#which is strange considering I have a reasonable number of hours on the other games and 1300+ on WF

[black-rose-writings]

My favorite videogame genre, btw

[m-o-i-r-a]

Chapter 1 - The Wheel of Fate Begins to Turn

THE WHEEL OF FATE BEGINS TO TURN

Shall We Try Counting The Numbers? Chapter 1

Pair : Rhadamantys x Pandora, Ilias x Lugonis

-----

Do you know what lucid dreaming is?

Lucid dreaming is a phenomenon where all senses are convinced that what is happening is a dream. And right now, that's what's happening to me. Everything looks shattered, the only thing intact is the moonlight shining through the window. I don't know where this is, but my body moves on its own, performing movements impossible for a human to do.

I am in a battle, facing a young child clad in golden armor. My body aches all over, blood flowing and numerous bruises and scrapes from rough contact. I can feel all the pain, yet strangely my adrenaline is pumping. I am addicted to this stimulation; all the pain I feel is outweighed by how exhilarating our fight is.

The golden radiance exudes nobility, making my eyes squint unable to stare. A strong desire for justice within the body of a man who appears much younger.

He shines so brightly, this battle is a noble one. Once again, I feel addicted to every strike and wound I create for this youth.

The child continues to launch his attacks bravely. Each of his hand movements filled with grace and skill unbefitting his young age. Nonetheless, I remain superior.

With one sudden move, I manage to incapacitate my young opponent. He falls to the ground gasping for breath, yet his eyes still emit unwavering spirit. I feel strange, as if there's a force orchestrating all of this, and I'm just a player in a larger game.

Suddenly, the moonlight that was once so bright fades away abruptly. Everything around me begins to blur and spin, as if space and time itself are swaying in my lucid dream. I feel as though I'm being pulled out of this experience.

And my eyes open, revealing the white of the bedroom ceiling. I'm back, awakened from the dream.

****

Rhadamantys was a man of great discipline; amidst all his busy schedule, he never missed his recommended sleep hours. Nevertheless, his face looked pale, clearly reflected in the mirror he stared into while splashing water on his face. The mirror bore silent witness to the absence of any freshness from his face, which was often deemed eerie.

Water droplets seemed to flow down his face, for some unknown reason, before he reached for his towel to dry his face. With his face still has the wetness, he gazed into the mirror. "A very bad dream to start the day," he thought.

This was the umpteenth time Rhadamantys had the same dream, although the events never repeated. The setting was always the same: an old, dilapidated building. A cold night, and he was always wearing black armor. Initially, he thought it was unimportant, but as the dreams recurred, he became suspicious that something else was happening to him.

"Should I visit a doctor?" he pondered as he gargled to finish cleaning his mouth, only then drying his face again with a small towel. Did he have the time? Walking back to his bedroom, he grabbed his phone to check his schedule on the calendar.

That was his intention, but seeing the multitude of unread notifications—50 notifications ranging from text messages to missed calls—not just from one person, but a single name stood out, making Rhadamantys uneasy.

Pandora.

The last call had been about 15 minutes ago, right when he went to the bathroom. Rhadamantys immediately dialed the number displayed. There were two rings before the call connected, but there was no sound at all.

Silence, for several seconds. Rhadamantys knew what it meant; the person he was calling was very angry now.

"I just came from the bathroom," Rhadamantys began the conversation, offering an explanation because he knew what was considered wrong by the person on the other end.

"Never mind. I've been waiting long enough. I'm not the one who has to cater to all your needs, Rhad," Pandora said firmly, displaying her disappointment.

Rhadamantys tried to explain, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you waiting. It was unintentional."

"You're always unintentional, aren't you?" Pandora interrupted, her voice still filled with dissatisfaction.

Whatever he said, Rhadamantys wouldn't win. His fault was indeed not replying to Pandora's messages – his girlfriend. However, it contradicted with what he did; if he knew Pandora would be angry, why did he silence his phone from all notifications? It meant he knew Pandora's anger wouldn't mean much; he had known Pandora well enough during their 3-year relationship.

"Okay, what do I need to do for you to forgive me?" He didn't want to beat around the bush; Rhadamantys was not someone who liked to sweet-talk just to please his girlfriend, and Pandora knew that.

"Accompany me for a walk this afternoon," she replied.

Rhadamantys switched the setting on his phone to loudspeaker mode. He then placed it in the drawer near his wardrobe. Opening the wardrobe to find a shirt to wear, he said, "If this afternoon doesn't work, I have a meeting with a client at the office. How about tonight?" as he put on a white shirt over his muscular frame.

"Evening," it didn't take long for Pandora to reply.

"Okay, evening. I'll make a dinner reservation too." He grabbed a suit before closing the wardrobe and returning to the desk where his phone lay.

"That's my man, deal," Pandora said with a happy tone, almost no trace of the annoyance from their conversation a few minutes ago.

Rhadamantys smiled; Pandora's actions always made him fond of her. Quick to anger, yet also quick to happiness. Despite Pandora's flaws, which could be justified by her strengths, the most important thing was that they had known each other for a long time, and that made Rhadamantys not have to worry about learning Pandora's habits while they were dating.

Their conversation continued until Rhadamantys had to end the call. As Rhadamantys had told Pandora, he had to go to the office for an important matter. This included notifications from sources other than Pandora that he had briefly read before getting ready to leave his apartment.

From: Minos

HOLLYFUCK DUDE. YOU KNOW WHO’S OUR CLIENT IS?? IT’S IT’S....

He knew there was more to the notification, and he could see the full message if he tapped on it. However, this was Minos; his brother liked to exaggerate things a lot. Rhadamantys didn't feel the need to waste time reading it; he would find out when he got to the office.

****

Driving his car, he finally arrived at the office. It was a large three-story building located in the busiest area of ​​the city they lived in. There was a history of why his boss had chosen this building as their office. Parking his car in the basement, Rhadamantys then took the elevator to the first floor. And as he stepped out of the elevator, his eyes finally met a familiar figure.

Aiacos.

The long-haired man waved as they faced each other. Aiacos was known for his thick hair – though not as thick as Minos' and their boss's. Nevertheless, Aiacos might have felt that he should at least look presentable this time, as evidenced by how he tied his hair back.

"Has Minos arrived?" Rhadamantys asked to confirm.

"He has, surprising, isn't it?" Aiacos shrugged. They were both surprised. Minos, the man they knew as the most laid-back person in the office, arrived first. Honestly, if it weren't for their three-way connection with the boss, Minos wouldn't last long in the office. It didn't mean Minos lacked intelligence. Among the three of them, Minos was the smartest, coupled with his social skills. Regardless, he would still endure even without following any company rules. "I brought an umbrella just in case there's a storm because of Minos' antics," Aiacos joked.

Rhadamantys started to think about why Minos could be so excited, recalling the message notification from him. Rhadamantys took out his phone from his pocket. "He sent me a message this morning, but I haven't read it yet. Seems to be about our client information." He finally unlocked his phone, opening the messaging app to read what Minos had sent. Aiacos, who was also curious, leaned in a bit and read the text on the screen.

The gaze of Rhadamantys and Aiacos widened immediately as they locked eyes.

"No wonder," they both thought.

It was nearing the meeting time. Aiacos and Rhadamantys took the elevator to go up, to the top floor, more precisely, to the director's office. It could be said that their director was quite eccentric, turning the entire third floor into his private office. Each room there was dedicated solely for the director's use, whether for business purposes or personal matters. But what could they protest about? They worked here, and the director's command was absolute.

As they stepped out of the elevator, Aiacos noticed that there were new sculptures and paintings displayed in the lobby. This meant the director had spent company money under the guise of office operations. Aiacos reminded himself to stop by the accounting division to check the office finances once again.

They arrived at the grand double doors. It was evident that their director liked unique items with a theme from the past. These grand doors were intricately carved, depicting the beauty and elegance of the classical era. Every carving on the old wooden door told a story of deep history and mystery.

It should be noted that this was a modern three-story office building. How could such a door exist here? Certainly, it was no doubt due to the considerable amount of money spent.

Rhadamantys knocked on the door, and it swung open, emitting the characteristic creak reminiscent of movies and games set in medieval times. Despite the classical accents, inside was simply a luxurious office space with several items predominantly made of wood, yet exuding a modern and lavish feel.

Before them stood a large desk with someone seated behind it. Striking long black hair gleamed under the lamplight. Even from afar, one could sense an unusual aura, as if the eyes were inevitably drawn to the master. For those unfamiliar, this man appeared like a masterpiece crafted by God; for those who knew him, he seemed like the God of Death ready to cast anyone he disliked into Hell.

Hades.

Whether it was his real name or not remained unknown. Suddenly, this man emerged and dominated all the business dealings behind the scenes. Only this year, the man who always hid behind shadows and evaded the law established a white-collar company under the guise of a law firm.

Inferno.

The office where Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos worked now belonged to Inferno, a private legal company with three branches. Minos managed the Legal branch, Rhadamantys oversaw the Private Security branch, and Aiacos handled the Financial Consultancy branch. Meanwhile, the top seat was held by Hades, along with two other board members. Despite being only five years in the bussiness, they had already made a name for themselves among legal entities in the country.

Rhadamantys and Aiacos walked over as they saw Minos standing in front of Hades. Minos, who had arrived first, just smiled.

"Don't you know this is going to be an important meeting? Why are you both late?" His smile clearly held a hint of mockery. Aiacos showed a crease of annoyance, although they were not late. Moreover, Minos was usually the least diligent of the three of them. However, Rhadamantys remained silent and indifferent; there was no point in responding to Minos' mocking laughter.

"About our client this time, is it true?" Rhadamantys asked first, wanting to confirm once again with Hades, who still sat with authority before them.

Hades simply nodded, his posture relaxed as he leaned back in his chair, indicating that he held power over all of them present. Hades understood Rhadamantys' skepticism; the name that had emerged was one that was entirely opposite - even considered an enemy - of what Hades aimed to achieve.

Rhadamantys and Aiacos exchanged glances; it wasn't Hades' nature to accept work from someone who was an enemy. Hades seemed to understand what was on their minds—except for Minos, Minos seemed to be the happiest person about this decision.

"The world has changed," Hades continued, a final smile on his imposing yet slightly softened face. "And we must be prepared for that change, hence why this important task can only be entrusted to you three."

"Besides, those who come to us first. Isn't that the highest form of honor? They seem desperate," he chuckled with a hint of the usual sinister accent, making the three of them understand that the Hades before them was as he should be. Not under threat or hypnotized. It made them all sure that this job was purely at Hades' own will.

As the four of them continued their discussion, the intercom on Hades' desk lit up. A woman's voice, Hades' secretary, informed them that their meeting guests had arrived. The announcement honestly made Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos nervous.

Who would they be meeting with?

****

The room was quiet, with only the sound of teacups being prepared by Hades' secretary, placed on the table in front of the two who were already seated. The sofa on the right was occupied by Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos. Hades himself sat on the single sofa between the two long sofas.

And what about the other long sofa?

Two people were seated there. One was an older man sitting with a straight yet relaxed posture, reflecting a lifetime of experiences built over decades. His down-to-earth aura was clearly evident, especially compared to the others beside him. The lines and wrinkles on his face told stories of a rich and experienced life journey, indicating a long path involving high military ranks or leadership roles. Although his age was evident in the lines etched on his face, his presence exuded warmth like the bright sun, bathing the room in an aura of calmness and charming self-confidence.

The person beside him appeared stiffer, with a bandana covering his forehead, looking much younger, possibly the same age as the three men seated across. The man with the bandana took the initiative to hand over several documents to be read by Hades and his three subordinates.

The contents of the documents varied, but most consisted of images/screenshots of other documents. There was a mural that appeared to be written on a large wall, as well as a letter with cut-out letters from a magazine arranged into a new sentence. But amidst it all, there were several similarities. All the writings contained elements of hatred—filthy sentences expressing dissatisfaction, directed at their client.

Hades chuckled; he didn't consider this matter unserious, but the method employed was quite childish. His laughter was met with a sharp stare from the man with the bandana. However, the older man beside him remained calm.

Hades now understood the issue at hand.

"This has been happening for about a year now," the man with the bandana continued their discussion. "Initially, it was on a small scale and not dangerous, like graffiti on walls or throwing rotten food at the office. At least it didn't directly disrupt our work."

Minos began to flip through the pages of images once again. As he reached the last few pages, his eyes narrowed.

There were images of a man being carried on a stretcher, surrounded by chaotic scenes as if there had been a large explosion. Minos knew exactly what case this was; it had been a hot topic in the media a few months ago. An explosion had occurred at one of the branch offices of a company that had been established for decades.

Its name was Sanctuary, a towering business entity that encompassed various sectors within its extensive reach. Its presence spanned from the food sector to electronics and tourism, creating an impressive and diverse business scope.

Not only did Sanctuary focus on goods and services, but it also made services an integral part of its operations. By providing various services such as business consultancy, human resource management, and information technology, the company became a reliable business partner in various sectors.

With a vision and dedication like this, Sanctuary was not just a company but a haven for business diversity, making it an undeniable economic force.

Compared to Sanctuary, Inferno clearly paled in comparison. If Hades was known as the king of the underworld, then the elderly man before them was the king of the upper world and virtue.

Ilias. A name frequently seen in every sector of news and business articles worldwide. A man who had succeeded in building his company from a young age until now. It was said that Sanctuary was just a small trading company tucked away in a corner of Europe, selling various food necessities in extreme weather conditions. However, over time, the business continued to grow. It was not an exaggeration to consider Ilias a genius of his time.

Moreover, Ilias was also known for his philanthropy. The name Sanctuary was consistently associated with acts of kindness for the world, ranging from donations to humanitarian projects to ambitious environmental programs. Ilias's concern for the sustainability of the planet was reflected in various initiatives undertaken by Sanctuary.

He didn't just create a profit-focused company but also integrated principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. By engaging in philanthropic efforts, Ilias and Sanctuary became undeniable agents of change in addressing various global challenges.

With Inferno identified as chaos and uncertainty, Ilias and Sanctuary stood as a remarkable contrast, offering stability, sustainability, and virtue. His history etched in the lines and wrinkles of his face was evidence of the long journey from a small trading company in Europe to a respected global economic force.

However, with the magnitude of their actions, there were also many who disliked them. Idealism conflicting with business ethics made Sanctuary have many enemies. One hot rumor was the gap between Inferno and Sanctuary. These two companies were like two sides of a different coin due to the differing methods in which their businesses operated.

Hence, it was understandable when Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos were taken aback upon learning that Ilias would be visiting the office.

Beside Ilias was Sisyphus, his younger brother who bore a striking resemblance to him. His handsome and gallant face emitted a strong aura of leadership. His chestnut hair was neatly arranged, giving off an elegant and classy impression.

His eyes, akin to those of an experienced warrior, radiated intelligence and wisdom. Their gaze could capture every detail, reflecting his dedication to his duties and responsibilities as the manager of Sanctuary under his brother's authority.

Sisyphus also appeared uncomfortable sitting in the Inferno building now, hence his demeanor seemed rather curt.

"However, the peak of it all, these acts of hatred have become increasingly dangerous. One of the factories of our company's branch was bombed. And this action has also resulted in the loss of our workers," Sisyphus expressed his displeasure in his tone. Considering innocent lives were being taken as casualties. Sanctuary had certainly provided compensation and reparations for the families of the victims, but there was no guarantee that the same wouldn't happen again.

But that wasn't the only reason why Ilias and Sisyphus were here.

Ilias looked at Sisyphus, as if understanding the message. Sisyphus then giving another document, this time just a piece of paper. Unlike the previous documents, this one was handwritten. He placed it on the table for everyone to see.

The paper, a single white page seemingly soaked in uncertainty, bore the weight of words etched in black ink, weaving a series of threats hidden behind each letter.

"In the shadow of your success, I see darkness. Your bold steps slowly creep into the gaping jaws of hatred. Sanctuary, your abode of glory, now becomes the target of scorn and destruction. The universe gazes with displeasure, signaling a deep-seated catastrophe.

I have launched the first attack, like a bomb tearing through your armor. Workers, innocent, become unsuspecting victims, dancing with death amidst the ruins of their love and aspirations.

But this is only the beginning of a vengeance that will flow incessantly. Your family, Ilias, will never experience peace. Death will approach them, like an ever-present shadow. Even behind closed doors, they will not be safe from the fear gripping their souls.

The Sanctuary you built with the brilliance of your achievements I shall turn into your grave. With every word I pour out, I beseech you, feel the chill of uncertainty. Do not expect a safe haven for you and your loved ones.

The Shadow Behind the Darkness."

Sick, Rhadamantys could only think as he read. Aiacos shared a similar sentiment, albeit with a hint of admiration for the lengthy yet undeniably sinister prose. But there was one person bold enough, Minos. The silver-haired man fearlessly looked directly at Hades. Why? Because it was clear that "The Shadow Behind the Darkness" was a title most befitting of Hades.

Minos had a suspicion that the author of this ominous letter was none other than Hades himself.

Hades, aware of Minos's gaze, simply smiled. Unbeknownst to Minos, he could somehow hear Hades's voice in his mind.

"Do you want me to kill you?"

Aiacos, quick to notice the ominous aura emanating from Hades, promptly slapped the back of Minos's head with the palm of his hand. This guy, Minos, could be downright disrespectful, but Aiacos also somewhat suspected that this might be coming from Hades. However, he was wiser than Minos not to act recklessly, especially considering that Sanctuary and Inferno were always portrayed as two businesses engaged in a cold war.

"Sorry, I'll get straight to the point. Are you showing us this writing as evidence that Sanctuary suspects Inferno's involvement?" Rhadamantys, more astute in his response, didn't need to look at Hades because the suspicion was evident.

Sisyphus looked at Rhadamantys, indicating that it was indeed true. He also shared the same suspicion, which is why Sisyphus decided to accompany Ilias to this place. Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense. It was as if there were sparks flying between Sisyphus's gaze and the three people in front of him.

But all of that dissipated when a calm, hearty voice was heard, originating from Ilias, followed by a smile from Hades.

"From the beginning, I had no suspicions about Inferno," replied Ilias, feeling compelled to set the record straight, his words carrying an air of honesty that needed no questioning.

Ilias had his reasons, just as Hades did, for knowing this was not their doing. There was no need for defense; the two executives seemed to understand each other implicitly. Ilias and Hades shared a hidden secret, a dark pact unknown to the outside world.

"My purpose in coming here is precisely to seek assistance from Inferno," Ilias continued, smiling to indicate that his decision had been carefully considered. "Inferno possesses advantages that cannot be ignored. We've engaged the services of other security firms, but the situation has only grown more complex."

Hades, though expressionless, casually tapped his fingers on the table, awaiting further explanation.

"Inferno has methods that can address threats of this nature. I believe Inferno is the best choice."

Hades chuckled, suggesting duplicity in those words.

"You know that we'll do whatever it takes for the success of our business," Hades leaned forward. "Which means we'll overlook all the morals and virtues that are Sanctuary's foremost vision."

The undertones of Hades' challenge to Ilias were palpable, suggesting they would engage in actions contrary to the morals upheld by Ilias and Sanctuary. Tension mounted, and the four individuals, who had remained silent until now, involuntarily held their breath in apprehension.

"Yes, I understand that Inferno's actions don't always align with the morals we uphold at Sanctuary,"

Ilias' previously calm and wise demeanor suddenly shifted. His eyes, usually filled with serenity, now glowed like smoldering embers. A resolute and determined expression adorned his face, exuding an aura of unwavering decisiveness.

"However, when my family is threatened, I can no longer prioritize morality above all else." As Ilias delivered his words, his once steady voice began to quiver, each syllable resonating with a thunderous intensity.

Sensing the emotional power behind Ilias' words, Hades couldn't ignore the intensity emanating from him. This sight awakened primitive instincts, portraying Ilias as a leader who wouldn't hesitate to confront any threat to protect his loved ones.

Rhadamantys felt stiffness creeping into the base of his neck, unable to shake off the cold sensation running down his spine. Ilias' presence, previously serene, now exuded a heart-pounding strength. He felt as if he were facing a fierce beast freshly awakened from its deep slumber.

Meanwhile, Hades, the CEO of Inferno, seated at the side of the room, merely smiled. The smile didn't reflect fear or stiffness; instead, there was a subtle sense of respect in his eyes. Witnessing Ilias express his decision with fervent passion, Hades detected a profoundly human and honest vibration.

"There is nothing more human than protecting those we love," Hades spoke softly, gazing at Ilias with eyes full of acknowledgment. "Your humanity, Ilias, is truly impressive. The courage to pursue what is most precious to you, even if it means challenging existing norms and morals."

Leaning slightly forward, Hades displayed a clear respect for Ilias' stance. To him, seeing someone willing to step outside conventional boundaries to protect their family was an inspiring sight. There was no hint of threat or fear in Hades' gaze; instead, there was recognition of the human courage faced with difficult situations.

Rhadamantys remained silent, but his fear slowly morphed into admiration. He realized that before him stood not only the steadfast leader of Sanctuary but also a human willing to forsake morality to protect what he cherished.

The tension that had been present moments ago now began to dissipate. Hades, aware of this shift, gestured for Ilias and Sisyphus to sip on the prepared drinks. It was moments like these where Hades' business acumen shone through. His words were smooth, filled with the eloquence of a skilled conversationalist. Every exchange felt seamless, devoid of any hint of condescension. Ilias and Hades engaged in a brief discussion about the country's economic growth, exchanging opinions. Meanwhile, Rhadamantys, Aiacos, and Minos now engaged in a discussion with Sisyphus about some details in the documents they had provided.

"Minos," called Hades to one of his subordinates. Minos immediately approached Hades and Ilias. "You, Rhadamantys, and Aiacos will be relieved of your duties here at the office. Instead, the three of you will focus on collaborating with Sanctuary. Prepare the transition process, inform your respective employees to handle the work here."

Rhadamantys and Aiacos exchanged looks upon hearing this.

Ilias glanced at Sisyphus, and the man understood. "This is a good opportunity for you to learn. Join them," Ilias said. Sisyphus, reluctant but unable to refuse, simply nodded.

And so, the four of them walked out of Hades' office. As the door closed behind them, they all breathed a sigh of relief. They had experienced a whirlwind of emotions today, and being in the presence of the two most influential people in the world had drained them mentally. This was true for the three employees of Inferno as well as Sisyphus.

Sisyphus remained silent for a moment, at least he was still sane and understood that all of this was because of his brother, and it all started from his own actions that showed his dislike for Inferno. "Forgive me for letting my emotions get the best of me earlier," Sisyphus said in a more relaxed tone.

"Haha, no worries, we didn't expect it to be that intense either," Aiacos replied first. From their tones, it was clear that Sisyphus and Aiacos already knew each other.

Indeed, Sisyphus and Aiacos were college friends. They were in the same year, majoring in Business Management. While Sisyphus had his own sentiments towards Inferno, he didn't blindly hate everything associated with it. Sisyphus was a wise young man; he wouldn't judge someone solely based on their job. He looked at the person themselves.

"But Mr. Ilias is truly remarkable," Minos remarked casually, glancing at his phone as he typed a message to one of his employees, Lune. "This is the first time I've seen someone unafraid of the Boss, and it's been a while since I've seen the Boss genuinely pleased with someone," Minos smiled, satisfied after witnessing a performance he rarely encountered. Although he didn't say it out loud, Rhadamantys and Aiacos agreed.

Sisyphus could only smile; he would be lying if he said he wasn't pleased to hear his brother being praised like that.

Rhadamantys now also glanced at his phone. He was seriously considering what tasks he needed to tackle. "From what I understand, the three of us will be under the auspices of Sanctuary until we can apprehend the perpetrator. So, my responsibility is to protect Sanctuary and Mr. Ilias's family, isn't it, Sisyphus?"

"Correct, we might be bothering you a lot, Rhadamantys," Because Rhadamantys was in the private security division, this thick-eyebrowed man would be the head of the Bodyguard team along with a combined team from Inferno and Sanctuary.

"Alright, I'll prepare the essentials for today. Seeing Mr. Hades like this, maybe the three of us will be kicked out of the office by tomorrow," Rhadamantys wasn't one to joke around, so his statement was one hundred percent true.

"But I don't understand," Aiacos added, his hands folded in thought.

"For that case, Rhadamantys will clearly be needed. Minos will also play a role if the culprit is apprehended,"

"Then what about me?" Aiacos himself was in the financial consulting division. It seemed like Sanctuary already had its own board for financial matters.

"Ah, about that," Sisyphus looked at him with an awkward smile. "You'll be assisting me, Aiacos."

"I've been monitoring the company's financial flow all this time. When combined, everything seems normal. But I realized there was an odd flow of money when I checked the small-scale accounting. We suspect there's an insider involved in embezzlement..."

"I can't outright say it's corruption because the main books don't show anything suspicious, so..."

"Sanctuary needs an external audit," Minos concluded before Sisyphus could finish his statement, his eyebrows furrowing indicating his dislike at being interrupted.

"Correct," Sisyphus affirmed.

Aiacos understood the gist; it meant he had to prepare as well. His face looked somber; the fact that he wouldn't be in the office for several weeks meant less time to catch up with his crush. Such was the burden of work; hopefully, no overly bold guy would approach his crush while he was away.

"So, I'll be sticking close to you, Sisyphus," Aiacos chuckled. "Just like back in college," Remembering their youth, Sisyphus and Aiacos were the two most prominent figures on their campus. Because of their similarities, they became close. There was a brief rift when Sisyphus found out that Aiacos's sponsor was Hades, but Sisyphus proved to be far more mature in judging people based on his personal experiences.

"Haha, true, sorry if I'll be a bother, Aiacos," Sisyphus just smiled, reminiscing about their youthful nostalgia.

"Alright then, Sisyphus, you're coming with me. There's a lot we need to discuss. What about you guys?" Aiacos glanced at Rhadamantys and Minos.

"I'll head to my division briefly to hand over tasks to Lune," Minos pointed towards the lift, indicating he'd soon be off to the second floor. "I'll also head to my division for preparations," Rhadamantys said, seemingly planning to accompany Minos.

"Oh, speaking of which, Rhadamantys," Sisyphus turned his gaze to Rhadamantys, who returned the look. "This is a bit trivial, but my nephew is a huge fan of yours," he said with a friendly smile. Rhadamantys raised an eyebrow.

"A fan?" Rhadamantys seemed puzzled.

"Back when you were still active in the university league," Sisyphus clarified, relieving Rhadamantys's confusion.

Before diving into the business world of Inferno, Rhadamantys had left his mark on the American football field during his college years. As a linebacker, he stood out with his extraordinary physical prowess, exuding an aura of toughness. His strong and athletic physique became a unique attraction on the gridiron.

As a linebacker, Rhadamantys became an immovable defender. His remarkable foot speed allowed him to move swiftly on the field, responding promptly to any change in situation. He was like a predator hunting its prey, always ready to charge to the front line and halt the opponent's attack.

For Rhadamantys, American football wasn't just a sport but a battle that ignited the warrior spirit within him. Absorbing body blows, ambushing opponents, and reaching victory were all part of his life's calling. From the outset, when many placed their hopes on him to become a pro player, Rhadamantys understood that his ambition was not just about fame in the sports world but about finding inner satisfaction in true combat.

Moreover, his life's path was already set. Their schooling, the three of them, was for Hades. Ever since they were confronted with misfortune in their lives, their paths changed drastically when Hades, the mysterious figure long known to the world, emerged. Rhadamantys, Minos, and Aiacos suddenly found themselves under the shadow of Hades, as if becoming pawns in the game of their destiny.

"You three will have a decent life, as long as you're willing to work for me,"

He still remembered what Hades said to them when they first met,with his hand extended. That’s when Minos, Rhadamantys, and Aiacos become brother, with no blood-relation.

Despite feeling like trading with an unpredictable entity, the three of them realized that their fate now entirely lay in Hades' hands. As they walked together, they treaded the path that had been chosen by this eternal ruler.

Thus, for Rhadamantys, working for Inferno after graduating was absolute and incomparable to becoming a pro athlete.

It had been several years since he graduated, and Rhadamantys thought that perhaps no one would bring it up again. However, unexpectedly, the man who would become his client brought it up. "The nephew you mentioned..." Rhadamantys tried to confirm first.

"The son of Mr. Ilias," Sisyphus added to avoid any confusion.

Rhadamantys responded with a puzzled expression, trying to piece together the new information he had just received. "Mr. Ilias' son, huh? It's been several years since I graduated, I didn't think anyone would still be interested in discussing those days."

Sisyphus smiled gently, as if knowing something that Rhadamantys might not have considered. "He truly holds great respect for you, Rhadamantys. Perhaps your story on the American football field is one of his inspirations."

Rhadamantys just chuckled softly, "It's been a long time since anyone brought that up, so it feels strange."

"If this agreement goes through, it's just a matter of time before you meet him. I hope you don't mind if he overwhelms you a bit," Sisyphus felt the need to mention this to Rhadamantys beforehand, knowing that his nephew could be quite explosive. He's a good kid, but his bursts of enthusiasm and emotion? Some people might find it too much.

Rhadamantys simply nodded, indicating he didn't mind.

Sisyphus patted Rhadamantys' shoulder friendly. "Thank you, Rhadamantys. I'm sure your meeting with him will be a meaningful moment for him."

And then they parted ways. Each returned to their respective divisions. Aiacos and Sisyphus were seen engaged in serious conversation with the documents they brought. Minos, now seated, was being scolded thoroughly by his assistant, Lune. And then there was Rhadamantys, discussing division preparations with his assistant, Valentine. Valentine seemed nervous upon learning he would be Rhadamantys' replacement while Rhadamantys was out of the office. Considering the important meeting was over, he felt he could keep his promise to take a stroll with Pandora.

Well, he didn't want to get a barrage of words from his girlfriend.

**** Ilias took another sip of the tea that Hades had served earlier. Unexpectedly, their conversation flowed without any rebuttals. Hades and Ilias shared similar thoughts, at least when it came to economics. If the media knew that the two most influential figures were engaging in a discussion, journalists might come flocking now.

It was indeed an anomaly for two individuals with different principles to meet like this.

"How are they doing?" Hades opened the conversation again after seeing Ilias had finished their drink.

"The last time I visited them, they seemed to be doing well," Ilias added, knowing who Hades was referring to.

Hades gave a relieved smile, although they still maintained their trademark arrogant expression.

"You don't intend to visit them anytime soon?" Ilias asked back.

Hades paused for a moment, then took another sip of their drink. "I don't feel the need to, besides, they'd be happier if I didn't visit them," they said.

Ilias just chuckled softly. "That's not true, they often ask me for updates if there's any news about you. They cut out articles with your photo, then collect them as clippings." Ilias's hand gestured scissors, mimicking what they had seen before.

Honestly, that expression made Hades feel a little happy. Imagining the person's face lighting up because of his photo, Hades coughed slightly.

"Is that so..." Hades murmured, wondering if they should schedule some time to visit them soon.

"Besides, it's about time they were able to go out freely. It would be nice if you could take them for a stroll," Ilias added, offering further advice. "My partner and I would be happy to arrange accommodation," From those words, Ilias explained their readiness to help if Hades needed an asset without involving accounts from Inferno.

And that wasn't a bad idea.

"Thank you," Hades said, knowing that if his subordinates heard, they would all think a storm was brewing today. Their superiors never said thank you to them.

Ilias just smiled, a genuine one, pleased to see Hades responding positively. Who could have connected them like this? It was just a little secret known by Hades and Ilias.

****

"What do you think?" Pandora opened the dressing room curtain, revealing the outfit she had just tried on. A black dress, the top of which featured a classic off-the-shoulder neckline, adding a touch of vintage elegance to her look. The gently curved neckline showed a hint of skin, providing a sensual touch without sacrificing modesty.

Rhadamantys glanced briefly from top to bottom, then gave a thumbs-up to indicate his approval. Rhadamantys had been sitting with several other paperbag with brand for 30 minutes. He had lost count of how many outfits Pandora had tried on in this boutique.

Pandora furrowed her brows, not entirely pleased with Rhadamantys' response. Although she immediately realized that this was typical of Rhadamantys. She looked in the mirror once again, ensuring that every side of her body looked beautiful in the black dress.

Pandora liked it.

"Alright, I'll take this," she said to one of the store employees who had been assisting her since earlier.

Finally! Rhadamantys rejoiced inwardly.

Pandora returned to change her clothes, while Rhadamantys headed straight to the cashier to pay for the dress Pandora had chosen. It was already the sixth bag he had been carrying from late afternoon until now.

Keeping his promise, Rhadamantys knew Pandora's anger would surely subside. No matter how much money he spent on his lover's enjoyment, as long as the girl wasn't angry. Pandora's anger was one of Rhadamantys' weaknesses; for some reason, he didn't want to be the subject of the beautiful black-haired woman's annoyance.

Rhadamantys and Pandora had known each other since childhood. Hades and Pandora were siblings, although not blood siblings. When Hades brought young Rhadamantys to his residence, that was when they first met. Along with Minos and Aiacos, the four of them grew up together.

From a young age, the relationship among Rhadamantys, Pandora, Hades, Minos, and Aiacos was as tight as sibling bonds. They were not only playmates but also a family that complemented each other. Hades' residence became a place where memories full of happiness and camaraderie flourished together.

With his warm and compassionate nature, Rhadamantys showed special attention to Pandora. His love for Pandora was inevitable, stemming from the affection that arose from losing his younger sister in the past. To him, Pandora was not just an adoptive sister but also a beacon of light that reminded him of the happiness and love that might have been lost in his life.

Because of this, even though Pandora had some negative traits, Rhadamantys didn't mind. Pandora was a proud woman, indulged by their father's wealth. Although Pandora's demeanor sometimes showed less favorable aspects, Rhadamantys remained faithfully supportive and loving. For Rhadamantys, Pandora's arrogance was just a small part of her complexity, and he saw beyond it.

After finishing up at the boutique, Rhadamantys invited Pandora to a restaurant in one of the five-star hotels not far from the shopping center. It was then that Rhadamantys had the opportunity to talk to Pandora about work, as she happened to be a shareholder of Inferno as well.

"Brother, and the old man?" It should be noted that they couldn't straightforwardly mention the names of the two individuals because it would obviously draw attention from anyone who might overhear. Therefore, Pandora used pseudonyms, even though they sounded rather impolite.

"Yeah, and the three of us are assigned to foster collaboration," Rhadamantys said, savoring his meal.

Pandora looked on, puzzled. Although the operations of Inferno were not her responsibility, Pandora had no right to intervene. Still, she was surprised, considering that her brother clearly harbored implicit resentment towards Sanctuary.

"Whoah, it seems like the old man takes it seriously if it concerns his family," Pandora continued eating. Rhadamantys agreed, implying that Ilias seemed impatient because the threat was also directed at his family. Therefore, it was understandable if Ilias wanted to use Inferno's services. Not because Inferno was a company operating in the legal field, but because of Hades, who was known to use any means necessary.

In essence, Ilias would use Inferno as a release from the moral shackles that were the core strength of Sanctuary.

Rhadamantys considered it cunning but also justified. Because, in essence, that was the ability of Inferno. Making the CEO of Sanctuary acknowledge that Inferno was the best choice made Rhadamantys proud.

"So, we won't see each other often?" Pandora broke Rhadamantys's reverie.

"That's right, you can still call me. Nothing's different from usual, right?" Rhadamantys often had to work as a bodyguard, leaving Pandora for more than a week at a time.

Pandora looked pensive for a moment. Then, she nodded with a pleased smile. "No problem, as long as you keep me updated every night."

Rhadamantys felt relieved; at least he knew Pandora wasn't angry about it.

"Oh, by the way, did you know that the old man's family is famous?" After finishing her meal, Pandora sat up straight, only a small piece of meat left on her plate, maintaining her graceful demeanor.

"Is that so? Isn't his family very private?" Rhadamantys only knew that the founder of Sanctuary had a family: a spouse and two children, not to mention Sisyphus as his sibling.

Pandora simply smiled gleefully; at moments like this, she took pride in her social network, ensuring that every gossip and secret information would pass through her ears. Even the media couldn't publish the information she obtained.

"His two children are quite famous. The eldest, in particular, is the epitome of beauty and grace. Every step they take seems to dance like a goddess descending from heaven," she explained.

As Rhadamantys processed Pandora's description, he felt something didn't quite align with the information he had received. Shaking his head gently, he carefully attempted to clarify, "Pandora, forgive me if I'm mistaken, but according to the reports I've received, he has two sons, not a woman as graceful and beautiful as you described."

With her mysterious smile, Pandora seemed to relish in the slight confusion she created. "Oh, Rhadamantys, you know how complicated the old man's family is. His eldest child, despite being born male, possesses unparalleled beauty. They are a testament to the beauty unbound by gender constraints."

Rhadamantys pondered for a moment, trying to grasp the concept Pandora had just unveiled.

"You should ask Minos for more details; he admires the old man first child greatly. I bet he was thrilled to hear that you three would be collaborating with the company, right?" Pandora pointed her fork at Rhadamantys, her confidence evident in her smile.

Rhadamantys nodded, remembering how enthusiastic Minos seemed earlier in the morning. Was it simply because he could see Ilias' first child up close? His friend's behavior puzzled him.

Continuing his meal, Rhadamantys pondered further. "And what about the second child?"

"You should know him, Rhadamantys, because he's shining just like you did in the past," Pandora replied cryptically.

Pandora's words confused him. His eyes narrowed slightly, and Pandora could tell that Rhadamantys needed a more detailed explanation.

"He was the MVP of the high school league last year, American Football, just like you."

"One of a kind, he got a sports scholarship from our alma mater. Doesn't that sound a lot like your story?"

Rhadamantys indeed hadn't visited his campus or his old club, especially since he started working at Inferno. He felt he needed to limit his social interactions based on his job. So it was understandable that Rhadamantys didn't know anything about the developments in the sport he once pursued, especially on a league scale that wasn't televised.

"Sisyphus told me that one of his children is a fan of yours, it seems like he's the one Sisyphus meant," Rhadamantys concluded. In his mind, he praised Ilias' child; it wasn't easy to earn a sports scholarship from their university. Their campus was renowned for consistently being the national champion in every semi-pro/university-level competition. Therefore, they would undoubtedly seek the best among the best when selecting candidates for the scholarship.

"Perhaps, but honestly, you still looked cooler back in college compared to him. He's just a kid, nowhere near as impressive as you," Pandora said with a hint of fervor, feeling she didn't want him to be compared to a snotty brat. Rhadamantys considered it a sweet gesture and chuckled softly.

Rhadamantys felt it might be enjoyable to meet Ilias' mentioned child. It had been a long time since he exchanged opinions and engaged in activities related to American Football. Aiacos and Minos weren't keen on sports, so discussing sports with them would be futile. While Valentine had engaged in sports activities before, Rhadamantys couldn't speak freely with his subordinate due to the high level of respect Valentine held.

That evening, he accompanied Pandora until his beloved was satisfied and decided to head home. Rhadamantys paid extra attention, knowing he would be busy in the days ahead. After escorting his partner back to her apartment, Rhadamantys decided to stay over when he got the green light from her.

Exhausted from a day of activities, Rhadamantys fell into a deep sleep that night.

****

"The responsibility falls on you to protect the Ilias family. Wouldn't it be better if you introduced yourself there sooner?"

That was Hades' comment two days ago. What his boss said had some truth to it. When he sought confirmation from Sisyphus and Ilias, both agreed because they felt that the sooner, the safer for their family's security.

Emerging from the car with firm and decisive steps, Rhadamantys appeared like a poised and resolute figure. Clad in a fitted black suit, he seemed like a black shadow ready to protect and guard. His suit looked exceptionally professional, exuding a sense of firmness and authority.

The black suit boasted precise and proper cuts, indicating the attention to detail of a professional in matters of appearance. The black buttons tracing the front of the suit added an elegant touch, while the high-quality fabric provided a subtle sheen that reinforced its professionalism.

Rhadamantys' hair was neatly combed and well-groomed, reflecting his orderliness and discipline. His sharp and vigilant gaze mirrored his mental readiness to face any situation. His sturdy and athletic physique revealed physical strength ready to be relied upon in carrying out his duties.

It needs to be emphasized that this time he's only introducing himself. Is it too much? Rhadamantys doesn't think so, as he feels that this is indeed his work attire. And who knows what might happen next.

The Ilias residence was situated in a mountainous area, a quiet and cool place. Rhadamantys caught a glimpse of other houses during the car ride. However, the distance between the Ilias house and the others was quite far.

After parking the car, he made his way to the gate. The gate of the house was singular, while the surrounding fence was made of tall concrete. Although it wasn't impossible to enter the premises by climbing, it would require extra effort and time to do so. He pressed the doorbell, waiting for a response.

"Yes?" came a male voice from the intercom.

"Good afternoon, I'm Rhadamantys from Inferno. I have an appointment with Mr. Ilias today," Rhadamantys said, realizing it wasn't a voice he recognized.

"Oh! Yes, please wait a moment. I'll open it for you."

Rhadamantys waited, assuming that the one who would open the gate might be the household staff, as that was what he usually experienced when visiting Hades' residence.

The wooden gate swung open, and a man emerged with confident strides. His dark red hair swayed in the wind, lending him a natural elegance. He stood tall and upright, although Rhadamantys was still slightly taller. The lines on his face hinted at the faint wrinkles of aging, but they did not diminish the beauty implied in his gaze.

Rhadamantys was certain that the man before him was not a household staff member. If he guessed correctly, Ilias had mentioned that only his family occupied the house. Given the age apparent in the man's face, it was unlikely he was a child. Rhadamantys concluded that this man was likely Ilias's life partner.

"You're Rhadamantys, correct? Ilias has informed me," he said again, radiating wisdom and depth, while his gaze pierced with full presence and wisdom. By merely mentioning his name without the need for any cues from Ilias, it seemed to confirm Rhadamantys's hypothesis.

"Please come in, let's talk inside."

Rhadamantys followed from behind. Stepping through the gate, he realized the house's yard was quite spacious. To the right, it appeared to be a large field, with short grass dominating among the bushes of flowers. Suitable for outdoor activities. On the other side, there was a striking flower garden, with various colorful flowers dominating. He also noticed a basket with various stems of roses being held by the man in front of him.

Returning to the house before him, Rhadamantys couldn't help but notice that it was not as he had imagined. Usually, the wealthy, especially those with businesses that seemed to have endless resources, would live in grand houses resembling castles.

But Ilias's house was modest, yet expensive. By "modest," it was simply a townhouse with two floors. It did appear more spacious than the average house, but it wasn't the type of mansion with walls that extended beyond sight. Rhadamantys could immediately grasp the shape of the house; there were no sides hidden from view.

This building created a fusion of modern architecture with traditional touches, crafting a unique atmosphere. The facade consisted of a combination of concrete, glass, and metal, creating an impressive futuristic appearance.

Honestly, this would make Rhadamantys's job easier. With all sides of the house visible, surveillance would be simplified, and anyone attempting to sneak in would face difficulties. Additionally, the large windows covering the house's walls would make any movement easily observable. It's highly likely that when Ilias constructed this house, he had the same considerations in mind.

Rhadamantys was ushered into the house. The interior was designed in an elegant minimalist style. The living room was furnished with luxurious modern furniture, adorned with striking gold or silver accents. Everything appeared spacious, allowing for comfortable movement. Aiacos might have grumbled about the considerable distance between rooms, but the airflow from the glass walls circulated well, keeping the house cool even without air conditioning.

Rhadamantys was invited to sit on the sofa in the middle of the room, which overlooked the wide field. Opposite him, the man sat down as well. He exuded elegance in every movement, his posture tall but not rigid, with his arms folded gently in his lap. His facial expression was calm and composed, reflecting maturity and self-assurance.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Lugonis," the man began the conversation. "Ilias happens to be out with our second child at the moment, but he will return shortly."

Rhadamantys nodded respectfully upon hearing the man's name. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Lugonis," he said politely. "I appreciate the opportunity to meet with you, even though Mr. Ilias is unable to be present at the moment."

Lugonis chuckled softly. "Just call me Lugonis, I'm nobody special," he objected to the title.

They both sat in comfortable silence, the atmosphere filled with tranquility. Rhadamantys pondered for a moment, observing the beautiful scenery outside the window. A vast field stretched out before him, providing a soothing panorama that contrasted with the usual scenes in Inferno.

"I understand," Rhadamantys finally said, deciding to initiate the conversation. "I believe the time I have with you is sufficient for a discussion. Is there any message or specific request from Mr. Ilias that he wishes to convey to me?"

Lugonis was slightly surprised that Rhadamantys was already prepared for his duties. He had received a summary of Rhadamantys' tasks after being informed by Ilias. Lugonis was also in agreement that their family indeed needed special protection.

"Well, there isn't actually, he just said you and your team would be taking care of us. However..." Lugonis sighed, realizing that there was a specific issue he needed to address with Rhadamantys before he began his work.

"I'll do whatever you need, no need to hesitate," Rhadamantys assured him, offering his reassurance.

"This is more about our two children," Lugonis chuckled softly before continuing his conversation. Footsteps could be heard from upstairs. Lugonis and Rhadamantys both turned their gaze towards the sound.

Long, silky platinum hair cascaded gently around his shoulders. His slender and proportionate figure exuded natural grace in every movement. Their eyes met, and Rhadamantys was slightly taken aback, finding it hard to believe that someone could radiate such natural beauty that left him stunned.

He briefly thought that the person descending the stairs was a woman, but then remembered Pandora's words. Rhadamantys now understood that Pandora's description was not exaggerated.

"Who is he, Father?" His voice was calm yet deep, confirming that he was indeed a young man. Lugonis waved his hand, motioning for the young man to come closer.

As Albafica approached, Rhadamantys couldn't help but notice the ethereal quality that seemed to envelop him. Each step he took was graceful, almost like a dancer moving across a stage. His features were delicate yet defined, with high cheekbones that caught the light and accentuated his stunning facial structure.

Closer now, Rhadamantys could see the subtle curve of Albafica's lips, painted with a natural shade that enhanced their allure. His eyes, a mesmerizing shade of cerulean blue, held a depth and wisdom far beyond his years. They seemed to gleam with an inner light, drawing Rhadamantys in with their captivating gaze.

In that moment, Rhadamantys understood why Albafica was described as a living embodiment of beauty. He was not just a mere mortal but a vision of grace and elegance, a sight to behold and cherish forever.

"This is our firstborn, Albafica." Say Lugonis introducing the male.

"Albafica, this is the bodyguard Ilias mentioned earlier, Rhadamantys."

Introduced, Rhadamantys assessed the situation first. Typically, he would extend his hand for a handshake first, but having been involved in the underworld too often, he knew that initiating was frowned upon.

Fortunately, Albafica, though initially hesitant, reached out his hand first. Rhadamantys accepted it, and they shook hands as a form of introduction. However, a hint of displeasure was evident on Albafica's face.

"But father, I've already said that we both don't need it," Albafica objected, more accurately, he didn't want to stand out in public with various people wearing sunglasses.

"That's why, only Rhadamantys will be the one to protect both of you," Lugonis looked at Rhadamantys, allowing him to explain in more detail.

"If both of you are going out, then I must accompany, only me. Meanwhile, the other team members will just be on standby outside; they will blend in with the others so you don't need to worry." Explain Rhadamantys.

Albafica still showed his displeasure. But he never opposed his fathers' request. Albafica glanced at Rhadamantys from head to toe. With looks like that, this man would undoubtedly stand out.

"At the very least, wear something more casual. You look like a mobster with that outfit and demeanor," Albafica's comment caught Rhadamantys off guard, clearly slapping him with reality. Who would have thought that the decision to appear professional would backfire on him?

Albafica shifted his focus back to Lugonis, while Rhadamantys still lamented his decision. "I want to tend to the garden in the back, Father," he said.

"Oh right, I've already picked some earlier. Can you continue?" Lugonis recalled the basket he had brought and placed it on the table. Albafica nodded, briefly glancing at Rhadamantys and giving a slight nod before turning away.

With elegance and aloofness, Albafica was still more polite than Pandora, but his eyes didn't need to lie to pretend to be kind. Rhadamantys felt that Albafica's gaze considered him a nuisance. He would try to remind himself that this was his job, regardless.

"He has a strong character, doesn't he?" Lugonis said, as if knowing what was on Rhadamantys's mind. Rhadamantys nodded, as it was indeed true. "Actually, he objected, but he couldn't refuse our request. He's a good son," Lugonis then moved from his seat. "I just realized I haven't served you a drink. Would rose tea be alright for you?"

Rhadamantys responded with a thin smile, though his heart still wavered between frustration and acceptance of the situation at hand. "Rose tea would be lovely, thank you," he said, trying to restrain himself from getting too emotional.

He could still see Lugonis preparing the tea, as the line of sight between the living room and the kitchen was so wide. Rhadamantys felt relieved because it meant that surveillance would be easy as all sides of the house were visible. He considered hiring a team of four people for each shift, which would be ideal. Usually, he wouldn't be involved in escort activities, but this time, his contract as an exclusive guard required him to participate in all activities.

Lugonis was so diligent in accompanying Rhadamantys to get to know the man better. Rhadamantys didn't mind; Lugonis was also quite adept at socializing. From the way he spoke, full of authority yet softer than Ilias, whom he had met earlier.

Initially, Lugonis chatted about his two children, who were so close despite their age difference. Then Rhadamantys got caught up in the conversation and began to tell stories about his two foster brothers, Aiacos and Minos. Although Rhadamantys narrated from his own point of view, he didn't provide any information about the company.

Their conversation soon passed, and footsteps were heard from outside. "Ah, that must be them," Lugonis rose from his seat to head towards the entrance. Rhadamantys also stood up because he intended to greet Ilias.

"Father! I'm home!" exclaimed someone Rhadamantys didn't know, the bright tone of their voice indicating a younger age. Rhadamantys couldn't clearly see past Lugonis's back, which meant that the unfamiliar youth was shorter than his father. In the distance, Rhadamantys could see Ilias starting to walk towards the main door after closing the gate.

"Welcome back, Regulus" Lugonis said, patting the young man's head. "Where's brother? We found his favorite snacks earlier!" The cheerful tone of the voice led Rhadamantys to conclude that this was the couple's second child.

"He's in the garden. But first, I'd like to introduce our guest," Lugonis turned to Rhadamantys behind him. Rhadamantys, feeling granted permission, approached.

And his pupils constricted.

A young man, with an apparent age gap between him and Rhadamantys. Rhadamantys's first focus was on his eyes, bright azure, radiating warmth and hope, illuminating every corner of the room. His golden-brown hair cascaded to his neck, like strands of gold swept by the gentle spring breeze.

Rhadamantys was familiar with that face.

Regulus, meeting Rhadamantys's gaze, stood tall beside Lugonis. Ilias, who had finally joined them, stood as well, placing a hand on Regulus's shoulder, his second child.

“Rhadamantys. This is our second child, Regulus."

As Rhadamantys gazed upon him, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being in the presence of a force of nature. Regulus's demeanor exuded confidence and authority, his eyes gleaming with a primal intensity that seemed to pierce through any pretense or facade. It was as if he held the essence of the wilderness within him, untamed and untethered by the constraints of civilization.

His eyes seemed to possess the power to penetrate deep into Rhadamantys's heart. It was as if he were looking into the eyes of a lion, recognizing in them a kindred spirit that resonated with his own primal instincts and inner strength.

Yes, how could Rhadamantys forget?  This young man was the one from his dreams.

"Pleased to meet you, Rhadamantys!"

With that simple introduction, Rhadamantys felt as though he had stepped into a destiny that had been planned since ancient times. Like pieces of a puzzle finally coming together, he realized that Regulus's presence was not mere coincidence, but part of a larger plan involving his dreams, Ilias, Sanctuary, and even Inferno.

As Regulus greeted him, Rhadamantys felt as though he were awakening from a dream filled with the presence of the young man. "Nice to meet you, Regulus," he replied, his voice almost choked with the emotions stirring within him.

Their encounter, starting from that point, felt like the beginning of a grand journey that would take them across fields fraught with obstacles and mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Rhadamantys could sense the excitement and tension vibrating in the air, as if the world were holding its breath to witness what would happen next.

****

"It's crowded," said Sisyphus, who was experiencing being in a large stadium for the first time to watch a sports match live. If it weren't for one of his college friends participating in the game, Sisyphus wouldn't have bothered to come here.

Meanwhile, his right hand was holding the small hand of Regulus. At that time, Regulus was only 7 years old and was eager to join when he found out his uncle was going to watch a live sports match. Regulus was a hyperactive child with excess energy, so Ilias was very grateful that Sisyphus was willing to take him along.

Regulus looked around, eager to explore many new things. For example, a barrier fence between the spectator seats and the field, from a distance, Regulus could see other athletes busy putting on their American football uniforms. Wasn't that cool? It's like wearing armor! Without feeling guilty, Regulus released his hand from Sisyphus's grip and quickly ran off, curious and excited.

"UWAH! Regulus!" Sisyphus was certainly surprised, especially since Regulus's steps were so agile that within a few seconds, they were already very far apart. "Excuse me! Hey, Regulus!" The young man tried to make his way through some spectators who were about to sit in their seats. But he was already far behind because Regulus was now at the barrier fence, gripping the side of the boards that served as a barrier, leaning his body forward to get a closer look.

It looked so cool; everything seemed larger than him, like a warrior. The large American football uniforms made them look even more powerful. He had watched the movie "Gladiator" with his father before, and the appearance of all the athletes in front of him seemed like that.

As Regulus admired all the athletes getting ready, his eyes landed on someone taking a drink. The man was already in full American Football gear except for his helmet, seen drinking from the bottle he brought. His blazing golden hair caught attention, his facial features looked serious yet calm. Little Regulus was captivated by the presence of the man, who appeared so mighty and resolute amidst the bustling stadium crowd.

"Regulus! Please don't suddenly wander off from your uncle!" Sisyphus, who finally caught up, felt relieved as he immediately held onto Regulus's small hand to prevent the little boy from running away again.

Meanwhile, Rhadamantys, who hadn't realized he had become the center of attention for a young child, felt the gaze of little Regulus on him. Rhadamantys indeed had extraordinary instincts.

Their eyes met briefly. Rhadamantys showed no expression; he wasn't adept at providing fan service, a fact often lamented by Pandora and his two foster siblings. Rhadamantys merely hoped the child wouldn't cry when looking at him. But what if he tried to offer a smile? The corners of his lips lifted, forming a stiff smile.

Regulus remained silent and still as their gazes locked. Sisyphus was puzzled by Regulus's sudden quietness. "Regulus? What's wrong?" Sisyphus asked, looking at the little boy. Rhadamantys, realizing that the child was now with someone else, quickly diverted his gaze.

"...Rhadamantys," Regulus whispered, barely audible to Sisyphus, who tried to understand the child's words. However, Regulus's expression remained unchanged, his eyes still fixed on Rhadamantys, as if trying to grasp something deeper. Finally, Sisyphus attempted to follow Regulus's line of sight, and he saw someone familiar.

"How did you know it was Rhadamantys?" Sisyphus replied, puzzled, as it was impossible for Regulus to know the athlete's name. Sisyphus himself only knew because Aiacos had once told him about his brother.

Regulus remained silent, but his facial expression began to display an odd calmness. After what felt like an eternity, he finally lifted his gaze from Rhadamantys. "From the TV!" he replied, a radiant smile appearing.

"I see," Sisyphus didn't find anything unusual, knowing that national-level matches were likely to be televised several times. "Come on, Regulus, let's sit down in our seats because the match is about to start." Sisyphus invited Regulus to find their seats again. Regulus nodded cheerfully.

It was just a small encounter amidst the bustling stadium crowd, one that Rhadamantys might not even remember in the future. However, for Regulus, it was the beginning of something bigger. The start of miracles and adventures that would change his destiny. As they both returned to their seats to watch the match, Regulus felt his heart filled with newfound spirit and joy.

[bitchyfoxymama]

Ouija - Multifandom x GN!Reader

Warnings: Major character death, horror, gore, Multifandom, death and destruction, Ouija usage, demons, blood,

A/n: this was such a fun one to write! Happy Halloween babies! Be safe and remember check your candy!

Halloween night, the night once a year where it's ok to take candy from a stranger and when adults such as yourself and your group of friends get together and use a ouija board, although this time it was different and you had no idea what was in store.

 

*****

 

“Who brought the board?” Rhaenyra asks while clearing off the decorations from the dining room table.

You pulled the infamous board out of your bag, “here it is, me and Criston grabbed it on the way here, kinda strange that it was in the children's section” you said smiling and laying it on the now clear table.

“So you have to be 21 to drink but 8 to summon a demon? Sounds about right” he says while walking right behind you.

“Steve and I brought the snacks,” Poe says, coming in with Wanda . They were kind of like the responsible ones in your group. 

Responsible enough to tell you when to grow up and stop fighting but not responsible enough to tell you to put the board down and get the hell out of there. 

“I bought the candles like Y/n told me," Remus says while coming out of the kitchen with a slice of pizza in one hand while also holding a shopping bag full of white candles. He places the bag on the table next to the unopened box containing the board, as he goes to the little table covered in snacks.

The next two people to arrive were Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington, best friends since kindergarten, but they act more like brothers.

“What's up bitches!” Eddie said as he walked in holding a case of beer. 

“Sup losers” Steve says while walking in holding his collection of Star Wars, every single movie up to date. 

“Alright so it's 6:00 right now, and we won't  start the game until around 3:00 am because we all know the best time to start the game is at the witching hour” Poe said while holding a beer. 

We all shook our heads in agreement and went into the living room to start our mini Star Wars marathon.

For some reason you'd been getting these weird feelings, the kind that tell you what you're about to do is dangerous. 

You tried telling your friends but they just brushed it off and Eddie told you to stop being a pussy. As you continued your marathon the feeling wouldn't go away.

 

***** 

 

This was now or never, it was finally 3am, you turned off all the lights and lit all the candles. You were sitting around the dining room table in a circle in this order: you, Poe, Eddie, Rhaenyra, Remus, Steve,Wanda, and Criston.

You were tasked with reading the rules, “Rule number one: Don't play alone. Rule number two: Don't play above a graveyard. Rule 3: whatever you do, always say goodbye” you say looking around the table.

“OOOOOOOOO, I'm so scared!” Eddie said laughing.

You glared at him “Don't mock the spirits idiot! Now everyone, put two fingers on the pointer,” you placed your fingers on and the others followed suit. “Alright now Nyra why don’t you start by asking the first question” you say looking at him.

“Alright then, is there someone here?” Rhaenyra asks the board and as expected nothing happens, but being the stupid kids you are she asks a second time, but unlike the first time the pointer starts to move slowly to ‘YES’. You all kinda freaked out considering this was the first time it's ever done something in all the times we've used a board.

“Alright which one of you assholes is moving it?” Eddie asked skeptically, but you knew he was just as scared as the rest of you.

“Uh none of us are moving it Eds” Steve says.

“Alright why don’t we all just take our fingers off and just let Nyra have her fingers on” Wanda said, taking his fingers off the pointer.

“Wait why me?” Rhaenyra says in disbelief that Wanda was willingly volunteering her. You took your fingers off.

“Alright well Nyra you keep your fingers on it and ask a question that no one else would know” Jin said.

“Yeah!” Poe put in his two cents while drinking more beer.

“Alright well, what am I thinking of right now” we all watched in shock as the planchette began spelling out P-O-E. You jumped out of your seat and stepped away from the table.

“Nope nope nope! Fuck that!” You said panicking, “No, we need to say good bye now!” just as you said that the planchette began moving in a figure 8 and then the candles all blew out.

“What the fuck?” Criston said just as he was thrown out of his chair. You were still in the corner freaking out about the entire ordeal. The others got up and looked around nervously as Steve went to relight the candles.

“Guys calm down, I'm sure it's nothing” Eddie said, getting cut off by Wanda plunging her hand through his back and holding his heart, Eddie’s lifeless body falling to the ground.

“Whoa what the actual fuck!?” Remus yells backing away from Eddie's body.

Wanda or whatever the hell that is took a bite out of the still beating heart. 

“Mmm that was quite yummy” It said with a smile on its face while blood dripped down its chin.

You all ran out of the room and all in different directions, you ran up the stairs and into a closet, Poe and Steve ran towards the back yard and woods, Rhaenyra ran to the downstairs bathroom. Criston and Remus ran for the front door.

You were sitting in the closet as you silently prayed that your other friends are safe. You could hear Wanda walking up the stairs and walk past you calling out your name, taunting you. 

You bit your tongue because of one small noise and you’d be a goner. After a minute or so you heard him pass me again and walk back down the stairs.

 

*different point of view*

Rhaenyra was quietly hiding in the bathtub, trying to stay as silent as she could while also hoping her other friends were safe as well. She heard footsteps and whistling come closer and closer to the bathroom door.

“Rhaenyra, oh Nyra come out darling and make this easier on yourself. I promise I'll make your death quick and painless.”

Rhaenyra had to cover her mouth so she could stop the sob from escaping her mouth. She sees the doorknob turn and the door bursts open.

“Ah there you are Nyra! I've been wondering where you were!” the demon possessing Wanda smiles evilly.

“You stay the fuck away from me asshole!” She said while pulling the towel holder off the wall and swinging it. She dodges with ease and Wanda jabs it into her.

“What the hell?” she says confused.

“Stupid girl” Wanda grabs Rhaenyra by the hair and plunges her head through the toilet seat and into the water watching as the bubbles slowly stop.

“Stupid girl if only she listened to me i could have made her death painless but no she wants to try and stab me.” Wanda pulls Rhaenyra’s bloodied and wet body out of the bathroom and tosses it into the living room.

 

*End of POV*

 

You were still in the closet when you heard fighting in the bathroom where Rhaenyra ran too. Moments later you heard silence and a dragging sound.

‘God i knew we shouldn't have played with that fucking board and now that we have all of our friends are dead!’ You internally yell at yourself, I peek out of the closet and make a run for the back door, just as you're about to open the backdoor something wet and warm hits my face. 

I looked up and to my horror and disbelief you saw Steve impaled and hanging from the chandelier in the living room. You're about to let out a scream but a hand covers your mouth and pulls me into the pantry. I start to fight and punch.

“Y/n stop it's Poe.” You turn and see Poe somehow still alive.

“Wait, how are you still alive if they got Steve? I thought you two ran out to the woods?” You asked.

“We did but he didn't want to leave Eddie and by the time I got back it was already too late.” he said, running his hands through his hair.

“So much for just being paranoid huh? I told you all not to play with that fucking board but you called me a pussy and said i was overreacting!” You whisper yelled at him.

“How the fuck was i supposed to know we'd all be fighting for our lives?!” He said.

“Alright well i'm not going down without a fight so you stay here i'm gonna run to the kitchen and get a knife” you said looking at him.

“Alright i'll try and grab the board” he said with his hand on the door knob.

“Ready? 1…2…3…now!” you ran to the kitchen while Poe ran to the dining room.

You almost made it to the kitchen when you’re flung into the wall.

“Oh no you thought you could beat me by simply getting a kitchen knife? How cute” Wanda says, standing over me. She flings me into the nearby cupboards and you’re left bleeding from a head wound.

“Now to find Poe'' she walked out and you got up bleeding from a wound in your abdomen. You make my way to the living room where you seePoe. He notices you and smiles but in a split second just like Yoongi, Poe is on the floor dead while Rhaenyra holds his heart. It's at that moment that you notice Remus and Criston’s bodies laid out next to Rhaenyra.

“Oh you thought you won? Haha that’s cute, humans are so stupid now a days” she turns and begins walking to the hallway, with the last bit of energy you have you take the glass shard out of your wound and stab her straight through the chest.

“Yeah well not this one asshole!” you watch as the lifeless body of your best friend hits the ground.

    You pick up the ouija board lying next to Poe and begin a fire in Rhaenyra’s fireplace and toss it in and watch it burn. The heat warms your skin, I begin limping out the door,before everything goes black.

 

*****

 

You’re awoken from your nap by Wanda “Y/n come on it's time to play the game” she says smiling.

“It was all a dream?” you whisper to yourself, you walk into the dining room and see all my friends very much alive. “Hey guys, how about we not play the game today?” you say picking it off the table and tossing it in the fireplace and setting it ablaze.

[dream-meister-translations]

WOLF GAME

THE WOLF GAME - PART 3

━

And then, just as suddenly as it started, the sharp pain stopped.

MAKI TAKAYAMA : What the hell was that?

EERIE VOICE : Have you decided to obey my demands now? If you disobey the rules you will be punished again. 

MISAKI MORI : Th-That's horrible!!

MIHO KAIDOU : This psycho...

In the center of the room there were chairs set up rows in front of two peculiar shapes.

OSAMU NAGAI : Is that a wolf...And...A lamb...?

MERRY : Hello, everybody~! Nice to meet you all! My name is Merry! I am the organizer of this game!

WOLF : I'm wolf!

CHIE KOMIYA : Th-The dolls are talking!? It's cr-creepy...

KOU NIIMURA : Hey! We deserve answers! What do you want with us?

MERRY : We have attached a spinal nerve device into all of you!

TAKEO KOJIMA : You can't be serious!?

MIHO KAIDOU : Ah...There's something on the back of my neck...

WOLF : Be careful. If you try to remove it with force, you will die. Now, let's have everyone do as they are told and sit in their assigned chairs.

At this point, no one dared to defy orders. With one final glance around at the others, we all took our seats.

WOLF : It would have been much easier if you had obeyed from the start.

WOLF : Now then...Let us begin the Wolf Game.

The wolf-like creature wasted no time presenting cards to us. The same number of cards as were people in the room. All face down.

WOLF : Pick a card. This is crucial to the game and will determine your fate.

ME : Determine our fate...? What are you talking about?

Despite our confusion, everyone in the room did as they were told and drew a card.

ME : (This is...?)

The card I drew had the picture of a sheep in the center of it.

WOLF : The cards we handed out come with two different pictures on them. One is a wolf, the other a sheep. Whoever drew the wolf card must kill one of the sheep. 

TAKUYA TSUCHIYA : You want us to kill someone...?

KOU NIIMURA : You can't be serious. 

WOLF : Twelve hours after the wolf kills a sheep, we will hold what we call the Wolf Trial. During which, the rest of you sheep will need to use your reasoning to determine who among you is the wolf. 

WOLF : Then, you will decide which one of you to execute.

WOLF : If you manage to accurately execute the wolf, then the sheep will win. The doors to this building will open and you will escape. 

WOLF : Those of you who are the wolf must kill a sheep without getting caught in order to survive. 

WOLF : You must all strive to escape, even if it means killing someone.

MIHO KAIDOU : And what if the wolf chooses not to kill a sheep?

WOLF : In that case, it is considered a violation of the rules and the wolf will be executed. 

MAKI TAKAYAMA : Th-That's not fair!

WOLF : That concludes the explanation of the rules. 

With that, Merry and Wolf disappeared. Leaving us all with a sick feeling in our stomachs. 

RITSU KAMIKI : Damn it! Who would kidnap us and make us do something like this!? Why us!? 

OSAMU NAGAI : Their motive is still unclear...

RINTAROU IIDA : They said that if we execute the wolf, the escape door will open, right?

RINTAROU IIDA : I wonder~♪ Who could the wolf be~?

Everyone fell silent at the question. 

MIHO KAIDOU : I don't suppose we could expect the wolf to be honest with us.

KOU NIIMURA : So, the deception has already begun...

CHIE KOMIYA : ..........

MAKI TAKAYAMA : ...........

MISAKI MORI : Everyone glaring at each other isn't helping! Shouldn't we start by assessing the current situation? 

MAKI TAKAYAMA : That's true. It's important to thoroughly dissect the situation...

MIHO KAIDOU : How about we explore the building? 

With that, we all nodded in agreement and left the room, heading out into the hallway. Eventually, we found ourselves in another strange room. 

RITSU KAMIKI : What the hell is this place!?

SATORU YONEMORI : I-It's really creepy...

TAKEO KOJIMA : Everyone. Listen up. As I said before, I am a police officer. You can trust me to keep you safe. 

MAKI TAKAYAMA : Having a police officer here is reassuring...

MIHO KAIDOU : Indeed.

KOU NIIMURA : We can't simply trust him because he says he is a police officer. Even if that is true, he could still be the wolf.

TAKEO KOJIMA : What!? There's no way I'd murder anyone!

RITSU KAMIKI : Can you prove it?

TAKEO KOJIMA : You guys, cut it out. 

RINTAROU IIDA : Easy now. If we fight, we'll be playing right into the organizer's hands, you know~♪

KOU NIIMURA : Hmph.

MISAKI MORI : C'mon on guys! L-Let's get along! If we join forces, we can definitely get out of this place together!

[crystalelemental]

“books-are-my-life-stuff: I think Steven and N still generally have more fans than Morty. I do see some Morty fans in western-side but a lot of his fans are from Japanese-side, compared to N and Steven who are beloved in general, at least from my observation. Most of the time I like female protagonists better than male ones. The only one that I prefer the male protag is SM, I like Elio more. Though I don't like Elio and Selene's designs at USUM. Dawn is at very close 4 though, Gloria is at 5th.”

I’d...probably agree.  Steven and N are absurdly popular.  And same, obviously, though I’m surprised by favoring Elio.  Any particular reason?  And admittedly, I do like USUM Selene’s design better than SuMo’s.  Though my wife pointed out that SuMo’s Selene definitely looks a lot more like she dresses herself and is a bit more apt for the whole thing with Lillie early game.

“I think the PokeFairs of Alola VA will be for the protags, hoping for Sygna Suits instead of their USUM designs though... Nanu is quite popular so maybe he can take an active role? Or Kukui, maybe?”

I think it will depend on what the VA focuses on.  Because there’s now a very high chance that Lusamine and/or Lillie get their Master Fair reruns in the VA as well, considering Archie and Maxie.  Which...god, I will be devastated if Lusamine doesn’t get an alt at all for the VA.  I know they can go for some dumb shit that centers more on Giovanni doing some shit and her not even really being a threat, but god I want her to act.  I want her to have agency.  I’m sorry y’all wrote the most interesting antagonist in the series and parents got mad that it was encouraging disobedience or whatever the fuck made you 180 on it, but that isn’t my problem.  I want villain Lusamine.  Even if it’s on our side, I just want the more intense side of Lusamine back.

“Ah, okay. Wow, I'm...not quite sure how they determined a character as "deserved" with all of that calculations. All in all, it's still an extremely subjective calculations since one trainer class deserved more than the others. I was hoping it was a more...general and unbiased. Thanks for elaborating it to me who know nothing about math, though I'm sorry that you ended up get dragged into this strange calculations made up by a player.”

At this point it legitimately seems even more insane, with the score being based on their initial alt compared to current alt, and the only characters performing under par (barring the bottom rungs that make no sense how they’re down there now) being Blue and Giovanni, which should be a huge tip-off about your numbers not being good.  Also somehow Ash has double the standard score he should have, and I have absolutely no idea how this happened.  It’s subjective to the point of absurdity.  I’ve been angrily talking about this to my wife for the last like hour now.  I’m having such a good time.  I wish I had the raw data.  I wish I knew what was happening.

[fific7]

Unexpected - Part 1

King Caspian x Reader

Summary: What happens if you push the respectful and well-behaved King Caspian a little too far? You’re about to find out.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly a mix of fluff and angst with some lemon zest 🍋 Friends to Lovers AU.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content including debatable consent at first, loss of virginity and oral and unprotected* sex between consenting adults. Some drinking & swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My video edit)

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

You and every unwed woman in Narnia knew that the handsome King Caspian was being pressured by his advisors to find a Queen for himself.

Most knew that to become Queen of Narnia would be unattainable for them - no doubt that would be some Princess from another country - and you had no illusions about your own chances. Your father was one of the lords at court and owned a large amount of land near Cair Paravel, but you were not a Royal so you were sure you’d never be considered.

You and Caspian had been friendly when you were younger but you doubted he’d remember you, so much had happened between then and now.

You’d been restless at home recently, mainly because your parents had started speaking of finding you a husband. Appalled, you’d pestered, pleaded with and finally persuaded your father to arrange for you to see Professor Cornelius as you wanted something with which to fill your days instead of playing the piano, embroidery and reading.

Cornelius had suggested you come to work with him as his research assistant, and you’d leapt at the chance. It also meant that you would live at Cair Paravel, away from the slightly smothering atmosphere at home. Your mother had not spoken to you for a week before you left (or your father, whom she blamed for setting up the interview in the first place). But she’d reluctantly accepted that you were flying the nest, however you’d had to endure an extremely long lecture about how you should behave while living away from home.

It seemed that you would be able to eat, drink, speak and bathe and not much else.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

King Caspian made his way to Cornelius’ study, knocking once before entering. The older man looked up at him, smiling and greeting him. Caspian threw himself into the chair in front of the desk, having lifted three books from it first.

“You are in need of some time away from your advisors, Caspian?”

The King nodded, running his hands over his face. “They just go on and on and on about how I need a wife and an heir. I am sure I will find a wife one day but I have other things I wish to concentrate on at the moment.” “Your next voyage?” Caspian nodded, “Yes. There is still much to do. The construction of the Dawn Treader is well under way, but I have an itinerary to decide upon and courses to plot.”

“I have a new research assistant starting tomorrow, I am sure she will be able to help you with that. She is well read and knowledgeable of the many other lands you may wish to visit.” Caspian looked up quickly at him, “She?” “Yes, she is my Lord Tirian’s daughter.” Caspian smiled, “I remember her. We played silly games together when we were young, whenever her father brought her to the castle. It will be so nice to see her again.”

Cornelius, hiding a smile, replied, “Oh, I think you will be very pleased to see her again, my King.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Feeling nervous for some reason, you tapped on Cornelius’ door and heard “Come in” in response. Stepping into the room, you were amazed at the numbers of books, manuscripts and charts which occupied the small room. You could hardly see the diminutive Cornelius in amongst it all, and he saw you taking in the piles stacked everywhere.

He chuckled, “Yes, there are too many, my dear. I’m hoping you can help me catalogue and store them as I confess the situation is getting out of control.” You bowed your head to him, “I’ll be happy to assist, Professor Cornelius.” “I’m so glad to hear that. On another note, the King is looking forward to meeting you again. I’d quite forgotten until I spoke to him about you that you were childhood friends.” You smiled, “Well, I’m not sure the King would have actually called me his friend as such, but we did spend happy hours playing hide and seek and pretending to fight dragons.”

Cornelius nodded, “He remembers those times fondly, my lady. He was not allowed to play with many other children, and I’m certain he considered you a friend of his. Come, let us go and reintroduce you to each other.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian looked up from the document he was reading at his desk. There had been a sharp knock at the door of his chambers and then it had opened, Cornelius striding into the room with another person following him. He was transfixed as he looked upon the grown-up face of his childhood playmate. He stood and walked around the desk towards the two of them, whispering her name as she curtsied in front of him.

He was still staring at her. Cornelius cleared his throat seeing that the young King was lost for words, but Caspian ignored him as he heard her soft voice, “It is so nice to see you again, your Majesty.” “Caspian,” he said immediately, “we never called each other anything except our first names, did we?” She was smiling up at him, and he was still a little overwhelmed. This was the skinny little girl he’d run about with all those years ago? Now, she was a woman - a beautiful woman. “No, Caspian, we didn’t.”

Cornelius interjected, “I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted, so I’m going back to my study. Your Majesty, my lady.” He gave a small bow and left the room.

Caspian indicated the large couch by the window and she made her way to it, gathering her dress underneath her as she sat down. He sat at the other end, and without thinking he reached out and took her hand. She smiled, wrapping her fingers around his hand as they’d done so many years ago, while running headlong through the orchards next to the castle.

“I’m so very sorry about your father, Caspian. He was always so kind to me. You must miss him dreadfully.” Caspian looked down quickly and she heard him say quietly, “Thank you. Yes, I miss him every minute of every day.” He met her eyes once more, “But we were able to right the wrongs done to him and Narnia, for which I am very grateful.” She smiled at him again, “And here you are, a King! My childhood friend. I really didn’t think you’d remember me.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian’s dark brown eyes gazed into yours and he held your hand even tighter. “Of course I remember you! Do you think I’d forget my only friend?! Your visits and the little time we spent together made my life bearable.”

You were shocked, and felt so sad for him. “Oh, Caspian! I can’t have been your only friend, surely?” His eyes filled with tears and he looked down again, “Believe me, you were. I was so lucky that we’d met before my father died, so it would have looked strange if my uncle had banned us from meeting. He kept me totally isolated most of the time. I think he did that so people maybe wouldn’t notice when it was time to kill me.”

Cornelius hadn’t told you it had been this bad for him! Your own eyes were watering now as you thought about the hardships he’d had to face at such a young age. Without giving it much thought, you flung your arms round him and hugged him tightly. His head came to rest on your shoulder and your hand went to the back of his head, stroking his silky hair. His shoulders shook slightly and you knew he was crying, so you just held him until he was ready to sit back from you. He stood up abruptly and turned to look out of the window, a hand swiftly wiping his cheeks dry.

He gave a choked laugh, “I’m so sorry, this was supposed to be a happy reunion and we are both crying,” looking down at you as you also wiped tears away. “I’m sorry, Caspian. I mentioned your father and perhaps I shouldn’t have?” He shook his head, “No, I’m glad that you did. And at least we have now spoken of his passing and can remember and talk about happier times.” You smiled at him, “Yes, I shall enjoy that. Although maybe I should speak firstly about how worried I was on the occasion we came to visit, and you were not there. I asked as many guards and lords as I could where you were, but I was told to stop being a nosy child. My father would say nothing to me either, despite my tantrums!”

Caspian burst out laughing, “Oh I remember your tantrums so well! I’m impressed he didn’t give in to you in the face of one of those!” You slapped him lightly on the arm, also laughing, “Caspian! You’re supposed to be my friend!” He became serious again, “I most certainly am. I’m overjoyed to have you back in my life. So much has happened in the past few years, and there has been so much to do, but rest assured I would have tracked you down eventually.” His hand went to your face, stroking your cheek gently and you felt your breath catch. He looked so handsome. Very much a man now, rather than the adolescent boy you’d once known.

His head moved much closer to yours, and you thought for a moment that he was going to kiss you.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Caspian suddenly realised what he was about to do, and pulled back sharply. He should not kiss her.

They’d only just met again, but he knew that all his feelings for her were still there. He’d just pushed them down, deep deep down, so that he could carry out what he’d needed to do for Narnia and for his father’s memory.

He’d been in love with her when he was a boy, and now that he was a man - he knew that he still loved her. He’d nearly passed out when he’d seen her again today after being apart from her for so long. All those suppressed feelings had come raging back through his veins in an instant, overwhelming, all-consuming, setting his mind and body alight with a burning passion.

But she’d said he was her friend. So he doubted that she felt the same kind of love for him that he felt for her. He must bear that in mind and act accordingly, no matter how much he wished it wasn’t the case.

Stepping back from her, he let his hand fall from her face and smiled sadly at her.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

[starxscream]

Color-Coded Deck

“ Once again Rouxls challenges Swatch to a battle of wits- though this time it doesn't exactly go as planned. “

SwatchKaard fic!

Bc I saw that there were none and so I had to do smth about it, click the read more to view! (Also check it out on ao3 if it’s easier for y’all to read there!

It had been another long day at the cafe, working various loud-mouthed customers that seemed never ending in Castle Town.  Swatch has to wonder if moving out here was worth it, putting up with some of the patrons here almost made it not.  The bird sighs, making the final rounds while the swatchlings finish cleaning up for the night.  As the final chores and tasks are completed, Swatch excuses the swatchlings to head home and rest for tomorrow, staying behind to finish up the managerial paperwork.  There was always more work to do, and Swatch had no time to rest until it was completed.  Such was life.  The same routine that they were so accustomed to, it didn't truly bother them really.  In fact, Swatch enjoyed the brief moment of quiet and privacy of being alone in the cafe.

As the last swatchling exits, Swatch double checks the store before meandering towards to flip the sign from "open" to "closed".  However, as they move to flip the sign, there's a glowing flash of light, causing Swatch to lift his arm to block out the glare before it dissipates.  Oh no.  A feeling of knowing dread nestles in their gut.

Before Swatch can react, a blue hand rattles the door, pushing it against Swatch who had finally moved to try and hold it shut.  Of COURSE it just had to be him…

A loud shrill voice echoes through the crack in the door, "Greetings thou most commonest worm-avian! I haveth decided to graceth thine nighteth with thy presence!" Swatch inwardly groans, releasing the door and taking a step back to allow the other to dramatically swing it open and saunter through the now open doorway.

Rouxls Kaard.

Truly, could Swatch ever catch a break?

"What might you be doing here Kaard? Need I remind you that you have been banned from the premises."  Swatch crosses their arms across their chest, false niceties dripping off of their voice, trying not to let their impatience shine through.

Rouxls tuts, wagging a finger in the air, "That waseth at thou previousth establishmente, whiche waseth the highesteth forme of slandereth I haveth ever been subjectedeth too mindeth thou, howevereth, I haveth not been bannedeth here! So thy musteth allowth my graciouse presence to be bestowedeth upon thy grounds." A smug look sits on his face, chest puffed out proudly, 'sneakily' gesturing to the sign that was still flipped to "open".

Swatch resists rolling his eyes, a part of them wondering if Rouxls even knew the cafe's hours...probably not.  Though they supposed Rouxls was right, he had not been banned from this cafe.  Maybe he would be within the upcoming days, it was inevitable really, but for now he wasn't and Swatch was left with their hands full.  With a sigh, they consider trying to explain that to Rouxls, but they figure that Rouxls wouldn't listen to that...whenever the self acclaimed "duke of puzzles" set his mind on something there was no way to get him to listen to anything else.  Swatch knew that firsthand.

"Well, here you are then...arriving just as I was closing.  What can I do for you Kaard?" Swatch keeps it simple, but not without a small jab, moving his arms behind his back, standing straight with his beak perked up just slightly.  A mixture of professionalism and their own pettiness that made them want to show off how much better he was, especially around Rouxls.  They wouldn't admit it, but they did enjoy the competition that Rouxls consistently brought to their doorstep…that is, if you could call it a competition.

Grin widening, Rouxls whips out a foreign deck of cards, sauntering past Swatch, and slamming it down onto a nearby table.  Then he spins on his heel to face Swatch once again, face nearly splitting into two with how wide his grin was, and threads his fingers together.  Swatch raises a single eyebrow, gaze looking over the strange deck of cards, before looking back at Rouxls, awaiting whatever long-winded explanation that was about to be given.

“I have cometh to challengeth thee to a duelth of wits!” Rouxls makes a grand gesture towards the table, "Thoust three heroes bestowedeth upon thy a gift,” Meaning, Rouxls probably whined until they gave it to him, “A supremeth gifte thou shalt not be wastedeth!  I shall knocketh thou offeth thine pedestalth like a batteringeth rame knockingeth downeth thy castle doorsth! ” He motions for Swatch to sit down at one end of the table, waiting expectantly with shining eyes.  Swatch opts not to say that a battering ram knocks open doors and not off, but that was their petty side talking.

Inhaling deeply, Swatch slowly moves over to the seat, placing a hand on the seat and pulling it out.  Sure the polite thing to do was pull the seat out for Rouxls- as was their job, but they were not going to give Rouxls that satisfaction.  His eyes bore into Rouxls, half expecting the guy to pull out another handful of worms and run off, but he seemed much too invested in the task at hand.  Always with the games and puzzles that one, truly Swatch had to wonder how many times would Rouxls have to lose before he gives up?

“I foughte againsteth thy three heroes valiantlyth, takingeth thou on in thine own gameth.  Sucheth a nobleth duty of thy to do, no?” Rouxls laughs, swiftlying moving to the seat across from Swatch, “Twas a longe and arduousth battle of brainse, and beingeth thy generouse and benevolenteth soul thy am, could not beareth to standeth thy thoughte of thrashingeth thine darling water-beetle’s closesteth allies.  So I humbledeth thyself and allowedeth thine three hereos to besteth thy in battleth unscathedeth to spareth thine ailsth.”  Meaning, Rouxls utterly lost.

“So you...‘valiantly’ turned tail and came crawling to me instead?” Swatch lets out a quiet scoff, unable to keep it contained at Rouxls’ blatant attempt to save face when anyone who knew Rouxls would know better than to believe the theatrics he was spouting.  Easing himself into the chair, Swatch crosses his arms across his chest, “Alright then, I can spare a moment on your childish games.  Would you care to explain the rules of the game you have so dutifully brought to my doorstep while I was trying to close up shop for the night?  I would like to get this over with so that I may go home.”

Rouxls’ eyes narrow at Swatch, dramatically pointing across the table over at the bird, “Thou do not intimidateth me worm-avian!” Rouxls huffs, “Our battleth will be througheth the mighty gameth of what thy lightenereths call “Uno”!  Whereupon thy willeth finally proveth my titleth of butler supremeth over thy worm-avian!”  His point moves towards the deck, “Draweth foulest beast!”

Swatch makes no indication of moving, “I cannot draw if I do not know how to play, or are you resorting to needing unfair advantages to win?  Truly, I expected more from you...” The bird trails off, feigning a sigh, watching Rouxls’ face light up in a vibrant embarrassed flush.  He was so easy to read...it was kind of amusing really.  A small smirk etches onto Swatch’s face at the sight.

“Of couseth not! I wouldeth never bringeth thy illesteth omens upon thy nameth!  I haveth no need for sucheth ‘advantages’, thy willeth win no mattereth the circumstanceseth of oureth battleth as thy am thy grand duke of puzzles!”  Rouxls covers for his mistake quickly, moving to cover the back of his hand with his mouth, “As for thine rules…” He hesitates for a moment, thinking, “I...shalt not wasteth my time explaining! Thereth is rule cardeths for a reason!” The irony…  Rouxls paws at the deck, pulling out the card with the written words littered over its surface, before sliding it towards Swatch.

“Make haste! I do not haveth all nighte.” Rouxls puffs out his chest, arrogance dripping from his voice.  Swatch gives Rouxls a cold glare at his words, a part of them still bitter they were the one being kept up this fine night.  Quickly Swatch skims over the rules of this ‘Uno’ game, a simple color and symbol type of card game- first to get rid of all the cards in their hands wins.  Easy enough.

“Alright, daresay I believe that I am ready now.”  Swatch carefully sets the card back down on the table, reaching over to draw seven cards off of the top of the deck.  There was a wide arrangement of colors, mostly blue ironically, and a couple of special cards with effects that they would need to play strategically.  After Swatch draws his cards, Rouxls quickly follows suit, flipping over the top card to reveal a green number card to begin the game.

“With thy graciouseth self, I shalt allow thee to make thy first moveth!” Rouxls confidently announces, leaning forward with a tight grip on his cards.  Swatch rolls his eyes again, looking over his hand and rubbing the bottom of his beak with his free hand.  Then, without a word he places another green number card on top of the discard pile, a simple play to begin with.

The game continues on like this for a few rounds, with every turn Rouxls announcing how great he was or how he was going to win and Swatch shooting back with some sort of rebuttal that only served to fluster and make Rouxls even more agitated.  Swatch isn’t sure why he liked poking at Rouxls as much as he did, truly Rouxls was the only one who managed to consistently break through his customer service facade.

It was...nice Swatch supposed.  As idiotic as Rouxls was and his constant pestering to try and best Swatch, it was nice.  A break in an otherwise methodical and boring day.  As much as Swatch hated to admit it, they had grown to have fun playing with Rouxls.

However, the peaceful part of the game soon came to an end when Swatch placed down a draw two card onto the discard pile as Rouxls hand seemed to lessen with every turn, complete with the biggest smirk on their face.

“Now, if you could please draw, I can make my next move.”  The bird hums, watching in curiosity as Rouxls sputters, slamming his hands on the table.

“Whateth is this sorceryeth!?” Rouxls glares at the cards as if they were the ones at fault, “Why musteth I loseth my turne? Draweth two!?” He huffs indignantly, Swatch raising an eyebrow.

“...You read the rules too, didn’t you Kaard? Being the ‘grand duke of puzzles’ yourself, surely you know about the special cards, right?” Their voice drips with faux sympathy, sounding more condescending than nice, Swatch stifling a chuckle at the sudden turn of events.

The rule card sits open on the table, Rouxls glancing between it and Swatch with a growing scowl on his face.

“Of courseth I know thy rules! I haveth bestedeth the most strongesteth beings in thy battleth of Uno!” Rouxls mind whirs in thought, “Thy justeth...won so quickly thateth card nevereth neededeth to be usedeth!” With a burning embarrassed flush once against rising to his face, Rouxls quickly covers his own ineptitude at the game, having bitterly come here after losing to the three heroes to try and best Swatch once again to try and lick his wounds.  

Rouxls snatches the rule card after that, Swatch covering his mouth as they let out a snicker while Rouxls quickly skims through it.  After a few moments, Rouxls throws the card back down, once again puffing out his chest.

"I shalt do this draweth two as thou cards stateth, but feareth not! Thy shalt stille remaineth victoriouse in the endth!" Rouxls swipes at the deck, a little frustrated if Swatch had to guess, gripping the cards in his hand even tighter.

Frustration of the evening having long since melted into amusement, Swatch rests an elbow onto the table to use his hand to keep his head propped up as he continues to play.  Carefully setting another card onto the pile, Rouxls following suit a little too fast.

"I am afraid that this little game will end how it always does, though, I suppose that is why you challenged me after everyone left.  Couldn't bear to take the bitter taste of defeat in the face of the public again, could you?" Swatch begins to idly speak, deciding to make some conversation even if it sounded more like he was targeting Rouxls.  Truthfully they just wanted to see how the man would react, it was always so entertaining to see Rouxls theatrics in action when he wasn't purposefully being a thorn in your side, and Swatch found it more amusing than they should.

Rouxls laughs haughtily, gaze focused onto his cards as he keeps playing, "Fool! I wouldeth happily beeneth a target for thine adoringeth publice, howevereth I waseth ever so busyeth with thy duties of greateth importanceth that I hadeth to scavengeth thine timeth to graceth thee withe thy prescenceth.  Thou shouldeth be gratefule thy oh-so busyeth scheduleth allowede it!"  Truthfully he had been lurking around the outside of the cafe for hours, procrastinating and planning out his "grand entrance" until the store had reached closing.  So alas, here they were.  Sure the patronizing laughter when Rouxls had lost prior bothered him but there was no way he was going to let Swatch be right!

"Ah yes, lucky me." Swatch deadpans, smirk still hanging on their beak, "I cannot imagine how else I would like to be spending my evening.  Why would I want to be relaxing at home after a long day of work when I could be playing a silly card game with you?"  The chirp, sarcasm edging in their words.

"Tsk tsk, thee are justeth afraide of losingeth.  Thou can admite it!"  Rouxls slams another card down.  "For I shall  sooneth claime thy victory in oneth fell swoopeth, prepare thyself worm-avian!"

Swatch scoffs, "Afraid of losing to you? My apologies Kaard, but something actually has to be a reality for me to be scared of it." Rouxls, childishly, sticks out his tongue.  He would not claim it to be childish if you called it out, however.

Setting his own card down, Swatch calls out 'Uno', holding his single card in his grasp.  Meanwhile Rouxl still had multiple cards left, there was no chance of him winning.

Yet somehow, Rouxls hadn't started throwing a fit yet.  Usually when it was clear he was to lose, he would get even more rambunctious than usual- yet this time Rouxls still had his cocky grin, staring at his cards.  Swatch's smirk fades, eyes narrowing, knowing that the other man was up to something.  Of course it wasn't a normal card game, this was Rouxls, something unexpected always happens with him around.

The bird tenses, awaiting the surprise bound to happen.  Rouxls grin gets wider, before he cackles wildly, "Aha! Thou hasn't madeth thine finale moveth! I, Rouxls Kaard, shalt noweth claime thy victory!" Swatch's eyebrows furrowed together, there was no possible way-

Rouxls slams down a red skip card atop the red number card.

Swatch skips his turn, Rouxls putting down a red draw two card- causing Swatch to skip his turn again.  He hesitantly reaches over to draw two cards.

There's no way…

Rouxls tosses down another draw two card, this time in green.  Swatch's grip on his cards get ever tighter as they stare at the pile of discarded cards.

"I dareth say this is wheneth thy say 'Uno'!" Rouxls says triumphantly, Swatch's gaze snapping up in disbelief.  Their beak opens and shuts again, dragging two more cards off of the deck.

"Sayeth thou prayers worm-avian! For tonighte, I reigneth victoriouse!" Swatch watches Rouxls dramatically leap from his seat, pushing the chair back, and slamming down his final card with all the energy in his being.

The card was to choose your own color and draw four cards.  The biggest insult to injury that the game of Uno could give.

Swatch stares in utter shock- he had...actually lost.  Rouxls had actually made a good play and won the game.  Rouxls Kaard did.  The guy who could barely craft a feasible puzzle on his own- outwitting them of all people.  It was an impossibility, and yet, here it was staring Swatch in the face.

Amidst the frustration of losing, Swatch couldn't help but feel...impressed.  That is, until Rouxls starts speaking again.

"There!! Noweth thou see thine wretchedeth worm-avian! Thy am superiore to thou inst everyeth way!  Everytimeth before noweth has beeneth nothing moreth than a fluketh!  For this is thy proveth!  I am trulye bettereth than thou!" He laughs loudly, kicking a foot onto the chair seat and propping himself up into a pose with one hand on his hip and one covering his laughter. "Henceforth thou shalt bowe downeth and call me butler supremethe, thy grand duke of puzzles- Rouxls Kaard!"  A pause in his triumph, looking over at Swatch, " ...Thou hearest me lesser worm-avian?"

Swatch sets down his card, controlled, carefully.  Rouxls boasting makes the guy much less impressive and instead Swatch simmers into annoyance and frustration.  Rouxls got lucky.  And Swatch was never going to hear the end of it.  A scowl breaks his beak in half as he stands stiffly upright, keeping it shut to not say anything without thinking it through first.  Every motion was so strictly controlled, his thoughts whirling around and around until-

Swatch was never going to hear the end of it...unless…

They get an idea, sure it was going to be demeaning and incredibly out of poor taste in Swatch's opinion- but it would be better than anyone finding out about their loss to Rouxls.  Besides, after working for the Queen, demeaning had lost its meaning to Swatch.  At least this time they were going to be the one in control.  So a distraction, enough embarrassment so where Rouxls never wants to talk about this moment to anyone.

Swatch steps out from the table, moving over towards the side Rouxls was on, who merely stared at them in confusion.

Abruptly in one smooth motion, Swatch bows to Rouxls, who they can hear sputter in surprise.  A pleased grin appears on Swatch's beak, hidden from sight.

"I surely hope that will suffice, butler supreme.  You are truly the duke of puzzles, Sir Rouxls Kaard, unmatched in his fantastical puzzle prowess." Swatch pulls himself upright, feeling the grating feeling of forced praise and ridiculous titles being pulled from his throat.  However, the look on Rouxls face was worth it- the bug-eyed look of pure shock combined with the fact his cocky smirk had been replaced with a nervous smile- all the while his face seemed to be a darker blue than usual.  Oh this was worth it.

"Uh...Yes!  Thou is correcteth and shouldeth now understande thou place beneatheth me! I maketh the ordereth now worm-avian, thou can no longere banneth thy from thou fineth establishmente and musteth admiteth always thateth thy am forevere bettereth than thou! Lest thou suffereth thy crippling humilationeth of thou defeate once moreth." Stepping off of the chair, Rouxls manages to get out, his voice wavering at the start- a crack in his carefully portrayed persona.  Startled by how...well Swatch was taking it- he had expected him to get mad or bite back or just...something.  This wasn't like their usual banter at all and Rouxls wasn't sure what was going on.

Swatch listens intently, nodding along to show that they were listening.  Even if they, personally, thought it to be pure nonsense, they did not let it show.

Their head so carefully tilts to the side for a moment, "Beneath you?" They coo, taking a calculated step forward into Rouxls space.

An arm casually snakes around Rouxls waist, pulling the smaller man closer.  He lets out a surprise squeak- trying to stammer out something before he is shushed by Swatch's next words, "Would you not prefer to be side by side? After all, you have proven yourself to be better than I- your chosen adversary since the day we met." He chuckles, "With how obsessed you are with me, dare I say you were trying to court me- hm?" A soft chuckle lingers on his lips as he watches Rouxls nearly melt out of pure flustered nerves.

It was…

Hm. Cute. For Rouxls.

"WHAT? I AM NOT-" Rouxls gasps, much louder than intended, his smarmy accent seemingly fading for a moment before he gulps for a breath trying to readjust himself, "Do not thinketh so highly of thouself! I couldeth care lesse abouteth thou, thy games were merelyeth a simpleth pastime, a pleasureth that thy bestowedeth upon thou!"

Leaning ever so closer to Rouxls, Swatch's voice lowers, a quiet coo for Rouxls' ears only, "Then why is it you always throw a fit when I'm too busy to play with you?  You claim to just want to prove you're better than me, but you've done that now, so what next? Honestly, Rouxls, just spare us the trouble and tell me how you really feel."

A hum.

"If you just wanted to go on dates you could have simply asked." It's said with a wink.

Rouxls chokes, and Swatch thinks they finally have this under control, soon to be wrapped up in a nice pretty bow.  Sure was this a little cruel? Perhaps, but Swatch kept finding it so damn endearing, it was frustrating.  So selfishly wanting to see more of Rouxls' reactions.

But of course, this was Rouxls Kaard they were talking about here.  When did anything involving him go as planned?

Suddenly there are hands grabbing the side of their head, and Swatch can feel his feathers poof out in surprise at the sudden motion.  Before they can react, Rouxls practically slams his forehead into Swatch's, keeping it there and pressing hard as if to challenge the bird.

"Thou sauveth trickery shalt not wortheth on I!" Rouxls announces, before adding his own rebuttal, "Maybe THOU is thee one courting I? Thou claim to be bettereth than I but hereth you stand, arm arounde thy waist.  If thou really haveth better thingeths to do, theneth why are thou hereth and noteth at thou homestead?" 

The two were impossibly close now, pressed together as a different kind of tension fills the air around them.  Swatch can feel Rouxls panting shaky breaths on his beak, the man's false confidence easily seen through, yet- Swatch stutters.  And they never stutter.

Then suddenly- his arms are empty and the simple touch is gone as soon as it had started, and Swatch let out a breath they hadn't realized they had been holding.

"Alas, I am sureth thy leech of a darlingeth prince needs thy attentione!" Rouxls skitters towards the door, "I bideth thee a bittersweet adieu! For now thee willeth be without thine majestic presenceth, whicheth I am sureth you shalt miss.  However, I must informeth thou that I, Rouxls Kaard, willeth not be easily impressedeth with thy simplest flatteries..." He pauses in his escape, looking back at Swatch before glancing down at the floor looking a little...unsure, adding on just a little quieter, "But I shalt be backe, I may haveth won thy battle, but not thy war- so...uh...prepareth thouself for thy return!"

With his final words, which were possibly just an excuse to keep seeing Swatch even though he's already gotten his win, Rouxls escapes through the door and flees faster than Swatch had ever seen him move before.  The bird just...watches him go, dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events.

Swatch stands there for a moment, blinking, wondering if that even just happened.  Rouxls rebuttal swirling around in his brain, them? Courting Rouxls?  A ridiculous assumption, entirely out of left field.  And yet…

Swatch sighs, smoothing down his ruffled feathers, Rouxls was right- if Swatch wanted to they could have easily booted out the nuisance and went home.  Yet, Swatch played Rouxls game.  And every game before.  The bird’s fingers flex, still feeling the faint ghost of Rouxls in his grip, as if it were haunting them- taunting them really.

…

Swatch rubs his face with a hand, a flush rising to his cheeks.  This whole time they had thought they were the one in control, but unfortunately they had long gotten swept up in the uncontrollable whirlwind that was Rouxls Kaard.

[doitwritenow]

How long did Stephen spend in the 14,000,605 futures?

So, I was doing some thinking. 14,000,605 is a big number--big enough that it’s meaning sort of becomes unquantifiable, just like the blank looks you get when you try to explain how far the sun is from Earth. And remember, it’s canon that Stephen didn’t just see the CliffsNotes of those timelines:

"He has to physically live them, and then die in each of them, and right before he dies, he has to reset it, as we saw at the end of Doctor Strange, and do it again. And take copious notes each time he does it." - Joe Russo

So, if every one of those timelines was a life Stephen lead, what does it translate to? What, in terms of time, is the value of all those realities?

Math time.

There are two broad designations we can sort Stephen’s ultimate futures into. The first are futures where Stephen focuses on preventing the Snap, and the second are futures where Stephen focuses on undoing a Snap that did happen. I can only imagine it takes a significant number of futures for Stephen to give up trying to keep Thanos from getting all the Stones. I’ll call that 3/5 of the futures; little less than half of them spent undoing as opposed to preventing.

Within those two broad designations, there’s another set of factors: the Dusting itself. Assuming the Blip is truly random, we can generalize that in 1/2 the futures, Stephen was in the dusted 50%. By definition, if Stephen (and indeed anyone) is dusted in the prevention futures, it’s game over and he abandons that timeline. That leaves us with three vague situational constants:

Okay, great. Now for the part where I get to make a couple of educated guesses. 

How long, then, is a “prevention future”? The shortest one probably starts around the length of the battle on Titan in Infinity War. From the moment Stephen returns from the time projection to the moment Thanos supposedly kills everyone and takes the Time Stone is, by my estimation, at least 45 minutes. We all know Stephen Strange is a self-sacrificial bastard (I will cite canon for this if you truly need me to but I choose to assume you aren’t blind), so he wouldn’t have considered this a true loss until Thanos retrieved the rest of the Stones in Wakanda. (The events on Earth aren’t a variable in this; Stephen can’t influence them when he’s not actually there). Let’s tack on another 45 minutes for Wakanda. 

Shortest prevention timeline: 1.5 hours

What about the longest time, then? The longest possible situation I imagine goes something like this:

Stephen & co. leave Titan and hide in the reaches of the universe

Thanos goes to Earth, kills everyone there, and probably mind-controls Wong using the Mind Stone into disclosing who has the Time Stone and preforming some sort of tracking spell to find it.

Thanos tracks down Stephen & co.

Thanos captures Stephen (”You’ll find removing a dead man’s spell troublesome”)

Torture. Extraordinary amounts of torture.

Snap

OR:

Stephen & co. portal back to Earth and collect all the remaining Infinity Stones

The Guardians help them hide the Stones amongst various parts of the universe, in pocket dimensions, behind containments, etc.

(Now I think this is a great plan, but canon dictates it has to fail so:) Thanos eventually finds the Stones.

Pain, suffering, death of Stephen & co.

Snap.

Now, Stephen spent a whole other blog-post worth of time repeatedly dying inside a time loop to save the dimension as we know it, so we’ve got to assume he doesn’t break quick under torture. Therefore, I’m going to call the longest prevention future 7 years. 

Longest prevention timeline: 7 years.

That’s quite a difference! I’m going to assume that most of the futures fall on the shorter side, and these higher futures are outliers. By standard distribution and some rather arbitrary bounding of graphs, I find the average time spent in these futures to be about 10220 hours, or approximately 1 year and 2 months. (There’s 8760 hours in a year, and in favor of underestimating instead of overestimating, I chose to assume that very few futures drifted in the 7 year direction.)

Alright, so, Stephen spends an average of 1 year and 2 months in each of the the prevention timelines. Remember, we decided about 3/5 of the 14,000,605 futures are prevention futures. That’s 8,400,363 futures. 1 year and 2 months in those futures means Stephen lived 9,800,423 years and six months in just the prevention futures. That’s a hell of a long time. 

But now, let’s do the undoing futures.

So, in 50% of these, Stephen gets dusted. He has to stick around these futures a while after that before abandoning them as failures--and a really long time to be sure, as well. So depending on how long it takes him to realize the consistent factors that lead to undoing a snap (Tony being alive, Scott coming back from the Quantum Realm, Nebula in general), he’d have quite a long time to wait in these. He’d only know to abandon them when those critical factors were undermined/killed/prevented by Thanos or other means. 

 In the One Future, he would’ve had to stick around for 5 years because of that stupid rat. But Scott’s escape from the Quantum Realm could have been hurried by Stephen mentioning that fact to Tony or somebody before Thanos Snapped. Remember, though, that Stephen would have had to live out timelines, probably a good number of them, where the rat thing happened all on its own to even know it was important. Let’s say, then, that the One Future was on the higher end of the spectrum for the length of this type of future (undoing: Stephen dusted). On average, the length of the dusted undoing futures was about 2 years. 

Blah blah blah, math math math. 2/5 of 14,000,605 is 5,600,242, and half of that is 2,800,121. 2 years in each of those futures gets us right back to 5,600,242, but years this time. 

So what about the timelines where Stephen lived? Since he knows the way the future will play out, it’s safe to assume his existence speeds those futures. I would say the longest of these (undoing: Stephen lives) is around a year. Giving up the Stone means Tony doesn’t trust him and hesitates at the wrong moment, etc. etc. etc. Stephen is killed by other factors besides the Snap in some. Thanos still has the Stones when they try and kill him to take them. On and on and on and on. 

The shortest ones would probably be no longer than a month--those Infinity Stones can really do some damage. Which means the average time in the non-dusted undoing futures is around 6.5 months.

14,000,605 * (2/5) * (1/2) =  2,800,121.  2,800,121 * 6.5 = 18,200,786.5. 12 months in a year means approximately 1,516,732 years. 

Adding all those sections up gives us 16,917,397 years. 

That is 208,857 lifetimes. That’s longer than humans have existed on earth. That’s about 84.6 times as long as humans have existed on Earth. If Stephen truly lived through all those futures, he’d be 1/250 the age of planet Earth itself.

Even if we take the very bare minimum and say Stephen spent only a day, on average, in those 14,000,605 futures, that’s still 38,357.8 years. If we say he only spent an hour in each of those futures THAT’S STILL 1,598.2 YEARS!!! WHAT THE FUCK????

*a series of deep breaths*

And in every single one of those futures, in every one, Stephen fought and died and killed and lived beside Tony Stark, Peter Parker, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. In every single one, he got to know them, got to understand them. Thousands upon thousands of lifetimes, and Stephen Strange grew to know the Avengers like he knew himself. 

Think about that, and think about the look on his face when he kneels to Tony’s dead body, mmhmm? 

(Thanks, I’ll just be crying for 14,000,605 years).

Tl;dr: 16,917,397 years is a reasonable, even low estimate for the years Stephen Strange lived while viewing ultimate futures. Give my sorcerer the recognition he deserves.

[sunnysviolin]

Sometimes, when sunny visits kels house for a sleepover, (or just anyones house except for basils) the host would always wake up to:

A missing sunny (who is most likely in some weird ass place like the roof)

A sunny that it staring at you from the foot of the bed or beside it

A sunny that stares from the doorway (he stares alot)

Or

A sunny that is playing bo en my time at an unreasonable hour but at a reasonable volume (or vise versa)

Alright so a different nonnie also sent me “How many times do you think sunny scares people by staring at them from the foot of the bed / beside them when they wake up?” So I’m....combining these two XD Also if you guys like....resend things can you say they’re a resend LOL bc if I have another Cho double take situation I’m going to backflip into the sun. Also don’t resend more than twice (i’m gonna be putting that in my bio bc....yeah don’t do it makes me anxious D:)

Okay mini housekeeping thing aside! This got long it’s under a read more because it’s long, but it’s full of shenanigans, sleepovers, and our local fave cryptid Sunny

I’m going to focus this in on post-canon, because I think that Sunny’s ultimate cryptid energy flows forth in his teen years. Also I really want to include the hooligans in on this (I’m...love them)

So pre-canon Sunny and Mari’s house was the go to location for their group of six. They were almost always there, but there was some unspoken rules.

You called before you came over (Only Kel didn’t follow this rule, but he always knocked and waited patiently at the door) and you had to be invited to stay for dinner. If not you went home when Sunny’s mom called a fifteen minute warning before dinner. There was also no arguing within the house. If there was an issue that needed to be addressed, Mari and Sunny’s parents would immediately send everyone home.

Post-canon Mari is gone and the house has been sold. Hero and Kel’s house becomes the go to hang out house after that. Their house is nearly night and day to Mari and Sunny’s

Mari and Sunny’s house was always neat and tidy and very quiet. Their parents generally left the TV off and didn’t use the radio, so unless one of the two children were making noise, everything would be silent. Kel and Hero’s house is in constant motion and activity. Sally is usually either babbling or screaming, music is always playing on the radio, and their main form of communication is friendly yelling at one another. Kel and Hero’s house also has an open door policy- anyone can walk in at anytime and they all know where the spare keys are hidden.

Post-canon I see a quick friendship building between Aubrey’s gang and Basil Sunny and Kel. Hero enjoys them all, but it’s not really his scene now that he’s spent a year or so at college. He will get brought along for some adventures, and he’s always up for hanging around the house with them, but when it gets to be a bigger group he prefers to just let them have fun.

When it’s just his four kids, Hero is always a part of the group though.

OKAY ALL OF THAT BUILDUP ASIDE LETS GET TO THE ACTUAL POINT OF THIS ASK

So this is when school is in session and Hero is back at college. Kel tells Aubrey that Sunny is coming up for the long weekend, and they should all do a sleepover at his house like old times. She agrees and they arrange it with Basil. Kim overhears their plans and she has FOMO so she arranges herself to be there when they tell Basil

Normally Kel makes it a point to try and include Aubrey’s friends (who are slowly just becoming friends) but this time he just pretends she isn’t there and tells Basil to come right after school and they can drive together to get Sunny.

Kim weedles it out of Aubrey later that day when they’re alone in gym class. The reason that they didn’t immediately invite her and the others? Sunny is apparently weird at night

Kim fires back that Sunny is always a little weird, but Aubrey is being fully serious. Unfortunately all that does is make Kim more curious. She goes to find Kel afterward and half asks/half demands an invitation to the sleepover. Kel seems a little awkward about her involving herself, but he agrees that she and the others can join in if they like.

Aubrey and the others arrive

Kim soon finds out that Aubrey was 100% right. Sunny is...weird at night.

At around 10:00 pm, Sunny disappears. Basila nd Aubrey went into the kitchen to make popcorn, and Kel was busy fiddling with the TV to get the movie to start. When he turns back to the couch, he asks where Sunny is. They realize Sunny has vanished.

Aubrey and Basil come in with the bowls of snacks, and Kel asks them if they’ve seen Sunny. Basil says to check the roof.

The roof. The hooligans all laugh (Basil is a sweet kid when you get to know him, but his nerves make even his jokes strange) The other three don’t laugh. In fact Kel gets up and goes to the door.

The hooligans follow out bewildered, and Sunny is o n t h e r o o f. CASUALLY. JUST THERE PETTING AN ORANGE CAT WHO IS LOUNGING PURRING NEXT TO HIM. AND KEL AND AUBREY AND BASIL DONT REACT??? Kel just waves?? and Sunny waves back???

“We’re gonna watch Insidious now, I know you haven’t seen that one before. Wanna come in?” “Kay” “Do you want to bring your cat in with you? I’ll put Hector on his leash” “Yes please”

Then the three just walk back and tell the hooligans to follow them in. Sunny got himself up so Sunny can get himself down.

It’s only the beginning of the madness. Sunny walks in holding the still purring orange cat and settles himself down in his specific corner of the couch (They were prewarned not to sit in Sunny’s spot) Aubrey cuts Kim off before she can ask about the roof, and starts the movie. Kim looks over at the cat, and it locks eyes on her, hissing.

The movie begins and Sunny will randomly speak but only to say when a character is going to die/be scared. Right before it happens. Every single time. Didn’t Kel say before that he hadn’t seen this movie?? It doesn’t matter Sunny keeps going

A ghost. A ghost. Lost in an alternate dimension by shamanic journey. It’s bizarre. The cat continues to purr a rusty old engine noise in Sunny’s lap, periodically looking at one of the hooligans and hissing, choosing a different one every time. Who’s cat is that????

They finish the movie and start to play board games. They pick monopoly and decide to divvy up into teams. Kim immediately claims Aubrey, Vance decides to go with Kel and Kel grabs Mikhael to create a trio. Charlie and Sunny silently sit beside each other, and everyone assumes that makes them a team. Angel pulls Basil to his side and they’re prepped to play the game.

Kim likes to consider herself a pretty good monopoly player, and Aubrey is a whiz with money and numbers, so she assumes they have this in the bag.

She did not account for the Sunny factor.

Sunny stares her down through the entire time. Kim is sure he doesn’t blink. She forgets to bid on auctions for properties and gives him extra rent money. They go bankrupt first, and Sunny turns his eye onto Kel who just laughs and gives Sunny finger guns. Sunny finger guns back (his face still a blank slate) and proceeds to also take all of Kel’s money.

They go to bed shortly after, and Kim is relieved. Nothing also weird can happen. Now she just has to sleep.

She wakes up in the middle of the night and adjust her position, turning over to face the other side of teh room. Four shining eyes stare back at her, catching the dim light from the kitchen. Kim shakily grabs her phone and turns on the flashlight, whirling around to see Sunny staring at her, his orange cat on top of his head.

She wakes all the rest of them with her shriek of terror. The group of four quickly settle to sleep once more, even Sunny crashing down next to Aubrey and Basil. hissing cat caught firmly in his arms.

She and the other hooligans stay up for a bit, frantically whispering about the oddness of the situation. They resolve to leave early in the morning, and to distance themselves as much as they can from...whatever Sunny is. They’re certainly glad he doesn’t go to their school anymore.

The next morning, the group of four wake up before the hooligans and cook a big breakfast. They put the phone on speaker and chat with Hero as they do so, catching up on his latest college stories. Bo en is playing from the cd player in the corner of the kitchen, kept low so as not to wake the others.

The hooligans creep downstairs and peer inside. The scene is shockingly...normal.

Sunny is still carrying his cat, but now Kel is feeding it tiny bits of bacon and it is stretching out of Sunny’s arms to reach the next delicious morsel. He’s chatting with Hero over the phone, speaking in full long sentences which is a rarity for Sunny. He even laughs quietly at a joke Hero tells.

Kim tries to translate the horror she felt last night into this morning, but it’s not there. Sunny doesn’t seem like an eldritch horror during the day. Just another teenager happy to be with people he enjoys.

Hero hangs up shortly after, and the group of four settle back into a placid silence. Aubrey breaks it by turning to the others

“I know it was weird, but I’m glad that they came for last night.” the three boys agree, and Sunny leans against the counter near Aubrey so she can scratch one hand under his cat’s neck while still flipping pancakes. When he speaks, his voice is near silent, but they all hear it anyway.

“They’re nice. They didn’t treat me different.”

The hooligans share a look and simultaneously agree to stay for breakfast.

[ohheyitsokay]

foul

part 5 of the ‘hey batter batter’ series

pairing: Francisco Morales (Frankie, Catfish) x reader

wordcount: 2.5k

warnings: anyway I’m going to say this is where things start to get 18+ strong language, implications or mentions of party drugs, sex, alcohol, addiction, angst uhh I think that’s it. 

summary: it’s a Triple Frontier Baseball AU! Trust me, you don’t need to know anything about baseball. 

In this chapter, and always, truly good things require work, and while that’s scary, Frankie (and the others, in their own way) realize that it’s worth it.

>>

They didn’t get very far away from the little home before Frankie had to pull over, wanting to bang his forehead against the steering wheel and let the honk drown out his agony. And Santi, who was laughing at him.

He felt like he was reliving the memory again and again, his mind’s eye more vivid than anything else.

The skin of your wrist, even burned, was delicate, softer than reasonable against his lips. Your face was confused, and then he could’ve sworn your pupils dilated as you regarded him. It was a blissful moment, sitting on the kitchen floor, closer to you than he’d ever been, kissing your pain away like his abuela, like the two of you were comfortable together.

Then he realized what he’d done and all but ran away, cursing himself and terrified of your beautiful, questioning eyes.

Before they’d pulled over, Santi was telling him he wasted his shot. He knew.

“What the hell? Fish?” his tone was quieter. Gone was the disappointed, but good natured teasing from before, Santi’s dark eyes widening as he realized there was something undeniably more real than he had been expecting.

“You…” he stared at Frankie, who was glaring out the window, knuckles almost white on the steering wheel. “You’re serious, about her.”

It wasn’t really a question. His friend’s hands loosened, then reasserted themselves, like he was wishing he could strangle something, and then they dropped, defeated. It was answer enough.

“Then why…” he licked his lips, Frankie’s stress rolling over him as he considered his next question. Why did you run from her? Why hadn’t you got her number? “Why cant you…”

“I have a fucking baby, man.”

His broad shoulders deflated, for all their tension, his body filling with unshed tears for the life he was certain he could not have.

“She’s not yours.” A quiet, well-practiced reminder.

“She might as well be.”

Santiago’s hand slipped onto his friends shoulder, rubbing slow circles like his own abuela, willing him to understand his support.

“She’ll understand.”

He could have meant Frankie’s broke, broken, single sister, or his unborn niece, just two months due, or his intensely expectant mother, but he knew better.

There was no good reason Santi’s gut should know what a person was thinking about Francisco, what they would think, but he was seldom wrong about these things. And he was surer than he’d ever been, about you.

-

Hanging over the balcony of the second tier, you laughed as Will slid into home.

All around you the cheers erupted, deafening and joyous. The team might’ve picked him up to carry him around for a victory lap, you couldn’t be sure because you couldn’t see, being jostled left and right on your way back to James.

The two of you had been late to the game today, caught up in traffic, and Benny had texted you to hurry up. It made no sense that he knew you weren’t there, and even less sense that he was able to text you from the dugout, but he had. They were losing bad, when you finally filed through security and found your seats, but thankfully began to claw their way back. It had been one of the closest games you’d seen in this stadium, and you were mildly worried Jimbo would be hoarse by the end of the night.

Knowing them made watching the game far more interesting than it had ever been for you. It was only the shallow end of friendship but it was more than enough. As the closer and closer the scores got to each other, the more you’d let yourself be drawn to towards the field like a lovesick fan. You held your breath as Santi threw one, two, three strikes the top of the ninth, and almost squeezed Jimbo too hard when Francisco caught an unexpectedly vertical foul ball. He had humored you, walking close to the edge at first, but at some point James let go of your arm and told you to stay and tell him what happened.

Beaming, you found him talking to another elderly couple, decked out in Miller boy jerseys and paraphernalia. Your grandfather introduced you, but before you could get their names, a large security person tugged you away, murmuring in your ear.

Trying to decline, and explain they probably had the wrong person, you were utterly confused. They were hearing none of it, and were to escort you to the locker room, and you were bullied into going along, telling James as quickly as you could that you would meet him in a bit.

When you were gently shoved into a large waiting area next to a door that reeked of sweaty men, you were annoyed. Then Ben Miller was coming out, practically bouncing on the balls of his feet before crushing you in a hug. His hair was wet, dripping on you, and his shirt was sticking to his body, and his eager eyes made you forgive him, for the most part. Thankfully, he smelled like cheap soap.

“Benjamin Miller, do you understand that that was not okay?” you tried to be stern.

“He doesn’t,” Will said dryly, emerging from behind his brother with a smile. He gave you a hug too, which surprised you more than anything, and whispered something to the security guards before leading them out. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine, but,” you felt flustered, wondering about Francisco as much as the ridiculousness of being near them, again. “Does someone mind explaining what’s going on? Why am I here?”

“Don’t explain,” Santi's voice, and his hand ruffling your hair. “It’ll jinx it.” You couldn’t tell if he was serious.

“Let’s just say, from us to you - thank you,” Ben was grinning winningly, almost making their suspicious behavior acceptable. “And we owe you one,” he added.

Handing finding your hips, you wondered if you had it in you to really glare at the tall, handsome athletes in front of you. You didn’t get the chance, however, as other players began pouring out around you and friends and family were being shown in. Apparently, meeting after the game was more common than you thought, and you felt defeated as you tried to back against a wall. The three of them got caught up momentarily as their friends triumphant voices and energetic movements filled the space.

You bumped into Francisco and nearly melted into the floor. 

His deep brown eyes, the ones you hadn’t seen since he kissed your wrist, met yours, and for a split second he looked like a deer in the headlights. Then they softened again, just like they had before, and he moved his body between yours and the crowd. Only when he glared and jerked his head did you notice one of the players you didn’t recognize had been looking you over, a little too interested.

His broad shoulders were raised, slightly, the only indication that he wasn’t in complete control of the situation.

“Thank you,” you murmured, under the noise, a mirror of that quiet moment in James’ kitchen. He didn’t move away this time, just stood over you as he checked to make sure the other player had gone on his way.

He was so tall. Of course you knew this but he was towering over you now, you could see the rise and fall of his chest, and the swell of the muscles in his arm as he pressed it against the wall by your head. Maybe you should’ve felt boxed in, but it was strangely comforting, the shape of the catcher blocking out the chaos.

The appearance of Ben, yet again, popped the tension and Francisco moved back, his arm falling to his side.

You breathed again as the rest of the group found you, and you could feel his eyes watch you as they joked about your disappearance.

Tom was looking at you too, a strange expression on his face. Of all of them, he seemed the most disheveled, like he’d only just got to the locker area.

“There’s an after party tonight,” he said, haltingly. You blinked.

The other boys were staring at him, and Santi’s head tilted, just a hair to the left, his eyes narrowing even less discernably as he said, “You should come.”

You laughed a little, and saw respect in Will’s eyes as you declined, thanking them for the invite. Did Frankie’s shoulder’s drop with disappointment or relief?

Ben was disappointed, for sure. It was hard to discern all their reactions when there was only one of you.

It was harder still, when James appeared, gently guarded by security, with the elderly couple in tow. Then there was reprieve from the attention on you as they accepted bear hugs from Will and Ben, and slightly more reasonable ones from the others. James received the same love, and winning the game because the second best thing of the day. Or maybe third, you thought, glancing again at the catcher who had returned to your side.

James ducked around them to tuck himself at your other side, and you didn’t need either of them to explain that these were the Miller grandparents.

The three of you melted into the background after you were reintroduced. When they invited you again to the party, the sweetness of the moment and Grandma Miller clouded your judgement, and you told them you would think about it.

-

You ended up going, an hour in, because Will had called you. He hadn’t explained, only half growling the instructions through the noise, before he changed his mind and hung up. Never mind, I’m sorry to bother you, he had said, and you thought that he actually meant it. It left a twisting feeling in your gut, and your instincts kicked in, and you pulled on whatever before driving over.

As per his instructions, you parked far away, slipping past the distracted security, into the luxurious rental. There half naked tipsy women and flashing lights, and things James would lecture them on littered around, and you felt slightly nauseous .

This wasn’t a setting you wanted to see any of them in, but you clenched your jaw, and looked for familiar faces.

First, you saw Tom near you, his hand sliding appreciatively over the ass of a girl who looked like she would frame her dress after he was done. Across the room, you saw a women watching them, standing a little to straight, hands clenched before she pushed her way out of the space. He must have seen it, too - he was frozen, and you snapped to make him look at you.

You didn’t say a word, just pointed with your thumb, eyes telling him what he needed to hear. He did apologize to the fans around him as he chased after her, and you rolled your eyes. It occurred to you that maybe… maybe that was why he mentioned the party. A strange way of asking someone, anyone who would hold him accountable to be nearby.

That seemed far fetched.

The air smelled like sweat and alcohol and smoke, and you tried not to think about your shoes, sticking ever-so-slightly to the floor, and tried not to wonder how often they did things like this. You were careful of explicit noises before you opened doors and your eyes moved quickly so you wouldn’t and draw attention to yourself.

Next, you found what you were sure your instincts had called you there for. He was in a mercifully quiet room, a little drunk, and a lot broken hearted.

Will was there too and when he saw you he stood, leaving his brother on the ground with his head between his knees.

“You didn’t have to come,” his voice was quiet as his eyes looked you over, trying to understand your intentions. You were sure he’d seen people time and time before try to get close for all the wrong reasons, and actually… thinking of it, you were sure that’s what had happened.

Will didn’t see any of that in you when you shrugged, eyes leveling with his despite the height difference, and he let you come further in.

“You guys have always been more than kind to me,” you said. It’s not that you owed them, it just made it easier to be kind in return.

Pushing aside a couple of cans, you settled next to Ben and held out the water bottle you’d brought. His face was stormy his eyes held hurt through the cloud of alcohol, and he took it.

“’m fine,” he said. Will waited for you to respond, to spout cliches and empty praise or lies and terrible advice. He had seen it all before, too many times.

That didn’t come, either, and when you didn’t say anything and rubbed your hand over his brothers shoulder, he was so grateful it hurt.

-

Frankie walked into the room, mouth open to check in, to find you running your fingers through Benny’s hair, his head in your lap. You were elbowing Will, laughing about something as his brother sleepily tried to participate.

His heart aching, Frankie left, closing the door hard behind him. He wasn’t jealous. He wasn’t.

Legs carrying him nowhere in particular, he wasn’t sure who he was frustrated at. Benny or Tom for charming you, dragging you into their lives, bright and shiny and innocent? Santi or Will for being able to talk with you like you had known them forever, to become your best friends like it was effortless?

You, with your open touches and knowing eyes and stupid big fucking heart?

He hated it all so much. Frankie hated it because it felt so good. Watching you act like a sister to his brothers, feeling your eyes on him as he did the one thing he knew how to do, hearing you say honest words for his ears alone - it all felt good, and it was awful. It made him forget who he’d been when he was a rookie, the mistakes he had made, the people they’d hurt while they’d been drunk on petty fame. It made him scared he would forget the lessons he had learned, if he let himself get lost in the good.

The person he was frustrated with was himself. He eyed his teammate doing a line of snow, the music pulsing in his ears, guilt and anxiety chasing him like wolves after prey. The caught him and he inched involuntarily forward, gnawing on the muscle memories of his tongue and heart and thighs.

Then all of a sudden, they were pulled back. Not gone – you were holding them at bay, as your hand touched his arm. Had you... chased him?

God did he want to be the man you though he was.

You didn’t seem interested in that, because you were quiet, telling him that it was good to see him, and to come to Benny, like he was needed. He wanted that – he turned away, back to his friends.

As your hand left his arm, the tips of your fingers trailed and he shuddered, realizing something.

The difference between the good of things that made him a monster, and the good of you was that it was handed to him, easy, full of promises that couldn’t be kept. Creating something good with you was going to be work.

Santi’s words rang in his mind, louder than the terrible music: she'll understand.

Determination flooded him, and he wondered if the wolves, never killed, could be harnessed. Frankie took your hand, relishing how after your initial shock,  you laced your fingers with his. 

<<

taglist:

@fangirl-316 @scribbledghost @writeforfandoms @beautyagegoodnesssize @princess76179

hey batter batter taglist:

@icanbeyourjedi @studyofawearymind @hnt-escape @athalien @the-witty-pen-name @daffodin

[startanewdream]

Godfather duty

Summary: When James is surprised by Sirius and Harry coming home drunk four in the morning, he questions himself when he got too old for that.

For @theblueocean 

Part of the Jily Lives AU

Rated M for mentions of underage drinking and some swearing.

Read on AO3 with all the correct italics, or below the cut:

_________

His eyelids feel heavy, but James keeps writing. He is almost finishing the first draft of the article for Transfiguration Today; it's due Sunday and he still has five days to finish it, but James is really anxious for presenting it. It's not his first paper for that magazine, but his article will be the headline this time, and he promised himself he would send them in advance as much as he could - and he still needs to send it to Minerva for her to read and review.

It feels a lot like he is back in school doing essays, but James doesn't remember being that excited back at Hogwarts - well, not about homework anyway.

He puts the final dot and lets the quill rest, satisfied. He will proofread in the morning, maybe even rewrite altogether from a different perspective, but it's done and it's a competent article, he knows.

Human transfiguration was always a point of interest to him.

He raises, stretching up and looking at his watch. It's past four in the morning already; he really lost track of time. He remembers Lily calling him to go to bed - and then he promised her he would go in a minute, which he clearly forgot.

He suppresses a yawn as he leaves the library, thinking only of sinking on his bed when he hears a sound coming from the front porch.

All his sleepiness is gone instantly, and he turns with his wand already raised, alarmed and with his instincts screaming even though it’s been months since the war ended; someone is turning the doorknob. The spell is almost leaving his lips when the door opens wide and he sees Harry's joyful face.

Harry is not alone; Sirius is with him, their arms around each other in a brotherly gesture and for a moment James has a flashback of himself with Sirius with that same easiness, both of them beaming happily and goofy; it's a memory of twenty years ago, of a night they went around Muggle London joining a pub crawl that ended up with James' mother finding them passed out in the middle of the Potter’s living room in Godric’s Hollows.

A lot of things happened that night - a flight from the Muggle police when they tried to climb Cleopatra’s Needle, an attempt to perform a serenade to Lily only to realize they were on the wrong street and throwing eggs at Grimmauld Place number twelve - but what he remembers clearer is the smell of the alcohol on him as he woke up next morning - and then the taste of it all as he threw it all up.

And right now Sirius and Harry have that same smell of cheap whiskey mixed with beer.

James blinks, confused. As far as he thought, Harry had been back from work hours ago - James was sure Harry had been sleeping on his bed right now.

It’s evident he was wrong.

‘Hi, Prongs’, Sirius says, grinning from ear-to-ear, sounding much steadier than James would have guessed from the smell coming from them. ‘Care to let us in?’

'What's going on?', James asks, worried, stepping aside to let them enter. Both of them are stumbling, but James has the impression that Sirius is supporting Harry more than the opposite.

For some reason his question makes them look at each other.

'What I said?', Sirius asks Harry as if they are sharing some old joke. Harry lets out of one of his rare carefree giggles. 'What d'you think we are doing, dear Prongs?'

'Coming home drunk in the middle of the night?’

‘Chill out, Dad’, Harry says, winking at him.

Chill out?

‘It’s four in the morning of a Tuesday - I thought you were home already!’

‘I had to work late’, Harry answers immediately, grinning. Sirius takes him to the living room, trying to help him on the couch, but Harry slides to the floor, falling on the carpet.

‘On a bar?’

‘It’s for work’, Harry insists, eyes open as if that was obvious. 

‘It was a very important mission’, Sirius agrees. ‘Stealth. Mixing with locals. Spying on people’.

‘Oh, were there Death Eaters on that bar?’, James asks, rolling his eyes.

‘It could have been! Harry needs to know how to handle his alcohol!’

Harry giggles.

‘I handle it very well’, he says proudly, clapping his hands. ‘Tell him, Sirius’.

‘He won us money on darts. He even closed his eyes for the last shot. You would be proud!’

‘That you were letting my barely out-of-age kid bet on games?’

Sirius rolls his eyes.

‘Everything was under control, he won. Stop worrying, I was on godfather duty tonight -’

‘Between a drink and another, you mean?’

‘ - and I brought him home, right?’

‘Speaking of that’, James raises his eyebrows, now sounding openly reproachful. ‘How did you come home? Don’t tell me you drank and apparated’.

‘I would never!’

‘Or that motorbike - if you came here flying, I swear I will -’

‘Relax, Dad!’, Harry intervenes, now raising on a jump, ignoring how he tumbles in the process. ‘We got a cab. Eeeeeeverything under control’.

James watches his son go to the cabinet in the room, searching for something until he takes out a feather to doodle something on a parchment, not realizing it’s a grocery list.

‘I see the control’, he says dryly. ‘What are you doing, Harry?’

‘I am making a howler’.

‘What? What for?’

‘To howl, duh - hey!’, he turns to Sirius, his eyes sparkling madly. ‘Remus never sends letters - he only sends howlers!’

Sirius chuckles. ‘I howl too! Owoooooo!’

‘Hey, hey, you are going to wake up Lily!’

‘And?’

‘And maybe you don’t want her to see what you did to Harry - Harry, stop that, you are not sending anyone a howler’.

‘I have to tell Ginny I love her!’

‘She already knows, I am sure, you’ve told her’.

‘But I never yelled it!’

‘And she loves you more because of that, come on, give me that letter’.

‘I knew he wouldn’t let you send it’, Sirius says, his voice now smug. ‘Prongsie is old’.

James rolls his eyes.

‘Same age as you, Pads’, he remembers distantly, taking the letter from Harry, though now he realizes he didn’t need to worry. Harry’s letter is unintelligible and he doubts he could cast the spell to turn into a howler.

Harry pouts.

‘Sirius is right, you are square’.

‘What?’

‘We can never have fun’.

‘And you are so serious - more than me, haha!’, Sirius adds, now laying down lazily on the couch, his legs spread. James is about to complain that his shoes are all muddy and Sirius should take them out, but he stops.

Oh, Merlin, he is really getting a bit square, isn’t he?

‘I can be fun’, he stresses, making Sirius let out one of his bark laughs.

‘Yeah, years ago. Before you were a dad - no offence, Harry’.

Harry doesn’t seem to have heard him, which James considers a shame. Harry would surely defend him - he was a cool dad to Harry.

No, he is still a cool dad. The kind that Harry can feel at will to talk about anything, that supports Harry and that is always there for him.

Except that Harry didn’t tell him about working late tonight or going to a bar. Except Harry and Sirius didn’t ask for his company.

And if they did - he thinks of the paper he just finished and how excited he was for it.

He would have said no.

That’s not very cool of him.

‘I will take a flight!’, Harry declares, his eyes shining with this idea and for once James doesn’t feel satisfied with the mischievousness in him.

‘No drinking and flying’, James says sternly, and he decides that he will have to remain uncool for a little longer. ‘You - you stay here! Sirius - watch him. Better than you did so far, I mean’.

Sirius grimaces, evidently annoyed, but he sits next to Harry, who is now mumbling something incomprehensible, though Sirius seems to be listening to him with attention. James leaves them in the living room, locking the door behind him just in case, and goes to Lily’s office hoping she has stored a Hangover Potion. He is in no luck, of course; it’s been years since he and Lily even needed one - James believes it comes with the age knowing when to stop - and there was nothing in Harry’s latest behaviour that showed them they would need it.

For a second James almost considers waking up Lily, knowing she would make the potion in minutes, but he doesn’t want her to see the mess Harry is right now; it’s far better she hears it later than witnessing first hand. He grabs a small cauldron and the ingredients he will need and returns to the living room.

In the few minutes he was out, Harry and Sirius managed to make things strangely worse. There is snow in the room, that he sees Sirius casting from his wand; Harry is perfectly still, the snow making a sort of white hat on his head, his arms wide open and also covered in snow.

‘What -’, James tries to ask, but he just blinks at the weirdness on the scene.

‘Shhhh’, Sirius says, a finger on his lips. ‘Don’t distract him!’

‘What is Harry doing?’

‘Isn’t it obvious? Disguise training! He is a snowman!’

‘He is missing a carrot nose’, James notes, grimacing, and that makes Sirius turn his wand to Harry’s face. ‘I am joking!’

It’s too late; there is a flash of light and then there is a carrot on Harry’s face, replacing his nose.

‘Sirius!’, Harry complains, raising his hand to touch his new nose. His voice is muffled. ‘I can’t have a nose this big! How can I snog Ginny now?’

‘That’s your concern?’, James asks, half-amused, now taking out Sirius’ wand to make sure he doesn’t cast any more magic.

‘I will poke her in the eye!’, Harry says, moping, scratching the tip of his pointy nose thoughtfully.

‘I will transform you back as soon as you drink this potion, now lay still’. Harry sighs, sitting on the couch. Sirius sits next to him, patching him in the back as if he weren’t the one that turned Harry’s nose into a carrot in the first place.

‘Your nose matches her hair’, he says bracingly. ‘You will look beautiful together’.

‘I am not sure this is much comfort, Padfoot’, James notes, placing the cauldron in the fireplace and starting to throw in the ingredients. He could add something for the taste, but he believes the bitterness helps build character.

‘Well, I got him quiet, didn’t I?’, Sirius asks, pointing at Harry who is now sitting on the couch, still playing with his carrot nose.

‘You could have messed up so badly’.

‘I am not that drunk - I watched over your kid, no matter what you think of me’.

James shakes his head.

‘Letting him drink that much? He barely can stand - what if someone -’

‘The war is over, James’, Sirius tells him, sounding much grim now. ‘And like I said, I was there. Me, half-a-dozen junior Aurors and some seniors too’.

‘Unless any Death Eater threat would be a challenge to a drinking contest, I don’t think it would make much difference’.

‘Oh, Merlin’. Sirius sighs, walking to the drink cabinet and opening it to take a bottle of firewhiskey. ‘Here, drink this’.

‘What?’

‘You are sober, I hate talking to sober people when I am pissed. Sober people are boring’.

‘I am not boring’, James complains, pushing away the bottle that Sirius extends in his direction. ‘And I am past the age of being forced to drink to look cool’.

‘Then drink because it’s nice!’, Sirius says forcefully now. ‘Drink because you are alive! Drink because you are happy! Drink because for the first time in his life your son is properly pissed!’

‘That’s not a reason -’

‘That’s enough reason! He is eighteen! What age were we when we first got pissed?’

‘Seventeen’. Sirius raises his eyebrows, waiting for him, and James flushes, turning his attention to the cauldron. The potion is almost over. ‘Fine, fifteen - but it didn’t count, we weren’t thinking straight then’.

‘Yeah. Our first transformation’, Sirius remembers, but there is something heavy on his voice now.

‘What is the problem, Padfoot?’

‘Nothing’. 

That makes James stop. He takes the cauldron out of the fire, to let the potion cool down, and turns to Sirius, watching him. Sirius’ eyes are watery as he always gets when he drinks, but he sustains James’ look for a surprisingly full two minutes before he sighs.

‘Fine, you are the problem’.

‘Me? You take my son out for a drink without telling me, return home four in the morning and I am the problem?’

‘Look at what you are saying! He is of age! He was with his friends - and his very trustable godfather! He was having fun for once in his life, instead of living that responsible life you want for him’.

‘Responsible?’, James repeats, dumbfounded. Nobody had ever accused him of wanting to do the responsible thing. ‘I am just being his father’.

‘Well, maybe Harry doesn’t need his father anymore’.

There is a long pause after that. James blinks, once, twice, very slowly, trying to understand what Sirius means by that, and it’s only when he reaches for the drink cabinet to get a glass for the potion, that Sirius moves.

‘Shit - I didn’t mean like that - sorry, James, it’s not -’

‘No, I get it’, James says, his voice forcefully steady. ‘Harry wants the cool father figure that allows him everything - and, well, Sirius “what’s life without a little risk” Black is perfect for that’.

‘Don’t be absurd - that kid worships the ground you walk upon -’

‘And yet he was with you, not me. I get it. I am a father, not a friend’. He offers Sirius a full glass. ‘Drink this, you’ll feel better tomorrow’.

‘No, I deserve the hangover tomorrow, but that’s beside the point. It’s my fault’.

‘I don’t think you forced Harry to drink’, James notes dryly, sitting next to Harry to help him drink the potion. Harry seems to be in another world now, but he obliges to James’ help without questioning.

‘No, that was all on him - I mean it, he’d make you proud, he won a drinking contest with Thompson and he is twice Harry’s size - er, not helping, sorry’. Sirius sits on the other side of Harry. ‘He was going to tell you we’d be out for a drink. And I didn't let him'.

'Why? Why would you -'

'Because I thought you would overreact. Worry too much about him. Don't let him have any fun'.

'I would not -'

'And because I thought he'd ask you to come’.

James blinks. Between them, Harry lays his head on James' shoulder, now watching Sirius with mild curiosity.

‘I would ask’, he agrees, a note of pride in his voice. 

'Am I that bad company?', James asks in a low voice. Sirius shakes his head.

'Would you come with us?', he challenges. James keeps his gaze for a few seconds, but just like Sirius didn't lie for him before, he wouldn't dare speak anything but the truth.

'No, I had things to do today'.

'That article', Sirius scoffs. 'You don't talk about anything else'.

James frowns.

'It's really important - a chance of -'

'Getting yourself a name, I know, I know. But see -', his grey eyes are burning over James now, somewhat desperate. 'The Prongs I know would never care for reputation'.

'Sirius…'

'The Prongs I know would be honest with me'.

'I am - what are you -'

'I heard you and Kingsley, ok?', he blows off. 'Registering as an animagus? After all this time?'

There is another silence, broken only by the crackling fire.

'I was going to tell you', James says finally. 'I didn't think it was important - you don't have to register too -'

'That's not the point - you are breaking our trust -'

'It's just an entry on a list. It doesn’t change anything, I will keep our full moon nights -'

'When Remus has time, you mean?', he asks, sounding bitter now. 'He missed the last two, he'd rather stay home -'

'He has a kid now -'

'So do you and… you guys are getting old and responsible and too serious for me'.

'Nobody is more serious than you', James says, smiling at him, but Sirius just rolls his eyes and grabs the bottle of firewhiskey on the coffee table, taking a sip.

James extends his hand. Sirius raises one eyebrow, in disbelief, and his expression only relaxes a little when James takes a long sip of the firewhiskey. The drink burns his throat, infusing him with that weird dose of courage and a will to do something, but James just sighs.

'You are no less serious because of it', Sirius notes.

'I got serious - the war, the first one and then the second one and everything - and I think I forgot how to relax - but that doesn't mean… you are my brother, Sirius'.

'The annoying prettier baby brother?'

'You are older', James says, grinning, and after a second of hesitation, Sirius smiles too. 'You can invite me - I mean, we can do things together. Even if it sounds - or is - stupid'.

'Things together like… registering our animagus form?'

James rests against the couch, and Harry moves his head to rest more comfortably on his shoulders; James thinks he will sleep soon.

'You don't need to do it too - Kingsley already knows about you and he is the bloody Minister of Magic, isn't he? This was not about doing the responsible thing'.

'Then why -'

'I want the credit'. James presses his lips, before admitting something he didn't even share with Lily yet. 'I talked to Minerva - if I get back to my studies, get enough recommendation to be approved by the board, I could get her position'.

Sirius blinks, startled.

'Her position? You mean -'

'Transfiguration professor, yeah'.

He looks away now, feeling somewhat embarrassed. It had never really been an ambition - teaching was much more something Remus had always wanted to do than him; James had been glad to focus on his studies and develop new theories of transfiguration until then. 

But ever since Minerva had vented that possibility to him a few weeks after the end of the war, when they were repairing one of the halls destroyed in the battle, that thought had been on his mind. He wasn't in a rush, but the idea of getting back to Hogwarts, this time as a professor, watching other students learn from him as much as he had learned from Minerva McGonagall… he couldn't deny that idea had taken root in his mind.

James always teased her that he had been her favourite student, but the fact was that she was his favourite professor and there was some part of him that wanted to impress her and prove himself good enough to replace her someday.

He waits for Sirius' response, but there is only a silence that doesn't seem good.

'I know it's huge', James mumbles. 'There are others far more capacitated than me, I am starting now to -'

'Shut your mouth, Prongs', interrupts Sirius, and James turns to him. There is a grin on his face. 'Being humble never suited you'.

James laughs softly.

'I wasn’t trying to', he assures him.

'I thought - I thought you had wanted to do the right thing. You know, registering just because you wanted to follow the law, as if… as if you were ashamed of what we did illegally -'

'Now it's you who needs to shut up, Padfoot'. He takes another sip of the firewhiskey. ‘Animagus at age of fifteen? I’m damn proud of it. Also, that’s the only thing that I have done that’s cooler than half the stuff Harry got into’.

‘Yeah, I suppose it’s hard when your son is a bloody hero’.

Harry chooses that moment to start snoring loudly, which sends James and Sirius into a fit of laughter. James raises, careful to let Harry sleep on the couch, and Harry doesn’t look remotely close to waking up.

‘I am glad you took him out for a drink’, James says, taking out Harry’s glasses. ‘I was just jealous - it should have been me’.

‘I am sure there will be another occasion’, Sirius says dismissively. ‘He will probably forget every embarrassing thing he did, you know how that works’.

‘Oh, he embarrassed himself?’, James asks, a glint of fun on his eyes. Sirius smirks.

‘That happy giggling Harry you saw? Just the last stage. He was all cocky at first - that’s how we got into that darts bet’.

‘Harry? My son? Cocky?’

‘Oh, yeah, he reminded me a lot of you’, Sirius’ smirk increases. ‘He was strutting and all’.

‘Tell me you took pictures of it’.

‘I would never’, Sirius declares, though James isn’t sure he believes him this time. ‘And then he got very… honest’.

‘That doesn’t sound good for that stealth mission’.

Sirius shakes his head.

‘If he was spilling out Auror secrets I would be happier - no, instead I had to hear about the time he and Ginny -’

‘Nope, nope, I don’t want to know’.

‘Well, me neither, I won’t ever use your Invisibility Cloak again, you can be sure. But anyway - that’s why he got here so drunk. I decided vodka was the only way to shut him up properly’.

Sirius looks so satisfied with himself and his choices, that James knows what he has to do.

‘It’s late’, he says pleasantly. ‘Crash here tonight’.

‘Oh, I think I will - I am not fit to apparate’.

‘Let’s go upstairs then’.

‘And Harry?’

‘Oh, look at him. He is sleeping so well, he can stay here tonight’.

‘If you are sure’.

‘Yeah, yeah, everything will be fine’.

_________

James has slept barely four hours when he wakes up with Lily’s cry. He puts on his robe lazily, waiting a few minutes to go downstairs; when he passes Sirius’ room, the door is already opened.

Good.

He finds them all together in the toilet next to the kitchen, and by the sounds coming out of there, his Hangover Potion wasn’t very efficient.

‘We were working late, Lily’, Sirius is saying, sounding properly desperate. ‘And we went out for a drink -’

‘It was a Tuesday night! He has to work in one hour!’

‘So do I - but you see, I’m his boss, so everything is fine! Also, I don’t think any of the boys will show up -’

‘Perfect’, Lily interrupts him, her eyes sending daggers in Sirius’ direction. ‘Then you can take care of him’. She sees James. ‘Did you know about this?’

‘Me? I was working late on my text, you know’, he answers, yawning and looking very innocent.

Sirius waits until Lily is out for the kitchen to turn to James, his eyes narrowed.

‘You knew she would be mad. That’s why you told me to stick around’.

‘If I knew how my dear wife would react to knowing you got our son pissed? How could I?’

Sirius grimaces as there is another retching sound coming from the bathroom.

‘Oh, you better go there and don’t forget to keep Harry hydrated’.

‘Watch it’, Sirius says, but he goes into the bathroom anyway. ‘I won’t ever show you the pictures’.

James shrugs, undisturbed.

‘That’s fine. Next time Harry gets drunk, I will be there’.

‘I won’t ever ever ever drink again’, Harry moans, hugging the toilet seat now, his face sweaty.

‘Oh, kid, we’ve all been there’, Sirius sighs, flushing down the toilet and helping Harry raise.

James grins to himself, glad that Sirius is doing his godfather duty once again, and leaves them alone.

[fanfictionwritingoddity]

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙤𝙮’𝙨 𝙆𝙧𝙮𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚: 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.6𝙠 𝐭𝐰: 𝙮𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙟𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙮, 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙟𝙪𝙧𝙮, 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠: 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 - 𝙝𝙪𝙙𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙖𝙮𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑 | 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟒

( 𝚈𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎!𝙾𝚒𝚔𝚊𝚠𝚊 𝚃𝚘𝚘𝚛𝚞 𝚡 𝙵𝚎𝚖!𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 )

A loud cheer left your lips as Seijoh secured yet another point. The game had progressed into the third set, and the score was now 15-24, your hometeam only one point away from victory. Kaori trembled in excitement next to you, her cheeks pinking under the heat of the gym lights. She had caught Oikawa’s eyes more than once as they drifted up to your seats, and just that fact alone was enough to set her face aflame. Had she finally gotten the captain to notice her?

No, the only person Tooru could ever see was you.

You hadn’t noticed the setter’s longing stares, more focused on the player with a big number 2 on his back. He smirked at his fellow blocker once the ball smacked against the opposite end of the court, silently celebrating his success. A smile creeped across your lips as you watched the display, heart thumping unsteadily in your chest. Matsukawa’s brown eyes flitted to your face for a moment, drinking in your beam before grinning back.

The interaction was brief, but Oikawa didn’t miss anything. He almost wished he didn’t see the way your expression brightened for the few seconds you basked in Issei’s attention, or the unsteady hand you clenched against your chest when he looked away. Tooru was unable to keep his left eye from twitching slightly as a wave of irritation slammed into him like a tsunami. So that was who you liked, huh?

What did Matsukawa Issei have that he didn’t?

Oikawa was extremely aggressive for the last point, serving so hard that a player on the opposing team got hit and ended up with a bloody nose. Everyone just figured he was excited to win and the adrenaline of the finishing play had gotten to him. Well, they weren’t entirely wrong. He was excited to win. But, the player he had ‘accidentally’ hit looked strangely similar to Matsukawa.

There was nothing wrong with some harmless target practice, right?

Once the game was over, you couldn’t stop yourself from rushing down from the stands over to the Seijoh team. Kaori was close behind you, clutching a clean towel that she planned to give to Oikawa. You barely awarded said man a glance as you dashed right by him, already on your way to Matsukawa’s side.

The hand Tooru had lifted to cheekily wave in greeting hung awkwardly at his side for a good three seconds after you passed. He couldn’t suppress the jealousy bubbling in his stomach. It felt acidic, burning and dangerous. However, the player was forced to quickly swallow the venom crawling up his throat as he noticed Kaori nervously shuffling up to him.

“You did great out there,” you exclaimed, handing your best friend his water bottle. He gave you his signature droopy-eyed smile as he took the drink from your hand. Oikawa’s hands were trembling as he gripped the towel your friend had given him, finding the sickeningly sweet smile she wore nothing short of disgusting.

Eventually, after about three insufferable minutes of listening to you chat it up with the lazy bastard you had set your sights on, Tooru couldn’t handle it anymore. He whipped around, setting his sights on your back, which was facing him. Matsukawa quirked an eyebrow at his captain's rigid stance but ignored it, continuing his conversation with you. Without a moment of hesitation, the setter crept up behind you, wrapping his long arms around your waist and setting his chin on your shoulder, dangerously close to your ear.

“I didn’t know you knew Matsukawa, cutie!”

His voice was sultry, and his breath sent shivers down your spine because of his close proximity. Oikawa ignored the flutter in his stomach, opting to let out a sad hum and pout. You sighed, shimmying out of the boy’s hold, before turning to him.

“He’s my best friend.”

There was a warning in your eyes, because you knew he was aware of how you felt about Issei. Tooru feigned ignorance, innocently tilting his head in wonder. Matsukawa rolled his eyes and sighed, bending down and beginning to pack his volleyball bag that was sitting on the bench.

“Don’t be weird, Oikawa.”

Suddenly, he stopped, straightening his posture as he turned to look at you guiltily.

“Ah, Y/N, I’m not going to be able to walk you home today… I have to walk someone else.”

It was difficult to hide the way your heart broke as Issei muttered his excuse, but somehow you managed. After all, you had seen him date other people before. This would be no different. Pulling a weak smile onto your lips, you silently handed him his towel while nodding.

“Perfect! I’ll take her home then.”

Oikawa’s quip had been unexpected, and left your jaw to drop slightly in shock. Oh, hell no. You desperately pulled out your phone, hoping to feign getting a text from your parents. Before you could turn it on, a hand covered the screen, keeping you from clicking anything. Fear gripped your heart as you slowly dragged your gaze up, meeting the playboy’s face. You then noticed the knowing grin that was playing on his lips.

There would be no way out of this one.

You quickly learned that slowing your pace in hopes of being able to lag behind slightly and defeat the notion that you two were really walking home together didn’t work, as Tooru would just wait for you to be by his side before beginning his walk again. The silence was deafening, and unfortunately it gave you time to mull over the entire reason you were walking with the team captain in the first place - Matsukawa had been busy with someone else.

You had no right to be jealous. You and him weren’t even dating, for god's sake! Unfortunately, that didn’t stop said emotion from plaguing your mind, mixing with the poignant sorrow that already sat there. It was a wonder that you weren’t used to this, you had been in love with Issei for two years and he had never shown any romantic interest in you. For so long, you stood idly by while he weeded through girlfriends and crushes, unable to ever confess your own feelings. 

Silently clutching your bag a bit tighter, you willed your eyes to stay glued on the pavement in front of you. Your slight tenses didn’t go unnoticed by Oikawa, who’s chocolate brown orbs flickered to you the moment you moved. He was quiet for a second, drinking in your conflicted expression and stance, before dragging his gaze away.

“Does he know how you feel?”

You weren’t able to verbally answer, choosing to just shake your head instead.

“Thought so,” he muttered, a wry smile playing on his lips. 

The absence of conversation was slightly more comfortable after that, but you didn’t know how much longer you could hold back your tears. It just hurt so, so much. Without even a glance in your direction, Oikawa placed his hand gently upon your head, his lithe fingers slightly carding your locks aside to find a comfortable resting place. This action froze you in your spot, which it seemed he predicted, considering he stopped at the exact same time. When you turned your face to him, intending to question his strange behavior, his hand slipped to your cheek, thumb caressing under your eye with unrivaled gentleness.

“Don’t cry over someone like him. He doesn’t deserve it.”

There was a certain softness in Tooru’s eyes, the brown seeming more like the color of oak bark when bright leaf filtered sunlight hits it just right. But deep down in his gaze, somewhere hidden below, was a darkness, something terrifying and dangerous. Against every cell in your body, your cheeks heavily heated at the affectionate action.

After a few moments of trying to catch your breath, you realized your surroundings looked eerily familiar. Once you spared more than a glance at them, it hit you - you were outside of your house. How did you get here so quickly? And how did Oikawa know where you lived? He never once asked for directions. Before you could ask any questions, he removed his hand, giving you a gentle nudge towards your front door.

You offered a small smile, turning on your heel and walking up the path to the entrance. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as you thought he was.

You never did look back to see if he had left.

No, he didn’t leave. Tooru stayed outside your home for almost an hour after you had gone inside, simply watching lights flicker on and off as you made your way through the house. It gave him an odd sense of peace, slowing his heart down to the pace it would take when one was meditating. But any time he thought of the boy who had hurt you, it spiked so violently he had to catch his breath.

How dare he. Not that Matsukawa was worth your time anyways. He didn’t deserve a single sliver of your existence, he didn’t even deserve to breathe your air. No, and he wouldn’t any longer. You were an angel among men, a diamond in the rough, and any other person was lucky to be in your presence.

You needed to be protected.

Everyone else would only hurt you, they would only taint you and use you like Matsukawa did. Well, lucky for you, Oikawa was more than glad to fill the role of the princess’s knight. He would burn the world down if it meant you would be his.

Flicking out his phone, the captain typed a few things before holding it up to his ear.

“Hey, Matsukawa, can I come over? I have some homework questions.”

𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 :  @kray-dragon , @lagoonsmainacc , @steampunkhell

[chickwiththepurpleguitar]

It is I, here to Officially Request™ absolutely chaos All Named Characters Molina Family Board Game Night because honestly? The chaos needs to be freed.

THERE'S SO MUCH CHAOS I'M NOT SORRY.

Have the official sequel to this fic because when @screamin-amuseum requested the first part as "the whole gang + boardgame" I took that to mean All Named Characters playing board games and so here's that continuation. It's so unnecessarily long. It's so unnecessarily angsty??? TW for mentions of Trevor with an eating disorder, nothing graphic though.

I don't know what else to say. This is really chaotic. I can't write scenes with more than two people in them and yet this fic has 13. Hope you all enjoy.

Read on ao3 here:

--

Unfortunately, the Molinas’ extensive board game collection does not actually include Pretty Pretty Princess (it was just a tad bit before Julie’s time).

But on the bright side, she knows someone they can borrow it from. Even if Luke’s not happy about it.

“Why’d you have to invite him?” he complains the second Julie gets off the phone with Nick.

“Because—” Julie barely spares Luke a glance as she passes him on the way to the living room. “We’re borrowing his little sister’s board game.”

“So? That doesn’t mean he has to play it with us!”

Julie rolls her eyes. “Luke, are you seriously still jealous of him?”

Luke lets out an indignant squawk. “I am not jealous . I just don’t like him!” He poofs out and back in again to cut Julie off in the doorway, and she stops out of instinct, never quite sure these days if she’ll end up walking through the boys or into them. “Julie, in case you’ve forgotten, we’re talking about a kid who was literally possessed by Caleb five minutes ago. And you want us to hang out with him? You want to bring him into your house? Where you live? To play Pretty Pretty Princess? ”

Julie gives him the most exasperated look she can muster, trying to ignore the smile threatening to tug at her lips. “Luke. First of all, Nick’s already been to my house, so that argument is invalid. Second, he’s not possessed by Caleb anymore, and the fact that he used to be is only more reason for us to offer him some extra friendship, I’m sure he needs it. And third, I already invited him, he’s on his way, and not even your pouting and puppy dog eyes can change that, so don’t even bother trying.”

Of course, Luke immediately breaks out the pout and the puppy dog eyes, but Julie doesn’t let herself so much as look at him. She pushes past him and continues through to the kitchen, shaking her head in amusement as Luke’s annoyed grumbling fades out behind her.

Her dad’s at the kitchen counter, just hanging up his own phone. He turns when Julie enters and offers her a small smile. “Takeout’s on its way. And your tía’s coming, with her own set of dice, so be prepared for those to be loaded.”

Julie giggles. “Well, I called Flynn and they’re gonna bring some sodas and snacks, and Nick’s bringing Pretty Pretty Princess since the boys were so excited to play it. It’s still cool that he comes, too, right?”

“Of course, mija.” Her dad looks at her for a second, and then away, busies himself with wiping down the perfectly-clean counter. “Did you, uh… Did you maybe want to invite Carrie to join us?”

Julie sighs. “Dad, you know me and Carrie aren’t friends anymore.”

“No, yeah, I know.” He scrubs harder at an invisible speck of dirt. “I just thought it might be a nice gesture.”

Despite everything, Julie finds herself considering it. Sure, she and Carrie are still decidedly not friends , but… they’re not quite enemies anymore, either. It’s hard to be enemies with someone who helped you save your shared ex-love interest from an evil jazz-singing magician ghost. Carrie knows about the guys now and didn’t expose Julie and the Phantoms as a fraud, and she hasn’t been as actively mean to Julie and Flynn at school the past few months.

Maybe someday, the three of them will be able to reconcile, officially. Julie might even want to. But that doesn’t mean she’s ready to have Carrie in her house so soon, doesn’t mean she wants to include Carrie in their first family game night without her mom.

“Maybe another time,” she says, offering her dad a soft smile so he knows she means it.

He smiles back, and there’s more relief and happiness in his eyes than Julie would’ve expected under the circumstances, leaving Julie to wonder why her dad would care about her relationship with Carrie Wilson so much.

An hour later, everything’s all set up, and all the guests—ghost and human alike—have arrived. They’re all spread out across the various couches and floor space in Julie’s living room, all ten of them—Julie, her dad, Carlos, Tía Victoria, Luke, Alex, Reggie, Willie, Flynn, and Nick. The four ghosts are all sharing one couch, the four Molinas another, while Flynn and Nick lounge on the floor across the room because the ghosts still make Nick a little uncomfortable (though Julie’s unsure if that’s because of his stint with Caleb or because Luke won’t stop glaring at him).

Knowing Game Night, the seating arrangements won’t stay as they are for long, as the various games require space or privacy or the occasional team-up. Julie’s certain by the end of the night, her friends and family will all be mingling and getting along.

Since there are so many of them, they can’t follow the usual Game Night rules—everyone picks one game and they play through them all. If they tried, they’d be here all night, and half of them have to go to school tomorrow. So instead, the plan is this: Everyone’s name will go in a hat. Whoever wins each game picks a name out of the hat, and that person gets to pick the next game. They’ll play a total of five, or until midnight, whichever comes first.

The only caveat to this strategy is that they’re playing Pretty Pretty Princess first, and since that was technically Alex’s choice, his name’s not going in the hat (a fact Alex seems perfectly fine with).

Game Number One isn’t nearly as much of a disaster as Julie kind of expected it to be. It’s only a four player game, so they play in teams of two and three: Luke, Reggie, and Julie playing for the purple jewelry; Alex, Willie, and Flynn playing for the pink; Nick and Carlos for green; and Dad and Tía for blue. The only fight that breaks out is when Luke takes the black ring on purpose and then refuses to put it back the next turn; otherwise, the teams work together surprisingly well.

Somehow, despite Reggie’s earlier insistence that Alex is a PPP master, the adults win, and then they insist on splitting their winning jewelry between them even though it’s all sized to fit five-year-olds.

Just as Dad and Tía are celebrating their victory, and Julie and Carlos are having a telepathic brother-sister conversation about how their aunt must have rigged it, the doorbell rings.

“Ooh, I bet that’s the pizza,” Dad says, hauling himself to his feet. He keeps one hand on the tiny plastic crown on his head so it doesn’t fall off.

He looks ridiculous, between the crown, the singular clip-on earring, and the ring just barely stuck on the end of his pinky finger, but Julie manages to hold back her laughter as she stands and says, “I’ll help carry.”

Her dad beats her to the door, only because Reggie holds her back and tries to convince her not to let Luke have any pizza (to which Luke gives another indignant squawk and immediately starts bickering), so by the time Julie catches up with him, Dad’s already got the front door thrown open, and whatever’s on the porch to greet him has left him staring, wide-eyed, open-mouthed, and pale.

Like he’s seen a ghost or something.

“Dad?” Julie starts to say, but the word dies in her throat as she steps into view of the open door and sees none other than Carrie Wilson standing on her front porch.

Carrie looks nervous, and just as pale, as she stares back at Julie’s father, a clutch purse held in her white-knuckled hands.

Carrie says something, quietly enough that Julie thinks she might have imagined it, that sounds suspiciously like, “Hi, Papi,” and then her gaze flits behind him to Julie and her eyes widen. She clears her throat, straightens her shoulders, says louder, “Mr. Molina. Julie.”

“Hi, Carrie,” Dad says after a weirdly long pause, startling like he’s been struck. “What are—I didn’t—” He breaks off and glances at Julie over his shoulder, his expression screaming, I thought you weren’t going to invite her!

I didn’t! Julie shoots back, then trains a painfully plastic smile on her definitely-not-a-friend-but-not-quite-an-enemy. “Carrie, what are you doing here?”

“Sorry to interrupt, I—didn’t realize you had company…” She glances toward the driveway next to the house, where Nick parked his car. “I can leave.”

“No, don’t—It’s okay,” Dad assures her, a little too quickly for Julie’s liking. “What’s—did you need something?”

Carrie shifts her weight awkwardly from foot to foot, looking back and forth between Julie and her dad like she wants to ask Julie to give them some privacy. Julie just plants her feet and crosses her arms over her chest. Like hell is she gonna leave Carrie alone with her dad when he’s already acting weird and she still has yet to tell them what she’s doing there.

Julie doesn’t even remember the last time Carrie Wilson stepped foot on the Molinas’ property. It’s all too weird, like Julie’s stepped out of Family Game Night and into some strange, confusing alternate universe.

“Um… Okay, so, Dad and I were at this dumb charity event at Schaefer’s, and on the way back, our car broke down.” Carrie waves a vague hand toward the street. “Gerald—our driver—called someone, but Dad doesn’t trust mechanics, and I think it’s supposed to storm later, so…” She trails off, blushes, and adds, “We were only a block or so away so I thought…”

Julie’s not sure she’s following. Her dad must catch up quicker because he says, “Oh! Oh, well—well, you’re welcome to wait out the storm here, we’ve got food coming, we’re having a little game night. Why don’t you join us?”

He turns to look at Julie, almost as an afterthought, his gaze somehow pleading and apologetic at the same time.

Whatever frustration Julie might feel at his eagerness to let Carrie interfere with their lives despite knowing how Julie feels about her is quickly snuffed out by the look on her dad’s face, and the equally anxious look on Carrie’s.

Julie doesn’t like this. She doesn’t think putting her, Flynn, Nick, and Carrie in a competitive setting together is a good idea. She really doesn’t think putting Luke, Alex, Reggie, and Trevor Wilson in a competitive setting together is a good idea. She can think of very few scenarios in which this whole night doesn’t turn into a complete and total disaster.

But reconciliation has to start somewhere, and she does, deep down, want to be Carrie’s friend again someday, wants even more to help her boys get their bandmate back.

She takes a slow, deep breath, prays she won’t regret this, and says, “Of course, Carrie. Come join us for Game Night.”

Carrie visibly relaxes, something like a real, genuine smile fluttering around her lips. “Okay. Thanks. I’ll, um—I’ll go get Dad. He wanted to wait in the car, in case you guys… turned us away…”

Awkward silence falls, and Julie can’t understand why her dad looks so sad all of a sudden, but before she can think of how to ask, Carrie spins on her high heels and starts back down the porch steps.

The second the door closes behind her, Dad says, “I’m sorry, did I overstep?”

Julie sighs. Her dad’s always been particularly good with boundaries. And she thinks part of him might miss the days when Carrie was over more often than not, playing dolls and singing with Julie and Flynn. So Julie can’t be mad. “No, it’s okay. But you get to tell the guys the pizza’s not here yet, and the guy who stole all their songs is.”

His eyes widen in horror, only adding to the absurdity of his bejeweled look, and Julie stifles another laugh as she heads back to the living room.

All things considered, it’s not nearly as much of a trainwreck as Julie thought it might be. Flynn loudly declares that she will not be on a team with Carrie under any circumstances, and the guys don’t take the Trevor news well , exactly, but a sharp look from Julie and a badly whispered promise from Willie to do some serious ghost pranking later keep them from actively pitching a fit about it.

When the Wilsons and their driver Gerald arrive, the tension in the room grows so instantly thick and awkward that Julie’s worried someone might actually explode. Carrie breaks it by stalking confidently into the room and plopping herself on the floor between Nick and Carlos like she belongs there. Gerald soon follows, claiming a chair next to Tía Victoria, and smiles politely at them all.

Only Trevor remains hovering in the doorway, pale and shaky, taking deep meditative breaths as his eyes rove across each person one at a time, lingering a little too long on Julie’s aunt, skipping over Luke entirely. Finally, he swallows, winces like it hurts, and says to Julie’s dad, “I didn’t realize you still did these.”

Julie frowns, unsure what that’s supposed to mean exactly, but her dad offers up no explanation, just waves Trevor over to sit on the couch with him. Luke lays a gentle hand on Julie’s knee, leans in close to whisper, “Hey. You okay?”

She gives him a grateful smile, nods. “Fine. How about you?”

Luke shrugs, glances over at Trevor, who’s still very purposefully not looking in their direction, and winks at Julie. “Let’s just cream this guy, shall we?”

And so, Game Night continues.

The three new guests’ names get added to the hat, and Victoria shuffles them around before pulling a slip of paper out.

“Carrie,” she reads. “You get to pick the next game.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay,” Carrie tries. “I just got here, someone else can pick.”

“Come on, Care,” Nick says, nudging her encouragingly. “Them’s the rules.”

“Your name came out of the hat,” Julie agrees, attempting a smile. It’s the closest she can get to a peace offering. “Pick a game.”

Carrie scans her face a moment, like she’s searching for any hint that Julie’s being mean or ingenuine. She must not find any, because she says, “Okay,” and gets to her feet, brushing invisible dust off her skirt. She peers into the game cabinet for a total of about five seconds before she says, “Oh my god, you still have Monopoly with the credit card readers? We are definitely playing that.”

“Dibs on banker!” Carlos shouts and jumps to his feet to dig the box out of the cabinet.

Julie grins at her little brother’s enthusiasm, and when she catches Carrie’s eye, her smile doesn’t fade.

Maybe they can do this. It’s as good a first step toward reconciliation as any, she supposes.

The pizza arrives while Carrie and Carlos are setting up the Monopoly board, so Julie and her dad bring it in and set up the stack of boxes on the kitchen island for easy access. The ghosts immediately descend on the food like a pack of rabid animals, Luke grabbing four or five slices at once and starting to stuff them in his mouth before Julie shouts, “Plates, boys! Plates!” and he deflates, grinning bashfully at her.

Once everyone who wants pizza has gotten some (Gerald takes a slice, Trevor and Carrie don’t—Julie remembers vaguely that the Wilsons were never big fans of take-out in general), they work out new teams, which leads to less bloodshed than Julie expected but takes way longer than it has any right to. Finally, they figure out a breakdown that everyone’s more or less happy with, despite now having an uneven number of players: Trevor, Gerald, Dad, and Tía; Carlos, Luke, and Reggie; Alex, Willie, and Flynn; and Carrie, Nick, and Julie.

It’s a chaotic game for sure, but no one outright attacks each other, so Julie counts it as a success. And her team wins, so.

The rest of the night goes like that, one game after another. Julie picks Willie’s name, Willie picks Mario Kart, Carlos wins. Carlos picks Gerald’s name, Gerald picks poker (“Oh my god, my driver’s a gambler,” Trevor sighs into his hands), and somehow Flynn smokes them all. For the last game, Flynn picks Luke’s name, Luke picks Candy Land because he’s actually eight years old, and Flynn and Carrie manage to eke out a victory despite being on the same team and bickering the entire game.

Luke and Trevor, also on the same team, don’t say a single word to each other, but Julie doesn’t miss how a smile tugs at Luke’s lips when Trevor makes a joke about Lord Licorice looking like their high school English teacher.

Gerald gets a call just as they’re finishing up and informs them that the broken down limo’s been towed away and one of his colleagues is there with a fresh car to take the Wilsons home.

“Perfect timing,” Dad says, clapping his hands together. “I’ll walk you out.”

Once they’re gone, Nick and Flynn soon follow. Julie thanks Nick profusely for letting them borrow his sister’s game and convinces him to take some of the leftover pizza home to his family. Tía kisses them all goodnight (including the ghosts, which leaves Reggie grinning and the rest of them bright red), and then she’s out the door too, and Carlos heads up to bed, and Willie poofs out, telling Alex they’ll catch him later, leaving just Julie alone with her Phantoms.

“That was actually really fun,” she says, leaning back into the couch.

“Next time, I think we should choose teams at the beginning and stick with them all night,” Luke suggests, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “More fun that way.”

Alex plops onto the couch on Luke’s other side. “But if we play Pretty Pretty Princess again, I’m not playing on your team, bro.”

“Yeah, man,” Reggie agrees, snuggling up under Julie’s arm. “We coulda won that game if you’d just put the black ring away. ”

“It made me look awesome!” Luke insists.

“And the purple one didn’t?”

Alex lets out a dramatic sigh as Luke and Reggie break into an argument over Julie’s head. She just rolls her eyes and tries not to giggle too audibly, though it’s hard when her boys are so lovingly silly.

When she looks up, her dad’s lingering in the doorway, watching the four of them and playing a little nervously with his hands.

Julie frowns, catches his gaze, and mouths, You okay?

He nods, smiles, but looks from her to the three ghost boys cuddled up next to her and back again. Julie instantly catches his meaning.

“Hey, guys,” she says, loud enough to be heard over Luke and Reggie’s bickering. They shut up right away. “I’m gonna help my dad clean up. Can you go wait in the studio for me, and we can rehearse a bit before I go to bed?”

“Oh, yeah,” the boys say, and “Yeah, sure, Julie,” and they all hug her and wave goodnight to her dad before disappearing with a gentle displacement of air.

Julie gets to her feet as her dad joins her in the living room. He sets his phone on top of the game cabinet and plays a Celia Cruz album her mom liked.

They work in companionable silence for a while, other than the music, counting all the cards and tokens and jewelry pieces to make sure everything’s accounted for and gets back into its proper box.

As Julie’s wrapping up the Mario Kart controllers, her dad says casually, “You have fun tonight?”

“Yeah,” she says, and finds she means it. “Yeah, you know, it wasn’t quite the same as playing with Mom, but I still had a really good time. Thanks for letting everyone come over.”

“Thank you for being such a good sport about Carrie. I know she wasn’t exactly part of your plan for how the night would go.”

“No,” Julie agrees, shutting the game cabinet. “But I kinda liked having her here. Although—can I ask you something?”

Dad grabs his phone to pause the music. “Of course, mija. What is it?”

Something’s been nagging at her all evening, but now that Julie actually has the opportunity to ask about it, she’s not quite sure how to put her question into words.

Finally, she manages, “When Mr. Wilson first got here, he said something like… like he didn’t know we still had game nights. But I don’t remember him ever playing with us when Mom was alive.”

Her dad doesn’t answer for a really long time. Julie knows him well enough to know she needs not be concerned—her dad, much more than her mom, has always needed to really take his time and think before he says anything, especially anything important. Finally, he sighs and says, “Honestly, mija… I’m not quite sure what to say. It’s not really my story to tell.” He sits on one of the couches and pats the cushion next to him. Julie joins him, hugging a throw pillow as she waits patiently for him to continue.

“Do you remember, when you were really little, Trevor and Carrie used to live with us?”

Julie’s mouth drops open. “What? No. When?”

“Only until you were about six,” Dad explains. “But for a while, we had a house together, the five and then six of us, once Carlos was born. Your mom and I, and Trevor, we all kind of raised you kids together.” He elbows her teasingly. “You used to call Trevor Daddy.”

“I definitely don’t remember that,” Julie says, eyes wide in horror.

His smile fades, face turning serious. “I think Carrie does,” he says softly, and Julie remembers when Carrie first got here tonight, how she called Julie’s dad Papi , so quietly Julie thought she’d imagined it.

“Anyway,” he continues, “before all that, before Trevor was even… Trevor … he lived with your mom and me, and he was going through a really rough time, had a lot of trouble with food because, well…”

“Because food killed his best friends…” Julie realizes.

“We used to play board games with him, after dinner, when things were hard. It kept him distracted, made it easier to keep things down. That was the real start of Molina Family Game Night.”

“Huh,” Julie breathes. “Well then, next time? I want to invite him and Carrie for real.”

--

Taglist: @whenweremarried @sunsethimb0s @pink-flame @penguin0613 @fighttoshine @sunsetcurvecuddles @apples-bees @reggiescrookedteeth @brightattheorpheum @queenmolina @jandthephantoms @lexilucacia @sapphossidechick @acnhaddict @shrimp-colours @sunset-bobby @lenacarstairspotterstewart @conversationaltreestump @burntchromas @shellydominique

[13uswntimagines]

Emergency Contact (Emily Sonnett x Reader)

Request: sonnett x reader and sonnett is playing in the final for the Swedish league and the reader is at camp watching with the rest of the uswnt and like sonnett scores or something but gets hurt. 

Author’s Note: So this turned out super... Angsty. Special Thanks to @literaryhedgehog​ cause this was her idea. I hope you enjoy this. 

You glared at the television, your hands clasped in front of you as you watched the action on screen. This was an important game. No, you weren’t really into Swedish soccer, but you were very much into one Emily Sonnett, and this was important to her. Therefore this game was important to you. 

Medics weren’t always invited to the team’s watch parties, but they had made an exception for you. After all, you were Sonnett’s girlfriend, and basically an honorary member of the team. 

At some point, someone had joked that you were practically Sonnett’s replacement while she was away since the two of you shared a similar sense of humor. The person who had suggested it (Lindsey) had been forced into a week of ice baths as a punishment. Officially it was a recommendation to help with the inflammation in her hip. A physical therapist signed off on it and everything. But they all knew better than to make that joke again. 

“I’m honestly surprised you're drinking lemonade and not Budweiser,” Kelley laughed, nudging you with her shoulder. 

“Why it’s a Wednesday and we all have to be up at an ungodly hour for practice,” You asked, blinking at the woman, while still trying to keep half an eye on the screen. 

“Cause junior would be pounding beers back to celebrate you winning the Medical Olympics or whatever it is you M.D’s do for fun,” Lindsey snorted. You pouted, Doctors knew how to have fun too, it just usually came in the form of trivia nights instead of wild parties. 

“Some save water by drinking beer. I save water by not literally pouring it on my head when I get hot in practice,” you held up your glass of lemonade in a mock cheers, and turn back to see Emily’s team setting up for a corner kick, and a brunet marking Emily way closer than they normally would. 

“Anyway, while you three are trying to save the planet with your beverage choices, has anyone seen the new picture of Charlie?’ Rose asked, holding up her phone. Kelley grumbled something about not being the favorite aunt as Everyone crowded in close to Rose to see, cooing at the picture of the baby chewing on the horn of a stuffed dinosaur. 

It was only the cheering on screen that brought everyone’s attention back to the game. A proud smile broke across your face as Emily’s name and number flashed across the screen. Around you, the whole team was cheering Kelley and Lindsey jumped to their feet, whooping and cheering, throwing popcorn as they called encouragement to your girl.

But then you noticed something was very wrong. The whole room seemed to be moving in slow motion as you watched.  Instead of doing her signature post-goal celebration, Emily was lying flat on her back with her new team huddling around her. 

It was like time froze as she stood up, the sight of a very large amount of blood pouring from a cut on her forehead. She reached up to touch it, seemingly realizing just as you were, that she wasn’t alright. She blinked at the substance, before stumbling backward. Thankfully Koivista caught her before she could face plant into the ground. 

For a second you thought the team was still cheering, hadn’t yet seen that Sonnett was hurt. Then you realized what you were hearing was ringing in your ears, a ringing that seemed so quiet and so loud at the same time, like a giant empty canvas of sound. The only other discernible thing you could feel was the blood pounding through your frantically beating heart, as though it was beating for both you and the woman on the screen. 

You were a medic, so even now somewhere in the back of your head, you registered that you were showing signs of shock. You reasoned that it wasn’t the blood that threw you, but that it was your blond defender covered in it. So you sat down, somehow finding your way to the couch without taking your eyes off the screen. Off the love of your life. 

Had you told her that recently? The two of you talked all the time, yet you couldn’t remember if you ended the conversation with those words the last time you had called. Had you said goodbye, instead of see you later? Or I’m running late, talk to you soon? 

The thought of your last words to her not being I love you petrified you. You knew that she knew, but you didn’t just want her to know. You wanted her to feel it in every interaction you had. You couldn’t bear the thought of her dying and you not telling you how much you loved her first. 

Not that was going to die. She was going to be fine. She had to be fine. 

“I’ve got Emma on the phone Y/n, here” Something was shoved into your hands, as you watched the post-commercial replay of Emily being helped off-field. 

You cleared your throat, “hello.”

You were sure that your girlfriend’s twin said several things very quickly, but the only thing you could register was the first two words. “She’s okay”. 

You felt the knot in your chest loosen just slightly, and you blinked. Your fists (which at some point had begun to dig into your thighs) unclenched, and you felt like you could breathe again. 

“She’s ok?” You asked, your voice shaking. It was only then you realized tears were running down your cheeks. 

“Yeah, she’s alright. Took a nasty clear to the head after the collision, but Em’s tough,” Emma reassured. 

The rest of the conversation with Emma was put on speakerphone so the other USWNT girls could hear and tell you what had happened later. You couldn’t register anything else. Your mind was buzzing with choruses of “she’s okay” and thoughts of the future. 

“Wait. Why did they call you?” Kelley asked Emma

It was strange considering Emma was like 5 time zones separated from her sister. 

“I’m her emergency contact,” Emma’s voice was muffled. 

Did they have ring shops in the Netherlands? Were you even allowed to go there considering you were in a USWNT bubble until well after Thanksgiving? 

You would figure it out after you had a chance to talk to Emily. But one thing was for sure, you wanted to be the first call next time. If she got hurt again, you wanted to be her emergency contact. 

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Serial Killers

Official debriefing report for lead Magistrate Opto Mobui pertaining to the events of the series of murders in Mega-City 4, publicly known as the “Masquerade Murderer”.

Note Taker: Please state your full name for the record. Opto: Optop Mobui. Note Taker: Official title? Opto: Lead Magistrate for Mega-city 4.  Note Taker: And- *Door opening* *Unknown*: That’s enough of that. *Sounds of chairs being pushed back* Opto: High Councilor Mooq! Mooq : At ease Magistrate.  *sounds of seats being taken* Mooq r: Forgive my note taker, he’s very detail oriented but sometimes forgets the tone he projects which can be misleading.  Note Taker: Apologies High Councilor.  Mooq : Let me be clear; you are not hear to be held accountable for these heinous crimes but to explain your investigation and the events in detail. Opto: I don’t understand; was my submitted report not good enough?  Mooq: After reading it I felt that you were scraping over some details and holding back your personal thoughts on the matter.  *pause of silence* Opto: I felt it was unprofessional to mention my inner thoughts on the matter.  Mooq:  Publicly yes, but this is to be held between us in private.  Mooq: Tell me everything. Opto: Everything?  Mooq: Everything.  Mooq: Let’s start from the beginning.  Opto: The incidents- *Finger tapping on metal* Mooq: “Murders”. Opot: Apologies.  Opto: The first of the murders happened just about three solar cycles ago.  Mooq: And you are sure of this?  *Uneasy rustling* Opto: No; I believe there were additional murders before that discovery but we have as of yet not been able to locate the bodies. 

Mooq: Why do you say that?

Opto: The arrangement of the victim’s body was too precise, too planned to be a spur of the moment. 

Note Taker: It sounds as if you are admiring the killer. 

Opto: Tread carefully, I take that as a challenge to my honor.

Mooq: What made this murder so different from the rest? 

Mooq: By records account there are at least three hundred and seventy four murders a month in mega-city 4. 

Note Taker: Sounds like someone isn’t doing their job. 

*Sounds of a chair being kicked over* 

Mooq: Please sit down Magistrate.

Opto: The next time he speaks I will strike him High Councilor. 

Mooq: Noted; now please sit down. 

*Chair being picked back up and sat in*

Opto: In a city of 4 billion people it is common to have such a murder rate, but most of those are from robberies gone wrong, gang fights, or other such criminal elements. 

Opto: But this murder......it looked as if the killer had done it for fun. 

Mooq: Fun?

Mooq: Explain. 

Opto: None of their belongings were missing, when we located their living unit we found it had not been broken into or robbed, even the access card to her transit vehicle was still in their pocket. 

Mooq: Could it not be a crime of procreation? 

Opto: From our later investigation we discovered that they had no mate nor had been courting anyone so it was ruled unlikely. 

Mooq: So it was murder for the sake of murder?

Opto: Not necessarily. 

Opot: As I said, the way the body was positioned and scared made it appear as something else. 

Mooq: Please describe the state of the body. 

Opto: No clothes were torn nor and there were no visible wounds from a confrontation.

Opto: What was unusual was a strange burn like pattern that had appeared across the victims face from ear to ear covering most of their face. 

Mooq: I thought you said the body wasn’t wounded? 

Opto: It wasn’t.

Opto: The burn marks were superficial and only slightly burned portions small portions of the skin that were not deep enough to be considered a normal burn wound. 

Mooq: Was there anything else?

Opto: The body was arranged in a strange manner; hunched over at the base of a wall in a dark alley, arms outstretched as if trying to embrace someone. 

Mooq: What happened after the body was discovered?

Opto: We exhausted every lead but after twenty lunar rotations we came up with nothing and the case was closed. 

Mooq: That was when the second body was discovered; correct? 

Opto: Yes. 

Opto: This time it was found on the opposite side of the mega-city in the thermal plant.

Opto: A worker discovered the body being held atop one of the steam vents by a series of cables. 

Opto: Whenever the steam vent opened the body appeared to dance in the exiting steam. 

Mooq: What made you believe this murder was related to the original?

Opto: Despite the steam burning portions of the body the face had the same burn marks as the previous victim.

Opto: More than that, the positioning of the body was the same over the top manner as the previous one.  

Mooq: Were the victims related? 

Opto: Not in the slightest. 

Opto: The first was a clerk in a clothing store near the upper quarter, and the second victim was a thermal worker down in the under city. 

Note Taker: A question if I may?

Mooq: Make it a good one or chances are your face will soon be rearranged.

Note Taker: If these two murders, gruesome as they were, were in isolated areas with limited witnesses how did this spiral out of control into a media blitz? 

Mooq: A fair point.

Mooq: Did you not implement silencing measures?  

Opto: We did, but that only seemed to make it worse. 

Mooq: Explain. 

Opto: This is my personal theory, but I think by not announcing the murders to the media it pushed the killer to ever more elaborate configurations. 

Mooq: I don’t understand. 

Opto: I believe the murder felt like they had been cheated by our silence, that their theatrics were not worthy of being mentioned. 

Note Taker: Interesting word choice to describe the murder of two innocent people. 

Opto: I’d agree were it not for what happened in the following lunar cycles. 

Mooq: You are referring to the-

*sounds of rustling paper* 

Mooq: -Motori Elevator incident? 

Opto: Correct.

Opto: In Motori park there is a crystal clear elevator that links the park to level 37 above. 

Opto: During the busiest hour of high sun the park was packed full of citizens when the elevator went up and revealed three more bodies hanging from underneath the elevator. 

Opto: Their hands and legs had been bound together in different patterns to make it appear as if they were some sort of entertainment act. 

Opto: Citizens were initially confused by this until the elevator came back down and the bodies were caught between the elevator and the glass panels resulting in a bloody smear being dragged down the entire elevator shaft. 

Mooq: I remember. 

Mooq: The media were all over the scene before you could arrive and lock the place down. 

Opto: From their things only became worse.  

Opto: I believe that the media coverage only encouraged the killer to continue their work; as if they were fueling them to go even grander and grotesque. 

Mooq: Did you express your ideas at the time?

Opto: I did, but they were ruled as irrelevant by the rest of the team.

Mooq: And why is that?

Opto: They couldn’t believe that someone would go through all of this just for attention. 

Mooq: The following events appear to justify your line of thinking. 

Opto: I wish they hadn’t. 

Opto: There came the upper city impalements that spun their bodies in the wind, then came the waiting valet whose body was positioned in their vehicle with a slow burning iglo stick in their hand, then the sister twins of hoblo lane found dead on benches positioned to make them look like they were drinking tea. 

Mooq: And this entire time there was still no connection between the victims? 

Opto: Nothing at all. 

Opto: Each lived in entirely different society circles that never would interact with each other. 

Opto: The only connecting fact was their strange burn like marks on their faces that we later identified to resemble a form of alien mask worn to parties. 

Mooq: If they were all so disconnected what led you to discover the killers hideout? 

Opto: It was when  I was looking at a 3d model of the mega-city with each of the murders marked that I noticed something. 

Opto: At the very center was Motori park’s elevator shaft. 

Mooq: And that was the clue?

Opto: Exactly. 

Mooq: I still don’t follow. 

Opto: I didn’t make the connection until I watched security footage of the bodies in the shaft just as they became wedged between the shaft and the elevator. 

Mooq: A rather careless mistake for a murder so specific with details. 

Opto: Forgive me High Councilor but it was not a mistake; it was intentional.

Mooq: Excuse me? 

Opto: The smear only triggered as soon as the elevator began to go down. 

Opto: It made a clear line going down through the heart of the mega-city on the map.

Opto: I had a hunch that the killer was provoking us to try and catch him; pointing where to find him.

Mooq: But that elevator ended at the park, it didn’t go any lower. 

Opto: True, but that is when I started going back through the murders and found something disturbing about each one. 

Opto: Each one held a clue that when added together with the rest of the murders pointed to the killers hideout. 

Mooq: Really? 

Opto: The first victim had their arms outstretched not in a hug but pointing in a direction. 

Opto: The valet’s meter was stopped on a specific number that when entered into a computer resulted in a downward angle. 

Opto: The two sisters drinking tea had liquid spilling out of their cups in a downward angle. 

Opto: Each murder had a feature pointing in a downward direction

Mooq: That sounds like over analyzing the situation. 

Opto: It would be were it not that each direction that was being pointed in intersected with a specific location that was directly under the Motori elevator. 

Mooq: That is it? 

Mooq: That was the tip you finally needed? 

Mooq: Why would the killer directly point out where they were?!?

Opto: I think they thought of this as some sort of twisted game and felt it only sporting for us to be given clues. 

Mooq: From your remarks it sounds as if much of your deduction was guessing. 

Opto: It had to be since no rational reasoning was linking the crimes. 

Mooq: What did you find when you raided the location? 

Opto: It was located in the mid levels that had been abandoned due to a level collapse. 

Opto: The large run down building was recorded as once being a chemical storage facility for beauty products when it was at the very top of the mega-city before the above levels were built. 

Opto: We had brought in a full three sector houses worth of officers for the raid and surrounded the building. 

Opto: On command we stormed the building from all sides. 

Opto: What we found inside was just as disturbing as any of the other 

Mooq: How so?

Opto: The best way to describe it would be the victims we had found were guests on their way to the “masquerade”. When we entered the main storage chamber we found the party was in full swing. 

Opto: Dozens of bodies held together by cables and spare metal being dragged back and forth in some horrific dance of the dead. 

Opto: The rooms smelling of rotting flesh, aged chemicals, and some form of bile that only lingered on the dead. 

Mooq: And that was when you saw the killer correct?

Opto: Correct. 

Opto: They sat on a large throne near the back end of the chamber looking down at the grizzly display. 

Note Taker: Could you make them out?

Opto: They wore some form of red suit that draped into their backside with coat tails, white gloves, and a grinning mask of black and white.

Opto: Their build wasn’t as large as ours and I was easily able to identify them as a human. 

Mooq: Rather fitting all things considered. 

Opto: How so?

Mooq: Who else but a human would go through such great lengths only to be the result of their own downfall. 

Opto: As soon as we made it half way into the chamber the human rose from their throne and began clapping. 

Opto: They didn’t say anything as they took a bow and I could feel as if they had been waiting for us to finally put the pieces together. 

Opto: I ordered my men forward to apprehend the masked figure and they rushed the raised dais that held the throne. 

Opto: They had just made it to the base of the dais when the masked human clapped their hands together and the room erupting into chaos. 

Opto: Each of the bodies that had been dancing  erupted outward in violent explosions.

Opto: The front ranks of my men that had been closest to the throne died instantly before the secondary explosions began ringing out. 

Opto: Through the smoke and burning flesh I saw the masked human staring directly at me, their masked face mocking me as the building came crashing down around us. 

Mooq: It was fortunate you were able to escape before you were crushed as well. 

Opto: I lost half of my sector house in that raid.

Opto: Lucky is something I don’t consider myself. 

Mooq: Fair enough. 

Opto Afterwards we began sifting through the debris searching for any survivors and the body of the killer. 

Mooq: What did you find?

Opto: Three survivors, but we also found the chemical compounds that had been stored in the facility were the ones used to cause the strange burn marks on all of the victims confirming that the masked figure had been the killer. 

Mooq: And the killer?

Mooq: Did you find their body? 

Opto: We were unable to find the body.

Opto: All that we could recover was the grinning mask worn by the killer. 

Note Taker: Then that means...

Opto: Yes.

Opto: The killer-

Mooq: Is dead. 

Opto: Pardon?

Mooq: The killer is dead. 

Mooq: They died during your daring raid on the villains hideout where you were able to corner the fiend and bring him to justice only for them to take their own life with the building explosion.

Opto: We don’t know if they are-

Mooq: We do and this is it. 

Mooq: The city needs to recover from these grizzly crimes and hearing of the murders death will calm their fears. 

Mooq: Besides, no human could survive that explosion. 

Opto: I hope you’re right high Councilor. 

Opto: For all our sakes. 

[iraacundus]

make a wish

resonance series one:

investmentbanker!xiaojun x reader

genre: fluff, smut, tiny weeny angst words: 5.4k warnings: swearing, explicit sexual content, mentions of drug use

investment banking was a high stakes game, even for the interns. you and him were in constant competition, living the high life, stressed out of your minds, unwilling to let the other know that. “i could do this all day”.

******************

He looked so smug as your supervisor named him intern of the week for the fourth week running. Once again you were just a few thousand won behind him. You could have beaten him… you just suffered an unlucky loss seconds before closing.

You typed furiously into your computer, nonsensical words appearing one by one in your spreadsheet. If you looked like you were working, you figured he would be less like to disturb you with his gloating.

Yet your bad luck seemed to be continuing as you were so focused on your angry typing, you didn’t notice Xiaojun standing behind you causing you to jump slightly when you heard his voice whisper in your ear,

“It must be hard always losing to me, but if it makes you feel better, no one ever does beat me, at anything,” he boasted.

You swivelled your chair round to face his grin. You wanted to strangle him with that stupid striped tie he wore. You stared into his eyes refusing to drop his gaze, that would be admitting some sort of strange defeat and you couldn’t face to losses in one day.

Xiaojun backed down first by deciding to wink at you, a glimmer of chaos in his eyes.

“Do you get off on being a dick?” you asked him, hastily closing the nonsensical spreadsheet even though you were very sure he had already seen it.

“It’s just friendly competition,” he said with a grin and you rolled your eyes at him. The competition was anything but friendly, it was far too much like bloodthirsty roman gladiatorial games to be considered as such. Every person for themselves.

That’s why you always pushed back your attraction to Xiaojun and replaced it with shallow hate. The only time you would sleep with Xiaojun would be to use it against him, to win. Yet that standpoint was so hard to keep when the breath of his whispered fanned your neck.

“Better luck next time babe.”

You didn’t want to kiss him, you reminded yourself, you wanted to throw him down a flight of stairs.

“Fuck you,” you replied, turning back to your computer, ignoring how you missed the warmth of him standing by you as he walked away, ignoring the irony of your statement.

He had totally interrupted your focus, you wanted to get back to work but instead, you couldn’t help but keep glancing over to look at him. He had aimed to throw you off and he had achieved that goal.

What would be anywhere else be seen as casual flirtation, in this world was a dangerous game.

You pinched yourself slightly under the table, forcing yourself to focus on the stock market and not Xiaojun’s stupid face.

You had so much work to finish before the drinks party that evening, especially now you had come second place again. You had spreadsheets to prepare, articles to read and a plan to set out for the following week. All you wanted to do after completing that was sleep but schmoozing with the higher ups, the investors, the CEOs, it was all part of the job.

You loved your job to a certain extent, the thrill, the high stakes, the money to be made. You hated your job to a certain extent because it made you stressed out of your mind.

One wrong move and you could lose the company ten million dollars in ten seconds. That kind of mistake would put a mark on your name forever and all you had worked would be for nothing.

So, when Xiaojun was winning, his face may have been good looking, but all you wanted to do was smack it.

That evening was the fourth party in as many days and you were tired, you weren’t sure that even the expensive layers of concealer you were wearing could cover that fact.

The lights of the club were bright through the darkness as you smiled at older men, damning sexism that this was the easiest way for you to gain favour. You drank one cocktail after the next, hoping it would dull the sensations of the world, just for a few hours, just so the stress of the job would go away and only the thrills would remain.

You shook the hands of some executives in the VIP section, conversing perfectly about market changes and ideas despite the fact you could barely stand. If investment banking didn’t work out, you were pretty sure you could become a professional actor.

It was half-past midnight when you noticed Xiaojun staring at you. He was sitting alone on a sofa in the VIP section, arm draped lazily over the back of it as he sipped some expensive liquor. His eyes were dilated, and you couldn’t tell whether he was attracted to you or had just taken far too many drugs.

You weren’t sure what possessed you to stumble over to where he was sitting, and half sit, half fall down next to him. Talking to Xiaojun presented no value your job, it wasn’t going to get you a promotion or a favour.

“Are you okay?” he asked, he gaze fixed on yours. You rolled your eyes. You were ninety-percent sure he was looking for you to admit any sign of weakness he could use to take you down; you were his strongest competition after all.

“I’m fucking peachy,” you replied, taking another sip of your drink, the world around you just a blurry collection of lights.

In fairness your aggression towards him was unwarranted, it wasn’t his fault you had a bad week, but you were drunk, and he was easy to project your emotions onto.

Xiaojun sat forward slightly, leaning towards you, his face not close enough yet for to discern his intentions due to your drunken state.

“You seem like you could use some water,” he said, pushing a glass towards you. With this action you could just make out his face through the blurring and the lights, it wasn’t as smug as usual, yet you refused to believe he didn’t have an ulterior motive.

You ignored the water, childishly. Instead you sat back, far enough away to frame his face through your fingers,

“Why are you so perfect?” you asked him out of nowhere but perhaps out of jealously and curiosity. Xiaojun stared at you for a second but never answered your question.

“Just drink the water, y/n, you have to work this weekend to catch up with me, I don’t want my greatest rival to be taken out of the race by a hangover.”

You frowned slightly but took the water and sipped, the cool taste pleasant against your dry throat.

“And for the record, I’m far from perfect,” he added.

You did still make it to work the next morning but with a hangover indeed. You felt like you had been runover by ten buses as you teetered into the lift in your high heeled shoes and tailored dress.

Not everyone worked weekends, just interns with something to prove, the stock market wasn’t open on weekends, so you just did grunt work, hoping to please some executive and climb one rung up the ladder to hell.

You sat down at your desk and began to run the numbers, pushing your headache out of mind. You were so focused you didn’t see who had left some extra strength paracetamol on your desk, but took it anyway, grateful to dull the sensation.

This was your reality, no matter how you felt, you still had to give your top level of performance. Your ability to do this was almost the sole reason for your success to that point.

Every so often, when you stopped to drink water or check the time, you noticed Xiaojun glancing at you. It was both flattering and unnerving, you couldn’t decide which.

His eyes were a deep brown, mesmerising – distracting. He was throwing you off and deep down you hoped that throwing you off wasn’t the reason he was staring.

The next week for the first time in a month you won intern of the week. Xiaojun was no longer smug, on the intern ranking he had dropped to seven. You didn’t see him glance at you that week, you didn’t see him smile.

Xiaojun had never been below five up to that point, he had tainted his record far more than you had ever tainted yours with just one really miscalculated risk.

Winning had spurred you on to work late, to continue what you had achieved. You worked after the market closed on until 2am and when you finished Xiaojun was still there, his eyes bloodshot, his fingers typing away.

He was chewing his lip anxiously as he backspaced about fifty-times, beginning to look slightly unhinged.

You had seen Xiaojun like this before, everyone in the company had weeks like this, but for the first time seeing in him this state somewhat upset you.

You didn’t know why it upset you, Xiaojun wasn’t your friend. Maybe, despite everything you hated that he endured the same struggle you did, perhaps because you fully understood how awful the pressure could be. It was the true embodiment of “you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy”.

The next night you woke up at your desk at four in the morning after drifting off. The keyboard had imprinted into your face and the lights in the office were off. The only light still illuminating the office was one computer, even the night cleaner was long gone. Yet Xiaojun was still there, typing away.

You chucked your shoes off onto the floor, sighing at the comfort of it, before wandering over to his desk, settling down into the chair next to him and spinning to face him.

“You will make yourself sick, you know,” you told him.

Xiaojun looked up in surprise, he hadn’t noticed you sit down. Despite his somnolence he still managed a witty reply,

“From staying up late or the drugs I take to do it?” he said, making a joke but not joking, dangerously nonchalant about the gravity of his remark. You didn’t know what to say back, there wasn’t a lot you could say.

“I don’t want my greatest rival to be taken out of the race by hospitalisation,” you finally decided on, copying his own words.

Hearing this, Xiaojun’s faced curved slightly into what was almost a smile and he stopped typing.

“I’m afraid we face mutual destruction, neither one of us will stop until we win,” he said, his eyes searching your face, his eyebrows contorting into an expression you couldn’t fully understand.  

“Maybe we shouldn’t be so competitive,” you joked, but your face wasn’t smiling. Your face was tired and grey, yet Xiaojun still looked beautiful, his eyes shining in the computer light, even if they were fucked up and red, “sometimes I’m not sure what we are competing for,” you told him.

“We both love the competition though, you can’t deny that, if there was nothing to compete for, we wouldn’t work as hard. We compete for the thrill and the money; we both know that.”

“Maybe you could finish work before the early hours if you stopped staring at me all day,” you pointed out, changing the subject slightly. Xiaojun grinned but his face tinged slightly red.

“So, you caught that? I have to have some bright points in my day, the rush of success and looking at you.”

You laughed softly, pushing him and his chair away slightly and taking control of his computer. You saved his document and logged off.

“Go home Xiaojun, I would prefer if you survived, and for that you need sleep. I can’t win if your dead.” This time it was your turn to joke and yet not be joking.

You stood up together to leave the building, Xiaojun muttering something about this being a tactic for you to be the weeks winner. He didn’t notice that when you were walking along the empty street with him in the cold air, you, for one short moment, really didn’t care if he beat you or not.

That when you got to the subway station that ran all night and parted to get on trains in opposite directions, it took everything in your body not to kiss him.

Xiaojun won that following week and you wanted to throw him out a tenth-floor window. But when you saw his smug smile and his eyes a normal colour, you didn’t quite hate him as much. You would settle for throwing him out a third-floor window.

It wasn’t all bad either, not just because Xiaojun had moved away from the knife edge but because you made a record trade. You through your arms in the air and shrieked with happiness.

Everyone in the office looked at you, some clapped, others glared. Xiaojun settled for a soft smile and a text of congratulations – you never knew he had your number.

Both of you were celebrating at the office ‘party’ that night. Schmoozing CEO’s was off your mind for one night only. You thought you had made enough of an impression that week.

You did more shots than you could remember and hit the dance floor. Numerous guys tried to hit on you, but you weren’t interested. Only one man played on your mind and you wanted him out of there.

You drank more to forget him, but you couldn’t ignore him when he was standing in front of you, face flushed red with alcohol and a stupid grin on his face.

“I don’t know what is sexier, your intelligence or your ass,” he said, coming to dance next to you.

You hit his shoulder lightly,

“Oh, you’re such a gentleman, Xiaojun,” you replied sarcastically.

“I stopped taking drugs these last few weeks,” he continued, slipping his arms around your waist as he continued to dance, “you’ve become my natural high.”

You thought he was making a joke, some vague attempt at a pickup line. Yet even though he was smiling, you saw a sense of earnest in his eyes.

“I hope that’s true,” you said, “about the drugs at least.”

“I think I would do about anything to make you happy at this point… except losing to you,” he whispered back, his lips dangerously close you yours.

“As they say in our business, how about you put your money where your mouth is?”

His hand pushed your hair behind your ear gently,

“And just what do you mean by that?” he enquired. Yet before you could reply his arms released from around your waist and he grabbed your hand, leading you off the dance floor and towards the bar.

“A cosmopolitan for the lovely lady and a whiskey for me please,” you heard Xiaojun ask the bartender.

Xiaojun pulled out a barstool for you and sat down on the one next to it.

“We always sit in private rooms, how about a change, mix with everyone else for once,” he said smiling.

“At least there are no creepy CEO’s here,” you conceded, “how did you know my favourite drink?”

“I know you better than you think… and I’m accustomed to taking calculated risks, I seem cooler if I guess right than if I have to ask you, but if I guess wrong, I just wasted some money. Yet I figured money spent on you couldn’t be a waste.”

You decided that he was definitely hitting on you and while you hadn’t expected it, you equally weren’t surprised. You and Xiaojun were close by investment banking competitor standards.

“Why have you decided to start flirting with me?” you asked in a drunk moment of directness.

“Liquid confidence mixed with the fact you’re very beautiful.”

The bartender placed the drink down in front of you and you took a sip as Xiaojun handed him a 50,000 won note,

“Keep the change,” he added, nodding at the waiter before picking up his drink and turning back to face you.

He said something but the music in the club was so loud you couldn’t hear him.

You leaned in and talked somewhat loudly,

“It’s loud in here, I didn’t hear what you said sorry,” you told him.

“I really wish I didn’t have to compete against you,” he said, leaning in to close the distance, his whisky touched breath fanning your face.

“Because you think you’re going to lose?” you joked. Xiaojun shook his head, placing his whisky back down on the bar.

“Because I really don’t want to have to take you down to win.”

In that moment you really just wanted him to kiss you… but he never seemed to make the move. Once he had stopped talking, he leaned away again and sipped his whiskey, something which confused you.

You really thought he had been flirting with you but now you had doubts, what if he only had a friendly concern for your welfare.

You drank your cocktail contemplating this, analysing what he did, trying to calculate which side of the equation his brain was on. He was as unpredictable as the stock market, yet unlike with work, here you didn’t know what to guess.

Even if he was flirting there was the chance that he didn’t actually have an interest with you, but instead he was trying to emotionally fuck with you.

You downed your drink and placed it down on the side. Xiaojun looked like he was thinking himself. You couldn’t guess his emotions, but unlike with work you reckoned you could figure it out.

“It’s nice to talk to you for once, outside of the work setting, well… almost,” you said, casually placing your hand on his thigh as you leaned in. That was your plan. Judge his reaction but Xiaojun just smirked. While you decided that probably got rid of the friendly concern option and confirmed his - romantic intent – it didn’t solve the question of how noble his intentions were.

“You could make a wish, y/n, I would give you anything you wanted,” he whispered, this time his lips physically brushing his ear.

“Except winning the internship competition,” you confirmed.

You laughed without humour. It was like a wall between the both of you.

“Not that I would ever ask you to give that up,” you added, “wishes are for genies and birthdays anyway.”

“Well, I’m not a genie but you could always make a birthday wish.”

“My birthday is in five months, so a bit of a wait. Another drink though, that I can make happen now… What do you want?” you asked him.

“I can buy you one,” he protested. You rolled your eyes.

“Gender equality Xiaojun, I can buy a guy a drink.”

“Then I will except anything you give me,” he relented.

“A sex on the beach and a whiskey please,” you said to the bartender. It was slightly dark, but you almost thought you could see Xiaojun blush slightly when you mentioned sex, even just in the context of a drink.

Then again, it could have just been the whiskey.

You only got halfway through that next drink before you realised simple conversation and suggestive gestures wouldn’t be able to discern what you wished to know.

You didn’t know whether to give up or give in.

“I think I should go home,” you said standing up. Xiaojun’s face fell slightly before he managed to put his smile back in place.

“I’ll call you a cab,” he replied standing up next to you, it was lucky he did as the first step you took almost sent you to the ground. Xiaojun managed to get a hold of you and stop you from falling.

“Aha thank you,” said, unable to stop yourself from grinning at him brightly. Xiaojun put his arm around your waist as you both walked along the side of the crowd dancing and out of the club.

The air outside was cold but Xiaojun was warm. He instinctively took off his jacket and placed it around your shoulders.

“You must have good intentions,” you mused, not realising you had thought aloud.

“Why would I not?” Xiaojun asked, looking slightly confused but unfazed.

“I’ve been trying to work out all night if you are genuinely into me or if this is all some part of a masterplan to take me down,” you answered, no idea why you were suddenly being so truthful.”

“This job really does fuck up one’s mentality,” Xiaojun said, looking ever so slightly forlorn.

“Maybe so… but I think you are a good guy Xiaojun, you have fooled me if you’re not. If this a lie, then I lost to you. I want to make my wish now,” you wrapped your arms around your waist.

“And what would your wish be?” he replied, his eyes gazing at yours. But you didn’t tell him your wish, you simply actualised it as you brought your lips to his.

The warm taste of whiskey against the cold was mesmerising. Now you both had your bloodshot eyes closed you almost seemed like you could be a normal couple.

Xiaojun pulled away slightly, his thumb pressed lightly on your lower lip.

“I just want to remember how beautiful you are,” he explained. You were speechless at the sight off him.

The taxi Xiaojun had called pulled up in front of you. Xiaojun let go of you so you could get in the taxi.

“Goodnight,” he said, pressing a kiss to your cheek, opening the door for you to get in.

“You can come too, back to my place I mean, if you want to, that is?” you propositioned, feeling oddly nervous, scared you weren’t quite on the same page. You shuffled over to the opposite side of the taxi so that he had the choice.

When he got in beside you and closed the door, you felt your heart begin to race slightly. Your heart leaping – literally. “322 Sinsa-Dong, Gangnam,” you said to the driver and the car started to move. Xiaojun moved his hand so his pinkie was touching yours across the seat between you and you couldn’t help but chuckle.

“You’re really cute you know?” you said to him. Xiaojun made a sad face,

“Surely if you invited me back to your apartment you must think I’m attractive, sexy, enthralling…” he said, quietly enough only you could hear him.

“You are all of those things too, but you really are cute Xiaojun, especially when you wear your glasses at work and your face concentrates on something hard.”

“You watch me at work? I never caught you staring at me once and I stare at you pretty often so I thought I would have noticed.”

“Always got to keep an eye on the competition.”

“I never knew you liked me back, that’s why I always kept my feeling hidden until now… I didn’t want to complicate anything, life is already hard enough,” Xiaojun explained.

“I didn’t realise I liked you either, I was too focused on winning, but at some point, I started to realise, I didn’t like winning if it meant you lost… that’s caring about someone I suppose. The passion… we already had that, enemies or lovers, the passion always existed.”

The car ride wasn’t much longer and neither of you said much, you simply paid the taxi driver and got out of the taxi, holding Xiaojun’s hand instinctively when you led him up the staircase to your flat.

It wasn’t an instant thing. You both spent your lives making split second decisions. You knew how important every second was and that’s perhaps why you took it slow.

When Xiaojun came in you hung his jacket up and asked him if he wanted anything to eat, he politely declined.

You settled for watching Netflix together in a drunken haze, your head resting against his shoulder, his arm around your shoulder.

It wasn’t until the two actors kissed, an hour into the movie that you began to refocus on why Xiaojun really was here.

His arm around you, suddenly seemed different to just moments before. Xiaojun’s blush matched yours as you turned to face each other. Unable to ignore the building tension any longer.

Neither of you were exactly pros, you spent far too much of your time working. When you thought back you hadn’t had sex in over a year. Now, sitting so close to Xiaojun, you wondered how it was possible that you had managed that. “We don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to,” Xiaojun began, “we can just continue watching TV and then go to bed, I can even go home if you want me too.”

Once again you didn’t respond with words but by kissing him. You sat up and moved so you were kneeling over his lap and leaned downwards, pushing him into your sofa cushions, until your lips met his.

His lips were slightly chapped from the cold, but you didn’t care, melting into his touch as his hands moved to grab your waist.

He sat up slightly to move closer to you, his hands pushing you down against his hips as he began to press kisses to your jaw and down your neck.

You jolted slightly with pleasure causing the friction between you to increase as your hands messed up his hair.

Beneath your thigh you could already feel Xiaojun starting to harden as your hips rolled back and forth against his.

“How comfortable is your bed?” Xiaojun asked, pressing his forehead against his, his breathing already affected.

You moved off him to stand up, grabbing his hand before you had time to miss his touch.

“You can be the judge,” you told him.

Xiaojun sat on the edge of your bed, taking the time to look at you as you tossed your dress to the floor, revealing your black lingerie.

“Did I tell you, you are beautiful,” he uttered, his gazed fixed on you, mesmerised.

You notice him readjust his trousers slightly, the bulge forming, starting to appear uncomfortable.

You walked over to stand between his legs as he pulled his shirt over his head.

“Would you like me to help?” you laughed slightly, getting down onto your knees in front of him.

“Are you sure?” he asked, “I can move so you can be more comfortable?” he offered. You shook your head and smiled.

“I assure you, I’m anything but uncomfortable,” you said, reaching to unbuckle his belt, before tossing it away as well. You unzipped his trousers carefully, Xiaojun sighed at the slight relief of pressure.

You pulled his jeans off his legs until he was just left in his boxers. You didn’t remove them immediately, you instead began to touch him through the underwear, causing Xiaojun to bite his lip slightly.

When the precum started to stain, you decided to put him out of his misery, pulling on his waistband until his cock sprung free.

For the first time you didn’t waste any time. You placed your hand carefully around his shaft as you ran your tongue over his tip slightly.

When you finally took him into your mouth it caused Xiaojun to elicit a moan so sweet you felt your core weaken.

Xiaojun’s leaned back as you started to move faster, the salty taste of his precum leaking into your mouth.

“Can you look at me?” he asked, “I want to look into your eyes as you suck me off.”

If that was his wish you were happy to oblige. You gazed up at him as his cock hit the back of your throat. Xiaojun let out a low moan.

“Your so fucking perfect,” he praised as he came, his cum leaking down your cheek as you tried to swallow it, “I’m sorry,” was all he said.

Once again you shook your head, wiping his cum from your face.

“Stop apologising Xiaojun, it’s making you cute again, not sexy,” you joked causing Xiaojun to chuckle.

Once you were on the bed next to him, he pushed you back into the cushions, propping himself over you.

He kissed down your neck and to your collar bone, reaching back to undo your bra clasp. It was his turn to toss your clothes away as he revealed your breasts, his eyes dilating.

He clasped your breast as he kissed you, pinching your nipple slightly causing you to cry out in pleasure.

“I think I am sexy now, am I not?” he said, not waiting for an answer as he continued down your body, kissing your chest, down to your stomach until finally be pressed a kiss at your waistband.

“Are you ready babe?” he asked you, his eyes soft but his grin devious. You nodded, slightly lost for words as Xiaojun moved your panties to the side, not bothering to remove them before he dragged one finger across your wet opening.

You moaned loudly as he slipped his finger in, quickly adding a second as he pumped in and out. It was the best thing you had felt in ages, but it just wasn’t enough, you knew what you wanted.

“Please can you just fuck me already?” you asked him. Xiaojun bit his lip again grinning.

“Your wish is my command baby,” he said, finally dragging your panties down and leaving them to the side. He was already hard again from the sight of you in front of him.

He placed his cock against your wet folds but before he could enter you had another wish,

“Can I ride you?” you asked him. Xiaojun smiled slightly, pressing a soft kiss against your lips.

“You can have anything you want y/n,” he said, sitting back so you could get up. You positioned yourself above him, his hands on your hips as you finally started to lower.

Xiaojun hissed softly as his length slowly entered you. You didn’t stop until you had taken all of him inside of you. You placed your arms around his neck and kissed him softly as you started to move, up and down him at a tortuous pace.

You didn’t want the moment to be over too quickly.

Xiaojun had other ideas, after a minute or so he started to push up into you, getting the message you speeded up, fucking him as quickly as you could.

“Fuck y/n,” Xiaojun cried out as he came closer to coming. You grinned slightly before moving off him completely. Xiaojun swore again at the loss,

“Are you punishing me for all the times I teased you?” he asked. You just chuckled.

“No, my legs are just tired, we can have sex whatever way you want to make up for it,” you said, stroking his hair lightly.

“On your hands and knees then babe,” he ordered, and you obliged.

Xiaojun began to fuck you again, but with him in control it much faster, much more needy. You whined his name as he fucked you relentlessly, his grip on your hips now strong enough to leave some sort of bruise.

“Please come in me,” you pleaded as you felt your high coming.

“So many demands baby,” Xiaojun remarked, tutting in mock dissatisfaction but really, he was happy that he was able to make you feel so good.

“Xiaojun!” You called out as you met your high, the feeling of your walls clenching around him causing, Xiaojun to cum too, just seconds later, filling you up until he pulled out.

You collapsed down on the bed beside each other, exhausted, glistening with sweat.

“You’re the best thing that job ever gave me,” Xiaojun said, pulling you in towards him, so your head laid on his chest.

“I think I would even lose the competition for you if you wanted,” he said, his finger tracing your cheekbone.

“I would never ask you to do that,” you replied, “also you really think I need you to lose, I can beat you Xiaojun, mark my words.”

“No chance,” he laughed, “Okay maybe some chance, but still, I will be the winner.”

You hit his chest lightly in jest.

“You’re overconfident.”

“No, I just know I’m already the winner, I have you as my girlfriend?” he half said, half asked with a raised eyebrow. You nodded in agreement.

“I have you as my girlfriend,” he confirmed to himself, “then my wish has come true.”

“You’re cute Xiaojun,” you smiled, kissing his nose, “and very sexy,” you added.

From then on, every time you needed to make a wish; you knew Xiaojun would grant it.