#vibrating through the next games realizing 'oh it's my choice 2 games ago that made this questline possible'

[icharchivist]

Oh yeah, since Icha is really into Dragon Age, Dragon Age Inquisition is currently up for free in the Epic game store until Thursday next week

Just download the thing, make an account and receive game for free forever

To whom it may concern

oh true!

that's indeed helpful if the free aspect helps.

Here's the link!

I hate Epic Game Store personally (the lack of game overlay like on steam pissed me off with my ff7r copy and it kept telling me i had to be online to play a solo game), but free game is always good game.

tho as a disclaimer if you get interested in DA because of me, do start with Dragon Age: Origins (take the Ultimate Edition, so you also have the Awakening DLC, the in game DLCs, as well as the others post game DLC to play after Awakening, Golem of Amgarrak and then Witch Hunt), and then Dragon Age 2 (again with the In Game DLC, Especially Legacy and Mark of The Assassin to play when the Main Quest's Storyline "The Last Straw" is first unlocked/when Act 3 starts). And then DAI.

Like of course grabbing DAI as it's free is a good thing if you make plans for later, but yeah to me personally DA is the type of games you'd want to play in order.

(DA4 is supposed to come out this year too so. well. jsyk.)

o7 good luck everyone, and thanks anon for that!

[wintaejk]

Jungkook’s FIC REC | OS 2

I had too many links on the other post. Here is the second part of my Jungkook’s fic rec but with others themes.

Again, all those fictions belong to the amazing authors who wrote them, not me. I want to thank them once more. 

(f) = fluff

(a) = angst

(m) = mature

magical au

— Trick or Treat: Howling for You (F) (M) — by @fortunexkookie​

The way your Little Red Riding Hood costume lured over a fuckboy in a half-assed werewolf costume was a little cliche, but god damn was he beautiful. He promised he had plenty of big things to show you, and you took him up on the offer, not realizing that you might’ve bitten off more than you could chew.

werewolf au | established relationship | +14k

— rottenfolk (M) — by @junqkook​

a look was as hazardous as chemicals, a kiss as perilous as poison; his eyes and lips felt akin to a cure, but he was purely venom.

faerie au | royalty au | +13k

Commentary - If there’s only one one-shot I could recommend you to read of all tumblr, it would probably be this one. For me, it is rare to acheive such a level of mastery in fantasy fictions. Writing is already complicated, but when you have to place the readers in an unknown universe, it is even harder.                         However, the real brilliance of this story is the end. Because the end is supposed to satiate the reader in a way or another, it is supposed to offer what all the reader craved: a sort of closure. But here we all are, waiting for a sequel, because this story will make you want a next episode. And that is the brilliance, because you will surely never forget a story with that kind of power.                         So those are some of the reasons why this fiction is for me a mix of art, smartness and excellence ; and also why you would be missing something huge by not reading it.

— overdrive (M) — by @junqkook​

you thought meeting jungkook was just a coincidence, but the universe didn’t deal in coincidences.

vampire au | soulmate au | enemies to lovers | +13k

— Crescent Bound - Jungkook (F) (M) — by @parkhabits​

A pact bound by the moon. A secret kept only amongst themselves. Each of them experiencing their own cycles of heat.

werewolf au | friends to lovers | +12k

— Room 109 (M) — by @lavishedinjimin​

Having Jungkook as your apartment buddy was a lot to get used to. But with one early day, your heat comes up much stronger than usual, and you were desperate for an alpha’s touch.

werewolf au | roommate au | alpha!jungkook | +6k

— after dark (M) — by @seokoloqy​

Jungkook has served the royal family for generations, seen them live and die countless times. When it comes to you, he can’t watch you wither away too, but your lust for one another makes it harder and harder to stay apart.

vampire au | royalty au | knight!jungkook | +8k

— Life’s Blood (F) (A) (M) — by @littlenoona​

You produce blood cells at an increased rate when blood is lost, effectively, you cannot bleed out. This ability has served you well so far, even gaining you a rare friend, and you’ve made it your source of income, but it also has its downsides, one of which you’ve managed to avoid successfully, until now.

vampire au | +13k

— you come in waves (A) (M) — by @angelguk​

if jeongguk had a choice, he would destroy the sun. it’s not like he needed it for warmth due to his werewolf abilities making him a scorching radiator. it would also help his heart. because you look delectable in that stupid bikini.

werewolf au | friends to lovers au | 4k

— tell me your secrets (i’m all ears) (F) — by @jinpire​

You’re not afraid of Jeon Jeongguk. Even if he’s probably some kind of bear or giant cat shifter, and just a hint of his irritation had your instincts vibrating beneath your skin like a live wire. Your thumb brushed over the plastic dome of mini-Levi’s head, taking comfort in the cartoon scowl and dead eyes, the tiny grey sticks of his 3DM gear. Small could be pretty fucking powerful too.

shifter au | college au | bunny!kook | +6k

drabbles: nooks and naps - foxie moxie (don’t pull my tail) - look before you leap  - fluffles and kerfuffles

— Pomegranate Seeds (M) — by @taetaebaepsae​

Jungkook thinks he’s found the perfect new roommate, but little doesn’t he know you’re just aching to corrupt him.

demon au | roommate au | virgin!jungkook | +4k

other themes

— Every Kind of Way (F) (M) — by @taehyungforreal​

{Three little vignettes, three completely different experiences, same perfectly wonderful boyfriend JK.}

strangers to lovers  | established relationship  | +14k

Commentary - I remember when this fiction was posted. I read the teaser a few days before, and I was waiting for it. I remember the exact date of the release of this story, and let me tell you it never happens to me. But this is how much I liked this story. This masterpiece.                         This fiction is 95% made of smut. This is a warning if you don’t like that. However, what I like about Ashley’s works is that smut is not only smut (okay, sometimes it’s just pure filth but whatever). It’s not the first time I’ve read a piece of work of her and that I’ve been so thankful of reading her. Because the stories she writes are realistic. Sex is not always perfect. Sex is not always like in porn. Sex can be embarrassing. And this is why I love what Ashley writes, because she always have that realistic point of view on life. And sometimes it’s also nice to not turn everything into porn.                          What is very likeable - I said likeable? I meant loveable, sorry - about that story is also the three different stages of the relation of Jk and reader. This is also something I like about her writings. Life evolves, relationships evolve, and so does sex. So in this story, you will experience three different Jungkook. And it’s three reasons why you should read this fiction, three reasons why you will probably love it.                          One thing is sure, this chef-d’oeuvre will leave you wondering if your eyes have been burnt by the smuttiness or blessed by all the talent of this writer.

— tattooed two (ft. kth) (F) (M) — by @httpjeon​

your boyfriend’s best friend joins you for a night you’ll never forget.

tattoo artist au | established relationship  | poly au  | +8k

— Inkling (A) (M) — by @gguksgalaxy​

Jungkook is your brother’s boyfriend’s co-worker, they own a tattoo and piercing parlour. In other words, he’s tall, gorgeous, has his passion literally etched into his skin, looks incredibly good in a man-bun, and is semi-unattainable for you. Why? Well…you’re not entirely sure but him ditching right after a very heated make-out session sure isn’t a good sign. His extremely poor mood the next week sure isn’t either, but the only way to fix it is to face the beast head-on. Right?

tattoo artist au  | +17k

— Freak-quency (M) — by @taehyungforreal​

His eyes sparkle and he fights back a smile when he asks you why. “Is it because I didn’t give you something else to swallow like I said I would,” he questions, halfway through a much less subtle adjustment of his growing erection. Yoongi was right, he wants to be in trouble.

rockstar au  | established relationship  | +8k

— Boots (M) —

3000+ words of Ashley kinking on Jungkook’s boot. That’s it.

rockstar au  | established relationship  | part of Freak-quency  | +3k

— Heartbreaker with a Heart of Gold (A) (M) — by @filmflowersbangtan​

It was around this time almost three years ago when Jungkook moved to LA after his band got signed to a famous record label. He told you that he’d keep in contact with you. That he’d visit as much as he could. That he loved you. But about a month after leaving, he stopped texting and calling as much. And then a mere week after the band’s first EP dropped, Burning Rabbit was a sensation.

rocksatr au | ex lovers  | +3k

— Brother’s best friend (M) — by @lavishedinjimin​

In which Y/n owns a smut blog dedicated to her crush and brother’s best friend, jungkook. it was all fun and games until he finds out about it and acts it out with you.

brother’s best friend!jungkook  | +5k

— Sugarplum Elegy (F) (A) (M) — by @bymoonchild​

You know no bounds nor depth with Jungkook. While your fuck buddy loves sleeping in your bed and doing laundry for you with his favourite fabric softener, you are in love with a mysterious honeyed, velvety voice on Soundcloud. All’s fine, until you find out that the voice that metaphors your heart to a sweet sugarplum melody actually belongs to the boy who has been taking up a special spot in your bed and in your heart, strumming at your heartstrings all this while.

friends with benefits  | college au  | idiots to lovers | +17k

— The Kids Aren’t Alright (F) (A) (M) — by @sketchguk​

Sneaking around with Jeongguk during your Christian retreat is complicated when you’re both dedicated to your jobs as co-youth group counselors at your father’s ministry.

friends with benefits  | pastor’s kid!reader  | +10k

— Gym (F) (M) — by @hobiwonder​

Jungkook has a crush on you and has been watching you work out at his gym. One day you finally confront his obvious crush.

business woman!reader  | fratboy!jungkook  | older reader | +8k

— Gravity Check (M) — by @gimmesumsuga​

The one where Jungkook is your oh-so-handsome climbing instructor.

climbing instructors!jungkook  | strangers to lovers  | 14k

— The Monogamy Monologues (F) (M) — by @kpopfanfictrash​

The year? Some point after college. The occasion? Namjoon is getting married and the Rich Man’s Crochet Club has convened once again. Somewhere between the drinks and the laughter, everyone has the same realization: Jungkook has never been in a serious relationship. In the name of all that is holy (Overwatch and booze), the club’s mission is revived. Now though, their goal is much more perilous. Now, they aim to find Jeon Jungkook a girlfriend. (Part of The Rich Man’s Crochet Club series)

fuckboy!jungkook  | wedding planner!reader  | strangers to lovers  | +42k

— The Virgin Volume (F) (A) (M) —

This fic exists in the RMCC universe. It takes place before RMCC and is the story of how Jungkook lost his virginity. To quote Seokjin/Namjoon: “What Jungkook doesn’t know won’t hurt him and – let’s be honest – his story is hilarious. One pump,” Seokjin laughs, sounding like a hyena. “One pump and he’s done.” // Ducking his head, Namjoon tries not to smile. “It was a rookie mistake,” he protests, defending their friend. “Jungkook was overexcited and couldn’t control himself. He got better.”

college au  | friends to lovers  | prequel to TMM  | +6k

— everlasting (A — by @kimvvantae​

being able to love the same person forever is a blessing given from the heavens. to you, however, eternity has become a curse.

reincarnation au  | 18k

— Performances (M) — by @littlenoona​

The same handsome guy has been appearing at your performances and you become more and more interested in who he is - now you’re dancing only for him, despite a hall full of people.

strangers to lovers  | professional dancer!reader  | +6k

— Matching Hearts (F) (A) — by @gukwluv​

a drunk call to your ex boyfriend leads to a night of fun adventures that make you wonder why you even split in the first place.

exes au | +3k

— locker room talk (M) — by @minnpd​

You end up having a rather heated talk with Jeon Jungkook in the locker room when he announces he has been chosen for the audition you both participated to.

dancer au | enemies to lovers | fuckboy!jungkook | +5k

— not quite lovers (M) — by @junqkook​

hiring jeon jungkook as your personal assistant happens to have more than one perk.

workplace au | friends with benefits | ceo!reader | +15k

— By Its Cover (M) — by @gimmesumsuga​

The one where Jungkook makes a very bad first impression.

workplace au | enemies to lovers | 21k

— Mind in the Gutter (F) (M) — by @kpopfanfictrash​

Starting over is never fun. Especially not when you decide to take the phrase fully to heart; new job, new city, new coworkers and new relationships. When you are dragged to a happy hour by your new co-worker, Taehyung, you end up sitting beside a (very) cute, (very) shy IT worker named Jungkook. Several drinks later, he mentions he is in a professional bowling league with his friends and you rather enthusiastically invite yourself along. As time passes and you begin to grow closer, you still find it impossible to read Jungkook. Working in the same company and seeing each other so often, it is only so long before one of you snaps. But who?

workplace au | bowling au | strangers to friends to lovers | +18k

[undertaleartistshit]

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23186284/chapters/60573760#workskin

Aaand the next chapter of my fanfic is out! Btw, does anyone know how to put it under a cut? Cuz idk how 👀

____________

Chapter 2: Morning Meeting

The loud, repetitive beeping of the alarm shook Ink out of his slumber. He didn't dare open his eyes, his head felt too groggy and hazy to even think about properly waking up, however his alarm didn't fail its job of annoying him awake. Despite having no true emotions and having to rely on bottles of paint to feel, Ink made it day to day acting - almost - like a normal monster. He was happy, sassy, bright, he got annoyed *very* easily, and... he was forgetful. Was that an emotion? Ink didn't know, no one ever told him. No one explained exactly what feelings were to him. Since he FELT forgetful, he just assumed it was a feeling everyone got, just like happiness or sadness or whatever else.

Ink opened his eyes to a ceiling marbled silver and gold and walls filled with papers and ideas, sketches mostly. Color peeked through every few inches, giving the room an incomplete feeling and giving Ink the adequate motivation to get up. He hated incomplete things, hated the way it made his head ache and his spine tingle and his chest tighten. He switched the alarm off, wincing at the bright red colored numbers. 6:30. He slid his legs off the bed onto the hardwood floor, not bothering to make the bed. By his logic he was going to sleep in it again in a few hours and felt no reason to waste time on tidying it. Although it was quite contradictory to his hate of incompletion, Ink just didn't have the energy to care about the bed. It wasn't like magic or a drawing; sometimes it doesn't do what you want it to. Some days the fabric is just wrinkly, for example.

He stood up slowly, careful to not jostle his skull too much, and wove his way through the stacks of notebooks and papers and whatnot, careful not to knock anything over as he made his way to the door, the only think uncovered by paper. He took his sash off of the hanger set off to the side and made his way through the house to the living room. It was empty.

Ink was then hit with the memory of the previous night, realizing his mistake far to late.

Meanwhile, Blue was already awake in his tidy room, silently scribbling away ideas and plans at his large desk. He rarely needed sleep and he considered himself lucky, for the most part. He had only slept 3 hours the night before, but he didn't dare go to the kitchen or turn on any significant light source, in case Dream was awake. Dream was like an older and overprotective sibling, however Blue refrained from considering Dream a brother.

He wrote down idea after idea, answer after question, in beautiful cursive handwriting. He was almost done when a soft alarm went off in his pocket. He took out his rather modern phone, shutting off the buzzing immediately. He sighed softly, looking at the time. 6:30 already. Unlike the other Star Sanses and despite what people thought about Blue, he preferred to keep his phone on a dark setting and color scheme. In fact, most objects in his room where either a soft neutral color or a darker color. His eyes didn't burn that way.

He stood up, putting his pen down and pulling out a sweatshirt to wear instead of a tang top. It reminded him of his battle body. He never put it on anymore. He was pretty sure he burned it or at least tossed it. In the past. He shook his head, pulling the grey article of clothing over his skull and left the room soundlessly. He wasn't in the mood to get snapped at by either of his teammates, and no amount of them saving him could put him in the mood for that.

He stopped before going into the living room, taking a second to stop and self reflect. He was still riled up from being kidnapped just two days ago, plus last night's argument between Dream and Ink, and he needed some time to calm himself. He couldn't go into battle like this or even simply have a civilized discussion without his survival instincts kicking in. He had to tell Ink and Dream about it but he had no idea how the two would react. He wanted to put it off but if something happened than he would have no choice. Despite this, he decided to wait.

Blue casually strolled into the room, sitting down besides Ink on the couch, who seemed to be just... blah. "Mornin' Blue," Ink mumbled with a sour biting tone. "Good morning, Ink. Did you sleep well?" Blue inquired softly, keeping his naturally attention seeking voice low. Ink let out a 'hmpf', and let his head flop backwards. "I got sleep but there was no quality to it, if you understand what I mean." Blue didn't quite know what he meant, but he nodded believably anyways.

Dream suddenly walked into the room with a bright and happy pace. "Up and at 'em you two! We have things to do today." Ink groaned rather dramatically, and Blue sighed in frustration. Blue was generally a bright and happy person, but... today he was just so out of it. He was recovering, for Christ's sake. He wasn't happy about being kidnapped at all, and he had a lot on his mind lately.

But, being him, Blue reflected a bit on what the other two are dealing with. First off, they were immortal GODS who needed to protect and help the millions of AUs out in their Multiverse at any cost. That was already almost a good enough reason to spare them a lecture. And Blue could see why having an active mortal ally would be stressful to deal with, especially when going up against the Dark Sanses, who are by far the most dangerous beings out there. The two Gods had to watch their FRIEND get manhandled and get beaten within an inch of his life every single time they went out to fight. It must be hard on them. But Blue had to really wonder for a second. If they cared so much about him, why would they leave him to get kidnapped? The way it happened was quite stereotypical.

Before Blue could start becoming self conflicted, and start another argument within himself, a screeching ringing startled the three skeletons out of any security and peace they'd found in the last few minutes. Dream flinched harshly and wiped his head to the side and glared at the telephone with an intensity that could slice diamond. Blue had a deep blue bone club materialized in his hand in an instant, his stance tense and ready to strike at a moment's notice. Ink had his paintbrush in hand, his eyes already red, pointed and alert, his body language radiating an aura that could startle the most conditioned soldier.

But it was just a telephone call. After a few moments of just sitting there staring daggers and curses into the poor phone, Blue huffed and flopped back down on the couch with a soft thud and dissipated his club. Ink relaxed soon after, not dismissing his brush yet, and Dream grabbed the phone swiftly, not wasting another second. "Hello?... Uh, yes, we have plenty of time... Yes, we're all here toge..." Dream trailed off and his eyesockets widened, a glimmer of happiness dancing across his face. Blue and Ink looked curiously at their teammate, the two sensing either mischief or pure and utter relief and joy coming their way. Or maybe both.

"OHMYGOSHYESI'LLTELLTHEMASAP" Dream blurted, looking at Blue and Ink with a stupid wide grin. "Core found a lot of useful information about the concert thing. They said that they are actually pretty proud of their work!!" Ink cocked a bone brow in confusion and spoke with a cautious tone. "It's great they found that but... what do you mean that they're 'actually proud'? Core loves all the things that they help with."

Blue looked at the two skeletons with a tired glance. "Nevermind that Ink, make a portal already," Dream snapped and quivered with excitement. Ink rolled his eyes and and stood up with his brush, making a portal to Core. Core took a step into the room with a stack of notebooks, binders, and papers and smiled politely. "Nice to see you all again. I have some useful info."

The Star Sanses all smiled softly, except Dream, who was practically vibrating with pure euphoria. "Please sit down on the couch, Core!" Dream grinned as he ushered the monochrome seer to the couch. Dream wedged his way between Ink and Blue, hissing at the latter quietly to scoot. He patted the remaining space besides him for Core, who smiled brightly and laid their stuff out on the empty coffee table in front of them.

Blue blinked a bit, listening as Core started to explain and habitually ignoring Dream's rude gesture. It wasn't a full on conversation, so it was somewhat easier for Blue to follow. Everyone settled in, patiently listening. "So," Core began.

"I have gathered some information about the concert, and although it isn't much to go off of, it's enough to give an idea about how... well, in honesty how thought out this entire event is. First off, general stuff. The place is set in an empty AU, titled "\\\\\tale" and has 3 fixated portal ports, presumably for crowd control. It is accessible by every AU, which may be a problem with culture clash and whatnot. And the date and time is pretty straightforward, maybe they rely on people to translate timezones? We may need to do our part in sending out important points to others if that's the case. The music selection will mostly consist of EDM, house, alternative rock, electro, and remixes of all sorts of other things. Any more info is in these files here."

Ink interrupted quickly. "Uh, I've never heard of \\\\\tale. What is it?" Core hummed for a second, than reached towards a binder, flipping through organized pages filled with notes and a greyscale color spectrum. After a while, Core ran their finger across a line or two, their lips moving ever so slightly in sync. "Oh, it's just an empty copy. Nothing dangero-"

Ink coughed, and pushed away from the three on the couch, and puked putred black ink all over the light colored carpet. Blue made a somewhat frustrated, somewhat skeptical grunting sound, and raced to the closest closet to grab cleaning supplies before the ink stained the carpet. Well, badly, anyways. Dream rushed over to Ink, holding him up a bit while Core sped off to the kitchen with a pitiful "oh dear".

Core scurried back to the living room with a rag and a glass of water in tow. Blue waited until Ink was safely seated on the couch before he began cleaning the carpet vigorously, spraying anti-stain detergent onto the pale flooring, and not holding back with scrubbing. This almost reminded him of the honey-stained floors of his bro's... Blue resisted the urge to knock on his head to erase those past-thoughts out.

Ink rubbed his head, mumbling a soft apology. "Uh..." Ink started slowly. "What were we talking about again..?" Blue sighed, and muttered quiet annoyed curses to himself. Before anyone else could react, Ink glared at Blue, albeit hazily, and he growled defensively. "What's *your* problem..?" Blue glanced up at Ink with a blank expression. "Ink, I'm sorry, but the last few days have been a bit hard on me, and you and Dream as well. I didn't want to deal with your... uh... condition, so to speak on top of everything else."

Ink paused, his facial expression unreadable. Then, slowly but surely, it twisted into confusion. "What the heck happened? And you mean the puking thing right?" Blue sighed and inquired with a gentle but firm tone, balancing between patient and angry, "Do you remember ANYTHING about the concert?" Ink's eyes narrowed in suspicious perplexity, and he shook his head. Blue huffed, picking the cleaning supplies back up and placing them back where they belonged.

Dream sighed softly, putting his hand on the back of his fellow immortal. "Ink, I'll fill you in on what happened." Blue sat down in his spot, Core sitting down next to the former. Ink stared at Blue for a second, as Blue stared at nothingness with an exhausted expression. "Blue...?" Dream asked after noticing his teammates vacant air. Blue looked at the people on the couch with him, and slowly voiced his concern. "We need to work on Ink's memory." Ink looked somewhat offended, but before Blue could elaborate his reasoning, Ink blurted out in outrage.

"Yeah, you think I haven't tried?! I've tried taking notes, sending it on my phone, using connections to things or whatever!" Blue blinked at the outburst, surprised Ink got furious about such a thing. He wasn't exactly a self conscious person... maybe feelings from the fight with Dream last night were putting pressure on his already poor self control. "Well, uh... maybe there's something we haven't tried yet..?" Blue suggested. Blue felt rather helpless. Maybe he should have waited until Ink was filled in on the situation before pointing out the age-old nuisance that plagued his mind.

Ink scoffed, averting his eyes from Blue, with a shaky hiss. "Even if there were alternatives... I don't want to hear them right now. I. Don't. Care." Blue stiffened at the tone, that phrase always seemed to bring back memories after all. He took a deep breath, and-

"Ink, please calm yourself!" Dream begged. Blue blinked and nodded in agreement. "Please?" Ink glared at Blue and Dream. An eternity of silence and harsh tension passed. There was only hostility and anger in Ink's gaze. He was truly offended that Blue thought that it was an easy thing to fix.

Blue was... not in a good mindset. He wanted to smack Ink for not using his brain, he felt like crying or screaming. He wanted to snap at the others for not prioritizing such a huge problem that really needed to be fixed. He was so frustrated and stressed, and he was just so overwhelmed. He was sad and hurt that Ink turned on him so fast as well.

Dream and Core sat helplessly as Ink continued with his rant. "You know what? NO!" he screamed at Blue, grabbing his upper arm with a steely death grip. Dream gasped, reaching out to Ink to make him stop, but Ink pushed him back down. "Dude what the-" Blue panicked. It was too familiar. Too close. Too parental.

Core sat uselessly on the couch. They were worried out of their mind, as well as Dream, but they simply didn't know any of the skeletons, besides Ink, to do anything for them in the situation. If they said something, they were truly worried about the repercussions that would stem from Ink later on.

Blue struggled to get away from the Protector's angry grasp, his mind tittering between pure panic and a sense of normalcy. Ink dragged Blue to a back room. Dream sprinted after the two other skeletons before jumping and holding Ink in place. He could sense that all Ink wanted to do was to hurt Blue, and it made Dream *sick*. Blue released himself from Ink, running to his room before he had the chance to get caught again.

"ALL I WANTED TO TO WAS TALK TO HIM IN A SEPARATE ROOM!" Ink screamed at Dream and he tried to struggle out of his companion's grip. Dream held on tighter and said in a calming voice. "No, you didn't. You wanted to hurt him all because he wanted to get rid of your memory problem. He didn't know it would offend you." Ink still struggled, although too a much lesser degree. "C-c'mon Dream! That was a horrible time to bring it up though! Give me some credit here!" Dream squeezed tighter. "You don't deserve credit here, Inky. Calm down, please." Ink stopped struggling, and began to melt into the tight grip. "I... I'm so sorry..." he whispered. "You need to apologize to Blue, not me. But I forgive you anyways! And, uh, give Blue a minute to cool off before talking. He's probably really mad." Dream released his hug, and looked at Ink as Ink smiled. "Ok.."

The two walked back to the living room where Core was sitting. Dream was beginning to shake as he sat down on the couch, and Core noticed. "Dream..?" Core asked fearfully. "I'm fi... fine..." The sentence started out confident, but then Dream shivered and collapsed on Ink, who was beside him. Ink flinched, as he started to panic as well. "Uh??" Ink's confused voice rasped. "Oh. Uh. Dream probably passed out because of the abundance of negative emotions," Core commented calmly. "It would make sense after all."

Ink nodded, getting up after shrugging Dream off of his side onto the couch so that he was laying where Ink was formerly sitting. Core got off of the couch, lifting Dream's legs up and helped Ink shift Dream's unconscious form into a seemingly comfortable position. A blanket was draped over Dream, and the Guardian of Positivity's golden crown was removed and placed on the table.

Meanwhile, Blue laid on his bed, experiencing one of the worst panic attacks he's ever had. He was in the past, and the present and future paid him no mind.

~~~[]~~~

Hate, worry, apprehension, fear, anxiety, panic, frustration, anger, nervousness, sadness, and betrayal.

Nightmare's single resting eye opened from his slumber. He took a deep breath, relieved at the singular negative emotions coming from an unknown source. He stood from his simple bed, leaving and walking towards the kitchen, where his fa-... minions were eating breakfast.

"Mornin' Boss!" Cross grinned. "Good morning everyone," Nightmare greeted, walking to the coffee machine, by which Horror was leaning on the counter, his singular eyesight fixated on the filling pot. "What's gotten you up so early?" Horror inquired, slowly. He was never a quick speaker, and the gang respected that. "You're one to talk," Killer snickered. Everyone responded with various levels of laughter and chuckles. "Well," Nightmare began. "I woke up because there was a huge influx of negative emotions from some random unknown place. And I have a feeling that if we go there, we can really fuck up whoever has those feeling, y'know?"

Dust grinned creepily. "Soo you're saying this isn't a slaughter, but a torture?" Nightmare chuckled, "That's one way of putting it. I have the coordinates so we can go right after breakfast. I've never seen code like it before though, we should be careful." All the Sanses agreed, as they began to cook and sip on their preferred drinks.

Little do they know...

[imagining-supernatural]

Chapter 2: History Class

Cracks In The Dam Series – Bucky’s POV

She’s a quiet engineering and physics major trying to forget the demons of her past, and he’s the campus playboy trying to turn over a new leaf. Their friendship is unlikely, but just might be forged to withstand the cracks in the dams they’ve built to protect themselves. (BuckyxReader college au)

Word Count: 2723

“Hey Bucky,” one of the girls in my history class said with a grin and a wink. I just gave her a slight nod as I finished the rest of my coffee. I didn’t remember her name, but I was pretty sure we’d hooked up once or twice. She didn’t seem too familiar though, so it was probably at least a year ago.

I might not remember the names of all the women I slept with, but I sure as hell remembered their faces. I wasn’t a complete douche.

“Have you started on the term paper we have due?” She shifted her weight, popping her hip out a bit and pushing her boobs forward as she pouted slightly. “I just can’t pick a topic. There are so many good options.”

I wasn’t up for this today. I’d spent all of last night on the phone with Aunt Jeanie, trying to figure out what to do with Rebecca. I was running on about two hours of sleep, five shots of espresso, and a prayer to make it through the day. Chatting with someone who, I’m sure was a great person, but didn’t seem to have much substance around me was just too exhausting.

“I’m halfway done already,” I said carelessly, tossing the empty coffee cup in a nearby trashcan. “Good luck with yours, though.”

And with that, she actually let me pass by. Thank God she wasn’t one of the clingy ones.

Once I was through the doors and into the lecture hall, I surveyed my options. My usual seat in the back was already surrounded by a few of the guys I hung out with and a group of girls. If I couldn’t even handle a conversation with that chick earlier, there was no way I would survive an entire hour surrounded by them.

That left two options: Sit alone or take the seat that always seemed to be open next to Y/N and finally see what she did all hour in her notebook.

It was basically a no-brainer decision.

I’m halfway in my seat before I speak up, giving her no chance to tell me to fuck off. “Another exciting day learning about fifteenth century history.”

“Oh lovely,” she says, not even looking at me. “Another stimulating conversation with Bucky.”

How she knew it was me, I have no idea. But the idea that she was hyperaware of my presence makes me laugh. “It’s been a long two days without me. I know it’s hard, doll.”

“Why don’t you go sit with your harem? I’m sure they need your attention more than I do.”

“Probably.” So she did pay enough attention to me to know where I usually sat. This new information made me grin and sit back in my chair. Was she always this observant, or just when it came to me?

Just as I’m about to say something else, and God knows what would come out of my mouth, she glances at her watch before pulling her phone out of her backpack. Her head shakes slightly as she reads whatever’s on the screen.

“God,” she mumbles. “It’s like babysitting a five-year-old.”

Underneath her slightly annoyed expression is that same small smile she had after that Tony guy drove off on Friday night. “That the dude from your date on Friday?”

“Yeah,” she says almost without thought. At least, I assume it’s without thought because she normally never reveals anything to me. “But it wasn’t a date.”

“Not a date,” I scoff as she types out a text. “Right. Dressed like you were? Doll, that dress you wore was probably more than my last paycheck.”

And just like that, my mind flashes back to that night and that dress. Damn she had a nice body. Just the memory of how she looked was enough to wake me up even more. Sitting by her had definitely been the right choice today.

For the first time since I sat down, she turned in her chair and faces me head on. Her eyes bore into mine and there’s a slight smirk playing around the corner of her lips. Her very kissable lips. Dammit Steve.

“Why so interested in my love life, Barnes? Your one-night stands getting boring?”

And there was the deflection I was so used to from her. So I mimic her posture, leaning forward with my elbows on the desk. “Why so defensive, Y/L/N? Jealous that your best friend found her true love and you struck out on Friday night?”

Her groan was immediate, and it made me smile. This wasn’t just a ploy in our little bantering game. That groan was a genuine Y/N reaction. She probably wasn’t aware, but her walls were slowly coming down around me.

“Oh, God, don’t remind me about Nat and Steve. They’re disgusting. Literally, they’re always making out on the couch or in my kitchen or… ugh.”

Even under her complaining, I could see that she was happy for her friend. She wasn’t one of those girls who got jealous over someone else’s happiness. It just made me like her all the more.

Her phone vibrated again and she read the messages, rolling her eyes.

“Boy trouble?” I can’t help the teasing any more than she can help the glare she throws my way.

“Boss trouble. Gimme a sec.”

As she puts her phone to her ear, I think about her last few words. She’d just excused herself from our conversation. Politely. She probably didn’t even realize she did it, but it was a sign that some part of her liked talking to me.

“Go to the damn hospital, Tony.”

No greetings, interesting. I had a feeling I was about to get a very close look into what made Y/N tick.

“I will drag your stupid ass to the hospital myself.” Didn’t she say this was her boss? “If I’m going to be on my A-Game this week, then you need to be too. I need your brain.” What kind of a boss let their employee talk to them like that? “It’s the whole reason I have a job. I’m going to tell Jarvis to call that ambulance.”

If I didn’t already like Y/N before now, this conversation between her and her boss was certainly cementing it. This was a woman who wasn’t scared to tell someone to fuck off. This was a woman who could give my shit right back to me. This was the kind of woman that I wanted – no, needed –  in my life.

“For fucks sake, man. I’ll do the presentation. Your brain is your best asset and no-no, don’t say anything. I regret that word choice already. You need to make sure you didn’t fuck up and ruin it.”

Seriously, what kind of a person did Y/N work for? Whoever it was, she was familiar enough to cuss him out while trying to take care of him. For someone who was pretty quiet around most people from what I’d seen, this was a whole new layer.

“I’ll believe it when a doctor tells me that.” And, without any farewell, she hung up. In the next second, she was dialing another number. “Jarvis, I’m overriding whatever stupid command Tony gave you and telling you to call a goddamn ambulance. Override code: Please and thank you.”

I learned more about her, but there were so many more questions piling up now as she hung up. Her eyes flashed over to me and I grinned. “I’ve never heard anyone talk to their boss like that.”

“You’ve never met my boss,” she said with a weary voice. “You’d understand.”

My mouth opened, but I was once again cut off before I could get any words out. The professor started the lecture and I listened with half an ear. History was interesting to me and I spent a lot of my life searching out the stories on my own, so I knew enough to be able to give only half of my attention to the professor.

The other half of my attention started wandering to Rebecca and Aunt Jeanie, but I quickly pulled it back into place. I could worry about them later. Things were a mess, but I couldn’t let it overtake my entire life.

So I glanced down to Y/N’s notebook to see what kind of a notetaker she was. Instead of dates and names and events the professor was saying, her page was covered with drawings and calculations. I knew she was smart. Nat wouldn’t shut up about how smart Y/N was. But I’ve never seen her in action. She was entirely focused on whatever the hell she was trying to figure out. Arrows, numbers, and scribbled out equations littered the paper.

Just as she got another text and read it on her watch, I leaned closer and saw what looked to be a drawing of a boot.

She muttered something under her breath, probably about the text, and I leaned closer. She obviously wasn’t paying attention to class, so I wouldn’t be distracting her too much. “You a fashion designer or something?”

Obviously not, since most clothes didn’t require advanced calculus.

“Or something.” Her hand on my shoulder pushed me away a bit. “Dude, personal space.”

A few minutes passed where she just stared at her paper with squinty eyes. I could practically hear the gears turning in her head. Damn, I wish I could see her thought process. Instead, I leaned over and pointed at one of the boot-looking doodles she was staring at. “If you’re wondering what color to make it, I’d go with a bright green.”

“Not helping.” She was so focused on her notebook. Why had she even come to class today if she wasn’t going to pay attention? Either she already knew all about the Ming Dynasty and the spread of Islam into Africa, or she was so lost by this point in the semester that paying attention wouldn’t do any good. If the latter was the case, I could use that to my advantage.

For the rest of class, I made my plans. From what I’ve learned about her so far, getting Y/N to spend more time with me was going to be difficult. I had to play my cards just right. She was a busy woman, so carving out any portion of her schedule would already be like climbing Mount Everest. And there was the fact that my reputation preceded me, so I would have to overcome her preconception that I wanted to spend time with her just to get into her pants.

Not that I didn’t want to get into her pants. Any guy would be an idiot to refuse her. And, like Nat said last weekend, any chick would be an idiot too.

But I needed Y/N in my life to keep my sanity. Between her, Nat, and Steve, I felt like I had a chance of making it through my last few semesters of college and talking some sense into my little sister. Three people who weren’t afraid to call me out.

I needed Y/N. Even as just a friend.

“Well, that was a fascinating lecture, as usual,” I said, holding back a grin when Y/N snapped her head up with wide eyes, surprised that class was over.

“I sure hope none of that’s gonna be on the test.” Her weary mumble gave me hope. So she didn’t have a clue as to what was going on in this class.

Good.

That was what my entire plan was built on.

Now I just had to figure out how to bring it up… It wasn’t until we were outside the classroom that I decided to just come out and say it.

“You know, I could help you out with this class.”

“You?” She seemed far too doubtful. “Really?”

Did she really think that little of me? “Hey now, just because I’m hot and sexy as hell doesn’t mean I can’t be smart too. You should know.”

“Right,” she scoffed. But I wasn’t sure if the scoff was directed towards my comments about me or about her. She obviously knew how smart she was. But she had to know how attractive she was, too. I almost said something, but then I caught sight of the way her forehead was scrunched up a bit and the way the corner of her mouth twitched. She was considering my offer.

“No strings?”

“What kind of strings would I attach, Y/L/N?”

She stopped right outside the door and turned to stare at me. I wasn’t unused to having people’s eyes on me, but something about Y/N unnerved me. I tried my hardest not to let it show, though.

She was so close to accepting. I could see it. I just needed to find the right way to tip her over the edge. Coming right out and offering to help her seemed to get her attention. Suppose it couldn’t hurt to be completely truthful.

“Okay. Fine. One string,” I amended.

“Ha! I knew it.”

Tell it like it is. Y/N was friends with Natasha. She had to be used to blunt truths. If I was completely upfront with her, my chances at actually being her friend had to be better, right?

“One string…” I looked straight at her. “Friendship. That’s it. I promise. I’ll help you, but you have to admit that we’re friends.”

“Why?” She was completely taken aback. I guess that friendship wasn’t a request she ever expected from, what had she called me two weeks ago? The campus playboy bad boy?

Since the truth thing seemed to be working, I kept with it. I knew exactly how she would take my reasons, so I just decided to own up to them. “Alright, this is going to make me sound like a complete douche, but it’s the truth, I swear.”

“Spit it out, Buck.”

Buck. Not Bucky. Not Barnes. That was a good sign.

“I like this.” I gestured between us as if there were some sort of a string, or an invisible blob of whatever the hell our relationship was at the moment. “Because you’re not into me. Besides Nat, you’re the only other woman who doesn’t try to get my attention or get into my pants. It’s refreshing.”

Her face twisted into fake sympathy. “Poor Bucky. It must be so hard to have all the women falling over themselves for you. Being the resident sex-god must just be the worst.”

Resident sex-god. Campus playboy bad boy. I would have to file these away for the next time I updated my resume.

I mean, she was right to some degree. “I know, I know. Douchey, right?”

“It’s conceited, is what it is.” Now that the offer was out there and she could start processing everything, she started moving again. I easily kept pace. “I can guarantee you that Nat and I are not the only women who don’t wanna sleep with you. You just never notice the girls who don’t pay any attention to you.”

And that’s why I needed her to be my friend. That’s why I needed her in my life. She called me out on my bullshit and took my ego down a notch. If I was ever going to make it through whatever drama comes with Rebecca, I needed people like her around me.

“You’re probably right. But about our deal, whattaya say, friend?” I had one last argument up my sleeve. “Besides, we’re gonna spend a lot of time together anyway, with Nat and Steve dating. Might as well accept the inevitable.”

She glanced at her watch again, reading the message that came up. Her lips quirked up at the message, then she looked up at me and her smile changed a little, but it was still a smile. That was a good sign.

“Let’s see how the first study session goes.”

My grin was instantaneous. I was going to be late for my next class if I didn’t hurry, so I started walking backwards, away from wherever she was heading. “Tomorrow at one? Grab some lunch while we’re at it?”

“I have to work all day. I can do Wednesday at one though.”

It would be tight with my schedule, but I couldn’t chance her cancelling. “I’ll meet you at your place with food then. See ya later, friend!”

----

Series Taglist Open. Add Yourself HERE

Bucky Babes: @lavieenlex @hallow-hazel @infinity-dreamchaser @clintawcoffeenobarton  @amomenttowrite @zanthiasplace @clairese1980 @bandbandeau @zahiaouzidane @li-ssu @mogaruke @molly-hooperific @optimistic-babes @scarletlingeries

Series Tags: @skatinginpr0gress @lilypalmer1987 

[noona-clock]

That’s All 🐺 - Part 4

Genre: High School & Werewolf!AU/Fluff

Pairing: Jisoo x You

By Admin B

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

After a good night’s sleep, and a weekend away from Jisoo, you were able to confirm you really hadn’t been jealous. Especially not of Marisa. You’d just been feeling protective because you knew your best friend was emotionally fragile after discovering he was a werewolf - even if he would never actually admit it out loud.

And you also really did hate when people played games; you would much rather someone be straightforward and honest with you, even if it meant them telling you something you didn’t want to hear.

Except... well...

You kind of weren’t being honest with yourself.

Because you told yourself over and over again Jisoo was your best friend, nothing more.

But deep down you knew this was not true.

Deep down, you had inklings of feelings for him.

Way, way deep down.

But they still existed.

You just chose to ignore them and pretend they did not exist.

Which was actually fairly easy to do since you were somewhat busy with school, and Jisoo got busy once all of his sports started.

But then... Fall Break happened.

And every single one of your friends and every single one of Jisoo’s friends went on the trip to London.

So it was literally just the two of you. Alone. The whole week. And you’d not gone on the trip specifically so you could hang out with him and support him since it was also the week of the full moon.

As you slid your arms through the sleeves of your lightweight coat, preparing to walk the few blocks to Jisoo’s house, you decided maybe this would be good for you. Maybe spending all this time with him would remind you how immature and annoying and not attractive he really was.

Over halfway through your journey, your phone began to vibrate in your coat pocket. You quickly fished it out, answering immediately when you saw the name of that immature, annoying, not attractive best friend of yours.

“What?”

“Where are you?” he asked with a bit of concern in his voice.

“I’m on my way!”

“You said you were leaving at 11,” he pointed out. “It’s almost 11:30, you should’ve been here twenty minutes ago.”

“Wow, excuse me,” you chuckled. “I decided to walk. Sorry for wanting to be healthy for once.”

“You’re walking all by yourself?”

“...Yes.”

Jisoo let out an exasperated sigh, and you chuckled again.

“What?!” you cried. “It’s the middle of the day, and hardly anyone is even at home! They’re either at work or on that dumb trip. Do you really think I’ll get kidnapped or something?”

“Listen, now that I know werewolves exist... I mean, you never know what else might be real.”

“Well, vampires can’t go out in the sun, so I’m okay from that right now,” you said, very obviously placating him. Because he was being ridiculous, but you also understood.

“Just hurry up and get here. If anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”

...Why did he have to say something like that? You’d just been trying to convince yourself he was immature, annoying, and not attractive. But saying something like “if anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself” was basically the opposite of all that. It was caring, sweet, and heartwarming.

“Okay, fine, I’m hurrying,” you sighed. “I’ll be there in, like, five minutes. Is that good enough?”

“Yes.”

And before he had the chance to say something else thoughtful, you hung up.

You did pick up your pace, though, the thought of some zombie bursting through the nearby woods planted in your brain. And when you arrived at Jisoo’s house, you were just a touch out of breath from walking so quickly.

“Geez, did you run here or what?” Jisoo asked when he ushered you inside.

“Well, no, but I walked faster after you got mad at me.”

“What? I didn’t get mad at you. You didn’t have to run.”

“I didn’t! And you did get mad!”

“I did not,” Jisoo repeated as he opened the closet door to retrieve a denim jacket. “I know you can take care of yourself.”

“Wha-- then what was that ‘if anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself’?!” 

“I wasn’t trying to scare you, I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Oh, my god,” you murmured, shaking your head. “I know it’s your time of the month, but why are you so confusing? Didn’t you just get on my case a couple weeks ago about me acting like a girl? How is this any different?!”

“Come on, let’s go,” he announced as he grabbed his keys from the hook by the coat closet door, completely ignoring your question.

Since Jisoo’s... condition was the reason he couldn’t go on the school trip, you had wanted to fill the week up with things he liked to do. But since you weren’t on the trip because of him, he had wanted to fill the week up with things you liked to do.

So you two had come up with a compromise, as any true friends would. Today, you were going to your favorite art museum downtown. Tomorrow, Jisoo was taking you to the park to play basketball. You would alternate between your choice of activity and his choice of activity until the week was over, all the while pretending like he wasn’t going to be changing into a wolf near the end of it.

Except you could barely pretend.

You managed not to bring it up at all at the art museum on Monday, but as you sat on a bench watching Jisoo attempting some dunks on the basketball court on Tuesday... you just couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Are you sure you want to change alone?” you called out. “I mean, into the wolf.”

“I won’t be alone, my mom will be there,” Jisoo reminded you.

“I know, but... Never mind.”

Jisoo paused, shifting his gaze over to you and holding the basketball still in his palm. “What? Never mind what?”

“Just, never mind.” you murmured, focusing on your lap rather than him.

You heard Jisoo shuffle over to you, though, landing on the bench next to you and touching his knees to yours. “No, tell me.”

You let out a sigh, glancing over at him before returning your gaze to your lap. “I don’t know, I just want to be there. I’m... worried, I guess.”

There was no possible way you could look him in the eye right now because you knew your words were toeing the line of friendly and more-than-friendly. But you couldn’t bring yourself to care because they were true.

“I’ll be fine,” he assured you, and you felt his hand come to rest on the back of your neck, squeezing it gently. “And... besides. I don’t want you to...”

He trailed off, and this urged you to actually look up at him. His expression was somewhat nervous. Or maybe just anxious.

“You don’t want me to...?” you prompted.

He let out a sigh, his voice slightly trembling; your heart started to race because of it.

“I don’t want you to see me like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s embarrassing!”

“Jisoo!”

“Well, to me, it is.”

You pursed your lips, though you tried not to look or sound too annoyed. You didn’t want to hurt his feelings or get on his nerves or upset him in any way. “I’ve seen you sick as a dog in bed. I’ve seen you dripping in sweat after a basketball game. I’ve seen you sunburned to your core after that trip to the beach. I’ve seen you with that hideous haircut you got in seventh grade. What could be more embarrassing than that?”

A soft chuckle escaped Jisoo’s lips, and a smile tugged at your own lips when you heard the sound.

“Do you really care that much about what I think?” you asked a bit timidly.

It took a few moments of awkward silence before Jisoo could answer.

“Yeah, I do. Don’t ask why, I just do.”

Well, now your hopes were up. Did he care what you thought because he... had feelings for you? You wanted desperately to ask, but Jisoo had just told you not to. And normally you would say ‘screw it’ and ask anyway, but... you just didn’t feel like it right now. Maybe because you were afraid his answer would be ‘no.’

So you simply sighed, realizing his hand was still on your neck. And your skin was tingling because of it. Was it because it was his hand or because his hand was so hot?

You suddenly reached out and grabbed the basketball from his lap, launching yourself from the bench and dribbling out onto the court.

“Oh, you think you’re big time,” Jisoo teased as he followed you. He got into basketball player mode, hunching over a little and holding his arms out to try and block you from passing it to your imaginary teammate.

You grinned goofily as you continued dribbling the ball, though you had no idea how you were going to maneuver past him - you didn’t stand a chance on your own much less with a basketball in your hands. And trying to keep dribbling it at the same time? Forget it.

The only choice you had was to clutch the ball to your stomach and make a run for it, and even though you knew that wasn’t allowed in basketball, you did it anyway.

“Hey! Traveling!” Jisoo cried, quickly darting out and reaching for you. He grabbed you easily by the waist, picking you up and trying to push the ball out of your hold.

“Stop!” you giggled wildly, shrieking with delight as the two of you play-fought for control of the basketball. “I wasn’t traveling!”

“Uh, yes, you were!” Jisoo sputtered in-between his laughs.

“Okay, okay, I was traveling!” you relented. “Put me down!” His body heat had already permeated through your coat, and it felt too deliciously nice. It made you uncomfortable because you wanted him to just keep holding you.

Jisoo paused for a few moments before setting you back on the ground and backing away. He looked at you with very suspicious eyes, though, his brow furrowed adorably. “Okay... but I’m watching you.”

The two of you continued on with your playful game of basketball, and you couldn’t stop yourself from noticing a change in the atmosphere. Ever since Jisoo had admitted he cared what you thought about him, how he was too embarrassed to let you see him as a wolf... something was just different.

And you weren’t sure if it was in a good or bad way.

The two of you spent the next few days practically joined at the hip. And you would be outright lying if you said your feelings didn’t float to the surface because of it. They were definitely no longer buried deep down, and it had gotten too difficult to keep denying it.

To yourself, at least.

But you kept thinking about Jisoo’s embarrassment to turn into a wolf in front of you and if that meant... maybe he returned those feelings.

You couldn’t recall any other time in your decade-long friendship when Jisoo had been embarrassed about anything when it came to you - even things he should have been embarrassed about. We won’t get into details, but you can imagine.

Really, the most logical reason you could think of as to why he would suddenly worry about what you thought of him was that he liked you as more than a friend.

But how could you ever get him to admit it? Unless you admitted it yourself, that is.

And what if he didn’t have feelings for you? Then your friendship would be ruined forever. If not ruined, then at least tainted. And Jisoo was too dear to you to risk that.

So, on the night of the full moon, rather than slipping out of your house to try and follow Jisoo (and his mom) to the woods... you locked your front door and stayed in your room. You did what he asked you to do instead of what you wanted to do - for once.

But you spent the whole night either tossing and turning as you worried about him or sleeping in restless fits, waking up only to remember you’d been dreaming about him.

Around 3am, after realizing you’d been staring at your ceiling for at least twenty minutes, you found yourself reaching over to your nightstand for your phone. Even though you knew it was a bad idea, you opened up your messages and found your conversation with Jisoo.

Obviously, you didn’t think he would have his phone on him right now, but you typed out a message anyway.

I know you didn't want me there, but I wish I was. I hope you’re okay and not too scared. If it helps at all, I can hardly sleep because I’m worried about you. I don’t care if you’re a human or a wolf, I wish I could see you right now. Fur, tail, pointy ears... it doesn’t matter, you’re still you. That’s all I care about.

And before you knew it, your thumb was pressing ‘Send.’

You should’ve been panicking once you saw the word ‘Delivered’ pop up under your message... but, to be honest, you were too tired.

And, apparently, that was all you needed to clear your mind enough to fall asleep for good. Because the next thing you knew, your phone was ringing.

You started awake, the sun beaming brightly against your eyes as the loud ring of your phone pierced the air.

Before you could answer, though, the ringing stopped.

Only to start right back up again.

This time, your hand darted out to grab your phone, accepting the call clumsily and pressing it to your ear.

“‘Lo?” you mumbled, your face still half-pressed into your pillow.

“Will you please answer your door?” Jisoo asked sternly.

“Huh? My -- why?”

“Because I’ve been standing out here for almost ten minutes.”

...First of all, ten minutes?! He’d been knocking for ten minutes and you hadn’t woken up?!

Second of all, what time was it exactly?

Third of all, where were your parents?!

“’Kay,” you yawned, finally sitting up and rolling out of bed. “Be right there.”

After hanging up, you shuffled into the hallway and down the stairs, checking all of your missed notifications. A missed call from Jisoo, some Instagram notifications, some emails, and a text from your mom.

Dad and I are meeting Grandpa for brunch. We didn’t want to wake you, hope you don’t mind. Will bring you home some waffles. Love you. -Mom

“Why do old people always sign their messages?” you muttered to yourself as you approached the front door.

You couldn’t open the door fast enough for Jisoo, apparently, because as soon as you allowed him one inch, he had shoved himself through and into your entryway.

“Whoa,” you chuckled. “What’s the rush?”

Jisoo whirled on you, simply holding up his phone.

Displaying the message you’d sent last night.

“What does this mean?”

You bought yourself some time by closing the door, your mind now fully awake and racing with an excuse.

“Wh--what do you mean, ‘what does this mean’?” you stammered.

“‘I wish I was there with you. I’m worried about you. You’re still you, that’s all I care about’? What does that mean?”

Your gaze flickered to Jisoo’s face, and you honestly couldn’t tell if he was angry or confused or hopeful or some combination of the three. His brow was furrowed, one eyebrow slightly raised. He was breathing somewhat heavily, and he was biting the inside of his cheek nervously.

“It means... exactly what it says. I wish I had been there with you. I was worried about you. I don’t care if you’re a wolf or a human, it’s still you.”

Jisoo let out a breath, shifting his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other before narrowing his eyes at you.

“Do you like me?”

“What?!” you sputtered.

“Do you like me?” he repeated.

“Do I -- do I -- like -- what are you --”

“Because I like you, and this week has been amazing, and I didn’t want to say anything, but this message made me think it’s not one-sided. It’s not just me.”

He took a deep breath and then took a step closer to you.

“Do you like me?” he asked one more time, his voice lower and softer than before. His eyes searched yours, and your heart... your heart stopped.

“Just tell me. I can take it,” he murmured. “Do you like me as more than a friend or don’t you?”

Part 5

Master list // RULES // Read About the Admins

[my-one-love-is-music]

Be My Player 2? ch. 16

I know I've been gone a while, but life got really crazy and only got back to a somewhat regular posting schedule recently. I'm hoping to keep this going forward and things won't get behind when NaNo starts next week.

Hope you enjoy the chapter! I think there's something that'll make up for the wait. ;)

Also on AO3!

Keith’s semester seemed to pass in a blur after mid-terms happened and he and Shiro started dating. He got lost in his schoolwork and his work-work, and all of the little dates and chats he had with Shiro over text and Skype. He barely remembered Halloween and Thanksgiving was merely a wisp of existence in the fabric of his life. He stayed safely indoors during the hell that was Black Friday shopping and made it to the end of classes.

Unfortunately, the quick passage of time also meant new forms of stress and worries over his exams and his last semester that would be coming once the awe of the holidays wore off and his responsibilities returned again. It also meant that he was once again reminded of how tenuous his financial situation could quickly become and how little control he was at risk of having over it if he didn’t manage his time and choices well.

There wasn’t anything to suggest that he was in a bad spot during his meeting with the financial office, but that never stopped the old anxieties and worries from returning with a vengeance. He was tormented with thoughts on the way home of his grades not being good enough no matter how hard he studied. His scholarship would be taken away and he’d be left on the corner of the street after being evicted from his apartment and fired from his job because there was no way Linda would ever keep someone who was a dead-end college student who couldn’t manage their finances and wasn’t smart enough to keep everything under control.

Keith felt the old urge return to apply for scholarships even though he’d just sent in a few more applications for his last semester. Any little bit of money that he could get his hands on would help, but the thought of being left with nothing and without a support network because, really, who would want to be friends with a deadbeat? It was crushing. It was eating him up inside and he had nowhere to go and nowhere to turn to and he thought that he was on the verge of dying because he just needed to breathe.

He stumbled into his apartment and struggled towards his bedroom. His phone vibrated in his pocket but he ignored it, more focused on drawing in any bit of oxygen he could and making it to his bed before he was sure to collapse.

He dropped his bag on the floor and practically fell onto his mattress, kicking his shoes off as he went. His phone vibrated again and he grudgingly pulled it out of his pocket to check that it wasn’t Pidge or Hunk trying to get into is apartment because they could sense he was dying.

Shiro: Hey, baby! You up for Skype tonight? You know, celebrate the end of classes?

Shiro: You’re not still in your financial meeting are you? You said you’ve be out by now, but sorry if I’m intruding and it went longer than usual.

Keith sighed and hugged it to his chest while he screwed his eyes shut. He wanted to block out everything. He felt like he didn’t deserve Shiro’s kindness. It would only weigh him down. Shiro deserved better. He deserved to have someone who wasn’t on the brink of drowning under pressure and breaking from the force of the world dragging him along.

As usual, the tears came unbidden. They gathered in the corners of his eyes and before he could even hope of wiping them away, they spilled over, replaced as quickly as they’d gone. He turned his face into his pillow and let out a low sob, feeling the need to muffle his cries even though there was no one around to hear them.

His phone vibrated with another couple of messages, one right after the other and he fought to clear the tears away so that he could read what was on his screen.

Shiro: Keith? I’m worried, is everything okay?

Shiro: I’m sorry if you’re still in your meeting, but I’m calling.

Keith wiped at his tears and fought to make his shaking fingers cooperate so that he could type out a response. He only got one letter on the screen before Shiro’s call came through and the next hit of his finger landed on the answer button. He sighed, knowing he couldn’t ignore the situation now.

“Keith? I’m so glad you answered. Are you okay?” Shiro asked, voice tense.

“I’m…” his voice hitched as he fought to draw in a breath.

“Are you crying? Baby, what happened? Please talk to me?” Shiro spoke quickly, words blending together. “Did someone hurt you? Did something bad happen?”

“I’m fine,” Keith said, sniffling. “I just came back from my financial meeting.”

“Oh,” Shiro said, sounding a little relieved. “What happened? What’s got you so upset?”

“The same stuff that always does whenever I have to talk about money and paying for college,” he said, rubbing at his eyes. “Everything started to pile up and became this huge thing and I just felt the weight of it all crushing me and I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen if the slightest thing went wrong and I lost my scholarship or if I couldn’t get a job and what I would have to do to pay for it all and what would come after that if I-“

“Babe, calm down,” Shiro interrupted. “You need to take a deep breath and relax for a moment.”

Keith tried to follow his instructions. His breathing was still shaky, but it helped to ebb the panic that had been returning seconds before.

“That’s better. Now, I’m not going to lie to you and say that none of that would ever happen in a million years, but you’ve been so careful about everything and you’ve planned for this. You can do it, Keith. You’re going to graduate and you will find a job. And if you happen to have some trouble you’ve got great friends who will help take care of you.”

“I know, but what if-“

“No what ifs, babe. You can make it through this. There’s no need to stress over it. What happens, happens. The best you can do is make something of a bad situation.”

Keith sniffed and wiped at his nose. “Thanks, Shiro.”

“Anytime, babe.”

He sighed. “I wish that you could be here,” he whispered, not realizing how much he really wanted that to happen until the words came out of his mouth.

“What-really?” he asked.

“Yeah…I really wish that I could be with you right now.”

“Well…”

Keith bolted up in bed, his head spinning from the sudden change. “Well?” he breathed.

“I mean, we both do have breaks coming up so…theoretically we could make it work.”

Keith pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his free arm around them. “Would you want to? I don’t know if I could leave with work and everything, but would it be possible for you to come up here?”

“Domestic flights aren’t too expensive so I don’t see why not. And you have a job and I wouldn’t want to make you feel like you have to take time off either to come visit me or for me to be up there…”

“It shouldn’t be a problem to have a couple days off. The real issue would be buying a plane ticket…” Keith trailed off, knowing that in his already meager savings, he didn’t have any room for such a large expense if he could avoid it.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Shiro asked, voice picking up speed.

Keith could sense Shiro’s repressed excitement and it ignited something in him. “Yes. I want to see you. We’ve known each other for a few months now, I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

“There’s just…one thing,” Shiro said, hesitance creeping into his voice.

“Oh. What is it?” Keith asked, hoping it wasn’t something really weird or strange.

Shiro let out a deep breath. “You know how when we first started to game and there was that storm here and I told you that I had anxiety and had trouble with storms?”

The memory of that night was vivid.

“Yeah, of course I remember.”

“Well the reason I have anxiety and get nervous around storms is that-“

“Shiro, you don’t have to force yourself to tell me this.”

“I know, but I want to. You’re important to me and I want you to know this.”

“Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I am,” he breathed. “So a few years ago, I got into a really bad car accident with my parents. Most of what I remember is the loud blaring of a horn before the crash and then pain and darkness. My mom died in the crash, but my dad came out of it with minimal injuries. I…wasn’t that lucky. Because of where the car hit, my hand got caught when the door bent inwards.”

Keith sucked in a harsh breath.

“Yeah, so they had to amputate my hand.”

“I’m so sorry, Shiro.”

“It’s okay, Keith. You didn’t know, but one of the reasons I’m telling you this is because I have a prosthetic hand.”

Keith blinked. “That’s it?”

“Umm…yes?” Shiro said, confused.

“Shiro, I’m not going to think any less of you whether you have a prosthetic or not. I like you for who you are and the person I got to know through our gaming sessions and skype dates. I’m not going to shove you aside because of what happened after a car accident.”

Shiro sighed and Keith smiled.

“Were you really that worried about what I would think?” he asked.

“Yes. It seems silly to think I was worried you’d want to break up, but I’ve had so many interactions with people who can’t seem to see past my prosthetic and it’s hurtful and I was nervous to tell you because I wasn’t sure what you would think and I knew it would be so easy for you to disappear since we’ve only known each other through the computer and-“

“Shiro,” Keith said, cutting him off. “Take a breath, babe.”

Shiro chuckled. “Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” he assured him. “Is there anything else you want to tell me? Things that might be helpful for you?”

“I don’t like sudden, loud sounds. Which is why I don’t like thunderstorms. And then if anyone sort of jumps out at me or catches or touches me unaware that startles and unsettles me.”

“So no surprises,” Keith said.

“No surprises,” he agreed.

Silence fell between them.

“So…” Shiro said.

“So,” Keith agreed.

“Do you have to work tonight?”

“Nope. With finals approaching, I’m all yours. My workload is a bit less than it’s been the rest of the semester and Linda is trying not to overwhelm me with too many shifts and always promises to give me more work during break to make sure that my earnings don’t slip.”

“Feel like having a skype date?” he asked.

“That sounds great. And like exactly what I need,” Keith agreed.

“Great. You got your computer?”

“Yeah, one sec.” Keith cradled his phone between his shoulder and his ear as he reached for his backpack, pulling his laptop from its home inside of it. He opened it quickly and before he could even pull up his own skype before Shiro’s call came through. He ended the call on his phone before answering it. “Hey, Shiro.”

Shiro grinned and raised his right arm, giving a little wave. For the first time Keith noticed where the prosthetic trailed up the arm to meet the scarred skin around his bicep. Keith was sure that he was doing it on purpose since he’d never seen it before.

Keith settled back against his pillows and smiled back at Shiro, something in his chest warming at the sight.

[mystical-flute]

WIP Week Day 7: Newest WIP

You know those fandoms that just feel like home when you watch/read/listen to it again? Well, this is that fandom.

Title: “Come Sail Away”: When Agent Reika Mutou is called back to Domino after her grandfather falls into a coma, she thinks she's just come home to keep watch over someone that won't wake. But little does she know just how much danger the Duel Monsters world had..

Fandoms: Yu-gi-oh! // One Piece

Words: 5,537 (2 Chapters) Read here or here.

Ships: Seto Kaiba x OC

 BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.

Reika frowned against her pillow as she heard the buzzing, before sitting straight up, the hospital sheet falling into her lap as she reached in the darkness for the source, a sinking feeling beginning to stir. She knew that the thing that was buzzing should not have been. Finally, her fingers grasped the vibrating phone from the bottom of her bag. Violet eyes darted nervously around the room for any signs of consciousness from the others resting there. No one stirred, as she put the phone to her ear.

"Yes?" she breathed into the receiver as she slowly got off her bed and inched toward the door.

"Reika… I'm sorry to bother you but I'm afraid I have to tell you that you're being taken off assignment," Kenji's brisk voice said on the other end.

She frowned, slipping out of the room with her bag. "What? You can't pull me out of here now! We've only just saved the Alabasta Kingdom. And what about my parents?" she hissed, violet eyes keeping a wary look at her surroundings as she made her way into a hallway far enough away from the medical area.

Even in the darkness, she didn't know who could be listening in. This was an area that had only just been recaptured from a hostile enemy after all.

"I know, and I apologize for having to do it, but we found out that your grandfather has fallen into a coma," Kenji replied. She could practically hear the frown through the phone.

The words hit her like a train, and her stomach dropped. "What?" she managed to whisper. "What happened?"

"We're not sure. We're still trying to get information from your aunt and cousin but it looks like he just… fell into it," Kenji said, though Reika could hear something hidden in the words, and she exhaled slowly before speaking again.

"You don't think it was a normal reason, do you?"

"Like I said, we're still trying to get more information. I'll fill you in completely when you get back. But… my suspicions are that it wasn't a physical problem with him, no."

Rubbing at her forehead,   Reika sighed and leaned against the wall, staring out the window at the horizon, the light only just beginning to try to break through the inky blackness. "When exactly is that going to be? I can't set up a portal now. It's too dark, and I can't just abandon them in the middle of the night. Plus the Marines are looking for us." She wouldn't be surprised if the Marines were already well on their way here, actually.

Kenji's slight laughter rumbled through the other end of the line. "Akio is on her way on one of our ships. She'll be posing as a friend of yours to take you home. Just stay put. She's got your coordinates and left hours ago."

She forced herself not to groan. She hoped this worked. "Okay," she said softly. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Of course. We'll see you in a few hours."

"Over and out," she sighed in reply, ending the call and sliding to her knees, her mind still reeling with a mix of exhaustion, anger and sadness.

She hated the thought of having to leave this land – after all, she still had no answers as to what happened to cause her parents to disappear – only a bit of speculation here and there from what she'd managed to swipe and scrape by from the various battles with the Marines they got into.

On the other hand… her grandfather had taken her in after her parents had gone missing in this dimension, and the fact that he was in a come – one that Kenji didn't think was naturally occurring – made her very, very nervous for Yugi, the cousin she lived with. He was two years younger than she was and not exactly someone built to fight.

And yet… she was absolutely friends with these pirates – something she hadn't anticipated happening. She hated that she had to leave them. But she knew her duty to the agency and to her family, and so with a heavy heart, she began sneaking her way through the castle and down to where their ship was.

She managed to make it onto the Merry with a heavy breath, fighting back the fatigue and lingering pain from the battle with Baroque Works and slipped into the room she shared with Nami. Kenji had told her when she'd started this assignment the year before to keep a bag packed at all times in case an emergency ever happened.

"It's exceedingly rare, but it has happened before and any good agent needs to be ready, Reika," he'd told her in Domino City at T.A.I.D.R. headquarters. "It's just to make sure we can get in and out quickly."

  She wondered how rare this actually was, as she paused on a photograph of she and her parents from when she was ten. One of the last photographs they'd taken as a family before their disappearance somewhere beyond the Grand Line. They'd been here on assignment and headquarters had lost contact with them.

When she'd been sixteen and they offered her a position in the agency, how could she turn it down? Then at seventeen, they'd offered her the chance to come to the Pirate Dimension, and the rest was history as soon as she'd gotten Monkey D. Luffy and his crew to accept her as a member in Lougetown.

And now here she was. Having to give all of that up because of an emergency at home.

But regardless, she couldn't just vanish without them knowing she was leaving – even if it wasn't exactly protocol for the agency.

Reika grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and sat down to scribble a quick note.

 Dear Crew,

   I'm so sorry for having to leave you out of nowhere like this, but I'm afraid I've received word of an emergency in my home town and I had to leave at once. But on my honor, I'll come back and sail with you again when the emergency has passed – I'm sure I'll be able to find you. I just want you all to know that I've had the time of my life on the crew, and I've learned so much about myself because of you.

   I'll see you all again,

   Reika

She set the letter down on the desk and placed one of her arrows down with it (it wasn't like she was going to need them in Domino). Letting out a heavy sigh, she swung the bag over her shoulder and took a last look around the room. "Time to go then."

Wincing as she made her way back outside, she frowned when she noticed Aiko standing below her on the dock. Next to him, she could see a small boat.

"I was told you had a ship, Aiko," she greeted, making her way back down the gangplank and over to her.

"This is faster," the man replied with a shrug and a grin.

"Mmhm," came the hum as she tossed her bags down into the boat. "Shall we?"

Aiko nodded. "After you."

She gave the palace a last glance as she stepped on board, going slightly pale when she noticed lights popping on. "Let's go. Now. They know I'm gone."

"Hold on tight," Aiko said, slipping behind the wheel and moving them away from the castle as fast as the boat could go. "Any trouble with the Marines?"

"Nothing that wasn't handled. Only two of the crew I was with have bounties at the moment," she groaned, leaning against the wall. "We got into a fight with some criminals yesterday though. Gained a pretty cool looking scar on my back for my troubles."

Aiko laughed, tossing her the portal maker. "Well, at least you have a souvenir from your mission."

She snorted, typing in the right combination for a portal in a boat this size, closing her eyes as the bright light enveloped them, bringing them back to Domino.

"Welcome home, Agent Mutou," Kenji said as he peered over at them as the light faded, the boat sitting in the small pool in the underground of the base. The clock over his shoulder read five o'clock in the afternoon. Well, at least she had an excuse to sleep when she got home.

Reika sighed, slowly managing to climb the staircase to the main area. "Do you have any more information on what happened with my grandfather?"

Instead of answering, Kenji frowned as he looked at her. "You're injured."

"Well you didn't exactly send me to the Kuriboh and Cotton Candy Dimension," she retorted. "I'm fine, I'm just a bit sore."

"I still want you checked out before you head home. I'll explain while the doctors are checking you out," Kenji said.

Rolling her eyes, she relented. It wasn't like she'd have any other choice in the matter if she wanted to get home. Following Kenji into their hospital ward, she lifted her shirt up when one of the doctors moved to look at her back.

"Talk," she told Kenji. She knew she shouldn't speak to a superior officer in such a way, but she was anxious and frustrated.

"We detected a high amount of dark energy hovering around the game shop leading up to your grandfather's coma. We can't say for sure but… we think that the Millennium Items may have had something to do with it," Kenji explained with a small frown. "But we have no way of knowing for sure without you."

She hissed in pain as something was applied to the scar on her back. "So that's why you brought me back from the Pirate Dimension. You want me to figure out if it was a shadow game… which only brings up more questions."

"Indeed. That's all I have for you so far, so if you're cleared…" he looked over at the doctor, who nodded that she was. "Then you can head home."

Home. What an odd concept to her now.

But hours later as Reika stood in her old bedroom, her bow and arrows safely tucked away in the very back of her closet, she could feel a strange sense of belonging. A sense of peace. Without really thinking, she slowly made her way over to her jewelry box. She'd realized on her way home that she was going to need something to cover the tattoo she'd gotten with Nami – she didn't feel like answering so many questions at once.

Pulling out a gold bracelet her grandfather had gotten her while he was in Egypt, she held it up to the tattoo, and smiled in relief upon the realization that this would cover the mark on her wrist.

"Thank God," she whispered, slipping on the golden bracelet, before feeling the ground begin to spin for a moment. Her hands scrambled to grip the table as she looked at herself in the mirror. Letting out a slight groan, she shook her head. Why had she suddenly seen herself dressed in older-looking clothing? She must have been losing her mind.

Then again, she had only gotten three hours of sleep right after being seriously injured, so that explained it.

"Hello? Mom?" her cousin Yugi suddenly called, the faint sound of a door slamming following him. Shaking her head again to clear the odd feeling, Reika made her way downstairs.

"Yugi," she said with a small smile as she spotted her cousin in the main area of the shop. "It's been a long time."

"Reika!" Yugi cried, running over and hugging her tight. She returned it, glad to feel familiar arms around her again. "When did you get home?"

"Ah… only about an hour ago," she told him, fighting back a yawn. "I was just going to grab something to eat. Are you guys hungry? I can make enough for five." Her violet eyes darted over to the three friends Yugi had brought with him.

The blonde one grinned as they moved into the kitchen. "Well, I'll never turn down a meal but uh – who are you?"

"You're Yugi's cousin. I remember you from your graduation last year," the brunette girl said.

She nodded. "My name is Reika. And you're Téa, aren't you?"

"Yeah. That's me. And this is Joey and Tristan," Téa said with a smile.

"Ah… it's nice to meet you both. Are you duelists like my cousin?"

"I am. And I'm gonna win Duelist Kingdom for my sister!" Joey said with a wide smile.

She frowned as she tossed some garlic in a pan. "Duelist Kingdom? What's that?"

"It's a tournament sponsored by Maximilian Pegasus," Yugi said, giving Joey a strange look that Reika had seen before. A look that said 'don't say too much'. "I got invited to it because I beat Kaiba in a duel a couple months ago."

The mention of Seto Kaiba was an interesting one, but Reika knew that wasn't the important thing at the moment. "Really? And so the founder of duel monsters invited you to compete in a tournament?" she asked. "Did grandpa know about it? You know… before the coma?"

There was a glance passed between her cousin and his friends as she tossed noodles into the pan to cook. "Yugi… tell me the truth. He's my grandpa too."

Yugi nodded slowly. "Okay. Pegasus sent me a videotape and when I put it on… he challenged me to something called a Shadow Game. And I lost. And he said he took Grandpa's soul because I lost the game. So I have to go to Duelist Kingdom and win so I can get his soul back."

She paled a little when she noticed the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. "So they're back. Shadow Games are back."

"Back? You know about them?" Tristan asked.

"I'm studying archaeology at school… and it was something that was mentioned in a few of my lessons. I didn't think… I didn't think it was real. Not like the items…" she trailed off, gesturing to the bracelet on her wrist. "I was only just starting to dig into them when I was called home."

It wasn't a lie, technically. She did know about the Millennium Items because of the studies… she had just been studying them in her free time on a pirate ship in a different dimension.

"So Pegasus has the ability to call Shadow Games. When do you leave for Duelist Kingdom?"

"We leave tomorrow night…"

Hm. Tomorrow didn't give her much time to get more information out of him, but she smiled and nodded in understanding as she got plates out. "I hope you're all hungry. My friend Sanji taught me how to make this."

"It smells delicious!" Tristan said with a grin as he and Joey snatched plates out of her hands and helped themselves to the pasta dish she'd made.

She shook her head in amusement as she watched her cousin and his friends as they ate together.  In the year she'd been gone it appeared that more had changed with her cousin than she ever expected. Now he was thrown into this shadow games madness with the creator of duel monsters.

Well, she thought, at least he has his friends with him. I couldn't be the only one protecting him after all.

  "I'll leave you guys to talk," she told them a couple hours later. "I had a long flight back here and it took a lot out of me. Goodnight."

"Night!" the group on the couch echoed as she went back up to her room.

"Goodnight, Reika," an unfamiliar voice whispered as she drifted to sleep.