#I’m not super happy with this but meh | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jamminvroomvroom · 2 years

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a golf swing and a trampoline

LN x fem!reader

read part 2: karma rules!

read part 3: you bring blue lights.

(i have no fucking idea where this gif came from, found it deep in the roll. if it’s urs hmu!!)

this is just angst and smut bc i’m depressed and horny. i really have nothing to add. ngl i’m half super proud of this and half meh so yannoooo we move. lemme know what you think, it is essential to my existence. <33 also fyi the max in this is max fewtrell just to clarify lmao

based on little freak by harry styles. lando is a little freak tbh so i think it’s very fitting. gremlin.

in which lando is a little bit too interested in max’s former fling.

warnings: smut, angst, language, alcohol, max being a prick (not his fault, bless him)

8.6k words (wtf how)

guilt was a funny thing. not the laugh out loud kind, but the peculiar, hole in the pit of your stomach, nail biting kind. lando hated biting his nails. he hated biting his nails, almost as much as he hated himself for telling max that he could bring some random girl that lando had never met to the golfing green with them. he hated that you’d arrived, the other half of max’s latest situationship, and made lando stare. he hated that you had the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen and he hated that your golf skirt was so short and he hated that max had met you first.

the hatred evolved. he despised that you were funny, that you let max wrap his arms around you and show you how to swing, that you were so captivating, that his mouth was hanging open the entire fucking afternoon because of how disgustingly perfect you were.

lando had been so incredibly grateful when the eighteenth hole appeared in the distance. he’d never been so excited to leave the green before, but on that particular day, he would have been happy to never play golf again. when he’d shut the door to his mclaren and sped out of the car park, he’d let out a sigh of relief so loud that you and max probably could have heard it if you weren’t staring at each other, rather pathetically lando thought. he probably wouldn’t have found is quite as pathetic had he been the one on the other end of your gaze.

when he’d checked his mirrors and saw you staring after him while max gave you the heart eyes, he’d hoped and prayed that you were a gold digger and that you just fancied yourself a rich boyfriend that could take you out in his friends mclaren.

of course, he was wrong.

you and max hadn’t lasted long and lando could breath again. he wasn’t going to go after you, he wouldn’t jump in max’s grave like that, no matter how much he might have wanted to. he was mostly relieved because it meant that you’d be out of his life, gone and forgotten, as quickly as you’d raced into it on a golf buggy on a sunny tuesday afternoon. there was no longer anything to worry about, aside from the fact that max was a bit more hung up on you than he usually got with his flings. lando understood it. he was hung up on you and you were never even his.

life went on, somewhat pleasantly, normally, boringly, until max had the fantastic idea that he wanted to be your friend. it was all part of some master plan to win you back, even though lando quite desperately tried to convince him that there were plenty of other women out there that he could go and annoy, urging his bearded friend to go for a scroll on instagram and reconsider. of course max didn’t listen. you were back in no time, suddenly in lando’s eye-line at every single party, bar, restaurant, golf club, until he gave in to his urges and just let himself look at you properly. he realised how shameful he was; he always gave in so quickly, unable to look away. more often than not, you caught him staring and lando wished he could tell in the dim lighting if you actually were blushing or if the lights were playing tricks on him.

he spent more time than he cared to admit wondering how long it would take until you were back with max. it irked him greatly, pushing every single one of his buttons, gnawing away at him. all of his obsessive thinking made him realise that monaco wasn’t just good for private beaches and tax evasion. at least he didn’t have to see you all the time, and the same went for max. he struggled to look his best mate in the eyes these days.

there was a glimmer of hope one evening in london when he’d overheard max drunkenly putting a move on you as you were all leaving a bar, only to be shot down instantly. you stroked his shoulder as you spoke so carefully.

“just think we’re better as friends, max.” that part of your little speech lando very much enjoyed, but he didn’t like the way his stomach twisted when you’d told max that you weren’t looking for anything at the moment. lando was distracted by his other friends, missing your whisper to max that someone else had caught your eye and it wouldn’t be fair to lead him on like that.

max spent the following weeks praying that you’d fall madly in love with him while lando and the rest of the group tried to agree on a holiday destination for the summer break. greece was looking like a solid option, croatia again was an idea, “why don’t we just go and sit on lando’s private beach in monaco ha ha ha” was even briefly on the table. eventually, when max’s broken heart had healed, he threw himself into the middle of the heated holiday debate and soon enough, a villa was booked in santorini. flights were booked, and lando almost spat his water out when he saw your name flash up on max’s booking confirmation.

“why the fuck is she coming?“ he’d spluttered at max, eyes wide as panic arose in his chest.

“because she’s our friend?“ max explained, as if lando was the stupid one.

“how many times has this girl rejected you now?” lando raised an eyebrow, trying to cover up the fact that he was an unstable mix of devastated and excited by your attendance, whilst also trying to subtly remind max that you simply didn’t want him.

“don’t worry, mate. i’ve got a plan.” max grinned and lando grimaced.

lando wished that he had the luxury of having a plan. he was utterly, utterly fucked. two weeks with you in a confined space? not even god could help him now. he’d just have to do his best to stay completely out of your way, and perhaps even max’s. truthfully, it was quite sad to watch his friend strike out over and over again, not as entertaining to witness as it usually was, even if he did want you all to himself.

and so, lando finished up his first half of the season and made his way to greece. he’d managed to ignore you as politely as he could the entire journey there, giving you nothing but a tight smile when you’d arrived at the airport. he was quite proud of himself for not looking over at you the entire flight, despite feeling like a bit of an asshole, but that wasn’t exactly a new feeling. he watched max talk your ear off as you’d walked through the greek airport, watched the way you laughed at all his jokes and spoke so animatedly with him. it made his jaw clench, fingers drumming rapidly against his suitcase handle in annoyance, picturing the likely scene of you and max rekindling your short lived romance under the sunshine. lando tried to drown your excited voice out, instead focusing on the grating sound of the wheels of his suitcase rolling against the tiled floor.

when he’d reached the taxi that had been hired to take your group to the villa that max had booked, he flopped tiredly against the seat, exhaustion from the last few weeks taking over. he was so drained, physically and emotionally, and truthfully, he was happy to be away from all the noise, even if that meant playing a part in max’s coming of age summer chick flick that he was intent on starring in. as lando’s eyes fluttered shut, he felt someone slide into the seat next to his, and he cracked an eye open to see who it was. of course it was you, life could never be too kind, and you gave him a small wave, flashing him a heart stopping grin. he smiled back, rather awkwardly, and tried to relax with you sat mere centimetres away.

his eyes closed again, this time with force. he felt your leg brush against his, ever so subtly, and jolted upright, wriggling around to try and create some space. when he looked back over at you, ever so slightly turning his head so that you wouldn’t notice, he could have sworn there was a hint of a smirk on your face, a minuscule trace that made him want to kiss you. did you know? surely you couldn’t. but what if you did? he’d be in big trouble.

the top half of your face was covered by your dark sunglasses, which meant that he couldn’t see your eyes, a great shame in his opinion. he’d given up trying to pretend that he wasn’t looking at you, head shamelessly turned all the way to his right to watch you look out the window. he felt at peace, a strange sense of calm washing over him as he took you in. you looked so content, head leant against the glass to take in the view that flashed past before your eyes, that it made lando relax once more.

he didn’t remember falling asleep, but it was one of the better naps he’d had in a while.

the lack of motion from the car lulled lando out of his slumber. he was awake, aware, but his eyes were still shut, mostly because he didn’t want to face up to what had turned into a rather awkward run of events. he was slumped to the right, head resting in the crook of someone’s neck, a floral scent attacking every single one of his senses. he could feel soft strands of hair tickling his face and the rise and fall of the persons chest. what concerned him the most, however, was the way his hand was positioned, holding on firmly to a thigh, his fingers stroking slowly over the bare skin. lando stopped breathing at the realisation that not only had he fallen asleep on you, his hands had begun to wander of their own accord.

there was absolutely no way of saving himself, not a single way of getting out of this situation unscathed. he was tempted to jump out of the car and run for his life, but that would only get him so far, and he wasn’t really in the mood to cause a scene. slowly, he opened his eyes, sitting up. he heard you giggle, making him freeze, eyes darting up to meet yours. your lips were so close to his, your faces not even inches apart and for a split second, he imagined what life would be like without max. it was evil but he couldn’t help but wonder, not when he could feel your breath fanning his face.

“are you okay, sleeping beauty?” you whispered. he was obsessed with the way your lips moved.

“um, i’m, um, really sorry.” he swallowed hard, moving slowly to try and back away from your overly inviting face. he didn’t get very far, nose brushing yours as he moved, once again stopping him in his tracks.

“don’t be.” you murmured, voice barely audible, but he could feel the vibration of your words. he was far too close. he darted back, pressing his head against the headrest, staring forward. he let out a shaky breath. he heard the door handle click, watching you swing your legs out first and climb out of the taxi.

“want me to leave this open for you, or are you going for a spin with the taxi driver?” you were smirking at him, apparently very much amused by the sight of him. lando knew exactly what he must have looked like, a shaky, undignified heap that couldn’t keep his hands to himself. he scoffed, springing into action, sliding out of the car until his trainer clad feet hit the floor.

suddenly he was standing over you, hot sun beating down on both of you. he reached for the hem of his hoodie, pulling it over his head quickly, his t-shirt coming with it. when his head emerged from the material, t-shirt still bunched up around his abdomen, it was his turn to be amused. there was no denying it, your eyes were fixed on the small patch of tanned skin, his abs tightening as his stomach jumped in adulation. as quickly as you’d looked, you’d averted your eyes, fixing them back on his. you decided to smile, seemingly unfazed despite being caught.

“come on lando, everyone else is already inside. your beauty sleep is really eating into this trip.” you teased.

“i think that’s the second time you’ve called me beautiful today, love.” he didn’t know where he’d found the confidence to reply in such a way, but it was totally worth it when he heard you laugh. love.

“do you like being called beautiful, norris? do we have something to unpack here? is it ego?” you deadpanned, joking back, again totally unfazed. he picked up your bag effortlessly, as well as his own, and the both of you walked towards the white stone villa.

“maybe i like it when you do it.” he hoped that his voice signified that he was joking, and not that he was pathetically infatuated with you.

“i’ll keep that in mind.” you winked. you both laughed, making your way up the marble steps to the front door, which suddenly swung open. max was stood at the threshold, a smile on his face that lando knew to be fake.

“there you both are.” he reached out to lando, who quickly realised that max wanted your bag.

“yeah, sorry. someone was in quite a deep sleep.” either you didn’t know that max’s smile was completely false or you simply didn’t care, continuing to give lando that small, flirty smile that left him with butterflies.

when lando looked back at max, still waiting for your bag with his hand outstretched, eyes flickering between you and lando suspiciously, the butterflies died and turned into knots. the last thing lando needed was for max to find out about his silly little feelings.

lando knew that he should have given your bag over to max. you were his guest, his… well lando didn’t really know what you were. but he knew that the bag was more than a bag. it was a symbol, a piece of you, and when lando stepped around max, taking it with him, he knew that he might have just accidentally declared war. lando walked through the door, and into the hallway, eyeing up the large staircase that led to the bedrooms. he didn’t look back, climbing the extravagant staircase, leaving your bag at the top, a flag on the top of the mountain. but lando had not conquered you. he didn’t want to. conquer seemed like a dirty word where you were concerned. you were not a conquest, you were magnificent, you were sunlight.

he didn’t want to get into some kind of pissing contest with max over you. that was degrading, childish. you were not a prize to be won, nor did he want to win you. he thought about this as he searched for an empty room, replaying the moment he’d woken up over and over and over in his head. the soft rise and fall of your chest, the ends of your hair tickling his nose, the soft skin of your thigh under his firm touch.

the things he wanted to do to you.

it was embarrassing to be so caught up in a single touch, as if he was a teenager again, but you just felt so good in his hands. and then your wit? the rapid way that your mind worked, teasing him, winding him up so skilfully? that delicate point of view of yours that left him dizzy? he couldn’t stop thinking about you.

he sauntered into one of the bedrooms, leaving the door open and slinging his suitcase onto the bed, starting to lazily unpack his stuff. as he was hanging up a shirt, the light pink one that reminded him of a wild night with pierre gasly, he caught sight of a figure in his peripheral vision, leaning against the doorframe. he turned to face you, quirking an eyebrow at the sight of you.

“domestic goddess looks good on you, lando. don’t think i’ve ever seen a guy hang up clothes before, so forgive me for staring.” he was quite honestly obsessed with you and the way your voice sounded when you were blatantly making fun of him. he floundered embarrassingly for a response, not knowing what to say back to match your banter. you beat him to it anyway. “looks like we’re neighbours.” you smiled, taking your weight off of the doorframe, padding down the hallway to the room next door.

“did you know this place has a trampoline?” he heard you exclaim in disbelief and excitement as you were walking down the hall. he did know, and hadn’t really been bothered much by the information, but hearing the simple joy in your voice made him do a one eighty. suddenly, trampolines were the best thing in the world and he laughed quietly to himself, so glad that you couldn’t see the stupid, lovesick smile on his face.

a few days has passed, and lando had managed to force himself to relax. of course it was difficult, given that max found a way to put his hands on you when he knew lando was watching. lando wouldn’t play ball, wouldn’t let this become some kind of unspoken contest, because he respected you. not to say that max didn’t, but he was still trying desperately to pursue you, despite not getting anywhere at all. it all seemed to boil over a little bit over dinner one evening.

the air was hot, feeling as if it was getting heavier by the second. lando had a headache, probably made worse by the beer stood on the table next to his plate. he considered going back onto the ginger ale. he’d been quiet all evening, stewing in annoyance as he listening to max go on and on and on about taking you to this little restaurant him and a few of the others had found earlier that day. you’d been at the villa all day, along with lando and the remaining members of the friend group, lounging by the pool. lando had felt proud of himself that he’d decided to stay before you had, and that you hadn’t swayed his decision. he felt a bit less of that pride when he wondered, or, more accurately, prayed, that he’d swayed yours.

all throughout the dinner, max had droned on and on while you sipped your red wine and lando simply couldn’t take it. he wanted to take you to a tiny restaurant, he wanted to show you the sights, he wanted to be sat next to you, not so subtly whispering sweet nothings in your ear. he wanted max to shut the fuck up, or to simply leave. it was awful, but he’d gotten used to being awful. he felt petty and angry and fed up, and that’s why he let his hand slip, the tall beer glass crashing down onto the table, conveniently splashing all over max, covering him.

max shot up out his seat, and lando sat their motionless, slightly shocked with himself. he hoped that no one noticed that it was absolutely on purpose, turning around suddenly to throw a sorry over his shoulder to max, who was making his way inside, an apology that he didn’t at all mean. he’d gotten his wish; max was gone and you were sat on the other side of the empty chair that max had abandoned, staring at lando.

“‘m gonna get something to clear this up.” lando muttered, trudging from the outdoor table towards the glass doors that would take him into the kitchen. as he was picking up the kitchen roll, he heard the door open and close again behind him. he sighed, knowing exactly who it was that had joined him.

“why did you do that?” you asked simply. you didn’t sound amused, or irritated, or anything really. you sounded genuine, as if you really wanted to know the answer.

“do what?” lando decided to play dumb, not feeling like admitting just how pathetic he really was.

“lando, i saw you waste a perfectly good beer. if you didn’t want it, i would have happily drank it.” you made your usual jokes but for once lando didn’t want to hear it.

“he was getting on my nerves.” lando still hadn’t turned around to face you, instead he busied himself, fiddling with the paper towels in his hand.

“why?” one of your hands rose to sit on your hip, almost accusingly.

“i feel like you’re interviewing me.” lando scoffed, trying to make light of the situation.

“well i feel like you should be honest with me.” was your rebuttal.

“i can’t.” his voice was quiet, timid, a little bit stressed.

“why?”

“stop asking me ‘why’.” he was flustered.

“stop avoiding my questions.”

“you know, i see the way you look at me. i think you know the answers to your own questions. so just stop. i can’t say anything else. you know i can’t. so just stop. with the looks and the jokes and the flirting. stop.” he didn’t know what had come over him, and when he heard you let out a shaky breath behind him, he knew that you didn’t either.

“do you really want me to?” your voice was soft, and your words knocked the air out of him.

“i need you to.” he responded desperately.

“that’s not the same thing.” you pressed on.

when he didn’t respond, or move, or breathe, you sighed. you let yourself out of the kitchen and rejoined the rest of the group. lando suddenly felt claustrophobic in the giant kitchen, the kitchen roll feeling too heavy in his hands. he held the weight of his mistake in his hands, of wanting max out of his way and wanting you all to himself. he abandoned the kitchen roll, tossing it back onto the side and made a beeline for his bedroom, completely blanking max who was on his way back outside, adorning a clean, dry shirt.

“mate?” he heard max call out to him, when he was halfway up the stairs.

“not feeling good.” lando mumbled, not even sure that max had heard him, but he knew that his friend must have heard the way his door slammed, hitting the wood of its frame with force.

lando let out a frustrated groan, throwing himself down onto the bed. he laid perfectly still, flat on his back, glaring at the ceiling, as if he was mad at it, rather than himself. he’d made his bed, and he’d have to lay in it, no pun intended as he fisted the material of his bedding, cool against his flushed skin.

what did you want from him? did you really feel anything for him at all? did you really want to keep playing such a dangerous game? max was right there, longing for you openly, but you wanted him instead?

lando wondered what he could have possibly done to be so unlucky. the girl of his dreams, stood right behind him, egging him on to admit his sad little feelings for her, while his friend, her former boyfriend, was upstairs changing a shirt that lando had stained? it was practically laughable, and definitely fucked up.

lando didn’t really know how much time had passed. he heard everyone trail back to their rooms eventually, wondering what time it was for them to all have retired to bed. he felt choked by the still, humid air of the room he’d imprisoned himself in, gasping for breath all of the sudden as he sat upright. he tugged off his shirt, tossing it carelessly onto the floor, a crumpled mess, unlike the ones that hung pristinely in the wardrobe. the lack of material did nothing to help him. he need to move, he needed fresh air, he needed clarity. as quietly as he could, he tiptoed out of his room, trying to make sure that he shut the door behind him carefully. he spared your door a glance, noticing the lack of light spilling underneath it.

once he was downstairs, he was a little bit less careful, no longer so worried about being silent. he let himself out of the back door in the kitchen, glancing at the abandoned dining table on the patio, since cleared up after dinners antics. there wasn’t a trace of the evenings events, aside from someone’s jumper, a half empty ashtray and a can of beer tucked under a chair.

he carried on walking, making his way further down the garden. he stopped briefly next to the pool, the clear water now overcast with shadows from the dark night. there were little pools of light breaking out across the surface, a symptom of the fairy lights that hung over the tall fences, keeping the world out. he thought about you, for a fleeting second, how majestic you’d looked getting out of that very water, droplets skimming your body and falling away to the ground. you’d eyed him, tempting him into the cool water as you’d wrapped yourself in a towel, leaving him sweating on the sun lounger all of the sudden. you were cruel. he hated you. he didn’t.

lando turned away from the swimming pool, casting his gaze further down the garden to the trampoline. it sat surrounded by the grass, built into the layout of the garden. he walked towards it, bare feet hitting the cool blades of grass as he moved. once he reached his destination, he walked onto the centre of it, jumping lightly once or twice before throwing himself down on his back. the springs creaked quietly under his weight, body relaxing. lando stared up at the sky, eyes focusing on the twinkling stars that lit up the dark sky. it was oddly therapeutic.

he must have been out there for a while when he heard footsteps approaching. lando didn’t even look up, didn’t even bother to check and see who would be joining him. he just carried on gazing at the starry sky, picturing your eyes.

“you do know trampolines are for jumping on, right? weren’t exactly built for existential crisis.” your voice broke the delicate silence. he didn’t look over to where you stood, just kept staring at the sky.

“seems to be working fine for me right about now.” lando quipped, not really in the mood for your banter. it ached too much, and after your little discussion, more like interrogation, in the kitchen, lando just didn’t have the energy. you hummed in response, flopping onto your back next to him.

“what’s keeping you awake so late, huh?” you asked quietly.

“you know, stuff.”

“wow. ‘stuff’. are you sure you feel okay revealing so much about yourself to me?” you teased, turning your head so that you were facing him.

“you’re not funny.” he turned to face you, struggling to hide his smile that dared to break through the front he’d tried to hard to put up.

“actually, i’m hilarious.”

“you’re killing me.” he’d meant it as a joke. it wasn’t a joke.

“i’m sorry.” you really were.

“it’s too late for sorry. but i guess i’m sorry too.” lando sounded so deflated. the sad smile on your lips devastated him.

“you don’t need to be, lando.”

“he’s my best friend.” he shared the weight on his shoulders with you, the elephant in the room finally taking centre stage.

“and i made it clear i wasn’t interested in him.” you were so matter of fact, but you both knew that it wasn’t that simple.

“and yet here you are.”

“not for max.” your words hit him straight in the stomach, ricocheting off his heart.

“what?”

“he’s a friend. i care about him. but it’s not like that.”

“was it ever?”

“could have been. but then this other idiot caught my eye and i couldn’t live a lie. me and max are done.” your voice was barely above a whisper but you spoke with so much conviction, he couldn’t do anything but stare at you.

lando didn’t get a chance to reply because you were hauling yourself up until you were back on your feet. you stuck your hand out for lando, and he eyed it, still trying to process what you’d just said.

“c’mon lando. jump with me.” you looked at him expectantly, that signature small smile on your face that he physically couldn’t say no to.

he took your hand, the butterflies in his stomach alive and well, and he stood up. once he was on his feet, facing you, you took his other hand. you bounced lightly a few times, until you were both propelling yourself into the air, trying to jump as high as you could. you were both laughing, breathless, enjoying the rush of air that encapsulated you in this bubble. you both landed back onto the springy sheet, giggling. lando’s arms went around you to steady you, your hands gripping his forearms as you caught your breath. your fingers stroked across his veins and he shivered, snapped back to reality. you were grinning up at him, so fucking beautiful, he thought. your grip on him tightened and he came to his senses.

“we should go back inside.” he whispered. “it’s getting late.”

“was that a line?” you raised an eyebrow, teasing him with another smirk.

“what? no!” he blurted out, blushing slightly as he realised what he’d said. you were laughing at him and he couldn’t stop himself from joining in.

you began walking back through the garden, following the pathway. you made your way to the pool, stopping briefly for a second to watch the lights dance across the water, just as lando had earlier. he stopped alongside you at the waters edge.

“hey, lando?”

“hmm?“

“you’re looking a little bit flushed.” you turned to him slowly, mischievous glint in your eyes as they not do subtly trailed down his bare chest. uh oh. he blinked once, twice, knowing exactly where this was going but his body hadn’t caught up with his brain, something he’d gotten used to in your presence.

he was under the water before he could blink a third time.

lando swam up to the top of the water, breaking through the surface. the first thing he heard was your hysterical laughter, and as soon as he’d wiped the chlorine laced water from his eyes, he could see you, doubled over and shaking. there were little crinkles by your eyes and your smile was so wide that it must of hurt. it went straight to his heart, a gentle pang that reminded him that he was alive. he would have gotten out of the pool and let you push him in as many times as you wanted, as many times as it would satisfy you. he would have done absolutely anything, anything, to have you laughing like that for him. all for him.

“are you happy now?” lando pouted, pushing his matted curls out of his face. you were semi-calm by now, still giggling away.

“very. you look a bit better now.” you replied, a little bit breathless from all of your laughing.

“are you gonna help me get out?” lando asked, plan forming in his head. this would probably be his only opportunity to get you wet, he figured he should probably take it.

“do you really think i’m gonna fall for that?” you asked, as if he was stupid, which he definitely was.

“fall for what? c’mon, i’m cold and it’s all your fault.” he whined playfully, sticking his hand out for you to take. you looked down at him, suspicious, but for whatever reason, you took his hand, leaning your weight backwards, as if to anchor yourself in case he did exactly what he was planning on doing.

“okay, fine. but if you pull me in, i swear to god, i’ll-” you were cut off by your own yelp as you flew threw the air and landed in the cold water. you swam to the surface, just as he had done, hand still holding his tightly. you broke the surface, face inches away from his, a scowl taking over your features. he felt no sympathy, because that glint in your eye, the one that he’d become so accustomed to, was still very much there. you were loving every second of this, almost as much as he was.

“you’ll what?” lando smirked, wondering if the ball was finally in his court.

you didn’t reply, all you did was send a small tidal wave his way, thrashing the hand that wasn’t in his grip until he was hit with a wall of water. it sent his hair back into his eyes, and he was operating blind, using his free hand to try and fight back. you stayed there for a while, giggling as you declared war on one another, sending pool water flying every which way. he never let go of your hand and you never let go of his, neither of you made any attempt to, the both of you moving together through the water.

eventually, lando decided enough was enough. you were winning and he was a sore loser. he tugged on your hand, gliding you towards him, capturing your other hand in his, lacing your fingers. it felt so natural that it scared him, terrified him even. touching you felt like the most normal thing in the world and that was panic inducing. it wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it? he wondered how much more fight he had in him, how much longer he’d be able to resist you, because in that moment, the odds were not looking good. it didn’t matter how often he thought of max, didn’t matter that his best friend was still trying his luck with you, lando was beyond caring. almost.

the both of you floated there, bobbing together in the water. your thumbs stroked the backs of his hands, and you seemed to be getting closer and closer, until the gap was so nonexistent that lando could feel your breath fanning his face.

“can i tell you something?” you whispered.

“please.” he breathed.

“it’s a bit horrible.” your eyebrows furrowed, voice still so quiet that lando wondered if he was imagining all of this.

“i can take it.” that was a lie, he definitely didn’t know if he could take it. god knows what you were going to say.

“wish i’d met you first.” you mumbled, your lips barely centimetres from his.

lando wanted to cry. he probably could have. he stayed there, motionless in the water. your body was practically pressed against his and it would have been so, so incredibly easy to close that minuscule gap and just do what he’d wanted to do since the second he’d met you, but the consequences would have been so ghastly, so dreadful. maybe, you would have been his, but would the possibility of that outweigh the certainty of losing max? his best friend? his closest confidant, one of the very few people in this world that understood him?

lando’s hesitancy to kiss you made you drop one of his hands. he panicked, thinking he’d blown it, but then he felt your hand on his face, caressing the damp skin, and it felt like pure magic. his eyes were shut, shut so tightly that he wondered how long they’d been closed, so lost in the feel of you against him that he’d completely zoned out, lost in his own head. his eyes opened the second he felt your nails raking softly through his hair, making him shiver as you combed the mess of wet curls with your fingers. his eyes had snapped to yours immediately, searching them desperately. he longed to know exactly what was going through your head, because maybe it would help to organise the mess of thoughts in his.

“i get it, y’know. i get why we can’t do this. just wanna look at you for a while.” you murmured, as if it was the most mundane thing in the world and you hadn’t just set his entire body on fire with three sentences.

“you’re so fucking beautiful.” lando gasped, finally remembering that he could speak and that this was his only chance to make sure that you knew. “everything about you. everything.”

you smiled, and as it reached your eyes, he could see that it wasn’t a happy smile. it wasn’t the kind of giddy, happy go lucky smile that you can’t control, because you’re falling in love. it was the kind of smile that you give because you have to. the kind of smile that you give someone when you’re watching them leave, as you’re saying goodbye, one that makes your eyes melt into your cheeks as tears fall and everything gets a little bit hazy. it made lando want to die.

he was still so close, but just too far. too fucking far. that fire that you’d set with your words was burning out quickly and he was suddenly so cold, filled with an ache that he didn’t think could ever possibly go away.

“come on.” he whispered, pulling you towards the steps that led you out of the water, back on to solid ground, where everything would go back to normal and all of this would melt away into nothing again.

you were both dripping wet, clothes soaked through, hair a sopping mess. your hand was still in his, as if you were both refusing to let go, which you were. lando sure as hell wouldn’t be the one to break away first. he needed to savour every second. you both tiptoed solemnly through the dark house, reaching the top of the staircase. the closer you got to your rooms, the louder lando’s thoughts got.

he didn’t want to say goodbye. he didn’t want to let you go and he didn’t want to watch max try and fail over and over. he didn’t want to only tell you once that you were beautiful, he wanted to tell you every day. he didn’t want you to feel guilty, or horrible, he wanted you to feel loved.

lando stopped, halfway down the corridor, tugging on your hand until you turned around, suddenly pulled into his embrace. he searched your eyes for any hesitancy, but your hands were already cupping his face, pulling him down. he met you halfway, kissing you so urgently, finally. your lips moved with his, frantic, his hands everywhere, your hands back in his hair, tugging and desperate. it was messy and perfect and soft and warm and you were moaning as his hands wandered of their own accord, quiet whimpers getting swallowed as your tongue brushed with his.

you both grew needier and needier and lando found himself pressing you into the nearest wall, the plaster panel that separated your bedroom doors. the feel of your hands on him slowed lando right down, bringing him right back into the moment, as they slid out of his wet hair and down his neck. your fingers grazed his collarbone as they moved further down his body, a shiver running down his spine. your hands flattened against the damp skin of his bare chest, feeling the warmth that you’d created, your right hand resting over where his heart was beating uncontrollably.

“lando,” you mumbled against his lips that tried to chase after yours as you pulled back slightly. his eyes fluttered open, meeting your soft ones, seduction swirling in the different hues. “please.”

“what?” he breathed, scared to know what you were asking for. he had a vague idea but he needed to know more, before his mind exploded.

“i know we shouldn’t,” your hands crept back up his chest, sliding over his shoulders and around his neck, tugging on his hair lightly as you spoke. he couldn’t help the dull groan he let out. “and i know it can’t go any further,” lando frowned at your words, agreeing with you, but it stung nonetheless. “but tonight… please.”

your words hung heavy in the air. lando didn’t know what to say to you. you were literally a dream, right before his eyes, but you’d just told him that you wouldn’t be a reoccurring one. he didn’t know how to feel about that. all he knew was that he couldn’t deny you, couldn’t pass up the one chance that you’d both have. one time, and then it was over.

he decided against a verbal response, slotting his lips back against yours, a slow, deep kiss that told you that he was on board. he pulled you away from the wall, walking you backwards down the hallway until you were positioned between him and your bedroom door, his hand leaving your waist to open the door quickly. the door shut behind you both, perhaps a bit too loudly, but it was too late to care. you guided him across the floor, past your now empty suitcase tucked away in the corner, until you were at the foot of your bed.

you turned the pair of you around, pushing lando to sit down on the bed, stepping between his legs. his hands trailed lazily over your waist and down your outer thighs, eyes locked as he stared up at you like you’d hung the stars in the sky. if someone told him that you had, he’d believe them. your fingers gripped at the hem of your shirt, and slowly, you pulled it off, revealing yourself to him. you were left in your bra and a pair of shorts, goosebumps littering your skin, still cold from your wet clothes. he was more than happy to warm you up.

lando pulled you down onto his lap, hands hooking around the backs of your thighs to lower you down on top of him. your knees slotted either side of him, straddling him, an experimental roll of your hips making him suck in a breath. while one of his hands toyed with the band of your shorts, the other snuck up your body, tangling in your hair. he pulled you down, crashing your lips against his.

he could feel himself getting harder and harder as you carried on your movements, grinding against him slowly. you pulled your lips off of his, foreheads pressed together. the hand in your hair dropped down, skimming across your shoulder blade until he reached the clasp of your bra, fiddling with it until he heard a faint snap. the lace slipped down your arms, hanging loosely in the space between you. you caught your bottom lip between your teeth, gasping as the hand on your back trailed over the bare skin, around your side and across your ribcage.

“touch me.” you whispered, something snapping within you both that changed everything, the urgency of the situation completely taking a hold. his lips peppered kisses across your chest, never detaching them as he flipped you over and onto your back. he situated himself between your legs, already spread open for him, and carried on, swirling his tongue across the skin. he caught one of your nipples in his mouth, hips pinning you down when you bucked yours up into his.

lando could feel you warming up, replacing the cold that had caught you outside. he covered your entire body with his, desperately trying to get as close to you, feel as much of you as possible. he could feel one of your hands running down his side, stroking his tanned skin as it travelled closer and closer to the waistband of his shorts. your fingers dipped into the waistband, bypassing his boxers. he froze, vision blurry for a second as he tried to ground himself at the feel of your fingertips dancing across the sensitive skin below his hipbones.

your hand went further, pushing the material covering his lower half out of your way, hand wrapping around his cock. his eyes rolled back and it took everything within him not to collapse on top of you. you gave him a gentle squeeze, moaning quietly at the weight of him in your hand and he almost lost it then and there, slowly losing all of his willpower as your hand began to work up and down his length. he refocused his vision, wild eyes fixating on the way you were watching his face, your own only a few centimetres beneath his. you licked your lips and he groaned, kissing you fiercely.

as soon as you sped up, he knew he had to put an end to your actions, because he was teetering on the edge, dangerously close to an orgasm already. lando was hardly to blame, you looked angelic beneath him, innocent eyes contrasting your devilish grin. heavenly.

lando slapped your hand away, springing into action, aching, quite literally to please you. after all, he only had one chance, and he had to make it count. your head fell back as he kissed down the valley of your breasts, a sigh of contentment leaving your swollen lips as he left open mouthed kisses across your stomach. your shorts were gone in a flash, panties admired briefly before they quickly followed. he was in no mood to tease, this time was too precious, too sacred to waste on games. this was anything but a game. his kisses continued, down your outer thigh and back up again, tongue making an appearance to lick the crease where your thigh met your body.

he paused momentarily, looking up at you from between your legs, admiring a view that he wouldn’t ever see again. you were watching him through lustful eyes; there was something else there, too, but lando didn’t think he had the strength to try and unpack it. it would hurt too much afterwards. his arms wrapped around your legs like vines, holding you in place, keeping you spread for him. you propped yourself up on your elbows, daring him to give you more, watching on in anticipation as he closed the gap. his tongue worked up the seam of your pussy, licking into your wet heat. the moan you’d let out was like music to his ears, the best song he’d ever heard, and he wanted to hear it again and again.

lando sped up, working his tongue faster against your cunt, mouth wrapping around your clit. you collapsed back into the mattress, arms giving out as he dipped his tongue into your entrance. he wouldn’t have ever gotten sick of this, the way you tasted, felt, pulled at his hair.

“yes, please, more.” you gasped out, when you’d felt his fingers trailing up your thigh, closer and closer to where you needed them. he trailed a digit through your messy folds, getting it nice and wet, before he slipped it inside of you, mind blank as he felt how tight you were. he slipped a second finger in, thrusting them slowly, stretching you out. he could feel you clenching, attaching his mouth to your clit once more. he needed to get you there, the animalistic urge to make you cum for him so overwhelming. and when he did, tongue flicking through your folds, fingers buried inside of you, he could have died happy. you were godly, shaking and whining above him, hand threading unapologetically through his hair.

when he’d crawled back up your body, fingers licked clean, you’d pulled him down on top of you instantly, legs wrapping around his waist. you were so warm, finally, pressed against him completely in the most delicious way. it was like finding the last piece of the puzzle and putting it in its place, where it was always supposed to be. your lips were back on his, frantic as you licked into his mouth, definitely tasting yourself on his tongue. your eagerness to be made his for the evening had him twitching for you; it felt good to be so wanted by the one he wanted the most.

when he finally pushed inside of you, everything melted away. it seemed cliché, lando thought, to suddenly be encapsulated in the state in which he found himself, one where time stood still and you were everything, everywhere. he didn’t quite understand it, it had never felt like this before, and as he set his pace, slow, but unrelenting, he started to understand why. he came to the realisation, as you kissed him so sweetly, that there was one person for him. one person that truly made him feel. he wondered if he’d ever be able to feel anything ever again. if he did, it wouldn’t compare to this. every single future interaction for the rest of his life was doomed, everyone would pale in comparison to you.

lando was well and truly ruined.

his hips hit yours, the drag of him in and out of you making you whimper, over and over and over again. it felt unbearably good, the knot in his stomach tightening rapidly. you cried out his name as you let yourself go, covering him and sending him hurtling towards his own orgasm. he tried to take it all in, the sight of you, before he collapsed down on top of you, head resting in the crook of your neck. your legs were tangled with his, your right hand intertwined with his left, resting at the side of your head.

“it should have been me.” lando whispered, and it was earth shattering. the most real thing he’d said to you all evening. the most truthful, heartbreaking, soul-baring thing he’d probably ever said in his life. it should have been him, but it wasn’t, and that’s just the way it was. max found you first, the lucky bastard, and nothing would ever be okay again.

“i know.” was your simple reply.

he fell asleep in your arms, and you fell asleep in his, clinging on tight to a dream that was hurtling to an end.

when he’d woken up next to you, he knew he had to leave. lando knew that if you woke up and he saw those pretty, pretty eyes, he would have stayed and the consequences of that were unimaginable. it already hurt enough knowing that this was over before it had even started, the least he could do was save you the trouble of having to watch him leave.

he detangled himself from you, as gently as he could, and watched you get comfortable in your slumber while he got dressed as quickly and as quietly as possible. he brushed some stray hairs away from your peaceful face, a lingering kiss on the temple being the only thing that he could leave behind. he crept out of your room, slowly shutting the door behind him, and turned on his heel to scurry back to his room and pretend that’s where he’d been all night.

he didn’t get very far.

a figure stood at the other end of the hallway, face drenched in disbelief.

lando was frozen in place. he couldn’t speak, not knowing what you were even supposed to say in a situation like this. the blood rushing to his head made it feel like everything was happening in slow motion. he felt hot, sick, stomach twisting as he watched max’s eyebrows furrow, his jaw clench, nostrils flare.

rage, disappointment, a hint of sadness. max was feeling it all and lando watched in horror as the emotions unfolded on his best friends face. it was too early in the morning for there to have been an excuse.

lando had been caught.

the funny thing, not the laugh out loud kind, but the peculiar, hole in the pit of your stomach, nail biting kind, was that max didn’t understand that it was already over, and he was the only reason why.

taglist

@boysthatgovroomvroom @thegirlinthefandoms @welld0nebaku @mcmuppetangelika @wmaximoffz @starlightoctavia @japanesekel @stardustinggold @vinvantae @chaoticallypan @ashleyo1611 @ggaslyp1 @poofy-baby-unicorns @dr3lover @smiithys @turningxstrange @lees0015 @rachstash @infinitebells @multilovebot @1missglum1 @fizzpopsnap101 @gaily19 @shinydragondelusion @alexk2002 @icecoldtires @mysticalnightenthusiast @thatchickwiththecamera @oyesmendes @f-1-fan @disneydaydreameralways @yeolsbubbles

(as always, taglist is so broken n such a mess lmao. if u wanna be added or removed hmu <33)

#lando norris #lando norris smut #lando norris angst #lando norris fluff #lando norris fic #lando norris x you #lando norris x reader #lando norris oneshot #lando norris imagine #f1 fic #f1 smut #f1 angst #f1 fluff #f1 oneshot #f1 imagine

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Text

Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss – Chapter 3 (Part 1)

Following is part 1 of my translation of Chapter 3 of Book 7: The Ruler of the Abyss. This part contains episodes 7-38 to 7-43.

Main storyline spoilers after the cut!!

Episode 7-38

(Beeeep, beeeep)

Idia: ….ZZzz…Z…

(Beeep beeep)

Idia: …..Ugh, would ya shuddup… Who is it?

(Idia answers the phone)

???: Ah, you finally picked up. It’s morning already, come on.

Idia: …Who are you?

Ortho: Who am I…? What, did you forget your own little brother? It’s me, Ortho.

Idia: Ortho? No, Ortho’s in my room…. Huh? Wait a sec…

Ortho: Big bro, we haven’t shared a room together since we were little kids. You sound like you’re still half-asleep.

Idia: But you and me are attending Night Raven College together… Huh. Huh? Ortho, where are you right now?

Ortho: What? I’m…. At Royal Sword Academy. Today’s the entrance ceremony, and I’m a freshman! Isn’t Night Raven College having their entrance ceremony today, too? You were saying before that you absolutely couldn’t oversleep, since this is the first time you’ll be performing your duties as a housewarden and all, and you asked me to give you a call in the morning.

Idia: Is… That right? I guess so.

Ortho: I know we’re going to different schools and all, but I’m still really happy I get to go to a school on Sage’s Island since you’re here.

Idia: Gotcha, so you’re in high school now, huh….

Ortho: Ah ha haha! Why are you talking like mom and dad? Alright, I’ll be going now… You better not go back to sleep after I hang up! Bye!

(The call ends)

Idia: Ahh, my head feels all fuzzy. Maybe I got a little too into my gaming last night. Wait, why did I even ask Ortho to give me a wake-up call? The entrance ceremony here doesn’t start till tonight. …Meh, whatever. Today’s a happy day 'cause Ortho’s finally starting high school. Let’s see if I can’t kill some time until the ceremony. …Guess I’ll just start on my dailies for now. I’ll take a look-see at the items I got from that quest yesterday and clean up my inventory a bit… I can just sell whatever I don’t need.

[Muscle Crimson has logged in]

Idia: Huh? It’s Muscle Crimson-Shi. He usually doesn’t log on this early.

Gloomurai: Muscle Crimson-Shi, thx for going on that farming spree w me last night! The drop rate was ass tho

Muscle Crimson: Ah, if it isn’t Gloomurai. Thank you for your assistance last night, too. Thanks to you, I believe I’ll be able to craft that new weapon I’ve been eyeing.

Gloomurai: Oooh u mean that long sword? u gotta bust it out on our next quest!

Muscle Crimson: Yes, of course. I owe everything to you, after all. Ah, and I ended up picking up the materials for that helmet you’ve been wanting in a drop. Would you please accept them from me?

Gloomurai: WHAT!! fr!? but those items are super rare u could get so much money if u sold them…

Muscle Crimson: How about the two of us take on our next quest together decked out in our new equipment?

Gloomurai: siiiick. man im so happy rn…. ty ty ty～

Muscle Crimson: By the way, it’s quite unusual for you to be logged in at this hour. Do you have the day off today?

Gloomurai: i got plans tonight so i figured id wrap up my dailies now. wby

Muscle Crimson: I am also free until tonight.

Gloomurai: u wanna crush some daily quests w me?

Muscle Crimson: That would be much appreciated. Then please allow me to accompany you.

Gloomurai: k im gonna hop off now. gg!

Muscle Crimson: Of course, today was a lot of fun. Until we meet again.

[Muscle Crimson has logged out]

Idia: Phew. I only meant to do my dailies, but we ended up going kinda overboard and doing a buncha side quests. And thanks to all those super rare materials he gave me, I was able to make some new equipment…. Today’s been totally awesome so far. …Oof, I gotta start getting ready. Got that big entrance ceremony coming up and the whole student body has to be there. What a pain in the ass. I got a bad feeling today’s about to take a 180 nosedive… This sucks. If Ortho wasn’t looking forward to this so much, who…..Huh? Wait, Ortho doesn’t have anything to do with it. ‘Cause he’s enrolled at Royal Sword Academy, not NRC. The heck am I saying. ..Aah, whatever. I’ll just go change into my ceremony outfit… Yikes, it’s still got a cleaning service tag on it and the date’s from last year. And I thought I was the shut-in, this thing only thing leaves the room, like, once a year. LOL.

Episode 7-39

Idia: Ngh… The entrance ceremony’s about to start… I’m feeling weirdly nervous. I got a feeling something bad’s gonna happen, and I don’t like it. Anyways, why do the housewardens even have to go around and greet everybody in the first place? We’re just a bunch of randos to the freshies. We’re gonna go up and be like, “congrats on being admitted” and they’ll be like, “uhh who tf are you?”…

???: Is that you, Shroud?

Idia: Eep!?

Malleus: So, it is you. How unusual.

Idia: M-Malleus-shi… Why’re you here?

Malleus: How long has it been? Ha ha, I haven't seen you much since you became housewarden.

Idia (thinking to himself): (Malleus Draconia….. The crown prince of Briar Valley and Diasomnia's housewarden! He's totally an ultra SSR character who should be headlining the orientation! So what's he doing here?!)

Malleus: And I never thought to run into you outside, of all places. What are you up to?

Idia: Y'know. I decided I'd just, uh...go... You know. Same as you.

Malleus: I see. Same as me.

(beep beep beep)

Idia: Huh? Something’s beeping.

Malleus: Yes… That was this fellow here. It appears it’s hungry. Now then, what kind of food shall I give you today….

Idia: Hold up!!!! That’s a “Gao Gao Drakon-kun!” And it’s a first gen!!!

Malleus: Oh, my. Are you familiar with it?

Idia: Yeah, but I’ve only played with the kind that has color LCD screens. This is insane, I can’t believe you have a first gen unit! I had no idea people even still played with them.

Malleus: …Indeed. It’s broken down more times than I can count, but I’ve always had it repaired. From now on, I intend to take care of it the best that I can, and treasure it… For a long, long time.

Idia: Woooah. I bet your Drakon-kun’s gotta be super happy since you care about it so much.

Malleus: ….Heh heh heh. I do hope everyone else feels the same.

Idia: Huh? What you mean “everyone”…..?

Lilia: Oooi, Malleus! Where are you?

Malleus: Lilia, I’m over here.

Lilia: Goodness grief, I was looking everywhere for you…. Hm? Ah, if it isn’t Ignihyde’s new housewarden, Idia Shroud.

Idia: Ack..! … H-Hello….

Lilia: I see, so you two must’ve been deepening your friendship as fellow wardens. Well, isn’t that lovely.

Idia: N-No, that’s… Not what we were…

Lilia: Nevertheless, the entrance ceremony is about to begin. We can’t have two housewardens - and two seniors, at that - show up late, can we? You’ll set a bad example for everyone.

Malleus: Indeed. Let’s set off for the mirror chamber, then.

Idia: ……….. Huh? It feels like…. I’m having déjà vu.

Malleus: Shroud? What’s the matter?

Idia: Ah- No it’s…. It’s nothing.

Malleus: Heh heh… What a strange one you are.

(Mirror Chamber)

Riddle: Alright, that wraps up the entrance ceremony and dormitory sorting, yes? Listen to me well, freshmen. At Heartslabyul, I am the rule. And I shall have the heads of any who dare disobey me.

Leona: *yaaaawn* Finally, that boring ass ceremony’s over. Let’s hurry up and head back to the dorm already. Savannaclaw students, follow me.

Azul: My dear freshman, let me offer you my sincerest congratulations on your admission to our humble school! As the warden of Octavinelle, I’ll be working hard to support you in your endeavors, so that you may make the most out of your time here.

Idia: (Huh… I was bracing myself for the worst... That was honestly kind of a letdown. I mean, no news is better than good news.)

Ignihyde Student: Warden Shroud, let’s start heading back to the dorm now.

Idia: Ah… Sure. Kay, freshies come with me.

Malleus: I am Malleus Draconia, the warden of Diasomnia. I give you my warmest welcome to our dorm. Come, follow me.

Ignihyde Freshman A: Look over there, It’s Malleus Draconia… In the flesh.

Ignihyde Freshman B: I wonder if it’s true that he’s descended from dragons…. Even from this far away the guy’s intimidating as hell…

Ignihyde Student: Eyes over here, freshman. You’ll get lost if you don’t pay attention.

Idia: ………?

Ignihyde Student: What’re you looking around for, Warden Shroud? Did you forget something?

Idia: No, it’s not that. I just… Forget it. It’s fine.

Ortho: Sweet. Sounds like everything went great, big bro.

Idia: I wouldn’t say it went great… But it did go off without a hitch, so. What about you, Ortho?

Ortho: I remember you really freaked me out when you said you got stuck rooming with four people and had no privacy at all during your freshman year. So you can imagine how worried I got when I found out this school has dorms, too… But I think things are gonna go really well with my roommates. We were having a lot of fun earlier talking about sports and gaming.

Idia: Yeah, ‘cause you’re not all doom and gloom like me. When you got your acceptance letter to Royal Sword Academy, it made total sense to me. Since they’re famous for taking in those sparkly extrovert type of guys, ya know. ….I’m really glad that you got to make new friends.

Ortho: Yeah…. Aww, crap! The warden’s making his rounds. It’s time for lights out. I’ll call you again, big bro. Good night!

Idia: Good night, Ortho.

(The phone call ends)

Idia: *sigh* …..And so starts another year, I guess… …….What the heck… Why do I feel like I’m forgetting something really important…. ……Whatever.

(TL Note: Some of the dialogue from when Mal is talking to Idia is the exact same lines from Idia’s Ceremonial Robes vignette, and I’ve copied the official EN lines from the places that are duplicated because I am lazy).

Episode 7-40

[It’s thundering….]

Maleficent: It’s incredible! Sixteen years and not a trace of her. Are you sure you searched everywhere?

Goon: Y-Yeah, everywhere. We searched mountains, uhhh… forests and houses, and, uh, lemme see… Aaalll the cradles.

Maleficent: Fools!

Maleficent: Search for a maid of sixteen. Go, and do not fail me.

Fauna: You’re already betrothed to Prince Philip, dear.

Aurora: But that’s impossible. How could I marry a prince? I’d have to be…

Merryweather: A princess.

Fauna: And you are, dear.

Maleficent: Touch the spindle. Touch it, I say!

Maleficent: You poor, simple fools. Thinking you could defeat me. Me! The Mistress of all Evil!

Yuu: She’s so obsessed…

Yuu: This is…?

Yuu: That’s right, Tsunotarou used his magic and…

Yuu: I wonder where everybody is?

Grim: Zzzzz….. *mumbles*

Yuu: Grim!

Grim: Waah, it’s rainin’ tuna cans～ I’m a tuna can millionaire…. *mumbles* …Man, I can’t eat all these…

(Yuu shakes Grim)

Grim: This is awesome… I hope things stay like this forever…

Yuu: Grim, wake up already!

Grim: Wha-!? What the heck are you doin’, henchman!? …Huh? …Where’d my mountain of tuna cans go? Wait… Wait! Don’t tell me… I was just dreaming? Aww, maaaan. This sucks…. Actually, when did we get back to Ramshackle? Weren’t we just at Diasomnia for Lilia’s going away party like a second ago? And then… And then Tsunotarou showed up all of a sudden…. Ah! And then he knocked us flat on our butts! And after that… I don’t remember.

Yuu: I don’t see any of the other partygoers around.

Grim: Let’s go take a look outside.

Episode 7-41

Grim: Let’s go take a look outside.

(They try to open the door, but it’s locked)

Grim: Huh!? The door won’t open! Maybe it got busted again? Kay, then let’s just go out the window… AAAH!? T-There’s s-something outside the window!! It’s a huge monster…! Wait, what? There’s a weird drawing on the window! Who the heck did this!? Somebody’s been drawin’ graffiti on our dorm! …Hm? It felt like I stepped on something just now…

Ottoman Dog: Bark bark bark!!

Grim: Uwaah! A dog!?

Ottoman Dog: Grr! Bark bark!

Yuu: The ottoman’s acting like a dog!?

Grim: I’ve never seen any animal like that before! Weird…. How come it’s in Ramshackle!?

Yuu: Wait a second… This room isn’t…

Grim: Huh? Wait, this… This isn’t our room. The vibes are kinda simliar, but it’s not Ramshackle. Where the heck are we!?

Yuu: Let’s look around.

Grim: Ah! Henchman, look at that desk over there! That nut cracker’s havin’ a field day popping open all those walnuts. And it’s eating the hull. I guess it thinks that part is the tasty part? I’m still stuffed from the party, but… It sure would be rude not to eat the nuts he’s working so hard to open. Let’s dig in! *Crunch crunch* …Mmm, it smells so good.

(Grim eats the nuts and grows several times larger)

Grim: Waaaah!? The heck just happened!? I got huge!!!

(Grim shrinks back to normal size)

Grim: T-That scared the crap outta me! What happened? I mean, I always wished I could be a big guy, but if I got that big I’d get totally stuck in this room. Oh, yeah. I remember in our magical pharmacology class… We learned there’s these magic mushrooms in the Queendom of Roses that can make you grow bigger or shrink really little. But I don’t remember anything about magic walnuts! When I see Crewel next week I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind!

Grim: There’s a pair of gloves dancing with a hat! This magic is so cool～ Other than the gloves, there’s also some playing cards covered in ink and …. this. Is this a magical pen?

Yuu: It doesn’t have a magical stone in it. It’s just a normal fountain pen.

Grim: Huh. But it looks like it’s outta ink. …And over there’s a dancing music box, and over there’s a jumpin’ umbrella… This place is filled with all sorts of weird stuff! The heck is this room?

Mickey: There’s a moving sofa and an ottoman that acts like a dog… And a table with a nutcracker on it. Can you see them?

Yuu: Maybe this is the room that Mickey’s always in?

(the room starts warping)

Grim: Aah! What the!? T-The room’s getting all wonky! What’s goin’ ooon!! Waaaaah!!

(the room goes back to normal)

Grim: W-What was that?

???: …Is someone there?

Grim: !! Somebody’s coming!

???: ….Ah, you’re-!!

Episode 7-42

???: ….Ah, you’re-!!

Yuu: Mickey!

Mickey: Waaah! Is it true? Is it really you? This is amazing! We finally get to meet face-to-face, instead of having to talk through the mirror. Here, give me a high five!

(Yuu gives Mickey a high five)

Mickey: Yay! Haha!

Grim: Ah! He’s from that picture you took with the ghost camera! That Mickey guy!

Mickey: Eep! You scared me! I hadn’t noticed I had another visitor besides Yuu. You’re…

Grim: Name’s Grim! I run things over at Ramshackle dorm.

Mickey: Grim? Ah, that’s right. You’re the roommate Yuu mentioned before. I’m so happy I’ve got even more friends I can meet inside my dreams now. My name is Mickey. Mickey Mouse. Nice to meet you, Grim!

Grim: All right! …Nya ha ha! Looks like our “Contact Mickey” investigation was a success, all thanks to me! I betcha Ace and the others are gonna be peeved, heh.

Mickey: “Contact Mickey” investigation? What’s that?

Yuu: It’s a long story, but….

Mickey: So you guys were thinking that since I can talk with Yuu through the mirror and across different worlds, then maybe I could give you some clues on how to get Yuu back to his own world. Makes sense to me.

Grim: Yup. And there’s a whole bunch of stuff we wanna ask ya about!

Mickey: That’s no problem at all. I’ll be happy to help Yuu. Ask away!

Grim: First off, the heck is this freaky room?

Mickey: All the furniture and utensils in here move on their own. Some of them are congenial, others not so much. Recently, I got into a bit of a spat with the card soldiers.

Grim: You mean those cards that are all covered in ink? The ones on that shelf over there?

Mickey: That’s right. They were flinging their heart and spade markings at me left and right! So I took up that ballpoint pen over there and used it like a water gun, and I went on the defense.

Grim: Nyahaha! The cards are made outta paper so I bet they’re weak to water.

Mickey: Exactly. And that’s why they’re all wet and droopy now.

Yuu: How come the playing card soldiers attacked you?

Mickey: The King got jealous because I went dancing with the Queen… But I wasn’t trying to interrupt their little picnic date, you know? And then he went and ordered all the card soldiers to chase after me. We cleared up the misunderstanding afterwards, but still. I did something just awful to those little cards.

Grim: I was thinking you used magic and made all the stuff in the room move around. But since you got in a fight with the card soldiers, I’m guessing it wasn’t your magic?

Mickey: Magic? Oh, that’d be just wonderful if I could use magic! Haha! But I’m no wizard.

Grim: Huh….. Then who enchanted this room?

Mickey: Hmm, I’m not sure either. At first, I thought I’d just imagined up both this room, and you too, Yuu. But that’s not right. Neither you nor this room came from my imagination…. Right?

Yuu: *nods*

Mickey: Ah, it's just one mystery after another.

Episode 7-43

Grim: Oh, yeah. Before I forget, how’d ya even get into this room, Mickey? The door won’t open, and the windows are closed shut, and neither me or Yuu can remember how we ended up here.

Mickey: Whenever I’ll be coming to this room, another version of me will slip out of my body while I’m asleep in bed.

Yuu: Is it like, your consciousness breaks free from your body?

Mickey: Yeah, just like that! And then I just have to pass through the mirror that hangs over the fireplace in my bedroom. And that’s how I get into this room here.

Grim: So you come and go through the mirror, huh. That’s just like how it works with the dorms at school.

Mickey: But when I tried while I was awake, I couldn’t get through the mirror. It seems to only work when I’m asleep.

Grim: Huh? Hey, wait a sec. ….So that means you’re asleep right now, right?

Mickey: Yup. The “me” here is bright-eyed and bushy tailed, but my body is snoozing away in bed right now.

Yuu: Then me and Grim are basically walking consciousnesses right now?

Grim: Whaaat!?? Then where’d my body go!? Don’t tell me I left it behind at Diasomnia!?

Yuu: I don’t think you could even call this an out-of-body experience anymore. This is awful….

Grim: *sigh* …..It doesn’t look like Ace and the others came along with us…. The heck are we supposed to do?

Mickey: What? You can’t find your friends?

(Yuu nods)

Mickey: That’s certainly worrisome…. Well, they might be around here somewhere. Let’s go outside and search for them.

Grim: But the door won’t open.

Mickey: You can’t just give up when you don’t succeed the first time! There’s challenges you can’t handle on your own, but if you work together with your friends, you’ll be able to get through.

(Riiing! Riiiing!)

Mickey: Ah! That sound is….

Grim: Oi, Mickey! Your body’s gettin’ all see-through like a ghost!

Mickey: Oh no, it must be morning already! My body is… waking… up…

(Riiiiing! Riiing! Riing!)

Mickey: I wish I could’ve….helped…. you… more…

Yuu: Mickey!

Grim: Aaaand he’s gone…. Dang it, and we’d finally just succeeded with our investigation!

(The room starts shaking)

Grim: W-What’s going on!? The room’s shakin’ all over!

(The room fills with a black substance)

Grim: Uwaaa! The room’s fillin’ up with a bunch of black wriggly things! They’re comin’ from outside!

Yuu: Is this… ink!?

Grim: H-Henchman! Y-You better stay close to me! I’ll burn up this black stuff with my flames!

Grim: Haaaa, haaaa…. I beat ‘em and I beat ‘em but they just keep coming back! At this rate we’re gonna….

???: *gurgles*

Grim: Take this-! ….Ugh *cough cough* I don’t have any fire left in me!

???: *gurgling*

Grim: What the!? The floor gave way behind us! T-There’s nowhere else we can run to….! S-Somebooodyyyyy!!!!

???: Prefect! Grim!

Grim: Eep! You’re that guy from Diasomnia….

Silver: We’ll talk later! Both of you, grab onto me. Hurry! Those I’ve met before, and those I’ll meet someday…. *Come, and let us dream the same dream.

*This is what he says in the text. Out loud he says “Meet in a dream”

Part 2

Part 3

#idia shroud #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #leona kingscholar #riddle rosehearts #twst silver #ortho shroud #twst spoilers #twst #twisted wonderland #ruler of the abyss #twst jp

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