuckle from both of them at the nickname. “Though I gotta bring up one more thing... what’ll you name it?”

The question got Kemuri leaning back and stepping to turn out of the embrace, though with an arm still around her friend’s back, as she looks across the room to the Odachi again. Humming briefly as she thinks, before her eyes turn back to the Marten himself. “Part of me is thinking something to do with Kaigan, or maybe the Crystal? I’ve never named my Weapons before cause I’ve always been bad at naming stuff. Pretty sure you remember the one stuffy I had as a kid, right?”

“Hoofy the Horse?” Gotin snickers his reply with a nod. “Hm... Kaigan... nothing comes to mind to do with Kaigan. But Crystal... Crystal Edge is the first thing that comes to mind, though that’s a little basic and straight forward. Maybe Crystal Crescent, or Crescent Crystal?”

“Crescent Crystal sounds the best so far... Maybe Fractured Crystal?”

“Crystal spelt normally or with an H?”

“An H, Fractured Chrystal.” 

“Sounds a great name for this weapon given how it works. And what about your lost Katana?”

“Qilin’s Bolt is what I was originally thinking, but maybe Fractured Bolt instead if I’m going to eventually replace the Katana portion of that Odachi with it.”

“Fractured Chrystal and Fractured Bolt, sounds like a good pair to me, Kem’.”

“I’ll treasure them both once I have Bolt back from that Chamber, Gotin, I promise.”