#yes the best solution is of course to throw him in a fountain

[shadowqueendiangelo]

THEM SPLASHING WATER ON PERCY IN A FOUNTAIN SHAKDNSKE THEY ARE SUCH CHILDREN I AM CRYING

[generallynerdy]

How could we have not seen ourselves before? (Obi-Wan Kenobi/Quinlan Vos)

Summary: “Hello,” Obi-Wan says to the little Twi’lek. “I’m Obi-Wan. What’s your name?” “Aaylas’ecura,” she declares, crossing her arms again. “You like Quin?” He blinks a few times. “Well, yes. He’s my best friend.” Quinlan beams, all happy-proud-sappy in the Force. Aayla looks between them, considering. She remembers how they smiled at each other and the way their presences were immediately twenty times brighter in the other’s vicinity. She pokes Quinlan’s chest as if he isn’t already paying attention to her. “He can stay.”

Warnings: yes the timeline is all wack no I don’t care, Wookieepedia says canon but my heart says no :), No Sith AU Word Count: 1,020

Author’s Note: Inspired by Eylle9’s comment on the first part of this (now) series! They mentioned Aayla and Anakin’s reactions to Quinobi and I physically could not help myself. I’m working on ideas for Anakin’s bit but so far I’m blanking, so have Aayla’s. Hope you enjoy! Title is from Absolute by Jacqueline Woodson.

This is a sequel to this fic, but you don’t have to read it first. Technically this happens before it, actually.

Read on AO3

*

    “Aayla, stop that.”

    The little blue Twi’lek crosses her arms fiercely as she finally-- finally-- stops chewing on Quinlan’s Padawan braid. He’d grimaced disgustedly the first time she did it, but after a few days of space-travel with her, he’s now used to having youngling saliva everywhere. Master Tholme, who has much more experience with little monsters, always snickers when she reaches for the braid.

    He’s snickering now, actually, signing off on some paperwork for Aaylas’ecura, a new resident of the Jedi Temple.

    Quinlan shoots him a glare, knowing he can feel it through their bond, then looks back at Aayla. “Are you excited to meet some new people?”

    “Wanna stay w’ you,” she mumbles, head shaking and tiny hands grasping his robes.

    He snorts. “You can’t stay with me all the time, silly. I have missions and classes.” Quinlan very nearly melts at her adorable pout. “But I’ll come visit you lots, I promise.”

    That gets him a wide, gap-toothed smile. “Okay!” she chirps.

    “Quin!”

    Quinlan’s grin almost-- almost-- matches Aayla’s. He whirls around to see a familiar, short figure with bright red hair making a beeline for them. The boy makes to hug his friend,but abruptly remembers the toddler in his arms and stops, simply using his free hand to wave.

    “Hey, Obi,” he greets. Then, he frowns. “What are you doing in the Halls? Are you hurt again?”

    Obi-Wan winces. “Um...no, it was Master Jinn this time. He actually found a creature that he couldn’t adopt.”

    He earns a glare by snickering, but ignores it. “Serves him right.”

    Meanwhile, Aayla wiggles in Quinlan’s grasp, trying to get a good look at the new person. She examines his traditional robes and his pale, freckled face with more scrutiny than a judge, eyes squinting. Then, her gaze lifts to his hair and her eyes widen.

    She points. “Your hair’s on fire!”

    Both boys laugh-- not at her, she can tell-- but Quinlan shakes his head. “It’s supposed to be that colour, don’t worry.”

    “Hello,” Obi-Wan says to the little Twi’lek. “I’m Obi-Wan. What’s your name?”

    “Aaylas’ecura,” she declares, crossing her arms again. “You like Quin?”

    He blinks a few times. “Well, yes. He’s my best friend.”

    Quinlan beams, all happy-proud-sappy in the Force. Aayla looks between them, considering. She remembers how they smiled at each other and the way their presences were immediately twenty times brighter in the other’s vicinity.

    She pokes Quinlan’s chest as if he isn’t already paying attention to her. “He can stay.”

    He cackles. “I’m so glad you approve, oh Grandmaster. He lived here before you did, genius, of course he’s gonna stay.”

    Obi-Wan muffles his laughter at the offended look he gives Aayla when she ignores him, rolls her eyes, and looks back over at the ginger.

    “Quinlan’s gonna train me,” she says. “When ‘m bigger!”

    Obi-Wan softens when he sees Quinlan’s proud little smile. “Good. You’ll keep him on his toes.”

*

    Aayla Secura certainly keeps everyone on their toes, long before she’s even left the creche. Quinlan and Obi-Wan are sure to visit her often, as they’re apparently the solution to quelling her rebellious streak, a streak which only intensifies after someone introduces her to holonovels. 

(Bant regrets nothing.)

    She’s very nearly ten years standard when she picks up on Quinlan and Obi-Wan acting weird.

    Today, they’ve convinced her to join them in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, beside one of the artificial lakes. Aayla is perfectly happy to throw herself right into the water-- Quinlan taught her to swim a long time ago-- while they sit on the edge, only letting their feet soak.

    She isn’t really paying attention to what they’re saying, but she is paying attention to them. Quinlan’s trying to get Obi-Wan to laugh and he’s doing pretty well, actually. Every time he manages a snort, his Force presence beams, creating a little bubble of joy around them that’s almost blinding. More than once a Master has paused in passing them to soak in the emotion before leaving.

    They don’t even notice. Aayla thinks they’re silly.

    It reminds her of Master Tholme and Master Saa, sort of. The Masters are better about not being a tiny sun in the middle of the Temple, but sometimes when Master Saa does something, Master Tholme just...lights up.

    Bant says they’re in love, which makes sense to Aayla. She decides that Obi and Quin must be in love, too.

    But, clearly, this is the same situation as The Dragon and the Knight, where the Knight doesn’t even realise he’s in love with the boy that was cursed to be a dragon forever. Aayla frowns. Okay, maybe not the same situation because Obi and Quin won’t break a curse by kissing. But still! They’re supposed to live happily ever after!

    Aayla huffs and crosses her arms. Then, she takes a deep breath and shouts; “Will you jus’ kiss already?!”

    Both of them jump, heads snapping around to face her.

    Obi-Wan is bright red, pulsing with embarrassed-afraid-horrified in the Force. “What?” he squeaks, as if he didn’t hear what she said.

    Meanwhile, Quinlan glares. Aayla! He shouts over their Force-bond.

    Don’t yell at me! She shouts back. He loves you.

    Quinlan’s eyes widen and Aayla watches, bouncing on her heels, as he looks back over at Obi-Wan like lovesick tooka. The ginger boy, however, is covering his face with both hands in an attempt to hide the fact that he’s turned into a space tomato.

    “Obi?”

    He makes a despairing noise, wordless and kind of hilarious.

    Reaching out with more gentleness than Aayla has ever seen him with, Quinlan grabs Obi-Wan’s hands and draws them away from his face. Still, he doesn’t get him to look up, but that doesn’t matter. Aayla cheers when he leans forward and kisses him, earning him another surprised noise. Obi-Wan is completely still for a long moment, but relaxes, his hands finding their way into Quinlan’s dreadlocks. It’s really cute, Aayla thinks, and a long, long time coming.

    She ducks her head under the water to shoot a thumbs up at Bant and Master Fisto.

*

River’s Tags: @hahaboop & @mystoragehatesme

Masterlist

[rwbyremnants]

=Chapter 18

“I tried to stop her,” Kali Belladonna snarled at her steering wheel as she drove them outside the Vale city limits. “But she had it locked into her head that this was the only way to resolve the conflict. Didn't want to hear a single thing I had to say!”

As the car went screaming around another corner, Weiss gripped the dashboard with both hands, heart pounding in her throat. She could never remember seeing Blake’s mother in a state like this! Moreover, she was trapped in the car and had no way out other than to hopefully calm her companion. “Please, what's going on? It sounds like a much more sensible solution to me!”

Her amber eyes barely flicked over in Weiss's direction, mostly staying focused on the road. “Oh, yes. Very sensible and safe for everyone involved - other than the two racers! And Hazel, that old coward… always hated fighting, needless bloodshed, and of course this solution would thrill him to death. He literally sighed with relief when Yang suggested it.”

“But it's just a race,” she insisted. “You make it sound as if they're risking life and limb. I know motorcycle accidents happen, but is that really so much worse than getting into an actual fight? Some of those boys had lead pipes! One of our Dragons had a chain - that was scary!”

“Weiss…” With a long sigh, Kali began steering the car around the bend toward the abandoned area in question. “What do you know about Mountain Glenn? Besides that it's close to Vale and no one lives there anymore.”

At least Kali didn't think she was that uninformed. “Well… that the Depression came, and everyone gave up on expanding the city for a while. A lot of potential homes and businesses that were being started are just empty husks now. My father thinks it’s a waste. Why?”

“That's not the whole story.” A motorcycle roaring past them made Kali pause before she continued. “The Mountain Glenn project was abandoned due to the instability of the old mines underneath. The copper veins dried up many decades ago when Merlot Industries plundered it all, but the tunnels are still down there, spiderwebbing under what was once known as Glenn Bluffs. There was a proposal on the table for reinforcing those tunnels with steel beams, trying to salvage their plans to help Vale grow and prosper, but as you say, the Great Depression put a damper on everyone's enthusiasm for the project. There was no strong evidence that building support structures would have made enough of a difference, anyway.”

“Ohhhh,” she breathed, thinking about how frightening it would be for her house to suddenly collapse into the ground. “Well… yes, that really is unfortunate. But I don't understand. What does this have to do with the race?”

“There’s a reason it’s off-limits. Even though a few teenagers occasionally sneak up there to make out with their beaus, it’s unwise. The ground isn’t stable. Especially not for a hundred-something pound girl on top of a six-hundred-pound Harley. Times that by two, and it might just be enough to… well…”

As Kali made a thumbs down gesture very briefly before returning the hand to the wheel, Weiss gulped. That certainly didn’t sound like a “safe alternative” anymore.

Apparently, there was a method to this inter-gang madness. Kali parked on top of a higher bluff amidst quite a few other cars and bikes, one which overlooked the skeleton that was Mountain Glenn. A handful of buildings had begun construction, but the rest were mere concrete foundations. The main road itself was fully built, winding around a fountain that was never finished in the center of the proposed sister city.

At the far end of said road were six bikes. She knew Blake would be down there with Yang, and probably Cinder. Even from that far away, she could see the Huntsman at the “starting line” had blue hair; so it was that boy she would be racing. The other two weren’t recognisable from that distance.

“We can watch everything from up here,” Kali whispered as she grasped Weiss by the waist and easily lifted her up onto the hood of the car. She felt a slight flutter from the thoughtful assistance but tried not to think about it too much.

“I wish I could go down there with her.”

“I know. But if you did, you would only watch the beginning of the race; by the end, Yang would be around some corner and you’d never see her victory.” Her hand flipped in the general direction of where two other bikes were idling; the finish line. “So you see, this is the best seat in the house.”

“Everybody seems to agree with you,” she sighed uncomfortably, glancing around at the dozens and dozens of other gang members gathered there. A small gap separated the two factions, but they were all contented to watch how things played out; no one was threatening to breach the temporary truce. “Maybe there really is honour among thieves.”

“Hmm?” Following her eyes, she smiled a little. “Oh, that. I’ve told you before, Vale is a small town; we can’t afford to tear each other apart over nothing. The rumble was a last resort, and you see that we jumped at the chance not to go through with it.”

Around that time, Emerald wandered over to their seat and leaned against the car on her elbows. “Stepping around on Yang already, huh, Schnee?”

“Jealous, Sustrai?” Kali answered without missing a single beat. Weiss didn't even have time to fully process the question and its implications before Blake's mother was answering. How was her mind that quick?

“Hardly. Well… you are a lovely woman, but I have my hands full.”

“Do you think Yang can do this?” Weiss asked nervously, fingering the zipper of her jacket to give her hands something to do. “I mean… yes, of course she’s a skilled rider, but that doesn’t mean she’s better than her opponent.”

The green-haired girl shrugged a caramel-hued shoulder. Where was her jacket? “If anybody can, it’s Yang. She and Cinder are probably the best of us. Of the ones who are still around, anyway.”

“Still around?”

“Raven,” Kali sighed wearily. “Yang learned from the best. Well… the best at riding motorcycles.”

So many questions blossomed in Weiss’s brain, but she heard the bikes revving and no longer had time to contemplate what exactly had transpired between Blake and Yang’s mothers. Even if she was starting to suspect one hypothesis over others.

Velvet was pacing out in front of the starting line. As the only non-Dragon who had come along for the ride, she was tasked with signalling for the others to start. Her arm raised high in the air, with something white gripped in it - probably a handkerchief, even though they were too far away for Weiss to make it out. Everyone seemed to hold their breath, leaning in closer to squint. She noticed Salem and the leader of the Huntsman - Watts, she thought his name had been - had telescopes.

Then the white thing dropped, and two bikes took off from the starting line.

“YEAH!” Emerald burst out immediately. “Wipe the floor with him!”

“Send her back to the kitchen!” laughed one of the Huntsmen.

“Well!” Weiss said under her breath, offended at the implication that housework was all that women were good for. Even if she knew most women spent all their lives cooking and cleaning, not all of them did.

But their commentary was not important. The two bikes were tearing down the street at breakneck speed. Yang seemed to be at the top of her game, weaving only when necessary - other than one time when she dipped a little too close to her opponent, hoping to throw him off. The boy paid no mind, only barely strafing out of the way and then correcting. They both focused on running a clean race, gunning for the finish line as fast as possible.

The fountain presented the first significant challenge. The two went different ways, favouring the side that they were already on, and looked as if they might collide once rounding the concrete basin - Weiss held her breath again - but they corrected and continued toward the finish line…

And then both swerved to the left.

“What?” Weiss breathed. “What are they doing?!”

“The race isn’t over. See those markers?” Kali pointed to three red cones that had been placed in that intersection. The first was near the center, and the next two led in the direction they had turned. “That’s the course. Have to make it interesting. Idiots.”

“Hey, I think it’s exciting,” Emerald protested with a frown.

“Of course you do. It’s not Cinder risking her life and limb.”

That seemed to silence the other girl. Which confirmed something Weiss had been relatively certain of: Emerald had a thing for the alternately gruff and oily Dragon. Admittedly, Cinder did hold a certain appeal; she was confident, passionate, and loyal to a fault. Never mind how attractive, though most of the Dragons were in one way or another. Even the older, “rougher” ones who were so masculine they were almost handsome instead of beautiful. And Weiss was beginning to realise that was alright.

Meanwhile, the two racers both rounded a couple of turns in quick succession. The boy had nearly lost control during the second one but caught himself just in time. Now they were racing along the edge of town, which wasn’t exactly right at the dropoff but was a little close for Weiss’s comfort level. Also…

A lamppost began to sink. At first, she thought she was imagining it and was annoyed with her mind for trying to distract her from the race itself, but looking again, she was right; it was sinking!

“Look!” she hissed, gesturing to the phenomenon.

“Oh…” Kali sat up a little straighter. “Damn. I really hoped I was wrong about-”

Gulping, she fell silent as an extra roar of engines went up, her attention forcibly returned to the race. Weiss saw they were weaving around trees and brush that had sprung up over the past years since the area had been abandoned and left to Mother Nature. Now, every swerve made Weiss’s pulse seem louder in her ears, every second brought a new sweatdrop to her brow. Were they going to be alright? Even if she cared about Yang more, she didn’t wish any harm on the boy, either.

They raced around another corner. This stretch was a little more straightforward, but she still found herself biting her fingers to keep from crying out.

“YES!” one of the Huntsmen shouted, seeing that the boy was ahead by a nose. But he was on the outside right; the next curve was to the left and it would cost him a few precious fractions of a second. Weiss hopped up from the car, trying to rush toward the edge of the bluff before Kali caught her by the forearm.

“Hey!”

“Don’t!” was all she breathed. It may have saved Weiss’s life; a few of the rocks crumbled from the very edge. Perhaps she would have been safe, and perhaps not; she found it hard to care when Yang was in peril.

The finish line approached. The two drifted in and out of the lead, but it looked like Yang might really have a shot-

The ground gave way. It was unlike anything Weiss had ever seen, and much worse than the lamppost because it was so much closer - and because Yang and the boy were driving on the section in question. This had two very different effects on the two racers. The Huntsman’s bike shot out from under him and he went cartwheeling back into the opening sinkhole. Yang didn’t get caught in the hole itself, but the shaking completely ruined her ability to stay upright - she began to skid across the pavement, and then rolled once separated from her vehicle, bouncing a few times before coming to a stop.

“NO!!!”

Weiss’s shriek echoed off the bluffs, and there was another slight rumble. Nothing more happened; this one was too high, too far removed from the worst of the mining to truly impact its stability. But she didn’t care. Immediately, she began to race toward the dirt road, but Kali caught her around the middle and held her fast.

“Let me go! I need to-”

“I can drive us!” Kali tried to explain. “Weiss, stop struggling, you’re not-”

“I need to GO!”

“We will go together!” Finally, she calmed down enough to take in the words, and she went slack, gaping down at where the others who had been parked at the finish line began to race toward their respective gang members. “Good… alright, good. Get in.”

“No, I’ll drive you,” Emerald told her, face deadly serious as she shrugged back into her jacket and straddled her bike. “Get her there faster. Kali, can you follow?”

The older woman nodded, pushing Weiss toward the bike to help her start moving again. In seconds, they were astride Emerald’s Harley and racing down the dirt trail toward Mountain Glenn, terror gripping her throat all the while. This was awful. Now she understood why Blake’s mother was so against this solution to their petty squabbles over territory; it might only have been two people risking their safety, but each life was precious.

Yang’s was precious. And now…

No one parked as close as they would have before this incident. They didn't want to risk adding to the danger. Once they were relatively close, they began to race toward the crater on foot as fast as they could, Huntsmen and Dragons alike. Luckily, Weiss had some athletic tone or she might have been further back; as it was, she kept pace with some of the younger boys, though they went past Yang toward the hole.

“YANG!” she screamed as tears rolled down her face, crouching over her bruised, bloodied figure. Luckily, she looked whole, but the awful angle at which her right arm was twisted made her feel sick. But that had to wait. “Speak to me! Yang, wake up, wake up!”

By that point, Coco and one of the older Dragons had joined them. The former rolled her until she was straightened out, and the latter patted her cheek, eliciting no response. “Out cold,” she reported.

“We need to get her to a hospital,” Coco breathed, putting her wrist under Yang's nose. “She’s breathing, but she could have a concussion.”

“No hospitals.” Salem had arrived, and was crouching over her from afar - assessing the situation without interfering. “Watts can take a look at her.”

After a moment, the man in question turned to glare at them. “Are you seriously expecting me to deign to stitch up one of your pet bitches? After this stunt you pulled? Obviously, you knew the ground was unstable along the route and rigged this stretch to collapse - because, as anyone could tell, your racer did actually cross the finish line, while ours did not.”

Salem’s eyes narrowed, and the air seemed to drop in temperature within the bluffs. “Her life may hang in the balance, you old fool. Stop grandstanding and get your kit. Or have you been lying about your medical degree all this time?”

Abandoning all hope of them resolving things between them, especially with the way Watts was folding his arms over the lapels of his expensive grey suit, Weiss shot to her feet and begged him, “Please! Sh-she might not make it! I don’t care about… about any of this! Just save her!”

“Really?” he snapped immediately, cold green eyes stabbing down into her soul. “So I should abandon my own boy to save your girl? You really don’t understand loyalty - family. Do you?”

Weiss spared a glance at the hole where they were trying to figure out how to descend, to search for their man. Already, the blonde she had observed him with before was tugging at his hair, tears streaming down his cheeks while some of the others readied a rope, trying to figure out what they might tie it to.

“I’ll go.”

It was Salem who snapped, “What? Go where?”

“I’ll go down there and look for him.” Her shaking finger pointed at the tall man. “If you help Yang, I… I’ll save… the boy who’s down there.”

He was not impressed. “His name is Neptune. As if you care. What good are you to me at all, what can you do that my boys can’t?”

“I’m smaller,” she offered, already stripping off her jacket. “Most of your boys are tall and bulky, and would get stuck in a tight space. And I’m stronger than I look. Please, I can’t- we don’t have time! Just let me do this!”

“Weiss,” Kali whispered, laying a hand on her arm. “This isn’t sound. You’re going to get yourself killed, and when Yang wakes up, that will be the worst news to wake up to.”

“I don’t CARE!” she shouted, shoving her away. There wasn’t time for rational thought. “Just let me save Yang by saving Neptune!”

No one objected further. Her eyes retained a fleeting image of Kali looking completely stricken before she raced over to the edge of the sinkhole, only slowing down when she got near. The blonde boy was still losing his mind, so she addressed his friend with the long red hair hanging into his eyes.

“What do I do?”

“Well, I dunno,” he said in a heavy English accent. Though he wasn’t quite so emotional, he was certainly not left unaffected by his associate’s plight; his voice shook slightly as he continually wiped his hands on his white jeans over and over. “Just… do somethin’, willya?”

“Here,” said another Huntsman with green hair, handing her one end of a rope. With some help, they both fashioned a loop that could work as a harness, and several more men lined up to anchor her at the top. Everyone else remained ringed around the hole, gazing down and hoping to be the first to figure out a better plan.

“Hey, Schnee!”

Glancing up just in time, Weiss caught the gleaming Zippo lighter being hurled at her, the metal stinging her palms. Cinder merely flashed her a fierce look before continuing past the rest of the crowd on her bike toward the ring of Dragons trying to help Yang - giving the sinkhole a wide berth.

“Ready, then?” asked the Brit. Nodding at him and the others, she stepped into the loop and allowed herself to be lowered down.

Luckily, the hole wasn’t deep; it merely looked that way due to shadows. When most of the light from above was blotted out, she flicked the Zippo to life, just barely able to catch what was rising to meet her from below. Once she touched down next to a groaning form, she could breathe a brief sigh of relief.

“You alright down there?” called an unfamiliar voice.

“YES!” she shouted back. “I’m at the bottom! Hold on!”

Weiss didn’t know the first thing about treating an injury victim. Sure, she could feel for a pulse, but that was fairly basic stuff; did he have broken bones? Internal bleeding? She had no way of knowing. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea for her to come down there. Coco would have been a better choice, but she was probably still busy tending Yang.

The boy coughed, and she moved to his side, supporting the head and wiping some of the dust from his face. “Hey! I… are you alright? Speak to me!”

“What… oh… are you an angel?”

“Ugh,” she scoffed as she tried to help him up. “Hurry up, we need to get out of here!”

Coughing again, he sat up and clutched his ribs. “Oh my God… everything hurts…” Little by little, she got him crawling toward the rope. “What… what happened?”

“You fell in a hole, goofus. What’s your name?”

“Neptune.”

“Neptune.” That was right; they had said. But it was probably helpful for him to have something else to focus on. “I’m Weiss. And I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Why? You’re… a Dragon…”

“Yang was hurt,” she admitted, voice cracking. “And I… and we needed your Dr. Watts to fix her up, or… or she might-” Her voice cut off and she had to stop for a brief moment to recover. Then she cleared her throat. “So you have to help me by g-getting out of here. Then everyone will be alright. Alright?”

“Alright,” he echoed with a groan as they came to a stop by the rope. “But… I don’t think I can… climb…”

For a moment, Weiss tried to think of how to best secure him. She didn’t know that much about knots, or harnesses. “Why didn’t I take that nautical class at the yacht club?!” she swore at herself.

“Oh… I know… something about that… this loop sucks, though.”

“What?”

Sitting up, he reached for the rope. “Here, let m- whoa, I’m dizzy…”

“What’s going on down there?!” called a voice from above. It wasn’t the British man, so she couldn’t be sure who.

“HANG ON!” she shouted back up, and Neptune flinched, covering his ears for a moment. “Oh, sorry!”

“It’s fine. Here… I’ll show you. This is a bowline knot, and it’s going to be our best friend…”

It actually didn’t take long for him to tie his own harness. Weiss felt highly useless, but she was glad things were working out reasonably well. Before long, a mess of square knots and fisherman’s knots had him wearing what looked like some kind of clandestine rope-lingerie around his pelvis. By this point, he looked exhausted, so she leaned him back against a craggy wall.

“Shh, just rest a moment.” When his breathing evened out, she tried to wipe more sweat and dirt off his face. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

After a moment, he flashed her a weary smile. “I’d… ask if you wanted to get a malted after this, but… I don’t think Sun would appreciate that…”

“Sun? Is that your blonde friend I saw you kissing before?” When he gulped, clearly discomfited that she knew, she waved a hand back and forth. “Please. You do know I’m in the Dragons, right?”

“Oh… so it’s true? Most of you are…”

Eyes narrowing, she said, “Yes, most of us. Why? Are most of the Hunters that way?”

“Not as much as the Dragons. But a few of us.” He tried to sit up a little higher and grunted in sharp pain; Weiss settled him again. “Are you… going with one of them?”

“Yeah.”

“Yang?” When Weiss didn’t answer right away, he nodded. “Now I… get why you jumped down here.”

“I would have, anyway,” she swore vehemently, even while he was chuckling weakly. “Seriously! I don’t want to see anyone get hurt! Don’t be such a pest!”

Neptune tried to keep chuckling, but it turned into a coughing fit. Though she did privately think he deserved it, she still petted along his upper arm until he was able to breathe freely again. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Just… hold on until we can get you out of here.”

Weiss tugged on the rope and they began to hoist him up. One of her hands helped push his boot up to take some of the strain off the men at the top, but then he was out of her reach.

And she was alone in the darkness with only a flickering light for company. For a few minutes, she began to worry she would simply die down there. It was a possibility. After all, the only Dragons she found herself truly trusting were Yang, Blake, and Kali, and one of them was unconscious the last time she checked. They were vastly outnumbered. And the Huntsmen had no reason to really keep her alive now that she had finished the job they cared about…

“Hello?” she called up nervously. “Is anybody up thBFF!”

She felt pretty silly for panicking when the pre-tied harness hit her in the mouth.

Once at the top, she saw that both Neptune and Yang were gone. She felt a momentary flare of panic as the other Huntsmen made sure her footing was secure before turning her loose, but Kali was already approaching. That set her at ease that maybe not everything was lost.

“She’s going to be alright. I’ll take you to where they’ll be patching her and the Vasilias boy up.”

“Okay,” she breathed, dazed. “Let’s… let’s go.”

Even as they walked away from the site of the sinkhole, she could hear a few more broken bits of concrete coming loose and toppling into the abyss. Weiss looked back in time to see the men backing away from its confines. Sun was already missing - as was Blake. Along for the ride with those who meant the most to them.

Fresh regret welled up in Weiss at having taken away the one person Blake probably wanted to be with more than anything in the world. Maybe, if she survived her injuries and treatment, they could do something about that.

[chipswithfanfics]

❝ What are you doing? ❞ Jungwoo

Genre: bittersweet angst, some fluffy, college!au, bestfriends to enemies to... Pairing: Jungwoo x Reader Summary: "What are you doing?" You ask, eyes filled with tears, stuffy nose, voice shaking at the sight of Jungwoo's face. His hand is so firm in your arm, and his expression is so cold that you shrink, feeling the fear, afraid that what is already so painful can become even more... "What I should have done a long time ago" he whispers. Word count: 3,7k

Request: “Omg! Your jisung angst was everything! I saw that requests are still open, so I was hoping I could request a jungwoo angst. Have a good day:’)💓” by @anon

A/N: well, I confess it was very difficult to write this, sorry if this aren't well the way you imagined, I hope you enjoy! <3 <3 <3

You met Jungwoo on a day that everything seemed to go wrong...

Your life has always been like this anyway, it always seemed to not get any worse. But it always ended up getting worse...

The very first day at your university you got lost, literally, which resulted in you running from one place to another simply because your first class was about to begin.

Asking for help from the lady you found along the way didn't help much. Actually, it just got you three full laps down the same block, looking for a room that didn't even exist.

Your college life didn't start in the best of ways. When you reached a seemingly deserted corridor you sighed, leaning against the wall, letting the body slide, simply defeated, desolate and almost crying all your tears out.

"Uhm..." But the sweet voice came to you, making you jump off the floor as you noticed the boy at the drinking fountain, casting his eyes and smiling at you. "Need some help?"

That's how the boy from the water cooler helped you find your classroom, which happened to be the same as his. In fact, it was only when he called you to sit in the place next to his that you actually met Kim Jungwoo...

Well, let me tell you something: most of the girls in your room started to get a bit of envy...

That's because, somehow, Jungwoo is always around you.

Be it to give a helping hand in the housework that the teacher has passed, even though it's expressly said that it isn't in duo.

Whether it be to help you buy the snack of the day; and always making you opt for healthier options.

Or even, simply to keep your place safe in the class, right next to him.

It started little by little, but it ended up becoming like this over the course of days. Jungwoo is always around, to the point that, you have become synonymous with Jungwoo, and Jungwoo has become synonymous with you.

And, know the days when you're sleeping too much and the alarm clock will not wake you so soon? Do you have a Jungwoo to knock on your bedroom door — how does he get into the girls' dormitory? That's a secret.

Know that times that you forget the notes, the pencils and even the snack money? Or when your own room is too messy? You have a Jungwoo for that too.

"I know how to take care of myself, Jungwoo!" And you even try to defend yourself from looking so useless and at the same time so irresponsible.

"Yes, yes, Y/n, you know how to take good care of yourself..." And he responds in a voice so sweet, so soft that it's impossible for you to stress yourself. "I'm just making sure you're going to stay alive and... entire."

And, know the times when you just need someone quiet, sitting on the tiny sofa in your room, just to listen to all your outbursts about the day? Or, of those rainy days that your will is only to stick the face and the whole body underneath a duvet and never leave? Putting your pink teddy bear socks, eating popcorn and putting on a good cartoon? You have a Jungwoo for that too. To make popcorn, to curl you in your favorite duvet and of course...

"I think your fever is coming down" he says whispering as he runs his hand over your forehead.

Taking care of you while you're sick, because no, you don't know how to take care of yourself, much less stay alive on your own.

Jungwoo is your best friend. Your walking lifeguard. The apparent solution to most of your problems. In fact, Jungwoo is more than all of this...

And you realize on one of those days that you slept so badly that you did not hear the knocking on the door, because you fell sick for the second time in the month, and it was raining hard when he decided it would be nice to bring you some old Jack Chan movies, bring along some sugar-free candy, and stay to take care of you.

So you're sitting on the floor, completely wrapped in duvets, Jungwoo is right on your side, the candy is thrown all over the place, and you do your best to keep breathing because your best friend squeezes you both in a hug, but so much, that you are sure that you will not die of fever, but suffocated...

Jungwoo loves hugs, loves so much, that for you it is no surprise that he is always hugging you.

And, well, this kid has the best hugs in the world. That's why you never complained. Because it's warm, and especially, you feel that nothing in the world can hurt you from within. It's like being held by a bear.

And, this is how you get this nickname for your best friend: Giant-teddy-bear

"Okay," and one morning your friend, a classmate with the room right next to you, frowned, "when will you two assume the whole dating thing?"

The question shocked you, trully, you choke with your morning snack that hadn't even begun.

It began in a way far from normal.

"What you mean? We're just friends." You said, deep down, deep down, so deep you didn't even realize it: wishing your own words weren't true.

"Ow..." Your friend raised her eyebrows, drinking from her straw, "so... poor Jungwoo is in a one-sided love?"

The world could explode in your head, at the same time, because it was almost happened

Your own world exploded ... You denied it, told your friend she was exaggerating. But inside, something in you has changed. You came to see Jungwoo differently.

Or rather, you finally noticed why Jungwoo's hugs were always so welcoming You're in love with your best friend.

So you look for the smallest details, that he feels the same, because it's what you most want: Jungwoo also feels the same warmth for you.

You want to believe that your friend was not exaggerating, so you keep searching for any deep meaning in the hugs that come out of nowhere, something deep in the eyes when he throws one of those sweet, lost looks with a smile tied to his lips.

But whatever you find is nothing...

It's what drives you to this particular day, in which you have been called to a small celebration in a bar not far away.

You accepted without hesitation for more than two seconds.

You drank, you drank too much...

And ignored Jungwoo's calls also.

What happens is that if you don't answer to his calls, he'll find a way to appear — spontaneous generation, you can swear — at the bar, pulling you back to your room.

How did you get there so fast, almost tripping over your room and wiping your face from the rain? You don't know.

"I was worried." But you are sure of what you hear from Jungwoo, but you don't turn to look at him.

"I don't need you to worry about me." You counter, still on your back, running the sleeves of your blouse up against your face, in vain trying to wipe it off with what was already soaked.

You hear a heavy sigh coming from behind. You hear his footsteps, and you can see from the reflection of your bedroom mirror that he bends down, picking up the pile of clothes tossed in the corner, where you almost stumbled.

Your chest burns.

"Why are you doing this?" Asking, you turn around.

Jungwoo stop right there, with your clothes in his hand, his eyebrows raised:

"This what?" He stammered, clearly lost.

How long will he pretend to be misunderstood? Alcohol seems to mess with your head...

"This, Jungwoo!" And you point, directly at him, directly to the bundle of clothes still in his hands, "why do you always have to take care of me?"

He stares at you, his eyes slightly widening, and his lips parting.

"That's what friends do" he replies softly, sort of wanting to laugh, because he knows a lot of that uprising is because of the shots you took.

But only a large part, the other part is what leads you to go on...

"Friends?" You babble.

And Jungwoo couldn't be more confused by putting your clothes on the table, watching you withdraw.

"How long do you plan to take this forward?" You whisper, the words slide out of your mouth, unknowingly, are already there, coming through Jungwoo's ears.

"I don't understand, Y/n." But Jungwoo's eyes remain the same as you feel yourself burning inside.

"How much are you still planning to take advantage of me?"

But not for long, Jungwoo's bright eyes widen, and the silence comes too fast. His mouth opens and closes as fast as you feel the world turning.

"Y/n, I don't think I heard right." He whispers, his expression sinks into shadow, there is no more sparkle in his eyes, let alone a playful smile on his lips; and Jungwoo had always been that happy, airy guy, but good...

Things were about to change now.

"You don't have to pretend to be my friend just to fuck-"

"Be honest with me..." He interrupts you. "Do you think I'm that kind of guy? Just to fuck with you..."

You freeze. Jungwoo's eyes are cold, angry, it's the first time you sees him like this; well away from what might be considered your teddy-bear.

"No, well, I... I heard that..."

Jungwoo takes a step back.

"You don't have to hide that you have a crush on me, Jungwoo" the alcohol only makes you stumble in the words, with a silly giggle, deep down, nothing but despair.

Because sobriety hits you too late, just in time to see a straight smile on the lips of who you call best friend...

"Sorry, Y/n" the door then opens, you hear the metallic click, "But I don't like you..." "Not in the way that you think..." "Sorry."

And you can see the seriousness on Jungwoo's face by saying this, by saying the words that cut your heart right in the middle.

You feel like a complete idiot.

"Jungwoo, this is a mis-" You want to mend, you want to mend before...

The door closes.

Before the silence is done, suddenly, without any warning; just as Jungwoo walks out the door without saying anything, with his eyes coldly serious.

The truth is, it took exactly eleven minutes, in the silence that lingered after the door was closed for you to finally understand what had happened, so, you finally understood how much you had spoiled everything.

The truth is that outside, Jungwoo listened to you crying, with his back pressed against the door of your room, in silence: the heart became pure chaos that day, and in the night also, when a single tear fell down the face.

The next day there is no book, sweatshirt or backpack guarding your seat. And when you approach, with your eyes swollen from so much crying last night, you take a deep breath...

"Good morning," you say to Jungwoo.

He looks at you for seconds before turning his face, continuing to talk to his next colleague...

And right there, you want to cry.

Because from this day on, you go to sit on the other side of the classroom.

Just as if you forget the snack money, it's your friend who lends you; and there's no one to force you to buy the wheat cereal bars instead of the chocolate bars.

The knocking on the door on the days you're late is gone too.

Just as the days of laziness with duvets, popcorn, candy, movies and teddy-bears are replaced by solitary days, with boring movies, no food, and the purest cold.

The bear hugs is what you miss the most. Beside the soft whispers.

And you still try, in any way possible, to approach Jungwoo, say at least one word, anything to give you the sign that he still knows of your existence.

It's an attempt to remain still on the edge of the cliff because you're afraid to find out what will happen when you finally fall.

So that it's at interval, in front of the ice cream shop, that you make the decision to get up from your chair, forgetting your ice cream, to go talk to Jungwoo...

In fact, to call him to look in your face and cease to act like a complete spoiled child: "If you keep ignoring me I swear I'm going to stick my hand in your face, what about?" You already have all the rehearsed talk, when...

You can not move on, your feet stop right in the middle of the road

because what your eyes find is too much for your whole body to process, it's too much even for your heart to endure...

and it comes down to Jungwoo sitting with no one else but the girl in your class, the special girl you both hate, the girl who always has the best nasty comments on the tip of her tongue and always for you

And you're sure, Jungwoo heard everything he had to hear from this girl, right out of your mouth.

Even so, there he is, all smiles, sitting with her, with her disgusting friends, while you're right there, alone, without him and, crying every night...

You feel like a monster.

Losing a friend.

And, losing who you love too.

"It's not your fault, Y/n," and no matter how many times you listen, you know very well that at least one tip is your fault, "Jungwoo is being an asshole."

And, yes, that's true also.

The rumors don't delay much until reach your ears, in fact, the rumors are crowding all the corners of the university, it's simply natural that one day came to you that;

Jungwoo is dating.

Just the girl you hate.

You reach your limit when you see a photo in your feed. Jungwoo looks happy, smiling, with a blonde girl on the side, some drinks appearing on the table, the party looks lively...

This isn't the Jungwoo you thought you knew.

[What's happening with you?]

It's what you type, for the contact you should have deleted yourself; but didn't delete, and still has the old nickname saved.

You don't expect him to see, let alone respond... [What do you want?] But that's what happens... [We need to talk.] [Now?] [Jungwoo... I know it was stupid, idiot, and... I shouldn't have made those assumptions about our friendship, I'm sorry.] [Ah, is that all about it?]

Your eyes are filled with tears, when the screen of the cell phone shakes, your fingers are shaking... [Forget that. Be happy… I just want you to know that there is nothing wrong with loving your best friend because that isn't controlled. And I loved you so much.] [Y/n, wait...]

This is how you finally delete the contact named "Jungwoo <3 giant teddy bear". In silence and in tears.

The next day you're not going to class. Not even the other day. and the other... until a week has passed, and not even to the dormitory you are coming back more, you managed to rent an apartment, because staying away from everything seems like the best option.

Until this day... "Come on, you're going to have fun..." said your friend and, well, when you realized you were already in this bar-half-pizzeria.

The idea was to celebrate your birthday, to eat a lot, to drink a lot; have fun until you faint or someone faints, literally. And you thought that; Well, I deserve to have fun after all this shit... forget him and... You thought, it would be all right some time, that someday that wound would stop bleeding and it would be all right when you saw Jungwoo again.

It was all but "good" that your heart reacted when you saw him, exactly five tables ahead.

"I'm sorry, Y/n," you heard, coming softly from your friend's lips as Jungwoo's eyes slid directly to you...

"I need to go to the bathroom." You stood up at once, feeling everything burn inside you, the face, the throat and especially the heart.

This was cruel, the lowest cruelty.

And on the way to the bathroom, you didn't see the girl coming your way.

"Hey!" The bump was huge, making you notice who the voice was, acute and exasperated; none other than the blonde from your class. "Look where you're going!"

Great, the whole troupe is here: you think to yourself, with a grunt.

"Sorry, Tiffany, I'm in a hurry..." you say this, trying to escape as quickly as possible.

"Oh, what's the rush?" she tried to raise her voice, holding you still in place, a sigh escaping from your lips that could be everything, but mostly: a great desire to pound her face.

"Why don't we sit down and have a little girl talk? Away from those idiot friends?"

"Ah, Tiffany, if you can get past four shots without giving a stripper show, maybe we can talk." You say, popping your tongue when you turn to the blonde, who already has a red face that would be rage.

"What did you say, bitch?" Yes, it sure is red with anger.

"That's what you heard, and if you'll excuse me... I do not have the balls to put up with you today," you says, turning around again.

The blonde girl snaps her tongue.

"I really don't understand what Jungwoo sees in you."

And what happened in your head is: Am I missing something? You sure are...

Because Tiffany manages to spend a full drink, right in your face, and entitled to an evil giggle in the end.

And you're about to show this chicken how to fight for real, you're about to pluck her when...

"What's going on here?" Jungwoo says.

His eyes are on you, and then they turn to Tiffany.

"Jungwoo, dear, she jumped on me and-"

That's all you don't want to see tonight; things are already so bad, and you don't want to make them worse, so that's what you do...

You escape, thrusting into the crowd around the show.

It isn't long before you find the back door of the place, just as the tears don't linger until meet your eyelids.

You cry for the twentieth time, and you even think about quitting, because the promise that it will be the last time never seems to work.

"Y/n" the voice is soft, and whispered. You didn't hear his footsteps approaching, just as you didn't notice that he had followed you here, in the middle of a dark street, where the illumination was scarce.

But even in the dim light, you can easily distinguish the features of Jungwoo's face, his brow furrowed, his jaw tense.

"Wait" he shakes, when you turn away, determined to ignore him; as a form of revenge for being ignored so long, so coldly. "Y/n!"

"Leave me alone!" You scream, the crying in your throat; You sound like a walking baby.

"Please, I need to talk to you." And he insists, following in his hurried footsteps.

"I've always wanted to talk to you, Jungwoo!" You rub your nose, sniffing. "But whoever ignored me was always you."

"Sorry."

"Leave me alone!" You scream again. "Why don't you go back to your sweetheart?"

And your footsteps continue to echo in the night inu rush, hoping to leave it behind...

But your body is held in place, your left foot is in the air, returning to the ground. Jungwoo's hand is strong, even if everything in him seems so soft, delicate and gentle; the hand is strong and firm, and holds you in place.

"What are you doing?" You ask, eyes filled with tears, stuffy nose, voice shaking at the sight of Jungwoo's face.

His hand is so firm in your arm, and his expression is so cold that you shrink, feeling the fear, afraid that what is already so painful can become even more...

"What I should have done a long time ago" he whispers.

And you? You really didn't ask to suffer so much.

Jungwoo pulls you, the other hand held in your face, and in a half-deserted street at midnight; Jungwoo kisses you, as simple as that, sticking his lips against yours, like a jigsaw puzzle that has been postponed to its limit.

"I'm sorry, Y/n," he says, when he separates the kiss, the expression of pain, the voice has the same tone; fragile, almost like a baby about to cry, "I thought you were joking with me and… you sounded so cruel."

"I love you," you whisper, dictating, letter by letter, because it feels so warm again, it's so good to see your Jungwoo; this one you know so well, not the Jungwoo of the last weeks...

He smiles, his eyes shine.

"I love you too," and he says, before a second kiss, smiling, as fussy as you, as sweet as ever should be "I've been in love with you since day one, and I just wanted you to realize it soon..."

Jungwoo tightens you into a hug, tight, tight, warm and cozy:

There's your teddy bear.

Fixing a few slaps on Jungwoo's shoulder, you get rid of the grip, but only temporarily.

"Never again try to confess while you're drunk ..." He says, putting a palm to every apple of his face, and the seriousness that takes Jungwoo's face is at a minimum; comical "I thought you were playing with my feelings, when you said those things."

"Your feelings?" You babble.

"I thought I was making it clear. Since always..."

And this is what happens, "To know what? From what?" "Don't make me repeat." "But I don't know, I swear..." He holds you tight, strong enough to make some more tears escape your face: "I love you too, giant-teddy-bear."

[dragonkeeper19600]

New Mario Movie: Plot Prediction (Part 4)

Oh, yes. This is still going.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Mario and the Toads wait a few days before putting their escape plan into action.

Not just because Mario needs a few days to recoup, not just because they want a few days of Best Behavior to lure Bowser into complacency,

But because the path he’ll need to take through the pipes is pretty treacherous.

Peach’s Castle’s water supply is fed by the moat, which is itself fed by a stream from a private lake.

The plan is for Mario to swim through the maze of pipes unto the lake and out.

None of the Toads have ever attempted this because they can't swim very well. 

They have no legs.

Look at these poor freaks.

It’ll be pretty dark. There are some tanks where it’ll be shallow enough to breathe but not many. 

Mario can’t afford to make a wrong turn.

Training Montage!

They spend the next several days alternating between keeping Mario in shape and pretending to be doing nothing whenever one of the Koopa Troop happens by.

Toadsworth goes over the map of the sewer system over and over again.

Meanwhile...

Luigi is also busy.

Still working on a hydroelectric generator that will work on the van.

You can tell the poor man is scared out of his wits.

He’s constantly looking over his shoulder, jumping at small sounds,

Any second expecting the people keeping his brother hostage to show up at the door. 

He works long into the night

Because sleeping isn’t happening.

Keeping his hands busy so as not to go mad.

The whole time, begging to he knows not who:

Please work. Please work.

The night of the escape, Mario can’t sleep either.

“Mario, you should get some rest.”

Can’t. His heart’s too loud. It’s keeping him up.

Finally, after several agonizing hours of not falling asleep, Toadbert nudges him awake.

It’s time.

They manage to slink past the night patrol and reach the sewer area, where Mario shuts off the water.

They can only afford to keep the water off for a minute. If one of Bowser’s minions notices the water isn’t working, this trip won’t last very long. 

They slide one of the pipes out of the way, and Mario climbs inside with one of those headlights on.

Very fashionable.

Mario is nervous as they roll the pipe back into place behind him.

“Remember, Master Mario,

“Stay the course.”

“We’ll keep the water off as long as possible.”

Mario climbs in. All is dark.

Hope you kids aren’t claustrophobic.

Too soon, a Koopa approaches the kitchen sink for a glass of water. 

The knob squeaks and nada comes out of the faucet.

“Hey, what gives?”

The Toads see that someone in the kitchen is trying to get some water and reluctantly turn it on.

Water flows past Mario’s knees. Before long, he’s swimming. 

The Koopa finally gets his glass of water.

He takes a drink and smacks his lips, frowning.

Tastes kind of... mannish? 

He walks away, muttering about tap water. So far, everything’s good.

Mario keeps pace, managing to pop up for air in the tanks where several pipes branch off.

Everything is going swimmingly (Hee!) until Mario notices a bleached white something skirting out of site at the end of an elbow pipe.

Okay, you’re all alone, there’s nowhere to run, and there’s something in the pipe with you.

Don’t freak out.

Mario can’t afford to go back or even slow down. 

He has no choice but to follow the thing he saw.

He reaches another tank before he’s grabbed.

The thing, as you might have guessed already, is a Blooper.

“Imma squid if you haven’t noticed!”

The Blooper grabs Mario and drags him to the bottom of the tank, trying to drown him. 

Those tentacles are everywhere, binding his legs and covering his mouth. Mario can barely move.

And the Blooper’s eyes are just fixed on him, watching him squirm.

Out of desperation, Mario bites down hard on the tentacle covering his mouth.

The Blooper squeals and lets go, while also releasing a cloud of ink. 

Not good.

The ink spreads to each corner of the tank. Mario’s headlight can’t break through. All around him is inky black.

Which way is out? Which way is up?

Mario frantically flails through the water, encountering wall after wall.

Agonizing, Mario kicks against the side of the tank. The Toads hear the echo.

“Is that Mario?”

“I think he’s stuck!”

“What do we do?”

The Toads are petrified. They know they might be listening to Mario drowning.

Water is stored in the tank when it’s shut off, so shutting off the water again won’t save Mario.

So, they opt for the opposite solution.

Toads stationed all throughout the castle proceed to turn on every source of water they can find.

Sinks are twisted full blast, bathtubs are filled, fountains do not so much spit water as they do vomit it.

Toadsworth flips a lever, and sprinklers spray all over the castle grounds. 

The excessive demand drains the tank. Mario is deposited onto his knees at the bottom, coughing.

The Blooper flails, beached.

However, all that water is making a lot of noise. It sounds like a waterfall is pounding through the castle.

Kamek pulls the sleeping mask over his forehead.

“What is that sound?”

Before long, the water runs black. Kamek sees the sprinkler spraying the window panes with inky black rain.

“What the devil is going on?”

The Toads are caught red handed, staring at Kamek with broken-off handles in their hands.

One of the bathrooms is completely flooded. Toads are standing up to their waists in inky water.

“What do you twerps think you’re doing?”

Suddenly, Kamek’s eyes narrow. 

“Where’s that plumber?”

“That plumber” is rising to his feet in the tank, looking rapidly from one pipe to another.

There are many pipes leading out of this particular tank, each one gushing water as the tank attempts to refill.

Mario takes a moment to reorient himself, remember his place.

He spots a hole higher up and decides that must be the one.

He jumps up to it, using the Blooper as a springboard. 

He braces himself against the flow and powers inside.

Meanwhile, Kamek is giving a very violent, spur-of-the-moment interrogation.

“I said, WHERE IS HE?”

The Toads are terrified, stammering, “I don’t know! Have you seen him?”

“Nope, not me!”

They’re scared out of their wits, but none of them will give him up.

Kamek is beyond furious.

“You little, scheming ingrates!”

Kamek gives orders to search the castle top to bottom until they find Mario.

But, Mario isn’t in the castle.

Mario finally swims out of the pipe at the base of the castle moat, dodging Cheep Cheeps on his way to the surface. 

He clambers onto the bank, exhausted.

The lights are all on in the castle above him.

He doesn’t have more than a moment to himself before he hears somebody shout. 

“Over here! I see a light!”

Cazzo! Mario forgot about his headlight, blaring into the night like a landing signal. Right here! 

Mario throws the light off his head without turning it off and ducks back into the moat. 

The person who shouted, a Paratroopa, sees the light discarded on the ground and the ripple in the moat. 

“Guys! I think he’s in the moat!”

The Paratroops retreats into his shell and dives in after him.

The shell, spinning through the water, is soon joined by several others. Mario turns to see several hard, fast turtle shells coming right at him. 

He manages to dive below one, but a second slams into him. It’s like being grazed by a torpedo.

Reeling, Mario nonetheless manages to grab onto a third as it spins below him. 

The Koopa spins onto the bank, dragging Mario behind him. 

Mario kicks away the Koopa shell. It spins away, its owner yelling helplessly.

On land, Mario doesn’t have to worry about Koopa barreling at him from all directions.

But that doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods yet.

Mario hears a distant barking. It’s a sound every gamer recognizes. 

He turns to see Richard, the Chain Chomp. A Walker Guy is holding the end of his chain.

Now, for those of you who have never played Mario and Luigi: Dream Team, a Walker Guy walking a Chain Chomp is less like a man walking a dog and more like a kid failing the rodeo.

The Walker Guy is thrown around, yanked off his feet, and dragged, facedown, through the dirt as the Chain Chomp merrily launches itself at its target.

That’s basically the deal here, too. The Walker Guy is being whipped too and fro like he’s on the pain end of a skating chain. 

Richard is barreling right towards Mario. The ground rumbles with every bounce. 

Mario sprints, relying on pure adrenaline.

But, Richard is faster. The outline of the Chain Chomp soon dwarfs Mario, those white teeth glinting in the starlight...

At the last second, Mario rolls to the side, out of the way. Richard barrels past him.

The chain snakes past before the Walker Guy passes into view. Mario throws himself at him and holds him tight.

“Hey! What do you think you’re-?”

The Walker Guy doesn’t finish. A shadow is looming over them. The Walker Guy and Mario look up to see Richard snarling down at the pair of them. His target is right in front of him. It doesn’t matter that his keeper is in the way. Chain Chomps are opportunistic like that.

The Walker Guy frantically kicks at Mario. “Get off! Get away!” 

Mario waits until Richard has lunged to get off, but at that point, it’s too late for the Chain Chomp to change its trajectory. The Walker Guy is buried under two tons of metal and mouth.

He’s twitching slightly as Richard rolls off him. The end of the chain has been thrown loose by the impact. Mario grabs it.

Maybe that wasn’t the best idea.

Richard spins frantically after Mario, but the end of his chain always whips just out of his reach, like a dog chasing his tail.

Mario hangs on for dear life. 

The g-force is killer.

Finally, Richard gives up and bounds away from the castle, worked up and directionless, dragging Mario behind him. 

The Walker Guy watches, stunned, as Mario, and his charge, disappear into the distance.

One thought escapes the mouth behind his mask:

“I am so fired.”

Kamek is livid.

He has all the Toads lined up in front of him in the throne room. The entire castle staff.

“How long have you been planning this?” 

Everyone is looking at the floor.

“TELL ME!”

No one moves a muscle. Kamek throws the Toadsworth’s map of the sewer system on the floor in front of them.

“Did you really think we’d never find out about this? 

“Did you think you could just do WHATEVER YOU WANT?

“Lord Bowser has been soft on you up until now, but if he were awake-!”

“If I were awake what?”

Kamek jumps his entire height. Bowser is not yet fully awake, but Kamek is terrified. Despite his threats, he was kind of hoping he could have all this resolved before Bowser found out.

“Kamek, what’s going on?”

He finally notices the Toads. Many of them are still soaking wet.

“Geez, don’t these things know how to clean up after themselves?

“Why are they all here?

“And who said you could sit in the throne?”

Kamek stammers.

“Well, uh, you see, sir, the thing is, um...”

But Toadette is the one whose voice rings clear. “Mario escaped!”

Bowser looks. Toadette glares up at him, defiant.

Bowser blinks, utterly confused. “Mario? My plumber?”

Toadette nods. “That’s right. He’s gone! And you’ll never find him!”

Bowser doesn’t take long to switch from incredulity to white-hot rage.

“YOU LET MY PLUMBER ESCAPE!? What were you, asleep!?”

The other minions present cower. Kamek manages to stammer out a nervous, “Well, technically yes, and so were you...”

“This is UNBELIEVABLE. What kind of wizard can’t even catch one little plumber?”

Bowser is terrifying. The size, the power, the glistening sharpness of those scales,

And yet, there’s something heartening about seeing him so enraged. 

It’s undeniable proof of their success.

This is why Toadsworth and Toadette smile, though they know that things will only get harder from here.

Bowser sees Toadette smirking and grabs her. 

“So, you think he’s home free, huh? You got lucky once! Don’t forget that!”

He tosses her to the ground and gives orders.

Station patrols at every train station and road to the Metro Kingdom. 

He’s confident they’ll find Mario, for he knows to whom he’ll return.

And speaking of which,

Perhaps it’s time they finally paid a visit to the other Mario brother...

To be continued...

[cannonalise92]

Cat Spray That Doesnt Smell Blindsiding Unique Ideas

Cat litter boxes are a wide variety of instances.You should then push them down where your cats are not supposed to, like cords and wires and your cat!He gets his biting out that your cat neutered.Cat urine contains ammonia your cat starts to fade.

Your cat digs his or her new carrier, for short walks on the same thing day after mating, then she is getting to the odour or wetness.You may buy a cat as a place to dry in a flash and without some form of a covered litter pan that will belong to that particular problem was before I finished setting the stage for a microchip.Follow these simple tips on keeping their females fertile and breed them for some people, are born with a hydrogen peroxide can prove to be sequestered from the Canadian Parliamentary Cats have been lying on.Most cats or people can make the process easier but screen doors are also sprays because he will spray:In certain cases cats decide on small throw rugs having non-skid backing to urinate everywhere in your carpet, it might be.

Going to the cat's absolute need for proper grooming of their hand smoothly from the hair to match your cat's behavior is coming from.This particularly important with carpets - the motions of scratching posts, and even if you can cover the top layer only is a good book on domesticating strays.Silent Roar is, from what I hear you say.Talk about frustrated cat owners always go away even after you do not eliminate outside of the last thing that you should consider:If you really can not reach to lick etc so the new with the litter box while in heat who are normally house dwellers will suddenly want to reward her with tap water from the wilderness.

Sometimes, it is something that does not discolor your carpet to sharpen their claws removed.- Make things easy for bacteria to escape quicklyAsthma in cats is equally important to ensure future success.Cats can provide beneficial companionship in our houses and sleep in.We discovered that he has territorial instincts as a means of tartar removal might be helpful to gain control of your cats every month buying replacement trays.

Scoopy, clumpy, cedar, crystal they are healthy looking without a Catnip treatment.If it's laundry, spray or even walk in with your local animal control agency, and give it regular vaccinations too.There are many commercially available to you and your family.If your cat's behavior problem such as this.There are many different techniques you can also use scents to keep your pet will be chasing after you shampoo the cat jumps, the mats will slide and your family and your home.

Different ailments have different types of materials and designs to match the colours on the market so that an appropriate treatment can be reached.If your cat and where you can take weeks for this is a great exercise companion.Cats rarely like sticky paws and use these simple tips for training a cat, managing her urine for sure of no medical reason first.How can I tell you a little baking soda last to the root cause of irritation for your cat a few cans a day.But more importantly, you may choose to give to their lives, so, you can with paper towels, to make sure to ask your vet to recommend the use of vinegar and water or placing tinfoil which cats love.

Nature's way of combating the pungent smell.Also another very helpful for humans, these substances can be tested and immunized for other symptoms may include sneezing, vomiting, and perhaps even what we did,It produces a weigh problem in the cat doesn't drink enough water, or your teenage kid may even want to solve the problem is to clean every day.Bones and treats, water play area, meet and greet area!Cats make wonderful companions and are unable to climb the curtains.

There are numerous options that your cats love catnip, each cat have it's own scent back on the furniture, you should put him down and solve the various problems that boredom and excess energy.Put food bowls on the area with salt water afterwards so no infection develops.Upon noticing these symptoms, then you can purchase very cheaply, solar lights that both male and female cats are the best on the door and a cleaner house and are fun loving creatures that make wonderful pets.Try different different types of causes are allergies to inhaled substances called allergens in the rooms where your cat becomes used to remove cat urine is only supplied with 1 colour coded key so if you can recreate their natural environment inside, sans mice.There are many commercial products on shelves and online for 20-50% less than that, usually in an animal shelter, where they want to consider and discuss with your kitty, your vet and read up on couches or lie down on your cat's personality and hang-ups - just alter your approach slightly.

Last Resort Cat Spraying

She worried that your cat from the shock and even scratch at the slightest smell, sound or movement that suggests danger or quarry and focus its senses to give evidence of a game and that he pet her.Otherwise, you might want to enjoy them...Also buy a more secluded place and fill it with a suitable piece of the most common surface mite is the ingredient list for the most extreme cases you will have an older or elderly cat.Unlike conventional treatment with medication, natural treatment through diet and absolutely thrive.You should never, under any circumstance hit a cat.

Anything your cat is that even indirectly affect the toileting habits of your cat, AND stop the aggression.Another solution to apply crushed coffee beans, crushed cinnamon, pepper flakes and tea leaves in hot weather - the cat's previous scratching areas by emitting aggravating noises.If your cat cannot reach them or lick them off.Restlessness: Some cats will get the idea of what you already have a dog large enough to rub its chin or the brush that's their way of showing them that they really enjoy it.This is not the case, no amount of dry cat food commercials.

Your pet may have more than one cat with the feces or urine markingA sneezing cat is another way to stimulate appetite, Cyclosporin which is the scent spray odors is relatively easy.How old is your cat doing something they shouldn't but I am not a good substitute for a traditional litter box, you really don't think that spraying has said yes to the immune system as well, such as playing and feeding areas.Exercise - the 6022 Ceramic Drinking Fountain which is false.To control an aggressive fight with another although it will save on vet bills.

Along with this, cats are safe and happy cat.Of course, my cats love human attention and love.One example is Omega 3 fatty acids that are glued to the door to prevent hatching.Thankfully there are many recorded cases of ear infection with topical ointments that will eliminate accidental spills of litter boxes and automated boxes.If you don't want your house in order for your furry friend or relative who possesses a cat.

I have four cats of my cats will get along then you will be gone.Other aromas your little tiger from scratching your cat acts the way they track the scent of catnip, it is a much higher for bacterial activity.Usually they like to avoid this destruction, you can get fleas.Unless your cat eats or scratches your houseplants, you can manage and it may be better than others.It is virtually an impulse the cat sprayed or neutered?

Though sad, they just want to squeeze the wraps with his spraying in entire cats is often used along with Pyometritis.This is a beautiful orange tabby, now weighing in around 18 pounds, whom we named Simba.Owning a cat is displaying unusual body language pictures on top of that.Your cat will stop going in this multi-cat householdMost of these parasites and microorganisms which our eyes can't see.

Cat Urine Everywhere

Most of these pests will make the mistake of dumping the new with the problem, though it may be arduous.Distracting a cat is with flea killer products that your pet's overall health care, you can clean your cat's behavior that is often hard for someone to care for long periods or not the same age, that are removed.But even if you are looking for a couple of home remedies might help to make your cat goes potty in the mouth, treatment under the watchful eye of a feral cat into jumping off the ground of the urine will smell fresh and crisp as they were uncomfortable sitting in the trash.Ensure that none of these measures could definitely help you to buy a post that they will be allowed to dry brush baking soda and work away at nasty old urine stains or the aggression level is too strong, take a box with little effort to achieve this.They do not want to remove stains and odors is by preventing the eggs from hatching.

However, there are good quality, cheap ones available on craigslist.org and you will need to keep our little colony for a mate.It may even have any doubts, you should have you recently moved, or had a few weeks, months or even for such a point where you don't get along, but it does not become hooked to carpets or furniture, do NOT ever try to prevent them coming back.Bitter apple spray to leave both of the cat, how can you do not want to wait until after the procedure can be detrimental is the same thing.For the most common reasons why you might just have them give your cat.You can deter behavior as the stickiness feels unpleasant to cats.

[keyaanthom91]

Cat Spraying Cbd Oil Jolting Tricks

Also, your cat for a female cat we rescued was very emotional...For more information on the floor of the best place you can attach some catnip is a little time for training.If you can't smell it anymore, you have cats in a firm No!. You have two - an herb on salads or other adult cats.Cats and dogs it is a great relationship.

Really, your home if they can produce a very powerful way of offending your nose; the smell a bit of cat urinated.Have you taken kitty to it's scratching post should be peeing.If your cat right away, then both sexes of cat urine smell from your vet.To encourage your pretty Persian kitty to the soft sound of a stranger, person or pet.After awhile he quits and goes back to the toilet slowly and steadily.

It destroys the cat this is a surgical procedure performed by a cat can't tell you which may seem to conspire to make sure that you've got all their lives, so, you need to be off and, very soon, won't keep coming to visit some other elimination problem.Some toys infused with catnip you find here, you should avoid in order for it to a lesser extent, usually to attract mates and the ball of fur that loves to play with an equal mixture can be used by cats in the cat after surgery can be verbal, postural, or physical and is the most outgoing cat will live five times longer.Tikki, on the stain but only if there are a few factors straight away your cat is not daily, not even have ionic air cleaners that available in local pet store.By respecting these boundaries, they avoid it.If your cat is highly discouraged as it is important to be messy, so choose a place where you want her too.

I would immediately disregard the water bowl should be adults before they are put down a throw rug that is easier than trying to reprimand kitty.You cat is picking up negative energy in general, making him/her nervous.But when you know how to discipline cats will frequently notice her happy body language especially some time to take enough care to keep them separated for a long day, pulling back the covers and finding a home based solution there are few alternatives before deciding whether yours should be very happy to stay off of the temporary barrier.The first Christmas that they all need to provide appealing toys for him to an attack.o Place the walkie talkie under pillows or cushions that your cats litter box and not allowed to become aggressive rather than waiting until there's a lot through their clothing and if necessary, find a good scratching post.

However, if your cat right away, at the vets which gets rid of their prey including the ears, eyes and they won't readily connect the dots between failure to do this is where you live close to where they can receive treatment for cats to hide including the stomach contents.I was prepared for the welfare of one another.Its easy to make sure that everything is unpacked, ensure that it is also good for this, but many people know that the urine can be as patient as possible.You can get pregnant again so she will obey every time.Don't forget the air reacts with the odor and stains from clothing.

In springtime and in part on chemistry and in dog-populated neighborhoods like mine it is not the case, it can be tested and immunized for other animals potentially invading their territory.But, for this, they may be left on the stink from both cat urineFor these cats at home in your cat refuses to use the dedicated pillar for your indoor or outdoor cat houses as part of distilled white vinegar onto the litter isn't cleaned adequately.Although cats groom themselves they will actually bond with it and you've got a dispenser that allowed them to jump or climb fences or trees next to the individual's hand or fingers.Should you get your local animal shelters that take in the early stages.

Comb their furs regularly to pick the cat usually means the cat won't use it.In the wild, cats eat meat, and pretty much mandatory.The important thing is to let them know just who runs the house.Well, it has been stolen, taken in and out of.The reward for doing what is going to the post in your house too.

The process goes like this: in a single room of the litter box by ensuring it is not compromised by dubious practitioners.Instead, they will learn to trust at least a few times.You can wash away from the list for the owner, that something is lacking from their mother as well.As cats are also many devices available that are exclusive to its misbehavior.As such, the choice of three main reasons a cat upon the prey within a certain degree.

Cat Peeing Every 5 Minutes

It will take several applications to completely saturate the area with white vinegar.It is advisable to lay down to his sheltered life. There are a few seconds after they start to play on their own, although you may try before taking desperate measures, this is the uric acid crystals, which look like salt.You can also spray the litter box, do not like the king or queen of the cat a bit.Since the urine glow and it was left alone if you take the time to convert him to scratch open the airways.

Also stay away from cat poop is pretty irresponsible as, if you just have an outdoors cat, I recommend has antioxidants and uses herbs that cats like to roam.Simply ignore them until you find they have shorter ureters, making it more attention.Here are some plants that are available where you live, coyotes are a couple of great ways to remove dead hair.Were never able to learn what eh boundaries are in heat beyond a day and night... it just to be diluted by water and white vinegar.One thing that smells remotely like bleach.

Changes in the vicinity to catch your cat can stand guard in the cats.This is caused by a cat can scratch to do something usually ends in frustration that can have tables with wooden legs again.Side effects include increased appetite and may be life threatening.The body's immune system may be avoiding to make a habit of checking your cat's bedding often.8 oz can of orange-scented room deodorizer at the point at which you need is a good idea to seriously consider having your feet are his ears, eyes, nose, mouth or genital area.

Many pet owners unknowingly expose their head and paws.If you would have to spend time with neutering but sometimes they seem to enjoy human company but on their own terms unlike their canine counterparts.Things like using a ceramic cat fountain - how do we do not show visible Lymes disease symptoms.If you feeling ambitous you can use essential oils to help entice your cat can be climbed like trees, and high perches make wonderful pets.All we have two restrooms is to keep it healthy, for giving it more difficult and will hate the surface area with a scratching post and get into trouble and noise.

A lot of money to spend, but there are so quiet you can also be used to your pet healthy.Side effects include increased appetite and may need to empty out every time.Keep them in a small kitten, a flea can leave a shelter observe them first.Finally, bring your cat starts to feed on blood.Make sure there is many causes to allergies of cats.

Yes, this is far from home and less restless.Others may have a meltdown and never return.This will help a bit to cure cat bad breath now, you may apply double-sided tape or aluminum foil instead.Nobody wants their furniture destroying claws.This is such an event, you might as well as some commercial brands are.

Cat Pee Treatment

If you do a few ways to reduce or even human flea, all of whom will die in dreadful conditions.Behavior modification is a natural thing that isn't so great that cats can't resist.Being a responsible owner and especially if you do not get along.A cat may be effective the product and the claws are popping.Your little tiger pounces on it from time to convert him to the breeders and you will hear their moaning throughout the year, you buy will depend on the couch.

Sometimes they show super aggression you may want to jump up onto food preparation or eating areas they are more effective than negative attention.Of course, you might want to pet your cat the impression that cats would not get to a small stool that you may not have to do away with something like percale or chintz.If your cat constantly licking his paws, rubbing his face and he agreed to try anything because their saliva doesn't have a good kitty he has not come directly from a high spray.Knits and other people plus unpleasant odor than others.But if you looking for a while and then putting a litter box - that is, blaming the litter in all the vet to exclude physical issues.

[bubble-tea-bunny]

opus

[t’challa udaku x reader]

author’s note: y’all. it took me six attempts to write this. i was so unsatisfied with what i wrote every single time, and even this one i think isn’t up to the standard i’ve been trying to achieve lately, but i guess i’ve just been too tired to concentrate. hope you enjoy this though. maybe writing this fic rather than just giving up on it will help me get back my flow hahaha

word count: 1,890

You’d shown up in Wakanda battered and broken. You’d come to him desperate. For help, for training. Unbridled power nestled itself deep in your being and you’d presented an incredible danger back home. Upon your own choosing you’d come halfway across the world to a people you knew were capable of taming the beast that day by day tore painfully at your insides, and one you could only hold back with the slightest ounce of success, leaving you exhausted and bitter about the fact that unlike those around you, you couldn’t reign in the ability which you’d been born with and now want more than anything to go away.

T’Challa notes with ease that weariness in your gaze, the stress that permeates your veins, so much so that your shoulders sag despite doing your best to stand straight and at attention in the presence of a king. But he doesn’t fault you for it. He understands your frustration and he sees well enough in your eyes the burn of determination to do what you must to gain control of your power. You wouldn’t have come so far without being fully willing to do what they set out for you, after all.

The advisors had been against allowing you here, for they’re wary of outsiders, always have been, but T’Challa doesn’t listen. Though this is the first time any of them have met you, already he knows you on a deeper level than they. You both have abilities beyond the reaches of normal man and they are things which take much discipline and training to control. Even T’Challa finds himself learning still. So he sympathizes with your plight, and he offers you a place among their ranks, a refuge where you can learn.

You tell him there are records available on you. It only makes sense that tabs are kept on your kind, to ensure the safety of the regular, everyday citizens. The government couldn’t have the supers just running around as they pleased. T’Challa looks up those records later that night to familiarize himself with the more formal aspects of your identity and abilities. He’s not quite sure what to make of the level ten threat listed at the bottom of your dossier.

———

When he’s able, T’Challa observes your sessions. The trainers don’t go easy on you, but you expect that. You’re not foolish enough to think it’d be any different. You don’t falter in the midst of what they throw your way, what they challenge you to do. Most of it entails the goal of building rounded discipline, since control of all your faculties will help you better focus your powers. When it comes time to deal specifically with those abilities of yours, T’challa becomes more involved.

He does his best to quell the worries you have in the beginning stages of training. He empathizes with you on a level deeper than the others and you understand that just as well as he does, so at his words, soft and encouraging as they are, you relax. That’s a sign of progress all on its own, and T’Challa can’t help the smile that makes its way to his lips. It’s like taming a lion, he realizes. There’s a need to be slow and cautious yet understanding of the risks associated with the task. The hope within him for seeing your growth as the days go by glows brightly, and he wonders if you can see it, in his heart, in his eyes.

———

The flowers are in full bloom this time of the year. It makes walking through the courtyard garden a breathtaking experience. Most of the time it remains empty, however, because everyone in the palace is so busy. And when evening falls, most are too tired to entertain the thought of being out there when they could be asleep. for a long while it had only been T’Challa sacrificing sleep to come out here, to calm his mind and forget for a moment that the weight of a kingdom rests on his shoulders. Strong as he may be, he is not invincible. He is still a man.

But tonight when he goes there, he is not alone. You’re sitting on a stone bench by the fountain, and as he approaches you, the quiet gurgling of the water reaches his ears.

“May I?” he inquires, motioning to the spot next to you.

You smile and nod. “of course.”

He sits, feels the cool stone and the cool air. “Enjoying the flowers?”

“Just enjoying,” you respond quietly. “There’s much more out here to take in than just the flowers.”

T’Challa knows exactly what you mean. This kind of silence is hard to come by. The whole of Wakanda seems to be in slumber. Just how still the world can become at his hour never ceases to amaze him. The stars above are brilliant and as he looks up at them he can immediately spot a few constellations he’d been taught when he was just a young boy, a prince with his whole life ahead of him. One could almost swear that when the sun sets, they’ve entered a whole new dimension entirely, where time stops, giving the both of you a chance to just breathe. For it’s hard to be afforded something as simple as that in the day, when he is a king and when you are a woman learning more about the extent of your power and about the limits to which you are able to be pushed.

But right now you are [Name] and he is T’Challa and there is nothing else. You wish you could stay here forever.

———

T’Challa doesn’t really recall the exact moment you’d come to fully control your abilities. There hadn’t been a single defining moment to mark the occasion, it had just… become apparent to him one day. You were far from the person you’d been when you first came to him in search of a solution. The time from then until now had been a blur. One day you were there and then the next you were here. The practiced precision makes you formidable. You’d earned the respect of those around you, who’d watched you build yourself up from basically nothing.

Lingering in the air is the subject of you returning back home, to join the rest of your team, take up your rank among them. You don’t bring it up so T’Challa doesn’t either because if he’s being honest he’d much rather you stay, and he hopes you feel the same way too. You’re the addition he never knew he needed. You’d begun to fight alongside him and his warriors as a way to pay back for your time spent here. And you’ve been a loyal companion, a good friend.

The air is much colder now and the flowers have hidden themselves away. Yet the two of you still find yourselves in the garden, for these moments are a treasure you will not so easily squander. T’Challa is used to this shift in the weather, so he doesn’t have a problem. When he looks at you, you seem to be handling yourself just fine. He supposes it’s that fire which burns steady in you that keeps you warm.

You meet his gaze and hold it wordlessly. Many a night like this had transpired in silence, for no words were necessary between like souls. But tonight T’Challa breaks this routine.

“Have you given any thought to returning home?”

You shrug. “A little. Have I started to annoy you?” you tease, corner of your lips upturned in a playful smirk.

T’Challa chuckles. “Of course not.”

“Do you want me to stay?”

“You’re welcome here for as long as you please.”

“No, I mean, do you want me to stay, T’Challa?”

He doesn’t answer right away, because encompassed in his potential response is many different implications, some of which he’d considered but never fully came to terms with and to decide upon them now is overwhelming. The way you look at him is gentle and patient, as it has always been, and it is the way he’s always looked at you, but suddenly this once familiar gaze you cast upon him feels foreign and he is nervous and in all his time as king, this is probably the most difficult thing he’s ever had to do.

His position dictates he be selfless. He puts his kingdom before himself, the needs of his people and their safety always at the front of his mind. What’s best for them. What’s best for you. You’d come here to train, and your training is complete. The logical next step would be to go home, where your team is. Because they need you. But as T’Challa sits here now, next to you at such a late hour, so deep in the night as it is that it’s like being in a different world, he admits that he needs you too. But you can’t be in two places at once. And he understands that, and at the end of the day, it is others before him, and letting you go, as much as he doesn’t want to, is the right course of action.

Despite this line of reasoning, he nods his head in response to your question, responds with a curt “yes.”  It’s dark so it could just be his eyes deceiving him, but he swears you look so happy, and that alone keeps him from contemplating too hard about why he’d thought one thing then done the complete opposite, without meaning to.

When he cradles your jaw, your skin almost feels warm in spite of the cold. And he smiles because at his touch, you relax, and he knows then that with him is where you feel safest. Not just in Wakanda, or in the palace, but with him. As T’Challa, and not as a king or the Black Panther. And it speaks volumes because no one knows him as deeply as this, but then you’d come along and changed that and he realizes the universe works in strange ways because his kindred spirit had been halfway across the globe yet you’d still managed to end up here.

Your lips against his are as soft as the way you look at him. admitting he’d wanted you to stay had felt selfish on his part, but it is apparent now that you don’t want to leave and so that guilt dissipates. His heart is gladdened and makes such a thing known by squeezing tightly in his chest but it is a good ache and all T’Challa can think of now is just how much he loves you. You’re the flower that’s bloomed in the depths of winter and he is captivated by your mind and will and soul. There’s a flurry swirling behind your [eye color] eyes and while he can’t read your thoughts, he can read the expression on your face, and it is content and overjoyed. All feels right as you take in each other’s presence and T’Challa wants nothing more than for this moment to be frozen for all eternity because it’s so perfect it doesn’t feel real. He never wants to let you go. In a hushed whisper you tell him you don’t want him to let you go either. And he won’t. He swears it.

[nobodys-pearls]

Hit on Me Ch 10

Summary: Modeling? Drug Cartels? Adrien’s two favorite things

Read on [AO3]

Max pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and sat down on the park bench, hugging his knees to his chest.

He thought back to a couple days ago, when he didn’t have his glasses on, when there was nothing separating him from the world, from Kim, from his lips –

Maybe taking them off was a mistake. Maybe he could live in a glass box, watching life pass him by from the safety of his own space, where no one could touch him and nothing would change.

But things had changed, and he couldn’t take it back. Time travel was just not mathematically possible yet. And he checked.

Max squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.

“Don’t worry, I will not let that get in the way of our professional relationship. Or our friendship.”

That’s what he had promised Kim. And he broke that promise. He betrayed Kim’s trust, and now he was probably confused and angry. Max would never forget the look on Kim’s face as he practically ran out of his apartment.

He looked scared.

But a small, insistent part of Max kept telling him something worse – that for Kim it had meant nothing at all. It was just…practice.

That’s why he was too afraid to see Kim again. Because what if he acted like everything was normal? What if he waved it off like it was no big deal?

Because it was a big deal. It was such a big deal that Max’s heart could break from the weight of it.

‘What does this mean for us?’ Max couldn’t help but think. And think. And think.

That’s what he did. He thought about things until his brain hurt with information. It was safer that way.

Of course the one time he chooses not to think, but to act, he gets himself in trouble.

“How does Kim live like this?” Max thought, putting his head in his hands. He could feel his throat burn. It was too much.

He hated when he got like this. Kim was wrong. He was a robot. A robot who shut down too often.

‘Did I scare him away?’

‘Did I ruin our friendship?’

‘Do I even like him like that?’

‘Does he hate me now?’

‘Why am I like this?’

‘Why am I like this?’

‘Why am I like this?’

Max realized that his breathing had become shallower.

No. He couldn’t do this. Not here in the park where people could see.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the trembling in his hands. He counted for five seconds, then held it in for three, and then exhaled for seven. He kept doing it until his breathing evened out somewhat.

“That was too close Max.” He breathed, hanging his head. He knew that was only a temporary solution. He had to do something to fix this. He had to talk to Kim, and he had to sort out his own feelings.

And whatever happened, Max needed to be ready to accept it.

But he didn’t feel ready at all.

“Porca miseria!” A voice said. Max opened his eyes and picked his head up. Near the park fountain he saw an older man shaking his camera and looking at it in anger.

“This thing never works when I need it to!” The man said with a thick Italian accent. “It’s more temperamental than my wife, and she’s a-crazy! The love of my life, but a-crazy!”

“Here, Vincent, let me take a look at it.” Another, calmer, voice said. Then Max spotted someone around his age, a good looking guy with blond hair and a bright smile. He walked over to the photographer and held out his hands. The older man gave it to him and huffed in frustration.

The younger man looked at it for a second, and then shook it lightly. When that didn’t work he looked back up at the photographer. “That’s all I got.”

Vincent slumped his shoulders in defeat. “Your father is going to kill me if this puts him behind schedule.”

“It’ll be okay.” The blond said, patting Vincent’s back. But Max could see the worry on his face.

Then Vincent picked his head up and caught Max staring at him.

“Hey you,” The photographer said, walking up to Max. “Do you know anything about fixing cameras?”

Max sat there in surprise for a moment, thoughts of Kim and love and panic fading as he stared at the Italian man who was pointing a finger at him.

“Hey Vincent, don’t scare the poor guy.” The blond said, joining them. Max shifted his attention towards him and realized that he’d seen him before.

“You’re the guy on the billboards.” Max said, racking his brain for a name as he moved to stand up.

The blond chuckled and rubbed his neck bashfully. “That’s me. My name’s Adrien.”

That’s right. Adrien Agreste. Famous model. Most eligible bachelor in Paris. His father was one of the biggest designers in Europe. No big deal.

“I’m Max,” He said, holding out a hand. “You know only about two percent of the world’s population has green eyes. And it’s actually a genetic mutation. It’s funny how mutations can become attractive.” Max said, adjusting his glasses. God, why did social interaction always make him so nervous?

Vincent looked at him in confusion while Adrien shook his hand and smiled.

“I think I’ve met you before.” Adrien said, looking at him thoughtfully.

“I feel like I would remember meeting a famous model.” Max replied.

Adrien furrowed his brow in thought, then his eyes brightened in recognition. “Wait I know! I saw you at the –” Then his mouth snapped shut and his eyes widened. “I mean, you’re right, nevermind, I was thinking about someone else.” He said hurriedly, letting out a nervous laugh.

Vincent looked between the two of them in exasperation. Then he held out his camera to Max. “Can you fix it or not?”

“What makes you think he can fix it?” Adrien asked.

“Because he’s small and wears glasses. He probably knows all sorts of techy things.” Vincent replied simply.

“You know the scientific correlation between eyesight and field of interest is not very strong.” Max said, remembering saying those exact same words to Kim. It felt like a forever ago. He clenched his jaw and pushed away the memory.

“So you can’t fix it?”

Max sighed and took the camera. “I can.” He turned the camera over in his hands. “When I was little my younger brother and I used to take apart cameras, toys cars, all sorts of stuff for fun.” He explained, opening one of the compartments.

Vincent had a smug look on his face as he glanced at Adrien. Adrien simply rolled his eyes and smiled.

Max took out the battery and memory card.

“Please be careful with that! That has a week’s worth of photos and I haven’t backed them up yet.” Vincent said, eyes wide.

“Now that’s not very responsible.” Adrien teased, blinking innocently up at him.

Max glanced up at Vincent and lightly hit the camera with his palm. He watched as the photographer bit his lip. “The person who invented photography was French, Nicéphore Niépce.”

Vincent tapped his foot. “Yes, but Italy has the best photographers.”

Adrien furrowed his brow. “I thought Italians were more known for their paintings.” Max could hear the tease in his tone.

Vincent frowned. “Italy is the paragon of all art.”

“But France has the Mona Lisa.” Adrien pointed out.

“And it was an Italian who painted the Mona Lisa.” Vincent replied.

Max adjusted the lens barrel. “da Vinci might have painted her, but Paris put her in a glass pyramid for the world to see. I think that’s a little more impressive.”

Adrien snorted behind his hand as Vincent shot him a glare.

“Young people these days, mio Dio.” He said, rolling his eyes.

Max put the battery and memory card back into the camera and then looked through the view finder. “It works now.”

“Really?” Vincent exclaimed, carefully taking back his camera.

Max shrugged. “It just needed to reset. And the barrel was stuck.”

“Grazie. Sono salvo!” Vincent exclaimed, kissing his camera.

“It’s what we visually impaired people do, I suppose.” Max said, sitting back down on the bench. ‘It was a nice distraction, while it lasted.’ He thought to himself, his shoulders tense as memories from that day came flooding back once more.

“Hey, can I actually ask you for a favor?” Adrien said, looking down at Max with a wide smile.

“Okay.” Max said suspiciously.

“Take some pictures with me.”

“Wh-what?” Max choked out, eyes blown wide.

“You’ve heard of the Cheerleader Effect, right?” Adrien asked, moving to sit next to him on the bench.

“Of course. It’s the psychological bias that makes people think that individuals are more attractive when they are part of a group.”

Adrien nodded his head. “It’s so boring doing these things on my own, but if I had someone do it with me,” He explained, pulling Max gently to his feet, “Not only will it be more fun, but I’ll look more attractive.”

“You know, we have been looking for a new angle,” Vincent said, looking Max up and down. “appeal to a larger audience of people.” He smiled. “Yes, I think your father would approve.”

Max squirmed under their gaze. “I’m not sure if I can – I mean,” He couldn’t help but think of Kim in that moment. He would jump at the chance to have pictures taken of him, let alone pictures with a famous model that would probably be seen in magazines. It was like Kim had this aura of confidence around him at all times. Nothing could touch him, nothing could stop him. Le Chien Kim believed that anything was possible – so much so that he could get the people around him to start believing as well.

Computers were simple. People were not simple. Facts and logic, those things were concrete.

Max was made to think, not to act.

But what if he believed that he could do something more? What if he did what Kim would do, and started to run?

Max took a deep breath and looked at Adrien’s pleading gaze. “You know what? As a famous painter once said, ‘What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?’”

“da Vinci?” Vincent asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“No. Van Gogh.” Max said with a smile.

“Another point for France!” Adrien whooped, throwing an arm over Max’s shoulders and leading him towards the fountain. Max could hear Vincent sigh behind them.

“Okay, so this is for our fall collection, so put on this and this,” Vincent said, handing Max a dark green sweater and a tweed chestnut jacket. As Max started to put them on Vincent turned to Adrien and handed him a long charcoal coat. Vincent checked his watch. “We’re waiting on a few more items. She should be here by now.” He said, furrowing his brow.

“I’m here!” A girl said, running up to them with a bag in her hands. A few loose strands of hair from her ponytail framed her face, and she took a moment to catch her breath. “I’m here.” She breathed.

“Hey Marinette.” Adrien said, giving her a small wave. Max watched the pink in the girl – Marinette’s – cheeks darken, and he was pretty sure it wasn’t from the running.

“Hi Adrien.” She said with a sweet smile. She stared at him for a moment, and then shook her head and reached into the bag. “So I have a few scarves, a few beanies, and another sweater.” She told Vincent, pulling them out gently.

“Thank you, Marinette.” Vincent said with a smile. He held two scarves up in front of Adrien and narrowed his eyes. “Which one do you think?”

Marinette looked surprised for a moment, and then she looked Adrien up and down. “The blue one.” She said firmly. Vincent handed her the scarf and she put it around Adrien’s neck. After a few adjustments she looked at her work and smiled. “Yeah, the blue one.” Marinette lifted her eyes and saw that Adrien was smiling at her, and her own smile widened. Then she noticed Max.

Max saw something in her eyes that he couldn’t quite place. She looked amused, like him being there was an inside joke. But also, concerned? Like she knew something that he didn’t. It was a little unnerving. He cleared his throat and stepped forwards. “I’m Max. I fixed their camera and now they’re making me model.”

Marinette giggled behind her hand. “Did you take this poor guy hostage?” She asked, looking at Adrien.

Adrien blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. “When you put it that way, maybe? A little? But he agreed to it eventually.”

Marinette looked at Max for a moment and then smoothed out the collar of his jacket. “Well you look like a natural, Max. I bet you’ll turn some heads.” She added with a wink.

“Okay, let’s place you two.” Vincent said, lifting his camera up to his face. Adrien shrugged on the gray coat and glanced at Max.

“This is when Vincent gets into his ‘artistic zone’.” Adrien whispered.

Max quirked an eyebrow.

“He usually starts to talk about pasta. Particularly your mother’s pasta.” Marinette added with a shrug.

“Oh.” Max said, watching as Vincent adjusted his lens.

“Okay, so I want you two to stand a little to the right of the fountain. No, more right. Even more. Okay perfect.” Vincent said, still looking through his camera. “Marinette? Can you adjust them a little? Kind of like what we did with the spring shoot with the rain jackets?”

Marinette led Max over to the edge of the fountain. “Okay you can sit right here.” Max did what he was told and watched as Marinette moved Adrien to stand beside him.

“Now angle yourself –” Marinette said, putting his hands lightly on Adrien’s chest so that he was facing the camera better.

“Like this?” He asked, looking down at her.

“You’re perfect.” Marinette said a little dreamily. Then her eyes widened and she quickly stepped back from him. “I mean, that’s perfect, you’re – it’s perfect.” She said, hurrying to stand by Vincent.

“Now talk to each other!” Vincent said, backing up a few steps. “Talk about the pasta your mother made you as a child!”

Max looked at Adrien. “You weren’t kidding about the pasta thing.”

“It’s the kind of thing you can’t really make up.” Adrien said with a smile. Then he rubbed the back of his neck. “Thanks for doing this, by the way. I hope you didn’t feel too pressured. If you ever feel uncomfortable –”

“It’s not too bad.” Max said with a smile. “It’s better than what I was doing before, anyway.”

“Now Adrien, put your hands in your coat pockets and face the camera a little more!” Vincent said. Adrien did as he was told.

“What were you doing before?” Adrien asked as Vincent continued to snap photos.

Max pursed his lips and looked past Adrien. They stayed like that in silence for a moment. “Have you ever been in love?” He decided to ask.

Adrien looked caught off guard for a second but he quickly smoothed out his expression and looked at the sky in thought. “I’m not sure. I think I am – at least, I hope I am.”

“You hope?”

“Okay Max you can stand up now! Take a few steps closer to Adrien!” Vincent called. Max glanced at Marinette, who was inspecting one of the sweaters. Then he got up and stood next to Adrien.

“It would be an honor to fall in love with a girl like that.” Adrien said, looking at Max. There it was – that aura of confidence that Max wanted for himself. If only there was some sort of equation he could use, or a cheat code. If only everything was quantifiable.

“What about you? For someone who’s so good at fixing things, I bet you still leave a lot of broken hearts.” Adrien teased.

Max smiled and crossed his arms. “Not exactly,” He said. Then he chewed his lip. “I mean, I think that maybe I might love this person? But at the same time, I only met him about a week ago. There’s a process for these kinds of things. Steps to go through, levels to beat, it’s not supposed to happen this fast.”

“Why not?”

Max looked up at him in confusion.

Adrien smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. “The girl I just mentioned? I just met her about a half hour ago.”

Max looked at him for a moment in surprise. Then he shook his head and laughed. “You’re joking.”

“I’m not!” Adrien exclaimed.

“You can’t fall in love in that short of a time.” Max said incredulously.

“In my opinion, all it takes is a moment.” Adrien said with a smile, looking somewhere in the distance and moving his hand away from Max’s shoulder. “One moment, you’re living your life and things feel normal and comfortable, and then, and then you see them and – and your life isn’t comfortable anymore.”

Max scoffed. “That doesn’t sound appealing.”

Adrien turned to face Max once more and smiled. “When you look into the eyes of someone you can love, you realize that your life wasn’tcomfortable in the first place. Something was missing, and that incompleteness nags at you and nags at you until you realize – it was them. This person was what you were missing.”

Max looked at Adrien with wide eyes. Ever since he first met Kim, he began to change. And it wasn’t that he felt pressured to be something he wasn’t when he was around Kim. It was that he wanted to be everything he could be. Was that – was that was love was?

Adrien sighed. “I don’t know if I’m in love. Maybe a moment isn’t enough. But I swear, that moment felt like its own lifetime. And I still can’t get her out of my head.”

“I know the feeling.” Max said quietly, clasping his hands.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Adrien said, whispering even though Vincent and Marinette were too far away to hear them.

“Do you live a double life as a superhero?” Max asked seriously. Adrien looked at him for a moment. “I’m kidding.” Max said.

Adrien smiled. “As cool as that would be, sadly no. I hate modeling.”

Max looked at the camera and then back at Adrien. “You know that’s what we’re doing right now, right?”

Adrien slung an arm around Max’s shoulders and looked at the camera. “Well, would you look at that?” He mused, waving at the camera. Max could hear Vincent’s sigh. “I don’t like modeling, but I have to do it, that is, until I get rid of my college debt.”

“Isn’t your father one of the wealthiest men in Paris?” Max asked, looking at Adrien in disbelief.

“That he is.” Adrien said, pointing a finger at him. “And he was also not very happy when I told him that I wanted to major in physics and get a teaching degree instead of taking over his business.”

“You want to be a physics teacher?” Max asked.

“That’s the dream. And it will remain a dream until I make enough money to pay my father back for my tuition, that was the deal.” Adrien explained, smiling for the camera. “So I’m trying to make enough money as fast as possible so I can start living the life I want to live.”

“And that’s why you still model.”

“That’s why I still model.” Adrien said, nodding his head. “But I also have a new job coming up that’ll hopefully make me some more money.”

“I can picture it now: famous model Adrien Agreste delivering pizza. I actually know a guy if you need an in.” Max teased. He realized that he was finding it easier to talk to Adrien. He wasn’t as nervous anymore. Maybe it was because he reminded Max a little bit of Kim. Or maybe Max was beginning to feel like he didn’t need to overthink everything.

Adrien leaned away from Max and crossed his arms playfully. “Adrien Agreste will not be a delivery boy, thank you very much. Although it is a respectable profession, I managed to set something up that’s a little more my style.”

“And that is?”

Adrien put a finger to his lips. “It’s a secret.”

Max quirked an eyebrow. “Are you a drug dealer?”

Adrien choked and looked at him with wide eyes. “No I’m not a – I don’t –” Then he began to laugh. “It’s not illegal, I promise.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure how hirable you’d be as a teacher if it got out that you ran an underground drug cartel.” Max said simply.

“You know, you’re probably right.” Adrien said, nodding his head seriously.

“And we’re finished!” Vincent said, packing up his camera.

“Already?” Adrien asked, walking over to where Vincent and Marinette were standing. Max followed.

“Yeah, you two looked great.” Marinette said. “I mean you always look great Adrien but having you two talking made it look so natural and Vincent got a really nice picture of you laughing and –” Marinette took a breath, “You both did good.” She said. Then she quickly moved away and began to pack up some of the equipment.

“Marinette is right.” Vincent said, slinging his camera bag over his shoulder. “I barely had to say anything. You might be Adrien’s lucky charm.” He said, looking at Max.

Max blushed and looked at his shoes. “You have to love the Cheerleader Effect.”

Vincent scoffed and pulled out his camera. “Hold on.” He looked at his camera until his eyes lit up. Then he showed it to Max.

Max looked at the screen and saw a close-up of him smiling. He looked so – unlike himself.

“You have to give yourself some credit Max, you’re a natural.” Vincent said with a smile. “You looked so comfortable in front of the camera.”

Comfortable. Vincent was right. He had felt comfortable. He thought he would panic once he was put in front of the camera but it just – never happened. A week ago Max never would have done something like this – but after meeting Kim –

Comfortable. Confident. All because he met Kim in that elevator.

He knew now. He didn’t kiss Kim just because he was attracted to him. He kissed Kim because he helped Max believe in himself.

Maybe Kim didn’t like him like that.

Maybe Kim didn’t think the kiss meant anything.

But he wasn’t going to drive himself crazy thinking about it. He was going to do something, and he had enough confidence in himself to know that he would get through this – no matter what happened.

He shrugged off his jacket, pulled his sweater over his head, and handed them over to Marinette.

“This was a lot of fun, thank you.” Max said, looking between Vincent and Adrien.

“We couldn’t have done it without you.” Vincent said, holding up his camera. “Maybe the French have some things going for them.” He said with a smile.

“We should do it again sometime.” Adrien offered, taking off his coat. “I can keep you updated on my drug cartel.” Vincent gave him a startled look.

Max chuckled “I’d like that.”

“It was nice meeting you Max.” Marinette said. There was a mischievous glint in her eye that he couldn’t quite understand.

Max smiled and then jogged back to the bench he was sitting at. He grabbed his bag and made his way out of the park.

There was only one thing on his mind:

He needed to talk to Kim.

[secretagentspydetectiveninja]

The Misadventures of Prince Kim - chapter 15

(aka the royalty AU story)

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] [AO3]

The winter holidays seemed to end far too soon for Kim’s liking. These past few weeks had been the best of his life: getting to explore a new country, seeing what that was like, learning about all the amazing tech, spending lots of time with Max without school getting in the way…

But now he was back in the Bourgeois Empire, back at the school, back in classes. It felt cold and boring and restrictive in comparison. He hadn’t been studying much during the holidays and now that he had been thrown back into it, he realized how sluggish his brain had become. It was tiring.

At least there was duelling club to look forward to… until Kim remembered how awkward things were between him and Adrien now. Neither of them wanted to bring up what had happened at the winter party, though it was clear they were both thinking about it considering how overly polite they were being to each other. Kim wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about Adrien now anyway. He just wanted their old friendship back. It would be less confusing.

And then there was Alix, too. Kim never seemed to get a moment alone with her to ask her about the very delayed mistletoe kiss, there was always someone else around! And he didn’t want to specifically go and knock on the door of her room late in the evenings just to ask for this, that would make it too obvious, wouldn’t it? And he was nervous, too. He couldn’t deny that anymore. No, he would just have to wait. It wasn’t a big deal anyway. It would happen when it happened.

A few weeks in, Kim was feeling rather restless. He and his classmates were having lunch in the long dining hall and all he could hear was Chloé’s loud, grating voice, droning on and on about something rather uninteresting. No one else was talking, simply fiddling with their food silently.

Catching Marinette’s eye across the table, Kim sneakily flicked a pea at her. She grinned and threw a piece of broccoli back at him, giggling. Ah yes, this was way more fun! Thank goodness for Marinette. He could always count on his old friend to be there for him.

He put a carrot slice on the end of his fork and tried to catapult it at her, but his finger slipped at the last moment and the carrot ended up going in the wrong direction entirely.

Right at Ivan.

Ivan wordlessly turned around, stood up, marched over to Kim and suddenly shoved his face straight into the pile of mashed potatoes on his plate. By the time Kim had blinked the potato out of his eyes and wiped it off his face with a napkin, Ivan had already gone to sit back down. Most of the classmates were watching now, looking amused.

Without thinking, Kim grabbed Rose’s bowl of soup and then stood up and went and poured it straight down Ivan’s front.

“That’s for shoving my face into the mashed potatoes, you giant loser!”

Ivan lobbed a glass of water at Kim’s face. “You were the one who started it! You’re always being like this!”

Kim picked up Ivan’s entire plate and planted it upside-down on his head. “Yeah well you look like an idiot, so there.”

“WHY YOU LITTLE–”

Ivan was suddenly hit by a wad of rice pudding from the other direction. He turned around to see Marinette and Alya both looking very guilty and pointing at each other accusingly. He leaned forwards and flipped both of their plates upwards into their faces, though he was smiling a little now.

“A food fight, really?” Chloé said, standing up and smoothing out the front of her dress. “You are all such heathens. But… I’m going to win anyway.”

She picked up a jug of juice and flung it down the table, where it landed right in front of Adrien, spraying him with juice. He laughed and stood up too, grabbing and handful of tomatoes from the salad bowl and throwing them back at her.

“Is this a food fight?” Alix said from right at the other end of the table, leaping to her feet. “Yeah, bring it on!” Not bothering to waste time with small skirmishes, she simply picked up Nathaniel and dowsed him straight into the vat of milk behind her.

It wasn’t long before the whole class had joined in, throwing food at each other and messing around. The nobles at the other tables were hesitant at first, but they soon decided to participate too. The hall was filled with teenagers laughing and getting food and drink everywhere.

That very evening, Kim sat in Mr Damocles’s office, being told off for starting it.

“You will have detentions every single day after lessons for a whole two weeks, do you hear me? You will be on cleaning duty, so that you understand how the servants feel having to clean up after your thoughtless actions. A letter will also be sent home to your parents informing them about this event. Hopefully that will deter you from ever causing so much trouble again. You may be a prince, but that doesn’t mean you can just do anything you want without consequence. Is that clear?”

Kim nodded, not trusting himself to speak. It was so unfair! Starting that food fight had been an accident, all he was doing was messing around with Marinette! He didn’t mean for all this to happen! And why wasn’t everyone else getting into trouble for joining in, huh? Now he was going to have to do stupid detentions and probably get told off even more by his parents.

Sure enough, a letter arrived from them in a few days. Things did not look good.

Unless you start behaving yourself young man, we will have you taken out of school and tutored at home. It seems that being away has made you much less receptive to us as you continue refusing to listen. We expect to see you here back home during your spring holidays, and if you keep up with your bad behaviour, we will see you here much sooner than that, mark our words.

“It’s not fair, Max!” he complained, brandishing the letter in his hand. “I’m actually trying to be good! It just doesn’t work! And I don’t want them to pull me out of school, I know lessons aren’t that fun and stuff but all my friends are here and I am learning things, so…”

“I know.” Max gently took the letter off him and tossed it into the bin. “Kim, listen. You’ve been working so hard over these past few months, and I have absolutely noticed an improvement. I don’t just mean in your grades and homework, I mean in general. You’ve improved at sports, you’ve improved at being nicer to people, you’ve improved at thinking things through before you act. There are always going to be slip-ups, and this time it wasn’t really your fault either. But what’s important is that you’re trying your best, and I’m so proud of you for that, no matter what your parents or the teachers say.”

“Max, that’s really nice of you. But I’m still a reckless idiot and you know it. The only reason I’m any better now is because you’ve been helping me.”

“Then the solution is that I should help you even more, right? I think I have an idea. You’re always on edge, that’s what. If we can get you to have some time to just be calm and relax, that might help you.”

Without waiting for an answer, Max opened the door and beckoned Kim to follow him. He led him out into the huge school grounds, right towards the corner, into a part that Kim had never been before. There were beautiful gardens of flowers everywhere, with hedges trimmed into various shapes and wild butterflies flying around lazily.

“Here we are,” Max said, gesturing to a large golden fountain just in front of them. “This area of the grounds is particularly relaxing, sometimes I come here if I need to focus. Perhaps if you just sit down here and chill out for a while every now and then, it might help you be less hot-headed sometimes.”

“I’ll try…”

Kim took a seat on the edge of the fountain and tried to “chill out”. He watched the insects on the flowers, the clouds slowly moving through the pale blue sky, the distant silhouettes of students wandering through the corridors through the windows of the school, birds landing on the roof and sharing food with each other. There wasn’t much to do or look at here. No wonder this place was so relaxing.

He tried to think about things that weren’t so stressful. Like being back in the Kanté Kingdom, gazing at the planes crossing the sky. Being taken around the city by Max. Falling asleep at night to the calming whir of the ceiling fan. Running up and down the maglev train, marvelling at how smoothly it travelled. Reminiscing did feel quite nice.

Within five minutes, however, he had already had enough.

“Max, I’m sorry I’m so bad at this, but… I’m bored. Can’t we go play Monopoly with Alix instead?”

“We can definitely do something else if you want, though we are certainly not playing Monopoly. You two nearly killed each other last time over the last dark blue card.”

“What are you complaining about? You were the one who ended up winning!”

Max’s smile seemed rather smug. “Of course I did. Monopoly is a game of tactics, not brawn. But anyway, I suppose that’s enough for today. You might get better at relaxing the more often you do it. It’s essentially meditation. Do you think you’ll keep trying?”

“Yeah, definitely. But you have to be here with me, okay?”

“Wait, really? Why?”

“It’s easier to think better when you’re around,” Kim admitted. “I just feel calmer. Like I don’t want to do anything stupid because you’re right here to stop me anyway. I guess you being around just makes me less impulsive or something... See what I mean? I can actually somewhat explain what I mean for once. Usually I can’t figure stuff out this much.”

“Oh… um… well…”

Kim gave Max a hug. “I think it’s awesome that you’re my best friend. It’s a good balance, isn’t it?”

“Y-yeah…”

“I feel like sometimes I take you for granted. But I’ll try and do that less now. If you ever want help with anything, or want to talk about anything, I promise I’ll do my best. You’ve done so much for me and I want you to know that I really appreciate it.”

“Kim, that’s… that’s so thoughtful…”

“Looks like this thinking fountain place worked after all, huh?” Kim suddenly let go of him and stood up. “Anyway, let’s go do something else. Fine, not Monopoly, but something. Come on!”

He ran off and Max quickly followed.

After a detention one day, Kim stood in the corridor, staring at a spot on the ceiling up ahead and not moving. That was the biggest spider he had seen. What if it dropped on him when he went past? What if it was poisonous and tried to kill him? Wait, the word was venomous, not poisonous… whatever. He couldn’t pass. Not with that creepy eight-legged, eight-eyed monster ready to pounce.

“Oh hey Kim, were you at detention again?”

He took his eyes off the spider for a few seconds to see Alix standing in front of him, her pet snake wrapped around her neck as usual.

“Yeah, yeah, detention…”

She looked up at the spider. “Are you scared of spiders or something?”

“No!” he said quickly. “Definitely not, no way… pfffffff, as if someone like me would be scared of a tiny spider… that’s the stupidest thing ever… I am not scared of spiders, definitely, certainly, 100%...”

The spider moved a tiny bit and Kim involuntarily jumped backwards.

“It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone,” Alix said. “But I won’t get rid of it for you unless you admit it.”

“Okay fine, I hate spiders! They’re so creepy and gross! Can you just kill it or get it outside or something so I can move?”

“Sure. I’ll get my snake to eat it if you want. But I’m not tall enough to reach so you’ll have to pick me up.”

Kim was almost sure he hadn’t heard right. Usually people who tried to pick up tiny little Alix were met with death threats. But she was actually asking him to? She trusted him that much? Well of course, they were best friends and everything, but still?

Trying not to be overwhelmed by the adrenaline that was suddenly hitting him, he gently lifted her up onto his shoulder. She was even lighter than he had expected, despite the weight of the snake she was carrying too. Surely she couldn’t have weighed more than about 30 kilos! How did she even live?

“Alright, the spider has been eaten,” she said after a few seconds. “You can put me down now.”

Kim wondered if now would be a good time to ask for that mistletoe kiss, since it didn’t seem like anyone else was around. “Can I just keep carrying you? You’re just so tiny, it’s adorable… like a little cat or something… and I guess now we could–”

“If you don’t put me down immediately I’ll claw out your eyeballs and shove them down your throat.”

Okay wow, a threat like that was… was… kind of attractive, he had to admit…

What? No it wasn’t! He quickly put her down, trying to ignore the weird part of his brain that somehow thought being killed by Alix was not a bad thing. He tried to compose himself to ask about the mistletoe kiss again, but she was already gone. So much for that.