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mara-xx217 · 3 years

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This was a commission by derpyavocado here on tumblr! I hope you enjoy it, dear~ 🥰

The Start of a Beautiful Relationship

Pairing: Zarina/Jane

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Light, Fluffy Smut

Zarina wanted to try and learn more about the Plague. Jane tags along and is a nuisance. A budding romance takes form in the chilled rainfall of the Red Forest. Something truly beautiful is a foot here.

Jane wasn’t sure of what she thought of Zarina the first time she met her. Her time in the media taught her to be wary of reporters, though, as much as it pains her to admit it, Zarina wasn’t unbearable to be around. She’s smart, independent, has good instincts, good looking, and she’s tough as nails, too. And she was all this before getting dragged head first into hell against her will. There was a bit of an understanding between the two of them, in a manner of speaking. They’ve both faced their fair share of hardships before all… this, and they’ve both come out stronger because of it. Stronger, but not jaded. In their own ways, Jane and Zarina have made sure to use their experiences to help others, to help those weaker than themselves and to give them a voice when no one else would listen. So, as much as Jane deeply respects the woman, right now she’s genuinely wondering if she’s got a few screws loose.

“This is such a bad idea.”

“Hey, I told you not to come-“

“Yeah, yeah don’t start.”

It really was a horrible idea. Zarina wanted to go snooping around to try and learn more about the killers the Entity had abducted. Yes, Jane technically didn’t have to tag along with her, but, at the same time, how could she not? Especially given that it was the Plague that had Zarina’s attention as of late. There was no way in hell that Jane would miss out on seeing that snarky journalist get projectile vomited on from across the realm. And she didn’t want Zarina to get hurt for real without anyone around to help her, but she’d keep that one to herself. For now.

“Why are you so interested in that old priestess, anyways? It’s not like you’d get anything out of her, you know? With her being all ancient and, uhh..?”

“Babylonian?”

“Mmm… suuuure..? Yeah, we’ll go with that.”

“Ugh…”

Zarina slicks back her soaking wet hair out of her face. The rain never stops in the Red Forest, and it always chills to the bone, too. Jane brought her blazer tighter around herself, shaking the water from her eyes.

“S-Shit… It’s so damn cold. How does the Huntress and the Plague stand to run a round in this with no jacket and no freaking shoes?”

Zarina rolls her eyes, struggling to keep her teeth from chattering. “Dunno… But if all you’re gonna do is complain, you might as well-“

“Uggghh… C’mon, Zarina! I’m just trying to make conversation here!”

Sighing heavily, Zarina continues through the forest, opting to ignore the other woman’s constant gripes and complaints. It wasn’t like she was complaining about nothing, but Zarina was completely focused on her current mission, and always struggled to not become snappy or irritable when trying to accomplish something specific. She didn’t dislike Jane’s company, rather the opposite. In fact, she’s grown rather fond of the woman, ever since Jane crammed the two of them into a locker and knocked the Deathslinger flat on his ass, she can’t deny that she felt… something for her, what the something was-

“Hey, Zarina?” She couldn’t help but to outwardly groan.

“What..?”

“The Plague’s from Babylon, right?”

Zarina slows enough so that she’s now walking side by side with Jane. “Yeah… Why do you ask?”

“Uhhhh, I could be wrong, but… if she’s Babylonian, why is her temple in the Red Forest? Isn’t this Russian?” Zarina pauses, furrowing her brows. Jane stops as well, quirking a brow at her. Huh…

“That’s… a good question and a very good point. It is Russian, and if most of the other killers have realms that’s associated with who they were in the normal world, then why would the Plague’s not be located somewhere in the Middle East, where Mesopotamia used to be located?”

Jane looked around for a moment, trying to look thoughtful, but quickly gave the act up when Zarina started to look particularly unimpressed. Shrugging, Jane pursed her lips. “I’ve got nothing, sorry.” Zarina couldn’t stop the dramatic sigh and eye roll combo from slipping out. Jane gave a what can you do gesture before continuing on towards the Temple of Purgation, Zarina trudging along through the mud behind her.

It was relatively easy to avoid the Huntress’ territory, but it was surprisingly easy to get lost in the Red Forest. It was almost as if it was handcrafted to make one confused and disoriented, to feed on the hope that you're on the right path, then devours you when the dawning realization that you’ve been going in circles for hours sends you in a downward spiral of despair and hopelessness. The Entity was damn good at what it does, and though it sickens Zarina to think it, she does have a begrudging respect for the eldritch deity. It feels like it’s taken nearly an entire day of walking to get to where they are now, but at least they finally made it.

“About time! My damn feet are killing me!” Jane whines as she leans her weight against a ruined stone pillar. Zarina couldn’t help but to agree, but at least she wasn’t the one spirited away with heels on. As Jane hopped from foot to foot restlessly, Zarina crept closer to the Temple, peeking around a corner of one of the many entryways to the rain weathered building. The coarse stone scraped against her skin through her drenched clothing.

How long has this building stood for, and for what did it stand for? Zarina rested her palm on the chilled stone, feeling how it lightly crumbled beneath her rain slicked palm. Was it always so rough? Was it always this colour? How many of its faithful passed underneath these arches? What did it sound like back then? Was it busy and energetic? Or was it quiet and mournful? What did it smell like? What kinds of incense did they burn? Fruity? Citrusy? Herbal? Zarina had a hundred thousand questions that she wanted to ask the Plague, but she knew that she’d never get the answers that she sought, between the language barrier and the, well… occupational barrier as well. It really was a pity. Maybe she could still learn something by obser-

“Hey whatcha doi- URK?!”

Zarina spun on her heels and clamped her hand firmly onto Jane’s loud mouth. She put more force into it that she meant to, because she had inadvertently shoved her against the wall. Quickly removing her hand, Zarina hurried out a hushed apology, but had to immediately shush Jane when she tried to speak once more. The Plague must be inside the temple, where, exactly, she did it know, and that kind of scared the shit out of her.

Zarina silently begged Jane to please for the love of GOD just be quiet! We don’t know where SHE is! As Jane gave her a are you being serious right now look, a loud, feminine voice echoed out from deep inside the Temple. It was commanding, but not condescending or arrogant. Like flowing water: clear and cascading, filling the old, worn stone not unlike a mother softly consoling a weeping child. There was something… mesmerizing about the way she spoke, and a chill wrack both Zarina and Jane’s spines at every other syllable that reached their ears. The language was unlike anything either had heard, and Zarina was dying to know what she was saying.

To her right, Jane crept beside her until she was in front of her, peering into the dilapidated temple. As Zarina tries to pull her back to the side, she glances into the open room and freezes. There, in all her rotted, fetied glory was her, the Plague, standing tall and proud clad in precious metals and stones. Zarina’s body goes slack, the hands still on Jane’s arm and shoulder relaxing, though not completely letting go. She shuffled closer to her companion, wanting to get a clearer glimpse of the once magnificent priestess of some ancient, forgotten Sumerian god.

It was surreal to think that she was once a well revered priestess. Not because she’s ill, no, more so that she’s covered head to toe in what must have been fine silks and intricate, golden jewellery that is encrusted with what seemed to be rubies and other precious gems. Zarina’s never stayed close enough to the killer to know for sure, but now she can smell the incense that she burns clearly: something citrusy, with a clean, herbal… something accompanying it. It hides the stench of decay and sickness well, and must be what they burned in ancient times when there would be outbreaks of plague and ruin in the great cities of Babylon.

The two women watched the priestess waft her censure about, murmuring softly under her breath as though she was under a trance. They, too, were in a trance like state, oddly captivated by how totally and utterly devout she was to her craft. The priestess gingerly touched something in front of her, hidden from sight, before standing tall in one fluid motion. Before either of the survivors could react, she turned, making her way to the underground portion of the temple. Though she doesn’t turn her head, they both watch her eyes flick over to where they are standing in awe, before they face forwards once more, leaving no other indication that she ever knew that they were there. As she began her descent, Zarina noticed how she favored her right leg as she hesitated at the first step. It’s barely noticeable, but the priestess’ foot is blacked and necrotic, but nevertheless, she pressed on, neither wincing in pain nor breaking from her carefully crafted visage that she spent her entire life perfecting. After she disappeared from sight, Zarina turned to face Jane.

“…”

“..? W-What..?”

“…sigh… Nothing.”

“No, seriously. What?”

“You… are way too gung ho for your own good, Romero.”

Jane quirks her brow and prepares to retort, but pauses, biting her lower lip. “Hmph… Says you miss I gotta go and snoop around and bother literally the grossest killer in this hell hole cause I’m bored! You’re the one that’s too gung ho yesh…” Zarina… can’t argue with that, but still, she doesn’t like to be called out on her bullshit. As Jane continues to poke playfully at her, Zarina glances down and realizes…

She’s holding Jane’s hand. Not her arm, her hand. Huh, when did that happen..? It- Hmm… Heat rose to her cheeks. It… feels nice, but she didn’t even know when she did that, or maybe Jane did it? It doesn’t matter, but what does matter is that Jane uses her hands to talk. A lot. And right now? She’s raising their held hands and gesturing like nothing’s out of place. Zarina’s mouth forms a thin line as her heart rings in her ears. Did… did the killer see us holding hands..? I mean- Jesus Christ, Jane…

“-and look, I know it’s cool to see what an ancient, totally not cursed priestess does in her spare time, but-“

“Jane.”

“Huh?”

“Please stop talking with your hands.”

Jane wrinkles her nose in confusion. “What? Why?”

“You’re gonna dislocate my shoulder at the rate you’re going.”

“… What? I don’t follow.”

Oh for fucks sake-

Zarina hangs her head, before dramatically raising their interlaced hands, shaking them in Jane’s face. She blinks dumbly, before her eyes light up in realization.

“Oohhh! I was wondering why my hand got so warm all of a sudden!” A part of Zarina wanted to die from embarrassment, but another was relieved that Jane wasn’t making a massive deal out of this. She still didn’t try to release her hand, and she really didn’t want to let go, either, so it seemed like it was going to work out, one way or another.

“Hey, let’s get out of here! I’m fucking freezing, aren’t you?” Yeah, Zarina was freezing, and it wasn’t like my that they’d learn anymore from sticking around, plus, the killer knows that they’re here, and she isn’t attacking them (yet) so it’s best not to push their luck too much or else-

“Yeah, I agree. Just be careful it’s slick.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Zarina couldn’t hide her grin fast enough. Jane always managed to get her all flustered in one way or another, and she had to admit: ma’am did have a nice ring to it…

After nearly falling and busting both of their asses on the mud slick ground, Jane whined and complained and dragged Zarina over to a run down shack by her hand, begging for a chance to get off her feet and to warm up and dry off a bit. Zarina was annoyed at first, but even her feet were aching like hell, and so was the rest of her body with how damn cold it was. Oh, and the fact that Jane had a if I’m going down, then so are you mentality when it came to falling in the mud, Zarina was definitely alright with taking a quick break, especially if it meant saving the one outfit that she had from certain annihilation.

“Al- Haa… Alright! Yesh… W-We should stop for a bit, I guess..” Jane raised their interlocked hands triumphantly in the air, giving Zarina a cheeky smirk before breaking out into a dead sprint towards the abandoned shack. It takes all her focus and strength to not slip and slide all over the place as she struggles to keep up with Jane. Where the hell does she get all this energy from?! Zarina was a bit envious, but only a little bit. It must be exhausting being that energetic all the time…

By the time they reach the shack, they can barely stand on their feet. Jane immediately collapsed on the ground, while Zarina carefully lowered herself down beside a wall, leaning on it when she hit the ground. Scooting a bit to the side, Jane props her head up on her palm, looking up at Zarina.

“You alright?”

“Heh, yeah, but did you really have to take off running? I nearly fell and ate shit so many times…”

“Hehe… I’m not sorry.” Jane flashes her award winning smile, and Zarina can’t help but to smile back, cheeks flushing. Her joy was infectious, and she had a way with worming her way into the heart of the masses. A parasitic worm that was pretty cute, smart, sharp witted, had a great ass-

“-you hear me Zarina?”

“Uhh…-“ Damn, she was thinking about Jane’s ass yet again! She needs to focus! Focus..!

“Shouldn’t we take some of these clothes off? Won’t everything dry faster if we wring some of the water out of our clothes? And won’t we warm up faster if we’re not soaking wet?”

Zarina pursed her lips. Well, yeah… That’s true and all but… Is that really a good idea consi-

“Sounds good to me.”

Oh God what am I doing..?

Jane immediately kicks off her shoes, sighing dramatically in relief as she massages her sore soles. Zarina removes her button up shirt, wringing it out just to the side of her as she lays it out to dry. Jane does the same with her blazer, then she goes to remove her white dress shirt. Ohh… Zarina isn’t sure how she missed it before but-

Jane’s simple, black bra is clearly shown through her soaked through shirt, which clung to every curve and dip of her ample chest. She was already on her third button, when she looked over to Zarina, smirking.

“Whatcha looking at, Zari?” Oh shi- She was staring, wasn’t she..?

“Err…”

“Hehe… Loosen up, will you? It’s not like we’re complete strangers or something.” Jane giggles as she unbuttons her shirt completely. She peels it off her wet skin casually, squeezing some water out before haphazardly laying it to the side. Damn, Zarina wished she had an eighth of Jane’s confidence. She was fucking beautiful, and Zarina was getting too caught up in her insecurities to say or do much of anything.

“Y-Yeah… Haha…” Zarina is nervous, even a little intimidated, but she really does want this to go somewhere. Plucking up all her courage, Zarina removes her tank top shyly, unconsciously bringing her knees to her chest. Jane chuckles, but doesn’t tease her for being shy, just gives Zarina a warm smile.

“I don’t know about you, but I feel a hell of a lot better than I did before.” Jane lets her hair down, shaking it free as she sorely turns her head side to side.

“Yeah… I do too…” Zarina relaxes a bit, resting her cheek on her knees. Jane looked good with her hair down, kinda messy, but in a good way. Like it was a lazy Sunday morning or maybe she’d just gotten off of work. Jane scooted over beside Zarina, not close enough to crowd her, but near so that they were almost touching one another.

There’s a comfortable silence between the two women. Nothing is coming to kill them, and they aren’t running for their lives this time, they are just… existing beside one another. Zarina had almost forgotten what that felt like. To exist quietly even for just a few fleeting moments, especially with another human being. Out of her peripheral vision, she notices Jane repeatedly glancing at her, her lips twitching as though she’s about to say something, but decides against it at the last second. Before Zarina can break the silence, Jane does first.

“This… isn’t too much, is it?”

“Hmm… what is?”

“Well… You know… all the, uh, blatant flirting that I’ve been doing? I- ugh, look… I jus-“ Zarina sits upright, turning to face Jane properly. It was… strange to see her so… unsure of herself all the sudden. Then again, Zarina herself was extremely anxious, and the fact that Jane actually took a moment to make sure that they were on the same page…

“Hey- Uh, it’s- Ahem! S-Sorry… look, yeah I’m pretty damn nervous but… I am okay with all this. I’d… really like to get closer to you, I’m just really… Uh, I’m kind of- Ahem! You know..?” Jane smiles gently, resting her cheek on her palm.

“Yeah, I get it. No sweat. I’m more than okay with that. And, ah… Sorry if I ruined the mood. Just wanted to make sure I was reading the room right.” She gave Zarina a playful wink, and she blushed and chuckled in return, rubbing the back of her neck with her chilled hand. It felt as though a weight had lifted off of both of their shoulders.

That companionable silence grew between the two of them once more, but this time it was interwoven with something else. Zarina felt herself warming up, first beginning in her cheeks, but quickly spreading throughout the rest of her body like wildfire. Though her heart was beating out of her chest, she closed the distance between her and Jane’s bodies so that they were now flush with one another. Jane smiled, then turned to look at the other woman, cheeks full of colour and eyes shining brightly.

Before Zarina realized, Jane was leaning closer and closer, stopping just before their lips touched. Her eyelashes fluttered, and though nervous butterflies wracked her stomach and her palms began to sweat, she sheepishly closed the distance, gently brushing her lips against Jane’s. It was a fleeting little thing, but not at all unpleasant, quite the opposite, in fact. Zarina was a little ashamed of how skittish she was being, but with Jane being so understanding and patient, her confidence was slowly starting to build itself up.

Carefully breaking the kiss, Jane looked Zarina in the eyes, studying her reaction. “Was… that alright? Not too much or-“ Zarina smiled, laughing breathlessly.

“No, it- That was great. I- Haha… That was amazing…” Zarina’s hand found Jane’s, gently squeezing and stroking the top of her hand with her thumb. Jane smiled, ducking her head as she looked at her through lidded eyes. Warmth pooled in Zarina’s stomach. She… she’d like to…

They were suddenly all over one another, kissing and holding and touching the other. Jane cupped Zarina’s cheek as she slowly guided the other to the ground as she slid in between her legs. The kiss became more passionate, more heated, more confident… Tongues were intertwined, and hands began to roam lower and lower…

“Hmm… mind if I..?” Jane asked, ghosting her fingertips along the waistband of Zarina’s pants. She sheepishly brings her hand to her mouth, but nods, nervously chewing on one of her fingers. Gingerly, they are unbuttoned and removed, made slightly awkward with how snuggly they clung to her wet skin.

It was… pretty weird to be so exposed . Not exactly in a bad way, it had just been just a long time since either had taken any article of clothing off, let alone stripped down to their underwear. Jane’s pants were off moments after Zarina’s, tossed carelessly to the side as she readjusted Zarina’s legs. Gently stroking her inner thighs, Jane leans down, placing a kiss to the other’s neck.

Zarina cranes her head so Jane has full access to her neck, access that Jane takes advantage of as she peppers ticklish kisses along her sensitive throat. She couldn’t suppress a giggle from bubbling up from the back of her throat. Jane rolled her hips against Zarina’s, shuddering as the other woman reciprocated the action without hesitation. She… felt like she should say something, though she wasn’t sure why. As Jane started to open her mouth, taking in a breath, Zarina silenced her with a needy kiss.

“Mmph… J-Just touch me… Please..? I don’t want to think anymore…”

Jane’s eyes softened. That was all she needed to hear. Rising to her knees, she places her hand on Zarina’s collarbone, slowly caressing and trailing down towards her bra clad chest, while her other begins to massage her inner thigh. Jane’s mouth reconnects to her neck, nipping as sucking as Zarina releases a breathy moan.

Slipping her hand underneath, Jane gropes Zarina’s breasts, the whine the other emits sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body. Trailing kisses lower, Jane starts to pull at Zarina’s bra, lowering it so she has access to her chest. Her ministrations were a little clumsy and unpracticed, but she quickly gained more confidence the louder that Zarina moaned and called her name. As Jane latched onto one of her rapidly hardening buds, Zarina’s back arched, eyes screwing shut as warmth pooled in between her legs.

Jane wasted no time in delving underneath her panties, sliding a finger along Zarina wettening folds. She was a bit surprised at how forward Jane was, but was most definitely not going to complain. When was the last time she’d touch herself? Let alone had anyone touched her? Zarina couldn’t remember, and didn’t care to think too hard about it. It was difficult to focus on anything other than where Jane was touching or kissing or licking or- OH!

A finger slipped inside herself, slow and gentle. Zarina’s brows furrowed as she reopened her eyes, making contact with Jane’s. Shit… She was so beautiful, looking as flushed and confident as she did… Zarina couldn’t help herself, she wrapped her arms around Jane’s neck and pulled her close, smashing her lips onto hers.

A tongue flicked out, asking for permission that Zarina quickly granted. It was a blur of limbs, moans, sloppy kisses, and a steadily growing pleasure deep in her core. A second finger was added, causing her to roll her hips in time with Jane’s movements. Zarina caressed Jane’s body, cupping one of her breasts and massaging it over her undergarment. She struggled to keep any coherent touching for long, since Jane was hitting her sweet spot juuust right-

“ O-OH! Nnghh-!! F-Fuck, Jane..!” Zarina clings to the other woman, burying her face in the crook of her neck. Jane groans, focusing all her attention on that sensitive bundle of nerves that are sending Zarina over the edge. It was as amusing as it was arousing to watch the usually calm and collected journalist so flustered and beside herself with pleasure. Panting, she placed open mouthed kisses along Zarina’s jawline, using her thumb to nudge her clit as she continues to escalate finger fucking.

That seemed to be what pushed Zarina over the edge. Gasping and choking on a moan, she cums and she cums hard. Legs stiffening and trembling, she clings to Jane harder than ever before, whimpering as Jane coaxes her through one of the most intense orgasms of her life. White hot pleasure sent spasms throughout her body, making her toes curl and eyes flutter shut. It must have taken her minutes to come down from her high, chest heaving and exhaustion weighing down her eyelids.

“H-Holy-… Damn…” Zarina was out of breath as she released her arms from around Jane’s neck. The other chuckled, also winded. Her arm and hand cramped like hell, but she wouldn’t tell Zarina that, not when she was looking like a gorgeous mess. Cupping her cheek, Jane places a chaste kiss to her lips, smiling as she pulls back.

“That good, huh?” Zarina rolls her eyes, but the broad grin on her face says it all. Jane chuckles, brushing the hair from Zarina’s face. They both lay in comfortable silence for a while, completely worn down from the day's adventures. After a while, Zarina speaks up.

“Don’t you… want anything..?”

“Hmm… nah. I’m freaking beat. And, anyways, I know you’ll pay it back in full sooner than later.” She gives Zarina a flirtatious wink, and the other pushes her off playfully. Grabbing their clothes, the two women prepare to make their way back to camp.

“Wow! Are clothes did dry out! Sweet!”

“Yeah, but we’re going back out into the rain…”

Jane pauses, then looks over at Zarina dramatically, eyes wide and mouth agape in horror. “Shit! I forgot we have to walk back! Damn it!”

Zarina couldn’t stop herself from planting her palm directly in the middle of her face. As much as she cares about the woman, Jane was a bit ridiculous at times. But… she didn’t mind so much. Jane helped her forget this terrible place even if it was for a few fleeting moments. That time was precious to Zarina, and she hopes that she can give that relief to Jane as well. Even if she wants to strangle her at times.

“Hey, Zari? Where did my other shoe go?”

Yep… Even though she wanted to strangle her at times…

#dead by daylight #dbd #dbd zarina #dbd Jane #dbd jane x zarina #dbd the plague #commission

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lakesandquarries · 4 years

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Tangled Up - Chapter One

for I am a tardigrade, and I'll stay at home

Benrey's spent 26 years living in a tower - 27, tomorrow. When a thief breaks into his tower, he finds his chance to escape and takes it.

Alternatively: Tangled, but the AI is self aware.

(featuring art by @kenas-artstuff )

Notes: check ao3 for warnings and tags! “kane radio” is just gordon using a fake name. fic title from “tangled up” by caro emerald, chapter title from “tardigrade song” by cosmo sheldrake.

Happy valentines day!!! hope you enjoy <3

AO3 Link

This is not the first time Kane’s come to tied up. It’s not even the first time this week. However, it is the first time he’s come to tied up with ropes made of human hair, and the first time he’s come to with a fucking raccoon shoving its nose in his ear.

So maybe he screams a little. Anyone would! It’s a reasonable reaction.

The hair around his wrists is a shiny blue-black, tough when he pulls at it. Is all hair like that? Is it one of those things that’s fragile individually but super tough all together? Seems like it, because it’s not even budging.

He’s so caught up that he doesn’t notice the person in the shadows until they’re holding out a crowbar, tilting up his chin.

“Yo,” they say, quiet and monotone. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

Kane screams again.

They’re weird looking. Pale, really pale, to the point that Kane wonders if something is wrong with them, and with a dark shadow around their eyes like a bruise that makes him sure. They’ve got on a long dress, all dark blues and lace and fancy embroidery, the kind of thing you’d either have to be rich to buy or have a lot of spare time to make. Their eyes are a bright, bright yellow, almost glowing, sclera a pale blue, and their hair is the same blue-black as the hair around Kane’s wrists - oh, it’s the same hair, isn’t it? Fuck, it’s long.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” the guy says again. “You got, uh. ID? Passport?”

“Passport?” This is - this is insane. This cannot be happening. “What the fuck,” he mumbles, repeating it to himself a few times, “what the fuck, who - who are you?”

The man tilts his head up with his crowbar. "No, no. I asked you first. You're in my house, I ask the questions." His eyes narrow, almost translucent in the light. "What're you doing here? How'd you find me? You gonna steal shit?" His hand goes to his hair, tugging on the blue-black strands. "Gonna steal my hair?"

"Steal your - why would I steal your hair?" The crowbar is cold against his throat, pressing harder every time he speaks. "And aside from that, I'm not here to steal anything. I thought this place was empty so I could use it for - as a shelter! Happy now?" His tone stays steady, confident even, but his hands clutch at the armrests desperately.

“You - huh?” The crowbar pulls back, just enough that Kane’s head can drop, and he sucks in a deep breath while he still can. The crowbar moves away entirely for a moment, as the stranger steps aside to have a whispered conversation with his pet raccoon.

Yeah, this day is weird enough for that to seem normal. Between stealing the prince’s royal helmet, ditching his partner, getting chased by a guard dog, and now this - it’s certainly been a day.

While the guy’s busy, Kane glances around, taking in the sights of the tower. It’s small. Homey. There’s a bed, a kitchen, a couch, bookshelves full of video games and a handful of books. The walls are covered, floor to ceiling, in paintings. When he looks up he realizes it’s not just the walls, the ceiling is painted too. Even the furniture has tiny doodles and carvings in it.

The crowbar slides against his throat again, cutting off his train of thought. "Is it just you?” the stranger asks. “No, uh. Backup? Not gonna...." he trails off, looking at his raccoon again, then back to Kane. "Who are you?"

He gives the man the best smile he can manage, under the circumstances, and says, “I’m Kane. Kane Radio.”

“Kane,” the man repeats. There’s a long pause where the two of them just stare at each other, before he finally adds, “Benrey.” Suddenly he tugs on his hair, pulling Kane closer to him and pushing the crowbar aside. “I wanna make a deal with you.”

“Uhh, yeah, could you get me out of your...hair, first? If that is your hair.” He doesn’t have time to make deals, and he doesn’t like the way Benrey repeated his name. Could he….? No, there’s no way. Kane’s been careful to erase any trace of Gordon Freeman. Of all people to blow his secret it’s not gonna be some random hermit living in a tower. He swallows, appreciating the lack of metal at his throat. “To be honest, I’d rather -”

Aaaand there goes the crowbar again. Shouldn’t have gotten confident. "You're lucky I'm gonna let you leave," Benrey says, voice low. Suddenly he doesn't seem like just a weird guy in a tower. Suddenly he seems like a threat. A choked yelp claws out of Kane’s throat as Benrey tugs on his hair again, pulling Kane close enough that he can see his unnaturally sharp teeth. "Wanna try that again?"

He barely processes the words, focused on the man - man?? - in front of him, the sharp teeth and glowing eyes and the crowbar pressing his throat shut, or maybe that’s just anxiety. It occurs to him that maybe this guy isn’t human.

His smile is nowhere near its usual confidence, but he tries to grin anyway. “S-so, uh, what...what was that deal? Benrey?”

Benrey’s face splits into a grin, and suddenly he’s just...a guy again. A weird guy! A weird, unsettling guy, with eyes that are too bright and teeth that are too sharp and hair that is way too long, but a guy. The crowbar is lowered and Benrey steps back, clambering up his fireplace and pulling back a red curtain. Behind it is...a painting? Still semi-fresh, from the looks of it, in the same style that all the other paintings are. This one depicts the floating lanterns they do for the prince's birthday. There’s all sorts of colors, blue and silver and pink and green, and below the sky is a hill with a small figure on it with long black hair.

"You know what these are?" he asks, pointing a finger at a pink light.

Kane exhales slowly. Benrey’s gonna push that crowbar against him again any second now, so he might as well enjoy breathing while he can. Fuck, he’d almost rather go back outside and deal with the guard dog that chased him here. “Yeah,” he says, voice shaking, and he clears his throat before he continues. “The lanterns for the lost prince.” Is Benrey fucking with him? Everyone knows the lanterns. Kane’s never even been to a lantern ceremony himself but he still knows what they are. He’d need a serious head injury to forget that, and while his head hurts a bit it’s certainly not that bad.

Benrey does not seem to be fucking with him, because he does a little cheer and fist pump. “I knew they weren’t stars,” he mumbles to himself, before turning back to Kane. Louder, he says, "I want you to take me there. To see 'em." He pulls the curtain back over and jumps down from the mantle, landing on the floor with a heavy thud. "Think you can manage that? Just there and back and I don't, uh. Y'know." He glances at the window. Kane follows his gaze, picturing Benrey launching his body out of it, and shudders. "Pretty good deal, I think."

Kane’s breath comes out in a panicked hiss.”W-well, that's not really a good idea right now, since I shouldn’t show my face in the kingdom right now considering I -" oh shit. "Oh shit. My satchel! Where is my satchel?!"

Benrey raises an eyebrow, smirking at him. “Oh, the bag thingy? I hid it. Mine now.” His smug face is the most infuriating thing Kane has ever seen, and he’d be throwing a punch if he wasn’t fucking tied to a chair. Benrey continues, "If you want it, you gotta earn it. You take me to the lanterns, I give you your satchel. Deal?"

Hid it. He said he hid it, so it’s….somewhere in here, probably, and once Kane realizes that it’s easy to figure out. He nods his head at a flowerpot. “It’s in there, huh?”

Benrey raises the crowbar again.

Oh, shit. “W-wait, no no no, no need to hit me!” He shuts his eyes, wishing he could move his arms to protect himself. He does not need any more head trauma, thank you very much.

This guy really won’t hesitate to kill him, huh? This stupid deal is his only real option. Kane sighs, keeping his eyes shut. "L-look, I'll keep my eyes shut like this? And you can hide my satchel somewhere else. No peeking. I'll agree to the deal. Just - my head already feels like splitting."

A pause. Kane almost considers opening his eyes but keeps them shut. Finally he hears Benrey’s voice again. “No peeking,” he repeats. There’s a series of shuffling noises, bare feet and raccoon claws against the floor, and then a moment later: “Okay. You can open your eyes.”

The satchel is nowhere to be seen, without even a hint to where it might be hiding. He sighs, head dropping forward before he looks up at Benrey again. "If I'm gonna agree to this, let me ask at least one question. Why do you wanna see them so badly, and why would you need an escort for that?"

Benrey’s face goes blank. “Uhhhh,” is all he says, followed by a long pause, leaving Kane worried he broke him somehow, but finally Benrey continues. "That's, uh. None of your business. 's just - it's, uh, dangerous. Out there. For me. Need a....need a guide."

Huh. Sheltered, maybe? Benrey seems...well, a little off, to be blunt. He can’t be much younger than Kane is, but he doesn’t even know about the lanterns. Overprotective parent seems a likely answer, but whatever the reason, now’s not the time to pry. “Alright, yeah, none of my business. Okay. We go see the lanterns, come back, you give me the satchel, yeah? Deal?”

“Deal,” Benrey agrees.

“Okay. Does that mean you can untie me now?”

-----

The thing about spending 27 years in a tower, knowing that this is where you’re going to spend your entire life, is that when you get the option to leave it’s kind of the scariest thing imaginable.

Kane’s already climbed down, leaning against a tree while Benrey stands on the ledge. Physically, he’s ready. He’s got his hair wrapped around the lever, ready to swing down, ready to go, to get out of the stupid fucking tower and out into the real world, except -

Except -

“You are never leaving this tower.” Zeki’s hands are on his shoulder, nails digging in. “Do you understand?”

Benrey reaches back, trying to grab at the closet. “But -”

“The outside world isn’t safe for you. You aren’t safe for it. If you went outside, you know what would happen?”

“Huh?”

“Look at you.” She grabs his hand roughly, pulling him over to the mirror. “They’ll take one look at you, and they’ll know, and then what? You’ll fight back. You’ll hurt people. You’re dangerous.”

It’s nothing new, but. He thinks about the man he has stuffed into his closet. He didn’t hurt him. He’ll be fine! “But -”

“This isn’t up for discussion. You. Are not. Leaving. Ever. Do you understand me or not?”

He stares at the mirror, looking between himself and Zeki. She’s looked the same as long as he can remember, brown hair always pulled into a bun and dark green eyes, pale skin but not in the same way Benrey is pale. She’s human. He’s not. And she’s right, that anyone who looks at him is gonna know. That’s why he’s up here, where it’s safe. Where no one can hurt him. And, more importantly, where he can’t hurt anyone else.

“I understand,” Benrey mumbles.

“Good.”

“I, uh. I thought of - I came up with something better. For a, uh. Birthday thingy.”

Zeki turns away from the mirror, towards Benrey. “Oh?”

“You got me that - the paint. Last year. The white one?”

“That’s a long trip,” she says, pursing her lips.

“I won’t ask about the. The stars. Or going outside. Or anything of that. I’ll, uh -” He glances at the dresser, the one where she keeps her lab coat. “I’ll make up for it.”

There’s a glint in her eyes, sharp like her favourite knife. “Fine. I’ll get you the paint.” Her face softens as she places a hand on Benrey’s head. “I’m only doing this to protect you.”

“I know,” he mumbles, as she steps away to gather her things. “I know.”

“Benrey?” Kane yells. “Are you gonna move or what?”

He jumps.

The fall is intense. Wind in his hair, sun on his face, watching the ground get closer - oh that’s close. Oh that’s very close. He stops just a few inches off the ground, hesitating once again. There’s no going back from this. The grass is so much greener than he expected, bright and shiny in the sun, drops of dew still lingering, and before he can spiral further he puts his foot down. When nothing happens - no monster appears, no pit opens up and swallows him - he puts both feet on the ground, the blades of grass tickling him.

A quick tug, and he pulls his hair down from the lever, watching it fall to the ground, and then joins it. The grass is still damp underneath him, but the sun above is warm. He’s getting covered in dew and dirt and bits of grass and he can’t find it in him to care, busy savoring the feeling he’s dreamed of for so long.

It’s not until he stands up that he realizes the bulk on his hair landed directly on Kane. He starts shoving hair aside, Jefferem lending a set of tiny hands as extra help. “You good?” Benrey asks, as Kane’s head becomes visible.

Kane huffs, struggling to stand. “Apart from being attacked by your mane, yeah, I'm fine. Can you help me out?”

Benrey holds out an arm. Pulling Kane up proves easier than he thought, and he pulls a little too hard, almost slamming Kane into him, the two of them pressed together for a moment before Kane coughs and steps back. Benrey takes a moment to half-heartedly brush some dirt and grass out of his hair and off his clothes, looking at Kane. “Guide time?”

Kane blinks at him, not bothering to clean off his clothing. “Uh - yeah. Guide time. Let’s go!” His steps are loud as he walks away.

Benrey’s footsteps are almost inaudible as he follows, crowbar gripped tight in his hands. The initial adrenaline is starting to fade, doubt settling in. Maybe this was a bad idea. It’s not too late to turn around and go back.

He shakes his head. Lost in his own thoughts, he’s fallen behind, and he has to sprint to catch up. Hoping not to zone out again, he starts talking, letting the first thing he can think of fall out of his mouth. “The lights - the lanterns. You said they were for a...prince?”

They enter a small stone tunnel as Kane answers. His voice is soft. “Every year, on the prince’s birthday, the kings - and the whole kingdom - release a swarm of lanterns,” he explains, voice echoing. It turns theatrical as he continues. “See, their little boy was snatched away as a baby, by an evil wizard! Or...something like that, at least. They’re hoping the lanterns will bring him back.”

“On his birthday?” Benrey echoes. Weird coincidence. A moment passes while Benrey busies himself with touching the walls of the tunnel. “And they still haven’t found him? Why’re they still doing the lanterns if it doesn’t work?”

Kane’s voice is softer, more subdued when he responds. "The kings still have hope that their baby boy will return someday. It's a very human thing in my opinion."

Ah. Human thing. That explains why Benrey doesn’t understand.

Kane pokes his head through the ivy, waiting a moment before ducking back and lifting it to let Benrey through. “We’re clear.”

Raising an eyebrow, Benrey repeats, “Clear?” Is something following them, or is Kane just paranoid? Or maybe Benrey is reading too much into things. Maybe it’s normal to check for stuff like that. Not like he would know.

"Ah - well, I told you earlier, didn't I? The kingdom and I aren't... quite buddy buddy at the moment." As they walk, he keeps looking around, eyes darting back and forth. "But don't worry, it shouldn't be a big problem for our objective."

Oh. Maybe he should’ve paid more attention to what Kane was saying earlier. Too late for that now, though. “So I was right? You a little - thief boy, huh? Stealing shit?” It’s mostly a guess, but he can’t picture this guy doing any real crime. His satchel probably had some stolen shit in it and that’s why he wants it back so bad. Well, better to team up with a criminal than a guard or something, considering all the rules Benrey’s breaking.

“Why do you keep insisting I steal shit?” Kane asks, looking away from Benrey. He doesn’t even give him time to answer, immediately following it with, “Hey, you hungry?”

Immediately changing the subject, huh? Now that’s suspicious. Admittedly he is a little hungry, and curious about where they’d be getting food out here. “Only if you’re not gonna steal it.”

Kane’s mouth screws up, eyes narrowing with a scoff. “I know a good place to get food. On our way, too. My friend works there.”

Oh shit, other people. He hesitates a moment before nodding. “Sure. Sure, yeah.”

Kane squints at him again. “You're not really an outside person huh? Have you...Have you ever been outside before?”

Damn, okay, just gonna straight up ask. Benrey opens his mouth to answer and then stops. “You answer my question first.” He’s not looking at Kane as he talks, eyes on the road ahead.

A groan in response, and then, “Fine, neither of us get an answer, then.” Kane picks up his pace, quickly getting ahead of Benrey.

“Someone’s grumpy,” Benrey mutters, rushing to catch up again. Kane’s anger surprises him. “I don’t care if you are. I’m breaking like....every rule possible just being here.” He pauses, scuffing at the dirt. “‘s all cool. Y’know. Be gay, do crime.”

Kane bursts into laughter, stopping in the road for a second. “Real rebel, huh?” he asks, shooting Benrey a grin that he returns nervously. “Fitting, then, for you to break out with a thief.”

Benrey’s grin widens, delighted. “Hah! I was right.”

“Yeah, yeah, congratulations, Blueberry.” The smile twists at the corners, as Kane leans closer to Benrey. “But that means we’re in my business now. So what about yours? You said you're breaking every rule right now. So... you weren't allowed outside that tower for some reason?”

That same empty expression makes a return as Benrey freezes. Twirling a strand of hair around his fingers, he clears his throat, forcing himself to start moving again. Walked right into that one, huh? And he’s not a coward, he’s not gonna refuse to answer after he finally got Kane to admit something. “Yeah,” he mumbles. “I, uh. Yeah. Not allowed. Very not allowed.”

If Zeki knew what he was doing right now - she’d kill him. Worse than kill him. Beside him, Kane’s gaze is soft, head tilted and eyebrows furrowed.

“Well…” he starts, “sometimes, you just gotta do what feels right, even if it hurts or makes someone mad. Trust me on that, I know from experience.” To punctuate his last words, he nudges against Benrey’s arm, almost affectionate. Benrey jumps for a second, hand darting to touch the spot Kane had brushed against, almost expecting it to feel different somehow. But no, it’s just his arm.

“Experience,” he repeats quietly. “Uh, yeah. I mean - I’m here.”

“That you are, Mr. Independent.”

#hlvrai #half life vr but the ai is self aware #benrey #gordon feetman #frenrey #benrey hlvrai #cora writes #tangled au #tangled up #adventures of cora

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neo-shitty · 3 years

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toffee!

hehe glad i could make you laugh, oooh that sounds awesome! yeah id love to be tagged it sounds great :)

YES the differences are so fucking weird. like, they do know they're the same age right? i feel like its just an exagguration of how much the persons role in the group matters, like we see chan being held up as such a mature, old leader while jungkook who is literally the same age, is still babied etc. like enha hyung line is basically the same age (if a bit younger) as chenle and jisung but somehow the rules are different?? as you point out, still legal but still bizarre. hehe yeah, i mean where else are we going to rant? quora lol. mmm, hopefully more people can just write less smut abt people who are barely adults

ah, no prob it didnt take long. yeah i think thats right (i keep forgetting you know my url lol) mmhmm :( i think if that happened irl there would be some major trauma going on. knock wood it never happens to you or me lol (/hj)

hehe same! oooh glad Redemption For Cheese was realised! yess we cant rllycomplain that theyve written/produced too much good music lol. yeah, ive dragged him into being a stay so *dusts hands off* mission accomplished. mmm yeah, they tend to have a certain vibe but tbh it couldve worked if they were any other group but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ahh ur one step ahead of me on the stages of listening to ssick i think, still not convinced but thats okay! hehe, it had to be said. yesss the itch in the back of my brain is very satisfied by sorry i love you, felixs vocals deserve to be appreciated! (side note i feel like hes trying to sing more like his speaking voice, sorta husky, but tbh i wouldnt be mad if he sang like in glow, his sweet honey vocals made my life lol. but i think ive heard him say he doesnt like singing like that cos it makes his normal voice less husky, so what can you do)

> YES SOMEONE SAID IT. seungmin rap KING, he sped thru that rap like it was nothing, he deserves more rap lines. i do like how they gave minho some melodic rap lines this comeback, my guy deserved to show off those skills that made him not be eliminated (flashbacks to stay collectively wanting to murder jyp) and we already know changbin can sing, my man murdered masked singer. hyunjin can obviously sing as can jisung and felix, and i want to hear chan rap more! i feel like he started as part of 3racha (as a rap unit not producing) and then just became a vocalist (which im fine with, but it could be nice to hear him flex his rapping skills) and was partially replaced by hyunjin. anywayyy

back to album talk. lmaooo sad music to twerk to PERFECTLY describes silent cry. yes secret secret is and will always be, a masterpiece. hehe glad i could make you laugh :) i just felt like they have similar vibes. putting off skz stuff bc of not having time to cry IS the kpop stan life summarised. oh my beloved track, red lights. ahh thats okay, we can have different opinions, but by god the lyrics are *chefs kiss*. *banging on table* TWISTED AU TWISTED AU TWISTED AU. yess id love to see ur take on it! sdfghjkl it would have been glorious

no no! not stupid, just able to predict my brainwaves. ooooh thats so cool! makes me want to go there (wherever there is lol) yeah the waves are pretty good here, but none of my familys a surfer, so we dont rlly enjoy the full potential lol. YES moving on to gone away, it is indeed a heartwrenching track, but the vocals and the bloody key change? makes me want to brave being sad just to listen to it. mmm yeah, good point :( i feel like ive just gotten used to overthinking so much so that it doesnt matter what mood im in, ill do it anyway, so might as well just do what i feel like doing anyway.

yeah i think ur right! it is quite comforting knowing that all the tracks will get the love they deserve. i feel like also people assume kpop is just one genre which is utter bs. there are so many different vibes and feels and songs, i couldnt get into kpop (of which i thought only the bright cheerful present day bts stuff existed smh) until i heard gods menu so... idk where i was going with this but yeah. :)

YES FUCK YG, theyre literally on the brink of being kicked out of the big three and they are holding their salvation hostage without letting them do ANYTHING. idek what thought process goes thru their minds but arghhh its so infuriating. yess lisa's cb will be awesome but ot4 is the gold standard here.

hehe, glad u could get to this point. no no! u dont sound like a cult member at all lol yeah, i loooove some of their songs but the whole 23 members thing is getting to me. thats prob a common problem with nctzens but what can i say? im a simple girl with a limit to how many korean boys i can give my money to. atm im just trying to get into ateez and finish memorising enhypen's faces. also kard is kinda sucking me into their fandom atm, as well as eric name lol. ah what can you do? ooh thats good!

hehe i love it too! its exactly like online penpals, that was rlly well put. aww ty! hmm im okay, recovering from a bad case of rsv so thats fun. im doing okay mentally, starting therapy soon (after having to convince my mother that its not just smth i can brush off). physically i wont go into, basically i should be doing stretches to help but they dont completely fix it so my lazy ass doesnt do them, plus i got told recently im going to be stuck with this condition for the rest of my life so thats fun! ah, before you type smth dw abt me ill be fine. the weather atm is cloudy but warm, its been raining on and off today which is good for the garden. uhh i just finished reading sunburnt veils and im in the middle of prom theory which is rlly good. ummm ive got a concert tonight? that i may or may not be able to sing in (bc of the whole rsv thingo) and uhhhh idk. my dog is cute? im drinking tea rn? ive got a school dance coming up?

wbu? hows ur day going, how are you? whats the weather like on ur end? done anything interesting lately? found smth that makes you rlly happy? just any random thing youve been dying to tell someone?

no no! dont apologise, i love these exchanges. i think im happy to continue them for a long time :) on the other hand, if you get tired of them, feel free to just not answer at any time. goodness gracious this was a long ask haha hope it isnt too annoying

<3 w.a. 🐺

sorry it took me a bit to reply, i was fixing my theme ;n;

yeah, i figured it was because of the roles too. my friends and i still get taken aback when 3rd gen idols are the same age as 4th gen ones. in my head it doesn't add up sometimes. PLS THE RANT AT QUORA SKJDK tbh tho it's just going to be normalized as the years pass? esp that the boys are growing older and the amount of explicit fics will just increase. i might have to start blocking tags.

i had to look up the previous ask to remember what we were talking about xd i hope the events in champagne problems never happens to anyone. realistically, it probably happens a lot. damn i really won't wish that pain on anyone. dragging your brother into being a stay i whEEZED JFKSA additional noeasy music enthusiast o.o and ALL I CAN SAY WITH YOU GUSHING ABT FELIX IS AHA WHIPPEEEED OML can't blame you tho, i also want to hear felix sing more in other shades (if that makes sense HAHA) i really hope they'll do the role exchange in the next comeback :( or like in the near future bc i know they can do it :( the day i hear seungmin rapping it i will respectfully pass away. minho was given more lines this comeback thank fUCK i could rmb my irl being vocal abt her frustration. i don't get why minho barely has center time/lines in title tracks??? like the line distribution in the past eras just made me ???? if seventeen can balance lines with 13 members why cant a group of 8 do the same? moving on. i haven't watched the stray kids show simply bc i don't want to cry HAJS but i've seen clips. imagine if skz debuted without minho and felix?!?!? i rmb another irl catching bias feels towards changbin bc of the masked singer only to find out that the man's a rapper. i love how skz's vocals were highlighted this comeback :c there were a lot of mellow tracks! i find it cute when chan sings/raps bc it gets kinda obvious that he's a foreigner? the accent (im not even sure if it's the accent) it just shows. "putting off skz stuff bc of not having time to cry IS the kpop stan life summarised." CORRECT.

abt the twisted au o.O i'll inquire my irl if she wants to write it or not. if she doesn't want to, i'll do it. i miss writing twisted aus <3___<3 and i also miss going to the beach with my friends :' ) but it's starting to get cold here and i don't think i'll be able to enjoy the beach as much as i would if i went beaching in the summer. so maybe next summer? gone away really has an sm-ballad vibe. the thing about skz being a self-producing group, their songs don't sound like typical jype songs? and i just appreciate that bc in all honesty im not a fan of jyp groups at all. PLS the overthinking. i wish i could mute overthinking.

anyone who assumes kpop is just one genre obv hasn't listened to a single track. if kpop was just one genre why do i like some tracks more than the others??? oh you've only recently become a kpop stan? tbh im not a fan of the bright songs of bts either. i liked their older ones *chefs kiss* really matched high school vibes. yg has good artists and they're just wasting the talent ~.~ that strategy they have will get tiring eventually. people will stop waiting on blackpink and move on to newer more active groups ://

HAHAHAH yeah the 23 members is pretty overwhelming! it was the reason i didn't bother stanning before quarantine started. i don't regret stanning tho, met my ult bias in that group <3___<3 i don't really purchase albums unless i like the tracks xd ohhh getting into ateez just in time for the comeback! let me know what you think about them! i was fond of them at some point but grew out of it. good luck with memorizing enhypen! it took me a while to distinguish to people there XD i haven't checked out kard yet but chan plays their songs during lives and they're sexc hype music me likey *u*

i had to look up rsv im sorry. i'm glad you're recovering! please rest more and don't stress yourself out. bro i wish i could go to therapy too bc i have weird issues i can't justify and i need a professional to tell me what's the reason behind it. stuck with what condition btw? what happened? i'm sorry in case i just forgot. yesterday was a bit rainy for me too :(( it's not the type of rainy that makes me anxious so B) oh concert! good luck and i hope you'll be able to sing but i also don't think it's best for you rn :c what's your dog's breed? and yes i just finished drinking tea too. AAAAA i miss school dances :(( the last one i was supposed to have was cancelled bc of covid.

i was less productive today and i'm teetering between being mentally stable and becoming a hermit again. i'm anxious with a lot of things atm so like : D not the best state. today it was a bit sunny but not hot hot which was nice. i changed my theme today bc i couldn't wait for sept. 1st. and no i haven't found anything that makes me happy HAHAHA shit like that's hard to identify. don't have anything to say too, i'm just thinking about why i'm procrastinating too much atm T_T and i'm listening to this rap song atm and one of the rappers sounded like han.

it isn't annoying! i enjoy the long exchanges but i do admit it takes me awhile to type down a reply. so if i get more busy, it'll prolly take a bit longer for me to reply.

#toff.asks #wild anon 🐺

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altcvnningham · 4 years

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1, 3, 5, 15, 18 and 20 😳😳😳😳

thank you for the ask!!! (also superior url omg 👁👄👁🤲🏻)

also my answers here are suuuuper long, because i’m a rambling idiot who’s way too involved in my OC’s. so uhhhh sorry in advance,,,,,

1. what radio station(s) do you listen to?

Vana’s a Samurai stan. She wishes she wasn’t. But, y’know, Morro Rock it is. Once upon a time when she was an even angrier teen, though, she’d listen to shit just like Ritual FM.

(My music taste is all over the place, and though blues is technically my fav bc i love old music, i never listen to it in 2077. So I switch between Body Heat, the Dirge, Vexelstrom for like 2 songs, and ofc, Morro Rock. But of all stations, there’s at least one song that i HATE so I can never stick to one for a whole ride sknsksjsjs)

i think i got the names right?? Idk yall i dont have it in front of me ndndndndhjs

3. how did you feel about Johnny that first night in the apartment, and how does it differ from what you feel now after everything?

so i’m gonna cut a read-more here because i decided to just lore dump Vana x Johnny here so uhhhhhh rip also //SPOILERS//

Vana is an extremely, seriously private, guarded person. Before Johnny, Panam, Kerry- Jackie was the only person she’d ever truly let near her, to get to know her. So obviously waking up to someone else living inside her fucking head was one of the worst things that’s ever happened to her. Her past is also something she’s not particularly proud of, so Johnny getting to witness all that is traumatising. Getting Johnny out of her head was priority number one, even if digging the chip out would kill her.

But after getting fucked over by the VBs, and both of them thinking she was gonna die, Johnny takes her to that abandoned hotel in Pacifica- it’s the first time he’s given her even a sliver of kindness, and the first time she’s ever openly expressed her fears to him, even if he could already sense them before. Oaths and promises are something she holds to incredibly high importance, so obviously when Johnny gives her his dog-tags, ‘proof of my promise’, she never, ever lets them go, never takes them off. (she still doesn’t. they keep her grounded. holding them to calm herself has become a reflex, for whatever reason.)

Everything just seemed to slowly change after that. For two people who hate vulnerability, it’s the only thing that helped them actually see each other. As the Relic continues to take over, they both understand each other more, feel each other more- and eventually it becomes hard to discern where Vana ends and Johnny begins. In cliché Johnny x V fashion like yeah duh it goes further,,,, cockwhore!Vana,,,,,, but with that they also start to become extremely possessive and jealous over one another- Johnny immediately on the defensive about whoever comes close to her, Vana selfishly hiding and keeping Johnny’s existence to herself, even if it slows the hunt for a remedy to the chip- to the point of seriously toxic co-dependency. It’s full of volatile ups-and-downs, fights and make-ups, and Vana almost comes to like the fact that she never has to explain nor hide what thoughts and feelings pass through her mind, no matter how dark or vulnerable. She prefers most things to remain unsaid, but values the fact that they both have a clear, transparent understanding of each other regardless.

But there's also... softer moments. When Johnny puts aside his ego for once, he learns to like the quiet that Vana does, brief as it can be sometimes. He'll sort of just... stay around the room, even if just to procrastinate retreating back into her head, because they realise they like each other's silent, wordless company. He'll wake her up from nightmares, hold her neck and kiss her back to sleep, or until the sun comes up, if she can't. It's all tender things they often pretend doesn't even happen, out of pride, I think, but they both know deep down that those are really the best parts.

Comes to a place where she suddenly hits a wall, and realises, I don’t want him to leave.

She’s never the same again after Mikoshi.

(But uhh anyway fuck V I’m horny on main for Keanu so i was here for the whole riiiiiide yeeeeeee)

5. how do your loved ones (LI, found family, etc) feel about you being a merc? or if you’ve given up the life now that everything’s finished, what was their reaction?

Vana grew up in a rich corp family, and after all the shit she’s endured just to appease her father, don’t think anyone could hate corps more than she does (some details of her past here!!) So when Arasaka kicks her out and Jackie finally convinces her to start merc work, it’s amazing how quickly she slips into the role, almost like she was made for it- an anonymous face within the city, free to roam and drift as she wants, relying on herself and herself only.

Vana works quickly and quietly enough (though not at all with clean hands), relying on stealth and netrunning, so she doesn’t cause too much of a noise that’d have her loved ones (rare as they are) all too concerned. Judy isn’t scared Vana’d be caught in gunfire, because when Vana works, her targets rarely know she’s even there. She’s smart, cunning. Panam appreciates that these skills have helped her out, so she can’t complain. River- who is unfortunately more fond of Vana than she is of him, given that she’s not too comfortable at accepting affection- isn’t too happy about the life she leads, but hey, it’s her skills as a merc and as one of NC’s most adept netrunners that he even stood a chance of finding Randy as quick as he did, so he feels indebted to her for that. Kerry thinks it’s fuckin awesome that she gets to do as she wants and provides for herself, bestieeees

Given she isn’t all that close with many people- keeping her distance and all- the only people who seriously worry about her are folks like Vik, Misty, and Mama Welles, especially the latter two, who knew how much Jackie meant to her, and how easily she cracks under the weight of grief. The only thing, really, that concerns everybody around her, is how insatiable her bloodlust becomes, and how much she'd throw away just to try and quell it.

Johnny’s just in it for the ride. Rather she work for herself than a filthy corp, anyway.

After Mikoshi, losing Johnny, making it to the major leagues, she fuckin... just doesn't care anymore. She hates the big glass house that was practically forced onto her (reminds her too much of her stifling corp childhood), she hates that she has 20 cars that clog up her garage and not just her trusty red Yaiba Kusanagi, hates that folks keep giving her all this shiny golden shit that she doesn't want, like any of it's worth a damn. Since then she's hardly in one place- never at home if she can help it, and either wanders aimlessly around the streets and crashes over at Kerry's to sleep through grief. It isn't the merc life she wants to leave, but major leagues turned out to be a glittering pile of dogshit she wants no part in. She only really stays there because Jackie would've wanted it.

(i’m a lazy bitch like i don’t wanna be a merc. i wanna be one of those cute npc’s with the glowy earrings and bunny backpacks and skimpy plastic skirts, who picks up noodles on the way home to go watch watson whore. in my ideal life i am NOT the main character snnsmsnsks)

15. which NPC is your bff?

Kerry. Kerry is Vana’s ride or die. No fucking questions asked. Kerry’s the only person (besides Johnny, i guess) as close to her as Jackie was. He’s really the only person that ever gets her to smile, like really, stupidly, goofily smile, and despite being almost complete opposites, they just understand each other so well. Whenever they need something, they're the first person they'll call. Happens so often that just as Vana sifts through her contacts to find his, Kerry's already calling for her first. They're practically joint at the hip.

They both live loud, fast lives, but also know how to make time for silence and introspection, something they both need to stay grounded. Vana doesn't buy into his zen-wellness-yoga crap, but sure, she tries copying a couple moves while he's doing it on a lazy afternoon, before scoffing how this is fuckin' dumb and retreats back to the couch. Also, as much as she hates being reminded of the wealth that came with her corpo upbringing, she loves using up all his expensive products, and tends to klep a bottle of his shampoo when she runs out. Cute how she thinks he doesn't notice.

After what happened in Mikoshi, she practically lives at Kerry's place, just dozing away miserably as he lounges by the pool, or curl up on the couch to mindlessly watch his old Samurai tapes (he doesn't like it much, but if it helps her through whatever shit she's going through, he's not gonna take that away from her). On better days, when she actually pulls herself out of bed, he teaches her to play guitar, slipping in a couple tricks Johnny taught him. Funnily enough, the whole thing helps him find some closure too.

( me,, I need a girl like Panam in my life to endorse all of my stupid ideas )

18. what’s your dream cyberware (either something that was shown in lore that wasn’t available in game or mental creation of your own)?

I don’t have access to the tabletop lore stuff rn so i’m gonna pull this out my ass jsjsns

Anything that helps Vana become more deadly at stealth and netrunning. The most eddies she’s ever blown are on increasingly powerful cyberdecks, cooling systems, netrunning gear she can comfortably slip on under a jacket and boots- she likes convenience and functionality, but she needs it to be comfortable, too. She’d fucking kill for anything that lets her scale silently up walls and across ceilings, though- like a spider- and anything that lets her get her hands reeeeal bloody, but quietly. Guess that’s just called a knife, though.

(Me?? Fuck uhhh man i just want synth-skin that looks normal but also shimmers all pink n cute. Literally wanna be an edward cullen sparkly lookin mf. Also, i’m sorry but scanning shit w Kiroshi’s are so dope that’s literally all i want?? Idk i’m boring and mantis blades freak me out uhh)

20. is there anyone you’re crushing on that’s unavailable? (yes this is the “what romance option(s) are you foaming at the mouth for” question)

Answered here :)

(And i’ll say it again, PLACIIIIIIIDE,)

#ask #vana #vana lore #i am #SO SORRY #that this is so long #u ask me ab my OCs it's bound to happen #thank u v much for the ask!!#i had a ton of fun!#:D

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elanska · 5 years

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Miss not so sidekick - chapter 85

continuing where we left off, Latte and Kenneth arrive at library just in time for Ibelin's timed events!

wait, it's not timed, sorry, no specific command need to be entered or something, but Kenneth indeed dashed to save her from falling bookcase. Hmmm, hmmm, this feels like automated cutscene.

ibelin is saved (of course) and then we got into detective story!mode. Latte remember that in the novel, Arwin will be show up to point the culprit and punish him by banging him around the library (mmm? isn't Kenneth are here first? shouldn't he handle this case? is it tag team cooperation or some kind of bonus rivalry events?)

Anyway, we've got into shocking development next, where a mob character just pointed out that Latte is the culprit! *SHOCK* wait a minute, but Latte clearly just arriving the same time at Kenneth, she's not even in the same floor the incident happened (our girl Latte is pretty smart and provide well argument). but mob girl still insist that Latte must concoct some kind of trap and even having paid lackey to dunnit (whoa! that's pretty serious accusation plotting there! you have bone to pick with our Latte?). Latte is dumbfounded by the intricacies she is accused of when our murderous bunny arrived and not given her a vote of confidence lolol

Latte quickly put into self-defense from all the sparkly sparkly bishie stuff (BTW we noted she's quite rude to her hubby, he has unearthly beauty like that elf lady from LOTR, uhh, Galadriel, yes that's her name. but still, it's rude to scream and cover your eyes, Latte-chan). Though it's not really the case this time, Latte said current!Arwin is back to normal somehow even though she's panicking if she remembers dancing-in-the-sunset!Arwin (KYAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Latte goes *doki* for Arwin! ma boi, your effort yielded a bit of return after all *wipes tears* even though she blamed the mood sunset, but it's still your win *thumbs up* keep continue doing this man!)

Anyway, return to our situation. Latte insist she's not the culprit. Arwin just goes, "really?" (hey bunny, vote of confidence pls). mob-chan insist that Latte is and started providing more explanation on how Latte dunnit while nosebleeding (she's been staring to Galadriel...I meant, Arwin). Latte's interjected her explanation pointing out the flaws ("I remember the dress" "excuse me, this dress is current fashion craze, you can see it pretty much everywhere"). But mob -chan gives irrefutable excuse that she remember Latte's unique of messy curl of a hair. Latte can't denied that her hair is really one-of-a-kind and Arwin's comeback is not particularly vote of confidence either (hey you, bunny, do you think this is amusing?.......uhhhh, I guess he *really* do. Still, hey, they're accusing your precious Latte you know? didn't you get angry at Iron Mentalle for trying to: a. slander Ibelin = eh, now if we think again, original novel!Arwin seems like dangerous people to be around with. Iron mentalle might gone too far with the insult, but it's just an insult? there's no need to throw her away. Then again, he's beheading thugs either, so, well, yeah........(not to mention that exiling villainess for destruction ends seemingly pretty common for shoujo manga **damn shoujo mangas for ruining me**) b. trying to barrelslam Latte = eh, but that's physical. our Latte's route!Arwin seemingly content to let Latte handle her own enemies and only step up when she's threatened to bested in physical fight. As we can see so far, Arwin pretty much handles his problem on his own - like chasing Bishot to the countryside on his own, so he might think Latte would appreciate the same)

where was I? oh yes, mob-chan continuing her very detailed observation (oi mob-chan, if you've seen someone you think doing something veeeery suspicious two hours ago, shouldn't you checked it once she leaves?) but anyway she elaborating how Latte totally dunnit guys! she do something to the bookshelves, make accomplice of librarian by giving him money and whisper secret instruction to him!

Arwin got curious of what the culprit Latte whispering about, to which culprit Latte saying, oh not much, just to assassinate a certain (pesky) tower lord; Arwin goes, really? you told a librarian (to do a suicide mission)? Latte = (hey, don't underestimate), he's actually stone-hearted reclusive master of.....

we got interrupted by mob-chan who got flustered how culprit!Latte totally unfazed (and kind of ridiculing) when she unravelling her assassination by falling bookshelf plot and adding more of suspicious details that seems like the true culprit would known (hmmm hmmm *plot intensifies*)

Latte's questioning how would she even know which bookshelves to prep since this is library, yanno? tons of bookshelves and it's not like Ibelin will go to this particular shelf (making same prep for every shelf in the library would be crazy). suspicious mob-chan answering that *of course* Latte would know what kind of books she normally read or something. Uh, that's not exactly a guarantee suspicious mob-chan whose name revealed to be apawn vereeobvious. Latte quickly deduce this is orchestrated by Peridot to put pressure on her (whoa? seriously? Peridot? and I was under impression that noble girl fighting is like fingers fly and iron mentalle. You...you really on a different dangerous level aren't you? I meant, flinging rumors is one thing, but actually making a crime case and provide false witness/accuser? *shuddering* no wonder Latte is afraid of you. I started to wonder how novel!Peridot is like)

#miss not so sidekick #latte ectrie #arwin hebrim #peridot garnet

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