#you do not understand the vice grip this show had over me. in my formative years.

[shokogast]

[paul voice] WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME

[yanderenightmare]

idk if you write for naoya but i have an idea...maybe darling is like maki but actually weak and naoya bullies and takes advantage of them?

love your work btw!! <3

JJK ! IMAGINE

Zenin Naoya x maid ! darling

TW: yandere, mentions of abuse, bullying

Proposal Gift

Sharp hazel eyes follow you in your innocence, narrowing while he judges – concluding once again, as he’d done before, that there really isn’t a single cursed bone in you – only a humble body of warm squeezable flesh and a heart he bets is all too easy to break.

You’ve always been like that. Quick to smile and quick to cry. A bundle of emotions unfit to be raised in such a ruthless clan.

He’s a few years older than you and remembers well what a weak constitution you’ve always had. Anyone could see it, and everyone knew it from the moment you were born – you were never going to amount to much.

He used to find your weakness quite disgusting – used to push your face into the gravel until snot and tears would wet the dirt in a pitiful puddle – with his foot pressed down between your shoulder blades – sometimes until hearing a pop and shriek loud enough to echo off the walls. With words cutting even deeper – telling you what a curse you were, born so weak and so useless – a stain on the great Zenin name.

But now that you’ve grown up, he bites his tongue – silently watching with a strange type of lusty entitlement forming in his gut…

He’s only been away on a mission for a handful of months – who’d have known he’d come back to see you grown into something so… precious.

You’re the prettiest out of the maids – the cutest one too, and undoubtedly the sweetest as well. Walking about the garden where you have most of your chores – watering plants in the sun and picking herbs for healing. You’re quiet and graceful, taking slow steps in your plank shoes that knock softly on the tiles where you peacefully wade through the maze in a pretty flower-patterned yukata.

You look nothing like the snot-nosed brat he’d left in the dirt. You have a swell of breasts now and a feminine face wiped clean of soot – painted with pretty red on your lips and fresh blue on your eyes.

You’re a lady now.

And while your weakness used to disgust him, he’s now realizing what a blessing it is instead. Smirking the more he glares at you – now sitting on a bench in the shade doing some hand stitching, knowing no ill will – he understands he’s quite lucky you turned out such a fragile little thing.

“Naoya-sama-” You spluttered, eyes widening into big round glass orbs.

Jumping to your feet, you nearly threw your needlework down on the bench before folding your fingers together and bowing – much lower than necessary – with a rush that could only be excused with fear.

You hadn’t known he was back yet and felt the surprise like a vice grip wrapped tight around your throat.

Swallowing thickly, you made your excuse while maintaining your bow, praying he’d show you mercy. “Pardon my lack of awareness- I was absorbed in my chores, you see- please forgive me-”

He folded his hands within his pants and raised his chin with a smirk at your spluttering, licking his teeth in enjoyment at your pretty display of courtesy. Eyeing you for a long moment before speaking, mainly to watch you begin to tremble in the wait – cutely dreading the bite of his punishment.

But punishing you wasn't what he was interested in at the moment.

“You’re not in maid robes.” He said instead, ignoring your previous stuttering. His face, jaded with a tone just as callous, aided by that weighty air of authority he always has surrounding him – the one that never fails to make your skin feel raw in the cold.

“Oh-” You fumbled, halting at his lack of anger – wary of the unexpected behavior as it was pretty odd for him not to jump at the opportunity to punish someone like you if and when the chance presented itself.

Though, it wasn’t yet decided he wouldn’t do just that – the way his steely and strangling presence nearly knocked you over with its vicious intensity alone – staring you down sharply with that otherwise smooth hazel.

In return, you had your doe-eyes yielding and down-cast, eying your fabrics with a bite to your lip – trying to keep your voice from shivering while uttering the next line, heat in your cheeks while at it. “These are- uhm- proposal gifts I’ve been asked to wear.”

He snorted at that, and you flinched at the abrasive sound – eyes shifty while eyeing the ground, lowering your head some more, looking down at the paint on your toenails instead.

“From whom?” He asked a beat later.

Your brows pinched at his curiosity and how awfully unlike him it was. Naoya-sama had never struck you as the type to make trivial conversation, especially with the likes of you. 

“I’m- uhm- not exactly sure…” You confessed, twiddling your fingers. “You see, Father doesn’t want to confuse me- after all… it’ll be his decision in the end, anyway.” 

You kept your head bowed while explaining, feeling awkward before him. Trying to think of a time when he’d paid any type of regard to you or your life – remembering none.

“B- but my marital status must be of no interest to you, Naoya-sama.” You blurted then, finding it to be a rather strange matter to discuss with him of all people.

But all the man responded with was a slight hum, keeping his gaze on you and the way you timidly glanced up at him only to look away when seeing him stare back. 

Ears burning, you chewed and sucked your lip under his glare, thinking of how badly you’d witness him beating other maids – having needed to treat many a cut and gash and bruise and broken bone he’d left on bodies much smaller than himself – not to mention the ones on your own frail self he’d given you in your youth. 

“Please excuse my arrogance-” Your memory prompted you to gush. “Doing anything but welcome you home from your mission is rude of me- I heard you lead our clan into many victories- you must be very proud.”

You decided to try you r luck charming him instead, hoping it could sway him from the urge to hurt you.

“Or maybe it doesn’t come as a surprise anymore. You’ve always been rather strong, after all.” You continued but choked on it only a second later – spurring with yet another apology on your lips. “That was thoughtless of me to say- you should feel proud either way- please forgive me for my stupid words, Naoya-sama- I fear the heat has gone to my head and made a complete airhead out of me…”

But despite the obvious hints of regret and panic in your draining face, the man gave no indication of even having heard what you’d said until offering your ramble another rather unusually relaxed response.

“It’s true.” He agreed – much to your surprise, where you’d braced your face for a backhand and your stomach for a gut punch. “It’s become boring.” 

You dared glance up at him through the lashes of your bow – only to see his face still as expressionless as always – a type of stone-cold that made the hairs at your nape rise.

“Still… you must be tired from the trip, if not the mission” You softly started in spite of it – hoping to end the conversation soon. “You shouldn’t stay out here in the sun for too long…” You tried, praying he couldn’t see straight through your intentions. “And- uhm- I should really hurry along- help prep supper for you and your soldiers with the other maids.” You excused, once again bowing your head, waiting for his nod of dismissal – ever relieved when he gave it.

You swallowed your tremors, feeling lightheaded and dizzy while offering up whatever type of smile you could muster.

“It was good seeing you, Naoya-sama.” You lied. “Welcome home.”

You bowed yet again, dismissing yourself before turning and leaving him.

He kept his eyes fixed on you despite it. Observing the distressed spring in your step and how it disturbed the former peace you walked the gardens with earlier. 

A smile inched up his face watching it.

You look very nice in his proposal gift.

He looks forward to having you in his bed.

tip-jar: Kofi

[warningsine]

Living online means never quite understanding what’s happening to you at a given moment. Why these search results? Why this product recommendation? There is a feeling—often warranted, sometimes conspiracy-minded—that we are constantly manipulated by platforms and websites.

So-called dark patterns, deceptive bits of web design that can trick people into certain choices online, make it harder to unsubscribe from a scammy or unwanted newsletter; they nudge us into purchases. Algorithms optimized for engagement shape what we see on social media and can goad us into participation by showing us things that are likely to provoke strong emotional responses. But although we know that all of this is happening in aggregate, it’s hard to know specifically how large technology companies exert their influence over our lives.

This week, Wired published a story by the former FTC attorney Megan Gray that illustrates the dynamic in a nutshell. The op-ed argued that Google alters user searches to include more lucrative keywords. For example, Google is said to surreptitiously replace a query for “children’s clothing” with “NIKOLAI-brand kidswear” on the back end in order to direct users to lucrative shopping links on the results page. It’s an alarming allegation, and Ned Adriance, a spokesperson for Google, told me that it’s “flat-out false.” Gray, who is also a former vice president of the Google Search competitor DuckDuckGo, had seemingly misinterpreted a chart that was briefly presented during the company’s ongoing U.S. et al v. Google trial, in which the company is defending itself against charges that it violated federal antitrust law. (That chart, according to Adriance, represents a “phrase match” feature that the company uses for its ads product; “Google does not delete queries and replace them with ones that monetize better as the opinion piece suggests, and the organic results you see in Search are not affected by our ads systems,” he said.)

Gray told me, “I stand by my larger point—the Google Search team and Google ad team worked together to secretly boost commercial queries, which triggered more ads and thus revenue. Google isn’t contesting this, as far as I know.” In a statement, Chelsea Russo, another Google spokesperson, reiterated that the company’s products do not work this way and cited testimony from Google VP Jerry Dischler that “the organic team does not take data from the ads team in order to affect its ranking and affect its result.” Wired did not respond to a request for comment. Last night, the publication removed the story from its website, noting that it does not meet Wired’s editorial standards.

It’s hard to know what to make of these competing statements. Gray’s specific facts may be wrong, but the broader concerns about Google’s business—that it makes monetization decisions that could lead the product to feel less useful or enjoyable—form the heart of the government’s case against the company. None of this is easy to untangle in plain English—in fact, that’s the whole point of the trial. For most of us, evidence about Big Tech’s products tends to be anecdotal or fuzzy—more vibes-based than factual. Google may not be altering billions of queries in the manner that the Wired story suggests, but the company is constantly tweaking and ranking what we see, while injecting ads and proprietary widgets into our feed, thereby altering our experience. And so we end up saying that Google Search is less useful now or that shopping on Amazon has gotten worse. These tools are so embedded in our lives that we feel acutely that something is off, even if we can’t put our finger on the technical problem.

That’s changing. In the past month, thanks to a series of antitrust actions on behalf of the federal government, hard evidence of the ways that Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are wielding their influence is trickling out. Google’s trial is under way, and while the tech giant is trying to keep testimony locked down, the past four weeks have helped illustrate—via internal company documents and slide decks like the one cited by Wired—how Google has used its war chest to broker deals and dominate the search market. Perhaps the specifics of Gray’s essay were off, but we have learned, for instance, how company executives considered adjusting Google’s products to lead to more “monetizable queries.” And just last week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon alleging anticompetitive practices. (Amazon has called the suit “misguided.”)

Filings related to that suit have delivered a staggering revelation concerning a secretive Amazon algorithm code-named Project Nessie. The particulars of Nessie were heavily redacted in the public complaint, but this week The Wall Street Journal revealed details of the program. According to the unredacted complaint, a copy of which I have also viewed, Nessie—which is no longer in use—monitored industry prices of specific goods to determine whether competitors were algorithmically matching Amazon’s prices. In the event that competitors were, Nessie would exploit this by systematically raising prices on goods across Amazon, encouraging its competitors to follow suit. Amazon, via the algorithm, knew that it would be able to charge more on its own site, because it didn’t have to worry about being undercut elsewhere, thereby making the broader online shopping experience worse for everyone. An Amazon spokesperson told the Journal that the FTC is mischaracterizing the tool, and suggested that Nessie was a way to monitor competitor pricing and keep price-matching algorithms from dropping prices to unsustainable levels (the company did not respond to my request for comment).

In the FTC’s telling, Project Nessie demonstrates the sheer scope of Amazon’s power in online markets. The project arguably amounted to a form of unilateral price fixing, where Amazon essentially goaded its competitors into acting like cartel members without even knowing they’d done so—all while raising prices on consumers. It’s an astonishing form of influence, powered by behind-the-scenes technology.

The government will need to prove whether this type of algorithmic influence is illegal. But even putting legality aside, Project Nessie is a sterling example of the way that Big Tech has supercharged capitalistic tendencies and manipulated markets in unnatural and opaque ways. It demonstrates the muscle that a company can throw around when it has consolidated its position in a given sector. The complaint alleges that Amazon’s reach and logistics capabilities force third-party sellers to offer products on Amazon and for lower prices than other retailers. Once it captured a significant share of the retail market, Amazon was allegedly able to use algorithmic tools such as Nessie to drive prices up for specific products, boosting revenues and manipulating competitors.

Reading about Project Nessie, I was surprised to feel a sense of relief. In recent years, customer-satisfaction ratings have dipped among Amazon shoppers who have cited delivery disruptions, an explosion of third-party sellers, and poor-quality products as reasons for frustration. In my own life and among friends and relatives, there has been a growing feeling that shopping on the platform has become a slog, with fewer deals and far more junk to sift through. Again, these feelings tend to occupy vibe territory: Amazon’s bigness seems stifling or grating in ways that aren’t always easy to explain. But Nessie offers a partial explanation for this frustration, as do revelations about Google’s various product adjustments. We have the sense that we’re being manipulated because, well, we are. It’s a bit like feeling vaguely sick, going to the doctor, and receiving a blood-test result confirming that, yes, the malaise you experienced is actually an iron deficiency. It is the catharsis of, at long last, receiving a diagnosis.

This is the true power of the surge in anti-monopoly litigation. (According to experts in the field, September was “the most extraordinary month they have ever seen in antitrust.”) Whether or not any of these lawsuits results in corporate breakups or lasting change, they are, effectively, an MRI of our sprawling digital economy—a forensic look at what these larger-than-life technology companies are really doing, and how they are exerting their influence and causing damage. It is confirmation that what so many of us have felt—that the platforms dictating our online experiences are behaving unnaturally and manipulatively—is not merely a paranoid delusion, but the effect of an asymmetrical relationship between the giants of scale and us, the users.

In recent years, it’s been harder to love the internet, a miracle of connectivity that feels ever more bloated, stagnant, commercialized, and junkified. We are just now starting to understand the specifics of this transformation—the true influence of Silicon Valley’s vise grip on our lives. It turns out that the slow rot we might feel isn’t just in our heads, after all.

[carbo-ships]

Chapter XXXVIII

Beginning: Chapter I Previous: Chapter XXXVII

"There was a voicemail waiting for me when we got off stage," Papa informed Ardis and the ghouls. Much to her embarrassment, Swiss had somehow managed to share her little secret with each and every one of the band members by the time they had boarded the bus that night after the show. There was no longer any point in being discreet about it. They were all in the upstairs lounge – Aether had a vice grip on the angel, ensuring that she stayed firmly in his lap rather than let her shyness create any unnecessary space between them. "The sisters found the answer they were looking for."

That smug grin had never left Aether's face. "Is that so?" he purred. The other ghouls stifled their laughter for Ardis's sake. She looked mortified.

Papa gave Aether an amused smile. "They had a bit of trouble finding it, to be honest. They'd been looking for manuscripts about angels, but couldn't see any mention of it. But then they found an old text on ghouls."

Aether's smile faltered. He looked surprised. "Ghouls?"

"Quintessence ghouls, specifically," Papa said, holding back a chuckle.

The other ghouls shared confused looks. "What is it, then?" Swiss asked.

"It's a bit complex, but in short, it's a signifier of his... oh what's the best way to explain this..." Papa mumbled. "Yes, Aether's devotion to her."

Aether's eyes went wide. " My devotion?" he exclaimed in disbelief. Ardis looked at Papa curiously, finally meeting his gaze.

"I'm afraid so," he chuckled. "You see, Aether, it seems that your control over quintessence may have caused you to, well, subconsciously influence Ardis's."

The ghoul felt his cheeks warm. "I– What do you mean?" He didn't like where this was going.

Papa gave him a sympathetic smile. "As you know, quintessence permeates everything – that includes our little angel," he explained. "So, according to the texts, if a quintessence ghoul forms a strong enough bond with someone, it can cause the other person's quintessence to manifest a physical representation of that devotion."

"I– But–" Aether was speechless. The other ghouls had begun to giggle and whisper among themselves. He finally found his tongue, although his voice was weak and nervous. “ I did this?"

"Not intentionally, but yes," Papa confirmed simply. "That was you."

Oh. Aether's face was burning. It wasn't that Ardis was head-over-heels for him. They'd had it the wrong way around. He finally dared to look at Ardis, whose expression was unreadable.

"It should begin to fade when you two spend a bit of time apart again," Papa assured the angel. "Think of it like a tan. It's likely to be rather dark by the end of the tour, provided that he keeps fawning over you like he has been."

"So this showed up because..." A bashful grin was slowly creeping onto her face. "Because Aether likes me?"

"Because Aether loves you," Papa corrected her with a chuckle.

A little giggle escaped her lips as her wings fluttered with delight. She was beaming. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The other ghouls' laughter began to fill the room. They rarely got to see Aether this embarrassed, and it was a treat they would savor. All the gloating he'd done over the past thirty-six hours had come back to bite him. Ardis turned her attention back to her boyfriend, who was suddenly desperate to avoid her gaze. Grinning, she pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek. "I love you, too," she said with a smile.

He grumbled something under his breath and shifted her so that he could hide his face in the crook of her neck. That only made his friends laugh louder. "I'm sorry, Ardis," he mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. "You know I wouldn't mark you like that on purpose. Especially not without your permission."

"I know, don't worry," she assured him, lovingly carding her fingers through his dark hair. "You must understand how flattering this is, though," she teased, mimicking the words he'd said to her only a few short hours ago.

With a huff, Aether suddenly stood with Ardis securely in his arms. She let out a little yelp of surprise which quickly morphed into laughter. He stormed out of the lounge, carrying Ardis down the narrow staircase to the bottom floor of the bus. Their friends' teasing calls echoed after them, but Aether ignored them. He slammed himself down into one of the seats against the wall and held her ever closer in his lap, burying his face in her hair. He was mortified, and the last thing he wanted was for his bandmates to see him like this. He just wanted Ardis – although perhaps even more than he'd been willing to admit to himself. Papa's words swirled in his mind. His powers had reached out for her essence and clung to it so desperately that it left a mark. And then of course he had to go and gloat about it... He sighed to himself.

"Aether?" Her voice interrupted his racing thoughts and he looked up at her. She seemed worried. "Are you okay?"

" Ti amo molto ," he said with a frown and a lovestruck sigh.

Ardis didn't know much Italian, but she was able to guess what that meant. She giggled. "I know." She began to gently pepper his face in little kisses, which finally managed to coax a smile out of him.

"Again, I'm... I'm sorry about everything I said," he apologized nervously. "I shouldn't have gotten so carried away. I just..."

"It's okay. I certainly understand now how you were feeling," she said, grinning widely. "Why, knowing that you're hopelessly enamored with me–"

"Ardis," he groaned.

"What?" she laughed. "You had your turn, now I get mine." It was unbecoming of an angel to tease him like this, but she deserved it – at least for a day or two. The thought of the mark now made her smile. His devotion to you . She was practically giddy. Knowing that Aether felt just as strongly for her as she did for him, and that it wasn't confined to the other desires he'd expressed a few days ago, made her heart soar. "Although I'm surprised nobody knew your powers could do something like that," she mused. "You'd think someone at the ministry would have encountered that before. Even if not with you, then with one of your predecessors."

"I think you're underestimating just how rare our bond is," he sighed. "It really isn't in our nature to form attachments like this. Most of us are devoted to our cause, our Papa, our pack... little else."

"Ah, so I should be especially flattered, then," she giggled.

Aether rolled his eyes. "That wasn't what I was getting at, but... Yes, I suppose you might as well be."

She smiled at him warmly. "Angels don't really do this sort of thing either, you know," she said.

He chuckled. "No, I can't imagine they do."

"I'm more than happy to make an exception for you, though," Ardis teased.

He gently took her chin in his hand as he leaned in for a kiss. "Likewise."

[liviyiuu]

‘ love me again ’

↬ synopsis: you and kaeya broke up some time ago, but when you become 'friends with benefits' and he knows he’s still in love with you, how does he handle it?

↬ ft: kaeya

↬ genre: angst ; modern au

↬ warnings: angst ; implied sex ; friends with benefits ; suggestive ; gn!reader

↬ notes: based off one of my most fav songs ever 'heartbeat' - childish gambino ; IDK IF I LIKE THIS UGH

Kaeya isn’t stupid. He’s as painfully aware of the facts as one can possibly be - that fact being, he’s still in love with you.

Your breakup was brutal. Harsh words that neither of you meant were exchanged, voices raising higher and higher as the screaming match grew more heated. He knew his words cut deep, he could see it in your eyes, but he knows you know yours did too.

You ignore him; he ignores you. Though even with the distance, he’s unable to get you out of his head. The guilt of your last argument has a vice grip on his heart and he can’t help but ask those stupid questions: Had you been eating? Sleeping? Do you still think of him too?

It’s over. He’s sure of it when he over hears your friends talking about your new boyfriend.

So when he wakes up and you’re next to him, skin bare and blood red hickeys littering your form his eyes practically pop out of his head. He can barely even process the situation by the time you’ve woken up, a variety of emotions passing your expression: horror, fear, sadness, anger - and something else that he can’t quite pinpoint.

Before he has the chance to say anything, not that he knows what to say, you’ve shot up from the bed, a string of apologies leaving your mouth.

What are you apologizing for?

As you leave, he’s left dumbstruck under the sheets, wondering what the fuck just happened.

The next day, he hears you and your boyfriend have broken up.

Impulsively he sends a text, asking how you’re holding up. And then another that asks if you want to meet up and allow him to comfort you.

'Okay.' is the answer he receives. His heart is racing, and life suddenly seems to be a lot brighter.

Of course, it doesn’t end with talking and he wakes up again next to you in all your glory. This time, you don’t run. He thinks it’s progress.

He now holds the title of 'friend with benefit', kind of without the friend though, you just seem to text him whenever you want stress relief.

He now has a silver of hope, which he clings to desperately, so sure that the relationship will change and go back to the way it was.

Until you get another boyfriend.

All communication stops. And after he really thought the relationship was mending.

Months go by and still nothing. He tries so hard to move on, meeting new people and hooking up. Nothing works though.

He’s almost given up until he gets a message,

'It’s not fair.'

From the time he’s spent with you, he knows this is code for 'he’s not here'. And like a moth to flame, he stupidly shows up at your door. Tears are cascading down your cheeks and his heart breaks. For some reason he can’t fathom he leans in and whispers sweet nothing in your ears to soothe you.

He knows it's fucked up, but he can’t help but feel happy when you say your boyfriend dumped you through choked sobs. He strokes your hair and presses feather-light kisses to your forehead.

Without warning, you smash your lips on his and he understands he’s crossed a line. You aren’t together anymore, shows of affection were forbidden. He’s dragged off to your bedroom, hands roaming your body between heated kisses.

This time, you wake first. Your eyes are fixated on him, him who sleeps peacefully by your side as if none of what happened matters. Your fingers brush his face and he stirs slightly, only for the soft snores to resume.

Silently, you slip out of the bed and immediately miss the warmth of being in his arms. You find a pen and paper and begin to write a note. When finished, you kiss his palm and leave it there before leaving the house. You don’t want to be there when he reads it.

It’s an hour later when he finally awakens, and finds the note in his hand.

Kaeya isn’t stupid. He’s as painfully aware of the facts as one can possibly be - except this one of course, because why on earth does the note read,

‘Do you still love me as I do you?’

[ryukatters]

lil nsfw here but bf!armin is definitely type of guy who leaves bite marks all over ur body especially ur ass and acts surprised when you finally noticed them lmfao (i’ve this has been in my head rent free)

He’s SOOOO— 😭

Armin is known to be calm and collected most of the time, and he thinks he manages his emotions pretty well. Whenever he’s around you, however, he’s overwhelmed with emotions and it makes him mad lmfao. He just feels so much for you that it drives him just a little insane. And he’s usually so good with words, but you just have a way of frying his brain and making him speechless. So forgive him he’s just trying to get back at you :/ 

You have a grip on him and he tries so hard not to let you know that in fear of inflating your ego lmfao

You tend to get caught up in the heat of the moment, so you don’t even notice (or mind, at the time at least) when he bites you.

If Armin has anything, it’s the audacity to act surprised when you barge into his room berating him about leaving marks for everyone to see. 

“Armin,” you start, voice tight. 

“Yes, love?” he says, voice dripping with honey.

You grit your teeth. Maybe Armin can manage to deceive others with his sweet and innocent facade, but you can see right through his bullshit. If you didn’t know any better, you would think he had two red horns poking through his blond locks. 

“‘Yes, love?’“ you do an awful impersonation, lowering your voice to mimic his. “Don’t act innocent with me, Arlert. You know what you did.”

Armin has the gall to raise his eyebrows in surprise, mouth gaping to form a little ‘o’. 

“You’re going to have to be more specific, honey,” he tuts, “‘cuz I’m kind of lost here.”

You have to resist the urge to walk on right up to him, grab him by the shoulders and rattle him until his eyes cross. You opt to take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of your nose. 

“You know,” you start, “I was having a really great day. I checked the weather, saw it was gonna be warm, so I decided to dress cute and wear shorts. Got out and got coffee— ran into Sasha and Mikasa on the way.” Your feet pad across the jute rug in Armin’s room that was always kept impeccably clean— just another reason to add on to your annoyance. You stop just a few steps shy of your boyfriend who’s sitting comfortably on his bed.  “They asked me to get lunch, so we met up with Connie and Eren. Everything’s all good, right?”

“Sure,” Armin says lightly. 

You feel your eye twitch involuntarily. Did he not understand the problem here? “Yeah, well it was,” you snap. “Until I decided to get up to use the restroom, and Eren points out that I have a bunch of fucking hickeys up my shorts!!”

His expression is unreadable, and for once, your boyfriend has nothing to say.

“So I’ve been walking around campus with these things on display for half of the day,” stretching your leg out and flexing it to show him the small bruises that litter the inside of your thighs,  “and it’s. all. your. fault.”

“Love, I’m sorry—” he tries. In all reality, Armin stopped paying attention the moment you bursted into his room. The fire in your eyes from your passionate tirade both scared him and turned him on at the same time.  He knew what he was signing up for last night, and he knew exactly how this entire thing would play out. He’s calculated every single possible variation of this event, with no room for error. 

And now, with the way you practically have yourself on display, exhibiting the vast array of purple and red hues he’s painted in between your thighs— it has his mind growing hazy. He catches himself, tries to snap himself back to reality, but alas. The grip you have on him is like a vice— impossible to escape. He feels the heat rise up the nape of his neck; he can’t tell if it’s because he’s annoyed with how easily you turn him on or the fact that he is very much turned on right now. Either way, he feels the need to make you pay for your transgressions. 

“Sorry? I embarrass myself for half of the town to see and all you have to say is sorry?” 

He wraps his arms around your waist, pulling you closer to where he’s sitting at the edge of his bed, in between his legs. He squeezes you, cheek resting against your tummy. He’s lucky that you’re unable to see the grin that slowly forms on his face. He’s got you exactly where he wants you. 

“I really am sorry, love.” Armin places a chaste kiss right above your navel, and he can feel you stiffen, almost like you know what’s about to happen. How adorable. He wraps his arms even tighter around you, just to make sure you can’t leave. He looks up at you, blue eyes wide and innocent— and you almost want to believe he actually is sorry for the whole incident. 

His hands snake from around your waist and make quick work at the button on your shorts, “So let me make it up to you, yeah?”

[seiyasabi]

A Farmer Boy’s Crush

(This is a Yandere Ushijima x Female Reader story! I’m sorry in advance, because I think this man is scary ;(( Also, there will be no part two of this, and I’m sorry if it sucks lol.

TW: !Noncon!, Stalker Ushi!, Size kink!, Cumflation!, Spanking!, Dacryphilia?, Choking!, Breeding Kink!, Cockwarming, Threatening behaviour!, etc.. 

Please proceed with caution!)

“I’m sorry, Ushijima-san, but I’m not interested in you. I’m focusing on my career, so I don’t have time for a relationship.”

It started when you were in highschool. 

The volleyball player confessed to you on Valentines Day, equipped with handmade chocolates and roses from his Mother’s garden. At the time, you had no interest in boys. You were way too focused on your future career, viewing a significant other as a distraction. Ushijima, to his credit, didn’t lose his temper when you turned him down. He nodded, silently stalking off to the gym, his posture perfectly straight. 

You’d brushed the entire event off, feeling guilty for turning him down so nonchalantly, but also standing your ground. The large man has a harem of girls, and you were sure he’d find a girlfriend that would treat him right. 

But, what you didn’t know, was that all he wanted was you. He could never go for another girl, because you’re one of a kind. 

He loves how you pick weeds out of the pavement, loves how you help old people bring their groceries to their car, loves how you’re YOU. 

So, in his spare time (aka, when he’s not playing volleyball), he watches you. He’d followed you home one day, and he spotted you through your curtainless window. 

That’s how it started; watching. 

But watching wasn’t enough.

Soon, he’d break into your home, snagging a worn t-shirt or panties, a chapstick on your desk, a polaroid you recently took, etc.. Once in his possession, he’d stalk off home at a leisure pace. Ushijima would then place the item in the shrine in his closet, relishing the new item in his collection. 

This went on for years, up until today. Today, he’d had enough. He’d heard from your friends on campus that you’d scored a date with a boy named ‘Kane,’ causing the large man to drive like a mad man in the direction of your home. 

Seeing you from your room’s curtainless window, his nose flares in anger. You’re in a cute cherry patterned dress, (applying makeup/doing your skincare routine) in your vanity table’s mirror. 

Stomping up your concrete front stairs, he grabs the hidden key in your potted plant outside, and slips inside. Wakatoshi makes his way up your house’s steps, creeping towards your closed door. He can hear music playing, most likely from your phone, and can see your shadow moving from underneath your door. 

Grasping your metal door handle, he steps inside your air freshener infused room. His presence startles you, and he can’t help but feel pleasure at the look of shock on your face. 

“Ushijima-san? What the hell are you doing-?” His large hand grips your throat, dragging you to your lilac coloured sheets. The olive haired man forces you onto your mattress, large body stradling your smaller form. Your weak attempt at freeing yourself is heartwarming, your spluttering and hits seem kitten-like. 

“Why would you go to someone else?” You try to respond, but are unable to, his ministrations not allowing you to breathe. Noticing this, he releases his vice-like grip, merely hovering his calloused hand over your throat. 

“What-” Your voice cracks, causing you to clear your throat, as tears drip down your pretty face, “What are you talking about? Why are you in my house?” 

He ignores your questions, steely gaze glaring down at you, “Kane cannot provide for you. I have a stable income, he does not. I have my own home, he does not. He has no redeemable qualities. I cannot understand why you would wish to date him, when I am already in the picture.”

You start to sob pathetically, not understanding why your scary ex-classmate is assaulting you verbally and physically, “Ushijima, I don’t understand what you’re talking about! I haven’t spoken to you for years-”

His grip around your throat tightens once more, as he speaks through gritted teeth, “We may not have spoken, but I’ve kept a close eye on you. What happened to you ‘focusing on your career?’ You were such a good, hardworking girl until this point, but now you’re suddenly whoring yourself out to an unimpressive boy. Let me show you who you belong to, (Your Name), because it seems that you’ve forgotten.”

 Smacking at his muscular arms, you try to struggle out of his grip. Wakatoshi’s thick fingers tug at the zipper on the side of your dress, slipping it open with ease. He slides the thin straps off of your shoulders, forcing the straps up over your hands, and sliding the entire garment off of you. You’re left in your unmatching strapless bra and panties. He hums in delight at the sight; this must mean that you weren’t going to open your legs for that boy. 

“You look beautiful,” He releases his grip just enough for you to breathe with ease, before ragdolling you over his muscular thigh. Your cute ass is on display to the olive haired man, his warm palm ghosting over the fat, “It’s a shame that I must put you in your place.”

Without warning, he slams his hand down, all whilst his free one covers your mouth. A scream rips from your throat, only to be muffled by your ex-classmate. Raising his previously used hand, he spanks you once more, the skin on your ass feeling like it’s on fire. 

“I’m going to spank you twenty-five times, don’t try to struggle. If you do, I’ll increase it to fifty,” All you can do is sob in response, causing the large man to continue his assault. The ex-volleyball player doesn’t hold back in the slightest, bruising your ass down to the muscle. By the time he’s finished, your entire body is shaking, face slick with snot and tears. Ushijima can’t help but grow hard at your pain fueled expression. You’re just too cute, “Good. Now, let me reward you for your behaviour.”

You shake your head no, muffled pleas of ‘stop’ just barely heard. Your ex-classmate refuses to acknowledge your words, instead pulling your bruising ass against his hard cock. He unbuttons his trousers, pulling out his long, thick cock. It slaps against your bare stomach, as Ushijima shucks your panties and bra off of your body, exposing you fully to him. Removing his hand from your mouth, you’re finally able to speak as he gropes the fat of your tits, “Please stop! Don’t do this! I’m sorry that I refused you in highschool! Why don’t we go on a date right now? I-if we do that, then we can wait-” 

“Shh, there’s no need to panic. We can go to dinner after this; I’ve waited too long for this,” Long fingers reach down to play with your clit, rubbing and squeezing the bundle of nerves with two fingers. His ring finger dips into your opening, forcing your dry walls open. 

“Ushijima, please-”

“Call me Wakatoshi. We’re dating, afterall,” forcing his finger in and out whilst rubbing your clit, making your walls slick without your consent. 

“Wakatoshi-” He removes his finger from inside of you, before quickly replacing it with the tip of his red, precum slicked cock. Without warning, he slips inside, spearing you open painfully. A loud yelp leaves your lips, as more tears drip down your face, “Take it out! Take it out! It hurts so bad!” 

He relishes the way your slightly moistened walls knead him, practically sucking him in. He rubs your clit with quick, small circles, trying to help you accommodate his size. This, in turn, allows his wrist to lay against your tummy, feeling the way your tummy distends with his cock. 

“You’re so tight. I always knew you were perfect for me,” He starts to bounce you on his prick, making it feel like your pussy was being ripped from your body. A small scream leaves your lips at the feeling, only for you to be silenced by a heated kiss. Waka’s body curls into your own, forcing you further onto his cock, and making it even harder for you to get off of him. 

He bucks up into you like a mad man, fucking you on his length at top speed. The pain you previously felt slowly turns into pleasure, as the pressure on your clit increases. A few small moans escape your mouth into his, as he swallows them whole. 

Wakatoshi lightly smacks your clit, making your eyes roll to the back of your head in pleasure. He releases you from the kiss, choosing instead to suck hickies onto your lolling neck. He grunts at the feeling of you tightening with an oncoming orgasm, as he rubs your clit as hard and fast as he can. 

“Cum for me, cum right now. Let your womb swallow my seed, (Your Name), it’s clear that you need my baby to set you straight,” More tears drip down your face as you try to stop yourself from cumming. 

“No! I don’t want a baby!” Waka doesn’t respond, only slapping your clit one last time. A strangled scream erupts from your throat, as you squirt all over him and your light coloured sheets. The force almost knocks him out of you, but he presses you down completely on his cock, allowing him to cum directly against your unprotected cervix. 

Your body shakes with your sobs as you wrap yourself with your arms, and you try to get off of him. Wakatoshi wraps you in a constricting hug, keeping you completely enveloped by his large frame. 

“You’re such a good girl for me, (Your Name). Now, let’s get you home, you clearly can’t be independent. Just rely on me, and I’ll keep you well fed and happy.”

You shake your head no, trying to escape his arms, but it’s no use. He’s so much bigger and stronger than you, making it virtually impossible for you to escape. 

Grabbing your blanket, he wraps you with it, before standing to his feet. His cock is still inside of you, as he walks out of your house, and towards his parked Kei truck. He opens the door, and slips inside, you still cockwarming him. He sets a hand on your distended, cumfilled belly, and sighs in content. 

“Everything will be alright. Let’s get back to the farm, and I’ll make you a nutritious meal. After all, you need to be strong for our growing baby.” 

[kuroliondragon]

I will protect you! (Epel Felmier x Reader)

A student from heartslabyul has his eyes on you. Even through you have told him that you can’t return his feelings, he keeps on advancing on you. Epel who has watched the whole ordeal over and over again decided that enough is enough and makes up a plan to keep your annoying admirer away.

Warnings: platonic

“I will be so happy if you just went out with me!” The heartslabyul student exclaimed as he nervously shook your hands.

An awkward smile appeared on your face as he confessed his feelings for you. This was not the first time he had done some sort of declaration of his undying love for you. You had told him several times that you couldn't and you wouldn't date him and he still persisted that he wanted you. You had zero interest dealing with that guy, but it’s not like you could snap at him to leave. So, you tried to smile it off, “I’m sorry, I have plans.”

The student frowned in disappointment. He gripped your hands pulling you as close to him as possible, “It’s very important for me.”

With a small yelp, you almost crashed to his chest. There was when your still friendly smile changed into a serious expression as you tried pushing him slightly away, “I understand. But I simply cannot return your feelings. I’m sorry.” You tried your best to negotiate.

The heartslabyul student held you tighter as he clenched his teeth, “Please, pretty pretty please-“

“They said they don’t want to. Now either disappear or I will make you.” A pissed off voice sounded out from behind the student.

You tilted your head at the unexpected interference, to find Epel cross-handed while standing a breath away from the student, fuming with anger. The moment the heartslabyul student glanced behind him and found Epel's annoyed face, he immediately let go of your hands and quickly retreated to the other way of the hallway towards the Mirror Chamber.

“Thank you for that.” You sighed in relief once the student was out of sight.

Epel placed an arm behind your shoulder bringing you closer to him, giving you a thriving grin, “You know I will do anything for you.” He looked towards the direction the student had run to, “Besides…” his blue eyes narrowed, sparks of wrath forming in them, “He starts to seriously piss me off.”

“Epel…” a displeased voice sounded.

You and Epel slowly turned to face the owner of that voice praying that you would pass off his radar without hearing his strict comments. “Did I not tell you that such behavior is prohibited for a Pomefiore student? Where are your manners?!"

“Vil…” both of you mumbled while shallowing in fear.

Before Vil could say any further scolding comments, Epel immediately let go of your shoulder and faced his dorm leader. "You don't understand! Vil, that heartslabyul student was harassing (Y/n). I could not let him go unpunished!" he protested.

The pomefiore dorm leader looked at your friend rather questionably. His eyes wondered around the hallway area searching for that so called troublemaking heartslabyul student, "Epel…" he warned, "are you lying to me to excuse your unexcused behavior?!" The dorm head was not anymore disappointed he was pissed, seething with rage.

But Epel was quick to defend himself, "Wha-! No, no!" He pointed towards the end of the hallway, " He was there just a second ago!"

You instantly jumped to defend your friend, " He's right! He came to my rescue when the student was too much for me to handle!"

Vil's amethyst eyes lowered at you, inspecting your facial expression, "Sweet potato, you better not get mixed up with Epel's rebelling attitude.”

He grabbed Epel by the arm and gave you a quick glance. “You are better off him, if he makes you lie for him, to save his own skin”, he said before walking away.

"Wait! Vil! I'm not lying!" Epel whined as his dorm leader dragged him away.

You were making your way to Heartslabyul to deliver some papers to Riddle, as Crowley had instructed you. Only to find in your way the student who hasn't left you alone for a month. The moment he spotted you he skipped at your side, "(Y/n), my love!"

You let a small surprising yelp as you saw him running to your side with hearts in his eyes. "It's you…again." you sighed in exasperation.

"Our timing is amazing! I was on my way to see you, and I find you already in my dorm! It must be fate!" He enthusiastically exclaimed as he gave you an unexpected hug.

Frozen in your tracks, you look around for an excuse for you to leave. Only for you to suddenly remember the papers you carried, that needed to be delivered to Riddle. So, you attempted to push the boy off you. But he didn't move at all. "S-Sorry, I have to deliver some papers to Riddle. So if you don’t mind…" You gave him a nod towards the entrance to the heartslabuyl lounge.

He glanced at the direction you indicated him and seemed to have understood. The boy didn't seem bothered by your sign to leave but about something else entirely. "W-Wait, did you just said Riddle? You mean dorm leader Rosehearts, right?"

"Yes, do we have another Riddle in this school?" You awkwardly asked.

His grip tightened. "No, no. That's not it. It's just…" he trailed unsure.

"Hey! (Y/n)!" a voiced sounded.

You turned your head to see Epel running towards you in distress.

"Epel?!" You cried out in relief.

He sprinted where you two were standing in an awkward hug and forcefully separated the two of you. He faced the obnoxious pursuer of yours placing a finger on his chest, "Did I not tell you what happens when you mess with her?" He sweetly smiled.

The hearslabyul student was at a loss for words. He stuttered to find an answer. "I-I'm s-sorry-" he tried apologizing.

But Epel was not letting him through this one. "Sorry?" he mockingly asked. "You should have been sorry ages ago! Don't you dare get anywhere near them, or you will pay dearly!" he screamed at the student.

"I r-really didn't-" he nervously tried to defent himself.

"You really didn’t what?! You disgusting pest!" Epel yelled at the trembling student.

"Epel, really, that's enough." You tried to calm him.

"This is not anywhere near enough!" Epel advanced at the shivering student.

"What is the commotion all about?!" Riddle's raging voice sounded through the whole dorm.

Not long enough, Riddle along with his vice showed up through the lounge entrance. Riddle's face was painted an intense red color, while Trey did his best to calm his dorm leader down. "What are all of you doing?!" The dorm head screamed.

All of a sudden silence fell upon all of you. No one dared to explain. But Riddle was losing his patience, "Well?!"

You decided to come clean first, "I-I 'm here to deliver some papers from the headmaster."

"Then why aren't you delivering them?!" He demanded.

"That's because this buffoon is not leaving her alone!" Epel jumped ready to defend you, pointing at the hearslabuyl student.

"Epel." The heartslabyul dorm leader turned his attention to him, "You are a Pomefiore student, what is your business here?"

"Exacly!" The hearslabyul student suddenly exclaimed in agreement.

Epel growled at him as Riddle faced his dorm member. "I will come to you soon enough. So leave the authority to me."

The student shallowed in fear.

"I heard from someone from my dorm talking about how some kid from Heartslabyul asked him the recipe for a very strong love potion and I came running, only to find him making advances on them!" He exclaimed in distress.

Riddle turned to the student, "Is that true?" he asked.

"Yes!" The student nervously shrieked.

"Perfect" he faced you with a regal air, "was he making any unwanted advances on you?" he calmly asked you, a soft look gracing his face.

You looked the dorm leader in the eyes while giving quick nod. In that moment, you could see Riddle's face changing color. "Riddle, it will be best if you tried to approach the matter calmly." Trey advised.

"'Try' is a word I can't afford right now." Riddle said through gritted teeth. He marched towards the student's side, with each step his heels made he looked more and more furious. "Unacceptable. Not only you have broken countless of rules, but making sexual advances and attempting to make a love potion…." he hissed, "…a mere punishment won’t be enough. This calls for an expulsion!" He loudly declared.

He signaled to Trey to take the student to the headmaster's office. Despite the student's cries for forgiveness, Trey took him by the arms and dragged him towards the exit. Leaving you and Epel with the dorm head of Heartslabyul. Riddle took a few steps foward, following Trey, but before leaving he turned to face you, his silver eyes melancholically turned to you, "Next time something like that happens, come directly to me." He said, gracing you with a soft smile.

[redrobin-detective]

The late Daniel Fenton

It was shaping up to be a beautiful if chilly December day and Casper High, as always, was bustling. It was 7:49 and class was about to start. The teacher watched the last few kids stumbling in at various levels of wakefulness. He already knew who would be the ones to rush in after the bell but that was alright. Life was too short to stress about being a few minutes late to class, especially in Amity Park of all places.

He looked up to see Madison, one of his shyer students walk in before making a beeline for his desk. She was biting her lip and nervously rubbing her hand down her skirt. “Hey,�� she began quietly.

“Good morning. What’s up, Mads?” He asked casually. She looked upset, he could probably put on a video for the class if she needed to talk. They really needed a permanent counselor but the constant ghost attacks ran off most of them so he’d taken up the unofficial mantle. It felt good to help his students like that, make up for past wrongs.

“Are we um, expecting any new students?” She asked, her eyes darting over to the door she’d just come through. “Any transfers, exchange students or anything like that?”

“No,” the teacher frowned. “Amity isn’t the kind of place people transfer into. Why?”

“There’s a kid in the hallway,” she mumbled. “I don’t recognize him, he’s got a backpack and everything but he’s... I don’t know he doesn’t feel right.”

“Oh you’re talking about that weird dark haired kid,” Kyle said as he entered and sat down with a slouch. But even the class slacker looked unusually tense. “Dude’s creepy, can’t put my finger on why but he definitely doesn’t belong.”

“Oh,” was all the teacher had to say. Suddenly he realized how cold the classroom had become, the uncomfortable feeling that was pressing ever so slightly down on them. “I suppose it makes sense, the ghosts have been quiet lately with the Truce and all. He probably got bored.”

“Sir?” Madison said.

“Shannon,” he said instead, looking over at the frizzy haired girl hunched over her sketchbook furiously at work. “Would you do me a favor and move to the vacant seat in the second row? Just for today.”

“What? Why?” the girl whined even as she gathered up her various arts supplies and got ready to move.

“That’s Mr. Fenton’s seat,” he said taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes in preparation for what he was about to see. Danny would come here, of course he would. This was Lancer’s old classroom and Danny had him for first period English Lit. He and Dash both did.

“Mr. Baxter? What’s going on, is it a ghost?” Malik asked from the back row while Shannon shuffled to her new temporary seat.

“Yes but you don’t need to be scared,” he said softly, evenly. “He won’t hurt you.” The bell rang but Dash didn’t start the lesson. Instead, he waited. Danny had never been on time to class the entire time Dash had known him, of course death wouldn’t change that.

“Sorry, I’m late Mr. Lancer,” Dash gripped his desk so he didn’t jump when Danny Fenton simply appeared in front of his desk instead of walking through the door like any other student. “My folks couldn’t drive me, they’re still working on their stupid ghost portal.” A quick glance over at this class showed varying levels of fear, shock and curiosity but they were Amity kids through and through. The cold, powerful energy radiating off Fenton told them it was best to play along with whatever the ghost wanted.

“Perfectly alright Mr. Fenton,” Dash said softly, searching the 14 year old’s perpetually young face. He hadn’t changed a bit since Dash last saw him their second week of freshman year. It seemed unreal seeing how the years had taken their toll on Casper’s favorite son, Dash Baxter. God had they really been that young once? “Take a seat and we’ll get started.”

Danny shrugged and walked over to the seat Shannon had just vacated. He sat just the same, one leg stretched out and the other propped up against the leg of the desk. As soon as he took off the backpack and put it around the chair, it disappeared. He didn’t say anything else, just sat as stared at Dash with piercing blue eyes like he could see right through him.

“We had been talking about the lead up to the Civil War but let’s table that for today,” Dash said, proud his voice only wavered a little. He knew other people had seen Fenton around town. Lina saw him standing outside the Nasty Burger maybe five or so years ago. Dale, who used to live near Fenton Works swore he sometimes saw someone moving through the windows of the long abandoned house. He’d always secretly dreaded the thought of seeing Danny Fenton again, afraid he’d finally get was coming to him.

“Instead, we’re going to talk about local history,” he continued, not daring to take his eyes off the undead teen. Every other living student was tense, afraid. He wished he could assure them that the ghost wouldn’t lay a hand on them. In the event Fenton decided to ditch the hero schtick, it would be Dash and Dash alone he’d come after. “Amity Park has long had rumors of being haunted dating all the way back to the 1600s. It wasn’t until the last century that scientists determined that Amity Park is located on top of a thin spot between our world and the ghost realm. Natural portals form here all the time allowing spirits to pass through.”

No one spoke and barely anyone breathed except for Danny would wasn’t breathing at all. He just sat and stared at Dash with steady, unblinking eyes.

“Jack and Maddie Fenton were the scientists who discovered the weak point in reality in Amity. They devoted their entire life to the study of ghosts and made remarkable advancements in our knowledge of ectobiology and culture, the first being,” he paused as Danny cocked his head in confusion, squinting his eyes suspiciously at Dash. “The first being their manmade portal to the ghost zone. The portal remained active for almost two decades for research purposes but was shut down following their deaths.”

“You’re not Mr. Lancer,” Danny said suddenly, his eyes shifting from baby blue to an ectoplasmic green. Marty, who was sitting to the left of Danny, swallowed a squeak of fear and squeezed his eyes shut.

“No,” Dash sighed, “Lancer died almost thirty years ago now. Best teacher I ever had, he gave me his blessing when he passed on the job to me.”

“I,” the ghost ran his hand through his hair which was starting to lose its color. Seeing Fenton looking so scared and confused made him ache. It reminded him of old times. Dash had spent most of his life making sure he helped hurt kids if only to make up for the one he’d never been able to make it up to. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s okay, Danny,” he soothed. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“The portal, it wasn’t working at first,” Danny justified, his aura glowing a little more. “Sam and Tuck, they were curious. They wanted to look but I told them it wasn’t allowed, Sam, Sam she dared me to go in. I put on the hazmat suit and went inside and found the on button inside. I accidentally hit it and-” he paused midsentence and looked down at his hands. They weren’t pale flesh anymore but covered in white gloves. The black was completely bleached from his hair. A few of the students gasped as they saw the strange would be student melt into Phantom, the ghostly hero who’d been protecting their town since their parents were young. “I died.”

So much time had gone by. People were born and people were buried and the truth became distorted until it was just a legend passed jokingly around cafeteria lunch tables. Amity’s youth had forgotten their town’s history until it was sitting in a desk, trying once more to be one of them.

“You did,” Dash said sadly. He remembered hearing the news of Fenton's death. An assembly had been called the morning after the accident. Lancer had cried at the podium, Manson and Foley hadn’t returned to school for a week and had never been the same again. Dash hadn’t known what to think at the time, only that the kid he’d beat up for the crime of being different would never show up to school again. Or so he’d thought. “It was a tragedy, you were mourned by a lot of people.”

“I know you, don’t I?” Danny said quietly before he sat up straighter. “Dash?”

“In the flesh,” Dash grinned shakily.

“But you’re so old,” Danny said, once more distressed. “Your hair is grey and there’s wrinkles on your face and-and you’re a teacher now?” The last line was said with incredulity, his eyes flaring again. “You used to push me down the stone steps of the school and shove me into my locker and call me names.”

“Yeah, I did,” he sighed, feeling every one of his years. He was pushing 70 but he didn’t think he’d ever stop feeling like a stupid 14 year old who took out his frustrations on the ones who didn’t deserve it. “But you were the last; I never touched another kid again. I’m married now, four kids. I’m vice principal now, teach History and coach the school’s football team. It’s,” his voice caught again, still unable to process how young and stupid Fenton looked sitting there like no time had passed at all. It made Dash feel like all his accomplishments and attempts to be better would never amount to anything so long as his last victim roamed the earth unable to find peace. “It doesn’t fix what I did back then but I make damn sure that there won’t be any bullying at Casper so long as I’m here.”

“Huh,” Danny said, slouching once more in his seat but it looked less like his earlier teenage laziness and more weary. He and Dash were the same age after all, just because only one of them got old doesn’t mean time didn’t still affect them. “You did change, a lot of things did.” Danny looked down at the desk, “how long has it been?”

“Almost 50 years,” Dash sighed. “My wife wants me to retire but I guess I always find more things to do.” He paused then decided it was now or never. “I’m sorry Danny, for hurting you back then. I wish I'd gotten to know you better.”

For just a moment, Danny was perfectly clear. Even half floating out of his chair and looking like the local celebrity, his eyes were so painfully human. A boy killed before he ever got a chance to get started. Who’s will to protect was so strong it lasted half a century. It haunted him late at night to think of the glory and power of Phantom overshadowing just how incredible Danny Fenton had been. Not that anyone had seen it at the time. Soon there wouldn’t be anyone left to remember that quiet, kind teenager and then Danny Fenton really would be dead. Kill him just as thoroughly as that portal had.

The moment was broken by a breath of cold leaking out of the ghost’s lips and, just like that, his highschool classmate was gone and Phantom was left in his stead. He looked curiously around the classroom as if he didn’t know how he’d gotten there.

“There’s a ghost, stay here and don’t leave unless the fighting gets too close. I’ll get it though, don’t worry. No kids are dying today.” Maybe it was Dash’s imagination but he thought he saw Phantom’s eyes linger on him for an extra moment, trying to place where he knew the teacher from. Dash just smiled.

“Our lives are in your hands. Good luck, Phantom,” the ghost teen saluted before fading away entirely. Dash let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, suddenly exhausted but also lighter at the same time. It wasn’t every day you got to look your mistakes in the face and apologize. “Shannon, you can move back now.”

“No, I’m okay here,” Shannon said as she flipped to a new page in her sketchbook and looked intently at the spot where Fenton had once sat. “It’s like you said, that’s Danny’s seat.”

“I had no idea, Phantom’s been around for like, ever,” Freddie mumbled, pushing up his glasses. “But he used to be just like us.” And still was, Dash thought sadly. Danny would never grow old, never go to space like he’d always dreamed or marry Manson like he’d probably intended to. He was stuck, in more ways than one for who knows how long.

“Yes, that’s why it’s important to know your history. The Civil War and my other lessons are important but we can’t forget these smaller, more intimate histories. If we lose these lessons to time then we risk repeating the same mistakes over again.” He looked his students in the eyes, holding their attention.

“So we’ll continue today with the local history. Before he was ghost butt kicking superhero, Phantom was Danny Fenton, son of the local ghost hunters and a bit of an outcast in town. The Daniel Fenton Foundation was founded about a year after his death and was-”

[swbumblebee]

There was earie silence after the damn Clanker’s pulsar cannons finally ceased. Well, aside from the grunts and curses of troopers struggling to remain upright in the thick mud that was their battlefield.

Commander Cody was about to turn and clarify the usual clean up procedures with General Kenobi, just a few steps away, when a small noise of discomfort sliced through the quiet and his head whipped around to the other man.

“General?” he barked, instantly alert. The General had been close to that final blast, but Cody had thought it a safe distance.

He shlepped his way over to the Jedi standing with his back to him, and his head bent low, exposing the pale skin at the back of his neck.

Broken bones? Burns? Shrapnel?

“Sir?” Cody asked again, close enough to see the man’s head was in his hands, features clenched as another grunt came out of him.

“Ugh Cody I’ve – Ow! Excuse me, I’ve got a bit of mud in my eyes” the General rose his head and attempted to look at Cody, rubbing his face.

Cody winced when he got a good look at the Jedi’s front; he was covered in mud and dust, coating his hair and beard, the beige of his robes barely visible.

But it was his face that made Cody cringe, his features were absolutely caked in more dirt. Dirt that the General was frantically scrubbing at, both hands balled into fists to rub at his eyes desperately.

A bit of mud?!

“Sir stop that!” Cody watched in horror as the General seemed to actively make his situation worse with his continued movements.

“General you’re making it worse!”

“I just need to – Ow!” The Jedi scrunched up his face and attempted to open his eyes, blinking and squinting at Cody, only for the grit to cause him to immediately shut them again in pain.

Idiot!

The Commander would later justify his next action with the facts that a) it had been a very long day, and b) his Jedi was being very frustrating, but when his advice went unheeded and the General continued futilely attempting to scrub the mud and dirt out of his eyes, Cody acted.

He reached out lightening quick and grabbed the other man’s skinny wrists in a vice like hold, pulling them away from his face.

“Ah! Cody!” The General attempted to scowl, screwing up his face again and blinking.

Time to bring out the big guns.

“Sir you need to stop” he barked in the tone he usually reserved for misbehaving shinies. He was immensely satisfied when his fearless C.O froze immediately.

Pressing his advantage he continued;

“Keep your eyes closed” he instructed, was flattered at the trust his General showed by immediately closing his eyes and scrunching his face up once again in irritation.

Cody glanced around quickly, still keeping a firm hold on his General.

“Cloth. Clean water” he barked at a nearby Lieutenant, who managed a hasty salute whilst scrambling to comply, dashing to the med tent.

Cody turned back to the man in front of him, taking the moment to give General Kenobi a critical once over. Still hunched slightly it was hard to see if he was completely uninjured, but aside from the mess he did look more or less alright.

Battered and exhausted in a way that made Cody want to give him a big hug and a whack upside the head, but more or less whole.

“Er…Cody” the man in question still had his eyes squeezed shut but there was a definite smirk forming on his lips beneath his dirty beard.

“Do you think you could let go now?” he asked lightly flexing his fingers, wrists still held in Cody’s grip.

“No.” He’d been down this road before. Give the silly, self-destructive Jedi an inch and he’d take a mile.

“Cody!”

“Sir” The General’s whining was interrupted by the arrival of Lieutenant Boots, with a clean white cloth and a jar of greenish water.

Cody glared at the jar, making no move to take it.

“I need clean water Lieutenant, what about that is hard to understand?” he demanded.

Boots, to his credit merely nodded.

“Yes Sir” the young trooper saluted unnecessarily and Cody resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s bacta infused Sir, I got it from the med tent” he explained, straightening up. “Commander Kix said he’ll be out soon he wants to check the General himself. Er…Sir.”

“Oh for Force sake it’s just-“

“Thank you Boots, that’s appreciated” Cody ignored the grumbling from the Jedi and finally releasing his wrists to take the offered items.

“Keep them closed” he instructed as he let go. He took the grunt he received as an affirmative.

Taking the cloth and dunking it lightly in the water/bacta mix he moved closer to the Jedi. He could see the dirt in the pinched lines around his face, could smell the mixture of sweat and dirt that was all over him, so different to the usual scent of tea that usually marked his presence. The Commander shuffled closer still, willing himself not to focus on the fact that he could hear the other’s breathing and see the different tones in his hair under the dirt. He wondered absently how many people generally got this close to the General.

Snap out of it!

“Sir I’m going to just get some of this off” he said, irritated when his voice was softer than he intended.

General Kenobi just nodded.

Gently, more gently than he had done anything in his life, he pressed the cool cloth to the other’s face, pressing down ever so slightly on delicate eyelids, trying not to think too much about the uncomfortable twitch his touch was greeted with.

“Sorry” he said quietly, swallowing when his voice came out no more than a whisper.

“No no it’s alright” the Jedi assured him. And Cody would put it down to wishful thinking later, but the unflappable Jedi Master was definitely a little horse.

Cody continued his ministrations in silence, trying not to breathe too loudly, or smile in victory when General Kenobi relaxed a little into his touch.

The cloth was ruined by the time he got most of the muck off.

“There you go Sir, I’ve got most of it.”

And just like that, brilliant blue eyes flickered open, eyelids fluttering prettily whilst he blinked the last of the grit away.

“There you are” the General greeted softly, a sort of soft smile immediately taking up his dirty face.

Cody’s stomach gave an uncomfortable kind of wiggle.

“Yeah” he answered, again it came out as more of a whisper.

Well done Cody, real charming he berated himself as the cleared his throat and pulled himself together, only to be interrupted.

“Thank you” those impossibly blue eyes were looking into his earnestly, and the soft voice made it impossible to think.

Too close. Should move. He could see the redness around General Kenobi’s eyes and the irritation on the skin under them. Should get Kix.

But he didn’t want to move. And neither it seemed, did the General, who was continuing to look at him like Cody was the best thing he’d ever seen.

Footsteps behind them broke the spell, and in the blink of an eye the General suddenly straightened up, jumping to attention as if electrocuted. Cody nearly got whiplash at the jarring change in atmosphere.

“Well I think I’d better find somewhere to wash off-“

Cody was baffled for a moment…

“General Kenobi! I have an optical solution with your name on it!”

…before the dulcet tones of Kix, stomping towards them, explained the situation.

Cody rolled his eyes, turning away from the sight and back to his silly General with a telling off on his lips.

Only to find the space that was previously occupied by said flighty Jedi, was empty.

Of course it was. Bloody Jedi.

[ultraintrovertedgryffindor]

Trauma Nightmares - Ben Miller (Escape Room)

I believe I will be at least one of the first people to make an x reader for this character, which is like, unacceptable. Ben is a cinnamon roll and deserves more love. Get👏🏻with👏🏻the👏🏻program👏🏻sheeple

! ! ! Spoilers for the Escape Room movies ! ! !

~~~~~~~~~~

(my gif)

You awoke to the sound of whimpering.

At first, your thoughts immediately went to your dog, maybe he needed to go out? But as you gained more consciousness, you realized it wasn't your dog at all.

You looked over to see your boyfriend's sleeping form in the dark, but you quickly noticed that something was wrong.

You quickly turned on your bedside lamp, illuminating Ben's face to show you his face contorted in a fearful expression, his eyes shut tightly and his fists clenching. He was whimpering and whispering words that only sounded muffled to you.

He was having another nightmare.

As soon as you saw tears streaming down his face, you gently shook him. "Ben." You said as softly as possible, caressing his face. He woke with a jolt, grabbing you by your shoulders tightly, wildly looking around the room in a panic. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay."

Ben was still tense, but his panicked look calmed when his eyes finally landed on your concerned face. He slowly released the vice grip he had on your shoulders. The tension finally being released made you want to wince, but you stayed quiet because you knew he'd feel awful about hurting you, even unintentionally.

Ben frantically ran his fingers through his tangled hair, exhaling a loud shuddering breath.

You took hold of his hand, bringing it up to place a kiss on his knuckles. "It was just a dream."

Ben frowned, "Yeah..."

It was more than just a dream. It was a memory that was even more fucked up being replicated by his subconscious every time he closed his eyes. There were nights where it wasn't so bad, but it was almost always the same...

Ben was in a large room, every inch decorated in a way that would make you think you were in a rich person's mansion. The walls covered with ornate looking wallpaper, the burning fireplace giving the gold patterns a reflective shine. It felt cramped, fancy furniture filling the room that emitted an old, sweet musk that permeated his nostrils. It might've been a cool place to hang out in, if only he wasn't trying to fight for his life.

The walls were closing in as Ben's mental timer counted down, only seconds away from getting crushed to death along with all the expensive looking and fragile furniture, pieces of splintering wood getting lodged in his skin and shards of glass from the chandelier quickly slicing flesh and making him bleed a bright red.

Ben thought he had gotten all the clues, he could've sworn the code for the door was correct. But the walls didn't stop pushing further and further in. The doors wouldn't open. There was no escape. He could never escape...

But he did. He did escape that wretched Minos building and he was here with you, the sweet scent of your freshly washed hair relaxed him more than you could ever know. Just you sitting with him was enough most of the time, he appreciated you so much.

Ben allowed his eyes to close when he felt your soft skin against his, gently running your thumb across his knuckles. Sometimes he wondered if you were an actual angel sent down to help him overcome his PTSD, it felt like it in moments like these.

"Do you want to talk about it?" You voiced softly.

Ben slightly shook his head. "It's the same as always. There would be no point."

You noticed the sweat stains on his shirt and came up with an idea. "How about I run you a hot bath?"

Ben looked at you. "Why?"

You offered a small smile. "It'll help soothe you." And without another word, you pushed your duvet off and stood on the cool carpet, walking to the joint bathroom without waiting for an answer from Ben.

You turned the valve almost all the way to the left, got water soon flowing out of the faucet and quickly filling up the tub. You stepped back into the room to see Ben blankly staring off into space, most likely thinking about his dream over and over again like he usually does.

You didn't understand what he was going through, because you were never in that type of situation. You were never trapped in those escape rooms, and you hoped you never would. The way Ben described it to you, you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy. You wished you knew exactly what he needed, but alas, you weren't a psychologist and you felt helpless when it came to his nightmares/flashbacks. But you did research soothing techniques for people with PTSD, and it helped some.

Whenever Ben had a horrible nightmare and couldn't escape his own head, he'd allow you to take the lead and you'd try your best to help calm his mind. And tonight, it was a hot bath.

You lead Ben into the bathroom like a toddler, gently undressing him and slowly easing him down to sit in the tub. You smiled softly when you heard him let out a sigh, the hot water feeling like heaven against his skin. But he didn't have to say anything to let you know he wanted you to sit with him, his big green puppy dog eyes were practically begging you.

You quickly undressed, not as gracefully as you undressed Ben, but you soon placed yourself to sit behind him. You wrapped your arms around his torso, and he instinctually relaxed against you, your warm skin proving to be more soothing than the hot water that engulfed the two of you.

You soon entangled your fingers in Ben's long, blonde locks, gently working out the knots from his bedhead and massaging his scalp. You smiled softly when you heard him let out a whiny sigh, feeling the muscles in his back finally untensing in your embrace.

"I hate these fuckin' goddamn nightmares..." Ben voiced.

"I know." You frowned, giving a soft kiss to his shoulder. "I know...I wish I could do more to help you."

Ben turned his head to look at you. "Hey..." He brought his hand up to caress your cheek. "Just being here, with me, is more than enough. I honestly don't think I'd be able to keep my sanity if it weren't for you."

You gently shook your head. "You're strong, Ben. You would be okay."

Ben frowned, turning his head back to stare forward. "I'm not as strong as you think I am."

"You are strong. I wouldn't even survive the stress of a situation like that."

"You'd never know until you were in that place. That was the whole point of that goddamn murder maze. Seeing what someone is capable of when their life is on the line." He huffed, tensing once again at the thought of being back at Minos.

You hugged him tighter, laying your head on his shoulder. "You won't have to deal with that evil place ever again, okay? You're safe now."

Ben chuckled bitterly. "Zoey wants me to fly to Manhattan with her, to try and take down Minos. I don't the universe has much safety in store for me any time soon."

"Ben, I thought we talked about this. You don't have to feel obligated to go with Zoey when you want to move on. It's not your fault if she's still stuck there."

"She saved my life. I owe her everything."

You sighed, you knew you couldn't talk him out of it. Now, life debts, you could understand well enough. Zoey was a sweet girl, a bit intense, but for a good reason. If Ben was going to help her take down Minos, you wanted to help too.

"I'm going with you."

Ben's eyes widened, quickly shaking his head, turning around in the tub to face you. "No. No, you can't. It's too dangerous. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you."

"And I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something bad happened to you. If you're going, I'm going too, and you can't talk me out of it."

"Y/n..."

"I love you, Ben. And I'll be damned if I don't do anything I can to help you." You finally snapped.

Ben blushed, his lip trembling slightly as tears built up his in eyes once again. "I don't want you to go through what I had to. Minos is run by psychopaths and they'll do anything to people for money. I just want you to be safe, at any cost...I've never felt that way about someone before..."

You smiled softly, leaning towards him and placing your hands on his cheeks before fully connecting your lips with his. "As long as we're together," You started once you pulled away, "I believe we'll be okay."

Ben finally nodded, enveloping you in a tight hug and releasing a shaky sigh. "I hope so..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Ben is my boy, he is very precious so me😊

[bibbykins]

Rocking Chairs and Rocking Cars

A/N: No full blown smut here, but ofc horny thoughts remain! I should be posting the aftermath texts and what not soon, but I hope you enjoy this in the mean time! It’s a bit rushed, but I hope that doesn’t ruin the experience for you! As always, tips are appreciated since I am saving up to buy a house with my gf, but ofc tips are not required! Hope you all have a great day/night!

Note: This is a drabble for The Household’s Bunny Series

Pairing: Soft Yandere! Jungkook x Chubby! Reader x Soft Yandere! Hoseok

Word Count: 5k

Warnings: 18+, crying, lonliness, body image issues, unhealthy workout habits, abandonment, allusions to body dysmorphia, mommy issues, grinding, lustful thoughts, mentions of cumming, mentions of erections, pussy cupping (?), not rlly yandere although this is kinda a soft yandere series, obsessive behaviors, low self esteem, horrible communication, mentions of anxiety, mentions of car shaking

The house was quiet, and somehow knowing that no one else was home made your floor feel that much more empty. Granted, none of the guys came up all that often. Ever the gentlemen, they actively tried not to intrude on your space. Although, you really wish they did on days like these. It was 10am on a Saturday morning, although the lack of natural light could fool anyone otherwise. The clouds were heavy in the sky, cradling the sunlight in a thick blanket of grey, squeezing themselves for all the water they have. The rain tapped on your window, almost mocking you, reminding you that water was the only company you had.

You debated texting to ask if anyone wanted to come home and have a movie night, or build a fort, or just simply sit next to you, but decided you would just be bothering them. You had that very intimate moment with Jin and Yoongi, and they had remained sweet with you, but you weren’t able to be intimate with them again yet. They had been busy and you had been deprived of the very addicting affection. You’re sure they would come to you if asked, but you didn’t want to be clingy. The last thing you wanted to do was annoy them by following them around like a puppy just because they made you cum. They hadn’t explicitly stated they liked you as anything more than a friend, and you never wanted to go through the embarrassment of assuming such a thing again.

With college almost done, you had nothing to distract you from the looming loneliness you feel sometimes, and it was exhausting. You grew up by yourself, and you swore that would change when you were older. You were determined to be surrounded by people who loved you as much as you loved them, and yet, here you were. You were laying on a couch, watching the rain fall, all by yourself in a 10 floor renovated motel, reaping the consequences of high hopes and naivety your child self didn’t understand. You were never good at making friends, not that your plump figure helped you with your social drawbacks either. Although you made peace with your lack of charisma in person and have made strides to loving your body, the loneliness never subsided for long. 

There were few things you loved more than talking to people and having them listen to you and vice versa, and yet it rarely happened. Maybe you had been spoiled by your seven housemates, so it was making this bout of loneliness that much worse. Since moving in, there was almost always someone home making noise or even talking to you. However, they all told you summer was their busy season, and boy, they weren’t kidding. You had caught mere glimpses of the boys this week, only communicating via text and post it notes. 

You pressed your eyes closed for a moment as you listened to the rain. You thought of your mom. Her cheeks were chubby like yours and you remember her crying when she figured your metabolism was the same as hers, and you couldn’t understand why she hated herself so much that she wanted you to be nothing like her. Your mother had always been beautiful in your opinion, and it was a shame she never saw herself, or you, in that way. You thought about forcing yourself to go to the gym with her for hours on end, just to be able to be next to her. You had always been desperate for her company, desperate to be liked by her. Part of you regrets putting your body through that, but then a part of you is happy you were able to spend time with her until she left. 

Ah, yes, the day she left. That’s exactly what you should be thinking about right now, on a rainy day, all by yourself. You cringed when you felt a tear get a little too close to your ear, wiping it away. You were shocked when you felt even more in its wake. You always felt really silly when you cried, but you figured you might as well let it happen if you're gonna be home alone on a rainy day, thinking of all the ways people avoided spending time with you while you tried even harder to spend time with them. Who's next? Jungyoon? The uncle who took you in just to admit drunkenly how much the sight of you upsets him three hours into your 17th birthday. Your dad? No. That's not wise.

You sighed. Maybe if you had learned better social cues when you were younger, you wouldn't be a college graduate with no friends to talk to.

It didn't take long for you to break into full on sobs. You stuck somewhere between angry at the people who didn't want to be with you and sad that they didn't want to. Childishly, you deemed it wasn't fair and all you could do was cry. You hadn't had a day like this in a while, but holy shit did it suck each time.

Eventually, you ceased your tears and were left a red and puffy mess, so you decided to go to the kitchen to depuff your face with some ice. Then the rest of your day could only go up from here. You had your cry, and even though the elevator was going down, your day would only go-

OH NO WHY IS IT STOPPING AT FLOOR 5?!

You couldn't even think of who it could be as you looked in the mirror at the corner of the elevator and wished to evaporate. You had obviously been crying, terribly. Nevermind you were in a cropped long sleeve, short shorts, and thigh highs, your eyes were red and a little puffy, your cheeks were clearly tear stained, and even your lips were swollen. You couldn't, "oh, it's allergies." Your way out of this one.

"I didn't know you were home, Hobi." You murmured.

"Yeah, I just popped in real quick to grab something before I go back to…" Hoseok's smile dropped the instant he saw your face. You didn't even have the chance to look away, but you tried to anyway. He gently gripped your chin, guiding your eyes to meet his, "Bunny, is everything okay?" 

You pressed your lips together before nodding, "Yeah, it's just…" You glanced at his face, surprised to see him clinging onto your every word, "Sometimes, I get lonely." You shrugged as his eyes widened, "I get to thinking about my mom and…" You made vague hand movements as you shrugged.

He thought for a moment, “Even though we all kind of grew up together, we never really treated each other like more than roommates, but you’re here now.” He pulled you into a tight hug and you gasped before relaxing into his embrace. You closed your eyes for a moment as you held him close to you, "We've all been really busy, I didn't even consider how lonely you would feel." He lamented and you shook your head.

"I'm a big girl, I can be alone." Your words were muffled in his shirt, "It's just a little crying-"

"But you don't have to be alone anymore, and I don't want you to cry, none of us do." He placed a chaste kiss on your forehead, "Thinking about my mom used to really ruin my day, doesn't now, so don't worry, but that took time." You nodded, feeling tears creep in again.

"Thank you." You hummed as he pulled back, "Sorry to-"

He shushed you, putting his finger on your lips, shaking his head at your apology.He leaned his forehead on yours, making your breath hitch, "Do you want to go with me?"  He asked softly.

You blinked in confusion, "With you, where?"

His grin only widened and you looked to him skeptically, “Do you trust me?” He asked all too innocently and you nodded, “Then, do you want to go with me?” He asked again as he placed purple-tinted sunglasses on his face.

“I suppose…” You studied his smug face, “Let me go change-” You went to press the next floor so you could get off but were stopped with a soft grip from Hoseok.

“I’m in a bit of a rush, and you look great.” He smiled as the elevator reached the entrance.

You wanted to protest, but you let it be. Surely you would not stick out in the slightly scandalous outfit you were in.Truthfully, it was your body that seemed to make it scandalous to other people. Although, if you had a skirt on, it would just be a typical outfit for you, so maybe it wasn’t so weird? These thoughts ran through your mind as you slipped on some shoes and went into Hoseok’s very nice car. 

So are you gonna tell me where we’re going or…?” You asked as the renowned hair stylist drove with a smirk in response to your question, “Okay Mr. Mysterious, can I ask questions about it until we get there?” You asked cheekily.

He chuckled, “Of course, you can do whatever you want, baby.” His voice was silky smooth and the nickname shot straight to your nether regions and you scolded yourself for it.

“Are we going to a job of yours or am I just running errands with you?” You looked at his unwavering smile as you asked.

“A job, but the client will not mind if you’re there, before you ask.” He stole your next question by answering it smugly. You pursed your lips as you studied him. He was in a lavender dress shirt with the top two buttons undone and sleek navy blue slacks, all of which complimented his black hair. 

You, on the other hand, wore a baby pink turtleneck with the hem ending just barely above your matching form-fitting high-waisted fabric shorts, showing just a sliver of your stomach skin while a lot of your thigh skin was on display with white over-the knee socks. You had taken scandalous photos for your OnlyFans, and if you lifted your arms all the way up, a lacy bralette would greet the outside world. You were just feeling a bit self conscious considering the well dressed man in the car next to you. Sure, you looked cute, but was this level cute appropriate for his job? You didn’t want to make a bad impression and have that effect Hoseok.

“And here we are.” He sang and you snapped back to reality as he parked behind a building that had no defining qualities from the back. The ride went by in a flash and you pouted a bit at not even asking another question.

Ever the gentleman, he opened the door for you as he led you inside with him. The hallways were crowded with people running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Judging by the bits of chatter you could pick up as you scurried behind Hoseok, this was a photography studio and a high-level star was having a photoshoot.

“Oh thank goodness you’re here!” A man that seemed to be in his late 30s sighed in relief when he saw Hoseok, “He is in the worst mood today, and I’m so frightened-who is that?” The man’s wild eyes fixated on you for the briefest of moments and he realized your puffy features and shook his head, “Whatever, just go in there and calm him-”

“This is our housemate, y/n, and the shoot isn’t for another 30 minutes and he just needs hair, right?” Hoseok spoke calmly in spite of the chaos surrounding the both of you as the man nodded, “Great, I just need to touch him up and we’ll calm him down in time to take some good photos.” The man nodded tiredly, “Is the dressing room empty now?”

“Yeah, he kicked everyone out so he could calm down, but that never works.” The man cried out helplessly, “Why is he so frightening?!” Hoseok simply patted the man before navigating the hallways. Frightening? The man shivering looked quite burly and tall, who could be scaring him so much?

The “we’ll” made you nervous, but you held Hoseok’s hand so you wouldn’t get lost until he pushed through a dressing room door, “Hobi’s here.” He chimed and you heard a man behind a partition grunt. You looked around the spacious room to see a comfy looking green L couch along with a wooden rocking chair, which you thought was interesting. Beyond that, there was the typically lavish amount of mirrors and counter space, “I also brought a surprise!” Hoseok sang and you were ripped from your observations.

“It better not be anything dumb-” Jungkook’s voice died on the impact that was emerging from the partition and seeing you. Hise eyes studied your body, namely the slight squish of skin between your socks and shorts, which made his pants feel a bit tight, “Y/n, what…”His voice trailed off when he noticed you had definitely been crying, and not long ago. Right as he was going to accuse Hoseok, he saw you let go of his hand and give him a smile, figuring it wasn’t him that made you upset.

Your eyes brightened when you saw a familiar face, “Oh hi, Kook!” You beamed, “I didn’t realize Hoseok was taking me with him to see you, how nice!” You cheered, “I’ll be out of your way while you work, though!” You went to go sit on the couch as Jungkook nodded, robotically making his way to the chair in front of the mirror. He wore a silky black shirt with a harness around his waist and black slacks with razor thin pinstripes and black dress shoes. His hair was styled mostly to perfection, making you wonder what more there was to do. Alas, you weren’t the professional.

Hoseok looked to the younger man with a smug smile, “Just some last touches need to be done and then you can calm your nerves a bit with our little bunny.” He chided and Jungkook scoffed.

It took no more than five minutes for Hoseok to style the star’s hair into further perfection, “Wow, you look super handsome, Kook!” You cheered, earning a small smile from the man in question.

Hoseo chuckled, “He does indeed.” He cooed, making the younger man scowl, “Now, you have some time to zen out with bunny, use it wisely. I’ll come get you when it’s time.” He patted Jungkook before giving you a wink and exiting the room.

“You having a bad day-”

‘Were you crying?” His voice sliced through yours and you’re taken aback for a moment. With no response, he stood, making his way over to you. He towered over you before leaning down to grip your chin lightly, “Were you?” A hint of worry flashes across his eyes, and you wondered if you were just seeing things.

“Yeah… I was just feeling lonely.” You speak honestly, shrugging, “It’s not a big deal-”

“Why didn’t you call me-or anyone?” He asked, voice rushed as his eyes searched your face for an answer. It’s like an interrogation that you don’t have comprehensive answers for, so you shrug.

“Everyone was busy.” You murmur, “I only cried because I thought about my mom and stuff, it’s okay.” You avoided eye contact with him as you said this, feeling out of your element talking about your mom. This made his mouth part, but he haid no words. He understood what you meant, and that made it all the more harder to comfort you.

Jungkook sighed at how you’ve shrunk under his barrage of questions and sinks down to his knees, his hands going to your waist, stroking the sliver of exposed skin, “Nobody was mean to you, right? You didn’t cry because anyone bothered you?” You smiled at his tenderness before nodding.

You watched his face, studying the cleverly concealed dark circles under his eyes and gave him a sad smile, “Are you having a bad day too, Kook?” You asked softly and he sighed, like he was letting himself relax for the first time before nodding, “I see..” You thought for a moment, unsure how to make him feel better until you remembered, “Did you want to touch my thighs?” You said the first thing that came to mind and before you could be embarrassed, he nodded, "Okay, how do you want me?"

What a question, Jungkook thought, smiling tiredly, "Sit in my lap?" He looked up at you hopefully and you nodded.

"I won't be too heavy or anyth-woah!" You gasped when he lifted you, legs wrapping around his waist as he carried you to the rocking chair, sitting you both down, "I stand corrected." You giggled, wrapping your arms around his neck while his hands placed themselves on your thighs.

He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling your thighs in his hands, rocking you both back and forth. In every dressing room, he required a rocking chair, in case he needed to calm down. He debuted at the ripe age of 15 and with no guardian until 17, he was prone to panic attacks. The company sent him to therapy and the rocking chair was introduced. He never let anyone touch the chair, but he couldn't deny how nice it was having you in his arms, cradling his head into your bosom. 

“I like the rocking chair, very calming.” You mused, as if reading his mind and he offered a tired hum in agreement.

The day had truly been terrible. Stage after stage, minimal hours of sleep, and stupid people asking the same stupid question. And yet, here you were, hands stroking the skin on his neck as he lost himself in your form. Your thighs were softer than he anticipated, and he felt himself let out an exhausted sigh, finally relaxing into you.

"You haven't been home a lot, so I get why you're so stressed." You mused into his hair, "But you should go a bit easy on the staff, I just saw a buff thirty-something year old near tears when we came in." You giggled and Jungkook couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Sungmin is my manager, he can take it." He felt blissful for the first time in a while as he rocked you both back and forth, his thumbs stroking the supple skin of your thighs.

"Still, maybe if people aren't so stressed around you, it might ease your stress." You chided softly, pressing a chaste kiss to his head.

The affection made his eyes flutter closed and he hummed, "We'll see, but don't hold your breath." He joked.

You had never felt Jungkook so calm before. Usually he has something snarky or detached to say. Some kind of non committal or indifferent comment, but he was too exhausted to do even that. You smiled softly at the cozyoment and the affection. It was hard to realize how touch starved you were, dreading when you would have to get up.

Youboth rocked back and forth for an indeterminate amount of time, too wrapped up in the calmness of each other’s presence to say much at all.

Finally, you spoke up a bit, "This is making me feel better. I like the closeness a lot." You hummed softly, "I remember when I was in some club in highschool, we were taking photos with girls on the guys's backs and all the guys scrambled to not have to give me a piggyback ride, so I just stood on my own." You did a short laugh. Jungkook fumed at the idea of stupid people making you feel like anything less than perfect, but you continued, "And now I'm in the lap of a pop star, it's a little funny." Now he felt smug, giving your thigh a small squeeze.

"Sounds like you had some weak ass guys in your highschool club." He snorted, leaning his head up as you settled down onto his lap further, now looking eye to eye with your torsos farther apart, his feet planted firmly on the floor to keep the rocking chair still, "I'll deny I was ever this nice, but," He studies your face for a moment, "You're so beautiful." He sighs out and he watched your face light up, and feels what that does to him, scaring the fuck out of him.

You couldn't find words except, "Can I kiss you?" You breathe and he nods with hooded eyes, and before you knew it, you were surging forward to press his mouth to yours. The kiss was fierce, but he responded to it at the speed of light. His mouth moved in sync with yours before taking control of the kiss, moving closer as he stilled the chair. Your hands were shyly clutching his shoulders, careful not to mess up his hair. One hand traveled to your hip as the other massaged your thigh deeply, thumb inching its way to the inner part. Your tongues intertwine and you gasp needily when he's a mere centimeter from where you want him most. You damn near whine when his hand stops inching closer to your core making him grunt.

Jungkook nearly lost his mind when he feels your nails dig into his shoulder and your hips wiggle in the slightest. He wanted to tell you to just mess up his hair, fuck everything else, and just let him make you cum in his lap. He wants to feel what he’s doing to you, uninhibited. His hand cups your sex and you groan into his mouth. He smirks at how warm it is, how wet you must be from a little bit of kissing, and how wet you will-

KNOCK, KNOCK

You jump, effectively falling off of the chair, and onto the floor just as Hoseok walks in, "Hey Jungkookie, it is time to- Bunny?!" Before Jungkook can even reach out his hand, the older man is helping you up.

"I'm alright, just clumsy." You chuckle awkwardly, before turning to the celebrity, thanking the stars his makeup and hair aren't messed up, "Well, have a good photoshoot!" You beamed, "Let's go get some lunch, Hobi." You spoke rushedly as you took the man's hand, dragging him along.

"Oh, uh, bye!" Hoseok hollers to the dumbfounded Jungkook as he watched the dressing room door close, leaving him winded with a boner.

When you get in the car, your eyes are like saucers and Hoseok can't help his curiousity as he turns on the car. However he doesn’t push until you both are a little closer to home, but before he can even ask you grab his leg and stare at him with panicked eyes, "Fuckfuckfuckfuckwhatthefuckdid- AHHH!" You let out the quietest scream, before looking at him, "How do I go about life this stupid?" You seem to be genuinely asking and yet again, before he can ask, "I kissed Kook and I let him hold my pussy for a moment." You blurt out and Hoseok blinks for a moment. You look to him, waiting for him to freak out but he just shrugs.

"Well color me a bit envious." He muses, before tilting his head in confusion, “When you say he held you pussy-"

“He cupped it and I was gonna let him go further had you not walked in.” You looked to the man as he saw home in sight.

“Ah, I see.” He nods thoughtfully, “So were we wanting to pick something up for lunch or just order delivery, we could cook…?”  

You gaped at him, "Are you not gonna tell me how dumb that was?!" Hoseok shakes his head, "He probably hates me now!" You whined.

Hoseok sighs, "I promise, he doesn't." He reassured you, "Did he… kiss back?" He asks curiously.

"Yes, but I'm not sure what he meant by it." You murmured, "I’m really bad at gathering those kinds of clues. I kissed him because he called me beautiful and I didn't know how to respond and I-"

"You're beautiful." Hoseok interjects, "My turn, my turn!" He parks the car at the house, turning to you with a grin.

"Wait, that's it!" You point to him, "You can tell me what kind of kiss that was." You beamed and he looked at you quizzically, "So kiss me and I'll show you how Kook kissed back so I can understand!" 

Hoseok could not believe his ears. Had people played with your head before? Did you seriously not understand that kissing back meant that they were attracted to you, at the very least. Not wanting to take advantage of you he asked, "Are you sure? You can just describe it to me-"

You nodded, "I don’t want to misrepresent it with my words but I need to know what it meant, but if you feel weird about kissing me I get it-"

Hoseok was watching the chance slip away, so he pressed forward, placing his mouth on yours and groaned when you responded with a force, hand going to his thigh to try and mimic Jungkook's movement. Your tongue finds his way into your mouth and he can’t resist the opportunity to feel your tongue against his. His hand goes to the back of your neck to press his mouth into yours deeper. It was in no time you both forgot what you should be doing.

All you could focus on was how good the affection felt. How nice it was to have someone’s mouth on yours just as needily. You were used to sex and affection being out of convience. You were used to people seeing you willing and figuring, “Why not?” But Hoseok and Jungkook had kissed you with a certain force you had never known. Where Yoongi and JIn were soft, sweet,and comforting, they were urgent, needy, but rough.

Hoseok’s arms wrap around you, bring you into his lap and you feel his growing length beneath you. Against better judgement, you grind down, causing the both of you to gasp, “Fuck, baby.” He groans, gripping you to him harder. His leans down to kiss your jaw and reach your neck, making you press yourself further onto him with a choked moan when you feel him guide you hips as you set a steady pace grinding into him. You groan at the sensuality of hearing his voice riddled with lust and making the windows steamy and the expensive car rock.

“Hobi,” You moan out as he sucks a particular spot on your neck, “Feels good.” You whined, grinding yourself more desperately.

“It does, bunny?” He cooed into your neck, trying to shield his own rising arousal as you  grind onto it desperately. You nodded with a moan and found yourself wishing he would just strip you of your clothes and take you. You would love nothing more than to feel his hands around your neck as he pounded into you, your hips working as wildly as they were then with his hands on them, threatening to limit you, edging you closer, and closer, and-

HONK

You both jumped, not able to go far in the driver’s seat on top of Hoseok after accidentally honking his car horn. You take a moment to look at the position your in and clasp your hand over your mouth, "I did it again!" You whined, muffled by your palm, "What's wrong with me, I get I'm horny but AH!" You groaned from frustration, both sexually and emotionally. 

"Calm down, it's better than okay." The man beneath you strokes your hip soothingly, "I enjoyed it, and if Kook did any of that, he did too." He reassures you, "It's just some consensual kissing, we're all adults, it's okay."

You frown, "But you guys don't need me throwing myself onto you, that's not fair to you." It’s made people recoil from you, you want to say. You don’t want them to recoil from you, you couldn’t take it.

"Arguably, I do need you, in particular, throwing yourself onto me." Hoseok quipped and you rolled your eyes.

"Ha, Ha, very funny, but come on." You deadpan and it only makes him more confused. You don't know how to explain that the odds of a guy like him, or any of them, wanting you, specifically, and not just wanting affection are slim to none in your eyes, judging from past experience alone.

"What?" He asks and you shake your head.

"Ah, forget it." You shrug, "Nothing to fuss about, but sorry I nearly came in your lap-"

"Please do not apologize for something I wanted, almost happening." He groaned and you chuckled, shaking your head, genuinely not believing him, “In fact, I invite you to please hop back on.” He chuckled a bit, so you figured it was a joke. Surely he would be joking about wanting you sexually. 

"You're a funny guy, Hobi." You open the door and hop out, "Well I'm gonna go masturbate or something, and then maybe we can regroup for some lunch when I'm done?" You glance up at the flabbergasted man who nods numbly, too perplexed to even offer his services, "Okay, well thank you for the kiss and what not, the affection is always welcome!" You chirped, "I can give you kisses on the lips more often if you want like I do with Jin and Yoongi?" He nods again and you smile. You give him a chaste kiss on the lips before heading inside.

Hoseok blew out a breath as he sat in his car with a hard on. So the issue wasn't you not being attracted to them. The issue was you not believing they would be attracted to you. Somehow, that was harder for him to dissect, unsure how to prove that he would give you the world if you just mentioned an interest in having it. Not just him, but six other men. To you, kissing or sexual acts wasn't proof that he was attracted to you for being you instead of just another body. They all had to somehow prove you weren't being kissed because of convenience, but desire. All of them were too emotionally stunted up until now to already know how. Yoongi was right, this would be a lot of work. Work they all were willing to do.

Tip Jar

[bloodstainsontengensfloor]

Mai Zenin x Fem!Civilian Reader:

A snapshot before it’s too late

Warning: spoilers for 149!

TW: light reference to suicide

::readmore:: Flash!

Mai crinkled her nose, placing a hand on her hip as your Polaroid barfed up the film. “What was that for?” She asked, a light blush scattered across her face as she watched you take the film out and place it on the table in front of you. You and Mai had gone out for Boba on the shoreline, and the sunset was just... perfect right behind Mai. You couldn’t help yourself.

“Sh! You have to wait for it to form-“

“If you shake it I’ll be faster-“

You slapped Mai’s hand away. “No! That makes it worse-“

“No it doesn’t-“

“Mai-chan, just look and wait-“

“Y/N! I don’t have the patience-“

“Look!” You said, proudly and carefully picking up the Polaroid picture to show Mai. You weren’t oblivious to her obvious embarrassment, but... with the sunset behind her and the natural beauty that was her, you really couldn’t help yourself. Mai didn’t seem entirely impressed, and it was just a Polaroid, it wasn’t something to be absolutely amazed by.

“Humph, I don’t even know why you made that.”

“Because some moments are so beautiful, you just can’t stop yourself from capturing them.” You said, without missing a beat and without really thinking. After realizing what you said (and how totally cheesy it was), you blushed, mumbling some apology and ramble about how the sun looked pretty with her silhouette. You nervously took a sip of your Boba-

Flash!

Your eyes were wide as your vision focused again. “Huh-“ You asked, blinking rapidly a few times. Mai just smirked, your Polaroid in hand. She lightly began to wave the film that was just vomited out of the top of the camera.

“What?” Mai said, feigning innocence. “Some moments are just too beautiful that you just want to capture them.”

-

-

-

-

-

You didn’t expect not seeing Mai after October.

You didn’t expect her sister, burn marks scattered around her body, to come to your house. You never even met her sister before, but now you did, and you were scared. You knew what Mai did was dangerous and you woke up one morning in a cold sweat, unaware why. Before you shot up in your bed, you swore you heard seagulls or the lulling sound of the waves....

“I don’t really know how you knew my sister.” Maki said after a while. She sounded as alive as she looked. Her voice was dry, almost monotone. She was a lot bigger than Mai physically. You thought focusing on the differences between the twins would be easier than focusing on the similarities. You knew why she was here. You knew what happened. It was one of those things you would know. The way you felt off the past few days, like something was missing from your world. “Anyway,” Maki shifted the sword in her grip. She placed it on the table that sat between the two of you. “This is the last thing Mai gave me.” You felt a lump grow in your throat. “The last thing she ever gave anyone.”

She couldn’t even say the words that would finalize it. Mai was dead. You felt your finger nails dig into your palms as you avoided eye contact. It might have been a terrible thing to say, but it was a blessing that was Maki was so damaged that she barley looked like Mai anymore. Well accept for the hair... and if you looked closely enough you could see... You swallowed the lump in your throat, and tried to settle your breathing. You wouldn’t cry in front of Maki, Mai wouldn’t have wanted that. Mai always described Maki as stronger and as braver and as brasher and-

“So.... yea.” Maki awkwardly added, fiddling with the sword in hand. The last thing Mai created was a weapon of destruction... that was so dramatic... just like her...

Maki kept on rambling, and despite yourself, your mind wandered. Mai sacrificed herself, she did something heroic. You knew Mai, she wasn’t heroic. She was selfish and prideful and obnoxious and a total bitch almost all the time. But at the same time she was funny, caring, and someone so full of love that was never taught how to give. Sometimes you would catch Mai staring at the ocean when you guys would go to the beach, and there would be something so dead in her face. Sometimes you would notice the way Mai cut things off when she spoke about the jujutsu world. The anger, sadness, and despair in her words...

A dark thought crossed your mind that you quickly shuddered away. It could be true but right now, you didn’t have the stability to worry about it. “She left.” You said, cutting of whatever Maki was saying. “She left us both.” Maki stared at you for a little. Her expressions were even harder to read than Mai’s. “But I’m okay with that... if that makes sense. I just wish that-“ The breath got caught in your throat. You closed your eyes and took a quick, shaking, breath. You wouldn’t cry, not yet at least. Or maybe even at all. Mai hated seeing you cry and you could almost hear her mocking voice.

“Aww don’t flatter me too much by crying over my death! What happened to trying to keep my ego down?”

Despite yourself, you smiled, letting out a wet chuckle. Maki raised a brow but said nothing. “I just wish that she got to say goodbye.” You added. Maki didn’t respond.

After a few moments of silence, Maki asked, “was she happy?”. You looked up from your own pity party and saw the tears that were gathering in the corner of Maki’s eye. Maki was half of a person now, and no matter how much shit Mai might have told you about her, you knew they loved each other more than anything in this world.

But her question got you thinking. Was Mai happy? She hated being a shaman, she didn’t want to be one at all. That’s why she was always with you because with you, she could pretend to be normal. Pretend like she was just a delinquent friend coming over, and not a shaman who wanted to play a different role. But Mai’s eyes always lit up or softened when she talked about her friends. The way she teared up when she explained the time Utahime-Sensei let her stay with her over the Winter Break because Mai didn’t want to go back to the Zenin complex without Maki. The way she complained about Todo but the light tone in her annoyed voice told you that she enjoyed his company. The way she held Nishimiya in such high regard that you always felt a little bit of jealously burn in your stomach. The way she admired Miwa for being apart of the world but still was able to smile and have fun, how nothing could break her stride. The way she would tease Kamo in her descriptions of him but admitted that he was one of the people who she related to the most. “I just wish he didn’t have such a large stick stuck up his ass”, she had said. The way she explained Mechamaru’s crush on Miwa and how the two should just suck it up and go on a date because she couldn’t stand watching them run circles around one another anymore.

The way she smiled when she was with you. The way she looked... free whenever you guys went on your mini adventures. The way she softly would kiss your lips or the way she snuggled into your shoulder. It was so tender and so normal and so sweet it seemed so out of character for Mai. But what she had with you was one of the things she wanted but never had before.

“Y-yes.” You said, annoyed that another lump had grown in your throat. “I-I think she was.” Maki let out what seemed like a sigh of relief. She hastily wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eye before standing up, confident, powerful, and intimidating as ever. You hated how much she looked like Mai then. Because now she was playing a part she didn’t want to play and she was feeling a pain she couldn’t understand.

“Well, that’s good then.” She said, pulling something out of her pocket and handing it to you. You lightly gasped as you realized it was the Polaroid Mai had teasingly took of you, and that it was stained with some blood. “This was on Mai’s b- when she di- when she left.” Maki looked at the clock on the far side of the room. “Well... I should be going now.”

“Thank you, Maki-San.” You said, holding the Polaroid a little bit closer. Maki grunted in acknowledgment before leaving. And that’s when you let the dam break.

What? Did you think you wouldn’t be in my final thoughts or something?

You sobbed, your throat burned as you held the Polaroid close to your chest. Your parents weren’t home so you could have screamed if you wanted to, but with what was happening all over Japan, you knew it was better not to. You held a bloody memory of Mai, a bloody memory of the two of you together. You couldn’t even remember the last thing you said to Mai and Vice versa and that was even worse. You stumbled up your stairs and threw the door open to your bedroom, your body feeling weak. You ripped down the Polaroid photo of Mai from that dumb beautiful day on the shoreline and sobbed. Something was missing for the past few days and now you knew what it was. No more teasing smiles, no more taunts, no more kisses, no more late night adventures, no more unexpected sleepovers, no more nothing. Because Mai was nothing but a fucking sword now.

Well, I think I’m a pretty hot sword but-

“I hope we meet again. I don’t know what happens or where we go after we die, but I hope we meet again. If we meet in some afterlife, I hope it’s a good one. I hope it’s happy. And if it’s rebirth, I hope you aren’t a shaman. I hope your family loves you. I hope you and your sister get to be real sisters and not be torn apart by the world of a Shaman. I hope we meet at school or some Starbucks or something, and we do this all over again, but it ends better. It won’t end like this.

And if we just become nothing after we die, I hope i become nothing with you, right by your side. And if we return to the stars whose dust we were made from, I hope our stars are right next to one another, and I hope yours shines brighter than you did in this life.

I wish you the best, Zenin Mai.”

—————————————————

Yea I’ve been dead for a bit, still not over her death so uhm... here. Enjoy. Or cry. Or both’

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes 43:Final Warmth

TSF 42<- here

“I won’t be long.” Valerie said to her mother, hopping out the car with her sports bag. Looking out at her school made her stomach churn and heart race. In and out, that was the goal. Valerie took a breath then headed inside. Hopefully the chaos of last period starting would help avoid Harriet or anyone else prone to long winded conversations. That hope was quickly yanked away by a hand gripping the back of her collar and suddenly yanking her into the council room.

Valerie whipped around to see Eliza. The Vice President’s eyes burrowed into Valerie’s with such silent evaluation that Valerie could tell the girl didn’t pull her in here to talk about missing school.

“I take it you’re in the loop?” Val said solemnly.

Eliza crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side. “It’s only natural.”

Well it isn’t like Valerie didn’t see this coming or deserve this. That’s the thing about underhanded tactics when you’re at the top. Everyone ranked lower gets cheated out of their rightfully earned ranking. “I take it this is the part you yell at me?”

“No. I don’t care enough about you to do that if I’m being perfectly honest with you. Can’t say I lost much respect either. Nick’s always been better than you in my eyes. Maybe not in a fight but definitely as an individual.”

A lump formed in Valerie’s throat. “Fair enough.” Why couldn’t Eliza yell at her instead? “Well…I am sorry I diminished your efforts. I-”

“Not looking for an apology either. Save those for people you actually hurt.”

Val clenched the strap of her bag. “What do you want then!? Taking a dig at me? Believe me I already feel shitty about it.” Tears welled up immediately.

Eliza let out a sigh. Guess softening her tone would help, so she decided to cut the girl some slack. “Relax. No need for tears. I’m not an idiot. I could tell the moment I saw you that you’re clearly not thrilled about how things played out. Am I really the only person on this council that doesn’t get highly emotional at the drop of a hat? How exhausting. Guess that explains Nick didn’t give me the time of day just now if you two saw each other.”

“Huh?” She wiped her eyes, taken aback. “I haven’t seen Nick today. I just got here.”

“So did he, a few minutes ago. Both of you played hooky and now you show up near the end of school. I assumed you both ran into each other or had to have met outside of school for whatever reason.”

“No. I’m here to return and clean out some gear. Sports…just don’t feel okay right now.” To think that after staying home to avoid conflict for the day, Valerie almost ran into Nick who must’ve been doing something similar. “.Never mine all that. Which way did he go?”

“Why? So you can go the opposite direction from him and his sister?” The way Valerie’s eyes widened told Eliza she hit the nail on the head. “Since when do you back down from confrontation?”

“This isn’t a sport Eliza. I just…” Her body slouched over like it was deflated and weak. “I can’t see them right now. Couldn’t even bring myself to call. That is if they didn’t block me yet.”

“You are correct about one thing. This isn’t a game. It’s real life. Have you ever learned about the rules of three?”

“No but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“I don’t need this tone from you.” Eliza squinted. Why was she even trying to help? She could be doing anything, and yet… “They say things like to come in threes. Luck, misfortune, disaster, and even habits that can easily turn into personality traits.”

Eliza reached out and lifted Valerie’s head up by the chin. “Full disclosure, I don’t think you’re a coward.”

“Ummm thanks?” That came out of left field.

“I might not think that but you should take this into consideration. Instead of telling Nick your honest thoughts and emotions, you ran from them. Instead of coming to school, you chose to skip out of fear of facing the twins yet show up to quit sports apparently; even though nobody will understand why. Now here you are, a chance to face your friends, and what do you want to do?”

Valerie had no answer. She tried looking away but Eliza turned her head right back to look her in the eyes.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, making them rosy whie her eyes were still ready to flood over. Eliza never saw the girl look so distressed. Despite her shortcomings, no one dealt with adrenaline and pressure quite like Valerie. Unlike Summer, it never failed to turn into resolve. Maybe with a push, it could do that again.

“Don’t let your third strike be running away from people you care about. Facing them is unavoidable and time isn’t gonna necessarily cool their anger. Best to get it over with. Like I said, you’re not a coward. Don’t take steps to be one.”

Val sniffled, trying to calm down and think. This wasn’t at all what she expected to hear, let alone for Eliza. Even with the look she gave earlier, Valerie started to understand that it wasn’t judgment. Eliza was accessing her, trying to see all the feelings swirling inside. It was oddly comforting, not being coddled or judged. Eliza was merely talking to her.

“You’re kinder than you let on to be.”

“I’m never mean! I don’t stand for any of the nonsense between you three. It makes things complicated to do and I feel uneasy.”

“Hmmm, that’s called concern and right now you’re showing a little compassion.”

“And right now you’re a little annoying and showing that you’re observant.” Eliza turned Val’s head to the board to show her the giant message saying about Summer being in the boiler room.”

“Ah…” In her defense, it’s hard noticing a message when someone is controlling your head and your eyes are watery. “I’m headed that direction anyways.”

“Perfect.” Eliza let her go and went on to go about her business. “Go be an extra set of hands. I’m sure that’s where Nick went.”

Compassion comes from unexpected places apparently. Though Valerie teased a little to ease her nerves, she really was relieved by Eliza. Also a little scared. Things these days felt completely out of place. Even so, Val knew there’d be hell to pay for turning back now. She didn’t feel ready for this conversation. She probably never would, so why run away indeed? Valerie walked out the door with her bag in hand, her unfortunately destination clear.

Her legs refused to slow her pace despite her mind needing more time to think of her words. Having a planned response might not go well. Defending herself wasn’t in the cards, but even the twins wouldn’t expect her to be silently berated. “Do they even want to hear sorry?” Val grumbled as she entered the boiler room. Each and every step down were seconds cherished until…

Bang! A hefty thud rumbled deeper down and snapped Valerie out of her train of thought, making her walk faster. “Oh, maybe they actually need…” cool air grazed the skin while destruction came into view. “help?” Her eyes didn’t know what to focus on or what she was supposed to be seeing, until they fell on a girl of ice poised to strike what laid at her feet. “Nick?”

Both him and Shiva turned their heads to down the aisle where Valerie stood, motionless, her bag dropping to the floor. Nick’s dim eyes locked onto Valerie's fearful ones. In that moment, be it a prayer or pure will, Nick’s eyes fought their way back to consciousness for his body to let out a plea. “Run! Away!”

To no one’s expectation, Valerie’s body leaned forward before breaking into a sprint towards them. “Away…” her voice trembled, fist reeling back as she lunged forward with her words spoken from the depths of her heart into a battle cry. “GET AWAY FROM HIM!”

Shiva smirked, smacking the floor for ice to manifest and solidify into a thick wall between them, but only fueled the Valkyrie’s fury.

“YOU THINK THAT’LL STOP ME!?”Pink aura began to glow brightly as her words turned into power and resolve thanks to her semblance.

“Ha! Try all you want. With all this power, not even Nora would crumble this wall without a charged hamme-”

Like a thunder clap, Valerie’s right fist bashed into the ice with a single strike that forced its way through like speeding trains through glass. Not only was Shiva completely caught off guard but almost failed to bring her arms up to block. When she did, the unexpected happened. Both girls witnessed a simple and small glyph pop up between them. There was no time for Shiva to even examine it because of its immediate destruction from Valerie’s attack. Her forearms connected briefly to bloody knuckles before her body was sent flying back into a wall, knocking some wind out of her. A glimpse at right hand turning red and blue from the cold as it fell limp only further surprised Shiva.

“She broke it?” Shiva’s body finally hit the floor, but not before seeing Valerie take Nick into her arms. Valerie and Shiva locked gaze, both still processing.

Not one to miss an opening, Max came running into view from Shiva’s left. He quickly took advantage of the chaos by throwing several of flame dust vials at Shiva that Summer had brought down with her, triggering a small fiery explosion with a boiler that made Shiva howl in furious pain for a moment; only a moment. Still it was enough for Max to throw Darren over his shoulder and run towards and past Valerie.

“Don’t just stand there!” He yelled in pure fear.

Valerie snapped out of her daze and b-lined it for the exit. A bellowing scream from behind that brought a chill to her spine told her not to look back.

The yell snuffed out the flames. Any damage done was already erased and left only one very angry being surrounded by water as the destruction of a boiler sounded off an alarm and brought flashing red lights.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING!?”

Amidst the blaring lights and pain, Nick still tried to use his glyph on the dagger of Diamond Dust. Though to what end, he couldn’t say. “V-Val…”

“Shhh, now isn’t the time okay?” Her voice was shrill and eyes flooded with tears as she ran. “You’re okay. Just hang on a little and-”

“Left…” he wheezed in pain.

“Huh?”

“Left!!” He yelled the best he could.

Valerie sidestepped left into an ailes with no further questions when the icicles where she once stood shot up from the ground. Her feet took her all the way down to the other side to go straight when suddenly…

“Right!”

Valerie dodged right into another ailes. Nick kept yelling lefts and rights, even backwards, when icicles threatened their lives towards the stairs. Powerful or not, Shiva had habits, and Nobody spent more time running from them than Nick. The focus on them made it easy for Max to not only go straight to the stairs but grab Valerie’s bag. Ice spread through the area like plant life blooming across the wild towards the exit. Valerie was only several feet behind Max when more icicles rose in front of the door. Valerie’s entire body clenched, preparing for shoulder bash. If the ice was anything like that wall…

Shiva glared, “Just try it.” Prepared to trap her feet once Valerie failed with the creeping ice, Shiva gasped seeing her blockade shattered from the other side. Valerie ran straight up the stairs past Max who no longer carried Darren, but that girl’s annoying battle ax. He threw another vial at tanks nearby that impeded some of the ice with fire and whatever tanks of scalding water were yet to be tampered with.

“Heh~” Shiva staggered to her feet, fully getting her wind back and seeing the light from the door close. “Hehehe, Hahahahaha~”

Val stepped over Darren, left on the steps briefly before Max picked him up again. The boiler room door flung open with a kick. Both teenagers escaped up into the school where warning lights flashed and plenty of kids looked in confusion and worry.

“Everyone out of the building!” Valerie yelled, fearing the worst.

What she didn’t know was the worst was already in progress. Creaking in the walls began. Old metal rattled and the school echoed a ghastly noise like a broken instrument. Valerie slowly turned her head left towards a source of rattling. It was the water fountain. Valerie’s face went pale. They didn’t escape at all.

“She’s in the pipes…”

Blooms of ice burst out of the fountain and walls. Worry quickly turned to panic as droves of students began running from an unknown threat. Sinks exploded, the toilets, showers, one by one the cold spread and froze water in its wake. Valerie gasped as the gym doors flew open. It was Harriet.

“The hell is going on!?” She yelled.

“C-Coach?”

Harriet turned her head to the shrill voice and gasped. A few feet away was Valerie, shaking with Nick in her arms; his body covered in blood. Not to mention Valerie’s right hand dripping it from torn up knuckles with purplish red skin that reached her wrist. Nick barely glanced in her direction, before his glyph cracked, fading like his consciousness.

“Nick?!” Valerie felt her heart race. The feeling of Nick’s warmth fading made her breath quicken to the brink of pure panic. Her tearful eyes looked back at Harriet. “H-He’s dying.”

In a blink of an eye, Harriet stood right before Valerie. With her mind frazzled, Valerie barely felt Harriet take Nick out of her arms before speeding off. Val’s eyes saw the soldier's lips move but honestly couldn’t begin to hear the words. Her own thoughts going a mile a minute. Valerie didn’t even register the sound of her ax hitting the ground as Max fled with Darren.

Right below the school, Shive dumped her Dust in every take she could. The way it flowed through the pipes like blood through veins spreading to every inch of the facilities made her body tingle. The warm bodies through the hall, mass of heat moving to the south, cafeteria’s vacancy, the office attendants fleeing from their windows…

“I feel it. This place, I know it all.” Summer’s memories served her well. Shiva focused on the mass of heat. At first it felt like a clump of students, but now. The ice around that area seemed to melt and fall apart. She reformed it easily but it was clear the heat was destroying ice along parts of the wall or in the middle of halls. “Ah…how could I forget? Might as well not waste effort I suppose.”

xxxxx

Upstairs among the panic, Eliza blasted doors with fireballs and kicked them open, freeing anyone who might be trapped and blowing a whole through windows. She couldn’t stop panic, but she could prevent her peers from potentially trampling one another.

“Everyone take any exit I make!!” She readied another fireball when the ice near doors and floor began to move towards the ceiling and lockers. “The hell?” People fled out of them or into others as a means of escape. “They don’t won’t hostages?” She hadn’t the foggiest idea of what the threat actually was. Thinking about it, it couldn’t be some huge group or anyone looking to ransom the kids of Atlas Elites. It was the end of the day. Plenty of students were already leaving. Then there was the fact alarms going off after rumbles from underground made her think a boiler blew up, but then what’s with the ice!?

“Ugh this makes no sense! I swear if those bumbling twins are behind this then I’m gonna kill-” her eyes spotted Valerie down the hall. “Valerie?” Eliza moved closer. With how rigid her peers looked, mistaking her for a statue would be easy. It didn’t take a genius to wonder why she was still. Eliza could see the wounded arm and bloodied clothes. The young witch ran to her and gave a shake. “Hey! What’s wrong!?”

The response. Eliza had half a mind to shock the girl when a cool blast of air hit her. Her head turned towards the open boiler door, its walls covered in ice and lights broken which made it look more like a dark cave. Eliza couldn’t explain it but it felt…ominous. A flame built up her hand to throw down there when Valerie suddenly grabbed Eliza’s by the wrist.

“Don’t.” That’s all Val said, but her eyes told the rest. Eliza snuffed the flame and Valerie grabbed her ax. “We need to leave.”

“No. There’s still more people here and exits to be made. I haven’t even checked-”

“The school is a prison.” Valerie warned, “Remember what you said about running? This is the time to do that. We’ll cut through the gym.”

She pushed open the door and was immediately confronted with long icicles that hung from the ceiling sprinkler system. Eliza swung her arm out, making a flame wave. Sadly this ice didn’t budge. Not only that, but the crisp air began to sting and dry their throats. Eliza managed by puffing out weak flames. Valerie had no such advantage.

“It’s getting colder by the second and you’re in no state to barrel through this. We’ll make an exit.”

“You…can’t just break walls.” Val shuddered, “people are outside everywhere. You might hit them unexpectedly. Let’s…flow with the crowd that’s left.”

The numbness in Valerie’s hand increasingly became intense pain that was as if hot wax was poured onto the bone. Eliza could see the girl start to sweat. Then…her aura flickered. Valerie nearly fell over if not for Eliza catching her.

“Hey! Valerie!”

“Hehe…I didn’t realize I put so much into a single blow. My aura has been trying to n-numb the pain.” She felt like a rattle that couldn’t stop shaking. A glance at her hand showed a glimmer of blue surrounded by flowing red. “Eliza, do me a favor. I think I have a splinter.”

She noticed the shimmering blue between Valerie’s knuckle. “You hit dust?” She went to reach but Val moved her hand away.

“Make your hand hot.”

“That'll burn you. Are you insane?”

“I didn’t say flamethrower my hand. Just…don’t prick yourself. Destroy it. Maybe-Gah!!!” A cry of pain came from her as Eliza quickly yanked out the nail long shard. “The fuck!?”

“Waiting is the worst part.” Eliza said defensively. “At least you’re not shaking anymore, but now you’re bleeding. I’d offer to cauterize it but…”

“I’d prefer an actual doctor.” Her senses were coming back but her body remained weak. The idea that Summer has Diamond Dust in her bloodstream became all the more surreal. Was she always in pain?

Options ran low as well as their time. Eliza kept Valerie close to share some warmth and support the exhausted girl. She readied her to go with the scrambling crowd and shifting ice when suddenly…BOOM! A thunderous crash came from a classroom up ahead. The wall most definitely had to have been smashed. That’s when the door opened and with it, a sigh of relief from Valerie. It was her mother, Nora, her hammer smoking from the chamber. Valerie had actually forgotten she was waiting in the car.

“EVERYONE OUT THIS WAY!” She commanded. The people shifted like a current towards her. Nora broke the door off the hinges along with a bit of the wall so people could leave faster; where staff such as Flynt and soldiers that were in the area. Nora swiveled her head left and right. “VALERIE!”

Eliza raised her hand and charged it with electricity. The sparks got Nora attention. The mother let out a silent gasp, making her way over while also feeling the chill looming from the boiler room. “Shit. Eliza, get her to safety!” Nora twirled her hammer for a swing to break the ice near the door. If Shiva was out then Nora was gonna give her hell until backup arrived. That’s when a hushed voice came from down below.

“Try it~”

Ice around the school began moving again. The part in front of the door came down to blockade it while other sections from the ceiling came back down to the lockers before extending towards Nora. She readied to swing at it but then curved around her towards the crowd and the girls. Nora broke the ice around her but the pieces still moved fast enough to be flying in their direction.

“GET DOWN!”

Eliza and Val looked over their shoulder to see ice needles seconds from their body. Then, a flash of rose petals shattered them all. Ruby appeared right before their eyes. Before she took another step, Valerie spoke.

“She controls the school’s water system!”

Ruby and Nora’s eyes widened. The reaper put away her scythe. “Then outside isn’t far enough. Nora, focus on evacuation.”

“Right!” She backed off, the ice not stopping her.

Ruby watched the area and picked up Valerie into her arms. She’d be faster than any ambulance. “Talk to me.”

“Hi…” Val gave an exhausted smile, her body drained.It slowly relaxed and she rested against Ruby’s chest. Nora looked at her with fearful eyes.

Eliza quickly put the fears to rest. “Don’t worry. It’s fatigue. She said she put a lot into a single blow, then her aura was flickering. Still…” she looked at the bloody hand.

Nora carefully held it. It was worse than it looked in terms of bleeding. However, the skin around it looked frostbitten and it was no doubt broken. “I think she’ll be okay but she needs a doctor.” Nora said to Ruby, who seemed to be elsewhere. “Ruby?”

The huntress watched the way the icicles remained poised but never got closer. While the shifting ice around the room had stopped despite how fast it could react. If anyone knew speed, it was Ruby,especially when it came to her own. Rushing in like she did, assessing in real time, there’s no way she should’ve been able to block those needles without a few getting by. Ruby would have to confirm something later, but for now…

“Let’s go. Get everyone in the school to safety and have them all accounted for. Leave Val to me.” She dashed off with Valerie.

Nora took Eliza by the hand, which surprised the young girl. She wasn’t hurt at all,yet being taken to safety did make her more relaxed. Eliza wanted to ask what exactly had happened, since it looked like Nora, Ruby, and even Valerie had a greater understanding of the situation. Though now wouldn’t be the best time. The image of blood on Valerie, the ominous feeling from the boiler room, it gave her heart a sinking feeling. Nick and Summer aren’t the type to run away without helping, but she never came across either of them. Hopefully they were okay.

xxxxx

Shiva sat against a freezing boiler with one leg stretched out and the back of her head pressed against the metal as she closed her eyes. The feeling of warmth in the building dwindled by the second as people fled, until the warmth died like a flame several minutes later. Not too bad on their part. No stragglers from top to bottom. At last, Shiva was alone, in body and mind.

“Finally. No time to waste then.”

She stood up and stretched her arms before putting her hands together. The blooms of ice that bursted from pipes and icd that clung to school walls began to grow in size, spreading out in the process. Doors froze over, windows gained layers upon layers of frost as the school grounds turned into a winter wonderland that snowed; the air turning frigid while thorns made of ice fortified the perimeter. A wonderland for her to rest in and a prison for those daring to enter. Her strength grew by the second in these conditions, but there was still more to do.

“Off to a good start if I do say so myself.” Her voice was calm and even. Thinking aloud felt weird yet satisfying.

The girl began walking in order to examine the area. Her trip stopped short however as got halfway down the aisle, her attention drawn to the floor where red ice was made, the product of Nick’s final and greatest failure. As Shive continued to stare at the frozen blood her vision blurred, then she heard it. A small pitter patter that hit the floor at her feet. The only warmth left in this entire place was fleeting as it ran down her face. Shiva wiped her face and felt that warmth freeze over.

“Hehehehe.” She fell to her knees hugging herself. All she could was laugh. Laugh and cry in her wonderland. “Hehehahaha. Ahahahaha~”

xxxxxx

Temperature and fallen tears did it stop at the school. At first, Weiss didn’t know why she heard Penny slam the door as she flew off, but then, the news broadcast had taken over. It wasn’t too much longer that both her and Jaune got a call at the same time that made their faces ghastly white. Now she stood rigid, her hands over her mouth as she watched from the other side of glass along with her friends, as Nick laid in a hospital bed; machines hooked up to him as doctors, including Penny, rushed to keep him stable. The excessive beeping, fear in the doctors’ eyes, the lifeless tone of her child, Weiss couldn’t believe it was happening a second time. She couldn’t take it. Almost falling to the floor in tears until Jaune and Yang caught her as she wept uncontrollably in fear.

“Again…why is it happening again?”

This had to be a nightmare, right? Just a bad dream Veronica was about to wake up from. That had to be it. It’s why crying would be pointless. She’d wake up any second to the smell of breakfast and the sound of Nick's heart beating fine and not…fading. Why was it fading like it’s weak? Nick’s heart isn’t weak!

Blake put her hand on Veronica and her daughter immediately latched onto it, refusing to look away. Blake wrapped her arms around from behind and held on tight.

“Shhh, everything is going to-”

“Don’t…” Veronica uttered. Her free hand held on to the arms around her while her ears fell. “Just don’t, okay?” Her voice cracked.

Harriet walked up to them. Winter, failing to control her emotions, spoke angrily with tears welling up. “The hell happened, Bree?” She trembled.

“I wish I had an answer, I really do. I didn’t even know he was at school today. The last class was ending and kids were either going home or getting ready for after school when an explosion happened and everything got cold as ice shot out the walls.”

Everyone’s attention was on her, making her take a step back. “I…wasn’t around long. I came out of the gym when the alarm had gone off and people were running. That’s when I saw Valerie, she was holding Nick. Also…”

“Also, what?” Ren said with urgency.

“Her arm was banged up like it had gotten burned by something. I’ve never seen the kid look so terrified, but given Nick’s conditions. All she did was beg me to save him. He was barely conscious when I took him.”

Harriet raised her right hand to show it covered in fresh bandages, though they were already getting a tent in red.

Yang winced looking at it. “Did you get hurt on the way here?”

“Not exactly. There was a dagger in Nick. Doctors tried removing it but screamed in pain immediately. Then I tried taking it out and this happened. I’ve never felt anything so cold. I’m glad I called Penny on the way there, seeing how she’s one of the best minds we have in just about any science, medical or otherwise. Having metal parts pays off. She’s the one who got it out. I’m sorry but that’s all I really know.”

“No that’s…thank you.” Winter said. She looked through the glass. “Every second counts.”

Jaune slowly let go of Weiss and walked over to Harriet, extending his hand to help heal hers. “Do you know where the other doctors that tried grabbing the dagger are?”

“Yeah.”

“Show me.”

It was hard but he started walking away. Winter almost wanted to tell him to stay with Weiss but Whitley stopped her, pointing to Jaune’s clenched fist and faint trembling. If he stayed any longer he might’ve broken down too, enraged at his own uselessness.

“Let him help who he can right now.”

Ren stressfully rubbed his hand through his hair. “Nora should be at the school, but I haven’t heard a thing from her or Valerie.”

“Ruby and I were out in town when we heard sirens from rescue vehicles. She took off immediately to investigate and I left when I got the call about Nick. I'm certain she’s at the school helping.”

On que, Ruby dashed through the door with Valerie in her arms. “This child needs medical attention!”

The crew turns and Ren gasps seeing Valerie bleeding and delirious. “Valerie!” He runs over along with two nurses who reasonably keep at a bay, but that doesn't mean he wasn’t thrilled about it. “That’s my daughter!”

“Ren, Relax! She’ll be okay.”

Valerie’s eyes flutter open. The first thing she sees is the worried look on her father. A faint smile appears at the corner of her lips. “Hey pops. What’s…with the look?” She groans as she shuts her eyes again.

Ruby hands her over to the doctor. “Besides the blood, her body is pretty cold and her aura fell harshly. She’s more exhausted than anything. Is Jaune here?!”

“He’s helping with some injured.”

“Well he’ll gladly add her to the list. Let him know she’s drained to zero.” Ruby ordered the Nurses as they took Valerie. She looked at Ren. “Nora is perfectly fine and on her way.”

Ren nodded. “I’m going with those two. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” She watched him run off before noticing everyone else. It was her turn to be speechless. All her friends looked defeated, and Weiss, well she looked absolutely devastated. Ruby walked slowly as if to delay the inevitable her heart told her. Ruby eventually reached the glass all the same and was brought to tears.

“When did…” she couldn’t even finish her words. Ruby looked at Weiss before reaching out to hug her tightly with Yang.

xxxxx

Hours passed. The crew waited anxiously in the hospital while doctors worked nonstop. Weiss eventually ran out of tears to cry but her eyes remained red and the sniffling never ended as she sat in a chair with Jaune’s arm around her. He had been back awhile now. Nora had eventually shown up to the hospital after her responsibilities. Valerie was already taken care of by then, the girl fast asleep in her hospital room with her arm bandage and in a sling. Even with Jaune’s help, it would need time to heal.

Now everyone was together, still near the operating room but a doctor thought it best to shut the curtain. Harriet came back to them and handed Ruby a list.

“There ya go. All the students accounted for by attendance. We even called the homes of any who left early to make sure they were safe.”

Little did anyone know because he arrived late as well as other circumstances, Darren was overlooked. Max hadn’t told anyone and the only other people who could’ve mentioned him were both out of commission.

Ruby looked over the list. “Any injuries?”

“A few got scraped and bruised trying to get out in the chaos. It was a miracle no one got trampled. The kids are on edge but I couldn’t blame them. Also, I know you said Summer is accounted for, but I haven’t seen her here. Did she get hurt too?”

A couple seconds of silence hung in the air before Winter spoke. “Seeing Nick was too hard on her. She’s at home with Sparrow.”

“Ah, I see.” Harriet frowned. Summer wasn’t always there for class but Harriet knew the girl was kind and tried her best. This had to be hard on her. “Tell her my heart goes out to her. Same for all of you.”

“Thank you.” Ruby said. Harriet left after that and Ruby took a long sigh. “Maybe more should’ve known about Shiva?”

“Those who know, did.” Winter insisted. “It’s not like I don’t trust those I personally lead but things were under control, or so we thought. Summer had a hard enough time creating normalcy. We also couldn’t have known something of this scale was possible. To put it simply, we underestimated Shiva.”

Ruby through the list down infrustration. “No matter how you slice it, Shiva knew things we didn’t know she knew. Not only that, but this list proves I fell for her trap.” She leaned forward in her chair with fingers interlocked.

Ruby had been replaying the events in her head countless times since she arrived on the scene. “Not only was Shiva left to her own devices, but with none of us in the area to her knowledge, that school could’ve been a massacre before anyone was the wiser. However, the only people actively hurt by her was Valerie, who chose to engage, and Nicholas, who she’s always wanted to harm.”

“Are you saying she had no interest in chaos?” Ren asked.

“No, I’m saying that’s all she wanted. Shiva made it look like countless lives were in danger not just to drive people out, but so anyone who arrived would completely prioritize the safety of the kids. I mean think about it. Kids were already leaving, and no parent is going to be calling for blood over a mechanical explosion everyone lived through. To top it off, now the school is frozen shut apparently.”

Winter rubbed her chin. She picked up the list of names and thought aloud. “I can only think of one reason you don’t make a situation worse, even though you’re able to. The backlash is more than you bargained for.”

Nora’s eyes lit up in realization. Sheturned to Ruby. “We could’ve taken her.”

“…..I think you might be right, and Shiva wasn’t gonna take that chance. Now she’s been out longer and it’s not like things are getting warmer. I’m such an idiot.” Her body tensed.

“Hey.” Yang got up and put her hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “Since when does Ruby Rose regret prioritizing saving lives? You did the right thing.”

“Right thing? I moved just like she wanted to and those lives are still in danger with her out.”

“Just because you think that doesn’t mean it all adds up. Shiva might’ve committed to hurting people if you stepped out of line. Also, regardless of what you think, Valerie definitely needed help and got it for her. So quit acting like you didn’t make a difference.”

Ruby sighed, lowering her head. Yang was right but this situation was so chaotic. “Thanks Yang. Still, we’re lacking critical information. Not only about what happened down there, but what Shiva's next move is.”

The endless possibilities brought silence. The next move was crucial and time was of the essence. They would’ve thought uninterrupted if not for the click of the operating light going off. The creaking doors opened and Penny walked slowly with exhausted eyes. No one could remember the last time Penny of all people, the girl built to last, looked like she needed sleep. Weiss and Jaune stood up, too afraid to ask as Penny looked at them.

“That dagger, it was pure Diamond Dust, and it was in him for a pretty long time. Internal bleeding tried to freeze and…it’s almost like frostbite tried to happen inside out in some spots.”

“What are you saying?” Weiss’s voice trembled.

“…He’s touch and go, and I don’t know how to save him.”

It was as if the world suddenly lost color. Try as they might, there wasn’t a steady heartbeat in the room or dry eyes.

“What if I used my semblance!?” Jaune begged.

“It would ease the pain and might buy more time, but I don’t need to tell you the coldness of Diamond Dust might as well be compared to molten metal or worse. Even aura can’t negate that level of damage outright. Especially internal organs.”

“What about organ transplants, or maybe-”

“Nick is so tired, Jaune.” Penny said, barely holding it together. She stepped aside and gently pressed her hand on the door. “He’s barely conscious but…”

Weiss and Jaune ran inside while the others respectfully stayed back, despite wanting to join. Penny pressed her back against the wall. Her body slowly slid down until she was on the floor with her hands on her head. The others gathered around her but she didn’t want to help up. Winter could see the stress all over her face as Penny stared off into the distance.

“Penny…”

“This is unacceptable.” Penny said rigidly. “What’s the point of having access to a world’s worth of knowledge if I still can’t find an answer to save my friends. I refuse to fail here! I won’t! Everything has an answer. Do you think maybe Qrow and Os-” Penny stopped after seeing Winter’s face contort with even more remorse.

“I…I can’t locate their ship, or get a call. We have no idea where they are.”

The news took everyone by surprise. Surly they couldn’t just be gone, could they? Winter got done on the ground in front of Penny and the girl immediately jumped into her arms, shaking and crying. Oscar was her world, and now he’s lost with Winter’s.

On the other side of the wall, Weiss and Jaune stood by Nick’s bed. His skin looked tinted gray. Tubes connected to his arm went to machines while an oxygen mask covered his face. Gradually his eyes opened to see a blurred version of his sobbing parents. He could gently feel the warmth of a small hand in his.

“M..Mom?” He tried squeezing her hand.

“Ssh. It’s…It’s me. Please, don’t try to speak. Just…save your energy.”

The familiar sensation of Jaune’s aura washed over him, making it a little easier to breathe. Nick didn’t need to ask his parents what brought these tears or the fear in his mother’s voice. He could feel just how far was from being okay.

“I’m…sorry. I…”

“I said not to speak. You can apologize later, okay?” Weiss fell to knees, still holding his hand. “Please tell me later.”

Nick didn’t argue. Didn’t have the strength. He could barely think and wanted to rest, yet he feared shutting his eyes right now wasn’t a good idea. All he could do to stay awake was focus on the pain. Both physically , as well as mentally.

It had been awhile since things felt so bad. Our heroes felt down and out, the world at large none the wiser. Par for the course honestly, except things weren’t done. Not by a long shot. A chill was in the air. One that Veronica picked on the moment she sighed.

She gained their attention. “Uh, you guys?” She took a shallow breath, clearly visible by all. “Was it always this cold in here?”

Dread hit instantly. Ruby and Penny both rushed to the hospital exit to get a look outside. Ruby was meant with crisp rushing wind that stung. Not unusual for Atlas in winter, yet the falling snowflakes inspired fear.

“Penny, the heat is on right?”

“Yes! It wasn’t scheduled to snow either. Is this coming from the school!?”

“It’s worse.” Winter said as she ran outside with scroll in hand. “Penny I need a bird’s eye view of Atlas and Mantle from a distance!”

Penny launched herself into the air and flew as fast she could outside kingdom limits then turned around to live broadcast to Winter. “Winter…alert the general. Request all hands on hands deck, and tell Whitley to take inventory of all the flame dust available. I think…”

Her words trailed off from what she witnessed. An immense glow from the forest where the lake was located could be seen. From it, a long trail of shimmering white particles flowed upward like a winding river in the sky that had begun swirling around all of Atlas as if it was one massive snow globe.

“I think we’re going to need all of it.”

[haikyuuhimbosandhypebeasts]

>I have no idea how the fuck to format this on mobile. Also yes this is another Anisylum collab! I love doing them because the prompts are 👑. This time the prompt was Eavesdropping!

>This is the part two to “As An Object”

>Pairing: Ushijima x Reader

>1.4 k words.

>Content Warnings: Morning After, Reader has a mental breakdown, angstish, hurt-comfort, Wakatoshi says sex so I mean have fun, Tendou is a supportive best friend, not my best writing tbh but my beta reader said everything sounded fine, Mina from the last part is mentioned.

>Masterlist?: Right here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Morning came burning in your senses. You woke up in a bed that did not belong to you- a bed occupied by both you and-

Your left hand roughly slapped the warm figure by you. Your bedmate rolls over to reaffirm who you are as well.

Unfortunately for you, it wasn’t someone easy to process bedding the night before. There was a half-asleep Ushijima Wakatoshi. You struggled to place your feelings bubbling up like scalding broth to your unprepared chest as he sleepily blinked at you.

“Good morning,” he mumbled, moving one of his warm hands to cup the side of your face.

Your face grew hot, and you immediately bolted out of the bed, not caring how the lack of blanket left you bare. Ushijima watched your face with widened eyes, finally waking up himself.

���... sorry, (y/n),” his voice was soft. The tense grit of his jaw, perhaps the hint of a crease to his brow- something about the expression on his face echoed hurt and you felt hesitation. Unbidden, you felt some part of yourself flourish to life past your normally viscous “mean girl” mask.

“It’s… okay. Can I use your bath?” You looked away, not wanting to show vulnerability to someone you thought you hated.

“... it’s past the kitchen, opposite of the front door.”

“Thank you.”

And with that, you left the bedroom in all your naked glory, a hair less confident than you’d hope to be around Ushijima.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ushijima sat at his dining table and gazed aimlessly at his phone, fingers absentmindedly drifting over the tablecloth.

As soon as his phone jumped to life with a call, he answered it so quickly Satori on the other end had to mentally recollect himself.

“That serious, huh, Wakatoshi,” he said, trying to keep some ounce of humor in his voice.

“I had sex with (y/n).”

The coffee Tendou was sipping rocketed itself out of his sinuses like lava out of a cartoon volcano, thankfully away from any innocent civilians of Paris and significantly away from his phone he *just* finished paying off.

“D-did you now?” A small disbelieving giggle bubbled out from the redhead, “You wanted to call me so seriously because you lost your virginity?”

“... No.”

“Eh?”

“She is… upset. She said she hates me.”

“Ohh… well, Wakatoshi, I’m sure you know after years of playing beside her that she’s pretty complex, right? That’s the vibe I got right away from her. Complex… and obviously in love with you,” Tendou mused about, unconsciously wiggling with happiness in his seat from hearing his best friend look over his romantic options. He just wants the best for Wakatoshi and he thought to himself that a relationship would certainly help with some of his lacking social skills.

“I still don’t see that.”

“Eh? She has to like you! She told me!”

“That was years ago.”

And Wakatoshi was right. It *was* years ago. You would know, you’d spend every year bitterly waiting for a time when he would look less busy or maybe a moment where you thought he could see you as an equal. But you could never tell that, and it hurt much less to villainize and hate him than recognize someone you saw everything you wanted in someone just wasn’t interested in you. It was a way to protect yourself from abandonment… that’s what your high school counselor had said. You wondered, as you stood around a corner with your towel clad back to a wall, listening in to a conversation you shouldn’t be listening to, what she would say now about the situation you were in.

“Wakatoshi, you’re not being yourself. The Wakatoshi I know doesn’t beat around the bush, yet for the past few months you’ve been either avoiding confronting her or you’re avoiding how you feel,” Tendou squinted into his iced coffee, scrutinizing it for an answer.

Ushijima traced an absent-minded pattern into the tablecloth again, “I am. She hates me, she told me.”

“She’s keeping herself safe since she’s waited so long. I almost understand- it’s easier to hate someone than get rejected in her eyes, I think. Mina told me something along the lines of a personality disorder? She said it sounds like one of those.”

Of course Mina and Tendou had a little confidant powwow to discuss your private feelings. What was this, gradeschool? See if you’ll ever talk to her about anything like this again. Still… you listened in, waiting for the call to end.

“Wakatoshi, it’s still a better bet to just tell her.”

Your heart hammered in your chest. Certainly your hopes were getting up about this…

“I can’t.”

“How about you acknowledge it, then? Just acknowledge how you feel and it should feel better. I do that sometimes and it makes me feel great!”

“... I am attracted to (y/n).”

Your breath felt heavy, this couldn’t be real. He can’t feel this way.

“And?”

“And… I want her to not hate me and be my partner.”

You grip your towel harder, legs growing a bit weak hearing those words.

“So?” Tendou pushed, humor never leaving the edge of his voice.

“So… I’ll tell her… that I don’t want her to hate me,” Ushijima managed out, not hiding what hurt and emotional exhaustion he could portray in his voice.

You clapped your hand over your mouth and gently slid to the floor, guilt gripping your chest in a vice and twisting it so harshly you thought you would pass out. He *did* see you as an equal. He *did* find you attractive. And you told him you hated him and saw him as nothing more than an object.

You did your best to hide an unattractive choke of a sob behind your palm. The rest of the conversation was hard for you to focus on as burning tears trickled from your eyes and down your face. It took years to build these walls up and to make a perfect façade others found attractive and yet it was being torn down and destroyed violently before you. Your other hand knotted itself in your freshly washed hair and pulled to alleviate the yearning for some form of penance for making someone you loved so much go through enough pain that they needed advice.

The euphoria of this acceptance- this discovery- was burned into you through the unforgiving blade of your self-hatred and inability to properly understand others. You hated what you did to Wakatoshi. You hated that you made someone better than you suffer. And you hated that no matter what, you had no idea how to make it better. The thrum of blood rushing to your head is deafening and your eyes are squeezed shut to hopefully make this episode end soon. Your breathing is so heavy and shaking, you feel dizzy and like you might pass out soon…

Your lean form was tugged into a strong chest. Your eyes shot open as you realized you were caught.

“... I’m sorry. I made you cry again,” the rumble of his voice soothed the burning static of your brain. You’d do anything to make this episode stop, but when you open your mouth to tell him how sorry you are, it comes out as a hysteric sob. You grip onto his shirt as it becomes incredibly hard to get your words out.

He gently rubs your back, eyes closed in a flinch at how you responded and the fear that you may never even look his way again choked him slightly.

Finally, you managed to speak again.

“I’m sorry, I’m so-“ you couldn’t even finish your sentence without hiccuping. He doesn’t stop his soothing movements.

“I didn’t mean for you to hear that,” he states, unsure of how he should start explaining himself.

“No… I’m glad…” you wiped your eyes and tried to pull away from him, still trembling a bit from your episode, “I’m glad you like me. I’ve wanted this for a long time.”

He makes a sound of affirmation and holds you even tighter, hiding his face in your shoulder.

“If you want me to be your girlfriend, I will,” you clarify. His movements stop.

“Ah… it would make me very happy if you were, (y/n),” he said into your bare nape. You were unfamiliar with his newfound shyness, and you attempted to soothe him back by scratching the back of his head softly.

“Then I’ll be yours if you’ll be mine.”

[occult-castiel]

The Same Page

This is my @destielsecretsanta2020 gift for @eclypseaf!!! The request was open, but bonus points for Miracle being present. So I wrote some post empty rescue fic!

This one honestly gave me a really hard time and I have no idea why. I hope you like it and have has an awesome christmas!

[Ao3 Link]

The portal spits them out in the dungeon.

Dean stumbles out first, a half step ahead of Cas. Human, malleable, and very much alive with one of the little dude's arms draped over Dean's shoulder.

Cas stumbles forward. Dean shoots an arm out in front of him, places a hand firmly against his chest. He maneuvers his other arms under his trenchcoat, grips his side firm.

His skins almost cool to the touch — much too cold to be safe. Not for a human, especially a brand new one.

And what if he's sick? Or gets sick and can't get better? Without his grace, there's a whole new set of worries. A bad flu that gets worse until he's gone, a hunt going wrong, fucking cancer. Heart disease kills pretty much everyone, doesn't it?

He takes a deep breath and focuses on the gentle thud of Cas' heart against his palm.

The last eight months haven't been easy. Not between the alcohol Sam eventually cut him off from, and the hunts getting sparse, and Jack being terrifying and gone until he wasn't.

Cas lulls his head to the side. His inky heart sticks to his forehead, and his blueberry-sweet eyes are unfocused but still manage to catch Dean's.

It's achingly familiar, and he smiles easy. "Hey there, sunshine."

Cas pinches his brows together as his head swims to stay upright. He slurs through some half-baked, nonsense question about coral reef bleaching, and Dean's so relieved he laughs.

Cas smiles at the sound, dazed and feather-light, but the joy is unmistakable.

It's the best thing Dean's ever seen. Fuck, he missed him. Missed him so much he didn't know what to do with himself.

Cas winces — what little help he was giving Dean in holding him up falls. He makes up the difference quick. Weak fingers curl around Dean's wrist.

"Sorry —"

"S'okay. Gonna —" he swallows hard. Tries to shove away the distinct pin-prick in his tear ducts that always means he needs to man the hell up. "Gonna get you to a bed, okay?"

Cas grunts, a pitiful noise that's mostly air and entirely feeble. "Tired."

"Rest then. It ain't far. I gotcha, buddy."

When he nods, his hair brushes Dean's neck.

It's not well thought out. The lack of work and overload of carbs haven't done Dean's muscles any favors. His joints creak and protest every step, but his room isn't far, and he'd be damned before he let's Cas feel like he has to do anything alone this time.

Miracle hops off the bed the moment the door opens.

Dean lays Cas on top of the bunched up blanket. Once he's down, Dean slowly works the trencoast and suit jacket off, his hands careful as they trail across the thin cotton of his shirt.

Cas shivers, and Dean wrestles to tug the blanket out from under him, Miracle nuzzling the side of his leg the whole time.

She's probably hungry. Or just wants attention. He hasn't exactly been available the last couple weeks, too busy with his nose in piles of research. But it all payed off.

Cas grimaces in his sleep, and it twists the cords in Dean's chest. He reaches his hand out and ghosts his fingers across the sweat-stained hair stuck to his skin, gently pushing it to the side.

He'd said it once, not more than a month ago, in the darkness of his room, Miracle tucked as close as he could get her.

He said he loved me, and I — I didn't say it back. But I do. God I do.

Dean trails his hand from his forehead to the flushed pillow of his cheeks. The other knuckles roughly at his eyes and comes back wet.

He has no god damn idea what he wouldve done without Miracle to talk to. Cause he could never get it out to Sam. Not those last moments. Not what Cas really means to him. Always too close to an edge of something larger than any apocalypse they've ever dealt with.

He traces down low enough to brush across Cas' wrist, the pained look still on his face.

Dean swallows, his heart hammers hard in his throat. Timid even though the guy is unconscious, Dean grabs his hand.

His mind blanks. Turns to complete static — a jumble of half-formed thoughts about every reason he ever told himself not to.

He's an angel. The worlds ending. Always ending. He doesn't feel that way. Can't, the equipment for it's not there. It's why he leaves, isn't it? And what the fuck could ever hope to start when it's all always falling apart? When they could fall apart.

Everyone leaves.

A flash of cold prickles down his back, and he tries to takes a deep breath. It goes down ragged. There was something he read once, about picking out a sense.

Cas' breath, slow and steady. The clink of Mircale's claws on the floor. A muted buzz from the florescent lights in the hall.

He breaths again, a little easier. His fingers curls into Cas' palm, and his finger twitch against Dean in response. The dent in his brows relax, his jaw goes slack.

"S'okay Cas." He squeezes. "Just... be okay."

When his phone rings, dumped and forgotten on the other side of the room, he isn't quite sure how to let go. Like the ligaments in his hand have cemented in place, forgotten the muscle memory to make the movements happen.

When the second call comes through, Cas mumbles something. Dean's shoulder slack, and he pulls his hands back, clammy and with a slight tremor.

It's Sam. There's a small tug of guilt — he should've called him the moment he put Cas down. He knows he would've been worried sick if Sam was the one that had to go.

Sam's relieved too, promises to buy stuff for dinner on his way back from where Dean went in the Empty about fifty miles out. And he must hear something in his voice, because he stresses to go watch a movie or something and let Cas sleep it off.

Of course he's right. They knew Cas would be out cold. But leaving the room is still hard, and he lingers in the doorway until he gets a good look at Miracle's mess of tangled fur.

He hasn't brushed her hair, since that's practically what the fur is, in weeks.

"C'mon girl."

He grabs the brush from the bedside table, casts on last look at Cas, and takes Miracle to the TV room.

She hops on the couch next to him, tail thumping with excitement.

"You wanna get pretty to meet Cas later?"

She nuzzles his hand, sticks her nose against the brush, and a little bit of the stress from today lightens up.

He flips on some netflix show about baking food, and talks to Miracle as he starts in on her snout.

It's ritualistic to touch on whatevers going on with her, at this point.

As her fur smooths, he tells her about the Empty. Its piss-poor lighting, the mind boggling way directions work, how it has this awful burnt-licorice and gasoline stench clung to the nothingness of its everything.

It kinda makes his head hurt.

Almost two full episodes in, he has all her fur neat and tidy, and his little monologue has circled back to Cas. She'd know a lot about him if she could talk.

"It's hard to believe he's really back. And — and maybe it'll be good. We could, I dunno, get you a yard?" He nods, smiles. "Yeah, I bet your spoiled ass would like that. The bunker ain't a place for pets."

Miracle leaps from the couch, and someone clears their throat from the door.

Cas stands in the doorway, hunched in on himself. Dark strands of hair twist up in random directions, and the casual clothes Dean left him fit snugly.

He looks... comfortable. Like he slipped into humanity ages ago, not this afternoon.

"Cas."

He tilts his lips up, tight and sheepish. "I see you have a dog now."

"Yeah. Miracle. She uh — she helped me." He motions vaguely to his head. "Might not be batting a hundred up here if not for her."

Cas glances down at her, and the tense smile softens. "I'm very grateful then."

Almost reverent, he scratches the side of her ear.

Dean shakes his head. Blinks. Two things he never thought he'd see side by side mixed with the insanity of the day make none of this seem real.

Deep breath.

"She can — she can be there for you too," Dean says. "If you need it. Dogs are great listeners. Even the Madonna types like this one."

Cas gives a contemplative hum. "They are both blonde."

He puffs a breath of air. It's easy to forget Cas actually knows what he's talking about now, sometimes. Even if he does still miss the point by a mile.

"It was your turn."

Cas raises an eyebrow.

"To, uh, pick a movie." He motions to the seat next to him. "If you want."

Cas runs his bottom lip between his teeth and doesn't look at Dean. Doesn't say anything either. Just nods, walks over, and sinks into the couch.

It's a respectable distance. Close enough Dean would be able to sense him, far enough away they won't touch.

Miracle curls up on the other side of Cas, head flopped on his lap, right next to his balled up hands.

"Is it over?" His voice is small.

Dean doesn't have to ask. "Chuck isn't aproblem anymore." Cas sighs, slinks down bonelessly into the cushions. "We figured it out, took his powers. Jack's fixing up Heaven with it. Says he's gunna do that, find a way to put Amara back together, and then come home."

"Good. I don't think I'm up to fighting standards." He rolls his head to the side. They're close enough Dean can make out each muscle in his neck when he swallows. "You didn't have to save me, Dean. I'd — made peace with that fate."

It's bullshit. It's bullshit and Cas has to know it. He almost tells him a much, but if he can't have that talk now, then he never will.

He licks his lips. It doesn't help the dryness.

"Did you mean it?"

It's a dumb question, but one he needs answered.

Cas doesn't miss a beat. "That and more." The serenity in his words is endearing as it is cutting when he adds, "But we don't have to address it. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

It's Dean's turn to melt with relief. "Good — that's good."

Cas winces. "I understand if you'd like some space —"

He starts to stand up, and panic seizes Dean's chest like a vice grip. He grabs his wrist and Cas freezes.

"No! God no. Cas, it — it wasn't supposed to happen like that."

He looks confused, before some amount of understanding smoothes out some of the worried lines in his face. His eyes flick down to Dean's mouth for an instant. "How was it supposed to happen, then?"

"I thought, maybe on a hunt? Or — I don't know. Just... " some place I could say it back.

Its not good enough, saying it without saying it. Cas gave a speech. He saved Dean's life, saved the god damn world. All without knowing.

He shakes his head. Starts again. He had enough practice between thoughts he couldn't shove away and late night pet-therapy. "I thought you knew. Hell, I've been scared everyone knows. And if they did, you did too, right?"

"Subtly isn't always my strongest suit."

He laughs, and it's almost on the wrong side of sane. "Don't I know it."

He can do direct.

Slow enough that Cas has time to pull back, he runs his hand up his arm, cradles it against the back of Cas' neck. He leans across the small distance and kisses him.

It's clumsy and unsure, and Cas places a skittish hand on Dean's side like he's not sure what he's allowed to have even now, but their lips mesh together in a way that feels better than anything he can remember.

When they part, he's not sure either one of them are breathing. And he can't look at Cas, not when he says it. Not yet. So he presses their foreheads together, keeps his eyes fully lidded.

"I don't know how you could think you aren't worth saving. You — you're it for me."

"Dean —"

He shakes his head, and the tips of their noses brush. "I love you more than I know what to do with. You know that right?"

Bewildered, Cas says, "I didn't."

"Yean, well. Now you do."

He scoots back in place, flushed firm against the cushion. Their hands tangle together, and their knees are touching, and it's too much and not enough. But mostly not enough. Dean dares a glance over. Cas is staring at their hands, a pleased smile on his face.

And they're on the same page.

"I think you said something about a yard when I walked in?"

Instead of answering he says, "We should retire. I'm too old for this shit."

"Entirely?"

Dean shrugs. "A hunt here and there wouldn't hurt I guess."

"We'll talk about it later." He reaches over him, grabs the remote. "I think you said it was my turn?"

Dean grins, full and toothy. "Yeah, just no more romcoms, dude. I can only take so many."

Cas nods, curt and serious. "Of course."

He does anyway, and it's the best shitty movie Dean's ever seen.