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keferon · 5 months ago

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Part 2 of Golem!Prowl AU!

_____________________

“I hate it,” Orion sighs.

“It's understandable. But you can't change the system from the inside without becoming part of it first.”

“I was hoping I could become part of it without becoming a murderer.”

“It's okay” says Prowl ”You don't have to. That's what you have me for.”

Orion twitches.

Part 1. Next->

The fic under the cut⤵️

Orion looks...sick. Worried. Scared.

“Prowl, do you know what the Great Hunt is?”

Prowl tilts his head keeping up with the lists he received from the Council.

“Traditional raids on monsters made to consolidate control over the land holdings of regular Mechs.”

Orion rubs the bridge of his nose

“It's a massacre.”

Prowl twitches his wing.

“It is a measure of intimidation against creatures that cannot be negotiated with. Brutal, I don't deny that, but experience shows it works. The destructive activity of monsters lessens considerably if they know their actions can be followed by punishment.”

Orion stares at him. For a long time. Silently.

Tensely studying him, as if seeing him for the first time.

“You think killing them instead of finding a compromise is...right?”

Prowl thinks he must be treading on unstable ground.

“I think it works. That is all. Monsters do a lot of damage with their existence. They kill, destroy and pillage. If periodically reducing their numbers reduces their damage, it confirms the effectiveness of the strategy.”

“They just want to live. Primus' sake, they want to eat.”

Prowl sighs. More for appearances than for any real effect.

“I suppose I can't judge them for wanting to survive. It makes sense.”

Orion nods.

He looks oddly pensive.

“Ratchet keeps picking up wounded...” he stammers, apparently trying to find a suitable alternative to the word monster “...wounded beastformers. I've been to his house. It's generous, but I'm afraid of what will happen if he gets caught doing it.”

Prowl frowns

“He should have stopped.”

“You wouldn't understand.” sighs Orion ”Him. Shockwave. We want to help. To make things better. I don't need you to chide me for disobeying the rules, I need you to figure out how to change them. Ghosts and insecticons deserve freedom as much as we do.”

“But...”

Orion looks at him angrily.

“No. Whatever you're going to say in response to that. No. I know you're driven primarily by logic, but I need you to remember it well. All sentient beings deserve to live free. Do you understand? All of them. Period.”

Prowl rolls up the lists and interlocks his fingers in front of him. There are small scuffs on his thumbs and index fingers from constant writing. He occupies himself with running his fingers over them, feeling the difference in texture.

“Mech's freedom in such a case ends where someone else's hungry jaws begin. You can't expect monsters and Mechs to just coexist in peace if you give them freedom.”

“No” sighed Orion ”That's why I support Shockwave's idea with creating an academy for magically gifted Mechs. He's helping to show the world that so-called 'dark creatures' can be as civilized citizens as any Mech. He teaches them to find that compromise. We can't just expect centuries of hate and fear to be forgotten once the laws change. We must direct this process. To help the Mechs understand and accept each other. Guide them, you might say.”

Prowl feels a headache coming on, as it always does when Orion requires him to logically solve a problem the answer to which lies in the feelings rather than the intellect. He's not built for this. It irritates him.

Orion stops right in front of him and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Tell me what you think of this. If...let's pretend for a second that my morality fiddles don't matter anymore. That the problem of Mechs and monsters coexisting is something you alone need to solve. And solve it in such a way that the outcome is optimal for us as a society. To maximize the number of happy citizens. What would you do?”

Prowl is silent for a moment.

Orion squeezes his shoulder lightly before continuing.

“'Free from my judgmental conclusions, Prowl. From the standpoint of pure logic. What should we do?”

What to do...Prowl's thought process finally finds a direct and understandable train of thought. Monsters make up a paltry few percent of the population of all living Mechs. The numbers fluctuate depending on which region is being considered of course.

In some cities, some types of monsters are considered just fancy Mechs. Some monsters have risen from the status of savages to being respectable Mechs over the course of history. Even Orion's best friend, Shockwave, could be regarded as a mystical creature in some regions due to his gift of flight.

Nevertheless. The percentage is still minuscule.

But even that tiny percentage takes a significant toll on the economy and quality of life, because just one uncontrollable creature can terrorize an entire city.

He notes the weight of Orion's hand on his shoulder. Not judgmental. Orion promised he wouldn't judge.

“I'd get rid of the monsters.”

“Oh” Orion blinks ”Locked them in cages? Chased them away? Killed them?”

Prowl twitches his wings

“Banishment will only move the problem in terms of space, and imprisonment isn't secure enough. It would make sense to get rid of the monsters. Once and for all. It wouldn't be pretty or merciful, but it would greatly improve life for everyone, at the cost of a tiny percentage of living beings who were already of no use.”

“And you believe that would be a good outcome?”

“I believe it would.”

“But you're not a Mech yourself.” Orion reminds “Would you be willing to be exterminated along with the rest of the creatures if your plan were put into action?”

Prowl tilts his head slightly. Just to make it easier to look at Orion.

“You created me to, as you put it, help you make the world a better place. Sometimes in order to improve something you have to cut out the factors that get in the way. It's simple logic.”

“You didn't answer my question” Orion points out ”How would you feel if I decided to take your advice and destroy all mystical creatures, including you?”

“I am not made to feel” straightens Prowl ”My job is to find solutions to problems. I gave you a solution.”

“You don't include yourself in the reckoning.” snorts Orion “Again. You talk as if you will never be affected by anything.”

As it should be, Prowl thinks. He's a conscientious worker and a ..seemingly law-abiding citizen. He does what he can to make Mech's lives better. Even though he may not be a Mech, he's doing the right thing. Why would something happen to him?

Orion removes his hand from his shoulder and shakes his head.

“'Alright. I've heard you. But I want to make it as clear as possible - what you suggested is immoral, cruel, and should never be implemented. Do you understand me? Never. If you want to build a better world, you cannot and will not build it on other people's deaths. Have I made myself clear enough?”

“Perfectly clear.”

“Good.”

-----------------

Ratchet looks...many words could be used to describe him.

He's standing in the center of the trial room with a lot of emotions written all over his face. But if Prowl had to describe - he'd say Ratchet practically radiates rage. Not violent. More of a powerless one.

The rage of a Mech who knows he's cornered, but refuses to even consider giving up and admitting defeat.

Prowl sits in a far dark corner, silently documenting the whole process.

The council is furious. They apparently discovered that Ratchet has been dragging wounded monsters to his house and healing them all this time.

Which is ... very much as expected from Ratchet.

Prowl wants Orion here, but both Orion and Shockwave are now on a diplomatic mission a few days away, so the only support Ratchet has is...Prowl. Who can't help in any way, so he just sits there and meticulously documents the whole process so that Orion can then be informed of every single detail.

The council doesn't look happy. They say that Ratchet is sabotaging the hunters' efforts to contain the monsters by his actions.They are angered by Ratchet's absolute determination to insist that he was doing the right thing.

Prowl would be impressed, if only Ratchet's stubbornness made sense.

It's simple math. Ratchet saves lives. Monsters take them.

Thus Ratchet's life has much, much more weight and is more valuable.

If Ratchet would just accept the Council's decision now and promise to stop curing monsters, the whole problem would be solved as efficiently as possible.

But Ratchet, of course, persists. Probably just because that's his nature.

Ratchet can also afford to be so stubborn because his skill level makes him incredibly valuable to the Council. Prowl knows for a fact that if any other medic were in Ratchet's shoes right now - they would have been sentenced to banishment or execution by now.

When Ratchet realizes exactly how the Council caught him, his rage is instantly replaced by shock.

This revelation is enough to startle him and make him back down. To nod and numbly swear that he will end his "blasphemous hobby."

Prowl carefully folds the scribbled scrolls into the case as the Council doors close behind both his and Ratchet's backs.

“Orion will be happy to know that you were prudent enough to avoid death.”

Ratchet shifts his gaze to him

“You knew? Knew they could see through our optics? Did you know they could find out anything about any Mech at any time?”

Prowl tucks his hands behind his back and nods politely

“Knowing things is my job.”

Ratchet sighs. Heavy. Exhausted. Doomed maybe.

“How does Orion deal with it...”

“Orion has a reputation with the Council. They consider him a decent, law-abiding Mech, so they see no point in keeping tabs on him.”

“Are you kidding?” Raetchet raises his eyebrows “Orion can't do everything he does and remain ‘decent’ in their eyes. He and Shockwave practically cuddle with every possible creature every day and all they get is a little reprimand????”

Prowl tilts his head

“Orion learned to look away in time. And he has me for everything else.”

Ratchet doesn't answer him. He rubs the bridge of his nose tiredly and starts to walk away.

His shoulders look oddly tense. He looks defeated, but not in the way a Mech would describe a slain turbofox. No. There is a deep-seated, angry determination.

A willingness to act dictated by desperation.

The news of the surveillance has thrown Ratchet off balance but not knocked him off his feet as the Council had hoped.

Prowl looks at his back and walks off in the opposite direction. The problems of living, feeling Mechs have always been and will always be mysterious to him.

Ratchet does what no one expects him to do.

He doesn't stage protests. He doesn't accept the verdict.

He leaves silently, taking with him only medical supplies and an old lantern.

The council is furious, turning over every stone in an attempt to find him, but all in vain.

Prowl's daily duties now include “keeping track of any possible news related to Ratchet.“

And then, no matter what he finds, report to Orion that he's found nothing.

Put on a little regular show for all concerned. Show the Mechs in the Council that Orion remains loyal and does his best to find and bring to justice any blasphemer whether it's a friend of his or not.

He is his purpose. But the more time passes, the harder it becomes for him to trace the path to the fulfillment of that purpose. He envies the golems whose only function is to scrub floors. Their lives are understandable. A clean floor is a temporary but easily attainable goal. They are happy to fulfill the goal for which they were created. And then they're happy knowing their job is done well, until the floor gets dirty again.

Prowl is walking towards his goal, but it's not getting any closer. He knows what he needs to do to get there, but the variables are constantly changing and he has to adjust his course of action each time according to new information, conditions, and Orion's opinion on them.

Politics is infinitely more complicated than mopping floors after all.

————————————

Orion doesn't turn around on him as they walk down the hall. But Prowl can physically feel the attention focused on him.

“Prowl. Did you know I was awarded today for my ''outstanding service'' by the entire Council?”

“I did not.

“They've gone through all the reports and discovered that according to the logs me and my mechs are performing excellently when it comes to eliminating mystical threats.”

“Congratulations.”

“It's funny that you feel the need to congratulate me too” Orion continues ”Because I certainly didn't give orders to eliminate anyone.”

Their pacing doesn't falter. They continue to walk calmly down the hallway as if nothing is happening. But Prowl can practically taste the increased tension.

“Prowl” says Orion “Why is the Council rewarding me for murder? And where are the Mechs they think I killed now?”

Prowl checks the scrolls. Not because he doesn't remember. Just to buy some time to formulate an answer.

“They were the inevitable casualties. I took charge of their destruction. On your behalf.”

“You know how I feel about killing.”

“I know.” nods Prowl for some reason. Why? Not that Orion can see it “I also know how the Council feels about Mechs showing suspicious activity. They would have started watching you as soon as they noticed you were letting monsters slip away from you suspiciously often.”

Orion...sounds... conflicted. He sounds struggling.

“You killed them.”

“I gave the order. As any other hunter would have done in my place.”

Orion stops so abruptly that Prowl doesn't catch the moment and bumps into his back.

“We're supposed to be better than other hunters Prowl! How can you still not grasp that concept!!!”

Orion looks furious. Prowl discreetly looks around.

Around them is a relatively empty hall. Windows covered by heavy curtains. The cleaning golems scurrying back and forth.

“I understand” he says “But let me remind you that you cannot test their trust infinitely. Your 'being better' rests on your reputation. And it's my job to make sure your reputation lives up to it.”

Orion looks at him...Prowl isn't even sure how to describe it. Usually he has to argue with Orion's logic, proving his point but this time...Orion is the one arguing with him.

It feels strange. Uncomfortable.

He's doing everything Orion wanted him to do, but for the sake of it he has to do something Orion can't stand.

Orion clenches and unclenches his fists helplessly. Rubbing the fabric of his cloak.

“Shockwave can save lives without killing anyone.”

“Shockwave is one unfortunate act away from serious consequences” shakes his head Prowl “His academy is looking more and more like his own small army every day. His students are not loyal to the Council, they are loyal to Shockwave. And the Council knows that. And will use it. And it won't be pretty when it happens.”

“No...” shakes his head Orion, not addressing anyone in particular ”No no no no no...”

Prowl can understand why Orion is upset. But he also knows he's right this time. Shockwave may look like a fine example of mercy, but he walks on the very edge of the law and any wrong move will instantly turn him from “out of the box thinker” to renegade.

The Council will come for his head and the Council will get his head because Shockwave will have nothing to prove his loyalty with.

Orion will. Prowl made sure of that.

Orion can bend the rules, can borrow the Council's trust, can do all sorts of reprehensible things. He can stumble and fall and then fall a couple more times and find that it doesn't hurt him because Prowl caught him even before he stumbled.

He did it at the cost of lives. Yes.

But Orion's life is far more valuable than the lives of monsters.

Society doesn't need monsters to become better, but society needs Orion. Monsters need Orion. Because if Orion is gone, no one else will care about his idealistic goal.

“Sometimes I forget how creepy you can be...” mutters Orion ”You're going to betray me sooner or later.”

“I could never betray you.” Prowl twitches his wing.

“You've successfully betrayed what I believe in.”

“It's fine with me if you hate me for it. As long as you are alive, safe, and can continue your quest.”

Orion falls silent.

He turns away to stare at a strip of light from a nearby window. There are beautiful, wrought iron grates that cast an intricate, curved shadow on the floor and walls.

A golem janitor hurries past them.

“I hate it,” Orion sighs.

“It's understandable. But you can't change the system from the inside without becoming part of it first.”

“I was hoping I could become part of it without becoming a murderer.”

“It's okay” says Prowl ”You don't have to. That's what you have me for.”

Orion twitches.

Shockwave falls.

Prowl isn't there to see for himself, but a lot of rumors reach him. Lots. Lots of rumors.

The Mechs say the time of the Great Hunt has come.

They say that when the hunters arrived on the Academy's doorstep, Shockwave didn't let them in.

They say. He stood in front of the gates.

With sword in one hand and the Primus Covenant in the other, and declared that his school was a sanctuary for all living beings in need of protection.

Claimed that anyone who dared set foot inside with a weapon would have to go through him.

“And they retreated!” gestures Orion frantically ”They didn't dare test him! They backed away from the walls of the Academy. I don't know how many monsters were left alive in the forests that night, but none of Shockwave's students were harmed...”

Prowl listens with a healthy dose of wariness

“The Council wouldn't just let him do that.”

Orion begins nervously winding circles around the room.

“You're right, you're right. You're right now and you were right back then. They're going to bring him before the Court by tomorrow, and...”

“There's no chance of that ending well,...is there?" Prowl finishes his thought.

Orion looks pained

“They'll be going through everything he's been up to. Every forged document, every enrolled Mech who by all criteria should be considered a monster. Every time he sheltered them from the Council instead of destroying them. They'll realize what he's been doing and they won't like it at all.”

Prowl...trying to sound reassuring.

“Shockwave has tremendous support from his Academy. There's a chance the Council will be afraid of invoking their wrath and won't judge Shockwave too harshly.”

Orion continues to walk in circles

“You think so?”

“There is a good chance.”

Prowl finds Orion in Sickbay. Which is very disturbing and wrong, because Orion was supposed to be at the Trial. Supporting Shockwave and begging the Council to relent.

But Orion is in Sick Bay. When he shouldn't be.

And he's covered in ugly dark burns. From something Prowl can't recognize.

This is all wrong. It's all--

“What happened at the trial?”

Orion sounds. Startled.

“There was no Trial.”

“What?”

Orion sounds as if something inside him has cracked. In every sense of the phrase.

“The Trial hasn't even had time to begin. He...” Orion clutches his trembling fingers, hoping to still them, but it has no tangible effect. His shoulders are trembling.

He looks like his whole body could be torn apart with one careless touch. “They asked him if he would plead guilty to aiding and abetting dark creatures. All they had time to ask was if he realized he was wrong.”

An uncomfortable, prickly feeling settles in Prowl's mind.

"And?”

Orion squeezes his fingers so hard the creaking of hinges becomes audible.

“It...I...Prowl, his very spark began to ooze dark magic. It was horrible, it was like.. it was eating him from the inside. The entire courtroom became darker than night, many Mechs got burned. I've never seen anything like this before! He..It.. started attacking Mechs and destroying everything...it was like it went crazy...it attacked me and I had to...Prowl I had to fight it! I didn't...I'd heard about it happening but I believed until the last minute that I wouldn't have to face it...”

Gears of chaotic detail fall into place in Prowl's mind.

“Shockwave...turned into a demon...?”

Orion nods shakily

“The Council didn't even have a chance to sentence him or spare him or even sort out what happened.....

He stated that he did not consider himself guilty for what he had done and...Primus was the one who made the judgment before anyone else could...”

That's... terrifying really. For a number of reasons. Losing a close friend is awful, being subjected to such merciless punishment is awful, but also...

What sends a chill down Prowl's back is the moral implication that such punishment carries.

Orion, as if reading his thoughts, raises his gaze to him

“Is what we are doing...wrong? I don't...does Primus think helping monsters is worthy of punishment?”

Now that's a really reasonable question.

Shockwave would say that Primus is merciful and would never condemn a Mech for an act of kindness. But Shockwave ended up being condemned.

Ratchet would say that he doesn't care about Primus' opinion because Primus isn't real. But Ratchet isn't here.

Prowl wants to say that it doesn't matter whether or not Primus thinks they're wrong, what matters is that he can at any moment force his justice on any living spark, so his concept of right has to become Orion's too, or else he's doomed. But Orion is definitely in no state to have a philosophical argument. He looks shattered and Prowl almost instinctively is about to go and find Shockwave, but remembers that option is no longer available.

He's not made for this. Shockwave has always been the one to cheer Orion up on a bad day. Not Prowl, no. Prowl isn't sure what to do so he just sits down next to him and gently places a hand on Orion's shoulder. The one where he can't see the burns, so it shouldn't hurt.

“I don't. I'm used to always relying on your point of view as a reference for what's right and what's wrong.”

“I know” runs a shaky hand over his face Orion “But it's not like I'm perfect. I try, god, I try but just like with the logical part - my vision isn't flawless. Have I been...wrong all this time? Trying to disrupt Primus' intended vision? Maybe what I've been trying to fix never needed fixing. Maybe it's just me being so stupid and not understanding things maybe...???”

Orion cuts himself off mid sentence, realizing that he's started raising his voice and waving his arms around again. He sits back down on the medical bed and curls back up into a miserable ball.

“What should I do....”

“I don't know,” Prowl repeats awkwardly.

He is his goal. But his goal ..doesn't exist anymore?

He doesn't know where to put himself.

Golems are made to fulfill requests. But Orion's request system has been evolving and complicating for so long that Prowl can't tell where its boundaries are anymore.

He feels lost.

——————————

Orion stops cold.

“What...”

Prowl, standing at his right hand looks equally puzzled.

They are in a spacious courtyard bordering directly on the Council building. It's a very beautiful, open and spacious place because it was originally built with large crowds of Mechs in mind. There's wide walkways, a massive circular plaza with fountains and statues.

And right now, it's filled to the brim with Mechs, most of whom Prowl is seeing for the first time. They're all wearing knight armor and carrying weapons, however still kept in their scabbards.

They look like a small army. A very, very diverse army, Prowl realizes. Because there are almost no regular Mechs among them.

Orion looks... distraught.

Mechs? Monsters? A few knights separate and come closer, bowing their heads respectfully.

“Orion Pax.”

There is so much grief and disbelief in Orion's eyes that it physically hurts to look at him.

When he begins to speak his voice sounds hoarse, like someone has poured sand down his throat.

“What...what are you doing here...?”

The knight standing in front of everyone ceremoniously places his palm on his spark.

“We are here to fulfill the last will of our mentor and your friend. Shockwave has decreed in his last will that in the event of his death his legacy must pass to you and those of us who wish to carry on his work must publicly pledge our allegiance to your will.”

Orion clutches his hands together to keep them from starting to shake again.

“But...I was there. I...your mentor was slain by my hands...how can you..."

"It doesn't matter. Everything that was his is now yours." smiles the knight sadly "We will make sure his legacy lives on. And even if the Academy falls - you can always count on us."

At the same time as he finishes speaking, the knight in blue armor drops to one knee, pulling Shockwave's sword from its sheath and holding it out respectfully to Orion... who looks like he's about to start crying.

He dazedly accepts the sword, twitching in surprise when it turns out to be heavier than expected and probably tries to say something, but all that comes out is a short sorrowful sigh.

He just.

Clutches the sword to his chest, watching in disbelief as all the arriving mechs get down on one knee following the blue knight. There aren't that many mechs, but at this point - they seem to rival the sea.

Prowl knows some of them. Many of them made their way to Shockwave after Orion found them. There's the harpy over there who nearly ripped Orion's head off the first time they met. A few ghosts he can remember the faces of but doesn't know the names. He'd had a long argument with Orion that day, trying to convince him that he shouldn't take their word for it when they promised to make it up to him.

And now they're all here. In beautiful new armor. Executing their mentor's last will and testament.

Just like regular Mechs, only a little eccentric looking.

The crowd of hunters that has come to find out what's going on looks as speechless and dumbfounded as Orion.

" What" Orion also gets down on one knee to be on the same level as the knight "what's your name?"

Prowl squints warily from behind Orion's shoulder. The blue mech looks normal, but to be honest, there's no way someone coming out of the Shockwave Academy is going to be an normal plain mech. There has to be a catch somewhere.

"My name is Skids," smiles the knight shyly. "I am...was...Shockwave's best student."

"You are very brave Skids" smiles Orion sorrowfully "I promise to do my best to take care of Shockwave's legacy. And you."

Orion drops his head on the table tiredly.

"This is crazy..."

Prowl pulls an important document from under Orion's head

"It's also quite devious. Shockwave told them specifically to swear to you where all comers can see it. So there's no way for the Council to accuse you of purposely swaying an army of monsters to your side. Everyone saw that this gift was given by force. Now you have many allies with unique skills who are loyal to you and the Council won't try to take them away because they are firmly convinced that you are loyal to the Council."

Prowl examines the document for damage before setting it aside.

"It is..."

"Shockwave gave you an opportunity."

"And I don't know what to do with it!" raises his head Orion "Shockwave was smarter than me and made a lot of plans in case of...I don't know...anything?? I didn't...Prowl. We've been down this path for so long and I was always sure there would be something good at the end of it. Or at least better than it is now..."

Orion rubs his chin and shakes his head awkwardly

"...But if there's only the wrath of Primus and endless darkness at the end...I can't ask anyone to follow me there. I'm not sure if I can keep going myself..."

He sighs helplessly

"I'm not even sure if that even matters."

"The chance that Shockwave would try to use you in some way was about twenty-eight percent."

Orion twitches

"What?"

"I understand that you're hurt by his...fate." Says Prowl "But have you considered the possibility that Shockwave was being punished for betraying you rather than the Council?"

Orion doesn't even answer at first. Just looks at him dazed and bitter.

"Prowl...no. He couldn't have."

"I'm just speculating" shrugs Prowl "Shockwave was punished but as far as I know God didn't bother to name the exact charge. We don't know one hundred percent what exactly caused his...sentence. He may have betrayed the Council's ideas, or he may have betrayed yours."

They both just exist in silence for a while. Processing the information.

"If...and I mean if!!! If Shockwave was convicted of harboring monsters, then everything we've been doing all this time can be considered useless blasphemy..." says Orion slowly "...but if he was punished for something else..."

"...then that would mean there's nothing wrong with your idea." finishes Prowl.

Orion frowns

"It would also mean that Shockwave lied to me..."

Prowl nods. The situation is ugly no matter which way you look at it.

Shockwave, as Prowl knows him, would hardly have framed Orion, but Mechs tend to go to great lengths to avoid execution.

If Shockwave had shifted some of the blame to Orion then, it would have partially saved him. Was that what he was going to do? Was this what Primus had stopped him from doing?

Orion's finials twitch slowly

"I don't know Prowl. I don't know what to do. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of my fantasies."

Orion is hard to read, but right now he's an open book.

Prowl tilts his head

"You're scared."

Orion looks. Defeated. Crumpled.

Discolored.

" I am."

Prowl can't work with that. He's used to solving logical problems and making lists and strategies.

He doesn't know how to get someone to stop being scared.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I don't know." mutters Orion "I don't know, I have no idea. It's too much...All these new knights, this whole council situation and now you're also saying that the mech I treasured the most could actually be a liar and...just leave me alone."

"But..."

"Just go away!" shakes his head Orion "Go find something else to do, find a hobby, I don't know! Get out of my head and out of my personal life!"

Prowl nods silently.

Places a couple papers in their places and silently walks out the door.

Gestures a greeting to some mech passing by.

And is completely unsure of what to do with himself.

Orion's too stunned by everything that's happened to give him a clear purpose. And without a purpose, he...he's gone.

He continues to stand by the closed door.

A thought runs obsessively through his mind.

If Shockwave was sentenced for something no one knew about, then punishing him the moment of that trial was a truly terrible decision and even worse timing.

But if Shockwave was sentenced for helping monsters...Prowl isn't sure why his mind resists the idea.

Maybe he's not being objective because he shares Orion's views and aspirations.

Maybe because he has looked at the entire square filled with dangerous monsters and has seen nothing but sorrow and respect in them.

The idea comes naturally.

Then God must be wrong.

He looks at the cleaning golems again. He envies them.

They are peace and contentment.

They are a clear and simple goal.

Probably the biggest stress that happens to them is random mechs passing by and interfering with their cleaning.

And then there's Prowl, standing by with no meaning or purpose and wishing he could throw something heavy because the one who gets in his way is an indefinable force of nature and a complex system of values and beliefs created by millions of years of cultural development....

But Primus can't stop him, can he?

Prowl is not alive. He has no emotion so that his intentions can be categorized as evil, but more importantly he has no spark so that its magic can turn him into a demon.

He is his purpose. His purpose is his god. And Primus stands in his way.

He turns around and walks away.

#maccadam #transformers #tf mimics au #prowl #Prowl’s beef with God #Orion pax #shockwave #senator shockwave #Ratchet #Skids #Oh no Prowler #Orion doesn’t want you around right now #go find someone else 👁#I’m done with Prowl’s backstory. Now you know how he thinks so #when you see him being weird later you will know exactly what is wrong with him haha #also eheheh. the great hunt lore #the reason there was almost no foxes in Ratchets part of the story #I have a lot of thoughts about religion and all the ways it fucks people up

1K notes · View notes

misctf · 2 months ago

Note

I'm a fairly skinny guy, and I've always wondered what it would be like to be in a frat. Would you be able to help me?

You always wondered what it would be like to be part of a frat. Each day, as you walked to or from the library, you'd see them. Drunk, laughing, partying... what would it be like to be part of that? Where the only thing that seemed to matter was bro-ing out with your bros. You'd shaken that thought aside. After all, you were committed to your studies. Brain over brawn. Your future was bright- medical school plans, 4.0 GPA, and an internship doing research over the summer. All that hard work didn't exactly give you the time to focus on other things. Gym? No way. Banter over sports? You were never into that kind of stuff anyway. No- skinny, nerdy you wasn't going to be in a frat. Wasn't happening.

That was what you thought. At least until you bumped into Scott while walking to the library. You had been doing flashcards on your phone when you collided into his musclar back. He turned, initially shocked, seemingly ready to put his thick, bulging arms to use. But when he saw you, his dull eyes widened with a hint of excitement.

"Bro! You scared me there!" He laughed- his voice dull and dumb.

He rubbed the back of his head, exposing his pits and allowing his post work-out musk to invade your nostrils. His dull, brown eyes conveying little was going on behind them. His perfect smile somewhat predatory as he talked about his frat's newest recruitment strategy. The "Frat Exchange Program" was going to let nerds like you swap with a bro, get to live a little frat-life. And after a month, if you liked it, you'd be made a member. No hazing, no recruitment, no questions asked. But there wasn't much time left. And Scott made sure to really emphasize that you had to make the choice now. So you gave it a quick thought. Join the frat, get to experience frat life for a little bit, and then go back to your old life. Get the taste of it that you wanted, but still get to pursue your academic dreams. Seemed like the best of both worlds. And so you accepted.

The Frat Exchange Program was more of an exchange than you realized at first. You thought you'd just get to live in the frat house with Scott as your guide. But it was so much more than that. And the muscular bro that stared back at you in the mirror confirmed it. Scott was right when he said you'd be swapping with a bro. He just didn't tell you it would involve swapping bodies with him. Not that you were complaining. Your hands teased his your sensitive nipples as you gave your pecs a bounce. That musk that invaded your nose from earlier continued to do so, but now it made your dick twitch.

"Fuck..." You gasped as Scott's, now your dick, strained against the confines of your shorts.

And you grabbed it with your meaty hand. Watching as the muscles in your arms bulged. A dumb grin forming on your perfect face...

The first few days living as Scott were tough. Despite your increasing horniness and love for this body, your old habits continued. You'd found Scott's more conservative clothing and dressed in those as you went to his classes. You avoided alcohol and the banter with the other frat bros was awkward and forced. But when Derek invited you to the gym, you felt like you should go. Not because you wanted to, but because you wanted to make sure you maintained Scott's body. But that first gym session... the way your muscles ached... the smell... it was too much...

From that point on, you found yourself craving the gym. You'd started skipping his classes. Wearing only gym clothes. And as the other frat bros caught on, they encouraged you. You loved going to the gym with them. And when you returned after a tough gym session with your bros, instead of showering, you found yourself lounging on the couch. A beer forced into your hand, the big game on the large flatscreen TV on full display... Each passing day... each moment in the frat house... with your bros... It wasn't long before you were bantering with your new bros. Words like 'dude', 'bro', 'rizz', unironically becoming cemented in your vocabulary. Fuck... you loved this life...

When the month was up and it was time to swap back, you felt a sadness welling up from within you. Your dull eyes reflecting your inward dismay. Scott would be back with your body in just a little bit and then you'd go back to being skinny old you. It seemed impossible though- you were different now. Mentally, you weren't that nerd anymore. You were like any of your bros. And you hated the thought of that weak, skinny version of yourself. Which is why when Scott walked in with your body, your eyes widened in surprise.

Scott had certainly been busy that month while you were partying with his bros. He went to the gym, did whatever he had to in order to give your body the upgrade it needed.

"To be perfect for our frat." He said.

And when you swapped into your old body- now a hulking mass of muscle and testosterone- you felt truly at home. Scott had even done you the favor of dropping your classes and switching your major. And as you lounged on the couch, shirtless and bantering with your bros...planning your next gym sessions... you realized that the frat was perfect for you. That frat life was your life.

Just another successful candidate in the Frat Exchange Program.

#male tf #male transformation #mental change #personality tf #jock tf #dumber tf

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imaginesig · 1 year ago

Text

You Would've Done It Too

Ollie Bearman x Verstappen!Reader

SMAU

We all know Mad Max, but what if his younger sister is worse? And what if her on track enemy isn’t always that?

HEAVILY inspired by: Enemies or Lovers by @claypgeon and DR creators on tik Tok for radio ideas

f2updates

liked by user3, user91, user93, and 917,828 others

f2updates: Y/n Verstappen and Ollie Bearman made contact at todays GP. Both drivers are well, but forced to retire their cars

tagged: no one

user1 now this is real racing

user2 im glad that Ollie is finally giving Y/n's aggression back

user3 right?? Verstappens gone too long without someone humbling her

user4 I hope she can be tamed like Max and really put her drive to good use

user5 you know they’re both pissed

User6 these post race interviews are about to be HEATED

f2updates

liked by user4, user2, user7, and 719,822 others

f2updates: Y/n Verstappen and Ollie Bearman's comments on the incident today

tagged: no one

user1 lmao Y/n and HITECH can whine all they want, all Ollie did was exactly what they've been doing to the grid all year

user2 the jabs at each other give me life

user3 I live for this rivalry

user4 yes Ollie 👏👏 humble her

liked by: carlossainz55, user5, Olliebearman, and 927,828 others

f1: Prima driver, Ollie Bearman, will replace Carlos Sainz this weekend

tagged: prema_team, olliebearman, scuderiaferrari

user1 I wonder how y/n is feeling about this

user2 why bring her up, this ain’t about her

user1 because she's been negotiating with different teams to get a contract and try to drive in a free practice but now Ollie gets to race for Ferarri before she gets any of that

user4 and he gets to race against her brother, something Y/n has publicly said she misses and prays to do again

user3 Y/n isn't any better at racing than him, id argue they're equals, nor should she get special treatment because of Max so she can wait her turn

user5 ahhh I can’t wait!!!

User6 I’m gonna miss Carlos this weekend 😭😭

user7 please please please Ferrari have a good strategy for him🙏🙏

f2updates

liked by user82, user5, user89, and 718,828 others

f2updates: Y/n Verstappen commenting on Ollie Bearman's temporary move to F1: "It's truly an amazing experience (to drive F1). Ferrari sees something in him, so best of luck. I've defiantly noticed a lack of headaches this weekend."

tagged no one

user1 the was she still has to make a snarky comment

user2 I mean they are rivals 🤷‍♂️

user3 most civil I've ever seen an interaction between them

user4 I don’t understand why someone went out of their way to get a comment from her, let Y/n race and comment on herself and let Ollie shine without dragging the mood down by asking his rival for a statement

Pre-Race

Post-Race

ynverstappen

liked by: pauladon_, hitechgp, user5, and 817,929 others

ynverstappen: That's how you do it the HITECH way

tagged: paularon_

user1 ig we don't need to ask how she's celebrated the win

hitechgp perfect 1-2 weekend!!

maxverstappen why the last slide

ynverstappen I had to inform the people of my opinions

Maxverstappen anyway, I’m so proud!!

ynverstappen 🫶🫶

Carlossainz55 congrats on p1 little-stapppen

Redbullracing performance so good we were left speechless 👏👏

user2 as much as I love a good rivalry it was nice to have a gp where Y/n and Ollie weren’t fighting and making digs at each other

User3 I agree

olliebearman

liked by prema_team, user87, kimi.antonelli, and 728,928 others

olliebearman: P3 for my little buddy 🧸

tagged: no one

user1 awww the bear

user2 always a good day when we get a Y/n and Ollie podium

user3 its the only time they're ever civil when near each other

Prema_team very proud of your performance 🤝

user3 help im jealous of a stuffed bear

liked by ynverstappen, maxverstappen1, user4, and 828,928 others

f1: Y/n Verstappen has been called up to replace Williams's Alex Albon this GP! She's already been seen in the garage looking right at home

tagged: hitechgp, ynverstappen, williamsracing

williamsracing we can't wait

Alex_albon she's gonna smash it!!

user1 please bring Williams back to the glory days

user2 Verstappen? Nice try, welcome back Nico Rosberg

user3 she looks so good in blue

user4 Y/n lead Logan to the podium

user5 yes ma'am 👏

user6 give Max a run for his money

f2updates

liked by user4, user83, user93, and 293,939 others

f2updates: for her free practice session, Y/n Verstappen has run into issues with her car

tagged no one

user1 her radio killed me: "Um guys somethings wrong I don't think the car likes me very much"

user2 looks like she's causing as many problems there as she does here

user3 please please please I NEED Williams to sort this out so she can still race

user4 she handled the situation very calmly and professionally, very impressive

f2updates

liked by user53, user9, user93, and 928,894 others

f2updates: Ollie Bearman comments on Y/n's absence after his race: "Very unfortunate to have troubles so early on. I guess the car could tell she was a hot head haha. I know all of us drivers are hoping the problem clears up"

tagged: no one

user1 I wish they would stop bothering the other for comments, if the situation doesn't involve both Y/n and Ollie then they shouldn't make a statment

user2 exactly it feels like the media is trying to get them to lash out at each other

user3 exactly they aren't friends, but they don't go out of their way to cause problems and people need to realize that

user4 yk he felt so pleased with the hot head joke

user5 "I know all of us drivers are hoping the problem clears up" he's trying so hard not to get into it with pr

ynverstappen

liked by logansargent, paularon_, williamsracing, and 928,829 others

ynverstappen: Williams, what an honor it was to be chosen to drive for you this past weekend! I hope I've shown my appreciation through my performance and actions. Alex, sorry for almost ruining your car, get well and kick ass next weekend mate!

tagged: williamsracing

maxverstappen1 you were amazing! I'm so proud

ynvserstappen ❤️❤️

landonorris very impressive battle we had!! still pissed I lost to someone who overheated the car her first lap but yk

ynverstappen thank you for putting up a fight! so happy to beat you Mr. Nowins user8 I need more public Y/n and Lando interactions

user1 the purple helmet ate

user3 its so funny to me that she just happened to get called up the weekend she had a special helmet

user2 lmao she saw the Nico jokes

ynverstappen had bestie hunt the jacket down for the bit (its now my favorite piece and I will live in it forever, thank you Britney)

user4 someone tell her she showed her appration and more

user5 right- she gave Williams their highest qualifying and ending positions

user6 since Logan is leaving can we get her on the grid next year

user7 if you want to rush her and have her burn out like Logan then sure, but I say just give her a contract and get comfy in F2

ynverstappen posted a story!

caption: to quote the note left, "they're crochet so you'll remember this weekend forever"

replies:

paularon_

seems like he knows his stuff

I cried

maybe its time to put these ruse behind mmh

don't take my fun away from me

and he really does piss me off

oh I know

I just don't know how he still puts up with you, mini max

hey max was worse

are we sure??

bff_username

ugh what I wouldnt do to have what you do!!

it really is the best

I mean he puts up with your shit better than I do

ok now first Paul and now you

you know im working on it, getting all the Jose out of my veins takes time

and im so proud of you for it

maxverstappen

who.

bff/n

thats a lie

you wouldve tagged her

who.

overprotective much 🙄

im your older brother its my job, now spill

I will at dinner in a few days

f2updates

liked by user5, user39, usrr93, and 829,839 others

f2updates: in what felt like a rendition of the Norris-Verstappen insident, Y/n Verstappen and Ollie Bearman had a collision in their battled for 2nd, behind Paul Aron in first. The collision caused both to lose significant places in this race, but both were able to return

tagged: no one

landonorris wannabe @/ynverstappen

ynverstappen fuck off Norris

user1 welp cannot wait for the media digs from this

user2 there goes our time of peace

user3 at least this time it was clearly Ollie's fault, I mean he pushed Y/n off

user4 bffr it was a defenive move, maybe she should have stayed straight rather than turn into him? user5 turn into him?? Ollie kept changing his path in turns before and did it again here, all Y/n did was stay on the track rather than turn off

f2updates

liked by user4, user93, user3, and 839,094 others

f2updates: Y/n Verstappen and Ollie Bearman's comments on their collision today

tagged no one

user1 praying for every f2 driver tonight that they dont run into each other in the hotel or else I fear it may end in a screaming match

user2 just once I need these two to be able to swing on eachother

user3 it'll settle everything once and for all

ynverstappen

liked by maxverstappen1, paularon_, kimi.antonelli, and 928,845 others

ynverstappen: he's hot, you would do it to

tagged: olliebearman

olliebearman I love you schat

ynverstappen I love you too!! Best (almost) year ever, love

user1 im sorry its almost been a YEAR

paularon_ finally im free from this torture

kimi.antonelli you can say that again

ynverstappen nah he's still my #1 opp

olliebearman no one pisses me off quicker 🫶

maxverstappen1 I dont like you. you're not good enough for her. you never will be. I'll personally carve out another appendix so I can't drive you into the barrier if you ever hurt her. y/n you're learning to back flip right now.

ynverstappen a bit much?

olliebearman nope perfect amount, I understand very clearly

landonorris max almost passed out

landonorris please post more im enjoying myself

user2 LMAO LANDO

user3 this was not on my 2024 bingo card

user4 kinda upset we'll never see them swing on each other

olliebearman

liked by ynverstappen, kimi.antonelli, user1, and 844,294 others

olliebearman: only person id wear red bull for ❤️

tagged: ynverstappen

ynverstappen only person id wear Ferrari for 💙

olliebearman forever grateful 🫶

carlossainz55 im hurt

Charles_leclerc me too

maxverstappen1 Y/n take that off and burn it now.

ynverstappen no 🫶

user1 im crying they work out together 😭

user2 I just wanna know when that second picture was taken

olliebearman before she got caught leaving the Ferrari garage

ynverstappen and y'all believed the outfit change 🤣🫵

hitechgp and prema_team

liked by ynverstappen, user45, kimi.antonelli, and 834,253 others

hitechgp: I guess we're related now or something??

tagged: ynverstappen, olliebearman, paularon_, kimi.antonelli

prema_team family karting day??

user1 not neither team knowing what to say

ynverstappen so fun!!

kimi.antonelli no not "so fun" so scary you almost killed us for the win

ynverstappen and I looked good doing it

olliebearman yeah you did 😍

paularon_ bring back the Ollie that would've cussed her out over that

#f1 imagines #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 smau #f2 x reader #f2 #formula 2 #f2 imagine #formula 2 x reader #formula 2 imagine #oliver bearman #ollie bearman #ollie bearman smau #ollie bearman imagine #ollie bearman x reader

1K notes · View notes

thesecondhandwoman · 6 months ago

Note

you did my last ask so great I had to ask again. This time could you do a Grayson or Ambessa with a chronically ill reader. More so on the chronic pain side. Maybe they need mobile aids? Take your time, drink some water and take care of yourself

-🧚‍♂️

CHRONICALLY ILL

Ambessa x f!reader

Synopsis: Ambessa has always loved you, ever since the day you two had become so close. But once you slowly become more and more ill, you start to doubt that she would ever love such a burden.

Request: Anon 🤍

Noxus, with its towering spires and ever-burning forges, was a city of unyielding strength. It was a place where weakness was supposedly stamped out, where survival meant thriving against all odds. You had grown up in the shadow of that philosophy, and it had shaped you in ways you didn’t fully realize until your body began to betray you.

At first, it had been manageable—an ache here, a stiffness there. But as the years went on, the pain grew relentless. It wasn’t the kind of battle you could fight with a blade or conquer with brute force, and in Noxus, that was a struggle all its own.

Then there was Ambessa.

Your life as her assistant had started humbly, a position born out of necessity rather than ambition. You had worked tirelessly, managing her correspondence, organizing her campaigns, and ensuring her days flowed as seamlessly as possible. Ambessa had always been a figure larger than life—sharp, commanding, and utterly unyielding. But as time passed, she had seen through the masks you wore, glimpsing the pain you thought you’d hidden so well.

And instead of turning away, she stayed.

Now, as the warm glow of her private study illuminated the richly furnished room, you sat curled up in your favorite chair, a steaming cup of tea trembling slightly in your hands. Your cane rested against the chair’s arm, its polished wood worn smooth from years of use.

The pain was worse today, a deep, gnawing ache that radiated through your legs and up into your spine. Even the soft cushion beneath you felt unforgiving, and every shift of your weight sent new waves of discomfort rippling through your body. You tried to focus on the tea, on the way the steam curled into the air, but it was impossible to ignore the familiar throb of pain.

The sound of heavy boots against the stone floor made your heart jump. Ambessa entered the room with the confidence of someone who owned not just the space but the very air within it. Her gaze swept over you, sharp and assessing, and she frowned the moment her eyes met yours.

“How long have you been sitting there, little one?” Her voice was low, rich, and filled with a concern she never bothered to mask when it came to you.

You offered a tired smile, though it felt half-hearted at best. “Not too long,” you lied, knowing she wouldn’t believe you.

Ambessa crossed the room in a few long strides, her imposing presence somehow comforting rather than intimidating. She knelt before you, her strong hands resting on the arms of your chair as she studied your face.

“Do not lie to me,” she said softly, her voice carrying the weight of command.

You sighed, your shoulders sagging under the invisible weight you carried. “A while,” you admitted. “It’s been one of those days.”

Her frown deepened, and she reached out to take the teacup from your trembling hands, setting it aside with care. Her calloused fingers found yours, enveloping them in a warmth that made your throat tighten.

“You should have called for me,” she said, her tone gentle but firm.

“I didn’t want to bother you,” you replied, looking away. “You’ve got armies to command, strategies to plan. You don’t need to be worrying about me.”

Ambessa let out a soft, exasperated sigh. “And yet, here I am, worrying about you. What does that tell you?”

You didn’t answer, the guilt curling in your chest too heavy to put into words.

“Look at me,” she said, her voice softening. When you finally met her gaze, her amber eyes were filled with an intensity that made it hard to breathe. “You are not a burden, Y/N. You are not something I tolerate or endure. You are mine, and I will always care for you. Do you understand?”

Tears prickled at the corners of your eyes, and you nodded silently.

Ambessa rose smoothly to her full height, towering over you but somehow making you feel safe rather than small. She moved to sit on the armrest of your chair, her arm wrapping around your shoulders as she pulled you against her side. The scent of steel and leather clung to her, grounding you in a way nothing else could.

“Tell me what you need,” she murmured, her lips brushing against your temple.

“Just…stay,” you whispered, leaning into her. “It helps, having you here.”

She pressed a kiss to the top of your head, her lips lingering for a moment before she pulled back just enough to meet your gaze. “Then here I’ll stay.”

The hours slipped by as Ambessa stayed true to her word. She didn’t so much as glance at the mountain of paperwork on her desk or the sealed missives waiting for her attention. Instead, she focused entirely on you.

When your pain became too much to sit upright, she helped you to the large, plush bed in the corner of the room. She adjusted the pillows with meticulous care, ensuring your legs were elevated just enough to ease the pressure.

“Comfortable?” she asked, her hand lingering on your knee as she knelt beside the bed.

“Getting there,” you said with a faint smile.

She nodded, standing to fetch a soft, fur-lined blanket from a nearby chair. Draping it over you, she tucked it around your sides with a gentleness that would have surprised anyone who only knew her as the iron-fisted warlord of Noxus.

As you settled in, the pain began to ebb—not completely, but enough that you could breathe a little easier. Ambessa sat beside you, her hand resting on top of yours, her thumb tracing lazy circles over your knuckles.

“Tell me about the mountains again,” you said softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

She smiled, a rare and genuine expression that lit up her face. “Ah, the mountains. Strong, unyielding, and ancient. They remind me of you.”

You let out a quiet laugh. “I don’t feel very unyielding right now.”

Ambessa’s smile didn’t waver. “Perhaps not in this moment. But every day, you endure what would break most others. That is strength, my love. Strength I admire.”

Her words wrapped around you like a shield, deflecting the self-doubt that often lingered at the edges of your mind.

“Thank you,” you murmured, squeezing her hand weakly.

“Always,” she replied, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to your forehead.

As the night wore on, your pain ebbed and flowed, but Ambessa remained at your side. She spoke of her travels, of the unyielding peaks of Noxus, and the people who called them home. Her voice was steady, like the rhythm of a heartbeat, lulling you into a fragile sense of peace.

When sleep finally claimed you, it was with the knowledge that no matter how relentless your battles became, Ambessa would always be there—your shield, your comfort, and the one person who made the fight worth it.

A/N: This is definitely not my best way of successfully fulfilling a response, but I hope it was alright! (I love requests like this)

#ambessa x reader #ambessa x you #ambessa medarda #ambessa arcane #arcane ambessa #ambessa fanfic #ambessa #arcane fanfic #arcane #lesbian fanfic #lesbian #hurt/comfort fanfic #hurt/comfort #fluffy fanfic #fluff #comfort fanfic #comfort #fanfic #fanfic writing

798 notes · View notes

sydwritess · 15 days ago

Text

The Scare Queen

Max Verstappen x fem!reader

Summary: As much as Max takes his job seriously, he is also quite a jokester on the circuit. One week, Max is stressing out at the Miami GP, yelling, telling workers off, etc. Reader thinks it would be a fun idea to prank Max. And it works.

First Person POV

Miami GP was a lot. The race, the people, and the heat alone can make it stressful. Which is exactly what is happening to Max. Right now, we are both in the garage, I was off in the corner while Max was talking to Christian.

"Well, I don't understand. Why are we going this route when we can use the original strategy from last weekend?" Max asked, pointing at the screen.

"Because this new strategy will give us a faster pace. Which will make you come into the lead, maybe around turn three." Christian said.

"Okay. What about Yuki?" Max asked.

"Well, Yuki. No offense, he's new. He's not going to get much." Christian said.

"Okay. Well, no offense." Max said, holding up a hand. "But Yuki is with me now. I don't care if he's new or not! He needs a fair chance!" Max said.

"Verstappen, you know that's not how this goes." Christian argued back.

"I know how it goes. I've been in this sport for years. I don't care if you call me the best. Yuki needs a fair shot. So I don't care if you have to build a whole new fucking strategy tonight, but fix it!" Max said. I walk over to him just then, putting my hand gently on his shoulder.

"Hey, why don't we take a break. Let him figure his shit out." I said gently. He looked at me and nodded, walking out of the garage.

"I don't fucking get it! He's being ridiculous." He said, rubbing a hand on his face.

"I know. I know. Maybe both of you just need a break." I said. We end up walking to his driver's room, sitting in there silently.

I went to go open my mouth, to say something. I'm unsure if I should say anything at all.

"What's been going on?" I ask.

"Nothing. He's being fucking ridiculous! I mean, I'm pretty sure we both know that if you are going to be CEO then he should have some common fucking sense on things." He said, the words pouring out.

"I get that. It's hard, but the best you can do is tell him to fix things. And if he doesn't... then that's on him." I said.

"Yeah, but then everybody sees me as the bad driver because he always hides behind the camera." He said.

"So maybe it's time to get him in he frame." I said.

"What?"

"Exactly what I said." I told him. He thought about it for a moment until it clicked, and he smirked. Suddenly, there was a knock at his door. He slowly gets up and walks over there and opens it. Yuki is standing right in the middle.

"Hey, what's up, Yuki?" Max asks.

"Do you mind if I come in?" He asks. Max nods and opens the door, Yuki slips through and sits on the couch near the door.

"Oh, hi y/n." Yuki smiles.

"Hi." I said, smiling back.

"What's up?" Max asks again, now sitting on the couch.

Yuki looks at both me and Max silently before speaking.

"I uh... I heard what you said in the garage." Yuki said, leaning back into the couch. "Thanks for saying that." He said.

"It's no problem. I just said what I had to say." Max said.

"Yeah. I never knew he wasn't giving me a fair shot." Yuki said, looking down at the ground.

"It's just because he's a total dumbass." I said, crossing my arms. "He thinks because you're new, that you don't know much." I said.

"Yeah. I've been in this for way too long. I know when people are being cheated." Max says.

"Thank you. Still, it means a lot." Yuki said, standing up.

"Anytime." Max said. Yuki waved and nodded, slowly walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Awe, he's to sweet." I said.

"Christian needs to stop being a fucking devil." Max said, putting his head in his hands.

"Yeah, but he's okay now. Yuki, I mean."

"But still. The fact that he doesn't know how to stick up for himself is sad." He said. I nodded.

"Look, why don't you go back to work. Maybe if you go back, you can get this day done quicker." I said quietly. He nodded, standing up.

"Do you want to wait here? Or..."

"No, I'll go. Might wander around." I said, standing up and going to the door. He closed the door behind us and grabbed my hand, walking down the hallway to the garages together.

"Good luck. Please don't let me find out that you punched your boss." I said, smiling.

"I won't." He said, wrapping his arms around me. I hug him back slowly, standing there for a couple of minutes.

"Right, I will see you later shcat." He said.

"See you later." I said, smiling. I go inside the building, further exploring the paddock. It was filled with artificial grass, little shops around, and the interview station's setup.

I continued exploring the paddock when I heard a voice beside me. I turn to see a young girl standing there, looking up at me.

"Hi y/n." She said in a small tone.

"Hi! How are you today?" I ask.

"I'm good." She said, smiling and giggling.

"I- I was wondering if you could sign this for me?" She asked, holding out a Red Bull t-shirt.

"Oh, are you sure? Shouldn't you be asking Max that?" I ask the girl.

"I'm sure. I really want you to sign it. My mommy and I watch your videos together on Instagram all the time." She says.

"Well, that's really sweet. Thank you so much." I said, taking the marker from her gently.

"Where would you like this signed?" I ask.

"Hmm. Right here." She says, pointing on the back.

"You got it." I say. I sign my name along with a little message for her.

"There you go." I smile. She giggles and looks back at her mom.

"Thank you." She says, hugging me quickly before running back to her mom. I stand up, getting a look at her mom before they walk away.

"Hey y/n. Everything okay?" A voice says behind me. Oscar, Lando, George, and Lewis show's up next to me.

"Yeah... yeah, that girl was super young." I said.

"The little one?"

"The mom." I said, turning to look at him. "Whatever, anyway, what's up?" I ask.

"Okay. So you know how Max has been super stressed this week?" Oscar asks.

"Yeah... Why, what did he do now?" I ask.

"Nothing bad. We were just thinking... maybe playing a prank on him." Lewis suggested.

"Okay... like what?" I ask.

"Well, like we know, Max hates George." Lewis says, George rolls his eyes.

"So basically, Max and I will be walking together down a dark hallway. George is covered in fake blood, lying in the middle of the floor. Max and I go to investigate, and that is when Lando and Oscar will run out from a side hall, screaming, 'Help me.' Max gets super confused, and then you go after Lando and Oscar." Lewis said with a big smile

"Jesus Christ. That is... a lot." I said.

"It will be awesome!" Oscar said.

"I don't know. We'd have to make sure everyone is out if here." I said.

"Already sent a team email." Lando smirked.

"Oh my god. I'm not going to get out of this, am I." I said.

"Nope." George smirked.

"Fine, I'll do it." I said

"And to top it off. When you start coming up to Max, you take off the mask, and blood pours out for your mouth." Lewis said, holding up fake, edible blood.

"Oh my god." I said slightly, laughing. "Okay, okay, fine. But where do we even get the stuff?" I ask. Next thing I know, Lando holds up a bag, containing the costume, blood, and everything.

It was a good couple of hours until the circuit finally closed down. No fans or workers in sight. Max was still in the Red Bull garage, finishing up some last-minute things, and that's when we got to work.

"Okay, you lay here." I said to George, he laid in the middle of the floor. Lewis was pouring some fake blood on and around him. Lando and Oscar go to the end of the hallway and balance the light switches just right so the lights start to flicker.

"I'm going to Max, remember you are dead." Lewis said to George, and then he walked away to the garages.

Me, Lando, and Oscar all go to the end of the hallway, which leads into another one, I had the costume on, and we were all hiding behind the wall.

Just then, we heard a faint murmur.

"Yeah, so then he -" The voice stopped suddenly.

"What is that?" Max asked Lewis.

"I don't know." Lewis said, I heard them walk closer down the hall.

"Oh my god. Is that George?" Lewis asked.

"Oh shit! We need to get someone!" Max said. Lando looked at me, and I nodded, and he ran out into the hallway with Oscar.

"Help!" Lando shouted out

"Max, you need to help us! Some psycho broke in here!" Oscar said.

"Wai what -" That was my queue. I slowly walk out from behind the wall, the mask perfectly covering my face.

"Oh my god!" Lando shouted, running away with Oscar.

"Who the hell is that?" Max asks. I start moving towards them. Max and Lewis slowly start to back up, taking George with them as fast as they could. I walk to them quickly when Max starts to scream loudly.

Max has his back turned to me, but he turned around when he noticed anything didn't happen to him.

Suddenly, Lewis and George start laughing. Lando and Oscar come out from around the corner and start laughing, too.

"What?" Max asks.

"Mate, you should have seen your face." George said, laughing hysterically.

"Oh my god! That was awesome!" Lando said, walking up behind Max.

"Who is this then?" He said, pointing to me. I take off the mask and put the hood from the costume down.

"Oh my god." Max said.

"Mate. You were so scared you actually wanted to help George." Lewis said while laughing.

"No. It's called respect." Max said.

"I can't believe you would do such a thing." Max said dramatically, turning to me.

"You love me, though." I said, hugging him. "Plus, it was pretty funny to see you scream like a girl." I said.

"I did not scream like a girl." Max said with a smirk.

"It was still good, though, yeah?" Lewis asked him.

"Okay, I will admit, it was pretty... realistic." Max said, his smirk breaking into a full smile.

"You were scared." I said smiling.

"Maybe. Maybe not. How are you going to clean this up?" He asks pointing to the floor.

"We are going to." Lewis said.

"Just go home and try not to send death threats to Christian." Oscar said, patting Max on the back.

"Alright, alright. Let's go." Max said, grabbing my hand and walking down the hall.

"I will admit, that was pretty good." He said.

"Thank you." I smiled, kissing him slightly on the cheek.

Hey loves! Another Max imagine! Hope you like it! Comment to be added to the tag list!

226 notes · View notes

mostlysignssomeportents · 2 years ago

Text

Why they're smearing Lina Khan

My god, they sure hate Lina Khan. This once-in-a-generation, groundbreaking, brilliant legal scholar and fighter for the public interest, the slayer of Reaganomics, has attracted more vitriol, mockery, and dismissal than any of her predecessors in living memory.

She sure must be doing something right, huh?

A quick refresher. In 2017, Khan — then a law student — published Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox in the Yale Law Journal. It was a brilliant, blistering analysis showing how the Reagan-era theory of antitrust (which celebrates monopolies as “efficient”) had failed on its own terms, using Amazon as Exhibit A of the ways in which post-Reagan antitrust had left Americans vulnerable to corporate abuse:

https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox

The paper sent seismic shocks through both legal and economic circles, and goosed the neo-Brandeisian movement (sneeringly dismissed as “hipster antitrust”). This movement is a rebuke to Reaganomics, with its celebration of monopolies, trickle-down, offshoring, corporate dark money, revolving-door regulatory capture, and companies that are simultaneously too big to fail and too big to jail.

This movement has many proponents, of course — not just Khan — but Khan’s careful scholarship, combined with her encyclopedic knowledge of the long-dormant statutory powers that federal agencies had to make change, and a strategy for reviving those powers to protect Americans from corporate predators made her a powerful, inspirational figure.

When Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, he surprised everyone by appointing Khan to the FTC. It wasn’t just that she had such a radical vision — it was also that she lacked the usual corporate law experience that such an appointee would normally require (experience that would ensure that the FTC was helmed by people whose default view of the world is that it should be structured and regulated by powerful, wealthy people in corporate boardrooms).

Even more surprising was that Khan was made chair of the FTC, something that was only possible because a few Republican Senators broke with their party to support her candidacy:

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1171/vote_117_1_00233.htm

These Republicans saw in Khan an ally in their fight against “woke” Big Tech. For these senators, the problem wasn’t that tech had got too big and powerful — it was that there were a few limited instances in which tech leaders failed to wield that power in the ways they preferred.

The Republican project is a matter of getting turkeys to vote for Christmas by doing a lot of culture war bullshit, cruelly abusing disfavored sexual and racial minorities. This wins support from low-information voters who’ll vote against their class interests and support more monopolies, more tax cuts for the rich, and more cuts to the services they rely on.

But while tech leaders are 100% committed to the project of permanent oligarchic takeover of every sphere of American life, they are less full-throated in their support for hateful, cruel discrimination against disfavored minorities (in this regard, tech leaders resemble the corporate wing of the Democrats, which is where we get the “Silicon Valley is a Democratic Party stronghold” narrative).

This failure to unquestioningly and unstintingly back culture war bullshit put tech leaders in the GOP’s crosshairs. Some GOP politicians actually believe in the culture war bullshit, and are grossly offended that tech is “woke.” Others are smart enough not to get high on their own supply, but worry that any tech obstruction in the bullshit culture wars will make it harder to get sufficient turkey votes for a big fat Christmas surprise.

Biden’s ceding of antitrust policy to the left wing of the party, combined with disaffected GOP senators viewing Khan as their enemy’s enemy, led to Khan’s historic appointment as FTC Chair. In that position, she was joined by a slate of Biden trustbusters, including Jonathan Kanter at the DoJ Antitrust Division, Tim Wu at the White House, and other important, skilled and principled fighters like Alvaro Bedoya (FTC), Rebecca Slaughter (FTC), Rohit Chopra (CFPB), and many others.

Crucially, these new appointees weren’t just principled, they were good at their jobs. In 2021, Tim Wu wrote an executive order for Biden that laid out 72 concrete ways in which the administration could act — with no further Congressional authorization — to blunt corporate power and insulate the American people from oligarchs’ abusive and extractive practices:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

Since then, the antitrust arm of the Biden administration have been fuckin’ ninjas, Getting Shit Done in ways large and small, working — for the first time since Reagan — to protect Americans from predatory businesses:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/18/administrative-competence/#i-know-stuff

This is in marked contrast to the corporate Dems’ champions in the administration. People like Pete Buttigieg are heralded as competent technocrats, “realists” who are too principled to peddle hopium to the base, writing checks they can’t cash. All this is cover for a King Log performance, in which Buttigieg’s far-reaching regulatory authority sits unused on a shelf while a million Americans are stranded over Christmas and whole towns are endangered by greedy, reckless rail barons straight out of the Gilded Age:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/10/the-courage-to-govern/#whos-in-charge

The contrast between the Biden trustbusters and their counterparts from the corporate wing is stark. While the corporate wing insists that every pitch is outside of the zone, Khan and her allies are swinging for the stands. They’re trying to make life better for you and me, by declaring commercial surveillance to be an unfair business practice and thus illegal:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/12/regulatory-uncapture/#conscious-uncoupling

And by declaring noncompete “agreements” that shackle good workers to shitty jobs to be illegal:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/02/its-the-economy-stupid/#neofeudal

And naturally, this has really pissed off all the right people: America’s billionaires and their cheerleaders in the press, government, and the hive of scum and villainy that is the Big Law/thinktank industrial-complex.

Take the WSJ: since Khan took office, they have published 67 vicious editorials attacking her and her policies. Khan is living rent-free in Rupert Murdoch’s head. Not only that, he’s given her the presidential suite! You love to see it.

These attacks are worth reading, if only to see how flimsy and frivolous they are. One major subgenre is that Khan shouldn’t be bringing any action against Amazon, because her groundbreaking scholarship about the company means she has a conflict of interest. Holy moly is this a stupid thing to say. The idea that the chair of an expert agency should recuse herself because she is an expert is what the physicists call not even wrong.

But these attacks are even more laughable due to who they’re coming from: people who have the most outrageous conflicts of interest imaginable, and who were conspicuously silent for years as the FTC’s revolving door admitted the a bestiary of swamp-creatures so conflicted it’s a wonder they managed to dress themselves in the morning.

Writing in The American Prospect, David Dayen runs the numbers:

Since the late 1990s, 31 out of 41 top FTC officials worked directly for a company that has business before the agency, with 26 of them related to the technology industry.

https://prospect.org/economy/2023-06-23-attacks-lina-khans-ethics-reveal-projection/

Take Christine Wilson, a GOP-appointed FTC Commissioner who quit the agency in a huff because Khan wanted to do things for the American people, and not their self-appointed oligarchic princelings. Wilson wrote an angry break-up letter to Khan that the WSJ published, presaging their concierge service for Samuel Alito:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-im-resigning-from-the-ftc-commissioner-ftc-lina-khan-regulation-rule-violation-antitrust-339f115d

For Wilson to question Khan’s ethics took galactic-scale chutzpah. Wilson, after all, is a commissioner who took cash money from Bristol-Myers Squibb, then voted to approve their merger with Celgene:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/4365601-Wilson-Christine-Smith-final278.html

Or take Wilson’s GOP FTC predecessor Josh Wright, whose incestuous relationship with the companies he oversaw at the Commission are so intimate he’s practically got a Habsburg jaw. Wright went from Google to the US government and back again four times. He also lobbied the FTC on behalf of Qualcomm (a major donor to Wright’s employer, George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School) after working “personally and substantially” while serving at the FTC.

George Mason’s Scalia center practically owns the revolving door, counting fourteen FTC officials among its affliates:

https://campaignforaccountability.org/ttp-investigation-big-techs-backdoor-to-the-ftc/

Since the 1990s, 31 out of 41 top FTC officials — both GOP appointed and appointees backed by corporate Dems — “worked directly for a company that has business before the agency”:

https://www.citizen.org/article/ftc-big-tech-revolving-door-problem-report/

The majority of FTC and DoJ antitrust lawyers who served between 2014–21 left government service and went straight to work for a Big Law firm, serving the companies they’d regulated just a few months before:

https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/The-Revolving-Door-In-Federal-Antitrust-Enforcement.pdf

Take Deborah Feinstein, formerly the head of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, now a partner at Arnold & Porter, where she’s represented General Electric, NBCUniversal, Unilever, and Pepsi and a whole medicine chest’s worth of pharma giants before her former subordinates at the FTC. Michael Moiseyev who was assistant manager of FTC Competition is now in charge of mergers at Weil Gotshal & Manges, working for Microsoft, Meta, and Eli Lilly.

There’s a whole bunch more, but Dayen reserves special notice for Andrew Smith, Trump’s FTC Consumer Protection boss. Before he was put on the public payroll, Smith represented 120 clients that had business before the Commission, including “nearly every major bank in America, drug industry lobbyist PhRMA, Uber, Equifax, Amazon, Facebook, Verizon, and a variety of payday lenders”:

https://www.citizen.org/sites/default/files/andrew_smith_foia_appeal_response_11_30.pdf

Before Khan, in other words, the FTC was a “conflict-of-interest assembly line, moving through corporate lawyers and industry hangers-on without resistance for decades.”

Khan is the first FTC head with no conflicts. This leaves her opponents in the sweaty, desperate position of inventing conflicts out of thin air.

For these corporate lickspittles, Khan’s “conflict” is that she has a point of view. Specifically, she thinks that the FTC should do its job.

This makes grifters like Jim Jordan furious. Yesterday, Jordan grilled Khan in a hearing where he accused her of violating an ethics official’s advice that she should recuse herself from Big Tech cases. This is a talking point that was created and promoted by Bloomberg:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-06-16/ftc-rejected-ethics-advice-for-khan-recusal-on-meta-case

That ethics official, Lorielle Pankey, did not, in fact, make this recommendation. It’s simply untrue (she did say that Khan presiding over cases that she has made public statements about could be used as ammo against her, but did not say that it violated any ethical standard).

But there’s more to this story. Pankey herself has a gigantic conflict of interest in this case, including a stock portfolio with $15,001 and $50,000 in Meta stock (Meta is another company that has whined in print and in its briefs that it is a poor defenseless lamb being picked on by big, mean ole Lina Khan):

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ethics-official-owned-meta-stock-while-recommending-ftc-chair-recuse-herself-from-meta-case-8582a83b

Jordan called his hearing on the back of this fake scandal, and then proceeded to show his whole damned ass, even as his GOP colleagues got into a substantive and even informative dialog with Khan:

https://prospect.org/power/2023-07-14-jim-jordan-misfires-attacks-lina-khan/

Mostly what came out of that hearing was news about how Khan is doing her job, working on behalf of the American people. For example, she confirmed that she’s investigating OpenAI for nonconsensually harvesting a mountain of Americans’ personal information:

https://www.ft.com/content/8ce04d67-069b-4c9d-91bf-11649f5adc74

Other Republicans, including confirmed swamp creatures like Matt Gaetz, ended up agreeing with Khan that Amazon Ring is a privacy dumpster-fire. Nobodies like Rep TomM assie gave Khan an opening to discuss how her agency is protecting mom-and-pop grocers from giant, price-gouging, greedflation-drunk national chains. Jeff Van Drew gave her a chance to talk about the FTC’s war on robocalls. Lance Gooden let her talk about her fight against horse doping.

But Khan’s opponents did manage to repeat a lot of the smears against her, and not just the bogus conflict-of-interest story. They also accused her of being 0–4 in her actions to block mergers, ignoring the huge number of mergers that have been called off or not initiated because M&A professionals now understand they can no longer expect these mergers to be waved through. Indeed, just last night I spoke with a friend who owns a medium-sized tech company that Meta tried to buy out, only to withdraw from the deal because their lawyers told them it would get challenged at the FTC, with an uncertain outcome.

These talking points got picked up by people commenting on Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley’s ruling against the FTC in the Microsoft-Activision merger. The FTC was seeking an injunction against the merger, and Corley turned them down flat. The ruling was objectively very bad. Start with the fact that Corley’s son is a Microsoft employee who stands reap massive gains in his stock options if the merger goes through.

But beyond this (real, non-imaginary, not manufactured conflict of interest), Corley’s judgment and her remarks in court were inexcusably bad, as Matt Stoller writes:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/judge-rules-for-microsoft-mergers

In her ruling, Corley explained that she didn’t think Microsoft would abuse the market dominance they’d gain by merging their giant videogame platform and studio with one of its largest competitors. Why not? Because Microsoft’s execs pinky-swore that they wouldn’t abuse that power.

Corely’s deference to Microsoft’s corporate priorities goes deeper than trusting its execs, though. In denying the FTC’s motion, she stated that it would be unfair to put the merger on hold in order to have a full investigation into its competition implications because Microsoft and Activision had set a deadline of July 18 to conclude things, and Microsoft would have to pay a penalty if that deadline passed.

This is surreal: a judge ruled that a corporation’s radical, massive merger shouldn’t be subject to full investigation because that corporation itself set an arbitrary deadline to conclude the deal before such an investigation could be concluded. That’s pretty convenient for future mega-mergers — just set a short deadline and Judge Corely will tell regulators that the merger can’t be investigated because the deadline is looming.

And this is all about the future. As Stoller writes, Microsoft isn’t exactly subtle about why it wants this merger. Its own execs said that the reason they were spending “dump trucks” of money buying games studios was to “spend Sony out of business.”

Now, maybe you hate Sony. Maybe you hate Activision. There’s plenty of good reason to hate both — they’re run by creeps who do shitty things to gamers and to their employees. But if you think that Microsoft will be better once it eliminates its competition, then you have the attention span of a goldfish on Adderall.

Microsoft made exactly the same promises it made on Activision when it bought out another games studio, Zenimax — and it broke every one of those promises.

Microsoft has a long, long, long history of being a brutal, abusive monopolist. It is a convicted monopolist. And its bad conduct didn’t end with the browser wars. You remember how the lockdown turned all our homes into rent-free branch offices for our employers? Microsoft seized on that moment to offer our bosses keystroke-and-click level surveillance of our use of our own computers in our own homes, via its Office365 bossware product:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/11/25/the-peoples-amazon/#clippys-revenge

If you think a company that gave your boss a tool to spy on their employees and rank them by “productivity” as a prelude to firing them or cutting their pay is going to treat gamers or game makers well once they have “spent the competition out of business,” you’re a credulous sucker and you are gonna be so disappointed.

The enshittification play is obvious: use investor cash to make things temporarily nice for customers and suppliers, lock both of them in — in this case, it’s with a subscription-based service similar to Netflix’s — and then claw all that value back until all that’s left is a big pile of shit.

The Microsoft case is about the future. Judge Corely doesn’t take the future seriously: as she said during the trial, “All of this is for a shooter videogame.” The reason Corely greenlit this merger isn’t because it won’t be harmful — it’s because she doesn’t think those harms matter.

But it does, and not just because games are an art form that generate billions of dollars, employ a vast workforce, and bring pleasure to millions. It also matters because this is yet another one of the Reaganomic precedents that tacitly endorses monopolies as efficient forces for good. As Stoller writes, Corley’s ruling means that “deal bankers are sharpening pencils and saying ‘Great, the government lost! We can get mergers through everywhere else.’ Basically, if you like your high medical prices, you should be cheering on Microsoft’s win today.”

Ronald Reagan’s antitrust has colonized our brains so thoroughly that commentators were surprised when, immediately after the ruling, the FTC filed an appeal. Don’t they know they’ve lost? the commentators said:

https://gizmodo.com/ftc-files-appeal-of-microsoft-activision-deal-ruling-1850640159

They echoed the smug words of insufferable Activision boss Mike Ybarra: “Your tax dollars at work.”

https://twitter.com/Qwik/status/1679277251337277440

But of course Khan is appealing. The only reason that’s surprising is that Khan is working for us, the American people, not the giant corporations the FTC is supposed to be defending us from. Sure, I get that this is a major change! But she needs our backing, not our cheap cynicism.

The business lobby and their pathetic Renfields have hoarded all the nice things and they don’t want us to have any. Khan and her trustbuster colleagues want the opposite. There is no measure so small that the corporate world won’t have a conniption over it. Take click to cancel, the FTC’s perfectly reasonable proposal that if you sign up for a recurring payment subscription with a single click, you should be able to cancel it with a single click.

The tooth-gnashing and garment-rending and scenery-chewing over this is wild. America’s biggest companies have wheeled out their biggest guns, claiming that if they make it too easy to unsubscribe, they will lose money. In other words, they are currently making money not because people want their products, but because it’s too hard to stop paying for them!

https://www.theregister.com/2023/07/12/ftc_cancel_subscriptions/

We shouldn’t have to tolerate this sleaze. And if we back Khan and her team, they’ll protect us from these scams. Don’t let them convince you to give up hope. This is the start of the fight, not the end. We’re trying to reverse 40 years’ worth of Reagonmics here. It won’t happen overnight. There will be setbacks. But keep your eyes on the prize — this is the most exciting moment for countering corporate power and giving it back to the people in my lifetime. We owe it to ourselves, our kids and our planet to fight one.

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/14/making-good-trouble/#the-peoples-champion

[Image ID: A line drawing of pilgrims ducking a witch tied to a ducking stool. The pilgrims' clothes have been emblazoned with the logos for the WSJ, Microsoft, Activision and Blizzard. The witch's face has been replaced with that of FTC chair Lina M Khan.]

6K notes · View notes

tsurangaconundrum · 1 year ago

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panem dash simulator

peeniss4everlark Follow

NOOOOOOOOOO

officialsenecacrane Follow

me when i lie

districtfun Follow

i heard from my uncle who works at hunger games that they're only pulling from everlark shippers when they do the quarter quell

gurlonfire

thats funny because when i was fucking your uncle last night he told me they're only pulling from bitchy district one stans

catohead69 Follow

we poppin the biggest bottles when cato wins

catohead69 Follow

theeclove Follow

okay but is anyone else pissed how the district 11 guy literally did favoritism for late districts or what

rues-song

the careers literally did an alliance r u fucking kidding me i hope u get reaped

theeclove

clearly SOMEBODY doesnt understand the strategy of the games

career-sweep Follow

PLEASE tag your hunger games spoilers. this is literally common sense the games have been going on for 74 years you should know better by now

#hunger games spoilers #SOOO pissed rn theres never been a live announcement and now i found out from fucking everlarks

maytheodds Follow

Yes I'm a 30 yr old hunger games watcher. I've been watching kids die since you were in diapers. You have NO idea the tragedies I've endured. Hunger games is escapism for many of us when I come home from a long day of logging the last thing I need is for some 13 yr old tribute dying in a high stakes competition that we ALL knew was high stakes starting a riot and destroying all the nations grain

corholeanussnow

lmao. get a load of this guy

girlalcoholic Follow

haymitch stans rise tf up

#yes girl get that salve #i would fuck that old man

cinnagirl3000 Follow

i wld nvr survive in thg fr baby im killing myself

#thnk goddddd im cap 😁 #i woulda stepped tf off that platform cinna its been an honor

caeserflickerwoman Follow

does anyone else think it was fucked that peeta invaded ceasar's space when he CLEARLY wasn't comfortable with being SNIFFED by a STRANGER

softgreenpillow

fuck you this is clearly so fucking capitol-centric no one in the capitol would ever be comfortable with any districtperson doing ANYTHING these days. it is capitol-boot-licking scum like you that holds the movement back. get BLOCKED idiot

butchjohanna Follow

Just something I've noticed I think we as a fandom have gotten WAY too comfortable using the phrase "get reaped" as an insult, when it's a very serious reality that many children live with and should not be taken this lightly. Some people online have had to put their names in more for necessities like bread or water and the absolute terror that grips a person waiting for their name to be called doesn't leave you even in adulthood. Please think before you speak

#many of you are not acting in a way that johanna would be proud of. get it together #reaping mention

starcrossedluvrs Follow

#thank you team

3K notes · View notes

afro-hispwriter · 9 months ago

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Satoru Gojo x reader ft. Megumi Fushiguro

“Oh, my little kikifuku is in there right now! I knew that position would work!”

“Satoru please.” You giggled and brushed your fingers through his hair. He just smiled and kissed around your belly even more.

“Y/n.” Shoko put her hand on your shoulder. “Promise me to take it easy, if what Gojo's mom said was true when she was pregnant with him is true. This pregnancy will take a lot out of you.” She squeezes your shoulder and grabs a towel to wipe your stomach.

“That was only because she was carrying the next six-eyed and infinity user. I have no intention of dying before my kid is born.” He kissed the side of your head and grabbed your white haori from the hook. You sat up in the bed and Satoru grabbed your shoes to slip onto your feet.

“Come on baby, we have to tell everyone the news!”

You say your goodbyes to Shoko but not before she hands you a roll of ultrascan photos. Satoru took it from your hands and held it up.

“Our baby.”

“Before we tell everyone, our first baby should know first.” You slipped your arm into his. “But first you need to meet with Itadori and Nanami.” He sighed and kissed the side of your head.

“Please go straight to where everyone is meeting.”

“Sir yes sir.” You saluted and he laughed. He kissed the top of your head then bent down to kiss your belly.

“Don’t give your momma a hard time.”

Megumi saw you first and his legs were already taking him towards you. You welcomed him with open arms and he accepted it. His arms loosely wrap around your upper back.

“Are you okay?”

“Mhm.” He pulled back. “Are you? You’ve been sick.”

“I'm okay, but me and Satoru have something to tell you later though.” Megumi frowned(more) but nodded in acknowledgment. But he also couldn’t deny that it made him nervous.

“Y/n!” Utahime shrieked and started running towards you. Your eyes widened and you opened your arms for the woman.

“Utahime!” Megumi stepped to the side and let you two hug.

“How are you?” She pulled back and kept you at arm's length. “You’re glowing.”

“We all glow.”

“Yours is different though.” She squinted at you. “I can’t put my finger on it, it's more natural.” You just had to laugh awkwardly.

“Where’s your husband?” Yaga interrupted, he stood by Principle Gakuganji.

“Oh he’s taking care of some things, he’ll be here shortly.” You assured him with a smile. And it wasn't long after that when said man appeared running with a cart.

“Sorry for the wait!” From there everything happened so quickly. All with the not-so-grand or happy announcement of Yuji’s return. Megumi looked at you and Satoru then back at his no longer dead friend.

You could only give him a sheepish smile and a nod.

“What kind of plan was that Satoru?”

“It was better in my head.” He shrugged and tossed an arm over your shoulder. “Nanamin knows.” you rolled your eyes and threw your head back.

“Satoru, we agreed Megumi would know first.”

“I know I know but he was right there.” He bent down to whisper in your ear. “And the ultrasound picture was burning a hole in my pocket baby.” You rolled your eyes but smiled nonetheless. “He congratulates us and says he feels bad already for our baby.”

“Don’t listen to him, our baby will be lucky to have you.”

“Of course they will, and they’re going to know it because-.” You cut him off immediately.

“Because you’re Satoru Gojo, yes my love we know.” He pouted and poked you in the cheek.

“Meanie.”

“Mom?” Megumi walked up to you two, hands shoved in his pockets. You bit your inner lip and waited for what was to come. “Did you know about Itadori?”

“I did, Satoru told me. Please know we had to keep it a secret.” Megumi swallowed hard and shrugged.

“Yeah, I think I do. I'm not mad.” You let out a sigh of relief. “What did you guys want to tell me?”

“Later Megumi,” Satoru says and the slight seriousness in his voice sparked a bit of anxiety in Megumi. “Find us in my office once you talk strategy with your team.” The onyx-haired boy nodded and walked back to the Tokyo squad. Fists clenched in his pockets.

Megumi was quiet most of the time, only saying something here and there. But his knee wouldn’t stop bouncing and his heart wouldn’t stop racing at an abnormal rate.

What if you two were getting a divorce? No that can’t be it, you two were happy… or were you? What if it's an act?

Are you leaving the Jujutsu society? Is Gojo? No, he wouldn’t leave now of all times.

Were you sick? Like dying sick? You’ve been so tired lately.

Was it Tsumiki? No, there is no way either of you would hold information related to that.

Was it the Zenin clan? Did something happen and they were taking him?

Were you two leaving Japan forever and leaving him and Tsumiki behind?

Too many questions ran through his head and none of them were positive.

“Fushiguro, are you okay?” Itadori asks him with concern.

“Yeah, I'm okay, just thinking.”

“Anything to contribute to us?” Maki asks with hands on her hips.

“It won’t help, now can we finish this?”

The whole time to Gojo’s office, Megumi was trying to suppress the urge to cry.

No more bad news, please

He stood in front of the door with his fists clenched.

“Megumi. We can see you.” Gojo says from behind the bamboo door. Megumi's cheeks turned pink and he slid the door open.

You sat with your legs crossed in Gojo’s comfy expensive chair while Gojo stood behind you with a hand on your shoulder.

“Hey,” Megumi says and stands awkwardly.

“Do you want to sit?”

“Are you guys getting a divorce?” Megumi said instantly and you furrowed your eyebrows and Satoru let out a laugh.

“As if.” The man says and kisses the top of your head.

“It's good news Gumi’, trust me.” He swallowed hard and grabbed a chair to sit in.

“O-Okay.” He folded his hands in his lap and tightened his jaw.

“We found something out this morning when we went to Shoko, and we thought it was only right that you knew first besides Shoko herself and-.” You paused and tilted your head back to glare at Satoru. The man laughed nervously and scratched the back of his neck. “Anyways Megumi I’m-.”

“YOU’RE GOING TO BE A BIG BROTHER!” Satoru screamed, animated sparkles and lights shot behind him as he pumped his fists in the air.

Megumi was stunned and his face turned into a look of shock.

“Oh!? That’s great guys. I'm happy.” He says and he starts blinking rapidly. It was the same action he did when he was struggling not to cry. Mom mode was instantly activated and you stood up to go to him but Megumi stood up as well and held his hand out to stop you. “No it’s okay, I'm fine.” He wiped his eyes and his head hung low.

“Oh, Megumi.” He didn’t resist the hug.

“Happy tears, they’re happy tears I swear.” He says and buries his face into the crook of his neck. “How far along are you?”

“Almost two months.” You say lowly to him and kiss the side of his head.

“Family hug!” Satoru threw his weight over both of you and pulled you guys in tight. Megumi made no act to shove the man away, instead raised his hand and grasped Satoru’s wrist in a tight hold.

“You and Tsumiki will always be our first kids. Please don’t ever forget that.”

Hope people liked this😅Comments, reblogs, and likes are always appreciated🩵

#satoru gojo x reader #gojo x reader #jujutsu kaisen #megumi fushiguro #platonic megumi and mom and dad reader and gojo btw loll

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self-care-club · 11 months ago

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Adapted from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

What is a need? (Adapted from this article)

It’s important to be connected to our needs because true needs are always in our best long term interest. Our needs for air, food, water, shelter, community, companionship, autonomy, respect, etc. are all in our best long term interest to fulfill.

Wants, on the other hand, don’t necessarily correlate with long term well-being. In fact, many wants, when fulfilled, actually contribute to our long term detriment.

Put another way: needs refer to the conditions that must be met in order for us to live a balanced life; whereas wants are strategies we use to fulfill our needs. This is why needs inherently map to long term well-being, while wants don’t have such a correlation. Wants can either contribute to our long-term wellbeing, or they contribute to our long-term detriment. In order for our wants to be good for us in the long-term, we must understand which needs they map back to.

Ideally, we should be connected to our needs first, and our wants second. When we become disconnected from our needs due to past trauma, we rely too heavily on our wants to guide our decision making. The disconnection from our needs increases the likelihood that we will attach to wants that lead to our long-term detriment.

#self care #daily self care #abraham maslow #maslow's hierarchy of needs #needs #wants vs needs #mental health #scc posts #infographic

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toriaaniin · 16 days ago

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Gigi Walked Away — So Why Not Jake or Antonia?

There’s a reason some stories echo louder than others. This afternoon, a snippet from Gigi Paris’ interview on the Too Much Podcast was shared on Etalk-CTV's Instagram (link below), and the parallels? Sharp. Eerie. Familiar.

Gigi — who was in a serious, long-term relationship with actor Glen Powell — shared why that relationship ended. And it wasn’t because of a dramatic affair or irreconcilable differences. It was PR. Or more specifically: it was PR that made her invisible.

Her words:

“I could either pretend like I was going along with everything, or stand up for myself and say, ‘No, I’m actually not OK with this, and I’m walking away.’ So that’s what I decided to do.”

She talked about the flirtation between Glen and his co-star Sydney Sweeney. The speculation. The silence. The refusal to shut down rumours. And when she was told not to come visit Glen on set? That was it.

“Don’t make a fool out of someone you’ve been with for over three years talking about forever with.”

That line. That line.

Let’s pivot, now, to Luke and Nicola. Six months of what some called PR. Flirting. Gazes. Private jokes. Finger brushes. Chemistry so thick you could swim in it.

And here we are now, in mid-2025, still feeling it — because the chemistry never ended. Just look at the SAG Awards in February if you need a reminder.

And yet, we were told (and are still being told) that Jake and Antonia are the real ones.

We’ve all asked before, and I’ll ask it again here: How could Jake and Antonia sit through all of that?

How could Jake watch Nicola look at Luke like that on press lines, in interviews, at premieres and awards ceremonies — and still skip merrily down an alley with a bag of carrots? How could Antonia smile in group photos at an afterparty where Luke looked like he’d rather be anywhere else?

The answer, if you listen to Gigi Paris, is simple: They couldn’t.

Gigi’s words make it clear what real partners do when faced with erasure. They leave. They call it what it is. They don’t play along — not unless there’s a reason.

Interestingly, even within the Bridgerton sphere, we’ve seen this handled differently. Take Corey Mylchreest and India Amarteifio from Queen Charlotte — their (mild, in comparison to Luke & Nicola) chemistry sparked its own wave of speculation. But according to whispers within the fandom and broader entertainment gossip, Corey’s real-life partner reportedly insisted the speculation be shut down, leading to subtle confirmation in the press that he was in a relationship.

Whether confirmed or not, it’s telling that such a PR boundary was respected — a reminder that these dynamics can be managed differently, especially when protecting a relationship matters.

So again I ask: If Jake and Antonia are the true partners, how in the world did they let the 2024 PR strategy unfold — one built on intense chemistry, physical closeness, and emotional mirroring — without saying a word? Without putting a stop to it?

And if we were wrong — if what we saw between Luke and Nicola was just PR — we would’ve seen real partners say "enough" and, if necessary, walk away. But we didn’t.

So no. I don’t believe what we witnessed with Luke and Nicola was PR. I believe it was — and is — real.

And I believe it’s real because the people who supposedly should have been hurt by it... haven’t ended things. So back to the question in my title: Why haven't Jake or Antonia walked away? Because they are the PR relationships, helping to create the narrative fog.

And thanks to Gigi Paris, we’ve been handed a real-world mirror that confirms what many of us have known all along:

"It was just PR" is the lie they tell when they don't want you to see the truth.

And the truth? It's in their eyes.

Aaniin Xxx

P.S. In referring to Jake as a potential real or PR partner to Nicola, I’m responding to the narrative that’s been publicly presented. That said, I want to acknowledge that doing so risks reinforcing a heteronormative lens — one that may overlook the possibility that Jake is queer. Many in the fandom have quietly noted signs pointing in that direction, and I share those observations. Still, because the PR framing positions Jake as a romantic partner to Nicola, I’m engaging with it on those terms — even if I question the validity of that framing entirely.

ETalk-CTV

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#lukola #Instagram

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myfanfic-urfantrash · 2 months ago

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Baking Bread: Part 1 - Recipe - Part 5 of ?

Asking them if they'd let you get them pregnant for this series.

CW: pregnancy talk, a little suggestive, a little angst(?), drug mention(mushrooms)

A/N: I thought about doing some for the ladies where you ask them to get you pregnant since I've started these crack posts but the only ladies I actually like are Beidou and Rosaria soooo I'd probably only do it if requested :o

Edited: 6/16/2025

-------

Aventurine's expression doesn't waver as you ask him if he'd let you get him pregnant using the little dark pink vile in your hands. But despite how calm he looks you're more than aware he's putting up a mask one he uses when he's been caught off guard.

"Now hold on there, my dear lover. Who said anything about me carrying our future child? Why don't you carry them while I take care of you instead?" But you don't budge even commenting on how lovely he would be pregnant with your child explaining how the vile works.

He sighs leaning into the opulent red couch across from you eyeing the vile. It's the only indication that he's a little nervous about this. But as he processes how it would work he recovers a glint in his eye that says he's thought of something good. He takes a single poker chip off the coffee table between you and begins to flip it in the air a clear sign he's come up with a full proof strategy.

"Alright then, my dear lover. Since we're both interested in having children but neither of us can agree on who will carry..." He tugs the dip of his shirt just to see your eyes linger there. This'll be too easy. "How about we make this more interesting?"

Aventurine flips the poker chip between his fingers and hums a smirk on his lips.

"If you win seven different games against me in a row, I'll drink that little vile and bear your children. But..." His hypnotizing eyes trailing your form from top to bottom landing on your lowest part of your belly lingering there then flickering up to meet your eyes.

"If I win. You will be the one drinking that vile and you will be the one getting pregnant." He stretches out his hand for you to shake exuding absolute confidence. "Sounds like a deal?" You shake his hand firmly and the little smirk on his face gets just that much wider.

There's no way he's going to lose.

...He loses every game spectacularly, the odds that should have been in his favor failed him no matter which game you played his composure faltering bit by bit with every loss.

It isn't until the final game, one he rigged a long time ago specifically so he wouldn't lose in the event he was in a pinch that he silently accepts his fate seeing your winning hand. There's just no beating you and clearly the universe thinks so too.

"Well then..." He lifts the vile in cheers. "Bottoms up." Oh there was a bottom up that night alright.

-------

Kazuha blinks rapidly shaking his head and sitting up from your resting spot on a grass hill overlooking the sea in Inazuma.

"D-Did I hear you right? I know we've talked about children but..." You nod confidently asking him again that if you could would he let you get him pregnant. He sighs. You must be having one of your moments where you ask him something odd in hopes of messing with his composure. He smiles fondly catching a falling leaf.

"If there were a way for us to have a child in the way you are suggesting I would not mind. Though you and I both know that is not possible-" He places his lips on the leaf ready to blow "-Yes it is." "Eh?"

His wide red eyes search your face for answers and when he finds complete seriousness and a strange sakura pink vile in your hand the leaf slips from his hands in shock. He feels his face flush as you explain how the vile works.

"You-" He snorts the entire situation ridiculous."You always know how to make me lose my composure. Though..." He sets the vile onto the grass and takes your hands in his.

"Why don't we wait just a bit more before having children? This isn't something to take lightly after all. And when we're finally prepared..." He leans in to whisper into your ear. "I'll be in your care."

-------

Xiao's expression doesn't change too much after hearing your question except the light pinch of his brow. He sighs shaking his head.

"Ridiculous...you should know that the only known adeptus to have changed their form so readily is Rex Lapis. I cannot alter my form so easily though I do know of some adeptal arts that could do so..." You ask him again if he would be willing and he shakes his head again firmly.

"No. It would be far too dangerous. Not for me but for our child." His looks down opening and closing his hands into fists. "Even if it could be altered and capbable of life this body that has dealt countless slaughter is...unsuitable."

You take his hands in yours and nod in understanding and ask if it'd be any different if you carried instead. He pauses a little hesitant but he nods slowly. "It would be safer for them but..." He stares at your linked hands, hands that have held him so gently all this time never faltering.

"Let me think about this and if you are certain I shall prepare."

-------

Tighnari and Cyno look up at you from the floor where they were playing TCG to pass the time waiting out the thunder storm processing your question.

"Have you raided my mushroom stash again? I told you not to consume any hallucinogenic mushrooms without any guidance unless you want a repeat of five months ago!" He stands up checking your eyes, ears, pulse, and posture while Cyno takes in your form.

"I don't think they've consumed anything and if they did they are remarkably sober." He comments standing up as Tighnari runs a hand down his face realizing your fine.

"Yeah, they're fine, unfortunately they're just crazy, dumb, or both." "Oi!" Tighnari pats your head shaking his head in disappointment. "I'm sure we're all more than aware that our bodies aren't exactly compatible to make children in the way you're determined to."

"We all want children but aren't you thinking about this at all?" You nod your head confidently lifting a rather old tome out of your bag. " I have thought about it that's how I found a way to make this possible."

Tighnari crosses his arms and Cyno joins his side mirroring his posture as they stare at you equally curious and doubtful to the tomes dubious contents. They follow you to Tighnari's desk and huddle around it with you as you turn to the section where you found this supposed method.

As they read the pages their skepticism fades into disbelief as you pull out records of this technique actually working and the healthy children that were produced. Tighnari and Cyno look between each other and at you then back to each other. Cyno breaks the silence lifting up a TCG card.

"Best two out of three? Whoever loses carries." "Forget your card games that just means I'm going to be the one carrying them regardless!"

"Ah, so it is a-parent that you'll lose?"

"...Get me my damn deck."

Tighnari does lose but he did pretty well considering they were evenly matched until the final round. He groans as Cyno attempts to make another joke as he rereads the passage making a list of all the ingredients you will all need to gather in order to create life within him.

Now just how will he tell Collei?

#honkai star rail x reader #genshin impact x reader #aventurine x reader #kaedehara kazuha x reader #kazuha x reader #xiao x reader #tighnari x reader #cyno x reader

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obito-in-disguise · 7 months ago

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| Unreceived |

Itachi's spiral.

<<Prev

It wasn’t that he doubted your loyalty, he doubted his worthiness. How many times had he left you alone to fend for yourself, with nothing but promises of a distant reunion and a Maltese to fill the void?

The door slamming echoed in his mind long after it stopped ringing in his ears.

He stood there, water dripping from his hair onto the tile floor, his chest heaving as if he’d just come out of battle but this wasn’t a fight he could end with precision or strategy.

It was a messier, more uncertain one, terrifying in a way he couldn’t articulate.

The calm and collected mask he always wore was slipping, cracking under the weight of insecurities Itachi just couldn’t suppress anymore. The years of sacrifice, of leaving you behind, of putting duty before his desires, had gnawed at the edges of his resolve.

“You should refrain from making jests about something so serious.” The memory of his own words burned in his chest, now sounding harsh and unkind in the silence that followed.

He clenched his jaw, shame mixing with the frustration already coursing through him, to form something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

This new feeling was too much. He stumbles backwards toward the wall before sliding down it slowly, gripping his hair harshly.

He felt immense shame, most of it from his inability to prevent his startling display of jealousy and other petty emotions. If his father could see him now he would be so disappointed.

This wasn't the Uchiha Itachi he raised, he had raised Itachi to be an emotionless weapon, to suppress every weakness and he was severely punished anytime he strayed the slightest bit from that image.

Even now miles away from any punishment his father could possibly inflict, Itachi couldn't help but feel that suffocating feeling of shame and disgust for his shortcomings.

His father was just a figurehead for all the people and systems that had subjected him to ridiculously high standards and expectations his whole life. He kept glancing at the door, half expecting them to burst in and scorn him for becoming so weak.

God he was so damaged, what did you ever see in him? Itachi was convinced that you had every right to leave him now, he wouldn't even hold it against you.

You, you were the complete opposite of him, so loving, so put together, so deserving of so much more than what he had subjected you to.

He throws his head back, letting it hit the tiled wall harshly, maybe the impact would somehow reset his spiralling mind.

Alas, it doesn't work. Sighing, he grips the edge of the bathtub as leverage before pulling himself up.

He staggers, his towel slipping slightly, but he barely notices. All that was on his mind was how he let you leave the room like that, without stopping you, without fixing everything.

But how could he? How could he face you when he was like this? He would only make things worse.

Still, he had to try. Even if you told him you hated him and never wanted to see him again, he needed to let you know he loves you and that he's the fuck up not you.

He takes a few steps forward, catching his reflection in the mirror. His sharingan was activated, glowing ominously in the dim light. He didn't even realize he had turned it on, it had become a habit ever since his eyesight started deteriorating.

Ah yes, another one of his fuckups, he had used his mangekyo so much that he started to go blind.

He didn't care, his only regret was that he could no longer see your beautiful face as clearly as he used to without the sharingan. He would never tell you that though, he had burdened you enough already.

He exhales shakily, leaning forward, bracing himself against the counter. He couldn’t let this fester. Couldn’t let you think, even for a second, that you meant anything less than everything to him.

Gathering his thoughts, he pushed himself upright and reached for a robe, tying it tightly around his waist.

The hallway beyond the bathroom was quiet, save for the faint sound of the dog’s nails clicking against a surface, its needy whimpers following suit. He followed the noise, his steps hesitant, his heart heavy.

The noise leads him to the living room where the little creature is pawing against the verandah door. It could see you through the clear door, sitting on the steps of the porch, looking utterly defeated. Perhaps if the creature knew Itachi was behind your distress it would attack him right now.

He squats down to the dog's level, beckoning it to come closer. It growls at him in warning, after all it was quite familiar with you but not Itachi.

He crouches lower, signalling he means no harm before gently scooping the dog into his arms when it curiously trots over to him.

He didn’t know what he hoped to achieve, but maybe seeing fluffy or whatever its name was would make you more likely to accept his apology.

You had been pacing for a solid 10 minutes before you eventually got tired and sat on the porch steps. All the anger had left you at this point, you were just jaded.

Jaded to the reality that there was a huge possibility your marriage wouldn't work out. You loved Itachi to death but you simply couldn't be with someone who thinks you're unfaithful.

You regret the moment that stupid joke left your mouth but...maybe it was necessary. After all it exposed just what Itachi thought about you.

He didn't even come after you, that one hurt a lot. Was he even sorry? Forget about leaving him, what If he was packing his things right now getting ready to leave you.

You scowled kicking a stone with your foot.

Whatever.

You don't need him, he can leave, that way he'll have more time for his stupid missions. In fact, why were you out here freezing your ass of in the cold instead of the asshole who had accused you of cheating?

With that you got up, dusting your clothes off, ready to head back inside and show Itachi that you weren't the same cry baby he left one year ago.

But before you could take another step, your pupils contracted in shock. You screamed, scrambling backward and landing on your butt, as a tall figure with those damned glowering red eyes came into your line of vision.

"Stop doing that!" You cried out, your hand clutching your now rapidly beating chest. The dog squirms out of Itachi's hands, running to you. It barks at Itachi before fussing around you, licking your skin as if to soothe your fall.

Itachi cringes as you land harshly on your behind, he quickly walks over, grasping your shoulders and pulling you up into him.

Neither of you say a word. He dusts off your clothes for you, his hand gingerly coming to rest on your cheek as he finishes.

"You're cold princess..." he murmurs, his fingers gently stroking the cool skin of your cheek.

You stare up at him, your touched starved body nearly giving into his caress before you snapped back to reality, stepping away from him with resolve.

"Don't Itachi..." you hadn't meant for your voice to come out so broken but you couldn't help it, you were hurt and he was trying to love you up into forgiving him.

"Can we talk...please" he sighs letting his hands fall back to his side, they clench and unclench, wishing they were on your skin again. He didn't like the look on your face one bit, especially because he had put it there.

He had seen you angry before, but this, this was different, this was heartbreak. He could see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice, and it twisted the knife deeper into his chest.

"Please," he starts again, softer this time, his voice barely audible over the gentle whimper of the dog.

"I just want to explain... I-" He stops himself, the words catching in his throat.

How could possibly begin to explain his inner turmoil to you? Was it even appropriate to bring it up right now? What if you thought he was just bringing up his insecurities to deflect from his hurtful actions or downplay his accusations.

You watched him skeptically and a bit irritated. Despite that, you softened against your will.

You had never seen your husband this distressed, maybe something was wrong. That would definitely explain why he lashed out like that.

You crossed your arms tapping you foot anxiously. You were worried but you weren't going to baby him and play the role of understanding wife, because look where that got you so far.

If something was wrong then he would have to tell you about it like a grown adult.

He continued to dwaddle, his eyes anywhere but you.

You gripped your arms, your lips pressed into a thin line as you stared at him.

For a moment, you thought about walking past him and going inside, leaving him to wrestle with his guilt on the porch. But something in his eyes stopped you.

Despite the red glow of his Sharingan, they looked vulnerable, pleading, almost. It was a side of Itachi he rarely let anyone see. Against your better judgment, you sighed, lowering your arms slightly.

"Why do you have that on" you murmur your hand reaching up to brush against his long lashes that framed those hypnotic red eyes.

Itachi stared at you his eyes widening and his jaw quivering. You noticed.

That gentle touch from you was a trigger, it was all he needed to finally crumble, his mental spiral reaching its crescendo.

He embraces you suddenly, burying his face in your shoulder as he starts to cry silently, his shoulders shaking violently.

You're startled to say to say the least, you had never seen Itachi cry. Still now, you tried to pull his face out of the crook of your neck to see if your eyes were deceiving you, but he wouldn’t let you.

His distress was slowly rubbing onto you, what on earth happened on that mission. You clench your teeth as you fight the urge to hug him back.

Why did you always have to be the forgiving one? What were you supposed to do with all this anger and resentment you were always forced to put away on his behalf?

"You can't cry your way out of this one Itachi..." your voice is shaky as you fight back your own tears.

By now the dog had headed back inside, the atmosphere making him just as distressed as you both were.

Even as you spoke those harsh words you found yourself embracing him back. Perhaps this was the tragic bane to loving, your heart would always cry out on their behalf no matter how displeased you may be with them.

The second your arms wrapped around Itachi he pulled away harshly, he wasn't deserving of your kindness, he knows. He wasn't going to take advantage of your love, no matter how much he wants to.

He pulls back staring at your shocked face, his chest still heaving and his cheeks still glistening.

He hesitantly raises his fingers to his still activated sharingan, your question echoing off the walls in his head torturously "Why do you have that on?"

and before he knows it, he blurts out the answer to your forgotten question "because I can't see..."

"What?..." What on earth was he talking about. "Itachi what a-"

"I can't see y/n. I've been over using the mangekyo and in return it has been taking my sight. The more I use it the more I plunge into this...this darkness. Not just here" He points to his eyes "but here too" he grips his chest, where his heart lies.

"I lost my eyesight, Christ I've lost my mind and now I'm losing you" he chuckles bitterly, his nails digging into his palms painfully.

"You said if you wanted to cheat, you would do it while I was away" He speaks softly, almost as if to himself. Your eyes widen, and you scramble to clarify. "I shouldn't ha-"

"No let me finish." He says, his gaze finally meeting yours.

"When you said that..." he looks up at the sky swallowing "it was like someone held up a mirror, to my shortcomings, to my failures, to this darkness growing in my soul..."

If there was ever a time you wished you were an Uchiha, it was now. You desperately wished you could understand what he was saying. You stepped forward again gripping his robe "tachi..." He doesn't let you finish, placing his hands on top of yours as he continues speaking.

"I have failed you in so many ways. I’ve put my missions, my clan, my duty, everything before you. And yet, you’ve stayed. You’ve loved me through it all, even when I’ve given you every reason to leave." His gaze met yours, the pain, the torment in them was unbearable for you.

"I've humiliated you by even suggesting you would be capable of infidelity. I don’t deserve you. I’ve never deserved you." He grips your hands tighter "I'm sorry, I'm absolutely sorry...I..."

His words fail him as he pours out his heart to you, now you felt terrible.

Your feelings were justified but if he had only told you how much he was struggling the two of you wouldn't be here right now.

Maybe it was because of how intense the moment was but you didn't notice until now how freezing cold it was getting, so you grasp his hand and tug him toward the warm inside of the house again.

You shut the verandah door so fluffy doesn't get any bright ideas like running away. The cold is a stark reminder of how much time you've both spent lost in your own hurt, far away from each other.

You head toward the couch, sitting and gently tugging Itachi into you. His head rests on your chest and his limbs automatically wrap around you like you were his lifeline, just how you liked it.

"I forgive you tachi...but I don't forgive how you kept all this from me" He swallows looking away before burying his face into your chest.

"I know, I should know better. I always try to do everything alone and it never works out..." He muses, his voice muffled from his position in your bosom.

"I want to be someone you can rely on" he grasps you tighter, the next words difficult for him to say "I didn't want to be weak..."

The more you watched him the more you couldn't be angry with him, here he was hiding in your chest like a baby and putting himself through all this just so he can be strong for you.

You can’t stay mad at him anymore, not like this. You reach up, gently tilting his face towards you, your fingers brushing over the cool skin of his cheek before flicking his forehead as hard as you can.

"Ow! What was that for!" He scowls rubbing the now reddening spot. You chuckle for the first time since the fight before leaning forward to kiss the spot you just inflicted pain on.

"Just what does for better or for worse mean to you? Even though you make it incredibly hard...I love you no matter what tachi, whether you're strong or weak"

He shivers as your lips make contact with his forehead, his chest warming at your kind words. He really didn't deserve you.

He slips back into his quiet nature, not responding to your words but holding them dear in his heart from today henceforth as he snuggles back into your chest, whispering a quiet thank you that doesn't reach your ears.

The atmosphere in your home is back to its warm nature as he listens to you ramble about how you're going to make him an appointment to see Tsunade and fix his eyes.

He doesn't even complain when fluffy, hops on the couch and snuggles between the both of you. Fluffy could sit on the furniture, he was part of the family now.

And Itachi wasn't going to let a repeat of last time happen again, he was going to give all his devotion and time to his little family henceforth.

I just adore when people leave comments. Initially part 2 was just going to be a short continuation where they make up and everything is ok again but ya'lls kind comments, especially @catlover19282 's compliment about the dialogue, made me want to dive more into the characters' psyches and talk about how both their feelings in the situation are valid. Itachi was going through dark shit but the reader is also allowed to feel hurt by his actions.

So thank you to eveyone who left a comment and to those who read as well💕

Click here for more Naruto Shippuden fics and other stories!

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aro-of-argentum · 3 months ago

Text

Suppression- 1

An eventual Pro!Kiribaku x Reader

WC: 5,064

Notes: The reader is in an established relationship with Kirishima, Bakugo is their roommate, Baku hasn't been sleeping and it's driving everyone up the wall, Reader has a way to help, fairly Bakugo-centric chapter. This one will probably not end up on a regular release schedule, and will instead come out as I have the inspiration to write it :)

Beta'd by: @teaspacebar

Next Chapter

Chapter 1:

Suppression- the conscious intentional exclusion from consciousness of a thought or feeling.

“Bakugo,” you called to the man currently burning a path into your rug with his pacing.

He hadn’t slept in days, you knew that. He’d been waking you and Eijirou up in the middle of the night with his quirk, set off by nightmares and stress. Everything was bothering him; everything was overstimulating him. He was jumpy and on edge, and his usual decompression strategies like going to the gym or out running until he was ready to pass out weren’t working, he still woke up screaming in the other room, if he fell asleep at all.

“Bakugo,” you tried again, and once again went unheard. It was like you weren’t even there. “You should sit down.”

“Can’t,” he clipped.

So, he had heard you. You sighed through your nose, a sadness sitting heavily in your chest. You’d been friends with the man for years, almost as long as you’d been dating Eijirou, and you’d never seen him like this. Grumpy? Sure. Irritable? Regularly. Angry even? On occasion, though it seemed he was way better about it now than he used to be given what your boyfriend had told you about their days in high school. But this was new. He looked like he was vibrating out of his skin, like he was constantly on the verge of a panic attack, so strung up that a single misplaced word might set him off. Still, you could see the fatigue in him. His shoulders were tense, steps heavy, eyes half-lidded and bloodshot until his attention was caught, and the squinted glare took them over.

His focus was pulled by the creak in the couch as you shifted, and he noticed the pained look on your face. He nearly snarled, “What?”

You pursed your lips. “You’ve been pacing for almost an hour, you’re going to put a hole in the floor.” He scoffed and kept walking the same line he’d been tracing the entire time. He had the room to do this in his bedroom, and he knew you were home, so clearly he didn’t want to be alone. “If you would just sit down,” you reasoned, “We could watch a movie or something-”

“Don’t!” It came out of him so fast you were sure it caught him as much off guard as it did you, but he just powered through it. “If you turn on that fucking tv, I’ll put my fist through the screen!” He was yelling and showed no sign of slowing down. “It’s too damn loud! The lights- it’s too fucking much-”

“Okay,” It was almost a whisper as you rose from the couch, understanding washing over you. There were times Eijirou got into this mood, though it looked different on him; he was easier to shake out of it, more willing to ask for help before it got this bad. A rough couple of days after a hard patrol or incident was one thing, but this had been going on, and getting worse every day, for over a week. The atmosphere in the house was at a metaphorical boiling point. You approached him slowly, arms raised so he knew you came in peace. “Bakugo, please,” you started, keeping your voice soft. “Just take a breath. Talk to me. Did something happen on patrol last week?”

His eyes snapped to yours wide and wild, like he was afraid you knew something you weren’t supposed to. “Nothing happened, I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!” His volume had lowered slightly, but his posture remained cagey and defensive.

You shook your head, knowing better than to believe his words when his behavior and body language were telling you exactly the opposite. You didn’t push it though, choosing instead to go another route. You couldn’t stand to see him this way, you wanted to fix it, or at least help him to fix it himself. “If you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to,” you reassured, “but please let me help you with whatever this is.” You gestured over his general person.

“Yeah? How, dumbass?” The question was sneered at you, and you frowned, but tried not to let it get under your skin given the state he was in. At least he’d stopped the pacing to face you.

“You know how my quirk works?” you asked, though you knew he was well aware. He scoffed and you took it as an affirmation. “I can help. Maybe you could get some sleep, or-”

He bared his teeth like he was getting ready for a fight. “And what? Wake up and blow you apart before I know what’s happening?”

Your brow furrowed in irritation. “You couldn’t if you tried, and you know it.” His jaw locked, and you knew you had him. Suppression as your quirk was called, was a power that allowed you to take away, or ‘suppress’ other peoples’ senses, and if you could touch them, their quirks as well. You’d used it more than once to help Eijirou get through nightmares, his fear of cutting you up with his quirk appropriately quelled by the fact you could turn off his hardening all together. Tuning out all light and background noise was also helpful in getting him to fall asleep, and sometimes your boyfriend asked for that even on nights where everything was fine. You could do that for Bakugo too, but he’d have to want you to. Your quirk could be terrifying if it was used against a person’s will; you refused to do that to your friend.

He stood frozen in front of you, tense in every muscle in his body, teeth grinding so hard together you grew concerned he’d break them. You couldn’t help but think you must look like someone trying to coax a cornered animal into a trap.

“I can help you fall asleep and make sure that even if you do wake up, you won’t be able to hurt me. Okay?” You stepped closer to him, slowly, giving him plenty of time to dodge you if he so chose. The man in front of you wasn’t a touchy-feely person, in the literal physical sense, or in the less tangible emotional sense. His tendency to keep people at an arm’s length meant that it was a privilege when he’d let you in enough to get to know him all that time ago, and you did your best never to abuse it. Now though, you evoked that privilege to let him know that there were expectations on both sides of this interaction and the one you were proposing. There was a certain level of vulnerability he’d need to have for this to work, and you wanted to communicate outright that he could trust you to handle the situation- and him- with the care he so desperately needed right now. Your decision to use his first name was deliberate. “Katsuki, please, let me help you.”

His eyes went wide, and for the first time since you’d stood up, his gaze fell from yours, shoulders deflating slightly. “Okay,” came out, barely audible, but you heard it nonetheless.

You closed more of the distance between the two of you, careful not to move too suddenly, ever aware and respectful of the fact that while he had accepted your offer of help, it did not make him any less of a live wire. You reached for his left hand where it clenched into a white-knuckled fist at his side, closing your fingers around the back of his hand, gentle, but with enough pressure to not set off further sensory issues. “Do you want to test me?” you asked cautiously.

“No,” was his abrupt answer, given as though it should have been obvious. His ability to catch an attitude, even now, was amusing, but you kept that entirely to yourself.

“Okay.” You nodded in acceptance as you pulled slightly on the man’s wrist. “Come on.”

Bakugo’s movements were stilted and stiff as he followed you, the tension in his body doing nothing to help ease the uncertainty you could see all over his face as he sat next to you on the couch. You were still holding his wrist, a contact he knew you’d need to maintain in order to keep his quirk under control should the need arise. “So do I just,” he started uneasily, leaning over slightly as though to put his head on your shoulder before righting himself.

You let go of him, putting your hand out in a motion telling him to wait as you adjusted, feeling his eyes trained on you the entire time. You piled a couple of pillows against the arm of the couch before turning to sit fully facing him with your shoulder against the back cushions of the couch. “Do you trust me?”

He squinted at you incredulously, even as exhaustion began to take over now that he’d stopped moving around. “Yeah.” It was quiet, cautious, skeptical even, but you’d take it. You knew this part was going to be just as difficult, if not more so, than getting him to let you use your quirk on him.

You leaned back slightly against the pillows, uncrossing your legs to plant the outside one firmly on the ground whilst the other slid behind him to stretch down the couch lengthwise. From your new partially reclined position, you held your hands out to him. “Here.”

Unsurprisingly, he didn’t move. Bakugo’s form stayed stock still, watching you carefully as you flexed your fingers in attempt to encourage him. You knew that under any normal circumstances, asking Bakugo Katsuki to cuddle, let alone be the little spoon, would seem insane, but it would likely help him sleep to have his body weight on his chest and a heartbeat against his ear. And you were near certain you could get him to do it, because despite everything about the man that would tell you otherwise, you knew he craved such affection. You’d seen him, on more than one occasion, staring at the way Eijirou held you, hands twitching like he wanted to be there. But it was the times you noticed him watching you hold Eijirou that he looked truly lost; a longing covering his features as his eyes traced the movement of your fingers in your boyfriend’s hair, or the drag of your nails as you scratched the redhead’s back. And Bakugo would make an offhanded comment about PDA being gross, or how he ‘lives here too,’ completely unaware he’d been caught.

“It’s okay,” you reassured with a small nod. “No one in this house is going to judge you or be upset about it.” Which was true. Eijirou was firmly in the ‘friends should be able to cuddle’ category of the argument on physical affection. The only reason he didn’t is because the only person besides you he was close enough to want to curl up with was liable to obliterate the house if he tried. “It’s just me, Katsuki.” you tried to push all of the softness you could manage into your voice, knowing just how fragile this situation was, especially since Bakugo’s silence spoke volumes to his uncertainty. “You can lay down.”

He looked like a feral cat trying to decide whether to accept food from someone’s hand; all tension and skepticism, with something close to desperation in his eyes. His jaw flexed as he battled with himself for only another moment longer before the feral cat’s hunger won out. You watched as he adjusted uncomfortably, breaking eye contact to stare at the floor in front of him. “So, what, I’m supposed to just lay on top of you?” he questioned, and you could tell he was using every remaining drop of his energy trying to put his usual snark into the inquiry.

“Pretty much,” you answered with a shrug. “And put your head on my chest right here.” You tapped the spot just to the left of your sternum to show him where to go.

He looked to where your hand was before his gaze met yours again. When you gave him a half smile, laced with both pity and victory, he scoffed. “Knock that fucking look off your face, idiot, or I’ll do it for you.”

You knew you shouldn’t piss him off, shouldn’t rile him up when you were trying so hard to get him so sleep, but the shock of your conversation seemed to have pulled him away from the breaking point he’d been about to cross, and you wanted to at least acknowledge that. “Nah, Eijirou would beat your ass if I don’t kill you first. And besides, you’re an easy target when you’re sleep deprived.” Any retort he had died in his throat and his mouth snapped shut, scowl making him seem much more himself than the shellshock from only a few minutes ago. You chuckled a little, extending the invitation again, “Would you just come over here?”

“Yeah, fine.” As menacing as he tried to sound, his exhaustion won out, and he crawled over you, stopping when his knees were between yours and his hands were on either side of your ribcage. A moment of vulnerability flashed across Bakugo’s face, and he asked, “You’re sure this is okay?”

You nodded, giving a small smile when you answered, “Yeah, you need it. Lay down.” He followed your instruction, letting his weight drop slowly to your torso, arms draped awkwardly to your sides, and you immediately felt him start to relax. You felt his shoulders squirm though, like he wasn’t quite comfortable, or didn’t know where to put his hands. “You can put your arms around me,” you offered.

There was hesitation in his slowness as Bakugo carefully threaded his arms to wrap around your waist in a hug, even after you’d already draped your arms over his back. You waited until he’d been still for a moment to ask, “Comfortable?”

“Tch.” You could almost hear the scowl on his face, but it was quiet for a moment, and then, much softer, “…yes.”

You nodded to yourself. “I’m going to start with your quirk, you shouldn’t feel any different.” You closed your eyes for a moment, flattening your palm between his shoulder blades to shut off his quirk. The concentration was easy to hold once you’d found it, your job and your home life having given you quite a bit of practice with maintaining suppression for long periods of time. “Okay, now, even if you do wake up, nothing bad is going to happen.”

“I’m still stronger than you, dumbass.” There was no real heat behind the jab, you heard insecurity beneath it instead.

“You’re not going to hurt me,” you insisted.

The relenting mumble of, “Whatever,” was all you needed to know you could continue.

“Okay, the next part is where it bothers some people- not that I think it will bother you,” you added at the end of the sentiment, doing your best to make sure he knew you weren’t condescending him. He huffed, sounding like a disgruntled bull, but made no other interruption. “I’m going to take away your sense of sight and sound, so that you won’t be bothered by the lights in the house or any noise in here or outside, which should help you fall asleep, and ideally stay asleep.” The explanation was a bit redundant, given that you knew Eijirou had explained it to him before- though in a much more casual way- but you figured talking him through it again couldn’t hurt. “You’ll still be able to feel things though, so you’ll have an anchor, which is part of why you’re on my chest. Eiji says it helps when he can feel my heartbeat.”

“Yeah, it’s… nice, I guess.” Bakugo’s tone remained resistant, but he was always someone who communicated more through his body language than anything else, and the way that he had settled his entire weight onto you, practically melted into your hold, told you everything you needed to know.

“Are you ready?” you asked carefully.

“Sure.”

You gave the warning, “It’ll be less unnerving if you close your eyes first.” When he gave no response, you assumed that he’d followed your instruction, so you began to dull his senses. You stroked your free hand over his hair in a show of comfort, and while he didn’t say anything, Bakugo pushed his head into your hand slightly. He let out the faintest hum of approval, and simply due to the muscle memory of having Eijirou in your lap like this, you ran your fingers gently through his hair instead of over it.

He whimpered.

The shock you felt, despite your immediate decision not to acknowledge the noise, was nothing compared to the embarrassment on Bakugo’s face when he shot up and his eyes locked with yours. In the same moment he moved, you dropped the hold you had over his senses and quirk, and you stared back at him, not saying anything as your hands hovered by his ribs, careful not to touch him in case he decided he didn’t want you to anymore.

He put on a mask of anger, which you saw through but took seriously, nonetheless. “You can’t tell anyone about this ever!” he near-shouted. “Or you’re dead!”

You nodded slightly, still yet to move. That wasn’t what you’d been expecting him to yell about. You expected he’d call it off or get after you about touching him in a way he didn’t like. “I know.”

“I mean it, shit head!”

“I know.” You were careful to keep your tone even, wanting to reassure him that everything was fine, that you weren’t going to expose something that he considered a weakness; you knew him better than that. “I’m not going to.”

“Yeah, you better not.” He seemed to be losing the wind in his sails, the empty venom in his tone dying almost as quickly as it had arrived. As the adrenaline of the moment faded, Bakugo faltered above you, arms shaking just slightly, just enough for his elbow to unlock. You caught him before he could fall, hands closing the space around his ribcage to help support his weight. He closed his eyes for a moment, a pained expression covering his features, and turned his face away when he started to ask, “Could you- with the- uh…”

Your eyebrows shot up at the man’s inability to string words together, not normally one to stutter, but you caught the redness covering his ear; he was embarrassed to ask whatever it was. “Do you still want to try this?” you asked, cautious to keep your tone neutral so there would be no misinterpretation to say you were making fun of him.

Bakugo’s only response was to nod slightly, so you helped him slowly lower his weight back onto you, only letting go of him long enough to adjust your grip, this time putting both of your hands flat on his back. Once his arms were around you again, the side of his head pressed to your chest, you asked, “Ready?” He tensed like something was wrong, so you lifted your hands, “Katsuki, if this makes you that uncomfortable-”

“No, just-” he growled through the word, frustration clear in his tone, though he made no move to get off you. If anything, he squeezed tighter around your waist for a moment. “Play with my hair,” he grumbled, then added, “please?” sounding no less irritated than before.

You huffed a laugh, more than a little surprised by the ask, but happy to oblige. “Sure.”

“Then yeah, I’m ready.”

There was a moment of quiet as you watched the man heave a breath, and when he released it, you returned one hand to its place on his back while the other wormed into the hair at the back of his head, slowly working your fingers up and over on his scalp. He hummed appreciatively at the feeling and tensed again, only to relax a moment later when you gave no reaction. “Eyes closed?”

“Uh huh.”

“Goodnight, Katsuki.”

Over the next couple of minutes, you slowly suppressed his sight so there would be no shining light on the other side of his eyelids, and his hearing so the noises of the outside world would slowly fade away. His quirk was gone immediately, though you knew that would make no difference to him, and you stayed playing with his hair the whole time to help him feel at ease and hopefully relax him enough to fall asleep. It took almost no time for his breathing to even out once the only things he could sense were you and the breeze coming through the window. Once he was out, you reached for your phone, content to read until he woke up or needed something.

It was when your boyfriend got home that you realized how long you’d been sitting still.

“Hey, guys, I’m home!” The door swung shut and a moment later, you heard Eijirou call your name.

“In here!” you shouted, though without much force. When he came into view over the back of the couch, all smiles, you put the phone down and beckoned him over, careful not to jostle the man still in your lap. “Hey, lover boy,” you greeted with a wink as he entered the room. “Look what I have.”

When he got closer, Eijirou was able to look over the couch and see his best friend, still entirely asleep and snoring lightly as your fingers carded lazily through the blonde’s hair. His eyes grew wide. “Oh shit! Is he asleep?” He whispered, surprise seeping into his tone as he tried to be mindful of the noise he was making.

You, however, made no attempt to lower your volume, knowing that at most Bakugo would feel the vibrations from your chest as you spoke, nothing more. “You’re fine, baby, I’ve had him under for,” you tapped your phone to double check the time, “six and a half hours.”

“Really? Wow, I bet he’s going to feel so much better!” Eijirou had a habit of marveling at you, and now was no different as he stared like he was in awe of your power. “Any issues?” he questioned as he sat down on the coffee table, careful not to bump you or the man you held.

“None,” you admitted. “I think he’s so exhausted even his brain gave up.”

Eijirou’s hand came up to scratch the back of his head for a moment as he thought. “I’m honestly a little surprised he agreed to this.” He gestured with a tilt of his chin to the situation you currently found yourself in.

“Me too,” you agreed with a nod. “But I promised no one would ever find out, which means you can’t tell anyone either, cool?”

He tossed his hands up in surrender. “Hey, anything to get him and this house back to normal.” He stood from the coffee table, pressing a lingering but chaste kiss to your lips, then a shorter one to your forehead before walking away from where you sat, likely to go change, you figured. He kept up the conversation though, now reassured that he wouldn’t wake the other man by being too loud. “So, how’s your day been?” he asked from your bedroom.

“It’s been nice!” you realized aloud as you considered your day for the first time. “I mean, this morning was a little rough, but ever since I got him to crash, I’ve just been here, reading on my phone, and honestly? I think I kinda needed a lazy day.”

“Well, that’s great, babe! I’m glad you got to relax for a while,” he called back.

“I know it was my night to make dinner though.” Your gut twisted with guilt, though you knew what you’d done instead was more important. “I could order takeout, if you want-”

“No, honey,” he cut you off so gently as he reappeared from the bedroom, now in sweats and a tank top, hair pulled out of his face in an enormous ponytail. He pressed another kiss to the top of your head as he walked by, already heading for the kitchen. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll cook.”

A pout covered your lips as you questioned, “Are you sure? How was work?”

He laughed, “Work was as easy of a day as I could ask for. Mostly uneventful patrol followed by a meeting with Fat, and then some paperwork right at the end. Pretty chill,” he admitted with a shrug. He nodded toward where you sat on the couch. “Hey, how do we stack up as cuddle buddies?”

There was a playful mischief in his smile that made you laugh, and you felt bad for the way the movement jostled Bakugo. “Well, he’s lighter than you,” you admitted, followed by a puffed, breathy ‘ha’ you exhaled as the blonde’s grip tightened around you almost to the point of pain for a moment as he adjusted, nuzzling into your chest before he settled again, your fingers in his hair all the while. “He squeezes harder though,” you half laughed the sentiment, until you noticed the look on your boyfriend’s face. “Eiji?”

His jaw flexed and for a moment you thought he was angry until you saw the subtle soft blink and deep breath you knew all too well; he wanted something and couldn’t have it right now. “The noise…”

A single eyebrow quirked up as you looked at him, giving a dramatic scandalized gasp, all teasing in your tone when you said, “And here I thought you’d be ready to kill anybody else for getting noises out of me.” You’d meant it playfully, knowing Eijirou was protective, knowing how he felt about the idea of another man touching you, knowing he’d absolutely step in if you were ever put in a situation that called for it.

You meant nothing by the insinuation those things didn’t apply to Bakugo, which is why it shocked you so much when he said, “Anybody else, sure. Bakugo though…” his tone went up as though in question and he shrugged with a tilt of his head.

Wait. What? “I’m sorry,” you interrupted, confusion taking over your voice and your features. “What does that mean?”

“What do you think it means?” He asked in return, rather than answering, then walked into the kitchen and out of your view.

You shook your head, mouth agape in amused disbelief at his antics. “We should talk about that at some point,” you called to him.

“Whatever you want, baby-cakes.”

You listened for a moment as your boyfriend moved around the kitchen, so entirely unbothered by the last few sentences of your exchange. You didn’t notice you’d stopped playing with Bakugo’s hair until you felt a push against your unmoving hand as he squirmed, still asleep, seeking the affection. You started up again, and he settled, humming contentedly before his snoring picked up again a moment later. You shook your head at him, too. One of the loudest, grumpiest guys in the world, and here he was, wordlessly begging for affection as he slept on your chest.

You sighed, picking your phone back up and continuing to read as the sounds and smells of a cooking meal wafted through the house. You could have blocked the smell from Bakugo, but you figured there were few better ways to wake up than to the smell of something delicious. When Eijirou shouted that dinner was almost done, you began to allow Bakugo’s hearing back, slowly letting the audible world back into his awareness. He stirred, and when he inhaled long and drawn out, you let his sight fade back in so that when he opened his eyes, they would be useful to him. You kept his quirk down though, just in case, with your hand still buried in his hair.

“Bakugo,” you called softly, knowing he was waking up, and trying to pull him gently the rest of the way. “Dinner’s almost done, it’s time to eat.”

He groaned, but started to sit up, rubbing his eyes as he went, and you let your hand settle on his leg as you sat up too, just in case he needed you, but he was calm, so after a moment, you pulled it away.

“Hey,” you greeted him with a soft smile when he looked at you, eyes still half-lidded with sleep. “How do you feel.”

“Good,” he nodded through the sentiment. “Better. Tired, though.”

You chuckled slightly. “Makes sense, it’s the first uninterrupted sleep you’ve had in over a week.”

He hummed in acknowledgement, voice still all gravel.

“Eiji’s almost done with dinner, did you want to try and eat something?”

“Probably should,” he reasoned. And you nodded in agreement.

It only took a few minutes of the three of you talking together over dinner for Bakugo to get back to himself. He was tired still, sure, but far from the overstimulated, exhausted, trainwreck he’d been earlier. He and Eijirou barked at each other all through the meal, and if he occasionally threw a stray jab or insult in your direction, you were quick to return it.

After dinner was eaten and dishes were cleaned, the three of you agreed to call it an early evening- though not too early an evening by Bakugo’s standards- and went your separate ways. It was just as you were about to follow Eijirou into your bedroom, that the other man caught your wrist.

“Hey, dumbass,” he started, and waited for you to turn to face him before he continued. “Thanks, or whatever. For earlier.”

A tired, but genuine smile covered your face, and you nodded slightly. “Anytime, okay? I mean that.”

“Sure. Thanks.” He said it as though he was unsure whether to believe you, but you knew tonight was not the time to try to fight that battle.

“Goodnight, Bakugo.”

“Night,” he almost whispered when you’d turned away, wrist slipping from his grasp to join your boyfriend in your bedroom.

Even with all your observational skill, you failed to notice the way his hand stayed outstretched toward you for a few seconds too long, or the way his eyes followed your every movement until you were out of view. You missed the shame that covered his face for a moment before he turned to enter his own bedroom. Eijirou didn’t.

#bakugou x reader #kirishima x reader #kiribaku x reader #bakugou katsuki #kirishima eijirou

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