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angel-of-the-moons · 8 months

Note

Could you do some possessive Baraka x reader? :)

BOY CAN I

Mine

Baraka x Fem!Reader

TW/CW: NSFW, SMUT, Jealous!Baraka, sex, voyeurism (?), exhibitionism (?) unprotected sex, feral/predator, primal sex, biting (c'mon we've all seen this man's teeth), blood play (sort of), breeding kink, slight Kanon fudging for plot reasons

MINORS DNI I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT YOU CONSUME

🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩

You were his prized possession, an Edenian who wanted to learn more about Tarkatan culture and customs. Who better to learn from than the leader of the clans, Baraka, who had the good graces of Kitana Kahn?

You studied them well. From your tiny village, you'd only ever heard stories of them, or encountered the occasional raiding tribe that tried (and failed) to pillage your homes.

You knew they were nomadic, that much was a given considering how rarely your own people interacted with them.

But you always wanted to know more. Now that Kitana Kahn brokered a peace with them, you pleaded, as an imperial scribe, to study them. (And oh, boy, learning about the Ritual of Blood was very interesting.)

She agreed, believing that the people learning about one another would bring everyone closer together.

Little did she know that it would bring you and Baraka together as well.

You found out about the so-called Time Merger, what Kotal Kahn had done to his people, and what the Titan Kronika promised him in return. In spending long hours listening, conversing... Until it morphed into him glancing at you longer and longer. Imagining how your soft flesh would be so pliant in his large, leathery hands. How sweet you would taste.

It made him salivate at the thought of tasting you.

It started out with the courting rituals, bringing you freshly hunted meat, weapons, muttering soft, raspy words in his native tongue.

You had a few relationships in your long life, but none ever lasted long.

Whereas many were hesitant, or reserved, Baraka pledged himself to you wholly, "proving" he was good enough to be your mate.

And... Yeah. You gave in to his passion, so intense that your mind could barely catch up. More than once that passion wound up with you having gravel and sand embedded in your knees, bits of desert scrub clinging to your hair as he pounded into you from behind, grooves and scratches in your skin where he'd grazed you with his claws and fangs.

Sex with a Tarkatan? Intense was the tamest word you could use to describe it. Feral was one of the others. It was rough, primal, full of pure animalistic need to not make love, but to mate; to claim you. And you'd be lying if you tried to deny it and say you didn't enjoy it.

At least a little...

The marks he would leave on you, he would go on to explain, were to ensure other Tarkatans would not dare make a move on you. However, those outside of their tribe didn't understand. Yeah, explaining to Kitana Kahn what the marks meant was... awkward to say the least.

Where Tarkatans knew to leave you be, other Outworlders and Earthrealmers did not. Males especially would gaze at you with lust-filled eyes and stand far too close for his liking.

It was after one such situation, where an envoy was sent to administer some supplies as a gesture of goodwill to the tribe that Baraka was particularly set off.

One of the men in the group decided to flirt with you, lean in and give cheap compliments in hopes of getting you out of your clothes, to sneak away for a moment of unsatisfying carnal want.

He knew you were loyal, but something about the way that you smiled and genuinely laughed at one of his jokes had Baraka seething with rage. He could feel the blades in his arms flex and shift, wanting to rend the flesh from that soft, weak little man's body.

But he waited until the man's feeble attempts at courtship ended, before he dragged you off the moment the sky blackened and stars twinkled high above.

"Baraka! What--?" You were interrupted by a deep snarl; and Baraka pinned you against a boulder, inhaling deeply your scent. A mixture of his musk and the scented oils you fancied. But now, it was tainted by that foul man's stench.

It was like silt and mud staining a perfectly glassy pool in a desert oasis. He would not tolerate it.

"I can smell him on you." His gravelly voice tumbles out against your skin, his hot breath and bits of saliva dripping onto your shoulder.

"I don't like it."

You barely had a moment to think before his hands gripped the front of your tunic, and with a hard tug, ripped it right down the front, exposing your breasts to the cooling night air.

"Baraka! Someone will see us!" You hiss at him, moving to cover yourself, looking around in a panic.

It was one thing for him to pin you down and fuck you somewhere secluded, hidden, or even in his own tent...

But you were far too close to the camp and the envoy for your liking.

"Let them see. They need to know you are mine." He snarled, pinning your hands on either side of your head as he leaned in once more, scraping his jagged fangs over the flesh of your throat.

He licked at your skin, briefly, before moving up to your lips and shoving his tongue inside mercilessly, threatening to choke you out of your oxygen. For added measure, he took your bottom lip in his teeth and bit hard enough to puncture and cause a small rivulet of blood to drip down your chin, making you whine as he licked it up, before shoving his tongue back inside your mouth to tangle with your own; the sweet, coppery flavor of your blood invading your taste buds.

He pulled away, leaving a sloppy trail of saliva to mix with your blood as his hands fell to your hips, gripping you tight, the spikes on his arms tearing into the soft fabric of your dress as he tugged slightly.

You could hear the seams ripping beneath his claws as he did this.

You let out a gasp when he parted your thighs with his knee, and he grabbed your hand, forcing you to palm his fattening cock that hung beneath his trousers.

"I will make sure they know you belong to me. That you're mine." He said to you.

You felt your mouth water and your cunt flutter at the promise of having him inside of you.

You could see spittle dribble down his chin as his nostrils flared, his red-gold eyes focusing on you with all their intensity.

"I can ssssssmell you." He said, his voice rumbling lowly and hotly against your throat.

He shoved his hand beneath your skirt, chuckling madly when he discovered nothing beneath, feeling how wet you were already.

"Hrrr." Baraka hissed. "Don't lie to me. You've been wanting this all day."

You tipped your head back, biting your lip hard to stifle your moans as Baraka teased your folds, wetting his hand before he forced two of his fingers inside of you, mindful of his claws as he curled and twisted them, stretching you out.

"Be a good girl for me." He hissed, abruptly pulling himself free and aggressively licking his fingers clean while staring directly into your eyes.

You whimpered, then, when he gripped your hips and spun you around with dizzying force, his hand between your shoulders, forcing you down until you were practically bent in half in front of him. Baraka hiked your skirt up over your hips and spread your legs wide, pussy glistening and wet. All for him.

Only him. He just needed to remind you of that, and he would, he made sure of the fact as he tugged his trousers down and freed himself.

He gripped the base of his cock with one hand, taking a moment to line himself up. You had to bite into your knuckle to swallow back the wail that tried to rip from your throat as he thrust inside of you, cramming his hard cock deep within you, the tip harshly slamming against your cervix in one animalistic thrust.

Some Tarkatans mated for life, and he definitely wanted to keep you. No other weaker male would have you. He wouldn't let them. He'd slaughter them first.

He pulled out, leaving only the tip of his cock, before snapping his hips back into you, a short yelp bubbling out at the force, feeling the air in your lungs leap with the ferocity of his pace.

You bit back your sounds, not wanting anyone to overhear the two of you as Baraka relentlessly pounded into you, fucking more and more of your slick down your legs, dripping into the cracked, sandy ground below.

Baraka had no such compunction. He was quite the opposite.

He wanted someone to hear you. For them to know how good he fucked you, how he took care of you. How he satisfied you.

And god, was he doing an amazing job.

Every thrust had your mind going blank, vision fuzzy at the edges.

He brought his hand around your front, viciously swiping at your clit as he pummeled your guts ruthlessly with his dick, knowing full well you were close to cumming, he was just trying to bring you to that delicious edge quicker.

Your walls fluttering around him, you finally choked out a sob as he fucked you through your orgasm, hot tears rolling down your cheeks as he bit down on your shoulder, lapping up the blood that welled up from the punctures.

He bullied his cock into you faster, and faster until he couldn't take your pussy squeezing him any longer, snarling and snapping his jaws at the air as he emptied every last drop of his seed into your greedy womb.

He hadn't heard of a Tarkatan breeding with an Edenian, but he was certainly not above trying with you. He brought his hand up from your aching and throbbing clit, to rub at your belly with a deep rumbling laugh coming out of his throat.

You panted, legs wobbly as he kept you pressed against the rocks; the only thing keeping you upright were his hips and hands pinning you there.

His hot breathing ghosted your sweaty skin, cold against the moisture that dripped down your body, soaking the remnants of your dress.

A deep rumbling emanated from Baraka as he lifted his head, turning to the side. You couldn't see him, but you knew he was smiling, a wild look in his eyes.

It wasn't until you lifted your gaze to look at what amused him so, that you realized.

The man from the envoy was standing there, a torch in his hand. He had apparently heard the noise and came to investigate.

You turned away, burying your face in your arm with shame.

You felt Baraka snap his hips to yours again, making you sob quietly into your arm at the fresh wave of pleasure.

Baraka laughed as he started fucking you again, his expression slightly unhinged as he rocked you with each jagged thrust.

"She's mine, little man. Go back to your little camp fire."

#mortal kombat x reader #mortal kombat smut #mortal kombat 11 #mortal kombat #mk baraka #baraka #baraka mk11 #baraka x reader #baraka x you

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bearsbeetsbeskar · 6 months

Text

Sheep Days with Joel (post outbreak)

Word count: 5.9k (im so sorry i genuinely can't believe I wrote this much about an old man taking care of livestock) Rating: swearing, descriptions of an animal birth (I tried to make it not too gross or explicit), traumatic animal birth, discussions of labour and stillbirths Summary: At Tommy and Ellie's insistence of him finding a routine, Joel is appointed as the sheep caretaker in Jackson. After all, sheep are quiet, and do what they're told. How hard could it be? A/N: this is purely self indulgent, peepaw playing with animals. No romantic interest or pairing, just wholesome father daughter interactions, along with some other characters. Something about the holidays made me think about that conversation that Joel and Ellie had over the fire, and his dream of owning a sheep ranch, and before I knew it 5k was written. If you have read all of this, please know that I love you so incredibly much and you make it worth it to keep writing these silly little stories that bring me so much joy. main masterlist

Life in Jackson had a way of moving at the speed of molasses, while also propelling itself further into the future at the speed of light.

Some days were syrupy and slow, thick with palpable moments of survival, tension and freedom. Memories of what life was like before the outbreak. Other days however felt like the course of an electric current, with glitches and shocks jumping from one event to another, one threat to another in the span of a few hours in a day. Attacks from raiders during ambushes in the early morning, a group of coordinated clickers just outside patrol borders when dusk set in.

Even just the day to day events in Jackson could make one feel that life seemed to pass by at a static, yet dynamic pace, regardless of what routine you had fallen into in the modest settlement.

Joel was still getting used to it. The staticity, as well as the dynamism. Life before Jackson was nomadic. Rootless. Constantly on the run.

Endure and survive. That’s all that really mattered at the end of the day. The words bore a penultimate weight akin to the wartime motivational phrase, ‘keep calm and carry on.’

Well, that’s all Joel knew how to do.

Carry on.

Not so much the keep calm part, but he was no stranger to putting his head down and pressing forward when things got tough. Carrying on also meant being strong for others. Something which Joel is constantly reminded that he need no longer do now that he and Ellie are in Jackson. Now that they are safe.

And there is no shortage of people who tell him the same, including Tommy and Maria, and even Ellie.

“You gotta find something to do, man,” Tommy sighed and crossed his arms, leaning into the doorframe of the kitchen. “Something to help you get into a routine y’know.”

Joel glared at his younger brother. “The hell d’you mean I gotta find something, Tommy? I already have a routine.” He scowled and shifted his jaw.

This is the 3rd or 4th time the subject has been brought up and Joel’s just about had it. He doesn’t get it. He does things. He does stuff around the commune. He goes on patrol shifts, helps with the woodworking and labour jobs. He goes to some of the community events, like game nights held at the dining hall or movie nights- even though it takes a good 30 minutes of Ellie’s begging for his resolve to crumble, and he grumbles throughout the entire movie.

As if Tommy can read his mind, he responds. “Going on patrol doesn’t count as routine, Joel.”

Puffing out his chest and mirroring Tommy’s body language, Joel glares at his younger brother.

“And here we go again,” Ellie quips from her seat at the kitchen table.

There’s a smirk plastered across her face despite her gaze, focused intently on the weathered pages of an old astronomy book.

“You stay outta this.”

Joel’s clipped tone brokers no room for negotiation, Ellie’s known him long enough to recognize that. But that doesn’t stop her from pushing him, just because she can.

“You stay outta this. Rah rah rah. I’m Joel and I hate everything.” She mocks his deep southern drawl with exaggeration, continuing to look down at her book.

“Tommy’s right, Joel. Say whatever you want but you can’t just fill your days with the odd jobs around here. And going on patrol. And hanging with me.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Joel exhales, his nostrils flaring. “Ellie-”

“Look, dude,” she cuts him off, “I love you, but it wouldn’t kill you to find something else to do with your time. It’s not the end of the world. I mean, it is but c’mon. It’s like you’d rather get killed by a fucking clicker than step outside your comfort zone.”

At that, Tommy snorts and shakes his head.

“It’d be a hell of a lot less painful than this conversation, that’s for fuckin’ sure.” Joel huffs and puts his hands on his hips.

“There’s lots of other jobs in the commune that you could help out with. Jobs that you don’t even need skilled labour experience for.”

“Like what, Tommy? Teachers at the school? Volunteers for movie night?” His scowl deepens, as does the crease between Joel’s brows.

“Like training newcomers on patrol shifts, working at the clothing shop, working with the livestock-”

“Livestock? What kinda livestock?” Perking up in her seat, Ellie pushes the book away and turns to face Tommy.

“Just for the horses, chicken, sheep and pigs. Well, it’s really for the sheep ‘cause we came into a decent sized herd in the last couple months, and they’re a bit tricky to look after.”

Tommy runs his hands through his raven curls and chuckles. “No one’s been able to quite figure them out yet, and they don’t trust Jake- the caretaker for the horses and pigs.”

“Sheep?” Ellie’s mouth gapes open, her bright mischievous eyes finding Joel’s.

“Joel. Sheep.”

Already knowing where the conversation was headed, Joel tips his head back and looks up at the ceiling. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ.”

__________________________________________________

And that is precisely how Joel finds himself knocked on his ass, after getting headbutted by one of the older lambs, in an attempt to get their halter on and bring them into the barn.

“You little shit, get back here!” he barks at the young sheep as it trots away from him towards the food trough.

Rubbing the right side of his jaw and grimacing, he sits back on his hands, looking at the rest of the herd a few feet away from him. “I’ve a right mind to tell them to serve lamb for the rest of the month at the dining hall. How’s that sound?”

A few sheep at the hay bale turn to look his way, chewing absentmindedly before ignoring him again. It had been about ten days since Tommy enlisted Joel as the sheep caretaker, or as Ellie had so lovingly called him, Jackson’s resident shepherd, and Joel had to admit, the job wasn’t half of what he expected.

It turns out sheep weren’t quiet, and they certainly didn’t do what they were told. Sheep were actually a pain in the ass to keep. A royal pain in the ass. Much different than cows and horses, despite being herd animals.

Not to mention that they were creative, escape artists, always jumping over the fence of the pen or squeezing in between the slats of the fence. It was a regular occurrence to hear the phrase ‘loose sheep’ or ‘the sheep are out again’ being hollered across the main street, as a handful of them skittered across the main road, Joel out of breath as he jogged after them, the stitch in his side burning through his abdomen, while he knees ached incessantly.

His first week was spent just getting close enough to them so that he could tag their ears for the breeding records. Not that he could manage to even get a hand on any, especially the young lambs. As soon as he got within 8 feet of the herd they would scurry away, kicking and bucking into the air, or run right past him, as he keeled over trying to catch them. Needless to say, Joel didn’t manage to avoid getting headbutted and kicked a handful of times during those days.

Cursing, he dusted off his pants and leaned against the fence of the pen.

“How’s it coming?” Tommy’s voice called out to him from the opposite end of the pen.

Narrowing his eyes in response, Joel hunched over to rest his hands on his knees.

“Easy my fuckin’ ass you liar. These little shits are demons.”

Stifling a chuckle, Tommy rests his arms over the fence and looks down. “Like I said, it takes some time to get to know ‘em.

It was wrong to laugh at his brother’s misfortunes but he couldn’t help it as he watched Joel’s hulking figure tentatively approach the herd again before pausing as they all scattered around him.

“S’that why you haven’t been able to recruit any other unfortunate souls for this torture?” Placing his hands on his hips, he shifts his weight from one leg, appraising the herd.

“No,” Tommy huffs out an exhale, “most folks don’t have the time to commit or they don’t have an affinity for animals.”

He looks out at the horizon, scanning the snow covered peaks of the mountain range bordering the settlement, before his gaze returns to Joel. He smirks as that familiar scowl settles onto Joel’s face.

“I do not have an affinity for animals.”

Snorting, Tommy looks down at his feet again, nudging the toe of his boot into the hardened ground. “Is that so? That why no one else has been able to ride Callus out on patrol?”

Joel grunts. “That’s different. I wasn’t taking care of him, I was only riding him cause everyone else had their designated mounts.”

Lying through his teeth was easier than admitting that Joel actually loved having a special bond with the chestnut gelding that seemed to hate everyone else.

It took time.

Lots of hushed murmurs and praise for the gelding to learn to trust again. Not to mention that Joel seemed to have endless patience for the imposing gelding, never getting frustrated with him or upset when their progress seemed to regress. Plus, he had that quiet commanding authority that seemed to ease Callus’ nerves whenever he became frantic and anxious.

Before he knew it, Callus was following him around the paddock, poking his head out of his stall and nickering whenever Joel stepped foot in the barn.

“Whatever you say, Joel. Whatever you say.” The younger Miller shook his head and stepped back from the fence. “I’ll let you get back to it, since you got your hands full,” Tommy squinted and peered around Joel’s figure, “or, rather, your pockets full, I should say.”

Before he can even glance behind him, Joel feels a harsh tug on his back pocket, stumbling backwards as one of the young lambs tears a shred of the bandana in his pocket.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Gimme that back you piece of-” he bellows as the lamb prances away with the scrap of faded red cloth in its mouth, echoes of Tommy’s laugh fading into the background as he walks away.

_____________________________________________

A couple months later …

It had been roughly over a month since Joel started taking care of the sheep. Their upkeep became somewhat easier as Joel figured out their quirks and tricks to working with them, but the real difference was that Joel did indeed fall into a routine with them.

Everyday he got up before Ellie had to be up for school, and headed over to the barn to give them their morning feed. Then, he’d come home, eat breakfast, and walk Ellie to school, shortly before returning to clean their pen and stack hay bales in the barn loft. Sometimes he would even shear some of them when their coats became too thick. At the end of the day, he’d pick Ellie up from school and they’d have dinner together in the evening, then he would pop out again to feed them dinner and do a final night check before lights out.

They were surprisingly curious creatures, and smart. While he would mill about his different chores, they would follow him as he walked around the outskirts of the pen. When he was cleaning up the pen, they would nudge the wheelbarrow, knocking it over in the process.

Eventually, they stopped running from him and would eagerly approach as he walked through the barn into the outside pen, carrying a heavy hay bale for their breakfast or dinner.

When he’d get lost in his aimless thoughts, or stuck on paralyzing flashbacks, a panic attack brewing under the surface, he’d feel a tug on his sleeve or the back of his jacket.

Pairs of deep brown eyes surrounded by a halo of soft cloud like wool would simply stare back at him. Calmly grounding him back to reality. Not that he encountered those very often. What was even more surprising to Joel was that he had panic attacks way less often these days, his brain seeming to allow him some rest and solace from its usual fight or flight status. Even Ellie and Tommy noticed too, with Ellie pointing out that he was ‘less of a grumpy motherfucker than usual.’

He never named them, though. He wouldn’t allow himself that liberty.

They were just animals. Creatures.

Creatures, who in the beginning were ‘little shits with crack for brains and body padding like the Michelin man,’ according to Joel. Soon, however, ‘little shits’ turned into ‘little devils,’ which eventually turned into ‘little buggers,’ with an affectionate lilt behind the nickname.

It was Thursday today and the vet was coming by to look after the horses and give them their seasonal shots, along with the sheep, too. With temperatures dropping, the animals had to be prepared for the harsh onslaught of cold weather that was native to Jackson winters. Although the commune was prosperous and there was no shortage of food and supply, or need to ration, the animals were always of high concern.

“How much are you feeding them nowadays?” Dr. Joyce, the local vet, asked as she placed her stethoscope to the belly of one of the mature ewe’s.

“‘Bout 25 pounds of hay a day, and 15-20 pounds of grain on top of that.”

She hummed contemplatively as she shifted the stethoscope knob throughout the mass of wool covering the sheeps’ belly. “That’s quite a bit considering the size of the herd you have here.”

She nods to the rest of the herd munching away at their breakfast in the pen.

Joel shrugs in response. “That’s what Jake was feeding them beforehand but he suggested I up it as we come into winter, to help ‘em keep weight on.”

“Well, he’s certainly not wrong.” She reaches into her kit to pull out a packaged syringe, ripping open the wrapping and flicking the end of the needle two times. Small droplets of liquid ricochet out as she pinches the skin of the ewe’s neck, not covered in wool, and gently inserts the syringe.

“Is there anything else I should be doing? Or anything else I could do to help them more when winter hits?”

While Joel would admit that he still really has no idea what he’s doing taking care of these animals, it doesn’t mean that he won’t give his all in providing care to them. He’s come to realize he actually likes learning about the sheep, aspects of their care, behaviour and physiology. It scratches parts of his brain that were only really activated when he was contracting, woodworking, or other technical jobs. And he doesn’t half ass jobs, no matter the nature of them.

Dr. Joyce swiftly removes the needle within seconds, and smiles warmly at him.

“Nothing in particular, Joel. You’ve done a great job taking care of these guys so far, I know they’re not easy to look after.”

At that he chuckles and shoves his hands in his pockets as he leans against the stall door. “You could say that. There’s been a deep learning curve with ‘em that’s for sure.”

She nods and opens the back stall door that leads out to the pen, the ewe trots out to return to the herd. “Well, like I said, you’ve done a good job so far. Aside from keeping up with shearing them, although you won’t have to worry about that too much come winter, they’re pretty low maintenance. Keep them on lots of hay throughout the winter, and give them more grain to supplement for the colder weather. And some of them may need more than others, especially the pregnant ones.”

He nods along, running through the mental checklist of things he’s already been doing to increase their food supply, when he looks up at the vet.

“Pregnant?” His brows furrow and he frowns.

“Oh boy. I guess Jake left that part out when you took over?” The vet chuckles again as she takes in the dazed look on his face and scans the herd briefly.

“You do have a couple pregnant ewe’s here, probably at least 3 or 4. But that one,” she points to a particularly large sheep under the shelter that’s lying down, unkempt wool and hay covering half her face. “That one, 1633, she’s the furthest along. Probably another week or two before she pops.”

“A week?” Joel repeats it, disbelief still laced in his tone. “Shit, I thought she was just really fat. And lazy.” He narrows his gaze at the ewe, tilting his head slightly as he takes in the obvious rising and falling of her midsection, her legs barely tucked underneath her.

“Don’t worry, Joel, I know easier said than done,” she reassures him after clocking the worry etched into his features. “But sheep births are often fairly quick and easy, not as intense as horse or cow births due to their smaller size. I’ll be on call over the next week in case anything happens but just put more bedding in the stall here during the evenings for her, and keep her feed the same. She will handle the rest.”

Inhaling sharply, Joel nods, processing it all. She tells him what signs to look out for that indicate early labour, and gives him a brief list of things he can do to prepare, as well as supplies that could be helpful during the birth and afterwards. At least the doc will be there to help out so that he’s not completely on his own, despite being very out of his league.

“Sounds good, doc, I’ll call ya if I notice any changes in her or when she does drop.”

“Please, do. And I’ll see if Jake can come in for an hour or two during your off hours in the event she does go into labour then.”

__________________________________________

Three days after Dr. Joyce’s visit, 1633 goes into labour. Nearly 10pm, just as the settlement tucks in for bed and night shift patrols begin. Dr. Joyce was busy with another animal emergency, of course. Just his luck.

So, he recruits the next best thing, and gently wakes Ellie up after rushing back to the house after a night check. He hands Ellie the list of supplies that Dr. Joyce gave him and she blitzes throughout the house, gathering the different things in a box.

Of course, the curiosity, fear and excitement over an animal being born was not lost on his teenage daughter. She fired off a barrage of endless questions as she was right on his heels, following him throughout the house.

“Has her water broken? Is she in pain? What direction is the baby gonna be facing when it comes out? Did you call Dr. Joyce?”

“You bleat more than the damn sheep these days, y’know that? C’mon just get that stuff together for me.”

Joel huffs as he grabs a bucket from under the kitchen sink, thinking of what else he could grab. It had to be the night when Tommy and Maria were both out on patrol as well, leaving just him and Ellie.

God help him.

When they returned to the barn, the ewe was in the stall, lying on her side, bleating out her obvious discomfort. He quickly takes his thick jacket off, hanging it on a nearby post before stepping into the stall.

“Alright, honey, alright, it’s okay.” The low murmurs of his voice only seem to agitate the ewe more, as she bleats repeatedly while he approaches and crouches down beside her. His eyes never leave the ewe’s body.

“Ellie, hand me a couple big towels.” She reaches into the box of supplies and hands him two fluffy towels, crouching down beside Joel slowly. The ewe continues to let out loud long bleating groans, huffing as her body starts preparing for labour and her water breaks with an audible slosh.

“Shit. Well, there goes her water.” He huffs, his mouth pressed into a straight line as he tries to peek and see any signs of a muzzle or cloven hooves coming out.

Gagging and turning away slightly, Ellie groans.

“Ugh, okay that’s fucking gross!”

He gives her a disapproving frown. “You’ve seen worse before, calm down.”

“A clicker brain and exploding guts is not nearly as gross as this. How are you not freaking out?

Suddenly, the ewe lets out a long bleating groan again and thrashes her hind legs, in an attempt to get up frantically.

“Shit. Whoa, whoa, whoa, mama. Easy there. Y’can’t get up just yet.” He hovers over the sheep and tries to coax her back on the ground.

“Ellie, come around here, help me keep her on her side.”

She shuffles around to Joel’s other side and buries her hand into the soft thick wool, gently pressing down. “Have you ever done this before?”

Joel grunts while he tries to contain its flailing legs, preventing the ewe from rolling over or getting up.

“Nope,” he strains. “I’ve seen one or two cow births, long time ago when I was growing up in Texas.”

“Shouldn’t be too different,” he says breathlessly, saying a silent prayer as he pulls the sheep away from kicking at the stone wall of the barn. “As long as she stays on the ground like this, she should be okay, she can’t get up or roll over though ‘cause it could hurt or suffocate the baby.”

“Okay, okay,” Ellie exhales shakily, wincing as the sheep bleats loudly.

“Hey,” he turns to gaze down at the teenager, his voice quiet but authoritative. “It’s gonna be okay, look at me.” Her dazed gaze snaps from the ewe up to meet Joel’s big brown eyes. Anxious. Focused. “It’s gonna be okay alright? She’s gonna be okay?”

Ellie nods her head, the hint of a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth as she looks down at the ewe again. “It’s okay, momma, you’re okay, just breathe.”

No later than 5 minutes after do a pair of hooves and a muzzle appear. Ten minutes of pushing after that, the tiny lamb is lying sprawled out on the ground, Joel rubbing the remnants of placenta off its body and face.

“Joel.”

It’s barely above a whisper as Ellie hovers over the baby, crouched on the balls of her toes.

“Joel. It’s - it’s not breathing.”

She inhales sharply and leans her head over the mouth, trying to feel or hear for a puff of air.

He’s silent for a moment, and leans back looking at the tiny body covered in bodily fluids, and realizes there’s no movement coming from the lifeless body. No rising of its stomach, and its eyes are barely opened.

All of a sudden the vastness of the chilly barn shrinks to the size of a shoebox. The air suffocating, as if all the oxygen was sucked out of it.

“Fuck. Fuck. Get me another towel.”

Rushing over to the box of supplies, Ellie hands him a smaller towel, as Joel leans down and wipes at the lamb's eyes, and around its nostrils. He tries to open its mouth to see if there’s any fluid trapped there but he can’t see.

“Get the baster. Hurry.” His clipped tone betrays his panic as Ellie places their turkey baster in his hand.

It’s a poor substitution for an actual proper bulb syringe that is used to remove mucus and fluid from newborns’ mouths. He opens the lamb's mouth and inserts the baster roughly, pressing down on the bulb, as murky liquid is drawn through the clear pipette. He squirts the remnants of the baster out onto the ground and reinserts it into the lambs mouth, drawing more mucus and crap out a few more times until it’s empty.

They both wait a beat, panting heavily to see any sign of life on the little sheep.

“She’s still not breathing. Fuck.” Ellie’s voice trembles. “She’s not breathing, Joel!”

“Okay, go into the feedroom and fill up the hot water bottle with warm water okay? Warm water, not hot, I’ll try to swaddle it in more towels, get some heat going.”

Immediately, she races to the feedroom with the rubber water bottle. As Joel hears the water running in the background, he wraps the lamb in two big towels. The ewe is now up and pacing frantically around Joel, sensing something is wrong.

“C’mon baby, c’mon,” he rubs the covered lamb firmly, pressing his palm down slightly against the ribs and chest of the baby and shaking slightly. Nothing though, no sounds, no movement.

The ewe is now crying and bleating repeatedly as she paces circles around Joel, wanting to get to her baby. “I know, momma, I know. I’m trying. Fucking hell.”

The edges of his restraint and control start to fray. His heart is racing, chest tightening under the crushing realization that the lamb is a stillborn. He cradles the lamb, swaddled in a mountain of towels now, squeezing his eyes shut and holding the tiny limp weight against his body.

Moments later Ellie reappears at his side, sinking to her knees with the water bottle in both hands, the sloshing sound of the water drowning out the ewe’s crying.

Joel opens the folds of towels up so that she can place the flimsy warm pouch over top of the lambs side. Wrapping it up like a burrito again, he holds it up against his chest as if he was holding a baby, firmly patting and rubbing the little lump in his arms. Ellie fruitlessly tries to calm down the mother ewe but it’s no use as she continues to trot circles around Joel, weaving back and forth and trying to nose the little lump in his arms.

He places the swaddled lamb on the ground, into the cushioned nest of shavings and straw bedding. Hovering over it on all fours, he places his palm over the swaddle again, applying pressure to the lambs back and rubbing circles, while opening its mouth with his other hand.

“C’mon, little one, c’mon. Gimme something, c’mon. Please.” Joel leans down, his lips pressing against the towel as he murmurs. The sound of his warm, deep voice breaking is barely muffled by the damp fabric as he squeezes his eyes shut. Another set of warm, small, clammy hands overlap his, as Ellie kneels beside him.

They huddle together over the lamb for another minute or two, the soft swishing of straw and shavings strewn about as the ewe continues pacing is the only audibly sound. Her cries for help softened to brief bleating.

Ellie intertwines her fingers with Joel, squeezing tight as she let’s out a quiet sniffle.

Then, a muffled sound. The smallest hiccup.

“Joel.” She whispers and squeezes his hand again.

“Joel, look.”

He raises his head slowly, holding his breath as he hears the small noise again, before he carefully unwraps the swaddled material. He cautiously rubs the lambs back again, as they watch as its bleary eyes blink open, slowly but surely. It raises its head ever so slightly, dazed, before letting out the smallest bleat.

Choking out the breath that he had been holding in, Joel rushes to wipe around the lamb’s eyes and mouth again. “There she is. Hey little one,” he coos at the small animal, afraid to speak above a hushed tone.

“Holy shit.” Ellie huffs in disbelief with tears in her eyes. “Dude, you fucking did it! Oh my god, look at her!”

She clutches the sleeve of Joel’s shirt, exhilarated and bouncing with adrenaline. “Do you think it’s a girl?”

Smiling to himself, he shakes his head, “not sure, but it doesn’t matter, s’long as it’s healthy. Right, little one?” He slowly strokes the lamb as it starts bleating with more fervor, when he feels a bigger muzzle shoving his hand out of the way .

“There ya go momma, there she is.”

He gets up, ignoring the groaning protest from his knees and steps back so that the ewe can see her baby, gesturing for Ellie to follow.

“Here, Let’s give ‘em some space to breathe. Go grab the space heater and we’ll get ‘em nice and warm.”

Shooting to her feet, she scurries back to the supply room to retrieve the heater. Joel sits back against one of the stall walls, his head tipping back till it hits the wooden slats with a dull thunk as he takes the deepest breath he’s taken all day. The adrenaline is still coursing through his veins but he feels fucking exhausted all the same. Defeated but elated, he watches the mom lick and nudge the little lamb, before a voice rings out from behind him.

“Well, well, well, looks like we got a full house in here tonight!”

Joel turns to see Dr. Joyce striding through the aisle, a bright twinkle in her eye as she stops in front of the large stall, already stretching a pair of latex gloves over her hands.

The corners of his mouth pull up into a small smile as he nods in her direction. “Hey doc, how’s it going?”

“I should be the one asking you that,” she chuckles with warmth, shimmying around the stall door slowly. “You’ve had quite the night from what I can tell. I saw the lights on at this hour and I could only assume it had finally happened.”

Snorting, he crosses his arms over his chest. “That’s one way of putting it.” He nods his chin as Ellie returns with the space heater in hand, “couldn’t have done it without this one’s help of course.”

Ellie grins and hands the space heater to Joel. “If I’m being honest, it was probably one of the coolest and scariest things I’ve ever seen in my life. Especially when she wasn’t breathing. But it was all Joel, really. He brought her back, I just tried not to get in his way.”

Rounding Joel’s other side, Dr. Joyce crosses the stall and crouches down and pulls out her stethoscope, winking at Ellie. “Is that so? Do I sense a future vet tech assistant that can help me with house calls?”

“Shit. Are you serious?” The teenager’s eyes nearly bug out of her head as a massive smile stretches across her face. “That would be fucking awesome!”

Joel doesn’t even have the energy to reprimand her for swearing, his mind and body drained as he snorts and shakes his head.

“Hey! Is there room for two more at this welcoming party?!” Another booming voice echoes throughout the large stone barn, similar in its Southern drawl to Joel’s but not as deep.

Tommy and Maria round the corner with huge smiles, still in their riding clothes, fresh off the night patrol.

“Just so long as y’all can keep quiet.” Joel grumbles, still sat leaning against the stall wall with his arms crossed, legs kicked out from underneath him. He looks over at the scene in front of him, warmth etched into his features as he watches Dr. Joyce check the lambs vitals while the ewe finally starts to munch on hay again.

“We couldn’t believe it, we had to come right away. Hell, I had half a mind to cut the patrol short when we found out.” Maria nods at Joel with a smirk. She glances over to the little sheep who has started to stand on all fours and nurse from its mom, wobbling on its nimble legs.

“What’s the verdict Dr. Joyce?” Tommy sidles over to Joel, crouching down beside him and grinning. “All working organs? All ten fingers and ten toes?”

Joel sighs gruffly. “They’re hooves, not toes, genius. Jeez, you sure you’re expecting soon?”

Maria only smirks in response as Tommy mumbles and shoves his older brother in response.

“Everything’s in order Joel, don’t worry.” Dr. Joyce smiles, taking one ear bud out of her ear as she continues to check the lambs pulse. “Her oxygen levels seem good, despite the rocky start and her lungs are clear of fluids, and she’s warm. You couldn’t have done a better job, really, you should be proud of yourself.”

He tries to hide his beaming smile he really does, but Joel grins. His bright eyes crinkle and his dimple pokes through his right cheek. “Thanks doc. I appreciate ya comin’ over here as soon as you could.”

“Her?” Ellie’s eyes widen as she clasps her hands together. “So it is a girl?!”

“Yup, definitely a girl.”

“Think she deserves a name, don’t you?” Tommy nudges Joel in the arm again.

Joel’s smile falters immediately. He shakes his head and looks down. “No. I don’t name ‘em, besides it’ll only be a couple of days before she’s gotta get tagged and registered in the breeding books too.”

“Oh come on Joel, please? She deserves one. After everything she’s been through…” Ellie’s voice trails off.

Everything they had been through. She doesn’t need to say it for him to know.

When she doesn’t keep going he looks up at her. Her eyes pleading, welling up with fragments of the pain and haunted memories that they endured over the last year.

He looks at Tommy and Maria, his eyes then falling on Dr. Joyce as she tends to the lamb.

“Ellie’s right Joel. I know y’all don’t normally give them names, especially the young ones, but given the circumstances, this little lady oughta have a name.” The vets eyes are soft as she gives Joel a sympathetic smile.

He’s silent for a moment, shifting his jaw. His gaze drops to the tiny lamb, white as snow, now that she’s been towel dried and cleaned, listening to her tiny bleats as she headbuts her mom for more milk. Instantly, his gaze softens, his big eyes rounding at the newborn.

New life.

A breath of fresh air into the looming hollowness of the barn. A pulse. An electric current, melding into a comfortable, viscous, energy as Jackson’s population, well four-legged population, increases for another day.

Sighing, he tilts his head in adoration. Filtering through the vestiges of his memory, he thinks back to the conversation that prompted this whole sheep herding fiasco. Him, Ellie, their tiny fire amongst the vast expanse of snow covered country, with nothing but the moon overhead. The comforting solace provided by its glowing illumination, letting them know they weren’t alone in their travels.

“Well, she is a bright light, figuratively and literally,” he peeks his head out of the stall to find the moon, beaming down on the tiny settlement, before glancing down at the lamb again.

“How does Luna sound?”

In that moment, the lamb trots over to Joel on its spindly legs, getting braver by the minutes after its birth. She bleats in his face loudly and headbutts his arm affectionately before circling back to her mom, stumbling over herself in the process.

“Well I’ll be damned, I think she likes it.” Tommy chuckles as Maria comes to stand beside him.

Ellie snuggles up to Joel, her eyes starting to close as the evening's events catch up to her. “It’s perfect,” she yawns and nuzzles into his broad shoulder, “our little Luna.”

Luna approaches Joel with more curiosity again, as he stretches his hand out towards her, letting her sniff and lick him.

Despite everything that happened, the chaos, the panic, and near crisis with his first lamb birth, for the first time in a while, Joel feels whole. Fulfilled. Right where he's supposed to be, in this new world, this new life.

Rooted.

A lopsided smile stretches across his face, as his dimple pokes through his cheek. “Yeah, I suppose it is. Our little light, Luna.”

#joel miller fanfiction #the last of us fanfiction #joel miller #joel miller fanfic #tlou fic #tlou fanfiction #joel miller the last of us #joel miller fluff

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redbeanbunsworld-if · 2 months

Text

Chapter 2 Release Date

I'm not trolling nor am I joking. The date for Chapter 2 has been confirmed. First week of may, keep on the lookout for the update. There will be a bunch of new things added in the prologue and Chapter 1 as well, adding about 10,000 words for the former, and another 70,0000 words for Chapter 2, which brings it to the total of 100,000+ words (without code). I'm really serious. You'll see it then, everyone Chapter 1 Extra content

I have more content in Chapter that I would like to specify.

There is a whole new interaction with the Emperor of Tianchao, Ji Yuan. There are also two death flags with him in that interaction.

More interaction and lines with Lin. Who doesn't love the spicy cinnamon roll?

Extended fight scene with Ji Qiangxin and more details to understand the situation better.

More details on cameo of Fu Xiuying.

Meeting with stranger in Heaven's Delight Street.

More information on the political dynamics of Tianchao, Zhongguog, and the rebel army, as well as many underlying issues within the economics of Tianchao.

Conversation with Huangdi's right hand man.

Explore more details on Xiaowei Yang's past.

Chapter 2 (70,000+/- words)

Section 1 is mostly getting comfortable (or not) with Wu Shen, an official introduction to the charming, crappy information broker. If you're into rude pricks who have a knack in acting innocent, godspeed to you.

Section 2 needs no explanation. Good luck to those who want to piss Ji Qiangxin off further. I mean, if you are into getting killed by a pretty guy who has a nasty expression (which I am), you have your different ways of going about it. Or if you are trying to creep him out or make him uncomfortable, you have your disturbing way of doing it. Honestly, do what you want.

Section 3 is being introduced to a hot-headed captain who would likely cry from a punch. Make of that sentence what you will. Also, if you want to die from infection, be my guest.

Section 4 is back to our favorite prince who would choke you to death at any chance (totally not something he would do, hahahahaha). This time, you can be a loyal dog, as he puts it, and risk being killed by the Emperor of Tianchao, or you can join his equally insane cause. Not many good choices---or you can die, I suppose, if that helps.

Section 5 depends on whatever you did above. Just know, you will miss a lot of interactions that could have been available in either route you choose.

Section 6...try not to die, unless you're into that.

Status: Beta testing

The game is undergoing beta testing with a trusted group of readers. Chapter 1 + prologue is cleared, and Chapter 2 is about it begin.

New RO and Stat System

There is a new RO in the roster, so be sure to check out the description for info on her. Luo Ying is a courtesan of HongTiane. She is bold and fierce, slightly hysterical with her ambitions that even Ji Qiangxin finds her unnerving. As beautiful as a swan, yet as deadly as a cat, she is force to behold in Tianchao.

Luo Ying (she/her)

Known as: Scorpion Courtesan; Lady Misfortune

"So you are the Xiaowei. I don't know what I expected, but aren't you a bit too stupid to be one? I heard that that Xiaowei Mao was smart, but if so, how come you don't know me?"

Uncouth, violent, and rude. Hostile towards anyone, and unforgiving to enemies, she relishes in seeing them in pain. Despite all this, she is a vulnerable spirit. Easily flustered, a classic tsundere, and a bit heartless with words, she easily falls for candid people and lets her guard down when faced with such pure, unfiltered, person.

Stat System has completely changed

Before:

Charming = Intimidating

Impulsive = cautious

Sarcastic = Genuine

Friendly = Stoic

Compassionate = Cruel

Timid = Brave

Easygoing = stubborn

In overhaul:

Charming = Intimidating

Impulsive = Cautious

Warm = Cold

White Lotus = Black Belly

Cordial = Frigid

#tot #chapter 2 #tot chapter 2 #tears of tianchao #twine #if wip #if #interactive story #interactive fiction #interactive novel

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sundaytears · 2 years

Note

hello!! I saw ur bb reqs were open? totally feel free to ignore this but I was wondering if you'd do a general reader insert set around s2/3? readers basically an information broker/researcher for walt n jesse but is like part of the main group as well, gets 1/3 of the cut, etc. anyway how do you think meeting/interacting with saul would go? can be romantic or platonic totally up to you !

JESSE AND WALT’S PARTNER MEETING SAUL!

[ gender neutral ]

— warnings: none

“So sorry I’m late, you know how traffic is!” you apologize, stumbling into the lawyer’s office. “It’s quite alright..” The man, who you assume is Saul Goodman, trails off, waiting for you to introduce yourself.

“Oh, Y/N!” You sit down in the chair in between Jesse and Walt, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “You don’t mind if I smoke in here, so you?”

Saul stammers, looking for words. Luckily, Walt grabs the cigarette out of your hand before you can light it. “This isn’t a club, this is serious.”

You turn to Jesse, mocking Walter, “Blah blah, isn’t a club, this is serious!” The cancer ridden man huffs and smacks you on the head.

“Y/N, this is Saul Goodman, our lawyer.” Walter speaks as if you’re a child, but then again, he treats everyone like that. “Yeah, I think I got that.” You reply sarcastically.

“So like- you know about the meth?” You ask, quickly being shushed by all three men. “Yo, don’t say it!” Jesse scolds you, and you throw your hands up in defence, “Jeez!”

“I- yes, I know. Obviously.” Saul scoffs, and you can practically taste the sarcasm dripping off of him.

“Okay, why am I the only person getting shitted on? Jesse is just as sloppy as me!” You defend yourself. “Sloppy? I am not sloppy, bitch. Capn’ Cook is not sloppy!” He argues with you, soon devolving you two into a loud argument, something that happens very often. “You literally added chili pepper! If I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t know what taxes were!”

“Okay- okay! Clearly you two need to.. sort that out.” Saul gestures to you both. Walter waits with a stone cold face, already uses to you and Jesse’s petty arguments.

“Whatever. We all know he’d be arrested without me.” You joke, chuckling when Jesse rolls his eyes dramatically. “That’s so not true, yo.”

“Okay, yes, y/n has their perks.” Saul nods. “Yeah, bitch! He likes me more than you!” You laugh, and Mr. White scoffs.

Never in a million years did you think you’d be helping Jesse Pinkman and your old chemistry teacher sell meth.

#breaking bad x reader #saul goodman x reader #jesse pinkman x reader #sundaytears #walter white x reader

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reallyromealone · 1 year

Text

Uncanny Valley reader 5

Warning

Violence, nsfw, male reader, gang shit, fluff

🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐🪐

After that date, (name) let Ran get closer.

Accepting lunch dates and dinner dates, Bonten grew envious of the interactions with (name).

"Go out with me" Koko said coolly to (name) who just looked bored at the interaction "I'm not interested" (name) said bluntly, walking past the white haired man to get to his meeting with Sanzu who requested information on the Triad.

"I will pay for the entire date, anything you want"

"I'm not some cheap whore you can woo with your riches Mr. Kokonoi" (name) was annoyed but kept walking as the Executive silently seethed.

(Name) knocked on the door to Sanzus office, entering when he heard a faint "enter", eyes locking with Sanzus intense mint eyes "hello Mr. Sanzu, shall we get to business?"

Sanzu kept things professional but did sneak a few glances at the man.

Mid meeting Mikey decided he wanted to watch, the blond sitting on the couch as the two went about business.

When the meeting ended (name) politely bowed to both with a smile only to be pinned to the door by Mikey who stared at him intensely, looking for any reaction only to receive that ominous smile in return.

The two kept eye contact as mikeys face was breaths away, both waiting for something to happen.

"Is everything alright Mr. Sano?" (Name) asked calmly and Mikey looked annoyed but just let him leave, the two men staring at (name) intensely as he left.

Ran was at (name)s apartment again, the cats now claiming him as their heater and Ran had learned all their names.

"Oh why hello you lot" Ran said to the cats, Sprinkles trying to get under his shirt as he liked sleeping under blankets and such "you're gonna stretch my shirt Sprinkles"

He got an annoyed meow in return but perked up when ran lifted the throw blanket for him, the small cat darting under the blanket happily.

"Your coworkers are being weird" (name) stated as he set down two drinks and some snacks, investing in more snacks for his now boyfriend.

"Hm? How so?" Ran asked as he watched (name) eat a snack "Koko tried to bribe me into going to dinner and Mikey pinned me to a wall while Sanzu watched" (name) was so casual about it and Ran had to do a double take at what he just heard.

He was aware that the other Bonten men had shown interest but this... Now Ran was annoyed.

"What did you do?"

"I rejected them and I stared back at Mikey, he's very strange"

That was ironic coming from (name) but Ran was pleased at his words, if his co-workers wanted (name), they would have to actually talk instead of this childish shit they were doing.

But he was pleased with how committed (name) was, not even giving it a passing thought.

"Would you be apposed to having almost a group like relationship?" Ran asked (name) who genuinely gave it some thought "I wouldn't hold my breath, I'm still confused on why you're interested in me" (name) said and ran pouted before pulling (name) closer, the broker wide eyed as he was put into Rans lap "yes?"

"Why must you question everything?" Ran asked as he gently manhandled (name) into straddling him "it's my job" (name) said passively as he rested his hands on Rans shoulders "well maybe think less in work mode and more off work mode"

"I...I don't understand"

"Have you ever relaxed? Just turned off your brain?"

"No?"

Ran knew (name) wouldn't be the easiest to have a relationship with but he was up for the challenge and besides;

Ran loved the fact that he was the first one to see these reactions.

To unlock more and more of him.

"Can I focus your brain to something I enjoy doing?"

(Name) looked confused but nodded, ran gently pulling his face closer and kissing (name) who reciprocated shyly, still new to kissing.

But ran could feel his eagerness in the kisses, obviously enjoying kissing the elder Haitani.

Ran gave the go ahead to play with his hair a while ago, (name) didn't think he would until now as his hands subconsciously began getting lost in his hair the deeper the kiss got, Ran slowly introducing his tongue.

His brain short circuited at the softest moan that escaped (name)s lips.

Ran pulled away to look at (name) who was slightly red faced but kept a pretty maintained expression "you look so cute" ran mumbled before going to kiss the brokers neck, determined to get more sounds from him.

His efforts weren't in vain as he nipped at a soft spot in his neck and (name) slightly jolted and moaned, covering his mouth in confusion.

Ran manhandled him to lay on his back and ran caged him with his own body "can I fuck you baby?" He asked gently rubbing his half hard cock against (name)s, (name)s eyebrows furrowing slightly before nodding, softly rubbing back much to Rans eager joy.

Ran lifted (name)s shirt over his head and gently began touching his waist, ready to devour.

Bzzzt

Ran sighed as his phone went off, leaning over to grab it as he freed (name)s cock from the others pants.

Ruin his sexy time?

Well prepare to hear (name) moan.

Today ran learned (name) was vocal as he stroked the brokers cock.

"W-wait!" This was most expression Ran thinks he will ever see, eyebrows furrowed as his hips buckled up into his hand as Ran answered the phone annoyed "where the fuck are you?!" Sanzu hissed out and Ran rolled his eyes "I'm busy" Ran said simply as he gave a particularly harsh tug and (name) gripped his wrist unsure what to do "you're fucking kidding me" Sanzu hissed and Ran grinned "yup, now what do you want? Or do you want a show?"

"You're late to a meeting"

"Shit"

Sanzu hung up and ran felt (name) cum in his hand "good boy" Ran chuckled before getting up "I gotta catch a meeting, be good yeah?"

"I-I must attend work as well" (name) was shaking slightly as he got up, the two sorting themselves out before exiting the apartment.

(Name) went back to deadpan but Ran had those cute expressions burned into his brain, maybe after the meeting he could continue.

Ran walked into the building casually, knowing the rest of Bonten were practically foaming from the mouth.

He avoiding a knife thrown at him from Kakucho "pleasure to see you men as well" Ran said cooly and the others glared (save for Rindō who didn't particularly care) "you fucker"

"What? I can't play with my b-o-y-f-r-i-e-n-d~" ran sang out boyfriend and the others glared "why does he choose you?!"

"I asked him out, why do you guys even care? Thought you guys thought he was unsettling" Ran said taking his seat "things changed" takeomi said, Mikey was annoyed that he didn't have the broker but was silent, staring off into nothing.

(Name) was walking down the street when he noticed in the reflection of a window, someone following him roughly ten feet away.

(Name) took sharp turns and went into crowds but the man still follower him, but he knew his city like the back of his hand and slipped into an alleyway and waited.

It didn't take long for the man to walk in, (name) crouching behind a trash can before popping behind him with a switchblade to his throat "you're a rookie" (name) said grabbing his head and bashing it into it into a wall, throwing him to the ground and beating the ever living shit out of him.

(Name) avoided any punches the other threw, the man holding a knife and swiping, slicing (name)s suit and managing to Knick his cheek before (name) kicked him in the head, hard enough to make him drop to the floor.

(Name) kicked him in the head hard enough to knock him out.

(Name) was a classy man, keeping himself clean as he kept a foot on the unconscious man's back as he pulled out his phone "hello? Yes I would like to file in that IOU" (name) said calmly, pulling his handkerchief to clean the blood.

(Name) hung up and dragged the man to the back of the alleyway.

Ran came as soon as he could, startled by the sight as Rindō drove the car in reverse so they could put the man in the trunk "stop fretting, I'm a grown man who can care for himself"

"Not gonna stop me princess" Ran teased and (name) dead stared him "I am cashing in my IOU, He was following me home, I don't know how much information he has but I don't want any risks"

"Want me to help you pack?"

"I will need to find a new apartment promptly"

"You can stay with me"

"I wouldn't want to inconvenience"

"It's no problem "

"Only till I get an apartment "

"Of course"

"Can you guys stop flirting before we attract attention"

#tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo revengers x male reader #tokyo revengers fluff #male reader #bonten x reader

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morbidology · 4 months

Text

Breck Bednar was a bright, intelligent, year ten pupil at St. Bedes in Redhill, Surrey. His father, Barry, was a successful City oil trader originally from Houston, Texas, who went on to manage a series of companies, including Rubicon Oil Brokers. Breck’s mother, Lorin LaFave, hailed from Michigan and had previously worked for clothing companies before she became governor and teaching assistant at St. John’s C of E Primary School.

Like many teenagers, Breck found solace and companionship on the internet, immersing himself in online gaming and making new friends. He joined an online community called TeamSpeak after being introduced to it at a church youth group. The platform was similar to Skype, allowing him to play games with his school friends and meet new ones, including two boys named Liam and Tom. Although they attended different schools, they would all chat on the server after classes.

Initially, Breck’s parents believed the online server was a positive thing for him as it fostered socializing and interaction with like-minded individuals. Breck excelled in sports, but it was computers that were his passion and future career. Even as a young boy, he had a deep interest in computers, teaching himself code and building his own gaming computer using components purchased online.

The server was owned and controlled by 18-year-old Lewis Daynes. Breck became close to Daynes and looked up to him. First of all, he was impressed by his extensive computer knowledge. As the relationship grew, Daynes told Breck that he worked as a computer engineer by day and had even worked for the US Defence Department as a hacker and promised Breck great wealth through a fictional software company. According to Lewis, he had ties to the FBI, ran multi-million-pound businesses and owned luxury homes in London and New York City.

In reality, Daynes was unemployed and lived in a flat in Grays, Essex. He had been abandoned by his parents and had spent his childhood and adolescence in and out of foster care. Online, he created this persona as a wealthy and successful entrepreneur and Breck was impressed. He believed that Daynes was living the kind of life that he had dreamed of for himself.

After grooming and manipulating Breck, Daynes did the unthinkable..

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞:

#true crime #young killer

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ithinkthiswasabadidea · 2 months

Text

Extremely niche post catering to approximately six of my mutuals and/or followers about how I think the GreedFall characters (in an idealised, good ending where a cure is possible and everyone is happy) would react/interact with the BG3 companions and Tav (well. my original tav, at least)

Vasco is hard to warm up to new people, but then he hears Wyll and Karlach hyping each other up and talking about their adventures, and especially with the way Wyll romanticises things so much, he's now listening SO intently. In return the two of them are enraptured when Vasco describes his life as a Naut, and the range of things he experienced on the seas at such a young age. He has an almost pained sort of reaction when he hears about Wyll growing up as nobility, and circumstances ripping him away from it, but is inspired to know how Wyll grows from that experience to be so much more than just the Duke's son. He really loves how much Karlach loves her people

Siora is also a little stressed about how she would be received but Jaheira and Halsin are super easy to gravitate towards and there is very quickly an understanding as they discuss their deep connections to the land and their people. Siora describes the Nádaig with such reverence and fear and awe and the two druids are positively spellbound. Halsin talks about Thaniel, and then both he and Jaheira take turns describing their wildshaping and giving some demonstrations, much to Siora's delight. I think she would also be quietly in awe of the other women in the group too, and their prowess and experiences

Kurt is pretty standoffish and just wants to keep an eye on De Sardet and Constantin, but at some point he strikes up a conversation with Shadowheart and Astarion. It's tense and cagey for a long while, and I'm not sure how it would even come up, but he learns of the Dark Justiciar training and Astarion's past under Cazador's heel, and then he's gently sharing his own traumatic experiences to show how much he understands. The camp, and the things they were made to do.... Nobody makes mention of the quick, but fiercely protective hugs between the three of them (I headcanon Kurt is a hugger. The man WILL crush someone in a hug). There is a wordless bond of strength and healing through action (and no small amount of revenge)

Aphra and Gale are warily eyeing each other up, but man. You can fit so many 'intense special interest in my chosen field of study' into these bad boys. If you can get one of them to shut up for long enough, the other will just as easily keep the conversation going. They don't quite understand much of what the other is talking about but there is mutual acceptance and respect from a scholarly point of view. Gale mentions the view from his tower in Waterdeep, and Aphra's resolve will crumble as she describes the observatories where she grew up

Petrus is stuck between Lae'zel and Minthara who are both ranting about power struggles and God/s in the Fanatics Corner™️. He quickly learns to keep his mouth shut unless he's asked for an opinion, but there is a great deal of intelligent theological debate, and about how to deal with hierarchy and control of a people, when what they have been told is the truth, simply. Is not.

De Sardet and Tav are passing a bottle of something STRONGLY alcoholic back and forth, lamenting the staggering amount of work that a 'Chosen Leader' has to do to bring people together and broker some sort of peace or alliance, OR make the hard choice and cut ties before things become unsalvageable. The conversation starts off pretty unhappy and painful, but ends with a lot of hope and love

Finally, Constantin has been utterly charmed by Minsc and Boo. So neither the Stone Lord nor our dear, darling ball of curiosity, Constantin, are causing any trouble right now. Boo is pulling every string and eldritch(?) favour he can to keep this duo contained

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apieinvestavimapaprastai · 9 months

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Interactive Brokers Group Inc

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#Growth investing #IBKR #Interactive Brokers Group #Investment Insights #NASDAQ

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hey-hamlet · 2 years

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BNHA AU Idea: Information Warfare

Analysis is Midoriya Izuku’s only hobby. He could almost count sketching, but considering all he drew were heroes, it was probably a stretch. Still, he didn;t think anything would come of it, but when he sees the news reporting about a villain at large with a telekinesis quirk when he knows it’s gravity manipulation - well. He has to tell someone. Bad info could get them killed.

Sir Nighteye very rarely receives fan emails, even with his history of being All Might’s only sidekick, so it’s still agency policy to read each one. When what is clearly an information broker pops up in his emails, sending packet after pack of analysis on active cases, he sees it. He isn’t stupid enough to dismiss it either.

When the information saves his young intern’s life, he gets invested.

It’s been a while since I’ve written one of these, huh? Lets hope I’m not too rusty.

So, set when Izuku is in his second last year of middle school, about 13 years old. His father told him his mother left when he was 8, they up and left Mustutafu and he hasn’t seen her since. Midoriya Hisashi is negligent and mean, doesn’t care where his son is as long as he can’t see him and no cops or heroes end up at his door.

Not a villain because it’s too risky, but he works as a laborer and doesn’t really care about how dodgy the job is. Make enough money for himself to live comfortably in a low income area. Doesn’t make enough to live comfortably with a son - so he pays the bare minimum heeded to keep social services off his back.

He considered sending the emails to All Might, but he knew they’d get buried under all the fan mail he’s constantly sent, and he trusted Nighteye to not brush it off instantly.

Hes not exactly shocked when the man assumes hes an information broker - technically he almost is, he’s just not charging for it. And only sending information to one person. Ok so he’s probably more an informant, and being associated with villains is kinda rough, but it lends him a lot of credibility if they think he has better connections to the underworld than a wifi hotspot, a house in a shady area and some security cameras someone else hacked into.

Nighteye asks if he’d be willing to meet up, which Izuku declines. Undeterred, he asks if Izuku would instead be ok with joining in on a briefing via video. It’s a terrible idea, but he can’t help but say yes. He keeps his camera off and taped over, and downloads to voice modulation program.

He also spends a solid hour trying to think of an alias. He picks Snitch. Thats what they think he is, and he’s been called as much before for asking for help. It’s different, this time.

it takes him a while to feel comfortable chiming in - he’s use to what happens if he tries. but he’s not Deku right now, not here. He’s an information broker. He’s Snitch. He could blow the underworld right open if he set his mind to it.

He helps plan their attack better, draws maps through floorplans for the most effective routes to check the rooms of interest, marks the most likely places for the goods to be hidden. With his information they are in and out in 20 minutes. It’s shockingly effective.

Nighteye was interested before. Now he’s invested.

Snitch is clearly a social outcast, but hes practised enough at social interaction that hes not totally isolated. Unlikely to have any strong social ties, which reduces the likely hood of him working for any specific group. He’s probably a contract worker, maybe didn’t choose villainy but fell into i. He could still be helped. He could get an information hero license, really help. But first, he has to find him.

In Mutsutafu, a mother looks for her son, kidnapped by his father when he was 8 years old. An angry boy feels crushing guilt for letting it happen - Deku was right there and he just let the bastard take him and run.

They still search.

#bnha au #information warfare au #i like this one its fun #good mix of angst with the capacity for a very happy ending #bnha #midoriya #sir nighteye

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reccyls · 1 year

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Hideyoshi's Sequel Summary - Common Route (Ch 1-6)

This is a loosey-goosey summary of Hideyoshi's sequel from what I remember after blasting through about 2 routes in 1.5 days due to the election, haha. Some little portions may be very slightly out of order and I have probably left out some of the less plot-relevant moments/interactions but the general gist of everything should be right.

Also this is nearly 4k words I'm so sorry

Warnings:

Described gore/gruesomeness

A suicide attempt

Continuations:

Tragic End | Blissful End | Passionate End

As all Ikesen sequels do, Hideyoshi's starts out with Mai returning to Azuchi following the attack on Nobunaga's castle and her travel guide blank. As she tries to make her way to the others, worried, she is surrounded by a group bandits who look to be in the human trafficking business and taking advantage of the chaos in Azuchi. Just as she's about to try making a break for it, Hideyoshi comes swooping in and saves the day, beating down all of the bandits singlehandedly. After Mai is saved, they share a sweet reunion and moment together. However, they are being watched in that moment by spies that Kicho had planted in Azuchi...

Later, Mai sits in on a war council. Unrest is rising in surrounding territories due to the attack on Azuchi, and the warlords have their hands full dealing with them all. Although the conflict with the Ikko-Ikki is dealt with (following Hideyoshi's eternal route) and a ceasefire has been brokered with the Uesugi-Takeda forces in the meantime, not all is well. Busiest of all is Hideyoshi, who is sent every which way in order to help act as a mediator between various uneasy and discontent factions. During this time, Mai is also introduced to Keiji, who reports that Kicho was the one behind the attack on Azuchi and that he is working together with the presumed-dead Motonari. The pair appear to be distributing weaponry, especially guns, to the populace: a sample has been procured and Nobunaga looks to Mai, asking her whether she thinks she, with no training, could use this. Mai herself is very uneasy about the thought of actually using a gun to hurt someone, but she knows that a gun isn't actually all that difficult to use. She answers that she would be able to use the pistol with minimal training, confirming Nobunaga's suspicions.

Everyone gets busy. Hideyoshi leaves to go help mediate between factions in a bordering province, and Mai has a full day of seamstress work ahead of her at Azuchi Castle. They shared a goodbye kiss as is usual, but Hideyoshi jolts as if startled. He said he felt something on his lips as they kissed. Mai didn't notice anything, and suggests that maybe it was some static? After a quick explanation of what static buildup is, they dismiss it since it doesn't seem to be anything major, and go their separate ways.

As Mai works, Ieyasu and Mitsunari drop by with a request to mend their clothes too. Mai accepts, and after a moment of silence, Ieyasu remarks that Hideyoshi really was right. He'd asked them to check in on Mai to make sure she wasn't working herself too hard in his absence. But, well, the request to mend their clothes was still real. They're both so busy with riding back and forth between one potential uprising and the next that their clothes are wearing out fast. That just gives Mai more fuel for thought and worry, hoping that Hideyoshi is all right out there. Mai quickly finishes up the repairs on Ieyasu and Mitsunari's clothes, but just as she's handing the clothes back to them, something about her fingers seems to jolt them too. It's not painful, but it is startling. But alas, duty calls, and they leave soon as well.

Later Hideyoshi returns, unharmed and just as eager to see Mai again as she is to see him. They have their moment together, and spend a very enjoyable night with each other. However, come morning... Hideyoshi reaches out to touch Mai, but immediately pulls back in pain. He's frantic as he asks if she's okay, but she hasn't noticed anything strange at all. However, there's no way to brush this off anymore. They quickly call the warlords to an emergency meeting in order to explain the situation: people who touch Mai seem to experience pain.

Of course, this sounds unbelievable, so it is proposed that they test it out. Mai doesn't like the idea of hurting the others, but Ieyasu talks her into covering all their bases in order to better understand this strange illness(? if it is an illness, anyway). So one by one Mai takes turns touching the different warlords, and almost everyone displays a strong reaction, with Hideyoshi seeming the worst off. Keiji, however, reports only a slight irritation where Mai touched him. After some thought and one more experiment where Nobunaga summons a complete stranger to Mai for her to touch, they work out that the closer Mai is with someone, the more pain they feel. Keiji, who was just an acquaintance, only feels a mild irritation, while the maid who was completely unfamiliar to Mai felt nothing at all. And her lover, Hideyoshi, is hurt worst of all.

Mai is completely horrified by the idea that her touch and presence could hurt people, so she runs out of the meeting hall in devastation. Hideyoshi runs after her, but she says not to come closer and shurts herself away in her room. But Hideyoshi is there, standing just outside the door. If she wants space, that's all right, he'll give her space. But she just has to remember that he will always be there for her and that she isn't alone.

The next day, Nobunaga summons the both of them to his chambers for a meeting. Supposedly, there is a hot springs in the mountains that has some spiritual healing powers. Nobunaga tells Mai she should go there in order to recover and recuperate, and Hideyoshi should go with her. She expresses surprise that Nobunaga would believe in such things, but Nobunaga says he doesn't, actually. But this is a stressful situation for her to be in, and she's obviously distressed by the possibility of coming into contact with someone and hurting them. It may do her some good to spend some time away from Azuchi and that possibility, let her calm down in a relaxing hot spring, and give Hideyoshi some time off after he's been run ragged trying to keep a full blown uprising from starting these past few weeks. It's Nobunaga's way of giving the lovebirds some time to themselves, basically.

So they set off, with the other warlords seeing them off as they ride away. Masamune packed some bentos for them, Ieyasu made medicine, Mitsuhide shows up with water supplies, etc etc. Some requisite teasing and banter ensues, of course, but it's a relatively lighthearted departure. Mai notes that she doesn't seem to be causing the horse any pain by touching it, and Hideyoshi is careful to avoid direct skin contact as they ride together, so everything is going well.

Up until it doesn't.

Partway through the journey, they are attacked by a group of ruffians, declaring that they've found the Sacrificial Princess and to hand her over. It doesn't take long to figure out that they're referring to Mai, and that they intend to kill her, believing her to be someone who brings misfortune and suffering to everyone around her, and to the nation as a whole. They intend to sacrifice her to appease the heavens, who were angry at Nobunaga for his conquest over the lands and were thus punishing people by giving rise to all the unrest and violence as of late. Hideyoshi, of course, believes that it's all bullshit and does not entertain the thought of handing Mai over for even a second. However, their attackers are all adamant that Mai must be killed. And lo, they say, they are proven right as during the battle, Mai nearly slips off the horse and Hideyoshi has to catch her--and his arm immediately begins to start turning red and burn where it comes into contact with her. See? She only brings pain and suffering, and therefore, she must die.

Mai is yelling at Hideyoshi to let go of her, but he refuses, growing more ruthless and violent the more fervently their attackers try to get to Mai. He eventually cuts them all down, though one is left alive for them to interrogate. The remaining attacker manages to choke out in his final breaths that posters of Mai's face and her supposed crimes against the heavens have been spread far and wide across every village there is, so even if Hideyoshi kills him here, more people will come to finish the job.

Now that the fight is over, it's time to take stock of injuries. Mai is unharmed, but Hideyoshi's arms are red all over and completely scalded. They make use of the water that Mitsuhide handed them and Ieyasu's medicine, but even so, Hideyoshi almost collapses and is overtaken by a fever from the injury when they make it to an inn to rest for the night. Mai is overcome with guilt over the injuries that she caused, and when Hideyoshi slips into a fevered sleep, she has to leave the inn, afraid to be in the same room as him while he sleeps.

She takes a walk in the forest nearby, ruminating over everything. That's when she hears footsteps approaching. Panicking over the thought that it might be more people who are after her, she's about ready to run, though the sight of a familiar figure stops her. It's Kennyo--whom she last seen in Hideyoshi's eternal route trying to send her and Nobunaga over the edge of a cliff-- accompanied by a young pink-haired man she doesn't know. She's still afraid that Kennyo will try to kill her, but Kennyo explains that he wants no such thing. Ranmaru introduces himself, and the two of them explain that they know about the Sacrificial Princess rumor, and that it is actually Kicho's work, and part of his plans to engulf the country in unending war and conflict. They know this because the one who saved Kennyo after he fell off the cliff was Motonari, so they had, for a brief time, worked together. But upon finding out that Kicho's plan involved the prolonging of senseless suffering and war, they could not bring themselves to keep working with him, and cut ties with both Kicho and Motonari to go their own way.

When Mai asks why they're telling her this, Kennyo says that it is his form of atonement. For wrapping her, innocent and uninvolved, in his plot for revenge against Nobunaga. But if this is not repayment enough, then Kennyo would offer her his life. He places a dagger before her, and Mai can tell that he's actually serious. He'd let her kill him if she didn't think that he had redeemed himself enough.

Mai has absolutely no desire to hurt anyone. She can't forget what Kennyo did to her, but she doesn't hate him, and she doesn't want to see him dead. She doesn't think Ranmaru does either. But if he does feel the need to atone for it in blood, she takes that dagger and presses it lightly against Kennyo's finger to give him a light cut. Let that be the price he must pay in blood. If he is truly serious about redemption, then she asks him to live. Thanking him and Ranmaru for the information once more, she goes to leave.

Hideyoshi is there to see her, revealing that he had been listening from the beginning, but he's just glad to see her safe. He also expresses relief that Ranmaru is safe as well. They quickly return to the inn as Hideyoshi is still weak from his fever, and he almost collapses again as soon as they make it back. It's definitely time to rest for the night, so they pull apart their futons to make sure that they don't end up touching each other in their sleep. But it's hard, being apart like this when the both of them want and need comfort.

The next day, Hideyoshi is mostly healed up. A doctor has proclaimed the worst of his injuries dealt with properly, so the burns won't even scar. And that is when Mai, who had spent the night thinking about what Kennyo had revealed, tells Hideyoshi her plan: she wants to talk to Kicho. Nobody was supposed to know about Mai's touch bringing pain and burns to others; heck, she didn't even know about the burn part until after the people who attacked her did, even. So what does Kicho know, and how does he know about it? They need answers, and the only way to get them is to speak with Kicho directly. Hideyoshi wants to disagree, but he acknowledges that she's right, so he says that he'll go with her to Sakai after sending a letter to Nobunaga and the others to update them on the situation.

Back at Azuchi, the other warlords receive Hideyoshi's letter explaining the situation. They've been growing more and more tired with the unrest seeming to grow more and more out of control with every passing day. Hideyoshi had excelled in mediating disputes and keeping everything balanced, and without him it's hard for everyone remaining to keep things under control. And they've all been hearing about this Sacrificial Princess rumor as well, and everyone's worried about how the two of them are holding up. Nobunaga then says that he has a letter to write, and Keiji also asks to send a letter since he had infiltrated Sakai before and may have some useful information.

In Sakai, Mai and Hideyoshi are, for just a moment, taking a break. Mai is wearing a cloth over her head and face to disguise herself, because on the way to Sakai they'd been chased out of town and attacked by people who had recognized her face as the Sacrificial Princess. Hideyoshi, knowing how hard and stressful this has been on her, decides that they're just going to enjoy themselves out in town for a bit. They go to a tea shop and have sweets, window shop all the rare foreign goods like textiles and accessories that Sakai has to offer, they just let themselves enjoy things for a bit. Hideyoshi just wants to see Mai smile again.

And then night falls, and it's time to put their plan into motion. While Hideyoshi had genuinely wanted Mai to enjoy herself and be happy for a while, he had also been keeping an ear to the ground as they had gone around town, and he had found out that Kicho was going to be heading out of his merchant house that evening. If they wanted to ambush Kicho, now would be the time. So they track down Kicho, Hideyoshi knocks out his guards, and he says that if Kicho wants to live, he'd better do everything he says.

Completely unflapped, Kicho says that actually, it should be the other way around, and promptly summons dozens more underlings to take on Hideyoshi. Mai is taken away by Kicho as the guards keep Hideyoshi busy. He spirits her away to his merchant house, and we get the usual explanation of Kicho's plans and the reveal that he knows of the future as well, as with most other routes. (Meanwhile, Kennyo and Ranmaru show up to lend a hand to Hideyoshi, who was not having trouble with the guards per se, as none of them were strong enough fighters to really put him in any danger, but there was a lot of them to get through. Ranmaru and Kennyo buy him the time to break away and go after Mai)

And, like in other routes as well, Kicho is also affected by the changes in the timeline. Like Mai, he is unable to touch people he knows without burning them. It's how he knew about the symptoms to spread the Sacrificial Princess lie. As for how he found out... he did some experiments, you see. He picked a random one of his underlings and pretended to take a deeper interest in the man, cultivating a relationship of admiration and (assumed) trust. As expected, Kicho's touch began to hurt and eventually burn the man, with the injuries worsening the deeper that relationship became. Eventually it reached the point where meeting Kicho's gaze blinded the man, which was when Kicho decided to end the experiment.

However, at that point, it was too late. Kicho had left the room and ordered everything stopped, but just hearing Kicho's voice through the walls was enough to kill the man. Witnesses who were in the room at the time reported that the man's skin had eventually begun to actually melt, and he died in agony.

With this vision of what lies in store for her and Hideyoshi, Mai is completely shaken. Kicho lets her leave unharmed, seeing as how he has no particular reason to kill her at this point in time, and it in fact behooves his plan to have her live. The whole reason he spread the rumor of the Sacrificial Princess in the first place is specifically because he knew it would provoke Hideyoshi the most. Hideyoshi is a balancing force and mediator among the Oda forces, and throwing Hideyoshi off will throw the Oda off as well. The impacts of it can be seen already: how the Oda are having trouble managing the unrest without Hideyoshi... and also how Hideyoshi himself gradually grows more brutal and less and less prone to trying to convince the people after Mai's life to stand aside with every ambush.

Hideyoshi meets up with her soon after and after making sure she's okay, they leave for a safe place and to recover for the night. Mai tells him some of what she learned: Kicho's goals, his reason for spreading the Sacrificial Princess rumor to disrupt Hideyoshi and the Oda forces. But she keeps the extent of the effects on her hidden, too overwhelmed and upset to think about addressing that right now.

On the journey back to Azuchi, they stop at a seaside inn to spend the night. One morning as they're having a meal together, Hideyoshi tries to reassure her that everything will end up all right, and Mai almost allows herself to believe him. But at that moment, Hideyoshi winces in pain and holds a hand to his eye. Did the sun's rays hit him in just the wrong spot, he wonders? But Mai, with the knowledge from Kicho about how her symptoms will progress, immediately begins wondering if this is the start of the end, and makes a quick excuse and dashes out of the inn.

She spends some time by the seashore, worried and afraid and stewing in her own thoughts. However, she's soon approached by a man who once again recognizes her as the Sacrificial Princess and attempts to kill her. Hideyoshi, who had grown worried about Mai intervenes just in time, keeping Mai close to him to protect her even as she yells at him to let her go so he won't burn himself. He tells her that there's no way he'd do that, that this is nothing in order to make sure that she's safe. The man lashes out in anger and fear, asking why Hideyoshi is protecting Mai: she's the Sacrificial Princess who's the cause of the suffering in the world. Does he want the world to destroy itself? Is that it? Hideyoshi responds back: Mai is his treasure, and he will not let anyone lay a hand on her.

After some skirmishing, they manage to make it to a safe and isolated section of the beach. Hideyoshi says it's a good thing that the guy gave up relatively soon and that Mai wasn't hurt. But Mai has just about hit her breaking point after this latest attack and the knowledge of what is to come in the future. Walking past Hideyoshi, she walks straight into the ocean, and keeps going.

She's submerged up to her calves; Hideyoshi yells at her to stop. She ignores him.

Up to the waist now. The currents are growing strong. And still she keeps going, defeated step after defeated step.

Alarmed, Hideyoshi runs after her and grabs onto her to stop her. But she yells at him to let her do this, she doesn't want to do this anymore. She reveals to Hideyoshi what Kicho told her about the progression of her symptoms. What she really wants is to live together with Hideyoshi and everyone else. But how can she do that if her very presence hurts them and will eventually kill them? This is for the best, she says. For everything to end so no one can be hurt by her anymore.

Hideyoshi just holds onto her more fiercely. He insists that even if Mai thinks that the best thing is to throw her own life away, her life has value and meaning and he is so so grateful for every day that he can spend with her. The words ring familiar: their positions are reversed now, compared to Hideyoshi's eternal route. When he was willing to die, believing it to be the only way that he could be of use, Mai was the one who convinced him that even if he thought the only person he would be hurting was himself, everyone around him would bear the pain of his hurts with him too; that his life has its own intrinsic value not tied to how useful or worthy he was; that the simple truth of his existence is something worth celebrating. He's never forgotten that lesson for a moment, and now that things have come to this, he'll do the same for Mai for as many times as it takes for her to realize the same about herself.

The unconditional love and support breaks Mai, and she begins crying as Hideyoshi leads her out of the ocean. She apologizes, promising not to try to kill herself again. Hideyoshi tells her she has nothing to apologize for, and they return back to their rooms to rest for the night and recuperate from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. They can't hold each other directly, but some careful wrapping of each others' bodies around some clothes mean that they can still have a little bit of comfort from each other, at least.

The next day their journey back to Azuchi continues. Unfortunately, their path goes right through the battlefield of one of a recent uprising, and there are still some armed soldiers lingering around the area. Their conversation makes it abundantly clear that they're hunting for the Sacrificial Princess, lamenting the violence that has destroyed their hometowns and families and hoping that they find her soon so that they can put an end to everything. Hideyoshi and Mai try to stay hidden as they maneuver around the battlefield but unfortunately they are detected. Hideyoshi is left with no choice but to fight...

#ikemen sengoku #hideyoshi (ikesen)#i wasn't joking about the favoritism rambling :p #though on the whole this section is all mostly just a retelling #not so much personal thoughts in this one

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